The Jewish World, July 23, 2015

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MOURNING THE TEMPLE — AND A BAD DEAL

JULY 23, 2015 THE JEWISH WORLD

Tisha B’Av in the 21st century — Is it of value?

Continued from Page 1 sizable contingent of American Jews.

A bit of anecdotal evidence: This author recently worked as the Judaics director for a summer camp affiliated with the JCC movement and was asked to put together a brief Tisha B’Av ceremony, something this particular camp had never before included in its Jewish programming. The campers were so incredulous about the existence of this holy day that many were whispering to each other that it had been invented by the camp staff as a color war breakout prank.

How could Tisha B’Av, traditionally one of the most intense and salient religious experiences of the year, be wholly foreign to a large portion of American Jewry? Surely it cannot simply come down to the fact that most people are averse to fasting—if that were the case, how could we explain the ongoing popularity of Yom Kippur?

Evolution Or Tragedy?

The actual answer revolves around the traditional thematic elements of the fast.

The narrative of Tisha B’Av centers on the destruction of the holy temple in Jerusalem, a national calamity that marked the end of Jewish sovereignty in ancient Israel and the official onset of the long Jewish diaspora.

The day’s liturgy mourns the disappearance of high priests and animal sacrifices, and woven into its eulogizing is the wish for a

return to these original forms or worship.

It is in reaction to these sentiments that the modern Jewish thinkers have diverged on how Tisha B’Av ought to be approached.

Unlike Yom Kippur, whose themes of repentance and forgiveness are timelessly compelling, Tisha B’Av as traditionally observed openly longs for a way of religious life that has irrevocably passed and that even the most fervently Orthodox today would find alien. Understandably, those movements and individuals in recent history that have championed Judaism’s ability to evolve and adapt would not be interested in the message of Tisha B’Av—that what is old is best.

This was the feeling that guided early leaders of the Reform movement in the 18th century to do away with the observance of Tisha B’Av. Since they were interested in making Judaism appealing to a modern, scientific milieu, the reformers emphasized the ethical elements of Jewish teaching and minimized ritual law. The transition from sacrificial worship to verbal prayer brought on by the destruction of the temple was not seen not so much as a tragedy, but as an important step in the development of Judaism toward pure ethical monotheism.

An Obsolete Observance?

American Jews’ lack of familiarity with Tisha B’Av can likely be traced back to

“Tisha B'Av has two sides to it!”

B”H

“Tisha B'Av has two sides to it!”

“Tisha B'Av” is the darkest day on the Jewish calendar, observed this year on Saturday night and Sunday July 26.

Tisha B'Av commemorates the destruction of the Jerusalem’s Holy Temple and almost 2 millennia of Jewish struggle in exile. On the negative side, Tisha Bav also saw forty years of death and wandering in the desert, the fall of Betar, the Spanish expulsion in 1492, & the start of World War I. Today, the saddest thing about Tisha B'Av is that many people do not know about it or care to observe it. We don't know what we're missing. Unfortunately, we are split and divided, suffering from the same senseless hatred that caused the tragedy of Tisha B'Av. Tisha B'Av climaxes three weeks of mourning, beginning with the fast of the 17th of Tamuz. During the nine days preceding Tisha B'Av, we abstain from eating meat, drinking wine (except for a Mitzvah dinner), nor take a full bath. We fast on Tisha B'Av, do not wash, wear leather shoes, or have marital relations. The Book of Lamentations is read sitting on a low stool in mourning.

But there is another side to Tisha B'Av. The Talmud tells the story of Rabbi Akiva and the Sages tearing their garments in mourning upon seeing Jerusalem in ruins. Their anguish increased upon seeing a fox strolling where the Holy Ark once stood. The Sages burst. . .

Continued on other side

Continued from other side into tears, but Rabbi Akiva laughed. The Sages were shocked. "How can you laugh when animals desecrate our Holy of Holies?" Said Rabbi Akiva: "The Torah connects the fall and rise of Jerusalem. Zechariah the prophet predicted that 'Zion will be plowed under,' while Uria the prophet foresaw 'elderly men and women relaxing in the streets of Jerusalem with small children happily playing nearby'... Now that the negative has actually come to pass, the good prophecies will truly be fulfilled!"

The Sages comforted us!"

conceded,

saying:

"Akiva,

you

have

Tisha B'Av is negative - but once we have the negative, it takes only time and effort to develop it into a positive and see the full picture in the words of Zechariah (8:19): "These very days of sorrow and fasting will turn into days of joy and feasting for the House of Israel."

Tisha B'Av expresses strength rather than weakness. Other nations celebrate only their red-letter days and triumphs, yet we have the strength to dedicate a day to our tragedy, and that is the secret of our long survival that enables Israel to outlive the greatest empires that have long since vanished. Tisha B'Av directs us to positive, constructive action of rebuilding through Torah and charity.

It is customary to rise Tisha B'Av afternoon and clean the house, showing our renewed faith and hope. On the positive side, Tisha B'Av marks the birth and potential of redemption by the righteous Moshiach, a most important Jewish principle: "I fully believe in the coming of Moshiach, and though he may take time, each day I eagerly anticipate his coming!" (Maimonides) Last but not least, we conclude the Lamentations on a high positive note as we loudly declare: "Return to us, O G-d, and we will return to You; renew our days as once before!"

By Rabbi Yisrael Rubin, emissary of the Rebbe, Chabad of the Capital District Albany, NY

Rabbi Yisroel Rubin, director ofessage the Chabad Lubavitch of the Capital District, recalls back the Rebbe enjoyed this Tisha B'av m in the ‘80s; The Lubavitcher Rebbe’s secretary Rabbi Groner called to tell him that the Rebbe enjoyed this Tisha B’Av message printed on opposite sides of the page in the local Jewish World newspaper. We reprint it here. that early decision. The Reform movement is the largest denomination among American Jewry today, and there are a significant number of Reform temples across the country that do not mark Tisha B’Av on their calendars.

But in the last several decades, more and more Reform rabbis and communities have begun reintroducing some kind of Tisha B’Av observance into their annual schedule.

A Form of Unity In an interview with the Jewish Chronicle in 2011, Rabbi Lawrence Hoffman, the Barbara and Stephen Friedman Professor of Liturgy, Worship and Ritual at Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in New York, attributed the shift to two causes. First, he attributed this to the Holocaust and the subsequent founding of the state of Israel, events that brought the experience of national tragedy and a strong sense of unified peoplehood into the modern Jewish experience.

Interestingly, the second development Hoffman identified was the growth of Jewish camps. As the anecdote above illustrates, Tisha B’Av’s placement during the summer months made it a natural choice for inclusion within the Jewish educational programming at Reform Jewish camps. Rather than focus on the destruction of the temple, Hoffman explains, educators taught their campers about the Holocaust and other tragic events from throughout Jewish history. Moved by the experience, young people brought the observance of Tisha B’Av back to their home communities.

Despite these changes, Hoffman aptly described the current attitude of the Reform movement toward Tisha B’Av as “ambivalent.” Like those skeptical campers, many American Jews are still just finding out about Tisha B’Av for the first time.

Binyamin Kagedan has a master’s degree in Jewish thought from the Jewish Theological Seminary of America.

A very bad deal: Let us count the ways Continued from Page 1 Korea. North Korea at least had to kick out inspectors to go nuclear. The P5+1 agreement with Iran now on the table is so porous that inspections would be nearly useless.

After first insisting that inspections would be “robust and intrusive,” anywhere and anytime, the final agreement now speaks of “managed access,” which would allow the Iranians to indefinitely stall the process of dispute resolution long enough to get rid of telltale signs of cheating.

