November 2024
President’s Message
As we embark on the launch of Federation’s 2025 Campaign for Jewish Buffalo, I want to express my heartfelt gratitude to our community. Thank you to everyone who was able to attend our uplifting Kickoff event in September—a splendid example of how working together as a community makes us stronger. Some of you have already committed your 2025 Federation gift: pledging your support and commitment to the future of Jewish Buffalo. To those who have not yet pledged, know that our team is eager to connect and have a conversation with you. Please know that each and every contribution, whether large or small, strengthens our shared mission to build and sustain a flourishing Jewish Buffalo.
Our work is best done as a team. I am profoundly grateful for the unwavering dedication and engagement of my Board of Governors. Your insights, leadership, and passion inspire us all to reach new heights.
Equally important are the many other volunteer leaders who lend their time and talents to our organization, collaborating seamlessly with our exceptional professional team, to put together meaningful programs and support development efforts.
As we look ahead, let us continue to cultivate this spirit of gratitude and generosity. Together, with new CEO Miriam Abramovich leading the way, supported by a dedicated team of professional and volunteer leaders, we can achieve remarkable things. Thank you for standing with us and for believing in the promise of a bright Jewish future. Your support not only sustains our community today but also nurtures it for generations to come.
Marjorie Bryen, President, BJF
If you have not made your Campaign gift for 2024 yet, there is still time before the calendar year ends. Visit bit.ly/2024CFJB to make your gift today!
In the spirit of the Thanksgiving holiday later this month, our cover reflects the theme of gratitude. We invited 6 Jewish Buffalonians to share their reflections on what makes them grateful as well as an image that captures their perspective. We are grateful to Ali Bitterman, Ronnie Dubrowin, Leon Komm, Ethel Roblin Melzer, Dr. Devorah Okin, and Zack Steinberg for their contributions.
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President Marjorie Bryen
Chief Executive Officer Miriam Abramovich
Chief Creative Officer Jill Komm
Senior Advisor Rob Goldberg
Assistant Director of Operations Mandy
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Reflecting on GRATITUDE GRATITUDE
Hakarat hatov- “recognizing the good”— is not just a nice Jewish idea, it’s a mitzvah, a commandment. You could in fact argue that as Jews, we are obligated to be grateful. But how do we demonstrate our commitment to this mitzvah, and embody our gratitude out in the world? Judaism is often described as a “faith of action”, whereby what we do is just as important as what we believe. It makes sense then to look to action as an expression of our gratitude. One way that I am compelled to express my gratitude in action is through tzedakah. By giving money, yes, but also by sharing my time, energy and skill in the pursuit of justice. Through this “righteous behavior,” I embody thankfulness for all that I have by working to ensure that others have access to these things too. Whether it be food or shelter, access to
education and sports, or something as basic as safety, dignity, and humanity, my gratitude for access to these things comes in the same breath as my conviction to fight so that others have access to them as well. My commitment to justice and my commitment to Judaism go hand in hand, and this leads to a reciprocal and mutually sustaining relationship between tzedakah and hakarat hatov in my life.
- Ali Bitterman
Jewish practice teaches us that we should start the day by expressing gratitude from the moment we wake up for the simple miracles that come with being alive. When I wake up, it’s usually with a small wet nose, whiskers and fur in my face; sometimes with this small squirrelish snout being placed right onto my mouth, momentarily stopping my breath.
I wake up and I am eye to eye with a fierce creature, a killer of mice— my lovely cat Lana. When I think of gratitude, I think of Lana. She probably has the largest amount of unconditional love for me of any being on the planet. It doesn’t matter what I do, if I’m getting too warm and kick her off the bed in the middle of the night, she will still be right there in the morning. If I yell at her because she’s digging her claws into me while kneading, she’ll lovingly rub her face and ears alongside my shoulder. Anytime I need her, she’ll be there, waiting and ready for a soft pet.
- Zack Steinberg
In today’s frenetic world, it’s trendy to promote “technology Sabbaths,” a regular break from phones, social media, and the ordinary demands on our attention, to spend time with family, friends, and our inner selves. For observant Jews, Shabbat is indeed a break, but it’s also far more profound. When I was a child, Shabbat was about treats, shul with friends, and playing or reading books with family. As an adolescent, I grew to appreciate what the late Dr. Oliver Sacks poignantly described as “a stopped world, a time outside time,” which gave me a break from the rigors of schoolwork and extracurriculars (“Sabbath,” Gratitude, 2015). As an adult, while Shabbat still contains dessert and a mandatory break from work and phone, I’ve come to appreciate what the late Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan described as “the confirmation of our belief in G-d as the Creator of all things” (Sabbath: Day of Eternity, 1974/2005). Shabbat is an opportunity to take a metaphorical step outside of my own mind, accept that most of my life is largely outside of my direct control, and remember that I am worthy of G-d’s creation and involvement. It’s a gift, both humbling and uplifting, for which I’m truly grateful. - Dr. Devorah Okin
Gratitude is a funny thing. I liken it to turning on the lights when you walk into a dark room. It requires a wide lens sometimes, especially when times are tough. It’s easier to be grateful when everything is going our way but finding gratitude when I was going through chemotherapy or battling through my T-Cell transplant, I found was more difficult. I have always thought that being thankful in the good times makes it easier to be thankful in the bad times—like muscle memory. I’m thankful for my wonderful family. I’m thankful for my loyal and tremendously loving friends. I am thankful for this community that has always supported me as I have supported it. And I am thankful for my life as I have been allowed to live it. Gratitude allowed me to focus on the good when the bad was much more pressing. At those moments, it was my sense of gratitude that allowed me to shed light on what has been, without question, a blessed life. No matter how hard the moment is, life, is a gift.
The term Tikkun Olam requires gratitude, I think. I have lived a life of trying to give back whenever possible because to me giving is to express gratitude. Not just through money but through acts of loving kindness, a helping hand or assistance. It’s much harder to build a world when you show little recognition for all that the world provides. I am grateful for so much and am thankful to have my wife Cindy by my side, always turning on the lights. I wish everyone a blessed New Year filled with good health and peace.
- Leon Komm
Reflecting on GRATITUDE GRATITUDE ( cont’d )
One of the hardest aspects of relocating to a new area is establishing meaningful relationships with people on whom you can rely and will rely on you. While often told of the remarkable people who live in the greater Buffalo area, experiencing for myself the intense and sincere caring of those I have met is hard to describe. The gratitude I feel can perhaps be exemplified by but not limited to two experiences. Since arriving in Western New York, my husband had a significant, life changing health scare. On whom would I rely? The support and caring shown to us newcomers in the community is indescribable. I also found myself staggered, almost swallowed up, under the weight of responsibilities for family. One evening as services ended, a group of women surrounded me with their love and support. I am not sure how to fully express the width and depth of gratitude to them. Knowing they are there, willing to be firm and gentle hands on my back gave me the strength to begin the climb up from the abyss in which I found myself. This happened as others sensing my need called and emailed. My heart explodes with thankfulness. - Ronnie Dubrowin
It was December 2012 when I first encountered Mussar and the Middah of Gratitude. Here it is, 2024, and I still work at having the “attitude of gratitude” in my everyday life. Since that time— many things have changed, but the core of my life, the things I am grateful for are the same: life and family, health and energy and my activity in the Buffalo Jewish community.
Gratitude – “recognizing the good” in my life has become an ongoing practice. I am grateful I was born into a wonderful family. I had two loving parents, three older siblings and a happy and healthy childhood. I received a stellar early education and a Certificate of Confirmation from Temple Beth Zion. And then I married the prefect man for me, Dick Melzer. That union lasted for seventy-two years. We became parents of a daughter and a son, four granddaughters and two great grandchildren. “My cup runneth over!”
I am grateful for my good health and energy! It is due to my ongoing habit of physical exercise and a healthy lifestyle that allows me to enjoy this special time in my life.
I am also grateful for the contributions I was able to make in the Buffalo Jewish Community. The JCC, Jewish Federation, Temple Beth Zion, Camp Centerland, Camp Lakeland, the Melton Mini-School and the Bureau of Jewish Education are all organizations in which I have played a part. In return, I have received tremendous personal satisfaction.
“Thank you, G-d, for this beautiful day—for my wonderful life and for all my blessings!” This is the daily mantra that helps me practice the “attitude of gratitude” in my daily life. It reminds me of how lucky I am! - Ethel Roblin Melzer
Congressman Kennedy Addresses Lubavitch Community
Congressman Tim Kennedy (NY-26) joined Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries (NY-08), House Speaker Mike Johnson (LA04), and other Members of Congress at the American Friends of Lubavitch (Chabad) Lamplighter Awards. At the event, held on September 11, 2024 at the Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium in Washington, D.C., Congressman Kennedy spoke about the continuing bipartisan support for Israel, fortified in the wake of the terrorist attack on October 7, 2023, and the urgent need to fight rising antisemitism across America. Congressman Kennedy is a cosponsor of the Combating Antisemitism Act, which would establish a National Coordinator within the executive branch to oversee an interagency task force to counter antisemitism.
