HAKOL LEHIGH VALLEY The Voice of the Lehigh Valley Jewish Community
JANUARY 2016 | TEVET/SH’VAT 5776
Local menorah featured at White House Chanukah Reception By Laura Rigge HAKOL Editor LVJP LATKE-VODKA Jewish professionals celebrate Chanukcah. See page 5.
CHANUCAN was back and better than ever! See page 10.
On Dec. 9, Jeanette Eichenwald received the Chanukah gift of a lifetime: her family menorah was one of three featured at the White House Chanukah reception. The annual event brings together Jews from across Washington, D.C., and the United States to celebrate the miracle of Chanukah. Eichenwald attended the event along with her husband Eduardo and their 11-year old granddaughter Alexandra. In years past, special menorahs were featured at the White House, inluding a 90-year old menorah that survived Hurricane Sandy and a menorah handmade by schoolchildren in Israel. This year, the White House put out a call for unique menorahs that tell a story to be a part of the candle lighting ceremony. After featuring her menorah’s story in the December issue, HAKOL submitted Eichenwald’s menorah, and it was chosen out of more than 50 entries from across the country. Eichenwald’s menorah has been in her family for centuries. When her father and grandfather were arrested by the Nazis on Kristallnacht in 1938, they took the menorah to Dachau with them so they could celebrate
Chanukah in the concentration camp. After bartering and smuggling for the oil, wick and matches they needed, Eichenwald’s father and the other men in his cell block lit the menorah the first day, only to be caught by the guards on the second day of Chanukah. They beat the men and threw the menorah into the fire, but it survived the flames. One of the men found it the next day and buried it outside, where it stayed for years until he dug it up again before leaving the camp. Years later, he tracked down Eichenwald’s father’s address and returned the menorah to the family. The other featured menorahs included a three-foot-tall Israeli menorah owned by the Fox family of Raleigh, North Carolina, and the Richard Meier Jewish History Menorah, which tells the story of the Jewish people with different designs for each candleholder. The first five candleholders (from left to right) represent locations of Jewish expulsion (Egypt, Roman Palestine, France, England and Spain,) the sixth candleholder represents the emancipation of Jews and the expansion of the Jewish population in Vienna around 1890, the seventh candleholder represents pogroms in Tzarist Russia and the eighth candleholder is a reminder of the Holocaust. This menorah acknowledges the indomitable will of the Jewish people to live
despite overwhelming adversity. At the reception, the Eichenwalds spent the afternoon enjoying the delicious kosher spread and meeting new people. They also explored the rooms of the White House. Marines were posted in each room and gave information about what they are used for and where the various decorations came from. The multitude of holiday decorations were not only beautiful, but also meaningful; one tree was decorated with letters to men and women in the Armed Forces from their loved ones. The reception ended with the menorah lighting, which took place in the East Room. President and Mrs. Obama watched on as President Rivlin of Israel and his wife lit the Fox menorah as the entire room of 600 sang together. It was a night the Eichenwalds would never forget.
To learn more about this story, see pages 16-17.
Super Sunday offers mitzvah opportunities for all By Stephanie Smartschan JFLV Director of Marketing CELEBRATE IN STYLE Planning your simcha with our special section.
No. 383 com.UNITY with Mark Goldstein 2 Women’s Division
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LVJF Tributes
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Jewish Family Service 15 Jewish Community Center
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Jewish Day School
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Community Calendar
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Are you looking for a meaningful way to start the new year? How about making a difference in the lives of seniors, campers and Jews all over the world? The Jewish Federation will host its annual Super Sunday phone-a-thon and community mitzvah day on Jan. 31, which offers the opportunity to give in a variety of ways. The event is being co-chaired by Brian and Emily Ford.
Non-Profit Organization 702 North 22nd Street Allentown, PA 18104
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Super Sunday will, as always, begin and end with a phone-a-thon and community celebration at the JCC. From 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 5:30 to 8 p.m., volunteers will be “making the call,” asking for support for the 2016 Campaign for Jewish Needs. Funds raised help feed the hungry, comfort the elderly and inspire Jewish life and learning in the Lehigh Valley, in Israel and all over the world. Volunteers can make Super Sunday a family affair. A free superhero-themed PJ Library program will take place at 10:30 a.m. in the auxiliary auditorium. The program will feature special musical guests Cantor Ellen Sussman from Temple Shirat Shalom and her husband David Vaida and will include stories, songs, snacks, crafts and more. The first 50 children will receive free superhero T-shirts. BBYO members and Hillel students will be participating in the phone-a-thon, some making thank you calls to those who have already pledged to this year’s campaign.
There will be refreshments provided for both shifts and a few special guests are expected in the morning. All volunteers will receive an orientation before making calls, and a T-shirt. Beginning at 1 p.m., when the morning calling shift concludes, mitzvah projects will focus on two of the Federation’s major beneficiary agencies — the Jewish Community Center and Jewish Family Service. At Camp JCC in Center Valley, volunteers will roll up their sleeves to paint buildings for next summer. “Camp JCC is important to so many families in this community, and the volunteers make such a difference,” said
Brenda Finberg, Camp JCC director. Through Jewish Family Service, volunteers will be bringing friendly smiles to local senior residential facilities. “Last year, our volunteers had so many meaningful moments with the residents they visited,” said Carol Wilson, JFS clinical coordinator of older adult services. “The residents are already looking forward to this year’s visit.” An orientation will be held at 1 p.m. at the JCC before volunteers are dispatched. To sign up now for a phone-athon shift or mitzvah project, visit www.jewishlehighvalley.org/supersunday, call 610-821-5500 or e-mail aaron@jflv.org.
com.UNITY
FROM THE DESK OF MARK L. GOLDSTEIN
Executive Director | Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley markg@jflv.org
Star Wars, Israel and the United States Normally December is filled with Christmas advertising. But this year it was “trumped” by competition. I could easily make the case that Christmas hype was overtaken by political debates, campaigning and the political pundits in the preprimary season of the U.S. presidential drama. But even that was overtaken by the hype surrounding the December opening of the latest Star Wars movie installment. President Obama, at the White House menorah lighting ceremony, offered a bridge between Judaism and Star Wars when he stated: “All of us come together, along with Jews around the world, to celebrate a band of Maccabees who inspire us even today. They were outnumbered. They were outarmed. And yet they proved that freedom can prevail over tyranny. Hope can triumph over despair. Light can prevail over darkness. That sounds like a description of the new Star Wars movie.” But with all the holiday, political and movie hysteria, mid-December offered a Star Wars reference that links Israel and the United States, and it was largely lost on the media. Let’s rewind to the ambitious 1983 Strategic Defense Initiative of President Ronald Reagan. Better known as the
“Star Wars” missile defense system, the proposed system would protect the U.S. from intercontinental ballistic missiles through a combination of ground-based radar units and orbital missile (or laser) deployment platforms. The program did not gain much traction as it was costly and relied on technology that had yet to be developed. While not ignoring all the developments in U.S. missile defense technology, I focus on Dec. 10, 2015. During the middle of Chanukah and a week before the opening of the latest Star Wars saga, Israel announced it had successfully tested an Arrow 3 missile. Arrow 3 features an “exo-atmospheric” interception of ballistic missiles and ICBMs during the space-flight portion of their trajectory. The Israelis successfully intercepted the bogey missile in space among a bevy of other objects, confirming the missile’s ability to discriminate its target. It may not be lasers, but it is a Star Wars defense. While the public disagreements between Washington and Jerusalem are abound in the press, the coverage misses the statements from the Israeli and American military leaders noting that strategic cooperation and intelligence sharing is at such high levels never experienced before. We
have seen that collaboration at work. During the recent wars with Hamas, the U.S.financed, U.S.-Israel collaboratively designed and Israelibuilt Iron Dome missiles successively intercepted a significant number of Hamas missiles. This joint venture saved hundreds of lives and tens of millions of dollars of destruction. When I was in Israel in 2006 during the War with Hezbollah, I observed launchings of Patriot missiles to counter the longer-range Hezbollah missiles. The updated Arrow 3 missile, which moves the interception into space, is a continuation of the strategic alliance shared by Israel and the United States. Like previous Arrows and Iron Domes, the Arrow 3 is jointly funded and designed by Israel and the U.S. It would not be possible without the U.S. financing, Israeli technology and Israeli field testing. As America and Israel’s adversaries continue to develop new military capabilities, the two allies are working together to perfect the Arrow 3 system. The Arrow 3 will protect against the most advanced long-range missiles, such as the newest of Iran’s Shihab missiles, with ranges expected to exceed 1,800 miles. The development, testing and deployment of these Star
Farewell and best wishes to Judy Diamondstein!
Wars defense systems are not simply to the benefit of Israel. They are also part of the United States’ comprehensive regional and global defense strategies. The strategic alliance between Israel and the U.S. does not happen without the strong support of the U.S. Congress and the U.S. Administration. The American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) deserves much more than a brief acknowledgement. AIPAC’s lobbying priorities for decades have stressed the vital strategic intelligence and military partnerships between the U.S. and Israel. What was practically a science fiction idea in the early 1980s, cynically labeled with the title of a science fiction
HAKOL LEHIGH VALLEY HAKOL is published 11 times per year for the Jewish communities of Allentown, Bethlehem, Easton and vicinity by the Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley.
If you are interested in travelling to Washington for the March 20-22 AIPAC Policy Conference, call the Federation at 610-8215500. We have a limited number of discounted registrations available.
HAKOL STAFF Laura Rigge
HAKOL Editor
Stephanie Smartschan
JFLV Director of Marketing
Allison Meyers
Graphic Designer
Diane McKee
Advertising Representative TEL: 610-515-1391 hakolads@jflv.org
COMMUNITY SUBMISSIONS Submissions to HAKOL must be of interest to the entire Jewish community. HAKOL reserves all editorial rights including, but not limited to, the decision to print any submitted materials, the editing of submissions to conform to style and length requirements, and the placement of any printed material. Articles should be submitted by e-mail or presented as typed copy; “Community Calendar” listings must be submitted by e-mail to hakol@jflv.org or online at www. jewishlehighvalley.org. Please include your name and a daytime telephone number where you can be contacted in the event questions arise. We cannot guarantee publication or placement of submissions.
Mail, fax, or e-mail to: JFLV ATTN: HAKOL 702 N. 22nd St. Allentown, PA 18104 Phone: (610) 821-5500 Fax: (610) 821-8946 E-mail: hakol@jflv.org
The community came together on Dec. 8 to say farewell to Judy Diamondstein and thank her for all she has done for our community. Judy will begin her work as the CEO of the Jewish Federation of Greater New Haven in January. Toda Raba, Judy, for everything you have done for our community.
blockbuster, is becoming an important reality due to the strategic collaboration between the U.S. and Israel.
