THE JEWISH VOICE AND OPINION Promoting Classical Judaism
March 2014
Vol. 27 • No. 6
Adar II 5774
Dangerous Scenarios Won’t Blunt White House Pressure; Israel Wants PA to Say “Jewish State;” PA Wants Israel to Say “1-9-6-7” The reaction of the United States and
NATO alliance to the recent moves by Russian President Vladimir Putin into Crimea and Ukraine as well as the Russians’ continued support for Syrian President Bashar Assad and his Iranian backers, should be instructive to Israel, according to a security analyst whose three-dimensional topographic map system of the Jewish state has facilitated understanding of the dangers Israel faces by relinquishing land. “If Obama rolled over for Putin when almost all the European Union and Sunni world were against it, just imagine the American reaction if Russia were to insert troops into ‘Palestine,’ especially considering that the entire EU and Sunni states would be in favor,” said Mark Langfan. Even more serious—and possible—he said is the prospect of a Palestinian state welcoming into its international airport “ten Iranian civilian jumbo jets filled with Iranian Republican Guard soldiers in full military garb, posing as tourists.” “How would Israel stop these soldiers and their Palestinian hosts from insisting on the Iranians’ right to visit the Al-Aqsa Mosque in the Palestinian capital of AlQuds? The short answer is that Israel could do nothing. Once Israel cedes sovereignty over an inch of land and grants construction of an international airport, the entire game is over,” said Mr. Langfan. Terrorists or Tourists In the wake of such a scenario, he
Bruriah HS Saves Lives...........................5 Kol Ami: Israel Day Parade?................ 6 The Current Crisis............................... 7 Remembering Rabbi Stern, z”l.....12 Orthodox Life on Campus...................14 Jews and Hobby Lobby......................16 Purim Puppets...........................................20
said, a new Middle East slogan would be born. Rather than the old “one man’s terrorist is another’s freedom fighter,” the new one would be: “one man’s terrorist is another’s tourist.” Mr. Langfan also said that once Palestine gained sovereignty over its land, nothing would prevent it from offering residency or citizenship to thousands of Iranian Republican Guards and their families. “And if Iran is successful in gaining nuclear capability, Israel would be powerless. If a Katyusha rocket were sent into, say, Tel Aviv, forcing Israel to at least try
Inside the Voice
Purim Ideas..................................................21 Just in Time for Purim.............................22 The Log..........................................................24 P’TACH Dinner...................................31 Project S.A.R.A.H. Breakfast...........32 New Classes........................................33 Mazal Tov.............................................33
to reinvade the relinquished West Bank, it would face not only the Palestinians already there now, but all the new Iranian troops who had been granted citizenship and residency by an independent Palestine,” he said. Bullying Israelis and their supporters do not expect scenarios like Mr. Langfan’s to blunt the pressure President Barack Obama is putting on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Some analysts say Mr. Obama’s many Middle East foreign policy failures—from Syria and Egypt to Iran— may prompt him to see Israeli concessions to the Palestinians as a rare foreign policy victory. “America has never been less wellrespected world-wide and never weaker in the eyes of the world, so we can expect Obama to come bullying Israel again,” said public relations expert Ronn Torossian. So far Mr. Netanyahu has held his ground. While in the US at the beginning of March for a meeting with Mr. Obama, and to speak at the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) conference, the prime minister seemed prepared to press Israel’s arguments by outdoing the President’s own attempt at skilled rhetoric. Blaming Israel One day before Mr. Netanyahu’s arrival, Mr. Obama gave an interview to Bloomberg’s Jeffrey Goldberg, in which
continued on page 36 New Minyanim..................................34 Chesed Ops.........................................34 On Marcia’s Night Table..................35 Ess Gezint: Purim................................38 Index of Advertisers ........................41 Honor the Professional...................43 Letters to the Editor ........................44
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Her father’s songs
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Sunday, April 6, at 3 p.m. Temple Avodat Shalom
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At Bruriah Last Month: A Holocaust Museum to Save Lives Today and a Chance to Remember Chaya Newman, z”l Last month, 11th graders at
the Bruriah High School for Girls in Elizabeth opened the school’s World War II/ Holocaust Museum. The students’ goal is not only to commemorate the lives of the 6 million Jews (including more than 1 million children) murdered by the Nazis, but also to help as many Israeli-Jewish children as possible be born. Funds from visitors to the museum, which is open to the public, will be donated to Efrat CRIB, the Committee for Rescue of Israel’s Babies, an organization dedicated to helping Israeli women who are considering abortions
because they lack the resources— financial and other—to consider bringing their unborn children to term and raising them. The organization takes the first part of its name from the Midrashic tradition that Miriam, the sister of Aaron and Moses, was given the name Efrat (which has the same root as “pru v’revu,” which means “to populate the world”) after she defied Pharaoh’s decree that all male Jewish infants were to be drowned. According to Jewish tradition, Miriam personally intervened to save not only her brother Moses, but other Jewish infants as well.
45,000 Abortions Annually In Israel, which has one of the world’s most liberal abortion laws, approximately 20,000 elective abortions are performed each year in public hospitals free of charge. This does not include the free abortions performed for medical reasons, such as the mother’s health or a diagnosis that the fetus has a likely birth defect. That number also does not include women who pay for abortions privately in their doctors’ offices. It is estimated that the number of private abortions in Israel far exceeds 20,000 per year.
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In addition, the Israeli army provides at least one free abortion to every female soldier who requests one, irrespective of reasons. No Reasons In Israel, women under 17, between 20 and 33, and over 40 qualify for free abortions upon request, as do women of any age with medical reasons for not continuing the pregnancy or who became pregnant through rape, abuse, or extra-marital relations. Women who do not meet those criteria can apply for statesubsidized abortions for virtually
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THE JEWISH VOICE AND OPINION, Inc. © 2014; Publisher and Editor-in-Chief: Susan L. Rosenbluth Phone (201)569-2845 Managing Editor: Sharon Beck, Advertising: Rivkie Stern The Jewish Voice & Opinion (ISSN # 1527-3814), POB 8097, Englewood, NJ 07631, is published monthly in coordination with The Central Committee for Israel. A one-year subscription is $25. Periodicals postage is paid at Englewood, NJ and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to the Jewish Voice and Opinion, POB 8097, Englewood, NJ 07631. All advertising in the Jewish Voice and Opinion must conform to the standards of the Orthodox Rabbinic kashruth. Editorial content reflects the views of the writer and not necessarily any other group. The Jewish Voice is not responsible for typographical errors.
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Kol Ami: Judea, Samaria, and the Israel Day Parade?
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We should celebrate the vineyards of Har Bracha as well as other Judean and Samarian vineyards and wineries producing award-winning wine with the help of American volunteers each year. The Israeli tourism symbol, the two meraglim (spies) carrying a huge cluster of grapes would be great on a float. Anna Herman Fort Lee, NJ
It might sound cynical, but I would accept banners showing a bulldozer enclosed in a fence and guarded by soldiers, with the words “If that is the price to develop, hold and defend Jewish land, then so be it.” Sam Heller Fair Lawn, NJ
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I would display the wonderful contributions these communities make to the Israeli and world economy, from awardwinning wineries, to innovations in technology and medicine, to consumer products like Soda Stream. These towns are not remote outposts but vibrant, active sections of Israel’s thriving economy. Lori Fein Teaneck, NJ
A float for each community in Judea and Samaria would be great. For Efrat, where our five terrific grandchildren live, there could be banners representing different neighborhoods, each named for one of the seven species: Rimon (pomegranate), Te’ena (fig), Gefen (grapevine), Dekel (date palm), Zayit (olive), Tamar (date), and Dagan (grain—wheat and barley). Philip Bardash Parsippany, NJ
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The Current Crisis: “Even in Laughter, the Heart Can Ache” In the embattled Ukraine, hareidi students from several Kiev yeshivas have received draft notices as part of the country’s military call-up in response to Russia’s infiltration of the Crimean Peninsula. The notices have prompted many of Ukraine’s 450,000 Jews to consider leaving the country, and soon. If they wait too long, the airport may be closed. Yeshiva student Meir Pawlowski, who received a notice, said it’s like World War II, when Jews debated up until the last minute whether or not to flee—and, by then, it was too late. Where will they go? Pawlowski says “to Israel.” There, of course, they will face…mandatory conscription, the fruit of a new law requiring yeshiva students to serve in the IDF or face financial penalties and, perhaps, criminal charges. Hareidi leaders are up in arms over the new law, prompting mass rallies and prayer services, hoping to avert “the cruel decree.” Some Israeli hareidim, notably the huge Belzer community, are threatening to leave Israel en masse, although it is not clear where they will go. Somehow, we don’t think it will be to the Ukraine. The incoming Russian troops as well as Ukrainian authorities have promised to protect Jewish residents, but Russia seems to be doing the better job. Two far-right antisemitic parties have already been included in the new Ukrainian government. Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton just compared Russia’s Putin to Hitler, because both invaded sovereign countries. Hitler went into Czechoslovakia, supposedly to save ethnic Germans; Putin has gone into Crimea to save ethnic Russians. The difference is the Germans did not need saving; the Russians might. There are reports of Ukrainian neo-Nazi mobs attacking and injuring dozens of foreign students, including Israelis. Some say the mobs are looking for Russians.
In January, a 30-year-old hareidi student as well as a Talmud Torah teacher were brutally attacked in two separate incidents in Kiev. Not far away, several Jews noticed someone following a yeshiva student. When captured, the man had a diagram of the synagogue. A Holocaust memorial in the Kirovograd District of the Ukraine was desecrated, and, at the end of February, a synagogue in Crimea was spray painted with swastikas and the words: “Death to the Jews.” In Zhprozha, the Giymat Rosa Synagogue was firebombed; the rabbi of Krivoy Rog was told he had 72 hours to leave. Graffiti on the home of the rabbi of Blitzkorov read: “We are already near you.” Scrawled on a Jewish-owned building in Kiev: “You are next.” According to Russian-language sources, members of the Ukrainian police force openly threaten the Jewish community. The director of the Federation of Jewish Organizations in Europe, Rabbi Menahem Margolin, has asked Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon to send trained personnel to protect the Ukraine’s Jews. We wonder how Ukrainian thugs would respond to IDF commandos, especially units made up of hareidim. Israel does not seem poised to find out, preferring to send a rescue effort to get the Jews out rather than a military unit to help them stay. Finnish European Parliament Member Hannu Takkula has condemned Ukraine for ignoring the antisemitism, warning Jews must be protected before Ukraine will be allowed to join the EU. The EU? Isn’t that the group condemning Israel for actually trying to protect its Jews? This isn’t a Purim Shpiel, you know-S.L.R.
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any reason, whether emotional or psychological upset or concern about financial difficulties. In Israel, women undergoing abortions do not need the consent of the father of the child, nor do minors need the consent of parents or guardians. Theoretically, pregnant Israeli women who seek an abortion must receive the approval of a three-member Pregnancy Termination Panel, including two physicians and one licensed social worker. At least one member of the panel must be a woman. According to Israeli statistics, 98 percent of cases brought to such panels are approved for free abortions. Nevertheless, more than half of all women seeking abortions in Israel eschew the panels and have the procedure performed discreetly—and illegally—in private doctors’ offices. Although the women who receive these
illegal abortions face no criminal penalties, physicians who perform them are liable to fines or five-year prison terms. In Israel, no doctor has ever been prosecuted for performing such abortions, which cost between $1500 and $1750. Real Pro-Choice Since its founding in 1977, Efrat CRIB, with its professional staff and more than 3,000 trained volunteers, has saved more than 50,000 Israeli-Jewish children by providing pregnant but wavering mothers with counseling and medical advice. Efrat CRIB also offers financial, physical, and material assistance with items like cribs, strollers, diapers, and other basics, including groceries and childcare after the baby is born. According Dr. Eli Schuss heim, president of Efrat CRIB, a $1200 donation to his organization is sufficient to “bring a
new Jewish life into the world.” Although it is unabashedly pro-life, Efrat CRIB puts no effort into changing Israel’s liberal abortion laws or into pressuring a woman to change her mind once she has firmly decided to go through with the abortion. “We believe every woman has the right to make decisions regarding her body. Therefore, we do not pressure women, nor do we make demonstrations against abortion or condone violence. We simply offer our support and assistance,” said Dr. Schussheim. Dr. Schussheim argues that Efrat is “the real pro-choice organization because we allow the woman to make a real choice, based on what she really wants, without social or financial pressure.” Referrals Usually, women are referred to Efrat CRIB by social workers on the Pregnancy Termination Panels. The organization has reached out to social workers and physicians, encouraging them to refer any women who are considering abortion for financial reasons. In addition, Efrat CRIB widely advertises its slogan: “Lack of money is no reason to end a life.” “We feel that if a woman wants to have a child, but
chooses an abortion because she can’t afford to have the child or because someone is pressure her to abort, then she is not doing what is really her choice,” he said. An “Epiphany” The argument convinced Bruriah social studies teacher Joel Glazer. He recently donated the amount necessary to save a baby and then received materials from Efrat CRIB about the child who was subsequently born. Deeply moved, Mr. Glazer, who, for many years, has conducted a Holocaust education program at Bruriah, challenged his students to raise the money to save more lives through Efrat CRIB, not by simply asking their parents for the funds, but by coming up with a creative fundraising plan. “I had an epiphany,” he said. “I wanted to transition from the museum project to something relevant to the present day, not just learning about the loss of Jewish children in the Holocaust, but actually taking meaningful action to restore Jewish lives ourselves. Each student will be able to look back and say, ‘We did this. When we were in high school, we saved lives.’” Student Displays Working with the fundrais-
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ing committee, headed by 11th grader Nurit Esral, all 11th graders contributed to the museum’s displays, producing original paintings, sculptures, and other thoughtprovoking interpretative materials. The museum, which opened on February 11, follows the chronology of events before, during, and after World War II, and concludes with a section depicting the creation and history of the State of Israel. The museum is open to the public with students serving as docents and tour leaders. “Through all the research and thought that went into creating the museum, we’ve gained an invaluable perspective on our Jewish heritage and identity. We are all extremely grateful to have been given the opportunity to create what we hope will be a fitting tribute to those who perished and those who survived the unimaginable,” said Bruriah student Rochel Hirsch, who serves as a curator of the museum. Important Project Efrat CRIB was begun with the financial contribution of Holocaust survivor Herschel Feigenbaum. For Mr. Glazer, the
ALAN L. MUSICANT
museum’s student fundraising project has brought the original intention—to increase Israel’s birthrate in memory of all those who perished—full circle. Mr. Glazer said he considers the project “one of the most important things” he has done as an educator. “I believe this program is unique, to actively engage students in literally saving lives. If my students remember me for nothing else, but they remember this, I’ll be happy,” he said, adding that he hopes the project will be duplicated in other schools as well. Veteran Teacher Coming up with creative projects is nothing new for Mr. Glazer, who has been teaching for more than 50 years. He is the author of the 2012 book, “It Happened in My Classroom.” For almost four decades, the Elizabeth resident taught at Scotch Plains/Fanwood High School. He retired from the public school system in 2006, but continued teaching at Bruriah as well as at its male counterpart in the Jewish Educational Center, the Rav Teitz Mesivta Boys High School.
Bruriah student looks at exhibit in the school’s Holocaust Museum Over the years at Bruriah, he has taught his own daughter and stepdaughters, and, eventually, his granddaughter. The forward to Mr. Glazer’s book was written by former Bruriah principal, Chaya Newman, z”l, who died in September 2012, just a few months after “It Happened in My Classroom” was published. In her forward, Mrs. Newman described Mr. Glazer as unforgettably unique and creative, a teacher always concerned with “the fragile self-image of the student.” “Lest you think that Mr. Glazer was totally a gift from heaven, you would be mostly right, but at times he was a trial
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to work with,” she admitted. “It is good that he was ‘too good’ to let go!” Being a Blessing Mrs. Newman herself was remembered last month at a memorial lecture held at the school. The keynote speaker, Rebbetzin Esther Jungreis, who knew Mrs. Newman personally, recalled fond memories of serving as a guest lecturer at the school on several occasions. Mrs. Jungreis’s topic at the memorial event was “Turning Negatives into Positives,” which included the importance of helping others even when personal difficulties make “being a blessing to other people” challenging. Mrs. Jungreis focused on the influence ancestors have on present lives. Each of us has a “zeidah” who lay a path for us, she said, which many in the audience considered a fitting message for an evening memorializing Mrs. Newman, a woman who influenced many generations during her years as principal of Bruriah. In Her Image Rabbi Joseph Oratz, principal of Bruriah, said the legacy Mrs. Newman left “is thriving in this building” in “the messages that she gave us, the tone she wanted to set for what Bruriah is and what it ought to be.” “The school continues to be in the image of Mrs. Newman,” he said. Rabbi Eliyahu Teitz, associate dean of the JEC, agreed. “Mrs. Newman made Bruriah the school it is. We will forever be indebted to her for her decades of dedication and devotion,” he said. He said the lecture in her memory would become an annual event. Teaching Teachers Born in Israel in 1937 and raised in Baltimore, Mrs. Newman was a certified family therapist. She married Dr. Avigdor (Victor) Newman and taught in Cleveland, Mexico, and the Yeshiva of Flatbush before Rav Pinchas Teitz, z”l, recruited her for Bruriah in 1971. When she came to the school, Bruriah had 50 students. It now has more than 400. Mrs. Newman’s daughter, Shlomis Peikes, recalled that, during summer vacations, her mother would hang photographs of Bruriah’s incoming freshman class so that she would recognize all of the girls by the first day of school. In 2007, after 36 years, she retired from Bruriah and went on to serve as di-
rector of Torah Umesoah’s National Conference of Women Yeshiva Principals. She led mini-conventions and workshops for teachers and principals throughout the world, developed curriculums, and established a two-year course to train women to become principals. How Much She Cared At the memorial, some of Bruriah’s teachers recalled Mrs. Newman’s advice to them: Students don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care. A Bruriah member of the class of 1976 remembered the quote Mrs. Newman gave to their yearbook: “When you educate a man, you have an educated
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man, but when you educate a woman, you have educated a family.” For some Bruriah alumni attending the memorial, the evening served as a reunion, an opportunity to meet old friends and former teachers while remembering the impact Mrs. Newman had on their lives. “It meant the world to me to be back in the place where I could feel her essence,” said Beth Goldsammler, who graduated from Bruriah in 1996. “Having the opportunity to memorialize her in the way that personified her best, through inspiring words of Torah, seemed the greatest tribute I could ever have had the privilege of being involved in.” S.L.R.
o n v i e w t h ro u g h M ay 18, 2014
in 2003 a group of allied soldiers discovered thousands of Jewish books, documents, and artifacts in the flooded basement of Saddam hussein’s intelligence headquarters. See originals from this vast archive and learn how they were preserved.
The exhibit was created by the National Archives and Records Administration, Washington, DC, with support from the Department of State.
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Remembering Project Ezrah’s Rabbi Yossie Stern, z”l A few hours after the Sab-
bath ended on February 22, Rabbi Steven Pruzansky of Congregation Bnai Yeshurun in Teaneck had a dilemma. The shul was about to be overflowing with mourners coming to hear eulogies for Rabbi Yosef “Yossie” Stern, who had died one day earlier after a short illness. But the congregation was also sponsoring its weekly parent-child learning session in which young children come with a parent to study some aspect of Torah to start the new week. Rabbi Pruzansky said he briefly considered cancelling the parent-child program. Guided by the Stern family, however he decided it would be beneficial to allow both events to occur simultaneously. “Children in the Beis Medresh would ask their parents: ‘Why are so many people going to shul tonight?’