New Federation CEO Shares Vision at Kick Off
On Tuesday, September 24, 400 community members and friends gathered at UB’s Center for the Arts for the Buffalo Jewish Federation’s annual Campaign Kick Off event. Among the highlights was a brilliant presentation by BJF’s new CEO Miriam Abramovich, who began in her new role at the beginning of September. We’re delighted to share a snapshot of Miriam’s talk underscoring her important message to Jewish Buffalo.
“Not that many kids grow up dreaming about becoming a Jewish communal professional. There’s no Little People Rabbi’s collection, no Fisher Price JCC camp playset, and definitely no ‘Barbie who is a Federation CEO’. But maybe that is what makes the profession particularly special—it is the kind of job where you can’t rely on instruction manuals or clear guidelines and guardrails—instead you learn these jobs through lived experience, and from all the rich learnings passed down by treasured mentors.
I have lived and worked in many different cities—New York, Boston, Baltimore, and Pittsburgh. And because I have been a Jewish professional in so many communities—I have it on good authority to say that Buffalo is an exceptional city for me it has a place of surprising abundance.
But perhaps I should not have been surprised because Buffalo has also always been a place of ingenuity—our people built the Erie Canal, steam-powered grain elevators— we invented the pacemaker and wings! We are also resilient and have weathered the greatest of storms, both literal and figurative. Buffalonians are tough but still nimble, we are loyal and hopelessly positive, at least about football. Each of these qualities are rooted in collaborative work and in the joy of being part of a community. Community
and collective responsibility are also the central building blocks of Jewish Life. Reflecting upon what it is that makes Buffalo so very special reminded me of Golda Meir who once said, “I never did anything alone. Whatever was accomplished in this country was accomplished collectively.”
In the last decade in which I have worked and led in this community; we have all accomplished a lot together. You might not know this but for years we have been repeatedly recognized by Jewish Federations of North America as a model for Federation communities of our size.
And then, October 7, 2023—the day that forever altered reality for Jewish people around the globe. We were, and to a significant extent, we remain, devastated. At the Federation, we are just now beginning to understand some of the long-range implications for Jewish peoplehood and for the work of the Federation Movement. Our work has never mattered more.
In the 11 months since 10/7, the Buffalo Jewish Federation:
• Significantly enhanced our security infrastructure, because nothing is more essential than ensuring Jews are, and feel, safe.
• We sent two busses to March for Israel in Washington DC.
• We nurtured old and built new partnerships with superintendents and leadership from 12 school districts working closely on both incident response and pushing curricular and professional development resources into schools.
• We deepened our relationship with Hillel of Buffalo—to partner on the critical work being done to ensure Jewish student and faculty safety and success.
• We navigated working with the media, offering on-air comments on the rise in antisemitism, speaking out against anti-Israel rhetoric. We organized media events, and we even went into newsrooms, to talk about Jewish Buffalo, antisemitism, and life for American Jewry post October 7.
• We toiled side by side with local, state, and federal elected officials to secure funding, and other forms of support to combat Jew hatred.
• All the while, we never lost focus on our commitment to create opportunities for Joyful & Accessible expressions of Judaism.
• We also shared our love and our fears, our fight and our hope with our family in Israel.
In the last 11 months so many of us have been made to feel unsafe, alone, and many of have struggled to openly share our pride in being Jewish.
It has been so very hard. Yet beautiful things always emerge from time of great stress. There’s been a surge of interest in Jewish life, we have forged new alliances, we have found our voices, and a recommitment to a strong and connected Jewish Buffalo.
FEDERATION
And even though we face critical long-term challenges ahead, today I choose to turn a hopeful gaze towards the future. So let me share 6 of the Federation’s key priorities for 2025, this is a window into the engine that drives our mission to build and sustain a flourishing Jewish Buffalo.
Community Relations
No longer a stand-alone entity, Community Relations is the Federation. We play an essential and indispensable role representing the entire Jewish community. This year we will develop a higher level of expertise and expand our capacity to be in more relationships with Buffalo’s most influential civic, faith and business leaders.
Israel
Federation will be focused on: mobilizing networks to advocate and educate as well as getting more Jews and civic partners to Israel—two trips are planned for 2025.
Combatting Antisemitism
Our sustained approach includes a continued focus on K to 12 educational spaces, and thanks to the leadership of our Holocaust Education Resource Organization, Buffalo will become home to a Mobile Museum of Tolerance, a living and traveling classroom which uses immersive technology to teach lessons about the Holocaust, Civil Rights, hate and tolerance.
Leadership & Engagement
We are stepping up our work to identify and develop future Jewish leaders and are looking at ways to better prepare our children and teens to not only face the world but to lead boldly and bravely thru the lens of their Jews values.
Funding Support
The Federation will continue to serve as the backbone of the community, convening and funding our partner entities and sending critical dollars overseas to support our global Jewish family.
Jewish Engagement & Jewish Joy
We will stand up our sustaining engagement efforts in addition to two new projects: Midlife Engagement and NextGen Jewish Buffalo. And we will design and deploy new joyful Jewish learning and living opportunities with a focus on creating spaces for people who don’t always feel a part of the community.
This is just a snapshot—but if you remember one thing from today, I hope it is that a strong Buffalo Jewish Federation is essential to a successful, safe, and flourishing Jewish Buffalo.
To watch the entire Kick Off program, visit youtube.com/jewishbuffalo. To connect with Miriam, email her at miriam@buffalojewishfederation.org.
The 2025 Campaign for Jewish Buffalo Kick Off Event
On Tuesday, September 24, 2024, over 400 members and friends of Jewish Buffalo gathered to celebrate the power of community for an incredible night of giving. Marni Marciano was honored with the Ruth and Milton Kahn Emerging Leadership Award, and Hadar Borden was the recipient of the Ann Holland Cohn Community Impact Award. Miriam Abramovich, Federation’s new CEO, spoke about her vision for the future (see previous page), and the crowd was treated to three unique impact stories of fellow Jewish Buffalonians. Thank YOU for showing up, supporting our Jewish family, and being part of the best community in the world!
Meeting the Moment: Federation’s New Community Relations Strategy
In mid-September, Buffalo’s community relations leaders met to discuss a new strategic direction for this critical work. Harvey Sanders, community relations Chair, shared with the group that while our community relations work has built a network of relations and contacts in the religious, business, and political worlds, today we need to do more. “We need to pivot and build upon our past efforts and become a more visible and central priority for the Buffalo Jewish Federation,” he explained.
Meeting the Moment
“October 7 changed everything,” continues Federation’s new CEO Miriam Abramovich.
“It reoriented our priorities in real time underscoring the critical importance of our community relations work.” In Buffalo, like in communities across the globe, we experienced shock that in the weeks and months following 10/7, some of our most treasured friends and allies responded to our pain with silence. While some stood by us, many long-standing relationships, programs, and joint civic efforts, built over many years, did not lead to support for the Jewish People or our beloved Israel, and at its worst, led to the opposite.
“Like all Federations, we have come to
recognize the events of this past year as an alarm bell,” underscores Miriam. “The fear and isolation felt by so many throughout the Jewish world after October 7 called us to redouble our relationship-building efforts. We need to meet the moment—recognizing that Federation is a community relations agency, and every member of our team is responsible for this vital work.”
Relationships
“We are in the relationship business and the key to community relations success is building authentic and enduring relationships,” underscores Rob Goldberg, Federation’s Senior Advisor who is overseeing community relations this
year. “Moving forward, we will build on our previous successes in relationship building at the same time prioritizing new relationships that benefit the achievement of our mission.”
Key Community Relations Pillars
“Next year our focus will be on several key pillars, including the K-12 space and college campuses, engaging and deepening relationships with business leader and legislative partners, and overall interfaith/ group engagement,” shares Federation president Margie Bryen. “We will also include support of and engagement with Israel in the community relations umbrella.”
K-12 Engagement
Since October 7, 2023, antisemitic incidents in regional schools have increased. While we have a long-standing Holocaust educational strategy, including HERO’s speaker series, Arts and Writing Contest, and Student to Student, we are now developing a comprehensive strategy to engage Western New York school districts proactively, focusing on Superintendents, Principals, and school boards.
Campus
Jewish college students in Buffalo and around North America have been experiencing unprecedented levels of antisemitism since October 7. Working in partnership with Hillel at Buffalo’s professional team and board, Federation will support those on campus from relationships with university administration to ensure adherence to student conduct codes and time, place, and manor regulations on protests. Additionally, we will advocate for the discipline of faculty who misuse their position to promote political agendas or harass Jewish and Zionist students.
Business Leaders
This is a newer focus area for Community Relations and is inspired by a donor who has committed a significant gift to underwrite the cost of a Buffalo Business leaders trip to Israel (ideally in 2025). In addition, the Federation recognizes the powerful and influential role that business leaders play in sparking [or stopping] community conversations. Our goal will be to connect with the most important leaders across Buffalo, those who are able to speak with thousands of employees across our
community, to build understanding and positive associations with Israel and Jewish peoplehood.
Legislative Partners
Building on the success of the Leadership Breakfast in 2024, when we engaged with numerous civic and legislative leaders on the local, county, state and federal level, our aim is to map relationships more deliberately, focusing on all levels of government and key leaders with whom we need to be relationship. In addition, we will be more proactive in advocating for legislation that is critical to the Jewish community, particularly around addressing hate, antisemitism, community safety and supporting the State of Israel.
