Shalom
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EDITION 24 - Passover / Spring 2015
Exclusive Articles Jewish Community Events Opinion Spring 2015
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The College Club is situated on the Wellesley College Campus, over 500 acres of pristine woodlands, meadows, hills and footpaths overlooking a spectacular view of Lake Waban. It is our pleasure to provide the Club’s facilities and services to you and your guests. With events ranging from 20 to 200 guests, The College Club is the ideal venue for your special event. Visit our website for more information at www.wellesleycollegeclub.com Social Events: Maria Tzigizis, 781-283-2706 Corporate Events: Emily Connor, 781-283-2701
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Meredith Purdue Photography
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STEPHANIE C. OLSEN PHOTOGRAPHY
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STEPHANIE C. OLSEN PHOTOGRAPHY
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EDITORIAL
Happy Passover Shalom Magazine 2015 Published by Farber Marketing Inc. Editor & Publisher: Shirley Nigri Farber Marketing Director: Scott A. Farber Copy Editor: Susie Davidson Contributors: ADL New England AJC Boston Rabbi Katy Z. Allen - Ma’yan Tikvah Rabbi Susan Abramson - Temple Shalom Emeth David Bedein - Israel Rabbi Moshe Y. Bleich - Wellesley Chabad Susie Davidson David Farber - Kid’s Page Dr. Saul S. Gefter - Brazil Dr. Rebecca Housel Sid Lejfer - Mishkan Tefila Daniel Pomerantz - Israel Alex Ryvchin - www.JewishThinker.org Jewish Vocational Services Contributing Photographers: Steve Schuster/Nathan Chow Design: Farber Marketing -
Articles signed are the writer’s responsibility and do not necessarily reflect the editor’s opinion. No article or photo can be reproduced without written permission from the publisher. Shalom Magazine is a free quarterly publication distributed in Massachusetts at stores, temples, and schools. We are not responsible for the products, services or the Kashrut certification offered by any advertiser. Readers are welcome to send articles and photos. We are not responsible for accuracy on event listings. Please call the organizer before attending any event.
As Shalom Magazine celebrates its 6th anniversary, it is time to count our blessings and thank our supporters. From business owners to Jewish organizations that support us with advertisement, to members of the community who send in articles and photos, we have a lot of people to thank. I’m fortunate to have a copy-editor like journalist Susie Davidson who dedicates her time and expertise to help keep the publication free of mistakes. I must thank also all of our contributors who are willing to share their opinion and to create exclusive content for our magazine. I believe in the importance of the Jewish Media as a means to connect our community and to promote an exchange of opinion and information. Very often, I post photos of events on my Facebook page, and people comment that they wish they had known about it. Jewish media can be used not only to promote events and businesses, but to reduce the gap between community leaders and community members. When community members discuss the closing of a JCC, a Jewish school, or the need for a new mikvah, is there anyone listening? There are a lot of people with interesting ideas and opinions who are not part of an organization. The community is huge and diverse, and therefore, it’s always a challenge to find out how to better serve its needs. I grow weary of seeing that investments are made on buildings and not on humans, not only here, but in Israel as well. There must be a way to explain to wealthy donors that there is no need for another classroom, unless students cannot afford to attend the school and teachers are not well-compensated. The future of our community is not guaranteed wit donors’ names on the walls of museums and other buildings, but with Torah, Avodah and Guemilut Chassadim. I believe that adherence to Torah guarantees that all future generations receive a Jewish education; Avodah (which literally means work, but is always understood to connote prayer and observance of the Commandments) makes people feel comfortable and welcome at our temples and helps them to keep our laws (such as Kashrut and mikveh); and Gemilut Chassadim helps the poor among us. In my experience, I have learned that most people distance themselves from the Jewish community when they intermarry, or when they become poor. In this time of increased anti-Semitism and acts of hatred against Jews, it is of great importance that we embrace everyone in our community, so that no one is left behind. May we all be blessed with a happy and healthy Passover. Shirley Farber - Editor to subscribe to shalom magazine
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Cover photo: Passover Seder by Shirley Farber
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Dear Friends: It is my pleasure to extend warm wishes to the Jewish Community as the holiday of Passover begins. The first Seder starts at sundown on April 3rd this year, as Jewish people across the world retell the story of the Exodus. Passover celebrates the universal theme of freedom, resonating across our diverse city. The Jewish community has consistently fought for freedom and social justice on behalf of all residents in the City of Boston. Boston is proud of our neighborhood diversity and the work that is done to strengthen all communities. It is what make us unique, successful and stand out among other cities. Congratulations to Shalom Magazine on your 6th Anniversary and best wishes for continued success in the years to come. Chag Sameach, happy holiday! I wish you a happy, healthy and prosperous Passover. Sincerely, MARTIN J. WALSH MAYOR OF BOSTON
Dear Friends: On behalf of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Karyn and I would like to wish the Jewish community a happy and healthy Passover. The eight-day festival of Passover is a time for the Jewish community to come together and commemorate their independence. Shalom Magazine serves as an informative resource for the Jewish community in Massachusetts, and has found its way into the hearts of stores, restaurants, and temples all over the Commonwealth. Please accept our warmest regards as you gather to celebrate during this Hebrew month of Nissan. Sincerely,
CHARLES D. BAKER GOVERNOR
KARYN E. POLITO LT. GOVERNOR
Happy Passover May the spirit of the holiday be with you now and throughout the year. Roche Bros. and Sudbury Farms sells Kosher and Non-Kosher items.
Spring 2015
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Wishing you and your family a very
HAPPY PASSOVER Thank you for all that you do to make Greater Boston a better place for us all.
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Chai in the Hub Event On January 31, over 400 of Boston’s movers and shakers came out to the Renaissance Boston Hotel to honor some of the brightest young minds in the Boston Jewish community, and to schmooze and listen to Golden Globe-winning actor Jeffrey Tambor (Arrested Development and Transparent) at Combined Jewish Philanthropies’s second annual Chai in the Hub event. The honorees posing with actor Jeffrey Tambor
The ladies of CJP’s Ben-Gurion Society
Spring 2015
CJP Director Barry Shrage, Idit Klein and Jordan Namerow
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Mega Challah
South Shore
HADASSAH WISHES YOU A HAPPY PASSOVER.
Hag Sameah. CELEBRATE SPRING · CELEBRATE FREEDOM · CELEBRATE PASSOVER
Hadassah Northeast 1320 Centre Street #205 Newton Centre, MA 02459 781.455.9055 hadassah.org HADASSAH THE WOMEN’S ZIONIST ORGANIZATION OF AMERICA, INC. ©2015 Hadassah, The Women’s Zionist Organization of America, Inc. Hadassah is a registered trademark of Hadassah, The Women’s Zionist Organization of America, Inc.
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Amid the stirring, kneading and braiding, came the unity, empowerment, and bonding, as 370 Jewish women and girls gathered in Mansfield on March 18 for a Mega Challah Bake. The event, held at the Mansfield Holiday Inn, was the 5th annual Jewish Community Center of Boston South Area’s women event, with Chabad of Mansfield spearheading the effort along with Shaloh House of Stoughton, Chabad of Sharon, and the Combined Jewish Philanthropists. A total of 26 Jewish organizations and synagogues cosponsored the event, bringing together women from all walks of life, and affiliations, and from towns from Hingham to Middleboro. The participants, many of whom were mothers and their daughters, joyfully made and braided their own challah and then took them home to be baked later. “Here tonight, we are just Jewish women united,” declared Tzivi Kivman, director of Chabad Jewish Center of Mansfield. She explained that each strand of challah represented the individual. But when braided together to form a whole loaf, the challah symbolized how people can be separate, yet joined together as one. Catered by the Zaydie’s Family Market (formerly the Butcherie of Canton), the women were treated to a cocktail reception and a beautiful spread. Jenn Antebi’s magical voice and upbeat music moved the women, and the evening culminated with spirited singing and dancing asAMthey joined hands in a stunning display of Jewish Sisterhood. 10:01 Carefully measured-out amounts of flour, sugar, dry yeast, salt, and oil, plus a clean apron, were put next to each of the ten place settings at all 36 tables. Each participant also received her own copy of the recipe. Mega challah bakes are occurring all over the United States and Canada this year, bring thousands of women together in an evening of comradeship and meaning - and flour. The event also collected hundreds of toiletries that were donated to New Hope, a South Shore organization that works to end domestic and sexual violence.
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All photos courtesy of Lori Lafargue Photography - http://lori-lafargue.artistwebsites.com
Mega Challah
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YJP Purim Party
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YJP Purim Party Over 400 young professionals came out to celebrate Purim with Young Jewish Professionals (YJP) Boston at Club Rumor. Festivities included fire entertainment, ice sculptures, food and music.
