Rosh Hashanah
October 3–4, 2024 1–2 Tishrei
Shemini Atzeret
October 24, 2024 22 Tishrei
Chanukah
Yom Kippur
October 12, 2024 10 Tishrei
Simchat Torah October 25, 2024 23 Tishrei
December 26–January 2, 2025 25 Kislev–2 Tevet
Pesach April 13–20, 2025 15–22 Nisan
Shavout June 2–3, 2025 6–7 Sivan
Sukkot
October 17–23, 2024 15–21 Tishrei
Purim March 14, 2025 14 Adar
Tisha B'Av August 3, 2025 9 Av
By Keith Krivitzky, Managing Director
Jewish Federation of Ocean County keith@ocjf.org www.jewishoceancounty.org www.jewishoceancounty.org/donate 732.363.0530
There are two key issues and events playing out right now as I write this, at least from my subjective perspective.
One is…this is a day since we learned about the execution of six hostages by Hamas gunmen in a tunnel under Gaza, including Hersh Goldberg-Polin, whose parents have been engaged in a desperate, lonely, and heroic struggle to save his life.
The other is the Presidential election in the United States, though I would frame the issue more broadly as wtf is wrong with many of those currently seeking
Deep Jewish and universal values infused all that they did, and they never lost sight of what was most important among humanity throughout their ordeal.
leadership roles…in the United States, Israel, and elsewhere.
You may be wondering what’s the connection here? Why am I tying these two very different issues together, other than their temporal proximity?
Here goes…
I have been bemoaning the lack of leadership among many of those who are in positions of leadership for quite a while. I think this is one of the single biggest challenges we face as a society, in the United States or Israel, and as a Jewish people. Many current and recent past occupants of these positions of power have not only been examples of poor leadership, they have been outright destructive to the fabric and solidarity that should unite and bind us together.
By Rabbi Michael S. Jay
Jewish
Community Center
of Long Beach Island, Spray Beach www.jccoflbi.org
There is no avoiding it, this past year has been tough. Ever since Simchat Torah, a mere 22 days into the Jewish New Year of 5784, Israel and the Jewish people have suffered grievously. We have been abused physically and emotionally. We learned that while the Jewish people have many allies, there is a large segment of the world that has vitriolic disdain for Israel, and the Jewish people. For many who believed that we were living in a “post antisemitism” world, there has been a rude awakening to the fact that the hatred continues.
During the JCC
Our Tradition has given us an awesome rubric with which to effect real change and return.
vices, we have continuously prayed for the hostages, for Israel, for the IDF, and for the Jewish people. Unfortunately, based on information coming from college campuses, as students are returning, serious issues still exist.
So many have asked me: “What can we do?”. I think that people have intuitively done one thing that is important. Many have begun to reach for their Judaism. We saw it in services and programming this summer. More people have been seeking Jewish connection. Whether it was spiritual, educational, or cultural, many more people came through our doors or joined us on Zoom. Many have also reached out to me to discuss our position in the world.
I think that “doing Jewish” is important
I could list example after example…but I don’t need to; you can do it yourself. And by that, I mean anyone who is able or decides to take off their partisan or ideological blinders can identify numerous failings all around. We seem to have forgotten that leadership doesn’t have anything to do with a wrestling match or being a sports fan – it’s not about just cheering for a team or focusing on making the wildest play or getting the loudest applause. Or at least it shouldn’t be.
When I think about what makes for good leadership, I think about:
• Bringing people together, building esprit de corps and community, uplifting people and empowering them – not dividing and conquering, sowing discord, or playing one group off against another.
• Facing difficult situations and making tough choices – based on smart considerations, listening to advice and feedback, relying on sound judgment and a values framework.
• Putting your own individual or parochial interests second, behind what those values dictate or what may be best for plurality of the people.
I am sure there is more – but for highlights, that’s what I want to see in a leader.
And on those merits so many of our leaders today are sorely lacking.
Except, at this point in time, I think there is a compelling example of leadership that stands out: Hersh’s parents, Jon and Rachel.
They stepped up to take a public role because they had to, as perhaps the only way to save their son. They have been singularly focused on empowering people, not dividing or demonizing them – even among those in Gaza who have enabled Hamas. They recognize that everyone has intrinsic value and their own story, and the way to reach people is to uplift and find the common ground that can unite us. Deep Jewish and universal values infused all that they did, and they never lost sight of what was most important among humanity throughout their ordeal.
They are truly special. And while their leadership emerged through deep trauma, what Jon and Rachel represented should be a lesson to all of us, especially those chasing after those leadership roles.
May Hersh’s memory be for a blessing.
now. On Friday night, light candles, say Kiddush, bless the Challah. Let your children and grandchildren know you are doing it. Invite them to join you, in person or on Facetime or Zoom. Seek Jewish programming on your streaming services. Read Jewish books, fiction or non-fiction.
Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur provide a perfect time and way to connect with our Jewish identity. The High Holy Days provide the perfect platform for renewal, repair, and hope. Indeed, I am going to talk about hope on Rosh Hashanah. Hope is the energy source that has driven our people for the last 3,000 years.
Judaism teaches that if you want to be an agent of change, the first thing you need to do is to change yourself. If we want to change what is happening in the world, our tradition provides a system for beginning the change that we seek.
The High Holy Days are about family, God, community, tradition, and personal growth. Our tradition tells us that it is a time to seek change and improvement.
However, since Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur essentially comprise only four days, the Rabbis recognized that it would be virtually impossible to achieve significant and positive change over such a short period of time.
To ensure that the Holy Days would have some significance, the Rabbis devised a plan whereby we would begin to work on ourselves in the 30 days leading up to Rosh Hashanah, during the entirety of the month of Elul (which began on September 4 this year). During this time, we say special prayers and blow the shofar every day to begin our preparation.
So how do we begin to assess and change? During Elul, consider the things about your “self” that you feel could use adjustment: Do you like the way you treat yourself or others? Do you use social media too often? Do you eat well? Do you say, “I love you” to your spouse, children, siblings, or parents? Do you work too hard? Do you work hard enough? Are you a responsible member of your various com-
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munities? Do you volunteer enough? Are you financially responsible? Have you spoken in defense of your people? Have you nurtured your “Jewish” self?
Our Tradition has given us an awesome rubric with which to effect real change and return. All we need to do is to tap into it. Only after we begin this process on ourselves, can we truly hope to be agents of change in this world of ours. Do the work, but feel free to reach out at any time with thoughts and questions.
And finally. If you have not been going to services for the Holy Days, or if you have gone and felt unconnected, this is the year to recharge your Jewish battery. Go to services and look for the strength that is in our tradition.
May this be a year of growth, a year of renewal, a year of health, a year of fulfillment, a year of kindness, and a year of reversing the anti-Jewish vitriol that the last year has thrust upon us.
L’Shanah Tova U'metukah Tikateivu (May we all be inscribed for a good and sweet New Year)!
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.
JFOC has been supporting the Lone Soldier Center in Memory of Michael Levin and Dror Israel since the beginning of the war. These are just two of the many programs you help support. Their efforts make a difference, and you help us make an impact.
The Lone Soldier Center operates seven Lone Soldier Residences located in Jerusalem, Herzliya and Petach Tikvah. Altogether the LSC houses more than 160 Lone Soldiers in men only, women only or co-ed facilities. The LSC takes care of paying the rent, furnishing the rooms, making the repairs, paying utilities, internet, television and regular cleaning of its residences. They are so popular that there are waiting lists for all the facilities. And through its network of amazing and committed volunteers, it provides warm, home-cooked Shabbat meals delivered right to the residences.
These residences are very popular amongst the Lone Soldier Community. They can relax, speak in their native tongue (English, French, Russian, Hebrew, etc.), be amongst others going through a similar experience, have time to meet up with friends at a cafe, not worry about
dealing with messy bureaucracies, not have to repair a leaky sink and enjoy home cooked Shabbat meals – evening and afternoon.
As Menachem Mizrahi, 20 years old, from Mexico City, relates:
"I remember the day I arrived for the first time at Michael Levin's Center. I was alone in a foreign country, with a great desire to enlist. My family is supportive, but far away, and in practice I knew nothing about the IDF. I simply arrived there and asked to enlist. From that moment everything changed.
“It was difficult and complicated, but I finally felt that I had someone with me, a family far from home – amazing people who pay attention to every detail, make sure I'm not alone and always have something to eat on Shabbat evening, take care of everything I need, take care of me. I don't know if I would have really succeeded in enlisting without the support of the association. You have to understand, it seems obvious to you, every boy or girl who grows up in Israel knows what this means from a very young age. I felt different, a stranger and there is no
one who really explains and guides me on the way to recruitment, only after the recruitment.
“The guys at Michael Levin accompanied me through a recruitment process that lasted much longer than expected, three times my recruitment was postponed (over a year!) and all the while they didn't give up on me. I would come almost every day to the association and meet the soldiers coordinator. Without them I would not have been able to enlist. Even during the period of the war, which is very confusing, I feel that I am lucky. I find myself talking again with the staff of the association, receiving support, the-
re are people there who understand me and what I am going through, and they are always available to me, at any hour by text messages, by phone. It's not easy, but with the support I'm getting I know I'll get through this period. The association is a part of me, a central part of my life story, the good part. Now I have a family abroad waiting for me and also a family here in Israel.”
Like Menachem, there are thousands of other young men and women who immigrated just to enlist and left a family and a whole life behind.
$200,000 Israel Emergency Campaign
(including a matching amount of $50,000 from the Jewish Federation of Ocean County)
CHICAGO, IL – In response to the increase in safety and security incidents stemming from antisemitic activity affecting Jewish students, faculty, and staff on university and college campuses, the Secure Community Network (SCN), the official safety and security organization for the Jewish community in North America, in partnership with Hillel International, has announced an effort to expand resources to over 50 college and university campuses as the fall semester gets underway.
“Operation SecureOurCampuses” will leverage SCN’s national, regional, and local resources, along with the national network of security professionals, to deploy critical resources to protect Jewish students at colleges and universities, to include: full-time intelligence analysts dedicated to monitoring campus developments and providing intelligence support; assessments of Jewish facilities on campuses; direct consultations on physical security and emergency plans and procedures; and enhanced coordination with law enforcement and public safety officials and centers of Jewish life, including fraternal organizations, religious institutions, and other campus groups.
