April 28, 2017

Volume XXIII, Issue VIII | www.jvhri.org Serving Rhode Island and Southeastern Massachusetts

MOTHER’S DAY

2 Iyar 5777 | April 28, 2017

Habonim honors local artist, founding member

BY SETH CHITWOOD BARRINGTON – On a Sunday in March, Temple Habonim honored local artist Barnet ‘Bunny’ Fain by showcasing his art and naming its gallery in his honor. The gathering to make the naming official, over wine and cheese, featured several extraordinary pieces by Fain.

“He’s a great guy, and he’s been a pillar of our community for more than 50 years,” said Rabbi Andrew Klein, of Temple Habonim. “He’s a man with a lot of integrity and honesty. He’s someone I respect very much.”

At the age of 85, Fain has only referred to himself as an artist in the past decade. His wife, Jean, was an avid painter who concentrated on portraits. After working for more than 50 years as the CEO of Highland Distributors (Fain’s Fine Carpet and Rugs), Fain decided to retire and pursue a full-time career in the art world. He has concentrated on printmaking.

“I was able to step out of the business world and right into one that was very fulfi lling.”

Fain said.

Barnet ‘Bunny’ Fain

A business major at Colby College, Fain met his wife and immediately took an interest in her art. “I never wanted to be a part of the arts, I was brought in primarily through my wife who was a painter. She encouraged me to do my fi rst program,” he said.

Jean Fain passed away in 2010. But recently, he was able to have a gallery show, at the Bristol Art Museum, featuring FAIN | 4

PHOTO | M. CHARLES BAKST

The candles at Temple Emanu-El

Yom ha-Shoah commemorated at community program

BY LEV POPLOW Yom ha-Shoah is the day we honor and remember the victims, survivors and heroes of the Holocaust. This year’s community commemoration, held on April 23 at Temple

Emanu-El, Providence, like the whole of Jewish experience, was bittersweet. The event was both heartrending and uplifting as it fulfi lled all that Yom ha-Shoah is supposed to be.

The event began with a somber procession of Holocaust victims’ descendants from the Rhode Island Jewish community who lit candles in memory of those they YOM HA-SHOAH | 5

Providence Kosher meal site expands service to five days a week

BY FRAN OSTENDORF fostendorf@jewishallianceri.org

Rhode Island senior citizens who want a hot Kosher lunch will soon be able to get one in Providence five days a week.

The Kosher Senior Café in Providence, operated by Jewish Family Service of Rhode Island’s Kosher Nutrition pro-

gram, has been serving meals on Monday, Wednesday and Friday each week. But thanks to some additional funding, and interest from those they serve, the café will join the Cranston meal site in offering meals and programming Monday through Friday. The change takes place May 1.

“We’re looking forward to this,” said Neal Drobnis, coordinator of Kosher nutrition. “Our seniors are pretty excited.”

Patty Harwood, director of Older Adult Resources at JFS, agreed, saying that they have been looking into this for a long time.

Currently, the meal site is at

Temple Emanu-El, in Providence. The café has been there for the last year, during the renovations at the Dwares Jewish Community Center. But the plan is to move back to the JCC by summer, after renovations to the Gussie and Victor Baxt Social Hall and the kitchen are complete.

The Kosher meal site in Providence serves a core of 15 regulars now. More attend on Fridays and during holidays and special events. Drobnis and Harwood say they hope that offering meals on more days, as well as more programming, will attract more people to the MEAL SITE | 28

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The Jewish Voice

Matzah, bricks and ovens: Real world learning at JCDS

INSIDE Business 24-25 Calendar 10, 22 Community 2-5, 13-15, 20-22, 29-30 D’Var Torah 6 Food 11-12 Nation 8 Mother’s Day 16-19 Obituaries 26-27 Opinion 7-8 Seniors 23, 28 Simcha | We Are Read 31 World 5, 6

Over the past few months, fi fthgraders at the Jewish Community Day School of Rhode Island, in Providence, have studied slavery and brick-making as they learned about the fi rst chapters of Exodus, which focus on the Israelites becoming slaves and then gaining their freedom.

As part of Judaic studies, taught by Rabbi Andrea M. Gouze, the students researched the history of brick-making and the role that slavery has played in society through the ages.

To create the actual experience of making bricks, the stu-

THIS ISSUE’S QUOTABLE QUOTE

dents fi rst collected about 80 half-gallon cartons, and then – with the help of their fi rst-grade buddies – mixed together clay, sand, straw and cement.

While the bricks dried, the students learned about thermodynamics and researched different styles of brick ovens before deciding which style was best. The students then built the oven.

The fi fth-graders also studied the laws for matzah preparation (i.e., the whole process must take less than 18 minutes from start to fi nish for the matzah to be Kosher for Passover).

This unit culminated in the students inviting the other classes to make matzah. They mixed flour with water, and gave each student a small ball, which the children then kneaded and rolled out as thin as they could.

“We are responsible for each other, particularly for those in need …”

PHOTOS | JCDSRI

Students then poked holes in their dough to stop it from rising. The matzah was then baked in the fi fth-graders’ oven.

The project gave students new insight into the harshness of the Israelites’ life in Egypt.

Afterward, at least one student said he was grateful that he only had to do the hard work of brick-making for a few hours,

rather than every day of his life.

This study unit was developed by Gouze, for which she received an honorable mention in the category of interdisciplinary integration from the Kohelet Foundation, a national educational organization.

– Submitted by the Jewish Community Day School

Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island Presents

&

Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island presents

GRANDREOPENING DEDICATIONCEREMONY

Bonnie & Donald Dwares Jewish Community Center Wednesday, May 24, 2017

Join the Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island as we kick-off the opening of the new Bonnie & Donald Dwares Jewish Community Center 5:00pm Family Celebration with Nate Ebner in the Nelson & Sapinsley Families Gymnasium Q&A with Nate Skills Competition for children Jumpy House Light refreshments will be served The celebration continues 6:30pm Ribbon Cutting & Building Dedication in the Salmanson Famiy Upper Lobby & Sandra and Richard Bornstein Entrance Way 7:00pm Program & Donor Recognition in the Victor and Gussie Baxt Social Hall Dessert will be served For more information contact Michelle Cicchitelli at 401.421.4111 ext. 178 or mcicchitelli@jewishallianceri.org.

401 Elmgrove Avenue Providence

Nate Ebner

2-time Super Bowl Champ, New England Patriots & 2016 US Olympic Rugby Team

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April 28, 2017 |

3

Argentinean cantor highlights weekend at Temple Sinai ing mostly on unadorned voice with lots of sliding notes (melismas), dominant drumbeats and texts of deep longing.

While Sephardic culture is often said to be endangered, in many of the synagogues of the Americas, one can increasingly fi nd Argentinean-trained cantors and rabbis. The Jewish population of Argentina is the largest in Latin America and the sixth-largest in the world, and the seminario in Buenos Aires has become the major source of clergy for Spanish-speaking Jews across the globe. As they disperse, they introduce beau-

BY DEBORAH JOHNSON Jews are everywhere – and, as we learn twice a month, so is The Jewish Voice. Even if we didn’t bring The Voice to faroff destinations, the chances are good that there would still be a Jewish voice – that is, a presence – wherever we go.

While the largest Jewish communities in the world today are in Israel and the U.S. (about 5 million people each), there are significant Jewish communities in Russia, France, Canada, Argentina, the United Kingdom, Germany, South Africa and Hungary, with smaller communities throughout the Middle East, Asia and Latin America.

The overwhelming majority of these Jews – about 75 percent – are Ashkenazi, or Eastern European, in origin. What about the other 25 percent? Most of us don’t know that fully a quarter of Jews today are Sephardic, tracing their homeland to the areas around the Mediterranean basin, especially Spain and Portugal. And most of us don’t know that from approximately the 9th to 15th centuries, Sephardic Jews were the dominant demographic in world Jewry, and their language, Ladino, was spoken by more Jews than any other language. Nachmanides, Maimonides? Sephardis!

Although there is debate about this, the oldest Jewish community in the Diaspora (since the destruction of the Temple in 70 CE) seems to be in Rome, where we can fi nd Jewish graves from as early as the 2nd century BCE. However, by the year 1000, the largest Jewish communities could be found on the Iberian Pen-

insula, in Spain and Portugal, where there were few restrictions on Jewish life.

This came to an end in the 15th century, beginning with the pogroms of 1391 and ending with the expulsion orders of 1492. During this period, approximately a quarter-million Jews converted to Catholicism, and over half the remaining 100,000 chose exile, leaving the rest in the punitive hands of the Spanish Inquisition. If there is lemonade to be made out of these bitter lemons, it is that the expulsion facilitated the spread of Sephardic culture both west and east (New World Jewry was founded by Sephardic expatriates), and especially to port cities such as Venice. From there, Sephardic influence ranged even more widely for at least a century.

Sephardic liturgy and ritual is significantly different from Ashkenazi, and often

even differs from one Sephardic community to another since Sephardim migrated throughout the world and absorbed the customs of their host countries.

At least some of Sephardic culture has been integrated into Jewry in general: Sephardim are are permitted to eat kitniyot (legumes) during Passover – and others are now, too; contemporary pronunciation of Hebrew here and in Israel is in the Sephardic style; and Maimonides is discussed in Torah studies almost every week. Many of our most beloved synagogue melodies are of Sephardic origin. This music is haunting in tonality, rely-

tiful Sephardic songs and lively rhythms into what is otherwise largely Ashkenazi minhag (traditions).

One of the most versatile, soulful and energetic of the young Argentinean cantors is coming to Temple Sinai in Cranston for a special concert on Sunday, May 21, at 4 p.m. Gaston Bogomolni, cantor at the Beth Torah Benny Rok Campus, in North Miami Beach, Florida, along with his band, Malachei Mambo, will present an electrifying afternoon of Ladino/Latino music that is guaranteed to have us dancing in the aisles.

The concert caps off a weekend of Sephardic events, including an Erev Shabbat service with Ladino melodies and, on Saturday, a special discussion with Pulitzer-Prizewinning author David Kertzer about his book, “The Kidnapping of Edgardo Mortara” (soon to be a Steven Spielberg movie). Prior to the discussion, there will be a three-week Readers’ Circle on Kertzer’s book and the world of Italkim/ Sephardim. For more details, see the Calendar of Events on page 10.

DEBORAH JOHNSON is the cantor at Temple Sinai, in Cranston.

Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island’s

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4 | April 28, 2017

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Gallery features endless possibilities of printmaking The talented artists who participate in the Print Workshops at the Providence Art Club will fill The Bunny Fain Gallery at Temple Habonim with a multitude of techniques, which stretch the possibilities of ink, paper and reproduction. The printmakers use traditional methods as well as the expanded modern methods now available.

“Printmaking” with Joan Boghossian and Elizabeth Zimmerman explores monotype printing with intriguing ways to create with the press. Chine colle´, trace monotypes and stencil variations (dried plant life) blend with some unique mothods developed by the individual artists.

Brian Larkin’s “White (and Black) Line Woodblock Printing” pushes the possibilities of a piece of wood, a knife, a spoon and some paint. The process has been passed down through generations, orig inating in Provincetown at the turn of the 20th century.

In Carole Strause FitzSimonds’ “Solarplate Printmaking” class, the artists use 21st century photopolymer, sunlight and tap water to create a printable surface. There are endless possibilities with plates of a variety of materials, printing methods, color, computer

FROM PAGE 1

FAIN

some of her lifelong work.

Now, he teaches drawing and sketching to art students. What intrigues him the most about teaching, “…is the fact of observation, the ability to observe, the ability to look at, the ability to create something, the beauty of the art.”

His students encompass all ages and all skill levels. “Anyone has the ability to sketch,” he said. “It’s about how well you can observe.

“I think it’s very important that people learn to draw because it’s their sense of observation. When one sits and draws for a matter of hours, one loses time,” Fain said.

For Fain, having his work on

Elizabeth Zimmerman, “Chalk Drawing,” trace monotype, hand colored

generated drawings and the artist’s imagination.

The May/June exhibit runs from April 29 through June 29.

The show opens with a wine

and cheese reception on Sunday, May 7 from 1 to 3 p.m.

The Bunny Fain Gallery at Temple Habonim is at 165 New Meadow Road in Barrington.

display at Temple Habonim has been an honor because he was one of the founders of the temple. When he first moved to Barrington, there was no Jewish community. With a few others, he created what would become Temple Habonim, and he was elected the first president of the congregation. Both of his children were raised in the temple.

Even his wife taught religious school classes and worked in the library.

“The art gallery has been around for a few years now and helped to bring a lot of people from the community into Temple Habonim,” Klein said, “It’s kind of appropriate with his love of art and with his love of having this be a part of the community that the art gallery be

named after him.”

Two years ago, Fain was diagnosed with a cardiac problem.

However, this hasn’t stopped him from continuing to work on his art.

“When I had this diagnosis of this cardiac problem… I said to myself that if I go, I want to stay here and look at the land. I don’t care, because I’ve had such a wonderful life. I get to live out my life in a very highly personal kind of way and I am grateful to be able to continue to make and teach art.” He said.

Fain continues to live in his Barrington house. He is surrounded by a large collection of gorgeous and intriguing works of art that he and his wife have collected over the years. He has donated work to many colleges

ADVERTISING DEPARTMENT Chris Westerkamp cwesterkamp@jewishallianceri.org 401-421-4111, ext. 160 EDITOR Fran Ostendorf CONTRIBUTORS Leah Charpentier BouRamia Cynthia Benjamin Seth Chitwood Stephanie Ross Sam Serby DESIGN & LAYOUT Leah Camara

Karen Borger ksborger@gmail.com 401-529-2538 VOICE ADVISORY GROUP Melanie Coon, Douglas Emanuel, Stacy Emanuel, Rabbi Jeffrey Goldwasser, John Landry, Mindy Stone COLUMNISTS Michael Fink Rabbi James Rosenberg Daniel Stieglitz

Brian Larkin, “Minstrel #2,” black line woodblock print Gallery hours are Wednesdays and Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Fridays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and by appointment. For

information, call 401-245-6536 or email gallery@templehabonim.org.

teach this learning program.

My life has been so satisfactory and the most wonderful life I could’ve imagined.”

The Bunny Fain Gallery at Temple Habonim, 165 New Meadow Road, offers a rotating schedule of shows, featuring local artists. Gallery hours are Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Friday 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., and by appointment. The gallery is also open during services and programs at the temple.

Fain

and local organizations.

“If I go tomorrow, it wouldn’t make much of a difference to me. Not only from my art, but I’ve been able to teach art, and

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YOM HA-SHOAH

LEV POPLOW is a communications and development consultant writing on behalf of the Sandra Bornstein Holocaust Education Center. He can be reached at levpoplow@ gmail.com.

Jeffrey Savit and Herb Stern at the Nazis as Partisans. The Germans feared ambush in the forest so much that they rarely ventured in to attack the community.

Ehrreich also related how much her father, in later life, enjoyed visits from survivors and their descendants. He was prescient when predicting that he would be “famous when I am dead.” Perhaps the greatest statement of “we won” is the estimate that there are 60,000 Jews alive today who trace

their lineage to those 1,200 Jews who lived in the forest for three years.

As part of the festivities, Herb Stern received the Never Again Award in recognition of his drive and determination to make sure that Providence has a world-class Holocaust Memorial. Stern stressed that the memorial was the result of a team effort and accepted the award on behalf of all those who tirelessly worked to make the memorial a reality.

Ruth Bielski Ehrreich

PHOTOS | M. CHARLES BAKST

Anne Frank’s final days, as told by her former classmate

BY CNAAN LIPHSHIZ JTA – Looking through the barbed wire of the BergenBelsen concentration camp, 14-year-old Nanette Konig could barely recognize her friend and classmate from Amsterdam, Anne Frank.

Both girls had been caught by the Nazis in the Dutch capital and were sent to starve to death in a place Konig describes today as “hell on Earth.” Both were emaciated when they saw each other again in different sections of the same German camp

5

Stern’s daughter, Cantor Jodi Blankstein, serenaded her father with a moving version of “L’Dor V’Dor.” The award was presented to Stern by Jeffrey Savit, president and CEO of the Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island.

Perhaps the most poignant moment of the event was the coupling of the “El Malei Rachamim” prayer, hauntingly chanted by Cantor Brian Mayer, with the reading aloud of the names of those lost in the Holocaust by their descendants in the community. It was a fitting conclusion to a deeply moving program.

FROM PAGE 1

lost. The procession was accompanied by deeply touching music played by harpist Judie Tennenbaum.

In his opening remarks Rabbi Wayne Franklin, of Temple Emanu-El, connected the events of the past with those of today. He reminded everyone that, just as important as it is to remember the past, we must also use those lessons to impact the present and future. As the rabbi made clear, we must be ever-vigilant to genocide, hate and discrimination today so that we can ensure that “Never Again” truly means never again.