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Mayor Walsh addresses annual MLK Shabbat at Temple Israel By Susie Davidson On January 16, the “MLK Shabbat Tzedek: A Sabbath of Justice in Memory and Honor of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.” at Temple Israel in Boston featured an address on “Hearing King’s Fearless Voice: Facing Injustice in the 21st Century” by Boston Mayor Martin J. Walsh. The approximately 1000 attendees also heard from faith leaders from the Greater Boston Interfaith Organization (GBIO), and the Boston Children’s Chorus, the TI Band, the TI Youth Choir, and students from Beacon Academy and from Temple Israel’s Monday Night School. In 1965, the Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. spoke at Passover services at Temple Israel in Boston. One of the synagogue’s associate rabbis, along with several other Boston rabbis, joined King in 1965 at the clergy march for black voting rights in Selma, Alabama. Many Boston Jews had attended the 1963 Civil Rights March in Washington, where King made his famous “I Have a Dream” speech. In 1966, synagogue member Kivie Kaplan became the national president of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). Temple Israel’s original South End site, Adath Israel, is now the Columbus Avenue AME Zion Church. “This was a powerful reminder of Dr. King’s values and ideals that are still necessary for eliminating injustice, in our city and throughout Andrew Oberstein
Mayor Walsh and event participants
this country,” Walsh said in retrospective remarks provided to Shalom through his office. “We must continue to speak openly and honestly with each other to build stronger relationships and make a better future for generations,” Walsh stated. In his speech, Walsh recalled Dr. King’s 1965 appearance at Temple Israel. “It was less than a month after the marches in Selma, and the eyes of the world were upon him. To an overflow audience on the last night of Passover, he warned that ‘the world has become a neighborhood but not a brotherhood,” and said, “We must all learn to live together as brothers, or we shall all perish as fools.” Walsh had turned to Dr. King in his first State of the City address the previous Tuesday: “I know from my own life that you can’t move forward unless you deal honestly with the past,” he said. “If you don’t reach out your hand in reconciliation, you become vulnerable, and less resilient to life’s ups and downs. Dr. King taught us that the same is true for a society, a nation, and a city as well.” On the morning after his sermon at Temple Israel, Dr. King addressed 22,000 people in a peaceful gathering on Boston Common. “He spoke of challenges we still struggle with - housing conditions, school inequality, poverty,” Walsh recollected. King, said Walsh, then went to Old City Hall with local clergy and presented a list of concerns to Mayor John Collins. “Mayor Collins announced that, as a first step, he would turn the board of Boston’s main anti-poverty agency [A.B.C.D.] over to community control,” said Walsh. “Dr. King forged a path from anguish to action, and from injustice to empowerment.” Walsh urged the assembled to do likewise, to both speak up and follow up. “I want Boston to move together toward Dr. King’s vision of the Beloved Community,” he said. “His voice calls us to this path of change. Temple Israel heard it 50 years ago, as did all of Boston,” he said, recalling the historic passage of the Voting Rights Act. “Last week we began the reading of the second Book of our Torah, the Five Books of Moses, the Book of Exodus,” said Temple President Kathy Weinman. “In the second chapter of that Book, we are taught that G-d heard the cry of the Israelites for help, for relief from unbearable bondage. To listen, to truly listen, therefore is to imitate and to intimate the Divine.”
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The Four Sons: An individualized learning approach Sandra Lilienthal, Ed.D. The Seder is the most observed ritual of our generation, practiced in Jewish communities all around the world. According to the Pew Research Survey of Jewish Americans of 2013, over 70 percent of Jewish people get together with family and/or friends for some type of Seder, whether they follow the entire traditional ritual or not. Each element of the night is part of a whole, which often leads to many questions. On the Seder night, nothing is as on other nights! While the traditional ritual has the youngest participant asking the Four Questions, the Seder experience generally leads to many more - Why do we break the middle matzah? Why do we eat charoset? Why do we recline? Why do we dip in salt water? Why do we hide the afikoman? And these are just a few of the questions which allow the leader to tell the story of our Redemption from Egypt. The entire Seder is a brilliant pedagogical device to teach about the past of the Children of Israel and also, to transmit important values for the present and future. What is fascinating to me is that close to two thousand years ago, there was such a clear understanding about effective teaching. If we want students to develop a love of learning, we must engage them. We must listen to their questions and we must address their curiosity. So how do we do this? And here comes the most amazing aspect - the Rabbis were the first to understand the concept of “Differentiated Instruction.” While educators all around the world today promote teaching various students with different materials and methods, taking into consideration different learning styles, the Rabbis
envisioned correspondingly separate answers to be given to different kinds of students. Looking at the Four Sons of the Haggadah (or “Four Children” in some more modern haggadot), we see four kinds of students: the “wise,” the “wicked,” the “simple,” and the “one who does not know how to ask.” While the Seder ritual will encourage every child to ask questions, we are instructed wikipedia to answer the questions in ways that each child can understand and relate to, using language they can comprehend, and understanding where they are coming from. It is only when we understand the needs of each of these children that we can offer effective answers, which will engage them in conversation and inspire them to want to learn more. As an educator, I frequently encounter these four children. During the years, I have learned through experience the best ways of reaching each child, wherever he/she is. The “wise” son represents the child who is eager to learn. He has already understood the basics of the story and the rituals, but wants to engage in deeper conversations. He is not necessarily the most intelligent - what makes him “wise” is the fact that he wants to learn more. For this child, we must offer opportunities to expand on his/her learning. We must ask them challenging questions, offer them websites and printed resources where they can find more information, give them extra work, if they are up to it, and promote their critical thinking skills. The “wicked” son is the one who thinks he knows it all and has nothing to learn. He asks a question while not really searching for an
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The Four Sons: An individualized learning approach answer. He sounds angry and frustrated, he excludes himself from the community (e.g., “What is this that God did to you?” is his question). He wants attention and is aware that by rebelling, by not following rules, he will probably get it. In Hebrew School or at Bar/Bat Mitzvah tutoring, this is typically the child that does not want to be there, but whose parents did not give him an option. This is not a “bad” child per se, and if we label him as such, we will not be effective as educators. When working with this kind of child, we must find out what they are passionate about. If they love soccer, for example, we should teach using examples from soccer. We can offer them opportunities to tell us what they would be interested in learning, and begin from there. I had a student once who loved animals. We began our learning sessions by looking at what Judaism says about caring for animals. The “simple” son wants to learn as much as the wise one, but his questions are less complex and his understanding is less sophisticated. He is looking for concrete answers, not a philosophical treatise. He can grasp information, but has a harder time with critical thinking. Giving positive reinforcement to this child goes a long way. Many times, especially if the class has some “wise” and “wicked” students, this child has a lack of self-esteem, feeling he or she is not as smart as the others. As educators, we can ask these children questions we know they can answer. While we should answer their questions in simple language, we should also encourage them to make connections between the different facts they are learning. The “one who does not know how to ask” sits quietly at his desk and does not mind being unnoticed. If we leave him alone, he will be content. But if we find ways to inspire him, to bring him into the conversation, he/she will eventually learn how to ask. Many times, these are students with learning differences, and our job as educators is to find out how they learn best - do they need hands-on projects? Does music help them learn? By finding their strengths and by teaching with them in mind, we are able to bring them into the fold, enabling
Spring 2015
them to feel safe to begin asking questions and participating in class discussions. These Four Sons are very different one from another, but truthfully can be facets of the same person. Depending on the topic or the circumstances, a student will often put himself in the position of one of those sons. Each of us has been in the shoes of each of the Four Sons, but what inspired us was a teacher who understood how to engage us at that specific moment. Each and every child at the Seder table requires an answer that will bring them into the community of learners. So it should be with every Jew, regardless of age, previous knowledge, background or level of observance. In the last book of the Torah - Deuteronomy - we are told that the Torah is our inheritance; it belongs to each and every Jew, regardless of their intellectual capacity or their personal interests. Just the same, the Haggadah says that in every generation we must see ourselves as if we had personally left Egypt (b’chol dor vador chayav adam lir’ot et atzmo k’ilu hu yatza mi’Mitzrayim) - it does not differentiate between those who were excited to leave, those who would rather have stayed, or those who were too confused to understand what was going on. So it is with Jewish education - it is our responsibility to inspire every kind of learner! For this upcoming Passover, it is my wish that at each and every Seder table a multitude of questions will be raised by the “wise,” the “wicked,” the “simple,” and the “ones who do not know how to ask.” It is my dream that Seder leaders will inspire all participants to ask questions and to search for answers even long after the Seder is over. Chag Pesach Kasher v’Sameach - May you have a Happy and Kosher Passover! Dr. Sandra Lilienthal is a Jewish educator with over 25 years experience. She holds a Master’s in Jewish Studies and a Doctorate in Jewish Education, is the author of the Pillars of Judaism curriculum.
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Robert L. Beal and Mark. E. Atkins to be Honored at Vilna Shul Gala The Vilna Shul’s annual Tribute Gala, “Connecting Communities” will be held on Sunday, April 26 at 5:30 p.m. at their historic building in Beacon Hill. This year the Vilna is thrilled to present Mark E. Atkins with our Visionary Leadership award and Robert L. Beal with our Legacy Award. Both Mark and Robert have deep roots in Boston’s Jewish and business communities, and are strong believers in the Vilna’s mission and unique importance and history. Mark has spent 40 years in business. During 23 of them, he served as chairman, CEO, and president of two entrepreneurial early stage companies, Invention Machine Corporation and Vality Technology Incorporated, which evolved into global market leading entities. He currently serves on several executive boards, including the Board of Directors for the University of Massachusetts Foundation and Hebrew College. He is very involved in philanthropic circles and serves as a volunteer advisor to a local start-up. Robert, President of Related Beal, was Vice President of The Beacon Companies, investment-builders, from 1965 to 1976. He joined the Beal Companies (now known as Related Beal), in 1976. Mr. Beal is active in professional businesses and organizations both locally and internationally, including Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Massachusetts Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, Boston Zoological Society, Museum of Fine Arts, and is a Director and past Chair of Combined Jewish Philanthropies. The Gala’s honorary co-chairs are Jamie and Harold Kotler, along with Boston City Councilor Josh Zakim. The evening begins with a festive cocktail reception and hors d’oeuvres followed by a program, awards ceremony, and live auction. Proceeds raised from the Gala provide critical support to our mission of filling our historic space with students, visitors, programs, music, and beauty year-round. For more information, to join our Host Committee in formation, or to become a Gala sponsor, please contact Rosa Kramer Franck, Director of Development, at rosa@vilnashul.org or visit www.vilnashul.org.
