Jewish Standard, January 12, 2018

NORTH JERSEY JCC HIRES AMBASSADORS page 6
EX-YESHIVA KIDS EMBRACED BY TEANECK PUBLIC SCHOOLS page 8

TALKING TAXES AND CONGRESS WITH JOSH GOTTHEIMER page 10
KLEZMATICS ARE COMING TO TOWN (HALL) page 40
JANUARY 12, 2018

VOL. LXXXVII NO. 17 $1.00 86 2017
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NORTH JERSEY THEJEWISHSTANDARD.COM
An immigrant’s tale
Jonathan Lazarus
remembers his
grandfather’s journey
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2 JEWISH STANDARD JANUARY 12, 2018

Page 3
and accompany themselves electronic pop band Son Lux
on a variety of instruments. heard a cover Erez made of
“To our growing aston- their track “Weapons,” and
ishment, our videos began invited her to open for them
receiving a huge amount of at Tel Aviv’s Barby Club in
exposure, the record being February 2014. Since then
our most popular ‘One Day’ she’s headlined her own show
video with over 40 million at the Barby.
Nathan Goshen views from all over the world,” The 28-year-old Erez part-
they report. ners with producer Ori Rousso
Pretty soon, Yonina to create beat-driven English-
Five Israeli singers to watch in 2018 branched out from doing

covers to writing and record-
ing their own compositions
language songs whose lyrics
touch on controversial politi-
cal and social issues.
l Quite a few Israeli singers Go),” amassed a huge follow- released a EP live recording, in Hebrew and English. Their During 2016, Erez performed
have fans across the globe ing; a remix by Dutch artist and a debut album, recorded debut album, supported by at the Rio Olympics with the
and perform in North America, KVR has logged more than 102 in Tel Aviv, is scheduled to be a crowdfunding campaign, is official Israeli music showcase
Europe, and Asia. But for every million plays and led to Goshen released in March. titled “Emet Pshuta (Simple and signed a record deal with
success story like Idan Raichel, being picked up by Scandina- JonZ has played festivals Truth).” A second album is in Berlin-based City Slang. Erez
David Broza, Ester Rada, or vian imprint disco:wax. in Israel and Europe (includ- the works. has been touring Europe and
Noa, there are dozens of other Over the past year Yonina releasing additional titles from
His new offering, “Home,” is ing Colours of Ostrava, Rosa
began performing live in Israel her “Off the Radar” CD.
talented vocalists working hard accompanied by short docu- Laub, InDnegev, Haifa 100 Live,
and other countries, including
to get recognition abroad by mentaries showing people for Yearot Menashe, and Songbird
getting their material on so- whom the word “home” has a Festival in Davos), toured the
sold-out concerts in Teaneck Itamar Haluts
and New York; it performed in Last year, guitarist-singer-
cial media and adding English hard-hitting meaning. south of France last winter, and
Switzerland in December and songwriter Itamar Haluts, 26,
songs to their repertoire. Goshen has starred on “The most recently performed in
has a gig in Florida this March. released his first album in
Here are six solo and duet X Factor” in Ukraine as a guest Germany, the Czech Republic, Then it’s onto the West Coast English, “Alexandra Clyde,”
artists to keep your eye (and mentor, been named Man of and Switzerland. The couple and Vienna next summer. featuring hard-driving rock ‘n’
ear) on in 2018. the Year and Singer of the Year debuted the first single from
roll songs written during a one-
by Israel’s Galgalatz Radio, and their forthcoming album at Noga Erez year post-army sojourn in New
Nathan Goshen been tapped by filmmaker Avi Cuckoo’s Nest in Jaffa. Last November, Apple Music Zealand. (He supported him-
Six years after releasing his Nesher for his first movie role. chose “Dance While You self there by picking apples.)
successful self-titled debut al- Yonina Shoot,” the first single by Is- Haluts played most of the
bum, which spawned many top JonZ Yonina — the duo of Yoni and raeli singer-songwriter Noga instruments and recorded
singles in Israel, Nathan Gos- Pronounced “Jonesy,” JonZ Nina Tokayer (often appear- Erez, as the anthem for an the tunes in his father’s Rosh
hen enjoys a growing fan base consists of Jenia Vasilenko and ing in videos with their baby, advertisement featuring al- Ha’ayin studio. He also did all
worldwide for his electronic- Yoav Or. They started writ- Ashira) — gained surprising bum covers of such stars as the mixing and over-record-
tinged pop. ing melodic music together in popularity after posting weekly Eminem and Dr. Dre. ing, and mastered the album
His first English-language an isolated house above the homemade music videos on Trained at the Jerusalem online in conjunction with
song, “Thinking About It (Let It Carmel Mountains. The duo which they harmonize sweetly Academy of Music and Dance, Abbey Road Studio in Lon-
Erez became interested in don. He has made two music
music software and has won a videos from the album so far,
place on the global electronic and is touring Israel with his
Tel Avivians build dance music scene.
Members of the U.S.-based
four-man band.
Israel21c.org
a Lego tower record Candlelighting: Friday, January 12, 4:32 p.m.

l Excitement mounted centers around the city, Shabbat ends: Saturday, January 13, 5:35 p.m.
like Lego blocks in Tel bringing the public into
Aviv’s Rabin Square on this mammoth and fun
the afternoon of Decem- project, which was con- CONTENTS
ber 27, as the Young En- ceived by Omer’s former
Noshes��4
gineers group unveiled a preschool teachers.
briefly local�� 16
36-meter (118-foot) tow- The Young Engineers,
cover story��18
er expected to break the who teach scientific and jewish world��25
Guinness world record mathematical principles oPINION��32
for the tallest toy-brick to schoolchildren using d’var torah��38
structure ever. K’nex and Lego bricks, THE FRAZZLED HOUSEWIFE��39
In all, more than half assembled the parts into crossword puzzle��39
a million toy bricks the final skyscraper. arts & culture�� 40
were used in the proj- Guinness has not yet calendar��42
ect, dubbed the “Omer officially confirmed obituaries�� 45
Tower” in memory of that the Israeli structure classifieds�� 46
Omer Sayag, who died surpasses the previous real estate�� 48
of cancer at the age of record-holder, built in PUBLISHER’S STATEMENT: (USPS 275-700 ISN 0021-6747) is published weekly on Fridays with an addi-
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Jewish Standard January 12, 2018 3

Noshes “Wait. Yiddish is a real thing?
It’s not, like, gibberish?”
— Kim Kardashian, on “Keeping Up With the Kardashians,” after having
been told that the word “gesundheit” is Yiddish.
CROOKED BEAT:
A Pennsylvania
Ponzi polka
“The Polka King,” success as a country mu- succumb to that regional
a Netflix original sician and radio person- evil. Also, the South
(mostly) comedy film, ality and billed himself as treated its Jews pretty
begins streaming on “the Jewish Hillbilly.” well — and many fought
Friday, January 12. It is Every year, CBS for their region in the
based on the true story Sunday Morning Civil War. So, Jews, too,
of Jan Lewen, a Pole who devotes a segment to are part of the great de-
settled in Pennsylvania. the prominent people in bate on how to deal with
He did well leading polka many fields who died in the legacy of slave-hold-
bands. But things got the past year. Here are ing and the Civil War, so
complicated when he Jews on that list, omit- much in the news lately.
invited anyone to invest ting those who every- I just saw an old inter-
with him, promising big body knows were Jewish view with the late Shelby
returns. His Ponzi (like JERRY LEWIS) Jack Black Jenny Slate Jason Schwartzman Foote, a Mississippian
scheme collapsed in — JUNE FORAY, 99, the who became famous in
2001 and he went to voice of Rocky, the 1990 as a commentator
prison for five years. Flying Squirrel and on the Ken Burns’ Civil
JACK BLACK, 48, stars Natasha; STAN WESTON, War documentary series.
as Lewen. The rest of the 84, who brought the idea Foote, who had one Jew-
main cast is very Jewish: of “G.I. Joe” to the ish grandfather, said that
JENNY SLATE, 35, as (Jewish) owner of the country adopted a
Lewen’s wife, Marla; Hasbro Company; EDITH great compromise after
JASON SCHWARTZ- SCHLAIN WINDSOR, 84, the War that he agreed
MAN, 37, as Mickey, the plaintiff in the with: “The South agreed
Lewen’s best friend; and landmark Supreme Court that we were probably
VANESSA BAYER, 36, as case that legalized better off remaining part
“Binki Bear” (a woman same-sex marriage; of the United States and
who plays the band’s Judge JOSEPH the North agreed the
mascot, a bear, at polka WAPNER, 97, the first Vanessa Bayer Paul Rudd Amy Schumer South fought bravely
dances). judge on “The People’s for a cause in which we
“Polka King” was di- Court”; CHUCK BARRIS, heavily Jewish history of with the program. We get detailed. But most ce- believed.”
rected by Maya Forbes 87, the creator of “The “G.I. Joe” and “Barbie” is the names of the Euro- lebs’ America-based The rub is that the
and co-written by Dating Game,” “The the focus of two of the pean Jewish ancestors, ancestors go back only cause was distorted
Forbes and her hus- Newlywed Game,” and episodes. but little biography. The a few generations. Larry consciously by the
band, WALLACE “Wally” “The Gong Show”; All 10 episodes of stories seem the same — David was an exception. South, after the war, to
WOLODARSKY, 47. His MONTY HALL, 96, the fourth season life was hard for Jews in He was surprised to learn be about anything but
credits including writing co-creator and host of of the PBS series “Finding Europe and many of the that his German Jewish the true cause of the war
10 “Simpsons” episodes “Let’s Make a Deal”; and Your Roots” now are celebs’ relatives died in great-great-grandfather — slavery. It is time for
and co-writing several EUGENE LANG, 98, the available on YouTube and the Holocaust. It would be immigrated to Mobile, everyone to admit that
films with Forbes. inventor most famous for on the PBS website. This refreshing if host Henry Alabama, in the early you just can’t celebrate
By the way, the famous his philanthropy, who season explored the Louis Gates, Jr. said: “As 1850s, quickly bought as a hero anyone who
tune “The Pennsylva- gave away $150 million, Jewish roots of LARRY good as we are, we just two slaves, and joined fought to keep others
nia Polka,” which was mostly to education. DAVID, BERNIE can’t find detailed the Confederate army in enslaved. A new compro-
featured heavily in the By the way, Netf- SANDERS, SCARLETT biographical information 1862. mise shouldn’t erase the
film “Groundhog Day,” lix now is JOHANSSON, PAUL about almost all of your I wasn’t so surprised. past, but face up to it in
was written by ZEKE streaming a four-part RUDD, and AMY European ancestors.” Slave-owning was so all its complexity — and
MANNERS (1911-2000). series on the history of SCHUMER. As I re- The stories of an- much a part of the old nothing is as complex as
Born Leo Ezekiel Mannes, famous toys (“The Toys watched some episodes, I cestors who reached South that even an im- Jewish slaveholders.
he enjoyed considerable that Made Us”). The realized there’s a problem America are much more migrant might quickly –N.B.
Want to read more noshes? Visit facebook.com/jewishstandard California-based Nate Bloom can be reached at
Middleoftheroad1@aol.com

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
It can be difficult to care for a loved one with Alzheimer’s. It can

be an even greater challenge to help a child comprehend how
and why their grandparent or great-grandparent is changing
because of dementia.
To support families through greater understanding, Harmony Village at CareOne

Paramus will host a FREE special event on January 17 with Gordon Korman,
acclaimed author of Pop. A fictional story inspired by Korman’s personal experience
of his grandmother’s fight with Alzheimer’s, Pop is a poignant reminder that the
disease impacts not only adult caregivers, but the lives of the entire family.
Korman will hold a question and answer session with the audience,
followed by a book signing. The first 25 children in attendance will
receive a free copy of the book.
JEWISH STANDARD JANUARY 12, 2018 5

Local
‘Ambassadors’ welcome young families to community
JCC of Northern New Jersey launches new outreach program
LOIS GOLDRICH Leipsner said. “We heard from parents who were hav-
H
ing trouble meeting and engaging with other families
ow do you know what people in the com- since the YJCC closed.” The need was “to create pro-
munity want? grams allowing people to meet each other, and get a
You ask them, said Abby Leipsner, chief greater feel for the wider community.”
executive officer of the Jewish Commu- The research uncovered a number of unmet needs,
nity Center of Northern New Jersey, formerly the YJCC. she continued, including one for an early childhood
Over a six-month period last year, Ms. Leipsner and education program geared to the particular needs of
other YJCC leaders — the group changed its name in respondents — different hours, for example. While
November — conducted a survey and ran focus groups the need for other kinds of programs — such as those
in the community. Members met with representatives for teens and people with special needs — are no less
from synagogues, “those active in the YJCC and those important, at first the JCC will focus on early childhood.
who never went, those who know about us and those “We need teen and special need programs but we can’t
who don’t know,” she said. “We really listened to what do everything at once,” Ms. Leipsner said. “We want to
people had to say.” ensure extremely high quality, and to give the commu-
Now, based on those findings, the JCC of Northern nity what it deserves.
New Jersey is moving ahead, with a clear direction in “We have Mommy and Me classes, we’ll be re-launch-
mind. To help build community, one of its main goals, ing the PJ Library in the spring of 2018, and we’re
the organization has created the j. family Ambassador exploring the idea of opening an early childhood cen-
program, “to help welcome and serve as a resource for ter — though there’s no formal decision” on whether to
young Jewish families in Bergen County.” proceed, or whether such a facility would be run solely
Comprised of four young staff members who will by the JCC or in partnership with other organizations.
work within designated neighborhoods, or “micro- “We’re in the process of determining the next step,”
communities,” to engage with new parents (with chil- Ms. Leipsner said.
dren up to the age of 3) and with parents-to-be, the four In choosing their four ambassadors, she contin-
ambassadors will work in Mahwah and Ramsey; Wood- ued, “we wanted people who were connected and
cliff Lakes, Montvale, Upper Saddle River, and Saddle involved and who understood Jewish values, but also
River; Washington Township, Westwood, River Vale, Children dance at the JCC’s Chanukah party at the recreation saw the need for families to connect. Their job is to
and Hillsdale; and Oradell, Paramus, and Ridgewood. center in Westwood. go out and plan grassroots programming and events,
Of course, these are just general guidelines, Ms. such as a meet-up in a play area or a park — where
Leipsner said. Other towns in the area will be included as well. new community or are making decisions with regards to Jew- they might bring kosher snacks for the children — or, say,
For example, she said, “Park Ridge is not listed, but could fall ish life,” Ms. Leipsner said. “Early engagement can increase a meeting at Wegman’s community room to do Chanukah
under Hillsdale.” the likelihood of families getting involved in communal activi- crafts. We’re going to try to bring all the groups together
“We know that northern Bergen County as a community ties, whether it is choosing a Jewish preschool, becoming monthly or bimonthly in order to do a bigger program.” The
is an area that is geographically spread out in terms of the active in a Jewish community center, or sending their kids to JCC’s Chanukah crafts and music program drew 160 people,
Jewish community, so it’s more challenging for Jewish fami- Jewish day school.” she said.
lies to make social connections with other young Jewish fami- In discussions with the four ambassadors, Ms. Erlich has The ambassadors find target families in a variety of ways,
lies,” Erika Ehrlich, the organization’s coordinator of young learned that “what works best when approaching families to from word of mouth to Facebook. Ambassadors call the fami-
family engagement, said. JCC leaders hope that the ambassa- participate in programming is to first gear the program to best lies and invite them for coffee as well as to local programs and
dors can bridge this gap, helping to find programs for babies meet their requests and be the best fit for their children. It’s events at the JCC, at other Jewish communal organization, and
and toddlers, introducing young families to one another, important to ask them what they would like and try to create at local synagogues.
and providing information on Jewish programs throughout programs around what they want.” “We had a lot of people who said they’re not necessarily
the community. Following last year’s survey and focus groups, “We found comfortable going alone to a new synagogue or other Jewish
“Research shows that social interaction and networking that there was a need for parents in our community to con- institution,” Ms. Leipsner said. “The ambassador serves as an
play an important role for young families who are joining a nect with each other and with the Jewish community,” Ms. organizer, and part of her job is to invite her cohort to go to
other Jewish activities so people aren’t going alone. They all
have a friend to make the introductions.”
The ambassador program is not unique to Bergen County,
she added. She heard about a successful program in north-
ern Virginia and began to do some research. “We like the idea
of not trying to get people into the JCC building but building
Erika Ehrlich, second community outside,” she said. “We thought this was a great
from right, the JCC’s idea.” As in northern Virginia, “We don’t have a central town
coordinator of young square where our people were congregating.”
family engagement, Ultimately, Ms. Leipsner said, “This can have a great impact
poses with its four on the wider community. It can bring more people to pro-
ambassadors — from grams and activities,” whether in the area of social action or
left, Jen Margolis, Jewish programming. It might even increase shul membership.
Heather Corrigan, The j. family Ambassador program is funded through the
Allison Kantor, and Josh Herman Endowment Fund and the Weinberg Endow-
Jillian Korn. ment Fund at the Bergen County Y, a JCC Foundation, and the
Jewish Federation of Northern New Jersey. For more informa-
tion, call (201) 666-6610 or go to www.jccnjj.com.