The guest speaker was Ruth Bielski Ehrreich, daughter of Tuvia Bielski, the leader of the Bielski Partisans, whose story was featured in the movie “Defiance.” She was introduced by her friend Patricia Raskin who was responsible for bringing her to Providence for the event.

In a voice filled with emotion, Ehrreich related the harrowing story of how her father and two of his brothers (who lost their parents and seven siblings to the Nazis) created a community in the forest and saved the lives of 1,200 Jews. At the same time, they partnered with righteous gentiles, and the Russians, to strike back

April 28, 2017 |

COMMUNITY | WORLD

in 1944.

“She looked like a walking skeleton, just like me,” Konig, one of the few living friends of the teenage diarist, told JTA in a video interview from her home in Sao Paulo, Brazil, on April 6, which was her 88th birthday.

As more and more Holocaust survivors die each year, Konig was compelled a decade ago to break her long silence and join a diminishing group of witnesses who now tell their story in the media and at schools. Her

lectures, which Konig says she has delivered to thousands of students on three continents, are something that “survivors owe to the victims.”

But it’s also her way of repaying Anne Frank’s father, Otto, who comforted Konig in the aftermath of the liberation of Bergen-Belsen, even as he was grieving for his own two daughters and wife.

Otto Frank, who edited the diaries his daughter wrote while the family was in hiding into the best-selling “The Di-

ary of a Young Girl,” met Konig in 1945 at a rehabilitation center in eastern Holland. Konig, who was 16 and weighed only 60 pounds, was brought there following the Allies’ liberation of Bergen-Belsen – “a hell where people were not exterminated immediately, but died from hunger, dysentery, typhus, cold, exhaustion, beatings, torture and exposure,” she says.

Yet Konig was one of the lucky ones to survive. Anne FRANK | 19

Nanette Konig

This Yom HaAtzma’ut, celebrate red, white, and blue.

Magen David Adom, Israel’s largest and premier emergency medical response agency, has been saving lives since before 1948. And supporters like you provide MDA’s 27,000 paramedics, EMTs, and civilian Life Guardians — more than 90% of them volunteers — with the training, equipment, and rescue vehicles they need. So as we celebrate Israel’s independence, make a difference in the health, welfare, and security of the Israeli people with your gift to MDA. Please give today.

AFMDA New England PO Box 600714, Newton, MA 02460 617.916.1827 • new-england@afmda.org www.afmda.org

6 | April 28, 2017

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Our communal responsibility extends to poor pregnant women “Any woman who gives birth must have her needs met and more.”

That may sound-bite

sound like a from Planned Parenthood or the Children’s Defense Fund, but I read t ho s e wo r d s in the writings of the Belzer Rebbe. The st at ement i s not der ived RABBI from any JEFFREY m o d e r n GOLDWASSER conception of the rights of women and children; it is from a passage in this week’s Torah portion (Tazria-Metzora) that, on the surface, appears to be about how women are ritually impure after giving birth.

The Belzer Rebbe follows the interpretation of Rashi, who noticed that the laws concerning the ritual purification of a woman who has given birth appear to be out of order. The Torah states: “[The priest] shall offer [the mother’s offering of a sheep and a dove] before Adonai and make expiation on her behalf; she shall then be pure from her flow of blood. This is the Torah of one who gives birth to a male or female child. If she has insufficient means for a sheep, she shall take two pigeons or doves, one for a burnt offering and one for a purgation offering. The priest shall make expiation on her behalf, and she shall be pure (Leviticus 12:7-9).

We would expect that the statement, “This is the Torah,” would come after both the description of the ritual for a wealthy woman and the ritual for a woman who “has insufficient means.” Why does the text imply that only the ritual for a wealthy woman is “The Torah”? Is the offering of the poor woman who can only bring pigeons or doves not also Torah?

The classic answer is that the offering of the wealthy woman is the way that it ought to be for

everyone – that is the Torah.

The Torah acknowledges that there are poor women who give birth but cannot afford the prescribed offering, but that is a disgrace – it should not be that way.

The Belzer Rebbe taught, “In truth, ‘The Torah of one who gives birth’ is that she should have the means to bring the offering of a wealthy person. According to the Torah, any woman who gives birth must have her needs met and more. But, if it sometimes happens that ‘she has insufficient means’ this is not according to the Torah.”

Whose responsibility is it to make sure that her material and spiritual needs are met? The Torah implies that we should not expect God to provide for her. God has done enough by creating an alternate offering for the woman if nobody else provides for her.

The responsibility for making sure that the woman’s needs are met, of course, falls on all of us. As a famous statement from the Talmud declares, “All Israel is responsible for one another” (B. Shevuot 39a).

We can argue about how the community should provide for her: It can be done through government programs, it can be done by individuals or organizations. Our texts do not specify. Yet, there is no ambiguity in our tradition about communal responsibility: It is up to us to make sure that a poor pregnant woman is never disgraced.

We are responsible for each other, particularly for those in need, particularly for those who give life. No woman, regardless of who she is or how she came to be pregnant, should be left without all her needs (and more) met as she brings new life into the world.

RABBI JEFFREY GOLDWASSER is the spiritual leader of Temple Sinai, in Cranston.

He is the author of the blog “Reb Jeff,” from which this d’var Torah is adapted.

Candle Lighting Times Greater Rhode Island April 28 May 5 May 12 May 19

7:22 7:30 7:37 7:44

D’VAR TORAH | WORLD

April 28, 2017 |

7

Amos Oz, David Grossman shortlisted for Man Booker prize JTA – Two of Israel’s most renowned authors and an Argentine first-time novelist are among six finalists for the Man Booker International Prize for fiction.

David Grossman’s “A Horse Walks Into a Bar,” Amos Oz’s “Judas” and Samanta Schweblin’s “Fever Dream” are on a six-book shortlist announced last week for the $64,000 prize, The Associated Press reported.

Grossman’s portrait of a failing standup comic in “A Horse Walks Into a Bar” and Oz’s story of history and betrayal in “Judas” were described as “masterworks by mature writers with big international reputations” by Nick Barley, chairperson of the Edinburgh International Book Festival who chaired the judging panel, the Associated Press reported.

The Man Booker International Prize for fiction has been awarded every two years or so since 2004. No Israeli has won the award.

Separately, a cookbook containing recipes of 24 Holocaust survivors was named by Gourmand International as a contender for the Best Cookbook in the World category and charity category, The Times of Israel reported. The winners will be announced at ceremonies on May 27 and 28, held in Yantai Wine Bay in China.

The cookbook, titled “Grandma Cooks Gourmet,” was published in 2016 as a project of Shorashim – an Israeli nonprofit organization that works with two populations,

the elderly and Ethiopians. It brought together elderly Holocaust survivors and Israeli chefs, creating classic dishes from the survivors’ kitchens,

modernized by their partnering chef.

The other contenders in the Man Booker shortlist include French writer Mathias Enard’s insomniac odyssey “Compass,” Norwegian author Roy Jacobsen’s island family epic “The Unseen” and Danish novelist Dorthe Nors’ tale of driving lessons and self-doubt, “Mirror, Shoulder, Signal.”

The winner will be announced in London on June 14.

The award is the international counterpart to Britain’s prestigious Booker Prize and is open to books published in any language that have been translated into English. The prize money is shared evenly between the author and their translator.

Oz was already nominated in 2007 for the same award but did not win.

OPINION

8 | April 28, 2017

Spring cleaning redux A couple of years ago, I wrote about spring cleaning at about this time of year.

Actually, when I looked back, the column was mostly about postponing spring cleaning, with a little history thrown in.

That caused me to chuckle.

I guess my thoughts turn to cleaning at this time of EDITOR year.

Between FRAN Passover and OSTENDORF the tradition of spring cleaning, it’s the right time of year for those thoughts. Then I look at my to-do list and everything but the most urgent cleaning gets pushed right down to the bottom of the list. Again.

Two years ago, I suggested that it might turn into a tradition of summer cleaning. Well, I can report that this never happened, either. Oh, the dust and dirt of daily living is cleaned up on a regular basis. But that massive throw-out I promised myself never occurred.

We did move The Voice offices that summer. So some of the clean-up energy was expended on that. Several years of newspapers and books and general paperwork had to be disposed of. And that took time.

Outside of the office, the last thing I wanted to do was go through the same “stuff” at

home. So not much happened on the home front. Not even professing my intentions on paper in the newspaper was enough to hold me to it. Pretty soon, my summer break was done and the extra time to devote to cleaning was gone.

My husband got on the bandwagon this year, announcing that he is anxious to move forward on several home projects that involve getting rid of a lot of old stuff in the basement, den, closets and home office.

He’s even gotten started on his portion, and has outlined his proposals for some minor remodeling.

So, readers, I’m back with renewed intentions to bring the stacks of paper and general stuff under control. Once again, the nice weather and freshness outdoors have me longing for a similar atmosphere inside. That and the fact that our cherished kitten has decided to help clean up, which has turned the previously tidy piles into horrifying messes. Why she thinks every pile on my desk or on the floor is better when it is knocked down or spread out is beyond me. Or maybe, like my husband, she is just trying to get me started.

We all have our bucket lists of what we want to do and where we want to go. Home cleanup has now officially risen to the top of my list.

So if you see me around, feel free to ask how I’m doing. I promise that, however painful, I’ll give you an honest answer.

Recycling bin, here I come!

We haven’t forgotten your pets!

D

on’t worry. Our annual pet issue has moved.

Look for it May 26. Deadline for photos is May 17. But you don’t have to wait. We keep your photos in our files, so feel free to send them to us when you have them. Email editor@ jewishallianceri.org.

OUR MISSION The mission of The Jewish Voice is to communicate Jewish news, ideas and ideals by connecting and giving voice to the diverse views of the Jewish community in Rhode Island and Southeastern Massachusetts, while adhering to Jewish values and the professional standards of journalism.

The Jewish Voice

Our duty to remember On Sunday afternoon, April 23, 27 Nisan on the Hebrew calendar, a few hours before the official beginning of Yom ha-Shoah, members of the Rhode Island commun ity – Jew and non-Jew alike – g a t h e r e d together at P rov idence’s Temple Emanu-El to honor IT SEEMS the victims of the HoloTO ME caust and to celebrate the RABBI JIM survivors.

ROSENBERG This year’s guest speaker was Ruth Bielski Ehrreich, daughter of Tuvia Bielski, leader of the Bielski Partisans, who managed to save 1,200 Jews in the forests of Belarus from 1941-1944. Many readers of The Jewish Voice have seen these events depicted in the 2008 movie “Defiance.”

In 1953, Israeli Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion and President Yitzhak Ben-Zvi proclaimed that Yom ha-Shoah, Holocaust Remembrance Day, be observed yearly on 27 Nisan, unless – as was true this year – 27 Nisan is adjacent to shabbat, in which case its observance is shifted by one day. A half-century later, on Nov. 1, 2005, the United Nations General Assembly voted to observe International Holocaust Remembrance Day every Jan. 27, the anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau death camp by the Russian army. International Holocaust Remembrance Day commemorates the Nazi genocide of approximately 6 million Jews, 200,000 Roma (Gypsies), 250,000 mentally and physically disabled people and 9,000 homosexual men.

This past Jan. 27, on the 12th annual International Holocaust Remembrance Day, the newly elected secretarygeneral of the United Nations, Portugal’s António Guterres, highlighted anti-Semitism in his speech to the General Assembly.

In the third sentence of his address, Guterres stated,

“The world has a duty to remember that the Holocaust was a systematic attempt to eliminate the Jewish people and so many others.”

With these words, the secretary-general underscored the fact that while the Nazis persecuted many different groups, they singled out the Jews for “special treatment,” that sinister euphemism for mass murder.

“The hate that begins with Jews never ends with Jews.”

Guterres went on to say that the Holocaust was made possible by centuries of deepening hatred of Jews: “It would be a dangerous error to think of the Holocaust as simply the result of the insanity of a group of criminal Nazis. On the contrary, the Holocaust is the culmination of millennia of hatred and discrimination targeting the Jews – what we now call anti-Semitism.”

Even though he is a practicing Catholic, Guterres condemned the Church’s “idea that the Jewish community should be punished for the death of Jesus – an absurdity that helped to trigger massacres and other tremendous crimes against the Jews around the world for centuries to come.”

While Guterres stressed in his talk that in the past the Christian religion has fanned the fires of Jew-hatred, he also made clear that “antiSemitism, more than a question of religion, is essentially an expression of racism. The proof is that the converted Jews, the so-called ‘new Christians,’ faced discrimination by the old Christians, and suffered continued persecution by the Portuguese Inquisition.”

Guterres became prime minister of Portugal in 1995.

In 1996, he pushed his parliament to revoke King Manuel’s 16th-century order expelling all Jews from Portugal – an order that Guterres called “a hideous crime and an act of enormous stupidity.”

While Guterres admits that the 1996 act of his parliament was primarily of symbolic significance, he nevertheless views it as the beginning of the long and difficult process of Portugal’s repentance for crimes committed 500 years ago.

Toward the end of his address, Guterres quoted from Lord Jonathan Sacks, former chief rabbi of the United Kingdom: “The hate that begins with Jews never ends with Jews.”

In his role as head of the U.N., Guterres has come to see that today’s rise in anti-Semitic activity is intertwined with “racism, xenophobia, anti-Muslim hatred.”

This witches’ brew of intolerance in word and deed, fueled by a raging populism, poses a threat to all of the vulnerable among us – minorities, migrants, refugees, wherever they might be: “The hate that begins with Jews never ends with Jews.”

Guterres concluded his remarks with a personal pledge: “I guarantee you that as secretary-general of the United Nations, I will be in the front line of the battle against antiSemitism and all other forms of hatred.

“That is the best way to build a future of dignity and equality for all – and the best way to honor the victims of the Holocaust we will never allow to be forgotten.”

This past Jan. 27, International Holocaust Remembrance Day, the day on which the U.N. secretary-general delivered his stirring speech on the ongoing challenge of antiSemitism, President Donald Trump issued a six-sentence, 117-word statement in which he chose not to mention the Jewish victims of the Holocaust.

This baffling omission continues to weigh heavily on my heart and to trouble my soul.

JAMES B. ROSENBERG is rabbi emeritus of Temple Habonim, in Barrington. Contact him at rabbiemeritus@ templehabonim.org.

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OPINION | NATION

April 28, 2017 |

9

Benjamin Franklin’s ‘Parable Against Persecution’

BY SHAI AFSAI According to Benjamin Franklin, two of his parables were taken “from an ancient Jewish tradition.” One of these parables is “Abraham and the Stranger” – sometimes called “A Parable Against Persecution” – a story about the patriarch Abraham, told in King James biblical language, that expounds on the obligation of religious tolerance.

Franklin, 1706-1790, composed “Abraham and the Stranger” no later than 1755, and brought it with him to England. Exceedingly fond of hoaxes, he memorized his parable, and when conversation turned to the subject of persecution, he would sometimes request a Bible and then proceed to “read” the story from the Book of Genesis – thus proving to his listeners the scriptural importance of religious tolerance.

Below is the version of the parable offered at Founders Online, a National Archives website providing fully annotated documents from the Founding Fathers Papers projects: 1. And it came to pass after these Things, that Abraham sat in the Door of his Tent, about the going down of the Sun.

2. And behold a Man, bowed with Age, came from the Way of the Wilderness, leaning

on a Staff.

3. And Abraham arose and met him, and said unto him, Turn in, I pray thee, and wash thy Feet, and tarry all Night, and thou shalt arise early on the Morrow, and go on thy Way. 4. And the Man said, Nay, for I will abide under this Tree.

5. But Abraham pressed him greatly; so he turned, and they went into the Tent; and Abraham baked unleavend Bread, and they did eat.

6. And when Abraham saw that the Man blessed not God, he said unto him, Wherefore dost thou not worship the most high God, Creator of Heaven and Earth?

7. And the Man answered and said, I do not worship the God thou speakest of; neither do I call upon his Name; for I have made to myself a God, which abideth always in mine House, and provideth me with all Things.

8. And Abraham’s Zeal was kindled against the Man; and he arose, and fell upon him, and drove him forth with Blows into the Wilderness.

9. And at Midnight God called unto Abraham, saying, Abraham, where is the Stranger?

10. And Abraham answered and said, Lord, he would not

worship thee, neither would he call upon thy Name; therefore have I driven him out from before my Face into the Wilderness.

11. And God said, Have I borne with him these hundred ninety and eight Years, and nourished him, and cloathed him, notwithstanding his Rebellion against me, and couldst not thou, that art thyself a Sinner, bear with him one Night?

12. And Abraham said, Let not the Anger of my Lord wax hot against his Servant. Lo, I have sinned; forgive me, I pray Thee: 13. And Abraham arose and went forth into the Wilderness, and sought diligently for the Man, and found him, and returned with him to his Tent; and when he had entreated him kindly, he sent him away on the Morrow with Gifts.