And their parents would answer: ‘A great person has left us. It is time for mourning in our shul, our community, and beyond,’” said Rabbi Pruzansky. It was fitting for Rabbi Stern, whom Rabbi Pruzansky described as having lived “a perfectly Jewish Torah life,” one absorbed not only in personal study, but in patient teaching, learning, at all hours of the day and night, with those who wanted to study with him. The funeral service was held at Bnai Yeshurun. Rabbi Stern, who founded and directed the community service organization, Project Ezrah, was then taken to Israel for burial. The child of Holocaust survivors, Rabbi Stern, 64, reinvented himself several times. After growing up in Brooklyn, he earned smicha and then a degree in business from NYU. After moving to Teaneck some 40 years ago,
he taught at the Moriah School of Englewood and served as one of the first principals of the Torah Academy of Bergen County. He then entered the jewelry business. According to his son, Shai, who spoke at the service in Teaneck, his father’s approach to business was as a Torah Jew who never stopped teaching. When he experienced difficulties in business, it occurred to him that others must be similarly suffering. “He taught us: Life is not about me. It’s about what I can do for the next person. How can I help people?” said Shai Stern. In 2001, that philosophy led Rabbi Stern to what may be his most important communal contribution. Just before the High Holidays, Rabbi Stern spoke to a fellow Bnai Yeshurun congregant at who was jobless and with insufficient funds to purchase health insurance. According to Rabbi Pruzansky, Rabbi Stern’s first response was to secure financial assistance for the individual; his second response was to tell the rabbi, “We must establish a formal organization.” That was the start of Project Ezrah. “It was his brainchild,” said Rabbi Pruzansky. “I was involved from the beginning, but my main contribution was to suggest that ‘Ezrah’ be capitalized. Yossie Stern
consulted others, but everything for Project Ezrah ultimately came from him, and I had implicit trust in him from the day he started until he died. All he wanted to do was help Jews.” At the beginning, the main focus of Project Ezrah (the name is the Hebrew word for “help”) was to find jobs for those who were out of work. But the effort soon morphed into something much broader, and Project Ezrah became the community’s go-to destination for those without the resources to pay for health care and basic living expenses. Understanding that those undergoing difficult times need eventually to stand on their own, Rabbi Stern emphasized helping families get back on their feet, offering fiscal planning, budgeting, résumé-building, and interview training. In 2005, Project Ezrah opened Ezrah’s Closet, a free clothing resource that offers men’s, women’s, and children’s wear, as well as accessories, for all occasions, all donated by the community. Over the years, Project Ezrah has served hundreds of individuals and families in Bergen County and beyond and has become a model for other Jewish communities to emulate. Rabbi Stern is survived by his wife, Rifka, their daughters, Devora Marcus and Nava
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Expert Says Finding Orthodox-Jewish Life on Campus Is Getting Easier The options for Orthodox-Jewish
students looking for colleges outside the New York metropolitan area are greater than they have ever been before, according to an independent educational consultant. “Many schools with historically low numbers of Jews are actively working to recruit more by building Jewish student centers and creating kosher dining options as part of their recruitment strategy,” says David Twersky, founder of College Link Consulting, a professional practice that assists students and parents in the college selection, application, and admission process.
He recognizes that Shomer Shabbat students who observe kashruth and would like other observant Jews for company have traditionally preferred large, urban universities. Increasingly, he says, they are turning to smaller, rural schools and colleges without large Jewish populations. According to Hillel International, nearly 25 percent of Jewish college students in North America attend schools with small numbers of Jewish students and limited Jewish resources. To increase the number of Jewish students on their campuses, these schools are adding amenities that Jewish families will appreciate.
“Diversity” “Admissions officers will rarely say they are actively recruiting Jewish students. Rather, they will speak in vague terms about wanting to ‘increase diversity.’ However, many will admit that Jewish students offer great qualities such as leadership skills and good academic records,” he says. To woo Jewish students, an increasing number of colleges are now offering kosher food plans for students living on campus, he says. According to Heart to Heart, a group involved with Jewish life on campus, 144 colleges and universities now offer some form of kosher food. More than one-third of these campuses began their kosher programs in the last ten years. “The offerings range from full meal plans to kosher food available in vending machines. In some schools, kosher food is available through Hillel or Chabad, but increasingly, the colleges are incorporating kosher food into the dining halls and other facilities,” he says. A geographic listing of schools offering kosher food can be found at theheart2heartproject.org/koshermap/. Multi-Million Dollar Building Some schools with small Jewish populations, such as Pennsylvania’s Lehigh University and Illinois’s Bradley University, have developed broad kosher meal plans specifically to attract additional Jews to their campuses. According to Mr. Twersky, Washington and Lee University, which has fewer than 100 Jewish students, recently dedicated a new $4 million Hillel building with a kosher café. At Muhlenberg College in Allentown, PA, more than one-third (750) of its 2,200 students are Jewish. There, a new kosher dining hall and a 20,000-square-foot Hillel were recently opened. Jewish Centers On many campuses, Hillel and Chabad do more than just offer kosher food. They provide religious services and educational and social programs, and serve as places just to “hang out” with other Jewish students. Founded in 1923, Hillel is currently represented on over 550 campuses in North America, making it the largest Jewish-student organization in the world. “Depending on the Jewish population and need at each campus, Hillels can be small or quite large,” says Mr. Twersky,
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who recommends the Hillel College Guide, which is available online, to all students looking for schools. “It’s a great resource for information on Jewish populations, kosher dining options, religious life, and Jewish studies. Once you’ve narrowed down your college choices, you can contact the local Hillel professional on campus and have a discussion. You can also ask to be put in touch with current Jewish students,” he says. Chabad Chabad, which serves as an Orthodox outreach movement, began establishing houses on campuses in the 1960s. Today, the movement’s Chabad on Campus boasts Chabad Houses and organizations on more than 100 campuses throughout the United States. Viewing themselves as students’ “home away from home,” the Chabad Houses on campus offer a range of social, educational, and spiritual programs. The Chabad House rabbi is well aware that some students, especially those with yeshiva backgrounds, are being exposed to new ideas and experiences, often for the very first time. “Chabad’s goal is to make sure that by the time Jewish students graduate, they are stronger and more empowered Jews than they were when they first enter college,” says Mr. Twersky. Networking Virtually all Chabad Houses offer Shabbat, Yom Tov, and weekday services. In addition, they emphasize observance of other key mitzvoth, such as putting on tefillin, eating in a sukkah, lighting Chanukah menorahs, and attending Passover seders. “While students are in the collegeselection process, contacting their own local Chabad rabbi can be very important. He can let the student and his or her family know what is offered at the specific schools in which the student is interested. He can also make sure the student receives a welcome packet from the particular campus Chabad House,” says Mr. Twersky. While he will not endorse any kashrut program on any college campus, Mr. Twersky says that there is an increasing likelihood that students will feel their religious needs are being comfortably met at a growing number of colleges outside the New York-New Jersey region. Working through the Process Helping students find the right school— and being accepted by it—is the job of
College Link Consulting. Based in Elizabeth, Mr. Twersky offers services such as assessing a student’s academic strengths, challenges, and interests. He then develops a list of colleges for consideration and assists in the application process, including applications for financial aid. Most students approach him during the junior year of high school, although others start even earlier. Some, however, wait until the beginning of the senior year, and that seems to work out all right, too. However, those who start earlier receive the benefit of guidance in course planning, extra-curricular activities, and summer programs. College Link Consulting, which of-
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fers a free complementary initial meeting and guarantees confidentiality to its clients, can be reached through its website, www.CollegeLinkConsulting.com. “We offer assistance through each step of the application process, review essays, and prepare students for campus visits and interviews,” says Mr. Twersky, adding that matching students with campuses that meet their religious needs is also part of the process. “High school students and their parents can feel confident that by expanding their list of potential colleges, they will not be compromising their level of observance,” he says. S.L.R.
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March 2014 / Adar II 5774
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In the Hobby Lobby Case at the Supreme Court, American Orthodox Jewry Now Speaks with One Voice The so-called Hobby Lobby case,
soon to be decided by the Supreme Court, will determine whether the government can force a family-held corporation to act in ways contrary to its owners’ religious beliefs, specifically to include in its employees’ health-care plan contraceptive methods that are abortigenic. According to many Orthodox-Jewish leaders and virtually all American Orthodox-Jewish organizations, ranging from Modern Orthodox to more hareidi, the decision of the Supreme Court in the Hobby Lobby case will have far-reaching implications for every American of faith, including those in the Jewish community. “The case represents a significant moment in further defining the First Amendment to the Constitution regarding religious conscience,” said Rabbi Philip Lefkowitz, spiritual leader of Agudas Achim North Shore Congregation in Chicago. In his capacity as assistant executive director of the Chicago Rabbinical Council, he has represented the Orthodox rabbinate before government agencies as well as the community at large. Traditional Jewish Position According to Rabbi Lefkowitz, in several landmark cases, when the question of religious conscience has been before the Supreme Court, the traditional Jewish community has stood with the groups filing amicus briefs for religious freedom. The Hobby Lobby case may mark a
break with that tradition. According to several reports in the liberal-Jewish media, Orthodox groups may now find themselves at odds with American secular-Jewish organizations. Groups such as the Anti-Defamation League and the National Council of Jewish Women agree with the Obama administration that there is no right of religious refusal for a for-profit business that is not a religious organization. These groups maintain that by insisting on their religious freedom, the owners of Hobby Lobby are denying the rights of women to use whatever contraceptive methods they choose. These groups say the business must pay for it or face the consequences. At issue is a Christian family, the Greens, who founded and own Hobby Lobby, a national multi-chain business with some 25,000 employees throughout the country. The Greens maintain that the Affordable Care Act (ACA), “Obamacare,” is requiring them to violate their religious beliefs by forcing them to pay for contraception methods the Greens find religiously abhorrent. ACA requires employers with more than 50 employees to provide “qualifying” health insurance to their employees. Among the requirements of all ACAapproved health insurance plans is that they include all forms of contraception, including methods like the morning-after pill that prevent a fertilized egg from implanting in the uterus.
The ACA mandates that employers pay for 20 different forms of birth control, 16 of which are not problematic to the Greens. The four to which the family objects are abortigenic in their view. The Obama government concedes that these four methods do indeed prevent an already fertilized egg from implantation. Non-Profit Exemptions The White House’s response to the Greens’ objections is that “no one, including the government or for-profit corporations, should be able to dictate [decisions on birth control] to women.” The Obama administration pointed out that it has already acted to ensure that no religious institution would be forced to pay for contraception coverage, and an “accommodation” has been made for non-profit religious organizations that also object to contraception on religious grounds. This means that not-for-profit hospitals, social agencies, and educational bodies founded by religious groups are protected from having to pay for contraception methods deemed contrary to their beliefs. According to the Obama administration, the Greens and Hobby Lobby, which is a for-profit corporation, have three choices: comply with the law and violate their religious conscience; break the law and face crippling fines; or sell or close the business. Good Place to Work For the corporation’s employees, that could be catastrophic. Rabbi Lefkowitz pointed out that the Greens’ deeply held convictions have prompted the family to treat its employees in a manner that should be seen as exemplary. Hobby Lobby
R. Stern, z”l
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Schreiber, of Israel, sons, Shai Stern and Effie Stern of Los Angeles, and many grandchildren. According to Susan Alpert, director of fundraising and development for Project Ezrah, Rabbi Stern left the organization such that its transition has been seamless for its old and new clients. “There is no gap except for the hole in our hearts,” she said. S.L.R.
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employees receive wages nearly double the amount paid to workers in similar establishments; the stores are all closed on Sundays so that families can spend time together; the stores carry no lewd cards, vulgar signs, or shot glasses; and, except for the controversy over the four methods of contraception, the corporation provides an indisputably excellent health-care plan. Rabbi Lefkowitz stressed that the Greens are not seeking to inflict their religious beliefs on anyone. “They are simply asking that they not be forced by the government into acting contrary to their religious conscience,” said Rabbi Lefkowitz. He said it is “alarming” that the administration believes the intent of the free exercise of religion clause in the Constitution exists only to protect “the church or similar religious institutions.” “In the case of the Greens, the administration is precluding the individual’s right to exercise his or her religious conscience. Apparently, to the Obama administration, religion is limited to the brick-and-mortar of a particular structure rather than to the traditional view that it applies to the conscience of each and every citizen,” he said. Orthodox Organizational Response Seven national Orthodox-Jewish organizations agree with Rabbi Lefkowitz. At the end of January, a coalition headed by the National Jewish Commission on Law and Public Affairs (COLPA) filed a friend-of-the-court brief opposing the Obama administration’s position that the federal law protecting religious freedom may not be claimed by owners of corporations or for-profit businesses. The amicus brief, written by Nathan Lewin, was presented on behalf of Agudas Harabbanim, Agudath Israel of America, National Council of Young Israel. Rabbinical Alliance of America, Rabbinical Council of America, Torah Umesorah, and The Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America. According to the brief, the Green family should qualify for protection under the 1993 Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA) which would exempt them from having to pay for contraceptive coverage in their employees’ health plans because the family can establish that such payment is “a substantial burden on the exercise of their religious beliefs” and the government cannot demonstrate “a compelling interest in subjecting their business to
this financial requirement.” According to the brief, the government has no right to base the family’s eligibility for protection under RFRA on whether or not the business is corporate or for-profit. Harming Jewish Americans The brief characterizes the Obama administration’s interpretation of RFRA as “a miserly construction of a remedial statute that was designed to guarantee broadly that governmental regulation would not, directly or indirectly, impede religious freedom.” This interpretation “severely restricts the protection of a law that Congress enacted virtually unanimously in a ringing
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endorsement of religious freedom,” said the brief, adding that the limitations the government seeks to impose on RFRA “can have a particularly harmful impact on Jewish Americans who observe Jewish ritual laws in operating individual or family-owned businesses.” The brief argues that if the government’s position in the Hobby Lobby case is sustained, the religious observances of many Jewish Americans “may be hindered by government regulation simply because they are engaged in for-profit commerce and have chosen, for personal financial security, to operate their businesses in a corporate format.”
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Hobby Lobby Modest Dress and Sabbath Observance The brief informs the court that although “the Jewish faith does not prohibit the financing of contraception,” the legal position taken by the administration nevertheless threatens to curtail religious observances by American Jews. The brief explains that Orthodox-Jewish business-owners have identical religious observances whether their businesses are operated as individually owned proprietorships, family-owned corporations (such as the Green’s Hobby Lobby), or as partnerships. As an example, the brief cited the experience of seven merchants in the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn who, based on religious conviction, posted signs in their stores barring immodest dress. According to the brief, it made no difference to the owners’ religious observance whether or not the businesses operated as corporations.
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continued from page 17 Another example was a case that had been brought against a Sabbath-observing medical clinic in Rockland County, NY. The plaintiffs objected to the fact that the clinic was closed on Saturday. When the owners responded that their religious observance required closing on the Sabbath, the complaint was dismissed. In the Orthodox organizations’ Hobby Lobby amicus brief, Mr. Lewin, who teaches a Columbia University Law School seminar on religious minorities in Supreme Court litigation, said the result of the Rockland County case would have been the same whether the medical facility in question operated as a non-profit or for-profit clinic. “It is important to convey to the Supreme Court that a bad decision in these cases could have a very harmful effect on the religious observances of the American Jewish community. A unified Orthodox response
to this threat was essential,” said Mr. Lewin. Forcing Service Providers Rabbi Lefkowitz agreed, maintaining that the Obama administration’s “narrow definition of religious freedom can have a significant impact on the practice of Judaism as well.” He pointed to cases in which service providers have been prosecuted for refusing clients whose lifestyles were at odds with the service providers’ religious beliefs. A devoutly Christian florist, for example, was recently prosecuted for refusing to provide flower arrangements for a homosexual wedding even though there were other florists in the area who had no such compunctions. “All we need do is substitute Christian florist with Orthodox, glatt kosher caterer. Not only would the Jewish caterer be forced to provide his services and cater the reception, the kosher certifying agency would be similarly forced to require mashgichim to be present and readily available to guests. Cards indicating that the reception was under the certifying agency would be conspicuously displayed on every table. Would not those in attendance, or even a casual passerby, assume that the certifying agency approved of the wedding itself?” said Rabbi Lefkowitz. Clergy He suggested that laws
refusing to take individual’s religious beliefs into consideration could extend to officiating clergymen. In many parts of the United States, a rabbi cannot legally perform a wedding unless he is a registered justice of the peace. Rabbi Lefkowitz wondered if an Orthodox rabbi who is also a justice of the peace, an agent of the government, is now legally entitled to refuse his services in the performance of a gay marriage. He wondered if the courts would rule that homosexual men have the legal right to demand equal treatment by the rabbi who would happily serve as officiant at the wedding of a Jewish man and woman. “The possibilities for the intrusion of the State into Jewish religious practice and observance are endless if the Obama administration’s definition of religious freedom as limited to a brickand-mortar building, a church, mosque, ashram, or synagogue, is allowed to stand,” he said. He recognized that many religious leaders who oppose the government’s positions in the Hobby Lobby case do not necessarily share the Green Family’s Christian view on abortion. “However, I think we all understand, as I stated at a rally for religious freedom in downtown Chicago over a year ago: ‘An attack on one religion is an attack on every religion,’” he said. S.L.R.
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Groggers, Puppets, and Colorful Popcorn for Purim Author, artist, and illustrator Ann D.
Koffsky has creative ideas, especially for children, that can work for anytime at all, but they are especially useful for holidays. For example, she says, children can make their own groggers using Mod Podge to make a collage on tin boxes, such as Altoid tins. At the Hebrew Academy of Nassau County, where the West Hempstead resident teaches, her seventh-grade girls made the collages from cut-up magazine pictures, rhinestones, buttons, and anything else they could get their hands on. Once the tins were dry, corn kernels were put inside so that they could to rattle loud enough to drown out Haman’s name. “And give one a headache, too,” Ms. Koffsky added. She especially liked that after Purim, the tins—minus the corn kernels—morphed into little jewelry boxes. Simple Groggers and Puppets Another Purim idea, which she credits to the adorably named ChallahCrumbs. com, is to put colorful button-shaped candies, such as M&Ms, into a container that little ones (who are old enough not to choke on them) can shake—and easily open. Ms. Koffsky is convinced the problem of keeping little ones quiet during the Megillah reading can be solved with this “multi-tasking” grogger that allows them to munch away until the grogger is empty. Even easier is to use a plain box of pasta shells or any packaged food that will make noise—but not break open— when shaken. Use it as a grogger and then, after Purim, donate it to a food pantry or shelter. For the youngest children, she suggests decorating plain paper bags (lunchbag size is best) to serve as vehicles for mishloach manot. While the finger-puppet Purim puppets work well wrapped around young fingers, Ms. Koffsky especially liked wrapping them around cardboard tubes, such as those for toilet paper or paper towels. She suggested making enlargements of the outlines reproduced here. They can then be cut out, decorated, and finally glued to the rolls, which can also be decorated. Colorful Popcorn Colorful popcorn is wonderful way to color-coordinate a mishloach manot package, she says. The important part is
to start with only white popcorn, whether home-popped or store-bought. You’ll need: 14 cups of popper popcorn 2 cups sugar ¼ cup (about ½ box) gelatin dessert powder ½ cup water 1 Tbs oil ¼ tsp baking soda Preheat oven to 250º and line two baking sheets with foil. Place the popped popcorn in a large bowl and set aside. In a medium saucepan over high heat, combine the sugar, gelatin dessert powder, water, and oil. Bring to a boil. When it boils, cook for 4 minutes which stirring, although you should swirl the pot occasionally. Remove from heat and add baking soda. Pour over the popcorn and toss to well coat. Work quickly as the liq-
uid will dry up. Spread popcorn out on both prepared baking sheets. Bake for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Remove from oven and cool slightly before serving. Use strawberry or cherry gelatin powder for pink popcorn; berry or unflavored gelatin powder with 3 drops of blue food coloring for blue. Use lime gelatin powder for green, but if the color is too light, add one drop of green coloring. To make orange popcorn, start with yellow store-bought popcorn and use orange gelatin powder. Fill plastic 9 oz tumblers with the popcorn, put them into cellophane bags, and tie with bows. For more wonderful ideas, check out AnnKoffsky.com. Her most recent book is “Frogs in the Bed,” based on the song by Shirley Cohen Steinberg. But more about that next month. S.L.R.
