Federation Star - May 2023

HELP US REACH OUR 2023 CAMPAIGN GOAL Please make your pledge today by calling 239-263-4205 or emailing eavila@jewishnaples.org OF GREATER NAPLES

OF GREATER NAPLES OF GREATER NAPLES

CELEBRATING JEWISH LIFE IN GREATER NAPLES, ISRAEL AND THE WORLD

FEDERATI N STAR

Published by Jewish Federation of Greater Naples

SERVING NAPLES, MARCO ISLAND AND THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES

www.JewishNaples.org Y May 2023 – Iyar/Sivan 5783 Y Vol. 32 #9 INSIDE THIS ISSUE:

State of the Federation

6 Women’s Cultural Alliance

April 10, 2023

8 Men’s Cultural Alliance 12 Community Focus 15 Tributes

Jane Schiff

1A Jewish Interest

Federation Board Chair

6A Israel & The Jewish World 8A Organizations 10A Commentary

T

11A Synagogue News 12A Focus on Youth 15A Community Directory

PAID

Jewish Federation of Greater Naples 4720 Pine Ridge Road Naples, FL 34119

Fort Myers, FL Permit No 1101

Non Profit Org U.S. Postage

The Israel Friendship Caravan Scouts Come sing and dance at this special free performance Tuesday, June 20 at 7 p.m.

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his is the year that the dream of a home for Federation, WCA and MCA came true! We opened the Nina Iser Jewish Cultural Center on Jan. 15, 2023. The punch list is close to being finished. Certainly, by next season, all the signs will be installed and the other loose ends will be in the rearview mirror.

I have heard so many compliments about the building from insiders and visitors alike. The two best indicators for me are: 1) the building is currently being used by 500 to 1,000 people a week; and 2) at least three times a week, usually more, our members bring their out-oftown guests through the building to “show off.” Impromptu meetings and hangouts happen daily. And one day, when there was a hiccup in one of the rooms where a meeting was supposed to happen, a meeting I was in was moved upstairs to the very little conference room. The fact that we were able to shift around and use space that was available is just one example of the versatility built into the plan.

Although it has been said many times, without the village that was engaged in making this dream come true, we would still be dreaming. First and foremost, thanks to our donors. Steve Saks and Steve Iser, who gave the funds for the campus

Celebrate Israel @ 75 Highlights The community turned out for a fantastic celebration in our new home!

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and building, and respectively led the parade of more than 650 donors. There is, of course, still more money that we would like to raise to secure a larger endowment that will help pay for the ongoing building maintenance costs.

The team that was involved in the actualization of the building was the best!

Led by Marc Saperstein and cochaired by Merlin Lickhalter, the Building Committee consisting of Nat Ritter, Steve Iser, David Braverman, Sam Roth, Steve Strome, Bill Petasnick, Marcy Friedland, Brian McKenzie, Jane Schiff, Jeffrey Feld, James Knafo, and Deborah Fidel and Ed Alexander, both from Temple Shalom, came together every three weeks for about 18 months to decide on details such as if we should have artificial turf in the courtyard, which tile to use in the loggia, etc.

In December, the House and Grounds Committee was populated and is now responsible for the day-to-day issues that come up. Until becoming Board chair, Nat Ritter chaired that committee with Max Weisberg, Bill Goldman, Merlin Lickhalter, Sam Roth, Steve Iser, Ben Post, Jane Schiff, Phil Zoltek, Jeffrey Feld, Marc Saperstein and James Knafo. And since I mentioned James Knafo, I must tell you that he went above and beyond what an architect would normally do. His design is fabulous, open, light, warm, welcoming and joyful.

DeAngelis and Diamond construction company was the absolute right choice for this project. And Chris Fitzko, the job superintendent, was wonderful to work with, especially since there were so many of us asking for favors and wanting

to bring people through. I obviously do not know all the subcontractors or workmen/workwomen on the job, but I see the finished product and know they did their best.

Wegman Design group was terrific.

Their designs and suggestions of furnishings and furniture were right on target.

The Art Acquisition committee, headed

by Merlin Lickhalter, chose David Hess as the artist for the two major pieces of sculpture — the chanukiah in the outdoor patio and the welcoming yellow, red and orange piece in the lobby. Didi Sweet donated her time to help with the framing of the new and existing art as well hanging it all.

The village worked hard and long.

They took the funds you so generously donated and made our Nina Iser Jewish Cultural Center a thing of beauty and our home.

Nothing happens without the staff being involved every step of the way. So, I want to acknowledge our fabulous staff.

Jeffrey Feld is our president and CEO. He directs and oversees it all. He was on every committee for the building and still did all the other things he handles on a daily basis, with the help of a very competent staff.

Our Program Director, Reneé Bialek, is the force behind events. She staffs our Jewish Book Festival, the IAC (Israel Advocacy Committee), JCRC (Jewish Community Relations Council), Jewish Singles, Jewish Professionals, CatholicJewish Dialogue, Yom Ha-Shoah, Jewish Day of Learning, and more. continued on page 2

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Federation Star

JEWISH FEDERATION

May 2023

state of the federation...continued from page 1 Alicia Feldman works in the prohave saved many thousands of dollars in gram area, exclusively on the PJ Library interest expense. And their estimates of program. PJ Library families have been costs to run our operation in the new enjoying and using the Nina Iser Jewish Nina Iser Jewish Cultural Center has Cultural Center just like us older Federaallowed us to understand the implications tion members. It is so much fun to go see of the move. the little ones playing and laughing in the Governance and Nominating Comoutdoor patio and BBYO lounge. mittee is chaired by our immediate past Marcy Friedland left in early April Board Chair, Alvin Becker, and cochaired but was our FRD (Financial Resource

by Amanda Dorio. They make sure that Director) throughout the year. She was we operate according to the rules set down part of the building committee and by our bylaws and find us wonderful new worked on the Capital Campaign from Board members. the start. As FRD, she ran the Capital WCA and MCA have programs 24/6.

Campaign, Annual Campaign and There is no way to mention all their offerPlanned Giving. We wish her well in her ings. They currently have a combined new endeavors. membership of over 2,500 members. The Courtney DeVault is our accounting growth and vibrancy of both organizamanager and is now fully integrated into tions produce pride and a specialness to our team. our Jewish Naples community that is the Phil Zoltek is our facility manager. On envy of many, many Federations. Both top of changing rooms to fit the needs of groups are utilizing the Nina Iser Jewish the next group coming in, he manages Cultural Center on a daily (except Saturall the working parts of the building. day) basis. The building was designed and So many of you have mentioned how built with these two groups in mind. The grateful you are that he not only does so leadership — Patti Boochever of WCA much, but he also is easy and pleasant. and Michael Sobol of MCA — work Eduardo Alverez, Michelle Cunwith their boards and other volunteers ningham and Janine Hudak do the to create the programing. The programs administrative jobs, greet us all, answer each organization offers, as well as the the phones and, in general, help us when joint programs, are the underpinning we need help. of our Jewish community. It is their Without the staff, nothing would programming that drives new people function. Please thank them and be kind in the community to seek us out and to them. They are so important to us all. join our community.

Ellen Weiss is the Executive Director of Other groups that hold meetings to the Tampa Orlando Pinellas Jewish Founstudy, play and share their Jewish Naples dation. TOP is our Endowment/Planned connections include the Cardoza Society Giving Department and works with us for lawyers, the Jewish Russian Cultural and our donors. While not an in-house Alliance, Jewish War Veterans, Jewish member of our team, TOP manages all Singles, Young Jewish Professionals and our endowment money and helps donors Young Jewish Families. Each group has meet their philanthropic goals with a programming that meets its needs. And variety of platforms such as donor-advised each group has volunteers who create the funds and charitable remainder trusts. If programs with Bialek. you are interested in learning more, you Year seven of The Jewish Book Festican reach Ellen Weiss at 813-769-4785 or val was started online, then moved into ellen@topjewishfoundation.org. the Nina Iser Jewish Cultural Center The staff is joined by our volunteers. in addition to being online. In other The Board of Directors, all of us volunwords, it was a hybrid. Gayle Dorio, as teers, have been a very special group this this year’s chair, was aided by a plethora past year. So many of our leaders have of volunteers who chose the authors, been leaders in other walks of life and introduced the authors and helped bring a plethora of skills and loads of whenever and wherever needed. Each energy. The many committee members, author talk was unique. Some showed committee chairs and volunteers for each presentations, some talked in conversaevent make me marvel at the level of comtion with a moderator, and all brought mitment I see daily. The hours and hours their own perspective. of volunteer time that are expended on Our yearly Chanukah Celebration behalf of our Jewish community is the was at Mercato, as the Nina Iser Jewish reason, along with our exceptional staff, Cultural Center was not quite ready. that we are growing, thriving and successThe guess is that close to 1,000 people ful. On the board level, we have standing showed up. And the weather coopercommittees that oversee the business end ated! The Israel Advocacy Committee, of the Federation — the Allocations, Govchaired by Harvey Cohen, presented ernance and Nominating, Finance and many events. Like the book festival, IAC Audit, and Development committees are events started on Zoom and transitioned the backbone of our organization. to the Nina Iser Jewish Cultural Center The group that guides in financial once it was ready. decisions is the Finance and Audit ComThe highlight of the IAC year was mittee, which oversees all our budgeting the Israel @ 75 celebration on March 26 and issues relating to administration chaired by Michael and Tracy Askotzky, and controls. Elliot Lerner, as Treasurer, and Cathy and Phil Zaks. With an estiand Steve Strome, as Finance and Audit mated 500 people in attendance and Committee chair, lead this committee many organizations having displays, and oversee it all. We again had a “clean” along with Israeli dancing and food, audit from the independent auditors. it was an incredible event.

This group planned for our move with Also in full gear was the Jewish Comgreat attention to detail. It was their munity Relations Committee, chaired by urging that helped us reach out to our Jeff Zalasky. The Catholic-Jewish Diadonors and ask them to pay their Capital logue was chaired by Luba Rotsztain and Campaign pledges early. By doing so, we is now chaired by Leslie Wasserman and

Marty Gauthier. It had many small group discussions on various topics, sponsored a community-wide Kristallnacht Commemoration spearheaded by Ginny Segaloff, and topped off the year with Rabbi James Rudin. The Antisemitism Task Force chaired by Joel Pittelman, another subcommittee of JCRC, pointed out known issues that occurred in our community. And on March 30, we heard from community leaders about the direction of Naples at our Jewish Day of Learning.

Our Stand Up for Justice Committee chaired by Beth Povlow identified SUFJ Award winners Susan Bobrow; Camiriia Jones, Ph.D.; Pamela Schram; Brandy Williams and Jamie Flatley. Liz Jaffe and The Human Needs Committee selected two nonprofits, Sage House and Café of Life, as the Human Needs Award winners.

Raising money in order to service the needs of the community is what we do with the help of these volunteers: Rosalee Bogo and Michael Sobol (Major Gifts), Peggy Brown (Pomegranates), Gail Smith, chair and Estelle Price, cochair (Lion of Judah), Alvin Becker and Michael Suffian (Joshua Society), Michael Sobol (King David Society), Michael Rubinstein (Ben Gurion Society), and Harvey Cohen and Cheryl Ginsburg (General Division). Our goal for the Annual Campaign this year is $1,650,000. As of this article writing (March 30, 2023), we have raised $1,334,000.

Our new Power of Community Award, to recognize an agency, congregation, community organization or person which has demonstrated a strengthening of partnership and cooperation in the community, went this year to Irv Povlow, who served for many years on the Collier County School Board calendar committee. In that role, he was able to get Collier County to include our High Holy Days as days off for school, thus allowing Jewish students to not be penalized for being Jewish.

Allocations is the term to describe where your dollars go. Preschools; summer camps; seniors, especially Holocaust survivors; Jews with economic difficulties; education to surrounding communities, especially middle schoolers, about the Holocaust and its underlining message of antisemitism; education and cultural events for our community; and the many needs overseas are our allocations. We try to highlight each of these areas through articles and programs that create a pride of our Jewish community. We thank Jay Weiss and the Allocations Committee for their diligence in making the recommendations. The process of allocations is currently underway, and the Board will vote on the Allocations Committee recommendation at the June Board meeting.

The Annual Campaign allows us to function in all aspects — allocations, administration and programming that occupies more and more of our Federation life. Jewish Federations were founded for the express purpose of raising money to take care of the needs of Jewish people locally and overseas. Money raising and allocating those dollars has been the traditional model that Federations have operated under for well over 100 years in the U.S. However, times change. Community needs are different in different locations.

This community needs connections to each other. We all moved here from somewhere else. We have all made wonderful new friends through the Federation, including our programing and our wholly owned subsidiaries WCA and MCA. We are not like any other Federation. We are a very special Federation; a place to make our philanthropic goals reality, a place to make friends, a place to grow culturally and intellectually and a place to feel part of a community.

Thank you for reading this very long, very fact-filled article. Thank you.

You are a valued and valuable member of our community.

THIS MONTH’S ADVERTISERS This publication is brought to you each month thanks to the support of our advertisers. Please be sure to use their products and services, and mention that you saw their ad in Federation Star.

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JEWISH FEDERATION

May 2023

Federation Star

3

We’re planning summer events Reneé Bialek Program Director

C

ome sing and dance with the Scouts! The Israel Friendship Caravan is coming to Naples on June 20, when 10 Israeli teens will give a live performance at the Nina Iser Jewish Cultural Center at 7 p.m. They are full of energy and are ready to sing and dance with us. Please register at www.jewishnaples.org so we know how many to plan for.

I am looking for a few more host families. Would you like to host one or two Israeli teens?

They do speak English. Do you have a bed for them to sleep in?

If so, please email me at rbialek@ jewishnaples.org.

Take a look at the Summer Book Discussions being presented once a month in June, July, August and September (see the ad on page 3A of this issue). Read the books, then hear what these authors have to say: • Sally Koslow, author of “The Real Mrs. Tobias” on Wednesday, June 28 • Weina Dai Randel, author of “The Last Rose of Shanghai” on Wednesday, July 26

• Rachel Barenbaum, author of “Atomic Anna” on Wednesday, Aug. 30 • Howard Blum, author of “The Spy Who Knew Too Much” on Wednesday, Sept. 27 These book discussions are open and free to the entire community. You can attend in person at the Nina Iser Jewish Cultural Center or join us via Zoom. The authors will be Zooming in, ready to talk about their book and answer your questions. Come to one or all book discussions! Register at www.jewishnaples.org.

I will be attending the virtual Jewish Book Conference this month and I look forward to sharing the lineup with the entire community in the upcoming months. Please visit www.jewish bookfestival.org as we update the page with information.

New summer programs will be added to the weekly Monday e-blast. Be on the lookout for: bingo, chess, puzzle time and

potluck lunches. If you have a summer program idea, please email me!

Please register for all events at www.jewishnaples.org.

Dates and times of upcoming events are announced on our website homepage. If you aren’t receiving our weekly Monday e-blast, please email me at rbialek@jewishnaples.org. Registration is required to receive the Zoom link, which gets emailed two hours prior to the start of each event.

We have a variety of groups and committees at Jewish Federation of Greater Naples, such as PJ Library, Jewish Families with Young Children, Singles Social Group, Cardozo Legal Society, CatholicJewish Dialogue, Israel Advocacy Committee and Jewish Community Relations Council. Please join the group and/or committee that best fits your interests. A taste of each one can be found throughout our website at www.jewishnaples.org.

