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Federation Star
JEWISH FEDERATION
April 2021
Collier County Sheriff’s Office chief Federation Star to speak on hate crimes Published by Celebrating Jewish Life in Collier County, Israel and the World
Published by the Jewish Federation of Collier County serving Naples, Marco Island and the surrounding communities
By Richard Price, CJD Committee member 2500 Vanderbilt Beach Road, Suite 2201 Naples, Florida 34109-0613 Phone: 239.263.4205 Fax: 239.263.3813 www.jewishnaples.org Email: info@jewishnaples.org Officers Board Chair: Jane Schiff Vice Chairs: Karen Deutsch, Marc Saperstein, Phyllis Seaman Secretary: Rosalee Bogo Treasurer: Elliot Lerner Immediate Past Chair: Alvin Becker
Board of Directors Patti Boochever, Harvey Cohen, Amanda Dorio, Paula Filler, Merlin Lickhalter, Robin Mintz, Les Nizin, William Petasnick, Joel Pittelman, Stuart Price, Nat Ritter, Michael Rubenstein, Jamie Satz, Betty Schwartz, Arlene Sobol, Michael Sobol, Steve Strome, Jay Weiss, Beth Wolff, Jeff Zalasky Past Presidents Gerald Flagel, Dr. William Ettinger, Ann Jacobson, Sheldon Starman, Bobbie Katz, Rosalee Bogo, Judge Norman (z”l) Krivosha Synagogue Representatives Cantor Donna Azu, Sue Baum, Rabbi Ariel Boxman, Rabbi Ammos Chorny, Shelley Goodman, Rabbi Mendel Gordon, Rabbi Mendy Greenberg, Rabbi Mark Gross, Sue Hammerman, Rabbi Howard Herman, Stephen P. McCloskey, Rabbi Adam Miller,Rabbi James Perman,Dr. Arthur Seigel, Daryl Sissman, Rabbi Fishel Zaklos Staff Jeffrey Feld: Federation CEO/President Reneé Bialek: Program Director Marcy Friedland: Capital Campaign & Planned Giving Director Janine Hudak: Admin. Coordinator Nathan Ricklefs: Database Manager Teresa Zimmerman: Finance & Operations Manager Federation is the central Jewish community-building organization for Greater Naples, providing a social service network that helps Jewish people locally, in Israel and around the world. As the central fundraising organization for Jewish communal life in our area, strength is drawn from organized committees of dedicated volunteers. Programs include: • Annual Campaign & Endowment Fund • Celebrate Israel • Educational & Cultural Programs • Israel Advocacy Committee • Israel Scouts • Jewish Book Festival • Jewish Community Relations Council • Jewish Young Professionals • Jewish Russian Cultural Alliance • Men’s Cultural Alliance • PJ Library • Publication of the Federation Star, Connections and Community Directory • Women’s Cultural Alliance • Women’s Division • Youth Activities Committee – sponsoring youth education and scholarships for Jewish Summer Camp and the Israel Experience
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he Catholic Jewish Dialogue (CJD) of the Jewish Federation of Greater Naples is pleased to announce that Chief Jim Bloom of the Collier County Sheriff ’s Office will present a program on hate crimes, a topic of deep interest to our community. Chief Bloom is a 28-year veteran of the Collier County Sheriff ’s Office, rising through the ranks to increasingly responsible positions and currently serving as Chief of Operations. He is a graduate of the FBI National Academy, has a Master of Science degree in Public Administration from Central Michigan
University and a master’s network of community leaders degree, Homeland Defense who enhance their leadership and Security, from the Naval abilities and skills through Postgraduate School Center continuing education, shared for Homeland Defense and perspectives and commuSecurity (CHDS). Chief Jim Bloom nity involvement. The goal is A prominent member of working toward solutions in the community, Chief Bloom has been the public interest and seeking to eneractively involved with the Leadership gize a network of local leaders to address Collier Foundation, where he serves as public interest issues. a board member; Police Futurists InterThis free program will be presented national; Kiwanis Club of Naples; and via Zoom on Sunday, April 18, 2021 at Make-A-Wish Foundation. 2:30 p.m. (EST). Registration is necesThe mission of the Leadership Collier sary to receive the Zoom link. Please visit Foundation (LCF) is to build a broad-based www.JewishNaples.org.