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March 2014 / Adar II 5774
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Just in Time for Purim Purim Costume Gemach, all costumes are free but a donation would be appreciated (but not required), njcostumegemach@ gmail.com
Shabbat, March 8
Shabbat with Yeshiva University: “From Har Sinai to Purim—What Changed?” Rabbi Lawrence Hajioff, Cong Etz Chaim, Livingston, 10:30am, 973-597-1655 “Hadas Zu Esther: Sense of Smell in the Megillah,” Rabbi Meir Goldwicht, Cong Ahavas Achim, Highland Park, 4:30pm, 732-247-0532
Sun., March 9
“Esther’s Brilliant Plan: The Megillah and Psych 101,” Rabbi Yitzchak Etshalom, includes breakfast, Cong Ohav Emeth, Highland Park, breakfast, 8:45am; talk, 9:30am, forsang@juno.com Hamantashen Baking, for youth, includes a chesed component, Cong Ahawas Achim Bnai Jacob and David, West Orange, 10am, aabjdyouthdirectors@gmail.com Children’s Purim Play: “Not Ready for Prime Time Players: A Different Kind of Dress-Up Drama,” Benny Berlin, Jewish Center of Teaneck, 10am, 201-833-0515 Pre-Purim Carnival, includes dairy lunch, carnival games, a magician and clown, obstacle course, balloon animals, face-painting, spin art, three giant moon bounces and more, Cong Shomrei Torah, Fair Lawn, 10:30am-1pm, cmimon@aol.com Cooking for Purim Mishloach Manot, in Hebrew, for parents and children ages 3-8, Chef Ayelet Nathaniel, JCC, Tenafly, 11am, 201-569-7900
Purim Carnival, Cong Netivot Shalom, Teaneck, 11am, info@ netivotshalomnj.org Packing Mishloach Manot for Project Ezrah, at Ben Porat Yosef, Paramus, 11:30am-4:30pm, 201-569-9047 Purim Carnival, includes bouncy houses, games, food, prizes, and more, costumes encouraged, Bayonne JCC, 12-3pm, 201-436-6900 Purim Palooza, performances, bounce house, arts and crafts, face-painting, food, JCC Rockland, West Nyack, 1-3pm, 845-362-4400 Purim Carnival, includes inflatable mountain climber, baseball speed pitch, petting zoo, GaGa (Israeli dodge ball), face-painting, hair-braiding, music, and food, JCC, Bridgewater, 1-4pm, 908725-6994 ext 201 Purim Puppet Making, for Pre-K-4th grade, includes pizza dinner, Cong Rinat Yisrael, Teaneck, 4:30pm, 201-837-2795 Pre-Purim Clothing Swap and Manicure for a Cure,” spons by Rutgers Hillel, New Brunswick, 5-9pm, 732-545-2407 Hamentashen Contest and Pre-Purim Party, includes kosher dairy dinner, games, and celebration, Moshe House, Hoboken, 6pm, moishehousehoboken@gmail.com
“If You Can’t Beat ‘Em, Join ‘Em: Can an Amalekite Convert?” Rabbi Yaakov Feit, Cong Ahavas Achim, Highland Park, 8pm, 732-247-0532
Pre-Purim Learning, Rabbi Yaakov Weinstein, Young Israel of East Brunswick, 9:30pm, 732-254-1860
Shake-and-Donate, wave groggers made from boxes of pasta or any packaged food that won’t break and, after Purim, donate it to a local food pantry or shelter, 281-520-1552 Megillah and Youth BlowOut Purim Carnival, Riverdale Jewish Center, Megillah readings, 7:55pm, 8:05pm, 8:25pm, and 10pm; carnival, 9pm, 718-548-1850 Purim Chagigah, includes Megillah reading, food, and Chinese Auction, spons by Cong Ahavat Shalom of the Teaneck Apartments, private location in Teaneck, 8pm, board@teaneckapartments.com Purimania, includes Megillah reading, magic shows, and prizes to children who come in costume, Chabad of Riverdale, 8pm, 718-549-1100 Purim Hawaiian Carnival,
Mon., March 10
Tues., March 11
Purim Holiday Story Time, in English and Hebrew, for children age 3 and under and a caretaker, JCC, Tenafly, 9:30am, 201-569-7900
Wed., March 12
Pre-Purim Carnival, Cong Shomrei Torah Nursery School, 11am, lsnspreschool@gmail.com Mini Chef’s Purim Cooking Class, for boys and girls ages 2-7, Chani Gurkov, Chabad Center, Wayne, 4:30pm, 973-694-6274 Pre-Purim Graduate Student Party, Rutgers Hillel, New Brunswick, 6-8pm, 732-545-2407
Thurs., March 13 The Fast of Esther
Pre-Purim Bake Sale, at Ma’ayanot Yeshiva High School for Girls, Teaneck, 10am-6pm, cpolonetsky@yahoo.com “Achashverirosh: A Silly Fool or Master Manipulator?” Rebecca Belizon, Cong Bnai Yeshurun, Teaneck, 10:30am, 201-836-8916 Purim Shiur, for seniors, JCC, Tenafly, 11:15am, 201-408-1455
Fri., March 14
Last Day to Bring Food Packages for Purim to Feed the Hungry, Hebrew Institute of Riverdale, March 14, 718-796-4730 Purim Luncheon and Costume Party, for seniors, Riverdale YMHA, 11:45am, 718-548-8200
Motzei Shabbat, March 15 Purim
Cong Rinat Yisrael, Teaneck, includes Megillah reading (with Purim children’s magic show), 8pm, renazelig@gmail.com Women’s Megillah Reading, followed by Zumba dancing and a light dairy potluck, costumes and exercise clothes, private home in Fair Lawn, 8:15pm, 973-856-2263 Teen Purim Bash, with Sebastian the Mind Reader, Chabad of Cherry Hill, 8:15pm, 856-874-1500 Grand Purim Celebration, includes Megillah reading, party, and children’s masquerade, Chabad Center of Northwest NJ, Rockaway, 8:15pm, 973-625-1525 ext 202 Grand Purim Festival, for families, multi-media Megillah reading, live music, refreshments, costume contest, and raffle, Chabad JCC, New City, 8:15pm, 845-634-0951 Purim Mania: Rocking Out with Beatle Songs, come dressed as a Beatle, a Beatle song, or anything reminiscent of the 1960s, Cong Shaarey Israel, Montebello, Megillah reading followed by party, 8:15pm, 845-369-0300 Purim Extravaganza, Cong Ahavas Achim, Highland Park, Megillah Reading and children’s program, 8:15pm, community-wide party, 9:15pm, 732-247-0532 Purim Party, includes activities for children, Cong Shomrei Emunah, Englewood, after the Megillah reading, 201-567-9420 A Magical Purim, includes magic, ventriloquism, illusion, escape artistry, mind-reading, humor, pantomime, and audience participation with The Amazing Cardone, spons by Friends of Lubavitch of Bergen County, at the Thomas Jefferson Middle School, Teaneck, Megillah reading (separate children’s room), 8:30pm; dessert buffet, 9pm; show, 9:30pm, 201-907-0686 Purim Italian Masquerade Ball, includes dairy Italian food, special entertainment for children, dancing and costume contest with prizes for all ages, Elmora Ave Shul of the Jewish Educational Centeer, 8:30pm, 908-220-1554 Purim in Space: Megillah Reading and Party, bring a small (but noisy) box of pasta or rice (boxes only, no bags), to use as a
http://jewishvoiceandopinion.com grogger and then donate to the Food Pantry of the Bronx Jewish Community Council, Hebrew Institute of Riverdale, 8:30pm; party and performance of Chicago City Limits, 10pm; late Megillah reading, 10:30pm, 718-796-4730 Purim Carnival, featuring food, games, balloon artist, and music by Jeff Wilks, Cong Ohav Emeth, Highland Park, Megillah reading, 8:45pm (babysitting available) and 10:15pm; carnival, 9:30pm, 732-247-3038 Sober Purim, for teens and young people, JACS, Manhattan, 9pm, 212-632-4727 Grand Purim Ball, includes live music, refreshments, masquerade contest, spons by Chabad of West Orange and Cong Ohr Torah, at Ohr Torah, West Orange, 9pm, 973-325-6311 Saturday Night Live, for young Jewish adults, Rabbi Moshe Schapiro, Chabad of Hoboken, 9:30pm, 201-562-7116 Purim Chagigah,, music by Eitan Katz, dancing, food, costumes, spons by Heichel HaTorah, at the Jewish Center of Teaneck, 9:30pm, 201-335-0633 Purim Theater: “The Sound of Mussaf,” with David Hurwitz and The Not-Yet-Ready-for-CholHamoed Players, includes refreshments and separate seating, Cong Ahavas Israel, Passaic, 10pm, 973777-5929 ext 2 Purim Night Learning, followed by Melave Malka, Passaic Torah Institute, 10:20pm, 973-594-4774
Sun., March 16 Purim
Davening and Bikur Cholim at Daughters of Miriam in Clifton, meet at Cong Shomrei Torah, Fair Lawn, 8:15am; davening, followed by breakfast and bikur cholim, 8:45am, samapprais@aim.com Megillah Reading for Women, bring your own megillahs, costumes, and groggers, JCC, West Orange, 9am, bhindin2002@yahoo.com Purim Day Party, includes Megillah reading, bagel breakfast, and comedy clown show, Chabad of West Orange, 9am, 973-325-6311 Purim Extravaganza, for families with special-needs chil-
March 2014 / Adar II 5774
dren and volunteers in grades 6 and up, includes breakfast, Megillah readings, magic show, and crafts, spons by the Friendship Circle, Cong Rinat Yisrael, Teaneck, 9:30am, 201-262-7172 Purim Bash, for special-needs children and their families, spons by the Friendship Circle, at the Joseph Kushner Hebrew Academy, Livingston, 9:30, estyg@fcnj.com Purim Carnival, includes games, blowups, and treats, Cong Israel of Springfield, 10am-1pm, Kevin.miretzky@gmail.com Purim Bash, Chabad Center, Cherry Hill, Megillah with simultaneous slide show of the Purim story, 10am; Purim dairy brunch, 10:45am; “Something Ridiculous” with VonJon Acrobats and Jugglers, 11:15am, 856-874-1500 Purim Puppet Theater, for pre-schoolers, by Hagit, includes mini-Megillah reading, mishloach manot exchange, and masquerade, Chabad of Riverdale, 10:15am, 718-549-1100 Mexican Purim Fiesta, includes Mexican buffet, maraca decorating, kosher piñata, masquerade with prizes, Chabad Jewish Center, Basking Ridge, Megillah reading, 10:30am; party, 11am, 908-604-8844 ext 229 Women’s Megillah Reading, Jewish Center of Teaneck, 11am, 201-833-0515 PurimFest Carnival, includes inflatables, mechanical bull, race cars, video-to-go arcade, photo booth, interactive shows, arts and crafts, and food, Young Israel of East Brunswick, 11am-3pm, 732-257-7070 A Sciencetellers Purim: “The Bugs of Blackwood,” for families, prizes for the three most unique costumes, Cong Ahavat Achim, Fair Lawn, 11:15am, 201791-1860 Purim Carnival, Riverdale YMHA, gym with inflatables, 11:30am-12:30pm; lunch, 11:45am1pm; Purim Creative, including music, dance, prizes, noisemaker building, and face-painting, 12:451:30pm, 718-548-8200 Family Purim Carnival, includes train rides, inflatables, crafts, games, prizes, character visits, JCC, Tenafly, for children with special needs, 12 noon; carnival, 1pm; costume parade and Megillah
The Jewish Voice and Opinion
show, 2:45pm; dark room/tunnel experience, 3-4pm, 201-408-1484 Youth Purim Carnival: Purim in Space, Hebrew Institute of Riverdale, 12:30-2:30pm, 718796-4730 Areyvut Mitzvah Clown Session, for students 6th grade and up and adults, CareOne, Teaneck, 1:30pm, 201-244-6702 Purim in Musical Land, includes magic and music by Imagination Playhouse, buffet dinner, hamantashen, balloon sculpting, face-painting, open bar (for adults), spons by Chabad of Hoboken, at the Boys and Girls Club, Hoboken, 3-6pm, 201-386-5222 Purim in the Shtetl, includes the Bottle Dancers USA, buffet dinner, booths, Purim crafts, and Klezmer music, Chabad of Fort Lee, Megillah reading, 3:30pm; program, 4:15pm, chayag@chabadfortlee.com Purim on the Lake, includes live music and dancing, full-course Purim feast, magician, and ventriloquist, spons by Chabad of Northwest NJ, at the White Meadow Lake Clubhouse, Rockaway, Megillah reading, 3:45pm; feast, 4:30pm, 973-625-1525 ext 202 Purim in the Wild West, in-
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cludes western buffet, magic show, western-themed masquerade, Chabad House, Ventnor, Megillah reading, 5pm; party, 5:30pm, 609-822-8500 Purim Seudah with Beatles Purim Shpiel, Cong Sons of Israel, Manalapan, 5pm, 732-446-3000 Purim in the Jungle, featuring interactive drum circle, caricature artist, tropical treats, and prizes for those in a jungle costume, Chabad JCC, New City, 6pm, 845-634-0951 Purim the Holy Land, featuring Israeli cuisine and costumes, children are invited to share drawings, essays, and paintings on “Why I Love the Holy Land,” cards will be sent to IDF soldiers, Chabad of Riverdale, 6pm, 718-549-1100 Purim Party, for Friendship Circle Teen Volunteers, at the Friendship Circle, Livingston, 6pm, 973-251-0200
Mon., March 17 Shushan Purim
Bowling Shoe-Shine-a-Thon, spons by Cong Ohav Emeth of Highland Park, bowlers asked to sponsor Rabbi Eliyahu Kaufman, at Majestic Lanes, Hopelawn/Perth Amboy, 2pm, 732-247-3038 or 732826-6800 Y
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March 2014 / Adar II 5774
Do It Now
Check Out Jewish National Fund’s Alternative Spring Break: Free 7-Day Trip to Israel, for college students and young adults ages 18-30, 212-879-9305 ext 245 The Israel-American Council has opened registration for Sifriyat Pijama B’America for IsraeliAmerican families with children ages 2-8. The first 15,000 families to register will receive free monthly Hebrew children’s books geared to foster affinity for and knowledge of Jewish values while connecting to Israel. www.israeliamerican.org and http://www.sp-ba.org/freestoryly-subscription Registration is open for the Orthodox Union’s Israel Free Spirit Program, a free Birthright trip to Israel for Jewish men and women, 18-26, even if they have been to Israel before with organized groups. Niche trips can be arranged to accommodate special interests, such as trips with Broadway performers, sports players, Congressmen, and business executives. Call 212-613-8299
Shabbat, March 8
Rabbi Hayyim Angel, scholarin-residence, Cong Shaarei Orah, The Sephardic Congregation of Teaneck, “The Sephardic Model - It’s Good for the Jews,” 10:30am; “Comparing Sephardic and Ashkenazic Liturgy,” 5:45pm, 201-833-0800 “Halachic Parameters for the Recitation of Hallel,” Rabbi Avishai David, Cong Rinat Yisrael, Teaneck, 10:30am and 5:20pm, 201-837-2795 Women’s Shiur, Aviva Orlian, Cong Knesses Yisrael, New Hempstead, 3:45pm, 845-364-0572 or knesses_yisrael@yahoo.com Pearls of Prayer, for girls, includes seudah shlishit, Riverdale Jewish Center, after mincha, 718-548-1850 Family Seuda Shlishit, includes meal with singing, Divrei Torah, kid-friendly food, Ma’ariv and musical Havdala, Cong Ahawas Achim Bnai Jacob and David, West Orange, 4:30pm, 973-736-1407 Rabbi Meir Goldwicht, Cong Ohav Emeth, Highland Park, seudah shlishit, 6pm, 732-247-3038 “Gittin, Get Refusal, and Un-
derstanding the Pre- and PostNuptial Agreement,” Rabbi Steven Exler, Hebrew Institute of Riverdale, between mincha and ma’ariv, 718-796-4730
Motzei Shabbat, March 8
Saturday Night Live, for special-needs children, spons by The Friendship Circle, Chabad House, Wayne, 7:30pm, 973-694-6274 Tiferes Chofetz Chaim Heritage Foundation, for women, inspirational video, private home in Edison, 7:45pm, Siegelmom@ optonline.net “Iran, Syria, WMDs, and the Legality of Preemptive Strikes,” Jerusalem Post Legal Affairs Correspondent Jeremy Bob, Hebrew Institute of Riverdale, 8pm, 718-796-4730 Ma’ayanot Yeshiva High School for Girls Scholarship Dinner, honoring Mark and Bracha Bluman, Ernie and Sallie Levi, and Abbie Rabin, at Cong Keter Torah, Teaneck, 8pm, 201-833-4307 ext 265 “Iran, Syria, WMDs, and the Legality of Preemptive Strikes,” Jerusalem Post’s Jeremy Bob, Hebrew Institute of Riverdale, 8pm, 718-796-4730 Bnai Jazz in Concert, featuring Dave Scher, guitar; Steve Wien, bass; Ray Butler, keyboard; Josh Marcus, vocals; and Seth Chosak, percussion, at Tavlin Kosher Restaurant, Tenafly, 8pm, 201-871-6060 Wine Tasting Socializing and “Meet the Shadchan,” for young professionals 25-35, Riverdale Jewish Center, 8pm, tamtzvi@aol.com Edon Pinchot, in concert, Cong Ahavath Torah, Englewood, 8pm, 201-568-1315 Wine Sale, Cong Etz Chaim, Livingston, 8pm, 973-597-1655 Cake-Pop Decorating Class, for women, Cong Ahavas Achim, Highland Park, 8pm, 732-247-0532 Zayin Adar Dinner, with Rabbi Jonathan Shippel and siyyum Mishnayos Moed and Nashim in memory of members who have passed away since last year, Cong Shomrei Torah, Fair Lawn, 8:15pm, 717-580-0165 “Tiny Dynamo: How One of the Smallest Countries Is Producing Some of Our Most Important Inventions,” Marcella Rose, JCC, Tenafly, 8:30pm, 201-408-1427
Tell Our Advertisers “I Saw It in The Jewish Voice and Opinion”
“An Evening of Nostalgia,” spons by AMIT, honoring Joan Soskin, with AMIT executive VP Andrew Goldsmith, includes film: “Hava Nagila,” Simcha dancing with Sharon Rothchild, silent auction, and food, Community Synagogue of Monsey, 8:30pm, 212-477-5465 Wine and Cheese Tasting, featuring wines from the Tura Estate Winery in the Shomron, Cong Ohav Emeth, Highland Park, 8:30pm, 732-247-3038 “A Night of Art with a Jewish Theme,” includes wine and cheese, Cong Ahavat Achim, Fair Lawn, 8:30pm, ajriskin@aol.com “A Financial Guide to Aliyah and Life in Israel, including Excellent Investment Opportunities in Economically Sound Israel and Suggestions on How to Improve Portfolio Diversification While Supporting the State of Israel,” Baruch Labinsky, Cong Beth Aaron, Teaneck, 8:30pm, financialguide@ labinsky.com or 201-836-6210 Paint Night and Wine-Tasting for Chessed, to benefit Chessed 24/7 which provides hospitality and bikur cholim rooms in Bergen County hospitals, private home in Monsey, 8:30pm, rsvp@chesed247. org or arosenfeld@josephjacobs.org Gaby and the Zemiros Choir, in concert, ASHAR, New City, 8:30pm, gewirtzj@optonline.net
Sun., March 9
Siyum Mishnayot and Chevra Kadisha Breakfast, Riverdale Jewish Center, 8:30am, 718-548-1850 or 201-220-8865 “Instilling Jewish Values to Raise Resilient, Responsible and Independent Children: Peer Pressure, Setting Limits, School/Parent Relationships, Raising Religious Children in a Secular World, Behavior Modeling, and the Digital Age,” Dr. Jonathan Lasson, Rabbi Joshua Levy, Lauren Roth, LSW, Rabbi Tzvi Sinensky, and Yossi Sirote, LCSW, spons by the OU, Cong Sons of Israel, Cherry Hill, 9am, 212-613-8300 Chevra Kadisha Breakfast: “How to Survive Death: Meiri’s View,” Dr. Gershon Stern, Riverdale Jewish Center, 9am, 718-548-1850 Breakfast Reception for Vaad L’Hatzolas Nidchei Yisro-
The Log:
el, to help Russian Jews in Russia and abroad, with Rav Matisyahu Salomon, private home in Highland Park, 9:30am, 732-985-6378 Teleconference: Bilvavi Mishkan Evneh: Chaburah on the Energies of the Chodesh, for women, Rabbi Itamar Schwartz, 9:30am, 973-246-5223 “To Be a Jew in the Free World: To Struggle for Identity in Modern Times—Purpose for All Mankind,” Rabbi Levi Shemtov, Chabad of Riverdale, 9:45am, 718-549-1100 Jewish Educational Center Elmora Ave Shul Sisterhood Spring Boutique, includes clothes, jewelry, books, etc, at the JEC, Elizabeth, 10am-3pm, Debbie@ sarasohn.com Areyvut Mitzvah Clown Session, for students and adults in 6th grade and up, Jewish Home at Rockleigh, 10:30am, 201-244-6702 Beyond Bar Mitzvah Club, for boys in grade 8, Rabbi Yitzchok Kahan, Chabad Center, Cherry Hill, 12 noon, 856-874-1500 Ametz Adoption Program, for adoptive parents or parentsto-be, Marci Schwartz, MSW, includes childcare, Nanuet Hebrew Center, 1:30pm, 212-558-9949 Good Deeds Day: Community-Wide Mega Food Drive, Jewish Federation, Paramus, 2-4pm, 201-820-3948 Trip to the Big Apple Circus: “Luminocity,” in Bridgewater, leave Cong Ohr Torah, Edison, 3:15pm, marcgberg@verizon.net Karate Circle, for specialneeds children ages 5-12 and their siblings, spons by the Friendship Circle, at Kang’s Martial Arts Center, Teaneck, 4pm, 201-262-7172 Mitzvah Volunteer Program Finale, for boys and girls in 6th grade who want to work with special-needs children, spons by the Friendship Circle, Kang’s Martial Arts, Teaneck, 4pm, 201-262-7172 Bat Mitzvah Club International, for girls ages 11-13 from throughout NJ and NY, Chaya Kanelsky, private home in Elizabeth, 4pm, 908-463-3347 or 908-662-2722 Bat Mitzvah Club, for girls in grades 5-6, Shterna Kaminker, Chabad House, Cherry Hill, 5pm, 856-874-1500
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March 2014 / Adar II 5774
The Jewish Voice and Opinion
“Separate Yourself Not from the Community”
Cong Ahawas Achim Bnai Jacob and David Dinner, honoring Mindy and Kenny Saibel, Natalie and Robert Lichtman, Feigy and Josh Cantor, Sarah and David (z”l) Katz, and Toby (z”l) and Harry Katz, Wilshire Grand Hotel, West Orange, 5:30pm, 973-736-1407 Yeshiva Gedola of Passaic Dinner, honoring Mr. and Mrs. Moshe Leib Stern, Rabbi Yonoson and Janice Horowitz, Mr. and Mrs. Sam Friedland, Mr. and Mrs. Martin Lovy, and Rabbi and Mrs. Yoseph Rothschild, Sheraton Meadowlands, East Rutherford, 5:30pm, 973-472-6100 Sen Chris Coons (D-DE), spons by NORPAC, private home in Riverdale, 5:30pm, 201-788-5133 Beyond Bat Mitzvah Club, Shterna Kaminker, for girls in grade 7, Chabad Center, Cherry Hill, 6:30pm, 856-874-1500 “Ladies Got Talent: An AllFemale Talent Show,” for women, Mt. Sinai Jewish Center, Washington Hts, Manhattan, 7pm, 212-568-1900 or Ladiesgottalent@gmail.com Auditions for Fiddler on the Roof, for all ages, need actors to play characters from age
