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UKRAINE Family separated by distance, united by love STORY & PHOTOS BY BILL MOTCHAN SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH LIGHT
Between work conference calls, Olga Gorodetsky anxiously checks text messages from her mother Valentina Timoshina. They live in vastly different circumstances. Gorodetsky is in her second-floor home office in Chesterfield and Timoshina is hiding out in a cellar storage area amidst bombing in Kharkiv, Ukraine. Gorodetsky, 49, grew up in Kharkiv and moved to Israel as an adult. She’s lived in St. Louis for 25 years and raised a family here. Timoshina still lives in her home country. She is an Israeli citizen and could have moved there or the United States before Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24. Now it may be too late. Nearly a half million Ukrainians have fled as Russian rockets battered the country. Russian shelling continued early this week in Kharkiv and on March 1, a video showed a rocket striking directly in front of an administrative building in the city. The United Nations reported at least 136 civilians were killed in the first five days of the invasion. Those deaths included 13 children.
Olga Gorodetsky holds a photograph of her mother, Valentina Timoshina, who is in Kharkiv, Ukraine.
“Ukrainians did not believe this would happen, that their brother would attack them,” Gorodetsky said. “Russians are bombing civilians. She did not want to leave and today she said, ‘I’m so sorry that I didn’t leave.’ But she’s in the northeast corner of Ukraine. For her to go anywhere now would be difficult. I haven’t seen her for a while, so we are mostly texting. And I’m reaching out to her when I hear something on the news to see how she’s See UKRAINE on page 24
JEWISH FEDERATION EMERGENCY FUND Read more about the fund or donate online by visiting jfedstl.org/crisis-inukraine
MORE INSIDE For many Jews, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky is a ‘modern Maccabee’ — Page 9 Read commentaries from Editor-in-Chief Emeritus Robert A. Cohn, JNS editor Jonathan Tobin and more — Page 10
COVID two years later: Learning to live a new normal BY ERIC BERGER SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH LIGHT
About a year ago, Mike Weinhaus was on the phone with a representative from his insurance company when the person asked, “Are you the family that was on the news with COVID?” Weinhaus, a member of Congregation Shaare Emeth, was indeed part of the family that attracted international attention because in March 2020, he and his wife, Jane, were among the first people to became severely ill from the virus. They both ended up at Missouri Baptist Hospital — Jane on a ventilator — and their sons, Jason and Ryan, and Ryan’s wife, Brittanie, also became sick with the virus, too. The insurance representative lived in Newfoundland, Canada and said, “If it wasn’t for your story, our small town would not have taken this seriously.” Unfortunately, there have since been plenty of other examples of people becoming sick from the virus.
People in the St. Louis Jewish community have also, of course, not been immune from the pandemic’s effects, which include sickness; death; disconnection from family, friends and communal organizations; and added strain on mental health. Still, two years after the World Health Organization declared the virus a pandemic, the number of COVID cases, hospitalizations and deaths are in decline, and governments are lifting masking requirements, among other restrictions. As such, some local Jews are again gathering in person and able to more easily find comfort and meaning in religious life. “The restrictions on the number of attendees at a graveside service or tents not being able to be put up because of COVID or everyone being required to wear a mask or the need for private services or limited attendance — that has been hard for everyone, whether we are working with someone whose (loved one) has passed away from COVID or not,” said
Mike and Jane Weinhaus are flanked by their extended family. The couple, along with their two adult sons and one of their son’s wives, were among the first St. Louisans to contract the virus in March 2020. Both Michael and Jane were hospitalized; she spent nine days on a ventilator. Emily MacDonald, manager of Berger Memorial Chapel, a Jewish funeral home. “But I do think with some of these restrictions being lifted, that will bring comfort to families and allow them to adhere to the traditions that we are used to.” After Jane Weinhaus’ 20-day hospital stay and her husband’s 10-day stint, the
two returned to their home in Chesterfield. Mike Weinhaus remained on oxygen. Jane did not but spent three weeks working with a physical therapist at home. While her recovery happened quickly, Jane said she experienced “survivor’s guilt.” See PANDEMIC on page 4
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STAFF EXECUTIVE Betsy Schmidt, Chief Executive Officer Ellen Futterman, Editor-in-Chief EDITORIAL Robert A. Cohn, Editor-in-Chief Emeritus Mike Sherwin, Managing Editor BUSINESS AND ENGAGEMENT Stacy Wolff Smart, Director of Business Development and Communications Jordan Palmer, Chief Digital Content Officer Angela Jolly, Administrative Assistant SALES Shane Blatt, Senior Account Executive Kelly Morris, Account Executive Elaine Wernick, Account Executive
St. Louis native aims to teach children through a Jewish Lens with HaShem’s Gems board books.
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NEWS & SCHMOOZE
How the Mideast met the Midwest: Love stories aren’t just for Valentine’s Day. This one, between the former Galia Gudai, a native Israeli, and Milton Movitz, a born-andbred St. Louisan, has magical written all over it. The couple was married for 36 years, until Milton Movitz’s passing in 2019. Recently, Galia Movitz sat down with me to tell the story of how, as you will soon learn, the Mideast met the Midwest.
*** Galia Movitz remembers that day in 1974 as if it were yesterday. She was in the lobby of the Holy Land Hotel in Jerusalem when she spotted the man who would later become her husband, Milton Movitz. “I can tell you exactly what he wore,” said Galia, who grew up in Israel, but has lived in St. Louis for nearly all of her adult life. “He had on this black silk Cossacklooking shirt and very snappy shoes. He was dressed to kill. He had such an amazing sense of style and fashion,” she continued, explaining that she later learned he co-owned MC Shoes, a wholesale shoe company. “When I saw him that day it was like seeing a prince on a white horse. There was something magical about him.” She had met him a few years earlier, when she was 18, and had come to St. Louis to stay with one of her sisters, who was married to a St. Louisan. She spent two years attending classes at Washington University and hanging out at Hillel. Milton served on the WashU Hillel board, largely because of his love and passion for the Jewish state. Over the course of his life, he had visited Israel more than 50 times, including several mission trips with Jewish Federation of St. Louis. In fact, while on one such trip in 1976, he phoned in a story to the Jewish Light about the arrival of Israeli soldiers who helped to rescue 103 passengers on an Air France flight held hostage by the Palestine Liberation Organization. After they first met at Hillel, Galia regarded Milton, who was divorced, as an acquaintance, albeit a handsome one. He
was perpetually tan, impeccably dressed and very well-mannered, and he genuinely seemed to care about people. But Galia was involved with someone else the day she saw him at the Jerusalem hotel. Before the start of the Yom Kippur War in 1973, she returned to Israel to serve in the military. When her service was finished, she wound up marrying a Wash U student she had been dating, who was also Israeli. The two got married in Jerusalem but came back to St. Louis to live.
The dating game Fast forward to 1980. By then Galia was divorced and mother to a young daughter. She had gotten to know Milton better over the past few years, especially through their work on the Israel Expo ’75, a twoweek celebration of all things Israeli hosted by Federation and the Jewish Community Center in 1975. So, when he eventually asked her out on a date, she said yes. “In the Central West End, there was a whole group that hung out at Balaban’s.
That was Milton’s place,” Galia recalled. “They (the Balaban’s crew) had a black-tie party on this riverboat on the Mississippi, and he asked me to join him for that party. That was our first date. “We were outside looking at the beautiful night, with the stars, and before we know it, we have a kiss. And that kiss felt like this man is mine. There was something about him that was meant to be, that’s all I can say, beshert. I believe the reason I was brought back to St. Louis was to reconnect with Milton Movitz. When I reflect back, it was like a fairytale. Forty years of a fairytale.” After a couple of years dating, Galia knew she wanted more of a commitment. “Because he been single for so long, he didn’t seem like the guy who would . . . he loved single life and that’s
NEWS & SCHMOOZE News and Schmooze is a column by Light Editor-in-Chief Ellen Futterman. Email Ellen at: efutterman@ stljewishlight.org
where he was. At that point, I felt like I needed to go back to Israel.” When she told Milton of her plans, he didn’t believe her. He asked that before she go, she let him take her out to dinner to toast her upcoming birthday. “Of course, where are we going to go, but Balaban’s,” she said laughing. “We drive to Balaban’s. We park on the sidewalk and then he comes around to my side -- he always opened the door for me, he was a gentleman -- and when he opens the door, I see the man on one knee. He takes out a ring and asks me to marry him.”
‘The Mideast meets the Midwest’ Most people have one wedding celebration. Galia and Milton Movitz had three. The first took place on May 20, 1983, in the backyard of their Ladue home, with Rabbi Abraham Magence of Bais Abraham and Rabbi Bernie Lipnick of Congregation B’nai Amoona performing the ceremony. The couple were members of B’nai Amoona; Galia still belongs. “Milty’s idea was family and very close, immediate friends. There were about 50 people,” she said. “He wanted a Shabbos bride. It was a Friday before sunset and comSee SCHMOOZE on page 7
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Thursday, March 24 | 6:30pm | She Votes with Bridget Quinn PRESENTED BY
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Forest Park • 314.746.4599 • mohistory.org
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Pandemic: COVID two years later: Learning to live a new normal CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 “When you are looking at body bags in New York in the hospitals, you go through different emotions,” said Jane who, like her husband, is 65 years old. That fall, Jane returned to teaching at Temple Israel, where she has worked for more than 25 years and teaches 2-yearolds. She said she now gets even more satisfaction from her job. “You want them to have some happy memories, whether it’s doing bubbles or the parachute or reading a book or doing an art project,” she said. Not everything is the same though. Before the pandemic, on Fridays around lunchtime, the entire school would gather in the sanctuary, and the kids would sing and dance to celebrate Shabbat. Now teachers do it in their individual classrooms. Jane said she looks forward to the day when the entire school is again able to gather. It took longer for Mike Weinhaus to recover. He spent a month on oxygen at home. Then a couple more months passed before “I had enough energy to do things,” he said. But he returned to officiating golf tournaments on a limited basis last year and plans to take on a full schedule this year. “It’s just my passion. I just love being around the golf course every day,” he said. He still can’t taste much though, and his sense of smell hasn’t fully recovered either. But “we have no complains that this happened to us,” he said. “Grateful,” Jane added. “We don’t have any gripes,” said Mike. “We are just very fortunate people.”
Support group provides ‘silver lining’ during pandemic During the pandemic, No Shanda, No Shame not only switched from an in-person to a virtual format, but the Jewish support group for people struggling with mental health challenges also started to meet weekly rather than monthly. “Because of COVID, we said, ‘We’ve got to meet weekly. There is just too much going on, and it’s just too difficult,’” recalled Rabbi Susan Talve, who leads the group along with her husband and fellow Central Reform Congregation rabbi, James Stone Goodman. “We didn’t want to lose touch with people.” The group meets over Zoom on Sundays at 1 p.m. and opens with a teaching, usually about the week’s Torah portion. “Every week there is a message from Torah that seems to be so relevant,” said Talve. While the isolation caused by social distancing during the pandemic was startling for much of the population, for people with mental illness, “isolating at home is nothing new,” said Talve.
ABOVE AND LEFT: Greg and Laura Lieber said participating in the No Shanda, No Shame support group at Central Reform Congregation has helped them during the pandemic. “It’s been almost a comfort for people, but it’s also not always the healthiest of things,” she said. “For people who might be more comfortable… going dark and staying by themselves, this is a safe way for people to connect with each other.” About 20 people, most, but not all, Jewish, attend a typical meeting. Some are people with mental illness. Others are their family members. The issues that participants struggled with throughout the pandemic were often the same as before March 2020, Talve said. “We are talking about people who lived with these diagnoses before the pandemic and will live with these diagnoses after the pandemic,” said Talve. “This pandemic has made it challenging, and our No Shandah group has been one of the lifelines for people.” Laura Lieber and her husband, Greg, attend the meeting each week. Laura, who works in cosmetics, has bipolar and panic disorders and anxiety and depression and was hospitalized months before the pandemic because “she was so caught up in stuff that she was not able to process and deal with her mental illness, and it was kind of a breakdown, and she needed the break,” explained Greg, who, like his wife, is Jewish.
The couple, who live in west St. Louis County, started to attend No Shandah when it met monthly at the Jewish Community Center near Creve Coeur. “I felt like I had no support system for mental illness in the community, so I was very much wanting some kind of support,” said Laura, 54, who is a mother of three. She thinks there has been a greater need for a group like No Shandah during the pandemic. “People in the group wait for Sunday because they know that they are going to be able to bring whatever is going on in their life to this group and get feedback and support,” said Laura. Greg, a musician and communications sales consultant, also attends three groups for people in recovery from drug and alcohol addiction each week, including ones led by Goodman. He thinks the groups are effective — even in the virtual format. “This pandemic has created a situation where it’s beneficial for people to be able to have that more regular interfacing, even if it’s on a screen, than not having it,” said Greg, a pianist who has been sober for four years and can now play music in bars and not be tempted to drink. “It’s pretty much a miracle that that has happened. I chalk that up to both the involvement in the” meetings “and my higher power.” Talve said she hopes the group can again meet in person, but they have no immediate plans to do so. Greg said he sees No Shandah as one of the silver linings of the pandemic. “People have started helping people,” said Laura. Greg added, “I think it’s at least become apparent that that needs to happen.”
trends. Families not only often had to have small, private services but also couldn’t have shiva gatherings. “That I heard from families was really difficult to get used to,” MacDonald said. In fall 2021, MacDonald started to see families again hold larger services and shiva gatherings. “I am really grateful that the number of cases are declining so that if families experience a loss, they are able to celebrate or memorialize someone the way they want to, rather than a way that is dictated to them,” she said. Craig Roth, vice president and funeral director of Rindskopf-Roth Funeral Chapel, also recently saw an increase in the number of shivas open to the community, as well as more people again shaking hands and hugging. “I do think there is a slow return to normalcy, and I do think people are able to get more comfort and consolation today than they were a year ago,” said Roth. Still, whether it’s a funeral at the grave site or service in a chapel, Roth said he continues to notice one change: there are fewer older adult attendees than before the pandemic. “They might want to come” but “are still very cautious about contracting the virus because of their age or because of underlying health concerns,” said Roth. “That is the kind of thing that I don’t know we will ever see go away.”
Slow return to normalcy
Emily MacDonald of Berger Memorial Chapel.
MacDonald, of Berger Memorial, saw significant increases in the number of people who died from COVID in late 2020 and early 2021, before the vaccines became widely available, which followed national
Craig Roth is vice president and funeral director of RindskopfRoth Funeral Chapel.
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St. Louis family to be honored by Touro’s Lander College BY JORDAN PALMER CHIEF DIGITAL CONTENT OFFICER
A St. Louis family will be honored at a ceremony March 6 by the Lander College for Men. The school, which is located in Kew Garden Hills, Queens, N.Y., provides students a unique opportunity to achieve both their professional goals while maintaining their commitment to Judaism. The school is honoring St. Louisans Dr. Michael and Bonita Goldmeier and family with “The Family Legacy Award.” The Goldmeiers are parents of six boys, four of whom attended Lander College, which is a division of Touro College. The award presentation will be a part of the school’s Chag HaSemicha Ceremony and Gala Dinner, honoring 24 musmachim, or newly ordained rabbis. “The Goldmeiers embody the highest ideals of Lander College. They deeply value community, Torah, academic and professional excellence and chesed, all values that we strive to inculcate in our students,” said Moshe Sokol, dean and a professor at Lander College for Men. The Goldmeiers sent their six boys to Jewish day schools, followed by a gap year
The Goldmeier family is being honored by Touro’s Lander College for Men. yeshivot in Israel. When Josh, the oldest, discovered Lander College, he set that as the family’s standard. Bonita Goldmeier, who has lived in St.
