April 2020 by Jewish Rhode Island

The Voice of Greater Rhode Island’s Jewish Community

JEWISH RHODE ISLAND

APRIL 2020 | NISAN 5780

JEWISHRHODY.ORG

Why is this Passover different from all others?

PHOTO BY MICHAEL SCHEMAILLE.

Celebrating with social distance Community reflects on impact of COVID-19

Purim parade was tons of fun

Spring’s new crop of children’s books

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APRIL 2020

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JEWISH RHODE ISL AND

EDITOR Fran Ostendorf DESIGN & LAYOUT Leah Camara ADVERTISING DEPARTMENT Peter Zeldin pzeldin@jewishallianceri.org 401-421-4111, ext. 160 Karen Borger ksborger@gmail.com 401-529-2538 CONTRIBUTORS Cynthia Benjamin, Larry Kessler, Michael Schemaille COLUMNISTS Michael Fink, Geraldine Foster, Patricia Raskin, Rabbi James Rosenberg, Daniel Stieglitz

VOLUME XXVII, ISSUE IIII JEWISH RHODE ISLAND

(ISSN number 1539-2104, USPS #465-710) is published monthly. PERIODICALS Postage paid at Providence, R.I. POSTMASTER Send address changes to:

Jewish Rhode Island, 401 Elmgrove Ave., Providence, RI 02906. PUBLISHER

The Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island, President/CEO Adam Greenman, Chair James Pious, 401 Elmgrove Ave., Providence, RI 02906. 401-421-4111; Fax 401-331-7961 MEMBER of the Rhode

Island Press Association and the American Jewish Press Association THE MISSION OF JEWISH RHODE ISLAND 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. ALL SUBMITTED CONTENT becomes the property of Jewish Rhode Island. Announcements and opinions contained in these pages are published as a service to the community and do not necessarily represent the views of Jewish Rhode Island or its publisher, the Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island. We reserve the right to refuse publication and edit submitted content. COPY DEADLINES: All news releases,

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We are down, but not out LAST MONTH, when I started my column by asking if spring would ever be the same, I had no way of knowing what that question would come to mean. When we started to put together last month’s paper, we were watching a health crisis develop on the other side of the country, in Washington state. And we were advised to start taking precautions here. But Purim was upon us, and there was a parade and celebration (see page 20). I attended a lecture at Temple Shalom, in Middletown, where I noticed that some people shook hands while others did not. Hand sanitizer was on all the tables. Now, as I look at the photos of both events, they seem like years ago, not just a few weeks. Life has changed radically for all of us. As I often do, I am writing this column from my home office. But this time, it’s not by choice. Our synagogues and other institutions are closed. We are not holding community events and programs. Our normally robust pre-Pesach calendar is now filled with cancellations. In fact, you’ll notice that this issue has no calendar, because we had no programming to announce. But while we are down, we are not out. Virtual programming is alive, well and robust. In fact, it’s amazing to see some of the programming that is now connecting us online. Take a look at just some of what we have found, in our story on page 4. From tot Shabbat to daily minyanim and study groups of all types, there is something online for everyone at every stage of life. A friend described this as taking care of her soul. This spiritual care is more accessible than ever to more people than ever. And there are other programs online. In our Jewish community, I’ve found health and fitness programs, social groups sponsored by synagogues, counseling and virtual meetup opportunities. And the list goes on. I plan to sample many of these programs while trying to connect with others in the outside world. And I

hope you do, too. But there’s a problem with many of these virtual events – not enough people know about them. Please use our online calendar to promote events you enjoy so more of us can worship, celebrate, exercise and gather together … from our homes. My book group met on Zoom last week. We each brought our own cup of tea, reconnected and managed a good discussion. We’ve committed to making weekly connections online beyond our regular monthly meetings. My family has also started a weekly family dinner via Zoom. Everyone still talks at once, so the only change is the venue. Well, that’s not the only change, but I’m trying to adapt. We are now talking about a virtual seder. That’s still to be determined. Here at Jewish Rhode Island, we are trying our best to keep up with the rapid changes of a stay-at-home community. Our website, Jewishrhody.org, is updated regularly with headlines and stories locally and from around the world related to the coronavirus. We are trying to bring you the stories you might not see anywhere else, from our community and from JTA’s national and world coverage. Visit our site often to stay on top of what’s happening. Putting together this paper reminds me that there was life before this virus and there will be life after. We have a couple of profiles of interesting

people in our community in this issue. And we are already planning for our next issue, which is usually one of our most popular: our Pets issue. We hope that, while you are inside with your favorite companions, or outside for a walk, you will snap a photo of Fluffy or Fido and send it to us. Whether we are working from home or our office, we will have our usual pages of pets next month. Send those pet photos to editor@ jewishallianceri.org or post them online at Jewishrhody.org. If you must use regular mail, please send your photos to Jewish Rhode Island, 401 Elmgrove Ave., Providence, RI 02906. But this year, email is preferable. We always look forward to seeing your pet photos, and right now, it’s extra important to bring smiles to our readers. This month also marks the start of our annual Patron Campaign. If you like what you read in the paper and online, we hope you will donate to keep a robust Jewish voice in greater Rhode Island. We depend on readers like you to help us continue to be the voice of our Jewish community. We need your help and support more than ever this year. For now, I hope to see you online at one of the great programs available to all of us! And, finally, my thanks to everyone who has helped to get this paper published during these extraordinary times.

Fran Ostendorf, Editor

The editor’s weekly family dinner.

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Jewish Rhode Island | jewishrhody.org

CORONAVIRUS: IN OUR COMMUNITY

JCS continues to serve community BY JEWISH RHODE ISLAND STAFF ALTHOUGH THE COVID-19 pandemic continues to wreak havoc on our day-to-day lives, the staff of Jewish Collaborative Services wants to assure you that they and their volunteers are hard at work and committed to meeting the needs of everyone both inside and outside of the Jewish community. Despite the offices at 1165 N. Main Street in Providence being closed to clients and visitors, they will continue to be there for you! Adoption Options is available to work with clients remotely for home studies. (https://jcsri.org/our-services/adoption-options/) Case Management is responding to client calls and emails and helping clients navigate community resources. (https://jcsri.org/ our-services/basic-needs-assistance/) Lifeline RI is continuing to check on clients who have activated their lifelines and answering requests for technical support. (https://jcsri.org/ our-services/lifeline-ri/) The dedicated volunteers in our Partners in Care continue to offer support by making

phone calls to isolated seniors. (https://jcsri.org/about/volunteer/) & (https://jcsri.org/our-services/caregiver-support/) JERI staff is staying connected to nursing home residents by making phone calls to residents and delivering food for the Passover holiday. Virtual programming is being offered to residents when possible. (https://jcsri. org/our-services/senior-outreach-visits/) Isolated and vulnerable seniors continue to receive daily meals through our Kosher Nutrition program; Kosher meals are being delivered to congregate meal site participants given the closure of the mealsite. (https://jcsri.org/ our-services/kosher-mealson-wheels/) Kesher workers continue to offer support and remain in contact with their congregants through their rabbis. (https://jcsri.org/our-services/congressional-outreach/) Those awaiting Passover Support through Moes Chitim are still receiving assistance. Gift cards have been placed in the mail and will arrive this week. (https:// jcsri.org/our-services/pass-

over-support/) The Counseling Center is offering clients tele-mental health sessions at this time. In addition, community-wide ZOOM meetings will be held throughout the upcoming week related to Managing Mental Health During COVID-19. (https://jcsri.org/ our-services/the-counseling-center/) & (https://jcsri. org/uncategorized/managingmental-health-during-covid19-implications-and-supportfor-the-community/) The Kosher Food Pantry is delivering to anyone in need who has not yet received bags of groceries through our outreach efforts. Pick-ups (outside the door) or delivery options are available, when needed. (https://jcsri.org/our-services/kosher-food-pantry/) Visitation at Tamarisk Assisted Living Residence and programming at Shalom Affordable Housing remains suspended per the RIDOH until further notice. Meals at the Shaloms are being packaged and are being delivered outside tenant doors. (https:// jcsri.org/our-services/tamarisk-senior-residence/) & (https://jcsri.org/our-services/shalom-affordable-housing/)

Virtual fitness is offered from Jewish Alliance and Dwares JCC.

Jewish Alliance and JCC offer virtual programming BY JEWISH RHODE ISLAND STAFF THE JEWISH ALLIANCE of Greater Rhode Island and the Dwares JCC are finding ways to continue to provide the community with a variety of services. The Alliance’s “COVID-19 Updates” page (at https:// www.jewishallianceri.org/ covid-19-updates/) provides information on the status of Alliance programs, helpful links to local resources, and ways to take advantage of educational and cultural opportunities while remaining at home. The trainers at the JCC’s fitness center have made free, at-home exercise videos (https://www.jewishallianceri.org/j-fitness-at-home/) that all Rhode Islanders can use to help them stay healthy and active in isolation. On March 25, JCC members were also given access to more than 20 exclusive, live-streamed group-exercise classes each week. The 45-minute classes are hosted by the JCC’s personal trainers, and run six days a week. This program is designed to appeal to people of all ages, with offerings that include “Family Fitness,” “Senior Strength,” and “Dance Fitness.” “We have such a strong and vibrant community,”

said Adam Greenman, Alliance president and CEO, “and it’s more important now than ever to support it in every way that we can. We’ve been reaching out to our members to make sure that everyone is doing well, and to offer comfort where it’s needed. We couldn’t do this without our amazing staff, who have been working remotely to support our mission.” The Alliance is also committed to its youngest members, particularly those enrolled in the David C. Isenberg Family Early Childhood Center (ECC). Online forums have made it possible for ECC families to gather online with virtual story times, singalongs, and virtual field trips. These forums also allow families to share parenting resources and ideas for at-home activities. Michelle Cicchitelli, the Alliance’s senior director of youth and family engagement, said, “We’ve been getting such great feedback from ECC families on our online programs. It’s important for us to be able to offer such a variety of enrichment activities, and it’s important for the children’s development that they remain stimulated and in the virtual company of their amazing teachers and friends.”

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D’VAR TORAH

Doing our part to ensure that freedom continues what occurs, but how we face these challenges. Unlike the selfishness of B’nai Yisrael who wanted to return to slavery, may we always do what we have to do to understand our role in protecting God’s great gift of freedom, which was first given to us with the Exodus from Egypt. Whatever we do this Passover, be it spending time with our family or our virtual community, may we all enjoy

a Kosher and healthy Festival of Freedom. Above all, may we all continue to do our part in ensuring that freedom continues to live on for those who come after us. RICHARD PERLMAN is the senior rabbi at Temple Ner Tamid, in Peabody, Massachusetts. He is a member of the Greater R.I. Board of Rabbis and co-president of the North Shore Rabbis and Cantors Association.

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– these are the ways Jews respond to crisis. And while we are mostly doing this today in the virtual world, we are still praying together in many homes. These are our natural antibodies to despair, anxiety, fear, sadness, evil, boredom. We all pray that these pandemics, and tornados, hurricanes, blizzards, droughts, floods, and similar challenges, never happen again, but we know that they will. What is important is not

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were given freedom, but the slaves complained that they wanted to return to what they perceived as the safety of slavery. Therefore, it took 40 years for the Exodus from Egypt, a trip that should have taken only weeks: That first generation had to be replaced by the next, which had no recollection of slavery, before they could enter Land of RABBI RICHARD The Israel. PERLMAN Very few of us alive today can remember the sacrifices our country made during World War II. That was a time when our country came together to do what it took to protect our freedoms and to ensure that other free people around the world would remain free. But many of us can remember the freedoms we gave up during the gas rationing of the 1970s, when we waited in long lines to get fuel. To make things more difficult, we could only go on odd or even days, as dictated by the last number or letter of our license plates. To be sure, the disruption that COVID-19 has caused has led to feelings like depression for those who have lost jobs, but we know that our country’s response has saved countless lives. Those who left Egypt suffered a disruption that they could not understand, but the generations that followed owed them their freedom. In fact, without freedom, what kind of country would the United States be? Without freedom, would our response to COVID-19 have been more like that of China? Think about that. Yes, Passover was the first time in recorded history when the human condition was introduced to freedom. This year, we have had to give up some of our freedom, but we know we are doing it temporarily and that we will all be thankful we did it to protect the lives of those who will come in the future. Jews love to do mitzvot – gemilut hasadim – acts of charity and compassion. Our communities are rising to the challenge of caring for our elders and most vulnerable, of continuing to stock food pantries, make deliveries, provide essential care to those in need. Prayer, study, tzedakah

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THE FIRST PESACH SEDER is on April 8 this year. It is traditionally spent with family and friends. Some congregations celebrate the first or second seder as a community. This year, the COVID-19 virus has put a strain on these traditions. During the past few weeks, in-person religious services were shut down. Traditions and observances have been supplanted by government requests that we all show unprecedented amounts of self-control. This has caused everything in our lives to change. We were asked to forgo many of the freedoms we take for granted for the greater good. We complied because we knew it was important and that our freedoms would be restored sooner rather than later. We fear for our own health. We fear for the health of our dear ones. We face the uncertainty of financial strain and we worry about the unprecedented disruption of our communal life, our work and careers, our social and family connections. We must acknowledge these discordant feelings if we are to seek a way forward from the present moment. Rabbi Nachman of Bratzlav, one of the great Jewish teachers of Hasidic lore, wrote these words, which have become an often-heard song in our synagogues and prayer gatherings: Kol ha-olam kulo – gesher tzar meod- ve’ha-ikar, lo lefached klal. All the world is a narrow bridge, and the essential goal is not to be afraid .… This translation does not do justice to the teaching, which, if taken at face value, would be absurd. How could a person, walking on a narrow beam, a tightrope of sorts, across a deep chasm, not be afraid? The goal must lie in not giving in to the fear – not becoming paralyzed or frozen, but moving forward despite the danger. This is the opposite of what B’nai Yisrael, who were slaves in Egypt, experienced. During their time under the rule of Pharaoh, they were forced to do things under penalty of being severely punished. When they left Egypt, they

The Miriam Hospital wishes you a happy passover. miriamhospital.org

6 | APRIL 2020

Netanyahu limits gatherings to 2 people BY MARCY OSTER

‘Crossing the uncrossable barrier’ IN HIS 1985 BOOK, “Time and Again: away, always on the verge of endanAutobiographical Essays,” Dan gering himself and others. Jacobson (1929-2014), a well-reAt the urging of one of the serspected South African and British vants, Harry hired a young Zulu writer, tells of growing up white and named Paulus, whose primary Jewish in a South African society responsibility was to look after the driven by race, religion, language, old man, to keep him out of trouble. and social and economic status: Paulus is described as “a raw boy … “All these people met in a muscular, moustached and beardthe streets, they did ed African. … He swelled magnifitheir business with cently out of his clothing.” one another, but Every day, Paulus dressed, just about every bathed and trimmed the aspect of their beard of the old man, whom social life was sePaulus came to call “Baas verely segregatZeide.” But Paulus spent ed. To sit together most of his time wandering in the same room around town with his charge, with anyone of a and slowly – ever so slowly RABBI JAMES – the two of them became darker skin than their ROSENBERG an emotionally supportive own was a moral impossibility for most whites.” odd couple: “The young In 1959, Jacobson published a bearded Zulu and the old bearded collection of short stories, taking its Jew from Lithuania walked together title from one of his most celebratin the streets of the town that was ed tales, “The Zulu and the Zeide,” strange to them both … and when which explores the social and moral the old man was tired Paulus saw to absurdities of South Africa’s segit that he sat on a bench and rested. regated society. At the center of the They could not sit on a bench togethnarrative is the improbable relationer, for only whites where allowed ship that develops between “old man to sit on benches, but Paulus would Grossman,” the Zeide (Yiddish for squat on the ground at the old man’s grandpa), and the young Zulu who is feet.” hired to take care of him. As Paulus, whom the old man “Old man Grossman was worse always called der schwartzer, and than a nuisance. He was a source Baas Zeide grew closer and closer, of constant anxiety and irritation. many in the racist South African He was a menace. …” The Zeide society viewed their seemingly was a senile Lithuanian Jew living amiable relationship with contempt: in a large house on the outskirts of “… when they crossed the street Johannesburg along with his son hand-in-hand, as they sometimes Harry, his daughter-in-law and his did when the traffic was particularly grandchildren. Despite having two heavy, there were white men who live-in Zulu servants, the family still averted their eyes from the sight of could not manage to keep the old this degradation, which could only man safe; he was always running come upon a white man when he was

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JERUSALEM (JTA) – Gatherings of Israelis are limited to two people except nuclear family members living in the same home, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced Monday [March 30] evening from his home, where he is in self-quarantine. Netanyahu and his advisers entered self-quarantine after his Knesset adviser, Rebecca Paluch, tested positive for the coronavirus on Sunday. The next evening, Netanyahu and his family tested negative, though the prime minister will remain in quarantine per Health Ministry regulations. Netanyahu announced in a nationally televised address from his home that “there won’t be gatherings of over two people who are not from the same nuclear family.” This includes outdoor prayer services in open areas and respecting social distancing, which had previously been permitted. Funerals remain limited to 20 mourners and circumcisions to 10 people appropriate social distancing. Netanyahu said this is the year of the “lockdown seder,” and that Easter and Ramadan in the country should be observed the same way. At the start of his address, Netanyahu said that the camera was at least 6 feet away and that “I did my own makeup and hair, which is why it looks like this.” Netanyahu and outgoing Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon also announced a $22 billion economic rescue package that allocates $2.8 billion to the health system, $8.4 billion to welfare and unemployment, $9 billion to help small and large businesses, and $2.2 billion for economic stimulus. As of Monday evening there were 4,695 confirmed cases of coronavirus in Israel and 16 deaths.

