August 1, 2014

Volume XX, Issue XXXIV | www.thejewishvoice.org Serving Rhode Island and Southeastern Massachusetts

5 Av 5774 | August 1, 2014

BACK to SCHOOL

RHODE ISLAND RALLIES FOR ISRAEL

PHOTO | JEWISH ALLIANCE

Members of the standing-room-only crowd listen to the speakers at the rally July 23.

Speakers express support for Israelis

BY FRAN OSTENDORF fostendorf@jewishallianceri.org

PHOTO | JEWISH ALLIANCE

Summer camp fun

J-Campers learn how to operate a fire hose during Real-life Heroes Week. More on camp, see page 40.

At a rally July 23 in the social hall of the Dwares JCC, more than 400 community members gathered to express their solidarity with the people of Israel.

They heard remarks by Rhode Islanders and Israelis, including Ronit Nudelman-Perl, consul of Israel in New England.

And there were suggestions made on how the community can help support the people of Israel.

The Israel consul expressed her gratitude for gatherings like the one in Providence. “Israelis are surprised by the support,” she said. “This gathering is unbelievably impressive. It gives us strength beyond measure.

SOLIDARITY | 22

U.S. Jewish leaders gather with legislators in Washington for pro-Israel rally

BY MARTY COOPER mcooper@jewishallianceri.org WASHINGTON, D.C. – More than 500 people representing more than 50 communities came together July 28 for the National Leadership Assembly for Israel, held at the National Press Club. Law-

makers were joined by Ambassador to Israel Ron Demer and national security adviser Susan Rice. The assembly was organized by the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations. Representatives from the Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island and the Cape Cod Federation were in at-

tendance.

A number of themes permeated the program: Congress and the administration stand by Israel. The country of Israel has the right and obligation to defend itself. Demilitarization of Gaza is, and should be, the objective outcome. Iran is a sponsor to Hamas. There is a media

slant against Israel. There is a rise of anti-Semitism. The U.S. will pledge continued funding for Iron Dome.

Speaker of the House John Boehner, ROhio, made it clear that Congress was in support of Israel when he said, “At times like this, people tend to want to isolate

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RALLY | 29

2 | August 1, 2014

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INSIDE

HIDDUR MITZVAH

Back to School 24-27

Art at the Miriam reflects its roots

Business 32-33 Calendar 8 Classified 33 Community 2-9, 14, 28, 40 D’var Torah 7 Food 15-17 Israel 18-23, 36 Nation 28-29 Obituaries 34-35 Opinion 10-11 Seniors 30-31, 37 Simchas 39 World 29

THIS ISSUE’S QUOTABLE QUOTE “There is no permanent security without permanent peace.”

BY FRAN OSTENDORF fostendorf@jewishallianceri.org Peace, blessings and health have been important words in the life of The Miriam Hospital since its founding by a group of women in Providence as a place for Jewish doctors to practice and a home for Jewish patients. Today, The Miriam’s roots are nowhere more evident than in the artwork on its walls. Art is everywhere, much of it with a Jewish focus.

Walk into the main entrance and to the right is a showcase with a constantly changing exhibit. The latest is a display of beautiful Seder plates. To the left is a large round mosaic, “Blessed is the Lord,” the creation of Walter Feldman of Providence, who also created several paintings on display throughout the fi rst floor of the hospital building. Feldman, a professor emeritus at Brown University, has created art in places around Providence, including in Temple Beth-El and Temple Emanu-El. “We want to let the community know that Jewish culture is still safe and sound and honored in a significant way,” said Sandra Cheng, vice president of support services. “We want to make sure that we don’t lose the traditions.”

“Blessed is the Lord,” a mosaic by Walter Feldman, greets visitors as they enter the main door to The Miriam Hospital.

To that end, the walkway through the hospital from Seventh Street to Fifth Street has been named Heritage Way. A sign is forthcoming. Hospital visitors can linger over David Sharir’s group of serigraphs – called “The Seven Festivals” – depicting major Jewish holi-

days. They are large, interesting and eye-catching. You just have to stop, read the explanations and take them in. This collection was the beginning of grouping art to tell a story, according to Cheng. The entirety of Heritage Way will be Jewish and Jewish-related

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artwork. The Chapel is also in this corridor. All of the works have been donated to The Miriam. Every piece has a plaque with an explanation and the donor’s name.

There are examples of Women of Valor and Old Jerusalem.

Several of both themes also appear in different places in the building.

Fred DeGregorio, Lifespan’s accounting operations director, created the beautiful color photographs of Israel. These are on display on the fi rst floor main area and throughout the building.

Art can calm patients and their loved ones, and, in some cases, even make a patient smile. It can also “tell the world what we do,” according to Cheng. Years ago, Cheng asked Dr. Stanley Simon to help collect artwork done by physicians at the hospital. Displaying that artwork serves to humanize the physicians, Cheng felt. So there are examples of paintings and photography done by Miriam doctors throughout the hospital.

Take the Dr. Stanley Simon Wall of Photography established after his death. Dr. Simon photographed animals.

He assembled a collection of ART | 3

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“A Tribute to the Women of the Miriam,” painted and donated by Donna J. Ayala, recognizes the contributions of women to the hospital.

FROM PAGE 2

ART

animal photographs that now hangs in the hallway near the elevators. “If people can smile, it loosens their mind,” says Cheng. “The animals connect with you.” And people do stop and comment.

Even the patient-care areas have been a venue to hang meaningful art. Estelle Kl-

emer, an active Women’s Association member for many years, established the Healing Artwork Fund that is responsible for many of these paintings. When money is donated to this fund, Klemer carefully chooses the artwork and helps decide where it should hang.

One of the newest pieces of

art in The Miriam collection is called “A Tribute to the Women of the Miriam,” painted and donated by Donna J. Ayala.

It depicts women from the Miriam’s history. The artist, a painting student at RISD, had been doing historical research and designed the picture to interpret the diverse roles women have played in the life of The Miriam. It’s not hanging yet, according to Cheng, but plans are to hang it above the Women’s Association case.

And in the Sopkin Auditorium, the walls are adorned with colorful art and Hebrew words expressing those Miriam values: Health, Blessings and Peace. Several years ago, the wall art was beginning to show its age. Cheng asked Feldman to have a look, and he worked to restore it so conference goers could continue to enjoy its bright colors.

Even the newly refurbished Emergency Room is decorated with paintings donated

by Ruth Brandt who recently passed away and was once a patient at The Miriam.

“People always think that artwork is optional,” Cheng says. “But it’s important. It’s an important component to tell the world what we do” here at The Miriam.

FRAN OSTENDORF editor of The Jewish Voice

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The Jewish Voice

Reaching out is Carol Desforges’ passion

BY DANA COHEN

LEADERSHIP THAT IS WORKING for the East Side of Providence

Please Vote for Gayle in the Democratic Primary September 9, 2014

In my first term, I have: • Introduced common-sense legislation to strengthen Rhode Island’s economy • Made Rhode Island the third state to ensure people can take time off work to care for loved ones without losing their income or their job • Guaranteed childcare assistance for parents seeking job training • Created laws that protect our environment • Worked to get illegal guns off the streets and non-violence programs funded • Improved transparency of assisted living facilities • Proposed major improvements to our health care system • Strongly advocated for marriage equality • Raised the minimum wage

For more information & to get involved call (401)340-5050 |gaylegoldin.com Paid for by Friends of Gayle Goldin, Rachel Colaiace, Treasurer

Carol Desforges is a woman who can’t stop giving to others.

Over the years, she has fi lled countless volunteer positions targeting several demographics. When asked what she hopes to give to others, she responds, “I’m just going from volunteer [position] to volunteer [position] to provide something for somebody.”

It all began because Carol was teaching part time and had lots of time on her hands. She began tutoring students who had difficulty in math. Later, she adopted kids. From this, Carol became a Girl Scout troop leader for her child’s troop. She was active in one adoption support group and formed another.

After one man’s wife died right before he was to meet his child from Korea, he was suddenly unable to adopt, as the law stated that only married couples could adopt from Korea. Carol, along with others, helped the man successfully adopt his child.

Still with time on her hands, Carol began to volunteer at Dorcas International Institute of Rhode Island. Her favorite position there was helping with the Bridges program, which existed to help adults gain study skills before entering college. Carol also helped international families attain Grade Equivalency Diplomas. In turn, these fami-

Israel Under Fire

Carol Desforges lies would give Carol hugs and kisses and call her their angel for all of the help she provided.

“I like to make people aware that they don’t have to be lonely or alone.”

Throughout the years, Carol has been involved with Temple Sinai as well as Temple BethEl’s sisterhoods, even teaching fi fth and sixth grades at Temple Beth-El for 12 years. Carol also volunteered at a suicide preven-

tion hotline where she became the interim assistant to the director. She also worked as a dietitian, then assistant administrator at a nursing home.

After meeting a 23-year-old woman who told Carol that she hated her mom and could not forgive her, Carol decided to write. She wrote a short story about a dysfunctional family to try to help the young woman see what fi nding peace can look like. Later, Carol turned this book into a novel and has since written a prequel. The second book came soon after the Sandy Hook shooting and, and she uses her book as a space to explain why mental illness can turn violent. She is now working on a sequel with fantasy components. Carol said she writes both to give clarity to others and as a personal catharsis as her own mother had mental illness and then Alzheimer’s.

Carol’s latest undertaking is the Shmira Project. This project is a morale booster for Israeli soldiers. Each volunteer is matched with one soldier whom they can then provide with Jewish teachings or prayers, or do a good deed in honor of that soldier. Carol has asked her Mah Jongg groups to do good deeds in the name of the soldier with whom she has been matched.

PASSION | 8

Help provide emergency support to the people of Israel.Visit jewishallianceri.org to make your donation today.

ISRAEL NEEDS YOU AND YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE WITH YOUR HELP WE CAN PROVIDE

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

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BY KARA MARZIALI kmarziali@jewishallianceri.org Camp JORI, a co-ed overnight summer camp in Wakefield, R.I. for children ages 7-15, has offered children the opportunity to have a Jewish camp experience for more than a century.

But this summer some campers got an extra “boost.” Although scholarships are awarded, many families still can’t afford the basic supplies needed for a successful camp experience.

This is where Jboost came in to help. Jboost.org, born out of the Living on the Edge initiative and powered by the Jewish Alliance, is the crowdfunding website that supports local projects to improve the lives of those in need throughout Greater Rhode Island’s Jewish community. Any 501(c)(3) nonprofit with a fundraising goal between $500 and $5000 that raises the welfare of the Rhode Island Jewish community by providing safety net support, promoting self-sufficiency and increasing access to Jewish life can post projects to Jboost.org. Camp JORI wanted to raise $750 to “Fill-a-Trunk for a Camp JORI Camper.”

Once the project was posted on Jboost, it was shared on Facebook—which expanded the

potential donor base—and then the magic of crowdfunding took over. Donors far and wide made contributions through Jboost to support Camp JORI. (One anonymous donor wrote, “Not from Rhode Island, but loved Jewish Camp—happy to help!”)

A nominal donation of $5 to $10 supplied items like flip flops, insect repellent or water shoes, while donations of $18 to $25 funded towels, sneakers and more. Regardless of the amount, every dollar raised

went directly to help a camper in need.

“Some campers needed just a few items, while others needed significantly more,” said Ronni Saltzman Guttin, director of Camp JORI. “From big things like bedding, clothing and towels to the incidentals like flip flops and toiletries—Jboost donors helped us fill the need by

filling the trunks. We are very thankful for this opportunity.”

Through the generosity of more than 20 online funders, Camp JORI discreetly provided campers items they weren’t able to supply themselves. “Our staff is trained to take note of those campers who lack essential items,” said Rachel Mersky Woda, assistant director.

“We then supply them with the items they need while avoiding any embarrassment or unwanted attention.”

“Seeing Camp JORI succeed in providing the needed supplies for its campers through Jboost was awesome,” said Alex Gaines, J-boost coordinator.

“It’s cool to think how this new platform has already begun engaging the community and helped those campers better enjoy their summer.”

Jboost is always looking for new projects to feature in order to fund creative and diverse community needs. For more information on Jboost or to submit a project, visit Jboost.org or contact Alex Gaines at 401421-4111, ext. 150 or againes@ jewishallianceri.org.

CONTRIBUTING WRITER Irina Missiuro

Karen Borger ksborger@gmail.com 401-529-2538

EDITORIAL CONSULTANTS Irina Missiuro | Judith Romney Wegner

COLUMNISTS Dr. Stanley Aronson, Michael Fink, Rabbi James Rosenberg and Daniel Stieglitz

DESIGN & LAYOUT Leah Camara

MEMBER of the Rhode Island Press Association

INTERN Dana Cohen

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ADVERTISING DEPARTMENT Tricia Stearly tstearly@jewishallianceri.org 401-421-4111, ext. 160 EDITOR Fran Ostendorf

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PERIODICALS Postage paid at Providence, R.I. POSTMASTER Send address changes to: The Jewish Voice, 401 Elmgrove Ave., Providence, RI 02906.

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All submitted content becomes the property of The Voice. Announcements and opinions contained in these pages are published as a service to the community and do not necessarily represent the views of The Voice or its publisher, the Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island.

6 | August 1, 2014

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The Jewish Voice

Meet Temple Sinai’s new leaders

BY IRINA MISSIURO imissiuro@jewishallianceri. org Rabbi Jeffrey W. Goldwasser and Cantor Wendy J. Siegel are joining Temple Sinai’s community this summer. The two have quite a bit in common.

Both newcomers followed their calling only after spending some time in the secular world.

The rabbi was a professional in the environmental movement, and the cantor worked as a legal secretary. However, their simultaneous start at Sinai and a career change are not the only parallels. In fact, their origins reveal that their love of community motivated both to choose their current professions.

Siegel tremendously enjoyed being part of a choir, participating in Purim-spiels and singing for family services on Yom Kippur. Her love of music, Judaism and people allowed for a natural transition to becoming a cantor – a profession which would integrate all of her passions. Siegel says, “I love to help people and enjoy them whether in good times or in trying times.” Prior to joining Temple Sinai, she did just that while working as After School Program Administrator at MetroWest Jewish Day School in Framingham, Mass. After receiving Cantorial Ordination in June 2013 and a Master of Jewish Education in June 2011 from the Cantor-Educator Program of Hebrew College, the cantor began building a relationship between MWJDS and the religious school of Temple Beth Am. Goldwasser’s move toward becoming ordained also felt organic. An activist attempting to effect social change, Goldwasser had an epiphany that fixing the world was so important to him because he believed that it is supposed to make sense. He decided to work on returning the world to its original meaning through Judaism. Interested in being a Jewish community organizer, he then realized that he wanted to be a rabbi.

On “Reb Jeff” – his blog, whose theme is “living a joyful Jewish life and bringing joy to synagogues and the Jewish community,” – Goldwasser shares, “It was among the happiest discoveries of my life and it is still unfolding in unanswered questions.”

Asking questions is important to Goldwasser, who plans to do just that during his first couple of months at Temple Sinai. Rather than dictate an agenda to his congregation, he prefers to learn what the desires and needs of the com-

Temple Habonim hires an education director and cantorial associate Gary A. Kabler to lead religious school

BY IRINA MISSIURO imissiuro@jewishallianceri. org

Cantor Siegel and Rabbi Goldwasser are on the same team. munity are. By listening to the members, engaging in conversations and working together, Goldwasser envisions fulfilling his role of a facilitator and a guide.

At Congregation Beth Israel in North Adams, Mass., where he’d served as rabbi since becoming ordained in 2000 from Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion (the seminary of Judaism’s Reform Movement), Rabbi Goldwasser created innovative family education programs, developed new prayer books and formed partnerships, among other accomplishments. His expe-

“We couldn’t be happier to be in a place where we feel that we belong.” rience at Beth Israel and at Temple Beit HaYam in Stuart, Fla., where he’s served as rabbi since 2011, showed him he had chosen the right field. Beit HaYam’s website lists his many social action initiatives and reveals that the rabbi’s “adult education offerings, especially Saturday morning Torah study and adult B’nei Mitzvah class, have made the congregation a true community of learners.”

My Jewish Learning’s recognition of Goldwasser as one of 20 “America’s Real Top Rabbis 2012” cemented his status.

Similarly, Siegel foresees getting to know the congregants as her first task at the synagogue.

She plans to find out their likes and dislikes to better serve them. Siegel’s other priority is working as a team with the rabbi and learning together the Temple Sinai’s minhag ha makom (customs). Referring to the partnership, Siegel says, “I feel strongly that this will enable

us to encourage new programs and projects, as well as new subjects to study, while maintaining the high standards of Temple Sinai.”

The two will combine their prowess with words and music to move the congregation. Siegel believes that music has the power to bring people together to create community, spirituality and self-awareness.

Goldwasser considers that deep conversations lead to finding purpose and fulfillment.

In fact, he started his blog to build a stronger relationship with the Temple Beit HaYam congregation, whose members appreciated being able to connect with him online. Golwasser says, “The blog gives me a broader voice to talk about Judaism and how people can find meaning and joy in their lives through Torah.”

The rabbi and the cantor are excited to begin their new posts.

Goldwasser is thrilled to be in Rhode Island, after some years in Florida. He says, “I love New England’s seasons, its scenery and its people. I love the ocean.

I am a recklessly passionate Red Sox fan. We couldn’t be happier to be in a place where we feel that we belong.” Like the rabbi, whose wife grew up in the suburbs of Boston, Siegel has ties to the area (she grew up in Burlington, Mass.), loves the Red Sox and feels a strong connection to the place. She says that she has found her spiritual home at Temple Sinai.

“There is a warmth and caring that is palpable and I have had the privilege to embrace it and be embraced by it. Temple Sinai is a community of diverse interests and ages, but there is commonality in a true love of Judaism and a deep sense of community. I am thrilled to be part of the Temple Sinai ‘family.’

Temple Habonim’s quest to find an education director is over – Gary A. Kabler has filled the role. In February, the search committee was hopeful to hire someone with musical abilities to complement the teaching experience; Kabler is completing his last year in the cantorial program at The Academy of Jewish Religion in New York. Nicole Jellinek, the committee cochair, said they were looking for “someone who has some experience in curriculum development and somebody who is aware of the current trends in religious education and interested in experiential learning and teaching to the needs of differential learners.” Kabler has taught Hebrew and religious courses to students from elementary to high school age. In addition, he’s served as advisor to various temple youth groups.

The co-chairs were also seeking a person who would occasionally lead Shabbat, B’nai Mitzvah and holiday services. For the past eight years, Kabler has led Shabbat services and Jewish festival celebrations at The Greens at Cannondale Assisted Living Facility in Wilton, Conn. Lisa Shea, Habonim president, said, “We are impressed by his enthusiasm and his ability to command and retain attention in both classroom and worship situations.”

Kabler is eagerly anticipating assisting Rabbi Andrew

Rabbi Andrew Klein

Gary A. Kabler Klein in devising captivating worship services that feature music. “Coming in to this new role at Temple Habonim has been a whirlwind experience. Everyone I’ve met has welcomed me with open arms. As the education director, I hope to instill the love of learning. As the cantorial associate, I hope to add a taste of music to a higher level. I am very much looking forward with excitement at teaching, singing and learning here.”

A husband to Janine and a father to Jonathan, Kabler boasts a bachelor’s in music performance from the State University of New York/Empire State College, along with two awards from the Association of Rabbis and Cantors for the creation of original liturgy and programming. Now he will continue creating – Kabler will design the school curriculum, as well as oversee the teaching faculty and network with administrators and the temple community.

Rabbi Sarah Mack

New leadership at the Board of Rabbis Rabbi Sarah Mack of Temple Beth-El was named president of the Board of Rabbis of Greater Rhode Island on June 9. While she may not work on all of these issues through her new position on the Board of Rabbis, some topics that Rabbi Sarah Mack holds important are poverty, hunger, “common sense gun legislation” and women’s rights to choose women’s health care.

Rabbi Andrew Klein of Temple Habonim, previously treasurer of the Board of Rabbis of Greater Rhode Island, is now also serving as secretary, effective July 1. He says, “We are very lucky here in the state of Rhode Island to have an organization of all the rabbis working together because that doesn’t happen everywhere.” Rabbi Klein is happy to be a part of this team.

D’VAR TORAH | COMMUNITY

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August 1, 2014 |

7

D’var Torah

Lessons in Lamentations for today’s greater world

BY RABBI JEFFREY GOLDWASSER The events of the last month in Israel have us reeling. It is not just the needless death and destruction, the pointless violence and suffering that grieves us. After events like the kidnapping and murder of three Israeli and one Palestinian youth, the hundreds of rockets fired at innocent civilians and the misery of Gaza as innocents suffer the collateral damage of Israel’s countermeasures, we wonder if there is hope for humanity. We question whether our faith can endure.

Must this poor world always be surrounded by madness, violence and grief? How can we reconcile such suffering with faith in a loving, all-powerful God? Beginning on the evening of Aug. 4, we observe Tisha B’Av. We read the words of the Book of Lamentations. The book bewails the destruction of Jerusalem with images and phrases that seem so contemporary. We hear the cry of despair that still echoes in the world today: My eyes are spent with tears, My heart is in tumult, My being melts away Over the ruin of my poor people,

As babes and sucklings languish In the squares of the city.

They keep asking their mothers, “Where is bread and wine?”

As they languish like battlewounded In the squares of the town, As their life runs out In their mothers’ bosoms.

What can I take as witness or liken To you, O Fair Jerusalem?

What can I match with you to console you, O Fair Maiden Zion?

