You are on page 1of 56

RECOGNIZING WOLF DURMASHKIN page 6

REMEMBERING MARTING LUTHER KING IN CLOSTER page 12


MAHWAH ERUV VANDAL ARRESTED page 14
JEWISH EYES ON THE GOLDEN GLOBE PRIZE page 45

JANUARY 5, 2018
VOL. LXXXVII NO. 16 $1.00 86 2017
7

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2 JEWISH STANDARD JANUARY 5, 2018


Page 3
2,700-year-old seal of Jerusalem governor found
l Past and present collided last professor Tallay Ornan and
week when an extremely rare seal Tel Aviv University profes-
impression discovered in Jeru- sor Benjamin Sass studied
salem’s Western Wall plaza and the impression. According to
bearing the inscription “Belong- their analysis, “above a dou-
ing to the governor of the city” ble line are two standing men,
was presented to Jerusalem facing each other in a mirror-
Mayor Nir Barkat. like manner. Their heads are
“This is the first time that such depicted as large dots, lack-
an impression was found in an ing any details. The hands
authorized excavation,” archaeolo- facing outward are dropped
gist Shlomit Weksler-Bdolah, who down, and the hands facing
led the excavation, said. “It sup- inward are raised. Each of the
ports the biblical rendering of the figures is wearing a striped,
existence of a governor of the city knee-length garment.”
in Jerusalem 2,700 years ago.” The bottom section reads,
The minuscule clay seal impres- in early Hebrew script: “Be-
sion was found while researchers longing to the governor [sar]
were examining the dust from a of the city.” Weksler-Bdolah
First Temple structure 100 meters explains that the governor
northwest of the Western Wall most likely functioned much
at a site the Israel Antiquity like today’s mayor. The role
Authorities has been excavat- is referenced in the Hebrew
ing since 2005. The excava- Bible: in 2 Kings, Joshua is
tions offered up insights into listed as the governor of the
Jerusalem’s Second Temple city in the days of Hezekiah,
and Roman periods, before als. The dust that fell from between the and in 2 Chronicles, Maaseiah
revealing a massive Iron Age ancient stones was taken to the IAA is noted as governor of the city in the
four-room building where labs for wet sifting. days of Josiah.
an eclectic collection of six At the IAA labs, Shimon Cohen spot- Weksler-Bdolah believes that due
other seals was uncovered. Its ted the seal impression about a year to its location and the eclectic group
origins point to a thriving cos- ago. The small (13 x 15 mm and 2–3 of artifacts found there — from Egypt
mopolitan Iron Age center or mm thick) fired lump of clay bears an and Assyria — the building “probably
settlement there. image and inscription. On the upper served as an administration center. The
“The seal impression had portion of the impression, two figures people who gave orders may have had
been attached to an impor- The clay impression was discovered wearing striped garments face each to sign documents here. It may also
tant transport and served as some sort in dust after Israel Antiquity Authority other. Between them is what could be have been a place for the rich, the more
of logo, or as a tiny souvenir, which was conservationists scratched at the sur- a moon, according to excavation head important people, because the location
sent on behalf of the governor of the face of the First Temple period build- Weksler-Bdolah. is really important.”
city,” Weksler-Bdolah said. ing’s walls to inject preservation materi- Over the last year, Hebrew University AMANDA BORSCHEL-DAN/Times of Israel

Ringo Starr to play Israel in June CONTENTS


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scheduled to be knighted, plans jewish world���������������������������������������������25
were confirmed for the ex-Bea- oPINION����������������������������������������������������������� 34
tle’s first concert in Israel this keeping kosher�����������������������������������������40
summer. dear rabbi zahavy�������������������������������� 42
More than 50 years ago, the d’var torah������������������������������������������������ 43
Israeli government stopped the THE FRAZZLED HOUSEWIFE�������������������44
Beatles from performing there. crossword puzzle��������������������������������44
The upcoming tour for Ringo arts & culture������������������������������������������ 45
Starr & His All-Starr Band in- calendar������������������������������������������������������ 46
cludes a June 23 concert in Tel obituaries���������������������������������������������������� 49
Aviv. Other stops on the tour classifieds�������������������������������������������������� 50
include France, the Netherlands, real estate���������������������������������������������������53
Germany, Finland, Denmark,
Ethan Miller/Getty Images

Czech Republic, Austria, Spain, PUBLISHER’S STATEMENT: (USPS 275-700 ISN 0021-6747) is pub-
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McCartney, who was knighted any employees.
The Jewish Standard assumes no responsibility to return unsolic-
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state in 2008. TIMES OF ISRAEL Candlelighting: Friday, January 5, 4:24 p.m. ited editorial, and graphic material will be treated as uncondition-
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Jewish Standard January 5, 2018 3


Noshes “I’ve never socialized with him.”
— Richard Jaffe, the Jewish lawyer in Alabama who represented Roy Moore’s son
and most likely is the person to whom Moore’s wife, Kayla, was referring when
she said “One of our attorneys is a Jew,” and went on to claim friendship with
that anonymous Jew. Jaffe did not support Moore; in fact he is a close friend of
Moore’s victorious opponent, Doug Jones, and will be at Jones’ swearing-in.

if this was accurate —


AT THE MOVIES: and I took another look.

Big supporting roles Long story short: I dis-


covered that a Hungarian
for ‘Hostiles’ pair history professor, An-
dras Csillag, had pored
through the records in
Hungary and indisput-
“Hostiles,” a own home.
ably established that
Western, is open- 2017 was the 100th
both of Pulitzer’s parents
ing on Friday, January 5. anniversary of the
were Jewish. However,
In the film, Christian Bale Pulitzer Prizes for
the Joseph Pulitzer bi-
plays a legendary Army excellence in journalism,
ography on the Pulitzer
captain who reluctantly literature, and music. The
Prize website repeated
agrees to escort a dying prizes were established
the now-discredited sto-
Cheyenne war chief and in the will of JOSEPH
ry that Pulitzer’s mother
his family back to tribal PULITZER (1847-1911)
wasn’t Jewish. I worked
lands. During the trip, that also set up scholar-
with a Pulitzer Prize
they come across a ships and an endowment Ben Foster
Board employee and that
young widow (Rosa- that created the Colum-
biography has been cor-
mund Pike) whose family bia University School of
rected — and, tooting my
was murdered. The chief Journalism, which is one
own horn, in its endnotes
and the captain come to of the oldest journalism
the onsite biography of
realize they must work schools in the world and
Pulitzer thanks me.
together during this the only one at an Ivy
This biographical
journey of more than League school.
mistake wasn’t an acci-
1,000 miles — a journey Pulitzer became fa-
dent. During his lifetime,
made more harrowing by mous as the publisher of Harrison Refoua and Alexa Dell
Pulitzer either put out
hostile Comanches and the St. Louis Post-Dis-
this false story about his
vicious outlaws. patch and the New York
mother or went along
BEN FOSTER, 37, World newspapers. His
and very hot actor historical reputation is
uneven: he was a strong
with it. His children were
raised in their mother’s Dell daughter hits ‘save’
TIMOTHEE CHALAMET,
21, have big support- friend of the struggling
Christian faith and ap-
parently even they didn’t
on 12-carat diamond ring
ing roles. Chalamet is working man and an
know their father was Timothée Chalamet ● The engagement of ALEXA DELL, 24, and
nominated for a Golden enemy of government
fully Jewish. Without
Globe for best lead actor corruption. On the other HARRISON REFOUA, 40, was announced last week.
getting too detailed, it is
(drama film) for his per- hand, he sometimes
clear that lying about his It made a splash because Alexa is the daughter of Dell
formance in “Call Me By engaged in what was Computer founder MICHAEL DELL, 52. She further
parentage opened a few
My Name.” (See page 45, called “yellow journal-
doors for Pulitzer and stoked tabloid stories by displaying her 12-carat diamond
“The Tribe at the Golden ism” (slanting facts or
his children that other- engagement ring — it could be worth $3 million.
Globes.”) even inventing stories).
Every January, it He did this to stay ahead
wise might have been Michael Dell started by selling computers out of his
closed. dorm room in college. Dell Computer, founded in 1984,
seems, a new in battles for newspaper
I’ve thought a few
“Insidious” horror film is circulation. soon became the largest PC computer seller in the world,
times that if Pulitzer had
released. “Insidious: The Pulitzer was a house-
been proudly Jewish he and Michael is now estimated to be worth more than $23
Last Key,” the fourth hold name in his day, billion. He and his wife, SUSAN LIEBERMAN DELL,
might have found lasting
installment in the series, but he would be largely 53, have four children, including Alexa. Their many
fame in the American
opens January 5. It stars forgotten today if not for
Jewish community and charitable donations include an $1.8 million donation to
LIN SHAYE, 74, as Dr. the prizes that bear his
name. Years ago, I read
would not be remem- the Israel Defense Forces in 2014 and $36 million for Hur-
Ellice Rainier, whom the bered only for his prizes.
film notes describe as a that Pulitzer, a Hungar- Lin Shaye ricane Harvey relief. (Dell grew up in Houston; he has
He’d be on those lists lived in Austin, Texas, since he was in college.)
“brilliant parapsycholo- ian immigrant, was the
of famous Jews we see
gist.” Dr. Rainier has to son of a Jewish father Refoua, a real estate investor/manager, grew up in Bev-
in Hebrew school. So,
confront her worst and Catholic mother.
there’s some irony in erly Hills. He met Alexa on a blind date set up by friends.
nightmare — the super- Six months ago, a friend I know he’s Jewish and that his family probably are Per-
that.
natural baddies are in her wrote me and asked me sian Jews. –N.B.
–N.B.

Want to read more noshes? Visit facebook.com/jewishstandard California-based Nate Bloom can be reached at
Middleoftheroad1@aol.com

4 JEWISH STANDARD JANUARY 5, 2018


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CMC-27331-17 ChildrensCtr_JewishLife.indd 1 10/27/17 4:28 PM


Local
Sisters remember sisters —
and ‘superstar’ uncle killed in Holocaust
Lois Goldrich

S
isters Rita Lerner and Vivian Reis-
man have quite a story to tell.
It’s a story about family loy-
alty, about a talent so large it
has been recognized by a prestigious
award, and about a young man, only 31,
who was executed in 1944, just one hour
before the liberation of Klooga, a work
camp in Estonia.
The Englewood Cliffs sisters tell the story
of other sisters — one of them was their late
mother, Henia — whose love for their slain
brother, Wolf, lasted throughout their lives.
And they tell the story of Wolf, who was
offered a chance to flee the Vilna ghetto but
stayed because he wouldn’t leave his sisters.
There also is a place in the story for Leon-
ard Bernstein.
Wolf Durmashkin — a brilliant young
musician now being recognized through
an international competition for up-and-
coming composers — “was a musical child
prodigy,” his nieces said. “He began playing
the piano at age 6, was giving piano recitals
by age 7, and became the youngest conduc-
tor and only Jew to conduct the Vilna Sym-
phony Orchestra.
“His sisters were close to him and adored
him,” they added. “He was a superstar in
the family and in the city of Vilna — a very
cultural town.” Wolf Durmashkin, when he was 6 years old.
The Wolf Durmashkin Composition
Awards, to be presented on May 10 in Landsberg, Germany, pianist, composer, conductor, and choir director.” The
and including grants totaling $7,500, was the brainchild of idea came to the group via a journalist who learned Wolf’s
journalist Karla Schönebeck and artist Wolfgang Hauck of story while doing research, and the award is intended to
Landsberg’s sociocultural association dieKunstBauStelle, in “celebrate his legacy with music and the arts, a teaching
cooperation with the University of Music and Performing opportunity for young participants, while honoring those
Arts Munich. Participation is open to young musicians of all lost in the Holocaust.”
nationalities; they must be no older than 35. To truly understand Wolf’s character, we must turn our
Representatives of the cultural organization, which was attention back to Vilna in 1941. It was then that all the Jews
founded in January 2014, got in touch with Ms. Lerner and in the city were forced to move to a ghetto. While Wolf was
Ms. Reisman about a year ago to discuss a program that issued a special dispensation to leave the ghetto to continue
would “honor the legacy and the tragic loss of the brilliant conducting, he nevertheless heeded the pleas of ghetto
leaders to create an orchestra there, to raise morale. His
What: The First Annual Wolf Durmashkin Composition sister Fania performed a Chopin piano concerto at its first
Award will be presented
concert. He also organized a 100-member choral group.
When: On May 10, 2018 “It needed a piano,” Ms. Lerner and Ms. Reisman said.
Where: In Landsberg, Germany “They didn’t have one, so he instructed the people who
The works of the three prizewinners will be premiered were able to leave the ghetto to get one. They smuggled it
on May 10 and events held between May 7 and May 11 in under their clothes, piece by piece. He helped them put
will include a gala reception, a jubilee concert com- it together.”
memorating Leonard Bernstein’s 1948 concert, and the The ghetto musicians were so good that “the Nazis came
screening of “Creating Harmony,” as well as exhibi- in to watch him conduct and listen to the orchestra,” the Sisters Vivian Reisman, left, and Rita Lerner talk
tions, tours, and additional performances. sisters said. about their uncle.
Original compositions, a maximum of 10 minutes long, When the Vilna Ghetto was liquidated in 1943, the siblings
can be submitted until January 10, including vocals were sent to Klooga, while their parents, Akiva — head cantor labor and concentration camps, told them. “He was a bril-
and instrumentals, with up to five musicians. For reg-
at a Vilna synagogue and composer of liturgical music — and liant, nice, handsome, wonderful guy,” they said. “Because
istration, go to http://wdc-award.org/en/registration-
Sheina, were taken to the Ponary forest and killed. he could go in and out of the ghetto, he had non-Jewish friends
form/ ; submit completed form and portrait to compe-
tition@wdc-award.org. It was then that the music stopped. who wanted to save him.
His nieces remember stories their mother and aunt, who “But he wouldn’t leave his sisters.”
For more information: go to www.wdc-award.org.
were able to survive the war despite being interned in several See Sisters page 8

6 Jewish Standard JANUARY 5, 2018


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Jewish Standard JANUARY 5, 2018 7


Local

He began playing the piano at age 6,


was giving piano recitals by age 7, and
became the youngest conductor and
only Jew to conduct the Vilna
Symphony Orchestra.
Sisters she married Max Beker, who had played
from page 6 violin in the concentration camp orchestra,
The Englewood Cliffs sisters’ mother, and they had a daughter, Sonia. (Henia and
Henia, was trained in opera before the war. Simon Gurko had three children; their son,
It is here that the family’s connection to com- Abe, lives in Los Angeles.)
poser/conductor Leonard Bernstein begins. Still, Bernstein did help one of the orches-
“My mother was a singer, and Leonard came tra members, David Arben, getting him a
to Germany to conduct the Philharmonic,” scholarship at the Curtis Institute of Music
Ms. Lerner said. “He wanted to work with in Philadelphia; later he became the first
the ex-concentration camp orchestra and got violinist in the Philadelphia Philharmonic
special permission from the government” to Orchestra. “Many people don’t know about
conduct concerts in the DP camps. Bernstein’s association with survivors,” Ms.
Both Henia and her sister, Fania, per- Reisman said.
formed with the Displaced Persons’ Orches- The sisters both are active in making sure Concentration camp orchestra members wear their striped uniforms.
tra, which Bernstein ultimately led in three that the Holocaust’s survivors and their chil-
concerts, in Munich, Landsberg, and Feldaf- dren are cared for, and that the Holocaust’s in lower Manhattan. presented with a concentration camp uni-
ing. On May 10, 2018, as part of the Landsberg lessons are not forgotten. Ms. Reisman is a They are eager for people to learn about form. He said he went back to his room and
event honoring Durmashkin, a jubilee con- member of what she says is the country’s Bernstein’s efforts and they hope that many cried his eyes out.”
cert will commemorate Bernstein’s May 10, oldest group for children of survivors; it will attend the events planned this year Ms. Reisman and Ms. Lerner both have
1948, performance. That’s when he accom- does not have a formal name but it is now by the Leonard Bernstein Foundation as a three children but different musical talents.
panied Henia on the piano. The concert will in its 38th year. Ms. Lerner is on the board world-wide celebration of his 100th birthday. Ms. Reisman is a talented pianist who went
feature Mark Mast, conductor of the Bavar- of trustees of the Museum of Jewish Heri- “Bernstein went from camp to camp,” the sis- to Julliard. But “I took after my father,” Ms.
ian Philharmonic Orchestra and a former stu- tage — A Living Memorial to the Holocaust ters said. “After one of the concerts, he was Lerner said. “I clap.”
dent of Bernstein’s.
That same evening, “Creating Harmony,” a
film about the Displaced Persons Orchestra of
St. Ottilien, will be screened. The documen-
tary, which premiered in 2007 at New York
City’s Museum of Jewish Heritage — A Living
Memorial to the Holocaust, features both
Henia and Fania.
His nieces often wonder what their uncle
might have become had he survived. “Who
knows what somebody that talented could
have accomplished?” they asked. “He was
destroyed at the height of his promise.” As for
Henia, “who trained with one of the top voice
teachers to be a coloratura — because of her
experiences in the ghetto, she lost the oper-
atic part of her voice,” they said. “When she
came here, Bernstein wanted to help her, but
she got married and had kids.” Henia came
to the United States in 1949; she met her hus-
band, Simon Gurko, on the boat crossing the
Atlantic, bringing them both to their new
lives. Fania also came to the United States; The concentration camp orchestra played together after liberation.

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8 Jewish Standard JANUARY 5, 2018


Because Alzheimer’s
touches the

An Evening with Author Gordon Korman


January 17, 2018, 6:30 p.m.
Harmony Village Paramus
189 Paramus Road, Paramus, NJ

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JEWISH STANDARD JANUARY 5, 2018 9


Local

Bedside science
Volunteers bring the joys of experimenting to learn how things work to kids in hospitals
Abigail Klein Leichman it. Within 12 hours of publicizing our

Y
recruitment drive, we had 30 people
osefa Schoor Silber had no interested,” Ms. Bravman said. The Frisch
intention of establishing an School graduate is creating a schedule
international not-for-profit with Harlem Hospital’s child-life special-
organization when she started ists and training the volunteers how to do
visiting hospitalized New York children the science experiments.
during her sophomore year at Yeshiva Uni- A “hospital leader” on each participat-
versity’s Stern College for Women. ing campus is in charge of creating the
But when she recognized a need, she curriculum of simple science experi-
decided to fill it. ments and ordering, storing, and dis-
Now, just over four years later, TEACH tributing the materials for the modules,
(Together Educating All Children in Hos- which generally are geared to children
pitals) boasts about 750 volunteer under- between 8 and 15 years old. TEACH
graduate and graduate students in the always coordinates with each hospital’s
United States and Israel, mostly biology or child-life specialist.
chemistry majors and medical students. Isaac Snyder, now TEACH’s execu-
They bring hands-on bedside science tive director and president, started out
activities to children in 14 hospitals and as a volunteer while he was a student
medical centers, including two in Israel. in Yeshiva University. “My first module
In the last year alone, more than 75 “mod- was at Downstate Medical Center, and I
ules,” as TEACH refers to the science Some of the TEACH team gathers outside New York-Presbyterian Morgan had one patient who’d tried to run away
experiments, have brought smiles to about Stanley Children’s Hospital, part of the Columbia University Medical Center, in from the hospital,” Mr. Snyder said. “He
550 children. Manhattan.  Courtesy TEACH not only loved the module I brought but
“I didn’t feel the children were stimu- didn’t let the staff take the experiment
lated enough, and I saw we could provide They began TEACH at the Children’s up to volunteer with TEACH for a variety from his bedside.
so much more for them from our true love Hospital at Montefiore in the Bronx. They of reasons. “Some want the experience of “That experience made me want to go
of science,” Ms. Silber said. She grew up in started with two modules, which they working in a hospital, others love the joy into healthcare and try to help the orga-
West Hempstead in Rockland County and called Chemistry Lava Lamps and Phys- of teaching and want the opportunity to nization expand. I graduated from YU
now is a third-year medical student at Albert ics of Roller Coasters. do more, yet others want to be a part of a last May and now I’ve applied to medical
Einstein College of Medicine in the Bronx. “Each time, a handful of students from program that will look good on their CV,” school.”
As it turns out, at around the same time Yeshiva would enter the hospital with two he said. “Regardless of their initial moti- When volunteers bring TEACH mod-
Yeshiva University senior Yair Saperstein bags of supplies in hand, and tons of good vation, our volunteers come to intrinsi- ules to the pediatric ward, they begin by
of Cedarhurst, N.Y., had a similar notion. intention and desire to help,” Ms. Silber cally love TEACH and to want to partici- introducing themselves, explaining what
Once the two students connected, they said. “Our only goal was to engage as many pate more, and this fuels its popularity.” school they’re from, and detailing what
honed their plan and presented it to the patients and patient siblings as we could Amy Bravman, a Barnard senior from the science project will entail.
dean of Einstein, Dr. Edward Burns. He find. The founders had no idea of the Fair Lawn, volunteered to serve as the “They ask some interactive questions,
was more than enthusiastic. exponential growth TEACH would see.” Columbia liaison with Harlem Hospital. like ‘Do you think yeast and sugar will
“He said, ‘Let’s make it happen,’ and In a little more than a year, TEACH She recruited a new batch of underclass- blow up a balloon?’ Most kids say no,
he handed us a check to pay for the first had expanded to nine hospitals in the men this semester for monthly visits to although if you ever made challah you
modules,” Ms. Silber recalled. New York/New Jersey area. Current vol- begin in the spring semester. know it will,” Mr. Snyder said.
unteers include residents of Englewood, “People seem really excited about Each interaction lasts between 45
Teaneck, Fair Lawn, Bergenfield, and
Glen Rock.
The biggest core group remains
Yeshiva University students, but the
program now encompasses 22 hospitals
in five states. Not all the student volun-
teers are Jewish.
“To many of the volunteers, TEACH
is seen as a Jewish program, a ‘tikkum
olam’ of sorts, a way of giving to the
community,” said Dr. Saperstein, an Ein-
stein graduate.
“Indeed, the founders, directors, the
initial benefactor, and many of the vol-
unteers past and present are Jewish,” he
continued. “However, to my knowledge,
our patients and their parents view
TEACH through a social-justice lens, not
necessarily as a Jewish program. This
duality works well. We are not exclu-
The lava lamps module uses water, sionary toward Jews, yet the program
oil, food coloring, and Alka Seltzer to fulfills our Jewish value of giving to the In the bridge building module, children make different structures out of tooth-
build bottle lava lamps, similar to the community.” picks and Styrofoam balls or gumdrops and test the structures with weights.
ones popular in the 1970s. Dr. Saperstein said that students sign They’re looking to learn which structures can support the most weight.

10 Jewish Standard JANUARY 5, 2018


Local More than 412,000 likes.
Electrical
Like us on Facebook. Plumbing
and
All Home
Repairs
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minutes and two hours, depending on the hospi-
tal, the children’s condition, and their ages. “We
have to tailor the program to each hospital and its
rules,” Mr. Snyder explained. “In some hospitals
we work one-on-one, in some hospitals we work
in groups in a playroom or even in an ER, and in
other hospitals we work both in a playroom as well
as at bedside.”
“One of the challenges of TEACH is that the age
range in any pediatric ward is from toddlers to
teens,” Ms. Silber added.
Are you a social worker at heart?
TEACH’s leaders often receive letters of gratitude.
“I’d like to compliment the incredible program
which you have and for sending your volunteer,” a
Earn your master’s degree of social work at Touro College and join a
parent wrote. “She was pure joy from the moment community of passionate, capable and committed aspiring professionals.
At the Touro Graduate School of Social Work, we combine our greatest
strengths with a stellar clinical education to perfect our practice
“Your first visit to our and serve our communities.
Pediatric Unit on
November 3, 2017
was an incredible
success. I was so very ASK US ABOUT OUR NEW CLINICAL SCHOLARSHIPS!
happy to meet you
all and even more
impressed at how
prepared your
TEACH group was
for this hospital visit.”
VIVIAN ALESTRA

she walked in. So patient, kind, and loving. The


time spent with her, my child felt like a kid with
a friend for the first time in a while. We are thank-
fully out of the hospital but still speak of her and
her exciting science projects.”
Vivian Alestra, a child-life specialist at Staten A FEW MORE SPACES AVAILABLE FOR SPRING ‘18. APPLY NOW!
Island University Hospital, wrote: “Your first visit
to our Pediatric Unit on November 3, 2017 was an
incredible success. I was so very happy to meet
you all and even more impressed at how prepared
your TEACH group was for this hospital visit. We
had been expecting a Lava Lamp activity/experi-
ment but also got an awesome Salt Painting activ-
ity/experiment as well. The children were so very

excited, happy and engaged at every turn. … I am


glad that I decided to go with your group and hope
to have a continued visiting schedule with TEACH
NEED MORE INFORMATION?
to our hospital’s Pediatric Unit.” Contact peter.stewart@touro.edu or 212.463.0400 ext.5376
In its early years, TEACH was funded by Ein- for more info and for an application fee waiver code.
stein’s Community Based Service Learning depart- Visit gssw.touro.edu to learn more Dean Steven Huberman
ment. In its second year of operation, it received a
grant from Neal’s Fund, Yeshiva University’s social
entrepreneurship fund providing micro-grants for
student charity-based startups.
TEACH now receives an annual grant from the
Englewood-based Atran Foundation. Some of the
medical schools support its branches, and the rest
of the organization’s budget comes from participat-
ing hospitals, donations, and other grants.

