The Jewish News - August 2013 by The Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee

Celebrating Jewish Life in Sarasota and Manatee Counties, Israel and the World FEDERATION NEWS

Serving our community for over 40 years! Published by The Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee www.jfedsrq.org

August 2013 - Av/Elul 5773 INSIDE THIS ISSUE:

6A Community Focus 7A Community Directory 14A Focus on Youth 19A Commentary 21A Jewish Interest 27A Life Cycle 1B Jewish Happenings 8B Israel & the Jewish World 11B Recent Events

10A AJC sends a record fifty-two community leaders to Global Forum

13A Kobernick House residents create Kobee Caps for children

17A

Temple Beth Sholom Schools Summer Camp

11B Recent event photos from the area’s temples, camps and organizations A publication of The Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee Klingenstein Jewish Center, 580 McIntosh Rd., Sarasota, FL 34232 Annual voluntary subscription: $25

Volume 43, Number 8

Federation appoints Flora Oynick as its Engagement Ambassador

The position, the first-ever created for a Jewish Federation, has been created to open doors of communication in our Jewish community. Staff Report

lora Oynick recently joined The Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee as its Engagement Ambassador. According to Howard Tevlowitz, Executive Director of The Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee, it’s a novel position – the first of its kind for a Jewish Federation. What’s an Engagement Ambassador? Tevlowitz defines Oynick’s role as someone who “will go out in the community, serving as our eyes and ears, and engage directly with Jewish people of all ages and backgrounds.” The inspiration for this unique assignment? “We looked at what wasn’t working and decided to do the opposite,” Tevlowitz says. “The wrong way to approach a wide spectrum of Jewish people is to talk at them – and not listen to what their needs are. Many Jews today are hungry for spirituality and meaning. We are looking at a range of products that appeal to different audiences. The Federation is determined to respond to these challenges. We’re going to take the time to listen to what people want. That’s really what an Engagement Ambassador is. Flora’s our designated listener.” But Oynick won’t be alone. Tevlowitz notes that she’ll be leading a four-member team. He defines their goal as, “Creating innovative ways to open doors of communication, build bridges, and find commonality.” Oynick has an ideal background for this mission. She received her master’s degree in Jewish Education and a certificate in Early Childhood Education from the Hebrew College in Newton, Massachusetts,

and her BA in Education from Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico in Mexico City. Following that, she was a teacher and administrator at Temple Beth Sholom in Sarasota for 24 years. “The Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee understands that meaningful engagement with Jews of all stripes is vital to our future,” says Oynick. “My goal is to connect with Jewish people and find ways for them to create stronger bonds with each other – and to our rich heritage.” According to Tevlowitz, that Flora Oynick heritage builds on the past, but isn’t stuck in the past. As he sees it, the Jewish community is ever-evolving – and he’s determined that the Federation will meet its changing needs. “Change is part of our heritage,” he says. “As leaders in the Jewish community, we want to address that change in whatever form it takes. We don’t want to create programs, opportunities and initiatives under the assumption, ‘If you build it, they will come.’ We’re not asking people to come to us. We’re going to them. Flora and her team will be out in the field, meeting with a wide range of Jewish people. We want to know what the buzz is, what the needs are – and then create solutions and opportunities that meet those needs.” For more information about the Federation, please contact Howard Tevlowitz at 941.343.2110 or htevlowitz@jfedsrq.org. Flora can be reached at 941.343.2114 or foynick@jfedsrq.org.

Bob Malkin Young Ambassadors return from Israel By Alex Eiffert

luntly speaking, there is no absolute way to summarize or explain just how much the 2013 Bob Malkin Young Ambassadors Mission has affected the course of my life. Whenever someone has asked me how I enjoyed the trip or what my favorite part was, I have always started out by simply saying that everything was amazing. But in reality, it was so much more than that. Meaning is conveyed in many ways, but it is Non-Profit Org. U.S. POSTAGE PAID MANASOTA FL PERMIT 167

hard to understand how much this whole experience has meant to me without knowing what my expectations of Israel were. Before I was even old enough to apply to the program, my cousins and uncle had been to Israel several times, and my sister, a 2010 Young Ambassador, and several friends have always told me just how great Israel was. But I did not

continued on page 2A

FEDERATION NEWS

August 2013

Alex Eiffert...continued from page 1A completely understand. I definitely do and through tunnels, picking beets on not mean that I thought the two weeks a farm, and visiting Yad Vashem and in Israel were going to be boring; who Mount Herzl. would? Rather, this trip has taken what In hindsight, the bonds that we as initially seemed to be high hopes and a group made were really what made has reorganized the definitions of both everything so special. It is really somehigh and hopes. thing unique that a group Yes, I did not know of teenagers, two unbeexactly what to expect lievable role models, and until I got there – which a host of other incredible is when everything staff, truly became a family began to fall so absoby the end of the trip. And lutely and neatly into in Kiryat Yam, Sarasota’s place. I remember the partner city and the place first thing that deeply that I enjoyed the most, we struck me was simply created lifelong friendships how you only had to with Israeli teenagers and Alex Eiffert look outside the wintheir families. dow of the bus anytime and anywhere 2013 will always be in my heart, to see unbelievable amounts of his- not only as the year that I took a twotory, literally terraced into the grace- week trip to Israel, but as the year I ful mountainsides. It was then that knew I would never stop returning. Our there was no ambiguity in my mind peregrination has inspired me, among as to why this land has been so loved other things, to wear a chai necklace, from ancient times until today. the Jewish symbol of life, and to keep And everything else only contrib- my watch set to Israel Standard Time. uted further. Each city and place that The trip began with a three-hour we visited – including Jerusalem, Cae- plane ride from Florida, then there was sarea, the Golan Heights, the Kinneret, a five-hour layover, and the main tenTsafed, Haifa, the Negev, Masada, the hour flight to Israel. We stepped foot in Dead Sea and Tel Aviv – and every Israel for the first time at Ben-Gurion new experience we had there, gave its Airport in Tel Aviv and were welcomed own matchless addition to the whole. home. That is the way I have come to These experiences included celebrat- see Israel now – as a home. ing Havdalah with IDF soldiers, barFor more information about the tering with shop owners and paying Bob Malkin Young Ambassadors Program, please contact Amber Ikeman at in sheqalim, sleeping in a Bedouin aikeman@jfedsrq.org or 941.343.2106. tent in the desert, hiking up mountains

Family Picnic

My new family By Allie Campbell

o say that the Bob Malkin Young Ambassadors trip changed me would be an understatement. Going on this trip has not only affirmed my feelings on Israel, but has strengthened my beliefs about Judaism. My personal experience at the Western Wall on Shabbat and my experiences with the group as we faced tasks – as when we were in the desert together – allowed me to see that our religion is much like a family. You go through things together and face them together to overcome your obstacles as a family. That is what Judaism is all about. My experience at the Western Wall is what affirmed me as a Jew the most. I knew that it would be a religious experience. I remember thinking in the meetings when we first started to speak about the trip, “Of course this is going to be a religious experience. This is the most holy place on earth to us!” Even though I thought this, I don’t think I realized exactly how much of an experience this would be. That Friday, when we got back to the hotel and got ready, I remember looking around at everyone and thinking this was just going to be another Shabbat night. When we met in the lobby, it was packed with IDF soldiers, all heading to the same place as us. It was surreal. We all piled onto the bus and headed to the Wall; it was a one-way ride. After our driver dropped us off, he would be going home to his family to celebrate,

and we would be walking back to the hotel. Once we passed security, I was shocked. The area was filled to the brim with IDF soldiers, Orthodox Jews and non-Orthodox Jews alike, all crowding, singing and dancing at this religious site. It was amazing! We split into male

Allie Campbell

and female groups and went to our respective sides of the Wall. I remember taking a prayer book, waiting my turn, touching the Wall after a young woman just finished, and feeling this warmth coming from it. I can’t say for sure if it was simply the warmth of the sun that I was feeling, but I honestly believe it was something else. This wasn’t just a wall. This was something spiritual. Something amazing. I was able to actually see and touch something so holy that thousands of Jews may never see. I felt so blessed.

continued on page 3A

and Havdalah

Saturday, August 24 at 6:00 pm

Several Bob Malkin Young Ambassadors with their Israeli peers on the beach in Kiryat Yam

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Program/event ads featured in this issue Bob Malkin Young Ambassadors.16A Charitable Gift Annuities............24A CLUB-FED Mishpocheh Mixer...3A Computers 4 Seniors...................11A Destination Israel........................14A Family Picnic and Havdalah.........2A Holocaust Garden.........................9B Israel Advocacy Initiative...........22A Itzhak Perlman Concert..............11B Jewish Business Networking......25A Keyboard Conversations®...........11B

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TheJewishFederation.org

FEDERATION NEWS 3A August 2013

August 2013

Mensch of the Month - Joe Floersheimer By Sarah Wertheimer he Federation’s “Computer 4 Se- everyone to understand. niors” class would not be what it In addition to his volunteering at is today without the Federation, Joe has also been active in helping help and dedication of Joe Floersheimer. Joe has been with Temple Beth Shoa devoted volunteer teachlom’s “Family Promise” homeless prevention proer providing technology education to seniors in our ject. He truly has a passion for helping those in Sarasota-Manatee community for eleven years. One need in our community of his special gifts is being and we are so grateful to able to convey the intricahave people like Joe involved with our Federacies of computers in such a Joe Floersheimer way that makes it simple for tion.

Outside of his volunteerism, Joe enjoys his time by participating in Ring 81 of the International Brotherhood of Magicians, the world’s largest organization dedicated to the art of magic. Joe has been a first-rate prestidigitator, entertaining audiences since his teenage years. Tennis is also a major part of his activities. We are so fortunate to have Joe Floersheimer as part of our Jewish Federation family. He truly epitomizes the definition of a mensch.

