June 2023 Jewish Journal

See EnjoydeliciousIsraelifoodandtheopportunitytowinIsraeliraffleprizes! Celebrate Israel's 75th Anniversary with the Tzofim Friendship Caravan

Thursday, June 8th at 6:00pm Beth Am Shalom • 1235 Route 70 Lakewood, NJ Couvert: $54/ticket Don’t Miss Out! BECOME A SPONSOR AND TICKETS ARE INCLUDED! Sponsorships and Purchase Tickets - www.jewishoceancounty.org/tptb The Shavuot Holiday begins on Thursday evening, May 25.

The Board and Staff of the Jewish Federation of Ocean County and the Jewish Family and Children's Service wish you and your families a Happy Shavuot.

Local News - pages 6 - 7 - 8 - 9

Cholent or Melting Pot?

We both agreed that the challenge is bigger than Israel; if anything, lack of connection or affinity to Israel is a symptom rather than the core problem. And just what is the underlying issue? A lack of connection to the Jewish people, our extended Jewish family. No surprise there…and I’m sure you’ve heard that before.

society with one blended (hybrid?) identity. We can see today which description has won out – universalism. And I am concerned this is the biggest threat the Jewish community faces, let alone Israel. There is much more we can delve into and unpack here (and we should at some point), but I just want to play this out in a few ways. I welcome your thoughts and feedback!

through a universalist lens; legitimate issues get subsumed in an understanding of Israel as violating some sort of moral standard, i.e., veering towards dictatorship, which isn’t quite the case.

By Keith Krivitzky, Managing Director Jewish Federation of Ocean County keith@ocjf.org www.jewishoceancounty.org www.jewishoceancounty.org/donate 732.363.0530

Iwas having a conversation with a friend recently, who works for an Israeli organization that deals with the Jewish community outside of Israel, and he asked me what the attitude is towards Israel right now in the United States… especially with all the news coming out of Israel.

I responded that there is no one stance on Israel, but that fewer people are as connected or supportive as they were in the past, even in the Jewish community and especially among younger people. We talked about what could be done about this, as there are more programs like Birthright Israel with more Jews visiting Israel than ever (even though less than 60% of American Jews have visited Israel).

My friend, though, added a twist. He also said the problem was compounded because of different perspectives on universalism vs. particularism.

He has a very good point, and to unpack that I would like to share another anecdote. When I was in university, I organized a program featuring Alan Dershowitz entitled: “America – cholent or melting pot?”

A cholent, as you may know, is a quintessentially Jewish dish (if you are Ashkenazi) that combines many ingredients like beans, barley, potatoes, and beef (flanken!) that cooks overnight on Shabbat. While the ingredients often mix together in a bit of a mush, each ingredient retains its own flavor. In a melting pot, on the other hand, the ingredients combine and blur and take on a blended taste.

The underlying issue/question in this program was whether America was/ should be more like a cholent or a melting pot, i.e., a mix of particularisms and individual group identities or a universal

You Never Know

gh to suggest that he approach the Rebbe outside his home in the morning on his way to “770” Lubavitch World Headquarters. No one would be within earshot and it would be the perfect opportunity.

• Jews in Europe, especially post-Enlightenment and in the beginning of the 20th century, faced this dilemma. Many tried to “assimilate themselves into acceptance” – a turn of phrase I heard from Daniel Gordis in the Call Me Back podcast. Others said that Jews would never be accepted or “mainstreamed”, no matter what they thought (see Leopoldstadt!). This was the root of Zionism. We can see how this fork in the road played out.

• America has been different and unique, the “golden medina” – but, with the rise in antisemitism today, it is feeling a bit less so. This is also where “wokeness” raises concerns. Why are some narratives favored and accepted but others ignored or dismissed?

• How one understands the current dilemmas in Israel also depends on one’s point of view, particular or universal. The starting point for most Israelis, regardless of which “side” one is on, is particularist. But I’m not sure how good the translation is when viewed

apologizing for his inappropriate use of the Rebbe’s time.

• This is all worth exploring further. I also want to share two other perspectives, just for fun:

• The United States seems to be a place where assimilation has worked. There are many who make the case for how this has been a tremendous success for Judaism, since we have been able to seed values and “identity markers” in the mainstream – and more people are connected to, appreciate, and identify with Judaism than ever before. I don’t buy it, as I do believe that our family’s survival and propagation as a distinct group is the key measure of success, but it is worth pointing out.

• In terms of the cholent analogy, there is another variation which may also better help understand what is happening in Israel. The Sephardic equivalent of cholent is called “hamin” and in this dish the ingredients are even more distinct and blend or mush less than in cholent. This plays out well as a metaphor when we think about particularism.

By Rabbi Shmuel Naparstek Chabad Jewish Center of Jackson www.ChabadofJackson.com

In the winter of 1986, a Jew living in Brooklyn was going through a serious family crisis. A friend suggested he seek advice from the Rebbe but at the time there were no official opportunities for people to interact privately with the Rebbe in person. While written correspondence was certainly an option, he felt unable to adequately articulate the nuances of his problem in writing. Although this was not the standard procedure, his friend felt the problem was urgent enou-

Heeding his friend’s well-intentioned advice, he made the short trip to Crown Heights and as the Rebbe walked toward the waiting car, he approached and quickly shared his dilemma. The Rebbe stopped, asked some questions and then advised and counseled him until he continued on his way – 10 minutes later!

A group of yeshiva students witnessed the entire exchange from afar and were horrified at this man’s audacity. The Rebbe’s time was extremely precious and to “hold him up” at such an unofficial venue for such a long time was unheard of. When one of them told off the fellow for his breach of protocol, he felt terrible and rushed to write a letter to the Rebbe

I will paraphrase the Rebbe's written response: The Baal Shem Tov taught that a soul can be sent down to this world to live 70-80 years just in order to do a single favor to another person. “It’s possible that the purpose of my entire life is in order to help you out in your current crisis. Why is this student interfering in my soul’s business?”

The Torah states: “You shall love your fellow as yourself!” Rabbi Akiva declared this mitzvah is a fundamental or all-inclusive principle of the Torah and the great Hillel before him went further to say that all of Torah is a commentary on this mitzvah. Just as we prioritize our own needs above all else, we must care for another’s material and spiritual needs with the same passion and attention

Practically speaking, we will never know which specific favor is the purpose of our

soul’s journey in this world. That’s why we need to utilize every opportunity that comes our way. A sage once asked someone running in the marketplace where he was rushing. “To make a living!” the man breathlessly replied. “How do you know your success will come to you in that direction, perhaps you are running away from your source of success which is the opposite direction?”

Even when rushing to keep up with the constant demands of life, be sensitive to your surroundings and make time to interact and help those you encounter who may not be on your official schedule. Who knows? Perhaps they hold the key to your purpose in life.

The Jewish Journal is pleased to host a monthly Rabbi Column, rotating among our community’s pulpit rabbis. The views and opinions expressed are those of the writer, and do not necessarily reflect those of The Jewish Journal, the Jewish Federation of Ocean County or the author’s Congregation.

I welcome your thoughts and feedback!

Struggle over Democracy in Israel

From Noa Tishby

Dear Friends,

It is with disappointment and sadness, but an enduring determination, that I can confirm that the current Israeli government has dismissed me as the Israeli Special Envoy for Combating Antisemitism and the Delegitimization of Israel.

It is not possible for me to know if their decision was driven by my publicly stated concerns about this government's “judicial reform policy.” But given the reality that antisemitism continues its dangerous rise globally, and the threat to Israel’s existence through delegitimization policies has not slowed, it is difficult to come to any other reasonable conclusion.

When I accepted the Special Envoy position from former Foreign Minister Lapid, I did so because the threat to Jews around the world is as significant today as any other point since the Holocaust, and the risks to Israel are as great today as they have been since our nation's birth. As an advocate for justice and equality, I felt an obligation to stand with the many others united in the fight against hate.

That does not mean I must suppress my views and my decision to speak out was not taken lightly. I voiced concerns because I believe absolutely in the importance of an independent judiciary in safeguarding the democratic system. Open and honest debate with those in government is at the core of Israel's long-term well-being and our status as the region’s single consistent democracy. True patriotism involves standing up for the values and principles that form the foundation of our nation, even when it means questioning or opposing policies implemented by this or any government.

I am disappointed by their decision but remain steadfast in my commitment to fighting antisemitism and the delegitimization of Israel on the global stage. It has been an honor to work with incredible partners and organizations dedicated to promoting understanding, tolerance, and respect for Israel and the Jewish people. As an advocate, an artist – and most importantly as an American-Israeli citizen and a Jew – my work will continue in our joint effort to create a brighter future for Israel and the Jewish people.

Am Yisrael Chai.

Noa Tishby

Noa Tishby is an actress, producer, writer, and activist and was born and raised in Tel Aviv. She appeared in numerous TV shows, films, theater productions, and national fashion campaigns before moving to Los Angeles, where she sold the Israeli TV show In Treatment to HBO, making history as the first Israeli television show to become an American series. She coproduced over 150 episodes of the show, which earned a Peabody Award and twelve Emmy and Golden Globe nominations. As a passionate political activist, Tishby founded the nonprofit Act for Israel, Israel's first online advocacy organization, and was appointed as Israel's first Special Envoy for Combatting Antisemitism and Delegitimization. She has been a keynote speaker and panelist at events around the world and has appeared in the United Nations General Assembly, where she has discussed everything from BDS to Israeli innovation. She is a contributor to publications such as the Huffington Post, Jerusalem Post, the Jewish Journal, Tablet and Ynet, where she writes about policy, culture, and international relations.

U.S. Jews Visiting Israel for the Federations’ General Assembly: It’s Time to Wake Up

The General Assembly of the Jewish Federations of North America next week will bring thousands of Jews to Israel. Will they listen to the Israelis fighting for democracy or the politicians trying to deceive them?

By Alon Pinkas

April 20, 2023

haaretz.com

(Editor’s Note: This article was written before the General Assembly convened, and it has since concluded.)

Dear sisters and brothers from the United States and Canada:

Welcome to Israel as you arrive for the General Assembly of the Jewish Federations of North America. This isn’t Egypt, so don’t look for denial. It’s not a river and there’s a good chance you’re already in it. It’s time you took a stand for the values we share, and you hold dear.

I feel for you. Your pain is real. You’re in an excruciating predicament; it’s the moment when you need to question things you considered axioms. It’s the moment when the need to change your state of mind and shift the paradigm clashes with everything you knew and believed about Israel. I’m not here to lecture anyone, let alone you. I’m not suggesting answers and formulas. I’m just asking you uncomfortable questions that you need to answer.

You’re about to be inundated with specious assessments from politicians and others supposedly in the know. They’re not. They’re callously misleading you, whether with the best of intentions or maliciously.

You’re about to be subject to a grand gaslighting operation under the false guise of “hearing all sides.” There are no sides. There is no bothsideism. Israel is in a state of disunion not because of a political impasse or policy clash, but because of a fundamental schism over democracy. The very core of Israeli democracy is being assaulted by antidemocratic authoritarians and theocrats. The constitutional crisis we’re on the verge of is real. Calling the issue “judicial reform” is like calling a bank robbery “financial reorganization.”