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Boston’s Center for Jewish Culture 18 Phillips Street Boston, MA 02114 Tuesday, April 14, 7 p.m.: Anita Diamant, Author of The Boston Girl, in conversation with Ellen Smith at the Vilna Shul Friday, April 17, 6:30 p.m.: Havurah on the Hill 20s and 30s Kabbalat Shabbat with Jodi Rosenbaum, founder of More Than Words Sunday, April 26, 5:30 p.m.: The Vilna Shul’s Annual Tribute Gala Honoring Mark E. Atkins and Robert L. Beal Monday, April 27, 1:30 p.m.: Seniors Connect! Monthly Meetup Sunday, May 3, 2 p.m.: Collectors Tisch at the Vilna - Bring your artifacts, art, and books for an afternoon roundtable with Boston’s Judaica experts and avid collectors Thursday, May 7, 6 p.m.: Scotch and Schmooze Networking Sunday, May 10, 11 a.m.: Celebrate the Remarkable Women of Boston’s Yiddish theater! Annual free Mother’s Day brunch and presentation with Helaine Davis and Linda Stern Friday, May 15, 6:30 p.m.: Havurah on the Hill 20s and 30s Kabbalat Shabbat at the Paulist Center at Park Street Monday, June 8, 2 p.m.: Free Screening of Above and Beyond at NewBridge on the Charles Friday, June 19, 6:30 p.m.: Havurah on the Hill 20s and 30s Kabbalat Shabbat at the Paulist Center at Park Street For all programs and reservations, please go to www.vilnashul.org or call (617) 523-2324
Mark E. Atkins and Robert L. Beal
Spring 2015
C ommunity P ictures
Guests at the Vilna Shul’s screening of Rafting to Bombay
Purim at Vilna Shul
Participants in Kesher Newton’s “Israeli Dance” Elective, Kesher Roked, performed in the Israel Folkdance Festival on March 15 at MIT
Brookline Fleishman/Leiberman family with group flanks statue of John Lennon in Havana, with CHAI Missions
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Why are we at Zayde’s Family Market so great? Formerly the Butcherie II in Canton. We offer great deals everyday! We are stocked for Passover with tons of new items! Come in during Passover and see over 150 products on sale and exclusive Passover foods you can’t buy anywhere else. Our amazing kitchen staff is preparing festive dishes for Passover including Quinoa salads & fresh cooked Foods. Our shelves are filled with new Passover delights, Gluten Free Passover items, delicious desserts, and more! Come visit your one-stop-shop for Passover! And as always, come see the change and taste the difference! Sunday 7AM - 4 PM - Monday - Thursday 7AM - 7 PM - Friday 7 AM - 4 PM
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Members of Temple Sharei Tefila formerly from Norwood move to Temple Beth Abraham of Canton at the end of 2014
Passover Seder for new arrivals at East Boston Immigration Building, 1921. (American Jewish Historical Society-New England Archives)
A delegation of 23 teens from CTeen Newton of Beth Menachem Chabad joined over 1,300 teens from across the globe for an action packed Shabbaton weekend in New York.
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The American Jewish Historical Society‐New England Archives Preserving the historical record of the Jewish community of Greater Boston and New England
The American Jewish Historical Society‐New England Archives (AJHS‐NEA) at the New England Historic Genealogical Society (NEHGS) serves as the New England regional headquarters of the nation’s oldest ethnic historical organization. The Society is the archival repository for the documentary record of Jewish families, businesses and institutions in the Greater Boston area and New England communities, and the home of the reference library of the Jewish Genealogical Society of Greater Boston. Join as a member and receive benets from AJHS‐NEA and NEHGS!
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Sosúa: Remembering the Past Building the Future
On March 7, the Boston Premiere film screening of “Sosúa, Make A Better World” was shown before a gathering of supporters, interested parties, and friends at Congregation Kehillath Israel in Brookline. “Sosúa: Make a Better World” tells the story of Jewish and Dominican teenagers in New York City’s Washington Heights, who together with the theater director, Liz Swados, put on a musical about the Dominican rescue of 800 Jews from Hitler’s Germany. The documentary shows the 1938 Evian Conference where leaders of the world gathered to discuss the future of Jewish refugees fleeing fascism. While few nations were willing to accept the European immigrants, Dominican Republic dictator Rafael Trujillo offered to accept up to 100,000 Jewish refugees; between 1940 and 1945, about 800 German and Austrian Jews arrived in Sosúa, Dominican Republic. Prior to award-winning filmmakers Peter Miller and Renee Silverman’s documentary intro, the event featured keynote speeches by the Sosúa75 Chairman Elihu “Hugh” Baver, Keene State College’s Global Educational Program Director Dr. Skye Stephenson, and a videotaped message from Boston Israeli deputy Consul Ronit Nudelman-Perl. In her remarks, Nudelman-Perl commented, “What makes the example of Sosúa so unique? ... Dominicans could have chosen, like so many others, to turn the other cheek, and their lives would have continued as before. But they did not. Instead, they opened their doors to hundreds of Jews who would have surely fallen victim to the Nazi regime of terror.” Baver summarized his project to Shalom: “Sosúa75’s mission is to promote and conserve, over the long term, the history of Judaism in Sosúa. Currently, there is a two-day long Sosúa 75th anniversary commemoration ceremony planned in May. However, my vision, and those
Dr. Skye Stephenson
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Peter Miller, Hugh Baver and Renee Silverman
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Hugh Baver, Pedro Martinez and Jesus Alou at The Red Sox Academy
Representatives from the Dominican consulate and Martha Takayama
event participants
Spring 2015
Sosúa: Remembering the Past - Building the Future shared by a growing number of project supporters, is to create a longstanding and self sustaining “living memorial” historical park and organic farm employing local community members and attracting interested visitors and students from around the world.” Baver first came up with the idea to form the non-profit Sosúa75. org after being inspired by a Sosúa seaside Holocaust commemoration ceremony in January of 2014, during his first visit to Sosúa. Upon his return back home, he then thoroughly researched the topic of the city’s deep Jewish heritage and realized how virtually unknown the whole story was. Being a former ballplayer and diehard Red Sox fan, Baver’s love for the Dominican Republic grew out of a trip he took back in 2010, when upon the invitation of Jesus Alou, ex-major league and World Series championship player, he took a tour of the Red Sox Academy (Academia Medias Rojas) in El Toro, on the Southern coast of the island. Back in 2010, Baver never would have dreamed he’d be returning to the Academy in 2013, during the Red Sox championship season, to donate and personally deliver the World Baseball Classic Championship game-used first base to Academy Director Jesus Alou. Upon completion of the soon-to-be constructed DR Red Sox Academy facility, “the base” will be showcased as the entryway welcome piece that will greet visitors. In February, Baver met with high-level government officials, top real estate developers, and attorneys, who assisted him in identifying an ideal parcel of land to utilize for this project. Offered for special sale by the Dominican Central Bank for the express purposes of fulfilling the proposed project vision, the former 29-acre sugar cane field overlooks the Atlantic Ocean and is conveniently located on the main highway, less than two miles from the Puerto Plata airport. Through an exchange and blending of cultures, Baver’s hope for the project, like the “Sosúa, a Make A Better World” documentary, is that it will serve as a lasting model for fighting cultural intolerance by both bridging the gap and strengthening the relationship between the Jewish and Latino communities, both in Sosúa and around the world. Currently there are approximately 3000 Jews living in the DR,
Spring 2015
primarily in the capital, Santo Domingo. Only a handful of original colony descendants remain in Sosúa, a north coast beach resort community of 30,000. It is interesting to note that Ilana Neumann, mayor of Sosúa, proudly wears a Star of David necklace. Sosúa75.org is looking for additional committed Board of Directors members, as well as strategic project investors. For more information or to contact Hugh Baver, please direct your inquiries through info@sosúa75. org. Event photos by Shirley Farber, all others by Hugh Baver.
David Ortiz signing “the base” and Hugh Baver at Fenway Park
View of Sosua Miracle Beach from Parque Mirador Pavillion
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Happy Passover! AJC Boston wishes you A
the Best roAd to progress is freedom’s roAd. John f. Kennedy
AJC Boston board members Robert Beal (L) and Harold Tubman (R) and guest
www.ajcboston.org boston@ajc.org
The 16th Annual AJC Boston Diplomats Seder took place on March 22 at the JFK Library gathering diplomats from all over the world. The Seder was led by the president of Brandeis University, Frederick M. Lawrence. More information on the annual event at www.ajcboston.org.
617.457.8700 mel shuman, president rob Leikind, director
AJC Boston young generation
AJC Boston board member Dr. David Javitch (C) and friends
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AJC Boston Diplomats Seder Photos: Shirley and Scott Farber
AJC Boston board member Lester Fargen, Irv Kempner and Israel Arbeiter
AJC Boston Executive Director Robert Leikind, CG of Finland Leonard Kopelman and AJC Boston President Mel Shulman
Spring 2015
Rep. Frank Smizik, Jeremy Burton, US Rep. Katherine Clark and Rep. Ruth Balser
Rep. Ruth B. Balser, Rep. Kay Khan, Shirley Farber and CG of Brazil Gilvania M. Oliveira
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Jewish hotelier opens hotel in Budapest
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Library Hotel Collection founder Henry Kallan, in part® nership with billionaire businessman Alexander Rovt and real estate investor Robert Izsac, opened in March the Aria Hotel Budapest, transforming a 19th century bank building into an an intimate hotel in the heart of the the magical city of Budapest. Like every Kallan-developed hotel, such as the Library Hotel and Casablanca Hotel in New York, the Aria Budapest 101 Tremont St., Boston, MA 02108 (617)423-1515 Fax (617)423-7147 has a distinctive concept: in this case the universal love E-Mail: kpmedia@aol.com • www.pinkweb.com • www.linkpink.com of music. The 1870s building, which has been beautifully reimagined by Budapest’s master interior designer Zoltán Varro, captures a breathtaking blend of classical and con1. Please review the changes to your ads and listing below for the 2009 Pink Pages. temporary styles. Each of the 49 guestrooms and four parlors features a 2. Fax or mail this proof back to production within 48 Hours at (617) 423-7147 with yourjazz, signature if you approve. contemporary, opera or classical music theme through décor and sound. The seven-story Neoclassical facade has been painstakingly rebuilt in limestone to replicate the be3. If there are any corrections, please indicate the changes on this proof. auty of the 19th century architecture and designed to look Dohány Street Synagogue If the proof is not signed and returned, the advertisement will be printed as is. exactly as the original architect intended under the direction of Aria’s chief architect Zsolt Szécsi. “I wanted to design for Budapest a hotel that felt like a private home with a distinctive personality and cultural experience along with the personal care for which we’re Copy Approval Signature and Date Approved with CORRECTIONS known,” said Kallan, who is of Hungarian descent. Located in the historic city center on the (Please sign here) Pest side of the Danube River, Aria is situated beside famous St. Stephen’s Basilica. The luxury boutique hotel is steps from a Reminder to Credit Card Customers charming pedestrian plaza featuring shops, Charges will appear on your Credit Cards as “M. Kennedy Publishing/Pink Pages”On AMEX as: “M. Kennedy restaurants, Publishing” cafes and musical entertainment, and within a five minutes’ walk to the renowned Chain Bridge, the elegant Aria Hotel Budapest lobby tree-lined Andrássy Avenue and Budapest’s
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Spring 2015
Jewish hotelier opens hotel in Budapest Aria Hotel Budapest rooftop
istockophoto
Opera House. The city’s fairytale-like Parliament and endless palaces surrounding Szabadság tér (or “Freedom Square”) are also a short walk from the hotel. The largest synagogue in Europe, Dohány Street Synagogue or Tabakgasse Synagogue, built in 1859, is less than a mile away from the hotel. Also known as the Great Synagogue, the Moorish style temple it has a capacity of 3,000 seats. The Central Synagogue in Lexington Avenue, Manhattan, was built as a copy of the Dohány Street Synagogue. Czech artist Joseph Blecha was commissioned to provide caricatures of music legends who will greet guests in and outside of the rooms. Many rooms offer a private terrace with a view overlooking the streets leading to the pedestrian plaza. Most accommodations offer an openair balcony overlooking the stunning glass-enclosed Music Garden courtyard. Its seamless all glass enclosure is an architectural marvel and the only one in Europe without any steel support. The High Note Skybar - the only year-round rooftop garden terrace in Budapest - offers unparalleled views of the city. The two love nests, which are upper level perches offering 360-degree views, are perfect for couples or small groups of up to 20 people. Other dining options for guests and locals include the street-level Stradivari, a bistro style restaurant, and Satchmo’s Bar and Lounge. Adjacent to the Music Garden Courtyard is Teatro Aria, a beautiful space featuring nightly entertainment. The Harmony Spa offers three treatment rooms, one specifically for couples, along with an indoor pool, private pool cabanas, an advanced fitness center, a Swedish sauna, a Turkish steam room, and a Jacuzzi. Following the Library Hotel Collection’s philosophy, Aria offers its guests a wealth of complimentary amenities including high-speed WiFi, a breakfast buffet, tea and coffee service as well as afternoon wine and cheese receptions. For reservations and additional information, please visit www.ariahotelbudapest.com.