14. And God spake again unto Abraham, saying, For this thy Sin shall thy Seed be afflicted four Hundred Years in a strange Land: 15. But for thy Repentance will I deliver them; and they shall come forth with Power, and with Gladness of Heart, and with much Substance.

Not only is “Abraham and the Stranger” not found in Genesis, but the story may not actually

be based on “an ancient Jewish tradition.” Its details have no known rabbinic source. Scholars have concluded that the story reached Franklin by way of the writings of Jeremy Taylor (1657); Taylor, in turn, probably copied it from George Gentius (1651); Gentius, for his part, attributed it to the “illustrious author Sadus,” the medieval Muslim Persian poet Sa’di (or Saadi). Sa’di began his version (1257) with: “I have heard that once …”; and so the trail ends with Sa’di.

There is no identifiable Jewish foundation for this parable against persecution – though Franklin (following Taylor, who described it as “a story which I find in the Jews’ books”) evidently believed there was one – but rather a Muslim Persian source dealing with Abraham and hospitality.

To put it more precisely, Franklin’s parable does have Hebrew-biblical and rabbinic aspects – such as Abraham’s vehement opposition to idolatry in rabbinic texts; Abraham’s tremendous concern with hospitality in both biblical and rabbinic sources; and the element of God’s instruction on forbearance to a prophet vexed by human infidelity, such as is found in the Book of Jonah – but

no Jewish source has yet been found for the key section of the parable in which Abraham learns the lesson of religious tolerance.

The late Franklin scholar Leo Lemay averred that Franklin knew that the source of his parable was the poet Sa’di and that this was Franklin’s underlying ironic joke: his Christian audience “generally assumed it was a Christian document” with a good Christian moral, and was unaware that the parable derived from a semi-sacred Muslim text. However, Lemay offered no support for this position and it is not apparent that Franklin was conscious of the parable’s actual origin.

A version of Franklin’s parable eventually entered Jewish literature through a 1844 Hebrew translation by Rabbi Nachman Hacohen Krochmal.

However, Krochmal did not attribute his “Moral Parable” to Franklin, and also modified its final two verses, omitting mention of affliction in “a strange Land” (Egypt) as well as the triumphant exodus that would follow.

SHAI AFSAI (ggbi@juno.com) lives in Providence.

Anti-Semitic incidents in US surging in ’17, rose by a third in ’16

BY MARCY OSTER AND BEN SALES JTA – Anti-Semitic incidents in the United States soared 86 percent in the first three months of 2017 after rising by more than one-third in 2016, according to the Anti-Defamation League.

There has been a massive increase in harassment of American Jews, largely since November, and at least 34 incidents linked to the presidential election that month, the ADL said April 24 in its annual audit of anti-Semitic incidents.

This year has seen preliminary reports of 541 anti-Semitic incidents through March. One reason for the jump appeared to be the bomb threats called in to Jewish community centers and other Jewish institutions across the country. An IsraeliAmerican teenager is accused of calling in most of them, and he has been charged in Israel and the United States. He is in custody in Israel.

The 2017 incidents include 380 for harassment, including the 161 bomb threats, an increase of 127 percent over the first quarter of ‘16; 155 for vandalism, including three cemetery desecrations, an increase of 36 percent, and six physical assaults, a decrease of 40 percent.

The increase in anti-Semitic acts comes despite a low level of anti-Semitic attitudes among

Americans. While there was a 34 percent rise in anti-Semitic incidents in 2016, an ADL survey earlier this month found that only 14 percent of Americans hold anti-Semitic views.

Jonathan Greenblatt, the ADL’s national director, told reporters that the numbers reflect growing assertiveness among a hard core of anti-Semites.

“What appears to be happening is the extremists feel emboldened and are spreading their virus,” he said, adding that prominent white supremacists “like Richard Spencer and David Duke find themselves in the headlines, and their noxious ideas started to spread.”

Greenblatt and Moshe Kantor, president of the European Jewish Congress, said that a global wave of populism and corresponding backlash against elites is fueling anti-Semitism.

Kantor added that resentment of globalization coupled with continuing economic struggles born of the 2008 recession are also contributing factors.

Greenblatt said populist demagogues have been a boon to the extreme right, as “much of their rhetoric has been normalized in the past 12 to 18 months.”

“The social contract that worked well for the past 50 years is no longer in place,” Kantor said at the press briefing April 24. “We as citizens of

the developed world believed every new generation would live better than the previous one, so it is not surprising that well-to-do European societies are dominated by fear rather than values – fear of poverty, fear of migrants, fear for their lives amid terror attacks.”

A study this month from the European Jewish Congress found that violent anti-Semitic incidents worldwide fell to 361 in 2016 from 410 in 2015, a decrease of 12 percent. Kantor attributed the decrease, which was most dramatic in Europe, to ramped-up security at Jewish institutions and more government funding for Jewish communal safety.

In 2016, the ADL report showed a total of 1,266 acts targeting Jews and Jewish institutions, with a 34 percent increase of incidents of assaults, vandalism and harassment over the previous year. Nearly 30 percent of those incidents, or 369, occurred in November and December.

The states with the highest number of incidents were those with large Jewish populations, including California, New York, New Jersey, Florida and Massachusetts.

The acts included 720 harassment and threat incidents, an increase of 41 percent over 2015; 510 vandalism incidents, an

increase of 35 percent; and 36 physical assaults, a decrease of 35 percent.

Incidents on college campuses stayed mostly static after nearly doubling in 2015, but more than doubled in non-Jewish elementary, middle and high schools.

The rise to 235 incidents in 2016 from 114 the previous year represented a 106 percent increase.

There have been 95 incidents reported in the first quarter of this year.

The ADL numbers do not include online anti-Semitism, including a wave of anti-Semitic harassment on Twitter. A 2016

ADL report tallied 2.6 million tweets containing anti-Semitic language between August 2015 and July 2016. Greenblatt said that the anti-Semitism statistics would be “off the charts” if cyber hate were included.

“Clearly, we have work to do and need to bring more urgency to the fight. At ADL, we will use every resource available to put a stop to anti-Semitism,” Greenblatt said in a statement. “But we also need more leaders to speak out against this cancer of hate and more action at all levels to counter anti-Semitism.”

Letter Re: Advertising (April 7) I am writing in response to the ad by stop.iran.now.ri on page 16. The ad is racist, and inaccurate. If one would have spent five minutes fact checking the claims made by the ad you would have discovered that it is impossible to quantify the cost of refugees (Pew).

I found no source, other than the biased one listed, that suggested the cost of refugees was $85,000. Pew also states that there are 50 Muslim countries, not 58. In addition, there are approxi-

mately 3.3 million Muslims in the United States, who overwhelmingly have a negative view of ISIS. Regardless of the inaccuracies, the ad is racist, and does nothing to promote positive relations among Muslim and Jews.

As a proud Jew and patriotic American I strongly believe you should not have accepted the ad.

Caryn Corenthal East Greenwich, R.I.

10 | April 28, 2017

Ongoing Alliance Kosher Senior Café. Kosher lunch and program every weekday.

Temple Emanu-El, 99 Taft Ave., Providence. Noon lunch; 1 p.m. program. $3 lunch donation from individuals 60+ or under 60 with disabilities. Neal or Elaine, 401-3383189.

West Bay Kosher Senior Café. Kosher lunch and program every weekday.

Temple Sinai, 30 Hagen Ave., Cranston.

11:15 a.m. program; noon lunch. $3 lunch donation from individuals 60+ or under 60 with disabilities. Steve, 401743-0009.

Friday | April 28 PJ Library Story Time: Lag B’Omer/ Mitzvah. 10-11 a.m. Dwares JCC, 401 Elmgrove Ave., Providence. Children ages 5 and under are invited to hear stories, play games, make a craft, have a snack and make new friends.

Join guest reader Esta Yavner as she shares her enthusiasm about Lag B’Omer, makes a campfire and toasts marshmallows. Free. Information, Ruth Horton at rhorton@jewishallianceri.org or 401-421-4111, ext. 117.

Shabbat Services and Dinner. 5:30 p.m.

URI Hillel, 6 Fraternity Circle, Kingston.

Services begin at 5:30 p.m. and dinner at 6:15 p.m. Free for URI students. $15 for community members. Information, Yaniv Havusha at yaniv_havusha@uri. edu or 401-874-2740.

Unity with Israel Shabbat Wine & Dine.

6:15 p.m. Temple Habonim, 165 New Meadow Road, Barrington. Service with dinner following. Tslil Reichman, Israeli shlichah (emissary), will offer her views on three special days in the Jewish calendar following Passover: Yom ha-Shoah, Holocaust Memorial Day – April 24; Yom ha-Zikaron, Israel’s Memorial Day for fallen soldiers and victims of terrorist attacks – May 1; Yom ha-Atzmaut, Israel’s Independence Day – May 2. Tslil will give us her view from the perspective of an Israeli with a degree from Ben Gurion University of the Negev in sociology, anthropology and education, who has lived in England for 6 years, and who has spent several months traveling in South America after her time in the Army. Information, Jodi Sullivan at 401-245-6536 or office@ templehabonim.org.

Kabbalat Shabbat Services and Oneg.

7:30 p.m. Temple Torat Yisrael, 1251 Middle Road, East Greenwich. Shabbat services followed by Oneg. Information, Stephanie Reinsant at stephanie@ toratyisrael.org or 401-885-6600.

Saturday | April 29 Taste of Shabbat. 9-11 a.m. Temple Torat Yisrael, 1251 Middle Road, East Greenwich. 9 a.m. Torah Discussion and 9:45 a.m. Shabbat service followed by a light Kiddush. Information, Stephanie Reinsant at stephanie@toratyisrael.org or 401-885-6600.

Saturday Mornings Junior Kiddush Club.

9:30-11:15 a.m. Congregation Beth Sholom, 275 Camp St., Providence.

Shabbat morning activities include prayer, parshah, play time and a special Kiddush. Age groups: Tots, Pre-K-1st grade, 2nd grade and up. No fee.

Information, office@bethsholom-ri.org or call 401-621-9393.

Minyan Breakfast and Torah Study.

9:30-10:30 a.m. Temple Sinai, 30

CALENDAR Hagen Ave., Cranston. Weekly breakfast and Torah study in the downstairs chapel. All are welcome. Information, Dottie, 401-942-8350.

Brotherhood of Temple Beth-El’s “2017 Charles Lindenbaum Person of the Year.” 6 p.m. Temple Beth-El, 70 Orchard Ave., Providence. Celebration, tribute and our college scholarships awards. Information, lwhite@templebeth-el.org or 401-331-6070.

BCTY Beach-Themed Open Mic. 6:308:30 p.m. Temple Habonim, 165 New Meadow Road, Barrington. Cost: $5. If interested in performing, call the Temple office at 401-245-6536. Information, Jodi Sullivan at office@templehabonim. org or 401-245-6536.

Sunday | April 30 OROT Classes Winter & Spring 2017.

8:45-9:30 a.m. Congregation Beth Sholom, 275 Camp St., Providence.

Led by Rabbi Barry Dolinger. Continue the study of Rav Kook’s revolutionary seminal work, a collection of challenging and moving essays that describe the religious significance of Zionism.

Free. Next meeting is May 14 (siyum/ season finale). Information, rabbi@ bethsholom-ri.org.

Mother’s Day “Pampering Mom” Sale.

10:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Temple Torat Yisrael, 1251 Middle Road, East Greenwich. Tables set up with Lularoe, Health and Wellness, Crunchy Make-Up, Rodan and Fields Skin Care, Jewelry and more. Open to all. Information, Stephanie Reinsant at stephanie@ toratyisrael.org or 401-885-6600.

Adult Education: Journey to Judaism.

10:30 a.m. Temple Torat Yisrael, 1251 Middle Road, East Greenwich. Rabbi Aaron Philmus teaches for this class.

Information, Stephanie Reinsant at stephanie@toratyisrael.org or 401885-6600.

Sunday Film Series: “Arranged.” 3:305:30 p.m. Temple Habonim, 165 New Meadow Road, Barrington. Rachel is an Orthodox Jew and Nasira a Muslim of Syrian origin. They are beautiful young teachers at a public school in Brooklyn who are going through the process of getting “arranged marriages” through their respective religious and traditional customs. See story page 20.

All showings, which include popcorn, are free and open to the community.

Information, Jodi Sullivan at office@ templehabonim.org or 401-245-6536.

Arts Emanu-El Yom ha-Atzmaut Celebration. 4-7 p.m. Temple Emanu-El, 99 Taft Ave., Providence. Celebrate Yom ha-Atzmaut with Israeli music, folk dancing, an Israeli style supper and a screening of “On the Map,” depicting the 1977 Israel National Basketball team’s victory in the European championship.

Information, Paul Stouber at pstouber@ teprov.org or 401-331-1616.

Yom Ha-Zikaron Memorial Ceremony.

7 p.m. Dwares JCC, 401 Elmgrove Ave., Providence. Remember those who lost their lives in the struggle that led to the establishment of the State of Israel and for all military personnel who were killed while in active duty in Israel’s armed forces. Information, Tslil Reichman at treichman@ jewishallianceri.org.

Project Shoresh Partners in Torah Night. 7:45-8:45 p.m. Center for Jewish Studies, Providence Hebrew Day School, 450 Elmgrove Ave.,

The Jewish Voice Providence. Free, lively, informal, partner-based study group, where you study your choice of texts together, English or Hebrew, ancient or modern, with on-site facilitators available to answer questions – and ask them, too. Let us know if you want to be a “study-buddy.” Information, Noach Karp at rnoachkarp@gmail.com or 401-4298244.

Monday | May 1 Gloria Gemma Breast Cancer Research Foundation Support Group. 11 a.m.Noon. The Phyllis Siperstein Tamarisk Assisted Living Residence, 3 Shalom Drive, Warwick. Drop-in cancer support group. This group welcomes those in treatment, survivors, men, women, family members. Information or to sign up, Susan Adler at susana@tamariskri. org or 401-732-0037.

End of Year and Yom ha-Atzmaut Celebration. 5:30-7 p.m. URI Hillel, 6 Fraternity Circle, Kingston. End of the year barbecue and Yom ha-Atzmaut celebration. Hotdogs, burgers, authentic ice cream truck serving Italian ice and more. Information, Yaniv Havusha at yaniv_havusha@uri.edu or 401-8742740.

Conversion Class. 7:30-8:45 p.m.

Congregation Beth Sholom, 275 Camp St., Providence. Rabbi Barry Dolinger continues a broad-based exploration of the biggest topics in Judaism, designed to give an overarching but detailed appreciation for traditional Judaism. This semester focuses on personal study to increase information, allowing for delving deeper through discussions during classes. Ongoing study of Shabbat. Free. Through May 22. No class May 8. Information, rabbi@ bethsholom-ri.org.

Tuesday | May 2 “Jewish Sacred Aging.” 10 a.m. Temple Sinai, 30 Hagen Ave., Cranston. Rabbi Jeffrey Goldwasser teaches this course which continues on May 9 and May 23 (no class on May 16). All are welcome.

Information, Temple Sinai, 401-9428350.

Yoga. 6-7:15 p.m. Temple Torat Yisrael, 1251 Middle Road, East Greenwich.

Cost: $30 for 3 sessions paid in advance; $12 per session at the door.

Open to all. Bring a mat. Information, Stephanie Reinsant at stephanie@ toratyisrael.org or 401-885-6600.

Tuesday Night Talmud (TNT). 7:30-8:30 p.m. Congregation Beth Sholom, 275 Camp St., Providence. Study the Fifth Chapter of Berachot with Rabbi Barry Dolinger. Though May 23. Information, rabbi@bethsholom-ri.org.

Film “Disturbing The Peace.” 7:30 p.m.

Providence Place Mall Cinemas, 10 Providence Place, Providence. Follow a group of former enemy combatants – Israeli soldiers from the most elite units and Palestinian fighters, many of whom served years in prison – who have come together to challenge the status quo. Directed by Stephen Apkon and Andrew Young.

Wednesday | May 3 3 Week Readers’ Circle Series. 7-9 p.m. Temple Sinai, 30 Hagen Ave., Cranston. Cantor Deborah Johnson will lead this Readers’ Circle on Sephardim in advance of the discussion of “The Kidnapping of Edgardo Mortara” on May 20 with author David Kertzer. This

session is an introduction to Sephardic and Italian Jewry. Continues on May 10 and May 17. All are welcome.

Information, Dottie at Temple Sinai, 401-942-8350.

Mah Jongg. 7 p.m. Temple Torat Yisrael, 1251 Middle Road, East Greenwich.

All are welcome. Bring your 2017 Mah Jongg card. Free. Information, Stephanie Reinsant at stephanie@ toratyisrael.org or 401-885-6600.