For your ruin is vast as the sea: Who can heal you?

(Lamentations 2:11-13) As we do, Lamentations asks questions that cannot be answered. There can be no clear, definitive answers to the question of suffering and evil. Still we must ask: Who can heal our broken world? Who will put an end to the evil that drives people to seek the death of the innocent? Who will stand against the mad rage that poisons us?

Who will stop the wars that still kill children? Where is God? One response, of course, is that not all the blame can be placed on God. It is up to us to act to confront evil, to create

peace, to cure illness and to ameliorate suffering.

That is how Lamentations resolves the paradox of evil, too. The famous second-tolast verse of the book teaches us, Hashiveinu Adonai elecha v’nashuva. Chadeish yameinu k’kedem, “Turn us, O Lord, to You and we shall return. Renew us as at the beginning” (Lamentations 5:21). We human beings must act to repair the world – but we don’t have to do it alone.

When we allow God to help us turn away from evil and discover the best within ourselves, we can restore the world to its original state of balance and peace.

Sometimes we feel unequal to the task of turning our despair into hope and action. Yet, even when the world’s problems seem vast, and our power feels puny, knowing that God responds to our impulses toward justice, forgiveness and peace gives us the strength to try anyway.

Can we believe that? Do we dare believe that God will do that for us? I think so, if we accept this caveat: God only helps us do what we are capable of doing. Sometimes, though, God helps us discover capabilities within ourselves that we never knew we had.

I do not believe that God waves a magic wand that makes

Vigil for peace brought together faith leaders On July 15, faith leaders from around Rhode Island gathered at Brown University’s Manning Chapel for a vigil for peace.

Organized by the Community Relations Council of the Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island in partnership with the Rhode Island State Council of Churches, it was a forum to condemn the brutal murders of four teens, three Israeli and one Palestinian and condemn the terrorist activities of Hamas that began just a day before the vigil as well as terrorism of all kinds and types worldwide.

Speakers focused on children and women who are often the targets of terror. Issues raised included the kidnapping and trafficking of Nigerian girls as well as concerns about the thousands of children immigrating from Central America to the U.S. because of poverty and political tension.

Imam Farid Ansari, Swami Yogamananda of the Vendonta Society of Rhode Island as well as Rev. Dr. Donald Anderson of the Rhode Island State Council of Churches condemned the escalation of violence worldwide in the name of religion. Religion calls for peace and an end for violence, they said.

Rabbi Barry Dolinger of Congregation Beth Sholom told the attendees that the vigil was being held on the holy fasting day of the 17th of Tammuz, a day that honors the destruction of the Second Temple. He also said the program was being held

during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. The Rabbi took note of how important the two holy days are in regard to the condemnation of violence.

Rabbi Elan Babchuck of Temple Emanu-El provided a misheberakh during the vigil. In place of personal names, people called out areas of the world

experiencing violence and to whom it is being directed.

Marty Cooper of the Community Relations Council concluded the vigil by asking everyone to join him in reciting the Prayer for Peace.

the misery we inflict upon each other disappear. Rather, our faith is in a God whom we experience in our own determination to end misery, and that determination makes us capable of things beyond our imagining. God shows us the way to a world that we did not think we deserved – but we have to do the work of getting there. God turns us back to the right direction, but it is up to us take the steps toward our own redemption.

For Israel and the Palestinians today, the imperative to reach beyond apparent limitations has never been more urgent. If we accept that there is nothing we can do to end the bitter violence and hatred, then violence and hatred truly will never end. If, on the other hand, we are brave enough to imagine a world in which hatred can be turned into tolerance, and toler-

ance into reconciliation, there is a chance for peace. Turn us, O Lord, to you, and we will be turned.

We know what we need to do.

God has taught us. We need to be the ones who replace hatred with understanding, who vanquish terrorism with justice, who reject the fanaticism that turns peaceful religions into cults of death, and who dismantle despotism and install freedom.

There is something deeply wrong with the world we live in – its ruin is as vast as the sea – but we have the power to do something about it. We begin by heeding and obeying the voice that tells us: “Turn!”

R A B B I J E F F R E Y GOLDWASSER is the new spiritual leader of Temple Sinai in Cranston. He writes the blog Reb Jeff at www.rebjeff.com.

Candle Lighting Times Greater Rhode Island Aug. 1.........................7:47 Aug. 8.........................7:38 Aug. 15.......................7:29 Aug. 22.......................7:18

8 | August 1, 2014

CALENDAR | COMMUNITY

CALENDAR Ongoing

Alliance Kosher Senior Café. Kosher lunch and program every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Dwares JCC, 401 Elmgrove Ave., Providence. Noon lunch; 1 p.m. program. Know Your Candidates program: Aug. 1 Seth Magaziner, candidate for treasurer. $3 lunch donation from individuals 60+ or under 60 with disabilities. Neal or Elaine, 401421-4111, ext. 107.

Am David Kosher Senior Café. Kosher lunch and program every weekday.

Temple Am David, 40 Gardiner St., Warwick. 11:15 a.m. program; noon lunch. $3 lunch donation from individuals 60+ or under 60 with disabilities. Elaine or Steve 401-732-0047.

Shalom Kids – Ready, Set, Shabbat!!

Fridays through Aug. 29, 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the vestry (lower level) of Congregation Agudath Achim, 36 Winthrop St., Taunton. This special Shalom Kids and PJ Library program welcomes children ages 3 to 10 and their caregivers to a program of stories, music, crafts, food and fun all focused on getting ready for Shabbat. Walk down the left side of the synagogue to the first door for entry to the vestry. For more information contact Rabbi/Cantor Anne Heath at 781-956-8673 or rabbi. taunton@verizon.net

Friday | Aug. 1

Temple Beth-El Shabbat Under The Stars. 7 p.m. Gather on the Julie Claire Gutterman Biblical Garden patio to welcome Shabbat with song and stories.

Celebrate summer birthdays and enjoy special summer treats following the service. 70 Orchard Ave., Providence.

Sunday | Aug. 3

Annual Sunday-Night Summer Film Series at Temple Habonim. 7:30 p.m.

Join us for “Promises.” The film will be shown at the Temple, 165 New Meadow Rd., Barrington. The showings, which include popcorn, are free and open to the community. For information, call Temple Habonim at 401-245-6536 or email office@templehabonim.org.

Wednesday | Aug. 6

Rhode Island Friends of Israel: Film Showing. 7 p.m. Showing of the film “The J-Street Challenge.” Hosted at Congregation Beth Sholom. Contact Roberta with questions 401-369-0045

Thursday | Aug. 7

Temple Emanu-El Leisure Club: Movie Showing. 10 a.m.–noon Showing of “The Other Son.” Free and open to the public. 99 Taft Ave., Providence.

Monday | Aug. 11 Israeli Singers. Kosher Senior Café.

11 a.m.–noon 40 Tzofim Friendship Caravan performance. Lunch will follow noon–1 p.m. Event will take place at

Temple Am David, 40 Gardiner St., Warwick.

Tuesday | Aug. 12

Books on the Beach – an author luncheon. 11:30 a.m.–2:30 p.m. Sponsored by The Rhode Island Chapter of Hadassah. The books for discussion and attending authors are: Visible City by Tova Mirvis (a lonely New York woman focuses her binoculars on windows in the next building, following the complexity of their tenants intersecting lives), Misfit by Adam Braver (melding fact with fiction, Braver uses moments from Marilyn Monroe’s invented image as Norma Jean and her later re-imagined self as Marilyn Monroe and explores how these moments contributed to her tragic end) and Strong Rain Falling by Jon Land (Strong Rain Falling moves from past to present with cinematic ease. Texas Ranger Caitlin Strong pursues Mexican drug cartels of 1910 and drug traffickers of today). This event will be held in The Ballroom of the Atlantic Beach Club, 55 Purgatory Rd, Newport. Free parking. The cost is $50.

Reservations 401-463-3636 or email rhodeislandchapter@hadassah.org.

Leave your name, phone number, street address, city and zip code.

Thursday | Aug. 14 Temple Emanu-El Leisure Club. 10 a.m.–10:50 a.m. Cathy Santaniello, East Side YMCA “Exercise for Better Health.”

Free and open to the public. 99 Taft Ave., Providence.

Temple Emanu-El Leisure Club. 11:10 a.m.–noon Miriam Abrams-Stark “My Recent Trip to Camp Ramah in the Rockies/Jewish Experiential Education.”

99 Taft Ave., Providence

Friday | Aug. 15 Shabbat Services at Barrington Beach.

6:15 p.m. One Friday night each month during the summer hosted by Temple Habonim. In case of rain, outdoor services will be canceled. Please check www.templehabonim.org as well as the Temple Habonim facebook page for cancellation information.

Tuesday | Aug. 19

Temple Am David: Religious School Registration. 6-7:30 p.m. For more information call 401-463-7944.

JFS Night at Flatbread Company. 5-9 p.m. 161 Cushing St., Providence. Enjoy pizza and help support services provided to the community through Jewish Family Service. A portion of the sales from all pizza sold will be donated to JFS. All proceeds received by JFS, will go to support a fall prevention program for the agency’s elderly and disabled clientele. For more information, contact Amy DePaiva at 401-331-1244 or visit www.jfsri.org.

Calendar Submissions

Aug. 15 issue, FASHION | JEWISH WOMEN IN BUSINESS – must be received by Aug. 4 Aug. 29 issue ROSH HASHANAH PLANNING – must be received by Aug. 18

SEND ALL CALENDAR ITEMS TO: editor@jewishallianceri.org with the subject line “CALENDAR.” Calendar entries may be edited for content, length and relevance. Please submit two weeks prior to issue of publication.

The Jewish Voice

Friday | Aug. 22 Temple Beth-El Shabbat BBQ. 5 p.m.

For current, new and prospective members. Activities for the kids and an ice cream social oneg. 70 Orchard Ave., Providence.

Temple Beth-El Shabbat Under the Stars. 7 p.m. Gather on the Julie Claire Gutterman Biblical Garden patio to greet Shabbat with song and stories. 70 Orchard Ave., Providence.

Sunday | Aug. 24 JCC Summer Canteen Reunion. 7-10 p.m. Everyone who attended JCC Summer Canteen dances in the fifties and sixties is invited. Entertainment by the Ghost Riders (Roy Cohen, Richie Cohen and David Katz) and our DJ (Jerry Chorney). Wine, cheese and fruit will be served. Dress is summer casual. $20 per person. Send checks payable to “Summer Canteen Reunion” to Summer Canteen Reunion, Box JJ, Chepachet, R.I. 02814. The Dwares JCC, 401 Elmgrove Ave., Providence.

Contact Mark Rechter at mrech48@cox. net for more information and check out the East Side JCC Facebook page.

Dinner/Program/Dialogue. 6 p.m. Community event to support The Friends of Israel and Defense Force/IDF. Kosher dietary laws observed. All proceeds will go directly to the soldiers in the IDF. Reservations. Send check for $36 by 8/14 to: Congregation Ohawe Shalom/ IDF Event, 671 East Ave., Pawtucket 02860. Sponsored by rhodeislandfriendsofisrael@gmail.com 401-3690045.

Monday | Aug. 25

Temple Am David: Religious School Registration. 6-7:30 p.m. For more information call 401-463-7944.

Friday Aug. 29

Summer Party Featuring Providence Civic Orchestra of Senior Citizens. 11 a.m.–noon, Kosher Senior Café at the Dwares JCC. Lunch to follow noon–1 p.m., for 60+ and disabled. Suggested donation of $3. Lunch reservations required. Call Neal Drobnis at 401861-8800, ext. 107.

Friday | Sept. 5 End of Summer Celebration. Kosher Senior Café. 11 a.m.–1:30 p.m. Celebration at Goddard State Park Carousel Performing Arts Center. Transportation provided from the JCC, Providence, and Temple Am David, Warwick. Music by Jeannie Evans and Friends.

Sunday | Sept. 7

Temple Am David: Religious School Begins. 9:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m. For more information, call 401-463-7944.

Tuesday| Sept. 9

Annual Statewide Mah Jongg Tournament. 11:30 a.m.–3:30 p.m. Win a trophy for your center as well as individual prizes. You must be able to complete a game in 20 minutes. You may be asked to bring a set of Mah Jongg tiles.

Be a needed volunteer. RSVP by Aug. 26 to register for this event. Contact Carol Desforges at 401-942-9877 or johndesforges@verizon.net. Entrance Fee $10 per person. At the Dwares JCC 401 Elmgrove Ave. Providence.

Mah Jongg tiles are lined up for play FROM PAGE 4

PASSION

Mah Jongg has been Carol’s passion for the past seven years. Initially, she got involved with the game for the same reason that many others – especially seniors – do: she was looking for a social group. She has watched the game transform the lives of many individuals for the better. For many, having a group to play Mah Jongg with on a regular basis provides muchneeded community. Carol said, She also says that “Mah Jongg is a “life-saver to some people” because “it’s a de-isolating game.” Not only does it provide a community, but the game gives focus to a social situation. Having an initial common interest and talking point eases many into comfortable conversation.

Though Carol picked up the game in adulthood, the game is accessible to all ages, as it can even be modified for young children. After mastering the game, Carol once again seized the opportunity to give back, this time by teaching others Mah Jongg and consequentially, providing social opportunities. The game, in its simplest description, requires the players to understand seven basic rules as well as fine points and to be able to see patterns on tiles to pick a hand from “arbitrary numbers and symbols.”

A beginning group of players generally takes three to six months to learn and master the game, assuming that players meet once a week for two hours.

When Carol trains a group, she uses the first session to teach the tiles, hands and rules; the second to teach players how to pick a hand and play using the rules; and all subsequent sessions continue until the group feels comfortable to continue on their own.

When teaching a group, Carol will stay with them for as long as necessary. If a group cannot do it alone, she will keep coming to their meetings so that it can be a social opportunity for the group.

However, Carol assures that it

is not a complicated game if you learn it the right way.

She has hosted the Annual Statewide Mah Jongg Tournament for the past three years.

The upcoming Annual Statewide Mah Jongg Tournament differs from most Mah Jongg tournaments in many ways. First, Carol creates a noncompetitive environment.

The purpose of this tournament is fun and socialization.

Carol hands out as many prizes as possible to encourage players to come out no matter their skill level.

In the past, there have even been prizes such as kitchen towels (for players to wipe their tears). Carol emphasizes that while many people play Mah Jongg competitively, it is possible, and important, to play socially instead, with ample patience when others learn slowly.

Tournaments are often held with the purpose of fundraising. Carol keeps the entrance fee as low as she can so that more people can join in. Also in the spirit of inclusion, Carol’s tournament only requires players to complete a game in 20 minutes instead of most tournaments’ standards of 15 minute or shorter games. Additionally, most tournaments are days-long, whereas this tournament will be half an afternoon with only one and one-half rounds instead of the usual minimum of two. Keeping the tournament shorter allows more people to fit it into their schedule and is often easier to sit through. Also, it forces more player rotations, which allows players to meet more people.

The upcoming tournament will be held on Sept. 9 from 11:30 a.m.–3:30 p.m. at the Dwares JCC, 401 Elmgrove Avenue, Providence.

To join, RSVP to Carol Desforges by Aug. 26 by email: johndesforges@verizon.net with a subject line of “Mah Jongg Tournament.” Space is limited to the first 100 players.

DANA COHEN is the summer intern at The Jewish Voice.

COMMUNITY

thejewishvoice.org

August 1, 2014 |

9

Elaine Chaika: teacher, author, humanitarian

BY IRINA MISSIURO imissiuro@jewishallianceri.org Among Elaine Chaika’s quotes on the site Goodreads is one

by Elie Wiesel. “The opposite of love is not hate, it’s indifference. The opposite of art is not ugliness, it’s indifference. The opposite of faith is not heresy, it’s indifference. And the opposite of life is not death, it’s indifference.” This professor emerita of linguistics from Providence College is not indifferent. Her work is motivated by her desire to know how people understand. Chaika doesn’t shy away from any topic; in fact, she did a study in the schizophrenic ward of Butler Hospital to write a book on psychotic speech.

When she sees something that she doesn’t agree with, she rebels. In her childhood, she jumped on the backs of bullies who called her names. During graduate school, she marched against the Vietnam War. Now, in her retirement, she is giving voice to dogs in her new book, “Humans, Dogs and Civilization.”

Chaika is a whisper of a woman. Despite her petite figure, she commands an imposing stature. Chaika continues her role as a wordsmith – that word is her site’s (elainechaika. com) tagline, as well as a part of her email address. I’m quickly reminded that Chaika doesn’t do anything halfway. If she’s teaching grammar (I was in her class in the ’90s), she creates the most colorful illustrations to explain the difference between “lie” and “lay.” If she’s eloping with a new husband, she goes to the wilderness. If she’s making tea, she brews it from scratch.

When I see her again after all these years, she doesn’t pretend to remember me, despite having been my professor for two classes. Instead, she asks, “Are you Irina?” as she approaches in sky-high wedges. Her longish fingernails, painted in sparkly blue polish, click against the china. I find a couple of chains in one of the cups; she explains that they belong to one of the antique dolls that share the apartment with Chaika and her husband Bill.

This native Rhode Islander is anything but shy

Elaine Chaika at home.

False modesty is an unknown concept to her. Chaika has no qualms about praising her six books, disclosing how much her out-of-print book goes for (upward of $200), quoting complimentary introductions of herself at conferences, reciting her accomplishments (“Of my cohort, I’m the one who published the most articles and chapters in books”) or regaling the listener with tales of romantic adventures worthy of a Lifetime movie.

I learn about her disillusionment with studying philosophy at Pembroke College; “It was just boring.” She had a better time waiting tables in Maine, where she met her first husband, a “gorgeous geologist” who hired a Presbyterian minister to marry them on their way to a remote cabin in the woods. It wasn’t until she had a baby in 1955 that she hesitated to live in a place with no sign of human habitation. Yet, when her parents pressured the young family to return to Rhode Island, she heeded their reasoning.

Five years later, Chaika was married to Bill – a Jewish man whom her family found more suitable. She shares that she loved growing up in a religious household, where everyone spoke Yiddish and kept kosher.

“I value my Orthodox upbringing,” Chaika says, naming charity and compassion for ani-

mals as some of the virtues that appeal to her.

Animals are sacred to her. In fact, in addition to her upcoming book and one of her blogs, “Dogs and Wolves,” Chaika has a Facebook page called “Amazing Dogs – Yours and Mine” and a Twitter account @OurAmazingDogs. Chaika reveals that, without dogs, humans wouldn’t have developed civilization. She says we would still be hunters and gatherers had it not been for these herders that help humans to get animals into flocks. She tells a story to illustrate.

Chaika is in the British Isles on vacation. She and Bill are watching a herd, as a shepherd, accompanied by his dog – a

black-and-white border collie, – is walking along the meadows. As the sheep graze, the dog ensures order. All of a sudden, Chaika is having a flashback.

It’s 1937. During a game of tag, she accidentally rips a girl’s belt. After school, a gang of tall, strong girls is waiting for her. She begins to run. Flippy, her beloved dog that meets her every day at 3:30, gets the pursuers into formation and keeps them there, preventing anyone from being able to reach out and grab her. “He saved my life,” Chaika says.

Her love of dogs has never wavered. A self-described “glutton for research,” Chaika is fascinated by the way animals communicate without words.

She believes that language is not the first step in encoding thoughts, actions or feelings.

Chaika analyzed her dogs’ train of thought and behavior, noting that their way of thinking was not language-dependent. Therefore, she found, to act morally, one doesn’t have to be able to discuss the conduct, as most philosophers claim. She is adamant that animals are much more than just a bundle of responses to stimuli.

As someone who makes conclusions through careful examination, Chaika reveals that her favorite part of teaching involved observing students, hearing their insights and considering their arguments. I tell her that I still associate her with “Do the Right Thing,” a film she used in her class. It’s fitting that our interview occurs on the film’s 25th anniversary. Chaika raves about the movie, saying it was “synthesized to perfection.” The two quotes at the end – the one that deems violence as society’s destructive force and the other that credits violence as an intelligent tactic when used in self-defense – must resonate with Chaika, who marched for peace in the ’70s, watched her parents suffer the effects of anti-Semitism, listened to her grandmother’s stories of Ukrainian pogroms and lost 200 family members in Babi Yar. At the moment, she’s attempting to do the right thing for dogs – animals that deserve to be recognized as thinking creatures.

10 | August 1, 2014

OPINION

The Jewish Voice

What happens to a dream deferred?

FROM THE EDITOR

When the evening news hits home The last few weeks have been anxious for many of us here in the Rhode Island Jewish community and beyond.

We nervously watch the news from Israel as we have family and friends impacted by the situation EDITOR there. Like many of you, FRAN I’m touched by what’s happenOSTENDORF ing and frustrated by trying to sort through the coverage and make sense of it all. My sister and her family arrived in Jerusalem July 1 as she began her journey at Hebrew Union College to becoming a cantor. She’ll be there for a year. Now more than ever I seek out and appreciate every source of news and analysis from the Middle East.

And it’s nice to gather with others who are like-minded.

Last week’s rally at the Dwares JCC showed how wide-ranging the interest is in our community. More than 400 people listened to a variety of speakers on the situation in Israel. And we came away with a new appreciation for what Israelis are living through … and going about their daily lives. Life goes on. I am in contact with my sister several times each week.

We text; we send pictures. She tells me how she feels, and she shares her experiences with the occasional siren.