JFLV EXECUTIVE STAFF Mark L. Goldstein Executive Director
Judy Diamondstein
Assistant Executive Director
Temple Coldren
Director of Finance & Administration
Jim Mueth
Director of Planned Giving & Endowments
Aaron Gorodzinsky
Director of Outreach & Community Relations
Mark H. Scoblionko JFLV President
EDITORIAL BOARD
Monica Friess, Acting Chair Barbara Reisner Judith Rodwin Sara Vigneri
Member American Jewish Press Association
All advertising is subject to review and approval by The Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley (JFLV). JFLV reserves the right to decline, withdraw and/ or edit any ad. The appearance of any advertising in HAKOL does not represent an endorsement or kashrut certification. Paid political advertisements that appear in HAKOL do not represent an endorsement of any candidate by the JFLV.
JEWISH FEDERATION OF THE LEHIGH VALLEY MISSION STATEMENT In order to unite, sustain, and enhance the Lehigh Valley Jewish community, and support Jewish communities in Israel and around the world, the Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley is dedicated to the following core values:
• Supporting Jews in need wherever they may be. • Supporting Israel as a Jewish homeland. • Supporting and encouraging Jewish education in the Lehigh Valley as a means of strengthening Jewish life for individuals and families. • Supporting programs and services of organizations whose values and mission meet local Jewish needs.
JEWISH FEDERATION OF THE LEHIGH VALLEY We gratefully acknowledge those individuals who have offered expressions of friendship by requesting that trees be planted in the Yoav--Lehigh Valley Partnership Park. IN HONOR MARC AND DEBBIE HERMAN Birth of their son, Hillel Aharon SHALOM BABY JUDY AND MARC DIAMONDSTEIN Good luck in your new home Partnership2Gether
ELIZABETH RICH AND KRISTIAN BALL Birth of their daughter, Eliana Simone Kelemen Ball SHALOM BABY
TO ORDER TREES, call the JFLV at 610-821-5500 or visit www.jewishlehighvalley.org. 2 JANUARY 2016 | HAKOL LEHIGH VALLEY
To accomplish this mission the Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley is committed to the following operating guidelines: • Raising and distributing funds to support the core values. • Developing Jewish leaders. • Building endowments to support implementation of core values. • Committing to ongoing Jewish community strategic planning. • Fostering cooperation among organizations and community building. • Evaluating all decisions with respect to fiscal responsibility. • Identifying unmet needs and investing in community initiatives to help get them started. • Coordinating and convening a community response as an issue or need arises. • Setting priorities for allocation and distribution of funds. • Acting as a central address for communication about events, programs and services of the Jewish community as a whole. Approved by the JFLV Board of Directors on November 15, 2000
Community pledges $1.2 million during 60 Day Challenge Donors stepped up to double their impact in October and November, contributing a total of $1.2 million to the 2016 Campaign for Jewish Needs in just 60 days. The money raised includes $40,000 from generous anonymous donors to match new gifts and increases, of which there were 311 out of 575 contributors. “The community really stepped up to make this challenge another huge success,” said Iris Epstein, chairperson of the 2016 campaign. “We are so thankful for our volunteers and everyone who took the time to make a pledge and seize those additional dollars.” The money raised will help feed the hungry, comfort the elderly and promote Jewish life here in the Lehigh Valley and around the world. To celebrate the end of a successful challenge, community members gathered at the JCC of the Lehigh Valley on Day 60 on Dec. 1, which coincided with #GivingTuesday, to hear an exclusive performance from Israeli singer Hadar. Accompanied by her husband KJ McNeill on acoustic guitar, Hadar sang beautiful renditions of classic Israeli tunes. The campaign will remain open until June 30, 2016, and if you have not yet had the opportunity to pledge, you still have plenty of time. Visit www.jewishlehighvalley.org/campaign to learn more. Thank you for taking the 60 Day Challenge. Because of you, we are there.
Left, Israeli singer Hadar takes on her own renditions of classic Israeli tunes. Right, Ron Segel enjoys the performance.
Left, Mike and Linda Miller watch the show. Right, Judy Diamondstein and Iris Epstein with KJ McNeill and Hadar.
HAKOL LEHIGH VALLEY | JANUARY 2016 3
WOMEN’S DIVISION OF THE JEWISH FEDERATION OF THE LEHIGH VALLEY
‘Shalom’ committee to host events welcoming newcomers
Beth Kushnick, Shalom Lehigh Valley comittee chair, reaches out to women new to the community. By Stephanie Smartschan JFLV Director of Marketing When Chelsea Karp found out she would be moving from Westchester, New York, to the Lehigh Valley last year,
she quickly began seeking out connections in the Jewish community. She spoke with friends of friends. Her realtor gave her a name, and that person gave her two more.
“It made it a lot less scary to go somewhere where there was the unknown,” Karp said. “It also humanized the place for me … and it helped to speak with people on the phone and get texts from them and just to realize how thoughtful people are here.” Now Karp is looking to help others build those same kinds of relationships by serving on a new committee of the Jewish Federation’s Women’s Division, Shalom Lehigh Valley. “When you first move somewhere, there’s so many things you don’t know like where to get a gift for someone … or you need a reference on a hair dresser,” Karp said. “Having this program opens up the opportunity for an instantaneous network.” The committee members have been personally reaching out to Lehigh Valley newcomers and will hold a series of events this winter and spring to welcome them into the com-
munity. “I think it’s a great way for people to become involved and not be apprehensive about attending an event with hundreds of people without knowing anyone,” said Beth Kushnick, Shalom Lehigh Valley committee chair. “The responses so far have been very positive.” On Tuesday, Jan. 12, and Friday, Feb. 26, two members of the Shalom Lehigh Valley committee will host coffees in their homes for women new to the area. The first coffee will be held in Macungie; the second in Allentown. Both will begin at 10 a.m. and are free and open to whoever would like to attend. Women may register online at www.
jewishlehighvalley.org/ women or call 610-821-5500 and the addresses will be provided upon registration. On Wednesday, March 9, the Shalom Lehigh Valley committee will get ready for Purim with a Hamentashen Make & Take and Recipe Swap at the JCC. The women will make a community-favorite Hamentashen recipe (baking will take place at home) and bring their own recipes to share. The cost is $5 for materials. New to the area? Or have you been here a while, but you’re looking to get more involved? We would love to see you at one of our upcoming events! Call 610-821-5500 or visit www. jewishlehighvalley.org.
AN UPDATE FROM MORAN ALEM
A trip to the north
Above, Alma students including Moran Alem took traveled north together last month. The Women’s Division of the Federation is sponsoring Alem to attend Alma this year. Right, The trip to the north lasted six day and built comraderie and tested the girls’ physical abilities.
Handmade Afghans BY EVA LEVITT
All proceeds benefit projects in Israel:
Food Banks in Israel Neve Michael Youth Village
For prices or to place an order, call Eva 610-398-1376.
All payments are made payable to the Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley
4 JANUARY 2016 | HAKOL LEHIGH VALLEY
SPONSORED BY THE JEWISH FEDERATION OF THE LEHIGH VALLEY’S WOMEN’S DIVISION
welcoming new babies to the Lehigh Valley If you’re expecting, know someone who is, or have a new baby, PLEASE LET US KNOW! Contact Abby Trachtman, 610-821-5500 | abbyt@jflv.org
30 YEARS OF THE MAIMONIDES SOCIETY:
Dr. Harold Goldfarb By Laura Rigge HAKOL Editor Editor’s Note: This is part of a series commemorating the 30th anniversary of the founding of the Maimonides Society. Each month, we will profile one of the founding members. For Dr. Harold Goldfarb, becoming a doctor was a natural choice. His father was an obstetrician in Brookline, Massachusetts, and Goldfarb remembers hearing his father come home late at night after delivering a baby. “I was a light sleeper,” he said. “I would hear him come in around 3 in the morning and I remember how happy he was to do what he did. I saw the satisfaction that came from helping somebody.” After attending Harvard as an undergraduate, Goldfarb went to medical school at Tufts University in
Boston, where he trained as an ophthalmologist. He also completed a general surgery internship at Manhattan Eye, Ear, and Throat Hospital and a hospital fellowship in corneal transplant and ocular pathology at Harvard Medical School before joining the Army Medical Corps. He was stationed at Fort Bragg in North Carolina for two years before he moved to Allentown. Upon arriving in the Lehigh Valley, he immediately became active in Federation. “My parents had been active in Boston,” he said, “and I wanted to get involved too.” Before the creation of the Maimonides Society, there wasn’t as much physician involvement in the Federation, something that Goldfarb wanted to change. So when he heard that a new group was being created to bring together Jewish physicians, he was excited to get
involved. Now, Goldfarb is proud of the way the Maimonides Society has evolved and grown over the past 30 years. “Instead of being just physicians who donate a certain amount, it has truly become an educational organization,” he said. He is especially pleased that the society has created professional and personal ties to Israel through its visiting physician program, which brings an Israeli doctor to the Lehigh Valley for several weeks each year. “It strengthens bonds to create a medical, social, educational and interactive relationship between doctors here and in Israel,” he said. Goldfarb is a member of Temple Beth El. In his spare time, he enjoys travelling, reading, cooking and gardening. Between Goldfarb and his wife Sandra, they have six children and
Harold & Sandra Goldfarb
14 grandchildren. Goldfarb is especially proud that his children have followed in his footsteps and are involved in Jewish organizations. In addition to his work with the Maimonides Society, Goldfarb is in-
volved with the Jewish Day School, and he is a proud supporter of AIPAC. As for the future of the society, Goldfarb hopes it continues to educate and build relationships, here at home and in Israel.
FEELING PANICKED? It could be in the genes By Deborah Kotz Jewish Telegraphic Agency In designing and testing theories on how the body programs its 19,000 genes, Moshe Szyf, a geneticist and molecular biologist at McGill University in Montreal, has expanded the notion of Jewish guilt. Sure, we might feel bad about passing along hereditary genes that raise our baby’s future risk of breast cancer, obesity or depression. But now, thanks to Szyf’s research, we must contend with the possibility that our experiences early in life could shift how those genes are expressed for generations to come. Researchers studying the children and grandchildren of Holocaust survivors have found that they have higher rates of post-traumatic stress after enduring car accidents, possibly due to modifications in their stress hormone system inherited from their survivor parents. Szyf, however, prefers to take an optimistic view of his field, called behavioral epigenetics. “It introduces an element of freedom and responsibility,” Szyf says. “With a deterministic genome, we can’t decide what kinds of mutations we pass on, but if experience is important in building a healthy genome, it gives us a feeling of some level of control.”