Louis her entire life and is a member of U City Shul, says Lander College shares the same Midwestern values she cherishes. “St. Louis is a relatively small Jewish
community, but with strong Midwest values — where everyone helps each other out and children are raised with minimal materialism,” she said. “Our boys attended H.F. Epstein Hebrew Academy, and were looking to take the next step to college they wanted to continue their Jewish learning. When we found Lander, it really just felt right. Lander has a family feel, yet it offers a great education and preparation for careers and life.” One by one, the family legacy continued with four Goldmeiers attending classes at Lander. ‘This is the right place for our family. Lander College is a place where the dean’s door is always open. Students can feel comfortable speaking with rabbis or professors who all know their names and are rooting for their success,” said Goldmeier. Founded by Dr. Bernard Lander in 1971, the school is part of the Touro College system. Lander was an Orthodox rabbi in Baltimore before returning to his native New York in 1944. He taught at Hunter College and from 1954 to 1969 served as dean of Yeshiva University’s Bernard Revel Graduate School of Jewish Studies before founding the college.
LOCAL NEWS BRIEFS
Shaare Emeth plans ‘Purimchella’
Congregation Shaare Emeth is hosting “Purimchella” from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday, March 13 in honor of Purim. Billed as a family music and fun festival, featuring Rick Recht, Lucy Greenbaum and Chef Bananas, this interactive event features food trucks, art activities, hands-on games and of course, lots of singing and music. To register, go to https://www.sestl.org/purim/purimchella-family-music-fun-festival. Prior to Purimchella, at 10:15 a.m., join Shaare Emeth clergy and staff as they perform “A Very Encanto Purimspiel.” Costumes are welcome. This event is recommended for preschool-age children and older. Shaare Emeth is located at 11645 Ladue Road.
Women’s Interfaith Conference planned The 41st Annual Women’s Interfaith Conference will be held virtually at 1 p.m. Thursday, March 31. The conference will look at “Women of Faith: Living Our Faith In A Secular World.” Followers of the religious communities of Hinduism, Sikhism, Christianity, Baha’ism, Judaism and Islam will share how individually and communally those in their faiths have addressed and attempted to positively influence the current challenging issues of human society. The event is free, although donations are appreciated. After registering at https://interfaithstl.org/wic2022, participants will receive the online webinar link for the conference. For more information, contact Jerri Livingston at 314-469-3553.
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THE STORY BEHIND THE NAME
Sachs family nourished soil of 2 Garden landmarks BY BILL MOTCHAN
The Sophia M. Sachs Butterfly House Education Center in Chesterfield.
SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH LIGHT
St. Louisans seeking an opportunity to better understand the environment and how we care for the natural world will find an excellent resource in the Missouri Botanical Garden. But visitors might not know the story of the philanthropic St. Louis Jewish family that is the namesake of two garden facilities. The Stephen and Peter Sachs Museum sits on the eastern side of the garden along Tower Grove Avenue. It was designed by architect George Barrett and built in 1859, the year the garden opened. It was the original location of the garden’s library and herbarium. Age took its toll on the building, renovations were completed in May 2018 and it is one of the crown jewels of the garden complex. Stephen and Peter Sachs were brothers and the sons of philanthropist Louis Sachs. However, neither Louis nor his sons lived to see the renovated museum. Louis initiated the lead gift to renovate the museum in 2011. He died during the fundraising phase, and his son Stephen took over the project for the family. Stephen died during the renovation. His brother Peter died in 2003. Louis Sachs helped fund another local landmark, the Sophia M. Sachs Butterfly House in Chesterfield. He initiated the lead gift to build and name the facility in honor of his mother-in-law. “The Butterfly House is named for my mother, Sophie,” said Nancy Sachs, 90. Louis Sachs was a garden trustee for more than a decade and a strong supporter of its development. He cared deeply about the institution, Nancy Sachs said. “It is certainly a major part of St. Louis, and you support the things that you care about,” she said. While Sachs contributed to these institutions, he preferred that his name not be attached to them, according to his daughter Susan Sachs. “He had the naming rights, but he didn’t like it to be discussed,” she said. “It was modesty. He was happy he could do the things he did, but any public recognition of them made him very uncomfortable.” Louis Stanley Sachs was born Jan. 9, 1928. His father, Samuel, was a Lithuanian immigrant, and his grandfather, also named Louis, was a dry goods peddler who settled the family in Desloge, Mo. They eventually moved to St. Louis. Samuel earned a degree in electrical engineering from Washington University and formed the S.C. Sachs Co. (later Sachs Electric Co.). The firm’s customers includ-
PHOTO: BILL MOTCHAN
ed Sportsman’s Park, Busch Stadium II and the Gateway Arch. Louis Sachs graduated from Clayton High School in 1945. Like his father, Samuel, he graduated from Washington University. He joined the Army in 1950 and served in the Korean War. Louis returned and became president of Sachs Electric. He later turned his attention to real estate development and set his sights on Chesterfield. Louis Sachs also became active in philanthropy, contributing to the arts, the Jewish Community Center, Jewish Hospital and the St. Louis County Library; the Samuel C. Sachs Branch in Chesterfield is named for his father.
Botanical garden museums are uncommon The Stephen and Peter Sachs Museum is unusual in part because so few botanical gardens have a dedicated facility of its kind, said Nezka Pfeifer, museum curator. “It’s quite rare for a botanical garden to have a museum,” Pfeifer said. “Maybe about 10 gardens around the world have dedicated museums that tell stories about plants. It’s invaluable to have visitors able to come to one of the oldest botanical gardens
ABOVE: The Stephen and Peter Sachs Museum at the Missouri Botanical Garden. RIGHT: Sophia Sachs in center holds a sign for the Sophia M. Sachs Butterfly House Education Center at a groundbreaking ceremony.
in the country and learn about some significant plant families that touch all of us. “I feel it sets a context for plants in our daily lives and gets people to pay attention so when they hear about some of the really interesting, unique conservation work that our Missouri Botanical Garden does in faraway places around the world, like Madagascar and the South Pacific, they understand the larger impact that plants play in our lives.” The Sachs Museum is featuring a “Grafting the Grape” exhibition that explores American grapes used in winemaking, and how those grapes continue to produce wine in Missouri. George Englemann, a German-born botanist and scientific adviser to Henry Shaw, a philanthropist and founder of the garden, was instrumental in studying and naming many native Missouri grapes. German immigrants who landed in Missouri discovered those native plants as well, and towns such as Hermann boast a number of popular wineries today. Winemaking became a growing industry in the mid-1800s, and countries traded grape plants to develop better tasting wines. An unintended consequence of those trades was a hitchhiking insect, the Grape phylloxera, that landed in Europe on the root of an
American grape plant. It nearly devastated the wine industry in France until botanists and vintners figured out the cause. To fix the problem, they turned to the ancient art of root grafting. That process is featured in the Sachs Museum.
Butterflies are early predictors of environmental stress The Sophia M. Sachs Butterfly House in Faust Park is a major local destination for families. It’s no coincidence that Louis Sachs supported the concept, said Jennifer Mullix, director of the butterfly house. “Louis Sachs was a real estate developer, but he also invested in the future of Chesterfield, and he knew what it was going to become,” Mullix said. “He knew what people in the community wanted and needed. It wasn’t just about buildings and houses.” Mullix said the butterfly house is connected with the Missouri Botanical Garden in part because trees are host plants for butterflies. “Monarch butterflies can’t lay their eggs on a rose bush,” she said. “The tulip poplar is a beautiful tree, but it’s also a host plant for butterflies. You can’t have flowers without butterflies, and you can’t have butterflies without plants. It’s a great symbiotic relationship. “The earliest predictors that something is wrong in the environment are insects and creatures like butterflies, so they are very important. We are the advocate of teaching the public about the importance of invertebrates. Any animal without a backbone — we want to shed some light on them. When our founders started the house in the late ’90s, it was about displaying these beautiful species of butterflies, but we also educate people about the symbiotic relationship between butterflies and plants. As a division of the Missouri Botanical Garden, it’s very important to us to be a beautiful place people can escape to and an education environment.” Mullix said part of the butterfly house’s educational mission is to illustrate that everyone can play a part in providing an environment hospitable to pollinators such as bees and butterflies. “We teach that you shouldn’t be using pesticides in your backyard, and how you can plant pollinator gardens in your backyard or on your porch,” she said. Even a small parsley plant destined as garnish or on a seder plate can attract some butterflies, she said.
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LOCAL NEWS
JEWISH LIGHT
March 2, 2022
Page 7
Schmooze: Galia and Milton Movitz’s Israel-St. Louis love story CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3 ing into Shabbat.” The next night the festivities moved to the Starlight Room at the Chase Park Plaza, with the theme “The Mideast Meets the Midwest.” With the help of a party planner called Rent a Yenta, the room was transformed into a desert wonderland, replete with a live camel, palm trees and sand. Milton secured recipes from the couple’s favorite Moroccan restaurant in Los Angeles, so that similar food could be prepared for their 150 guests. “There was a belly dancer and a musician who played Middle Eastern music,” Galia added. “I even stood on the table and sang to (Milton) a Hebrew love song.” Afterwards, drapes parted - like the Red Sea — to reveal the “Midwest” portion of the evening — a full band and ample dance floor. The next day, the couple traveled to Israel, for another wedding in Jerusalem. This one honored Galia’s Yemenite background. “I wore a traditional Yemenite bridal gown, with a big hat. It took hours to get dressed, with all the jewelry – every finger had a 24-carat gold ring and so many bracelets,” recalled Galia. “Then Milton looks at himself and says, ‘What about me?’ They found him a robe that a Yemenite groom would wear, so he’s in seventh heaven. Being dressed this way, he hired a driver and car to take us to the Western Wall. I remember walking down to it. When you see a bride in Israel it’s a big to-do, so everyone wanted to kiss our hands and say a blessing. It was an amazing experience.”
A new chapter Of course, not all things in a marriage are about lavish weddings and exotic travel.
At left, Galia and Milton Movitz at their Yemenite wedding in Jerusalem in 1983. Below, taking a stroll together, circa 1980.
Make no mistake – there was plenty of the latter. Milton was known for his spontaneity, whether it’d be flying Galia’s sisters in from Israel for her birthday or the couple jetting off to Italy or Los Angeles. Galia chuckled when recalling how Milton once told her he was concerned because they never argue. He felt they should see a marriage counselor. “We had one session with the counselor who after listening, told us to go on loving each other and enjoying life together, she said, adding, “which is exactly what we did.” It’s the little things, Galia says, she misses — the rituals that they created, be it sending her a magnificent bouquet of fresh flowers before every Shabbat, or their weekly Wednesday “dates” after he retired. “For as long as I can remember, I’d come down to the kitchen and this husband of mine would have coffee, a peeled and sliced apple and a love note for me. Every single morning,” said Galia, who has long tutored students in Hebrew and math. “The love, and the expression of it, was unbelievable. He always signed his cards, ‘To my Yemenite cookie from your Ashkenazi cookie.’ That was every card.” Together they had one son, Daniel, 34, an accomplished photographer who Galia says was “Milton’s prince.” But she is quick to add that she, like Milton, is close
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cherish what she hasn’t lost — wonderful memories of her years with Milton. “Life is a book, and in any book, we have chapters. That chapter is so magnificent,” she said. “I feel so grateful for having such a magical time with such an incredible man. “It took me time to close this chapter and say, life is not over. He is so much a part of me. I feel that this is what Milty would want me to do — to find happiness. To find a way to continue his legacy. “And I have to say that in Barry Lipnick, I found someone who is so sensitive and admires the love that Milty and I had, and he cares to continue that.” Galia has been d a t i n g Lipnick, who coincidentally is a cousin of the late Bernie Lipnick, the rabbi who married Galia and Milton at wedding No. 1. The two met a couple of years ago through Match. com, soon after Galia joined the site. “Barry is a man who like Milty, is very easy to love, a p p r e c i a te and respect,” she said.