People ask me how I feel about the situation, and my opinion doesn’t really matter. As a journalist, I prefer to process all sides of the issue as much as I can and keep my own views to myself. But I do that with one ear to the news and a personal interest. Just like you. And I want to hear all sides and all opinions and try to keep an open mind.

At The Voice, we can’t cover the very latest news from Israel. We only publish every other week. So what happens today

may well be old news by the time it reaches your mailbox.

We leave the breaking news to the daily papers, online news sources, and television and radio. What we try to do is offer the latest range of opinions and analysis and features. We work to fi nd stories about people and events, in Israel and related to our community that you want to read, despite the fact that they were printed several days before you get the paper. And we try for a balance.

How do we get these articles?

We use a variety of sources. We subscribe to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency (JTA) and the Jewish News Service (JNS).

These are international services that provide news and features and photos to publications everywhere. People in our community are invaluable sources of information. You, your friends, families and neighbors all help us keep on top of what’s happening here and in Israel.

As I write this, my inbox is getting a constant flow of press releases, photos and emails.

When we go to write a story, we often start with one source, and everyone knows someone who knows someone else we should talk to.

The end result of all this should be articles that inform.

You may not always agree with the way the information is presented. But we are trying to give you a look at many different sides of all the issues. And we’re always happy to hear from you whether you agree or disagree with us.

It is frustrating when you hear a report that you think is less than objective. But after 30 years of working in the media, I’m here to tell you that most news reporters try to be objective. As a reader, it pays to stay informed. Form your own opinions; read and listen to as much as you can. Everyone has a favorite source for news, and everyone will tell you some sources are biased. These are complicated issues. Decide for yourself. And let us know what you are thinking.

LETTER Dr. Stanley Aronson’s articles, which I always look forward to perusing, are thoroughly insightful and well-written; in addition, they are of consistently outstanding quality. Thanks to Dr. Aronson, the reader has a much deeper appreciation

This has been a sobering summer for all of us who care deeply about Israel and have been hoping for some progress toward Israeli-Palestinian reconciliation within the framework of a two-state solution to the decadeslong confl ict.

The kidnapping and murder of three Israeli teenagers: Naftali Fraenkel, Gilad Shaar and Eyal Yifrach.

IT SEEMS The revenge kidnapping TO ME and murder of a PalestinRABBI JIM ian teenager: ROSENBERG M u h a m m a d Hussein Abu Khdeir.

An explosion of hatred and racist violence between Arab and Jew. A rain of Hamas rockets on Israel. A rain of Israeli bombs and artillery shells on Gaza. Israeli troops searching for rocket launchers amid the twisting tunnels and byways of Gaza. Collateral damage: the deaths of several hundred civilian men, women and children.

Many of us in the Jewish community of greater Rhode Island have friends and relatives in Israel, and we are viscerally worried. We know that if but a single Hamas rocket eludes the Iron Dome missile defense system and hits its mark, the results could be catastrophic.

Speaking personally, my niece-through-marriage and her 11-year-old triplets, on a family visit to Israel, spent the night of July 9 in a bomb shelter in Beer Shev a. Afterward, they moved in with other family members in Beit Shemesh, where the kids had to keep themselves within close proximity to the bomb shelter in their new home away from home.

At this point in the evolving crisis, I consider it counterproductive to ask: Who is to blame? I would argue that there is more than enough blame to go around. Right now, as I type these words, this is the question we need to be asking: How can we turn back from the abyss of violence and

RE: Dr. Aronson’s column

and clearer meaning of the subject presented.

How fortunate we all are that he shares his towering erudition and inspirational guidance with us.

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

destruction? Let us begin by ratcheting down the rhetoric, the howls of hatred, the threats and counter-threats.

In the long run, a continuing escalation of hostilities means that everybody will be losers.

Ironically, the sanest voices in the recent outburst of violence have come from the bereaved families of the murdered teenagers. Yishai Fraenkel, uncle of Naftali, one of the Israeli kidnap victims, spoke on the phone with Hussein Abu Khdeir, father of the murdered Muhammad; the two men, Arab and Jew, crossed the ethnic divide to bring comfort to each other. As Naftali’s

“The life of an Arab is equally precious to that of a Jew. Blood is blood, and murder is murder, whether that murder is Jewish or Arab”. uncle told the press, “the life of an Arab is equally precious to that of a Jew. Blood is blood, and murder is murder, whether that murder is Jewish or Arab.”

In a similar gesture of human solidarity in this time of profound suffering, Rabbi Rafi Ostroff, chair of the religious council of Gush Etzion, arranged for Palestinians in the vicinity of Hebron to visit the bereaved Fraenkel family. One of the visiting Palestinians is quoted as saying, “Things will only get better when we learn to cope with each other’s pain and stop getting angry at each other. Our task is to give strength to the family and also to take a step toward my nation’s liberation. We believe that the way to our liberation is through the hearts of Jews.”

Such attempts to understand the heart of “the other” should remind us that most Palestinian Arabs and most Israeli Jews contain overflowing reservoirs of human compassion; the current nightmare has been brought about by the failure of decent citizens and their governments to condemn and

to curb the actions of the lunatic fringe of both societies.

As I continue to reflect upon the unfolding tragedy in Israel, I hear in my mind’s ear the words of the Afro-American poet, Langston Hughes (19021967), who begins his 1951 poem, “Harlem,” with a series of questions: “What happens to a dream deferred?/Does it dry up/like a raisin in the sun?/Or fester like a sore – / And then run?” It seems to me that at least one explanation for the most recent outbreak in hostilities is that for too many years both Palestinians and Israelis have been living under the heavy weight of dreams deferred. Both peoples live with the still unrealized dream of a life without fear, without hatred – a life of peace, cooperation, mutual affirmation.

As of yet, neither Palestinian nor Israeli has found a way to transform dream into reality.

The price of the dream so long deferred is all too often the eruption of violence, as Hughes warns with the pointed question that ends his poem, “Or does it explode?” The painfi lled events of this summer provide the tragic answer to Hughes’ urgent question.

Most observers understand that there can be no longterm military solution to the confl ict between Israelis and Palestinians; for the problem is essentially a political one that requires a political solution. In the short term, Israel must use its military might to defend itself from Hamas rockets. The issue, then, is fi nding a balance between Israel’s short-term military requirements and the long-term need for peaceful and prudent political accommodation. Israel’s late Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin well expressed this conundrum by insisting that the state fight terror as if there is no peace process and pursue peace as if there is no terror.

Are there at this time Israeli and Palestinian leaders who possess the wisdom and the courage to achieve these paradoxical goals?

JAMES B. ROSENBERG, rabbi emeritus of Temple Habonim in Barrington, can be contacted at rabbiemeritus@ templehabonim.org

Mel B. Yoken, Ph.D. Chancellor Professor Emeritus of French Language and Literature University of Massachusetts – Dartmouth

COLUMNS | LETTERS POLICY The Jewish Voice publishes thoughtful and informative contributors’ columns (op-eds of 500 – 800 words) and letters to the editor (250 words, maximum) on issues of interest to our Jewish community. At our discretion, we may edit pieces for publication or refuse publication. Letters and columns, whether from our regular contributors or from guest columnists,

represent the views of the authors; they do not represent the views of The Jewish Voice or the Alliance.

Send letters and op-eds to: The Jewish Voice, 401 Elmgrove Ave., Providence, RI 02906 or editor@jewishallianceri.org. Include name, city of residence and a contact phone number or email (not for publication).

OPINION

thejewishvoice.org

August 1, 2014 |

11

Reflections on aliyah – Seven years later Over the last few weeks, I’ve written and re-written this article several times.

When I first began, I wrote about how I hoped that the three kidnapped Israeli teens would be found alive and safe.

LETTERS Their deaths were reported HOME a few hours later.

Then there DANIEL was the murSTIEGLITZ dered Arab teen. All of us, not wanting to believe that one of our own could be capable of performing a revenge killing, hoped that the perpetrator would be found and would be Arab. We were wrong, and we learned the hard way that one of ours was capable of committing such a crime.

Then, more and more rockets were fired into Israel. The

situation once again escalated, and most of the country found itself running to bomb shelters.

Some, particularly those in the south of Israel, made more trips than others.

In everything there is a silver lining. I see it now more than ever before. Before the Israeli teens were found, Jews in Israel and around the world united in prayer and support. My sister, Eve Stieglitz, ran a fundraiser in New York in honor of the three boys. They collected $16,000 that would go toward several charitable causes, such as supporting Lone Soldiers in the IDF. When she called to tell me the horrible news that the boys’ bodies had been found, through her tears she said, “At least the money is still going to a good cause.” Rather than erupting in rage and calls for revenge, Jews around the world united in mourning and more prayer. Even in their own time of mourning, the parents of the deceased boys did not call for chaos and revenge. They called

for good deeds and calm, out of respect for the lives that their boys led.

When it was discovered that the murderers of the Arab teen were Israeli, the killing was almost universally labeled as

“…when there is nowhere to run strangers at a bus stop will huddle together, each one shielding the other from possible harm.” deplorable by Jews worldwide.

Some even added the young boy to images of the three slain Israeli teens. They were all one in that they were killed due to hatred. Hundreds of Israelis went to the home of the murdered boy’s parents to pay their

respects as a community.

And the rockets? Don’t get me wrong, it’s never fun to hear a siren go off. Many, however, choose to laugh rather than cry.

We joke around during the 10 minutes we’re in the bomb shelters, watch comedic sketches on television about bomb shelter antics, wear costumes to cheer up the frightened children and come up with things like humorous siren instructions such as, “If in the shower, take a moment to consider staying there, and then run into the shelter dripping wet, but don’t forget your towel!” Somewhere among this is the truth of Israeli society – that when there is nowhere to run strangers at a bus stop will huddle together, each one shielding the other from possible harm. And last but not least, thank G-d for Iron Dome, a defense system that has saved who knows how many lives.

As I sit on a Jerusalem bus and write this article in midJuly, five days after the seventh anniversary of the day I moved

to Israel and became a citizen, I don’t know what the next year of my life in Israel will bring. I don’t even know what the next day will bring. What I do know is this – for the last seven years I have been proud not just to call myself Jewish, but Israeli as well. Israel is the heart of world Jewry, a heart that beats strong with love, morals, compassion and kindness. I look forward to continuing to be at the center of that for yet another wonderful, meaningful year.

DANIEL STIEGLITZ (dstieglitz@gmail.com), a Providence native, made aliyah in 2007.

He holds a master’s degree in creative writing from Bar Ilan University; works as a trip coordinator at Sachlav/Israelonthehouse, a Birthright trip organizer; does freelance content writing; and lives in Jerusalem.

His short story “Haven” was recently published in FictionMagazines.com’s online magazine, eFiction.

As chapter closes, Shimon Peres hailed by normally divided Knesset

BY BEN SALES JERUSALEM (JTA) – In the midst of a grinding war in Gaza, a sometimes near-empty Knesset gallery was packed last week for an uplifting moment: what probably was the final political act of Israel’s elder statesman.

Shimon Peres – former Israeli prime minister, defense minister, foreign minister and now former president – stood before the Knesset for the last time as a public servant on July 24, just prior to the inauguration of his successor, Reuven Rivlin.

Facing his professional home for almost all of the past six decades, Peres gave a farewell speech that traced the arc of his long career, recounting Israel’s past, defending it in its present predicament and offering hope for its future.

“We are a people that experienced unimaginable agony,” Peres said. “And we are a people that reached the lofty heights of human achievement. We made great efforts. We paid a heavy price.”

It was a toned-down ceremony due to the continuing conflict in Gaza and was an inauspicious time for Peres, 91, to be exiting the political scene.

For decades, the man who in 1994 was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for helping engineer the Israeli-Palestinian Oslo Accords has repeated over and over that peace is within reach and could be achieved in his lifetime. Yet the final months of his presidency saw the acrimonious collapse of Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations, the murder of four boys – three Israeli teenagers and a Palestinian teen – and Israel’s

bloodiest military offensive in five years.

Peres is known today as a peacemaker, but he began his career in the Defense Ministry, helping to cement a close military alliance with France in the 1950s and developing Israel’s nuclear program in the 1960s.

Following the 1967 Six-Day War, Peres advocated the settlement of the West Bank and Gaza.

“For decades, the man who in 1994 was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for helping engineer the IsraeliPalestinian Oslo Accords has repeated that peace is within reach.”

Only in the 1980s, as Labor Party leader, did Peres become the peacenik he’s known as today. And it was only after he left party politics for the presidency, in 2007, that he rose above the parliamentary rivalries and failed leadership bids that had embroiled and foiled him over the previous few decades to become the unifying figure he is today.

Peres is the phoenix of Israeli politics. From hawk to dove, from faction leader to uniter, he has ridden the wave of Israeli history and somehow stayed afloat while others fell, faded away or died. It is that history that makes Peres one of the few Israeli leaders who could deliver the speech he did last week:

at once vociferously defending Israel’s offensive in Gaza while also calling for an aggressive approach to Israeli-Palestinian peace.

“There is no place to doubt our victory,” Peres said, adding immediately: “We know that no military victory will be enough.

There is no permanent security without permanent peace. Just as there is no real peace without real security.”

In a political career that spans 55 years, Peres has never prevailed in a popular election. He became prime minister in 1984 after his party, unable to form a government, entered into a unity coalition with the Likud.

He also occupied the post briefly in 1977, after Yitzhak Rabin resigned, and in 1995, after Rabin’s assassination.

The peace treaty Peres yearns for has yet to be signed.

But whether or not peace comes in his lifetime – though in his tenth decade he still appears energetic – his starring role in so much of Israeli history has earned him a respect that transcends political divisions.

At the Knesset session on July 24, Peres received thunderous applause from a generally divided house.

The man who succeeds him, Reuven Rivlin, is in many ways Peres’ opposite. Rivlin is a lifelong Likudnik; Peres has bounced between three parties.

Rivlin wants to annex the West Bank; Peres prefers a two-state solution. Rivlin has pledged to focus his efforts on healing Israel’s internal divisions; Peres at times has acted like Israel’s

second foreign minister.

Though he is no longer a government official, Peres is unlikely to disappear. He intends to continue working for regional reconciliation at his Peres Center for Peace and he still will be a presence in the media and at international conferences.

And Peres’ story remains woven into the history of Israel – its successes, its failures, its frustrations and its resilience.

“When I return and meet the beauty and strength of the State of Israel, I find myself shedding a tear,” he said near the end of his speech. “Maybe excited slightly more than my younger friends. Because throughout my years I witnessed the entire incredible journey, and the miracles of Israel.”

July poll: Less than 4 percent of Israeli Jews believe firepower on Gaza excessive JERUSALEM (JTA) — Less than 4 percent of Israeli Jews believe that the Israel Defense Forces has used excessive firepower in Gaza, an Israeli survey found.

The survey by the Israel Democracy Institute and Tel Aviv University, part of its monthly Peace Index Poll, was carried out over three days during Israel’s current Operation Protective Edge in Gaza. The surveys were conducted on July 14, when 246 Jewish adults were surveyed; July 16-17, with 185 Jewish adults surveyed, and July 23, with 216 Jewish adults surveyed.

An average of 95 percent of Israeli Jews surveyed defined the current Gaza operation as justified, according to the survey The poll found 3 percent to 4 percent of Israeli Jews believe the IDF used excessive firepower, with up to 60 percent believing on July 23 that an appropriate level has been used.

Israeli Jews rated the government’s performance during the operation at 8.0, 6.3, and 8.0 over the course of the three surveys, with 10 being the highest rating.

The behavior of the Jewish public was rated as 8.9, 8.2, and 8.7 over the three surveys, and

the behavior of the Arab public was rated by the Israeli Jewish respondents at of 4.0, 3.4, and 3.4 over the three surveys.

The Israeli Jews surveyed disagreed with the proposal for an immediate cease-fire in order to discuss the conditions for maintaining the quiet, at 63 percent, 64 percent, and 69 percent. However, Israeli Jews supported agreeing to a ceasefire only after an agreement on the conditions for sustaining quiet is reached, at 64 percent, 60 percent, and 56 percent.

12 | August 1, 2014

COMMUNITY

The Jewish Voice

Vulnerable on the streets

BY KAREN JEFFREYS Community residents, affordable housing advocates, homeless and formerly homeless constituents came together July 25th for a candlelight vigil to spotlight the acts of violence that led to the deaths of two homeless men on the streets of Providence. The vigil was held at Cathedral Square in front of Saints Peter and Paul Cathedral in downtown Providence.

Luis Belmont, 45, died at Rhode Island Hospital March 31 of blunt head trauma after he was assaulted on Cranston Street on March 13. Milton Lyles, 68, was attacked after he intervened in a fight between two men on Broad Street in May. Lyles died in June due to the head injuries suffered from the beating.

These deaths coincide with a national report that shows these types of violent attacks are all too common around the country. The report, “Vulnerable to Hate: A Survey of Hate Crimes & Violence Committed Against the Homeless in 2013,” was released by the National Coalition for the Homeless (NCH) in June and showed that 18 percent of the reported attacks against the homeless resulted in death.

“The bottom line is, it is dangerous to be living on the streets,” explains Jim Ryczek,

New national report highlights the dangers the homeless face executive director of the Rhode Island Coalition for the Homeless. “This is the third vigil we have held this year to mark the death of a Rhode Islander experiencing homeless, who has died on the streets. The biggest tragedy is these deaths can be prevented. We know how to tackle these problems of homelessness, addiction, substance abuse – we know what to do, we have the models, yet we continue to lack the public and political will to demand that we implement and fund the solutions fully.”

The report found nationally: 109 reported attacks against the homeless in 2013; 375 homicides since 1999 (nearly triple the number of homicides as a result of bias-motivated attacks than all of the other currently hate crime protected classes combined).

The report concludes, “The hope is to instigate change and ensure protection of civil rights for everyone, regardless of their economic circumstances or housing status. NCH believes violence against the homeless is a trend that will continue to grow unless there is true accountability for crimes committed.

“Every life is worth the same,” stated Teny Gross, executive director of the Institute for the Study and Practice on Nonviolence. “Once we start saying

From left, Jim Ryczek, executive director of the Rhode Island Coalition for the Homeless and Teny Gross, executive director of the Institute for the Study & Practice of Nonviolence. that some lives are worth less than others we enter that slippery slope where those who are valued less are at increased danger. I pledge, and I ask that we all pledge, to ensuring that those who are homeless are as valued as everyone else in our communities.”

“The tragedy of these deaths is that it is not unexpected,” exclaimed John Freitas, outreach worker for the Rhode Island Homeless Advocacy Project (RIHAP). “When we dismiss

people because of their status we lose sight of them as human beings and that makes it easy to look away when something bad happens to them.”

Advocates pointed to the release of the newest homeless figures that show a decrease in the number of homeless Rhode Islanders for the first time since 2007 as evidence that we, indeed, can do better.

In February the 2013, annual statistics were released that showed a decrease by 9 percent

in the total numbers of homeless from 4,868 in 2012 to 4,447 in 2013. It also showed decreases from 2012 to 2013 for children, families and veterans entering homelessness.

The decrease has been attributed to a combination of a recovering economy and the homeless system beginning to see the benefits of programs outlined in Opening Doors Rhode Island, the state’s plan to end homelessness.

And with last year’s funding of $750,000 for rental vouchers by the legislature, 125 of the most chronic homeless are in the process of being housed.

Opening Doors Rhode Island outlines a plan that significantly transforms the provision of services to Rhode Islanders experiencing homelessness.

Consistent with the new federal plan to end homelessness, the plan seeks to sharply decrease the numbers of people experiencing homelessness and the length of time people spend homeless.

DeeDee Williams, event emcee closed the evening by saying, “everyone deserves to live and die with dignity. We are our brother’s keeper!”

KAREN JEFFREYS is with the Rhode Island Coalition for the Homeless.

August 1, 2014 |

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14 | August 1, 2014

The Jewish Voice

From A-frame to temple Yawgoog celebrates 30th anniversary of the Temple of the Ten Commandments

BY CURT ABBOTT This year marks the 30th anniversary of the dedication of the current Temple of the Ten Commandments at Yawgoog Scout Reservation. Prior to 1984, the Jewish chapel was located in a part of the camp euphemistically called “the swamp” behind the Lattner cabin. Originally an open-air chapel without a roof, an A-frame was built in 1966 by the Jewish Committee on Scouting to cover the “pulpit.”

This served the Jewish community at Yawgoog until the early 1980s. According to Jules Cohen, the former chairman of the Rhode Island Jewish Committee on Scouting, he was approached in the early 1980s

by Bob Fuller, who told him that the Jewish chapel at Yawgoog was in a terrible state and needed serious repair or replacement. Cohen then spoke to Russell Gray, who was Narragansett Council’s Vice President of Relations, and they realized that the original Rhode Island Jewish committee on Scouting had dissolved long ago and Rhode Island needed a new one.

After a building fund drive, ground was “broken” on the new Temple of the Ten Commandments located just off Tim O’Neill Field on Yawgoog. I say “broken” in quotes in that the entire chapel is above ground without a foundation. The new chapel was named for the previous chairman of the Jewish Committee on Scouting, Abe Aron, who had recently passed away, and was dedicated in the summer of 1984.

After 10 years, the Jewish Committee on Scouting realized that the chapel was too small to hold the number of Scouts and Scouters who were attending Friday evening and Sunday morning services, reinforcing the adage, “if you build it, they will come!” In 1995, in conjunction with the building of a new cabin for the resident Jewish chaplain, the chapel was expanded in length in hopes of meeting demand.