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old and senile and dependent.” While it would not be fair to say that Harry viewed his father’s relationship with Paulus with contempt, it is true that “Harry persisted in regarding the arrangement as a kind of joke.” But Harry eventually comes to see the relationship between the Zulu and the Zeide as far more than a joke; indeed, ultimately, their relationship provokes in Harry an overwhelming sense of guilt, for the two of them managed to attain a depth of communication that Harry had never achieved with his father. What is it that winds up binding together the Zulu and the Zeide? They have no language in common: not Zulu, which only Paulus speaks; not Yiddish, which only “Baas Zeide” speaks; not English, which neither of them can speak. The language which both of them have learned to speak so fluently is the language of trust, the language of mutual respect, the language of tenderness, the language of that kind of love that needs no words. John Barkham concludes his review of the stories collected in “The Zulu and the Zeide” (The New York Times, May 31, 1959) with the following appreciation: “When Mr. Jacobson is writing about South Africa and his emotions are engaged, he has no superior as a storyteller of compassion and revelation. These are brilliant, touching tales of ‘the strange, twilight people’ crossing the uncrossable barrier.” JAMES B. ROSENBERG is rabbi emeritus at Temple Habonim, in Barrington. Contact him at rabbiemeritus@templehabonim.org.

Orthodox lists, backers of Israeli settlement funding, surge in World Zionist Congress elections BY RON KAMPEAS WASHINGTON (JTA) – THE TWO ORTHODOX lists surged in the U.S. portion of the World Zionist Congress elections amid a record turnout since the balloting began for the entire American Jewish community 30 years ago. Mizrachi and Eretz Hakodesh together earned 33.7% of the vote, almost double the 16.9 by the single Orthodox list in 2015, Vote Torah. The two lists, which advocate for spending on Israeli settlements and in the Orthodox community, split about evenly. The Reform movement list was the overall leader, winning 25.5% of

the vote, but saw a sharp drop from its 38.4% in 2015. Mercaz, representing the Conservative movement, also fell, to 11.9% from 17.4. The World Zionist Congress determines about $1 billion a year in Jewish Agency spending in Israel and the Diaspora. The Reform and Conservative lists generally advocate for better representation in the spending for non-Orthodox movements. The American Zionist Movement noted the record number of votes in a news release. Turnout more than doubled from the last election five years ago, with every movement seeing an increase. The religious streams traditionally have an advantage over smaller U.S.

lists affiliated with Israeli political parties and other movements, as they encourage congregants to vote during services and in emails to membership. Hatikvah, a progressive list, ran a high-profile campaign this year opposing spending in settlements and brought in well-known liberal Jewish figures like the liberal writer Peter Beinart and actor Josh Malina to encourage voting. It more than doubled its absolute number of voters, but only increased its percentage to 6.4 from 5.5 in 2015. The Zionist Organization of America list, which leans pro-settlement, ran a campaign largely based on countering the aggressive push by Hatikvah and substantially

improved to 8.3% of the vote from 4.8% in 2015. Overall voting, which ended on March 11 and took place over two months, more than doubled to 123,629 this year from 56,737 in 2015. The online balloting cost each voter $7.50 and lowered to $5 for those aged 18-25. The U.S. election accounts for about a third of the Congress’ seats. Another third is based on party representation in Israel’s Knesset and the rest are elected by other Diaspora communities. It’s not known yet how many seats will be apportioned to each list. There are 152 seats reserved for U.S. lists, up from 145 in 2015.

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COMMUNITY VOICES | THE CONVERSATION THROUGHOUT THIS ISSUE of Jewish Rhode Island, you will see news and information on the coronavirus, known as COVID-19. We asked several people to reflect on the impact of the virus on their lives. Here are their stories. Please share your stories and reactions with us by commenting on these stories or emailing editor@jewishallianceri.org. While Jewish Rhode Island is working remotely, these are the best ways to reach us.

How is the coronavirus impacting your life? Home, safe and sound – and grateful BY DAVID BRENMAN

Shanghai, Jan. 23 THE DAY BEFORE the Lunar New Year holiday began in China, I went into my Shanghai office, where I had been working as a consultant for the last 18 months. While at work, I received a breaking news update: the entire city of Wuhan would be sealed off and quarantined to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus. One of my colleagues contacted a friend in Wuhan, who would be unable to leave the city, and called another friend, who was raised in Wuhan but would not be able to go home. Sealing off a city so large was unprecedented, and was especially shocking so soon before the holiday. Wearing one of the last N95 masks I had left, which I had on hand for Shanghai’s more polluted days, I left the office and rode the subway to a shopping mall to buy supplies for a holiday trip to Taiwan. I was the only passenger in the subway car, and the mall was almost completely deserted. All major cities in China typically slow down in advance of the holiday. Shops close and people return to their hometowns. So it was normal to see fewer people out. But even taking that into account, the city felt eerily quiet. Shanghai’s first coronavirus case had been confirmed earlier in the week, and people quickly realized that the outbreak would be at least a national, rather than a regional, crisis.

Taipei, Jan. 30 In the week after I arrived in Taiwan, the number of confirmed coronavirus cases in China increased exponentially, and a growing number of cities and provinces issued

“stay at home” orders. In Taipei, the capital of Taiwan, shops seemed to reopen as usual after the Lunar New Year, but on the 30th, I went into seven pharmacies, all of which were already sold out of hand sanitizer. Earlier in the week, I had my temperature taken at the entrance to the National Palace Museum. Friends and colleagues in Shanghai were holed up at home, and planned to stay there until the city had “flattened the curve,” although I would not hear that exact phrasing for another month, and in another part of the world. There was deep concern and anxiety over how quickly the coronavirus ground life to a halt across China, and much solidarity with Wuhan, where the outbreak was most severe. This was evident online, and friends said the same. The virus blanketed the news in Taiwan and was the leading topic of conversation, but all the tourist sites on my itinerary remained open. With fewer than 10 confirmed cases in the nation, I had yet to hear anyone urge social distancing. I was grateful to be there, instead of quarantined alone in my Shanghai apartment.

New York City, Feb. 2 I disembarked at John F. Kennedy airport on the evening of the Super Bowl, with around 300 other passengers – all of us wearing masks. When most people around you are wearing a mask, choosing to join them does more than contain the spread of a virus: It gives you a sense of camaraderie, and indicates to those around you that you take the situation seriously. The 14-hour flight was not enough to describe the distance we had traveled. As we followed signs for customs, we merged with passengers from other flights. Some who saw our masks gazed at us suspiciously. It had been 12 days since the first coronavirus case was confirmed in the United States. The virus was here in America, but for too many, the threat did not yet seem real. While my flight was in the air, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security announced that all direct inbound flights from China would be routed to eight airports, JFK GRATEFUL CONTINUED ON PAGE 8

Preserving our dignity in troubled times association), the Board of Rabbis, synagogues in Rhode Island, every city and town hall in the state (I per“Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.” sonally called them regarding attaining death certificates in a timely and – Fred Rogers safe manner), the local and national AS I SIT AT HOME in quarantine, like news, Jewish Rhode Island and other millions of others around the world sources so we can maintain best who are practices and have the most current immunoinformation to safely and properly comproserve our families. mised or at Recommendations and regulations high risk keep changing as we learn more, so for conkeep in mind that the following list tracting of changes was in effect when I wrote COVID-19 this, but the situation is fluid: for other reasons, • All funeral services must be graveside. I think about the • Register books may not be used. many twists and • Up to five people can attend. Clergy, the funeral director and minturns our imal staff my attend, but must stay 12 lives are feet from the mourners. taking. On a • Clergy and family must wait personal in their vehicles until the casket is level, I’m enjoying more time with lowered and the cemetery staff has my wife, our 16 year old and our 3 moved away from the gravesite. year old. We make meals together, • All shoveling of the earth is play board games, wash our hands to be done by cemetery staff only. together, listen to music together, do Besides the possibility of spreading our best to avoid touching our faces, play in the backyard, wash our hands germs via the shovel, the more likely vector of transmission would happen again, take walks in the evenings during the exertion of shoveling. Peothrough the empty streets of our ple breathe harder and more often neighborhood, wash our hands again when exerting themselves and the air upon returning home, and maybe doesn’t have time to clear between watch a movie together before we say each person at the gravesite. the Shema at bedtime with the kids. BY ADAM G. SMITH

Somewhere in there, we call or text family and friends to see how everyone is doing and to stay connected. On a professional level, I notice the changes even more. One of the things I love best about my job as a funeral director is meeting new people and getting to hear the stories of people’s lives. I cherish the trust that a family gives me when I take their loved one under my care. I really like being able to help people on a very personal level. Now that we are social distancing, I don’t meet everyone in person, but I can still listen, and I can still serve the community. I’m keeping up with information from the Centers for Disease Control, the World Health Organization, the Rhode Island Funeral Directors Association, the governor’s office, Kavod (the national independent Jewish funeral directors

While it is a great mitzvah to take care of loved ones, we are also prohibited from self-harm and harming others. We at Shalom Memorial Chapel make sure a director is there watching as an agent for the family to make sure the grave is closed up properly. For shiva, we are suggesting phone calls or video chats at specific times, rather than congregating in groups. We at are trying to be proactive about mitigating the effects of COVID-19 while serving the community. Among other things, we are making a contribution to the Louis & Goldie Chester Full Plate Kosher Food Pantry and we are donating fresh yarmulkes and veils to all the synagogues in Rhode Island once they reopen. DIGNITY CONTINUED ON PAGE 8

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COMMUNITY VOICES | THE CONVERSATION GRATEFUL FROM PAGE 7

Providence, March 11

included. In the terminal, I found Customs and Border Protection staff scrambling to adjust to changing regulations, while some expressed confusion over how to handle flights from Taiwan. After more than an hour of questioning (have you been to Wuhan? What about Hubei?), I was cleared to leave. No one took my temperature or recommended that I self-isolate.

As the 1,000th coronavirus case in the U.S. was confirmed, President Donald Trump gave an Oval Office address. I had already been concerned about how badly the U.S. might be impacted, knowing how rapidly the virus had spread in China. Soon after that address, more people began to share that concern. Friends around the country were telling me that they’d

DIGNITY FROM PAGE 7

comfortable as possible for families in a respectful and dignified manner. During this time of worldwide crisis, when everyone is physically apart, I have never been more aware of how interconnected we really are. Everyone is coming together to help stop the spread of

We understand that it is never easy for families that have suffered a loss, and these necessary changes certainly don’t make things any easier. As always, we are dedicated to doing whatever we can to make this difficult time as

been instructed to work from home, while others lost their jobs altogether. Seemingly everyone began using Zoom, while “social distancing” entered our parlance and restaurants transitioned to take-out and delivery only. I avoided quarantining in Shanghai by opting to fly to the U.S. from Taiwan, only to find myself in a similar situation in Providence just weeks later. Back in January, reading the news from Wuhan was heartbreaking,

and imagining Providence as empty as Shanghai seemed impossible. But trying to do so helped me empathize with people here whose lives had been flipped completely upside down. Today, an outbreak here is the reality, no imagination required. The number of cases in the U.S. has grown more than 100 times over since the president’s address, and the situation is undoubtedly as serious here now as it was in China in February.

China announced at the end of March that it would be barring all non-citizens from reentry, including those with valid residence permits, like myself, meaning I have no way back to Shanghai for the foreseeable future. But despite these extreme circumstances, I have much to be grateful for.

COVID-19. People from every walk of life: Nurses and doctors who are on the front lines, determined to help people, even at risk to themselves and their families; people who send out messages on Facebook offering to shop for those who are at risk or can’t make it

out; friends calling to ask if we need soap or toilet paper, among other necessities that are in short supply; people everywhere offering help and services to strangers, all of them sharing the common thought of helping others. I always look for the helpers. It gives me hope.

ADAM G. SMITH is the director of Shalom Memorial Chapel, in Cranston. He is on the disaster preparedness committee for the Rhode Island Funeral Directors Association.

DAVID BRENMAN grew up in Providence and has lived in China for three years.

TO SUBMIT your comments, go to jewishrhody.org and comment on the article (you have to register first with a valid email address) or go to the Jewish Rhode Island Facebook page and comment on the post. You can also send comments to editor@ jewishallianceri.org or send us a letter to the editor.

APRIL 2020

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CORONAVIRUS: IN OUR COMMUNITY

Families that play together … keep their sanity BY MICHAEL SCHEMAILLE LAST YEAR, I WROTE AN ARTICLE about games that bring the family together. This year, the coronavirus situation practically guarantees that families will be together, likely through Passover and beyond. So, what games can families play to stay connected in a positive way and to save their sanity – and possibly, the whole world? The ideas below can help you get started. PANDEMIC (from Z-Man Games): It’s a no-brainer to include this modern classic on the list. In this cooperative game, up to four players work together to stop diseases from spreading across the globe, and everybody wins or loses together. The rules are fairly straightforward, and it’s easy to adjust the difficulty level if the game becomes too hard or too easy. $39.99. There’s also PANDEMIC LEGACY. This version is story-based, and the choices you make in Chapter 1 will be felt all the way through Chapter 12. As you play, you’ll modify the board and cards to reflect your victories and losses. By the conclusion, your group of players will have created a unique and memorable story, with a board that you can still play on! $69.99. DUNGEONS & DRAGONS (Wizards of the

Coast): The image of D&D players as awkward nerds is at an end. D&D’s Fifth Edition is a vast improvement over its predecessors and the classic role-playing game is now more popular than ever, thanks in large part to live-play video streams and podcasts from “The Adventure Zone,” featuring three goofy adult brothers and their father, and “Critical Role.” At its heart, D&D is just a game of make-believe with funny dice. One player is the Dungeon Master, who acts as the game’s referee and a foil towards the other players, who take on the roles of magically-powered adventurers. The Dungeons & Dragons Starter Set retails for $19.99 and comes with everything you’ll need to get started, including a pre-written adventure. TICKET TO RIDE (Days of Wonder): Another modern classic, and the 2004 Spiel des Jahres winner, “Ticket” is a set-collection game with short, simple rules. Players earn points by building rail networks across the U.S. and Canada. The basic game sells for $50; for variety, maps of Europe, Asia and more are also available. AZUL (Plan B Games): This game, which won the prestigious Spiel des Jahres award, in 2018, for board and card games, features players trying

There are plenty of deals out there for board games, so shop around. Online game stores are likely to offer better prices than the all-in-one shopping sites.

to furnish a Portuguese palace with decorative Moorish tiles. Whoever does so most efficiently, and with the least amount of breakage, wins. The game has simple rules and appealing chunky pieces; it’s challenging enough for adults, but accessible to kids as young as 8. $39.99. PHOTOSYNTHESIS (Blue Orange Games): This gorgeous, abstract game models the way trees grow and compete for light in a forest. Players, represented by three-dimensional trees of different sizes, jockey for position on a landscape that changes as trees grow and fall. The game is easy to learn, too – most of the rules are centered on a simple 1-2-3 mnemonic. $39.99.

If you’d like more recommendations, or have questions, feel free to send me an email at mschemaille@jewishallianceri.org. Stay healthy, and happy gaming! MICHAEL SCHEMAILLE (mschemaille@ jewishallianceri.org) writes for Jewish Rhode Island and the Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island. He has been playing games for as long as he can remember.

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CORONAVIRUS: IN OUR COMMUNITY

Hope and coping: Rhode Islanders react to COVID-19 ‘Take a deep breath. Exhale. The horror is still far from becoming unimaginable’ BY LARRY KESSLER NO ONE HAS BEEN IMMUNE to the effects of the coronavirus pandemic, and in the wake of the new reality that we’ve all been living with, Jewish Rhode Island communicated via email with five area residents. Their experiences mirror much of what we’re dealing with, including canceling vacations and parties, trying to keep in touch with older loved ones in nursing homes or self-isolation, teaching students online, attempting to conduct business as usual and dealing with the effects of being housebound. Their edited responses follow. KEVIN OLSON, 62, of Cranston, is a pretty busy person, especially when it comes to the theater: he not only teaches the subject at three Rhode

Island colleges, but he’s also the founder and artistic director of FirstHand Theatrical in Rhode Island, where in January he produced one of his plays, “How Many Bushels Am I Worth?,” about the plight of Soviet Jewry. Olson discussed the challenges of teaching students at Providence College, the University of Rhode Island and the Community College of Rhode Island during the pandemic. “Converting acting courses to remote learning is certainly a unique challenge. Officially, as I write this, classes have not resumed yet, but I have been in touch with students in my classes. “For acting, I am asking students to write about or share a story based on the theme of social distancing,

JEFFREY MARTIN

CHARLOTTE SHEER

KEVIN OLSON

and then send in a video of them performing the script of the story they wrote. I will then compile their monologues on social distancing

into a single video and we will – voila – have an original play which we will all watch together.” So far, so good, but how do you hold rehearsals and performances? “A big challenge is how to have students rehearse and perform a scene with a partner. As I try to work out how to do that most effectively (it can be done), there has been a terrific online gathering of theater professors around the country sharing ideas and techniques. “Finally, we will have a few times where the entire class will join together online to continue our work with physical, vocal and relaxation warm-ups. Actually, I’m looking forward to seeing how it all comes together.”

apply for a loan are to belong to the association and to be Jewish, Labush said. Members are charged either $18 annually or $180 lifetime. Loans are offered to residents of Rhode Island, Massachusetts and Connecticut. For more information about loans, call Labush at 401-5292810. He said the group’s website is under construction.