SCN is also launching a new training initiative designed specifically for Jewish students, faculty, and staff that will be made available to the identified campuses. The training will provide Jewish
students with critical skills in situational awareness and instruction on what to do if confronted by protesters and demonstrators, how to report incidents, to include with law enforcement, and how to respond in potentially life-threatening situations. Operation SecureOurCampuses builds on the existing safety and security program SCN runs in partnership with Hillel International.
“Creating vibrant Jewish life on campus depends on having safe environments for Jewish college students, which is why we are so proud to work alongside SCN in strengthening our security support for campus Hillels worldwide,” said Adam Lehman, President and CEO of Hillel International. “Together, we will continue to invest in expanded security resources that facilitate safe and secure opportunities for students to take advantage of the broad array of Jewish experiences and programs available through Hillel and its partners.”
“The unacceptable threat environment for Jewish students, faculty, and staff on campuses across the country demands an immediate and robust response,” said SCN National Director and CEO Michael Masters. “We are committed to ensuring that members of the community feel safe and supported as they pursue their education. They should be able to walk across our campuses free from fear, harassment, or targeted violence. Operation SecureOurCampuses, coordinated
with key partners across the community and public safety, is a proactive measure to address these threats and work closely with our partners to protect every center of Jewish life on campus.”
Already, and ahead of the new academic year, SCN co-hosted a campus safety roundtable discussion with the Major Cities Chiefs Association, which had participation of law enforcement and public safety officials from 92 universities across 24 states, including representatives from the FBI, law enforcement association leaders, and Jewish security professionals. The roundtable resulted in 10 key recommendations for campus administrators and leadership to adopt to protect Jewish students and staff. These recommendations focus on proactive planning, enforcing established security policies and procedures, and close cooperation with law enforcement.
Additionally, Hillel’s Director of Campus Safety and Security, a member of SCN’s team, and the SCN Operations team have been preparing Jewish campus organizations with guidance and resources, including training, assessments, and event security planning. Since October 7, 2023, the team has trained over 200 individuals, briefed over 350 community members, and assisted in building security plans for over 10 events in partnership with Hillel International across more than 33 states.
By Michael G. Masters National Director & CEO Secure Community Network
As we approach the start of a new academic year and the High Holidays, the safety and security of our Jewish community has never been more critical, and our team – along with the entire network – of security professionals has never been harder at work to reinforce and expand our efforts.
Through critical initiatives like our Camp Security Initiative undertaken with the Foundation for Jewish Camp, our partnership with Hillel International and the surge of resources we are providing to campuses this fall through “Operation SecureOurCampuses,” and our annual High Holidays Safety & Security Webinar Series, our operational security efforts have extended beyond the normal state of play. We continue to enhance
our efforts to foster a renewed culture of preparedness, collaboration, communication, and support that empowers our community and allows them to feel safe navigating their daily lives.
Amidst the challenges that come with this unprecedented threat environment, I am heartened by the resilience and unity that I see emerging across our community. Throughout the country, Jewish organizations, educational institutions, and law enforcement agencies are putting our heads together and creating innovative solutions in service of our shared goal of ensuring that every member of our community can live, learn, and practice their faith without fear.
Whether you are a student returning to campus, a parent welcoming a child back from camp or sending them off to school, a congregant preparing for the holidays, or simply going about your
In advance of the start of the school year, Hillel International, along with other leading Jewish and educational partners, announced a series of recommendations to campus administrators on how to prepare for the fall and ensure the safety of Jewish students and their entire campus communities by enforcing their codes of conduct, maintaining clear reporting avenues for antisemitic incidents, and ensuring campus staff are trained to address violations of campus rules.
Following the October 7th Hamas terrorist attacks, SCN tracked 674 incidents of campus threats and suspicious activities targeting the Jewish community from October 7, 2023 through July 2024. During this period of unrest, many universities struggled to protect Jewish students and faculty who encountered hostile protests, unlawful encampments, violent incidents, and targeted harassment.
SCN’s campus security initiatives reflect a broader commitment to the safety and security of the Jewish community. By working closely with universities, law enforcement, Jewish organizations, and students, SCN is helping ensure that campuses remain places of learning, free from fear, violence, and unlawful intimidation.
daily life, know that we are working to ensure your safety. Your right to express your Jewish identity proudly and openly is paramount.
As the heightened threat environment persists, and shows no signs of abating, I take comfort in the unwavering faith in our community's strength and resilience.
Time and again, we have demonstrated that difficult times only serve to fortify our bonds, strengthen our resolve, and help us carry out our obligation to one another to continue the rich and enduring traditions of a proud people.
Stay safe.
On September 11, a special service was held next to the Angel in Anguish statue in Windward Beach Park in Brick on the 23rd anniversary of the 2001 terrorist attacks. The sculpture is of an angel resting its head on a gravestone. The stone bears a relief of the Twin Towers and the American flag. The memorial's base is inscribed with the names of eight Brick residents who perished in the attacks. The ceremony honored all first responders and remembered all tho-
se lost. Remarks were delivered by Mayor Lisa Crate, and readings from Psalms and prayers were read. The names of the eight individuals from Brick who were lost on that day were read and a bell rung for each name. Various members of the interfaith Brick Clergy Association participated, including Rabbi Robert Rubin of Temple Beth Or, Brick.
See photos on page 18.
Miriam Leisman Rubin, a rabbinical student at the Jewish Theological Seminary now studying in Israel, presented on “Israel at this Time” on August 18 for Temple Beth Or. Many current issues were discussed focusing on the crisis in Israel. The event was held at St. Thomas Lutheran Church which has been providing space for Temple Beth Or while awaiting the renovation of its new location. For information about upcoming events, call TBO at 732458-4700.
(photo credit: Sharon Monter)
The New Jersey Rabbinical Assembly will offer a Comprehensive Introduction to Judaism course of 24 sessions and will meet in three locations: Hoboken on Wednesday evenings, Morristown on Thursday evenings, and an all Remote Class via Zoom on Sunday mornings. Classes in Hoboken and Morristown will be in-person unless weather or COVID is an obstacle.
The course will be of interest to and oriented towards a wide variety of individuals, including those who are:
• Born Jews who want to learn more about their heritage and probe the depths of their Judaism;
• Those either considering or planning to convert to Judaism, generally attending along with their Jewish spouses/ significant others when they are in a relationship;
• Parents who are gentiles who want to play an active part in raising their Jewish children; and
• Those who would simply like to learn about the many facets of Judaism, including Jewish traditions, values, culture and spirituality.
By Ellen Keller
Forty-five Westlake residents sat in rapt attention on August 7 as Susan Addelston delivered remarks about Golda, perhaps the only woman of her time to be acknowledged by her first name. Golda, of course, refers to Golda Meir, the first female Prime Minister of Israel. As always, Susan proved to be the Social Studies teacher we all wish we had had in high school.
Golda was born in 1898 in Ukraine and came to America as a young child. Her parents settled in Milwaukee where Golda’s intellectual interests were apparent in elementary school. Married as a teen to Morris Myerson, Golda emigrated to what would be known as Israel shortly after. Although her husband hated his new homeland, Golda thrived and made a name for herself early on, as a founder of and later leader of the Labor Party.
Susan stressed how Golda, the wife and mother, seemed less important to Golda, than Golda, the Israeli leader. When Golda’s child was ill and had to be taken to America for treatment, Golda handed the child off to a friend and continued on her speaking tour in the States. Although she remained married, Golda began having lovers as early as 1926. She attended her husband’s funeral but never sat shiva (Jewish ritual after death).
ted States, refused to allow Jews to escape persecution.
A leader of Histadrut, an organization trying to get those Jews remaining out of Europe, she made impassioned speeches in the United States. Charged by Ben Gurion with raising five million for the new state, Golda raised 50 million! She had a good relationship with some of the Arab leaders like Arafat and Hussein. Her bottom line was that Israel has no choice but to fight and to exist. Her message rings true to the present time.
Neither broken bones nor lymphoma would stop Golda as she became a member of the Knesset, and later the first and only female Prime Minister of Israel from 1969 to 1974. She commanded Mossad to hunt down the Munich assassins with great success. One of her greatest disappointments was not conducting a preemptive strike prior to the Yom Kippur War, after listening to leaders such as Moshe Dayan, which lead to her resignation in 1974.
Golda’s story has been made into a Broadway play and many movies. Susan’s telling of the story was most moving, describing the conflict between the life of a private person and the public figure. Can a woman have it all?
Topics will include subjects ranging from the foundations of Judaism to the importance of Jewish community, from Jewish history to Jewish holidays, and from the richness of the Jewish way of life to the centrality of crucial life cycle events. Learning basic Hebrew reading is an integral component of the course. A complete list of topics can be found on the website below.
The class in Hoboken will take place on Wednesday evenings, 7:00-9:30 PM beginning on November 6; Morristown on Thursday evenings, 7:00-9:30 PM beginning on October 31; and an all Remote Class via Zoom on Sunday mornings from 9:30 AM – 12:00 PM beginning on November 3.
Full information and registration may be found at www.IntroJudaismNJ.com. Questions? Contact Program Administrator Ellen Nesson at 973-214-4553 or ellen.nesson@gmail.com.
Golda faced obstacles because she was a woman and battled on. In 1938 at the Evian meeting to discuss the fate of Jews under Nazi rule, she was not allowed to speak because of her gender. At that meeting, 32 nations, including the Uni-
Unfortunately, I had to listen to the talk on the phone because of COVID. Thanks to Nadia Massuda who stepped into my facilitator position and even provided strawberry parfaits (which I would not have done). Thanks to the generosity of the attendees who brought Susan’s “wages” as a contribution to the local animal shelter. Thanks to Susan who made us realize how wonderful Golda was!