Intergroup and Interfaith Relations
In 2017, Federation led a 10-day trip to Israel for two dozen faith leaders, including Catholics, Protestants, and Rabbis. These relationships have since flourished, but changing demographics and differing views on Israel among Protestant sectors require us to rethink our interfaith strategies. With 70 million Catholics, 90 million Evangelicals, and only 15 million mainline Protestants, our focus should shift from mainline denominations to more impactful groups like Hispanic Catholics and Evangelicals, while also more deeply engaging with Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, and when able, Muslim communities. We will build relationships that align with our mission, fostering connections through small gatherings and collaborations.
Israel
For more than seven decades, the Federation system has helped strengthen the State of Israel. While the work of deepening the connections between the Jewish State and the Jewish Buffalo has been at the core of the Federation, we believe that it is now elemental to our Community Relations work. Our efforts going forward will focus on three principal areas: 1) mobilizing our networks when Israel is threatened; 2) strengthening understanding of Israel by investing in immersive programming for Jews and non-Jews to experience Israel directly; 3) exploring ways to foster stronger relationships directly with Israelis.
For more information, contact Rob Goldberg at rob@buffalojewishfederation.org.
Remembering October 7
“The First Yahrzeit of October 7th”
A day can be a year
A month a week
A year a day
A moment an eternity
When you are missing someone Time does not move in a straight line
I can still your face as young as you were Twenty years have passed like a day
The air in the study hall is still musty Through the open window a siren is blaring
Whether this is today or another day entirely Who can be sure
On Monday, October 7, 2024, Jewish Buffalo joined Jewish communities around the globe to commemorate the one-year anniversary of the horrendous attack by Hamas in Israel, a day when 1,185 Israelis were murdered, and 251 hostages were dragged away from their homes and their families and taken into Gaza. In the morning, Federation gathered many Legislative partners for a powerful program with Mark Patinkin, longtime Providence Journal columnist and the author of The Holy Land at War: A Journey Through Israel, the West Bank and Gaza. In the evening, 250 people gathered in person at the JCC and over 150 virtually on the anniversary of a day that has changed the course of Jewish history. This was an important moment for Jewish Buffalo to gather, remember the lives lost a year ago, and express our collective hope for a better year for our Israeli family and the Jewish people. Thank you to the JCC for continuing to serve as a central place for the entire community to gather.
Here I grasp your hand if that’s something I ever did Holding you back as if tomorrow was still so very far away
- written by Rabbi Alex Lazarus-Klein
Above: Legislators gather with author Mark Patinkin; Below: the UB Bull outside of the Student Center is painted in honor of October 7.
New Professional Advisors Committee
Since 1911, the Foundation for Jewish Philanthropies (The Foundation) has valued its relationships with Donors and their financial, legal and tax advisors. The Professional Advisors Committee is a newly formed group for professionals who want a more comprehensive understanding of the role charitable giving can have in their clients’ financial and estate plans while also working to promote the traditional Jewish values of:
Tzedakah (Charity and Justice) –
Helping those less fortunate.
Gemilut Chasadim (Loving Kindness) –
Performing acts of kindness and compassion.
Tikkun Olam (Repair the World) –
Leaving the world better than we found it, and L’Dor V’Dor (Generation to Generation) – Passing on values, strengthening future generations, and sharing the importance of elders and youth.
The current chair of the committee, attorney Lisa J. Allen, explains her vision for the committee as “a (mostly social) group of lawyers, financial advisors, and accountants who get together every couple of months to network, have coffee or drinks, and kick around different possible solutions for client issues, philanthropical (or not.)” Lisa is the managing attorney at The Law Offices of Lisa J. Allen, PLLC. She has been in private practice for over thirty years in the areas of trusts and estates, Elder Law and disability advocacy.
The Foundation’s Professional Advisory Committee (PAC) consists of leading attorneys, accountants, financial planners and advisors, insurance, tax and other professionals who are committed to supporting the Foundation’s work by promoting philanthropy through their professional practices. However, anyone who is interested in learning more about charitable giving or promoting our traditional Jewish values is welcome to join the committee.
The Foundation works with PAC members to promote and encourage philanthropic conversations between advisors and their clients and to increase
awareness of the benefits of making tax-advantageous, charitable gifts. In the coming months, the PAC is planning on offering continuing education seminars on topics such as “An In-Depth Look at Using a Charitable Remainder Trust (CRT) as the Beneficiary of a Qualified Plan or Traditional IRA,” and “De-Mystifying Complex Giving: An Overview of Strategic Charitable Giving Options.” In addition to its educational opportunities, the PAC also offers a great source of networking and socializing with like-minded professionals and potential donors.
For more information on the Professional Advisors Committee, contact Lisa J. Allen at lallen@lisajallenlaw.com or the Foundation for Jewish Philanthropies at 716-204-1133.
Lisa J. Allen
Life & Legacy® at Buffalo
L’Dor v’Dor – Ken and Janie Polk
“It is not your duty to finish the work, but neither are you at liberty to desist from it.”
– Pirkei Avot (Ethics of Fathers) 2:16
Total Legacy Commitments Received: 499
Total dollar amount: $15,700,000
Total Number of Donors: 261 *As of 10/14/2024
Life & Legacy® is a partnership program of the Harold Grinspoon Foundation (HGF), which supports communities across the US and Canada in promoting legacy giving to build endowments that will provide stability to the organizations comprising the fabric of Jewish life.
Now in its fourth year, Life & Legacy® at Buffalo, a collaboration of the Foundation for Jewish Philanthropies and the Buffalo Jewish Federation, has worked with local synagogues, agencies, and organizations to secure the future of Jewish Buffalo.
These commitments have been obtained by making legacy giving central to Buffalo’s communal philanthropic culture the norm, with gifts which are meaningful to each individual, no matter the level, enabling all donors to be philanthropists.
Life & Legacy® is also utilizing a new brand, which is rooted in Judaism through the eternal burning flame, symbolizing the ongoing and future “passing the torch” from generation to generation (L’Dor V’dor)
For more information, please contact Linda Barat, Life & Legacy at Buffalo Coordinator, at Linda@jewishphilanthropies.org or 716-204-2259.
“From an early age I was taught that community involvement is important,” Ken shares. “I volunteered throughout high school, and it’s something I’ve continued into adulthood.” In addition to dedicating 10 years on the St. Lawrence University Alumni Executive Council and another decade as the Registrar for Amherst Youth Basketball, he turned to Temple Beth Zion where he currently serves as President.
Ken fondly recalls being a “runner” for Super Sunday during his teenage years, volunteering for the Buffalo Jewish Federation before fully understanding its purpose. “I remember going with BBYO friends back in the ’80s. Now, I realize I’ve been part of Super Sunday for nearly 40 years.”
Beyond his support for Federation, Ken has been deeply committed to revitalizing TBZ. “TBZ has always been a central part of my family’s life,” he explains. “My parents were married there, I became a Bar Mitzvah there, and Rabbi Goldberg officiated at my wedding. As our kids got older, we enrolled them in TBZ’s religious
school, and all three had their B’nai Mitzvahs there. My kids are proud fifth generation TBZ members.”
Ken’s mother Janie has her own long history with TBZ. Having grown up in Buffalo and worked at the JCC, she reflects on her connection to the synagogue. Her grandparents were TBZ members, and she, along with her father, uncle, sisters, and cousins, were all confirmed there. “It’s just a part of who we were,” she beamed. “We didn’t grow up very observant, but being a member always felt important.” Janie and her husband, Herb, officially joined TBZ in 1963.
When the Life & Legacy program launched in Buffalo, Ken and his wife, Cara knew they wanted to support both the Buffalo Jewish Federation and TBZ. “I was fortunate to have a career in sales and was able to invest in a 401(k). After changing jobs, I transferred those funds into an IRA. Following conversations with FJP’s Executive Director Irv Levy, he recommended updating my IRA beneficiaries as the easiest way to formalize a legacy gift. Our family wanted to ensure that TBZ’s future was secure while also supporting the Federation. The work former Federation
CEO Rob Goldberg has done in recent years inspired me to contribute to both.”
Ken discussed the legacy gift idea with his mother, who enthusiastically agreed it was a meaningful way to ensure the sustainability of her treasured Jewish Buffalo. “It’s important to make sure TBZ continues for future generations and leaving a gift when I no longer need the money just made sense.”
Both Ken and Janie credit Janet and Wayne Wisbaum z”l for inspiring them. “Janet is my mom’s twin sister, and she and Wayne were inspirational role models for me,” Ken said. “Janet and Wayne supported so many organizations in Buffalo.” Janie added. “Joining the Life & Legacy program was the least I could do.”
Mobile Museum of Tolerance Comes to Buffalo
BY ARMAND MORRISON
Sparked by a casual conversation with a representative from the NYS Assembly’s office at last spring’s WNY Jewish Leadership briefing, I was introduced to the Simon Wiesenthal Center, a Jewish human rights organization established in 1977. This connection led to a discussion about the Museums of Tolerance, international centers for Holocaust remembrance and the defense of human rights and the Jewish people. Since opening in February 1993, they have received over 8 million visitors and received the Global Peace and Tolerance Award from the Friends of the United Nations.
