Jewish Standard, December 7, 2018

DECEMBER 7, 2018
VOL. LXXXVIII NO. 12 $1.00 87 2018
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NICKY BLACKBURN
Roladin’s Royal Lindt sufganiyot.
Super-sizing sufganiyot Page 27
l We all love the classic with purple and white chocolate

Chanukah sufganiya — a light glaze, and garnished with violet Shany Bakery’s sufganiyot. JESSICA HALFIN
and puffy fried donut made from flakes, whipped cream, and fresh
yeasted enriched dough, filled blueberries.
with red jam and topped with a Royal Lindt. Stuffed with Lindt
generous dusting of powdered chocolate cream and garnished with CONTENTS
sugar. cocoa-dusted almonds, a miniature NOSHES�� 4
NICKY BLACKBURN
There are few greater joys than cream puff, hazelnuts, and a choco- BRIEFLY LOCAL��18
taking a bite and letting the jam late shot. COVER STORY��20
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OPINION�� 36
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Shatner earns wrath of Chanukah lovers

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l There’s little question who Judah better of it … I mean, I should have, maybe,”
Maccabee would choose as his favorite Shatner said in the upcoming PBS documen-
starship captain. tary “Hanukkah: A Festival of DeLights,” ac- Candlelighting:
Who other than James T. Kirk could cording to the Jerusalem Post. Friday, December 7, 4:10 p.m.
argue a Greek god into non-existence (in For the documentary, Shatner shared some
the Star Trek episode “Who Mourns for of his childhood Chanukah memories.
Shabbat ends:
Adonais?”)? Who else had the ultimate “The menorah was silver and blackened a Saturday, December 8, 5:13 p.m.
Chanukah-time answer to Antiochus, in a little by years of use — the places where the
speech he delivered to a bearded Spock candles went in were black no matter how
from an alternate universe (in the episode much polishing had been done,” Shatner
called “Mirror, Mirror”): “I submit to you said. “It was something that sat somewhere For convenient
that your empire is illogical because it cannot endure!” on the mantelpiece all year long until it was used — home delivery,
So it comes as a particular disappointment that Wil- and then it was used with great reverence.”
liam Shatner, the Jewish actor who played Captain Kirk, The Montreal-born actor also talked about how his call 201-837-8818 or
recently released a star-studded holiday album titled mother would make latkes during the holiday. bit.ly/jsubscribe
“Shatner Claus,” on which he croons classic Christmas “My mother’s standing over a frying pan, putting the
tunes including “Jingle Bells,” “Rudolph the Red-Nosed mixture of potato, the ground-up potatoes into the
Reindeer,” and “Silent Night.” Notably, the album includ- sizzling fat, the oil, and frying up potato pancakes,” he
ed no Chanukah songs. said. “The [memory of] potato pancakes and the apple- ON THE COVER: Dream Doctor Nimrod
Now, Shatner appears to have regrets. sauce … and the family all around having the pancakes Eisenberg works with earthquake
“I was going to do ‘Dreidel, Dreidel,’ then I thought is indelible.” LARRY YUDELSON & JOSEFIN DOLSTEN / JTA survivors in Nepal in 2015.
COURTESY OF DREAM DOCTORS
JEWISH STANDARD DECEMBER 7, 2018 3

Noshes “Bring home the bagels.”
— Phrase suggested by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals
to be used in place of “Bring home the bacon” in a graphic
labeled “Stop Using Anti-Animal Language.” It also suggested
replacing “Be the guinea pig” with “Be the test tube.”
NOIR-ISH L.A.:
Twists surface
in ‘Silver Lake’
“Under the Silver British film director their laws, and now 49
Lake,” a contem- NICOLAS ROEG died states allow people to
porary film noir November 25 at 90. buy naloxone without a
set in the Los His films include “Walk- prescription. Anyone can
Angeles neighborhood about,” “Performance,” buy it just in case.
of Silver Lake, was and “The Man Who Fell I looked up naloxone
supposed to open last to Earth.” The latter two and learned it was cre-
April, so this item may be films featured, respec- ated by two Jewish
vaguely familiar. It now is tively, Mick Jagger and chemists: Dr. MOZES J.
set to open on Friday, David Bowie in their first LEWENSTEIN (1899-
December 7, in limited starring roles. Almost 1966) and Dr. JACK
release. ANDREW all bios say that Roeg’s FISHMAN (1930-2013).
GARFIELD, 35, stars as father was of “Dutch They patented the drug
Sam, an unhappy guy ancestry.” That should Andrew Garfield Zosia Mamet David Mamet in 1961. Fishman’s New
who discovers a mysteri- be qualified — his British York Times obit begins
ous woman frolicking in father was a Jew (whose by saying that “naxa-
his apartment complex’s ancestors were Dutch lone has saved countless
pool one night. The Jews). Roeg’s mother lives.” Fishman was born
woman suddenly wasn’t Jewish. in Poland; he and his
disappears and Sam family fled to Shanghai
embarks on a quest to Alec talks to Sarah when the Nazis invaded.
find her. As he hunts for “The Alec He came to the States
the woman across Los Baldwin Show,” when he was 18 and
Angeles, Sam encounters an ABC celebrity earned his undergradu-
much more than he interview show ate degree from Yeshiva
expected — scandals and that Baldwin hosts, University.
a big-time conspiracy. began in October. In 2016, Newsweek re-
The supporting cast Reviews of the series ported on how personal
includes ZOSIA MAMET, haven’t been great, and Ricky Jay Nicolas Roeg Sarah Jessica Parker this prescription issue
30 (“Girls”). we’ll see whether it will was to Jack Fishman.
Zosia Mamet is, of continue much past New 57, and their hopes for However, about the overdosed on opioids. Fishman’s adult stepson,
course, the daughter Year’s day. Baldwin the future. same time I read about Virtually all emergency JONATHAN STAMPLER,
of famous playwright interviews actress the film, I saw the No- medical personnel have died of a heroin overdose
and film director DAVID SARAH JESSICA A long time coming vember 18 “60 Minutes” carried naloxone with in 2003. JOY FISHMAN,
MAMET, 70. The mas- PARKER, 53, in the The film “Ben is segment about naloxone, them for a long time. The Jack’s wife, was out-
ter magician and actor episode airing Saturday, Back” opens which is described in the current opioid epidemic raged. She knew that her
RICKY JAY was a favorite December 8, at 10 p.m. December 7. It segment and by other (70,000 died from over- son probably would have
of David Mamet’s; the Topics include Parker’s stars Julia sources as a “wonder doses in 2017) has led survived if someone near
magician co-starred move into publishing; the Roberts as the mother of drug.” Naloxone can many police officers to him when he overdosed
in three films Mamet first anniversary of the Ben (Lucas Hedges), a completely reverse an carry it, too. For many had naloxone. Dr. Fish-
wrote and directed. (My Times Up anti-sexual young adult who has a opioid overdose if the years, family members man was appalled that
favorite is “House of harassment movement; longstanding addiction drug is given to the over- of addicts couldn’t buy he couldn’t get his hands
Games.”) Sadly, Jay died and how, as an actress to opioid drugs, includ- dose victim within about naloxone without a pre- on a drug he invented
November 24. He was 72. and producer, Parker has ing heroin. I didn’t plan to five minutes of the over- scription. They could do without a prescription.
I recommend watching had conversations on the write about “Ben” dose. Naloxone is cheap, very little if they found a The Fishmans, aided
the PBS “American Mas- set about harassment because it has no Jewish it has no side effects, loved one who had over- by Jack’s lawyer son,
ters” bio on Jay, called that often are surprising actors in important parts and it has no bad effects dosed but still was cling- NEIL, pushed hard for a
“Deceptive Practice.” (It’s and never easy; and her and neither the director if it is given by mistake ing to life. In the last few change in state laws, and
posted on YouTube.) 21-year marriage to actor nor the screenwriter are to someone who has years, however, a flood now finally that change
Another sad note: MATTHEW BRODERICK, Jewish. passed out but has not of states have changed has come. –N.B.
California-based Nate Bloom can be reached at

Want to read more noshes? Visit facebook.com/jewishstandard Middleoftheroad1@aol.com
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Local
A woman of valor on the bench
Judge Ruchie Freier will tell her story at two Teaneck shuls
JOANNE PALMER
I
t must be difficult to be both a force of nature and
a relatable role model, but Ruchie Freier of Bor-
ough Park seems to manage it as she does every-
thing else.
Gracefully and easily.
Rachel Freier, as she properly is known, also is Judge
Freier, a 53-year-old elected civil court judge in New
York State, who ran as a Democrat and won office in
2016. She is the first chasidic woman elected to any posi-
tion in the United States.
She is also a wife and the mother of six children and
now a grandmother, a woman who married when she
was 19 and started her college career, at Touro, when
she was 16. She’s a woman who has broken the stereo-
types that say that she never could have done what she
has done, and who did it all while maintaining the rigor-
ously halachic life that her upbringing, her community,
her family, and her own deeply held faith demand.
She’s also beautiful, dresses modestly and appropri-
ately but crisply rather than dowdily, and speaks with a
mild, humanizing Brooklyn accent.
Does the force of nature part come through yet?
She’s also the protagonist of the documentary
“93Queen,” made by Teaneck filmmaker Paula Eiselt
(who won highly sought-after grants and funding for it).
That film shows the fight she and other women in Brook-
lyn fought to start their all-female ambulance corps,
Ezras Nashim, which is dedicated to allowing women
to help other women. It’s a service whose members are
trained EMS providers.
On Shabbat December 14-15, she will be in Teaneck, Judge Ruchie Freier leans against an emergency response vehicle of Ezras Nashim, the all-female ambu-
first at a private NCSY Shabbaton for girls at Congrega- lance corps she helped establish in Brooklyn.
tion Keter Torah and then at Congregation Rinat Yisrael,
where her talk will be open to the public. (See box.) said. “I was able to stay close to home, and I was able “I believe in the description of a woman that Shlomo
Ms. Freier has been in Israel with Ms. Eiselt; to go part time.” She had wanted to be a lawyer for a HaMelech” — King Solomon — “wrote in Eishet Chayil”
“93Queen” is opening in theaters there. When she long time, not because a lawyer needs analytic skills — — Woman of Valor, the song, believed to have been writ-
comes to Teaneck, she will talk “about how I navigated which Ms. Freier absolutely and demonstrably has — but ten by King Solomon, that Orthodox men sing to their
my journey and was able to accomplish what I wanted because of its potential for advocacy work. “It’s just part wives at the start of Shabbat dinner. “A woman who is
to accomplish without compromising my chasidic stan- of my DNA,” she said. “When I was young I was the advo- busy, accomplished, up late at night, working. An eishet
dards,” she said. She’s firm about wanting to use her cate for my siblings, and when I was growing up and my chayil is what I wanted to be, what I wanted to achieve.
story to undermine the stereotypes that say that chasidic parents had issues that had to be dealt with, I was the And I don’t have to use any other secular terms. I want
women cannot do what she has done, and she would family advocate. to stick with what I’m comfortable with.”
like to encourage girls to forge their own paths while “I always had a passion for standing up for what is right.” She’s entirely comfortable with being a judge, and she
maintaining their own standards. She is also a natural leader, but she did not cultivate feels that it’s a logical role for an eishet chayil to take.
Ms. Freier went to law school, Ms. Eiselt said, because that purposely, she said. “Leadership just evolved. It just “It’s an amazing experience, and I think that a woman’s
“she worked as a secretary, and she decided that she happened. Maybe I was a leader in day camp, things like life experience is the best thing that I bring to the bench.
didn’t want to be a secretary.” So she went to Brook- that, but in terms of communal leadership, no. That was It’s my experience as a mother. Every woman who is a
lyn Law School, which “was perfect for me,” Ms. Freier not something I was looking for.” mother is a judge, all the time.”
She often is asked if she is a feminist, she said, in She credits her own mother with her ascent to the
response to a question about whether she is a feminist, bench. “It didn’t happen overnight,” she said. “I give my
Who: Judge Ruchie Freier but she shies away from that — or any other — label, she mother a lot of credit. She was a very strong woman,
What: Will talk about “My Journey to the Bench” said. “In the chasidic community, it has a negative con- very smart, very sensible, and she taught us the value
at Congregation Rinat Yisrael notation. It’s viewed as a woman who wants to usurp the of working hard.
When: On Saturday, December 15, at 4 p.m. role of a man. But I feel that there is no contradiction in “We grew up in a very chasidic community, in a very frum
Where: Rinat is at 389 West Englewood Ave being an empowered woman, someone who wants to home, and we never were given the message that being reli-
in Teaneck achieve and accomplish things.” gious is restrictive,” she said. “There were many rules, but
For more information about the talk: As to the term feminist, “I think that all terms and we were made to feel that we could accomplish so much.
Go to www.rinat.org labels are deceptive,” Ms. Freier said. “Everyone has We knew that we had limitations, but we never felt that the
For more information about Ezras Nashim: their own understanding of what these terms mean, and limitations would be a barrier for us.”
Go to www.ezras-nashim.org they mean different thigs to different people. So I won’t Ms. Freier also attributes much of her success to
use them. I don’t identify with them. her “Beis Yakov background,” she said; Beis Yakov is a

Local
network of elementary and high schools for girls from “But she didn’t give up. She said to
traditionally Orthodox backgrounds. “I had phenomenal me that if I allow the film, it will break
teachers, and there was a lot of emphasis in class on the the stereotypes of chasidim in gen-
halachic perspective and on philosophy. My teachers eral, and of chasidic women in par-
impressed on us girls the potential that all Jewish girls ticular, and that it would create a Kid-
have, so I was nurtured in an environment of potential dush Hashem.” A sanctification of God’s
and faith. name. “So I spoke to my rabbi, to make
“I really have complete faith that Hashem” — God — sure that it would not violate halacha,
“can do anything. All we have to do it try.” and then I said that I would do it.”
She doesn’t think that she’s the only one of her cohort “93Queen” drew many disparate
to have become a professional, although she’s the only audiences in Israel this week, includ-
one who’s a judge. “I think there are many therapists ing “a few chasidic women who told me
and accountants and other professions who have gone they were pursuing law degrees,” Ms.
into many other areas,” she said. Freier said.
“But for me it was so much about outreach, and this is The week in Israel included “non-
the difference. I think it’s so important. I think that there stop press and screenings and meet-
are a lot of stereotypes today in the media about cha- ings,” Ms. Eiselt said. “The reaction was
sidim, and I feel that if we are not going to open up so incredible.” In Jerusalem, it drew a large
the media can capture the true essence of who we are, number of charedim; “the Cinemate-
then people are going to make assumptions about who que, where it screened, said that they’d
we are. And most of the time, assumptions are wrong. never had an audience like that before. Ruchie Freier attends swearing-in ceremonies as a civil court judge
“So why not give them the truth, and let them hear it They were over the moon.” In Tel Aviv in New York State with her husband, David Freier.
in our own voices?” and Haifa, the audiences were more
She finds herself as a spokeswoman for chasidic mixed, ranging from charedi to secular. And “in Jerusalem, our funds for the ambulance.
women, “but I never said I wanted to be one. It just a Palestinian EMT came with his wife and daughter. It was “There is so much that I have to do. How are we going
evolved.” so inspiring to see him and Ruchie connect.” to get this done? How are we going to get that done?
She hadn’t been sure that she wanted to be in What is Ms. Freier going to do now? “We really want to “I am so very grateful to God for giving me these
“93Queen,” Ms. Freier said. “I was approached six years develop Ezras Nashim more,” she said. “We are now apply- opportunities. There always have been so many chal-
ago, and I said absolutely not. I told Paula that I had ing for a license to own and operate our own ambulance. I lenges, but I have so much hard work ahead that I don’t
enough things on my plate, and that this was the last still am dealing with a lot of opposition behind the scenes, think about them. That’s the past, and there is so much
thing that I needed. which I have to overcome. And I have to work on increasing more to accomplish.”
A Hungarian parcel-gilt set of

Torah crown and pair of finials,
Johannes Mathias Roth,
Budapest-Buda, late 18th century
Estimate $150,000–250,000
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Local
Remembering the spell of Kutz Camp

About-to-close teen leadership ‘academy’ remains very much alive in locals’ memories
LOIS GOLDRICH
S
ome experiences, or places, leave an indelible
mark on your life. For several local residents, that
place is Kutz Camp. To the chagrin of many, the
camp — which celebrated its 50th anniversary in
2015 — is closing.
Long known as the Reform movement’s center for high-
level leadership training for teens and a breeding ground for
modern Jewish folk music — the late Debbie Friedman was a
song leader there in 1969 — the summer camp, in Warwick,
New York, will close its doors after the 2019 summer season.
Whatever the reasons for this decision — in making the
announcement, URJ President Rabbi Rick Jacob cited com-
petition from other programs — its closure will have both
physical and emotional ramifications.
“I am personally sad,” Noah Fabricant, the rabbi of Tem-
ple Beth Or in Washington Township said. “Along with so
many friends and colleagues, I feel a personal sense of loss.
I recently brought both of my kids to Kutz for a NFTY event,
where I was the rabbi.” In 1965, Kutz Camp became the
COURTESY OF KUTZ CAMP

summer headquarters for NFTY, the North American Fed-
eration of Temple Youth, the Union for Reform Judaism’s
youth group; Rabbi Fabricant is one of the region’s NFTY
local advisors.
“I began to imagine what it would be like for them to go
themselves,” said Rabbi Fabricant, who lives in Ridgewood
with his wife, Alexandra Harwin, and their two daughters. Above, Kutz campers in 1977. Right, the pagoda
Although his children, now 2 and 4 years old, no longer will called Isaac, where Rabbi Noah Fabricant and
have the opportunity to go to Kutz, “I trust the leadership his friends “made shacharit together
of URJ when they say that teen programs have not disap- before breakfast.”
peared, but have just shifted, like everything in Jewish life
that has changed, adapted, and grown,” he said. “When
they say it’s not the best way to instill values, I trust them.”
Rabbi Fabricant said that URJ has a system of summer
camps throughout the country. Traditionally, students who It’s not like other
had gone to their local camps but wanted leadership train-
ing would leave those camps for Kutz when they were in summer camps that
high school. run programs for all
“Those individual camps over the years have initiated
more and more wonderful programming for teens,” he said. ages. Kutz was a teen
“It’s harder to convince a teen in Mississippi who goes to the leadership academy
Jacobs camp there to skip a summer and come to Kutz. Kids
love their camps.” and we were called
As for NFTY, “over the years we have held events in other participants rather
places as well,” he said; they’ve met at Camp Harlam in
Pennsylvania as well as in synagogue buildings. than campers.
COURTESY NOAH FABRICANT
Rabbi Fabricant said he had not been a camper at Kutz;
he’d been a participant. “It’s not like other summer camps “It drew people from all over the country,” he added, not-
that run programs for all ages,” he said. “Kutz was a teen ing that “the people from Kutz have been part of my life
leadership academy and we were called participants rather in the Jewish world up to this day. When I went to rabbini-
than campers.” He held that status in 1997 and 1998. In 2001, cal school in Jerusalem for my first year, my roommate was
he returned as a resident advisor. a friend from Kutz. There were at least a few other Kutz
But for the rabbi, it wasn’t only about summers. “I grew friends in our class, as in every rabbinic and cantorial pro-
up in New Jersey” — in West Orange — “and our NFTY region gram in the Reform movement.”
had its regional events at Kutz. During the year, we had sev- For Rabbi Fabricant, it is not swimming or sports that took tradition, especially Reform Jewish tradition, seriously.
eral weekend conclaves, now called kallot.” stand out in his memory –although he does remember some The camp’s leadership program has changed many times,
How important was Kutz in his life? “It set me on the path “epic, unathletic softball games — but music. “Kutz is dedi- he said. “In my era, there were tracks. You would sign up
to becoming a rabbi,” he said. “It had as profound an effect cated to singing new Jewish music and the experience of for a specific track.” For example, there would be different
as any other program or organized experience I was ever communal singing in prayer, for enjoyment, and for com- tracks for people learning to lead temple youth groups, reli-
part of.” He came to Kutz because his religious school prin- munity building.” gious schools, or song-leading. The tracks, and the overall
cipal wanted him “to learn how to song-lead. I played guitar, He also fondly recalls Shabbat at the camp. “Kutz trans- environment, taught him skills he still uses today in leading
and Kutz was the premier place to learn how to song-lead.” formed over Shabbat,” providing the “spiritual uplift and group discussions and getting people involved, he said.
The plan was for him to teach music in the religious school. intentionality with which we approached relaxation during As for its social environment, “it created community, mod-
“The revival of the folk music style lived and breathed at Shabbat.” Finally, he said, “Kutz was where I was first intro- eling acceptance and welcoming. Finding an environment
Kutz,” he said. duced to serious Jewish study,” learning from people who SEE KUTZ CAMP PAGE 10

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.‫לנפשתיכם‬
Guard your health carefully.
COURTESY OF KUTZ CAMP
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COURTESY NOAH FABRICANT
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Local
Kutz Camp
FROM PAGE 8
that was so positive and welcoming and open was trans-
formative and powerful.”
Rabbi Fabricant recalled that “as a participant, I would
wake up early, before breakfast, and go to the pagodas by
the lake.” The three pagodas were named Abraham, Isaac,
and Jacob. He and some other teens would make Shacha-
rit together “at our own initiative, with maybe some gui-
tars. It was one of my first experiences in taking the initia-
tive in Jewish life and leadership. It was unforgettable.”
Jordan Millstein, the rabbi of Temple Sinai in Tenafly,
was a camper at Kutz in 1980; his track was temple youth
group leadership. He grew up on Long Island; because he
headed his synagogue’s youth group there, he felt ready
for the camp’s “higher-level” training. “I really did learn
basic leadership skills for the first time in my life,” he said.
In fact, he added, the skills he learned “have lasted a life-
time. I wouldn’t have had the same sense of commitment”
to developing teen programs — “if I hadn’t been part of it.
Going to Kutz brought it to a different level.”
He was at Kutz as a “faculty brat,” Rabbi Millstein said;
his father, Rabbi Ronald Millstein, often led retreats there.
“My father was the rabbi of Temple Israel of Jamaica in
NOAH FABRICANT
Holliswood,” in Queens, he added. “I first started going
there as a little kid,” when his father led teen retreats for
LIFTY, the Long Island Federation of Temple Youth.
“It was the closest retreat center for congregations in
New York and New Jersey for the Reform movement. I was Above, “my Kutz cabin picture from summer 1997,”
also there for conclaves. It was sort of like a second Jewish Rabbi Fabricant writes. “At least three of us be-
home,” he said, giving first place to his own synagogue in came rabbis. I am at the lower right with the strap
Long Island. And while his primary camp was Eisner in across my chest.” Left, Debbie Friedman singing at
Great Barrington, Massachusetts, “Kutz was the local cen- Kutz Camp in 1969.
ter for fun getaways and retreats.
“When you look through the list of who spent summers organized by Rabbi Stuart Geller to participate in Kutz’s
there, you see a huge proportion of the Reform rabbinate. Torah Corps. “It was like a Hebrew village, for those plan-
And so much of the music that was developed through ning to teach in religious school,” she said. “I was there for
the Reform Jewish youth movement is the music we use two sessions. We learned Hebrew, spoke Hebrew, and had
now. I remember when Steve Dropkin was there — he was our own dining room.”
a well-known song leader and songwriter. He sang a new She also went to classes in song-leading and remembers
tune for ‘Al Shlosha D’varim’ and it became super popular proudly getting to lead a song session in the dining room.
in less than a year. In 1980, she said, she was accepted into the camp’s work/
“I have a lot of great memories of song sessions, sitting study program, working in the dining hall while learning
in front of the fireplace in the main room and raising the Israeli dance and taking Judaic studies.
RABBI JEFFREY KLEPPER
roof singing,” he said. “And the services on the lake in Perhaps Ms. Benamy’s fondest memory is of meeting
the summer, and being there in the winter playing in the her late husband at the camp in 1977. “He was also in
snow.” Torah Corps.,” she said. “He was 16 and I was 14. We lived
His wife, Rabbi Paula Feldstein, staffed a retreat there, in the same village and fell in love.” After years and mar-
and his daughter, Sarah, was a camper during the summer riages, apart, they renewed their relationship in 2005 and
of 2016. “She did the song-leading track, so it’s more than got married at the camp.
one generation,” her father said. Indeed, he said, she is “It was my second home,” she said. “I was very shy
now putting her skills to use, helping to lead Reform ser- has been declining “and there isn’t the same attraction when I got to camp. But everybody accepted you. You had
vices for the Hillel at Rutgers. (His other daughter, Eve, did to go to a national camp. The regional camp movements a certain freedom and you learned so much. There was a
not go to Kutz, he added.) are booming and have developed strong programs for calmness, a sense of family. We knew that it was special,
“Sarah remembers discussions being on a teen level and teens. And the movement encourages kids to go to Israel that the best and brightest were going there. A lot of rab-
really engaging,” her mother said. “Fun, but high-level.” after the tenth grade,” to participate in the NFTY in Israel bis and Jewish educators went there. It’s incredible what
Rabbi Millstein also remembers those discussions. “In program. “The movement is adjusting and changing. It’s the camp put out.”
the summer of 1980 I remember sitting and studying with finding other ways to provide the same kind of leadership In another second-generation story, Ms. Benamy’s
Rabbi Bernie Zlotowitz. It was very informal — you didn’t development.” daughter — not a camper — visited Kutz for a youth group
feel you were in class.” Rabbi Millstein admitted to feeling “sentimental” when retreat. She works for the URJ youth department, so she
“Being a camp for teens made it really unique,” Rabbi he visited his daughter there. “I walked around the camp goes to meetings there. “So she got there anyway, and she
Millstein said. “It had a certain kind of energy.” And in and remembered my bunk. My bed. Memories came loves it,” her mother said.
addition to it having a certain level of seriousness, “in flooding back.” He even took his daughter to see the group “When I found out it was closing I was devastated,”
other ways, it was a place where you could be yourself and photo in which he appeared. “I’m in there somewhere,” the daughter said. I never thought it would close.” Still,
develop yourself and your Jewish identity on your own. he said. the camp has a large alumni group on social media “and
Teens from all over the country came because they pas- He remains in touch with several people who were con- the 70s and 80s groups are really tight.” She’s glad the
sionately believed in Reform Jewish youth group involve- nected to the camp. One, Annice Benamy, now is his con- camp will be around for another summer, so she’ll have a
ment. It was kids who loved it and were into it.” gregant as well as a Kutz Council member and its liaison chance to visit it again.
Should it close? to Women of Reform Judaism. “I was a camper there from Paraphrasing her mother, she said, “It’s not a house
“So much happened there, and it was the source of 1977-80, and then in 1981 I was on staff, working in the sif- that’s important. That’s only four walls. It was the people,
strength and energy for the youth of our movement,” riah, the library,” she said. the opportunities we were given, and the programs we
Rabbi Millstein said. Still, he acknowledged, enrollment Ms. Benamy went there from Cleveland, part of a group participated in that made it special.”