Friday | May 5 Shabbat Chai. 6-8:30 p.m. Temple Emanu-El, 99 Taft Ave., Providence.

Shabbat Chai combines musical instruments with both traditional and spirited Kabbalat Shabbat melodies.

After the service, stay for Shabbat dinner. All ages; children’s activities available throughout the evening. Free – although contributions are welcome before or after Shabbat. Information, Paul Stouber at pstouber@teprov.org or 401-331-1616.

(401)j Pajama Shabbat. 7-9 p.m. Temple Beth-El, 70 Orchard Ave., Providence.

Wear your most comfortable pajamas.

Kosher meat meal. $10 per person.

RSVP, Dayna Bailen at 401-421-4111, ext. 108 or dbailen@jewishallianceri. org or register at jewishallianceri. org/401j-pajama-shabbat/.

Friday Night Live Celebrates Israel. 6-9 p.m. Temple Torat Yisrael, 1251 Middle Road, East Greenwich. Musical, themed celebration of Shabbat and dinner to follow. Adults and children over 12 years $20; 12 years and younger free; family max. $60. Information, Stephanie Reinsant at stephanie@toratyisrael.org or 401-885-6600.

Service of Holocaust Remembrance.

7:30-9 p.m. Temple Sinai, 30 Hagen Ave., Cranston. Shireinu, the community chorus at Temple Sinai, will participate.

Information, Dottie at Temple Sinai, 401-942-8350.

Saturday | May 6 Taste of Shabbat. 9-11 a.m. Temple Torat Yisrael, 1251 Middle Road, East Greenwich. 9 a.m. Torah discussion and 9:45 a.m. Shabbat service followed by a light Kiddush. Information, Stephanie Reinsant at stephanie@toratyisrael.org or 401-885-6600.

Saturday Mornings Junior Kiddush Club.

9:30-11:15 a.m. Congregation Beth Sholom, 275 Camp St., Providence.

Shabbat morning activities include prayer, parshah, play time and a special Kiddush. Age groups: Tots, Pre-K-1st grade, 2nd grade and up. No fee.

Information, office@bethsholom-ri.org, call or 401-621-9393.

Minyan Breakfast and Torah Study.

9:30-10:30 a.m. Temple Sinai, 30 Hagen Ave., Cranston. Weekly breakfast and Torah study in the downstairs chapel. All are welcome. Information, Dottie at Temple Sinai, 401-942-8350.

Sunday | May 7 Mind, Body & Spirit: A Day for Women to Join Together. 9:30 a.m. Dwares JCC, 401 Elmgrove Ave., Providence.

Enjoy a range of activities and workshops including an energizing fitness class; sessions on wellness, lifestyle, motherhood and managing it all. Features Jewish Book Council Authors, experts and leaders. 8:15 a.m.: Optional Bellydancing Class; 9:30 a.m.: Event registration and continental breakfast; 10 a.m.: Keynote with Jessica

Fechtor; 11:15 a.m.: breakout session 1; 12:15 p.m.: breakout session 2; 1:05 p.m.: Meet and greet with authors and book signing. $10 per person (plus a gift of any amount to the 2017 Alliance Annual Campaign). Information or to register, Danielle Germanowski at dgermanowski@jewishallianceri.org or 401-421-4111, ext. 109.

Sprouts Pre-school Program. 9:3010:30 a.m. Temple Torat Yisrael, 1251 Middle Road, East Greenwich. Sing, play, learn basic Jewish values and customs, and arts and crafts. Snacks provided. $10 per session. Information, Stephanie Reinsant at stephanie@ toratyisrael.org or 401-885-6600.

Sisterhood Knit and Kvetch. 9:30 a.m.

Temple Torat Yisrael, 1251 Middle Road, East Greenwich. Information, Stephanie Reinsant at stephanie@ toratyisrael.org or 401-885-6600.

Ask the Psychologists: A Program for Parents. 10-11:30 a.m. Temple Sinai, 30 Hagen Ave., Cranston. Psychologists Shari Elice, Ph.D., and Jonathan Gershon, Ph.D., answer parents’ questions. Free. Information, Dottie at 401-942-8350.

Adult Education: Cooking with Valerie Philmus. 10:30-11:30 a.m. Temple Torat Yisrael, 1251 Middle Road, East Greenwich. Hands-on demonstration. $5 per member; $10 per non-member covers cost of ingredients. Call the Torat Yisrael office at 401-885-6600 to register.

R.I. Hadassah Cause for Applause. 2 p.m.

Ocean State Theater, 1245 Jefferson Blvd., Warwick. Attend “Victor Victoria” with members of Hadassah. Information, Monika Curnett at Monika99999@ hotmail.com.

2017 AIPAC New England Leadership Dinner. 5:30-9 p.m. Boston Convention and Exhibition Center, 415 Summer St., Boston, Mass. AIPAC’S largest gathering of pro-Israel activists in New England. Advance registration required.

No on-site registration. Photo ID must be presented at check-in. Cost: $300; complimentary for those who invest in AIPAC at the Senate Club level and above. Information, AIPAC at 617-3992562 or nedinner2017@aipac.org.

StandWithUs presents The REAL History of the BDS Movement. 7-9 p.m. Congregation Beth Sholom, 275 Camp St., Providence. Cornell Law School Professor William A. Jacobson examines the history of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement, and demonstrates how BDS is the end product of continuous Arab anti-Jewish boycotts starting in the 1920s, repackaged as “social justice,” as demonstrated through historical documents and the words of BDS leaders. Jacobson is clinical professor of law and director of the Securities Law Clinic at Cornell Law School in Ithaca, New York. He also is the founder and publisher of the popular politics and law website Legal Insurrection. Tickets: $10; students free. Information, Bracha Stuart at brachas@standwithus.com or 401-862-0295.

Tuesday | May 9 “Jewish Sacred Aging.” 10 a.m. Temple Sinai, 30 Hagen Ave., Cranston. Rabbi Goldwasser teaches this course in the chapel. Last class: May 23 (no class on CALENDAR | 22

thejewishvoice.org

What will they think of next?

BY LARRY HERSHOFF, THE SHMENDRICK CHEF For thousands of years, Jews (and not just the lawyers) have been trying to figure out ways around the dietary laws of Pesach. Thankfully, the folks at Streit’s and Manischewitz have brought us Kosher Li Pesach (hereinafter KLP) foods that taste and look as good as their counterparts from the other 51 weeks of the year. But a few things have always eluded us: pizza, pasta, rolls, etc. This is where I come in.

I know, we are supposed to suffer, and let’s face it, there is no KLP beer or bread. And some of you are wondering, WHERE was this guy a few weeks ago when we really needed these recipes? But face it, you know you have some leftover matzah and why waste it on the birds, or wait for it to go stale for next year? Here are three favorite recipes of mine that you should test now to use up the stuff and be better prepared for next Passover.

Picasso Passover Pizza Ingredients

Matzah sheets Shredded cheese Spaghetti sauce or spreads such as olive tapenade or bruschetta spread Sprinkle of garlic powder or garlic pepper to taste

Directions

Place the matzah sheet on a flat surface and gently spread with the coating, then place a single sheet on a dinner plate and sprinkle with cheese. Place in microwave for 40 seconds.

For a crispier pizza with a browned top, place in the broiler for 10 additional seconds Look, this is fun to do with kids, and there are endless variations. even with the microwave-only option, you get a quick, tasty appetizer.

Passover Lasagna Ingredients

5 matzah sheets 8 ounces sliced mushrooms One large yellow onion, sliced thinly 8 ounces each ricotta cheese and shredded cheese, 24-28 ounces commercial spaghetti sauce

Directions

In a large (at least 3 quarts) deep baking pan, pour in a thin layer of spaghetti sauce, and place a sheet of matzah on it.

Then add some sliced mushrooms and thinly sliced onions on the matzah and cover it with another layer of sauce. Add another sheet of matzah, and then place a layer of ricotta cheese on it, some of the shredded cheese and again cover with sauce.

Repeat until the pan is full to the top, putting the remaining shredded cheese on the top layer.

Cover the pan and set it on a baking sheet covered with aluminum foil, because I guarantee you this will bubble over!

Bake at 325 degrees for one hour and LET COOL before reheating and serving.

Serves 5-6

Passover Rolls

(thanks to Karen Suvalle)

Ingredients

2 cups matzah meal 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon sugar 1 cup of water 1/2 cup peanut oil (it won’t be as good if you use other oils) 4 eggs

Directions

Combine matzah meal, salt and sugar, while boiling the water and oil. Add the boiled mixture to the matzah mixture, let it cool a bit so the eggs don’t scramble, and then beat in eggs, one at a time. Let this mixture stand for 15 minutes.

Oil your hands and shape the mixture into rolls – they will not grow or rise, so you figure the size and depth, but think of an English muffin. Place on well-greased cookie sheet and bake at 375 degrees for 40-45 minutes or until brown Allow to cool on a rack before using. Makes 4-6 rolls.

I guarantee you that once you have a breakfast sandwich or hamburger on one of these rolls, you will start to think, why don’t I have these ALL the time? The KLP Lasagna makes a great quick snack or meal.

LARRY HERSHOFF is ONLY allowed in the kitchen for Pesach. He can be reached anytime at Larrysh@atmc.net

FOOD

April 28, 2017 |

11

FOOD

12 | April 28, 2017

The Jewish Voice

Colorful, crunchy salad is simply perfect for spring Directions

FAMILY FEATURES – As days get longer and the weather gets warmer, take your meal outdoors for some tasty al fresco dining featuring a fresh and easy-to-prepare salad.

With minimal ingredients and maximum flavor, this combination of radicchio, California green ripe olives, chickpeas and Parmesan is sure to find its way into your seasonal meal occasions, from at-home dinners to garden parties.

Boasting vibrant purple hues, radicchio not only looks beautiful on the plate but packs a unique and pleasing bitter flavor that is complemented by the texture added to each bite by toasted sunflower seeds and chickpeas.

Completing the salad are California ripe olives, which are grown by farming families across California. The California green ripe olive is similar to the black ripe olive but features a more mild and buttery flavor profile.

Find more tasty recipes at calolive.org.

Add sunflower seeds to small, dry skillet. Toast over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until seeds are toasted around edges and smell fragrant.

Transfer seeds to bowl to cool.

Peel away and discard a layer or two of outer radicchio leaves if they look wilted or battered.

Cut head of radicchio into quarters through root. Trim away root.

Cut each quarter crosswise into strips, 1- to 1 1/2-inches thick. Transfer to large mixing bowl.

Add olives, chickpeas and 3/4 cup cheese to bowl with radicchio.

Whisk together balsamic vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper.

Pour over salad and toss gently

Slow cooker pot roast savory, festive

BY JENNIFER STEMPEL

Radicchio salad with olives, chickpeas and parmesan

PHOTO | CALIFORNIA OLIVE COMMITTEE

Recipe courtesy of the Simply Recipes blog Prep time: 15 minutes Resting time: 10 minutes Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

1/4 cup sunflower seeds 1 large head radicchio (10-12 ounces)

1 can (16 ounces) California green ripe olives, drained, rinsed and roughly chopped 1 can (16 ounces) chickpeas, drained and rinsed 1 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese, divided 3 tablespoons balsamic vin-

egar 4 tablespoons olive oil 1/4 teaspoon salt, plus additional, to taste 1/8 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper, plus additional, to taste

(Nosher via JTA) – Because I am someone who runs her life a million miles per minute, but still value the fruits of a homecooked meal, the slow cooker is certainly a mainstay in my kitchen. Because of this favorite small appliance, my family gets to enjoy rich, hearty meals that taste like they’ve been simmering all day, even on those days when I’ve got just a few minutes to get dinner on the table.

I especially love making this savory slow cooker pot roast for a festive Shabbat meal. Any good starchy side like rice, potatoes, or noodles will sop up the juices. Plus, if you’re lucky you’ll have leftovers, which I have been known to turn into pot roast tacos the next day.

Ingredients

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until ingredients are evenly coated. If cheese clumps together, break apart with spatula and stir in.

Let salad stand at least 10 minutes, or up to an hour.

Add additional salt and pepper, if desired. Serve salad on individual plates or one shared platter. Top with remaining cheese and toasted sunflower seeds.

Substitution: If radicchio is unavailable, try frisee, endive or another bitter green.

Note: Salad is best served within one hour of preparation, but can be stored in airtight container in fridge for several days.

Directions

11-3 pm 4-10 pm 4 - 11 pm 4 - 9 pm 10 am - 3 pm

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1 5-lb boneless beef chuck roast 1 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt (or more, to taste) 1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper (or more, to taste) 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 large sweet onions, diced 2 large carrots , diced 4 cloves garlic, finely minced 1 large sprig rosemary 12 ounces cremini mushrooms, chopped 1 (15-ounce) can low-sodium beef broth 1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes 1 dried bay leaf

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401-331-4100 kgkitchenbar.com

Pat the beef chuck roast dry, and season with salt and pepper. In a large saute pan, heat the olive oil, and brown the beef on all sides (about 3 minutes per side).

While the beef is browning, layer the onions, carrots, garlic, rosemary and mushrooms in the bowl of a slow cooker. Once

the beef is browned on all sides, place the beef on top of the vegetables in the slow cooker.

Deglaze the saute pan with the beef broth, making sure to scrape up any dark spots from the pan. Pour the broth in the slow cooker.

Pour the diced tomatoes over the beef, and tuck in a dried bay leaf.

Cover and cook on low for 7 hours.

Remove the beef from the slow cooker using kitchen tongs, and set on a carving board. Shred or slice, and serve with a starchy side dish. Or, you can remove the sprig of rosemary and the bay leaf and blend the vegetables into a thick sauce that can be used as a gravy.

Note: Steps 1-4 can be done the night before. Store the bowl of the slow cooker in the refrigerator overnight, and continue from step 5 in the morning.

The Nosher food blog offers a dazzling array of new and classic Jewish recipes and food news, from Europe to Yemen, from challah to shakshuka and beyond. Check it out at TheNosher.com.

thejewishvoice.org

COMMUNITY

April 28, 2017 |

Rosh Hodesh program participants explore Miriam

BY STEPHANIE HAGUE shague@jewishallianceri.org

To welcome in the Hebrew month of Nisan, women across the Jewish community gathered for the Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island’s bi-annual Rosh Hodesh program, held on April 4. This teaching and learning event featured an interactive discussion with Rabbi Howard Voss-Altman, senior Rabbi at Temple Beth-El in Providence. Those in attendance explored Pesach themes, including a focus on the Passover heroine, Miriam, and her connection to water.

Women shared their thoughts on how Miriam is portrayed in the Passover story, questioned why she led the celebration after the parting of the Red Sea, examined the role of women in the resistance against Egypt, and explored Miriam’s relationship with her male siblings, Moses and Aaron.

Voss-Altman was welcomed

by Rosh Hodesh Committee Chair Maybeth Lichaa, who shared an anecdote about the essential work of the Alliance’s programs and services, and the true impact made by every campaign contribution, regardless of amount.

Lichaa also related a personal story about a friend in need who

recently was assisted through the AccessJewishRI initiative with utmost dignity and support from the Alliance’s professional team. The team members made meaningful and personalized connections to support Lichaa’s friend and met the needs of the individual in a confidential but timely way. As Lichaa said, “We never know when we, our family, or our friends will be the ones who need support.”

The Alliance hosts two Rosh Hodesh programs each year.

The next program will take place at the Dwares Jewish Community Center, Providence, in the fall of 2017.

For information on Rosh Hodesh or how you may contribute to the Annual Campaign, contact Danielle Germanowski at dgermanowski@ jewishallianceri.org or 401-4214111, ext. 109.

For more information on AccessJewishRI and the array of community services and support available, please visit

SAVE the DATE

April’s Rosh Hodesh program was held at Temple Beth-El in Providence. http://accessjewishri.org/ or call 401-421-4111, ext. 411.

STEPHANIE HAGUE is the philanthropy officer at the Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island.

Rabbi Howard Voss-Altman

Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island Annual Meeting

Thursday, June 8 | 7:00pm Bonnie & Donald Dwares JCC Victor & Gussie Baxt Social Hall 401 Elmgrove Avenue Providence, RI

Board Installations: Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island Jewish Federation Foundation Alliance Realty, Inc. Reception to follow

401 Elmgrove Avenue | Providence, RI 02906 401.421.4111 | jewishallianceri.org

13

COMMUNITY

14 | April 28, 2017

The Jewish Voice

Miriam’s rabbi is a proud father and grandfather

BY SAM SERBY Rabbi Allan Meyerowitz serves as the director of Spiritual Care at The Miriam Hospital in Providence. A member of the National Association of Jewish Chaplains, Rabbi Meyerowitz takes great pride in his work at the Miriam, visiting with both Jewish and non-Jewish patients in times of need.