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Federation Star

JEWISH FEDERATION

May 2023

Naples Next: Jewish Federation of Greater Naples explores community’s future Community Relations Council, local leaders examine “Vibrant Naples – Can It Be Sustained?”

By Alan Zagier, MBA, Priority Marketing

R

ow houses down the street from beachfront property. An arts district to rival such better-known destinations in Sarasota and Miami. Even more leisure-time amenities for a new crop of retirees whose active lives scarcely resemble those of their predecessors. With the region’s red-hot growth showing no signs of slowing, those were just some of the possibilities explored by a recent panel of community leaders sharing their vision of Naples’ future.

The theme of the annual Day of Learning, hosted by Jewish Federation of Greater Naples’ Jewish Community Relations Council, was “Vibrant Naples – Can it be Sustained?”

“Six months after Hurricane Ian, our community faces a unique opportunity to focus not only on recovery and rebuilding but also innovation and improvement,” said Jeffrey Feld, president and CEO of Jewish Federation of Greater Naples.

“Community conversations such as this event are critical to ensuring that Naples and Collier County continue to thrive in the years ahead.”

Speaker Amir Borges Ferreira Neto, director of the Regional Economic Research Institute at Florida Gulf Coast

University, cautioned that, when it comes to economic development, Naples and the rest of Southwest Florida can’t rest on their laurels. The rising cost of housing, whether as a homeowner or renter, is a particular concern, Neto explained, with not only low-income employees but also middle-class workers unable to afford to live where they work. “It’s not just the low-paying jobs,” he said. “We need to think about who can really live in Naples moving forward.”

Jamie French, director of the Department of Growth Management Community Development for Collier County, concurred on the need for more affordable housing. Two days before he spoke, the Collier County Commission endorsed a set of changes to the County’s Growth Management Plan to allow more affordable housing in certain commercially zoned districts, as well as increased residential density in certain parts of town. Such density increases could allow for more outsidethe-box development, French suggested, even floating the notion of side-by-side row houses more commonly found in East Coast cities such as Baltimore and Philadelphia.

Elysia Dawn, executive director of United Arts Collier, envisions a 21st century Naples with a unified arts scene among the county’s nearly 200 arts organizations, a collective effort that would elevate the area’s arts scene among both locals and out-of-towners. “I think Naples is going to continue to claim its own place (among other arts destinations),” she said.

Other Day of Learning speakers included Collier County Manager Amy Patterson and Dr. Rebecca Smith, president of the Collier County Medical Society.

Joel Pittelman, chair of the Day of Learning, explained, “For its initial seven years, the Day of Learning explored topical issues through a Jewish lens. This year, we framed the discussion as part of a broader community conversation that was also open to the public, held at the Federation’s new Nina Iser Jewish Cultural Center.”

JCRC Chair Jeff Zalasky, who moderated the event, said, “The theme is consistent with the mission of the Jewish Community Relations Council, which seeks to build bridges of communication and understanding with the broader Naples community.”

CELEBRATING JEWISH LIFE IN GREATER NAPLES, ISRAEL AND THE WORLD

FEDERATI N STAR

Published by Jewish Federation of Greater Naples

SERVING NAPLES, MARCO ISLAND AND THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES

Published by

4720 Pine Ridge Road Naples, FL 34119 Phone: 239.263.4205 Fax: 239.263.3813 www.jewishnaples.org Email: info@jewishnaples.org Officers

Board Chair: Nathaniel Ritter Vice chairs: Marc Saperstein, Arlene Sobol, Beth Wolff Secretary: Rosalee Bogo Treasurer: Steve Strome Immediate Past Chair: Jane Schiff

Board of Directors

Frank Baum, Alvin Becker, Myra Benedikt, Patti Boochever, Harvey Cohen, Marcia Cohodes, Paula Filler, Cheryl Ginsburg, Steve Iser, Larry Israelite, Tammy Katz, Elliot Lerner, Merlin Lickhalter, Robin Mintz, Joel Pittelman, Stuart Price, Michael Rubinstein, Michael Sobol, Jay Weiss, Jeff Zalasky, Board Member Emeritus: Phyllis Seaman

Past Board Chairs

Gerald Flagel, Dr. William Ettinger, Ann Jacobson (z’’l), Sheldon Starman, Bobbie Katz, Rosalee Bogo, Judge Norman Krivosha (z’’l), Alvin Becker, Jane Schiff

Synagogue Representatives

Stan Alliker, Cantor Donna Azu, Rabbi Ariel Boxman, Rabbi Ammos Chorny, Rabbi Mendel Gordon, Rabbi Mendy Greenberg, Rabbi Mark Gross, Joe Henson, Rabbi Howard Herman, Rabbi Adam Miller, Charles Flum, Rabbi James Perman, Dr. Arthur Seigel, Len Teitelbaum, Rabbi Fishel Zaklos

Staff

Jeffrey Feld: Federation President & CEO Eduardo Avila: Campaign Associate Reneé Bialek: Program Director Michelle Cunningham: Receptionist Courtney DeVault: Accounting Manager Alicia Feldman: PJ Library Coordinator Janine Hudak: Admin. Coordinator Phil Zoltek: Facility Manager

Elysia Dawn, executive director of United Arts Collier, and Amir Ferreira Neto of FGCU's Regional Economic Research Institute

Amy Patterson, Collier County manager; Jeff Zalasky, chair of the Jewish Community Relations Council of Naples; and Jamie French, director of the Collier County Department of Growth Management Community Development

Amir Borges Ferreira Neto of FGCU's Regional Economic Research Institute addresses the audience

Dr. Rebecca Smith, president of the Collier County Medical Society

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 Community Campaign • 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 and Connections magazine • Singles Social Group • Women’s Cultural Alliance • Women’s Philanthropy • Youth Activities Committee – sponsoring youth education and scholarships for Jewish Summer Camp and Israel Experiences

JEWISH FEDERATION

Federation Star

May 2023

5

We need a few host families!

By Reneé Bialek, Program Director

T

he Israel Scout Friendship Caravan is coming to Naples in June!

This Caravan consists of two leaders and 10 Israeli teens who will perform by singing and dancing for our community.

The Scouts will arrive Tuesday, June 20 and leave Naples Wednesday, June 21.

Hosting the Scouts

The hosting experience is often the most exciting and meaningful part of the Caravan’s visit. The hosting relationship goes far beyond providing food and a bed —host families become true surrogate families to the Scouts during their stay.

Families love bringing the Caravan into their homes, getting to know the teens

and learning more about Israel. It is a valuable and unforgettable experience.

Your responsibilities include meals and sleeping arrangements on Tuesday, June 20 and transportation to and from the events.

If you have youngsters or teens at home, this would be a real treat for them.

If you don’t have youngsters or teens at home, this would be a real treat for you!

If you are interested in hosting one or more of the Scouts or team leaders, contact Reneé Bialek ASAP at Jewish Federation of Greater Naples, 239-2634205 or rbialek@jewishnaples.org for more information.

Please go to https://jewishnaples.org/ israel-scouts for more information.

Purim party

By Maya Williams, JYP Coordinator

I

n March, the Jewish Young Professionals of Jewish Federation of Greater Naples gathered for a Purim party. Together, they made homemade hamantaschen, socialized and celebrated the holiday!

Each month, we conduct a different event in celebration of a Jewish holiday, culture or tradition. A group for young adults in their 20s to 30s, JYP is always excited to welcome new members!

Please reach out to Maya at mayajw3@ gmail.com to get involved.

Members of JYP make hamantaschen

Members of JYP in their costumes

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Federation Star

May 2023

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WCA Foodies feed the hungry

By Susan Pittelman, WCA Publicity Coordinator

F

"

oodies” is one of the most popular WCA interest groups, with nearly 400 members. Women who join Foodies love tasting, preparing and talking about food!

Under the direction of WCA Board Member Lea Bendes, the Foodies participated in many special programs this past season, including a variety of cooking demonstrations. (It was very exciting to use the new catering kitchen in the Nina Iser Jewish Cultural Center for these programs!) Quite a few Foodies hosted themed-based “Tastings” in their homes and many women participated in lively discussions on a wide variety of foodrelated topics (including kitchen gadgets and using leftovers).

Just last month, the owners of Jewban, a Jewish-Cuban food truck, shared their story of how they got started, and then prepared and served their delicious food for the group. And, after years of virtual get-togethers during COVID, the annual cookie exchange was once again held in person, so participants could not only share the recipes, but also sample the array of cookies.

Members of WCA Foodies enjoy cooking — and this season, they found a way to combine that talent with their interest in helping others through the “WCA Foodies Feed the Hungry”

Foodie Barb Lefkowitz, who is deeply committed to the Foodies Feed the Hungry program, said, “By volunteering at Café of Life, we are providing meals to those who are less fortunate. They are most appreciative. I feel like we are truly doing a mitzvah!”

One morning, while the Foodies were serving food at Café of Life, announcements were made that Farmer Mike had brought fresh produce; a doctor would be coming the next day to help with health issues; and Jose, another volunteer, would be offering free haircuts.

Brown commented, “It is exciting and rewarding to work with the staff at Some of the many Foodies volunteers who served a hot meal at Café of Café of Life. This is a well-run machine Life on March 6 include Linda Shapess, Carol Mandour, Madeline Foster, that greatly appreciates volunteers like Jane Shaw, Sydell Weinberger, Nancy Armocido and Phyllis Strome. ourselves. I am glad that the Foodies can be part of this program.” serve the working poor. I met with Peggy program. The program was initially conYadi Munoz, who has worked with Brown, and we mapped out a plan for a ceived by Foodies Chair Lea Bendes as a Café of Life for 20 years and is now the potential program. I sent an email request way to give back to the community. site manager and volunteer coordinator, to the Foodies to help prepare meals. The Bendes explained, “When I returned said, “The volunteers make our organiresponse was overwhelming!” to Naples shortly after Hurricane Ian and zation. There is no way that we could After the rewarding experience of saw the devastation, I wanted to find a provide for the community without providing the first hot meal in November, way to help those in need. I thought that them. I am ver y Shaw and Brown offered the Foodies could prepare meals to serve to spearhead the project. to victims of Hurricane Ian, but I learned A big thank you to the grateful for every volunteer and cookOne day each month, that most agencies only accept meals preFoodies from the Jewish ing team that I have.”

January through April, pared in a licensed kitchen. Then Foodies Reflecting on her a crew of approximately member Jane Shaw discovered that the Federation for today’s experiences, Shaw 17 WCA Foodies preCafé of Life agency in Bonita Springs first-class meal. said, “The Café of pared food at home, then was looking for home-cooked food to served the hot homemade ~Yadi Munoz, Café of Life Life is a beacon of many lights that meal to approximately 75 shine in the community because of people at Café of Life. This season, the volunteers like the women from the Foodmenu included baked ziti, string beans ies group, who step up each month.” with chickpeas, grapes and cookies. (The Thank you to the 36 Foodies who members decide which part of the meal have made the “WCA Foodies Feed the they want to prepare.) The meal is served Hungry” program a reality. at 9:30 a.m. and is the only hot meal that many of the beneficiaries eat all day.

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Phyllis Strome, Carol Mandour, Sydell Weinberger, Linda Shapess, Madeline Foster and Nancy Armocido assemble meals.

Federation Star

May 2023

An Introduction to Moorings Park’s Three Communities & Our Executive Chef’s Top Culinary Delights Here’s your chance to get a taste of what life is like at Moorings Park’s three stunning Naples communities.

Successful

aging

expert

and

Vice

President, Tom Mann, will introduce you to our three premier communities, explaining the amazing benefits you’ll receive when you make the move. Learn valuable details on costs, floorplans, healthcare, dining, waiting lists, and an innovative approach to successful aging.

During this presentation you’ll enjoy a video tour of each of the communities’ clubhouses and model residences. All while enjoying our Executive Chef’s top culinary delights.

RSVP today by scanning the QR code, visiting MooringsPark.org/Events, or calling 239-356-0540.

Discover Our Secret Ingredients to Successful Aging Thursday | June 1st | 2:30 PM Moorings Park in Sheffield Theatre 132 Moorings Park Drive, Naples FL 34105 RSVP by May 30th by calling 239-356-0540, visiting MooringsPark.org/Events, or scanning the QR code.

Unable to attend? Join our webinar on Friday, June 2nd at 10:30 AM. To register, visit MooringsPark.org/Webinar.

Prices from $522,000 to $7M+ 120 Moorings Park Drive | Naples, FL 34105 | 239-356-0540 | MooringsPark.org #88033

Moorings Park Communities is a nationally accredited, non-profit, Medicare-certified organization and one of the only Life Plan providers with A or A+ ratings by Fitch and S&P Global Ratings.

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Federation Star

JEWISH FEDERATION

May 2023

MEN’S CULTURAL ALLIANCE

www.MCANaples.org / 508-733-9427

People you should know: the MCA volunteers

By Marc Rosenweig, MCA member

I

f you’re interested in kayaking, biking, pickleball, science, current events, book club, trivia, and more, MCA has a lot to offer. But it’s only possible through the work of members who volunteer to run these activities. Let’s meet some MCA members who make things happen.

Bob Davidson

Bob Davidson runs the MCA Science Group along with Mel Kaplan. Davidson’s background as an engineer made him a natural for the group.

Davidson and his wife, Shellie Specter, met in college in Wisconsin and became full-time Naples residents when he retired in 2017.

“Shellie got connected to WCA and told me about MCA,” said Davidson.

Specter is well known as someone who welcomes newcomers to the community through both WCA and Temple Shalom.

“We define science very broadly,” said Davidson. “We explain things that are going on in science that are interesting to people.” MCA members volunteer as speakers with an occasional outside speaker. Topics are wide ranging. There are approximately six sessions each season.

The group has heard about chemical process safety (very timely after the train derailment in Ohio) and how carbon has shaped civilizations. When Davidson and I spoke, the group, which usually numbers 20 to 30 participants, was about to

Code:

hear about EV battery development as the push to electric cars heats up.

At one session, a FGCU professor discussed the latest in DNA analysis. Of course, issues related to climate change are often on the agenda. Davidson is looking for someone to discuss artificial intelligence.

Davidson appreciates the value of MCA. New friendships develop and knowledge is shared. He adds, “It’s a really great thing to have in your life.”

Stan Farb

Stan Farb runs the MCA Book Club.

He’s originally from the Baltimore area, where he was an ear, nose, throat, head and neck doctor. He considers moving to Naples one of the best decisions of his life, along with marrying his late wife and going into medicine.

“We were not Florida lovers,” said Farb. “In 1995, we were at Marco Island and celebrated a birthday dinner at the Ritz Carlton in Pelican Bay. Three days later, we bought a condo at Pelican Bay.” Farb says he was part of the original MCA group when it was founded more than a decade ago. He later took on the book club. He says about two-thirds of the books they read are nonfiction. There are some World War II books, including several on the Holocaust.

Recent titles include “Tough Luck,” about the legendary Chicago Bears

Ron Mutchnik, Current Events & Trivia, on an MCA visit to the Bird Garden of Naples quarterback, Sid Luckman, whose father went to jail for murder. They also read “Billion Dollar Whale,” which focuses on a thief in Malaysia who also bankrolled the movie “Wolf of Wall Street.”

The book “Breakthrough” looks at the discovery of insulin. “Ticking Clock” takes readers behind the scenes at CBS’s “60 Minutes” through the eyes of its award-winning former producer Ira Rosen.

