November 2019

The Voice of Greater Rhode Island’s Jewish Community

JEWISH RH OD E I S L A ND

NOVEMBER 2019 | HESHVAN 5780

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Climate Head goes change here PHOTO | Can Stock | Freezing picture

The conversation: Who is responsible for taking action?

Or Cohen brings Israel to little Rhody

JWV Post 23 yesterday and today

Holocaust Stamps Project has a new home

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JEWISH RHODE ISL AND

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

VOLUME XXVI, ISSUE XI JEWISH RHODE ISLAND

(ISSN number 1539-2104, USPS #465-710) is published monthly.

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Step away from the rat race DO YOU FIND that you have trouble slowing down? After the introspection and renewal of the high holidays, do you launch back into your schedule with the vigor of a speeding train?

I know I do. After a period of forced downtime in October, I looked at the calendar and suddenly realized that there was a paper to put out, and there weren’t many days left to get all the work done. But first, there was a newsletter to create.

And regularly scheduled meetings that had been on hold were now back on the calendar, with the accompanying preparations and work involved for each one.

For me, all this served to get my heart and head racing into a state of near chaos.

I’m not alone. I’ve talked to friends and colleagues in the last week who have had similar feelings.

This return to the rat race somewhat negates the hopes of calm and renewal from the High Holy Days, when we spend a lot of time thinking about the coming year, praying for a renewed spirit, looking toward a clean slate.

Perhaps we all need to slow down a little. Why are we speeding through life? What is getting lost in the rush?

Shabbat serves as a weekly reminder to slow down.

There are many levels of Shabbat observance. Is your level right for sustaining you through the week?

Maybe we should consider how we can slow down on an ongoing basis, whether from Shabbat to Shabbat or just a couple of days during the week. Set new goals – and make them attainable. Consider how you might step back from the rat race, even for just a little while: GO FOR A WALK, UNPLUGGED. Have your wife/husband/ significant other join you – he or she probably needs to slow down, too. Walking is good for everyone. So is visiting a quiet place – a park or the seashore, or better yet, a wilderness area.

online, but studies show we read more when reading the print version; readers online are less likely to finish an article. We also see articles in print that we would never come across online; there is a serendipity to what we might discover.

COOK SOMETHING. Cookies. Breakfast. A dinner that is much nicer than takeout. Cooking is relaxing, and eating should be, too – remember to slow down and savor your food.

EXERCISE. Ride a bike. Play a sport. Work up a sweat. My husband plays tennis weekly. He complains that his back hurts, or his shoulder hurts, or that he doesn’t have time, but the group commitment obliges him to go – and he always comes home feeling better.

SPEND QUALITY TIME WITH CHILDREN, especially younger ones. If you have kids, stop rushing and overscheduling, and plan an afternoon to play a game, or talk, or share some other simple activity. Grandchildren can be energizing, too, especially if you take the time to enjoy the wonder of them learning to walk, or talk, or master a new skill.

RECONNECT WITH A HOBBY OR A PASSION. It might be a book club or a travel group, swimming or volleyball. It could be something from your youth, like coin collecting or comic books. Why not?

MEET NEW PEOPLE. Join a group, or start one. Many of us freelance now or run small businesses on our own, which can be satisfying but also lonely. There are more of us out there now than ever before, so try to find a way to get together with people in your field.

YOU CAN ALSO EXPAND YOUR SOCIAL CIRCLE in lots of other ways. Get involved with the Alliance’s Dwares Jewish Community Center. Invite people over to watch the game.

Have an open house and invite the neighbors.

LEARN SOMETHING NEW. Always wanted to learn to sew or scuba dive or speak Spanish? Just do it!

If you find a way to slow down that works for you, let me know. We’re all happier when we have something to enjoy!

READ A PRINTED NEWSPAPER. It’s a nice change of pace from staring at a screen. Yes, you can read the news

Fran Ostendorf, Editor

BUSINESS 27 | CALENDAR 10 | COMMUNITY 30 | D’VAR TORAH 6 FOOD 16 | OBITUARIES 28-29 | OPINION 7-9 | SENIORS 20-23 | SIMCHAS & WE ARE READ 34

LATEST NEWS

Fighting terrorism in courts and banks

BY FRAN OSTENDORF PROVIDENCE – It’s an innovative idea: Fighting terrorism by bankrupting terrorist organizations. But that’s exactly what Israeli attorney Nitsana Darshan-Leitner is working to do.

The director of Shurat HaDin, the Israel Law Center, Darshan-Leitner spoke to about 90 people Monday night at the Alliance’s Dwares Jewish Community Center.

“If you want to stop terrorism, you have to stop the money,” she said. Her nonprofit is working toward bankrupting terrorists – one lawsuit at a time.

Through stories of terror incidents and their victims, accompanied by details of legal actions that she and her organization have taken, she described how Shurat HaDin fights terrorism in the courts of Israel, the United States and Canada. The Tel Aviv-based organization has sued the

Palestinian Authority, the Palestine Liberation Organization, Boeing and Airbnb, among others. When they win a financial settlement, the money is given to terrorism victims.

In addition to fighting terrorist funding, Shurat HaDin has taken on cases against social media platforms, such as Facebook, in an effort to stop terror incitement. Darshan-Leitner described how terrorists have posted on Facebook before stabbings, and received many encouraging messages.

“Imagine what ISIS would be like without YouTube,” she said.

Shurat HaDin also takes on cases that charge Israel with war crimes, and it is combatting the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement.

“These are unprecedented cases,” Darshan-Leitner said. “This is not just a Jewish problem. It’s not an Israeli problem.” She emphasized that terrorism exists worldwide.

“I believe we will win. We want to live safely in our country. We are fighting for our national survival,” she said.

The program was presented by the Rhode Island Coalition for Israel, and co-sponsored by the Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island, Providence Kollel and Project Shoresh.

At the beginning of the program, R.I. State Police Lt. Col. Joseph Philbin received the “Mensch of the Year” award, a new community recognition from RICI. Philbin, a 25-year veteran of the Rhode Island State Police, went to Israel for a police training exchange in December 2018. He has been speaking to groups about his Israeli experiences.

“I am amazed and honored to receive this award,” Philbin said. “That trip changed my life.”

Earlier in the day, he announced his retirement from the state police.

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Jewish Rhode Island | jewishrhody.org

UP FRONT globe: Kyrgyzstan, Vietnam, the Philippines and the U.S., where she spent time in Westchester County, New York, sharing a little bit about life in Israel.

It’s common in Israel to take a gap year and travel after army service, Cohen said.

In Israel this past year, she volunteered in a children’s hospital, taught swimming and coached a teen water polo team.

Cohen recently sat down with Jewish Rhode Island to answer a few questions and introduce herself to the Jewish community of Rhode Island. The interview has been slightly edited for clarity.

Tell us a little about your family.

My father is a farmer in a moshav [Nitzanei Oz, near Netanya]. My grandfather built the moshav [a cooperative farming community]. We have sheep and chickens. My mother was an accountant. She died three years ago from cancer. I have three little sisters. One is 24, and was an officer in the Iron Dome unit. She has studied cooking and baking. One is 19, and in a search-and-rescue combat unit in the IDF. My youngest sister is 13, and in middle school.

I try to talk to them every day by video chat, to see and hear them. We help and support each other. We are very close.

Why did you decide to become a shlichah?

I really enjoy working with people. I thought I’d be a teacher long term … a principal. Then I went to travel, and I took part in the program in Westchester [County], where I shared my experiences. It called me back.

What has been your experience in the U.S. so far?

How do you like Providence?

PHOTO | GLENN OSMUNDSON

Or Cohen: Bringing a little of Israel to her new home

BY FRAN OSTENDORF

Or Cohen came to Rhode Island in August to serve as the Israeli emissary (shlichah) to the Rhode Island Jewish community through summer 2021.

As a teen, the 28-year-old Israeli was a champion swimmer, specializing in the butterfly stroke. Rather than try out for the Olympics, she joined the navy and participated in combat operations as the executive officer of a missile ship. Cohen was the first female commander of an Israeli

patrol boat. Later, she was the commander of academics in Israel’s naval academy. She has a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Haifa.

Following her release from the Israel Defense Forces with the rank of lieutenant commander, Cohen traveled across the

SPONSORED BY THE JEWISH ALLIANCE of Greater Rhode Island in partnership with the Jewish Agency for Israel (JAFI), shlichah Or Cohen teaches at the Jewish Community Day School of Rhode Island and Providence Hebrew Day School, as well as in religious schools around Rhode Island. She also leads programs at the University of Rhode Island Hillel and Brown RISD Hillel.

At the Alliance’s Dwares Jewish Community Center, in Providence, Cohen is in charge of the Israel Culture series for adults and works with children in the Eides Family J-Space After School Program and the David C. Isenberg Family Early Childhood Center.

She also visits synagogues and agencies around the state to present programs about Israel.

Here, there’s a warm welcome all the time. In Israel, you don’t feel the same sense of community outside of the moshav.

It’s unique to be in a community. Here, it’s strong. I feel that way at every temple. I feel that all the time. I felt that way in Westchester. I really like it. It’s felt like a family.

What has surprised you?

Holidays are very different. Here, you feel more community.

Dinner is bigger. In Israel, it’s more of a family time. It’s more private.

Three recommendations of places to visit in Israel?

These would be for returning travelers. First would be my home! Visit a moshav or a kibbutz. Second would be Rosh HaNikra. It’s on the sea and there are beautiful sunsets every day. This is where I patrolled in the navy. Third, one of our springs in Israel. There are a lot of springs. For example, Ein Kanaf has beautiful views of the Kinneret and Galilee.

Favorite food?

I love moufleta [a type of crepe]. My family is Moroccan. You can’t cook only moufleta; it has to be a party. And I really love pancakes.

What do you hope people will learn from you as a shlichah?

Israel is home. Home is not only the house. It’s the family. I want people to know the warmth, how it feels to be in Israel. I want to let you feel that Israel is your home. Part of my job is to go back to Israel and share my experiences, just as I share here. I will take back what I learn here.

What should our community know about you?

I love playing with the kids. I enjoy feeling like I’m 8 years old and running with the kids. When I first got here, I was so happy to play soccer, and in the second game, I broke my toe!

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

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Loeb Visitors Center celebrates 10 years

BY MICHAEL SCHEMAILLE “WELL, WE DON’T LIKE HITLER, but at least he’s killed the Jews.” Those were the words spoken to John J. Loeb in 1945, by his classmates at the Hotchkiss School. At the time, Loeb was 14 years old and one of only two Jews at the elite prep school. Loeb never forgot those hateful words. He credits that moment, along with reading George Washington’s “Letter to the Hebrew Congregation,” as major factors in dedicating a large portion of his life to fighting religious intolerance.

Today, Loeb is nearly 90. Over the course of his life he has been the United States’ ambassador to Denmark, a delegate-at-large to the United Nations, a vintner and an art collector.

He also founded the George Washington Institute for Religious Freedom, and endowed the Ambassador John L. Loeb Jr. Visitors Center on the campus of Newport’s Touro Synagogue.

Touro is the oldest synagogue in the nation, and holds special meaning for Loeb, whose family tree can be traced back to the Touros.

In the late 1990s, several members of Touro’s Congregation Jeshuat Israel approached Loeb to ask for his help in building a new visitor’s center. Loeb agreed, providing a $12 million gift that built the visitors center, revamped the gardens of Patriot’s Park, and restored the historic Barney House, all on the Touro campus; construction of the visitors center was completed in 2009. Rabbi Marc Mandel, leader of Congregation Jeshuat Israel, said of the center, “We are grateful to John Loeb for this outstanding New England center, and for enhancing the Rhode Island educational landscape in such a significant manner.”

The center features two floors of exhibits, beginning with a welcome video from Ambassador Loeb, in which he says, “The reason we have a visitors center is to give you an idea of what this whole campus is about… [it] has really become a symbol of religious freedom, liberty, and thought, and you’ll come out of here feeling that you can be yourself and be totally accepted in the world, no matter who you are.”

Following the video, visitors are guided to an extraordinary, two-story “portrait tree” featuring digitized images of American Jews from the pre-Civil War era. Visitors are able to use touchscreens in order to examine individual portraits and read short biographies of those depicted. The center also features exhibits on the Washington Letter and the Rhode Island Royal Charter of 1663, as well as profiles of notable individuals. Of particular interest are the innovative, live-action ‘”vignettes” that recreate events related to Newport’s role in establishing religious freedom.

In celebration of its 10th anniversary the Loeb Visitors Center is offering free synagogue tours and center admission to all Rhode

The exterior of the Loeb Visitors Center in Newport.

A timeline of religious tolerance in colonial R.I. 1635 – Roger Williams is exiled from the Massachusetts Bay Colony due to his religious views, which are inconsistent with Puritanism.

1636 – Williams founds the town of Providence, establishing the very first political entity to take an official position on the separation of church and state.

1663 – King Charles II of England grants the Rhode Island Royal Charter. The Charter gives settlers the right to self-rule, and describes Rhode Island as “a lively experiment…with a full liberty in religious concernments.” It is the first charter to grant such autonomy to a colony.

1729 – Irish Philosopher George Berkeley writes of Newport, “…here are fewer quarrels about religion than elsewhere, the people living peaceably with their neighbors of whatsoever persuasion.”

1764 – Brown University is founded on the idea of admitting students regardless of religious affiliation.

1790 – Rhode Island ratifies the Constitution, stating:

The multi-story portrait tree.

Island residents, through the end of the year. In addition, Ambassador Loeb has made available a limited number of complementary copies of “A Genesis of Religious Freedom: The Story of the Jews of Newport, RI and Touro Synagogue.” To receive a copy of this book, email info@gwirf.org, with the subject line, “Book Request.”

To request a copy by mail, please write to the George Washington Institute for Religious Freedom, PO Box 670, Purchase, NY 10577.

For hours or to take a virtual tour, please visit the center’s website at www.loebvisitors.org.

MICHAEL SCHEMAILLE (mschemaille@jewishallianceri.org) writes for Jewish Rhode Island and the Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island.

“…all men have a natural, equal, and unalienable right to the exercise of religion according to the dictates of conscience; and that no particular religious sect or society ought to be favored or established, by law, in preference to others.”

1790 – George Washington responds to a letter from Moses Seixas, leader of Newport’s Congregation Yeshuat Israel (housed today at Touro Synagogue).

Washington’s letter states, in part, “…the Government of the United States, which gives to bigotry no sanction, to persecution no assistance requires only that they who live under its protection should demean themselves as good citizens…”

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D’VAR TORAH

D’ VA

Noah’s story is a tale of hope THIS WEEK, WE READ the story of Noah and the flood. You might be familiar with it as a cute kid’s story about finding two of each animal and bringing them into a giant boat. Or perhaps you think of this as a tale of destruction, or a story of re-birth and fresh starts. But perhaps the most powerful lesson of this week’s Torah portion is about hope. Ultimately, the story of Noah teaches us that when the RABBI RACHEL ZERIN world seems to be ending, we should hold on to hope.

We find messages of hope strewn throughout this story.

Before Noah even builds the ark, God gives Noah a message of hope. When God commands Noah to build the ark, God gives Noah basic instructions. Noah is given a list of materials and a list of dimensions. He is then instructed to “make a window in the ark, that ends one arm’s length from the top of the ark. Make an entrance to the ark on its side; and make a bottom, second, and third deck.” (Genesis 6:16) On the surface, there is nothing noteworthy about these verses. They simply comprise a construction manual. But if we think about it, there is actually something remarkable about these instructions. Of course the ark needs waterproof materials, and a door through which to enter. But why does the

R

TO R A H

ark need a window? What function could the window possibly serve? The thick covering of clouds that I can only imagine accompanies a 40-day long rainstorm must have meant there would be no sunlight coming through that window. The window’s purpose, then, was not to see the outside world during the rain. Its purpose must have been to give Noah hope. Hope that there would be life after the flood. Hope that no matter how dark it gets, light will eventually return.

Hope is also expressed in the ark’s very cargo: loading at least two of each animal, one male and one female, carries with it a message of hope about the re-birth of creation after so much destruction.

But perhaps most importantly, we find the message of hope in Noah’s final few actions on the ark. After the storm has passed, after the waters begin to subside, Noah opens the window – that very same window that served as a ray of hope throughout the flood, and sends out a raven, to see if it can find dry land. But the raven returns. There is no hope of leaving the ark yet. So Noah waits, and then sends out a dove – but the dove, too, returns.

At this point in the narrative, none of us could blame Noah for giving up hope. He was told that there would be a flood for 40 days, but after 40 days of rain, it was still unsafe to leave the boat, so Noah waited, and waited.

The Torah tells us that Noah entered the ark in the second month of his 600th year (Gen. 7:11), and did not leave it again until the first month of his 601st year (Gen. 8:13), which means that by now, Noah has spent over 10

Joseph Teverow and Jacqueline Teverow Factor Memorial Lecture

months in the ark. God promised to save Noah, but God never promised Noah that he would once again walk on dry land. If ever there was a time to lose hope, to assume that the world had come to an end – this was it.

Noah does not lose hope. Rather, Noah waits one more week, and then he sends out the dove once again. This time, she returns with an olive branch in her mouth, proof that the waters have subsided enough to find a tree; proof that Noah and all that is with him will once again emerge on dry land, that the world has not ended after all.

While we may not be living through a devastating flood as Noah did, it can still be all too easy to lose hope. Climate change, political turmoil and the challenges that each of us faces in our own lives can make it feel as if the world as we know it might be ending.

Perhaps it is no coincidence that we read this parashah in the late fall, when the days are getting shorter and the darkness seems to be overtaking the light. Perhaps our Torah reading cycle is a reminder to be like Noah: to create windows of hope through which light can shine even in the darkest of hours; to plan for the future; and perhaps most importantly, to continue to send out doves, to be persistent and unceasing in our search for signs of hope, never losing faith that there will always be a way to move forward.

RACHEL ZERIN is a rabbi at Temple Emanu-El in Providence.

Israeli judge halts auction of Holocaust victim’s letter JERUSALEM (JTA) – A court in Israel has blocked the sale of a letter written by an 11-year-old Polish girl who was killed in the Holocaust, following a protest by family members.

Five letters, including the one by Rachel Mintz, were to be auctioned Oct. 29 at the Dynasty Auction House in Jerusalem. They were written by children in Poland to counterparts in prestate Israel before the outbreak of World War II. The injunction from the Tel Aviv District Court halted the sale of all the letters.

Rachel’s letter described

life in Poland in 1937 and talked about her desire to immigrate to Israel, according to The Times of Israel.

The seller is identified as Israeli businessman Dudi Zilbershlag, Haaretz reported. Zilbershlag, who said he bought the letters at the Jaffa Flea Market, is a member of the Yad Vashem Holocaust museum council. He had declined a request to give Rachel’s letter to her family or the Yad Vashem archive, saying it would cause him “irreparable” financial harm, The Times of Israel reported.

Candle lighting times in Greater Rhode Island November, 2019

Avraham Infeld has spoken to audiences worldwide, using his passionately optimistic voice to explain how a shared peoplehood can bring the Jewish people together, regardless of differences in religious practice. Please join us on November 13, as Infeld speaks about the foundations and future of the Jewish people and shares stories from his book, “A Passion for a People: Lessons from the Life of a Jewish Educator.” A question-and-answer session will follow.