Not only did the U.S. officials, including the president and secretary of state, cave on the issue. They proceeded to defend Iran’s

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position on the grounds that the United States would also not allow inspectors into its military installations. Hello! If Iran were the U.S., the P5 would not have spent the last 12 years trying to defang its nuclear program, for which it has no conceivable civilian need. But one must step back from the details of what President Obama has wrought to truly appreciate the full magnitude of the catastrophe. When the U.S. joined the P5 negotiations with Iran, it was the world’s sole superpower, as even the Iranians say in their anti-America demonstrations. The disparity between the military and economic power of Continued on page 5 The Jewish World, Inc. at 1635 Eastern Parkway, Schenectady 12309. Periodicals postage is paid at Schenectady, N.Y., and additional mailing office.

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RECOGNITION / LOCAL NEWS

THE JEWISH WORLD JULY 23, 2015

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Schenectady Center lists November gala awardees SCHENECTADY—The Schenectady Jewish Community Center (SJCC) has announced the honorees for its annual Robert J. Ludwig Community Services Awards, which will be presented on Nov. 14, at its annual gala. Ellen and Eric Kerness are recipients of the Community Service Award for their contributions to the Jewish and atlarge communities of the Capital District; miSci (Museum of Innovation and Science) of Schenectady will receive the Philanthropic Leadership Award for its commitment to providing educational services to children and adults in the region; and the COOL Insuring Agency, Inc. will receive the Corporate Partnership Award for its service and partnership with the Schenectady Center.

The gala will feature kosher cuisine prepared under Vaad supervision.The blacktie optional program will be at Key Hall at Proctors in downtown Schenectady, beginning at 7 p.m. with cocktails followed by a buffet, the awards ceremony, and dessert.

“This year’s award winners are standouts for their commitment to the Jewish values exemplified by Robert J. Ludwig and embraced by the Schenectady JCC— inclusion, education, social responsibility, and tikkun olam,” said Nancy Bell and Debra Geer, gala committee chairwomen.

Ellen Kerness has served in volunteer positions for the SJCC, the Jewish Federation of Northeastern New York (JFNENY), and Schenectady Hadassah. She taught business for 16 years prior to working as manager of marketing and communications both at Bellevue Women’s Hospital and at Saratoga Hospital.

Eric Kerness serves as chairman of the Center’s board of trustees. He has served in a variety of leadership positions including president and chairman of SJCC committees. Under his leadership, the Center’s William and Estelle Golub Family Pool and Tennis Club and was planned, funded, designed and constructed. He has also served on JFNENY committees and has been the

Rabbi Joseph Polak to discuss his memoir at Beth Israel SCHENECTADY—ConWWII and survived the war with gregation Beth Israel invites the his mother. He moved to Moncommunity to a “Meet & Greet” treal after the war and received with Rabbi Joseph Polak, forhis smicha from Rabbi Pinchas mally of Boston University HilHirschprung. lel and now head of the Boston Polak will serve as chazzen Beth Din following a havdallah for the congregation Shabbat, service on Saturday evening, July 31, at 6:30 p.m. and at Aug.1, at 9:15 p.m. The dessert Shabbat morning services, Aug. program will be held at the syn1 at 9 a.m. agogue, 2195 Eastern Parkway, Reservations for the “Meet Rൺൻൻං JOSEPH Schenectady. and Greet” are requested by POLAK Polak will discuss his new Monday, July 27, and may be memoir After the Holocaust the Bell Still made by e-mailing congregationbethisraRings. The rabbi was born in Westerbork el@juno.com or calling the office at 377concentration camp in Holland during 3700.

Chabad to show documentary on Tisha B’Av ALBANY—The Capital District Chabad has scheduled two Tisha B’Av showings of “with my Whole Broken Heart,” a 45-minute documentary.

The free showings will be on Sunday, July 26, at Shomray Torah, 463 New Scotland Ave., Albany, at 11 a.m., and at 4 p.m. at the Shabbos House, 320 Fuller Rd., Albany.

The film, which depicts heart-wrenching stories of parents whose children’s lives were claimed by terror and their responses to their experiences, and also follows the

lives of two of the youngest survivors of Auschwitz and Buchenwald and will help provide some Tisha B’Av reflections, according to Rabbi Israel Rubin, director of the Capital District Chabad.

The film is framed around Rebbe Menachem Mendel Schneerson’s response to the 1956 terror attack in Kfar Chabad that claimed lives of five students, and features interviews with Daniel’s parents, Ruth and Judea Pearl; Sherri Mandel, mother of Kobi Mandell; Rabbi Nissan Mangel; and former Israeli chief rabbi, Rabbi Yisrael Meir Lau.

Eric and Ellen Kerness will be honored by the Schenectady Jewish Community Center with its community service award at its annual awards gala on Nov. 14 at Key Hall at Proctors in Schenectady. recipient of several leadership awards. Professionally, he has been assistant attorney general for New York State, counsel for NY State Department of Transportation, and is president and principal of Kerness Consulting, an arbitration, mediation and dispute resolution firm. He is the incoming president of the Dispute Resolution and Board Foundation.

miSci is recognized as a dynamic science center that has provided hands-on science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) educational exhibits and programs for children and adults in the Capital District for 80 years. miSci offers planetarium shows, Challenger Learning Center space missions, traveling exhibits from San Francisco’s Exploratorium, and other STEM educational experiences.

COOL Insuring Agency, Inc. is one of the oldest and largest brokerage insurance firms in the country. It is being recognized for its services to an array of community organizations through its programs that meet the insurance needs of health care and social service organizations and senior care living facilities throughout the Capital District.

Andrew Katz, SJCC program director, may be contacted regarding tickets for the fifth annual gala, and opportunities to join in sponsorships, or the honorary committee.

Katz may be reached at 518-377-8803, and at andrewk@schenectadyjcc.org.

First Fridays Artswalk in Pittsfield to showcase 17 artists from Knesset Israel on Aug. 7 PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Congregation Knesset Israel (KI) will begin participation on Friday, Aug. 7, in the First Fridays Artswalk in Pittsfield. The Artswalk showcases many artists in multiple venues throughout the Pittsfield Uptown Cultural District under the auspices of Downtown, Inc. Each exhibit is within walking distance from Berkshire Medical Center on the north to Knesset Israel on the south at 16 Colt Rd. All sites are open to the public

with no admission charge. The KI art installation and artist reception will be from 2 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Seventeen KI artists will exhibit featuring a wide variety of media. Exhibitors include Analesa Berg, Joel Curran, Alvin and Bonnie Edelstein, Ellie Geller, Mitchell Greenwald, Karen Jacobs, Kay Lerner, Stuart Masters, Susan Miller, Alan and Alice Model, Ruth Rosenthal, David Rothstein, Naomi Schwartz, Freya Segal, and Joel Wolk.

Twenty-six artists selected for Sept. 10 Fall for Art show, art sale reception fund-raiser at Wiltwyck Golf Club KINGSTON — The 19th annual Fall for Art fund-raiser of the Jewish Federation of Ulster County will feature 26 Hudson Valley artists in the art sale/cocktail reception on Thursday, Sept. 10.

The fund-raiser at the Wiltwyck Golf Club in Kingston from 6-9 p.m. will help support not-for-profit organizations including the Hudson Valley Food Bank, Family of Woodstock, CASA, People’s Place, Angel Food East, Jewish Family Services, and congregations.

Each year a specific recipient is selected, and in 2015 Mental Health Services

HealthAlliance of the Hudson Valley has been invited to select $1,000 worth of artwork from the show to enhance its Kingston facility.

Tickets for the event are $45 in advance or $50 at the door, and will be available for purchase at www.fallforart. org, and at the Federation office at One Albany Ave., Suite G10 (the Governor Clinton building) on Broadway in Kingston.