Enrollment for 1st or 2nd Graders is only $500! The Hebrew School provides a welcoming and enriching environment for a child to explore Jewish traditions, culture, and language, Congregation Ahavat Olam, located in Howell at 106 Windeler Road, is thrilled to offer the special rate of $500 each year for a child’s first two years of Hebrew School. For more information contact CAO at 732-719-3500, Ext. 1.
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.
The community is invited to come together on Saturday night, September 28, at 8:00 PM for Selichot in the Round – a totally different participatory spiritual experience as we come together in prayer, song, niggunim wordless melodies, uplifting poetry and meditations on the theme of “Being Jewish in a Time of Turmoil.” Join with your community as together we begin our spiritual preparations to greet the new year of 5785.
This event is cosponsored by Temple
Beth Or (Brick) as this year’s host along with Congregation Ahavat Olam (Howell), Congregation B’nai Israel (Toms River), Beth Am Shalom (Lakewood) and the Jewish Federation of Ocean County and is being held at Beth Am Shalom, 1235 Highway 70 (westbound side), Lakewood. A reception will be served at 8:00 PM and will include Havdalah. The service begins at 8:30 PM. For further information, call the BAS Office at 732363-2800.
By Al Adler, Past Commander Department of New Jersey
How many of you have heard of the National Museum of American Jewish Military History?
The National Museum of American Jewish Military History documents and preserves the contributions of Jewish Americans to the peace and freedom of the United States of America. Its mission is to educate the public concerning the courage, heroism and sacrifices made by Jewish Americans while serving in the armed forces and to combat antisemitism and racism in all its forms.
The museum is located at 1811 R Street NW, Washington, DC. At the museum you can explore the exhibits that highlight the contributions of Jewish American men and women in the Armed Services. You will learn about the Jewish Experience in American Military History. Especially interesting is the museum’s collection of fascinating artifacts from the Revolutionary War to the present time.
If you plan to visit Washington, DC, please add the National Museum of American Jewish Military History to your itinerary. For information, call the NMAJMH at 202-265-6280.
The Jewish War Veterans issued a statement on the Medal of Honor and Presi-
dential Medal of Freedom from the JWV National Commander Colonel Barry Lischinsky (Ret.):
“The Jewish War Veterans of the USA wishes to address recent discussions in the news about the Medal of Honor and the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
“The Medal of Honor is our Nation’s highest military award, recognizing extraordinary acts of valor, bravery and heroism in combat during military service. It is essential that we honor the true significance of this medal. All recipients including the 18 Jewish Medal of Honor awardees, demonstrated remarkable courage and made profound sacrifices beyond the call of duty often making the ultimate sacrifice.
“While the Presidential Medal of Freedom is a prestigious civilian honor for major contributions to our Country or Global Affairs, it is important to remember that it differs significantly from military awards. Comparing civilian achievements to the sacrifices made by our military and veterans does not reflect the true nature of these honors.
“We believe it is crucial for everyone to understand the differences between these two awards. Respecting the sacrifices of our Veterans and upholding the integrity of our National honors is something we all strive for.”
Dating to the 1st Century BCE, the inscription was found on a repurposed piece of a stone column in a Roman building, near the city's entrance.
By Nir Hasson October 10, 2018 Haaretz.com
The 2,100-year-old Hebrew inscription on a piece of limestone unearthed in Jerusalem is the earliest-known mention of the full name of the city that is spelled as it is today, the Israel Antiquities Authority announced.
The name was inscribed on part of a Roman structure dating to the 1st Century BCE, which was discovered during a salvage excavation prior to the paving of a road near the Binyanei Ha'uma convention center, at the entrance to Jerusalem. The artifact was found by IAA archaeologist Danit Levy.
To be precise, the inscription is written in Aramaic, the local lingua franca of that era, in Hebrew letters, and appears on a stone column drum from an earlier building that was reused in the Roman structure. It reads: "Hananiah son of Dodalos of Jerusalem."
Inscriptions mentioning Jerusalem during the First and Second Temple periods (from about 1000 BCE to 70 CE) are extremely rare, and typically use abbreviated spellings of the city’s name, according to Israeli archaeologists Dr. Yuval Baruch, head of the IAA's Jeru-
salem district, and Prof. Ronny Reich, of the University of Haifa, who have researched the new find.
No other example of the fully spelled-out name of Jerusalem has been found to date on artifacts from such an ancient era. The only other known instance is an inscription on a coin from the Jews’ Great Revolt against the Romans, at the end of the Second Temple period.
Who Hananiah or his father Dodalos were will probably never be known, say the experts. Hananiah was a common name in ancient Jerusalem, as it is to some degree today as well.
Dodalos is another story: Baruch and Reich suspect it may be a variation of Daedalus, the name of an artist and craftsman in ancient Greek mythology. Perhaps, says Baruch, the Jewish Dodalos and his son Hananiah were craftsmen as well –employed at the ancient pottery factory that was also unearthed in the vicinity.
David Mevorach, senior curator of Hellenistic, Roman and Byzantine archaeology at the Israel Museum, where the ins-
cription was put on display, notes that the person who wrote the inscription must have wanted to stress that the Hananiah in question, whoever he was, hailed from Jerusalem. Since the piece of limestone bearing the name was repurposed, says Mevorach, it is not possible to know its original location.
Baruch explains that the city’s name is an amalgamation of two ancient Canaanite words: “Yeru” (founded) and “Shalem” (the name of an important Canaanite god); thus, the name means “the city founded by the god Shalem.”
The common, ancient form of the city's name, pronounced "Yerushalem," was spelled with only one Hebrew letter yod, whereas the modern version, pronounced "Yerushalayim," has two yods. During the Second Temple era, Baruch says, the city was usually referred to as Yerushalem. (There are other theories for the origin of the city's name.)
Baruch and Reich note that the unusual full spelling, with that second yod, appears only four times in the Bible – out
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The Jewish Federation helped to build Israel. Today, we help keep it strong.
Deuteronomy/Devarim 8:7-8
2,700-year-old stone seal is inscribed with the words “Yeho’ezer son of Hosh’ayahu”; its image of a protective winged demon or genie betrays Assyrian influence.
By Gavriel Fiske
August 29, 2024 timesofisrael.com
Arare and unique First Temple period stone seal that features paleo-Hebrew script and an image of a protective demon or genie has been discovered in Jerusalem, the Israel Antiquities Authority announced on August 29.
The small, black stone seal is “one of the most beautiful ever discovered in excavations in ancient Jerusalem, and is executed at the highest artistic level,” Dr.
Yuval Baruch and Navot Rom, IAA excavation directors, said in the statement.
The seal was discovered in the Davidson Archaeological Garden, just south of the Temple Mount in Jerusalem’s Old City, during ongoing excavations jointly conducted by the Israel Antiquities Authority and the City of David Foundation.
The artifact, thought by experts to be some 2,700 years old, is engraved with the words “LeYehoʼezer ben Hoshʼayahu” –“For Yeho’ezer son of Hosh’ayahu” – in paleo-Hebrew script. The words are in mirror writing so that the seal could be
used to impress the words into wax. It is likely that the owner was a senior official during the Kingdom of Judah and used the seal to sign documents or certificates, the IAA said.
The seal, which has a hole running through it so that it could be attached to a chain and worn around the neck, also features an image of a winged figure, thought to be a demon or genie, that shows an Assyrian influence.
The image is “depicted in profile… with wings; wearing a long, striped shirt, and striding towards the right. The figure has a mane of long curls covering the nape of the neck, and on its head is a hat or a crown. The figure raises one arm forward, with an open palm; perhaps to suggest some object it is holding,” the IAA said.
“This is an extremely rare and unusual discovery. This is the first time that a winged ‘genie’ – a protective magical figure – has been found in Israeli and regional archaeology. Figures of winged demons are known in the Neo-Assyrian
art of the 9th-7th Centuries BCE, and they were considered a kind of protective demon,” Dr. Filip Vukosavović, an assyriologist and IAA archaeologist, said of the seal.
It seems the seal originally contained just the image of the winged figure, and the text was inscribed later. At first, the item was probably “worn as an amulet around the neck of a man named Hoshʼayahu, who held a senior position in the Kingdom of Judah’s administration,” the IAA said.
When Hosh’ayahu died, his son Yeho’ezer inherited the seal, and he “added his name and his father’s name on either side of the demon,” in an effort to “directly appropriate to himself the beneficial qualities he believed the talisman embodied as a magical item,” the archaeologists hypothesized.
The paleo-Hebrew inscription “was done in a sloppy manner,” unlike the “careful engraving of the demon,” indicating that it could have been “Yehoʼezer himself who engraved the names on the object,”
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of a total of 660 mentions of the name of the holy city: in Jeremiah 26:18, Esther 2:6, II Chronicles 25:1, and II Chronicles 32:9.
Not that the context was necessarily a pleasant one. The first mention of the name, in Jeremiah, is:
“Micah the Morasthite prophesied in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah, and spoke to all the people of Judah, saying, Thus saith the Lord of hosts: Zion shall be plowed like a field, and Jerusalem shall become heaps [ruins].”
Near the place where the inscription was unearthed during the roadwork in
the city, archaeologists have found what appears to be the site of a pottery factory, which they believe operated for at least 300 years, from the Hasmonean period up until the end of the Roman era.
“This is the largest ancient pottery production site in the region of Jerusalem,” says IAA archaeologist Levy, who adds that during Roman times – notably during the reign of King Herod the Great – the factory initially produced cooking vessels, but later manufactured roofing tiles, bricks and pipes. Among the discoveries at the site were remains of kilns for firing the pottery, storage areas, plastered water cisterns, and ritual baths – a sign of the Jewish presence there.
Continued from page 9
explained Prof. Ronny Reich of the University of Haifa, who partnered in the research.
The name Yeho’ezer appears in the Bible in “its abbreviated form” of Yo’ezer, one of King David’s warriors mentioned in Chronicles I 12:7, the IAA noted. Also, in Jeremiah (43:2), which depicts events thought to have occurred during the same period that the seal was in use, the name “Azariah ben Hosh’aya” appears. “Hosh’aya” is the abbreviated form of Hoshʼayahu.