Nov.

1

5:20 p.m.

Nov. 8

4:12 p.m.

Nov. 15

4:05 p.m.

Nov. 22

4:00 p.m.

Nov. 29 3:57 p.m.

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COMMUNITY VOICES | OPINION Jewish veterans, are you out there?

Ira Fleisher JWV RI Dept.

State Commander

Swim with the sharks THE TIGERSHARKS SWIM TEAM at the Dwares Jewish Community Center is in full swing as kids start moving from other sports to swim season.

We hope to have 30 kids participating this year with many new faces. Last year we had 22. Assistant coaches are Kaitlyn Waring, a high school back-stroker on the team, a certified lifeguard and a stroke instructor in our TigerSharks Swim School; Sam Beauvais, a JCC lifeguard and the daughter of Jim Beauvais, the coach of North Providence’s Barracudas. Also helping with drills and instruction is our Hall of Famer Ian Muir.

Our first FUN meet was the Annual Relay Carnival, the Halloween sc-RIMA-thon, on Oct. 27. The next dual meet is on Sunday, Nov. 3 at FoxPoint. Contact me for more information at dimmel@jewishallianceri.org Doug Immel Aquatics Director Dwares Jewish Community Center

THE STARBUCKS just the captain ventured forth off Wayland Square in into the watery wilderness Providence is not only of the seven seas. a place where I enjoy a Early on, Melville warns good mug of coffee several us that Starbuck, a proud times a week, and sturdy man from but also an the island of Nanenvironment tucket, though that “[u]ncommonly inspires conscientious for me to a seaman, and write, in endowed with longhand, a deep natural the first reverence,” is no drafts of my match for Ahab. columns for The first RABBI JAMES Jewish Rhode mate is ROSENBERG Island. As a matter strong and of fact, every piece that I courageous have written for this paper in his “conflict with seas, since the fall of 2008 has or winds, or whales, or any begun with me putting of the ordinary irrational a ballpoint pen upon the horrors of the world.” Nevblue-green lines of a yellow ertheless, Starbuck stands legal pad – an act defining helpless in the presence of me as a lone Luddite amid a tyrannical demagogue a sea of earnest faces glued like Ahab. Starbuck “canto their laptops. not withstand those terrifWhile I have long susic, because more spiritual pected that the Starbucks terrors, which sometimes in which I drink my coffee, menace you from the think my thoughts, read concentrating brow of an and write, is named after enraged and mighty man.” a central character in No one better fits the Herman Melville’s 1851 definition of “an enraged classic novel, “Moby Dick,” and mighty man” than I recently confirmed my Ahab. suspicion with a quick Starbuck reveals his Google search: Starbucks – moral ineffectiveness in the “s” was added to create his first confrontation a more euphonious sound with Ahab, just after the – is named after Starcaptain of the Pequod has buck, the first mate of the browbeaten and somehow doomed whaler Pequod. hypnotized his crew into He is a brave but ineffectupledging their allegiance al antagonist to the ship’s to him and his mad, vengeCaptain Ahab, a monomaful quest for Moby Dick. In niac who has an obsessive private, Starbuck chides need to track down, caphis captain: “I came here ture and slay Moby Dick, a to hunt whales, not my huge white whale that bit commander’s vengeance. off Ahab’s leg the last time How many barrels will thy

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The Jewish War Veterans of the USA is the oldest organized veterans group in the United States. It was founded in 1896 by veterans who served in the North and the South during the Civil War. It was founded in response to the claim that Jews did not bear arms in the defense of their country.

During this time of rising anti-Semitism, we regularly hear that Jews never served in the armed forces of our country. It is important for Jews and non-Jews alike to know that this is not true.

Jews have served disproportionately to their representation in the general population. West Point this year graduated its 1,000th Jewish army officer. Jews have fought in every war since the founding of our country. They have won every decoration the military offers, including the Medal of Honor awarded by Congress.

It does not matter if you served in a combat zone, served wherever else they sent you, served on active duty or in the National Guard. If you are a veteran, be proud. Let us know you are out there. Let your voices be heard. Add your name to the list of Jewish Veterans in Rhode Island.

Please respond to Ira Fleisher at ijinri@aol.com. Thank you for your service!

Our urgent need for heroes of virtue, courage and cunning

IT S E

LETTER

vengeance yield thee even if thou gettest it, Captain Ahab? It will not fetch thee much in the Nantucket market ….

“Vengeance on a dumb brute ... that simply smote thee from blindest instinct!

Madness! To be enraged with a dumb thing, Captain Ahab, seems blasphemous.”

“Talk not of blasphemy, man,” Ahab responds. “I’d strike the sun if it insulted me.”

In the face of Ahab’s withering words, Starbuck is reduced to smoldering silence, as Ahab mutters to himself, “Something shot from my dilated nostrils, he has inhaled it in his lungs. Starbuck now is mine; cannot oppose me now .…”

Further on, in the voice of the narrator, Ishmael, Melville notes the tragic implications of Starbuck’s naïve decency by pointing out his “incompetence of mere unaided virtue or right mindedness.”

Today we are witness to a number of Captain Ahabs, demonic beasts who threaten to undermine the very foundations of our world’s democracies. Intoxicated by what they perceive to be their unlimited power, in their reckless disregard of every moral, social and political norm, they loom lawless in their madness and maddened in their lawlessness. So many Captain Ahabs – each one of them piloting his own Pequod in a self-absorbed,

winner-take-all pursuit of the unconquerable White Whale.

Today’s world is also populated by First Mate Starbucks – decent, well-meaning, hard-working people, even daring in certain ways, yet fatally flawed by that “incompetence of mere unaided virtue.” Our present-day Starbucks are no match for those Captain Ahabs, who, if not stopped, will sail our ships of state into whirlpools of oblivion.

Today we need heroes of a new and different type: men and women who are profoundly virtuous but who are also fully conscious of the potential for evil that lurks in all of us – what the ancient rabbis call the yetzer harah, our all-too-human inclination to do evil. We need a new breed of heroes, people who refuse to be seduced by the siren call of their own perceived virtue.

We need heroes who possess the courage and, yes, the cunning, to fight the devil that resides in every Ahab – the courage and the cunning to fight these Ahabs and not yield.

If today’s democracies cannot bring forth such heroes of virtue, courage and cunning, then the Captain Ahabs of our world will wind up dragging us all into the consuming maw of the White Whale.

JAMES B. ROSENBERG is rabbi emeritus of Temple Habonim, in Barrington.

Contact him at rabbiemeritus@templehabonim.org.

Oslo bans purchase of Israeli settlement goods (JTA) – The recently elected Oslo City Council is getting right to work: The Norwegian lawmakers are banning the purchase of goods and services from Israeli Jewish settlements by municipal departments and other local authorities.

It is the sixth Norwegian munic-

ipality to ban settlement goods and services, as well as one county council, according to the statement.

The Oslo ban is part of the platform for 2019-23 adopted recently by the City Council, the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement targeting Israel announced in a statement

on its website. The council is led by the Socialist Left, Labor and Green parties.

The ban does not distinguish between Israeli and international corporations that operate in Jewish settlements in the West Bank, according to the report.

Jewish Rhode Island publishes thoughtful and informative contributors’ columns (op-eds of 500 – 800 words) and letters to the editor (300 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 Jewish Rhode Island or the Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island.

Send letters and op-eds to: Jewish Rhode Island, 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).

8 | NOVEMBER 2019

Jewish Rhode Island | jewishrhody.org

COMMUNITY VOICES | OPINION

The United States: Still the best place in the world to live KI

NG OU

T

S PE A

TWENTY YEARS AGO THIS MONTH, my wife and I igrate here have always faced obstacles. were getting ready to celebrate what we believed Just look up, for example, the Chinese Exclusion would be a particularly meaningful ThanksAct of 1882 or the highly charged debate before giving, because it would be the first since our and during World War II about limiting Eastern then-only daughter Arianna became a naturalEuropean immigrants, including those fleeing the ized American citizen, at age 3.

Holocaust, and you’ll realize that today’s treatWe had traveled to Hefei, China, two years and ment of immigrants is nothing new – although the two months earlier, in 1997, to adopt her rhetoric out there makes it seem harsher. when she was 15 months old. The Since I wrote the letter to my daughter in Novemadoption occurred early in an ber 1999, Arianna, now 23, has taken full advanera when thousands of Chinese tage of the opportunities afforded her as an girls were being given up for American. Over the years, she took numeradoption by their birth famious dance and swimming classes, graduated lies due to China’s one-child from Hebrew school, became a Bat Mitzvah, policy, which was established graduated from high school and college, held to curb its population. (China down numerous jobs, traveled to Israel with ended that policy in late 2015.) the Birthright program, and then became a To mark Arianna’s first teacher. She has, in short, become a reLARRY Thanksgiving as an American, I sponsible American.

KESSLER wrote a letter to her to put her adoption in Twenty years later, my message to her is as perspective by discussing the United States’ relevant as ever. I hope you agree. longstanding tradition of accepting immigrants in search of a better life. The column was pubDear Arianna, lished on the eve of Thanksgiving in The Sun Someday, when you are celebrating ThanksgivChronicle, in Attleboro, where I worked as a news ing in school and learning the story of the Pileditor until retiring in 2017. grims and how they survived their first winter in I chose a Thanksgiving theme for the column the New World, I hope you, too, will feel the pride because I’ve always felt that Thanksgiving is the in becoming an immigrant. Tomorrow, when we quintessential American holiday, one that’s celhave dinner with Grandfather Ike, it will mark ebrated by virtually all Americans regardless of the third Thanksgiving that you have shared with their ethnic, religious or racial backgrounds. us, but the first since you became an American Two decades ago, the nation’s willingness to citizen in Boston on Sept. 23. accept immigrants was, like today, being debated That day, the first day of fall, was sunny and in and tested – and, sadly, 20 years later, immigrants the 60s. Your favorite part of the day was taking are still being used as a political football. Yet such the commuter rail train from Attleboro into treatment of immigrants is in keeping with our history as a nation, because people wanting to emCONTINUED ON PAGE 12

Arianna Kessler at graduation in 2018 from Bridgewater State University.

How Naama Issachar became a political pawn

BY RACHEL MESHULAM

BY NOW THE STORY of Naama Issachar, the U.S.-Israeli citizen imprisoned in Russia since April, has exploded in the Israeli media and has been covered in various international news sources. It’s worth revisiting her story to provide updated details from Hebrew language media sites.

Naama made aliyah from the U.S. at age 16, enlisted in the army and finished her service with excellence.

She was returning to Israel after a backpacking trip in India, and was stopped on a layover in Moscow after security found 9.6 grams of marijuana in her luggage. Officials escorted her from the airport to a police station, where authorities arrested her.

A Chabad rabbi arrived, acquired a lawyer, and Naama was charged with drug possession, which can carry up to three years in prison. Within two weeks the charge was changed to smuggling, which can carry up to eight years.

Naama has been held in a prison cell with three other women, where she is permitted one hour a day outside. She cannot communicate with

the guards or inmates, and has been forbidden to have books in English or Hebrew. In a five-month period, she was able to see her mother a few times across a glass wall. Her hearing dates were set for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, where she sat fasting before receiving the final sentence of seven and one-half years in prison.

The Chabad rabbi was unable to pass her a pomegranate in honor of the new year. Both the rabbi and her lawyers claim her treatment to be extraordinary and unlike anything they have seen.

Throughout this period, Russian state media suggested a potential swap of Naama for Aleksey Berkov, a Russian hacker imprisoned in Israel and wanted in the U.S. for financial crimes. Both the U.S. and Russia requested his extradition and the Israeli Minister of Justice decided in favor of the U.S. According to recent interviews with legal experts in Israeli papers, because Berkov is a Russian citizen and the crimes were committed on Russian soil, Russia may have a greater claim for extradition.

While Naama accepted responsibility for drug possession, the entire handling of her case has been outrageous. She is being used as a pawn in an international diplomatic and legal arena. Whether Berkov should be extradited to the U.S. or Russia is a far bigger matter than minor drug possession. If the legal precedents sway in favor of extradition to Russia, it does not justify what amounts to hostage-taking.

Russia is exhibiting continued use of Soviet tactics to obscure reality while trampling over judicial and diplomatic norms. That Naama faced hearings on the High Holy days is further evidence of this. According to family, Naama is on the verge of collapse. At age 26, she is slated to leave prison at 33. This not only cuts off her ability to build her own life, but potentially threatens her chance of building a family and having children.

Currently her parents are exploring the appeals process, and lobbying Israeli officials for their cause. Israeli President Reuven Rivlin requested that Russian President Valdimir Putin grant a pardon, yet this can only

be achieved after the appeals process and only if the appeal is denied.

Here are a few ways to support Naama:

•

Donate to assist the family

with material/logistical support (including lawyer fees and travel to Russia) at https://beactive.co.il/ project/53797. Contact me or a local Hebrew speaker if you need assistance.

•

Donate to Chabad in Moscow,

which is supporting Naama during this time.

•

Don’t fly to Russia or book

with Aeroflot. While this may be less relevant for Americans, Israelis often travel to Russia for tourism or for cheap layovers to other destinations.

RACHEL MESHULAM (previously Shmookler) lived in Providence for 6 years. She became engaged to Gilor Meshulam, a previous community shaliach, and made aliyah in 2016.

They live in Jerusalem and are expecting the unexpected with regards to national politics, local driving culture and the birth of their first child.

NOVEMBER 2019 | 9

jewishrhody.org | Jewish Rhode Island

COMMUNITY VOICES | THE CONVERSATION

What we can still learn from the Lubavitcher Rebbe about climate change

BY PHILIP WEXLER PENN YAN, N.Y. (JTA) – When the refineries were ablaze recently in Saudi Arabia, you might be forgiven if you forget that in the Amazon and Indonesia, forests were ablaze as well.

Yet these two conflagrations are not unconnected. As ever, ecological crises and geopolitical crises are deeply intertwined – and the universal interest of the global community is threatened by the narrow interests

of particular individuals, groups and nations.

The central debate that has raged among free-marketeers, scientists and policymakers since the Santa Barbara oil spill in 1969 is whether humanity should unheedingly reap the bounty of the earth or more carefully consider the impact of our actions.

Views on ecological questions obviously differ across religious denominations. But according to a 2014 Pew Research Center survey, religiosity

generally correlates with holding the opinion that environmental regulation is not worth the economic cost.

But are ecological and religious ideologies necessarily at odds?

The example of Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, the Lubavitcher Rebbe, tells us that it doesn’t have to be this way.

On April 15, 1981, just a few months after the inauguration of President Ronald Reagan, Rabbi Schneerson addressed the issue directly in a talk

that was broadcast live on satellite television. The media cycle was awash with reports of concerns over the incoming administration’s preferences for offshore drilling and nuclear energy while cutting funding for solar energy development.

The oil shocks of the 1970s, along with the Soviet Union’s emergence as the largest exporter of petroleum, had turned the competing priorities of energy security and environmental security into a crisis that seemed CONTINUED ON PAGE 24

Who is responsible for taking action on climate change?

Transportation is key

BY LIZA BURKIN H.G. WELLS SAID, “Every time I see an adult on a bicycle I no longer despair for the future of the human race.”

Wells lived in the golden age of bicycling, street cars and railroads in the late 19th century. But with the advent of the automobile, America handed over the keys to our transportation system to motorized vehicles and the fossil fuel industry. Deeply interconnected with housing, personal cars drove suburban sprawl – most of it systematically segregated by race and class via legal and fiscal instruments like zoning, redlining and discriminatory lending.

Of course, the car industry didn’t do this by itself. The Federal Aid Highway Act of 1956 financially incentivized states to demolish urban communities of color in order to build fast roads for suburban commuters – Routes 6 and 10 through Olneyville in Providence are a perfect example.

All of this led to (many) people spreading out, living farther away from where they work, go to school, shop and socialize. The design of most American communities now revolves around the automobile – single family homes with two-car garages, minimum parking requirements for all types of buildings, nightmarish fourlane “stroads” (think Route 2 in Warwick), drive-thrus – on and on. Cities are choking on traffic, and commute times are ever-increasing.

Because this is about the climate crisis, I won’t even mention the public

health and safety aspects of our land use, housing and transportation decisions. I will say that this has led us to a point where, according to the 2017 National Household Travel Survey, of the 46% of U.S. trips that were three miles or less, 77% were driven, 19% were walked, 2% used transit and only 1% were biked.

In Rhode Island, we are blessed with short distances. Admittedly, we are not blessed with a transportation system that allocates resources to maintaining the roads we have, let alone dedicated biking and walking infrastructure or high-frequency public transit. Which is why, according to a recent report by the Stockholm Environment Institute, Rhode Island’s transportation sector contributed 40% of the state’s greenhouse gas emissions in 2016. The report revealed that we have a 20-year window to make dramatic changes to our GHG emissions in order to avoid catastrophic climate consequences.

On transportation, it says, “The most effective approaches combine ‘soft’ educational and behavioral change campaigns with ‘hard’ structural reforms like zoning laws, carbon taxation, and major investments in pedestrian and bicycle facilities and public transportation.”

It’s time for Rhode Island to ride the winds of change. So, who is responsible?

First of all, the government. In Rhode Island, our Department of Transportation and Division of Statewide Planning (under the Department of Administration) are directly responsible for the policies, planning and projects that will begin to solve this massive, concrete problem. The Governor appoints the leaders of those CONTINUED ON PAGE 24

Everyone needs to take action

BY ADAM CABLE

THE SCIENCE OF the climate crisis has been clear for decades, and the need for action has never been more urgent.

Reliable, peer-reviewed research shows that half of plant and animal species are at risk for extinction by the end of the century. Wildfires, droughts, hurricanes and floods will become more deadly and destructive. Millions of climate refugees will need safe haven in coming years. This is only the tip of the iceberg.

The simple answer is that everyone is responsible for taking action on the climate crisis. As residents of the United States, we have to be accountable for our country’s role in producing a huge percentage of the world’s pollution over the last 150 years, despite our relatively small share of the world’s population.

President Donald J. Trump’s withdrawal from the groundbreaking (though not nearly as ambitious as the problem requires) Paris Climate Accords and rollback of a significant number of environmental regulations (including clear air, water and wildlife protections) mark a new phase in the decades-old cynical and ultimately deadly assault by the fossil fuel and chemical companies. As the inaction continues, my generation and those to come will have to navigate a world – if we survive – that will be harsh and unforgiving. Readers in older age groups may not have to face the conse-

quences themselves, but should have no doubt that rising seas and poisoned air and water will greatly impact their children and grandchildren.

The urgency to act on the climate crisis derives not only from moral, social and economic factors, but from Jewish ideals. We are instructed in Genesis (1:28-30), which we read in the Torah in recent weeks, to rule over the Earth and its animal and plant inhabitants. However, in the next few sentences, the other creatures of the world are given the green plants to eat. Who are we to take away from animals what has been given to them by the Creator? Are we the kind of rulers who leave their lands stripped of life, or are we protectors and promoters of growth and regeneration?

