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A N O N P R O FIT, IN D EP EN D EN T N E W S S O U R CE TO I N F O R M , I N S P I R E , E D U C AT E A N D CO N N E C T T H E S T. LO U I S J E W I S H CO M M U N IT Y.
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Federation raises more than $550k in Ukraine relief funds BILL MOTCHAN SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH LIGHT
Israeli sport
catches on in STL
BY ELLEN FUTTERMAN EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
T
he most popular recreational sport among adult women in Israel is relatively unknown outside of the Jewish state. And even though it has its own international association and is spreading to countries worldwide, including the United States, most people still haven’t heard of catchball — a game similar to volleyball but a little easier on the bodies of the women who play it. That’s right, women. Catchball was created by women, exclusively for women. Two teams of six players face off on a volleyball court to literally throw and catch. The object of the game, according to the International Catchball Federation, is “to pass the ball over the net, to ground it on the opponent’s court, and to prevent the same effort by the opposing team.” The main difference between catchball and volleyball is that in catchball players must catch the ball with both hands before they can pass it on. They don’t use their fists or wrists to bump or serve the ball, but instead throw or spike it over the net. Some also liken catchball to Newcomb ball, a game that was invented in 1895 at Sophie Newcomb College, part of Tulane University. In 2017, Sigalit Vardi, a native Israeli and attorney who lives in Town & Country, started a team here after she learned about the game from a friend in her home country. According to a report from Israel’s Culture and Sport Ministry, catchball
leagues in Israel boast more than 12,000 female members, almost all of them over the age of 30. That is twice as many adult women as belong to basketball, soccer, volleyball and tennis leagues combined. Vardi gathered 14 women, all of whom were Israelis living in St. Louis, and they began playing at the Jewish Community Center. When space there was no longer available on a regular basis because of youth basketball leagues, they began twice weekly, two-hour catchball practices at the Kirkwood Community Center and Chesterfield Athletic Club. “The game looked very appealing to me because I’m not an athlete and I thought that it will be very See CATCHBALL on page 12A
TOP AND ABOVE: A recent catchball practice at Chesterfield Athletic Club. Catchball is a popular Israeli sport for women that involves two teams of six players facing off on a volleyball court to throw and catch their way to victory. PHOTO: BILL MOTCHAN
Few global efforts have captured the attention and support of the Jewish community like the war in Ukraine. Across North America, Jewish communities have raised almost $20 million to support the relief effort, with more than $550,000—and counting—coming from the St. Louis Jewish community. The fundraising effort came about quickly. On Feb. 25, shortly after the Russian invasion began, the Jewish Federations of North America called upon its 146 member organizations to address the crisis, said Brian Herstig, president and CEO of the Jewish Federation of St. Louis. “They came to us and said, ‘We have an emergency need for $20 million’” Herstig said. “The war started the Monday before. Their job was to work with international partners to verify the need, make sure that we didn’t have overlapping efforts and go to the federations and said, ‘Here’s how much we need.’ “We provided the vehicle to donate,” he said. “There is a real sense of not knowing how to help and feeling helpless about the situation. People are looking for the best way to help and there has been an outpouring of support to provide relief on the ground for those people who are impacted.” Donations to the Federation Ukraine Crisis Fund go toward temporary housing, welfare services, essential supplies like food and water, satellite phones, medical staff needs and emergency aliyah. Herstig said 100% of the money raised by the federations will go directly to relief efforts in Ukraine. The donations from the St. Louis area have ranged from $10 to $50,000. “One of the reasons the Federations exist is to help during a crisis or an emergency affecting Jewish communities around the world,” Herstig said. “In a place like Ukraine where there are estimated to be 200,000 Jews, people have family members who may have come from that region. There is a direct connection and a genuine need. “Every Jew is responsible for another Jew. That’s a principle our organization was founded on, and if there is a Jew in need, we’re going to find the way to help them and 200,000 people is not insignificant and family history is not insignificant.” Donations to the Jewish Federation Ukraine Crisis Fund can be made at www. jfedstl.org/crisis-in-ukraine.
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NEWS & SCHMOOZE
In search of pizza perfection Native New Yorkers skip the Provel in their quest for a a slice of NYC in STL When three New York transplants get together one of the topics they are bound to discuss is pizza. That’s just the facts, folks. Pizza to native New Yorkers is what toasted ravioli is to native St. Louisans. Everyone has an opinion about the best, and why. So when I spoke to B’nai Amoona congregants Debbi and Brian Braunstein last week about their pizza pandemic project, I knew they were going to have strong feelings and wouldn’t be shy about airing them. Married for 38 years with two adult children,
Debbi grew up in Brooklyn and the Bronx while Brian hails from Bellmore, N.Y. on Long Island. (For the record, I’m a Long Islander, too, from Westbury, back in the day when Frank’s Pizza set the industry’s gold standard.) As Debbi explains, it was December 2020, with the pandemic in high gear, when she realized that she and Brian had been bringing in pizza and salad for the last three Sundays in a row. “I said to Brian, ‘Let’s see how long we can keep this up,’” recalled Debbi, a self-described “New York pizza snob” who says she will never believe Provel is real cheese. Their plan was to either bring in from, or eat at, a different local pizza restaurant every Sunday night for a year. In the end, they kept it up for 56 w e e k s i n s te ad
NEWS & SCHMOOZE News and Schmooze is a column by Light Editor-in-Chief Ellen Futterman. Email Ellen at: efutterman@stljewishlight.org
ABOVE: Debbi Braunstein with La Pizza owner Paul Bishop (in red shirt) and the restaurant’s utility man Robert. The Braunsteins rated the pizza at La Pizza No. 1 in their quest for St. Louis’ best pizza, a pandemic project that spanned over 56 weeks.
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of just 52. “We thought we were done but after reading an article about the highest-rated pizza places in St. Louis, we found four we hadn’t visited that fit our criteria, so we extended it to 56 weeks,” said Debbi, who serves as program supervisor for Sharsheret Supports STL. Let’s roll to their set of criteria, as outlined by Debbi: • Mozzarella cheese. “I don’t eat Provel at all and Brian will only eat it if it’s cold. So Provel was out of the question.” (Sorry, Imo’s.) • No fast-food chains. “Some of the restaurants we went to were limited chains but nothing like Domino’s or Pizza Hut or anything that was a fastfood delivery place.” • Hand tossed, the way New York crust is made, and cut into slices. (They did wind up with a few pizzas cut into squares, but none of those made it into their Top 10.) • Within a 30-minute drive from their home in Creve Coeur. • Open on Sunday. “After 40 weeks, we relaxed the rule and started going to places on a Friday or Saturday.” The couple, who met at the State University of New York-Buffalo and moved here in the mid1990s for Brian’s job with Enterprise Holdings, wanted to be careful to compare apples-to-apples, or in this case, pizzas-to-pizzas. “I am a pizza purist,” said Debbi unabashedly. “It has to be cut into slices, you have to be able
Debbie and Brian Braunstein’s Top 10 St. Louis pizzas (in alphabetical order) A’mis
Pizzerelli
La Pizza (No. 1)
Pizzeria da Gloria
Pie Guy Pizza
Pizzeria Tivoli
Pizza Head
Racanellis (No. 2)
Pizzeoli Wood Fired Pizza
Union Loafers Café
The Remaining 46 Pizzarias Tested (in alphabetical order) Anthonio’s Taverna Balducci’s Pizza Basso Bellacino’s Billy G’s Black Thorn Bono’s Pizza BreadCo California Pizza Kitchen Crafty Chameleon
Katie’s Pizza and Pasta Louie’s Demun Manhattan Café Mellow Mushroom Mia Sorella Nick & Elana’s Pizzeria Noto Pizza O and O Pizza Onesta Pizzeria & Trattoria
Dewey’s Pizza
Padavan’s New York Pizza & Pinball
East Coast Pizza
Pasteria
Edera Italian Eatery
Peel Pizza
Elicia’s Pizza Elmwood
Peno Italian Soul Food
Epic Pizza and Subs
Pi Pizza
Faloni’s Restaurant & Bar
Pizza a Go Go
Farotto’s
Sliced Pint
Felix’s Pizza Pub
Stephanie’s Pizza
Frank and Helen’s
Sugos
Guido’s Pizzeria and Tapas
Talayna’s Italian Restaurant
JJ Twigs
Twin Oaks Pizza
Joanie’s To Go
Vito’s in the Valley
PW Pizza
See SCHMOOZE on page 11A
Adapted by Patrick Barlow From the novel by John Buchan
GET YOUR TICKETS TODAY Scan For More Details
PERFORMANCES MAR 18 - APR 10 REPSTL.ORG | 314.968.4925
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LOCAL NEWS
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Above, volunteers at Congregation Temple Israel’s Purim Park & Party event on Sunday pose for a photo. At right, the Temple Israel crowd enjoys the festivities.
Photographer Bill Motchan visited three Purim celebrations at local synagogues the weekend before Purim. Look in the March 30 edition for photos of additional Purim celebrations, including the annual U.City Purim Reenactment Parade. For more photos, visit stljewishlight.org/multimedia. ALL PHOTOS BY BILL MOTCHAN
At left, Rick Recht leads young participants in Congregation Shaare Emeth’s Purimchella event on Sunday. Below, Jan Baron (in black mask at center) helps lead Shrek in Shushan at Congregation B’nai Amoona on Sunday.
Rabbi James Bennett (right) of Shaare Emeth takes part with other staff, clergy and volunteers in the congregation’s Purimchella event. At left and far left, young participants in costume at B’nai Amoona’s Shrek in Shushan Purim celebration, which featured B’nai Amoona USY members and staff.
For more images of local Purim events, visit stljewishlight.org/ multimedia
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Jerusalem Post correspondent finds ‘uplifting’ humanity on the Moldova-Ukraine border JNF’s midwest chapter hosting virtual event with Gil Hoffman BY ERIC BERGER SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH LIGHT
In early March as the Russians invaded Ukraine, Gil Hoffman, the Jerusalem Post’s chief political correspondent and analyst, was reporting at Moldova’s border with Ukraine and saw “some sights that I thought I would never see and yet somehow left uplifted,” he said. “It wasn’t just the Jews. The Moldovan people were coming with cars and vans and telling (Ukrainian refugees), ‘I will drive you anywhere in Europe,’ ” recalled Hoffman, who visited the area as part of a trip funded by the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews, an organization aimed at building cooperation between the two religions and support for Israel. “The Jewish organizations were absolutely incredible, how they were working nonstop to save people.” For most observers around the world, however, the war has not provided an emotional boost. For example, its ripple effects have reached Israel because of Prime Minister Naftali Bennett’s attempt at mediation between the two sides; Russia’s possible obstruction of a new Iranian nuclear deal; and the influx of Ukrainian refugees to Israel, among other reasons. Hoffman will discuss some of those issues during a talk, “Peace, Politics, Putin and the Pandemic,” on April 6 at 8 a.m. as
the keynote speaker at Jewish National Fund-USA’s Midwest Breakfast for Israel, which will be held virtually and is free to attend via Zoom. “In all four of those challenges, Israel has found ways to take groundbreaking steps,” said Hoffman, who grew up in Chicago and lives in Jerusalem, where he has worked at the Post for 25 years. In Moldova, residents opened their homes to refugees, gave them free food at restaurants and allowed them to work anywhere, even without official documents, Hoffman said. Orthodox rabbis visited the border on Friday night and were “on their phones constantly to help people.” “The Orthodox synagogue in Kishinev
Gil Hoffman, the Jerusalem Post’s chief political correspondent and analyst, visited the Moldova-Ukraine border to
(the Moldovan capital) constantly had more and more busloads of refugees coming there, and they were given a hot kosher meal,” Hoffman said. Chabad rabbis in Ukraine had worked to get their local communities out of the country and then also left, carrying Torah scrolls, which they danced with on Shabbat, Hoffman said. They were “people who lost their whole community, people who had worked for decades to build up what they had and then lost it immediately when the war began … and there they were on Shabbat in Kishinev, and they danced with hope and faith, and it was really shockingly See GIL HOFFMAN on page 11A
‘Peace, Politics, Putin and the Pandemic’ WHAT: Jerusalem Post’s Gil Hoffman is the guest speaker at Jewish National Fund-USA’s Midwest Breakfast for Israel WHEN: 8 a.m., Wednesday, April 6 WHERE: Online via Zoom HOW MUCH: Free MORE INFO: Register at jnf.org/ BFImidwest or contact Kim R. Levy, executive director, Midwest at klevy@jnf.org or 847-656-8880, ext. 763.
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LOCAL NEWS
March 16, 2022
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JPROStL annual recognition event
JProStl honorees (from left) Theresa Dattilo, Itta Boyko, Debbie and Mike Lefton, Jessica Duneman, Rabbi Scott Slarskey, Emily Bornstein, Sally Lang and Beth Kodner. Honoree Pam Appelman is not pictured.
On March 3, JProStL recognized eight employees and two lay leaders in the St. Louis Jewish community for their outstanding contributions at an event entitled “treasuring our professionals.” Nearly 350 individuals shared the experience in-person at the Jewish Community Center and through livestreaming. Sarah Levinson (JFS), JProStL president, Jessica Wax (Jewish Federation of St. Louis) , JProStL Special Events Chair, Lauren Abraham (JCRC), Event Co-Chair, Stacy Smart (Jewish Light) Event Co-Chair
Rabbi Scott Slarskey, Visionary Honoree, with colleagues from Saul Mirowitz Jewish Community School
Jessica Duneman, third from right, Pillar Honoree, with NCJWSTL colleagues
Partnership honorees Mike and Debbie Lefton with Amy and Rabbi Jim Bennett, Sue and Mark Koritz
Staff participated in the annual “years of service” ceremony recognizing staff from first year of employment to those 30+ years working in the Jewish community.
Itta Boyko (EHA), Educator Honoree, and her family
Join us for these free Women’s History Month events! Now Open! Free admission!
Thursday, March 3 | 6:30pm | Women of Ragtime Concert
The Confluence Chamber Orchestra performs the works of female composers and female-inspired pieces.
Thursday, March 10 | 6:30pm | Women in the Music Industry
A panel of St. Louis women discuss how they are working to close the gender gap in the music industry.
Thursday, March 24 | 6:30pm | She Votes with Bridget Quinn PRESENTED BY
Illustrations by
An evening with Bridget Quinn, author of She Votes: How U.S. Women Won Suffrage, and What Happened Next.
Forest Park • 314.746.4599 • mohistory.org
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Jewish Federation accepting applications for scholarships, loans Deadline for applications is April 14 Jewish Federation of St. Louis distributes a number of academic scholarships and interest-free loans to St. Louis area students. These scholarships are open to residents of the greater St. Louis metropolitan area, with a preference given to Jewish applicants. Applications are open through April 14. Apply online at https://stlouisgraduates. academicworks.com/opportunities/4338
The L. Allen Zorensky Fine Arts Loan Fund Awards interest-free loans to students pursuing an education in fine arts or other arts at a post-secondary level at a recognized accredited academic institution. Loan recipients must sign a promissory note in which the recipient agrees to repay the loan, in full, within five years of graduation.
vvv
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The Lentin Scholarship Fund Established by Scott Lentin Provides scholarships of up to $10,000 to high school juniors and seniors demonstrating financial need who have completed secondary school and are enrolling in full-time undergraduate degree programs or vocational programs at accredited nonprofit colleges or universities. Preference given to applicants of any faith connected to the Jewish community and first-generation college students.