“My contribution to MCA pales in comparison to time others spend,” said Farb. He says it’s a very valuable experience to volunteer through MCA at the food bank or on Mitzvah Day. “You see that many people have needs in Collier County that you didn’t realize.

“It’s gratifying to see MCA grow to about 780 members after COVID,” said Farb, who adds that reading books can provide knowledge, excitement, romance and fun.

Ron Mutchnik Bob Davidson, Science Group

Stan Farb, Book Club

There are Four (4) Ways to Four Join MCA!!

There are (4)

1. Scan thisto Join Ways 2. Go to:MCA!! www.mcanaples.org and QR Code:

click on Membership.

3. Email Membership@mcanaples.org.

There are 3 Ways to 4. Send a check for $90 to the JFGN. Join the MCA!

mcanaples.org and click on Membership.

ership@mcanaples.org .

1. Visit the website at www.MCAnaples.org. Click on for $90.00 to the JFGN. the MCA membership form and complete it. You

Ron Mutchnik leads the MCA Current Events Group and often arranges trivia contests. As a youngster, he lived four blocks from Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, then moved to New Rochelle, New York.

By full disclosure, we both graduated from New Rochelle High School (NRHS) at different times.

Mutchnik played tennis at NRHS and SUNY New Paltz, then went on to a career as a school principal and tennis coach.

He says current events group participants receive articles each month from The New Yorker magazine to spark discussions on specific topics. They’ve looked at two views of wars and two views of the importance of statistics.

“All you have to do is ask ‘what do you think?’ and the group carries the ball,” said Mutchnik. “We have lively, but respectful debates. We try to avoid politics. We have people who know a lot, especially when it comes to history and Israel.”

In March, he organized the first in-person trivia session since COVID. “I love trivia,” says Mutchnik. “It amounts to opening a box in my head. There’s something for everyone. It gives me a lot to look forward to. It’s like “Cheers,” where everybody knows your name.”

Here’s a list of other volunteers: Don Belmont Spencer Forman Ira Kushnir Steve Schreier Morris Binder Sid Freund Jay Leib Jim Sernovitz Bob Blank Ken Getnick Marty Levine Bruce Sherman Burt Blumkin Mark Goetz Bob Lubin Phil Sherman Gene Briskman Dick Goldblatt Ken Marcus Jerry Shier John Caragliano Gene Goldenziel Jeff Margolis Chuck Siegel Neil Chessin Avi Goldstein Ed Margulies Jim Simon David Cohen Larry Goodman Michael Marks Michael Sobol Harvey Cohen Alan Gordon Jeff Morgenstern Dan Sussman Mark Cohn Michael Gordon Ron Mutchnik Michael Swartz Bob Davidson Howard Greenfield Les Nizin Richard Wajs Dan Downing Burton Hirsch Harvey Oriel Terry Weiner Stan Farb Steve Iser Glenn Perrin Max Weisberg Gary Farber Larry Israelite Barry Potekin Larry Weiss Michael Feldman Marty Isserlis Richard Prosten Mel Zahn Miki Fields Mel Kaplan Marc Rosenweig Marc Fleisher Jerry Kumin Ed Rozen Thanks to each of you for all your help. MCA could not succeed without you. And if we didn't include your name, we apologize for the oversight.

Please know that we greatly appreciate your assistance.

JEWISH FEDERATION

Federation Star

May 2023

More than ice cream and blintzes

Out of Egypt

By Alicia Feldman, PJ Library Coordinator

A book review by Noah Benitez

even weeks after Passover In addition, it is traditional ends, it’s time to celeon Shavuot to read the “Book brate Shavuot. This holiof Ruth.” There are many day marks the biblical story of reasons given by different receiving the 10 Commandscholars about why to read ments and the Torah at Mt. this particular story on this Sinai. While many families particular holiday. The major don’t regularly celebrate Shathemes in the “Book of Ruth,” vuot, it’s a holiday that’s totally giving, kindness and selflessmade for kids — a perfect ness, coincide with the giving excuse for sleepovers, flower of the Torah to the Jewish picking, ice cream socials and people on Shavuot.

Alicia Feldman lots of other fun activities.

While you're enjoying blinAlthough Shavuot was originally a tzes and ice cream on Shavuot, take time harvest holiday, today people celebrate to read a story about friendship or kindthe day by studying the ness with your kiddos.

Torah, staying up all Here are some book night, crafting paper cutlists to get you started: outs, eating local foods • A Hat for Mrs and, of course, indulging Goldman written by in cheesecake, ice cream Mi c h e l l e E d w a rd s and blintzes. and illustrated by G. The tie-in to the Torah Brian Karas and 10 Commandments • The Forever Garalso make Shavuot a perden written by Laurel fect opportunity to reinSnyder and illustrated force many of the values

by Samantha Cotterill that parents are already • Mrs. Katz and imparting to their children: Tu s h w r i t t e n a n d telling the truth, honoring Written by Michelle Edwards; illustrated by Patricia others and sharing.

Illustrated by G. Brian Karas Polacco

really like getting PJ library books in the mail. One of my favorite books is "Out of Egypt" by Rabbi Moshe Moscowitz because I had a lot of fun reading it. This book is a graphic novel of the whole story of Passover. It is cool to read the story and see all the pictures of what happens.

The story starts before Moses was born and shows how he was saved. Then, it shows how he became the leader of the

S

9

PJ Our Way guest spotlight

I

Jews. Next, it shows the 10 plagues and how Pharaoh finally let the Jews leave Egypt. The book ends with the Jews crossing the Sea of Reeds and being saved from the Egyptians.

About Noah Benitez - In 7th grade at Naples Classical Academy, Benitez loves to make YouTube videos, play soccer and play guitar. He also practices kung fu martial arts. Benitez will be having his bar mitzvah May 2033.

Out of Egypt by Rabbi Moshe Moscowitz (author), David Sokoloff (author) and Jon Carter (colorist) (left) Noah Benitez

Israel is celebrating 75 years.

Magen David Adom has been there for all of them.

Written by Laurel Snyder; Illustrated by Samantha Cotterill

Written and illustrated

by Patricia Polacco

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

Magen David Adom has been saving lives since 1930, some 18 years before Israel became a state. We take immense pride in being Israel’s national emergency medical service and in supplying the blood and medical care for the soldiers who have ensured Israel’s existence. Join us in celebrating Israel’s 75th year of independence on Yom HaAtzma’ut.

Support Magen David Adom by donating today at afmda.org/give.

Or for further information about giving opportunities, contact 561-835-0510 or southeast@afmda.org.

afmda.org/give

10

Federation Star

May 2023

Celebrate Israel @ 75

JEWISH FEDERATION

JEWISH FEDERATION

May 2023

Federation Star

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Federation Star

COMMUNITY FOCUS

May 2023

Do you know who you are?

By Shelley Lieb and Ida Margolis

I

to know who I am, so I need to " want know who you’ve been.” ~ Gabriela

Garcia, author of “Women and Salt” “If I don’t find out who they are, how will I know who I am?” ~ Eleanor Reissa, author of “The Letters Project: A Daughter’s Journey” Children of Holocaust survivors may have many things in common, but there is one item that stands out as distinctly different. How open were the survivors to their children about their Holocaust experience? This distinction is probably true for any parent/child relationship, regardless of whether or not there is the trauma of genocide in the mix.

Asking questions to one’s family members is one thing. Asking questions to complete strangers rises to another level. Louis Schmidt recently spoke in Southwest Florida about his experience as an interviewer of Holocaust survivors for the USC Shoah Foundation.

Schmidt started his career in the 1960s as a reporter at Look magazine, then became a senior producer for the NFL, where he won three Emmy and four Ace Awards and was the recipient of the silver medal from the International Film and Television Festival of New York. When Steven Spielberg announced, after he won the Oscar for “Schindler’s List” in 1994, that he was setting up a foundation to record interviews with 50,000 Holocaust survivors, Schmidt didn’t hesitate to contact him to get involved

with the project. (https://sfi.usc.edu/ search-page?search=louis+schmidt) “There is great power in remembrance,” says Schmidt, whose purpose as an interviewer was to preserve history by putting a human face on historic events.

He was well-trained in both asking questions about horrific experiences and being objective in his responses.

In many instances, he was able to provide answers to the survivors’ families for questions they didn’t even know to ask.

Schmidt talked about the “painful, personal journeys through darkness … through the cobwebs of time” that he witnessed as an interviewer. Although he didn’t share the specific questions he asked, he was very clear to tell his current

audience about the need for everyone to bear witness, quoting Elie Wiesel, “Whoever hears a witness, becomes a witness,” and Maya Angelou, “There is no greater agony than telling a story that is hidden within you.”

It is possible that some of us were afraid to ask those questions for fear of what might be unleashed. We weren’t sure how we would be able to respond.

If you attended the Yom HaShoah program in Naples last month, you saw a play about a local survivor’s story. Abe Price, like so many survivors, is no longer present. Schmidt reminded us that now, “…never again depends on you.”

If you are from a Holocaust-impacted family, it is never too late to ask questions and search for answers. The questions may be as basic as finding out what hobbies your father had growing up or as difficult as finding out the exact names of your mother’s siblings who perished in Europe.

Perhaps there is a cousin to your father who is still alive and who played with him as a child. Perhaps there is a ghetto identity card that lists all your mother’s siblings that is available on a website.

Ida Margolis and Shelley Lieb GenShoah SWFL brings together not just children of survivors (second generation), but anyone who finds resonance in the mission: Promoting Holocaust education and human rights, preserving the history and memories of the Holocaust, connecting with other second and third generation families, and supporting the Holocaust Museum & Cohen Education Center.

There are no fees. Just the opportunity to learn, be active and be together.

To get on the membership list and receive ongoing information, contact genshoah@hmcec.org.

Louis Schmidt

Marcela Katz Guggenheim visits the GenShoah SWFL table at Celebrate Israel @75.

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you and your loved ones honor the heritage of the Jewish faith with a meaningful memorial that truly captures the essence of the life it represents.

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COMMUNITY FOCUS

May 2023

Federation Star

13

HOLOCAUST MUSEUM & JANET G. AND HARVEY D. COHEN EDUCATION CENTER www.HMCEC.org / 239-263-9200

At the Museum Susan Suarez President & CEO CREDIT: DELL RIVER IMAGERY

W

e have great news to share!

Our education department offices have just relocated into the Museum’s new north wing! Students and teachers will soon be using the new Herbert H. Schiff classroom space there as well.

Thanks to careful planning by the Museum Board; the architect, David Corban; and PBS Contractors, the demolition and construction in the adjoining suites never disrupted activities or programs in the Museum. This was made possible by the decision to delay breaking through the shared wall until later this month, after “season” and the school year-end. Once the two wall openings are completed, Capitol Museum Services (CMS) will begin the installation of the north wing’s new displays and exhibits, including the important Auschwitz Gallery and the Shelley and Stephen Einhorn Gallery for “Other Genocides and Human Rights.”

Please note that the Museum will be closed from approximately May 8 to July 10, 2023 for construction and installation of the new exhibits. Please visit our website, www.HMCEC.org, for further updates on the closure and reopening dates.

A few naming opportunities are still available — please contact me for details at Susan@hmcec.org or call 239-2639200. A Grand Opening ceremony will be held this fall, and we hope you will attend!

More information on the ceremony will be available in the coming months.

May programs

Wednesday, May 3 – “Movies That Matter – Steve Brazina Memorial Film Series” Zoom panel discussion. We invite you to join us for the Zoom panel discussion of the documentary “APART” on May 3 from 4 to 5 p.m. (EDT U.S. and Canada). This documentary looks at the impact on women incarcerated on drugrelated charges and their families. Zoom

Shirley Besikof and her parents at the Bergen-Belson Displaced Persons Camp panelists will include Tammy Franklin, associate director of Academy Programs at Prison Fellowship, and a representative from Avow's counseling program for children with incarcerated parents. Visit www.hmcec.org to RSVP. One week prior to the Zoom discussion, a link to watch "APART" will be sent to all RSVPs. The Zoom panel discussion link will be sent 24 hours prior to the program.

Sunday, May 7 – VE-Day – Complimentary Museum admission with RSVP. Since the Museum is closed Monday, May 8 for VE Day, we will offer complimentary admission on Sunday, May 7. Due to space limitations, an RSVP is required. Visit our website, www.HMCEC.org, to sign up.

Local connections to one of our exhibits

Have you seen our informative exhibit on the post-war displaced persons camps in the Bobbi and Randy Heiligman Gallery?

These camps were created by the Allies to help house millions of homeless refugees after WWII. In addition to civilians fleeing battlefronts, refugees included newly liberated Holocaust survivors and slave laborers.

Refugees were originally housed according to their country of origin. Early into the displaced persons era, survivors had to live in very close quarters with virulently antisemitic neighbors. Aware of this, the Intergovernmental Committee on Refugees recommended to President Truman that special camps be created to shield Jewish displaced persons from further harm. He forwarded the report to Supreme Allied Commander General Dwight D. Eisenhower, who ordered it done.

As living conditions began to improve for them, survivors became more hopeful.

It was possible to find the whereabouts of family members who may have survived, as was the case with late local survivor Abe Price. He was able to find out where one of his brothers was. Once Price immigrated to the U.S., he petitioned his congressional representatives to help bring his brother here to join him. You can see copies of Price’s letter in our exhibit.

Old friends were reunited and new friends became family for those who had

no one left. People met, fell in love and got married. There are stories of the same wedding dress being used by many refugee brides in a camp because of the scarcity of material.

Approximately 2,000 babies were born in these new displaced persons camps, including several of our Museum volunteers such as Hadassah Schulman and Shirley Besikof. Schulman, the Museum’s oral and visual history project coordinator, was born in the Landesberg Displaced Persons Camp. The small child’s coat in the exhibit belonged to Schulman.

It was created by her mother, Mania Licht Kohn, from a coat she wore during her imprisonment in Auschwitz and BergenBelson. Her mother had been a seamstress before the war. The coat included a small fur collar — her father had been a furrier before the war began.

Besikof, a guest relations and education volunteer, was born in the BergenBelson Displaced Persons Camp. Her mother and father were students before the war and endured multiple concentration camps during the Holocaust. They met after the war in the Bergen-Belson

Displaced Persons Camp, where they lived from 1945-1949. Shirley said her father had a favorite story he told often about their immigration to the U.S. When he asked one of the American soldiers in early 1949 if he had ever heard of their destination, St. Paul, Minnesota, the soldier laughed and said, “you are going to Siberia!” Shirley is the child in the stroller in this photo, taken in front of one of the barracks at Bergen-Belson.

Exciting 2023-2024 programs

In addition to opening the north wing, we are completing program and exhibit planning for July 2023 through June 2024.

We will host several field trips from local summer camps, offer a new “Movies That Matter” series in the fall, host the Grand Opening of the North Wing, and feature exciting, new special exhibits in the expanded Estelle and Stuart Price Gallery: “Forgeries of the Holocaust,” “Stitching History” and “Lawyers Without Rights.”

We hope to see you this month or join us in July when we reopen!

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Past President of Temple Shalom and Federation Member since 1998.

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Federation Star

TEMPLE SHALOM

www.naplestemple.org / 239-455-3030

Temple Shalom events open to the community

By Jeanette Fischer, Temple Shalom Director of Communications

T

he following Temple Shalom events are open to everyone.