Fast-forward 19 years. With the chapel in place and a resident Jewish chaplain who is one of the five most senior staff on Yawgoog, the Jewish programming is thriving. Services are conducted daily Tuesday through Saturday; the Sunday morning “Ask the Rabbi” program draws a “standing room only” group of scouts from all religious backgrounds. Each summer, Chaplain Rabbi Sol Goodman invites Rabbi Laufer and the Chabad Shofar Factory to come to camp and allow the boys to make their own shofars.

The chapel has been used to house Webelos during inclement weather when the older Scouts and their leaders are gathered in the dining halls.

On Aug. 2, to coincide with

The Temple as it looks today. the annual Yawgoog Alumni Reunion, we will have a rededication ceremony in the chapel at 6:30 p.m. All alumni of the Temple of the Ten Commandments, either in its old location or its current location, are invited to participate. If you haven’t attended an Alumni Reunion, it’s also a good way to reconnect with camp and those

COURTESY | CURT ABBOTT

who attended camp with you.

You can register for reunion events at www.yawgoog.org/ scouting/alumni/alumni_index.html# and clicking on the registration link. There is no cost to register for the reunion.

Yawgoog Scout Reservation is a 2,000-acre Boy Scout camp located in Hope Valley, Rhode Island. Each summer, approxi-

A service in the original Temple 60 years ago. mately 6,400 scouts and leaders participate in one of the weeklong overnight camp sessions.

Depending on the year, it ranks as one of the top three (and no lower than the top 10) Scout camps in the United States.

The Temple of the Ten Com-

mandments is located just off Tim O’Neill Field, which is located on your right as you pass through the entrance gateway.

CURTIS ABBOTT is chairman of the Rhode Island Jewish Committee on Scouting.

FOOD

thejewishvoice.org

August 1, 2014 |

15

Healthy and delicious dessert ideas

BY IRINA MISSIURO imissiuro@jewishallianceri.org

ice-pop molds.

Gently pour the liquid mixture into each mold. You can reposition the fruit after you’ve poured in the liquid. Freeze for 6 hours or until frozen.

(From Catherine McCord, Parents Magazine)

Dianela Lopes, the Early Childhood Center and JCC summer camp chef, shared some of the dessert recipes she uses to make yummy treats for the lucky kids. Make these healthy summer delicacies for your young ones and enjoy the compliments and the leftovers, if there are any.

Cupcake French toast Ingredients:

8 whole wheat bread slices 5 eggs 1/4 cup half-and-half or milk 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 2 tablespoons sugar 1 teaspoon cinnamon

No-bake raspberry cheesecake pots

Makes 8 jars Total time: 25 minutes Prep time: 25 minutes Ingredients:

Directions:

Cheesecake batter

1-1/2 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, at room temperature 3 tablespoons granulated sugar 1 cup heavy cream 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice Other ingredients 8 graham crackers, ground (about 1 cup) 12 ounces fresh raspberries 1/2 cups raspberry jam 8 (8-ounce) glass jars Directions: Using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and sugar until smooth.

Reduce the mixer speed to low and gradually add the heavy cream. Increase the speed to

PHOTO | FRAN OSTENDORF

The cupcake French toast just out of the oven and ready for filling. high and beat until thick and stiff, about 2 minutes. Beat in the lemon juice.

Spoon graham cracker crumbs into the jars. Top with cheesecake batter, raspberries and jam, alternating red layers with cheesecake batter. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.

Variation: Chocolate-hazel-

nut cheesecake batter: Omit the lemon juice. Fold 1/2 cup chocolate-hazelnut spread into the cheesecake batter until fully incorporated.

(From Woman’s Day magazine)

Double fruity ice pops

Makes 6 ice pops Active time: 10 minutes Total time: 6 hours

Nikki’s Kitchen:Potato Salad

BY NIKKI HAMBURGER So now that summer is in full swing, and we are all attending barbecues and picnics, we are always asked to bring a side dish. And, of course, we never know what to bring. How about potato salad? Not everyone has mastered the art of this dish, but over the years, I’ve developed a pretty good recipe. I hope you all enjoy it.

Potato salad

6 eggs (hard boiled), diced 5 pounds red or white

potatoes, diced 1 can (2.25 oz.) sliced black olives 1/2 cup diced pickles (I prefer dill, but you can use sweet if you like them better.)

1/2 bunch green onion, sliced (whites and greens) 2 cups mayonnaise 1/8 cup mustard (Dijon or brown) 1/4 cup pickle juice Salt and pepper to taste

Method

Place diced potatoes into a pot, and then fill pot with cold

water. Place on stove on high heat, and bring to a boil. Once boiling, turn down to medium, and cook potatoes until just done (al dente) so they don’t fall apart in the salad.

Drain and cool in fridge. Once cooled down, add all other ingredients, and stir until combined. It’s that easy. Enjoy.

NIKKI HAMBURGER blogs for (401)j. She is married with a stepson and is a member of Temple Beth-El.

"Helping to better the lives of others is the greatest of all achievements" – Alan Shawn Feinstein

Ingredients:

2/3 cup water 2/3 cup apple juice Blueberries, sliced peaches or sliced strawberries

Directions:

In a bowl, mix together the water and apple juice.

Place 6 to 8 blueberries, 2 or 3 peach slices, or 2 or 3 strawberry pieces in each of 6 (2-ounce)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a shallow bowl, combine eggs, half-and-half or milk, vanilla extract, sugar and cinnamon. Dip bread slices into egg mixture, soaking thoroughly.

Spray muffin pan with nonstick spray. Gently stuff one piece of bread into each cup.

Press down to make sure they nearly touch the bottom of the pan. Place muffin pan in oven and bake for 15 minutes.

Top with your favorite fruit.

(Dianela Lopes’ recipe, inspired by Good Morning America)

16 | August 1, 2014

FOOD

The Jewish Voice

Dianela Lopes focuses on nutrition Alliance JCC ECC and J-Camp chef is winning over young eaters

BY IRINA MISSIURO imissiuro@jewishallianceri.org Dianela Lopes always dreamed of becoming a chef. That dream encountered some obstacles, but on March 27, Lopes became chef for the preschoolers at the Alliance JCC Early Childhood Center (ECC). She said that she learned her craft by watching and cooking alongside her mom, the same way her teenage daughter Isabelle became proficient in the kitchen. Now that Lopes is busy with her new job, Isabelle regularly prepares dinner for her father, Lopes’ husband Marcelino.

When Lopes was in high school, she wasn’t content with merely cooking for family members. What she really wanted was to attend Johnson & Wales University and learn how to advance her skills to a professional level. Unfortunately, the plan had to be shelved due to fi nancial constraints. Instead, Lopes found work as a clerk for Citizens Bank. When, 17 years later, she was laid off, she knew it was now or never. On a friend’s recommendation, she decided to apply to the Community Kitchen, a Rhode Island Community Food Bank program.

Her luck changed after she impressed the interviewer, also a

Dianela Lopes shows young campers cupcake French toast. past Citizens employee. Lopes was accepted into the program, where she learned about nutrition and acquired useful cooking and life skills.

She credits the experience with increasing her motivation

and self-esteem. Attending the classes made her realize she “could do whatever I wanted to do if I put my mind to it.” That attitude came in handy during her training period when she – along with 12 co-chefs – cooked

PHOTO | FRAN OSTENDORF

for 500 kids daily at one of the area Boys & Girls Clubs. This way of thinking also helped when she worked at Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island; the job prepared her for the duties she handles at the

JCC, where she’s responsible for breakfast and lunch for 35 campers and 40 preschoolers.

While breakfast consists mostly of fruit, lunches are warm meals (every day except Thursday – field trip and sandwich day). The menu, designed by the previous chef Georgina Sarpong, is quite diverse. Lopes prepares healthy and delicious dairy meals each day. A typical lunch may consist of pizza, veggie nuggets or a pasta bar.

Lopes likes to change things up by offering breakfast for lunch or a new veggie such as roasted butternut squash. Some experiments are more successful than others, but the method of trial and error has worked well enough to identify winning foods and defi nite no-no’s in the eyes of the children. For instance, steamed carrots and veggie burgers weren’t big hits with the preschool and camp crowd. Instead, they prefer cheddar, corn and veggie-crumbles quesadillas, macaroni and cheese and grilled cheese sandwiches.

Lopes isn’t giving up on the healthy foods that kids claim to dislike, though. She fi nds tricky ways to incorporate nutritious ingredients into dishes. For

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FOOD

thejewishvoice.org

PHOTO | FRAN OSTENDORF

A young camper tastes the finished product.

FROM PAGE 16

NUTRITION

instance, she’s been known to puree white beans, which then hide in a recipe unnoticed. In addition to sweet yet wholesome fruit-and-veggie smoothies, Lopes suggests parents consider including chickpeas in cook-

ie recipes, something she does for staff meetings. For kids, the desserts are even healthier.

They mostly consist of a variety of fruits (grapes, blueberries, strawberries, pineapple and cantaloupe) and vanilla yogurt.

August 1, 2014 |

August is ‘Kids Eat Right’ Month: nutrition tips for families

To offer an enticing yet healthy dessert, Lopes often opts for parfaits, which she prepares by layering cooked blueberries and yogurt in see-through containers.

A great proponent of good nutrition, Lopes plans to introduce other vegetables to the kids’ diet. So far, the assortment includes salad, corn, peas and carrots. She’d like to add red peppers, which – Lopes says – have more vitamins than oranges. She thinks she can stand up to the challenge of teaching the children to be open to new foods since they will often enjoy certain meals at school that they won’t touch at home. A child’s mother recently stopped Lopes in a hallway to ask for her yellow rice recipe, a dish she serves along with falafel. Apparently, the woman’s daughter told her parents that that’s the only rice she will eat.

Such appreciation makes Lopes feel great about her efforts. In addition to the pleasure of seeing empty plates, she gets tremendous satisfaction out of conducting cooking classes with the kids. During the last class, the children made ice pops out of apple juice and fruit, no-bake raspberry cheesecake and fruit-fi lled French toast cups topped with whipped cream. Lopes also made some cupcakes, which the kids loved to decorate.

She’s looking forward to teaching more classes, tweaking the menu and putting a personal touch on the dishes.

STATEPOINT – With childhood obesity on the rise, making sure kids eat right and get plenty of exercise is vital.

Parents and caregivers can play a big role in children’s nutrition and health, teaching kids about healthy foods, and making sure physical activity is incorporated into each day.

August, which is Kids Eat Right Month, is a great time for families to focus on healthy eating. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics is encouraging families to take the following steps: • Shop Smart. To encourage a healthy lifestyle, get your children involved in selecting the food that will appear at the breakfast, lunch or dinner table.

• Cook Healthy. Involve your child in the cutting, mixing and preparation of meals.

They will learn about food and may even be enticed to try new foods they helped prepare.

• Eat Right. Sit down together as a family to enjoy a meal. Research indicates that families who eat together have a stronger bond, and children have higher self-confidence and perform better in school.

• Healthy Habits. You can help kids form great, healthy habits by setting an example.

Fill half your plate with fruits and vegetables, choose lowersodium options, and make at least half the grains your fam-

ily eats whole grains. For beverages, choose water over sugary drinks, and opt for fat-free or low-fat milk.

• Get Moving. Regular physical activity is vital to strengthen muscle and bones, promote a healthy body weight, support learning, develop social skills and build self-esteem. Kids are encouraged to be active for 60 minutes per day.

Getting kids to eat right can sometimes be a challenge; “talk to your children, learn the foods they like, teach them about the foods they need for their growing bodies. Find ways together to make sure they have the knowledge and ability to eat healthy and tasty foods at every meal,” says Angela Lemond, registered dietitian nutritionist and Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics spokesperson.

It may help to consult a registered dietitian nutritionist in your area to ensure your family is getting the nutrients it needs with a meal plan tailored to your lifestyle and busy schedule.

This August, reevaluate your family’s eating and exercise habits, and take steps to make positive changes.

For more healthful eating tips, recipes, videos and to learn more about Kids Eat Right Month, visit www.KidsEatRight.org.

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18 | August 1, 2014

ISRAEL

The Jewish Voice

THREE EMISSARIES: THREE VIEWS Israel on my mind

Thoughts from Israel A message from Gilor Meshulam, our incoming Israeli shaliach (emissary). He will be joining our community the end of August.

I was called for active duty and to give my share in the war effort.

I hope that we will achieve our goals soon and take another step toward freedom for the people of Israel and the people of Gaza.

In my reserve battalion and almost in every reserve battalion that was activated, there is a 150 percent chance to be called for duty. There are many volunteers, like myself. Everyone wants to give their share to protect Israel and the Jewish people.

Each time I stand before a thing like this, it makes me face a huge inner conflict. I’m not happy to face this kind of decision; no one is happy to risk something so big, valuable and simply priceless, but it’s like fighting someone who attacks you when you’re cornered or a mother who feels that her baby is threatened.

I went to Sean Carmeli’s funeral in Haifa, the lone soldier from Texas, and it was simply AMAZING. Sadly, I’ve been in too many military funerals, but never have I seen so many people come to share last respects to the family and the soldier.

I just stood there and, while crying like a baby, I thought to myself, we’re simply invincible.

No one can stand against our unity in times like this. More than 20,000 people coming from Eilat, which is a six-hour drive to Haifa, from Ashkelon, Jeru-

Gilor Meshulam salem and probably from many other places across the nation.

The thing that made me feel like I’m truly invincible is going out of my Israeli bubble. As you probably noticed already, Israelis tend to think they know best, and anyone who doesn’t agree “isn’t aware of the situation” or “doesn’t know the full picture.”

In the last few days I’ve seen so many Jewish people, from all over the world showing concern to the situation here, it simply made me understand the unbreakable connection among us.

It’s because of people like this that gives me the inner strength to fight for something that we took for granted – freedom, and simply living (and loving).

For real – don’t think anyone is a “hero” or something like that.

I’m sure you’d do the same thing.

With a prayer for our soldiers, fighting for a better future, Gilor

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BY MATAN GRAFF The past few weeks have been really hard for me. I thought I got used to being away from home, but apparently I was wrong.

A few days before “Operation Protective Edge” (I don’t know why it’s called an operation; it is definitely a war) started, I flew to the West Coast to travel.

Since the first rocket was shot, I have followed the news daily. Although my close family lives in the northern part of Israel, some family and friends do live within missile range. It is not easy to be away from home when the people you care for needed – and still need – to run to a bomb shelter a few times a day.

It is even harder to know that my friends got called back to the army. I pray that our soldiers

will return safely to their homes.

Throughout my trip, I have tried to support my country in many ways. I even thought I might go back home and help.

I decided to do something that, in my opinion, is as important.

Almost every day, I meet people from all over the world. They all listen to the news (that can be very biased sometimes), and they don’t get the whole picture.

They get false information. I try to explain what’s really going on in Israel and show them videos or articles about the situation. I think that all of us here abroad should do so. Nobody else will do it for us.

I’m full of hope that this terrible situation will end as soon as possible and all of us in Israel can live our lives normally.

Matan Graff I would like to thank our community for its support in Israel.

MATAN GRAFF just completed two years as the Israeli shaliach (emissary) for the Jewish Alliance.

Meaningful work in Providence

BY THE VOICE STAFF The Alliance welcomed a familiar face from Israel this summer with the return of Maor Mintz, the camp shaliach (emissary). Maor, who is 25, lives on Kibbutz Holit in the Eshkol region, within sight of the Gaza border.

He decided to move to this kibbutz after completing his military service and serving in his first year here as the camp shaliach. He felt his time working with the camp was fulfilling and wanted to continue doing something meaningful. The kibbutz had dwindling numbers of residents at the time with very limited resources for the residents. Now, it is flourishing. The children have playgrounds and flowers are blooming.

In December, there is a festival for a month called, “Derom Adom” or “Red South.” Because

Maor Mintz of the work and passion from Maor and his friends, life in the kibbutz is better. When he first arrived at the kibbutz, there were few rockets, but gradually, their numbers have increased.

“Where I live, you don’t always hear the whole whistle before you hear the whole bang,” Maor told Alliance staff members at a meeting as well as those in attendance at the Solidarity Rally. He

says constantly that he’s proud and happy to be working with the kids at camp here, but often thinks about those at home.

“Our lives are very tense, but we know we need to get through it,” he says. “We know we need to be strong.”

Maor grew up in Rishon LeZion, and his parents are still there. There isn’t a shelter in his parent’s apartment so, instead, they move to the stairwell in their building. Maor explained that although no one wishes for the sirens, the family has enjoyed socializing with their neighbors.

His reserve unit has been called back. But his commander told him to stay in the U.S. because his work here is important and meaningful. “I’m staying here and advocating for us,” he says. “We can pass on the truth, the whole picture, the facts.”

MAKE A DIFFERENCE! Rhode Island area schools seek part-time Hebrew and/or Judaica teachers, as well as music specialists for the 2014/15 school year.

For more information contact Larry Katz at the Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island at 401.421.4111 ext. 179 or lkatz@jewishallianceri.org.

ISRAEL

thejewishvoice.org

August 1, 2014 |

19

COURTESY | NITZA ATTALI

Participants in Yehuda’s Birthright trip.

COURTESY | YEHUDA FISHHAUT

Reflections on a recent Birthright trip Yehuda Fishhaut, originally from Beit Shemesh, has been living in Providence since April 2013. He teaches a Hebrew and a Unity Diversity class on the Israeli Palestinian Confl ict at The Wheeler School and Hebrew at Temple Emanu-El’s Hebrew school. Yehuda was one of two counselors who staffed a Birthright trip in July. Some of his thoughts and reflections from the trip: f you want to talk about changes being made because of the current situation, let’s start from before we even left JFK. I received endless phone calls and emails from parents concerning their child’s safety. When I arrived at the airport, I was shocked only 16 of 40 participants showed up. Once we landed in Israel,

“I

my group merged with another group because only 29 of their 40 participants came. We ended up being a group of 45 participants, 7 soldiers, 4 staff members, a tour guide and medic/ security guard. Our itinerary changed almost every day. Every move we made had to be confi rmed with the security office. The fi rst thing we did when arriving to a museum or hotel was show the group where the bomb shelter was and tell them how many seconds they have in order to reach it before a rocket may land if it wasn’t intercepted by the amazing Iron Dome.”

“I

think the participants that ended up coming on the trip are very brave. Being on the trip during a war connected them to the

12th Annual

land and the people in a very deep way. Wherever we went, Israelis told the participants how grateful they are that people from abroad are coming to Israel and showing their support despite the situation.” e had moments of silence on the bus for the soldiers and the wounded almost every day. Personally, my trip had a turning point when I was notified that an officer of mine, 38-year-old Dolev Kieder, father of three was killed in battle.

I left for the night to share my respect and honor to my officer. Tens of thousands of people came to his funeral to be a part of his last moments with us before he was buried.”

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20 | August 1, 2014

ISRAEL

The Jewish Voice

Making a difference in our own backyard and around the world

BY TRINE LUSTIG tlustig@jewishallianceri.org I have traveled to Israel more than 30 times to visit my parents who live there, but my recent mission to Greece and Israel was the most powerful trip I have ever experienced.

Mitzi Berkelhammer, Alliance campaign chair, and I traveled to Greece and Israel with the Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA) Campaign Chairs and Directors Mission to see fi rsthand how our dollars make an impact on Jewish communities overseas. Little did we know that we would be joining Israel in solidarity during such a time of crisis.

By the time we landed in Tel Aviv, rockets had already begun their assault from Gaza. It was unnerving and alarming to land at Ben Gurion airport after midnight and begin our journey with an emergency drill to get off the bus in under 60 seconds and lie on the ground in case of attack.

Before arriving in Israel, our group of 120 professionals and lay leaders spent three days in Athens and Thessaloniki, Greece, visiting a Jewish community that has grown from the absolute destruction of the Holocaust to a strong, tightknit group of 5,000 today. In 2011, the economic downfall struck Greece, and especially the Jewish community, hard.

It was difficult for this proud, self-sufficient community to turn to Jews from around the world to ask for help. But with over 60 percent unemployment among young people and real estate losing most of its value, the community had no choice.

And we responded. The Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island, along with the JFNA, through our partnership with the Jewish Agency and the Joint Distribution Committee (JDC) began to provide security for Greek Jewish institutions, teachers for their schools, scholarships, aliyah assistance, an Israeli emissary, Israeli counselors for camp and more.

On our way to visit the Jewish day school in Athens, Mitzi and I wondered why we should be concerned with a struggling day school in Greece. After all, our own Jewish Community Day School has had plenty of challenges. When we arrived at the school, we were stunned to discover that every one of the 150 students and teachers had returned from summer break to greet us and thank us for supporting the community.

It turns out that this is not just a day school – it is the heart and lifeblood of the Jewish community. It serves as a family gathering place, fitness club and recreation center. With anti-Semitism on the rise, one of the alumni we met said “school was a safe place, where no one was judging us, and we were all the same.” In May, the ADL published a list of

the most anti-Semitic countries in Europe: Greece was number one. The study said that 69 percent of the Greek population espoused anti-Semitic views, which is the same level as Saudi Arabia and higher than France (at 37 percent). Since the school opened in 1960, more than 1,000 kids have graduated, and 75 percent of the Jewish community has attended. They call it the “jewel of the community.”

Joanna, president of the school board, told us that the school is the institution that ties everything together, and she doubted whether the community could have survived had the school closed.

Before departing for Israel, we became aware that the situation there had escalated and that rockets had been fi red. A few people decided to return home, but the majority of our group was eager to show our solidarity. Our scholar in residence, Rabbi Lerner, thoughtfully remarked that we were not just tourists traveling to Israel, but pilgrims.