Awardees will be notified no later than April 28, 2022. Please direct questions regarding any of these scholarships from the Jewish Federation of St. Louis to Karen Sher at 314-442-3824 or KSher@JFedSTL.org.
vvv The Benjamin D. And Miriam Pessin Education Assistance Fund Established in memory of Benjamin D. Pessin and Miriam Pessin by members of their immediate family Provides $2,500 scholarships to qualified Jewish students demonstrating scholastic achievement and financial need pursuing a business degree. vvv The Ruth Greenberg Memorial Fund For Rabbinical Training Established by the late Ruth Greenberg Provides $2,500 scholarships for rabbinical training for St. Louis residents demonstrating financial need and intent to pursue a career in the rabbinate. vvv The Sam A. Kessler Memorial Scholarship Established by friends of the late Sam A. Kessler Provides a $1,000 scholarship for a local law school student demonstrating financial need and a willingness to contribute their time and talent to the Jewish community. Applicants must have resided in the St. Louis metropolitan area for no less than 10 years. vvv The Richard L. Levis, Jr. Memorial Scholarship Fund Established in memory of Richard L. Levis, Jr. by his widow, Barbara Rosen Provides up to $1,000 in scholarship money to Missouri area college or university students demonstrating scholastic achievement and financial need. vvv The Blanche And Irving Miller Scholarship Fund Established through a bequest from the estate of Blanche and Irving Miller Provides $1,000 scholarships to deserving and qualified students enrolled in accredited colleges or universities who are pursuing undergraduate or graduate degrees in professional fields. vvv
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‘Elevating Skills for Community Leadership’ series planned by Millstone Leadership Initiatives Through the Millstone Leadership Initiatives, the Jewish Federation of St. Louis is offering a three-part series on Elevating Skills for Community Leadership open to all Board members, professionals and volunteer leaders at Jewish organizations. The purpose of this series is to provide opportunities for staff and volunteer leaders to explore skills to help them find resilience and avoid burnout, reimagine communications in an age of rapid innovation, and redefine philanthropy and sustainable fundraising. The series kicks off with organizational culture expert Faun Zarge on March 29 from noon to 1:30 p.m. At this session, participants will be given tools for staying energized in their work, and learn strategies for setting realistic expectations, communicating boundaries and navigating change. Marketing and communications professionals Keith Alper and Patty Bloom will lead the series’ second session on April 7 from noon to 1 p.m. CST, which
will feature a conversation about marketing trends, barriers to innovation in communication, and how to meet your market where they’re really at. A panel discussion focused on national perspectives and candid conversations on Jewish philanthropy and the future of fundraising will close out the series on April 26 from noon to 1 p.m. The panel will be moderated by Steven Rosenblum of Washington University (and Past Board President of Crown Center for Senior Living) and panelists include Serena Young (HUC-JIR), Dirk Bird (JFNA), and Bailey Nakelsky (Hillel International). All sessions will be held virtually over Zoom. For more information and to register, go to JFedSTL.org/ElevatingSkills22. Contact Marla Guggenheimer at 314-4423764 or MGuggenheimer @JFedSTL.org with questions. This series is made possible by Mont and Karen Levy and the Lubin-Green Foundation, a supporting foundation of the Jewish Federation of St. Louis.
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Event will look at ‘Chesterfield’s WWII Heroes’
Holocaust Survivor Ben Fainer is shown at the Holocaust Museum and Learning Center in a 2013 file photo. Fainer died in 2016. FILE PHOTO: KRISTI FOSTER Chesterfield resident who fought his way across France and Germany, before his
unit was surrounded and taken prisoners. They were lined up in a field, and the
TION O ER A F D S FE
Here.
UIS LO T.
J EW ISH
At 6 p.m. Thursday, April 7, the Heritage Foundation of Chesterfield will host an event celebrating the lives of three local citizens, each with a unique first-hand experience of World War II: A Holocaust survivor, a Nazi camp liberator and an American P.O.W. in Germany. The individuals featured are: • Ben Fainer, Holocaust Survivor: Fainer was a Chesterfield business owner who spent six years in Nazi camps, from age 9 to 15. He was liberated by U.S. forces on a final death-march in the waning hours of the war. After 60 years of silence, he met and became best friends with one of his liberators. Fainer died in 2016. • David Lupo, U.S. Army Liberator of Dachau: Lupo was a Chesterfield resident who fought his way across France and Germany. In the spring of 1945, he began to hear something called “concentration camps” being mentioned in Signal Corps communications. It wasn’t until he found himself opening the gates of Dachau that he understood what those messages were talking about. • Frank Huelskoetter, U.S. Army P.O.W. in Germany: Huelskoetter was a
For Good.
APRIL 10
YEARS
12 MILLSTONE CAMPUS DRIVE
120 YEARS STRONG…and ready to begin the next 120. Join us as we honor our past, celebrate our present, and look forward together to our future. 3 - 4 PM
View Historical Exhibit
4 - 5 PM
State of the Federation Awards Presentation Year of Courageous Leadership Announcement
REGISTER AT JFEDSTL.ORG/HERE-FOR-GOOD COVID PROTOCOL PROCEDURES WILL BE FOLLOWED. SEE REGISTRATION PAGE FOR MORE INFORMATION.
Germans set up machine guns pointed at them. Huelskoetter assumed he was going to be killed. A ceremony will be held at the Chesterfield Community Center at Chesterfield Mall, followed by a book signing and open house and at the Chesterfield History Museum. Both are located on the upper level adjacent to Macy’s. Speakers will include Bob Nation, mayor of Chesterfield; Michael Staenberg (friend of Fainer); Sharon Berry (Fainer’s daughter); Helen Turner, St. Louis Kaplan Feldman Holocaust Museum; and Mark Leach, co-author with Ben Fainer of “Silent for Sixty Years: Ben Fainer - Holocaust Survivor” and editor of “Why We Fought: Nazi Camp Liberators of St. Louis.” Immediately following the ceremony, the museum will be open, and attendees may tour it at their leisure and watch a slide show, Chesterfield’s WWII Heroes, shown on a continuous 10-minute loop. Sharon Berry and Mark Leach will be available to sign book and answer questions. RSVPs required by visiting https:// tinyurl.com/2uky8nnc or by leaving a phone message at 484-393-1734
Shaare Emeth hosts virtual dialogue with bereaved Palestinians and Israelis Join Shaare Emeth for “Our Tears Are The Same: A virtual dialogue meeting with bereaved Palestinians and Israelis” Sunday, March 27 at 9:30 a.m. via Zoom. The event will feature a discussion with bereaved Palestinian mother, Laila Alsheikh and bereaved Israeli brother, Niv Sarig. Alsheikh and Sarig will share their stories of loss, reconciliation and hope in an intimate, small group virtual setting. You will also have the opportunity to learn more about the Parent’s Circle and its transformative efforts towards peace and reconciliation. Alsheikh lives in Bethlehem in the West Bank. In 2002, her 6-months-old son, Qussay, became ill and Israeli soldiers prevented Alsheikh from taking him to the hospital for more than five hours. Qussay soon died from the lack of timely treatment. Alsheikh joined the Parents Circle in 2016. Following her son’s death, she never thought of revenge, but rather has devoted her time and energy to ensuring a better, more peaceful future for her children. Sarig is from Kfar Sava, Israel. In September 1996, on the eve of the Jewish Feast of Tabernacles, Sarig brother, Guy Sarig, was killed in action. He was serving as a border patrol officer in Tul-Karm in the West Bank. Guy Sarig was shot by a Palestinian sniper while attempting to save the life of fellow Israeli soldier. Niv Sarig later joined the Parents Circle – Families Forum, and alongside bereaved Palestinian members, speaks to audiences about his story and his choice of reconciliation as a path towards peace. The event is co-sponsored by Congregation Shaare Emeth and the Parents Circle-Families Forum. Register at: www.sestl.org/events/ourtears-are-the-same.
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Schmooze: Pizza project searches for a slice of NYC in STL CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3A to fold it, the melted mozzarella has to move toward the middle, and I like a little bit of grease running down. It’s got to have a crisp crust. I don’t want a cracker crust or deep dish. It’s got to be hand-tossed and have a great sauce. “There were times when some of the places we went had a cheese blend, but we would order a margherita pizza, which was mozzarella.” In some cases, they would order half cheese and half mushroom for Brian. Quickly, they realized a take-out pizza wasn’t going to taste the same as one right out of the oven. “We tried to stay consistent with the style and the type, but we did take into account some of the ones we brought home knowing they had to travel,” said Debbi. Speaking of travel, Brian said the pizza project took them to neighborhoods they had not been to before, like New Town in St. Charles County. They also checked out places in Holly Hills, Tower Grove and the Hill (duh!) as well as South County, Ellisville and farther west. “One thing that surprised us was some of the free stuff we got once we told our story,” said Brian, who is president of the board at Jewish Family Services. Among the freebies: beer and well, yes, pizza. “We were at a place in Soulard and the waitress came over and we told her what we were doing,” Debbi said. “She told the owner, who pulled up a chair and said, ‘When you’re done eating, I want you to order one more off the menu and take it home from me.’ It was meatball and something else – not something we would have ordered for this experience, but it was good.” As word of what they were doing spread, friends kept asking them for a list ranking the pizzas in order.
Much to their surprise, everyone seemed intrigued by the project. When they compared notes at the end, both agreed on their No. 1 and 2 picks (La Pizza and Racanelli’s, respectively) as well as the Top 10. As the couple notes, it came down to a good sauce; a good sauce-to-mozzarella ratio, hand-tossed crust with a bit of crispiness and being able to fold the slice (no square or thin crust). They listed the remaining 46 places in alphabetical order (see chart), declining to specify ones they didn’t care for. And though the pizza pandemic project is over, Debbi and Brian say they’re up for a new culinary challenge. As we contemplated the possibilities, it quickly became clear what that challenge has to be: Buffalo wings, of course.
Above, Brian and Debbie Braunstein at Pizzeria Tivoli in south St. Louis. At left, a margherita pizza from Pizzeoli Wood Fired Pizza in Soulard. Both pizza places made the couple’s Top 10 list, culled from visits to 56 St. Louis area pizza places during the pandemic.
Gil Hoffman: JNF virtual event features JPost correspondent CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5A beautiful,” Hoffman said. While Hoffman was in Moldova, Bennett, who is an observant Jew, flew on Shabbat to Moscow to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin. He did so at the behest of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and in coordination with the United States, France and Germany, according to Jewish Telegraphic Agency and other reports. In addition to trying to mediate between Zelensky and Putin, Bennett also made the trip because he was concerned about the large Jewish communities in Ukraine and Russia and wanted to maintain good relations with Russia because of Israel’s campaign against Iran and Hezbollah in Syria, where Russia still has a significant presence, according to The New York Times. “It’s very strange for Israel to be Switzerland (traditionally a neutral country) when there is a world conflict, instead of very much being on one side and very much being a combatant,” Hoffman said. “We can enjoy that for a little bit because we have had such good ties with both sides, and we have to be careful with both sides because we have Putin right there on our border with Syria. “I have no idea if it will succeed, but Bennett was in a position to try, and I commend him for that. He is an observant Jew and flew there on Shabbat to save lives.” (News organizations reported that Bennett received permission to break the Sabbath for that reason.) Israel and Russia are also paying attention to ongoing efforts to revive the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran, which would restrict its nuclear program in exchange for lifting economic sanctions against the country. In March 2015, then-Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu took the unusual step of testifying before Congress because he was so opposed to the proposed agreement, which went into effect that July. Then-President Donald Trump pulled the U.S. out of the agreement in 2018. Iran and Western countries are now reportedly close to restoring the agree-
ment, but the Russian foreign minister has demanded that sanctions against the country not interfere in its trade with Iran, according to the Times. “Russia is trying to hold up the deal” because they and the Chinese were the only ones who weren’t honoring it, “so now if the world will be open for business with Iran, [Russia] won’t have that advantage,” Hoffman said. “That is something that works to Israel’s benefit, if the Russians will delay the Iran deal.” If Iran and Western countries do revive the original deal, some of the limits on Iran’s nuclear program could be lifted in 2025. “That’s frightening,” Hoffman said. “The last 10 years or so have proven that Israel can be open-minded in terms of all kinds of ideas to postpone Iran’s ability to
acquire nuclear capability (including the assassination of an Iranian nuclear scientist) and it will continue to have to use a wide variety of methods.” The war is also affecting Israel because among the more than 2 million refugees fleeing Ukraine, 20,000 have entered Israel. Israeli Interior Minister Ayelet Shaked announced Tuesday that the country would allow 25,000 refugees to remain in the country even if they don’t fit the law of return, which allows all people with at least one Jewish grandparent to immigrate to Israel. “That’s a reasonable compromise,” Hoffman said. “We are talking about people who are not Jewish in any way, not even a Jewish grandparent, and [the country] is really trying to focus on those who do fit the Israeli law of return. … If
you have a possibility of 100,000 Ukrainians and Russians who fit that category, then we are doing our part.” At the Midwest Breakfast, Hoffman also plans to discuss what “Israel has done that surprised the world and could be a model for the world.” For example, it was the first country to fully vaccinate most of its citizens. “We are always a couple of months ahead, and right now we are removing restrictions again, and the numbers are way down — thank God — and I think it’s a sign that it’s going to happen in America soon, too,” Hoffman said. “You guys are going to have a Passover with your families again, and that’s something to look forward to.”
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Catchball: Popular Israeli sport for women catches on in St. Louis A recent catchball practice at Chesterfield Athletic Club.
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1A suitable for women in their 40s and 50s,” she said. As time went on, explains Vardi, “the team grew and changed based on the direction that catchball went in the USA (there is now an USA Catchball Association). We incorporated some local (non-Israeli) women and just love what we can give one another and also enjoy our time together as a team. “Catchball is a terrific activity for women to connect with other women and also get some exercise and keep in shape,” she continued. “It’s easier than volleyball – there isn’t all that much to it — but it’s really fun and competitive. All of us have become good friends; we truly care about each other.” That was apparent at a recent Sunday afternoon practice as the women readied themselves for a three-day tournament in San Antonio, Texas last week. There, they faced catchball teams from around the country, including Boston, Las Vegas, Atlanta, Los Angeles and Seattle. Before the tournament, Ariel Kielmanowicz, who coaches the team, felt optimistic that St. Louis Keshet could finish at or near the top. And he was right: the team placed second out of the 10 teams participating. “The team’s name is keshet, which in Hebrew means ‘arch’ but also ‘rainbow,’” he explained. “We belong to St. Louis — the Arch — and at the same time, we are made of different colors (people/players) that create something colorful and beautiful, which brings joy and happiness.” Kielmanowicz, a native Israeli who played competitive volleyball in school, said he watched hundreds of catchball games online to learn how to help the women excel. “I think that our level of play now is very high, even when I compare it to the best
PHOTO: BILL MOTCHAN
teams in Israel,” he said. “We needed to improve some technical abilities like blocking and spiking and jumping higher. Our blocking rate went much higher almost two weeks after concentrating on this issue. Another important aspect of the game, and one we do well, is moving the ball from side to side to create a better situation to make a point.” Kielmanowicz got involved with the team through his wife, Merav Gleit, who is a Keshet player. During COVID, when the team was able to practice outdoors, he filled in when there weren’t enough players. Eventually, the women asked him to be their coach. “Coaching is super exciting. I’m working very hard because the players really want to improve themselves and I want them to be able to gain from every minute of practice. They are coming at 8 p.m. every week after a long day of work, kids, husband and putting everything on the court.” And while that’s evident at practice — the play is definitely competitive — the
women say what they enjoy most is the uplifting, positive community that they have formed. Sivan Weitzman, 43, who has played with Keshet for four years and is chief financial officer of a venture capital firm, says catchball does wonders for releasing stress. But it’s the camaraderie that keeps her coming back. “It’s a great game, it’s a great group of women and there is a social aspect that I really enjoy,” said Weitzman, a native Israeli who belongs to Congregation Temple Israel and whose children attended Saul Mirowitz Jewish Community School. Several other “Mirowitz moms” also play on the team, including Danielle Block, 36, who has been with Keshet since November. At one point some of the moms at Mirowitz considered forming a second team, but the pandemic pretty much put a kabash on that. “One of the moms in my daughter’s class asked me to play and I said, ‘Sure. Why not?’ even though I had never heard of
catchball before,” said Block, whose daughter is in first grade at Mirowitz. “It’s a really a fun game and it’s nice to be with other women who enjoy being athletic.” Currently, St. Louis Keshet has 18 players, about 70% of whom are Israelis living in St. Louis. Not all the players are Jewish. Regardless of their background, they all seem to get along well. Several socialize off the court and as a group, they have done community service work together. “We donated care boxes to the Lydia House,” explained Vardi, who now serves as Keshet manager after retiring as a player. “We thought we can present the game to the ladies at the shelter but due to the coronavirus, we had to give up on that. We hope to cooperate with other women’s shelters soon.” Vardi encourages more St. Louis women to get involved with catchball. While St. Louis Keshet already has enough players, she welcomes interested women to email her at svardi1@aol.com so that more local catchball teams can be formed.
