Thanks to BMYA and LEAP donors , 12 local students visited Israel last month.
. . . l e a Isr
! s e i r o T hanks for the mem See more on page 7 __
Celebrating Jewish Life in Sarasota and Manatee Counties, Israel and the World FEDERATION NEWS PUBLISHED BY
The Jewish Federation OF SARASOTA-MANATEE
THE LARRY GREENSPON FAMILY CAMPUS FOR JEWISH LIFE
August 2018 - Av/Elul 5778 INSIDE THIS ISSUE: 8 Community Focus 16 Jewish Happenings 22 Jewish Interest 26 Israel & the Jewish World 30 Commentary 31 Focus on Youth 35 Life Cycle
3 Stories of LIFE & LEGACY Stacy and Ben Hanan: A thriving family tree of altruism TM
26 Israeli residents go public with heartfelt aid to Syrians
www.jfedsrq.org
A fond farewell to Sarasota’s community shaliach Staff Report
F
or the past year, thanks to a grant from The Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee and the support of Aviva- A Campus for Senior Life, our region made a personal connection with the contemporary Israeli experience. That connection came in the form of Maor Ben-Arie, 28, an enthusiastic young sabra from Rishon LeZion, a city near Tel Aviv. Ben-Arie was invited to serve in Sarasota as a community shaliach. Shlichim are trained by The Jewish Agency for Israel and deployed in Jewish communities and with Jewish organizations around the globe to increase Jewish awareness, knowledge and pride; to bridge the gap between Jews of different backgrounds and Israel; and to promote an understanding of Israel and its ideals. After serving in the IDF, Ben-Arie studied psychology and education at the Open University of Israel. Since 2012, Ben-Arie has volunteered in
Temple Sinai’s Confirmation Class participates in Shavuot Worship Service
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This issue of The Jewish News contains a paid political advertisement. The ad does not reflect the views of, or serve as endorsement by, the staff or leadership of The Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee.
educational initiatives for at-risk youth in border communities across Israel. During his time in Sarasota, BenArie spent three days a week working with students and staff at the Hershorin Schiff Community Day School. There, he passed along his knowledge of Hebrew and offered a fresh, contemporary take on Israeli customs and daily life. Ben-Arie also spent time with Federation staff and participated in its programs, led a bimonthly program Maor Ben-Arie at Aviva, met with Hillel students for shabbat dinners, and spoke at area-based synagogues. With each encounter, he engaged the community to connect with Israel’s history, culture, social issues and diver-
sity. In June, Ben-Arie served as chaperone for the Federation’s Bob Malkin Young Ambassador program (BMYA), which culminated in a two-week trip to Israel. Federation Executive Director Howard Tevlowitz says that Maor has been a valuable addition to the local Jewish community. “It’s been wonderful having Maor with us for the past year,” says Tevlowitz. “He gave our Jewish community, especially our local children, a firsthand connection to our homeland, teaching them about the people, culture and rich history. Maor has made a profound impact on all of us. We are sad to see him go.” We recently spoke with Ben-Arie about his experiences in our region. Was this your first visit to our country? continued on page 2
Celebrating 15 years of creative partnership By Sarah Wertheimer
32
Volume 48, Number 8
S
ince 2004, Embracing Our Differences has used the power of art and prose to promote diversity. One way it accomplishes this is through its annual outdoor art exhibition consisting of 45 billboard-sized works of art, each accompanied by an inspirational quote. These annual outdoor exhibits, displayed in Sarasota’s Bayfront Park, are the heart of a yearSarah Wertheimer round program designed to use art as a catalyst to create awareness and promote diversity. Our most recent exhibit, which celebrated our 15th anniversary, ran April 4 through June 1. Yet again, thousands of people answered the call to create art
A publication of The Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee The Larry Greenspon Family Campus for Jewish Life Klingenstein Jewish Center, 580 McIntosh Rd., Sarasota, FL 34232 Annual voluntary subscription: $25
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that celebrates the values of diversity, inclusion and respect, with nearly 8,500 entries pouring in from 98 countries. We were honored to enter our 15th year with this outpouring of faith in humanity from the global human family. 2018 Embracing Our Differences art exhibit Our ongoing educacultural venues, and student docent tion initiatives are also crucial to our programs in high schools. With 932 mission. Presented in partnership with teachers and 39,211 students particithe regional school districts and nationpating in these programs in 2018 alone, ally-recognized educators, these proEmbracing Our Differences continues grams impact the lives of thousands of to lead as one of the largest education area teachers and students every year. programs in Southwest Florida. These include annual workshops and We could not facilitate vital educainstitutes providing diversity curricula tional programs like these without the for educators, free bus transportation for students and teachers to visit area continued on page 2 ▼
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