2013 Program was Sold Out!
7 to 60, come prepared to sing either a capella or bring accompaniment, Riverdale YMHA, 7-9pm, 718-548-8200 ext 208 or LWalton@riverdaley.org Wine and Cheese Tasting, with sommelier Zev Bornstein, Cong Etz Ahaim, Highland Park, 7pm, 732-247-3839 Rockland and Bergen County Adoptive Families Meet-Up and Support Group, for those who have already adopted or are in the process of adopting, internationally and domestically, private home, 7:30pm, www. meetup.com/Rockland-and-Bergen-Adoptive-Families Composer and Singer Rebecca Teplow in Concert: “Tfillot/Prayers and Kaveh/Hope,” JCC, Tenafly, 7:30pm, 201-408-1418 Hadassah Book Club: “No Joke: Making Jewish Humor” by Ruth Wisse, private home in Highland Park, 7:30pm, 732-545-3147 “To Be a Jew in the Free World: To Struggle for Identity in Modern Times—Purpose for All Mankind,” Rabbi Avrohom Bergstein, Anshe Lubavitch Congrega-
tion, Fair Lawn, 8pm, 718-839-5296 Pirkei Avot, student run and led, Rutgers Hillel, New Brunswick, 9pm, 732-545-2407
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tors to play characters from age 7 to 60, come prepared to sing either a capella or bring accompaniment, Riverdale YMHA, 6:309:30pm, 718-548-8200 ext 208 or LWalton@riverdaley.org Caregivers Support Group, for those caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s disease, JCC, Tenafly, 7pm, 201-569-7900 Chabad Women’s Connection: “Learning, Conversation, and Camaraderie: Food—The Avenue to Our Soul,” for women, Malkie Herson, Chabad Jewish Center, Basking Ridge, 7:30pm, mherson@aol.com Film: “Gloomy Sunday,” discussion with Harold Chapler, JCC, Tenafly, 7:30pm, 201-569-7900 “To Be a Jew in the Free World: To Struggle for Identity in Modern Times—Purpose for All Mankind,” Rabbi Mendy Kasowitz, Chabad of West Orange, 7:30pm, 973-486-2362; Rabbi Dov Drizin, Valley Chabad, Woodcliff Lake, 8pm, 201-476-0157 Support Group for Parents of Young Adults with Disabilities in Transition, Chani Herrmann,
Mon, March 10
Deadline to Submit Art for the Artists Contest: “Water: The Essence of Our Lives,” Tell a story about water through your art, for artists from North Jersey and Nahariya, Israel, 201-820-3908 Last Day to Order Matzos through Congregation Knesses Yisroel, Spring Valley, from the Beit Shemesh Bakery, 845-642-0451 Megilat Esther, for women, Rabbi Steven Pruzansky, Cong Bnai Yeshurun, Teaneck, 11am, 201-836-8916 Meeting and Kosher Sushi, Rabbi Ely Allen, Ramapo College Hillel, Student Center, Mahwah, 1pm, 201-820-3905 Friendship Circle Banquet, honoring Dr. Andrew and Barbara Hutter, Susanne and Steve Newmark, Lynn and Edward Walsh, and the Regal Bank, at the Friendship Circle, Livingston, 5pm, 973-251-0200 Auditions for Fiddler on the Roof, for all ages, need ac-
continued on page 26
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The Log
March 2014 / Adar II 5774
Tell Our Advertisers “I Saw It in The Jewish Voice and Opinion”
continued from page 25
Yachad office, Teaneck, 9:15pm, eve@yudel.com
Tues., March 11
Caregivers Support Group, for those caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s disease, JCC, Tenafly, 10:30am, 201-569-7900 Café Europa, for Holocaust survivors, featuring lunch and children’s choir, spons by the Jewish Family Service of North Jersey, transportation available, Fair Lawn Jewish Center, 11am, 201-897-0069 “A Salute to Broadway,” Daniel Yates, Cong Ahawas Achim Bnai Jacob and David, West Orange, 11:15am, 973-736-1407 ext 240 Meeting and Kosher Sushi, Rabbi Ely Allen, William Paterson University Hillel, Commons Room, Wayne, 12:45pm, 201-820-3905 Mitzvah Day, for specialneeds children, spons by the Friendship Circle, Moriah School of Englewood, 5:30pm, 201-262-7172 Auditions for Fiddler on the Roof, for all ages, need actors to play characters from age 7 to 60, come prepared to sing either a capella or bring accompaniment, Riverdale YMHA, 6:309:30pm, 718-548-8200 ext 208 or LWalton@riverdaley.org Ben Porat Yosef Dinner, honoring Jodi and Shaul Cohen, Gail and Ken Fried, Judy Heicklen, and Dina and David and Beryl Niewood, and celebrating BPY’s first graduating class of 8th grade students, at Cong Keter Torah, Teaneck, 7pm, 201-845-5007 “To Be a Jew in the Free World: To Struggle for Identity in Modern Times—Purpose for All Mankind,” 7:30pm, Rabbi Meir Konikov, Chabad of Fort Lee,
201-886-1238; Chabad of Nyack, 845-356-6686 “Israel, Peace, and the Middle East,” The Jerusalem Post’s Carolyn Glick, spons by Rutgers Hillel, Brower Commons Faculty Dining Room, Rutgers, New Brunswick, 8pm, 732-545-2407 “What Is It Like to Be a Prophet? Delivering and Composing the Word of Hashem, Seen through the Lens of Sefer Yonah,” for men and women, Rabbi Jeremy Donath, Cong Darchei Noam, Fair Lawn, 8:15pm, 201-773-4080
Wed., March 12
Hudson County’s Jewish Business Networking for Jewish Professionals, CASE Museum, Jersey City, 8:30am, 908-347-8089 “When You Are Not in the Mood of Your Spouse,” includes film: “Mamadrama: The Jewish Mother in Cinema,” Rabbi Avrohom Rapoport, JCC, Margate, 10:30am, 609-822-1167 ext 138 JCC MetroWest Book Club: “The Invisible Wall” by Harry Bernstein, The Woodlands Clubhouse, West Orange, 11am, 973-530-3421 “The Life of Albert Einstein,” Sam Marder, Riverdale YMHA, 1:15pm, 718-548-8200 Cooking Circle, for special-needs children, spons by the Friendship Circle, Golda Och Academy, West Orange, 4:30pm, 973-251-0200 “Israel, Peace, and the Middle East,” The Jerusalem Post’s Carolyn Glick, Joseph Kushner Hebrew Academy, Livingston, 7pm, 732-545-2407 Abused Women’s Confidential Support Group, Jewish Family Service, Teaneck, 7:15pm,
201-837-9090 Mom’s Support Group, for mothers of children with special needs, Beth Giladi, LSW, spons by Jewish Family Service, JCC, West Orange, 7:30pm, 973-765-9050 or 973-929-3129 “Answering Antisemitism: The Jewish Response to Prejudice,” for women, Dinie Mangel, Chabad in Cherry Hill, 7:30pm, 856-874-1500 “Fiddler’s Fortunes: The Mighty Afterlife of a Broadway Musical,” Alisa Solomon, spons by the Bildner Center for the Study of Jewish Life, at the Douglass Campus Center, New Brunswick, 7:30pm, 848-932-2033 “To Be a Jew in the Free World: To Struggle for Identity in Modern Times—Purpose for All Mankind,” Rabbi Mendel Mangel, Chabad of Cherry Hill, 7:30pm, 856874-1500; Rabbi Chanoch Kaplan, Chabad House, Franklin Lakes, 8pm, 201-848-0449 Jewish Speed Meeting, Rutgers Hillel, New Brunswick, 8-10pm, 732-545-2407 Tehillim Group, Cong Shaare Tefillah, Teaneck, 8:15pm, 201-2895474, 917-902-9303, or 201-836-3431
Thurs., March 13 The Fast of Ester
“Poles and Jews during World War II,” featuring “The Holocaust: Its Destructive Past and Its Dangerous Future,” “Jan Karski: A Catholic in the Holocaust,” and “How to Approach Jedwabne,” Rev Dr. Dennis McManus and Monika Rice, Seton Hall University, 9am3pm, 973-761-9751 Somaich Achim Jewish Family Services Food Pantry Program non-perishable food and consumer items and produce available free of charge or for a nominal fee, volunteers needed, too, Cong Adas Israel, Passaic, 9:30am-1:30pm; 8-9pm, 973-246-7717 “Ethical Issues in Organ Transplantation,” Dr. Kenneth Prager, JCC, Tenafly, 1pm, 201408-1454 Hair Donation and Fundraising Event to Benefit Zichron Menachem of Israel, at Blush Salon, Englewood, 4-8pm, 201568-2221 or 201-836-8173
“My Family Story: A Collaboration with Beit Hatzfutzot Israel,” in English and Hebrew, for ages 11-13, JCC, Tenafly, 5pm, 201-408-1427 Shvitz Series: Dancing to Horas, Debkas, Modern and Classical Israeli Music, Tammy Resnikoff, Cong Ahawas Achim Bnai Jacob and David, West Orange, 6pm, 973-736-1407 or 973-945-6395 JCC MetroWest Book Club: “The Invisible Wall” by Harry Bernstein, JCC, West Orange, 7:30pm, 973-530-3421
Fri., March 14
Deadline to Submit an Entry to the Abe Oster Teen Poetry Slam Competition for Holocaust Remembrance: create an original 3-minute (maximum) videotaped poem or narrative monologue (performance poetry) that, when performed, communicates the relevance of the Holocaust in the 21st century; first prize, $1,000; second prize, $500; and Honorable Mention, spons by the JCC on the Palisades, Tenafly, 201-408-1426 “Answering Antisemitism: The Jewish Response to Prejudice—The Jews Don’t Fit In,” Rabbi Avrohom Rapoport, spons by Chabad at the Shore, at the Egg Harbor Twnshp Library, 12:15pm, 609-822-8500 Shabbos Zachor Oneg, spons by the Young Israel of PassaicClifton, private home in Passaic, 9pm, info@yipc.org
Shabbat, March 15
Shabbat Chazzanut, Chazzan Netanel Hershtik and the Hamptons Synagogue Choir, conducted by Izchak Haimov, Young Israel of Teaneck, pres@yiot.org Educational Prayer Service, spons by the Jewish Learning Experience, includes discussions and commentary, prayers in English and Hebrew transliteration, at Cong Zichron Mordechai, Teaneck, 9:45am, 201-966-4498 or 201-836-4334 Hebrew Institute of Riverdale, Rabbi Yehuda Sarna, 10:30am; Shiur with Aharon Levy, after mincha, 718-796-4730 Study Group: “The Thought of Rabbi Tzadok from Lublin,” Prof Alan Brill, private home in
http://jewishvoiceandopinion.com Teaneck, 4pm, safek7@gmail.com
Mon., March 17 Shushan Purim
“The Wannsee Conference: Planning the Holocaust,” for high school teachers, Dr. Harvey Kornberg, includes the film, “Conspiracy,” Rider University, Lawrence Township, 9am, 609-896-5000
Tues., March 18
“Impact: Jewish Boxers in America,” JCC, Tenafly, 10:30am, 201-569-7900 Cooking Circle, for specialneeds children ages 5-12 and their siblings, spons by the Friendship Circle, Ma’ayanot Yeshiva High School for Girls, Teaneck, 5:30pm, 201-262-7172 Yeshivat Noam Dinner, honoring Becky and Avi Katz, Renee and Murray Schneier, and Linda Stock, Paramus, 5:30pm, 201-261-1919 “Women’s Empowerment Program: How Religion and Faith Informs and Guides Women Facing Life Challenges,” Joy Kurland, includes women from the Baha’I, Catholic, Hindu, Islam, Jain, Jewish, Protestant, and Catholic communities, Jewish Federation of North Jersey, Paramus, 7pm, 201-820-3944 “Caregiving and Dealing with Aging Parents, Alyson Kaplan, spons by Jewish Family Service of MetroWest, at United Synagogue of Hoboken, 7:30pm, office@hobokensynagogue.org Mah Jongg Night for Chai Lifeline, instruction available, Cong Ahavas Achim, Highland Park, 7:30pm, 732-247-0532 Sharsheret Teleconference and Webinar: “Health Care Reform: How Does It Affect Me?” Monica Bryant, Esq, Joanna Moralies, Esq, and Shera Dubitsky, 8pm, webinar@ sharsheret.org or 866-474-2774, a transcript and audio recording will be available after the event at www.sharsheret.org
Wed., March 19
Teen Scene Club, for special-needs teens and high school volunteers, Friendship Circle, Livingston, 5:30pm, 973-251-0200 Teen Scene: Sports and Athletics, for special-needs young adults ages 13-21, with high school volunteers and Coach Chanan, spons by The Friendship Circle, Torah Academy of Bergen Coun-
March 2014 / Adar II 5774
ty, Teaneck, 6pm, 201-262-7172 Support Group: Strength to Strength, for parents whose children, 15-25, are dealing with chemical dependency, psychological disorders, and/or co-occurring issues, Dr. Jeffrey Berman, JCC, Tenafly, 7pm, 201-408-1403 or 201-569-7900 Tomchei Shabbos of PassaicClifton Volunteers Needed, for packing and delivery, warehouse in Passaic, women and girls, 6pm; men and boys, 7pm; drivers, 8pm, yona@idt.net Meet and Greet for Mark Dunec, Democratic Candidate for Congress for NJ’s 11th District, private home in West Orange, 7:30pm, betty.hyman@gmail.com Rockland Jewish Film Festival: “Hunting Elephants,” AMC Theatres, West Nyack, 7:30pm, 845-348-1876 or 845-362-4400 Shomer Shabbos Boy Scout Meeting, for boys in 6th grade or 11 years old and up, Bais Medrash L’Torah, Rabbi Davis’s shul, Passaic, 8pm, HFishman@rafterpllc.com “Chicks with Sticks Knitting Circle,” hats for preemies, children with cancer, and IDF soldiers in Israel, private home in Highland Park, 8pm, 732-339-8492 Makhela Israeli-Style Choir, for those who can read and sing in Hebrew, Zvi Klein, JCC, Tenafly, 8pm, 201-569-7900
Thurs., March 20
Deadline to apply for Yachad’s one-year Jewish Communal Leadership Fellow program for recent college graduates. Fellows will work to meet the social and inclusion needs of Jewish individuals with diverse disabilities, including autism spectrum disorders, developmental challenges, deaf and hard of hearing, physical disabilities, and medical and mental health needs. The stipend is $25,000 plus benefits. YachadFellowship@ou.org “Teacher to Teacher: Using Literature, Film, and Primary Sources as Educational Tools to Meet NJ Core Curriculum Standards on Holocaust Education,” Drs Miriam Klein Kassenoff and Dori Katz and Sam Varsano, includes breakfast and lunch, Aidekman JCC, Whippany, 8:30am, 973-929-3067 Shvitz Series: Dancing to Horas, Debkas, Modern and Classi-
The Jewish Voice and Opinion
cal Israeli Music, Tammy Resnikoff, Cong Ahawas Achim Bnai Jacob and David, West Orange, 6pm, 973-736-1407 or 973-945-6395 Casino Night and Texas Hold’em Tournament, to benefit Daughters of Israel, Lautenberg Family JCC Aidekman Campus, Whippany, 6:30pm, 973-731-5100 “Personal Reflections on Golda,” with Alice Golembo, spons by the Holocaust Museum and Study Center, at Rockland Community College, Suffern, 7pm, 845-574-4000 Rockland Jewish Film Festival: “Aftermath,” with Slawomir Grünberg and Dr. Katka Reszke, Lafayette Theater, Suffern, 7:30pm, 845-362-4400 “Kabbalastic Perspectives on the Torah,” Ed Croman, Cong Ohr Torah, West Orange, 7:30pm, 973-669-7320 Gary Rosenthal’s Pesach Hiddur Mitzvah Project, for women, Cong Sons of Israel, Manalapan, 8pm, 732-446-3000 JTech Meet Up Group, panel discussion of experienced startup investors discussing current market conditions impacting start-ups and their investors, JCC, Tenafly,
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8:30pm, 201-408-1427
Fri., March 21
Rabbi Chaim Marcus and Members of Cong Israel of Springfield, at Cong Ahavat Shalom of the Teaneck Apartments, services at Torah Academy of Bergen County, through Shabbat, March 22, scott83@gmail.com Englewood Junior and Senior High School Shabbaton, Rabbi Jonathan Spier, East Hill Synagogue, Englewood, 6:45pm, emmahannahtaylor@gmail.com
Shabbat, March 22
OHEL Shabbat, Riverdale Jewish Center, 718-686-3214 Women’s Shiur, Shoshana Schechter, Cong Knesses Yisrael, New Hempstead, 3:45pm, 845-3640572 or knesses_yisrael@yahoo.com Bnai Akiva Snif, for grades 1-6, Cong Netivot Shalom, Teaneck, 4pm, pscheininger@hotmail.com Pearls of Prayer, for girls, includes seudah shlishit, Riverdale Jewish Center, after mincha, 718-548-1850 Shiur in Nefesh HaChaim, Rabbi Chaim Schabes, Cong Knesses Yisrael, New Hempstead, after
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The Log
March 2014 / Adar II 5774
Tell Our Advertisers “I Saw It in The Jewish Voice and Opinion”
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ma’ariv, knesses_yisrael@yahoo.com
Motzei Shabbat, March 22