Yitzak Rabin called Magen David Adom Israel’s second line of defense. With the coronavirus, we’re the first. When the COVID19 coronavirus arrived in Israel, the Ministry of Health knew who could best protect everyone’s health. Because Israelis know Magen David Adom has the paramedics, training, and vision to minimize the spread of the disease. With its innovative home-testing program and cutting-edge video apps, MDA can literally see how patients are recovering — enabling most Israelis to recover at home, where they can infect the fewest people. Support from Americans like you has helped MDA shield almost all of Israel’s 9 million people from this disease. But this fight has depleted the tools and supplies MDA needs to ensure the infection rates don’t rise. Help Magen David Adom continue to protect Israelis and save lives. Make a gift today. Chag Pesach sameach.

afmda.org/protect

STEVAN “STEVE” LABUSH, 59, of Warwick, the president of the Greater Providence Hebrew Free Loan Association, said the nonprofit is doing the best it can under the circumstances, adding that its new office at 2845 Post Road, Suite 105, in Warwick, was still open as of late March, as the association was trying “to keep business as usual.” One effect of the virus, Labush said, has been that some members chose to participate in a recent meeting of the board of directors by phone instead of in person. Another effect of the worries over COVID-19, he said, has been that “we don’t have many people contacting us now.” The only requirements to

CHARLOTTE SHEER, 69, of Plymouth, Massachusetts, a retired educator and founder of the Holocaust Stamps Project at the Foxboro Regional Charter School, compared how Americans are being affected by COVID-19 to what she experienced after the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks. “The last time I felt the surrealism of not knowing was after 9/11, when I was working with children at the Providence Jewish Community Center and the Jewish community felt as if it was being specifically targeted for a time,” she wrote. “But the current crisis is international in nature and every individual is a potential target of the unseen enemy.” Life, nonetheless, continues, Sheer said, albeit with “social distancing,” which changed how she celebrated her 69th birthday on March 18. “The sun shone all day on my March birthday. Since my sister’s birthday is the day before mine, [my] family would normally have gathered at the home of my 88- and 94-yearold parents for cake and ice CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE

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Seniors getting Kosher lunches delivered BY FRAN OSTENDORF JEWISH COMMUNITY BUILDINGS may be closed, but work goes on throughout Rhode Island’s Jewish community. That work includes continuing to provide meals for the seniors who counted on lunch Monday to Friday at the Kosher senior café at the Alliance’s Dwares Jewish Community Center, in Providence, or a Friday meal at Temple Sinai, in Cranston. Those seniors are now receiving box lunches, delivered to their residences Monday to Friday at about the same time – noon – as lunch was served at the meal sites. Ahava Catering continues to prepare the meals. Elaine Shapiro, of Jewish Collaborative Services,

and a few dedicated volunteers make the deliveries. Shapiro said there has been additional interest in the meals during the coronavirus pandemic. They are delivering to about 12 people Monday to Thursday and closer to 20 on Friday. “We are checking on people,” she said in a phone interview. “I’ve told everybody [the drivers] you have to know that the seniors are in their homes. Then they can leave the meals on the porch.” She said the meal-site crew is trying to stay in touch with the seniors, most of whom were regular patrons. The meals are available to anyone age 60 and up for $3. If you would like to order meals, call Shapiro at 401-338-1690 or

email Elaine@jfsri.org at least one day in advance. Also contact Shapiro if you would like to volunteer to deliver meals. In addition, Kosher Meals on Wheels is still providing meals to those who are homebound, and there also has been increased interest in this program, according to Shapiro. Right now, Kosher Meals on Wheels delivers to approximately 22 people. Accounting for Taste’s Deb Blazar prepares those meals. Both programs are part of the Kosher nutrition program at Jewish Collaborative Services.

LAWRENCE GOODMAN, 49, of Providence, a playwright, wrote, “I sit in my kitchen, typing away, sun streaming into my kitchen, listening to the news on the radio warn of the end of the world as we know it. It’s eerily quiet outside. Now I know what Noah felt right before the flood. “My inclination is to flee, but to where? I would stick my head into the ground but then it would be, well, dark. “I remember learning about the old Jewish folktale where the rabbi tells the man to bring a chicken into his house, followed by a goat, followed by a cow, so he realizes how relatively good he has it. I live in Providence. Anyone know where to find a chicken?” Goodman offered this advice: “If there’s one source of consolation Jews have, it’s the knowledge that things can always get a lot, lot worse. But there are experts this time devising scientific models of how the epidemic might unfold. A legion of doctors stands ready to treat the infected. Economists’ forecasts are driving the government to spend trillions of dollars to prevent suffering and hardship. “So, take a deep breath. Exhale. The horror is still far from becoming unimaginable.”

“Life has been interesting,” he wrote. “We are very lucky, healthy, a full larder, and paycheck still coming in. My school has gone to online teaching, so working from home is not a problem. Life inside the house isn’t too difficult. With computers, streaming media, and other tools, we have almost too many things to watch and listen to. One of our daughters came home from Brooklyn [New York] so the house is lively and full. The dog and cats have taken it all in stride and haven’t needed counseling as of yet.” There have, however, been a few challenges involved in making his theater courses Web-friendly. “Traditional classroom courses are not too difficult, but theater courses such as acting, directing, or musical theater are a nightmare,” he said, as COVID-19 has stopped “all of our real hands-on teaching, building and mounting productions. I was in the middle of directing ‘Cabaret,’ which has been canceled along with all of our other on-campus performances, and activities, and field trips.” The downside to going online, he said, is that none of the available electronic platforms are “really geared to the kind of hands-on teaching we do. So my colleagues are rethinking how they can deliver their courses, using online yoga classes or radio-acting as a model.”

FRAN OSTENDORF ( fostendorf@ jewishallianceri.org) is the editor of Jewish Rhode Island.

FROM PREVIOUS PAGE cream, but not this year, with my folks’ advanced age and respective preexisting medical conditions. I pray we will have the opportunity to be together next year.” She continued: “Restrictions, and common sense, prevent our weekly visits to a Rhode Island nursing home where my mother-in-law will turn 107 in just a few weeks. It’s unknown when we might see her again.” Social distancing also means Sheer has had to scrub vacation plans. “Though we were not contacted by campgrounds where we had reservations for a three-week April RV trip down South, we decided it was wise to cancel everything – and are left wondering if there will be any camping season at all in 2020. “Ironically, my husband’s practice piece for this week from his guitar teacher is ‘Home on the Range.’ His lessons will continue, via the technological miracle of Zoom, as does a writing group to which I belong.” And Sheer has managed to glean something positive from the crisis. “I marvel at the thickening silver lining during this international crisis, with so many remarkable individuals doing whatever is necessary, going above and beyond, for the benefit of others. A catering truck parks on the grounds of my residential complex each day, giving people a reason to take a walk and enjoy takeout food, while keeping the vendor’s business healthy.”

JEFFREY MARTIN, 69, a theater professor at Roger Williams University, has been coping with the fallout from the coronavirus on and off stage as he’s seen a student production canceled and he’s retooled his curriculum for online learning.

LARRY KESSLER (larrythek65@ gmail.com) is a freelance writer based in North Attleboro.

info@tourofraternal.org • 401.785.0066 W W W. T O U R O F R AT E R N A L . O R G

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SPORTS

Living a dream on the field but only in my dreams. Until January. Last year I was watching my beloved Phillies lose again, when one of the television broadcasters started reading a promotion for Phillies Fantasy Camp, an opportunity for those over 30 to spend one week in Clearwater, Florida, at the Phillies spring training complex. There, participants learn the fundamentals of baseball from former Phillies players and coaches, and get to play baseball. I immediately went online, got more information and called my dad. In addition to the player experience, there is a fan experience. It would be such a better experience with him there, given that he passed on his love of the sport to me. With his agreement and permission from my family to leave for a week, I signed up. This program is for players The thrill of hearing of all abilities, but the organizers were clear that prepamy name announced ration was key to avoiding injury. I shifted my workout by Dan Baker, routine, incorporating more stretching, and I made sure I longtime Phillies got to the batting cages a few times. By mid-January I was public address ready, spending most of my time working to avoid a freak announcer, as I injury that would sideline me. On Jan. 22, I boarded a plane came up to bat, and with my glove and cleats, eager to live out my childhood seeing my photo on dream. I met my parents at the airthe Jumbotron, is port (my mom joined as well), now seared in my along with the other players and their fans, and our advenmemory. ture began. It started with a rookie workout so the coaches could evaluate our skills, and build equal teams. It was there I learned a few things. First, hitting a ball thrown by a person is very different from hitting in a batting cage. Second, no matter how nice the field, a ball can still take an errant bounce and hit your knee instead of your glove. Despite the pain and the embarrassment, I finished that initial practice feeling good about my performance. If nothing else, I knew I was going to have a CONTINUED ON PAGE 30

Adam Greenman

PHOTOS | BOB THERIAULT

BY ADAM GREENMAN

aseball is a sport defined by seasons. Spring training in February allows us to turn the page from the dreary, gray-skied days of winter, to think about the warmth and lush greenery

of spring. In a typical year, the season would take us through the hot days of summer, and conclude with the World Series as the leaves change color, fall off trees and usher in those cold winter months. Although my professional baseball career ended at age 12, the sport has always held a special place in my heart, and has always been the sport I have most enjoyed. I remember frequent daydreams of playing for the Philadelphia Phillies, my hometown team, and running my hands over the grass at baseball palaces like Fenway Park and Wrigley Field. I

would dream about stealing second base, and kicking up dirt with each step on the perfectly manicured infield. Reality would soon kick in. I stopped growing, and worked in my parentâ€™s deli, high school, college, career and family all took on much greater importance. Aspirations of playing on professional fields, in a major league uniform, continued to exist,

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COMMUNITY VOICES

A R.I. claim to fame: The Third Seder and The Passover Journal BY GERALDINE S. FOSTER HISTADRUT, THE ISRAELI LABOR ORGANIZATION, was founded in December 1920 at Technion, the Israel Institute of Technology, in Haifa. It brought smaller unions together under one umbrella covering all Jewish workers in Mandatory Palestine. Despite the American Federation of Labor’s approval of the Balfour Declaration in 1917, many Jewish members of the trade movement refused to support the AFL’s action. Many were immigrants from Eastern Europe and members of the socialist Bund, the General Jewish Labor Federation, which was active in Poland, Lithuania and Russia. The founding of Histadrut and the persuasive power of Max Pine changed attitudes. Pine, the head of the United Hebrew Trades, and a small number of other Jewish labor leaders, mainly Labor Zionists, saw in Histadrut a union organization deserving of their support. In 1923, they organized the first Gewerkschaften (in Yiddish, trades or labor union) Campaign to raise funds for Histadrut. Two years later, it became a permanent event. Adding their support to the Gewerkschaften Campaign were the Labor Zionist groups in Providence, Poale Zion, the fraternal arm of Poale Zion the Farband (in Yiddish, the Jewish National Workers Alliance, not to be confused with the Bund) and Pioneer Women. The campaign became an annual item on their agenda. At the same time, they wanted to go beyond the money aspect to add a social, celebratory component. Thus, the Third Seder was born. The authors of the proposal were three close friends, members of Poale Zion. They were known as The Three Bs: Alter Boyman, a community activist; Henry Burt, an industrialist and importer; and Morris Beeber, a businessman. Verification of my personal knowledge of the Third Seder through sources such as minutes, flyers or news items is, sadly, not available. I have first-hand knowledge about it because my mother, Chaya Segal, and Sarah Boyman were cousins. Our families spent a great deal of time together, as we lived across the street from each other. I was privy to many of the conversations about community affairs that took place between Alter Boyman and my father, Beryl, both founders of the Rhode Island Jewish Historical Association. For this article, I also included information from people who attended Third Seders. They mentioned that speakers referred to the Third Seder as being born in Providence. The Third Seder was held on a Sunday night during Passover, but never when it conflicted with the observance of the traditional first or second seders. It was an addition, a secular reinterpretation of the themes of Passover. At first, the seder was held at Zinn’s Restaurant, on Weybosset Street, but when Zinn’s closed, circa 1940, the ballroom of the Narragansett Hotel, on Dorrance Street, became the venue.

The food and wine was always “Kosher for Passover.” The program always included reports from the presidents of the three constituent clubs, a speaker with the latest reports from Eretz Israel on the progress of various projects, and a musical presentation of Hebrew and Yiddish songs. After World War II, a candle-lighting ceremony was added in memory of the 6 million people who perished in the Holocaust. In concert with the start of the Gewerkschaften Campaign and the Third Seder, a publication, The Passover Journal, appeared. The R.I. Jewish Historical Association has copies of most of the issues in its archives, but the first and second editions are among those missing. The earliest copy available, issue No. 3, is dated April 28, 1929, and Boyman is listed as the editor. The center portion, consisting of ads, is bookended by an English section and a larger and more diverse Yiddish section. The articles printed in this issue, whether original or reprinted, reflected Uncle Alter’s progressive Zionist views. Subsequent issues carried articles by local rabbis and community members on a wider range of subjects. In my mind’s eye, I can see Boyman sitting at his desk near the side window of his home while working on The Passover Journal. Arrayed in front of him is a phalanx of fountain pens, ink to refill them, and sheets of paper waiting to be covered with his Yiddish script. As I read the aforementioned articles, I could hear his voice emerge in his writing – plain-spoken, direct and to the point. In issue No. 3, in “A Letter to a Friend,” he casts a satirical eye on a number of topics, including the poor attendance at temples (too hot in the summer, too cold in the winter); some of the attendees at the orthodox synagogues; the few cultural programs for adults; the sad state of Jewish education for children; Progressives who hold meetings and protests but do not vote; and women leading Friday night services! He added a warning to men: Beware when women seriously undertake a project, because they might take over … but perhaps it’s not such a bad thing. They might make “Judaism” a bit more polite or poetic, but then again …. His other column detailed a walk around the city, where he found its important Jewish institutions to be good. The Third Seder and the Gewerkschaften Campaign came to an end in 1954. The General Jewish Committee replaced the need for annual fundraisers with allocations to the several Zionist organizations. The younger generations saw no need for a Third Seder. As for The Passover Journal, it came to an end in 1964, when editor Alter Boyman became ill. GERALDINE S. FOSTER is a past president of the R.I. Jewish Historical Association. To comment about this or any RIJHA article, contact the RIJHA office at info@rijha.org or 401-331-1360.