to all of her children, including her stepdaughter s (f rom Milton’s first marriage) and their families. W hen I asked how she was coping with the loss of her beloved Milty, she onsaid she has come to Now available three popular
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Page 8
WORLD NEWS
March 2, 2022
STL
JEWISH LIGHT
stljewishlight.org
For many Jews watching Ukraine’s war, Vlodymyr Zelensky is a ‘modern Maccabee’ BY PHILISSA CRAMER JTA
One week ago, Jews outside of Ukraine knew Volodymyr Zelensky as the world leader on the other end of the “perfect phone call” that resulted in the impeachment of President Donald Trump. But now, after days of watching Zelensky balance humor and gravitas while rallying his fellow Ukrainians to rebuff the Russian army invasion, they know him as a contemporary Jewish hero. “Zelensky gives modern Maccabee energy,” Peter Fox, a writer, wrote on Twitter. Fox was referring to the ancient Jews who, though outflanked in every way, fended off the efforts of foreign fighters, directed by a power-hungry ruler, to quash their independence and culture. That history can be seen as an apt comparison for what’s happening in Ukraine — and it’s one of several reasons that Zelensky’s leadership is resonating so much with Jews the world over. “As a Jew, it is impossible not to feel proud of the courage, dignity, and defiance shown by Zelensky at this moment,” Molly Crabapple, a prominent leftist writer and artist, said in a tweet late Friday night, shortly after Zelensky posted a video showing him in the center of Kyiv, defiant in the face of encroaching Russian forces. In Tel Aviv, people rallying for Ukraine chanted Zelensky’s name. A tweet by a former Israeli speechwriter encouraging people to pray for him by his Hebrew name was shared tens of thousands of times over the weekend. And multiple memes ricocheted around the internet highlighting Zelensky as a powerful embodiment of Jewish pride. “This is Volodymyr Zelensky. President of Ukraine. He is Jewish. His grandfather fought Nazis in WWII. Many of his relatives were killed in the Holocaust,” said one of them, shared by Good, a media company. “He is standing up to a dictator. Because he is brave. Because he knows what happens if you don’t.” Another, shared by the organization Stop A ntisemitism, emphasized Zelensky’s roots in a family decimated by the Holocaust. Over a photo of Zelensky, the meme says, “A Jewish Ukrainian fam-
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is drawing admiration from Jews who see him as a heroic figure. ily had 4 brothers. 3 were murdered by the Nazis. Only 1 survived,” referring to his grandfather. Behind the feel-good sentiment of the memes lurks more complicated subtexts. Some saw the elevation of Zelensky as a Jewish hero as implying that others who came before Zelensky, potentially including Jewish victims of the Nazi genocide, lacked the bravery needed to survive, or that a Jewish president should be remarkable in a country where, not so long ago, more than 1.5 million Jews flourished. Those embedded meanings are exactly why Zelensky’s leadership has been so inspiring to Jews, according to Ben M. Freeman, the author of the 2021 book “Jewish Pride: Rebuilding a People.” Freeman suggested the adulation of Zelensky was an antidote to the “Jews went like lambs to the slaughter” allegation that haunted survivors after the Holocaust. “Jewish people are resilient. Jewish people fight back. Jewish people have always resisted. And I think many Jewish people feel that this is a continuation of that,” Freeman told JTA. He added, “There’s lay-
ers of Jewish resilience, but there’s also the rewriting of the Ukrainian Jewish relationship — not rewriting it to erase the past because we cannot — kind of helping us move forward.” Before becoming Ukraine’s president in 2019, Zelensky was a comedian, and his meteoric rise from just another world leader to beacon of democracy has elicited its share of jokes this week. “As a Ukrainian-Jewish man, I’m getting a little concerned that Zelensky is setting some unachievable standards of behavior,” tweeted Sam Biederman, a public relations professional in New York City. Fox tweeted about Zelensky’s height, 5’ 7”, and called him “an inspiration to short Jews everywhere.” But many others say they see in his leadership serious, and gratifying, implications for Jews in Ukraine and beyond. For one thing, many see Zelensky’s success as a turning point in the history of Jews in Ukraine. “If Zelensky has now become synonymous with the blue-and-yellow flag of his country, it might signal an unexpected outcome of this conflict that has found
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Jews feeling finally, improbably, one with a land that has perpetually tried to spit them out,” wrote Gal Beckerman, the Soviet Union-born author of a book about efforts to liberate Jews from oppression there, in The Atlantic Sunday. This history is part of what Fox said was so inspiring about see Zelensky in charge. “In 1941 over 33,000 Ukrainian Jews were murdered in a 2 day span in the Babi Yar ravine marking one of the deadliest massacres of the Holocaust,” Fox wrote, referring to the mass shooting — first reported by JTA — that was organized by Nazis but supported by local collaborators. “For Ukraine to have a Jewish President descended from a Holocaust survivor standing up to a dictator is really empowering.” At the same time, Zelensky’s steadfastness in the face of acute danger — and offers of evacuation — would appear to undercut a dangerous, age-old stereotype about Jews, that they are not fully committed to the countries in which they live. “Now is a good time to dispense with the idea that Jews aren’t really loyal to the country of their birth,” tweeted Elizabeth Picciotto, a writer on Long Island. Unusually in a moment of extreme polarization, Zelensky is drawing praise from Jews across the political spectrum. “Fawning over politicians, especially around militarism, makes me uneasy. Continued on opposite page
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STL
JEWISH LIGHT
WORLD NEWS
March 2, 2022
Page 9
Here’s how you can help the Jews of Ukraine BY JTA STAFF
In response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Jewish organizations are directing aid for tens of thousands of Jews living in the embattled country, assisting refugees who are fleeing the fighting and helping area Jews who have been trying or are hoping to immigrate to Israel. Below is a partial list of organizations that have ramped up ongoing efforts in the region or opened emergency mailboxes since the start of the war. • The Jewish Federations of North America has an emergency mailbox for helping people immigrate to Israel, securing the local Ukrainian community and its institutions and maintaining critical welfare services, among other needs. Jewish Federation of St. Louis’ emergency fund is avaialble at: jfedstl.org/crisis-in-ukraine • The American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee has a longstanding presence in the country, assisting impoverished seniors and supporting a network of Jewish community centers and social service agencies. Visit www.jdc.org/ disasters/ukraine-response/ • The Afya Foundation, in conjunction with UJA-Federation of New York, is preparing urgently needed wound care, surgical equipment and biomedical equipment to be shipped to Ukraine. Visit https://afyafoundation.org/campaign/ disaster-response-hub-ukraine/ • The American Jewish Committee’s emergency #StandWithUkraine fund is
Continued from opposite page
That said, we should probably get Zelensky this @truahrabbis shirt,” wrote Sophie Ellan-Golan, the director of strategic communication at Jews for Racial & Economic Justice, a liberal Jewish activist group. She pointed to the rabbinic human rights group’s swag, which reads: “Resisting tyrants since Pharaoh,” a reference to how Jews who were enslaved in Egypt rose up, with the support of a mighty leader, to liberate themselves. Meanwhile, David Suissa, the editor of Los Angeles’ Jewish Journal, which frequently decries progressive ideology on its editorial page, wrote that he saw a different element of Jewish tradition reflected in Zelensky’s resolve not to leave his native country. “Thousands of years after our biblical patriarch Abraham’s poignant cry to God of ‘Hineni’ (‘Here I am’), the ultimate
Staff from the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee at the border between Romania and Moldova, preparing to assist Jewish Ukrainian refugees traveling through Moldova to Romania. PHOTO: RAMIN MAZUR/JDC pledging to direct 100% of the funds to those meeting urgent needs in Ukraine, including IsraAID, the rapid response Israeli relief agency, which is assisting refugees of all backgrounds in neighboring Moldova. Visit https://global.ajc.org/support-ukraine
of those seeking to leave Ukraine. Notes of support and friendship to HIAS and Jewish community center staff in Ukraine can be sent to general inboxes at partner JCCs that are located throughout the Ukraine. Visit https://d.jcca.org/JCCs%20 In%20Ukraine.pdf
• HIAS is working through channels within the U.S. and throughout Europe to support the safe and speedy resettlement
• The Jewish Agency for Israel has opened an emergency hotline to provide Ukrainian Jews with guidance and infor-
expression of responsibility, a Jewish president in the midst of war uttered a similar message: “Listen. I am here,’” Suissa wrote. “In the face of such courage, it’s hard to think of more essential words to embody the miracle of Jewish survival.” Suissa connected Zelensky’s leadership to Israel, which he called “the ultimate example of Jews telling the world, ‘Listen, we are here. We’re not running. We’re not hiding.’” Politics are detectable in some of the Zelensky valorization. In a third and more politically charged meme, JewBelong, a group that has recently posted provocative
billboards in multiple cities drawing attention to antisemitism and what it says is Jews’ need to fight against hatred of them, juxtaposed an image of Zelensky in army fatigues next to the famous image of U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders sitting with his arms and legs crossed and wearing large mittens at Joe Biden’s presidential inauguration. “What type of Jew are you?” the meme asked. Those who commented on the meme weren’t sure what it was implying: that both men represent a Jewish archetype, or that only Zelensky should be held up as a paragon.
• The Chabad-Lubavitch movement has a Ukraine Jewish Relief Fund. Visit https:// www.chabad.org/special/campaigns/ ukraine/donate.htm
But for the most part, as Zelensky seemingly single-handedly alters the way the world responds to his beleaguered Ukraine, Jews are expressing one sentiment over and over again. “The only good thing to come out of this humanitarian crisis is to see such an admirable and heroic Jewish president,” wrote Marion Haberman, who goes by My Jewish Mommy Life online, on Instagram this weekend. Using the congratulatory Hebrew term meaning “all the honor,” she added, “Kol haKavod to President Zelensky.”
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mation regarding the immigration process, as well as general assistance. Visit https://my.jewishagency.org/ukraine/
Glo bal Real Estate Ad viso r
c. 314.954.3999 beth.manlin@dielmannsir.com
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OPINIONS The above headline is an obvious play on President John F. Kennedy’s historic speech in front of the Berlin Wall: “Ich bin Ein Berliner”—“I am a Berliner!” The horrific unprovoked war on the innocent people of Ukraine perpetrated by Russian dictator Vladimir Putin resonates deeply with me, not only as a journalist, but as an American Jew whose family on my mother’s side lived in Ukraine before many of them immigrated to the United States in 1906-08. The large DeWoskin family in Ukraine included the city of Glukhov, which is in
the direct path of one of the large Russian Army attacks on the independent and sovereign nation. Had not my great grandparents, Naphtali and Zelda DeWoskin, and maternal grandparents, Max and Sarah Tolstoi DeWoskin, and their three children Allen, Minnie and my mom, Lilian, booked passage on The Empress of Ireland in 1906, their descendants could have been caught in the crossfire between Putin’s Russian Army and the brave Ukrainian Resistance. If the above were not enough, Glukhov, a city with a population of around 32,000, is close to the nuclear ghost town of Chernobyl, site of the most severe nuclear
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ABOUT THE OPINIONS SECTION Viewpoints expressed in letters, commentaries, cartoons and other opinion pieces reflect those of the writer or artist, and not those of the Light. We welcome submissions of letters and commentaries to: news@stljewishlight.org
Ich bin ein Ukrainer: Why Ukraine war is personal to my family and me ROBERT A. COHN
JEWISH LIGHT
disaster in history. Russian and Ukrainian troops fought a pitched battle over the site to prevent its smoldering radioactive ruins from being weaponized. Nuclear weapons have been put on “high alert” by Putin over the weekend. In addition, Glukhov and its environs were in the direct path of Adolf Hitler’s Nazi troops who stupidly invaded the Soviet Union in 1941. The USSR’s Red Army then joined the Western Allies in mobilizing to defeat Hitler and the Axis powers. As Jews, we are immensely proud of the brave (and Jewish) President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, who has been
The years I spent in Ukraine taught me a very Jewish concept: Hope
Robert A. Cohn is Editor-in-Chief Emeritus of the St. Louis Jewish Light.
described as “Ukraine’s Churchill” for standing with the people who democratically elected him. As Jews, we are acutely and viscerally aware that we are at the mercy of borders, boundaries and despots. The political “us” is indeed personal. When I look at the map of my mother’s hometown, I think to myself “There but for the grace of God go I.” And like all who cherish freedom and despise dictators, from Pharaoh to Haman, from Hitler to Putin, today each of us can say Ich bin Ein Ukrainer.
A protest against the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Jerusalem City Hall on Feb. 28. PHOTO: OLIVIER FITOUSSI/ FLASH90
BY RABBI JEREMY BOROVITZ
BERLIN — I watch what is happening in Ukraine and I feel helpless, scared for the state of the world, terrified for my friends and former students and anxious about the future of the place that I called home for nearly four years of my life. When I first arrived in Ukraine 12 years ago as a Peace Corps volunteer, I didn’t speak the language, was intimidated by the culture and was plagued by stories of pogroms and mass shootings that had penetrated the Jewish collective trauma. Imagine my surprise (not to mention the surprise of my family and friends back home in the United States) when it was Ukraine, and life in a small Ukrainian village, that led to my own spiritual awakening, which brought me closer to Torah, prayer, and God, and which was the catalyst for the rabbinical role in which I find myself today. Ukraine has somewhere between 43,000 and 200,000 Jews, a wide swing that depends on who is counting and how they count. The vast majority of these Jews live in four major cities — Kyiv, Dnipro, Odessa and Kharkiv — where one can find a vibrant and breathing Jewish life. In addition, most large to mid-size Ukrainian cities have synagogues and/ or cultural centers, and you will often Rabbi Jeremy Borovitz find in small towns across the country a is a rabbi and Director handful of elderly Jews who still gather of Jewish Learning for from time to time for holiday celebra- Hillel Deutschland. tions. One of my most transformative He lives in Berlin Jewish experiences was an impromptu with his wife, Rabbi Torah-reading for Simchat Torah cele- Rebecca Blady, and their two children. brations in the town of Zvenyhorodka. Kyiv, the city which I used to call home, is home to multiple synagogues, a Jewish Community Center, grassroots social and cultural movements, a Hillel, a Moishe House and a kosher bar, among other institutions. While many young Jews left Ukraine in the past eight years for economic reasons, as recently as a few weeks ago I spoke with friends excited to mark a post-COVID return to Jewish life with a massive Purim bash. I spent Tuesday night glued to my phone, unable to sleep, counting Russian battalions on the border and refreshing Twitter feeds in English, German and Ukrainian. I watched speeches by Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Early the next morning, after I got my kids off to school, I called Vassil Ivanovich, the physics and math teacher at the school in the small village of Boyarka See OP-ED on page 17
What are the lessons for Israel from Russia’s war on Ukraine? Self-reliance is key to security. Israelis shouldn’t rely on fickle international sympathy BY JONATHAN S. TOBIN JNS
Sometimes realpolitik must bow to international sentiment. The State of Israel’s instinctual response to the war launched against Ukraine by Russia’s authoritarian leader, Vladimir Putin, was to stay out of it. But faced with an overwhelming surge of sympathy for Ukraine and hostility to Russia sparked by Putin’s brutal war of aggression, Foreign Minister Yair Lapid said that, “Israel will be on the right side of history” and would vote in favor of a United Nations General Assembly resolution condemning Moscow. This came after the Israelis angered their American allies. U.N. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield protested the Jewish state’s refusal to join 87 other countries in supporting a Security Council resolution proposed by the United States condemning Russia that was ultimately vetoed by Putin last week. Israeli offers of mediation and signals that it preferred to sit on the fence got bad reviews at the U.N. Rather than suffer further such criticism, Lapid said that his nation would uphold its own “values” by voting against the Russians. Judging by the reaction in Israel, this seems to have been a popular decision. Most Israelis, like people elsewhere, are horrified by the videos of the fight-
ing in Ukraine. Ukrainian resistance against a foreign invader has generated support around the world and even forced the hand of the U.S. and other Western nations to adopt additional and more severe sanctions against Russia than the ones that President Joe Biden had initially been prepared to impose. The courageous conduct of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who has personally led the defense of his country rather than fleeing for his life as most people expected he would do, has also turned the former comedian into an unlikely 21st-century Jewish hero. But while the popular sentiment in favor of Zelensky and the Ukrainians is sweeping every other consideration aside in international forums, those tasked with the defense of the Jewish state understand that the conclusions to be drawn Jonathan S. Tobin from the war go beyond those is editor-in-chief of that highlight a willingness to JNS (Jewish News identify with the struggle of a Syndicate). Follow people to resist foreign rule. him on Twitter at: @ While defying the U.S. at the jonathans_tobin. U.N. in order to stay on speaking terms with Putin would seem to be a both foolish and amoral stance, former Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wasn’t the only one who seemed to think that Lapid’s decision wasn’t the right one. The See JONATHAN TOBIN on page 21
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D’VAR TORAH — PARASHAT PEKUDEI
Judaism recognizes power of uniting as community BY RABBI NEAL ROSE
The late Rabbi Bernard Lipnick kept a plaque on his desk that read, “No One of us is smarter than All of us.” In this week’s Torah reading we hear about the final stages in the construction of the portable sanctuary known as the Mishkan or the Tabernacle. It is important to note that after the technical aspects of the work are completed, Moshe blessed all of Israel for their participation in the project. The verse continues: “now Moshe saw all the work they had made…then Moshe blessed them” (Shemot 39:43). How did he word the blessing? Tradition provides an answer, “may the Shechinah (the Divine Presence) rest on the work of your hands. May the pleasantness of our God be upon us.” Clearly this blessing is intended for all who participated in the project, regardless of what role they played. Moshe’s words and actions remind us that we are all part of a web of interconnectivity, and not a collection of self-sufficient individuals. What motivated Moshe to offer this blessing? No doubt it was, in part, a lesson that he learned earlier, from his father-in-law, Yitro, who advised him that in order to carry out his sacred work he needed the assistance of capable and dedicated people. Moshe realized that Yitro
was correct and he, in fact, instituted a judicial system composed of a variety of capable individuals. I can but only imagine that when Moses began the Mishkan project he realized that the dedication and labor of a vast number of people were needed to complete the task. Therefore, after all of their hard work and combined effort, they deserved God’s blessing. Put somewhat differently, he understood that no one of us is more capable than all of us. Jewish tradition has created many institutions and practices which require the conscious coming together of individuals. Take for example the notion of the minyan, a quorum comprised of 10 adults for the purpose of communal prayer. The late Mordechai M. Kaplan, founder of the Reconstructionist Movement, pointed out that when people pray as a community they have a unique experience of God. So it is with mourners seeking to honor a deceased loved one. They come for a minyan to say Kaddish. Those who attend these communal services discover that the group actually becomes their community, offering comfort and healing. As Rabbi Kaplan explains being in a prayer community allows the worshiper to experience God as “the Power that makes for healing.” When this occurs, the Kaddish is no longer only
a memorial prayer, but it becomes an expression of thanksgiving for the blessing of Divine healing. Rabbinic tradition encouraged people to study Torah in community. Popular art often depicts the rabbi or scholar as a lone figure stooped over a book. Yet when we go back to Talmudic times things are very different. Students studied in pairs, and they developed close interpersonal relationships with their teachers and fellow learners. Their bonds of friendship, they believed, invited the Divine Presence (the Shechinah) to dwell among them. Like their Master, Moshe Rabbenu, they realized that the Malchut Shamayim, the Kingdom of God, requires hard work and input of all. The synchronistic relationship between a spiritual leader and their community is attested to in many religious traditions. It is clearly articulated in many of the stories told about the mystical teacher known as the Baal Shem Tov: At the conclusion of Yom Kippur the Baal Shem Tov felt compelled to recite the prayer known as Kiddush Levanah, the Blessing of the Moon. However, each time he looked out of the window the moon seemed to be covered by dark clouds. In the meantime his followers had gathered in the courtyard and they began to sing and dance. As their joy increased, the Baal
Rabbi Neal Rose serves Congregation B’nai Amoona and is a member of the St. Louis Rabbinical and Cantorial Association, which coordinates the d’var Torah for the Jewish Light. Shem Tov went out and joined them. He was immediately surrounded by this enthusiastic disciples. As they danced around him the clouds began to shift and suddenly, the moon appeared, in all its radiance. At that moment the Baal Shem Tov raised his arms and he pronounced the blessing of the Moon. The message is clear — without the energy and intention of the community a leader cannot do his or her spiritual work. The teacher, in turn, brings the blessing of the Divine Presence into the lives of their students. Judaism’s emphasis on the interconnectivity of all stands in strong contrast to the often touted notion of the sovereignty of the individual. Moshe’s blessing of the community of Israel is an eternal a reminder of our own interconnectivity within the great web of existence. Shabbat Shalom.