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The first bat mitzvah was 100 years ago, and has been opening doors for Jewish women ever since BY LISA FISHBAYN JOFFE
Judith Kaplan Eisenstein is shown at her second bat mitzvah ceremony, where she was honored by a number of prominent Jewish women, including Betty Friedan and Letty Cottin Pogrebin. Her 1922 bat mitzvah ceremony was the first in America.
BRANDEIS UNIVERSITY
March 18, 2022, marks the 100th anniversary of the first bat mitzvah ceremony in the United States. Judith Kaplan, daughter of the influential rabbi Mordechai Kaplan, became the first woman to publicly celebrate the traditional Jewish coming-of-age ceremony. Becoming a bat mitzvah, or “daughter of the commandments,” signifies that a young woman has attained legal adulthood under Jewish law. A bat mitzvah is based on the centuries-old ritual of bar mitzvah, or “son of the commandments,” the ceremony for 13-year-old boys. Today, it typically involves months or years of study, chanting Torah in front of the congregation and giving a reflection on the week’s reading. Since that day in 1922, coming-of-age ceremonies for Jewish girls have gradually become more popular, especially in more liberal branches of Judaism. As someone who studies how legal and social changes intersect to advance the rights of women in religious communities, I see bat mitzvah as having a transformative impact on the rights of women in Jewish life, one that continues to reverberate in important ways today.
PHOTO: THE IRA AND JUDITH KAPLAN EISENSTEIN RECONSTRUCTIONIST ARCHIVES, RECONSTRUCTIONIST RABBINICAL COLLEGE/ JEWISH WOMEN’S ARCHIVE WEBSITE (JWA.ORG)
Growing equality For many years, the significance of becoming a bat or bar mitzvah was very different. For boys, it marked the moment when they took on all the privileges accorded to adult men in the tradition, including the right to be counted in a minyan, the minimum number of people required for community prayers; to be honored by being called up to give blessings over the Torah reading; and to read from the Torah itself. For girls, meanwhile, it often marked a celebration of maturity, but did not necessarily bring along the rights to full and equal participation in synagogue rituals. It is only in recent decades that the rituals enacted and the rights bestowed for boys and girls have become substantially equivalent, and only in more liberal movements. Indeed, because of controversies over whether women should be permitted to read aloud from the Torah, Judith Kaplan was not given the honor of being called up to read from a Torah scroll – part of the ordinary routine for bar mitzvah boys. Rather, she spoke after the service had formally concluded, reciting prayers and reading selections from the biblical passages out of a book. Even today, bat mitzvah girls in some communities read passages from sacred texts after services on Friday night or Saturday morning, instead of during the standard Saturday morning service. But the bat mitzvah ritual, in varying forms, has become widespread in all movements within Judaism. It is widely practiced in Refor m, Conser vative and Reconstructionist communities – a branch of progressive Judaism later founded by Judith Kalpan’s father – and is increasingly popular in the Orthodox world. The introduction of bat mitzvah was a steppingstone to expanding roles for women in every part of the Jewish world. In the Conservative movement, for example, women’s inclusion in bat mitzvah created tensions with their exclusion from other aspects of ritual life and leadership. Girls and women who were educated alongside boys and celebrated their bat mitzvah in similar ways later found them-
selves excluded from adult roles. Jewish studies scholar Anne Lapidus Lerner summed it up this way: “The bar-mitzvah ceremony marks a young man’s entrance into adult Jewish responsibility and privilege – the first, it is hoped, of many such occasions. But a bat-mitzvah would mark a young woman’s exit from participation. It would be the only time she was permitted to go up to read the haftarah” – selections from the Biblical books of the prophets read after the Torah portion each Sabbath. The push to resolve this inconsistency led to an expansion of women’s roles within Conservative Judaism, including the ordination of women as rabbis. Orthodox women continue to push boundaries around bat mitzvah. Many Orthodox synagogues have special pro-
grams devoted to girls coming of age and host celebrations marked by lighting Sabbath candles and sharing their learning about sacred texts in a speech to the community. Some Orthodox communities host women-only prayer groups where girls read from the Torah, while families in other communities host ceremonies in their homes.
New directions As the ritual of bat mitzvah became more widely accepted, adult women who had been denied opportunities to study for it as children have sought out bat mitzvah as well. They may choose adult bat mitzvah because they seek to become more involved in ritual leadership in their synagogue community, or to enhance
their skills so that they can guide their children when it becomes time for them to begin training for their own bar or bat mitzvah. Becoming an adult bat mitzvah may also provide a public forum to mark important transformations in one’s Jewish identity. Project Kesher, an American nongovernmental organization that fosters Jewish women’s leadership in the former Soviet Union, supports programs for adult bat mitzvah. These initiatives allow women who were forbidden to receive a Jewish education by antisemitic state policies to reclaim their identities. Sometimes, the ritual of adult bat mitzvah celebrates a more personal journey. In a recent episode of “And Just Like That,” the sequel to “Sex and City,” the character Charlotte faces a crisis when her child does not want to participate in their Jewish coming-of-age ceremony. Charlotte saves the day by using the occasion to have her own bat mitzvah, to celebrate her own Jewish identity as a “Jew by choice,” after converting to Judaism years ago. That TV episode also highlights another emerging innovation around the ritual of bat mitzvah: the adoption of the gender-neutral terms “b’nai mitzvah” or “b-mitzvah.” In many contexts, the rituals of bar and bat mitzvah have become identical, but the names of the ritual are still sexually differentiated: “bar mitzvah” for boys, and “bat mitzvah” for girls. Some congregations, like Charlotte’s, have moved to using the term “b’nai” – children of the commandments – or simply “b-mitzvah” as a term that embraces all children, including those who identify as non-binary. So, when American Jews celebrate the 100th anniversary of bat mitzvah, they not only celebrate a momentous occasion in the life of one young girl, but an innovation that has paved the way for wider inclusion of generations of women, children and those previously excluded from a central ritual of Jewish life. Lisa Fishbayn Joffe is Director of the Hadassah-Brandeis Institute, Brandeis University. This article was originally published by The Conversation (www.theconversation.com) and is reprinted with permission.
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March 16, 2022
OPINIONS
STL
BY RABBI JEFFREY ABRAHAM
Turbulent times demand that we take action. Parashat Tzav follows Purim by one day, both of which “demand action.” In the Megillah, Haman reveals his diabolical plan to exterminate the Jews of Persia, and Mordechai instructs Esther to immediately visit the king and beseech him to rescind the wicked decree. Esther demurs and Mordechai reacts forcefully and tells her, “Do not imagine that you will be able to escape in the King’s palace any more than the rest of the Jews.” (Esther 4:13) Commentators have pondered: Why is Mordechai so forceful? Why not wait for Esther to be summoned and then beg for the Jew’s salvation? A medieval commentator, Rabbi Meir Leibush, known as the Malbim (1809-1879), explained that “every affliction that comes upon Israel has a limited period, time and ‘Day of Judgment’ designated for deliverance through the preparations and causes that were prepared for salvation.”
In other words, history offers us a window of opportunity, but only a brief one. We must seize that ephemeral window of opportunity when it opens. Parashat Tzav begins with the instruction that Moses “command Aaron and his sons” (6:2) about the laws of the sacrifices in the Tabernacle. Why the need to command? Why not tell Aaron, or speak to him? Rashi explains that the term “command” denotes alacrity, urgency and speed. In other words, as Aaron takes a position of importance, leadership and power, he must always be ready and willing to act with speed and urgency on their behalf. Commenting on the qualities of good leaders, Rabbi Moses ben Nachman, known as the Ramban, writes (on Exodus 18:21), “One who is appointed (as a leader) of the community must open his heart to communal matters with all of his heart and spirit … and he must be a person of alacrity, and quick in his service of heaven — that he is not silent nor does he rest until that matter is completed.” Regardless of your politics, it is impera-
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
Rabbi Jeffrey Abraham 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. tive that we find ways to unite during this time of unrest while our antagonists try to divide. We can stand together and unite to find a way to make our world more secure, particularly with what we are seeing in Ukraine, in addition to both in America and in Israel. There will continue to be disagreements among us and in our society. We have many people in our midst who stand on opposite sides politically. Everyone has a right to support whomever they want. Judaism, however, teaches us “machlochet l’shem shamayim,” all disagreements should be for heaven’s sake. We must be respectful of one another and work together. This is what Esther and Mordechai taught us in the Purim story and what Moses and Aaron teach us in our parsha this week. We must continue to stand with our brothers and sisters in Ukraine and stand for what is right and just in our world. Shabbat Shalom!
My history with my native Ukraine is complicated and often painful. But I pray for the safety of my friends and family. HAZZAN NATASHA HIRSCHHORN
Two weeks ago I stood at the Western Wall, on a beautiful sunlit Jerusalem day, and cried. I recognized how very privileged I was to stand in that holy place, but I also felt very alone in that moment. I was in my Jewish homeland, but away both from my chosen home in New York, and my birthplace in Kyiv, Ukraine. And my birthplace is burning right now, its people are bleeding. I don’t know what comes to your mind when you think of Ukraine today. Perhaps it’s a place your ancestors fled in horror, after pogroms. Perhaps it’s a place you visited in a more recent memory, to trace your family’s history. Perhaps it only became more familiar to you in the last weeks, with the flood of terrifying news of Russia’s impending, and then ongoing, invasion. Shortly before I came to the Kotel, I had a brief conversation with a stranger, someone who seemed perfectly nice. The subject of war in Ukraine came up, inevitably, and she said, “I am actually of two minds here. The Ukrainians were so horrible to us, it’s hard for me to feel compassion for them right now.” I couldn’t speak, couldn’t find words at the moment. Here is what I wish I would have said: “When I think of Ukraine and Kyiv, I remember it as a place where at least three generations of my family, including me, were born. This is a place where I went to elementary school and where I returned to study in a Kyiv conservatory, a place where I still have friends, family, classmates and teachers.” Kyiv is also a place where my grandmother lost her job at the Kiev Opera
Natasha Hirschhorn is hazzan and music director at Ansche Chesed, a Conservative synagogue on Manhattan’s Upper West Side. Hirschhorn’s commentary was distributed by JTA. House after the arrest and murder of my maternal grandfather under Stalin in 1937, and where my great grandparents perished in Babyn Yar. It is the place the German Nazis bombed at the beginning of the war, on June 22, 1941, which was my father’s sixth birthday. He was anticipating attending a soccer match with his dad, who instead was called to the army, while my father managed to flee the city with his mother and aunt. My father never saw his dad again. In my lifetime, I fled Kyiv twice, on my own. Once as a 14-year-old escaping the radiation from Chernobyl, and again, in 1992, when I finally had a chance to come to the United States. My history with Kyiv is certainly complicated, tangled and often painful. But I have also watched with admiration and pride when the citizens of Ukraine fought for their independence in the Orange Revolution, and built a democratic country that welcomes Jews of all stripes, including Volodymyr Zelensky, its truly heroic president. My friends and family members are now spending sleepless nights trying to escape Putin’s missiles, crowded in the Kyiv subway, or in their apartments, because they have elderly parents who don’t have the
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mobility to flee or hide. They are watching the night sky light up with explosions, and tell us when we call: “Don’t worry, we hear the fighting, but it has not hit us directly. Yet.” This is a horror we could not have imagined in our worst nightmare. It’s easy to feel helpless in the face of such unprovoked aggression. Millions of lives in Ukraine are affected, including those of our fellow Jews, as Ukraine is home to one of the largest Jewish populations in Europe. The entire world order is disrupted. However, despair is not a solution. There are things we can do, for the Jewish and general communities in Ukraine. I am participating in a fundraising concert Sunday night, March 6 to help raise money for other organizations trying to relieve the suffering. I hope and pray that our actions can and will bring real change. As I was getting ready to leave the Kotel, I decided to walk over to the bookshelves in the back, filled with prayer books and other holy volumes. I picked up a tattered book of Tehillim, the Psalms, and asked for guidance. My eyes were closed as I willed my hands to open a random page. It was a short Psalm, only three verses, but what a psalm! It began with a very familiar verse: Hinei mah tov, umah na’im, shevet achim gam yachad: “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity.” Such a tantalizing ray of hope in an impossibly dark world. May the Merciful One fill our hearts with compassion and guide our hands to help diminish the immense pain and suffering in Ukraine. May we, one day soon, be privileged to sit together with our brethren there, Jews and non-Jews, in unity and
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Email letters@thejewishlight.com
Local J Street leaders: Say it ain’t so, AIPAC AIPAC’S ill-advised decision to endorse and fund over 35 candidates who voted to overturn election results on Jan. 6, 2021, is a slap in the face for American democracy. J Street’s mission is to uphold and promote our Jewish and democratic values both at home and abroad. With American democracy facing unprecedented peril from politicians who refuse to respect or uphold free and fair elections, it is vital that we only support and raise funds for candidates who will defend democracy. That is why J Street launched its pro-democracy pledge. J Street’s pro-democracy pledge is a public call on all pro-Israel organizations with affiliated PACs to take a public pledge not to endorse any electoral candidates who voted against Congressional certification of the 2020 election results on Jan. 6th or otherwise supported the “Big Lie,” which falsely claims that Donald Trump actually won the 2020 election. Shamefully, AIPAC has chosen not to join J Street’s pledge, but also to endorse a large number of candidates sympathetic to the aims of the violent insurrection. Candidates who voted against certifying the election results threaten the very nature of our democracy. No amount of pro-Israel posturing can excuse endorsing candidates who carried out the wishes of violent insurrectionists by voting to overturn the election. AIPAC has defended the decision to endorse these candidates by stating that AIPAC is a single-issue organization — but that is a false dichotomy. All political decisions and policies have an impact on one another and do not exist in a vacuum. If you publicly endorse and fund extremists who endanger our democracy, then you take on significant responsibility for their actions. Many of these representatives who AIPAC has endorsed (including Jim Jordan and Kevin McCarthy) have explicitly sought to obstruct accountability or investigation into what happened on Jan. 6th. Don’t just take our word on this misguided decision. Richard Haass, president of the Council of Foreign Affairs says: “Sorry AIPAC, but it is morally bankrupt and shortsighted to back pols who undermine democracy just because they support Israel.” And the former head of the AntiDefamation League Abe Foxman called the decision by AIPAC a “sad mistake,” and said, “those who undermine America’s democracy undermine America and a weak America will not be able to stand and support its ally Israel.” AIPAC should immediately end their support for these candidates — or explain what could justify supporting those who effectively sided with the insurrectionists on Jan. 6th. J Street St. Louis Sally Altman Neil Jaffe Joe Pereles Rabbi Daniel Bogard
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March 16, 2022
OPINIONS
Bill would require a ‘best practice’: Yearlong contraceptive supplies BY GAIL EISENKRAMER
This time next year, National Council of Jewish Women-St. Louis is hoping that women in Missouri will have one less thing to worry about. Senate Bill 641, sponsored by state Sen. Jill Schupp, D-Creve Coeur, would allow women to receive up to a 12-month supply of oral contraceptives. The ability to receive a 12-month supply would eliminate the need to return to a pharmacy every 30 or 90 days for refills, reducing the possibility of temporarily not having access to contraception. Insurance companies have typically covered one- or three-month supplies at one time, but this is an outdated approach in
conflict with public health recommendations. Increasingly, states are updating their policies to require Medicaid and private-payer insurers to increase the quantity of prescription contraceptives they cover at one time, usually to a yearlong supply. Annual dispensing is recommended by leading health care experts, who cite research that has found consistent, reliable access to birth control reduces the incidence of unintended pregnancies by 30%. Data shows 43% of people receiving threemonth increments of birth control experience at least one gap of at least seven days between refills over the course of a year of use. Limiting birth control supplies to shorter intervals increases barriers and
the likelihood of unintended pregnancy. “Women across our state need and deserve equal and consistent access to their prescribed birth control method of choice,” said Ellen Alper, CEO of NCJW-STL. “Providing an annual supply of birth control is a clinical best practice and proven to work to help reduce the risk of unintended pregnancy. Not only will this help improve the economic opportunities for Missouri women, but it would also reduce the need for abortion by 40%. This is a win-win for people on both sides of the aisle.” NCJW-STL has been championing similar legislation for several years now. If the bill passed, women would be able to consult with their doctors to determine the duration of a prescription that worked best
Is ‘never again’ now?