The winged figure on the seal is “in a distinct Neo-Assyrian style” that is “unique and very rare in the glyphic styles of the late First Temple period,” IAA archaeologist Baruch said. This shows the “clearly evident” influence of the ascendant Assyrian Empire, “which had conquered the entire region,” he said. “Judah in general, and Jerusalem in particular at that time, was subject to the hegemony of the Assyrian Empire and was influenced by it – a reality also reflected in cultural and artistic aspects,” he explained.
The owner “chose a demon to be the insignia of his personal seal,” showing “that he belonged to the broader cultural context, just like people today in Israel who see themselves as part of Western culture,” Baruch said. “Yet within that feeling, this Yehoʼezer also held firmly onto his local identity, and thus his name is written in Hebrew script, and his name is a Hebrew name, which belongs to Judah’s culture,” he added.
This dual nature of the artifact, containing both Judaic and Assyrian elements, shows “the extent of Assyrian culture’s influence in our region, and especially in Jerusalem,” something that in recent years has become increasingly evident due to the ongoing excavations in the Old City and the City of David, Baruch said.
More information about the seal is to be presented to the public at the annual “City of David Research Conference,” which takes place on Wednesday, September 4 in Jerusalem.
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By Sarah Rochel Hewitt, Jewish Treats by NJOP (formerly National Jewish Outreach Program)
Rosh Hashana – The Five Names In Jewish tradition, Rosh Hashana has several names that can help us understand the importance and power of this holiday.
Rosh Hashana literally means “Head of the Year” because Rosh Hashana marks the point when we begin the new calendar year (e.g. from 5778 to 5779).
Yom Harat Olam is translated as “The Birthday of the World.”
Yom Hazikaron is translated as “The Day of Remembering.”
Yom Hadin is translated as “The Day of Judgment.”
Yom Teruah is translated as “The Day of Sounding (the Shofar).” This is the actual name that the holiday is called in the Torah.
OK, so there are five different names for the holiday. What is the significance of that? How do these different themes relate to each other?
The Teruah is the staccato sound blown on the shofar. Yom Teruah serves as a call to attention because this day is Yom Hadin, the Day of Judgment, and it is imperative that one be cognizant of the importance of the day.
It is the Day of Judgment because it is Yom Hazikaron, the day on which God looks back and “remembers” our deeds, individually, collectively and historically (a record of over 4,000 years of Jewish history).
Why is this the Day of Remembrance? Because it is the anniversary of the creation of the world (Yom Harat Olam). Since the annual cycle is closing, it is the perfect time for reflection and judgment. This new beginning allows us to enter the new year with a clean slate.
And since the old year and the new year are seamless, this day is also Rosh Hashana, the head of the year.
Yom Kippur –The Five Prohibitions
“...on the tenth of the month, you shall afflict your souls and do no work at all... for on that day God will forgive you and cleanse you, that you may be clean from all your sins before God” (Leviticus 16:29-30).
How does one “afflict one’s soul”? The
oral law enumerates the following five restrictions:
Fasting (No eating or drinking) - From sunset on the eve of Yom Kippur until nightfall the next day, it is forbidden to eat or drink. However, those who are ill, as well as pregnant and nursing women, should and, in some cases, must, eat on Yom Kippur, as decided by their rabbi in consultation with their doctor. In such cases the rabbi should also be consulted about specific details of eating on Yom Kippur. Additionally, girls below the age of 12 and boys below the age of 13 are not required to fast.
Washing - During the fast, one may not wash for pleasure, but one may wash to get rid of dirt or when preparing food (e.g. for children). One may also bathe a baby.
Anointing - It is forbidden to anoint oneself with oil. Thus, the use of perfumes, liquid or cream make-up, suntan lotion, and other such items is prohibited.
Wearing Leather Shoes - During the fast it is forbidden to wear leather shoes. Some people wear only socks, but others wear shoes of canvas or other non-leather materials (i.e. Crocs).
Marital Relations - It is forbidden to have marital relations.
It may seem that refraining from the above actions would make one focus on the body, due to hunger or thirst, or the discomfort of not washing. However such discomforts are temporary and, in fact, turn one’s attention back to the importance of the day and the fact that we can transcend physical discomfort in order to connect with the spirit of the day.
Sukkot – More Than A Harvest Festival – The Sukkah
Few people refer to Sukkot by the name Chag Ha’Asif, Feast of the Ingathering, but the Torah specifically states: “And you shall observe...the Feast of Ingathering at the turn of the year” (Exodus 34:22). Perhaps this term is avoided lest the holiday be mistaken as a simple agricultural celebration. But, Sukkot is indeed an agricultural festival celebrated at the time of the harvest, when farmers bring in the fruits of their labor, and everyone prepares for the onset of winter. There is no question that, as a result of witnessing the miracle of harvest in the field, people are moved to be thankful to the Creator of all things.
Sukkot, however, is more than a harvest festival, because it isn’t actually about the crop. It is a festival meant to help Jews focus on the Source of those crops. This is why Jews move out of their comfortable homes and into their temporary dwellings (the sukkah) just as the weather grows chilly. It is a striking reminder that there is a more powerful Force in charge of one’s success. One can plant and sow and fertilize at all the right times, but one can only reap if God provides all of the right natural factors (good soil, proper amounts of rain at the right time, the farmer’s health, etc.).
While many today may not live in agricultural settings, that does not mean that we are not constantly dependent on a force greater than ourselves. No matter what profession one practices, one’s success is affected by thousands of different factors each day. While we may not personally gather our crops, we must always celebrate and be grateful for, and aware of, the Source of our sustenance.
Sukkot – Everyone Does the Wave – The Four Species
One of the main mitzvot of the holiday of Sukkot is the waving of the four species: citron (etrog), palm (lulav), myrtle (hadassim) and willow (aravot). Trying to understand this mitzvah metaphorically, our sages compared the four species to four different types of Jews:
The fruit of a “beautiful tree” (etrog) has both taste and scent, and is symbolic of those Jews who are well-versed in Torah and who have performed many good deeds.
The branch of the palm tree (lulav) has taste but no scent, and is symbolic of those Jews who are well-versed in Torah but have not performed good deeds.
The boughs of myrtle (hadassim) have scent but no taste, and are symbolic of those Jews who have performed many good deeds, but have not studied Torah.
The willows of the stream (aravot) have no taste and no scent, and are symbolic of those Jews who have neither studied Torah nor performed good deeds.
When the four species are brought together, they represent the complete spectrum of the Jewish people. Acknowledging our different strengths and weaknesses is critical not only in creating harmony among people, but in creating a unified nation.
Creating a unified nation represents the ideal state of the Jewish people. It was in a state of true unity that the Jewish people camped at Mount Sinai to receive the Torah, and it can only be as a unified whole that we can reach our full potential once again.
Shemini Atzeret/Simchat Torah –One More Time to Rejoice Shemini Atzeret, literally the Gathering of the Eighth, a connected, yet independent holiday, that immediately follows Sukkot.
During the seven days of Sukkot, when the Temple stood in Jerusalem, 70 bulls were sacrificed representing the original 70 nations of the world. The priests brought sin offerings for the nations, invoking a desire for universal atonement, peace and harmony.
Because of Sukkot’s focus on all nations, God ordained Shemini Atzeret to demonstrate God’s special love for the Jewish people – comparable to a host asking his/ her best friend to stay after everyone else has left, in order to share a private moment and relish the time spent together.
Shemini Atzeret also doubles as the holiday of Simchat Torah (Rejoicing in the Torah), which marks the conclusion of the yearly cycle of the reading of the Torah. On the same day that the Torah is completed, it is begun again, to show that Torah is always new and fresh and that our mitzvah to study Torah is neverending.
On the night of Simchat Torah (which is the second night of the holiday outside of the land of Israel), all the Torah scrolls are removed from the ark. The bimah (platform or table on which Torah is read) is circled seven times by those holding the Torah scrolls with the congregation dancing joyously with them. Each encirclement, called a hakafa, begins with a responsive prayer. During the morning service, all the Torahs are again taken from the ark, and the hakafot, the joyous circling of the night before, are repeated. The final parasha (weekly portion) of the Torah, V’zot Ha’bracha (And this is the blessing...) is read. The final parasha is read over and over until everyone has been called to the Torah. In some congregations, several Torah readings take place simultaneously. Shortly thereafter, the beginning of the Book of Genesis is read, signaling that the Torah reading cycle has begun anew.
By Keith Krivitzky, Managing Director Jewish Federation of Ocean County
When Israel was attacked on October 7 and afterwards, our community stepped up. Yet, we now know the struggle faced by Israel and the Jewish community is even greater.
• So many hostages are still missing.
• The suffering of those who were captured is indescribable. (And one of our grantees was instrumental in bringing the evidence of sexual abuse to light.)
• The trauma and PTSD faced by those who fought back and who have lost loved ones is and will be significant.
• Tens of thousands are still internal refugees in Israel and unable to return home due to rockets and mortar attacks in the North and the South.
• The struggle does not just affect those in Israel – antisemitism is rampant; university leaders have lost their way and any pretense of moral clarity; and so many have lost any sense of context and balance when it comes to Israel and Palestine.
We need to do more. And, together, we can make a significant difference.
The aim of Israel Response Fund is simple - to help counter antisemitism and counter efforts to delegitimize and castigate Israel unfairly. This will build on our Israel Emergency Campaign and programs to counter hate in Ocean County, on campus, and in the broader community.
Give to the Israel Response Fund online at www.jewishoceancounty.org/IsraelResponse or send a check to JFOC, 1235a Route 70, Lakewood, NJ 08701.
We know from our long history that hate snowballs. And what makes a difference in countering this trend is standing up, pushing back, and defending our rights.
Amid an upswell of women in a typically male pursuit, Elke Bentley took advantage of newly available resources and a changing landscape to achieve her goal.
By Jackie Hajdenberg
July 29, 2024 timesofisrael.com
JTA – When she was 14 years old, Elke Bentley could hear her father’s online Talmud classes through the wall between her bedroom and his home office in Brookline, Massachusetts. The 5:00 AM start time for the daily Talmud learning her father had begun attending during the COVID-19 pandemic didn’t stop Elke from pulling her chair up to the wall and
marking up in pencil her own copy of the Talmud, listening along to the men’s-only class.