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JEWISH STANDARD DECEMBER 9:17 AM11
7, 2018
Local
Ridgewood student demands action

Teenager will prod synagogue to stand against gun violence
LARRY YUDELSON activism on gun violence. Demand Action focused on political activ-
“There has been a national conscious- ism. It ran voter registration drives in
The leader of Students Demand Action ness among students that we’re not safe at high schools. “Part of our message is to
Bergen County will speak at Temple Israel school,” he said. “It’s so easy for anyone to empower students to have a say in our
& Jewish Community Center in Ridgewood take a gun, bring it to school, and cause a democracy, and have their voices be heard
next Shabbat. It will be the congregation’s school shooting.” on issues like gun violence,” Laurence
sixth annual National Gun Violence Pre- Laurence said the government could said. “Their vote is a powerful way to make
vention Shabbat. prevent this “in so many ways, like back- a difference.”
The student leader, a sophomore at ground checks and taking guns away from Students Demand Action Bergen County
Ridgewood High School, is a familiar face people convicted of domestic violence. brings together students from two dozen
in the congregation. He is Laurence Fine, But “it isn’t happening.” high schools “from Mahwah to Lyndhurst.”
a son of the synagogue’s Rabbi David Fine. Students Demand Action helped orga- With the midterm elections behind
Laurence had been politically active even nize a march against gun violence in Hack- them, “we’re hoping to see what kind of
before he got to high school. A couple of ensack that drew thousands of people, gun legislation we can get passed. We’re
years ago, we wrote about his political blog. including members of congress. “All the going back to reminding our politicians
In March, as students across the coun- gun violence prevention groups are work- that our lives matter. Ninety six Americans Laurence Fine
try discussed walkouts as a response to the ing together,” Laurence said. “We worked die from guns every single day. We need
shooting in Parkland, Florida, that killed closely with Moms Demand Action Bergen action in Congress, and Congress isn’t Gottheimer, whom he considers an ally
17 students and staff members, Laurence County, Everytown for Gun Safety, the doing enough.” on the issue and who spoke at the Hack-
took a lead role at Ridgewood High in orga- Brady Campaign, and other groups.” Laurence volunteered for the con- ensack rally.
nizing the protest, and then in countywide In the summer and fall, Students gressional re-election campaign of Josh “He’s working with his bipartisan
A fish story to get hooked on

Netivot Shalom serves up a herring festival with more than just matjes
HEIDI MAE BRATT Ma’adan Catering in Teaneck,
Rockland Kosher Supermarket in
Can a fish evoke emotion? You betcha! Monsey, and Raskin’s Fish Market
I remember how my father carefully in Brooklyn, will be available to
cut pieces of the glistening bony fish sample. Expect to find classics like
and placed them in a bath of oil and a variety of matjes herring as well
onion, stored in glass jars in the refrig- as herrings in new-wave sauces like
erator. Each evening when he started mustard, wasabi, and other cre-
his meal, he would take a piece and ative spins.
eat it with rye toast. He looked for- It will be possible to pair spe-
ward to it with such pleasure, that cialty fish with the selection of
“shtickel” (piece) of herring. premium vodkas and single-malt
Without it, his dinner wouldn’t be scotches that will be on hand.
the same. There also will be breads, fingerling
Herring, at once evocative and pro- potatoes, hard-boiled eggs, pickled
vocative, brings back old world mem- beets, salmon roe, and other vict-
ories for some, and new connections uals that fit with the theme.
for others. “It’s a nice social evening with
For herring aficionados and the good food, good drink, good music
newly curious, the 2018 Bergen and good friends,” said Barry Her-
County Herring Festival, a much- zog, one of the three organizers —
anticipated event that has spawned the other two are Noah Rothblatt
imitators, will take place on Satur- and Shanan Cohen.
day, December 15, at Congregation The Bergen County Herring Festival at Teaneck’s Congregation Netivot Shalom offers a This year’s Bergen County
Netivot Shalom in Teaneck. The smorgasbord of classics as well as new-wave sauces and flavors. Herring Festival is the fifth such
biennial festival (actually it has been event. The first once was in 2009;
three years since the last one) is a fundraiser for the syn- matjes herring on a cracker,” he said. the festival has grown in both scope and popularity since
agogue and for a local nonprofit. This year, the festival “We come together to share some delectable treats and then. It grew out of a typical Shabbat kiddush, which
will benefit the Jewish Family and Children’s Services of to share in the warmth and hospitality that are the hall- Netivot Shalom congregant Jonny Shore helped set up
Northern New Jersey. marks of the Netivot Shalom community,” Rabbi Helfgot each week. Mr. Shore started bringing in a variety of
“The biennial herring festival held at Netivot Shalom continued. “In the process, we also help raise some funds herrings he found when he worked on the Lower East
is an event that brings together many diverse groups of for the shul programming as well as donate a portion of Side. The festival itself was born after he and his friends
people both from within and without our Bergen County the proceeds to a local tzedakah.” learned about an upscale herring tasting at a Manhattan
area,” said Nathaniel Helfgot, the Orthodox synagogue’s More than 100 pounds of herring, in a dizzying array of penthouse by appetizing icon Russ and Daughters.
rabbi. He favors “a really good smooth plain and simple classic and newfangled flavors from purveyors including With that inspiration — and their love of all things

Local
Join Temple Emeth for a screening of
MICHAEL LEBSON PRIGOFF, ESQ

TRANS
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special kind of
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What would he like the readers of the Jewish Standard
to do about gun violence?
“It’s important that people are aware of how important
it is to get involved and make a difference,” he said.
W I N T E R
Who: Laurence Fine of Students Demand Action
Bergen County
What: Talk on gun violence prevention during kiddush
lunch
When: Shabbat morning, December 15, around noon
Where: Temple Israel and Jewish Community Center,
475 Grove St., Ridgewood
herring — they figured why not create an elegant herring

tasting in Bergen County?
As the new owner of Ma’adan, Mr. Shore, who has
switched from herring festival organizer to herring fes-
tival provider, said that a new flavor will be unveiled at
this year’s festival. (He didn’t say what it would be, but
hinted that it would be savory.) In addition, Ma’adan will
bring its popular matjes with scallions, Tex-Mex, and
other favorites.
“Herring has become quite mainstream,” Mr. Shore
said. “There are many people who appreciate a good her-
ring. Here at Ma’adan you can buy herring, and walk in to
see the people who made it,” he said referring to former
Ma’adan owner, Stuart Kahan, whom he called “the her-
ring maestro.”
One of the event organizers, Mr. Shanan, who at 33
and the group’s millennial member, said he first was
introduced to the herring festival in 2011, when he MEN’S and BOY’S
attended with his father-in-law, Elliot Fuld, who lives in
Englewood. Since moving to Teaneck in 2014, Mr. Cohen
Dress Coats Car Coats Parkas Suits Sport Jackets
has become very involved in the synagogue, and with Pants Shirts Ties Shoes Accessories
the herring festival.
Herring, Mr. Cohen said, is a great connector.
“You meet people at the herring table that you The Perfect
wouldn’t normally engage with otherwise because peo- Chanukah Gift.
ple tend to stay with people their own age and in their life Call us to arrange purchase and
stage,” he said. “But at the herring table, there are people free express shipping of gift cards.
$50 minimum gift card purchase for free shipping.
in their 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s. The interest in herring
spans the generations.”
“People have been waiting three years for this,” Mr.
Rothblatt added.
The herring festival starts at 8 p.m. at Congregation
Netivot Shalom, 811 Palisade Ave., Teaneck. The cost is $55
EMPORIO
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Local
The essence of ‘Black Honey’

Israeli film about Yiddish poet Abraham Sutzkever will screen in Tenafly
LARRY YUDELSON an accident of fate. Mr. Barbash made
W
a thriller for television. Working with
hen the Yiddish poet one of the actresses, Hadas Kalderon, he
Abraham Sutzkever was learned that she was Abraham Sutzkever’s
alive, he rebuffed all granddaughter.
efforts to make a film “We decided together that we must find
about his life. Even those of Claude Lan- a way to do a film about him,” Mr. Barbash
zmann, the director of “Shoah.” said.
“I think he refused because he was a Ms. Kalderon appears in the film, and is
perfectionist,” Uri Barbash said. “He didn’t credited as the script’s writer.
want to let go of himself or his poetry to Mr. Barbash reads Mr. Sutzkever in
somebody else.” Hebrew. “He was translated by many of
Mr. Sutzkever died in 2010. Mr. Bar- our great translators and poets, like Shlon-
bash’s film, “Black Honey: The Life and sky and Alterman and Gilboa.
Poetry of Abraham Sutzkever” premiered “I don’t read Yiddish,” he said. “I didn’t
SUTZKEVER FAMILY
this year in Israel. Next month, Mr. Bar- grow up in Yiddish. Even if you speak
bash will introduce his film at the IAC Cin- some Yiddish, you can’t read Sutzkever’s
ematec at the Kaplen JCC on the Palisades Yiddish. His Yiddish is very sophisticated.”
in Tenafly. To help navigate the Yiddish world, the
Mr. Sutzkever was born in 1913, in what director hired a Yiddish doctoral student.
was then Russia. He died at 97 in Tel Aviv. It Mr. Barbash believes Israel needs Sutz-
was an interesting century to be a Yiddish kever, even if it doesn’t (by and large)
poet, and Mr. Sutzkever lived a life worthy share his language.
of a filmmaker’s attention. “It really defied “In Israel, our culture is to some extant
all imagination,” Mr. Barbash said. very narrow minded. We have to enrich
Abraham Sutzkever published his first ourselves in the wisdom, in the culture,
poem at 17. Before the Holocaust, he was in in the heritage of the life in Europe before
the influential Young Vilna Yiddish writers the war. Not just Sutzkever. When I read
circle. During the war, in the Vilna Ghetto, the stories of his friend Chaim Grade — he
he was part of the “Paper Brigade” that lived over 40 years in New York and never
preserved Jewish books and manuscripts wrote one sentence about New York, all his
the Nazis sought to destroy. When the books are about the shtetl — they’re won-
ghetto was exterminated he escaped to derful, full of emotions. I feel that once I
the woods and joined Soviet partisans. He get to know them I enrich myself. I believe
kept writing his poetry all along. this period before the war has a rich cul-
One of his poems, “Kol Nidrei,” about tural and spiritual life that can enrich our
the ongoing Holocaust, made its way life now here in Israel.
to Moscow and the Jewish Anti-Fascist “The life of the Golah” — the diaspora —
Committee. “should be part of our life.”
“It was read to huge audiences” Mr. Mr. Barbash summarized Mr. Sutzkev-
Barbash said. “They were astonished. er’s life as “fighting against all odds.” In
Not only by the quality of it. The poem making a film about a Yiddish poet, Mr.
exposed the annihilation of the Jewish Director Uri Barbash, above, gestures as he describes the filming of “Black Barbash found at first that the odds were
people in Europe for the first time. Honey,” about the life and Yiddish poetry of Abraham Sutzkever. against him too.
“Somehow, the knowledge of this won- “No television channel in Israel wanted
derful poem came to Stalin. Stalin ordered Shoah. Then he made aliyah to Israel,” television series. For the past two decades, to take part in this journey,” he said.
his people: You must save this poet. arriving in Palestine in 1947. “In the late he has found himself fascinated with the “We started making the film completely
“In 1944, Stalin sent a small aircraft to 40s, 50s, and 60s, Yiddish was rejected.” period of the Holocaust. alone.” As work progressed, funding came
the forest” where Mr. Sutzkever was hid- In fact, in the 50s, public Yiddish perfor- “I was born in Israel,” he said. “My par- in, including from Vilna. At the Jerusa-
ing. The Germans shot down the plane. mance were illegal. “He was far from the ents came to Israel before the Second lem International Film Festival, “Black
So the Soviets sent a second plane, which hearts and minds of the people he loved World War. I am not second generation, Honey” won the prize for best film on the
landed successfully and collected Mr. Sutz- so much,” Mr. Barbash said. not third generation. But metaphorically, Jewish experience. “Since then we have
kever and his wife, Fredka. The filmmaker sees his film as “a resur- I feel very much of the generation of peo- full houses sold out in theaters in Tel Aviv,
“Poetry saved his life,” Mr. Barbash said. rection of a great culture that disappeared ple like Sutzkever and Marek Edelman,” a Jerusalem, Haifa, all over the country,” he
But his life as a poet had its own tragedy. and a great poet that died. But it’s not a leader of the Warsaw Ghetto uprising. “I said. It will play three times at the New
“He wrote in Yiddish. Most of the lan- nostalgic journey, because I believe that write and create my films for them.” York Jewish Film Festival next month.
guage’s readers were murdered in the Sutzkever can offer us an alternative for It’s not only the Holocaust that drew Mr. So how did Abraham Sutzkever do it?
a richer life, a just life, a meaningful life, Barbash to chronicle Mr. Sutzkever. What explains a life of 97 years lived in
What: Film, “Black Honey: The Poetic through his life and poetry. Mr. Barbash, too, is a believer in poetry poetry?
Life of Abraham Sutzkever,” featuring “He believed in poetry as a religious man and literature. There may be more poetry than factual
discussion with Director Uri Barbash believes in his god. His god was poetry in “Filmmaking for me is the weekday side truth in the filmmaker’s explanation.
Where: IAC Cinamatec, Kaplen JCC the deepest sense.” of life. Literature, especially poetry, is my “He had a deal with the Angel of Death,”
on the Palisades, 411 East Clinton Ave., Mr. Barbash, who was born in 1946, holiness. It’s my Shabbat. Literature is Mr. Barbash said. “‘If you write every day
Tenafly began his career with films about Israeli where I find my deepest and most intimate a good poem, a harmonic poem, I will let
When: Sunday, January 27, 7 p.m. soldiers, and in “Beyond the Walls,” pris- emotional experiences.” you live. And if you don’t, I won’t take care
oners. In recent years he has directed The trigger for making the film was of you.’ Every day he wrote a poem.”

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A dreidel is projected on the walls of Jerusalem’s Old City in a nightly light show. © DANIEL SANTACRUZ
Letter from Israel:

Chanukah here
is the bigger deal
ABIGAIL KLEIN LEICHMAN how to help Jewish children
L
deal with Christmas envy. I
ast week I went to a press event was inured to “Jingle Bells”
at the Jerusalem International on the car radio and to the
YMCA (which Israelis endear- blizzard of toy and electron-
ingly call “Imka”). A huge Christ- ics ads.
mas tree stood by the entrance, and col- The colorful Christmas
ored lights festooned the lobby along with sights and sounds that
“Merry Christmas” signs. defined my December real-
I stopped and stared. After 11 years in ity for all those years fast
Israel, I find Christmas displays oddly faded away, replaced by the
exotic. Chanukah sights and sounds
Israeli Christians make up about 2 per- that saturate the Jewish Sufganiot in a bakery in Machane Yehuda market. © DANIEL SANTACRUZ
cent of the population. That’s a tiny minor- homeland this time of year.
ity (though not as tiny a minority as Ameri- On holiday evenings, people set up menorah-lighting ceremonies begin, even Another friend sent me a photo of a
can Jews — here we’re about 1.4 percent). menorahs (chanukiot, as they are called in this most crassly commercial of locales. giant dreidel installation at the Tel Aviv
During my 48 years in that teeny-tiny here) outside their front door in glass A friend texted from our local mall Port, also the annual setting for the world’s
minority, I was accustomed to Santa and boxes to keep the wind from extinguish- tonight that she saw three candle-lightings largest menorah. There are Chanukah
carols at the mall, reindeer and sleighs ing the flames. It’s a very public way of within 30 minutes: one in the supermar- concerts and candle-lighting ceremonies
on roofs, crèches and Christmas trees in “spreading the miracle” and the light. ket, one at the children’s show, and one every night throughout this most hip and
town squares — occasionally positioned With children off from school, Israeli at the juice bar. The person leading the secular of Israeli cities.
next to a large menorah, courtesy of the shopping malls offer kiddie entertainment blessings and lightings isn’t necessarily a Perhaps the most prominent sign of the
local Chabad. and arts-and-crafts workshops with a holi- rabbi or even religiously observant — just eight-day holiday here is sufganiot — filled
I was used to seeing annual articles on day theme. When the sun goes down, the a proud Israeli Jew. doughnuts. Like American stores hanging

Local
Christmas decorations as soon as Hallow-

een (another forgotten holiday!) is over,
Israel’s bakeries begin churning out these
calorically catastrophic Chanukah belly
bombs right after Simchat Torah.
While purists prefer the traditional
strawberry jam-filled sufganiot, part of
the Chanukah fun in Israel is sampling out-
landish fillings and toppings.
The Roladin bakery chain is known as
the king of crazy sufganiot, served with
“chaser” syringes of extra flavor to inject
just before eating. This year the 13 Rola-
din selections really are over the top: For
example, Violet Cheesecake with cream
cheese filling, whipped cream, and purple
crumb topping with a blueberry chaser;
and Yellow Sunrise with mascarpone
cream, mango-pineapple marmalade,
chocolate lace, whipped cream, coconut
flakes, and pineapple cubes. Lighting the menorah on top of the Western Wall Heritage Foundation building in the Kotel plaza, in Jerusalem’s Old City,
What about latkes, you may ask. is an annual event attended by politicians and rabbis. © DANIEL SANTACRUZ
Well, for starters, if you say “latke” in

Israel you’ll get a blank stare. The tradi-
tional fried potato pancakes are called “liv-
ivot” and they are not nearly as popular as
their oily brothers, sufganiot.
Personally, I’d much rather wolf down
a hot, fragrant latke (or four or five) than
a sickeningly sweet doughnut doused in
powdered sugar. Livivot are best prepared
at home, and even if you want to buy them,
you have to hunt around for one. Last year
I strolled through Jerusalem’s Machane
Yehuda market and counted about 15 bak-
eries hawking sufganiot and only one sin-
gle appetizing store offering livivot.
In fact, unless you’re in the kitchen of an
immigrant from the West, where piles of
potatoes and onions are getting grated and
fried, it may be easier to find a Christmas The menorah at the Kotel develops its own glow of illumination. These dreidels are part of an installation at the
tree than a latke. Port of Tel Aviv. VIVA SARAH PRESS
It’s important to emphasize that anyone

seeking a Christmas experience in Israel
can find it, especially in cities such as Jeru-
salem, Nazareth, Haifa, and, of course,
Bethlehem. Thousands of Christian tour-
ists flock here from all corners of the globe
to do just that.
In the Christian Quarter of the Old City,
it’s not a rare sight to see nuns and Santas Many Israelis light menorahs in
shopping for stocking-stuffers. And the front of their houses; the glass
municipality sponsors a pine-tree giveaway boxes shield flames from the
every December for Christian residents. wind. This is a view of Cardo
But this is the only country on the face Street in Jerusalem’s Old City.
of the earth where Chanukah is the domi- © DANIEL SANTACRUZ
nant December holiday. That’s a pretty

cool feeling for a Jew from the diaspora.
Wishing you a happy Festival of Lights
from the land where Chanukah began, and
where freedom of worship continues to be
a cherished right.

Briefly Local
YU’s president, Dr. Ari Berman,

left, and Rabbi Daniel Yolkut of
Congregation Poale Zedeck in
Pittsburgh. PHOTOS COURTESY YU
YU basketball
team pays tribute Sisterhoods prepare for merger
The sisterhoods of Temple Beth Or Membership Dinner.” Beginning in the
to Pittsburgh YU players warm up before the game
honoring victims of the Pittsburgh of Washington Township and Tem- fall, TBO and TBE will be one congre-
shooting victims synagogue shootings. ple Beth El of Northern Valley in Clo-
ster joined for the “Night Out and
gation, called Kol Dorot: A Reform Jew-
ish Community in Oradell.
Yeshiva University’s men’s basketball the victims, and a number 11 jersey was
team honored the victims murdered at unveiled in the gym to be displayed
the Pittsburgh Tree of Life synagogue for the season. The team also held a
during its home opener. The players
wore special warm-up jerseys honoring
moment of silence for 11 seconds, and
team co-captain Simcha Halpert spoke.
‘Son of Hamas’ author draws crowd
Mosab Hassan Yousef, author of “Son of
Hamas” and the inspiration for the award-
winning documentary “The Green Prince,”
Making ‘dollars and sense’ of aliyah spoke to a sold-out crowd for a Patron of
the Arts program at the Kaplen JCC on the
Nefesh B’Nefesh Bergen County holds Palisades in Tenafly. As the son of one of
“Practical Aliyah-Planning” sessions the founding members of Hamas, one of
on December 16 in Paramus to share the world’s most dangerous terrorist orga-
COURTESY NEFESH B’NEFESH
insights on budgeting, the cost of living nization, Mosab Yousef was an integral
in Israel, and how to calculate earning part of the movement and was imprisoned
potential there. “Bergen County Aliyah many times by Shin Bet, the Israeli intel-
Dollars and Sense” offers two informa- ligence service. When he discovered that
tional sessions that day, including one Hamas was torturing its own people, he JCC board chair Jodi Scherl, left,
designed for retirees from 10 to 11:30 embarked on a new path that endangered with Mosab Hassan Yousef at the VIP
a.m. and another geared toward families him and his family, and eventually led him reception. COURTESY JCCOTP
from 7:30 to 9 p.m. Both session will be Information on aliyah is discussed at to seek political asylum in America. He
at the Nefesh B’Nefesh New Jersey office, a recent NBN aliyah event. talked about what it was like growing up in Ramallah in the 1980s and how the violence
50 Eisenhower Drive, Paramus. he witnessed impacted him.
The Bergen County sessions come Nefesh B’Nefesh, said. “As this dream Maggie Kaplen and the Kaplen Foundation were the program’s presenting sponsor.
amid Nefesh B’Nefesh’s broader effort starts becoming a reality, those consid-
to provide prospective immigrants to ering aliyah want to learn more about
Israel with the opportunity to have all
their aliyah questions answered in one
the details that go into their move. That
is why Nefesh B’Nefesh — through ‘Aliyah
Chai4ever plans Saturday night gala
place at informational aliyah fairs across Dollars and Sense,’ the winter aliyah fairs Chai4ever’s “7th Night of Chanukah” gala repercussions of parental illness by sur-
the U.S. next month. The winter fairs will and other programming — is committed is set for December 8 at West Side Insti- rounding families with the care and sup-
be held in cooperation with Keren Kay- to empowering potential olim with the tutional Synagogue in Manhattan. The port they need to maintain a stable and
emeth LeIsrael, Israel’s Ministry of Ali- crucial information they need at every evening begins at 8 p.m. with a sushi bar, functional home life. It provides services,
yah & Integration, the Jewish Agency for step of the planning process, ensuring appetizers, wine sponsored by Herzog including house cleaning assistance,
Israel, and Jewish National Fund-USA. that immigration to Israel will ultimately Wine Cellars, and music from Stephanie counseling, medical transportation, fam-
Those attending the winter fairs will be as smooth as possible for them.” Kurtzman and accompaniment. Comedian ily retreats, school collaboration, insur-
meet with aliyah professionals and Prospective olim attending the winter Elon Gold will perform at 10. ance advocacy, meal assistance, and a Big
receive step-by-step guidance from aliyah events will be able to learn more Chai4ever’s mission is to provide emo- Brother/Big Sister mentoring program. For
experts about the most important details about the joint Nefesh B’Nefesh and tional and practical support for chil- more information, call (609) 300-3335 or
relevant to planning aliyah and starting Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael “Go Beyond” dren dealing with a parent’s chronic or go to Chai4ever.org
a new life in Israel. Israeli vendors and Initiative. The project aims to assist new terminal illness. It seeks to mitigate the
service providers from various sectors olim in maximizing opportunities offered
will be on hand. That includes represen- in the country’s northern and south-
tative able to talk about employment, ern frontiers, as well as in Jerusalem, by Keep us informed
insurance, accounting, real estate, com- investing in its infrastructure and people. We welcome photos of community events. Photos must be high resolution jpg files. Please include a
munities, budgeting and financial plan- Olim who choose to make aliyah through detailed caption and a daytime telephone. Mailed photos will only be returned with a self-addressed
ning, schools and education, shipping, “Go Beyond” are offered enhanced ben- stamped envelope. Not every photo will be published.
aliyah rights, and benefits and planning. efits, including grants up to $20,000, pilot PR@jewishmediagroup.com
“For many, aliyah is the fulfillment of trips, regional aliyah guidance, employ- NJ Jewish Media Group
1086 Teaneck Road, Teaneck, NJ 07666
a lifelong dream,” Rabbi Yehoshua Fass, ment opportunities, and more. For more (201) 837-8818 x 110
co-founder and executive director of information, go to www.nbn.org.il.