On the fi rst day, the sirens went off at 8 a.m., and we ran to the bomb shelter in the hotel. There we were, in our bathrobes with wet hair, wondering if the Iron Dome would protect us. Little children huddled around us, shaken by the loud noise. During the four days we spent in Israel, we entered the shelter three times. Each time was easier as our confidence in the Iron Dome grew, but there was an unease surrounding us.

We met with a panel of people from the south, where civilians only have 15 seconds to get to the shelters. We met a woman named Dahlia, who is director of the JDC Center for Independent Living in Beer Sheva, a nonprofit serving people with disabilities. She told us that life has been unimaginable for the 3,000 Jews and Bedouins she serves, and that people are sleeping on the floor of the center because they can’t afford to build shelters in their own homes or simply cannot get to safety in time. Some are even staying in her house.

Even in Jerusalem the sirens rang out. My niece Lily, told us over Shabbat lunch that on a recent camp field trip the bus pulled over during an attack and the children were forced to get off and lie down on the highway for 10 minutes. The little ones were hysterically crying.

Unfortunately this now happens daily.

The most poignant moment of the trip was meeting the parents of Gilad Shaar, who was kidnapped and killed just a few weeks ago. His father expressed gratitude for the support he received from Jews and non-Jews all over the world and hoped that this tragedy would bring more tolerance and understanding. He told the silently weeping crowd, “Our children in their death have left us a testament to keep the Jewish spirit in the heart of the Jewish peo-

PHOTOS | TRINE LUSTIG

Mitzi Berkelhammer with students at the Jewish Day School in Athens

Trine Lustig and Mitzi Berkelhammer with Allie Robio (center), native Rhode Islander and student at URI, who is on a summer internship program in Jerusalem, sponsored by the Jewish Agency for Israel called “Masa.”.She helped us kick off the Rhode Island “Stop the Sirens” Campaign. ple. Am Yisrael discovered once again their inner strength as we joined together as a nation.”

As we flew out of Israel amid reports that Hamas was targeting the airport, I realized that we were not tourists, and no longer pilgrims, but had become activists. We left understanding more than ever, that when our family in Israel or Greece or anywhere else in the world is in need, we must be there for them. Even when times are hard in Rhode Island, it is our duty to help save lives, souls and spirits in our own backyard and around the globe.

TRINE LUSTIG is vice president of philanthropy at the Jewish Alliance. She can be reached at 401-421-4111, ext. 223

Tova Adler, Holocaust survivor and resident at Amigour, a subsidiary of the Jewish Agency and Israel’s leading sheltered housing company for disadvantaged seniors, is one of 7,500 elderly living in subsidized facilities

ISRAEL

thejewishvoice.org

August 1, 2014 |

21

Afula-Gilboa helps families by opening shelters

BY ELANAH CHASSEN The Afula-Gilboa region of Israel is partnered with the Jewish Alliance through the Partnership Together Program of the Jewish Agency for Israel.

This partnership continues to build “living bridges” between our communities through funding opportunities and peer-topeer programs.

Our contacts in the AfulaGilboa region have kept us up to date on their efforts.

The Afula-Gilboa municipalities are working hand in hand, hosting youth groups and families from Kfar Aza, a kibbutz in the southern part of Israel just three miles from Gaza. The youth groups and families are staying at kibbutzim, the WIZO Nir HaEmek boarding school in Afula and even at some residents’ homes.

Simcha Pe’er, the principal of the Nir HaEmek high school, has been teaching the summer Ulpan in Providence off and on for the past 15 years. She described hosting as a complicated operation and that needs help at every turn. According to Pe’er, companies donate sweets, drinks, snacks, cakes and so forth. The young community also puts together activities such as sing-alongs and arts and crafts for the children. “It’s touching seeing everyone work together,” Pe’er said.

Gilboa Community Center has also been host to youth groups and families. Sivan Goldman, director of the center, echoed Pe’er’s feeling, that seeing everyone come together and help shows the warmth people have for others.

The Gevatron singing group performed for the families from the south and their hosts. Packages of cakes, goodies, socks, shampoo, etc., were collected

Gilboa day camp kids with packages of food and letters for soldiers.

and sent to the units on the front line. The kids in third and fourth grade at Gilboa day camp chose as the camp’s closing activity to organize packages and write letters to the soldiers.

Farmers from the area and additional areas contributed fruit for the families they’re hosting. They received so many crates they didn’t know what to do. Late Friday afternoon, they decided to send them to the soldiers. Three men from Kfar Yehezkel offered to load the fruit in their cars and deliver them to a unit whose commander is a Gilboa resident (this was a three-hour drive in each direction.) At 10 p.m. Friday, the three men sent Goldman pictures of the unloaded crates in the unit with a message that the mission has been completed.

Since the young children have been in Gilboa since the beginning of July, their mothers asked if they could join kindergartens. The children have joined educational frameworks in kibbutz Ramat David.

The upcoming weeks present a big question mark. Most recently, the Gilboa Community Center has been asked to host three more youth groups which

PHOTOS | SIVAN GOLDMAN

they’re preparing for now.

Goldman also spoke about her family living down south, “On a personal level I can tell you that my family lives in the south. It took me a few days to convince them to come for a few hours of quiet. They came for the weekend and had a wonderful time but insisted on going home. I fi nd what we are doing is very important and see it as a mission to fi nd a solution for every family or group who wants to come.”

ELANAH CHASSEN is education and planning associate for the Jewish Alliance.

Gilboa day camp kids organize packages and letters for soldiers.

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ISRAEL

The Jewish Voice

Members of the community listen as Maor Mintz describes the situation near his kibbutz.

FROM PAGE 1

PHOTOS | FRAN OSTENDORF

SOLIDARITY

We hope you will continue. The battle is also being fought in the arena of public opinion.”

Jeffrey Savit, president and CEO of the Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island, offered the following words.

“Tonight, with great pride, I stand with you – the Rhode Island Jewish community – in solidarity with the people of Israel. We stand together to support Israel’s right to defend her citizens – enabling them to live with safety and protection, without fear of terrorism. And this goes for all of our children, parents, friends and loved ones who are currently in Israel. No nation should endure nonstop, indiscriminate rocket fire and deadly tunnel assaults.

“And as Rabbi Menachim Creditor so brilliantly wrote in this past Monday’s Huffington Post, neither he, nor any of us, need to apologize for Israel.

“We must also recognize the

utter tragedy of all the innocent victims of Hamas terrorism, whether Jewish or Palestinian. A ceasefire must emerge, and I pray that peace and stability come immediately, without any further bloodshed and death. Long-term solutions for peaceful co-existence must also quickly emerge, if stability is to be restored and maintained.

“In Israel, the Hebrew word az’aka, which means warning or alarm, is all-too prevalent.

As I quote from a headline from Haaretz earlier this week, ‘once it was the wail of Mordecai discovering that Haman meant to kill all the Jews. Now it’s the siren warning of a Hamas rocket.’ My friends, the sirens must stop! In conjunction with the Jewish Federations of North America, the Alliance has launched an emergency campaign for humanitarian relief. “… I am overwhelmed by your generosity and assistance for our brothers and sisters in Israel. 100 percent of our dollars raised in the Stop the Sirens Campaign are being used to provide medical care, expanded trauma support, and flexible assistance for 13 Israeli municipalities hit hardest by the conflict. Our dollars are feeding the elderly and the nation’s most vulnerable, providing them with necessary medicines, transportation, and emotional support. We are helping to place children from the south in safe spaces, out of harm’s way and are providing food and activities for those that remain in shelters. At the conclusion of our Rally in about five minutes, please consider donating to our Stop the Sirens effort, and let’s double our existing numbers!!!

You could do so via the Alliance website, your smartphone by scanning your program bar code, by personal check, or by swiping your credit cards at our designated table before you exit the facility.

“Financial and emotional support, pledges and solidarity rallies, prayers for peace and unified support amongst diverse thinking Jewish community members. ... This is

The campaign continues The Stop the Sirens campaign has been extended.

You can still donate to the fund-raising effort, started by the Jewish Federations of North America, and supported by the Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island. Donations go to help the people of Southern Israel and 100 percent of funds collected will be sent directly to our trusted overseas partners on the ground such as the American Joint Distribution Committee (JDC), World ORT and the Jewish Agency for Israel (JAFI).Your donation will assist with the following: Accommodating families in the line of fire with temporary housing; delivering blankets, flashlights, and first aid kits for the elderly; providing critical trauma care for victims of terror attacks; aetting up safe places for children away from daily rocket attacks; and for many more needs as they come in by the hour. what American Jewry and our Rhode Island Jewish community does well. I thank and applaud each of you.

“I want to conclude by sharing an email written yesterday to Larry Katz by our incoming Israeli emissary, Gilor Meshulam. Gilor wrote: I wanted to update you that I was called for active duty and to give my share in the war effort. I know that we will achieve our goals soon and take another step towards peace for the people of Israel and the people of Gaza. ...

I hope all is well with you during these troubled times for the Jewish people. With a prayer for our soldiers, fighting for a better future, Gilor.

“As you serve in Gaza, God bless you, Gilor, and all your fellow countrymen. We support you all from the bottom of our hearts, and join you in hope for a better, peaceful future.”

ISRAEL

thejewishvoice.org

You can write letters to IDF soldiers

BY ELANAH CHASSEN echassen@jewishallianceri.org There are countless efforts taking place around the world to support Israel and the IDF. I’ve personally been having a difficult time during this situation and feeling rather helpless.

With many thanks to Gilor Meshulam, our incoming Israeli shaliach (emissary) my feelings have altered, and I now know my support and actions can make a difference.

Gilor started an initiative while in the shlichim training course. He rallied the shlichim and others who were interested to send packages to soldiers.

While doing so, he thought members of the Alliance might also be interested in writing letters. The plan was to email letters to Gilor, and he would deliver them to the soldiers. Since Gilor was called to serve in active duty with his unit, I’m now coordinating this effort with another shaliach. Gilor has recently been released of duty in order to prepare for his arrival in Rhode Island at the end of August.

The first batch of more than 80 letters and pictures has been mailed. If you’d like to take part in writing a letter to a soldier, email it to me at EChassen@ JewishAllianceRI.org. If you’d like to send a handwritten letter, I’ll be collecting and sending another batch. Please leave them at the front desk of the Dwares JCC, 401 Elmgrove Ave., Providence. These letters can be of any length, size, color and can even include a photo of you.

Examples of some of the letters that were sent to the soldiers.

As Gilor said, “For a soldier, getting a letter of support from Jewish people (and not necessarily Israeli) is a very strong and strengthening experience – knowing he has another home

front away from Israel.”

ELANAH CHASSEN is education and planning associate at the Jewish Alliance.

Before your child spends 826,000 minutes in school, spend 60 minutes to make sure it’s the right one.

The 1,620 days your child spends from kindergarten through eighth grade could be 826,000 minutes of frustrating drudgery – or of exciting growth and achievement. It depends on which school you choose.

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August 1, 2014 |

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BACK TO SCHOOL

The Jewish Voice

Nearly lost Yiddish language increasingly popular among Jewish college students

BY ROBERT GLUCK JNS.org Those who try to get in touch with their Ashkenazi Jewish heritage by studying Yiddish at the college level face challenges that can be outweighed by the nachas (pride or pleasure) of rediscovering the nearly lost language.

“The most exciting thing about learning Yiddish is that it opens the door to the fascinating world of Yiddish culture that has flourished for over a thousand years and awaits explorers, researchers, translators and educators,” Agi Legutko, director of the Yiddish language program in the department of Germanic languages at Columbia University in New York, tells JNS. org.

Many American colleges, such as Columbia, the University of Maryland and New York University (NYU), to name a few, have Yiddish programs. Colleges in Rhode Island do not have these programs. The language, which today is most commonly spoken by Jews whose ancestors hail from central and Eastern Europe, was spoken by about 13 million people before the devastation of the Holocaust.

Yiddish’s origins date back to the 11th century, when Jews settled in German-speaking lands. They came to speak a language that fused elements from German dialects with Hebrew-influenced Aramaic and Romance languages. With the eastward migration of

PHOTO | AVISHAI TEICHER VIA WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

A statue of famed Yiddish writer Sholem Aleichem in Netanya, Israel.

Jews during the Middle Ages, Yiddish was transplanted onto Slavic soil, adding Slavic to the mix of languages that shaped the structure and form of Yiddish.

For many centuries, Yiddish defi ned Jewish existence in central and eastern Europe, and also in in New World countries to which Jews immi-

grated. It was the language not only of the home, but also of a rich literary culture, which, as Yiddish itself, combined Jewish motifs and content with European form.

Classics of Yiddish literature include the works of Sholem Aleichem (the pen name of Sholem Rabinowitz, 1859-1916), whose stories on the protago-

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nist Tevye the Dairyman are known to a general audience as the basis for the musical “Fiddler on the Roof,” and Isaac Bashevis Singer (19041991), who became the only Yiddish writer to receive the Nobel Prize for Literature, in 1978.

The most challenging aspect of studying Yiddish is overcoming stereotypes, Legutko believes.

“Many students come to class with preconceived notions about Yiddish, such as it’s not a real language; it’s a dialect; it doesn’t have grammar; it’s a language of jokes and curses,” she says.

“It’s a full-fledged language, and I place a lot of emphasis on grammar in my teaching, so the students are often surprised that they have to learn grammatical rules and concepts that are entirely foreign to English speakers, such as dative and accusative cases, or to memorize lists of irregular past participle forms of verbs.”

Another challenge students encounter, says Legutko, is that the language taught in academia is standard Yiddish, the so-called klal shprakh (an equivalent of Received Pronunciation, or Queen’s English in Great Britain), which was created by the YIVO Institute for Jewish Research prior to World War II and is a variety that almost none of the Yiddish speakers hailing from Europe uses.

“The students trying to communicate in Yiddish with the native speakers often encounter some sort of resistance such as, ‘No, this is not how you say it,’ which may be discouraging,” Legutko says.

“But the nachas of Yiddish is greater than these challenges.”

Born and raised in Kraków, Poland, Legutko didn’t know she was Jewish until she was 23. By then, she was already deeply submerged in Jewish culture and history, working as an English-speaking tour guide to Kazimierz, the former Jewish quarter of Kraków and a town which boasts more than 700 years of Jewish history.

“I was fascinated with Jewish traditions and religion, loved reading Singer, and only then found out about my Jewish roots. … Talk about genetic memory. I started learning Yiddish in order to read Singer in the original, but also as a way of going back to my roots,” Legutko says.

Unlike Legutko, Gennady Estraikh, the Rauch Associate Professor of Yiddish Studies at NYU, grew up speaking Yiddish. “I grew up in a Yiddish-speaking family in Ukraine, worked as managing editor of the Moscow Yiddish literary monthly “Sovetish Heymland,” and my Oxford doctoral dissertation was on Yiddish,” Estraikh tells JNS. org. “I teach almost exclusive-

ly graduate students. I try to equip them for their research.

It is important to teach the cultural/historical context as well. When students study the language, they fi nd grammar most challenging. Unfortunately, the majority of American students have problems with such things.”

Adi Mahalel, a Yiddish instructor at The Joseph and Rebecca Meyerhoff Center for Jewish Studies at the University of Maryland, did not grow up with Yiddish, but went on to study the language as an undergraduate at the University of Haifa and at Columbia.

He completed his Ph.D. on the Yiddish/Hebrew writer Il Peretz.

Originally, Mahalel studied Yiddish because he wanted to read authors Aleichem and Singer in the language, but his quest turned into more than that. “I got interested in all aspects of Yiddish culture,” Mahalel says. “When I teach Yiddish, one of the highlights is that it is very fluid. It absorbed many influences over the centuries. In the past, it was the language of the home. In the present, it is the language of certain Jewish groups. The old stereotype is incorrect. Saying it is only the language of the home is an immigrant mentality. In practice, this is not true.

Yiddish is the language of the whole Jewish national identity it was created around.”

Legutko says students no longer struggle to fi nd opportunities for the practical use of Yiddish. “It’s true that there is no country where you can go to have a full submersion in the language, but with the Internet and new Yiddish initiatives underway, there are many opportunities to practice the language,” she says. “I teach Yiddish in New York, so my task is easier – there are a great number of leynkrayzn, reading circles, [and] svives, hangouts, as well as lots of possibilities to interact with secular Yiddish speakers, or Yiddish native speakers residing in Hassidic neighborhoods of Borough Park or Williamsburg, though being a male gives you advantage in that context.”

There are also many opportunities to practice Yiddish online, notes Legutko, such as courses offered by learnyiddishlive.com or the Yiddish Book Center. Also, Columbia is preparing an online database of Yiddish learning opportunities.

Estraikh believes studying Yiddish “is the same as to learn any other language, unless the student fi nds in Yiddish an ideological reasoning for something.”

“Yiddish is an excellent key to academic research, and those who have this key use it,” says the NYU professor.

BACK TO SCHOOL

thejewishvoice.org

August 1, 2014 |

Investing in our children’s health and wellness

BY MICHELLE CICCHITELLI mcicchitelli@jewishallianceri.org

As the obesity epidemic continues to plague our society, The Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island is taking a stance in teaching our children about health and wellness. This year, both the Alliance JCC Early Childhood Center (ECC) and our J-Space After-School programming will integrate the nationally acclaimed CATCH curriculum into the school and extended day.

CATCH, which stands for Coordinated Approach To Children’s Health, aims to “transform schools and afterschool centers into healthpromoting environments.”

The core elements of CATCH include: physical activity programming, nutrition and other health-related education, and healthier food choices for preschool to middle schoolaged children.” Taking it one step further, the JCCA (Jewish Community Centers of North America) has adapted this curriculum specifically for children ages 3-5 years old. Referred to as Discover CATCH: Early Childhood, this program incorporates all the elements of the original curriculum, yet all done through a Jewish lens. The hope is that we will help create good habits while

children are young, rather than working to change bad habits later in life.

Each day, children will be exposed to a minimum of 25 minutes of MVPA (moderate to vigorous physical activity), which focuses on a “warm-up and cool-down, cardio-respiratory fitness, muscular strength and endurance, flexibility and motor development movements.”

ECC students will have the opportunity to go to the gym to participate in appropriate activities multiple times a week lead by our fitness staff. The nutrition portion of this program offers age-appropriate information such as how to recognize “go” (healthy) foods and “woah” (unhealthy) foods, and provides tools to help families continue to live a healthy lifestyle at home.

Gardening is an added aspect that we are implementing within this curriculum, and to complement the program, we are working to create a building-wide garden. Children are much more apt to trying new fruits and vegetables when they had a part of growing them. We have already begun to grow some vegetables in our plot in the Sessions Street Community Garden and in the courtyard by the fitness entrance, allowing the children attending J-Camp to sample

PHOTOS | DANA COHEN

This is the garden in the courtyard by the fitness center. different recipes made with Swiss chard. We hope to be able to provide our chef with fresh food for children to enjoy at lunch on a regular basis.

A few staff members have already been trained in the execution and delivery of this

What can my kids do after school this fall?

When I am out in the community at events or just around town, I get asked tons of questions.

I am always making connections and helping people find meaningASK ful programs WENDY to attend, connecting them to services WENDY they may need JOERING and telling them where to find great food.

So, after a hiatus, Ask Wendy is back! One question I am often asked is – what’s new at ‘The J’?

Where do I begin – the Dwares JCC has so many wonderful programs going on that I thought I would give you a sneak peek at what will be going on for kids of all ages this fall!!

J-Space, our after-school program, has been a valuable offering for many years. This fall, it is going to be even better.

Upon arrival (anytime between 2:45 and 4:15 p.m., depending on when different schools let out), kids will be given a healthy snack while having some quiet time to do homework and participate in the education centers.

After that, each afternoon will be broken up into two 45-minute sessions. One session will

implement CATCH, coordinated approach to children’s health, a national wellness program teaching children about nutrition and exercise. The CATCH program will provide moderate to vigorous exercise activity instructed by our fitness professionals and trained staff. This will take place four days either outside or in the gym. On the fi fth day, the children will have the opportunity to swim. The other 45-minute session will ro-

tate between a focused project or art exploration incorporating a variety of art mediums, all based on monthly themes.

Some examples include cooking, science experiments, singing, drama and more. There will also be special guests brought in from time to time based on the monthly theme. J-Space is now also available for children in pre-kindergarten, ages 4 and up.

A few other added perks of JSpace this year include transportation, for a nominal fee, from local schools if it is not provided through your bus

company, as well as extended transition care hours. If your child wants to take a 4 p.m. or 5 p.m. enrichment class, your child can be at J-Space, working on homework, having a snack, participating in the activities offered and chaperoned to the class at the correct time.

Some of the enrichment classes that will be offered this fall are pottery (a personal favorite of my family), drama classes taught by instructors from the Wilbur Theater, chess, Dungeons and Dragons, Feasts and Fairytales (Jewish fairytales and traditional Jewish cooking), swim lessons, dance classes and more.

For the little tots, ages 3-5, some new additions will include little chefs, dance class and sign language, as well as some of our popular regular programs like RI new moms groups and Rock a Baby.

For more information about all of these fabulous programs, check out the fall guide at jewishallianceri.org or contact Michelle Cicchitelli at mcicchitelli@jewishallianceri.org or 401-421-4111 ext. 178.

Do you have a question for Wendy? Please email her at wjoering@jewishallianceri.org or 401-421-4111 ext. 169.

WENDY JOERING is community concierge at the Jewish Alliance.

program, and the rest of the staff will be trained just prior to the school year beginning.

MICHELLE CICCHITELLI is director of Jewish Life at the Jewish Alliance.