Gail Eisenkramer is the board president of National Council of Jewish Women St. Louis.
for them. Twenty-two states and the District of Columbia require an extended supply of contraceptives. Help NCJW-STL make sure Missouri becomes the 23rd state by contacting your state legislators and urging them to support SB 641. If you would like more information on SB 641, NCJW-STL’s legislative efforts, get involved, or sign up to receive our weekly Five Ways to Advocate email, please contact Jen Bernstein, advocacy manager, at jbernstein@ncjwstl.org.
Ukraine war ignites a recurring debate about what ‘never again’ really means
BY ANDREW SILOW-CARROLL
“We Will Never Die,” a memorial pageant for the Jews murdered up to that point by the Nazis, was held in Madison Square Garden on March 9 and 10, 1943. Here, during the final scene, cantors sing the Kaddish for the dead.
JTA
Seventy-nine years ago this month, crowds twice filled Madison Square Garden for a pageant, “We Will Never Die,” meant to draw attention to the slaughter of Europe’s Jews by the Nazis. Screenwriter Ben Hecht organized the spectacle and wrote the script; German refugee composer Kurt Weill wrote the score. A young Marlon Brando had a leading role. Two million Jews had already been killed. The performance included the lines, “No voice is heard to cry halt to the slaughter, no government speaks to bid the murder of human millions end. But we here tonight have a voice. Let us raise it.” In the self-congratulatory amnesia called hindsight, American Jews often look back on “We Will Never Die” as a watershed in raising awareness about the Holocaust — and a condemnation of America’s failure at that point to stop the genocide. What’s often forgotten is that Hecht had trouble getting major Jewish organizations to sign on as sponsors. “A meeting of representatives of 32 Jewish groups, hosted by Hecht, dissolved in shouting matches as ideological and personal rivalries left the Jewish organizations unable to cooperate,” according to the David S. Wyman Institute for Holocaust Studies. This was 1943, mind you, so the debate over whether the United States should commit blood and treasure to the defense of its Allies was already settled. But the “ideological and personal rivalries” are reminders that Americans were never of one mind about entering World War II, and certainly not about whether and how to save the Jews. America and its allies are embroiled in a similar debate now, and World War II and its lessons are being invoked by those urging a fierce Western response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Chief among these are Ukraine’s Jewish president, Volodymyr Zelensky, who has specifically cited the Holocaust in asking governments, and Jewish groups, to intervene. “Nazism is born in silence. So shout about killings of civilians. Shout about the murders of Ukrainians,” Zelensky said in a call with American Jewish groups. He spoke about the Russian missile strike near the Babyn Yar memorial to slaughtered Jews, saying, “We all died again at Babyn Yar from the missile attack, even though the world pledges ‘Never again.’” Dmytro Kuleba, the foreign minister of Ukraine, also invoked “never again” in a Washington Post oped. “For decades, world leaders bowed their heads at war memorials across Europe and solemnly
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proclaimed: ‘Never again.’ The time has culture, as the Chinese are doing to the come to prove those were not empty Uyghurs? words,” he wrote. Or, as Kuleba defines it, does it mean The rhetoric may be soaring, but not “stopping the aggressor before it can cause everyone is convinced. “I’m seeing the term more death and destruction”? According genocide & the phrase ‘never again’ used to that conception of “never again,” the more in the context of Ukraine,” tweeted Holocaust may have ended with the death Emma Ashford, a senior fellow at the of six million Jews, but it couldn’t have Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security. begun without unchecked territorial “I understand why they’re being used — & expansion by a brutal regime. the resonance they carry — but they’re not The debate is also highly concrete. If accurate ways to talk about a Kuleba is right, history will conventional war between judge America poorly if it states, even one with humanidoesn’t do more to stop tarian casualties.” Russia’s attacks on civilians Damon Linker, a columnist and its razing of Ukrainian at The Week, made a similar cities. point. “What Russia’s doing And yet, while the United is terrible, but it’s what hapStates and its allies have pens in war. It isn’t genocide, committed arms and sancand it certainly isn’t the tions meant to cripple Holocaust, which is what that Russia’s economy, President phrase refers to,” he tweeted. Biden has ruled out sending Andrew Silow-Carroll is “Please stop the hype.” ground troops to defend In some ways the debate is editor in chief of The New Ukraine, or enforcing a semantic. ”Never Again” is a York Jewish Week and “no-fly zone” over the counphrase popularized by a senior editor of the Jewish try that would make direct Jewish militant, adopted by Telegraphic Agency. conflict with Russian jets mainstream Jewish groups inevitable. and eventually absorbed into the global The bloody Russian invasion, bound to vocabulary as a shorthand for — for what, get bloodier still, has not risen to what exactly? Is it about intervention when a most people and official bodies would call government targets a people or ethnic a genocide. And even if it were to, it would group for slaughter, as in Rwanda? Does it be surprising if the United States would include campaigns of terror meant to “eth- commit troops to the battlefield. Most nically cleanse” a region, as in Bosnia or Americans have little stomach for a hot Myanmar? Is it about a system of “reedu- war with Russia. The threat of nuclear cation camps” meant to erase a people’s escalation is terrifying.
A Cygnal poll taken last week found that 39% of U.S. respondents supported Washington “joining the military response” in Ukraine — a plurality but hardly a landslide. A broad majority still preferred non-military intervention. The United States, like the rest of the world, has a checkered history in fulfilling the promise of “never again.” Bill Clinton was ashamed of America’s inaction in Rwanda. Barack Obama in 2012 launched a White House task force called the Atrocities Prevention Board, although it didn’t prevent the mass slaughter of Syrians by their own government and Russia on Obama’s watch. The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum has a Center for the Prevention of Genocide. And yet to paraphase Stalin, “How big is its army?” And yet, many refuse to allow realpolitik to deaden their response to the tragedy in Ukraine. “We can discuss and debate a no-fly zone, but there is one thing we can’t debate, and that is this should be a no-cry zone,” said Rabbi Joseph Potasnik, head of the New York Board of Rabbis, during a recent interfaith service for Ukraine. “We should never, ever see innocent people mercilessly murdered.” Few could dispute that. But if nothing else, history reminds us that slogans are not policies, and that the very best intentions crash up against self-interest and self-preservation. If nothing else, the debate over “never again” demands more humility and forgiveness in judging the failures of previous generations.
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Online community for moms goes ‘nextGen’ Jessica Litwack’s mamaSpace expands to include parents of kids age 10 and up BY ELLEN FUTTERMAN EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Social media is often criticized for its dangers, including harassment, cyberbullying and promoting false narratives. On the flip side, it can provide connections like no other medium, linking us to thousands of people from all over the world experiencing similar situations. That’s precisely what appealed to Jessica Litwack. After giving birth to her first child 11 years ago, she wanted to talk to other moms about the joys and hardships of life with her newborn daughter. Sure, she had friends and family to talk to, but they weren’t exactly in the same place as her at the same time. So in 2011, she created mamaSpace (www.facebook.com/groups/mamaSpace), an online community and support network that wants its members to feel heard, empowered and validated. “One of the most valuable resources as a mother is having other moms to confide in, look to for guidance and to build a community with,” Litwack, a Temple Israel congregant, says in the private group’s mission statement. “There will be no judgments or criticism of others’ choices, opinions, etc. Parenting is a personal experience, and no one should feel judged for making decisions for their family based on their best interest.” “I really created it to talk to the moms of other girls,” said Litwack, a pediatric sleep coach whose business is Haven Sleep Solutions. “The first response I heard back was: Why not do it for moms of boys and girls? I said the issues are different but ultimately I decided to make it for everyone.” Now that her daughter is a preteen and her second child (a boy) is 8½, Litwack recently created mamaSpace nextGen, for
Jessica Litwack created mamaSpace in 2011. mothers with children ages 10 and older. and ‘There is nothing else like this,’ and ‘I “This is a spinoff group of mamaSpace am so glad you did this,’ that all I can say and will only focus on issues of parenting is, ‘You’re welcome,’ ” she said. “Part of me children who are 10 years and older,” said did this selfishly, because I want the supLitwack. “Just because port. But the other part our babies aren’t actual of me was right. There ONLINE babies anymore, doesn’t isn’t anything like this mean there aren’t chalthat is very targeted for lenges with parenting. this age. We still have questions, “While there are and one of the most issue-specific groups valuable resources as a and all these little kid mother is having other This story was shared first mom groups, I haven’t moms to confide in, look through the Light’s Family found any groups that to for guidance and to email newsletter, sent every are just like this (for build a community other Wednesday. Sign up for this moms of preteens and and other email newsletters: with.” teens). I had 300 moms Litwack says that as stljewishlight.org/newsletters join the first day.” soon as she started the NextGen has 595 spinoff site in January, she had many members. Recent online conversations moms reach out to thank her. within the group ranged from how to “They’ve said, ‘This is such a hard age,’ manage extracurricular activities, limit-
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ing screen time and helping tweens deal with acne to handling preteen attitude. That last one garnered comments from moms wondering whether preteen attitude is the result of hormones, a mood disorder, attention seeking or just a product of being a preteen. “Have you tried art therapy?” one mom on mamaSpace nextGen offered. “My girl is almost 12 and has done art therapy for about 4 yrs. It’s so helpful. Kids have a hard time putting their emotions into words, which can cause more stress and anxiety for them. Art therapy was perfect because she could draw her feelings.” Litwack expects that nextGen will grow in much the same way mamaSpace has: organically, by word of mouth. She says it took a few years for mamaSpace to get to 5,000 members and then “it just exploded.” See MAMASPACE on page 3B
AMY FENSTER BROWN
Keep it 100: Your teenspeak glossary, part two BY AMY FENSTER BROWN
Recently, I created a makeshift glossary of trendy teen lingo for you, and you’ve made it clear you want more. The tremendous feedback I’ve gotten from so many of you proves I’m not the only one who doesn’t understand what the kids these days are saying. By popular demand, I’m back at it again with more helpful, hip and happening teen terms and definitions so you can effectively speak to your child or grandchild in a way that seems cool. Or it will backfire and make you sound like a bigger dork than they already think you are. Cap – When you say something your teen doesn’t believe to be true, they either yell “cap” or “I call cap,” which is a fresh take on the good old-fashioned “liar, liar, pants on fire.” In a related story, one can also say, “no cap” instead of saying “I’m telling the truth.” Such a cool way to have integrity. “As Leo’s gourmet mother informs him there are no weird ingredi-
ents in the delicious dinner she has painstakingly crafted, the young man turns up his nose and says ‘cap.’” Up there – Bro, if you’re up there, you’re kind of crazy, like losing your marbles. “When his mom asked him to fold his own laundry, Davis thought, ‘This woman is up there.’” It’s not that deep – While something might seem like a big deal it actually might not be that deep. This one borders on a teen saying something doesn’t matter that much and just not wanting to let on that it matters that much. “Feeling his mother was overanalyzing a random comment he made about not liking the movie she picked, Davis said ‘Mom, it’s not that deep.’ His mother considered calling the bakery to order a cake that said, ‘Happy Passive Aggressive Day.’” Real one – I have zero clue how to describe this term. That’s because I have zero
clue what it means. I do know with absolute certainty it makes my kids cringe when I bring it up, so, obviously, I bring it up a lot. During a moment of silence, it’s fun to ask, “Are you a real one?” This works equally well on text. Next time your kid texts asking to grab a bite after practice with a friend, you need only respond by asking, “Is he a real one?” They don’t like it. Lit – A rare treat, lit has two definitions. Bonus! Lit can be when something is really cool, and it can also be when someone is really drunk. “If Davis and Leo each had a nickel for every time their loving mother 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.
said, ‘It’s not lit to get lit when you’re underage’ they would be two very rich boys.” Keep it 100 – When you’re keeping it 100, you’re keeping it real. You’re being genuine and honest. Otherwise, someone might call cap. “When dirty dishes were left in the sink, Davis and Leo decided to keep it 100 and fess up, since they wanted to go out with their friends. They didn’t want to keep it 99 because their mother had a sixth sense for these kinds of things.” Throw hands – This means to fight. Like if you rile me up too much, I’ll throw hands. At your face. This leads into the related term, “catch these hands,” which is what one can say to make a threat. “When Davis ate the last cookie Leo was ready to throw hands, and boldly announced, ‘You’re going to catch these hands’ when he saw Davis chewing the chocolate chip evidence.” I hope I’ve been able to up your cool quotient with the teens in your life. It’s probably because I’m a real one.