Prior to serving as the Miriam’s rabbi, he served for 26 years as a pulpit rabbi in the United States and Canada, including a stint as senior rabbi of Congregation Shaarey Zedek in

Winnipeg, Canada – a congregation of 4,500 members.

Earlier in his career, Meyerowitz, now 64, was an activist, serving as the vice chairman of the Student Struggle for Soviet Jewry and chairman of the Soviet Jewry Committee of the Rabbinical Assembly. In these roles, he spent time visiting Russia and participating in many political activities on behalf of the Russian-Jewish community.

Meyerowitz received a bachelor’s degree with honors from the University of Rochester, a

master’s degree from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and his ordination and a doctorate from the Jewish Theological Seminary in Manhattan.

He recently concluded a year as interim rabbi at Kadimah Toras Moshe, a modern Orthodox synagogue in Boston.

He is married to Robin Meyerowitz, founding director of the Maimonides School’s Early Childhood Center in Brookline, Massachusetts. They are the parents of four adult children – two living in the U.S. and two residing in Israel (in the towns

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of Beitar Illit and Rehovot).

They are also extremely happy to have grandchildren who love speaking Hebrew and learning Torah with the family. The Meyerowitz family is directly descended from the Chasam Sofer and Moreinu Akiva Eiger.

Meyerowitz recently sat down to answer a few questions for The Voice.

Q: Favorite Jewish food?

A: My grandmother’s stuffed cabbage.

Q: Favorite Jewish holiday?

A: Pesach. Why? It’s great getting everyone together and celebrating freedom. I love going through all the stories of the members of my family. Also, being “wild and crazy” at the Seder, because I really believe you have to make a Seder lively and fun.

Q: Favorite Jewish song?

A: Ne’esaf Tishrei by Svika Pick (Israeli pop singer).

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NOVEL conversations Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island presents

Wednesday, May 17 | 9:00 - 10:15am

Dwares JCC | 401 Elmgrove Avenue, Providence $5 | Members: $3 Light bagel breakfast will be served Copies of Boris Fishman’s books will be sold Don’t Let My Baby Do Rodeo is about a New Jersey couple that adopts a boy from Montana who turns out to be wild. The novel has received raves from O, the Oprah Magazine, The New York Times Book Review, NPR, and others, and has been selected as one of The New York Times’ 100 Notable Books of 2016.

RSVP online by May 14: jewishallianceri.org/novel-conversations-boris-fishman More information: Lynne Bell at 401.421.4111 or lbell@jewishallianceri.org

401 Elmgrove Avenue | Providence, RI 02906 | 401.421.4111 | jewishallianceri.org

401-654-5259

with

Boris Fishman

Q: Favorite Jewish movie?

A: “The Frisco Kid.” Q: Favorite Jewish celebrities?

A: All the leading and most influential rabbis of our time.

Q: Favorite Israeli city to visit?

A: Beitar Illit (South of Jerusalem). Rehovot (South of Tel Aviv). I have two daughters, two sons-in-law and 10 grandchildren in those two towns.

Q: Favorite Israeli city to live?

A: Rehovot. It is close to my kids and it is beautiful.

Q: Favorite Hebrew word?

A: Ad Kan (To be kept up to date or to be aware of what is going on).

Q: Favorite Yiddish word?

A: Libe (Love).

Q: Best part of keeping Kosher, worst part of keeping Kosher?

A: Best part – There are so many wonderful things to eat that are Kosher, and I am working hard to do it.

Worst part – Not being able to eat in the hospital (Miriam) cafeteria with everyone else.

Q: Favorite part of being Jewish?

A: Learning Torah and seeing my children and grandchildren learn Torah. Seeing them involved in the Torah world is the most uplifting experience. That is the reason why I am who I am.

Q: Favorite part of being a rabbi?

A: Getting the chance to share with people, to teach them and learn from them. As a chaplain, I spend a lot of time with nonJewish people. I help them to work on their emotional stability, pains and losses in life.

Rabbi Allan Meyerowitz Q: Favorite Jewish memory from your life/childhood?

A: I remember so many wonderful Seders in our house as an adult, where my children would take over and lead it. I remember we were living in a very old, large house that had a dining room where the ceiling was 18-feet high, and we had a tremendous food fight at 2 o’clock in the morning. The cake was up on the ceiling for a couple years after that.

Q: Greatest piece of advice someone has given you, and who gave it to you?

A: You need to care for people.

– From well-known Rabbi Rav Orlowek Q: If you could have three dinner guests, living or from history, who would they be?

A: Rabbi Akiva [one of Judaism’s greatest scholars], Ludwig van Beethoven, Rabbi Chasam Sofer [one of Judaism’s greatest scholars and the ancestor of Meyerowitz’s family].

Q: Currently, we are experiencing an increase in anti-Semitism in the U.S. and around the world. Why do you believe we are seeing this increase and how can we, as Jews, best respond to these acts rooted in bigotry and hate?

A: Firstly, I don’t think we can use anti-Semitism for political purposes. There are some people who have tried to ascribe the rise in anti-Semitism to events attached to the American election. I think it is a continuation of a very insidious campaign against Israel and Jews that became sharper as these people have gotten more power and control. There will always be anti-Semites and what we have to do is reassert our Jewishness, commitment to the Jewish people and Jewish life and to make sure that Israel is strong and powerful and defeats Iran.

SAM SERBY is a freelance writer who lives in East Greenwich. He previously worked at the Peres Center for Peace in Tel Aviv.

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COMMUNITY

thejewishvoice.org

Acclaimed writer to speak at JCC on May 17

BY LARRY KATZ

lkatz@jewishallianceri.org

Anyone interested in meeting someone who is very hot in New York literary circles will want to attend a bagel brunch with author Boris Fishman on May 17 in Providence.

Fishman will discuss his books, “A Replacement Life,” which the New York Times named as one of the 100 Notable Books of 2014, and “Don’t Let My Baby Do Rodeo,” which made the newspaper’s list of 100 Notable Books of 2016.

Fishman was born in Minsk, Belarus, and immigrated to the United States in 1988, at the age of 9. His journalism, essays and criticism have appeared in The New Yorker, The New York Times M a g a z i ne and Book Review, The New Republic, The Nation, The London Review of Books, The Wall Street Journal and The Guardian, and in Jewish publications, including Tablet, The Forward and The Jerusalem Report.

Fishman’s debut novel, “A Replacesevment Life,” has won eral literary prizes. Donald Weber, a reviewer for the Jewish Book Council, says that in the novel, “we enter a richly comic world of aging Russian Jewish immigrants, still fierce in their will to survive after so much misery wrought by Hitler and Stalin, and their spiritually lost new world grandchildren ....”

His second novel, “Don’t Let My Baby Do Rodeo,” is about the mystery of inheritance and what exactly it means to belong, and has received raves from O, the O p r a h Magazine, The New York Times Book Review, National Public Radio and others. In the book, a New Jersey couple adopts a boy from Montana who turns out to be wild. Searching for answers, the couple embarks on a road trip to track down their son’s birth parents.

Fishman received a degree in Russian literature from Princeton University. Afterward, he was on the editorial staff

of The New Yorker, and edited “Wild East: Stories from the Last Frontier,” an anthology of stories set in the ruins of the Soviet empire. He received his MFA in fiction from New York University and now teaches in Princeton’s Creative Writing Program. He is at work on his next book, a work of creative nonfiction about food.

Fishman will be introduced

by Robin Kall, the “fairy book mother” behind Reading with Robin and the Point Street Reading Series, at the bagel brunch at the Dwares Jewish Community Center, 401 Elmgrove Ave., Providence, on Wednesday, May 17, at 9 a.m.

Fishman’s books will be available for purchase, and bagels and pastries will be served. The cost is $3 for members of the Dwares JCC and Temple BethEl, $5 for all others. This fee may be applied towards book purchases. Registration is required, at www.jewishallianceri.org/novel-conversationsboris-fishman or by contacting Lynne Bell at the Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island, 401-421-4111, ext. 100. The event is sponsored by the Jewish Alliance, Reading with Robin and Temple Beth-El. LARRY KATZ is director of Jewish Life and Learning at the Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island.

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April 28, 2017 |

15

ECC READS

PHOTO | JEWISH ALLIANCE

The David C. Isenberg Family Early Childhood Center at the Alliance’s Dwares JCC participated in the Week of the Young Child, an annual event hosted by the National Association for the Education of Young Children that celebrates early learning, young children, their teachers and families. The statewide reading event was in conjunction with R.I. Reads, an organization that makes sure

children establish a strong foundation for learning from birth through age 5.

Guest reader, Aaron Regunberg, Rhode Island’s 4th District representative, read “In the Small, Small Pond,” written and illustrated by Denise Fleming. The children were introduced to animals and insects that live on and in a freshwater pond.

MOTHER’S DAY

16 | April 28, 2017

The Jewish Voice

Israeli mother, grandmother talks about Mother’s Day

BY SAM SERBY In honor of the Jewish Voice’s Mother’s Day issue, we spoke with an Israeli mother to fi nd out how Mother’s Day is celebrated in Israel, as well as what it’s like to raise a family in the Jewish state.

Meet Mira Finkelstein, a devoted, hardworking Israeli mother, grandmother and businesswoman, who found a way to raise her family while working as an executive in the corporate world in Israel.

Finkelstein has enjoyed a successful 45-year career in advertising and marketing and is currently a partner at an Israeli advertising agency, “Shimoni Finkelstein FCB,” a partner agency to the global FCB (Foote, Cone & Belding) network. Throughout her career, she has worked with countless brands, both global and Israeli, from Jeep to Ferrero Rocher, IBM, Revlon and many more.

Mira lives in Tel Aviv with her husband, Zvika. They have three adult children and six grandchildren.

Daughter Shiri, earned a Ph.D. in Biology from Tufts University near Boston. She is a mother herself with three children: Elad, 12, Guy, 9, and Ben, 4 1/2.

Son Gil, is a Ph.D. candidate in fi nance and risk management at The Hebrew University

in Jerusalem and has two children: Daniel, 5 1/2, and Mika who is a little over a year.

Son Ron, earned a bachelor’s degree in communications and is currently a brand manager at Slotomania, a cellular game from the Playtika gaming company, which was bought in 2016 by a Chinese company for $4.4 billion. He has one daughter, Noga, who is a year-and-a-half old.

The entire family lives within a 30-minute drive from one another.

Excerpts from our interview with Finkelstein follow: Q: How is Mother’s Day celebrated in Israel?

A: Actually, in Israel, because new forms of families arise, we celebrate “Family Day” instead of “Mother’s Day.” But, it is still mostly a celebration of the mothers.

Q: What do families in Israel usually do to celebrate their mothers on Mother’s Day? A: Usually kids and fathers will prepare a pampering breakfast, send flowers and, most importantly, obey their mother. There are fewer arguments on Mother’s Day. Schools and kindergartens teach songs about mothers, and they prepare creative things to bring home.

Q: What is the most memo-

and for your son or daughter to come home, and, if they don’t, you will go to visit him or her at the army base. Also, the army turns a boy / teenager into a man. It strengthens family bonding, especially after the turbulence of adolescence.

rable gift you have received on Mother’s Day? A: I received a beautiful and emotional photo album of my kids when they were still at home.

Q: If you could invite three Jewish mothers from history to your dinner table, who would they be, and why?

A: I would invite Golda Meir because she was the fi rst woman prime minister and set such an example to the world, Anne Frank because she was courageous, and Queen of Sheba because she was beautiful and feminine.

Q: What is it like to raise children in Israel?

What is the best part and what are the most difficult parts?

A: The best part is about being a family. Israel is very much family-oriented, and the pressure to get married and have kids is really strong.

Families get together on Shabbat eve to have the Friday dinner and Kiddush, and every High Holiday families gather with grandparents, parents, and grandchildren. Most families have three to four kids and religious families tend to have five to seven.

The most difficult part in raising kids in Israel is the absolute

Mira Finkelstein freedom they have. They are welcome to express their opinions and wishes, and parents are expected to agree and follow. From childhood, kids are treated like grownups, for better and for worse.

Q: What is it like to have a child in the army? Does it cause any anxiety/does it make you proud?

A: A child in the army means, “the whole family is recruited.”

You are proud, but worried. You wait anxiously for a phone call

Q: What characteristics do you think all Israeli mothers have in common?

A: They are “hovering mothers/helicopter mothers.” At any given moment, a mother knows precisely where her kids are, especially thanks to the cell phones every kid has by the age of 8 or 9. At any time, a mother will answer the phone from their teacher, school, kindergarten, caretaker, etc., even if she is in the middle of a board meeting.

Q: Best piece of motherly advice you can give?

A: Treat your kids with respect and behave as you would like them to behave, showing a personal example for them to follow.

SAM SERBY is a freelance writer who lives in East Greenwich. He previously worked at the Peres Center for Peace in Tel Aviv.

Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island and Event Co-Chairs Lisa Davis, Robin Engle & Barbara Feldstein present

Mind, Body & Spirit: A Day for Women to Join Together Sunday, May 7, 2017 | 9:30am Dwares JCC | 401 Elmgrove Avenue, Providence $10 per person, plus a gift of any amount to the 2017 Annual Campaign

Enjoy a range of activities and workshops including an energizing fitness class as well as sessions on wellness, lifestyle, and managing it all.

Featuring Jewish Book Council Authors, Experts & Leaders

Jessica Fechtor Stir: My Broken Brain and the Meals that Brought Me Home

Drs. Romy Block & Arielle Levitan The Vitamin Solution

Register online at jewishallianceri.org/mind-body-spirit For more information, contact Danielle Germanowski at dgermanowski@jewishallianceri.org or 401.421.4111 ext. 109.

Felice Cohen 90 Lessons for Living Large in 90 Square Feet (...or more)

Barbara Wasserman Realizing Your Next Purpose

MOTHER’S DAY

thejewishvoice.org

Afghans are a labor of love

BY MAY-RONNY ZEIDMAN In 2009, my son Jeffrey asked if I would knit him an afghan.

After I gave him the afghan, he sent me a beautiful note.

Last summer after purchasing a summer home, he asked if I would knit another afghan for cool summer evenings. I am not a person who can say no to either my children or grandchildren. When the afghan was fi nished, I sent him a note.

I framed both notes and gave the framed notes and afghan to Jeff when I spent a weekend with him on the Cape this winter.

In honor of Mother’s Day, I now share both our notes.

The Afghan: June 15, 2009

I never knew the big deal about an afghan until it got chilly and it felt like my mom was keeping me warm and holding me close.

I never knew the big deal about an afghan until I was upset and felt every thread against my body that mom touched, I felt comforted.

I knew the big deal seeing it on my couch, walking in and seeing mom every time.

So there is nothing like laying in an afghan that you know that mom touched every inch of thread that made it – with love.

So it is timeless and you can be held by mom till the day you die.

I love you Jeff

RESPONSE: November 9, 2016

I always knew how good it feels to wrap my child in an afghan and hold him close and keep him warm.

I always knew that holding my child in an afghan and feeling every inch of his body inside and out comforted not only him but also me.

I always knew when seeing it on his couch, how much I loved this child.

There is nothing like imagining my child covered in this afghan being touched by yarn that my fi ngers have touched keeping him safe and warm.

So it is timeless and in a sense you can be held by me long after I am gone.

I love you more Mom

April 28, 2017 |

17

The Jewish connection to Mother’s Day In the U.S., we will celebrate Mother’s Day on May 14 this year. But did you know that we Jews have our own Mother’s Day? It is the 11th day of the Hebrew month of Cheshvan (in October/ Novemb e r).

This Jewish Mother’s Day PATRICIA commemoRASKIN rates the death of Rachel, Jacob’s wife.

Rabbi Judy Chessin explains the significance of this observance in her article “Celebrate Mother’s Day the Jewish Way,” published in the Dayton Jewish Observer in 2011. She writes, “So why would Rachel be chosen as the quintessential Jewish mother, rather than one of the other matriarchs: Sarah, Rebecca, or Leah? After all, Rachel suffered infertility for years before becoming a mother, while her sister, Leah, bore Jacob child after child. Perhaps it was this very suffering and death after childbirth that earned her special merit in our national folklore. …

“In Jewish folklore, Rachel became identified with the indwelling Presence of the Divine (the Shekhina), and the spiritu-

al mother who accompanied the Jewish people into exile and remained disconsolate until their return.”

We all suffer and struggle in motherhood at one time or another. But I would like to focus on the rewards and meaning of being a mother.

Here are some questions to ask ourselves as mothers: • What is the greatest reward of being a mother?

• What sacrifice have I made that has turned into a blessing?

• What is the greatest lesson I have taught my children?

• What is the greatest lesson my children have taught me?

• How do I want to be remembered by my children?

• What do I love to do with my children, grandchildren?

• What do I hope for my children?