ECC gets Quality Improvement Grant

BY THE VOICE STAFF In July, the Alliance JCC Early Childhood Center (ECC) received a Quality Improvement Grant from the Center for Early Learning Professionals at the Education Development Center (EDC). The Center for Early Learning Professionals is a Rhode Island organization that supports programs for children up to age 5. The organization provides various services, including Quality Improvement Grants.

According to the qualifications for the Quality Improvement Grant, “To be eligible for a Quality Improvement Grant, programs must be enrolled in BrightStars and have a Quality Improvement Plan.”

Receiving even one star means that a program has gone above and beyond the educational expectations set by the state of Rhode Island.

The highest rank given is five stars. The ECC currently has three stars for both its ITC (Infant Toddler Center) and pre-school, quite an accomplishment for an organization with both facilities.

Additionally, the ECC has

earned National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) accreditation.

The ECC will use this grant to maintain and improve its high standards in early childhood education. Much of the grant will fund curricular materials that will improve the classroom experience, says Nicole Katzman, director of the ECC. “We’re purchasing preschool and infanttoddler lofts and wooden block stations. These will help improve classrooms to meet the Rhode Island Early Learning and Development Standards (RIELDS).”

Some of the funds will go toward staff development, allowing staff members to continue their education at various levels, including associate, bachelor’s and master’s.

The Center for Early Learning Professionals is providing support to the ECC until the money has been spent. This support includes sending an educator to help with quality improvements as a whole, according to Katzman.

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26 | August 1, 2014

BACK TO SCOOL

The Jewish Voice

Fun DIY projects for back to school STATEPOINT – Back to school shopping can seem tedious and boring for some students. But you can help your young ones get motivated for a new school year by getting them more involved in the experience.

After an extended vacation, going back to school and getting back into the daily grind can seem stifl ing, but personalizing and accessorizing school supplies, lockers and work spaces can be a simple antidote.

With that in mind, here are a few tips and DIY ideas to get kids pumped about the new school year:

Notebooks

Why settle for the same plain notebooks everyone else has?

Liven up math, history and English by decorating a notebook for each subject with its own unique design and color concept. Doing so isn’t just fun, it can help students fi nd their stuff quickly during the rush between classes.

One easy way to decorate notebooks and reinforce them at the same time against wear and tear is with duct tape. Lay down a solid color duct tape along the cover of your notebook in rows, then use a crafting knife to cut along the sides, making the edges sharp and clean. After that, lay a few horizontal, diagonal or vertical stripes of patterned duct tape down over the base in fun patterns to make it your own.

Don’t forget to label each notebook with your name and subject

Workspaces

A student’s work space should be a place that inspires him or her to do great work and be creative. But that can seem impossible when the space is colorless and uninspiring. To get your kids excited about homework, let them play a role in choosing where they do it and then allow them to decorate that area.

A place for friendly reminders and to-do lists above the

desk can be a helpful study aid that keeps kids on task.

However, rather than hanging a conventional chalkboard, create a portable version with chalkboard tape or dry erase tape, which acts just like a regular chalkboard or dry erase surface, but is applied like tape and removes cleanly and easily from surfaces.

Be creative

You provide the binders, notebooks, pencils and the crafting supplies and let kids provide the imagination. And now, kids can share their crafting talent not just with their classmates, but also with the world by entering 3M’s “Tape On” contest where they can submit their own back to school creations using duct tape for an opportunity to win prizes.

Don’t let back to school shopping be a chore. This year, get the kids off to a great start by making school – and all the supplies that come with it – personal, stylish and fun.

Help kids stay organized for a fresh start this school year Customize

STATEPOINT – Back-toschool time means another year of tests, team tryouts and club meetings – but it also means an opportunity for students to have a fresh start. Whether your kid is an ace academic or has found it challenging to stay on top of a to-do list, there are many ways to get prepared for a successful school year.

By studying smarter, staying organized and keeping motivated, students can learn to juggle it all.

Your locker is a home base during the school day, so make it your own with artwork, photos and a dry erase board. It’s also an area to refresh -- so consider hanging a mirror, like a mirror and storage combination which not only acts as a mirror but also a space to hang notes and store pens, pencils, cell phones or calculators.

Encourage students to decorate notebooks and binders with stickers and drawings, or choose their supplies based on favorite styles and colors. Just be sure the items chosen are highly functional. Multiuse supplies include notebook/binder combinations that act like a notebook and work like a binder, making it easy for students to have everything they need in one convenient area.

Study tips

Cramming at the last minute doesn’t work. Encourage your student to start studying well in advance of test day. Pacing during study time gives the brain a better opportunity to absorb information.

In many ways, the pen is mightier than the computer, particularly when it comes to taking notes. Writing down notes is almost like etching them into your subconscious. Formulating the words and reviewing them as you go is the best way to retain materials.

Organize

When it comes to lockers, backpacks and school supplies, organization is everything.

Different systems work for different students. For example, some prefer to arrange their lockers by sequence of the day, whereas others prefer to sort items by subject or color. The important thing is fi nding a system that works and sticking to it.

Use tools to support the system and help maximize soughtafter real estate. For lockers lacking shelf space, consider creating your own – just be sure the solution is durable. A stackable locker shelf is made with heavy-duty plastic, can hold up to 150 pounds and can be stacked one on top of the other for double the shelf space.

Stay focused

If your kids are rocking out to their favorite song, while texting their best friend about the latest gossip, then you can guarantee they aren’t concentrating on homework. Turn off the distractions and the work will get done faster and more accurately.

For better grades and more success, get this school year started on the right foot.

BACK TO SCHOOL

thejewishvoice.org

August 1, 2014 |

Tasty, tote-able, nutritious snacks

Back to school with healthy snacks STATEPOINT – During backto-school season, many families find time is at a premium.

With routines changing from summer’s slower pace to tighter schedules jam-packed with work, school and extracurricular commitments, it can be hard to keep kids fueled for the day and eating healthfully.

With limited time to eat between the dismissal bell and soccer games, art class and homework, speed sometimes supersedes nutrition. Fortunately you don’t have to make that kind of compromise. There are plenty of quick, convenient and healthy foods to keep everyone on schedule and your kids properly fed.

Make a mini-wich

Sandwiches are a classic, por-

table meal, but when your kids just need a snack, try a “miniwich.”

Making one is as simple as quartering a PB&J or grilled cheese sandwich into a bitesized, pop-able snack. Add in a few baby carrots or a handful of raisins on the side and you’re all set.

It’s a tiny, attractive combo that will come in very handy when your son or daughter needs an extra boost after getting off the bus or energy for an early start on homework.

Leftovers

One man’s dinner is some kid’s snack. While that’s not exactly how the saying goes, “waste not, want not” should ring a bell...

Try dicing up last night’s

chicken and broccoli and mixing them in a small Tupperware container. Throw in a side of ranch dressing and a colorful safety fork and voila: Your kids have an instant, bite-sized snack ready for spearing.

When school starts back up, it’s hard to carve out time for healthy food preparation, but when the going gets hectic, imaginative parent can fall back on these snacks.

Whether it’s grabbing a ready-made healthy snack or cutting a quick, delicious miniwich, your kids will thank you for something small, tasty and playful – and you’ll gain confidence that a more hurried time doesn’t mean a less healthy time.

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“We Put the YID in your KID”

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SCHS boasts a 'Heimish' (warm and cozy) environment where children learn how to be comfortable in the synagogue, where the Jewish culture comes alive with many activities and where a professional staff guides students through their journey of discovery

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COMMUNITY | NATIONAL

28 | August 1, 2014

The Jewish Voice

JEWISH WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS

Ida Cohen Rosenthal 1886-1973

BY TOBY ROSSNER Ida Cohen Rosenthal immigrated to New Jersey in 1904. With little money in her pocket, she bought a Singer sewing machine on the installment plan and became an independent seamstress.

Ida’s sewing business boomed during World War I, and soon she and her husband William, along with business partner Enid Bisset, opened a custom dress shop that they called Enid Frocks. The popular flapper style of the day favored a flat-chested look that women achieved by wearing uncomfortable bandeaux. The Rosenthals disliked the way their dresses fit the women who had artificially flattened chests.

Bissett improved the effect of the clothing by creating a fuller-figure brassiere.

I n i t i a l l y, Enid Frocks included a brassiere in the purchase price of a dress. As demand rose, brassieres began to be sold separately. Bisette and the Rosenthals gave up dressmaking altogether in 1930 and renamed their company Maiden Form Brassiere Company. By the end

Ida Cohen Rosenthal of the 1930s, department stores across the country and around the world were stocking Maidenform bras.

While William focused on design – inventing standardized cup sizes, maternity and nursing bras and adjustable straps – Ida ran the business, negotiating with unions and introducing assembly-line production. A marketing ge-

nius, she began an aggressive print and radio ad campaign, making Maidenform the first intimate apparel company to advertise. In 1949, Ida came up with the now-famous “I dreamed I... in my Maidenform bra” campaign, depicting women wearing bras in a range of unexpected settings (e.g., driving a chariot); it ran successfully for 20 years.

Ida took over as president and chairman of the board after William’s death in 1958. She continued working until she suffered a stroke in 1966. In addition to her work in leading the company, Ida was involved with a number of Jewish causes, including the Anti-Defamation League and United Jewish Appeal. In 1943, she established Camp Lewis for the Boy Scouts of America in memory of a son who died in 1930.

SOURCE: Jewish Women’s Archive, “Jewish Women in America: An Historical Encyclopedia” TOBY ROSSNER (tobyross@ cox.net) was the director of media services at the Bureau of Jewish Education from 1978 to 2002.

EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the 10th in a series on the history of Jewish women entrepreneurs.

COURTESY | JCPA, JFNA

National security adviser Susan Rice speaks to Jewish leaders in Washington, D.C., July 28.

FROM PAGE 1

RALLY

Israel. But we are here today to stand with Israel. Not just as a broker or as an observer, but as a strong partner and a trusted ally. Israel’s enemies are our enemies.”

“We have your back,” said Susan Rice on behalf of the administration. She also said Israel has the unequivocal right to self-defend like any other nation.

Israel Ambassador to the U.S. Ron Dermer thanked Congress and the Obama administration for supporting Israel and Iron Dome funding.

“Iron Dome protects not only Israelis, but also Palestinians living in Gaza. It allows the Israelis the time and space needed to make strategic and judicious decisions.”

Rice and Boehner both said Iron Dome funding and support would not only continue, but would be escalated significantly.

The ambassador said he wanted America to know that Israel wants “a sustained quiet with no rockets fired at its people. Cease-fire or not, Israel will continue to destroy all terror tunnels.” He said Pres.

Obama understands and supports this position.

“The demilitarization of Gaza is critical if any ceasefire is to prove to be durable.

Hamas must not be allowed to rebuild its war machine,” said the ambassador. “Israel is not fighting the people of Gaza; we are fighting Hamas, a brutal terror organization committed to the destruction of Israel.”

Rice agreed that demilitarization was important to ending the conflict. “Any process to resolve the crises in Gaza,” she said, “would have to be lasting and must result in the disarmament of terrorist groups.”

In an effort to demonstrate Israel’s close relationship with America, Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., the incoming majority leader, said, “If there is one rocket fired on Israel

that is a rocket fired on America.” McCarthy also said the House would be passing a resolution to condemn Hamas’ use of innocent civilians as human shields. He called on Abbas and the international community to be outraged and call for an immediate halt to this practice.

Speakers made it clear that Israel has a right to defend itself. “There is a moral disconnect between purveyors of terror, and the defenders of people,” said Rep. Steny Hoyer, D-Md., minority whip. “Israel has the right to end the Hamas reign of terror.”

Rice had strong words for those who seem to constantly criticize Israel. “No country is immune to criticism. Nor, should it be. But, when that criticism takes the form of singling out just one country unfairly, bitterly and relentlessly over and over, that’s just plain wrong, and we all know it.”

The security adviser also expressed concern over growing worldwide anti-Semitism, particularly in Europe. “The pretext,” Rice said, “is the current conflict, but we know it has its roots in something ancient and ugly. We should not shy away from calling it by its name. An anti-Jewish riot is not a policy critique. It is not free expression where a mob attacks a synagogue and a kosher grocery store. It is one thing when the message is to end the fighting. But, when the message is death to the Jews, it is an outrage.”

The program also included remarks from Sen. Ben Cardin, D-Md.; Rep. Ed Royce, R-Calif., Foreign Affairs Committee chair; Rep. Ilena Ros-Lehtinen R-Fla.; Denis Stevens, deputy head of mission at Canada’s Embassy; Pnina Agenyahu, Israeli emissary to the Jewish Federation of Greater Washington, D.C., and Malcom Hoenlein, Conference of Presidents of Major Jewish Organizations.

NATIONAL | WORLD

thejewishvoice.org

August 1, 2014 |

29

Tisha B’Av in a time of rockets, tunnels and death

BY EDMON J. RODMAN LOS ANGELES (JTA) – After weeks of missiles falling on Israel and bombs dropping on Gaza, we land on Tisha B’Av. With the day-to-day images of explosions and tunnels so fresh, I wondered how they might connect to my mid-summer night’s struggle with the somber holiday’s relevance.

Tisha B’Av, this year starting on the evening of Aug. 4, is a day on which we are supposed to mourn for the destruction of the First and Second Temples. I say “supposed to” because each year I become less certain – as I suspect is the case for many American Jews – as to why I mourn.

On Tisha B’Av we are forbidden to eat, bathe, have sex and wear leather (it’s considered a luxury). But do we really mourn the loss of the Temple enough to forego all that?

Enough to want to see the Temple rebuilt?

The promotional copy for a recent Second Temple “3D experience” DVD says it “will transport you back in time” and that “it’s like having a personal guided tour of the Second Temple.” On Tisha B’Av, wouldn’t that alone do it for many of us?

Every year, to prepare for Tisha B’Av, I practice a few verses of Eicha, the Book of Lamentations – a dirge that tells of the tragedy of Jerusalem’s destruction – to chant at my minyan’s evening service.

However, even with an uneasy review of the historic loss and

the national tragedy, I have found it increasingly difficult to connect with a text from a distant time fi lled with a sorrow that I can comprehend only through footnotes.

But when watching the news one night and seeing a video of an Iron Dome missile intercepting a Gaza rocket, I found myself saying, “God, don’t let it miss.” Then I thought that Jews around the world were probably saying that simple prayer, too. I began to get some insight into why we mourn on the Ninth of Av. As a baby boomer born in the 1950s, I have never known a world without the State of Israel. Gen Xers and Millennials know that same reality. As a kid, I had a bar mitzvah where I received a stack of Jewish National Fund tree certificates.

As an adult, I saw my own kids go on Birthright trips. A world with Israel is the world as it’s supposed to be.

Thousands of missiles fi red (more than 2,000 at this writing), though mostly missing their intended targets, scored a direct hit on my world as I know it. As a result, I got myself to a pro-Israel rally. “From where will our help come?” asked a rabbi there, chanting from psalms.

Afterward, remembering the worried faces in the crowd that day, and my own apprehension, I can see that Tisha B’Av connects to feelings about communal loss, shared pain and the potential for history to repeat itself.

The feeling is a kind of anxi-

Positive Change, Growth, and Healing

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ety that grows with the numbers of tunnels dug up and civilians killed, and begins to float freely as other countries and international organizations weigh in with what they think Israel should do.

To counteract that feeling of anxiety, I had to do some digging of my own.

Returning to Eicha, I recalled its opening verse, “Lonely sits the city/Once great with people!”

This year, with air raid sirens blaring and Israelis taking shelter underground, has the potential to connect us to their experience.

At the same time, however, I realized that Eicha and Tisha B’Av make for an imperfect shelter in a world in which Jews – no matter how justified world leaders say we are in defending ourselves – are still being held responsible for much of the death and destruction in this confl ict. With every photo of a bombed hospital, and especially with the death of a child, the world seems to ask: Why are you mourning?

I am mourning and fasting, I would say, as a response to those in the world who wrongfully perceive us as the willful perpetrators of destruction. It reminds me of the baseless hatred that is said to have brought down the Second Temple.

Before Tisha B’Av and its day of fasting, it is also traditional to eat a seudah mafseket, a small fi nal meal. Often consisting of a hard-boiled egg and a piece of bread with some ashes, it is eaten while seated on the

floor, without conversation.

I have never tried it, but this year, eating the bread will connect me to all the Jews who have come before, and the ash will connect to me to our tragedies. And as I chew on the egg, I also will think of Passover, and the egg on the seder plate, representing the renewal of life. In the silence, I will mourn Israeli soldier Max Steinberg, a 24-year-old man originally from L.A.’s San Fernando Valley, who just had a hero’s funeral in Israel.

Will I need a war every year to get into Tisha B’Av? No. But this year I will chant Eicha as a cautionary tale whose mournful tone echoes in our time.

“Renew our days as of old!” exclaims the book’s fi nal verse – a hopeful ending in which, in these days of missiles and tunnels, we can all fi nd meaning.

EDMON J. RODMAN is a JTA columnist who writes on Jewish life.

After 50 years, VA headstone replaced to reflect vet’s Jewishness WASHINGTON (JTA) – A World War II soldier buried in a national cemetery in Wisconsin now has a Jewish star marking his grave, in place of the Christian cross it bore for almost 50 years.

Rabbi Avrohom Richter, director of Chabad of Howard Beach in the Queens borough of New York, learned of his distant relative Henry Dienstein while looking into his family history.

Dienstein, a fi rst cousin of Richter’s grandmother, is buried in a Veterans Affairs National Cemetery in Milwaukee.

Following appeals to the Department of Veterans Affairs

by Rabbi David Niederman, executive director and president of the United Jewish Organiza-

tions of Williamsburg, and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., Dienstein, a private, now has his appropriate headstone.

Memorials cannot be modified after 50 years, according to the Veterans Affairs rules.

Richter realized the error 49 years and 11 months after his cousin’s burial. With the help of Niederman, Gillibrand and other family members, the paperwork was expedited and completed on time.

“We pay tribute to Mr. Dienstein’s courageous service in defense of our nation in World War II,” Gillibrand said in a statement July 28. “This headstone will ensure that Mr. Dienstein’s memory is rightly honored.”

30 | August 1, 2014

SENIORS

The Jewish Voice

The fragile roots of medical research It was once said, in the distant past, that an adolescent son should be advised to seek entrance to the profession of medicine if his morals were too ma l leable for the clergy, his stamina fragOF SCIENCE too ile for the & SOCIETY military and his arithmet ica l STANLEY M. skills too ARONSON, M.D. rudimentary for the world of accounting.

The character lapses underlying the choice of a profession such as medicine, however, are rarely documented, except perhaps in Gilbert and Sullivan operettas or the wellsprings of Jewish humor.

Most 21st century medical school graduates undertake an average of three or more post-MD years to learn the rudiments of their contemplated clinical specialty. They sit for their specialty Board examinations at about age 31 and then venture forth into clinical practice, armed with a young family, a sprinkling of grey hair, a profound sense of professional inadequacy and an educational debt in excess of $100,000.

A small fraction of medi-

cal graduates, however, elect to enter the nebulous field of academic/research medicine.

These pioneers tend to be selfselected; being a research physician, after all, is an insecure state; at best their feet are firmly planted in mid-air. Salaries are so low that when the subject of remuneration arises at the tenth anniversary medical school class reunion, the medical investigator talks only of the merits of Zen Buddhism or the mystical roots of Kabbalah.

To be called a researcher, remember, is to be relegated to an ignoble form of academic vagrancy with no licensure, occupational cachet or visible means of livelihood.

The elements of modern science have become so elaborate, so complex, that an individual untrained in the field is unlikely to understand the dimensions of the confronted problem, let alone envision an answer. Selftrained, unschooled physical scientists such as Davy, Faraday or Edison – lone dreamers armed with pencil, an empty pad and a vivid imagination – are long past. And, more often than not, the lone investigator of cinematic nostalgia is now replaced by a team of unsmiling research scientists.

In the world of the natural phenomena, Thomas Jefferson’s self-evident truths become neither self-evident nor patently simple. Indeed, they

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are frequently counter-intuitive, denying what our senses tell us. It requires a trained yet open mind to observe the sun traversing the heavens from east to west, and then affirm that it is the undetected rotation of the earth that yields the erroneous impression of solar migration.

Imagine now a research physician who aspires to become an interpreter of life’s great mysteries. This young scientist then chooses a problem to work on; generally, a problem is assigned to him by a mentor.

This investigator’s professional activity is thus voluntarily narrowed to a miniscule segment of human endeavor. It is much like a literary scholar declaring that he will confine himself solely to translating 13th century Mongolian poetry into medieval Yiddish. It will then be this young scientist’s genius to envisage the broader implications of his “small problem” of beholding the unimaginable treasures in the detritus of his assignment.

In general, who gravitates toward medical research? Certainly cerebral types rigorously trained in the disciplines of applied biology do; also those endowed with a bundle of contradictions have interest in the field. They are often quite shy yet fulsomely articulate in their particular field of study, humble in most of life’s endeav-

ors but immensely self-assured, perhaps even arrogant, in believing that they are worthy enough to seek answers to questions as yet unanswered.

While they do not deny the extent of their own ambitious motives, they readily, willingly seek out the thoughts of competing colleagues and eagerly publish their findings for all to criticize. Paranoid scientists hovering over their secret discoveries are confined to 19th

Self-trained, unschooled physical scientists such as Davy, Faraday or Edison – armed with pencil, an empty pad and a vivid imagination – are long past. century fiction.