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Local
Frum times in Teaneck High

After switching from yeshiva to public school,
observant Jewish parents don’t look back
LARRY YUDELSON of their children had been haunted by an
I
inability somehow to fit in, hard to diag-
t is no secret that many observant nose and at times even hard to recog-
Jews live in Teaneck and most of nize until later. But many of the parents
them send their children to the reported that their children were fitting in
area’s many Jewish day schools. and thriving academically and socially in
You can get a rough sense of those num- ways they never had before.
bers by comparing the reported number When she started the group, Ms. Fried’s
of kids from 5 to 14 years old listed in the twin children were in a pre-K program at
2010 census (5,494) to the total number the Bryant School. “I was so impressed
of students in the Teaneck public school with the caliber of education they
system (3,811 in 2015). And you can look were receiving,” she said. “They really
at the enrollment of the area’s day schools thrived there.”
and yeshivot. Those schools do draw from Connecting with other parents helped
beyond Teaneck, but they enroll more solve the problem of coordinating kosher
than 5,000 students. food in the public schools.
And yet, there are observant Jewish fam- The Teaneck Board of Education
ilies who send their children to Teaneck’s arranges for kosher food at the schools. Ari Hiller, left, and classmates at Teaneck High School.
public schools. The exact details have varied over the
And they are very happy about it. years. Now it provides frozen meals. that she has to demonstrate a greater com- When her youngest child was in Jewish day
They talk about a school system that Ms. Fried’s twins are in second grade mitment to Judaism at home, “because care, “they wanted a shadow for behavior
offers more academic support than the now. Her son still is in public school, in the that’s where it’s coming from. You can’t reasons,” Ms. Wolf said. “We said, this is
yeshivot provided. They talk about a school Whittier school; her daughter is in Yeshi- go the lazy route, to have him pick it up ridiculous. We sent him to public school.
system that accommodates their religious vat He’atid. by osmosis.” At this point we weren’t scared any more.”
concerns, that provides kosher meals for Her son has to worry about what food But Aubrey Wolf, who also has children Ms. Wolf praised the caliber of the teach-
school lunches for children whose want at school is kosher and what food is not. in both the public school and yeshiva sys- ers in the Teaneck public schools. “All in
them, and counts taking off for Sukkot, That’s something his twin sister doesn’t tems, says she doesn’t feel there’s a stigma all, the teachers have been amazing,” Ms.
Shemini Atzeret, and Shavuot, among have to do. That’s not a bad thing, Ms. in sending a kid to public school. “When Wolf said.
other holidays, as excused absences. Fried said. “I feel my son has a finer appre- I told people, no one batted an eye,” she Ms. Fried agreed. “It’s not the same
For at least some of those parents, their ciation of what it means to be a Jew in the said. “In Brooklyn, where I grew up, it was animal” as the level of teaching in day
biggest regret about sending their children real world at a younger age.”. a lot different.” schools, she said. When her son was in
to the public schools is that they didn’t That sometimes leads to funny situations. Her oldest son now is at Benjamin the Bryant school, “he had a frum guy as
make the switch earlier. At a shul kiddish, her son has been known Franklin Middle School. “He had been in a paraprofessional,” assisting the teacher.
(Note: To respect their privacy, we are to ask, “Is that kosher, mommy?” yeshiva, and it didn’t work out. Then we “He sounded super bright and sharp and
not using the names of children in this “I don’t criticize him,” his mother said. sent him to Sinai, and it wasn’t working for smart.” It turned out he was studying
story. As one parent said, “I don’t want “He’s trained to ask.” him. As a last resort, we put our hands into for his masters in special education, and
my son to Google himself and find out Ms. Fried sends her son to the Hebrew the air” and tried the public schools. hoped eventually to become a teacher in
that I was talking about his special educa- school at Chabad on the Palisades in Her verdict: “We’ve been just crazy the Teaneck public school system.
tion background.”) Tenafly. (That’s a not-uncommon decision happy with what’s going on.” Ms. Wolf said that her children’s teach-
Five years ago, Ginnine Fried started a about public school parents; others engage Yeshivot offer what’s called a dual cur- ers are sensitive to the kids’ kosher diet.
Facebook group, “Teaneck Public School private tutors.) “They foster a nice Jewish riculum, with both Jewish and secular They go out of their way to make sure
Jewish Parents Circle.” Now the group has atmosphere for the children.” instruction. That curriculum demands candy they offer as a reward, or a cake
127 members. She guesses that 80 per- Ms. Fried sometimes feels rebuked by double the number of hours in classroom they serve for a class party, are kosher.
cent of the parents in the group use the parents who send their kids to yeshiva. instruction and in homework. It is chal- “For a typical kid who can go to a day
public schools because the yeshivot can’t “Oh,” people will say when they learn her lenging for the best students, and often an school, who has no issues, day school is
meet their children’s special needs, and son goes to Whittier. “There’s a little judg- impossible burden for weaker ones. But great,” Ms. Wolf said. “If you can afford it,
20 percent chose the schools for financial ment there.” that is not the only reason parents chose even better.
reasons. That rough ratio was confirmed She thinks that’s unwarranted. “Just public schools, Ms. Wolf said. The Teaneck “When it comes to a kid who has
by the parents who responded to a query because I send my son to public school schools “have a better standard of what issues, who needs support, that’s where
posted on the group. doesn’t mean I have less commitment,” they’re doing.” the public schools really excel versus the
Also, according to the parents, some she said. Her son’s educational path means Her middle child is doing well in yeshiva. yeshiva,” she continued. “They’re able to
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Local
get services day school kids can’t always teacher what’s going on, she would refer “They’re very cliquey. It’s very difficult.” by what he told them. “No one is ever
get. They have tactics that they can use me to the support teacher,” she said. “Here Ms. Fried agreed. disrespectful to the teacher,” he told
that, let’s say, a yeshiva doesn’t or can’t. the teachers are more aware.” “When I was a kid I had school friends them. “When they are disrespectful to the
In public schools the teachers don’t have Does she feel the teachers in the public and shul friends and camp friends, and teacher, they’re asked to leave the room,
to answer to parents in the same way. school are more professional? “Oh yes. Oh they were different people,” she said. and when they come back they don’t do
Nobody’s paying and making the rules.” yes,” she said. “Now everybody is attached.” it again.”
That is to say that when it comes to dis- Some of the observant boys in Teaneck For Tzippy and Ezra Hiller, the big- Another time, he gave a different and
cipline, there is no special accommoda- public schools wear yarmulkes in school. gest change in shifting their kids sadder answer.
tion for the children of the wealthy and Others keep their heads covered with hats. to public school comes in parent- “He said that for the first time that he
well-connected. Ms. Ness’ son wears a yarmulke. Gener- teacher conference. could remember, he’s not being bullied.
Judith Ness has one of her children in ally, his schoolmates are “very respectful,” Their younger son is in 10th grade in He’s accepted for who he is. It’s heart-
Benjamin Franklin middle school. “My she said. Teaneck High School. Their older son breaking to me,” Ms. Hiller said.
son has some learning issues,” she said. “In his math and social studies classes, graduated from Teaneck and now is at Both Hiller boys were in Teaneck High
They couldn’t accommodate him at the there are two boys with yarmulkes. Goucher College. drama productions. The school made
local day schools. He was in a program They’re like everybody else. Nobody sees “At the day school, every parent- accommodations for their Sabbath obser-
in a yeshiva — I’m not going to name any the yarmulke. When you look at Benja- teacher conference was about you have vance. “For the Friday show, they got an
school, it’s lashon hora — and he learned min Franklin and Thomas Jefferson” — the to get tutoring, you have to take him to understudy. They never asked him to put
nothing. We bit the bullet and put him in town’s two middle schools — “there are so a therapist,” Mr. Hiller said. “Everything his mike on on Shabbos,” Mr. Hiller said.
public school.” many kids with yarmulkes. Nobody cares.” was thrown back on us as the parents. At “There’s a kosher lunch club on Mon-
Here’s what happened: “In one year he And when there have been yarmulke- Teaneck High, we said, ‘What do we do?’ day. The Israel club on Wednesday. No
made up four or five years of math.” And related incidents, the school handled it They said, ‘No, we take care of everything. one ever said a word to them about their
he is not even getting the maximum sup- admirably, in her estimation. One day, That’s what we’re here for.’ They never try yarmulkes,” he continued.
port the school offers. “He gets minimum a classmate grabbed Ms. Ness’ son’s yar- to throw anything academic on us. They As for kashrut, Mr. Hiller says his chil-
support and he made that kind of prog- mulke off his head. take responsibility. It’s a whole different dren’s new schoolmates are more accom-
ress. It says a lot for the public school. It “The principal found out about it,” feeling. From the second we put them in modating of their dietary needs than were
doesn’t say much for the yeshiva.” she said. “He explained that it’s a reli- Teaneck, we haven’t looked back.” their classmates in yeshiva.
Her son is mainstreamed for most of gious item. Hands off. The next day the What’s the biggest difference between a “When they go to kids’ houses after
his classwork. For Ms. Ness, what stands kid apologized.” yeshiva and public school? school, everyone makes sure they have
out is the way the classroom teacher takes Ms. Ness said socializing with kids still in They asked their younger child that kosher food and paper goods,” he said.
responsibility for seeing to his special day school is a problem. “The kids around question not long after he started at “My kids don’t eat dairy. When they were
needs. “In yeshiva, if I asked the regular here are not very accepting,” she said. Teaneck High, and they were surprised SEE FRUM TIMES PAGE 44

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Getting things done in Washington

Freshman Democrat Josh Gottheimer talks taxes, infrastructure, Israel, and moocher states
JOANNE PALMER are very frustrated by the bitterness and
T
extremism on both sides. That’s why I
his season, the Flying Wal- believe you have to keep soldiering on, to
lendas were back at the Big find those areas of common ground.
Apple Circus. “Both sides are exercised. The feelings
The Wallendas’ high-wire act are very deep on both sides. And I’m not
is even more frightening, even more pulse- interested in the blame game. “There are
intensifying, even more heart-stopping people on the Tea Party right who are
than other, always-terrifying wire dancers. unwilling to give any ground, and there are
They specialize in building pyramids high plenty of people on our side who believe
in the air, athletes holding athletes holding that obstructionism is the right thing to do.
bigger rows of athletes, all on a thin taut “But that is not my formula. I want to
wire, moving slowly, with grace and dig- get things done for people here, in this dis-
nity and great care. trict, and that means you have to be will-
It is perhaps understandable that the ing to sit down with both sides. And that
image of this balancing act comes inevita- includes the administration.
bly to mind in conversation with Josh Got- “The bottom line is that you have many
theimer, the freshman Democratic U.S. people on many fronts who are concerned
Congressman representing New Jersey’s with the policies coming out of this admin-
5th District. istration,” Mr. Gottheimer continued.
Mr. Gottheimer went to Washington There are many policies under discus- Representative Josh Gottheimer announces a $1.8 million COPS grant for
as a centrist, a problem-solver, some- sion that affect not only his district but the Paramus as Mayor Rich LaBarbiera listens on November 28, 2017.
one who believes in reaching across the entire region, he said. Chief among them PHOTOS COURTESY JOSH GOTTHEIMER
aisle to come up with the kinds of solu- are infrastructure and the just-passed
tions and compromises that good govern- tax bill, with its ban on allowing taxpay- release from the meeting, “States and local the National Economic Council, and with
ment demands. ers in blue states, chiefly New Jersey, New governments can establish or support Steve Mnuchin, the secretary of the trea-
He also went to Washington at a time of York and California, to continue to deduct funds that pay for local services, including sury, to discuss taxes. “A lot of the people
unparalleled tribal animosity, when such state and local taxes in excess of $10,000. schools, law enforcement, and infrastruc- I deal with in the administration are very
gestures seem rare, at least to outside Infrastructure affects transportation; this ture. Taxpayers can make voluntary con- smart and competent,” he said. “I don’t
observers, and also at a time when his region’s bridges, tunnels, and roadways tributions to these funds, for which they agree with a lot of their decisions, but we
tribe — the Democrats — have control of are old, crumbling, and not helped by will receive an offsetting tax credit. The had engaging discussions.
nothing, not his body, the House, not the the coating of salt that Superstorm Sandy contributions will be deductible for federal “There was a clear disagreement on
Senate, and not the White House. brought; the storm’s largesse often still is tax purposes under existing law, even for taxes, and I made my argument to the
So how does Mr. Gottheimer find Wash- doing its corrosive work. those who pay the alternative minimum president, and he said ‘I understand,’ but
ington? How is his balance? Is he wob- Mr. Gottheimer is joining other Demo- tax. This structure effectively restores they decided to stick us with the bill.
bling? Or moving with all deliberate speed? cratic politicians in trying to craft “a tax- the benefit of the lost state and local tax “It was intentional, a trillion dollars in
He laughs at the question. “This is cer- cut plan that will allow towns to use the deduction to the extent of the contribu- double taxation for us, and a gift for cer-
tainly a challenging time, but it is even charitable deductions for tax relief,” he tions for most taxpayers who itemize. tain other states.
more important now than ever that we said. Last week, he held a press confer- “Governor-elect Murphy will take all “Not for our state.
find places where we can come together ence with Governor-elect Phil Murphy, necessary steps to ensure municipalities “I obviously have real problems with
and work together,” he said. “And they Congressman Bill Pascrell (D-9th Dist.), have the tools they need to implement this the tax hikes, and I think it is counter to
are there. and local mayors. strategy at the local level.” our values, and to what we do and should
“That’s why I ran,” he added. “People According to his plan, and to a press Local mayors will take it from there; the believe in, but I guess my opinion is that
mayors of Fair Lawn, Paramus, and Park you have got to go in there and make the
Ridge all came to the press conference and case. I know that some of my colleagues
voiced their support. prefer not to do that, but I think that if I
“It was one of those ideas I had in the can get an audience, I will go and make my
shower,” Mr. Gottheimer said. “I thought case. I will continue to do so.”
I had struck gold. And then I learned that There is also the question of infrastruc-
22 other states do a version of it, through ture. At the end of December, President
the state’s charitable deduction. The IRS Trump made comments that seemed as
already has ruled on it, and said that if he no longer supported the Gateway
it’s kosher. Project, which would build a new tunnel
“Not only does the governor-elect sup- under the Hudson as well as undertake
port it, so does the state Senate president, major repairs to much of the infrastruc-
and the chairman of the state appropria- ture that connects New York City’s vari-
tion committee. ous islands to the mainland, most partic-
“This is just for property taxes, but I see ularly New Jersey. Gateway replaced the
no reason why the state cannot do it too ARC Tunnel project, which would have
for state taxes. After all, 22 other states do worked in different ways to similar goals
it. Most of the them are red states.” and would have been nearing completion
And many of those red states, he contin- by now. Governor Chris Christie killed the
ued are “moocher states, who continue to project in 2010.
pilfer our dollars for their gain.” “You look outside and you see why
Josh Gottheimer talks with a constituent at a Park Ridge “Cup of Joe with Josh” Mr. Gottheimer was in a meeting with we can’t wait,” Mr. Gottheimer said.
in December. the president, Gary Cohn, the director of “One third of our bridges are considered