Jewish standard JanUarY 5, 2018 11


Local

Remembering Dr. King and Rabbi Heschel


Rabbi Gerald Zelizer details memories of both men at Emanu-El in Closter
JOANNE PALMER 1929, is set for the third Monday in Janu-

M
ary. Rabbi Heschel was born on January
any of us have seen the 11, 1907, and died on December 23, 1972,
iconic image of a line of be- at 65. His yarzheit often falls in early to
leied marchers, centered mid-January, right around MLK Day. Syn-
on three men — Dr. Mar- agogues around the country often mark
tin Luther King Jr., young, mustachioed, the two days and remember the two men
resolute, then Dr. Ralph Bunche, square- together.
jawed, handsome, and less well-known Dr. King spoke to the Conservative rab-
than the other two, despite being a Pulit- bis and leaders to honor Rabbi Heschel,
zer Prize winner, and then Rabbi Abra- Rabbi Zelizer said, but what he said was
ham Joshua Heschel, wild-haired, wild- “controversial — far more controversial
bearded, bespectacled, bereted. than we remember in retrospect.” It was
It’s a picture of the march on Selma, couched in a style that was both mes-
Alabama, in 1964, a pivotal moment in the merizing and profoundly unfamiliar to
civil rights movement, and a time when them — rabbinic homiletics, a subject that
blacks and Jews could link arms, as they Rabbi Zelizer taught at the seminary for
did there, and move forward together. about seven years — does not resemble
Gerald Zelizer, rabbi emeritus of Neve black Baptist teaching (and in fact rarely
Shalom in Metuchen, was a is called mesmerizing). But
young man then. He was not even beyond the style, Dr.
at the march in Selma, but King, “who called himself a
Rabbi Heschel was among his Negro, who was in his own
teachers at the Jewish Theo- words a Negro, coming to Dr. Martin Luther King, center, is flanked by Rev. Ralph Abernathy, left,
logical Seminary, where he speak to Jews, to rabbis, in Dr. Ralph Bunche, and Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel at the 1964 march in
was ordained, and Dr. King a time of tension between Selma, Alabama.
spoke at that ordination. the two communities — he
Rabbi Zelizer heard Dr. didn’t come to talk about a synagogue in Bexley, in suburban Colum- the Jewish community there in 1958, and
King speak again, at a Rab- the tension, he came to bus, Ohio, for 40 years. “Together, we’ve who had succeeded hugely. Rabbi Meyer
binical Assembly conven- honor Rabbi Heschel, but been Conservative rabbis for more than founded Comunidad Bet El, became a bul-
tion at the Concord Hotel Rabbi Gerald Zelizer the way he addressed the 100 years,” Gerald Zelizer said. He was wark for democracy and the fight for free-
in Kiamesha Lake in the Jewish/black conflict, he president of the Rabbinical Association dom when the junta took over Argentina,
Catskills, in 1968. Dr. King was there, as leapfrogged across the particular black from 1992 to 1994, and international presi- and left the country, his work completed,
he had been at the ordination at JTS, at civil rights message in that speech,” to dent of its then huge and booming youth in 1984, to oversee the revitalization of
the behest of his friend Rabbi Heschel. make it more universal, Rabbi Zelizer said. movement, USY, in the mid 1950s. Congregation B’nai Jeshurun on Manhat-
Ten days later, Dr. King was assassinated. “His speech at the RA convention tran- (His Ohio background is clear in Rabbi tan’s Upper West Side.
Rabbi Zelizer will talk about his mem- scended black issues and went to a differ- Zelizer’s voice; when he talks about South- When he got to Argentina, two weeks
ories of both men, and about the radi- ent place, and we were all scooped into it,” ern Baptists, they become Babtist, in true after he got the assignment, Rabbi Zelizer
cal content of Dr. King’s talk, to mark he added. Southern Babtist style. “That’s how they certainly was not fluent in Spanish, but he
Dr. Martin Luther King Day at Temple “Before that, I had never heard a say ‘Baptist’ in Ohio,” he explained.) used that two weeks to study the grammar
Emanu-El of Closter. (See box.) black Baptist minister speak,” he said. After he was ordained, Rabbi Zelizer intensively. He knew many verbs because
Rabbi Zelizer will talk about the rela- “He sounded exactly as he sounds on all found himself faced with a dilemma. “The he knew how to conjugate them. “I knew
tionships between the two men, and the recordings, so you all know what he requirement in 1964, when I graduated, I could learn the vocabulary once I got
about its implications, he said. First, he’ll sounds like now — but we didn’t know was that if you passed the physical exam there,” he said.
explore why Dr. King and Rabbi Heschel that then. — and this was true for Reform, Conserva- He met Viviana Rotman there; the
bonded. “They were an odd couple,” “We all sat with our mouths agape.” tive, and Orthodox rabbis — you had had granddaughter of Parisian Jews, fluent in
he said. “They were different in back- Given the young rabbis’ fascination with to be a chaplain in the armed forces,” he many languages, she was his simultane-
ground, in religion, in ethnicity, in age. Dr. King’s style, and given that they all said. It was the beginning of the Vietnam ous translator. Soon, they fell in love. Now
So what did they bond on? were still trying out their own styles, did War, and the draft was in effect. she’s Dr. Viviana Rotman Zelizer, the Lloyd
“They both faced resistance from within any of them try to imitate Dr. King’s? “No,” “I passed the physical, and I was Cotsen Professor of Sociology at Princ-
their own religious communities. Why? Rabbi Zelizer said firmly. “If we’d tried, it assigned to become a prison chaplain in eton, where she focuses on “the cultural
And what was that resistance about? would have been…” He hesitated, search- Japan,” he said. “I was single, the prison implications of money,” Rabbi Zelizer said.
“And what are the practical implications ing for the right word. “Nerdy,” he said. “It was 150 miles from Tokyo, it was a mili- She is a sociologist, not an economist, but
of their common legacy for us, in syna- would have been nerdy.” tary prison, and there were 1,000 prison- she works with economics on the margin
gogues, in 2018? What are the risks?” Rabbi Zelizer, who retired from Neve ers. Twenty of them were Jews.” where the two fields come together.
There is another connection between Shalom in 2015 after 45 years as its spiri- To understate, he was not pleased. They have one son, the historian Dr.
Dr. King and Rabbi Heschel. Dr. King was tual leader, came to the Conservative (And his being single was relevant Julian Zelizer, the Malcolm Forbes professor
murdered when he was 39; the national bimah naturally. His father, Nathan Zel- because it was not a state in which he of history and public affairs at Princeton, a
holiday that marks his birth on January 15, izer, another Conservative rabbi, headed planned to continue. He wanted to meet frequent commentator who talks about cur-
someone and get married.) rent events on many television shows.
Who: Rabbi Gerald Zelizer He despaired, but “The seminary said, The Drs. Zelizer, mother and son, are
What: Will be scholar in residence ‘Listen, Zelizer, we know this is not what the only such tenured pair in Princeton’s
you want to do. So learn Spanish, and we centuries-long history.
Where: At Temple Emanu-El of Closter, 180 Piermont Road
will send you to Argentina.’” But back to Argentina, for Rabbi Zelizer
When: At Shabbat morning services on January 13, beginning at 9:30 The job was to be the assistant to Rabbi — whose dependence on his then-fiancée’s
Why: To talk about the legacies of Dr. King and Rabbi Heschel Marshall Meyer, the Conservative rabbi interpretation soon lessened as he learned
For more information: Call (201) 750-9972 or go to templeemanu-el.com who had gone to Buenos Aires to build up SEE DR. KING PAGE 26

12 JEWISH STANDARD JANUARY 5, 2018


JEWISH STANDARD JANUARY 5, 2018 13
Local

Arrest made in Mahwah eruv vandalism


Montvale seeks settlement; Upper Saddle River poised to appear in court
LARRY YUDELSON came in response to chasidic Jews appar-

I
ently from nearby towns across the state Through investigative work
t was a good week for the Rock-
land County eruv’s expansion
line in Mahwah’s parks. Township police
did not enforce the ordinance, declaring
and a database search
into North Jersey, which has been it to be unconstitutional discrimination, the registered owner of the
blocked by the towns of Upper Sad-
dle River, Mahwah, and Montvale.
and it sparked a multimillion dollar law-
suit from the state attorney general.
vehicle was identified.
POLICE CHIEF JAMES BATELLI
The town of Montvale reportedly is Shortly before the council met, the
negotiating with the eruv’s organizers to Mahwah police department announced
settle the lawsuit it brought against the that it had arrested Marcello Allegra, 49, identified,” Police Chief James Batelli said Mr. Batelli said.
town for barring the eruv. Montvale’s for vandalizing the eruv by removing a in a statement. Mr. Allegra was released by police. His
Mayor Mike Ghassali told the Bergen plastic pipe from a telephone pole on Air- The owner of the vehicle appeared to court date is Tuesday, January 9.
Record that the town is seeking a “mutu- mont Avenue in September. Mr. Allegra be the woman seen standing to the side As it happens, on that same Tuesday,
ally acceptable plan.” The two sides filed owns a house on Airmont Avenue near in the photograph. That woman, whom there will be another court hearing about
in court to postpone Montvale’s response the telephone pole. Someone driving the police did not identify, gave conflict- the eruv, this one in the Newark court-
to the lawsuit for another month. by had taken a photograph of the van- ing accounts to investigators. room of Judge John Michael Vazquez.
In Mahwah, the township council dal at work; the photo included a car, its Mr. Allegra was charged with one That hearing will feature oral arguments
voted Thursday night to repeal an ordi- license plate partially visible. “Through count of criminal mischief. There was about the eruv association’s request for
nance that barred out-of-state visitors investigative work and a database search insufficient evidence of biased motiva- an injunction barring Upper Saddle River
from using its parks. That ordinance the registered owner of the vehicle was tion to charge him with a hate crime, from removing the eruv.

Surmounting challenges with yoga


Teaneck mother tells her story of overcoming problems through mindfulness
BANJI GANCHROW me through this journey. things, but the things we can control are

E
“We found an amazing residential how we respond to the cards we are dealt.”
veryone has a story. program that eliminated almost all of Yoga, which she discovered before she
Some are stories of joy, oth- his behaviors, but he is still not very was diagnosed, has been an important
ers are stories of struggles and verbal, and it’s a painful thing to watch and healing part of her life.
sadness. The best stories are as a parent.” Ms. Jacob’s Instagram page is titled
the ones about people who take their Moshe now lives at a residential Small Shifts Yoga because, she said, “I
struggles and turn them into success — school in Boston called the New Eng- realized all you need is a small shift in
into stories of healing and strength. land Center for Children. “As a side movement or mindset to make a highly
When someone asks, “How are you note,” Ms. Jacob said, “he has daily yoga impactful change, which is the essence
today?” and that person’s day has been practice at school.” of yoga.” The page started as a “picture
filled with challenges and heartbreaks, Dasi and her husband, Danny, have journal,” but with the encouragement of
some people answer, “My day was the four children; Benny, now 17, is a senior some friends, she turned it into more of
worst,” but other people answer with “I at Yeshiva University High School for a public, open journal, where she shares
am blessed.” Those are the people we can Boys; her 8-year-old daughter, Adina, and encouragement.
learn from, and grow from. her 6-year-old son, Sammy, both are at “Yoga helps me stay in the present,
It seems that some of these people — Rosenbaum Yeshiva of North Jersey. keeps anxiety and depression at bay, and
the ones who have taken their struggles Ms. Jacob’s story did not start on an keeps my body strong, healthy, and flex-
and turned them into something positive upward trajectory then either. “Five ible,” she said. “It helps slow down my
— have turned to yoga for healing, first to months after Moshe started school, I gave reactions to the challenges that inevita-
heal themselves and then to heal others. birth to my youngest child and was diag- bly arise.
Dasi Jacob of Teaneck is one of those Dasi Jacob of Teaneck credits yoga nosed with leukemia,” she said. “I was “I first discovered yoga as part of a fit-
people. with helping her reframe thoughts, still in the maternity ward. ness routine at the gym, I was attracted
This mother of four has taken the stay centered, and develop positive “Many treatments later, I am, thank to the physical benefits, and I quickly got
seemingly insurmountable challenges attitudes. ABBIE SOPHIA God, ‘cured,’ and living life. Surviving hooked on the emotional benefits. The
in her life and has turned them into les- cancer gives great perspective in not tak- decreased anxiety is a great remedy on
sons that help others, through yoga and making it even harder for many people ing anything in life for granted.” It also days when depression hits.
mindfulness. to comprehend,” Ms. Jacob said. “The gives her “gratitude, for all of the little “It’s good for just redirecting myself
Ms. Jacob’s journey began when her first 13 years of Moshe’s life were spent things,” she said. back into the moment.”
oldest child, Moshe, who is now 19, in major self-injurious behaviors.” “I share this all in an attempt to break When she was diagnosed with leukemia,
was diagnosed with autism. He was It was hard on the whole family. “I through the misguided perception of per- yoga was her saving grace. “I practiced in
just 18 months old then. Ms. Jacob also didn’t really live,” Ms. Jacob said. “I suf- fection we see on social media,” Ms. Jacob between rounds of chemo, when the anxi-
had a three-month-old, Benny, at the fered through major depression and continued. “Life throws us many curve- ety about relapse mounted,” she said. “It
time of this diagnosis. “Autism comes forced isolation. Thank God for my balls and it is about how you come out at helped me regain focus, build strength and
in so many different shapes and sizes, incredibly supportive friends who helped the end. We have no control over many get endorphins in a safe way.”

14 JEWISH STANDARD JANUARY 5, 2018


Local
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JEWISH STANDARD JANUARY 5, 2018 15
Briefly Local

Sinai Schools dinner


set for February 25
Sinai Schools will hold its annual benefit who is a Sinai alumnus and the star of From left, Rabbi Michael
dinner on Sunday, February 25, at the this year’s feature documentary; Law- Gurkov of Chabad of
Teaneck Marriott at Glenpointe Hotel. rence R. Inserra, Jr., the Inserra fam- Wayne, Wayne’s Mayor
Christopher Vergano,
The evening begins with a buffet dinner ily, and Inserra Supermarkets, Inc., will
Rabbi Randall Mark
at 4:45 p.m.; the program begins at 6:30. receive the Community Partnership
of Shomrei Torah, and
Funds raised benefit children who need award. There also will be a special trib-
Rabbi Meeka Simerly of
a special education, regardless of their ute in memory of Jacob Weinstein, Sinai’s
Temple Beth Tikvah.
financial circumstances. beloved associate director.
COURTESY MAYOR
The honorees are Ruthie and Chazan For more information, go to www. CHRIS VERGANO
Shim Craimer, Amy and Dr. Joshua Fogel- sinaidinner.org/ts or call (201) 833-1134,
man, Drs. Perla and Gerardo Yablonov- ext. 105.
ich, Shimmy Stein, and Yaakov Guttman,

Wayne’s leaders unite for Chanukah


The three rabbis who work in Wayne — from the Union of Reform Judaism Press.
Chabad, Conservative, and Reform — and Rabbi Randall Mark introduced the group
its mayor created a contemporary miracle to “Questions and Answers” from the Con-
outside the Wayne Township Municipal servative movement’s Rabbinical Assem-
Building at a community menorah light- bly, and Rabbi Michael Gurkov brought
ing last month. discussions and arguments from in the
The three rabbis have been meeting Gemara to the table. Together, they have
once a month to study together. For exam- been learning and expanding their hori-
ple, Rabbi Meeka Simerly presented the zons, while acknowledging similarities and
weekly Torah portion from a female per- appreciating differences.
spective, using “A Women’s Commentary”

On the George Washington Bridge, from left, Ken Sagrestano, deputy man-
ager, GW Bridge & Bus Terminal; Mendel Kanelsky; Bob Durando, general
manager, GW Bridge & Bus Station; Stan and Yelena Gutkin, menorah co-
sponsors; Bonnie Srolovits and Michael Berkowicz, menorah designers; Rabbi
Mordechai and Shterney Kanelsky, Bris Avrohom executive and associate
director; their grandson Mendel; their son Zalmy; and menorah co-sponsors
Vlad and Tanya German and family. COURTESY BRIS AVROHOM

125 menorahs with 25 million viewers


This year, Bris Avrohom placed 125 and at New Jersey Transit’s New York
menorahs in such places as in five local Penn Station terminal. In addition, more
airports, all the Port Authority New York than 10,000 bilingual brochures were
and New Jersey crossings, at the 42nd distributed, along with 3,000 donuts,
Street and George Washington Bridge and hundreds of Chanukah kits with
bus terminals, at more than a dozen city menorahs, candles, and dreidels. Front row, from left, Helen Levine and Janice Rosen. Michael Green, Bob Levine,
halls, at Jersey Gardens Mall in Elizabeth, Gerald Rosen, Charles Shain, and Jocelyn Inglis, JNF’s northern New Jersey
director, are in the back. GERALD BERNSTEIN

Area JNF event honors founders, awardees


Keep us informed The Jewish National Fund held its 50th
annual reception in Teaneck on December
Commendations award. Circle of Excel-
lence awardees were Karen Shawn and
We welcome photos of community events. Photos must be high resolution jpg files. Please include a detailed
caption and a daytime telephone. Mailed photos will only be returned with a self-addressed stamped enve- 11 at Congregation Beth Sholom in Teaneck. Keith Breiman, Ellen and Richard Gertler,
lope. Not every photo will be published.
The evening continued JNF’s historic mis- Janice and Norman Levin, and Marcia
PR@jewishmediagroup.com
NJ Jewish Media Group sion of supporting and enabling new proj- Eagle and Melvin Reichman.
1086 Teaneck Rd., Teaneck, NJ 07666
(201) 837-8818 x 110
ects in Israel, including reservoirs, parks, Russell Robinson, JNF’s CEO, was
and the Sapir clinic in the Arava. the guest speaker. “The event honored
Teaneck JNF’s founding members, Teaneck’s founding committee members,
Helen and Robert Levine, Janice and Ger- who have recognized local residents who
ald Rosen, and Charles Shain were hon- have been JNF supporters, from rabbis to
ored, and they all were given the New community leaders to local merchants,”
Jersey General Assembly Citations and he said.

16 JEWISH STANDARD JANUARY 5, 2018


Briefly Local

PHOTOS COURTESY LOTP

COURTESY SHOMREI TORAH


Limor and Moshe Alfassi Deborah and Ariel Cohen Taly and Eyal Reggev

LOTP celebrates gala this weekend Packing to help


Lubavitch on the Palisades will hold its and Ariel Cohen, and Taly and Eyal eighth-grade class of its school, Tenafly
22nd annual gala dinner and Chinese Reggev will be honored for their gen- Chabad Academy at LPS. To make res- Wayne’s Shomrei Torah religious school
auction at the Rockleigh on January 7 at erosity and support. The dinner, called ervations for the dinner, to place an ad students packed snacks and toiletries for
6 p.m. An ad journal will be published in “The Small Has Become Great,” cel- in the journal, and/or take part in the CUMAC, a nonprofit organization dedi-
conjunction with the event. ebrates a milestone for Lubavitch on Chinese auction, go to www.chabad- cated to feeding people and changing
Limor and Moshe Alfassi, Deborah the Palisades — the first graduating lubavitch.org/dinner. lives for those in need in Paterson, Passaic
County, and northern New Jersey.

NCJW organizes snack-packing Temple Israel & JCC will host


for distribution to local schools program on disability awareness
At its next general meeting on Jan- Temple Israel & Jewish Community Cen-
uary 16, members of the Bergen ter in Ridgewood will host a program
County section of the National about disabilities awareness on Satur-
Council of Jewish Women will pack day, January 20, at noon, after Shabbat
1,000 child-friendly, healthy goody services. The program, which is free and
bags to be donated to the Center open to the public, will be a panel dis-
for Food Action for distribution. cussion focusing on available services in
This is double the number of snack Bergen County to people with all kinds
packs they filled last year. The meet- of disabilities. Guest speakers will be
ing will be at Temple Emeth, 1666 Shelby Klein, LSW, president and CEO of
Windsor Road in Teaneck, at 12:30 the Adler Aphasia Center in Maywood, Shelby Klein James Thebery
p.m.; volunteers are welcome. and James Thebery, MA, CSW, director
The Center for Food Action will of the Bergen County Office of Disability Division on Disability Services since 1994,
distribute the snack packs to chil- Services. The discussion will be facilitated has been involved in self-advocacy for
dren in eight local elementary by congregant Paul Aronsohn, a former many years and continues in his pursuit of
schools. The teachers discreetly Ridgewood mayor. equality and opportunity for all individu-
place the packs into the students’ Through her work at the Adler Aphasia als with disabilities, having created many
backpacks when they are out of the Center, Ms. Klein is committed to ensuring local and statewide campaigns to support
classrooms. Snack packs include that holistic services are offered to provide this endeavor. He has been recognized
juices, mac and cheese, cereals, Packing snacks last year. COURTESY NCJW communication access for people living many times for his leadership and work to
ener�y bars, and other healthy with aphasia and their families. Ms. Klein improve accessibility and inclusion in aca-
foods. Many children who receive free or reduced-price school meals are hungry on is on the boards of two New Jersey-based demic, workplace, and public settings, and
weekends, and the weekend snack packs are part of an effort to reduce childhood non-profits and recently was appointed to houses of worship. He is on many state
hunger in local neighborhoods. the Mike Adler Aphasia Task Force. Apha- and local advisory commissions, includ-
For more information, email office@ncjwbcs.org or call (201) 385-4847. sia is an acquired language disorder due to ing the Workforce Investment Board and
a stroke or other brain injury, significantly NJ Buddies board of trustees.
impairing a person’s speech or language. For more information, call (201) 444-
Students hear guest lecturer Mr. Thebery, who has worked in the 9320 or go to www.synagogue.org.

Dr. Amy Rosen, a guest


lecturer at the Bergen
County High School
of Jewish Studies, dis- Rabbi’s wife will address
cussed medical ethics
in the school’s “You Suffern Chabad program on ALS
Be the Judge” class. Dina Hurwitz, whose husband, Rabbi Yitzi is 95 percent paralyzed and no longer able
Among the issues Hurwitz, was diagnosed with ALS in 2015, to speak or breathe on his own. Before his
raised was a case of two is the guest speaker on Monday, January 8, diagnosis, he, his wife, and their seven
siblings quarreling over at 7:30 p.m., at the Chabad Jewish Center children were Chabad emissaries in Cali-
whether their mother, of Suffern, 350 Haverstraw Rd. in Monte- fornia for 14 years. The program is spon-
who had suffered a bello, N.Y. sored by Suzanne Lippe and family in
massive stroke and was Dr. Amy Rosen COURTESY BCHSJS The program is called “Hope and Inspi- memory of Dr. Michael S. Lippe.
on a ventilator, should ration — Seeing God in the Silver Lining.” For more information, go to www.
be resuscitated if she were to suffer any irreversible complications. Dr. Roth is the “Rabbi Yitzi” as he is affectionately known, JewishSuffern.com/hope.
mother of two BCHSJS students.

JEWISH STANDARD JANUARY 5, 2018 17


Cover Story

Yavneh turns
Paramus school celebrates its history as parents
and administrators remember where they’ve been 75

Above left, 427 11th Ave. in Paterson was


Yavneh’s home from 1943 to 1945. Above right,
the class of 1946. Below, the school today.

18 Jewish standard JanUarY 5, 2018


Cover Story

S
Joanne Palmer

uccessful institutions seem


like they’ve always been
there, since the beginning
of time.
It’s somehow wrenching
to think of a school that
seems so firmly a part of
the landscape as once having been brand-
new, a tiny creation, made of hope and
connection and door-to-door student
solicitation, put together in a small space
above a deli.
But the Yavneh Academy in Paramus
hasn’t always been there. It’s 75 years old,
and is celebrating its origins this year.
It wasn’t created in a vacuum, of course
— nothing is. The school’s history is part of
the history of the modern Orthodox Jew-
ish community in northern New Jersey,
as it grew from its immigrant roots in the
region’s small, separate working-class cit-
ies to merge into the large, complicated,
vibrant world it is today.
Yavneh is a prominent, brightly colored
strand in that tapestry.
But Yavneh also is a school made
of smaller, more intimate, personal Rabbi Jonathan Knapp, the head of school, looks on as students work.
moments.
Pamela Scheininger of Teaneck has seen Knapp, who is now the school’s head. and outside the Jewish community, giving It was of course hard for people in
some of them. Today, she is the president “When I went to meet with him, he his name (as well as large sums of money) Paterson to afford day school. It was on
of the school’s board of directors and the wasn’t there,” she said. “He wasn’t in his to both Barnert Hospital and Barnert the whole not a wealthy town, and pub-
mother of one Yavneh graduate and three office, and they told me to look for him in Temple. But unlike Jersey City, in Hudson lic school is free. “But no one should be
Yavneh students — a 10th, eighth, and first the lunchroom. So I went to the lunchroom, County, which had a day school, and cer- turned away for finances; they weren’t
grader. But 12 years ago, she was just the and he was standing there, and he said ‘Give tainly unlike New York City, which had then and they still aren’t now,” Rabbi
mother of a prospective student. me a minute, please. I like to spend some many, Paterson had only Talmud Torahs, Knapp said. “Admission was and remains
She was school shopping then, Ms. time in here every day, to see who is talking where children would go after school. Basi- need-blind.”
Scheininger remembers, so she made an to who, who is sitting with who, how they cally, the Talmud Torah was Like many new schools,
appointment to talk to Rabbi Jonathan are interacting with each other, to see who the precursor of today’s Yavneh started with just
is smiling and who is not.’” Hebrew schools. These Jew- a kindergarten, and then
And she watched him watch the kids, ish leaders thought it was added grades until it reached
seeing them as whole children, hoping to not enough. the eighth, when it stopped;
educate them as people and as Jews as well “So to ensure the future along the way it also added
as students. of the Jewish community, preschool classes.
It is that level of personal concern a group of 18 people — not Jerry Rubinowitz, who
that makes the school what it is, Ms. couples, 18 individual peo- now lives in Little Falls but
Scheininger said. It is teachers and admin- ple — who really thought then was in Paterson, was
istrators and even the head of school that something more was in one of those first classes;
understanding that educating isn’t only needed, put tremendous he began kindergarten at
about teaching subject matter — although effort in putting together Rabbi Jonathan Knapp Yavneh in 1943. His grand-
certainly it is also and very much about a school. They’d go door father, Ruben Rubinowitz,
that — but also about seeing each child as to door, canvassing the community, look- owned Carroll Bakery, a well-known place
an individual, and teaching each individ- ing for kids.” The school opened with six to go for kosher bread, rolls, and cake.
ual child. students. “When people who were organizing the
Yavneh began in 1942, during World War Rabbi Ross tells the story of a woman who Yavneh Academy were getting ready to
II, with six children, its assistant principal, reported that in October of that first year, a open it, they said that it would be very
Rabbi Aaron Ross, who has spent a great month after school started, that “the princi- good if we could tell other parents that
deal of time researching its history, said. pal came knocking on her door, asking if she Ruben Rubinowitz’s grandson was one of
Paterson, the Silk City, was home to Euro- had or knew of a Jewish child who would be their students,” he said.
pean textile workers, many of them Jews; in eligible.” She did — her own child — and she He started school when he was 3 1/2; “I
fact, one of its mayors, Nathan Barnert, also was so impressed with the outreach that she always say that I am the smartest dumb
was an active philanthropist both inside moved her daughter to Yavneh. kid, because I flunked kindergarten,” he

Jewish standard JanUarY 5, 2018 19


Cover Story

Teachers and
students, soon
after the school
opened.

