Page 58
The Jewish Press
Friday, January 24, 2020
Florida SHELLEY BENVENISTE FLORIDA EDITOR IT’S MY OPINION
A Change Of Tactics The inbox on my computer runneth over with letters, articles, and posts on the current surge of worldwide anti-Semitism, with many questioning the origin of the problem. It seems that the prevailing Jewish response to anti-Semitism in modern times has become an endless compulsion to discuss and examine the motivation of the haters. No Freudian psychiatrist could try harder to delve into the psyche of these miscreants than the well-meaning cadre of Jewish “analysts.” The Jewish community has expended great effort delving into the reasons for anti-Semitism. Do Jew haters suffer from poor self-esteem? Are they jealous of the accomplishments and success of Jews in every field of endeavor? Do they believe the endless
canards that Jews, through the ages, have wrongly been accused of, including the killing of the “savior”? Are they in need of education? A problem can sometimes be solved by seeking its root cause and changing the dynamic. Many are seeking an effective way to stem the scourge of anti-Semitism. Some think that the answer is to step forward to show the world that Jews are really good people and hope that this realization will change the modus operandi of the haters. In reality, the Jewish world has always exemplified the concept of tikkun olam, repairing the world. Jews have helped out disproportionately in every disaster, famine, or crisis, and are in the forefront of every cause and every charity. The world has been shown how “good” we are, and it really doesn’t care. Anti-Semitism is a baseless hatred. It is not the result of Jewish actions or inactions. If a Jew has a meal at a restaurant and leaves a hefty tip, he is “a Jew showing off his money.” If the same Jew goes into the same restaurant the next day and leaves a smaller tip, he is “just a cheap Jew.” Anti-Semitism is not a classic cause and effect phenomenon. There is a fact of life that every five-year-old kid in kindergarten instinctively understands: “If you hit me, I’m going to hit back.” This attitude acts as a
deterrent to a great deal of aggression. In the schoolyard and in life, bullies like to target those who won’t strike back. It is time for a change in Jewish reaction to overt acts of anti-Semitism. It is time to stop psychoanalysis and start a no-nonsense response that will deter further bloodshed. Turning the other cheek is not a tenet of Judaism. Jews are obligated to take all measures to insure their safety and well-being. Every synagogue, Jewish school, and Jewish center needs to institute tight security measures. Jewish teens as well as adults need to be familiar with the basics of self-defense. Jewish men and women need to advocate for responsible gun ownership and usage. Our communities need to be vigilant and monitor law enforcement’s prosecution and incarceration of those who are attacking Jews. There needs to be a loud outcry against the current policy of releasing dangerous individuals who have committed anti-Semitic crimes and putting them back out into the population. The potential danger is real and we must all get into reality mode. The Jews in 1930s Europe assumed that just as they had been through waves of anti-Semitism, this too would pass. Those who managed to survive the Shoah regretted their miscalculation. Let us learn from past mistakes.
Remembering Sammy By Darren Glick This is a story about an incredible young man, Sammy Farkas, a prayer, and a song. One year ago, Sammy lost his life in a tragic accident. It was the day before his 16th birthday. There are no words to describe the terrible loss. Sammy was my oldest and dearest friend’s middle son. He was a special soul. Many stories about this remarkable boy surfaced as the family sat shiva. One of the most poignant came from a youngster who shared the narrative of how Sammy had changed this boy’s life. The boy told of us that he was afraid and lonely on his first day of school at the RASG Hebrew Academy in Miami Beach, the school that Sammy attended. It
Hebrew Academy students with Rabbi Avi Bossewich at Sammy’s one-year memorial service.