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Rubenstein, Wallis turn old road trip memories into new roadside experience BY JORDAN PALMER CHIEF DIGITAL CONTENT OFFICER
Growing up in the 1970s, if my family was going on vacation, it meant we were taking a road trip. Funny to think about it now because we didn’t call it a road trip back then, it was just a trip. And road trips have certainly not gone away; in fact, in the age of RVs, they are probably more popular than ever. But wouldn’t you agree — there is something special, something nostalgic about the trips taken back in those days? Thinking about those times makes me just a bit happier. Most of our road trips took place along the stretch of Interstate 70 between St. Louis and Kansas City. My family lived here, but my mom’s family lived in K.C. This was the age of the 8-track, and later the cassette tape. There were no dual monitor DVD players hanging from my mom’s headrest to entertain us. Instead, we had the greatest hits from the K-Tel collection, Andy Gibbs’ “Shadow Dancing” and of course, the CB Radio. Yes, my mother was “The Belly Dancer” on the CB, and she drove that yellow Volvo station wagon, topped off by a 15-foot mounted CB antenna, liked she was a fullon trucker. My brother Scotty and I entertained ourselves by counting Mercedes Benz’ and scouring the interstate for Smoky Bears, while my mother broke the speed limit, driving like a madwoman, at 60, sometimes 65 miles per hour. It was a crazy time on I-70. Aside from passing the old Cindy Motel west of Chesterfield, which we joyfully celebrated because my sister Cindi loved seeing her name on a sign, spelled incorrectly, we had just a few landmarks along the way. One was, of course, Stuckey’s. After the Volkswagon was retired, my mother drove a Mercedes 240D. The “D” stands for diesel, and back then, diesel fuel wasn’t easy to find. Only a few stations along the route carried it, so we knew exactly when and where to stop. Stuckey’s had diesel. For many, Stuckey’s was a road trip staple, an oasis of souvenirs and sweets, plus clean restrooms. You could feast on pecan
Michael Rubenstein (left ) and Chad Wallis logs, sweet water taffy and so much more. The stop to get fuel became a part of the trip and a part of the experience. And from what I’m seeing going on right now in Fenton, I’m not alone in understanding the importance of that experience. Wally’s, which opened at 950 Assembly Parkway, features the look and feel of an old-school road trip but is also a super modern travel center with all the expected amenities. The retailer boasts a modern, retro brand that incorporates a sense of Route 66 pride, which visitors feel from the moment they step through the door. Soda fountains boast more than 60 flavors and 12 slushie options, in addition to a gourmet coffee bar featuring Intelligentsia coffee, nitro cold brew, alternative milks such as oat milk and Circle kombucha on tap. Everything from freshly, baked pizza to a half-dozen varieties of popcorn to a carving station offering tasty barbecue to a homemade beef jerky bar
greet anyone needing a meal or a snack. “Our retail selection really sets Wally’s apart. Rather than go through a couple major distributors to supply our products, we carefully curated a robust shopping experience from a wide range of vendors,” Michael R u b e n s te i n , Wally’s president and CEO. He owns the business with his cousin, Chad Wallis. “Whether our customers need a last-minute gift or just want to browse for themselves, we made it a point to curate a
selection for everyo n e ,” added Rubenstein. “We have a huge range of products — teething rings, BAGGU bags, jade face rollers, Solo Stoves, candles, accent pillows, hats, sleeping bags and more.” You probably have never seen a roadside stop with 50 fueling pumps, and you won’t see that at Wally’s because they have 72 fueling locations spanning the length of over two football fields, five high-speed charging stations and plenty of parking. Guests will “find unexpected delight at every turn, there is something for everyone in the family” says Chief Experience Officer Andy Strom.
JEWISH CELEBRITIES
Slew of new series debut on TV, online streaming BY NATE BLOOM SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH LIGHT
The fifth and final season of the acclaimed FX series, “Better Things,” began streaming on Feb. 28 (catch-up via on-demand or Hulu). It stars PAMELA ADLON, 55, as the single (Jewish) mother of three daughters. In real life, Adlon raised her three daughters by herself and all three are actresses. One of them, GIDEON ADLON, 21, has a large supporting role in “The Thing About Pam,” a mini-series that premiered on NBC (yes, regular NBC), on Tuesday, March 8 (9 p.m.). New episodes air (same time, day) for the next five weeks. (Catch up through On-Demand, the NBC app or Hulu.) Renee Zellweger stars as Pam Hupp, 63, a (real) killer now in prison. Hupp attempted to frame Russ Faria, a Troy, Mo., resident, for the murder of his wife. Gideon plays Mariah, the Farias’ 17-year-old daughter. Josh Duhamel plays the role of St. Louis attorney JOEL SCHWARTZ, who represented Russ Faria. “Life & Beth” is a limited series that will begin streaming on Hulu on March 18. All 10 episodes will be released on the 18th.
This comedy/drama stars A M Y SCHUMER, 40, as Beth. Schumer also wrote and directed the series. The advance publicity doesn’t reveal that much. Here’s the gist of what it says. Beth is seemingly doing fine. She makes a good living as a wine distributor. She’s in a long-term relationship with a good guy. Then a sudden incident forces Beth to deal with her past. Through flashbacks to her teen self, Beth learns a lot about herself. She gradually gets on the path of becoming the person she really wants to be. Advance info about the supporting cast is limited to their characters’ names. “High in the credits” is Michael Cera, who almost always plays nice guys. I bet he plays Beth’s nice boyfriend. You might remember Cera playing the nice Jewish boyfriend of the title character in the hit film “Juno” (2007). Veteran actor MICHAEL RAPAPORT, 51, is also high up in the credits. You know Rapaport, even if you can’t place him immediately. He’s a burly red-haired guy with a strong New York accent who has been a lot of movies and TV shows. He was a series regular on “Boston Public.” “WeCrashed” is a feature film that chronicles the rise-and-fall of WeWork, an office-sharing company. It premieres on
Apple + on March 18. LEE EISENBERG, 44, co-wrote the film. WeWork was founded in 2010. It was financed by a Korean bank that invested so much money in the company that it couldn’t just walk away. So, when things went sour in 2019, it paid company founder ADAM NEUMANN, 42, $1.7 billion to go away. It put in others to run the company, which still limps along. On paper, Neumann, and his wife, REBEKAH NEUMANN, 44, were a model Jewish couple. They are the good-looking parents of five kids and are practicing Jews. Adam was born in Israel and had a fine, long career in the Israeli navy. However, WeWork — while not quite a scam — was shamelessly over-hyped by the Neumanns. Here’s my “kvetch.” Like so many times before in TV, and in film, non-Jews were cast to play a “very Jewish” couple (Jared Leto and Anne Hathaway play the Neumanns). “Welcome to Flatch” is a Fox sitcom that premieres on March 17 (8:30 p.m.). Capsule plot: a documentary company stumbles on a small Midwestern town with many eccentric residents. AYA CASH, 39 (“You’re the Worst” and “Boys”)
co-stars as Cheryl Peterson, a documentary maker. Cash’s father is Jewish, and she was raised Jewish. She’s married to JOSH ALEXANDER, a (Jewish) writer. Do catch the Netflix series “Pieces of Her,” which is now streaming in its entirety. As “Pieces” begins, Laura (Toni Collette) shocks her adult daughter by using military-style violent moves to stop a senseless mass murder in a diner. The publicity Laura receives results in her real identity being revealed. In flashbacks (mostly from the fifth episode, on) we see Laura’s life as a young woman. JESSICA BARDEN, 28, plays young Laura. Barden, a Jew-by-choice, is the daughter-in-law of HENRY WINKLER, 75. “Pieces of Her” got great reviews and the director, MINKIE SPIRO, 51, is a shooin for an Emmy nomination. Spiro, a Brit, has directed many “prestige” TV shows, including “Downton Abbey” and “The Plot Against America,” a “very Jewish” HBO series. Her parents, NITZA and ROBIN SPIRO, are college educators who founded and run the Nitza Spiro Center in London. The Center offers Jewish cultural events and courses in Jewish history, culture and languages.
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83 is the new 13
Rabbi Stiffman prepares for a second bar mitzvah
BY JORDAN PALMER CHIEF DIGITAL CONTENT OFFICER
The custom of a second bar mitzvah, which has become more and more popular in recent years among men, is based on the reading of Psalm 90:10, which says that 70 years is the expected lifespan of most humans. Reaching age 70, then, can be considered a new start – and therefore, age 83 would be the equivalent to reaching b’nai mitzvah age again. The reason this ritual is becoming more common is simple: Men are living longer, healthier lives. The reason that most of the second bar mitzvah celebrants are men is very simple: Women of previous generations weren’t allowed to have a first. According to writer Amy Oringel, “For these second-timers, studying, chanting and interpreting are, again, part of the process. And while there may be no DJ or gift checks written in denominations of chai, participants tend to agree that it can be more gratifying the second time around.”
The second time around For many a young person, the decision to become bar mitzvah was not voluntary. For many, it was just expected. That’s what makes the second bar mitzvah a bit more personal. A second bar mitzvah simply seems like a nice way to reflect on a lifetime. “Some years ago, Rabbi (Bernard) Lipnick of B’nai Amoona celebrated his sec-
ond bar mitzvah and I was in attendance,” remembers Rabbi Emeritus Jeffrey ® CELLULAR ROLLER SHADES Stiffman ofSONNETTE Congregation Shaare Emeth. “It was such a fun time, as he reminisced about his bar mitzvah in a synagogue near my childhood home in Baltimore. I said to myself that I would love to do that if I were to live and be healthy.” Luckily, both factors have come true, and now Stiffman is preparing for his second bar mitzvah. “My colleagues at Shaare Emeth urged me to celebrate with them and the congregation. My rabbis and cantor have been wonderful in asking me to teach Torah that evening.”
A date is set On Friday, March 25, during Kabbalat Shabbat Services from 6 to 7:30 p.m. in the sanctuary that bears his name, Stiffman will be called to the Torah as a bar mitzvah for the second time. His Torah portion is Shemini, Leviticus, Chapter 10, just as it was 70 years ago. “My cantor in Baltimore was my bar mitzvah tutor. When we began, he said, “Jeffrey, you have one of the worst portions of the Torah. It is hard to justify in modern terms.’ “My portion covered the story of two sons of Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, who offer ‘strange fire’ to God and are struck dead by a bolt from God. We don’t know what their strange fire was and can only guess. The point of the story seems to be
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Congregation Shaare Emeth Rabbi Emeritus Jeffrey Stiffman is shown in a recent photo (above left) and in his teen years (right). Stiffman will celebrate his second bar mitzvah later this month. that the ancient priests had laws of ritual that they had to follow.” Stiffman remembers thinking that this was a harsh and unjust punishment. That belief led him to say in his speech that Reform Jews should not take every story in the Bible literally and maybe this Torah portion was written to teach a lesson. Do rabbis need to practice their Torah portions? You better believe it. “Yes, I have been practicing reading and translating the portion,” said Stiffman. “I was careful to do this every time I read Torah so that I read the Hebrew as well as the English as perfectly as possible. And
MamaSpace: Litwack’s online community for moms expands CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1B Today, it has more than 28,000 members. Members in both sites need to be “accepted” by an administrator, of which there are five, including Litwack. There are a few questions to answer and “you’re supposed to be a mom, so we don’t admit men,” added Litwack, also explaining a few of the things that mamaSpace nextGen is not. “It’s not a place to promote or get referrals for services or ask, ‘Where is the best place to have a birthday party,’ or ‘Which doctor is best’ — there are plenty of groups for those kinds of things,” she said. “It’s not a local group. “It’s also not a group for bashing people’s opinions. We have deleted posts that are judgmental or berated people. We welcome a diversity of opinions, but the idea is to listen to one another and be respectful, supportive.” Litwack knows it will take time to build nextGen into the online community that the original mamaSpace has become. She
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since it is 70 years since I last read the portion this way, I figure that I better not embarrass my family by screwing up.” Sadly, there will be no follow-up bar mitzvah party at Saints Roller Rink, and believe me, I asked. And you don’t have to worry about getting your invitation on time either, because everyone is invited, but you do need to RSVP — visit https:// bit.ly/stiffman to register online. “For me, it is a chance to express my gratefulness for being alive, in good health, with a wonderful family, many friends, and a warm congregational family. The blessings that I recite that evening will be heartfelt,” said Stiffman.
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JEWISH LIGHT
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2021-2022 Ohr Chadash Teen Page Staff Editor-in-Chief: Jordan Eisen Staff members: Idan Lerner Molly Levine Poppy Orchard Noah Sentnor Daniel Shanker Katie Silver Ryan Silver Avital Vorobeychik Advisor: Caroline Goldenberg
Israeli teens foster connections between Israel and St. Louis
Israeli teens (from left to right) Shelly Udovik, Eshel Ben Dor, Roi Mast and Maya Shapira take part in the 2021-2022 St. Louis Shinshinim Program.
BY MOLLY LEVINE JUNIOR, MARQUETTE HIGH SCHOOL
This past August, as summer vacation came to an end and the religious school year began again, you may have noticed four new faces at your congregation or school. From speaking on the bimah during Friday night services to teaching Sunday morning religious school classes, these Israeli teenagers chosen for the Shinshinim program positively affect the St. Louis Jewish community through their passion for their country. Shinshin is the Hebrew acronym for shenat sherut, which translates to “year of service.” The Shinshinim program is run through the Jewish Agency for Israel in partnership with Jewish Federation of St. Louis. During what could be considered their gap year, the mostly 18-year-old Israeli high school graduates volunteer in Jewish communities across the globe, deferring their army service for one year. As a Shinshin, they take on the significant job of educating those of all ages within the community about Israel and the culture of their country. Eshel Ben Dor, 19 and the oldest of the Shinshinim, traveled to St. Louis from Herev-Le’et, a small moshav north of Tel Aviv. During her year living in the United States, Ben Dor has enjoyed holding the Shinshin title at Temple Emanuel as well as with the Israeli Scouts. Ben Dor’s interest in exploring communities outside Israel started from a young age. “I traveled a lot as a kid, and I went to a bunch of different countries,” Ben Dor said. “I have seen the Jewish community in each different country, and I was really interested because each community is super different from each other. When I discovered the Jewish Agency program, I felt like I could learn a lot from it, and meeting new people is always a plus.” Roi Mast is from Allone Abba, a small town in the Jezreel Valley in northern Israel. While in St. Louis, Mast is spending his time at United Hebrew Congregation and Kol Rinah Congregation. After previously traveling to the United States and being exposed to different forms of Judaism, Mast became intrigued with the idea of traveling to different Jewish communities. “To me, my first interaction with the Jewish community was when I first went to a Jewish summer camp in Michigan called Tamarack,” Mast said. “I went as a camper and then as a counselor. It exposed me to Reform Judaism and the whole experience of being Jewish outside of Israel. I felt like I gained a lot from this experience. I became more independent, mature and I gained a lot of self-abilities. So I felt like it’s the time for me to give back and really show what I can give to the Jewish community after I gained so much.” Shelly Udovik came here from the northern Israel city of Yokneam, a sister city of St. Louis. Udovik is working as a
Shinshinim program sends young Israelis to communities around the world
Shinshin at the Saul Mirowitz Jewish Community School. She explained the in-depth and prolonged process required to be accepted into the program. “This is a long thing,” Udovik said. “You need to have interviews and [meet with] psychologists. You need to actually learn how to work in a team, and you need to learn how to wait for answers. If you’re a part of this program, a part of this whole thing, you need to know that it’s going to take time and that good things take time.”