Safety versus control remains the tightrope parents navigate in raising modern children BY DR. RICHARD LAZAROFF
As a pediatrician, I often was asked whether it is harder to raise children now than in the past. I think most people assume I quickly responded yes. Surely it seems like the times have never been more dangerous and complex: Social media and the pressure on adolescents to defend their reputations can be a 24/7 job; school shootings; legalization in some states of marijuana; the sexualization of our culture; the erosion of decency in many of our personal interactions; and COVID-19. But as a pediatrician and father, I doubt that it is “harder.” Being watchful of your child and adolescent’s safety has always been a priority, as has been the goal of nurturing their development to become contributing adults in their communities. There is often an unrecognized conflict when parenting rules and decisions for an adolescent involve safety vs. control. It can be hard at times to tease out the difference, but parents are navigating in a far safer territory when they draw the lines about real safety concerns. Imagine: A teen requests permission to go to a theme park on a Friday night with friends. Saying no ends the discussion (control). We may be worried about safety, but not having been to that park in years, we really do not know whether it is unsafe. Perhaps a better answer would be to allow the adolescent to go but indicate that you plan to go to the park, separately, to see for yourself whether it is unsafe. Safety is a real concern and a place where parents should assert their authority. But you might find the theme park safety issue just part of your own anxiety and an excellent place for your child to make his or her own decisions. But when adolescents inevitably bend, break or ignore household rules, something has to give: trust. Usually, there are repercussions and, at times, punishment. It is always best if an adolescent knows what the consequences will be in advance.
This allows parents to avoid making it all up on the fly. Grounding seems to be the go-to choice of most parents. But does grounding really work? Some kids care little when things are taken away. Some will say they have nothing left to lose, so the behavior continues. Studies suggest that adolescents, in contrast to adults, are more motivated to seek rewards than to avoid punishment. If you do use grounding, make sure you do not strip children of every choice and every freedom. Try to avoid taking away nonacademic activities at which they excel (e.g., sports, theater, chess) as this is where they get their self-esteem. Do not cut them off from all social contact (for example, cannot go out but may use social media to some degree) and make the restrictions for a reasonable length of time (no more than one week). The sooner children can resume their routines and face the same difficult decisions, the sooner they can demonstrate that a lesson was learned, and you can be assured they are developing the adult skills and judgment you wish them to acquire in the first place. Some adolescent mistakes involve more than breaking household rules. Some of are truly misdeeds, such as stealing or vandalism where someone or something is
SIGN UP FOR THE LIGHT’S FAMILY EMAIL NEWSLETTER Dr. Lazaroff’s commentary was shared first through the Light’s Family email newsletter, sent every other Wednesday. Sign up for this and other newsletters (including Israel news, obituaries, simchas and the daily (except Shabbat) Your Morning Light email:
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Dr. Richard Lazaroff is a retired pediatrician who practiced in St. Louis County for nearly 40 years. Married for 42 years, he is the father of two and grandfather of four and the author of “Some Assembly Required, A Guide to Savvy Parenting.”
harmed. Logical consequences and reparation are more appropriate in these circumstances. Apologizing to the injured party and coming to an agreement on working off the transgression are best practices, and you must avoid the temptation to use whatever influence you might have to “get them off.” I believe you will regret this. As I’ve said, trust is at the core of the adolescent-parent relationship. How can this be accomplished? In my book “Some Assembly Required: A Guide to Savvy Parenting,” I share the following list with my readers. 1. Stop talking at each other, screaming and threatening, and start communicating. Try to decide with your child what trust will look like in your home and what you expect of each other. 2. Negotiate the rules together. Recognize the difference between safety and control. There should be more give than take on your part if you find it’s about control. 3. Motivate with reward, not punishment. When expectations are being met, give your child praise and new privileges when deserved. 4. As a parent, be prepared for bumps in the road. When the next “mistake” occurs, do not compound it by going back to your
old behavior of being a frustrated parent. 5. When mistakes are made, do not compound the situation by enabling the bad behavior. When an adult steps in to make the situation right or takes on the responsibility or blame themselves, it robs the adolescent of a learning experience. 6. Find an interest to share or make time for a one-on-one breakfast to learn about your adolescent’s interests. Seeing each other as people (though not best friends) is realistic and rewarding. 7. Even when there is conflict, make sure your child knows that he or she is loved unconditionally. 8. Eat dinner as a family as often as possible, if not nightly. Whether the resulting discussions are far reaching or trivial is less important than the face-to-face time together. 9. Yes, social media can be a tool for hostility and bullying. but it can also connect individuals. As parents, we can teach our children how to use it safely and productively. This includes setting limits, such as having all phones turned off at bedtime. And remember, home needs to be a safe space to step away from school pressures and the need to be “on” socially. Like all parenting efforts, do your best and accept it. Now sit back and watch your child grow. You have the best seat in town.
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FEATURES ARTS AND CULTURE
FOOD
HOLIDAYS
LIFESTYLES
The 2022 Jewish Film Festival includes (clockwise from top left): ‘Blue Box,’ ‘Tango Shalom,’ ‘Plan A’ and ‘Not Going Quietly.’
St. Louis Jewish Film Festival returns with baker’s dozen of cinematic treats BY CATE MARQUIS SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH LIGHT
T
he annual St. Louis Jewish Film Festival shifts to a new season, returning March 6 -13 with an exciting lineup of films, including documentaries, on an array of subjects plus comedy and drama narrative films. The 27th annual festival, which will be virtual again this year, has an array of 13 international and U.S. films with Jewish themes, with five outstanding documentaries on varied topics, and eight engrossing narrative features including dramas, comedies, history-based and thrillers, plus a trio of enticing discussions and a pre-festival bonus short film, “Touch the Sky,” which has been available to stream since Jan. 17. Countries represented include Israel, France, Switzerland and Germany, and languages include English plus Hebrew, German, French, and Italian, with English subtitles. Documentaries include the charming “The Automat,” featuring Mel Brooks, which takes a loving look back at a New York culinary institution, and the uplifting, music filled “The Conductor,” about Marin Alsop, the first woman conductor to lead a major American symphony. “Not Going Quietly” is a moving documentary about Ady Barkan, a new father with a promising career in progressive politics, who suddenly finds himself battling ALS. Other documentaries are “High Maintenance: The Life and Work of Dani Karavan” about the nearly 90-year-old award-winning Israeli artist and “Blue Box” about the legacy of the young Israel’s historic effort to plant forests but which also displaced Arab villages. Narrative feature films include the touching drama
2022 St. Louis Jewish Film Festival WHEN: March 6 -13 WHERE: Virtual HOW MUCH: Single movie tickets are $15 and the festival’s All-Access Pass is $98, which can be used by a whole household. All film discussions are free. MORE INFO: Visit stljewishfilmfestival.org. To buy tickets or for ticket questions, contact the J’s Box office by phone at 314-442-3179 or by email at boxoffice@jccstl.org. You will need to create an account to purchase tickets through the festival’s website. After buying your tickets or pass, you will receive an email with information on how to unlock films for viewing. Festival tech support is available through the festival hotline at 314-442-3179. Live technical support will be available during the festival. “Tiger Within” featuring Ed Asner in his last role; “Greener Pastures,” a hilarious hit Israeli comedy about retirees and cannabis; and an intriguing Israeli/German historical drama, “Plan A,” based on true events, about a group of Jews plotting revenge on Germany in the wake of World War II. “Every film is amazing,” Diane Maier, director of Film and Performing Arts at the Jewish Community Center, said. “‘Tiger Within’ is Ed Asner’s final film and he is amazing as always. ‘Plan A’ is a look at justice, revenge and morality. Every movie is a highlight.” Additional narrative features include “Neighbours” a Swiss kid-centric story about a Kurdish boy and his Jewish neighbors; “200 Meters” a Palestinian-Israeli thriller, both of which also played at last fall’s St. Louis International Film Festival; the light-hearted “Tango
Above, from left: ‘Neighbours,’ ‘The Conductor’ and ‘High Maintenance — The Life and Work of Dani Karavan.’
Shalom” about a Hasidic rabbi and a tango contest; “Wet Dog” a German autobiographical drama about a JewishIranian teen in Berlin; and “The Specials,” a French comic drama about a Jewish man, played by Vincent Cassels, taking care of autistic youths who partners with another man named Malik, who is helping other young people in need. “There is definitely something for everyone. We have art, music, comedy, and drama, espionage — a great variety,” Maier said. For many years, the St. Louis Jewish Film Festival took place in June, but COVID changed things. The 2020 film festival shifted to fall and went virtual. The 2021 film festival was still virtual but returned to its usual summer season. Now that is changing. “The reason we changed the date is because the first week of June, the original date, is one of the craziest times for people,” Maier said. “Kids have finished school, and everyone is traveling. Grandparents want to see their kids and grand-kids, families. Nobody was home. The weather is beautiful, not exactly indoor movie weather. We thought that early March was a good time for watchers. People are stuck inside and what better than a film festival to pass the time.” Once again, the film festival will be virtual, but the film festival committee considered going back to in-theater this time. “The committee really pondered whether to go back to the theater for the festival,” Marilyn Brown, co-chair of the film festival, said. Brown is one of three co-chairs of the film festival, along with Jeffrey Korn and Paula Sigel. “So, after discussing the pros and cons, [such as] watchSee JEWISH FILM FESTIVAL on page 24
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March 2, 2022
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Documentary ‘The Automat’ serves up pure charm BY CATE MARQUIS SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH LIGHT
Mel Brooks, Ruth Bader Ginsberg, Colin Powell, Carl Reiner and Elliot Gould were all fans of the Automat, the iconic automated cafeterias that dominated New York and Philadelphia in the first half of the 20th century. Lisa Hurwitz’s delightful, enlightening documentary “The Automat” serves up pure charm in this look back at the Horn and Hardart Automat, a now-vanished beloved, and unique, American institution. The documentary delivers a dazzling array of memories from those who ate there, alongside the history of the rise and fall of the famed Automat. It offers the same warm appeal as the Automat’s own delicious slice of pie and perfect cup of coffee. It was once the country’s largest restaurant chain, although it was only in two cities. The Automat was a magical combination of sometimes contradictory things. It was a single company, operated the same way, but was known by different names in the two cities. In New York, it was the Automat, while in Philadelphia, it was called Horn and Hardart. The chain was started in the late 19th century and endured into the middle of the 20th. Before there was fast food, the Automat served up food fast but it wasn’t “fast food.” It was fine dining, delicious food served on real plates in a beautiful space. The high-quality food was key to its success, but at a low price with no tipping because the food was dispensed by an innovative coin-operated system that seemed thrillingly futuristic in the early 20th century. On top of that, the dining rooms were opulent Art Deco palaces, with marble floors and tables and brass fittings. The high-quality coffee came out of spouts designed to look like dolphin heads,
Mel Brooks drinking coffee in ‘The Automat,’ as photographed by Carl Reiner while the two were writers for ‘Your Show of Shows,’ c. 1950-1954. PHOTOS COURTESY OF A SLICE OF PIE PRODUCTIONS
inspired by Italian fountains. The food was dispensed from banks of gleaming metal and glass doors behind which were tempting dishes. Put a nickel in the slot and the glass door popped open so you could to take your pie, mac and cheese, sandwich or Salisbury steak. Founders Joseph Horn and Frank Hardart wanted it to be a luxurious place but welcoming to everyone - immigrants, secretaries, kids, rich, poor, celebrities alike. The Automat welcomed both whites and Blacks, at a time when integrated spaces were rare. You might meet anyone at the Automat, which helped make it a popular setting for movies. If you are a fan of classic films of the ’30s, ’40s or ’50s, you have likely seen the Automat on screen.
MORE JEWISH FILM FESTIVAL REVIEWS ONLINE
Rebellious retiree not ready to be put out to pasture in Israeli comedy
‘Plan A’: Astonishing story of Holocaust survivors turned ‘Jewish avengers’
Hurwitz’s fine documentary gives you a Comedian Jack Benny, who once hosted a glimpse of all that storied history, through red-carpet dinner at the Automat, is seen entertaining interviews with famous peo- handing out rolls of quarters to tuxedoed ple who went there, people and fur-wrapped partygo‘The Automat’ ers. Another interviewee, who worked there, and historians and collectors who pre- Part of the St. Louis Starbucks founder Howard s e r ve it s m e mor y. Jewish Film Festival Schultz, credits the Automat Researching the Automat, for inspiring his own restauHurwitz was struck by the WHEN/WHERE: Films rant chain. Along with the are available online, March deep nostalgia it evoked. interviews and stories, there 6-13 Mel Brooks is a big part of is a wealth of rare archival the documentary, pretty RUNNING TIME: 1:19 images and footage. much its star. Brooks com- MORE INFO: Visit stlThe documentary’s rise posed a song for it, and even jewishfilmfestival.org and fall of an American sings it in the film. business pattern gives the Other fascinating interstory a dramatic arc. views include those with members of the Tracing the blossoming of a clever food Horn and Hardart families, former delivery idea into a beloved empire that employees, customers and historians. once seemed unstoppable moves the action along with enormous energy. There is wonder at the company’s innovations, admiration for its care for employees, devotion to customer service, and its famVisit stljewishlight.org/JFF-2022 ily business structure. Its heights are followed by tragedy, as it faded away after it was no longer in family hands. Changing times, the flight to the suburbs, and the rise of fast food all contributed to the decline and demise of the Automat. Director Hurwitz steers us through this chapter gently, and like most of the film, it is the interviewees, the people who witnessed it or their descendants who tell the tale. The sweet, wistful fondness of so many is captured by Mel Brooks, who comments near the end that someone should bring it back. Marin Alsop leads the way This documentary is a delicious treat in uplifting documentary not to be missed.