Daf Yomi, a regimen of page-a-day Talmud learning that stretches over seven and a half years, is an endeavor typically reserved for men. But Bentley had heard of people who had completed learning the Babylonian Talmud by the age of 20. And she wanted to be one of them.
Now back from her gap year in Israel, Bentley has completed a remarkable achievement in Jewish text study by reading her way through the Talmud – more than 2,700 double-sided pages of densely printed Hebrew and Aramaic text, commentary and footnotes – in just two and a half years. Bentley is also a musician and heading to Harvard University in the fall. And she’s just 18.
“If I had been a boy, I’m not sure if I would have finished Shas,” Bentley, an only child, told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, employing an acronym often
used to refer to the entire Talmud. “I would be learning other things. I would be learning way more in-depth, and I would be learning way more stuff and way different stuff and I would have access to way more resources.”
“Part of the reason why I wanted to do that is because that’s what I had access to,” she added. “Even if there wasn’t the Daf Yomi shiur [lesson] from my father, there’s Daf Yomi shiurs online.”
Studying the Talmud at this fast pace, called bekiut, or surface-style learning, has its benefits and drawbacks. (Bentley began learning at this pace when she was 16, utilizing the skills from her father’s Zoom class.) “What it gives you is scope: It gives you a sense of all the different stuff that’s in the Talmud,” explained Rabbanit Leah Sarna, director of high school programs at Drisha, an institute for advanced Jewish learning that was initially just for women when it was founded in 1979 in New York. “I think it gives you access to a lot of vocabulary
Lakewood
Friday, September 6
10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Ocean County Library 301 Lexington Ave.
• Social Security cards
• Proof of income for all household members 18 years and older
• Government-issued ID for applicant
• Deed or rental lease
• Recertification form (if applicable)
• Recent natural gas and electricity bills
Jackson
Wednesday, September 18
9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Jackson Township Senior Center 45 Don Connor Blvd.
Bayville
Friday, October 4
10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Saint Barnabas Church – Fr. Brennan Hall 33 Woodland Rd.
Toms River
Wednesday, October 16
10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
JBJ Soul Kitchen 1769 Hooper Ave.
and concepts that other people who go at a slower pace might not access.”
“On the flip side, you’re not learning all of the classic commentaries and questions and things like that,” she added. “But when you do this at a young age, what you’ve gained is scope. And then you go back and you do it more slowly, and you read all the commentaries and ask all the questions and you bring that whole scope into those questions. So, it all just builds on each other.”
Bentley said her favorite way to learn, though, is in-depth, or b’iyun. “Just because I learned it once in this very surface, fast way, doesn’t mean that I’m not going to do it again, and again, and again, and again,” she said.
Continued on page 24
Toms River
Friday, September 13
10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Saint Luke’s Catholic Church 1674 Old Freehold Rd.
Brick
Friday, September 27
10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Church of the Visitation 755 Mantoloking Rd.
Little Egg Harbor
Monday, October 7
10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Little Egg Harbor Community Center 319 West Cala Breeze Way
Bayville
Monday, October 21
10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Berkeley Township Recreation Center 630 Atlantic City Blvd.
Long Beach Island
Tuesday, September 17
10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saint Francis Community Center 4700 Long Beach Blvd.
Toms River
Saturday, September 28
10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Church of Grace and Peace 1563 Old Freehold Rd.
Barnegat
Friday, October 11
10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Ocean Township Community Center 239 11th St.
Scan here to learn more
This year more than ever it is important to build and honor a Community of Caring - and to recognize those heroes who stand up against hate here and in Israel
Wednesday, December 18, 2024
Please save the date and plan to join us at our annual meeting. We come together as a Community of Caring and we honor our Heroes Against Hate. More information and the announcement of Heroes to follow.
Relatives of Farhan al-Qadi rush to hospital to see him after nearly 11 months in captivity, but celebrations tempered by concerns for 108 hostages remaining in Gaza.
By Times of Israel Staff
August 27, 2024 timesofisrael.com
His jallabiya flapping in the wind, Hatem al-Qadi raced across the manicured lawns and sun-drenched sidewalks of Soroka Hospital in Beersheba. Running alongside several other men, relatives mostly, al-Qadi sprinted through hospital corridors toward his goal.
It had been 326 days since he had seen his brother Farhan al-Qadi, over 7,800 hours since Farhan had been abducted while working as a guard in a kibbutz factory near the Gaza border, held captive in unimaginable conditions, some 470,000 gut-wrenching minutes that the al-Qadi clan had spent worrying he was being tortured, beaten or worse. Hatem did not intend to wait a second longer than necessary to be reunited with his brother.
Back together in a hospital room, as more and more joyous relatives crowded in the hallways outside, Hatem pulled out his phone and snapped a selfie, his toothy grin filling the frame.
In the background Farhan, who hours earlier had been deep inside a tunnel in southern Gaza, even managed to crack a smile.
The news that Farhan had been rescued Tuesday by Israel Defense Forces troops sent shockwaves through the al-Qadi family, including his two wives and 11 children.
Across the country, word that one of the 100-plus hostages remaining in Gaza had been whisked to safety in an operation the army called “brave and complex” provided a rare bright spot after over 10 months of war, upheaval and grief.
“It’s even better than the arrival of a new baby,” Hatem al-Qadi told Hebrew language media from the hospital, unable to stop smiling. “The truth is we didn’t think he would come back, but this is a great surprise, praise God.”
When he was found by troops in a tunnel in southern Gaza, alone without captors or fellow hostages, al-Qadi became just the eighth hostage to be rescued alive since the start of the war; military officials have made clear that recovering those remaining, including the remains of 34 hostages confirmed dead by the IDF, will likely require a swap agreement with the Hamas terror group.
Hailing from the Al Qasoum area near the predominantly Arab Bedouin city of Rahat in southern Israel, al-Qadi was working as a guard at the Kibbutz Magen packing house outside Gaza on October 7 when Hamas launched its unprecedented assault on Israel. Some 1,200 people were killed as Hamas-led terrorists carried out brutal massacres across the south, and 251 people were abducted and taken to Gaza, among them al-Qadi, who was snatched from an area near the nearby community of Mivtahim. “We still don’t believe it. Ten months we waited for something,” a cousin of al-Qadi told Channel 12 news.
Soroka Hospital said al-Qadi appeared to be in good health, though additional checkups would be needed. In a video of him speaking by phone to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, he appeared in good spirits, telling the premier, “I’m also happy, I waited for his moment, I swear.”
Referring to Netanyahu as “Abu Yair,” in line with the Arabic naming conventions, al-Qadi thanked him “for this work, that you all got me to a situation where I can see my family and be here. You all did holy work, holy work you did. There are others who are waiting.”
In a call with President Isaac Herzog, who earlier said he was “overjoyed” by the rescue, al-Qadi was less sanguine, praising Israel and the IDF for extricating him but also telling him that “people are suffering there, every minute… do everything to bring people home. People are suffering, suffering, you can’t imagine it.”
Prof. Hagai Levine, head of the medical and resilience team of the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, said al-Qadi could expect a lengthy recovery process. “After a few days, they start to realize what they’ve been through,” he said of other hostages who had been rescued.
Hatem said his brother was feeling well, if a little thin, and had wanted to know how his family was. “He saw two or three of his brothers, asked after family, after his mother, I calmed him that everything was fine,” he told the press after leaving his brother’s room.
Levine called Fadi’s rescue a “ray of light” but added, “We need to remember that we don’t know what the health condition of the other 108 hostages is,” and called for the government to reach a deal to free the remaining hostages.
Politicians, campaigners and others were also swift to celebrate the rescue, even as the jubilation was tempered by the plight of those remaining in Gaza. “Finally good news,” Labor MK and former party chief Merav Michaeli tweeted, insisting that Israel “must not wait for more successful operations, a deal must be closed now and all 108 hostages returned home.”
The message was repeated by other opposition politicians, including Yesh Atid MK Yoav Segalovitz, who highlighted the fact that al-Qadi was being reunited with his relatives while the family of recovered hostage Haim Peri was burying their loved one who had been killed while in captivity. “We need to remember that [Peri] was alive and we could have
saved him,” Segalovitz told Army Radio. “Especially given the success of today’s operation, we need to say, rescues won’t bring home 108 hostages; a deal will.”
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich of the far-right Religious Zionism party, who has threatened to bolt the government if fighting in Gaza ends as part of a hostage release deal, crowed over al-Qadi’s rescue, while also calling for increased military pressure to bring home the hostages.
“Each person is a whole world, and we have many more worlds to return home. We will do this with determination, courage and wisdom,” tweeted Likud MK Yuli Edelstein, the chairman of the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee.
Rahat mayor Talal al-Kranawi said he met with al-Qadi at the hospital, saying his rescue could give hope for others whose loved ones are in Gaza. “We’re all happy; everyone in Israel is glad Farhan is home,” he said. “He spent a lot of time underground, but he is starting to see the light and the sun, and that gives him hope.”
According to the Ynet news site, al-Qadi told others that his captors fled as troops approached, but he was afraid to move due to concerns there could be booby traps. Speaking to Herzog, al-Qadi recalled the moment he was found. “When I heard Hebrew outside the door, I couldn’t believe it. Didn’t believe it.”
Goldberg-Polin’s family has ‘broken hearts’; Gat did yoga with hostage children; Lobanov never met his child; Yerushalmi’s sisters heard her being kidnapped; Danino turned car around to rescue others; Sarusi’s girlfriend was also murdered.
By ToI Staff
September 1, 2024 timesofisrael.com
The bodies of six hostages abducted by Hamas on October 7 were recovered overnight from a tunnel in southern Gaza’s Rafah, shortly after they were murdered by terrorists, the Israel Defense Forces announced. All six had been kidnapped alive to the Strip.
The hostages were Hersh Goldberg-Polin, 23, Eden Yerushalmi, 24, Ori Danino, 25, Alex Lobanov, 32, Carmel Gat, 40, and Almog Sarusi, 27. Goldberg-Polin, Yerushalmi, Lobanov, Sarusi and Danino (an off-duty noncommissioned officer) were abducted from the Nova music festival near Kibbutz Re’im. Gat was taken from Kibbutz Be’eri.
