Jewish Journal February 2023

The Board and Staff of the Jewish Federation of Ocean County and Jewish Family and Children's Service wish you and your families a Happy Purim. May your days be filled with joy and happiness.

year the Fast of Esther/Taanit Esther (13 Adar) occurs on Monday, March 6; Purim (14 Adar) on Monday night-Tuesday, March 6-7; and Shushan Purim (15 Adar) on Tuesday night-Wednesday, March 7 -8.

Local News - pages 6-7

Jewish Federation Impact - pages 16-17

The Place to Be - page 22

Family Feuds

there is fear that Israel’s new government may betray its democratic principles. The reality, as is often the case, is more complicated – certainly more than can be conveyed accurately in soundbites.

another way of saying that their commitment to Israel is in some way conditional on how well Israel aligns with or reflects their values.

On the one hand, that is not a crazy notion. People tend to associate with things that they agree with and support causes that reinforce their values and beliefs.

By Keith Krivitzky, Managing Director Jewish Federation of Ocean County keith@ocjf.org

www.jewishoceancounty.org

www.jewishoceancounty.org/donate

732.363.0530

Many have expressed concern about the new government in Israel, especially its agenda and policies, with voices being raised in protest throughout the Jewish community in North America as well as here in Ocean County.

While the Jewish community, overall, has taken pride in Israel as a democracy – highlighting how Israel is the only “real” democracy in the Middle East has been one of our go-to responses when confronted by Israel’s detractors – now

There is no question Israel’s democracy worked, even if one doesn’t like how the results produced a more hardline government than many are comfortable with. To be specific, the issues at play have more to do with how perceived liberal values and minority/civil rights will be respected or promoted rather than whether the new government will undermine Israel’s democracy. (To be clear…I am not in any way minimizing the seriousness of these issues; just being particular.)

Perhaps even more troubling is that I have heard from many committed Jews and longstanding supporters of Israel that they are thinking of not visiting the country as a show of protest over the current face of the government – or taking some other kind of boycott action. This is

The Forgotten Jews of Italy

that her grandfather spoke Italian fluently. It was a well-known fact on her side of the family that her great-grandfather arrived in North Africa from a place called Livorno, Italy.

On the other hand, we are living in a time where engaging with or referencing Israel is a forbidden topic for many – on college campuses and even in synagogues and other spaces. Israel is being cancelled for being a colonialist, racist, oppressive enterprise. Crossing a line to join with Israel’s detractors is something that should give anyone who cares about Israel pause. But I believe the issue playing out now is more fundamental and problematic.

By being part of the Jewish people, are we all part of the same family? And, if we are all family, how do we respond when we are frustrated or upset by what others in our family are doing? Sure… there may be some crazy birds that we don’t talk to or conveniently forget about when it comes to family occasions, but usually when there are issues with others in the fam we either find a way to make the relationship work – sometimes by

avoiding the subject OR by actively engaging and investing time and effort to resolve matters.

If the Jewish people = our extended family, what should be our response when our cousins in Israel – the family homestead, as it were – are doing something that gives us concern or agita? If we really care and are committed to our family’s well-being, wouldn’t we invest more time and effort to connect with them? We can be critical while at the same time expressing our commitment and demonstrating that our love is here to stay. And that approach may even be more successful in encouraging them to listen.

This could mean visiting and engaging more, not less. Or this could mean supporting causes and programs that might be at risk or that do better align with our values or concerns.

I believe this family framework is a healthy way to view our relationship with Israel. Unfortunately, many Jews today don’t see themselves as part of this big, wonderful extended family. That is an even bigger cause for concern and where all of us should be finding ways to express our concern and protest.

By Rabbi David Amar Congregation Ahavat Olam, Howell www.cao-nj.org

In the prayer Ahavah Rabbah, before the morning Sh’ma, we say:” Gather us in peace from the four corners of the earth….”

For my 40th birthday, I got a gift; it was a DNA test. When the initial results came in, I was surprised to learn that I am 49% Italian Jew. Unfortunately, I could not find ties or last names related to me on any Italian Jewry lists. I did find my last name on a list presented by the Jewish Federation and community leadership of Spain and Portugal.

After speaking with my mother, I learned

If you walk down in what used to be the Jewish quarter in Rome, you will find names of Jewish families who lived there before WWII and perished during the holocaust, yet most of the names are of Ashkenazi descent. So where are these Jews who came to the region after the Jews' expulsion from Spain and Portugal? When did the Jews leave Italy and arrive in North Africa and other parts of the world?

History tells us that the Jews who resided in Rome, Venice, and Florence in the 16th Century were put in ghettos. On the other hand, the Orsini family, who ruled the independent state of Pitigliano (southeast of Tuscany), welcomed the Jews to settle, trade, and work in their state.

A few years ago, I read an article about a female rabbi looking for her Italian roots in Italy and how she ended up finding much more. Rabbi Barbara Aiello visited Serrastretta, a small village in southern

Italy, in search of her heritage. She found that the residents have unique mourning rituals, such as sitting on low stools and covering mirrors.

Since then, Rabbi Barbara, now a full-time resident of Serrastretta, has lived in a house that has been in her family for 450 years. The synagogue she founded, Ner Tamid du Sud (the eternal light of the South), is on the first floor and was used as a prayer room in ancient times. It was where her great-grandfather prayed.

We know that Jews who converted in Spain during the 14th and 15th centuries were known as Cristianos Nuevos (New Christians), also called conversos (people who converted to Christianity). The monarchs of Spain and Portugal passed legislation restricting the Jew's rights in the countries of Spain and Portugal and their colonies in the Americas. In this time and age, we may find new-old members of the Jewish faith in these countries that may discover their ancestry.

During the Ahavah Rabbah prayer, we gather the “tzitzit,” the fringes at the corners of our Tallit, as we symbolize God’s gathering all the Jewish people from all four corners of the earth. Let us pray that they will find a safe and easy path back into Judaism, where they will be welcomed with open arms.

According to historians' extended research and Rabbi Barbara, the forgotten Jewish ancestry among Southern Italians is not a myth. It is known that during the 1500s, the inquisition expelled thousands of Jews; some say about 50% of the Jewish population. Yet, we know now that some have remained in southern Italy, Calabria, and the rest of the Spanish-controlled areas.

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.

We symbolize God’s gathering all the Jewish people from all four corners of the earth.

I believe this family framework is a healthy way to view our relationship with Israel.

Earthquake in

By Rebecca Caspi, Senior Vice President, Israel and Overseas

Turkey and Syria Israel's Rescue Teams Arrive in Turkey, Will Establish Field Hospital for Earthquake Victims

Director General, JFNA Israel

From the Jewish Federations of North America jewishfederations.org

We are all devastated watching the news from the tragic earthquake in Turkey and Syria. The death toll is now above 11,000 and is still rising. The Jewish community in Turkey has also been hard hit. The president of the Antakya community, Saul Cenudioglu, is feared dead along with his wife, Fortuna. The town’s synagogue was also partially destroyed.

This tragedy is a reminder of the importance of our global humanitarian network, which is supported through our annual campaigns. Our core partners, the American Joint Distribution Committee (JDC) and the Jewish Agency for Israel (JAFI) have had professionals on the ground since the earthquake hit. They have been supporting the Jewish community there and are also providing broader humanitarian assistance. We are also in close contact with the Israeli government and other organizations that are assisting in relief efforts.

Finally, we have opened a mailbox so that Federations and individual donors who wish to provide additional emergency support to this effort may do so quickly and directly. Our established committees for international emergency response will ensure that any funds received are directed immediately to the greatest needs. As this article describes, more than 74 Federations responded with additional funds within the first 24 hours.

Here is a summary of the efforts underway thus far:

JDC worked with the Turkish Jewish community to evacuate ten communal members from the immediate disaster area. All ten are now safe, and six of the group have been given accommodation in the community’s assisted living facili-

ty. The JDC team arrived on the ground within 36 hours of the quake and have now visited four of the hardest hit areas to evaluate the needs on the ground. In the coming days, JDC plans to focus on helping some of the estimated one million people left without homes cope with living outdoors in very difficult conditions. JDC will be supplying thousands of tents, heaters, thermal clothing, ready to eat meals and first aid kits.

The IDF has already sent a delegation of 150 search and rescue experts of the Home Front Command and will send a second delegation of 230 experts to establish a field hospital in the area in the coming hours. Since arriving in Turkey late Monday night, the IDF mission known as “Operation Olive Branch” has aided the search and rescue activities.

Last night, following a four and a half hour operation, the IDF team managed to rescue a young woman trapped under rubble and later also rescued a young boy. Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has announced that Israel also plans to send aid to Syria, including tents, medication, and blankets, but the Syrian government has denied requesting aid from Israel. Israel and Syria do not have diplomatic ties; however, during the ongoing civil war there, the IDF carried out a significant humanitarian operation to treat wounded Syrian civilians.