Local
unsafe. We have the eighth worst roads in transit and taxes.”

the country. And we’ve got a mass transit Mr. Gottheimer has not given up on the
system that clearly is overburdened and in idea of the Gateway Project because he
need of repair and upgrades. New Jersey doesn’t think that the Trump administra-
Transit has the worst on-time record in tion has — or at least he hopes it has not.
the entire country. And this speaks to the “I hope it’s a negotiating tactic,” he said.
larger economic problem we are facing.” “The president seemed to be receptive.”
Improving our infrastructure “is criti- Mr. Gottheimer ran on the platform that
cal to safety, and if it shuts down the New Jersey is paying far too much in taxes,
whole Northeastern corridor will shut and receiving far too little. He is extremely
down.” And if it goes, so eventually will unhappy with the new tax bill.
the economy of the entire country. “The “There is a way to make a tax cute that
stakes are high,” Mr. Gottheimer said. “We is paid for in a reasonable way,” he said.
can’t wait.” In fact, he and Rep. Leonard Lance (R-7th
Taken together, the problems of infra- Dist.) presented a plan. “It does not stick
structure and taxes mean that “we have a it to our state and bloom the deficit. And
storm brewing here,” he said. “The infra- so now, we are banging our heads against
structure problem adds to commuting the wall.
times. From Wyckoff, where I live, which “I have no problem with cutting corpo-
is probably about 16 miles from the city, rate tax rates for businesses of all sizes.
it takes an hour and 45 minutes to drive, That is a positive step. But the way they did
and the train doesn’t save you much time.” it, and the cavalier fashion in which they At a press conference in Fair Lawn last week to discuss the tax cut plan, Mr. Got-
And, of course, there is no train service targeted states like ours, will bloom the theimer, at the podium, stands with Mayor Keith Misciagna of Park Ridge, left,
whatsoever in the county’s eastern corri- deficit. And they are not taking into con- and Mayor Rich LaBarbiera of Paramus.
dor. “There are buses, but the Port Author- sideration what it will do to the property
ity isn’t exactly Shangri-La,” he said. values, and what it will do to business and there will be no economic consequences, states — want to take even more from us.
As a result, “when people call me jobs — which then of course will have eco- they’re just not thinking. It’s an offensive joke.
and ask about moving to New Jersey, I nomic consequences for them. “We give far more than we get, and Mis- “People are panicking. If you’re on a
made a strong case for it, but people are “We on the East Coast are the economic sissippi gets $4.84 for every dollar it pays fixed income and all of a sudden your tax
worried about infrastructure and mass nerve center of the country. If they think in taxes, and now they — the moocher SEE GOTTHEIMER PAGE 44

Local
‘Nobody is entitled to his own set of facts’

Political analyst Dr. Eric Mandel will speak at the JCC in Tenafly
I
srael’s young for a country — it’ll
turn 70 this May — but old enough to
have amassed a significant history.
(And that’s just the state of Israel, of
course; the Jewish people have a few mil-
lennia of backstory.)
Many other significant anniversaries of
events that have shaped Israel occurred
as well.
Last November was the 100th anniver-
sary of the Balfour Declaration, that short
document in which the British govern-
ment stated its support of a homeland in
Palestine for the Jewish people. And in
June Israel celebrated the 50th anniver-
sary of the Six-Day War, when it reclaimed
all of Jerusalem and started on the path
that took it from that extraordinary emo-
tional high, from being the world’s dar-
ling, to where it is today, a symbol of much
(although certainly not all) of the focus of
criticism from the world.
What happened?
Policy analyst Dr. Eric Mandel, who
founded and directs the Middle East Politi-
cal and Information Network, will tell that
story at the Kaplen JCC on the Palisades on
Wednesday (see box for details).
Dr. Mandel’s credentials are in large
part autodidactic; he earned the title doc-
tor in medical school, and later went on
to become a corneal microsurgeon who
made his name in pioneer laser vision cor-
rection. He has focused that laser vision on
the Middle East, using the analytic tools he Dr. Eric Mandel, speaking at the i24TV Studios in Tel Aviv, sees the Mideast situation as a “game of five-dimensional chess.”
sharpened as a researcher and clinician to
learn about politics from politicians and 50 percent of its foreign aid on paying or left unexplained. “Just because the state. There is a 4,000-year history of a
about the Middle East from Jewish organi- terrorists and their families, incentiviz- international world community, which is Jewish civilization and presence there,
zations, experts, and his own wide-ranging ing terrorists, and continuing not to pre- mainly not democratic, says something, and a 1,200-year history of wanting to go
experiences. He is a columnist for the Jeru- pare their people for a two-state solution. that doesn’t make it true. Or ethical. Or back.”
salem Post and frequently speaks on col- Actually, from a top-down level, they are moral,” he said. Like many other pundits, Dr. Mandel
lege campuses. teaching incitement against the existence “I want to explain the facts” — facts about is unhappy about the state of polariza-
By now, Dr. Mandel’s expertise is so of the state of Israel in every territorial the 1949 armistice lines, about the Green tion in our worlds — cultural, political and
respected that he often briefs members dimension.” Line, about U.N. Resolution 242 — he said. “I otherwise. “We live in a hyper-polarized
of Congress. “On the positive side, Israel He has what he calls “a shorthand want to explain them in the context of what environment,” he said. “It doesn’t mat-
has unprecedented relationships with the phrase” that describes the situation in the actually is. I want to differentiate between ter where we are on the political spec-
Sunni Gulf states,” he said, reporting on Middle East. “When this conflict becomes what people say, especially in the Arab trum, we only go to news sources that are
the summary he gave earlier in the week. territorial and not existential to the Pales- world, and what they mean or do. I want to echo chambers for the things we already
“On the negative side, Israel’s partner, tinians, we will solve it very easily.” look at what the possibilities are, based on believe. We live in a world where we don’t
the Palestinian Agency, spends literally “I don’t want people to think of this talk Israel being a young country, going forward, respect other people’s opinions, and we
as a history lesson,” Dr. Mandel said. “I and how all these things are interrelated in a demonize people if we don’t agree with
Who: Dr. Eric Mandel want to take them on a journey from the game of five-dimensional chess. their policy solutions. This is an unhealthy
What: Will talk about “The 100th Balfour Declaration to the Six-Day War “One thing I like is to get people out of environment in so many ways.
Anniversary of the Balfour Declaration until now, and to bring up all the chal- our Western perspective, out of the idea “And this is not new,” he added. “It
and How It Affects Israel Today” lenges of all those events, because those that there are immediate solutions and has been going on for many years. I have
When: On Wednesday, January 17, at challenges are still alive. simple black-and-white choices,” he said. watched it evolve in Congress. It has been
8 p.m. “From the Palestinian refugee problem “America, and American Jews, really don’t exacerbated by the new administration,
to the status of Jerusalem to a Jewish state understand the Middle East. They don’t but it is not new.”
Where: At the Kaplen JCC on the
Palisades, 411 East Clinton Road in to two states for two peoples to contem- understand its challenges. They don’t He is disturbed by what he sees as
Tenafly porary radical Islamism and even to Iran understand its history. They don’t under- unfair news coverage. “I think that news
— and Iran is Israel’s most existential threat stand that it is really in a very bad part of sources that claim to be impartial and
How much: It’s free and open to
the community, and there will be today — it’s all profoundly intertwined with the world. unbiased have been perpetuating a fraud
refreshments that history,” Dr. Mandel said. He cites “The American Jewish community on the public by editorializing the news to
facts, and also he makes clear that facts needs to understand that the Jewish peo- advance an agenda,” he said. “We now see
For information and reservations:
email tammy@israeliamerican.org always are situated in contexts, and those ple do not need the international commu- that more clearly since the new adminis-
contexts often are manipulated, misstated, nity to give them permission for a Jewish tration has come into being — it has been

Local
fast and loose with some facts. But don’t are more important. But we live in a world alignment with some anti-human-rights the leaders say in Arabic, not in English,
blame it all on that administration. If where your political enemy is beyond organizations. Israel is so disproportion- and what the polls of the Palestinians by
Trump had not been there, the majority being your enemy. Your political enemy ately criticized — there is more condem- the Palestinians show.
of the problems we deal with in getting in our world is somebody who is beyond nation of Israel at the U.N. than of all the “We have to understand that the news
unvarnished, factually in-context material the pale. It is somebody you must destroy.” other nations in the world, including the we get is agenda-driven, whether it is from
to make educated decisions still would be Just as the United States is polarized, world’s leading human rights abuser, the New York Times, from Fox, from NPR,
virtually impossible to ignore. so too is Israel, Dr. Mandel said. He takes China, and the world’s leading state spon- from MSNBC. It should be considered
“We live in a world where one person’s as an example the country’s most well- sor of terrorism, Iran. opinion. I am trying to open up people’s
facts are another person’s lies, and politics known news sources. “Yediot Ahronot “We see in the pages of the New York eyes.”
has been spinning facts for a long time. refers to itself as the anti-Bibi newspaper,” Times, which many people think is unbi- Although his worldview sounds nega-
And I live in a world where I believe that he said. “Haaretz, which is a very small ased, a vigorous defense of Iran, in favor tive — “My 88-year-old mom says that she
nobody is entitled to his own set of facts. paper within Israel, is read by all the for- of saving the agreement” — the famous doesn’t like reading my columns because
“When I go to Congress, I speak on both eign journalists, and it totally editorializes or infamous Iran arms deal, depend- you keep depressing me” — and “I don’t
sides of the aisle, and when I dish it out I the news to be harshly critical of its own ing on which side of it you’re on — even want to sugar-coat things that shouldn’t be
do it fairly, to both sides. I am an opinion government, and yet it is considered rep- though Iran remains one of the most illib- sugar-coated,” Dr. Mandel said, “unless we
writer. I don’t write news articles. I try to resentative by the international journal- eral nations in the world, and one of the look at issues as they are, instead of how
give everyone as many facts as possible, ists’ community of unbiased reporting, few nations that has publicly and repeat- we wish them to be, we will never solve
even when I am writing about my own which is far from the truth. edly called for the destruction of another them for the long term.
opinions. I give a lot of respect to differ- “But I am equal opportunity. People on state.” That state, of course, is Israel. “I am a pragmatist. I am a realist. I
ent policy choices, even when I disagree both sides take tremendous liberties with “Let me tie all this back to what I will believe in a moral, values-based Ameri-
with them. the truth. Our president is just so crude be talking about,” Dr. Mandel said. “When can foreign policy. But if we can get past
“We need a lot more of that.” and crass, but there are people who are I talk about the Israel/Palestinian conflict, the delusions that we have, and think out
Dr. Mandel thinks that credit must be much more polished and say things that and Israel and Iran and Israel and Jordan of the box — and that would be thinking
given where it is due, even if the act of are just as outrageous. But you have to be and Lebanon and Syria, as we move out to not in the way that our American State
handing over that credit is unpleasant. more sophisticated to see how disgusting look at the concentric circles of the Middle Department thinks — then we can lower
“You might dislike everything else the cur- it is. East, we see that they are all connected. the flames in the Middle East.
rent president does, but if he does some- “We see this with the BDS movement You cannot look at them independently if “After all,” he concluded, “the only thing
thing positive, like recognizing Jerusalem, and the people who align with it. People you are to come up with answers. worse than America being involved in the
I will give him credit. And that’s even use words that sound good — social justice, “I show people maps to help them Middle East is America not being involved
though I do think that a lot of other things for example — but very often they have an understand the region. I tell them what in the Middle East.”
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What is a Juul?
Joint Ma’ayanot/TABC program tells parents
what their kids might or might not know about drugs
BANJI GANCHROW
T
he challenges of being a par-
ent are never-ending.
They start when the help-
less little babies are born and
you have trouble using the car seat;
they continue when they first start to
move around and you try to protect
them from any sharp edges, and they
continue through adolescence and
all the fun that goes along with that
stage of life, when kids are emotional,
hormonal, and, worst of all, possibly
experimental.
It’s particularly challenging — and
dangerous — when the experimentation
involves drugs.
Some parents are lucky enough to
coast through that stage; they have chil-
dren who are either smart or clueless
enough to never take a drink or smoke
or have any desire to try anything at all
that could affect their brain develop-
ment. But not every child is like that.
Peer pressure can be strong.
And of course sometimes kids model
what they see at home, when they watch
a parent come home from a long day at
work and relax with a bottle of wine.
And there are always new drugs com-
ing out, drugs that parents don’t even
know about it but kids are quick to pick
up on. For example, do you know what The panel — from left, Dr. Oshra Cohen, Dr. Rayzil Yaish, Dr. Matis Shulman, and Rabbi Scott Friedman — sit in the mock
a Juul is? It is a rechargeable and reus- teen bedroom where parents were encouraged to hunt for signs of drug use.
able smoking device — a vaping device
— that can pass for a magic marker. It It is both eye-opening and disturbing. address the issues and get help.” parent program, parents can bring back
comes in different flavors, and kids can The guidance departments at the The evening included a panel dis- info and gauge where their children are
use it to smoke nicotine. Two hundred Ma’ayanot High School for Girls and an cussion featuring a TABC graduate, Dr. at in terms of what pieces they share,”
puffs from these devices is equal to an all-boys school, the Torah Academy of Matis Schulman, now a psychiatrist spe- Dr. Yaish said. “And as all the presenters
entire pack of cigarettes. You also can Bergen County, both in Teaneck, were cializing in addiction medicine, TABC said, it seems that keeping communica-
use a Juul to smoke 80 percent pure the first two yeshiva day schools to host guidance counselor Rabbi Scott Fried- tion lines open is super-valuable”
marijuana — and there isn’t even any Hidden in Plain Sight. The program, man, Ma’ayanot guidance counselor Rabbi Steven Pruzansky, who heads
smell that can alert a parent to what’s held last week, was aimed at parents Dr. Oshra Cohen, Ma’ayanot guidance Teaneck’s Congregation Bnai Yeshu-
going on. and teachers from both schools. department head Dr. Rayzil Yaish, and run, addressed the issue in a sermon
In order to help parents help their Shelley Stuart, the Center for Alcohol TABC guidance department head Rabbi that Shabbat morning. “Parents used
kids deal with peer pressure and with and Drug Resources director of coalition Steven Finkelstein. to have primary responsibility for par-
drug use, the Center for Alcohol and and community services, led the Hidden “We realized it had been some time enting, discipline, and instilling values
Drug Resources, which is a program of in Plain Sight program. “Knowing the since we had an educational evening in their children,” he said. “Sometime
a nonprofit organization, Children’s Aid difference between normal adolescence for parents on the topic of drugs and in the recent past, many parents seem
and Family Services, runs a program and when there actually is an issue is alcohol,” Dr. Yaish said. “Sometimes it to have abdicated that responsibility to
called Hidden in Plain Sight. The genius a very fine line,” she said to the group, is hard to get strong attendance at par- the schools or other agencies, and the
behind this program, now three years which included more than 150 parents. ent programs, so I reached out to Steven results have not been pretty.
old, is that it creates a teenager’s bed- “You have to look out for behaviors that Finkelstein at TABC to see if he’d want to “They must reclaim that role, espe-
room, and invites adults to walk around are not usual for your child, and then offer it jointly to increase attendance.” cially as their influence on their chil-
it to see if they can find the drug para- know it is time to get involved.” But what if your child doesn’t know dren is greater and they have many
phernalia that kids have learned to hide Ms. Stuart described the makeup of about Juuls, or huffing — inhaling the more and effective ways to moderate
in plain sight. the adolescent brain, and how drug use fumes from whipped cream cans or paint their behavior and teach them values.”
What you think is a USB stick for a affects its development. “The rule of thinners, which can evoke reactions And if you don’t know how to begin
computer actually is a cartridge for Juul the thumb is usually that the age when ranging from a quick high to a deadly this discussion? What should you do?
cigarettes. Water bottles are filled with the child becomes addicted is the age aneurism — or other drug activities that “Try to hear from your child what they
alcohol. Pringles cans have fake bot- at which the brain remains through- were discussed at this program? How do think they know about drugs, and start
toms so kids can hide things from their out the course of the child’s life,” she you know what is too much to share with that dialogue so you can address and
parents. said. “That is why it is so important to your child? “I think this since this was a misconceptions,” Dr. Cohen suggested.