The Torah’s direction of “bal tashchit” or “do not destroy” (Deuteronomy 20:19-20) forbids us from cutting down the fruit trees of our enemies during wartime. How much more so should we be sure to not destroy our natural world during times of peace in our own backyard?

As the famous Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook wrote, “Know the great reality, the richness of existence that you always encounter. Contemplate its grandeur, its beauty, its precision, its harmony. Be attached to the legions of living things who are constantly bringing forth everything beautiful.”

There are simple things that we can all do to help prevent the climate crisis from continuing to devolve into outright catastrophe. Eat less meat.

Buy fewer things. Use fewer disposable items. Drive our cars less. Put solar panels on our roofs. However, this problem will continue to curse humankind and the planet until our economic system is dramatically CONTINUED ON PAGE 24

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10 | NOVEMBER 2019

Jewish Rhode Island | jewishrhody.org

UP FRONT | CALENDAR HIGHLIGHTS FOR COMPLETE MONTHLY LISTINGS, VISIT JEWISHRHODY.ORG

Ongoing

Alliance Kosher Senior Café.

Weekdays (except holidays) noon-2 p.m. Dwares JCC, 401 Elmgrove Ave., Providence. Kosher lunch followed by program. Information or RSVP, 401-421-4111, ext. 107.

West Bay Kosher Senior Café.

Fridays 11:15 a.m. Temple Sinai, 30 Hagen Ave., Cranston. Program followed by Kosher lunch. Information or RSVP, 401-421-4111, ext. 107.

Duplicate Bridge. Dwares JCC, 401 Elmgrove Ave., Providence. Mondays noon-2 p.m.: 0-20 masterpoint game for less-experienced players. $5.

Tuesdays 10:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. and Fridays 11 a.m.-3 p.m.: open stratified game, all levels. $7. Thursdays 1-3 p.m.: Guided play. $6. Information, abarton295@aol.com or 401-3909244.

The Igbo Jews of Abuja: A photo exhibit by Shai Afsai. 11/6 – 12/17.

Cranston Public Library, Central Library, 140 Sockanosset Cross Road, Cranston. Exhibit features photographs of Nigerian Igbo practicing Judaism in the country’s capital. Information, jvallone@cranstonlibrary.org.

Mah Jongg. Wednesdays 6:308:30 p.m. Canasta every other Wednesday. Temple Torat Yisrael, 1251 Middle Road, East Greenwich.

Lessons available. Free. Information, Torat Yisrael office at 401-8856600.

Adult B’Nei Mitzvah Class.

Wednesdays 7-8 p.m. 11/13/19 – 5/6/20. Temple Beth-El, 70 Orchard Ave., Providence. Yearlong study, preparation to become an adult Bar or Bat Mitzvah. Those interested in learning Hebrew without becoming Bar or Bat Mitzvah are welcome to register. Cost: $180. Information, Cantor Judy Seplowin at jseplowin@ temple-beth-el.org.

Intro to Judaism. Thursdays 7-9 p.m. thru 3/5/20. Temple Beth-El, 70 Orchard Ave., Providence. Learn the fundamentals of Jewish thought and practice through a mix of study, discussion and practical experiences.

For interfaith couples, non-Jews considering conversion and Jews looking for an adult-level introduction. Faculty include Rabbis Jeffrey Goldwasser, Howard Voss-Altman, Andrew Klein and Sarah Mack, and Cantor Judith Seplowin. Cost: $160 per person, $225 per couple. Information, Judith Gilson at jgilson@ temple-beth-el.org.

Saturday Minyan Breakfast and Torah Study. Saturdays 9:30 a.m.12:15 p.m. Temple Sinai, 30 Hagen Ave., Cranston. Information, Dottie@ templesinairi.org or 401-942-8350.

Children’s Shabbat Programs and

Kiddush. Shabbat mornings 10-11:30 a.m. Congregation Beth Sholom, 275 Camp St., Providence. For ages 2 to 12. Free. Information, office@ bethsholom-ri.org.

Tot Shabbat. Saturdays 11 a.m.12:30 p.m. Temple Emanu-El, 99 Taft Ave., Providence. Sing, dance, learn, craft, play and pray. No RSVP necessary. Challah and juice served.

Open to all. Free. Information or to advise of allergy concerns, Shosh Jacob at shosh@teprov.org.

Monday | November 4

Saturday | November 2

Cranston Senior Guild November Meeting and Bingo. 1-3 p.m. Tamarisk Assisted Living, 3 Shalom Drive, Warwick. Short meeting followed by bingo and refreshments. Information, Lois Cohen at loisteach@verizon.net or 401-944-2761.

Shabbat School. 9-11 a.m. Temple Torat Yisrael, 1251 Middle Road, East Greenwich. 9 a.m. Class time for grades K-5 and Torah discussion with 6/7 graders and congregants.

9:45 a.m. Service followed by a light Kiddush. Information, Torat Yisrael office at 401-885-6600.

Fiddler: A Miracle of Miracles.

7:30-9:30 p.m. Temple Emanu-El, 99 Taft Ave., Providence. Film includes interviews with Fiddler’s creators that reveal how the tremendous success and worldwide impact of Fiddler is most appropriately viewed through the lens of the social upheaval and change in mid-20th century America. $18 online preregistration, $25 at the door. Information, Brian Mayer at bjmayer@ teprov.org or 401-331-1616.

Sunday | November 3

Creative Hands Art Sale. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Temple Emanu-El, 99 Taft Ave., Providence. See story page 32.

Information, creativehands@teprov. org or 401-331-1616.

Mah Jongg Tournament. 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Temple Torat Yisrael, 1251 Middle Road, East Greenwich. Information, Temple Torat Yisrael Office at 401-885-6600.

Hadassah Chai Luncheon. Noon2:30 p.m. Temple Sinai, 30 Hagen Ave., Cranston. Meeting, fundraiser and dairy potluck luncheon. Monika Curnett will tell the gripping story of her parents’ experiences during World War II – “A Love Story for the Ages.” Cost: $36 or increments of Chai. Information, Sue Mayes at chapri@hadassah.org.

2019 Masa Israel Journey Gap Year Fair. 1-3 p.m. Gann Academy, 333 Forest St., Waltham, Mass.

Food, raffles and a chance to learn about opportunities to travel to Israel. Enter to win a ticket to Israel.

Information, Gali Gordon at GaliG@ MasaIsrael.org.

Alliance 2020 Annual Campaign Event: An Evening with Ari Melber. 6:30 p.m. Dwares JCC, 401 Elmgrove Ave., Providence.

Information, Seth Finkle at sfinkle@ jewishallianceri.org or 401-421-4111, ext. 14

Ireland’s Jewish Community and Newport’s Irish Rabbi. 6-8 p.m.

Mainstay Hotel & Conference Center, 151 Admiral Kalbfus Road, Newport.

Guest speakers Shai Afsai, Dr. Sean O’Callaghan and Dr. John F. Quinn.

Cost: $5 for Museum of Newport Irish History, Touro Synagogue and Touro Synagogue Foundation members. Others $10. Information: newportirishhistory@gmail.com

Wednesday | November 6

Thursday | November 7

Temple Beth-Elders Trip to the Fuller Craft Museum. 9 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Depart from Temple Beth-El, 70 Orchard Ave., Providence. Brockton, Mass., arts-and-crafts museum contains contemporary, craft-based art of many different genres and origins as well as sculpture gardens.

Cost: $30 per person includes motor coach, admission, tour and lunch.

Information, Ruby Shalansky at rshalansky@temple-beth-el.org.

Lunch and Learn: The Meaning of Faith after the Holocaust. Noon-1 p.m. Temple Beth-El, 70 Orchard Ave., Providence. An exploration of how we have responded to the theological challenges of such an unprecedented tragedy, with Rabbi Howard Voss-Altman. Study the meaning of post-Holocaust faith, the evolution of our covenant, the ethics of our choices and the impact of Israel on our belief systems. Bring your own lunch. Information, Jenn Thomas at jthomas@temple-beth-el. org or 401-331-6070.

Kadima: Moving Forward through Conversation. 7-9 p.m. Temple Beth-El, 70 Orchard Ave., Providence. Engage in intense conversation, led by Rabbi Sarah Mack, that embraces the nuance and complexity of Israel’s challenges and accomplishments. Dive into Israel’s past, present and future. Honor multiple voices and perspectives. Upcoming: 12/5, 2/6, 3/5, 3/26, 5/6, 6/4. Cost: $50. Information, Judith Gilson at jgilson@temple-beth-el.org.

Adult Education: Isaiah’s Demand for Social Justice. 7-9 p.m. Temple Sinai, 30 Hagen Ave., Cranston.

Four-session course for Christians and Jews focuses on the Book of Isaiah and the prophet’s call for social justice. Led by Rabbi Jeff Goldwasser and Prof. Arthur Urbano of Providence College.

Upcoming: 11/14 and 12/5 at Holy Apostles Catholic Church and 11/21

at Temple Sinai. Information, Michael Schlesinger at 401-942-8350.

Friday | November 8

Simchat Tot. 9:30-10:30 a.m.

Jewish Community Day School of RI, 85 Taft Ave., Providence. For children ages 0-3 years old, accompanied by a parent or caregiver. Free.

Information, Shayna Fel at sfel@ jcdsri.com or 401-751-2470.

T.G.I.F. – Thank G-D It’s Friday.

5:45-7 p.m. Temple Torat Yisrael, 1251 Middle Road, East Greenwich.

Shabbat songs and story with Rabbi Aaron Philmus followed by a kid-friendly potluck dairy meal.

Information or RSVP, Torat Yisrael office at 401-885-6600.

Joint Reform Shabbat Service with Chava Mirel. 7-8 p.m. Temple Beth-El, 70 Orchard Ave., Providence. Chava Mirel is a singer, guitarist, award-winning Jewish music composer, prayer leader and recording artist who bridges communities with her universal approach to spirituality through song. Free. Information, Jenn Thomas at jthomas@temple-beth-el. org or 401-331-6070.

Kabbalat Shabbat Service. 8 p.m.

Congregation Beth David, 102 Kingstown Road, Narragansett. Veteran’s Day service. Information, Jerry Kasten at 401-885-1296.

Saturday | November 9

Torah Study with Guest Speaker Alona Nir Karen. 9-10:30 a.m.

Temple Beth-El, 70 Orchard Ave., Providence. Alona Nir Karen is senior rabbi at Kehilat Mevasseret Zion in Israel. Information, Kim Campbell at kcampbell@temple-beth-el.org or 401-331-6070.

Obstacle or Opportunity? Is it okay to give up? 7-8:30 p.m.

Dwares JCC, 401 Elmgrove Ave., Providence. “Million Dollar Mile” prize-winner Michael Neuman is an Orthodox Jew who practices obstacle course racing. Cost: $8.

Co-sponsored by Project Shoresh and Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island. Register at jewishallianceri.org/obs-or-opp/. Information, Noach Karp at rnoachkarp@gmail. com.

Sunday | November 10

Men’s Club Breakfast with Guest Speaker Ruthie Polinsky. 9:30-11 a.m. Temple Torat Yisrael, 1251 Middle Road, East Greenwich. Information, Temple Torat Yisrael office at 401-885-6600.

Evelyn Blum Art Exhibit Opening Reception. 2 p.m. Barrington Public Library, 281 County Road, Barrington. All pieces available for purchase. Information, Evelyn Blum at Evalineblum@gmail.com.

Tuesday | November 12

Temple Torat Yisrael’s Lunch and Learn. Noon-1:30 p.m. T’s Restaurant, 5600 Post Road, East Greenwich. Led by Rabbi Aaron Philmus.

Information, Temple Torat Yisrael office at 401-885-6600.

JCS Fundraising Event. 5-9 p.m.

Flatbread Company, 161 Cushing St., Providence. Flatbread Company Providence donates a portion of all flatbread pizza sales to benefit Shalom Mealsite in Warwick and Kosher Senior Cafés in Providence and Cranston. Information or to donate directly, 401-331-1244 or JCSRI.org.

Pride Team Message. 7-8:30 p.m.

Temple Beth-El, 70 Orchard Ave., Providence. Rabbi Sarah Mack and Rabbi Gavi Rut present “Beyond the Hetero-Normative Queer Love in the Bible.” A study of traditional texts from the Hebrew Bible through the lens of queer biblical criticism, a lens that resists hetero-normativity as the default interpretive stance. Information, Jenn Thomas at jthomas@ temple-beth-el.org or 401-331-6070.

Wednesday | November 13

Israeli Culture Night: Joseph Teverow and Jacqueline Teverow Factor Memorial Lecture featuring Avraham Infeld. 7-8:30 p.m. Dwares JCC, 401 Elmgrove Ave., Providence. See story page 30.

Information, Or Cohen at OCohen@ jewishallianceri.org or 401-421-4111, ext. 121.

Thursday | November 14

Social Justice Committee: “Childhood Hunger in RI.” 10-11:30 a.m.

Temple Beth-El, 70 Orchard Ave., Providence. Panel discussion moderated by Peter Simon, M.D., former medical director of the Division of Community, Family Health & Equity for the RI Department of Health.

Free. Information, Jenn Thomas at jthomas@temple-beth-el.org or 401331-6070.

Lunch and Learn: The Meaning of Faith after the Holocaust. Noon-1 p.m. Temple Beth-El, 70 Orchard Ave., Providence. See Nov. 7 listing.

Led by Rabbi Howard Voss-Altman.

Bring your lunch. Information, Jenn Thomas at jthomas@temple-beth-el. org or 401-331-6070.

Adult Education: Isaiah’s Demand for Social Justice. 7-9 p.m. Holy Apostles Catholic Church, 800 Pippin Orchard Road, Cranston. See Nov. 7 listing. Upcoming: 11/21 at Temple Sinai, 12/5 at Holy Apostles Catholic Church. Information, Michael Schlesinger at 401-9428350.

NOVEMBER 2019 | 11

jewishrhody.org | Jewish Rhode Island

Friday | November 15

Simchat Tot. 9:30-10:30 a.m.

Jewish Community Day School of RI, 85 Taft Ave., Providence. For children ages 0-3 years old. Free.

Information, Shayna Fel at sfel@ jcdsri.com or 401-751-2470.

K’TanTan Shabbat. 5:30 p.m.

Temple Beth-El, 70 Orchard Ave., Providence. For children ages birth to 5 years old. Community dinner included. Free. Information, Rachel Mersky Woda at rmerskywoda@ temple-beth-el.org or 401-331-6070.

New Member Kabbalat Shabbat Service and Dinner. 6 p.m. Congregation Beth David, 102 Kingstown Road, Narragansett. Welcome Shabbat and new members. Information, Jerry Kasten at 401-885-1296.

Library Shabbat. 8 p.m. Temple Beth-El, 70 Orchard Ave., Providence. Jewish Book Council author talk by Mikhal Dekel, professor at City University of New York and author of “Tehran Children: A Holocaust Refugee Odyssey,” the true story of Polish-Jewish child refugees who escaped the Nazis and found refuge in Iran. Free. Information, Kim Campbell at kcampbell@ temple-beth-el.org or 401-331-6070.

Saturday | November 16

An Evening with Janet Applefield – Hidden Child During the Holocaust. 6-9 p.m. St. Mary’s Church, 330 Wood St., Bristol. Janet Applefield was a child when the Nazi regime invaded Poland, and her family had to make some difficult decisions. Presented by United Brothers Synagogue and St. Mary’s Church. Free. Information, Ellen Bensusan at ubsbristol@gmail.com.

The Magic of Danny Dubin. 7:30 p.m. Temple Torat Yisrael, 1251 Middle Road, East Greenwich.

Award-winning Jewish magician Danny Dubin uses his unique schtick to uncover awe-inspiring illusions. “Real Magic” is filled with crisp sleight of hand, slick comedy and engaging entertainment. $40 per person includes 2 cocktails, hors d’oeuvres and dessert. RSVP or information, 401-885-6600 or events@toratyisrael.org.

Sunday | November 17

Sunday Fundays. 9:30-10:30 a.m.

Jewish Community Day School of RI, 85 Taft Ave., Providence. Fun, relaxed, engaging mornings for children ages 1-4 years old. Free

play and special activities. Music and rhythm with music teacher Mr. Mike featured. Free. Information, Shayna Fel at sfel@jcdsri.com or 401-7512470.

Sprouts. 9:30-10:30 a.m. Temple Torat Yisrael, 1251 Middle Road, East Greenwich. For preschoolers includes stories, songs, crafts and a snack. $12 per session. Information or to pre-register (not required), Torat Yisrael office at 401-8856600.

“From Poland to Persia Part I: Who Studies Hebrew at the Krakow JCC.” 4-5:30 p.m. Temple Emanu-El, 99 Taft Ave., Providence.

Toby Liebowitz shares her experiences teaching Hebrew to Polish Jews at the Krakow JCC. Suggested donation $5. Information, Rabbi Rachel Zerin at rzerin@teprov.org or 401-331-1616.

Core Connects RI Book Group.

7:30-9 p.m. Private home. Discussion of “Small Miracles: Extraordinary Coincidences from Everyday Life” by authors Yitta Halberstam and Judith Leventhal. A collection of inspirational stories shares seemingly random events that took on meaningful significance in people’s lives. Free. Information, Elissa Felder at CoreConnectsRI@gmail.com or 401-241-9631.

Monday | November 18

“Breaking the Silence.” 7-9 p.m.

Dwares JCC, 401 Elmgrove Ave., Providence. American-raised “lone soldiers” who served in the Palestinian Territories in the last decade speak about their experiences. Panel moderated by Professor Ruth BenArtzi from Providence College with audience Q&A. Hosted by J Street Rhode Island. Co-sponsored by the Jewish Alliance and the New Israel Fund. Free. Open to all. Information, Jasmine Gothelf Winship at jasmine@jstreet.org.

Wednesday | November 20

Temple Sinai Sisterhood Luncheon. Noon-2 p.m. Longhorn Steakhouse, 400 Bald Hill Road, Warwick. RSVP (by 11/18), laurel197@aol.com.

Adult B’Nei Mitzvah Class. 7-9 p.m.

Temple Sinai, 30 Hagen Ave., Cranston. For adults wishing to participate in a spring 2020 B’Nei Mitzvah service regardless of whether one celebrated becoming B’nei Mitzvah as a child. Rabbi Goldwasser will emphasize Jewish learning and

spiritual practice. Learning to read from the Torah optional. Upcoming: 12/18, 1/22, 2/26, 3/25, 4/22, 5/27.

To join class, rabbigoldwasser@ templesinairi.org or 401-942-8350.

Thursday | November 21

PJ Library Drop-in Program. 4-5 p.m. Dwares JCC, 401 Elmgrove Ave., Providence. Join PJ Library in thanking others with Thanksgiving-themed stories, crafts and snacks. Information or RSVP, Lyndsey Ursillo at lursillo@jewishallianceri.org or 401-421-4111, ext. 141.

Adult Education: Isaiah’s Demand for Social Justice. 7-9 p.m. Temple Sinai, 30 Hagen Ave., Cranston. See Nov 7 listing. Third of four classes.