A group of 25 volunteers from United Hatzalah left Israel for Turkey yesterday, including doctors, paramedics, and trauma experts; they also sent ten tons of equipment and humanitarian aid. Joining them was a small group from IsraAID organization, including trauma experts, who traveled to Turkey with water purification systems. Rescuers without Borders, another Israeli NGO, has also deployed a small team of medical professionals to the field.

Jewish Federations of North America continues to work closely with our partners to monitor the situation. We will provide regular updates and will schedule a webinar as soon as possible.

Three Israeli rescue delegations are already on the ground, with more humanitarian aid expected in the coming days.

tions. More humanitarian equipment is expected on a separate flight. Landing in Adana, the delegation quickly separated into smaller teams and headed to different rescue sites.

People try to rescue their loved ones, believed to be trapped under collapsed building on February 07, 2023 in Iskenderun, Turkey. A 7.8-magnitude earthquake hit near Gaziantep, Turkey, in the early hours of Monday, followed by another 7.5-magnitude tremor just after midday. (Photo by Burak Kara/Getty Images) - Burak Kara/Getty Images

By Rina Bassist February 7, 2023 Al-monitor.com

Four Israeli rescue delegations arrived in Turkey on February 7, with more assistance planned to be transferred to the earthquake’s areas in the coming days, with the goal of establishing a field hospital on February 8.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and opposition head Yair Lapid noted that Israel stands united in its desire to assist the Turkish people in anyway it can. On Monday, February 6, at night, Tel Aviv lit its city hall in the colors of the Turkish flag in sign of solidarity.

Defense Minister Yoav Gallant announced that Israel will set up a field hospital in one of the hardest-hit areas. Israel’s ambassador to Turkey, Irit Lillian, said in a radio interview that supplies for a field hospital will arrive on February 8 in the morning and the facility become operational in a matter of days. Workers have already started loading equipment onto a plane at Ben-Gurion Airport, but because of stormy conditions the cargo might have to depart for Turkey from the IDF air force base Nevatim in the south of Israel.

The first Israeli rescue team arrived on the evening of February 6 to assess the needs on the ground and prepare for the arrival of the second, larger delegation. The second delegation arrived early February 7 in the morning, some 150 serving and reserve IDF officers specialized in rescue, firefighting, paramedical care and medical staff. The delegation brought hundreds of cold-weather sleeping bags and tents and some 1,500 food ra-

A third delegation, organized by the Israeli United Hatsala first-aid volunteer organization, arrived in Gaziantep, another epicenter of the devastation, on February 7 in the afternoon. The delegation of a few dozen Israeli doctors, paramedics, rescue operators and trauma specialists brought several more tons of humanitarian equipment.

A fourth delegation from the IsraAid NGO arrived in Gaziantep on February 7 in the evening. The delegation will assess the long-term assistance the region will require before sending in a larger team. The IsraAid team brought with it water, biofilters and other initial aid.

In 1999, Israel sent a rescue delegation of 250 rescue personnel and 100 doctors to assist the Turkish region of Izmit when it was struck by a severe earthquake.

Ambassador David Saranga, director of the Foreign Ministry's digital diplomacy bureau, accompanied the delegation in Adana. Saranga told Al-Monitor, "The Israeli assistance is designed first and foremost to help the Turkish people in these very difficult times. During the last period, relations between Israel and Turkey have grown warmer, step by step. If the current assistance would also contribute to strengthening bilateral relations, then by all means."

Saranga noted that in the past few years, the Israeli Foreign Ministry and the Israel Defense forces have offered humanitarian assistance to several countries in distress, including Nepal, the Philippines, Haiti and others.

This is the team of israeli women & men who are on the ground in Turkey assisting with emergency relief efforts.

From Bulletproof Glass to Armed Guards, N.J. Houses of Worship are Beefing up Security amid Threats

By S.P. Sullivan | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

February 8, 2023

www-nj-com.cdn.ampproject.org

It was 3:19 AM when, authorities say, an arsonist hurled a Molotov cocktail at a Bloomfield synagogue. Wearing black clothes and a ski mask, he might never have been captured – except he was caught on camera.

“We’ve unfortunately been preparing for this day for a while and we were ready,” Rabbi Marc Katz told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, crediting recent security upgrades including the cameras and shatter-proof glass with protecting the Temple Ner Tamid, which suffered minor damage.

The arrest of 26-year-old Nicholas Malindretos on federal charges days later concluded a January marked by frightening attacks on houses of worship. Authorities say another man, who remained at large, pepper sprayed attendees and vandalized a LGBTQ pride flag at an anti-bigotry event at Trinity Episcopal Church in Asbury Park January 27. And a third suspect was arrested and charged with vandalizing three Catholic churches across two counties on January 13.

The incidents aren’t connected, but faith leaders and law enforcement officials say they’re part of a growing national trend of religious and racial animosity. “We’re very much aware that these attacks have occurred at a time when our entire state – frankly, our country – but particularly our Black and Jewish communities are on edge,” state Attorney General Matthew Platkin told religious leaders on a conference call with the New Jersey Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness after the Bloomfield incident.

In response to several years of reported increases in bias incidents, New Jersey’s houses of worship are increasingly turning to security measures you’d expect to see at a bank or ballpark: surveillance cameras outside temples, armed guards posted at mosques and bulletproof glass inside churches.

Many are paid for with state or federal security grant programs for nonprofits –including Temple Ner Tamid. “Some of the security controls – including the surveillance cameras that captured the footage of the assailant in Bloomfield – were done using those funds,” said Michael Geraghty, deputy director of the home-

land security office, urging faith leaders to apply when it opens up again in the spring.

New Jersey disbursed more than $19 million of a national total $250.15 million in federal funds for the program last year. In New Jersey, 85 percent of that money went to faith-based nonprofits, according to the homeland security office. That’s in part because of an ever-rising threat environment for religious communities, experts say.

Casey, a state intelligence analyst, said on the conference call that extremist rhetoric of all stripes can “inspire offenders to target places of worship and members of religious communities.” “

It comes as no surprise that they tend to use firearms, arson, vandalism and various forms of intimidation tactics,” said the analyst, whom the agency asked to be identified only by their first name for security reasons.

It’s unclear what the alleged Bloomfield arsonist’s motive was. Appearing in court, Malindretos spoke only twice, to acknowledge he had seen the complaint and understood his rights. Prosecutors said he had “a tendency toward violence” but did not speak to his motive.

Last fall, Temple Ner Tamid and the rest of the state’s synagogues were placed on alert after the FBI said it had “received credible information of a broad threat” to the Jewish temples. A week later, authorities arrested an 18-year-old man who had allegedly compiled and published online “a manifesto containing threats to attack a synagogue and Jewish people.”

In response to such threats, some congregations are also taking security into their own hands. Richard Priem, deputy director at the Community Security Service, said his nonprofit has trained thousands of congregants in the New York and New Jersey region in operational security routines. “The idea behind it is nobody

knows better what is normal at an institution than the people who go to that synagogue or church every day,” he said. Under the program, which is provided for free to religious communities, volunteers are trained to operate as security for their own congregations, attending courses in situational awareness and self-defense. “The threat environment is real. Sadly, our business is good,” Priem said. “We would much rather be out of business.”

Religious organizations and government officials were hesitant to point to specific examples, but here in New Jersey, churches, mosques and temples have purchased cameras, bulletproof glass, fencing, ID card readers; hired security officers and hosted preparedness trainings, according to annual tallies pro-

vided by U.S. Rep. Josh Gottheimer’s office.

Appearing on his monthly “Ask the Governor” radio program, Gov. Phil Murphy said more needed to be done.

A listener told the governor his father’s temple had “done everything right” and received state and federal money for security but needed further upgrades. Was it time, the caller asked, to ask the federal government for more money or increase the funds made available by the state? “The answer in New Jersey has got to be yes,” Murphy said.

Staff writer Jackie Roman contributed to this report.

Jewish Security Implications of Groups Targeting LGBTQ+ Events

Bulletin from the Secure Community Network

securecommunitynetwork.org

Throughout 2022 and into early 2023, extremists have increasingly targeted and harassed facilities and events with a nexus to the LGBTQ+ community. The facilities and events targeted are frequently those involving minors, with a particular focus on drag performances with attendance open to minors. Anti-LGBTQ+ actors have frequently attempted to disrupt these events and facilities with intimidation tactics, at times including threats of violence, which has led to their cancellations and disbandment in some instances.

Impact to the Jewish Community

Many of the groups responsible for these disruptions are noted for virulent antisemitism; while many of the actions noted by this bulletin are not directly aimed at the Jewish community, given the antisemitic ideologies held and/or perpetrated by the individuals and groups engaged in some of these activities, Jewish security professionals should remain aware of this trend.

While the Proud Boys have been shown to be the most prolific group in this avenue, the SCN Duty Desk has observed plans for these disruptions on the communication channels for groups with noted antisemitism, including National

Socialist Club 131 (NSC-131), Goyim Defense League (GDL), Patriot Front, White Lives Matter (WLM), the National Socialist Movement (NSM), National Socialist Florida (NSF), and the Aryan Freedom Network (AFN).