Allie Campbell...continued from page 2A I didn’t think I would bond with anyone when we first started going to meetings. We were all really quiet, and we didn’t really connect. That is, until we actually got to Israel and started to do things together. Going out into the desert, we had to rely on each other. We all took each other by the shoulders, closed our eyes, and trust-walked way out into the desert. Once we got there, we were told to walk into the desert on our own and take our time alone, and then find our way back. After about ten minutes, we found our way back to the group. Once we were all there, we trust-walked back to our tent. After that night, we were so much closer than we were before. The impact of this trip has allowed

me to grow as an individual and as a people around them, not only in their Jew. The experiences I had at the West- group, but with the people of Israel as ern Wall on Shabbat and the experi- well. ences with my group have changed me forever as a person. I can proudly say that when people ask me what the Bob Malkin Young Ambassadors Mission is and how it would affect them, I will be able to say without a doubt that they need to go on this trip. They will grow as individuals, as Jews, and as Bob Malkin Young Ambassadors and team leaders at the Western Wall a family with the

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August 2013

FEDERATION NEWS

Discovering a Jewish gem in Richmond, Virginia By Sammy Robbins, Joseph J. Edlin Journalism Intern

hile on a recent college tour at the University of Richmond in Richmond, Virginia, my parents and I stumbled upon what we soon learned is a treasure in Richmond’s Jewish history. An ornate white façade detailed with a Star of David at the top and a mezuzah on the doorpost captured our attention. We rang the Sammy Robbins doorbell and a member of the staff quickly welcomed us in. She patiently described the prom-

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inence of Beth Ahabah in Richmond’s existent in Richmond today. Perhaps one of the most notable Jewish community as well as the depth of the Beth Ahabah Museum and Ar- portions of our visit was a mini-tour of chives. We learned that this is the sixth the Beth Ahabah Museum and Archives. oldest Jewish congregation in America. This wealth of historic Jewish information was established in Kahal Kadosh Beth Shalome, a Sephardic 1977 and is in an adjacent building to the synagogue. temple, was founded in 1789 as more Jews beSome of the oldest displays gan to settle in the Virincluded a Ketubah from 1723 and a copy of George ginia territory. A group of German Ashkenazic Washington’s letter to the congregants split off Hebrew congregations in in 1841 to form Beth Philadelphia, New York, Beth Ahabah in Richmond Ahabah. In 1898, Beth Charleston and Richmond Shalome and Beth Ahabah officially from 1791. I thought the most impactmerged to create Beth Ahabah, one ing artifact was a cornerstone of a Gerof the leading reform synagogues still man synagogue that was burned during Kristallnacht. are three galleries and sevDiscover Sarasota’s finest eral There changing exhibits. “Jewish WomMediterranean Cuisine en in the Arts,” “Commonwealth and & Specialty Market! Community: The Jewish Experience in Virginia,” and “That You’ll Remember EnjOy DEliCiOuS HOMEMaDE: Me” were the exhibits on display in the • Hummus • Falafel • Baba Ghanouj • Tabbouli beginning of the summer. The most • Spinach Pie • Stuffed Grape Leaves • Gyros notable display was the “That You’ll • Chicken & Kafta Kababs • Fried Kibbeh Remember Me” exhibit. This piece re• Fresh Pita Bread • Lahmeh • Zaatar • Desserts counted stories of the Richmond Jew• Imported Cheeses • Spices • Olives & More! ish experience in conjunction with Civil War struggles. It incorporated letters, Mention this ad for complimentary: documents, paintings and sculptures, Baklava, Hot tea or Turkish coffee with lunch or as well as song and audio narratives. dinner or receive a Free Hummus, Falafel or Baba Jews made up a measurable portion Ghanouj appetizer w/your meal purchase of $15! of the workforce through military, gov-

The Beth Ahabah sanctuary

ernment or civilian assistance. My parents and I were delighted to visit Beth Ahabah. We were given great historic background and permitted to walk through the museum/archives as well as the decoratively beautiful sanctuary. The synagogue is still functioning and is composed of roughly 700 congregant families. The religious school is thriving as well as the Sisterhood/ Brotherhood and transgenerational community service efforts. Beth Ahabah and the adjacent museum/archive building is a vital center for Jewish learning and faith. This synagogue is part of the heart of Richmond’s vibrant Jewish community.

FEDERATION NEWS 5A August 2013

August 2013

The Western Wall and Women of the Wall By Rabbi Howard A. Simon, co-Chair of The Robert and Esther Heller Israel Advocacy Initiative Established 1971

PUBLISHER The Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee Klingenstein Jewish Center 580 McIntosh Road Sarasota, FL 34232-1959 Phone: 941.371.4546 Fax: 941.378.2947 E-mail: jewishnews@jfedsrq.org Website: www.jfedsrq.org Published Monthly Volume 43, Number 8 August 2013 40 pages in two sections USPS Permit No. 167 September 2013 Issue Deadlines: Editorial: July 26, 2013 Advertising: August 1, 2013 PRESIDENT Nancy Swart EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Howard Tevlowitz ASSOCIATE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Marty Haberer COMMUNICATIONS CO-CHAIRS Linda Lipson, Jack Steenbarger MANAGING EDITOR Ted Epstein CREATIVE MANAGER Christopher Alexander ADVERTISING SALES Robin Leonardi PROOFREADERS Adeline Silverman, Stacey Edelman, Harold Samtur JOSEPH J. EDLIN JOURNALISM INTERNS Sammy Robbins, Sarah Tedesco, Andrew Wolfson MISSION STATEMENT: The Jewish News of Sarasota-Manatee strives to be the source of news and features of special interest to the Jewish community of Sarasota-Manatee, to provide a forum for the exchange of ideas and opinions in the Jewish community, and to communicate the mission, activities and achievements of the Federation and its Jewish community partners. OPINIONS printed in The Jewish News of Sarasota-Manatee do not necessarily reflect those of The Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee, its Board of Directors or staff. SUBMISSIONS to The Jewish News are subject to editing for space and content, and may be withheld from publication without prior notice. Approval of submissions for publication in either verbal or written form shall always be considered tentative, and does not imply a guarantee of any kind. Submissions must be sent electronically to jewishnews@jfedsrq.org. LETTERS to the editor should not exceed 300 words, must be typed, and include the writer’s name, mailing address and phone number. Letters can be submitted via snail mail or e-mail (jewishnews@jfedsrq.org). Not all letters will be published. Letters may be edited for length and content. ADVERTISING: Publisher reserves the right to refuse any advertisement and may require the words “Paid Advertisement” in any ad. Publication of advertisements does not constitute endorsement of products, services or ideas promoted therein. Member publication:

t seems as if it has taken forever, but For the past twenty-four years, a finally, several months ago, Natan group known as “Women of the Wall,” Sharansky, Chairman of the Jewish led by Anat Hoffman, the Director of Agency, made the following statement: the Religious Action Center of Reform “There must be a section for egalitar- Judaism, has come to the Wall on a ian prayer at the Western Wall.” What monthly basis. The women have put on Mr. Sharansky wants to see is a solution tallitot and tefillin, wished to read Torah whereby “all of the Wall will be acces- at the Wall, and have wanted to express sible twenty-four hours a day, there will their beliefs in the most outward and open manner possible. The be the opportunity to women have been cursed by touch the Wall on all the Haredi (the ultra-Orthoits length, and there dox), they have had garbage will be an entrance thrown upon them, been through which all peospit upon, and even arrested ple are coming to the for wanting to express their Wall.” Jewish faith in a manner that Following the Six reflects their deepest feelDay War in 1967, the ings. Anat Hoffman spent Western Wall once twenty-four hours in jail for more became a part the “crime” of expressing of the State of Israel. Rabbi Howard A. Simon her religious beliefs. Men and women, OrIn April, the Jerusalem District thodox, Conservative, Reform, secular, believers and non-believers, all raced to Court ruled as follows: “Participants the Wall to touch its stones and kiss the in the group could pray in any manner Wall that has meant so much to our peo- they saw fit, performing practices generple. On that day, men and women stood ally not accepted by Orthodox women.” together at the Wall and each prayed as This was a major victory for Women he or she desired. There was no “wom- of the Wall. This, plus the actions of en’s section,” no “men’s section,” – just Natan Sharansky, has begun the writing Jews thrilled to have a united Jerusa- of a new chapter in this struggle. This does not mean the problem has lem, thrilled to stand at this holy place and thank God for the gift of its return been solved. Mr. Sharansky’s desire to have an open Wall, free to whomever to our people. Today life is ever so different at the wishes to worship in the manner they Western Wall. Men pray at the largest desire, is being fought by the Haredi, portion of the Wall. Women are relegat- by other Orthodox groups that currently ed to a much smaller area where they dictate the policy of prayer at the Wall, pray and beseech the Lord on behalf of and by all who resent the actions of the family and friends. more liberal groups of men and women

and their leaders. Progress has been made. The court and the government have accepted the reality that something should be done to solve this issue. What that something will finally be is unknown at the present. What is known is that Women of the Wall will continue its struggle for acceptance at the Wall and within the State of Israel. Questions arise on both sides of the issue. What is best for Israel? Why must such differences exist when speaking of this most holy spot in the Old City? Who really controls what takes place at the Wall? All agree the Western Wall is special, so very special. Would that we could also agree that the people, all of the people, male and female alike, who worship at the Wall are special, regardless of their beliefs and the expression of their faith. When that reality is accepted by all, progress will be made in human relations, and respect for all people may just rule the day. For more information about the Heller IAI, please visit www.sarasotaloves israel.com or contact Jessi Sheslow at 941.343.2109 or jsheslow@jfedsrq.org.

See page 9B for Jennifer Singer’s account of praying with Women at the Wall at the Kotel in June.

Israel innovates

id you know that more than 90,000 people die from bacterial infections in American hospitals every year? Hospitals do all they can to help keep this number down but the main offenders in this scary statistic are your bedding, pillow cases, nurse scrubs and doctor coats. These airborne illnesses grab onto textiles and don’t let go until they find the next fabric landing pad. One professor at Bar-Ilan University in Israel has come up with a lasting solution. Professor Aharon Gedanken

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and healed because the nurses and doctors are wearing anti-bacterial clothing and your pillow cases and sheets are actively working to keep you healthy. That’s the dream that Israeli Professor Aharon Gedanken had, and let’s hope we see this life-saving invention in our hospitals! For more information about the Heller IAI, please visit www.sarasotaloves israel.com or contact Jessi Sheslow at 941.343.2109 or jsheslow@jfedsrq.org.

For daily news stories related to Israel & the Jewish world, visit www.TheJewishFederation.org.

COMMUNITY FOCUS

August 2013

Yad b’Yad – first club of its kind in a Sarasota school By Mia Weinstein

am a senior at Riverview High School, where there are many different clubs, including Christian and Atheist clubs. Last year, I realized that there was a lack of communication and camaraderie amongst the Jewish students at my high school, as well as a lack of understanding amongst nonJews about Judaism and the Jewish culture. I immediately decided to fix this problem by creating a club based on the fundamentals of Judaism and tikkun olam. This club would promote charitable deeds and create a positive social atmosphere. I wanted the club to be dedicated not only to bringing Jewish students together but also to helping local Jewish and non-Jewish organizations. This is how I decided on the club name of Yad b’Yad (“hand in hand” in Hebrew), which is the first of its kind in any Sarasota school.

However, in order for me to form a successful club, I needed more than my enthusiasm and ideas. I recruited Olivia Bockler to assist me in producing the club’s bylaws and to present the idea to Riverview’s Activity Board. Olivia did so with boundless energy and great eagerness. The club was met with enthusiasm and was immediately accepted

Mia Weinstein and Katie Logan volunteer with Yad b’Yad at All Faiths Food Bank’s Giving Hunger the Blues Festival

as a new club on campus. I became the president, Olivia became the vice president, and after our first few meetings, which began in February, we elected a secretary, Logan Jones, who added her own flair and innovative ideas to the club. From that point on, we have had meetings every Friday after school, each one themed around a Jewish holiday. As Purim was approaching, we held a meeting with a Purim theme. We ate hamentaschen, passed out groggers and played Jewish trivia! To fulfill our desire to help the community we also went to Chabad of Sarasota and assisted them in packaging Mishloach Manot (Purim gifts). When Passover rolled around, we held a mock seder full of delicious treats accompanied by a game of “Name that Jew!” In honor of the holiday, we volunteered at All Faiths Food Bank’s Giving Hunger the Blues Festival. Other meet-

ings were themed as Shabbat, Shavuot (celebrated with an ice cream party), and Israel Independence Day. For the latter, Orna Nissan, Director of Holocaust Education and Israeli Programs at the Jewish Federation, came and spoke to the club about her experiences living in Israel. Yad b’Yad is open to anyone who wants to join – Jews and non-Jews alike – since another goal of the club is to bridge gaps between religions and to be warm and welcoming. While the club was small last year, I hope many more will join this year to partake in the fun and rewarding experiences. We want to give a special thanks to Mrs. Wetsman, a math teacher at Riverview, who allowed us to house the club meetings in her classroom. We greatly appreciate her help and generosity!