In his current research, Szyf is attempting to determine whether tinkering with environmental conditions, like diet or stress levels, could alter the way in which certain genes function, specifically those involved in cancer. “I’m interested in identifying early markers of adversity to see if they can be altered with lifestyle interventions or drugs,” Szyf says. For the past two decades, Szyf and his McGill colleagues have been studying methyl groups that attach at various points to long strands of DNA. Szyf refers to the methyl groups as “punctuation” that mark genes in certain places to determine how they work to help cells manufacture proteins — akin to changing the meaning of a sentence by swapping out an exclamation point for a period. “These methyl groups make out the language of our DNA, and if they go awry, you’re in trouble,” Szyf says. Epigenetics researchers initially believed such changes in genetic programming occurred only during fetal development, putting even more pressure on expectant mothers to eat nutritiously, manage stress and avoid environmental
Genes Continues on page 9 HAKOL LEHIGH VALLEY | JANUARY 2016 5
LVJP celebrates Chanukah at Latke-Vodka On Dec. 2, the Lehigh Valley Jewish Professionals met to celebrate Chanukah at Wegmans. Attendees chowed down on latkes and drank Dizzy Dreidels while catching up with old friends and meeting new people.
PHOTO CAPTIONS Top left, Ken Levin, who won two tickets to the cinema at SteelStacks in the raffle, with Mickey Ufberg. Top right, Rabbi Seth Phillips was the first to try a Dizzy Dreidel. Middle, Tali Ramo, Jenn Gottlieb, Noah Kirshner, Aaron Alkasov, Lisa Kaplan and Abby Feinberg. Bottom left, Abby Trachtman with Laurie and Marc Berson. Bottom right, Jennifer Tinianow, Rabbi Melissa Simon and Erin Corsa.
6 JANUARY 2016 | HAKOL LEHIGH VALLEY
Begbie and DePietro BAS-TCP choir participates in to exhibit at Gallery Interfaith Choral Festival at the JCC Come meet two artists under the influence (of each other.) On Jan. 14, Richard Begbie and James DePietro will be exhibiting their work in the Gallery at the JCC. The show runs until Feb. 25. Richard Begbie is a photographer with a degree in graphic arts and photography from the Rochester Institute of Technology and additional academic degrees from Indiana University and Cedar Crest College. Begbie is a member of the Lehigh Valley Photography Club and the Bethlehem Fine Arts Commission. His award-winning works have been shown extensively in the Lehigh Valley area, including the Allentown Art Museum, Reading Public Museum and The Sigal Museum. He has had solo exhibitions at various local colleges and is represented in many private collections. Richard’s photographs show both the realistic subject and the abstract elements. He concentrates on the natural textures and colors, presenting a multi-layered image to the viewer. James DePietro is an award-winning educator and Lehigh Valley regional artist. DePietro taught in the Bethlehem Area School District for 35 years. While there, he incorporated Arts in Motion programs in many of the elementary schools. James was highly involved in the annual elementary student art shows in the area. He was nominated three times for the Bethlehem Educational Scholastic Trust’s (B.E.S.T.) Award for Excellence in Teaching, winning the honor in 2008. That same year, he received one of The Top Educators in the Lehigh Valley Awards. He is currently working with the Bethlehem Fine Arts Commission helping to organize on-going exhibits for regional and emerging artists. DePietro has exhibited his work in New York , Bucks County, Reading and at the Allentown Art Museum. He has had one person shows at Penn State University, Martin Gallery at Muhlenberg College and at Goforth Rittenhouse Gallery in Philadelphia. His artwork has also been seen in Lehigh Valley Style Magazine, Arts Alive and American Artist Magazine, and his work was accepted in to the 2014 Art of the State Show at the Harrisburg State Museum of Pennsylvania. Begbie and DePietro have lived together for over 40 years, yet they hadn’t recognized the similarities in their art, which is created in different media and styles. When they began assembling their individual work for the show, they noticed some links in subject matter and in the composition itself. Sometimes Begbie’s photograph would inspire one of DePietro’s paintings; at other times, the painting influenced the photograph. This exhibit exports and celebrates this creative process.
EDWIN A. DAVIS PHOTOGRAPHY
By Karen Albert JCC of the Lehigh Valley
Hundreds packed Trinity Episcopal Church in Easton on Nov. 22 for the annual Interfaith Choral Festival. The festival featured uplifting hymns and representatives from 11 different congregations and denominations, including the children’s choir of Temple Covenant of Peace and Bnai Abraham Synagogue. This year was the first time the Easton Ward of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints participated in this event. The choirs came together to support ProJeCt of Easton, the interfaith initiative in Downtown Easton. In all, about 145 choir members participated. ProJeCt offers emergency assistance, a food program, community supportive services and educational programs to more than 5,000 disadvantaged children and adults each year. Admission to the choral festival was free but a donation was requested for ProJeCt.
You can view more of the artists’ works at their websites, www.jamesdepietro.com and www.richardbegbiephotography.com.
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www.campgalil.org HAKOL LEHIGH VALLEY | JANUARY 2016 7
U.S. anti-Semitism envoy joins protest against Hungarian statue Jewish Telegraphic Agency The U.S. special envoy to combat and monitor anti-Semitism joined a protest in Hungary against a planned statue of a World War II-era politician who had held anti-Semitic views. "From the U.S. government perspective, we feel very strongly that history and the damage that this man did to Hungarian citizens who happened to be Jewish cannot be ignored, and to put up that statue seems incomprehensible," Ira Forman told Reuters from the Hungarian town of Szekesfeherva, located an hour's drive west of Budapest. Forman also told the French news agency AFP, “There is no excuse for this statue, that’s something we won’t let up on.” Some 300 protesters gathered in the town where a life-size bronze statue of Balint Homan, largely funded by the Hungarian government, is scheduled to be unveiled later this month. During the protest, Forman lit the eight Hanukkah candles with top Israeli and Canadian diplomats in Hungary, as well as leaders of the Hungarian Jewish community. Six buses of Jews from Budapest, the Hungarian capital, came to Szekesfeherva for the demonstration organized by the Federation of the Hungarian Jewish Communities, or Mazsihisz. Istvan Neubart, who heads the Szekesfehervar Jewish community, told JTA the protest was in memory of the Jewish victims deported from the town who were killed at Auschwitz. "We had 2,500 Jews living here before the Holocaust,” he said. Homan, a minister in Hungary in the 1930s and ’40s, participated in drafting legislation in 1938 and 1939 that restricted the rights of Hungarian Jews, and in 1944 he called for their deportation. Some 420,000 Hungarian Jews were deported to Auschwitz in the summer of 1944. A U.S. congressional task force on anti-Semitism recently sent a letter to Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban protesting the monument. Ira Forman will be speaking about U.S. efforts to combat antiSemitism on Feb. 21 at 10 a.m. at the JCC of the Lehigh Valley. The program is sponsored by the Community Relations Council of the Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley and is free and open to the public.
IN MEMORY PETER CHARON (Husband of Muriel Charon) Marc and David Berman Renee Berman Ross and Wendy Born Sherry and Tom Bowman Debra Branco Sam and Sylvia Bub and Family Jeanette and Eduardo Eichenwald Rhoda and Leonard Glazier Joel and Muriel Glickman Sandra and Harold Goldfarb Matt Hagan David Haley Jennifer, Jason, and Connor Hare Helen and Harold Lerner Bobbe and Herb Mintz Helene and Leno Scarcia Craig Steinberg Lois and Jay Steinberg Richard and Ellen Stern Arthur and Barbara Weinrach Elyse and Steve Zales Flossie and Jerry Zales MAXINE HENRY (Sister of Carole Beck) Arlene and Richard Stein EDITH MILGROM (Mother of Jill Blinder) Carol and Bob Wilson
JEANNETTE SCHONBACH (Mother of Bernie Schonbach) Jeannette and Eduardo Eichenwald SIDNEY STECHER (Husband of Lenore Stecher) Marlene and Arnan Finkelstein Sandra and Harold Goldfarb Diane McKee Donald and Randi Senderowitz Fred and Barbara Sussman RUTH WILF (Mother of Eileen Ufberg) Eydie and Neil Glickstein Donald and Randi Senderowitz Arlene and Richard Stein Carol and Bob Wilson IN HONOR SUSAN AND LARRY BERMAN Marriage of their daughter Lindsay to Ari Marlene and Arnan Finkelstein JOEL BORGESE Happy New Year Selma Roth JUDY DIAMONDSTEIN Becoming CEO of Jewish Federation of Greater New Haven and Many Years of Dedicated Service to JFLV Eydie and Neil Glickstein The Palumbo Family Judy and Larrie Sheftel
Diane and Howard Silverman MICHAEL GORDON Happy "Special" Birthday Marlene and Arnan Finkelstein ROBERT AND TRACY GROB Bat Mitzvah of their daughter Gabi Judy and Larrie Sheftel STEVE AND PAULA KAUNITZ Happy New Year Selma Roth LARRY ROTH Happy New Year Happy New Year PENNY AND ADAM ROTH Happy Hanukkah Audrey and Jerome Cylinder MICHAEL AND HEIDI SCHIFFMAN Bat Mitzvah of their daughter Anne Marlene and Arnan Finkelstein ARTHUR AND AUDREY SOSIS Happy 50th Wedding Anniversary Marlene and Arnan Finkelstein SUE AND SY TRAUB Bat Mitzvah of their granddaughter Anne Marlene and Arnan Finkelstein DAVID WIENER Happy New Year Selma Roth JOEL AND LORI WIENER Engagement of their daughter Carol and Stewart Furmansky
We gratefully acknowledge those individuals who have offered expressions of friendship through recent gifts to the Lehigh Valley Jewish Foundation. The minimum contribution for an Endowment Card is $10. Call 610-821-5500 or visit www.jewishlehighvalley.org to place your card requests. Thank you for your continued support.