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Best Wishes for a Happy Passover The Executive Committee, Staff, and Parents of the Providence Hebrew Day School New England Academy of Torah Rabbi Peretz Scheinerman Dean

450 Elmgrove Avenue, Providence, Rhode Island 02906

(401) 331-5327 Ext. 21

14 | APRIL 2020

Jewish Rhode Island | jewishrhody.org

COMMUNITY VOICES

SKE

Cousin Joel – gone, but not forgotten “PLEASE CALL ME: I have something to tell you about your cousin Joel.” I came upon this voice mail in my office at the Rhode Island School of Design, which serves as a sociable salon for student conferences, colleague conversations, and, mostly and primarily, the home for my vast collection of memorabilia from past classes, and books, and photographs. This particular message was melancholy, almost alarming. The last time I had heard from my relative – and once-upon-a-time neighbor – was several years ago. Joel had said, quite calmly, “I’ve neglected my health, and my legs have been amputated to save my life. Don’t feel too sorry for me, I’m guilty of eating all the wrong things and ignoring the dangers of my diabetic condition. “I’m OK in my wheelchair, and I’ll probably have prostheses in time so that I can stand up and get out of this wheeling whirling way of life. My son visits and takes good care of me.” I said, “Please keep in touch and phone again to reassure me that you are making progress.” That was my inadequate response, and Joel had not stayed in touch since that long-distance communication from Texas, across the American continent. So I pressed the right button on my phone and reached his son, who conveyed the sad news that his dad had passed away. “My father liked you and would have wanted me to inform you,” he said. “I know all the conflicts, confusions and quarrels of my families, but I loved my dad and want to keep the good things in my mind.” Would I send him the story of the Fink family, its history? “Please put the Dallas obituary in an envelope and mail it to my address and I will do the very best I can to fill you in on your dad’s boyhood,” I said. Joel Salhanick was born the year I studied abroad, at the Sorbonne, in Paris. I turned 20 in France, then sailed for home, where I met my baby cousin, who was living in his/my grandfather’s house at the corner of my street that abuts Summit Avenue. His mother was the very first Fink born in the U.S.A., in Providence, Rhode Island. Her name was Edith and she had many talents. She played the grand piano in their – to me – rather grand and fancy parlor. She acted, even starred, on the stage long

BOOK

ago – I think with the Players at Barker Playhouse. Edith picked up some seashells down by the sea shore and from playfully making a necklace out of some pretty ones, built herself a successful, flourishing career as a jewelry designer for the prosperous costume-jewelry industry of her home state. She gave me an identification bracelet for my Bar Mitzvah, and, by a special kind of witty magic, once turned a Cub Scout knot I showed off to her into an entire line of golden bracelets! Edith and I also often made pilgrimages to visit the various neighborhoods where her father and her uncle had dwelt in this land of the welcoming Roger Williams: Oakland Beach in Warwick, Pratt Street and Benefit Street homesteads closer to our shared street. We were friends, comrades and admirers of the occasional Hollywood stars who visited our summer theaters or classrooms. Like others of her generation, Edith held the house of her parents together with her contributions and caretaking. Joel was her only child, and her husband suffered from a heart condition that kept him, likewise, dependent upon her care. I remember that she once told me that after her husband’s death, he reappeared to her in a dream, and she told him, “You can’t come back” – not only from fear of ghosts, but also because she found herself for the very first time in her hard-working life liberated from duties and responsibilities, and free to travel. For a few years, Edith indeed enjoyed her solitude and her own company on cruises to see the great world beyond our tight borders in this, our smallest state. Joel was a lonely lad, but he did have a neighbor who liked and admired him, a girl who lived right

“I’m OK in my wheelchair, and I’ll probably have prostheses in time so that I can stand up and get out of this wheeling whirling way of life.”

Joel Salhanick

Edith Fink around the corner and kept him company at school and on the block. Joel married a lady named Brenda, a lawyer. They had two sons together, Marc and Scott, but the marriage did not last and Joel found himself alone in the great and giant state of Texas. When Edith was no more, Joel sold the stately Fink house as quickly as possible, and as much of its contents as he could, and brought to me, the clan historian, the paper records and a few souvenirs.

This is the very first time I am summoning up my scattered vignettes of my friendly, amiable, youngest cousin. I remember Joel’s Bar Mitzvah, which conveniently took place right around the corner from his home, at Mishkon Tfiloh, on Summit Avenue, across from The Miriam Hospital. I can also recall the time I visited Hope High School, our collective alma mater of public schooling, where Joel was the photographer for his class. I also remember in my mind’s eye the twin gigantic computers shared by Joel and his wife. I respected and liked my youngest cousin, but I sensed and perceived that he did not have an easy voyage through the years. His mother, likewise, despite her capacity for friendship and alliance, her virtue of loyalty and protective concern for family, did not have a luxurious life. She knew labor, but kept a cheerful outlook, with an honest grin and a sense of adventure and sheer fun. So, Joel, if you can read above the clouds, I hope I am writing good things and an honest account. And so, Marc and Scott, I will try to find among my hoard of papers something to show you, in addition to these paragraphs to read. MIKE FINK (mfink33@aol.com) teaches at the Rhode Island School of Design.

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COMMUNITY VOICES

Missing all things great and small in our locked-down lives AS I WRITE THIS in mid-March, uncertainty moments that this scourge has produced. For abounds over the coronavirus pandemic, but instance: one thing is certain: No matter how long the STUDENTS may not be able to walk across outbreak and its fallout last, it has already the stage to accept their high school, underhurt the quality of our lives, and has made us graduate or graduate degrees. care more deeply about activities that COLLEGE AND HIGH SCHOOL athletes are we otherwise take for granted. missing a whole season of sports, includEven though most Americans ing the wildly popular March Madness. realize it’s a serious situation, STUDENTS at every level will it’s hard to accept the severe have a far less fulfilling school year restrictions imposed on our as a result of missing what used to be personal lives because of a normal classroom-based education. the virus, especially since past pandemics, including MAJOR COMMUNITY EVENTS put the H1N1 swine flu in 2009on by nonprofits, which serve the dual 10, never reached this level. purpose of nurturing our need for felFor instance, in those other lowship and raising essential funds for LARRY outbreaks, people weren’t thrown an agency or a museum, for instance, KESSLER out of work, closed off from their are being wiped out. The cancellation, schools and houses of worship, or told that for example, of the Attleboro Arts Museum’s they couldn’t patronize bars and restaurants. hugely popular flower show, which brings a Not since 9/11 has American life changed so smile to the hundreds who attend over four dramatically and so rapidly. days and raises $30,000 to keep the museum What’s been especially tough about this parin the black, is merely one example of how so ticular crisis – which has emptied supermarket many charitable groups and nonprofits have shelves and drained us of our good humor and been adversely affected by this outbreak. much of our positive outlook on life – is that it THE ABSENCE OF SPORTS at all levels has has stolen from us the very things that make created a particularly painful void in the lives us human. of those of us who embrace athletic events. I’m Think about it. Thanks to a phrase that especially talking about the absence of basesounds like it came right out of George Orball, which has delivered a blow to the spirits well’s “1984” – the sterile term “social distancof people like myself, who relish reading about ing” – we’re now either too panicked or too and watching the games. cautious to greet friends with hugs or handshakes. We also can no longer meet friends for And speaking of baseball, fans look forward lunch or dinner – or take our spouses and famall winter to spending spring and summer ilies out for a night on the town, since cinemas, afternoons and evenings at McCoy Stadium, live theater, museums and even zoos have been in Pawtucket, where the game’s action often shuttered. takes a back seat to the conversations between And to make the restrictions even more diffriends old and new. ficult to bear, many people are no doubt going That tradition is as old as the game itself, to think twice about opening up their homes and always reconnects me to the days when I for Passover seders with friends and relatives went to Boston Red Sox games with my dad. – something that many of us look forward to Those years instilled a lifelong love of baseball year after year. in me, so I’m particularly depressed to think At least for the foreseeable future, we can no that there might not be any professional baselonger count on enjoying the simple pleasures ball in 2020. in life, and that’s taking a terrible toll on our Such an outcome would be especially dispsyches. The sad truth is that, although corpotressing in Southeastern Massachusetts and rations hurt by COVID-19 might be bailed out Rhode Island, because that would mean that with billions, just as they were after the Great the 2019 PawSox season will have wound up Recession of 2008-09, no one will be able to bail being its last one, since the Red Sox’ Triple A average Americans out of the many missed farm team is moving to Worcester in 2021.

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The rabbi logged on to Zoom: A bride and groom were waiting (JTA) – BEFORE EVERYTHING changed, Jalna Silverstein and Asael Papour were planning a wedding much like many other Jewish nuptials on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. They had a band and caterer lined up, a ceremony

LARRY KESSLER (larrythek65@gmail.com) is a freelance writer based in North Attleboro.

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BY BEN HARRIS

Of course, the absence of sports and the other activities that we’re missing out on is secondary to the well-being of everyone, so let us hope and pray that the current threat doesn’t endure for months – and that we emerge from this unsettling period in good health.

planned for the synagogue where Silverstein grew up and all the little details mapped out, from the napkins to the chair coverings to the types of utensils. And they had a date: March 29. In February, as the coronavirus pandemic became more urgent in news headlines, the

couple felt the first faint stirrings of concern. An elderly friend of the groom’s family, citing his elevated risk for the disease, informed them he couldn’t make it. Still, there were very few cases in New York, and the cancellation seemed more like a speed bump than a barrier. CONTINUED ON PAGE 27

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Jewish Rhode Island | jewishrhody.org

FOOD & DINING

What to do with leftover haroset? Try this chicken with thyme recipe. BY EMANUELLE LEE THE NOSHER VIA JTA – HAROSET IS ONE of the most important food components of the Passover seder. Its intense sweetness symbolizes optimism, contrasting with the bitter maror and salty water, which remind us of our ancestors’ suffering. Every family has its own special haroset recipe, and each year my mother makes ours, which was passed down from my grandmother. Our family recipe includes dates, sweet kiddush wine and lots of cinnamon. It’s delicious, and I always spend the majority of my seder making matzah and haroset sandwiches. Still, there is always a big tub left over, and no one ever really thinks to use it once the seders have passed. This year, I’ll be using our leftover haroset to make this recipe. The beauty of

this dish is that it works no matter what type of haroset your family makes. The sweetness from the haroset creates an addictive, caramelized effect on the chicken.

Haroset Chicken and Thyme Ingredients

8 chicken drumsticks 1 head garlic, cut in half crosswise 2 large red onions, thinly sliced 1 lemon, sliced into rounds 1 lemon, juiced 1/2 cup leftover haroset 6 sprigs fresh thyme 3/4 cup water Olive oil

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Place the garlic and sliced onions in a medium-sized roasting dish. Dot the lemon rounds around the dish and sprinkle with thyme. Drizzle

with a tablespoon of olive oil. In a separate mixing bowl, toss the chicken pieces with the haroset and add the lemon juice, a pinch of salt and pepper, and 2 tablespoons olive oil. Mix well, allowing the mixture to get under the chicken’s skin. Place the chicken pieces in the roasting dish, along with the garlic, onions, lemon and thyme. Pour water in the bottom of the roasting dish and roast for 30 minutes. Turn the chicken pieces over and continue cooking for another 15 minutes. The chicken should be caramelized and crisp, and the onions should be softened. Serves 4. EMANUELLE LEE is a creative recipe developer, food writer, food stylist and professional feeder. You can follow her delicious creations on instagram @ManusKitchen.

5 flours that will change your Passover desserts BY EMILY PASTER This story originally appeared on The Nosher. ON PASSOVER, JEWS ARE PROHIBITED from consuming any foods made with five familiar grains: wheat, oats, rye, spelt (which is actually just an ancient form of wheat) and barley. These grains are considered hametz because of their ability to

ferment and rise. The only exception to this rule is, of course, matzah. As a result, many home bakers think that the only way to bake during Passover is to use matzah meal, which has an unfortunate tendency to make baked goods dense and even leaden. But today, as a result of the popularity of gluten-free and low-carb diets, there are many alternative flours available that are Kosher for Passover and open up a wide range of possibilities for baked goods that actually taste good. Some of these gluten-free flours come from other parts of the world, such as quinoa and buckwheat; others are made from nuts and fruits. Each has its own unique properties and quirks, so it is best to seek out recipes designed specifically for these flours. Attempting to substitute any of these gluten-free flours for regular wheat

flour in recipes without modification will not lead to good results.

Almond

Many Passover recipes call for almond flour or almond meal. Be aware that there is a difference between the two: almond flour is made from blanched (aka peeled) almonds and is finer and fluffier than almond meal, which is made from raw almonds. Almond flour is a favorite of those following low-carb diets and it does have some nutritional benefits, including protein, “good” fats, and numerous vitamins and minerals, especially when compared to flours made from grain. Note: With their high fat content, nut flours are prone to turning rancid, so always store them in the refrigerator or, better yet, the freezer. Almond flour is both denser and wetter than wheat flour and will act differently in batters. Happily, there are many recipes specifically designed for almond flour. One important tip for baking with almond CONTINUED ON PAGE 32

Happy Passover!

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Elite Chocolate Bars

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All these great advertised prices are available when you use your Stop & Shop card! Some items not available in all stores. All minimum spend requirements must be met after all discounts and coupons have been subtracted from order.

18 | APRIL 2020

Jewish Rhode Island | jewishrhody.org

FOOD & DINING

Cooking through ‘More Real Life Kosher Cooking’ BY LISA MAYBRUCH BLOGGING HAS ALWAYS been a hobby of mine, or at least I’d like to think it is. I’ve started three blogs in my lifetime, and I do very much enjoy writing out my thoughts. But, like most of my other hobbies, the blogs get pushed aside or forgotten about when life gets in the way. Currently, my blogs are just sitting in cyberspace waiting for a playwright to stumble upon them and make me famous. When I was approached by the Jewish Rhode Island editor to prepare a few recipes from Miriam Pascal’s cookbook “More Real Life Kosher Cooking” (Mesorah Publications, 2019), I happily accepted the task. I feel most comfortable in the kitchen, but only when I’m baking. Baking is a science, it can be perfected. And there are many constants, such as flour, sugar, eggs and vanilla. If it’s done right, baking is predictable, and that is what I love about it. For me, cooking is a chore. I’ll never be able to make matzah ball soup the way my mom does, even when I follow the exact recipe! I struggle with my knife skills and keeping track of different ingredients. So, yes, cooking intimidates me – but I wanted to challenge myself. Before I started, I researched cookbook author Miriam Pascal to learn a little bit about

her style and get a sense of what I was in for. Pascal claims she makes her recipes with “approachable ingredients that are still exciting and delicious” (overtimecook.com). As a novice cook, this was great news! I flipped through her recipes and bookmarked a few that spoke to me – and immediately felt relieved that the ingredient lists were, for the most part, short. There is nothing worse than buying half a shopping-cart’s worth of food for one meal (looking at you, beef bourguignon) only to be disappointed with the finished dish. The original plan was to make a recipe or two for this article and share my process and overall thoughts on the cookbook. However, COVID-19 hit, and I had a change of plans. Instead of just making a few of Pascal’s dishes, I decided to cook my way through “More Real Life Kosher Cooking” during my self-isolation, and document it along the way. Back to blogging! So far, I’ve made six recipes from the cookbook and I’ve been impressed! As a home baker, I find it difficult to relate to cookbook authors. I struggle with the language and the measurements: A pinch here, or a dash there, is not very accurate. And blanching? What is that? CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE

APRIL 2020

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FOOD & DINING Ingredients

FROM PREVIOUS PAGE But Pascal recognizes that good food doesn’t have to be complicated, as shown in her simple recipes and easy-to-follow directions. My definition of a simple recipe is either semi-homemade (for example, using store-bought pizza dough and filing it with spiced ground beef, as she does), or one that uses a short list of accessible ingredients that pack a powerful flavor (like her roasted vegetable soup). If there are readers out there looking for uncomplicated yet flavorful dishes with ingredients you likely already have in your pantry, I highly suggest picking up a copy of “More Real Life Kosher Cooking.” You’ll find a variety of impressive meals that you’ll

want to add into your rotation. And right now, you can check out Miriam Pascal’s website, overtimecook.com, to get started. I’d love to hear your experience with her recipes and hope you feel inspired by both of our cooking stories.

Roasted Vegetables 2 large zucchini, diced 3 medium yellow squash, diced 2 red bell peppers, diced 2 onions, diced 1 pound frozen cauliflower florets, defrosted 1/4 cup oil 1 tablespoon kosher salt 1/2 teaspoon black pepper Soup 4 cups vegetable broth About 6 cups water 2 bay leaves 1 tablespoon kosher salt

LISA MAYBRUCH (lmaybruch@ jewishallianceri.org) is the manager of adult programs at the Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island. A lifelong foodie and baker, you can follow her on instagram @mayflour_bakery

Directions 1. Prepare the roasted vegetables: Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

Here are some recipes suitable for Passover with Mirim Pascal’s comments from “More Real Life Kosher Cooking”:

Roasted Vegetable Soup

2. Place vegetables, oil, salt, and pepper into a bowl. Toss to combine. Divide between prepared baking sheets. Roast for 50-60 minutes, until vegetables are starting to brown.

Pareve Yield 6-8 servings

3. Prepare the soup: Place roasted vegetables, along with any juices, into a large soup pot. Add soup ingredients; bring to a boil.

What started out as a fridge full of produce that had to be used up has morphed into one of my all-time favorite soups. Roasting the vegetables brings out their flavors, resulting in a healthy soup that’s packed with flavor and so filling! Feel free to customize your soup based on whichever veggies you happen to have on hand.

4. Simmer for about 1 hour. Discard bay leaves. Using an immersion blender, blend soup well, for about 3 minutes, until fully smooth. Adjust salt and pepper to taste. Plan Ahead: This soup can be prepared ahead and frozen in an airtight container. Recipe used with permission “More Real Life Kosher Cooking,” by Miriam Pascal.

Rainbow Salad Pareve Yield 6 servings WITH ALMOST NOTHING to prep, I make this recipe when I don’t have time, but still want to wow my guests. The combination of sweet and savory flavors, plus all kinds of great crunchy textures, really make this a winner. Ingredients Maple Lime Dressing 1/3 cup olive oil 1/4 cup pure maple syrup 3 tablespoons lime juice 1 clove garlic, minced OR 1 cube frozen garlic 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt Pinch cayenne pepper Salad 8 ounces romaine lettuce 4 ounces shredded red cabbage 1 mango, diced 1 avocado, diced 1/2 cup pomegranate seeds

1 cup lightly crushed sweet potato chips 3/4 cup crispy fried onions (such as French’s) Directions 1. Prepare the dressing: Whisk together all dressing ingredients in a small bowl until combined. Set aside. 2. Place all salad ingredients in a large bowl. Add dressing just before serving; toss to combine. Variation: When pomegranate seeds are not in season, use dried cranberries or dried cherries instead. Plan Ahead: Dressing can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week. Salad should be assembled fresh. Recipe used with permission “More Real Life Kosher Cooking,” by Miriam Pascal.

from your friends at

20 | APRIL 2020

Jewish Rhode Island | jewishrhody.org

Pur

urim is a happy time for all ages in the Rhode Island Jewish community and this year was no different. Here are scenes from the annual parade on the East Side and some karaoke at the Kosher Senior Café at the Alliance’s Dwares Jewish Community Center.