upcoming at Kaplen JCC on the Palisades
Join us to see Phil and Chris Simms 1st annual
live at the J!
Don't miss this exciting evening with special
appearances by two great football icons, elegant
strolling dinner and live auction – all to support
scholarships at the J. Also, celebrating the life
and legacy of Joseph Taub (z"l), with the Lifetime
Achievement Award; honoring Gordon A. Uehling III,
with the Emerging Leader Award; and presenting
the JCC Scholar Athlete Awards.
For more info contact Michal Kleiman
mkleiman@jccotp.org or 201.408.1412.
Visit Jccotp.org/sportsnight
Lego Robotics 3 Day Workshop

We have teamed up with Dwight Englewood's Tuesday, February 13
prestigious Robotics Team to teach Lego Robotics!
The students will work in pairs to build and
program a group Lego EV3 robot! Hurry!
Ages 8-12*, Sun, Jan 28-Feb 4, 10 am-12 pm, buy tickets now by 1.22
$150/$185 before price increases!
*Program available to members of all ages and nonmembers ages 10+.
The 100th Anniversary of the

Balfour Declaration and How It
Affects Israel Today
with dr. eric mandel
Dr. Mandel explores the specific challenges

for Israel at 70 and the decisions the United
States faces to end the Israeli-Palestinian
conflict. Dr. Mandel is the founder and
director of MEPIN™ (Middle East Political
and Information Network™), which provides
private Middle East research analysis for
members of Congress, foreign policy
advisors, members of the Knesset, and
journalists. Part of the JCC-IAC ACT IL
Media Room.
Wed, Jan 17, 8 pm,
Free and Open to the Community
Refreshments served.
kids Film adults
The Leonard & Syril Rubin IAC Cinematec – Amor JCC U—Winter Term: Keep Learning
Nursery School Registration This insightful film explores the great first session January 25: Prof. A. Tom Grunfeld
examines US/Korean relations, especially North Korea’s
Opens Next Week! demands love can make on us and how
nuclear program; and Columbia Prof. Jeremy Dauber
ages 3 months-Kindergarten
memories are both fragile and fleeting.
traces origins of Jewish comedy – from biblical times to
6:30: Reception with Director Rafael Rebibo
Don’t miss your chance to enroll your child in the age of Twitter. Register online or call Kathy
an amazing nursery school! Featuring a warm and Producer Martine Fitoussi.
at 201.408.1454.
environment, with a developmentally appropriate Artist exhibition (benefiting the IAC Thursdays: Jan 25, Feb 8 & 22, Mar 8, 10:30 am-2 pm;
child-centered approach to learning, and a Cinematec program) 4 Thursdays $115/$145; 1 Thursday $35/$42
progressive curriculum rooted in Jewish values, 7:30: Screening
your child will enjoy a solid foundation of 9:00:Talk Back with Director Rafael Rebibo
education and exploration. Half day, full day and and Eran Polishuk, Director of Film & Media, to register or for more info
extended day (7:30 am-6 pm) options available. Consulate General of Israel visit jccotp.org
open house: Feb 9, 9 am Sun, Jan 21, 7:30 pm, $12/$14, stay in the Know! liKe us on
Schedule a tour today! Contact Elissa Yurowitz at $17 at the door if available facebook.com/KaplenJCCOTP
201.408.1436 or eyurowitz@jccotp.org
Kaplen JCC on the Palisades taub campus | 411 e clinton ave, tenafly, nJ 07670 | 201.569.7900 | jccotp.org
Briefly Local
Young professionals meet

for Shabbat in Hoboken
JNFuture North/Central NJ Young Profession-
als and the United Synagogue of Hoboken host a
Shabbat dinner tonight, January 12, at the shul.
Services are at 7 p.m., followed by dinner and the
program at 8. Guest speaker Tremayne Smith will
discuss “The New Millennial Zionist.”
Mr. Smith, special assistant to Representative G.K.
Butterfield (D-N.C.), is an alum of Jewish National
Fund’s selective Caravan for Democracy Student
Leadership Mission, which takes non-Jewish stu-
dent leaders on a mission to Israel. Tremayne Smith
The shul is at 115 Park Ave., in Hoboken. For Attending the beth midrash dedication are, front row, Daniel and
information, go to www.HobokenSynagogue.org or call (201) 659-4000. Lindsay Setton, left, and Polly and Gabriel Bousbib. Moriah board chair
Zvi Rudman; Rabbi Mordy Kuessous, the director of Moriah’s Sephardic
cultural program; Moriah’s head of school, Rabbi Daniel Alter, and school
‘Voice’ standout is Teaneck Idol judge president Aaron Yunis are in the back.
Felicia Temple, a 2017 contestant on anthem at many NBA games, opened Moriah School dedicates
“The Voice,” is among the judges for for acts including the O’Jays, and toured
Teaneck’s Teen Idol contest, set for Sat- overseas. After a struggle and recovery Midrash Doresh Tov
urday, January 20, at 8 p.m., at Teaneck from cancer while she was preparing for More than 100 people attended a spe- “Moreover, a focal point of the proj-
High School. She joins Teaneck’s former “The Voice,” she wrote and recorded the cial dedication ceremony for the Sep- ect is the ner tamid, dedicated in mem-
mayor, Jackie Kates, Jeremy Lenz, and “The Balancing Act.” hardic Beth Midrash — Midrash Doresh ory of Evan Levy, z”l, whose untimely
Reggie Bennett. The 11th Teaneck con- As on the original “American Idol,” Tov at the Moriah School in Englewood passing had a profound effect on our
test has 14 talented entrants from the judges will select five finalists and the last Sunday. entire community,” he added. “The
Frisch School, Teaneck High School, and audience will vote for the winner. The Last year, Moriah parents Daniel outpouring of support to memorialize
the Teaneck Community Charter School. evening is emceed by Anthony Johnson, and Lindsay Setton spoke to Moriah Evan in this way was overwhelming.”
About 11 years ago, Ms. Temple was a WABC-TV Channel 7 Eyewitness News leadership about creating a center for A grassroots fundraising campaign was
a runner-up in the first Teaneck Teen reporter. Sephardic culture within the school; started as a small initiative. It grew to
Idol contest. This year, as a special guest Tickets are available online at www. less than a year later, Midrash Doresh 60 families donating a total of $75,000
judge, she brings her “Voice” experience teaneckcommunitychorus.org or at the Tov was created. It is a permanent to the cause.
to guide the talented teen contestants. door. For more information, call (201) space for all students, regardless of “Working with Lindsay and Daniel
Between then and now, Ms. Temple 836-2934. background, to come together to Setton on the beth midrash was inspir-
has headlined shows, sung the national learn about Sephardic Jewish culture. ing” Erik Kessler, Moriah’s execu-
“I firmly believe that in this day and tive director, said. “Their attention to
age it is vital for all Jews, regardless of detail on each aspect of the room was
YU offers distance learning background, to consider themselves as remarkable; they cared about how the
for Jewish philosophy students one” Zvi Rudman, the school board’s
chairman, said. “The establishment of
students, teachers, and administrators
would use the space for years to come.
In an effort to make its programs avail- In special circumstances, students who the Sephardic beth midrash solidifies They wanted the space to not only
able to a larger pool of qualified stu- normally are on campus can receive Moriah’s commitment to this goal.” inspire our students but to motivate
dents, Yeshiva University’s Bernard permission to use the platform if they “There are so many reasons why them in their learning and tefillot.”
Revel Graduate School of Jewish Stud- must be away for a particular class the construction of a Sephardic beth The Moriah Sephardic minyan
ies has launched a distance learning meeting. The program’s goal is to make midrash was such a special project moved into the new beth midrash this
option, Revel Remote. Jewish philoso- Revel degree programs accessible to stu- for our school and our community,” school year. For the inaugural tefillah,
phy students can begin using this dis- dents who otherwise might not have the school president Aaron Yunis said more than 40 students and parents,
tance learning online platform for the opportunity to join them. “In part, it was during his remarks to the crowd. “The both Sephardi and Askenazi, joined
spring semester. simply motivated by the requests we main reason is that it was supported the minyan supervised by Rabbi Mordy
The online platform will allow stu- receive on a fairly regular basis regard- by the vision and contributions of Kuessous, the director of the Moriah
dents from remote areas to enroll and ing whether we have a distance learning many families — especially the Setton Sephardic cultural program. The min-
participate in Jewish philosophy degree option,” Dr. Rynhold said. He already has and Bousbib families — who worked to yan allows students to experience Sep-
programs at Revel. led pilot classes with one Philadelphia- integrate Sephardic culture into our hardic customs, such as the tradition
Remote or distance learning, unlike area student using Revel Remote. school, rather than separate it. of reciting the Birkat Kohanim daily.
online programs, allows students to par- The school plans to expand Revel
ticipate fully in the classroom in real time. Remote to its other degree programs
Students using an audio-video configura- beginning with the 2018-19 academic
tion on their computers will see the class- year. According to Revel’s dean, Dr.
room and participate through their web David Berger, who is a professor of Jew-
cameras. “All they need is a computer, a ish history, “This is a pilot program that
microphone, and a camera. Other than we hope to extend to other concentra-
that, it’s the same as any other class par- tions as well, thus enabling students
ticipant,” said Dr. Daniel Rynhold, profes- without access to the YU campus to
sor of Jewish philosophy. Dr. Rynhold will benefit from real-time participation in
teach two philosophy courses offering the class and to pursue degrees in various
remote option this spring. fields of Jewish studies with a world-
Students who cannot commute or class faculty.”
relocate to YU’s Manhattan campus will For more information, go to www.
Families davening Shacharit in the new beth midrash.
use the remote platform all semester. yu.edu/revel/revelremote.

Cover Story
Grandpa’s
journey
Remembering a
Newark pioneer
Max Adelman cradles
J
Jonathan Lazarus and his JONATHAN E. LAZARUS choke immigration from mainly Mus-
sister, Janet, in 1945. lim countries, and appeal to the basest
ust last week, the Trump admin- instincts of the xenophobic alt-right,
istration ordered 200,000 Sal- stirred my thoughts about my grandfa-
vadorans to leave the country ther’s slog from Ukraine to America in
by 2019. 1903, and how he arrived in the coun-
They had lived in the U.S. try at just the right time, with the right
since El Salvador was devas- skills, the right instincts, and the right
tated by two earthquakes in 2001, amount of luck. Although the United
admitted under a program created by States wasn’t necessarily welcoming to
President George H. W. Bush in 1990 the huddled masses, the atmosphere
and administered with compassion and then could hardly have been as fraught
even-handedness until now. It granted as it seems today.
temporary lawful status to those from My zaydie, Max Adelman, was bil-
nations suffering armed conflict, natu- leted steerage class and landed penni-
ral disasters, or strife. less and powerless after a dangerous
Past beneficiaries included refugees flight from the continent, a detour to
from Bosnia and Herzegovina (civil England, and a bumpy Atlantic cross-
war), and Guinea, Sierra Leone, and ing. He arrived at Ellis Island poor but
Liberia (Ebola). Last year, as the Trump deeply hopeful. No welcoming cer-
administration unleashed its restrictive emony or social safety nets awaited
immigration policies, Nicaraguans got him or his fellow travelers. At most, a
the boot. And just weeks before the relative might show up at dockside or
El Salvador decision, Homeland Secu- a labor contractor swoop down with
rity decreed that 45,000 Haitians were empty promises.
losing their protected status. Now the Now fast forward almost 50 years.
Dreamers — about 800,000 young peo- Max Adelman visits Israel in 1952
ple whose parents had brought them to aboard one of Cunard’s luxury liners,
the United States as children — are at ticketed first class and a fully fledged
risk of deportation despite a flurry of American. His journey, in both the
White House and congressional nego- geographical and experiential sense,
tiations on their future. seems to me to forcefully illustrate
The cumulative effect of these immigrant assimilation at its best.
actions, plus President Trump’s obses- The challenge is how to tell his story.
sive efforts to build a border wall, Should it be written in the broader
The house that grandpa built: context of the diaspora experience? Or
208 Renner Ave., Newark, Jonathan E. Lazarus, a retired editor of should it simply be a paean to the man,
now, sadly, in foreclosure. the Star-Ledger, is a proofreader for the filled with the idiosyncratic and loving
Jewish Standard. episodes so important and indelible to