Cong Ahavath Torah Dinner, honoring Careena and Drew Parker, Abby and Scott Herschmann, and Rabbi Simon Murciano, at the shul in Englewood, 9pm, 201-568-1315 Rockland Jewish Film Festival: “Bethlehem,” AMC Theatres, West Nyack, 9pm, 845-348-1876 or 845-362-4400 “Lessons for Today’s Jewish Leadership,” Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks, as part of the Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary of Yeshiva University Chag HaSemicha rabbinic-ordination ceremony, Cong Keter Torah, Teaneck, 9pm, 212-960-0137 Wine Sale, Cong Ahawas Achim Bnai Jacob and David, West Orange, 9pm, 973-736-1407
Sun., March 23
Chabad at the Shore, Ventnor and Margate, 9-Day Trip to Israel, call 609-822-8500 Davening and Bikur Cholim at Daughters of Miriam in Clifton, meet at Cong Shomrei Torah, Fair Lawn, 8:15am; davening, followed by breakfast and bikur cholim, 8:45am, samapprais@aim.com Blood Drive, Cong Ahawas Achim Bnai Jacob and David, West Orange, 9am-1pm, 973-736-1407 Shaimos Collection, includes a seforim sale, Cong Ohr Torah, Edison, 9am-6pm, siegeldad@ optonline.net Cong Ahavas Yisrael Journal Breakfast, honoring Walter Kramer, (Papa) Jack Nasielski, and Yehuda Rich, at the shul in Edison, 9:30am, www.ayedison.org Project SARAH (Stop Abusive Relationships At Home) Breakfast, with Dr. David Pelcovitz, honoring State Sen Loretta Weinberg, Rabbi Neil and Andrea
Winkler, Mollie Kidorf Fisch, and Sara Schlussel, Cong Rinat Yisrael, Teaneck, 9:30am, 973-777-7638 “Jewish Heroines through the Ages,” for fathers and their soon-to-be bat mitzvah daughters, spons by the MaTaN Bat Mitzvah Program, Young Israel of East Brunswick, 9:30am, 732-254-1860 “In the Courtyard of the Kabbalist,” Ruchama King Feuerman, includes breakfast, Fair Lawn Jewish Center, 10am, 201-796-5040 Children’s Circle for specialneeds children and Teen Circle for special-needs young adults 12-21, includes music, art, baking, story-time, sports, and entertainment, spons by the Friendship Circle, Rosenbaum Yeshiva of North Jersey, noon, 201-262-7172 Monster Mini-Golf and Pizza, for Monsey and NJ Chapters of Yachad, Monster Golf, Monsey, 2pm, 212-613-8397 Pre-Pesach Boutique, Cong Bnai Yeshurun, Teaneck, 4:30-9pm, mkopel35@gmail.com Friends of Lubavitch of Bergen County Dinner, honoring Janet and Lior Hod, Dr. Jeffrey and Eden Aronoff, and Sharon and Ari Green, with music by Benny Friedman and Shir Soul, at the Woodcliff Lake Hilton, Woodcliff Lake, 5pm, 201-907-0686 Politz Day School of Cherry Hill Scholarship Dinner, honoring Joachim and Gerrie Rudoler, Noah and Shaindy Lindenberg, and Rabbi Avraham Glustein, Cong Sons of Israel, Cherry Hill, 5:30pm, 856-667-1013 Art Exhibition: “Water: The Essence of Our Lives,” featuring works by artists from Northern NJ and Nahariya, Israel, at the JCC, Tenafly, 6-7:30pm, works exhibited until April 7, 201-820-3908
The Log is a free service provided to the Jewish community in northern and central New Jersey, Rockland County and Riverdale. Events that we list include special and guest lectures, concerts, boutiques, dinners, open houses, club meetings, and new classes. Announcements are requested by the 25th of the month prior to the month of the event. Due to space and editorial constraints, we cannot guarantee publication of any announcement. Please email them to : susan@jewishvoiceandopinion.com
Training Course for Volunteers for Shul Protection Services, for men and women, Riverdale Jewish Center, 6pm, rjc@thecss.org Film: “When Comedy Went to School,” Riverdale Jewish Center, 6pm, 718-548-1850 Frisch Yeshiva Class of 2003 Reunion, at the school, Paramus, 6pm, 201-267-9100 Israel Film Festival: “Under the Same Sun,” JCC, Tenafly, 7:15pm, 201-820-3909 Pre-Pesach Wine Sale and Tasting Plus Boutique, Cong Beth Aaron, Teaneck, 201-836-6210
Mon., March 24
Matza Factory and Spreads, Rabbi Ely Allen, Ramapo College Hillel, Student Center, Mahwah, 1pm, 201-820-3905
Tues., March 25
“Psychology behind Jewish Rituals,” JCC, Tenafly, 10:30am, 201-569-7900 “The American-Jewish Story through Cinema,” Eric Goldman, JCC, Tenafly, 11am, 201-408-1454 Parnassah Expo: Nationwide Business Networking Event, Raritan Center: NJ Convention and Exposition Center, Edison, 12-6pm, 855-PAR-EXPO, 732-987-7704, or 732-819-7766 Matza Factory and Spreads, Rabbi Ely Allen, William Paterson University Hillel, Commons Room, Wayne, 12:45pm, 201-820-3905 “Vegetarian Ideals and Jewish Dietary Laws,” Jeffrey Cohen, Rabbi Eliyahu Soiefer, and Dr. Judith Stark, Seton Hall University, South Orange, 5pm, 973-761-9751 “An Overview of the HomeBuying Process for First-Time Home Buyers,” Adam Seth Turk, Esq, includes dinner, Riverdale Jewish Center, 7pm, agelbtuch@gmail. com or aturk@turkdavidoff.com “Laughter is the Best Medicine,” Joe Cardone, spons by Hadassah, Cong Anshe Emeth, Highland Park, 7pm, 732-339-8492 or 732-643-1100 Unite 4 Unity, spons by the Jewish Community Relations Council, at Cong Ahavath Torah, Englewood, 7pm, 201-568-1315 Rockland Jewish Film Festi-
val: “Under the Same Sun,” with Susan Koscis, AMC Theatres, West Nyack, 7:30pm, 845-348-1876 or 845-362-4400 Israel Film Festival: “The Prime Ministers,” Cong Rinat Yisrael, Teaneck, 7:30pm, 201837-2795 Bnai Mitzvah Fair, for 5th grade girls and 6th grade boys and their parents, to facilitate meaningful Bnai Mitzvah projects, Yeshivat Noam, Paramus, 5th and 6th graders and their parents, 7:30pm; the public, 8pm, 201-244-6702 Volunteer Orientation, for teens and their parents to learn about volunteering to work with special-needs children and teens, Friendship Circle, Livingston, 7:30pm, 973-251-0200 “What Is It Like to Be a Prophet? Delivering and Composing the Word of Hashem, Seen through the Lens of Sefer Yonah,” for men and women, Rabbi Jeremy Donath, Cong Darchei Noam, Fair Lawn, 8:15pm, 201-773-4080
Wed., March 26
Parnassah Expo: Nationwide Business Networking Event, Raritan Center: NJ Convention and Exposition Center, Edison, 11am-6pm, 855-PAR-EXPO, 732-987-7704, or 732-819-7766 Moshe Katzberg Performs, JCC, Tenafly, 11am, 201-408-1455 Matza Factory and Spreads, Rabbi Ely Allen, Fairleigh Dickinson University Hillel, University Chapel, Teaneck, 1pm, 201-820-3905 Second Generation, for children of Holocaust Survivors, Jewish Family Service, Teaneck, 7pm, 201-837-9090 Israel Film Festival: “Hunting Elephants,” YMHA, Wayne, 7pm, 973-595-0100 Abused Women’s Confidential Support Group, Jewish Family Service, Teaneck, 7:15pm, 201-837-9090 Tehillim Group, Cong Shaare Tefillah, Teaneck, 8:15pm, 201-2895474, 917-902-9303, or 201-836-3431
Thurs., March 27
Somaich Achim Jewish Family Services Food Pantry Program non-perishable food and consumer items and produce available free of charge
http://jewishvoiceandopinion.com or for a nominal fee, volunteers needed, too, Cong Adas Israel, Passaic, 9:30am-1:30pm; 8-9pm, 973-246-7717 Caregivers Support Group, for those caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s disease, JCC, Tenafly, 11am, 201-569-7900 “Jewish Views on Issues Facing Seniors,” Rabbi Gary Katz, JCC, Tenafly, 11:15am, 201408-1455 Video and Dougie’s Food, Rabbi Ely Allen, Bergen Community College Hillel, Paramus, 12:30pm, 201-820-3905 Teacher Workshop: “Through the Eyes of a Friend: The Holocaust and Anne Frank,” for teachers of grade 5 through adult education, Goodwin Holocaust Museum and Education Center, Cherry Hill, 4pm, 856-751-9500 Yachad Sensitivity Training Program, at Bruriah Yeshiva High School for Girls, Elizabeth, 6pm, batyaj@ou.org Friendship Circle for SpecialNeeds Adults, offering a Jewishthemed experience, private location in Paramus, 6pm, 201-262-7172 Rockland Jewish Film Festival: “Suskind,” AMC Theatres, West Nyack, 7:30pm, 845-348-1876 or 845-362-4400 Israel Film Festival: “The Attack,” Ramsey Theatre, Ramsey, 7:30pm, 201-820-3909
Fri., March 28
Grandparents and Special Visitors Day, to visit Early Childhood classes through grade 2, Yeshivat Noam, Paramus, 8:45am12noon, 201-261-1919 Carlebach Davening: Musical Kabbalat Shabbat, Jewish Center of Teaneck, 6:50pm, 201-833-0515 Yoetzet Halacha Shabbat Across America, spons by Nishmat, at Congregations Darchei Noam, Fair Lawn (201-7734080); Netivot Shalom, Teaneck (201-801-9022); Rinat Yisrael, Teaneck (201837-2795); Shaarei Tefilah, Teaneck (201-357-0613); Synagogue of the Suburban Torah Center, Livingston (973-9942620); and the Riverdale Jewish Center (718-548-1850), for more information or to bring a Yoetzet Halacha to a shul, atara@afnishmat. org, through Shabbat, March 29
March 2014 / Adar II 5774
Rayim Yachad Shabbaton, in Fair Lawn and Teaneck, through Shabbat, March 29, 212-613-8397 Rabbi Larry Rothwachs and Members of Cong Beth Aaron of Teaneck, at Cong Ahavat Shalom of the Teaneck Apartments, services at Torah Academy of Bergen County, through Shabbat, March 29, scott83@gmail.com Rabbi Elchanan Adler, scholar-in-residence, Cong Darchei Noam, Fair Lawn, through Shabbat, March 29, 201-773-4080
Shabbat, March 29
Carlebach Minyan, Cong Darchei Noam, Fair Lawn, 8:45am, rabbidonath@gmail.com Tefilat Shlomo: The Carlebach Tefila of Riverdale, includes light and healthy Kiddush, at the Hebrew Institute of Riverdale, 9am, 718-796-4730 Educational Prayer Service, spons by the Jewish Learning Experience, includes discussions and commentary, prayers in English and Hebrew transliteration, at Cong Zichron Mordechai, Teaneck, 9:45am, 201-966-4498 or 201-836-4334 Rabbi’s Tisch: “Does Your Leader Need to Be Religious and How? How Do We Feel about Our Nation’s Most Notable ‘Nones,’” Rabbi Lawrence Zierler, Jewish Center of Teaneck, 11:45am, 201-833-0515 Women’s Shiur, Rabbi Benzion Shafier, Cong Knesses Yisrael, New Hempstead, 3:45pm, 845-364-0572 or knesses_yisrael@yahoo.com Study Group: “The Thought of Rabbi Tzadok from Lublin,” Prof Alan Brill, private home in Teaneck, 4pm, safek7@gmail.com Carlebach Minyan, Torah Academy of Bergen County, after mincha, 347-443-2199
Motzei Shabbat, March 29
TV: “Treblinka: Hitler’s Killing Machine,” with Dr. Caroline Sturdy Colls, forensic investigation at secret Nazi death camp reveals evidence of gas chamber at site where 900,000 vanished, Smithsonian Channel, 11pm, also, Thurs., April 3, 8pm and 11pm; and Sun, April 6, 6pm, 212-708-1578Shiur, Rabbi Mordechai Willig, Young Israel of Riverdale, 8:30pm, 718-548-4765
Sun., March 30
Passover Food Drive, bring
The Jewish Voice and Opinion
all canned or dry, non-expired, non-kosher-for-Passover foods to the Riverdale YMHA for distribution to the poor, through Thurs., April 10, 718-548-8200 Gala Hat Show: Hats by Susan, Cong Rinat Yisrael, Teaneck, 9-11:30am, 201-837-2795 “Jewish Heroines through the Ages,” MaTaN Mother-Daughter Bat Mitzvah Program, Young Israel of East Brunswick, 9:30am, 732-254-1860 “Celebrating a Meaningful and Joyous Passover,” Rabbi David Borenstein, includes breakfast, Van Cortlandt Jewish Center, 9:45am, Riverdale, 718-884-6105 7-11, for children ages 7-11 who have difficulties reading social cues or navigating social situations, such as those with ADHD and Asperger’s, Dr. Avigael Wodinsky, includes strategies for emotion regulation, friendship skills, understanding thoughts and feelings, conversation and social-problem solving skills, spons by The Friendship Circle, Cong Rinat Yisrael, Teaneck, 10am, 201-262-7172 Yachad Family Game Night, Chani Herrmann, creative games
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for all ages and an explanation of the power and benefit of games, Teaneck General Store, Teaneck, 10am, 917-885-7178 Children’s Used-Clothing in Excellent Condition Sale, Cong Ahavas Yisrael, Edison, 10am, 732-247-3073 Israel Advocacy Program for High School Juniors and Seniors, Ma’ayanot Yeshiva High School for Girls, Teaneck, 10:15am, 201-820-3944 Spring Boutique, Shalom Torah Academy, Morganville, 10am-1pm, 908-415-8118 “Behind Closed Doors, Intimacy: A Torah Perspective,” Yoetzet Halacha Prof Nechama Price, Cong Darch Noam, Fair Lawn, 10am, 201-773-4080 Pesach Arts and Crafts, in Hebrew, for children ages 3-7, Inbar Bibring, JCC, Tenafly, 11:30am, 201-408-1427 Kids in the Kitchen, for boys ages 5-8 and girls ages 5-10, spons by Anshei Lubavitch, private home in Fair Lawn, 1:30pm, rivky@flchabad.com Friendship Circle Bowling League, for special-needs children, their siblings, and volun-
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March 2014 / Adar II 5774
Tell Our Advertisers “I Saw It in The Jewish Voice and Opinion”
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teers, Van Houten Lanes, Clifton, 1:45pm, fcpassaiccounty@yahoo. com or 973-773-1675 “Pope John XXIII and the Jews,” Rabbi David Dalin, Seton Hall University Library, South Orange, 2pm, 973-761-9751 Passover Arts and Crafts: Make a Seder Plate, in Hebrew, for children ages 3-7, JCC, Tenafly, 3pm, 201-408-1427 “Miriam’s Cup,” Jewish women’s history for mothers and daughters, ages 8-18, Beth Heim, JCC, Tenafly, 4pm, 201-569-7900 Bat Mitzvah Club, for girls in grades 5-6, Shterna Kaminker, Chabad Center, Cherry Hill, 5pm, 856-874-1500 Cong Ahavas Achim 125th Anniversary Dinner, honoring Barry and Marcia Levinson and Josh and Jennie Fine, Cong Ahavas Achim, Highland Park, 5:30pm, 732-247-0532 Torah Academy of Bergen County Dinner: “Building Our Future,” honoring Wendy and Isaac Shulman, Alisa and Stephen Levy, Dr. Garry Katz, and Yaacov Apfelbaum, at Cong Keter Torah, Teaneck, 5:30pm, 201-837-7696 Training Course for Volunteers for Shul Protection Services, for men and women, Riverdale Jewish Center, 6pm, rjc@thecss.org JACS Meeting, 12-steps meeting for Jews in recovery, Rabbi Steven Bayar, Cong B’nai Israel, Millburn, 6pm, 973-379-3811 Israel Film Festival: “The Attack,” Teaneck Cinemas, Teaneck, 6:30pm, 201-820-3909 Beyond Bat Mitzvah Club, Shterna Kaminker, for girls in grade 7, Chabad Center, Cherry Hill, 6:30pm, 856-874-1500
“Israel’s Unique Contributions to American Interests,” Yoram Ettinger, spons by Israel Bonds, includes dessert reception, Riverdale Jewish Center, 7:30pm, 718-548-1850 or 914-713-9003 “Night of Comedy”: Joel Chasnoff, includes full dinner and auction, spons by the Young Israel of Fair Lawn, at Cong Anshei Lubavitch, Fair Lawn, 7:30pm, 914-310-4017 Post-Nup Party, for those who never signed a pre- or postnuptial agreement, Hebrew Institute of Riverdale, 7:45pm; post-nup signing and celebration, 8:15pm; reception, 9pm, 718-796-4730
Mon., March 31
Deadline to Enter the Armenian Genocide Commemoration Genocide Essay Contest, for high school and college students, 800 words (maximum) on “On the Threshold of the 100th Anniversary, How Should the World Recognize the Armenian Genocide?” cash prizes, for information and to submit essays: april24nyc@gmail.com Smile on Seniors, for senior men and women, includes brunch, Chabad House, Wayne, 11:30am, 973-694-6274 Model Chocolate Seder and Wraps, Rabbi Ely Allen, Ramapo College Hillel, Student Center, Mahwah, 1pm, 201-820-3905 Film: “Au Revoir les Enfants,” discussion with Harold Chapler, JCC, Tenafly, 7:30pm, 201-569-7900 Israel Film Festival: “The Wonders,” JCC, Tenafly, 8pm, 201-569-7900 Support Group for Parents of Young Adults with Disabilities in Transition, Chani Herrmann, Yachad office, Teaneck, 9:15pm, eve@yudel.com
There Is Always Something Happening in the Jewish Community! Check our website http://www.JewishVoiceAndOpinion.Com for classes, shiurim, lectures, and events that came in after issue went to print! Updated daily!