UPCOMING AT KAPLEN JCC on the Palisades
THE LEONARD & SYRIL RUBIN
NURSERY SCHOOL
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Looking for a warm, child-centered preschool
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recommended: jccotp.org/nsopenhouse
Tot Shabbat
Ages 3-24 months
Looking for a way to meet other moms
and babies? Join us for a fun-filled Shabbat
experience with music by the amazing
Matty Roxx, singing, movements, and stories!
Fridays, 9:30-10:15 am, $10 drop-in fee
Need After School Help?

Kids Club is the Answer!
Kids Club is an incredible solution to your after school
needs. It runs Mon-Thur and seasonally on Fridays,
after school until 6 pm. Kids Club offers:
• School-to-JCC transportation
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• Healthy snacks
• Games, special activities, and monthly mitzvah projects
• $25 credit to use on an after school class
• Escort service to and from any JCC after school class
All for less than the cost of a babysitter!
FOR KIDS IN GRADES K-5
For more info contact Leron Bensoussan at
201.408.1467 or lbensoussan@jccotp.org
COMMUNITY KIDS MUSIC
Member Registration Opens December Vacation Camps Support Music Education PA
December 10 FILL YOUR CHILD'S DAY WITH FUN AND

LAUGHTER WHEN SCHOOL IS OUT!
SPONSOR THE GIFT OF MUSIC CONCERT TO RAISE
SCHOLARSHIP FUNDS FOR MUSIC EDUCATION.
Classes begin on January 27
AGES K-5: Trips to Bounce U, Bowler City, Featuring conductor Gerard Schwarz, cellist Julian
We have a great season lined up including
Liberty Science Center and more! Schwarz, pianist Marika Bournaki, and Thurnauer
classes in dance, drama, music, sports,
Mon, Dec 24; Wed, Dec 26; Thur, Dec 27; ensembles. Honoring Karen Reisner and Craig Barnett,
art, science, cooking and more. Try our
Fri, Dec 28; & Mon, Dec 31; 9 am-4 pm Gift of Music Visionary Award and Gerard Schwarz,
classfinder tool at jccotp.org/classfinder to get
Distinguished Artist Award. Sponsored by Drs. Joan
personalized recommendations based on your AGES 3-PRE–K: Magic Show, PJ Library
and Alan Handler.
child’s interest, age and availability. Storybook Theater, Child's Play Challenge
Course, Shabbat Shaboom!, and more! Sun, Feb 10, 4 pm, Bergen County Academies
Registration for the public opens Dec 17.
Auditorium, Hackensack
SIGN UP TODAY! Visit jccotp.org for a full list Fri, Dec 14; Mon, Dec 24; Wed, Dec 26;
Thur, Dec 27; Fri, Dec 28; & Mon, Dec 31; Sponsorship deadline: Jan 4, visit jccotp.org/gom
of programs.
9 am-4 pm
TO REGISTER OR FOR MORE INFO
Contact Melissa Peters at 201.408.1467 or
mpeters@jccotp.org for more information.
VISIT jccotp.org
STAY IN THE KNOW! LIKE US ON
PA Program offered as part of the JCC Patron of the
Arts Program. Find out more at jccotp.org/patrons.

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KAPLEN JCC on the Palisades TAUB CAMPUS | 411 E CLINTON AVE, TENAFLY, NJ 07670 | 201.569.7900 | jccotp.org
Cover Story
Nimrod Eisenberg works in

hospitals in Israel, as here,
and around the world.
ALL PHOTOS COURTESY DREAM DOCTORS

Cover Story
Left, Dream Doctor Zoya

Hayat clowns with a patient
and her mother in Israel.
Below, In 2015, after the

earthquake in Nepal, Dream
Doctors went there to help.
Here, Nimrod Eisenberg is
in a NICU — the clowning is
for the baby’s parents.
Dream
Doctors
Medical clowns from Israel bring heart to hospitals
B
JOANNE PALMER Dream Doctors is an Israeli nonprofit better than Mr. Eisenberg. (And it’s also would continue to tell them.”
that often works with the country’s min- more fun to say.) When he was in high school, he began
eing a patient in a hospital istries of foreign affairs and health. It So, Nimrod talked about how he became to perform as a juggler and circus artist.
is inherently scary. operates in 29 Israeli hospitals — that’s a medical clown. “Juggling is like a contagious disease,” he
You don’t feel good. The almost all of the country’s hospitals — and He was born in Jerusalem. His mother’s said. Once you’re exposed to it, you catch
things people do to you offers training, workshops, and programs family has been in Israel for nine genera- it, and then you give it to other people as
can hurt. It’s boring. You around the world. tions; they went from Europe to Sfad in well. “Juggling is amazing, both as a per-
don’t know what’s going Nimrod Eisenberg is one of the Dream the 18th century. His father’s family went sonal sport and a team sport. You begin by
to happen. You have no control. Doctor’s original clowns; he was in New to Palestine in the 1920s, between the tossing it back and forth.” You learn from
And that’s if you’re a grown-up. If you’re York recently, along with the group’s world wars. “So I am a Jerusalem charac- one other.
a child, it’s even more frightening. resource development director, Megan ter,” Nimrod said. “By the time I was 17, I was doing kids’
So if a clown comes up to you — not McLean, to talk about the program. His father is a doctor, his mother is a birthday parties, street shows, things like
someone in stylized make-up, not some Mr. Eisenberg — no, please, let’s call him nurse, and one of his brothers is an ortho- that,” Nimrod said. “There are a lot of
grimacing cartoon, but a life-sized person Nimrod. He’s smart, reflective, an intellec- pedist. So the medical part of what he does street shows in Israel. It’s a thing. I am also
who happens to be wearing a big red nose tual who engages with the idea of medi- is, if anything, overdetermined. But he’s an acrobat and I did the trapeze. And I am
and maybe some funny clothes, someone cal clowning and circus arts in a deeply the youngest of four children, and “my a clown — clowning is what I love the most,
who looks straight at you and is silly and analytic way, but he’s also a juggler and brothers and sister were always smarter because a clown can combine everything.”
laughs and stops if you say stop and is above all a clown, who can pull out his red and bigger than me, so I became the fam- Like almost all young Israelis, Nimrod
warm and nice and seems to know what nose whenever he wants to, and can stuff ily clown,” he said. “I remember myself at went into the IDF after high school. “I
you’re thinking, or at least some of what it onto his real nose metaphorically even 10, telling jokes that I didn’t completely was a regular combat soldier from 1993
you’re thinking — that can help. more quickly, and that makes Nimrod fit understand, but people would laugh, so I to 1996,” he said. “I was in Lebanon. I was

Cover Story
learned from each other. Jugglers

and circus artists are unlike magi-
cians. They tend to share things.”
It’s a very public art form, he said.
He spent a few years working as
a circus performer in Israel. “There
are a few circus troupes in Israel,”
he said. Over the last 15 years or so,
the culture has been developing.
It’s tending more toward the Euro-
pean style — clean-faced rather
than made up, costumes with less
fussy lines, no animals — than the
classical style we know from Ring-
ling Brothers.
Next, he went to Europe for four
years; “I went to France and Italy,
studying physical theater, panto-
Left, Aviad Sharkstein and above, Shoshi Ofir are at work in Israel. mime, and clowning.” Traditional
clowning developed there, he said,
fortunate. I didn’t encounter any real combat — but Leba- including the idea of the red nose, the bright focus that
non always was a tense place. I did see some blood, and lights up rather than hiding the rest of the face, freeing
some bad things did happen.” He didn’t clown during his the rest of the face to express outsize emotion. “The nose
time in the army, “but I did find ways to bring it in.” doesn’t cover me,” he said. “It exposes me.” He demon-
Once he was out, “I felt like I already had a skill, so I strated, putting on a red nose. Instantly, the rest of his
started performing. I would do different events and par- face seemed more, well, clown-like, his mouth bigger, his
ties. I learned stilt-walking then.” He really loves to walk eyes brighter. It’s hard to tell if he exaggerates his facial
on stilts, although he doesn’t do it much anymore. “I did movements more with the nose on, or if the nose makes
it on Purim,” he said. the same movements seem more exaggerated, but either
Nimrod wasn’t taught circus arts formally, but “we way, it works.
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Cover Story
Dream Doctors — here it’s Tal Stein — work with patients of all ages. Dream Doctor Zoya Hayat and a young patient play.
Although clowning often is thought of as wordless, it is When he was there, he got a call from a friend. “Shlomi was smaller and less official then.) “There were 12 of us,
not. And anyway, Nimrod also is an actor. “I love language,” said that he was starting a new project, sending clowns street artists interested in taking our art into hospitals,”
he said. “I love words.” He knows four languages fluently — to hospitals, and basing it on street theater,” Nimrod Nimrod said.
Hebrew, English, French, and Italian — and he’s picked up said. It made sense because “a hospital is a bit like a Why did he want to do it? Why does he still do it?
some Arabic and Russian. Part of that comes from his work street. You want to be able to improvise with many peo- “There is a natural connection between the joy, the
in hospitals. “Israel is an ensemble of cultures,” he said, ple, to bring theater and imagination to daily life, to use happiness that clowns produce, and the people who
and that ensemble plays together in hospitals. the instruments you have lying around. Dream Doctors really need it,” he said. “The people who really need it
“And then, when I was about 29, I went to India,” he is based on street artists.” can appreciate it more. People under stress, people liv-
said. “It was something I had always wanted to do.” That was in 2003. (The project started in 2002, but it ing through problematic times, somehow are more able
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Cover Story
Dream Doctors get around — Nimrod Eisenberg is in Nepal. Dream Doctors join Israeli soldiers in an IDF field hospital in Nepal in 2015.
to accept the playfulness. say anything to your face. There is not do — to go to a sad place and try to bring children, making food, writing books, hav-
“And I like being able to be in contact much politeness. That is a benefit. Clowns light and compassion and friendliness. ing friends.”
with people, and to affect their lives.” are able to open emotional doors. “Israel itself, as we know, is a tough Israel also is a small place with people
“If living in Israel teaches you anything, “I feel very much that Jewish humor place of many sad stories, but actually if from many backgrounds, beliefs, cus-
it teaches you flexibility. You have to talk to always has been about laughing at sad sto- you walk around the street of any major toms, and languages living all jammed
everyone, to listen, and to work together. ries. A good Jewish joke is a sad story with Israeli city, you see that it is normal place. in together. It sounds almost like a
All those are assets for medical clowning. a happy ending. It is a hug for your heart. “Israelis are used to living with trauma, joke. “Sometimes a clown walks into
Israel is a very open culture. Anyone can Medical clowning is a very Jewish thing to and still having normal lives, raising a room with an Arab, a religious Jew, a
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Cover Story
non-religious Jew, and the bartender says,

‘Hey, you have a duck on your head.’ No
no no. Sometimes a clown walks into a
room and we operate in circumstances
when there is a lot of delicate dancing.
The clown plays with the Arab kid and
with the Jewish kid, and everyone sees a
kid playing. It’s a way to bypass some of
the conflicts and go straight to communi-
cation, playfulness, and joy.”
For example, Nimrod was in Jerusalem
years ago, “my first day on the job, and I
am in the room with a gay couple, father
and father and kid, and a religious family.
The kids were very young, around 2 or 3,
and it’s a very easy age for a clown to work
with. I start to play with them. I under-
stood the unspoken difference between
the two cultures, but I just played with the
kids, and I could see that the families could
start to see each other, finally see each
other as families.
“It was very touching for me. A clown
can be the bridge between the cultural
gaps that can be very deep in Israel.”
Public hospitals are not allowed to dis- Nimrod Eisenberg works with kids in Nepal in 2015, after the earthquake there.
criminate against anyone, Nimrod said,
so illness often makes surprising room- thing that will save you from cultural mis- of the clown is not to tell jokes but to make but we know that the deep power of the
NOW OPEN! mates. “The clown has to be highly sen- understanding is to avoid words and jokes.
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owle
sitive to everyone around him. The first You don’t come as a joke teller. The work “It is not necessarily silent clowning, the same. The beautiful thing about the
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Cover Story
clown is that you can say the truth. You medical clown can even work in a deliv-
can speak the unspoken truth and bring ery room, although “only if a woman
it to the light. already has gone through the process
“The clown is an outsider,” he said. with a clown, and actively demands
“I can speak in gibberish,” he added, one” while she is in labor.
and he demonstrated twice. One of his Sometimes patients don’t want
streams of gibberish sounded like French clowns. “100 percent of people don’t
nonsense, and the other sounded like want clowns 100 percent of the time,”
Arabic gibberish. “You keep analyzing Nimrod said. That’s important too,
what you can do,” he said. “It takes a lot because “we want a patient, particu-
of sensitivity.” larly a child, to be able to say no. Go
There are cultural differences, to away. That’s the only time in the hospi-
be sure. Israeli children are less sensi- tal that a child has any choice. So then I
tive about hierarchies, for example, so play around with it, keep the child mak-
clowns can gently mock doctors and ing choices — should I wear this to go?
they will laugh. With Bedouin children, Should I go through this door? Should I
whose culture stresses hierarchy more, go right now? — and at the end he might
it’s not so effective. But in general, “the change his mind. But I am happy to be
hierarchy in the hospital is clear.” But the one person the kid can boss around.”
if doctors are the kings and nurses the Nimrod has gone around the world as
queens, and patients far down in the a clown. Dream Doctors work in collabo-
deck of cards, then the clowns “are the ration with the Israeli Ministry of Foreign
jokers,” Nimrod said. “We can play any- Affairs, and they often are deployed to
body’s role.” That freedom that comes help in crises. Nimrod was in Haiti after
from being outside the hierarchy helps the earthquake there, and in Houston
You are invited to a them reach directly to patients’ hearts. after Hurricane Harvey.
Now, many years into his career as a Last month, he went to Pittsburgh, in
JEWISH COMMUNITY Dream Doctor, Nimrod clowns, and he

also teaches clowns.
response to the Tree of Life massacre.
“I was sent there 24 hours after it hap-
Medical clowning isn’t for everyone, pened to join a post-trauma emotional
SECURITY FORUM he said. “I recruit new clowns. We know

after 20 minutes if someone can do it.
It’s about how he reacts to the situations
support team,” he said. “I was there
in Squirrel Hill for a week, performing
and playing and entertaining kids and
to educate on crisis response and hear your of pain, of agony, of sadness. social workers and nurses, trying very
concerns about the safety and security of synagogues “People respond to it differently. It delicately to uplift spirits. We have lived
doesn’t make me feel bad. It makes me through this in Israel a lot, so we have
want to change it. The people who can the experience to bring ener�y and joy,
Wednesday, December 19, 2018 | 7-9 pm operate in these situations can be playful very respectfully, and to come together
and bring positive ener�y to it.” to overcome what happened.”
Jewish Federation of Northern New Jersey There are medical clowns across the Even when parents don’t tell young
world, some of them in the loosely affili- children what happened, they can pick
50 Eisenhower Drive, Paramus ated group to which Dream Doctors up the feeling of something being wrong,
belong, but there is something uniquely Nimrod said, and that feeling was power-
Special Speakers Jewish and Israeli about it, Nimrod said. ful in Pittsburgh.
Bergen County Acting Prosecutor Dennis Calo “Most medical clowns use the Euro- His being able to clown there “was
pean rather than the classic style,” he important because what happened there
Bergen County Assistant Prosecutor Vered Adoni continued. Without make-up, a clown is was done by a terrible stranger, and I
more approachable and easier to iden- was a good stranger.”
Bergen County Senior Assistant Prosecutor tify with. “For costumes, we don’t send That community is very “strong, and
Martin Delaney our clowns to shop in clown stores. We it was exciting to see how diverse it is,”
send them to second-hand stores and he added.
Limited Seating vintage shops. The process of learning As an Israeli, Nimrod was an active
to clown is learning to develop your reservist for 15 years after he finished
RSVP to Debbie Gottlieb own clown character. When we teach, his IDF service. He’s also gone with IDF
debbieg@jfnnj.org | 201.820.3928 we bring out people’s hobbies, their teams to work in disaster areas. Now,
habits, what foods they like, what foods though, the army acknowledges him not
they don’t like.” A clown in training only as a veteran, but, according to the
walks, and a clown trainer analyzes the letter that he shows with great pride, as
walk and helps the clown learn to exag- a medical clown.
gerate parts of it. A new clown figures Last month, he said, he was in Roma-
out how his or her voice sounds, and nia, in an international European Union
how to make it bigger or smaller. In the drill, “in a field hospital, with Italians,
end, the clown “is not an artificial char- Norwegians, Germans, Austrians. I was
acter but based on you.” the only clown.” He’s done similar drills
Dream Doctors work all over, “from in other places other years.
More than 411,000 likes. pediatrics through geriatrics,” Nim- “Medical clowns are a bridge,”
Like us on rod said. “We even work in IVF clin-

ics,” because some scientists think that
he said. A bridge between cultures,
between demographics, between pain
Facebook
a woman’s state of mind affects her and comfort, between sorrow and the
hormones, and her hormones affect hope of peace.
whether or not the treatment will take Learn more about Dream Doctors at
facebook.com/jewishstandard and eventually turn into a fetus. A dreamdoctors.org.il.

Rotem Ben Simon ’19
PRE-LAW
Yeshiva University
Rachel Rosenberg ’20
PRE-LAW
Yeshiva University
J. Philip Rosen ’78

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Jewish World
Day in nature for people with disabilities in Israel harnessed to a tractor, which enabled
them to get a close view of the birds and
DIEGO MITLEBERG/KKL-JNF
In honor of Israel’s 70th anniversary, Keren Kay- disabilities, took part in many activities in wildlife around the park. The visitors
emet LeIsrael-Jewish National Fund completed four sites around Israel: Hula Lake Park in the also were able to see some of the tens of
its multiyear plan to improve the accessibility to north, Ilanot Forest and Ben Shemen Forest in thousands of cranes and pelicans that fill
people with handicaps in 300 of its sites, paths, the center, and Beit Eshel in the south. the park at this time of year.
parks, forests, and open spaces, in accordance About 400 children, teenagers, and adults The path along the lookout points are
with the Equal Rights for People with Disabili- with disabilities took part in activities at Hula handicap-accessible, with “step hear” col-
ties law and accessibility regulations. Lake Park, which received the Israel Accessi- umns to assist people with vision impair-
And so, to mark the “International Day of bility Prize in 2016. ment or blindness by connecting to a People with a range of disabilities and
Persons with Disabilities” on Dec. 3, more Participants were taken on an experi- bracelet on their wrist, or an app that acti- their friend enjoyed handicap-accessible
than 1,000 visitors, many of them with ential tour in the “hidden wagon.” It was vates the informative audio guide. amenities at Ilanot Forest in central Israel
In central Israel, about 300 children, as part of “International Day of Persons
teenagers, and adults with disabilities with Disabilities” on Decemmber 3, 2018.
joined activities at the Botanical Garden
and Visitors Center at Ilanot Forest, which pantomime performance, and even were
Happy Chanukah
won the Israel Accessibility Prize in 2015. invited to take part in the show. All expe-
They enjoyed tours and artistic nature riential activities were tailored especially
workshops tailored to the group’s needs. for people with a range handicaps, both
The garden includes an informative ori- physical and cognitive.
entation system for people with impaired Participants also received a map of dif-
District 39 Team vision and cognitive handicaps, which ferent trails and areas in KKL-JNF forests
Senator Gerald Cardinale allows them to receive simple and informa-

tive audio explanations about the site.
that highlighted handicap-accessible sites
and spaces.
Assemblywoman Holly Schepisi Another 200 people of all ages spent

time at Ben Shemen Forest. The site has
“Making nature accessible to people
with disabilities is one of KKL-JNF’s most
Assemblyman Robert Auth been made handicap-accessible with

paths connecting the main areas: picnic
important and significant roles as the
leading green organization in Israel,”
tables, playgrounds, campsites and more. said world chairman Daniel Atar as the
Happy
PAID FOR BY EFO CARDINALE, SCHEPISI, AND AUTH Passover In the south, more than 350 visitors day’s activities came to a close. “Nature
explored Beit Eshel, watched a special belongs to us all.” JNS.ORG

Many of our merchants throughout the

Cedar Lane Business District are LIGHT THE LIGHTS
collecting for the U.S. Marines’ A CHANUKAH CHORAL CELEBRATION
Toys for Tots Program FREE EVENT!!!
Rabbi Loren Monosov · Cantor Alan Sokoloff
Donations of new unwrapped toys can be at:
Marine Collection Day Sunday, December 16, 2018 at 4 pm
87 Overlook Drive • Woodcliff Lake, NJ 07677 • 201.391.0801
www.tepv.org · info@tepv.org
The marines will be accepting direct donations at a tent in the at Temple Emanuel of the Pascack Valley
Pedestrian Plaza on Friday, December 21, from 10am-4pm
TE Passover ad.indd 187 Overlook Drive, Woodcliff Lake, NJ 3/25/14 3:47 PM
In-Store Drop-off
Bring your donation to any of our participating stores until featuring VOICES IN HARMONY
December 20th. Cedar Lane Merchants will be available to

collect for the program. an Ensemble of Synagogue
Choirs and invited Guests:
A&S Comic J&J Pharmacy/Liquors
American Legion Post 128 Jet Cleaners Temple Emanuel of the Pascack Valley
Back In Touch Massage New to You Consignment Cantor Alan Sokoloff,
Bischoff’s Confectionery Parisian Cleaners
Cantor Emeritus Mark Biddelman,
Budget Print Provident Bank

TEPV Swingin Singers
Beth Haverim Shir Shalom
Cohen Printing Sciarra & Co. Hair Salon
International Beauty Supply/Salon UPS Store
Cantor David Perper, Adult Choir
Temple Beth Rishon
Cantor Faith Steinsnyder, Kol Rishon
Temple Beth Or
Cantor Sarah Silverberg
Sponsored by the Cedar Lane Management Group GUESTS: Cantor Barbra Lieberstein
www.cedarlane.net & Cantor David Wallach
This concert is the first of Voices in Harmony’s 5779 Series

Jewish World
Benjamin Netanyahu hated

George H.W. Bush’s peace plan.
Now it’s his policy.
RON KAMPEAS important contribution to the liberation
of Soviet Jewry, his support for the rescue
WASHINGTON — When a president dies, of Ethiopian Jewry, as well as his efforts to
the tendency is to put aside long-simmer- advance peace in the Middle East in the
ing resentments and consider the whole- Madrid Peace Conference,” Netanyahu said
ness of his record. at the launch of Sunday’s Cabinet meeting.
So it was when Israeli Prime Minis- In real time Netanyahu, a deputy for-
ter Benjamin Netanyahu remembered eign minister during much of Bush’s 1989-
George Herbert Walker Bush, who died 93 term, had a real problem with two of
last week at 94. the Bush agenda items he now praises:
Despite the tense relationship with how Bush handled the first Gulf War, and
Israel that was a hallmark of Bush’s single the demands he put on Israel in its wake
term, the prime minister praised the late at Madrid. Netanyahu’s opposition to the
president for things that a younger Netan- Madrid process made him persona non
yahu fiercely opposed. grata at the U.S. State Department.
“We in Israel will always remember his Still, his praise for the process this President George Bush and Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev shake hands
commitment to Israel’s security, his deci- week is not so much a matter of polite during a summit held before the start of the 1991 Madrid Peace Conference.
sive victory over Saddam Hussein, his SEE NETANYAHU/BUSH PAGE 31 PASCAL LE SEGRETAIN/SYGMA VIA GETTY IMAGES
THE FRISCH SCHOOL