FRANK BANKO ALEHOUSE CINEMAS Featuring the season’s hottest Oscar nominated films
Tony ‘n Tina’s Wedding February 12-14 & 19-20 | 6:30 pm
Dave Attell April 15 | 8 & 10:30 pm
Musikfest Café™ at SteelStacks™ Tune in to Service Electric TV2 Sundays at 8 pm for Musikfest Café Live.
steelstacks.org | 610-332-3378 8 JANUARY 2016 | HAKOL LEHIGH VALLEY
The Frank Banko Alehouse Cinemas are a two-screen independent, foreign and arthouse cinema located in the ArtsQuest Center at SteelStacks.
steelstacks.org/film | 610-297-7111
Muhlenberg Hillel celebrates Chanukah By Rabbi Melissa Simon Muhlenberg College Hillel Director and Jewish Chaplain
On Dec. 10, students gathered at Seegers Union to celebrate Chanukah. This year they were joined by new Muhlenberg College President John I. Williams, Jr. Williams made a small speech to the gathered students, praising their commitment and enthusiasm. “In a time of darkness, when religious tolerance is the exception, not the norm, let us join together in bringing light into the world,” Williams said. In addition, Muhlenberg students together with Muhlenberg Hillel Israel Fellow Or Adi made Chanukah cards for soldiers of the IDF. The soldiers received the cards through the Dror for the Wounded Foundation. The foundation helps severely wounded soldiers by providing these brave men and women with financial assistance from medical and psychological treatments. Thank you to all of the students who wrote cards! Visit drorfoundation.org for more information about how you can help wounded Israeli soldiers.
Above, Muhlenberg College Hillel students celebrate together. Right, Students created cards for wounded IDF soldiers. Far Right, Muhlenberg College President John Williams joined in on the festivities.
Genes
Continues from page 5 exposures with potential risks to their developing babies. But recent landmark studies conducted by Szyf and others suggest that methyl groups could be added to DNA in adulthood — at least in rodents — due to changes in diet or environmental toxins. Those epigenetic additions could be passed on to future generations, causing permanent changes in gene function. “While the genome can take centuries to change, with epigenetics the physiological response can be immediate but also with lasting effects,” Szyf says. That’s unless an intervention is found to shift things back. Szyf and his colleagues found such an intervention in the form of a drug designed to remove methyl groups. Szyf was able to reverse the extra methylation in rats born with it and also change their behaviors back to placid tendencies. Just how much such epigenetic changes impact human behavior remains largely unknown, researchers acknowledge. In the end, though, it may not matter whether inherited genes or inherited methylation of those genes or plainold nurture plays the dominant role. “Jews have always tended to lead lives that emphasized education, family structure and religious values,” Szyf says. So it should come as no surprise that these values have been passed on.
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HAKOL LEHIGH VALLEY | JANUARY 2016 9
ChanuCan returns to bring holiday spirit to the hungry By Debbie Zoller JFS Executive Director
Above left, Corey, Max, and Josh get to work on one of the structures. Above right, Chief ChanuCan engineer Bernie Schonbach explains the design.
Above left, The cans were later donated to help feed the hungry. Above center, Steve and Rafi work in the shop. Above right, Sam joins in on the fun.
The highlight of my Chanukah this year was attending Temple Beth El’s ChanuCan Celebration “Recognize the Miracles.” Never before had I realized how much creativity and possibility comes out of a can. Organized by Shari Spark and the religious school of Temple Beth El, this amazing project raised over $7,000, which purchased food to be donated to Second Harvest Food Bank and Jewish Family Service’s Community Food Pantry. Special thanks to Bernie Schonbach, chief ChanuCan engineer. Bernie worked directly with the religious school classes to talk about how they could create a structure with the donated cans that focuses on miracles. Bernie’s interaction with the builders motivated the kids to be creative. The results were amazing structures. I was grateful to have the opportunity to talk to the classes about food insufficiency and what it meant that they were giving food to those in need. Each class presented a skit or song about Chanukah and the Junior Choir lead by Cantor Kevin Wartell performed a harmonious melody. It was great to see parents and their children celebrate Chanukah with games and refreshments while also thinking about helping others. As a recipient of ChanuCan, I am lucky to see how happy the food pantry recipients are when they receive the food. Thank you to everyone at Temple Beth El who participated in this great project. As a result of my experience, I will never think of a can in the same way.
Join the Pinemere Family and have your best summer, every summer! Limited $1000 First time camper grants available! www.pinemere.com 10 JANUARY 2016 | HAKOL LEHIGH VALLEY
New path for survival open
RABBI DANIEL STEIN Bnai Abraham Synagogue
By now, many of you have read about the Pew Research Forum’s study of Jewish Americans. It showed, among other things, tremendous decline in Conservative communities and, to a lesser extent, growth in Orthodox Judaism. It also showed that many Jews leaving the Conservative movement ultimately affiliate with the Reform movement, while a large group chooses not to affiliate at all. Very few migrate towards Orthodoxy. Scholars have focused on different causes for this trend: Perhaps we have not
sent our young people to camp, or provided them with an adequate Jewish education. Perhaps we do not fund teen experiences, and our society as a whole is too liberal to appreciate the value of religious tradition. In the year since the publication of the Pew study, though, I’ve been drawn to a different hypothesis: Perhaps the reason we are not attracting new families to Conservative communities is our pervasive failure to address and wholeheartedly welcome interfaith families into our communities. Today — at least theoretically — Conservative Judaism is based on a particular approach to halacha (Jewish law). Our “official” belief is that to be a “good” Conservative Jew, one must follow Jewish law as interpreted by the Rabbinical Assembly and its affiliated organizations. Practically, though, Conservative Judaism in America means something else: American Conservative Judaism values a serious and engaged appreciation
of aspects of Jewish tradition, if not a complete fidelity to Jewish law. We value Hebrew. We value Shabbat. We value kashrut. I could think of more, but to my mind, these values are the essential truths of Conservative Judaism. Over the years, we’ve added to them. Today, Conservative Judaism values gender egalitarianism — women and men are considered equals in our communities. Increasingly, we’ve added inclusion of LGBTQ Jews as a central value. If we are to survive the massive shifts in Jewish identity, I believe we have to add another central value: engaged openness to interfaith marriage. To some extent, this change has been forced upon us: Today, the majority of married Jews are in interfaith marriages. While we could bemoan this reality — as many Jewish intellectuals continue to do — this only serves to alienate couples while validating their worst feelings towards Judaism. Instead, we must challenge ourselves to celebrate every family that has the potential
to foster a Jewish home and support them as they struggle to understand their identity. While this will necessarily change Judaism, it does not mean that Judaism will be harmed. As we explore Judaism’s transformation, perhaps we will discover a new path for
more the Japanese-American culture, which is definitely its own thing … My grandmother on my mom's side was interned during World War II, and my father's family is Jewish. I was bat mitzvahed. I was baptized in the Episcopal Church. I just got back from my family's Passover, Easter, seder dinner,
“As we explore Judaism’s transformation, perhaps we will discover a new path for its survival." its survival. A few years ago, I heard a fascinating interview with Sarah Kay, a young poet who identifies as a Jewish–American–Japanese– Episcopalian. Here’s the quote that made my ears perk up: My mother is JapaneseAmerican, so the Japanese side is pretty far back. I'm third or fourth generation. So more than the Japanese culture, it's
which was wonderful wherein we had matzo ball soup filled with Japanese noodles and all kinds of great Japanese additions. I don’t know about you, but I find her life and story fascinating. It is so different from my own, and my Judaism is challenged and enriched by knowing it. I want people like her to feel welcome in our community; perhaps you do as well.
HAKOL LEHIGH VALLEY | JANUARY 2016 11
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Because of your support of the 2016 campaign, we are able to help when help is needed, provide a safety net for those who must rely upon it, and nurture the core institutions that are the fabric of a rich and dynamic Jewish community.
PRIME MINISTERS CIRCLE $100,000+ Ross Born° Wendy Born*° Robert and Bonnie* Hammel° Anonymous (1) KING DAVID SOCIETY $25,000 - $49,999 Leonard Abrams° Fischmann Family Fund*° Roberto and Eileen* Fischmann" Tama Fogelman* and Family° Dr. Harold and Sandra* Goldfarb° Lisa Scheller* and Wayne Woodman TREE OF LIFE SOCIETY $18,000 - $24,999 The Fraenkel Family° KING SOLOMON CIRCLE $10,000 - $17,999 Hon. Alan and Donna* Black° Dr. Jeffrey and Jill* Blinder° Jonathan and Iris* Epstein Gary Fromer and Dr. Carol Bub Fromer* Mark L. Goldstein and Shari Spark*° Elaine Lerner*° Orgler Family Fund° Dr. Richard and Barbara* Reisner° Mortimer S. and Vera M.* Schiff Foundation° Dr. Stuart A. and Janice* Schwartz BUILDERS OF ISRAEL $5,000 - $9,999 Dr. Marc and Aliette* Abo Sadie Berman Lion of Judah Endowment Fund* Nathan and Marilyn Braunstein° Dr. Sam and Sylvia* Bub° Marc and Judy* Diamondstein Andrew and Dr. Lisa* Ellis Arnan and Marlene* Finkelstein The Fraenkel Family Susan Gadomski *° Dr. Jeffrey Gevirtz° Allen and Patricia* Gribben° Phillip and Ellen* Hof Nat and Erica* Hyman Dr. Arthur and Jane* Kaplan° Bernard and Florence Kobrovsky Special Fund Dr. Wesley and Beth* Kozinn° Dr. Jeffrey and Kim Kramer Dr. Lawrence and Eva* Levitt° Dr. William and Jane* Markson° Michael and Linda* Miller° Dr. Alan and Judith* Morrison° Dr. Alex and Robin* Rosenau° Drs. Jarrod and Nicole* Rosenthal Lorrie Scherline*° Irwin and Ellen* Schneider° Mark and Deena* Scoblionko° Elizabeth Scofield* Dr. Frank and Tama* Tamarkin