The compelling need to explain phenomena in the basic medical sciences, to clarify their underlying dynamics, is not a pastime for sissies or something to be engaged in on alternate Wednesday afternoons while playing golf. It is a nervous state of mind compelled by the need to upset prevailing beliefs currently held in reverence; to replace intellec-

tual comfort with discomfort; to be, in the world of abstract thinking, an irreconcilable revolutionist; and to be burdened with an abiding need for skepticism, tenacity, courage to stay in an intellectual minority; and, above all, burdened by a goal-oriented passion. To witness a Watson or a Crick gabble about their discoveries regarding the molecular structure of DNA is to see passion at its greatest intensity, exhibiting an eagerness matched only by an adolescent’s most prurient emotions.

It is doubtful that the medical scientist ever thinks of himself as a martyr, a Dr. Arrowsmith, on the sacrificial altar of basic research. This scientist pays his taxes as other citizens do, groans when the Red Sox lose to Tampa, votes each November and dislikes broccoli. But, as Mozart was not “just another composer,” so too that small enclave of gifted scientists who lessen our ills and lengthen our lives, must represent a precious assemblage of rare talents to be admired by the rest of us as though they were an endangered species.

STANLEY M. ARONSON, M.D. (smamd@cox.net) is dean of medicine emeritus at Brown University.

SENIORS

thejewishvoice.org

August 1, 2014 |

31

A boy’s battle for life We met at a coffee shop. I was looking for him, and he for me.

I took note of a slim cane on the

SKETCHBOOK MIKE FINK

floor beside his table. “Fink?” he inquired. We had arranged our rendezvous because his dentist told him that I was a person who would listen attentively to the story of his life. He had delayed our encounter for several weeks. His tale could not have been something for him to look forward to. I knew he worked in the trade market for necklaces, bracelets and earrings, “paste, glass, not precious stones or metals,” he said.

Gary Weintraub left his native Germany after Kristallnacht, the Night of Shattered Glass, when his father was arrested and sent to a concentration camp. Because it was still pre-war, he was able to bribe a guard to get a message to his wife. “Get out, at once!” And so, with his mother, Gary as a boy –

he was about my age at the time – took off for whatever country would accept them. How did they escape? “My mother knew enough to hide money among her clothing and to put cash in the pages of our passports.”

They tried Palestine. The British would not permit their entry. They knocked at the gates of India. Again the English refused to let them in. Indonesia, wherever, anywhere, but they arrived in the Jewish colony in Kobe, Japan, that is until Pearl Harbor. Next, they were shipped to Shanghai, and here they dwelt within the confines of the Jewish quarter. It was dangerous, but they somehow survived. “I ran from ... the American planes strafing the Japanese supply depots where oil was stored. I caught my legs on a barbed wire fence.

I took my knife and cut myself free. Did it hurt? You do what you have to do to survive! At the age of 11, I killed a Chinese gang leader, who would have murdered me first ... did I feel remorse? No time for that.”

The terrible tale of the boy’s battle to stay alive was filled to the brim with fearful details.

“Nevertheless I learned Chinese and studied English. We knew, or believed, that America

was the only safe place in the entire world and so we practiced the language of our future. When we got to California, a couple of years after the war was over, more or less, I spoke, unfortunately, with an Oxford accent. I remember the first shop I entered, the sales girl was

“We knew, or believed, that America was the only safe place in the entire world and so we practiced the language of our future”. chewing gum and talking casually. She couldn’t understand a word of my proper usage!”

Crossing the country, a lost soul but also a young man on the road to recovery, he sought out friendships, alliances, romances, on the east coast. “I visited the exclusively GermanJewish club where the culture was focused on common bonds.

And then, in the bar at the Catskills, I found a young lady who had laryngitis or something. I sent her to her room for rest, and then phoned the desk.

I asked them to send a doctor to her room and to put it on my bill!” That was the girl he later married. Half a century ago!

“Was it a good marriage?” “Yes, although we have quite different characters. She is more of an introvert, and I am an extrovert!” he declares openly and simply.

They had a son and a daughter. Their daughter lived on the East Side with her four children, two boys, two girls, but recently moved to East Greenwich. “I hope she will take over my business.” Their son resides in California. “He’s in the entertainment industry.”

“Do they know your story, your past?” “Not really,” he answered, a reply that did not surprise me. “I gave them both bar and bat mitzvahs. We belong to a synagogue. But where was God when we so needed Him?” Gary took his children to see Spielberg’s movie set in wartime Shanghai. “I recognized the streets, and when I visited the city of my youth, I had a tour guide who knew absolutely nothing of the era. Her parents were killed in the Cultural Revolution. That’s how utterly one’s past can be erased!

“But it is good to get it out, to have a conversation,” he add-

ed. We shared the tastes of the same generation. We had both heard Edith Piaf perform, and listened to the old Berlin ballads as sung by Marlene Dietrich. Even a dreadful childhood leaves behind some moments for which one is nostalgic, perhaps just the lyrics or melody of a song. “I have the feeling that this is the final chapter of my life,” Gary went on. “I take injections for pain, for various ailments. My business has its ups and mostly downs. Fashions in costume jewelry come and go very quickly. Expenses rise and profits fall. The center for our product used to be right here in Providence, but now I am a relic of the manufacturing empire.”

I shook hands with Gary warmly with promises that we would meet again and go on with his history. I could not help but compare the anxieties of my boyhood with the actual crises of his journey on our shared planet. We were just two Rhode Island residents who had sat for an hour at a small table across from the peaceful park where Providence and Pawtucket meet.

MIKE FINK mfink33@aol.com teaches at RISD.

32 | August 1, 2014

The Jewish Voice

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34 | August 1, 2014 Larry Alkins, 89

The Jewish Voice

OBITUARIES

WARWICK, R.I. - Larry Alkins died July 18 at Fatima Hospital, s u r r ou nd e d by his family.

He was the beloved husband of Sylvia (Levine) Alkins for 62 years. Born in New York, N.Y., a son of the late Hyman and Rose (Helfner) Cohen, he had lived in Warwick for 52 years.

He was the co-owner, with his wife Sylvia, of the former Harris Fabrics for 44 years, retiring two years ago. He also was an engineer for the City of Warwick Water Dept. for 10 years.

He was a Navy veteran of WWII, serving as a radar technician stateside. He was a member of Nathaniel Greene Lodge of the Masons, R.I. Shrine, Jewish War Veterans Post 23, Touro Fraternal Assoc., Ward 4 Committee of the City of Warwick and a former member of Temple Am David.

He was the devoted father of Cheryl Marks and her husband Ron of West Warwick, Mitchell Alkins and his wife Wendy of Boca Raton, Fla. and Harris Alkins and his wife Denise of East Greenwich. He was the brother of the late Ben Alkins and Gladys Margulies. The grandfather of Jared, Sam, Riley, Spencer, Alisa and Rachel.

Contributions in his memory may be made to the American

Diabetes Association.

B. David Brown, 97

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – B. David Brown, of Summit Commons, died June 20 at the Commons.

He was the husband of the late Dorothy (Bedrick) Brown. Born in New York, N.Y., a son of the late Samuel and Sadie (Karg) Brown, he had lived in Warwick for 17 years before moving to Providence. He previously lived in Teaneck, N.J., and Arizona.

He was a graduate of Fairleigh-Dickinson University in Teaneck, N.J. He was a stockbroker for the former Bache & Co., now Prudential Securities, for 26 years, retiring in 1977.

He was an Army veteran of both WWII, serving in England and Korea, serving in Washington, D.C. He was a captain in the Signal Corps. He was a member of the Jewish War Veterans Post 23.

He was the father of Jeffrey M, Brown, M.D. of West Hartford, Conn., and Richard A. Brown, Ph.D. of Austin, Texas, brother of Lillian Gaeser of Boca Raton, Fla., and the late Daniel Brown and Elsie Nelson. He was the loving grandfather of Elana, Ariel, Jessica and Jason. He was the cherished companion of Bette Pitchon of Warwick.

Contributions in his memory may be made to the American Cancer Society, 931 Jefferson Blvd, Suite 3004, Warwick, R.I. 02886.

Jacob Dyckman, 93

MERION STATION, Pa. – Dr.

OBITUARIES

We print death notices of approximately 300 words for people with ties to our circulation area. There is no charge. We will print a photo if submitted and a small flag for veterans. Please submit obituary and photo to editor@jewishallianceri.org and indicate if a photo and/or a flag should accompany the obituary.

Jacob Dyckman passed away on May 31. He was born in New York, N.Y. on April 20, 1920 to the late Abraham and Rose Dyckman. He received his A.B. magna cum laude (1939), M.S. (1941), and M.D. (1944) from New York University. His long and distinguished career in medicine began as an intern and resident at Lincoln Hospital in New York City followed by residency in pathology at Mt. Sinai Hospital. He completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the National Cancer Institute and then served as Captain AUS-MC stationed at the School of Aviation Medicine at Randolph Air Force Base in Texas.

In 1952 he became Chief of the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at the Miriam Hospital and held an academic appointment in the Department of Pathology at Boston University School of Medicine. He was appointed Assistant Professor of Pathology at Brown University in 1969 and became Associate in 1971. He was Clinical Associate Professor of medical technology at the University of Rhode Island. He directed the Anatomic Pathology service at the Miriam Hospital from 1970 to 1989 and was appointed Senior Staff Pathologist in 1990.

In 1972 he received a citation for “Outstanding Service to Community in Practice and Teaching of Pathology, 19521972.” from the Rhode Island Society of Pathologists. He became Associate Professor Emeritus of Pathology at Brown University in 1977. He was a member of Phi Beta Kappa, Sigma Xi, the New York Academy of Sciences, the New England Society of Pathologists, The International Academy of Pathology, the College of American Pathologists, and the American Medical Association.

Throughout his career he published numerous peer-reviewed articles regarding anatomic and clinical pathology, and melanocyte biology, and instructed many physicians, residents, and medical students.

He is survived by his children Howard L. Dyckman, Sharon Dyckman Meller and husband Menachem Meller, and Daniel J. Dyckman and wife Judith L. Bachman, and seven grandchildren.

Lawrence Field, 80

CRANSTON, R.I. – Lawrence Field died July 25 at Morgan Health Center, Johnston. He was the husband of Susan (Kaplan) Field of Cranston. They were married for 58 years. Born in Chicago, Ill., a son of the late Samuel and Rose Finkle, he lived in Cranston for 46 years, previously living in West Hartford, Conn.

He was the owner of Field Insurance, retiring 13 years ago.

He was a Korean Conflict Army veteran, serving stateside.

He was a former member of Temple Sinai. Devoted father of Andrew Field of Bethesda, Md., Scott Field and

his wife, Tanya, of Bethesda, Md., and Adam Field and his wife, Zenobi, of San Diego, Calif. He was the loving grandfather of Rachael, Juliana and Jessica.

Contributions in his memory may be made to the American Cancer Society, 931 Jefferson Blvd, Suite 3004, Warwick, R.I. 02886.

Isabel M. (Rosen) Gold, 71

BARRINGTON, R.I. – Isabel M. (Rosen) Gold died July 19. She was the wife of Howard S. Gold.

Born in Paterson, N.J., she was the daughter of the late Max and Mary (Peretz) Rosen.

A graduate of the University of Rhode Island, she was a real estate broker and co-owner with her husband of the former Coldwell Banker Gold. She was a past president of the R.I. Association of Realtors and the Greater Providence Board of Realtors.

Besides her husband, she is survived by her children, Sherri Gold and her husband Scott Ribas of South Kingstown, Deborah Gold and her husband Jason Marinelli of Barrington, and Robin Gold and her husband Angelo Riccitelli of Barrington; her brother Harvey Rosen of N.J.; and her grandchildren Zachary, Sarah, Alexandra, Emily, Thomas, Jake, Morgan and Aidan.

Contributions may be made to the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, www.pancan.org.

May (Bornstein) Goldis, 98

NORTH KINGSTOWN, R.I. – May (Bornstein) Goldis died July 20. She was the wife of the late Irving Goldis. Born in Providence, the daughter of the late James and Celia (Naiburg) Bornstein, she was a lifelong resident of Rhode Island, living in Warwick for 25 years before moving to North Kingstown.

She is survived by her children, Harold Goldis of Wakefield, Nancy Iacono of Narragansett, and Karen Isskenderov of Florida; and her grandchildren Keenan, Glenna, Scott, Jonathan, Jayme, Alexander, Carly and Curt. She was the mother of the late Carl Goldis and sister of the late Jenny Bornstein, Freida Feldman, Tessie Cohen, Sophie Bornstein, Ruth Steiner, and Anna Weinbaum.

Contributions in her memory may be made to the charity of your choice.

Lonnie Jacobson, 63

BROOKLYN, N.Y. – Lonnie Jacobson died unexpectedly from complications related to diabetes on July 16. He was the husband of Dina Jacobson and the devoted father of Harold “Yossie” Jacobson. Born in Providence, he was the loving son of Ruth Jacobson of Providence and the late Harold J. Jacobson. He is survived by his sister, Susan Shapiro, and her husband, James Carroll, of Warwick, and his nephews, Gregory and Micah Shapiro.

Despite many years of illness and disability, he managed to

maintain a positive attitude and to enjoy what life offered to him. He found solace in his family and friends, and lived a righteous life.

Donations to Ocean State Center for Independent Living, 1944 Warwick Ave., Warwick, R.I. 02889, or Jewish Family Service, 959 N. Main Street, Providence, R.I. 02904.

Evelyn J. Kagan, 107

QUINCY, Mass. – Evelyn J. Kagan, formerly of Warwick, died July 21.

She was the daughter of the late Morris and Nellie Sholes.

Beloved wife of the late Jacob Kagan. Devoted mother of Joyce and Edwin Alpert, Joseph and Barbara Sholes and Gordon Zucker. Loving sister of Leonard Sholes, and the late Esther, Bessie, Alice, Samson and Bertha. Cherished grandmother of eight grandchildren and 11 great grandchildren.

Donations may be made to the Congregation Tifereth Israel, 34 Malden Street, Everett, MA 02149.

Seth E. Kahn, 93

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Seth E. Kahn died July 20 at home. He was the husband of Harriet (Friedman) Kahn for 30 years before her passing and Sylvia (Goldstein-Hildebrandt) for 30 years before her passing. He was born in New York City, N.Y., the son of the late Herman and Frances (Gutman) Kahn.

A graduate of Townsend-Harris High School and the Baruch School at the City College of N.Y. before entering the Army and serving in WWII where he was honored to have saluted Gen. George Patton. Another fond memory was when Babe Ruth used his pen to sign autographs at Yankee Stadium. Seth was a sole practitioner CPA in NYC before retiring at age 80 in 2001.

He was an avid bridge, pinochle and tennis player.

He is survived by his children; Lawrence Kahn and his wife Diana of Newport, R.I. and Robert Kahn and his wife Gayle of Charlottesville, Va.; six grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.

Contributions in his memory may be made to Home and Hospice Care of RI, 1085 N. Main St., Providence, R.I. 02904 or the American Cancer Society, 931 Jefferson Blvd. Suite 3004, Warwick, R.I. 02886

Carl Lazareff, 92

EAST GREENWICH, R.I. Carl Lazareff died July 27 at Philip Hulitar Inpatient Center, Providence. He was the beloved husband of the late Loraine (French) (Vertefeille) Lazareff. Born in Providence, a son of the late Morris and Rose (Yankelevitz) Lazaroff, he had lived in Warwick for 40 years, previously living in Providence. He worked for the former Construction Battalion Center in Davisville. Carl was OBITUARIES | 35

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FROM PAGE 34

OBITUARIES

OBITUARIES

a WWII Army veteran, serving in the 5th Army in North Africa and Italy. Step-father of Doug French and his wife, Donna, of Warwick, Brad French of Warwick, and the late Mallory and Pamela French. Dear brother of the late Louis Lazaroff and Mollie Feldman. Chterished uncle of six nieces and nephews. Contributions in his memory may be made to the American Red Cross, 105 Gano St, Providence, R.I. 02906.

Emaline “Emma” London, 95

JOHNSTON, R.I. – Emaline “Emma” London died June 26 at Briarcliffe Manor. She was the wife of the late Milton London.

Born in Poland, a daughter of the late Edward and Rachael Perlow, she had lived in Johnston for three years. She was a life member of Hadassah and a former member of Temple Beth-El. Devoted mother of Bruce London of Hollywood, Fla., Robert A. London and his wife, Nadine, of Warwick, and Suzan Levin and her husband, Joel, of Las Vegas, Nev. Sister of the late Irving Perlow, Gloria Swerdlick, Esther Schleifer, Helen Irving, and Bernice Weinberg.

She was the grandmother of Cynthia, Jeffrey and Julie and great grandmother of Rene, Ella, Ethan and Rhiana.

Contributions in her memory may be made to Hadassah, 17 Pocahontas Drive, Middletown, R.I. 02842.

Charlotte E. Miller, 89

SUN CITY WEST, ARIZ. – Charlotte E. Miller died July 15 in Sun City West, Ariz. She was the wife of the late Dr. Samuel Miller.

Born in Providence, a daughter of the late Henry and Fannie (Litchman) Kouffman, she had lived in Sun City West, Ariz. for two years, previously living in Denver, Colo. for 15 years, and Rhode Island prior to that. She was devoted to family and loved to travel. She was the mother of Hillary Handwerger and her husband, Kenneth, of Ann Arbor, Mich., Wendy Ettinger and her husband, Yisrael, of Jerusalem, Israel, Trudy Farrell and her husband, Morris, of Scottsdale, Ariz., Laurie Lerner and her husband, David, of Cheyenne, Wyo., Ronnie Buchanan and her husband, Jim Logic, of Glendale, Ariz., and Jeffrey Miller and his wife, Melanie, of Attleboro, Mass. She was the sister of Maurice Kouffman of East Hampton, N.Y. and the late Abraham, Albert, Samuel, Ruthie, Marion, Daniel, Joseph, and Leo Kouffman and Norma Packer. She was the loving grandmother of 12, cherished great-grandmother of 30.

Contributions in her memory may be made to her grandson’s yeshiva, Mesivta Kesser Yisroel, 240 Woodward Ave., Staten Island, N.Y. 10314.

Benjamin “Ben” Nulman, 84

CRANSTON, R.I. – Benjamin “Ben” Nulman died June 30 at R.I. Hospital.

He was the husband of Sandra (Schwimmer) Nulman for 53 years. Born in Fall River, Mass., a son of the late William and Shirley (Silberman) Nulman, he had lived in Cranston for 50 years.

He was the father of Bill Nulman and his wife Kerry of Pennington, N.J., and Lin Nulman of Boston, Mass., brother of Thelma Feldman of Croton, N.Y. Loving grandfather of Margaret and Aaron.

Contributions in his memory may be made to the American Lung Association.

Sally Popovsky, 95

WARWICK, R.I. – Sally Popovsky, formerly of Marblehead, Mass., died July 26.

She was the wife of the late Samuel Popovsky. She was the mother of Arlene Kalin (and the late Leo Kalin) of West Warwick, Mark Popovsky and his wife Andrea Lavender of Sharon, Mass., grandmother of Donna Kalin Kaufman (and the late Jay Kaufman) and Erica Popovsky, great-grandmother of Joshua and Sam Kaufman.

Sister of Elbert Taitz.

Remembrances may be made to Tamarisk Assisted Living, 3 Shalom Drive, Warwick, R.I. 02886 or The Philip Hulitar Inpatient Center, 1085 North Main St., Providence, R.I. 02904

Zinoviy Rozman, 89

PAWTUCKET, R.I. – Zinoviy Rozman died July 26 at the Miriam Hospital. He was the beloved husband of the late Klara (Broide) Rozman. Born in Ukraine, he had lived in Pawtucket for 19 years.

He was an engineer for a leather plant in the Ukraine.

Devoted father of Anatoliy Rozman and his wife Alla Romanova of Cranston and Rita Rozman of Gaithersburg, Md. Brother of the late Olga Rozman. Loving grandfather of Anna, Olga and Erica.

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

Evelyn Snow, 86

CRANSTON, R.I. – Evelyn Snow died July 22 at home. She was the wife of the late Abraham Snow. Born in Providence, a daughter of the late Samuel and Jennie (Lubin) Bloom, she had lived in Cranston for 51 years.

She was a bookkeeper for Forest Hills Nursery Corp. for 37 years. She was the mother of Dr. Joel Snow and his wife Marlene of Guthrie, Okla. and David Snow and his wife Karen of New York, N.Y., sister of Harold Bloom of Greenfield, N.Y, Ruth Buckler of Cranston and Arline Schenkerman of Naples, Fla. She was the grandmother of Dr. Juna Snow Linkner and Benjamin, Jonathan and Ari Snow.

Contributions in her memory may be made to the American

Diabetes Assoc., 146 Clifford St., Providence, R.I. 02903.

Dr. Nathan Starr

FALL RIVER, Mass. – Dr. Nathan Starr died June 17. He was the husband of the late Ida E. (Bloom) Starr. Born in Boston; he was a son of the late Henry Starr and the late Annie (Lieder) Starr and had been a resident of Fall River since 1937.

A graduate of the Massachusetts School of Optometry, he practiced optometry in Fall River for over 50 years, retiring in 1987. In 1978 he founded Starr Opticians, now operated by his son Howard Starr. He previously owned and operated the former Starr Jewelers, on S. Main St, Fall River.

He was a member of the Massachusetts Society of Optometrists, Fall River Country Club, Temple Beth-El of Fall River, Fall River Jewish Home for the Aged and Fall River Jewish War Veterans.