If homosexuals are created Adult b’nai mitzvah in God’s image, why... program debuts at TBS By Marden Paru, Dean, Sarasota Liberal Yeshiva

f homosexuals are created in the image of God, why has history dealt with them in a deferential manner? First Judaism – then Christianity and Islam – rejected homosexuality as a prevailing practice of neighboring cultures and even declared it an “abomination.” For generations, individuals could not come out and claim their hidden sexual orientation publicly for that was taboo and subject to great ostracism. But many are rejoicing this very day that I am composing this article because the U.S. Supreme Court has made egalitarian and equitable decisions long desired and sought after by the LGBT community. The Sarasota Liberal Yeshiva is offering a six-week course to explore the historic and contemporary issues of this timely subject. Starting Monday, August 12, from 4:15 to 5:15 p.m., I will be leading a class and dialogue on the traditional vs. new age dimensions of homosexuality. How times have changed! This provocative course covers Judaism’s sexual revolution. Why did

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Families are invited to enjoy socializing with old and new friends, balloon animals created by Rabbi Brenner Glickman, face painting, beading, and a fantastic Rosh Hashanah craft at this much-anticipated event. Fresh pizza will be available for $1 per slice, or families may bring a picnic dinner if they prefer. Free cold drinks will be provided, and an ice cream truck will offer all of your favorite treats for free as well. A musical Havdalah service will conclude the gathering. The large covered pavilion at the park has been reserved, so the event will be held rain-or-shine. The Family Picnic and Havdalah at Summerfield Park is a wonderful way to enjoy innovative Jewish programming in a friendly, casual environment. All are warmly welcome. The Family Picnic and Havdalah is part of Temple Emanu-El’s Shabbat Playdate series for Jewish and interfaith families. The event is sponsored by Temple EmanuEl and The Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee. For more information, please contact Rabbi Elaine Rose Glickman at 941.379.1997 or Kim Schlosberg and daughter Lily had fun making elaine-glickman@comcast.net. a craft at last year’s Family Picnic and Havdalah

Teen Karaoke Party

for more information

Amber Ikeman at aikeman@jfedsrq.org or 941.343.2106

RSVP @ www.jfedsrq.org/events.aspx

Religious sChool ScholarShip Sunday, August 25th

Kroaky ’s Karaoke 4400 S. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota, Fl 34231

4 - 6 pm

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The Jewish Federation is offering need-based scholarship assistance for those in Sarasota and Manatee counties. Deadline to apply is August 26, 2013 at 11:59 pm.

Join teens from all over the community to start the year off on a high note! Nosh on pizza, reunite with old friends after the summer, and meet new people, too!

Get complete details: www.jfedsrq.org/scholarship.aspx

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Questions? Contact Jeremy Lisitza, 941.343.2113 or jlisitza@jfedsrq.org.

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The Strength of a PeoPle. The Power of CommuniTy.

Klingenstein Jewish Center 580 McIntosh Road, Sarasota, FL 34232 941.371.4546 • TheJewishFederation.org

For more information, contact Amber Ikeman at 941.343.2106 or aikeman@jfedsrq.org

FOCUS ON YOUTH 15A August 2013

August 2013

15A

Education or IDF? Israeli-American students face tough choice By Emma Goss and Jaime Sloane, Israel Campus Beat

illa Hascalovich was just shy of her second birthday when her family moved from Israel to California, and although she grew up living in the United States, she faced the difficult task of choosing between serving in the Israel Defense Forces or deferring her draft in favor of college. It’s a decision all American teenagers with Israeli citizenship face, but some find a middle ground. Hascalovich, who visited Israel twice yearly and considered Israel a second home, postponed college for a year in order to participate in a yearlong service program in Israel. It’s not a typical Israel gap-year program, explained Hascalovich. Rather, “it’s for Israelis who defer their army service. It’s made for Israelis from a kibbutz, and the kibbutz movement makes our conditions. I chose it because it is the most intensive program and I felt that I would give back the most.” Like Hascalovich, Hadar Arazi is an American college student with dual citizenship who bypassed IDF service in favor of furthering her education. A University of Florida political science major, Arazi felt her degree would be more of an asset to Israel than her military service would. “I hope to use my education to work in foreign affairs and help strengthen the U.S.-Israel relationship,” she said. “I have many opportunities to support and defend Israel from my college campus instead of through the IDF.” Arazi has immersed herself in UF’s pro-Israel culture, taking on leadership roles in various campus organizations like Gators For Israel (GFI) and Zionist Gators (ZG), and she was involved in the Florida Loves Israel conference planning committee. As a GFI member, the 19-year-old activist works to ensure that campus leaders know the facts about Israel, and she lobbies student government representatives on the importance of a strong U.S.-Israel relationship. Additionally, Arazi helps ZG educate students about Israel. As a volunteer on the Florida Loves Israel conference planning committee,

Arazi helped organize the second annual statewide convention that brought hundreds of students to the University of Florida campus last month for three days of workshops, advocacy training and cultural activities. “I’m impacting my campus by ensuring that students are correctly informed on issues pertaining to Israel,” she said. “That’s something I couldn’t do in the IDF.” While Arazi chose an education over IDF service, Florida Atlantic University sophomore Jordan Negri is determined to accomplish both. The 19-year-old is pursuing a degree in chemistry, which he believes will earn him a career as a paramedic or cardiologist when he joins the IDF. “I find it essential to attain a degree before serving in the IDF,” Negri said. “Having a degree in a specific field will enable me to apply my learned skills in my day-to-day tasks, making my service as a soldier more helpful. Receiving a higher education can only benefit me by allowing me to apply my

knowledge later on during my service in the IDF.” Negri is also active in pro-Israel efforts. He travels to Capitol Hill on annual lobbying trips with AIPAC. The choice between attending an American university and joining the IDF is not mutually exclusive, as Negri and Hascalovich demonstrate. American-Israelis have found a middle ground that allows them to pursue college in the United States and be involved in the IDF. And Negri is looking out for Israel’s security even before his military service starts. “I’m using my voice to speak for the importance of American aid to Israel, both financially and security-wise,” he said. “I’m also providing students on my campus with vital information regarding the country of Israel in terms of political conflicts that Israel is involved in nowadays.” Visit www.israelcampusbeat.org for the latest Israel trends and events on campus.

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FOCUS ON YOUTH

August 2013

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TBS youth groups launch exciting new year By Amber Ikeman

ust as the rapidly approaching Disney, as well as adding some new High Holidays possess a theme of events to spice things up. As the new renewal and transition, we are get- Youth Director, my philosophy is that ting ready for an exciting time for youth listening to the needs of the children at Temple Beth Sholom. This fall, we and teens will net the most successful resume our youth group activities with and meaningful programs. After all, the new staff, new teen leadership, and mission of youth groups goes deeper amazing ideas for this year’s programs. than just social programming. Although My name is Amber Ikeman and I socializing, meeting other Jewish am the new Youth Director at Temple friends, and having fun are important, Beth Sholom – part of a new partner- our youth groups provide a vehicle for ship between the temple and The Jew- members to connect to Judaism, to each ish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee. other, and to their identities. Our goal I am extremely passionate about Jewish life and working with kids and teens. Joining me will be Jessica Zimmerman, the Kadima and Chalutzim Advisor. We are so excited to help cultivate the youth programs at TBS and in our wonderful community. Last year was an extremely successful year for TBS youth groups. The Sarasota Chapter of Unit- Amber Ikeman (front row center) with TBS youth groups members ed Synagogue Youth (USY), affiliated is for youth group members to feel a with TBS, won three awards at the Re- strong sense of belonging, a second gional Convention in April, including home. Whether it’s helping to plan prothe award for “Chapter on the Rise.” grams, meeting new people, celebrating Several members of the USY board Jewish holidays in a fun, creative way, contributed to the planning and execu- or just hanging out in the youth lounge, tion of two great community-wide teen we want to make this year your best events – the “Around the World” Lock- youth group experience yet. Children in grades 3 to 12, as well In on The Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee Campus and the End of the as parents, are invited to join us for our Year Beach Bash on Siesta Key Beach. Youth Group Open House and Kickoff Two students participated in the Gesher in September. This will be a great opConvention for eighth graders and have portunity for members and nonmembecome the newest USY board members alike to meet the new staff and get bers. These are only a few highlights information about this year’s upcoming events. We look forward to seeing you from a year full of fun events! We have clearly been on a roll there! For more information, contact me and plan to keep the momentum going strongly. We will be bringing back some at aikeman@templebethsholomfl.org or old favorites, like bowling and Yom 941.343.2106.

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Temple Beth El invites all young families in the area with children who are ready to start religious school to come and meet our School Director, Rabbi and the Temple’s Board of Directors on Sunday, August 25 from 1 to 4pm. Learn about TBE’s terrific religious school curriculum and Bar/Bat Mitzvah programs.

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FOCUS ON YOUTH 17A August 2013

August 2013

17A

TBS appoints Interim Religious Education Dir.

emple Beth Sholom is truly ex- a Hebrew book (Yesh Lanu Lama) that cited to announce that Dr. Ger- is widely used across the U.S. aldine Kasoff-Nussbaum will be At Temple Beth Sholom our chilthe Interim Religious Education dren’s Jewish education Director for the 2013-14 school takes high priority. We feel year. honored to have Dr. KasoffDr. Kasoff-Nussbaum’s outNussbaum as part of the standing resume includes servTemple Beth Sholom faming as principal at the prestigious ily. Dr. Kasoff-Nussbaum Charles E. Smith Jewish Day hit the ground running on School in Maryland, and CurJuly 1. We are so fortunate Gerry Nussbaum riculum Consultant for Gesher to have such a qualified and Jewish Day Schools in Alexandria, Vir- enthusiastic leader at the helm. ginia. She also developed and published

Temple Beth Sholom Schools Summer Camp

he campers at TBS Schools are having a fun and busy summer. The preschool children enjoy a different theme each session, including Drama camp for our Pre-Kindergarten students and 4-year-old classes. They dressed up as clowns and had activities and lunch under a circus tent. They enjoyed hearing a story of Strega Nona, and one of our teachers dressed as the main character. One theme is “The Real Super Heroes” and the children are learning about our helpers in the community. An ambulance visited with a paramedic who was one of our former preschool students. The children learned to call 911 in an emergency, and they dressed in fire

hats. Other classes are enjoying tactile experiences like water play, Gooey Gak and playing with shaving cream. Our Kindergarten to third-grade campers spent their first week creating works of art from recycled materials – they smashed soda cans and painted faces on them, and used cardboard tubes to create sea monsters and insects. The main focus for our older children was working in our sustainable garden, cultivating fruits and vegetables, finding insects, pulling weeds and moving mulch. They will use what they harvest to make a snack using the solar oven. Summer at TBS Schools is always fun, exciting and educational!