‘The Conductor’
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NANCY KRANZBERG — THE ARTS IN ST. LOUIS
Art of the mask spans many eras, cultures BY NANCY KRANZBERG SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH LIGHT
This upsetting pandemic has forced most of us to wear masks — like it or not. Many folks have been very creative with their face coverings. Of course, I had to research the history of the mask throughout the ages and throughout the world and of course the world is very big. I found that the history of masks began some 9,000 years ago. From that moment masks were made and used in thousands of different ways and became inseparable from our lives. There are many popular masks around the world that can be categorized by different criteria. Masks can be used in rituals, ceremonies, hunting, feasts, wars, performances, theaters, fashion, sports and movies, as well as in medical, protective or occupations purposes. Masks can also be used as ornamentation. I picked up a copy of Robert Ibold’s “Masks of the World” and on the cover it lists Africa, India and the Himalayas, East Asia, Bali and Java, Oceania, Europe, Native America, Modern America, Mexico, Guatemala, Caribbean, South America, protection and protest, and even steampunk and sex. I opened the book and found an incredible array of every kind of mask imaginable — well not every kind, but if you want to see wonderful masks, buy a copy. A walk through the St. Louis Art Museum could take days if you were simply looking for masks in different cultures. The very large section of Oceanic Art stopped me in my tracks. In the Oceanic culture, ancestral worship is very strong, and masks are made to represent ancestors. Big masks, some six meters high are used as protection from evil spirits. Ancient Aztecs, in Latin America, used masks to cover faces of the dead. They made them from leather in the beginning, but later started making them from copper and gold. In the PreColumbian section of the museum, you can see beautiful gold masks. I remember an exhibition at the museum years ago featuring Northwest Coast Indian art and some of the wooden masks in the collection are incredible. Many of the Pacific Northwest coastal groups have very skilled woodworkers that make complex masks from wood, leather, bones and feathers with moveable parts and of great beauty. African masks were normally made out of wood because it was believed wood was a living being with a soul and could therefore acquire the properties of the tree by obtaining part of its strength. Africa is huge and masking and masks are found everywhere in different parts of Africa such as Cameroon, Nigeria, Gabon, Kenya and See NANCY KRANZBERG on page 22 For more of Nancy Kranzberg’s commentary, listen to KWMU (90.7) St. Louis on the Air the first Friday of each month at approximately 12:50 p.m. She also hosts a weekly Arts Interview podcast for KDHX (88.1), available at artsinterview.kdhxtra.org.
St. Louis native’s picture book series for kids links learning, Jewish ideals BY ELLEN FUTTERMAN EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
They say necessity is the mother of invention. Boy, was that ever the case for St. Louis native Sarah Hirsch Maddali. After she and her husband had two children, now ages 3 and 6, Maddali grew frustrated that she couldn’t find age-appropriate books for them that blended Jewish ideals with learning development concepts. “The secular market is saturated with these types of books,” said Maddali, who attended Parkway Central until her junior year, when she transferred to Block Yeshiva High School (which closed in 2016). Maddali said she started to get more religious and more interested in Judaism during her teen years. “One day when I was reading to my older daughter about colors, I wondered why, instead of just a red apple, it couldn’t be a red apple dipped in honey for Rosh Hashanah,” she said. “Or instead of a yellow banana, a yellow etrog that we shake on Sukkot. Why not integrate something meaningful from Judaism and Torah that could be associated with that object and color?” So Maddali, who now lives in Albany, N.Y., started looking for books that did
Sarah Hirsch Maddali just that. When she couldn’t find them, she decided to create them with the help of a graphic artist. And while it took her three years to do so, the result is HaShem’s Gems board books, each of which looks at developmental concepts for children 6 months to 6 years through a Jewish lens. “My First Colors Through a Jewish Lens,” “My First Numbers Through a Jewish Lens” and “My First Book of Jewish Holidays” as the first three books. Two more will be available in June, one
on shapes and another about brachot (blessings). Maddali promises several more titles by the end of the year. “The goal is to have this integrated learning experience for children,” said Maddali, whose background is in neuroscience. “Integrating our Jewish heritage, our culture, our tradition, into everything we learn.” The color book, for example, arranges Jewish objects from light to dark on each page, enabling children to experience a broad spectrum of colors. They will learn that green is the color for the roof on a sukkah, and purple is for the grape juice for kiddush on Shabbat. Instead of counting arbitrary objects, the numbers book teaches children to count items that have meaning and significance in Judaism. So for example, eight Hanukkah candles on the last night of the holiday and “two challahs that I braid, fresh for Shabbos, all homemade.” All of the books include rhyming and rhythmic prose to make them more fun and interactive. Each book sells for $13.95 or three for $36 at hashemsgems.com A special 10% discount for Jewish Light readers available with the purchase of all three books. Use promo code “JLFriends”
AMY FENSTER BROWN
These are my kind of clubs. Wanna join? BY AMY FENSTER BROWN
Not long ago I told you about book clubs I’d attended that didn’t exactly work out for me because reading the assigned book by the deadline was too much like homework. Homework was never really my strong suit. It probably was just the club part that appealed to me. I then suggested a show club, where we watch and discuss TV shows, which sounds much more fun than reading a book. Well, I did it. Some friends and I watched “Cheer” on Netflix, which is a documentary-style series that follows a championship junior college cheer squad or two and delves into the backstories of the cast. Usually I don’t go for a show like this because I don’t have the time or desire to get to know new people, but these “Cheer” kids won me over. I went all in, taking notes on each episode so when we had our Zoom Show Club meeting we had organized discussion topics. Yes, Mom, I couldn’t do it for school, but I could do it for this silly club because I took the time and energy to apply myself. I’m thinking of starting some other types of clubs and I’d love for you to join. Anxiety Club – I’m super nervous about this
one. We’ll keep the group small and trustworthy, so when we expose our insecurities and bare our emotional souls, we know the other club members will stick to what we’ll call our “Las Vegas Motto” – what happens in Anxiety Club stays in Anxiety Club. In fact, this club will be so small there often might only be two people at a time, usually just on the phone. So really it’s basically me and whichever one of you actually answers the phone when I call crying about whatever anxiety I’m having. My sister is the highest-ranking member because she gets these phone calls at least once a week, and by “at least once a week” I mean at least once a day. Celebrity Encounter Club – If you love pop culture and celebrity news this is the club for you. Everyone will take turns telling stories of any celebrity encounters they’ve had. I don’t mean your run-of-themill, garden variety celebrity sightings on your vacation to L.A. or N.Y.C. Those are Columnist Amy Fenster Brown is married to Jeff and has two teenage sons, Davis and Leo. She volunteers for several Jewish not-for-profit groups. Fenster Brown is an Emmy Award-winning TV news writer and counts time with family and friends, talking and eating peanut butter among her hobbies.
for amateurs. We pros at Celebrity Encounter Club will tell stories of real interactions with stars, like the time I worked on a morning radio show and an actor with a small role on a very popular 80s sitcom who became a stand-up comic arrived for an interview and offered us all some, uh, freshly mowed grass at 6 a.m. Now that’s a celebrity encounter! Club members with photo or video evidence get to take home the leftover desserts from the meeting. Jewish Geography Club – We’ve all experienced this before, just not in official club form. At our meetings, we’ll simply name drop other local Jews and see how many people announce, “That’s my cousin.” Then we’ll go through our family trees to figure out how we are each related to the person originally named and determine if we also could be related to one another. If the participants are people who’ve always wanted a closer friendship, they are likely to announce that they, too, are now officially related, even if they’re not. That’ll be our warm-up activity, like an ice breaker. During our official club meeting we’ll have a dry erase board and an appointed scribe. The scribe will write a name on See AMY FENSTER BROWN on page 17
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March 2, 2022
FEATURES
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JEWISH CELEBRITIES
Catwoman is Jewish, ’80s Lakers, Theranos and more BY NATE BLOOM SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH LIGHT
“The Batman” opens in theaters on March 4. There is a long back-story on the production of this new entry in the Batman odyssey. Suffice it to say that it is pretty much a “new start” for the franchise. So many new starts probably would have surprised BOB KANE (1915-1998) and BILL FINGER (1914-1974), the co-creators of the Batman comic character. The Caped Crusader is played by Robert Pattinson (“Twilight Saga” films). As the film opens, billionaire Bruce Wayne has already become Batman, but is not yet a seasoned crime fighter. Here’s the basic plot: Batman pursues the Riddler, a major “baddie.” The Riddler (Paul Dano) is a serial killer who targets the elites of Gotham City. While hunting the Riddler, Batman uncovers corruption Bob Kane, co-crethat implicates his ator of the Batman own family. He is character. forced to make new PHOTO: ALAN LIGHT allies to catch the Riddler and clean up the corruption. ZOE KRAVITZ, 33, plays Catwoman, a character “with criminal baggage” who, nonetheless, has often helped Batman. Her real identity is Selina Kyle, and in this film, Kyle is a nightclub worker who moonlights as a cat burglar. She meets Batman by chance, and her desire to help vulnerable people leads her to team-up with Batman. Advance reports say that this film will emphasize the Selina part of Catwoman’s life — what real-life emotions lead Selina to help Batman. Kravitz has described herself as a “secular Jew.” Her father, musician Lenny Kravitz, had a Jewish father and an African American, not Jewish mother. (He identifies as a Christian.) Zoe’s mother, actress LISA BONET, 54, had a Jewish mother and a non-Jewish, African American father. Kravitz is the first Jewish woman to play Catwoman. However, I will note that African American actress/singer Eartha Kitt, who played Catwoman on the ‘60s “Batman” TV show, was a huge Israel supporter and recorded some Yiddish songs. Her only child, Kit Shapiro, is married to a Jewish man and I think (but haven’t confirmed) that she converted to Judaism. vvv The eight-episode HBO Max series “Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty,” premieres on March 6. It’s about
5.104”w x 4”h
ABOVE: Zoe Kravitz as Catwoman and Robert Pattinson as the title character in ‘The Batman,’ from Warner Bros. Pictures. PHOTO: JONATHAN OLLEY/ DC COMICS
LEFT: Adrien Brody is among several Jewish cast members of the HBO Max series ‘“Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty.” the “wild ride” of the NBA team during the ‘80s. The Lakers had the great Magic Johnson, a very colorful owner, and the first “hot dancing” cheerleaders. JASON SEGAL, 42, plays Lakers coach Paul Westhead. He led the Lakers to a championship in 1980 and was fired two years later after clashing with Magic. ADRIEN BRODY, 48, plays Coach Pat Riley, who replaced Westhead. He led the Lakers to three championships in the ’80s. (Actresses MOLLY GORDON and LOLA KIRKE appear in much smaller roles.) Gaby Hoffman (not Jewish) has a big part as Claire Rothman, the manager of the Forum, where the Lakers played during the ’80s. Rothman, now about 93, made the Forum a very popular venue for music, sports, etc. I am 99% sure she is Jewish, but am still working on confirming that (I’ll update in a future column).
sive weeks. It tells the story of the rise and fall of Elizabeth Holmes, the now infamous head of the medical company
Theranos (which falsely claimed it had a way to test for many conditions with a single drop of blood). Amanda Seyfried stars as Holmes. The large supporting cast includes STEPHEN FRY, 64, HART BOCHNER, 64, and EBON MOSS-BACHRACH, 44. Fry plays Ian Gibbons, a British biochemist who worked for Theranos. Gibbons committed suicide (2013) shortly before he was supposed to testify in a lawsuit about the company’s blood-testing technology. Bochner plays LARRY ELLISON, 77, the billionaire founder of Oracle, the famous software company. Ellison was an early investor in Theranos and his backing helped persuade others to invest in the company. Moss-Bachrach (“Girls”) has the best role of his career. He plays John Carreyou, the dogged Wall Street Journal reporter whose stories about Theranos were critical to exposing the company’s rampant fraud. By the way, while Elizabeth Holmes is not Jewish, she is a remote descendant of CHARLES FLEISCHMANN (1833-1897), the founder of the famous yeast company that bears his last name. His yeast consistently made bread rise. All Holmes did was deflate investors’ hopes. vvv In my Feb. 16 column, I said that JOANNA MERLIN, 90, was the last living credited actor in “The Ten Commandments” (1956). I was wrong. There are three others, including RISELLE BABETTE BAIN, 75. She played “Young Miriam.” She is now a synagogue cantor. She has a very interesting life story, which I will share just before Pesach.
vvv “The Dropout” is a six-episode mini-series that premieres on Hulu on March 3. The first three episodes will air on the that date, with the last three shown on succes-
CROWN CENTER FOR SENIOR LIVING ANNOUNCES AVAILABLE 55% TAX CREDITS Donors to Crown’s capital campaign may be qualified to receive MO State tax credits for gifts made before June 30, 2022. Credits are transferrable and may be carried forward for 10 years. For information on eligibility or to reserve credits, contact: Nikki Goldstein, Executive Director at 314.991.2055 or ngoldstein@crowncenterstl.org
jewishemployment@mersgoodwill.org
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March 2, 2022
STL
NEWSMAKERS Newsmakers is a compilation of the Jewish community’s newsworthy professional and academic accomplishments. Submit your news to news@stljewishlight.org. Call 314-743-3669 for more information. Published the first edition of each month. Newsmakers is compiled by Elise Krug.
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Carly Scaduto is the new senior director of media relations for San Francisco-based Vir Biotechnology, which is described on its website as “a commercial stage immunology company focused on combining immunologic insights with cutting edge technologies to treat and prevent serious infectious diseases.” Scaduto is a member of Congregation Shaare Emeth. Jessica Litwack launched a spinoff of her mamaSpace group for moms called mamaSpace nextGen, for moms of kids ages 10 and older. As an online community and support network, its mission is “to allow its members to feel supported, empowered and validated.” Litwack is a member of Congregation Temple Israel. Ryan Rich, owner of Hot Box Cookies, opened the company’s seventh location in Kirkwood on S. Kirkwood Road. The St. Charles store will open soon on Beale Street. Rich plans to open two more stores, in Edwardsville and O’Fallon as well. He attends Kol Rinah. UCP Heartland announced the promotion of Kevin Litt to the position of vice president of development. Under his leadership, the development team will continue to increase program funding, grow community involvement and build UCP Heartland’s relationships throughout Eastern and Central Missouri. Litt is also the president of Congregation B’nai Amoona’s Men’s Club.
TOP ROW, FROM LEFT: Carly Scaduto, Jessica Litwack, Ryan Rich, Kevin Litt, Dr. Michael Polinsky and Michelle Dunski. SECOND ROW: Stacy Smart, Angela Jolly, Eitan Kantor, Lynnsie Kantor, Kimberlie Heligman and Joanne Iskiwitch. THIRD ROW: Rabbi David Reinhart, Rabbi Adam Bellows, Emily Rauh Pulitzer and Jon Hoffman. Dr. Michael Polinsky has joined the practice of Neurosurgery of St. Louis, St. Peters office. A member of Central Reform Congregation, he treats surgical conditions involving the brain and spine. Michelle Dunski was promoted to recruiting director of Accounting Career
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Consultants and HR Career Consultants. Her role involves developing and working with candidates and clients for the firm’s accounting and finance search practice in addition to a mentoring and leadership role she has taken on at the firm. Dunski is a member of B’nai Amoona. Stacy Smart and Angela Jolly have joined the staff of the St. Louis Jewish Light. Smart is Director of Business Development and Communications and attends Temple Israel. Jolly is the Light’s administrative assistant. Martha Sneider has joined the office of Dielmann Sotheby’s as a real estate agent. She attends Temple Emanuel. Eitan Kantor will serve as the music director of the Hebrew Educational Alliance (HEA) in Denver at the end of April. He will partner with the clergy team as a worship and song leader in providing creative musical content for the synagogue. Lynnsie Kantor has received the 2021 Henry J. Aydt Service Award for ethics, integrity, professionalism, adherence to the Realtor Code of Ethics, outstanding delivery of real estate service, professional development, and leadership within
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Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Alliance Real Estate and the community at large. In addition, Kantor and her partner Craig Burfield of the Burfield Kantor Group, ranked No. 4 in their office and No. 10 (top 1%) in the entire company of approximately 450 agents for 2021. Kantor attends B’nai Amoona and CRC. Kimberlie Heligman has joined the Chesterfield office of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Alliance as a real estate agent. She attends United Hebrew Congregation. Joanne Iskiwitch, has received the 2021 Coldwell Banker International President’s Elite designation, given to the top 3% of all Coldwell Banker agents worldwide and based on annual real estate sales accomplishment. She is a member of Temple Emanuel. Rabbi David Reinhart will join the United Hebrew clergy team in July 2022 as Associate Rabbi. He currently serves as Assistant Rabbi at Temple Israel of the City of New York. Rabbi Adam Bellows, Assistant Rabbi of United Hebrew will be leaving in late June. Continued on opposite page
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Among the six women named 2022 St. Louis Visionary Awards is Emily Rauh Pulitzer, who is receiving the award for lifetime achievement. She is the founder and chair of the Pulitzer Foundation for the Arts. A philanthropist, art historian and collector of modern ar t Pulitzer currently chairs the board of the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting. She will be honored on April 25th at the Sun Theater. The St. Louis Visionary Awards recognize the contributions and achievements of women who work in or support the arts in St. Louis. Jon Hoffman, former mashgiach and event coordinator at B’nai Amoona, started his own catering company called Papa Mark Catering. He will be focusing on private events, personal chef services, culinary workshops and family meal planning, both kosher and non-kosher. Hoffman honored his grandfather by naming his company after him because he was his hero and biggest fan. Ellen Alper, National Council of Jewish Women St. Louis CEO; Marc Bernstein,
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March 2, 2022
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CEO and founder of Balto; Norty Cohen, CEO and founder of Moosylvania; Terry Crouppen, founding partner of Brown & Crouppen Law Firm; Doug Schukar, chairman and CEO of USA Mortgage and Larry Weinberg, president of Accounting Career Consultants/ HR Career Consultants are six of the 2022 Titan 100. The Titan 100 program recognizes St. Louis’ Top 100 CEOs & C-level executives. They are the area’s most accomplished business leaders in their industry using criteria that include demonstrating exceptional leadership, vision and passion. They will be celebrated on April 28 at the Factory in Chesterfield. Benjamin Levy was awarded the first ever Sunflower Award by St. Luke’s Hospital. It is given to a medical technician that is nominated by staff and patients for outstanding patient care. A member of Traditional Congregation, Levy will attend medical school in the fall. Shelly Kaner’s new homemade soup delivery business is called Shelly’s Homemade. A $39 gift package includes
TOP ROW, FROM LEFT: Ellen Alper, Marc Bernstein, Norty Cohen and Terry Crouppen. SECOND ROW: Doug Schukar, Larry Weinberg, Benjamin Levy and Shelly Kaner. two 32-ounce containers of chicken soup with a choice of noodles, matzah balls, or both, eight chocolate chip cookies, four rolls, a note containing your personalized
message and delivery within the St. Louis metro area.