APRIL 2020

jewishrhody.org | Jewish Rhode Island

rim

PHOTOS | GLENN OSMONDSON

PHOTO | MICHAEL SCHEMAILLE

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PHOTO | MICHAEL SCHEMAILLE

22 | APRIL 2020

Jewish Rhode Island | jewishrhody.org

PASSOVER

Children’s Passover These new Passover children’s books engage no matter where the celebration BY PENNY SCHWARTZ BOSTON (JTA) – MIRIAM the Prophetess, Elijah the Prophet and the Four Questions take center stage among this spring’s crop of new Passover books for kids, penned by some of today’s best writers. The sparkling assortment includes stories by Jane Yolen, known as America’s Hans Christian Anderson; Leslea Newman, who garnered a Sydney Taylor Jewish Book Award for children’s literature for her lifetime body of work; and Naomi Ben-Gur, one of Israel’s most acclaimed and popular writers for children. Other new reads take children to Passover celebrations with googly-eyed alligators in the swamps of Florida, a zero-gravity seder with a space-traveling family, and back in time to an Old World village where scurrying mice with crusts of bread may upend the start of the eight-day holiday. Passover, also known as the Festival of Freedom, begins this year on the evening of April 8. TODDLER BOARD BOOKS AGES 1-4 The youngest ones are in for a lively time with these colorful books that introduce the foods and traditions of

Passover. “I Love Matzah” Freidele Galya Soban Biniashvili, illustrated by Angelika Scudamore Kar-Ben A young boy proudly shares all the delicious ways he likes to eat matzah. Rhyming words and bright, cartoon-like illustrations will keep kids hungry for the matzah treats. “Alligator Seder” Jessica Hickman, illustrated by Elissambura Kar-Ben Join the fun with a family of friendly Florida gators who are preparing for Passover in the Sunshine State. In rhyming verse they hunt for chametz, recite the Four Questions and crunch their matzah. PRESCHOOL TO OLDER READERS, AGES 3-9 “The Passover Mouse” Joy Nelkin Wieder; illustrated by Shahar Kober Random House (ages 3-7) This delightful tale inspired by a Talmudic passage features a white mouse carrying a piece of bread in its mouth as it scurries from the home of a widow who has cleaned her home to make it chametz-free before the holiday. When the mouse races to the cobbler’s home, and we meet another mouse and a cat, both with

bread, zaniness ensues. Now the quarreling villagers race to the rabbi’s home and ask, “Do we have to clean our homes again?” A young boy finds the perfect solution. Kids will be tickled by Nelkin Wieder’s delightful picture book. Kober, an award-winning Israeli illustrator, captures the frenzy of scurrying mice, bewildered villagers and the joy of community celebrations. “Asteroid Goldberg: Passover in Outer Space” Brianna Caplan Sayres; illustrated by Merrill Rainey Intergalactic Afikomen (ages 4-8) When a space-traveling family’s rocket ship is delayed for landing right before the holiday, it’s no obstacle for the young daughter, Asteroid, who fills the spaceship’s pantry with Passover food from the far reaches of the Milky Way: matzah balls from Jupiter’s moons and crunchy matzah from Saturn’s rings. Rainey’s large, animated illustrations are a laugh-outloud blast as Asteroid and her family fly around the zero-gravity seder table. Even the matzah balls float! Relatives pop in from Mars and Venus. A back page includes a glossary and a link for information on Jewish astronauts.

“Who Will Ask the Four Questions?” Naomi Ben-Gur; illustrated by Carmel Ben-Ami. Translated from Hebrew by Gilah KahnHoffmann Green Bean Books (ages 4-7) In this endearing story, a young boy named Eitan is eagerly awaiting his family’s seder, when he will sing the Ma Nishtanah – the Four Questions, traditionally recited by the youngest in the family. But his little sister, Evie, insists it’s her turn for the honor. Eitan rejects Grandma Naomi’s suggestion that he help his sister learn the questions and tries to persuade Evie to change her mind. Will the quarreling siblings find a way to join their voices together? Ben-Ami’s double-page spreads burst with high energy and expressive illustrations. “Welcoming Elijah: A Passover Tale with a Tail” Lesléa Newman; illustrated by Susan Gal Charlesbridge (ages 5-8) A young boy inside his warm home celebrates the seder with his family and guests while outside, a small kitten sits alone in the windy darkness of night. With each turn of this poetically written and beautifully illustrated book, the simple verse com-

pares the joyful seder rituals and festivities inside with the lonely kitten outside. When it’s time to open the door to welcome Elijah, the boy discovers the kitten meowing at his doorstep. Gal’s large, gloriously colored illustrations reflect the story’s contrasts between inside and outside. Newman in the author’s note explains the custom of filling a cup of wine for Elijah and the holiday’s theme of welcoming guests. “Miriam at the River” Jane Yolen; illustrations by Khoa Le Kar-Ben (ages 5-9) Yolen, a master storyteller, will enchant a new generation of young readers with this imaginative, lyrical retelling of the biblical story of Miriam, Moses’ older sister. Set in ancient times along the banks of the Nile River, 7-year-old Miriam finds the courage to save the life of her baby brother, setting the stage for the future of the Exodus story. Le illustrates with swirls of color and ripples of water as the basket with baby Moses drifts past a landscape of storks and a hippopotamus. An author’s note gives the biblical background and explains the recurring ties between Miriam and water in the Exodus story.

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jewishrhody.org | Jewish Rhode Island

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PASSOVER

Passover customs around the world Y L I VI

HEA

storytelling part of the Haggadah by taking the matzah used during the seder, placing it in a special bag resembling a knapsack, and throwing it over your shoulder.

IN ISRAEL, Passover is celebrated for seven days, and the first and last day are legal holidays. IN GIBRALTAR, it is customary for the person leading the seder to walk around the table with the seder plate three times while reciting the phrase “we left Egypt in a hurry.” IN IRAN AND AFGHANISTAN, while singing “Dayenu,” it is customary to hit each other with scallions to symbolize the slaves being whipped by their Egyptian taskmasters. IN POLAND, Jews reenact the crossing of the Red Sea by drawing up their clothing, pouring water on the floor, and naming the places they would pass during the crossing. IN ARGENTINA, Passover is celebrated much like in the United States – except it’s in the fall. IN ITALY, tradition has it that the seder plate is placed on a child’s head and then turned around for viewing. Matzah lasagna, an Italian-inspired dish, is often served. IN SPAIN, which has a large Sephardic Jewish community, blessings are uniquely recited over the first and third cup of wine.

IN HUNGARY, they decorate their seder table with gold and silver jewelry. This symbolizes the Israelites being given precious metals by the Egyptians to hasten their exodus.

PASSOVER, which commemorates freedom and honors the Jews who escaped from slavery in Egypt, is one of the most important Jewish holidays. It is celebrated by Jews worldwide – but those celebrations vary somewhat from nation to nation. At worldation.com, Serena Carsley Mann examines different traditions in her article “How Passover is Celebrated Throughout the World.”

IN YEMEN, some Jews in the Aden region still follow the tradition of eating eggs as the main course PATRICIA during the seder. The broader JewRASKIN ish community also pours the 10 drops of wine from one glass into another and then disposes of the glass in their gardens to cast away plagues. IN TURKEY, at the conclusion of Passover, each person takes a sprig of parsley in their hands and recites a verse in Arabic, moving the parsley from one shoulder to the other of the person they are facing. They then give each person present a personalized blessing for the coming year. IN THE UNITED STATES, since the early 1980s, it has become customary to add an orange to the seder plate as a symbol of inclusion of women and the gay community. Customs of other countries are illustrated on The Daily Meal’s website (www.thedailymeal. com) PATRICIA RASKIN, owner of Raskin Resources Productions, is a media host, coach and award-winning radio producer and business owner. She has served on the board of directors of Temple Emanu-El, in Providence.

IN ETHIOPIA, Passover is most similar to the holiday in Israel. Many Jews immigrated from Ethiopia to Israel, so Passover’s commemoration of freedom holds special meaning for them. Ethiopian Jews often decorate the seder table with folk crafts and other items. IN INDIA, Passover meals might feature spicerubbed fish with an herb salsa, chicken with black pepper, coconut crepes with date sauce, and mutton braised with garlic and coriander. IN NEPAL, one of the largest seders in the world happens every year in Kathmandu, when Lubavitch rabbis get together at the local Chabad house and arrange a seder for thousands of Jewish backpackers.

Indian Bnei Menashe Jews baking matzah in Churachandpur, India.

IN SYRIA, there is a custom of starting the

Sandra Bornstein Holocaust Education Center Wishes The Jewish Community

Happy PASSOVER

24 | APRIL 2020

Jewish Rhode Island | jewishrhody.org

PASSOVER

The sweetness of tradition BY MICHAEL SCHEMAILLE PASSOVER HAS ALWAYS BEEN my favorite holiday, and an important one for my family. In these uncertain times, and with the reality of seders-in-isolation, I’ve been reminiscing a lot about happier times. I grew up on Long Island, in a large house that was always busy. My grandparents frequently hosted visitors from around the globe, and my mother ran her own business from her artist’s studio on the second floor. We had Shabbos dinner together every week without fail, and often with a number of guests. A full house, ritual and convivial dinners were all part of the status quo – but nothing ever came close to the excitement of Pesach. We always hosted two seders, with a total of about 20-30 people at our three tables. The tables were arranged in a “U” shape; each had its own seder plate and an assigned “captain” to make

sure everyone had parsley, wine, whatever was called for at any particular point in the service. My grandfather, Burton Bronsther, ran the show each year. As the eldest grandchild, I always sat in a place of honor to his immediate right. In addition to the people, the house was always full of flowers. Before the service began, there were drinks – Kosher wine and spirits, an annual gift from a Hungarian surgeon who was a dear friend of the family. Hors d’oeuvres included my grandmother Ellyn’s chopped liver and ptcha, an eggy, garlicky calves’ foot jelly. I remember how excited my aunt used to get about having this annual treat, even as I did my best to stay far away from it. Eventually, we’d all gather in the dining room – no small task, given our guests’ spirited moods. That giddy tipsiness, enhanced by the four glasses of wine, would occasionally disrupt the seder, causing my grandfather to shout “Ruhig!” – the German

word for “quiet.” I never knew him to speak German otherwise, although he once told me that in medical school, he was required to learn “medical German.” When I was little, my grandfather would start each seder at Genesis 1:1, which would make for a very long night – there were years when dinner wasn’t served until 11. I remember his exclamations of surprise when it came time for hand-washing, as my grandmother always made sure that the water was icy cold, and I remember our “mitzvah prizes.” A toothpick was given to anyone who could answer one of my grandfather’s questions, add to the story, or offer a correction, to mark the “mitzvah” and as a way of counting points toward end-of-night prizes. I was a shark when it came to the mitzvah prizes, and I remember my juvenile pride at amassing toothpicks. When I got a bit older, it became my responsibility to distribute those toothpicks,

THE ODEUM WOULD TO THANK ALL OF

OUR

PATRONS

UNDERSTANDING

FOR

DURING

THEIR THESE

UNIQUE TIMES. WE ARE WORKING

and to keep my cousins from stealing them from me – and each other! I remember my grandfather leafing through his illegibly-scrawled notecards, proudly displaying his copies of “Chronicles: News of the Past” (I also remember his excitement when we found the rare Volume 3 at a gift shop in Israel), and hiding the afikoman behind him, against his chair. My grandfather was 6’4” and 300 pounds … how was I ever supposed to steal that from him?! As I got older, my grandfather acceded to the family’s demands to shorten the service, so sometimes we’d get to eat as early as 9. I also took on the responsibility of hiding the matzah, and I

hid decoy afikoman, made of napkin-wrapped cardboard, all around the house. The kids would invariably turn the decoys back over to me, then I would hide them again to keep them busy. Eventually, I’d have to give hints about the location of the real one so that the seder could be properly finished. As an aside, once, when I was young, I found the afikoman and cleverly re-hid it in our Atari console. Somehow, everyone forgot about it. I think that particular seder lasted until mid-May, when the afikoman was finally discovered. In time, my grandparents moved to a much smaller house, which reduced seder attendance to roughly CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE

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PASSOVER

| 25

A Kosher & Happy Passover B’H 2020 Holiday Schedule 5780

Passover in quarantine will be different BY RABBI YOSSI LAUFER PEOPLE HAVE BEEN ASKING me how will they be able to do Passover while in quarantine? A friend tells me “Rabbi this year we won’t be doing a Seder because the kids are not coming.” Dear friends, Passover is a “Jewish Holiday” not a “Kids Holiday.” True this year’s Passover is different. There will not be any big family get-together and no community Seders. But the Seder can be done with minimal ingredients and definitely can be done alone. The preferred is to follow the 15 steps to the Seder in a Haggadah. You can print one with English text at: www.chabad.org/holidays/ passover/pesach_cdo/aid/4685320/jewish/ Print-Haggadahs.htm Here are the minimal ingredients to try and have: Passover matzah, Kosher wine or grape juice, white or plain horseradish root and something special to eat such as Kosherfor-Passover gefilte fish. The main mitzvah in the Torah is to eat one ounce of plain matzah after dark. One ounce is only a minimum; plain means with no haroset or spreads; and after dark is after 8 p.m. in Rhode Island. Visit www.chabad. org/library/article_cdo/aid/4361097/jewish/ In-the-Evening-They-Shall-Eat-Matzot-TheCommandment-to-Eat-Matzot.htm to learn more. We drink four cups of wine or grape juice (3½ fluid ounces each). We fill a cup before each recitation and recite the blessing and drink it while reclining after each recitation.

FROM PREVIOUS PAGE 15 people, or fewer. My grandfather’s health began to fail, and in 2002 he told me that when his time came, I would be responsible for leading the family’s seders. It was something I already knew, but didn’t want to hear. Beyond sacred responsibility, this was also the key part of continuing our family’s traditions. It was the passing of a torch, and a sign of his bottomless love for me. My grandfather died the following year, on Erev Pesach. We took his death hard, not just because we had lost our patriarch, but because it was “that time of year,” when we had counted on him to lead us in prayer, to tell us stories, to shout “Ruhig!” We felt lost. In the span of several very long days, I had to call our friends and family, write a eulogy, and prepare all-new notes for “my” seder (because my grandfather’s notes were,

The four recitations are 1. Kiddush, 2. Haggadah – telling the Passover story, 3. Grace after the meal, 4. Reciting Hallel. It is also a mitzvah to eat one ounce of bitter herbs such as white horseradish without the beets or romaine lettuce (romaine lettuce needs to be washed and checked to make sure there are no tiny bugs). Visit www. chabad.org/holidays/passover/pesach_cdo/ aid/1749/jewish/What-Is-Maror.htm to learn more. And then there is the mitzvah of telling the story, even if telling the story to oneself. The exodus was not simply an event that happened to us in the past. It is an event that we became. It is who we are. It is the life of each one of us, occurring again and again, in our wrestling match with the world, in our struggle with our own selves. We embody freedom in a constant mode of escape. Perhaps that is why Jews have always been the rebels of society, the ones who think out of the box. The experience of leaving Egypt left such an indelible mark on our souls, we never stopped doing it. A Jew who has stopped exiting Egypt has ceased to allow his soul to breathe. Let us hope and pray that this health crisis ends with a complete freedom and the final redemption, the coming of Moshiach and may we celebrate Passover THIS year in Jerusalem, Amen! To hear a short message on leaving Egypt visit www.chabad.org/4691514 RABBI YOSSI LAUFER (RabbiWarwick@gmail. com) is the rabbi at Chabad West Bay in Warwick.

of course, written in illegible doctor-scrawl), all under the pressure of my aunt saying, “Keep it short!” She would repeat that refrain every year thereafter, even as I’d perfected my three-hour comprehensive service. I kept many of my grandfather’s traditions, but also made the ceremony my own, to reflect the family that I’ve built. My son is named Caleb; it’s a name his mother liked, but I didn’t – until I learned of the biblical Caleb and his role in bringing the Israelites into Canaan. After that, I embraced the name as fully as I embrace my son whenever I see him. My changes to the seder include adding Miriam’s Cup and discussions of modern-day slavery. My table is decorated with “plush plagues” (including a tiny green alien, just to see who’s paying attention). I start my

story with Jacob, and thanks to Google, my notes are accessible at all times. I’ve shared a cartoon from The New Yorker that enumerates “Ten Plagues for Today’s Seder,” including “underachieving children” and “unwanted body hair.” This year, I think I’ll keep that one to myself. Passover is so much more than just a Haggadah and matzah, and as I write this, the holiday is only two weeks away. I don’t know what today’s seders will look like, or how they will work, but I do know this: Memories made today may last long after we’re gone, so we should make them good ones. Reach out to your loved ones and share your stories, and a zissen Pesach to all! MICHAEL SCHEMAILLE (mschemaille@jewishallianceri.org) writes for Jewish Rhode Island and the Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island.