You have stood by, supported and loved Israel for many decades. You have lobbied for it and donated to it. Uniquely, when your grandparents or great-grandparents came to New York’s Lower East Side or Montreal, they had no homeland they were misty-eyed about. They were immigrants who fled a hostile Europe that had persecuted them for centuries.

Israel, your other homeland, was established in 1948, many years after your ancestors settled in Chicago or Toronto. Today, on the eve of Israel’s 75th birthday, you have many reasons to celebrate and be proud, but it’s incumbent on you to realize what Israel is undergoing, and it ain’t pretty. This is an Independence Day like none before. This Israel isn’t the Israel from the brochure your grandmother in Boca Raton has.

Let’s revisit the slogans, battle cries and clichés that you and we have spouted for 50 years or so: “We are one,” “Our shared values,” “Israel, right or wrong,” “We support Israel’s democratically elected government,” “There’s no daylight between the United States and Israel,” “The unshakable

Continued on page 4

Struggle over Democracy in Israel

U.S. Jews Visiting Israel

Continued from page 3

alliance between the United States and Israel,” “Israel is the only democracy in the Middle East.”

Most of these were true for many years, and it was natural for you and force-multiplying for us that you believed them. But drop the convenient platitudes and ask yourself with all honesty and intellectual integrity: Are these slogans still valid? Do I still believe them? Is Israel today a uniting or a divisive issue for me?

Since a far-right, ultra-Orthodox governing coalition was established on December 29, Israel has been on a dangerous trajectory away from the liberal democracy you thought it was and were proud of. Here’s a recap of the Netanyahu government’s major achievements in its first 100 days:

• The most extreme right-wing/religious coalition in Israeli history has been formed, embracing Jewish supremacy and rejecting any political process with the Palestinians.

• An extremist convicted three times for terrorism – and who never served in the military – has been appointed “national security minister.”

• A constitutional coup d’etat has been set in motion via broad legislation transforming Israeli from a liberal democracy into an illiberal authoritarian system not unlike Turkey or Hungary. The country’s Basic Laws are about to be radically amended and over 150 patently undemocratic bills threaten to make Israel a semi-theocratic autocracy.

• Israeli society is torn, anxious, con-

tentious and toxically divided along unfamiliar fault lines: pro and antidemocratic, not right and left.

• Relations with the United States are at an all-time low, with little credibility and trust.

• Iran has accumulated an unprecedented amount of enriched uranium and is moving ahead with its military nuclear program. Since Netanyahu encouraged Donald Trump to unilaterally withdraw from the nuclear deal in 2018, the Iranians have advanced almost uninterrupted.

• Iran and Saudi Arabia have set in motion a rapprochement and established open lines of communication.

• Hezbollah and Hamas have created a dangerous nexus, mentored by Iran, that weakens the Palestinian Authority to the point of ominous implosion or dissolution.

• The Israeli army is riled by radical regime-changing legislation and further exemptions in the works letting the ultra-Orthodox skirt military service. What Israelis call the “people’s army” has all but ceased to exist in the way you knew it for decades.

• Moody’s has lowered Israel’s credit rating outlook to “stable” from “positive” due to political instability and

Protesters by day. Talk to average, middle-class Israelis who have been demonstrating rain or shine. Credit: Hadas Parush

the government’s efforts to weaken the judiciary. Other credit rating agencies and financial institutions around the world will inevitably follow suit.

Ignoring all this and pretending everything will be fine is the definition of dangerous denial. My only advice to you is to open your eyes to reality. Talk to Israelis. Talk to the scientists, constitutional scholars, high-tech entrepreneurs and engineers, reserve military intelligence officers and air force pilots.

Talk to representatives of Israel’s civil society, talk to average, middle-class Israelis who have been protesting rain or shine with vigor and love for their country for 16 weeks running. If you only talk to grandstanding, cliché-spewing politicians you’ll be grossly misinformed, possibly disinformed, about contemporary Israel.

Talk to the Israelis who look up to you and you have been looking up to. They’re your real partners. Don’t dare think or say: “This will never happen in Israel.” It’s already happening and most of you have been numb and quiet. Remember January 6, 2021? This is on a bigger scale, possibly forever changing the Israel you think you know and love.

Remember that the hottest places in hell are reserved for those who during a great moral crisis maintain their neutrality. Are we one? You decide.

Jewish Federation of Ocean County is now on Facebook

Israelis protesting in Be'er Sheva in the south on April 15. Credit: Eliyahu Hershkovitz

Editor's Note: ChatGPT is an Artificial Intelligence computer program that upon request can compose whole documents on its own.

Jewish Federation of Ocean County Joins JFed Security, LLC Initiative

Security Program to Support NJ & DE Federations

The Jewish Federation of Ocean County announced it has partnered with the Jewish Federation of Southern New Jersey (JFSNJ) to provide expanded security coverage and resources to its local partners in Ocean County. Through JFSNJ’s establishment of JFed Security, LLC, this community security initiative is designed to ensure the safety of affiliated organizations in Ocean County, as well as additional counties in the state of New Jersey and the entire state of Delaware.

As a participating community, Federation partners receive:

• Training

• Emergency operations planning (EOP)

• Completion of Threat and Vulnerability Risk Assessments (TVRA)

• The ability to assign guards from the security force at local synagogues and agencies

• Access to all intelligence bulletins and products distributed by the intel analyst assigned to the security force.

New Jersey currently has four Jewish Federations that have established community security programs. Regionalization will partner Federations in North, Central and Southern New Jersey with the one Federation in Delaware creating a contiguous network of partnered Federations under the direction of one community security program. This regionalized approach offers both economies of scale and expertise.

“JFed Security, LLC was created and chartered with the purpose of providing and enhancing a community-wide security initiative to ensure that Jews can live and practice their religion safely, especially given the unfortunate rise in antisemitic incidents,” said William “Bud” Monaghan, Executive Director, JFed Security, LLC and former Cherry Hill Police Department’s Chief of Police.

“Many in our community are concerned about security, and the Jewish Federation is pleased that we can help address the needs of our community and partners by sponsoring this initiative in Ocean County,” said Keith Krivitzky, Managing Director of the Jewish Federation.

Synagogues of all denominations in South Jersey are utilizing services of JFed Security, LLC and share similar positive sentiments. Rabbi Stephen Gold of Beth Am Shalom in Lakewood shared, “As a rabbi and citizen who is increasingly alarmed by the ever-increasing gun violence coupled with the rise in hate crimes directed toward our people, I welcome and am grateful for this initiative. May we work for a time when, as a nation, we come to our senses regarding guns in our society so that 'we can sit under our grapevine or fig tree / With no one to make us afraid.' (Micah

4:4).”

JFed Security, LLC was made possible through a grant from LiveSecure, a national effort of the Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA) to expand security preparedness and coverage through Jewish Federations across the country. $130 million was raised in 2021, to be awarded over 3 years, with the goal of securing every Jewish community across North America and to save lives. It is the largest initiative in history to secure

Jewish communities across North Ame-

Bob Kulik to Perform at Congregation Ahavat Olam, Howell

The community is invited to an exciting and nostalgic afternoon at Congregation Ahavat Olam, 106 Windeler Road, Howell, on June 4, 4:00 PM, with Bob Kulik, a member of the 60’s pop vocal group, “The Happenings.” Bob had performed with “The Happenings” before retiring at the end of 2018. Since then he has been performing as a solo artist throughout the tri-state area. Sing along with Bob to some of your favorite tunes, “See You in Sep-

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Congregation Ahavat Olam, Howell, Hebrew School

tember,” “Go Away Little Girl,” “I Got Rhythm” and many more. Along with the famous hits of “The Happenings,” he will also be bringing back many of your musical memories from the 50’s, 60’s, 70’s and 80’s. For information about this event, a flyer or reservations, please email: fundraising.caonj@gmail.com. For information about future events, call CAO at 732-719-3500.

Jewish War Veterans Post #178 Events

By Dave Kessler, Post Commander

The local JWV Post has many activities. Here are a few recent and upcoming ones.

Sunday, May 14 – Post Breakfast Meeting at Beth Am Shalom, Lakewood, which is also Mothers' Day. Flowers will be presented to all of the women present.

Monday, May 22 – Bus trip to Resorts Casino, in Atlantic City, for a full day of gaming, restaurant-ing, shmoozing, and board-walking. Cost is $32 per person with $15 given back to play the slots.

During May – Decorating the graves of our fallen comrades who are interred at local Jewish cemeteries. It is our sacred

duty, which we have always honored before Memorial Day.

During May – Holding at least one Poppy Drive to raise money for our hospitalized veterans. With these funds, the Post takes them to ball games, does bar-be-ques at the Vets' Homes, sponsors concerts and other events for them, bring them comfort items, and anything else we can think of, to honor them for their Service To Our Country. Volunteers are welcome to join the Poppy Crew for two hours on Sunday, May 28, at the Howell ShopRite and possibly another location on another day.

Remember: The Mitzvas you do now become your Karma for your next life.

Picnic Celebration for Israel’s Birthday at Congregation B’nai Israel, Toms River

Speeches, food, toasts, music and dancing were shared on Sunday, April 23, when Congregation

B’nai Israel celebrated Israel’s 75th anniversary. The special Yom HaAtzma'ut event, which was held at the 1488 Old Freehold Road synagogue, was sponsored by CBI’s Sisterhood and featured a “picnic” of Israeli-style food – chicken shawarma, falafel, hummus, salads, and traditional desserts. The 50-plus guests sang “yom huledet sameach” (Happy

Birthday) as a blue and white sheet cake was brought out. Many of the participants joined in Israel dancing, led by a professional Israeli dance teacher, Elyse Litt of NJ Israeli Dance.

The event, organized by Sisterhood, which is led by Robin London, was one of many at CBI this spring, including: a community Passover Seder; Sisterhood Book Club meetings; Rosh Chodesh sing-alongs; more of Rabbi William Ger-

Jewish Holiday Family Photos

shon’s popular adult education discussions on “Ethical Dilemmas: Exploring

What Judaism Teaches on the Hot Ethical Topics of the Day” (on April 19 – “Zachor: The Biblical Memory Imperative in Judaism” and on May 10 – “Religion’s Business: What Halacha Can Teach Us

About Business Ethics”); the annual spring concert, “From Bimah to Broadway;” and a Men’s Club Lag Ba’Omer BBQ. For information about upcoming events, call CBI at 732-349-1244.

Many congregations are conducting prayer services and classes online which may be accessible from a computer or a telephone. Contact each congregation for further information to access these events. See page 29 for contact information.

We invite our community members to submit a few photographs of their family’s recent holiday celebrations. Include a one-line caption describing the activity in the photo. You may include everyone’s name or just your family’s name or without any names at all. All submissions are subject to our editorial review, and we do not promise that all submitted photos will be published. Email your submission to jfoceditor@ocjf.org.

Congregation Ahavat Olam, Howell, Hebrew School students planting spring flowers with their teachers Morah Esther and Morah Ariella

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Broadway Tunes, Written by Jewish Composers, Performed at the Annual Spring Concert at Congregation B’nai Israel, Toms River

By Dr. Lisa Kassenoff (Photo credits: Teri Abramson)

Broadway came to the Bimah at Congregation B’nai Israel on Sunday, April 30, when the works of Jewish songwriters were performed at the annual Cantor Daniel Green Ramah-Youth Scholarship Fund Spring Concert.