LGBTQ+ events hosted by houses of worship, primarily within the Christian community, have at times been targeted by these groups. Such events being hosted by Jewish facilities may incur an increased risk of being targeted by these groups due to persistent, overlapping conspiracy theories regarding both the Jewish community and the LGBTQ+ community. Additionally, the continued success of these tactics in leading to the disruption of LGBTQ+ events and facilities could lead to similar tactics being deployed against the other perceived enemies of these extremist groups, including the Jewish community. The SCN Duty Desk is continually monitoring for a potential deployment of these tactics against Jewish facilities and events.

These extremist groups employ a variety of tactics to lead to the cancellation of these LGBTQ+ events, both prior to and during their occurrence. Prior to the occurrence of the events, these groups often seek to accomplish this through intimidating contact with facilities. Such

Continued on page 14

Federal and N.J. law enforcement denounce firebombing attempt at synagogue.

Solomon Schechter in America: 120 Years

Schechter’s religious standpoint was somewhere between that of traditional Conservative Judaism and Modern Orthodox Judaism; and the graduates of his Seminary served in both kinds of congregations. Schechter’s philosophy emphasized both tradition and change – a deep love for Jewish tradition combined with a willingness to make modest changes to suit the tenor of the times. When he passed away in 1915, Schechter was regarded as one of America’s most significant religious leaders.

By Rabbi Dr. Robert E. Fierstien Co-Chair, History Committee, The Jewish Heritage Museum of Monmouth County, Freehold Adjunct Professor of Jewish Studies, Stockton University, Galloway Rabbi Emeritus, Temple Beth Or, Brick

The school year 2022-23 marks the 120th anniversary of the arrival of Solomon Schechter to the United States. Generally regarded as the principal architect of Conservative Judaism, Schechter came to America in order to head the Jewish Theological Seminary of America in New York.

Born in Focsani, Romania in 1847 to a hasidic family, Schechter studied at local yeshivot, and then went to Vienna to continue his education and was ordained there as a rabbi. After studying in Berlin, he went to England, where he became the Reader in Rabbinics at the famous University of Cambridge. Schechter attained world-wide renown for his discovery of the long-lost Hebrew original of the Apocryphal Book of Ben Sira, as well as for his recovery of the contents of the Cairo Genizah, a vast treasure trove of medieval documents.

In 1902, Schechter was recruited to serve as the President of the Jewish Theological Seminary, which had been founded in New York in 1886 by Rabbi Sabato Morais of Philadelphia and other traditional rabbis. Starting in the fall of 1902, Schechter transformed the Seminary into a first-rate academic institution with a faculty that included such luminaries as Alexander Marx, Louis Ginzberg and Israel Friedlaender. In 1913, he founded the United Synagogue of America, which became the umbrella organization for all North American Conservative synagogues.

Solomon Schechter was no stranger to the Jersey Shore, spending his vacations at places such as Atlantic Highlands and Lakewood, as well as in Atlantic City. In visiting the Shore, Schechter was part of a long tradition of Conservative Jewish leaders enjoying our area. In 1887, the earliest students of the Seminary took a steamer to Long Branch where they enjoyed a game of baseball at the home of Mr. J. Emanuel. Later, such Conservative leaders as Rabbi Charles Isaiah Hoffman of Newark and Professor Louis Ginzberg of the Seminary summered at the Shore; and it was at the home of Professor Ginzberg in Avon-bythe-Sea that the American Academy for Jewish Research was founded.

Today, 120 years after he arrived in America, the Jewish Theological Seminary is still often referred to as “Schechter’s Seminary,” and the Conservative Movement's educational system features the Solomon Schechter Day Schools

For more on Solomon Schechter, please see my book “A Different Spirit: The Jewish Theological Seminary of America, 1886-1902” and also “Solomon Schechter in America: A Centennial Tribute” that I edited with the assistance of Rabbi Jonathan Waxman.

Solomon Schechter (1847-1915): founder of the United Synagogue of America and President of the Jewish Theological Seminary

Solomon Schechter at work in Cambridge University Library, 1898

Local News

60th Wedding Anniversary Celebrated at Beth Am Shalom, Lakewood

January 6, 2023 – On this day, 60 years ago, David & Yvette Atkins were married. This evening the Atkins renewed their vows surrounded by the love of Beth Am Shalom, along with family and friends. Rabbi Steve Gold and Cantor Jon Sobel created the most beautiful “wedding” ceremony. Students from the Religious School held up the Chupah. It was inspiring to watch their reactions as the ceremony proceeded. It was a spiritual renewal for all who attended, and a most cherished 60th anniversary gift for David and Yvette.

Women’s Seder to Be Held at Beth Am Shalom, Lakewood

On Thursday, March 16 at 6:00 PM, women will gather at Beth Am Shalom to celebrate Miriam’s Seder as they have for the past few years. This year, this very popular Passover event will be led by Cantor Jon Sobel, and a delicious dinner will be served.

There is no charge for children under 13 years of age. The charge for children between ages 13 to 18 is $15. The charge for an adult (non-BAS member) is $40.

Beth Am Shalom is located at 1235 State Highway 70, Lakewood. Reservations are required. For additional information and/or reservations, contact the Beth Am Shalom office at 732-363-2800.

A Purim Holiday Extravaganza at Congregation B’nai Israel, Toms River

Congregation B’nai Israel will celebrate Purim on Monday, March 6, with food and festivities for children, adults and families at the synagogue at 1488 Old Freehold Road, Toms River.

The Purim Extravaganza event will begin at 6:00 PM. As always, participants are encouraged to wear costumes and participate in the Purim parade. A reading of the Megillah will be followed by

Rabbi Gershon of Congregation B’nai Israel, Toms River to Discuss Business Ethics

Rabbi William Gershon of Congregation B’nai Israel will present the next session of a series of adult education discussions on ethics on Wednesday, March 22, 7:00-8:00 PM on Zoom.

The program, “Ethical Dilemmas: Exploring What Judaism Teaches About Abortion, Gun Control, Immigration, and Other Hot Topics of the Day,” has shed light on how we might think about some of the critical ethical and legal issues facing our society today, based on an exploration of Biblical, rabbinic,

halachic, and philosophical texts. The focus of previous sessions has included abortion and guns. The topic for the March class is the “Ethics of Business in the Jewish Tradition.”

Participants will be encouraged to engage in thoughtful and non-judgmental discussions with each other and Rabbi Gershon.

For further information, including the Zoom access information, contact the CBI office (1488 Old Freehold Road) at 732-349-1244.

Author Avi Jorisch to Speak at the Rosen Family Scholar-in-Residence Lecture at Congregation B’nai Israel, Toms River

the parade and games and other activities for all ages. Refreshments will be served.

The following morning, March 7, the morning Shacharit prayer service, which includes the reading of the Megillah, will begin at 7:45 AM.

For further information about the Purim celebration and Megillah readings, contact the synagogue office at 732-349-1244.

Jewish Holiday Family Photos

Congregation B’nai Israel is proud to present the annual Rosen Family Scholar-in-Residence Lecture on Wednesday, March 15 at 7:30 PM, featuring Avi Jorisch, author of the seminal book, “Thou Shalt Innovate: How Israeli Ingenuity Repairs the World,” which now appears in over 40 languages. Jorisch’s groundbreaking 2018 book chronicles the way Israel’s ingenuity and amazing innovation has not only transformed Israel but is playing a pivotal role in repairing and changing the world.

Jorisch, a dynamic speaker and scholar, is a seasoned entrepreneur himself and

the author of five books. He is a senior fellow at the American Foreign Policy Council and a member at the Council on Foreign Relations. In the past two decades, Avi has lectured around the world, appeared on radio and television, and published hundreds of articles in such publications as The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and Foreign Affairs. He is also the author of “On the Trail of Terror Finance: What Law Enforcement and Intelligence Officials Need to Know”; “Iran’s Dirty Banking: How the Islamic Republic Skirts International Financial Sanctions”; “Tainted Money: Are We Losing the War on Money Laundering and Terrorism Finance?”; and “Beacon of Hatred: Inside Hizballah's Al-Manar Television.”

This event is underwritten by the Irving and Esther Rosen Adult Education Fund. The congregation is located at 1488 Old Freehold Road, Toms River. For information, contact the synagogue office 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.

Local News

Celebrate Purim at Temple Beth Or, Brick

The community is invited to celebrate Purim on Monday, March 6 at 6:45 PM with Temple Beth Or. The Megillah is to be read followed by a humorous retelling of the Purim story that you have never heard before. Refreshments served. No charge. The event will be held in the St. Thomas Lutheran Church gym, 135 Salmon Street, Brick. The Megillah is also to be read on Tuesday, March 7 at 1:00 PM online through Zoom. The TBO Sisterhood is also having a Purim-related celebration on Tuesday, March 7 at 7:30 PM. For further information, call the TBO Office at 732458-4700 or email templebethorbrick@gmail.com.