Information is available at http://www. fallforart.org/, or by calling the Ulster Federation office at 845-338-8131.

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NEWS ANALYSIS / THINGS TO DO

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D.C. Report

By DOUGLAS M. BLOOMFIELD et’s start with the basic understanding that there are valid arguments for, and against the Iran nuclear agreement, and then take a look at the issues, players and options.

1 Is John Kerry really so naive that he believes Iran won’t use some of its unfrozen assets to arm and assist its terrorist allies like Hezbollah, Hamas? He said, “They’re not allowed to that, even outside this agreement. There is a UN resolution that specifically applies to them not being allowed to transfer to Hezbollah.”

2 If Republicans applauded Ronald Reagan’s “trust but verify” as a standard for agreements with the much more powerful Soviet Union, why are they saying Barack Obama’s tougher version, “Don’t trust, verify” is not good enough?

3 Why does Netanyahu portray the deal as a dire threat to Israel’s survival when his defense establishment believes otherwise and tells journalists that his bitter attacks on the Obama administration “could threaten U.S.-Israeli security relations?” Why are they telling reporters, according to Israeli analyst Ben Caspit in Al-Monitor, “The prevailing assessment in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and other security agencies in Israel is that the nuclear agreement in itself is not terrible and that it does, in fact, defer Iran’s nuclearization for 10 or 15 years, at least?”

4 How much of Netanyahu’s opposition to the Iran deal is an excuse to avoid making peace with the Palestinians? He has said repeatedly that a peace deal would have to wait until the Iranian nuclear threat is dealt with. Is Iran really his cover for opposing territorial compromise and Palestinians statehood?

5 The American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) has devoted more than 20 years to demanding increasingly tough economic and diplomatic pressure

Twenty-two important questions about the Iran deal: Answers are harder to find

L

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JULY 23, 2015 THE JEWISH WORLD

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on Iran to abandon its nuclear aims, as the issue has been a huge fund-raiser and unifier for the pro-Israel lobby. Does anyone believe that the lobby group would do anything, but oppose any deal with Iran by any American president, especially a Democrat?

Is the Netanyahu/Republican/AIPAC acrimonious multi-million-dollar campaign against Obama and the Iran deal driving Democrats away from Israel and g the bipartisan further eroding ewish state support the Jewish joyed on has long enjoyed Capitol Hill? an predicAre Republican pposition tions that opposition ment will to the agreement drive Jewish voters mocratic out of the Democratic eir fold Party into their antarealistic or fantaws sy? Are Jews really the single-issue voters Republicans hope that they are?

Will the public understand that the purpose of the deal is to control— not eliminate— Iran’s nuclear program and never was intended as a vehicle to free Americans jailed in Iran, end Iranian support for terrorists, stop chanting “Death to America” and “Death to Israel” and end Holocaust denial? Will critics of the deal intentionally continue to conflate the two to justify their opposition?

Has anyone told Netanyahu that if you find yourself in a deep hole, stop digging and start looking for a way out? That means recognizing that he can’t stop the agreement, but he can try to repair the damage his bitter and partisan campaign has done to relations with the country that gives him $3+ billion a year, and is offering a generous increase.

Are Iranian leaders boasting about the this deal because a) they are trying to

Contemplative Meditation with Gail Albert: Thursdays, 10:30 – 11:30 a.m. at the Woodstock Jewish Congregation, 1682 Glasco Turnpike, Woodstock. Free. Info.– (845) 679-2218.

“The Jewish View” Television Program, Co-hosts: Rabbi Nachman Simon, Chabad House of Delmar, Marc Gronich, Statewide News Service, jbiztechvalley, shown in Albany on Channel 18 (for digital cable subscribers) Channel 116.3 (for standard & basic cable subscribers) Monday, 9:30 p.m., Tuesday, 6 p.m. Thursday, 6 p.m., Bethlehem Community Television Thursdays, 6:30 p.m.

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overcome the opposition from their hardliners, b) they know it irritates Netanyahu and opponents of the agreement, c) they still consider us their enemy, d) they’ve been bluffing all along?

Could Netanyahu have had greater influence on the negotiations by trying tr to work closely with the Obama administration and the t European powers pow instead of mounting mounti a rancorous ou public campaign, in alliance with Congressional Cong Republicans, to discredit the president p and the talks? Or, to put it in Middle M East terms, was he wise to be the camel outside the tent pissing in?

12 How much of the solid GOP opposition to the deal is genuinely based on policy disagreement as opposed to reflexive hostility to anything Obama does, and to making this a wedge issue to draw off campaign dollars from wealthy pro-Likud Jewish contributors and please their evangelical base?

How viable is AIPAC’s call to dump this agreement and “work with our allies” to intensify the pressure on Iran to make a better deal? Can the group name a single ally that would go along? Does anyone in his right mind think Vladimir Putin would bow to AIPAC’s urging?

Why was it legitimate to make agreements limiting nuclear arms (ours and theirs) with the Soviet Union when it was threatening “we will bury you” and arming global terrorists and Israel’s enemies, but it’s wrong to make similar deals (limiting only theirs) with a far less powerful Iran making less credible threats?

When Israel is virtually the only nation totally rejecting this deal, does it say that a) the rest of the world are anti-Semites and Israel haters, b) they just

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—Should I trust this plan?

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don’t give a damn because Israel is the only one threatened by Iran, or c) that the Israeli government might be wrong?

The U.S. is reportedly offering Israel increased military assistance, technology and intelligence sharing in the wake of the Iran deal. Does this reflect a) a U.S. admission that Israel was right in saying this is a flawed deal that threatens Israeli security, b) an effort by the Obama administration to repair relations, c) Obama’s effort to buy off Netanyahu’s opposition to the agreement, d) a face-saving opportunity for Netanyahu to say he has brought attention to the Iran threat and is working to offset it?

Will Republicans try to punish Obama for this foreign policy achievement by blocking Senate confirmation of his appointees, passing new sanctions legislation, inserting mischievous amendments in must-pass bills, threatening to shut down the government and passing indignant resolutions?

Will this campaign to block the Iran deal, win or lose, prove a fund-raising boom for Jewish organizations, which are flooding the mails and phone lines with appeals? How will their supporters, from AIPAC on down, feel about spending so much on a fight that was lost at the outset?

Do all the opponents of the Iran deal understand that even if they win in the Congress their action will have no bearing on any other country?

Did the anonymous White House aide who called Netanyahu “chickenshxxt” have him confused with another denizen of the barnyard, Chicken Little?

Has Netanyahu’s failed and alarmist campaign not only damaged U.S.-Israel relations but also revealed Israel’s international isolation and lack of influence—and in fact compounded those problems?

Is anyone on any side of the issue capable of an honest and open debate?

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Continued on page 11

The Jewish World is sending free book to Ernest Shapiro The Jewish World has selected a subscriber from the newspaper’s subscription database, and will send Ernest Shapiro of Malta a copy of Laughing Through the Years, A New Treasury of Jewish Humor by David C. Gross.

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THE JEWISH WORLD JULY 23, 2015

THE IRAN DEAL

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A very bad deal: Let us count the ways Continued from Page 2 the U.S. and Iran was enormous. As a result of the sanctions regime, Iran’s economy was in shambles, with runaway inflation coupled with a severe economic slowdown. (That slowdown was reversed in 2014 by the first sanctions relief.)

Iran Becomes A Bigger Threat The pending agreement almost suggests that Obama has sought to grant Iran parity, to turn it not only into a “successful regional power,” in the president’s words, but into a full-fledged threat to the U.S. The agreement does little, if anything, to limit Iran’s ballistic missile program, which means that Iranian submarines will be able in the nottoo-distant future be able to strike from just a few hundred miles off America’s coast.