Tues., April 1
Live Broadcast: “Carving a Place in the World for Young Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorders,” JCC, West Orange, 8:30am, 973-929-3129 or 973-530-3400 “History of the Jews of Teaneck,” JCC, Tenafly, 10:30am, 201-569-7900 Model Seder with the Elderly at the YMHA, Rabbi Ely Allen, spons by William Paterson University Hillel, at the YMHA, Wayne, 12:45pm, 201-820-3905 Bergen County High School of Jewish Studies, honoring Rabbi Shmuley Boteach, Martha and David Cohen, Aaron Friedman, and Manny Genn, at Temple Emanuel, Woodcliff Lake, 7pm, 201-888-0272 “Jewish Art and the Struggle of Tradition in Modernity,” Hebrew University Prof Richard Cohen, spons by the Bildner Center for the Study of Jewish Life, at the Douglass Campus Center, New Brunswick, 7:30pm, 848-932-2033 Rockland Jewish Film Festival: “Glickman,” AMC Theatres, West Nyack, 7:30pm, 845-348-1876 or 845-362-4400 Israel Film Festival: “Before the Revolution,” Fairleigh Dickinson University, Hackensack, 7:30pm, 201-820-3909
Wed., April 2
“Including Special-Needs Students into a Limudei Kodesh Classroom and Curricula: Edible Experiential Learning for the Seder: A Webinar on Experiential Learning, Batya Jacob, spons by Yachad, noon, yachad. org/webinar or 212-613-8127 Kosher Sushi, Rabbi Ely Allen, Fairleigh Dickinson University Hillel, University Chapel, Teaneck, 1pm, 201-820-3905 Teen Scene Club, for special-needs teens and high school volunteers, Friendship Circle, Livingston, 5:30pm, 973-251-0200 Teen Scene: Sports and Athletics, for special-needs young adults ages 13-21, with high school volunteers and Coach Chanan, spons by The Friendship Circle, Torah Academy of Bergen County, Teaneck, 6pm, 201-262-7172 Bar Mitzvah Club, for boys in grades 6-7, Rabbi Yitzchok Kahan,
includes light dinner, Chabad Center, Cherry Hill, 6pm, 856-874-1500 Passover Cooking Class, Barbara Zagha, Cong Sons of Israel, Manalapan, 6:30pm, 732-446-3000 Contemporary Israeli Poetry Group, in the original with English translation and discussion, Atara Fobar, Hebrew Institute of Riverdale, 7pm, 718-796-4730 Support Group: Strength to Strength, for parents whose children, 15-25, are dealing with chemical dependency, psychological disorders, and/or co-occurring issues, Dr. Jeffrey Berman, JCC, Tenafly, 7pm, 201-408-1403 or 201-569-7900 Jewish 12-Step Meeting, JACS—Jewish Alcoholics, Chemically Dependent Persons, and Significant Others, Jewish Family Service, Teaneck, 7:30pm, 201837-9090, ask for IRA (Information and Referral) or 201-981-1071 Israel Film Festival: “Zaytoun,” YJCC, Washington Twnshp, 7:30pm, 201-666-6610 “The Freedom of Discontent: When Are You Truly at Liberty?” for women, Dinie Mangel, Chabad in Cherry Hill, 7:30pm, 856-874-1500 Shomer Shabbos Boy Scout Meeting, for boys in 6th grade or 11 years old and up, Bais Medrash L’Torah, Rabbi Davis’s shul, Passaic, 8pm, HFishman@rafterpllc.com “Infant and Pregnancy Loss and Nechama.org,” for women, Reva Judas, Cong Ahawas Achim Bnai Jacob and David, West Orange, 8pm, 973-736-1407 or yaelbleicher@gmail.com Makhela Israeli-Style Choir, for those who can read and sing in Hebrew, Zvi Klein, JCC, Tenafly, 8pm, 201-569-7900
Thurs., April 3
“Shop Smart. Do Good> Charity Shopping Day,” to benefit Hadassah Hospitals at Ein Kerem and Mt. Scopus, at Lord and Taylor, Ridgewood, 9am-11pm, 201-873-2476 “Sid Caesar,” presented by Mike Sobel, JCC, Tenafly, 11:15am, 201-408-1455 Model Chocolate Seder and Wraps, Rabbi Ely Allen, Bergen Community College Hillel, Para-
http://jewishvoiceandopinion.com
March 2014 / Adar II 5774
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P’TACH Honors Dr. Evan and Yael Kroll P’TACH, whose mission
is to provide the best possible Jewish and secular education to children with learning issues, will be honoring Passaic residents Dr. Evan and Yael Kroll at the organization’s annual dinner, scheduled for Sunday, March 23, at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Manhattan. For more than 37 years, P’TACH has been establishing special-education classes and resource centers in conjunction with yeshivas and Jewish day schools throughout the US, Canada, and Israel. P’TACH utilizes these model programs as laboratories for
The Log
research and discovery into how children learn. P’TACH, whose name is an acronym for Parents for Torah for All Children, works to promote an understanding in the Jewish and broader community of the diverse learning needs of children and how to create opportunities and programs to give every child an equal opportunity for a Jewish education. By utilizing specialized teaching methods and constructing specific curricula for each student, P’TACH’s teachers and administrators are able to instill in their students genuine feelings of accomplishment
in learning. Rebbe and Psychologist Dr. and Mrs. Kroll have been associated with P’TACH for many years. When they were married in 1997, Dr. Kroll was serving his second year as a Rebbe at the P’TACH program at Yeshiva University High School for Boys. After receiving his doctorate in psychology, Dr. Kroll returned to P’TACH as the in-house psychologist for the program. Having played an important role in the academic, social, and emotional development of many young men who have been served by P’TACH, Dr. Kroll has been credited with
the rare quality of seeing the positive potential in every child. “When other ‘professionals’ would complain and be reticent in dealing with a challenging child, Dr. Evan will roll up sleeves and say: ‘These are the kids we are here to help,’” said Dr. Judah Weller, P’TACH’s educational director. “Dr. Kroll’s dynamism and compassion empowers all of us to do our best so that we can bring out the best in our children.” A graduate of Yeshiva University, Dr. Kroll received his Master’s degree from Columbia and his PhD from Hofstra. He learned in Yeshivas Kerem
Einav Gefen, JCC, Tenafly, 8:30pm, 201-408-1427 “Jewish Heroines through the Ages,” Mother-Daughter MaTaN Bat Mitzvah Program, Young Israel of East Brunswick, 8:45pm,
732-254-1860 Rockland Jewish Film Festival: “Cupcakes,” with director Eytan Fox, AMC Theatres, West Nyack, 9pm, 845-348-1876 or 845-362-4400 Y
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mus, 12:30pm, 201-820-3905 “Jewish Music Old and New,” with clarinetist Howard Leshaw, Riverdale YMHA, 1:15pm, 718-548-8200 Shvitz Series: Dancing to Horas, Debkas, Modern and Classical Israeli Music, Tammy Resnikoff, Cong Ahawas Achim Bnai Jacob and David, West Orange, 6pm, 973-736-1407 or 973-945-6395 Passover Wine-Tasting, spons by the Jewish Outreach Institute, at Pino’s, Highland Park, 6-9pm, 908-875-0767 Israel Bonds Dinner: A Night to Celebrate Israel,” Israeli Ambassador Ido Aharoni, spons by the JCC, Bridgewater, at the Raritan Valley Country Club, 6:30pm, 908-725-6994 Boy Teen Volunteers Night Out, for those who volunteer to work with special-needs Jewish children, spons by The Friendship Circle, private home in Teaneck, 7pm, 201-262-7172 The Best Things Come in Small Packages: Kosher Appetizers, Small Bites, Tapas, and MiniDesserts, Chef Galit Aboodi, JCC, Tenafly, 7pm, 201-408-1457 “Kabbalastic Perspectives on the Torah,” Ed Croman, Cong Ohr Torah, West Orange, 7:30pm, 973-669-7320
Chabad Women’s Connection: Learning, Conversation, and Camaraderie: Making a Meaningful (and Fun) Seder,” for women, Malkie Herson, Chabad Jewish Center, Basking Ridge, 7:30pm, mherson@aol.com Rockland Jewish Film Festival: “For a Woman,” AMC Theatres, West Nyack, 7:30pm, 845348-1876 or 845-362-4400 Mishmar, with Rabbi Steven Miodownik, Rutgers Hillel, New Brunswick, 8pm, 732-545-2407
Fri., April 4
“The Freedom of Discontent: When Are You Truly at Liberty?” Rabbi Avrohom Rapoport, spons by Chabad at the Shore, at the Egg Harbor Twnshp Library, 12:15pm, 609-822-8500 Challah Baking, for grandparents and grandchildren ages 4-5, JCC, Tenafly, 3:15pm, 201-569-7900
Shabbat, April 5
Bnai Akiva Snif (Shabbat Afternoon Groups), for grades 1-6, Cong Netivot Shalom, Teaneck, 4pm, pscheininger@hotmail.com Pearls of Prayer, for girls, includes seudah shlishit, Riverdale Jewish Center, after mincha, 718-548-1850
Motzei Shabbat, April 5
“Israeli Business Circle: Real Estate Panel,” in Hebrew,
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March 2014 / Adar II 5774
Tell Our Advertisers “I Saw It in The Jewish Voice and Opinion”
Project S.A.R.A.H. Holds Eighth Annual Breakfast New Jersey State Senator
Loretta Weinberg (D) will be the guest of honor on Sunday, March 23, 2014 at the eighth annual Project S.A.R.A.H. (Stop Abusive Relationships At Home) breakfast, scheduled for 9:30am at Congregation Rinat Yisrael in Teaneck. A longtime friend of Project S.A.R.A.H., Ms. Weinberg was instrumental in securing a line-item grant for the organization “For years, Senator Weinberg has been a champion for victims of domestic violence and has worked tirelessly to impose more stringent restrictions on those charged with domestic violence-related offenses,” said Elke Stein, director of Project S.A.R.A.H. They keynote address at the breakfast will be given by world-renowned psychologist Dr. David Pelcovitz, an acknowledged expert on a wide range of issues facing children and adolescents. A professor at Yeshiva University, Dr. Pelcovitz has long served as a vocal ad-
vocate of survivors and victims of domestic violence and sexual abuse. Ms. Stein says that Dr. Pelcovitz regularly shares his expertise and wise counsel with the staff at Project S.A.R.A.H. Counseling and Education Project S.A.R.A.H. serves survivors of domestic violence and sexual abuse statewide. With a specific focus on the Orthodox-Jewish community, the organization enables survivors to overcome the cultural, religious and legal barriers that would prevent them from accessing needed services. In the past year, Project S.A.R.A.H. has served over 100 clients in individual therapy, with a range of services that include vocational counseling, psychiatric care, legal referrals, group support for men and women, and specific therapy services for children exposed to domestic violence and/or sexual abuse. In addition to clinical services, Project S.A.R.A.H. regularly provides educational and training opportunities for the community. Its staff has trained
P’TACH Dinner
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B’Yavneh in Israel and received smicha from YU. A sought-after lecturer on parenting, child and adolescent development, behavior management, and psychology in schools, Dr. Kroll now
maintains a full-time private practice for therapy and testing in Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Teaneck. However, Dr. Weller says that Dr. Kroll is always available for P’TACH with his insights and advice
nearly 600 camp counselors to maintain a safe environment and to be aware of red-flag issues in preventing abuse. Over 450 elementary school students and 325 teachers participated in the comprehensive, nationally recognized Aleinu Program, which reaches faculty, parents, and children in grades pre-K to 4 with a multimedia presentation designed to increase child safety and prevent child sexual abuse. Recognizing that victims of abuse often may first call religious leaders for outside help, Project S.A.R.A.H. has trained over 200 rabbis and rebbetzins in how to respond to allegations of abuse and how proactively to help those who they think might be in an abusive relationship. Under Project S.A.R.A.H.’s auspices, nearly 100 college students recently viewed the organization’s videos on stalking, as well as emotional and physical abuse in Orthodox relationships. The students then held thoughtful discussions on healthy and
whenever they are needed. Integrating SpecialNeeds Children Mrs. Kroll, a CPA and financial planner for the Berger and Company accounting firm, is a graduate of Bais Yaakov of the Lower East Side, Bruriah High School, Michlalah-Jerusalem College, and Queens College, where she earned a degree with honors. An active participant in many of Passaic’s chesed organizations, she is a board member of “Count-Me-In,” a community program to help integrate children with developmental disabilities into mainstream programs. The Krolls are the parents of seven children.
unhealthy relationships. More Honorees At the breakfast Rabbi Neil and Rebbetzin Andrea Winkler will receive Project S.A.R.A.H.’s community service award. Rabbi Winkler has been the spiritual leader of the Young Israel of Fort Lee since its founding in 1978, and is currently the president of the Rabbinical Council of Bergen County. He has served as “a steady resource for Project S.A.R.A.H.’s clients,” according to Ms. Stein. Rebbetzin Winkler has been a faculty member of the Ma’ayanot Yeshiva High School for Girls since its founding 17 years ago. Millie Kidorf Fisch, another member of Project S.A.R.A.H’s consortium, will receive the Aleinu Hero Award. Sara Schlussel, a pediatric occupational therapist, will receive the Volunteer Recognition Award. For more information about the breakfast, call 973-777-7638, email e.tein@projectsarah.org, or go to www.projectsarah. org. Y
Hearing from the Students At the P’TACH dinner, the organization will present a number of students who are currently benefitting from P’TACH programs. These students will share their personal accomplishments and successes in their journey through P’TACH, whose credo is that every child has a right to learn and do so within a regular mainstream setting. For more information on the March 23rd dinner, contact P’TACH through its website, www.ptach.org, call 718-8548600, or email info@ptach.org. “We look forward to welcoming the community as we award the Krolls with this most deserving tribute,” said Dr. Weller. Y
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The Jewish Voice and Opinion
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New Classes This Month Sundays
“History and Halacha,” Rabbi Joshua Hess, Cong Anshe Chesed, Linden, 9am, 908-486-8616 Torah Circle Teens, for special-needs teens and teenage volunteers, includes art, baking, sports, and music, Friendship Circle, Livingston, 9:30am, 973-251-0200 “Singing: Vocal Master Class,” for women and girls over age 12, Miriam Sandler, spons by Afterschool Clifton Cheder Enrichment Seminar Series, private home in Passaic, 10:30am, 973-841-7222 Chess, for men and boys, Boris Kerzhner, spons by Afterschool Clifton Cheder Enrichment Seminar Series, at the Clifton Cheder, 1:30pm, 973-841-7222 Improv 101, for men and boys, Adam Sietz, how to invent characters and respond to the unexpected creatively, spons by Afterschool Clifton Cheder Enrichment Seminar Series, at the Clifton Cheder, 2:55pm, 973-841-7222 Kulanu C’Echad Programs, offering Jewish Learning and Social Skills Group, geared for children with special needs and those in a secular school settings to learn and socialize with other Jewish children, Congregation Ohr Torah, Edison, 10am, 732-725-1956 or 732-261-3356 Swimming, for men and boys, Rabbi Dovid Einhorn, spons by Afterschool Clifton Cheder Enrichment Seminar Series, at the Boys and Girls Club of Passaic, 4pm, 973-841-7222 Karate, for men and boys, Sensei Doc and Staff, spons by Afterschool Clifton Cheder Enrichment Seminar Series, at USA Hapkido, Clifton, 7pm, 973-841-7222 “Public Speaking: The Three V’s—Vitality, Visual, and Vocal,” for men, Rabbi Menachem Wiederman, spons by Afterschool Clifton Cheder Enrichment Seminar Series, at the Clifton Cheder, 8pm, 973-841-7222
Mondays
Mommy and Me: Babyccino, for mothers and babies up to 30 months old, Chabad Center, Wayne, 10am, 973-694-6274 Nach Shiur, for women, Rebbetzin Mirel Stavsky, Bais Medrash of Bergenfield, 9:45am, abaron3@gmail.com Bat Mitzvah Club: Jewish Feminism through Learning and Art, for pre-bat mitzvah girls in grade 6, Rebbetzin Chani Gurkov, Chabad Center, Wayne, 3:15pm, 973-694-6274 JACS (Jewish Alcoholics, Chemically Dependent Persons, and Significant Others) Meeting, for all Jews in recovery, Manhattan, 6:30pm, 212-632-4727 “Brotherly Love: The Story of David and Jonathan,” Rabbi Avi Weiss, spons by the Hebrew Institute of Riverdale, private home in Riverdale, 7:30pm, 718-796-4730 “Megillat Esther,” Rabbi Ian Shaffer, Young Israel of Fair Lawn, 7:55pm, 201-797-1800 Jewelry Making, for women and teenage girls, Matana Ramati, spons by Afterschool Clifton Cheder Enrichment Seminar Series, at the Clifton Cheder, 8pm, 973-841-7222 “The Religious Thought and Concept of Community of Rabbi Dr. David Hartman, z”l,” Rabbi Lawrence Zierler, Jewish Center of Teaneck, 8pm, 201-833-0515 “Shaarei Kedusha by Rabbi Chaim Vital,” Rabbi David Bassous, Cong Etz Ahaim, Highland Park, 8pm, 732-247-3839 Learning Sugyas of Gemara at a Relaxed Pace: Mesechta Succah, Yoel Weinreb, Yeshivas Bais Mordechai, Teaneck, 8:30pm, 201-310-2485 “Advanced Talmud: Topics in the Laws of Mourning,” Rabbi Jeff Fox, spons by the Hebrew Institute of Riverdale, private home in Riverdale, 8:30pm, rebjeff@gmail.com Gemara Masechet Makkot, Rabbi Steven Miodownik, spons by Cong Ahavas Achim, private home in Highland Park, 9pm, 732-247-0532
Tuesdays
Torah Gems, for men, Rabbi Moshe Goldberger, Cong Ahavas Achim, Highland Park, 8:30am, 732-247-0532 Mishnah Bava Metzia, for men, Rabbi Akiva Weitzner, Cong Ahavas Achim, Highland Park, 9:30am, 732-247-0532 Bereishit: The Genesis Narrative, Rabbi Avi Weiss, Hebrew Institute of Riverdale, 10am, 718-796-4730 “The Keys to Connecting with Kids,” for parents, teachers, therapists, professionals, and anyone with an ongoing connection with a child, Shulamis Cheryl Mayerfeld, LCSW, private office in Monsey, 1pm, 347-415-5247 After School Torah and Lounge, for children, Menachem Menchel, Hebrew Institute of Riverdale, Tefillah and Torah for Beginners (supporting children with special-learning needs and limited Hebrew skills), 3:45pm; Xbox 360, Kinect, Billiards, Ping Pong, and snacks, 4:20pm; Torah for all, including Parsha HaShavua, 5pm, 718-796-4730 Kulanu C’Echad Programs, offering Jewish Learning and Social Skills Group, geared for children with special needs and those in a secular school settings to learn and socialize with other Jewish children, Cong Ohav Emeth, Highland Park, 5:30pm, 732-725-1956 or 732-261-3356 Frum Alateen Meeting, Ricky Wisotsky, for girls ages 9-19, who have friends or family with addiction (i.e. codependency, internet addiction, gaming, ocd, food addiction, eating disorders, internet addiction, or substance abuse), Cong Tifereth Israel, Passaic, 7pm, 973-249-7435 “Genetics: Understanding Your Genes: Prenatal Genetics Testing for Jewish Genetic Diseases, Cancer Genetics, and More,”
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Mazal Tov
Mazal Tov to the Bar Mitzvah Boys: Ben Antosofsky, Yehuda Zadok Blau, Jordan Dyckman, Josh Katz, Aharon Luchins, Boaz Simantov, and Yochanan Sragow; and the Bat Mitzvah Girls: Hannah Ginsberg, Leora Grossman, Adina Lebovitz, Abigail Lyons, Shifra Marchuck, Michal Meisels, Maya Minsky, Devora Slonim, and Kayla Stelzer Mazal Tov to Rabbi Ethan Katz on being named regional director of New Jersey NCSY Mazal Tov to Peggy Gurock, founder of the Orthodox Jewish Occupational Therapy Chavrusa, on being inducted into the American Occupational Therapy Association’s Roster of Fellows Mazal Tov to Rabbi Dr. Bernhard Rosenberg was just appointed to the New Jersey Commission on Holocaust Education Mazal Tov to Dr. Phyllis Chesler on winning the 2013 National Jewish Book Award in the memoir category for “An American Bride in Kabul.” Mazal Tov to the Toradoju Jewish system of martial arts students in West Orange: Benson Kraemer (Blue Belt), Ari Pineles (Blue Belt), Tali Pineles (Yellow Belt), and Alexis Sohnen (Yellow Belt) Mazal Tov to Daniella and Daniel Seligsohn on the birth of Livia Rose (Ruth Devorah), also to big brother Max Seligsohn; grandparents, Ruth and Bobby Kaplan and Sandy and Jerry Seligsohn; and great-grandmother Helen Glucksman. Y
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New Classes
March 2014 / Adar II 5774
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continued from page 33
for women, Aliza Zidell, spons by Afterschool Clifton Cheder Enrichment Seminar Series, at the Clifton Cheder, 7:30pm, 973-841-7222
Wednesdays