The joys and diversions of growing up as we know them
were few and far between, but he did recall spending the
equivalent of a hard-earned penny to listen to a primi-
tive hurdy-gurdy through a tube held to his ear when the
“music man” came to the village. And later, he would walk
miles to see one of the first examples of a new machine in
Russia — the automobile.
Grandpa went on to serve a compulsory five-year tour
in the czar’s army, where he jokingly said he was assigned
to a “tall-men’s battalion,” and then returned to his Anat-
evka-like village near Kiev to continue running the inn.
There he married a shtetl girl, Yetta Demarsky (1883-1943)
and they settled into the predictable rhythms and pros-
pects of life that the Jews of the region had known for
centuries.
But stories filtering back about the opportunities in
America, the prospect of re-conscription for the war with
Japan, and the severity of the pogroms changed every-
thing, and hastened his decision to bolt for the United
States. He would send for Yetta (pregnant with my mother,
Minnie) as soon as possible after establishing himself in
the new world. How he managed travel documents, what
bribes he paid along the way, or the close calls he dodged
are strictly matters of conjecture.
But he made it, first detouring to England and obtaining
passage from there. After enduring the numbing, demean-
ing Atlantic crossing, he had to reckon with the always
suspicious and reproachful immigration inspectors at Ellis
Yetta Demarsky Adelman and Max Adelman. Her formal portrait was taken in 1931 and his dates to 1924. Island as they looked for the slightest excuse to turn back
non-native arrivals still carrying the stench of steerage; the
me as a youngster growing up during his sunset years? Jews, the Irish, the Italians, the Slavs — in short, the future
There are no apparent answers or precise guide- builders of a dynamic republic.
lines. Hence, I’ve come up with a sort of hybrid; enough Grandpa arrived as Teddy Roosevelt charged ahead on
vignettes to satisfy me, and enough context to satisfy you, Grandpa went on to the Panama Canal and tangled with the corrupt industri-
the reader, who has a grandparent to measure against alists of the post-gilded age. The country’s climb to global
mine. Where Max Adelman read the Day, maybe yours serve a compulsory power was well underway, but Max Adelman’s worldview
read the Forverts. Where yours might have been an five-year tour in the was considerably narrower as he knocked at the door of
intense socialist or Zionist, mine was a more measured his aunt’s house in Brooklyn and asked to be taken in. By
entrepreneur, whose idea of progressivism was to pay his czar’s army, where he all family accounts, she was stingy with food and money
tradesmen by check so they wouldn’t fritter away their jokingly said he and not particularly helpful in showing him how to avoid
wages in the saloon. the pitfalls of a greenhorn.
But I can guarantee that this remembrance, though was assigned to a Grandpa became a plastering contractor during his
filled with gaps and relying mostly on family anecdotal “tall-men’s battalion.” two years in Brooklyn, and saved enough to arrange pas-
history (with attendant embellishments) and first-person sage for Yetta and Minnie in 1905. My mother was about
“interviews” I was lucky enough to have with him, will be Nicholas II tried to mollify his nation’s wretched serfs by a year old, and by all accounts quite active. This had an
warm and unapologetically hagiographic. scapegoating the even-worse-off Jews and preparing for unintended consequence at the shipping line offices as
Max Adelman (1877-1970), towering for his time at 6-foot- war with Japan over disputed Manchurian territory, an she romped about. Since infants could board for free
3, literally walked out of Ukraine, made his way to England updated version of Rome’s bread and circuses. only if they remained close to their mothers, the agents
by stealth and cunning, and booked passage to America. Grandpa’s father had died when he was a boy and mem- demanded that Yetta buy her a ticket, delaying their
The year 1903 loomed as a particularly bad time for Jews in ories of a youth spent beckoning merchants to board at the departure until Max sent the money.
czarist Russia (if ever there was a particularly good time). inn owned by his parents and then stabling their horses The newly reunited family soon moved to the Lower
Pogroms proved bloodier and more brutal than usual, as during incredibly cold winters remained chillingly fresh. East Side, where Nessie, the second child, was born in

Cover Story
a tiny apartment that featured crates for furniture. more degrees than my dad (a pharmacist and later a
Grandpa earned about $8 a week in those days, with rent drug manufacturer), the customs of the day prevailed;
$5 a month, and meat for 12 cents a pound. Extra quar- men worked outside the home, women stayed home to
ters were put into savings. raise families. My sister, Janet, also adopted, joined the
Nessie would die in infancy, a melancholy, common brood in 1945.
occurrence among households of that era, when a child I’m chagrined to say I know considerably less about
often would fall victim to the shortcomings of medicine Grandma Yetta. She died when I was just over a year old,
and hygiene. and I never learned much beyond her steadfastness as
Within a year, the Adelmans relocated to Newark to a mother and wife. She learned English sufficiently, I’m
escape the sadness that lingered from Nessie’s death. told, to help newer immigrants in settlement classes. The
They wanted a fresh start in a city experiencing a build- few photos of her show a woman with strong peasant
ing boom. With the strong frame needed for carrying features and remarkably white hair. She posed for her
hods and an intuitive feel for carpentry, masonry, and formal portrait dressed in the finery of the day.
lathing, Grandpa had little trouble finding work in the Grandpa spent the next few decades buying land and
construction trades. building homes. The results of his craftsmanship can
Ultimately, two more children arrived: Nathan, be seen today throughout Newark’s (that’s pronounced
who went on to study medicine and became head of Nork’s) fabled Weequahic (that’s pronounced Weekquaik)
ear, nose, and throat at New York Beth Israel, and 17 section. His three-story structures still stand sturdily in a
years later, Evalyn, who taught in Berkeley Heights for neighborhood once overwhelmingly Jewish and now a
decades. My mother, though the oldest, had to push mix of African-Americans, Hispanics, and people of other
grandpa a bit before he would underwrite her tuition ethnicities, comprising the newest waves of immigrants.
at Newark Normal, now Kean University (class of 1925), Grandpa built the residence at 208 Renner Ave. (sadly,
and then Fordham School of Social Work for a master’s now in foreclosure, I’ve seen by driving by it) for himself
degree (class of 1933). At that point, he was still old-world and his children. By this time, he had co-founded Chan-
enough to believe in male primogeniture. But he was nel Lumber Co., a precursor to Rickel’s, with the Slater
capable of change and adaptability, as the next decades and Levy families. The enterprise, named for its loca-
would demonstrate. tion along the Passaic River at the Newark-Belleville bor-
When I was adopted in 1942, mom put aside her pro- der, thrived, allowing him to indulge in his one extrava-
fessional career with the New York City Board of Educa- gance besides expensive suits: Buicks. (More later on his
Grandpa proudly poses next to one of his tion and never looked back. Even though she possessed untamed driving habits). He eventually sold his share in
favorite Buicks.
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Cover Story
Experience Shabbat as
something to stir your soul.