Moreover, the U.S. has apparently caved as well on removal of the arms embargo on Iran. As a consequence, Iran will within five years be able to purchase all the goodies, both defensive and offensive, in bankrupt Russia’s arsenal. It will have plenty of cash with which to do so, thanks to up to $100 billion in near-term sanctions relief.

With its new toys— e.g, cruise missiles— Iran will be a lot closer to being able to make good on its constant threats to close the Straits of Hormuz, through which 30% of the world’s oil supply passes. The U.S. Fifth Fleet will soon be incapable of insuring freedom of passage through the Straits.

Continuous Cheating, Rhetoric President Obama has dramatically upped the danger to the U.S., and set the stage for an aggressive Iran to become a regional hegemon, by pursuing an agreement with open desperation, as if the West were supplicants suing for peace. He has continued to do so, even as the crowds in Teheran on the recent Al-Quds day howled “Death to America,” in the presence of Iran’s “moderate” President Rouhani. In his speech, Rouhani blamed the Zionist entity and the global arrogance (i.e., America) for bankrolling the internecine conflicts roiling the Muslim world. A Teheran newspaper pined for the day when the U.S. “which currently terrorizes the world will one fine day cease to be visible on the map of the world.

As the signing loomed, Supreme Leader

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry (far right) poses with his P5+1 and Iranian negotiating partners in Vienna, Austria, on July 14, shortly after the formal announcement of a nuclear deal between Iran and world powers. Courtesty U.S. Department of State.

Khameini addressed the Iranian people to and act as Iran’s lawyer bodes poorly for Rhodes, whose academic expertise in naassure them that the battle against the glob- the efficacy of any inspection regime if a tional security consists of a MFA in creal aggressor would never end: “The cam- final agreement is signed. All Obama’s ca- ative writing. An agreement, he told the paign against arrogance is one of the prin- pitulations are based on a whack-a-doodle ubiquitous Jeffrey Goldberg, would make ciples of the 1979 Islamic Revolution and theory that by rolling over and exposing much more likely “an evolution in Iran’s the Holy Quran mandates the drive against our stomachs to the Iranians they will come behavior.” He points to the election of Rouarrogance.” to love us. The unremitting insults against hani as an example of moderating trends in While the U.S. was serially capitulat- America and assurances of perpetual enmi- the Iranian population. ing to Iranian demands, the administration ty from Iran’s supreme leader should have Rhodes is no doubt right that the mapublished a study that concluded that Iran’s put to rest that theory. jority of the Iranian population thoroughly support for international terrorist groups Beyond the president himself, the chief detests the mullahs. But Rouhani is not the had not declined, and, in some respects, had exponent of this theory has been Depu- proof. He is a thoroughly vetted and comeven grown. ty National Security Council advisor Ben Continued on page 8 Nor has Iran refrained from cheating on its commitments under the provisional agreement, as it continued to prevail at every stage in the negotiations. Despite administration claims that Iran has “froAssemblyman Dov Hikind (D-Brook- foreign policy issues of our time. Be our zen” enrichment under the provisional lyn) called on Senator Charles Schumer protector and stop this terrible deal,” said agreement, the Institute for Science and (D-New York) to publicly oppose the Iran Hikind.

International Security estimates that it has deal and to commit to leading the fight to Hikind added, “Senator Schumer says enriched another four tons of low-enriched stop it in Congress. he will “do the right thing.” These are uranium, and has turned into oxide form “We’ve listened to Senator Schumer unprecedented times and it’s time to stop (which cannot be easily weaponized) only for years and how he takes every oppor- this deal, which is disastrous for Ameriabout 5% of what was expected under the tunity to explain the origin of his name ca and our allies in the Middle East. This provisional agreement. And Germany’s Schumer and what it means for him to will define your legacy. Please do not aldomestic intelligence agency has revealed be a proud “Shomer”—which in Hebrew low partisan politics or any other considthat Iran has continued its efforts to procure means protector. From your time as con- erations to cloud your judgment.” technology for its ballistic missile and nugressman to one of the most powerful “I call upon all New Yorkers to contact clear programs. members of the Senate, Senator Schumer, Senator Schumer’s office — call him at U.S. Aids Defense you have repeatedly called yourself our 202-224-6542, Tweet him @SenSchum‘shomer’ (protector). Now is the time to er, e-mail him, let him know how you Nevertheless, the State Department conlive up to your claim and put your words feel. Senator Schumer is a powerful voice tinues to insist that Iran has met all its cominto action. We need you to demonstrate in Congress and he needs to hear from mitments under the provisional agreement. leadership on one of the most critical you. Now is not the time to be silent.”

That willingness to whitewash violations

Hikind calls on Schumer to publicly oppose, and fight Iran deal

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6

FOOD & DRINK

Ask the Dietitian

By FRAN WEISS MS RD R/CDN DietitianFran@gmail.com

D

ear Fran, I enjoy reading all your columns and actually have a file for them.

The information you provide has been interesting and helpful. Thank you. I am trying to augment my diet as you suggested in your column about the new MIND (Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay) diet. Thank you for keeping your readers up to date. One of the suggestions of this diet was to increase whole grains in our diet. I am trying to locate healthy whole grain bread. Can you lead me in a good direction? Also, please explain datem. Is this an ingredient from dates? I find this as an ingredient on many bread labels.

Always Happy to Learn Dear Always Happy to Learn, I am so pleased that the information that I provide has proved fruitful (no pun intended). Being receptive to new ideas and learning is indeed the sign of a wise person and in this case, a healthier one too! I am also happy that you are reading the ingredient labels. Your question about selecting healthy bread is a good one and is a frequent concern.

Datem (Diacetyl Tartaric Acid Esters of Monoglycerides) is added to dough in bread making to strengthen the gluten. In so doing, bakers can achieve a desired volume, crust, and texture. Datem is not made from dates and the FDA and CSPI consid-

JULY 23, 2015 THE JEWISH WORLD

‘This is the way of Torah: Eat bread with salt, drink water in small measure…’ Pirkei Avot er datem to be a safe dough conditioner to consume. Other dough conditioners, however, such as potassium bromate and Azodicarbonamide are banned in other countries for potential adverse reactions such as asthma and other allergic reactions.

Other bread ingredients to avoid include high fructose corn syrup, corn syrup, hydrogenated oils, and artificial colors. Other indicators of a nutritionally inferior bread include: enriched, bleached, or unbleached flour instead of whole grain flour(s), wheat flour instead of whole wheat flour (if bread is called wheat bread, it is not 100% whole grain…white flour is wheat flour), extra fats and sugars, low fiber content, and ingredient lists with more than 10 items. If you are concerned about GMO foods, avoid foods that contain non-organic soy, corn, or canola. So, what should you look for in healthy bread? Aim for a bread with fewer than10 ingredients. These ingredients should be ones that you can pronounce! Whole grain such as 100% whole-wheat flour, or a whole grain gluten free flour should lead the ingredient list. Zero grams of saturated fat is the goal if healthy oils are used. Aim for breads with a maximum of 200 mg sodium and at least 2 grams of fiber per slice. Healthy nuts, seeds, and fruits are at your discretion.

Remember that breads such as “wheat bread.” “7 grain bread,” “rye breads” (including “dark rye,” “Russian rye” and “Jewish rye”), “all natural bread,” “honey wheat bread,” and “oat bread” are not whole grain breads. Read bread labels!

Make sure to check the serving size before comparing numbers as the sizes of slices vary. You may be surprised at how dramatically portion sizes have increased over the years. Note that pctured here is my bagel holder from the 1970s holding a typical bagel from today’s market.