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Drs. William and Susan* Kitei° Maxine S. Klein*° Judy Krasnov*° Linda Kreithen*° Karen Kuhn*° Beth Kushnick* Dr. Hartley Lachter and Dr. Jessica Cooperman* Dr. Paul H. and Elaine* Langer° Gerson Lazar Family Fund Martha B. Lebovitz*° Dr. Henry and Susan* Lehrich Dr. Edward Levy Dr. Lisa* and Rivki Lindauer Pam Lott* Ryan Mattison Dr. David and Robyn Meir-Levi Edith Miller*° Dr. Jonathan Munves Bobbi Needle* Marc Nissenbaum° Carole Ostfeld*° Leon and Elaine* Papir° Alan and Roberta* Penn° Henry and Phyllis* Perkin Allen Perlman Alison Post* Michael Prokup° Elaine Rappaport-Bass*° Dr. Max L. and Helen Robbins Sheila Saunders*° Marcia Schechter*° Nathan and Rusty* Schiff Bernard and Sara* Schonbach Lillian Schwab Memorial Fund Dr. Andrew and Jacqueline Schwartz Schwartz Family Fund Dr. Howard and Tamara Selden Randi and Donald Senderowitz Fund Dr. Edward and Sally* Shapiro° H. Sheftel Memorial Fund Dr. Howard and Diane* Silverman° Rabbi Michael Singer Richard and Allison Staiman Dr. Phil and Diane* Stein Dr. Richard Stein° Dr. David and Laurie Strassman Dr. Mark and Abby* Trachtman Janet Ulman Dr. Stephen and Beverly* Volk° Gerald Weisberger and Gail Ehrens* Deborah Weiss* Jerry and Flossie* Zales° Debbie Zoller* Anonymous (10) SHORASHIM $250 - $499 Karen Albert*° Dr. Mark Auerbach Miriam Bandler*° Patricia Beldon* R. Bill Bergstein° Sharon Bernstein* Andrew and Dr. Christy* Block and Family Dr. Neil and Christy Boderman° Dr. Scott Brenner Temple and Ann Coldren Richard Director Jack and Shirley* Engelson° Dr. Ellen Field* Brian and Emily* Ford Renee Gittler*° Rhoda Glazier*°
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Dr. Susan Basow* Delores Bednar* Arthur Berg Nancy Bernstein* Jerome Block Neil and Diane Brown Victor Bunick Joyce Camm* Dena Cedor* Rabbi Melody Davis* Betty Diamond* Marilyn Doluisio*° Wendy Edwards* David Eiskowitz E.G. Jerry Farris Brenda Finberg* Fredda Fischman* Claudia Fischmann Fund* Diana Fischmann Fund* Veronica Fischmann Fund* Terry Fisher Jennifer Fracas* Lauri Franko* Murray Garber° Dr. Debra Garlin* Barbara Garrison* Caroline Goldblat Dr. Malvin and Lillian* Goldner Betty Greenberg*° Judith Greenberg* Rosaly Greenberger* Harry and Paula* Grines Rabbi Yaacov Halperin Dolores Heller* Philip Heyman Dorothy Hoffman*° Michael and Donna* Iorio Sondra Jacobs*° Anonymous (Sheldon Jaffie) Lorraine Karess* Rosine Knafo*° James and Kathleen Koones Lucy Korsky* Maur and Doe* Levan° Eileen Lewbart Doris Lifland* Dr. David Lischner Jodi Lovenwirth* Rebecca Lovingood* Leonard Lutsky° Karla Lyle David and Susan* Manela Betty Mikofsky* (z"l) Murray Milkman° Stanley Miller Susan Mohr*
Joseph Mozes Memorial Fund David and Jane* Much William and Sharon* Mullin Michael Mylnarsky Richard Nolte Gary Nussbaum Ellen Osher* and Robert Prichard Cantor Jill Pakman* Cantor Jennifer Peled* Mildred Poliner*° The Purple Fund Alan Raisman Linda Rich* Dan and Mary* Rockman Phyllis Rothkopf* Barbara Rudolph* Richard and Amy* Sams Mary Lou Scarf* Andrew Schaeffer Nolie Schneider* Donald Schwartz Lorraine Secouler* Marlee Senderowitz Fund Rissa Senderowitz Philanthropic Fd Greg and Pamela* Silverberg Richard Silverman Michael Smith Danielle Staiman Mitzvah Fund* Lois Steinberg* Ronald Susser Sandi Teplitz*° Harriet Theodore* Ufberg Family Fund Cantor Kevin Wartell° Dr. Brian Wernick Stuart Winnick Barbara Wolfgang* Gladys Yass* Krista Ytkin* Douglas and Marcia* Zakin Dr. Jeffrey and Susan Zlotnick Anonymous (9) The donors noted above represent gifts to the JFLV 2016 Campaign for Jewish Needs. Every effort is made to correctly recognize all of our generous donors and honor their listing requests. If there are any inaccuracies or omissions, please call the Federation office at 610-821-5500. * Indicates an individual woman’s gift to the 2016 Campaign for Jewish Needs ° Indicates Silver Circle members who have contributed for 25 years or more.
HAKOL LEHIGH VALLEY | JANUARY 2016 13
Itzhak Perlman named winner of 2016 Genesis Prize By Ben Harris Jewish Telegraphic Agency Itzhak Perlman, the Israeliborn violin virtuoso, was named the third winner of the Genesis Prize. Perlman was named the winner on Dec. 14 of the annual $1 million prize that has been dubbed the “Jewish Nobel.” He joins former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and the actordirector Michael Douglas as recipients. “I was totally dumbfounded,” Perlman told JTA about learning he had been selected as this year's winner. “I'm a musician. I play the fiddle. So I was so totally taken aback and I was obviously so incredibly honored they would even consider me. It was very exciting.” Perlman, 70, said he was mostly unfamiliar with the prize when he first learned he was being considered. Established in 2012 by a consortium of Russian Jewish philanthropists, the prize is presented annually to someone who has achieved international renown in their professional field and serves as a role model through their commitment to Jewish values. “I just know who I am,” Perlman said. “In other words, in our family, we are traditional Jews. My entire family is involved in one way or another, whether we
14 JANUARY 2016 | HAKOL LEHIGH VALLEY
go to shul, celebrate Shabbos or whatever it is. We are always in touch … That's one of the things this prize will bring forth. I don't have a problem with who I am. I live it. And my family lives it.” Past winners have taken an ecumenical approach to disbursing the prize money. Douglas, the son of a Jewish father and non-Jewish mother, pledged to use the funds to promote outreach to the intermarried. Bloomberg initially said he wanted to promote Israeli-Palestinian business cooperation, but later backed away from that at the urging of the prize committee, instead funding nine projects “guided by Jewish values to address the world’s pressing issues.” More than half the recipients were nonprofit organizations based outside the United States and Israel. Perlman said he is unsure how he plans to use the funds, though he indicated it would likely have some connection to music and helping those with disabilities. Perlman was diagnosed with polio at age 4 and gets around with a motorized cart. “As far as I'm concerned, that's what this prize is all about-- the opportunity to do good in the world, to do good as a Jew, to do as they say tikkun olam– to make things better for people,” Perlman said. “My involvement obviously, first, is as a musician, and second, or even first, as a person who has a disability. So these two aspects of what I'm interested in is something that I'm thinking about.” Born in Tel Aviv in 1945, Perlman has achieved a level of celebrity rarely seen in the classical music world. Identified as a musical prodigy from a young age, he appeared on “The Ed Sullivan Show” as a teenager in 1958, and went on to study at New York's Juilliard School. He has won 16 Grammy Awards, played for multiple heads of state and appeared in commercials and televi-
sion shows. Perlman also performed the haunting violin solo on the “Schindler's List” soundtrack, which won both a Grammy and an Oscar. Less heralded is his violin solo in the Billy Joel hit “Downeaster Alexa,” which went uncredited on the 1989 album “Storm Front” and only came to light earlier this year. The two performed the song together at Madison Square Garden in March after Perlman wheeled himself onstage and was greeted with a kiss from Joel. In November, Perlman received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from Barack Obama. In addition to maintaining a global performance schedule, Perlman teaches young musicians through the Perlman Music Program, an initiative founded by his wife, Toby, to provide instruction and community for players of rare talent. The Perlmans have five children. “Itzhak Perlman is the embodiment of everything an ideal Genesis Prize Laureate should be,” said Stan Polovets, the chairman and co-founder of the Genesis Prize, in a statement. “Itzhak has achieved unparalleled professional success, and through his music brings joy to millions of people around the world. He has been an incredible source of inspiration for individuals with special needs by overcoming tremendous personal challenges after having been severely disabled by polio at age four. And he has given back to society by dedicating virtually all of his free time and significant resources to teaching young talented musicians and to serving as an advocate for individuals with disabilities.” Perlman will receive the prize at a ceremony in Jerusalem in June. The prize is endowed by the Genesis Philanthropy Group, which endeavors to build Jewish identity among Russianspeaking Jews worldwide.
HAKOL LEHIGH VALLEY | JANUARY 2016 15
President Rivlin sings along as he lights the menorah at the White House Chanukah reception.
Above left, Jeanette is interview Above right, The display includ
President Rivlin of Israel also spoke at the reception.
16 JANUARY 2016 | HAKOL LEHIGH VALLEY
President Obama shakes hands
By Jeanette Eichenwald Special to HAKOL Once upon a time, a menorah was invited to the White House for a Chanukah celebration and to spend the night – sounds like the first line in a book, but in actuality it is quite true. The story of the Eichenwald family menorah is by now quite well known. It was brought to Dachau concentration camp and lit by the inmates of cell block 16. It was discovered by a Nazi guard and hurled into the fire, yet the menorah miraculously escaped and ultimately, through a series of miracles, found its way home to my family. This year, the menorah and my family were invited to attend the Chanukah celebration hosted by President and Mrs. Barack Obama and attended by President and Mrs. Reuven Rivlin of Israel. The White house was beautiful, filled with festive decorations, beautiful music and kosher delicacies. We wandered from room to room marveling at the privilege of being in this place that holds so much history and majesty. Standing in the very front of the invited guests, Laura Rigge, editor of HAKOL, my husband Eduardo, our granddaughter and I witnessed the majestic lighting of the menorah by the President of Israel followed by the traditional blessings. I could feel the presence of my parents and in-laws and what they would have felt as survivors of the Holocaust seeing a Chanukah celebration in the White House, a symbol of freedom and democracy of this great nation. At the same time, Eduardo and I watched the awe in our granddaughter Alex’s face and in that moment realized that the menorah and its story would be safe in her hands as a symbol of Jewish tradition and heritage. As we joined in the singing of the beautiful “Maoz Tzur” tears welled up in my eyes as I thought of how our menorah that had once been hurled into the flames of a fire for destruction was now in an honored place in the White House. The miracle of the Jewish people continues throughout the ages and the eternity of the Jewish People remains. Jeanette, Eduardo and Alexandra with the menorah at the White House.
The holiday displays included a replica of the White House made of chocolate.
wed on the White House lawn by WFMZ reporter Jamie Stover. ded a description of the menorah and its history.
s with attendees, including Jeanette’s granddaughter Alexandra, after the menorah lighting.
Jeanette, Eduardo and Alexandra outside the White House.