‫ישיבת פריש‬
Brightview. PRESENTS
Bright Life! THE DISTINGUISHED SPEAKERS SERIES
Tell Me You Love Me:
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Every Child Needs to Hear
Presentation by
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Tuesday
December 11, 2018
Discover exceptional senior living 7:30 pm
Rabbi
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its founding in 2004. As of RSVP to cheryl.leiser@frisch.org or 201.267.9100 ext.221
Fall 2016, Rabbi Lebowitz
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The Miriam and Daniel Michael Distinguished Speakers
Inspiring • Experienced associates

Medrash L’Talmud). Prior
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Series was established to provide Frisch students with
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at DRS Yeshiva High School
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for All Our • Gourmet meals Yeshiva University and its

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Residents • Specialized dementia Rabbi Lebowitz is the author of
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Leading thinkers will discuss
care neighborhood (Hebrew) on contemporary halachic
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articles on practical halacha in effort to advance the
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fostering and securing a vibrant Jewish community locally, in Israel
and around the world. Federation is on the front line advocating for you
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We are the eyes, ears and voice of our Jewish community

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Jewish World
Netanyahu/Bush
Sandi M. Malkin, LL C
FROM PAGE 29
hypocrisy as a signal of how he has evolved. The
Interior Designer
principles underpinning Madrid now inform Netan-
yahu’s approach to peacemaking. (former interior designer of model
Netanyahu was the most outspoken member of rooms for NY’s #1 Dept. Store)
Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir’s government opposing
the request from the Bush administration not to retali-
ate should Saddam Hussein provoke Israel after Bush
pledged to drive Saddam out of Kuwait. Netanyahu For a totally new look using
said it was a “certainty” that Israel would retaliate.
After U.S. forces launched their war to oust Saddam your furniture or starting anew.
and the Iraqi dictator launched missiles at Tel Aviv,
Shamir decided to heed Bush; the president later
thanked him for his restraint. Netanyahu was vindi-
Staging also available
cated somewhat when Israeli military analysts came to
believe that Israel’s hesitance about retaliating during 973-535-9192
the Gulf War emboldened Hezbollah to strike Israeli
targets in subsequent years.
Bush also leveraged the U.S. victory over Saddam
into getting Shamir to send a delegation to the Madrid
talks. Shamir hated the idea of the talks, so much so
that he sidelined his actual foreign minister, David
Netanyahu, a deputy
foreign minister
during much of
Bush’s 1989-93 term,
had a real problem
with two of the Bush
agenda items he
now praises.
Levy, who was open to them, and instead made a star
of Netanyahu, who was relentless in his criticism of
not just the talks but also their land-for-peace premise.
Bush’s secretary of state, James Baker, was so frus-
trated with what he perceived to be Netanyahu’s
obstructionism that he banned him from the State
Department.
The Madrid talks led to the Oslo process, which
launched direct Israeli-Palestinian negotiations.
Netanyahu built much of his subsequent career on
saying that Oslo was a mistake because it promised the
transfer of critical territory to an entity that Israel could
not trust to secure it. It’s an outlook that has helped get
Netanyahu elected four times as prime minister.
Instead, in recent years he has favored a multilat-
eral peace that includes all major Arab players in the
region, relies on Saudi Arabia to bring others into the
process, and builds toward a final status plan through
regional cooperation. Key to Netanyahu’s approach is
that the Palestinians do not have the power to prevent
other Israeli-Arab talks from advancing.
If that sounds familiar, it should: Bush 41 suggested
something similar in a familiar context.
“What we envision is a process of direct nego-
tiations proceeding along two tracks — one between
Israel and the Arab states, the other between Israel
and the Palestinians,” Bush said at the opening of the
Madrid peace parley on Oct. 30, 1991. “This confer-
ence cannot impose a settlement on the participants
or veto agreements.” JTA WIRE SERVICE

Jewish World
When Israeli Americans meet,

there’s politics, partying and pride
RON KAMPEAS
HOLLYWOOD, FLA. — The casino magnate Sheldon Adelson,

his Israeli-born wife, Dr. Miriam Adelson, and the Israeli-Amer-
ican entertainment mogul Haim Saban entered the deck of the
pool complex at the Diplomat Hotel here last Saturday night and
chose a table to sit around and well, schmooze.
Never mind the frantic security detail that scrambled to
find ropes and stanchions to create a cordon and to signal
to other pool-goers that this bit of territory was occupied,
thank you very much. Saban and Miriam Adelson took
ISRAELI-AMERICAN COUNCIL
up a chaise lounge and leaned into one
another, speaking in low tones.
Sheldon Adelson scrolled through his
smartphone, occasionally brushing away
the cigar smoke emanating from Shawn
Evenhaim, one of the businessmen who
founded the Israeli American Council with
the Adelsons and Saban 11 years ago. Israeli-American entertainment mogul Haim Saban interviews Sen. Chuck Schumer and
From relatively modest beginnings, Rep. Nancy Pelosi.
PERRY BINDELGLASS
the Israeli American Council has become

something of a powerhouse. At its annual two parties,” Nicolet said, referring to Doors open. Corridor, different directions. Fingers
conference, which this year was held at the Sheldon Adelson, a kingmaker among touch in farewell.
Diplomat in this resort town, its director Republicans who is close to Pence, “I’m so glad you did.”
was unabashed in explaining the preemi- and Saban, a major fundraiser for Something magical appears to have happened at that
nent factor: money. Democrats. And then he added: “It’s hour — Nicolet mentioned 2 a.m. in an impromptu news
I asked Shoham Nicolet, another founder Miriam Adelson speaks at also 10 percent of Jewish Americans.” conference at the end of the gathering. One conference
of the IAC and now its CEO, why an organi- the Israeli-American Council (The IAC estimates that Israeli Ameri- highlight, Nicolet said, was the Adelsons pledging to add
zation that three years ago was barely able to conference in Hollywood, Fl. cans — including Israelis who have emi- $13 million to the $63 million they already have steered to
get congressional backbenchers to show this grated stateside, their children, and the IAC. But the best part?
year managed to score Vice President Mike Pence; Rep. Nancy Americans who have made aliyah and returned — com- “The honest truth, it was yesterday at 2 a.m., to see
Pelosi (D-Calif.), the once and likely future speaker of the U.S. prise some 600,000 people.) business leaders, students, everyone dancing,” he said.
House of Representatives; and Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), the On paper, the IAC is a bizarre hybrid: lobbying For all the good times, an angst continues to haunt the
Senate minority leader. group, extended argument, angsty counseling session, conference, in its fifth year: The perennial question is
“I think that it’s a fact that you have two major donors for an excuse to party. how do Israeli Americans fit into the larger American Jew-
In practice it works, kind of. ish firmament. Breakout sessions on Saturday morning
On Friday morning, at a session on Israel’s nation-state included, in English, “The interdependence of diaspora
law, which defines the state as Jewish, Yifat Bitton, an anti- and Israeli Jewry,” and simultaneously and more bluntly,
S aam m yy’s’s discrimination lawyer, and Dror Eydar, a right-wing col- in Hebrew, “Israeli-American: Contradiction or harmony?
S m m umnist, wouldn’t let the other finish a sentence, veering Coping with a split personality.”
all over a virtual highway of emotive issues, including who Dilemmas persisting from past years include how
is a Jew and paying non-Jewish Israeli soldiers the honor Israelis, generally a synagogue-averse constituency,
North Jersey’s Premier Italian they are due. cope with the American Jewish social universe, which is
North Jersey’s Premier Italian
Steak, Seafood & Pasta Eatery As the volume increased, moderator David Suissa, the centered around the synagogue; how one counters the
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audience started singing “Hineh Ma Tov Umah Naim,”
whistling. Someone in the (“Tell them what your parents said about me!” an Israeli
man shouts at his American wife, who is on a panel —
And don’t
Tuesday and forget
Thursday every “How good and pleasant it is when a tribe of brothers she demurs); and how one copes with American Jewish
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At
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the session on interdependence, Dani Dayan, the
general in New York, said life and death decisions
with drink
You asked for it for the last 20 years and Saturday
carrol/BB night, the security detail could have relaxed. are not the place for American Jewish pressure.
now it’s here! Chef Sam’s Basil Vinaigrette Israelis packed the poolside in the clear cool late night “We Israelis will make the decisions and will not put
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116 Main Street, Fort Lee asked another in the elevator on Sunday morning. This year, the most striking dilemma on how to resolve
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"Who will give me wings...I will fly..."
“ ‫אעופה‬...‫”מי יתן לי אבר‬
~ Tehillim/Psalms 55:7 ~
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Jewish World
When America doubted my grandmother’s loyalty

OREN HAYON
HOUSTON — After my grandmother Jean-

nette died in December 1996, the process of
settling her estate worked in the same way
it does in most families: There was a house
to be sold and possessions to be distributed.
The surviving family members were left
with a few souvenirs of my grandparents’
lives and a hefty mound of paperwork to
be processed: health insurance and pen-
sion forms, tax documents and medical
documents, all neatly packed into card-
board boxes and thick manila envelopes.
In the 20-plus years since the estate was
resolved, I hadn’t given much thought
to those mounds of paperwork until last
month, when my mother and I found a
curious file among my grandmother’s
belongings. It was a large black binder
marked “CONFIDENTIAL,” stuffed full of
letters and memoranda typed on crinkly
onionskin paper and featuring the seal of
the Department of Justice stamped on its
cover. As I pored through the hundreds
of typed pages packed into the binder, I
began piecing together this story about
loyalty and patriotism. Those documents,
whose contents are described here, testify
to an uneasy chapter of our nation’s his-
tory and my family’s role in it.
My first impression was that finding a
confidential government file in my grand-
parents’ paperwork was unusual, but by Jeanette Kern, left, receives one of the two commendations she received for her work during World War II as a clerk in the
no means surprising, since both of them Army Signal Corps on July 27, 1944. PHOTOS COURTESY OF OREN HAYON
had spent time as federal government

employees. In addition to his military Soon afterward, a letter from Wash- unsure about what to expect.
service, my grandfather Lou had been ington, D.C., makes everything chillingly The hearing minutes record her appeals
employed by the Works Progress Admin- clear: Jeannette has been charged with to the committee that she be given addi-
istration and the Postal Service. My grand- “sympathetic association with the Com- tional time to retain a lawyer and prepare
mother had worked for the Department of munist Party of the United States … within a defense. The committee, hoping for a
the Interior and later for the Immigration the purview of Executive Order No. 9835.” swift resolution of the charges, initially is
and Naturalization Service. The letter contains no additional details, disinclined to grant the request, but after
She in particular had distinguished her- but it advises that a hearing on Jeannette’s several rounds of back-and-forth negotia-
self with exemplary service on behalf of case will be held on November 16, 1948. tion the members are convinced to accept
the United States. While Lou was fighting Jeannette and Lou quickly dash off a postponement. The hearing is pushed
overseas during World War II, my grand- panicked letters to an attorney friend of back to April 6, 1949.
mother took a job as a clerk in the Army theirs seeking answers. How should they This is good news for my grandmother,
Signal Corps, where she received two com- respond to the charges? Could this be a of course, but her relief is short-lived. In
mendations for her contributions toward mistake? The charges of Communist sym- this El Paso courtroom, she sees some-
the war effort. pathy are false, of course, but what would thing that makes her heart sink: It’s the
After the war, and my grandfather’s safe the taint of these accusations mean for court stenographer. She knows her. It’s a
return to the United States, Lou and Jean- their livelihood? What would it to do their woman named Connie, a notorious gossip
nette Kern move from New York to El Paso, infant daughter — my mother — who has who works in the steno pool at my grand-
Texas, where Jeannette begins her job just turned a year old? mother’s office. Jeannette realizes with a
with INS, processing deportation paper- They write a letter to Kansas Senator growing sense of panic that news about
work for foreign nationals. One day, in the Clyde Reed, a member of the Senate Judi- this hearing will surely spread throughout Rabbi Oren Hayon says the rising anti-
early fall of 1948, a telegram arrives at their ciary Committee, asking for his assistance her workplace and beyond. Any hopes she Semitism in America is again “garbed
home addressed to my grandmother. Its and guidance, but receive a letter from may have had for a discreet and anony- in the belief that Jews cannot be fully
terse syntax barked: “reply justice depart- Washington advising them that Reed is on mous dismissal of the false accusations lev- American.”
ment … detailed questions concerning vacation and unable to respond. The corre- eled against her have instantly evaporated.
charges, complete history her life, family, spondence from my grandparents makes it Guinn opens with a request that only fair
relatives, organizations she might be con- clear that genuine fear had begun to set in. “Do you know the Shapiros?” evidence and competent witnesses should
nacted [sic] with and definite request for November quickly arrives, and Jean- The months before the new hearing fly past; be admitted into the record for deliberation.
formal hearing.” nette dutifully appears, as directed, before Jeannette prepares frantically with the help A board member quickly reassures the attor-
The two of them must have been baf- the Loyalty Board, set up by order of Presi- of an attorney, Ernest Guinn, who will rep- ney that Jeannette is not on trial; instead,
fled: “justice department”? “formal hear- dent Harry Truman the year before to root resent her. At last April 6 arrives, and my this is just an informal “administrative pro-
ing”? What on earth could this mean? out communists among federal employees grandparents appear before the Loyalty ceeding.” But of course this also means, he
A test of loyalty and job applicants. She is, understandably, Board in the U.S. Court House in El Paso. SEE LOYALTY PAGE 48

Keeping Kosher
Shop at Cedar Market for comforting food Teaneck candy store partners with Israeli
counterpart for online shipping gifts
Cedar Market in Teaneck is winding down strives to go above and beyond the needs
a busy Chanukah week. Today, Friday, the of the customer and offer great customer Teaneck’s World of Goodies has a new venture.
store will be open until 2:45 p.m. for last service. Fruit, vegetable, and sushi platters It is partnering with Gili’s Goodies in Israel to
minute Chanukah goodies. are always available to order. ship packages to friends, family, students, and
The new warm barbecue brisket and Follow Cedar Market on Facebook and troops there. Go to www.TheWorldofGoodies.
chicken sandwiches and rotisserie chick- Instagram to see new items, tastings, flash com, and search for Gifts to Israel.
ens have become a huge hit. The fish sales, and more. If you are not already In addition, stop in the store today, Friday
department will grill items while you shop. signed up for its weekly savings email, sign December 7, by 3 p.m. for last minute Chanu-
An expanded selection of precut veggies is up at www.thecedarmarket.com. Cedar kah goodies. It also is open on Sunday from 10
perfect for roasting; just add oil and sea- Market is at 646 Cedar Lane in Teaneck. a.m. to 7 p.m., for all your holiday gifts.
soning to taste. For more information, call (201) 855-8500 The World of Goodies, 198 W. Engle-
Cedar Market has a variety of new items or email info@thecedarmarket.com. wood Ave., Teaneck (201) 833-9950 or email
in every department. The team there Orders@TheWorldofGoodies.com.
Latke-eating contest a mouthful Shul group stops for lunch in Englewood

before trip
Noah’s Ark hosted this year’s annual latke-
eating contest, sponsored by Cedar Lane Temple Emanuel of the Pascack Val-
Management. There are two age groups — ley’s Hazak group stopped for lunch at
children up to 17, and adults, 18 and older. Hummus Elite in Englewood before an
A repeat contender, Eitan Danzger, 12, won afternoon at NJPAC in Newark listening
the children’s contest, eating seven latkes, to Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue” and
and Josh Lipowsky, a Jewish Standard cor- Stravinsky’s “The Firebird.” Acclaimed
respondent and former contest winner, pianist Aaron Diehl performed with
was the adult winner, eating 15 latkes in 5 the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra.
minutes. Eitan’s father, Raif, and brother, There are other outings planned.
Yehoshua, 9, also were contestants. Noam Sokolow, center, Noah’s Ark
owner, flanks contest winners Eitan Trip members took up most of the
Danzger, left, and Josh Lipowsky Hummus Elite tables.
PHOTO COURTESY JOSH LIPOWSKY SEE MORE KOSHER ON PAGE 53
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Editorial
Passion and In condemning anti-Semitism,
goodness Booker must practice what he preaches
I T
t is thrilling to talk to people who he death of President George H.W. Bush brought Mikhail anti-anti-Semitism. We must stand up for each other and say that
are passionate about what they do, Gorbachev back into the news. The great former Soviet bigotry has no place, that anti-Semitism has no place.”
particularly if what they do involves leader — who deserves immeasurable credit for not A better summary of what harmed Cory’s relationship with the
helping other people. sending in the tanks and crushing his people when the Jewish community in general, and me in particular, could not have
It is hard to imagine two people more Soviet Union collapsed — was commenting about Bush and the been better articulated. And a better path for Cory to return to
different than Nimrod Eisenberg, who work they did together to end the Cold War. his convictions, amid his political ambitions, could not have been
started juggling when he was a teenager, It brought back a flood of memories. more eloquently offered.
loves walking on stilts and flying on tra- In the winter of 1993 I hosted Gorbachev at Oxford University. Cory needs to know that if you’re a United States senator from
pezes, and now uses his skills as a clown We had hosted many former presidents and prime ministers who New Jersey, with a huge Jewish constituency, and the Iranians are
to comfort and engage and create sparks had left their posts. But he was the first former president whose threatening to kill all the Jews, you have to speak out. You have
in patients stuck in hospitals, or refugees post had left him. His country ceased to exist. to condemn their anti-Semitism. You have a perch at the United
stuck in tent cities, or Alzheimers’ vic- It was Chanukah, the Jewish festival of lights. Introducing Gor- States Senate. You have to go to the podium and say, “Look,
tims stuck in their own heads, and Ruchie bachev to the thousands of Oxford students who came to hear him whether or not I support the Iran nuclear deal is beside the point.
Freier, who started juggling obligations were me and my two Oxford L’Chaim Society student presidents: I condemn in the strongest possible terms Iran describing the Jews
when she was a kid and now uses her skills Toba Friedman, Oxford’s first female Orthodox Marshall scholar, as a cancer that must be eradicated.” And now that “moderate”
to rule from the bench as a judge and to and Cory Booker, an African-American Rhodes Iranian President Rouhani just last week also called
deliver emergency medical services to scholar who had become my closest friend. Israel a cancer — just like Ahmadinejad before him —
other women. By now our story is well known. it’s not too late for Cory to live up to his own words
But both of them are driven. Both talk Cory and I studied Torah together almost daily and condemn such wretched anti-Semitism.
with passion and love about what they do, and the concepts we learned have become central And when Louis Farrakhan get us up and says
and both get enormous joy from helping themes in many of his public speeches, from the that Jews are termites — and we all know what
others. need to go beyond tolerance to the idea of mutuality you do with termites — then Cory needs to know
We have many such people in this com- and the interdependency of communities. that ‘It’s not enough to sit back and watch and be
munity (and I think in most communities). But then came the Iran nuclear agreement and a bystander… It’s not enough to say I’m not racist.’
There’s Susan Greenbaum and her staff Cory’s support of it and the beginning of a down- You must be anti-anti-Semitism… We must stand up
in Jewish Family and Children’s Services, ward spiral in his support for Israel that undermined Rabbi Shmuley for each other and say that bigotry has no place, that
Rabbi Sruly Rothwachs and his staff in much of our friendship and the Jewish community’s Boteach anti-Semitism has no place.”
the Sinai Schools, and Chani Herrmann admiration for him. Nearly every time I attend a pub- So why didn’t Cory condemn Farrakhan?
and her staff at NJ Yachad, just to reel off lic event, people walk over to me and ask, “Why did And since Cory was saying all this at the ADL —
the ones at the absolute top of my head. Cory oppose the Taylor Force Act — which stops the funding of the premier anti-Semitism fighting organization in America, which
There are the dedicated heads of schools Palestinian terrorists — in Senate Committee?” “Why did Cory con- CEO Jonathan Greenblatt has brought to new heights — why didn’t
and educators, the rabbis and cantors and demn the moving of the American Embassy to Jerusalem?” And he practice what he preaches right there and then?
administrators who dedicate themselves “Why did Cory take a picture with BDS leaders who demand the We Jews are sick of being demonized. But we’re all sick of those
to making the world better, one small but removal of Israel’s wall that prevents suicide bombings?” who say that the demonization must end, but then refuse to con-
necessary step at a time. Much of the time the questions come in an ominous, accusatory demn the anti-Semites lest they pay a political price.
I have no idea how they do it, but I do form, as if to say that I’m responsible for Cory’s actions because The confusion about my 25-year relationship with Cory is this.
know that we’d all be in sad shape if they I brought him to the Jewish community and introduced him at We studied hundreds — perhaps thousands — of hours of Torah
didn’t. synagogues for over two decades. together. He came to my home for perhaps hundreds of Friday
All of them are working toward inclusion, But there we were, this week, Chanukah, exactly 25 years later, night Shabbat dinners. We loved each other like brothers. And
all in different ways, but each working on and Cory was speaking at the ADL National “Never is Now” con- the Jewish community was inspired by our friendship, his beauti-
the proposition that we all belong together. ference against anti-Semitism in New York City, and he said this: ful speeches about the parsha of the week, and our visits to Israel,
In this time of darkness, as even the “If you love someone, it’s not enough to sit back and watch and and made him one of the single biggest recipients of Jewish politi-
Chanukah lights sputter out and the days be a bystander. Love means that you have to be actively engaged cal contributions in American history.
start late and end early and the lack of light in the affirmation of human dignity for all people. Love says, ‘It’s So why the silence when the Jews are imperiled?
seems to suck joy, it’s good to remember not enough to say I’m not racist.’ You have to be anti-racism. Torah is sacred. It had to change both me and Cory. It certainly
how untrue it is, and how passion, when It’s not enough to say that ‘I’m not anti-Semitic.’ You must be changed Martin Luther King Jr, whose drawing on the beautiful
yoked together with a desire for goodness, themes of the Hebrew Bible made him the greatest American of
brings its own light and heat. Rabbi Shmuley Boteach is the author of 30 books, including the 20th century. King transformed the Torah into a liberation
We hope that as darkness draws in, we his most recent, “The Israel Warrior.” He was a rabbi at Oxford manifesto that powered the civil rights movement.
all can remember all the goodness in our University for 11 years, and Cory Booker was his student A number of years ago, when visiting Memphis and the Lorraine
lives, and work toward it ourselves. —JP president. Follow him on Twitter @RabbiShmuley. Motel with my children, at the site where King was assassinated
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Opinion
50 years ago last April, I called Cory up and told him,