Last class: 12/5 at Holy Apostles Catholic Church. Information, Michael Schlesinger at 401-9428350.

Friday | November 22

$40 | Dwares JCC Members: $30 | Siblings: $20. Information and registration, skochanek@jewishallianceri. org or 401-421-4111, ext. 147.

JCDSRI Havdallah Program.

5:30-8 p.m. Temple Beth-El, 70 Orchard Ave., Providence. Family program includes a meal, learning and activities for children. Free.

Information, Alison Walter at awalter@jcdsri.com or 401-751-2470.

“From Poland to Persia Part II: A Journey from East to West.”

7:30-9 p.m. Temple Emanu-El, 99 Taft Ave., Providence. Through stories, songs and photos, Hazzan Farid Dardashti shares his experiences growing up in Iran, Persian-Jewish practices and his journey from teen TV star in Iran to Ashkenazi Hazzan in the U.S. Suggested donation $5.

Information, Rabbi Rachel Zerin at rzerin@teprov.org or 401-331-1616.

Sunday | November 24

Temple Sinai/Cranston Interfaith Thanksgiving Service. 3-4:30 p.m.

Woodridge Congregational Church, 30 Jackson Road, Cranston. Annual Interfaith community Thanksgiving service. Bring a nonperishable donation for the Cranston Interfaith Food Pantry. Reception with light refreshments follows service. Information, Woodridge Church office at 401942-0662 or woodridgechurch@ verizon.net.

Tuesday | November 26

Thanksgiving Interfaith Service.

7-8:30 p.m. Temple Beth-El, 70 Orchard Ave., Providence. A service of gratitude and prayer with East Side neighbor congregations. Guest speaker Dr. Annie DeGroot. Information, Jenn Thomas at jthomas@ temple-beth-el.org or 401-331-6070.

Simchat Tot. 9:30-10:30 a.m.

Jewish Community Day School of RI, 85 Taft Ave., Providence. For children ages 0-3 years old, accompanied by a parent or caregiver. Free.

Information, Shayna Fel at sfel@ jcdsri.com or 401-751-2470.

Family Friday Camp Shabbat.

5:30-7 p.m. Temple Emanu-El, 99 Taft Ave., Providence. Snacks and Shabbat-friendly crafts followed by services geared toward children ages 0-7 and their parents. Enjoy a Shabbat meal followed by social time for parents and supervised activities for kids ending with dessert. RSVP, shosh@teprov.org.

Shabbat Hallelu. 6:30 p.m. Temple Beth-El, 70 Orchard Ave., Providence. Experience the joy of Shabbat with Cantor Judy Seplowin and the Hallelu Band Light refreshments and sangria 6:30 p.m. Services at 7 p.m.

Information, Temple Beth-El office at 401-331-6070.

Saturday | November 23

Kids’ Night Out. Ages 5-11: 5-10 p.m.

Ages 2-4: 5-8 p.m. Dwares JCC, 401 Elmgrove Ave., Providence. Sports, crafts and movie. Pizza and snacks served. Older kids enjoy free swim.

laW officEs of William m. Kolb, llc Telephone: (401) 714-0622 • Fax: (401) 714-0626 • bill@kolblaw.com

William m. Kolb, Esq. Attorney at Law

One Richmond Square, Suite 226W, Providence, Rhode Island 02906 www.kolblaw.com

Follow us on Facebook: Jewish Rhode Island Visit us online: www.jewishrhody.org Get our monthly newsletter: register online or sending your email address to editor@jewishallianceri.org.

12 | NOVEMBER 2019

Jewish Rhode Island | jewishrhody.org

COMMUNITY VOICES

In celebration of Nov. 11 in the past and present

BY GERALDINE S. FOSTER ARMISTICE: A temporary cessation of war; a cease-fire.

For some of us of a certain age (and there are fewer and fewer of us), Nov. 11 – Veterans Day – will always be remembered as Armistice Day. In a way, this is quite appropriate: In the 101 years since the armistice between the Allies and Germany was signed, there has been no permanent peace, just lulls in continuing wars, hot or cold.

When, in 1954, Nov. 11 became Veterans Day, a day to honor all veterans, little did we know how many wars and how many veterans this would come to include.

In honor of this day, this column offers a bit of post-armistice history involving a “swellegant bunch of boys” and “peachy girls.”

In 1928, 10 years after the armistice ending World War I, a group of local veterans founded Post 23 of the Jewish War Veterans.

At celebrations of national holidays, a contingent marched in the parades, with officers on horseback in the lead. They also had a 30-piece marching band.

When the membership of the Providence post grew to 157 veterans, it became obvious they needed a permanent place for meetings, lectures and social events, a place of their own rather than rented quarters.

If men of that era formed an organization, could a ladies auxiliary be far behind? In this case, five years elapsed. It was a given that

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 8 South Station before boarding the MBTA’s Red and Green lines to go the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Services office in Boston’s Government Center.

Since you’re under 14, there was no public ceremony, per INS procedures – that event was held Oct. 21 in Boston’s Faneuil Hall – but we still took pictures of you afterward with an American flag just so you will have a pictorial record of an important milestone in your life.

We took one picture of you with a photograph of Ellis Island in New York in the background. One day you will learn the significance of that picture: millions of immigrants came through there in the early part of the 20th century.

America welcomed them, as America welcomed you on Sept. 27, 1997, when we landed in San Francisco after a long journey from China with all of your “Shen” cousins – the other little girls who lived with

PHOTO | R.I. JEWISH HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION

Rhode Island Post #23 Jewish War Veterans in 1928. ladies were formidable workers for a cause, even though secondary to the main organization.

The auxiliary soon took over the brunt of the social welfare and fundraising for the post. Some years ago, a member of Post 23 (which still exists) remarked to Eleanor Horvitz that the women not only raised most of the money for social welfare programs for ex-servicemen in need, but they also helped staff the programs with volunteers.

The ladies visited veterans in local hospitals, Newport Naval Hospital and the Soldiers Home in Bristol (now in Exeter). They brought gifts on each visit and special presents for the Jewish holidays.

When the members of Post 23 realized that they required a permanent home, the women added that to

you at your home in China.

We were proud of you that day and we were proud again two years later, when you become a citizen.

Why? Because despite all the complaining that grown-ups like to do about this country, the United States is still unequivocally the best place in the world to live.

This country allowed Mommy and Daddy’s parents, their parents and their parents’ parents to worship as they believed and to raise their families with a lot of blood, sweat, tears and hard work – and it continues to allow immigrants from across the world to put down roots and build new lives.

Citizenship carries with it many duties and responsibilities, including voting. Not enough people bother to vote, but perhaps you and your friends will become community-minded citizens and influence your generation to be good citizens.

Being a good citizen is not hard, but it starts with being a good person, following the Ten Command-

their fundraising goals. They were indefatigable: luncheons, cake sales at the Outlet Co., in Providence, holiday celebrations, socials and balls.

It was part and parcel of the kinds of activities all the auxiliaries of that era undertook. They also raised most of the money for the old school building at 100 Niagara St. that the post purchased from the city of Providence.

Fanny Davis served as first president of the auxiliary and Ethel Cohen was the third. Both women were later elected president of the national Women’s Auxiliary of the Jewish War Veterans.

One of the main fundraising events undertaken by Post 23 was a week-long Grand Carnival and Mardi Gras, held on a lot at the corner of Broad and Ontario streets.

One of their newsletters held this

ments – a universal code of good conduct – and helping those who are less fortunate.

That’s why we celebrate Thanksgiving each year: the Native Americans who were in Plymouth in 1620 and 1621 took pity on the Pilgrims and helped them survive the harsh winter. You’ll learn more about Thanksgiving in the future, and one day we will visit Plymouth and its famous rock.

But for now, remember that you have become a citizen of a fine country, one that must continue to accept immigrants because, as this day reminds us all too well, everyone who is not a Native American came to this new world of America to flee persecution and enjoy the unique freedoms that this country offers.

Now, Arianna, you are an American and you, too, can enjoy that freedom.

As you grow up, I pray that you will use it wisely.

Love, Daddy

appeal: “A swellegant bunch of boys and a peachy group of girls, trying their level best to make some money for a really worthy cause – welfare work among the Jewish ex-servicemen .... You’ve GOT to go over there, Pal, and spend a couple of dollars ....

I know all about the Depression, but you’ve GOT to give those boys and girls a break.”

This Veterans Day, we celebrate all those who serve, and have served, in the armed forces, even as we remember the “swellegant boys” and “peachy girls” of JWV Post 23 and its Women’s Auxiliary.

GERALDINE S. FOSTER is a past president of the R.I. Jewish Historical Association. To comment about this or any RIJHA article, contact the RIJHA office at info@rijha.org or 401-331-1360.

Arianna Kessler at 3 after becoming a naturalized American citizen.

LARRY KESSLER (lkessler1@comcast.net) is a freelance writer based in North Attleboro. He and his wife, Lynne, adopted a second child, Alana, from China in 2002.

NOVEMBER 2019 | 13

jewishrhody.org | Jewish Rhode Island

COMMUNITY VOICES

My favorite musical returns

BY GEORGE M. GOODWIN RECENTLY, I WAS ASTONISHED to read that Broadway will soon host a third revival of my favorite musical, “The Music Man.” I can’t wait!

Since I became aware of Meredith Willson’s masterpiece more than six decades ago, it has enchanted me. (Yet I readily concede that such contemporaneous shows as “My Fair Lady” and “West Side Story” have greater artistic merit.)

In 1958, while on a business trip to New York City, my father obtained a cast recording of “The Music Man.” He knew that it would be just right for my twin brother and me, since we enjoyed our music lessons.

Theo began with clarinet and would graduate to oboe; I tried flute, but wanted something louder and flashier, so switched to alto saxophone. Both of us were quite proud to play in our elementary school orchestra.

A major turning point for us occurred in seventh grade, when we entered Ralph Waldo Emerson Junior High. We could play in its band, which featured stentorian brass and percussion sections!

Although we marched on only a few occasions, we wore blue-and-white uniforms with shiny gold epaulets.

In about 1961, when the movie version of “The Music Man” was going to be filmed at Warner Brothers, Emerson’s most talented musicians were invited to audition for the final scene, when Robert Preston leads 1,000 kids marching down Main Street.

Both Theo and I were crushed not to receive an invitation. When the movie reached theaters, we did spot a few of our close friends in it, but union rules had prevented the amateurs from being heard. So much for all their talent!

I fell in love with “The Music Man” movie for many reasons. In addition to Preston’s dazzling performance, I relished such characters as Mayor Shinn, his wife Eulalie, and Winthrop Paroo, who were played by Paul Ford, Hermione Gingold and Ronnie Howard. The beguiling Shirley Jones, who replaced Barbara Cook from the Broadway version, was surely another reason. I would in fact meet

her when she dated my Uncle Marvin. How could she have married another Jewish eccentric, Marty Ingels?

My father’s law firm specialized in entertainment, and many years after the movie’s release, he invited me to tag along when he visited a client, Meredith Willson – author, composer and lyricist of “The Music Man.” I tried to shower Willson with praise, but he wouldn’t accept it. He said, essentially, “Oh, that’s nice, kid, but that was a long time ago.” And finally, he murmured, “Please don’t bother me.” I felt crushed.

Still later, when I was invited to interview for a position at the University of Iowa, in Iowa City, I still fondly remembered “The Music Man.” Yet Iowa City in the dead of winter reminded me nothing of River City, Iowa, in the story. Would I have any Jewish colleagues or close friends here? How would I find my Marion?

Fortunately, in 1983, Betsey granted my request to have the song “Till There Was You” played at the first dance at our wedding.

Two years later, when preparing to move from our home in Los Angeles to accept new positions in St. Paul, Minnesota, I suggested that we stop in Mason City, Iowa. This was Willson’s childhood home, his fabled River City.

Betsey wasn’t exactly thrilled, but I insisted, so we made a detour from Interstate 35 to search for such landmarks as the train station, the library, the Town Hall and the wooden bridge in a park. As we drove around this gloomy backwater, however, we couldn’t find anything resembling these charming edifices.

Before returning to the interstate, we stopped for lunch at a somewhat attractive restaurant. After our meal, I asked the hostess, “Doesn’t anybody around here care about Willson’s golden musical?”

She replied, “Please, I’m the music teacher at the high school, and if I have to do that f--- show one more time, I’m going to blow my brains out!”

While growing up in Providence, our kids, Molly and Michael, listened to cassettes and watched videos of legendary Broadway musicals. Even before learning to ride bicycles, Betsey and I took them to a

community theater production of “The Music Man” near Boston.

Around the time they were 6 and 4, when we were visiting my family in Los Angeles, I spotted Buddy Hackett and Louie Nye, two Jewish comics, who were eating lunch in the same restaurant where we were dining. After reminding the kids that Hackett had played Marcellus Washington in the movie version of “The Music Man,” I asked, “Why don’t we go over to tell Mr. Hackett how much we enjoyed his performance?” So I led Molly and Michael by their little hands over to the celebrities’ table.

AFTER WE APOLOGIZED for interrupting, and expressed our admiration, Hackett said, “You don’t take your kids to the movies very often, do you?” I said, “Yes, of course I do.” He countered, “Then you should know that I was the voice of Scuttle in ‘The Little Mermaid.’ ” Though I enjoyed Oskar Eustis’ revival of “The Music Man” at Trinity Rep, in Providence, in 1998, I know that some shows cannot survive the era in which they were created. For example, when Betsey and I took the kids to a pathetic revival of “Hair” in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, we left at intermission.

So what is it about “The Music Man” that I can’t abandon? Am I still a boy who craves a bright uniform and a sense of belonging? Or townsfolk who are more gullible than mean-spirited? Or, am I simply a sucker for happy, harmless endings?

One may further ask, “How does my love for ‘The Music Man’ square with my commitment to Jewish values?” I could point out that the show’s original producer, Kermit Bloomgarden, was a Jew (who had previously produced “The Death of a Salesman” and “The Diary of Anne Frank”). Or I could explain that the American musical, as a business enterprise and an artistic venture, owes so much to countless Jewish producers and Jewish audiences.

But isn’t a wonderful story, delightfully told, good enough? Dayenu!

GEORGE M. GOODWIN is in his 16th year of editing Rhode Island Jewish Historical Notes.

A little less ‘progress’ would do us a world of good SKE

T

OUR COLLECTIVE HUMAN PROBLEM is not how to save the planet for us ... but rather from us! We must back off from “civilizing” the poor troubled planet, and leave some space to the free creatures of the “wilderness.”

Pope Francis was correct: It is a sacrilege to dump our trash into the ocean. It is unholy to poison Eden ... and then congratulate ourselves for taming the world, domesticating its animals, yoking and harnessing them, turning their noble freedom into a state of permanent slavery.

We treat the planet like an immense concentration camp ... even an extermination camp!

I am not endeavoring to erase the

quest of our ancestors for tables and chairs, cups and saucers, wine goblets, or pillows on which to rest their heads. I only seek to restrain what a globalized world means by “progress,” with all its ills. Insecticides on the front lawn, seeping into rivers and ponds.

Airports erasing farmlands. Our obsessions with speed, convenience, the highways systems to give your car access to the MIKE FINK hidden wonders of Creation. And all the rest of what we seem to be most proud of.

We chop down trees to make toilet paper and tissues – and open up business opportunities for air-conditioning units.

I don’t want to be guilty of sentimental nostalgia, but many of us miss

BOOK H C

our childhood culture. I don’t regret anything since I was a child, I just want to slow down and seek higher aims and purposes, I want to learn and teach respect for everything that is not made by our hands – or, worse, by machines and robots – but made by the Divine Designer, who said a blessing after each element of the universe was created: “It is good!”

“We must back off from ‘civilizing’ the poor troubled planet, and leave some space to the free creatures …”

Our Torah tales have a strange timeliness under all circumstances. Kashrut, in my view, was initiated to protect animals from human cruelty. You cannot maim an animal nor exterminate its kind.

No matter the philosophy of the moment, the common and uncommon sense in the Torah makes each word relevant to every era.

The great invention of our species is the Sabbath, a weekly day of freedom from nervous and anxious work. You don’t till the soil or even bake or broil your supper on Friday, Saturday or Sunday, depending on your cultural calendar. You use those hours to relax, enjoy yourself and contemplate the beauty of our world, the majesty, mystery and meaning of life.

MIKE FINK (mfink33@aol.com) teaches at the Rhode Island School of Design.

14 | NOVEMBER 2019

Jewish Rhode Island | jewishrhody.org

ARTS

Alicia Svigals returns to Temple Emanu-El with The Beregovski Suite

BY PAMELA HANZEL MUSICIAN ALICIA SVIGALS returns to Temple EmanuEl on Dec. 14 with her latest project, The Beregovski Suite.

Together with Grammynominated jazz pianist Uli Geissendoerfer, they bring to life long-lost melodies from early 20th-century fieldwork of Moshe Beregovski, and re-imagine them for the 21st century. They are joined by accordionist Dr. William Schimmel, a virtuoso in his field.

In the 1930s Moshe Beregovski, a Jewish scholar from the Ukraine, set out, with eerie prescience, to collect and preserve the deep, rich Jewish musical tradition around him. On what turned out to be the eve of the destruction of European Jewry, Beregovski organized expeditions to Ukrainian “shtetlekh” (small Jewish towns) and sought out the eldest singers and instrumentalists he could find, asking them to pour their

collective folk knowledge into his recording horn. Thus, he managed to save thousands of beautiful Jewish folk songs, klezmer dance tunes and religious melodies on wax cylinders, the medium of the day.

A few years later, the culture he had documented was destroyed in the Holocaust, and Beregovski himself was arrested and sent to the Gulag. He never saw his work published and for decades it was thought that recordings were gone forever. However, in the 1980s ethnomusicologist Mark Slobin published Beregovski’s transcriptions of his collection, and in the 1990s, with the opening of the Soviet Union, the cylinders were unearthed in a dusty archive in Kiev. Now those long-forgotten melodies and voices are appearing again.

Alicia Svigals is the world’s leading klezmer violinist and a founder of the Grammy-winning Klezmatics, which she co-directed for 17 years. She

has written for violinist Itzhak Perlman, with whom she recorded, as well as the Kronos Quartet, among many others. She has appeared on television and was awarded the Foundation for Jewish Culture’s annual New Jewish Music Commission for her original live score to the 1918 film “The Yellow Ticket,” which she is currently touring, and a Trust for Mutual Understanding grant to bring that work to Poland. Her second silent film collaboration, “The Ancient Law,” with silent film music legend, Donald Sosin, was performed at Temple Emanu-El last April.

It received rave reviews.

Jazz pianist, composer and scholar Uli Geissendoerfer has worked with William Cepeda, Blood, Sweat & Tears, Leslie Uggams, Tito Puente, Cirque du Soleil, David Cassidy, several symphonies, the Connecticut Opera and many more. He resurrected the Latin Jazz Ensemble at University of Nevada, Las Vegas which

Strategic Plan | 2020

OF GREATER RHODE ISLAND’S JEWISH COMMUNITY

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU! community survey listening sessions small group discussions

As we begin our next strategic planning process, we want to hear from you — greater Rhode Island’s Jewish community.