“
I think our job as Shinshinim is to tell about Israel from our eyes. I want to leave the kids with a really deep love for Israel because they want to, not because they need to.” – Shelly Udovik
Despite the demanding process, the wait proved worthwhile and rewarding. In addition to their role as educational leaders, Shinshinim participate in a wide variety of events within the Jewish community and enjoy creating relationships with others. Maya Shapira came here from her home in Haifa, a northern Israeli port city, and eagerly took on the role as Shinshin at Congregation Shaare Emeth. Shapira, as well as the other Shinshinim, spend their days in a variety of locations with groups of people with whom they made meaningful connections. “My days are really diverse, which I really like,” Shapira said. “I get to work with a
lot of different ages. I work with preschoolers and religious school kids from kindergarten to eighth grade. I also do youth group and some high school programs.” During their time in St. Louis, the Shinshinim have felt warmly welcomed by those within the community, including their host families. During their time in the United States, each of the Shinshinim lives with five to six host families that are connected to one of the congregations or Jewish organizations. For eight- to 12-week periods, the Shinshinim stay with a family, adapting to American food, culture and lifestyle with the help of their hosts. “The idea is that we are supposed to be hosted by a family that belongs to one of the organizations that we work at, so we have a further connection,” Ben Dor said. “It’s really fun. You can get really special connections with a family, and you feel like a part of the family. All of the host families are amazing people who are willing to help someone they don’t know. You also really feel the culture when you are with the host family a lot. You’re really living American.” As a result of becoming accustomed to this new environment, the Shinshinim are able to develop an abundance of skills and implement them into their everyday lives. They also are able to open their eyes to a different way of life. “I think it made me independent even in the smaller things, like doing laundry, cooking and dealing with insurance, which I would never deal with [in Israel],” Shapira said. “This year [has made] me figure out a lot of things about myself. I’ve learned how Judaism takes a large part in my life. I have had a lot of new experiences, and I think they made me much more open to different cultures. It made me real-
ize a lot of things about the world, and I really enjoyed that experience.” The Shinshinim also have provided effective and engaging educational experiences for young Jews here. “I think our job as Shinshinim is to tell about Israel from our eyes,” Udovik said. “I want to leave the kids with a really deep love for Israel because they want to, not because they need to. I think it’s really important to leave [our] deepest love for Israel.” When first arriving in the United States, the Shinshinims’ love for their own country was apparent, and it has continued to grow. Their hope is for young Jewish Americans to establish connections among themselves and Israel and to develop a love for the nation of the Jewish people. “I became superpatriotic and more connected to Israel,” Mast said. “I think it really benefited me because I love my country, but now I love it even more. I think one of the main reasons we came here is because it’s really easy to connect to the perspective of a young person, especially for kids. “When we build relationships and we connect to people and we maintain this, they will have more of a will to learn about Israel and to connect and even one day get to Israel.” At the end of May, the Shinshinim will travel to summer camps. Upon returning to Israel, almost a year after they arrived in St. Louis, the Shinshinim will fulfill their Israeli army service. Ben Dor will hold a military position as an air traffic controller. Mast is not certain what his role will be, although he is interested in intelligence. Udovik will be a medical instructor, and Shapira plans to hold a role in the military relating to psychology.
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COMMENTARY: JORDAN’S JOTS
During baseball lockout, sports fans connect through fantasy league BY JORDAN EISEN SENIOR, PARKWAY NORTH HIGH SCHOOL
Although it felt as if baseball would never start due to the lockout (thank goodness that is over), the community that surrounds it persisted. I saw this clearly recently when I took part in my draft for the Great Fantasy Baseball Invitational, or TGFBI for short. TGFBI is an industrywide fantasy baseball competition of more than 400 analysts who compete in leagues of 15. After months of excitement building up, the draft began in late February.
Within the leagues of 15, analysts take turns selecting players in what’s called a “slow draft,” in which the analysts have four hours to make their selection. This prolongs the draft process over several days. Effectively, this slow draft yields unusual outcomes. On top of pondering picks for an unhealthy number of hours, I found that it brings leaguemates closer together. I had interacted with a couple of my leaguemates beforehand via Twitter or talking on my podcast, but throughout the past week of 30 rounds and 450 selections, I have gotten to know and connect with an
enthralling group of people. Before the draft, I created a Twitter group chat with the 14 others to encourage communication throughout the draft. To my surprise, after almost every one of the 450 picks were made, someone would chime in with their thoughts. Soon, people began sharing stories about their lives, too, whether it was a groupwide discussion about our favorite baseball teams or someone sharing stories from his daily life as a school principal. Although baseball wasn’t in action, the community that it fosters is still extremely active, a testament to its strength.
MORE ONLINE Listen to Jordan Eisen’s podcast “Field of Vision Sports” in which he interviews professional guests from ESPN, CBS, etc. wherever you get your podcasts or join 8,000 people in following @fov_sports on Instagram.
COOKIN’ WITH KATESTER
A delightfully lemony twist on a classic Jewish treat LADUE HORTON WATKINS HIGH SCHOOL, SENIOR
Originally, I decided to make hamantaschen simply because it was Purim. I knew that it was timely, and that my family would be expecting them anyway, so I took up the challenge. However, after I had made my first batch (raspberry and Nutella), I felt like they could be improved. While they were delicious (as evidenced by my friends’ reactions), they were kind of… basic. That’s when my idea came. I was looking at the Zabar’s hamantaschen recipe when I noticed that it had a little bit of lemon rind. If you know me, you know that I’m obsessed with anything lemon related — lemon cookies, lemon bars, lemon custard, you name it. Wondering why we didn’t have a lemon-flavored hamantaschen, I decided to do some research. I noticed that some recipes called for lemon jelly, but that wasn’t really what I was going for. I wanted it to pack a stronger punch, and I almost wanted it to feel like I was eating a Jewish lemon bar. The result: lemon curd cookies. Although these are more technical to make than your typical hamantaschen, to me, they’re worth the effort.
Recipe: Lemon Curd Hamantaschen Prep time: 50 min | Wait time: 1 hour | Cook time: 11-14 minutes | Estimated total time: 2 hours INGREDIENTS: Lemon Curd 3/4 cup lemon juice 1 ½ cup sugar 3 eggs 1/4 cup butter Hamantaschen 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour (flour for rolling dough) 1/4 cup sugar 1 tsp. baking powder 3/4 cup cold unsalted butter (chopped into small pieces) 1/4 tsp. pure vanilla extract 1 egg 2 lemons, juiced 2 lemons worth of grated lemon rind
PHOTO: KATIE SILVER
BY KATIE SILVER
DIRECTIONS: Start by making the lemon curd. Place lemon juice, sugar and eggs in a medium sized saucepan on medium-low heat, stirring continuously. When whisk leaves visible trails in the mixture, add butter. Make sure it melts all the way through and that it has a thick consistency. Once true, remove from heat. Strain mixture through sieve. Place in fridge, covered in plastic wrap until ready for use. Make sure the plastic is touching the surface of the
lemon curd to avoid a film forming on top. (This curd can also be used later if you want to do this recipe in stages.) Begin making cookies. Start by combining flour, sugar and baking powder in a bowl. Then, mix in cold chopped butter, egg, vanilla, lemon juice and lemon rind by hand. Mix thoroughly until ball of dough forms. If dough is too sticky, add more flour. Cover in plastic wrap and place in fridge for one hour. Once the hour is over, flour a large surface and roll out dough. Use 3-inch round cookie cutter to create circles. (I typically just use a
drinking glass.) Instead of folding in each of the three sides, as in a typical hamantaschen, you will roll three sides toward the center creating a triangle shaped well in the middle. This is because we can’t cook the lemon curd and need to have a space for it to go when it is done. Pinch each of the corners and repeat for all of the hamantaschen. Place in oven for 11-14 minutes at 350 F, or until hamantaschen become golden brown. Once hamantaschen are cool and out of oven, carefully scoop desired amount of lemon curd into the center.
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CHAILIGHTS
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MAR
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
SATURDAY | MARCH 19
Medicaid expansion and medical marijuana through the initiative petition process. Under the proposed new threshold, each would have failed. NCJWSTL’s March Lunch & Learn will welcome Ashton Kuehnel, who will present on why this is happening and what we can do about it. Kuehnel is a Grassroots organizer with the Sierra Club - Missouri Chapter. In her role, she has organized around Medicaid expansion, a just transition to clean, renewable energy, and voting protections. For more information and to RSVP visit: https://bit.ly/Mar22LL.
NHBZ discussion: “Are People Born Nice or Nasty?”
Do you often wonder what makes some people behave kinder than others? Join the discussion when Nusach Hari B’nai Zion Rabbi Ze’ev Smason asks, “Are People Born Nice or Nasty?” 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 RSVP’s are not required. For more information, call 314991-2100, ext. 2.
STARTING | MARCH 19 Shir Hadash discussion: What is a Kohenet?
Join Shir Hadash Reconstructionist Community at 10 a.m. in person at the J or virtually on Zoom in welcoming Missouri’s first Kohenet (Jewish Priestess). Kohenet Dr. Claudia Hall is a Jew by calling who focuses on making Judaism accessible for those who didn’t grow up with a synagogue background. She serves as the consulting minister for two Unitarian Universalist churches in the St. Louis area, only the second Jewish clergy person to serve in that denomination. She has written several books, the most recent of which, “Jewish Prayer Beads,” has just been released. Face masks will be required for everyone attending in person. Shir Hadash meets at the J’s Staenberg Family Complex Arts & Education Building (upper level), 2 Millstone Campus Drive. Contact Carol, stlshirhadash@gmail.com to RSVP or to request a Zoom invitation.
SUNDAY | MARCH 20 Jewish War Veterans meeting
Jewish War Veterans Post 644 meetings will take place via Zoom for the foreseeable future at 10 a.m. the third Sunday each month. For more information contact Post 644 Commander Ellis Frohman at 636-5197512.
MONDAY | MARCH 21 Opera Theatre St. Louis: ‘The Magic Flute’
From 10 to 11 a.m., join Opera Theatre of St. Louis docent Phyllis Hyken as she explores the whimsical and timeless story “The Magic Flute,” which features some of Mozart’s most beloved music. 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.
TUESDAY | MARCH 22 Rabbi Stiffman discusses ‘The Future of Judaism in America’
From 10 to 11 a.m., Rabbi Emeritus Jeffrey Stiffman of Congregation Shaare Emeth will discuss the future of Judaism in American and its implications during a virtual Mirowitz Center event. This program is provided in conjunction with FEL (Friends Enjoying Life), an organization supported by the Mirowitz Center. Register for this free program at http://bit.ly/Register_MirowitzCenter or by calling 314-733-9813 or via email to joliver@ mirowitzcenter.org.
NCJWSTL’s ‘Coffee Talk with SnL’ welcomes Leslie McAdoo
At 8:30 a.m., take part in the virtual monthly coffee talks hosted by NCJWSTL Past President Susan Katzman and Vice
Rabbi Garth Silberstein will discuss ‘Hidden Meanings & Messages Behind Ritual Foods of a Passover Seder’ during a March 31 virtual event held by Bais Abraham and the Mirowitz Center. President of Membership Lisa Gubernik. This month’s guest will be Leslie McAdoo from the St. Louis Art Museum. For more information and to RSVP visit: https://bit.ly/ Mar22CT.
STARTING | MARCH 22 Fitness classes at Kol Rinah
Kol Rinah and Crown Center present a series of six fitness classes, on Tuesdays at 10:30 a.m., starting March 22. Each 45-minute fitness and flexibility class is led by licensed therapy staff from RPI Therapy Services and adapted to meet the needs of the class. Refreshments provided. For adults only. RSVP required; $36 for the six classes. Guests must follow Kol Rinah’s COVID protocols.
WEDS. | MARCH 23 Series looks at ‘Relationships, Rituals, and Rules’
From 10 to 11 a.m., join social worker Carole Simon for a three-part series (March 23, 30, and April 6) discussing how we can redefine and reimagine relationships, rituals and rules within our families and communities, and create supportive space to enable our loved ones to have positive memories and connections. 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.
THURSDAY | MARCH 24 Telemedicine: One of COVID’s silver linings
Join the Mirowitz Center from 3 to 4 p.m. for a discussion virtual discussion on telemedicine. What exactly is Telehealth? When should you use it? How do you prepare for an appointment? Join Dr. Jennifer Schmidt to explore these new healthcare concepts. Schmidt is a general internist and a medical educator who sees patients at the Washington University Complete Care Clinic, where she also serves as Medical Director. 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.
Lunch & Learn: The initiative petition process
Missouri’s initiative petition system has been in place for 115 years. It allows citizens to put an issue on the ballot for a statewide vote. The legislature is currently proposing 20 or so bills that would make it harder to get an issue on the ballot and increase the threshold for an initiated measure to pass once on the ballot. A large majority of voters recently approved a higher minimum wage,
STARTING | MARCH 24 New Jewish Theatre opens season with Neil Simon play
New Jewish Theatre will open its season with Neil Simon’s “Laughter on the 23rd Floor.” Running to Sunday, April 10, the play is inspired by the playwright’s youthful experience as a staff writer on Sid Caesar’s “Your Show of Shows.” This Neil Simon favorite depicts the harried writing staff as they frantically scramble to top each other with gags while competing for the attention of star madman, Max Prince. The NJT production is directed by NJT Artistic Director Eddie Coffield.
FRIDAY | MARCH 25 Mirowitz Center talk with State Rep. LaDonna Appelbaum
From 9:30 to 10:30 a.m., join the Mirowitz Center for an online talk with Missouri Rep. LaDonna Appelbaum (who represents the district in which the Mirowitz Center is located), who will discuss legislation proposals under consideration this year. The program is co-sponsored by the NCJWSTL and the Jewish Community Relations Council of St. Louis. 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.
SATURDAY | MARCH 26 ‘The Best Ways to Deal with Disappointment and Failure’
There are times when we don’t achieve our goals and may even have regrets about the paths we have chosen. Learn the most optimal manner to handle discouragement when NHBZ Rabbi Ze’ev Smason discusses “The Best Ways to Deal with Disappointment and Failure” 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 314991-2100, ext. 2.
SUNDAY | MARCH 27 Nusach Hari B’nai Zion’s Carryout Kosher Pizza Night
Take a break from cooking and enjoy a hot pizza (or two) from NHBZ’s Carryout Kosher Pizza Night. Cheese pizzas cooked or uncooked are available with your choice of any combination of these four toppings: mushrooms, green peppers, onions or pineapple. The final price for each pizza is $14 regardless of your topping choices. After placing your order, you will be given a curbside pick-up time, first pick-up is 5:30 p.m. All orders must be prepaid. Order by sending an email to office@nhbz.org (you will get an email order confirmation) or by calling 314-991-2100, ext. 2. and be sure to give us your phone number. You may pay online at www.nhbz.org/make-a-payment-2. Order by noon Wednesday, March 23.
JEWISH LIGHT
stljewishlight.org
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.
Virtual dialogue with bereaved Palestinians and Israelis See related news brief on page 8A.
STARTING | MARCH 27 Stitch and Schmooze (LIVE) at Kol Rinah
Bring your lap-sized fiber or needlecraft projects (knitting, crochet, needlepoint, embroidery, etc.) to Stitch and Schmooze. Meet with like-minded crafters to exchange ideas and techniques for projects or just schmooze at 9:30 a.m. on the fourth Sunday of the month, starting March 27. Crafters of all skill levels are welcome. RSVP at KolRinahStl.org or 314-727-1747. Guests must follow Kol Rinah’s COVID protocols.
MONDAY | MARCH 28 Dale Sharon looks at African American art
From 10 to 11 a.m., join Dale Sharon, a docent at the St. Louis Art Museum and an exhibited artist, for a look at African American art in the museum’s permanent collection. There are three separate programs, independently exploring a different concept in each part, held once a month. The program dates are Mondays, March 28, April 25 and May 23. The first part introduces Black presence in art, how the African was depicted in art through the centuries. 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.
TUESDAY | MARCH 29 ‘Elevating Skills for Community Leadership’ series See related news brief on page 7A.
THURSDAY | MARCH 31 Bais Abraham rabbi leads Passover discussion online
From 10 to 11 a.m. join Rabbi Garth Silberstein of Bais Abraham Congregation for an online discussion about “Secrets of the Seder Plate: Hidden Meanings & Messages Behind Ritual Foods of a Passover Seder.” This program is co-sponsored by Bais Abraham. 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.