Museums of Tolerance have supplemented their physical presence with new Mobile Museums of Tolerance (MMOT), which are traveling human rights education centers utilizing innovative technology and interactive lessons to bring a message of tolerance directly to communities. MMOTs challenge visitors to confront bigotry, antiSemitism, racism and hate in all its forms, and to understand the Holocaust in both historic and contemporary contexts.
The MMOT’s 32-seat, wheelchair accessible vehicle serves as a self-contained classroom, while also delivering a “field trip experience” to its visitors. Led by an experienced New York State educator, the MMOT uses a combination of immersive technology and facilitated dialogue to deliver its state-standard and curriculumaligned workshops. The MMOT currently offers five workshops that cover critical topics such as the Holocaust, Civil Rights, propaganda, discrimination, hate, and dehumanization.
In a truly collaborative fashion, HERO, powered by the Buffalo Jewish Federation, has helped secure funding from the New York State legislature for two MMOT units— one designated for the New York City region and the other for Western New York. Our plan is to incorporate MMOT into our K-12 Educational programs designed to support HERO’s mission of Remember, Teach, and Empower, which currently include the following programs:
• Arts and Writing contest – “Anne Frank . . . Beyond the Diary”
• Survivor and Descendant Speakers Bureau
• Kindness Suitcase – featuring Paddington Bear, our “Kindness Ambassador”
• Student to Student peer program
• Annual Educators Conference
To date, we have conducted meetings with leaders of five school districts, all of whom have expressed sincere interest in bringing MMOT to their schools. To learn more about HERO, visit buffalojewishfederation.org/herobuffalo and to schedule MMOT for a school, visit buffalojewishfederation.org/mmot-request.
Armand Morrison is the new Chair of HERO (Holocaust Education Resource Organization of the Buffalo Jewish Federation).
More than a Hobby for JCC’s Ruth Borsky!
BY ALEXANDER EADIE
On a warm Sunday September afternoon, Ruth Borsky could be found with her son Jonathan and friend Hallie Glina, under the Shirah pavilion at Camp Centerland during the JCC’s Apples and Honey Fall Festival. They were there to sell Ruth’s own handmade beaded necklaces and kippot. Among the festive atmosphere, other vendors, and the wafting smell of chicken BBQ dinners, Ruth’s jewelry is more than items to simply sell.
“Everything I make is to support the Teddy Fund,” Ruth said. The Teddy Fund, named in honor of Ruth’s late son, is a fund at the Foundation of Jewish Philanthropies that supports scholarships for children to attend camp who otherwise would not be able to due to financial hardship. Originally set up to benefit children from Ruth’s home synagogue attending Camp Seneca Lake in Rochester, the COVID pandemic led
Ruth to broaden the parameters of the fund to also support children at Camp Centerland, since it was the only Jewish camp in the area operating in 2020.
Through Beads on a Wire, Ruth has been able to take something that started out as a hobby and support a worthy cause that makes an impact on many children. “I have been making these necklaces for years,” she said. “I plan each one out carefully, including the colors, the style, the pendants and then I create each one into something unique.” All sales of the necklaces, both here in Western New York and in Florida where Ruth spends the winters, benefit the fund.
The JCC is happy to support Ruth and The Teddy Fund. In spring 2025, the JCC will showcase Beads on a Wire as part of the Bunis Art Gallery in the Benderson Family Building.
For more information, please call or email Alex Eadie, at 716-929-6258 or aeadie@jccbuffalo.org.
Alexander Eadie is the Senior Director of Advancement, JCC of Greater Buffalo.
Introducing Hillel’s Leadership
of Buffalo
BY RYAN PIKEN
This fall, Hillel of Buffalo welcomed three outstanding student leaders to its leadership corps: Hannah Klein, Ori Edgar, and Toast Lobel.
Each of these new leaders embody Hillel’s core principles of Engagement, Jewish Learning, and Belonging. New Social Engagement Chair, Hannah Klein, focuses on planning and facilitating weekly events that immerse both new and returning students in the Hillel community. One of her initiatives is a new weekly program centered around positive mental health and selfcare. Recent activities have included yoga sessions, slime-making workshops, interactive tabling events, and, of course, our beloved Bagel Brunches and Therapy Dog Fridays. Hannah has also launched a “Street Team” of over 15 students who
assist her in engaging new students and promoting events.
Ori Edgar serves as Jewish Learning Chair. Whether it’s Shabbat services or the High Holidays, Ori is dedicated to helping every student further their personal Jewish journey. At our studentled Friday night Shabbat services, Ori leads discussions on the weekly Torah portion, encouraging participation from students
of diverse Jewish backgrounds, reinforcing Hillel’s welcoming environment. Our new Belonging Chair is Toast Lobel who works tirelessly to ensure that Hillel is inviting to individuals of all backgrounds. Toast is currently expanding our belonging committee, recruiting students who often use the Hillel space to help others feel included within both the Jewish community and the broader Buffalo community.
Together, Hannah, Ori, and Toast are doing an incredible job of making Hillel of Buffalo a welcoming environment for all. Thanks to their hard work and dedication, Hillel has already engaged over 150 Jewish students and is poised for another meaningful and fun-filled year on campus. Ryan Piken is a recent graduate of the University at Buffalo and is the 2024-2026 Springboard Fellow at Hillel of Buffalo.
Hannah Klein Toast Lobel Ori Edgar
Midlife Engagement!
September was a busy month for Buffalo Jewish Federation’s Midlife Engagement, an initiative for individuals age 55+. September 11 was the first meeting of The Next Adventure, beginning a yearlong exploration of navigating the middle years with wisdom, joy, and curiosity through a Jewish lens for women. September’s monthly Shabbat Dinner had a Moroccan theme to not only bring people together for a joyful and delicious celebration of Shabbat, but to also introduce the community to Federation’s Journey to Morocco experience which will take place April 28 to May 7, 2025. The first of six installments of Into the Kitchen cooking classes began on September 22, focusing on the Jewish holidays and cookery. And the first immersive cultural experience of the season—brunch and a docent led tour of the Marisol exhibit at the AKG—capped off the month.
If you are interested in participating in Midlife Engagement experiences, please contact Robin Kurss at robin@buffalojewishfederation.org. For more information about the Journey to Morocco trip, visit buffalojewishfederation.org/journey-tomorocco.
Jewish Family Services of WNY opens Niagara Falls location
In early August, Jewish Family Services of Western New York (JFS) officially opened a new Niagara Falls office to expand its career services, care coordination, and refugee resettlement programs within the Cataract City. JFS worked with Montante Construction on the buildout of this brand-new space.
After seeing gaps in these services that JFS was uniquely positioned to address, the organization started to offer limited assistance in Niagara Falls in 2021 and has leased temporary office space over the past three years. “As the need for these core services continues to increase, it made sense to establish a permanent office location for our staff to best serve our clients,” said Molly Carr, PhD, CEO, JFS. “While many of our current Niagara Falls clients are utilizing our refugee resettlement programs, having a presence in this community enables us to expand our care coordination and career services offerings to a broader population, and build out more services. We look forward to being a resource to the entire Niagara Falls community, working with our partners, especially the Niagara Falls City School District and City Hall, and clients so that we can continue to be a place individuals and families can turn to in their time of need.”
The JFS Niagara Falls office offers its care coordination program, a free service open to Medicaid eligible clients. Clients are matched with a dedicated care coordinator to work with clients and their health care providers to streamline care, better manage chronic conditions and improve health outcomes for both adults and children.
“Having Jewish Family Services in a permanent office in our city will be a significant step for local residents that will benefit from the services provided, particularly our senior community,” said Mayor Robert Restaino, City of Niagara Falls. “We welcome JFS into the City and look forward to working with them.”
JFS also has a long history of supporting refugees and asylees as they begin their new lives in the United States. This past June, JFS was awarded $148,741
in funding through the New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (OTDA)’s Refugee Support
Services Program (RSSP) for its Niagara Falls office to expand the capacity of its current refugee employment services to
assist refugees in retaining employment or obtaining better employment.
“The presence of Jewish Family Services in Niagara Falls will only strengthen a solid partnership we currently have with this outstanding organization,” said Superintendent Mark Laurrie Niagara Falls City School District. “Having resources closer to the clients will have a profound impact on the success of students and their families.”
With 15 years of experience working in Niagara Falls and Niagara County, Jaimi Stapf serves as JFS’ director of programs for Niagara Falls. The JFS Niagara Falls location currently employs 18 people. JFS anticipates expanding some of its other services at this new location, including mental and behavioral health counseling in the future.
As part of today’s official ribbon cutting, a mural painted by Anna Dyshlova, a former JFS client, was also unveiled in the office lobby. It depicts a view of the Falls overlayed by a diverse group of raised helping hands, which represents JFS’ diversity and commitment to serving all members of the community.
Asa Ransom House
Tradition ToolboxHanukkah Edition!