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18A

EDUCATION CORNER

August 2013

What shall we choose to see?

Education Corner By Rivka Schmerling

was taking a walk with my children, down to the pond at the end of the road. One of my daughters was riding her bike and kept going over the grass on my neighbor’s home. At that moment, this elderly woman walked out of her house. I turned to her and apologized. She turned to me with a smile said, “Are you kidding? They are not disturbing me. On the contrary, every time your children pass by it brightens my day!” The Torah portion “Re’eh” (see) is always read before the Jewish month of Elul, so it clearly sends us an important

message regarding the preparations for the High Holidays and the New Year. G-d tells the Jewish people, “See I set before you today a blessing and a curse.” What exactly are we supposed to “see”? And a few chapters later on in the Torah, the same is idea is repeated. “Re’eh, see I have set before you today life and death.” And the Torah admonishes us to “Choose Life.” Doesn’t this seem obvious? Like how many people, when given the choice, wouldn’t choose life? Who wouldn’t choose the good, the blessing? Is there something NEW that the Torah is trying teaching us? And why is it so important that it is appears before the month of Elul and again before Rosh Hashanah? Perhaps the clue is in the word “Re’eh,” which is repeated in both portions. We do not have choices in the conditions of our lives. Every one of us has a multitude of circumstances on our plate, some good and some not so good. I believe that the Torah is telling us to choose what we see. To choose to see the good, the blessing, the life. We can see the noise and the piles of laundry and the mess. Or we can see

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the blessing of healthy, active children. We can see the shopping and the cleaning and the cooking, or we can see the shining faces sitting at a Shabbat dinner table in the glow of the Shabbat candles. We can see the carpool, the hours of homework, and the rushed breakfast, or we can see the blossoming children who are receiving a wonderful education. What shall we choose to see? The holy Baal Shem Tov stood outside the front door, talking with his disciples, when the old water carrier passed by with his pails. The Baal Shem Tov turned to him and asked, “Yossel, how are you doing today?” Yossel had a melancholy look on his face. “Rebbe, it’s nice of you to ask a poor man, but how should I feel? Not good! No! Day in and day out I carry these heavy pails. My back hurts, I am getting older...My boots are in tatters, and my roof is leaking, but I have no money to fix them. My family is large. My children need food, shoes and clothes, my daughters need shidduchim, and...ach, it’s too much to even begin talking about... And those new houses at the end of the town want more and more water, and they are built up on the slope of the hill, and the water is so heavy, and I am so very tired...” With a sigh, Yossel picked up his pails and walked away dragging his feet, with a twisted back and bent shoulders.

The next day the Baal Shem Tov again stood in front of the shul with his students when the water carrier passed by. “Yossel, good to see you, how are you today?” The water carrier stood still. He beamed. “Thank G-d, Rebbe, I am doing fine. I still have my health, I have work, I have my own little home, and I can earn money to feed my family. I am blessed because I have a large family, so many sweet children...I am happy that I can buy them food to eat and pay their teachers. My daughters – shaina maidlach, and such balabustas! And those new houses they recently built at the hill need a lot of water, so that’s extra income for me. G-d is good to me!” The Baal Shem Tov smiled and blessed him with some encouraging words. The water carrier lifted his heavy buckets and went joyfully on his way, and the water in his pails reflected the light of the sun. Yesterday Yossel was an old, broken, poor man with a hard life. Today he was blessed, a fortunate man. Yesterday he saw the hardships. And today? “Re’eh…u’vacharta ba’chaim.” He chose life. He chose to see the blessings. Life was good and he was a happy man. May we all merit to have a year filled with blessings, and may we be able to see only blessings. Rivka Schmerling is the education director at Chabad of Venice & North Port.

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COMMENTARY 19A August 2013

August 2013

19A

The narrow definition of “religion” in the media From the Bimah Rabbi Geoffrey Huntting, Temple Sinai

hortly after arriving in this community, I was invited to attend a conference sponsored by the Sarasota Herald-Tribune on the topic of press coverage of religion. A PhD student from USF delivered the introductory statement, during which she stated that the press, steeped in the secular philosophy of the Enlightenment was by definition hostile to religion. I found this premise interesting as a rabbi representing a movement in Judaism that was a PRODUCT of the Enlightenment, founded under the principle that religion and modernity are NOT by nature inconsistent. Still, the narrow definition of “religion,” equating it with fundamentalism, persists in reporting on religion to this very day. This was never more apparent than with the coverage of the recent ruling of the U.S. Supreme Court regarding marriage equality for same-sex couples. According to an article published in the Israeli daily Ha’aretz, immediately following the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling on the so-called Defense of

Marriage Act, 81% of American Jews are in support of marriage equality for gay and lesbian couples. This number is second only to the LGBT community itself. It reflects, I believe, the continuing empathy in our community for the plight of “the other,” the often alienated minority, which through no fault or action of its own finds itself marginalized by the majority or, worse, persecuted by it. Despite the easing of anti-Semitism in this country, and our increased acceptance here, it is clear that despite our improved condition we still hold to the principle that we should never forget that we too were slaves in the land of Egypt. Perhaps this is the reason that Jewish activists, including rabbis, have been so disproportionately represented in virtually all of the great American civil rights movements. From the struggle for racial equality to the rights of women, Jewish men and women have held prominent positions. Harvey Milk was a Jewish guy from New York who became the first openly gay man to be elected to office in a major American city, and he became the face of a hidden community in the California of the 1970s. Now, thanks to a narrow decision by the U.S. Supreme Court, California can resume its earlier acceptance of marriage equality after a pitiful detour with the passage of Proposition 8 almost five years ago. Still, as a faith community, thanks to the media, we have been almost invisible. Interesting that among the religious spokesmen and spokeswomen on both sides of the issue, few if any

Gaza illustrates Palestinian statehood By Jonathan S. Tobin, Commentary With all the talk about the need to create a Palestinian state for the sake of justice or even to assure that Israel remains a Jewish state, Gaza provides a daily clinic on the consequences of more Israeli territorial withdrawals. Gaza is for all intents and purposes already an independent Palestinian state in all but name. When Israel withdrew every last soldier or settler from Gaza in 2005, there was hope that it would provide a chance for the Palestinians to show that they truly could govern themselves. But from the first day after the withdrawal – when mobs burned abandoned synagogues and tore down

the greenhouses that had been given to the Palestinians to use – what has happened in Gaza is an illustration of what the world could expect if an independent Palestinian state ever actually comes to pass. So long as violent groups dedicated to the destruction of the Jewish state dominate the political culture of the Palestinians, the prospect of the West Bank becoming another Gaza makes the high-flown rhetoric about the two-state solution look naive at best. Anyone who wants to know why Israelis are skeptical about a Palestinian state in the West Bank need only look at Gaza.

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Jewish leaders were quoted in the press, and the opinion of pro-marriage equality Christian clergy were clearly in the minority as well. It seems that to the American media, “faith community” still means “right wing fundamentalist Christian.” Interesting, is it not, that in a country that embraced religious diversity by including both the freedom of religion as well as its separation from the State, many would define “religion” so narrowly. This is all the more ironic when we consider the very high profile of

Jewish religious leaders in expressing their opinions on a wide variety of ethical and political issues over the decades and even centuries. On so many levels there is work to be done, and modern religious leaders continue to be active in that work. In view of that, it would be good for the print and television media to report on all of the diverse opinions expressed by the “community of faith.” In the meantime, we can say goodbye to DOMA and Proposition 8 – may you rest in the peace that your supporters sought to deny to so many.

Why “a little more work” won’t do it, Mr. Kerry By David Horovitz, founding editor of the Times of Israel

.S. Secretary of State John Kerry is investing immense personal energy and time, and U.S. diplomatic prestige, in trying to get Netanyahu and Abbas merely to the starting point of a path that has already been walked many times before. But the root of the unavoidable failure of any resumed talks lies primarily with the Palestinians. Yasser Arafat bequeathed his people the toxic narrative that there is no Jewish sovereign legitimacy in this part of the world, and that Palestinian steadfastness would ultimately see the Jewish colonialists sent back to Europe. Abbas has allowed that false narrative to fester, including in his schools and his media, rather than energetically disseminating a more accurate picture of competing, legitimate claims, requir-

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ing conciliation and compromise. Where the U.S. should be placing its energies, and its leverage, and its money, is in encouraging those frameworks that will create a climate in which the Palestinians actually recognize an interest in making true peace on terms that do not leave Israel vulnerable to military threat. The U.S. should be supporting educational programs, and grass-roots interactions, and media channels that offer an honest perspective on the history of our conflict, and that promote a mutually beneficial future of co-existence. Change the climate. Gradually create an atmosphere of mutual respect, and a shared, fervent desire for an accommodation. Then you won’t have to be cajoling reluctant leaders back to the peace table.

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COMMENTARY

August 2013

Iranian elections By David Harris, Executive Director, AJC, July 1, 2013 The recent Iranian presidential elections continue to have regional and global reverberations. My latest op-ed in El Pais, Spain’s most influential daily, focuses on the subject, warning of the risk of misunderstanding the results. As you may recall, El Pais invited me last fall to become a regular contributor to the newspaper, which, in addition to Spain, is widely read throughout Latin America and by Spanish-speakers in the U.S. This is my eighth op-ed since then. The original text in English is below. number of observers, including The New York Times, have exulted that the recent presidential elections produced a “moderate” winner, Hassan Rouhani. They suggest this could signify a new era in Iranian policy. Perhaps, but then again, perhaps not. When it comes to Iran, it would be wishful thinking to allow hope to substitute for experience. Let’s bear in mind three salient facts. First, to become a presidential candidate, Rouhani had to pass muster ideologically with Supreme Leader Ali Hosseini Khamenei and his entourage. Of scores of would-be candidates, only six made it to the ballot. That ought

to say something about who Rouhani really is. If his positions deviated all that much from those of the regime, he would have been barred from running. Indeed, it may have been precisely his more “moderate” exterior, compared to his predecessor, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, that proved so appealing to the powers-that-be. After all, Ahmadinejad’s antics made it especially difficult even for those most inclined to rationalize, or appease, Iranian behavior to do so persuasively. Second, in the Iranian system, the president has limited powers. Khamenei is in full charge. Thus, Rouhani’s ability to introduce change, even assuming he would want to, is severely circumscribed. Consider the limited impact of the last “moderate” Iranian president, Mohammad Khatami, who served from 1997 to 2005. And third, Rouhani has been an integral part of the post-1979 Iranian system, not a rebellious outsider. As one telling example, he is reported to have been present at a fateful 1993 meeting of the Iranian Supreme National Security Council – he was its secretary at the time – when the decision was made to bomb the AMIA building in central Buenos Aires. That meeting has been documented by the relentless Argentine prosecutor in the case, Alberto Nisman. The actual attack

The Sarasota Liberal Yeshiva Presents

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This timely course covers Judaism’s sexual revolution. Why did Judaism (and later Christianity) reject homosexuality? Our discussion of homosexuality will include the original sources, halachah, and adaptations within liberal Judaism. What do the rabbis have to say in the 21st century? What are the changing communal attitudes? Is lesbianism dealt with differently from male homosexuality in the Torah? What is its history in Judaism? What advice would you give if your child told you s/he was gay? What are the implications of samesex marriages on the future of Jewry. If man is made in God’s image, why does sexual orientation matter?