Op-Ed: Years in Ukraine taught rabbi a very Jewish concept—hope CONTINUED FROM PAGE 10 that I called home for two years as a Peace Corps volunteer. I asked him how he was doing, expecting to hear a mix of my own trepidation and nervousness and uncertainty. Instead, he said he was doing great. The winter thaw was dropping away, and he might even be able to plant potatoes in the next few weeks. War lingers on the horizon, but the field must be sowed. And when I spoke to some of my friends in Kyiv, they were concerned about the Russian invasion but were more worried that someone had put dairy dishes in the meat dishwasher and if everything was now treyf. And while texting with a former student we discussed her husband and their plans for a family and, sure, she said, there are tanks at the border, but right now she was just trying to imagine her future. Some might call this naivete or denial. I call it hope. And hope is the ultimate act of resilience. Jews are no strangers to hope. Maimonides tells us that one of the 13 principles of Jewish faith is the complete belief in the coming of the Messiah. Despite persecution, despite hardship, we are compelled to believe in a more perfect world. The national anthem of the state of Israel is called “Hatikvah,” literally “The Hope,”’ its lyrics adapted from a 19th-century poem that expressed a longing tinged with optimism. “Od lo avda tikvateinu.” Our hope has not yet died. In fact, the Ukrainian national anthem captures similar themes. The opening line declares “Shche ne vmerla Ukrayiny,”
Jeremy Borowitz, right, and one his students, Yuri Verhulatsky, clown during a graduation ceremony held in Boyarka, Ukraine, where Borowitz was a Peace Corps volunteer in 2011. which translates to “Ukraine has not yet died.” Written in the mid-19th century, this line is in defiance of history, a declaration that an entity that had yet to exist (the first independent Ukrainian state wouldn’t come about until the post-World War I era) had nevertheless refused to perish. I think a lot about defying history. I am currently a rabbi living in Berlin, a concept that would have been anathema to most of my grandparents. I walk down streets every day that are littered with Stolpersteine, the brass plaques or “stum-
bling stones” memorializing the Jews who used to inhabit these buildings. But despite this obscene history, and despite my own encounters in Germany with violent antisemitism, we continue to live here, to build up Jewish life here, to believe that there is a future for Jews here, if only we can will it to be. To live our lives as Jews is, for me, a deeply resilient act. It feels like the whole world is currently mired in some sort of COVID PTSD, traumatized by the isolation, by the loved ones we lost, by carefully crafted and
Amy Fenster Brown: These are my kind of clubs. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 14 the board while everyone yells out, all at the same time most likely, how they know that person. It’ll be just like the game Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon, but with a spread of food and side discussions about something snarky, like how the person named on the board didn’t look so good the last time they were seen in public and what possible mystery illness they might have. Eye Rolling Club - Clearly this is one where teenagers attend with a parent. The more embarrassing the adult is, the better. The person hosting that month’s club
meeting gets to keep track of which teen rolls his, her or their eyes the most at their adult’s behavior. The key to this club’s success is physical proximity. The teen needs to be within six feet of their assigned adult so they can be close enough to see and hear all of the embarrassing details. This club has everything… Dad jokes, stories of bed-wetting accidents that happened past the age of 5 and controversial discussions of taboo topics like your own opinion on anything under the sun no matter how innocuous it seems because anytime you speak actual words your teen wants to crawl in a hole and die of embar-
rassment. I might as well tell you now, I’m going to win. Each time. No one can embarrass their kids like I can, especially when I’m not even trying to. That’s called natural talent, people. You’re either born with it, or you’re not. Columnist Amy Fenster Brown is married to Jeff and has two teenage sons, Davis and Leo. She volunteers for several Jewish not-for-profit groups. Fenster Brown is an Emmy Award-winning TV news writer and counts time with family and friends, talking and eating peanut butter among her hobbies.
curated worlds that were turned upside down. And so we read of impending doom on the Eastern front and we want to shout out to our fellow Jews, “It’s time to run! It’s time to get out!” And meanwhile they are busy kashering their dishwashers. One of my friends in Ukraine shared with me some advice from his father regarding the current moment: The biggest regret of his own relatives in World War II was that they split up the family in the face of upheaval. No matter what, they will stay together. As long as they are together, hope remains. Can our Jewish family stay together? Both Russia and Ukraine have strong, proud Jewish communities. And while I am decidedly pro-Ukrainian, it would be wrong to suggest that the global Jewish community is unanimous in its views on this conflict. Then again, we never are. And yet despite our differences, despite our disagreements, despite the despair I feel when I think of the future of Ukraine and my friends there, I am forcing myself to hope. There are moments when I feel a sense of déjà vu from eight years ago, when the world stood by as Russia annexed Crimea and provoked war in Donbass. But the post-World War II order has been more unified in its opposition than it has seemed in decades. I’m not sure if these words and those sanctions will do anything to quell the violence. But for the moment, it does give me some hope. So I will pray for peace, and I will pray for a resolution, and I will pray for my friends. Our hope isn’t dead yet. Ukraine isn’t dead yet. And neither are we, and neither is the future we have yet to build.
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Y O U R C A L E N D A R O F S T. L O U I S J E W I S H C O M M U N I T Y E V E N T S
SUNDAY | MARCH 6 Dr. Harry Knopf will discuss “Major Causes of Blindness in Older Adults: Cataracts, Glaucoma, Macular Degeneration and Diabetes” from 10:30 a.m. to noon on Zoom. The event is held by Central Reform Congregation’s Triple Chai group. Knopf has been an ophthalmologist in St. Louis for more than 45 years. For more information, visit www.centralreform.org/events/triple-chai.
The Annual U.City Purim Reenactment Parade takes place March 17.
St. Louis Jewish Film Festival See related story on page 12.
FILE PHOTO: YANA HOTTER
MONDAY | MARCH 7
TUESDAY | MARCH 8 Current conditions in the economy and capital markets
From 10 to 11 a.m., Mike Ferman, a former financial advisor at RubinBrown, will discuss current conditions in the economy and capital markets. This program is provided in conjunction with FEL (Friends Enjoying Life), an organization supported by the Mirowitz Center. Register for this free online Mirowitz Center program at http://bit.ly/ Register_MirowitzCenter or by calling 314733-9813 or via email to joliver@mirowitzcenter.org.
STARTING | MARCH 8 New Melton course starting
Soul’s Cycles: A Ride Through the Chapters of Life will be taught by Rabbi Elizabeth Hersh on Tuesdays, from 7-8:30 p.m., March 8, 29, April 5, 12, 26 and May 3. This course will use a multi-access format, participants can attend class in-person at Temple Emanuel, 12166 Conway Road, or virtually over Zoom. This six-week course will lead you through a focused, high-intensity journey through the Jewish perspective on some of life’s milestones: birth, bar/bat mitzvah, marriage, divorce, mikvah, conversion – a fascinating ride that will deepen your understanding for when these moments happen to you, your family, or your friends. Register at testl.org/melton or email emily@testl.org for more information.
WEDNESDAY | MARCH 9 The spirituality of laughter with Rabbis Goldstein and Stiffman
In preparation for Purim, Rabbis Andrea Goldstein and Jeffrey Stiffman will explore why this holiday, with its emphasis on revelry and laughter, has always held a special place in the heart of the Jewish people. Stiffman will also share his perspective on how to find humor in almost any situation, why laughter is so important to our health and well-being and where he has been finding joy during these pandemic days. Whether you choose to join in-person at 7
Local Jewish organizations and congregations can submit calendar items to news@ stljewishlight.org. All items received by 5 p.m. Friday will be considered for the following week’s edition.
Sharsheret’s Breast and Ovarian Cancer Support Group via Zoom
STARTING | MARCH 6
From 10 to 11 a.m., the St. Louis County Library’s Farid Saboorizadeh will discuss how to use the SLCL’s online catalog and access library resources electronically. This program is co-sponsored by the St. Louis County Library. TechTutor is supported by a grant from the Women’s Auxiliary Foundation for Jewish Aged. Register for this free online Mirowitz Center program at http:// bit.ly/Register_MirowitzCenter or by calling 314-733-9813 or via email to joliver@mirowitzcenter.org.
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well as livestreamed for the annual Purim spiel full of futuristic hijinks. Details will be posted at www.centralreform.org/events/ purimspiel.
Doctor speaks at CRC event
Tech Tutor: Accessing County Library resources electronically
JEWISH LIGHT
p.m. in the sanctuary at Congregation Shaare Emeth, 11645 Ladue Road, or watch online, registration is required. Contact Stacy Jespersen to register at sjespersen@ sestl.org.
THURSDAY | MARCH 10
Finding Rules for a Happy Life” at 10:15 a.m. This talk is part of NHBZ’s weekly “Starting Points: Wisdom for Daily Living,” which features interactive discussions that explore relevant, contemporary topics. NHBZ membership is not necessary to attend, and RSVPs are not required. For more information, call 314-991-2100, ext. 2.
COVID-19: Where we have been and where we are going?
SUNDAY | MARCH 13
From 10 to 11 a.m., Dr. Terri Rebmann, the director of the Institute for Biosecurity at the College for Public Health and Social Justice at St. Louis University, will discuss how the pandemic has evolved and how it might play out. This program is provided in conjunction with FEL (Friends Enjoying Life), an organization supported by the Mirowitz Center. Register for this free online Mirowitz Center program at http://bit.ly/Register_MirowitzCenter or by calling 314-733-9813 or via email to joliver@mirowitzcenter.org.
FRIDAY | MARCH 11 Prayer Lab with Jewish Mindfulness Center
At 6 p.m. join Rabbi Andrea Goldstein, Lucy Greenbaum and the Prayer Lab musicians for this non-traditional Shabbat service combining contemporary readings, poetry, participatory music, interactive teachings, and time set aside for meditation and personal reflection. This month’s theme is “laughter.” Whether you are joining us online or in-person, worshippers are encouraged to come with open minds and open hearts. Registrations are required for inperson attendance. Contact Stacy Jespersen to register at sjespersen@sestl.org.
SATURDAY | MARCH 12 J Associates’ Fabulous Feud Live
J Associates’ second annual Fabulous Feud Live will feature families from the community who will team up and square off against each other to play the Feud. An interactive Pre-Game Event will start the evening off at 6:45 p.m., followed by the Main Event at 7:30 p.m. Game show host for the evening is Ben Nordstrom. Six teams will compete during the evening, all comprised of five members. Tickets are $50 for Main Event Pass or $125 for both interactive Pregame and Main Event. Tickets may be purchased at jccstl.com/fabulousfeud or by contacting Beth Box, J Annual Fund Manager, bbox@jccstl.org or 314-442-3109.
NHBZ Discussion-”Purim & Joy: Finding Rules for a Happy Life”
Purim is Judaism’s most merry, fun-filled holiday. How can we bring the grateful and joyful feeling of Purim into our everyday lives? Find out when Nusach Hari B’nai Zion Rabbi Ze’ev Smason discusses “Purim & Joy:
CRC hamantaschen baking
At 10 a.m. join CRC online for a hamantaschen baking session. In this Zoom cooking class, learn how to make some delicious treats for Purim. Details and ingredients list will be posted at www.centralreform.org/ events/crc-cooks.
Purim event at Temple Israel
Congregation Temple Israel is hosting a Purim Park & Party event for the community. Participants can park their car at TI and join the fun Purim festival on foot. You’ll nosh on hamantashen and yummy dishes from local food trucks, enjoy entertainment and a petting zoo, and receive holiday takehome goodies and giveaways. The event is from 10:30 a.m. to noon at Temple Israel, 1 Rabbi Alvan D. Rubin Dr. (Plan to arrive by 11 a.m. to have time to enjoy all the activities.) Free to attend; open to the community. Masks required on the campus (outdoors and indoors). Party moved indoors if inclement weather. Costumes are strongly encouraged. Sponsorship opportunities are available for $54, $108, and $180. RSVP, order extra hamantashen and sponsor (by March 4) at www.ti-stl.org/PurimParty.
MONDAY | MARCH 14 Virtual tour of the Museum of the Southern Jewish Experience
From 10 to 11 a.m., Lizzi Meister, the public programs manager at the Museum of the Southern Jewish Experience, will lead a virtual tour of the galleries of the newly opened Museum of the Southern Jewish Experience (MSJE) in New Orleans. Register for this free online Mirowitz Center program at http:// bit.ly/Register_MirowitzCenter or by calling 314-733-9813 or via email to joliver@mirowitzcenter.org.
WEDNESDAY | MARCH 16 Purim Megilla reading at NHBZ
Bring your noisemakers and your entire family to hear the whole Megilla at NHBZ at 8:05 p.m. All are invited, and costumes, merry-making and fun are highly encouraged! For more information, call 314-9912100, ext. 2.
Purim spiel at CRC
Join CRC at 8 p.m. for “CRC 5800 to the Future Purimspiel.” CRC is back in person as
This monthly group provides support, connection and education to women in the St. Louis Jewish community who have been diagnosed with breast or ovarian cancer and are anywhere along their treatment path – before, during, or post-treatment. Facilitated by a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, this group meets from 6:15 to 7:30 p.m. on the third Wednesday via zoom until further notice. Newcomers are always welcome along with female family and friends. This program is free but pre-registration is requested to Debbi Braunstein at 314-4423266 or dbraunstein@jccstl.org. Sharsheret Supports STL is a program of the J’s Nishmah and a partner of the national, not for profit Sharsheret organization.
THURSDAY | MARCH 17 Annual U. City Purim Reenactment Parade
All residents of the “kingdom” are invited to hail Mordechai the Jew as he rides through the streets on the king’s steed, led by Haman the Aggagite. The annual grand procession beginning at 2 p.m. on Purim day at the corners of Cornell and Gay avenues in University City, ending at Saxony Court. The parade will feature local personalities in full costume and make-up as Mordechai and Haman.