This December, the Buffalo Jewish Federation will be launching the Hanukkah Edition of the Tradition Toolbox! The Tradition Toolbox is a customized kit created by Federation as a part of our K-12 initiative. The toolbox is designed to help parents and grandparents bring the rich tapestry of Jewish holidays, customs, and traditions into K-2 classrooms in our public-school districts as well as the area’s private schools. Each kit centers around one Jewish holiday or subject matter and provides a comprehensive and engaging learning experience for young students with little to no preparation work needed for the grown-ups. Inside each box is a detailed and age-appropriate lesson plans that make it easy to teach the significance and traditions of each holiday. Along with the lesson plans, each kit includes a carefully selected book recommendation to deepen understanding and spark curiosity. To enhance the learning experience, craft materials are provided for hands-on activities that teachers can use with their students after the presentation to foster appreciation and comprehension of the material. Our Hanukkah Toolbox will also include traditional Hanukkah ritual objects, such as a menorah and dreidels (unfortunately, latkes don’t travel very well!)
Are you interested in introducing the Tradition Toolbox- Hanukkah Edition into your child or grandchild’s classroom? Please reach out to Zahava Fried (zahava@buffalojewishfederation.org) by Tuesday, November 12!
JCC Receives Parkinson’s Foundation Award
The Parkinson’s Foundation announced the recipients of more than $1 million in community grants for Parkinson’s disease (PD) programs across the U.S. The Jewish Community Center of Greater Buffalo was awarded $9,000 for its Rock Steady Boxing program, a noncontact Parkinson’s disease boxing fitness program consisting of balance training, agility work, hand eye coordination drills, strength training and endurance work.
“Community grants like these help people with PD live better lives, today,” said Parkinson’s Foundation President and CEO John L. Lehr. “These investments reflect the Foundation’s continued commitment to meeting unmet needs in the Parkinson’s community.”
“This grant from the Parkinson’s Foundation will help continue to grow our Rock Steady Boxing program, which continues to be incredibly popular and beneficial to people in our community with Parkinson’s disease” said Alexander Eadie, Senior Director of Advancement at the JCC of Greater Buffalo. “Partnerships with a national organization like the Parkinson’s Foundation show that the JCC is committed to a standard of excellence in our programming. We are excited to see the impact that this grant will make as we continue to grow our program.”
Young Israel Install’s Rabbi Okin
Rabbi Avi Okin was formally installed as Rabbi of the Young Israel of Greater Buffalo on September 8, in front of a large audience of members and friends of the Shul. Joining him on the podium was his wife, the Rebbetzin of the Shul, Dr. Devorah Tova Okin. The event was chaired by Fran Paskowitz.
Speakers were Michael Paskowitz, co-President and emcee, Rob Goldberg, Buffalo Jewish Federation’s Senior Advisor, Rabbi Meir Goodman of Toronto, who spoke about the many roles of a rabbi and the sanctity of the synagogue, Richard Berger, co-President, who gave a thumbnail history of the
Shul, and, of course, Rabbi Okin, who extolled the benefits of life in Buffalo and spoke about the power of renewal in the month of Elul.
New Initiatives at Community Religious School
New initiatives implemented at the Community Religious School (CRS) this fall are reflecting the core educational values set forth by the Education Committee, clergy, and parents. This year, students in grades 4-7 are asked to select electives that interest them. The chosen electives demonstrate how, through creativity and collaboration, a school can meet its students more deliberately and facilitate for them a path forward. The electives chosen in the fall semester
include Make your Own Tallit with Cathy Shuman Miller, and Bible studyexamining Judges, Prophets, and Kings of Israel with Rabbi Brent Gutmann. Rabbi Sara Rich will be teaching an elective on Animals in Judaism, exploring Biblical sources, Mitzvot and rabbinic literature. Rabbi Alex Lazarus-Klein will be leading an elective for creative Jewish writing. In addition, CRS staff will be leading an elective on Jewish communities around the world.
Students are also introduced to Mussar values and are given opportunities to put them into action. Students learned about Chesed (kindness), participated in Temple Beth Tzedek’s Outstretched Arm program for Jews with disabilities, and delivered Rosh Hashanah meals to seniors at Amberleigh Senior Living. November will include family education programs led by Rabbi Alex Lazarus-Klein. These opportunities for cross-generational learning have been successful for the students and the parents. The CRS choir led by Cantors Susie Lewis-Friedman and Arlene Frank has also been meeting, inspiring a growing number of students to join and participate. The Ganainu once-a-month Pre-K program with Morah Ashirah Lazarus-Klein provides enriching learning and engaging opportunities for children and their parents and caregivers.
For more information on CRS, please contact Rabbi Einav Symons, CRS director, at einavsne@netscape.net.
CJL Offers Class on Nurturing Relationships
Picture the people who matter in your life. Imagine you could make them feel understood and appreciated—even while you disagree, offer constructive criticism, or address hurt.
Can you make it happen in real life? This November, the Center for Jewish Life will be leading a new course that says, “Yes, you can.”
Nurturing Relationships is your chance to see Jewish tradition’s timeless wisdom for unlocking better relationships everywhere—at home, at work, and with your friends. This course uncovers six core insights with the power to enhance all your interactions, relationships, and connections. Healthy, wholesome, and meaningful relationships are possible—and we’re seeing how to cultivate them.
Join CJL for six eye-opening, in-person sessions starting November 11 at 7 p.m. as we uncover Jewish wisdom for building deeper, richer connection in all your relationships. The course’s six sessions combine textbased learning with engaging discussions
and real-world applications. Each week, participants examine one core relationship skill in depth and come away with a clear understanding of the topic—plus real tools they can use that same day.
Community members of all backgrounds are welcome: “You don’t need any Jewish learning background to fully appreciate this course,” explains Rabbi Labkovski. “Whether you’re looking to enhance your marriage, improve workplace interactions, or get closer with friends, Nurturing Relationships is a goldmine of wisdom that works.”
For more information, please visit JewishBuffalo.com
Two Opportunities to Remember Kristallnacht, Nov 7 & 9
November 9 marks the 86th anniversary of Kristallnacht, the Night of Broken Glass. On this night, anti-Jewish violence erupted throughout the Reich, which included Austria and the Sudetenland. Within 48 hours, more than 1,000 synagogues were burned along with Torah scrolls and prayer books. Over 7,000 businesses were damaged or destroyed, Jewish cemeteries, homes, schools, and hospitals were vandalized. Jews were killed and 30,000 Jewish men aged 16-60 were rounded up and taken to Dachau, Buchenwald, and Sachsenhausen concentration camps (The World Must Know, Michael Berenbaum). When the chaos subsided, this pogrom, given the name of Kristallnacht, was the final shattering of Jewish existence in Germany. The attackers and perpetrators of these hideous crimes were often former friends and neighbors of the Jewish community.
This year, our community will commemorate Kristallnacht with two programs. On Thursday November 7, Temple Beth Tzedek will host a service led by Rabbi Sara Rich to join in prayer and music and hear first-hand family experiences of Kristallnacht. On Saturday November 9, Federation is sponsoring the Jewish Repertory’s Theatre performance of “Remember This.” In this production, David Lundy portrays Jan Karski and tells his story of being a World War II hero and Holocaust witness. After surviving the devastation of the Blitzkrieg, Karski became a member of the Polish Underground and risked his life to smuggle information from Poland to the Western world including the Oval Office. Karski escaped a Gestapo prison, was a first-hand witness to life in the Warsaw Ghetto and confronted the inhumanity of a death camp. Lundy’s powerful performance communicates this story of moral courage and individual responsibility to the audience. Following the performance, David Lundy will conduct a talk-back discussion with the audience. To reserve your seat for this performance, please register at bit.ly/jrtkristallnacht.
Buffalo Surgeon Performs Rare Surgery on Newborn in Israel
Recently, a Buffalo-based surgeon traveled to Israel and performed a transformative surgery on a newborn baby girl. Dr. Michael Markiewicz is the only oral and maxillofacial surgeon in Buffalo and upstate New York who is trained specially in head and neck oncologic and microvascular surgery. As a highly sought-after specialist, Dr. Markiewicz serves as Professor and Chairman of the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery and Associate Dean for Hospital Affairs at University at Buffalo. Dr. Markiewicz’s colleague, Dr. Iris Danziger, praises his expertise, noting that “Mike’s breadth and depth of practice is remarkable. His skill set in treating head and neck cancer is incredible as is his passion for restoring full functional and esthetics to those he treats.”
In August, Dr. Markiewicz was invited to Israel to perform a rare jaw surgery called Mandibular Distraction on a baby girl. The procedure gradually lengthens
the jawbone to alleviate obstructions. In Israel, this surgery is typically performed when the infant reaches five months of age. In those first five months, the
Exciting New Extracurricular Programs at Ohr Temimim
Ohr Temimim School is thrilled to announce several new extracurricular programs, organized by Devora Polter, the school’s newly appointed Enrichment Coordinator.
Stephan Cone, a fitness instructor, leads daily classes for students from kindergarten through eighth grade. His program emphasizes movement, exercise, and team-building activities. Additionally, students participate in basketball, pickleball, and football training, utilizing the school’s newly renovated outdoor basketball court and indoor gym facilities. For students in third grade and above, an additional physical fitness program specializing in basketball is provided by Jacob Schapiro, offering more advanced training for aspiring athletes.