The event, “From Bimah to Broadway,” was organized by CBI’s Cantor Jacob Greenberg and featured the renowned cantors Daniella Risman and Mira Davis, along with Cantors Greenberg, Green and Ruth Katz Green; piano accompanist Michael Brody; synagogue member Jordyn Touitou; and CBI’s Talmud Torah students. The proceeds of the event go to the Cantor Daniel Green-Ramah Youth Scholarship Fund, benefitting both the scholarship fund and the synagogue.

The nearly 150 guests in attendance were treated to some of the most-loved songs from the Broadway songbook, all written by Jewish composers. The concert opened with “Magic to Do” from “Pippin,” performed by Cantors Greenberg, Davis and Risman. Cantor Davis is the Cantorial Fellow at the Park Avenue Synagogue in Manhattan. Cantor Risman is the Hazzan at the Emanuel Synagogue. Both are recent graduates of the H. L. Miller Cantorial School at the Jewish Theological Seminary.

After a welcome by Rabbi William Gershon and the synagogue’s president, Michele Pardes, Cantors Greenberg and

What is Reverse Tashlich?

Davis performed “Suddenly Seymour” from “Little Shop of Horrors.” Cantor Davis then sang “I Could Have Danced All Night” from “My Fair Lady” and “Only Love” from “The Scarlet Pimpernel.” She was then joined by Cantor Risman for a beautiful rendition of “For Good” from “Wicked.”

Cantor Risman performed “If I Loved You” from her favorite musical, “Carousel,” and “Can’t Help Lovin’ That Man” from the very first show she saw on Broadway, “Show Boat.” Cantors Greenberg and Risman sang Alan Menken’s “A Whole New World” from “Aladdin.”

On Rosh HaShanah, Jews around the world participate in the ancient ritual of Tashlich. We go to a body of water and symbolically cast off the sins of the past year into the water to start the New Year with purity of heart. However, this is not the only time humans cast their “sins” into the sea. Every year, approximately six million tons of human-made trash enter the water, posing health and safety hazards to the animals that call the sea their home. Marine debris is a blatant violation of the fundamental Jewish ethical principle Bal Tashchit (Do Not Destroy). Repair the Sea adds a modern ritual to the Jewish tradition: a local clean-up on the Sunday between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur (or on an alternate date), known as Reverse Tashlich.

Help plan at a location near you! Save the date of Sunday, September 10. Contact the Jewish Federation of Ocean County office at 732363-0530 or federation@ocjf.org to start planning ahead for a wonderful mitzvah project.

“Over The Rainbow” from “The Wizard of Oz” was written by two Jewish composers, one of them the son of a cantor. It was sung by Cantor Greenberg, who was joined on the Bimah by the CBI congregant and Toms River-Brick USY co-president Jordyn Touitou.

And, of course, as Cantor Greenberg put it, no Broadway concert in a synagogue would be complete without something from “Fiddler on the Roof,” so “To Life” was joyfully and lovingly performed by Cantors Greenberg, Daniel Green and Ruth Katz Green.

Cantor Greenberg’s solo performance of “This Is the Moment” from “Jekyll & Hyde” brought the crowd to its feet in a standing ovation. Cantor Greenberg, in

turn, promised to always remember these moments at Congregation B’nai Israel.

The show ended with Cantors Greenberg, Davis and Risman joined on the Bimah by the Talmud Torah students Adam Kassenoff, Marlee Phillips and Caroline Winn performing “Any Dream Will Do” from “Joseph & The Technicolor Dreamcoat.” It sent a clear message of optimism to the youth in the room on an otherwise rainy and dreary Sunday afternoon in Toms River. Following the performances, the sponsors and patrons were treated to “Sundaes on Sunday” before heading home with Broadway tunes playing in their heads.

The Congregation would like to thank the hard work of Cantor Greenberg; concert committee chairwoman Allysa Weintraub; committee members Dr. Lisa Kassenoff, Caryn Phillips and Lee Subai; and the office staff at CBI, as well as the many sponsors and patrons who supported the event. For information about upcoming events, call CBI at 732349-1244.

PJ Library Photos with Children

Do you have a photo of your child reading or holding a PJ Library book? We would like to publish some of them. We omit the names of children. The names of any adults in the photos could be included or omitted based on the guidance of the adult submitting the photo(s). Email them to JFOCeditor@ocjf.org.

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Community Holocaust Commemoration Event

The event was held at Congregation Ahavat Olam in Howell on April 17 and was cosponsored with Beth Am Shalom (Lakewood), Congregation B'nai Israel (Toms River), Temple Beth Or (Brick) and the Jewish Federation of Ocean County.  Holocaust Survivor Ruth Millman was the keynote speaker.

Photo Credits: Colin Lewis

Jewish American Club at Leisure Village East, Lakewood

On May 1, Rabbi Robert Rubin of Temple Beth Or, Brick, spoke on “Keeping Kosher” at the Jewish American Club at Leisure Village East. Evelyn Shore serves as President of the Club.

Stepping Back with Pride on Israel's 75th

sing the land, the nation we love, from a distance. We should do so in the spirit of the prophet Jeremiah, who proclaims, “From afar, the Lord appeared to me, declaring, ‘My love for you is everlasting.’”

our relationship with Israel. The exercise involves what we often take for granted but should be forever appreciated. Here are some suggestions, in the hope that readers add their own items to the list.

By Rabbi Avi Weiss April 28, 2023 jpost.com

“I’m worried.” That’s the refrain I’ve heard from countless friends, sharing their feelings about Israel as it celebrates its 75th birthday. There is legitimacy to these concerns. Israel is torn apart on the issue of judicial reform, on matters of separation of church and state, on the correctness of refusing to serve in the IDF for political reasons.

But for a moment, just for a moment, on whatever side of the aisle we may be, we might consider stepping back and asses-

There is, I believe, great truth in this observation. When looking at each other, when looking closely at people we love most, even ourselves, we see warts, and wrinkles, traits and habits we may not like. When stepping back, however, surveying the whole scene, the picture alters. The downside is overwhelmed by all the good we see in the other and in ourselves. The ugly spots are eclipsed by the wholeness of the beauty we behold.

This, too, should be an exercise we adopt on the 75th anniversary of Israel’s existence. Looking from above at the scene below, we should offer thanks for a fledgling state that, in just three-quarters of a century, made possible what seemed impossible.

Much like the Dayenu we sing in the Passover seder, where we say “If God had only done this for us, it would have been enough,” we should do the same in

Beth Or

ƒ If Israel had only increased in size from 600,000 Jews in 1948 to a country of 9 million with more than 7 million Jews, a majority of whom are Jews of color, together making up about 50% of Jews worldwide: Dayenu

ƒ If Hebrew, a language all but forgotten 150 years ago, would only have been reborn, with millions conversing in the holy tongue, agreeing, arguing, in business, in social settings, in love, in prayer: Dayenu

ƒ If Israel had only absorbed 1.5 million Jews from the former Soviet Union; if it had only brought 150,000 of our Black Ethiopian sister and brothers, not in the bowels of ships to slavery, but to freedom: Dayenu

ƒ If Israel had only developed one of the strongest per capita armies in the world, a most moral army that lives and breathes the principle of tohar haneshek, purity of arms: Dayenu

ƒ If Israel had only risen to become a great startup nation in technology, science and medicine to benefit its citizenry and the entire world: Dayenu

ƒ If Israel, surrounded by despotic dicta-

Just for a moment, on whatever side of the aisle we may be, we might consider stepping back and assessing the land, the nation we love, from a distance. We should offer thanks for a fledgling state that, in just three-quarters of a century, made possible what seemed impossible.

torships, had only developed a thriving democracy, with Jews and Arabs from across the political spectrum represented in the Knesset and Supreme Court: Dayenu

ƒ If Israel were only the place where more Torah is being studied by more people than in any time in all of history: Dayenu

It’s not so common for people to realize their dreams, even parts of their dreams, in their lifetime. At 75, Israel has done just that, even as there is much more to be done.

For a moment, however, let’s offer our Dayenu – not a list of why we are worried about Israel, but a list of why we’re proud.

Celebrating Independence Day on April 26 with the traditional barbecue (photo credit: AYAL MARGOLIN/FLASH90)

All the Jewish Details of King Charles’ Coronation, from Shabbat Accommodations to Jerusalem Oil

While much of the ceremony is still rooted in Christian rituals, Jewish and other faith leaders will be incorporated into the proceedings.

Jewish participants and onlookers: The ceremony falls on Shabbat. But Charles has invited Mirvis to sleep in his home on Friday night – Clarence House, located a 15-minute walk from Westminster Abbey, the site of the coronation – so he can easily get to the event without using electricity (he will attend an early morning Shabbat service on his way). And when religious leaders recite a “spoken greeting in unison” to Charles at the end of the ceremony, Mirvis will not use a microphone.

By Deborah Danan May 4, 2023 jta.org

LONDON (JTA) – At a reception of faith leaders at Buckingham Palace the day after Queen Elizabeth’s death in September, King Charles pulled Britain’s chief rabbi, Ephraim Mirvis, aside for a word.

The reception was pushed earlier in the day than originally planned to accommodate Mirvis, since it fell on a Friday. But it ran long and Shabbat was approaching.

According to Rabbi Nicky Liss, head of the Highgate Synagogue, Charles asked Mirvis what the rabbi was doing sticking around – didn’t he have to get home by Shabbat? The protocol is that no one is allowed to leave the room before the king does, Mirvis responded. Charles then promptly told him to get home.

Both men are expected to bring that spirit of mutual respect to Charles’ coronation day on Saturday, as the new king will include a range of faith leaders who have never before been featured in a royal ceremony of this magnitude.

While much of the ceremony is still rooted in Christian rituals, representatives of Jewish, Muslim, Sikh, Buddhist, Hindu, Jain, Bahai and Zoroastrian communities will be incorporated into the proceedings. In fact, non-Jewish faith representatives will enter Westminster Abbey before Anglican clerics. Jewish, Muslim, Hindu and Sikh members of the House of Lords will hand Charles objects of the royal regalia. And in a notable cross-cultural mash-up, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who is Hindu, will read a passage from St. Paul’s letter to the Colossians, which includes language on the “loving rule of Christ over all people and all things.”

There is one large obstacle for observant

While many Orthodox interpretations of Jewish law hold that Jews should not enter churches, London’s top rabbinical court ruled in the 1970s that chief rabbis may do so if their presence is requested by the monarch. Coronations have held at Westminster Abbey since 1066; the last time one was held on Shabbat was in 1902.

The Chief Rabbi will be walking in the footsteps of his illustrious predecessor, Chief Rabbi Hermann Adler, as he represents the Jewish communities of the United Kingdom & the Commonwealth at the coronation of King Charles III.

Some Jews around London this week were not excited about the Shabbat timing, and like many other Britons, were still mourning Queen Elizabeth, Charles’ mother whose 70-year reign guided the kingdom through the second half of the 20th century and through the upheaval of the 21st.

“It’s a shame that we can’t fully participate in it but we do need to acknowledge that we’re such a minority and I don’t expect them to take us into account,” said Naomi Joseph, who was walking around Golders Green, a heavily Jewish neighborhood. “But it does make me feel less enthusiastic. It’s like not being invited to a party.”