Meet the Author at Temple Beth Or, Brick –Encountering Our Immigrant Ancestors Through Fiction

In his debut novel, The Foxtail Legacy, David Abromowitz portrays a multigenerational family saga, spanning from Russia under the Czars, to South Africa in the era of the Boer, to the American immigrant experience of the early 20th century. The central force in this mishpocha (family) tale is Jacob Itzkowitz, whose drive for a better life transforms him from shtetl farmhand, to young frontiersman in South African mining camps, to Jersey Shore retail and real estate mogul. Success even brings Jacob face to face with a resurgent Ku Klux Klan in the 1920s. Yet the internal dark side of his ambition, his plotting and double-dealing, also threaten to destroy the legacy he’s built for his family.

Jacob is well-matched by Shira, his bride through an old country matchmaker. Shira carries her own deep secret, one that leads to a central conflict of the novel, with ripples causing intra-family strife for two more generations. Together their strong wills create clashes, fuel feuds, and sow the seeds for a complex legal battle over inheritance decades after Jacob has died.

David's parents, Roz and Joe Abromowitz, were among the founding members of Temple Beth Or, with Roz serving as one of the early Presidents of the Temple's precursor, the Shore Jewish Women's Club. David grew up with the congregation building its sukkah in his Point Pleasant Beach backyard before the Van Zile Road building was built, and he and his two brothers (Jan, z''l and Philip) all celebrated their becoming Bar Mitzvah in the congregation.

Author David Abromowitz will present on this topic and his book on Sunday, March 12 online through Zoom with the Men’s Club of Temple Beth Or, Brick.

The morning Shacharit prayer service begins online at 9:00 AM and the program begins at 10:00 AM which will include time for Q&A.

To attend the event through Zoom, call Temple Beth Or at 732-458-4700 or email templebethorbrick@gmail.com before March 9. There is no charge to attend. The Foxtail Legacy is available through Amazon and other online sellers, and any independent bookstore should be able to order it.

Purim: Queen Esther’s Other Name

By Sarah Rochel Hewitt Jewish Treats by NJOP

Do you have a Hebrew name that’s different than your legal name?

The custom of giving children both secular and Hebrew names is not a modern tradition, but rather goes back to ancient times. In fact, it even occurs in the biblical text of the Book of Esther, where scripture states: “And he [Mordechai] brought up Hadassah, that is, Esther” (Esther 2:7).

Why does scripture share the fact that Esther, the title character of the Purim story, was also named Hadassah?

Jewish tradition asserts that a person’s name is usually connected with a person’s character. The sages therefore looked to understand more about Hadassah/Esther from the meaning of her names.

Hadassah (Hebrew word for myrtle): It has been taught: Esther was her proper name. Why then was she called Hadassah? After the designation of the righteous who are called myrtles [hadassim]...Ben ‘Azzai said: Esther was neither too tall nor too short, but of medium size, like a myrtle. Rabbi Joshua ben Korha said: Esther was sallow but endowed with great charm. (Babylonian Talmud Megillah 13a)

Additionally, the sages note that “Just as a myrtle has a sweet smell and a bitter taste, so too Esther was good and listened (“sweet”) to the righteous Mordechai and was adverse (“bitter”) to the wicked Haman.” (Midrash, Esther Rabbah 6:5) Esther (Hebrew for hidden or concealed):

Rabbi Judah says: Hadassah was her name. Why then was she called Esther? Because she concealed the facts about herself, as it says: "Esther did not make known her people or her family." (Esther 2:10) Rabbi Nehemiah (offering an additional reason) says: Hadassah was her name. Why then was she called Esther? All peoples called her so after Istahar (a reference to the planet Venus, alluding to Esther’s beauty). (Babylonian Talmud Megillah 13a)

(For other “Jewish Treats: Juicy Bits of Judaism, Daily” and many other Jewish resources visit www.jewishtreats.org and www.njop.org.)

This year the Fast of Esther/Taanit Esther (13 Adar) occurs on Monday, March 6, Purim (14 Adar) on Monday night-Tuesday, March 6-7, and Shushan Purim (15 Adar) on Tuesday night-Wednesday, March 7-8.

March has been declared to be Women’s History Month.

Like us at: www.facebook.com/jewishocean

The Temple Beth Or Sisterhood hosted a Tu BiShevat Seder for the Jewish New Year for Trees on February 5. The celebration focused on our connections to God, Nature, the Land of Israel and the Environment and included many fruits, four cups (grape juice), readings, songs and socializing. Tu BiShevat is on the 15th day of the Jewish month of Shevat. For information about future events call 732-4584700 or email templebethorbrick@gmail.com.

Temple Beth Or, Brick Held Tu BiShevat Seder

Jewish Federation of Ocean County is now on Facebook

We’re Visiting Auschwitz because the Fight Against Antisemitism Didn’t End with Liberation

By Deborah E. Lipstadt and Doug Emhoff January 27, 2023 jta.org

(JTA) – Today, we will visit Auschwitz-Birkenau to mark International Holocaust Remembrance Day. We will represent the United States and honor the lives of six million Jews and millions of others murdered. While at Auschwitz, we will also express gratitude to the survivors and speak of the lessons learned in that era of terror.

As we reflect on history, we know that the bigotry that fueled the Holocaust did not end when the camps were liberated. Antisemitism may be considered one of the oldest forms of hatred, but its insidious impact and its deep dangers are not relegated to the past.

Antisemitism is increasing at home and abroad. Hatred of Jewish people simply for being Jews is real and rising. We can only stop this scourge if governments and community leaders declare it unacceptable and inconsistent with our values.

With that in mind, we will convene community leaders in Poland to discuss efforts underway to combat antisemitism. Then, we will travel to Berlin, where we will meet with foreign government officials, who are also dedicated to turning the tide of hate. Our goal is to deepen our relationships with European partners – in and out of government – to combat the rise in antisemitism.

We can learn from each other and share our best practices. We can lead through our shared values of equality, diversity, and human rights. This moment calls on us to take action, together, based on these values.

It’s too often that we hear stories about attacks on Jewish communities. We see vandalism, threats, and violent, hateful rhetoric. People used to be afraid to say the ugly epithets and lies out loud. Now they are literally screaming them.

In 2018, a horrific antisemitic assault stole the lives of 11 innocent people at the Tree of Life synagogue. In 2019, a gunman opened fire at California’s Chabad of Poway, killing one and wounding three more people in an attack motivated by antisemitism. And just last year, in Los Angeles, we saw antisemitic banners hung over a freeway.

Heinous and senseless acts of violence bring pain to the Jewish community. We’ve heard from parents who are

worried about sending their children to preschool at their Jewish community center because they fear for their safety. They must explain to their children why the synagogue they attend has an armed guard at the entrance while the church across the street has none.

In December, we both attended a roundtable at the White House convening Jewish leaders in the United States. We spoke about the impact antisemitism is having on their communities including issues of safety, education, and accountability. Under the leadership of President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, we have increased funding for physical security of nonprofits and synagogues, and appointed leaders to focus on hate crimes and track and fight antisemitism.

Through a whole-of-government approach, the Biden-Harris Administration is crafting a broad-based national plan to address antisemitism. The first mandate of the interagency is to create a U.S. National Action Plan on Antisemitism.

But we know there is more work to be done. We each need to do our part to educate those around us and instill knowledge in the next generation of leaders to help fight antisemitism. We cannot and will not allow this to be normalized and politicized. We all have a responsibility to speak out and make clear that antisemitism is wrong, just like every other prejudice. We must all condemn antisemites as dangerous and also call out those who don’t. In the face of evil, there is no neutrality. Standing silent is not an option. Indeed, silence is what allows vile oppressors to thrive and this malicious virus of hate to grow.

It is time – yet again – for us to replace the silence, of the past and present, with a chorus of voices making antisemitism a relic and this horrific hatred a thing of the past.

Deborah E. Lipstadt is the U.S. special envoy to monitor and combat antisemitism. Doug Emhoff is the second gentleman of the United States.

Ambassador Deborah Lipstadt, U.S. Ambassador to Poland Mark Brzezinski and Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff lay bowls of fire at a memorial in Birkenau. Photo by Laura E. Adkins

We can only stop this scourge if governments and community leaders declare it unacceptable and inconsistent with our values.

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of JTA or its parent company, 70 Faces Media.

Congregation Ahavat Olam, Howell, Planted for Tu BiShevat

Students of Mora Esther and Ariella; Haley Wolosky, Sam Labkovski, Evan and Jake Unansky, Adina and Aaron Steinhauser, Amelia, Logan, Jessica, Mackenzie and Blake; planted flower seeds in paper cups to be transplanted in warmer weather outside the building. This hands-on project was a fun way to learn about Tu Bishevat, the Jewish National Fund and ecology. Hebrew school students of Congregation Ahavat Olam, located in Howell on Windeler Road, have classes on Monday and Wednesday afternoons, 4:00-5:30 PM. Rabbi David Amar and Board of Education Director Sherri Rotem make all feel welcome to the school and Temple. For information, call the CAO Office at 732719-3500.