Here is a recipe for 100% whole grain rolls that is simple to prepare, delicious, and it is filled with nutrients.

Fran’s Whole Wheat Oat Rolls 2 1/3 cups whole wheat flour ½ teaspoon baking soda ½ cup fat free milk ½ cup fat free buttermilk

1 tablespoon honey 2 teaspoons chopped thyme, oregano, or chives (optional) ¼ cup whole oats, uncooked 1. Preheat oven to 375 F. 2. Grease a large baking sheet.

3. Stir the four and baking soda together in a large bowl.

4. Whisk the milk, buttermilk, honey, and herb of your choice in a separate bowl.

5. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, stirring until a dough forms.

6. Knead the dough on a floured surface for 1 minute.

7. Divide the dough into 6 rounds for large rolls or 12 rounds for medium size rolls.

8. Place rolls at least an inch apart on a prepared baking sheet.

9. Brush rolls with buttermilk.

10. Sprinkle and gently press oats on top of buttermilk.

11. Bake the rolls 20-25 minutes until brown and an inserted toothpick comes out dry.

Fran Weiss, MS RD R/CDN Consultant Dietitian, is a Registered Dietitian in the national Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, is certified as a dietitian nutritionist nationally as well as in New York State, and consults in the Capital District.

She can be reached with questions for this column or for inquires for individual or institutional consultations at DietitianFran@gmail.com

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TORAH

THE JEWISH WORLD JULY 23, 2015

This week: Devarim

By SHLOMO RISKIN

E

FRAT, Israel — The biblical reading of Devarim always falls out on the Sabbath preceding Tisha B’Av, the fast commemorating the destruction of our Holy Temples. This is not an “accident” of the calendar; in our portion, Moses reviews his life and he cries out, How (eicha) can I bear your troublesomeness and your burdens and your belittling barbs? (Deuteronomy 1:12), a verse which begins with the same word that opens the Scroll of Lamentations (“How [Eicha] does she sit alone, the city once filled with our people?”) The Torah reader on the Sabbath chants the Torah verse Eicha with the same haunting melody used for the Eicha reading on Tisha B’Av.

Do We Need A Temple?

What is the significance of the destruction of the Temple? How important could the Temple have been if Judaism managed to survive without it for the last 2,000 years? How many modern Jews can really identify with the slaughter of animals as offerings in a Temple? By exploring a fundamental difference of opinion between two great Jewish leaders—Rabbi Yohanan ben Zakkai and Rabbi Akiva—we can gain insight into the significance of our Temple, and the irretrievable loss we suffered as a result of its destruction.

As the Romans besieged Jerusalem,

7

Why do we mourn a lost temple when Torah is our spiritual center?

Rabbi Yohanan managed to leave the city and meet with Vespasian, the leader of the Roman armed forces carrying out the siege. The rabbi requested that the Romans spare the city of Yavne and its wise men, the Sanhedrin of sages.

Rabbi Yohanan ben Zakkai was willing to relinquish Jerusalem and the Temple so long as the Jews could remain in Israel and maintain their ongoing interpretations of the Oral Law.

if the Land of Israel and the Torah of Israel could be secured— Yavne and its wise men—it would be unnecessary and even halachically unacceptable to risk the survival of the Jewish people in a war for Jerusalem and the Holy Temple.

Rabbi Akiva believed differently. He understood the function of the Holy Temple and Jerusalem as being cardinal to the mission of Israel, a holy nation and a kingdom of priest/ teachers (to the world) through R. Akiva Puts Ideas whom all of the families of the Hൾඋඈൽ’ඌ Tൾආඉඅൾ ආඈൽൾඅ ൺඍ Hඈඅඒඅൺඇൽ Hඈඍൾඅ ංඇ 1998.

In Practice earth are to be blessed. The peoApproximately six decades later, Rabbi rusalem and rebuilding of the Holy Temple. ple of Israel were entrusted to teach the What was the fundamental difference of world that God created every human being Akiva bitterly condemned this accommoopinion between these sages? Rabbi Yohan- in His Divine image, that each individual dating stance of Rabbi Yohanan ben Zakkai an ben Zakkai believed that, apart from the must be free and inviolable, and that our (even though he taught both of Rabbi Akiprohibitions of murder, sexual immorality God of love and morality demands a world va’s own two teachers, Rabbi Yehoshua and and idolatry, the only value for which one of peace and security for all. The city R. Eliezer), referring to a verse from the may forfeit one’s life is the survival of the from which this message must emanate is Prophet Isaiah, which he applied to Rabbi Jewish nation.

This explains why the Bible the City of Jerusalem, the City of Peace Yohanan ben Zakkai: “God turns the sagintroduces the concept of a life-endangering (Yeru Shalom); the mechanism by which es backwards and transforms their wisdom obligatory war (milhemet mitzvah) for the this mission is to be advanced is the Holy into foolishness” (Isaiah. 44:25) (B.T. Gitsake of the conquering the Land of Israel Temple, the beacon from which the Torah tin 56b). Apparently, Rabbi Akiva believed at the dawn of our history, because without will go forth to all nations of the world, that Rabbi Yohanan ben Zakkai gave up too the Land of Israel there would never have impressing upon them how “swords must much too soon, that he should have condeveloped the nation of Israel. tinued to fight to retain Jerusalem and the be beaten into plowshares and spears into Holy Temple. pruning hooks, nation shall not lift sword Indeed, Rabbi Akiva put his ideas into Mission Or Survival? above nation and humanity will not learn practice by spearheading the Bar Kochba Given the overwhelming might of the war anymore” (Isaiah. 2:4). Rabbi Akiva rebellion against Rome (135 CE) for the Roman Empire and the Roman armies, Rab- believed that unless we disseminate this avowed purpose of Israel’s liberation of Je- bi Yohanan ben Zakkai had concluded that Continued on page 10

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LOCAL NEWS

JULY 23, 2015 THE JEWISH WORLD

Chabad: Is it good for the Jews? program to feature discussion, music on July 28

Daughters of Sarah now publishes the Golden book every four weeks. To help allay printing costs, a suggested minimum donation is $10/name. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact us at 724-3261.

The following contributions have been made to the Golden Book for the period of June 11 to July 15, 2015.

IN MEMORY OF: Ruth Appel, by loving friends Ellen and Donald Wexler.

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Jean Bellin Schreck, by Elaine Rosen and family.

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IN HONOR OF: Steve and Ellie Safranko, for their 50th wedding anniversary, by Gene and Howard Tarler.

Joe Simon, on his special birthday, by Ann and Sheldon Lippman.

A very bad deal: Let us count the ways Continued from Page 5 pletely controlled creature of the regime. If the administration were really concerned about the views of the population, it should have supported the 2009 Green Revolution against the regime for election fraud. But the agreement on the table now will only strengthen the regime by allowing it to decrease economic discontent with its sanctions windfall, and makes regime change less, not more, likely.

Ultimately, what neither Rhodes nor his boss can wrap their heads around is that not everyone or every group is motivated by pleasure and profit. The 1979 Islamic Revolution established a theocracy in Iran, which defined its purpose from the beginning as cleansing the Middle East of America’s corrupting influence. Only those who deny that religion can be the most powerful motivating factor—as we learn from suicide bombers — could fool themselves into

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thinking that the mullahs will ever transform themselves into a more congenial group.

Policy Changes President Obama, ably assisted by his secretary of sate and the latter’s team, has told a series of whoppers besides which, “If you like your doctor, you can keep your doctor,” pales in comparison. Stephen Hayes of the Weekly Standard helpfully breaks down some of those whoppers.