“Shir HaShirim: The Quintessential Love Song,” for women, Rabbi Yaakov Weinstein, Young Israel of East Brunswick, 9:45am, 732-254-1860 Exploring the Siddur, for women, Rabbi Steven Miodownik, Cong Ahavas Achim, Highland Park, 10:30am, 732-247-0532 Chabad Women’s Torah Study Group, Rebbetzin Tova Rapoport, Chabad, Margate, 11am, 609-822-8500 Beginner Group Piano Lessons, for children ages 5-6 and ages 7-8, Jackie Burkat, spons by Afterschool Clifton Cheder Enrichment Seminar Series, at the Clifton Cheder, 4pm, 973-841-7222 Teen Scene, for special-needs teens ages 13-21, to meet others and have fun with high school volunteers who also serve as mentors to model appropriate social behavior, The Frisch Yeshiva High School, Paramus, 6pm, 201-262-7172 “Health: Practical Medicine,” Dr. Alex Kushner, spons by Afterschool Clifton Cheder Enrichment Seminar Series, at the Clifton Cheder, 7pm, 973-841-7222, begins April 2 Women’s Spiritual Art and Meditation, Natalia Kadish, Chabad House, Teaneck, 8pm, 551-587-1653 “Jewish Life in the Middle Ages,” Rabbi Nosson Schuman, Cong Beth El, Rutherford, 8pm, 201-496-0714 Sefer Shmuel Shiur, Rabbi Marc Spivak, spons by Cong Ohr Torah, at private homes in West Orange, 8pm, 973-669-7320 Rutgers Hillel Center for Israel Engagement, Rutgers Hillel, New Brunswick, 8pm, 732-545-2407 “The Rise of Nazi Germany,” Prof Larry Domnitch, spons by the Jewish Learning Experience, at Cong Rinat Yisrael, Teaneck, 8:15pm, 201-837-2795 Learning Sugyas of Gemara at a Relaxed Pace: Mesechta Succah, Yoel Weinreb, Yeshivas Bais Mordechai, Teaneck, 8:30pm, 201-310-2485 Shiur in Machshava and Emunah: The Yud Gimmel Ikarim, Rav Aaron Lopiansky, spons by the Passaic Clifton Community Kollel, at Cong Bais Torah U’tfila, Passaic, 8:45pm, 845-709-9340 “The Talmud and Philosophy of Halacha,” Rabbi Itamar Rosensweig, Cong Ahavath Torah, Englewood, 8:45pm, 201-568-1315
Thursdays
Gemara, for men, Rabbi Shlomo Nussbaum, Cong Ahavas Achim, Highland Park, 8:30am, 732-247-0532 Book of Shmuel, Rabbi Steven Exler, Hebrew Institute of Riverdale, 10am, 718-796-4730 Tele-Class: “My Mother, My Father, My Money,” Dr. Simon Feuerman, PsyD, LCSW, noon, 973-249-8111 “Do Unto Others: A Nuanced Analysis of the Torah View on Social Justice,” Rivka Kahan, Ma’ayanot Yeshiva High School for Girls,
Teaneck, noon, 201-833-4307 ext 265 Kid-ish Club: Shabbat Social Club for Young Families with Children Age 3 and Under, JCC, Tenafly, 6pm, 201-569-7900, begins March 31 Toradojo Jewish System of Martial Arts, Sifu Gene White, Cong Ahawas Achim Bnai Jacob and David, West Orange, for beginners and teens, 6pm; for adults and advanced students, 7pm, 973-736-1407 Rabbi Eli Mansour, Young Israel of Fair Lawn, 7:45pm, 201-797-1800 Heichal HaTorah Chaburah, Rabbi Pesach Skulnick, includes a Hachana Seder, Bais Medrash of Bergenfield, Hachana Seder, 8:30pm; ma’ariv, 9:15pm; chaburah, 9:30pm, yeshuda.jacoby@gmail.com Tanya Likutei Amarim: New Part of Tanya, Rabbi Chaim Krause, at Cong Bais Torah U’Tefilah, Passaic, 9pm, 973-470-8888 Chumash Shiur, Rabbi Yissocher Frand, via satellite, Cong K’Hal Zichron Mordechai, Monsey (845-356-7188);Young Israel of Fair Lawn (201-797-1800); Cong Keter Torah, Teaneck (201-907-0180); Cong Ohr Torah, West Orange (973-669-7320); Cong Tifereth Israel, Passaic (973773-2552); Cong Ahavas Achim, Highland Park (732-247-0532); Kehillas Bais Yehudah, Wesley Hills, (917-623-4711), Cong Knesses Yisrael, Spring Valley (845-354-6493); Cong Bais Torah, Suffern (845-352-1343), 9pm
Fridays
Orthodox Services, followed by free Shabbat dinner, Rutgers Hillel, New Brunswick, 732-545-2407 Parsha Class, for grades 5-8 and their parents, Rabbi Shmuel Goldin, Cong Ahavath Torah, Englewood, 8pm, 201-568-1315
Shabbat
Kabalah in Hoboken, Rabbi Moshe Schapiro, Chabad of Hoboken, 9am, 201-562-7116
Motzei Shabbat
“Parenting,” with Rabbi Eli Gewirtz, spons by Afterschool Clifton Cheder Enrichment Seminar Series, at the Clifton Cheder, 8pm, 973-841-7222 Navi, Rabbi Yisroel Reisman, live via satellite, Young Israel of Fair Lawn (201-797-1800); Cong Ahavas Achim, Highland Park (732247-0532); Cong Tifereth Israel, Passaic; JEC, Elizabeth (908-591-5929); Cong Khal Zichron Mordechai, Monsey (845-356-7188); Cong Keter Torah, Teaneck; Cong Ohr Torah, West Orange (973-669-7320), Cong Bais Torah, Suffern (845-352-1343), 8pm Parenting Teens Support Group, for parents of teenagers, private home in Passaic, 8pm, parentingteens123@gmail.com
New Minyanim
Sunday Shacharis Minyanim, Cong Ohaiv Shalom, New Hempatead, 7am, 8am, and 8:45am, 845-354-0526 Shacharis, Mon-Fri, in Teaneck, 7am, a28formula@yahoo.com
Chesed Ops
Bikur Cholim of Raritan Valley is looking for men who can leyn Megillah for those who are homebound or hospitalized, call 732-690-7193 Rabbi Yossi Siev of CareOne Teaneck needs men to make up the minyan as well as those who can leyn and give a D’var Torah for the facility’s patients and residents. On Shabbat, shacharis is at 9am, youth groups at 9:30am, and a hot Kiddush is sponsored by CareOne. In the afternoon, there is a mincha service, a shiur, and ma’ariv. Monday through Thursday, ma’ariv is at 7:45pm. CareOne also needs Teaneck residents to provide hospitality for families of CareOne’s patients who need a place to stay. The host family may enjoy all Shabbat meals at CareOne. Reach Rabbi Siev at 201-287-8519 Cong Ahavas Yisrael of Edison is holding a Children’s Clothing Drive and needs clothes in excellent condition as well as volunteers, call 732-247-3073 Cong Arzei Darom in Teaneck is looking for bikur cholim volunteers to visit patients at CareOne and Holy Name Medical Center on Shabbat, bikurcholim@arzeidarom.org Y
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The Jewish Voice and Opinion
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On Marcia’s Night Table: The Belief in Angels by J. Dylan Yates By Marcia Kaplan J. Dylan Yates’s first novel, The Belief in Angels (She Writes Press), is an auspicious debut. Her characters are well developed, and their lives progress so realistically that the book reads like a memoir rather than a work of fiction. Raised on a small island off the coast of Boston, protago-
nist and narrator Jules Finn and her siblings barely make it to adulthood. Both parents are psychotic, each in his or her way. The children’s maternal grandfather, Samuel Trautman, survived Ukrainian pogroms, the Majdanek Death camp, and the torpedoing of the ship Mefkura. In the worst of times, Jules
and Samuel believe they have survived only through Divine intervention. The Belief in Angels is beautifully written. Content rating: The Belief in Angels contains adult language and sexual situations that may not be appropriate for all readers, especially younger ones. Y
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March 2014 / Adar II 5774
Peace Process
continued from page 1 ternational fallout is going to be limited,” said Mr. Obama. No Construction Freeze Nothing in the current negotiations overseen by Secretary of State John Kerry obligates Israel to freeze construction in the disputed areas. Last month, Israel announced future plans to build over 700 housing units in Jerusalem for use by Jewish and Arab residents. The State Department blasted Israel for even mentioning it. Israeli Economics Minister Naftali Bennett (Jewish Home) said instituting a freeze in the disputed areas might be acceptable to Israel if it were imposed on the Palestinians as well. But that has not even been suggested so far. A poll carried out by Dialogue at the end of February showed that if the US were to demand that Israel freeze
the President made clear that for him, Israel’s position (especially regarding Jerusalem and the Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria) is the only obstacle to peace. In the interview, Mr. Obama warned Mr. Netanyahu that not only was time running out for a peace deal, but that if it fails to materialize, the US would have “limited ability to protect Israel from the international fallout.” “I do believe if you see no peace deal, and continued aggressive settlement construction—and we have seen more aggressive settlement construction over the last couple years than we’ve seen in a very long time—if Palestinians come to believe that the possibility of a contiguous sovereign Palestinian state is no longer within reach, then our ability to manage the in-
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construction in the settlements as a condition for the continuation of negotiations, 52 percent of Israelis believe the Jewish state should refuse; only 37 percent would agree to a freeze. In 2009, Israel maintained such a freeze for 10 months in an American-pressured attempt to lure the Palestinians back to the negotiating table. Israel’s Deputy Minister Ofir Akunis (Likud) pointed out that, as a result of that freeze, PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas toughened his position and imposed further preconditions on peace talks. Releasing Terrorists One of those demands was a very unpopular commitment from Israel to release 104 terrorists who were serving sentences—some of them for murder—in Israeli prisons. To keep the Palestinians at the table, Israel agreed to release the terrorists in four separate batches of 26, the last of which is scheduled for this month. The released prisoners had committed their crimes before the signing of the Oslo Accords in 1993. For months, the Palestinians have admitted they have remained at the table only in order to secure the release of their terrorists, who have been greeted in the PA by Mr. Abbas and other leaders as heroes. Israel has demanded that the PA’s incitement to violence must end—in particular, the PA-televised celebrations of the terrorists’ homecomings. A Mistake Mr. Akunis blamed the release of “vile terrorist murderers” on “demands and pressure exerted by John Kerry and the State Department, pressure which is also supported by the White House.” He called the release of the terrorists,
which caused major trauma in Israel, especially to relatives of those who had been murdered, “a mistake of the past that should not be repeated.” “These things do not promote peace. They move it further away,” said Mr. Akunis. The PA has insisted that in any peace agreement with Israel, all terrorists in Israeli prisons must be released, no matter when their crimes were committed. This, the Palestinians say, includes Israeli Arabs, who are citizens of the Jewish state. Using Hillel against Bibi In his interview with Mr. Goldberg, Mr. Obama paraphrased the revered Jewish sage, Hillel, and said he intended to use the venerated words to admonish Mr. Netanyahu: “If not now, when? And if not you, Mr. Prime Minister, then who? How does this get resolved?” Mr. Obama’s critics pointed out that the President omitted the first part of the quote, in which Hillel posed this philosophical conundrum: “If I am not for myself, who will be for me? And if I am only for myself, then what am I?” Israel’s supporters note that after making countless prior concessions to the Palestinians during peace talks—on issues ranging from relinquishing land to freeing terrorist prisoners with blood on their hands— Israel has already shown that it is not only for itself. Already Rejected In the interview, Mr. Obama said nothing about concessions the Kerry plan imposed on the Palestinians. Details about the plan have mostly been intentionally concealed. However, according to a report in the PA-based Al-Quds newspaper, the offer Mr. Kerry is preparing may have already been rejected by the PA.
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According to the Al-Quds report, the PA will be required to recognize Israel as a Jewish state, accept a Palestinian state that does not include the Jordan Valley (where Israel insists it must maintain a military presence for security reasons), agree to annex ten Israeli communities in Judea and Samaria as part of the Palestinian state, and accept the eastern Jerusalem neighborhood of Beit Hanina as its capital instead of all of eastern Jerusalem as the PA has demanded. Instead of NATO troops, the Palestinians will have to accept Israeli troops to guarantee Israel’s security. Mr. Abbas has said that the PA’s acceptance of NATO troops to act as monitors in their sovereign state is a concession. The PA sees its agreement to accept land swaps—allowing Israel to keep some areas of Judea and Samaria in return for land in Israel proper—as another concession. “Right of Return” Other reports on Mr. Kerry’s framework agreement indicate that the Palestinians’ “right of return” would be curtailed. One of the Palestinian demands has been that all Arab refugees who fled pre-state Israel in 1948—and their millions of descendants—be allowed to return to Israel proper, thus flooding the country with Arab immigrants and eliminating the possibility of a Jewish state. According to the reports, Mr. Kerry’s proposal is that “Palestinian refugees” who hold citizenship in other countries, such as Jordan, would not be eligible to “return” to Israel. This has enraged not only the PA, but also Jordan’s King Abdullah, who is hoping the 60 to 80 percent of his subjects who identify as “Palestinians” will be sent to Israel, rather than remaining in Jordan, where they are suspected of fomenting an uprising against the monarchy. According to these reports, Mr. Kerry’s proposal means Israel would still have to accept some 80,000 Arab “refugees.” “Holy Cornerstone” According to the Al-Quds report, Mr. Kerry’s proposals infuriated Mr. Abbas, who has described the “right of return” of all “Palestinian refugees” as “a holy cornerstone that cannot be signed away.” The PA has insisted that even “Palestinian refugees” who opt to stay in their new countries or relocate to the new Palestinian state must be compensated by Israel. According to the report, Mr. Abbas described Mr. Kerry’s proposals as “madness.”
Although the Al-Quds report has not been verified by other sources, a PA official told journalists that the ideas proposed by Mr. Kerry to Mr. Abbas could not be accepted “as the basis for a framework accord, as they do not take into account the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people.” Mr. Abbas told journalists that Mr. Kerry’s attempts to force an agreement had failed. Israel’s Cost Over the past few months there have also been leaks concerning what Mr. Kerry’s plan would require of Israel, such as the relinquishing of most of Judea and Samaria, including the Jordan Valley. The plan calls for the division of Jerusalem, although it is not clear that “Palestine”
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would receive all of eastern Jerusalem, as the Palestinians have demanded. With expected land swaps, the framework agreement would allegedly allow about 75 to 80 percent of the 360,000 Jewish residents of Judea and Samaria to remain in their homes. Most of them are concentrated in two percent of that region’s area. Israel might be required to allow NATO forces rather than Israeli soldiers to guarantee Israel’s security on the Jordan River. Mr. Netanyahu publicly rejected that proposal out of hand. According to some reports, if the Palestinians met Israel’s minimal demands,
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March 2014 / Adar II 5774
Tell Our Advertisers “I Saw It in The Jewish Voice and Opinion”
Ess Gezint: Purim with an Israeli Instructor and Guide Cooking instructor and culinary tour guide, Orly Ziv uses her book, Cook in Israel: Home Cooking Inspiration, to welcome people to her city and home in Tel Aviv. Named for her company, the book is an open classroom, a way to find out how this trained nutritionist, who is also a vegetarian (okay, she makes
Hamantaschen Dough Filling 3½ cups flour 1½ cups orange juice ½ cup finely ground al1 cup sugar monds 3 cups ground poppy 9 oz margarine seeds 1 cup powdered sugar 3 Tbs honey 3 Tbs granulated sugar Lemon zest (optional 1 tsp baking powder To Serve 2 eggs Powdered sugar Pinch of salt Stir the flour and almonds together. In a separate bowl, cream together the margarine and powdered and granulated sugar until fully combined and light in color. Add the sifted flour and almonds, baking powder, eggs, and salt. Knead until a dough is formed. Press dough into a rectangular shape, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 1 hour. Meanwhile, make the filling. Put orange juice, sugar, and poppy seeds in a pot and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add honey and zest (if using) and cook for another 5 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Preheat oven to 350º. Roll out the dough to a think, even layer and cut out circles with a cookie
a lot of fish and her family likes meat, so she sometimes makes them meatballs) captures the multifaceted, international spirit of Israeli cooking. For the book and information on Ms. Ziv’s classes and tours, go to www.cookinisrael.com. Happy Purim, everyone. Y
Raw Beet and Apple Salad
1-2 beets, peeled and grated 2 tsp silan (date honey; 2 green apples, grated other honey will do) 1-2 stalks celery, chopped Lemon juice Chopped walnuts (optional) 1-2 tsp balsamic vinegar Grated ginger (optional) Sea salt Put beets, apples, celery, and walnuts and ginger (if using) in a large bowl and toss to combine. In a separate bowl, whisk together the honey, lemon juice (to taste), balsamic vinegar, and salt (to taste). Pour over the salad and toss again. Serves 4-6.
cutter. Put about ½ tsp of filling in the middle of each circle. Fold up dough into a triangle and pinch the edges. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake about 10 minutes, until golden, Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly. Dust with powdered sugar and serve. Makes at least 40.
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Peace Process the prime minister might support giving the PA control over 90 percent of Judea and Samaria. The PA is demanding 97 percent. Mr. Netanyahu’s numbers would mean that the Ariel bloc, Gush Etzion, Ma’aleh Adumim, and the towns of Beit El and Karnei Shomron, along with surrounding communities would be retained by Israel. Israel would also retain a presence in the ancient holy city of Hebron. If the leaks concerning Mr. Kerry’s plan are accurate, the majority of Mr. Netanyahu’s rightcenter government would not accept all the concessions required of them. Some members of the government would not accept any of them, especially if the Palestinians continue to refuse to recognize Israel as the Jewish state; if they refuse to declare the end of the conflict by signing an accord; if they refuse to recognize Israel’s security needs; and if they refuse to clamp down seriously on the anti-Israel incitement spewed from Palestinian official vehicles, including the PA’s media and textbooks. Recognition Refused Palestinians argue that recognizing Israel as a Jewish state would “legitimize its discrimination against Palestinian citizens.” Israel’s supporters say that argument ignores how
March 2014 / Adar II 5774
continued from page 37 Israel provides equal rights to all its citizens, including 1.5 million Israeli Arabs, who compose about 20 percent of the population. Other Palestinians say the refusal is based on concerns that in a peace deal, Israeli Arabs could be transferred to the jurisdiction of the Palestinian State rather than retain the right to remain in Israel. Most analysts agree that the PA will not recognize Israel as a Jewish state because doing so would contradict the “right of return” and the effect the Palestinians hope it will have: the end of the Jewish state. Mr. Abbas said that for him, recognition of the Jewish state was “out of the question.” “Jordan and Egypt were not asked to do that when they signed peace treaties with Israel,” he said. Mr. Erekat has insisted that demanding recognition of Israel as a Jewish state would be akin to asking the PA to “change our history, our religion, or our civilization.” “Canaanite Ideology” According to Mr. Erekat, the Palestinians represent “the Biblical Canaanites who lived in the region 5,500 years before Joshua Bin-Nun came and burned my hometown.” This Palestinian claim that they are descended from the
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Peace Process Canaanites is a very recent argument. According to most scholars, it is contrary to historical evidence. “The Canaanites disappeared from the face of the earth three millennia ago, and no one knows if any of their descendants survived, or, if they did, who they would be,” said Dr. Mitchell Bard, author and director of the American-Israel Cooperative Enterprise and the Jewish Virtual Library, an online encyclopedia. Palestinian scholar, Zakariyya Muhammad, an Arab critic of the “Palestinians-asCanaanites” theory, said “Canaanite ideology” is not only “an intellectual fad,” but a way of proving the central thesis of Zionism, “namely that Palestinians have been engaged in a perennial conflict with Zionism and a Jewish presence in Palestine since the Kingdom of Solomon and before.”