A new art program, designed for students in kindergarten
through fourth grade, is taught by Martha Edie. These classes focus on a variety of art techniques and seasonal holiday crafts, nurturing students’ creativity and artistic expression.
Music programs have also been expanded. Ben Cohen teaches music lessons to students in grades three and up, focusing
on instruction in playing the recorder and percussion instruments, fostering musical development and performance skills. For the preschoolers, a new music and movement program has been introduced. This engaging class is led by Yafa Shanowitz, who brings fun and creativity to the youngest students through rhythm and movement activities.
Ohr Temimim School offers a comprehensive education, combining Jewish and secular studies for students from preschool through eighth grade. Located on Audubon Parkway in Amherst, the school has been serving the Buffalo community with excellence in Jewish education for the past 30 years.
baby girl would have a tracheotomy and breathe through a breathing tube until old enough for the major surgery.
Recent advancements in the U.S., however, have allowed this procedure to be performed on infants within the first few weeks of life. Learning this, the infants’ parents connected with Dr. Markiewicz and his fellow, Dr. Jessica Lee. The doctors flew to Israel and performed the surgery on the infant for the first time in Israel’s medical history.
The baby’s mother reflects, “Our baby received outstanding care, avoiding a tracheotomy and benefiting from the expertise of senior surgeons. The process of jaw distraction is underway, and we look forward to a full recovery as she learns to breathe and eat on her own.”
Dr. Markiewicz and Dr. Lee collaborated with Dr. Tall Yoffe and his team at Sheba Medical Center in Ramat Gan, Israel. As the lead surgeon, Dr. Markiewicz, states, “Sheba is a top ten hospital in the world, so it’s pretty special to be able to operate here. And I feel incredibly honored for the invitation to be in Israel...Dr. Yoffe and his team, who worked incredibly hard to get us here.”
Working with a team of doctors hailing from several countries is right in Dr. Markiewicz’s wheelhouse, according to Dr. Danizger. She states, “An important focus of Dr. Markiewicz’s is team building and developing relationships. He brings together practitioners that work together to ensure best outcomes.”
Israel’s advanced technology, paired with Dr. Markiewicz’s expertise, is providing the infant with a strong future. Dr. Lee praised the advanced medical technology she witnessed in Israel, noting, “The technology here is incredible…Seeing the 3D lab here and what can be manufactured for patients is truly incredible. Printing metal plates and cutting guides is something I haven’t seen myself.”
Dr. Markiewicz is making an impact around the world. In the last two years, he has traveled extensively to offer accessible healthcare including traveling to Nova Scotia, Turkey, Brazil, Rome, and a mission in Guatemala. Dr. Danziger concludes, “Mike always cares and wants to help. He is undaunted by a challenge and, personally, he’s a mensch.”
Medical team in the Operating Room (Dr. Markiewicz third from right)
What’s New and What’s the Same at KOT
Kehillat Ohr Tzion (KOT) welcomed 5785 with heartfelt davening with our new Rabbi Shlomo Schachter. What stayed the same and offered wonderful continuity was the beautiful davening of Chazan Jeffrey Braverman who has been leading High Holiday services at KOT for decades. Jeff Schapiro, shul president and shofar blower extraordinaire, once again filled the synagogue with the shofar blasts.
For anyone who had not been in the synagogue for a few weeks, when they opened the door the first night of Rosh Hashana they were greeted with the sight of a newly renovated synagogue. The new floors looked elegant, and the newly painted walls also added to the bright cheerful look of the synagogue. What remains the same at KOT is our devotion to learning, to davening and to making a difference in our community.
Just before the start of the month of Elul members collected more than 10 boxes of books, toys and games to donate to the Daycare Center at Family Court. The Family Court police and staff members
ISRAEL MISSION TRIP
December 24th - January 2nd
We are excited to Launch USY’s first Winter break Mission to Israel for current 9th to 12th graders. Join participants from across North America as we explore post October 7 Israel. Visit the Nova Festival Site, have volunteer opportunities and show your solidarity for our brothers and sisters in Israel. This will not be your typical trip to Israel but will focus on post October 7 Israel. Make new friends, volunteer doing meaningful work, participate in awesome evening activities, visit the Museum of Tolerance and more. It will be an unforgettable 8 days.
helped carry in all the donations. The children who were there were so excited to see what treasures were in the boxes that they eagerly helped unload the items.
Now about all the learning going on at KOT—the Tuesday afternoon Parsha class has been moved to a larger room to accommodate the attendees and the Sunday night Beit Midrash has also increased significantly. For more information about learning opportunities email Rav Shlomo at rabbischachter75@gmail.com
Jewish Renewal with Rabbi Yonina
Join Rabbi Yonina Foster and friends for a contemplative and reflective space on Shabbat morning, November 16 when we’ll contemplate “Vayera,” “And He Appeared” with questions.
How often do we sit and welcome the stranger into our midst with hospitality, to hear a prophesy that seems too unreal to imagine? Who knows what the stranger has to tell us. Yet, then we reject another, and send them off into the wilderness when the cries of an infant draws God near. Our wrestling continues. In approaching Thanksgiving, we’ll also offer gratitude for our blessings. Gather at 10:15 a.m.
Start time, 10:30 a.m.
Feel free to bring dairy snacks to share.
Questions: RabbiYoninaFosterPhD@gmail.com.
Did you know that if your employer has a wellness program, it must be voluntary?
716-856-5676 6 buffalo-discrimination-attorney.com/
One of our favorite Jewish values is Hakarat HaTov (Gratitude)! Since Thanksgiving is just a few weeks away, let’s add a PJ Library spin onto this beloved American family holiday!
1. Practice an Attitude of Gratitude
In the month of November, “challenge” your family to name one thing for which they are grateful that happened during the day whenever you have family time, such as around the dinner table or as you reflect before bedtime. This instills the power of positivity and gratitude into our daily routines.
2. Thanksgiving Tzedakah
One of the most beloved and important Jewish mitzvot (commandments) is to give tzedakah (justice through charity). When the month of November begins, your family can design their own “Thanksgiving Tzedakah Box.” Throughout November, ask your children (and grown-
ups, too!) to place coins in the jar every time they experience gratitude. On Thanksgiving, gather your family together and decide which charity or cause to donate the money to.
3. Gratitude Before You Gobble!
One of the BEST parts about Thanksgiving is the FOOD! Our tradition has a longstanding practice of reciting blessings of gratitude (brachot) before diving-in! So, before your big Thanksgiving feast, practice reciting brachot for different food types (hamotzi, borei pri ha’adama, etc.) and discuss how Judaism teaches us to appreciate the earth’s bounty.
4. TODAH!
Did you know that the Hebrew word for Thank You is todah (pronounced Toe-dahh). Introduce this fun Hebrew word to your child and try saying “Todah” instead of Thank You!
5. Read (and re-read!) some PJ Library books
PJ Library has published MANY books on Gratitude and hakarat hatov. Some of our favorite titles include Gitty and Kvetch, Give Thanks, A Thank You Walk, Thank You for Me, and Todah!
Dining Guide
DINING
Challah Stuffing
BY ROBIN KURSS
At Thanksgiving, I always enjoy trying a new recipe or two. My kids have a different idea…they only want what they’ve had year after year since they were kids. One of their favorites is my challah stuffing. Hope you’ll give it a try and enjoy it as much as they do.
Challah Stuffing Recipe
Serves 12
INGREDIENTS:
1 challah, cut into one inch cubes
½ c melted schmaltz, margarine, or butter
2 c diced celery
1 c diced green pepper
1 c diced red pepper
2 c diced white onion
2 c sliced mushrooms
1 Tbsp each, minced rosemary, and thyme
½ c chopped parsley
2 tsp garlic salt
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp poultry seasoning ¼ c sherry
2 ¾ c chicken broth
INSTRUCTIONS:
Preheat oven to 300° F, spread challah cubes onto a baking sheet and dry them in the oven about 15 minutes.
Turn oven to 350° F. Grease a 9" x 13" baking dish.
In a large frying pan, melt schmaltz, margarine or butter and sauté till soft the celery, peppers, onion, and mushrooms. Season with garlic salt and pepper. Add rosemary and thyme, poultry seasoning and parsley.
In a large bowl, combine challah cubes, sautéed mixture, sherry, and broth. You can add broth as needed.
Turn into 9" x 13" dish. Cover and bake for 20 minutes till heated through. Can be made ahead and baked at 350° F for 30-40 minutes if cold from the refrigerator.