Yavneh’s first
class graduated
from eighth
grade in 1951.

said. “They kept me there for a year and a half.” It wasn’t “He wasn’t a teacher or a parent. I don’t know who he
When Mr. Rubinowitz lived in Florida, he came back
that he was dumb, needless to say, but that he was young; was. I just know that he was Mr. Silverberg, and that he
to New Jersey for Yavneh’s first graduation, in 1952. It
“I was the youngest kid in the school,” he added. drove us to school. was the class that would have been his. As an adult, he
Mr. Rubinowitz’s memories are the memories of a very “I remember one of the Hebrew teachers, Mr. Raichel,
moved back to New Jersey in 1965; he lived in Wayne
young child; in 1947, his family moved to Florida, “and I and that the rosh yeshiva was Rabbi Harry Bornstein, who
for two years, and then in Elmwood Park for 40. He
was in the second graduating class of the Hebrew Academy was also the rabbi of the Hebrew Free School,” Mr. Rubinow-
thought Yavneh’s education was so good that he sent
of Greater Miami,” he said. But he does have memories. itz continued. “And he always smoked a cigar. It was always
his own children there.
“I remember my teacher, Miss Sakis,” he said. “I remem- “It was very intense,” he said. “They made sure that
in his mouth.” He does not remember whether or not the
ber that we had nap time, and I remember that everyone you got as much of a secular education as a religious
cigar was lit during classes, or just stayed cold in Rabbi
brought their lunch in a lunch pail. I remember that Mr. Sil- one. And in the Hebrew division, they didn’t teach
Bornstein’s mouth, but “the teachers always smoked in high
verberg used to pick us up in his brown wooden-sided sta- strictly from the religious standpoint. And although this
school,” he said. “They didn’t smoke in class, but even in
tion wagon. high school, they all always smoked.” was pre-state of Israel, we still were taught Hebrew as
a modern language. We studied grammar and spelling.
And we also studied history and prophets, and all the
additional part of a Jewish education as opposed to what
they do even today in a yeshiva, poring over the books.
“In Yavneh, we strictly spoke Hebrew in the Hebrew
Sweet Tastes of Torah section, so we spoke English half a day, Hebrew half a
day. I went to school 60, 65 years ago, and I have been
Community-wide evening of education
to Israel twice and I was able to conduct a conversa-
Presented by the North Jersey Board of Rabbis tion there in Hebrew, from what I remembered.
NEW YEAR, NEW FORMAT! “The education at Yavneh was phenomenal,” Mr.
Rubinowitz concluded.
The Ethics-Driven Life Rabbi Eugene Kwalwasser worked at Yavneh from
1977 until 2008; during most of that time he was the
In an age of endless scandal, the words and the examples of the head of school, although he did not begin at that level
prophets offer us an alternative—an ethics-driven life. Our and he ended his career there as a consultant. After
KEYNOTER, Rabbi Barry L. Schwartz, brings ancient wisdom to life in a he retired, he and his wife,
in a new way. Breakout sessions to focus on prophetic voices regarding on Edna, made aliyah, but
repentance, wisdom, righteousness, civil disobedience, forgiveness, from Israel he remembers
protest, and more! Yavneh with great love
(and he is coming back for
Saturday, February 3 @ 6:30 p.m. the school’s gala dinner).
Fair Lawn Jewish Center, 10-10 Norma Avenue, Fair Lawn “I loved going to school
every morning,” he said. “It
$15 per person pre-registered by January 31; $20 per person at door was a pleasure jumping out
of bed and getting ready to
go to Yavneh. I look back at
Program and online credit card registration at my professional life there Rabbi Eugene
www.sweettastesoftorah.weebly.com with only the fondest of Kwalwasser
Or mail your check, payable to the North Jersey Board of Rabbis: memories. I don’t think there are many people in the
32 Franklin Place, Glen Rock, NJ 07452 position I was in, as head of school, who feel as I do.
Name(s): _____________________________________________ Email: _________________________________________
Many of them couldn’t wait for the day they retired. It
Phone: ________________________________________________ Cell: ______________________________________
was enough. But for me, it was wonderful. They were
For security reasons, please include names of ALL attendees when registering
wonderful years.
It was under Rabbi Kwalwasser’s leadership that
Questions? 201.652.1687 sweettastesoftorah@gmail.com the school both expanded and moved; in 1981, after
having been in a three buildings in Paterson, Yavneh

20 Jewish Standard JANUARY 5, 2018


Cover Story

followed most of its students to Ber- his wife working in Manhattan, and
gen County. his love for Yavneh in full bloom,
Rabbi Kwalwasser grew up in the family moved to Fair Lawn. The
Chicago, as some of his vowels still Kwalwassers now live in Beit Shem-
make clear. “I left for Yeshiva Uni- esh, “not the neighborhood in the
versity when I was 17, and I never news, but in a wonderful Anglo Jew-
looked back,” he said. He had grown ish community,” he said. “We have
up in Hollywood Park, a neighbor- fantastic friends. Everyone supports
hood that once had been Jewish but everyone. It has been wonderful.”
had become increasingly less so dur- Rabbi Kwalwasser looks back at
ing his childhood and adolescence. his earliest years at Yavneh, when
During his undergraduate career the school was in Paterson, and
and then as he studied for smicha, draws some comparisons with his
Rabbi Kwalwasser wasn’t sure about adolescence in Chicago. “The Jewish
the direction he wanted to take. Did community in Paterson was dwin-
he want pulpit work? Youth work? dling quickly,” he said. “People were
Full-on education work? He and just leaving. By the time we moved
Edna moved to the Taylor Road Syn- the school, in 1981, I would park my
agogue in Cleveland in 1969, where The school moved to 12th Avenue and 26th Street, still in Paterson, in 1945, and stayed car inside the gates of the school.
“I created and built up NCSY” — the there until 1953. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be sure that it
National Council of Synagogue Youth would still be there, if I would leave
— “which in those days was just in its infancy,” he said. “We going to Yavneh for an interview. And that was it. He fell in on a winter’s night, when it was dark outside.”
were there for three years, and then it was time to move love with the school — and the feeling was mutual. It wasn’t a frightening environment, he said, just a poor
on. That was not the end of where we wanted to be.” For the first six years, Rabbi Kwalwasser lived in Far one, but the dangers were real. “You never stayed alone
He realized that he wanted education; a short series Rockaway. “Edna and I made a critical decision,” he said. in the building,” he said. “If you stayed for a meeting, the
of jobs led him from California to Long Island and then “We didn’t know how it would work out, and our kids were last ones out would be me, the president, and the chair of
to an interview in Paterson. Although he, his wife, and settled there. I didn’t want to hopscotch all over the map, the board. We put the chains on and locked the gates. You
their growing family were living in Far Rockaway, on Long so I said that I would commute, and if need be I will find never went out alone.”
Island’s south shore, and Paterson was basically the back a place to stay overnight if there are meetings.” In 1983, But that was a dangerous time in many cities. “Paterson
of beyond from there, Rabbi Kwalwasser was tempted into his children at easily movable points in their education, wasn’t the only place where we would have been afraid

Jewish Standard JANUARY 5, 2018 21


Cover Story

of being mugged,” he said. “And we were already When you talk to Rabbi Kwalwasser, you often
looking to move. We knew we had to get out of hear the words warmth and love. “Those are
there.” very important to me,” he said. “And it is terribly
Another impetus for moving was the need to important for children to be seen as individuals.
attract families. “The recruitment was getting “In the same way, my wife and I have three chil-
tough when we were in Paterson,” Rabbi Kwalwas- dren. They come from the same genetic pool. But
ser said. “There were Jewish families then living in they are very different from each other. Each child
Teaneck, in Fair Lawn, in places like Wyckoff and must be seen as an individual.
Wayne and Franklin Lakes, and they wanted some “One thing that always made me shudder would
form of Jewish education for their children. And be when I would hear someone say something like
Yavneh was there to provide it. We even recruited ‘I know your brother’ or ‘I know your sister’ or
in places like West Orange and Passaic and Clif- ‘You are like him’ or ‘You are not like her’ or ‘You
ton. And the moment we announced that we were are better at’ or ‘You are not as good at.’ That is
actively looking to move, we became more desir- unacceptable to me.
able. It was very important for people to know “Each child has to be seen as that child and only
that we were leaving that geographic area.” that child. Jake was Jake and Donna was Donna
Yavneh was about much more than geogra- and Elie wasn’t Jake and Jake wasn’t Donna.”
phy, however. “My vision and mission was to Another subject about which Rabbi Kwalwas-
put together a faculty that shared my approach ser is passionate is the school’s co-educational
to Jewish education,” Rabbi Kwalwasser said. structure; all its classes are open equally to boys
“That approach was an education that would be A student listens to her tablet and grins at the camera. and girls. “That’s a part of my belief system,” he
dynamic, conceptual as well as textural, filled said. “There are not many schools in the modern
with warmth and love and understanding. It and vision that I set out to achieve.” Orthodox educational movement that are. I am a
would know that Judaic studies and general studies need He is enormously proud of the school’s reputation. “We very big believer in God having created male and female,
to be integrated, and it would know and teach the impor- were seen as the school where graduates would have the and there is no reason to separate them in the educational
tance of the state of Israel. It would be an outstanding aca- textural skills, the thinking skills, the conceptual skills, system, because they will learn to understand each other,
demic institution, with tremendous concern for the indi- so that high schools really vied for them. I believe that is to respect each other, and to appreciate each other.
vidual child. still the case. “If you do separate them, you see the results when you
“That was my mission and my mantra throughout all “I see sometimes when graduates come to Israel and I see walk the streets in Israel. In the ultra-Orthodox world,
my 31 years. It took on different forms as time went on, but for myself, and I say to myself that I feel very personally ful- they do not know how to relate to each other. They create
it was very important to me that I never lost the mission filled because of what we achieved at the Yavneh Academy.” a wall between the genders. I do not want to do that.

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22 apple
Jewish Standard
bk - JEWISH STANDARD - JANUARY 5,- 2018
MONEY MARKET EFF DATE 1-2-18.indd 1 12/6/2017 1:59:37 PM
Cover Story

“That was one of the biggest battles Kwal­wasser would deny those girls a Tal-
I had to fight, because in the tradi- mud education,” he said.
tional Jewish world, girls never learned Pamela Scheininger, the school board
Talmud. I will tell you that I had some president, also is struck by the way that
female students who would be able to each child is treated as an individual,
put male students into their back pock- a separate person, his or her own per-
ets, without even trying. That is how son. “The most spectacular thing about Le
nc

e
ga
bright they are. Yavneh is that they are truly commit- c y o f E x c e ll e
“There was no way that Dean ted to finding a way in which individual

Please join the Yavneh family


75 years of Yavneh as we celebrate our
in the Jewish Standard 75th Anniversary
Joanne Palmer In general, he said, the Standard’s and honor
back issues have “stories about
Rabbi Aaron Ross, Yavneh’s middle world events, viewed through a Jew-
school assistant principal, whose ish perspective. In those first years
bachelor’s and master’s degrees are that I looked at it, it’s about the war”
in history — from Rutgers and NYU — World War II — “and then the after-
— was charged with writing Yavneh’s math of the war, and then the state
history for its 75th anniversary of Israel being born. And there also is
celebration. Jewish news through a local perspec-
Rabbi Ross was able to take advan- tive. It’s fascinating.”
tage of primary sources, and we are As always, some things change a
proud to say that among the archives lot, and some do not change at all.
in which he worked was
ours. He found infor-
“Some of the headlines Joel Kirschner
are the same as what we
Guest of Honor
mation about Yavneh’s see today, just shaded
growth and develop- slightly differently,”
ment here, at the Jewish he said. “Issues about
Standard. the role of women,
“Yavneh started in with each denomina-
1942, so I thought that I tion dealing with it in
should go back a year or its own way. And in
two,” Rabbi Ross said. general, the relation-
“So I started looking in ships between different
1940. But soon I real- denominations — some-
ized that news about Rabbi Aaron Ross times they’re better,
Yavneh wouldn’t be
coming around for a while, because
sometimes they’re not
as good. They seem to be cyclical.
The Carmel/Zakheim Family
David Carmel ’59
the Standard was in Jersey City then, Sometimes something will be in the Dr. Sara Carmel Zakheim ’89
and Yavneh was in Paterson. Now headlines in the late 1960s, and pop
JJ ’13, Max ’16, Alex ’19 and Isabelle ’24 Zakheim
Yavneh is about a five-minute drive back up again in the late 80s.
away from the Standard, but Pater- “When we read the Standard now, Legacy Award Recipients
son is in Passaic County, Jersey City we read this week and then next
is in Hudson County, and Bergen week and then next week. But then I
County was sitting in between them, was skimming through a whole year
with not much going on.” — really four or five years — in one
But that changed gradually. “The afternoon. It’s fascinating to see the
Standard starting reporting on insti- movement.
tutions and people who ultimately “It’s really in between the two
migrated to Bergen County,” he said. ways we usually experience history.
“And so did the Standard — it opened Either we live through it, one day
a satellite office in Englewood in the at a time, or we open up a history
early 60s. And then I remember book and see it summed up. This
seeing more and more notes about is between one day at a time and a Judy Friedman
Yavneh, an announcement or two summary. You can see how each Faculty Recognition Award
— and then Englewood and Teaneck story is followed up.”
start to grow, and the schools start What is most strikingly differ-
popping up more and more.” ent? Cigarette ads, Rabbi Ross said.
Rabbi Ross grew up in Teaneck “There are cigarette ads with a dis- Saturday Evening Motzei Shabbat
and now lives in Bergenfield and tinct Jewish angle.” They would fea- January 13, 2018 8:00 p.m.
works in Paramus. He is local to his ture famous Jews smoking, he said,
core. “So by the 1960s, a lot of the
names I see are families that I grew
and endorsing their own brands.
“Certainly nowadays you can’t
Teaneck Marriott at Glenpointe
up with. And then eventually it find cigarette ads.” (That’s because
reaches the point where I remember they’re illegal.) “And to see them so For more information or to make a reservation or gift,
reading that issue of the paper the normal, just like any other general please visit yavnehdinner.com
first time.” product — it was odd.”

Jewish Standard JANUARY 5, 2018 23


Dental Care for the Whole Family Cover Story
Achieve the confidence and
positive attitude that comes
children will succeed, in the context of loves Yavneh. She sits on its board, she
with a beautiful smile. We will their family, their specific upbringing, has sent her children there, and she has
customize your care according and their specific personality,” she said. watched it change and grow.
to your needs and desires. “Yavneh tries to identify not only how “I have been active in the forefront of
each child will learn, but also how each Yavneh for just about 40 years,” she said.
Specializing in chipped, one will succeed emotionally, intellectu- When her oldest daughter began at the
cracked, and worn teeth, ally, and in terms of ensuring their physi- school, when she was 3 1/2, Ms. Frohlich,
dentures, and implants, with cal health, so each of the children will be who was 24, quickly became involved.
at their very best. That was due mainly to Irving Gelman,
care for your whole family. “They do it by committing resources a man whose name is mentioned, with
in a very smart way,” she continued. reverence, by many people who talk
Diane Jonas, DMD “That’s by hiring the best teachers, with about Yavneh.
General Dentistry the best training, so they can respond to He was one of those men who formed
Daniel Feit, DMD each child.” Technology is used carefully, the institutions that now are so natural a
Prosthodontist as a means rather than an end; “we use part of our surroundings that it is hard to
NJ Specialty Permit 5007 money in a smart way, to make sure that imagine that they have not existed since
every penny is spent to further our larger creation.
19 Franklin Street • Tenafly, NJ 07670 • (201) 569-4535 goals,” she said. “And the goals are the “There was a group of men in their
emotional, social, religious, academic, 60s, who created so many institu-
and physical development of each child.” tions, including the JCC, and including
Since 2013, the Yavneh Academy has Yavneh,” she said. “And then there was a
been accredited by the Middle States big gap. Irving — who was a legend, and
Association of Colleges and Schools. an inspiration — saw that gap and real-
T H U R S DAY, MA R C H 8 The school has continued to grow ized it had to be filled, if we were to have
since it moved to Paramus; it’s added any kind of future. So he took people like

LAVISH
wings to the excessed public school me, in our 20s — I became a vice presi-
building at its core. It now teaches about dent right away, at 24.”
750 children. “It’s larger than it ever It was Mr. Gelman who taught her to

LU NCH ES
has been,” Rabbi Knapp said. “We are fund-raise, she said. “When we decided
at capacity.” Most of the students come we were going to buy the building, we
from Teaneck, Bergenfield, New Milford, raised all the money,” she said. “We’d go
Fair Lawn, Paramus, Tenafly, and Engle- out to two or three families a night, and
A day of culinary adventure with guest speaker wood. “Admission is inclusive,” he con- ask them for money personally.”
Michael Ferraro, renowned NYC chef and restaurateur
tinued. “The goal is to stretch ourselves The school was different then, she
of Delicatessen & macbar.
and to accommodate as many types of said. It was less professionalized. “Lay
Begin the morning with a light breakfast at the home of learners as possible. We’re also needs leaders really had to do everything.
Michele & Daniel Ross, followed by a luncheon of your choice. blind, and we take everyone we can, as When we moved, we lay leaders physi-
long as we can meet that child’s needs. cally moved things. We’d literally put
H O S T S & H O S T E S S E S I N C LU D E “We constantly reevaluate what we are things on the truck. There was food in
Lor i & Josh Capon doing, to make sure we are using best the freezer, and we knew that it would be
O r l y C h e n , O r n a J a c k s o n , M a l i O e l s n e r, R i k i S h u l m a n , practices, and staying on top of theory a while before there would be a freezer
& Y i f a t Ye c h e z k e l l
as it changes,” Rabbi Knapp said. “Every in the new school, so we put the food in
Stephanie Cohn & Jillian Somberg
L o r i n C o o k , K i e r a F l y n n , S u s a n M a r e n o f f-Z a u s n e r & A l y z i a S a n d s
school navigates the fine line between our own freezer.
Jamie Corsair & Stacey Esser holding on to what’s working and inves- “People say I bleed Yavneh, I am so
Robin Epstein tigating what’s new. And we too have committed to the school,” Ms. Frohlich
Merle Fish changed. We have incorporated many continued. “I truly feel that we have an
M i n d y L a v i n & I r i s Wo r m s e r cutting-edge programs in the areas of obligation to give back — and what bet-
Dalia Lerner
social and emotional growth, character ter or more appropriate place to give our
M a r c i a’s A t t i c , C l o s t e r
Gabrielle & Brian Marcus development, and sensitivity to diversity. energy than the institution that is pro-
Eileen Pleva “As the population has shifted to reflect viding our children with the foundation
Elle & JoJo Rubach the broader Bergen County Jewish pop- they need for the future?”
ulation, at this stage the majority of our When it comes to giving back, she con-
families would identify as being obser- tinued, no matter what school your child
Register at jccotp.org/lavishlunches
vant,” he said; Rabbi Kwalwasser had goes to, “that child’s schools should be
Contact Michal Kleiman at mkleiman@jccotp.org said that in the early years, that was not your first and top priority. I have four
or 201.408.1412 for more information. necessarily the case. “When we moved, children — Gayle, Elana, Michael, and
Teaneck had two shuls. Now it has 22.” Daniel — and they are each in different
Another value dear to the school is places, educationally and religiously, but
its American-ness. “We want to deepen the education they received at Yavneh
JS-1*
our children’s commitment to Juda- was second to none.
ism,” Rabbi Knapp said. “That is our pri- “It gave them the foundation to
REMEMBERING HADASSAH’S DEBORAH KAPLAN
‘HATE HAS NO HOME HERE’ page 8
MEET THE ANNE FRANK CENTER’S STEVEN GOLDSTEIN
PURIM PARTYING LIKE IT’S 19TH CENTURY ITALY
page 6

page 47
page 12

MARCH 10, 2017


VOL. LXXXVI NO. 23 $1.00 86 7
2017
Sign up for the FREE mary goal. At the same time, our unique
engagement with the broader commu-
accomplish anything they wanted. I am
a very proud former parent of Yavneh,

Jewish Standard
THEJEWISHSTANDARD.C OM

nity is important as well. We continue to and I would choose Yavneh again if I


NORTH JERSEY

Transcending denominations emphasize to the children what it means were at that crossroad.”
to be a citizen of this coun-
daily newsletter! try. There is a tendency to be
insular,” but the school does
Who: Leaders of the Yavneh Academy
What: Celebrate the school’s 75th anniversary
Visit www.thejewishstandard.com not give into it, valuing pride When: On Saturday, January 13, at 8 p.m.
and knowledge over knee-jerk
and tribalism.
Where: At the Teaneck Marriott at Glenpoint
click on SUBSCRIBE TO THE DAILY Barbara Frohlich of Teaneck For more information: Go to yavnehdinner.com

The story of Rabbi Shai Held,


co-founder of New York’s
24 Jewish Standard
Mechon Hadar,JANUARY
which
its 10th anniverary
5, 2018
celebrated
CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED in Teaneck last weekend page 22

Teaneck, NJ 07666
1086 Teaneck Road
Jewish Standard
Jewish World

Why Trump’s Middle East negotiator is beating expectations


RON KAMPEAS can work out, how business is conducted on
the two sides.”
WASHINGTON — Jason Greenblatt of Greenblatt’s office did not agree to an
Teaneck, President Donald Trump’s interview.
chief Israeli-Palestinian negotiator, has In September, however, speaking at the
an office just around the corner from the Ad Hoc Liaison Committee, the grouping
White House. of nations that are invested in the Palestin-
On his computer monitor is a Post- ian-Israeli peace process, Greenblatt put it
it note, inscribed with a quote from this way: “Instead of working to impose a
former Mossad chief Tamir Pardo: “At solution from the outside, we are giving the
the end of the day, a peace agreement parties space to make their own decisions
derives its strength from an understand- about their future,” he said. “Instead of lay-
ing between peoples, not an accord ing blame for the conflict at the feet of one
between governments.” party or the other, we are focused on imple-
It’s an appropriate message for Green- menting existing agreements and unlocking
blatt, an affable Orthodox Jewish lawyer new areas of cooperation which benefit both
who’s been tasked by Trump with lead- Palestinians and Israelis.”
ing Israel and the Palestinians toward Greenblatt already scored one suc-
peaceful pastures. Given that he had no cess: a deal, signed in July, in which Israel
diplomatic experience, Greenblatt was sells water to the Palestinian Authority at
considered an odd choice for the task, reduced rates. The water will reach parched
according to observers. areas of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip,
However, according to interlocu- Jason Greenblatt inspects the Nahal Oz military base near the Gaza border on which is ruled by Hamas.
tors and veteran Israeli-Arab negotia- August 30, 2017. The agreement, forged at a time in which
tors, Greenblatt, who is about 50, has Israeli and Palestinian leadership barely
exceeded expectations. Many on all sides walked away — at least temporarily — the Trump administration’s peace efforts. speak to one another, earned Greenblatt
praise him for his investment in the peo- from an American-led peace push. “We can’t do this from afar, we have to go kudos — from the Israelis, at least — for keep-
ple affected by the conflict — especially In addition, while Israel applauded the there to see interactions, how the economics ing away from hot-button issues that scuttled
for his intensive, public engagement with Jerusalem recognition, its officials have
populations largely overlooked by previ- expressed trepidation at others aspects
ous negotiators, such as settlers, the cha- of the Trump administration’s emerg-
redi Orthodox, and Palestinian refugees. ing approach. For example, Green-
In interviews with more than a dozen blatt has welcomed Palestinian Author-
people who have met the special rep- ity attempts to assume control of the
resentative for international negotia- Gaza Strip — but Israel’s government is
tions, one compliment comes up again concerned that such control also will
and again: Greenblatt is a good listener. increase Hamas’ influence.
And that’s a skill that may be essential Shapiro, who now is a fellow at the
to the job. Institute for National Security Studies
“Greenblatt has made a universally in Israel, said that Greenblatt “can only
positive impression among Israelis and operate within the constraints of the pol-
Palestinians as serious, creative, empa- icy he or she is tasked to carry out.”
thetic, and dedicated to the cause of But what the policy is — and what
peace,” said Daniel Shapiro, who was the constraints they come with — are not
Obama administration’s ambassador to
Israel. “They see him as possessing good-
very discernible under the current
administration. Pesach is...
will and a sense of realism about what “All we know is that the U.S. believes
peace looks like. He deserves the praise
he has received for building those rela-
in peace, supports Palestinian eco-
nomic development, opposes terror
Family. Tradition. Ramada.
tionships of trust in a situation when the and recognizes Jerusalem as Israel’s 8 night Passover package
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children.
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JEWISH STANDARD JANUARY 5, 2018 25