Remember

Search for Chometz – Tuesday night, April 7 Fast of first-born – Wednesday, April 8 2020

Wednesday, April 8

Providence time only Eating of Chometz: until 10:35 a.m. Burning of Chometz: until 11:40 a.m. Passover begins:

7:00 p.m.

Seder begins at:

7:50 p.m.

Passover ends:

Thursday, April 16 at 8:12 p.m.

5780

Candle lighting times for Passover 2020 Providence time

Wednesday, April 8 ........7:00 p.m. Thursday, April 9 ............after 8:03 p.m. Friday, April 10 ...............7:03 p.m. Tuesday, April 14 ...........7:07 p.m. Wednesday, April 15 ......after 8:10 p.m.

Blessings

WEDNESDAY, EREV YOM TOV, ERUV TAVSHILIN April 8: .......First Eve of Passover ............. 1 & 2 April 9: .......Second Eve of Passover ........ 1 & 2 April 10 ......Eve of Shabbat ....................... 3 Arpil 14 ......7th Eve of Passover ............... 1 April 15 ......8th Eve of Passover ............... 1 #1 BO-RUH A-TOH ADO-NOI E-LO-HEI-NU MELECH HO-OLOM A-SHER KI-DE-SHA-NU BEMITZ-VO-TOV VI-TZI-VO-NU LE-HAD-LIK NER SHEL YOM-TOV #2 BO-RUCH A-TOH ADO-NOI E-LO-HEI-NU MELECH HO-OLOM SHE-HEH-CHE-YOH-NU VIKIYE-MONU VE-HE GE-O-NU LEZ-MAN HA-ZEH #3 BO-RUCH A-TOH ADO-NOI E-LO-HEI-NU MELECH HO-OLOM A-SHER KI-DE-SHA-NU BEMITZ-VO-TOV VI-TZI-VO-NU LE-HAD-LIK NER SHEL SHA-BAT KO-DESH Special instructions for holidays (but not Shabbat). On holidays it is forbidden to create a new fire by striking a match, lighter, etc. However, it is permissible to use a flame already burning continuously since before the inception of the holiday, such as a pilot light, gas or candle flame. Courtesy of Chabad House – Lubavitch 360 Hope St. • Providence, RI 02906 401-273-7238 Please do not destroy or deface this card.

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BUSINESS

The coronavirus crisis and your retirement savings A

D O LL

FROM PAGE 15 As March arrived, however, things began to look much bleaker. “People with families and high-risk people started to show concern and ask us, are we still on for the wedding? And what’s the plan”? Papour told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency. So they put out some feelers to their guest list: Were people still planning to attend? Should they persevere or pull the plug? “Nobody knew what to tell us,” Papour said. As with so many things in the age of coronavirus, things moved slowly at first – and then very quickly. On March 11, the United States announced a 30-day ban on travel from Europe. Papour’s family in Israel and Germany would not be able to get there. “At that point things had escalated here, too,” Silverstein said. “To my mother’s dismay, after hard planning and utter disappointment, I had to break it to my mom that I don’t think this is going to happen.” At least not as originally planned. They canceled the band and the caterer and bumped up the date a week, hoping to stay ahead of an expected ban on public gatherings. But they were determined the wedding was going to happen in some form. That form wound up being online. A small group would gather in Silverstein’s synagogue – immediate family, a handful of close friends and a rabbi – and everyone else could watch a livestream. It

starting at age 72. Withdrawing money from a qualified retirement account prior to age 59½ means the account holder will probably have to pay state and federal income tax on the amount withdrawn, in addition to a 10% tax penalty. But the drawbacks to withdrawing money early from a retirement account extend well beyond tax penalJASON E. ties. For one, an SIPERSTEIN early withdrawal sacrifices the growth potential of the assets that are withdrawn: You lose out on the compound growth potential associated with those assets. The assets held in a retirement account have the potential to compound in value without taxes

& S E NS

WITH THE CORONAVIRUS pandemic upending lives, the temptation to dip into retirement assets such as IRAs and 401(k)s early can be powerful, especially for those facing unemployment or unexpected medical expenses. But these types of accounts were designed to be treated much like a crop. Plant seeds. Provide light, water and fertilizer consistently. Let grow. Harvest when ripe. With retirement accounts, as with crops, there are opportunities to harvest prematurely – but potentially negative consequences for doing so. Under federal rules, people with a qualified retirement account such as a 401(k) or a traditional IRA (Individual Retirement Account) can start withdrawing funds from their account at age 59½ and must take distributions

seemed, amid the swirling chaos all around them, the wedding would still happen. Then on Friday afternoon, with two days to go to the now online-only ceremony, the rabbi called. “He sounds awful,” Papour said. “It sounds like he can’t breathe.” At a time when even a light cough can inspire mortal fear, the couple decided to wait and check in after Shabbat. But when the rabbi called on Saturday night, the news was bad: He felt worse. He had an idea, though: If the guests could participate in the ceremony over videoconference, why couldn’t the officiant, too? So, on Sunday afternoon, Silverstein and Papour – she in a white gown, he in a black suit — stood in front of a camera in the chapel at Ansche Chesed on West 100th Street, the disembodied head of Rabbi Jeremy Kalmanofsky staring back at them from a laptop screen perched on a rostrum. Friends tuning in online got decked out in tuxedos and other wedding finery (“I’m going to do my hair for the first time in three weeks,” one told Silverstein). The handful

eroding that value. Over time, earnings can compound upon earnings, providing the growth engine that people rely on to build enough assets to last through retirement. For 401(k) account holders, early withdrawals must be in the form of a loan that must be repaid over time. So, the withdrawal comes with a payback obligation as well as a tax obligation and a penalty. In certain rare situations, however, a retirement account could be a person’s last financial resort – their only means of covering basic living expenses, or dealing with an unexpected severe financial challenge. In those situations, survival is more important than retirement, and a premature withdrawal could be warranted. There also are rare situations when making a series of early withdrawals, called SEPPs, under Rule 72(t) in the federal tax code, may make sense. The rule exempts taxpayers from

of guests in the room with the newlyweds kept a respectful distance in keeping with social distancing regulations. Hours later, the governor issued a statewide lockdown order that banned nonessential gatherings of any size. And Kalmanofsky’s coronavirus test came back negative. “It’s been a fun turn of events,” Papour said. “Luckily we’re both mutable enough to go with the flow. We really didn’t have a choice.”

The happy couple.

early-withdrawal penalties provided they take account withdrawals in at least five installments over five years. This could be an option for people who retired prior to age 59 1/2. Before deciding to tap a retirement account early and live with the consequences, seek advice from a financial professional about other potential options. Often, there’s a better alternative. During situations in which early retirement account withdrawals are a consideration, there is no one-size-fitsall strategy. Working with a financial planner will help you find the best solution for your unique situation. JASON E. SIPERSTEIN, CFA, CFP, is the president of the Financial Planning Association of Rhode Island and president of Eliot Rose Wealth Management. He can be reached by email at jes@ eliotrose.com.

28 | APRIL 2020

Jewish Rhode Island | jewishrhody.org

PASSOVER Passover 2020 is not the most difficult Jews have faced BY LEV POPLOW THANKS TO THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC, Passover 2020 promises to be unlike anything most Jews have ever experienced. How do you have a seder when most states have mandated, and the best medical advice tells us, that for our own protection we cannot gather together? Without a doubt, having a seder this year will be more difficult than during any Passover most of us have known – but not all of us. Whatever the hardships we experience, they cannot compare to what it was like to observe Passover during the Holocaust. It may be difficult to imagine Jews observing the holiday amid the horrors of life in the ghettos and concentration camps. Yet there are many stories of how Passover continued to be observed throughout the Holocaust. Haggadot have been discovered at the site of death camps, and there are photographs of Passover seders in ghettos. Passover traditions were shattered by the Nazis as they orchestrated the systematic destruction of Jews and Jewish cultural and religious heritage. In fact, it was on the eve of Passover that the Germans invaded the Warsaw Ghetto to liquidate it, prompting the famous Warsaw Ghetto Uprising. Despite this oppression, Jews strove to maintain the practice of their customs and rituals, to preserve their

human dignity and identity during the Holocaust. Pinchas Gutter, in his book “Memories in Focus,” relates that in 1943, on the first night of Passover, Gutter’s family made a seder in a secret un-

ghetto. That day, there was an alarm. The Polish underground resistance on the outside who were working with the Jewish underground phoned someone in the ghetto to say that the Nazis were

Michael Kutz (front, right) with fellow Lodz partisans, above. Left, handwritten copy of Bergen Belsen rabbi's dispensation.

derground shelter, seeking to find peace and comfort. “We existed … by hiding, until April 19, 1943, Erev Pesach, the eve of Passover, which was also the eve of the uprising of the Warsaw

coming in to take everybody out. “We had prepared a bunker underneath the ruins at the front of our building. The caretaker and the men in our building, including my father, had dug it out, creating a middle section as an entrance and a room on either side. They didn’t want to give up and be taken by the Germans. “My father and mother prepared us children for when we would have to go there. They told us that when the time came to go into the bunker, we were to ask no questions and we must get ready as quickly as we could. “That day, we all went down to the bunker, about 150 people in all. … My father must have brought wine, somebody else had matzos, and that evening in the bunker, they made a Seder. Everyone was crying and praying. These were religious Jews who knew by heart the Haggadah and it still amazes me that, at such a dire time, they never forgot their culture and their morals. They also always made sure to shelter and look after their children.” Michael Kutz writes in his book “If, By Miracle,” that “in April 1942 we had 22 Jewish partisans in our group. “Because we had all lost our

own families, we felt like a family. One of the Jews in our group, Moishe Abramowitz, reminded us that Passover was approaching. He managed to obtain some beets to make a red soup to substitute for wine. We had no matzah, but he dug up some horseradish from nearby fields. On the night of the first seder, we gathered near our underground bunker. “As I was the youngest, it was decided that I would ask the Four Questions. I knew them well since, as the youngest in my family, I had always been the appropriate candidate. Here in the forest I interpreted the answers to the questions somewhat differently. “In answer to the question, ‘Why is this night different from all other nights?’ I replied, ‘Because last Passover all the Jews sat with their families at tables beautifully set with matzah and goblets of red wine. Last year, each of us had a goblet on our plate and listened to the oldest person in our household conduct the seder. “ ‘Tonight, in the forest, our lonely and orphaned group, having miraculously survived, remembers our loved ones who were taken from us forever.’ Tears fell from our eyes. After this, we continued to keep the traditions of all the Jewish holidays, which gave us the courage and the will to survive. With God’s help, we would eventually live in this world as free people.” A story told by Jackie Shimshoni in her March 2018 article “Passover and the Holocaust” (https://hcofpgh. wordpress.com/2018/03/28/

passover-and-the-holocaust) tells of how the rabbis in Bergen-Belsen even created a dispensation in 1944 permitting the consumption of leavened bread during Passover. They wrote the following, in Hebrew: “Before eating hametz, the following should be said with heartfelt intent: Heavenly Father, here, openly and knowingly before you, is our desire to do your will and to celebrate Passover by eating matza and by observing the prohibition of eating leaven, but it pains our hearts that slavery prevents us and we are in mortal danger … we are prepared and ready to observe your commandments and live by them and, if not, die by them and be warned by the warning, ‘beware and guard your soul carefully.’ For this reason, we pray that You will keep us in life, and preserve us and redeem us quickly so that we can observe Your laws and do Your will and worship You with a full heart – Amen.” So, while Passover in 2020 will be difficult, we can take inspiration from these stories and adapt to our current circumstances. As we have for thousands of years, we will survive. We will celebrate. We will remember our history and we will pray for a better tomorrow for ourselves and all of humankind. Chag Pesach sameach! LEV POPLOW is a communications consultant writing on behalf of the Sandra Bornstein Holocaust Education Center, in Providence. He can be reached at levpoplow@gmail.com.

APRIL 2020

jewishrhody.org | Jewish Rhode Island

COMMUNITY

OBITUARIES 33 | ARTS 38 | SIMCHAS & WE ARE READ 38

PHOTO | GLENN OSMONDSON

Brown Prof. Felicia Nimue Ackerman is living life fully BY MICHAEL SCHEMAILLE

“Like as May Month flowereth and flourisheth in many gardens, so in like wise let every man of worship flourish his heart in this world.” – Sir Thomas Malory, “Le Morte d’Arthur” IT MAY NOT BE POSSIBLE to understand Felicia Nimue Ackerman without first understanding her love of Malory’s compendium of Arthurian legends. Ackerman, who has been a professor of philosophy at Brown University since 1974, recites that quote to me from memory, prompting me to ask about her connection to Malory’s work. She explains that Malory wrote about “the wonder of living your life fully and emotionally, instead of trying to be ‘well-adjusted,’ the way people seem to be nowadays,” and about characters who “flourish their heart and live with a great deal of passion and excitement.” Ackerman has previously been quoted as saying that Malory is “the intellectual and emotional center of my life.” That passion and excitement are evident as she speaks in a tempered Brooklyn accent, enthusiastically and precisely, about all things. Malory’s influence has suffused Ackerman’s life to the point that she named both herself and her cat after Arthurian characters. The

| 29

cat is named Palomides, whom Ackerman characterizes as a trusted friend and confidant. Her own name, Felicia Nimue (“a double first name,” she’s quick to note, “like ‘Mary Jane’ ”), is after Nimue, the Lady of the Lake. She explains that she changed her name “partly because I like her and partly because it was pretty,” and follows with, “I named myself. After all, your parents have nothing to go on when they name you, because they don’t know you!” Ackerman’s “flourishing heart” beats for more than Malory, though. Her desk and bookshelves are packed floor to ceiling with books, mineral and seashell specimens,

kaleidoscopes, and souvenirs of countries she’s never visited. A metal plaque shines at eye-level, acknowledging Ackerman’s lifetime membership in the NAACP. I note the professor’s clothing and accessories: a blueembroidered Afghani dress, red-accented eyeglasses, assorted rings and a heavy pendant necklace – all together, the office and its inhabitant are a testament to decades of intellectual curiosity and an insatiable lust for life. She tells me, “I want my life to be very, very, very, very long. I don’t want my life cut as short as my mother’s. She was 100.” Ackerman, who is 72 and lives on Providence’s East Side, speaks lovingly of her parents, both of whom were French teachers and whom she describes as “reform Jews and orthodox liberals.” She says, “Judaism was available in my family on a take-it-or-leave-it basis, and I left it,” and follows by telling me about her father’s supportive acceptance of her decision. Although Ackerman expresses a lack of interest in Judaism, she has written several Jewish-flavored poems and short stories, and her work has been published in Moment and Commentary magazines. Writing is another of Ackerman’s passions. Perhaps most notably, she is likely the most-published writer of letters to The New York Times. Ackerman is unsure how many of her letters the Times has published, but estimates that the number is over 300. She explains that she does not count because “academic life is so competitive that I’m trying to avoid that sort of thing in other areas of my life.” Ackerman’s CV lists dozens of pages of writing credits, and she has been published in a seemingly endless number of newspapers, including The Providence Journal, as well as magazines and scholarly journals. She is currently working on a new book, “Flourish Your Heart in this World: Ethics and Character in Malory’s Morte d’Arthur,” scheduled for release this month. When asked if she has a favorite letter, Ackerman cites her poem published as a response to Joyce Kilmer’s “Trees.” She recites from memory, “I think that if I had a choice, I’d never read a fool

like Joyce.” Why did Ackerman choose to study and teach philosophy? She tells me, quite simply, “I like it; it’s interesting. It’s fun. I like the kind of thinking philosophers do.” Returning to the subject later in our conversation, she says, “What philosophy is doing has no practical value [but] I enjoy it. I guess it’s a practical value for me, because I earn my living by it.” Of the premise that philosophy teaches people to think, she says, “That’s an empirical claim that needs empirical justification … I say, ‘prove it!’ ” Ackerman graduated summa cum laude in philosophy from Cornell University, where she was first in her class. She went on to earn a Ph.D. in philosophy at the University of Michigan. As we talk about philosophy, I mistakenly identify the portrait of “some unknown Renaissance man” on Ackerman’s necklace as Socrates. Ackerman is dismissive of the philosopher: “I don’t admire Socrates. Pompous jerk! What kind of person thinks ‘the unexamined life is not worth

“I don’t admire Socrates. Pompous jerk! What kind of person thinks ‘the unexamined life is not worth living’? What a snob! No way do I admire Socrates.” living’? What a snob! No way do I admire Socrates. There’s way too much hero worship in philosophy.” This prompts me to ask Ackerman which philosophers she respects. As she answers, she is quick to make a distinction between the person and his work, saying, “There are people that I think are excellent philosophers, like Descartes and [George] Berkeley; I don’t know whether they were admirable people or not.” After I clarify the question, Ackerman names CONTINUED ON PAGE 35

30 | APRIL 2020

Jewish Rhode Island | jewishrhody.org

SPORTS

Adam Greenman at bat. FROM PAGE 12 great time. Nothing could have prepared me for day two, which began by walking into the clubhouse and finding my locker. As I went down the row from Goldstein to Greenburg, and finally to Greenman I really felt like a ballplayer. Seeing the jersey, with my name and number emblazoned on the back, freshly pressed and ready to wear was truly a dream come true. I took a minute to savor the experience, then donned the

socks, cleats, pants, jersey, and hat, grabbed my glove, and headed out to my first practice. Meeting my coaches, two pitchers from the 1993 National League Champion Phillies, was surreal. These childhood heroes are regular people, down to earth, funny, self-effacing, and there to make sure you experience the dream they lived every day during their careers. They gave us a few pointers, and we played the first of six games in three days.