“The queen’s funeral did feel more poignant than the coronation,” said Keren Rechtschaffen, who researches Judeo-English, a local dialect. “People seemed more invested in it. We haven’t had a chance to see how Charles is going to reign. Although I’m sure he’s going to be great.”

But many Jewish congregations and families have for weeks been in the royal spirit, which engulfs England in an excited frenzy – and creates a huge market of monarch-themed merchandise. Some congregations will close off the roads

near their synagogues to have celebrations on the street. Others will hold ceremonies and services of their own to honor the king, but a week later – so their members can watch the coronation live on TV on the day.

Musical celebration and tribute is a recurring theme. United Synagogue, the union of British Orthodox synagogues, commissioned a new children’s choir recording of “Adon Olam,” a prayer perhaps most recognizable as the conclusion of Shabbat services, and dedicated it to the new king. The Shabbaton Choir, a group that frequently records for radio and television shows, created a new musical version of the Prayer for the Royal Family that’s recited by British Jewish congregations every week.

“We’ve waited a long time for this coronation. It’s exciting,” said Sahar Dadon, an Israeli who runs a pita restaurant and has lived in London for 20 years. “We bless the king with shem malchut [of God’s name]. It’s a divine thing.” He added, “My wife feels it more. She’s English and goes to all the ceremonies. The kids are very excited, too.”

rron of Lincoln, a former chief executive of the Board of Deputies of British Jews, will hand Charles the long Imperial Mantle robe, which was first made for George IV in 1821.

“We’ve got our day-to-day business going on too but obviously the coronation takes priority over everything else,” Cheryl Kashket told the London Jewish Chronicle. “There is nothing more important than what is going on. It is very exciting and we realize how fortunate we are to be a part of history.”

Israeli President Isaac Herzog will be in attendance on Saturday, too; a kosher caterer will provide food for him and Mirvis.

Ivan Binstock, a longtime senior leader for multiple London Jewish communities, said the actual coronation ritual, which involves anointing the new king with oil consecrated in Jerusalem, was especially resonant for the Jewish community. “The most significant part of the coronation, that is shielded from public view, is in fact biblical,” he said, noting that the ritual has its roots in the anointing of high priests in the ancient Temple in Jerusalem. “It’s a source of great pride.”

The Jewish connection to the coronation ceremony will get literal, too – the king and the soldiers involved will wear at least some pieces stitched by Kashket & Partners, a Jewish family-owned tailoring company that is the main supplier for Britain’s armed forces. Baroness Me-

Jewish Federation of Ocean County, a nonprofit corporation, publishes The Jewish Journal 12 times a year. Views expressed by columnists, in readers’ letters and in reprinted opinion pieces do not necessarily reflect the opinion of The Jewish Journal, the Jewish Federation of Ocean County or any agency of the Jewish Federation of Ocean County. Submissions of copy and .jpeg photos may be sent to Editor (jfoceditor@ ocjf.org) or mailed to the known office of publication. All copy or photos submitted to The Jewish Journal shall become the property of The Jewish Journal and the Jewish Federation of Ocean County. All submissions of text or photography may be changed and printed at the discretion of the editor without notice to the submitter. The Jewish Journal reserves full discretion to decide what will be published. No material will be accepted which is considered against the best interest of the Jewish community. Acceptance of advertising neither endorses advertisers nor guarantees kashrut.

King Charles III meets Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis during a reception with faith leaders at Buckingham Palace in London, September 16, 2022. (Aaron Chown/Pool/AFP via Getty Images)

An office window shows coronation posters in Golders Green, a heavily Jewish neighborhood of London, May 2, 2023. (Deborah Danan)

Israeli Sahar Dadon calls the coronation “a divine thing.” (Deborah Danan)

Vladimir Kara-Murza, Russian-Jewish Dissident, Sentenced to 25 Years in Prison for Treason

By Andrew Lapin April 18, 2023 jta.org

(JTA) – A Russian-Jewish dissident whose case has attracted support from human rights groups and prominent Jewish activists was sentenced to 25 years in prison for treason on April 17.

Vladimir Kara-Murza, 41, received the harshest sentence given to a critic of the Kremlin in the fourteen months since Russia first invaded Ukraine. The charges were handed down roughly a year after Kara-Murza had accused Russia of committing war crimes in Ukraine during a speech to the Arizona state legislature. The charges included discredi-

ting the Russian military and spreading “knowingly false information” about its actions in Ukraine.

Kara-Murza’s sentence came after years of tensions between him and Putin’s government that recently culminated in his urging for the West to impose sanctions on Russia as punishment for its war in Ukraine. He has been poisoned twice and has blamed the Kremlin for both instances, while the government has denied its involvement.

When Kara-Murza heard the sentence, his lawyer told the BBC, he took it as a sign of the effectiveness of his criticism. “My self-esteem even rose,” the lawyer quoted Kara-Murza as saying. “I realized

I’d been doing everything right.”

The Raoul Wallenberg Centre for Human Rights, a Canada-based consortium of human rights NGOs named after the diplomat who rescued 100,000 Jews during the Holocaust, and where Kara-Murza is a senior fellow, condemned his sentencing on Twitter and called the charges a “sham.”

“His unlawful imprisonment cannot go unanswered,” the center said in a statement. “We must not relent until Vladimir is free. His wife and children need him free. Russia needs him free. The world needs him free.”

Former Soviet Jewish dissident Natan Sharansky, who met in the past with Kara-Murza, has also condemned Russia’s treatment of him. Sharansky spent nine years in Soviet prison due to his activism, and recently told the Times of Israel that Kara-Murza’s prosecution was “evidence that Russia has returned to Stalinist times.” One of the items Kara-Murza has been allowed to keep in prison is a copy of “Fear No Evil,” Sharansky’s 1988 me-

moir about his time in the gulag.

“Putin’s case against Vladimir Kara-Murza is a case against democracy, human rights and civil society in Russia,” Sharansky tweeted last week. “All of us who want to see Russia shed its current dictatorial path and the shadow it casts over Europe, must stand with Kara-Murza today.”

Former Canadian Attorney General Irwin Cotler, who is Jewish, has also come to Kara-Murza’s defense, saying in a statement, “Vladimir’s conviction represents the criminalization of freedom in Putin’s Russia and is a conviction of the country’s corrupt courts.”

Leon Aron, another Russian-Jewish advocate for Kara-Murza who serves as a senior fellow at the conservative American Enterprise Institute, wrote in Politico that “Only Putin’s death can free my friend Vladimir.” In 2017, Aron had asserted in the Jewish publication Mosaic that Putin was not explicitly antisemitic, but warned that he would “almost certainly” begin indulging in antisemitism “after an embarrassing military defeat.”

The day after Kara-Murza’s sentence was handed down, a Russian court denied release to Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, the American son of Soviet Jewish refugees. Gershkovich was arrested on espionage charges last month and could face up to 20 years in prison; his detention has been widely condemned by Western officials and organizations as an attack on press freedom, and Jewish groups have rallied to his defense. Analysts believe Gershkovich was targeted by the Kremlin for his reporting on its invasion of Ukraine.

Vladimir Kara-Murza, pictured in Toronto in 2018, has been sentenced to 25 years in prison in Russia. (Mykola Swarnyk/Wikimedia Commons)

An Israeli Soldier – My Personal Story

fore the flight, my mother died in a car accident. I couldn’t move to Israel on my own because I was too young. I was adopted by my father’s sister, a Christian.

Throughout my childhood I always knew I was Jewish and dreamt of one day moving to Israel. Around the age of 18 (I never knew my birthday), I decided to fulfill my mother’s dream and finally move to Israel.

By Pvt. Minalu, Specialist IDF Security Center

February 2016

Source: Israel Defense Forces

Iwas born Jewish in a small village in Ethiopia. I never knew my father. When I was five years old, my mother and I were set to move to Israel. It had always been her dream. A week be-

I came here all on my own. After two years in Israel, I joined the army. The day I put on my uniform for the first time was one of the proudest days of my life. At that moment, I knew I made it.

My dream is to help other orphans like myself. I know how hard it is to grow up without parents, and how important it is to have supportive people by your side. But if you believe in yourself and work hard – nothing can stop you.”

See pages 16-17

Combating Hate

Student Leadership Conference II

The Jewish Federation of Ocean County partnered with multiple organizations to sponsor the 2nd Student Leadership Conference in Ocean County on April 24. Co-sponsors included the Ocean County Cultural and Heritage Commission, with their funding provided by the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, and the New Jersey Historical Commission, the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office, and Ocean County College.

Held at the Grunin Center Theater at Ocean County College, eleven school districts sent student participants. Nearly 400 students heard from Arno Michaelis about his past involvement, beginning at the age of 17, in the white power movement and how he left that life behind. Michaelis, the keynote speaker, from the Forgiveness Project, also spoke to some

students during the breakout sessions.

Breakout sessions highlighted:

• a discussion with a Holocaust survivor moderated by Chhange

• a panel of Latina Georgian Court students

• a discussion with Orthodox neighbors

• an attorney discussing cyber bullying

• mindfulness

• how to organize a school social justice-diversity club with the Prosecutor’s Office.

Keith Krivitzky, Federation’s Managing Director, was pleased with the day’s program and the growing participation of more school districts, but said, “This is an uphill battle, in part because of increasing intolerance in our society, but also because there are new students growing up every year.”

Plans are already in the works with these coalition groups for another program in November. More information about the Jewish Federation’s efforts to combat hate of all kinds and an opportunity to nominate upstanders as Heroes Against Hate can be found at: https://www.jewishoceancounty.org/combatting-hate.

$135,000

We now have two matching grants that provide over 4 million dollars in home health care services, glasses, dental care, hearing aids...

(Photo credits: Ocean County Prosecutor's Office)

2023 Sponsorship Opportunities & Benefits

Your charitable donation makes a big impact!

Become a Sponsor of the Federation's Annual Event Series!

The Place To Be, Annual Film Festival, and Community of Caring Celebration. All sponsorship levels are listed in all issues of the Ocean JPages* and featured on our website, in community emails and social media.

Sponsor Levels:   Gold@$5000   Silver@$2750   Bronze@$1500   Patron@$1000

*Gold level receives a full page ad, Silver level receives a half page ad, Bronze level receives a quarter page ad and the Patron level receives an eighth page ad. For more information visit www.jewishoceancounty.org/2023sponsorships.

OR Become a Sponsor of a Single Event!

All sponsorship levels are listed in one issue of the Ocean JPages* and featured on our website, in community emails and social media.

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Sponsor Levels:   Gold@$1800   Silver@$1000   Bronze@$540   Patron@$360

*Gold level receives a full page ad, Silver level receives a half page ad, Bronze level receives a quarter page ad and the Patron level receives an eighth page ad. For more information visit www.jewishoceancounty.org/singlesponsorships.

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How Israel Benefits the World

Israeli Food Tech Startup Debuts Texturized Chickpea Protein “Meat” Burger

Meat. The End, a developer of soy-based Whopper burger for Burger King Israel, launches burger made from chickpea protein flake that mimics the taste and smell of meat.

tup’s chickpea protein products are readied for commercial use in 2023.