Jewish World/Local

previous talks. of external affairs for the Yesha Council, under Labor governments and now the Jerusalem Post that the Palestinian
“When you focus on the issues — and not the umbrella body for West Bank settle- the Israel Policy Forum’s Israel fellow. reaction to the recognition was “ugly”
about history or background or personal ments. “The expectation is that for there “Which means once presented with and “anti-Semitic.”
emotions or other disturbing elements — to be genuine peace, you need to be speak- a seemingly impossible position they One person who met with the team
the common denominator is much bigger ing to people on all sides, not just a couple can easily say no and become domes- notes that Greenblatt spent time at
than what separates us,” Tzachi HaNegbi, of leaders you gather in a hotel in Europe.” tic heroes.” Greenblatt understands, Yeshivat Har Etzion, a West Bank
the country’s minister for regional devel- The Palestinian Authority, at least until Novik said, that whatever formula yeshiva noted for leaders who coun-
opment, said at the time. the Jerusalem issue arose this month, emerges it must not be one that Pales- seled engagement with the Palestin-
The evidence shows, though, that Green- also enthusiastically embraced Trump’s tinians reflexively reject. ians. A source close to Greenblatt
blatt does focus on emotional and personal approach, as expressed through Green- Oded Revivi, the mayor of the settle- described his year there as “a very
elements — but only as a means of advanc- blatt, their most frequent interlocutor from ment of Efrat, which maintains rela- meaningful year of growth with great
ing commonalities. the Trump administration. tions with three neighboring Palestin- teachers, role models and friends.”
Greenblatt’s Twitter feed is a constant Zomlot, the PLO envoy, turned down a ian villages, said that Greenblatt was Before he became an ambassador,
flow of amity. He posts photos of kosher request for an interview, but in previous able to extrapolate from the details of Friedman backed the more hardline
meals he’s received as the guest of the Pal- briefings for reporters he expressed admi- that relationship to possible bigger pic- Bet El yeshiva.
estinian Authority or the Saudi kingdom. ration for the intensity of Greenblatt’s ture solutions. “He’s very interested in Kushner is facing legal woes as a spe-
He ran a series of photos featuring kids involvement. “They have traveled to the small details while remembering that cial prosecutor investigates the Trump
from Gaza who visited Washington under region, they have met with all parties, he is representing the strongest coun- campaign’s alleged collusion with Rus-
a youth exchange program — in one, he especially Greenblatt,” he said at an August try in the world, and he needs to think sia. He said in leaked remarks over the
thanks the Israeli government for facilitat- briefing. of the global matter and not just a small summer that he doesn’t know if a deal
ing the group’s travel. (The Palestine Liber- “What I’m hearing is that he is primarily suburb of Jerusalem,” he said. is even possible.
ation Organization envoy, Husam Zomlot, in listening mode, respectful of positions Still, despite Greenblatt’s efforts, But Kushner, speaking earlier this
thanked Greenblatt for his intervention.) trying to understand where they’re coming there remains considerable frustration month at the Brookings Institution
He wishes Jews, Muslims and Christians from, but also preparing for what appears — if not anxiety — at the Trump admin- annual Saban Forum, which convenes
happy holidays at the appropriate times. to be big moves,” said Jonathan Schanzer, istration’s reluctance to outline a deal. Israeli and U.S. influencers, described
It’s a friendly approach that has the vice president of the Foundation for At the same August briefing with report- a team that works together smoothly.
attracted investment in the peace process Defense of Democracies. ers, Zomlot wondered “where the hell “As this process has gone through, my
from actors who were wary of it in the “He understands the power of weak- they are going.” Around the same time team in particular, being three Ortho-
past. “Overall, the sense is, we’re being ness of the Palestinian side,” said Nim- that Greenblatt was saying that Hamas- dox Jews and a Coptic Egyptian [Pow-
spoken to,” said Elie Pieprz, the director rod Novik, a former top Israeli negotiator Palestinian Authority would work, if ell], has tried very hard to do a lot of
Hamas adheres to principles including listening,” he said.
the laying down of arms and recogniz- A White House official said that the
ing Israel, Israeli Prime Minister Benja- team is focused on reaching a deal —
min Netanyahu fretted that the recon- but the official added that there is also
ciliation could come at “the expense of value in Greenblatt’s confidence-build-
our existence.” ing measures, in and of themselves.
There may be obstacles closer to The official added that Trump, who
home as well. Interlocutors who have has had about 10 meetings with the
spent time with the negotiation team team, was very attentive to progress
say that Friedman’s politics tend to toward reaching a peace deal.
veer to the far right on the Israeli “He’s extremely engaged and inter-
political spectrum. Friedman, speak- ested and dedicated to making this a
ing this week of Palestinian reaction to top priority,” the official said.
Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem, told JTA WIRE SERVICE

the same sources in a nonviolent way,


Dr. King and what can we do about it today?”
FROM PAGE 12
And on a lighter note, he also talks
Spanish — was Rabbi Meyer’s aide, work- about rabbinic bloopers. “Once,” he said,
ing less on social justice work in general “before I knew Spanish very well, I spoke
and more on interfaith relations. That’s in a large interfaith plenum of Catholics
an interest that still drives him. and Jews in Argentina. I wrote out my
Now that he’s retired from the bimah, speech, and my wife translated it.
he has been able to continue to study — “But at one point, I veered off
he’s learning Yiddish at YIVO and about script, and I identified the pope as La
Islam at Princeton — and he writes Papa. I noticed some squirming in the
op eds for such publications as USA audience.
today. He also teaches frequently in the “Later, someone told me that I had
tristate area; recently he’s talked about called the pope ‘the potato.’ El Papa is
“Why are the monotheistic religions the right way to say it.”
violent, why are some of the visions His mistake made the newspapers in
from inside each religion able to read Buenos Aires, he added.

www.thejewishstandard.com

26 JEWISH STANDARD JANUARY 5, 2018


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JEWISH STANDARD JANUARY 5, 2018 27
Jewish World

New tax law allows college savings for Jewish day school
Is it sound financially? Does it breach church-state?
RON KAMPEAS parents in some states now have an
opportunity to save hundreds of dollars a
WASHINGTON — When the new tax bill year in tax breaks. On the other hand, the
was signed into U.S. law by President 529 system was designed for long-term
Donald Trump on December 22, an unex- savings and may not be the best vehicle
pected constituency benefited: parents for frequent withdrawals.
who send their kids to Jewish day schools. This is what we know so far.
Until now, the college savings plans Who benefits?
known by their tax codes, 529s, could only Anyone who is paying or contributing
be used could for college tuition. But effec- to a private school education.
tive as of January 1, taxpayers may with- “It will assist people in the middle class
draw up to $10,000 from the tax-free plans of the Orthodox community who are
annually to help pay for private school. already struggling with their economics
“For private school parents, it’s another generally and paying for education as part
reason to consider investing using a 529 of that,” said Nathan Diament, the Wash-
plan,” Roger Young, a senior financial ington director of the Orthodox Union,
planner at T. Rowe Price, said. which lobbied for the change.
Faith-based schools have celebrated the The way 529s are set up, contributions
change. While Catholic school advocates are not tax deductible from federal taxes,
led the lobbying for the tax break for pri- but the earnings are. In addition, 35 states
vate schools, Orthodox Jewish umbrella During Chanukah, Jewish preschoolers in Washington, D.C., gaze at a menorah. offer state income tax exemptions on con-
bodies also were involved in advocating  MARK GAIL/THE WASHINGTON POST VIA GETTY IMAGES tributions — generally between $2,000
for the move. At the same time, however, and $10,000 a year, and depending on
proponents of church-state separation away at support for public schools. new provision will have much of an whether the contributor is an individual
have decried the provision as chipping Experts still are not sure whether the impact. On the one hand, day school or a couple.

28 JEWISH STANDARD JANUARY 5, 2018


Jewish World

This means that in some states, private school par- among their schools, which are striving to persuade more does this mean it’s a loss for public education advocates?
ents (and grandparents) score twice: a state income parents to make the day school commitment. They would The groups that lobbied for the change made no secret of
tax exemption on up to $10,000 being put into the rather use the new rule as an enticement to parents to a broader agenda: to chip away at American civil traditions
plan and a $10,000 exemption on the withdrawal. sign up their kids rather than a new avenue for revenue, that balk at funding religious institutions.
The state income tax exemption, when applicable, officials said. In an online statement, Agudah calls the provision “a sig-
creates an immediate tax break for contributors, even “Schools are already under pressure since the reces- nificant, symbolic, national school-choice victory” even if
if they don’t keep the money in long enough to benefit sion started [in late December 2007] to hold the line on its benefits do not immediately accrue day school families
from the federal tax break on accrued earnings. tuition,” said Dan Perla, the director of financial vitality for who choose not to open 529s.
Jewish day schools are heavily concentrated in Prizmah, a new umbrella body for Jewish day schools. Orthodox groups have welcomed the emphasis by
the Northeast, and states there vary widely in their If this is a victory for those who believe in “school choice,” SEE TAX LAW PAGE 31
tax policies. New York, for instance, offers the
$10,000 tax deduction; New Jersey offers none.
State chapters of the Orthodox Union and Agudath

VOL
Israel of America, umbrella bodies for Orthodox
groups, are lobbying for more generous state-level

U
529 benefits.

NTE
This is a windfall for day school parents, right?
Not quite. It’s more like a gentle breeze. The state
savings typically amount to hundreds of dollars.

ER
Say a state taxes income at 8 percent and allows tax

MA
exemptions on up to $10,000 — that’s $800 in sav-
ings per child.
The federal tax savings on revenue depend on the

K
parents and their personal circumstances.

CAL E
“These are the kind of questions parents have to
discuss with personal financial advisers and accoun-
tants,” Diament said.
With tuitions at private colleges reaching as high as

JAN LS!
$70,000 a year, there may not be enough of an incen-
tive to divert money to day school tuition. Money for
a university accrues interest for 18 years if parents

.
open a 529 when a baby is born. A New York Times
projection said parents dumping $200,000 into
an account when a baby is born and doing nothing

28 U IGN S
would have more than $370,000 to spend come col-
lege time.

201 VOL P TO
Accordingly, day school investments inherently
will accrue less interest: If you open a 529 when a

8 SUP
child is born, you’ll be making withdrawals when

UNT
they are 5 or 6 years old. Parents with kids already in

SUN ER
the day school system — and who have opened 529s,
carefully planning to cover college tuition — may be EE jfnn
j .o r
g /s R
less inclined to divert funds to day school tuitions. upe
rsu

DAY
Parents of newborns may have a greater incentive to nda
open a 529 now and accrue some tax-free interest in y

FED JEWI
the next five years or so.
Additionally, parents planning for an 18-year haul

ERA SH
can afford riskier investments — and potentially
greater returns — than parents who will want to start

50 EISENH TION
cashing in their investments within five or six years.
“If you’re putting money into a 529 for elementary
or high school expenses you need to carefully con-
sider your time horizon,” Young said. “If you have
a longer time horizon, you can be more aggressive.”
Noam Neusner, a communications adviser who
D O RIV
worked on tax policy for the George W. Bush admin-
E, P WER
istration, suggested that grandparents could use the
new break as a means of encouraging their children
ARA
MU
to go the day school way.
“If you’re a grandparent contributing to a child’s Judy Taub Gold S
day school tuition, this provides a way to ensure you Dr. Bram Alster
can continue to support that investment into the
future, regardless of if you’re alive,” he said. “You Co-Chairs
designate funds for the 529, and ensure that your
grandchild has funds for future years in day schools.”
Won’t day schools seize the opportunity and raise
tuitions?
Tax experts have speculated that in much the same
way that universities have tailored tuitions to gobble
up tax breaks, the same could happen at the day CO N TAC T L AU R I E S I E G E L | l a u r i e s @ j f n n j .o rg | 2 01 - 8 2 0 -395 6
school level.
But Jewish day school officials say that’s unlikely

JEWISH STANDARD JANUARY 5, 2018 29


Jewish World

This rabbinical student is explaining Judaism


to Muslims — in Arabic
BEN SALES heard over the years. A fluent Arabic

I
speaker and former Arab affairs corre-
s it true that Judaism doesn’t accept converts? spondent for the Times of Israel, Miller
Is it true that Jews have to wash their hands before saw that many Muslims he knew didn’t
they pray? have a clear understanding of Jewish
Is it true that Jews historically have killed practices and beliefs. So he decided to
their prophets? start teaching Muslims about Judaism,
These are just a few of the questions that Elhanan Miller has in a language and context they can
relate to.
“Islam purports to tell Muslims
about what Judaism is about,” Miller,

Happy 36, said. “But I think it’s a value to


Muslims to hear what Judaism is about
from an actual believer.”
New Year! That’s the idea behind Miller’s new
project, “People of the Book,” a series
of short animated videos that explain
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Exp. 1/29/18 Exp. 1/29/18 Exp. 1/29/18 language. The first two videos have racked up hundreds which brings Jews from the West Bank settlement bloc of
of thousands of views on Facebook and YouTube. Gush Etzion together with their Palestinian neighbors.
Pinkie Nail Spa The first video, released in July, compares keeping
kosher with keeping halal. It explains that kashrut, like
Together, they do joint activities, including sharing both
meals and agricultural work. He figured the same les-
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while halal permits eating any creature of the sea. The videos take several weeks to produce. Miller
A second video, released earlier this month, covers works with two partners, an animator in Israel, and a

S aam m yy’s’s Jewish prayer (three times a day vs. five for Muslims, native Arabic speaker who co-narrates the script.
S m m with less kneeling on the floor). Miller is planning more There’s one topic, however, that Miller isn’t planning
videos on clothing and modesty, Jewish conceptions of to tackle anytime soon: Israel. He may address Jeru-
God, and fasting in Judaism. salem, which is holy to Jews and Muslims, in a future
“There’s a big overlap between Judaism and Islam in video, but says that broaching sensitive issues could
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30 JEWISH STANDARD JANUARY 5, 2018
Jewish World
BRIEFS Tax law
FROM PAGE 29
the Trump administration and its education secretary,
Israel’s population reaches 8.79 million Betsy DeVos, on funneling more federal funds to private
Israel’s population reached approximately 8.79 million to the average annual increase during the past decade. schools, including religious schools.
on the last day of 2017, according to the country’s Cen- Most of this increase, 82 percent, was the result of natu- That’s why the fight isn’t over.
tral Bureau of Statistics. ral growth (births over deaths), while the rest came from Having lost the battle on the federal level, secularists
Some 6.55 million Israelis — 74.6 percent of the pop- net immigration. and public education advocates are likely to push back
ulation — are Jewish, the bureau said. About 1.83 mil- Some 180,000 babies were born in Israel in 2017 — on the state level — meaning they may fight to adjust local
lion, accounting for 20.9 percent of the population, 73.8 percent of them Jewish and 23.3 percent of them laws in order to counteract the new provision.
are Arabs. The remaining 4.5 percent — about 400,000 Arab. About 44,000 people died in Israel during the “It would provide tax breaks for families to send their
people — are others, including non-Arab Christians and year. children to private religious schools,” Americans United
those with no religion. The figures do not include for- About 27,000 people made aliyah in 2017, and 10,000 for Separation of Church and State said before the bill
eign workers or people without permanent residency immigrated to Israel through other frameworks. Most of passed. “Congress should be finding ways to fund our
status in Israel. the immigrants came from Russia (27.1 percent), Ukraine public schools, not finding new ways to send money to
The bureau said Israel’s population increased by (25.5 percent), France (13 percent), and the United private religious schools.”
about 165,000 people — 1.9 percent — in 2017, similar States (9.8 percent). JNS.ORG
But the Orthodox umbrella bodies are ready for the
fight.
IDF launches special training school for commando soldiers “We’ve already had a meeting of state directors to fend
off any challenges,” said Abba Cohen, Agudah’s Washing-
IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Gadi Eizenkot has decided to unit specializing in anti-guerrilla warfare that operates
ton director.
establish a training school for the Israeli military’s elite mainly in the northern sector; and Rimon, which spe-
Perla of Prizmah said he did not anticipate too much
commando brigade, the army announced. cializes in desert warfare and is deployed along Israel’s
pushback from state legislatures, which will be under
Established in December 2015, the 89th Oz (Courage) southern border.
pressure to preserve deductions after the federal tax law
Brigade brings together four special forces units, as part A commander identified by the military as Lt. Col. A
did away with so many of them.
of the 98th Paratroopers Division: Maglan, which spe- will head the school, and has been charged with estab-
“States are already going to be under pressure to hold
cializes in operations deep behind enemy lines; Duvde- lishing it and constructing its initial training program.
the line on state and municipal tax increases,” he said.
van, which specializes in undercover urban warfare The school is expected to open in 2019.
“The political environment won’t be conducive.”
operations across the West Bank; Egoz, a reconnaissance  JNS.ORG
JTA WIRE SERVICE

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JEWISH STANDARD JANUARY 5, 2018 31


Jewish World

2017 was a good year for Europe’s extremists


CNAAN LIPHSHIZ In September, the populist Alterna- said the far-right renaissance in Europe
tive for Germany entered parliament for “is a counterreaction” to the pro-refugee
PARIS — On the surface, at least, Europe the first time with its best electoral result policies of German Chancellor Angela
has not changed much over the past ever: 12.6 percent of the vote in the fed- Merkel, who took the lead in welcoming
12 months. eral election. And in Bulgaria, the far-right the immigrants.
In fact, when it comes to European poli- Volya party entered parliament for the “Strategically she did the right thing, but
tics, 2017 may appear mild in comparison first time in elections that also saw the suc- technically she might have made a mis-
to 2016, which saw several dramatic and cessor to the Bulgarian Communist Party take,” Goldschmidt, a frequent and fiery
shocking developments, such as Brexit, a double its voters to become the country’s critic of Europe’s far right, said.
refugee resettlement crisis, and the terror- second-largest. Germany’s negative birth rate and grow-
ist attack in Nice on Bastille Day, France’s But the real shocker came this spring, in ing need for working-age citizens “explains
national holiday. the two rounds of the presidential election why Merkel wanted to open the gates, but
Across much of the continent last year, in France, which is home to both Europe’s short term it created tremendous amount
however, populists were blocked from largest Jewish and Muslim populations. of troubles for her, her party and moder-
reaching power by centrist parties. In May, France’s National Front ate forces throughout Europe,” he said.
To the relief of the continent’s estimated achieved its best electoral result ever when The rise of the far-right Freedom Party
3 million Jews and other minorities with 34 percent of voters cast their votes for to power in Austria “is a backlash against
bitter memories of extremism, the Euro- the far-right candidate Marine Le Pen in Merkel’s policy,” Goldschmidt said.
pean Union certainly saw no upsets of the the presidential election won by Emman- He said it has gained strength amid
scale of President Donald Trump’s victory uel Macron. growing fears of Islamist attacks in Europe
over Hillary Clinton, or that of the liberal In the first round in April, 19 percent of and tensions connected to failures in the
prime minister of Canada, Justin Trudeau, voters chose Jean-Luc Melenchon, a far-left National Front leader Marine Le integration of second- and third-genera-
over his conservative predecessor in 2015. candidate and communist activist who is Pen addresses activists at the tion Muslim immigrants.
But a closer examination suggests that calling for rewriting the constitution and a Espace Francois Mitterrand in Henin Meanwhile, Goldschmidt added, the
2017 nonetheless has been a watershed “redistribution of wealth.” Beaumont, France, April 23, 2017.  issue is taxing the already uneasy rela-
year for the continent’s far-right and far- Like Le Pen, Melenchon also seeks to  JEFF J MITCHELL/GETTY IMAGES tionship between the western and eastern
left movements. They have had unprec- take France out of the European Union; components of the European Union.
edented successes in a series of elections he has been accused of fomenting racist philosopher who has written extensively Hungary, Poland, the Czech Republic,
thanks to discontent, economic anxiety, hatred against Jews. The CRIF — French on anti-Semitism, said during a panel and Croatia have moved to close their bor-
nationalistic sentiment, and xenophobia. Jews’ umbrella group — branded him “just discussion about populism at the Dec. ders to newcomers in open defiance of
The first upset came in March, when, as bad” as Le Pen last year. 10 CRIF annual conference in Paris. “But Brussels’ decision to welcome them. And
for the first time since its creation in 2006, Like nearly all of Europe’s far-right and this might not be the case next time, with this, Goldschmidt said, is bad news “for
the Dutch anti-Islam Party for Freedom anti-Muslim parties, the National Front potentially destructive consequences for the European Union, which is the best
became the country’s second largest, win- has distanced itself formally from sup- France and Europe.” guarantee for the continuation of the most
ning 13 percent of the vote. Those elec- porters and members who espouse anti- To some observers, the growing popu- tolerant environment that has existed in
tions also allowed the Denk party to enter Semitism. But such declarations generally larity of the far right even among Euro- centuries on the continent toward Jews
parliament for the first time in the his- were met with suspicion by Jewish com- pean Jews is indicative of the scope of the and others.”
tory of that far-left movement, which was munity leaders. problem. In France, the National Front Fears of Muslim immigration this year
founded by Muslim immigrants on a plat- In France, where wartime collaboration is believed to enjoy the backing of 13.5 were a main theme at one of the larg-
form of resistance to integration. Dutch with the Nazis still is the subject of acri- percent of Jewish voters. The party was est nationalist rallies in the recent his-
Jews accuse Denk of anti-Semitism. monious debate, the gains of the far right thought to have had few Jewish supporters tory of Central Europe: On Nov. 11, some
In December, for the second time in and far left were widely seen as signs of before Le Pen took over the party from her 60,000 people attended a march in
its history, the Austrian Freedom Party, the breaching of conventions held in place father, the avowed anti-Semite Jean-Marie Warsaw that featured anti-Muslim ban-
founded by a former SS officer in the after World War II and the growing polar- Le Pen, in a bid to rehabilitate its image. ners and anti-Semitic chants. In nearby
1950s, joined the coalition government ization in society. In the Netherlands, Party of Freedom Hungary, the rightist government placed
after garnering 26 percent of the vote in “We got lucky with Macron,” Pas- leader Geert Wilders polled 10 percent the immigration issue squarely at the
elections two months earlier. cal Bruckner, a well-known French among Jewish voters despite his party’s center of a campaign against the Jewish
support for a ban on the ritual slaughter and pro-immigration billionaire George
of animals and his 2014 promise to make Soros, which some critics said had anti-
sure the Netherlands has “fewer Moroc- Semitic overtones.
cans” — language that many Jews found Fear of Russian expansionism under
racist and offensive. President Vladimir Putin is further exac-
Bruckner spoke of the French elections erbating the ultranationalist problem in
as “a warning sign in which extremists countries with bitter memories of life
came closer than ever before after World under Russia’s rule, Dominique Reynié,
War II to ruling France.” a political science professor and founder
“We’re seeing a breakdown of con- of the Paris-based Fondapol think tank,
ventional politics,” he said. “Half of the noted at the CRIF event.
French population wants out of the But that threat, along with radical Islam,
European Union, and they almost had is also having therapeutic effects on the ail-
their way.” ing European Union and may be key to its
Many blame the revival of far-right par- survival, Reynié added.
ties in countries where bitter memories of “For the first time in decades, the Euro-
Nazism had kept such movements at bay pean Union has enemies in Putin and
on leaders who admitted into the Euro- jihadism,” Reynié said. And while those
pean Union at least 2 million refugees threats come with serious complications,
from the Middle East since 2015. she said, “they are also pillars for a dis-
Pinchas Goldschmidt, the president united European Union to rally around.”
An AfD poster in Berlin, Sept. 26, 2017.  STEFFI LOOS/AFP/GETTY IMAGES of the European Conference of Rabbis,  JTA WIRE SERVICE

32 JEWISH STANDARD JANUARY 5, 2018


Jewish World
BRIEFS unfounded assertions released today in the Globes news- 20 Hebrew-speaking employees and is in the process of
paper, about the creation of a French tax department hiring additional workers. The employees in the depart-
specializing in French Jews. ment are purportedly experts in Israeli law and are able
Palestinian teen seen “There is no such structure within the French tax to discern whether or not French Jews are using Israel
slapping Israeli soldier administration. The French tax law forbids any distinc- as a tax haven.
tion between people based on their origin, place of resi- “Every tax authority has employees that speak a for-
in viral video is charged dence, nationality or religion,” the directorate added. eign language, but hiring 20 or more Hebrew-speaking
with aggravated assault The denial came after the Israeli financial news outlet investigators is very irregular,” an international lawyer
Ahed Tamimi, the 17-year-old Palestinian who was Globes reported last week that a “one of a kind” inves- familiar with the secret French department reportedly
arrested for slapping and kicking an Israeli soldier, tigative department in France’s Finance Ministry has told Globes. JNS.ORG

was indicted in a military court.