HAKOL LEHIGH VALLEY | JANUARY 2016 17
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HAKOL LEHIGH VALLEY | JANUARY 2016 19
20 JANUARY 2016 | HAKOL LEHIGH VALLEY
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Honorable MENSCHens
Wild wins Facebook defamation case By Laura Rigge HAKOL Editor Attorney and Federation Board member Susan Ellis Wild “liked” the outcome of one of her recent cases. Wild, an attorney at Gross McGinley, successfully argued to the Pennsylvania Superior Court that her client “liking” a post on her Facebook page could not be held liable for publishing allegedly defamatory content. Wild’s client, Jenae Wolfe Holtzhafer, was sued by politicians Otto Slozer and John Donches. The suit’s defendants also included Patrick Slattery, Citizens for Strong Communities, Wesley Barrett and Craig Neely. The case began when Slattery published a post on Ottosback.com saying Donches, who at the time was a candidate for Emmaus Borough Council, was affiliated with Slozer. The website was not favorable to Donches and Slozer. Holtzhafer got involved when she posted the link on her Facebook page, commenting, “Oh, politics… this is when I’d like to fast forward to November 9 and know what the future holds! This election is critical. Please get out and vote!” Slozer and Donches argued that by “liking” the post, Holtzhafer “communicated her attitude to the substance of the referenced article,” which they believed was sufficient enough to be considered a republication of defamation. Wild believed so strongly that this would set a dangerous precedent that she took the case on a pro bono basis. “We felt that it was just an incredibly important issue,” Wild said. “I’m on Facebook, I read people’s articles, I ‘like’ a lot of them. We all do that every day.” The court sided with Wild, ruling that sharing a link without anything more does not constitute republication of any defamatory content. It dismissed all claims made against Holtzhafer. “Holtzhafer, by providing a link to the challenged posting, without reiterating the content of that posting did not initiate a republication,” Judge Sallie Updyke Mundy said for the court. “Her motivations and her designation of the link with a ‘like’ as alleged by appellants, is not equivalent to a reiteration of the defamatory content as to constitute
republication.” Wild is pleased that the court sided with her client, especially because, in her view, a ruling in favor of the plaintiff could have “completely shut people down. If you publish something or write a defamatory post that’s one thing, but I don’t think on social media we should have liability when we ‘like’ something.” Wild also pointed out that “liking” on Facebook is not the same as liking in real life, and that oftentimes people like something to simply call attention to it or express condolences. There aren’t many cases dealing with Facebook “likes” Wild could use to argue her case. As technology evolves at a rapid pace, the legal system doesn’t always keep pace. “I think the legal system is coming along, but we’ve got a long way to go,” Wild said. “Social media is changing so rapidly, and the judicial system is way behind. It’s a challenge to keep up, but hopefully it’s a challenge that will be met.” In the meantime, Wild expects that more cases like hers will emerge. She notes that there is always a risk of being sued, but that shouldn’t stop people from using social media. “I can’t protect my clients from being sued,” she said. “But I can protect them from being successfully sued.”
Israeli government, StandWithUs partner on new ‘Social Media Ambassadors’ program
JNS.org The Israel education organization StandWithUs and the National Information Directorate of the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office are partnering on the new “Social Media Ambassadors” program, which will educate young people (with an emphasis on university students) about how to use social media to educate others about Israel. Participants of the year-long educational program—which will initially be offered in the United Kingdom, the United States and Israel—will be trained to tell Israel’s story from their own points of view using Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and other platforms. The effort comes against the backdrop of a social media environment in which anti-Israel activists regularly target the Jewish state. “Much of [anti-Israel social media users’] output has no basis in reality, but they don’t care about what is true or not, as long as they take aim at Israel,” StandWithUs Israel Director Michael Dickson said. “But we can redress the balance and make an impact on social media for Israel, too. We need to expose these lies and, at the same time, reach out to people about the real Israel—democratic, diverse, and sizzling with creative energy and the ancient nation-state of the Jewish people that is also the modern, dynamic, start-up nation.” In particular, anti-Israel activists took to social media after the recent Islamist terrorist attacks in Paris to float conspiracy theories that Israel was behind the attacks. “Similar to every other forum, the Internet is a place where crazy theories regarding Israel and the Jews are often abound,” Dickson said. “We would advise participants in the [Social Media Ambassadors] program to judge each case on its merit. Some conspiracy theories don’t deserve the oxygen of publicity, but when a story gains traction it often needs to be exposed.” StandWithUs, which operates social media accounts in 13 different languages, brings 4,000 followers on Instagram, 61,400 followers on Twitter (with tweets reaching more than a million users), and more than 500,000 “likes” on Facebook (with weekly posts reaching as many as 30 million users) to the ambassadors initiative. The Prime Minister’s Office chose StandWithUs as a partner “based on our experience and expertise, to deliver a program aiming at getting Israeli students, as well as some of their peers abroad, to share the reality of Israel,” said Dickson. “The Prime Minister’s Office has rightly identified that the reality of Israel is best portrayed through the eyes of citizens and those who visit Israel,” Dickson said. According to Dickson, StandWithUs set up the first-ever pro-Israel social media situation rooms in 2009 during Israel’s Operation Cast Lead in Gaza, and has worked with partners to do the same for every similar conflict since, including 2014’s Operation Protective Edge.
Jews on Ice!
Members of Congregation Keneseth Israel’s Youth Group enjoy themselves on the ice. From left to right: Joe Weiner, Ashley Weiner, Zee Livezey, Tara Livezey, Jared Livezey, Mia Freedman, Josh Freedman, Daniel Roose, Rachel Roose, Josha Rappaport, Micah Jacboson, Joe Collins, Mackenzie Collins, Danny Collins, Steve Yitkin and Anna Yitkin. 22 JANUARY 2016 | HAKOL LEHIGH VALLEY
The 'Kate Middleton effect' on synagogue fashion By Lucy Cohen Blatter Jewish Telegraphic Agency The so-called “Kate Middleton effect” — by which anything the Duchess of Cambridge wears becomes an instant best-seller — seems to know no bounds. She has graced the covers of countless magazines; entire blogs are devoted to what she wears. And, as it happens, the duchess is the perfect style icon for observant Jewish women. “She’s modest, demure and modern,” says Adi Heyman, founder of the fashion blog Fabologie. So it’s perhaps no surprise that one of Middleton’s signature style pieces — the fascinator — has caught on as a head covering in synagogues on this side of the pond. In case you’re wondering, fascinators are headpieces attached to the head by clip or headband. They’re often ornate and are typically smaller — or at least cover less hair — than hats. And it’s not only the Duchess of Cambridge who’s made them fashionable. Sarah Jessica Parker also helped popularize the style when she donned one that looked like a garden (with monarch butterflies, to boot) to the London premiere of the "Sex and the City" movie, Lady Gaga's been spotted in fascinators, and the headwear selections of several guests at Middleton's 2011 wedding to Prince William set social media abuzz. (Post-wedding, sales of fascinators reportedly climbed 300 percent — so much so that an inevitable backlash is underway.) But for observant women, fascinators offer a fashionable take on a rule in the Mishnah Berurah — a 19thcentury commentary on the Shulchan Aruch, a Jewish code of law — that forbids any blessing or prayers to be said in the presence of a married woman with her hair uncovered. Today, some fashion-forward Jewish women now wear fascinators in place of a hat or lace doily during services at synagogue. “It’s always great when Jewish law and fashion can coexist,” says Allison Josephs, the Orthodox founder of the website Jew in the City.“Fashion is one of the ways observant Jewish culture can grab pieces of larger culture, and women don’t have to feel cut off." More observant women wear fascinators atop their
wigs. “Women who wear wigs aren’t going to replace one with a fascinator, but they’ll add it,” Josephs adds. “It’s a fun accessory.” Bella Basaleli, who owns Bella’s Hats and runs hat parties in the New York metropolitan area, says nearly half the headpieces she sells are fascinators. For women in the more liberal modern Orthodox synagogues, they’re a trendy alternative for those moving away from wearing the more traditional hats. “A lot of these girls wouldn’t wear anything otherwise,” Basaleli says. Most of Basaleli’s fascinators cost $40 to $120. She decided to start her business after paying “way too much” for a fascinator for her son’s bar mitzvah at a boutique on Long Island two years ago. “I wanted headwear that was different than what I would normally wear to shul,” she says. “As it was a special occasion, I decided to wear a fascinator. Fascinators were becoming very trendy at our shul, and it was the first time I had ever bought one.” Leah Zweihorn wears fascinators to her modern Orthodox synagogue in Queens with some regularity (when she first married, Zweihorn covered her hair all the time; now she only does it at synagogue). At a recent family wedding, she picked a fascinator to match her dress. “They’re just more fun than hats,” Zweihorn says. “Also, I find it harder to talk to people — especially in a crowded room — with a hat, since it blocks some of my view. But even more significantly, many of them come down over my ears and it's harder to hear." Zweihorn gets plenty of attention when she wears a fascinator, she says, and at shul she tends to opt for larger ones that cover more hair. “My husband feels strongly about women covering their hair in shul, so I like to wear something a little bit more substantial,” she says. Indeed, not all synagogues or rabbis agree on the legitimacy of the fascinator as a head covering. Some synagogues in England — where fascinators have enjoyed long-running popularity, even prior to the ‘Kate effect’ — explicitly state the headwear is not permitted. For women in Conservative congregations, the emergence of fascinators is a sign of changing times. Johanna
Ginsberg, who attends an egalitarian synagogue in New Jersey, says she’s seen them pop up in in recent years. She even held a hat party earlier this year where fascinators were among the pieces for sale. “Older women in the Conservative community carry more baggage when it comes to head covering,” she says. “They see hats as anti-feminist and prefer to wear kippot,” which were traditionally seen as a necessity for men only, not women. “But the younger women don’t feel the way because they haven’t had to confront this issue. Many of those women like hats and fascinators because they feel more feminine than the kippah." One downside to the look has absolutely nothing to do with modesty. “It’s potchky,” Zweihorn admits, using the Yiddish expression to mean time-intensive. Rather than a hat, which can be plopped on your head and fix a bad hair day, a fascinator requires perfect placement. “I don’t like it to look like I’m wearing a headband, so I need to cover the band with my hair,” she explains. “It takes more time.” The end result, though, is worth the trouble. “They’re fun to wear," Zweihorn says, "and I fully intend on expanding my collection.”