“You have to see how beautiful the marble slab is which The bride’s mother attains kvell mode
D
was placed right near where King died and the beautiful
quote from the story of Joseph.” It appears in last week’s ue to the quantity and quality of our combined a prestigious college. Son Number Three was called to the
Torah reading where Joseph’s brother’s attempt to kill hair, my daughter’s hair stylist suggested that Torah as a bar mitzvah. And now this.
him. Cory quotes the story in a Facebook post of Decem- we visit her salon on the morning of the wed- It’s a time in your life that calls for celebrating with
ber, 2014: ““THEY SAID TO ONE ANOTHER, BEHOLD, ding instead of having her travel out to meet us generations of family. But my mother passed away nine
HERE COMETH THE DREAMER... LET US SLAY HIM... at the venue. years ago, my father, two. For my mother-in-law, it has
AND WE SHALL SEE WHAT BECOMES OF HIS DREAMS.” Originally this seemed like a good idea, what with the been 10 years. Currents of joy and excitement fill the air,
Joseph’s brothers hated his visions. So they threw him in salon’s larger sinks and hairdryers, but in reality it cost us rise all around me, and I hope their spirits are celebrat-
a pit and tried to murder him. valuable wedding-day time. We are officially half an hour ing with us wherever they are.
King was the same. He dreamed a dream of racial equal- behind schedule. To make things worse, as I fill the car My daughter emerges from the bathroom. It’s like some-
ity that white supremacists hated. So they murdered him. with gas, my cell phone blurts out a serious-sounding ping. one waved a magic wand. The overworked college student is
But ultimately his dream won out among all people of There’s just been an accident on Route 4, Google Maps gone. Vanished. A magnificent bride glides toward me, her
fairness and decency, and while America still has a long informs me. It no longer is going to take 20 minutes to get train flowing behind her. Even the photographers seem star-
way to go to purge itself of prejudice, King is universally to the hall; it’s going to take 45. My bride sits beside me, qui- struck. It doesn’t feel like they are merely doing their job. It
admired as a modern prophet who gave his life so that etly stressing. I am stressing too. Ambulances scream past seems like an urgent effort to document something precious
America would no longer practice institutionalized racism. us, but all I can think of is how the minutes are ticking away, and ephemeral and fleeting in time.
Now there is talk that Cory may be running for presi- minutes my baby girl could be using to get ready for the pho- A few more moments, a few more shots, and she
dent. Twenty-five years ago I began to tell him over and tographer — who is scheduled to start photographing her in leaves the dressing room with the photography crew,
over again that I believed that one day he would be pres- precisely 45 minutes. trailing away to take pictures with the boy who soon will
ident. He had the charisma, the learning, the resume, Twenty agonizing minutes crawl by before we finally be her husband. She takes the aura of glamor with her.
and the goodness to rise to America’s highest office. pass the cause of the delay. It’s a car accident. The I don’t remember putting on my dress, or my makeup, or
entire hood of a medium-sized sedan has my shoes, or how I got to the badeken room.
rammed straight through the hatchback My memories of the evening are like a series
of the small car in front of it, right up to of photographs, illuminated by flashes of light.
the driver’s seat. As we creep past, traffic I remember sitting next to my daughter
And if Cory is to be a speeds up again. I’m not stressed anymore. when her groom came to draw the veil over
I am deeply grateful for everything I have. her face.
serious candidate for This is the only traffic we encounter. Thirty I remember waiting in the hallway, listening
the nation’s highest minutes later, we are in the dressing room of to the music play as the rest of the bridal party
the wedding venue. Gabriella is sitting under took their turns down the aisle. I remember
office, he has to go a bright light having her makeup applied. She thinking how this was the last few minutes of
back to his roots looks like a movie star. Her eyes look like a sun- Helen Maryles my daughter’s girlhood, the last few minutes
rise, shades of umber, sienna, bronze and gold. Shankman she belonged only to us.
and reclaim I stand and watch, mesmerized. The bridal I remember the radiance of her expres-
his convictions. babes have taken over the space, chatting with sion, glowing, so eager to begin life
her as they wait for their turn under the lights. together with her beloved.
The long months of planning, hair pulling, and anxiety I remember carrying the back of her dress with my
But now there is one catch. America has become tired are over. All choices have been investigated, evaluated, new machatanim as my kallah circled around her chos-
of politicians. And Cory is beginning to sound like a poli- compared, discussed, obsessed over, and made. Our fam- son seven times. I know the brochos were said. I know
tician. Trump won the presidency because he was the ily is here. The groom’s family is here. Most of the vendors they drank the wine. I know he placed a ring on her fin-
straight-talking, anti-Clinton politician-for-life model. already have been paid, and for those few who haven’t, ger. I know he broke the glass.
And even those people who despise Trump despise pol- checks have been written and sealed in envelopes for dis- But none of it feels real.
iticians even more. tribution sometime this evening. Everything I need to do is This can’t be real, the band playing, the flowers, the grand
And if Cory is to be a serious candidate for the nation’s already done. We are ready. I should get dressed. space, the chuppah, the candlelight, my husband and sons
highest office, he has to go back to his roots and reclaim But I can’t stop looking at my daughter. The photogra- in matching suits and ties, the strangers in fancy dresses, the
his convictions. phers are hovering around her like dragonflies, trying to tables with hors d’oeuvres, loved ones drifting through the
It may not be popular to stand up for Israel in some get pictures as she undergoes the transformation from hallways and passages wishing us mazel tov...this is crazy. I
quarters of American politics. But it’s what Cory actually sleep-deprived college student to exquisite princess. don’t have a daughter old enough to get married. Do I? Am I
believes. So he must do it. When she is done with makeup, she disappears into the watching a movie? Is this a dream? Do I have fever?
And it may not be popular to buck your party on legit- bride’s private bathroom to put on her gown. They come into the room after yichud to an explosion
imizing Iran while they call for Israel’s annihilation. But I keep thinking of my own wedding. It has a way of over- of music, and their friends dance them into their new
Cory’s senior senator from New Jersey, Bob Menendez, laying my daughter’s wedding the way a sheet of tracing married life.
did it. So Cory can too. paper overlays the picture underneath it. Here is how I know it’s real.
And learning Torah and repeating for Jewish audi- I was married in Chicago, at a beautiful old hotel called the Because of the way my new son-in-law looks at my
ences — along with the Hebrew phrases that I taught him Palmer House. I’d spent the day driving downtown, check- daughter.
— comes with the obligation not just to impress audi- ing into the bridal suite, having my hair, nails, and makeup The way he touches her. The way he holds her. The
ences but to live by the Torah’s demands to “act justly done. For most of the day, I wore a flannel shirt and jeans. way he talks with her. The way he so obviously loves her,
and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God” At three, the wedding planner told me it was time to get and the way she so obviously loves him. It’s as plain as
(Micah 6:8) and, as Martin Luther King Jr repeatedly said, dressed. I loved my gown, a weighty fairytale confection of day. Together, they shine like the sun.
to “let justice roll down as waters, and righteousness as satin, tulle, and lace, with pearls and tiny pleats at the waist Alone in the spotlight, they waltz around the dance
a mighty stream.” (Amos 6:8) and an enormous ballgown skirt. The problem was, my floor. When they gaze into each other’s eyes, it’s like no
dad and brother were in the room, having their hair done. one else is in the room.
I couldn’t use the bathroom — someone else was in there. I smile. My daughter is married. Everything is exactly
What’s a bride to do? I wasn’t going to throw my family out as it should be. There is nothing left to do but dance.
into the hallway. So I did the only thing I could do: I went
The opinions expressed here
into the closet, slid the doors closed, and struggled into my Helen Maryles Shankman of Teaneck is an artist and
are those of the authors, not necessarily those
wedding dress. I smile at the memory. writer. Her work appears in many journals, including
of the newspaper’s editors, publishers,
Oh, Mom and Dad, you would have enjoyed this so The Kenyon Review, Gargoyle, Jewishfiction.net, and
or other staffers. We welcome letters to the editor. much. This year has been filled with blessings. Son Num- Cream City Review. Scribner recently published her
Send them to jstandardletters@gmail.com. ber Two graduated from high school and was accepted to second novel, “In The Land of Armadillos.”

Opinion
Interfaith initiatives for environmental sustainability
P
lanet Earth was doing OK until Times Sunday magazine recently devoted
the Industrial Revolution. an entire issue to this topic. In October,
The advent of machines, the U.N. Intergovernmental Panel on Cli-
increased usage of fossil fuels, mate Change warned that we have 12 years Jewish tradition is
population explosions, growing utiliza- to limit climate change catastrophe, and
tion/mining of natural resources, and all in a 1,656-page assessment and major sci- replete with biblical
the benefits of human progress have cre- entific report issued by 13 federal agencies and talmudic
ated a challenge to conserve our finite in November, our government presented
resources. Not only that, but the evolution the starkest warnings to date of the conse- references to
of modern technology largely has ignored Dr. Wallace quences of climate change for the United conservation and
the damage to the environment caused by Greene States. The report predicted that if signif-
pollution, and a blatant disregard for what icant steps are not taken to rein in global environmental
we release into our water supply, the air, warming, the damage will knock as much preservation.
and the earth. as 10 percent off the size of the American economy by
Every day we experience the fallout from the reckless century’s end.
way we treat our planet. It is no coincidence that there is The report is the second volume of the National Cli- as well as an interfaith choir, and kosher food will be
an increase in forest fires, hurricanes, flooding, sea tem- mate Assessment, which the federal government is available. The keynote speaker is Gopal Patel, a member
peratures, soil erosion, respiratory illness, smog, and all required by law to produce every four years. The White of Greenfaith, director of the Bhumi Project at Oxford,
that other good stuff that comes from an insatiable appe- House issued the first volume last year. The previous and a member of the U.N. Advisory Council’s task force
tite to plunder the environment with no regard for the report, issued in May 2014, concluded with nearly as on religion and development. Gopal is regularly invited
consequences. much scientific certainty, but not as much precision to speak at international conferences and forums on
When God placed Adam in the Garden of Eden He told on the economic costs, saying that the tangible impacts the role Hindu teachings can play in addressing climate
him not only to cultivate the land but to preserve it (Gen- of climate change already had started to cause damage change. He has previously spoken at the White House,
esis 2:15). Jewish tradition is replete with biblical and across the country. It cited increasing water scarcity in the U.N., and the British House of Lords, and has been
talmudic references to conservation and environmen- dry regions, torrential downpours in wet regions, and honored for this work by Prince Philip of Great Britain.
tal preservation. Not only are there many citations and more severe heat waves and wildfires. Tickets are available only in advance; they cost $40
legal requirements to protect the land, but air and noise Faith communities are very concerned with this issue. for adults and $30 for children 12 and under. Send ticket
pollution also are proscribed. Unfortunately, however, Therefore, the Interfaith Brotherhood/Sisterhood Com- requests to wmg14c@gmail.com or text them to (201)
concern for the environment has become politicized. mittee of Bergen County is devoting this year’s 32nd 873-3263 and they will be delivered. Payment is by cash
Big business conglomerates and bottom-line profits are annual program to “Living The Change: Interfaith Ini- or check only.
in conflict with common-sense conservation policies tiatives for Environmental Sustainability.” The program
and environmental legislation. will take place on President’s Day, February 18, 2019, Dr. Wallace Greene of Fair Lawn is one of the Jewish
Scientists have been warning us for decades about the at Seasons, 644 Pascack Road in Washington Township, representatives to the Interfaith Brotherhood/Sisterhood
dangers to environmental sustainability. The New York from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. There will be an interfaith fair Committee of Bergen County.
Memorial for the murdered
T
hirty days after a death, many name, have been removed to a museum for cruel suffering, and joyous celebration.” But we can
Jews hold a memorial service to preservation. On the northeast corner of remember. Memory is an act of faith. They shall not be
mark the end of the initial period the property, outside of the metal barrier, forgotten.
of mourning. there stands ceramic flower-like colored And if we do an act of kindness when we remember,
After 30 days, such a service was held in disks, each on a rod stuck into the lawn. we hallow their memory.
Pittsburgh for the victims of the Tree of Life At the foot of each one is a fist-sized stone, The sadness does not deter us from celebrating Cha-
Massacre. each with a victim’s name engraved on it. nukah. We light the candles each night in memory of
Jews and Christians jammed into the At all hours, people come here to place the Maccabees who died in bravely defending our faith
city’s largest hotel meeting space to small bouquets of flowers, or stones, or and our people.
remember the most violent anti-Semitic act Rabbi Fredric yahrzeit candles, or memorabilia. One foot- The candles shining in darkness is an affirmation of
in American history. The policemen who Pomerantz ball shoe used by the Steelers in the game life. We oppose hate against us, and against all people.
were wounded in apprehending the mur- the day after the shooting, with a Magen A Chanukah teaching is that light and love are stronger
derer were introduced and thanked with David painted next to the phrase Stronger than death. Light and love are among the many names
thunderous applause. The names of the martyrs were than Hate, lay on its side in the drizzling rain. of God.
read slowly as a string quartet played somber strains. We were there with our daughter Rabbi Rebecca Shin- This Chanukah, Jews will not stay away from ser-
The remarkably close Jewish community in Pittsburgh der’s family. The children added their bouquets to the vices because of Pittsburgh. Instead, across the coun-
has been buoyed up by the enormous support of the pile on the ground as we said Kaddish. try, they will stream to Chanukah services BECAUSE OF
Christian and Muslim communities there. Three other pilgrims joined us there in the rain. No PITTSBURGH!
Our family has just returned from Pittsburgh. We went words, simply standing and witnessing. #Show up for Services, and let us light the Chanukah
to the Tree of Life building to deliver our community’s Then a man who said that he had come from Atlanta candles, and sing the songs of our people.
notes of condolence and strength from last month’s to pay tribute said, “ I don’t know how to say Kaddish.
Stand With Pittsburgh interfaith service, where local Will you say it for me?” We did. Fredric Pomerantz of Closter is the rabbi emeritus of
Christian clergy participated in the prayers with me. Other people walked up to the site as we were leaving. Temple Beth El of Northern Valley there. He served the
The Tree of Life still is bolted and barricaded. Dump- They nodded quietly. It felt like a visitation at a funeral. congregation since 1973, and is a member of liturgy
sters filled with rubble are in the driveway, inside a tem- There is no explanation. The gift of life carries no committee that wrote a cycle of prayer books for the
porary fence. The 11 Stars of David, each with a victim’s guarantees. And “The People of Israel has known Union of Reform Judaism.

Opinion
A seat at the table
O
n October 24, I got my seat at disavow or be indifferent to Israel, no mat-
the table at the Jewish Agency ter how much it might disagree with its poli-
for Israel alongside 130 fellow cies. We must create a new ethos of plural-
Jews from around the world. As istic union. We must value the
a 5’1” youngish-looking 51-year-old American I am excited to have a seat at the table so
woman, I felt a bit like a fish out of water. Most that I can participate in its formation. right of the Jewish
of the folks around the table were over-65- The first action at the board of governors people for
year-old men, and many were Israeli. Almost meeting was passing a resolution reaffirm-
all of us were white. I was told to do a lot of ing the Israeli Declaration of Independence, self-determination in
listening in my first meeting, so I could learn Dana Post in defiance of the Nation State Law. A little the State of Israel
about the organization’s behemoth bureau- Adler background: Israel does not have a consti-
cracy, which includes representatives from tution and instead governs through a series while at the same time
WZO (the World Zionist Organization), JFNA of Basic Laws. In July of 2018, after years of ensuring its security
(the Jewish Federations of North America), Keren Hayesod debate, the Knesset passed the Nation State Law affirming
(European federations through UJIA), and UIA (United Israel that Israel is a state created and run by the Jewish people. and the equal rights
Appeal), the international funnel through which federation Jewish groups in the United States, including the fed- of all its citizens
funds are sent to the Jewish Agency. There were also repre- erations, were outraged, fearing the law would serve to
sentatives from the various streams of Judaism, including discriminate against minority groups in Israel. By pass- and inhabitants.
Reform, Conservative, and Orthodox. ing the resolution we reaffirmed the preamble to Israel’s
There are approximately 150 local Jewish federations, Declaration of Independence, assuring complete equal- occupied territories. I found it confusing that though this
which fall under the umbrella of the Jewish Federations of ity of social and political rights to all its inhabitants, irre- group is described as “products of our system,” it is not
North America. The federations raise money for Jews (and spective of religion, race, or sex; it will guarantee free- given a seat at the table.
others) in local communities, in Israel, and around the dom of religion, conscience, language, education, and I believe that to put Bougie’s words into action, we
world. The money that goes to Israel is primarily funneled culture. must engage the progressive young American Jews who
through the United Israel Appeal to the Jewish Agency, The passing of this resolution, along with the appoint- take issue with the political situation regarding the occu-
which is the quasi-governmental organization that existed ment of Bougie Herzog as chairman, sends a strong mes- pied territories and the disrespect Israeli Orthodox Jews
before the birth of the State of Israel. Its primary purpose sage to the Israeli government’s leadership that diaspora show to non-Orthodox streams and women. I too have
is to bring Jews to Israel and settle them. Jewry is angered and disappointed by the state of affairs deep concerns about these issues, and I hope that moving
I was invited to this table because of my extensive in Israel in regard to its minorities. forward, we as the Jewish Agency can engage with these
involvement with and support of the Jewish community We also heard an address by Sheik Mowafaq Tarif, the younger people and make them part of our initiatives. I
over the last two decades. I’ve been active both locally spiritual leader of the Druze community. He eloquently feel this is the only way that we will heal the rift between
through the Jewish Federation of Northern New Jersey, stated his support for the State of Israel but lamented the diaspora Jewry and Israel.
where I recently finished my term as Women’s Philan- codified imbalance inherent in the Nation State Law. He At the Masa breakout, I learned that $50 million, half
thropy co-president, and on a national level through asked that the government ministers repair the law to of which is matched by the government of Israel, sends
the federation’s National Young Leadership Cabinet and ensure everyone is treated equally. He also appealed for 11,000 young diaspora Jews to Israel for between four
National Women’s Philanthropy. help to recover a Druze who was kidnapped in Syria. months and one year annually. This program has been
When I was nominated, I jumped at the chance to help Once the plenaries were over and the resolutions ongoing for 14 years; research shows many of these young
ensure the strength of the future of the Jewish people. passed, I attended breakout sessions that highlighted var- people become leaders in the Jewish community.
A few days before the JAFI meeting, at the JFNA Gen- ious committees’ activities. Of the Jewish Agency’s $360 When I returned home, the tragic shootings in Pitts-
eral Assembly, Isaac “Bougie” Herzog, the Chairman of million budget, $120 million comes from the JFNA/UIA, burgh occurred. Amid the rise of anti-Semitism on
the Executive for JAFI and former Leader of the Opposi- $60 million from Keren Hayesod and other sources, and the right and anti-Zionism on the left, our community
tion in the Knesset outlined his concerns for the Jewish $180 million in activities funded by fees for service and the was brought together through vigils, rallies, and even
Israeli government. gofundme campaigns. As an act of defiance against the
At the Unity of the Jewish People committee meeting, shooter and white nationalism, donations spiked to the
I learned about several programs that will teach Israeli Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society, an American nonprofit
Israel must recognize Jews about world Jewry. While addressing the GA, Presi-
dent Rivlin discussed the idea of a “reverse Birthright trip”
that helps refugees of all nationalities.
Moderate voices must gain strength in order to reject
and respect the non- for Israeli Jews, but I learned that there are already pro- the rhetoric on both the left and right. We must value the
Orthodox streams of grams in place that allows several thousand young Israelis
to visit or learn about diaspora Jewry through programs
right of the Jewish people for self-determination in the
State of Israel while at the same time ensuring its security
Judaism and must not like Shlichim (Israeli Fellows), Mechinot or pre-army pro- and the equal rights of all its citizens and inhabitants. We
remain indifferent to grams, and school curricula about world Jewry. The Part-
nership Together program, or P2G, has been around for
must heal the rift between diaspora Jewry and Israel and
celebrate who we are, whether by learning the Hebrew
the vibrancy, beauty, 20 years. I am lucky to have become close with several language or by observing traditions.
and success of North of the women from our JFNNJ partnership city, Nahariya.
The message it sends Israeli Jews is that you are not alone.
I’m hoping JAFI will consider putting funds towards
its Project TEN program, which is a Jewish service pro-
American Jewry. During this breakout a discussion ensued describing gram for college students. In order for our young North
how the Orthodox rabbinate is attempting to pass a law in American Jews to connect to their Judaism, we must give
community, saying, “The central challenge facing North the Knesset codifying their power within Israel. The rep- them a seat at the table. We must also give more opportu-
American Jewry is to find the proper balance between resentatives of the Jewish Agency, particularly those repre- nities to women and minorities in order for this great Jew-
our singularity as a people and the universalism that senting the Reform and Conservative streams, adamantly ish experiment called Israel to retain both its Jewishness
binds us to humanity as whole.” He talked about the repudiate this bill. and its democratic ideals. I’m excited to have a seat at this
internal existential threat and the rift between North During my session at the Israel Campus Engagement daunting table.
American and Israeli Jewry. committee, I learned about a group of young North Amer-
I too am concerned about this growing rift. Bougie said ican Jews called “If Not Now.” This is a group of young Dana Post Adler of Tenafly has been a Jewish communal
that Israel must recognize and respect the non-Orthodox North American Jews who are products of the Jewish leader for the better part of the last two decades. She is a
streams of Judaism and must not remain indifferent to the institutional system. Although indoctrinated in Israel and new member of the board of governors of the Jewish Agency
vibrancy, beauty, and success of North American Jewry. Zionism, this group feels betrayed by not being educated for Israel and recently has begun graduate work in human
At the same time, he urged North American Jewry not to regarding Palestinian issues, particularly regarding the rights at Columbia University.

Opinion Letters
There is no religious excuse Confessions of an Orthodox

mother and father of an LGBT child
for not vaccinating your kids Thank you so much for your compelling article about the
experience of Orthodox parents of LGBT parents (“They
O
just want to be regular people,” November 30).
pposition to vaccination viral disease.” It can be a serious illness As longtime members of the Bergen County Orthodox
on political and religious in all age groups. Children younger than community and parents of an LGBT child, we wanted to add
grounds has been swaying 5 years old and adults older than 20 are our personal perspective.
parents across the country to more likely to suffer from measles com- We’ve been so impressed by the outpouring of support
refuse immunizations for their children. plications. People who experience severe offered in recent months by Bergen County Orthodox com-
Recently this has resulted in two of the complications may have to be hospitalized munities to individuals and families who feel marginalized
largest measles outbreaks in New York’s and could die. Up to one out of every 20 because of the challenges they face. Recent stories about the
history, impacting charedi Orthodox children with measles contracts pneumo- support offered to those dealing with mental health issues
Jewish neighborhoods. The opposition nia, the most common cause of childhood and substance abuse make it clear that the Orthodox com-
to vaccines is not confined to the Jew- Alan Kadish death from measles. About one child out munity knows how important it is to stand with those who
ish community, but represents part of of every 1,000 who contracts measles will are suffering.
an ill-informed nationwide movement develop encephalitis, or swelling of the Yet there is one group long marginalized that has not ben-
opposed to vaccines. brain, that can lead to convulsions and efited in the same way from our community’s support. As a
As of last week there were 24 con- leave the child deaf or with an intellectual community, we have quietly but definitively forgotten about
firmed cases of measles in the Brook- disability. For every 1,000 children with the suffering of our LGBT children and their families.
lyn neighborhoods of Williamsburg measles, one or two will die from it. Our child came out to us almost 10 years ago. Since then,
and Borough Park, and an additional Measles may cause pregnant woman we have searched within our community for support groups
75 people in Rockland County had con- to give birth prematurely or to have a but have not yet found them. We waited for public calls for
tracted measles as well. It also has been low-birth-weight baby. Subacute scleros- inclusiveness by our leaders, but (with rare and welcome
reported in Passaic. Additional cases are ing panencephalitis (SSPE) is a rare fatal exceptions) have not yet heard them.
under investigation, and the number is Edward C. disease that results from a measles virus During that same period, there has been a sea change in
expected to rise. Halperin infection acquired earlier in life. SSPE the way that society as a whole relates to LGBT individuals.
Childhood vaccines preserve health, generally develops seven to 10 years Ironically, the outside world accepts our children as G-d cre-
prevent disease, and save lives. Proper after a person has measles, even though ated them, while the community in which they were raised
vaccination is an essential public health strategy and the person seems to have fully recovered. The risk of seldom acknowledges their suffering and often makes them
parents must be made aware of the scientific research developing SSPE may be higher for children who get feel unwelcome.
on this critical issue. measles before they are 2 years old. The one organization that works to create for Orthodox
Members of our faculty reported in the New Eng- Several Jewish legal authorities have weighed in on LBGT Jews and their families a sense of acceptance and
land Journal of Medicine on the ability of the child- requiring children to have vaccines or allowing reli- belonging is Eshel.
hood viral disease mumps to spread rapidly among gious exemptions for school children to avoid vaccina- For us, going to the Eshel parent retreat is a breath of
children in the close quarters of yeshiva study halls. tion. Recently, in response to the outbreak of measles resuscitating air when we are choked with loneliness. Once
Similarly, measles seems to thrive in these conditions. in the United States and Israel, many have called for a year we can be open and honest about our family’s reality
Measles is a viral disease that can be prevented by universal vaccination. However, there still appears to instead of pretending or being silent. And we eagerly look
vaccination. The myth that measles vaccines are asso- be some resistance to requiring universal vaccination. forward to the inaugural meeting of the Eshel New Jersey
ciated with autism has been thoroughly debunked One Jewish legal opinion written three years ago justi- parent support group next month.
by scientific research. Twelve years after publishing fied refusing vaccines on the grounds that the risks of We recognize how complicated the LGBT issue is for a
a study that turned some parents against the mea- contracting measles were low. These medical “claims” believing and observant Jew. Science has proven that “recov-
sles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine because of were erroneous then and are erroneous now. ery” is not an option for the LGBT Orthodox individual and
an implied link between vaccinations and autism, Childhood vaccination against preventable infec- there is no clear and agreed upon “solution” at this time. But
the prestigious British medical journal the Lancet tious disease is one of medicine’s great triumphs. We we also know that the community in which we grew up, and
retracted the paper. In a statement published on Feb. support the proper use of childhood vaccination as a in which we raised our children, is kind and good and will
2, 2010, the journal’s editors said that it is now clear crucial technique of preventive medicine and decry someday find a way to include us.
that “several elements” of a 1998 paper published by those who make misrepresentations to parents regard- We hope that there will come a day when Eshel is unnec-
Dr. Andrew Wakefield and his colleagues “are incor- ing this important issue. JTA WIRE SERVICE essary, when LGBT Jews and their families find a way to
rect, contrary to the findings of an earlier investiga- include us. We hope that there will come a day when LGBT
tion.” Wakefield’s U.K. medical license was subse- Dr. Alan Kadish of Teaneck is president of the Touro Jews and their families can find all the support they need in
quently revoked as a result of unethical behavior, College and University System. Dr. Edward C. Halperin their local Orthodox communities.
misconduct, and fraud. is chancellor and chief executive officer of New York But until then Eshel is our source of comfort and a
Measles cannot be dismissed as a simple “childhood Medical College, a member of Touro. ray of hope.
Anonymous
Bergen County
Republicans are
More than 411,000 likes. more civil than Democrats
I read Daniel Edelman’s op ed piece (“The great rabbis in
Like us on Facebook. political Orthodoxy,” November 30) with great interest.