The court indicted Tamimi on several counts,
including aggravated assault, obstructing a sol-
dier in the performance of his duty, and throwing
stones at troops.
“Tamimi threw stones at [the soldiers], threat-
ened them, obstructed their ability to fulfill their
duty, took part in riots, and incited others to take
part in them,” the IDF said.
Last month, a video of Tamimi went viral after
she was filmed outside of her home pushing, kick-
ing, and slapping Israeli soldiers, who maintained
their composure and did not retaliate. The foot-
age of Tamimi, who has been hailed in Palestin-
ian activist circles as an icon, sparked a debate
in Israel about the soldiers’ refusal to act. But the
IDF praised the soldiers’ restraint in the face of the
provocations. JNS.ORG

Netanyahu rejects claim


of Israeli involvement
in Iranian protests
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
rejected Iran’s accusation that Israel is behind the
new wave of anti-regime protests in the Islamic
Republic, and wished the Iranian people “success
in their noble quest for freedom.”
“I heard today Iran’s President [Hassan] Rohani’s
claim that Israel is behind the protests in Iran,”
Netanyahu said in a video statement released on
his official social media accounts. “It’s not only
false. It’s laughable. And unlike Rohani, I will not
insult the Iranian people. Brave Iranians are pour-
ing into the streets. They seek freedom. They seek
justice. They seek the basic liberties that have been
denied to them for decades.”
Netanyahu also criticized “many European gov-
ernments” for observing the Iranian regime’s bru-
tal crackdown on the protests “in silence.”
“That’s just not right,” said Netanyahu. “I for one
will not stay silent.”
As of Tuesday, at least 21 Iranian protesters were
reported killed during the mass demonstrations in
Iran.
The country’s new wave of popular protests
began the week before with anti-regime demon-
strations in the northeastern city of Mashhad,
where 52 protesters were arrested. The protests
soon spread to other cities throughout the Islamic
Republic. JNS.ORG

France denies targeting


Jews for tax evasion
The French government has denied a controver-
sial report about a secretive department within the
French Finance Ministry that allegedly targets Jews
for tax evasion.
France’s General Directorate of Public Finance
said that it “categorically denies the completely

JEWISH STANDARD JANUARY 5, 2018 33


Editorial
Toward
Truth regardless of consequences

Obama ignored the Iranian people’s lust


a happy for freedom — Trump must champion it
new year

O M
y father was born in Iran, betrayed not only the Iranian people by his failure to support
kay, it’s an entirely arti- and it has been my great the uprising, but the rest of the world, which has faced an
ficial divide, sort of like desire to visit the birth- increasingly aggressive Iran ever since.
those big rectangular place of so many of my We subsequently have learned that Obama’s desperation to
states out West, like Mon- ancestors. sign a nuclear agreement to have something to show for his oth-
tana, say, or the Dakotas, with totally I’d be insane to try to go now, unless erwise inconsequential foreign policy legacy led him to agree
arbitrary borders, not rivers like the my purpose is to save money on the to a deal so flawed that Iran has continued to advance toward
mighty Hudson but just lines drawn return leg of the ticket. Iran is one regional dominance and a nuclear weapons capability. Most
by anonymous engineers. of the world’s darkest, most brutal recently, it was revealed that Obama went so far as to sabotage
There’s nothing that makes Janu- regimes, and it proudly and constantly Rabbi his own administration’s efforts to bring Iran’s Hezbollah ter-
ary 1 inherently 2018ish, in a way that boasts of its genocidal intent toward Shmuley rorist arm to justice for its illegal activities in the United States
December 31 was not. It’s not like the the Jewish people. Boteach for fear it would interfere with negotiations on the nuclear deal
winter solstice, on December 21, when Two years ago, our organization, and undermine his propaganda line that the agreement would
the long nights pivoted and started the World Values Network, honored lead Iran to stop threatening U.S. interests.
getting shorter, tiny bit by tiny bit. Reza Pahlavi, the eldest son of the Shah and the former crown Obama also did nothing to address Hezbollah’s global terror-
But somehow it does feel different prince of Iran, for his dedication to a democratic Iran, free from ist activities or bring to justice those responsible for the deadli-
anyway. the tyrannical reign of the mullahs. Now we are suddenly wit- est attacks on Americans other than 9/11, the 1983 murder of 241
For the last few weeks, nighttime nessing national protests against the Khameini dictatorship. Americans in the U.S. Marine barracks bombing in Beirut, and
has been filled with the glorious lights For decades, we have been hearing that the people of Iran the 63 people, including 17 Americans (one of whom was the
of Christmas; I feel entirely empow- despise their authoritarian radical Islamic regime. They rejected CIA station chief ) killed the same year when Hezbollah blew up
ered to be driven crazy by the music the oppression as well as the mullahs’ determination to take the the American embassy in Beirut.
and the ever-present red and green By refusing to certify the Iranian nuclear agreement, President
and antlers on cars and stupid sweat- Trump took an important first step toward reversing the cata-
ers and all the rest of the faux and By refusing to certify strophic impact of Obama’s Iran policies. Now he has an unex-
alienating cheer, but still to love the
tiny bright lights that turn Victorian
the Iranian nuclear pected opportunity to support the one policy that could end
the Iranian threat to its neighbors, to the United States, and to
houses into children’s book illustra- agreement, President the world, regime change. This is the only way to eliminate the
tions and trees into sculptures of cren-
ellated wonder.
Trump took an genocidal and hegemonic ambitions of the Iranian government.
Obama’s unwillingness to punish Iran for its continued viola-
The white light is golden or blue; important first step tion of UN resolutions related to its nuclear activity and ballis-
it’s not real, but it is even more
lovely for it.
toward reversing the tic missile development emboldened the mullahs, who subse-
quently expanded their missile program, continued their covert
Now, though, the lights will have catastrophic impact of nuclear weapons pursuit, increased their sponsorship of ter-
to come down (and we will be able to
be grateful that we didn’t have to go
Obama’s Iran policies. ror, and intensified their interference in their neighbors’ affairs.
Thanks to the billions of dollars Obama paid Iran in ransom, and
up on ladders either to string or to the billions more in sanctions relief afforded by the nuclear deal,
unstring them). Now the light will be once-modern nation backward to the dark ages of fundamen- Iran grew stronger and now its tentacles extend throughout the
the pale natural light of winter, getting talist Islamist rule. Still, for more than 30 years, the public did Gulf, Yemen, Syria, Lebanon, Gaza, and beyond.
longer, ushering us into this new year. little to show its discontent. Now, popular anger over domestic Trump now has the opportunity to work for regime change
As we move into the new year, with tyranny has merged with frustration over Iran’s interference in without necessarily using military force. He can provide verbal
its new light, we hope for more light. the domestic affairs of other countries throughout the region to and, more important, material support to the protestors and he
We hope that last year, with its hideous provoke the most serious threat to the genocidal regime since can increase sanctions against Iran for brutalizing their people if
divisiveness, will remain behind us, the revolution. the Iranians use the Revolutionary Guards to try to suppress the
and that none of its toxicity will seep For all its dissatisfaction in the past, the public did not revolt demonstrations. Iran first must be cut off from the international
into this one. because it seemed unprepared to fight for independence against banking system. This can cripple the economy and prevent the
We hope that sanity, decency, and the overwhelming force of the brutal Revolutionary Guards. The Europeans from continuing their mad rush to sign business
civility will be ascendant, and that one time the public did rise up, in 2009, it was ruthlessly sup- deals with the Iranian government. Oil should be embargoed.
love and goodness will see us through pressed by the guards and abandoned by the international com- The sale of Boeing jets to Iran must be cancelled. The cases
the rest of what is likely to be a cold, munity, most notably by Barack Obama. The former president against Hezbollah’s illegal operations in the United States must
cold winter. -JP

Rabbi Shmuley Boteach is the author of 30 books, including his most recent, “The Israel Warrior.” Follow him on Twitter @RabbiShmuley.

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34 Jewish Standard JANUARY 5, 2018


Opinion

Passing the torch

T
here is a special place in the world to come for Words cannot adequately express the gratitude that
lay leaders of Jewish institutions. I feel for the past, current, and even future leaders of
While all lay leadership positions require tire- Ben Porat Yosef. Though I often said that BPY felt (and
be reopened and warrants sought for those respon- less work and dedication for no pay, there is still feels) like my baby, this feels much more significant
sible for attacks against Americans abroad. Further- something particularly daunting about doing than simply pride in my child’s achieve-
more, U.S. forces in Syria and Iraq, which succeeded this kind of work within your own tight-knit ments. Because, unlike with my own chil-
t in destroying ISIS, should now be directed to drive community. If you’re doing it right, you are dren, I was given this baby to hold for just
n out Iranian and Hezbollah fighters. constantly forced to choose the best interest a short while. Many creative, talented, and
Now even the feckless Europeans will be unable to of the organization you are leading over the caring leaders came before me, and my job
complain about tightening sanctions without looking individual needs and wants of the people and simply was to take care of this great insti-
- like they are supporting the dictators in Tehran over families you serve, many of whom undoubt- tution while I could, and then to pass on
the people in the streets clamoring for democracy. edly are friends. Proper governance and legal the responsibility of nurturing its growth to
Perhaps Russia and China again will shield Iran at requirements often have the good of the whole another set of capable hands.
t the UN Security Council with their vetoes, but the at odds with what feels right in your heart for Watching the stunning maturation of
the individuals you know so well, and walking Cheryl an organization you love so much come
- that fine line can be extremely delicate, and Weiner under another’s care comes with an
even painful at times. Being the leader who Rosenberg immeasurable sense of gratitude and
makes these tough choices does not often pride. And, I must add, also with a great
Now even the help you win friends — in fact, if you are able deal of relief. Relief because my time to
to maintain the friendships of those who respect you and lead, and all of the joy and the pain that goes with that
-
feckless Europeans understand your position, you are incredibly lucky. leadership, is behind me. Relief because there is a new
- will be unable to Additionally, there is an actual financial cost to being set of leaders, in many ways more able than I, who will
1 the lay leader of an institution. When I was president spend sleepless nights and hectic days tending to the
complain about of Ben Porat Yosef, people used to ask if I got a tuition next phase of growth.
tightening sanctions discount as “payment” for my time. They would chuckle As I move into my next life challenge — which I expect

without looking like as I answered “Oh no. Quite the opposite. I have to pay
extra for this honor!” If you layer these realities over all
will have a multitude of similarities and also distinct
differences from my lay leadership position at BPY — -I
t they are supporting of the other leadership requirements for a job well done, look forward to watching from the sidelines as my baby
-
-
the dictators in you can begin to understand why very few people aspire
to a position of leadership within their own community.
grows under the thoughtful and tender care of its new
leadership. These feelings of pride and joy, of relief and
Tehran over the There is too much downside, and, if I’m being honest,

people in the streets until very recently I believed the only real benefit was
knowing in my heart that I helped an institution that I
. clamoring for truly feel will change the world for the better. That was
-
democracy. enough to make it worth it to me. Words cannot
- But last week, I was blessed to have the kind of “paren-
- tal” pride and gratitude that I now know is directly adequately express
t United States does not need the UN’s permission borne from the personal sacrifice, love, and dedica- the gratitude that I
- to help the people of Iran free themselves from the tion of lay leadership. Last week, Ben Porat Yosef was
. grip of the extremists that turned Iran into one of accepted into the New Jersey Association of Indepen- feel for the past,
the world’s greatest violators of human rights and dent Schools, a prestigious organization that holds its current, and even
, threats to global peace and security. institutions to the very highest standards of excellence
The president must pledge whatever support the and governance. future leaders of Ben
protestors need to bring about the end of the reign I have the honor of having formed meaningful rela- Porat Yosef.
of terror of the mullahs. They should be given the tionships with many of the founders of BPY, and I know
assurance that sanctions will cease and aid will flow that for at least a few this was an achievement that was
to a new government that adopts democratic prin- mightily desired but seemingly unachievable. Woven gratitude, this is what makes it worth it. Through the
f ciples, forswears its nuclear weapons program, ends through the foundations of a unique and intricate mis- painstaking decisions and the endless work and the
ballistic missile research, ceases sponsorship of ter- sion that includes Hebrew fluency, pride in the school’s uncertainty of what “doing the right thing” means when
ror, and ends its genocidal threats against Israel and (and the Jewish people’s) Sephardic roots, and a desire there is no perfect answer, I hope the prospect of one
interference in the affairs of its neighbors. to connect our families to God in an authentic way, is day feeling all of these things will keep our communal
We are at a historic moment, when one of the a basic, incontrovertible thread of excellence in educa- leaders going.
. world’s most evil regimes can be destroyed. Obama tion. Though the phrase “excellence” holds distinct and You are all heroes!
let the moment pass in 2009, with devastating conse- varied meanings in different contexts, the measures of
t quences. President Trump and other world leaders NJAIS cannot be denied as a valiant endeavor to define, Cheryl Weiner Rosenberg represents Englewood’s �irst
cannot afford to make the same mistake. measure, and teach excellence in education. ward on its city council.

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Jewish standard JanUarY 5, 2018 35


Opinion
I’VE BEEN THINKING

It’s not an ugly word, earnest

I
’m sitting at my home bad other than the rampant graffiti, inoperable subway week will be filled with difficult contract negotiations;
computer on Tuesday doors, buses arriving in herds, and unexplained train unpleasant dealings with other lawyers who believe
morning, putting the delays — no, traffic ahead is not really an excuse); in vari- that agreeing to anything, no matter how reasonable,
finishing touches on ous Teaneck carpools (worse than the bus or subway not is a show of weakness; impossible-to-meet deadlines, or
this column. It’s not a holiday only because of distance and time but also because the court appearances before judges who haven’t read the
or a snow day. The office isn’t GWB or the Lincoln Tunnel helix are involved); and, God papers but take enjoyment in making life difficult for the
closed, there’s no backup in help me, on NJ Transit or Red & Tan buses from Route 4 lawyers appearing before them.
the tunnel, and no, I’m not (don’t ask). Taking the A train and the Route 4 jitney was Of course, not all negotiations were difficult, lawyers
sick, babysitting for grandkids, a bit better, but only a bit. unpleasant, deadlines tight, or judges unreasonable. But
or playing hooky. Joseph C. I’m not going to get up at 5:50 a.m. to be on time enough were over the years to make too many Monday
One word answer: Kaplan for my most recent carpool, which, even though it mornings a struggle to get out of bed.
retirement. arrived in the city long before I had to be at my desk, So what will I do? (Note: From here until the end of
Not surprisingly, the ques- I was grateful to be in because it meant I didn’t have this column, “I’ll do X” should be read as “I’ll try to do
tion I’ve been asked most about my retirement (which to take the bus (see the preceding paragraph). Don’t X” or “I’m thinking of doing X.”)
became effective as of January 1st) is what are you going get me wrong. This carpool — indeed, all my numer- I’ll travel. In fact, we’re off to Israel for three weeks
to do now? Well, before I try to answer that question, or ous carpools over the years — were filled with friendly to celebrate a family wedding. Three weeks! Our last
better, before I grapple with it because it’s too soon for and interesting people who were just the right company three-week vacation was in August 1971, after the bar
any concrete answers, let me first tell you what I’m not to start the day with. But I would have preferred get- exam and just before I started my first job. Mt. Rush-
going to do. ting together with them at Lazy Bean or around a Shab- more and the Grand Canyon also are high up on my
I’m not going to commute. Over the last 46-plus years, bat table rather than sitting in yet another back-up on list, as are some relatively new New York City high-
I’ve commuted on the number 5 bus on Riverside Drive the bridge because there was an accident on the Cross lights, like the Second Avenue subway, the Highline,
across from my Manhattan apartment and the number 1 Bronx. (Oh, how I hate Robert Moses.) Hudson Yards, and the 9/11 museum, none of which
subway (which, to my daughters’ dismay, I still refer to I’m not going to wake up on Monday morning feel- I’ve been to yet.
as the IRT) a few short blocks away on Broadway (not too ing angst in the pit of my stomach, because I know the I’ll take some courses and shiurim. I have my eye on an

I’m with her


Why Nikki Haley may be the first female president

W
hile the Demo- (insert relevant, derogatory name — racist, misogynist, etc.).
cratic Part y This baiting and name-calling does not play well in most of
continues to the country. It is also allowing the Republican party, with
be in disarray arguably much worse policies and concern for ordinary She has none of the
after the disastrous defeat of its Americans, to enjoy inexplicable success.
presumptive first woman presi- Moreover, if the Democrats continue to allow the fossil- baggage of Ms. Clinton
dent, Hillary Clinton, the Repub- ized remains of Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi to rep- — a tough but likeable
licans are enjoying the spoils resent the face of the party, they are likely relegating them-
of their historic victory. The selves to minority status for the foreseeable future. Seeing personality that Hillary
Republicans currently control 34 Chuck Schumer’s angry countenance on TV with nary a Clinton could never pull
governorships and just passed a Daniel legitimate policy alternative makes us wax nostalgic for
key landmark tax legislation bill Shlufman Richard Nixon vis-à-vis the televised debates with Kennedy. off, a flexible policy
in record time, (albeit one that is Though Mr. Schumer comes across as both less sincere and position that does not
not good for our tristate area). less likeable than Richard Nixon, who was elected president
Despite the demographics favoring them, the Democrats only eight years after the loss to JFK. feel like flip-flopping,
inexplicably are losing ground. The Republican party is in a position to steal the Demo- and demographics that
American Jewish organizations have learned that the crats’ thunder by running a female candidate in either three
Israeli narratives of the past 60 years no longer resonate or seven years, as the case may be, who has a legitimate the Democrats probably
with the under-40 crowd. That is, we no longer can sell chance to win the presidency. She has none of the baggage wish had brought
Israel to American Jews based on either 1. Holocaust guilt of Ms. Clinton — a tough but likeable personality that Hillary
(i.e. you need to support Israel so it is there for us in case Clinton could never pull off, a flexible policy position that her into their party.
there is another Holocaust) or 2. a fear that Israel will be does not feel like flip-flopping, and demographics that the
destroyed by its Arab neighbors if we don’t show our sup- Democrats probably wish had brought her into their party. groups while working at the store. When she ran for the
port and help it remain strong. We in the federations and This makes Ms. Haley a dangerous quadruple threat to the South Carolina statehouse and then the governorship, she
other Jewish organizations continue to struggle to find ways Democratic party. was a long shot in both races, running against entrenched
to connect the younger generations with Israel without Nikki Haley is the daughter of immigrants from India who incumbents. She won each of them only after runoffs, which
using the fear of annihilation. was born into the Sikh religion. So, from the get-go, besides makes her a successful and seasoned campaigner who
Likewise, the Democratic party, if it wants to regain being a woman, she has both the immigrant and religious knows how to fight and win a tough election.
power, will need to move away from its narrative that every minority demographic, a usual Democratic strong suit, in Ms. Haley is not a typical Republican or politician
“minority” (i.e. lower case) position or group is worthy of her favor. Her parents started an upscale clothing store in as her positions cut across policy lines. As governor of
support. And if a person doesn’t agree that a particular South Carolina, where Nikki learned about business and South Carolina, she signed the first state law in the United
minority group or cause is worthy of support, they are a finance. She became involved in many women’s business States against the anti-Israel BDS (Boycott, Divestment

36 Jewish Standard JANUARY 5, 2018


Opinion

online course about Jewish Ideas and the American Found- I’ll go to matinees of Broadway shows and local movies — book containing my pre-Jewish Standard articles and per-
ers and a live course on Business and Jewish Law. Shiurim? especially the ones with really good senior discounts. And sonal musings and reflections.
Still thinking. probably get Netflix, so I finally can watch House of Cards I’ll organize my closet, the books in our library, and the
I’ll plow through the piled-up backlog of New York Times’ and the Crown. thousands of pictures on my computer — albums of grand-
extra sections (and try to keep up to date once I return from kids coming up.
Israel), and get to some of the many books and articles I’ve I’ll volunteer more in an attempt to repay the community
been meaning to get to for years. and organizations that my family has benefitted from over
I’ll try to increase my attendance at morning minyan a bit.
(Since my attendance has been nil for a long time, increasing
Not surprisingly, the the years.
But mostly, for the first six months or so, I intend to relax
it is not a very high bar.) question I’ve been and decompress; to enjoy the freedom and flexibility of
I’ll visit my daughter, son-in-law, and three adorable
grandchildren in Toronto more often. And it won’t have to
asked most about my doing things on the spur of the moment, to appreciate some
of what I’ve overlooked in the hustle and bustle of a working
be only on a holiday weekend where I take Thursday as a retirement (which life, and sometimes to do nothing at all — if I can figure out
vacation day and need to leave on the morning of the Mon-
day holiday. Just hoping we won’t wear out our welcome.
became effective how. But also to think seriously about what I’m really going
to do now that I’m retired. Your suggestions are welcome
I’ll learn how to really use my computer, iPhone, and — as of January 1st) (you can email them to me at the Standard), and now I have
my retirement present from my firm and much better than
a gold watch — new iPad Pro.
is what are you plenty of time to read them all.

I’ll exercise more. In fact, I’ve finally been able to put going to do now? Joseph C. Kaplan, a regular columnist, is a long-time
my Teaneck tax dollars to use by signing up for a men’s resident of Teaneck. His work also has appeared in various
fitness class at the Teaneck senior center. And walking I’ll write a bit more for the Jewish Standard (with the edi- publications including Sh’ma magazine, the New York Jewish
every day will be built-in time for me to keep up with tor’s permission, of course) [ED NOTE —You’ve got it!], and Week, the Baltimore Jewish Times, and, as letters to the editor,
my audiobooks. take some serious steps to try to find a publisher for my the New York Times.

and Sanctions) movement. She did this in a state that has only
14,000 Jewish people. So it is a position she believes in, not one
she adopted for political purposes. This makes her statements
at the United Nations all the more believable and powerful. Ms.
Haley also refused to support a law pending in the South Caro-
lina legislature restricting the use of bathrooms by sex (which is
not a conservative position). After initially opposing the removal
of the Confederate flag from the South Carolina legislature, she
changed her position and advocated for its removal, so that “no
one should feel pain by seeing this when they pass by.” These
were courageous positions taken by a governor in South Caro-
lina, especially one who was both young and female!
Nikki Haley is the real deal, a strong female candidate who is
not afraid to stand up for what she believes in and what is right.
It is refreshing to see this in a politician. Her statements at the
United Nations in support of Israel and in defense of the U.S.
embassy’s move to Jerusalem should be seen as a source of pride
by the Jewish people. The fact that she held these positions as a
strong supporter of Israel when she was the governor of South
Carolina should give solace to those who are concerned that she
is only echoing the policies of Donald Trump.
If backing a strong, self-made women who is thoughtful and
courageous is something that women seek in a candidate they
should take a long, hard look at Nikki Haley. If women value party
lines over policies and optics over competency, then it is likely
that the Democrats will once again put forth a candidate in 2020
or 2024 (as the case may be) who will lose to Nikki Haley. For the
reasons set forth above, if Ms. Haley runs for the presidency, I
want to be one of the first to proudly say, “I’m with her.”