Your feedback will help us to better understand the challenges facing our community, and the hopes we all share for our future. The information we collect will be used to guide our work over the next three years, by allowing us to build a plan that responds directly to the community we serve.

Alicia Svigals won Downbeat awards in 2013, 2014 and 2015. He serves as the curator for the Steinway Concert Series, and founded the “Jazz Club at the Dispensary Lounge” (winning Best of Las Vegas) featuring Wynton Marsalis, Brandon Fields, Sam Most, Rick Margitza, Danny Gottlieb and more.

Dr. William Schimmel earned his doctorate of music from Juilliard. A composer, author, lecturer, philosopher and virtuoso accordionist, he performs in a wide variety of styles from classical to pop and has appeared with many major symphony orchestras. He has recorded with such noted performers as Sting and Tom Waits, whose celebrated remark, “Bill Schimmel doesn’t play the accordion – he is an accordion,” has entered accordion lore.

An authority on Kurt Weill, Schimmel has recorded all of Weill’s music with accordion.

PHOTO | THIERRY ARSENAULT

He is a prolific composer from the concert stage to Broadway theater and is founder of the renowned Tango Project. In 1992 he was named “Best Accordionist” by Keyboard Magazine and recognized as the figure who has done the most to elevate the accordion’s otherwise tawdry image.

Come join us as we listen to this toe-tapping musical extravaganza! Three phenomenal musicians will play the long-lost klezmer music of Moshe Beregovski at Temple Emanu-El, Saturday, Dec. 14 at 7:30 p.m. Advance ticketing is $18. Tickets at the door are $25.

For ticket information, go to www.teprov.org/arts-emanuel, or call 401-331-1616. Refreshments will be served.

PAMELA HANZEL is chair of Arts Emanu-El at Temple Emanu-El in Providence.

YOUR PARTICIPATION IS CRITICAL.

Visit www.jewishallianceri.org/community-survey to participate.

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

NOVEMBER 2019 | 15

jewishrhody.org | Jewish Rhode Island

I’m grateful for Thanksgiving in Israel

LE T T

ER

native, is the owner of a sports bar and restaurant in Jerusalem called Mike’s Place.

Each year, Mike’s Place does something for Thanksgiving.

Some years, they’ve even collected donations to offer a free Thanksgiving dinner to lone soldiers.

My friend Rebecca Zibman, who is originally from MasDANIEL sachusetts, STIEGLITZ runs a nursery school on the street where I live. Each Thanksgiving, she and her colleagues provide a Thanksgiving lunch to the young children who attend her school. As it’s right down the street from my apartment, on one occasion I stopped by to sample the feast.

My main Thanksgiving event, however, shows how friendships can withstand the test of time. My love of Israel and my desire to live here began in 1997, when I first came here on a program known as Achva Israel. It was on that trip that I met Ilana Mann.

Originally from New York, Ilana was one of the people who befriended “Rhode Island Dan,” as I was playfully dubbed. We stayed in touch for a little while after the trip, but eventually we drifted apart. It was after college, when we both lived in the same neighborhood in Manhattan, that we reconnected.

About four years after my own aliyah (immigration) to Israel, Ilana followed. We’d have each other over for the occasional Shabbat meal.

Ilana, a bigger fan of American Thanksgiving than even I am, decided to bring that tradition with her to Israel. I’m part of a group of Ilana’s family members and friends in Israel whom she invites to the feast each year.

Among the other regular guests are Ilana’s first cousin,

S HOM

E

ADAPTING TO A NEW COUNTRY and culture often means having to shed aspects of where you originally came from. It’s a personal choice.

When it comes to holidays, I continue to embrace the Jewish holidays that I have cherished and honored since childhood. Here in Israel, they take on an even more powerful meaning.

But many holidays that are observed in America have not made the journey to Israel with me.

While observed in many countries around the world, including the United States, New Year’s Day is just a normal workday for me and most of Israel. While some people celebrate, I choose not to. I also no longer celebrate America’s Independence Day, the Fourth of July; Israel’s Independence Day is enough for me.

However, there is an American holiday that has made the trans-Atlantic journey with me – Thanksgiving.

I can’t quite explain how this holiday above all others has withstood the test of time in my life in Israel. Perhaps it’s the fond family memories. Or the unique blend of Thanksgiving foods – the turkey, cranberry sauce, candied yams, stuffing, pumpkin pie, etc. It might also be that Thanksgiving is like a typical Jewish Sabbath or other holiday meal, with connection to things such as gratitude and enjoying quality time with others – just without the Jewish religious traditions.

One thing that’s lacking for me about Thanksgiving in Israel is that I can’t celebrate with my immediate family.

Therefore, I’m dependent on another aspect of life that’s also important to express gratitude for – friendship.

Thankfully, I have no shortage of options. Reuben Beiser, another Providence

Aleeza Deutscher, and her family.

Each year, Aleeza contributes amazing Thanksgiving-themed desserts, such as a cake in the shape of the turkey.

As Thanksgiving is a normal workday in Israel, Ilana takes the day off to slave over a hot stove so that we can enjoy all of our Thanksgiving favorites, including a whole turkey.

We go around the table and share what we’re thankful for – besides a Thanksgiving meal in Israel.

After all, holidays such as Thanksgiving are not only about the food, long weekends and shopping bargains.

Thanksgiving should be primarily about being grateful and the joy of being together with friends and family. These are life experiences that we should always be thankful for, no matter where in the world we find ourselves.

DANIEL STIEGLITZ (dstieglitz@ gmail.com) lives in Jerusalem, where he works as a life coach. His collection of short stories, “Tavern of the Mind,” is available for paperback and Kindle purchase at Amazon. www.amzn.to/2Izssrz.

TWO-TIME GRAMMY WINNER

BILL HARLEY G ENUINE I RREVERENT U NIVERSAL R IDICULOUS O RIGINAL Photo by Debbie Block

TEMPLE BETH-EL HANUKKAH CONCERT

“…Harley’s audiences are families, but it’s hard to tell who enjoys him more — parents or children.”

Los Angeles Times

“…a champion yarnspinner and tunesmith with a sense of wonder, whimsy and mischief…”

Washington Post

“Harley’s witty ebullient performance will have listeners laughing out loud.”

Publishers weekly Photo by Michael Gallacher

HANUKKAH CELEBRATION FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY ENJOY LATKES & SUFGANIYOT (DONUTS) BEFORE THE CONCERT free Admission Date: December 8, 2019 1:00 pm TEMPLE BETH-EL 70 Orchard Ave Providence, RI ENJOY AND VOTE FOR YOUR FAVORITE HOMEMADE HANUKKIYOT (MENORAHS) MADE OF RECYLED MATERIALS! CONTEST TO BENEFIT THE OUTREACH FOOD PACKAGING PROGRAM Ilana Mann and Daniel Stieglitz in 1997. he size or shape of your work, but your

16 | NOVEMBER 2019

Jewish Rhode Island | jewishrhody.org

FOOD & DINING

M’Dor L’Dor: Bubbe’s Recipes communicate love

BY NAOMI FINK COTRONE

L

IKE ANY CULTURAL GROUP worth its salt, Jews communicate love through cooking. And while many epically outstanding women who also happen to be loving Jewish

grandmothers do not cook (see: Ruth Bader Ginsburg), I think we can all agree that when they do, you want a seat at that table.

(RBG – for the record – I’ll very happily also sit on your bench!)

Shannon Sarna, author of “The Modern Jewish Baker” and editor-in-chief of The Nosher (www. thenosher.com) knows it’s no coincidence that Jewish grandmothers pour so much love into their food: “Jewish recipes are not just about passing down food; they’re also about passing down the tradition.”

As a mother of young children and aspiring Jewish grandmother herself, she explained that “food transcends age and connects generations. It’s the common story we can pass down in the kitchen and on the table.”

In my line of work with seniors, I often have the privilege of learning about my clients’ favorite family recipes. Sometimes I do the chopping and they do the stirring. Sometimes they just do the talking and I just do the listening. But the recipes are always the linchpin. Some are timeless.

Others are dated. Many are universal crowd-pleasers. A few are ‘acquired tastes.” But all tell a story.

And in a very elemental way, they pass the legacy of love from generation to generation. Here are a few I hope make you smile.

(NOTE: the love in these recipes may contain trace amounts of guilt.)

Hawaiian Chicken

“My family ate this many times over the years, and everyone loves it.”

– Iris Goldstein, daughter of Goldie Brass (z”l) and grandmother to Cynthia.

Ingredients 6-8 pieces chicken 1 cup apricot jam 1 bottle Wishbone Russian dressing (must use this one, it is red, it’s not like the creamy orange-looking ones)

1 envelope of Lipton’s powdered onion soup mix Approximately 1/2 cup of water Directions Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Stir all ingredients together until well combined.

Completely coat chicken pieces with mixture.

Place in pan skin side down for about 40 minutes.

Turn so skin side is up, cook for about another 40 minutes.

Use broiler to brown skin if you want to, but watch carefully if you do.

Gina tested the handwritten recipe in Marion’s pen, and adjusted it to this to achieve what she is calling “the right results.”

Mehshi Kusa Hamod with Hashu, and Beida bi’lemouneh (Syrian Stuffed Zucchini with Lemon Sauce) “My Sito was born in Atlantic City in 1922, the youngest of six children of parents who emigrated from Aleppo and had children in Syria, Mexico, New Orleans and Atlantic City. They summered in Kennebunkport Maine.

She raised two boys with her husband, Menesh, in Midwood, Brooklyn and Deal, New Jersey. She has nine great-grandchildren.”

– Michelle Abbani Greenspan, granddaughter of Ruth Abbani, and mother to Emmy.

Mehshi Kusa Hamod with Hashu Slice off smaller end of 6-8 zucchini and scrape skin off.

Hollow out insides until soft.

Put holes in other end with fork to let steam out.

Wash and drain.

Stuff with Hashu (1 pound chopped beef, salt, pepper, water, allspice, cinnamon, approximately 1 cup

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uncooked rice. Sito uses Uncle Ben’s Parboiled White Rice).

Lay stuffed zucchini in pot with left over hashu in tinfoil on top.

Pour sauce over (3 tablespoons lemon juice, 1/2 cup tamarind sauce, 1/2 cup water, 1 tablespoon salt, 1 tablespoon sugar, 1/2 can tomato sauce).

Cover with unbreakable plate and cover with lid with opening for steam.

Cook on stovetop with high flame until boiling.

Lower to simmer and fully cover. Simmer for one hour.

Beida bi’lemouneh Boil 2 cups of water with 2 tablespoons chicken broth powder.

Whisk 1/4 cup lemon juice, 2 eggs, kosher salt.

Mix 2 tablespoons flour with 2 tablespoons cold water.

Take water/broth off stove.

Whisk in egg mixture.

Put back on stove and mix in flour mixture.

Boil.

Strain and pour into bowl Sprinkle cinnamon on top to finish Serve as a sauce to top off the dish.

Hungarian Sweet Noodle Pudding “This was on every holiday table. If my mother made this kugel, it was yontuv.”

– Gina Brod-Vinick, 75th daughter of Anniversary Marion Brod (z”l) and grandmother to many blessings.

Ingredients 1 pound fine egg noodles 9 eggs, separated Vegetable oil 10 ounces finely chopped walnuts Golden raisins 2/3 cup sugar Directions Cook noodles.

Let cool.

Mix yolks and 1/3 cup sugar into noodles.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Oil pan, and heat pan in the oven for at least 10 minutes.

Beat egg whites until stiff.

Add nuts and 1/3 cup sugar.

Layer noodle mixture, then nut mixture. Top with raisins.

Bake on bottom rack for 25 minutes.

Misir Wot (Ethiopian Spiced Red Lentils) “My family moved to Israel from Ethiopia when I was 1. This was my grandmother’s recipe. She taught it to my mother by memory, as neither of them read or wrote.

My mother taught it to my oldest sister, Sarit, who switched it from Amharic to Hebrew when she wrote it down – the first time it had ever been written down after generations of cooking it. My grandmother passed away last year, so now it’s especially important to remember.”

– Fasika Zoudo, granddaughter

of Intfo Kabada (z”l) who left

behind many grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Our newsletter made its debut Feb. 21.

If you did not receive yours, send us your email: editor@jewishallianceri.org and we’ll add you to our list.

NOVEMBER 2019 | 17

jewishrhody.org | Jewish Rhode Island

Cranston Seniors schedule holiday lunch The Cranston Senior Guild will hold its annual holiday luncheon on Wednesday, Dec. 4 at noon at Mesa Café & Grill, 100 Rolfe St., Cranston.

The luncheon will include a choice of chicken Marsala

Mehshi Kusa Hamod with Hashu, and Beida bi’lemouneh Syrian Stuffed Zucchini with Lemon Sauce Ingredients 4 tablespoons niter kibbeh (Ethiopian ghee/ butter) 1 large yellow onion, diced 3 cloves garlic, minced 1 Roma tomato, finely chopped 3 tablespoons tomato paste 2 tablespoons bebere (Ethiopian spice mix) 1 cup red lentils, rinsed 2 1/2 cups broth 1 teaspoon salt Directions Melt 3 tablespoons of the niter kibbeh in a medium pot.

Add onions and cook for 10 minutes until golden brown.

Add garlic, tomatoes, tomato paste and 1 tablespoon of the berbere and cook for 5 minutes.

Reduce heat.

Add broth and salt, bring it to a boil, reduce heat to low.

Cover and simmer the lentils,stirring occasionally, for 40 minutes (adding more

broth if needed) or until the lentils are soft.

Stir in the remaining tablespoon of niter kibbeh and berbere.

Simmer for a couple more minutes.

Add salt to taste.

Serve with injera (Ethiopian flatbread).

NAOMI FINK COTRONE runs the Right at Home of Rhode Island agency, which provides care to elderly and disabled adults throughout Rhode Island.

As an Ashkenazi Jew, she just learned the term “ashkonormative”, and therefore was proud to include 2 nonAshkenazi recipes in this grouping. She hopes that one day, her grandchildren make her garlic and tomato spaghetti squash recipe.

Lynch & Pine

At t o r n e ys at L aw

Lynch & Pine Lynch A t t o r n e y& s aPine t L aw Patrick C. Lynch

Attorney General: 2003-2011

Jeffrey B. Pine

Attorney General: 1993-1999

One Park Row, Fifth Floor Providence, RI 02903 P: 401.274.3306 | F: 401.274.3326 PLynch@lynchpine.com | JPine@lynchpine.com

Criminal Defense • Personal Injury/Serious Accidents • Civil and Business Litigation Divorce/Family Law • Government Investigations • Government Relations

At t o r n e ys at L aw

or baked fish, rolls, chicken escarole soup, salad, pasta, green beans and carrots. For dessert the choice is tiramisu or fresh fruit cup and coffee or tea. The cost is $25 (tax and tip are included).

Payment must be received

by Tuesday, Nov. 19. Please make a check out to the Cranston Senior Guild. Also, please include entrée and dessert choice of in the memo area. For more information call Sylvia 401-944-6812.

18 | NOVEMBER 2019

Jewish Rhode Island | jewishrhody.org

Celebrating Sukk T

he Jewish community of greater Rhode Island celebrated Sukkot 5780 in schools, synagogues and

at home with lulav, etrog and meals in the sukkah. Jewish Rhode Island hopes our readers enjoy this peek at some of the local activities. Thanks to everyone who submitted photos!

Children from the David C. Isenberg Family Early Childhood Center at the JCC visited the sukkah to shake the lulav.

PHDS seventh-grade students, Shlomo Lapin and Simcha Abrahim paint decorations for their Sukkah.

PHDS third-grade student, Justin Brosious adds detail to his Sukkah decoration.

The Karp family sukkah was filled with family and visitors.

Women gathered for a Core Connect RI program in the Fe

A rally at the RI State House sponsored by Never Again Ac

NOVEMBER 2019 | 19

jewishrhody.org | Jewish Rhode Island

kot in Jewish R.I.

elder family sukkah.

ction included building a sukkah.

PHDS eighth-grade students, Gitty Barker and Atara Bielory work on their Sukkah decorations.

PHDS second-grade student, Yaakov Flig works diligently on his “stained glass” Sukkah decoration.

Worshippers at Congregation Sha’arei Tefilla during Sukkot.

Guests at the Kosher Senior Café at the Dwares JCC ate lunch in the sukkah.

20 | NOVEMBER 2019

Jewish Rhode Island | jewishrhody.org

SENIORS Goldie Greene: ‘Behave yourself’ STORY AND PHOTOS BY GLENN OSMUNDSON

G

oldie Greene navigates her way through a sea of aluminum walkers near the entrance to

The Phyllis Siperstein Tamarisk Assisted Living Residence, in Warwick, where she lives. “They are a pain in the neck,” she says, adding, “almost everybody has a walker.”

Her walking aid is equipped with a pink bell that she got from the staff at the home. “So they can find me,” she quipped.

That’s not the only thing they have given her.

“Goldie likes to go around waving like the queen,” said Jo-Ann Marzilli, Tamarisk’s director of resident programs, as she mimics a royal greeting. One of the staff got Goldie a rhinestone-studded tiara to complete the look.

Greene, named Goldie after her maternal grandmother, was born on June 27, 1918. “I think,” she said with a laugh. Now 101 years old, she grew up in Manhattan, married, had three sons, moved to Baltimore, Washington, D.C., and New Haven, Connecticut, before settling in Cranston, near Garden City, about 65 years ago.

She likes to watch travel shows on television. Greene has been to Europe, China and Israel, but the place she

Goldie Greene with her crown. found most interesting was Egypt, where she saw the tomb of King Tut. On a tour of her room, she pointed to a photo of herself with her three adult sons. “You see, they all have glasses,” she said. Greene, who does not look or act her age, has never had to use glasses or hearing aids.

Dressed in stylish red pants and a patterned

PHOTO | GLENN OSMUNDSON

blouse, with an off-white sweater draped over her shoulders, the centenarian said, “Some people never seem to get old.” Later, she joked, “I don’t feel so old unless I talk about it.”

Asked how she has lived such a long and upbeat life, she laughed and said the key is to “behave yourself.”

JWA national head visits RI

Meeting the National Commander (left to right): Barry Lischinsky (National Chief of Staff), Michael Penn, Susanna Roberts (Dept. Senior Vice Commander), Jerry Sherman, Steve Musen, Michael Smith, Steve Bloch (Dept. Junior Vice Commander), Harvey Weiner (National Commander), Ira Jay Fleisher (Dept. State Commander), Mel Kahn (Past State Commander) and Sanford Gorodetsky (Immediate Past State Commander).

ON OCT. 13, NATIONAL COMMANDER Harvey Weiner met with members of the Rhode Island department Jewish War Veterans USA. He discussed his goals for the year, his vision for the future and offered veterans an opportunity to ask questions.

He also shared his experiences returning home from Vietnam and the disrespect he encountered while traveling in uniform through airports.

The national office and the Rhode Island department share the same goal: to reach out to Vietnam veterans; active duty, National Guard, boots on the ground, or those who served elsewhere. We want to thank them for their service and let them know that their service is just as appreciated as those veterans who served in previous wars.