In April, Obama insisted in a Rose Garden statement that “American sanctions on Iran for its support of terrorism, its human rights abuses, its ballistic missile program will continue to be fully enforced.” Treasury Secretary Jack Lew made the same promise at the Jerusalem Post conference at which he was booed in June. In the final agreement, however, virtually all sanctions and the United Nations arms embargo are removed.

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SARATOGA SPRINGS—A “farbrengen” style discussion on the ChabadLubavitch’s contribution to contemporary Jewish life has been organized as part of the Saratoga Jewish Cultural Festival. The program, Tuesday, July 28, at the Saratoga Chabad House, 130 Circular St, begins at 7 p.m.

How does this 300 year old movement attract youth today, and what does the term the “Rebbe’s revolution” mean? What makes Chabad (an acronym for Chochmah, Binah, Da’at, wisdom, knowledge, and understand-

ing) tick? Is it a philosophy, or is it a movement? What about its dress, food, music and melodies? ?Rabbi Yisrael Rubin of Albany, director of the Chabad of the Capital District, of Albany, and Rabbi Abba Rubin director of the Saratoga Chabad will discuss the organization and sing melodies accompanied on the violin by Josh Sussman. Traditional “farbrengen” food will be served.

Information may be obtained by calling 518-526-0773, or on the web, saratogachabad.com, saratorah@gmail.com.

Jewish faith to be theme for Rabbi Art Green at Chaham shul afternoon program on Aug. 2 CHATHAM —What can we pre-eminent authorities on Jewish believe? How can we create a rethought and spirituality, according ligious language that speaks to us to organizers. He is author/editor in a way that is both intellectually of a dozen books, including Your honest and spiritually compelling?

Word Is Fire: The Hasidic MasThese and other questions will be ters on Contemplative Prayer; the focus of an afternoon program Radical Judaism; and Ehyeh: A at The Chatham Synagogue/NeKabbalah for Tomorrow. tivot Torah on Sunday, Aug. 2, at Green is the Irving Brudnick 1 p.m. Dr. Rabbi Art Green, will professor of philosophy and redraw on the Jewish mystical traligion at Hebrew College and Dඋ. Rൺൻൻං dition that he has been studying rector of the Rabbinical School, ART GREEN for 50 years to address these, and which he founded in 2004. Assoother questions central to examining life’s ciated with the Havurah movement and a meaning.The program at the synagogue, neo-Chasidic approach to Judaism, the rabChatham Center on Rte. 28 off Rte. 66, is bi has been featured annually, since 2008, in Newsweek’s Top 50 Influential Rabbis in free and open to the community.

Green is recognized as one of the world’s America list.

Secretary of State Kerry emphatically insisted in April that Iran would detail all military dimensions of its nuclear program: “They have to do it. It will be done... It will be part of a final agreement. It has to be.”

But in late June, Kerry said the P5+1 is no longer “fixated” on the past, about which it has “absolute” knowledge, and focused only on the future.

Details of past nuclear work, however, are very much about the future, for without a baseline of past work, it is impossible for nuclear inspectors to assess what the Iranians are up to now. The claim of absolute knowledge of Iran’s past program is nonsense. Gen. Michael Hayden, former CIA director under Obama, said at a June conference sponsored by the Foundation for Defense of Democracies that American intelligence alone “will be insufficient to build up enough confidence... that an agreement is being honored.”

As early as Dec. 23, 2013, President Obama correctly noted that the Iranians had no need for an underground, fortified facili-

ty like Fordow to have a peaceful program.

But under the agreement, the centrifuges in Fordow will all remain in place, and be capable of being quickly reconverted to enriching uranium, according to Olli Heinonen, former International Atomic Energy Agency deputy-director for safeguards.

National Security Council spokesman Tommy Vietor described the “clear” American position in April 2012 that Iran must fully suspended enrichment as required by multiple U.N. Security Council resolutions. Under the agreement, those Security Council resolutions will be history and Iran’s right to enrichment expressly recognized. The deal merely limits the number of centrifuges Iran can operate for a period of years.

Chief negotiator Wendy Sherman, testified before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee that Iran’s ballistic missile program would have to be addressed as part of a comprehensive agreement. Now, she says, only ballistic missiles capable of carContinued on page 9

LOCAL NEWS

THE JEWISH WORLD JULY 23, 2015

WWII and the shaping of the modern age to be theme of Dr. Berk in fall lecture series SCHENECTADY — Jack ter’s degree from the University Mintzer, director of education of Chicago, and doctorate from and programming for ConColumbia University. gregation Agudat Achim, anThe complete series costs nounces that a new fall lecture $45, which must be purchased series with Dr. Stephen Berk, before the end of the second scholar-in-residence at Agudat class. Individual sessions are Achim in Schenectady for 30 $10. The congregation’s main years, will begin in Septemoffice at 518-393-9211, or ber. Berk’s lecture series, entiMintzer, at aguprinc@nycap. tled “The World at War: WWII rr.com can provide information. and the Shaping of the Modern Dඋ. STEPHEN BERK Classes will be: Age,” will be presented in six sessions. The I. I. Origins: The seeds of World War dates of the lectures are: Sept. 9, 16, 21, 30, II were planted at the end of World War I. and Oct. 7 and 12. Usually held on Monday The war gave rise to movements and ideas nights there are several Wednesday dates that push the world towards war. The Dethis year because of the fall holidays. All pression adds momentum to the drift tolectures will be held from 7:30 p.m. to 9 wards conflict. p.m. at the synagogue, 2117 Union St., II. II. From the Beginning to the End Schenectady, and are open to the public. of the Beginning: German armies were Each session may be attended individually. superbly led and highly motivated. They According to Berk, Seventy years ago smashed through Allied defenses until they the guns fell silent. It was the most devas- were stopped at El Alamein. In November, tating war in the history of the world. Sixty 1942 and Stalingrad and in February 1943. million people died. Additional millions III. III. Japan Rolls the Dice: Japanese were scarred mentally and physically. This naval commanders were convinced that Jalecture series is a history of the conflict and pan had to expand overseas in order for the its most salient consequences. country to survive. This means that Japan Berk is a professor of history at Union would come into conflict with the United College and the Henry and Sally Schaffer States. The result was the attack on Pearl Chair of Holocaust and Jewish Studies. Harbor and a brutal war in the Pacific.

He is also the recipient of the Florence B. IV. IV. To Berlin: After Stalingrad, the Sherwood Chair in History and Culture Red Army, with the assistance of massive and a consultant to the Wiesenthal Holo- military aid, marched towards Berlin. Sicaust Center. multaneously, American, British, Canadian He has lectured on the Holocaust at and free French forces move towards the higher education institutions such as Princ- Rhine. eton University, Vanderbilt University, The V. V. Retribution: In Berlin there was University of Texas at Austin, and Wil- massive destruction and rape. The German liams College. He has also lectured in the people paid the price for Operation Barba former Soviet Union, Israel, Egypt, and Rosa. In the Pacific, American forces move Poland. from island to island in bloody battles. The Berk is the author of Year of Crisis, end came at Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

Year of Hope: Russian Jewry and the VI. VI. A World Turned Upside Down: Pogroms of 1881-1882 and articles on War is the midwife of change. Empires Russian history, Russian-Jewish history, were destroyed and new countries were anti-Semitism and American policy in the born. A Cold War followed the ‘hot war.’

Middle East.

In the United States the war influenced the A native of New York City, Berk re- behavior of African- Americans women ceived his bachelor’s degree in history and Jews. Medicine has also changed as a from the University of Pennsylvania, mas- result of the war.