STARTING | APRIL 6 Yoga & mindful movement series with Dani Glassman
Join Dani Glassman, a yoga instructor and wellness professional, as she leads a Jewish Mindfulness Center course going through movements and poses designed to ground participants’ bodies and minds in gratitude and strength. The course meets at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, April 6, 13 and 20. The series is offered as a hybrid model, both in-person and online. Registration is required. To register, call Stacy Jespersen at 314-569-0010. A suggested donation ranging from $18-36 for the series is appreciated, though all are welcome regardless of ability to financially contribute.
THURSDAY | APRIL 7 Event will look at ‘Chesterfield’s WWII Heroes’ See related news brief on page 8A.
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STL
March 16, 2022
JEWISH LIGHT
SIMCHAS BIRTHS
ENGAGEMENTS
WEDDINGS
GENEROUSLY SUPPORTED BY
MITZVOT
Harvey Kornblum Foundation
HKF
Submit your simcha announcement online at stljewishlight.org/simchas
BAR MITZVAH: JACK EZRA BERGER
PHOTO: SPOONFUL OF SUGAR PHOTOGRAPHY
PHOTO: MICHELE ANDERSON, PINKLE TOES PHOTOGRAPHY
Jack Ezra Berger, son of Alison and Brett Berger of St. Louis, became a bar mitzvah Jan. 29, 2022 at United Hebrew Congregation. Jack is the grandson of Barbara and Paul Melnik, and Barbara and Doron Berger, all of St. Louis. He is the great-grandson of the late Arthur and Evelyn Rudin of St. Louis, the late Bill and Edna Melnick of St. Louis, the late Mitchell and Ruth Melnik of Laguna Woods, Calif., and the late Heinrich and Suzi Berger of Nazareth Illit, Israel. Jack has one sibling, Eve Berger, who is 10. A seventh-grade student at Ladue Middle School, Jack enjoys playing lacrosse, spending time with friends, and looks forward to spending his summers at Camp Sabra. For his mitzvah project, Jack chose to collect art supplies for Variety Adventure Camp, a day camp offered to kids and teens with special needs throughout the St. Louis region.
BIRTH ANNOUNCEMENT: ESME MARIE CAVANAGH Lauren Kalina Cavanagh of St. Louis and Brendan Cavanagh of Sydney, Australia, would like to announce the birth of their daughter, Esme Marie Cavanagh, on Dec. 28, 2021 in Austin, Texas, weighing 6 pounds, 13 ounces. Esme is the granddaughter of Marcie
Thank you for all you do for our community!” - The Board and Staff at The St. Louis Jewish Light -
DEBBIE & MIKE LEFTON
BETH KODNER
EMILY BORNSTEIN
ITTA BOYKO
PAM APPELMAN
SALLY LANG
THERESA DATTILO
JESSICA DUNEMAN
RABBI SCOTT SLARSKEY
JEWISH LITE
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By Yoni Glatt, koshercrosswords@gmail.com | ‘Buried Away’ Difficulty: Medium
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1. Numbs (the senses)
21. The sixth sense, it’s said
45. Belgium-toFrance river
73. YULA kids
6. What a mitzvah boy or girl often does
22. Sat in neutral
46. 1/16 of a pound
Down
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24. Raises a red flag
47. Monetary resources
1. Russian country home
40
41
42
50. “CSI” strands
2. Order from a regular
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26. He made Robert Kraft a lot of money 29. Smell ___ ___
14. One from Mongolia or Vietnam
31. Lease again 32. Some lox
15. A Heep of literature
52. Oppenheimer’s greatest (or worst) creation
3. Durable stocking fabric
35. Oldest name
55. He killed (Darth) Maul...twice
4. Less common NFL passes
16. Org. promoting hunter safety
37. Where Bibi was born, but not Yoni
59. “Dr.” who wrote about Things
5. Kind of Cone
17. Like the Mishkan
40. One way to see reefs in Eilat
60. “Hoo” preceder
6. Some major airports
62. “Good going”
7. Go off
63. Bad stat. for 26-Across
8. Caesar’s card count?
64. Burials for Pharaohs...or a hint to 17, 26, 40 and 52Across
9. Bud
19. Every kosher fish has one
44. Lasso that’s
LAST WEEK’S ANSWERS 1
O
14
R
17
C
20
A
23
S
2
S H A
3
E E R
4
H
I
A
P
E
C H
A
41
X
45
E
33
P E A
34
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N
H
54
A
61
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66
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70
P
73
S
55
D
A
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A H T
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N
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A
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A
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7
B R E A
25
T
29
A L
30
T
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50
S
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56
A
A
19
G
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E 31
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36
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M E O D
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26
D E U
R E 57
R
L 71
T
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64
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27
A
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44
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13
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12
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T
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11
H O R
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B
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P
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16
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74
9
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47 51
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62 67
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49 53
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35
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28 32
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39
40
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52
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60
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72 75
68. Springfield cry of woe 69. Who won four Olympic gold medals for Israel? 70. Fancy scarf 71. Places with IV 72. French fry alternative, with
10. Anatevka, e.g. (Var.) 11. Major problem during the Biden administration 12. Like the area around the Dead Sea 13. Like the area around the Dead Sea 18. Colorado’s ___
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47 52
30 35
48
36
50
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54 60
59 66
61
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71
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73
Verde National Park
34. Says rechilut
23. Hip-hop “Dr.”
36. Rehab condition, briefly
30. Yin/Yang belief 32. Abbr. before Bilko or Pepper 33. Porter’s relative
57
58
62
68
28. Kind of reminder
56
38. ___ fly (RBI earner) 39. Waze way, briefly 41. Mate of the Edge 42. Ruth’s land 43. Shabbat no-no
43
55
64
27. Gave a shir, maybe
39
51
63
25. Ocho minus cinco
38
31
49
65
37
23
28
66-Down
33
13
19
loved
29
12
16
20. Hearty’s mate
11. Security desk requests, briefly
11
15
14
JEWISH CROSSWORD PUZZLE
Across
and Dale Kalina of St. Louis, Margaret Cavanagh of Sydney and Murray Cavanagh of Sydney. She is the great-granddaughter of Avery Seidel and the late Estelle Seidel, and the late Esther and Sydney Kalina.
MARCH TRIBUTES
CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THOSE RECOGNIZED AT THE ANNUAL JPROSTL EVENT. “The St. Louis Jewish Light celebrates your accomplishments!
Page 7B
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48. Mommy’s triplets? 49. Present’s opposite 51. Gaming novice, slangily 52. Main song, on old 45s 53. Vocal range 54. Minimal way to win
56. Recoil from pain 57. Michael Aloni, for one 58. Homes in the sticks? 61. Sefira measurement 65. Tishby of note 66. See 72-Across 67. What?, to Lior
Page 8B
March 16, 2022
STL
OBITUARIES
JEWISH LIGHT
stljewishlight.org
BROUGHT TO YOU THIS WEEK BY:
OBITUARY NOTICES UPDATED DAILY AT STLJEWISHLIGHT.ORG/OBITUARIES
ELISABETH (“LIZ”) CUPPLES of Olivette, Missouri, passed away on March 6, 2022, at the age of 90. Born March 4, 1932, in Vienna, Austria, Liz was the daughter of Arnold and Anna Pollak. Several months after Kristallnacht in November 1938, Liz and her family escaped Nazi-occupied Austria and immigrated to the United States. They settled in the St. Louis area where Liz graduated from Clayton High School and then attended Washington University. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by former husband (Ronald “Bob” Cupples) and sister Anna Cook. Liz is survived by her three sons Gary (Marilyn), Steve (Ruth) and Jay, niece Charlotte (Jim) Jones, as well as 8 grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren. She was a devoted mother, grandmother, aunt and loving friend to many. In addition to being a lifelong Blues and Cardinals fan, Liz was an avid reader and tireless volunteer to many causes and organizations. Proud recipient in 2001 of the Lynn Patrick Memorial Award for Outstanding Service to Amateur Hockey, Liz served as the Administrative Coordinator of the Mid-States High School Hockey Association for nearly 35 years from the early 1970’s until her retirement in 2007. No matter how busy, Liz always found time to send a thoughtful card or letter to her family members and many friends. Services were held Wednesday, March 9th at BERGER MEMORIAL CHAPEL, 9430 Olive Blvd, followed by a private interment. Contributions in Liz’s memory may be made to the St. Louis Holocaust Museum. Berger Memorial Service
EVELYN L. FELDMAN, March 9, 2022 Beloved wife of the late Milford Feldman. Dear mother of Carol (the late David) Clark and Mark (Marilyn) Feldman. Loving grandmother of Ted (Kelly) Clark, Sara (Jim Carrigan) Clark, Emily (Jason Gallus) Clark and Katie (Luke Strehlow) Clark. Beloved great-grandmother of Tyson Carrigan, Haley and Reagan Gallus and Millie and Rogan Clark. Loving sister of Bebe (the late Donald) Brasloff. Our dear aunt cousin and friend. A private family service was held at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery. Contributions in Evelyn’s memory may be made to Jewish Family Services of St. Louis, 10950 Schuetz Rd., St. Louis, MO 63146 or to the BJC Foundation for Hospice, P.O. Box 790369, St. Louis, MO 63179. A Rindskopf-Roth Service ELLIOT JAY GREENBERG, born on August 18, 1946 in St. Louis, MO; passed away on March 1, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. Elliot was preceded in death by his grandparents, Abraham and Ester Friedman and Morris and Jennie Greenberg; his parents, Lester and Edith Greenberg; his uncles and aunts, Irving and Ann Peck, Jules and Gloria Friedman, Bernard Greenberg, Morris and Celia Novack; and cousin, Stuart Novack. He is survived by his sister Eileen (John) Gerhard; along with his niece Jennifer (Dr. David) Gupta, and nephews Andrew Gerhard and David Gerhard; his aunt, Bernice Greenberg; and cousins, Debbie Friedman-Lingass, Mark and Barry Greenberg, Rochelle Novack and Forrest Novack.
Family Lots Community Mausoleum Cremation Graves & Niches Forty-Two Forested Acres
OBITUARIES INDEX Cupples, Elisabeth (“Liz”) Feldman, Evelyn L. Greenberg, Elliot Jay Hirsch, Benjamin “Buddy” Hoffman, Joel H. Katz, Deborah Sue Lagovskaya, Yelena
Robinson, Adaline Smith Sachs, Nancy Sarnoff-Heifetz, Phyllis Silverman, David Charles Sonnenwirth, Rosaline Suffian, Brian Scott
American Flag symbol denotes a United States military veteran. Elliot grew up in Olivette and graduated from Ladue Horton Watkins High School, class of 1964. He served in the United States Air Force during the Vietnam War and after his service, he earned his BS in Business at the University of California San Diego. Elliot opened and owned his own branch of Farmers Insurance. He was an intelligent and generous person who loved running his insurance company. Elliot was an avid runner who loved the outdoors and was never afraid of an adventure. He had a great love for his family and his Great Dane, Sampson. He enjoyed spending time with friends, playing cards and listening to music. He will be remembered for his sense of humor and kindness, and he will remain a light in the lives of those he knew and those who loved him. Private family graveside service at Beth Hamedrosh Hagodol Cemetery. Contributions in Elliot’s memory may be made to the Heart and Armor Foundation, 1100 Glendon Avenue, Suite 2000, Los Angeles, CA, 90024 (http://www. heartandarmor.org/) or to the Wounded Warrior Project, P.O. Box 758516, Topeka, Kansas 666758516 (https://www.woundedwarriorproject.org). A Rindskopf-Roth Service BENJAMIN “BUDDY” HIRSCH, March 8, 2022. Beloved husband of the late Jessie Patzius Hirsch; dear stepfather of Lebert (Sharon) Patzius, Steven Patzius, Meco (Patty) Patzius, Ken (Scott) Hirsch and Kevin (Kristie) Patzius; dear grandfather and greatgrandfather of many; dear brother of Judith Kunstler and Linda (Jonathan) Kamen; dear uncle, cousin and friend to many. Buddy was a Navy veteran of the Vietnam War for which he proudly served. He attended the University of Missouri-Columbia. Buddy and his late wife, Jessie, taught Harmonica lessons at St. Louis Community Colleges for many years. He was a dedicated member of the St. Louis
Gateway Harmonica Club, which played at many events across the St. Louis region. Services were held Friday, March 11 at the New Mt. Sinai Mausoleum, 8430 Gravois Rd. Memorial contributions preferred to the Jessie Rae Hirsch Endowed Scholarship Fund at St. Louis Community College. The service was livestreamed at www.bergermemorialchael. com. Berger Memorial Service JOEL H. HOFFMAN passed away suddenly on February 20, 2022 in White Lake, MI. He was born in St. Louis on May 22, 1941 to the late Ben & Theda Hoffman. He attended University City High School and Washington University. He moved away from St. Louis in 1971 and lived in the Chicago area for 35 years, and the last 15 years in the Detroit suburbs. He was a wonderful husband to his wife Robin; devoted father to his six sons, David, Brian (Stephanie), Marc, Ben (Blair), Andrew, and Aaron; an exceptional grandfather to his 7 grandchildren ages 27 years to 7 months; loving brother to Beverly (Bruce) Nahm; special Uncle to Chuck & Eric Ludwig and Josh Nahm. He is also survived by his sisters-inlaw Sheryl (Max) Kahn and Bonnie (the late Joel) Doliveck, many nieces, nephews, great-nieces, great-nephews, cousins and friends. Joel spent most of his adult life in the women’s shoe business following in the foot steps of his father and grandfather before him. He enjoyed boating, camping and the outdoors. He loved cars, sports, music, grilling (he had a special secret BBQ sauce recipe which has been handed down to his sons), and loved all of his pet dogs throughout the years. The Jewish religion was very important to him. He wanted as many family members as possible to be together for the Jewish Holidays. If anyone else didn’t have a place to go, they were welcome at his home. He enjoyed making and eating fried matzoh (not just on Passover), made a great matzoh ball soup and led a beautiful Seder. His heart was filled with love for his family, which is currently spread across seven states. He was the glue that held our family together. Joel could make you feel that you were the one special person in his life, but he had a way of making us all feel that way. In actuality, he was the special one in all of our lives. He led a very full, active, colorful life. He was a great guy who will be sadly missed by many of us and he will never be forgotten. If you wish to honor the memory of Joel Hoffman, consider making a contribution to The St. Louis JCCA, Senior Olympics (please specify the Hoffman Scholarship Fund). Please call Tammy at 314-442-3132 to handle the donation, or contribute to a charity of your choice. Obituaries continue on opposite page
Providing traditional, dignified funeral services
At the time of your need, or pre-arranged
NewMtSinaiCemetery.org | 314-353-2540 | 8430 Gravois Road
(314) 367-0438