Daniel Shlufman of Tenafly is the treasurer of the Jewish Federation


of Northern New Jersey. He is an attorney and a mortgage broker. Nikki Haley talks to reporters at U.N. headquarters in Manhattan on March 27, 2017. Drew Angerer/Getty Images

Jewish Standard JANUARY 5, 2018 37


Opinion

About names

W
hat is in a yarzheit, my brother Stuart Borovitz succumbed to a long challenges surrounding the names that we 21st century
name? battle with M.S. Therefore, for me and my family Shabbat Jews call ourselves and each other for your personal con-
Names both Sh’mot — the Sabbath of Names — has a very poignant and templation and for discussion around your study or din-
distinguish us personal aspect to it. ner tables this week.
from each other and also can Neither my father nor my brother was a great and
denote our relationships one to famous man, like Moses. There are no books of Boro-
the other. vitz that they wrote or were written about them. They
This week we begin the read- did, however, share a rare and often overlooked quality
ing of the Book of Exodus, with Moses. Both Jerry Borovitz and Stuart Borovitz were Both Jerry Borovitz
which is called The Book of Rabbi Neal good, decent men, who when confronted with the choice,
and Stuart Borovitz
Names — Shemot — in Hebrew Borovitz always chose the ethical over the expedient. In their mem-
Our Torah reading begins ory, I want to devote the rest of this column to lessons were good, decent
with the words “These are the
names of the Children of Israel.” The chapter continues
we can learn from the life of Moses, lessons that my dad
and my brother, neither of whom were rabbis, implicitly
men, who when
with the listing of the names of the tribes that went down understood and taught others by example. confronted with the
to Egypt, prospered there, and ultimately were enslaved.
By the end of the chapter our attention has been focused
All four of these lessons are found in chapter three, the
story of the burning bush. There we hear this man named
choice, always chose
upon one child of one family of one tribe — a person Moses asking God : “When they (the children of Israel) ask the ethical over
named Moses.
Fifty- two years ago this week, in January 1966, on Shab-
me what is God’s name, what shall I say to them?” God
answers Moses by saying “Eheyeh asher Eheyeh” which
the expedient.
bat Sh’mot I stood in synagogue and recited the mourner’s can translate into English one of four ways: I am that what
kaddish for the first time. Earlier that day, I buried my I am, I am that what I will be, I will be that what I am, and 1. Being a Jew in the 21st century requires of each of us
dad, Jerry Borovitz, who died at the age of 42 from a form I will be that what I will be. to choose to be God wrestlers. (The name Israel is derived
of heart disease that would be easily treated today. Sev- Based upon the four possible translations of the answer from the story of Jacob wrestling with a being that the text
enteen years ago, in January 2001, my dad’s thirty-fifth Moses heard at the burning bush, I suggest to you four of Genesis taught us was both human and divine.) Every

Defining anti-Semitism is complicated

J TA doesn’t give out Per-


son of the Year hon-
ors, but if we did I’d be
tempted to nominate
Michael Kadar, the Israeli-
American teenager accused
of making hundreds of bomb
threats against Jewish commu-
nity centers in early 2017.
As I wrote soon after his Andrew
arrest: Silow-Carroll
“The JCC bomb threat hoax
wasn’t just an isolated swastika
daubing — it was an ongoing story affecting Jewish institu-
tions in nearly every American Jewish community. It shaped
a communal narrative that something ugly and insidious
was happening out there. And it fueled a political crisis
among most American Jewish organizations and the White
House, with the former accusing the latter of taking too long
to denounce anti-Semitism and to comfort Jews trauma-
tized by the bomb threats and at least two major cemetery
desecrations.”
Kadar, 18 at the time of his arrest in April, “deserves” the
dubious distinction for another reason: He personifies a Jew-
ish question, perhaps the Jewish question of 2017, which is,
“How do you define anti-Semitism?” Kadar’s circumstances
are of course peculiar to him, asking if a series of hoaxes
that terrified Jewish institutions stop being anti-Semitism
because the caller is Jewish. Michael Kadar, the Israeli-American teenager arrested on suspicion of making more than 100 bomb threats
The question I am talking about is both semantic and to JCCs, leaves court in Rishon Lezion, Israel, on March 23, 2017. Jack Guez/AFP/Getty Images

political, pitting left against right on at least two battle-


grounds. The first is the college campus, and the second is the Boycott Israel movement is engaged), groups intent intent. They point to slogans and imagery that draw on
the national political scene. on fighting anti-Israel activity often insist that Israel’s ene- age-old stereotypes of Jewish control and collusion. They
On college campuses (and wherever the fight against mies are anti-Semitic, certainly in effect, and usually by ask why of all the countries in the world — including those

38 Jewish Standard JANUARY 5, 2018


Jewish World

Jew today, like the Israelites who chose to leave Egypt, American, European, Russian, Ethiopian, Iraqi, or Syrian, narrative this week reminds me that like Moses in his gen-
is a Jew by choice. Some are biological descendants of and so on. In mid 20th-century America, Jews were much eration, for Jews of the 21st century, being a Jew is a choice.
Jacob, while others, like the “mixed multitude” who left more tolerant of other. Perhaps because Jews affiliated That choice requires us to continually be God wrestlers,
Egypt with the Israelites during the Exodus, are spiritual with Orthodox, Conservative, and Reform synagogues, who recognize that in our ever-evolving world, God is pres-
descendants and full and equal partners in the covenant along with unaffiliated Jews, all went to public school ent and is continually calling out to us to connect ourselves
that God made with Abraham. The Jewish future is ulti- together, the hatred and fear that we see in the first quar- to the Name, the source of physical, spiritual, and intellec-
mately in each of our own individual hands, just as Exo- ter of the 21st century was missing. tual energy, by connecting ourselves to each other. Juda-
dus three indicates that the future of Judaism was once 3. Being a Jew in the 21st century also requires of us to ism teaches us that unity with God requires being a mem-
in the hand of Moses. For my dad, who as a World War recognize that because we are created in the image of God, ber of a community. We must affirm what unites us and
II G.I., experienced anti-Semitism within the U.S. Army each of us, as the name of God indicates, we will be what respect each other’s differences.
Air Corp, and witnessed the devastation we now call the we will be, based upon who we are and who we wish to As we begin to read again from the Book of Names, I
Holocaust, the only response was to provide his children become. Like Moses, we need to have the patience and hope that each of you can remember the names of fam-
with a positive American Jewish upbringing, and to instill perseverance to continually fight for the liberation of the ily and friends who impacted your lives as my brother
in each of us, by example and word, his deep belief in the enslaved and the oppressed. Like Moses, we need to be will- and my dad impacted mine. Since this amazing Book
equality of all people, and his contempt for religious and ing to stand up to the oppressors of our age, be they Pha- also is called Exodus, because it is the story of our lib-
racial prejudice. raohs, like the leaders of Syria or Iran, or those who seek eration, may 2018 be the year that we American Jews of
2. Just as there are 12 tribes in the Book of Exodus, each to terrorize innocent people, through acts of anti-Semitic various religious streams and ethnic, racial and national
related but unique, that went down into Egypt with their vandalism, such as Jews are experiencing in European com- origin, leave behind our petty rivalries, and accept each
father Jacob and came up out of Egypt with their leader munities, or through acts of terror via rockets from Gaza other, for who we are; unique, but equal members of
Moses, so too today there are uniquely but authentically this past summer. We will stand together and demand liber- the community of God wrestlers who call ourselves
different tribes that belong to the People of Israel. Today, ation for ourselves and for others, and assert, in the words b’nai Yisrael.
instead of calling them Judah, Levi, Benjamin, or Reuben, of FDR, that we, like every other human being on earth, are
we call these tribes by their religious divisions — Conser- entitled to freedom of religion, freedom from fear, freedom Neal Borovitz, rabbi emeritus of Temple Avodat Shalom in
vative, Orthodox, Reconstructionist, and Reform — and from want and freedom of speech. River Edge, is a past chair of the Jewish Community Relations
by their most immediate place of residence, be they 4. The story of Moses’ formative years in the Torah Council of the Jewish Federation of Northern New Jersey.

with gruesome human rights records — Israel is singled out its head and Trump’s triumphant visit to the Western Wall at
for threats and boycotts. the beginning of his term. Bannon spoke at a ZOA fundraiser,
Examples of the blurring of anti-Israelism and anti-Sem- and the organization issued many statements accusing the
itism abound. In April, the student government at the Uni- Right-left divides Anti-Defamation League of being too hard on the Trump
versity of Wisconsin-Madison held a vote on an anti-Israel administration and too soft on pro-Palestinian activists —
resolution — on Passover. A student legislator at McGill Uni- aren’t new to Jewish especially the Palestinian-American feminist leader Linda
versity tweeted “punch a Zionist today” and somehow sur- communal politics, Sarsour. (The ADL notes that it has called out anti-Semitism
vived impeachment; an anti-Zionist student group at the on the right and among progressives alike.) Meanwhile, right-
same Montreal university admitted that it used anti-Semitic but applying them to leaning Orthodox Jews felt their gamble on Trump paid off
propaganda to prevent a Jewish — and presumably anti- the fight against anti- when he recognized Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.
BDS — candidate from being re-elected to the student gov- Right-left divides aren’t new to Jewish communal politics,
ernment. A lawsuit against San Francisco State University Semitism appears to be. but applying them to the fight against anti-Semitism appears
insists the school failed to protect Jewish students when it to be. Once upon a time, the Jews’ antagonists were obvi-
allowed pro-Palestinian protesters to disrupt a speech by movements that seek the destruction of Israel, routinely ous: Louis Farrakhan, David Duke, Hamas, the U.N. Gen-
Jerusalem’s mayor. engage in anti-Semitic rhetoric and actions, and promote eral Assembly, neo-Nazis here and in Europe. They haven’t
But there’s a big gap among Jewish activists when it hatred of Jews.” gone away, but now the Jewish left accuses the Jewish right
comes to defining the challenge. Left-leaning groups — on On the political front, the anti-Semitic debate broke in of downplaying the dangers of the alt-right. The Jewish right
campus and on the outside — worry that labeling even hos- almost exactly the opposite way: The left was quick to label says the real threat to Jews is not from pro-Trump internet
tile political rhetoric as hate speech puts Jews on the wrong President Donald Trump as a fomenter of anti-Semitism and trolls but from progressive campus groups, including Jews
side of the free speech debate. They say that a tool that some of his aides and minions as anti-Semites outright. The on the far left, who condemn Israel but really mean “the
has been applied to anti-Semitic activity on campus only failure of the White House to name Jews in its formal state- Jews.” The left thinks it a vital Jewish mission to enter into
recently — Title VI of the Civil Rights Act — takes too broad a ment on International Holocaust Remembrance Day — like social justice coalitions with other minorities, including Mus-
brush in defining anti-Semitism, and ends up blaming legiti- Trump’s tepid condemnation of the racist and anti-Semitic lims; the right says Black Lives Matter lost all moral authority
mate critics of Israel of creating an “unsafe” environment marchers at Charlottesville — was not just an inadvertent when it joined the pro-Palestinian cause.
for Jewish students. mistake, many on the left reasoned, but a dog-whistle to the Or maybe it’s not such a new phenomenon after all,
Two of the most active groups in promoting the use of nationalist, and sometimes racist and anti-Semitic, right that because behind the debate are a familiar series of issues that
Title VI — the Zionist Organization of America and the Law- supported Trump. have long divided the Jewish activist class: tikkun olam vs.
fare Project — are on the right. They argue that the tactics of Similarly, the left insists former White House strategist “peoplehood”; universal justice vs. particularist priorities; a
the boycott Israel movement, especially when they include Steve Bannon was no mere “economic nationalist” but a broad human rights agenda vs. a narrower focus on Israel.
comparing Israel to Nazi Germany or denying Israel’s right cynical demagogue who was willing to play on familiar anti- A polarized political climate only created the conditions for
to exist, are contemporary examples of an age-old hatred. Semitic tropes to stir the Trump base. divides that were there all along. JTA Wire Service

A shadowy group called the Canary Mission bypasses the Right-wing groups, most notably the ZOA, were quick
legal arena by publishing a virtual, and ethically suspect, to defend Trump and Bannon. They would point to the Andrew Silow-Carroll of Teaneck is the editor in chief of JTA
blacklist of faculty and students it deems are “affiliated with strongly pro-Israel stance of Breitbart News with Bannon as Wire Service.

Jewish Standard JANUARY 5, 2018 39


Keeping Kosher

Sweets on Cedar Cedar Market features


celebrates its new items and more
grand reopening Items from the Wandering Que are back in stock at Cedar Market in
Teaneck. Also check out the store’s expanded showcase and selection
Sweets on Cedar in Teaneck had a grand re- of sushi, with the same daily promotion — buy two rolls, get one free!
opening celebration last month. The newly The store now offers many popular Popinsanity popcorn flavors.
remodeled store is known for its candy, Other new offerings include Bobs Red Mill 7 Grain Hot Cereal, Won-
chocolate, dried fruit, extensive sugar-free dermills Flour including whole wheat, whole spelt, and whole spelt
selections, nuts, gift baskets, and platters. blend; Food Should Taste Good Tortilla Chips, Birdsboro Turkey
All baskets, platters, and arrangements on Slices and Beef Fry, and many varieties of the Rebbe’s Choice Herring.
its website are under the Star-K supervision Be sure to sign up for Cedar Market’s emails and watch for details.
and the store is under the hashgacha of the Monitor its Facebook and Instagram pages for flash deals, giveaways,
RCBC — Rabbinical Council of Bergen County. contests, and more. You always can find some of their amazing super
Sweets on Cedar ships throughout the con- deals on the back page of the Jewish Standard.
tinental United States. Stop in to see all the Cedar Market delivers your orders. Let its friendly staff shop it and
selections at 488 Cedar Lane in Teaneck. deliver it for you. For information, email orders@thecedarmarket.
For information, call (201) 928-4100, or go to com.
www.SweetsOnCedar.com. Cedar Market is at 646 Cedar Lane in Teaneck. For more informa-
tion, call (201) 855-8500 or go to www.thecedarmarket.com.

New Teaneck restaurant offers healthy options


Vinaigrette, under RCBC supervision, has opened
Kosher Market in the West Englewood section of Teaneck. The res-
taurant offers many combinations so you can create
Meats ✡ Chicken ✡ Deli ✡ Appetizing healthy salads. You can choose a fresh salad from the
Prepared Foods ✡ Groceries ✡ Frozen Foods ✡ Catering menu or create one of your own — choose from unique
and healthy toppings and then choose from among the
67 A. East Ridgewood Ave. · Paramus, NJ 07652
homemade dressings to top them off. Miso eggplant,
201-262-0030 oven toasted tomato, baby arugula and creamy gar-
www.harolds.com
MON-WED 8-6; THURS 8-7; FRI 8-4; SUN 8-3; CLOSED SATURDAY lic dressing is a sandwich choice. You can create your
UNDER RABBINICAL SUPERVISION
own grain bowl or have a cup of soup. A variety of
interesting sandwiches include falafel with cucumber,
Serving The Kosher Way Since 1976
romaine, and tahini vinaigrette; a tuna burger topped
with Daikon slaw, jalapeno dressing and avocado;
and a hard boiled egg and tomato with green goddess For information, call (201) 837-9900 or email info@
dressing. vinaigrette.com. You also can order online at www.
Vinaigrette is at 182 West Englewood Ave. in Teaneck. Vinaigrette-nj.com.
DELI • RESTAURANT • CATERING

1
Annual
Readers
Choice
# New Jersey
Avi & Haim Poll 894 Prospect Street
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Under Rabbinical Supervision
Glen Rock, NJ
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40 JEWISH STANDARD JANUARY 5, 2018


Keeping Kosher

Wine blogger Gabriel Geller’s short list:


Two selections to cozy up to this winter
• Château Larcis Jaumat, a Bordeaux to drink now Additionally, Royal Wine Corp. imports, Wine Cellars in Oxnard, California, a state-of-
or save produces, and distributes a growing port- the-art-facility featuring guided wine tours, a
folio of spirits and liqueurs which include fully staffed modern tasting room, gift shop
many sought after scotches, bourbons, and catering facilities. Additionally, the
• Tabor, Shifon Vineyard, a new and original wine tequilas, and vodkas as well as hard-to-find Oxnard winery houses the award-winning
from Israel specialty items such as flavored brandies restaurant Tierra Sur, serving Mediterranean
and liqueurs. inspired contemporary California cuisine.

S
The company owns and operates the Follow Royal Wine on Face Book.com/
ometimes, a quick trip to the wine shop turns Kedem Winery in upstate New York, with a RoyalWineCorp/, and instagram.com/royal-
into a long journey through miles of aisles as tasting room and gift shop, as well as Herzog winecorp/, and twitter.com/royalwinecorp
you ponder the endless options. And if we’re
*Mevushal: Some Kosher wines are processed as flash-détente process prior to fermentation, while
being honest, it often boils down to the labels
Mevushal, which means ‘cooked’ in Hebrew. Some others apply that procedure on the final product,
that catch your eye the most. wineries produce their mevushal wines by heating prior to bottling.
But if you’d rather spend less time selecting wine the must (grape juice) via a flash pasteurization or
and more time enjoying it, Gabriel Geller has a short
and sweet (but not too sweet) list of suggestions. The
wine blogger, critic, and Royal Wine Corporation exec-
utive recently alerted his readers to two wines that are
especially wonderful for winter: Château Larcis Jaumat is moderately
• Château Larcis Jaumat, Saint-Emilion Grand Cru,
2015 (SRP $29.99) (not mevushal*) priced because it’s not from a
2015 is an outstanding vintage for Bordeaux, says famous, classified estate, even
Geller, “but for most of us mere mortals, these wines
will be either just dreams or reserved for very special though it’s made with the same
occasions.” The good news is, even the entry and mid- grapes by the same process.
level wines are good to excellent.
Château Larcis Jaumat is moderately priced because
it’s not from a famous, classified estate, even though
it’s made with the same grapes by the same process.
PE N !
And while most great Bordeaux typically need five to
10 years in the cellar to develop and mellow, Larcis
OW O
Jaumat is great to drink now and will keep adding lay-
ers of flavors and aromas over the coming decade.
N Thousands of Combinations
Unique and Healthy Toppings * Homemade Dressings
This elegant, medium-bodied wine carries notes
of ripe black currants and raspberries with hints of
smoke and forest floor. It features layers of flavors, Choose a Delicious
velvety tannins, and well-balanced acidity as well as a
long, earthy finish. Buy it now, urges Geller. Fresh Salad from our Menu
or Create Your Own
• Tabor, Tannat, Shifon Vineyard, 2013 (SRP $39.99)
(not mevushal*)
Geller calls this very unique Israeli wine a must-try.
This first release from Tabor comes from the Shifon
vineyard, 950 meters above sea level in the Golan
Heights. “It is one of only two kosher Tannat that I
know of,” he says.
Very different than most Israeli red wines, Tabor
is full-bodied yet neither too fruity nor too oaky. The Château Larcis Jaumat,
aroma and flavor showcase notes of thyme, pepper- Saint-Emilion Grand Cru,
mint, and eucalyptus with juicy red fruits (strawber- 2015 (SRP $29.99) (not
ries, currants, plums). Mevushal*) 2015 is an
Fans of high acidity and bold tannins will savor outstanding vintage for
this refreshing, masterfully-crafted novelty. Geller
is watching this wine with interest to see how it will
Bordeaux, says Geller,
“but for most of us mere Fresh and Healthy Garden Salads,
change with time. mortals, these wines will Grain Bowls, Soups, and Sandwiches
Founded in 1848, Royal Wine Corp. has been owned be either just dreams or
and operated in the United States by the Herzog fam- reserved for very special
ily, whose winemaking roots date back eight genera- occasions.” The good
tions to 19th century Czechoslovakia. news is, even the entry
m Today, Royal Wine Corp is the leading producer, and mid-level wines are
e importer, and distributor of kosher wines and spirits. good to excellent.
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well as Israel, New Zealand and Argentina. under supervision of RCBC

JEWISH STANDARD JANUARY 5, 2018 41


Dear Rabbi Zahavy

Your talmudic
advice column
Dear Rabbi Zahavy, around. Nobody should be subjected to that
After I worked at my job for three months, my kind of workplace abuse, and no one should
manager suddenly, without warning or discus- abide or tolerate it.
sion, tried to change the terms of my employ- Should you bring civil legal action against
ment, to give me additional responsibilities, your employer for violating your original
and to take away from me my vacation. This contract? That’s not my purpose here in
was directly contrary to the terms we had this column to counsel you on legal mat-
agreed upon when I accepted the job. ters. To answer that I recommend you
I was shocked. What can, or should, I do consult an experienced employment law-
about this? yer for some good American non-talmudic
Blindsided in Bergenfield legal advice.
My advice is for you to reflect upon your
Dear Blindsided, experiences and learn for the future how to
Our Torah clearly defends the basic rights anticipate and react to bad actions brought
of the worker, “You shall neither steal nor against you. Since you have suffered from
deal deceitfully or falsely with one another… an egregious awful dirty trick, or worse, you
You shall not defraud your fellow; you shall have a useful opportunity to review some of
not commit robbery. The wages of a laborer the principles of negative actions that unethi-
shall not remain with you until morning” cal people attempt in general in negotiations.
(Leviticus 19:11-13). And more recently, many Some folks might want to remind you
of our grandparents, in the spirit of our tra- that from stories in Scripture or the Talmud
ditions of justice and fairness, you could learn some lessons
in the United States and in about “The Art of the Dirty
Europe, led the global move- Deal” and distributive negoti-
ments for unionization and ating tactics.
for social justice to protect the To be sure, Bible stories
rights of workers worldwide. recount how our forefathers
But today, though, I assume used deceptive negotiating
that you do not have a union to tricks and all kinds of creative
represent you. Given the power deceptions. Jacob was a master
differential in your case, there of such deals, making a deal
is not much effective unilateral Rabbi Tzvee with Esau for the birthright,
action that you can take. If you Zahavy and deceiving his father Isaac
stand your ground against your for a blessing. He made a deal
boss, chances are that you will find no com- with Laban for the speckled livestock, which
promise and be forced to resign and walk appeared generous to Laban on the surface,
away. If you seek compromise, likely you will but ultimately favored Jacob economically.
be met with blank stares or glares from your I guess we might claim that a lesson from
bullying manager. our biblical heroes is to be a savvy or tricky
And if you give in, you may be able to negotiator, even if many of the Bible exam-
remain in your job, but at significant per- ples appear to be ethically questionable. Yes,
sonal costs to your dignity, and potentially Joseph’s brothers sold him into slavery, an
to your happiness and health. outright dirty deal. No tricks involved. But
If your financial circumstances allow for wait, down the road of history that deal led
it, your best course of action is to make it to saving the Israelites at a time of famine,
clear to your boss that he or she acted in an and Joseph ended up forgiving his brothers
unprofessional way that you cannot toler- and providing for them.
ate, and to walk away. Once a manager vio- Moses tried to negotiate with Pharaoh,
lates basic trust by unilaterally revising your but his take-it-or-leave-it approach fell on
terms of employment, you must consider if deaf ears, as Pharaoh rejected all Moses’
it makes sense to stay. If you do stay, you will attempts to win the freedom of his peo-
be on edge every hour of every day in case ple. Until, that is, Pharaoh’s very flesh and
some unknown new edict or fiat is issued, blood was a stake. Then Moses said he’d
ordering you to do this or that, changing take the people out of town for a while.
your days off, and generally jerking you And he switched gears, and they kept on
going to freedom.
Tzvee Zahavy received his Ph.D. from Brown I say we put the Bible stories aside, and
University and his rabbinic ordination from turn to clearer, more useful contemporary
Yeshiva University. He has taught advanced sources for more in-depth guidance. I will
Talmud, halacha and Jewish law codes, give you some examples in a canonical cat-
Jewish liturgy, Jewish history, and religious alogue of dirty tricks that people may try course prepared a summary for students encountered actions that people face
studies at seminaries and at major research to play on you as you negotiate your way to remind them about how to respond today. They are not the dirty tricks of
universities. He is a prolific author and has through life. I learned about these in a mag- in a negotiation to the prevalent issue of deals that were used in the stories of our
published many articles and books about nificent course in negotiations in the MBA distributive tactics, or what we often call biblical heroes.
Judaism and Jewish texts. Go to www.tzvee. program at a major research university. “dirty tricks.” Here’s the top ten list of today’s
com for details. The brilliant professor who taught the Note well that these are generally dirty tricks that you may encounter

42 Jewish Standard DECEMBER 5, 2018


D’var Torah
Shemot: The survival kit

T
his week we read Shemot, the joyful exclamation “Chazak, his belief system. a very successful Jewish button manufac-
first portion of the book of Exo- chazak v’nischazayk — let How did Joseph achieve turer in Manhattan who did not give much
dus. Life for the burgeoning us be strengthened!” as we this level of spiritual suc- charity — but the rabbi decided to try his
Jewish nation takes a precipi- conclude the reading. What cess? He internalized a criti- luck anyhow.
tous dive, soon catapulting them into full- exactly are we cheering, put- cal notion regarding the As expected, the rabbi received an icy
blown Egyptian slavery. It is the start of a ting Joseph in a box? Divine wisdom: It belongs reception. But when asked the purpose
long and bitter journey through oppres- The Hebrew word for box in an “aron” — a sacred ark of his visit, the rabbi simply pointed to
sion and genocide. is “aron.” In all the five books of symbolic safekeeping his long coat indicating that some buttons
Indeed, the Egyptian exile is consid- of the Torah, this word only where the Divine commu- had become loose. Relieved that the rabbi
ered the forerunner and prototype of four refers to the holy ark of the Rabbi nication is impregnable to was not asking for a donation, the business
phases of national exile envisioned by the Tabernacle in which the Law Chanoch alteration, reinterpretation, tycoon instructed a worker to take care of
prophet Daniel: of Moses — the Torah — is Kaplan or rearticulation and from the repair and in a few moments it was
“I saw in my vision...four great beasts. kept. In the only exception to Chabad Jewish which its eternal message — good as new.
Center of NW
The first was like a lion... a second one, this usage, the word “aron” is Bergen County,
as relevant today as it was The rabbi thanked him and was on his
similar to a bear… Afterward, another sim- used to describe the box, the Franklin Lakes, and always will be in every way out when the man called him back.
ilar to a leopard… After that, as I looked on coffin in which Joseph was Orthodox culture, milieu, and geo- “Did you really come all the way from
in the night vision, there was a fourth beast interred, “And Joseph was graphic location — continues Brooklyn to have a minor repair done on
— fearsome, dreadful, and very powerful.” placed in an ‘Aron’ in Egypt.” to be broadcast. your jacket?” he asked. The rabbi replied,
In Daniel’s prophecy, each creature sym- It is this one small word which encapsu- The man who lived his life like an “aron” “No! I came all the way from Poland!” Puz-
bolizes an exile which the Jewish people lates the secret key used by the Jewish and understood the message of the “aron” zled, the tycoon persisted, “Do you mean
would endure beginning with Babylon, then nation to survive the Egyptian exile and was buried in an “aron.” to tell me that you came all the way from
Media/Persia followed by Greece and finally the others it foreshadowed. For this reason we are told that Joseph Europe just to have a few buttons sewn
Edom, commonly identified as Rome. Joseph was the first Jew to live and inte- was placed in an “aron” just prior to the on your jacket?” To which the rabbi coun-
Historically, from where did our ances- grate with the pagan society of his time. Jewish descent into exile since he — who tered, “Do you mean to tell me that your
tors draw the strength to persevere Time and again he was challenged by the was challenged by a foreign culture on pristine soul made the long voyage from
through thousands of years of exile? To attitudes and behaviors of his host cul- foreign soil — held the secret to spiritual Heaven all the way to earth just to make
answer this we needn’t look any further ture. Yet, not only did he survive intact, survival throughout the nation’s peril- coat buttons?”
than the tool box they were given on the he accomplished the unthinkable: He ous 210 years in slavery. And it is to this The rabbi’s words found their mark and
doorstep of slavery. successfully raised a family who while notion — the firm and unwavering commit- the tycoon made a substantial commit-
In the closing words of Genesis, the physically separated from the legacy of ment of Joseph to the eternal truth of the ment to the rabbi’s yeshiva.
Torah employs a stark and unvarnished Abraham’s monotheism — and never even Torah — that we declare “Chazak, chazak As we march toward the end of what
account of Joseph’s demise, concluding having seen a role model from the “old v’nischazek,” acknowledging this same the Prophet Daniel called the “fearsome,
with the words: “and they put him in a country” — remained fully committed to truth today. dreadful, and very powerful” exile, we face
coffin in Egypt.” What a disappointment; those ideals. In this respect, Joseph rep- I’d like to conclude with a story about a exceedingly strong headwinds. At this time,
how depressing to conclude the very first resents the capacity for unwavering and Polish rabbi who came to the United States we are called on to heed the message of
book of the Torah on such a discouraging steadfast commitment to the Torah and before World War II to raise funds for his the “aron” with even greater tenacity and
note. And then, in glaring contrast, these Jewish values even under circumstances yeshiva. While staying in Brooklyn, he strengthen our commitment to observe and
words are juxtaposed to the raucous and which challenged the very foundations of was informed by someone that there was study the eternal truth of Torah.