After I answered these questions, I understood more about why Judaism is passed down through the mother. But for a fuller explanation, I turned to the JewishWoman.org section of Chabad.org, where Rabbi Aron Moss writes in his article “Why is Jewishness Passed Down Through the Mother?”: “Jewishness is not in our DNA. It is in our soul. The reason it is passed down through the maternal line is not just because it is easier to identify who your

mother is. It is because the soul identity is more directly shaped by the mother than the father.

“From a purely physical perspective, a child is more directly connected to their mother.

The father’s contribution to the production of a child is instantaneous and remote. The mother, on the other hand, gives her very self to the child. The child is conceived inside the mother, develops inside the mother, is sustained and nourished by the mother, and is born from the mother.

“This is not to say that a father and child are not intimately attached. Of course they are.

But as deep and essential as the bond between father and child may be, the child’s actual body was never a part of her father’s body. But she was a part of her mother. Every child begins as an extension of their mother’s body.”

This explanation makes sense to me. Personally, I think it’s a special recognition of mothers.

Happy Mother’s Day! PATRICIA RASKIN hosts “The Patricia Raskin Show” on Saturdays at 3 p.m. on WPRO, 630 AM/99.7 FM, and on Mondays at 2 p.m. on voiceamerica. com. Raskin is a board member of Providence’s Temple EmanuEl.

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18 | April 28, 2017

MOTHER’S DAY

The Jewish Voice

Motherhood, an emotional challenge

BY ERIN GISHERMAN MINIOR Motherhood. I am not sure I was fully prepared for the experience.

I remember being initially enthralled with the idea of loving my new bundle of joy. And then, moments after first cudLIVING dling my newborn, the WELL realization of mot herho o d ERIN and all its reMINIOR sponsibilities

hit me! Sleepless nights, ear infections, colic, temper tantrums, dirty diapers, sibling rivalry … sound all too familiar?

Many mothers consider raising children to be the hardest job in the world.

I believe the greatest challenges of motherhood are not necessarily in the day-in, dayout tasks – though those can be physically draining – but in the emotional issues that evolve.

My days were no longer my own. I lost control over everything. I could no longer stay in bed for a few extra minutes, or leisurely read the morning paper. And I definitely could not control when my children were hungry or how long they slept: I

had to learn to accept that I was no longer in control of my life.

Raising children also brought worries that grew over time.

Initially, I worried if I had fed them enough, or if I held them enough, or if they knew I loved them. I eventually worried about them making friends at school and fitting in, their engagement in risky behavior, professional success in their careers, and if they were in healthy relationships.

From the time they were born, I wanted my children to have stress-free and tender lives. I would do whatever I could to take away any heartache or physical pain, even though that was not always pos-

Tips to refresh yourself this season STATEPOINT – For a happier, healthier you, take some time to clean and clear your body and mind. Here are five great ways to give yourself a midyear refresh.

up your routine. While you’re at it, you may even make some new friends. New services are allowing members to search for and book classes on-the-go from their mobile device.

1. Rise and shine. Waking up earlier gives you more “me” time, and some studies have found it makes you more productive during the day and can make you more focused.

3. Get outdoors. Get outdoors and walk, hike, cycle or paddle.

Take along water-resistant, rugged outdoor tech gear to enhance the experience.

2. Try something new. Just because you exercise consistently doesn’t mean you can’t get into a rut. Try a new studio or fitness class that can shake

4. Eat well. Rethink your eating habits. Don’t just buy quick and easy premade foods. Try switching up your meals and snacks by adding whole foods, like seasonal fruits and veg-

sible. My children survived colic, scraped knees, broken arms and heartaches following relationship breakups. And with every ache and pain they felt, I experienced the same for them in my heart.

For me, motherhood and worry went hand in hand – but I learned to accept the paths that each child chose. I learned to embrace their dreams as my own dreams for them.

Accepting the reality that at some point my children will no longer need me is very hard. I have not come to terms with this idea completely. I’d like to think that my children will always need their mother for something.

But as I witness their adult lives, I realize I have successfully launched them, and they can now live without me. They

are capable of knowing what to do without my guidance.

Now, as I reflect on motherhood, I take pleasure in remembering all the many moments that made the effort and worry so worthwhile. I realize motherhood continues to be one of the most rewarding aspects of my life.

For those who struggle with motherhood and the stressors it brings, please know that help is available through the Counseling Center at Jewish Family Service. Our caring clinicians offer support through all stages of development and the lifecycle. For more information, contact JFS at 401-331-1244.

ERIN GISHERMAN MINIOR, LICSW, is CEO of Jewish Family Service.

gies to the mix. New subscription services can make it easier to cook yourself fresh, wholesome meals by delivering preportioned ingredients to your doorstep, accompanied by nutritious, tasty recipes for faster meal prep.

5. Pamper yourself. Take a day for yourself. Whether it’s a full immersive spa day, or simply a day free of commitments to read the book you’ve been putting off or to finish the project you started months ago but haven’t found the time to complete.

5 Great ways to reduce stress STATEPOINT – The constant juggle of work, family and other responsibilities can cause anybody to feel stressed. And stress is not only unpleasant, it can have negative ramifications on your health, including stomach upset, fatigue, headache and even depression and drug abuse, according to the Mayo Clinic.

Luckily, a bit of self-care goes a long way. Here are five great ways to ease tension and reduce symptoms of stress.

1. Have a spot of tea. Drinking black tea leads to lower poststress cortisol levels, according to a University College London study. Brew yourself a cup and take a few minutes to relax.

2. Play piano. Playing piano can reduce stress, according to a study published in the International Journal of Music Education. And you can play whenever you need to take a minute to reduce stress, as keyboards come in all sizes these

days. Check out the keyboards and music gear, which feature models fit for any level of musical ability or physical space you have available to play.

3. Keep a journal. Spend a few minutes each day or when the mood strikes putting pen to paper. Writing in a journal can help you get things off your chest, and can have effects similar to meditation.

4. Get moving. Aerobic exercise has been shown to decrease overall levels of tension, elevate and stabilize mood, improve sleep and improve self-esteem.

Even five minutes of aerobic exercise can stimulate antianxiety effects. So, put on some sneakers and get moving.

5. Get together with friends.

Close friendships are a great outlet to express oneself, get positive feedback and laugh, which can ease stress and tension. Even when you’re busy, be sure to carve out time for friends.

MOTHER’S DAY

thejewishvoice.org

19

from Bergen-Belsen, she said.

This appears to have left her bitter toward the Dutch state.

“I never went back and I never considered going back to that country, where most of the Jews were killed,” she said. “In fact, I left as soon as I could.”

Yet Konig draws a distinction between the country and its people.

“I don’t think the Dutch wanted to kill us. They were acting out of fear,” she said. “And people will do most everything when they are afraid.”

FROM PAGE 5

FRANK Frank and her older sister, Margot, were among the estimated 50,000 who perished at Bergen-Belsen in 1945 after arriving there from Auschwitz.

Their mother, Edith, died at Auschwitz a month before her daughters, just three weeks before the Red Army liberated the death camp.

Otto Frank, the sole survivor from his family, already knew his daughters and wife were dead when he came to the rehabilitation center to visit Konig, who is also the only survivor from her family. Otto Frank said he wanted to know as much as possible about his family’s last weeks.

Listening to her stories and seeing her emaciated physique “visibly caused Otto Frank a lot of pain,” Konig recalled.

But despite his grief Frank, who died in 1980, “gave me support, encouraged me at a point in my life when I had no one,” she said. “He was a very special man and I will always be grateful for the consolation he offered me.”

Like many of Anne Frank’s schoolmates and friends, Konig recalled the diarist as a “sunny, smiley child.”

But unlike most of them, Konig also witnessed Anne “change into an adult” in a matter of weeks at Bergen-Belsen, she said.

“We had a childhood and then we had no adolescence,” she said. “We simply became grown-ups overnight. It was the only way to survive.”

During their meeting, Otto Frank told Konig that he intended to edit his daughter’s diaries – there were three of them – into a book. During their conversation, he said he was still thinking of omitting some of the personal details that Anne included in the diaries, including her tense relationship with her mother and her account of getting her fi rst period.

Ultimately, though, he included these details – countless readers of Anne Frank’s book regard them as crucial to achieving the personal connection many of them feel to her.

“The Diary of a Young Girl” is perhaps the world’s mostread manuscript about the Holocaust; it has been translated into 70 languages in dozens of countries.

After the war, Konig worked as a bilingual (English-Dutch) secretary in England. She married a British man and moved to Brazil in the 1950s. She and her husband have three children and five grandchildren, as well as several great-grandchildren.

But it wasn’t until a decade ago that Konig felt the drive to bear testimony – similar to what Otto Frank felt when he published Anne’s diary and set up the educational Anne Frank

April 28, 2017 |

Foundation in Basel, Switzerland.

“I saw he was the exception,” Konig said of Otto Frank. “Most Holocaust survivors decided not to talk about it, maybe it was too painful. Maybe it was too complicated. In the Netherlands there was a sense that Jews shouldn’t make too much of a fuss about their own tragedy when everyone suffered.”

Gradually, Konig began speaking at schools – fi rst the ones her grandchildren attended. Then she was invited to speak about the Holocaust on Brazilian television and other media. She went on to speak at schools in the United States and Europe, and give interviews to leading media in her native Netherlands.

In 2015, Konig published a book in Brazil titled “I Survived the Holocaust.” It has since been published in Dutch, Portuguese and Spanish. She said she is looking to have it published in English as well.

“It became clear to me that we, the survivors, have a duty to the victims, even when it’s an unpleasant one,” Konig said.

The Jews, she said, “are not so vulnerable anymore in a world that has a strong Israel and its robust voice.”

But other minorities, she adds, “are as vulnerable as we were.”

In her talks at high schools, Konig tries to impress upon her listeners how the Holocaust was the result of a democratic transition of power.

“Two weeks after he took office,” she said of Adolf Hitler, “he revoked the constitution, closed parliament and declared himself a dictator. When your time comes to vote, be sure to exercise it wisely.”

When she speaks in the Netherlands, Konig said part of what she regards as her duty is to talk about the checkered history of the population of that country, where both Nazi collaboration and heroism were prevalent.

The Netherlands has an outsized number of Righteous among the Nations – non-Jews who risked their lives to save Jews during the Holocaust.

More than a fi fth of all the

26,513 Righteous recognized

by Israel are from the Netherlands, a nation of 17 million people. Its tally of 5,595 Righteous is the second-largest in the world after Poland’s 6,706.

But the Netherlands also has the highest death rate of Jews in Nazi-occupied Western Europe.

The genocide, which resulted in the murder of 75 percent of the country’s pre-Holocaust Jewish population of 140,000, was facilitated by Dutch police, collaborators and headhunters,

and was followed by callous treatment of those who survived. Thousands were required to pay taxes on properties while they were in camps or in hiding, and fi ned for missing payments because of this reason.

Konig herself had to pay the equivalent of thousands of dollars in medical bills for her own rehabilitation after returning

COMMUNITY

20 | April 28, 2017

The Jewish Voice

Annual JFSRI lecture focuses on serving the LGBTQ+ population

“Being inclusive and saying that we’re welcoming are two different things; it’s not enough to wave a rainbow flag” and say that we’re welcoming of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning individuals as well as those who are non-binary or gender nonconforming – more commonly called LGBTQ+, said Phoenix Schneider, MSW, a lifelong advocate for LGBTQ+ communities and a transgender Jewish individual. Schneider spoke to approximately 100 social workers and other mental health professionals at Jewish Family Service of Rhode Island’s annual Julie Claire Gutterman Memorial Lecture on April 7. He focused on issues facing individuals and how social service agencies can be more supportive and inclusive.

Demonstrating that you’re an inclusive agency, he explained before his presentation at Ledgemont Country Club in Seekonk, Mass., requires specific steps and a great deal of work with respect to policies, programs and outreach in providing comprehensive services for and community engagement with LGBTQ+ individuals.

As director, LGBTQ Initiative, Jewish Family and Children’s Service of Greater Philadelphia, Schneider is wellqualified to address these issues. His agency was the first Jewish agency to receive the Human Rights Campaign Foundation “Seal of Recognition”

for Leadership in Supporting and Serving LGBTQ Youth and Families.

In a combination of lectures and interactive and group exercises, Schneider presented these key points for agencies that wish to create a nurturing and inclusive space for LGBTQ+ individuals and families.

They come from best practices, Keshet (a national nonprofit organization working for full LGBTQ inclusion and equality in Jewish life) and the Human Rights Campaign (the nation’s largest civil rights organization working to achieve lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer equality) • Develop and implement policies that are inclusive of LGBTQ+ individuals and families. For example, develop and implement a nondiscrimination policy and client rights policy that includes sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression.

• Amend all client forms across the agency that are LGBTQ+ inclusive and have more than two options. For example, rather than list “mother/father,” list “parent 1/parent 2/ parent 3.”

• Provide LGBTQ+ sensitivity training for staff members.

• Review and amend written communications and website materials to include LGBTQ+ individuals and families. Don’t assume gender or assign a pronoun to someone based on gen-

der presentation or expression.

Schneider explained the differences between sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression.

• Provide at least one all-gender restroom.

• It should be a priority to have at least one person on staff who identifies as LGBTQ+.

Why is this important? LGBTQ+ individuals – across generations – face unique needs and challenges. Youth are at much higher risk of suicide than their gender-conforming counterparts, some individuals in their 60s are now coming out as gay or transgender and the laws protecting such individuals are inconsistent from state to state, said Schneider.

It can be daunting for agency staff members who feel that they must know everything about LGBTQ+ issues to feel competent, he acknowledged.

“Just as with any other client,” said Schneider, “meet them where they’re at, validate them and don’t make assumptions.”

It only takes one supportive person in a young person’s life to save that individual from suicide, he added. Hearing someone say, “I accept you for who you are. I love you; you’re perfect the way you are,” can be a lifesaver, he said.

– Submitted by Jewish Family Service of Rhode Island

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‘Arranged’ is first in Habonim’s annual film series Temple Habonim’s annual Sunday Film Series kicks off on Sunday April 30, at 3:30 p.m. with the showing of “Arranged.” Rachel is an Orthodox Jew, and Nasira a Muslim of Syrian origin. They are both beautiful young teachers at a public school in Brooklyn.

They also have something else in common – they are going through the process of “arranged marriages” according to their respective religious and traditional customs. With family pressure on the one hand and the rejection of traditional values by the outside world on the other, Rachel and Nasira will have to rely on each other and their friendship to pull through this difficult time, striving to be strong women in charge of their own happiness, while keeping their religious and cultural convictions.

“Defying the Nazis: The Sharps’ War” is the film choice for Sunday, May 21, at 3:30 p.m.

This is the never-before-told story of Waitstill and Martha Sharp, an American minister and his wife from Wellesley, Massachusetts, who left their children behind in the care of their parish and boldly committed to a life-threatening mission in Europe. Over two dangerous years they helped save scores of imperiled dissidents and refugees fleeing the Nazi occupation across Europe. During this time, the Sharps would face harrowing encounters with

Nazi police, narrowly escape arrest and watch as the Third Reich invaded Eastern Europe.

Their marriage would be tested severely and the two children they left behind would grow saddened by their parents’ absence. But, dozens of scientists, journalists, doctors and powerful anti-Nazi activists and children would find their way to freedom and start new lives in America because of the Sharps’ efforts and sacrifice.

The third and final film, to be shown on Sunday, June 4, at 3:30 p.m. has yet to be determined.

All showings, which include popcorn, are free and open to the community. Temple Habonim is located at 165 New Meadow Road, Barrington. Call the Temple office at 401-245-6536 for more information.

COMMUNITY

thejewishvoice.org

April 28, 2017 |

21

Kotel replica brings Israel closer to home

BY DORI ADLER Teachers at Temple Torat Yisrael’s Cohen School were exploring ways to help our students connect with Israel on a personal level when K-1 teacher Alyse Teitelbaum had a lightbulb idea: She excitingly exclaimed that we at the Cohen School should build a replica of the Kotel!

Teachers Shirah Cruz and Tracey Bosco, along with Teitelbaum, Rabbi Joel Hoffman and I, discussed how we could design and deliver this educational experience so that the students would learn about Israel, better connect with ancient traditions of the Jewish people and with God, and strengthen their ties to the Jewish homeland and one another.

Armed with this creative idea, we begin the school’s multilayered Kotel replica project.

Our project began with Tslil Reichman, the Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island’s Israeli emissary, speaking to the students about the Kotel, its history and connection to Israelis. The Wailing Wall, in Jerusalem, is also known as the Western Wall and by its Hebrew name, the Kotel. It is a holy site for prayer and pilgrimage for the Jewish people, who often leave notes in the wall’s crevices with heartfelt prayers.

The teachers then continued exploring the Kotel in their classrooms with texts, videos, live webcam coverage of the wall, and colorful pictures.

While the students were learning about the Kotel, the school community was collecting empty shoe boxes.