Burt Bacharach, Legendary Jewish American Composer of Pop Songs, Dies at 94

to San Jose” and dozens of other hits, has died at 94. The Grammy, Oscar and Tony-winning Bacharach died on February 8 at home in Los Angeles of natural causes, publicist Tina Brausam said Thursday.

Over the past 70 years, only Lennon-McCartney, Carole King and a handful of others rivaled his genius for instantly catchy songs that remained performed, played and hummed long after they were written.

By AP February 9, 2023 timesofisrael.com

NEW YORK – Burt Bacharach, the singularly gifted and popular composer who delighted millions with the quirky arrangements and unforgettable melodies of “Walk on By,” “Do You Know the Way

He had a run of top 10 hits from the 1950s into the 21st Century, and his music was heard everywhere from movie soundtracks and radios to home stereo systems and iPods, whether “Alfie” and “I Say a Little Prayer,” or “I’ll Never Fall in Love Again” and “This Guy’s in Love with You.”

Composer Burt Bacharach performs in Milan, Italy on July 16, 2011. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno, File)

Grandson of Nazi, Man who Saved Jewish Lives Opens Synagogue in Hospital

One of David Ruben-Thies's grandfathers was a Nazi, and the other saved Jewish lives by helping them escape the Nazis.

By Josh Aronson / Maariv January 22, 2023 jpost.com

At first glance, the orthopedic Waldkliniken Eisenberg hospital in Thuringia, Germany looks more like a fancy hotel than a hospital. It's located in one of the greenest and most beautiful places in the area and its inside is just as impressive as the outside. Lately, the hospital earned the title of the best orthopedic hospital in the country. For the CEO David Ruben-Thies, this is his life's work that includes a fascinating story.

Ruben-Thies’s grandfather was a Nazi who took part in the invasion of Poland in WWII. His other grandfather helped Jews hide in his merchant ships to get

them out of the country.

In an interview with Maariv, Ruben-Thies explained that his usual past helped him decide to build a synagogue in the hospital and include a kosher kitchen in the

establishment.

"I have a Jewish name," he said. "My parents wanted people to think of Jews and work toward equality for all. When I lived in Italy during my childhood, I felt the need to learn about Judaism. When I opened the hospital here, I knew that I have to give Jews the right treatment."

Ruben-Thies gave the interview shortly after the hospital opened a synagogue to which a Torah scroll was donated by the area's residents, most of whom are not Jewish. Among the participants in the project was the regional council head who donated his own money toward it.

admirable manner. He insisted on strict kashrut, and now even hassidic people from Mea She'arim can eat here."

Alexander Mayerhofer, key account manager in the hospital, said that the place feels like a hotel.

The hospital serves kosher food

The kosher restaurant that was opened in the hospital is managed by German chef Tim Foller and has a permanent kashrut supervisor – Rabbi Moti Waitsman.

In a conversation with Maariv, Weizman explained that "it's an incredible thing. You and I are talking over a gourmet kosher meal in a hospital in the middle of Germany, and we're talking Yiddish and Hebrew. There's no place like this in the whole of Europe. The hospital's CEO works to integrate the Jews here in an

"We don't call people here patients, we call them guests," he said. "At every stage of treatment, you get an experience akin to being hosted in a five- or fourstar hotel. The only difference is that you won't see us on a hotel booking website. There are private rooms for every guest, and there are people whose job it is to organize comfortable flights for our guests and their families. A Jewish guest came to us for a diagnosis, and he explained that he can only eat kosher food. When we showed him the kashrut supervisor and made it clear that the kashrut here is strict, he was delighted."

"Through my support of Judaism, I hope to atone for my grandfather's sins and at the same time, be a source of pride for my other grandfather," concluded Ruben-Thies. "I invite Jews both from Israel and around the world to come to us and get treatment for comfortable prices. We are located between Berlin and Leipzig, so it's an attractive location."

We invite our community members to submit original poems, stories and essays (500 words or less) to the Jewish Journal. All submissions are subject to our editorial review, and we do not promise that all will be published. Email your

An event to celebrate the opening of a synagogue in Waldkliniken Eisenberg (photo credit: Waldkliniken Eisenberg)

The synagogue in Waldkliniken Eisenberg (credit: Waldkliniken Eisenberg

Through my support of Judaism, I hope to atone for my grandfather’s sins and at the same time, be a source of pride for my other grandfather.

~ David Ruben-Thies, CEO, Waldkliniken Eisenberg

After Five Years of

Waiting, American Convert Finally Granted Israeli Citizenship

David Ben Moshe, born David Bonett, first applied for citizenship in 2018 and spent years fighting against the unyielding world of Israeli bureaucracy.

conversion. (For his marriage in 2018, his conversion was accepted by Israel’s Chief Rabbinate, which tends to be far stricter on such matters than the Interior Ministry, making the office’s objections all the more unusual.)

By Judah Ari Gross January 12, 2023 timesofisrael.com

David Ben Moshe, a Black American convert to Judaism, obtained Israeli citizenship on January 12, bringing to a close a five-year struggle against bureaucracy, inefficiency and purported bigotry.

“I am [feeling] absolutely incredible today,” Ben Moshe told The Times of Israel, just after he received the official documentation confirming his status as a new immigrant. “I’ve been suffering and punished and dragged through an unjust process for five years, and it’s all over. And now I can get to building my life in Israel with my wife, my two children and – be’ezrat Hashem [with God’s help] –more children,” he said.

Ben Moshe, born David Bonett, was raised in a Christian household in Maryland. As a young man, he got involved in the drug trade in Baltimore. In 2010, he was convicted and sentenced to thirty months in prison on drug and firearms charges. While in prison he became interested in Judaism, after seeing another inmate studying a Hebrew text.

When he was released, he approached an Orthodox rabbi in Baltimore, Rabbi Etan Mintz of the B’nai Israel synagogue, to inquire about converting. He completed his conversion – as well as a bachelor’s degree from Towson University – in 2017 and came to Israel shortly thereafter to study at Jerusalem’s Pardes Institute, a pluralistic educational program. There he met Tamar Gesser, who would later become his wife. “I found Hashem in prison,” he said, using a Hebrew term for God. “Becoming a Jew changed my life so much for the better.”

Ben Moshe, 35, first applied for Israeli citizenship in May 2018 but was rebuffed, with the Population and Immigration Authority citing his criminal record as well as technical issues regarding his

Since then, he has lived in Israel on student and work visas, which he had to annually renew, leaving him in at times in a Kafkaesque limbo as his appeals to the Interior Ministry worked their way through the system. The situation left him without state-provided healthcare, made it difficult for him and his wife to officially register their marriage, and generally left him fighting tooth and nail against an unyielding bureaucracy. Ben Moshe said he was told by some ministry officials that he doesn’t “look like a convert,” and had his Judaism questioned.

In protest of his immigration status, last year Ben Moshe went on a hunger strike. With help from the ITIM organization, a religious advocacy group, Ben Moshe eventually negotiated a deal with the Interior Ministry, which agreed in January 2022 to grant him citizenship on January 1, 2023, adding a further buffer year to prove that he had not returned to criminal activity.

Last week, Ben Moshe made an appointment to apply for citizenship at the Population Authority office in Beersheba, where he now lives, on Thursday at 8:00 AM, only to once again encounter an infuriatingly inefficient bureaucracy.

“I went with my lawyer. When we tried to go in, they said, ‘You made the wrong appointment. You need to come in next week,'” Ben Moshe said. After pleading his case before two managers and a clerk, at 9:30 AM he was allowed into the Population and Immigration Authority office, but had to wait for another hour and a half as his 8:00 AM appointment had long since passed.

Once he finally sat with a clerk who brought in his file, which after nearly five years was “about four inches thick,” Ben Moshe said he again had to fill out a long immigration application, despite having done so multiple times in the past.

He and his lawyer got up to leave, anticipating that it would take at least several days if not weeks to receive a response, but were pleasantly surprised to learn that it would be much faster than that.

“They said, ‘It will take half an hour or an hour. We’ll send it to headquarters right now,'” Ben Moshe recounted. “We

sat down to wait. I was reading the autobiography of Martin Luther King, Jr. and then they came out to us and said, ‘We just heard back from headquarters: you’ve been approved,'” he said.

For now, Ben Moshe has a temporary citizenship document, or teudat zehut, and an immigrant visa in his American passport. Within the next week or two, he should receive his permanent ID card.

done and the State of Israel would fully embrace David and his family.”

Farber, whose job often requires him to clash with the Interior Ministry, said he too was still in awe of the fact that the government made good on its promise to give Ben Moshe citizenship this year. “I don’t even know what to do with myself now that they’ve said yes. I’m happy to give them credit,” he said, singling out the head of the Population Authority’s visa division, Ronit Elian, for praise.

“ITIM will continue to advocate for the more than 4,000 people who turn to us each year and continue to work to make Israel more respectful and responsive to the Jewish needs of the Jewish people,” he said.