during negotiations, with an eleventh that adaptations, for any of the other transac- position, and get it spelled out in writing. is not just a dirty tactic, it is also a bla-
I have added to highlight your specific tions in your life. And never agree at the end of a nego- tant violation of professional standards.
predicament. To be certain, I’d like to refer you for tiation, to ambiguous terms or, worse, to Had you been more attentive to aspects
detailed advice to the laws of our Talmud, blank-check-sounding language in clauses of your initial negotiations at the outset,
1. Good Cop/Bad Cop which has a whole order of tractates that like, “Your job duties will include 1, 2, 3…. you might have picked up the potential
2. Emotional Intimidation deal with civil damages. No doubt even and other activities to be named later.” for this later tragic action by your manip-
3. Lowball (or Highball) Offer if biblical stories seem to condone tricks, I warn you that smarmy manipulative ulative manager. Or you might not have.
4. Opening with a “Take It or our rabbinic law strives for fairness and managers will resist being pinned down. The dirtiest tricksters are good at hiding
Leave It” Offer justice in all business dealings, from an ox If you get the sense that your potential their deceits.
5. Exploiting the Trappings of Power that fell into a pit, to reparations for acci- employer is a weasel, or a bully, or any Whatever course you take now, do not
6. Increasing an Offer’s dental injury of your fellow human being, other negative human entity, your best blame yourself for the place you are in. It
Appearance of Legitimacy and many other liability issues. But those course of action is to walk away at the is not your fault. Look ahead to your next
7. Pretending to Have Limited Authority talmudic discussions are hard to apply start, before you find yourself trapped challenges. I’m sure you have worthy tal-
8. Playing a Game of Chicken to modern contexts, so it’s better to seek later — as you have been — in the messy, ents that will be recognized at your next
9. Lying about Priorities out modern standards and specialists to unpleasant, unhealthy tangled web of job. Go confidently ahead and leave your
10. Nibbling address today’s issues. your manager’s deceit. unfortunate experiences with dirty tricks
11. Bait and Switch By learning principles from experts in And be sure that what you face now behind you.
the field of business administration, you
Look carefully at the summary table for will gain a slightly better advantage in the
more details of what you can expect, future as you go into the next minefield in The Dear Rabbi Zahavy column offers mindful advice based on Talmudic
and what you can do, if you encounter your career and in your negotiations of reasoning and wisdom. It aspires to be equally open and meaningful to all the
varieties and denominations of Judaism. You can find it here on the first Friday of
dirty tricks in your negotiations, in busi- other relationships. Anticipate, as best you
the month. Please mail your questions to the Jewish Standard or email them to
ness, or in your personal life, whether for can, the worst-case scenarios, the dirty
zahavy@gmail.com
employment or in your purchases, or with tricks; stipulate what you expect in your

Jewish Standard DECEMBER 5, 2018 43


Crossword
“MUSICAL TRANSLATION” BY YONI GLATT
The Frazzled Housewife
KOSHERCROSSWORDS@GMAIL.COM
DIFFICULTY LEVEL: EASY

New year Monday

E
very Monday someone is start- half and complain, because, if that is
ing a diet. Or a new promise going to keep us sane, then that is what
they made to themselves — to we have to do.
be more patient, to be friend- Some people have said that I am set-
lier, to not scream at people who bring ting a good example for my children. I
them to the brink of insanity. Every. Sin- don’t think this is the case, because Son
gle. Monday. #1 and Son #3 already have told Hus-
And then, New Year’s day falls out on a band #1 and me that we are moving to
Monday. It is like the ultimate whammy. Israel with Son #2, and that he is going
Commercials for Weight to take care of us. I won-
Watchers and Jenny Craig, der if Son #2 knows about
Facebook ads for the diets this. The fact that we are
that no one can tell you making him come home
about unless you private from yeshiva in Israel in
message them — what is two weeks probably is
that about? Time to join not helping our cause,
this gym or that gym. Time and Sons #1 and 3 will just
to sign up for a new dating stick us in a nursing home
site, or for any dating site. somewhere…
Time to get rid of those bad Banji So how do I become the
habits and start good ones, Ganchrow person who doesn’t get
or any ones for that matter. stuck in a nursing home?
It is the first day of the How much laundry and
year. It is the first day of the rest of your cooking do I actually have to do when all
life. Oy freakin vey, that is a heck of a lot Husband #1 has to do is watch sporting
of pressure. events with his sons???
One of my favorite quotes, and I have No, I do not have a hangover. I am just
no idea who said it is, “You will never be all over the place, because it is a new
Across Down as young as you are today…” So simple, year. 2018. And every new year makes
1. “Emunah” (George Michael, 1987) 1. Fruit that is one of the Seven Species yet so profound. So why is it so hard to you think about the past and the future.
6. Son of Noah 2. Volcanic spew just put all the bad stuff behind us and And since we have no idea what the
9. “Dvash” (Bobby Goldsboro, 1968, and 3. “...rose ___ rose...” (Gertrude Stein) start fresh? When we look in the mirror future holds, sometimes it is a good thing
Mariah Carey, 1997) 4. Rabbi Carlebach wrote many a fine one and see that we are turning into people to go way back in your past and remem-
14. Offspring 5. “Shamayim” (Bryan Adams, 1984)
who we don’t want to be, how do we ber a time when everything was good
15. Priest that raised Samuel 6. “Shalom” (Adele, 2015)
16. Be a comedian 7. “Woe is me!” turn into what we want to be? and simple and happy.
17. African soccer powerhouse 8. Blend together For the past few months, I have been Yes, I am going back in time to the Con-
18. Lenient 9. Yam ___ (The Dead Sea) running a support group for the sand- cord Hotel. When my parents could play
19. Features for bison and lions 10. Saudi neighbor wich generation caregivers. Please don’t tennis twice a day, when I still watched
20. Doings of Haman and Hitler 11. Letter on a dreidel
stop reading if you are tired of hearing Days of Our Lives, and my friend Deva
22. “Star Wars” villain Kylo with temper 12. Tel Aviv to Jerusalem dir.
issues 13. “That’s right!” about this. Sandwich generation refers to and I could sit on the couch and people-
23. Shekels dispenser 21. Walk-___ (surprise shul attendees) those of us who have older or infirm par- watch until God knows what time in the
26. BDS supporter Brian (musician) 22. Knot again ents and/or in-laws and still have families morning. When the only care we had in
27. “Maamin” (Cher, 1998) 23. Tefillin location of our own that we are responsible for. the world was what we were wearing to
31. Rules, as David 24. Like the Mutant Ninja Turtles
So I started running this group because the next meal, and which cute boys were
33. Former video format 25. There are 60 of them on a CBS news
34. Shtick show I needed to know that I wasn’t the only at the hotel.
35. Computer or restaurant list 27. Goodman or Friedman one who was going through this. That I Yup, I think I will stay in that time for
36. Gin’s partner, often 28. Vacation for the pompous? wasn’t the only one who felt guilty or sad a few more minutes before I go back to
37. End of BBYO’s URL 29. Main school team or angry almost every day because of the now. To my resolutions. Which will prob-
38. Like each of the songs in this puzzle 30. Some check one for blood
pressure that I feel. ably only last a few hours. Oh well…there
42. Shmaltz, e.g. 32. Paskez or Orbit product
43. Copycatting 33. People that are rude and crude People who aren’t going through it is always next year.
44. Curvy HS math subject 36. Council of ___, 1545-63 cannot relate to it and really don’t want
46. 40, for Isaac when he got married 39. America’s pastime to hear about it, and I totally get that. Banji Ganchrow wishes all of her readers
47. Saying Loshon Hara, worshipping idols, 40. Like many Biblical films People who have lost parents don’t want a 2018 filled with good health, laughter,
etc... 41. “___ be my pleasure!”
to hear about it because they wish they love, and all you wish for yourselves. For
48. “Space ___” (David Bowie album) 42. Like the walk from Egypt to Jordan
50. “Kavod” (Aretha Franklin, 1967) 45. Ball room? still had their parents, and I get that too. those who only celebrate the Jewish New
52. Word before Sinai or HaBayit 48. Breakfast bit But this group has been so helpful to me, Year, I hope things are going well for you
53. Dr. Hank ___ (the original Ant-Man) 49. “Chalomot” (Fleetwood Mac, 1977) even if we sit around for an hour and a as well…
54. Six-pack muscles 51. One in San Diego that plays 39-Down
55. Matthew, in Madrid 52. “Sameach” (Pharrell Williams, 2013)
57. Comic legend Radner 55. Adam was the first
60. Kipah, essentially 56. Cookie since 1912 (and kosher since
61. Places 1998)
65. Warning before a bite, perhaps
66. Matterhorn, e.g.
57. Govt. property org.
58. Setting for TV’s “Newhart”
When we look in the mirror
67. Reason for a raise, maybe
68. “Malach” (Shaggy, 2000)
59. Day 33 in the Omer
60. Israel’s Better Place was a failed one
and see that we are turning
69. Foe of 22-Across (sadly) into people who we don’t want
70. “Slicha” (Justin Bieber, 2015) 62. Mistake an Amish person for a chasid,
e.g. to be, how do we turn into
The solution to last week’s puzzle
is on page 50.
63. Basic need
64. Hog’s home what we want to be?
44 JEWISH STANDARD JANUARY 5, 2018
Arts & Culture
The tribe at the Golden Globes
NATE BLOOM

T
he Golden Globe awards, pre-
sented by the Hollywood For-
eign Press Association and
hosted this year by Seth Mey-
ers, will be on NBC on Sunday, January
7, at 8 p.m. The Globes are awarded for
excellence in TV and films, and the film
awards are a good if not perfect predictor
of Oscar nominees/winners. Confirmed
Jewish nominees appear in caps the first
time they are mentioned.

The actors
Unlike the Oscars, the Globes present best
and supporting actor and actress awards
in separate awards, one for drama films
and one for best performance in a musical
or comedy. Daniel Day Lewis Maggie Gyllenhaal Peter Morgan
DANIEL DAY LEWIS, 60 (“Phantom
Thread”) and TIMOTHEE CHALAMET, 21 journalist, is “French Protestant” and his is that she is virtually secular, but very in They often write the scripts. “This is Us,”
(“Call Me By Your Name”) vie for the Globe mother is Jewish. touch with her Jewish background. a hit family drama, was created by DAN
for best actor, drama film. Day-Lewis is the JAMES FRANCO, 39, (“Disaster Art- PAMELA ADLON, 51 (“Better Things”), FOGELMAN, 39. He’s said he comes
son of an English Jewish mother and an ist”) is nominated for best actor, musical and ALISON BRIE, 34 (“Glow”), are nom- from “an endearingly dysfunctional Jew-
Irish/English Protestant father. He’s always or comedy. In “Disaster,” which he also inated for best actress, comedy. Adlon ish family” and I guess that gave him great
been secular, like his screenwriter wife, directed, he plays the (real-life) director is her show’s co-creator and it’s based source material for a TV family drama.
REBECCA MILLER, 55, the daughter of of a real terrible movie. Franco’s mother on her experience as the harried single (“Thrones” is a heavy favorite to win.)
the late playwright ARTHUR MILLER. is Jewish, and while he was raised secular, mother of three. Brie got a huge career “Mrs. Maisel” and “Will & Grace” are
Day-Lewis, the only three-time best actor he’s embraced his Jewish background — boost in her hit Netflix series. She plays a nominated for best TV series, comedy.
Oscar winner, has said he’s decided to including having a very real bar mitzvah in struggling actress who stumbles into pro Maisel was created by AMY SHERMAN-
retire from acting after completing “Phan- 2015. (Note: Ansel Elgort, the star of “Baby wrestling. Brie, who calls herself Jewish, PADILLIO, 51. Recently, an NPR critic
tom Thread,” a film about the world of Driver,” competes in this category. Recent has a Jewish mother, Her husband, DAVE summed up why “Maisel” works so well.
high fashion. He’s vague about his reasons research reveals that only his paternal FRANCO, 32, James’ brother, also calls The title character is amazingly funny
but seems firm in his decision. grandma was Jewish.) himself Jewish. onstage because she says things that no
In November, Chalamet had a big sup- No Jewish actresses were nominated for Adlon and Brie compete with Rachel woman comedian could say in the conser-
porting role in “Lady Bird,” a Globe nomi- their film work. However, Jessica Chas- Brosnahan (“Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”). vative 1950s (and get booked) — and we all
nee for best comedy film. “Call Me By tain and Meryl Streep are nominated (best Brosnahan plays the title character, a Jew- wish there had been such a comedian. It’s
Your Name,” a best drama film nominee, actress, drama) for playing a real person ish comedian. Brosnahan is marvelous as a marvelous fantasy — with a lot of great
opened in December to great reviews. with a Jewish father. Chastain plays Molly Maisel and she says her performance is Jewish content. “Will and Grace” was co-
It’s set in Italy; Chalamet plays Elio, the Bloom, whose memoir of the same name informed by growing up in a heavily Jew- created by DAVID KOHAN, 53, and MAX
17-year-old son of an American Jewish pro- is the basis for the film “Molly’s Game.” ish Chicago suburb. MUTCHNIK, 52.
fessor and an Italian Jewish mother. Armie Bloom calls herself Jewish in the film, No Jewish actors were nominated for
Hammer plays Oliver, an American Jewish but doesn’t mention being Jewish in her their TV work. However, Robert DeNiro Other movie awards
college student who is a guest of the pro- memoir. Streep plays the late Washington (“Wizard of Lies”) and Geoffrey Rush Best original film song: “This is Me” (from
fessor. Oliver and Elio are drawn to each Post publisher Katherine Graham in “The (“Genius”) were nominated (best actor in “The Greatest Showman”) by U-M grads
other, partially because they’re both Jew- Post.” Her father, EUGENE MEYER, made a limited series/TV movie) for playing real BENJ PASEK and Justin Paul, both 32.
ish. A brief romance ensues. Its based on a the “Post” a very good paper and left it to life Jews: BERNIE MADOFF and ALBERT Best original score: HANS ZIMMER,
2007 novel of the same name by ANDRE Katherine, who was raised in her mother’s EINSTEIN, respectively. Michelle Pfeiffer 60, “Dunkirk.” Best animated film: LEE
ACIMAN, 66, an American Jew born in Christian faith. snared a supporting nomination for play- UNKRICH, 50 (“Coco”, director). Best
Egypt who grew up partially in Italy. LIEV SCHREIBER, 50 (“Ray Dono- ing RUTH MADOFF in “Wizard.” screenplay: AARON SORKIN (“Molly’s
Chalamet’s complete background van”), is up for the best actor, TV drama Game”, which he also directed); competes
became known in the last month as inter- Globe. He must feel a little like ROD- Other TV awards with “The Post,” which was co-written by
viewers sporadically asked him about NEY DANGERFIELD — “I don’t get no “The best of ” awards in different TV JOSH SINGER, 44. Best director: STE-
playing a Jewish character. (Far more respect.” He’s upbeat about it — but it must genres are given to the show’s producers. VEN SPIELBERG, 71, “The Post.”
asked about his sexual orientation — he’s annoy him that he has been nominated for My practice is to note those series with a Best film, drama: “Call Me By Your
straight.) As previously reported in my four Globes and two Emmys and has never Jewish creator or co-creator. Name”— the film’s director and screenplay
column, his mother is an American Jew. won. MAGGIE GYLLENHAAL, 40 (“The PETER MORGAN, 54, a Brit, is the are not Jewish. However, as noted above,
Chalamet called himself Jewish in an Deuce”), is nominated for best actress, co-creator and principal writer of “The it’s based on a novel by a Jewish writer
early December interview. (His mother TV drama. She plays a prostitute who’s Crown,” which is nominated for best about Jewish characters. And “The Post,”
has posted on-line photos of a family struggling to find a better way to make a TV series, drama. It vies in this category directed by Spielberg and co-written by
Chanukah celebration and of an about- living. James Franco co-stars. Maggie, the with “Game of Thrones” and “This is Us.” Josh Singer.
to-be used seder table.) Two weeks ago, sister of JAKE, is the daughter of a Jewish “Thrones” was co-created by DAVID Best film, comedy or musical: “The
Chalamet told a reporter that his father, a mother and a non-Jewish father. My sense BENIOFF and D.B. WEISS, both 47. Disaster Artist,” directed by James Franco.

JEWISH STANDARD JANUARY 5, 2018 45


Calendar Residences, 8:30 a.m. Parenting in an Ever
Ken Sam 655 Pomander Walk. Changing World,” with a
Karsh  Fishman www.jbusinessnetwork. discussion, “Square Pegs
net. and Round Holes: Torah
Perspectives on Raising
Challenging Children,” at
Congregation Beth Aaron
in Teaneck, 8:30 p.m.
950 Queen Anne Road.
(201) 836-6210 or www.
bethaaron.org.

Thursday
JANUARY 11
Charlie
Dougherty Parasha and Jewish
Film in Tenafly: The lifecycles: Rabbi Alex
Kaplen JCC on the Freedman begins two
Palisades screens “Man classes at Temple Emanu-
JAN. Guitarist Ken Karsh, bassist Charlie Dougherty, and drummer Sam Facing Southeast” as El in Closter, “Parasha
Fishman play at the second annual “Big Jazz Comes Back to Glen part of a new monthly for Dummies” at 11 a.m.

7
JCC Film Forum,
Rock” at 5 p.m. at the Glen Rock Jewish Center. 682 Harristown 7:30 p.m. Film critic,
and “Jewish Lifecycle
Events Explained” at
Road. For information, call (201) 652-6624 or go to grjc.org. radio/TV personality, 7:30 p.m. Classes run
and writer-producer- weekly through January
director Mike Sargent 25. 180 Piermont Road.
Schraalenburgh Road, New York Blood Center, leads the discussion. (201) 750-9997 or www.
Film in Teaneck:
Friday Closter. (201) 768-5112 or
www.tbenv.org. The adult education
9 a.m.-3 p.m. 240 Broad
Ave. (800) 933-2566 or
(201) 408-1456 or
JCCoTP.org.
templeemanu-el.com.
JANUARY 5 committee of www.nybloodcenter.org. Networking in Glen
Shabbat in Fort Saturday
Congregation Rinat
Yisrael in Teaneck Play group in Emerson:
Tuesday Rock: The Jewish
Business Network group
Lee: The JCC of Fort JANUARY 6 screens the award- Shalom Baby of the JANUARY 9 meets at the Kosher
Lee/Congregation winning true story film, Jewish Federation of Nosh Deli, 11:30 a.m.
Gesher Shalom hosts “Fanny’s Journey,” Northern New Jersey Café Europa in Fair 894 Prospect St. www.
a congregational 8:30 p.m. In 1943, offers a Mommy-and- Lawn: Café Europa, jbusinessnetwork.net.
dinner, 6 p.m., and 13-year-old Fanny led Me-style playgroup for a social program
musical services at 10 young children out family members and sponsored by Jewish Museum trip: Rabbi Ken
7. 1449 Anderson of France across the other caregivers with Family & Children’s Stern of Congregation
Ave. Reservations, Swiss border. 389 West babies and toddlers, Services of Northern Gesher Shalom/JCC Fort
(201) 947-1735. Englewood Ave. Tickets, at Congregation B’nai New Jersey for Holocaust Lee leads the “On the
(201) 837-2795 or www. Israel, 9:30 a.m. Bagel survivors, funded in part Road” trip to Manhattan’s
rinat.org/event/fannys- breakfast. 53 Palisade by the Claims Conference Jewish Museum to see
journey.html. Ave. (201) 820-3902, and the Jewish “Modigliani Unmasked,”
www.jfnnj.org/ Federation of Northern 1:30 p.m. Reservations,
Shabbat in Teaneck:
Temple Emeth holds a Sunday shalombaby. New Jersey, meets at the
Fair Lawn Jewish Center/
(201) 947-1735.
Shabbaton exploring JANUARY 7 Knitting/book club in CBI, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Music Challah baking in
the themes in Jewish Teaneck: The sisterhood by the Bobby Block Trio. Oakland: The Academies
Federation of Northern Moriah opens new beit of the Jewish Center 10-10 Norma Ave. Kosher at Gerrard Berman Day
New Jersey’s One Book, midrash: The Moriah of Teaneck hosts lunch. Shari Brodsky, School hold the “Great
One Community book School in Englewood Knitting Night, 7-8 p.m. (201) 837-9090, ext. 237 Family Challah Bake,”
selection, “Zahav—A hosts a ribbon-cutting Afterward, the Leaves or sharib@jfcsnnj.org. 6-8 p.m. 45 Spruce St.
World of Israeli Cooking” ceremony for Midrash of Faith Book Club will (201) 337-1111, SSNJ.org/
Yulia Ziskel by Michael Solomonov Doresh Tov, the discuss Franz Kafka’s Artist reception in FamilyChallah.
and Steven Cook. Torah Sephardic Beit Midrash. “The Trial” with Professor Tenafly: Artist Jeffrey
COURTESY TEMPLE BETH EL
study, 9 a.m.; services
Shabbat in Closter: at 10:30, where Rabbi
Shacharit at 8:30 a.m.,
followed by breakfast
Sarah Rindner and
Rabbi Daniel Fridman.
Packard discusses his
etchings and watercolors Friday
Temple Beth El’s guest Sirbu will explore Israel and short presentation 70 Sterling Place. exhibit, “Torah is Like JANUARY 12
artist Shabbat begins and its bounty; lunch at at 9. 53 South Woodland (201) 833-0515 or jcot. a Group Show,” at a
with a mini-concert with 12:15 p.m., with salads St. (201) 567-0208 ext. org. reception at the Kaplen Shabbat in Wyckoff:
New York Philharmonic prepared with recipes 393, email Alewis@ JCC on the Palisades Temple Beth Rishon
from “Zahav.” Screening
violinist Yulia Ziskel and
pianist James Rensink, of Israeli documentary
moriahschool.org, or
www.moriahschool.org.
Monday Waltuch Art Gallery,
6:30 p.m. Art exhibited
offers Shabbat Shira,
a service in song led
6:30 p.m. Wine and “In Search of Israeli JANUARY 8 through January 31. (201) by Cantor Ilan Mamber
cheese at 7; musical Cuisine,” starring Chef Blood drive in 408-1406 or jccotop.org. and cantorial intern
service at 7:30, led by Michael Solomonov, at Englewood: Networking in Naomi Rogin, 7:30 p.m.
Rabbis David Widzer 1. 1666 Windsor Road. Congregation Ahavath Teaneck: The Jewish Jewish parenting: The service also marks
and Beth Kramer- (201) 833-1322 or Torah holds a blood drive Business Network Rabbi Larry Rothwachs Tu B’Shevat. The Kol
Mazer and student lindaposkanzer@msn. with New Jersey Blood meets for breakfast concludes a series, Rishon choir, with
cantor Julie Staple. 221 com. Services, a division of at Five Star Premier “Perspectives on Jewish soloist Jo-Ann Skiena