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This course is an overview of medical practices from original Jewish sources. Did our ancestors get it right? Do physicians have more power than rabbis? Was early medicine “folk medicine” or scientific-based? What was the impact of superstition in treatment? Discussion will include elements of Jewish ethics pertaining to saving lives. Do historic Jewish ritual practices prevent disease? We’ll explore ancient views on blood, sex, cleanliness and death in the Bible. Classes are held on the Campus of the Jewish Federation, 580 McIntosh Rd. in Sarasota. To register or for more information, please contact Marden Paru, Dean and Rosh Yeshiva, at 941.379.5655 or marden.paru@gmail. com. Please make checks payable to the Sarasota Liberal Yeshiva and mail to Marden Paru, 2729 Goodwood Court, Sarasota, FL 34235. NOTICE OF NONDISCRIMINATORY POLICY AS TO STUDENTS The Sarasota Liberal Yeshiva admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and other schooladministered programs. The Sarasota Liberal Yeshiva is a 501(c)3 non-profit agency. It is funded, in part, by a grant from The Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee.

was carried out in July 1994. Eightyfive people were killed and hundreds wounded in one of the deadliest assaults in Latin America in decades. Looking ahead, if Rouhani really wishes to help steer Iran in a different, more peaceful direction, here are four places to start. • It is high time to put an end to Iranian support for international terrorism. Jihadist groups like Hezbollah, which operate in Europe, Asia, Africa, Latin America and the Middle East, would be seriously weakened without Iranian weaponry, training and funding. And nearly 20 years after the AMIA bombing in Argentina, Iran should come clean about its own complicity in the attack and hand over those officials, including the current minister of defense, who are the objects of Interpol red notices and are sought by Argentine authorities. • Iran continues to prop up the murderous Assad regime in Syria. More than 90,000 people have been killed in a civil war now in its third year. Iran is a central player. Will Rouhani steer Iran away from continued involvement in crimes against humanity? • Iran is a notorious violator of human rights. Not only are its presidential elections perverted versions of democracy, as only approved candidates can participate, but respected human rights watchdog agencies have cataloged a

litany of violations of fundamental liberties. Try being a Baha’i in Iran today, or a feminist leader, or a gay activist, or a student protester, or a crusading journalist. And Iran uses capital punishment indiscriminately, including, as has been documented, against children. • And if Rouhani seeks better relations with the world, then Iran must end its long-standing pursuit of nuclearweapons capability, as the United Nations Security Council and International Atomic Energy Agency have repeatedly demanded. For years, Iran has managed to run circles around European and American negotiators seeking a deal on its nuclear program, all the while buying time to develop the program further. Rouhani himself was part of that process, at one point boasting about his ability to outmaneuver his Western diplomatic interlocutors. Has he changed? If so, here is a good place to begin. The history of the last century painfully demonstrates the seemingly infinite capacity of some Western policymakers and security experts to deceive themselves, with devastating results. The stakes with Iran could not be higher. Concrete deeds must be the measure of any change in the country’s behavior. Anything less might end up as the dangerous pursuit of an illusion. For more information, please visit www.ajc.org.

Opinions and letters printed in The Jewish News of Sarasota-Manatee do not necessarily reflect those of The Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee, its Board of Directors or staff, or its advertisers.

JEWISH INTEREST 21A August 2013

August 2013

21A

What’s in a name? By Paul R. Bartrop, PhD

n Act II, Scene II of William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, young Juliet Capulet utters lines that are now-immortal: “What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” Perhaps so, but what happens when a name is changed by government order? Does the rose still remain a rose? This month, 75 years ago, the Nazi government of Germany (and recentlyDr. Paul Bartrop acquired Austria) put the question to the test in the Second Decree Supplementing the Law Regarding the Change of Family Names and First Names, passed on August 17, 1938. As the next in what was becoming a long line of Nazi decrees forcibly imposing “Aryanization” on German society, the Nazis hit on the idea that in order to enforce the many anti-Semitic policies that had been introduced since the Nuremberg Laws of 1935, it was necessary for officials everywhere to be able to identify Jews in a formal sense. Consequently, the “Change of Family Names and First Names” decree required that all male Jews would be required to adopt the compulsory middle name of “Israel” to their own, and all female Jews to add the name “Sarah.” The law became operational as of January 1, 1939. From then on, all Jews were required to add the name into their passports, other official documents and all identity cards. All newly-born children were required to have these names registered alongside the names given by their parents. Looking at the wording of the decree, we see not only the explicit statement regarding the middle names (for which the decree has become best known), it also states that after the law came into effect, Jews would have to choose names for their children from an official list of approved (and highly conspicuous) “Jewish” first names. This reference was to the Guidelines on the Use of Given Names issued by the Reich Minister of the Interior, who in 1938 was Dr. Wilhelm Stuckart (19021953), a lawyer who was the principal author of the Nuremberg Laws, later convicted by the Allies for war crimes. The new naming legislation was underwritten by the Reich Minister of Justice, Dr. Franz Gürtner (1881-1941). The law was the latest in a long list of measures that sought progressively to push the Jews out of German society. Because of the earlier Nuremberg Laws, Jews could only marry other Jews and attend Jewish schools. Sleeping and dining cars on railroads, barbershops, hospitals, restrooms and waiting rooms all became segregated. The Nazis set curfews and shopping hours for the Jews and denied them the use of public telephones. They also removed private phones from Jewish homes. In October 1938, the letter “J” was then stamped on all German passports, ration cards and other official docu-

ments. An initiative of the Swiss government in negotiations with the Nazis, the stamping of the letter “J” was introduced as an administrative measure on the passports of German Jews. This was to serve the purpose of assisting restrictive immigration policies and regulating the entry of Jewish refugees into countries bordering Germany. Later laws required “non-Aryans” six years old and older to wear a Star of David on the left breast of their clothing. Of course, we know well where all these measures depriving Jews of their identity as Germans led, and this is not the place to chronicle the unfolding Shoah that came in their wake. One other anniversary from this month during that awful experience, however, should be recognized and remembered. On August 2, 1943 – seventy years ago – 1,500 prisoners at the death camp of Treblinka, having assembled an arsenal consisting of hand grenades and rifles stolen from the camp armory, attacked their SS and Ukrainian guards. Between one hundred fifty and two hundred inmates rose in a coordinated action, rushed the fence, and attemp-

ted a breakthrough. Of the seven hundred prisoners in the camp, only about two hundred made it safely into the forests nearby, where they were ruthlessly hunted down by the Nazis and anti-Semitic Poles. It has been estimated that possibly fewer than forty survived the war in this camp, where more than 800,000 Jews were murdered between July 1942 and October 1943. Soon after the revolt, the camp was closed down. The actions of the prisoners led the Nazis to the conclusion that the secrecy of their operation could no longer be ensured, and as a result, it would be better to remove themselves from the scene and abort the operation altogether. What was left of the site was overrun by Soviet troops in July 1944. It might be pointed out that the camp Kommandant, Kurt Franz (1914-1998), survived both the war and prison, and

died in his bed in Wuppertal, near Düsseldorf. If there was a link that could be drawn between the two events of August mentioned in this article – of which we note the 75th and 70th anniversaries respectively – it must surely be that the legislative removal of Jews from German life that began in 1933, and continued through 1938 with the naming law and other measures only to have its most extreme expression in death camps such as Treblinka, was resisted by the Jews through their ongoing demonstrations of dignity and defiance. Well might we say “it was ever thus.” Dr. Paul Bartrop is Professor of History and the Director of the Center for Judaic, Holocaust, and Genocide Studies at Florida Gulf Coast University. He can be reached at pbartrop@fgcu.edu.

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August 2013

Jews as rebels: two glances at Jewish iconoclasts By Philip K. Jason, Special to The Jewish News is to break away, to break convention, and ultimately to create anew. Salkin reminds us that idolatry does he rebellious streak as a Jewish not require idols. cultural trait is given far less at- Too strong a fotention than the conformist one. cus on ritual for Here are two very different books that its own sake can envision the rebel become idolatrous. An obsession with side of Jewish halakha or institution building (especially the material building) can shut us character. Rabbi Jeffrey off from our spiritual nature and jourSalkin sees the ney. Smoothly weaving together conbreaking by Abraham of his father’s temporary scholarship, midrashic elabidols as a paradig- orations of scripture, and meditation on matic story that the key symbols that evoke his central opens a main cur- issue, Rabbi Salkin provides a map of Phil Jason rent of Jewish ex- Judaic meaning. By comparing and perience and thought. Salkin notes that contrasting Abraham’s breaking of his the father, Terah, began a journey but father’s idols with the breaking of the then (theologically speaking) settled first set of tablets by Moses, he opens up an investigative mode prematurely in a new that has far-reaching conplace. Abraham’s action sequences for the world begins the continuation Jewish community, both of the journey into the present and future. kind exilic existence Salkin writes, “Healthat has characterized thy iconoclasm – shattermost of Jewish history. ing the false gods of class, Breaking the statues of privilege, power, radical the pagan deities identiindividualism, and even fies Abraham to God as the unfettered worship his worthy vessel for the of science – would bring people who will become together believers of all Israel. Rabbi Jeffrey K. Salkin faiths, allowing them to In a breezy, excited style, the author explores all aspects of see beyond their crucial theological difthe meaning of brokenness as a Jew- ferences and retrieve, once again, the ish identifier. Likewise, he explores the mantle of their father, Abraham.” tension of stasis and change. To break The Gods Are Broken!: The Hidden Legacy of Abraham, by Rabbi Jeffrey K. Salkin. Jewish Publication Society / University of Nebraska Press. 176 pages. Trade paperback $19.95.