Rabbi Dov Lipman, whose organization Yad L’Olim also assisted Ben Moshe behind the scenes, also hailed the good news. “I am so happy for David. It has been a very challenging process but his faith never waivered. We at Yad L’Olim pushed as hard as we could to influence the relevant ministers and government authorities and will continue to do so for all prospective immigrants who have struggles in their aliyah process,” he said.

One of Ben Moshe’s first acts as an Israeli citizen will be to leave the country. He and his family plan on traveling to the US for a speaking tour, he said, where he will meet with different communities –Jewish and Black – to discuss Israel, antisemitism, and Black-Jewish ties.

Ben Moshe said this week that he was still in shock from the good news. “I am still… I still don’t know how to respond,” he said. “It’s like my entire world has changed. I love Israel so much. I want to be part of the Jewish state.”

Rabbi Seth Farber, the head of ITIM, said Ben Moshe’s case was unbelievable, both his personal journey and the lengthy legal fight for his citizenship, but that the result was “glorious.” “David’s story defies the imagination, but it is ultimately a story of repentance and redemption,” Farber told The Times of Israel. “Over the course of the years that ITIM represented David, there were many ups and downs, but we never lost faith that justice would be

“My plan is to build my life in Eretz Yisrael (the land of Israel) and to continue to give back to the Jewish people. I actually have a trip planned for next month. We’ll be going to the States to talk about Israel, to tell people that, yes, it’s a flawed country – I’m the first to say what it does wrong – but just because our government does wrong things sometimes doesn’t mean it’s not still a great place to live. It’s still an amazing place,” he said. “And I’ll be talking about Black and Jewish relationships and try to build ties between both communities that I’m part of.”

David Ben Moshe holds his newly received immigrant visa in the Population Authority on January 12, 2023. (Courtesy/David Ben Moshe)

David Ben Moshe with his wife Tamar and their two children in an undated photograph. (Courtesy David Ben Moshe)

Rabbi Seth Farber, head of ITIM (Courtesy)

David Ben Moshe, right, with his wife Tamar and their two children on a hike in Israel, in an undated photograph (Courtesy/ David Ben Moshe)

How Israeli Songs Became Integral to Taiwan’s National Folk Dancing Tradition

Dating back to the nationalist Kuomintang government era, the pastime is still beloved by many Taiwanese of a certain age – and Hebrew classics make up a big part of the repertoire.

By Jordyn Haime July 4, 2022 timesofisrael.com

YILAN, Taiwan (JTA) – It was a cool spring day in Yilan, a town on Taiwan’s northeast coast known for its picturesque rice fields and delicious spring onions.

On a concrete clearing beneath a bridge that doubled as a dance floor, against a cloudy mountainous backdrop dotted with white cranes, about 10 Taiwanese adults danced expertly to classic Israeli folk music – songs such as “Hinei Matov,” “David Melech Yisrael,” “Sulam Yaakov” – and other folk tunes from around the world. Altogether, over 35 dances were practiced over three hours.

For many of these locals, the dances are familiar, almost second nature. All over the age of 50, they grew up at a time when international folk dancing was the only group activity allowed by the nationalist Kuomintang (KMT) government, starting in 1949.

That year, the KMT, which had been in power in China since 1912, lost a longstanding civil war to the Communist Par-

ty and retreated to Taiwan. Estimates say around 2 million Chinese followed in migrating to the island over the following few years.

The KMT ruled Taiwan in a bubble under strict martial law in order to suppress potential Chinese Communist presence or any anti-government activities. What resulted was heavy censorship of newspapers, books, television, radio and other forms of entertainment, as well as a ban on “unlawful assembly.” The government promoted Chinese culture and the Mandarin Chinese language, banning the study of Taiwanese history, the practice of Taiwanese language, and dancing, claiming that activity was “against morals.”

But there was one reason Taiwanese could gather in groups, and one genre of dance they were allowed to practice – for political and nationalist reasons.

“The entire island was closed. Under those conditions, no one was allowed to [practice other forms of] dance, they couldn’t join these activities because they were controlled. But there was one kind that you could do, and that was folk dance,” says Xu Wenhong, a 57-year-old food sciences professor at Yilan University who organizes weekly folk dance classes.

“At the time we really had no form of entertainment. Even certain movies couldn’t be released, they were all controlled,” he said. “So when I was a kid and saw my mother dancing, I thought it looked fun. So when I got to college I joined a club.” There he met his wife, Tsui-yen. The two have been together ever since and lead these regular events in Yilan.

Folk dancing “played a role as both a political tool and a communal activity during and after the Taiwanese Martial Law Period,” wrote Wei-Chi Wu of the University of California Riverside in her dissertation on the topic. “For the National Government, international folk dancing was cultural work that assisted it in proposing Taiwanese Nationalism, and to show Taiwan’s alignment with the United States and its opposition to Communist China.”

To that end, in the 1950s, the Taiwanese government invited American dance instructors to introduce dances to teachers across Taiwan, who brought them to their primary schools and universities. Soon nearly all schools here were using folk dances from around the world as an exercise activity for students, and nearly every university had a folk-dance club.

At the time, the United States was still offering Taiwan military, political and economic support, before it officially recognized the Communist People’s Republic of China in 1979.

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Americans like Rickey Holden, a prominent choreographer and folk-dance teacher, brought songs such as “Mayim Mayim” (from Israel), “Shibolet Basadeh” (Israel), and “Wooden Shoes” (Lithuania) to Taiwanese teachers during his first visit in 1957. “Mayim Mayim” –which in Hebrew means “Water, Water” and became known as the “Water Dan-

ce” in Chinese – was one of the first folk dances introduced to Taiwan and became synonymous with the activity. Its impact was so significant that Taiwan’s International Folk Dance Association made it the theme of its 50th-anniversary seminar in 2007.

Holden also made stops in Japan during his late-1950s tour of Asia, where “Mayim” has since become ingrained in pop culture and has appeared in commercials and video games.

“It was a kind of internationalization. It let people get ‘worldwide’ experience [when they couldn’t leave the country],” Xu said. “Because we dance other countries’ dances, we can start to learn about other countries’ peoples, how they exist, whether it is with hardship or happiness, we can see these things from dance.”

Fang-chih Chen, a 77-year-old retired teacher and well-known dance instructor in Taiwan, was likely among the first groups of children to practice dance in school. Every day, in the 10 minutes before class started, teachers would dance with students in the school hallways, she remembers.

At that time, the dances known by teachers were still very limited, mostly to Scandinavian and Israeli dances such as “Mayim.” “Most of the [Israeli] dances were 2/2 or 4/4 beats, and the rhythm was very clear and they were easy for anyone to learn,” Chen said.

Jiaxing Jiang, a 62-year-old in Yilan, said practicing another country’s folk dance lets him feel the spirit of that country or people. What kind of feeling does Israeli dance offer to Taiwanese? “Strength and unity,” he told me.

Jiang says he is inspired by the way Jews have been able to keep the memory of the Holocaust alive through international

Continued on page

A Taiwanese dance teacher practices Israeli folk dance in Yilan, Taiwan. (Jordyn Haime)/ JTA

Taiwanese dancers in Yilan practice a Ukrainian circle dance for a global dance rally in support of Ukraine. (Jordyn Haime/ JTA)

Israeli Songs

literature and film. He showed his family, including his now 25-year-old daughter Lucia, movies such as “Fiddler on the Roof” and “The Pianist.”

Lucia’s grandmother left her home in China for Taiwan in 1945, expecting only to stay temporarily to take care of her sister’s baby. Martial law kept her from returning home, but when she met her husband and decided to continue her education here, Taiwan began to feel more like home.

“I also enjoy the movies about our history,” Lucia said. “I didn’t really connect these two parts of history together before, but I think we have a similar background. They have some connections, some similarities. And I think to me, to see Israel so strong now, I think it’s encouraging.”

Lucia isn’t the only one who thinks this way. As Taiwan faces growing hostility from China, which claims the island as its territory, some commentators idealize Israel as a model of military strength and nation-building.

In high school, for her senior project, Lucia decided to explore Jewish and Israeli culture more deeply – by studying Israeli dance. “Some of the gestures are praising God, or to honor the rain, to thank God for giving them rain because they lived in the desert,” Lucia said. Although she isn’t religious, she said that “when I was dancing, I felt very peaceful and happy. I felt the same way, like I respect everything that the world gives me, like rain, food, everything.”

When Taiwan’s martial law was lifted in 1987, folk dance largely fell out of style. For the first time, Taiwanese were able to experiment with styles like hip-hop, jazz and street dancing. Native Taiwanese dances and indigenous dances resurfaced too. Today, few schools still teach children folk dancing and few colleges have remaining clubs.

Though Lucia still occasionally joins her parents for a dance class, she sees it now as an activity “for a certain age of people, not for everyone.”

But Israeli dances remain popular among the international folk-dance groups that remain because of the abundance of new dances that have emerged from Israel over the years, especially those choreographed to Israeli pop music, said Chen, the longtime dance teacher. Some have even applied Israeli dance moves to popular Taiwanese music. Groups have been able to attract more participants purely by including Israeli dances and music in their practice.