By Sharon Wrobel April 20, 2023 timesofisrael.com

Israeli food tech startup Meat. The End (MTE) on April 20 announced the debut of what it calls the world’s first texturized plant-based burger made solely of chickpea protein, which it says mimics the taste, smell and bite of the real thing.

Founded in 2020, MTE develops protein ingredients for the meat alternative market with a focus on improving the texture. The launch of the burger made from texturized chickpea protein comes after the startup last year inked a deal to develop plant-based Whoppers for Burger King Israel based on texturized soy protein.

MTE uses 100% chickpea protein concentrate in powder or granular form, which is undergoing an advanced extrusion process to transform the texture of plants into the texture of meat. The star-

“Climate change and its impact on agriculture and crops, the ongoing rise in beef prices, and most recently other crises such as the war in Ukraine put enormous pressure on the global food supply chain and the need to rethink and seek diverse protein sources,” MTE founder and CEO Dr. Yishai Mishor told The Times of Israel. “As result of our unique scientific and technological work, we present a texturized chickpea protein burger which once in your mouth mimics the texture, firmness and juiciness of a ‘real’ meat burger, without any competition as far as we know.”

Mishor noted that over the past ten years, the plant-based meat alternative industry has been mainly focusing on soy protein and more recently on pea protein as sources. Chickpea is a rich source of protein, is non-GMO, and is allergenic free.

“What we are introducing is a new source of protein ingredient, texturized chickpea protein, which was not known in the meat alternative industry,” Mishor said.

As the alternative protein market has been growing rapidly, a number of food tech companies in Israel and elsewhere, have been focusing on the production of chickpea protein concentrate or powder. Israeli startup ChickP has developed chickpea isolate – a powder that has a 90% protein content and can be used in a wide range of vegan products like puddings, ice cream and vegan mayonnaise to improve their protein content.

InnovoPro is another Israeli food tech startup which has developed a 70% chickpea protein concentrate using a proprietary extraction process, while chickpeas naturally contain some 20% protein. “We use advanced extrusion technology to turn 100% chickpea protein flake into alternative meat that has the structure, bite and juice that you would expect from meat to be released,” Mishor said.

While other alternative food tech companies such as Impossible Foods and Beyond Meat invest in the taste factor, MTE believes that texture is key to the “satisfaction” of consumers craving to eat something closer to meat.

MTE uses existing extrusion technology, the process of making a shaped object like a burger patty, and infuses it with proprietary steps deploying artificial intelligence and data-driven machine learning technology throughout the production line to produce a texturized protein ingredient or textured vegetable protein, the buildings blocks of plant-based burgers.

Extrusion, a common technology used in the commercial production of cereals, puffed snacks, bars, and pastas, requires fewer resources such as energy and water, and therefore has a lower cost com-

pared to other production processes, according to MTE.

To date, the startup has nabbed about $4 million from seed investors, and is hoping to raise $10 million from series A round funding in the coming weeks as it expects to score commercial deals in Europe and Asia. In December, MTE announced a €1.5 million ($1.6 million) deal with a European machinery company to enhance R&D operations and ramp up the production capacity of plant-based meat alternatives.

“In the summer months, we expect to establish the only extrusion pilot plant in Israel at an investment of over €3 million to develop an industrial line of texturized protein ingredients using extrusion-based technology,” said Mishor. “We hope we can turn Israel into a capital not just for the development of protein ingredients but also for their production.”

In 2022, Israel ranked second after the US in alternative protein investments, with local startups in the field raising some $454 million in capital, according to an annual report by the Good Food Institute Israel, a nonprofit organization that seeks to promote research and innovation in food tech. In the plant-based alternative proteins sector, Israeli startups attracted $200 million in capital or 16% of investments globally.

Israeli food tech startup “Meat. The End” introduces world's first texturized chickpea protein burger. (Ruthie Amano/Courtesy)

Meat. The End startup founder and CEO Yishai Mishor. (Ruthie Amano/Courtesy)

How Israel Benefits the World

Israeli Experts Create AI to Translate Ancient Cuneiform Text - Study

Researchers at Tel Aviv University (TAU) and Ariel University have developed an artificial intelligence model that can automatically translate Akkadian text written in cuneiform into English.

that will save all this effort. The AI model can automatically translate Akkadian text written in cuneiform into English.

Who were the ancient Assyrians?

By Judy Siegel-Itzkovich May 3, 2023 jpost.com

Experts in Assyriology – who specialize in the archaeological, historical, cultural and linguistic study of Assyria and the rest of ancient Mesopotamia (Iraq) – spend many years painstakingly trying to understand Akkadian texts written in cuneiform, one of the oldest forms of writing known. Cuneiform is translated as “wedge-shaped” because in ancient times, people wrote it using a reed stylus cut to make a wedge-shaped mark on a clay tablet.

But now, researchers at Tel Aviv University (TAU) and Ariel University have developed an artificial intelligence model

In 721 BCE, Assyria swept out of the North, captured the Northern Kingdom of Israel and took the Ten Tribes into captivity, after which they became lost to history. Assyria, named for the god Ashur (highest in the pantheon of Assyrian gods), was located in the Mesopotamian plain. Historians note that Assyrian Jews first appeared in that region when the Israelites were exiled there, and they lived continuously alongside the Assyrian people in the territories after the Assyrian exile.

Hundreds of thousands of clay tablets from ancient Mesopotamia, written in cuneiform and dating back as far as 3,400 BCE have been found by archeologists –far more than could easily be translated by the limited number of experts who can read them.

Dr. Shai Gordin of Ariel University and Dr. Gai Gutherz, Dr. Jonathan Berant and Dr. Omer Levy of TAU and colleagues have just published their findings in the journal PNAS Nexus under the title “Translating Akkadian to English with neural machine translation.”

When they developed the new machine-learning model, they trained two ver-

sions – one that translates the Akkadian from representations of the cuneiform signs in Latin script and another that translates from unicode representations of the cuneiform signs. The first version, using Latin transliteration, gave more satisfactory results in this study, achieving a score of 37.47 in the Best Bilingual Evaluation Understudy 4 (BLEU4), which is a test of the level of correspondence between machine and human translation of the same text.

The program is most effective when translating sentences of 118 or fewer characters. In some of the sentences, the program produced “hallucinations” –output that was syntactically correct in English but not accurate.

Gordin noted that in most cases, the translation would be usable as a firstpass at the text. The authors propose that machine translation can be used as part of a “human-machine collaboration,” in which human scholars correct and refine the models’ output.

Hundreds of thousands of clay tablets inscribed in the cuneiform script document the political, social, economic and scientific history of ancient Mesopotamia, they wrote. “Yet, most of these documents remain untranslated and inaccessible due to their sheer number and the limited quantity of experts able to read them.”

They concluded that translation is a fundamental human activity, with a long scholarly history since the beginning of writing. “It can be a complex process, since it commonly requires not only expert knowledge of two different languages but also different cultural milieus. Digital tools that can assist with translation are becoming more ubiquitous every year, tied to advances in fields like optical character recognition (OCR) and machine translation. Ancient languages, however, still pose a towering problem in this regard. Their reading and comprehension require knowledge of a longdead linguistic community, and moreover, the texts themselves can also be very fragmentary.”

Company that Offers Farmers Intel on Trees Adapts Tech to Measure Carbon Absorption

Tel Aviv-based SeeTree partners with US afforestation company GreenTrees to develop machine-learning-based approach to calculating carbon sequestration for carbon credit market.

By Sue Surkes May 12, 2023 timesofisrael,com

An Israeli agrotech company that helps farmers track the health of their trees on large plantations has joined an American afforestation company to calculate the amount of global warming carbon dioxide its trees are absorbing for the carbon trading market.

In April, Tel Aviv-based SeeTree finished its first cycle of measuring the carbon held by trees and other vegetation planted by GreenTrees across 130,000 acres of the Mississippi delta. On Arbor

Ringing the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange. Third from left is Israel Talpaz, cofounder and CEO of SeeTree, April 28, 2023. (NYSE)

Day last month, SeeTree co-founder and CEO Israel Talpaz joined GreenTrees LLC to take part in ringing the opening

bell at the New York Stock Exchange.

SeeTree combines data from drone or airplane-mounted cameras and information uploaded by farmers on the ground with machine learning to provide detailed digital files on every tree in a plantation. It is working in Brazil, Mexico, the US and South Africa, and plans to expand into Europe and the Far East, Talpaz, who spent 23 years in Israeli intelligence, told The Times of Israel.

Some 18 months ago, GreenTrees approached SeeTree about using its technology to measure the carbon absorbed (‘sequestered’) by the new forests it was

planting. GreenTrees and the landowners with which it works have planted more than 60 million trees, according to its website. It leverages the carbon that the trees have absorbed during photosynthesis to issue carbon credits in the voluntary carbon trading market.

This trading enables emitters of global warming gases – governments, businesses, and individuals – to offset emissions they cannot cut by investing in projects that provide an alternative to emissions (such as renewable energy) or help reduce and store them (such as afforestation). The investment is recognized by carbon credits.

Continued on page 30

An ancient Assyrian tablet with writing in cuneiform from the Library of Ashurbanipal. (photo credit: The Trustees of the British Museum)

Siege scene with two massive L-shaped shields protecting Assyrian soldiers, in a relief from the palace of Tiglath-Pileser III at Nimrud (credit: Courtesy of the British Museum)

Israelis, Palestinians Share Kosher Ramadan Iftar Meal in West Bank “To End Hatred”

Initiative by “Roots” advocacy group brings two sides together at home near Gush Etzion settlement bloc, honors Palestinian who rescued Jewish family from rock attack.

Etzion bloc of settlements, in the southern West Bank, an unlikely collection of guests shared a meal organized by the “Roots” initiative. The iftar meal is a rare attempt at cross-community dialogue amid a spike in violence in the region.

“[We’re a] group of people that wants to end the situation of violence and the hatred between members of the two populations,” said Khaled, the Palestinian partner in the initiative. He has had two brothers killed in the conflict while numerous family members have been jailed by Israel.

The “Roots” initiative, known by its Hebrew name “Shorashim” or “Judur” in Arabic, was founded in 2014 to foster dialogue between the two sides of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The traditional Palestinian dishes were prepared under rabbinical supervision, so that observant Jews who keep kosher dietary rules can enjoy the food.

By AFP and TOI Staff April 20, 2023

timesofisrael.com

Dozens gathered in the West Bank to break the fast during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, but the food was kosher and Israelis were honoring a Palestinian guest.

At a Palestinian property near the Gush

Alaa, a 25-year-old Palestinian from Jerusalem, said he was attending for the first time and did not feel “very comfortable with the people here.” Like Khaled, he requested his surname not be published for security reasons. Among around 50 guests were an extreme-right Jewish activist and left-wing Israelis.

Some three million Palestinians live in the West Bank alongside hundreds of thousands of Israelis residing in settlements.

Being honored at the iftar was Mohammed, a 33-year-old from a nearby village who works in construction in Israel. He recently rescued an Israeli couple in the West Bank when a group of Palestinians surrounded their car and pelted them with stones. “I spoke with them in Hebrew, I told them to enter here [my house], I told them: ‘You’re safe and nobody can harm you,'” he said, not giving his surname either.

Yaakov, a medic and the father of the man he helped, said he was attending a “Roots” event for the first time in order to thank the person who saved his son, a soldier. “[I] think that meetings of this kind can contribute to changing the si-

tuation,” said Yaakov, who gave only his first name to protect his son.