Little by little, the mound of donated boxes became bigger and bigger. Once we had enough, I wrapped them in sturdy brown paper, with the help of the sixth- and seventhgraders.

Then, as a kehillah (community), the students carefully built the wall. The K-1 class, with help from their older buddies, decided where and how to place the boxes to ensure that the wall was strong and sturdy.

Once the wall was built, the Cohen School teachers painted it in shades of brown with splashes of green grass.

As we built the Kotel replica, I nervously questioned the end product. Would it be tall enough? Did the colors match the actual Kotel? Did we need more green grass to make it look more authentic? Would the students take seriously the notes they would write and place in crevices in the wall?

Would it mimic the experience that the students would have if they were standing in front of the actual wall in Jerusalem?

As the students walked up to our Kotel, some stopped to say a prayer before carefully placing their handwritten notes in the wall crevices. Some students shared the prayers and wishes they had written in their notes: Prayers to protect their families, wishes to have a beloved

Torat family placing note in actual Kotel

K-1 students putting notes in replica relative feel better, desires to do better in school.

I then realized that it didn’t matter if the wall was an exact replica, it didn’t matter if it was tall enough, or if it was the right color – it was about Jewish children connecting to Israel and God. It was about building community and sharing in the traditions that Jewish people around the world cherish. I learned a valuable lesson from my students that day.

A week later, the notes were given to a Cohen School family that journeyed to Israel in early March. They carefully placed our special notes into the actual Kotel. Their mitzvah provided our students with the amazing opportunity to participate in an important Jewish tradition.

Our students have been encouraged to continue to place notes with prayers and wishes into the Kotel replica for the rest of the school year. These notes will be delivered to Israel at the end of the year.

A K-1 student placing note in wall We at the Cohen School invite you to come see our Kotel, and place your special notes, prayers and wishes in it; we are all a part of the same Jewish community and we welcome you.

Our Kotel replica

DORI ADLER is the education director at the Cohen School, at Torat Yisrael, in East Greenbush. For questions or information about the school, contact Adler at school@toratyisrael. org.

22 | April 28, 2017

COMMUNITY | CALENDAR

The Jewish Voice

Tamarisk Assisted Living Residence offers respite care, too

FROM PAGE 10

CALENDAR

May 16). All are welcome. Information, Temple Sinai, 401-942-8350.

Registered nurse Nadine Gould knows firsthand the importance of respite care.

Lunch and Learn with Rabbi Aaron Philmus. Noon-1:30 p.m. T’s Restaurant, 5600 Post Road, East Greenwich. Participants order from the menu, and study Jewish sources addressing current issues. Open to all. Information, Stephanie Reinsant at stephanie@toratyisrael.org or 401885-6600.

“When faced with the need for short-term respite care for my mother, The Phyllis Siperstein Tamarisk Assisted Living Residence facility and staff far surpassed our expectations. My mother has thrived both physically and mentally,” she says.

“The decision was an easy one to transition to longer-term assisted living care at Tamarisk.”

Respite care, whether planned or in response to an emergency, is intended to provide temporary relief for families.

Respite stays at Tamarisk, in Warwick, are charged per day and include a fully furnished apartment, meals, one hour a day of personal care, an ECall system, medication management, room/linen service, laundry, escorts to meals and activities (if needed), exercise programs, transportation to appointments and more.

Typically, respite care is used while folks get on their feet after a hospital stay. Ideally, it takes place in an environment that is not clinical and yet supports their psychological, social and medical needs during recuperation. Services such as physical, occupational and speech ther-

Yoga. 6-7:15 p.m. Temple Torat Yisrael, 1251 Middle Road, East Greenwich.

Cost: $30 for 3 sessions paid in advance; $12 per session at the door.

Open to all. Bring a mat. Information, Stephanie Reinsant at stephanie@ toratyisrael.org or 401-885-6600.

Tuesday Night Talmud (TNT). 7:30-8:30 p.m. Congregation Beth Sholom, 275 Camp St., Providence. Study the Fifth Chapter of Berachot with Rabbi Barry Dolinger. Through May 23. Information, rabbi@bethsholom-ri.org.

Wednesday | May 10 apy can follow a patient from a hospital to Tamarisk.

The facility reports tremendous success in getting respite patients back on their feet.

Roberta Ragge, executive director of Tamarisk, notes that caregivers also take advantage of respite care so they can get a breather.

“One family in particular has their mother stay with us each year for a month, so they can travel to Florida,” she says.

Ragge said some families also use respite care as a trial to see how their loved one adjusts to the new surroundings before

EAST SIDE

|

making the move to assisted living.

“The goal for us here at Tamarisk is to provide our residents with a safe environment that they can thrive in. This is the same for our long-term clients as for those here on respite,” Ragge says.

To learn more about Tamarisk’s respite program or to schedule a tour, contact Susan Adler at 401-732-007 or at Susana@tamariskri.org.

– Submitted by Tamarisk

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3 Week Readers’ Circle Series. 7-9 p.m. Temple Sinai, 30 Hagen Ave., Cranston. Cantor Deborah Johnson leads this Readers’ Circle on Sephardim in advance of the discussion of “The Kidnapping of Edgardo Mortara” on May 20 with author David Kertzer. On May 10, the group will discuss the book “The Kidnapping of Edgardo Mortara.”

Upcoming Readers’ Circle date: May 17. Information, Dottie at Temple Sinai, 401-942-8350.

Mah Jongg. 7 p.m. Temple Torat Yisrael, 1251 Middle Road, East Greenwich.

All are welcome. Bring your 2017 Mah Jongg card. Free. Information, Stephanie Reinsant at stephanie@ toratyisrael.org or 401-885-6600.

Thursday | May 11 Interfaith Poverty Conference. 8 a.m.-Noon. Rhode Island College, Donovan Dining Center, 600 Mt.

Pleasant Ave., Providence. Organized by the RI Interfaith Coalition to Reduce Poverty, faith leaders and advocates come together to organize, learn and get inspired to fight poverty. Keynote Speaker: Rev. Dr. James A. Forbes, Jr., senior minister emeritus of The Riverside Church in New York City, National Minister of the Drum Major Institute, President of the Healing of the Nations Foundation and co-leader of the Moral Revival. He is an author, a scholar, a preacher and a pastor, with a strong background in ecumenical and interfaith work, including 15 years as co-chair of A Partnership of Faith, an interfaith clergy organization in New York. A long-time professor of preaching at Union Theological Seminary, he is often described as “the preacher’s preacher.” Also four workshops: Immigration 101: From Refugees to Dreamers, DACA to Driver’s Licenses, an Introduction to Key Immigration Issues in RI; Fair Pay for Work: (Re) Considering RI’s Minimum Wage; Racial & Economic Disparities in Education & Housing: How De Facto Segregation Functions and How It Harms Our Children; Growing Older in Community: Transportation Challenges, Food Security Issues & Isolation Risks for Low-Income Seniors. Reduced rate for registration ($25) for groups of 3 plus. Sliding scale tickets for individuals ($0-$35). Information, Emily Jones at riinterfaithcoalition@gmail.com or 401421-4111, ext. 161.

Friday | May 12 Kabbalat Shabbat Services and Oneg.

7:30 p.m. Temple Torat Yisrael, 1251 Middle Road, East Greenwich. Join us for Shabbat services followed by an Oneg. Information, Stephanie Reinsant at stephanie@toratyisrael.org or 401885-6600.

thejewishvoice.org

SENIORS

April 28, 2017 |

23

REMEMBER THE PAST From the Rhode Island Jewish Historical Association

From ancient times to today, hospitality means we will take care of you

BY RUTH BREINDEL The word “hospitality” is derived from the Latin word hospes, which means guest, host, stranger. In the ancient world, where inns were dangerous, people preferred to stay at someone’s house; you were a guest when you traveled and a host when travelers came to your area. This system included strangers – people not known to you personally, but through family, business or another relationship.

From the Latin stem, we also get the words hotel, hosted, host, guest, hospital and hospice.

There are many defi nitions of hospitality, but it all comes down to treating the other as if he or she were a friend, offering food, drink and a place to stay.

Guests had their own rules – they were not to overstay their welcome. In midrash Tehillim it states, “On the day a guest arrives, a calf is slaughtered in his honor; the next day, a sheep, the third day, a fowl, and on the fourth day, he is served just beans” (23:3). This is the precursor to Benjamin Franklin’s statement that “guests, like fish, begin to smell after three days.”

Many stories deal with a test of hospitality. For example, in Genesis XVIII 1-8, three strangers approach in disguise and ask for hospitality. Abraham grants it, and then they promise that Sarah will give birth to a child. In Kings II 8-17, Elisha (Elijah’s successor) receives hospitality from a Shunamite woman, and he tells her that she will have a child. Note the

similarity in the gift! This giving/taking is very similar to the Latin phrase do ut des, I give so that you give – a reciprocal relationship between the host and the guest.

Another story, summarized here, involves Elijah: The prophet Elijah and a rabbi were traveling together; the only requirement Elijah made was that the rabbi could not question anything that Elijah did. They came to the house of a rich man, who grudgingly allowed them to stay in the house but did not offer them any food.

During the visit, the rich man complained about a damaged wall. The next day, to thank him, Elijah fi xed the wall.

Then they went on their way, and came to the house of a poor man. They were received very well, and given the best food the poor man’s family had to eat and his own bed. In the morning, Elijah thanked the poor man. On the way out of that town, Elijah made the poor man’s cow die.

Finally, the rabbi could not keep quiet. “How could you treat the rich, stingy man so well and the poor, generous man so badly?” demanded the rabbi.

“I fi xed the wall for the rich man, since there was a treasure hidden under the wall, and he would have found it when he repaired the wall. I allowed the cow to die instead of the poor man’s wife, whose time had come. Never doubt or seek to understand what the Lord does,” Elijah replied.

Thus hospitality is repaid,

Cranston Seniors plan upcoming meetings

Cranston Senior Guild’s next meeting will take place Wednesday, May 3, at 1 p.m. at Tamarisk Assisted Living, 3 Shalom Drive, Warwick. Cranston Mayor Allan Fung will be the guest speaker. There will be time for questions. Refreshments and a raffle will accompany the meeting. All men and women age 55 years and older are welcome to join the group. Cranston residency is not required.

Mark your calendar for the June 7 installation luncheon.

Details available at a later date.

even though the workings might seem unfair. This story, with a few additions, in also told in the Quran (18:66-82).

In the Middle Ages, especially after the Crusades, hospitality became a necessity among the Jews. Traveling beggars and students were given hospitality by the families in the town (although sometimes they were presented with a bill). Even today, some will open their houses on Shabbat for those who can’t make it home on Friday night.

Many communities also had a haknasat orehim, a special place for travelers. In Providence in the late 1800s and early 1900s, there were two houses, one on Jefferson Street in the North End and another near Willard Avenue in the South End; today, the Chabad House fulfi lls this function.

In modern times, hospitality is often viewed as part of the hotel industry; when you Google “hospitality” you get hundreds of sites for hotels, spas and the like. It seems that hospitality has gone corporate.

At the Passover Seder we say, “Let all who are hungry come and eat.” We do not mean this literally, but rather as an ideal.

In Newport in the 1700s, matzah was handmade at Touro Synagogue and distributed to the

Jewish Senior Services runs The Louis & Goldie Chester Full Plate Kosher Food Pantry.

So the idea of hospitality has endured through the millennia, in different forms, but with the same message: we will take care of you!

poor. Later, in Providence, the Montefiori Ladies Aid helped with matzah.

Nowadays we fulfi ll this ideal by giving money or time to a food bank, pantry or Meals on Wheels. Here in Rhode Island there are also many Jewish agencies that help: Jewish Family Service and some temples run Kosher Meals on Wheels and Kosher Senior Cafés, while

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Latin American Jewish Congress elects Argentine businessman as new president JTA – The Latin American Jewish Congress elected Argentine businessman Adrian Werthein president.

Werthein was elected April 23 at the World Jewish Congress’ Plenary Assembly in New York City to succeed Jack Terpins, who has led the organization since 2001 and became its fi rst honorary president. An adviser to Terpins, Werthein is the fi rst Argentine to head the Latin American Jewish Congress, a branch of the World Jewish Congress, in 20 years.

The Latin American group, which represents 21 Jewish communities, has its headquarters in Buenos Aires. Its last Argentine president was Ruben Beraja in 1998.

President Mauricio Macri of Argentina, which has the largest Jewish population in Latin

Adrian Werthein

America, sent Werthein a letter of congratulations, calling his election an “excellent opportunity to strength the ties between Argentina and international Jewish organizations.”

Werthein, 65, is a member of a large family with a long history of involvement in business and social activities. The family is involved in supporting Jewish charitable organizations,

including Tzedaka and ORT Argentina. He is a former president of the Israel-Argentina Chamber of Commerce and has been a member of the University of Tel Aviv’s board of governors since 1977.

Werthein led the $4 billion debt restructuring process of Telecom and currently serves as a board member of the Buenos Aires Stock Exchange.

The family business started in 1904 by an immigrant who arrived from Bessarabia and opened a little store in the country called “The Hebrew.” Today, the Werthein Group has interests in agriculture and livestock, mass consumption, telecommunications, real estate, fi nancial services, wineries and energy, among other areas.

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OBITUARIES

26 | April 28, 2017 Joel M. Cerel, 82 CRANSTON, R.I. – Joel M. Cerel died April 14 at home.

He was the beloved husband of Lenore (White) Cerel for 60 years.

Born in Pawtucket, a son of the late Jack and Frances (Mellion) Cerel, he was a longtime resident of Cranston.

He was the owner and certified gemologist of Cerel’s Jewelers for 50 years, retiring in 1992.

Joel attended Riverside Military Academy. While at Boston University he was a member of TEP Fraternity. He was also a member of Mount Moriah Lodge of Masons.

He was the devoted father of Robin Rittenberg of Cranston and Jacalyn Shaulson of Stanford, Connecticut. He was the dear brother of the late Daniel Cerel. He was the loving grandfather of Jonathan and Amit, Samuel, and Jake Rittenberg, Misty and Lainey Sidell.

Contributions in his memory may be made to Hope Hospice & Palliative Care, 1085 N. Main St., Providence, RI 02904.

ASK THE DIRECTOR

BY MICHAEL D. SMITH F.D./R.E. Shalom Memorial Chapel

QUESTION: Why do Jewish people have closed caskets at their funerals?

J.S., Warwick Dear J.S., There are at least a couple of reasons for not having an open casket at a Jewish funeral. One reason is that it makes it easier to remember the appearance of the deceased as they were during their lifetime, not as they have been dressed for burial.

Another reason is that Jewish tradition regards it as incompatible with the principle of showing proper respect for the deceased. For example, once the Tahara (purification ritual) is completed, the mace (decedent) is not supposed to be disturbed in any way.

Some rabbis suggest that opening the casket would be considered disturbing the mace and therefore disrespectful. Other rabbis state that the casket can only be opened at the funeral home and then, only for the family because they find comfort in saying their goodbyes privately, and anything that helps a mourner get through the grieving process is a mitzvah.

QUESTIONS ARE WELCOMED AND ENCOURAGED. Please send questions to: ShalomChapel@aol.com or by mail to Ask the Director, c/o Shalom Memorial Chapel, 1100 New London Ave., Cranston, R.I. 02920.

The Jewish Voice

Sheldon E. Davis, 88 DARTMOUTH, MASS. – Dr. Sheldon E. Davis died April 13.

He was the husband of the late Marilyn (Johnson) Davis. Born in New Bedford, a son of the late Harry and Bessie (Falk) Davis, he had been a lifelong resident of the New Bedford area.

Receiving a doctorate from Northwestern University in 1954, where he was a member of Phi Beta Kappa. Davis was a fellow at the Lahey Clinic, a resident physician at Boston City Hospital and a practicing physician in New Bedford for over 50 years. He was a member of Tifereth Israel Congregation.

Davis was the father of Harry J. Davis and William T. Davis; the brother of Elaine Bernstein and her husband, George; grandfather of Karen and Andrew Davis; and great-grandfather of Caitlyn Audette. He was the brother of the late Steven N. Davis and Gertrude Gollis.

Contributions in his memory may be made to Tifereth Israel Congregation or New Bedford Jewish Convalescent Home, 200 Hawthorn St., New Bedford, MA 02740.

Shirley J. Davis, 92 CRANSTON, R.I. – Shirley J. Davis died April 8 at Philip Hulitar Inpatient Center. She was the beloved wife of the late Albert Davis. Born in Providence, a daughter of the late Louis and Rose (Sack) Chorney, she was a longtime resident of Cranston.

Shirley was a founding member of Temple Sinai and a member of its Sisterhood. She was also a life member of Hadassah.