So despite the overall decline in popularity, Chen and Xu, the teacher from Yilan, don’t sound too discouraged. Both still practice with groups who meet regularly and, in pre-pandemic times, traveled regularly to dance festivals around the world, inviting foreign teachers to events like the annual Asia Dance Camp in Taiwan, one of the most famous international folk dancing events in the world.

“The younger generation now has better opportunities than in the past. Fortunately, they can go anywhere and learn the dance of that country. I’m very comforted and happy when I see them dancing,” Chen said.

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Jewish Security

Continued from page 4 For instance, in July 2022, NSC-131 carried out a protest outside of a “Drag Queen Story Hour” at a community center in Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts. Violence broke out between the members of NSC-131 and counter-protestors, ultimately leading to the arrest of the leader of NSC-131 on charges of Affray and Disturbing the Peace. While this incident targeted the LGBTQ+ community, NSC-131’s continued antisemitism raises concerns about similar tactics being employed against the Jewish community. According to the ADL (formerly the Anti-Defamation League), one of the key points of the group is that “NSC131 members see themselves as soldiers at war with a hostile, Jewish-controlled system that is deliberately plotting the extinction of the white race.”

intimidating contact may occur through phone, email, and social media.

The predominant tactic employed by these groups to disrupt LGBTQ+ events during their occurrence has been self-described as “occupying physical space with shows of strength.” Large groups of protestors, often armed and outfitted with tactical equipment, gather outside of the locations of events. Individuals engaged in this activity have noted their intention of intimidating the event holders into cancelation. SCN acknowledges the First Amendment right of freedom of assembly to express views through protest, while still noting the threat of violence that such protests can pose. These protests are often met by groups of counter-protestors, seeking to prevent the intimidation and cancelation. These encounters between these protestors and associated counter-protestors have the potential to escalate to violence.

Recommendations and Event Monitoring

While there are unique risks associated with hosting LGBTQ+ events, Jewish

facilities are not encouraged to yield to the intimidation tactics employed by these groups, which only serve to embolden their ongoing campaigns of fear. Instead, Jewish facilities involved with the LGBTQ+ community are encouraged to work closely with their local security directors and law enforcement partners to ensure the proper security of their events.

The SCN Duty Desk offers event monitoring for events hosted by Jewish facilities, including such LGBTQ+ events. The SCN Duty Desk can work closely with the appropriate security directors to ensure that the proper open-source communication channels are being monitored for the use of language unique to LGBTQ+ events hosted by Jewish facilities.

Report Suspicious Activity

Follow established protocols to report suspicious activity – to include contacting local law enforcement and/or the

relevant suspicious activity reporting authority – and contact the SCN Duty Desk at dutydesk@securecommunitynetwork. org or by calling 844-SCN-DESK.

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J o i n C h h a n g e a n d t h e J e w i s h F e d e r a t i o n o f O c e a n C o u n t y f o r t h e t h i r d e v e n t i n o u r o n g o i n g s e r i e s o f w o r k s h o p s f o r O c e a n C o u n t y E d u c a t o r s . T h i s w o r k s h o p w i l l b e a n o p p o r t u n i t y t o l i s t e n t o a c o m p e l l i n g a c c o u n t a b o u t H e r o e s o f t h e H o l o c a u s t , w h i c h y o u c a n b r i n g b a c k t o y o u r c l a s s r o o m .

M o r e d e t a i l s t o c o m e . P r o f e s s i o n a l D e v e l o p m e n t h o u r s w i l l b e p r o v i d e d .

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*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.

The Place To Be   JFOC Annual Film Festival   Community of Caring Celebration

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.

How Israel Benefits the World

Israeli Robot Fitted with Locust Antenna Gains Scent Superpowers

At 5, Amir Yichya Mabchuch receives heart surgery through organization; child’s mother says Gazans know Israeli doctors ‘can be trusted completely’

of smell. He noted that humans already do this to an extent, for example by the use of sniffer dogs. But relying on actual animals is high-maintenance – they need training, accommodating, feeding, medical care and other forms of attention. “I hope this could one day replace sniffer dogs at airports, and provide many other possibilities,” he told The Times of Israel.

By Nathan Jeffay January 18, 2023 timesofisrael.com

Israeli scientists have created a robot with a sense of smell stronger than any other electronic device, by wiring it with a locust’s antenna. The new robot-locust combo, documented in peer-reviewed research, can be trained to detect explosives, drugs and diseases – and can even discern different whiskies by their smell.

The Tel Aviv University lab of Dr. Ben Maoz is a world leader in part-animal part-machine tech. Last year it connected a robot to a locust’s ear for sound-processing capability, and now it has focused on smell. Antennae are common among arthropods – including insects – and can sense using different functions, including smell.

To develop the locust-antenna tech, Maoz and his colleagues built a robot capable of responding to signals it receives from the environment. They found a way to artificially keep the locust antenna alive and developed a method for communicating signals received by the antenna to the robot.

Maoz believes that his research could pave the way for technology that provides biological “noses” as sensors, artificial intelligence to process their data, and information for users. For example, a police officer could carry a device containing a locust antenna that generates an alert saying it has “smelled” drugs, or doctors could be told that odor signals that are un-smellable by humans suggest the presence of a certain disease.

Maoz has long been interested in humans harnessing animals’ biological sense

“At the end of the day, a biological nose is more sensitive than any technologies designed to smell,” Maoz added. “So this could be put to use in new machines that use smell to identify explosives, drugs, diseases, rotten food and many other things that can be detected by odor.”

Maoz’s colleague Prof. Yossi Yovel described the experiment that is reported in the newly published study, saying: “We connected the biological sensor and let it smell different odors while we measured the electrical activity that each odor induced. The system allowed us to detect each odor at the level of the insect’s primary sensory organ.

“Then, in the second step, we used machine learning to create a ‘library’ of smells,” he continued. “In the study, we were able to characterize eight odors, such as geranium, lemon and marzipan, in a way that allowed us to know when the smell of lemon or marzipan was pre-

sented. In fact, after the experiment was over, we continued to identify additional different and unusual smells, such as various types of Scotch whisky,” Yovel continued. “A comparison with standard measuring devices showed that the sensitivity of the insect’s nose in our system is about 10,000 times higher than the devices that are in use today.”

Maoz is convinced that insect parts should play a major role in the evolution of electronics and has even raised the possibility of using insect eyes as high-resolution cameras. “Nature is much more advanced than we are, so we should use it,” he said. “The principle we have demonstrated can be used and applied to other senses, such as sight and touch. The sky is the limit.”

Science of Silliness: Israeli Study Deconstructs Medical Clowning so MDs Use it More

Research is first to empirically map clowns’ skills, authors say, claiming it will help doctors understand their work and better integrate it into treatment.

By Nathan Jeffay January 17, 2023 timesofisrael.com

Israeli researchers have documented the method behind the madness of hospital clowning, in the hope that it will enable doctors to better integrate its practitioners into their work.

In a peer-reviewed study, they identified and analyzed some forty skills that medical clowns use and noted that many of them can be utilized by physicians to aid treatment. For example, it explored how clowns can increase a patient’s motivation to adhere to a treatment plan.

“Doctors often think of clowns as just there to ‘cheer up’ patients but it’s about much more than that, and there is a real

need for research outlining to medical professionals exactly what medical clowns do,” Prof. Orit Karnieli-Miller, lead author of the study, told The Times of Israel. “There are plenty of studies showing clowns help patients deal with pain, but no studies until now empirica-

lly mapped the skills they use and their therapeutic approach. We’re helping physicians to understand the ‘secret magic’ of medical clowning.” Israel is a leader in medical clowning, and the Dream Doctors nonprofit provides clowns in several hospitals.

Karnieli-Miller, from Tel Aviv University’s Medical Education department, organized medical simulations with Dream Doctors’ clowns and performed in-depth analysis of videos. She also interviewed clowns.

“Doctors meet clowns but rarely get to explore in depth what they do, and sometimes find them a disturbance,” she said. “Here, we provide that insight. We lay out clearly, for example, how they build a relationship with patients and connect

with their needs, their emotions, and much more.”

The study explored how clowns can assist in some of the tensest moment in the hospital, namely when there is conflict between patients and staff. It said that clowns help patients to express themselves and were seen “as mediators who bridge between the two ‘opposing’ sides” –sometimes physically standing between them to restore calm.

Karnieli-Miller and her colleagues portrayed medical clowns, with their penchant for organized chaos and disorder, as the antithesis of the normal hospital ethos. They wrote: “If health professionals know how and when to collaborate with medical clowns to help patients

Continued on page 20

The new Tel Aviv University robot, with smell capabilities that use a locust’s antenna (YouTube screen grab/Tel Aviv University)

File – a locust (Martina_L via iStock by Getty Images) Dr Ben Maoz (courtesy of Tel Aviv University/Yonatan Tzur)

A medical clown from Dream Doctors, an Israeli nonprofit that was observed in new peer-reviewed research on medical clowning (courtesy of Dream Doctors)

How Israel Benefits the World

Newly Analyzed 3,600-year-old Silver Pieces are First Currency in Levant, Study Shows

Silver pieces from Anatolia reveal robust trade routes and the use of currency 500 years earlier than previously thought, University of Haifa and Hebrew University research finds.