Shaul Judelman, one of the initiative’s co-directors, recognizes there is a large degree of “resistance” to such events which can be seen as a “betrayal.” Judelman called for a “new discourse on the conflict,” adding that “99 percent of Palestinians are not attacking us.”

“Like I’m with her” - Terror Victim Lucy Dee’s Family Visits Recipients of Her Organs

A month after Palestinian terrorists killed Dee and two of her daughters, widower and surviving children use stethoscope to listen to her heartbeat inside woman who got transplant.

were declared dead at the scene, while the mother was taken to a hospital in critical condition but died days later. Shortly before she was buried, Dee’s organs were transplanted, saving the lives of five people.

The family of Lucy Dee, who was killed along with two of her daughters in a West Bank terror shooting, meet with the recipients of organs she donated, at Beilinson Hospital in Petah Tikva, May 2, 2023. (Twitter video screenshot: used in accordance with Clause 27a of the Copyright Law)

By TOI Staff

May 2, 2023

timesofisrael.com

The family of an Israeli woman recently killed by Palestinian terrorists in the West Bank met Tuesday with the recipients of organs she donated.

Lucy Dee, 48, and her daughters Maia Dee, 20, and Rina Dee, 15, were shot dead while driving through the northern Jordan Valley on April 7. The daughters

At Beilinson Hospital in Petah Tikva, her widower Rabbi Leo Dee and their three surviving children met with three of the people who received the transplants, including Lital Valenci, 51, who got Dee’s heart.

In video footage from the hospital, one of Dee’s daughters can be seen growing emotional as she uses a stethoscope to listen to the heartbeat inside Valenci, who had suffered from heart failure for five years prior to the transplant.

“Listening to my mother’s heartbeat made me feel like I am with her. It was moving meeting Lital and all the recipients. We have lost so much but are comforted that so many families were saved from similar pain,” Keren Dee was quoted as saying in a statement from the hospital.

“Nobody can understand what it is like

losing a mother and two sisters at once and to hear my mother’s heartbeat was comforting,” her sister Tali added.

Along with her heart, Dee donated her liver, both kidneys and lung, while her corneas were also harvested and will go to recipients at a later date. The family met with Daniel Geresh, 25, who received the liver, and Mordechi Elkabetz, 51, who got one of the kidneys. The hospital said Ahmed Suliman, who received her other kidney, was unable to attend but “sent a beautiful plaque with verses from the Bible with a special tribute to Lucy Dee.”

Dee has said that he was proud that his wife’s organs could be used to help people, explaining that the reasoning behind the decisions involved both religious considerations and his wife having discussed organ donation with him in the past. The practice is considered by some Orthodox Jews to be forbidden by Jewish law.

“Our rabbinical authority had checked out the halachot [Jewish laws] and explained to me that in her condition, it was perfectly acceptable – actually a mitzvah [religious commandment]. Only the bo-

nes and tendons should not be donated, and everything else that is lifesaving should be given,” he previously told The Times of Israel.

The Dee family buried Lucy just two days after laying to rest daughters Maia and Rina, all three of whom were killed in the terror attack. The family, which immigrated from the UK nine years ago, holds dual citizenship.

The suspects, who Leo Dee said he has “no hatred” for, remain on the loose despite promises from officials that they will be found and brought to justice.

Illustrative: Cooks employed by the Islamic Charitable Society prepare portions of the daily 'iftar' (fast breaking) meal for Palestinian orphans and families in need, in the West Bank city of Hebron, during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, on April 12, 2022. (Hazem Bader/AFP)

Israeli soldiers stand guard in the Palestinian village of Beita, south of Nablus in the West Bank, on April 10, 2023, ahead of a march by settlers to the nearby outpost of Evyatar. (Jaafar Ashtiyeh/AFP)

From left: Lucy Dee is seen with her daughters Rina and Maia. The two sisters were shot dead in a terrorist attack in the West Bank on April 7, 2023. Their mother, critically hurt in the attack, died on April 10, 2023. (Courtesy)

A Holocaust Cattle Car in Times Square Makes a Moving, if Jarring, Statement

There was a large security and police presence nearby, and an officer inside the exhibit.

Dini Hass, an educator at the Ramaz School who had brought a group of students to tour the exhibit, told the New York Jewish Week that visiting the cattle car was an incredible experience and an opportunity to share her family’s story as the granddaughter of four Holocaust survivors. “To have this in the middle of Times Square is one of the craziest things I’ve ever seen,” she said, admiringly.

By Julia Gergely April 18, 2023 jta.org

(New York Jewish Week) – Times Square may be best known for its flashy billboards, roving bands of knock-off Elmos and hordes of gawking tourists. But on April 18, Holocaust Remembrance Day, visitors to the “crossroads of the world” could also see a replica of the kind of cattle car that transported millions of Jews to their deaths in Nazi-run concentration camps.

The cattle car was parked at the intersection of 46th and Broadway, across from a Forever 21 and the TKTS Ticket window, where curious visitors could step inside and see a film, projected on its four walls, detailing the horrors of the Holocaust.

The “Cattle Car: Stepping In and Out of Darkness” exhibit was developed in 2020 by ShadowLight, a Toronto-based Holocaust education nonprofit, and Southern NCSY, the Florida branch of the Orthodox Union youth group. NCSY’s “Hate Ends Now” tour is traveling the country with a mission to promote Holocaust education and combat antisemitism. “This exhibit is one of the country’s most innovative Holocaust education tools, and today we’ve brought it to the crossroads of the world,” said Todd Cohn, executive director of Southern NCSY. “If you want to make the world aware of a cause, this is the place to do it.”

On that morning, while lots of people walked by without looking up, as many in New York are wont to do, several stopped in their tracks to take a look around, snap some pictures and scan the QR code to learn more about the cattle car and the Holocaust. Others took selfies and one asked if the exhibit was a celebration of Passover, which Cohn took as an opportunity to teach about Judaism and the

memory of the Holocaust.

“This is amazing to see,” said Yael Shimoni-Degani, an Israeli tourist who was walking through Times Square while visiting her daughter who lives in New York City. The pair was waiting to go inside. “It’s very important to remind people what happened,” Shimoni-Degani said.

The cattle car will be parked in Times Square until 9:00 PM on Yom Hashoah, which is marked as Holocaust Remembrance Day by Israel and Jews worldwide. Rotating groups from area Jewish high schools were invited to visit throughout the day. An event scheduled for 7:00 PM, open to the public, was to feature Holocaust survivors, U.S. Army veterans who were involved in liberating the camps, Israeli emissaries and local politicians. The crowd will be invited to sing prayers and light yahrzeit candles in memory of victims of the Holocaust.

Attendees are closed inside the cattle car – an effort to make tangible the experience of victims and survivors. The 20-minute video provides a timeline of the Holocaust and includes testimonies from survivors Hedy Bohm and Nate Leipciger. The video concludes by urging viewers to take responsibility for their actions, asking questions like, “How did the world let this happen?” and “How can you raise your voice?” Statistics on rising antisemitism, racism and violence against LGBTQ communities are displayed.

“While inspiring the Jewish future is our core mission, the general public is just as much our intended audience today,” Cohn said, noting the “universal message” of the exhibit. One of the goals of “Hate Ends Now,” which has toured the Florida state capitol and will move onto college campuses in Boston next week, is to “make sure hate doesn’t go unchecked,” Cohn said, especially in a time of rising antisemitism.

Writer Dara Horn, however, was skeptical that exhibits like this – especially those mounted in such a public space like Times Square – actually have the power to turn the tide of antisemitism, despite their well-meaning intentions. “I came to the disturbing conclusion that Holocaust education is incapable of addressing contemporary antisemitism,” said Horn, who recently toured the country taking stock of different Holocaust education initiatives. “There’s a bunch of reasons for that. One is that it’s been used as this case study outside of history and it’s used for public moral education. I can’t think of any other event in history where we isolate it from any kind of context, and it’s become an atrocity that we are required to universalize.”

Horn noted that her comments were not specific to the “Hate Ends Now” exhibit, rather to the broader effort of Holocaust education and combating antisemitism among the general, non-Jewish public.

She also conceded that, for Jewish communities, Yom Hashoah and Holocaust education exhibits are important in that they offer a moment to mourn and honor the dead.

And yet, she said, “This becomes the one thing people know about Jews – that they were murdered in the Holocaust –and now it is there to teach us something about humanity,” she added. “There’s a huge problem where the general public is taught about the Holocaust and knows absolutely nothing about Jews who are alive today, or about the lives and contents of Jewish civilization in Europe that was lost.”

As someone who is well-informed about the Holocaust, educator Dini Hass said that she is often shocked by how little both Jews and non-Jews know about the Holocaust. “If something like this makes even one person stop for a second to think about the Holocaust and want to learn about it, then it’s doing its job,” she said.

Anne Frank House in Amsterdam Anniversary Opening

It is 63 years ago that the Anne Frank House opened its doors to the public, on May 3, 1960.

These are the memories of the American photographer Arnold Newman of this photo he took of Otto Frank in the attic of the Secret Annex a few hours before the official opening of the Anne Frank House museum: “The mood was depressing, and I immediately began photographing him. After a few moments, the Westertoren bells next door began to ring, and Frank turned to me and said: ‘Those were the bells that Anne wrote about.’ He suddenly broke down completely, weeping uncontrollably, and then so did I. We never met again. To this day when I lecture or tell this story to people, I find I choke up; I still can’t help myself.”

A replica of a Holocaust cattle car is on view in Times Square in honor of Yom Hashoah, April 18, 2023. (Julian Voloj)

A group of students from The Ramaz School exits the “Cattle Car: Stepping In and Out of Darkness” exhibit in Times Square, April 18, 2023. (Julia Gergely)

First Person to Hold King Charles after his Birth was a Jewish Kindertransport Refugee

Ingelore Czarlinski, who fled Nazi Germany as a teen, trained as a medical professional; coincidentally, she changed her name to Susan Charles before working for royal obstetrician.

summoned to the palace for the birth, and said the nurse held the baby prince until his grandmother arrived. “On 14 November 1948, I invited my sister to tea at my flat in Clapham. The phone rang and an official voice asked her to ring a Whitehall number immediately. Soon after a car came for her. When she arrived at Buckingham Palace, she prepared the princess for delivery,” Marion wrote in the Association of Jewish Refugees magazine in September 2005, according to the Jewish News.

By TOI Staff

May 5, 2023 timesofisrael.com

The first person to hold King Charles III after his birth was a Jewish woman who escaped Nazi Germany as a teenager and arrived in the United Kingdom as part of a Kindertransport, it was reported on May 4.

Ingelore Czarlinski, 15, and her sister Marion, 11, arrived in the UK on a Kindertransport in July 1939, according to Britain’s Jewish News. The children’s transports saw more than 10,000 Jewish children and teens receive refuge from Nazi Germany in the UK.

In a striking coincidence, Ingelore changed her name to Susan Charles, before she trained as a nurse. She began to work for obstetrician Sir William Gilliatt, who was chosen to supervise the Caesarean birth of the first child of the then-Princess Elizabeth.