Hungarian Parliament
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Spring 2015
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My creatures are perishing, and you sing praises
By Stan Fleischman At our Passover Seders, after joyously recounting the redemption of the Israelites from bondage in Egypt, and telling how in every generation some rise up to plot our annihilation, but are thwarted by a Divine Power that sustains and delivers us, we recite the following lines from the Talmud: Our rabbis taught: When the Egyptian armies were drowning in the sea, the Heavenly Hosts broke out in songs of jubilation. G-d silenced them and said: “My creatures are perishing and you sing praises?” In response to these words, we ceremoniously pour ten drops from our wine glasses to lessen our pleasure and thereby remind us of the suffering inflicted upon the Egyptians by the ten plagues. If rabbinic teaching instructs us to be cognizant of the full extent of the retribution we inflict on others, then we should be cognizant of the harm that Israeli Jews, with the support of many American Jews, inflict upon their Palestinian neighbors. The Palestinians too are G-d’s creatures, and while some have raised their hands against Israeli Jews, most are attempting to peacefully live their daily lives.
The reestablishment of the State of Israel after two millennia is one of the greatest modern miracles, of which all Jews can be proud. However, we must remember that while we were still in exile, another people came to reside there who came to think of themselves as “Palestinians,” sharing this land as their home with Jews who had never left, or who had trickled in through the centuries. These Palestinians, who have lived for generations within or adjacent to the boundaries set for the State of Israel in 1948 have developed a nationalistic feeling, just as have the Jews in Israel. Understandably, these Palestinians feel aggrieved at their losses. Most public opinion polls show that a majority of Palestinians are in favor of sharing the Holy Land under a “two-states for two-peoples” arrangement. Nevertheless, tensions have inevitably arisen and have led to violence against the state of Israel, such as in the cases of suicide bombers from the West Bank and rocket fire from Gaza. In response, Israel has understandably had to institute severe security measures, such as building fences and, in some places, walls, in order to protect Israeli citizens. It has also initiated a system of checkpoints, and sometimes overly-oppressive security and visa control at Ben-Gurion airport. The situation is terribly aggravated by, or as many would argue, arises from Israel’s military occupation of and settlement policy within the West Bank. The security measures have been successful from the Israeli point of view. However, while not minimizing the true threat of terrorism and with the awful memories of suicide bombings still fresh in our minds, these measures are contributing greatly to making life more difficult for the inhabitants of the West Bank and Gaza. It is sad for me to read or hear in-person accounts of how settlers in the West Bank harass Palestinians by stoning them or by uprooting their olive trees, and how teenaged, IDF soldiers can occasionally mistreat and dehumanize elderly men and women their grandparents’ ages at checkpoints. As a people who remember keenly the lash of the slave holder’s whip and the humiliation of legalized persecution we must constantly strive to treat our fellow human beings with the humanity and compassion that we were too often denied. Just as the Heavenly Hosts were reprimanded by G-d for celebrating the drowning of the Egyptians, we should keep in mind the hardships under which ordinary Palestinians live. While it is tempting to tell ourselves that the bellicosity of some Palestinians toward Jews have brought on these harsh reactions from Israeli Jews, I believe that we need to keep in mind that we are all G-d’s creatures. We need to remember the words that we read in the Passover Haggadah: “My creatures are perishing and you sing praises?” We should ask always, “Is what we are doing truly necessary?” Stan Fleischman lives in Newton Highlands and is a member of the J Street Boston Executive Committee.
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C ommunity P ictures CTeen Brookline, a division of the Chai Center, joined 1,500 teens from across the globe at the International CTeen Shabbaton in New York (2/273/1), featuring a Havdalah concert in Times Square with Israeli superstar Gad Elbaz. Brian Cho
Lea as Princess Elsa
Chai Kidz hosted a Mad Science themed Purim party at the Brookline VFW, on March 5. The kids and families enjoyed Lab Treats, a Mad Science Show, Scientific Mishloach Manot and a multimedia Megillah reading.
Asher Daum enjoying the Kid-in-a-Bubble
August 26-30, 2015 On August 26-30, 2015, the AJA will lead a group to New Orleans, LA to study its rich Jewish history. Participants will have the opportunity for interactive learning while touring local historic sites. Featured scholars include Dr. Stuart Rockoff, Dr. Michael Cohen, and Dr. Gary P. Zola, among others. For more information, please contact Lisa Frankel, Director of Programs for the AJA, by e-mail: lfrankel@huc.edu, phone: 513487-3218 or visit our website: AmericanJewishArchives.org.
Reserve your place on the trip! Spring 2015
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Kabbalah & Passover By Dr. Rebecca Housel Love it or hate it, matzah is central to the Passover story; it is known as the “food of faith” in Kabbalah because it requires total human interaction to create. The leavening in bread—the thing that makes it rise - is a metaphor for our ego. Removing the leavening, particularly for seven days, is a reminder for the Jewish people to pull away from ego and focus on our purpose. Our Destiny. We are the bringers of light. As a result, we have a bit of an ego. We also have serious pride. And that is a great thing. But once a year, we’re asked to put those traits aside and shift our perspective outward so we may better repair the world, improving our own “tikun” as we do. Tikun is the word Kabbalists use for karma. And there’s no better story that represents the idea of “what comes around, goes around” than Passover. The word “Moses” in Hebrew (Moshe) means “to pull.” Moses, one of the central figures in the Passover story, is a symbol of our need to come out of ourselves for at least a short period of time. While Pharaoh, his brother, represents the “push” action, the trial that brings us closer to our purpose. Wouldn’t it be nice if we could find that purpose more easily? Without the Pharaohs of this world? Unfortunately, that push-pull is how action happens. It’s like taking a step; we have to pull our leg up and push it down again repeatedly. That’s how we walk, how we move from one place to another. The Universe is no different. Kabbalah suggests that both Moses and Pharaoh , though seemingly on opposite sides of the spectrum, are there to help us find our light, the energy we need to make ourselves and the world a better place. How do we do that? By making a world full of connections. Ultimately, that’s the purpose of humanity. To connect with one another. When we do, we all improve. But darkness is needed in order for the light to matter. Our ego pushes us in the opposite direction. We must then pull our ego, our emotions, back in order to truly illuminate the world.