Hersh Goldberg-Polin
The night before 23-year-old Israeli-US citizen Hersh Goldberg-Polin was taken hostage by Hamas terrorists at the Supernova desert rave, he ate dinner with his family and then left at 11 PM to go camping. His mother, Rachel Goldberg, last heard from Hersh early in the morning on October 7, when her son sent two WhatsApp messages, one telling his parents he loved them, the other saying, “I’m sorry.”
After speaking to several of Hersh’s close friends, they were able to figure out that Hersh and his best friend, Aner Shapira, went to the rave. The two were last seen at a crowded field shelter, filled with people who tried to escape from the Hamas attack on the party on the morning of October 7. Goldberg-Polin’s arm was blown off from the elbow as Hamas te-
rrorists lobbed grenades into the shelter. Shapira threw at least half a dozen grenades back out of the shelter before he was killed.
Goldberg-Polin was seen alive in a video released by terrorists in April. His parents had campaigned prominently for his release, frequently meeting with US President Joe Biden and other officials. In a brief statement, Goldberg-Polin’s family said that they had “broken hearts.”
Carmel Gat
Carmel Gat, 40, an occupational therapist from Tel Aviv, was visiting her parents in Kibbutz Be’eri on October 7 when Hamas terrorists attacked, killing her mother, Kinneret. Gat was taken captive, as was her brother Alon, sisterin-law Yarden Roman-Gat, and niece Geffen, who were also visiting. Alon and his three-year-old daughter, Geffen, were able to escape their captors on October 7 and remained free. His wife Yarden, 36, also initially escaped but was recaptured. She was held hostage in Gaza and released on November 29 during a temporary ceasefire. With the release of dozens of hostages, the family received word that Carmel was alive and had been kept captive with some children and did yoga once a day with them.
Alex Lobanov
Alex Lobanov, 32, was the head barman at the Nova party. At the time of the attack, his wife Michal was five months pregnant. She has since given birth. The couple also has a two-year-old. The young family lives in Ashkelon, where Alex cared for his parents, who both have physical disabilities. “He’s the guy who worries about everyone else,” wrote a friend.
Eden Yerushalmi
Eden Yerushalmi, 24, a bartender from Tel Aviv, had gone to the Nova party with a group of friends. When the terrorists attacked the rave, she called her older sister, Shani, who stayed on the phone with her for hours, along with their younger sister, May. They were on the line with Yerushalmi when she hid in a car with friends who had been murdered, pretending to be dead. They stayed on the line when she went to hide in thorny bushes.
They reminded her to breathe. For four hours, the three sisters were on the phone together, until they heard gunshots and Yerushalmi cried, “Shani, they caught me!” After that, the phone went dead.
Master Sgt. Ori Danino, 25, an off-duty noncommissioned officer who attended the Nova rave, initially escaped the attack but went back to try and save others. Danino and a friend left the party in separate vehicles, filling the cars with as many people as possible to help them escape the Hamas killing spree. At one point, Danino asked his friend for the phone number of people they had just met at the party, telling him that he was going to go back to rescue them –siblings Itay Regev and Maya Regev, and Omer Shem-Tov. That was the last time Danino’s friend heard from him. Danino is from an ultra-Orthodox family in Jerusalem. He was engaged to be married to Liel. His brother said: “I’m sorry I couldn’t do everything.” Danino served as a signals officer in the Paratroopers Brigade’s 202nd Battalion.
Almog Sarusi
Almog Sarusi, 27, was at the Nova party with his girlfriend, Shahar Gindi, a psychology student at Ariel University. Shahar’s body was later found. According to the Kan public broadcaster, Sarusi had stayed to try and help Shahar after she was injured, at which point he was kidnapped. He loved to travel round the country with his guitar. “A guy full of life and light,” the outlet said.
From JFNA August 2, 2024 jewishfederations.org
Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA) and American Jewish Committee (AJC) issued an open letter on August 2 to media organizations, calling on them to “do better and report on all developments with clarity and accuracy” following inadequate coverage of the July 27 Hezbollah rocket attack on a Druze village in northern Israel that murdered 12 kids and teens.
The letter, signed by AJC CEO Ted Deutch and JFNA President and CEO Eric Fingerhut, called out coverage from outlets including The Washington Post, CNN, and the BBC, which was incomplete, lacked balance, and was too willing to report Hezbollah’s denial of responsibility for the murders of the youths even though the terror group had earlier taken credit for the attack.
The letter also cautions that, at a time when tensions in the Middle East have never been higher and antisemitism is at record levels across the globe, inaccurate, incomplete, or disingenuous reporting about Israel can foster antisemitism and anti-Israel animus.
Here is the text of the letter (from here to the end of this article):
An Open Letter to the Media: What You Keep Getting Wrong in Israel Coverage
On Saturday, July 27, a Hezbollah rocket strike next to a soccer field in the northern Israeli town of Majdal Shams left 12 Israeli Druze children dead and dozens more injured. Far too many media outlets downplayed this tragedy as just another episode in the Middle East conflict, as if these senseless deaths matter less because the children and teens murdered were Israelis.
From JFNA September 1, 2024 jewishfederations.org
JThose who looked to the media for clarity and fact-based coverage likely struggled, as many outlets painted an all-too-familiar distorted picture. Perhaps the worst offender was The Washington Post, whose July 29 front page featured a photo of Israeli Druze families mourning a murdered child, yet the headline said, “Israel hits targets in Lebanon.” Not only does the headline fail to mention the kids who were murdered, or reference their grieving families, but it also invites the reader to conclude that Israel was responsible for the attack.
That egregious error of judgment built on the Post’s front-page Sunday article, one of whose headlines declared, “Hezbollah denies responsibility for fatal rocket strike,” as if leading with its denial – despite clear evidence to the contrary – superseded the horrific loss of life. The Hezbollah-controlled Al Mayadeen had swiftly reported that Hezbollah, Iran’s proxy in Lebanon, took credit for the attack. But 40 minutes later, when it became apparent that Druze children were killed, it desperately sought to change the narrative. The media unflinchingly obliged.
Anyone relying on the Associated Press would have initially been led to believe this was nothing more than another border skirmish. Its story headlined “Israel, Hezbollah Exchange Kills 3 Militants and Injures 11 in Israel-Occupied Golan Heights,” offered no clue about the scope of the tragedy, though the fact that three terrorists were killed was somehow deemed the most important event. While the story was later updated, the AP went into contortions trying to give Hezbollah a fair shake, taking space to speculate on whether the Majdal Shams strike was an accident, as if that should matter.
CNN also effectively gave Hezbollah the benefit of the doubt. A post on X called the attack one on a “soccer field in Israeli-controlled Golan Heights that Israel bla-
ewish Federations are devastated at the news that Hamas has killed six more hostages, among them the American Hersh Goldberg-Polin z”l,
mes on Hezbollah.” Beyond joining other media in reflexively adding an adjective in front of Golan Heights – as if that somehow rationalized the bombing – CNN ignored the fact that Hezbollah had taken credit for the strike two hours earlier.
Moreover, virtually every dispatch about the attack noted Hezbollah’s denial of responsibility, yet only some of these same articles cited the U.S. and Israeli evidence-based conclusion that Hezbollah is responsible. In stark contrast, many of these same news outlets immediately reported the false Hamas accusation that Israel had destroyed a hospital in Gaza last October. When evidence quickly surfaced that the explosion was caused by a Palestinian Islamic Jihad missile that hit the hospital’s parking lot, those same media outlets were slow to walk back their reporting, if at all.
Journalists are trained to report both sides of a story. But that does not mean they should go looking for a side when one is not there. Case in point: the coverage of the assassination of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh. Even if he was not a military commander, make no mistake, his hands were dripping with the blood of thousands of innocents, and few others have failed the Palestinian people in the ways he did. Yet, some media, like Reuters, tried to portray him as a moderate. The BBC went a step further and called him “moderate and pragmatic.” But you can’t be moderate and a terrorist. You’re either bent on murdering Jews or you’re not. Haniyeh was.
Time and again too many in the media are eager to demonize Israel and to obscure Israel's actions – portraying them as proactive attacks rather than acts of self-defense. But Israel’s enemies, like Hezbollah or Haniyeh, appear to get the benefit of the doubt. Those concerned about the public’s trust in journalism should be deeply troubled by this picture.
whose story we have come to know so well through the tireless advocacy of his parents Rachel and Jon.
We mourn the loss of these innocents, Hersh, Eden Yerushalmi z”l, Carmel Gat z”l, Almog Sarusi z”l, Alex Lubnov z”l, and Ori Danino z”l.
Our hearts are with their families and loved ones. May they be comforted among the mourners of Zion and Jerusalem. We pray that the remaining hostages will soon be returned home safely.
Beyond this disturbing comparison in coverage is an even more troubling component – when attacks against Israelis or Jews don’t seem to count. The media has so often rushed to spotlight the death of children in Gaza. Children dying in conflict is, of course, horrible, and should be reported on. But why is there less of a need to report that Hamas is using Gazan children as human shields? Or to report on the murder of kids in the Golan? One BBC headline went out of its way to be generic: “Eleven dead in rocket attack on Israeli-occupied Golan.” There is nothing generic about the children who were murdered.
Nor is there anything generic about the more than 6,000 missiles Hezbollah has fired into Israel since October 8, the day after the Hamas attack. Or the 60,000 Israelis who have had to flee their homes in northern Israel to avoid the line of fire from an enemy solely devoted to Israel’s destruction. But to see coverage of either is a rarity.
The media has often reported on how antisemitism and anti-Zionism have reached record levels across the globe, especially since October 7. Indeed, it is vitally important to shed light on such existential threats to Israel and the Jewish people. But the media must hold up a mirror to itself and acknowledge that its inaccurate, incomplete, or disingenuous reporting is fostering antisemitism and anti-Israel animus.
At a time when tensions in the Middle East have never been higher and Israel faces threats from mortal enemies on seven fronts, it is essential that media outlets do better and report on all developments with clarity and accuracy and without bias.