Torah Talk

Join this discussion of the week’s Torah portion every Saturday morning via Zoom at 8:30 a.m. Please contact the Temple Shalom office at info@naples temple.org for the Zoom link.

Jewish Yoga

Join yoga teacher Missy Balsam Mondays at 10:30 a.m. via Zoom as she guides you through an all-levels gentle yoga stretch session interwoven with Jewish spiritual teachings, designed to relieve stress and calm the mind. This class will be practiced lying down and seated on the floor. It’s open to all; no experience necessary. The cost is $54. Call the Temple Shalom office to register and receive the Zoom information.

Shabbat ShaPlay

Join Rabbi Boxman and Miss Jane on Saturday, May 13 at 10 a.m. as we sing, dance, play and celebrate Shabbat in the park. All young families are invited

COMMUNITY FOCUS

May 2023

to attend. Temple Shalom membership is not required. To register, contact education@naplestemple.org.

Israeli culture class

Join instructor Rabbi Ariel Boxman Wednesdays, May 10-May 31 at 12:30 p.m. for The Development of Modern Israeli Culture Through Film class. This class will explore the different aspects of Israeli history and culture through film clips. Each session will begin with a short discussion. Topics include early immigration and culture clash, the British mandate, the Holocaust and Israeli society, and war and terrorism in Israel.

This program takes place in the Steve Saks classroom in the Nina Iser Jewish Cultural Center. Registration is required. Email ppikus@naplestemple.org to register.

Shavuot at Scoops

Join us on Thursday, May 25 from 5 to 9 p.m. at Scoops in Green Tree Center (2378 Immokalee Road) for a delicious ice cream treat. A portion of the evening’s proceeds will benefit Temple Shalom.

Laughter at the Holocaust Museum?

The Yiddish corner

By Sol Awend, GenShoah SWFL

T

here was laughter He was nice enough to share it heard at the Holocaust with me, and since this space Museum a while back. is devoted to Yiddish words, Some 10 people were sitting have at it. Just know that they there, laughing out loud … are real words that have been at the Holocaust Museum in used and, a little tip from an Naples. I’m talking about two FBI friend of mine, they would words you don’t usually see make great passwords. together — Holocaust and It’s important to continue laughter. And there’s another supporting the Yiddish proword missing from this mix grams at the Museum as a fitthat explains it all: Yiddish. ting tribute to our wonderful Sol Awend Someone in the Secondlanguage. There is so much out Generation group, which is part of the there to share, and to be together doing that Museum, came up with an idea for a at the Museum? Priceless.

Yiddish get-together. The Museum saw Now’s the time to be counted. an immediate connection and agreed.

Museum President Susan Suarez gave Ten words you never the interested parties three dates to show heard in Yiddish their stuff.

1. Haabeh floken (oatmeal) I was there, and I must tell you it was Dee vils’t Haabeh floken essen off well done, considering it’s the first time frishtik? (Want some oatmeal to eat for out with a program like this. breakfast?)

The program did have variety. There 2. Shpek ah link goomah leh (rubber was laughter from the get-go as the group washer for a faucet) spent a wonderful time sharing their Kens’t dec’h booden, c’hob ahran geh love for Yiddish … mostly in Yiddish. zetz’t ah nayeh shpek ah link goomah leh.

What really brought the house down (You can take a bath now, I installed a new was a list of “10 Words You’ve Never Heard rubber washer.) in Yiddish.” The guy who made up the list 3. T’zeh morsh-t’yet (ground up, speaks Yiddish like it was his first language obliterated) and he never forgot it. Loves to shmees. continued on page 15

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COMMUNITY FOCUS

May 2023 To:

Tributes To:

Howard Agranat In honor of your special birthday

To:

Avie Goldstein In honor of your 75th birthday

From: Rolly & Adir Jacob

From: Joan & Marc Saperstein

To:

To:

Michael & Tracy Askotzky In memory of Philip Askotzky

From: Cathy and Philip Zacks To:

Ava Dorio In honor of you becoming a Bat Mitzvah

From: Jane Schiff To:

Susan & Jeffrey Feld Mazel Tov on the birth of your Granddaughter

To:

Diane Goldstein In honor of your special birthday

Cipora & Michael Levine In your honor

To:

From: Lenore Greenstein Ruth & Jerry Hecktman Joan & Marc Saperstein Jane Schiff

Nancy Greenberg In honor of your special birthday

From: Freyda & Jeffrey Albin Phyllis & Steve Strome

To:

To:

Harriet Lickhalter & Family In memory of Roslyn Albala, sister of Harriet

15

Beth & Irv Povlow In honor of your work in the community

From: Loretta & Bob Stein To:

Arlene Sobol In honor of your birthday

From: Sheila & Howard Agranat To:

From: Anna & Yale Levin

From: Susan & Joel Pittelman Renee Glickman In honor of your special birthday

To:

From: Gayle Dorio

From: Ronnie Blumenthal Harriet Israel Mae Riefberg Joan Vazakas To:

The Jewish Book Festival Committee and Reneé Bialek Mazel Tov and thank you for all your support these past two years. It has been an honor to serve as Chair of the JBF.

Federation Star

Patsy & Bernie Wolfe In appreciation of your friendship and warm hospitality

From: Rosalee & Jerry Bogo To:

Keith Zimmerman In memory of Herbert Zimmerman

From: Glenda & Ken Gordon

To place a Tribute in the Federation Star in honor or memory of someone, please contact Janine Hudak at the Federation office at 239-263-4205 or jhudak@jewishnaples.org. Tributes require a minimum donation of $18.

A note card acknowledging your gift will be sent to the person or loved one you designate. Tributes help further the work of the Jewish Federation of Greater Naples.

Steve Iser Mazel Tov on your milestone birthday

From: Arlene, Bob & Laura Subin

From: Susan & Joel Pittelman

laughter...continued from previous page Dee shteineh zenen gevorren t’zeh morsh-t’yet. (The rocks got pulverized.)

4. Fah c’hlooshnyet (drowned and inundated with water) Shvimidik iz eh geh vorren fah c’hlooshnyet fin doos vaaseh. (While swimming, he became overpowered by the water.)

5. Yook’l (a mischievous simpleton)

Deh yook’l ot zec’h nisht geh volt nooc’h gayben. (The simpleton did not want to cooperate.)

6. K’nal/c’hmal/toy’t klaap (getting hit with a knockout punch) Er ot aim geh gayben ah c’hmal/Toy’t klaap, in kop. (He gave him a shot in the head.)

7. T’zeh raac’ht geh maac’ht (to be put back in some kind of shape)

Er hot deh radio git t’zeh raac’ht geh maac’ht! Es arbet night! (He really fixed the radio! It doesn’t work!)

8. Ooh shooben (to peel, as in peeling potatoes) Zee ot oogeh shooben de kartofell’n, fah pletzlec’h t’zu maac’hen.

(She peeled the potatoes so she could make latkes.)

9. Ah hofen (a pile) Es lig’t a hofen mit ooteyec’htz off’n bet. (There’s a pile of clothes on the bed.)

10. Fah plonchet (gummed up, tusseled) Deh baanvoo off de nood’l ot zec’h fah plonchet. (The thread for the needle is all tangled up.)

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Federation Star

May 2023

Drywood AKA “Mother’s Day Termites” Have One Meal in Mind!

by Anna Wallace, Truly Nolen

Did you know the peak of drywood termite swarming season in Southwest Florida is April through June? With Mother's Day typically falling in early to mid-May (and this year on May 14), drywood termites are sometimes colloquially known as the "Mother's Day Termites!”

As their name implies, drywood termites infest dry wood and can ravage attic framings, according to the National Pest Management Association. These light brown bugs do not need soil to survive and can form colonies of up to 2,500 members.

They are commonly found in warm climates and areas with a low content of moisture. In addition, they do not require soil moisture content to live. Because they are more of a small colony insect, they are difficult to detect because their colonies are spread over a wide area. In addition to their colonies, drywood termites typically enter homes after swarms, especially after heavy rains.

Compared to subterranean termites, drywood termites can be more difficult to

detect and are not typically noticeable until small piles of black pellets (their feces and unwanted cellulose) plus color of wood that is infested collect. They make their nests within the wood they consume and infest walls, columns, beams and furniture. They also attack floors, furniture and books.

The most effective prevention for drywood termites can be "built-in" to a home during its construction phase with the installation of pressure-treated lumber wherever a builder can do so. Meanwhile, untreated wood can be sprayed with borate solutions. Once construction ends, it becomes much more difficult to completely treat all wood in a finished house with residual chemicals.

If a drywood termite infestation is suspected in your house, I suggest having a trained pest control professional conduct a thorough examination of the entire structure. As a homeowner, you should make notice of specific areas when the professional visits and keep samples of the pellets whenever possible.

In cases where a drywood termite infestation is found, liquid treatment injection of galleries in the infested areas and preventative coatings of through interior baseboard injections and attic treatment is highly effective.

As a reminder, you can always request a FREE inspection by calling us or by visiting www.trulynolen.com and clicking “Schedule Free Inspection.”

(Anna Wallace is the Manager for Truly Nolen in Naples. Her service office can be reached at (239) 643-2555. Founded in 1938, Tucson-based Truly Nolen of America (www.trulynolen.com) is one of the largest family-owned pest control companies in the United States. To learn more about Termites and the variety you may have in your home, please visit https://www.trulynolen.com/termite-control/)

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May 2023

OF GREATER NAPLES

Federation Star

1A

A movie, a reality show, a documentary and four new series Stars of David

By Nate Bloom, Stars of David Contributing Columnist

E

ditor’s Note: Persons in bold are deemed by Nate Bloom to be Jewish for the purpose of this column.

Persons identified as Jewish have at least one Jewish parent and were not raised in, or identify with, a faith other than Judaism. Converts to Judaism, of course, are also identified as Jewish.

This month, the number of Jewishrelated movies and streaming series is the largest since just before the pandemic. So, I can’t go into much detail, but I can alert you to the basic info. And I have a few April “catch-ups.”

“The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”

As just about everybody knows, the “Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” is a hit Amazon Prime series about a (fictional) Jewish comedian in the ’50s and ’60s. This season will be the series’ last. The current 9-episode season began on April 14 and will conclude with the May 26 episode.

“Judy Blume Forever”

On April 21, Amazon Prime began streaming “Judy Blume Forever,” a documentary about Judy Blume, 84. She’s a famous author of novels mostly for “tweens” and young adult audiences. The respected Hollywood Reporter gave the film a rave review, noting: “[The film] looks at the legacy of the pioneering young adult fiction writer at a time when many of the issues she confronted — book banning, abortion, antisemitism — are still shockingly topical.”

“Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret”

On April 28, the film “Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret,” opens in theaters. It is based on a Judy Blume novel of the same name. For decades, Blume turned down offers to make her best-seller into a movie. Blume now says that “the [new] film is better than my novel.”

Margaret is a 12-year-old girl who is trying to cope with puberty. She’s also trying to find out what religious belief

is “right.” Her mother isn’t Jewish, her father is Jewish, and she’s been raised secular. Benjamin Safdie, 37, plays Margaret’s father.

“Bupkis”

“White House Plumbers” is a 5-episode HBO series that begins streaming on May 1. It follows the activities of hired agents (nicknamed plumbers) who were directed by President Nixon and his aides to spy on political rivals. The operation came to an end when several plumbers were caught (1972) trying to break into a Democratic Party office within the Watergate office building.

David Mandel, 52, directed the series. Ike Barinholtz, 46, costars as Jeb Magruder, a Nixon reelection “honcho” who directed the plumbers.

“Bupkis” is an 8-episode comedy series that, in the words of the publicity release, “provides a heightened, fictionalized version of Pete Davidson’s real life.”

Pete Davidson plays himself. Edie Falco (“The Sopranos”) plays Pete’s mother.

“Bupkis” (which means ‘nothing’ in Yiddish), begins streaming on the Peacock channel on May 4.

Brad Garrett, 62 (“Everybody Loves Raymond”) is listed high in the “Bupkis” credits, so I guess his part is big — he plays “Roy.” Another series regular is Simon Rex, 48. He plays a character named “Ice Pop.” Twenty years ago, Rex had a couple of good, but short-lived, TV series roles. Then his career “just died.” He made a huge comeback as the star of “Red Rocket,” a hit 2021 indie film.

“A Small Light”

“Silo”

“White House Plumbers”

Also starting on May 1 is “A Small Light,” an 8-episode series. It tells the Anne Frank family story from a little different perspective. It is based on a memoir by Mies Giep (1909-2010), an employee of Otto Frank, who risked her life to hide the Frank family from the Nazis. New episodes stream first on the National Geographic channel on Mondays, then stream the next day on Disney+. Liev Schreiber, 55, plays Otto Frank, the only member of his immediate family to survive the Holocaust. Bel Powley, 31, an English actress, plays Giep. (Powley’s mother is Jewish).

I am pretty sure, but not certain (yet) that Ashley Brooke, who plays Anne’s sister, Margo, is Jewish. I am almost certain that Billie Boulett, who plays Anne, isn’t Jewish.

“Jewish Matchmaking”

“Jewish Matchmaking,” an 8-episode reality series, will begin streaming on Netflix on May 3. The official description says, “When Jewish singles are ready to get serious, they call on Aleez Ben Shalom to find their perfect romantic match from across the U.S. and Israel.”

A 10-episode series that begins streaming on Apple+ on May 5, “Silo” is based on a

bestselling trilogy of “dystopian” novels.

The official description says, “In a toxic dystopian future where a community exists in a giant silo hundreds of stories deep underground, men and women live in a society full of regulations they believe are meant to protect them.”

Advance publicity doesn’t detail the “back story” of most of the main characters. I can tell you that Rashida Jones, 47, costars as “Allison.”

“Platonic”

Another 10-episode Apple+ series, “Platonic,” begins on May 24. This comedy/drama was created and written by Seth Rogan, 40; Nicholas Stoller, 47; and Francesca Delbanco, 46. Stoller also directs.

Rogen and Rose Byrne play platonic friends who reconnect after a long rift.

Their renewed friendship is “all-consuming” and sometimes hilarious.

As MCA’s 10th Anniversary Season Comes to an End… We offer a heartfelt thank you to: • The MCA members who plan, run, and, of course, attend all of our interesting, stimulating and exciting events.

• The wonderful speakers who generously volunteer their time to prepare and deliver their presentations.

• The businesses, government agencies and others who welcome us to their worksites and teach us, feed us, or otherwise enrich our lives.

• To staff of the Jewish Federation of Greater Naples for helping us whenever we ask them to.

Have a great summer everyone. And don’t forget

PLEASE HELP US BUILD COMMUNITY! Publishing the Federation Star would not be possible without our advertisers.

Please patronize our advertisers and tell them you saw their ad in the Federation Star.

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Go to www.mcanaples.org or scan the QR code.

2A

Federation Star

JEWISH INTEREST

May 2023

No matter our age, we still miss our mothers Aging Jewishly – What our traditions teach us about growing old

By Rabbi Barbara Aiello

M

y mother, of blessed memory, loved living in America. With her Americanized name (from Channa to Helen), she set out to take America by storm. From hotel maid to cleaning lady for one of Pittsburgh’s prominent families to an office job in a grocery store, she immersed herself in what became her own American dream.

And like so many others, she became thoroughly American by employing the best teacher she could find — American television.

Mom especially loved the variety shows of the 1950s, and The Ed Sullivan Show was one she never missed. Singers, dancers, comedians, musicians, Mom loved it all, but at the top of her list was a zaftig Jewish singer from Ukraine. She was born Sonya Kalish and she called herself “the last of the red-hot mamas!”