Benfey’s journey sends off “if only” reverberations, suggestions of identity compromised and spiritual treasure lost. Jewish artists show up elsewhere in the book, oddly connected with the avantgarde community of Black Mountain. art memoir, part family history, These include the unparalleled Jewish and part meditation, this lyrical potter Karen Karnes and her one-time journey invents its own shape husband David Weinrib, also an imporand genre while probing undervalued tant artistic figure. Bauhaus artist (and Benfey relative) sources of American art and artisanship. Benfey celebrates the processes Anni Albers, who called herself “Jewthat turn nature into art and utilitarian ish in the Hitler sense,” left Germany in commodity – sometimes both at once, 1933 with her more famous husband Joas in ceramic vases and pitchers. He sef to mastermind experimental Black Mountain College. The exhumes and celebrates couple transplanted revothe soils from which a nalutionary Bauhaus theory tion builds its roads and and style to a new setting. homes, its jugs and jars. And yet they blended into Indiana and North an American cultural moCarolina are key territosaic whose foundational ries in Benfey’s journey Quaker contribution was to locate himself and his thriving. ancestors in the American The story radiates story. It’s the story of the Christopher Benfey (c)JimGipe outward from fabled special white clay that can rival Chinese porcelain; of potters who Black Mountain College, where a miplace folk craft, high art, and domestic raculous synergy of exiled (or self-exmanufacture in dynamic equilibrium; iled) Europeans and American seekers and of two peoples of great particular- struggled with and against one another to remap American community life and ity: Jews and Quakers. The Benfey name is a modification revitalize its art. One theme of this unique and splenof a Hebrew or, more likely, Yid- did history/reverie is: “There is somedish name. There thing deep in the American grain in the were Jewish Ben- idea of cultivating individuality through feys who migrated community.” Briefly but emphatically, to the U.S. before Christopher Benfey sounds the Jewish and after the Ho- note within this paradox. Derived from two separate reviews locaust. Many of these people, sev- that appear in the Summer 2013 issue eral of significant of Jewish Book World. Reprinted by accomplishment, permission. had already converted to Christianity. Philip K. Jason is Professor Emeritus Of course, they would be defined as of English from the United States Naval Jews during the horrendous upwelling Academy. He reviews regularly for the Naples edition of Florida Weekly and of anti-Semitism that swept Europe. The later pages of the book’s first for Fort Myers Magazine. Visit Phil’s section trace the Jewish thread of fam- website at www.philjason.wordpress. ily history. The meditative aspect of com. Red Brick, Black Mountain, White Clay: Reflections on Art, Family, and Survival, by Christopher Benfey. Penguin Press. 304 pages. Hardcover $25.95. Trade paperback $16.00.

Read the current and previous editions of The Jewish News online at www.jfedsrq.org.

JEWISH INTEREST 23A August 2013

K’zohar Ha-Ivrit

August 2013

23A

Jerusalem Post Crossword Puzzle

Elul – a month for Slichot By Dr. Rachel Zohar Dulin

t is hard to believe that the Jewish year 5773 is coming to an end. The summer is almost gone and the leaves of fall are about to grace us with their fleeting beauty. Yes, we are indeed in the midst of the month of Elul, the last month of the Jewish year, a month which ushers Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, and marks the beginning of the spiritual preparations for repentance. Let us look Dr. Rachel Dulin at a few words connected with the month of Elul and its unique place in the Jewish calendar. The effect of the Babylonian exile on the Hebrew calendar and its monthly names is immeasurable, Elul not excluded. First, in biblical times, Elul was the sixth, not the twelfth month of the year. Secondly, the name Elul is not of Hebraic origin, rather it arrived in Israel together with the returnees of the Babylonian exile (Rosh Hashanah, 81). It is mentioned only once in the Bible (Neh 6:15) and its meaning is not clear. Some suggest it means ‘purification’ or ‘atonement,’ and others connect it with the Akkadian word elulu, which means ‘harvest.’ Either way, Elul marks a special month as it sets a more somber mood ushering the new season of the year. During the month of Elul, depend-

ing on regional custom, the recitation of special penitential prayers called Slichot is a part of Jewish ritual. Slichot is derived from the verb salach, which appears 47 times in the Bible and means ‘forgive,’ ‘being forgiven’ and ‘pardon.’ As an adjective it is used to characterize God as tov ve-salach ‘good and forgiving’ (Ps 86:5). From the first century onward a special liturgy developed in preparation for the High Holidays known as Slichot, consisting of biblical Psalms and liturgical poetry accumulated through the centuries and centered on the themes of repentance, the recognition of Israel’s suffering, and Jewish solidarity in time of oppression. In contemporary Hebrew the word slicha retained its original meaning of ‘forgiveness,’ but it is also used as a polite way to approach someone in order to ask a question or make a comment. For example: slicha, mah ha-sha-ah means ‘pardon, what time is it?’ And s’lach li means ‘pardon me.’ In the spirit of Slichot and the month of Elul, let us hope and pray that God, who is tov ve-salach, will hear our prayers. May the New Year bring on its wings peace, health and happiness to all. Dr. Rachel Zohar Dulin is a professor of biblical literature at Spertus College in Chicago and an adjunct professor of Hebrew and Bible at New College in Sarasota. She lectures and writes in the field of biblical literature.

By David Benkof, DavidBenkof@gmail.com Across 1. “Peace ___ hand” 5. Addis ___ (whence many Ethiopian Jews) 10. “Quod ___ demonstrandum” 14. 1982 Maury Yeston Broadway musical 15. Some Peruvians 16. Pork, to kosher-keeping Jews 17. “Until ___” (1951 pro-Israel short film) 18. Founder of Judeo-Arabic literature 20. Mel Brooks’ “The Producers,” at first 22. First two words of the title of a 1962 Stephen Sondheim musical set in Rome 23. Yiddish honorific meaning “mister” 24. Sage Rosenfels and Jay Fiedler play in it 25. Holiday during which many bagel stores close 30. Pay hike? 34. “Amo, amas, ___....” 35. Burn balm 37. It can be Sunni or Shiite 38. Ben Gurion, once 39. Soviet-born Israeli politician Lieberman 41. End of Brandeis E-mails 42. Expunge 44. Made into a shaliach 45. Hitler’s “team” 46. Some gown fabrics 48. Jerusalem neighborhood with a famous market 50. “Golly” 51. Article written by Einstein? 52. Ragamuffin 55. “The Fifth Day,” in Israel 60. One might use them for cholent 62. The Stooges, famously 63. Diarist Frank 64. Certain gemstones 65. Sound you won’t hear at a religious kibbutz 66. “I ___ You Now”: #1 Eddie Fisher hit

Solution on page 24A

67. Break for a GI 68. 1979 Art Garfunkel album “___ for Breakfast” Down 1. Sen. Bernie Sanders and others 2. Where Rodgers and Hammerstein set one of their musicals 3. October 1981 assassination victim 4. Least loose 5. ___ HaTorah (outreach organization) 6. First word in the parent group of Aleph Zadik Aleph 7. “I Bought Me ___”: Copland 8. “When ___ Things Happen to Good People” by Harold Kushner 9. Israelis and Chinese 10. Devours 11. Brown with white steaks 12. “Primary Colors” author, for short 13. “West Side Story” hero 19. The Dreyfus ___ 21. “Curb Your Enthusiasm” network 25. Loses color 26. Tanna alternative 27. Sixth in a series 28. Cohen and Yishai 29. “Knocked Up” actor Seth 31. Philo of ___ 32. Where to hear Dennis Prager 33. “Hello, ___ Be Going”: Groucho Marx song 36. Israeli Supreme Court Justice Arbel 39. Poem with the story of the Trojan horse 40. Unlisted on Wall St. 43. Not blind 45. Present ___ grievances 47. Elderhostel attendee 49. That woman 52. Reb Nachman’s hometown 53. French jurist Cassin 54. Staff 55. Word used in comparisons 56. Detained 57. Billy Joel played a concert there 58. Isn’t on the street? 59. ___ of the commandments 61. Evian attraction

See pages 8B - 10B for Israel & the Jewish World items.

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JEWISH INTEREST

August 2013

What are the odds? By Rabbi Jonathan Katz

n June I conducted a wedding in Hawaii at a resort up the coast from Honolulu. Knowing that Hawaiians blow a conch shell on auspicious occasions, I pulled a shofar from under a table in the chuppah and sounded what I termed “a Jewish conch shell.” The following morning, my friend, Rabbi Neal Katz (no relation) of Tyler, Texas, who had joined me on the trip, suggested we go snorkeling near the resort. Pulling into a beach parking area, I noticed two women sitting in beach chairs, each holding something odd in their arms. At first I thought they were handling large snakes, but then realized, unbelievably, that they were trying to blow shofars. When I approached and asked to blow one of the shofars to show them how to do it, the women appeared

and expressed awe for two rabbis showing up out of nowhere to provide them shofar instruction. The women acquired the shofars on a recent trip to Israel, and had practiced blowing them only one time before at a beach and knew of no other Hawaiians who were engaged in such activity. I repeated more than once, “What are odds of this happening?” When I returned to Temple Beth Israel on Longboat Key, I shared this incredible occurrence at Friday night services as well as other aspects of my trip, including how the Hawaiian state capitol bears a strong resemblance to the Knesset and that the Reform temple in Honolulu utilizes a ukulele for Shabbat worship and sells a t-shirt in its gift shop emblazoned with “Shaloha.” Following that Friday night service, I met a family from Plano, Texas, named Katz. The father’s first name was Randy. I did a double take when he introduced me to his wife, also named Randi. Then his daughter shared that her father’s mother’s maidRabbi Jonathan Katz with the two women en name had also whom he taught how to blow their shofars been Katz. rather wary. However, after explainI quickly shot back that my mothing I was a rabbi and that I had blown er’s name had also been Katz. She used a very similar looking shofar less than to say she’d been a progressive woman twenty-four hours before only a couple ahead of her time because she continof miles away, they eagerly gave one to ued to use her name after marriage well me. At the same time, Rabbi Neal ar- long before it became fashionable. I rived on the scene to announce he too hadn’t met anyone with a similar Katz was a rabbi. name background before. Never did I Thrilled to hear us both strongly think I’d be uttering again so soon the sounding their shofars, they asked us to words, “What are the odds?” say a prayer. We recited the ShehechiOf course, I had to admit that Ranyanu. They then requested to offer a dy still trumped me because my wife is prayer of their own. Taking our hands not named Jonathan. to make a small circle, they shared that Rabbi Jonathan Katz serves at Temple “the Lord works in mysterious ways” Beth Israel on Longboat Key.

Jerusalem Post Crossword Puzzle Solution to puzzle on page 23A

JEWISH INTEREST 25A August 2013

August 2013

25A

De Yiddishe Kup makes its way to the National Museum of American Jewish History Reprinted with the permission of the National Museum of American Jewish History

ou may recall reading a story in the June 2012 issue of The Jewish News about “De Yiddishe Kup,” a golf trophy created by Lakewood Ranch artist Lou Siegel, one of five area golfing buddies, that symbolized their bond of friendship while paying tribute to their Jewish heritage. Adorned with a silver Kiddush cup, golf balls ornamented with Jewish stars and plaques bearing Yiddish nicknames – all perched upon four dreidels – De Yiddishe Kup was brought to the attention of the National Museum of American Jewish History by Lakewood Ranch resident Arnold Kaplan, a connoisseur and collector of American Judaica and a friend of the museum. Arny encouraged his friends to donate this beloved golf trophy to the museum. For Arny, and for the museum, this piece of American Jewish folk art represents the camaraderie of one group of golf buddies who have been “experimenting with the social adventure of retirement that included the challenge of meeting new friends in a new environment and hoping along the way to enjoy life while embracing and fulfilling their Jewish heritage and social traditions.”