Continued from page 5
From JFNA August 14, 2024 jewishfederations.org
Jewish Federations of North America praised a court ruling issued on Tuesday, August 13 that requires UCLA to take action to protect Jewish students from campus antisemitism.
In a historic ruling yesterday, US District Court Judge Mark C. Scarsi wrote:
In the year 2024, in the United States of America, in the State of California, in the City of Los Angeles, Jewish students were excluded from portions of the UCLA campus because they refused to denounce their faith. This fact is so unimaginable and so abhorrent to our constitutional guarantee of religious freedom that it bears repeating, Jewish students were excluded from portions of the UCLA campus because they refused to denounce their faith. UCLA does not dispute this. Instead, UCLA claims that it has no responsibility to protect the religious freedom of its Jewish students because the exclusion was engineered by third-party protesters. But under constitutional principles, UCLA may not allow services to some students when UCLA knows that other students are excluded on religious grounds, regardless of who engineered the exclusion.
Judge Scarsi put the university on notice: Beginning Thursday, August 15, UCLA can no longer allow Jewish students to be stopped from accessing classes and campus.
“The idea that a university would allow protesters to block Jewish students from participating in school life and their own education is outrageous," said Jewish Federations President & CEO Eric D. Fingerhut. "This ruling rightly requires
UCLA to ensure that Jewish students, like all students, have equal and open access to the school’s campus and programming, and we expect other universities to take notice."
Jewish Federation Los Angeles expressed the community's gratitude for the ruling:
Jewish Federation Los Angeles is grateful for Tuesday’s judicial ruling that requires @UCLA to ensure that Jewish students are not excluded from accessing any portion of the campus nor denied university services and programs. This injunction sets expectations for @UCLA administrators that Jewish students will be guaranteed equal treatment and will not be excluded in any way due to their religious beliefs, including their support for Israel. JFEDLA is acutely aware of how tenuous this moment is for the Jewish community, especially as the academic year approaches, antisemitism continues to rise, and tensions in the Middle East loom. We applaud this critical ruling and will continue our work with campus and student leadership throughout our region to ensure that Jewish students are included, protected, and safe on campus. The aggressive and often violent anti-Israel protests and encampments at UCLA were just one example among more than 150 at North American campuses in the aftermath of the October 7th attacks by Hamas terrorists on Israel that murdered over 1200 people and took over 200 innocent civilians hostage. In these protests, Jewish students were harassed, threatened, blocked from accessing their classrooms, and even physically assaulted.
The entire nation will be watching to see whether UCLA will follow the rule of the law and the US Constitution, or if they will continue to let antisemitism run rampant.
If you are a Holocaust Survivor who has never applied for compensation, or was turned down previously, there are new funds and guidelines. For more information, you may call the Claims Conference in NY at 646-536-9100 or go to their website: www.claimscon.org.
Click on survivor resources, then click on compensation programs. They have a FAQ (frequently asked questions) section which should be read prior to applying.
From JFNA August 22, 2024 jewishfederations.org
In less than two months, Jewish Federations across the United States and Canada will bring together Jewish communities, civic leaders, and allies to mark the one-year anniversary of the Hamas terrorist attacks on Israel.
In the weeks immediately following the horrific attacks on October 7, Jewish Federations led 160 solidarity gatherings. And now, as the first anniversary of that day approaches, we will come together to commemorate the lives we lost, honor the heroes who inspired us, pray for the hostages who remain in our hearts, counter anti-Israel myths and biases, and express gratitude for our community’s overwhelming response in Israel’s hour of need.
Many of these events will be run in close partnership with other local and national organizations to broadly reach and bring together the full Jewish community. Collectively, these events will fall under the banner of “October 7th: Marking One Year.”
“This is a moment when the Jewish people need community more than ever to reaffirm our sense of self, to create a space for belonging, and to be unified in our fight against the forces of antisemitism and delegitimization,” said Jewish Federations Executive Vice President Shira Hutt.
“Community-wide gatherings marking
one year since October 7, 2023, will be an important opportunity to unite the Jewish community and its allies, reflect on the year we have been through, reaffirm our unwavering solidarity with Israel, and reiterate our commitment to combating antisemitism across North America,” she added.
To support this effort, Jewish Federations of North America have launched a suite of resources, including a new interactive website – MarkingOctober7.org – to help people find events in their community and explore additional ways to volunteer and get involved as we commemorate this somber day.
We are grateful to partner with a group of foundations who have created a microgrant fund to encourage and enhance community and campus gatherings: Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Philanthropies, The Jane and Daniel Och Family Foundation, Jim Joseph Foundation, Kirsh Foundation, Maimonides Fund, Michael & Susan Dell Foundation, The Paul E. Singer Foundation and The Russell Berrie Foundation.
October 7 was a turning point in modern Jewish history, both because of the tragic depth of that day’s events and the monumental events that have followed. By coming together to pay tribute to the fallen and the heroes, we are expressing our heartfelt solidarity with Israel and its people.
Learn more at: MarkingOctober7.org.
Anise
W Singer
There they stand
In processional white
Trimmed in gleaming gold
Reflecting countenances in their
Mirroring shine
A family of twelve
Consecutive in sizes
Large to small
Eared cups and coffee pots
Each part of a perfect setting
Picturing happier times.
Pasek and his songwriting partner Justin Paul were the 20th and 21st winners of the show business crown.
By Shira Li Bartov
September 9, 2024 forward.com
(JTA) – Benj Pasek has become the eighth Jew to win an EGOT, taking the elite show business throne alongside his songwriting partner Justin Paul.
The duo won an Emmy on Sunday with their original song “Which of the Pickwick Triplets Did It?,” a rapid-fire patter about three infants suspected of murdering their mother, from the Hulu series “Only Murders in the Building.” Pasek and Paul are the 20th and 21st people to win the coveted quartet of Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony awards.
They also won all the awards together,
Benj Pasek, Justin Paul, Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman, winners of the Emmy Award for Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics for Only Murders in the Building, attend the 76th Creative Arts Emmys Winner’s Walk at Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, Sept. 8, 2024. (Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
starting with a 2017 Oscar for their song “City of Stars” in the film “La La Land” and a Tony for their score of the stage musical “Dear Evan Hansen” later that year, followed by a Grammy for the cast
1. Allegedly by Tiffany D. Jackson
2. Beartown by Fredrik Backman
3. Breakfast Champions by Kurt Vonnegut
4. Flowers for Algeron by Daniel Keyes
5. Flamer by Mike Curato
6. The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
album of “Dear Evan
The 39-year-old pair met as freshmen at the University of Michigan and won their first Tony nominations in 2013 for the songs in “The Christmas Story,” a stage adaptation of the classic movie. (For its TV special, they added a Jewish family and Hanukkah number.)
Pasek joins a large proportion of Jewish artists to win all four of the top entertainment awards. More than a third of all EGOTs have been Jewish, including the first person to ever reach the status, composer Richard Rodgers. Rodgers and Marvin Hamlisch, who was also Jewish, are the only people to have ad-
ded a Pulitzer Prize to the EGOT crown.
Pasek, raised in a Jewish family in Philadelphia, has celebrated his ties to the community throughout his rocketing career. He is a member of the Jewish arts and culture nonprofit Reboot and hosted an untraditional Passover seder for Broadway performers, focused on reinterpreting Passover themes to discuss modern-day concerns, in 2017. During the COVID-19 pandemic he created “Saturday Night Seder,” a digital broadcast that featured dozens of celebrities and raised $2.6 million for the CDC Foundation.
Continued on page30
OCT. 22ND 6:30PM 8:00PM TOMS RIVER LIBRARY 101 WASHINGTON ST Green Room
Beartown by Fredrik Backman will be discussed
We continue our prayers for the crisis in
May those who are still captive as hostages be released soon and safely.
May those who are wounded have a complete recovery. May the memories of those who died be forever a blessing.
May all have peace.
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.
We now have two matching grants that provide over 4 million dollars in home health care services, glasses,
We invite our community members to submit original poetry or short 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 submission to jfoceditor@ocjf.org.
Donate online at www.jewishoceancounty.org
Make a monthly gift to support these
services. Call the Federation office at 732-363-0530 and talk with our staff about donation options.
August 6 – September 9
In Honor of
Sylvia Hup by Pearl Dearman
Adrian Louis Levenfeld
Dorothy Rosenblum by Joan Picciano
In Memory of
Yossi Hammerman
Irving Isacoff by Charles & Joan Lang
Arlene Neary by Renee Herman
Louise Werfel by Rochelle Rosenberg
and
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.
Support all the eff orts of Jewish Federation of Ocean County and Jewish Family and Children’s Service:
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Your Name Here
Arrange automatic payments on your credit card or send in a monthly check
Contact JFOC office by calling 732-363-0530 sending your pledge to: 1235A Route 70, Lakewood, NJ 08701 or https://jewishoceancounty.org/gem
Continued from page 14
Historically, women have been forbidden or discouraged from learning Talmud, but that has been changing, especially from the latter half of the previous century. Bentley’s family attends a few Orthodox synagogues in Brookline, observes Shabbat and keeps kosher, and has always been supportive of her pursuit of Torah study.
There were arguably few to no women involved when Daf Yomi, the seven-anda-half-year regimen of studying a page of Talmud per day, began in 1923, but that is no longer the case. Rabbanit Michelle Cohen Farber teaches a popular online Daf Yomi class for women through the online portal Hadran. Miriam Anzovin, a formerly Orthodox Boston-based artist, created a TikTok video series called “Daf Reactions” that simultaneously documents her progress along the Daf Yomi cycle and engages with the content in a humorous and provocative way.
Bentley attended Drisha’s yeshiva for women in Israel in 2023-2024, and the US-based summer program in 2021. Sarna was one of Bentley’s teachers and observed her dedication to learning. After curfew, during the teen program, Bentley and her roommate would bring their Talmuds with them into their dorm, rather than leave them in the beit midrash, or study hall. On Friday nights, after Shabbat began, they would leave the dorm room door open to let the hallway light in so they could continue reading without turning on any lights and breaking the laws of the Sabbath.