She was America’s Sophie Tucker and she recorded a popular song that doubled as the title of her autobiography: Some of these days, Oh, you'll miss me honey Some of these days, you're gonna feel so lonely And when you leave me, I know it’s gonna grieve me You'll miss your sweet, sweet Mama some of these days.

My dad played Sophie’s basket and cast him upon the song on the trumpet and Nile.” Imagine Yocheved’s joy my mother sang the lyrics at her daughter Miriam’s audaof what became her officious plan to recommend her cial theme song — someas wet nurse to her own baby. thing she used to her great Then imagine Yocheved’s fear advantage. When we didn’t as she lived in the palace of the agree with her, which to my wicked Pharaoh, forced to hide mother was a capital offense, her true identity. she’d burst into song: “Some Gurkow asks, “Where did of these days you’re gonna miss these Jewish mothers find the me honey …” And when courage?” If you don’t know, Rabbi Barbara the kids didn’t want to folGurkow encourages us to ask Aiello low Mom’s directions, she’d our mothers who will be happy punctuate the argument with the lyrics we to tell us that when a need arises, the Jewnever forgot, “You’re gonna miss your sweet, ish mother simply responds. sweet Mama some of these days!”

That’s what Teresina did when her baby And you know what? She was right. son, identical twin to my husband, Enrico, Here we are, approaching Mother’s Day became gravely ill. Enrico recalls that times 2023, which marks 109 years since my were hard in Italy during the war years. mother’s birth and nearly 35 years since Poverty was rampant, food was scarce and her passing, and I can’t get over how medicine nonexistent. Everyone suffered, many times I would like to hear her husky especially children. So many little ones smoker’s voice ending every mothergot sick and many of these children died. daughter conflict with “You’re gonna miss Sadly, little Renato was one of the Italian me some of these days.” children who didn’t survive.

Lazer Gurkow (Chabad.org) writes Enrico explained, “My mother always about Jewish mothers and reminds us told me that it was not only devastating of the courage of our matriarchs, Sarah, to lose her baby son, but what made it Rebecca, Rachel and Leah, and includes worse was to see how I reacted. Renato in his list Moses’ mother, Yocheved, and and I were identical twins and I missed her “anguish as she placed her son in a him terribly. Mama told me that I cried day and night. When I couldn’t be consoled, Mama came up with a plan. She approached Great Aunt Vincenzina to ask for her hand mirror. It was a beauty, made of silver and mother of pearl, and Auntie was reluctant to part with it. But Mama prevailed. She brought the mirror home and when I cried for Renato, Mama

Good Yom Tov it's Shavout!

handed me the mirror. I looked into the mirror and, since we were identical twins, the face I saw was my brother’s face.

I remember how I stopped crying and I smiled.”

Enrico’s mother may not have known it then, after all, she had six children to care for and her objective was to calm her wailing little boy. How could she have known the important part that Aunt Vincenzina’s mirror would play in her surviving son’s life? Teresina saw the need and, like Jewish mothers everywhere, she responded and, in doing so, she helped her little boy keep the memory of his brother alive. “We were so young when Renato died,” Enrico says, “But thanks to my mother, I will always remember him.”

Our mothers often serve as the mirror of our memories. The things they said, the skills they taught, the songs they sang — even Sophie Tucker songs — these form the reflections in our own spiritual mirrors.

On Mother’s Day, we hold the mirror in our hands, a mirror that allows us to look deeply into our souls so that we see, reflected in the glass, the memories of the mothers we’ve loved.

For 10 years, Rabbi Barbara Aiello served the Aviva Campus for Senior Life as resident rabbi. Her most popular columns are now published in her new book, “Aging Jewishly,” available on Amazon books.

Rabbi Barbara now lives and works in Italy, where she is rabbi of Italy’s first Reconstructionist synagogue. Contact her at rabbi@rabbibarbara.com.

Let's talk Ruth, kindness and ice cream!

Sunday, May 21, 2023 3:00PM–4:00PM Scoops, Greentree Plaza 2378 Immokalee Rd. Naples, FL 34110

RSVP Alicia Feldman Programs@jewishnaples.org facebook.com/PJLibraryNaplesFL

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JEWISH INTEREST

May 2023

Federation Star

3A

The loss of a beloved music icon

Welcome guests to our new center with a brick paver

By Arlene Stolnitz

By Eduardo Avila, Campaign Associate

I

n February, a light went which he stated that the kids out in the world of he knew were all Catholic. He American popular music. knew he was Jewish but didn’t After a lifetime of creating want anyone to know about music that was often thought it. There was a lot of antisemiof as “shmaltzy” or “maketism during his growing-up out” music, Burt Bacharach years, which affected his passed away peacefully at religious outlook. And, yet, the age of 95.

Jonathan Freedman, author A beloved icon for several of “Klezmer America: Jewishgenerations of fans, Bachaness, Ethnicity, Modernity,” rach achieved a myriad of stated in Jewish Week in 2013, Arlene Stolnitz accolades for his popular that what made Bacharach’s music as well as screen music. Today, music Jewish was his “wild play with time everyone can hum his tunes, whether it signatures;” he calls Bacharach “audacious is “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head,” and experimental,” much like Gershwin’s “Alfie,” or one of hundreds of other chord changes. Bacharach is seen by songs he wrote.

Freedman as an example of what Jewish Bacharach was born in Kansas City, artists do as they “enter popular forms Missouri in 1928 to Irma and Mark and make them their own.”

Bertram (Bert) Bacharach. His father His collaboration with Dionne Warwick was a well-known newspaper journalist was famously known, and her stateand his mother a “would-be” painter and ment upon his death revealed their close songwriter. By the time he was 4 years old, association and affection for each other his family had moved to Kew Gardens, despite their “ups and downs.”

New York City where he grew up.

Bacharach had four wives, the most He attended Forest Hills High School well known being Angie Dickinson. His and graduated in 1946. last marriage in 1993 to Jane Hansen, 32 Like so many parents of gifted children years his junior, was his most successful. who are musically inclined, his mother They remained together, virtually out of pushed him and saw that he had piano the spotlight, until his death at age 95. lessons at an early age. In later years, Burt American Masters on PBS recently said he always thought he would be a clasfeatured a program on Burt Bacharach, sical pianist. However, he hated practicing which I viewed with anticipation, recalland often skipped out, getting a fake ID ing my love of his music when I was to attend 52nd Street nightclubs. He was much younger. Upon hearing his songs, fascinated with jazz rhythms and was able I was surprised to realize how much to hear the “greats” like Dizzie Gillespie music has changed since those days. and Charlie Parker, who, much later, The music sounded very stylized and were an influence in his style. repetitive, almost primitive in style.

After the bebop musicians, his most The music we hear these days (which I serious influence was the French comdon’t always like) has evolved into much poser, conductor and teacher, Darius more complex forms.

Milhaud, who was considered one of I wonder about your thoughts the key modernist composers. Milhaud on this … taught many future jazz and classical Arlene Stolnitz, a retired educator, has composers, including Burt Bacharach, been a regular contributor to Federation Dave Brubeck, Philip Glass, and others. papers in Southwest Florida. Her interest The family were nonpracticing Jews. I in all kinds of Judaic music has led to this read a comment he made later in his life in series of articles.

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Federation Star

JEWISH INTEREST

May 2023

Flossenbürg, a camp of terror

By Paul R. Bartrop, Professor Emeritus of History, Florida Gulf Coast University

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OF GREATER NAPLES

B

y the winter of 1936resistance fighters arrived 1937, the SS State during 1942 and 1943 from that was being conFrance, Germany, the Soviet structed in Nazi Germany Union and the Netherlands. was becoming more and more Inmates worked in the established, with permanent quarries as originally intended structures built along tightly but, as the war progressed, constructed and organized more were put to work in lines. Across Germany, the German aircraft factories administration of concentraand other SS-operated instaltion camps had been conlations nearby. Nearly 100 solidated under a government subcamps were erected to Paul Bartrop body known as the Inspectoraccommodate these workers, ate of Concentration Camps, running all under the Flossenbürg umbrella. the entire apparatus under centralized Before August 1944, perhaps only control. This meant nothing other than 100 Jews had been imprisoned at Flosthe institutionalization of the consenbürg, but from the start of that month, centration camp as part of the overall Jews, mainly from Poland and Hungary, social system. began to be sent to camp. By January Earlier, in 1935, the camp at Oran1945, at least 10,000 were concentrated ienburg — not far from Berlin — had there, while in the winter of 1945 been terminated to make way for a new another 13,000 Jews flooded Flossenbürg one a few miles away at Sachsenhausen, and its subcamps. Many had been which was finally instituted in Septemforcibly moved from camps in the east ber 1936. The month of August 1937 as Soviet troops pushed German forces saw the establishment of a large camp at westward. By now the camp’s population Buchenwald, near Weimar, and for had swelled to nearly 40,000, includnearly a year thereafter, there were just ing some 11,000 women. It peaked at four camps in all of Germany: Dachau, 53,000 (with 14,500 in the main camp) Sachsenhausen, Buchenwald and a camp in March 1945. for women at Lichtenburg. The first Conditions were horrific. Meager food three of these camps blanketed most rations, lack of proper sanitary facilities of Germany. Sachsenhausen covered and virtually no medical care doomed north Germany and Berlin, Buchenwald thousands to death from starvation, disguarded the socialist heartland of ease and overwork. Beatings and harsh Thuringia, and Dachau served Bavaria punishments killed hundreds of others, and the south. and the more senior inmates, most of In the spring of 1938, a new camp them habitual criminals who had been was built at Flossenbürg, in northeastern locked up for years, preyed on newer Bavaria, not far from the Czech border, detainees. Rape and sexual exploitation together with Mauthausen, near Linz, were commonplace, and the corrupt which opened immediately after the camp administration did nothing to stop Nazi invasion of Austria on March 12 such activities. that year.

The mortality rate at Flossenbürg, Flossenbürg camp was situated outwhile never reaching the levels seen at side a village of the same name. The other death camps, was nonetheless surrounding area had large deposits of shocking. In 1941, more than 1,000 granite, which Nazi economic planners Soviet prisoners of war were executed anticipated could be quarried using forced there. That same year, 500 Poles were labor from the camp once it had been shot dead and, in March 1945, 13 built and the inmate population settled Allied prisoners of war, including an on a proper footing.

American, were hanged. These deaths Flossenbürg’s main camp received its did not include the thousands who died first prisoners — 100 individuals from in other ways; the total number who Dachau — on May 3, 1938, 85 years ago died at Flossenbürg and its subcamps is this month. Administered by the SS, the estimated to be about 30,000 (of whom camp was first designed to be a prison 3,515 were Jews), out of a total of 97,000 for German men who were considered who had been in the camp at one time “asocial” as well as for repeat criminal or another. offenders. It was not intended to be a In April 1945, as United States camp for Jews and, in fact, it was not until troops closed in on Flossenbürg, the 1944 that Jews were sent to Flossenbürg Nazis ordered an immediate evacuation in any numbers. of the entire camp complex. All ableHaving been established in May bodied prisoners were sent on a forced 1938, by the end of the year, the prisoner march toward Dachau; those unable to population had grown to about 1,500. undertake the journey were shot or left In early 1940, after the start of World for dead. At least 7,000 prisoners died War II, Czech and Polish prisoners, in this process, principally by starvation among them captured resistance fighters, and exhaustion. When Flossenbürg was began arriving at the camp. By the end of finally liberated on April 23, U.S. troops 1941, Flossenbürg had a prisoner populafound just 1,500 people, many of them tion of 3,150; an additional 1,750 Soviet by now wracked by hunger and disease prisoners of war were housed in a separate and barely alive. compound. More political prisoners and

JEWISH INTEREST

May 2023

Federation Star

5A

Israel’s bonfire holiday

By Chef Dalia

W

hat do bonfires, potatoes and weddings have in common?

They’re all connected to the holiday of Lag B’Omer. The holiday is customarily celebrated with a bonfire and potatoes roasted over the fire. And what about the weddings? Lag B’Omer is the only day you are allowed to have a wedding during the counting of the Omer.

While you may have never heard of this holiday, Lag B'Omer is popular and widely beloved in Israel — and it’s time we Americans learned to enjoy it, too.

But first, a little bit of the past of this unfamiliar holiday, which begins on the evening of Monday, May 8 this year. Lag B'Omer is the 33rd day of the Omer, a seven-week period that begins on the second evening of Passover. During this time, we count each day until the holiday of Shavuot begins. While the Omer connects two joyous holidays — Passover, which celebrates freedom from slavery, and Shavuot, which celebrates the revelation of the Torah at Mount Sinai — the Omer is a period of semi-mourning.

Among the non-Orthodox Jews in Israel, Lag B’Omer is usually an excuse

for friends and family to get together and have a bonfire. In the early evening on the holiday, many people light fires and cook all sorts of campfire foods, like hot dogs, baked potatoes and marshmallows roasted on a stick. Even if you’re not an outdoorsy type of person, trust me when I say it’s lots of fun.

My earliest memories of Lag B’Omer take me back to grade school in Israel.

It starts about a week or so before the holiday. Groups of children gather after school with shopping carts, or anything with wheels really, and they are on the hunt. Anything is fair game — if it’s abandoned and made of wood, it is mounted onto the cart and transported to secret stashes where piles of wood sit in building shelters, behind the dumpsters or in backyards. Lag B’Omer is coming!

As a little girl, we used to have a neighborhood bonfire, roasting potatoes and onions and marshmallows (you won’t find s’mores in Israel), singing songs and laughing together. As in years past, the celebration included two main goals: have the biggest fire and stay up as late as you can.

We could not wait until we got to sixth

grade, when we were allowed to stay out the whole night with our friends. When I was in preschool, we would sing songs for the holiday, perhaps make bows and arrows to symbolize the mutiny against the Romans, the myth of Bar Kochvah’s victory. The educational part, or any way of addressing the meaning of Lag B’Omer, completely disappeared as I got older. It became the holiday of bonfires, that’s it!

The non-Orthodox Kibbutznikim wanted to maintain the tradition of celebrating Lag B’Omer in Eretz Yisrael (the land of Israel), while making it relative and more meaningful to the establishment of a more modern and less religious Israel.

Imagine my surprise when I learned, much later, that the myth we learned about growing up has nothing to do with the holiday! For us, the potatoes were the most important part.

As a child in Israel, we didn’t need an excuse like Lag B’Omer to make a bonfire and it didn’t matter what time of year it was. No child was immune to the charms of the magical whispering of the fire. We did “field cooking” — that’s what our youth group counselor called it — and swallowed the culinary outcome with blind delight. It didn’t matter whether the fire was big or small, whether we cooked on a field-made stove out of a piece of found iron, or whether it was right on the fire, whether we used tools or just our own 10 fingers.

We collected just about everything we saw around us that had potential to turn into a fieldcooked meal.

How to make the perfect hot potato

Take a potato, cover

Israeli Potato Salad Ingredients 7 potatoes, peeled 4 carrots, peeled ⅓ cup peas 4 hard-boiled eggs 4 pickles 2 Tbsp. mayonnaise 2 Tbsp. brown mustard Salt and pepper by your taste Instructions 1. Chop the potatoes and the carrots into tiny cubes, adding them to a pot of water.