9

Congregation Shaara Tfille hosts “The What’s Up Band” as part of the Saratoga Jewish Cultural Festival

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Congregation Shaara Tfille will host “The What’s Up Band,” in a concert open to the community, on Sunday, Aug. 2, at 7 p.m.

Performing original and traditional Jewish/American rock, the band will offer a concert for all ages at Shaara Tfille Synagogue, 84 Weibel Ave., Saratoga Springs as part of the Saratoga Jewish Cultural Festival.

“The What’s Up Band” engages and features children and students and provides preconcert workshops to help the youth attending make a connection with their Jewish roots, said organizers.

Tickets are $8 and include the concert and refreshments. Reservations and information may be obtained by contacting the congregation at 584-2370 or saratogajcc@ verizon.net.

A very bad deal: Let us count the ways Continued from Page 8 rying nuclear warheads are of concern.

Most important, as mentioned above, the anytime, anywhere inspection regime has been replaced by “managed access” that the Iranians will be able to manipulate with ease.

Each of the original U.S. positions reflected the minimal requirements for a tenable deal. The fact that each has been reversed demonstrates what a great deal this is for Iran’s supreme leader.

Minimum Requirements Ignored A bi-partisan group of American diplomats, legislators, policymakers and experts—including former CIA Director David Petraeus, State Department nuclear proliferation expert Robert Einhorn, Dennis Ross, who oversaw Iran policy in Obama’s first term, and Gary Samore, Obama’s former chief advisor on nuclear policy—issued a statement on June 24 setting forth the minimum standards for an acceptable agreement. Those conditions tracked the initial American stance, and none of them were achieved. They listed five conditions: anytime, anywhere inspections; full disclosure by Iran of previous weaponization efforts; sanctions relief must begin only after the IAEA certifies that Iran has fully complied with its commitments; the deal

must last for decades; and Iran must fully dismantle its nuclear infrastructure.

Instead as Iran’s semi-official Fars agency reported, the final agreement met all of Supreme Leader Khameini’s requirements, including the full removal of the arms embargo and all economic, financial, and banking sanctions, and the removal of all previous UN Security Council Resolutions relating to Iran’s nuclear program.

Stephen Hayes points out that the Iranians gained a wish list of all their policy objectives: international legitimization of a rogue state, a massive shift of power to an aggressive state sponsor of terror, the strengthening of the mullahs hold on power, and fully sanctioned nuclear threshold status.

Somewhere along the way, according to former CIA director Hayden, the president’s mantra went from “no deal is better than a bad deal” to “any deal is better than no deal.” And that’s what we got “any deal.” Once again “process” took over, until the worst nightmare for American negotiators was that Iran might say no. So we made them an offer they couldn’t refuse — their entire wish list.

Jonathan Rosenblum is a columnist for the Jerusalem Post and Israeli director of Am Echad.

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Friday, July 24; 8 Av. Light candles at 8:07 p.m.

Saturday, July 25; 9 Av. Sedrah: Devarim. Shabbat ends at 9:13 p.m.

Fast begins at 8:24 p.m.

Sunday, July 26; 10 Av. Fast Day. Fast ends at 8:55 p.m.

Dolgin of Rensselaer.

ROBERT STEINBERG,

Obituaries ROBERT DOLGIN 57, of East Greenbush, July 14, 2015; survived by brothers. Lewis Dolgin of Castleton on the Hudson; and Marshall

81, of Latham, July 10, 2015; survived by wife June Steinberg; sons Jason Steinberg, Seth Steinberg. (David (Florence) Steinberg; step-grandchildren Jaiden and Logan; and grandchild Vivian Sky. The Jewish World publishes obituaries containing age, date of death, spouse and immediate family survivors at no cost. For other options, contact Frank@JewishWorldnews.

The Jews of Afghanistan to be theme of August 13 lunch program at AJCC ALBANY— The Sidney Albert Albany Jewish Community Center will conclude the 2015 Jules and Paula Stein Live and Learn Lecture — Lunch Series on Thursday, Aug.13, 11 a.m. in the Albany JCC’s auditorium, 340 Whitehall Rd. The program, postponed from its original May date, is open to the community.

Sara Y. Aharon will review “The Jews Of Afghanistan: History, Culture and Muslim — Jewish Relations.” She will begin with the community’s origins, which many Afghan Jews believe to be from biblical times, to the development of their Jewish communal insti-

tutions. Aharon will detail the story of a small Jewish community that lived in relative peace with its Sunni Muslim neighbors.

Aharon is the author of From Kabul to Queens: The Jews of Afghanistan and Their Move to the United States. She studied modern Jewish history and Middle Eastern studies at Brandeis University and New York University.

Cost for the lecture—lunch is $14, $12 for Center members. Prepaid reservations are required in the JCC’s senior adult office, 4386651, ext. 112, ClaireS@albanyjcc.org can provide details.

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Friday, July 31; 15 Av. Light candles at 8 p.m.

Saturday, Aug. 1; 16 Av. Sedrah: Va’etchanan. Shabbat ends at 9:05 p.m.

Part of Bertha Kotlow’s collection featured in new exhibit Ninety-two-year-old Slingerlands resident Bertha Kotlow has donated her lifetime collection of 2,500 minerals and 600 vials of sand to miSci, the Museum of Innovation and Science, allowing future generations to share in her enjoyment in what she refers to as “Earth’s treasures.” A small sample of the collection was recently installed as part of miSci’s new exhibit, “Earth Exposed: Discover Our Planet’s Hidden Secrets” and additional minerals complement miSci’s existing New York State mineral collection, which is also on display.

“The rocks and minerals have been a part of my life since I was a little girl. I can’t remember when I didn’t have them,” Kotlow said of her passion. “I’ve loved and enjoyed them my whole life, and now I am glad that others will have the chance to enjoy them, too.”

Finding an unusual rock near her driveway in Albany ignited Kotlow’s life-long passion to collect rocks and minerals. That

initial discovery led to her collecting first local quartz, pyrite and fossils, and later collecting minerals from around the world. In 1994, a gift of sand led to a new passion: collecting sand from around the world; she collected more than 600 vials of sand. While all sand consists primarily of either silica or quartz, there is a great variety in sand, and a specialty within geology, sedimentology, which focuses on sand.

The miSci rock and mineral collection began in 1935 with a donation of Schoharie Valley fossils from Dr. Vincent Schaefer and the Mohawk Valley Hiking Club.

The collection expanded over the years to over 2,000 minerals and 3,000 fossils, assembled by a team of volunteer curators.

The donation of the Kotlow collection increased the collection size to 8,000 specimens. The museum’s fossils collection has a strong representation from the Devonian era (400 million years ago), primarily from Schoharie and Albany counties.

Why do we mourn a lost temple when Torah is our spiritual center?

Continued from Page 7

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teaching to the world, there is no purpose to our national being; hence the centrality of our Messianic vision and the necessity of continuing to fight for Jerusalem and the Holy Temple.

Bar Kochba’s revolt ended in failure.

The subsequent Hadrianic persecutions and the resulting Jewish exile wrought havoc upon our nation, and it became clear to the overwhelming majority of our sages that Rabbi Akiva was wrong and Rabbi Yohanan ben Zakkai had been correct. He had rescued Judaism by his initiating the “exchange” with Vespasian.

Times Indicate Different Solution But our situation has radically changed.

Contemporary history, post-Holocaust,

teaches us that the nation of Israel cannot survive without a Jewish state and a Jewish army. We live in a global village where one madman with nuclear power can (God forbid) destroy the entire world. This teaches us that, unless the inviolability of the human being and the universal acceptance of a God of peace becomes an axiom of all humanity, there will be no free humanity left in the world, and certainly no Jewish nation. Rabbi Akiva has been vindicated for our times; only by teaching fundamental absolute morality in our City of Peace can we secure the future of Israel and the free world.