Later writing about her sister’s experience, Marion explained how Susan was

“The senior nurse assisted Sir William with the operation and Susan waited in an anteroom with Prince Philip, who told her she reminded him of the beautiful Greek girls he had known when he was young. Eventually, she was called into the delivery room and given Prince Charles to hold until his grandmother, the Queen Mother, took him from her,” Marion wrote.

Marion said Susan was chosen for the job as she was known for her discretion. In fact, Susan’s daughters did not know that their mother had played such a key role in the royal birth until she was invited to Princess Anne’s 1973 wedding. “We were naturally surprised and very curious as to why our parents were invited to a royal wedding, so our mother sat us down and explained,” daughter Debra told the newspaper.

Susan and her husband Manny were dating at the time of the royal baby’s birth, and their other daughter Rebecca said that he too had memories of that day. “Our father always tells the story that he went to the palace gates to meet her when she came out. She later went for tea with the queen and the physician, and they just sat in the palace having sandwiches,” said Rebecca.

According to the report, Susan died in 1994, so when Prince Charles hosted a reception in July 2005 for the surviving Kindertransport children, Marion attended on her own. “I told him I was lucky to arrive in England 66 years earlier, but that my sister was even luckier as she was the first person in the world to hold him,” Marion wrote.

“He seemed fascinated, so I told him the whole story. At the end of the reception, he said, ‘What a small world it is. Here is the sister of the nurse who looked after me when I was born. She even saw me being bathed. What a sight I must have been!’” she wrote.

King Charles III will be coronated on May 6 in a London ceremony that will use oil consecrated in Jerusalem. The ceremony has been arranged so that British Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis can attend without violating Shabbat.

Editor’s Note: The coronation took place as planned and with Rabbi Mirvis in attendance.

Prince Charles, front left, eight-month-old son of Princess Elizabeth of England, left, and the Duke of Edinburgh, is posed for the camera by his mother while his father looks on, July 18, 1949, Ascot, England AP Photo)

King Charles III during a reception with Realm High Commissioners and their spouses in the Bow Room at Buckingham Palace, London, September 11, 2022. (Victoria Jones/Pool via AP)

Susan Charles (via UK Jewish News)

Prince Charles of Edinburgh, and his mother, Princess Elizabeth, pose for the first informal pictures in Buckingham Palace, April 10, 1949, London, England. (AP)

Laugh & Learn

JEWISH FAMILY AND

changing lives...

Successful Aging

By Rita Sason, LCSW, Director Jewish Family & Children’s Service

During the month of May we have been celebrating Older Americans Month. It is a time to focus on recognizing our ability to age successfully.

What does that mean for you? It means that successful aging can be both defined and pursued in many different ways. However, there is a general understanding that successful aging includes three components:

• Physical Health: You are free from or have a low risk of disease or disability.

• Mental Health: You have relatively unimpaired cognitive functioning and acceptance of the aging process.

• Social Health: You are active, engaged, social, and have a feeling of purpose in life.

Having a positive mind set can impact all three. The World Health Organization reports that life expectancy increases by 7.5 years when positive thinking about aging occurs. That means your mindset can significantly impact how well you age. And just because you don’t have all three key components of aging going for you doesn’t mean you can’t age successfully. There are many examples of individuals with a variety of physical challenges that were able to maintain a positive mental and social life. Michael

J. Fox was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease at a young age at 61, and now he continues to lead an active life.

Adopting the right mind set is the first step in successful, meaningful aging.

Your mental health is closely connected to both your physical health and your social life. How you view your situation, the aging process, and life overall can have a significant impact on you. Studies have shown that adults continue to grow new brain cells throughout life, not lose them with age, as previously thought. This means that it is possible to delay cognitive decline. Consider these tips for keeping your mind in tip-top shape:

• Take on a Challenge: Anything that promotes mental stimulation, such as reading, puzzles, problem-solving games, and learning a new hobby are all ways to exercise the brain.

• Work Part-Time or Volunteer: This will keep the mind engaged with the outside world as well as utilize your skillset. A study at Duke University found that work (defined as any useful activity) satisfaction was one of the best predictors of longevity.

• Engage in Spiritual Activities: Stay active in your faith-based community or pursue your own traditions to stay connected with your beliefs. Spirituality is a major part of who you are.

• Stay Positive: A positive outlook on life and aging is a crucial factor in mental health and successful aging because it allows for happiness despite any negative factors you’re experiencing. If you are having trouble with this area, consider seeing a counselor, as depression and other mental health issues are serious issues.

Together with the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany (Claims Conference) and a grant from the State of New Jersey, the Jewish Family and Children’s Service of the Jewish Federation of Ocean County has been providing the sacred obligation of pikuach nefesh (saving a life in jeopardy) to Holocaust Survivors for many years. We realize that unless you are impacted directly, you may not fully appreciate how important this work is. Every dollar you contribute will be matched 25 times!

...making a difference

Celebrating Neurodiversity

Neurodiversity is about embracing – and celebrating – all the many ways that people think, process information, and experience the world around them. Here is a curated list of wonderful picture books centering the voices and experiences of neurodivergent kids. Contact sharron@ocjf.org if you want a list of middle grade books.

A Boy Called Bat

By Elana Kuczynski Arnold

For Bixby Alexander Tam (nicknamed Bat), life tends to be full of surprises –some good, some not so good. Today, though, is a good-surprise day. Bat's mom, a veterinarian, has brought home a baby skunk, which she needs to take care of until she can hand him over to a wild-animal shelter. But the minute Bat meets the baby skunk, he knows they belong together. And he's got one month to show his mom that a baby skunk might make a pretty terrific pet.

Nathan Blows Out the Hanukkah Candles

By Tami Lehman-Wilzig with Nicole Katzman

Jacob loves his brother Nathan. When Hanukkah comes, Jacob worries that Nathan might embarrass him in front of his new friend. What if Nathan blows out the Hanukkah candles?!

Thank You, Mr. Falker

By Patricia Polacco

In this autobiographical story, Little Trisha, overjoyed at the thought of learning how to read, struggles when she finds that all the letters and numbers get jumbled up. Her classmates make matters worse by calling her "dummy." Finally,

in fifth grade, she's lucky enough to have a teacher who recognizes Trisha's incredible artistic ability, understands her problem, and takes the time to lead her to the magic of reading.

We're Amazing,

1, 2, 3!

By Leslie Kimmelman

This book for preschoolers introduces Sesame Street fans to Julia, an autistic character who is also good friends with Elmo and Abby. Follow along with Elmo, Abby, and Julia, as they enjoy a playdate together.

TRIBUTE DONATIONS

FULFILL THE MITZVAH OF TZEDAKAH WITH AN INDIVIDUAL TRIBUTE CARD FOR $18 EACH.

Jewish Federation of Ocean County accepts a minimum donation of $18 and sends a Tribute card as well as lists your tribute in the Jewish Journal to anyone you may want to acknowledge; a simcha, graduation, an award, new grandchild, starting a new adventure, get well, loss of a loved one, or any other life-altering event. Call the Jewish Federation of Ocean County at 732-363-0530, email sharron@ocjf.org or visit our website www.jewishoceancounty.org/tribute.

A Tribute Card Pack

You can purchase a dozen blank assorted tribute cards to send on your own for a $36 contribution to the Jewish Federation.

Contact Sharron at the Jewish Federation of Ocean County at 732-363- 0530.

JFOC Tributes

April 11 – May

9

In Honor of Zachary's new job by Gram

In Memory of

PJ Library Photos with Children

Do you have a photo of your child reading or holding a PJ Library book? We would like to publish some of them. We omit the names of children. The names of any adults in the photos could be included or omitted based on the guidance of the adult submitting the photo(s). Email them to JFOCeditor@ocjf.org

Here is How You Can Support Our Holocaust Survivors and

Seniors

Please contribute to:

• Friends of JFCS

• The Holocaust Survivors’ Special Fund

• The Seniors Lunch Program Special Fund

It is easy to donate a little each month, to make a big impact!

• Go online to www. jewishoceancounty.org.

• Send a check, use your credit card, transfer stock.

• Call the office and talk with our staff.

• Bring in your Tzedakah box. We will count it for you.

• Consider making a monthly gift to support your community.

Jewish Federation of Ocean County 1235A Route 70, Lakewood, NJ 08701 732-363-0530

Seymour Klipper by Myrna Bookbinder Judge Milton and Janice Gelzer

CHABAD

CHABAD JEWISH CENTER OF JACKSON

645 Cross Street

Lakewood, NJ 08701

Rabbi Shmuel Naparstek

732-523-5112

Email: info@chabadofjackson.com www.ChabadofJackson.com

CHABAD JEWISH CENTER OF TOMS RIVER

2001 Church Road

Toms River, NJ 08753

Rabbi Moshe Gourarie

732-349-4199

Email: rabbi@chabadtomsriver.com www.chabadtomsriver.com

CONSERVATIVE

CONGREGATION AHAVAT OLAM

106 Windeler Road

Howell, NJ 07731

Rabbi Cantor David Amar

Rabbi Emeritus Michael Klein

732-719-3500

email: CAOReceptionist@cao-nj.org www.cao-nj.org

CONGREGATION B'NAI ISRAEL

1488 Old Freehold Road

Toms River, NJ 08753

Rabbi William Gershon

Cantor Jacob Greenberg

Rabbi Emeritus Richard Hammerman

Cantor Emeritus Daniel Green

732-349-1244

Email: info@cbitr.org www.cbitr.org

TEMPLE BETH OR

P.O. Box 789

Brick, NJ 08723

Rabbi Robert B. Rubin

Rabbi Emeritus Dr. Robert E. Fierstien

732-458-4700

Email: templebethorbrick@gmail.com

www.templebethorbrick.org

CONGREGATION DOV “V” SCHMUEL

1143 West County Road

Lakewood, NJ 08701

ORTHODOX

CONGREGATION SONS OF ISRAEL

590 Madison Avenue

Lakewood, NJ 08701

Rabbi Shmuel Tendler

732-364-2230

Chazan Zelig Freilich

CONGREGATION SONS OF ISRAEL 401 Park Ave.

Lakewood, NJ 08701

Rabbi Baruch Ber Yoffe

732-367-3116 REFORM

BETH AM SHALOM

1235 State Highway 70 Lakewood, NJ 08701

Rabbi Stephen D. Gold

Cantor Jon Sobel

732-363-2800

Email: office@bethamshalom.org www.bethamshalom.org

UNAFFILIATED

JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER OF LBI 2411 Long Beach Blvd. Spray Beach, NJ 08008

Rabbi Michael Jay

609-492-4090

Email: jccoflbi@gmail.com www.jccoflbi.org

SHABBAT & SHAVUOT CANDLE LIGHTING IN LAKEWOOD Here is How You Can Support Our Holocaust Survivors and Seniors

Please contribute to:

• Friends of JFCS

• The Holocaust Survivors’ Special Fund

• The Seniors Lunch Program Special Fund

For Shabbat:

Blessed are You, Ad-nai our G-d, Sovereign of the universe, who hallows us with mitzvot, commanding us to kindle the light of Shabbat.

For Shavuot:

(On the first night)

Blessed are You, Ad-nai our G-d, Sovereign of the universe, who hallows us with mitzvot, commanding us to kindle the light of the holiday.