Join us to celebrate Kabbalat Shabbat and
rejuvenate your spirit as we welcome
Opening day traffic at the Holland Tunnel in 1927. Grandpa made that guest Rabbi Adina Lewittes and members
“crossing” too. of Sha’ar Communities,
with live music, and a warm, inviting,
the business during the mid-30s. exodus, and my aunt, uncle, and nephew
Our family, the Lazaruses, moved from followed, moving to Berkeley Heights
innovative approach to Jewish worship.
Flushing, Queens, to Renner Avenue in
1947, when Grandpa helped my father
a few years later. Grandpa, now alone,
doggedly remained as the neighborhood
~~~~~~~~~~
buy a small drug manufacturing com-
pany. This resulted in a rather snug hous-
changed, renting the top and ground
floors to strangers. He still walked the
Enjoy time with friends at our
ing arrangement: Dad, mom, my sister,
and I lived on the first floor; grandpa, a
streets confidently, but there seemed to
be fewer and fewer people to greet him.
wine bar & small bites buffet.
widower since 1944, was on the second; In retrospect, the years I spent in New-
and Aunt Evalyn and her World War II
Army veteran husband, Sam Geftic, were
ark allowed me to know Max Adelman
on an intimate, day-to-day basis. Here
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 9 AT 7 PM TH
in the third-story dormer flat. are a few takeaways, as warm and win-
Grandpa, ever the patriot, gave the
unused portion of his gasoline ration to
ning today as they were 60 years ago:
• Grandpa practiced an open-door pol- JCC OF FORT LEE
Sam when he returned from three-plus icy. That meant Janet, cousin Yale, and I
years of service in North Africa and Italy. could visit him any hour of the day. He 1449 ANDERSON AVE  FORT LEE, NJ
Grandpa’s only son, Dr. Nathan, served would greet the “chillun” either in his
in the Army Medical Corps at veterans silk bathrobe or fully turned out in an
hospitals stateside. There wasn’t a war immaculate suit with freshly starched For more information: 201.947.1735 visit us at geshershalom.org
bond, scrap metal, rubber, or paper white shirt, tie, and handkerchief. If he
drive in which this proud Yankee Doodle didn’t have an engagement, he always
didn’t participate. seemed game for what we wanted to do,
Just a block away, on Custer Avenue except if it involved running or hiding.
and unbeknown to me at the time, • Being a widower for so long (and
lived my future wife, Gail Abramson. I apparently not interested in remarriage
still remember following her down the despite many overtures), he developed
street as she went to violin lessons. But a certain self-sufficiency as a cook and
I wouldn’t understand the forces that housekeeper. I remember him often
made me tag along until years later, wearing an apron over his shirt and tie,
when we reconnected at a Metrowest bearing a dish of his own concoction
JCC social event. (vaguely something with farmer’s cheese)
For the next decade, we lived serenely prepared on the ancient Roper stove.
and optimistically in the Weequahic • His seder meals were renowned
section. It was the 1950s, after all. Dad among the grandkids for chicken feath-
continued to grow the business through ers appearing inappropriately in dishes.
several plant expansions, with Grandpa But his morning-after matzah brei was
participating where he could. I still recall legendary. He also exhibited a failing for
him in a white smock, sitting among the Moosebec sardines in tomato sauce. We
African American women, stuffing wads also heard, but never witnessed, the sto-
of cotton into the bottles of aspirin and ries of carp swimming in his bathtub until Rabbi Adina Lewittes is a leading teacher, speaker, writer, and
saccharine and then capping them. He they were clubbed, cooked, and plated. creative voice in the reimagination and revitalization of Jewish
also undertook some of the smaller car- Grandpa didn’t keep kosher and was fond life, and founder of Sha’ar Communities.
pentry and masonry jobs at the plant, of pork products, always noting that the
often with blackened fingernails to show inspection standards of this great nation
for his efforts. would keep him safe from trichinosis.
My family moved to West Orange in • Grandpa was a man of rigorous habits
1955 as part of the growing suburban and few vices. Before lunch and supper,

Cover Story
he would take one shot of schnapps, always Sea- off at Newark’s Penn Station for the train ride
gram’s VO, never Canadian Club. After supper, he to Bethlehem in the White Mountains of New
would sit contentedly with a “gless tea,” straining Hampshire, where he would spend a month at
it through a sugar cube held in his teeth. I never the camp run by the Hebrew Hay Fever Relief
saw Grandpa tipsy, although at festive occasions, Association, of which he was an officer
especially with landsman surrounding him and • Modern technology both astonished and puz-
speaking in blurringly fast Yiddish, he would zled Max Adelman. For someone whose trajec-
laugh louder and longer than usual. I never knew tory took him from ox cart to astronauts landing
him to gamble, and his card games were limited on the moon, it must have been both jolting and
to friendly pinochle or solitaire. thrilling to witness the evolution of electricity,
Just recently, a delicious tidbit surfaced about the automobile, the airplane, new medicines,
him. My cousins from New York City, now dis- radio, and television. Yet grandpa, to the last,
persed in Boston, Oregon, and Philadelphia, would always pick up the telephone, clear his
mentioned that when he visited them he would throat, bellow a cheery “halloo,” and seem some-
often head to Radio City Music Hall to catch the what surprised when a voice came back.
Rockettes. He especially loved their Christmas I wonder if he would have texted or become
shows, and these must have provided stark coun- social-media savvy had he lived today. Probably
terpoint to his earlier attendance at Yiddish the- not. He was a face-to-face, look-you-in-the-eye-
ater musicals and dramas on the Lower East Side. kind of guy. His relationships were cultivated per-
But this news must be taken with a grain of Max Adelman was often called on to make the motzi at weddings sonally, not electronically. But I know he would
salt, since it comes from a branch of the fam- and bar mitzvahs. have patiently listened to the grandchildren as
ily that pronounces its name Add-dul-mun, not they tried to explain the latest app to him.
Ay-del-man, with its sharper New Jersey intonations. The • Grandpa apparently had been a heavy smoker in his • Grandpa, a reliably Democratic voter, responded pos-
schism still exists and keeps cousinly visits lively, although younger days (Fatimas, with Turkish tobacco) and emphy- itively to FDR and New Deal reforms. But when talking
several of them recanted during the preparation of this sema dogged him in later life, although it didn’t prevent about the Great Depression, we have to remember that
piece and now say the go with Ay-del-man. That’s how him from peeling off his suit jacket and digging a trench Max Adelman also endured the Panic of 1907, so speci-
Grandpa pronounced it, pure and simple. But his contem- on property he owned while in his mid-70s. Until the last ficity became the conversational watchword. Grandpa’s
poraries, no matter what their country of origin, always few years, when he had just turned 90, he was remark- only political regret, and he fessed up to it, was not back-
insisted on going Teutonic with a thumping, drawn-out ably robust, and rarely made concessions to his health, ing John F. Kennedy because of his concerns about JFK’s
Ayy-del-MAHNN. except for hay fever. Every August, we would see him Catholicism and possible influence from the Vatican.
“May all our dreams and prayers come true”

“‫”שימלאו משאלות לבנו‬
Sunday Evening, February 25, 2018

ANNUAL BENEFIT DINNER
Marriott Glenpointe Hotel, Teaneck, NJ
Honoring
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Cover Story
Sandi M. Malkin, LL C
When the young president was assassinated, Grandpa
fretted that he would be unable to right the wrong and
vote for the man he had grown to respect.
Interior Designer
• Speaking of the Vatican and probably mixing reli- (former interior designer of model
gious metaphors, Grandpa did visit the Holy See on
rooms for NY’s #1 Dept. Store)
his way home from his trip to Israel in the early 50s.
The tour of the Jewish State left him both humbled and
thrilled; he saw a nation still in its infancy yet imbued
with the spirit and energy of the pioneer generation. For a totally new look using
Grandpa had been born before Theodor Herzl’s Zion-
ist dream crystallized and he was now bearing witness your furniture or starting anew.
to the assertive age of David Ben-Gurion so soon after
the Holocaust.
The same restless spirit that sustained him as he fled
Staging also available
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ing on the spur of the moment to tour Rome. After
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viewing the antiquities and splendors of the Eternal
City, he joined thousands at Pope Pious XII’s general
audience on a Sunday in St. Peter’s Square. When he
Grandpa had been

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assertive age of
David Ben-Gurion.
returned home, the grandchildren surrounded him
for a debriefing. I asked what he thought of the pontiff
and he breezily replied, “Seemed like a nice fella.”
• Grandpa’s only feeling of entitlement, or so it
appeared to me, occurred when he drove one of his
beloved Buicks. For some reason, he believed he Depend on us for straight answers!
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Cover Story
the Hebrew Sheltering Association, Hebrew Passover Relief, self-written obituary referenced more than 50 organiza- The men (fedoras always worn indoors) swapped
Israel Bonds, the United Jewish Appeal, the Hebrew Free tions that benefitted from his philanthropy the figures, and Grandpa would sometimes get
Loan Society, Workmen’s Circle, New Jersey Verein, or the My unforgettable experience with him in this regard came red-faced and animated. He remonstrated with his
Community Chest, Fresh Air Fund, or Boys and Girls Clubs, after helping out at the Hebrew Passover Relief storefront on colleagues before cash would be counted out and
Grandpa felt connected as a stakeholder in the community. Avon Avenue. Poor families would arrive for their matzah, handed to the family. On the walk home, I asked him
He kept meticulous records of his donations in note- farfel, vegetables, kosher wine, and all the fixings necessary what caused the heated discussions.
books that reflected his eclectic concern and activism, for the seder. Then the head of household would sit at a “Jonilah, they don’t want to give enough,” came the
and took great pride in being a charter member of Newark bridge table with three leaders of the organization. They brief but elegant answer. HIs gold standard for tzeda-
Beth Israel Hospital and the Newark Museum, and a direc- would interview the person, usually in Yiddish, and write kah was an intuitive feeling about the needs of others.
tor of the Daughters of Israel Home for the Aged. In all, his figures on notepads. He naturally grasped the paradox that the only way to
keep “it” was by giving “it” away. He never forgot the
poverty of his early years, making it the touchstone of
his behavior toward others.
VOL
Max Adelman would not recognize the institutional
and structural underpinnings of today’s megachari-
U
ties, with call-athons and computer-based models. For
NTE
him, it was personal, not coldly solicitational. It came
more from the heart than the wallet.
I wish I could write that Grandpa’s final years played
ER
out as golden ones. But by the time he turned 90,
MA
his once ramrod bearing had become stooped and
shrunken. His mind remained keen but the osteoporo-
sis and arthritis took a toll, literally reducing his height
K
by inches.
CAL E
After my parents and aunt and uncle moved to the
suburbs, Grandpa tried to carry on bravely in Newark.
But the tenants could be irresponsible, and the one
elderly male companion he engaged proved quarrel-
JAN LS!
some. And so he began to spend more time with us
in West Orange, my aunt in Berkeley Heights, and my
uncle in New York, continuing to take public transpor-
.
tation unaided to his destinations.
Then the inevitable and dreaded day arrived when
he and his children (who ultimately became the par-
28 U IGN S ents) decided that the best course would be a nursing

home. They chose one, in Neptune, at the shore. I’ll
201 VOL P TO
never understand and was too timid to ask why the
location seemed so out of the orbits of his loved ones.
8 SUP
I visited several times (really not often enough) and
in his small room I encountered a man still immac-
UNT
SUN ER
ulately dressed in blue-serge and starched shirt but
EE jfnn
j .o r
g /s R
essentially alone, one whose peers had mostly died,
upe supplanted by two generations of Jews who were thor-
rsu
DAY
nda oughly assimilated and Americanized. The visits were
y short and subdued, not the buoyant experiences of
FED JEWI
my youth with him.
We both understood.
ERA SH
I recently visited the New Jersey Verein cemetery
in Newark, where Grandpa and Yetta share a com-
50 EISENH TION
mon headstone, tilting slightly with age and erosion,
but so far immune to the vandalism that has affected
the cluster of cemeteries in the area. Grandpa must
have loved the irony and juxtaposition of the location,
just to the rear of the now-razed Pabst brewery along
D O RIV
South Orange Avenue.
E, P WER On the day I visited, workers with weed-wackers
ARA were scything their way through the densely packed

rows of graves. But the background noise didn’t inter-
MU
Judy Taub Gold S fere with my thoughts and feelings. I lingered at the
site for only a short time, however. My memories of
Dr. Bram Alster Grandpa, just like those of my parents, are continuous
and sweetly etched in my memory bank.
Co-Chairs Perhaps the highlights of his journey will stimulate
similar thoughts about your immigrant grandparents.
What an exciting, enriching generation! Their likes
will never come our way again, and more’s the pity.
Remembering their contributions is especially rele-
vant as new émigrés to our shores often encounter a
climate of hostility and vilification. Surely these folks
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 deserve the same opportunities afforded Max Adel-
man. The economics and societal realities may be dif-
ferent, but courage is still the common currency.

Jewish World
Oprah Winfrey probably would be a pro-Israel president

BEN SALES she was impressed with Chabad’s emphasis on family life. Winfrey also featured the story of a chasidic Jewish boy
“What’s gonna happen when people see this family and see from Hungary in 2015, when he was the breakout star of
Because this is the world we live in, buzz now is building that it’s possible that in the United States of America, in Brook- “Belief,” a seven-part documentary series exploring various
around Oprah Winfrey running for president in 2020. lyn, you can have nine children and none of them are watching faiths around the world that aired on OWN, her TV network.
Winfrey sparked the speculation with a speech at the television, and none of them are on computers all day long, and The show followed Mendel Hurwitz of Budapest as he pre-
Golden Globes in which she praised women who have none of them are sassing their parents, and they’re well-man- pared for his bar mitzvah. After the show, Winfrey tweeted
come forward with stories of sexual abuse, declared that nered and live in harmony with their families?” she said. that she “loved” his story. JTA WIRE SERVICE
the “time is up” for abusive men, and promised girls that
“a new day is on the horizon.” She also spoke about the
importance of a free press that “keeps us from turning a
blind eye to corruption and to injustice. To — to tyrants
and victims, and secrets and lies.”
It’s hard to say what policies the iconic talk show host
would support as leader of the free world. (Would we all
get a car?) But one thing we can expect: President Oprah
Winfrey probably would be pro-Israel.
Winfrey has had a positive relationship with Jewish
leaders and the Jewish state stretching back at least a
decade. In 2007, she was honored by Holocaust survivor
and Nobel laureate Elie Wiesel at a dinner for his founda-
tion, and pledged to visit the Jewish state (though the trip
doesn’t appear to have happened). When she received the
award, Ynet News reported, Winfrey expressed sympathy
for Israel’s fight against terrorism.
More recently, Winfrey has rejected an overture from
the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions movement against
Israel. In 2015, Winfrey wore diamonds from Israeli jew-
eler Lev Leviev on the cover of O, her monthly magazine.
BDS activists came to the magazine’s office with a letter
demanding Winfrey reject Leviev, but they were barred
from entering.
Also, Tamar Geller, an Israeli ex-intelligence officer,
once trained Winfrey’s dogs. So there’s that.
What about Oprah and The Jews? Winfrey connected
with Wiesel a few times. In 2006, she selected his
groundbreaking memoir, “Night,” for her book club,
pushing it back onto best-seller lists decades after its
publication. That year, she filmed an extended segment
with Wiesel on the grounds of Auschwitz, the former
concentration camp.
After ending her talk show in 2012, Winfrey spent a
day with Chabad touring the chasidic outreach group’s
neighborhood in Crown Heights, Brooklyn. She had a
meal at a Chabad home, met with five women from the
chasidic group, and visited a mikvah, or Jewish ritual
bath. She told Motti Seligson, a Chabad spokesman, that
PAUL DRINKWATER/NBCUNIVERSAL VIA GETTY IMAGES
Oprah Winfrey speaks at the Golden Globes

ceremony in Beverly Hills, California, on January
7. The speech led to speculation that the former
talk show host could run for president in 2020.

Jewish World
In Japan, discovering the unsung Dutch hero

behind Sugihara’s rescue of Jews
CNAAN LIPHSHIZ
YAOTSU, JAPAN — Like other journalists and research-

ers, I traveled all the way to this rural area to gain a bet-
ter understanding of the actions of Chiune Sugihara, one
of the most extraordinary rescuers of Jews during the
Holocaust.
But unlike most foreign journalists, my October visit
to the museum dedicated to this Japanese diplomat — he
issued over 2,000 transit visas to Jewish refugees trapped
in Kaunas, Lithuania — led me to focus on an overlooked
and arguably more dramatic element of the Sugihara
story. Ironically, that story was waiting for me all along
back in my home country, the Netherlands.
At a museum in what many believe to be his Japanese
hometown, Sugihara, who died in 1986, is celebrated as
a hero for defying orders from Tokyo, and when he was
posted to Kaunas (Kovno) in 1940, helping Jews flee the
JTA COLLAGE/WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

Nazis and travel through Russia on to China, Japan, and
beyond.
A rare embodiment of benevolence in a pro-Nazi gov-
ernment that was complicit in some of the worst war
crimes in human history, Sugihara also is among the very
few to receive the State of Israel’s honor of Righteous
among the Nations even though he did not risk his life to
save Jews during the Holocaust.
Ending decades of relative obscurity and ambivalence
in Japan toward Sugihara — his reputation may have suf- Jan Zwartendijk, inset, and one of the “quasi-visas” he issued to Jewish refugees in Lithuania.
fered in the country’s hierarchical society over his dis-
obedience — in recent years his story has become one of green valley that at sunset echoes with the calls of the red- The flight of Jews from Lithuania to Japan began in
the best-known accounts of its kind. Visitors and journal- breasted Japanese sparrowhawk. October 1940, after the Red Army and Adolf Hitler’s Nazi
ist come by the thousands to the museum, a standard- At the very end of my tour of the exhibit, I noticed a Germany carved up Poland and the Baltic states. Thou-
looking institution erected in 2000 by the government in poster about other lifesaving diplomats. It mentioned, sands of Jewish refugees crossed over to Lithuania in the
the village of Yaotsu in the Gifu District. (The area’s other in exactly 50 words, a Dutch businessman and diplomat wake of the Nazi and Soviet occupations of Poland.
claim to fame is its exquisite sake, a traditional alcoholic named Jan Zwartendijk. At least one of them, Peppy Sternheim Lewin, was a
beverage made of rice.) Zwartendijk served in Kaunas as consul at the same Dutch citizen. So she reached out to the Dutch ambassa-
time that Sugihara was there to represent Imperial Japan. dor in Latvia, L.P.J. de Dekker, asking if she and her Pol-
Largely eclipsed by his Japanese counterpart, Zwartendijk ish husband could get visas to the colonies. De Dekker
was the initiator and chief facilitator of the rescue asso- told her that Curacao was a visa-free destination, with
ciated with Sugihara. And unlike Sugihara, Zwartendijk admittance at the discretion of the governor. So Lewin —
There would’ve been risked his own life, as well as those of his wife and their her granddaughter described her as having “chutzpah”
three small children. in a 2016 op-ed for JTA — asked de Dekker to write this
be no Jewish refugees According to the enigmatic text on the poster, Zwart- in her travel document but to omit the part about the
in Japan if it weren’t endijk gave “Jewish refugees quasi-visas,” which together governor’s discretion. De Dekker did so.
with the ones issued by Sugihara allowed them to escape. This gave the first of the people known as the Sugihara