My moment had finally arrived, running to the outfield with the joy and the energy of a 12-year-old, under a cloudless Florida blue sky. I stood in right field marveling at the beauty of baseball, and at the same time hoping that the ball was hit to me and hoping that it wasn’t. Ultimately, at least in that moment, it was not. I had my first chance to hit in the bottom of the third inning, and like mighty Casey, I struck out. I had not faced a curveball in nearly 30 years, and it showed. Thankfully, I

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got my first of six hits later in the game – in front of my parents. And that is how it went for the next three days. Free from the distractions of the outside world, I played baseball with men and women I had just met, bonding together over a shared love of the game. For those five days in January, I was a baseball player, and the bonds I formed with my teammates are friendships that will last a lifetime. Our team finished with a record of 4-2, and I was happy to have contributed to that success. Like all dreams, this too had to end. But on Sunday, before we all caught our flights back to reality, we had a chance to play a three-inning game against the coaches, all former major league players. The thrill of hearing my

name announced by Dan Baker, longtime Phillies public address announcer, as I came up to bat, and seeing my photo on the Jumbotron, is now seared in my memory. As is making contact off a former major league pitcher, 30 years removed from his prime, but still with the tools that made him a star. For many years, I have found the parallels between life and baseball: the long season a metaphor for life itself, the peaks and valleys and highs and lows that come from winning and losing. For one week in January, I got to experience the metaphor as life, and to make a dream reality. ADAM GREENMAN is president and CEO of the Jewish Alliance or Greater RI.

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COMMUNITY

High school student gives Purim spiel a feminist spin BY ELANA SHEINKOPF Elana, a senior at Barrington High School, wrote and directed the Moana Purim Spiel for Temple Habonim, in Barrington. Here, she shares details of that experience. WRITING AND ORGANIZING the Purim spiel at Temple Habonim was an incredibly rewarding experience. I was inspired to write this year’s spiel by the work of Joseph Shansky, a longstanding member of Temple Habonim who passed away last December. Before I started adapting the songs and writing the script, I read and reread Megillat Esther, sifting through the general plot and discovering subtler details, from which I drew inspiration for aspects of the spiel. I examined all facets of Esther, weighing each one’s importance to the story and to the message I wanted to convey, as well as considering how I

could handle sensitive topics such as harems and capital punishment in a play meant for a young audience. One specific way I differentiated this Purim spiel was by making it a feminist work, highlighting the thoughts, emotions and actions of Esther and Vashti, the two main female characters. Throughout the rehearsal process, I drew on the guidance of my mentor, David Perolman, Habonim’s educational director/songleader. I also learned from my internship at Barrington Community Theatre to assign roles based on a mixture of ability, fit, enthusiasm and commitment. It was truly a community effort between the amazing cast, musical accompaniment, painted backgrounds, and technical contributions. The Moana Purim Spiel took place Monday, March 9, at Temple Habonim in Barrington.

PHOTO | TEMPLE HABONIM

The Purim spiel cast.

Tifereth Israel speaker avows that the case for immigration is as strong as ever BY AVERY HAMLIN JEFF JACOBY, the celebrated op-ed columnist for The Boston Globe, was the speaker at Tifereth Israel Congregation’s Sunday Breakfast Series on March 1. Jacoby’s first article in the Globe was printed just over 26 years ago, and he reflected on the serious issues that have come and gone in his more than 30 years in journalism, including the violence in Northern Ireland and the scandals of the Dukakis

administration. But there are some issues, he said, that continue to be flash points, such as immigration. Jacoby said he is saddened that animus against immigration has become so prominent among conservatives today. Previously, he said, it was the Democrats who were opposed to immigration and easier paths to citizenship, but over the past generation, party views on immigration have flipped. To demonstrate this point, Jacoby played a clip of President Bill Clinton’s 1996

State of the Union address and compared it to similar comments made by President

Donald Trump. Jacoby said he stands by the same argument today as

he made in his 1994 article CONTINUED ON PAGE 35

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PASSOVER FROM PAGE 16 flour: Let your baked goods cool completely before cutting or moving them or you may end up with a pile of crumbs.

Coconut

Shredded coconut is a Passover staple – think of the old-fashioned chocolate-covered macaroons that capped off every seder from your childhood. Coconut flour is a newer addition to the Passover baking canon, but very worthwhile. The flour is made from coconut meal – the byproduct of coconut milk – that is dried and ground into a powder. This high-fiber flour is notorious for absorbing moisture and liquid from batters, making it tricky to work with. You may notice that recipes with coconut flour often call for a lot of eggs – that is to add structure and moisture to the batter. In addition, coconut flour has a noticeable coconut flavor, so if you are not a coconut lover, this may not be the flour for you. Coconut flour makes an especially good gluten-free pie or tart dough.

Quinoa

Happy Passover from

Trendy South American superfood quinoa is the latest Passover darling. The Orthodox Union has even confirmed that quinoa is Kosher for Passover – hooray! But many people may not know that high-protein quinoa can be ground into a flour that is useful for baking. Quinoa flour is known to have a slightly bitter taste, so try it in savory baked goods, rather than sweets.

Teff

An ancient grass native to eastern Africa, teff is most familiar to Americans as the basis for injera, the spongy, slightly sour, pancake-like

bread served at Ethiopian restaurants. You can buy whole teff, which makes excellent porridge, or teff flour, which is ground from the whole grain. Both have an impressive nutritional profile; teff is rich in calcium, protein, vitamin C, fiber and iron. Like other whole grains, teff and teff flour should be stored in the refrigerator or freezer to prevent them from going rancid. Teff has a particular affinity for chocolate, making it a natural for base for gluten-free brownies and chocolate cakes.

Buckwheat

Despite the name, there is no wheat in buckwheat. It is not even a grain, but rather closely related to plants, such as rhubarb and sorrel. You may be most familiar with buckwheat groats, which are the seeds of the buckwheat plant with the hulls removed. The groats are used to make kasha varnishkes, which are definitely not kosher for Passover. Buckwheat flour is ground from the seed hulls, not the groats. It has an earthy, nutty flavor and is extremely nutritious. The flour can be somewhat bitter so it is usually combined with other flours, like wheat or rice flour, in dishes such as Japanese soba noodles or blinis. Thus, buckwheat flour may not be best choice for Passover baking. But the groats are milder and resemble steel-cut oats, making them a good option for Passover breakfasts or as a substitute for cracked wheat in side dishes and grain salads. Note: Buckwheat is generally considered to be kitniyot.

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COMMUNITY | OBITUARIES Ida Bernstein, 94 CRANSTON, R.I. – Ida Bernstein, of Hoffman Avenue in Cranston, died March 17. She was the wife of the late Morris Bernstein for 55 years. She was born in Providence, daughter of the late David and Bessie Lerner. Before moving to Cranston in 1950, she was a graduate of Hope High School. In her early years, she worked as a legal secretary. She worked for many years in the office of her late brother, Dr. Leonard Lerner, and later at Rhode Island College. She was a two-time breast cancer survivor. She was a life member of Hadassah and a former member of Temple Torat Yisrael and a founding member of the former Cranston Jewish Community Center and Temple B’nai Torah. She was a mahjong player, a bowler, a volunteer at Rhode Island Hospital, and an usher at the Providence Performing Arts Center for many years. She is survived by her children, Myron (Arlene) of Cranston; David (Cindy) of West Greenwich; and Betsy (Gene) Brody of Atlanta, Georgia. She was a grandmother to Lauren (Garrett) Ratner of Dallas, Texas; Kevin McKinney of Atlanta, Georgia; and Dr. Megan Bernstein of New York City; and great-grandmother to Deklyn and Maren Ratner; and aunt to Lee, David and Larry Lerner. The family extends thanks caregivers Shawna Rioux and Tracy Johnson. Contributions may be made to The Breast Cancer Research Foundation (bcrf.org or 646-497-2600).

er. She was the grandmother of James, Deborah, Stacey, Lori and Shanti. She was the great-grandmother of Daniel, Joseph, Zack, Mason, Sophia, Jake and Gabriella. Contributions may be made to Hadassah, 17 Pocahontas Dr., Middletown, RI 02842.

Myron Guttin, 80 NARRAGANSETT, R.I. – Myron Guttin died March 17. He was the husband of Rosalie (Goldstein) Guttin for 58 years. Born in Hartford, Connecticut, a son of the late Samuel and Minnie (Letowsky) Guttin, he had lived in Narragansett for 19 years, previously living in Pawtucket. He was the owner of Hope Street Bakery for 30 years, retiring in 1984. Myron was a US Air Force veteran, serving stateside. Myron was a member of Touro Fraternal Association, F.O.P. of RI, and Temple Beth David. He was the father of Sheryl Berman and her husband, Jesse, of Narragansett; Karen Perry and her husband, Keith, of Pawtucket; and Ilene Guttin and her husband, Angelo Fresilli, of South Kingstown. He was the brother of Bernard Guttin of Cranston and the late Pearl Dressler. He was the grandfather of Cara, Jason, Dacota, Montaner, Alexandra, Max, Keith and Kyle. He was the great-grandfather to Noah, Madelyn, Kailyn, Brady, Kameron, Logan, Ciara and Isaac. Contributions may be made to your favorite charity.

David Halpert, 50 CUMBERLAND, R.I. – David Zalman Halpert died March 22. He was the husband of Melissa A. (DeCecco) Halpert. He was the child of Robert and Naomi Halpert. He was the father of Kayla F. Halpert and Zachary P. Halpert; son-in-law of Philip and Paula DeCecco. Dave was a 1987 graduate of Hope High School and graduated from Johnson and Wales University. He spent 21 years as a camper and counselor at Camp JORI. He was employed by Amica Mutual Insurance for more than 20 years. Dave cherished time with his family, he loved spending time at the beach with them, coaching his daughter’s softball team and was an avid Boston sports fan. Donations may be made to the Halpert Children Scholarship Fund, c/o Centreville Bank, 193 Comstock Parkway, Cranston, RI 02921.

Jacqueline Hodosh, 90 WAKEFIELD, R.I. – Jacqueline C. Hodosh died March 19. Known to all who loved her as “Jackie,” she was married on June 15, 1952, to the late Dr. Milton Hodosh. Their marriage thrived for 57 years until Milton’s untimely passing. Jackie was born in Stamford, Connecticut, on Feb. 22, 1930, the only child

of her late parents, Alex and Sadie (Torgan) Cohen. Shortly after the end of World War II, Jackie met Milton on Narragansett Beach when she was just 17. Milton had proudly served his country during the war. From the day they met on that beach they were inseparable. They were married five years later at Temple Emanu-El in Providence; they lived in Providence for the rest of their married life. They also spent winters in their beach condominium in Highland Beach, Florida. In the early years of their marriage Milton studied to become a dentist at Tufts Dental School in Boston while Jackie went to the University of Rhode Island to study nursing and ultimately transferred to Forsyth Institute in Boston, where she received a degree in dental hygiene. After Milton’s graduation the couple returned to Rhode Island. Jackie worked for several years as a dental hygienist both before and after starting a family. The couple had three children; Steven, Alex and Gail and settled down on the East Side of Providence. As the matriarch of the fam-

ily, Jackie spent much of her time traveling to see her family, arranging family get-togethers, hosting her extended family to sumptuous dinners or trips, and administering to her four beloved grandchildren; Cameron, Ainsley, Benjamin and Sarah. Jackie loved the family time spent at Gail’s summer home on Martha’s Vineyard where the extended family would congregate each summer. Contributions may be made online to American Heart Association through their website at www2.heart.org

Shirley Katzman, 92 PORTSMOUTH, R.I. – Shirley (Spader) Katzman, of Portsmouth, died March 7. She was the wife of the late Albert E. Katzman, to whom she was happily married for 63 years. Born in Providence, a daughter of the late Louis and Clara (Goodman) Spader, she was the sister of the late Fannie (Spader) Levin. She leaves three children, Mark, Joan (Zenofsky) and Leonard; three grandchildren, Rachel, Lisa and Andrew; and two great-grandchildren, Sophie and Emily. She was the mother-in-law of Joel Zenofsky and Jhodi Redlich, and also leaves many nieces and nephews. An honors graduate of Hope High School in Providence,

Goldie Greene, 101 WARWICK, R.I. – Goldie Greene died March 9 at HopeHealth Hospice in Providence. She was the wife of the late Samuel N. Greene. Born in New York City, a daughter of the late Beryl and Bassia (Rappaport) Miller, she had lived in Warwick for more than 30 years, previously living in Cranston. Goldie was a life member of Hadassah and a member of ORT, Cranston Senior Guild, Temple Sinai and a former member of Temple Torat Yisrael. She was the mother of David Greene and his wife, Martha, of Warren, New Jersey; Ed Greene and his wife, Marlene, of Cranston; and Henry Greene of Windsor, Connecticut and Henry’s late wife, Sussie. She was the friend of Marcia and Bob Hicks. She was the sister of the late Evelyn Marks and Dorothy Kram-

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COMMUNITY | OBITUARIES Shirley married her love, Al, in 1948. They started their lives together in Providence and moved to Aquidneck Island to raise their family. After raising her children, Shirley built a career in the textiles field, first assisting in home fabric design sewing draperies. She became the general manager and buyer for Newport Fabrics, a business she helped grow to five locations. She was passionate about her children and education. She was active in the community and was a founding member of Temple Shalom in Middletown. She was happiest when surrounded by her family. Once, when asked where her

favorite place was, she replied, “Wherever my family is.” Donations may be made to St. Clare – Newport, 309 Spring St., Newport, RI 02840.

Seymour Ladd, 91 CRANSTON, R.I. – Seymour Ladd died March 7. He was the husband of Shirley (Goffin) Ladd for 66 years. Born in Providence, a son of the late Meyer and Sarah (Sharpstein) Ladd, he had lived in Cranston for 58 years, previously living in Providence. He was the owner/operator of the former Ladd’s Music, retiring over 15 years ago. Seymour was a member of Touro Fraternal Association and was a talented clarinetist. He was the father of Steven Ladd and his wife, Judy Durant, of Meriden, New Hampshire; Robert Ladd and his wife, Sharon, of Raleigh, North Carolina; and Donna Waxler and her husband, Dan-

Lincoln Park Cemetery Grave for Sale One grave site in the new land section 61 plot 24 grave 19 The cemetery allows individual flat markers on the grave – no other headstone allowed. Price $1,100.00 with perpetual care included. Map showing exact location provided upon request. Matt: 281-330-6515 or matthewdweintstein@yahoo.com

iel, of Farmington, Connecticut. He was the brother of the late Murray Ladd. He was the grandfather of Benjamin, Nathan, Bethany, Jennifer, Andrew, Hannah, Julie and Rachel. He was the great -grandfather of twins Max and Zach, and Adaline. Contributions may be made to the charity of one’s choice.

Fay Rozovsky, 69 HOUSTON, TEXAS – Fay A. Rozovsky, a lawyer nationally recognized for championing the rights of medical patients, and also an author, teacher, patron of Providence College and passionate fan of the New York Yankees, died March 4 at the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston after a valiant three-year battle with cancer. A native Rhode Islander who grew up in Cranston and Pawtucket, and as a member of Temple Beth-El in Providence, Mrs. Rozovsky was one of the first women to graduate as a full-time day student from the previously all-male Providence College, earning an A.B. degree summa cum laude in political science in 1973. A daughter of the late Maurice and Beatrice (Samdperil) Frank, Mrs. Rozovsky subsequently graduated from Boston College Law School and then earned a master’s degree in public health from Harvard University. She and her late husband, lawyer Lorne E. Rozovsky, founded LEFAR Health Associates in Canada, and in the U.S. she founded and headed the Rozovsky Group, advisors to health care professionals on a wide range of patient safety and consent issues. Mrs. Rozovsky lectured extensively and taught courses at the Dalhousie University Medical School and School of Law and Mount St. Vincent University, both in Halifax, Nova Scotia; the William & Mary Law School in Williamsburg, Va.; and the Medical College of Virginia at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond. She wrote or cowrote more than 20 books and 600 articles. Her books, among them “Consent to Treatment: A Practical Guide,” have been cited by the Supreme Courts of the U.S. and Canada and in many law journals and academic publications. Her passion for patient rights was matched by her lifelong allegiance to the

Yankees – nourished by her Bronx-born father. Mrs. Rozovsky devoted much of her energy to supporting Providence College, where her parents established a scholarship fund in her name, and she served as president of the school’s international alumni association. In 2008, PC awarded her an honorary doctorate in public health, recognizing her contributions to the field. She often joked that as the college began moving toward accepting women, she was a “guinea pig” for then-PC president Thomas R. Peterson, O.P. Mrs. Rozovsky, a Distinguished Fellow of the American Society for Healthcare Risk Management and one of its past presidents, was awarded the society’s Distinguished Service Award in 1998. In 2018 she received the society’s Presidential Citation for Lifetime Achievement in Healthcare Risk Management. Before moving recently to Houston for medical treatment, she lived in Williamsburg, Va. She is survived by two sons, Joshua I. Rozovsky, of Rocky Hill, Connecticut, medical services coordinator for the Hartford Gay and Lesbian Health Collective, and Rabbi Aaron A. Rozovsky of Jackson, Mississippi, and his wife, Eliza; her sister, Dr. Ann Frank Goldstein of Greenville, and her husband, Gerald S. Goldstein; devoted friends Judy Montgomery, Dr. Maxine Hayes, Geri Amori, and Carolyn Alexander; and her dearly loved beagle, Tevye. A celebration of her life will be held at Providence College at a future date, to be announced. Donations may be made to the Fay A. Rozovsky Scholarship Fund, or the Jewish-Catholic Theological Exchange, both at Providence College; the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston; or to a charity of your choice.