(On the second night)

Blessed are You, Ad-nai our G-d, Sovereign of the universe, who hallows us with mitzvot, commanding us to kindle the light of Shabbat and the holiday.

(On the first and second nights)

Blessed are You, Ad-nai our G-d, Sovereign of the universe, who has kept us alive and sustained us and enabled us to reach this moment in time.

It is easy to donate a little each month, to make a big impact!

• Go online to www. jewishoceancounty.org.

• Send a check, use your credit card, transfer stock.

• Call the office and talk with our staff.

• Bring in your Tzedakah box. We will count it for you.

• Consider making a monthly gift to support your community.

Jewish Federation of Ocean County 1235A Route 70, Lakewood, NJ 08701 732-363-0530

Carbon Absorption

Continued from page 19

However, the voluntary carbon offset market is largely unregulated and littered with problems.

Academic analysis suggests that anything from a third to three-quarters of projects offering offsets don’t actually save any emissions because the projects would have been implemented regardless of the carbon payments.

January saw the publication of the results of a nine-month investigation by The Guardian newspaper, German weekly Die Zeit, and SourceMaterial, a non-profit investigative journalism organization, which charged that investments by huge companies such as Shell and Disney in carbon-guzzling rainforests, through one of the world’s most respected certifiers, Verra, were largely worthless.

“GreenTrees told me they needed three things,” Talpaz recalled. “Accuracy, transparency for all stakeholders, and speed.” Talpaz explained that the usual method for calculating carbon was to send a forester with a tape measure and a rangefinder to measure the trunk diame-

ter and height of all trees on a small plot. He or she then combined the findings with satellite data to extrapolate the results for large areas. “It’s very inaccurate, not transparent, and very time-consuming,” Talpaz said.

The organizations that verified the work of the foresters simply sent their own foresters in to repeat the work and test whether it yielded the same results, he went on. By contrast, said Talpaz, “We can provide high resolution, ‘wall to wall’ measurement. We measure a set of features relating to the trees, the vegetation, and the ground, in patches of 25 by 25 meters (625 square meters, or 6,730 square feet), and we measure every single patch. We do the groundwork to calibrate and make sure that everything is

accurate. You can see every patch on our digital platform. We’ve achieved 97 percent accuracy.” The plan is to gather the data and calculate the carbon once a year.

Now, SeeTree is going through the verification process with the American Carbon Registry.

Talpaz said he expected the methodology to be approved in the traditional, manual way, within the next few months, but added that the American Carbon Registry was keen to move into the digital field and would probably do so within the coming year.

SeeTree is currently broadening its data gathering to look for risks of fire and floods that could harm the trees and redu-

ce their ability to absorb carbon dioxide. “We want to make sure that each patch of land is full to the maximum extent,” he said. “Weeds cause fires.”

SeeTree employs more than 100 people, just over half of them in Tel Aviv, where management is centered and R&D is carried out. The company’s investors include the Israeli drip irrigation company Netafim, the Japanese Kubota Tractor Corporation, the International Finance Corporation (the private-sector arm of the World Bank Group), the venture capital fund Hanaco Ventures, and Uri Levine, co-founder of the traffic and navigation application, Waze.

Israel’s Inbar Lanir Wins Gold at World Judo Championships in Qatar

Judoka becomes Israel’s 3rd world champion, dedicates her win to those under rocket fire.

In the dramatic final match, Lanir and Tcheumeo both landed on their backs during an exchange in the first minute. Lanir was awarded the throw, but the call was retracted after a video review. Lanir then threw Tcheumeo for the win, in a major victory for Israeli sports on the world stage.

The weight category is especially competitive, and Tcheumeo was favored to win. Tcheumeo is “the most decorated French judoka in history” in terms of world medal count, with 36 of them, the federation noted.

Lanir became the third Israeli to win the World Championship, after Yarden Gerbi in 2013 and Sagi Muki in 2019. Also

at the Doha competitions, Israel’s Peter Paltchik won the bronze in the men’s 100-kilogram (220-pound) division.

Israel has won a number of Judo medals at the Olympics but has not won any Olympic golds in the sport. Judo is one of Israel’s strongest sports, along with windsurfing, sailing and rhythmic gymnastics.

By Luke Tress May 12, 2023 timesofisrael.com

Israeli judoka Inbar Lanir won a gold medal on May 12 at the World Judo Championships in Doha, Qatar. Lanir, 23, defeated France’s Audrey Tcheumeo in the finals of the 78-kilogram (172-pound) weight class.

On her way to the podium, Lanir defeated four opponents, including the number-one ranked competitor, Italy’s Alice Bellandi. Bellandi had defeated Lanir in their four previous meetings, but Lanir won a tense contest with a stunning, match-ending ippon, or throw.

Lanir dedicated her win to Israelis dealing with the conflict with Gaza this week. “I’m happy to dedicate my medal to the residents of the south who are going through a difficult period, to IDF soldiers and to all the State of Israel,” she said. “It was so important for me to do something good during such complex and difficult days, and I’m happy and satisfied that I succeeded.”

Sports and Culture Minister Miki Zohar said Lanir’s win had been “wonderful news for the people of Israel. All the people of Israel are proud of her win. Especially at this moment, she brought all of us satisfaction and happiness,” Zohar said.

The International Judo Federation, in a write-up of the match, called Lanir’s victory a “surprise.”

Using a drone in Sao Paulo, Brazil. (Courtesy: SeeTree)

Israel Talpaz, cofounder and CEO of SeeTree. (Courtesy: SeeTree)

Screenshot of SeeTree’s platform. The plot colors represent carbon content per patch of land. Green signals the highest carbon level, and red the lowest. (Courtesy: SeeTree)

Inbar Lanir poses with her gold medal after winning the World Judo Championships in Doha, Qatar, May 12, 2023. (AP Photo/Hussein Sayed)

Sweden Wins 2023 Eurovision, while Israel’s Noa Kirel Finishes in 3rd Place

‘Unicorn’ propels Israel to best finish since its 2018 win with ‘Toy’ by Netta Barzilai, who was on hand in Liverpool to sing alongside other past Eurovision icons at grand final

lain how exciting it was to represent my country when millions of eyes around the world are watching every movement and note,” Kirel said in a statement shared by the Kan public broadcaster following her performance. After the final results were announced, Kirel said she was “so proud to complete this incredible journey in the top 3!” adding that she was thankful “for the privilege to hold the flag of Israel on the biggest musical stage in the world.”

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu tweeted: “Good job Noa Kirel, you’re ‘phenomenal,’” quoting a line from the song. “For us you’ll always be number one.”

The decision to send Kirel, a famous and experienced pop star at home, marked a change for Israel after seven years of sending novices selected via a reality TV singing competition.

votes are being cast and tallied. The Israeli singer performed a cover version of the 1985 hit “You Spin Me Round” by the Liverpool natives band Dead or Alive.

videos which introduce each contestant.

Israel has won the Eurovision Song Contest four times since it began taking part in 1973: first in 1978 with “A-Ba-Ni-Bi” by Yizhar Cohen; then a year later with “Hallelujah” by Gali Atari and Milk and Honey; again in 1998 with “Diva” by Dana International and most recently in 2018 with Barzilai’s

By Amy Spiro May 14, 2023 timesofisrael.com

Sweden won the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest in Liverpool early Sunday morning, with Israel’s Noa Kirel finishing in third place.

The win for Sweden’s Loreen, with her power ballad “Tattoo,” marked the Scandinavian country’s seventh-total win at the competition, tying it for most overall victories with Ireland. It was also the second Eurovision win for Loreen, who took home the top prize at the 2012 contest with “Euphoria” – becoming only the second artist to ever win twice. Finland took second place, and Italy fourth.

Kirel, 22, finished with 362 points overall – 177 from the juries and 185 from the televote. Israel received top marks from the juries of Italy, Azerbaijan, France, Armenia and Poland, and finished the jury vote in second place overall. Among just the audience vote, Israel finished in fifth overall. The third-place finish for Israel is the best showing for the country since Netta Barzilai won the competition in 2018 with “Toy.”

After completing her powerhouse performance on Saturday night, Kirel broke down in tears just before exiting the stage. “Wow, I don’t have the words to exp-

The grand final got underway on May 13 just as a tentative ceasefire between Israel and Palestinian Islamic Jihad went into effect, although sporadic rocket fire and subsequent IDF strikes in Gaza continued as the show progressed. Speaking to reporters before taking the stage, Kirel said she felt a desire to make Israelis proud of her as things were tense back at home. “I feel their backing and their support, and I want to give them back the support, specifically right now with everything that’s going on… to hug them and to represent [them] more than any other day,” she said.

Israel’s jury gave its “douze points” – the maximum 12 points available – to Sweden, awarded 10 points to Norway and eight to Finland. The jury vote was announced from Jerusalem by singer Ilanit, who represented Israel at the Eurovision 50 years ago, at its Eurovision debut in 1973. The full televote breakdown allocation of both the final and the semifinals will not be available until later in the week.

For the first time this year, viewers from around the world were able to cast their votes in the competition – even from countries that do not participate in the contest. The “rest of the world” votes were tallied up together and given the weight of one country.

Barzilai herself was also on hand May 13 at night in Liverpool, as one of “six iconic past Eurovision acts” to take to the stage for an interval performance – while the

On May 12, Culture Minister Miki Zohar issued a call on social media for Israel’s supporters around the world to vote for Kirel. “I’m calling all of Israel’s supporters, all over the world – let’s win the Eurovision together!” Zohar said in the video message. “Vote for Israel, and the power of the unicorn.”

Kirel’s song, which she co-wrote alongside Doron Medalie, Yinon Yahel and May Sfadia, lauds “the power of the unicorn, out here on my own,” which the singer has said is a message of acceptance and self-empowerment.

While she didn’t win, the pop singer’s participation in the contest has boosted her international profile, and the song “Unicorn” has gained traction around the world.

Out of all the 37 semifinal performances posted on the Eurovision’s YouTube account, “Unicorn” was the third-most watched, with 3.4 million views by Saturday night. On Spotify, “Unicorn” was the ninth-most listened to Eurovision song this year, with more than 6.4 million plays, according to the streaming platform. On Instagram, Kirel gained the most number of followers over the past week of any of the contestants, adding more than 95,000 new followers, according to data released by MyBettingSites.

The 2023 contest was held in Liverpool, after Ukraine won the competition last year, but was deemed unsafe to host the event amid its ongoing war with Russia. The UK’s BBC worked to include many Ukrainian elements in the live shows, showcasing singers from the country and highlighting its sites in the “postcard”

Noa Kirel of Israel performs during the Grand Final of the Eurovision Song Contest in Liverpool, England, May 13, 2023.

(AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

Noa Kirel of Israel performs during the Grand Final of the Eurovision Song Contest in Liverpool, England, Saturday, May 13, 2023. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

Loreen of Sweden performs during the Grand Final of the Eurovision Song Contest in Liverpool, England, May 13, 2023. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

“Toy.”

Roy Elman contributed to this report from Liverpool.

Noa Kirel of Israel during the flag ceremony before during the Grand Final of the Eurovision Song Contest in Liverpool, England, May 13, 2023. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

Netta Barzilai performs during the Grand Final of the Eurovision Song Contest in Liverpool, England, May 13, 2023. (AP Photo/ Martin Meissner)