Donald Ariel told The Times of Israel in a video interview in 2020. “They are lumps of broken jewelry,” said Ariel.

By Melanie Lidman January 8, 2023 timsofisrael.com

Ateam of Israeli archaeologists has discovered the earliest evidence of silver being used as currency in the Levant, dating back more than 3,600 years, which is 500 years prior to previous estimates. “This is the earliest evidence of hoarded silver,” the University of Haifa’s Dr. Tzilla Eshel told The Times of Israel.

Uncovered in excavations around Israel and the Gaza Strip, the proto-coinage’s silver dates to the Middle Bronze Age and originated in either ancient Anatolia or in the area of ancient Greece, researchers from the University of Haifa and Hebrew University said.

“This means that we are witnessing the first evidence that there was continuous and long-term trade of metals between the Levant and Anatolia, already 1,700

years before the common era,” said Eshel. “We know for sure that in the Iron Age this kind of trade existed, but our findings move the beginning of this type of trade in metals to 500 years earlier,” she said.

The discovery, published in the Journal of Archaeological Science, shows that ancient cities in the region had a much more developed long-distance trade relationship and local economy than previously believed.

The silver hoards were found in Israel’s Megiddo, Gezer and Shiloh, as well as Tel el-‘Ajjul in the Gaza Strip. Their different origins were discovered through isotope analysis. The current study also examined previously discovered samples from the Israel Antiquities Authority, the Rockefeller Museum, and the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary.

“The use of silver [as currency] indicates a society that used scales and indicates a society that used writing to write down the transactions,” explained Eshel.

“It also means you need to have silver flowing into the area constantly, so the volume of trade has to be larger, and you can see something bigger is happening in economic terms.”

People in the Levant didn’t begin using minted coins until almost 1,000 years after these pieces of broken silver were used as currency, said the researchers. For major purchases, these crudely cut pieces of silver acted as currency through the weight of the precious metal.

“Before there were coins there were a kind of proto-coins. In fact, people, before they would make coins, they first used the idea of taking silver, breaking it up into pieces and weighing them on a scale or balance,” then-head of the Israel Antiquities Authority coin department

The silver hoards are what is called hacksilber, a German term that means silver that has been cut to specific weights. The team of researchers determined that the fact that there were multiple hoards of these hacksilber discovered throughout the Holy Land – sometimes inside pottery or wrapped in fabric – pointed to the fact that they were widely used.

In fact, the biblical currency of the “shekel” was originally a weight measurement. According to the Babylonians, one shekel was approximately 16.83 grams. “This is the way Abraham paid for the Cave of the Patriarchs – he weighed 400 shekels. There were no coins at the time. He weighed pieces of silver,” said Ariel.

Follow the silver brick road

There were no known silver mines in the Levant, so researchers set out to determine where the pieces of silver originated. Using isotopic testing that examines the chemical composition of lead in the silver, the researchers were able to match it to silver mined from an area in Anatolia, or modern-day Turkey. In the excavated hoards, the silver was also accompanied by other objects from Anatolia, such as the head of an ax and a pendant, confirming Anatolia as the likely origin of the silver.

Eshel calls isotopic testing “an amazing and very powerful tool,” which allowed researchers to pinpoint the geographic area where the silver was likely mined based on its unique chemical composition. She noted that the test isn’t always conclusive and there are some academic debates about its implementation. In some cases, researchers can pinpoint the exact spot where a silver object was mined, though the current findings confirmed a more general geographic region.

“Before, archaeologists tracked trade routes using ceramics, but not every trade route has ceramic evidence,” Eshel said. “This is the first time we are doing it for silver in the Bronze Age.”

Silver first reached the Levant in the 4th millennium BCE, used for figurines and jewelry. Only in the Bronze Age, in the 3rd millennium BCE, were pieces of silver used as currency, Eshel said. “We

know that the silver was the main means of value and exchange in Mesopotamia for a long time, even before the Levant,” explained Eshel. “Everything was valued by silver shekel.”

Because silver was so precious, it was only used for large purchases, such as land. Day-to-day currency more likely used grain, pegged to the shekel weight, such as two shekels for a bag of grain, noted Eshel. Eshel said she read that a half gram of silver was equal to a day and a half of work.

Eshel said that hacked silver is often overlooked by archaeologists because it’s fairly ugly. Oftentimes, such as at Tel el-Ajjul in Gaza near the Egyptian border, hacksilber is found with more beautiful or flashier objects that hold more attention. But Eshel said that the irregular lumps of silver can reveal just as much, if not more, about daily life in the ancient Levant. “This raw material doesn’t have a nice shape and doesn’t look so great in photos,” she said. “But I think it’s beautiful.”

A collection of hacksilber from Tel el-Ajjul in Gaza. (Courtesy IAA)

Pieces of hacksilber discovered at Tel Gezer, before cleaning. (Courtesy Lena Cooperschmidt/Israel Antiquities Authority)

A location where pieces of silver were discovered at Tel Gezer (Courtesy Gary Myers/ IAA/New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary)

A silver hoard of pieces used for currency prior to coin minting. (Clara Amit/Israel Antiquities Authority)

Medical Clowning

Continued from page 18

overcome challenges, they may be more tolerant of medical clowns’ ‘disruption’ of hospital order. This will provide medical clowns with the time and space to connect with patients, to help patients feel cared for and seen, to encourage them to become active participants in their treatment plan, and to increase their motivation and ability for adherence. This may in turn enhance patient-centered care and improve patients’ well-being.”

Here is How You Can Support Our Holocaust Survivors and Seniors

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

Medical clowns from Dream Doctors, an Israeli nonprofit that was observed in new peer-reviewed research on medical clowning (courtesy of Dream Doctors)

Prof. Orit Karnieli-Miller of Tel Aviv University (courtesy of Tel Aviv University)

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

January 12 – February 9

In Memory of

Ann, Gordon and Norman Leiber by Risa and Billy Bastedo

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

Laugh & Learn

changing lives... JEWISH FAMILY AND

Cold Weather Advice for the Elderly: Winter Risks and Safety Tips

By Naeemah Johnson, MSW Intern Jewish Family & Children’s Service

As the days are short and cold weather is here, you might want to consider the physical and mental wellbeing of your elderly loved ones. Wintertime brings health risks and complications for older adults due to the cold weather and low temperatures. Fortunately, there are some precautions you can take to mitigate these risks and make sure your loved ones are looked after this winter.

Cold weather health risks

One of the biggest problems for many older adults, especially those living on their own, is not staying warm enough in their homes. When temperatures drop, older adults can have an increased risk of heart attack, stroke, flu, pneumonia, and in serious cases of low temperatures – hypothermia. Be mindful to adjust your thermostats accordingly.

Caring for older adults’ mental health

In addition to physical health risks, older people are also more likely to suffer from loneliness or depression during the winter months. When the weather is grim, it’s easy for them to become isolated and avoid going out.

You can encourage them to stay active by going for short walks or doing some winter gardening. Or, if you live nearby, you can go out for lunch with family or friends. You can also hire companions

who’ll accompany them with their shopping needs or everyday home tasks. Getting out and about will also help older people maintain their circulation and stay fit.

Winter safety for seniors: Check the Car

If your relative still drives their car, make sure to have the car serviced before the snow falls. Driving in winter often means driving in poor conditions or, at best, poor lighting. Bringing the car for a check-up can ensure that it’s in good working order and will be safe to drive this winter. Talk to your loved one and make sure they’re still confident driving in bad weather conditions. It may help to provide alternatives forms of transport, i.e. paying for car service, taxi, Uber, and Lyft.

Cold weather safety for seniors

Make sure they wear sturdy footwear to prevent slips and falls. Spread salt on pathways and driveways to stop slippery surfaces. Check the car to ensure it’s in good working order. Install handrails for steps and other problematic outdoor areas.

Good winter mental health

Spend time together either on the phone or in person. Encourage them to get out in the community and meet new people. Exercising regularly is good for body and mind. Keep up healthy eating and sleep habits. Keep up with other appointments.

...making a difference

PJ Library Partners with Jewish Braille Institute

The partnership between PJ Library and JBI International (founded in 1931 as The Jewish Braille Institute) will enable families and loved ones of the blind and visually-impaired to be able to read books together. To start there will be a print version of four wonderful books for families: The Peddler, Hanukkah at Monica’s, Until the Blueberries Grow, and Jeremy's Dreidel. Each book will have a Braille transparency on each text page. For more information contact sharron@ocjf.org.

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!

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: office@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

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

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

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.

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

SERVICINGLAKEWOOD ANDSELECTAREASINTOMSRIVER

Shelly

Rabbi

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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.