Jerome Sapolsky, 90 BARRINGTON, R.I. – Jerome R. Sapolsky, of Providence died March 26. He was the husband of the late Edith J. (Jaffe) Sapolsky for 60 years, formerly living in Barrington for 39 years. Born in Haverhill, Massachusetts, son of the late Ann and Joseph Sapolsky and brother of the late Martin

Sapolsky and Bette May Sapolsky. He is survived by his son, Peter and his wife, Deborah, of Virginia; daughter, Beth Nitkin and her husband, Gary, of RI; son Steven and his wife, Jennifer, of RI. He also is survived by his grandchildren Jeffrey and his wife, Jenny, of Virginia, Brian of Maryland, Mark, Scott and Luke of Rhode Island and his great-granddaughter Skylar, of Virginia. Jerry earned a B.S. from Tufts University in 1951. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy in the Officers Candidate School in Newport. He served as a gunnery officer aboard the carrier U.S.S. Tarawa during the Korean Conflict. He then entered Yale University and earned a M.S. in Health Care Administration and Public Health. At Beth Israel Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts, he was the administrative resident and administrative assistant to the director of nursing from 1956-1958. He served as assistant director of Malden Hospital in Malden, Massachusetts, from 19581960. He returned to Beth Israel as director of administrative services and planning and director of ambulatory services. He then became president and chief executive officer of The Miriam Hospital from 1967-1983. In addition to his duties at The Miriam, he was president of the Yale Alumni in Hospital Administration from 19751976. He was a trustee from RI to the New England Hospital Assembly for seven years. He served as chairman of the board of trustees of the Hospital Association in RI from 1975-1976 and was a founding trustee and secretary of the Consortium of Jewish Hospitals from 1981-1984. He was chairman of the Hospital Division of the United Way in 1973 and 1983. He was a member of the Trustee Executive Committee of the Jewish Home for the Aged from 1976-1998 and vice chairman for five years. Jerry was the administrator of Radiation Oncology Associates of RI from 1985 until his retirement in 2004. He especially enjoyed spending time with family and friends. Contributions may be made to The Miriam Hospital Foundation of 164 Summit Ave., Providence, RI 02906 or any charity of your choice.

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FROM PAGE 31 “Let the Haitians in”; that when our ancestors fled bad conditions in the past, America’s doors were open, and they should remain so. The kinds of newcomers who are risking their lives for freedom are the people we ought to welcome, Jacoby said, adding that he thinks that anti-immigration advocates are making a huge mistake. He then played another clip, this time of a Republican presidential primary debate between George H. W. Bush and Ronald Reagan. When asked their thoughts on paying for the education of children of immigrants, both were supportive, mentioning open borders. Unfortunately, this clip was cut short due to technical issues, but the message was clear: We should not be demonizing immigrants. Reagan’s farewell address also mentions immigration, in the form of his version of John Winthrop’s “city upon a hill”: “… and if there had to be city walls, the walls had doors, and the doors were open to anyone with the

Jeff Jacoby will and the heart to get here.” Jacoby shifted gears to speak of the case against immigration, or rather the lack thereof, saying it is as weak today as it ever was. He compared statements made by Pat Buchanan about Mexicans to statements made by

Benjamin Franklin about Germans. Both asserted that the “races” (of Mexicans and Germans, respectively) would be unable to assimilate in American culture and would make for poor citizens. He got a laugh from the audience when he said he respects Franklin a lot more than conservative political commentator Buchanan, “to be clear.” Jacoby said that even in the progressive state of Massachusetts, there is a history of anti-immigrant sentiment, in the form of the Know Nothing party of the 1850s. For those who say that they don’t mind immigrants, but do object to the illegal ones, Jacoby argued that unjust laws should be changed. He said the concept of an illegal immigrant is a recent one, as the barriers to immigration used to be much less intense (Jacoby made note that the Chinese Exclusion Act was an egregious exception to this). He said that legal-versus-illegal im-

FROM PAGE 29 Bertrand Russell and Gottlob Frege among those whose philosophies she respects. One current focus of Ackerman’s work is bioethics, which she explores through her writing rather than in the classroom, “because a teacher is not supposed to have an agenda.” She is a strong advocate of living as long as possible, and tells me that she is “very, very unsympathetic to the view that we should accept death,” followed by an expression of disdain for “our society’s eagerness to get rid of sick old people.” Ackerman again expresses her desire to live a long life, and says she “gave up food for longevity.” She continues, “I adore rich desserts. I found it very hard; it took me a great deal of very unpleasant willpower. However, one day every two weeks, I eat everything I want.” I ask Ackerman about her favorite desserts, and she lights up. “Oh, thank you so much for asking. Buttercream layer cake with a great deal of frosting. In fact, I’m just

crazy about it.” This launches us into an extended conversation about sweets, in which she expresses her love for ice cream toppings, as well as the brownies at Providence’s Café Choklad. As we wind down our interview, I ask Ackerman if she has any parting thoughts. She tells me, “When students ask me for personal advice, I always say, ‘I think you should get a cat.’ In general, I don’t give strangers advice, but if I did: ‘It is really nice to have a cat in your life.’ ” Here are two poems by Ackerman, which have previously been printed in The Providence Journal and other publications. Light My sweet-sixteen dress was yellow as the daffodils In the seamstress’s cramped but spotless living room, Yellow as the sweet lemon bars she made each Christmas For the neighborhood children. Mrs. Mueller lived at the end of our block

In a little stone cottage near a field of flowers, Like a grandmother in a fairy tale. She was old and poor and crippled But always tidy, always smiling, Even as the marshals took her away After it came to light that, once upon a time, She was a guard at Auschwitz. How Thrilled My father came from a fleck of a town That was sometimes in Russia and sometimes in Poland. He spent his youth shivering over the Talmud, Scarcely noticing he was hungry and cold, Except to call it God’s will. Can you imagine? Can you imagine how thrilled he was To learn in America that he had the right to pursue happiness? MICHAEL SCHEMAILLE (mschemaille@jewishallianceri.org) writes for Jewish Rhode Island and the Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island.

Happy Passover!

migration has been based on arbitrary quotas, not good public policy. He made an analogy to speeding tickets: If an excessive number of people are getting pulled over for speeding, should we keep pulling them over, or should the speed limit be increased? Obviously, he said, there are safety considerations, but if it’s a relatively safe road despite the many speeding violations, then perhaps the speed limit is too low. Likewise, he said, if the U.S. economy and our ideals keep bringing in so many people regardless of legality, we should want this and reduce the barriers to immigration. In conclusion, Jacoby said that immigrants are America’s “national growth hormone,” a comment that was met with applause. AVERY HAMLIN is an assistant to Mel Yoken, the host and moderator of the Sunday Breakfast Series event at Tifereth Israel, in New Bedford, Massachusetts.

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COMMUNITY

Congregations stay connected during COVID-19 BY MICHAEL SCHEMAILLE This is an updated version of an article that was originally published online on March 18. COVID-19 HAS BROUGHT MANY changes to our daily routines. Because so much of Jewish life involves gathering together in prayer and fellowship, social distancing precautions pose particular challenges to the Jewish community. Local congregations have been working hard to meet those challenges, doing everything they can to maintain provide normalcy, solace and consistency. Although synagogues have suspended in-person services for the time being, many of them have initiated online programs whose offerings include virtual prayer services, Hebrew school, Torah study, pastoral counseling, and much more. Rabbi Marc Mandel, of Newport’s Touro Synagogue, commented via email, “These programs…are going great, and…we are fortunate to have this technology available for us to use, to keep our communities strong.” As COVID-19 precautions began, Rabbi Michael Fel of Providence’s

Temple Emanu-El reported having “between 20 and 30 people at the AM and PM [online] meet-ups.” A more recent report from Judy Mosely, executive director at Providence’s Temple Beth-El, says that the synagogue’s online Shabbat services have hosted more than 80 people at once. Rabbi Fel said, “the Zoom platform has allowed us to feel connected during this difficult time.” The sentiment was echoed by Chabad of Barrington’s Rabbi Moshe Laufer, who said by email that one of the greatest rewards of providing online programming comes from “keeping a feeling of connection and bringing hope.” He continued, saying that because of these programs, “Community members are reaching out to each other offering support.” With Passover fast approaching, congregations are finding ways to adapt to the challenges of celebrating collectively but at a distance. Rabbi Laufer said that Chabad of Barrington is planning an online Passover prep workshop and a “Seder Kit To-Go,” which is expected to contain matzah, grape juice, a comprehensive seder plate and a Haggadah. Jessica Berndt, office manager

at Providence’s Congregation Beth Sholom, remarked via email that “Rabbi [Dolinger] has been posting on YouTube a series of Pesach videos on how to observe during these unusual times.” We will continue to update this article as more information becomes available. Synagogues with existing online programming (listed alphabetically): Chabad of Barrington – online Hebrew School, with plans for an online Passover prep workshop and “Seder Kit To-Go.” (JewishBarrington.com) Chabad of West Bay – online courses and resources (rijewishkids.com) Congregation Agudas Achim – online Shabbat services, religious school, discussions (agudasachimma.org)

gogue.org) Project Shoresh has online Talmud Study – for information, please email Rabbi Naftali Karp (naftalikarp@ gmail.com) Sha’arei Tefilla – for information, please email Rabbi Dovid Schwartz (rds@shaareitefillaprov.org) Temple Beth-El – online services, minyan, religious school (temple-bethel.org) Temple Emanu-El – Temple Emanu-El TV (TETV), with a variety of online programming scheduled through April 19 (teprov.org) Temple Habonim – streaming Shabbat services (templehabonim.org) Temple Shalom – virtual Shabbat services (templeshalomrhodeisland.org)

Congregation Beth David – virtual Shabbat, Havdalah, religious school, and more (cbdri.org)

Temple Sinai – online services, Torah study, religious school (templesinairi. org)

Congregation Beth Sholom – virtual Shabbat & classes, plus links to other resources (bethsholom-ri.org)

Temple Torat Yisrael – Shabbat & Havdalah services, Lunch & Learn Zoom chats (toratyisrael.org).

Congregation Jeshuat Israel (Touro Synagogue) – please email Rabbi Marc Mandel for information (tourosyna-

You might be surprised by China’s presence in the Middle East BY FRAN OSTENDORF MIDDLETOWN – HERE ARE seven things you would have learned had you attended Isaac Kardon’s fascinating lecture on China and the Middle East on March 8 at Temple Shalom.

•

China has very concentrated and active business interests in the Middle East, but only a small military presence there. The Chinese government has been content to rely on the United States and other countries for its security in the region.

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China has one naval base in the Middle East. It’s in Djibouti, in East Africa, and was originally established to counter piracy in the area.

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Israel was the first Middle Eastern country to recognize the People’s Republic of China, in the 1950s.

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China is the biggest trading partner of five nations in the Middle East, including Iran and Saudi Arabia.

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China tries to stay out of the way and out of trouble in the Middle East. They are interested in doing business while staying neutral.

•

China has a huge footprint in the region, with several hundred thousand Chinese living and working throughout the Middle East. “America is fighting and not winning” the battle for influence in the region, said Kardon. “China is winning and not fighting.”

• China imports 45% of its oil from the Middle East, so it has an interest in

protecting the sea lanes. “China is here to stay as a power, and we would do well to know something about it, especially in the Middle East,” Kardon told approximately 55 people who attended the lecture. Kardon is an assistant professor at the Naval War College’s China Maritime Studies Institute, in Newport. He researches, writes and teaches on China’s foreign policy, focusing on China’s maritime disputes, the law of the sea and overseas port development. He received a Ph.D. in government from Cornell University, a masters in philosophy in modern Chinese studies from Oxford University, and a B.A. in history from Dartmouth College. He studied Mandarin Chinese at Peking University, Tsinghua University and Taiwan Normal University. This lecture was part of a foreign policy lectures series at Temple Shalom. The two other lectures, scheduled for March 29 and May 17, have been postponed. New dates will be announced later. On the schedule are Evan Shallcross, who will speak on “Beyond Imperialism, Exploring the Strategic Significance of Crimea to Russian Security.” Shallcross is a lieutenant in the Navy, currently assigned to the Surface Warfare Officers School, in Newport, where he teaches ship driving, navigation, war gaming and other subjects. Ken Sandler will speak on “Frameworks, Actors and Factors to Explain Foreign Policy Decision Making.”

Isaac Kardon makes a point during the lecture. Sandler is a lieutenant colonel in the Marine Corps, currently assigned as a military professor at the Naval War College, where he teaches national security affairs. For more information about the

PHOTO | BILL OSTENDORF

lecture series, contact Temple Shalom by email, at TempleShalomRhodeIsland@gmail.com. FRAN OSTENDORF ( fostendorf@ jewishallianceri.org) is the editor of Jewish Rhode Island.

DEBUT ISSUE AUGUST 14

38 | APRIL 2020

Jewish Rhode Island | jewishrhody.org

ARTS

Rachel Rasnick

PHOTO | MICHAEL SCHEMAILLE

Barrington artist’s work is getting noticed BY MICHAEL SCHEMAILLE BARRINGTON RESIDENT RACHEL RASNICK “just picked up a brush and started painting” four years ago at Looking Upwards, a day program for adults with developmental disabilities. Rasnick, who is on the autism

spectrum, says “the staff realized I was pretty good at painting, and I’ve just kept doing it.” Her work has since gained attention in Rhode Island and beyond. The 26-year-old artist’s acrylic paintings, which she says take a few days to a few weeks to complete, have been featured

in art shows in Providence, Warwick and Warren. Her upcoming show on April 5, at Whalers Brewery, in Wakefield has been canceled due to COVID-19; details are being worked out for a replacement virtual show. Rasnick says she “can’t paint fast enough for all the people who like [her] art.” To meet demand, and aided by small business grants, she has started selling her prints and postcards online. Her younger sister, Maxine, manages Rachel’s website and social media channels, while mother Karen handles public relations. The website acts as Rasnick’s online portfolio and gallery, and displays her paintings by category: figures, animals and “dreamscapes.” Rasnick’s art often depicts women looking coyly over their shoulders while draped in psychedelic blankets reminiscent of Peter Max and Gustav Klimt. Other paintings show animals, the most striking of which are her elephants, which are depicted with humor and tenderness. The dreamscape paintings are largely landscapes, featuring deep, colorful and expansive skies. When she’s not at Looking Upwards, Rasnick can often be found at Newport’s Downtown Designs Gallery, where she works in mediums that include jewelry and pottery. Rasnick has also begun to teach others how to paint, and has already run sever-

al “paint night” events at friend’s homes. Art isn’t Rasnick’s only passion, though – she’s also earned a brown belt in karate, and at age 10 competed in the Special Olympics in track and field. Today, as a member of the Wampanoag Warriors team, her events are bowling and swimming; she won silver and bronze medals for swimming at the 2018 Special Olympics Summer USA games. Rasnick’s art and athleticism came together when her art was featured on a Special Olympics’ holiday card and a Penguin Plunge reminder. When asked about plans for future artistic endeavors, Rasnick says she’s unsure, but mentions that “acrylic pouring seems like fun, but really, really messy.” Although modest about her accomplishments, Rasnick says “you can do anything you want if you put your mind to it.” That sentiment is echoed by her sister Maxine, who adds that “it’s important to support people with disabilities as they’re trying to start their own businesses.” Rasnick’s art can be found online at rachelrasnick.com and on Etsy as “RachelsArtfulObjects.” She is on Facebook as “Rachel Rasnick Art” and on Instagram as “rachelrasnickart.” MICHAEL SCHEMAILLE (mschemaille@jewishallianceri.org) writes for Jewish Rhode Island and the Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island.

WE ARE READ

WE ARE READ IN MEXICO – February school break fun in Cancún, Mexico, with Lewis, Ethan, Jo-Ann, and Jonathan Antin of Cranston.

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