for Jan Zwartendijk. He Feeling more confused than educated, I called Efraim refugees their first destination visa. When word got out,
started the whole thing. Zuroff, a Holocaust historian affiliated with the Simon Zwartendijk, who was de Dekker’s friend and appoin-
Wiesenthal Center, who wrote about Sugihara in his doc- tee in Kaunas, gave the same visa to some 2,300 people
Without him, Sugihara toral thesis. stuck in Kaunas without consulting any of his superiors.
could never have given “Listen to me,” Zuroff told me in his Brooklyn accent, But to head eastward, the refugees still needed to go
“there would’ve been be no Jewish refugees in Japan if it through the Soviet Union, which would not admit them
visas. Zwartendijk weren’t for Jan Zwartendijk. He started the whole thing. on the basis of the Dutch destination visa alone. Which
deserves a lot more Without him, Sugihara could never have given visas. Zwar- is where Sugihara comes into the picture, according to
tendijk deserves a lot more credit than he got. His role was Zuroff. Consulates were packing up following the Russian
credit than he got. absolutely crucial, every bit as that of Sugihara, who is far invasion, Zuroff explained.
better known.” “So all the people with Curacao destination visas, they
The museum is housed in a large wooden building with Before Sugihara gave them transit visas, Zwartendijk start showing up at the office of Sugihara, who introduced
an adjacent peace monument featuring a fountain and gave the same Jewish refugees destination visas to Cura- himself by his nickname, Sempo,” Zuroff said.
a shrine. The complex crowns a hill overlooking a lush cao, then a Caribbean island colony of the Netherlands. Decades later, the nickname would complicate efforts to
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Jewish World
locate Sugihara by people he helped save, basically abused his diplomatic powers, “In the first few years it was a matter Town Jerusalem, Rob Zwartendijk said
the director of Yaotsu’s Chiune Sugihara and that’s apparently not something the of security that could have meant a ticket that despite difficult circumstances, the
Memorial Hall, Daisaku Kunieda, told me. Dutch Foreign Ministry is or has not been to a concentration camp and death,” said Jewish state, which he has visited and
“When they approached the Japanese very keen on celebrating,” he told me in a Rob Zwartendijk, a 78-year-old retired met many of the people his father res-
Foreign Ministry, Tokyo had no idea who café near Amsterdam. business executive. cued, “by and large lives up to the moral
Sempo was,” Kunieda said. Were Zwartendijk and Sugihara working Rob Zwartendijk said his father standard set” by his father.
Many people in Japan and beyond together in Kaunas? declined to talk about what he had “I have tried to live up to that stan-
believe the Japanese authorities were “Not really, they were working inde- done for decades thereafter. “The first dard my entire life, in business, as a
not interested in advertising Sugihara’s pendently, but of course they knew of time I heard about it was from my older parent, as a neighbor: Thinking before
disobedience and that he was even dis- one another’s actions in a small city like brother, when I was 35 — two years before each action whether this is something
missed from the Foreign Service in 1947 Kaunas,” Rob Zwartendijk told me. In their my father’s passing in 1976,” he said. he would have done,” Rob Zwartendijk
for it. But whereas Sugihara certainly was one direct exchange, Sugihara phoned the In the Netherlands and Lithuania, sev- said of his father. “I’ve done my best to
not celebrated at first for his actions, talk elder Zwartendijk to ask that he slow down eral institutions and media have devoted pass it on to my children.”
that he was disciplined is exaggerated, the rate at which he was handing out desti- growing attention in recent years to Jan Zwartendijk died more than two
according to Hanit Livermore, an Israeli nation visas. The reason: Zwartendijk had Zwartendijk’s crucial role in the rescue decades before Israel recognized him as
ex-employee of the museum who moved a stamp, whereas Sugihara had to write of the so-called Sugihara Jews. In 2016, a Righteous Among the Nations based
to the Gifu District to work there. each visa by hand. NTR, a broadcaster, produced a four-part on testimonies submitted about him by
“It was a time of a major reshuffle in Witnesses say Sugihara was still writing radio show about him titled “The Angel people he helped save. And while Rob
the Foreign Ministry and many other transit visas inside the train after Tokyo of Lithuania.” wishes he had more time with his father
diplomats were laid off,” said Livermore, ordered him to leave Kaunas. But his work remains underappreci- — a determined man of action who
48, who moved to Japan with her Israeli Shortly after the Jewish refugees and ated, according to Rob Zwartendijk. nonetheless always remained attentive
husband about 20 years ago. Plus, Sugi- Sugihara left Kaunas, so did Zwartendijk, “My late brother collected quite an to the needs of those around him — he
hara was given a second and third post- who returned with his wife and three chil- archive about my father,” he said, “and does not regret too much that his father
JTA COLLAGE/WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
ing after word got out about the refugees dren to the Nazi-occupied Netherlands to we used to try and be a part of exhibi- did not live to see his heroism honored.
he helped save. continue working for Philips, an electron- tions about Sugihara, but it seems that it “He would have disliked the atten-
Back in the Netherlands, the Dutch ics and appliances manufacturer. Until the always ends up being all about Sugihara, tion,” Rob Zwartendijk said. “He always
government also did little to celebrate Netherlands was liberated in 1945, the des- who definitely deserves credit, with a few dismissed any mention of what he’d
Zwartendijk’s actions, according to his tination visas he gave out were a danger- lines about my father. After a while that done as something anyone in his posi-
youngest son, Rob. ous secret; if the Nazis had known about tends to leave a bad feeling.” tion would have done. Which, as we
“My father wasn’t a real diplomat, them, it could have sealed the fate of Zwar- An unabashed supporter of Israel and sadly know, isn’t true.”
he was someone from the outside who tendijk’s entire family, his son said. donor to the Israel-based orphanage Boys JTA WIRE SERVICE
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Jewish World
Delta employees detail a pattern

of anti-Semitic abuse at the airline
BEN SALES Amir, an Israeli-American, and Gilinsky,
who was born in Israel and lives in the United
It wasn’t long after Nahum Amir began work- States, each is suing Delta separately in fed-
ing for Delta Airlines as a mechanic that he eral court for violating the Civil Rights Act,
says his manager started calling him “the Jew- which prohibits discrimination based on eth-
ish guy.” Then Amir says the manager accused nicity. Gilinsky is in the process of formally
him and other Jews of “killing kids in Gaza.” joining a suit filed last week by four other
During the same period, Yaron Gilinsky Delta employees who also allege anti-Semitic
was working as a Delta flight attendant on and anti-Israeli discrimination. Amir’s suit
flights from New York to Tel Aviv. Except, he was filed Monday evening.
says, his non-Jewish co-workers would call “I have been subjected to a hostile
ROBERT ALEXANDER/GETTY IMAGES

it “Hell Aviv.” Gilinsky remembers some co- and threatening environment based on
workers, including managers, making fun of my race and ethnicity,” Amir stated in a
charedi Orthodox Jews’ beards and sidecurls. signed affidavit.
One non-Jewish fellow attendant called them The manager, whom Amir names as Azeem
“ugly Jews.” Narine, “continues to make jokes and com-
“At some point, it makes me feel ashamed ments about Jewish people, including about
and it makes me feel this person doesn’t circumcision. He would go to the computer
respect me,” Gilinsky, 38, said about his co- room talking about Jewish people chopping
workers’ comments. “I was brought into off part of his private areas.”
this company because I speak Hebrew. I was Both suits were filed by Philadelphia lawyer Two Delta Connection passenger jets sit on the runway at LaGuardia Airport.
brought into this company to take care of the Brian Mildenberg.
clients that support that flight, and here this In a January 3 statement, Delta says it global airline that brings people across That Delta flight attendants would be
person is talking very derogatorily and putting “strongly condemns the allegations of dis- the world together every day, Delta values anti-Semitic is surprising, said Paula Kraft,
down my faith, my people, everything that I crimination described in this suit and will diversity in all aspects of its business and the managing partner of the DaVinci
grew up on.” defend itself vigorously against them. As a has zero tolerance for discrimination.” Inflight Training Institute, which trains
After six years of hearing anti-Semitic flight staff. Kraft said Delta takes particu-
comments, Gilinsky was fired in Septem- lar care to train its crews in how to handle
ber because, he says, he made a Jewish kosher food and the sensitivities involved
Black Box Studios presents a new production friend his travel companion. Flight atten- in keeping kosher.
of the epic verse poem for the stage . . . dants are allowed to designate a friend or “Delta has good, specific and detailed
family member as their travel compan- training on kosher [food] for the Jewish
ion, which allows the companion to fly passengers,” Kraft said, adding that the
standby at a reduced rate. attendants have “more understanding of
Gilinsky’s travel companion is a friend why someone might demand that they
he had met on a flight to Israel in 2013. have plastic utensils or why they’re not
Although they live in different states — going to eat off of the aircraft’s china.”
Gilinsky in California, the friend in New Amir won an award for his perfor-
York — they stayed in touch and met up mance in 2014, and he still works at
in Israel. But Gilinsky says that Delta man- Delta. He has complained to human
PEER GYNT
agement, after questioning him about his resources about the anti-Semitic harass-
friend, suspended him without pay and ment. But he says management handled
fired him two weeks later. the incident inappropriately, asking Amir
“Our relationship had been very to recount the story in front of Narine,
good, and we had good communication his manager, and suggest a punishment.
by Henrik Ibsen with each other,” he said. “Almost every He says Delta then refused to reprimand
Translated by Rolf Fjelde flight attendant I know has given their Narine for his statements, instead sug-
FEATURING: pass privileges to someone. It’s part of gesting that Amir switch terminals.
our benefits.” After a six-month break, Amir says
Gilinsky is set to join other plaintiffs, Narine resumed the anti-Semitic slurs,
some non-Jewish, who also complain that suggesting that charedi men’s facial hair
Directed by Matt Okin Delta suspended or fired them because is fake and making derogatory comments
Assistant Director and Production Stage Manager: Savannah Lloyd they shared their travel benefits with Jews about circumcision. Amir also claims that
Technical Director, Set Design & Construction : Nimon Ibrahimaj
and Israelis. One plaintiff, Cynthia Fukel- Narine has subjected him to unsafe work
man, alleges that Delta fired her because conditions, in one instance demanding
she is an Israeli Jew. The lawsuit says Delta that Amir complete a 20-hour job in 90
employees derided Jews for praying in- minutes. Another time, Narine sent Amir
General Admission: $25 flight and requesting kosher food. to work alone in icy conditions.
Student & Senior Admission: $20 “Delta has encouraged and maintained In another instance, Amir claims Narine
To order, visit www.blackboxpac.com/peergynt an anti-Jewish, Hebrew, and ethnic Israeli sent him to clean up and repair an over-
attitude among management,” the lawsuit flowed toilet on a 777 jet, and said, “You
The Black Box Performing Arts Center
says, adding that Delta managers “operate have to clean all of the Jewish s••t off of
200 Walraven Dr.
under an express assumption that ethnic these planes.”
Teaneck, NJ 07666
Jews and Israelis, as employees and pas- “He was joking around and gyrating his
201 (357)-2221
sengers, cannot be trusted, are aggressive hips,” Amir said in the affidavit. “I fixed it
High Octane Ibsen contains sex, drugs, and rockin’ trolls. Viewer discretion is advised. and inappropriate, and engage in what because it is my job.”
PEER GYNT is presented in special arrangement with Samuel French, Inc., NY.
are deemed to be ‘strange’ behaviors.” JTA WIRE SERVICE

Jewish World
Trump officials: Expand Jewish prayer

at Western Wall, prevent it at Temple Mount
RON KAMPEAS “Incidents of attempted Jewish prayer at the Haram “The Israeli government did not implement a cabinet
al-Sharif/Temple Mount increased from previous years, agreement reached in January to establish a Reform,
WASHINGTON — The annual State Department according to local NGOs, media, and Jewish Temple Mount Conservative, and mixed gender prayer platform along
report on religious freedoms emphasizes Trump movement groups, and occurred on a near-weekly basis,” a separate portion of the Western Wall,” the report said.
administration efforts to maintain the status quo on it said. “During Jewish holidays, such as Passover, Tisha “Reform, Conservative, and women’s Jewish groups
Jerusalem’s Temple Mount and encourage religious B’Av, and Sukkot, tens of Jewish Temple Mount activists including some Orthodox Jewish women’s groups lobbied
pluralism in Israel. engaged in prayer on the site. In most cases, Israeli police for the proposal, whereas ultra-Orthodox Jewish religious
The Israel section of the report, released last acted to prevent them from praying and removed them, leaders and political figures continued to oppose the
week, reflects the importance that the Trump but in other cases, some of which were documented on plan.”
administration attached to tamping down tensions social media in photos and videos, the police appeared Friedman’s efforts to promote interfaith understanding
that exploded in July after terrorists killed two Israeli not to notice the acts of prayer.” get many mentions.
policemen on the Temple Mount and Israel installed Also addressed at length is Israel’s treatment of religious “Embassy-hosted events, including an interfaith Rama-
new security measures there. It also casts the U.S. minorities, including detailed passages on non-Orthodox dan iftar and an interfaith Thanksgiving dinner, promoted
ambassador to Israel, David Friedman, whose nomi- prayer at the Western Wall. SEE PRAYER PAGE 31
nation came under criticism from Jewish groups
because of his previous lacerating attacks on liberal
Jews, as a champion of pluralism.
The report makes specific reference to non-Ortho-
dox Jews’ attempts to conduct prayer services at the
Western Wall, which abuts the Temple Mount.
“The U.S. Ambassador and embassy officers
spoke with government officials and Knesset lead-
ers about the importance of maintaining the status
quo at the Temple Mount/Haram al-Sharif and not
escalating tensions through provocative actions or
statements,” it said. “In meetings with government
officials, embassy officers stressed the importance
of religious pluralism and respect for non-Orthodox
streams of Judaism.”
The section on the Temple Mount, a site holy to
Muslims and Jews, is unusually lengthy and docu-
ments in detail what appear to be official Israeli
actions challenging the status quo.
The “status quo” refers to agreements whereby the
Waqf, the Muslim religious authority that answers to
Jordan and the Palestinian Authority, holds religious
authority on the Temple Mount itself. For decades
the Waqf has banned Jewish worship on the plateau
— in agreement with successive Israeli governments
— while allowing Jewish visitors.
“Despite the Israeli government’s policy prohib-
iting non-Muslim worship at the site, some Jewish At Brightview we believe everyone thrives on fun, social and intellectual stimulation. In that spirit
groups escorted by Israeli police at the Haram al- Brightview Tenafly is sponsoring a series of “Community Lectures” aimed at helping families aging
Sharif/Temple Mount performed religious acts such with seniors. This month’s lecture:
as prayers and prostration,” the report said.
The declarations of U.S. sensitivity to Muslim “Beginning the New Year: New Year New YOU!”
claims to Jerusalem’s holiest site come just weeks This informative program will be held on January 17th at 6:30PM in the Private Dining Room
after President Donald Trump recognized Jerusalem Presented by : STACY MAINES Care Manager of Generations; MSW
as Israel’s capital, precipitating a crisis in U.S.-Pales-
tinian relations. Stacy Maines received her Master of Social Work from New York University in 1998. She started
her career as a Director of Social Services in various long term care systems throughout northern
New Jersey on a full time and consulting basis. She had a private practice as a geriatric care
manager for several years prior to joining the team at GENERATIONS in January 2015.
201.510.2060
RMartinez@bvsl.net
LFernandez@bvsl.net
A view of the Dome of the Rock on Jerusalem’s

Temple Mount. CHRIS MCGRATH/GETTY IMAGES

Jewish World
Why Jews care that Roy Moore’s

‘Jewish lawyer’ is actually Christian
BEN SALES
We finally have met Roy Moore’s Jewish

lawyer, and he is Christian.
But that doesn’t (necessarily) mean he
isn’t Jewish.
Martin Wishnatsky, a lawyer first hired
by the unsuccessful Alabama Senate can-
didate in 2012, was the so-called Jewish
lawyer Moore’s wife talked about at a
December campaign rally, according to
Al.com. Wishnatsky, 73, was raised in a
secular Jewish home in New Jersey, but
later came to believe in Jesus and con-
verted to Mormonism before becoming
an evangelical Christian.
So does that make Wishnatsky Jewish
or not? There is no definitive answer. It
hinges on an age-old debate: Is Judaism
primarily an ethnicity, a religion, or a
culture?
“You’re both,” said Wishnatsky to
Al.com, on the question of whether he
is Christian or Jewish. “You’re a Jewish
person that’s accepted Christ. Jesus was
a Jew. Most Jews are not religious. That’s
how I grew up.”
Wishnatsky isn’t the only Jew who has
embraced Christianity and travels in
Republican circles. Jason Chaffetz, the
former Utah congressman, was raised Failed Senate candidate Roy Moore stands behind his wife, Kayla, at a campaign rally in Midland City, Ala., on
Jewish and converted to Mormonism. December 11, 2017. JOE RAEDLE/GETTY IMAGES
And Jay Sekulow, a lawyer for President

Donald Trump, came to Christianity as a parent, and now, like Wishnatsky, identi- “Jewishness is about neither religion Messianic Jews inhabit a nervous-making
Jew for Jesus. fied with another religion — usually Chris- nor race,” writes Rabbi Zalman Nelson at middle ground, suggesting Judaism and
For millennia, Jews have struggled with tianity. These people retain their Jewish Chabad.org, the website of the chasidic Christianity are compatible theologically.
how to define people who have converted identity but, according to Pew, don’t affili- outreach movement. “Unlike a race, you That plays into age-old anti-Semitic notions
out of the religion, whether under duress ate with other Jews or do anything particu- can get in, but unlike religion, once you’re — since rejected by the Catholic church and
or by choice. A talmudic sage, Rabbi Eli- larly Jewish. in you can’t get out.... Once you are a part other sects — that Christianity is the mere
sha ben Abuya, was denounced as the Many in this group “say they think of of this people, you are the entire people. As “completion” or fulfillment of Judaism.
“Other” after he rejected Judaism. During themselves as Jewish precisely because of Israel is eternal, so your bond with them is Wishnatsky, in addition to identifying
the Spanish Inquisition, many Jews opted their Christianity (e.g., because Jesus was irreversible, unbreakable and eternal.” as evangelical, called himself a Messianic
to convert to Christianity rather than face Jewish),” the Pew report says. “But com- But at the same time, synagogues and Jew. But there’s a difference between Jew-
expulsion or death. Rather than read them pared with Jews by religion, those in the Jewish organizations generally are suspi- ish converts to Christianity and Messianic
out of the community, religious authorities Jewish background and Jewish affinity cat- cious of Jews who practice and evangelize Jews. The latter, while believing in Jesus,
treated them as “anusim,” or Jews who egories are substantially less involved in Christianity, especially when they identify still say they are practicing Judaism and
converted under duress. Five centuries Jewish organizations and the Jewish com- as “Messianic Jews.” One of the few things observe other Jewish rituals.
later, some of their descendants retain ele- munity, and are less likely to participate in the fractious American Jewish community There also are relatively few Messianic
ments of Jewish practice and have sought uniquely Jewish rituals and practices.” basically agrees on is that Messianic Jews Jews. The most prominent of these orga-
to reconnect with Judaism. Historically, Jewish scholars and — those people who perform Jewish ritu- nizations, Jews for Jesus, receives fund-