All veterans, no matter when they served, including those currently serving, should be respected and appreciated for the sacrifices they made in the service of our country.

Submitted by Jewish War Veterans Rhode Island Department

NOVEMBER 2019 | 21

jewishrhody.org | Jewish Rhode Island

PHOTOS | HANZEL FAMILY

From right: Britta, her son Andreas, and host father Mel Hanzel (“dad”) lighting the Sabbath candles during their current visit.

THE PHYLLIS SIPERSTEIN

ASSISTED LIVING RESIDENCE

HEA

PAM AND MEL HANZEL, active members of Providence’s Temple Emanu-El, have hosted exchange students for decades. I recently met with them and Britta, their third exchange student, from Germany, whom the Hanzels met 32 years ago.

“It has been very rewarding having Britta and her family in our lives all these years,” Pam said. “They were the first people to meet our children after we completed their adoptions, when we traveled through Germany to America.

“Between visits, Britta always sent us handwritten letters, and pictures, and we made visits for important milestones in each other’s lives. This included our children’s Bar Mitzvahs. I still have Britta’s letters and pictures, and the initial application she filled out, which spoke to me and caused me to select her.”

Britta said, “My relationship with the Hanzels, mom and dad, has been very stable

TH

Y L I VI

NG

L

The joys of a large international family for me. I have shared so much with them and I could always rely on them. They are part of my family.”

When I met with them, Britta was visiting with her son, Andreas, who met Pam and Mel for the first time.

Pam said she experienced loss at a very young age, and these exchanges have provided her with a very meaningful international family, as well as being important to her children. It is “very rewarding to invest in a young person and to help them on their journey.

By giving to these kids, our lives have been extremely enriched,” she said.

In “A Place for Mom,” a senior-living blog, Kimberly Fowler posted the article “University Students Get Free Board in Exchange for Time Spent with Seniors.” Fowler notes that a study called “Effects of Intergenerational Interaction on Aging” found that “Both the group of seniors and the group of young people who interacted tended to reduce their stereotypes of each other. Interaction between seniors and young people resulted in improved opinions of one another. The state of mind of the seniors who interacted with the young people improved significantly.”

The Hanzels have shown CONTINUED ON PAGE 22

The Highlands Invites You To Contribute To Our

RI’s Food Pantries need non-perishables to feed the hungry

- canned soups, fruits & vegetables, pasta, beans, tuna, peanut butter, baby food, cereal, and more.

Please donate by Friday, Nov 22nd.

For more information, contact Karen Van Gorden at 401-654-5259 or kvangorden@hallkeen.com

101 Highland Ave (Near Miriam Hospital), Providence www.HighlandsRI.com 401-654-5259

22 | NOVEMBER 2019

Jewish Rhode Island | jewishrhody.org

SENIORS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 21 this to be true in their own lives over the decades, as they hosted 20 students from around the world.

Mel reflected, “I remember when my dad was getting older and losing his friends and relatives. He adjusted his life to have younger friends and he stayed active. I think it is important to stay engaged.

“This motivated me to make relationships with people from different cultures. Although we don’t see each other all the time, when we do it is as though we have never been apart. This is true with Britta.”

Pam said, “When we travel, we go visit our ‘kids’ to be with them and their families in

“It is very rewarding to invest in a young person and to help them on their journey.

their environment. I lived with a family in Tucuman, Argentina, many years ago, and I was treated with so much love and kindness. I have been able to pay it forward and to give to others with this large international family that we have created.”

I asked the Hanzels their opinion about hosting an exchange student in ones’ older years. Pam said, “Yes, if you have the motivation and if you are healthy enough to do so, then it can be a very positive experience.” Mel added, “You should do it for the right reasons, such as helping someone else reach their goals and thereby enriching your own life in the process.”

PATRICIA RASKIN, owner of Raskin Resources Productions, is a media host, coach and award-winning radio producer and business owner. She has served on the board of directors of Temple Emanu-El, in Providence.

Pam & Mel, Andrei & Mihai Hanzel, Britta & other exchange students at Mihai’s Bar Mitzvah.

What your mother didn’t tell you!

BY NEILE HARTMAN IT TURNS OUT that the majority of women experience mid-life and beyond with many unanswered questions about their changing bodies. To help disseminate much needed information on the topics of perimenopause, menopause and postmenopause, The Miriam Hospital Women’s Association recently hosted two expert physicians from Lifespan’s Menopause Consultation Program, Dr. Mary Catherine DeRosa and Dr. Teri Pearlstein.

Gynecologist Mary Catherine DeRosa is director of the Menopause Consultation Program at Lifespan Physician Group-Obstetrics and Gynecology. She is a clinical assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology at The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University. Her areas of interest include menopause, sexuality and bone health.

Psychiatrist Teri Pearlstein is director of Women’s Behavioral Medicine at the Women’s Medicine Collaborative.

She is a professor of psychiatry and human behavior and professor of medicine at Alpert Medical School. Her clinical interests include depression and anxiety disorders relating to the menstrual cycle, pregnancy, postpartum and menopause.

For many women, questions about their changing health begin quite simply with “am I there yet?” The clinical definition of perimenopause is month-

ly menstruation coming seven or more days late. This change can start as early as age 40, but for some not until their late 50s. For many, early symptoms include hot flashes, night sweats, brain fog, anxiety and depression.

DeRosa discussed traditional hormonal therapies as well as non-hormonal medications, herbals, and hypnosis and explained that relief often can be found through simple lifestyle modifications such as exercise, weight loss and dietary changes.

Seventy percent of women experience hot flashes, which on average continue for seven to 10 years. Unfortunately, a majority of women go untreated due to confusion about treatment options, which are many and should be discussed with a health care provider.

With anxiety and depression commonly experienced during menopause, Pearlstein explained that it can be hard to distinguish between symptoms typical of perimenopause like irritability, low libido and low energy and more serious signs of depression like feelings of worthlessness and

thoughts of suicide. While menopausal transition is a window of vulnerability for the development of such depressive symptoms, most women who experience a major depressive episode (MDE) have experienced one previously. Thus, it is not common for women to experience their first MDE during this transition.

Stressful life events can be risk factors for the onset of depression during this time. As with hot flashes, exercise can help, as can herbal and dietary supplements.

In some cases antidepressants should be considered since they have been shown to have positive effects on menopause symptoms that include sleep, libido, and hot flashes.

Many in attendance at the program were alarmed to hear that women begin losing bone mass in their mid30s. In the perimenopausal and early menopausal years, a woman can lose up to 5% of bone mass each year.

Osteoporosis affects 10 million Americans. One in two women over age 50 will have an osteoporotic fracture in her lifetime. DeRosa outlined important steps that can be taken

to care for bones in the menopause transition:

•

1,200 mg of Calcium daily (most of which can be obtained through diet) 600-800 IUs of Vitamin D daily and depending on your exposure to the sun perhaps as much as 1,000 IUs daily Weight-bearing and corestrengthening exercise No smoking Limited alcohol consumption Consider Bone Density testing

• • • • •

The women at the program learned a great deal about menopause, treatment options, and supportive services available to make this transition easier.

The Miriam Hospital Women’s Association Programming Committee, responsible for organizing this program, includes Barbara Brown, Sherry Cohen, Caryl Freedman, Neile Hartman, Robin Kauffman, Eleanore Koo, Marianne Litwin, Marilyn Myrow, and Cynthia Schwartz, along with Association President Susan Guerra and Department Assistant Vickie Scott.

NEILE HARTMAN is on The Miriam Hospital Women’s Association Programming Committee. For additional information about membership or other questions about The Miriam Hospital Women’s Association, contact Vickie Scott at 401-793-2520 or Vickie.Scott@ lifespan.org.

NOVEMBER 2019 | 23

jewishrhody.org | Jewish Rhode Island

People with dementia have a monthly café of their very own at Temple Beth-El

BY GRETA IVERSON FOR PEOPLE WITH MEMORY LOSS, the world can be overwhelming. Even everyday activities, such as running errands or going out for lunch can become too difficult to navigate, leaving them increasingly isolated. But the monthly memory café at Temple BethEl, in Providence, can help.

“The Providence Memory Café was the first in the state,” said Laurie Mantz, CEO and founder of Dementia Training for Life. “We saw the need for social interaction and engagement for those individuals living with dementia and their care partners.”

The Providence Memory Café was founded in June 2018 through a collaboration between Mantz and staff from two senior communities in Providence, Wingate Residences on the East Side and Wingate Residences on Blackstone Boulevard. They started the group after learning about the benefits and popularity of memory cafés in Massachusetts and New Hampshire.

Held on the third Thursday of each month from 1 to 2:30 p.m., the free café has become a supportive hub for people living with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia, as well as their caregivers and loved ones.

“We always start with lunch and socializing,” Mantz said. “The hope is that we show people how to remain active, engaged, and find purpose and joy every day.”

The group has several regular attendees, including a married couple that has been at nearly every meeting since the café started (the couple requested that their names not be used).

The husband is the primary caregiver and support system for his wife, who has Alzheimer’s disease. They learned about the group through an ad, and, after attending a single meeting, felt it was a great resource and support system.

“It’s helped me understand what [people with memory loss] go through and how to handle it patiently, which is essential as a caretaker,” he said.

“It’s been an enlightening education on Alzheimer’s, and somewhat enlightening on the facilities that are available as the condition progresses.”

One of the main reasons they keep coming back is to connect with others who are also navigating the effects of memory loss.

Knowing that others at the café can relate to their experiences, they feel comfortable speaking openly and asking questions.

“They make it a social activity, which is important for people with those conditions. The staff is very supportive.”

Socialization is important for individuals living with dementia, but

it can be difficult. In an environment like the Providence Memory Café, group facilitators are well-equipped to encourage interaction and conversation through games and activities.

“You have to make sure that

however you’re doing this program, the attendees feel good about themselves throughout the process,” said Beth McCrae, co-founder of the Providence Memory Café and marketing director at Wingate Residences.

“If we’re doing more challenging activities, we do them in a group setting so no one feels put on the

spot.”

The memory café is casual, giving attendees the time they need to settle in and get to know each other. There’s no pressure to participate in any given activity.

Group leaders come prepared with several activities, ranging from board games, such as checkers, to group fitness classes like chair yoga. McCrae notes that having more than one activity benefits the entire group, since it isn’t always easy to predict what everyone will want to do.

Since the memory café at Beth-El was established, another six memory cafés have sprung up around Rhode Island. Group organizers are careful about coordinating their schedules to avoid overlap and to encourage their members to join more than one café.

Since she started working in senior care, McCrae says she’s noticed that some caregivers and family members are hesitant to take someone with Alzheimer’s or dementia far from home.

It is true that sticking to a routine can help those with memory loss feel more secure and confident, but this can be problematic if social connections are left out of the picture.

Research has shown that individuals with dementia can benefit tremendously from spending time with others. The Providence Memory Café strives to address this need.

TO LEARN MORE about the Providence Memory Café, call 401-275-0682.

GRETA IVERSON writes about common issues older adults face and resources available for them.

Our Mission: To improve the quality of life for those we serve.

Let us help you . . .

(401) 383-1950 www.rahri.com

• Navigate the challenging process of providing care for a loved one.

• From companionship and a little help around the house to 24/7 personal care.

Elder Care Services Providing care all over Rhode Island Call to schedule a free, non-salesy and no obligation family consultation.

We’ll help you create a care plan tailored to your unique needs.

24 | NOVEMBER 2019

Jewish Rhode Island | jewishrhody.org

THE CONVERSATION

The Lubavitcher Rebbe and climate change CONTINUED FROM PAGE 9 to pit domestic and foreign policy concerns against one another. At the same time, early warnings about global warming were also beginning to make headlines.

It was in this context that Schneerson pointed to a Jewish practice that is both ancient and obscure, citing it as a clue, or reminder, that a solution was at hand.

The Talmud states: “One who sees the sun in its cycle … recites ‘Blessed [are You] … Maker of creation. And when is it? Abaye said: Every 28 years when the cycle is complete …” (Berakhot 59B) This fairly rare event on the Jewish calendar occurred twice during Schneerson’s tenure as leader; in 1953 and in 1981, just a few days before he delivered the televised talk under discussion. Energy security and environmental security, he argued, did not stand in competition to one another.

Both could be prioritized through national investment in solar energy solutions. In his own words: “The ‘blessing of the sun’ reminds us again, and with additional emphasis, that we have an open and clear path … to utilize the sun … This is a resource that this nation in particular, in its southern regions, has in very great abundance … This can all be achieved if it is based on the foundation of God’s help, and on faith in God … Then we will not reckon with the challenges from people who might stand to profit personally by opposing this, and in a relatively short time the nation will be freed from being servile

to small fiefdoms who have oil in their territories.”

In the course of his discussion Schneerson also touched on the development of other domestic energy resources, his opposition to American isolationism, the religious significance of scientific progress, and on America’s responsibility to advocate for human rights and freedom of religion.

All these issues are of as much relevance today as they were back in 1981.

As a sociologist, Schneerson’s intervention interests me not simply because one would not expect a Hasidic rebbe to give a televised speech, in Yiddish no less, about geopolitics and energy policy. But more so because it exemplifies both the broad scope of his worldview and the social, moral, spiritual and religious conception that undergirds it. Herein lies the key to understanding Schneerson’s lasting appeal both during his lifetime and in the decades since his death.

Max Weber in his pioneering work “The Sociology of Religion” offers an especially nuanced and pertinent appraisal of the type of religious figure who tends to be labeled a prophet. To speak of prophecy, from a sociological viewpoint, is not to express belief in supernatural powers of telepathy (nor necessarily to rule them out), but rather to describe a distinctive and extraordinary agent of social change.

“To the prophet,” Weber writes, “both the life of man and the world, both social and cosmic events, have a certain systematic and coherent meaning.”

The American Jewish thinker Rabbi

TRANSPORTATION

is transformed into a mystical act of divine nourishment. In Schneerson’s words: “In initiating praise of God it is as if one becomes a giver and a provider in relation to God … [the food] thereby becomes the food of Supernal Man as well.”

With the above in mind, it should not surprise us that Schneerson linked his promotion of solar energy to a blessing as well. On April 8, 1981, a large crowd — men, women and children — had joined him to recite the “blessing of the sun.” He led the ceremony and addressed the crowd from a raised platform under a brilliant blue sky and a shining sun.

One week later, as he broached the supreme practicality of a national solar energy agenda, Schneerson noted that some believers might dismiss such geopolitical challenges as “God’s problem.” But drawing on his deep knowledge of rabbinic and Hasidic teachings, he insisted that all our relationships — with others, with the world and with God — are fundamentally reciprocal.

In Schneerson’s own words: “What is missing in this situation is the contribution of humanity.” In his view, all natural resources, especially sunlight, are certainly to be regarded as divine gifts, but that doesn’t absolve us of our responsibilities as human beings. It is not enough to acknowledge the gifts of God. We must step up to our role as “partners in creation.”

PHILIP WEXLER is the co-author of “Social Vision: The Lubavitcher Rebbe’s Transformative Paradigm for the World.”

EVERYONE

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 9

departments. Unfortunately, the leadership at those agencies is still talking about spending $200 million to widen I-95.

Let’s be clear: just like power plants or oil pipelines, car infrastructure is fossil fuel infrastructure. And electric vehicles will not save us.

Without long-range planning for shorter commutes, densifying our suburbs, and investing heavily in non-car transportation options, we won’t see the greenhouse gas reductions we need. Some municipalities are starting to work on this, using the framework of transit-oriented development – high-density housing and commercial districts clustered around train stations.

Pawtucket is currently doing important work in this area, responding to the fact that millennials and other groups are rejecting the practice of sitting in traffic for hours to get to work. Similarly, Providence is about to release its ambitious Great Streets Initiative, which envisions a citywide network of urban trails for biking and rolling. The Rhode Island Public Transit Authority’s Transit Forward

Abraham Heschel wrote something similar: “The main task of prophetic thinking is to bring the world into divine focus.”

As I argue in my new book, “Social Vision: The Lubavitcher Rebbe’s Transformative Paradigm for the World” (co-written with Eli Rubin and my son Michael), Schneerson possessed a distinctly prophetic orientation of exactly this sort. This is very well reflected in the distinct religiosity of the ecological approach developed in his 1981 talk, which he rooted in a Midrashic teaching that he had cited many times before: “Everything created in the six days of creation needs work. Mustard seeds need to be sweetened, lupin beans need to be sweetened, wheat needs to be milled. Even man needs to be perfected. (Bereishit Rabbah 11:6)” This principle is hinted at in the text of the Torah itself. It is not written (Genesis 2:3) that God’s work was “created and done,” but that God’s work was “created to do,” meaning that it was created to be completed by humanity.

As one of the Midrashic commentators put it, “everything needs ‘tikun.’”

Everything needs to be perfected, fixed and completed. This opens the way for humanity to become “partners with God in the work of genesis,” partners in creation. (Shabbat 119b) For Schneerson, the transformative ecological key lay in the Jewish practice of uttering blessings (“brachot”), not only before performing a ritual act, but also before and after eating.

Through uttering a blessing, eating

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 9 2040 plan is also in development – a major step in improving our statewide public transit.

Although these problems are deeply systemic, there is an element of personal consumption here as well.

Just like reducing our meat eating, composting, using reusable bags and bottles, and other environmentally conscious behaviors, decreasing the amount we drive is a fundamental way to be a steward of the planet.

Much better than individual choice, though, is collective action. Throughout the state and the country, organizations are working hard to address these issues through bicycling, walking, transit, smart growth and development, affordable housing, and more. There are so many ways to work on solutions, and bring your elected officials along for the ride.

Don’t hesitate to get in touch with me to find out how.

LIZA BURKIN is the project manager for a soon-to-be launched coalition called Our Streets PVD. Drop her a line at lizaburkin@gmail.com for more information.

altered.

We must vote for politicians who understand the scope of the problem and who do not take money from fossil fuel companies. We must advocate for environmental policies that help move us toward a carbon-neutral or carbon-negative economy. We must recognize and rectify the disproportionate impacts that fossil fuels have had on communities of color and low-income communities. We have very little time – scientists say 11 years – to avert the worst impacts. In my mind, there is nothing more Jewish than to stand up for the Earth at its time of greatest need.

To those in our own Rhode Island Jewish community, especially religious leaders, who deny that the climate crisis is real, I call on you to

recognize your obligations to your children, to each other and to the world at large. To those who know that this is a real and urgent issue, and do not make it a centerpiece of their religious or spiritual practice, I say the same. As Kohelet (Ecclesiastes), which we recently read on Sukkot, says, “For in respect of the fate of man and the fate of beast, they have one and the same fate: as the one dies so dies the other; all share the same breath of life.” (3:19).

ADAM CABLE is a native Rhode Islander, clinical social worker and a member of the board of directors at the Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island.

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BUSINESS

Some debt is good, some debt is bad & S E NS

D O LL

RS

power to pay down their debt obligation.

A home mortgage also generally falls into the good-debt category.