Jewish Community Organizations in Western New York
Buffalo Jewish Federation
338 Harris Hill Road – Suite 108B
Williamsville, NY 14221
716-463-5050
buffalojewishfederation.org
Miriam Abramovich - CEO
Margie Bryen - President
Buffalo Vaad of Kashrus
49 Barberry Lane Williamsville, NY 14221
716-534-0230
bvkkosher.com
buffalo@yahoo.com, bvkkosher@gmail.com
Michael Paskowitz - President
Center for Jewish Life Suburbs: 757 Hopkins Road Williamsville, NY 14221
716-639-7600
jewishbuffalo.com
Rabbi Laizer & Chani Labkovski Downtown: 1016 Lafayette Avenue Buffalo, NY 14209
716-545-6806
Rabbi Mendy & Chaya Mushka Labkovski
Chabad House of Buffalo
2450 North Forest Road Getzville, NY 14068
716-688-1642
chabadbuffalo.com
Rabbi Moshe Gurary
Chai Early Childhood Center 757 Hopkins Road Williamsville, NY 14221
716-580-4600
chainursery.com
Chani Labkovski - Director
Community Relations
338 Harris Hill Road – Suite 108B Williamsville, NY 14221
buffalojewishfederation.org
Rob Goldberg – Senior Advisor
Harvey Sanders - Chair
Community Religious School (CRS) 4660 Sheridan Drive Williamsville, NY 14221
716-574-6016
BuffaloCRS@gmail.com
Rabbi Einav Symons - Director
Department of Jewish Thought 712 Clemens Hall – University at Buffalo Buffalo, NY 14260
716-645-3695
jewish-studies@buffalo.edu
jewishstudies.buffalo.edu
Dr. Noam Pines - Chair
Foundation for Jewish Philanthropies
2640 North Forest Road
Getzville, NY 14068
716-204-1133
jewishphilanthropies.org
Irv Levy - Executive Director
Daniel Kester - President
Hadassah
2640 North Forest Road Getzville, NY 14068
716-929-6504
buffalohadassah@gmail.com
Frima Ackerhalt and Phyllis Steinberg - Co-Presidents
Hebrew Benevolent Loan Association
2640 North Forest Road in FJP offices
Getzville, NY 14068
716-204-0542
wnyhbla.org
Judith Katzenelson Brownstein - President
Hillel of Buffalo
Campus Center of Jewish Life
520 Lee Entrance/UB Commons Suite #101B W. Amherst, NY 14228
716-616-0083 hillelofbuffalo.org
Mike Steklof, Ed.D., Interim Campus Director
Dr. Iris Danziger - President
Holocaust Education Resource Organization
338 Harris Hill Road – Suite 108B Williamsville, NY 14221
buffalojewishfederation.org/herobuffalo/ Lauren Bloomberg - Director Armand Morrison - Chair
Jewish Community Center of Greater Buffalo, Inc.
Benderson Family Building 2640 North Forest Road Getzville, NY 14068
716-688-4033
jccbuffalo.org
Patty Simonson - CEO
Sheryl Schechter - President
Holland Family Building 787 Delaware Avenue Buffalo, NY 14209
716-886-3145
Jewish Discovery Center 831 Maple Road Williamsville, NY 14221
716-632-0467
jewishdiscovery.org
Rabbi Heschel Greenberg
Jewish Family Services of Western New York 70 Barker Street Buffalo, NY 14209
716-883-1914
jfswny.org
Molly Short Carr - CEO
Harold Star - Chair
Jewish Federation Apartments
275 Essjay Road Williamsville, NY 14221
716-631-8471
jewishfederationapartments.org
Krista Bryk - Property Manager
Jewish Federation Cemetery Corporation, Inc.
338 Harris Hill Road – Suite 108B Williamsville, NY 14221
buffalojewishfederation.org
716-463-5050
Debbie Pivarsi - Manager
Jonathan Schechter - President
Kadimah kadimah.org
Reneé Lehner - Administrator
Kosher Meals on Wheels
757 Hopkins Road
Williamsville, NY 14221
716-639-7600
koshermow.com
Rabbi Laizer Labkovski - Director
Jeffery Pasler - President
LiNK Jewish Buffalo
338 Harris Hill Road – Suite 108B
Williamsville, NY 14221
Marni Marciano - Chair
Ohr Temimim School
411 John James Audubon Parkway W. Amherst, NY 14228
716-568-0226
ohrtemimimschool.com
Rabbi Shmuel Shanowitz - Principal
Sonia Gellman Young - President
Weinberg Campus
2700 North Forest Road
Getzville, NY 14068
716-639-3311
weinbergcampus.org
Robert Mayer - President & CEO
Western New York Synagogues and Temples
Chabad House of Buffalo (unaffiliated) 2450 North Forest Road, Getzville, NY 14068
716-688-1642
chabadbuffalo.com
Rabbi Moshe Gurary - Director
Congregation Beth Abraham (Conservative) 1073 Elmwood Avenue Buffalo, NY 14222
congregationbethabraham.net
Cantor Irwin Gelman
Marty Kerker - President
Congregation Havurah (Reform) 6320 Main Street, Williamsville, NY 14221
716-833-3165 congregationhavurah.org president.havurah@gmail.com
Daniel Mink- President
Congregation Shir Shalom (Reform/Reconstructionist) 4660 Sheridan Drive Williamsville, NY 14221
716-633-8877
shirshalombuffalo.org
Rabbi Alexander Lazarus-Klein
Cantor Arlene Frank
Joanne Marquisee - Executive Director
Todd Sugarman - President
JDC Shul (Unafilliated) 831 Maple Road Williamsville, NY 14221
716-245-9520
jewishdiscovery.org
Rabbi Heschel Greenberg
Rabbi Levi Greenberg
Rabbi Yehoshua Greenberg
Kehillat Ohr Tzion (Modern Orthodox) 879 Hopkins Road Williamsville, NY 14221
ohrtzion.org/kot
Rabbi Shlomo Schachter
Jeff Schapiro - President
Knesset Center (Orthodox)
500 Starin Avenue Buffalo, NY 14214
716-832-5063
chabadbuffalo.com
Rabbi Shmaryahu Charitonow
Saranac Synagogue (Orthodox) 85 Saranac Avenue Buffalo New York 14216 716-876-1284
saranacsynagogue.org
President - Shmuel Rashkin
Vice President - Reuven Alt Gabbai David Kunkel
Temple Beth Tzedek (Conservative) 1641 North Forest Road Williamsville, NY 14221
716-838-3232
btzbuffalo.org
Rabbi Sara Rich
Cantor Mark Spindler
Cantorial Intern Zahava Fried
Beth Kassirer - President
Kim Jones - Administrator
Temple Beth Zion (Reform)
Sanctuary 805 Delaware Avenue Buffalo, NY 14209
Offices
700 Sweet Home Road Amherst, NY 14226 716-836-6565
tbz.org
Rabbi Brent Gutmann
Cantor Susan Lewis Friedman
Mark Hayman - Executive Director
Ken Polk - President
Temple Beth El (Reform)
720 Ashland Avenue
Niagara Falls, NY 14301
templebethelniagara@gmail.com
niagarafallstemple.com
Rabbi Ellen Franke
Cantorial Soloist Barry Rose
Adam DePriest - President
Temple Hesed Abraham of Greater Jamestown (Reform)
Meeting biweekly at Jamestown, NY
Lutheran Church
Rabbi Allen Podet
Joe Gerstel - President (716-665-2118) valprojdg@netsync.net
The Family Shul (Unaffiliated) 757 Hopkins Road Williamsville, NY 14221
Rabbi Laizer Labkovski 716-639-7600
Young Israel of Greater Buffalo (Orthodox) 105 Maple Road Williamsville, NY 14221 716-634-0212
yibuffalo.org
Rabbi Avi Okin
Richard Berger and Michael PaskowitzCo-Presidents
JAY MESNEKOFF BRINGS PARTNER INTO FIRM
As you may all know I have faced some medical challenges over the past few years, but I am so grateful to let you know that I feel terrific today and—on a much happier note— Rebecca and I have become grandparents recently for the sixth time. Still, because of my health scares and my line of work, I am pleased to share this update on the bright future of Mesnekoff Funeral Home.
To ensure Mesnekoff Funeral Home’s ability to continue to serve the Western New York Jewish Community, I’m thrilled to announce that Maggie Early is joining me as a partner in ownership and management of what is now “our” business.
Maggie has all the qualities that are most important to me in a business partner. Most of all, I trust her with all my heart to serve your family during the most difficult of times.
For over three years, Maggie has been my executive assistant, my right-hand, in all the operations of the funeral home. She has introduced so many state-of-the-art options for families, always keeping us viable as we continue to be here to support your family for decades to come.
A native Buffalonian with three daughters in the Williamsville Central School District, Maggie holds a master’s degree in Mental Health Counseling and has finished her
Funeral Service Education. Previously, she served as an early childhood teacher at the Jewish Community Center. She and her daughters are members at Congregation Shir Shalom and Temple Beth Zion. I am certain that as you get to know her, you will think as highly of her as I do.
As for me, I am not going anywhere just yet. I will remain here in town as the manager of The Mesnekoff Funeral Home, Inc. and will be actively engaging personally with all the families that we serve. I am so grateful for your trust in us.
I wish you and your family good health and prosperity. Please do not hesitate to call with any questions.