JCRC Day and Evening of Learning enlightens community By Joel Pittelman, Jewish Community Relations Council Chair
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mong the responsibilities of the Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) are an education component and efforts to foster good relations between the Jewish and general communities. We believe this year’s Fifth Annual Jewish Community Relations Council Day — and now Evening — of Learning, which was presented virtually on March 7th and 10th, contributes to both of those. Thank you to all of the guest speakers; program chair Ida Margolis; Ken Goldstein, who assembled the Sunday panel; and the entire Day of Learning Committee for planning two outstanding programs. The afternoon program, “Chai Time to Visit Jewish Neighbors,” held on
Sunday afternoon, featured two speakers. Cantor Donna Azu of Temple Shalom spoke about the Jews of Persia, describing their long history and rituals. The audience was treated to Cantor Azu’s beautiful singing of the unique Sephardic melodies that she performed for her dissertation. Dr. Ron Duncan Hart spoke about Crypto-Jews, describing their origins, migrations and how they were treated upon their arrival in the Americas. The evening program, which was held on Wednesday, featured five Naples area clergy, who described their experiences dealing with the pandemic. The panel was chaired by Rabbi Adam Miller of Temple Shalom and included Reverend
Edward Gleason of Trinity-by-the-Cove Episcopal Church, Fr. Hugh McGuigan of Our Lady of Light Catholic Church in Estero, Pastor Lonnie Mills of Macedonia Baptist Church and Reverend Dawson Taylor of Naples United Church of Christ. The wide-ranging descriptions demonstrated the deep commitment these leaders have to their congregants and to the community. During this unprecedented time, they demonstrated creativity, courage and wisdom. While the virtual program was very successful in achieving its goals, the JCRC is hopeful that next year the Day (and Evening) of Learning can once again be held in person.
JCRC awards two nonprofits By Judi Palay
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n Feb. 6, Jeffrey Feld, President and CEO of Jewish Federation of Greater Naples (JFGN), presented checks and plaques to the two nonprofit organizations selected by the Human Needs Committee of the Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC). Emerson Academy, which champions Book Buddies, was one of two groups to receive an award. BookBuddiesOnline is a summer program aimed at giving the top academicachieving high school students from economically challenged minority ethnic populations a head start in preparing for college. Its mission is to keep elementary school children reading at or above grade level and instill a love of reading in the process. Each grade school child is paired with a high school buddy who, while tutoring, earns community service hours needed for graduation. Naples Pride was the other group selected. Headed by Cori Craciun, Naples Pride is a volunteer-based grassroots nonprofit that aims to unite and empower Southwest Florida’s LGBTQ community, to educate and foster social change and equality for all.
(L-R) Bill McCormick, Director of Programs; Jeffrey Feld; Lindsey Abellard and Brittany Nguyen, student developers of program; and Vincent Keeys, President of the NAACP Photo credit: Les Schwartz and Chuck Naumoff Naples Pride helps meet the needs of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning community of Southwest Florida from its community center, where it offers support groups for a wide range of individuals in need of support. Examples include the bereaved, veterans, transgender individuals and those suffering from substance dependency. Notably, it offers a professionally facilitated live chat support group for teens. The focus on youth protection arises from bullying, violence and even family rejection. Young people from the LGBTQ community seriously contemplate suicide at almost three times the
rate of heterosexual youth and are almost five times as likely to have attempted suicide compared to heterosexual youth. The Jewish Community Relations Council of JFGN recognizes nonprofit organizations in Greater Naples for their generous spirit and service. Accordingly, we present the Human Needs Award as we (JCRC of the JFGN) and the award recipients practice ‘tikkun olam’ — helping to repair the world. JCRC’s Human Needs Committee includes Suzanne Cherney, Bill Kaye, Stacy Nicolau, Judi Palay, Chair, and Betty Schwartz.