Tax breaks often accompany a mortgage, and the home might appreciate in value, which can make it a wise investment. But a home mortgage can fall into the bad-debt category in cases where the homeowner takes on more debt than they’re comfortable assuming or capable of paying off.

JASON E. Zero-interest SIPERSTEIN offers on car loans, credit cards, etc., can represent a positive use of debt, provided the person assuming the debt takes advantage of the zero-interest benefit. “Zero interest” means a loan with no interest (but often for a limited period of time). In the credit card scenario, transferring the balance on an interest-bearing card to a zero-interest card can save hundreds, even thousands, of dollars.

A zero-interest auto loan also can save you a significant amount of money in interest over the life of the loan.

Good debt

Essentially, with good debt, you’re taking on more debt, but at no additional cost (interest), which in turn frees up funds to pay down a debt that will mount (compound) much more quickly because of a higher interest rate.

Generally, student-loan debt is constructive debt because it enables you to acquire skills that give you an opportunity to earn more money. Essentially, you’re investing to improve the value of your own human capital.

However, too much student-loan debt can negate that added value and turn good debt into bad – especially in cases when a graduate lacks the earning

E

A

DEBT IS TRULY A DOUBLE-EDGED sword – a blessing when used thoughtfully and selectively, but a curse when overused and relied on indiscriminately. With so much potentially at stake, anyone who’s considering taking on debt in any form should have a clear understanding of the distinctions between good debt and bad.

Here’s a look at the two sides of debt – financially constructive and financially destructive.

Sometimes good, sometimes bad debt

Credit card debt generally is neither good nor bad; it’s merely a tool that increases a person’s purchasing

power. But that comes with one big caveat: the credit card holder must commit to paying off all or most of the card balance each month. By doing so, they not only avoid running up a large and mounting balance, but they build their credit score as a result of their positive payment record, which in turn helps to secure lower rates on a mortgage, car loan, etc.

On the other side of the coin, failing to pay down credit card balances in a timely fashion can quickly turn credit card debt into bad debt. The balance on a credit card that carries a 20% interest rate can grow fast, creating a debt hole that can be difficult to escape.

Bad debt

Bad debt is debt that has no future benefit. Bad debt not only lacks any benefit, but it also can bring serious and lasting financial headaches.

Credit card debt can turn destructive when the cardholder lacks the cash to pay off the balances in full, or almost in full, each month. Given the high interest rates that many cards carry, those balances can quickly escalate (due to compound interest) and become problematic. Credit card debt often becomes a problem for people who rely on plastic to cover basic expenses.

In a recent poll, “CNBC Make It”

found that for almost one-quarter of Americans, basic necessities, such as rent, utilities and food, contribute most to their credit card debt. Another 12% say medical bills are the biggest portion of their debt.

A lack of awareness could be part of the problem. In a survey by U.S. News & World Report, 21% of consumers didn’t know if they had debt and 30% were unaware of how much credit card interest they pay each month.

Also, 24% were found to be carrying credit card balances exceeding $10,000. Among those polled, 13% say credit card debt causes them to struggle to make ends meet.

Another consideration when contemplating taking on debt is the psychological aspect: carrying debt can stress an individual, as well as a relationship.

For advice on how to get the most out of good debt and avoid the bad, seek out the support of a Certified Financial Planner. To find one in your area, consult the Financial Planning Association’s searchable national database, at www.PlannerSearch.org.

JASON E. SIPERSTEIN, CFA, CFP, is the president-elect of the Financial Planning Association of Rhode Island and president of Eliot Rose Wealth Management. He can be reached at jes@ eliotrose.com.

Angela Merkel honored for fighting anti-Semitism

BY TOBY AXELROD BERLIN (JTA) – German Chancellor Angela Merkel was honored by the World Jewish Congress for her role in fighting anti-Semitism.

The annual Theodor Herzl Prize recognizes individuals who represent Herzl’s commitment to building a safer, more tolerant world for the Jewish people.

“This prize is a statement against anti-Semitism,” said the head of the Jewish Community of Munich and Upper Bavaria, Charlotte Knobloch,

who serves as the WJC representative of the Jewish World Congress for Holocaust Remembrance.

Knobloch, in a statement, noted that the honor comes a few weeks after a violent neo-Nazi attack on the synagogue in the Germany city of Halle, which took two lives.

Merkel was honored Oct. 27 in Munich. She became chancellor in 2005 and said she will step down after elections in 2021.

WJC President Ronald Lauder called Merkel “the guardian of democracy, the guardian of civilization and the

guardian of Europe… you have always supported the Jewish community in this country. You have always stood by Israel … you are a German leader who has become a one-person dam. A dam against instability. A dam against irrationality. A dam against extremism.

A dam against hate. A dam against racism. A dam against antisemitism.”

Also receiving a Theodor Herzl Prize this year will be Nikki Haley, the former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, who will be honored next month in New York City.

Some critics in Germany and abroad

have decried awarding the prize to Merkel, suggesting that while she condemns anti-Semitism, her government is soft on Iran and Hezbollah.

In addition, they claim, the arrival of more than 1 million Muslim refugees since 2015 has made Germany a more dangerous place for Jews.

Past prize winners include the President Ronald Reagan, posthumously, former U.S. Secretaries of State Colin Powell, Henry Kissinger and George Shultz, former U.S. Vice President Joseph Biden, the late Israeli President Shimon Peres, and Elie and Marion Wiesel.

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28 | NOVEMBER 2019

Jewish Rhode Island | jewishrhody.org

COMMUNITY | OBITUARIES Blanche Broeder, 92

Born in Providence, a son of the late Benjamin and Irene (Dworkis) Golden, he had lived in Narragansett and Hallandale Beach, Florida, for 30 years, previously living in Cranston.

Shelton was a WWII Army veteran, serving during the occupation of Japan. He was a member of Congregation Beth David, Touro Fraternal Association, Narragansett Lions Club and the Masons Overseas Lodge.

Shelton was a family man, coaching various sports teams for his sons and grandson and never missed any of his sons’ games. He loved his grandchildren, teaching them how to swim and taking them to the beach, carting everyone along the sand in their favorite red wagon. Shelton was known for his ability to make those around him happy, especially with silly songs and dances. He never turned down a sweet or dessert of any kind. Shelton enjoyed the companionship of dogs and loved all animals. He was an avid Yankees fan and a racquetball player.

He was the father of Brent Golden and his wife, Laurie, of Narragansett, and Jeffrey Golden and his wife, Robyn, of Cranston. He was the brother of Paul Golden of Warwick and the late Russel, Irving, Harvey and Seymour Golden.

He was the grandfather of Lynzie Ford and her husband, Sorran, Joshua Golden and

LAUDERHILL, FLA. – Blanche Broeder died Sept. 30 at Trustbridge Hospice. Born in Boston, Massachusetts, a daughter of the late Harry and Jessie (Linder) Bernstein, she had lived in Lauderhill for 40 years, previously living in Queens, New York. She was a real estate broker for Prudential and Merrill Lynch.

Blanche was a master bridge tournament player, and she loved to travel, especially on cruises.

She was the mother of the late Wesley Broeder and Saundra Broeder. She was the sister of the late Hope Romeo. She was the grandmother of Rebecca Jacobs and Joshua Taylor. She was the great-grandmother of Shaina, Wyatt and Cole Jacobs and Jack Taylor. She was the former wife of William Broeder.

Contributions may be made to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105 or American Cancer Society, 3363 W. Commercial Blvd, Suite 100, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33309.

Shelton Golden, 90

NARRAGANSETT, R.I. – Shelton Golden died Oct. 19 at HopeHealth Hulitar Hospice Center.

He was the husband of Marcia (Zakoff) Golden for 67 years.

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his wife, Emily, Erica Golden and Michelle Rader and her husband, Scott. He was the great-grandfather of Shiye Ford and step great-grandfather of Caroline Ford. He was the uncle of many nieces and nephews.

Contributions may be made to HopeHealth Hulitar Hospice Center, 1085 N. Main St., Providence, RI 02904 or American Parkinson Disease Association, PO Box 41659, Providence, RI 02940.

Shirley Handwerger, 97 PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Shirley Handwerger, longtime resident of Providence, where she lived with her late husband, Louis, and raised my brother, Rob, and me (Alan), passed away peacefully at the HopeHealth Hulitar Hospice Center in Providence on Oct. 8.

When asked over the past few days for adjectives to describe her, Shirley’s friends and family members had this to say. She was elegant, glamorous, generous, supportive, giving, silly, and charming.

Much was said about her dining table – not only the deliciousness of the holiday meals that graced that table for over half a century, but also of the love and friendships that were cemented in that setting.

Shirley was a homemaker in the truest sense of that word. There was no refrigerator on the East Side of Providence that the neighborhood kids preferred to open when they were looking for a snack.

She’ll be missed and loved forever by myself (Alan), by my wife, Lorrie, who was more a daughter to her than a daughter-in-law, by her niece, Marilyn Bergman Gralnik, also more a daughter than a niece, by a host of grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces and nephews and their offspring, and by countless friends in the communities where she lived.

My mother was our matriarch, a model of womanhood at its finest, as irreplaceable as she will be loved forever.

Goodbye mom for now. “A flight of angels send thee to thy rest.”

Donations to the HopeHealth Hulitar Hospice Center at 1085 N. Main St., Providence, RI 02906 would be greatly appreciated.

Harold Milton Horwitz, 76 Dr. Harold Milton Horwitz, a

prominent Rheumatologist in Rhode Island, died peacefully, at home on October 28.

He is survived by his loving wife of 52 years, Eileen Shaw Horwitz of Fall River, Massachusetts; and his children, Joshua Mark Horwitz and wife Carmel of Boulder, CO, Jill Horwitz Cohen and husband Andrew of Berkeley, CA; two grandsons, Jasper and Eli; and a brother, Bruce and wife Lois of Newton, MA. He was the son of Dr. Manuel and Minette Horwitz.

Dr. Horwitz, an Eagle Scout, was a graduate of Classical High School, Union College, and Tufts Medical School. He began his medical training as an intern and first year resident at Rhode Island Hospital and then continued his residency at University Hospital in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Harold then spent two years in the United States Army Medical Corps at Fort Bragg, N.C. as a Major and Chief of Rheumatology, after which he completed a Fellowship at Duke University Medical Center.

Dr. Horwitz was one of the first Rheumatologists in RI and went on to develop a highly respected private practice in his community. He was an academic appointee at the Brown University Program of Medicine, he was the Chief of Rheumatology and an attending physician at both the Miriam and Pawtucket Memorial Hospitals. Dr. Horwitz was also an attending physician at the Rhode Island Hospital and a member of the consulting staff at Kent County Hospital.

During his career he was the President of the RI Chapter of the Arthritis Foundation and was the first recipient of their Hall of Fame Award, he was also the President of the RI Society of Internal Medicine. Dr. Horwitz was on the board of the Lupus Society and Temple Beth El. Dr. Horwitz, an accomplished cyclist, skier and sailor, who loved to travel the world, will be remembered as a physician devoted to his wife, family and patients.

He will be missed by all who knew him.

Donations in his memory may be made to “MGH Dr. Dickerson Lab” (Memo: “Dementia Research”) To assist with the research of Frontotemporal Disorders. send donations to:bKatie Brandt, MGH FTD Unit, 149 13th Street, Suite 2691, Charlestown, MA 02129

Marcia Kaplan, 81 CRANSTON, R.I – Marcia L. Kaplan died Oct. 17 at Rhode

Island Hospital. She was the wife of Harold Kaplan for 58 years. Born in Providence, a daughter of the late Bernard and Zelda (Sklut) Hittner, she was a lifelong resident of Cranston. She was an administrator for Rhode Island Hospital Dept. of Psychiatry for 20 years, retiring in 1999.

Marcia was a graduate of Cranston East High School, class of ’56, and University of Rhode Island, class of ’60. She was a member of the former Temple Beth Israel and its sisterhood and bowling league. She was an active member and officer of the PTA at Hugh B. Bain Middle School and Stadium Elementary School. Marcia was also the vice president of the residence council at Cedar Crest Home.

She was the mother of William D. Kaplan of Cranston, Gary B. Kaplan of Los Angeles, California, and Edward S. Kaplan of Silver Spring, Maryland. She was the sister of Kenneth Hittner (Reneé) of Brookfield, Connecticut. She was the grandmother of Sarah L. Kaplan of Riverside and Andrew S. Kaplan of Cranston. She was the great-grandmother of Xyler Kaplan.

Contributions may be made to ALS Foundation, 2374 Post Road, Ste. 103, Warwick, RI 02886.

Hope Kaufman, 93 CRANSTON, R.I. – Hope (Hornstein) Kaufman passed away Oct. 4 in her daughter’s arms at St. Elizabeth Home in East Greenwich. She was the mother and dearest friend of Meredith Kaufman Ricci and her husband, John. Hope’s greatest joys in life were her cherished grandsons, David G. and Michael J. Ricci. Her gentle and loving soul will be deeply missed.

Contributions may be made to Hope Alzheimer’s Center, 25 Brayton Ave., Cranston, RI 02920 or St. Elizabeth Home Activities Dept., 1 St. Elizabeth Way, East Greenwich, RI 02818.

Dr. Dorothy Lippman, 104 WARWICK, R.I. – Dr. Dorothy “Dottie” Lippman passed away Oct. 27. She was the wife of the late Abraham Lippman.

Born in New York, she was the daughter of the late Abraham and Sophie Nemtzow.

She is survived by her daughters Susan Mason and her husband, Marvin, of Lexington, Massachusetts, and Marcia Satinoff and her husband,

NOVEMBER 2019 | 29

jewishrhody.org | Jewish Rhode Island

OBITUARIES Martin, of Oldsmar, Florida; brother Simon Nemzow of Providence; grandchildren Andrew Satinoff and his wife, Laurie, Debbie Clayman and her husband, David, Sharyn Bilenker and her husband, Michael, Seth Mason and his wife, Dona, Lisa Blas and her husband, Wayne, and Ruthie Mason; and 12 great-grandchildren.

Contributions may be made to Tamarisk Assisted Living, 3 Shalom Drive, Warwick, RI 02886 or a charity of your choice.

Sidney Marcus, 91 COVENTRY, R.I. – Sidney Marcus died Oct. 12 at Alpine Retirement Home. He was the husband of Eleanor (Charles) Marcus for 59 years. Born in Brooklyn, New York, a son of the late Samuel and Vitta Marcus, he recently moved to Coventry, previously living in Warwick and Cranston.

He was a chemist for Teknor Apex in Pawtucket for 54 years, retiring in 1993. Sidney was a Korean Conflict Army veteran, serving in Korea.

He was a member of Temple Sinai, its Brotherhood and the Jewish War Veterans. Sidney enjoyed woodworking, gardening and geology.

He was the father of Robert Marcus and his wife, Paula, of Wiscasset, Maine, and Steven Marcus and his wife, Reneé, of Warwick. He was the brother of Jean Free of Manhattan, New York, and the late Edith Ingber. He was the grandfather of Amanda, David, Danny and Meaghan.

Contributions may be made to Temple Sinai, 30 Hagen Ave., Cranston, RI 02920.

Leigh Namerow, 74 WEST WARWICK, R.I. – Leigh J. Namerow died Oct. 22 at Miriam Hospital. He was the beloved husband of Elizabeth (La Porte) Namerow for 37 years. Born in Providence, a son of the late Maurice and Anita (Schmelz) Namerow, he had lived in West Warwick since 1980.

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He was the brother of Sandra Namerow of Warwick and Lori Pontus of East Providence. Contributions may be made to Best Friends Animal Society, Attention Jonna W., 5001Angel Canyon Road, Kanab, UT 84741.

Alexandra Rozovsky, 101 PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Alexandra Rozovsky, of Providence, passed away peacefully on Oct. 28. She was born in the Ukraine to the late Aron and Bluma (Paltseva) Goldstein.

She was preceded in passing by her husband, Leo Boris Rozovsky.

Alexandra is survived by her son, Boris Rozovsky and his wife, Irina, of Providence; granddaughter, Dr. Julie Weinberger and her husband, Benjamin; and her great-grandchildren, Mia and Noah.

Contributions can be made to the Bethany Home of Rhode Island.

Gayle Sock, 71 NARRAGANSETT, R.I. – Gayle Myers Sock, beloved wife, mother, grandmother and sister, passed away peacefully on Oct. 11.

Gayle was born on May 26, 1948, in Providence to Reuben and Harriett Myers. She earned her undergraduate degree from University of Miami before getting a master’s degree in education from Suffolk University, after which she taught elementary school.

On May 27, 1973 she married Phil Sock. They raised their two children, Josh and Aliza, in East Greenwich. Her love of the beach brought

them to live full time in Narragansett. She enjoyed art and traveling, along with long walks in the fresh ocean air.

Her focus was always on providing support and comfort to her family. She was known as GG to her four grandchildren, whom she lived for. We will miss the warmth and love she brought everywhere she went. She would say hugs and kisses to everyone, XOXO. Gayle is survived by her husband Phil, children Josh (Monique), Aliza (Raffi), grandchildren Billy and Julian Sock, Ella and Luna Tokatlian, brother Myron Myers (Susan), sister-in-law Sharon Sabbagh (Tal), fatherin-law Sheldon and many nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews.

Please consider making a donation to The Sock/Myers Memorial Fund at https:// rifoundation.org/funds/ sock-myers-memorial-fund, supporting Jewish education and family services in the Greater Providence area.

Muriel Zuckerberg, 90 REHOBOTH, MASS. – Muriel Zuckerberg passed away peacefully on Oct. 27 at home in Rehoboth. She was born on May 30, 1929 to the late Israel and Esther (Dress), Zuckerberg. Muriel was preceded in passing by her husband, Leo Zuckerberg. She is survived by her sons, Ralph and his wife, Ericka, and Joseph Zuckerberg; and grandsons, Abraham and Evan.

Contributions can be made to the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation.

Robert Evans, storied producer of ‘Godfather,’ ‘Chinatown,’ dies at 89 (JTA) – Robert Evans, the Hollywood producer behind a string of classic films who fell prey to – and then recovered from – a cocaine addiction, has died at 89.

Evans, born Robert Shapera in Manhattan in 1930, was a women’s pants salesman when he was discovered at the Beverly Hills Hotel pool by actress Norma Shearer, who hired him to play her late husband in the 1957 movie “Man of a Thousand Faces,” The New York Times reported.

The phrase “The kid stays in the picture” was originally said about him, after Ernest Hemingway objected to Evans’ being cast as a bullfighter in the film adaptation of “The Sun Also Rises.” Evans later used the line as the title for his memoir.

In 1966, he was hired to run production at Paramount, where he produced a series of iconic films, including “Rosemary’s Baby”

(1968), “Love Story” (1970), “The Godfather” (1972), and “Chinatown” (1974). He also used to hang out with former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger.

In 1983, his star fell after he pleaded guilty to cocaine possession in 1980 and was embroiled in a trial over the 1983 murder of Roy Radin, a film investor. One of his girlfriends was eventually among the people convicted for the crime.

Evans eventually returned to producing films.

His last movie as a full producer was the 2003 successful romantic comedy “How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days.”