Firstly, since I do not know who the 10 rabbis mentioned
in the article are, I must give it to the anonymous shul that
they are worthy as great rabbis of the 20th century. With-
out knowing anything else, I must also give it to Mr. Edel-
man that not mentioning Rabbi Soloveitchik in that com-
pany, must have been a blunder on the side of that same
anonymous shul. The other rabbis that Mr. Edelman has
mentioned by name were obviously important people but
by and large and they are either not in the same stature as
facebook.com/jewishstandard Rabbi Soloveitchik or considered to be more marginal.
As for Rabbi Meir Kahane, many of us do not share Mr.

Opinion
Edelman’s opinion of Rabbi Kahane as a racist. The fact that that his political opponents are criminals who belong in jail, I found Dr. Chouake’s comment, “It is improper that the
the Knesset did declare him as such could be better under- making a joke of the names of his Jewish opponents, pub- New York Times would be willing to write such a mean and
stood as a collusion (the Hebrew word ‘Qnunya,’ which I licly humiliating members of his own party the day after the dishonest column about them,” offensive. The article was
really wanted to use, has much dirtier connotation) between election for their defeat and making fun of their names, or neither mean nor dishonest — it clearly described the debate
both the Israeli right and the Israeli left, to remove a very calling vast segments of our society liars? in the Jewish community about the role of the Kushners.
potent rival. I have never been a Kahane supporter as he If this is not the definition of loshen harah, then what is? This statement tells me a lot more about Dr. Chouake, that
was too nationalistic and to mystic to my taste, but I wit- To state that “the Kushner family involvement in the he believes it improper for newspapers to publish articles
nessed firsthand the political campaigns of both Rabbi Kah- White House required a huge sacrifice of their personal that do not praise the Kushners, that these Hofjuden are
ane and his coward and vicious rivals. lives” simply is not true. Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump somehow above criticism.
Since by and large your publication represents the left have used their governmental positions to travel around the Dr. Chouake obviously believes that, simply by mention-
side of the Jewish community, let me share with you an eye- world at taxpayer expense to promote their business and ing the Times, he will get some sort of kneejerk reaction
witness observation. Most Jews, even in the Orthodox com- financial interests —whether it’s Jared’s trips to Saudi Arabia from certain members of the Jewish community. Blam-
munity, vote for Democrats. But the ratios change among to wine and dine with his financial supporters, including the ing the messenger, however, does not refute the message.
the various Jewish groups. In the Reform community, the crown prince, and to encourage Saudi officials to stay at the Rather than showing the Times’ bias, it shows Dr. Chouake’s.
ratio of Democrats to Republican easily approach the per- Trump hotel in Washington, or it’s Ivanka travelling to China Richard J. Alexander
centage point that it could be considered Collective Obses- to obtain patents for her goods and businesses. Teaneck
sional Behavior (otherwise known as Mass Hysteria) while in It should be noted that in 2017, while ostensibly in gov-
the Orthodox community, things are more relaxed and you ernment service, Ivanka Trump earned a $3.9 million Thank you, Matt
hear different points of view discussed in a much less threat- profit from the Trump hotel in Washington. Together she My wife and I would like to express our hakoros hatov
ening atmosphere. Support for that candidate or the other and Jared reported $82 million in income. That is probably (gratitude) to Matthew Halpern and to his shul, Congre-
would not cause you to be ostracized. Your chance to hear enough money to pay for kiddushes in every shul in Amer- gation Beth Sholom in Livingston for emulating Avrohom
unfounded declarations presented as real news is much ica from now to eternity. Avinu, who always had his tent open on all sides to invite
lower and in most cases you could refute such declarations. Melvin R. Solomon guests in, when he opened the door to his shul to us and
So, despite the blunder of not mentioning Rabbi River Edge to anyone else who was stuck on the roads locally at about
Soloveichick ahead (or even instead) of Rabbi Kahane, I still 10 one Thursday evening, during the relatively small snow
give the Orthodox community much higher marks in civility Demagoguery in the Age of Trump storm that no one will ever forget (Matthew Halpern,
and diversity. Among various types of demagoguery, two stand out “Welcoming the stranger, riding out the storm together,”
Ze’ev Atlas in the Age of Trump — whataboutism and blaming the November 23).
Teaneck messenger (i.e. the press). Both types were prominently There were two other ladies already there, and one more
displayed in the letters printed in the November 30 issue came later. We all were welcomed to come in, relax, use
Another opinion on Jared and Ivanka of the Jewish Standard. the facilities, have some warm drinks, make ourselves com-
The November 30 letter to the editor by Ben Chouake, One letter, by Susan Eberstein (“Abraham Foxman is fortable, watch TV, and he even provided blankets and pil-
M.D (“Jared and Ivanka Kushner: A ‘blessing and honor’ wrong”), illustrated the illogic of whataboutism. In criticiz- lows so my granddaughter and her friend could lie down
to Jews) implies that Jews should be proud of Jared Kush- ing Abraham Foxman for calling Trump a demagogue, Ms. and rest, for as long as necessary, until the totally gridlocked
ner and Ivanka Trump just because they practice Judaism. Eberstein never actually responds with any evidence that roads were cleared and we would be able to go home.
However their action and policies should make all Ameri- Trump is not a demagogue. Rather, she cites statements by We had picked up my granddaughter and her friend from
cans ashamed. He neglects to recognize that they are totally Congresswoman Maxine Waters and Senator Dianne Fein- the Kushner Academy in Livingston at 4:30 p.m. for the usu-
unqualified for the positions that they hold, are the great- stein and mentions unruly students at college campuses. All ally 20 minute drive home to West Orange, and five hours
est examples of nepotism in the history of our government, these, of course, are irrelevant; they do not prove Trump is later we were virtually at a standstill on Route 10, and still 3+
support positions that are not only abhorrent to Jewish val- not a demagogue, they just prove that Ms. Eberstein hasn’t miles from our house.
ues but all human values, and have used their position to addressed the statement by Mr. Foxman. Luckily, we were almost by the driveway to the shul, and
enrich themselves now and in the future. The other letter, by Dr. Ben Chouake (“Jared and Ivanka we decided to drive in and see if, by some miracle, perhaps
There are few if any examples in history of people with no Kushner: A ‘blessing and honor’ to Jews”), excoriates the someone would be there and they would let us in.
political, governmental, academic, or public service back- New York Times for printing an article called “Are Jared And then, B”H, when we drove around the back, we
ground and experience being appointed to high positions and Ivanka Good for the Jews?” In his letter, which blames saw the light on in the office, and as soon as Matthew saw
in an administration. Never have a husband-and-wife team the messenger but does not address the message, Dr. us from his window, he immediately came to the door,
who are directly related to the president been given high Chouake says that the Times article “cited partisan Jews opened it, told us to come in and make ourselves comfort-
positions in the White House. who criticize Ivanka and Jared Kushner as being bad for able, and to stay as long as necessary — which could’ve
It is hard from the record to determine in what policy the Jewish community because of their participation in the been all night.
positions beside relations with Israel where Jared Kushner Trump Administration.” Luckily, my daughter’s friend’s father, who is an ex IDF
and Ivanka Trump have played a major role. Did they help From this sentence and the rest of his letter, I gather paratrooper and a trained paramedic, as a four-wheel drive
create a tax cut that saves themselves and their families mil- that Dr. Chouake did not read the article in the Times, but Jeep, is very experienced in driving on ice, and knew all the
lions at the expense of the middle class and greatly expands only the title and maybe the first couple of paragraphs. The back roads. He came to get us.
our national deficit? Did they create an environmental pro- Times article cites various people, some supportive and He got to us about 1 a.m. and we were home in about 15
gram that eliminates regulations designed to protect our others critical of the Kushners’ role in the Trump admin- to 20 minutes, via back roads, which most people dared
environment? Do they support the denial of global warm- istration. Among those supportive are Rabbi Haskel Look- not attempt to traverse, since they were very hilly and very
ing? Do they support the elimination of health care for many stein; Ari Fleischer, the press secretary to President George icy, virtually impassable for most normal drivers with nor-
and the denial of a woman’s right to choose? Do they sup- W. Bush; and Morton A. Klein, the president of the Zionist mal cars.
port an immigration policy that separates children from Organization of America. Hashem sent us two malachim to get us home safe and
their parents and denies or delays the entry into the United The subject of the article, however, was the views many sound, and a lot earlier than many other people, and with-
States of parents, spouses, and children of American citi- American Jews hold about the Kushners. Despite Dr. out having to spend most of (or all of ) the night in our car,
zens, regardless of age, based on the country in which they Chouake’s sycophancy (“In any shul I have attended, there as many did, or abandoning it, as many did, or getting into
were born? Do they support the assault on a free press and would be a line of members grateful to pay for a kiddush to any accidents, as many did.
an independent judiciary? honor the Kushners”), other Jews have different, even nega- So, once again, a huge yasher koyach and thank you to
Perhaps most importantly as it relates to Jewish values, tive, opinions about them. I dare say that the same shuls Matthew, and to his shul, for his wonderful act of chesed.
do they support the statements of Donald Trump mock- would have lines of members heading out the door if the Charlie Aptowitzer
ing women for their appearance and intelligence, implying Kushners showed up. West Orange
thejewishstandard.com
Dear Rabbi Zahavy
Your talmudic advice column

Dear Rabbi Zahavy, terrorist groups on American and a release from suffer- May the Compassionate One reign over us
I sit next to a person in synagogue who fre- soil in the last 15 years than by ing. And beyond that, their forever and ever.
quently engages me in conversation and Muslim ones. You can men- objective was to achieve May the Compassionate One be extolled
tells me how evil Islam is. He seems preoccu- tion that real news to him. serenity and joy in life. in heaven and on earth…
pied with this subject. He says Islam is a ter- You might remind your The priests and scribes of May the Compassionate One send abun-
rorist religion and he fears that all Muslims buddy that we can point to ancient Israel, and later the dant blessing to this house and to the table
are potential terrorists. He says that sure, Jewish, Buddhist, Catholic, rabbis believed with com- at which we have eaten.
some members of that religion pretend to be Protestant, Sunni and Shiite, plete faith that they had the You also can practice meditative mindful-
friendly. But he claims if you turn your back Hindu and Sikh actors who best possible paths to these ness throughout your every day by reciting
on a Muslim, they will slit your throat. commit acts of terrorism in Rabbi Tzvee objectives. You could reach the berakhot, the blessings over foods and
I know we need to be vigilant to protect the name of their religions. A Zahavy the promised happiness and the natural world events of your life. Each
ourselves against our enemies. But I feel this sad but true fact. wisdom via formal prayers, blessing is a pause and a moment of mindful
person has gone off the deep end and makes Social scientists who study rituals, festivals, and sacred focus on your foods, your ritual actions, the
me more uncomfortable each time he goes on the global facts of terrorism have concluded books. The pious Jew needed nothing more world around you. You can savor a mindful
another tirade. What should I do about this? that terrorists are motivated not by religion than Torah and mitzvot. life; through the traditional 100 daily bera-
Tired of Terror Tirades in Teaneck but by other purposes. Yet there always were those who sought khot you can be mindful of every good that
They say that what violent terrorists have enlightenment outside of the rigorous comes your way.
Dear Tired, in common is the sense that their territory or framework of official religion. It’s an age-old
My first impulse is to smile and tell you to culture has been invaded by an alien power universal tension.
change your seat in synagogue. But I know that cannot easily be overthrown. Suicide In fact, as I read the biblical narrative
that where we sit often is not easily shifted. bombers are not religious loners. Instead, of one of the earliest events it records, it
If you move to another place, you will per- they usually are part of large militant orga- appears that the sons of Adam and Eve acted My advice is that
haps cause a cascading domino effect of nizations with well-honed strategies aimed out this tension, of meditation vs. formal
seating shifts. And who wants to upset the at ousting foreign control from what they worship, with tragic results. How so? you seek out all
equilibrium of worship? consider their own territory. The Genesis narrative tells us that Cain the elements
If you decide to stay put, you might try No doubt, religion often is the terrorists’ was a farmer. Abel was a shepherd. The
to explain to the tirade-guy that you don’t justification for violence. No doubt, terror- two of them offered sacrifices to God. God of meditation
want to be distracted by such matters dur- ists use religious beliefs as their ideologies accepted only Abel’s. within our
ing synagogue services. Knowing some to justify their actions. A farmer is tied to his land. He’s engaged
blusterers of my own, that probably will not However, the leading experts conclude in constant work to produce his crops. A tradition; there
work. I guess you want to know what to say that religion is not the initial problem, but shepherd roams freely, grazing his flock are many hiding
to the guy. certainly it is problematic that religion is where he finds pastures.
And I get it that you have a serious inquiry the medium through which the underlying The shepherd has time to contemplate, to in plain sight.
here. You are annoyed, perhaps troubled by causative issues are expressed. meditate, to breathe. And by the way, the
this person’s insistent views and you want My advice is that you read up and become name Abel is Hevel in Hebrew. The word Consider “Blessed art though Lord our
to know how to respond in substance to a well-versed in this complex subject for your means breath. Breathing is a common God King of the universe who brought forth
person who is your neighbor, possibly your own sake. And if you feel that you must, entryway to meditation. The farmer, on the bread from the earth.” What could be more
friend, someone with whom you share reli- when appropriate, try politely to convey other hand, is anchored to his solid earth, mindful than saying that blessing before bit-
gious practices. some of the complexities to the guy who sits and doesn’t roam freely. And when he wor- ing into your bread?
Well, I’ve taught college courses on reli- next to you in shul. ships he follows a proscribed set of rules Seeking a full enlightenment, a release
gion and terrorism and have lectured on and traditions tied to the land. from human suffering via Torah and mitzvot
numerous occasions on the topic. Let Dear Rabbi Zahavy, God preferred the offering of Hevel. Cain is not so easy to work out. I’m still working
me tell you in brief how I recently have I am a spiritual Jewish person and I practice could not abide that outcome. That compe- at understanding each prayer, each story,
approached in my presentations the ques- meditation. I am perpetually disappointed by tition and tension led to the first murder — a poem, narrative, and sacred book of our Jew-
tion, “Does religion cause terrorism?” Per- the inability of my religion to provide me with truly awful human tragedy. ish tradition in search of that goal.
haps that will give you some information methods for me to express my meditative side. Wouldn’t it have been better for Cain And yes, I discover more means of find-
that you can use to reply to your neighbor. I am constantly looking for new guidance in and Abel to get along? Of course. But that ing enlightenment through meditation in
There is quite a rich literature of books this area. Do you have any suggestions? struggle between fixed institutional religion our traditions nearly every week.
and articles on the subject now. There are a Stifled Spirit in Synagogue and unmoored spiritual seeking continues Let us pray we all can make progress in
few experts who argue that religion directly throughout our worldly existence on this every way we know how. For truly there is
causes terrorism. And there are the major- Dear Stifled, planet. And sorry, but we cannot change too much suffering in our world, too little
ity of authorities who insist that religion is Spirituality in our life is often thought of as basic human nature. clarity, not enough joy.
involved but cannot be blamed as a caus- a goal. I see it as a constant eternal quest. My advice is that you seek out all the ele- My advice to you is to keep on trying from
ative factor of terrorist violence. You can We each are finite creatures in a world beset ments of meditation within our tradition; morning to night with every breath that you
invoke that as an academic fact. by suffering and confusion. All of us spend there are many hiding in plain sight. take to find all that you seek in every way
It is urgent that we recall that there are our lifetimes in one way or another seeking You can find a great meditation of com- that you can.
instances of violent terrorism associated solace and clarity. passion in our grace after eating — birkat
with every religion in the world. Your In ancient Israel, many who sought hamazon. Take another look at the text and Tzvee Zahavy has has been a professor
friend, you say, has one specific religion in this target called it a quest for wisdom, make it work for your purposes. Perhaps of world religions, Talmud, Jewish law
mind. Let him know that in fact, there have or hokhmah. Their hope was that they you can engage in mindful compassion for codes, Jewish liturgy, Jewish history, Near
been more attacks — far more — by Christian could find a kind of enlightenment, all sentient beings each time you say the Eastern and Jewish studies at major U.S.
grace reflections such as these: research universities and seminaries. He
The Dear Rabbi Zahavy column offers mindful advice based on talmudic May you continue to provide us with received his Ph.D. from Brown University
reasoning and wisdom. The author aspires to be equally open and meaningful grace, kindness, compassion; relief, res- and his rabbinic ordination from Yeshiva
to all the varieties and denominations of Judaism. You can find the column cue, success; blessing, salvation, conso- University. He is a prolific author who has
here, usually on the first Friday of the month. Please mail your questions to lation; livelihood, sustenance, life and published many books and articles about
the Jewish Standard or email questions to zahavy@gmail.com peace, and all goodness. May we never go Judaism and Jewish law. Go to www.tzvee.
in want of goodness. com for details.

D’var Torah
Miketz: ‘This, too, will be for the good’
W
e have so many seasonal say (Genesis 44:9) “whoever has it with eerily similar tale regard- enslavement by their words?
expectations this time of them shall die, and the rest of us will ing Nachum Ish Gamzu, a How many years of pain and
year. The Torah reading of become your slaves.” But Joseph berates righteous Jew sent to avert tears might Jacob have been
Miketz, always presenting them when the goblet is found, saying destruction by the Romans spared had he not unwit-
itself at Chanukah, should certainly shape (Genesis 44:15) “what have you done? because he is skilled in mira- tingly doomed his favorite
our experience of the historical events in Did you not realize that a person like me cles (“melumad be-nisim”). wife (and Joseph’s mother) to
Hasmonean times. But there is just so much could certainly guess through divination? Bringing a fortune in jewels death by his careless words?
to do and see that we are in danger of over- (nachesh yenachesh ish asher kamoni).” to Rome, his treasure chest What might have hap-
looking the stories about Joseph, Pharaoh’s The contradiction is stark: How are they is robbed and filled with dirt pened had we learned to
dreams, and Joseph’s brothers’ repeated meant to accept both that they have stolen by unscrupulous people at an Rabbi David respond to difficulties with
trips to Egypt to secure food. the means of his psychic powers and that inn. When he arrives before Bockman “this, too, will be for the
If we we read through the portion per- those psychic powers led him to discover the emperor and realizes Congregation good?” Then, rather than
Beth Shalom,
functorily, we miss the significance of the magical cup? Either he needs the prop the switcheroo that has been Pompton Lakes, being blinded to clear indi-
the ‘magically appearing’ Egyptian gob- to practice clairvoyance or he doesn’t. Ibn accomplished, he responds Conservative cations presented to us, we
let that the unrecognized Joseph orders Ezra explains away the problem by pointing with the phrase that earned would see that dealing with
his servant to place in Benjamin’s pack out that the term “lenachesh” can mean that him his nickname: “gam zu tricksters and cheats is not
(Genesis 44:2). Soon afterwards (Genesis Joseph uses the goblet to test his brothers, to le-tovah” — this, too, is for the good. Rather a punishment from God, but presents us
44:5), Joseph orders his servants to chase know whether or not they are still untrust- than feeling anger at God, Nachum trusts with yet another opportunity to practice
the brothers, accusing them of stealing the worthy, all these years later. But, scared as that the good will win out. Miraculously, Eli- and promote that which is right.
goblet that he “uses to accomplish divi- they are, the brothers remain oblivious to jah saves Nachum and all the Jews. So, too, we can view the Maccabees vic-
nation” (“nachesh yenachesh bo”). This what is right before their eyes: Joseph is still Perhaps that is a lesson we can learn tory through the lenses of the fearful, who
echoes the similar confrontation many alive, and the bundles of money that mys- from Joseph and his brothers, from Laban live with chips on their shoulders, imagin-
years earlier when Laban accused Jacob of teriously reappear in their packs are not a and Jacob, and from Nachum Ish Gamzu: ing that military prowess is what matters.
stealing his idols (teraphim). Just as Jacob punishment from God but rather a boon to Maybe we need to pay more attention to Or we can see through to the clear indi-
then denied Laban’s accusation (Genesis them, a clue that could lead to the truth if the results of righteousness and the value cations that despite setbacks and bumps
31:32), saying that “whoever you discover they would only have enough presence of of family and peoplehood. How might the along the road, the good and heroic are
has them shall not live,” not knowing that mind to pay attention to the obvious signs. sojourn in Egypt have differed had not the really what matters most.
Rachel had taken them, Joseph’s brothers In the Talmud (Taanit 21a) we read an Israelite brothers destined themselves to Happy Chanukah and Shabbat Shalom.
IAC partisanship, there were speakers who “If this capital crumbled to the ground,
FROM PAGE 32 unhesitatingly sang his praises. Pence was the one thing that would remain is our
with anti-Semitism. For much of its exis- chief among them. commitment to our aid. And I don’t even
PERRY BINDELGLASS/ISRAELI-AMERICAN COUNCIL