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DEBORAH SUE KATZ, March 11, 2022 Beloved daughter of the late William Katz and the late Shirley Price Katz; dear sister of Wendy Lisa Katz and the late Douglas Katz; dearest of granddaughter of the late Shammus Isidor (Casey) Katz and the late Esther Katz, the late Armin and late Melan Price; dear niece of the late Obbie (late Edith) Price; dear cousin of Tom Price, Daniel M. (Kim) Price, Joey, Josh and Emma Price, Joyce (David) Arky-Gibson, Chelsea Gibson, David (Robyn) Price, Joshua Grunmann, Roz (Mike) Grunmann-Michalski and their children Matisse (Andrew), Stos (Shirley). In addition the cousin constellation of Holzmans, Glazers, Hapners, Arkys, Prices/ Preiszs, Moskovitzs, Waldmans, Schreibers, Rhines, Reimans and Blums. The following is a list of friends who are family not by Blood but Soul; God Mom Jearlean Rhine, Linda Fields, Jay Wolke, Bill Ash, Donna Wilensky, Rebecca (Haris) Hrustic, Joanie French, Adrienne (Hasmukh) Patel, Lorraine Glass-Harris, Sidney Hersh, Karen Schelker, Linda Blumenthal, Suzanne Harlamert, Lee Ann (Ron) Blue, Barbara Rennels, Gloria (Steven) Barnholtz, Mary (late Henry) Berger, Sue Kaiser, Margie DieKemperer, Marilyn Levinson, Punita Singh, Robbie Shibi, Renese Jones, Duane and Kay Johnson, Janet Rickles and Ayako (Haruka) Watanabe, the late Angelica Adams and the late Judith Katz of blessed memory. Deborah was friends and family with so many others around the world who cherished and love her including those ibn India, Spain, Israel, Canada and Brazil. As a Writer and a Poet her readings have been enjoyed by many and will be missed. A funeral service was held Tuesday, March 15 at Berger Memorial Chapel, 9430 Olive Blvd., followed by interment at B’nai Amoona Cemetery, 930 North and South Rd. 63130. The service was livestreamed at www. bergermemorialchapel.com. Memorial contributions preferred to Southern Poverty Law Center, Harvey Kornblum Food Pantry and Brain Injury Association of Missouri. Berger Memorial Service YELENA LAGOVSKAYA, February 28, 2022 Beloved wife of the late Tzion Baazov; dear mother and mother-in-law of Irina Lagovskaya and Eugene Baazov (Marina); dear grandmother of Sabina Aliyeva, Boris Baazov (Irina) and Jennifer Baazov (fiancé Aaron Fultz); dear greatgrandmother of Jacob and Vivian Baazov; dear daughter of the late Gregoriy Lagovski and the late Sofa Lagovskaya; dear sister of the late Boris Lagovski. A graveside service was held Thursday, March 3 at Beth Hamedrosh Hagodol Cemetery, 9125 Ladue Road. Memorial contributions preferred to the American Heart Association, 460 N Lindbergh Blvd, St. Louis, MO 63141. Visit www. bergermemorialchapel.com for more information. Berger Memorial Service ADALINE SMITH ROBINSON, 3rd generation St Louisan, died of natural causes December 25 2021, at the age of 103. As her life spanned so many events, her parting marks the end of an era. Adaline was able to pass on to her family many stories, Jewish traditions, and a strong belief in the power of the individual. Adaline, named for opera singer Adelina Patti, was born in 1918 in the 3rd floor ballroom of a home at Lake and Washington, that had been built for the Italian representative to the St. Louis Worlds Fair and which had later been bought by her family. (Her neighbors were the Meriwether family of Lewis and Clark fame.) Her parents were Aaron Smith and Ida Levin Smith of the widely known Smith Furniture Company, that had been founded and run by Adaline’s grandmother, Paulina Smith, at the turn of the century (while she also raised 13 children). Adaline’s life continued the family tradition of beautiful, smart, incredibly strong, complex women who were trailblazers, decades ahead of their time. Many years later her younger sister, Charlotte Cohen, was to become the first woman to open her own stock brokerage business. The Depression hit the family hard, and the stage was set for the challenges and later triumphs to come. Adaline graduated from University City High School and Harris Teachers College and was a painter who then taught art classes. From an early age Adaline possessed an extraordinary eye, impeccable taste, and a uniquely nuanced understanding of color. She met and married William Saul Robinson at the start of WWII. Their marriage was to last 52 years until he was tragically taken when they were both struck by a car while holding hands and crossing the street. As newlyweds, they
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OBITUARIES traveled to the East Coast where Bill headed several POW camps. Adaline, always by his side, was active in the life of the camp and even set up an art tent at one of the camps in Frederick, Maryland for a German prisoner who was a painter. When a high ranking general visited the camp, he was so taken with the painter, along with other prisoners Adaline had personally trained for the mess, (including a German cook and maitre d’) he subsequently transferred them to be part of his personal staff. Portraits of Bill and Adaline painted by the German POW hung in their home for their entire lives. And years later when Adaline suddenly became a blond - as women of a certain age often do - without skipping a beat she repainted the hair in her own portrait to reflect the change. Adaline’s time on the East Coast with the exposure to its history and furniture, reinforced her love of art and antiques and made a lasting impression later manifested in her own highly curated collections. After the war Bill and Adaline returned to St. Louis where they built a house and a family. Adaline also wrote articles for the Jewish Post and even ran for public office. Her passions were yiddishkeit, learning, and the arts, and the strong belief that an individual can change the world. She passed this on to her two children, first born Howard Neil and Sarajane Paulina whom she enrolled in Orthodox Hebrew day school. Adaline always put the welfare of her children first, frequently sacrificing her own pursuits for their benefit. She continuously supported and encouraged her children to follow their passions, and for Howard, it would be medicine, while for Sarajane, it was theatre. Adaline’s greatest joy was watching their accomplishments grow. When her peers were stay at home wives, Adaline opened her own business, the Good As New clothing store which she ran for almost twenty years. Just as her grandmother had specialized in used furniture, she sold used clothing, much of it very high end. When Adaline and Bill became empty-nesters, she closed her shop and pursued another love, scholarly Jewish research. Her primary focus was on the Jewish roots of Christopher Columbus. She would use her uncanny intuition, backed up with meticulous research, to follow this then novel premise which has since gained wide acceptance. Adaline’s work was published in various articles, and she would also lecture. Bill and Adaline also enjoyed traveling, and the highlight of their trips became the yearly European cruises Adaline hosted to bring her then growing family together. Howard and Sarajane had both left St. Louis, married, and had children. This group of eleven would all gather from different parts of the country to make wonderful memories. The tragic accident that had killed Bill occurred after two of these cruises. Adaline still hosted the third but in a wheelchair. Adaline went through a long rehab period when she regained most of her abilities, but was never as strong. She still traveled, but it was primarily to visit her family on special occasions. She was extremely alert and astute, trading stocks well into her late 90s, even after she had
been bedridden with 24 hour care due to complications from the car accident decades earlier. She continued to rejoice in the lives of her family and to instill in a new generation, her grandchildren, an unwavering belief in the unlimited potential of each of them. Adaline was ever generous. Whether she had a lot or a little, most of what she had went to her children. Adaline is survived by her son Dr. Howard N Robinson, grandchildren, Dallas A. (Stephanie Hale), Amanda L. Alpert (Jonathan), and Dustin M. and great grandchildren, Calista, Zander and Daphne Robinson and Aria and Ever Alpert. She is also survived by her daughter, Sarajane Robinson Schwartz (John) and grandchildren Trevor (Rachel Zernik) and Taube B. Other family members include her predeceased sister, Charlotte Cohen’s son, Ian (Anne Pokoski) and their children, Bennett and Elizabeth Cohen. All dearly miss her. Due to Covid, a private family service was held. Contributions in her memory can be made to
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the Zionist Organization of America. Berger Memorial Service NANCY SACHS, March 11, 2022 Dear mother of Susan Sachs, the late Stephen C. Sachs and the late Peter Sachs (Kimberly Winters); dear grandmother of Elliot Borg (Lindsay Gips) and Andrew Borg, David Sachs, and Sophie, Nina and Sam Sachs; dear sister of Mimi Rennard (Marvin.) Dear aunt, cousin, and friend to so many. A private memorial service was held. Memorial contributions preferred to Metro Caring, 1100 E 18th Ave, Denver, CO 80218; JFS St. Louis, 10950 Schuetz Rd, St. Louis, MO 63146; or to the charity of your choice. Please visit bergermemorialchapel.com for more information. Berger Memorial Service Obituaries continue on following page
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Obituaries continued from previous page PHYLLIS SARNOFF-HEIFETZ (nee Katzen) age 83 of Clayton, MO passed away on Tuesday, March 1st after a 14 year battle with stage 4 breast cancer. She is survived by her husband Gary Heifetz, her brother Marvin (Sonny) Katzen (Barbara), stepsons Stephen Heifetz and Douglas Heifetz and their wives and children, her nephews Alan Katzen (Mitzi) and their children and Brian Korte (Lisa). Her son Michael Sarnoff died in 1979 at age 16 and her daughter Linda Sarnoff died in 1988 at age 29. Her sister Rosalie Korte died in 1992 at age 55. Phyllis worked for 37 years at the Clayton, MO law firm of Tremayne, Lay, Carr & Bauer, first as a secretary, then as office manager and legal assistant in the trust and estate planning area. Phyllis was an avid horseback rider from age 8 through age 80. She was one of the original riders in a group called the Wild Bunch that kept their horses at Kraus Farms and rode the trails in Forest 44 and areas near Lone Elk Park. Members of the group often spent weekends camping out with their horses. Phyllis was active with Big Brother and Sisters and the Women’s Democratic Forum. To her legions of friends, family and many animals, she radiated love and beauty. Services were held Sunday, March 13 at BERGER MEMORIAL CHAPEL, 9430 Olive Blvd. Family and close friends will gather later to celebrate her remarkable life of love, courage and resilience. Contributions in Phyllis’s memory
may be made to Planned Parenthood of the St. Louis Region or the Humane Society of Missouri. Please visit bergermemorialchapel.com for Live Stream link. Berger Memorial Service DAVID CHARLES SILVERMAN Born July 24, 1947, in Newark, New Jersey. Died March 1, 2022, in Chesterfield, MO. David, a New Jersey native and long-time resident of Chesterfield, died on March 1, 2022, after a long and hard-fought battle with cancer (multiple myeloma). David earned his B.S. and M.S. from Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Ph.D. from Stanford University. He was an internationally recognized expert in Chemical Engineering and Corrosion. David was known for his sharp wit, eccentricity, and love of trains (both models and the real thing). David extensively traveled the U.S., including many National Parks, with his family. David was predeceased by his father Arthur and mother Lillian. He is survived by his wife of 45 years Joyce, son Ari (Deborah), daughter Roshelle (Benjamin) Rodriguez, and grandkids Ilana, Cayla, Miriam, Bryce, and Isabella. A funeral service for David will take place via Zoom. Please visit www.bergermemorialchapel. com for Zoom details. Memorial contributions preferred to the International Myeloma Foundation, 4400 Coldwater Canyon Ave., Suite 300, Studio City, CA 91604. Berger Memorial Service
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ROSALINE SONNENWIRTH, March 9, 2022 Rosaline Sonnenwirth, passed away peacefully in her home on March 9, 2022; She was the beloved wife of the late Alex Sonnenwirth, PhD.; mother and mother-in-law of Betty Sonnenwirth Ozar MD (Stuart Ozar MD), and the late Maurice Sonnenwirth MD (Brooke Schwartz Sonnenwirth MD); She lived to see and greatly love 7 grandchildren, Naomi (Nechemia) Mond, Rivka (Sam) Goldenhersh, Alex (Lauren) Ozar, Ayelet (Yosef) Gottesman, Atara (Chaim) Nechamkin, Ellie Sonnwenwirth Weisz (Dan), Ari Sonnenwirth and 21 great grandchildren. Rosaline was born in East St. Louis to Harry and Clara Soffer along with her brother, the late Larry Soffer. During her teen years the family moved across the river seeking a more vibrant Jewish community, where she graduated from University High School. On June 1, 1952, she married Alex Sonnenwirth, a survivor of the Holocaust, who, with her support, went on to become a world famous microbiologist, Director of the Division of Microbiology at Jewish Hospital and a Professor at Washington University School of Medicine. Together, they nurtured their two children in a beautiful, traditional Jewish home, open to many Shabbos guests. Rosaline was an avid book reader and proud that she was among a small number of her peer group to obtain a Master’s Degree in Special Education. Many former students are grateful to this day for support she gave to them in her private practice as a reading specialist and
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college test preparation expert. She went on to devote many years to the Epstein Hebrew Academy, guiding their accreditation efforts, and serving as Board President. Rosaline was devoted to her grandchildren, enriching their lives with special, individualized trips with “Savta” and, of course, her many delicious desserts, prepared weekly for the Shabbos table. She was very pleased with their academic achievements, but even more so with the many great grandchildren who continue to carry on Jewish traditions and values. A graveside service was held Thursday, March 10 at Beth Hamedrosh Hagodol Cemetery, 9125 Ladue Rd. Visit www.bergermemorialchapel.com for more information. Berger Memorial Service BRIAN SCOTT SUFFIAN, March 9, 2022. Beloved son of Robert and Carolyn Suffian; dear brother and brother-in-law of Brent and Lisa Suffian and Craig Suffian; dear nephew of Lenny and Sandy Komen, Paula and Stan Ullman, Jerry Suffian, Simone and Leonard Goldberg and Michael and Nan Suffian; dear uncle of Hannah and Sarah Suffian; dear cousin and friend to many. A graveside service was held Sunday, March 13 at Beth Hamedrosh Hagodol Cemetery 9125 Ladue Road. Memorial contributions of your choice preferred. Please visit bergermemorialchapel.com for Live Stream information. Berger Memorial Service
DEATHS ELSEWHERE
Holocaust survivor who hid in Berlin during WWII dies at 99 BY TOBY AXELROD JTA
BERLIN — Inge Deutschkron, a Holocaust survivor who hid in Berlin during the Nazi era and went on to become a prominent voice for remembrance, died Mach 9 at the age of 99. In her 1978 autobiography, “I Wore the Yellow Star,” Deutschkron — who moved back to Berlin in 2002 after living in London and later Tel Aviv — described how she hid in and around the city as a young woman. Her story, which she later shared in many classrooms around Germany, became an inspiration and a warning. “Despite everything that was done to her by Germans, Inge Deutschkron did not turn her back on Germany. She worked
tirelessly to ensure that we learn the right lessons from the crimes committed during National Socialism,” German President Walter Steinmeier said in a statement. “As a contemporary witness, she helped keep the memory of those persecuted and murdered alive and helped form a generation of witnesses of the witnesses.” Born in 1922 in Finsterwalde, a town south of Berlin, Deutschkron was 5 years old when her family moved to the capital. They felt more German than Jewish, until the Nazis came to power in 1933. Speaking at the annual Holocaust Remembrance Day ceremony in Germany’s parliament in 2013, Deutschkron recalled how her mother told her: “You’re part of a minority now. You have to show the other kids in your class
Ella, were not able to get out. In 1941, she got a job in Otto Weidt’s brush workshop for the blind in 1941. Weidt employed — and also helped save — workers who were deaf and blind, including many Jews. The site of the workshop is now a satellite exhibit of the Jewish Museum Berlin. “In the company of other emigrants, my father met us at the train station in London. I saw it immediately,” she recalled in her speech at the Bundestag in 2013. “For these emigrants, we were like emissaries of their murdered relatives. They fought back tears when they saw us.” Deutschkron moved back to Berlin in 2002 after working for years as a journalist and editor for the Israeli daily Maariv, for which she also covered the Auschwitz trials in Frankfurt in the 1960s.
Holocaust survivor Inge Deutschkron died March 9. PHOTO: SCREENSHOT FROM YOUTUBE that you’re no less than they are.” “And she knew, of course, that I would do exactly that,” she added. Her father, Martin Deutschkron, a schoolteacher, was fired and fled to England in 1939. But Inge and her mother,
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ESTHER MILLER BAIS YAAKOV HIGH SCHOOL
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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
On Feb. 16, Esther Miller Bais Yaakov High School performed the musical drama “Just My Luck” to an almost a full house of women and girls at the Clayton Theater. Twenty four EMBY students, wowed the audience with dance, music, student-made sets, humor and drama. The heads of the production were Ahuva Brown and Meira Wachsstock. The play is an original script based on a true story concerning luck, faith and good fortune.
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