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This Passover, similar to the previous year, will be marked by a lunar eclipse of the blood moon. It’s part of a unique tetrad that will not occur again in the 21st century. The final lunar eclipse occurs during Sukkot this September. September also marks the departure of Jupiter from its once-every-twelve-years revolution around the Sun. Even if you don’t believe in things like astrology, you have to admit that something is cooking in the cosmos, and it’s not matzah. The moon (sahara in Hebrew) is considered part of an emotional guide by Kabbalists. Jupiter is one of the ruling planets of the Pisces constellation, the most emotional sign in the Kabbalistic astrological chart. In Kabbalistic tradition, Jupiter is the planet of miracles, of success and of expansion, especially of our metaphysical vessels. The first night of Passover will be marked by the third lunar eclipse in the tetrad. That’s our push. Our Pharaoh. Reminding us to set aside our emotional egos and embrace the coming months. Because, without darkness, there can be no light. Jews are responsible for bringing light to this world. As we consider our global role, and how we might be able to use our individual talents to help improve connectivity, we have to remember to not let what is always temporary darkness, like the lunar eclipse on the first day of Passover, to overshadow our intent. Our inner Moses needs to pull us out of the darkness of ourselves, of our ego. It reminds us that being vulnerable isn’t the same as vulnerability. Being open to the light of Passover, of Moses, of ourselves, and most of all, of each other, is the true meaning behind the holiday. Once the Jews united during the Exodus, they were an unstoppable force. But until then, we were all slaves to our egos, islands in a sea of enemies. When we come together, we shine a light on the whole world. We have the ability to vanquish much of the darkness surrounding humanity. Miracles are in our corner this year. And we must not waste the opportunities provided by miracles. Part of what Kabbalah teaches us is to connect what happens to us on Earth with the bigger cosmic picture. The Jewish people leaving Egypt thousands of years ago had no idea that the very act of leaving Egypt, of pursuing a Jewish freedom as one united people, would later be responsible for life-saving Jewish contributions to humanity, like cancer treatments that have saved millions of lives around the world. And, continues to do so. When standing on a precipice, it is difficult to see our purpose. We feel unsteady, unsure. At any moment, we could lose our balance and fall. But the moment you choose courage, despite your fear, you are given all the light - energy - needed for positive, proactive momentum. Moses and Pharaoh were brothers; one does not exist without the other. Passover is a reminder to Jews everywhere that darkness and light are related, too. And that, no matter where we are in our life-cycle, even if it’s a dark place, we can still see. Because our light doesn’t come from the planets, or the moon, or even a Passover Seder. It comes from inside us. Passover is all about people not only believing in themselves, but believing in each other. When we stop believing in others, we stop believing in ourselves. It is that very doubt - that fear - that creates our failures, not failure itself. We are not objects moved by circumstance; we are self-responsible. Self-responsibility makes us free. That is the difference between Destiny and Fate. We create our own Destiny. While Fate is something we suffer when we allow circumstances to control our lives. Kabbalah reminds us that we are always free to choose because the moment we conceive of an idea, we are connected to all the energy of the Universe. If our ancestors could free themselves of their shackles, so can we…. Dr. Rebecca Housel, known as “The Pop Culture Professor,” is a writing professor in the Atlanta area; she is also a speaker and the author of 11 books and more than 200 articles and essays. Her next appearance is April 4-5, 2015 in Austin, Texas. To learn more, please visit RebeccaHousel.com. Spring 2015
Bar/Bat Mitzvah Expo
Subzero Ice Cream and Yogurt at Temple Beth Am, Framingham Bar/bat Mitzvah Expo on March 8
Wishing you and your families a
Happy Passover
Robert Trestan Regional Director
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Spring 2015
David Grossman Board Chair
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Underneath the Start-Up Nation Text and photos by Shirley Farber WhenWhen I traveled to Israel past July, I had a group of online followers who accompanied every step of my journey, commenting on my pictures as soon as I posted them. Some said that they felt as if they were traveling with me, as they were able to looking at beautiful photos of nature and religious sites, mouth-watering food, and also, at interesting people on the street. Over the month we spent in Israel, we stayed in nice hotels and went to great restaurants and beautiful parks, so I had a lot to show.
me that I should be very careful to never speak badly about the land, using the term “Lashon Hara” (gossip). She went on to remind me of the Biblical story of the spies who were dispatched by Moses to scout the land of Canaan before the rest of the people entered. The fact that they came back, reporting that it was a “land of giants,” is interpreted as showing little faith in G-d. As a result, all the Israelites had to wander in the desert for 40 years, until the entire generation had died. Only Joshua and Caleb, the two spies who brought back a good report, were allowed to ultimately enter the Promised Land. And
Tel Aviv Jerusalem
But when you are a journalist, you know that you cannot hide the truth, especially when you are documenting a trip day by day. While I would love to post only beautiful photos of the Holy Land, sometimes the ugliness is also there, right in front of you. I debated a lot over whether or not to publish pictures of the less glorious aspects of our beloved country. My willingness to share was not to malign the land that we love, but to let people see what I saw, and perhaps influence them to become involved in changing or helping each of the situations on display. I visited a girls-only, Orthodox orphanage in Jerusalem and wished Passover 3/13/14 PageI 1told the host that I was a toJBB speak withAd the4x2_1 students. But11:00 the PM minute reporter, she said I was not allowed to go in. Before I left, she cautioned
Wıshes for a
Happy and Sweet Passover From the Board of Directors and Staff of
David Bamel, Chair · Harvey D. Lowell, President/CEO www.jbbbs.org · info@jbbbs.org · (617) 558-6535
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A man collects plastic bottles from the garbage in Jerusalem
from that day on, we refer to Israel as the “Start-Up Nation,” turning a blind eye to the poverty, corruption, prostitution and dirtiness that also exist in her midst. The two things that bother me the most and also shocked my Facebook followers were observing people begging for money and sleeping on the sidewalks, and the garbage that was strewn on the streets, beaches and parks. We all know that many Orthodox people in Israel ask for Tzedakah (charity) on the streets to supplement their income, but when I posted the first picture of a beggar, I got some surprised comments: “Never thought I would see this scene in Israel!” - Vera Lucia Alves “How sad! Who would think it could happen in Israel?” - Giselle Princz “They are probably Somali immigrants who crossed the Egyptian border.” - Marco Fogel People are accustomed to seeing Jewish people as upper middle class, and also, very involved in helping each other. We see Jewish names stamped on the facades of hospitals, museums and universities all over the world. So how can we understand that in the land of Jewish people, there can be Jews left on the streets? Israel has a lot to be proud of, being ahead of many other countries in the areas of technology and health. For certain, the “Start-Up Nation” created some new millionaires in Israel. But the truth is that the once Socialist country, built in 1948, has a huge economic gap. Secular Israeli leaders will say that the poor are the Orthodox, with their large families and a lack of skills needed to obtain a good paying job. American Jews might wonder: “We send so much money to Israel, how come it is not reaching the people in need?” But if one were asked to contribute a sum of money in order to help feed poor families in Israel, they may never know if the money reaches its goal. Maybe that is why people prefer to place their name on buildings, so they can “prove” the existence of their charitable hearts on Facebook. I wish I could ask people for money and hand deliver it to beggars on the street of Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, with a promise to put the photos of Facebook. I know it is a crazy idea. But I see no point in building Spring 2015
Underneath the Start-Up Nation another Holocaust museum while Holocaust survivors don’t have food on their table. We owe them respect. In fact, when I met my husband, Scott, in Israel in 2001, we would be walking around Tel Aviv and he would stop to talk to people who were living on the streets. My husband was greeted like an old friend, and I didn’t understand why. He told me he used to buy food and give it out to poor people. Deep inside, I thought “why can’t he just give the food and leave?” But instead, he would sit and talk to them about life, giving not only food but much-needed attention. As we know, this is something that is hard to get from human services institutions. I believe that Jewish communities around the world simply cannot
Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv
close their eyes to the social welfare problem that exists in Israel. It is hard to see the reality if you visit the country on a 10-day guided tour. Some may speculate that the poor people that I photographed in Israel are Arabs or immigrants from Asia or Africa who cannot get a job. Some may say that those are old people that just like to ask for Tzedakah to get a little extra money from tourists, and others might say that they are drug addicts or drunks. But I spoke with some of the people who were asking for money. Yes, one was a senior immigrant from France who said that he needed money to buy food for Shabbat, a few Orthodox Jews holding a Tzedakah box in religious areas, a few non-religious Israelis collecting plastic bottles from the garbage, a young man laying on a dirty mattress on the sidewalk, a young lady holding a sign that proclaimed, “I have
no job, need food.” One of the things that makes my 10 year-old son David happy in Israel is to be surrounded by Jewish people. Therefore, he choked up when he saw a person with a kippah laying on the sidewalk begging for money. It was interesting to observe in Eilat that families would walk by beggars, not noticing them until
David receives a blessing from a man in Eilat: “be healthy”
David proudly displays the Israeli flag at Tel Aviv beach
Ben Yehuda St, Jerusalem
their children looked at the person sitting on the street and asked the parents for money to give to the poor. During the Jewish Media Conference I attended with my family in July, my son had the opportunity to ask the Israeli politicians Natan Sharansky and Yuli Edelstein what the government was doing to help the poor people he saw on the streets. The answer was that the government is investing in education so the young can become productive adults, and that the government of Israel had too many things to worry about with constant threats coming from its enemies. So I asked myself, “What are the Jews on the Forbes list doing to help change the scenario in Israel?” The fact remains that when we talk about Israelis, we are not talking about “them,” we are talking about “us” Jews.
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Sephardic Community
The 31st Hilulla of the Baba Sali event at the Sephardic Community of Boston on January 22
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Spring 2015
K averet
revival in
B oston
The one-year anniversary of the Boston branch of the Israeli American Council (IAC) was celebrated on March 3, with a sold out Israeli concert at the John Hancock Hall. The North American tour of “Danny, Gidi & Friends” included Alon Olearchik, Gidi Gov, Danny Sanderson, Ephraim Shamir, Mazi Cohen, Kfir Ben Laish, and guest musicians. The group performed the greatest hits of Kaveret and Poogy, as well as their solo repertoires, in front of over 1000 people, who were mostly Israelis. It was a nostalgic evening where we could hear a mix of generations sing along with classic pop-rock. The organization was founded in 2007 in California as the Israeli Leadership Council, and in 2013 changed its name to IAC. Their mission, as stated, is: “To build an active and giving Israeli-American community to strengthen Israel, our next generation, and provide a bridge to the Jewish community.” For more information, visit www.facebook.com/IsraeliAmericanCouncilBoston.