NHBZ Purim seudah, costume contest & schtick nite
Hear the second reading of the Megillah at 7 a.m. Then, later that day enjoy a delicious festive meal at 6:15 p.m. Come in costume and participate in NHBZ’s costume contest, which has three categories: children, adults and couples/family. Get your “schtick” together and show off your talent with a skit, game, poem, jokes or musical entertainment. RSVPs are required, no walkins. Early-bird prices before noon on March 8: adults (12 and over) $18; children ages 4-11, $15; kids 3 & under, free. Family cap $62. After noon on March 8: adults $25; children $18; family cap $87. RSVP by March 12 at 314-991-2100, ext. 2. Proof of vaccination required for ages 12 and older. Masks required of all attendees ages 3 and older.
Bob Dylan and the Yiddish poets: Purim Edition
At 7:30 p.m., enjoy “Bob Dylan and the Yiddish poets: Purim Edition” with Will Soll, Andy Curry and Eitan Kantor. The event will feature a remarkable poetic Yiddish retelling of the Megille by Itzik Manger, alongside Bob Dylan’s music. In person at CRC as well as livestreamed. Details at www.centralreform. org/events/yiddish-poets.
Hamantashen baking and Megillah reading
Chabad of Chesterfield invites the community to an interactive hamantashen baking workshop and Megillah reading at Chesterfield Mall, beginning with the Megillah reading at 4:30 p.m. The program is geared towards both adults and children, who will learn the “ins” and “outs” of making the most perfect and delicious tasting hamantashen, along with the spiritual meanings behind the favorite holiday treat. Participants will have the opportunity to make a tray of their very own delicious hamantashen to take home as well as some to share with friends and family. Suggested donation is $36 sponsor $108; all are welcome. RSVP by March 12 by visiting www.ChabadofChesterfield.com/purim or calling 636-778-4000.
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MARK AND SUE KORITZ CELEBRATE 60TH WEDDING ANNIVERSARY BAT MITZVAH: RILEY WEINSTEIN
Best friends as well as husband and wife, Mark and Sue have shared interests, hobbies, community involvements and volunteer work since the day they were married. They even spent 30 years working together in business, which they admit had challenges that could be difficult for some couples! Their biggest joys come from their children and grandchildren: Beth Koritz (Cady and Kyra Hodes), Debbie and Mike Lefton (Sydney and Jacob) and Robert and Susan Koritz (Levi and Noah). Nothing gives them more pleasure than attending sports, concerts, and programs involving one of them. They feel so lucky that all of the children and most of the grandchildren live in St. Louis, so family gatherings are often and fun. Mark and Sue are grateful for their wonderful life together and look forward to many more years filled with happiness and simchas.
Riley Weinstein will become a bat mitzvah in March 2022 at Congregation Shaare Emeth. Riley is the daughter of Dan and Dana Weinstein of Creve Coeur. She is the granddaughter of Mark Weinstein and the late Aileen Weinstein, and the late Celina and Richard Dinsmore. She is the great-granddaughter of the late Hilda and David Goldfeder and the late Bess and Maurice Weinstein. Riley has one sibling, Isaac, who is 15. A seventh grader at Ladue Middle School, Riley plays club volleyball and loves to dance, create artwork, play with her dog, and spend time with her family and friends. Her mitzvah project included playing with children at Room at the Inn and creating and teaching others to create fidgets for students at Oak Hill Elementary School in South City.
BIRTH ANNOUNCEMENT: LUCAS ALLAN RINEHART Amy and Derek Rinehart would like to announce the birth of their son, Lucas Allan Rinehart, on Dec. 11, 2021 in Denver. Lucas was 4 pounds 4.5 ounces and 18 inches long. Lucas is the grandson of Julie Krumholz McPhail of Austin, Texas; Clay McPhail of Austin; Jeffrey Klearman of St. Louis; Diane Jacobson of Rockford, Ill.; and George Rinehart of Freeport, Ill. He is the great-grandson of Gay Kornblum of St. Louis. Lucas’ middle name is named after his late great-grandfather, Allan Klearman of St. Louis.
MARCH TRIBUTES IN MEMORIAM
Jerome J. Spector 03/26/1915 – 02/28/1982 ST. LOUIS MO
Father to Malcolm and Helen. Husband to Marian, who predeceased him, and Myra. Forty years gone. Remembered with love by your children.
SUBMIT YOUR SIMCHA FOR FREE!! ENGAGEMENTS BAR/BAT MITZVAH BIRTH WEDDING ANNIVERSARY BIRTHDAY
WWW.STLJEWISHLIGHT.ORG/SIMCHAS
IN MEMORY OF JERRY & HERBY RASKAS “In memory of Jerry & Herby Raskas From friend and classmate Franklin.” - Franklin Sax SUSAN FADEM “Thinking of you at this difficult time.” - Ellen Futterman -
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OBITUARIES
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OBITUARY NOTICES UPDATED DAILY AT STLJEWISHLIGHT.ORG/OBITUARIES
RON BLUMENFELD, February 19, 2022, age 79 Beloved husband of Pat Blumenfeld for 56 years. Dear father of Marc (Millicent) Blumenfeld, Melissa (Jack) Bennett and Lisa (John) Federer. Loving grandfather of Danielle and Amanda Sherman, Rachel, Johnny, Sarah and Joseph Federer. Dear brother of Robert Blumenfeld. Beloved son of the late Walter and Kate Blumenfeld. Dear brother-in-law of the late Gordon (Adrene) Price. Cherished dog father of Teddy. Dear uncle, cousin and friend. Ron was a devoted family man and he enjoyed taking cruises with his wife and friends, and he loved having one on one time with his grandchildren. He was an avid car racing fan and delighted in boating and water skiing in the Ozarks. Funeral services were held Monday, February 21 at United Hebrew Congregation, 13788 Conway Road, followed by interment at Chesed Shel Emeth Cemetery, 650 White Road. Contributions in his memory may be made to the charity of the donor’s choice. A Rindskopf-Roth Service IRIS RENEE BUFFEN, February 14, 2022 Beloved wife of the late Larry Buffen. Dear mother and mother-in-law of Andrew Buffen, Stacy Taeckens (Kevin) and Melissa Rochleau. Dear sister of Michelle Bennett (Brad). Dear grandmother of Brooke, Ryan and Danny Taeckens, Jacob, Samantha and Charlie Rochleau and Julia Itzkowitz. Dear sister-in-law of Elaine Buffen (Bob Jackson). Dear aunt of Erin Bennett (Lucia) and Adam Bennett (Kelly). Dear daughter of the late Philip and the late Shirley Trembot. A graveside service was held Wednesday, February 16 at United Hebrew Cemetery, 7855 Canton Avenue. Memorial contributions preferred to the ALS Association, 1300 Wilson Boulevard, Ste. 600, Arlington, VA 22209 (donations@alsanational.org). Berger Memorial Service
OBITUARIES INDEX Blumenfeld, Ron Buffen, Iris Renee Ezell, Diane Emile Hendin, Carol Ann Kopp, Jerry
Litz, Adele Fern Pearl, Allan David Shapiro, Elaine Carrol (Cohen) Shaw, Stanley
DIANE EMILE EZELL, February 25, 2022 Beloved mother and mother-in-law of Joshua (Tricia), Zachary (Eve Moffatt), the late Dana, Benjamin (Emily) and Alex Ezell; dear grandmother of Amelia, Anita, George, Lilly and Willow Ezell; dear daughter of the late Marvin S. and the late Anita Rothberg; dear sister and sister-in-law of Doug Rothberg, Greg Rothberg, Cathy Loser (John) and Stacy Rolfe (David); dear aunt, cousin and friend to many. With a heart of gold, Diane was the rock of her family. She was the glue that kept everyone together. Whether it was baking for the P.T.O., helping someone with a problem or sitting with her grandchildren, two on her lap and one over her shoulder, Diane was the one embracing it all. She will be missed beyond words and will continue to be loved from sun up to sun down. A graveside service was held Sunday, February 27th at United Hebrew Cemetery 7855 Canton Avenue. Please visit bergermemorialchapel.com for more information. Berger Memorial Service
Family Lots Community Mausoleum Cremation Graves & Niches Forty-Two Forested Acres
CAROL ANN HENDIN, February 9, 2022 Carol, our beloved Aunt K, one of the nicest, kindest, sweetest fun-loving people most of us will ever know, was born in St, Louis and died in San Antonio, but she spent the majority of her life in New York City, and she truly relished being a New Yorker. Carol especially loved the Ballet, the Theatre (her Playbill collection was only rivaled by her Slinky and apple collections), the Yankees (Jeter!!), shopping at Bloomingdale’s, and ordering takeout. She was a proud ambassador for all things NYC and her Upper East Side home was always open to visitors, even for extended stays. Dozens of friends and family in town for a night, a weekend, a summer or even longer knew there would be a semicomfortable sofa bed and some excellent company waiting for them at Aunt K’s. Carol was a respected educator. She was most recently the Director of the Park Avenue Synagogue Early Childhood Center, one of New York City’s finest preschools. Her specialty was helping families gain admission to the most prestigious area schools upon graduating from preschool and her record was second to none. She helped shape the lives of literally thousands of children and will be remembered as a caring, creative, enthusiastic friend who always had a contagious smile. Carol loved all kids but had an extra special relationship with her own nieces and nephews. Holidays and vacations were always the best when Aunt K was along to play games, sing songs, and tell stories - stories that will continue to be told and will continue to generate smiles. She was proud to be a Hendin and loved telling others about the accomplishments of her extended family. She was preceded in death by her parents, Jake and Ruth Hendin and is survived by countless family members including her brother Bruce and her sister-in-law Dana Hendin, their children Amy (Peter), Richard (Katie) and Courtney (Dave), and their grandchildren Jake, Riley, Ben, Jacob, Taylor, Isabel, Logan and Hayes. Carol will be deeply missed but her memory will remain a blessing for all who were lucky to know her. The past few years were challenging for Carol but she was blessed with the immeasurable love, strength, and companionship of our dear friend Lhen Ramirez. There are no words to describe the gift Lhen gave to Carol and our family. In lieu of flowers, donations to honor Carol may be made to the Michael J Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research or the Park Avenue Synagogue Early Childhood Center.
JERRY KOPP, February 17, 2022 The Eternal Optimist Jerry leaves behind his devoted wife, Diane Jacobs Kopp, daughter Sasha Kopp, son Gary Kopp and his wife Susie Levitt Kopp, daughter Susan Kopp Townsley and her husband Bill Townsley, and his grandchildren - Adam and Annie Kopp and Charlie and Arlo Townsley. He was preceded in death by his parents, Dr. Jules and Fran Kopp, his sister Judy Kopp and his first wife, Anita Soffer Kopp. He loved spending time with his family and friends including his Clayton High School classmates, as well as cheering on the Cardinals and his Alma Mater, Purdue. Jerry enjoyed traveling and golf. He actively participated in the community – Conference of Education, American Cancer Society, Ladue School Board (19801985) and as a Docent at the St. Louis Zoo. After receiving his MBA at Washington University, he worked for thirty years as a Senior Systems Engineer at IBM. More recently, he was an insurance agent at J. Berg and Associates. A private family service will be held. Please visit bergermemorialchapel.com for more information. In his memory, if you wish, preferred donations may be made to the St. Louis Zoo Association or to the American Cancer Society. Berger Memorial Service ADELE FERN LITZ, February 15, 2022 Beloved wife of the Honorable Arthur Litz for nearly 69 years; dear mother and mother-in-law of Howard Litz (Melanie) of K’Far Saba, Israel, Robert Litz (Nancy) of St. Louis and Gwen Litz of Minneapolis; dear grandmother of Shira Litz Phillipsborn (Eran), Nathan Litz (Caitlin) and Oren Litz (Maayan); dear great-grandmother of Peleg Phillipsborn, Raz Phillipsborn, Eitan Litz and Noga Litz; dear sister of the late Paul Roberts (late Elaine); dear aunt, cousin and friend to many. Private Graveside Service. Memorial contributions preferred to Congregation Temple Israel, 1 Alvan D. Rubin Drive, St. Louis, MO 63141 or the charity of your choice. Berger Memorial Service Obituaries continue on opposite page
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ALLAN DAVID PEARL, February 15, 2022 Beloved son of Ruth Hartstein and the late Eugene Pearl; dear brother of Sharon Fitzwater (Larry) and Mark Pearl (Linda); dear uncle of Rachel Elizabeth Pearl and Jeffrey Michael Pearl; dear step-son of the late Julian Hartstein; dear cousin and friend to many. A graveside service was held Thursday, February 17 at Chesed Shel Emeth Cemetery, 7500 Olive Boulevard in University City. Memorial contributions preferred to the Humane Society of Missouri, BJC Evelyn’s House and the American Cancer Society. Please visit www.bergermemorialchapel.com for more information. Berger Memorial Service Artist ELAINE CARROL (COHEN) SHAPIRO, 76, of Kihei, HI passed away peacefully Wednesday, January 26, 2022 after a fall. She was preceded in death, by her loving husband Gerald Shapiro and her sister Bernadette Bloom. She is survived by her daughters Robin Shapiro (Mike Riley) and Wendy Brenman (Dr. Ephraim Brenman) and grandchildren Mara Riley, Benjamin Riley, Emily Brenman and Noah Brenman. She is also survived by her sister Marlene Petrofsky, niece Vicki Deutsch (husband Steve Deutsch), grandniece Jenny Shrensker, grand-nephew Jonathan Deutsch and great-grand nieces Whitney and Annalie Shrensker. Elaine was born in St. Louis, Missouri to Benjamin Cohen, Jr. and Rose Cohen (Gittleman)
OBITUARIES in 1945. She met her high school sweetheart, ‘twinkle-toes’ Jerry Shapiro, whom she was happily married to for 44 years. Both graduated from U City High; Jerry in 1962 and Elaine in 1963. Elaine graduated phi beta kappa from Washington University with a degree in fine arts. Elaine was an award-winning artist who loved to experiment with a wide range of mediums, muses and ideas. Her pieces have been featured in dozens of juried shows throughout her lifetime and she was very active in the Maui arts community. While art was her passion and vocation, ‘Lainie’ had a wide circle of friends and neighbors who appreciated her kindness, playful musings and Zen spirit. She loved to be surrounded by beauty and treasured living in the tropical paradise of her home on Maui. Her life was filled by the wonderful friends she had through her Angel/Dream groups, golf buddies and gym friends, among the many people whose life she positively impacted. A private Celebration of Life is planned by her daughters for March 20, 2022. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to: • Maui Food Bank, 760 Kolu Street, Wailuku, HI 96793, https://mauifoodbank.org/donate/ • HealthAdvocateX, 140 Lakeside Ave. #A-18, Seattle, WA 98122, https:// healthadvocatex.app.neoncrm.com/np/clients/ healthadvocatex/donation.jsp
March 2, 2022
STANLEY SHAW, 94, passed away peacefully on February 16, 2022 with Dean, his loving wife of 67 years by his side. Stan was preceded in death by his parents, Barnett and Beatrice, and brother, Al. He is beloved by his children, Scott (Lorna), Bradley (Kay), Barbara (Daniel) Pacheco, Jennie (Lewis) Marshall, and Dennis (Erin). Stan was a guiding light for his six grandchildren, Craig Pacheco, Melissa Pacheco, Carly Honerkamp (Alex), Alec Shaw (Jess), Derrick Marshall and Henry Shaw. In December, Stan and Dean were blessed with their first great grandchild, Archer Honerkamp. Stan was born and raised in Brooklyn NY and became a jazz guitar musician in his teens. He served in the US Army as an entertainer. Following his graduation from Brooklyn College with a degree in Chemical Engineering, Stan’s career took him to Cincinnati, where he met Dean, a beautiful and brilliant nursing school student and they fell madly in love, marrying months later following Dean’s graduation. They relocated to the east coast to begin their family. With three young children and one on the way, Stan took an opportunity to develop heat transfer fluids at Monsanto in St. Louis in 1962. Stan was a man of many talents: photography, electronics, cars, cooking and fishing. But his passion was music — big band and all kinds of jazz. He was a charter member of the Gateway City Big Band, playing guitar with them for more than 30 years. Stan and Dean retired and built a house on Table Rock Lake where they enjoyed the water, the bass, and bringing together the family. After a move to Springfield, MO, Stan continued to play guitar with Caduceus, the Doctors’ Band until several years ago. Stan gave his children not only love but support and cheerleading for every musical,
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academic and athletic endeavor. He and Dean set a great example for what a strong marriage and great family should be. In sharing life lessons with his grandchildren he once said, “It is good to be appreciated and especially — to be loved.” In lieu of flowers, the family requests that any memorials be directed to the Gateway City Big Band, a 501(C)3 nonprofit that supports organizations like the North County Big Band. It provides learning and performance opportunities for talented students from north county and city that their schools can’t provide, and it pays off. Last year seven of the band’s graduates received full college scholarships! And this is about more than playing music; the skills and confidence gained with music transfers to all aspects of a young person’s life. Contributions to the Gateway City Big Band, a 501(C)(3) non-profit, are tax deductible. Make checks payable to the Gateway City Big Band, write “North County Big Band” on the memo line and mail to 249 Brixham Drive, Chesterfield, MO 63017 or you may make them online at https://www.charitynavigator.org/ ein/431850344. Services were held Monday, February 21st at BERGER MEMORIAL CHAPEL, 9430 Olive Blvd. Please visit bergermemorialchapel.com for more information. Berger Memorial Service