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HAKOL LEHIGH VALLEY | JANUARY 2016 23
JDS alum instrumental to Allergan-Pfizer merger
By Joe Rollins The Morning Call Long before Brent Saunders cemented his reputation as one of the biggest dealmakers in the pharmaceutical industry, he was a 13-year-old business owner cutting lawns in the South Whitehall Township neighborhood where he grew up. S&S Landscaping, as it came
to be known, started off simply enough, with Saunders and his two business partners — his identical twin brother, Wayne, and a neighbor — doing lawn chores for a few neighbors. But the brothers always took it to the extreme. On snowy days, they traded their push mowers for snow shovels, rising at 5 a.m. to clear customers’ driveways. Eventu-
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ally, the business expanded into landscaping, collecting a few employees (fellow neighborhood boys) and more than 50 clients along the way. The business even had a company car: a 1975 Chevy woodpaneled station wagon with 100,000 miles on it. With their earnings, the brothers saved for college, funded ski trips and even bought a Trans Am. Before college, they flipped the business to a professional landscaper for a few thousand dollars. “I think success breeds future success,” said Saunders, a 1988 Parkland High School graduate who was inducted into the school’s Wall of Honor in 2013. “It’s just something that you develop skills in terms of managing customers and leading people and taking great pride in what you do.” Now 45, Saunders is no longer pushing mowers in the Lehigh Valley. He has rocketed to fame in the pharmaceutical industry through a string of blockbuster deals over the last five years,putting together deals for a combined $150 billion. Now, he is one of the architects of the PfizerAllergan merger that will no doubt be the biggest deal of his career. Colleagues of past and present say his self-awareness, drive and intelligence make him an effective leader — though Saunders struggles to explain why he’s drawn to such roles. “I don’t know. I often think about that,” he said. “I tend to believe that if I’m going to be involved in something, I want to give it my all. ... If I’m in, I’m all in. And, if I’m all in, I try to bring my best, which in many
cases, winds up being the leader of the activity.” In 20 years, Saunders has tackled overbilling issues at teaching hospitals, rooted out bad practices at ScheringPlough and, in just the last few years, made his case for being one of the nation’s top young CEOs. When Brent and Wayne Saunders were at the Jewish Day School — roughly 6 or 7 years old — their father, Charles Saunders, got a glimpse of one of their first business enterprises. One day, when it was a little too quiet upstairs, Charles checked on the twins to see what was going on. He found the boys diligently at work in the bathroom, shaving soap and melting it in the sink with hot water. “They were going to make shampoo and put it in bottles and go around the neighborhood and try to sell it,” recalled Charles Saunders, a retired urologist who now chairs St. Luke’s board of trustees. Charles and his wife, Sheila, who co-founded Senior Solutions, the Lehigh Valley’s first geriatric-care management agency, raised their three children — Brent, Wayne and daughter Reed — on Cedarwood Road in South Whitehall. While the children received everything they needed, their parents also instilled a strong work ethic in them. Growing up, if they wanted something extra — like expensive clothes or a car — they had to work for it. Saunders received a bachelor’s degree in economics and East Asian studies from the University of Pittsburgh in 1992, but he was more focused on learning outside the
classroom. As president of the Student Government Board, Saunders managed an office with a multimillion-dollar budget and about 30 staff members and volunteers. “The more he could be involved in, the better off he was, whether it was his fraternity or Greek Week or student government,” said fellow Pitt grad Gil Borok, deputy CFO and chief accounting officer at CBRE and a close friend of Saunders. “He did all of those things that you’d say, ‘Well, boy, this guy’s going to be successful.’ “ After receiving a law degree and MBA from Temple University in 1996, Saunders had an important decision to make: continue as a lawyer and become a partner one day, or do something radical. He chose to separate from the pack. Saunders began his career in compliance in 1996 for the Thomas Jefferson University Health System in Philadelphia, where he had worked part time during law school. At the time, federal prosecutors had started investigating expenses at teaching hospitals, a probe that would expand in the years ahead. Saunders worked with the federal government and instituted a compliance program, which saved Jefferson $6 million when its penalty was handed down. In 2000, Saunders joined PricewaterhouseCoopers, focusing on compliance in health care and quickly rising to partner and head of the firm’s compliance business advisory services group. It took a few years for Saunders to resolve
Allergan-Pfizer Continues on page 25
Jewish Book Council journal now available as digital archive Jewish Telegraphic Agency A treasure trove of American Jewish literary news and opinion spanning the second half of the 20th century is now available as a free digital archive. Launched in honor of the 90th anniversary of the Jewish Book Council, the searchable archive of the Jewish Book Annual is the culmination of a multi-year partnership between the council and the Center for Jewish History, which provided the technological resources to digitize the 56 issues of the journal through its Gruss Lipper Digital Laboratory. Published by the Jewish Book Council, or JBC, from 1942 through 1999, the Jewish Book Annual was for many decades a trilingual journal, with distinct sections in English, Hebrew and Yiddish that included a review of the previous year in Jewish literature, a complete bibliography in fiction, nonfiction and children's books, and essays on
Allergan-Pfizer Continues from page 24
the legal issues that plagued the company, negotiating at least $780 million in settlements with the federal government between July 2004 and August 2006, according to the Justice Department. In 2010, Saunders landed his first CEO gig at eye-health company Bausch & Lomb. There, Saunders established himself as a rising star in the pharmaceutical industry. Saunders considers his first year at Bausch & Lomb the toughest job he’s had so far. “There were plenty of people who stood up at a podium on their first day and said, ‘I have the plan to change this company,’ only to not be there a year later,” Saunders said. “And so, what I quickly determined in my first 24 hours there was that no speech was going to change the course of this company.” By March 2013, when Bausch & Lomb filed for an initial public offering, the company under Saunders’ leadership had introduced 30 new products since 2010, had 35 products at various stages of development in its pipeline and grew sales at an annualized 9 percent for the two years ended December 2012, according to documents filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Eventually, Saunders would become CEO at Actavis, a pharmaceutical company he had competed with while at Bausch and Lomb. In 2014, Activis acquired Allergan after an intense bidding war in what was the year’s biggest pharmaceutical deal
important figures and events on the Jewish literary scene. The inaugural issue emerged against the tragic backdrop of the Nazis' mass extermination of European Jewry, including its influential writers, artists and scholars who were the source of a vibrant world of Jewish literature and culture. The editors and contributors called on American Jews to take on the mantle of Jewish literature, not just as writers, but as engaged readers as well. “An age of creative readers makes for literature which is immortal,” wrote Louis Finkelstein, who was then the president of the Jewish Theological Seminary. The journal evolved over time to an English-only publication and was succeeded by Jewish Book World, the JBC's quarterly magazine of book reviews, author interviews and editorials. The questions and concerns that writers grappled with in the mid-20th century are relevant today, according
and among the five largest on record. Saunders is trying to create an entrepreneurial culture, encouraging employees to take risks and learn from their mistakes. While Saunders encourages employees to find their work-life balance, he acknowledges he’s not the example to follow: His days start at 7 a.m. and end at 7 p.m., and he boards an airplane three or four times weekly. His schedule doesn’t leave much time for hobbies, of which he says he has three: hanging out with his wife and two children, playing golf and squeezing in some Pitt basketball games.
SF bay area foundation to provide mezuzot for Israeli army bases
to Naomi Firestone-Teeter, JBC's executive director. She was struck by an article from the 1940s that worried about American Jews becoming too Americanized. “It made me laugh. We are talking about the same questions,” she told JTA. By digitizing their complete collection in partnership with the Center for Jewish History, JBC ensures that this important piece of American Jewish history will not be lost and will now be accessible to scholars and new generations of readers, Firestone-Teeter said. With essays written for lay readers, often constructed around a theme or trend, the journal presents a portrait of American Judaism through a literary lens of the period. “Fundamentally, the publication was about the American Jewish community and its members,” said Nat Bernstein, JBC’s manager of digital content and media. “The annual's writers had their fingers on the pulse of the Jewish community and found ways to reflect that in a literary journal.” “This was not an ivory tower,” she added. “This was for American Jewish readers.”
Jewish Telegraphic Agency A U.S.-Polish foundation will provide mezuzot for Israeli army bases throughout the country. The 500 mezuzahs designed by Helena Czernek and Aleksander Prugar from the Polish Judaica Mi Polin Studio were distributed during Chanukah through the cooperation of Taube Philanthropies, the Friends of the IDF and Mi Polin Studio. “When we learned through Friends of the IDF that many soldiers lacked mezuzot at their bases, we were inspired to help fill the need by sharing modern Polish Judaica with them," Tad Taube, chairman of Taube Philanthropies, said in a statement. "We hope these will be a bright symbol to IDF soldiers that Jews elsewhere are thinking about them and are grateful for their service, and serve as a reminder of today’s vibrant Jewish culture in Poland, an Israeli ally." The mezuzot are made of wood and have the metal Hebrew letter "shin," which is arranged in the shape of a menorah. A kosher mezuzah parchment written in Israel is attached to each mezuzah. "Mi Polin was honored to participate in a special Chanukha mitzvah that will bring a piece of today’s Jewish life in Poland to IDF soldiers," Prugar said. Taube Philanthropies supports programs in the San Francisco Bay Area, Poland and Israel. Areas of concentration include education and scholarship, Jewish cultural renewal and heritage preservation, institution and community building, and public policy initiatives.
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HAKOL LEHIGH VALLEY | JANUARY 2016 25
When the nights grow longer, Shabbat brings us closer By Lela Casey PJ Library Blog When my kids come home from school, I see the exhaustion on their faces. When they have to schlep off to karate or baseball or Hebrew School before even having had a proper snack, I feel a twinge in my heart. When they return home for dinner followed by another half hour or so of homework I am keenly aware of how much they need a break. I also struggle to find ways to make Judaism more alive for my children. My husband is not Jewish, we each have busy schedules, we live in a secular community, and I grew up in a very secular household. But, there is one simple thing, one small change in our schedule that has the ability to affect everything: Shabbat. Shabbat reminds me that there is a world outside of school and schedules, a world of spirituality that has the potential to add depth and dimension to our often routine existences. On Friday evenings, my children put away their coats and shoes and follow the savory smell of chicken soup to the kitchen. Together we braid challah and put it into the oven. The smell of baking bread keeps everyone nearby as I finish up dinner and my oldest son sets the table. Meanwhile, my daughter lights the candles with me. When the rest have gone off to play, read, or clean up after dinner she remains at the table, the reflection of the flames dancing across her freckled face. Last Shabbat I asked her why she sits for so long. Wouldn’t she rather go have dessert with her brothers or play in her room? “I like to watch the candles, Mama.” she said. “When they are burning I feel Jewish on the outside and the inside.” One of my fondest memories from my childhood is being blessed by my Saba in Israel after Shabbat dinner. I remember the deep boom of his voice, the heaviness of his hand on my head, and the tenderness with which he pat my hair. My husband’s voice is also deep, his hand is also heavy, and his heart is filled with tenderness for our children. Each week, after dinner, he lays his hands on their heads and makes a special wish for them for the upcoming week — that they will have the knowledge to pass their math test or the energy to make it through the long school day or the courage to stand up to that bully that’s been bothering them on the bus. Just the act of acknowledging each of their needs and concerns fills both my husband and children with feelings of warmth, love, and connection to each other and to our
shared heritage. Besides the good smells of yummy food and the illumination of the candles that accompany Shabbat, there is this intangible feeling of serenity and togetherness which often escapes us during the busy weekdays. The reality is that the Judaism that my kids inherit will come more from those short hours we spend together on Friday evenings cooking, lighting candles, exchanging blessings, and talking about the highs and lows of our weeks than from anywhere else. Over the years I have tried to find the rituals and traditions that will impact them the most, that will cause them, like me, to keep seeking out Judaism again and again, through all the phases of their lives. In winter the days grow shorter, making the weekdays feel even more hectic in the rush to get everything done. That, to me, is the key reason why Shabbat becomes extra important this time of year. During the darkest time of the year we need the extra light that spending time together brings our family. That is something I can look forward to every single week. Lela Casey is a mother of three children living in Bucks County, PA. Being raised by a fiery Israeli mother and a gentle farmer in the middle of nowhere lent her a unique perspective on Judaism. She holds degrees from both Penn State University and Rhode Island College. Besides contributing to PJ Library, she has written several children’s books and young adult novels.