30 | NOVEMBER 2019

Jewish Rhode Island | jewishrhody.org

COMMUNITY Annual Women’s conference will feature ‘Small Miracles’ author ON DEC. 8, JEWISH WOMEN will gather at the Alliance’s Dwares Jewish Community Center in Providence for a day of study, dialogue, inspiration, learning and friendship.

The annual Tichyeh Schochet Memorial Conference, hosted by the women’s division of the Providence Kollel, will feature a wide variety of engaging lectures and workshops on both Jewish and secular issues that play important roles in the lives of Jewish women.

The keynote speaker will be Judith Leventhal, from Brooklyn, New York, the co-author of eight books. Her first, “Small Miracles,” was a New York Times bestseller that spurred on seven more titles in the Small Miracles series. Leventhal will share stories that can open our hearts and minds to the possibilities and blessings around us.

A morning and afternoon track will allow participants to choose from four concurrent sessions. These include workshops and lectures on self-care and stress relief; a systematic approach to effective parenting; stories of

transcendent living; tips on organization, time management and decision-making; traditional Torah perspectives on miracles and the everyday; crafting with polymer clay; and lessons learned firsthand in dealing with and growing from an experience of loss.

Local facilitators and lecturers will include Sara Brown, Elissa Felder, Marsha Gibber, Miriam Lipson, Kayla Schochet, Dr. Irine Schweitzer and Rona Trachtenberg.

Registration opens at 9:30 a.m., and the conference will begin at 10 a.m. A gourmet lunch will be served during the conference, and a dessert reception will take place from 2:15 to 3 p.m. Conference attendees are invited to bring their business cards to display on tables during the dessert reception.

For more information or to sign up for the conference, go to providencekollel.org, or call Shani Schwartz at 401273-3923. Babysitting will be available.

Submitted by Elisheva Bielory, Sara Brown and Gail Rubenstein.

OBITUARIES 28 | BUSINESS 27 | SIMCHAS & WE ARE READ 35

Avraham Infeld shares his vision for the Jewish people at Teverowlecture Nov. 13

BY LARRY KATZ WHAT IS THE FUTURE of the Jewish people? Very few have truly developed a comprehensive vision. Avraham Infeld is one of those few, and he will share this vision at the Joseph Teverow and Jacqueline Teverow Factor Memorial Lecture. Scheduled for Nov. 13 at 7 p.m. at the Alliance’s Dwares Jewish Community Center, Infeld’s presentation will engage participants in ideas that can change the Jewish world.

Infeld exclaims that “Judaism is NOT a religion!” Lord Jonathan Sacks, former chief Rabbi of the United Kingdom, calls Infeld “engaging and inspiring…full of delightful stories, compelling analysis and generosity of spirit.” The President Emeritus of Yeshiva University (Orthodox), Richard M. Joel, calls Infeld “our minstrel of Jewish passion and purpose.” The Chancellor Emeritus of Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion (Reform), Rabbi David Ellenson, says that “anyone who wants to know what the best of Judaism and the Jewish people can be” should turn to Infeld.

Infeld explains how the Jewish people may achieve unity without uniformity through their shared peoplehood, rather than through religion. Through his stories and accessible messages, he describes how the idea of Jewish peoplehood connects Jews together, no matter where they live or how they practice. He provides the opportunity to engage with world-shaking ideas that he illustrates through delightful story-telling.

Infeld is president emeritus of Hillel International and founder and director of a number of innovative educational institutions. He was planning director of Birthright Israel.

For a long time, no Israeli army cadet could graduate from Officer’s Training School without attending a talk by Infeld. He was the first-ever community shaliach (Israeli emissary) assigned to the United States and he speaks each year at the training sessions of the shlichim. He has invested a lifetime building Jewish identity and strengthening the State of Israel by instructing Jewish youth on five core principles: the Hebrew language, the Land of Israel, Jewish values, the Jewish religion and the Jewish community.

I first met Infeld when I was on the staff of the Jewish Federation of Greater Dallas. Infeld spoke so passionately then that the Dallas Federation had to bring him back twice in two years, as too many people complained they had not been available to hear him during his first visit. Infeld, who tells stories in with his charming South African accent, is a popular speaker among Jews in their twenties, as well as those closer to his own age.

This lecture is sponsored by the Teverow family in loving memory of their parents, Joseph Teverow and Jacqueline Teverow Factor.

Both shared a passion for Jewish education and for Israel, and they were avid supporters of adult Jewish educational programs. Jo-

Avraham Infeld seph Teverow was especially active at Temple Emanu-El and the Bureau of Jewish Education, both of which honored him with awards.

Jacqueline Teverow Factor played a prominent role locally and nationally in Na’amat (Pioneer Women).

This lecture will be followed by a question-and-answer period. It is the second of this season’s Israel Culture Series, hosted by Or Cohen, this community’s shlichah (Israel emissary). For more information, contact her at ocohen@jewishallianceri.org or 401-421-4111, ext. 121. Copies of Infeld’s book, “A Passion for a People,” will be sold at the event for $20.

Infeld will be available to sign books.

LARRY KATZ (lkatz@jewishallianceri.org) is the director of Jewish life and learning at the Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island.

jewishrhody.org | Jewish Rhode Island

NOVEMBER 2019 | 31

Rabbi Bentzion Klatzko

‘The Hollywood Rabbi’ dishes on what makes Judaism unique

BY RUCHAMA SZENDRO PROVIDENCE – Rabbi Bentzion Klatzko, “The Hollywood Rabbi,” was the featured guest speaker at Project Shoresh’s program on Sept.

22 at the Alliance’s Dwares Jewish Community Center.

Rabbi Klatzko, the conceptual founder of Shabbat.com and senior director of Olami, spoke on the theme of Judaism being unique.

Klatzko is the national director of College Outreach and promotes Jewish education and continuity throughout North America. In 1999, he became campus rabbi at the University of California Los Angeles. He has since reconnected thousands of young Jewish men and women to their heritage, and some of Hollywood’s biggest stars and producers, including cast members from “Friends,” “Malcolm in the Middle,” and “Third Rock From the Sun,” became regulars at his popular monthly class on Jewish thought, earning him the moniker “The Hollywood Rabbi.”

Rabbi Klatzko’s stories, expertly woven together into unexpected and moving lessons, held the Providence audience rapt.

Klatzko said Judaism comes from the root for l’hodot, “to thank.” He said the Jewish people are the “thank you people”: The moment we wake each day, we say the modeh ani, expressing thanks for life, and we express thanks before and after eating and for every other benefit in our

lives.

Rabbi Klatzko said we pray three times each day because that is the very least one would “check in” with someone dear to him or her. For example, we spend time with a spouse every morning and evening, and call or text at least once during the day.

Many of Klatzko’s illustrations included first-person accounts. He said that when he and his wife are out on a date, his wife expects that his cellphone will be turned off, so his attention is undivided. He likened this to Shabbat, when we spend one day each week totally disconnected from our work, our emails, our devices, allowing us to devote the day to our relationship with God and to spiritual growth.

The program also featured a reception with delicious food and live classical music by Fishel Bresler and Co. The JCC’s social hall bustled with people of all ages, representing a broad spectrum of the Rhode Island Jewish community.

Project Shoresh is partnering with the Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island on Nov. 9 at 7 p.m. for its next event, “Obstacle or Opportunity,” featuring world-class athlete Michael Neuman.

Check the Alliance’s website, www.jewishallianceri. org, for details.

To learn more about Project Shoresh, email nkarp@projectshoresh.com.

RUCHAMA SZENDRO lives in Providence.

Join us and find out how a top-tier athlete like Michael Neuman keeps a clear headspace. Michael is an Orthodox Jew who practices obstacle course racing (ranked 52nd worldwide) and most famously competed on “Million Dollar Mile.” By trade he is a psychotherapist and mental health counselor helping people deal with their issues to feel empowered. Hear his story, win some prizes, and find some inspiration to take yourself to the next level! Reach out to Noach Karp at rnoachkarp@gmail.com for more info.

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Jewish Rhode Island | jewishrhody.org

ARTS

Creative Hands Art Sale celebrates five years at Temple Emanu-El on Nov. 3

BY MAJORIE PELCOVITS EVER SINCE GOD commissioned Bezalel to build the Tabernacle in biblical times, art has played an important role in Judaism. The value of “hiddur mitzvah” (beautification of the commandments) has dictated that fine arts and handicrafts be held in high esteem. This value applies not only to the creation of beautiful ceremonial objects, but to appreciation for aesthetically pleasing objects of all kinds.

With this in mind, Temple Emanu-El is sponsoring the Creative Hands Art Sale on Sunday, Nov. 3, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

This marks the fifth annual Creative Hands Art Sale. With more vendors than ever, many favorite artists and artisans from past years will be joined by a cadre of those making their first appearance. The range of wares will include many unique items and be very broad, including

jewelry, furniture, glass, wood, paper, painting, and textiles. While most of the items for sale will appeal to all audiences, beautiful works of Judaica will be available as well. The items, some of which will be sold exclusively at Creative Hands, will represent a variety of price points.

There should be much to delight every taste and every

budget!

The silent auction, which will be held throughout the day, also will be significantly expanded this year. In addition to items contributed by vendors, donations from local merchants and organizations promise to provide even more to tempt those attending.

Previous Creative Hands Art Sales have been very

successful, earning praise from buyers and vendors alike, and this year’s sale is sure to be the best yet.

Whether you are looking for something beautiful, whimsical, practical, or just a bit different for yourself or for a gift, you won’t want to miss Creative Hands!

Admission and parking are free.

For more information, visit https://www.teprov. org/creativehands, write creativehands@teprov.org, or call Temple Emanu-El at 401-331-1616.

MARJORIE PELCOVITS is a clinical psychologist and a member of Temple Emanu-El and the Creative Hands Art Sale committee.

Two of the many offerings at the Creative Hands Art Sale.

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jewishrhody.org | Jewish Rhode Island

NEWS Wildfires across California lead to closing of some Jewish institutions (JTA) – WILDFIRES ACROSS CALIFORNIA have led to the evacuations of several Jewish institutions in the Los Angeles area and communities in the northern part of the state.

The Getty Fire in Los Angeles, which erupted early on Oct. 28 in the hills north of the Getty Center, has burned more than 600 acres and caused the evacuation of some of the wealthiest neighborhoods in California.

Among the Jewish institutions forced to close temporarily due to the Getty fire were the Skirball Cultural Center, American Jewish University and Milken Community Schools, the Jewish Journal of Los Angeles reported. Milken removed its Torah scrolls to safety, according to the report.

The Leo Baeck Temple, which said in a message on social media that the Getty fire is burning very near its building, also removed its Torah scrolls and closed.

Some other Los Angeles-area synagogues have closed temporarily but are working to help match up community members who are willing to host families displaced by the fire and those who need assistance. Synagogues farther from the fire are providing a place to get meals, water or

Proud sponsor of the Providence Memory Café Held at Temple Beth El the 3rd Thursday of the month,

1 to 2:30 p.m.

A firefighter sprays water on a burning home in the Kincade (Sonoma) fire on Oct. 24 other assistance for those who are stranded.

Several Jewish communities in Sonoma County, in northwestern California, were forced to evacuate due to the Kincade wildfire. The Jewish News of Northern California reported.

As of the morning of Oct. 29, the Kincade fire had burned more than 74,000 acres and was only 15 percent contained.

The fire started on Oct. 23 and has spread due to dry conditions and high winds.

JCCs and synagogues in the region have offered their support for those affected, including providing hot showers, free charging and WiFi, and activities for children, according to the J. newspaper.

The Neighborhood, Wingate’s signature memory care program, offers personalized care in a secure, home-like setting that supports the best possible quality of life for residents.

353 Blackstone Blvd., Providence, RI 02906

401-273-6565

One Butler Ave., Providence, RI 02906

401-275-0682

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Jewish Rhode Island | jewishrhody.org

COMMUNITY

The Holocaust Stamps Project finds a home in Pennsylvania

BY LARRY KESSLER THE HOLOCAUST STAMPS Project is on the verge of acquiring a permanent home for its 11 million stamps and the 18 collages fashioned from them.

A national stamp-collecting organization has agreed to give the project a permanent home at its Pennsylvania headquarters, said now-retired teacher Charlotte Sheer, who began the project at Foxboro Regional Charter School in 2009.

“The American Philatelic Society has made a commitment to accept the entire Holocaust Stamps Project collection, from which it will assemble a public exhibit at its headquarters in Bellefonte, Pa,” Sheer said in a news release.

The announcement came about two years after the project’s goal of collecting 11 million stamps was reached.

Sheer said that in the coming weeks, the executive director of the American Philatelic Society plans to visit the Foxboro school to collect the project’s inventory, which consists of “11

million postage stamps and 18 Holocaust-themed artworks assembled by kindergarten to grade 12 students.”

The project also includes documentation related to the evolution of the 10-year community-service learning project undertaken by the students and staff at the school, including student life adviser Jamie Droste, who took over from Sheer.

Sheer said that when the Society’s staff “have a tangible accounting of what it is they’ve got to work with, the real planning of the exhibit can begin.” As of now, she said, there is no target date for the opening of the exhibit in Pennsylvania.

Honoring the 11 million Holocaust victims was the primary objective of the project. “Every stamp honors the life of one man, woman, or child – 6 million Jews and 5 million additional individuals murdered by the Nazis during the Holocaust. The number includes 1.5 million children,” Sheer said.

At the height of the stamps project, the school was inundated with postage stamps from across the country and

world.

In an interview for a story two years ago, Sheer described how the project eventually resonated in the school community.

“In our culturally diverse classroom, a seed of awareness was planted,” she said.

“With a number so unfathomable, I challenged the class to try collecting one postage stamp for every person who perished in the Holocaust.

Why stamps? They’re small and accessible.

“The intent was to use stamps as a symbol for something of value being discarded, as millions of people’s lives were thrown away by the Nazis.”

By June of that first year, the students had struggled to amass about 25,000 stamps – and were beginning to sense the immensity of the lives lost.

“Soon it developed into the Holocaust Stamps Project and became a regular component of the school’s Community-Service Learning program,” Sheer said.

She said that throughout the project, students donated, trimmed and counted stamps

or worked on stamps-based collage artworks depicting the events and effects of the Holocaust. Hundreds of volunteers were enlisted to help count and sort the stamps.

Besides the exhibit in Pennsylvania, a display commemorating the project is being planned at the Foxboro school; details are still being worked out, Sheer said.

The American Philatelic Society traces its roots to 1886.

The society and the American Philatelic Research Library bought and renovated a sixacre, 18-building complex in Bellefonte, Pennsylvania, for its headquarters in 2002.

LARRY KESSLER (lkessler1@ comcast.net) is a freelance writer based in North Attleboro.

The Holocaust Stamps Project collage, “Peace Must be Dared,” is shown at right. The 16th of 18 collages created as part of the Holocaust Stamps Project, this 18-by-24 inch artwork, made by students at the Foxboro Regional Charter School, commemorates some of the Christians who supported the Jewish people during the Holocaust. Some hid families, cared for children, fed, spoke out and opened their homes, despite the risks.

Sheer said the design above, right, was inspired by the heroic actions taken by Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Nicholas Winton, Oskar PHOTOS | CHARLOTTE SHEER AND Schindler, SuTHE FOXBORO REGIONAL CHARTER SCHOOL zanne Spaak, Hans and Sophie Scholl, Raoul Wallenberg and Martha and Waitstill Sharp. German stamps featuring the image of Adolf Hitler are included in the background of “Love” stamps to represent Hitler’s evil intentions ultimately being overcome by the humane forces of love, compassion, and tolerance.

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jewishrhody.org | Jewish Rhode Island

COMMUNITY | SIMCHAS & WE ARE READ SKYLER LAVALLA AND LEAH CHARPENTIER were

married in Stowe, Vermont, on Oct. 20. The wedding took place at the Green Mountain Inn. Skyler is the son of Terry Schuster and Kevin Lavalla, and the grandson of late Ruth Matzner Samdperil and the late Charles Samdperil. Leah is the daughter of Sarah and Abraham, and the proud mother of two beautiful boys, Elias Charpentier BouRamia and Asher Charpentier BouRamia.

The couple were engaged on Aug. 16 on Cape Cod. The family lives in Cranston.

WE ARE READ IN UKRAINE – Shai Afsai of

Providence was in Uman, Ukraine for the annual Rosh Hashanah pilgrimage to Rebbe Nachman of Breslov’s resting place.

Clockwise from top left: Daveed Sausen, Yaniv Tsaidi, Yossi Sausen, Shai Afsai, Ezra Sausen, Yonatan Sausen and Leeam Tsaidi.

Shai and Yaniv have been friends since meeting at summer camp in New England as pre-teens, and have been together in Uman three times for Rosh Hashanah. Yaniv and Yossi are both graduates of Providence’s New England Academy of Torah and now live in Israel. This was the first time all three friends met up in Uman. Yaniv and Yossi also brought some of their children on this year’s pilgrimage.

WE ARE READ IN DENMARK – Sheila and Alan Kaplan, of Warwick, and Barbara and Billy Karetny, of East Greenwich, were at the Danish Jewish Museum in August.

WE ARE READ IN PORTUGAL – Karen Borger (left) and former Providence resident Ruth Stevens recently enjoyed a Jewish tour of Lisbon, Portugal, with guide Davide, ending at the Lisbon Jewish Memorial in memory of the massacre of 2,000 to 4,000 Jews who had been forced to convert and were killed at this square more than 500 years ago.

WE ARE READ IN FLORIDA – Ida and Tom Brown (right) of Hopatcong, New Jerse, (Ida is originally from Rhode Island) recently met up with John and Beverly Gilmore of Davenport, Florida (they are originally from Rhode Island), at Disney’s Ft. Wilderness Campground to celebrate 50 years of friendship between Ida and Bev! They met at Roger Williams College in 1969 and have remained close friends for all these years. It is a rare accomplishment to maintain friends for so many years.

It deserved a special tribute, and Jewish Rhode Island came along to seal the celebration.

jewish collaborative services

Jewish Collaborative Services’ (JCS) Case Management program provides assistance with basic needs for those who may not know where to turn. Their caring social workers provide confidential guidance to connect individuals and families with vital services to help them manage physical, emotional or financial challenges.

This work is made possible in part by your generous support of the Alliance’s Annual Campaign.

One grateful recipient writes: “There aren’t enough words to express how much I appreciated what JCS did for me. I’m a person who always worked, and at age 47 I got sick and ended up on disability. It was supposed to be my time in life, so it was not easy to ask for help. So, once again, thank you…for brightening my world.”

“Thanks from our entire family for bringing Passover to my mom.

It really made her day.”

2020 ANNUAL CAMPAIGN At the Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island we play many different roles for our diverse community: we nurture, partner, educate, enrich, serve, and convene.

Through the generosity of donors to the Alliance Annual Campaign, we are able to enrich the lives of thousands of people locally and around the world through programs, services, and partnerships. We care for the most at-risk in our community, energize Jewish life, respond to critical needs, and inspire future generations. Together, with your support, we translate Jewish values into wide-reaching impact.

To make your meaningful gift, please visit jewishallianceri.org or call 401.421.4111 ext. 165.

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