Jonathan Tobin: Lessons for Israel from Russia’s war in Ukraine CONTINUED FROM PAGE 10 Likud Party leader urged the Israeli government to clam up about the war in Ukraine and focus, instead, on the threat from Iran. The argument in favor of Israel’s staying out of the fray on this issue rests on the fact that, in the last decade, Russia became a Middle East power as well as a European one. After former President Barack Obama backed down on his 2013 “red line” threat to punish Syrian dictator Bashar Assad for his use of chemical weapons against his own people, the U.S. gave the Russians explicit permission to deal with the problem. That was the green light Putin had been waiting for to expand his influence in the former Soviet client state. With American acquiescence, Russia became, along with Iran, a full-fledged combatant in the Syrian Civil War then being waged to overthrow the Assad regime. With the sort of brutal use of military might now being employed in Ukraine, the Russians enabled their ally, Assad, to prevail in a war that cost the lives of hundreds of thousands and rendered another five million homeless. The Russians remain the dominant force in Syria, making Putin a powerful neighbor, rather than just an international symbol of tyranny and aggression. One of Netanyahu’s foreign-policy achievements rested on his ability to maintain good relations with Moscow; preserving that relationship is vital for the country’s security. Indeed, it is only via the good graces of the Russians that the Israel Defense Forces is able to have the freedom to strike at Iranian forces and those of its Hezbollah terrorist auxiliaries in Syria, rather than let them form another front against the Jewish state. The world is cheering on Zelensky in his underdog fight against Putin, and most Jews are rooting for him to somehow avoid the fate that usually befalls those who are forced into fights with ruthless and militarily powerful neighbors. It would be nice to think that it’s possible for a lightly armed nation to successfully defend its independence against predators like Putin with guts and belated international support. But it’s hard to imagine a scenario in which the conflict in Ukraine will produce
a result that allows Israel to completely spurn the Russian leader. And that’s not even taking into account the fact that, unlike the tsars and Soviet leaders after whom Putin models himself, he’s not an open anti-Semite who oppresses the Jews of his country. There are other lessons to be drawn from these events, as well. However the war in Ukraine turns out, it is a warning to small countries to reject the notion that their safety can depend on international guarantees. The 1994 agreement in which Ukraine surrendered the nuclear weapons it inherited after the collapse of the Soviet Union involved both Russia and the U.S. guaranteeing its independence. It’s not just that a former KGB thug like Putin couldn’t be trusted to abide by that pact. It’s that the U.S. in its current condition of weakness and irresolution that was demonstrated by Biden’s feckless and disgraceful retreat from Afghanistan can’t be relied upon to stand by its allies. Just as important, the Biden administration is currently embarking on a policy of appeasement of Iran. With a new and even weaker nuclear deal expected to be announced at some point in the coming weeks, Israel is faced with a situation in which its sole superpower ally is prepared to enrich and empower a regime that poses an existential threat to the existence of the Jewish state. This puts Greenfield-Thomas’s complaints about Israeli freelancing at the U.N. in a very different light. Biden’s expectation that Israel should back America’s Ukraine stand, despite the potential consequences to its own strategic defense, while at the same time pursuing a policy that undermines Israeli security is as outrageous as it is hypocritical. That Israel’s government is maintaining relative silence about the consequences of renewed Western appeasement of Iran is setting up a situation in which American critics of this dangerous policy are being undermined. The notion that Israelis should trust Washington to defend their interests at a time when the administration clearly has no interest whatsoever in doing so is absurd. So, too, is the idea that Israel’s efforts against Iran should be constrained by American demands to stand down once the new accord with Tehran is agreed upon.
Israelis know all too well how fickle international opinion can be when it comes to a country’s right to defend itself. Everyone likes underdogs—something that generated support for the Jewish state’s efforts to defend its existence in the past, when many military analysts thought it could not survive Arab efforts to wipe it out in its early years. Israelis have learned that they must forget about being popular, so long as they are strong enough to resist both conventional and terrorist campaigns aimed at its destruction.
Rather than forestalling an Iranian nuke, Biden’s foolish policies will guarantee Tehran’s becoming a nuclear power. No doubt the world would sympathize with Israelis should they fall victim to Iranian designs to eliminate the Jewish state. This, however, is the kind of popularity that the Holocaust should have taught Jews to avoid at all costs. We may cheer Zelensky’s courage in the face of fearsome odds. But this is the kind of predicament in which rational states should never allow themselves to placed.
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JEWISH CROSSWORD PUZZLE
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By Yoni Glatt, koshercrosswords@gmail.com | ‘Purim AKA’ Difficulty: Manageable
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40. Wee hour
54. Jewish novelist Yezierska
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55. Eatery that might be open late
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Nancy Kranzberg: Masks have been embraced by numerous cultures CONTINUED FROM PAGE 14 West Africa. The St. Louis Art Museum has many fine examples of these. Masks are used for many different reasons in the various cultures around the world. All across Mexico the “The Day of the Dead” commemorates family members who have passed away. People often paint their faces or wear masks of clay or papier-mache that resemble skulls, as well as alters or ofrendas to celebrate the departed. Except for ritual purposes from ancient times, masks were used in theater in Ancient Greece and traditional Japanese
“Noh” drama. Masks were also used in medieval theater for mystery and miracle plays as well as during the Renaissance. Today, Mardi Gras in New Orleans and festivals such as Carnival in Rio de Janeiro are known for elaborate masks and costuming. Similar in style to Venetian masks, Brazilian masks are worn in celebration of Carnival during the week before lent. Their origins, though, are vastly different. Brazilian Carnival first occurred in the 17th and 18th century in Rio de Janeiro, but masks weren’t observed until the 19th century. Lower class parading revelers wore these masks in contrast to the more organized and lavish parades held by the aristo-
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Day (Dec. 26) and New Year’s Day, in performances all over the world, and of course what would we do if masking wasn’t allowed on Halloween. Masks can be used for protection in sports and in certain occupations, as disguise, in high fashion, and as usual I just was flabbergasted by the world of steampunk and sex described in Ibold’s book. I’ll leave it to you, dear reader or listener, to research this one on your own. Once again, I bit off more than I can chew, choosing such an enormous topic and field which I could barely scratch the surface of.
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cratic and working class people. Venetian masks were worn during Carnival in Venice. These world-famous masks date back to the 13th century. The origin of these masks is unknown, but some theories suggest that they were donned in rebellion to the rigid society and times. Some masks were made of cheap material, and some were made of porcelain by skilled craftsmen. Masks are often worn in the Jewish festival of Purim and in the False Face Society of North American Native Americans. They are worn in choreographed parades such as the Bahamian Junkanoo held on the evening of Boxing
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Jan Baron’s eighth-grade welcomed as guest speaker Maxine Clark, founder of Build-A-Bear Workshop and DelmarDE/VINE. Baron’s class curriculum is based on Tikkun Olam and features guest speakers and field trips to various not-for-profits in the community doing mitzvah projects.
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PHOTOS FROM RECENT JEWISH COMMUNITY EVENTS SUBMIT A PHOTO: Have a photo of a recent Jewish community event you would like to submit? Email the image and a suggested caption to news@stljewishlight.org. VIEW MORE ONLINE: stljewishlight.org/multimedia
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The Jewish Community Relations Council of St. Louis hosted its third year of a winter outreach project, gathering over 240 bags of warm winter clothing and supplies to donate to those experiencing homelessness in St. Louis. Jewish congregations and organizations collected scarves, jackets, coats, blankets and more and transported them to State Representative Kimberly Ann Collins. Collins brought the donations to pop-up shelters throughout North St. Louis. Above, volunteer Paul Stroble assists in the effort, with additional bags of donations shown below. Paper airplanes in flight at the Paper Airplane Toss during the recentNHBZ ChillZone Carnival. Max Shalowitz posing proudly with his first-place prize winning paper airplane.
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Ukraine: Chesterfield woman fears for mother in embattled city CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 doing. Just to show her unconditional love, and support.” Americans who didn’t know much about Ukraine are receiving a crash course in Eastern European geography and politics by watching the news. Gorodetsky, who belongs to Chabad of Chesterfield, is proud of her Jewish and Ukrainian heritage and of the leadership shown by the country’s Jewish president, Volodymyr Zelensky, who is Jewish. She is eager to share with others why she loves her home country and the conviction to freedom they hold dear. “Ukrainians are tough as nails,” she said. “There are long lines to donate blood. Everybody wants to pitch in and the lines to defend the country are long. They are also grateful for the support of the world. “I’m praying every minute and every day for justice and for Ukraine to win. They look like they are very outnumbered. But now they have a lot of support from Europe and lot of the world uniting. I think they still have huge battle ahead of them and huge work on rebuilding the country, but I think that’s their war for independence. They want to win.” Timoshina and the Ukrainians in her building have water, food and electricity in their basement makeshift bomb shelter. That is small comfort for Gorodetsky, who is struggling to stay positive given the Russian Army’s resources. “I feel an entire range of emotions from anger to hope to worry to trust in G-d that things won’t happen,” she said. “I can’t really sleep much. So I’m watching TV, and then calling or texting my mom.” Gorodetsky’s husband Uri is also Ukrainian. Their son Daniel, 30, lives in Los Angeles, and has expressed an interest in fighting for his homeland. Their
On Monday, Olga Gorodetsky pins a ribbon with the colors of the Ukrainian flag and a sunflower, the country's national flower, on her father Evgeni Buchstab. PHOTO: BILL MOTCHAN
daughter Tali, 21, is a student at Tulane University, and is also proud of her Ukrainian heritage. “In 2018, I took my daughter to Ukraine a year before she started college,” Gorodetsky said. “We went to my mom’s birthplace in central Ukraine. And we went to Kharkiv and walked everywhere. It’s a very beautiful city, very European. There are a lot of young people and coffee shops everywhere. They have beautiful things in the winter, a big ice-skating rink in the town square. We were planning to go next year. G-d willing we will be there to support them.” She looks forward to that trip with her family, hopefully in a peaceful environment, where they can enjoy Ukrainian del-
icacies like varenyky, a dumpling filled with potatoes or sour cherries. Ukrainians consume a lot of vegetables, including beets. Not surprisingly, the country is the birthplace of borscht. Meanwhile, she is working to support Ukraine from St. Louis. On Monday afternoon, Gorodetsky and her father Evgeni Buchstab were busy making pins with yellow and blue ribbon and a sunflower, depicting the colors of the Ukrainian flag and the national flower. “It was therapeutic for me to make the flag pins,” she said. “We all need to advocate in the way we can and the way that’s natural for us. Some people do it with fundraisers. Other people just speak and tell stories. I think I’m a storyteller. So for
me, this is very therapeutic and healing.” Gorodetsky said it’s important for Americans to understand the ramifications of the Russian invasion and how it impacts them. “I don’t think Russia anticipated such harsh sanctions,” she said. “It also puts the world at risk for nuclear attacks. For us as Americans and Europeans and the whole world, we will face higher inflation. I know it’s hard and I am grateful for every American for their support. “I don’t wish any harm to any of the Russian soldiers. These poor kids have been sent to the slaughter for somebody’s ambition. I wish for peace. I wish for them to return home.”
Jewish Film Festival: 13 films in an all-virtual format for 2022 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 12 ing a film on the big screen, enjoying movie popcorn, etc., we decided to go virtual. All of the committee members were just not comfortable going back to the theater with the uncertainty of the COVID situation.” Added Brown: “We considered some of the advantages of the virtual experience. Patrons can view the films at their convenience during the week of March 6-12. They don’t have to watch any film at a pre-scheduled, inflexible time. That is something we would have to do in the theater. Also, patrons can be comfortable in their own homes and pause the films whenever they want or need to. And most people are used to streaming videos now, so the learning curve would be minimal.” All festival films and discussions will be available on-demand anytime from March 6-13 with purchase of a ticket or AllAccess pass and can been seen through the festival’s viewing platform. Details on that are below and on the festival website https://jccstl.com/arts-ideas/st-louis-jewish-film-festival. Although the festival is virtual again there have been some changes, to make it a smoother experience. “We have certainly learned about issues with virtual technology, which is why we have changed the viewing platform for this year’s festival,” Brown said. “Hopefully, this new platform, which was used for the St. Louis Jewish Book Festival [last fall], will be easier for patrons to access. “One item I would like to convey is that the distributors are ‘geo-blocking’ the films. That means they will only be available to our patrons in Missouri,” Brown continued. “Not our choice, but we have no control over this. So, sorry to our friends who are wintering in Florida.” The pandemic disrupted filmmaking at first and brought the potential for prob-
Films in this year’s St. Louis Jewish Film Festival include ‘The Specials’ and ‘Wet Dog’ (right). lems with films. But Brown said the pandemic, surprisingly, has had very little effect, if any, on the number or quality of films the festival was able to procure. “Our committee viewed about 50 films and chose 13,” said Maier. “We grade the
films as we go along and at the end, we pull our highest-rated films and then we look at features and documentaries, countries of origin and make our final selection. Then I negotiate to get the films.” Intriguing discussions, all free, accom-
Margot Josefsohn and Ed Asner star in the “Tiger Within,” which is part of this year’s Jewish Film Festival.
pany three of the documentaries. Last year, these discussions were a big hit with festival audiences. “I am particularly interested in the discussion on ‘The Conductor.’ Erik Finley from our own St. Louis Symphony [Orchestra] is interviewing Bernadette Wegenstein, the film’s director,” Brown said. “This is an example of being able to virtually interview the director of the film from Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore. “For ‘Not Going Quietly,’ another excellent, moving documentary, we have Stacey Newman, former member of the Missouri House of Representatives, interviewing the film’s director, Nick Bruckman. And [for “High Maintenance - The Life and Work of Dani Karavan”], Ellen Futterman, [Editor-in-Chief] of the St. Louis Jewish Light, will introduce and interview the film’s director, Barak Heymann. All three discussions are free of charge, but I would recommend watching them after viewing the film.” Asked about her favorite film this year, Maier had to give it some thought. “That is so hard. I think I loved ‘Greener Pastures.’ It’s just such a complete film, with laughter, lots of heart and a few big twists,” she said.