2. Simmer on medium heat until these vegetables are soft and tender.

3. Add the peas to the mix, cooking for several minutes more before straining all ingredients.

Personal Chef Dalia Hemed can be reached at daliahemed@msn.com. in aluminum foil, and toss it in the fire.

Let it sit there. When it is soft (don’t touch, use a skewer!), take it out and slowly open the foil. If the potato skin is all charred and black, it’s ready! Dig in and eat! That is one of the best things I remember about Lag B’Omer!

In light of the potato's popularity on the holiday, I am going to share my family version for Israeli potato salad.

My recipe for potato salad is usually a big hit during the Lag B’Omer holiday, as it pairs nicely with grilled food and is easy to make ahead of time. Perfect for an outdoor BBQ with your friends and family! I like to have this salad with any meal, whether there is a BBQ or not. It’s a delicious salad that can be enjoyed any time of the year.

Making a delicious potato salad from scratch doesn’t have to be complicated or time-consuming. With the right ingredients and a few simple steps, you can whip up an easy and Israeli potato salad that will impress your guests and family alike.

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7. Refrigerate the potato salad until you are ready to serve.

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ISRAEL & THE JEWISH WORLD

May 2023

FIDF Miami chapter honors IDF heroes and local supporters at annual signature event “A Night of Hope and Heroes” features surprise visit from Miami Lone Solider

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iami, FL (March 9, 2023) – At a time when antisemitism is rampant and support for Israel and the IDF is challenged, Friends of the IDF (FIDF), an organization dedicated to the well-being of the soldiers of Israel, brought together members of the Miami community in a strong show of solidarity for the brave young men and women of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). Close to 1,000 local IDF supporters gathered in March at the Diplomat Hollywood Beach Resort for the FIDF Greater Miami Chapter Signature Event, “A Night of Hope and Heroes,” to honor the chapter’s most generous members and Israel’s courageous heroes.

Gala chairs Jason and Elise Morjain welcomed the crowd and reinforced that Israel’s very existence depends on its soldiers who swear to protect Israel at any cost, and it’s the responsibility of Jews everywhere to make sure they succeed.

“Israel is more than just a country, it's an insurance policy for Jewish people all over the world, and tonight we’re here to pay the premium for our insurance policy,” said Jason. He mentioned the evening’s honorees: Ann and Ari Deshe and Young Leadership Award recipient, Michael Tabacinic, exceptional supporters of the soldiers who continue to put their lives on the line for us every day.

Two inspiring active-duty soldiers shared their stories. Captain Itai spoke to guests about his background and the driving force behind his service as a Naval Commander. Following in the footsteps of his grandfather, a Holocaust survivor, Capt. Itai joined the Naval Academy and was eventually promoted to command a Naval Patrol Battleship, charged with securing the southern maritime border along the Gaza Strip and playing an active role in Operation Guardian of the Walls in 2021. Itai participated in FIDF’s Witnesses in Uniform Delegation to Poland and benefited from several FIDF-funded

projects on his base. He shared how FIDF has impacted the lives of his soldiers, including an IMPACT! scholarship recently awarded to a former soldier from Ethiopia that paid for his education, rent and food, so he was able to study and support his family.

Sgt. Nehorah shared her background and some of her experiences in service, including an attack at the Temple Mount that almost left her paralyzed. Her partner was suddenly assaulted by a terrorist, and in trying to defend him, she was stabbed multiple times, both in her head and hand. A yeshiva rabbi luckily neutralized the attacker and Nehorah and her partner were rushed to the hospital for surgery. After six months of physical therapy and recovery, Nehorah returned to service in May and received a Medal of Distinguished Service. She expressed her thanks to FIDF for its ongoing support, including the donation of a clubhouse to her unit.

Military attaché LTC Moran Goldstein was another featured guest at the event, as well as Miami Lone Soldier Mendel Waks, who made an emotional surprise while his family was in attendance.

Mendel is one of 39 Lone soldiers from the Miami community currently serving in the IDF. Miami Board President, Sam Moshe, expressed the incredible support from the FIDF Miami chapter in 2022 including the donation of a synagogue, sports field and sports center, adoption of a brigade and more than four dozen new IMPACT! scholarships.

Former Miami Board President Oscar Feldenkreis reminded guests that while there are many important and impactful Israel-related causes, “For those of us who love Israel and are committed to the Jewish homeland, FIDF must be the priority – because without a strong IDF, Israel would not last one day – there would be no Israel.”

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Sgt. Nehora; Sam Moshe, FIDF Miami President; Fred Gluckman, FIDF Chairman; Dr. Nily Falic, FIDF Chairman Emeritus; LTC. Moran Goldstein; Capt. Itai; Steve Weil, FIDF CEO. Credit: Courtesy of FIDF

ISRAEL & THE JEWISH WORLD

May 2023

Federation Star

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Credit: Ramon Gym Club.

Israel’s kickboxing champion a recent Bnei Menashe immigrant Obed Hrangchal could soon be representing Israel in international competitions

K

far Yasif, Israel (March 20, 2023) – Obed Hrangchal, 28, a mixed martial arts and kickboxing champion in his native India who is now a yeshiva student in the Israeli city of Ma’alot, recently became his new country’s kickboxing champion.

Competing in the 57-kg. (125 pounds) division, Hrangchal took the championship in the town of Kfar Yasif in the Galilee in an event, drawing 150 competitors from clubs throughout Israel.

Hrangchal is a religiously observant member of the Bnei Menashe community, descendants of one of the 10 Lost Tribes of Israel, who grew up in Aizawl, a city of 300,000 people in northeastern India.

Hrangchal made Aliya with his family in 2020, thanks to the Jerusalem-based Shavei Israel organization. His parents, Gabriel and Ruth Hrangchal, live in Nof HaGalil, near Nazareth.

“I am very happy with this win. I always dreamt of making Aliya and becoming an Israeli champion. I now dream of representing Israel in international kickboxing competitions,” Hrangchal said.

Michael Freund, Shavei Israel’s founder and chairman, said, “We are very proud of Obed’s incredible accomplishment and we look forward to his representing Israel abroad.”

“Obed is another outstanding example of how the Bnei Menashe can contribute to Israeli society, each in his or her own way,” Freund said. “I hope that we will soon see him winning medals for Israel worldwide.”

David Ramon, Obed’s coach at the Ramon Gym Club in Ma’alot, expects him to earn a spot on Israel’s national team and compete in the Senior Kickboxing World Championship in Portugal in November.

“Obed is a charming and well-liked guy with an extraordinary sporting talent who trains very hard,” he said. “I have no doubt that a bright future awaits him.”

Thus far, more than 5,000 Bnei Menashe have made Aliya to Israel in the past two decades, thanks largely to Shavei Israel. Another 5,000 remain in India, all of whom wish to make their home in the Jewish state.

Originally from the village of Thinghlun in the Indian state of Mizoram, the

Hrangchals were the only Jewish family in town. In 2013, they sold their home and farmlands to move to the capital city of Aizawl in order to join the local Jewish community while awaiting the opportunity to make Aliya. Without the family farm, Gabriel, Obed’s father, has been left without a proper profession. Being Jewish makes it more difficult to find steady work since they do not work on the Sabbath and Jewish holidays. While taking leave on these days, they often find that they are replaced.

Despite these difficulties, Obed has succeeded in garnering widespread recognition and has won awards in martial arts from the Mizoram State Sport Council and the Mizoram State Wushu Association, which are affiliated with the Indian Olympic Association as well as the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

“I started practicing martial arts from a very young age, about 6 years old, but without proper instruction,” reports Obed Hrangchal. “As I grew up, I steadily improved and then I began to compete at the state level in 2014, when I competed in Chinese Kickboxing or Wushu and won second place. That same year, I began to study mixed martial arts (MMA) under an instructor.”

The Bnei Menashe, sons of Manasseh, claim descent from one of the Ten Lost Tribes of Israel, who were sent into exile by the Assyrian Empire more than 27 centuries ago. Their ancestors wandered through Central Asia and the Far East for centuries, before settling in what is now northeastern India, along the border with Burma and Bangladesh. Throughout their sojourn in exile, the Bnei Menashe continued to practice Judaism just as their ancestors did, including observing the Sabbath, keeping kosher, celebrating the festivals and following the laws of family purity.

They continued to nourish the dream of one day returning to the land of their ancestors, the Land of Israel. Thus far, Shavei Israel has made the dream of Aliyah, immigration to Israel, possible for over 5,000 Bnei Menashe and plans to help bring more members of the community to Israel. Currently, there are 5,000 Bnei Menashe awaiting their return to the Jewish homeland.

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Federation Star

ORGANIZATIONS

May 2023

www.jhsswf.org / 239-566-1771

JEWISH HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF SWFL

Be relevant, do relevantly, get relevancy Marina Berkovich JHSSWF President

I

n March, the “Local Jewish History Film Festival” brought important and impactful stories of local Jewish individuals who helped establish the Jewish presence in Southwest Florida and/ or demonstrated to everyone who cared to learn just how important individual stories are. It is important for each Jewish individual to remember that people may judge the entirety of the Jews based on one individual’s behavior and interactions. It has always been like that. Chances are, it will always be like that.

During the festival, we presented four Southwest Florida Jewish Pioneers documentaries, which we produced. The films are about Irving Berzon, Richard Segalman, Murray Hendel and Gene Goodman, who illuminated the way to relevancy and the importance of being connected to a situation or a place.

It is vital to know and understand the history of the region. On average, 1,650 people currently move to Florida daily.

This is an increase from 1,000 daily averages over the previous decade. It has been proven that, while escaping the north, migrants bring the same values and ideals to the Sunshine State. It has been noted in Southwest Florida that many immediately apply their northern mode to their new southern environs, without first studying or even observing how, what and why things have been done.

The Southwest Florida Jewish Pioneers documentaries are educational for both Jewish and non-Jewish viewers, imparting relevancy and expectations of continuity that the early Jewish Southwest Florida left for successor generations. Our Jewish community, or subculture, as I like to refer to it, plays a significant role, despite its usual proportionate 1% of the general population share.

Jews have built, organized, improved and expanded. Of course, in the process, some of the accomplishments may have been counterproductive as they destroyed or removed things — as progress tends to.

But as we see the turnover in population and newcomers are many, we increase our efforts to educate, preserve and promote the contributions by Jews to Southwest Florida.

May films

As we commemorate Jewish American Heritage Month (JAHM), we reeducate the new arrivals and willing to review old-timers with important stories of creation of Lee and Charlotte counties’ Jewish Federation and early Collier County Jewish history. Both programs have no fee and will be at the Nina Iser Jewish Cultural Center.

On Tuesday, May 2 at 3 p.m., we will present “Southwest Florida Jewish Pioneers: Helen Weinfeld.” This documentary is about Naples’ very first, initially self-appointed Jewish historian, who documented and preserved

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much of the early story of Jewish life in Collier County.

On Tuesday, May 9 at 3 p.m., we will share the story of “Southwest Florida Jewish Pioneers: The Labodas of Fort Myers.” This film covers the days of Lee and Charlotte counties’ Jewish communities as told by their Jewish Federation cofounder Sheila Laboda and her husband, Dr. Jerry Laboda.

Are you interested in sponsoring this or any other event? Your generosity helps us continue our research and make the next films. No amount is too small, and you may donate online, by mail or contact us at office@jhsswf.org.

You may now purchase Jewish Historical Society of SWFL memberships online or mail us a check. A family membership is $54; individual membership is $36; student membership is $18; and corporate sponsorship is $300. If mailing a check, please send to The Jewish Historical Society of Southwest Florida, 8805 Tamiami Trail North, Suite #255, Naples, FL 34108.

We can be reached at 833-547-7935 (833-JHS-SWFL), www.jhsswf.org or office@jhsswf.org. The Virtual Museum of SWFL Jewish History is located online at http://jewishhistorysouthwest florida.org/.

The Jewish Historical Society of Southwest Florida is a section 501(c)(3) charitable organization. Contributions are deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law.

EVENTS AT A GLANCE Southwest Florida Jewish Pioneers: Helen Weinfeld Tuesday, May 2 at 3 p.m.

Southwest Florida Jewish Pioneers: The Labodas of Fort Myers Tuesday, May 9 at 3 p.m.

Jewish 20

-40 year

olds!

The Jewish Young Professionals of Greater Naples invite you to come socialize!

Please email or call Renee’ to be added to the roster. rbialek@jewishnaples.org 239-263-4205

Jewish Young Professionals

Activities include: • Happy Hour We wa • Game Night your s nt to hear • Movie Night ug and id gestions • Shabbat Services upcom eas for • Volunteering ing ev ents!

• Holiday Parties • Zoom Meet & Greets • and more!

OF GREATER NAPLES

ORGANIZATIONS

May 2023

COLLIER/LEE CHAPTER OF HADASSAH

www.hadassah.org / 518-330-1559

Hadassah focuses on helping immigrants and refugees Joyce Toub Collier/Lee Hadassah President

W

e have just celebrated Passover, recounting the story of our Exodus from Egypt by a “mixed multitude.” Since its inception, Hadassah has focused on helping immigrants and refugees, studying their issues from cultural and historical perspectives.

Today’s refugees from many lands in turmoil remind us that the socialization of people must be built on kindness; we must be a beacon to humanity by welcoming the stranger and saving lives.

Our recent Hadassah magazine highlights the plight of Mizrahi Jews. Their heritage, their secular and cultural characteristics of Judaism are so foreign to Ashkenazic and Sephardic Jews. Hence, they experience prejudice for being Jewish from both Jews and non-Jews.

Too often, they are victims of racism as well as antisemitism.

Mizrahim followed the lead of our ancestors, with their own modern-day departure from Arab lands: Morocco, Tunisia, Libya, Syria, Iraq, Yemen, and others. It’s much the same path that Jews took during the Exodus.

National Hadassah President Rhoda Smolow wrote that we live in an era of diversity awareness, where Israel is trying to integrate Ashkenazi, Sephardi and Mizrahi Jews.

Israelis and many Jews around the world observe three important

celebrations that come immediately after Passover. The first is Yom Hashoah, Holocaust Memorial Day, starting at sundown on April 17. At sundown on April 24, Yom Hazikaron begins. That is Israel’s Memorial Day to remember those who died fighting to establish the state of Israel, as well as all military personnel killed in active duty. That’s followed the next day by Yom Ha’atzmaut, Israeli Independence Day, marking the official date when the state of Israel was established.

Next month, I hope to elaborate on Hadassah‘s mini medical miracles. Please look forward to our new “Expanding Horizons Plus,” which will include some live and some Zoom presentations.

Mark your calendar

April 27 at 10:30 a.m.

A Remembrance of Raoul Wallenberg, A Righteous Gentile Judit Price will discuss this Swedish diplomat, a humanitarian and hero who saved 90,000 Jews from the gas chambers, including Price and her mother.

May 10 at 10:30 a.m.

The Conversation Rabbi Adam Miller, senior rabbi of Temple Shalom, will lead an interactive discussion on antisemitism.

May 22 at 3:30 p.m.

Stephani Bakes Bakery chef Stephani Schwartz is back by popular demand with a Zoom presentation where she will share her skill and recipes.

I am looking forward to seeing you at all or upcoming events!

Federation Star

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JEWISH FEDERATION OF GREATER NAPLES PRESENTS

S UMM E R Book Discussion with the Authors!

Read the book in advance, come together to discuss and ask questions.

Hear what the authors have to say!

Sally Koslow, The Real Mrs. Tobias Wednesday, June 28 11 a.m.-12 p.m.