He was also a WWII veteran.

He is survived by a daughter; Betty Ann Starr of Hartford, Conn., two sons; Robert Starr of Wrentham, Mass., and Howard Starr and his wife Barbara of Fall River, two granddaughters; Rebecca Starr Palana and husband Kevin, and Laura A. Regan and husband Michael, two great-grandsons; Thomas and James Regan, a sister; Edith Lubin of Great Neck, N.Y., and a brother; Bernard Starr of Md. He was a brother of the late Samuel Starr of Winthrop, Mass.

Contributions in his memory may be made to Temple Beth-El of Fall River, 385 High St, Fall River, Mass. 02720

Edel B. Isaac-Stein, 73

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Edel B. Isaac-Stein died July 12 at home. She was the wife of the late Arnold Stein.

Born in Copenhagen, Denmark, a daughter of the late Karl and Laurine (Eden) Barsoe, she had lived in Providence, previ-

ously living in Gilbert, Ariz.

She worked for the state of South Dakota for 15 years as a social worker in child protection services. She was also a professor for Oglala Lakota College where she taught psychology and sociology classes.

She was a former member of Temple Emanu-El and Temple Beth Sholom.

She loved her family, her religion and helping people the most. She was the mother of David Isaac and his wife, Taffy, of Warwick, Michael Isaac and his wife, Brandy, of Chicago, Ill., and the late Stephan Isaac. Loving grandmother of Shauna, Mariah, Jacob, Mason, Lauren and Taylor.

Contributions in her memory may be made to American Cancer Society, 931 Jefferson Blvd, Suite 3004, Warwick, R.I. 02886.

Gloria J. Stern, 84

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Gloria J. Stern died July 20. She was the wife of the late Daniel Stanton Stern.

Born in Boston, the daughter of the late Benjamin and Doris (Goldhagen) Rosenstein, she had been a resident of Rhode Island since 1958.

She graduated from Boston Teacher’s College in 1951. She was a member of Temple Emanu-El, B’nai Brith and Hadassah. She enjoyed her book club, playing Mah jongg, and spending time with her friends.

She is survived by her children; Tracy Webb and her husband Stephen and Evan Stern, her brother; Beryl Rosenstein, her grandchildren Daniel Webb, Devin Stern, Craig Webb and Adam Webb, and seven nieces and nephews.

Contributions in her memory may be made to Miriam Hospital, 164 Summit Ave, Provi-

August 1, 2014 |

35

dence, RI 02906 or Temple Emanu-El, 99 Taft Ave, Providence, R.I. 02906.

Arlene A. (Cohen) Weinstein

HOPKINTON, Mass. – Arlene A. (Cohen) Weinstein died July 17. Born in Providence, the daughter of the late Samuel and Helen (Yuloff) Cohen, she was a long-time resident of Hopkinton, leaving Rhode Island in the early 1960s.

She is survived by her children, Karen Weinstein and her husband Clark Millson of Hopkinton, and Kenneth Weinstein of Bristow, Va.; and her grandchildren Zachary and Sophie.

Contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society.

Ann Wisdom

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Ann Wisdom died June 18. Born in Providence, a daughter of the late Samuel and Sadie (Shaeffer) Marcowitz, she had been a resident of Cranston until she recently moved to Providence.

She is survived by her niece Sandra Marcowitz. She was the sister of the late Celia Genter and Abraham Marcowitz, and aunt of the late Barbara Miller.

Contributions in her memory may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association, 245 Waterman St., Suite 306, Providence, R.I. 02906.

36 | August 1, 2014

ISRAEL

The Jewish Voice

COURTESY | CAMP JORI

Camp JORI has 21 teens currently in Israel traveling as a unit with the BBYO Passport Israel Journey. Their blog posts have been filled with inspiring stories and a powerful feelings of attachment to the land and people of Israel. We are looking forward to their return as Counselors-in-Training (CITs) at the end of the summer.

From Dutch situation room, pro-Israel volunteers defend Jewish state on social media

BY CNAAN LIPHSHIZ JTA – Israeli Ambassador to the Netherlands Haim Divon nodded approvingly as he surveyed the small army of 50 men and women fighting for Israel.

Around a conference table in an office in the Amsterdam suburb of Buitenveldert, 30 volunteers were writing and collecting pro-Israel materials and transferring them to an editor who posted them on social networks.

Nearby, the graphics department churned out glossy logos and catchy memes that compared weather forecasts from London – partly cloudy with a chance of light showers – to that of Tel Aviv: Rocket volley with a chance of death.

This was not Divon’s operation. In fact, he and other embassy staff were making only their fi rst visit to the situation room set up by Jewish and Christian volunteers to counter anti-Israel rhetoric online. Community leaders say the effort is unparalleled in Europe and a testament to the vibrancy of Dutch Jewry.

“What you have done here is amazing,” Divon told the group. “I think this is unique in Europe and this is exactly what we need to give us enough time to accomplish what we need in order to ensure the safety of the people of Israel.”

The volunteers at the Buitenveldert situation room began working last week out of the cafeteria of the local Jewish Cultural Center, which they converted into a space where 80 people can work in two 14-hour shifts each day. The volunteers have created hundreds of posts and articles on Israel, which they disseminate through the Holland4Israel Facebook group and on Twitter, among other social media.

“The idea is to empower pro-Israel advocates who used to work out of their student apartments by giving them a community framework, interaction and facilities,” said Ron Eisenmann, a former community leader from Amsterdam who spearheaded the project with Rabbi Yanki Jacobs, director of the Dutch branch of the Chabad on Campus network, and Christians for Israel, an international network of Christian Zionists.

For some participants, the situation room is the only place outside their homes where they can express support of Israel without rebuke. After one of her classmates posted on Facebook that “…Zionists are something that every Jew should be ashamed of,” one Jewish student decided she needed to be more discreet about her views.

“Most of my friends are left-wing non-Jews,

so I knew they were no big fans of Israel,” said Naomi, a student in her 20s from an eastern Holland city with few Jews, who asked to be identified only by her fi rst name. “But I was shocked by their attacks on me because of my comments online about Israel’s right to defend itself.”

Support for the Palestinian cause is strong in the Netherlands, which has seen a string of efforts to divest from Israel over its policies in the West Bank and Gaza. Earlier this month, Muslim demonstrators twice chanted menacing calls about Jews at rallies in The Hague. Separately, unidentified individuals smashed the windows of the home of a chief rabbi, the fi fth attack on his residence in recent years.

But the kingdom is also home to one of Europe’s most active pro-Israel communities, led by the Center for Information and Documentation on Israel, or CIDI. The 40-year-old organization with 10 professional staffers, an online television channel and two research departments has given the Netherlands’ small Jewish community of 40,000 an outsized voice on Israel affairs unequaled by similarly sized communities elsewhere in Europe.

But it is the support of Christian Zionists that gives Holland’s well-organized Jewish community an extra push in its public diplomacy efforts, according to Binyomin Jacobs, Yanki’s father and the rabbi whose home was attacked.

“The supporters of Israel from Christians for Israel are an enormous help and an important element to the Jewish story here,” said Jacobs.

Representing hundreds of thousands of people in dozens of countries, Christians for Israel was founded in the Netherlands in 1979.

Recently, the group launched several campaigns against PGGM, a major pension fi rm that divested from Israeli companies, and against several supermarket chains that reportedly agreed to boycott settlement goods.

Christians for Israel’s contribution to the proIsrael effort during the current Gaza crisis was evident at a July 19 demonstration, where approximately 1,000 people – many draped in Israeli flags – packed Amsterdam’s Dam Square.

“I was surprised at how many Jews showed up,” said Sergiusz Licpyz, an Israeli living in Amsterdam. “They sang Hebrew songs and completely dwarfed the counter-demonstration of 30 pro-Palestinians, who ended up looking quite pathetic. I think they were also surprised.”

Yisca Shalev-Halfon on her recent wedding day.

Shalom to my Rhode Island community

You probably all know about the hard situation in Israel right now, and I will try to tell you a little bit of what happens in my life during this time.

Friday, June 13, was my bachelorette party. In the middle of the party I noticed all my friends were constantly checking their phones. A few hours later I heard what happened.

Three boys were on their way home for Shabbat and were kidnapped – Eyal Yifrach, Gilad Shaar and Naftali Frankel. It was very hard to hear the bad news, and we all hoped that they would return home safely.

One week later was our wedding day, June 19. We prayed for them under our chuppah.

Two-and-a-half weeks later, we heard sadly of their murder.

Everyone in Israel could not believe how strong their families can be, and how much they brought all the people in Israel together to pray, to hope and later to be part of their sadness.

They were our boys, everyone in Israel kept saying, and this is really how I felt also.

A few days later, Israel started to be under a missile attack from Gaza. My husband Onn (he was also a shaliach in Mobil, Alabama, and in Delaware, and today works with me at the Jewish Agency) was called to his army duty the day before we started our year shlichim training. He and also few more upcoming shlichim (one of them being Gilor, your new shaliach for this year) didn’t arrive on July 9 for our fi rst day of training.

The shlichim training started in Jerusalem. In the middle of programs, we run to the shelters. We hear sad news all the time about so many soldiers that have gotten hurt and been killed during the war. One of them, Zvika Kaplan z”l, is my friend and married my very

good friend. They have two boys and live in the north of Israel. He was one of the Golani officers that was killed. He was one of those guys you can say only good things about, always volunteering and wanting to help anyone in need and never thinking he was doing anything special, just that this is part of the thing you do as a human being.

Also in the same battle Shon Carmeli, a lone solider in Golani, was killed. His funeral was on the same day of Zvika’s funeral at 11 p.m. All the people in Israel were talking about how important it is to come to his funeral because he has no family in Israel. Our shlichim asked to go to his funeral so we organized a bus and drove to Haifa. There were more than 20,000 people who felt a connection to Shon and decided to come, without even knowing him.

In Israel we really hope for better and quiet days; we don’t want to lose any more people.

We want to come back to normal life when you don’t need to run to the shelter, when you don’t hear all the time about people who are injured or killed.

And from you, I’m asking to support Israel. We don’t want this war, but we also don’t want to be scared to go to sleep and we could not hear the siren. We don’t want to live a life when people want to kill you and this is their mission.

I know that Israel is our land and this is our place to be and to live even when it’s hard.

When our life will get back to normal, I hope to see you all visiting in Israel.

With much love Yisca Shalev-Halfon Your Israeli emissary 2010-2011

thejewishvoice.org

SENIORS

August 1, 2014 |

37

Tai Chi: Enduring the test of time

BY MELISSA BROOKS With new studies increasingly cropping up citing the health benefits of Tai Chi, it comes as no surprise that the ancient Chinese meditative exercise is gaining popularity throughout the nation and abroad. According to a National Health Interview Survey, more than 2 million Americans have adopted the practice.

The residents at EPOCH Senior Living on Blackstone Boulevard have long been ahead of the curve. For the past 13 years, many seniors there have practiced Tai Chi weekly under the tutelage of eastern fitness specialist Bob McManus. McManus has been teaching Tai Chi to people of all ages for more than 13 years and studying it for more than 30.

Blackstone resident Marsha Pomon has become enthralled with the practice and regularly attends McManus’ class. “I like the motion of Tai Chi and the feeling of being more graceful and more in control of my body,” she said.

Indeed, McManus says Tai Chi appeals to many seniors in part because it’s a low impact form of exercise, yet a highly effective way to increase their strength, flexibility and range of motion. “It doesn’t put a lot of stress on the body, but they still feel the workout,” he said.

The 500-year-old practice focuses on rhythmic, controlled movement. The goal of these exercises is to soften the connecting tissues in the joints and spine. McManus says this “softening” reduces muscle tension and aids circulation, which is particularly helpful for aging adults.

“Exercises that soften the internal tissue in the neck are important for blood flow to the brain,” he said. “This helps reduce the risk for stroke and can prevent someone from losing their balance due to lightheadedness.”

The slow, controlled move-

PHOTO | RICHARD MCCAFFREY

Eastern fitness specialist Bob McManus leads weekly Tai Chi classes for seniors at EPOCH. Although many students choose to do the exercises seated, they still reap the benefits of Tai Chi’s rhythmic movements and focus on the breath. ments of Tai Chi also help improve balance by strengthening leg muscles and improving flexibility. McManus says the importance of good balance for seniors cannot be overstated, as it

“I like the motion of Tai Chi and the feeling of being more graceful and more in control of my body,” reduces the risk for falls. “Balance is a big, big thing. If you fall, it can be the beginning of a downward spiral,” McManus said. Falls are a major concern among aging adults, as they can lead to fractures and disability, compromising their ability to live independently.

Aaron Regunberg has a record of bringing people together to win real policy change.

Aaron fought for property tax relief Led campaign to win $30 million in payments from Brown University to Providence Aaron helped students and parents win positive changes in our schools More accessible school transportation for kids and families Healthier school lunches and facilities Taking on misuse of high-stakes testing ...And much more that doesn’t fit here!

for State Representative District 4 www.RegunbergforRep.com Paid for by Friends of Aaron Regunberg, Jill Davidson, Treasurer

Tai Chi’s benefits extend beyond improved circulation and balance. Indeed, numerous studies coming out of Harvard, UCLA and other universities continue to find evidence of this meditative art form’s wide range of health benefits. These studies have found Tai Chi promotes heart health, helps maintain and even increase mineral bone density and reduces hypertension and arthritis pain.

McManus incorporates reflexology into his classes to further help his students cope with arthritis. He shows them how to strategically place pressure on the hands to help stimulate energy and blood flow.

Additionally, Tai Chi helps many people better cope with stress and depression. This can be attributed to the practice’s focus on the breath, which helps bring an increased sense

of calm and well-being. McManus often ends his classes with a short meditation to help infuse the sense of well-being his students have gained during class.

McManus further helps his senior students feel at ease by offering modifications suited to each individual’s ability and mobility level. He said, “Whatever I teach, you can do sitting or standing. Standing is more beneficial for the legs, but sitting is helpful, too.”

Surely, McManus’ attentiveness to each of his students keeps them coming back week after week. Blackstone resident Connie Cox said, “Bob makes a point of learning who everybody is so he can address each resident personally. There isn’t anyone in the class that doesn’t feel like Bob reaches out to them personally.”

No matter what age you are, McManus recommends practicing Tai Chi. “It’s good for you.

It’s good for anything that ails you, and a good way to maintain and improve your health,” he said. “It’s a very old exercise system that’s lasted a long time for a good reason: It works.”

McManus teaches classes at EPOCH Senior Living on Blackstone Boulevard every Tuesday at 10 a.m. His classes are free and he welcomes all to attend.

If you’d like to learn more, call 401-273-6565.

MELISSA BROOKS is a writer who frequently covers senior activities, issues and events.

38 | August 1, 2014

The Jewish Voice

2014-2015 Guide To Jewish Living Be part of the only publication that reaches more than 20,000 Jewish readers in Southern New England for a full year.

This Guide will be mailed to every known Jewish household in Rhode Island and Southeastern Massachusetts with our September 26, 2014 issue of The Jewish Voice, the producer of this informative handbook.

Reservation Deadline: August 20, 2014 | Materials Due: August 29, 2014 Publication Date: September 26, 2014 Back cover glossy stock, 4-color .................... $1475 Inside front or back cover, 4-color ............... $1325 Full page 4-color glossy ..................................... $1010 Full page 4-color .................................................... $825 Full page b&w .......................................................... $790 Half page 4-color glossy .................................... $510 Half page b&w vertical or horizontal ......... $310 Strip 3x3 b&w ........................................................... $180

Full Page = 6.5” w x 9.5” h Half Page Horizontal = 6.5” w x 4.75” h Half Page Vertical = 4” w x 9” h

Contact our advertising sales representatives

Tricia Stearly

401-421-4111 ext. 160 tstearly@jewishallianceri.org

Karen Borger

401-529-2538 ksborger@gmail.com Custom Sizes: $20 per column inch Mechanical Info: 1 column width = 2”

SIMCHAS

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August 1, 2014 |

39

B’NAI MITZVAH – Joshua and Aliyah Boyle became a Bar and Bat Mitzvah on June 21, at Aspen Jewish Congregation in Aspen, Colorado. Standing with them is their father Vincent and mother Jill. The twins are the grandchildren of Arlene and Melvin Landesberg of Tiverton and the greatgrandchildren of Harriet Landesberg of Warwick.

EAGLE HONORS – Erik Brenner (center) of Troop 1, Greenville, was elevated to Eagle Scout in an Eagle Court Of Honor on May 16. For his service project, Erik built an outdoor reading/ program patio (about 11 feet x 11 feet) for the Greenville Public Library. Erik joined scouting as a Wolf in 2005 and crossed over to Troop 1 in 2009. He will start his junior year at Smithfield High School in the fall and is active on the Science Olympiad team. Pictured with Erik are his brother, Alex, who crossed over in February and his father, Jeremy, who is active as an adult volunteer with the troop.

ENGAGMENT – Marlene and Bruce Wolpert of Providence, RI, announce the engagement of their son, Michael Richard Wolpert, to Ashley Blake Neider, daughter of Janice and Michael Neider of Boca Raton, Florida.

Both Ashley and Michael graduated from Emory University. He is a buyer at Macy’s corporate headquarters in Manhattan. She is an Omni Channel Planner at J. Crew in Manhattan.

Michael is the grandson of Shirley Wolpert and the late Irving Wolpert, and the late Rose and Morris Fishman. Ashley is the granddaughter of the late Fran and Morton Schare.

The couple plans a spring wedding in 2015.

Local fencers make their mark at summer champtionships Julia Shalansky and Lucy Friendman, both from Providence, represented the Rhode Island Fencing Academy & Club (RIFAC) in East Providence, at the Summer National Fencing Championships held from June 22-July 3 in Columbus, Ohio.

Summer Nationals is the culmination of the American fencing season and the largest fencing tournament in the world.

This year, Columbus welcomed over 4,300 fencers competing in all three weapon categories (foil, epee, and saber). Athletes

ranged in age from under 10 to over 70.

Julia, a 13-year-old fencer, fenced in Division III Women’s Foil (restricted to athletes holding a rank of “D” or under) where she took ninth place out of 124 total fencers. She also earned a fi fth place medal in Division II Women’s Foil; 108 athletes competed in this event.

Fencers in Division II must hold a national rating of “C” or under. (Ratings range from “A” to “E.”) With the fi fth place fi nish, Julia boosted her previous

rank of “D” to “C.” Lucy earned a 20th place fi nish out of 227 fencers in Junior women’s Epee. Athletes in “junior” events must be 20-yearsold or under. Lucy holds a national rating of “B” awarded in 2012.

Julia and Lucy looked to owner and head coach Alex Ripa, coach Matt Duquette and the remainder of the coaching staff for advice, support and encouragement throughout the duration of the national championship competition.

At The Highlands, we laugh and live life.

Good friends and good cheer set us apart.

Stop in or call for a private appointment.

Discover the The Highlands’ difference!

Come to a Happy Life ENGAGEMENT – Bernie and Sharon Kramberg of Avon, Connecticut, announce the engagement of their daughter Jennifer to Ian Pinta, son of Brad Pinta of Quincy, Massachusetts, and Rhona Pinta of Canton, Massachusetts. Grandparents Miriam Levy of Warwick and Rhoda Pinta of Wellesley, Massachusetts, share in their joy. A June 2015 wedding is planned.

Assisted Living - Memory Care

High Standards. Higher Hopes.

101 Highland Ave (Near Miriam Hospital), Providence www.HighlandsRI.com

401-654-5259

COMMUNITY

40 | August 1, 2014

Israeli shaliach (emissary) Maor Mintz and J-Campers begin each day with a spirited song during Morning Circle.

The Jewish Voice

Tennis is a new activity at J-Camp- this year and has become a camper favorite.

J-Camp offers adventure, new activities and extraordinary camp fun! includes educators, child-care professionals, artists, coaches, an Israeli shaliach (emissary) and qualified counselors. Each week at J-Camp, there is a dedicated theme that ties in both secular and Jewish educational components. Elective activities, field trips and special guests make J-Camp a new weekly adventure. In addition, as part

t s b J

of the USDA-funded Summer Food Service Program, J-Camp offers lunch and snacks daily at no extra charge to campers.

If you wish to enroll your children for the fi nal weeks of Summer J-Camp, contact Michelle Cicchitelli, director of Jewish living and camp director at 401421-4111, ext. 178 or mcicchitelli@jewishallianceri.org.

w

vie e r P r Summe

raising funds to raise the community 1. How does Jboost work?

3. Find ones you like and click “Fund this Project.”

Fund this Project

Yaniv Kano-Feigenbaum gets to know Freckles during Wild Wild West/Hachnassat Orchim: Welcoming of all Guests week. The children each had an opportunity to ride the pony around the field.

Jboost.org—the crowdfunding website for Greater Rhode Island’s Jewish community.

Crowdfunding /kroud•f ndING/: The collective effort of a group of people who pool their resources, networks, and ideas to benefit the greater good.

Coming together to raise the community by growing safety net services, promoting self-sufficiency, and increasing access to Jewish life in Greater Rhode Island.

2. Browse projects created by local Jewish agencies and synagogues.

Project I

Log on to jboost.org

PHOTOS | JEWISH ALLIANCE

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Summer J-Camp at the Dwares JCC offers everything you’d expect from a great summer experience—sports, music, nature exploration, swimming — all within a warm and welcoming community. J-Camp, which enrolls campers from ages 5 to 11 and Counselors-in-Training (CITs) from ages 12-15, is managed by nurturing staff that

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