tence, the IAC has taken up the gauntlet “It’s a great pleasure to serve with a man call it aid, our cooperation with the State
against hostility to Israel. The massacre who has made the alliance between Amer- of Israel,” Pelosi said.
at a Pittsburgh synagogue in October is ica and Israel stronger than ever before,” Saban pressed them on anti-Semitism
something different, a primordial vio- Pence said on Friday, citing Trump’s move and the Pittsburgh massacre, an opening
lence divorced from national struggle, of the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem and his to take Trump to task: More than 70 per-
from a pre-state past that Israelis believed withdrawal from the 2015 Iran nuclear cent of Jewish Americans said in a recent
the existence of the state they love had deal. poll that his bias-tinged rhetoric helped
obviated. On Sunday, Ron Dermer, the Israeli fuel the anti-immigrant rage that drove
“I never thought that in my lifetime I ambassador to the United States, was even the gunman.
would worry again about being a Jew,” more effusive. Schumer and Pelosi edged a little closer
Tzippy Holand, a Holocaust survivor, said “There’s never been an administra- to speaking of Trump’s seeming indiffer-
Thursday in presenting an award to two tion — not just a president — who’s been ence to the consequences of bigotry, par-
Pittsburgh police officers, Michael Smidga more supportive of Israel than the Trump ticularly after the deadly August 2017 neo-
and Daniel Mead, who helped end the kill- administration,” he said. Nazi march in Charlottesville, Virginia, Vice President Mike Pence talks to
ing at the Tree of Life synagogue complex, Schumer and Pelosi, usually bruising when he said there were “fine people” the IAC.
when an anti-Semitic gunman killed 11 about Trump, barely mentioned the presi- among the marchers and the counterpro-
worshippers. “If we don’t do everything dent in this venue, perhaps wary of attack- testers. But they did not name him. looking the other way at some of the anti-
we can to support Israel, we are not going ing him on his turf, and instead made the “When anti-Semitism rears its ugly Semitism that is very visible,” Pelosi said.
to have a home. We are not going to have case that Democratic support for Israel has head, it must be rebutted strongly and Saban was not having it.
where to escape to.” not diminished at all. immediately,” Schumer said. “We need the “There are no ‘nice people’ on both
Israel is one of the handful of nations on Interviewed by Saban, each leader Jewish community to do that, but we also sides,” he said. “The bad people are anti-
the planet where President Donald Trump talked about his and her personal ties to need the non-Jewish community to do it.” Semites, period. There are no ‘nice peo-
is popular, and while the IAC abjures Israel. “There are some people who are kind of ple’ over there.” JTA WIRE SERVICE
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Happy Chanukah —
now put down your phone!
W
alk into any given room to watch the football game while eating
on any given day and dinner after lighting candles and “screen
you will see the majority time” meant all screens, not just phones.
of people in that room Fantastic.
on their phones. “Join Jews across the world going
I often wonder if visits to the chiro- screen free for 30 minutes after candle
practors have gone up with an increase lighting…” But wait, there’s more! “Open
in neck problems because everyone is your neshama to the shine of the can-
looking down all day long. I also often dles and experience the true essence of
wonder what we all did before cell Chanukah.” Amen. Wasn’t the essence of
phones. Social media has taken over Chanukah the miracle of oil for one night
our lives — in fact, the other day I was lasting eight nights? Doesn’t that trans-
having a conversation with someone late into eating foods made with or in oil?
who is convinced that social media con- Isn’t that the essence? What does screen
tributes to the downfall of many mar- time have to do with the Maccabees?
riages. Apparently, seeing pictures on In any event, the four of us checked
Facebook of other couples’ vacations in the clock (as we couldn’t check the time
exotic places can cause jealousy, which, on our phones because the 30 minutes
in turn, causes resentment when you are had started) and we were off to the races.
not able to go on those same vacations. We sat around our lit menorah and son
Which, apparently, is your spouse’s fault. #1 gave us some quick words of Torah
I would think that the ability to locate because everyone was starving because
old boyfriends/girlfriends would result it was dinner time.
in the dissolution of mar- We moved our con-
riages as well. And just versation to the dinner
spending too much time on table and began a discus-
social media and not pay- sion about the nuances
ing attention to your spouse between Chanukah and
Across Down
could lead to divorce. Purim (for another col-
1. Items on some shoes 1. Overflow
Who knows? umn), which led to a dis-
5. One word Trump sentence 2. “Hurry!”
8. Went after 3. Trails But that brings us to this cussion about why son
14. Bitter brother, in Genesis 4. See 43-Down column. No, this won’t be #2 didn’t want to come
15. “___ Believer” (hit written by Neil 5. Club that preserved Yosemite about unhappy marriages, home (not putting that in
Diamond) 6. Brew brewed in the Netherlands but about cell phone use. Banji a column), which led to a
16. Potassium ___ (table salt additive)
17. Advice for having latkes or sufganiyot
7. Yup, to Boris
8. Mayor’s workplace
Unhappy marriages are a Ganchrow conversation about what
19. ___ of Cancer 9. Gymnastics apparatus whole other column… we did during the day…
20. Letters for a pitcher 10. Bustle As the mom of children and before you know it, it
21. It may be framed 11. Sampled some Rashi? who are further exploring their religion had been more than 30 minutes. Well
22. The “S” in GPS: Abbr. 12. Shortened, as prose (how was that for diplomatic phrasing?), look at that, a real Chanukah miracle.
23. Sch. fundraiser, often 13. Coffee choices
I have encountered many questions and We went back in time to a world before
24. Question from one unhappy with veg- 18. “The Facts of Life” actress Charlotte
etarian cholent 22. App tappers requests and explanations and so on Instastories and Snapchat, to a world
28. “Madness” org. 25. It’s not kosher and so forth. I never really know what is where pictures were developed and put
30. Immigration of Jews to Israel: Var. 26. “Lady and the Tramp” cat breed going to come out of their mouths, but I into a photo album instead of remain-
31. Puts on 27. San Francisco/Oakland separator do know that it never ceases to surprise ing on your phone, to a world where
32. “Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and ___” 28. Kind of power, in math
and amaze me. Son #1 decided that he people spoke to each other instead
34. Ease, as fears 29. Bears on the board
36. Belonging to that guy 33. It sometimes needs a massage wanted to light candles and eat dinner of texting. What a wonderful world
37. Question on Shavuot 35. Kirk Douglas ___ Issur Danielovitch with us all week. This, of course, made that was.
40. Many worshipped it, once 38. Sticks around longer than me so happy, because any time I get to So even though we questioned son
43. “___ a Good Man, Charlie Brown” 39. Cheery singing syllables spend with him makes me happy. So #1 and mocked the ad, I gotta admit the
44. Ecstasy opposite 40. Important person
there we are, lighting the candles (with- screen free for 30 minutes thing was
46. Spanish appetizer 41. Start of a Spanish count
49. “To do” list items 42. Big Apple paper, initially out son #2 because he decided to stay genius. It really helped put things into
52. Noach’s Ark was 50 wide 43. With 4-Down, the Red Sea in Hebrew in school and learn, which makes him perspective and also proved to us that
53. What some might say before having 45. Kosher restaurant in Venice, when very happy…) and after saying the bless- we could stay off our phones during the
(kosher)cheese squared ings and singing the required Chanukah week and not just on Shabbos.
56. Raisman who won gold 46. Bejeweled headpieces
songs, son #1 informed us that there was But the best thing of all? It proved that
57. 24 horas 47. “Finally!”
58. Small batteries 48. #1 thriller on AFI’s “100 Years...100 to be no screen time for 30 minutes. we had the ability to talk to each other
59. Anti- Israel letters Thrills” Huh? No screen time? This cannot be and enjoy each other’s company, and
62. She helped Yehoshua’s spies in Yericho 50. Actor Peter from TV’s “Parenthood” a biblical prohibition because there were that is the greatest Chanukah miracle
64. What to say to a hesitant shochet 51. Condition of equilibrium no screens in biblical times. This cannot of all (Well that and that I only ate one
66. On the beach 54. “Come on, ___ you!” (challenger’s cry)
be a rabbinical prohibition because, donut. Let’s be real.)
67. Umenyiora of football 55. Marx follower?
68. Tense 60. Archaeological undertakings well, for the same reason. I have learned
69. Boutiques 61. Eye sore not to ask too many questions, mostly Banji Ganchrow of Teaneck hopes you
70. Israeli broadcaster 63. ___ HaHar because I don’t like the answers, but I all have a wonderful holiday season, but
71. Wall St. letters 64. Delight needed to ask about this one. Especially wishes more people would decorate their
65. Animal house
because husband #1 and son #3 wanted homes with pretty sparkly lights…
Body Text Style Sheet
The solution to last week’s puzzle is
on page 50.

Arts & Culture
He produced the Rolling Stones,
Bob Dylan and John Mayer
Now he’s adding
a rabbi’s music
to his resume
GABE FRIEDMAN
T
hree years ago, Don Was walked
into a Jewish service in Los
Angeles without high expec-
tations. Was — who was born
Don Fagenson in Detroit — is a producer
who has worked with musicians like John
Mayer, Bob Dylan, and Bonnie Raitt.
Since 2012, he has also been the president
of Blue Note Records, the historic and
acclaimed jazz record label.
Since his bar mitzvah in 1965, Was rarely
has stepped into a synagogue.
But his aging father, who was getting
remarried, was set to be honored by his
beloved congregation and wanted his son
to be there. His father also wanted Was to
see the congregation’s live band, which
played at its monthly service.
The congregation, named Nashuva (or
“We will return” in Hebrew), is the cre-
ation of Naomi Levy, a Conservative rabbi
who was among the first women ordained
by the Jewish Theological Seminary in the
mid-1980s. The 10-person band, which
mostly has stayed the same over the con-
gregation’s 14-year lifespan, is a diverse Don Was at the 56th Grammy Awards at the Staples Center in Los Angeles on January 26, 2014. CHRISTOPHER POLK/GETTY IMAGES
amalgam of cultures and musical tradi-

tions, including Filipinos, Ethiopian Jews, In the studio, each song took at most Conservative synagogue in Venice Beach, attracted all kinds of musical legacies
and other Jews and non-Jews from the two takes, a testament to how practiced she’d see many stragglers poke their heads thanks to its auto factories. Workers from
local community. Levy isn’t a musician by the musicians were. Was invited congre- in at Saturday morning services but leave all backgrounds migrated up to work in
trade, but she sings in the band and helps gants to lend their voices and fill out the after a few minutes. the factories and brought their favorite
write the melodies. sound, and at times the studio was so full “I found myself more and more drawn genres with them — from blues to jazz to
Was was quite impressed by the band’s that they had to sit on the floor. to the Jewish outsider, I wanted to learn country western.
music at the service and approached Levy Was, speaking just after completing a what they were about and how to reach In 1979, Was and his friend David Weiss
afterward, telling her that she should lengthy U.S. tour as part of a band backing them,” she said. “They haven’t found God — another secular Jew — formed Was (Not
record its sound. They became friends, Grateful Dead guitarist Bob Weir, compared or a soulful experience in synagogue. They Was), a quirky band that melded pop,
and six months later, Levy and the band the effects of the music played by Levy’s find it in yoga class or at their Zen center, funk, and rock and had some album chart
found themselves in the famous Apogee band with what Weir evokes. He described but they haven’t found it in Judaism.” success by the late ’80s. He built a produc-
Studios in Santa Monica, California. the feelings that Weir would produce when Now Nashuva, which relies on volun- ing resume at the same time, and by 1994
“I was pretty knocked out by the fact playing the Dead’s classic song “Ripple” teer help and grassroots donations, draws won the Grammy for producer of the year.
that she took these profound prayers and during encores — Was could see members about 400 people at the monthly services (He has won three other Grammys and
transferred them in a way that everybody of the audience crying and hugging. and streams High Holiday programs to produced albums by artists ranging from
in the room could relate to, and it was a “I thought Naomi was doing the same 70,000 around the globe. the Rolling Stones to Neil Diamond to for-
very uplifting evening,” Was said. things with these prayers that had been Was’ father, Bill Fagenson, who died ear- mer One Direction pop star Niall Horan.)
The result of the Apogee session was around forever,” Was said. “She made lier this year, was among Nashuva’s biggest Was hasn’t exactly returned to religion
“Heaven on Earth: Songs of the Soul,” an them resonant in a really relevant way, fans. Was said his father was not particu- the same way his father did, but he attends
album released earlier this month that which is not a small feat.” larly interested in Judaism as Was grew up, a Nashuva service when he has time in his
puts 13 Jewish prayers to a mix of African- The Nashuva band’s music is full of big, but Nashuva’s message spoke to him, and busy schedule and happens to be in L.A.
inspired world music beats and calming catchy melodies, which Levy said is part he had a late-in-life return to the fold. “She created a great vibe,” he said of
folk melodies. Was and Rolling Stones of the congregation’s larger goal of attract- Thus Was wasn’t exposed to much Levy. “And it’s what you try to do with all
recording engineer Krish Sharma assisted ing unaffiliated Jews who don’t realize Jewish life after his bar mitzvah. But he music, really, is to improve the quality of
in the recording, which was mixed by they are yearning for spiritual fulfillment. received a great musical education grow- the listener’s life, help them understand
Grammy Award winner Ed Cherney. When Levy had worked as a rabbi at a ing up near Detroit in the ’60s, which something about life.” JTA WIRE SERVICE

Calendar of Congregation Beth Avenue, 5:45 p.m. Hebrew, Yiddish, and an outdoor menorah
Aaron continues the Havdalah at the shul and Ladino songs, including lighting with fire-baton
“Talking in Shul” series a Chanukah party follow. an Italian version of twirling by Rabbi
for teens and adults with 1449 Anderson Ave. Ma’oz Tzur from the Jennifer Schlosberg,
“All Smiles: Exhibiting (201) 947-1735. 1700s. 1001 Fair Lawn arts and crafts, and
Healthy Self-Expression Ave. (201) 796-3400, make-your-own pizza
in the Age of the Selfie,” Chanukah in Tenafly: 877-YIDDISH for children; latkes and
7:30 p.m. It continues The Kaplen JCC on (877) 943-3474, or www. vodka bar for adults. Hot
December 28, January the Palisades presents TKlez.com. cocoa, donuts, dreidels,
11, and February 1. 950 “Let There Be Light chocolate gelt, arts
— A Family Chanukah
Queen Anne Road.
(201) 836-6210 or www. Celebration!” with a Sunday and crafts for children,
5:45 p.m. 682 Harristown
bethaaron.org. glow-in-the-dark laser DECEMBER 9 Road. (201) 652-6624 or
light show, Chanukah office@grjc.org.
traditions and treats,
Saturday and a special candle-
Chanukah in Wayne: The
DECEMBER 8 lighting experience,
Wayne YMCA continues
to host the “Magic of
Tuesday
6-8 p.m. 411 E. Clinton Chanukah,” a community DECEMBER 11
Shabbat in Emerson: Ave. Reservations, celebration sponsored
The Sisterhood of (201) 408-1467. by the Jewish Federation Gilda Radner talk
Congregation B’nai of Northern New Jersey, in Tenafly: Dumont
Israel hosts its “Miracles” 1-3 p.m. Activities historian Dick Burnon
Shabbat Chanukah include a magic show, gives a video/lecture,
services, 10 a.m., bounce house, arts and “The Wacky World
followed by a light crafts, carnival games, of Gilda Radner,” at
lunch. 53 Palisade Ave. prizes, and kosher a meeting of REAP
DEC. Temple Beth Sholom (201) 265-2272 or www. munchkins and popcorn. (Retired Executives
of Pascack Valley in bisrael.com. Families can bring new and Professionals) at
9 Park Ridge offers a

night of comedy with
Shabbat in Wayne:
Temple Beth Tikvah
Lazer Lloyd
unwrapped gifts to be
donated to children in
the Wayne community
the Kaplen JCC on the
Palisades, 10:45 a.m.
411 East Clinton Ave.
stand-up comic Rabbi Bob Alper, has “Tea & Torah” on for the holidays. The (201) 569-7900 or www.
Parashat Miketz, with PHOTO PROVIDED Metro YMCAs of the jccotp.org.
7:30 p.m. Dessert and coffee. 32 Rabbi Meeka Simerly, Oranges is a partner
Park Ave. (201) 391-4620 or www. after services that begin Music in Teaneck:
temple-beth-sholom.org. at 10 a.m. 950 Preakness Lazer Lloyd, a singer/
of the YM-YWHA of
North Jersey. 1 Pike
Thursday
Ave. (973) 595-6565 or songwriter/guitarist DECEMBER 13
Drive. (973) 595-0100 or
www.templebethtikvahnj. performs at the Davar
hchizever@metroymcas.
org. Institute, 7 p.m.; doors
org. Vocational rehab:
Shabbat in Emerson: open at 6:30. Music
Friday The men’s club of blends folk, Americana, Chanukah in
Jewish-Association
for Developmental
DECEMBER 7 Congregation B’nai ballads, acoustic rock, Englewood: Join Rabbi Disabilities offers an
Israel hosts its annual and country blues with a Lindsey Healey-Pollack ID/DD informational
Shabbat in Tenafly: Chanukah dinner psychedelic twist. 1500 for a special children’s workshop, “Vocational
Temple Sinai of Bergen with blessings, latkes, Sussex Road. Tickets program sponsored Rehabilitation Services,”
County holds Rock songs, games, and at Larkstreet Music, by Congregation Kol for family members
Shabbat Chanukah, activities for the family, Cedar Lane, Teaneck. HaNeshamah with songs, with intellectual
5:45 p.m.; tot services, 6:30 p.m. Services follow (201) 287-1959 or yo@ stories, dreidels, and fun, or developmental
dinner, and indoor with Hebrew school lotsofloverecords.com. on the premises of St. disabilities, 7 p.m.
menorah lighting at children leading the Paul’s, 3 p.m. 113 Engle St. Jessica Cole from
6:15; outdoor menorah prayers. 53 Palisade www.KHNJ.org. the state Division of
lighting at 7:15, and Ave. Reservations, Shabbat film in Vocational Rehabilitation
services with Temple (201) 265-2272 or www. Teaneck: Temple Chanukah in is the guest speaker.
Sinai Rock Shabbat Band bisrael.com. Emeth’s “Viewpoints” Ridgewood: Refreshments. Program
with guest clarinetist screens the award- Reconstructionist at J-ADD offices, 50
Alan Sweifach, 7:30 p.m. 1 Shabbat in Closter: winning documentary Congregation Beth Eisenhower Drive,
Engle St. (201) 568-3035 Temple Beth El invites “Trans,” 2:30 p.m. Israel hosts a family- Paramus. Register,
or Templesinaibc.org. the community to “101 “Viewpoints” is a shul friendly Chanukah (201) 754-1835 or email
Menorahs,” a family- committee that was party with latkes, pizza, Rnewman@j-add.org.
Shabbat in Wayne: friendly Shabbat/ formed to celebrate salad, jelly donuts, and
Temple Beth Tikvah has Chanukah service led the diversity of the soft drinks, and candle
its annual Chanukah by Rabbi David Widzer Jewish community. Klezmer in Fair Lawn: lighting. Participants Friday
potluck dinner, 6 p.m.; and Cantor Elizabeth 1666 Windsor Road. should bring menorahs DECEMBER 14
The klezmer trio T-Klez
services at 7:30. 950 Goldmann, 6:45 p.m. (201) 833-1322 or and candles, 4 p.m. 475
(percussionist David
Preakness Ave. Bring a menorah and viewpoints@emeth.org. Grove St. Reservations,
Licht, accordionist Shabbat in Fort Lee:
(973) 595-6565 or www. seven candles. 221 (201) 444-9320 or www.
Chanukah in Fort Lee: Psachya Septimus, and JCC of Fort Lee/
templebethtikvahnj. Schraalenburgh Road. synagogue.org. No walk-
Members and friends of clarinetist Dobe “Dena” Congregation Gesher
org. RSVP to (201) 768-5112 or www. ins.
the JCC of Fort Lee light Ressler) gives a free Shalom hosts a post-
totowalangpaula@yahoo. tbenv.org. concert of Chanukah Chanukah Shabbat
com to say what dish the Fort Town menorah Chanukah in Glen
Shabbat in Teaneck: at the Triangle on Main tunes at the Maurice Pine Rock: The Glen Rock dinner, 6 p.m., and
you’re bringing. Public Library, 7:30 p.m. musical service at
Rabbi Larry Rothwachs Street and Lemoine Jewish Center hosts

Calendar
Yeshiva to hold briefing at FDU

Fairleigh Dickinson University’s Yeshiva up to 72 credits from earlier yeshiva or
7:15. 1449 Anderson 304 Midland Ave. artist Cantor Benjie & Seminary program hosts an open seminary study; one-on-one adviser ses-
Ave. Reservations, (201) 262-7691 or www. Ellen Schiller, perform
(201) 947-1735. jccparamus.org. a concert, “Healing & house on Tuesday, December 11, at sion, and kosher food.
Harmony,” celebrating Tifereth Israel in Passaic. It will include For more information, call (201) 692-
Chanukah in Woodcliff information on tuition, which is 50 per- 2639, or go to www.fdu.edu/passaic or
Saturday Lake: Temple Emanuel
Chanukah and Israel at
70, at Merkin Concert cent subsidized; details on transferring fdu.edu/jewish-programs.
DECEMBER 15 of the Pascack Valley, Hall, 8 p.m. 129 West 67th
Temple Beth Rishon St. (212) 501-3330, www.
Shabbat in Ridgewood: in Wyckoff, and Beth KaufmanMusicCenter.org,
Laurence Fine, leader of Haverim Shir Shalom or zamirchoralfoundation.
Students Demand Action
Bergen County, speaks at
in Mahwah gather
at Temple Emanuel
org.
Chanukah at the JCC in Tenafly
the kiddush after 9 a.m. for “Light the Lights,
The Kaplen JCC on the Palisades presents “Let There Be Light — A Family Chanukah
services at Temple Israel
& JCC, to mark National
A Chanukah Choral
Celebration of Voices Singles Celebration!” on Saturday, December 8, from 6 to 8 p.m. There will be a glow-in-the-
Gun Violence Prevention in Harmony,” 4 p.m.
dark laser light show, Chanukah treats, art projects, and a special candle-lighting
Shabbat. 475 Grove St. 87 Overlook Drive.
(201) 391-0801 or www.
Sunday experience. The JCC is at 411 E. Clinton Ave., Tenafly. For more information, call
(201) 444-9320 or www.
synagogue.org. tepv.org. DECEMBER 9 (201) 408-1467.
Shabbat in Wayne: Senior singles meet
Congregation
Shomrei Torah holds In New York in West Nyack: 65+
Singles meet for a social
a learners minyan, get-together at the JCC
10:45 a.m. Explore the Sunday Rockland, 11 a.m. 450
West Nyack Road. Gene,
prayer service, with
an opportunity for DECEMBER 9 (845) 356-5525.
questions and discussion.
30 Hinchman Ave. Chanukah in Caldwell:
(973) 696-2500, www. New Jersey Jewish
ShomreiTorahWCC.org. Singles 45+ meets at
Congregation Agudath
Israel for a party with
Sunday food, fun, mingling, and a
DECEMBER 16 dessert buffet, 2:30 p.m.
20 Academy Road. Sue,
Book club in Paramus: (973) 226-3600, ext. 145,
Phyllis Waterstone or singles@agudath.org.
facilitates a discussion on Cantor Benjie
Tara Westover’s memoir, Ellen Schiller
“Educated,” at the JCC of
Paramus/Congregation Chanukah concert:
Pianist entertains survivors group
Beth Tikvah, 10 a.m. The Zamir Chorale and Pianist and singer Will Colligan, pictured center, entertained at the Glen Rock Jewish
Refreshments. East Zamir Noded, with guest Center’s most recent Movin’ On Widows and Widowers’ luncheon. The group meets
monthly on Thursdays and all are welcome. It will meet again on December 20, Janu-
ary 17, and February 21. For information, email arbgr@aol.com.
How to speak to your child Ma’ayanot STEAMTalks 2018

Rabbi Aryeh Lebowitz discusses “Tell Me You Love Me: How to Teaneck’s Ma’ayanot Yeshiva High for Chana Stiefel, a science writer, children’s
Express What Every Child Need to Hear” for the Frisch School’s Girls hosts its fourth annual STEAM- book author, and director of public rela-
Miriam and Daniel Michael Distinguished Speakers series. The Talks on Tuesday, December 11, from tions at Ma’ayanot; and Liran Weizman,
Tuesday, December 11, talk will be at a private home in Teaneck at 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The program aims a technical product owner who leads a
7:30 p.m. For information, call Cheryl at (201) 267-9100, ext. 221, to inspire students to consider careers development team at JP Morgan.
or email Cheryl.Leiser@frisch.org. in science, technology, engineering, the Each student will select three sessions;
arts, and math. each speaker will hold an interactive dis-
Rabbi Aryeh After a celebratory breakfast, fresh- cussion, sharing challenges and accom-
Lebowitz men and seniors will hear from seven plishments in achieving goals, and shar-
women who have succeeded in a wide ing the passion for a STEAM career.
variety of STEAM careers. “Our goal is Next, freshmen will participate in a
Sharsheret schedules webinar to get our students excited about the
school-wide STEAM program, and to
hands-on virtual reality activity. Students
will create 3-D tours of various places in
on genetic testing recommendations introduce them to the many different Ma’ayanot using Google VR apps.
Sharsheret will present a webinar, “New and the newest guidelines on being a can- STEAM career opportunities to which “We want to give our girls the oppor-
Recommendations For Genetic Test- didate for genetic screening. Ms. Cottrell they can aspire,” said Gila Stein, direc- tunity to hear from a variety of young
ing: How Do I Make Sense Of It All?,” on is also a certified genetic counselor in the tor of Ma’ayanot’s STEAM program and professionals and experienced women
Wednesday, December 19, at 5 p.m. Regional Cancer Center at Holy Name Med- chair of its science department. in the industry to inspire our students to
Peggy Cottrell, Sharsheret’s genetics ical Center in Teaneck. Speakers include Dr. Leah Ben David, dream big,” Sara Resnick, the Ma’ayanot
program coordinator, and Dr. Beth Karlan A Sharsheret peer supporter will share assistant professor of chemistry at Vassar biology teacher who organizes STEAM
of Cedars-Sinai will talk about the latest her own story; a question-and-answer ses- College; Raizy Beren, a graphic designer programs,” said. “STEAMTalks is a way
updates on genetic testing options and rec- sion will follow. A transcript and audio from Long Island; Miriam Keltz Pomer- to encourage our students to think out-
ommendations. Topics include the implica- recording will be available after the webi- anz, a dermatologist at New York Univer- side the box when contemplating their
tions of direct-to-consumer testing for peo- nar at www.sharsheret.org. To register for sity/Bellevue Hospital; Tzipora Leiser, a career choices.”
ple with Ashkenazi ancestry, how genetic the webinar and get log-on instructions, Ma’ayanot alumna, who will speak about Ma’ayanot is at 1650 Palisade Ave.,
testing impacts the use of PARP inhibitors go to www.sharsheret.org or call (866) her career as an analyst at BlackRock; Teaneck. For more information, email
for women with metastatic breast cancer, 474-2774. Aviva Mael, a software engineer at Cedar; Chana Stiefel at stiefelc@maayanot.org.