Weina Dai Randel, The Last Rose of Shanghai Wednesday, July 26 11 a.m.-12 p.m.

Rachel Barenbaum, Atomic Anna Wednesday, August 30 11 a.m.-12 p.m.

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Howard Blum, The Spy Who Knew Too Much Wednesday, September 27 11 a.m.-12 p.m.

Attend In person to the Nina Iser Jewish Cultural Center or participate via Zoom

Register for this free program at www.jewishnaples.org Buy the books on Amazon or Barnes and Noble.

OF GREATER NAPLES

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Federation Star

The covenant at Sinai is multi-generational Rabbi Ammos Chorny

H

COMMENTARY

May 2023

Torah describing that event, we are merely “reminded” of the first time we experienced it over 3,000 years ago. The significance of that event cannot be over emphasized. In retelling the story, the book of Deuteronomy records Moses saying, "The Lord our God made a covenant with us at Horeb. It was not with our fathers that the Lord made this covenant, but with us, the living, every one of us who is here today. Face to face the Lord spoke to you on the mountain out of the fire." (Deuteronomy 5:2-4) Of course, that is not literally true since that generation had died out. Most of those standing with Moses some 40 years later had not yet been born. The words "the living, every one of us who is here today" may have precipitated the midrash that "everyone" was present then, even those not yet born. What Moses

ave you ever visited Mount Sinai? Once, I had an opportunity to climb the mountain some have identified as the mountain of Moses, where the Monastery of St. Catherine currently stands, and next to a small plant, a sign reads "burning bush." Though the climb was exhilarating and the sunrise was inspiring, there is absolutely no reason to believe that we were standing in the place where Moses received the tablets of the covenant.

That such a tradition once existed is evidenced by the fact that Elijah went to "the "The Lord our God made a covenant with mountain of God at us at Horeb. It was not with our fathers Horeb" when fleeing for his life. Interest- that the Lord made this covenant, but with ingly, although he expeus, the living, every one of us who is here rienced the presence of the Lord there, it was today….” (Deuteronomy 5:2-4). exactly the opposite of the experience of Moses and the Israelites. meant is that the covenant was made Instead of fire, noise and earthquake, not only with those physically present at Elijah found the Lord in "a soft murmurSinai but extends to all who would come ing sound," the sound of silence. after. It was binding on the next genSubsequently, the place of Sinai was eration and is binding on our generation forgotten and never became a destination as well. of Jewish pilgrimage. The reason is simple: In the ancient midrash to the Book of once the Tabernacle was established with Exodus, the rabbis spoke of two aspects the throne of God, the Ark of the Covof that covenant, "the yoke of God's enant within it, Israel possessed a “portable sovereignty" and "the yoke of the comSinai” they could take with them until it mandments." At Sinai, the Israelites first was eventually established permanently on accepted God as their sovereign and then the Mount of Zion. Zion, which was easily they accepted His laws upon themselves. accessible, became "the mountain of God." The Sages also interpreted the first two There was no need to return to Sinai. paragraphs of the Sh'ma, recited twice There is an ancient tradition that holds daily, as representing those two aspects. that you, I and all Jews ever to be born When we recite them, we accept God's once stood at Sinai. According to this, sovereignty upon ourselves, and we accept our souls were there when the theophany the responsibility of living according to at Sinai took place. We were all present God's commands. when God revealed Himself and spoke to So, it can truly be said that we stand Israel. We all ‘saw’ the sounds and the fire at Sinai again twice daily, repeating and we all replied we would be willing to the ancient vow of our ancestors, "All become God's treasured people, "a holy that the Lord has spoken we will do" nation and a kingdom of priests."

(Exodus 19:8).

On Shavuot, which is fast approachRabbi Ammos Chorny ser ves at ing, when we hear the reading of the Beth Tikvah.

Fire up the passion! (and ice cream and cheesecake) and gratitude as if G-d has just given us this gift for the first time.

Rabbi Passion and warmth keep people Fishel alive. When you’re excited and care about Zaklos something, you want to keep making it even better and greater.

The truth is, we all have a little flame inside of us — or sometimes just a small ne of my favorite childhood spark — but it’s there, waiting for us to memories is on Lag B’Omer, find it and fire it up into something big. when our community would Everyone finds their fire in a different celebrate with the traditional huge bonplace, whether it’s in collecting for the fire. Okay, even today, it’s still one of my local food bank, lighting Shabbat candles, favorite things. There’s just something visiting the lonely of our community or about fire that completely draws our opening a Torah book attention in and fasciWhen our children see to learn something nates us humans. We new and interesting. could sit and stare at our love for Judaism, At Chabad of it for hours. kindness and mitzvot, Naples, we like to rally On Lag B’Omer [literally, the 33rd day they want to continue it. around this flame, or spark, a lot. It’s there of the omer] we comin you and will only bring you joy when memorate the passing of the 2nd-century you find it. Start with something that you sage, Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai. Rabbi connect with and bring it into your home!

Shimon had specifically asked that Whether it’s holding a Friday night Shabthis day be marked with celebrations bat dinner, hosting a Torah study session and joy. That’s where the fire comes in. or setting up a charity box on your shelf.

Rabbi Shimon was a sage of fierce pasToday, when the Jewish nation is sion, which his students described as a spread out around the world and facpowerful raging fire. ing all kinds of existential threats, it’s This past month, my wife, Ettie, and more important than ever to find that I were privileged to travel to Israel with a Jewish passion and keep it burning. group from our Chabad of Naples comAs it says in the munity. One of our foundational Shema very first stops was prayer, “You should up north in Meron, love G-d … and you at the resting place should teach it to of Rabbi Shimon Bar your children.” When Yochai. The fiery pasour children see our sion of Rabbi Shimon love for Judaism, still lives today and, kindness and mitzespecially in Meron, vot, they want to conwe were moved to be tinue it. It becomes able to feel it. that mesmerizing fire All throughthat everyone loves out Israel, we were to stare at for hours blessed to experience Chevron Torah celebration on end. the fire and exciteSo, this Lag B’Omer, while you stare ment of Judaism. In Hebron, after visiting at those mighty flames, think about your Marat Hamachpela, which is the holy passions. What good deeds will you show resting place of our ancestors, we got to excitement for and captivate the next join an enthusiastic celebration welcomgeneration with? How will you show the ing a new Torah scroll. We danced in the joy and love of Judaism more than the streets with the local residents and felt an oy and fear? extra excitement and joy.

Wishing you a very happy Lag B’Omer In a few more weeks, it will be Shaand Shavuot! vuot, and we will celebrate receiving the Rabbi Zaklos Fishel serves at Chabad Torah well over 3,000 years ago. Every Jewish Center of Naples. year we celebrate anew, full of excitement

O

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SYNAGOGUE NEWS

May 2023

NAPLES JEWISH CONGREGATION

Federation Star

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www.naplesjewishcongregation.org / 239-431-3858

A treasure trove for future excavation Charles Flum President

A

couple years ago, Naples Jewish Congregation created a Genizah.

A Genizah is a hidden place, many times a room in a synagogue, where books containing the name of God are stored. Since they have the name of God in them, Jewish tradition says they cannot be thrown in the garbage or burned. We

had many outdated High Holiday prayer books for which we could not find a home.

It was decided we should bury them.

Permission was obtained from the Unitarian Universalist church, where we meet, to bury the machzorim (High Holiday prayer books) on their land. The congregation was invited to the ceremony full of prayers and song where we put the books in a grave. Congregants took turns pushing a shovel’s worth of soil on top of the books. We all found this a very moving experience as no one in the congregation had been to such a ceremony.

Perhaps someday, someone will find the books and think of it as a treasure

BETH TIKVAH

trove. Finding ancient Genizahas has been a boon to archaeologists, historians and scholars, as many books thought lost as well as previously unknown works have been discovered. The Dead Sea scrolls are considered a prime example.

This is one example of the different types of activities we engage in at the small congregation with a big heart. Another unique activity is Flamingle. Approximately once a month, congregants gather to partake in an activity. At a recent Flamingle, members were asked to tell a funny story about themselves. We then turned to telling stories of where, how and what happened when we met celebrities.

A purpose of Flamingle is to get to know each other better. Another purpose is to do activities together. A few months ago, we took a guided tour of the Holocaust Museum in Naples.

Naples Jewish Congregation was founded in 1998 to serve the needs of reform Jews in Southwest Florida. We hold weekly services September through April. During May, June, July and August, we have services on the last Friday of the month. All services are at the abovementioned Unitarian Universalist church located off Pine Ridge Road at 7 p.m.

We welcome all to the small congregation with the big heart.

www.bethtikvahnaples.org / 239-434-1818

Time goes by quickly Joseph Henson President

O

ne day, 150 million years or so ago in the Mesozoic period, immense dinosaurs walked through vast savannas and forests with trees larger than today’s sequoias. This immensity was possibly due to the atmospheric carbon dioxide being two to four times higher than today’s level.

Fred and Wilma Flintstone had yet to arrive, but everything was in place for the creation of the carbon-based world that we live in and use today. Skip forward

to today and change is continuing. Now Fred and Wilma are working to move away from carbon to other provided sources like wind, sun and fusion. Change is continuous.

While quite likely less momentous than the geological movement over time, in mid-March, Beth Tikvah elected a new slate of officers and board members. After leading us through an active COVID period with all the extra obligations to synagogues members that came with it, Steve Chizzik is stepping away from the presidency. We thank him for his diligent service. After a hard-fought battle against no one, I was elected Beth Tikvah’s president for the next two years.

Another major change was that Harvey Rosenthal, who has been Beth Tikvah’s treasurer since the synagogue

Candle lighting times May 5: 7:43 p.m.

May 12: 7:47 p.m.

May 19: 7:51 p.m.

May 26: 7:54 p.m.

began 15 years ago, did not stand for reelection. Ours is a small congregation of currently about 175 members; it was even smaller when Rosenthal organized and initiated the treasurer’s function at its founding. It took a steady hand and clear vision to set the financial policies and procedures to guide us through those years. Understandably, he has decided that now is the time to pass on those responsibilities. We are very fortunate that Rosenthal will continue as a Beth Tikvah board member as he is an important source of institutional memory.

Harvey Jacobson has stepped forward to take on the critical treasurer function.

With Jacobson’s extensive background in financial management, we will be going from strength to strength. Looking to the future, Jacobson and I hope to build an even stronger Beth Tikvah on the foundation our two predecessors have provided.

The remaining four synagogue officers are returning members. Stephen Meltz is vice president for administration and Lee Henson is moving up from membership chair to take over as vice president of programming and marketing from her very capable forerunner, Paulette Margulies. The remaining two senior officers are continuing in their prior roles — Shelly Goodman as past president and Roberta Miller as board secretary.

The board is thankful and appreciative that they remain.

The 16 Beth Tikvah officers and board members are all volunteers who give their time to support Beth Tikvah.

As president, I thank each one of them for stepping forward to serve their fellow congregants by managing Beth Tikvah efficiently, effectively and economically as we pursue fulfillment of our objective of offering a traditional religious service aligned with the ideology of the Conservative movement.

But, as important as the board’s volunteerism is, even more important is the volunteerism of our fellow Beth Tikvah congregants. While many alternatives are available, they voluntarily come and participate Friday evenings or on Shabbos morning either in person or, if needful, via Zoom. Without their ongoing voluntary participation, Beth Tikvah could fade, as many other congregations have, into merger or dissolution. Both are unacceptable outcomes.

Come join Beth Tikvah for an inclusive, egalitarian and participatory traditional service. Your welcome awaits!

Beth Tikvah is the affiliated congregation in Greater Naples of United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism (USCJ). We are grateful to the Jewish Federation of Greater Naples (JFGN) for support of our Scholar in Residence, Naples Jewish Film Festival and All Things Jewish programs.

manager, subject to the approval of the Federation board.

Regular Columns: Regular columns shall be accepted only from leaders (Rabbis, Presidents, Chairs) of established and recognized Jewish organizations in Greater Naples and the designated chairs of the regular committees of Jewish Federation of Greater Naples.

Special Announcements: Special announcements shall be accepted from established Jewish organizations in Greater Naples and may, at the discretion of the Federation board, be subject to the conditions applicable to paid advertisements, as set forth above.

News Items: Only those news items pertaining to matters of general interest to the broadest cross section of the Jewish community will be accepted for publication.

Note: Items of controversial opinions and points of view about political issues will not be accepted for publication without prior approval of a majority of the Federation Officers and Trustees.

All persons and organizations objecting to the actions and rulings of the Editor or Publications Committee Chair shall have the right to appeal those rulings to the Officers and Board of Trustees of JFGN.

Federation Star Publication Policy The Federation Star is a subsidized arm of JFGN. Its purpose and function is to publicize the activities and programs of Federation as well as ongoing activities of recognized Jewish organizations in Greater Naples.

The goal of JFGN is to reach out and unite all Jews of the Greater Naples area.

While differing opinions and points of view exist on many issues of importance to Jews, the Federation Star will confine itself to publishing only items that report the facts of actual events of concern to Jews and offer commentary that clearly intends to unite all Jews in a common purpose.

Critical or derogatory comments directed at individuals or organizations will not be published.

To avoid misunderstandings, controversies and destructive divisions among our people, the Officers and Board of Trustees of Federation have adopted the following publication policy: Advertisements: All advertisements, regardless of their sponsor, shall be paid for in full, at the established rates, prior to publication. The contents of all advertisements shall be subject to review and approval of the Federation board or its designee. Commercial advertisers may make credit arrangements with the advertising

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May 2023

PRESCHOOL OF THE ARTS

www.chabadnaples.com / 239-262-4474

Ending the school year on a high note

By Ettie Zaklos, Preschool of the Arts Founder & Director

I

n the spring, the Jay and Patty Baker Preschool of the Arts celebrated one of its most popular Grandparents Day events to date with a fantastic Touch-ATruck celebration. It was an exceptional and memorable event, filled with love and intergenerational fun. The children got to explore real trucks, wash a car and indulge in yummy treats from the Kona Ice truck. There were cake pops, cupcakes and truck activities galore!

It was heartwarming to see the smiling faces and shouts of delight from the children and their grandparents, and to witness the bond between them.

Thank you to all our grandparents and special friends who came out and made this day extra special!

Thank you to all our Naples community members who visited with their trucks: City of Naples police and community policing, City of Naples Fire Department, Collier County EMS ambulance, USPS mail truck, Humane Society Paws Around Town, Collier County Transportation school bus, Coastal Waste Recycling truck, Everglades Equipment Group and Kona Ice. Our POTA children are still talking about you!

The Jay and Patty Baker Preschool of the Arts concludes the school year on an incredibly high note. This year was a year of tremendous growth for our school as we launched our Big Build capital campaign and plan to nearly double the size of our campus. As we look back on

how far we have come, we reflect on the joyous and exciting moments we’ve experienced together this year.

We have watched our children develop socially, emotionally and academically under the gentle and loving guidance of their teachers. We have observed the children learning with wonder and pride about the richness of the Jewish heritage and exercising the most important precepts of Judaism and the Torah, namely the respect and kindness toward others.

The children leave our school more confident, self-aware, compassionate and armed with the unique skills and experiences that will prepare them to embark on successful and fulfilling lives outside our walls.

Throughout the month, we will enjoy wonderful end-of-year celebrations, giving us time to reflect on the children’s growth and acknowledge all those in our community who have helped our children along the way.