Alon Olearchick
Alon, Danny, Gidi and band
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Wellesley-Weston Chabad
More than 150 people enjoyed an Indian themed Purim bash at the Wellesley-Weston Chabad on March 5
Wellesley-Weston Chabad sponsors Purim party for 770 IDF troops in Israel
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Special Occasions Weddings Dinner Parties Holidays Birthdays Bar/Bat Mitzvahs Cocktail Parties Engagements Corporate Events Showers
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Spring 2015
Community Events Arkadi Duchin in Boston
Community Seder
Friday April 3, at 7:30 p.m. Join Boston’s young adults for a Passover Seder experience with a friendly and warm family spirit. Enjoy as the story of Exodus comes alive through mystical meanings and Kabalistic insights, all explained through humor and melody by Chai Center’s Rabbi Mayshe Schwartz. Hebrew/English Haggadahs provided and audience participation encouraged. There will be a gourmet dinner, hand-baked “Shmurah” Matzah from Israel, and an array of wine. At 7:30 p.m. will be a happy hour and candle lighting, and at 7:45 p.m., the Seder starts. The Chai Center is located at 105 St. Paul St. in Brookline. Cost: $36 before March 29 and $45 after. Limited to 70 seats. RSVP at www.yjpboston.org/events/ young-adult-seder/ Saturday April 4 at 8 p.m. Community Passover Seder Experience for the whole family at Brookline Chai Center. Cost: adults $55 and children $36. More information at www.facebook.com/ChaiCenterBoston
The Israeli singer Arkadi Duchin will be performing on Tuesday, April 28 from 8-11 p.m. at Pine Manor College located at 400 Heath Street in Chestnut Hill. For tickets please visit arkadiboston.eventbrite.com
Old Jews Telling Jokes The off-Broadway hit show “Old Jews Telling Jokes” comes to Arlington for a six-week run at the Regent Theatre, and is sure to make audiences laugh ‘til they plotz. Performances run April 15 - May 24: with opening night Saturday, April 25. (Material is for adults only!) The show is co-created by Peter Gethers and Daniel Okrent, who brought us “My Mother’s Italian, My Father’s Jewish & I’m in Therapy!” and “My Son The Waiter, A Jewish Tragedy!,” both of which had very successful runs at the Arlington venue. The Regent Theatre is located at 7 Medford St. in Arlington. For more information, visit www.regenttheatre.com or call 781-646-4849.
Happy Passover
Spring 2015
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Chaya, daughter of Rabbi Mendy and Rivka Horowitz, celebrated her Bat Mitzvah on March 8 at the Canton Chai Center
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The cover story Felipe Goifman (istockphoto)
By Shirley Farber Each time Shalom Magazine nears completion, I begin looking for a cover photo that will stand out and interest readers to examine what is inside the publication. In the previous Chanukah/Winter edition, I wanted to stay away from what I feel are overused Chanukiah/Dreidel images. I wanted something that immediately reflected that we were a Jewish magazine, but also represents Jewish education, which was the issue’s theme. The first thing that came to my mind was a picture of a Torah, since the Bible is the Chanukah 2014 cover source of everything in Jewish education. And eventually, from looking through various sources, I found a beautiful and golden-toned picture of a Sephardicstyle Torah. So I purchased the lovely photo and placed on the cover. Then I looked again, and it struck me that the fabric that adorned the Torah looked quite familiar. I looked in my closet and picked up a piece of fabric that my mother used to make a dress, and then fashioned the remnants as an adornment of the Torah that my family donated to our temple, Agudat Israel in Ipanema, Rio de Janeiro. Because the Torah that we donated was dark blue and silver, and in the photo it looked golden, I did not think that it could be the same. Also, I would never expect that an American website would be selling a picture taken at my little temple in Brazil. I went on to search for the origin of the photo, and learned that the photographer, the Brazilian Felipe Goifman, took a series of photos at different synagogues in Rio de Janeiro and compiled all of them into a book. Therefore, I confirmed that it was indeed the same Torah that for years I wanted to place on the cover of Shalom
Magazine, but could not, as I lacked a sufficiently high resolution photo. I have great memories of that Sunday in April, 1997, when we brought the Sefer Torah to our temple. The Sefer stayed in our living room for weeks, so out of respect we could not walk around the house in a bikini during that time. On the day of the Hachnassat (“welcoming of”) the Sefer Torah, we held a party at Moise Chattah (o.b.m.) our home with plenty of Sephardic delicacies, and we paraded with loud music on the streets that were closed to traffic and which led to the nearby temple. At the temple, the party continued with dancing with the Torah and hors d’ouvres. The Torah was purchased in Israel by my uncle’s Elie Chattah (o.b.m.) and Moise Chattah (o.b.m.) in honor of my maternal grandparents, Nissim Chattah (o.b.m.) and Rachel Khalili Chattah (o.b.m.). Agudat Israel is currently nearing the completion of the building of a large, four-story temple a few doors from the original one, which will include a function hall and a room for lectures.
6 Mountain Laurels Dr. ~ Nashua, NH 03062 603.888.9000 ~ www.skymeadow.com Sky Meadow is the perfect facility to host your Bar or Bat Mitzvah, Wedding, Golf outing or even a Corporate event. You do not have to be a member, so please call or email for further information.
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Israel: What do we do now? By Edward Goldstein Following March 17th’s Israeli election, new thinking and new action are needed by proponents of a two-state solution. A two-state solution remains American policy, supported according to polls by the majority of American and Israeli Jews alike. But Benjamin Netanyahu’s repudiation of the principle in the last days of the campaign, coupled with his ominous talk about Israeli Palestinian citizens “advancing on the polls” to vote, raise severe questions about the direction of Israeli policy and society. Can two states be realized now, and can Israeli Palestinians achieve acceptance and equality in Israeli life? Some are writing off Israeli society as hopeless. However, we should remember that, overall, few additional Israelis moved right in this election - they just cast votes in a new pattern, more rightists supporting Likud than the other right-wing parties. The center-left remains almost the same, partially under a new label, Zionist Union, instead of the Labor and Hatnuah parties separately. The Orthodox religious parties are down a bit and the Israeli Palestinians, under the new Joint List, are actually up a bit. So “the Israeli people” did not re-elect Netanyahu....40 percent of them did. What promises to be worse now is the particular kind of governing coalition that Netanyahu will form. It will doubtlessly be the most right-wing one in history, clearly opposed to Palestinian statehood and with little use for Israeli Palestinian citizens. And Netanyahu can form a coalition much more easily than can opposition leader Isaac Herzog. By my count, Bibi starts with 59 sure seats in Knesset when he needs 61 and, to be comfortable, 65-68. Herzog starts (unless he accepts the Joint List as partners, which is unlikely) with only 49 seats, and has few places to find more. Netanyahu has moved himself and his Likud party further right, repudiating two states. He is now empowered to make more trouble for the Obama administration’s attempts at a diplomatic solution with Iran. Netanyahu has also further poisoned Jewish-Arab relations in Israel. The implications of his shift and Likud’s, not the overall Israeli public’s, is sobering, to say the least. Two-state proponents need to step up their game, while continuing to buttress the opposition to Netanyahu in Israel and continuing, as before, to embrace the entire Israeli people with genuine concern. The question of the hour is: how much, and in exactly what ways, will two-state proponents step it up? How much more assertive will they become, and which new political tactics will they adopt? These questions are already being vigorously debated within organizations, like J Street, Ameinu, Peace Now and Partners for Progressive Israel, that are committed to a two-state solution. Edward Goldstein, a public affairs professional, has taught Jewish Studies at Clark University and Anna Maria College. He works to advance Israeli-Palestinian peace.
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A new era in Israeli politics By Lt. Col. (res) Avital Leibovich, AJC Jerusalem Director One song by the well-known Israeli songwriter Lea Naor has the verse, “The end is always the beginning of something else.” Millions of Israelis could have sang that as they woke up the day after the election to a new era in Israeli politics. The leadership is still the “old” one, namely Benjamin Netanyahu, who will most likely form the next government, but the voices heard during this election campaign suggest something new. Let us listen to these voices. These elections were perceived “on the street” as critically important not just for Jewish Israelis but for Arab Israelis as well. Turnout at the polls was 72%, the highest in 15 years. In comparison, only 57.5% of Americans voted in the 2012 presidential elections. The United Arab list won 14 mandates, an increase of 3 since the last elections two years ago, when each of the three Arab parties ran independently. This too, indicates the importance of these elections for the Arab minority, who generally vote in low numbers. The new voices in Israel are demanding an economic improvement, strengthening the middle class, higher salaries, improved medical services, and lower housing prices. The first party to place these issues on its agenda in recent years was Yair Lapid’s Yesh Atid in 2013. Now, in addition to Lapid’s party, a new party, Kulanu, was formed on the basis of a similar agenda, headed by Moshe Kachlon. These two parties together will have 21 members in the new Knesset, an increase of two. (Yesh Atid went down from 19 in 2013 to 11, while the new party Kulanu received 10). It is clear that despite the importance of security and strategic affairs, social welfare issues are still very important to the Israeli public. The one paramount issue for the Israeli voter, however, remains security. In this election, voters were looking for a leader who is ready for the next war, and prepared to achieve victory. As his party received the most votes, Netanyahu proved yesterday that he is perceived as such a leader. What does the future hold for Israel? The challenges haven’t changed. At the top of the list is Iran. An international agreement that guarantees Iranian nuclear capability will endanger the security of Israel, the Middle East, and the Western world. Second, the strategic threats that surround Israel’s borders pose a grave threat to national security, from ISIS and Hezbollah in the north, to Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad in the south. Third, unilateral Palestinian moves in the international arena will place Israel in an uncomfortable position and make the resumption of negotiations more difficult. And finally, the new government will have to introduce major reforms in such areas as housing and medical treatment. Despite these challenges, Israelis are congenital optimists who are prone to confront problems with the slang term, “Yih’ye beseder” (it will be all right). In that spirit I truly hope that the election results will indeed pave the path to a new, peaceful, and prosperous era. Originally published in www.ajc.org
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What does it mean to be free? Rabbi Katy Z. Allen Every year at Passover, we read in the Haggadah, “In every generation each individual should feel as if he or she had personally come out of Egypt. It was not only our ancestors whom the Holy One redeemed from slavery; we, too, were redeemed with them, as it is written: “[G!d] took us out from there in order to take us to the land promised on oath to our ancestors” (Deut. 6:23). In the face of climate change, of bombings and shootings, floods and superstorms, of polluted air and poisonous water, of materialism and craving for more, what does it mean to leave Egypt? What does it mean to leave bondage? What does it mean to be redeemed? To be free? If cancer is spreading throughout our body, we are likely to contemplate our mortality and be fully aware of the nearness of death. When we are healthy, working, raising our families, and involved in our communities, we have little time, incentive, or opportunity to consider the limits of our lives. We are too busy living to think about dying. The specter of climate change forces upon us the recognition that not only are our lives finite, but the very planet upon which we depend is potentially mortal. What does it mean to be free if our body is riddled with cancer? When we must say goodbye to all that we love? What does it mean to be free when we hear of corruption deep within the institutions of our society? When racism and hate permeate our culture? What does it mean to be free when a shooting robs us of a family member or close friend, and our sense of security? When efforts to protect our environment are undercut by those more interested in money? What does it mean to be free? The answers are as myriad as the questions and the individuals upon this Earth. They dwell in the tiniest of spaces, the minutest of time spans, the deepest realms of spirit. The answers inhabit the hugs, the moments of silence, the darkest of dark nights and the brightest of moonlit nights. The answers lie in hearing the wind blow, in gently touching a loved one, in a smile, in a prayer, in a heartbeat. The answers reside in the sacred beyond and the pureness within. They linger in a clump of soil, the twitter of a bird, the fall of a leaf, gently, slowly, twisting, turning. The answers are in the heavens and in the sea, and always close at hand. They lie within us and around us and beyond us. Day and night, twilight and dawn, they are near at hand, ever present, ready to be received, ready to be intuited, by our open eyes, our attentive ears, our quiet minds, our vulnerable hearts, our sensitive souls. The answers patiently await the ever-new awakening of hidden realms within us to all that is good and holy and sacred in this life. Rabbi Katy Z. Allen is a chaplain at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Rabbi at Ma’yan Tikvah - A Wellspring of Hope.