Four members of the group recently traveled to Philadelphia to present the “Kup” to the museum, while one member participated via Skype, and discussed the origins of the trophy and what it means to them. De Yiddishe Kup Trophy represents a span of time filled with irreplaceable and precious memories of my wife, my friends, my pleasures, my heritage, and my knowledge that with hard work, some planning and some mazel, life can be good and dreams of the future can be fulfilled, at least for a while. – Lou Siegel What is common among us Yiddishe Kuppers is the priceless memories and schmooze time we have shared, bonding “Jewishly” around an inspired brisket-gravy-stained trophy, supporting each other when we needed it most, and just smiling and laughing hard, all of which has enriched us and made our lives even more rewarding. – Joel Ehrenpreis De Yiddishe Kup is a symbol of a very special group of guys who, over five years, have developed an amazing bond held together by friendship, respect for each other,

fun, laughter, tears and silliness. We’ve shared good times and tough times on the golf course, in our homes and with our spouses – with the trophy ceremonies always the focus of much joy and hope that its spirit will continue. – Lenny Drexler I came to Lakewood Ranch from Cleveland knowing no one. At that point I did not think that I would enjoy it here. I met the boys who took me into their game, and our friendship has been the best part of my life. – Eliot Charnas What means the most to me is the binding relationships we have all formed and the fact that we talk Jewish life weekly, which helps me stay in touch with Judaism. – Randy Mallitz

The museum’s collection numbers over 25,000 artifacts, ranging from 18thcentury documents to theater costumes to turn-of-the-20th-century Yiddish typewriters. It includes objects marking events of national significance, as well as those that tell the personal stories of everyday American Jews. The museum felt that De Yiddishe Kup was truly a one-of-a-kind artifact that artfully, playfully and touchingly represents those everyday stories and was honored to add it to their collection. So, the next time you’re in the Philadelphia area, be sure to include a visit the museum and check out De Yiddishe Kup! For more information about the National Museum of American Jewish History, visit www.nmajh.org.

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Yiddishe Kup players Lenny Drexler, Randy Mallitz, Lou Siegel, Joel Ehrenpreis and Eliot Charnas

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JEWISH INTEREST

August 2013

Stars of David

By Nate Bloom, Contributing Columnist Editor’s note: Persons in BOLD CAPS are deemed by Nate Bloom to be Jewish for the purpose of the column. Persons identified as Jewish have at least one Jewish parent and were not raised in a faith other than Judaism – and don’t identify with a faith other than Judaism as an adult. Converts to Judaism, of course, are also identified as Jewish. Goodwin Re-Discovers Her Faith GINNIFER GOODWIN, 35, has compiled quite a list of credits in the last decade. She has been the co-star of two hit TV series (Big Love and the still-airing Once Upon a Time) and she has co-starred in several hit films, including Walk the Line and He’s Just Not that Into You. Next November, she will co-star as Jackie Kennedy in a National Geographic original film about the last years of JFK and Jackie. Born and raised in Memphis, Tennessee, Goodwin was active in BBYO and took her bat mitzvah seriously enough that she delayed it until her 15th birthday, when she felt she had really studied enough for the ceremony. On May 17, she stood before the congregation of her hometown synagogue, with her family in the audience, and sadly noted that she had long fallen away from Judaism. She said, “For ten years, there was nothing. No ritual. No tradition. No community. I was this new alone thing, a nomad in the world. I was homeless.” However, as the Memphis Commercial Appeal reports, “In recent months, Goodwin has been reclaiming old patches of ritual, tradition and community, and receiving new ones. She wants to live in a Jewish home with a mezuzah in every doorway. She wants to raise her ‘completely hypothetical future children’ to be Jewish. She hosted a Hanukkah party. She’s made brisket and matzo ball soup. She realized that a lot of her friends are Jewish. ‘We’ve

been shul shopping’ [in Los Angeles]... ‘I am a Jew,’ she said, beaming on the bimah. ‘It took me ten years to come back around to that self-definition. I was a Jew by birth, and now I’m a Jew by choice.’” Post-script: After I finished this item, I discovered that Goodwin’s whole speech was posted on YouTube by the rabbi who mentored her and still leads her Memphis congregation. In short, Goodwin’s speech is a far more profound and moving exploration of Judaism and Jewish identity than the newspaper account led me to believe. The rabbi’s preface to her speech and his memories of the young Goodwin are part of the 25-minute video. Go to www. youtube.com and enter this much of the title and you’ll find it: Ginny Goodwin Speaks at Temple Israel. Some Baseball Notes It’s very rare when a Jewish player is sent down to the minors and another Jewish player is called up to take his place. But that was the New York Mets situation: IKE DAVIS, 28, a good defensive player, was brought up in 2010, and while his batting average has never been high, he made up for that with power hitting (32 homers in 2012). However, very anemic hitting got him sent down to the minors on June 9 to “find his swing.” He was replaced at first base by JOSH SATIN, 28. Satin didn’t shine in two previous short stints with the Mets (2011-12). During the last three weeks of June, however, he finally got a lot of

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Interested in Your Family’s History? Ten years of doing a Jewish celebrities column has turned Nate Bloom (see column at left) into something of an expert on finding basic family history records and articles mentioning a “searched-for” person. During these 10 years, he has put together a small team of “mavens” who aid his research. Most professional family history experts charge at least $1,000 for a full family tree. However, many people just want to get “started” by tracing one particular family branch.

So here’s the deal: Send Nate an email at middleoftheroad1@aol.com, tell him you saw this ad in The Jewish News, and include your phone number (area code, too). Nate will then contact you about doing a “limited” family history for you at a modest cost (no more than $100). No upfront payment. playing time and responded with an incredible hitting tear. Meanwhile, Davis, who is friends with Satin, hit well in the minors and rejoined “the big club” on July 5. As I write this, the two players are alternating at first base. Elsewhere: The Oakland Athletics’ rookie first baseman, NATE FRIEMAN, 26, was named AL rookie-of-themonth, for the month of May. Also happy is pitcher ROBERT KAMINSKY, 18, a New Jersey high-school phenom who was a St. Louis Cardinal first-round draft pick and got a $1,785, 000 signing bonus. Here’s an excerpt from a New York Daily News profile: [He’s] a highschool lefthander who has a 94 MPH fastball and a hammer of a curveball… a Jewish kid whose prized possession is a SANDY KOUFAX baseball card that

he keeps in an acrylic case on his bedroom shelf. “Sandy Koufax was a Jewish guy playing baseball, and so am I, and that’s rare,” Kaminsky says. “Even being in the same sentence with him would be an incredible honor.” On James Gandolfini Like everyone else, I was shocked when the very talented James Gandolfini died on June 19 at age 51. He was born and raised in a New Jersey Italian Catholic family, but he had Jewish connections. Here’s one: He was introduced to acting when his college friend, Tony-winning actor ROGER BART, 50, finally convinced Gandolfini (who was running a bar) to accompany him to a New York City acting class. Gandolfini later recalled that he was “scared to death” at the first class.

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August 2013

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Jordan Schneider (pictured far left), son of Alison Posner & Oren Schneider, June 22, Chabad of Venice & North Port

27A

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Please submit your life cycle events (births, B’nai Mitzvah, anniversaries) to jewishnews18@ gmail.com. Photos are appreciated; please email as JPGs at 300dpi.

• Pre-Arrangement Center

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Advertise in The Jewish News and reach an established and powerful demographic of over 9,000 homes in Sarasota-Manatee. Call Robin Leonardi at 941.552.6307

IN MEMORIAM

Lessie Atlas, 99 of Sarasota, formerly of Indiana Harbor, IN, May 30 Barbara Ann Berk, 83, of Venice, formerly of Harrisburg, PA, May 29 Donald Davis, 85, of Sarasota, June 1 Arthur Goldfield, 94, of Sarasota, April 28 Frank Frederick Heider, 84, of Sarasota, May 29 Mae S. Lappin, 101, of Sarasota, formerly of Buffalo, NY, June 17 Frederick Raymes, 84, of Sarasota, June 8 Frank Schaal, 91, of Sarasota, June 6 A. Hart Wurzburg, 92, of Sarasota, formerly of Chicago, IL, June 26

It has been our honor to serve Sarasota’s Jewish Community for over 10 years

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As your local Dignity Provider we offer many benefits to our Jewish families.

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Be a part of our Jewish community

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The Jewish Federation is strengthening its community outreach to bring Judaism to your neighborhood, your mailbox or your living room. There has never been a better time to join the Jewish conversation. Via our website, you can read The Jewish News or Connections Magazine. Connect with fellow Jews on Facebook or Twitter. Get updates via our blog. And so much more!

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Klingenstein Jewish Center

580 McIntosh Road, Sarasota FL 34232

941.371.4546 www.jfedsrq.org

Celebrating Jewish Life in Sarasota and Manatee Counties, Israel and the World FEDERATION NEWS

Serving our community for over 40 years! Published by The Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee www.jfedsrq.org

August 2013 - Av/Elul 5773

Volume 43, Number 8

Jewish Happenings tuesday, juLY 30

tuesday, august 6

Jewish Film Festival

YAD Happy Hour

Join us at 3:00 p.m. at the Jewish Congregation of Venice (600 N. Auburn Road) for a movie and a meal. The Jewish-themed film Alan and Naomi will be shown, followed by a lively discussion led by jazz musician Dick Hyman. Dinner (optional) will be held at Cedar Reef Fish Camp. Cost for the movie and the meal is $20 for JCV members and $22 for nonmembers. A ticket for just the movie costs $8 for JCV members and $10 for nonmembers. For information and to RSVP, call Beata at 941.484.2022.

wednesday, juLY 31 AJC’s Summer Lunch & Learn AJC (American Jewish Committee) West Coast Florida is proud to present Steven Bayme, Ph.D. as the Keynote Speaker at its final Lunch & Learn program of the summer. Dr. Bayme, AJC’s Director of Contemporary Jewish Life, will discuss “American Jewry Post WWII: Is the Golden Age Past?” Following WWII, American Jewry was the most secure community in the Diaspora, but by the end of the 20th century, danger signs were on the horizon. What can be done to secure the Jewish future? The event takes place from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at Michael’s On East, 1212 East Avenue South, Sarasota. The cost of $25 includes the lecture and luncheon. To RSVP, contact Monica Caldwell at 941.365.4955 or sarasota@ajc.org.

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Join us for a drink with friends from 5:50 to 7:30 p.m. at White Horse Pub, 6240 N. Lockwood Ridge Road, Sarasota. For more information about YAD, please contact Jessi Sheslow at 941.343.2109 or jsheslow@ jfedsrq.org.

“Your Monthly Jewish Moment” Temple Emanu-El’s Adult Education Committee continues its new summer program entitled “Your Monthly Jewish Moment.” Facilitated by Peter Wells, retired executive director of the Jewish Federation of Dayton and a former consultant to Moment Magazine, these monthly discussions center on contemporary issues of Jewish interest. Discuss and explore questions like: Is religious freedom threatened by the Christian right? What is the latest news from the Women of the Wall? Is Jon Stewart ruining politics in our country? All are welcome at 10:30 a.m. at Temple Emanu-El, 151 McIntosh Road, Sarasota. Free to Temple Emanu-El members; an $18 donation is requested for guests for the summer series. For more information, contact Peter Wells at 941.359.8235 or chaver39@yahoo.com.