“It’s quite unusual to have completed a study of the entire Talmud at such a young age, for men or for women,” Sarna told JTA. “But for women, obviously, it’s especially unusual, considering that women traditionally have not had access to these texts or to the skills necessary to spend [time] with them.”
Even when Jewish schools offer Talmud classes for girls, the wider community’s available extracurricular offerings are usually available to boys only, Sarna noted. “There’s still way, way, way more opportunities for boys than there are for girls, even in environments where Modern Orthodox day schools are offering equal education,” she said.
Popular resources like All Daf, YUTorah online and Real Clear Daf offer recor-
Illustrative: Students at the Yeshivat Maharat liberal Orthodox seminary for women. (Chavie Lieber/Times of Israel)
dings of shiurim given by rabbis, but because they cater to the Orthodox community, they are also exclusively taught by Orthodox men. Still, women can access them, as well as the online Jewish text library Sefaria, which contains complete English and Hebrew translations of Talmud.
Elke Bentley, an only child, credits having the space to seriously study Jewish texts to her parents’ and teachers’ support. “A very important thing in our house was for me to be fluent and have a very strong foothold in modern Hebrew and biblical Hebrew,” Bentley said. “What they told me is that they wanted me to have uninhibited access to the classic Jewish texts.”
Sarna says that’s encouragement not every female student gets. “We have girls who come to our programs because they saw their parents investing in their brothers’ Talmud study and not in their own, and they were mad about it,” Sarna said. “Those are sometimes my most motivated students.”
In high school, Bentley recited her morning prayers early to give herself another two hours before school to study. Her teachers at the Maimonides School, a Modern Orthodox day school in Brookline, Massachusetts, that includes Talmud learning for boys and girls, were also supportive. Bentley’s Talmud teacher Rabbi Oren Simhi permitted her to study texts of her own choosing in the back of the classroom as long as she was an active class participant, which gave her another hour and a half in the day.
“I kind of thought of it as like a sport that I just had a huge time commitment to,” said Bentley, who intends to study philosophy next year, but doesn’t know what her career path will be. “I find it so interesting. You can just see how we started to build Jewish civilization and Jewish communities. You can see how it came together. And it’s amazing.”
Kayly Donovan has been an Ocean County resident most of her life, growing up in Jackson Township. Since graduating from Georgian Court University in 2021 with a bachelor's degree in social work, she has been working in a Montessori school as a teacher’s aide, as well as a facility that provides listening therapy to children with processing disorders. She is currently enrolled in the online Master of Social Work Program at Fordham University, hoping to expand her social work career. Kayly will also be interning with the Jewish Family and Children’s Service until the spring. She is excited to be working with a community so close to her home and is eager to see what new experiences and learning opportunities this internship will bring.
By Deborah Sason, Guest Writer Jewish Family & Children’s Service
Reb Nachman of Breslov, founder of the Breslov Hasidic movement, writes that “Man must renew himself constantly.” As we approach Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, this phrase becomes even more relevant. In Judaism, Rosh Hashanah is the time of year to reflect on the past and look forward to the future. Whether religious or not, we can take away important life lessons during this holiday of new and renewal and use the time to make positive changes in our lives. We’ll offer several tips below for kick starting your journey of reflection and self-renewal.
Let it go: A new year means starting with a new slate. This is a great opportunity to embrace the renewal process by letting go of the old and starting fresh. Oftentimes we hold on to grudges and old feelings for much longer than needed. Take time to reflect and think about what is actually upsetting you – you may find that it is easier and more liberating to forgive. Let go of grievances and allow yourself to embrace your relationships in a fresh light. Hopefully others will do the same for you and forgive you for any wrongdoings in the past year.
Say bye to a bad habit: We all want to make changes in our lives as we think about the new year. A good step in the process of renewal is dropping a bad habit. By reframing your behavior into a series of habits, you can pinpoint the consistent behaviors you want to change. By focusing on one bad habit at a time,
positive change will happen – and will stick, once you find a new routine.
Under promise, over deliver: At the start of a new year, it can be tempting to try to tackle all areas of improvement all at once. You start identifying areas in your life that need improvement, and before you know it, you have a massive list that covers just about every aspect of your life – relationships, friendships, your career, your health, etc. It is important to recognize that we can always improve parts of our lives. However, making a big list and trying to fix all of them at once can leave you feeling overwhelmed and disappointed that seemingly no progress is being made. Instead, under promise and over deliver – focus on a few areas of improvement at a time, without promising that you’ll change everything. Prioritize what is the most important to you and come up with an actionable plan to fix it. By focusing on just a few things to improve, you can more clearly see the progress and keep up the positive changes.
With Rosh Hashanah just around the corner, it is a great opportunity to think about renewing yourself. By keeping the right mindset of letting go of grudges, dropping bad habits, and sticking to a few areas of improvement, you will be able to embrace this holiday and the opportunity for self-growth. Remember not to be afraid of setbacks. As long as you continue to renew yourself – even in small ways – you will be in a position to enable positive change.
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!
Jewish Federation of Ocean County has been happy to offer a few PJ programs over the summer for both adults and children. One of the programs, Hebrew Circle Time, is ongoing and information is here. The adult book discussions will also continue.
Similar to our Jewish Virtual University, the programs are announced on our Facebook page and on our PJ library page –www.jewishoceancounty.org/pj-library.
And now that summer is ending save the date for our 3rd annual Fall Festival at
Common Grounds – Sunday, November 3, 1:30-4:00 PM. Join us for crafts, a petting zoo, kosher food vendors, and of course garden tours.
Here are a couple of PJ recommendations for the holidays:
1:00-2:30pm
ARE YOU CARING FOR A LOVED ONE?
“I feel guilty because I’m so irritable.” “How come nobody asks how I am doing?”
“I’m so distracted at work, worrying about Mom.” "I’m tired of relatives and friends criticizing me. I’m doing the best I can.”
JOIN US FOR A MONTHLY
Learn coping strategies, get practical information about dementia and managing other chronic diseases, find new community resources and benefit from the support of other caregivers.
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
CONGREGATION AHAVAT OLAM 106 Windeler Road Howell, NJ 07731
Rabbi Cantor David Amar
Rabbi Emeritus Michael Klein
732-719-3500
email: CAOReceptionist@cao-nj.org www.cao-nj.org
CONGREGATION B'NAI ISRAEL
1488 Old Freehold Road Toms River, NJ 08753
Rabbi William Gershon Cantor Vadim Yucht
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 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
September 20 6:37 PM
September 27 6:26 PM
October 2 6:18 PM
October 3 7:16 PM
October 4 6:14 PM
October 11 6:04 PM
October 16 5:56 PM
October 17 6:55 PM
October 18 5:53 PM
October 23 5:46 PM
October 24 6:45 PM
October 25 5:43 PM
BETH AM SHALOM 1235 State Highway 70 Lakewood, NJ 08701
Rabbi Stephen D. Gold Cantor Jon Saouma
732-363-2800
Email: office@bethamshalom.org www.bethamshalom.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.
For the Holidays on weeknights:
Blessed are You, Ad-nai our G-d, Sovereign of the universe, who hallows us with mitzvot, commanding us to kindle the light of Holiday.
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 Yom Kippur on Friday Night:
Blessed are You, Ad-nai our G-d, Sovereign of the universe, who hallows us with mitzvot, commanding us to kindle the light of Shabbat and the Day of Atonement.
For all the Holidays:
Blessed are You, Ad-nai our G-d, Sovereign of the universe, who has kept us alive and sustained us and enabled us to reach this moment in time.
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
By Jacob Gurvis, JTA Sports Reporter
September 6, 2024 jta.org
While Israel endured a difficult week at home, its Paralympians in Paris gave their fellow Israelis something to celebrate. As of press time, Israel has won nine medals –far behind China, which is leading with 170, but good for a place in the top 30 countries so far.
As Israel reeled from the murder of six hostages in Gaza, which spurred widespread protests and labor strikes, Israelis won a number of medals in rowing and swimming. “We had in mind to give pride to the country,” said Israeli Paralympic rower Shahar Milfelder, who won her first career medal on Sunday. “I cried in the morning from the hard news and now I cry from the good news and send the biggest hug I can to the families of the
hostages and to all the citizens of the State of Israel.”
Milfelder and her rowing partner, Saleh Shahin, took bronze in the PR2 mixed double sculls. Four-time Paralympic rower Moran Samuel won her third career Paralympic medal and first-ever gold, in the PR1 women’s single sculls.
Swimmer Mark Malyar won bronze in the men’s 100-meter backstroke S8, his fourth career medal. Ami Dadaon won two more medals to add to his earlier gold – silver in the men’s 150-meter individual medley SM4 and gold in the men’s 200-meter freestyle S4, an event in which he set the world and Paralympic records at the Tokyo Games.
Israel’s women’s goalball team won silver, its first-ever medal in the sport. And wheelchair tennis player Guy Sasson won bronze in quad singles, three months after he had won his first Grand Slam in the same stadium.
On the U.S. side, Jewish athletes Ezra Frech and Ian Seidenfeld took home medals this week. Frech, the 19-year-old track and field star, won gold medals on back-to-back days in the men’s 100-meter and the high jump, his first two career medals. Seidenfeld won bronze in table tennis.
Continued from page 20 as ‘others,’” Pasek said. “I think Jewish people particularly have a responsibility to claim their Jewishness and also be champions for people in marginalized groups. It’s a really important thing that you inherit that comes with being a Jewish person.”
This May, Pasek spoke about his Jewish identity during an early-morning session at an all-night learning event for Shavuot at the Jewish community center near his home on Manhattan’s Upper West Side. “My Jewish identity totally informs my work,” Pasek told the Jewish Community Voice of Southern New Jersey in 2019, adding that Jews have a vantage point of looking in from outside the mainstream that enables unique insights.
“It’s important to be vocal about identity and politics and be vocal about what you believe in – especially at a time when so many people are being marginalized
In addition to the 21 artists who have won EGOTs in competition, six others have earned the four awards with one achieved as an honorary or non-competitive distinction. Non-competitive EGOT winners include the legendary Jewish actor and singer Barbra Streisand