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The Idiot’s Guide to “Yiyeh B’Seder” By Benji Lovitt And there it was, the mother of all yiyeh b’seders. I felt like I had just Is there ever a dull moment in this region? People are waiting for the watched Wilt Chamberlain score 100 points in a game. I’ll be telling US-led peace talks to fail, Iran may be getting closer to developing my grandkids about that performance some day. nuclear weapons, and the price of falafel just went up a shekel. In “NO PROH-BLEEEEEEM!” other words, another week in the Middle East. WHAT ELSE CAN So where in the world did our version of “don’t sweat the small stuGO WRONG?!?!?! ff” come from? In a place where certain countries have been openly Ahhh….but that’s just it. Allow me to answer that quesplotting your destruction since your independence and tion with a cultural lesson. Without further ado, meet your country was born out of the ashes of the Holocaust, our unofficial national slogan. Two words greater than be advised that your people may develop a few odd perthe sum of their parts, guaranteed to elicit no reaction sonality quirks or defense mechanisms. Let’s just say that at all (or to possibly make you laugh or cringe.) Add most things which aren’t REALLY BIG are small. If your this pair to the great duos throughout history: Batman internal organs remain intact and inside your body, expect and Robin, Simon and Garfunkel, and chumus and pita. whatever complaint you lodge to be answered with yiyeh Without further ado, I give you: Yiyeh and b’seder. b’seder. Translated as “it will be ok”, yiyeh b’seder is Israel’s To deal with this tendency to minimize everything or to version of Frank Costanza’s “SERENITY NOW!”, an “too easily keep things in perspective”, it helps to have a answer to whatever might have just gone wrong, and a sense of humor, especially when considering that phrase “don’t worry, be happy” without the “be happy”. People, has never actually fixed anything. 87.4% of the time, there is no situation yiyeh b’seder can’t handle. It’s the people respond with it without actually processing what Benji Lovitt Economica of phrases. you just said. “What? Rover just projectile vomited on my khakis? “I just lost my job.” Yiyeh b’seder! YIYEH B’SEDEEEEEEEEEEER!!!!” Get it? “I have three days to find an apartment.” Yiyeh b’seder! Try it yourself, elongating the last syllable (extra points awarded for “The doctor needs to amputate my genitals.” Don’t you dare say it!!! a dismissive tone, as if whatever just happened didn’t just happen.) My advice is this: embrace this phrase, love it, laugh at it, and use Olim chadashim (new immigrants), it can take some time to get used it to your advantage. Next time your boss asks, “Nu! Where deh hell to this strange custom. For every minor daily annoyance like Rover’s eez deh report? Eet wahz due at 9 AM!”, consider these options. intestinal problems addressed with a yiyeh b’seder, there are five more American response: “Umm…I’m really sorry. I know it’s important. significant issues handled the same way. Consider this actual exchange I’ll get right on that.” with my first Israeli roommate years ago: Israeli response: “Yiyeh b’sedeeeeeeeer!!!” (Said with glee while Benji: “I read in the paper that our neighbors are preparing for war.” putting feet on desk and checking Facebook newsfeed.) Roommate: “Ahhhh, don’t woh-ree, nah-theeng will heh-pen.” And if you end up getting fired, at least you know it will be ok. B: “You don’t think so? And what about all the rhetoric from Iran?” Benji Lovitt is an Israeli-American comedian and Young Judaea R: “Dey have been saying dat for years.” alumnus who will be performing in Newton at Kesher Comedy Night B: “And now they’re building a bomb!” on April 26, 2015. For tickets, visit www.keshercomedynight.evenR: “So waht?” tbrite.com . B: “So then they nuke us! Kablooey!” Originally published in The Times of Israel R: “SO THEY NUKE US! YIYEH B’SEDER!!!”
Spring 2015
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Tzedek Reflection links congregations in the name of hunger food on the table every day, and many eligible families not receiving By Susie Davidson In March of 2014, 120 congregants from over 20 Boston-area syna- benefits,” she said, noting that SNAP recipients must still rely on other resources such as food pantries, free meals, and gogues and Jewish communal organizations created school lunches, to get enough to eat. Tzedek Reflection: A Jewish Response to Poverty. The sad fact, said Rothschild, is that many children On March 15 at Temple Emanuel in Newton, the and adults go hungry every day in Massachusetts. group welcomed Samuel Chu, National Synagogue TR Steering Committee member Neil Silverston Organizer for MAZON (The Jewish Response to described the approach as one of reflection, inspiHunger), Dr. Deborah Frank, Director of the Bosration and response. “By grounding our response in ton Medical Center’s Grow Clinic, and Pat Baker, Jewish text and tradition, and being inspired by our Senior Policy Analyst at The Massachusetts Law texts and by each other, we are compelled to act,” Reform Institute. he said, noting the group’s approach to blending Erica Rothschild, community organizer for the service, education, and advocacy, which are always Jewish Alliance for Law & Social Action (JALSA) of advancing the Jewish precept of Tikkun Olam, and a TR member, told Shalom that the group’s or repairing the earth. While citing the group great focus was on hunger and food insecurity. “There work in direct approach, Silverston said the group are over 200,000 children in Massachusetts living Erica Rothschild hopes to expand its impact, and to translate its in poverty who rely on SNAP (food stamps) to have work into policy change. “We believe the Tzedek Reflection will be an opportunity for us to act, together as a community,” he said. “Tzedek Reflection answers the question of how people can join together, united by their Jewish values, to have a meaningful impact on poverty,” said Cindy Rowe, JALSA Deputy Director for Development and Outreach. “We are now turning our collective attention to the issue of hunger, a disgraceful problem that we as Jews are commanded by our tradition to solve.” Over the past year, Tzedek Reflection has promoted an integrated approach of education, service, and advocacy. “We have created a unique pathway both for congregants to engage Jewishly in public policy and social justice issues, and as an opportunity to ‘be in this work together’ across our diverse range of synagogues and denominations,” states a TR informational release. Actions have included joining the successful 2014 Raise Up campaign to mandate minimum wage and sick time benefits for low-income. Various synagogues collected signatures, canvassed, and got voters to the polls. The group also joined housing, education, and legal services groups in creating a white paper that aimed to prevent homelessness and stabilize households by increasing access to education, housing and job training services. “Our community does extraordinary work in service to support those in need, and we believe that by working together, we can dramatically increase our impact,” said Rothschild. “Our goal is to build on that on behalf of families who need our help.” For more information about joining Tzedek Reflection, contact Erica Rothschild at ericar.jalsa@ gmail.com, or by calling 617-227-3000.