Dr. Jane Vogel Fischman
Dr. Jane Vogel Fischman of Mevaseret Zion, Israel and also of Kenmore, NY passed away August 21, 2024, in Israel. The beloved wife of Dr. Stuart Fischman, and the devoted mother of Lisa Fischman and the late Everett Fischman, Dr. Fischman was an influential educator and community volunteer. She served as president of the former Holocaust Resource Center (now HERO), president of the former Bureau of Jewish Education, and president of the Jewish Genealogical Society of Buffalo. She served on the Buffalo Jewish Federation Board of Governors and its Women’s Campaign Division, chaired the Federation’s Community Relations Committee and was the founding chair of the Federation’s outstanding volunteer program, Buffalo Jewish Coalition for literacy. A funeral service for Dr. Fischman was held on September 24 at Amherst Memorial Chapel. We are pleased to share the eulogy that was delivery by Rabbi Sara Rich of Temple Beth Tzedek.
We reach this time of year when we start to prepare ourselves spiritually for Rosh
HaShanah and Yom Kippur, the Jewish New Year and the Day of Repentance. The prayers on these days remind us of our mortality. A person’s origin is dust, and to
Warmest Regards, Jay L. Mesnekoff
Left to Right: Maggie Early, Jay Mesnekoff
dust we will return. We are a broken shard, grass that withers, a flower that fades, a passing shadow, a fading cloud, a fleeting breeze, scattered dusts, a vanishing dream. The message is profound but clear—we live for now, and it is what we do with the time that we have on earth that matters.
Jane Fischman made the absolute most of the time that she had, and as we can both see and feel in this room, her impact was wide and deep.
Jane was brilliant. She loved to learn and she loved to teach. She graduated from Simmons College in Boston and went back to school to earn her PhD from UB. Jane has taught countless students during her years with the Buffalo Public Schools, at Kadimah School, Canisius, Hilbert College, and Hebrew University in Jerusalem. I know some of her prized pupils are in this room, and you have come to appreciate that she was a stickler for details because she wanted you to learn the right way. Serving as a docent at the Albright Knox, Jane understood that education takes place inside and outside of the classrooms, through books, through art, through experience.
Jane was a leader. During her life, she left her mark on many of our Jewish institutions, including Temple Beth El (now Temple Beth Tzedek), the Buffalo Jewish Federation, the Jewish Genealogy Society, and many more. She was in attendance at the first meeting of the Holocaust Resource Center Study Committee in 1980, along with an esteemed group of educators, as well as survivors, and this group was soon after officially organized as the HRC. She was founding chair of the Federation’s Literacy initiative, leading 50 volunteers to help students learn to read. In each of these roles, Jane had a vision, and she had the gift of moving other people to join in bringing that vision to life.
For Jane, the world had so much to see, and never enough time to see it all. She loved to explore with her travel partner Stuart. Time spent in Israel led to a visit to Petra and camping in the Sinai Peninsula. They enjoyed cruises, encounters with nature, like when she got to hold a Koala. She had an eye for art, as evident in her collection at home, but she most loved God’s landscape of wildflowers and trees, and animals.
Jane was warm, gracious, and generous. She hosted break the fast, she would bring you back something special from Israel. You knew she cared.
Jane lived a rich and busy life, with many notable accomplishments, but she also experienced pain, and loss. We can further admire all that she achieved,
knowing the difficulties that she had to overcome in order to find the strength to meet the day.
We are all familiar with the Biblical teaching v’ahavta l’reicha kamocha— love your neighbor as you love yourself. Medieval Spanish philosopher Ramban explains that our tendency is to want others to be successful, to be blessed, but we want our own success to be just a bit more. We want someone to be smart, but not quite as smart as we are. Or to have a nice house, but we want our house to be a little nicer. Ramban teaches that to love your neighbor as yourself means that you want them to have exactly what you have. Or even, that you could love someone who has even more than what you have.
Jane embodied this in her life. She did not begrudge others the blessings they had that she lacked. Rather, she wholeheartedly celebrated with them, wanted the best for them, loved them. This kindness that she lived by made her accident feel all the more unfair. She deserved better. And yet, she persevered through this too, working to regain skills such as her ability to read. We want life to be fair, to be predictable, and yet, we know that it is not.
IN REMEMBRANCE
What brings us comfort is when we see how love can bloom in the darkest of times. Love, like you Lisa showed to your mother, even from afar. Love, like her caregiver Dama, who treated her like family, who never left her side. And love, like you Stuart showed your beloved bride. You made sure she had everything she needed. You gave her dignity and companionship, and all that you could do for her, you did. Always a teacher—we have many lessons to learn from Jane’s example. To be caring to each individual, making sure no one is left behind. At the same time, being able to view the wide angle of the community and stepping forward as leaders to do what must be done. We learn we must sow our seeds now, because we do not know what tomorrow will bring. What we do know is that Jane’s seeds as a teacher, as a leader, as a mother, wife, and friend, continue to grow and to flourish. We thank you Jane for planting them, and we commit to tending your garden through our kindness and generosity of spirit.
With thanks to Ellen Goldstein for contributing to this remembrance.
In Remembrance
The following individuals in our community passed away during the period from August 19 – October 20, 2024. May their memories forever be a blessing, and may their loved ones be comforted among the mourners of Zion.
Vera Benatovich-Ivanov
Doris Bookbinder
Harvey J. Breverman
Virginia Ellis
Beverly “Cookie” Fineberg
Dr. Jane Vogel Fischman
Sue Ellen Frank
Lenore Golub
Fred Gordon
Bernice “Bunny” Jacobson
Chana Karp
Alan L. Kranitz
Marjorie Lazar
Harold Macoff
William Monkarsh*
Jeffrey Morrison
Sarah Noznisky
Sharon Rosenthal
JAY L. MESNEKOFF President/Owner
Sanford Sadler
Leonard Saran
Arthur Schwartz
Mark Allan Schwartz
Rabbi Arnold I. Sher
Kevin A. Shucard
Gertrude Sloan
Jeffrey Smith
Bernhard Weinstein
Lieba Wolfgang
CORRECTION:
*In the September/October issue, William Monkarsh’s name was misspelled in the In Remembrance list. We greatly apologize for the oversight.
If we inadvertently missed printing the listing of your loved one, please email jjwny@buffalojewishfederation. org and we will include the name in the next issue.
(NOT) THE LAST WORD
Rethinking Ourselves
BY SHARON CRAMER, PHD
More than one friend, and I, had to spend part of Summer 2024 looking out windows, as recovery from falls or surgeries trapped us indoors, healing. Sounds heard, or made, were different from the melodies of a typical summer. What might have been symphonies turned into earworm tunes, grating instead of soothing. As summer passed, my still shut-in friends are bored, frustrated, adapting to life transformed, but seeking escape.
Now that we are into autumn, our faces are pressed against the windows of other people’s concluded summer joys. Hearing recaps of weekend getaways, picnics, spontaneous outings, we are jealous. How do we extricate ourselves from being bitter about the endless loop of perfection we imagine others experiencing?
As everyone transitions from the rhythms of summer to the hums of autumn, those locked inside can consciously choose to conjure escape, if only in our minds. I tried it. First, I picked school years from decades ago. Sounds, sights, and even smells come back. Excitement about the start of the school year, a first day-of-school clothing item, being nervous about the new teacher. Today, no fragrances like our school days (crayons, sharpened pencils) fill 2024 classrooms. Instead of colors that come from the box of 64, elementary classrooms have technologycreated color charts, which blaze 24x7. Our “then” is far from Gen Z’s “now.” I realized I would need to discover a better escape hatch from indoor life. A picture pops up: I remember speeding down a steep hill, riding my bike home. At dusk, before the curtains were drawn, lights would illuminate what was going on in neighborhood homes. Family time I peeked in at (without a soundtrack) fascinated me then. Probably if I could have heard the conversations, my envy would have ended. But those silent scenes remain with me still.
I tried to take my imagination to new levels. When young, we used to query each other about what animal we would like to be. Some wanted to soar through the air, while I always wanted to have 4 paws on the ground. When older, we would imagine a musical instrument we would choose to create the soundtrack of our lives... remembering these fanciful mental paths makes me smile, but it didn’t get me out of my mental rut. Then I found my out. Although it was impossible to be physically present for
the study group on Saturday mornings, offered by Congregation Shir Shalom, I was able to remain a member via Zoom. The enlightening discussions took me outside my four walls. We studied some of the work of Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz. One week, we happened upon one of his insights that totally lifted my imagination. His words were an outstretched hand, as if he became present to help me. We read an interview with him, when he made the following observation: “we must remember that man, with all his weaknesses, is a many-sided being. Man is not just one instrument; he is an orchestra.”
This image offered me a different glimpse of myself—full of possibilities, rather than limited to a single leap into the past or future. Within me—a whole orchestra, upon which to draw for comfort, curiosity, compassion. I remembered my years as a student musician: seated in the center of each orchestra as a violist, music surrounded me. Although my contributions were
tiny, my sounds coordinated with others to create music of all kinds. Rhapsody or show tunes, sorrowful or uplifting, all was possible.
Imagining myself not only as the musician, or conductor, but as the whole orchestra took me high above, gave me the drone’s perspective. As an orchestra, with potential for creating music, I had an escape from limitations. The escape was at hand—I reached out and took it.
A version of this article by Sharon Cramer, PhD, was first published in the “My View” column of Buffalo News on September 10, 2024. It was her 54th publication in the News. Before retiring from Buffalo State in 2011, she was an active academic scholar, publishing articles and books. She is a member of Congregation Shir Shalom.