Jewish World
Loyalty a grudge-wielding neigh-

FROM PAGE 34 bor to derail a fellow
adds slyly, that the hearing American’s good reputa-
“is not bound by the strict tion and cast doubt on
rules of evidence adhered her patriotism.
to in the courts.” As I reflect on these
After the opening state- events in my grandmoth-
ments, the Loyalty Board er’s life, I am left won-
lays out their evidence for dering if our country has
the charge that my grand- learned anything at all
mother is a communist. since she sat in that El Paso
Her mother, who lived courtroom. And I confess
with them back in the that these reflections do
Bronx, had emigrated from not leave me feeling terri-
Russia to the United States. bly cheerful.
Jeannette had attended Today, Jews are still pain-
a meeting of the “Southern fully aware that no mat-
Conference for Human Wel- ter how “American” we
fare,” an early civil rights may feel, we can easily be
group, and government accused of having divided
informants had reported loyalties. Politicians sow
that others who attended fear of immigrants, stok-
these meetings had “coming suspicion among neigh-
munistic sympathies.” bors. A simple mistake, a
One of her childhood scurrilous rumor or “for-
friends suggested to the FBI eign-looking” family mem-
that Jeannette was “commu- bers can leave many among
nistically inclined” after she us vulnerable to others’
interfered with the friend’s suspicions that we cannot
teenage romance with A letter from the Justice Department Loyalty Board dated March 15, 1949, and a telegram from a member of be trusted — or, as we have
her boyfriend. the Senate Judiciary Committee demand that the author’s grandmother answer questions about “the com- seen in recent days, vulner-
A statement from a for- plete history of her life.” able even to violence.
mer neighbor stating that My grandmother’s case
“I believe they are Communists because with Zionist organizations and her involve- to be a Communist Party line.” offers an early glimpse into this aspect of
they had large pictures of Lenin and ment in “the Palestine situation.” The inter- The transcript continues through many our national culture, which would con-
Trotsky on the wall of their apartment.” rogation includes numerous questions more pages, and it includes the testimony tinue to corrode in the years that followed.
(This statement was deeply puzzling to about the Yiddish press: “Do you read news- of numerous witnesses and voluminous Her hearing in the spring of 1949 was 5
my grandparents. Their best guess was papers from New York? … Do you read the material (Exhibits A through T) introduced 1/2 years before Senator McCarthy would
that the neighbor had seen family pho- Morning Freiheit? … Did the Daily Worker as evidence. Eventually the Loyalty Board finally be chastened with the famous
tos of our Jewish relatives, who wore come in to your home?” The board even has heard enough and adjourns the hear- rebuke “Have you no sense of decency,
thick beards, and mistook them for Rus- calls my grandparents’ rabbi, Joseph Roth, ing to begin its deliberations. sir?”
sian revolutionaries.) to testify about their character. My grandmother goes home and waits. We are — thankfully — several decades
The board begins to question my grand- Eventually the Loyalty Board exhausts She doesn’t hear anything for 2 1/2 months. beyond the paranoia of McCarthyism, but
mother with intensity. They ask about her its questions about Jeannette’s Jewish iden- It’s hard to imagine how frightened and its tenacious cells still sleep in the veins of
employment with the government, seizing tity and turns its attention to the time and trapped she must have felt. She was a new fear beneath our nation’s skin. Today one
on the fact that she had a security clear- money she devotes to social welfare causes mother with few friends in a community can witness firsthand how easily some
ance, and that her secretarial work had in her community, which appear to raise she did not know well, forced to defend Americans’ love of our country can metas-
involved administrative tasks with lists of certain suspicions in their minds. Yes, she herself against false accusations that, even tasize into a strain of xenophobia so perni-
U.S. warships in foreign waters. To coun- asserts, she has been trying “to do a little if disproven, would threaten her profes- cious that they can be convinced to turn
ter, Guinn calls upon Davis Green, a close bit to help” with racial tensions in Texas. sional livelihood and reputation. And she against their fellow citizens.
friend of my grandparents, to testify about “I remember one time a white man killed was swiftly arriving at the conclusion that Seventy years after my grandmother
Jeannette’s patriotism. The Loyalty Board a Negro woman, and he was being set free,” some of the things she believed in most was summoned before a committee of the
grills him on his political affiliation and she recounts. “[I tried] to interest people in strongly — Jewish life, progressive politics, federal Justice Department, anti-Semitism
point out, for the record, that he is a Dem- becoming more community conscious.” racial equity, the safe return of U.S. sol- is ascendant once again across America.
ocrat who supports liberal causes. The board seems to think that Jean- diers — could be used as evidence that she And once more it is garbed in the belief
After they finish with Green, the board nette’s sympathy for the victims of rac- was a communist and a threat to America. that Jews cannot be fully American, that
members turn their attention back to Jean- ism is a sign of communist tendencies. our values threaten the integrity of the
nette and ask about who she knows. Curi- The members ask pointedly, “You are not Patriotism and xenophobia nation which has been our beloved home
ously, almost all of the people they inquire opposed to employing Negroes as house- At last, on June 25, 1949, she receives her for centuries.
about appear to be Jews. hold servants? Or Mexicans?” verdict: a letter affirming in a one-sen- When we discovered the nondescript
“You know the Shapiros? ... Did you Changing tactics, they begin asking Jean- tence statement that the Loyalty Board of black binder among my grandmother’s
associate with a Sarah Klein? … Do you nette about her political opinions: Should the U.S. Department of Justice has ruled belongings, we had no idea what secrets it
know a person named Anna Gelb? … Do the U.S. abandon its position in Berlin? Are in Jeannette’s favor, and that all charges would hold. We could never have predicted
you know an Eva Rosenbaum? ... Have you you in favor of the Marshall Plan? And the against her have been dismissed. the story that those yellowing photographs
become close friends with Mrs. Nathalie Atlantic Pact? Are you for the abandon- Up until a few weeks ago, no one besides and official documents would tell. And, I
Gross?” they ask. ment of our position in Japan? Noting that my grandmother knew about the exis- confess, we never expected that the histori-
At this, Jeannette has finally had enough her husband had been stationed in the tence of the black binder. My best guess is cal territory through which that binder led
and snaps back in reply: “No, she is posi- Philippines during the war, they ask if she that she kept her story a secret because of us would look quite this familiar.
tively obnoxious.” would have liked our overseas soldiers to how painful the memories were. It must JTA WIRE SERVICE
My grandmother’s Jewish identity contin- come home quickly. She agrees that she have been difficult for her to have been
ues to hold the Loyalty Board’s attention. would have, and they pounce on her, reminded about how simple it was for an Oren J. Hayon is the senior rabbi of
The members ask at length about her work exclaiming that this position “happened overzealous government bureaucrat or Congregation Emanu El in Houston, Texas.

Obituaries
Boyd Adelman played with the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra. Rose Schwinder-Taylor
Boyd Geffrey Adelman, 74, of Fort Lee, died December 2. Predeceased by his wife of 66 years, Rebecca, he is Rose Schwinder-Taylor, née Kraft, 101, of Alpharetta,
He was the president of Sabrett Hot Dogs Company for survived by children, Ruth and Charles; brother, Asa; Ga., formerly of Fair Lawn and Passaic, died
40 years. sister, Thea Saltus, and two granddaughters. December 1.
He is survived by his wife, Laura; children, Cori Shifrin Arrangements were by Gutterman and Musicant Predeceased by her first husband, Murry, in 1978,
(Peter) and Randi Koslovsky (Chaim); sister, Dr. Carol Jewish Funeral Directors, Hackensack. and second husband, Harold Taylor in 2006, she is
Adelman (Barbara Scarcella); and four grandchildren. survived by children, Gary Schwinder (Idelle) and Gail
Donations can be sent to the Amercian Heart Association Philene Saidel Heller; stepsons, Harold Taylor Jr. and Kenneth Taylor,
or Amercian Cancer Society. Philene Saidel, née Berkie, died November 30. and their extended families.
Arrangements were by Gutterman and Musicant Predeceased by her husband of 63 years, Martin, Arrangements were by Louis Suburban Chapel,
Jewish Funeral Directors. a son, Burl, brother, Saul Berkie, and grandchild, Fair Lawn.
Michelle Moses, she is survived by children, Amy,
Bernard Jaffe Bruce, Inez Moses (Garry), Cindy Saidel-Donofrio
Bernard Morton Jaffe died December 3. (Steven), and Alan (Christine); nine grandchildren, and
A City College and Brooklyn Law School graduate, seven great-grandchildren.
he was an Army intelligence officer during World War Donations can be made to the American Diabetes
II and a corporate attorney and officer of Sun Chemical Association. Arrangements were by Gutterman and
Corporation. Musicant Jewish Funeral Directors, Hackensack.
Predeceased by his wife of 61 years, Norma, née
Funeral Planning Simplified
Scherr, he is survived by sons, Ralph (Shelley), BergenJewishChapel.com
and James (Denise); five grandchildren, and three
great-grandchildren.
Irene Blaustein
201.261.2900 | 789 Teaneck Road, Teaneck, NJ 07666
Arrangements were by Robert Schoem’s Menorah Irene K. Blaustein died on December 2, 2018, having
Chapel, Paramus. lived and worked in Fort Lee her entire adult life. Owner/Manager Daniel W. Leber, NJ Lic. No3186
She grew up in Washington Heights, NY and was a
Raymond Kaplan graduate of Hunter High School and Hunter College,
Raymond Kaplan, 91, of River Vale died November 30. where she majored in mathematics. She loved her
A U.S. Navy World War II veteran, he graduated years at Hunter College and remained loyal to the
MIT and Columbia University, was an aerospace Alumni Association. Irene led a very active life as
engineering executive, and worked with the Israel a consummate junior high math teacher in Fort Lee
Ministry on systems for the Israeli Air Force and Navy. for 31 years and then served 3 years on the Fort Lee
He volunteered at the Kaplen JCC in Tenafly, was an Board of Education.
officer of Temple Israel Community Center in Cliffside Predeceased by her husband, Jules, she is survived
Park, and led the Winston Towers Jewish Holiday by her sister Joan, daughter, Janet, and son, Steven.
Association. He interviewed Holocaust survivors for She proudly had two granddaughters, Ariel and Alana.
the Holocaust Research Center at Yale University and A graveside service was held on December 5 at
Cedar Park/Beth El Cemetery in Paramus. Memorial
donations in memory of Irene may be made to the
ASPCA or any Alzheimer’s organization.
You are personally invited Arrangements were by Edwards-Dowdle Funeral
Home.
to be our guest for dinner and
a free informative presentation — Paid Obituary —
about the benefits of pre-

arranging your funeral Robert Schoem’s Menorah Chapel, Inc
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Obituaries are prepared with
Gutterman & Musicant information provided by funeral homes.
Jewish Funeral Directors Correcting errors is the responsibility
Alan Musicant Mgr. NJ Lic. No. 2890
of the funeral home.
402 Park St. Hackensack, NJ 07601
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Should this invitation reach your home where there is an illness JEWISH STANDARD DECEMBER 7, 2018 49
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Real Estate & Business
Simon Center at Englewood earns Acha Tesyajantorn joins the Miron team
national breast center certification Miron Proper ties i s advocate. As an excellent
The Leslie Simon Breast Care and Cyto- committed to ensuring that our patients proud to announce and listener and communica-
diagnosis Center at Englewood Health have the best possible experience, and welcome Acha Tesyajan- tor, she will hone in on
has been recognized as a Certified Qual- receive the best possible outcomes.” torn, realtor and sales your specific needs and
ity Breast Center by the National Con- The Leslie Simon Breast Care and associate, to its team of keep you abreast of the
sortium of Breast Centers (NCBC) as Cytodiagnosis Center is at the forefront dedicated real estate pro- purchase or sale process
part of their National Quality Measures of breast care treatment in northern fessionals. Acha decided every step of the way.
for Breast Centers program (NQMBC). New Jersey. With private waiting rooms, to join Miron Proper- A 20-year resident of
It is the only breast center in Bergen a spa-like environment, rapid diagnosis ties to pave her way in Bergenfield, Acha knows
County to earn the certification. with an opportunity to discuss results the real estate field with and loves the nearby
The NQMBC program offers facilities with a physician, and an in-house team an admirable, relatable neighborhoods and the
providing breast health care the ability of specialized pathologists and radiolo- mentor. She is proud to Acha Tesyajantorn ease of amenities the area
to track and measure quality perfor- gists, whose primary focus is on breast capitalize on the firm’s offers. She is originally
mance measures in more than 30 indi- disease, each patient is treated with a ethics, high standards, and exceptional from New York, and attended William
vidual quality indicators, and compare unique, custom-tailored experience. resources to serve her clients with Paterson University.
their performance with other centers And in the event that a patient has a utmost quality and care. Acha’s favorite hobbies are breeding
across the United States and beyond. positive finding, it is reviewed by a mul- Previously an accountant for 12 years, her dogs, and remodeling homes with
“Earning this certification is a testa- tidisciplinary team of surgeons, medi- Acha is not only good with people, but her fiancé. She is happy to give clients
ment to the ongoing efforts of our doc- cal oncologists, radiation oncologists, with the important finances and tax impli- advice and tips on preparing and staging
tors, nurses, and other staff to bring the pathologists, radiologists, nurse prac- cations one must consider when buying their homes for sale; she also helps them
safest, highest-quality, and most techno- titioners, genetic counselors, and other or selling a home. Her finesse and savvy envision the potential of any space.
logically advanced care to our commu- breast care specialists to tailor a treat- help orchestrate smooth transactions, Acha speaks fluent Thai as well as
nity,” says Warren Geller, president and ment plan specific to the patient. and put things in understandable terms English. Call her at: (201) 923-6534
CEO of Englewood Health. “The Leslie For more information, or to make an for her clients. or via email at: Acha@MironProper-
Simon Breast Care and Cytodiagnosis appointment visit englewoodhealth. Known for her keen attention to detail ties.com. For more information, visit
Center at Englewood Health remains org/breast or call (201) 894-3622. and tremendous patience, Acha takes www.MironProperties.com or call
pride in being her clients’ real estate (201) 266-8555.
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4 Israeli machines about to

revolutionize the way we prepare food
ISRAEL21 STAFF Using professional expertise honed at
printing companies including HP Indigo
Eshchar Ben-Shitrit grew up on a kib- and Highcon, Ben-Shitrit quit his job ear-
butz where his mother ran the dairy lier this year and founded Jet-Eat. Work-
farm. He observed the strong bond ing with food scientists, he’s developing
between cows and their calves, and 3D printing technologies to produce
this memory triggered something in plant-based “beef ” with the approxi-
him when he became a father four mate appearance, texture, and mouth
years ago. feel of cattle meat.
“When my first son was born I felt “We need to make a steak without kill-
it was not possible to eat meat any- ing a cow,” he says, pointing out that the
more. I felt I’d be eating someone 20,000 liters of water and 20 kilograms
CASH BACK AT CLOSING else’s child,” Ben-Shitrit says. “I got

obsessed with finding a solution for
of feed necessary to produce 1 kilogram
of meat is horribly inefficient and waste-
people who enjoy meat, like me, but ful. In addition to using far less water
don’t want to eat animals.” SEE MACHINES PAGE 54
Jimmy J
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THINKING FLORIDA?
Real Estate & Business/Keeping Kosher
‘Lotsa’ challah baking going on

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The Glen Rock Jewish Center welcomed SUNDAY, DECEMBER 9
Shannon Sarna, right, author of “Modern
Jewish Baker” and editor of “The Nosher,”
More than 200 women from the Pascack Valley and Saddle River
community joined for a night of challah baking, mixing, and knead-
t TEANECK t
back to its kitchen. She led a workshop on ing for Valley Chabad Women’s Circle annual challah bake. Wine,
challah baking. With her, from left, Illana songs, and refreshments enhanced an evening celebrating Jewish
Shapiro and Leya Hakim. unity and learning.
Macadamia milk hits the market

BETH JANOFF CHANANIE
Milkadamia brand non-dairy milk brings macadamia

957 E. Lawn Dr. $469,000 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM
nuts to the non-dairy milk marketplace. The Jewish Stan- C. Club Area. Spacious Custom Cape. Unlimited Possibilities. LR/Fplc,
dard office tries to live by a mostly healthy diet (let’s not MEIK open to Skylighted Banq DR. 5 BRs, 3 Baths. Fin Bsmt/3 Rms,
discuss today’s latkes) and the office refrigerator always Full Bth+Sep O/S Ent. Deck, C/A/C, Gar.
has some kind of milk — almond, coconut, cashew, soy, 1043 Wilson Ave. $579,900 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM
or walnut. We have tried them all. So we welcomed sam- One of a Kind Eng Tudor. Stunning LR/Fplc, FDR, Gorgeous Mod Kit/
ples of Milkadamia milk and creamers. Bkfst Rm. 5 BRs, 4.5 Bths. Fin Bsmt. 2 Car Gar.
Milkadamia is a non-GMO, gluten- and soy-free brand
973 Sheffield Rd. $579,000 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM
of macadamia nut milks and creamers whose sustain- 1st time offered. C. Club Area. 67' x 132' Prop. CH Col. LR/Fplc, FDR,
ably farmed nuts make a creamy and rich-tasting alter- Brkfst Nook + Lg Fam Rm/Door to Patio & Yard. 2.5 Baths. Fin Bsmt/
native to milk. Walkout to Yard. C/A/C. Room to Expand.
Jewish Standard production manager Jerry Szubin
thought the creamers were nicely flavored and pre- creamer in his hot cocoa. Overall, vanilla was the favor-
t HACKENSACK t
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Reduced! All Brick, Sprawling California Ranch. 100' x 150' Prop.
Sunken LR/Flr to Ceiling Marble Fplc, Banq DR, Huge Island Kit, Fam
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Will Montreal bagels be banned? BY APPOINTMENT

EMILY BURACK “iconic and high-production bagel producers” in Mon- t TEANECK t
treal — St-Viateur Bagel and Fairmont Bagel, two bagel EXCLUSIVE. Brick Col. Slate Roof. Quiet Street. Nat Wdwk. LR/Stone
Fplc, Lg FDR, Fam Size Granite Cntrd Kit. 3 Generous BRs, 2.5 Baths.
The key to Montreal bagels, bakers from the Canadian places included on our guide to the best Jewish food in
3rd Flr Study. Gar. $480’s
city will tell you, is wood-burning ovens. Montreal — have “indicated in the past that wood-burn-
Fabulous Parklike Prop. 274' Deep.totally Updated Col. LR, DR,
Montreal bagels are not like their New York and Jeru- ing is not essential to their production and would not MEIK, Fam Rm to Deck/Patio+BBQ. 5/6 BRs. 4 Full Baths. Game Rm
salem counterparts. They are denser and thinner. And change the product.” Bsmt/Grnd Lev Ent. BONUS 2 Car Gar/Loft/Guest Quarters or Priv
they are “wood-fired.” But do they want to change? Probably not. Ofc. $640’s
That might change. Joseph Rosen, reporting for the Globe and Mail, Prime W. Eglwd Area. Spacious 6 BR, 3 Bath Contemp Col. 2 Story
Jean-François Parenteau, a Montreal politician who is went to Fairmont Bagel to ask the owner, Yitzhak Nis- Ent, LR/Fplc, Island Kit/Tile Gallery to Fam Rm. Game Rm Bsmt.
on the Montreal Executive Committee, is set on ending san Shlafman, about the proposed changes. Shlafman C/A/C. Gar $740’s
harmful air pollution in the city. Parenteau passed a new told him that he “will switch to gas if he has to — and if ALL CLOSE TO NY BUS / HOUSES OF WORSHIP /
bylaw in early October that focused on wood-burning the other bagel bakeries do it at the same time,” but fire
HIGHWAYS / SHOPS / SCHOOLS
commercial establishments in the city. If these establish- lends character to the bagels that isn’t easily replicable. Download Russo Real Estate's
mobile real estate app to get FREE access
ments — including beloved bagel shops, Italian pizzerias, “Everybody who works here is an artist!” Shlafman said. to all local listings from your smartphone or tablet.
and others — cannot decrease their harmful emissions, It is confusing why Parenteau is focusing on wood- http://app.russorealestate.com/
they would be forced to switch their wood-burning burning establishments when air pollution is caused
or scan QR code on your
ovens to gas or electric. primarily by cars, homes, and industry. But a city hall smartphone or tablet
Parenteau has said he believes Montreal’s famous representative told the Globe and Mail, “We are not
bagels will not be impacted. “I know that you can bake planning on banning the wood-burning oven. … We will For Our Full Inventory including
bagels with gas,” he told the Montreal Gazette. “I know not rush any measure that would harm these Montreal Details & Pictures, Visit our Website
I could do tests with citizens and nobody would be able landmark[s] because we know that Montrealers are www.RussoRealEstate.com
to tell the difference between a bagel cooked over a gas attached to these restaurants.”
fire or a wood fire. I’m certain.” He also notes that two THE NOSHER/JTA WIRE SERVICE (201) 837-8800
Real Estate & Business
Machines Ben-Shitrit, 34, grew his company in the European to hard as a bone,” explains Racheli Vizman, who is poised
FROM PAGE 52 Institute of Technology accelerator at the Technion- to lead the company.
and raw materials, his product would contain hardly any Israel Institute of Technology in Haifa. Jet-Eat is backed The first product likely will be a meatless burger.
cholesterol, more fiber and none of the risks of contami- by a few angel investors and is working toward its first Because the system can produce dishes in forms that
nation that come with fresh meat. big funding round. never existed before, it could be something as unusual and
Ben-Shitrit’s technology is not the same as cultured He wants to bring Jet-Eat to market in Israel at a price personalized as a veggie burger with fries in the middle.
or “clean” meat manufactured from live animal cells, point identical to real meat in about a year. Then he SavorEat is based on the research of Hebrew University
although this is another rapidly advancing industry in envisions forming strategic partnerships in Europe and professors Oded Shoseyov and Ido Braslavsky. It will be
Israel with startups including Jerusalem-based Future North America. With many major meat companies now incorporated upon completion of a licensing arrangement
Meat Technologies and Tel Aviv-based Aleph Farms and investing in alternatives sought by vegans as well as flexi- from Yissum, the tech-transfer company of the Hebrew
SuperMeat. tarians and “conscious carnivores,” Ben-Shitrit believes University of Jerusalem.
Let’s take a closer look at Jet-Eat and SavorEat, other the time is right. Meanwhile, the founders are raising $2 million
Israeli startups finding high-tech ways to cook up “What we’re trying to do is challenging but not impos- and developing the printer and cartridges under the
edibles. sible. We already have some prototypes and the basic con- umbrella of the university in cooperation with estab-
figuration of the printer,” he says. lished Israeli companies in the fields of natural flavor-
Jet-Eat ings and 3D printing.
Using individual ingredient cartridges of plant proteins, SavorEat Commercial activity will focus for the first five years
fats, and other ingredients, Jet-Eat aims to print fresh This will be a “digital chef” platform to print — and simul- mainly on restaurants.
vegan “meat” ready to join the food manufacturing sup- taneously bake, grill or fry – personalized plant-based “We are working with a top Israeli chef who has restau-
ply chain. Adjusting the fat content and other parameters meat-substitute meals using room-temperature ingredi- rants in Israel and New York. We will disrupt this market
could yield ersatz ground round, roast, stew beef or steak. ent cartridges with a six-month shelf life. dramatically,” Vizman predicts.
“Our product has to have a high resemblance to meat The key ingredient in each cartridge is submicron crys- “Restaurants and cafés will be able to plan better for
in many properties. A steak is basically muscle, fat, and talline cellulose, a zero-calorie derivative of plant fiber fluctuations in demand, keep less inventory on hand, and
blood in a complex structure that influences mouth feel – the most abundant biomaterial on earth — as a self- create new menus for people with a variety of food needs
and how it cooks. The flavor profile is connected to how assembling binder in place of starch, egg whites, gluten and preferences. Because you won’t need refrigerated
the fat is marbled in the muscle and melts when you or gelatin. The printer and proprietary ingredients are trucks, transportation costs will be greatly reduced as will
cook it,” says Ben-Shitrit. patent-pending. inventory costs and food waste.”
“We need to emulate the chemical and physical prop- “By controlling the water content in the crystalline cel- The long-term goal is to create a home appliance
erties and the structure. We’ve mapped a lot of these lulose composite via the heat source of the printer, we are capable of preparing meals tailored for each family
elements for our printing process.” able to determine the texture from soft fat to fibrous meat member. ISRAEL21C.ORG
Wishing the Entire Community a Happy Chanukah

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Direct: 201-294-1844
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ahurvitz12@yahoo.com • www.ayelethurvitz.com

‫נ‬
‫ה‬ HAPPY
Ch
anuk
ah


‫ש‬

Wearestockedf
orallyour
ChanukahPartyNeeds!
Donuts,MenorahSushiPl
att
er s,
Latkes,Fr
uitPl
atter
s&mor e!

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DECEMBER 7, 2018

VOL. LXXXVIII NO. 12 $1.00 87 2018

NORTH JERSEY THEJEWISHSTANDARD.COM

handcr afted by our winem akers

2 JEWISH STANDARD DECEMBER 7, 2018

Carmel Selected Ad_2.indd 2 8/30/17 5:15 PM

Super-sizing sufganiyot Page 27

l We all love the classic with purple and white chocolate

The Jewish Standard assumes no responsibility to return unsolicited edito-

Shatner earns wrath of Chanukah lovers

JEWISH STANDARD DECEMBER 7, 2018 3

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Remembering the spell of Kutz Camp

COURTESY OF KUTZ CAMP

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Bone Pain Easy Bruising Nose Bleeds Fatigue

Gaucher disease can feel like this.

It’s no mitzvah to ignore your symptoms.

It’s just a simple blood test. Get tested.

JEWISH STANDARD DECEMBER 7, 2018 9

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LEARN ABOUT PIONEERING THE POSSIBLE

Ridgewood student demands action

A fish story to get hooked on

12 JEWISH STANDARD DECEMBER 7, 2018

Join Temple Emeth for a screening of

MICHAEL LEBSON PRIGOFF, ESQ

herring — they figured why not create an elegant herring

JEWISH STANDARD DECEMBER 7, 2018 13

The essence of ‘Black Honey’

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Sheba Medical Center,

Sheba’s new ARC Innovation Center

Partner with us, so together we can say,

JEWISH STANDARD DECEMBER 7, 2018 15

Letter from Israel:

16 JEWISH STANDARD DECEMBER 7, 2018

Christmas decorations as soon as Hallow-

Well, for starters, if you say “latke” in

It’s important to emphasize that anyone

nant December holiday. That’s a pretty

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YU’s president, Dr. Ari Berman,

18 JEWISH STANDARD DECEMBER 7, 2018

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