is a fairly small private school with a stable student population, and most of the kids in the grade had known each other since their days in nursery school. The new student was scared and overwhelmed. He fled to the school bathroom to try to clear his head, but instead he started crying. Sammy came in and asked him what was wrong. When the boy told Sammy about his problem, Sammy didn’t hesitate. He gave one of his famous smiles and said, “Don’t worry. You are my friend and now all my friends are your friends,” and that’s how it remained from that day on. Sammy was so empathetic and so very kind. The stories came from all sides – from kids, adults, and teachers. One thing seemed clear: We were hearing tales of the beautiful life of a hidden tzaddik, and the outpouring of the love that this youngster had engendered was seemingly endless. A tune formed inside my heart, but I was at a loss for the words and prayer that would reflect a fitting tribute to this amazing neshama. Sammy’s father and I walked to shul on the Shabbat during shiva. With tears rolling down my face, I asked Hashem to help me find the right words and the right prayer for Sammy and the song I planned to dedicate to him. I turned the page in
Continued on p.59
Friday, January 24, 2020
The Jewish Press
Page 59
Florida Grand Klezmer Concert Michael Winograd and the Honorable Mentshn Klezmer Band will delight South Florida with authentic klezmer music at a concert taking place at the North Miami Beach Littman Performing Arts Theater, 17011 NE 19th Avenue in North Miami Beach, on Sunday, February 9 at 2 p.m. Some say that klezmer music is one of the world’s greatest treasures. It is the traditional celebratory music of the Eastern European Jewish diaspora. Klezmer arrived in the United States in the 1880s with the wave of Jewish immigration around the turn of the century. It is a genre of music that is unparalleled. This year Winograd and his band will Klezmer enthusiasts enjoy last year’s sold-out concert. thrill the audience with a special segment of the greatest klezmer hits of the 1950s. “We want cation and cultural transmission. Winograd is ineveryone to be able to enjoy this beautiful music and ternationally renowned and has played alongside we therefore offer tickets at a price you can’t refuse,” top klezmerists such as Alice Svigals and Itzhak says Rabbi Menachem Smith, director of United Perlman. If you enjoy klezmer music, this is the Jewish Generations, the organization behind the show of the year! Tickets are priced from $10 and up and can be concert. This band of expert klezmerists is the brain- purchased online at www.UnitedGenerations.com/ child of Brooklyn clarinet virtuoso Michael Wino- Klezmer, and for cash only at Torah Treasures in Migrad. A graduate of the New England Conservatory ami Beach, Pilot in Sunny Isles Beach, and Aspaclarof Music, he has been playing klezmer since child- ia Judaica in Aventura. (Aspaclaria ticket sales are hood. He co-founded Yiddish New York in 2015 from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. only.) This show has been made possible by the supand serves as the artistic director of KlesKanada, a world famous hub of klezmer and Yiddish edu- port of the Miami-Dade County Department of Cul-
tural Affairs, the Cultural Affairs Council, the Miami-Dade County Mayor, the Board of County Commissioners, and many other anonymous donors. The Grand Klezmer Concert is a project of United Jewish Generations, a Chabad organization founded 15 years ago by Rabbi Smith. Its mission is to bring happiness and enjoyment to the Jewish senior citizen population. Attendees are encouraged to buy tickets early to attain the best seats. Keep in mind that this event has sold out in the past. For more information, call 305-770-4540 or email admin@unitedjewishgenerations.com.
united jewish generations
B”h
presents a
Grand Klezmer Concert
MichaeL winograd & the honorable Mentshn Klezmer Band
When: sunday, FeB 9 at 2pm Place: julius Littman Performing arts theatre 17011 ne 19th Ave • nMB
Admission: $10 - $100 y For Info & Tickets r bu
o line: (305) 770-4540 on unitedjewishgenerations.com/klezmer
Glick Continued from p.58
to make sure that Sammy would be remembered properly. The school-wide yahrzeit observation took place on the evening of January 2. Sammy’s song, “Love Doesn’t Fade Away,” was an important part of the ceremony. I had written the song thinking it might help, in some way, to heal the gaping wound in my heart. In fact, it has helped me to get through this difficult year. Almost every morning I started my day by listening to the song, and it motivated me. I was putting on my tefillin right away and going to minyan three times a day in Sammy’s honor. So, if the song motivates you like it does me, have Sammy’s name in mind so his neshama will continue to have an aliyah. To hear “Love Doesn’t Fade Away,” please visit: https://vimeo. com/382625718.
the siddur and saw Sammy’s Hebrew name, Yitzchak, encoded vertically in the Shochen Ad prayer, meaning “He who abides forever.” There was another name encoded vertically in the prayer – it was Sammy’s mother’s name, Rebecca (Rivka). Rabbi Shraga Feivel Mendlowitz notes that in the prayer, there are four categories of spiritual accomplishments. The highest point is the holy person who praises Hashem with his very essence. Sammy personified this prayer. He did mitzvot wholeheartedly until they literally became his essence. I had received my answer. I used this prayer to formulate my song. Unbelievably, a year passed. The first yahrzeit of Sammy Farkas was almost here. I called the principal of the high school, Dr. Dara Lieber, and mentioned that I had an idea for the first anniversary of Sammy’s passing. I had written a song and I wanted the students to sing if for Sammy’s family and teachers, and for every9:30 -11:00AM one to hear it. Dr. LiebON er was fully supportive of the idea and gave me WWNN 1470AM & WWNNradio.com a 45-minute window during finals week to teach the entire student body the song. Everyone was beyond accommoWWW.ShalomSouthFlorida.com dating. They all wanted
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