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continued from page 39 “Thus in one stroke, Canaanism cancels the assumption that Zionism is a European movement propelled by modern European contingencies,” said Mr. Muhammad. Jews in Palestine Perhaps urged by Mr. Kerry, Mr. Netanyahu recently floated a trial balloon: he suggest that if Israel were to grant sovereignty of Judea and Samaria to the PA, the current Jewish residents of communities there would be allowed to stay in their homes, becoming, in effect, residents of “Palestine.” Just as there are Arab residents and citizens of Israel, the Jews of Judea and Samaria could be Jewish residents and citizens of Palestine. The idea was rejected by most Israelis, who saw it as an invitation for the Jews to be murdered, and by Palestinians, who have insisted Palestine must be given to them judenrein.
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“Anyone who says he wants to keep settlers in the Palestinian state is actually saying that he doesn’t want a Palestinian state. No settler will be allowed to stay in the Palestinian state, not even a single one, because settlements are illegal and the presence of the settlers on the occupied lands is illegal,” said Mr. Erekat. Cost to One Side Only? In the interview with Mr. Goldberg, Mr. Obama detailed extensively the price Israel would pay if the current peace talks fail, but there was no mention of any Palestinian consequences. Instead, the President praised Mr. Abbas as “sincere about his willingness to recognize Israel and its right to exist.” Mr. Obama omitted saying that Mr. Abbas, like all PA leaders, has resolutely refused to recognize Israel as a Jewish state. Observers said it might have been Mr. Obama’s way of showing that he, like Mr. Abbas, rejects the demand made by Mr. Netanyahu for recognition. But last month, US Ambassador to Israel Dan Shapiro said publicly that Mr. Kerry’s framework agreement will obligate the PA to recognize Israel as a Jewish state. However, the PA backed by the Arab League has already formally refused to do so, telling the American and Israeli negotiating teams that “the Arab states will never recognize a Jewish state.” In Israel, the Dialogue poll asked Israelis about signing a peace deal if all points were agreed upon, but the Palestinians still were not prepared to recognize the Jewish state. Twenty-seven percent said Israel should go ahead and sign; 65 percent said no. One-and-a-Half Palestinian States Reflecting that majority, Mr. Bennett said the Palestinians’ insistence on their demands—a
complete withdrawal from all territories won in the 1967 SixDay War, including all of eastern Jerusalem; release of all terrorists serving time in Israeli prisons; and the “right of return”—coupled with their refusal to recognize the Jewish state explains why a deal has not been and will not be reached. “They used to say two states for two peoples. The Palestinians don’t say that anymore. They just say two states. They want a Palestinian state and then a Palestinian-Jewish state. They won’t accept a Jewish state, so why should we accept their state?” he said. He accused the PA of “essentially saying: First, give us half the land. Then, we’ll have a Palestinian state. After that, we’ll start debating your half and turn it into a binational state.” End of the Conflict Mr. Netanyahu and Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon have argued that once an agreement is reached in any final treaty, the Palestinians will relinquish any further demands for territory beyond what is specified in the treaty. “Without this, plus recognition as a Jewish state and proper security arrangements, Israel could not accept a deal,” said Mr. Ya’alon, adding that he does “not sense that the Palestinian leadership will be ready to agree to a partition of the land and drop all further claims.” He said he is convinced the heart of the matter is neither “the liberated or occupied or conquered territories of 1967” nor the settlements, which he said “are not an obstacle to peace.” “The settlements today sit on less than five percent of the land in Judea and Samaria. Why does the Palestinian leadership demand that no Jews be allowed to remain in the region once a deal is made?” he said.
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CollegeLink Consulting . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Seeking Boys’ Yeshiva Teacher . . . . . . 34 The Binah School . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 How to Live Together Mr. Bennett agreed that the 2 million Palestinians in the PA have aspirations of their own and that “like us, they are not going anywhere.” “So we have to figure out how to live together,” he said, adding that giving Palestinians sovereignty is not the answer because “every time we give them land to control, they kill us.” “For 20 years, we’ve tried this direction, again and again, in 1993, 1995, 2000, 2005. Ehud Barak was willing to divide Jerusalem, give them 97 percent. And you know what they did? They killed 1,000 Israelis as a result. It’s not working. The Israeli people were willing again and again to divide our country to get peace, but we got terror instead. We have to look at reality and there are other ways. It’s time to try a different approach,” he said. His suggestions include building the economy for Palestinians and Jews. “All across the region, from Barkan, Ariel, Ma’aleh Adumim, there is business and economy, and that’s the real bridge to peace. Build it bottom up because clearly the diplomats are failing. You have to see what’s going on. It’s beautiful. It’s good for the Palestinians, good for the Israelis,” he said.
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cotts of Israel. “That will never change,” he said, adding that the US will “use every tool to defeat attempts to delegitimize Israel in the United Nations.” Nevertheless, some left-wing Israelis and their supporters, including the Obama administration, have argued that without peace, Israel’s thriving economy will suffer. Mr. Bennett disagreed. “I would ask how they think Israel’s economy will look the first time an Israeli plane is shot down from ‘Palestine’ in the West Bank, which is four kilometers from Ben-Gurion Airport. I would ask them: How will our economy, tourism, and high-tech industry be when we get two missiles a day into Tel Aviv, not the ten a day we get sometimes in Sderot, just two. My desire for peace is just as great as anyone’s, but at the end of the day, we have to face reality, and the assumption that handing over territory will bring peace is a mistake” he said. Mr. Ya’alon agreed, bluntly answering Mr. Obama’s threat. “I hope we can achieve our goals in this agreement, but if we cannot, Israel will manage,” he said. No Isolation Asked about the threat to Israel’s economy, Mr. Bennett denied that Israel is economically isolated. In fact, he said, the fourth quarter of 2013 “was the best in Israel’s history.” In February, an Israeli company sold for $900 million, he said. “We’ve got the strongest economy, and by the way, that economy is trickling down to the Palestinians as well. If someone doesn’t want to invest beyond
the Green Line, so be it. Clearly there is a debate. The land is disputed. There are different opinions than my own, and I can’t tell a European country where to invest and where not. However, suggesting boycotting Israel would be self-defeating because so many high-tech devices or parts used to make them work are Israelimade. Your navigation system is probably Israeli. You can try boycotting, but I don’t think it’s a good idea,” he said. He insisted those threatening Israel with isolation “are trying to scare Israelis into a bad agreement with the PA.” The actual situation is quite different, he said, noting that at a meeting last month with forty economic ministers from the EU, he was besieged with questions reflecting admiration for the Jewish state. “Everyone wants to know how they can build another start-up nation, how they can get their hands on the innovations that are uniquely Israeli,” he said. “Just look at our technology: We export ten times the output of tomatoes and cucumbers in India; we help Africa with its water problems; we help banks with their security; and assist the disabled with advanced technology,” he said. Multi-National R&D Over the past few years, Israel has attracted more multi-national researchand-development centers than almost any other country in the world, he said. “We’re getting more foreign investment in Israel because people appreciate our economy and respect our being
the only democracy in the Middle East. Show me any other country that treats its minorities the way we do. We’re not blowing up mosques the way others are blowing up churches. We respect everyone,” he said. He denied relations with the US are suffering. “America is our biggest ally. We share deep economic, intelligence, and military relationships. Israel enjoys increasing American investment. It’s our number one trade partner. We have disagreements, some of them profound, such as on the Palestinian issue. That’s all right. Friends can disagree,” he said. Pressuring the Wrong Party In the US, Mr. Netanyahu made it clear that Mr. Obama should be pressuring the PA rather than Israel. “The 20 years that have passed since Israel entered the peace process have been marked by unprecedented steps that Israel has taken to advance peace. I mean, we vacated cities in Judea and Samaria. We left Gaza entirely. We’ve not only frozen settlements, we’ve uprooted entire settlements. We’ve released hundreds of terrorist prisoners, including dozens in recent months. And when you look at what we got in return, it’s been scores of suicide bombings, thousands of rockets on our cities fired from the areas we vacated, and just incessant Palestinian incitement against Israel. So Israel has
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been doing its part, and I regret to say that the Palestinians haven’t,” he said. He recognized that although “this flies in the face of conventional wisdom [about the conflict], it is the truth and the people of Israel know it’s the truth because they’ve been living it.” He said Israel was looking for a “peace that is anchored in mutual recognition of two nation states that recognize and respect one another, and solid security arrangements on the ground.” “The Palestinians expect us to recognize a Palestinian state for the Palestinian people. I think it’s about time they recognize a nation state for the Jewish people. We’ve only been there for 4,000 years,” he said. “Moral Divide” At AIPAC, Mr. Netanyahu
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e p a s c E
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What the Obama Interview Really Meant
Bloomberg columnist Jeffrey Goldberg’s interview with President Obama on the eve of his meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu is highly significant, verging on a turning point in US-Israeli relations. Several points emerge from the interview. First is the implied threat that if current peace negotiations with the Palestinians fail, the US will be unable—read unwilling—to defend Israel. Moreover, it is up to the Palestinians to judge: “If Palestinians come to believe that the possibility of a contiguous sovereign Palestinian state is no longer within reach, then our ability to manage the international fallout is going to be limited.” Obama repeated that statement twice. His statement that “What we also know is that Israel has become more isolated internationally” is not simply a prediction but a prescription. Similar statements by Secretary of State John Kerry in recent months have given European governments and industry the license to begin quietly exploring ways to boycott Israeli industries and corporations, arguably as part of an American strategy to pressure Israel during negotiations. A statement by the US President will be paradigmatic. This alone is a momentous policy shift. Part of the rationale for pressuring Israel is spelled out, pursuit of a “potential realignment of interests in the region,” the nature of which is unclear, perhaps given that half the Arab states are engaged in civil war. But the key obstacle is: “The only reason that that potential realignment is not, and potential cooperation is not, more explicit is because of the Palestinian issue.” That is to say, Israel. But the goals behind the interview, published during the annual AIPAC convention in Washington, are also significant and provide additional clarity regarding the administration’s, and the president’s, attitudes towards Israel and much more. Superficially the President’s carefully chosen words appear intended to influence Netanyahu himself. But the mix of praise and condescension (Netanyahu is “smart,” “tough”, and a “great communicator” but “If not now, when? And if not you, Mr. Prime Minister, then who?”) seems more likely to simply humiliate Netanyahu, to degrade him publicly. Either Obama is tone deaf or simply does not care. Both may be the case. The interview may also appear aimed at the Israeli public, a last ditch call to leave the West Bank and make peace before it is impossible. There is of course a strong case to be made here. But Obama shows no awareness or even interest in Israeli politics, the need or the methods to build the consensus necessary for such a dramatic move. For Netanyahu, it would mean alienating the entire Israel right, including much of his own party, and constructing a new coalition out of weak components, as well as convincing the Israeli public that this is necessary and wise and not caving to an American diktat. Obama’s statement that Netanyahu is “strong enough that if he decided this was the right thing to do for Israel, that he could do it” defies reality. It is not up to Netanyahu to “decide” then “do,” but rather to lead and persuade. This is characteristic of Obama’s larger mindset—he sees himself and his policies as wise, necessary and above politics. He has, after all, a pen and a phone. In the domestic arena, Republican
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Letters to the Editor opposition and the normal give and take of democratic politics are depicted as betrayal and heresy. His opponents are troglodytes and wreckers who find themselves, like Netanyahu, the victim of personal vilification as well as the occasional IRS audit. Netanyahu is obviously not a Republican, but he has been characterized in the same terms and the same breath as the President’s other political opponents. Of course, this petty mindset has now collided with that of a fully professional dictator, Vladimir Putin, a far more obstinate foe than Netanyahu, one whom Obama cannot afford to call names. But if Obama’s remarks are not aimed at Netanyahu himself or Israel, then who? The answer is specifically non-religious American Jews and the American Left. One clue is Obama’s use of the phrase “how Israel survives as a democracy and a Jewish state” juxtaposed with “permanent occupation of the West Bank.” This is the paramount concern of non-religious American Jews. For the American Left, the concern is “US involvement” which, regarding Syria, “would have had the third, or, if you count Libya, the fourth war in a Muslim country in the span of a decade.” Stoking resentments and calling out enemies are this administration’s stock and trade. Netanyahu’s humiliations at the hands of this administration are unique—left alone while the President goes to dinner with his family, denied photo opportunities, and subjected to a stream of hostile comments and leaks, including the compromise of a key cyberwarfare program aimed at Iran, Stuxnet. So too is his vilification by the captive American press and the network of party organizations (such as the New American Foundation, J Street, and others), which have characterized him as a “settler,” an opponent of a Palestinian state, and a warmonger on Iran. One need not be an ally of Netanyahu to recognize these as misrepresentations. On the one hand these are designed to separate American Jews from their traditional organizations, above all AIPAC. By continually characterizing AIPAC as a right wing, Republican organization rather than a centrist, non-partisan one, and by loudly calling opposition to the administration’s opening to Iran as right-wing war-mongering (above all Netanyahu’s), the goal has been to isolate Jewish support from anything except the new party line and its approved organs. As Lee Smith points out in Tablet, AIPAC was played and then humiliated by the administration for the purpose of demonstrating the organization’s weakness. Confused by this strategy of politicizing support for Israel and subjugating it to a domestic agenda, AIPAC fell into the trap. More sinisterly, this holds out the threat of labeling Israel and any of its supporters as right-wing war-mongers. This was the view of the Democratic Party’s left wing before and during the Iraq War. Demonizing anything besides the Obama line on Israel may be an effective way of keeping Jewish opposition in line. The corollary goal is to break American-Jewish power, real and perceived, and to harness what remains to the Democratic Party and the administration. The operative theory appears to be the inverse of James Baker’s legendary remark about Jews who “don’t vote for us anyway.” American Jews will vote
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“Thought Is the World of Freedom” (R’ Dov Ber of Mazeritch) Democrat regardless, but Israel’s position has always been exceptional in American politics. This is to be ended. Syria, Libya, and now Ukraine have shown that the international scene erupts quickly to disrupt domestic agendas. But it is a reasonable prediction that these and other fiascos will prompt Obama to redouble pressure on Israel, particularly by unleashing Europeans, not for the sake of a rare policy success—which Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas has repeatedly assured will not be forthcoming. It will be to punish a vassal state and a domestic minority that refuse to comply fully and cheerfully. Alex Joffe New Rochelle, NY Dr. Joffe, a historian and archaeologist, is a Shillman-Ginsburg Fellow of the Middle East Forum
Rockland-Jewish Soldier Buried in Normandy?
I received the letter below from someone who wants to visit the graves of Jewish soldiers from Rockland County in Normandy. If you have this information, please contact me at brisrabbi@gmail.com, and I will forward the information: This year marks the 70th anniversary of the invasion of Normandy during World War II. In accordance with that, I am traveling to France and going to the site of this historic event. As part of my journey I will be visiting the American Cemetery where over 9,000 of our military dead are buried. While photos of the cemetery always show the crosses all aligned in perfect rows, there are just under 150 graves marked with a Star of David among those 9000 graves. I am hoping to light a Yahrzeit candle at the grave of one of these Jewish soldiers and, to make this more personal, I am hoping to find the name of a Jewish soldier buried at Normandy who has roots (or a connection) to Rockland County. In this effort I need your help. Rockland County in the 1940’s was a small rural community and the Jewish population at that time was not what it is today. Jewish soldiers who fought in World War II might not have lived in Rockland (or even in New York) at that time, but with the opening of the Tappan Zee Bridge in 1955, Rockland County grew significantly. Many Jewish families who previously spent summer vacations in Rockland then made the move to live here permanently. In seeking out the name of this soldier, I have received the names on all the graves with a Star of David, including the state they came from, their rank, date of death, and the
unit the soldier served with. Additionally I have the location of these graves. If you have a relative or know of a Jewish soldier who is buried in the American cemetery in Normandy, it would my honor to visit that grave during my trip. I will bring back photos of the grave and any information that I can obtain related to the grave of your relative. Rabbi Yerachmiel Seplowitz Monsey, NY
March is Colon Cancer Awareness Month
While most Jews are aware of the genetically inherited diseases that affect our community, such as Tay-Sachs, few are aware of the increased risk posed by colon cancer to Ashkenazi Jews. While the average American has a 6 percent risk of developing colon cancer, Jews have a higher rate. A genetic mutation on the “colon cancer” gene is found in over 6 percent of all Ashkenazi Jews in America. This mutation is present in 28 percent of those Jews with a family history of colorectal cancer. Given the increased incidence of inflammatory bowel disease in the Jewish population [Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis], which also predisposes to a higher colon cancer rate, it can be confidently asserted that the average Ashkenazi Jew in America is at a higher-than-average risk for colorectal cancer. This qualifies Jewish patients for a more appropriate screening strategy for colorectal cancer, one reserved for individuals at a “higher-than-normal” risk. This includes a screening colonoscopy at least by age 50. If any relatives have had colon cancer or colon polyps, then the first colonoscopy should be done at age 40. Jews should view this as nothing more than routine screening, like prostate exams, PAP smears, and mammograms. Please ask your doctor about colon cancer screening and tell them you are at a greater-than-average risk because of your heritage. Scott David Lippe, M.D. Fair Lawn, NJ The Jewish Voice and Opinion welcomes letters, especially if they are typed, double-spaced, and legible. We reserve the right to edit letters for length and style. Please send all mail to POB 8097, Englewood, NJ 07631. The phone number is (201) 569-2845. The email address is susan@jewishvoiceandopinion.com
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received a standing ovation when he referred to Jerusalem as “the eternal, undivided capital of the State of Israel.” He reiterated that Israel and he were “prepared to make an historic peace with our Palestinians partners and end decades of bloodshed,” but, he added, “I will never gamble with the security of the one and only Jewish state.” He called on Mr. Abbas to “stand on the right side of the moral divide” and “finally make clear that you are prepared to end the conflict.” Citing the Jewish historical connection to cities in Judea and Samaria, including Hebron, Beit El, and Jerusalem, he said, “It’s time the Palestinians stop denying history.” “Recognize the Jewish state—no excuses—it’s time,” he urged. Why Security Is Needed He told the AIPAC audience that he realized it could take “years or decades” for formal recognition “to filter down to the Palestinian street,” which he said is precisely why Israel needs long-term security arrangements even after a final agreement is reached. Because any agreement would immediately come under attack by Hamas, Hezbollah, and other radical groups, he said, “only the Israeli army,
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brave soldiers of the IDF” could be trusted with Israel’s security, as opposed to international forces whose permanence and performance, he said, “cannot be guaranteed under fire.” In Israel, the consensus was that Mr. Netanyahu had “hit it out of the ballpark.” The PA has already rejected the presence of Israeli troops in “Palestine.” While Israeli leaders insist the PA must prepare its people to accept Israel as a Jewish state, Mr. Erekat insists the Israeli government must prepare Jews to accept the pre-1967 borders, which virtually all military experts in Israel and the US have agreed are indefensible. “I want Mr. Prime Minister of Israel to address his people, to tell his people, to prepare his people for what is needed, yes, and to say, 1-9-6-7. That’s what he needs to say,” declared Mr. Erekat, reciting the numbers 1, 9, 6, and 7 in Hebrew. Extending the Deadline Because there has been no movement, Mr. Kerry has admitted that his original April deadline for a full peace deal will not be met. Instead, he is hoping both sides agree that his yet-to-be-made-public framework will guide the talks, which will continue. “Then we get into the final negotiations,” he said. “I don’t
think anybody would worry if there’s another nine months, or whatever it’s going to be.” While the Israelis are likely to accept Mr. Kerry’s proposal to continue the talks, the PA has already rejected it. Mr. Abbas said the only way the PA would agree to extend talks is if Mr. Netanyahu announces a settlement freeze and the release of additional terrorist prisoners. If Israel does not agree, he said, “I will put the keys on the ta-
ble and turn to international organizations.” Israel’s Deputy Minister Akunis said the idea of Israel’s instituting a construction freeze in order to allow the peace talks to continue for another year is “unacceptable in any form.” Many Israelis say releasing Arab- terrorist murderers of Jews brings into question whether Nazi murderers of Jews ever should have been captured, prosecuted, and punished. S.L.R.
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