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“Legally Blind: Law, Ethics and the Third Reich” By John J.Michalczyk and Susan A. Michalczyk Code, mandating informed, voluntary consent as an absolute requireOn March 10-11, Boston College hosted an international conference ment for ethical experimental was first established. entitled “Legally Blind: Law Ethics and the Third Reich” with parThe concert taking place during the conference, “Music for the ticipants from Israel, Germany, France and the US. With a focus on Jewish Soul” featured vocalist Dr. Monika Krajewska, and pianist/ medicine and religion, the program composer Natasha Ulyanovsky, examined the law practiced during recreating their performance from the Third Reich as it pertained to Carnegie Hall. Their variety of sonthe Jewish community. gs in Yiddish, Hebrew and English Starting with the dawn of the provided a rich cultural experience Third Reich in 1933, the conference to the conference atmosphere. proceeded chronologically with Panelists in the conference partifive panels of three speakers each. cipated further in interviews on the Panelists addressed the assault on Holocaust for a documentary aimed constitutional law, as Hitler assuat a PBS-audience on the subject med power, and the government of law and the Third Reich to be Trenton Selness, Donald Fishman, Timothy Ryback, began targeting Jewish lawyers and completed in Berlin, Nuremberg Raymond Helmick, SJ, John Romeiser then judges, eventually attacking and Munich. In addition, the essays even those patriotic Jewish lawyers will be collected and published as who had fought in World War I. Once those most knowledgeable another means of helping elucidate the critical role of law and its demise about the legal process had been eliminated, Nazi officials corrupted during the Third Reich. what had been a model of constitutional law in the previous Weimar John J.Michalczyk is the director of the Film Studies Program at Republic. This led to a totalitarian regime that compromised law Boston College. and ethics, and trapped millions of Jews in a web of deceit and injustice. Participants in the conference addressed the issues of medicine, focusing on the collaboration of Aryan doctors with the government. In the ghettoes, rabbis formed part of the resistance again Nazi law, responding to queries about suicide, abortion, and nutrition. As the Nazi doctors in the camps experimented upon the most vulnerable, including twins at Auschwitz, without regard for the value of life, the Jewish doctors labored to keep the prisoners alive and disease-free. Connecting past and present violations of human dignity and ethics, panelists presented parallels with more recent practices, such as the US government’s response to post-9/11 terrorists, as well as the creation of a “black ops” program in Eastern Europe where the interrogators used similar techniques as the Nazis. Participants spoke to the issue of religion and the way in which it was co-opted by the government of the Third Reich, as Hitler attempted to create a national religion to counter the Protestant and Catholic churches. Familiar names, such as Dietrich Bonhoeffer and Martin Niemoeller come to mind as dedicated representatives of the Protestant Confessing Church who dared to speak out against the Nazi regime. “First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out - Because I was not a Socialist. Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out—Because I was not a Trade Unionist. Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out - Because I was not a Jew. Then they came for me - and there was no one left to speak for me.” (Martin Niemoller) One session focused on the 1945-46 Nuremberg Trials, spear-headed by the US Chief Prosecutor Robert H. Jackson. Other trials of Nazi perpetrators ensued, charging the guilty with war crimes and crimes against humanity. Among these were the trials of doctors, judges, and SS, the more famous of which is the US-led Physicians Trial where the Nuremberg Spring 2015
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Ayaan Hirsi Ali condemns “Virulent Anti-Semitism” on college campuses at Boston event Ayaan Hirsi Ali, a prominent Somali-born women’s rights activist we can do is boycott, divest, and sanction campuses that compromise and advocate for free speech, headlined a special event regarding academic freedom,” she said. “It is appalling that only 70 years from rising anti-Semitism on North American college campuses on March the Holocaust, crowds in Europe chant “Hamas, Hamas, Jews to the gas,” she continued. “It is even 11 at Congregation Kehillath Israel in more appalling that 10,000 solBrookline. Ali offered extensive, harddiers in Paris are needed to protect hitting remarks and participated in a Jewish sites. That is the continent panel discussion with Rabbi David Starr that promised never again. And it of the Tzion program at Gann Academy is happening again.” and three student activists. The keynote Turning to the BDS movement, address and panel discussion followed Ali said she had a different the exclusive Boston premiere of Jeruacronym for BDS. “Instead of salem U’s new documentary, “Crossing Boycott, Divestment, and Sancthe Line 2: The New Face of Anti-Setions, I call them Bully, Deceive, mitism on Campus.” The film’s director, and Sabotage. Where is the BDS Shoshana Palatnik was in attendance movement against the Islamic at the event and was pleased by the Ayaan Hirsi Ali, Daniel Mael, State? Where on campuses is the hundreds who came to watch the film. Arinne Braverman and Allison Moldoff BDS movement against Saudi In her remarks at the sold-out event, Arabia? The Iranian regime, who Ali strongly criticized “virulent antiSemitism” on college campuses, declaring that “this film documents for decades have promised to wipe Israel off the map, who are devethe evidence that students on campuses are being misled. The least loping a nuclear bomb. And there’s no BDS movement against them on campus,” she said. “Why?” she asked. “Last year in Nigeria, 200 girls were kidnapped. They were sold into slavery. There was no BDS movement against Boko Haram.” As “Crossing the Line 2” demonstrates, anti-Israel activity on some North American university campuses is trespassing into literal anti-Semitism. In the past year, anti-Israel activity on campus has skyrocketed, and the Anti-Defamation League reports a 114 percent increase of anti-Israel events on campus. Students report being emotionally and intellectually harassed, intimidated, threatened, and bullied by their fellow students. They’re also being harassed by their professors - to the point that they are afraid to express a view that is not anti-Israel in the classroom. Free speech itself is under attack. “Crossing the Line 2” explores the proliferation of anti-Israel sentiment on college campuses and examines when reasonable criticism of Israel “crosses the line” into anti-Semitism. “Anti-Israel activities on campus cause students today to feel embarrassed to be pro-Israel, and could even lead them to hold negative opinions about Israel,” said Amy Holtz, President of the non- profit Get more free grant and scholarship money. educational organization Avoid costly errors in reporting financial assets. Jerusalem U. “Raising Reduce stress and worry. awareness of this growing problem is crucial. We Bright, motivated kids? made this film in order to give students the knoStudent athletes? wledge to differentiate Gifted & talented? between education and intimidation, debate and Private college a goal? hate. They must be able to identify when it is “CrosPlease call John DeLorey sing the Line.” for answers to your “Crossing the Line 2” is questions & upcoming . available online for free seminar dates. for the public to view at http://ctl.stepupforisrael. (978) 462-1666 com/watch/. Since its early March, more than 60,000 viewers have viewed the . film online.
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Spring 2015
Teen educational trip to Poland and Israel
By Stanley Hurwitz “Going to Israel directly from Poland is a lot different than flying there from Boston,” says Irv Kempner of Sharon, Chairman of the new Massachusetts Chapter of The Friends of the March of the Living (MOTL). He is the son of Holocaust survivors. His group is raising money for scholarships for 17 – 18 year-old Jewish teens to participate in the 2016 international March of the Living pilgrimage. A primary goal is to teach teens lessons of the Holocaust, inspiring them to lead the Jewish community into the future vowing ‘Never Again.’ Last year 14,000 teens from 35 countries participated in MOTL, but Kempner was disappointed that so few Bay Staters took advantage of such a unique opportunity. Since 1988, MOTL has brought 250,000 teens to Eastern Europe and Israel. The Friends of MOTL has brought 3,000 adults on annual pilgrimages and raises funds to perpetuate the teen program. The 2014 Friends of MOTL group had 40 adult participants - 7 from Mass. (See www.youtube.com/watch?v=uJci5G5SbsI) Besides raising money for teen scholarships, the new MOTL Friends chapter has recruited a group of adults for the 2015 Friends trip. Thanks to a matching grant from the Kempner Family Foundation, each MOTL donation of $1,000 is being matched up to a total of $15,000. To donate to the Friends / MOTL Endowment Fund for MA teens, tax-deductible donations may be sent to: CJP - Kempner Family Foundation, c/o Combined Jewish Philanthropies, 126 High Street, Boston, Mass. 02110, with the memo ‘March of the Living.’ For donations and/ or participation in Friends of MOTL trips, contact Irv Kempner: IrvKempner@gmail.com. For Mass. teen MOTL info, contact Shani Winton shanierik@comcast.net or MOTL N.E. Director, Jana Brenman at JBrenman@JewishAllianceRI. org. Also visit www.motl.org.
Teens at Auschwitz
March with us.
A Ziesen Pesach ORT America works to strengthen
May 1 - 15, 2016
Remember the past.
Ensure the future.
In the spring of 2016, thousands of Jewish teens from all corners of the earth will gather together in Poland and Israel for an educational experience that will change their lives.
Israel and Jewish communites worldwide.
Upcoming Info Session: Recruitment
HAPPY PASSOVER 781-444-5954 easternmass@ortamerica.org www.ortamerica.org Spring 2015
For more information contact For more information contact Jana Brenman at 401.421.4111 ext. 181 or jbrenman@jewishallianceri.org Jana Brenman at 401-421-4111 ext. 181 or jbrenman@jewishallianceri.org
to start in the Fall! Contact us for more information
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ADL welcomes passage of joint resolution condemning anti-semitism The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) applauded the passage on March 9, by the Massachusetts Senate and House of Representatives, of a joint resolution sponsored by Senator Cynthia Stone Creem (D-Newton) and Representative Lori A. Ehrlich (D-Marblehead), that condemns the recent disturbing global surge in anti-Semitism and urges measures to prevent and combat anti-Semitic attacks and incidents. The joint resolution clearly delineates when opposition to a policy crosses the line into hatred and scapegoating of Jews and calls on foreign leaders who have yet to take firm action against anti-Semitism in their countries to do so. Robert O. Trestan, ADL New England Regional Director, issued the following statement: We commend the Massachusetts Legislature for sending a strong and unequivocal message about the Commonwealth’s resolve to confront anti-Semitism. The dramatic rise in anti-Semitism speaks to the need for expanded anti-bias and Holocaust education programs in Massachusetts to combat all forms of hate and bigotry. We deeply appreciate the leadership of the Massachusetts Legislature as well as Senator Cynthia Stone Creem and Representative Lori Ehrlich in standing up for the safety and security of Jewish communities in Massachusetts and around the world who are once again being threatened by antiSemitic violence and intimidation. “In light of the frightening resurgence of anti-Semitism in Western Europe and elsewhere, I am pleased that the Massachusetts Legislature has taken this action,” said Senator Cynthia Stone Creem (D-Newton). “Democracies must work to confront and reverse prejudice, and prevent discrimination and violence against innocent victims,” she said. “In free societies, education and remembering past tragedies like the Holocaust play a critical role in defeating fanatical anti-Semitism.” “Anti-Semitism is bubbling up everywhere with alarming frequency making now an important time for awareness and leadership,” said Lori A. Ehrlich (D-Marblehead), “There is no place in civil society for prejudice or hatred of any kind. This statewide resolution shines a light on a disturbing trend while sending a strong, unequivocal message that such behavior will not be tolerated in the Commonwealth.” The resolution also expresses clear support by the Legislature for expanded anti-bias and Holocaust education programs in Massachusetts to combat anti-Semitism, bigotry, and hatred. ADL’s Global 100 Index of Anti-Semitism, a poll of public attitudes in more than 100 countries, recently found more than one-quarter of the world’s population harbors deeply entrenched anti-Semitic attitudes. The resolution was cosponsored by 72 Representatives and 21 Senators.
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Letters to the Editor What is wrong with our people? Where is our religion headed? Why is it so difficult for some of us to give just a little over an hour of our time one Friday a month to attend a Shabbat service? What kind of a message does it give to our children and grandchildren? I fear that the next generation will not continue our heritage and that religion will probably be a thing of the past. I hope with all my heart and soul that I am wrong. As we enter the Passover holiday, we should all reflect and seriously think of where we are going. Our ancestors would certainly be proud of us. Happy and healthy Pesach to all our people throughout the world. Elliot Hershoff, Pres. Cong. Tifereth Israel, Peabody, MA SEND YOUR COMMENTS TO ShalomMA@msn.com.
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