PJ Library Family of the Month:
THE HETERS
Iris Heter enjoys reading the PJ Library books that arrive each month. “I like the art,” she told her Dad. “I like the characters and the stories.”
To learn more about PJ Library and register to receive free Jewish-themed books for children from 6 months through 8 years, visit www.pjlibrary.org.
26 JANUARY 2016 | HAKOL LEHIGH VALLEY
The Jerusalem Post Crossword Puzzle By David Benkof Special to HAKOL Designing puzzles with the knowledgeable but not necessarily bilingual Jew in mind, David Benkof says, “No more than a very few clues per puzzle expect the solver to simply translate between Hebrew and English.” Note that some answers may actually be two words written as one, without a space between them. For answers to the crossword puzzle, visit the Federation website at www.jewishleighvalley.org/hakol. “IN REVERSE” ACROSS 1. ___-ran, like Herzog 5. Early priest 10. False god with a quiver 14. “Survivor: Africa” winner Ethan 15. It’s like a blintz 16. Kellerman protagonist Lazarus 17. Wager in the Israeli government? 19. Weapon of concern for Israel: Abbr. 20. Tip on some Yom Kippur footwear 21. Jewish day sch. in Riverdale, NY 22. Mahktesh sound 23. Like some characters in Mel Brooks’ “High Anxiety” 24. High school for kindergarteners near Tel-Aviv? 27. “We’re ___!” (Words before an IDF operation, perhaps) 28. Ability in Cronenberg’s “The Dead Zone” 31. Title for Michael Kadoorie 32. Actress Graynor 33. “___ shall slumber nor sleep...” Isaiah 5:27 35. Trains through Boro Park 37. “___ of Silence” 39. Look through Chagall’s work on a Mac? 42. Israel’s Darking, e.g. 45. One is worth much less than a shekel 46. Many a Bible tale, e.g. 50. Rahab had one 51. Insect for Rudd 53. It could start with 613: abbr. 55. Shavuot need? 56. Odd place for a seder? 59. A forefather, once 61. Moms in Israel (var.) 62. “Too Close” was one for Clare 64. “The Wreck of the Mary ___”, Heston film produced by Julian Blaustein 65. Where the Jews found 12 wells of water and 70 date palms 66. Coming of age candy? 68. Lisa with a #1 hit, once 69. “Eizeh yofi!” 70. Dweller by Eilat’s reefs 71. “___ fatso”, Bunker line from Lear’s “All in the Family” 72. Golam hiding spot 73. Perlman’s occasional “Cheers” co-star
9. One is useful for work in the Mediterranean 10. Writer Brown 11. What Tevye dreamed of being 12. Agreeable to (Bibi’s policies) 13. Two judges, for short 18. Cause of the bad pun “eye vey” 22. Saul not killing Agag was a big one 25. Pesach months 26. Contraction for Emma Lazarus 29. Altschul of MTV and CBS 30. West Bank gp. 34. Baltic country that lost nearly half its Jewish pop. in the Holocaust 36. See 57-Down 38. College player highly unlikely to be Jewish 40. Shows Joel love at the Garden 41. CEO Moonves 42. Feature on Ben Gurion, for example 43. Wrap (shawarma in laffa) 44. David and Goliath, e.g. 47. The Garden of Eden story, to some 48. Like Moses, after bringing back the first Commandments 49. Billy Wilder used them 52. Basic garb in the Negev 54. Bubkes 57. Iconic character played by 36-Down 58. Occupy a Shabbat table 60. Joy who is often mistaken for being Jewish 63. The Chacham ___ 65. High Priest with bad sons 66. Deg. for Bloomberg 67. Midler is one: abbr.
DOWN 1. Title prison in a Radcliffe film 2. Biblical times, e.g. 3. Levine’s co-judge on “The Voice” 4. Genesis, e.g. 5. IAF hero 6. Crystal and Diamond are involved in them 7. Pack again, at the makolet 8. Schoenberg works HAKOL LEHIGH VALLEY | JANUARY 2016 27
Argentina's new government voids pact with Iran on AMIA bombing
Jewish Telegraphic Agency
killed 85 and injured hundreds. In December, lawyers of the Ministry of Justice presented a file withdrawing the appeal of the court decision made last year when federal judges in Argentina declared unconstitutional the government’s cooperation with Iran on the investigation of the terrorist attack on the Buenos Aires center. AMIA and Argentina's Jewish political umbrella group, DAIA, had filed a petition with the court arguing against cooperating with Iran because of evidence linking former Iranian government representatives to the bombing. Argentina's minister of justice, German Garavano, informed the media of the move.
The new government of Argentina effectively voided the agreement with Iran to jointly investigate the 1994 bombing of the AMIA Jewish center. In its first week of operation, the government under President Mauricio Macri withdrew the appeal filed by its predecessor, led by Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, of a federal court decision declaring the 2013 pact unconstitutional. After his election in November, Macri pledged to void the pact, which has been criticized by Israel and Argentina’s Jews, among others. Iran has been accused of being behind the AMIA bombing, which
“We are instructing our lawyers today to cease the appeal,” Garavano said just one day after being sworn in. DAIA President Julio Schlosser, who was succeeded by Ariel Cohen Sabban as the new leader of Argentine Jewry, was elated. "This news is excellent, not only for the DAIA but also for Argentine society," Schlosser said. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also praised the action. “This is a welcome change of direction, and I hope we will see a significant improvement of Argentina-Israeli relations as well as a change for the better in relations with other countries in South America in the coming years,” Netanyahu said during one of his weekly Cabinet meetings. The pact, signed by Argentina’s former foreign minister, Hector Timerman, who is Jewish, and his Iranian counterpart, proposed the creation of a joint commission to help solve the bombing. In November 2013, the late prosecutor Alberto Nisman, who was in charge of the AMIA case, asked a federal judge to declare the pact unconstitutional, saying the memorandum of understanding with Iran “constitutes a wrongful interference of the Executive Branch.”
Jewish Kremlin critic Khodorkovsky back on Russia's wanted list Jewish Telegraphic Agency Russian authorities put Mikhail Khodorkovsky, a Jewish former industrialist who was jailed for corruption and pardoned, on the country’s most wanted list in connection with the shooting death of a city's mayor. Khodorkovsky, who was released in 2013 and left Russia for Switzerland after a decade in jail, is wanted for questioning in the slaying of Vladimir Petukhov, the mayor of Nefteyugansk, whose 1998 death has remained unsolved, the news agency Interfax reported Dec. 8. Formerly the head of the Yukos oil company, Khodorkovsky was arrested for corruption and sentenced in 2003 to nine years in prison. The term was extended to August 2014 after he was found guilty in a new trial of money laundering and oil theft. Yukos was a major employer in the region, and Petukhov allegedly had a conflict with the company over nonpayment of taxes. The mayor reportedly was ready to institute criminal proceedings against Yukos. A major opponent of the Kremlin, Khodorkovsky reportedly had plans to run for the presidency. His supporters maintain he was prosecuted and tried for his criticism and opposition to Russian President Vladimir Putin. A spokesman for Khodorkovsky told the Bloomberg news agency that Khodorkovsky had no intention of traveling to Russia to answer questions, but would be available to discuss the issue in Switzerland, where he lives. Russia has not issued an international warrant for Khodorkovsky's arrest. On Dec. 9, Khodorkovsky said Putin has driven Russia into a position when a revolution is "inevitable and necessary."
One in Ten People will Develop Kidney Stones The American Kidney Foundation estimates that about 10 percent of Americans will develop a kidney stone in their lifetimes and the percentage is rising. According to a study presented at the American Urological Association meeting in May 2012, the number of Americans with kidney stones has almost doubled since 1994. Researchers speculate that the rising obesity rate is a key factor.
Often people have kidney stones for years without complications. Generally, the severity of symptoms increases with the size of the stone and could include:
Kidney stones are often described as a sharp pain on one side of the back or lower abdomen that spreads to the groin and lower abdomen. The pain often starts abruptly, then lingers and intensifies over time and is often accompanied by nausea and vomiting.
Patients can usually pass small stones with the help of medications and painkillers. To remove larger stones, however, physicians may perform endoscopy or lithotripsy, treatments that use ultrasound shock waves to break up the crystals into small particles that can easily be passed out of the body.
Stones, which vary greatly from the size of a grain of sand to a golf ball, typically consist of a build up of calcium and oxalate, or calcium and phosphate. Stones develop when stonecomposing chemicals stick together and grow into crystals.
• Foul-smelling or cloudy urine • Blood in the urine • Nausea or vomiting • Fever and chills
To reduce your risk of kidney stones, increase fluids, ingest less salt and moderate dairy intake. Other diseases such as high blood pressure, diabetes and obesity may increase the risk for kidney stones.
About St. Luke’s Center for Urology St. Luke’s Center for Urology was among the first health practices to adopt the da Vinci surgical robotic systems to treat patients with urological conditions. The experienced physicians can use robotic surgery to perform precise surgical procedures through tiny incisions, allowing the patient to recover quicker and have fewer complications. The Center offers patients individualized treatment plans for both men and women. Patients can be seen at one of six locations throughout St. Luke’s University Health Network. The newest member of the team Zachariah Goldsmith, MD, PhD sees patients at the St. Luke’s Center for Urology in the Anderson Campus, the Bethlehem office, and the Pocono office.
For more information, please call the St. Luke’s Center for Urology at 484-526-2598 or visit www.sluhn.org.
Zachariah Goldsmith, MD, PhD; Frank J. Tamarkin, MD; Jonathan Bingham, MD; Kaveh Kousari, MD; Jarrod E. Rosenthal, MD and Eric Mayer, MD
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www.sluhn.org • 1-866-STLUKES
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