“What’s So Special about Elul?” During the Hebrew month of Elul, what special customs are observed? Why? Do these customs actually help us to renew ourselves for the coming new year? We will discuss the observances of generations past and how they may apply to today’s modern ways. Enjoy a kosher lunch with friends. Students welcome. The program begins at noon at the Al Katz Center, 713 South Orange Avenue, Burns Square, Sarasota. $10 per adult; $5 per student. RSVP to Beverly Newman at 941.313.9239.

Jewish Film Festival Join us at 3:00 p.m. at the Jewish Congregation of Venice (600 N. Auburn Road) for a movie and a meal. The Jewish-themed film The Infidel will be shown, followed by lively discussion led by Jordan Shifrin. Dinner (optional) will be held at The Soda Fountain. Cost for the movie and the meal is $20 for JCV members and $22 for nonmembers. A ticket for just the movie costs $8 for JCV members and $10 for nonmembers. For information and to RSVP, call Beata at 941.484.2022.

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JEWISH HAPPENINGS

August 2013

wednesday, august 7 Mitzvah Knitting Group at Temple Emanu-El Are you a knitter or crocheter interested in using your talent to brighten the lives of others while making new friends? If so, please come to the Mitzvah Knitting Group sponsored by Temple Emanu-El Sisterhood. We gather monthly to craft and socialize, and our beautiful handiwork is donated to needy families in Sarasota-Manatee and Israel. Bring your needles or crochet hook and a favorite pattern – we’ll supply the yarn and great company! This free event begins at 10:00 a.m. at Temple EmanuEl, 151 McIntosh Road, Sarasota. For more information, contact Susan Bernstein at susanhope22@comcast.net.

Temple Beth Sholom Interesting Lives Series

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Breakfast 8am – noon daily, ‘til 2:30 Sat & Sun Lunch 11am–2:30pm daily & Sunday Brunch Dinner Tues- Sat 4:30 to close Serving wine and beer

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High Holy Day

Temple Beth El BRADENTON

Services

5774

TEMPLE BETH EL BRADENTON INVITES THE JEWISH COMMUNITY TO JOIN US FOR THE OBSERVANCE OF THE HIGH HOLY DAYS. (OPEN TO ALL) SERVICES CONDUCTED BY RABBI HAROLD CAMINKER & CANTOR ALAN COHN ROSH HASHANAH

Wednesday, September 4 • 7:30 pm Erev Rosh Hashanah Thursday, September 5 • 10:00 am Morning Service (Tashlich to follow) YOM KIPPUR

Friday, September 13 • 7:30 pm Kol Nidre Saturday, September 14 • 10:00 am Morning Service & Yizkor, 4:30 pm Healing Service, 5:30 pm Neilah & Break-the-fast (Reservations needed for Break-the-fast) PLEASE CONTACT TEMPLE BETH EL AT 941-755-4900 IF YOU PLAN TO ATTEND OR TO RECEIVE INFO PACKET. DONATIONS GREATLY APPRECIATED

4200 32nd Street West, Bradenton, FL 34205 • 941-755-4900 TBEbradentonfl@yahoo.com • www.templebethelbradenton.com

The speaker this month is Susan Croft. Born and educated in Britain, Susan is now an international public speaker, corporate trainer and PR practitioner. Susan’s first trip alone outside the UK was to Israel, where she stayed on a kibbutz outside Haifa. In addition, Susan will talk about some of her other fascinating jobs, including her work with the Royal Family, where she headed international communications for one of the largest royal charities. Her experiences should provide some interesting insights into life at Buckingham Palace. This free program is open to the public and begins at 1:15 p.m. in the Band/Desenberg Chapel at Temple Beth Sholom, 1050 S. Tuttle Avenue, Sarasota. For more information, contact Judy Lebowich at 941.371.4686 or lebowich.judy@comcast.net.

thursday, august 8 Jewish business networking event Sponsored by

Join us for Sarasota-Manatee’s newest Jewish business networking event and infuse your business with some serious growth potential. Enter to win a $25 gift certificate to Fresh Start Cafe or a FREE ad in The Jewish News (a $300 value). All attendees will receive 10% off any ad in Connections magazine, the annual resource guide to Jewish living in Sarasota-Manatee. This free event takes place from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. at Fresh Start Cafe, 630 S. Orange Avenue, Sarasota. Complimentary hors d’oeuvres and cash bar. Hosted by The Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee. Space is limited. RSVP is a must by August 5 to jnew@jfedsrq.org or 941.552.6304.

sunday, august 11 “The Secular vs. the Jewish New Year” How does the way you celebrate a new year reflect or mold your world view? Is a new year a time for remembering or forgetting the past? Is it a time for drinking or for being very sober? What is the Jewish view of the world? Discuss your plans and intentions for the upcoming Jewish New Year with your friends. What is going to be different this year than last year to bring more peace into your life? Enjoy a delicious kosher brunch. Students are encouraged to participate. The program begins at 10:00 a.m. at the Al Katz Center, 713 South Orange Avenue, Burns Square, Sarasota. $10 per adult; $5 per student. RSVP to Beverly Newman at 941.313.9239.

Temple Emanu-El Summer Film Series Beat the heat and enjoy a stimulating afternoon at Temple Emanu-El’s popular summer film series. The series continues with The Lemon Tree, an Israeli film about a lush 50-year-old grove of lemon trees that was the life and livelihood of an Arab woman – and that now stands across from the home of Israel’s defense minister and his family. The Lemon Tree will be screened on the temple’s state-of-the-art projection system, and popcorn and lemonade will be served. All are welcome at 2:00 p.m. at Temple Emanu-El, 151 McIntosh Road, Sarasota. Cost: $5. For more information, contact Eunice Cohen at eunice.cohen@comcast.net.

ConneCt with your Jewish Community facebook.com/jfedsrq

JEWISH HAPPENINGS 3B August 2013

August 2013

tuesday, august 13

Join us this Rosh Hashana...

Mishpocheh Mixer – Club Fed Sponsored by

Groove to the DJ and enjoy light refreshments from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. in the Jerusalem Room in The Arthur & Beatrice Michaels Cultural & Activity Center on the Federation Campus, 580 McIntosh Road, Sarasota. Club Fed is a new group for seniors. RSVP to Jeremy Lisitza at 941.343.2113 or jlisitza@jfedsrq.org.

JFCS Transitions Support Group Sponsored by

The death of a spouse, significant other or life partner is perhaps the most difficult experience that one can have. Once the initial intense period of grief has subsided, how do you recreate your life and go on? Meet new people in similar life circumstances; share experiences – what works, what doesn’t; begin to laugh and enjoy what life can offer you now; and receive support as you navigate this new road. The group meets from 10:00 to 11:30 a.m. at the JFCS Main Campus, 2688 Fruitville Road, Sarasota, and will meet monthly initially. No fee, but preregistration is required. Contact Dale A. Block, LMFT, CAP, Director of Counseling and Jewish Programming, at 941.366.2224 x113 or dblock@ jfcs-cares.org.

“Preparing Your Heart for the New Year” No matter how sincere we are, we often do not meet our personal goals. Judaism’s answer to this age-old dilemma is embraced by the month of Elul, when we begin to earnestly search our hearts for ways to enter the new year better than before. This introspective task can bring great solace and set us on a steady course to make strides in our lives. Share your insights. Enjoy a good kosher lunch. Students welcome. The program begins at noon at the Al Katz Center, 713 South Orange Avenue, Burns Square, Sarasota. $10 per adult; $5 per student. RSVP to Beverly Newman at 941.313.9239.

wednesday, august 14 Hadassah & Kobernick House Lunch & Game Day Join us from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. for mah jongg, cards, or whatever game is your pleasure! Bring your own group and/or your own game. Or, come alone and we’ll set you up with a group. Enjoy a dairy lunch. The fun takes place at Kobernick House, 1953 N. Honore Ave., Sarasota. Cost: $15 per person. To RSVP, send a check payable to SaBra Hadassah to Joy Siegel, 13511 Montclair Place, Lakewood Ranch, FL 34202. Reservation deadline is Wednesday, August 7. Questions? Call Joy at 941.306.5941.

friday, august 16 Chabad of Sarasota Open House As we approach the High Holiday season, friends and prospective members are encouraged to join us at 7:30 p.m. at Chabad of Sarasota (7700 Beneva Road, Sarasota) and get a firsthand glimpse of the warm and heimish atmosphere that is felt by all who come to Chabad. At the Oneg, you will have the opportunity to hear from Rabbi Chaim Steinmetz, Chabad President Dr. Barry Stein, board members and congregants. Enjoy a lovely evening, and be delighted to see individuals of all Judaic backgrounds feeling completely at ease at the shul. For more information, please call the Chabad office at 941.925.0770.

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For a warm, friendly, unique experience, join Spiritual Leader Jennifer Singer and our favorite guest, Rabbi Richard Marker. Erev Rosh Hashana Services followed by a Kosher Dinner · September 4th Services September 5th and 6th

Congregation Kol HaNeshama

Sarasota’s Reconstructionist Congregation

For more information visit our website www.congkh.org or Call 941-244-2042 or email office@congkh.org South Gate Community Center · 3145 Southgate Circle · Sarasota

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Jewish Congregation of Venice Celebrate the High Holidays With Us Rabbi Daniel Krimsky and Cantor Marci Vitkus lead our High Holiday worship using the new Reform Prayer Book and featuring choral and instrumental music with both traditional and modern melodies. Call for information, about High Holiday services, as well as our weekly Shabbat services, and a variety of social, cultural and educational activities throughout the year. Our Religious School enrolls children in grades K-8 and offers Bar/Bat Mitzvah preparation. We welcome Jews of diverse backgrounds, interfaith families, and anyone interested in Judaism to all our worship services, classes, activities and programs.

Jewish Congregation of Venice 600 N. Auburn Road, Venice, FL 34292 941-484-2022 ~ jcvenice2@gmail.com www.jewishcongregationofvenice.org Minutes from I-75 and US 41

JEWISH HAPPENINGS

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Join our open House chabad jewish center Sunday, august 25 11:00 - 1:00 pm 2169 tamiami trail S. Venice

5774 Chabad of Venice & North Port

Paver Religious School at Temple Beth Sholom begins The Martin & Mildred Paver Religious School of Temple Beth Sholom (1050 S. Tuttle Avenue, Sarasota) strives to provide an inspiring, stimulating and engaging educational experience guided by the Conservative movement’s principles. Children in grades K-7 meet on Sunday mornings from 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and on religious holidays throughout the year with additional requirements for bar/bat mitzvah students. PRS is open to the community and TBS affiliation is not required. Please contact Elaine Tedesco at 941.955.8121 or etedesco@templebethsholomfl.org for more information.

monday, august 19 Chabad’s Kaplan Preschool Opening Day

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sunday, august 18

Services, Religious School & Classes with Chabad are open to the public. No membership or tickets are required.

invites you to the most inspiring and meaningful High Holiday Services.