Teacher and Staff Appreciation Day

On May 4, Preschool of the Arts will celebrate Teacher and Staff Appreciation Day. The staff at Preschool of the Arts are exceptional! Every day they expertly model the values of friendship, kindness and gratitude that make up the ethos of our school.

We recognize that our staff are at the heart and soul of what we do. Our POTA teachers hold children’s hands, guiding them through their earliest foray into school, while our support staff creates a loving and professional environment where our entire community can thrive.

It is a humbling privilege to be a part in creating a community that is truly building the future.

The annual Teacher and Staff Appreciation Day will be a chance for the entire POTA family to come together and express heartfelt thanks for everything our educators do. This year, POTA will host a “Sunset at the Beach” celebration that includes a lovely evening of camaraderie continued on page 13A

FOCUS ON YOUTH

May 2023

Federation Star

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www.naplestemple.org / 239-455-3030

TEMPLE SHALOM PRESCHOOL

Camp Shalom 2023 is set to begin

By Rabbi Ariel Boxman, Director of Lifelong Learning

I

n just a few short weeks, we will be ending our school year and kicking off Camp Shalom 2023!

During the months of June and July, Temple Shalom Preschool will be transformed into a summer festival of fun and games! At Camp Shalom, our campers will have the opportunity to immerse themselves in weekly themes, splash in our water park,

tie-dye, tumble, dance, bake and get messy with crafts!

This year, Camp Shalom will run for six weeks and is specifically targeted to children ages 1-5. Returning campers and new participants all look forward to a wide variety of exciting experiences, new friendships and nonstop fun.

At camp this summer, there will be something to capture everyone’s

interest. Campers participate in water play, dancing, arts and crafts, STEAM activities, shopping in our little market (Markolit), cooking — including making mini challahs on Shabbat — performing arts, foreign language, science and music, all while exercising their creativity, imagination and talent!

From animal encounters to Preschool Olympics, our campers will not only be

kept busy this summer, but they are going to have the time of their lives!

Spots are filling up quickly for this summer of fun! If you are looking for a fabulous experience for your child this summer, contact the Temple Shalom Preschool office at 239-455-3227. For more information, a tour or anything else, feel free to email me at aboxman@ naplestemple.org.

children with us this year, entrusting them in our care.

On May 25, our pre-K graduates will be honored with a grand pre-K graduation ceremony at the Hilton Naples, where parents, grandparents and teachers will celebrate their growth throughout their four years in POTA. It is always moving to watch how our once tiny toddlers have become capable, school-ready children!

At Preschool of the Arts, we are grateful for the opportunity to celebrate the joy and wonder of childhood and cannot wait for all the exciting developments in the months and years ahead!

ending the school year...continued from previous page at the beach with a delicious dinner picnic and fun surprises for the awesome POTA team. Our amazing POTA parents are joining the effort by contributing generous gifts of appreciation.

Tropical Paradise Mother’s Day event

The theme of appreciation continues with another event that celebrates our incredible parents, as we know that it is POTA’s special school-home connection that creates the perfect environment for our children to thrive.

On May 12, Preschool of the Arts will host a Tropical Paradise Mother’s Day

event. The event will allow our young students to express their appreciation for the most important woman in their lives: their moms! At POTA, we know that they give their all to our children every single day and deserve all the recognition in the world.

Our special event will allow our children and staff to thank our wonderful moms for all that they do with handmade gifts, and our moms and students will whip up delicious tropical smoothies in POTA’s brand-new outdoor kitchen, and more. Preschool of the Arts is so thankful to the amazing parents who have shared their precious

End-of-year celebrations

The month will culminate with individual classes’ end-of-year celebrations highlighting the children’s achievements. On May 19, parents will attend individual class musical performances, the presentation of each student’s yearlong portfolio and the distribution of certificates marking the successful year in preschool. Our entire community will then gather for a fun ice cream social and scrapbooking activity, solidifying bonds that have grown strong over a wonderful year of learning together.

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Federation Star

FOCUS ON YOUTH

May 2023

BBYO

azabbg.bbyo.org/on-demand/home

Latest news from BBYO Naples and Fort Myers

By Cayla Schreier, BBYO Southwest Coordinator

T

here is a lot of exciting news coming out of the Naples and Fort Myers BBYO chapters. Unlike most teens, these high schoolers are not glued to their phones 24/7. The teens of BBYO Naples are working hard to hold weekly meetings and one event per month. They held two chapter meetings in March.

On March 5, the teens celebrated Purim in the morning and later attended the BBYO chapter meeting at the Nina Iser Jewish Cultural Center. Bella Schaab, Chapter N’siah (president), ran the meeting. Schaab discussed the rules for using the new BBYO lounge and explained the different chapter leadership board positions. Attendees enjoyed playing pingpong and sitting in the bean bag chairs at the meeting.

The Nina Iser Jewish Cultural Center hosted BBYO CEO Matt Grossman in the BBYO lounge on March 16.

Grossman led a roundtable discussion and spoke about the current progress of BBYO and its future direction. The meeting was very inclusive, allowing alumni attendees to ask questions and share their favorite BBYO memories.

BBYO’s second chapter meeting was on March 19 at First Watch in Naples. Everyone had a wonderful time discussing BBYO future events while munching on a delicious brunch.

On March 26, the BBYO chapters held a Painting and Pottery event at Cone 06 Pottery Painting Studio in Naples.

They chose pottery sculptures, individually painted them and learned about the history of ceramics in Judaism. The teens also had fun at the Nina Iser Jewish Cultural Center’s Israel @ 75 celebrations earlier that day.

Temple Shalom’s Men’s Club generously donated funds to provide scholarships for eligible Naples BBYO teens to attend the upcoming North Florida Region’s Spring Regional Convention. Larry Sandler, a BBYO alum and Temple Shalom Men’s Club liaison, is joining the BBYO Naples Board of Directors. We look forward to the Men’s Club's future involvement in BBYO. Some of our BBYO teens attended SRC in Orlando in mid-April after preparing for the fun-filled convention with a planning session. They were excited to meet BBYO teens of the other NFR Chapters at the convention.

The teens worked to plan a J-Serve event and elections during the months of April and May.

What is BBYO?

BBYO is a diverse and inclusive Jewish youth group to encourage Jewish teens to become more immersed and interested in meaningful Jewish activities. BBYO accepts all Jewish teens attending eighth through twelfth grades. BBYO reaches over 70,000 teens worldwide.

Supporting our teenage Jewish community

Post-B’nai Mitzvah-age teens' involvement in BBYO and eagerness to create and confidently continue their own Jewish community within their greater Jewish communities is critical to our future. BBYO Naples is partnering with Jewish Federation of Greater Naples, Temple Shalom, Chabad of Naples and Beth Tikvah. Each organization provides

support for our teens. We thank everyone for providing a great environment for our teens.

If you know of someone who has a teen who might like to join BBYO or become an advisor to our chapters, please email me at cschreier@bbyo.org.

Follow us for updates on Instagram at Mishpacha_BBG. Both Jewish Federation of Greater Na p l e s a n d t h e Te mp l e Sh a l o m Men’s Club offer scholarships to attend BBYO conventions and summer programs. For more information on scholarships, please contact me (cschreier@ bbyo.org). Please email us at mjs0821@ aol.com if you would like to be included in our Friends and Alumni of BBYO mailing list.

COMMUNITY DIRECTORY TEMPLE SHALOM OF NAPLES (Reform) 4630 Pine Ridge Road, Naples, FL 34119 Phone: 455.3030  Fax: 455.4361 Email: info@naplestemple.org www.naplestemple.org Rabbi Adam Miller, MAHL Cantor Donna Azu, MSM Rabbi Ariel Boxman, MAHL, MARE, Director of Lifelong Learning Rabbi James H. Perman, D.D., Rabbi Emeritus Deborah Rosen Fidel, J.D., MAJPS, Executive Director Len Teitelbaum, President Jim Cochran, Music Director Shabbat Services: Shabbat Eve - Friday 7:30 p.m.

Shabbat - Saturday 10 a.m.

Sisterhood Men’s Club Adult Education Havurot Youth Groups Religious School Judaic Library Hebrew School Preschool Adult Choir Social Action Naples’ only Judaica Shop

May 2023 JEWISH CONGREGATION OF MARCO ISLAND (Reform) 991 Winterberry Drive Marco Island, FL 34145 Phone: 642.0800  Fax: 642.1031 Email: tboxma@marcojcmi.com Website: www.marcojcmi.com Rabbi Mark Gross Hari Jacobsen, Cantorial Soloist Stan Alliker, President Shabbat Services Friday 7:30 p.m.

Seasonal: Saturday Talmud-Torah at 9:30 a.m. and Shachrit at 10:30 a.m.

Rabbi’s Lifelong Learning Series Sidney R. Hoffman Jewish Film Festival Saul I. Stern Cultural Series JCMI Book Club

CHABAD NAPLES JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER serving Naples and Marco Island 1789 Mandarin Road, Naples, FL 34102 Phone: 262.4474 Email: info@chabadnaples.com Website: www.chabadnaples.com

Camp Gan Israel Hebrew School Preschool of the Arts Jewish Women’s Circle Adult Education Bat Mitzvah Club Friendship Circle Smile on Seniors Flying Challah Kosher food delivery

CHABAD OF BONITA SPRINGS & ESTERO 24611 Production Circle Bonita Springs, FL 34135 Phone: 239-949-6900 Email: chabad@jewishbonita.com Website: www.JewishBonita.com Rabbi Mendy & Luba Greenberg Co-directors Services: Sunday 9 a.m.

Monday through Friday 8 a.m.

Shabbat 10 a.m.

Adult Education Challah of Love Community Events Daily Minyan Services Hebrew School Kosher Grocery Kosher Meals on Wheels Smile on Seniors

(Reform)

Services are held at: The Unitarian Congregation 6340 Napa Woods Way Rabbi Howard Herman 431.3858 Email: rabbi@naplesjewishcongregation.org www.naplesjewishcongregation.org

BETH TIKVAH (Conservative)

1459 Pine Ridge Road Naples, FL 34109

(just west of Mission Square Plaza)

Phone: 434.1818 Email: office@bethtikvah.us Website: www.bethtikvahnaples.org Rabbi Ammos Chorny Joseph Henson, President Roberta Miller, Secretary

Shabbat Services Friday evenings 7 p.m.

May - August: services once a month

Shabbat Services Friday evenings 6:15 p.m.

Saturday mornings 9:30 a.m.

Sisterhood • Men’s Club Adult Education • Adult Choir Social Action • Community Events

Youth Education Adult Education Community Events

Ways to benefit from making non-cash gifts to your favorite charities:

Jewish Organizations to Serve You in Greater Naples

Give appreciated assets, & avoid paying capital gains tax

Jewish Federation of Greater Naples

Receive lifetime income benefits for you and your family Make greater gifts than you ever thought possible

Please contact us to learn how you can make a charitable gift today while preserving your cash for immediate or future needs.

Ellen Weiss Executive Director 813.769.4785 ellen@topjewishfoundation.org

The Foundation of the Jewish Federation of Greater Naples

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Charles Flum, President Jane Galler, Cantorial Soloist

Receive a charitable deduction for your gift which can lower your tax bill

Rabbi Fishel & Ettie Zaklos Co-directors Dr. Arthur Seigel, President Shabbat Services Shabbat - Saturday 10 a.m.

NAPLES JEWISH CONGREGATION

Federation Star

Marcy Friedland Chief Development Officer 239.263.4205 mfriedland@jewishnaples.org

Together, we are ensuring a Jewish future.

WWW.TOPJEWISHFOUNDATION.ORG

(All area codes are 239 unless otherwise noted.)

Phone: 263.4205 Website: www.jewishnaples.org Email: info@jewishnaples.org • Federation Board Chair: Nathaniel Ritter • Federation President/CEO: Jeffrey Feld

American Jewish Committee

Regional Dir: Brian Lipton, 941.365.4955

American Technion Society

Chapter Dir: Kelley Whiter, 561.395.7206

Baker Senior Center Naples Phone: 325.4444 Chairperson: Prentiss Higgins President/CEO: Dr. Jaclynn Faffer

Friends of the IDF

Exec. Dir.: Dina Ben Ari, 305.354.8233

GenShoah SWFL 263.9200

Collier/Lee Chapter of Hadassah President: Joyce Toub, 518.330.1559

Holocaust Museum & Cohen Education Center

Chairperson: Stuart Price President/CEO: Susan Suarez, 263.9200

Israel Bonds

Monica DiGiovanni, 727.282.1124

Jewish Historical Society of Southwest Florida

President: Marina Berkovich, 566.1771

Jewish National Fund

Joshua Mellits, 941.462.1330 x865

The Federation Star is published monthly, September through July,

by Jewish Federation of Greater Naples

Jewish War Veterans Post 202

4720 Pine Ridge Road • Naples, FL 34119

President: Michael Sobol, 508.733.9427

Phone: 239.263.4205 E-mail: info@jewishnaples.org • Website: www.jewishnaples.org

Tara Harris, 407-832-4443

Volume 32, No. 9 • May 2023 • 32 pages USPS Permit No. 1101

Naples Friends of American Magen David Adom (MDA)

Publisher: Jewish Federation of Greater Naples Editor: Sharon Hood • 239.591.2709 • sharon@marketcrank.com Design: MarketCrank, Inc.

Commander, Harvey Sturm, 261.3270

Men’s Cultural Alliance Naples BBYO

SE Reg Dir: Joel Silberman, 954.457.9766

PJ Library

Coordinator: Alicia Feldman www.jewishnaples.org/pj-library

Women’s Cultural Alliance

Advertising: Joy Walker • 941.284.0520

President: Patti Boochever, 518.852.3440

June 2023 Issue Deadlines: Editorial: May 2 • Advertising: May 9 Send news stories to: sharon@marketcrank.com

Zionist Organization of America President: Jerry Sobel, 914.329.1024

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Federation Star

May 2023

Jewish Federation of Greater Naples Presents THE ISRAEL SCOUTS PERFORMANCE TUESDAY, JUNE 20 AT 7:00 PM Nina Iser Jewish Cultural Center

The Israel Friendship Caravan Scouts will sing and dance.

The entire community is invited to join us! All ages are welcome!

Don’t miss this free performance!

Come sing and dance!

Please register at WWW.JEWISHNAPLES.ORG

THE ISRAEL SCOUTS FRIENDSHIP CARAVAN is made up of five girls, five boys and two Caravan leaders from all over Israel. In order to be in the Caravan, these teenagers (16 and 17 years old) went through a highly competitive selection process and were chosen based on their maturity, fluency in English, and performance skills. Scouting is big in Israel, with over 60,000 members. Those chosen to participate here are selected for their ability to best represent the State of Israel. As Israeli delegates, these teens have a love for Israel and a desire to share that with North Americans. The Scouts spend the 10 weeks of summer performing in synagogues and churches, schools and summer camps, even nursing homes – wherever people want to share their love for Israel.

7:00 - 8:00 P.M. MAIN PERFORMANCE: The Scouts are bright and dynamic performers. Their singing, dancing and storytelling are high-energy and upbeat. They have an intense love for the land and the people of Israel, and a strong desire to share that passion with you. They will have you singing and dancing in your seat and, if you are lucky, dancing with them.

8:00 - 8:30 P.M. Meet, greet and photo ops with the Scouts and an opportunity to purchase CDs and T-shirts

OF GREATER NAPLES