She was the devoted mother of Nancy Davis (Sheila) of New York City and Joel Davis of Los Angeles, California. She was the dear sister of Beverly Abowitt (Morton) and the late Melvin Chorney. She was the loving sister-in-law of Marion Chorney and Hannah Fiebelman (Jack). She was the adored grandmother of Rebecca (Mar-

vin). She was the cherished great-grandmother of Adina.

She was the proud aunt of Jeffery (Jaine), Barbara (Ken), Caryl, Lisa (Ronnie), Dana (Eric), Bruce, Louis, Ira, Robbie (Delores), Jay, Michael, and Kay, and great-aunt of Justin, Daniel, Rachel, Leah, Audrey, Andrew (Elaine), Marcy, Matthew, Clare (Jake), Talia (Daniel), and Ronin. She was the lifelong best friend of Anna Mignanelli.

Contributions in her memory may be made to Hope Hospice and Palliative Care, 1085 North Main St., Providence, RI 02904.

Esther Friedman, 94 PHILADELPHIA, PA. – Esther Friedman died on March 18.

She was the beloved wife of the late Isaac Azimow, the late Tibor Foldes, and the late Morris Friedman. Born March 13, 1923 in Denver, Colorado, the daughter of the late Harry and Fannie Himmel, she was raised in Philadelphia and was a lifelong resident of the area.

“Essye”, as she was fondly called, studied at the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia and was a classically trained opera singer. She was a member of Beth Israel Synagogue in Hazelton, Pennsylvania, in the 1950s and 1960s, as well as an active member of Hadassah.

Esther traveled the world and loved the arts and theatre. Music was a very important part of her life, and her beautiful voice will live on in the hearts of all who loved her.

She is survived by her daughter Dale Salmanson (Jerry), son Josh Azimow, and stepson Michael Friedman (Helayne Angelus), grandson Ethan Wood (Stefani) and granddaughter Ilissa Wood Lipworth (Jared Lipworth), and great-grandchildren Sadie and Meyer Wood and Emma and Alex Lipworth.

Contributions in her memory may be made to the Philadelphia Museum of Art, 2600 Ben Franklin Parkway, Philadel-

phia, PA 19130 or the National Liberty Museum 3210 Chestnut St., PA 19106.

Rabbi Saul Leeman, 100 PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Rabbi Saul Leeman of Providence, died on April 5.

He had been the longtime leader of the Cranston Jewish Center, later serving as rabbi at Temple Shalom in Medford, Mass. Always striving to share his love for Jewish scholarship, Leeman introduced Bible contests in all Rhode Island Hebrew schools and adult learning programs in the state’s many synagogues.

He taught Judaica courses at Providence College and advanced Hebrew language at Brown University. He served two terms as president of the Rhode Island Board of Rabbis.

His extensive pastoral activities included regular visits and engagement with mentally disabled residents of the former Ladd School in Exeter. In his retirement, he participated in Temple Emanu-El’s adult education program.

Leeman had been married for 68 years to the late Dr. Elsie Leeman, a teacher of Greek and Latin, and later head of the English department, at Classical High School in Providence.

He is survived by his children and their spouses, Deborah and Peter Robbins; Joel and Sara; and David and Ramona. His son Michael predeceased him.

Seven grandchildren and three great-grandchildren also survive him. He was brother to the late Rabbi Albert Leeman and the late Edith Kling.

Leeman was an avid player of handball, a game he learned OBITUARIES | 27

OBITUARIES

thejewishvoice.org

FROM PAGE 26

OBITUARIES

in his youth in Brooklyn and continued to pursue for decades in Providence. As a gymnast, he participated in beach pyramids in his college years, and long thereafter would perform handstands, including, notably, on the back of a camel in the Sinai Desert. Leeman attended Yeshiva Etz Hayim in Borough Park, New York, where his lifelong love for Hebrew was instilled. He was a graduate of Brooklyn College and Yeshiva University’s Teachers Institute.

He was ordained at the Jewish Theological Seminary, where he later earned a doctorate in Bible studies. He delighted in his role as a member of the translating committee of the Hebrew Bible (Kethubim) for the Jewish Publication Society.

Leeman participated in the civil rights march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama, in 1965, and was actively involved in promoting understanding and cooperation with non-Jewish faith communities in Rhode Island. Before coming to Providence, Leeman helped found the Israel Community Center of Levittown, Long Island, a community of homes offered to World War II veterans. He had almost total recall not only of important Jewish texts, but of scores of anecdotes, a combination that made him a stimulating teacher and companion

throughout his long life.

Donations in Rabbi Leeman’s memory may be made to Temple Emanu-El, 99 Taft Ave., Providence 02906, or to Congregation Sha’arei Tefi lla, 450 Elmgrove Ave., Providence 02906.

Abby L. Maizel, 71 EAST GREENWICH, R.I. – Abby Lee Maizel, M.D. Ph.D., 71, died on April 7. He was the husband of Gail (Raiken) Maizel. Born in Brooklyn, New York, a son of the late Harry and Sarah (Levy) Maizel, he had been a resident of Rhode Island since 1986.

Maizel was a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. He was the chief of pathology at Roger Williams Hospital, the principal owner of University Pathologists, a professor of pathology at Brown University and Boston University Medical Schools and a pioneer in genetic research including trailblazing research in immunotherapy.

His passions began with his wife, children and grandchildren, and included growing Bonsai trees, antiques, photography, boating and his pets. He was a generous philanthropist to numerous charities.

Besides his wife, he is survived by his children Jennie Maizel-McKiernan and her husband Bill of East Greenwich and Rebecca Maizel of East

Because he deserves a

Greenwich; his sisters Naomi Berne and her husband Bruce of Irvington, New York and Amy Maizel-Seeherman and her husband Les Brody of Newton, Massachusetts; his grandchildren Jonah and Ellie; and his nieces and nephews.

Contributions in his memory may be made to the Wildlife Rehabilitors Association, 240 Shermantown Rd., Saunderstown, RI 02874 or your own local animal shelter.

Mildred Pivnick, 92 WARWICK, R.I. – Mildred “Millie” Pivnick died April 9 at Greenwich Farms.

She was the beloved wife of the late Arthur Pivnick.

Born in Manchester, New Ha mpsh i re, a daughter of the late Abraham and Ida (Young) Factoroff, she had lived in Warwick since 2010, previously living in West Warwick. Millie had several different roles in the Warwick school department, serving as teacher, guidance counselor, and principal.

She was the devoted mother of Heidi Bomengen and her husband, Richard, of Killington, Vermont. She was the dear sister of the late Bertha Mezoff, Allick Factoroff, Henry Factoroff, and Morris Factor. She was the

JEWISH TOMORROW

that starts today

Jewish tradition teaches us that it is our responsibility to make the world a better place for future generations.

The simple truth is that without bequests and planned giving we cannot prepare for the future needs of our community.

Securing your gift now will ensure the education of our children, make certain our elderly receive the proper care, and promise that the Jewish traditions and culture we hold dear live on and flourish.

Leaving your legacy and caring for your loved ones has never been easier.

For more information on ways to leave your Jewish legacy, please contact Trine Lustig, Vice President of Philanthropy, at tlustig@jewishallianceri.org or 401.421.4111 ext. 223.

cherished aunt of five nieces.

Contributions in her memory may be made to your favorite charity.

Eileen Winkler, 88 CRANSTON, R.I. – Eileen Fay Winkler died April 7 surrounded by her loving family.

She was the beloved wife of the late Milton H. Winkler. Born in P r ov id e nc e , a daughter of the late Joseph and Paula (White) Dubin, she had lived in Cranston for over 60 years. She was an accounts payable supervisor

April 28, 2017 |

27

at the former Almacs for over 20 years. Eileen was a graduate of Bryant College, Class of ’48. She was a life member of the Providence Hebrew Day School Ladies Association and a former member of Temple Emanu-El. She was the devoted mother of Larry Winkler and his wife, Marion, of Cranston, Richard Winkler and his wife, Brett, of Warwick and Rochelle Ziegler and her husband, Charles, of North Kingstown. She was the dear sister of the late Florence Fischer and Harold Dubin. She was the loving grandmother of Brandon, Peter, Suesan, Pamela, Lindsay, Ellie, and Rachel.

Contributions in her memory may be made to Providence Hebrew Day School, 450 Elmgrove Ave., Providence RI 02906.

France detains 10 in probe of weapons used in 2015 Hyper Cacher killings JTA – French police have detained 10 people in the investigation of the deadly 2015 attack on a Jewish supermarket in Paris, sources close to the probe told Agence France Presse on Wednesday.

The suspects include a suspected arms trafficker, Claude Hermant.

Investigators are seeking to ascertain how the assailant, France-based jihadist Amedy Coulibaly, obtained the weap-

ons used in the Jan. 9, 2015, attack on the Hyper Cacher market. Coulibaly was killed by police after murdering four in a hostage siege that began on the same day that jihadists killed 12 at the offices of the Charlie Hebdo satirical magazine.

Prosecutors say Hermant, who is awaiting trial in a separate arms trafficking case, has links with far-right groups in northern France.

28 | April 28, 2017

SENIORS

The Jewish Voice

PHOTO | ELAINE SHAPIRO

A table from the recent combined Kosher Senior Café seder held at Temple Sinai.

FROM PAGE 1

MEAL SITE

meal site.

Expanded programming will include fitness offerings three days a week before lunch, expanded game days and more of the ever-popular current events discussions and schmooze days.

On May 12, there will be a celebration of the expansion to five days a week, including music and a special Mother’s Day gift.

Meals are offered at a suggested donation of $3 for those 60 and older or those under 60

with a disability. Drobnis asks that you call 24 hours in advance if you know you will be attending.

Catering for the nutrition program is provided by Accounting for Taste, a Kosher caterer that operates out of the kitchen at Temple Emanu-El and is supervised by Rabbi Wayne Franklin. The site is funded by the Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island, and meal costs are supported by Blackstone

Health Inc., and the State of Rhode Island.

For more information or to make a reservation for the Providence Kosher Senior Café at Temple Emanu-El, 99 Taft Ave., call 401-338-3189. To make a reservation for the Cranston Kosher Senior Café, at Temple Sinai, 30 Hagen Ave., call 401743-0009.

FRAN OSTENDORF is the editor of The Jewish Voice.

PHOTOS | SETH FINKLE

Dwares Jewish Community Center teens recently enjoyed an afternoon of board games and conversation with Kosher Café seniors, following a meal.

PHOTO | JFSRI

Jewish Family Service of Rhode Island volunteers gather for a photo at the annual summer Kosher Senior Café Goddard Park event. These volunteers help out at both meal sites.

COMMUNITY

thejewishvoice.org

April 28, 2017 |

29

Reporting on a gap year in Israel student body so everyone is able to receive individual care.

The program, however, is not so small as to feel stifl ing or as to diminish the opportunity of creating new relationships.

There is also the fact that MT is located on a huge campus, and there’s always the chance to meet new girls from different walks of life. They aren’t using cookie cutters and expecting uniformity, but are trying to build us up and allow us to become the best versions of ourselves.

As much as we are developing our spiritual side, we are developing our love of the land through experiencing adventures for ourselves. It may just be three months in but I feel gratitude that I have found myself here and have made lifelong friendships, grown exponentially and hope to continue to build new aspirations as I continue to change. All of this could not have occurred if it hadn’t been for my amazing mother who continues to support me in all of my endeavors.

BY HANNA GIRARD My journey with Midreshet Tehila started last year, when I spoke to Rabbi Menachem Nissel about furthering my Jewish education and which program he felt worked best for me. At the end of the conversation, I began to research the various seminaries he suggested. I felt Midreshet Tehila was where I belonged and that I had a chance to connect as a member of a modern generation of Judaism with my past lineage.

Well, three months in, I can tell you one thing is for sure: the days are longer here and far more meaningful. In high school, I would live a cycle of going to school, doing homework, maybe picking up a Jewish book that would soon forget and repeat my day again.

I was grasping at straws with regard to my Jewish education.

Here I wake up and learn all day; I am immersed in the world of working on myself and developing my relationship with Judaism. My Torah growth here is at my fi ngertips, and I intend to use every resource. I have classes on a range of topics: some teach me the best ways to interact with others, some open my eyes to the mystical concepts within Judaism, and some simply recognize the character traits we gain from the 12 tribes and what we can do to tap into their strengths.

PHOTO | ETHNE GIRARD

Ethne and Hanna Girard at the Kotel.

Midreshet Tehila so far feels like it was built for me, though

I know my program mates feel similarly even with their dif-

Dwares Rhode Island

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30 | April 28, 2017

COMMUNITY

The Jewish Voice

Moufletas for Mimouna

Mimouna is a traditional North African celebration marking the end of Passover. Popularized by Moroccan Jews in Israel, it marks the end of avoiding hametz with moufletas, a type of crepe fried in oil.

At the Dwares Jewish Community Center in Providence, April 23, Israeli shlichah (emissary) Tslil Reichman demonstrated how to make moufletas and everyone had an opportunity to try one of the fried delicacies, delicious with butter and honey or Nutella. There were hamsas to decorate and other crafts, all to a background of Moroccan music

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PHOTOS | STEVEN SHAPIRO

Rabbi Aaron Philmus led the Seder at Temple Torat Yisrael April 11, the second night of Passover. The 135 people who attended enjoyed an evening of community, family and friends.

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| WE ARE READ

April 28, 2017 |

31

WE ARE READ IN JERUSALEM – This was taken on the Mount of Olives on April 16. Jeffrey Sock and Dennis Morrell were celebrating Pesach in Jerusalem.

WEDDING – Lara Leigh Glaswand and Zachary Abrevaya Lichaa were married Feb. 25 at Gotham Hall in New York City.  Rabbi Arthur Schneier of Park East Synagogue officiated. Â

Lara, 29, graduated from Duke University and is a business operations manager in New York for CNN. She is the daughter of Herman and Amy Glaswand of New York City, and is the granddaughter of Blima Glaswand of New York City. Â Zachary, 30, graduated from the C.W. Post campus of Long Island University and he is the owner of ThreeD Materials, a 3-D printing company in New York City. Â He is the son of Jacob and Maybeth Lichaa of Barrington.

ISAIAH SUCHMAN WINS 2017 RI NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC STATE BEE CRANSTON – lsaiah Suchman, an eighth-grader from Nathan Bishop Middle School in Providence, took top honors at the 2017 R.I. National Geographic Bee held March 31 at the Scottish Rite Masonic Center. The state champion receives $100, the National Geographic “Concise Atlas of the World,� 4th Edition, a prize package, and a trip to Washington, D.C., to represent Rhode Island in the National Geographic Bee championship to be held at National Geographic Society headquarters May 14-17.

Isaiah is the son of Nina Tannenwald and Mark Suchman.

Isaiah is 13 and has been interested in geography and maps since he was a young child. He went to the state level bee in Virginia as a fourth-grader. He has won the school bee each year from sixth to eighth grades. He placed fifth last year in the state level competition.

He is a member of Temple Emanu-El where he became a Bar Mitzvah this past year. He sings with HaZamir, Jewish High School choir.

Up to 100 fourth- to eighthgraders in each of the 50 states, District of Columbia, Atlantic and Pacific territories, and Department of Defense Dependent Schools took part in the State Bees.

The national champion will receive a $50,000 college schol-

WE ARE READ IN JERUSALEM – David and Beth Meyers recently traveled to Israel to visit their daughter, Anna, who is participating in a MASA teaching fellowship. She is teaching English to elementary school students in Ashdod. This photo was taken on the campus of Hebrew Union College in Jerusalem where Anna will begin rabbinical studies in July. The Meyers family resides in Cranston and are members of Temple Beth-El in Providence.

SEPHARDI WEEKEND

May 19, 20, 21

A weekend of music, culture and food of the Sephardic Jews around the Mediterranean basin from Spain to Morocco

arship, a lifetime membership in the Society, including a subscription to National Geographic magazine, and an allexpenses­paid Lindblad expedition to the Galapagos Islands aboard the new National Geographic Endeavour II. Travel for the trip is provided by Lindblad Expeditions and National Geographic.

The national championship preliminary rounds will take place on May 14 and 15 in Washington, D.C. The national championship final rounds featuring the top 10 finalists will be held on May 17 at National Geographic’s headquarters, moderated by humorist and journalist Mo Rocca. National Geographic will air the final round of the National Geographic Bee Championship at 8 p.m. Eastern on May 19.

MAY 19, 7:30 PM

Shabbat Service with Ladino Music.

Latino Oneg.

MAY 20, 2:00 PM

Pulitzer-prize winning author and scholar David Kertzer will discuss his book, The Kidnapping of Edgardo Mortara (soon to be a Steven Spielberg movie!), followed by an Italian dessert reception.

MAY 21, 3:00 PM

Cool Caribbean Cocktail Hour

MAY 21, 4:00 PM

Malachei Mambo,a HOT 5-piece Latin band with lead singer: Cantor GastĂłn Bogomolni

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32 | April 28, 2017

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