Shabbat Shalom.

Rabbi Shlomo Riskin is the chief rabbi of the city of Efrat and chancellor of Ohr Torah Stone Colleges of Israel.

LOCAL NEWS

THE JEWISH WORLD JULY 23, 2015

Calendar of Events Continued from Page 4 Intro. to Judaism Classes, Sundays, 9-10 a.m. By Rabbi Chanan Markowitz. At Beth Shalom, 688 Clifton Pk. Ctr. Rd., Clifton Pk. 371-0608.

Mah Jongg Mondays, Mondays, 12-4 p.m. At Temple Israel Catskill, 220 Spring St. Info.– 945-1635.

Yiddish Forum 10:30-11:30 a.m.

Tuesdays. AJCC, 340 Whitehall Rd., Albany. $2.25. Info.–438-6651, ext. 11.

Mah Jongg Lessons and Practice, Sundays, at Beth Emeth Albany, 100 Academy Rd., Albany. Info.–meryl@ merylandjon.com.

FRIDAY, JULY 24 Manhattan In The Mountains Concert by David Krakauer 8 p.m. lecture and klezmer music at the Catskill Mountain Foundation Weisberg Hall in the Doctorow Center for the Arts, 7971 Main St. (Route 23A), Village of Hunter.

Free. Info.– 518-263-2063.(See July 25)

SATURDAY, JULY 25 Agudat Achim PreTisha B’Av Dinner, Discussion, 7:30 p.m. “Causes of Destruction: Seeds of Hope.” 8:45 service. Agudat Achim Synagogue, 2117 Union St., Schenectady. Dinner Res., Info. –393-9211.

Manhattan In The Mountains Concert by David Krakauer 8 p.m. “The Human Face of Klezmer” recital at the Catskill Mountain Foundation Weisberg Hall in the Doctorow Center for the Arts, 7971 Main St. (Route 23A), Village of Hunter. $25. Info.–518-263-2063. (See July 24) Drive In Movie Havdallah, 6 p.m.

Temple Gates of Heaven, 852 Ashmore Ave., Schenectady. Children’s movie.

Boxes to be prend cars. Res., Info.–Elisa Harrington-Verb, 223-6768.

Temple Israel Tisha B’Av Dinner, Services, 7:15 p.m. Temple Israel, 600 New Scotland Ave., Albany. Info., Res.– 438-7858.

SUNDAY, JULY 26 Maccabi Team Pancake Benefit, 8-10 a.m. Applebee’s –Glenmont 291 Rt. 9W.$5. Tickets, Info.–Drew, 4386651, ext. 113, AndrewK@albanyjcc. org.

Tisha B’Av screenings of “with my Whole Broken Heart,” 11 a.m. at Shomray Torah, 463 New Scotland Ave., Albany and 4 p.m. at Shabbos House, 320 Fuller Rd., Albany. 45-minute doc-

umentary about Jewish individuals struggling with after effects of terrorism and mistreatment. Free. Info.– Rabbi Israel Rubin, 518-423-4103.

Temple Israel Tisha B’Av Film 10 a.m. Temple Israel, 600 New Scotland Ave., Albany. Info. –438-7858.

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Sylvie Massman

Births

MONDAY, JULY 27

on July 11, 2015. Maternal grandparents are Marilyn and Larry Shapiro of Kissimmee, Fla. (formerly of Clifton Park).

Paternal grandparents are and Marilyn Martynuk and Bill Massman of Fort Collins, Colo. The late Francis and Wilfred Cohen and Doris and Ernest Shapiro were great-grandparents.

“Young’ Perez,” 4 p.m. “Above and Beyond,” 8 p.m. The Berkshire Jewish Film Festival, the Duffin Theater, Lenox Memorial High School, 197 East St., Lenox, Mass. $5 for matinees and $10 for evening shows. Info.–413-445-4872, ext. 25 or visit www.knessetisrael.org.

TUESDAY, JULY 28 Chabad: Is it Good For The Jews?

7 p.m. Saratoga Chabad, 130 Circular St., Saratoga Springs, abbi Yisrael Rubin of Albany, director of the Chabad of the Capital District, Rabbi Abba Rubin director of the Saratoga Chabad will discuss tChabad and sing melodies. $5.

Res.–rglick10@gmail.com, or 518- 5260773.

THURSDAY, JULY 30 The Shuberts Of Syracuse: The Brothers Who Built Broadway, 11 a.m., slide lecture by Gregg, Tripoli at Stein Live and Learn Lecture /Lunch Series, Albany Jewish Community Center, 340 Whitehall Rd. $14, $12 for Center members. Res.,Info.– 438-6651, ext.

112, ClaireS@albanyjcc.org.

SATURDAY, AUG. 1 Temple Israel Of Catskill Potluck Shabbat, 11:30 a.m. Info.– Shelly Dinstein, 238-8083.

Rabbi Joseph Polak, to discuss new book, After the Holocaust the Bell Still Rings, 9:15 p.m. Beth Israel Synagogue, 2195 Eastern Parkway, Schenectady. Dessert. Info.–377-3700.

Julie Shapiro and Sam Massman of Frisco, Colo. Announce the birth of their daughter, Sylvie Rose Massman

ny. Info.–518-858-5070, or smartkid@ aol.com.

MONDAY, AUG. 3 “Secrets of War,” 4 p.m. “The Green Prince,” 8 p.m. The Berkshire Jewish Film Festival, the Duffin Theater, Lenox Memorial High School, 197 East St., Lenox, Mass. $5 for matinees and $10 for evening shows. Info.–413-4454872, ext. 25 visit www.knessetisrael. org

FRIDAY, AUG. 7 Beth Emeth Shabbat at SPAC, 5:45 p.m.-8 p.m. at the Hall of Springs, Saratoga State Park. Rabbi Scott Shpeen, Cantor Groper to conduct. Followed by

y Yo-Yo-Ma Concert at SPAC. $37.25 for dinner program, only. Info.– Jill Goodman at 434-1155 or e-mail jgo913@hotmail.com, or Susan Hager at 439-1127 or e-mail susan.k.hager@gmail.com.

Knesset Israel Synagogue On Pittsfield Artwalk, 2-6:30 p.m., 16 Colt Rd.Pittsfield, Mass.

SATURDAY, AUG. 8 Convergence: Spirituals from the Shtetl, Davening from the Delta, 8 p.m. Unitarian Universalist Meeting House, 1089 Main St., Housatonic, Mass. Benefit for Rimon Resource Center for Jewish Spirituality. Anthony Russell, singer. $30. Info.– Rimon, 413-2741034 or website: rimonberkshires.org.

SUNDAY, AUG. 2 The What’s Up Band Concert, 7 p.m. Shaara Tfille, 84 Weibel Ave., Saratoga Springs, $8. Res.– saratogajcc@verizon.net. Info.– 584-2370.

Sunday Funday at Camp Givah, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Leaving from Temple Israel (sponsor) 600 New Scotland Ave., Albany at 9:15. $5 for men’s club members, $12 for non members. Res. by July 29 to Sierra Lynch, 438-7858, ext. 112, tiadmin@tialbany.org.

‘Jewish faith and its meaning’ to be theme for Rabbi Art Green, 1 p.m.

The Chatham Synagogue/Netivot Torah, Chatham Center, Rte. 28 just off Rte. 66.

Free. Info.– (518) 392-0701 or www. thechathamsynagogue.org.

NextDor’s Young Adults Baseball, Sundays, 4–6 p.m. Albany Jewish Community Center 340 Whitehall Rd. Alba-

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JULY 23, 2015 THE JEWISH WORLD