46 JEWISH STANDARD JANUARY 5, 2018


Calendar
Garey, will perform
with accompaniment
262-7733, edudirector@
jccparamus.org, or www.
in Manhattan holds its
first ASL-sign-language- The Holocaust through film
by pianist Itay Goren, jccparamus.org. interpreted Shabbat
guitarists Cantor Ilan service of the new year, The Northern New Jer- Holocaust and has formed
Mamber and Mark Book talk in Fair Lawn: with full readings from sey Holocaust Memorial & our understanding of it.
Kantrowitz, clarinetist The Sisterhood of the Torah and haftorah,
Jacob Niederman, and Temple Beth Sholom 10 a.m. Kiddush will Education Center and the Admission is free, but
percussionist Jimmy meets to hear Diane follow. 334 East 14th St., Teaneck Library feature donations are welcome.
Cohen. Dessert and Haft leading a discussion between 1st and 2nd Jewish film scholar Dr. Eric This is the first in a series
coffee. 585 Russell of “The Orphan’s avenues. www.tandv.org
Tale” by Pam Jenoff,
Goldman, who will talk of events presented by the
Ave. (201) 891-4466 or or (212) 677-0368.
bethrishon.org. 11 a.m. Refreshments. about “The Shoah through Northern New Jersey Holo-
40-25 Fair Lawn Ave. the Lens of Cinema.” The caust Memorial & Education
Shabbat in Emerson:
Congregation B’nai
(201) 797-9321.
Singles Wednesday, January 10, lec-
ture will be at the Teaneck
Center, which will be built
on the Teaneck Municipal
Israel offers its annual
Tuesday Public Library, 840 Teaneck Green as part of its coming
“Freedom Shabbat”
service honoring the lives JANUARY 16 Sunday Road, at 7 p.m.
Eric Goldman
Garden to Nurture Human
and messages of Rev. JANUARY 7
Dr. Goldman will explore the ways in Understanding.
Dr. Martin Luther King Lunch/learn in
Jr., and Rabbi Abraham Englewood: The Seniors meet in West which Hollywood has shown the Holo- For more information go to www.
Joshua Heschel, Dor L’Dor group Nyack: Singles 65+ caust through the years. He will look at nnjholocaustmemorial.org or email
7:30 p.m. Rabbi Debra at Congregation meets for a social bagels how cinema reflects memories of the Chani Jaskoll at hjaskoll@gmail.com.
Orenstein will lead the Ahavath Torah offers and lox brunch at the
service with participation a talk, “False Messiahs JCC Rockland, 11 a.m. All
of Westwood area clergy, and Their Impact are welcome, particularly
different faith choirs, and on Jewish History,” if you are from Hudson,
congregants from their by Joel Berkowitz, Passaic, Bergen, or
churches. 53 Palisade
Ave. (201) 265-2272 or
educator/photographer
of synagogues
Rockland counties. 450
West Nyack Road. Gene Simon Wiesenthal Center
www.bisrael.com. throughout the world,
noon. 240 Broad Ave.
Arkin, (845) 356-5525.
and Englewood Library
Sunday Lunch reservations,
(201) 568-5921 or www.
Comedy and brunch
in Clifton: The North collaborate for author program
JANUARY 14 ahavathtorah.org. Jersey Jewish Singles
at the Clifton Jewish The Englewood Public The Simon Wiesen-
Children’s program: Center, 40s-60s, meets Library and the Simon Wie- thal Center is a global
for brunch and open-
The JCC of Paramus/
Congregation Beth Tikvah In New York mic comedy, noon. senthal Center sponsor a
program that brings author
human rights organiza-
tion researching the Holo-
continues its Sunday Bring your favorite
Special series for children Saturday jokes. 18 Delaware St.
(973) 772-3131 or www.
Maya Ross to Englewood caust and hate in both
in kindergarten- to third to discuss her book, “Abe- historic and contempo-
grade. Learn about Tu JANUARY 6 meetup.com (use group
name). vs-Adolf: The True Story rary contexts. The center
B’Shevat, crafts, and
kosher, nut-free snacks, ASL-interpreted of Holocaust Survivor Abe confronts anti-Semitism,
9:30-11:30 a.m. East Shabbat service: Town Peck,” on Wednesday, Janu- hate, and terrorism, pro-
304 Midland Ave. (201) & Village Synagogue ary 10, at 7 p.m. This is the motes human rights and
second author lecture in a dignity, stands with Israel,
collaborative series between defends the safety of Jews
Thurnauer piano the two institutions.
“Abe-vs-Adolf ” is the story of Holo-
worldwide, and teaches the lessons of
the Holocaust for future generations.
concert on Sunday caust survivor Abe Peck. When he was The Englewood Public Library is at 31
15 until he was 20, he was imprisoned in Engle St. A book signing will follow Ms.
Steven Masi, a member of the faculty at the Kaplen nine different concentration camps and Ross’s talk and copies of the book will be
JCC on the Palisades’ Thurnauer School of Music, was starved, shot, and tortured. Mr. Peck for sale.
performs piano concertos by Mozart and Beethoven. was the only one in his immediate fam- For information, call Michael Cohen
He will be joined by an all-star orchestra of friends, ily to survive the Holocaust, and the last of the Simon Wiesenthal Center at (212)
including Thurnauer colleagues and alumni, and remaining survivor from the Polish town 697-1180, or email him at MCohen@
members of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, the of Szadek. Wiesenthal.com.
New Jersey Symphony Orchestra, and Orpheus. The
concert, conducted by Diego Garcia, is at the JCC on
Sunday, January 7, beginning at 7 p.m. The concert
also celebrates Mr. Masi’s 65th birthday. A reception
follows. For more information, call (201) 408-1465 or
Rufus Wainwright
go to jccotp.org/Thurnauer. Steven Masi COURTESY JCCOTP
coming to Englewood
Rufus Wainwright performs with a special guest, his
sister, Lucy Wainwright Roche, at the Bergen Perform-
COURTESY BERGENPAC

Jewish Museum to open major exhibit ing Arts Center in Englewood on Sunday, January 21,
at 8 p.m. The show is presented by WFUV.
For the first time in 25 years, the Tickets are available at www.ticketmaster.com or by
Jewish Museum in Manhattan calling bergenPAC’s box office at (201) 227-1030.
will present a major new exhi-
bition featuring more than 650
works, ranging from antiquities Rufus Wainwright
to contemporary art. “Scenes
from the Collection,” on the
museum’s third floor, will open
January 21. The museum is at
Announce your events
We welcome announcements of upcoming events. Announcements are free. Accompanying
1109 Fifth Avenue at 92nd Street. Seder plate c. 1900, Vienna. Torah case finials, photos must be high resolution, jpg files. Send announcements 2 to 3 weeks in advance.
For information, call (212) 423- Cochin, India, 18th-19th century. Not every release will be published. Include a daytime telephone number and send to:
3337 or go to TheJewishMu- PHOTOS COURTESY JEWISH MUSEUM, NEW YORK
pr@jewishmediagroup.com • 201-837-8818 x 110
seum.org.

JEWISH STANDARD JANUARY 5, 2018 47


Jewish World

Jewish families killed in Costa Rica crash


remembered for passionate social justice work
JOSEFIN DOLSTEN

COURTESY OF SEEDS OF PEACE


COURTESY OF CAMP RAMAH DAROM
embers of two families killed
in a plane crash in Costa Rica
were being remembered for
their involvement in Jewish
and philanthropic causes.
The Steinberg family of Scarsdale, in
New York’s Westchester County, and the
Weiss family of Belleair, Florida, were
killed last Sunday when the small plane in
which they were passengers went down in
the Central American nation’s northwest
shortly after takeoff.
The nine victims in the families were Above, Bruce Steinberg,
among 12 casualties — 10 U.S. tourists and left, with his son undergraduate studies at JTS. Hannah also
two local crew members — in the accident William at the Seeds spent a summer volunteering at an organic
in Guanacaste. Costa Rican investigators of Peace Camp in goat cheese farm in Israel.
said that the cause probably was strong Otisfield, Maine. At left, “She was trying to get at that deeper imper-
winds or mechanical problems, the Asso- Ari Weiss performs at ative to improve the world,” Schwartz said.
ciated Press reported. Camp Ramah Darom in “She really did so in any way that she could.
People close to members of the Steinberg Clayton, Ga. She was only a sophomore, only in her third
and Weiss families talked about the victims’ semester, but she was so clearly a rising star.”
commitment to bettering the world. Hannah led a group effort to introduce
The Steinbergs — Bruce, an investment composting to her student dorm, recalled Jes-
banker, and Irene, and their sons Matthew, sica Jobanek, the Jewish life director at List
13; William, 18, a student at the University College, adding that Hannah wasn’t afraid
of Pennsylvania; and Zachary, 19, a student to stand up for what she believed in. During
at Johns Hopkins University — attended the Sukkot this year, she approached JTS Chan-
Westchester Reform Temple in Scarsdale. cellor Arnold Eisen to tell him about her work
They were involved in Jewish and social jus- to improve sustainability at the school.
tice causes, including the UJA-Federation of “I actually remember being struck by
New York, the American Jewish Committee, how bold and brave she was as a sopho-
and Seeds of Peace. more student to be presenting her vision to
William helped introduce his family to the chancellor of JTS — in a totally respect-
Seeds of Peace, an organization that pro- ful and appropriate way,” said Jobanek, who
motes conflict resolution, including between met Hannah before her work at List College,
Israelis and Palestinians. He attended a Seeds when the two taught at Hebrew school at
of Peace camp in Maine in the summer of Congregation B’nai Jeshurun in Manhattan.
COURTESY OF THE UJA-FEDERATION

2015, where he focused on dialogue between Before she moved to New York for
Indians and Pakistanis, as well as a leader- school, Hannah spent summers at Camp
ship session in 2016 and a Jerusalem trip this Ramah Darom, a Conservative summer
summer. The Steinberg family supported the camp in Clayton, Georgia. Ari Weiss also
organization and attended benefit events. attended the camp.
A fellow program participant, Paul Guen- “They were really stars, the two of them,
ther, 18, remembered William as supportive just shining bright,” camp director Geoff
and deeply caring. Menkowitz said of the siblings. “It’s a huge
“He was a real mentor and supportive fig- loss that we are all reeling from and heart-
ure at camp for me,” Guenther said. Irene Steinberg, far right, at the UJA-Federation of New York Scarsdale Women’s broken from right now.”
Guenther, who is not Jewish, said that Wil- Opening Event with Dr. Ruth Westheimer, October 26, 2017. As a camper, Hannah was involved with
liam taught him about Judaism when the two the organic gardening and sustainability
visited Jerusalem this summer. At a Shabbat mediation and negotiation seminar, would basically following in her footsteps. They program. “It was one of the things that set
dinner, William helped lead the group in cel- kind of lay the foundation for him for a life- were an incredible family.” her on the trajectory to be such an advocate
ebrations, and during a visit to the Western time of public policy and global citizenship.” The Weiss family — Mitchell and Leslie, for environmental issues and social justice,”
Wall, he helped give Guenther the lay of land. Irene Steinberg’s efforts for UJA-Federation both physicians; their daughter, Hannah, 19, Menkowitz said.
“He was telling me what to do so I wouldn’t of New York included serving on its Scarsdale and son, Ari, 16 — were members of Congre- Ari lit up the camp through music, playing
stick out,” Guenther said. Women’s Board. She raised awareness about gation B’nai Israel in St. Petersburg, Florida. guitar, bass and piano at concerts. “It’s not an
William was interested in pursuing a the organization’s work, participated in fund­ Hannah Weiss — a sophomore enrolled in exaggeration to say he was a rock star,” Men-
career in international affairs and believed raising efforts and organized events. Irene, a joint program at Columbia University and kowitz said.
that conflict resolution skills could serve as a who had worked as a social worker, was pas- List College, the undergraduate school of the This made Ari a big name throughout the
stepping-stone. sionate about Israel and social justice, said Jewish Theological Seminary — cared deeply camp, even among those who were not in his
“He very much was thinking about work- Tali Strom, a senior development executive about the environment. immediate circle of friends.
ing towards peace in the Middle East in either at UJA-Federation. On campus, she was involved in a hand- “It’s a rare talent when you have a ninth-
the State Department or a think tank or an “She really was someone who wanted to ful of organizations promoting sustainability, and 10th-grader who can excite the staff, the
NGO,” said Clarke Reeves, the programs and make a difference in this world and woke up and she hoped to double major in sustain- counselors,” Menkowitz said. “They were not
development manager for Seeds of Peace. every day and did that, and did that for UJA,” able development and Jewish thought, said politely clapping [for] him. He had fans that
“He felt that the program in Jerusalem, the Strom said. “She raised three boys who were Shuly Rubin Schwartz, dean of graduate and were real fans.” JTA WIRE SERVICE

48 JEWISH STANDARD JANUARY 5, 2018


Obituaries

Barbara Cornish butcher shops in the New York and New Jersey. He
Barbara I. Cornish, née Cohen, 77, of Hackensack, was a U.S. Army veteran of the Korean War and was
formerly of Fair Lawn and Paramus, died January 2. a former member of the JCC of Paramus.
Predeceased by her husband, Jack, she is survived by He is survived by his wife of 61 years, Toby,
children, Marci and Kelly Shaw (Scott). children, Scott (Diane) of Wyckoff, and Ronda Gross
Donations can be made to the American Heart (Dr. Michael) of New York City, and grandchildren,
Association. Arrangements were by Louis Suburban Sam and Carly Pomerantz and Benjamin Gross.
Chapel, Fair Lawn. Donations can be made to St Jude Children’s
Research Hospital or the American Cancer Society. Nancy Mandell
Sheila Gitkin Arrangements were by Louis Suburban Chapel, Nancy Mandell, née Razen, 77, a former managing
Sheila Marlene Gitkin, 84, of Paterson died Fair Lawn. editor of the Jewish Standard and the now-defunct
December 28. Jewish Community News, died on December 27, 2017.
She worked at Plaid Stamps, kept books for Norman Rosman She attended Smith College and pursued a career
companies, and held an interest in the family business, Norman A. Rosman, 86, of Clifton, died December 26. in journalism. A writer, she was a movie reviewer for
Eagle Furniture of Paterson. A Rutgers University Newark graduate, he was the Newark Star-Ledger and wrote for financial trade
Predeceased by brothers, Arnold Gitkin of Fair Lawn a licensed pharmacist and worked for various publications. She loved travelling, movies, and the arts.
and Seymour Gitkin of Arizona, she is survived by northern New Jersey pharmacies. He was a U.S. “She was a wonderful writer,” said Rebecca Kaplan
cousins, nieces, and nephews. Army veteran of the Korean Conflict. Boroson, editor emerita of this newspaper. “She was
Donations can be sent to the March of Dimes. Predeceased by a sister, Eleanor Blender, a joy to edit — thoughtful, informed, curious. She
Arrangements were by Louis Suburban Chapel, he is survived by children, Pamela Weiner
was always interested in learning new things, and
Fair Lawn. ( Jonathan), of Flanders, Jennifer Smith (Edward),
communicated that interest through her writing. She
of North Arlington, and Michael of Nutley, and
was also a friend, and I miss her already.”
Leonard Pomerantz grandchildren, Zachary and Kaitlyn Weiner and
Predeceased by a sister, Jacqueline, she is survived
Leonard “Mook” Pomerantz, 85, of Hackensack, Nathan and Jillian Smith.
by daughters, Rebecca (Doug) and Meredith,
formerly of Paramus, died January 2. Arrangements were by Louis Suburban Chapel,
and beloved granddaughter, Cecilia Jaraczewski.
A butcher before retiring, he owned kosher Fair Lawn.
Donations can be sent to the American Lung
Association, lung.org. Arrangements were by Jewish
Memorial Chapel, Clifton.

Briefs

Neshama Carlebach responds to allegations against her father Obituaries are prepared with

Neshama Carlebach, daughter of the late Rabbi “I am in this conversation. I am also broken. I see, I information provided by funeral homes.
Shlomo Carlebach, in her first public comments since hear, I witness.” Correcting errors is the responsibility
the start of the #MeToo movement, said she is angry After Shlomo Carlebach’s death 23 years ago, sev- of the funeral home.
with her father over allegations of sexual misconduct eral women came forward with allegations of sexual
but that he was more than just his faults. impropriety against him. Since the start of the #MeToo
In a blog post published on The Times of Israel, Car- movement, more women reportedly have shared their
lebach also wrote publicly for the first time that as a stories. Some synagogues also have begun to consider
child she was sexually molested by “a trusted friend of stopping the use of Carlebach melodies during prayer Robert Schoem’s Menorah Chapel, Inc
Jewish Funeral Directors
my father’s, also a rabbi, a fixture in my home,” whom services, often called “Carlebach services,” the Times
Family Owned & managed
she did not name. of Israel reported.
Generations of Lasting Service to the Jewish Community
The post was part of a larger movement in support Neshama Carlebach, who also is a popular singer-
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JEWISH STANDARD JANUARY 5, 2018 51


Jewish World

How his novel led an author into


the world of WWII art restitution
NADINE WOJAKOVSKI moral and legal ownership with the owner parents with no knowledge at all
and potential buyer.” of its prewar history, and against a
LONDON — Decades after an Impres- When he does spot a work that was finder’s fee the work was returned
sionist masterpiece by Camille Pissarro looted or lost and not recovered after to the heirs in the spirit of the just
was looted from the troves of a Jewish World War II, Aronowitz initiates a dia- and fair solution proposed by the
art collector by the Vichy government, logue between the current owner and the Washington Principles.
a Paris court ruled that an American heirs of the pre-war owner to try to bring Unlike the headline-making
couple must return the painting to the about a settlement between the claimant prices raked in for restitution of
man’s descendants. and current owners. It is usually then sold museum paintings sold at auction
in auction, and the proceeds are split. The
Sotheby’s, which initially sold the paint- (like Gustav Klimt’s portrait of
ing, “La Cueillette des Pois,” or “Pick- split is often 50:50, or slightly less, for Adele Bloch-Bauer, which sold at
ing Peas,” said, “At the time the paintingthe claimant. auction in November 2006 for $135
was sold through Sotheby’s in London in “The whole idea is trying to find a just million), the works that Aronowitz
1966, the art world was not as sensitized and fair solution to both parties,” Aronow- handles, which do not come from
to the issues of art displaced in World itz said. museums, often are sold for rela-
War II as it is today and there were few, if One painting that Aronowitz remembers tively modest amounts.
any, resources available to researchers inparticularly fondly is a fine Abraham van Aronowitz, an expert in modern
the field.” Beijeren still life that was offered to Sothe- German art and Expressionism
by’s London for sale in 2008. Aronowitz
It took another 30 years until the world and fluent in German, fell into his
was “sensitized” to effectively reuniting very quickly realized, however, that the role at Sotheby’s by coincidence,
Jewish collections with its owners. painting had been looted by the Nazis in following his own journey of dis-
A year before the 1998 Washington Prin-occupied Holland in 1941. It had come covery into his mother’s turbu- Richard Aronowitz works on art restitution at
ciples — which called upon governments from the collection of a Berlin Jewish cou- lent past. Sotheby’s in London.
and museums to ensure a just and fair ple, Alfons and Hedwig Jaffé, while it was Raised in a non-Jewish home, he
solution to looted art — Sotheby’s became on deposit for safekeeping at a museum describes his very English childhood in the beads hidden away in her jewelry box.
the first international auction house to in Leiden. 1970s, the youngest of four brothers, as full Later, he found out that the beads were
establish a restitution department dedi- Aronowitz put the consignor in touch of “Cotswold-stone cottages, hills, woods, among the few mementos of her mother,
cated to researching the provenance of with the two elderly Jaffé heirs, living in and streams.” Miriam, that his mother had been able to
works that may have been confiscated or England, who sent him a black-and-white He knew little of his mother Doris’s his- bring with her to England.
had gone missing between 1933 and 1945. photograph of the work from their family’s tory until he was 10 years old and discov- And then there was the arrival of his
Despite the many decades that have prewar photograph album that had been ered that she had come to England on her German-sounding great-uncle Isy from
elapsed since the Holocaust, thanks to thesaved from their home in Berlin. own, when she was 8, from Wuppertal, Melbourne in 1979, with the numbers tat-
advent of the internet and huge search A dialogue was begun between the Germany, on the Kindertransport before tooed in blue ink on his left wrist. Aronow-
engines and databases, returning art to its
Jaffé heirs and the young owner, who the war. Strange, he thought, how she itz remembers Isy grabbing the porridge
rightful owners has become more achiev- had inherited the painting from his late kept a broken necklace of deep-red amber bowl from him, scraping it down to the
able now than ever before. glaze, so that not a drop
Today the European would be wasted.
division of restitution at “What on earth was
Sotheby’s is run by Rich- his story, and why was he
ard Aronowitz, from its here in my apparently idyl-
London office. lic English childhood?”
He calls himself a “vet- Aronowitz wondered at
ter”; he and his small team the time.
check the provenance and Richard Aronowitz, born
identity of every work of Mercer, took his mother’s
art created before 1945 family name, Aronowitz, as
before it is offered for his nom de plume when his
sale at the auction house. mother died in 1992, a day
This “fine-tooth-comb before her 62nd birthday.
approach” is intended to And then the self-appointed
weed out any work among family archivist and
the many thousands con- researcher started trying to
signed each year that piece the history together.
might have an unresolved “I asked endless ques-
history of Nazi-era looting tions about it all and have
or forced sale. never really stopped asking
“The stakes are very them since,” he said.
high and the buck stops After relentless pushing,
with me and the team,” Aronowitz found out that
Aronowitz said. “If we let thanks to Isy’s contacts,
an unrecovered item of his mother had been able
Nazi loot into one of our to come over on one of
sales, it can do unbound the Kindertransport trains
reputational damage to the in July 1939, going from
auction house and raise Miriam was Richard Aronowitz’s grandmother. She As a small child, Doris Aronowitz took the Wuppertal to Holland, and
questions of good title and died in the Holocaust. Kindertransport, eventually making her life in England. then by boat from Holland

52 JEWISH STANDARD JANUARY 5, 2018


Jewish World/Real Estate & Business

to Harwich. She lost her mother and aunt Hedwig in


the Holocaust, while her uncle Isy survived the Lodz
Emek families spread joy at Kaplen JCC
Ghetto, Auschwitz, Buchenwald, and the death march. In preparation for Chanukah, Emek families at the Kaplen
Now a father himself, the 47-year-old’s fascination JCC on the Palisades and other Israeli families in Bergen
with his family’s past prompted him to write his debut County volunteered to take part in a special Chanukah
novel, “Five Amber Beads,” in 2006. Although it is a project called “Spread the Light in the Community.” Emek
fictional story of provenance researcher Charley Ber- is the JCC afterschool Israeli language and culture program
nstein, who is looking into the ownership history of for children in pre-K to 10th grade.
works of art between 1933 and 1945, strong autobio- Families willing to volunteer got to choose from a num-
graphical elements are woven very heavily into it. ber of options that included: baking pastries to sell at a play
That is most noticeable in the character Isy, who and donating the proceeds to The Israeli Center for Guid-
incorporates much of his great-uncle’s history — in ance dogs; sharing in activities and games with Alzheimer’s
particular the wartime entries translated from Ger- patients and senior adults; making menorahs and gifting
man into English from his tan-colored diary. them to Holocaust survivors; making pancakes and organiz-
As a complete coincidence — or perhaps because ing social games for adolescents with special needs, trans-
of the book — Aronowitz was invited to become head porting families in need to the JCC Chanukah party, and pur-
of the restitution department at Sotheby’s in London, chasing and packaging gifts for foster children.
looking into exactly these matters of cultural loss and “Organizing these kinds of interactive activities is one of program and caregiver services coordinator for the JCC
plunder during Nazism, that same year. the key reasons to have a program like Emek here at the JCC, Senior Center. “For many of our seniors, it was the first
Aronowitz, who formerly was the senior curator at says Galit Goldberg, Emek’s director. “It brings meaning to time they played dreidel and for others, the experience
the London Jewish Museum of Art, also is an accom- our life and our holiday and allows us to share it with others. brought back wonderful memories. It was a really special
plished poet. And earlier this year, he published his The Spread the Light program was a heartfelt cooperative addition to our day and we can’t thank these kids enough
second book, “An American Decade,” about mid-20th effort that we can build on with really meaningful results.” for sharing what lights up their lives and lighting up ours
century history. It was inspired by his mother’s story “When the Emek students volunteered with our seniors, by doing so.”
of arriving on the Kindertransport and not knowing they played Chanukah Bingo, sang Chanukah songs, made For more information on Emek, contact Galit Goldberg
who her father was. dreidels and played dreidel games,” said Marlene Ceragno, at (201) 566-1507 or email galit.goldberg@gmail.com.
The main character, a Broadway singer named
Christoph, is based on Aronowitz’s maternal grand-
father, who is believed to have moved from Wupper-
tal, via Hamburg, to New York in October 1930, four ENGLEWOOD, NJ
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of a hidden piece of his history. Transportation, Houses of Worship,
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“Every restitution case becomes more pressing to
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It is history — be it in a painting or in a person — that
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JEWISH STANDARD JANUARY 5, 2018 53


Real Estate & Business

Nominating petitions available


for Teaneck municipal election
On Tuesday, May 8, a municipal election township clerk’s office, located in the
will be held to fill four council seats. The administration building, 818 Teaneck
seats will be for four-year terms beginning Road. A minimum of 279 valid nominating
on July 1. petitions must be filed to secure a position
The terms of council members Jason on the ballot.
Castle, Elie Y. Katz, Gervonn Romney Rice, Each candidate must be a Teaneck resi-
and Alan Sohn’s terms will expire on June dent for a minimum of one year as of the
30. All candidates run as council members- date of the municipal election, a citizen of
at-large, with the mayor and deputy may- the United States, a registered voter, and at
ors being elected by the township council least 18 years of age.
at the reorganization meeting on July 1. All petition signers must be registered
For those interested in running for a voters in Teaneck. Signed petitions must
position on the township council, nomi- be returned to the township clerk’s office
nating petitions are available from the no later than 4 p.m. on Monday, March 5.

Rabbi Yehoshua Fass, executive director of Nefesh B’Nefesh, and Zev


Gershinsky, executive vice president of Nefesh B’Nefesh, with new olim at
Ben Gurion Airport BEN KELMER

Nefesh B’Nefesh closes 2017


SELLING YOUR HOME? with 196 olim arriving in one day
On December 27, 2 017, Nefe sh contributing to the Israeli health-
B’Nefesh, in cooperation with Keren care system. Other leading profes-
Kayemeth LeIsrael, Israel’s Minis- sions included education, marketing,
try of Aliyah & Integration, the Jew- finance, high-tech, and lawyers.
ish Agency for Israel, and JNF-USA, Among the top cities to welcome
helped 196 individuals make aliyah. olim in 2017 were Jerusalem, Tel Aviv,
The group flight included 15 future Ra’anana, and Netanya. The recently
lone soldiers, a soon-to-be bride, launched Nefesh B’Nefesh–KKL “Go
and 37 individuals moving to Israel’s Beyond” initiative successfully facili-
North, South, and Jerusalem. tated the aliyah of hundreds of olim
Those new citizens brought the to Israel’s northern and southern fron-
total number of North American olim tiers including Haifa, Tzfat, Zichron
in 2017 to 3,633. Last year, Nefesh Yaakov, Karmiel, Tiberias, Naha-
B’Nefesh facilitated 19 special aliyah riya, Hadera, Yokneam Illit, Pardes
flights from North America, bringing Hanna, and Maalot in the north and
377 families with 677 children, and an Be’er Sheva, Ashkelon, Eilat, Ofakim,
additional 1,677 singles. These olim Mitzpe Ramon, Yerucham, Sderot,
ranged in age from five weeks to 102 Arad, and Meitar in the south.
years old, mostly from New York, Cali- “We have had the incredible privi-
fornia, New Jersey, Florida, Maryland, lege of assisting thousands of olim
Illinois, Massachusetts and Pennsyl- this past year in fulfilling their Zionist
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Call Susan Laskin Today Ontario. ued interest in aliyah from Jews living
To Make Your Next Move A Successful One! Nefesh B’Nefesh’s employment and in the diaspora,” said Rabbi Yehoshua
government advocacy departments Fass, co-founder and executive direc-
BergenCountyRealEstateSource.com Cell: 201-615-5353
continued to assist medical profes- tor of Nefesh B’Nefesh. “Today’s olim
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