Jews who have converted to other faiths authorities tend to leave the door open als but accept Jesus as the messiah — have ing from evangelical groups and says
at times are treated as apostates. The most for those who have opted out, saying that no place in Jewish programs, events, and that 30,000 to 125,000 Jews worldwide
famous recent example was Brother Dan- Jewish identity is an issue of ancestry, not surveys. In addition to embracing the very believe in Jesus.
iel, a Polish Jew who became a Carmelite faith. For the Orthodox and Conservative tenet that delineates Christians from Jews But Jews for Jesus hasn’t given up on
monk during the Holocaust. When Brother movements, the only qualification neces- — belief in Jesus as messiah — Messianic attracting more Jews to its fold. A recent
Daniel applied to immigrate to Israel under sary for being a Jew is matrilineal descent Jews are viewed not only as holding differ- study commissioned by the group found
the Law of Return, which grants automatic — having a Jewish mother — or converting ent beliefs but also as seeking to convert that one-fifth of Jewish millennials believe
citizenship to people with at least one Jew- to Judaism. Reform and Reconstruction- Jews to those beliefs. Jesus was God in human form.
ish grandparent, the Israeli Supreme Court ist Judaism say a child of any Jewish par- “Jews for Jesus have always been seen as “It was very hopeful from our perspective,”
ruled that he was ineligible because the ent is a Jew. a missionary group,” said Rabbi Alan Brill, Susan Perlman, the San Francisco-based
law does not include Jews who practice So while rabbis generally encourage the chair for Christian-Jewish studies at group’s director of communications, said in
another religion. Jewish practice, even an Orthodox rabbi Seton Hall University. “Historically, for the October. “This was a generation that was spir-
Many Jews today still opt for other reli- will say that a Jew who now attends church last millennium, to convert to Christianity itual, that is willing to engage in the subject of
gions. In addition to 5.3 million Jews in is just as Jewish as, well, the rabbi. That has been seen as a negation of one’s Jew- whether or not Jesus might be the messiah.
the United States, the Pew Research Cen- also may be why one-third of American ish identity.” All we can ask for is an open mind to engage
ter counted another 2 million people who Jews say someone can believe in Jesus and Jews tend to get more exercised over with the Bible, engage with the culture and
either were raised Jewish or had a Jewish still be Jewish. Messianic Jews than mere apostates because look at the possibilities.” JTA WIRE SERVICE

Jewish World
Prayer Israel’s capital, he was not deter- BRIEFS

FROM PAGE 29 mining a final status outcome for
the reduction of tensions between the city.
Israel will donate $1 million to victims
religious communities and an One feature of the report was to of hurricane-ravaged Houston Jewish community
increase in interreligious communi- include Palestinian terrorist attacks The Israeli government has finalized a $1 million the funds to be distributed among a number of
cation and partnership within soci- as possible violations of religious donation to the hurricane-ravaged Jewish com- community institutions that were damaged in
ety by bringing together representa- freedoms. munity of Houston in response last year’s flood- the storm.
tives of many faith communities to “Because religion and ethnicity ing from Hurricane Harvey. Houston experienced widespread flooding
advance shared goals and exchange were often closely linked, it was Israel’s diaspora Affairs Minister Naftali Ben- due to Hurricane Harvey; its Jewish community
knowledge and experience,” the difficult to categorize much of this nett said in a video message, “Tough times are… was hit particularly hard because 71 percent of
report said. violence as being solely based on when us Jews show our unity; they are an oppor- the city’s more than 60,000 Jews live in areas
It refers to the West Bank and religious identity,” the report said tunity to rally and help one another.” that were flooded heavily. The hurricane dam-
eastern Jerusalem as “occupied.” by way of explanation. Bennett’s diaspora Affairs Ministry had said aged three of Houston’s largest synagogues as
Friedman was reported in recent In releasing the overall report, last September that it was “advancing a plan” well as a JCC, a senior care center, and a Jewish
weeks to have urged the State Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and for the $1 million in aid for Houston Jewry. Last day school.
Department to drop the nomen- his department emphasized coun- week, Israel’s consul general to the Southwest, “In the past, Jews helped the state of Israel
clature, although the State Depart- tries that have “systematic, ongo- Gilad Katz, and leaders of the Jewish Federation when it was in need. Now, Israel can help the
ment has described the reports as ing, and egregious violations of of Greater Houston will sign an agreement for Jews,” Bennett said. JNS.ORG
erroneous. religious freedom.” These included
The report also suggests that Pakistan, Burma, China, Eritrea, 20 BDS groups banned from entering country
Israeli claims on Jerusalem do not Iran, North Korea, Sudan, Saudi Israel’s Strategic Affairs Ministry published a list Knesset last year passed legislation that denies
necessarily extend to largely Arab Arabia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, of 20 groups affiliated with the BDS movement entry visas to known BDS activists. The list,
eastern Jerusalem. and Uzbekistan. that will be barred from entering the country. which includes BDS groups from the U.S.,
“The Israeli government formally Saudi Arabia was a notable Israeli Strategic Affairs Minister Gilad Erdan Europe, South America and South Africa, will
annexed East Jerusalem in 1980, entry: One of the Trump adminis- referred to the list’s publication as “another be enforced in March.
although no other government, tration’s success stories has been step in our work to thwart anti-Israel boycott The U.S.-based groups on the list are
including the United States, has the vast improvement of U.S.-Saudi organizations.” the American Friends Service Committee,
recognized this annexation,” it says relations, as opposed to tensions “The state of Israel will actively prevent such American Muslims for Palestine, Code Pink,
in a parenthetical aside in its Occu- between the Saudis and the Obama groups from spreading their falsehoods and odi- Jewish Voice for Peace, Students for Justice
pied Territories section. Trump had administration. ous methods from within the country,” he said. in Palestine, and the U.S. Campaign for Pal-
said that in recognizing the city as JTA WIRE SERVICE The list’s publication comes after the Israeli estinian Rights. JNS.ORG
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Editorial
Soul to soul
KEEPING THE FAITH
Create a better world

T
his Monday, we celebrate the intellectuals and murdered them. (Stalin
birthday of Dr. Martin Luther was an equal opportunity killer. He exe- Make acts of kindness contagious
O
King Jr., who, as Rabbi Barry cuted many other intellectuals, and just
Schwartz tells us on page 33 — about everyone else he or his minions n the penultimate Sunday way, the Torah wants us to understand the
and as we know, through the echo of the could get their murderous hands on.) of 2017, CBS Sunday Morning power of kindness.
thunder and whisper and cry and song of Mikoels was among those dead Jewish carried a report by the net- The first act of deliberate kindness
his speeches — used the Hebrew proph- intellectual victims. work’s national correspon- occurred when the king of Egypt spoke to
ets as an integral part of his own vision Decades later and a world away— in fact, dent, Lee Cowan, about the beneficial the midwives Shifrah and Puah. Said Pha-
and hope. just a few years ago, in New York — an Afri- aspects of kindness. raoh, “When you deliver the Hebrew women,
This year marks the 50th anniversary of can American singer, Elmore James, went That piece of reporting look at the birthstool; if it is a
his death. to a Jewish bookstore to learn the Yiddish should be played, discussed, boy, kill him; if it is a girl, let
We also remember Rabbi Abraham songs Robeson had sung. The owner sent and acted upon in every class- her live.’” (See Exodus 1:15-19.)
Joshua Heschel, who died in December 23, him to Theodore Bikel, and Bikel sent him room, in every house of wor- The midwives, however,
1972, and whose yarzheit often falls on or to Zalmen. ship regardless of faith, at would not carry out such an
close to Martin Luther King Day; this year, The Yiddishist strain of socialism was not every organizational conven- evil order. They let the boys
it was last week. new to Zalmen, who as an Orthodox Jew, a tion or annual meeting of any live, even though it could
The two men had a huge influence on musician, and a Yiddishist belongs to many type, including religious and have meant their own deaths.
each other in life; Rabbi Heschel joined Dr. Jewish worlds. As a child, he’d gone to a secular groups of every stripe. When the king demanded to
King in marches, as the iconic photo of the Yiddish summer camp, Camp Hemshekh, The essential element of these know why they disobeyed him,
two men show, and called that “praying many of whose campers’ parents were discussions must be that they Shammai they said it was “because the
with my feet.” Dr. King, at Rabbi Heschel’s Holocaust survivors, and many of them also lead to action. Engelmayer Hebrew women are not like
behest, spoke before the Conservative were old-time socialists. “We were children Action is what a young man the Egyptian women: they are
rabbis’ Rabbinical Assembly convention, of the 60s,” Zalmen said. “We sang anti-war named Brian Williams took vigorous. Before the midwife
enthralling his listeners with his cadences, songs and civil rights songs. These songs (not that Brian Williams, for whom Cowan can come to them, they have given birth.’”
so unlike their own yet aimed so unfailingly were in my blood.” reported years ago while working for NBC). That led to the second act of at-great-risk
at their hearts. So when he met Elmore James, he This Brian Williams founded a school-based kindness. His original plan thwarted, the
The relationship between African Ameri- realized that he could put two worlds program called Think Kindness, designed king ordered his soldiers into Goshen, with
cans and American Jews has gone through together, because they’d been together “to teach kids that no kind act is too small,” an even more horrifying set of orders. Now,
many changes; at times it has soured, and many times before. “I conceived the according to Cowan. not only were the Hebrew male newborns
at other times it is intense and important. program to be about the commonality Williams explained that his “job” is to to die, but they were to suffer mightily as
Zalmen Mlotek of Teaneck is the artistic between the African-American spiritual “make kindness cool” to schoolchildren. “It’s they did. “Every boy that is born you shall
director of the National Yiddish Theatre and musical traditional with the Yid- super important,” he said, “that we start kids throw into the Nile,” ordered Pharaoh. (See
Folksbiene at the Museum of Jewish Heri- dish musical tradition,” he said. “They early, to train them to say, ‘look, every single Exodus 1:22.)
tage at Manhattan’s southern tip. For the shared a lot — the struggle with freedom, day you have an opportunity to make a dif- How extensively that order was carried
third year, he is offering a concert, “Soul oppression, and persecution.” ference in the world, but it’s up to you as to out is unclear. The Torah provides no sta-
to Soul,” at the museum, to celebrate the He’s taken the performance around the whether you’ll take action.’” tistics on the number of deaths (a statistic it
diversity and unity of the two peoples. world and around the country — it’s played We “can all band together and make a dif- rarely shies away from elsewhere). The lack
As with so many of Zalmen’s projects, in Bucharest and in Houston, among other ference,” he said. of such data suggests that either the Israel-
this one is both personal and historic; those places; on Monday, MLK Day, it will be at Through an act of kindness, we can “make ites hid their newborns well, or the soldiers
two strands combine because they are gal- the Museum of Jewish Heritage at 2 p.m. a difference in the world, but it’s up to [us] as were no more inclined than the midwives to
vanized by his creativity. (Go to the website, nytf.org, for informa- to whether [we’ll] take action.” follow such an order.
This one started because of Paul Robeson, tion and tickets.) Last week’s Torah portion, Parashat In any case, we know of at least one mother
Zalmen said. Zalmen has one other ambition for this Sh’mot, underscored this point with two who hid her child for three months, sug-
The great African-American performer, program. He’d like it to play in Teaneck. It very deliberate acts of kindness — deliberate gesting that some newborns were drowned.
enthralled by communism, went to Russia; would be such a natural place for it, he says; because they were made despite the dangers “When [this mother] could hide [her new-
because of his closeness with an impresario not only is the town his longtime home, but involved — and conjecturally one seemingly born] no longer, she got a wicker basket for
there, he learned Yiddish songs. He loved it also is home to both African Americans inconsequential act that continues to have him and caulked it with bitumen and pitch.
them. His teacher and friend, Shlomo Mik- and Jews, who share it but don’t share transformative consequences for the world. She put the child into it and placed it among
hoels, was the artistic director of the Mos- much else there. “It would be a perfect way Because the story that unfolds in the para- the reeds by the bank of the Nile….The
cow State Jewish Theater and the chairman to bring the communities together,” he said. shah could have been told in a different daughter of Pharaoh came down to bathe in
of the Jewish Anti-Fascist Committee during It just needs an underwriter. So, readers
World War II. — anyone up for that sacred task? Shammai Engelmayer is rabbi of Temple Israel Community Center | Congregation Heichal
Soon, of course, Stalin turned on Jewish Happy MLK Day to all our readers. —JP Yisrael in Cliffside Park and Temple Beth El of North Bergen.
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Opinion
the Nile….She spied the basket among the reeds and sent
her slave girl to fetch it. When she opened it, she saw that
it was a child, a boy crying. She took pity on it and said,
‘This must be a Hebrew child.’” (See Exodus 2:3-6.)
Instead of turning the child over to be killed, the prin-
cess, at great risk, decided to raise the child as her son,
presumably selling her father on the premise that the
baby was a gift to her from Hapi, the Nile god.
If not for Shifrah and Puah, on the one hand, and the
princess on the other — all three of whom put their lives at
high risk — that would have been the end of this particular
story. Instead, their kindness and bravery helped change
the world — because that baby was Moses.
- As for that conjectural and seemingly inconsequential
, act of kindness, that came when Moses was way into
a adulthood and was shepherding his father-in-law’s flock.
t One day, when Moses was grazing the flock in a remote
desert area, a little lamb broke away and, it seems, ran
, up a mountainside.
That Moses had a strong sense of justice and a vio-
lent aversion to injustice was clear from almost his
introduction to us. He killed an Egyptian overseer
. because the man was abusing an Israelite slave, then
hid the man’s body. Moses next intervened in a fight
, between two Israelites, who turned on Moses and told
him they knew what he had done. This caused him
to flee Egypt. Arriving in Midian, he saw a group of
male shepherds harassing seven young women. Moses
attacked the men and drove them off. Martin Luther King Jr. addresses a crowd from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial where he delivered his fa-
Israel’s leaders need a strong sense of justice, but they mous “I Have a Dream,” speech during the August 28, 1963, march on Washington, D.C.
k also need a keen sense of compassion, of kindness. This is
probably why Israel’s greatest leaders began as shepherds.
,
In this case, speculates a midrash (Exodus Rabbah 2:2),
“God tested Moses through sheep.”
Martin Luther King Jr.
Says this midrash, “when Moses…was tending the
flock of Jethro in the wilderness, a little kid escaped from
and the Hebrew prophets —
him. He ran after it until it reached a shady place. When
it reached the shady place, there appeared in view a a 50th anniversary appreciation
T
pool of water, and the kid stopped to drink. When Moses
approached it, he said: ‘I did not know that you ran away he night before his death, 50 years ago, on April “King’s eyes were brimming now, and a trace of a smile
- because of thirst; you must be tired.’ So he placed the kid 4, 1968, an exhausted Martin Luther King, Jr. crossed his face. ‘And I may not get there with you,’ he
t on his shoulder and walked away.” spoke at the Masonic Temple in Memphis. shouted, ‘but I want you to know tonight, that we as a peo-
k Carrying an exhausted little lamb on his shoulders dem- King arrived at the Lorraine Motel that after- ple will get to the Promised Land.’
- onstrated that Moses had the quality of kindness needed noon so tired that he asked his second-in-command, Ralph “By now the crowd was clapping and crying and the
to temper his sometimes violent sense of justice. At that Abernathy, to speak in his place. The night was stormy, other preachers were closing in behind him. King rushed
moment, a bush began to burn, catching his attention, tornado warnings had been issued, and the crowd in the into his close and stumbled sideways into a hug from Aber-
and “God called to him out of the bush.” giant hall was small. From a pay phone in the nathy. The preachers helped him to a chair,
r These three acts of kindness set the world on a better vestibule, Abernathy implored King to come some crying, and tumult washed through the
- path. The world envisioned by “the Torah of Moses” — a out and keep faith with the sanitation work- Masonic Temple.”
. world where all people are equal and free, and who care ers who had braved the elements. In an unforgettable way, Martin Luther King
- for each other and work in apposition, not opposition — The Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Tay- Jr. reminded the American people with his last
r has not yet been fully realized. (If you doubt this is the lor Branch describes what happened: words that though a man may die, a dream
. world the Torah seeks, consider this one fact: The Torah “King’s entrance caused an eerie bedlam. does not. And it is no happenstance that King
expresses concern for the equal treatment of aliens 52 Cheers from the floor echoed around the was referencing Moses, the greatest of the
times. Its various commands regarding Sabbath obser- thousands of empty seats above, and the Hebrew prophets. Time and again King drew
vance total a mere 10.) whole structure rattled from the pound- inspiration from the prophets of old.
Kindness counts. Acts of kindness can make the ing elements of wind, thunder, and rain. Rabbi Barry In his famous Letter from Birmingham City
world a better place. King came to the microphone at about L. Schwartz Jail, in 1963, King wrote, “I am in Birmingham
Put that on bumper stickers and billboards. Put that 9:30, just as the storm was cresting, and because injustice is here. Just as the prophets
on school bulletin boards and hallway banners. Make launched into a rambling, rather unremark- of the eighth century B.C. left their villages and
that the slogan for Kindness Clubs in our schools and able speech, until he came to the ending. ‘But it doesn’t carried their ‘thus saith the Lord’ far beyond the boundaries
houses of worship. matter now…because I’ve been to the mountaintop,’ of their home towns…so am I compelled to carry the gospel
We can change the world. It just takes each of us to he declared in a trembling voice. Cheers and applause of freedom beyond my own home town.”
do one act of kindness a day, and to teach our children erupted. ‘Like anybody I would like to live a long life In his iconic “I Have A Dream” speech at the March on
to do the same. — longevity has its place.’ The whole building suddenly Washington that year, King quotes the prophet Amos:
hushed, which let sounds of thunder and rain fall from “No, no, we are not satisfied, and we will not be satis-
the roof. ‘But I’m not concerned about that now. I just fied until justice rolls down like waters, and righteous-
The opinions expressed in this section are those
want to do God’s will.’ There was a subdued call of ‘Yes!’ ness like a mighty stream.’” He quoted Isaiah: “I have a
of the authors, not necessarily those of the
in the crowd. dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, and
newspaper’s editors, publishers, or other staffers.
“And he’s allowed me to go to the mountain,” King every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough
We welcome letters to the editor.
cried, building intensity. “And I’ve looked over. And I have places will be made plain, and the crooked places will
Send them to jstandardletters@gmail.com.
seen the Promised Land.” SEE KING PAGE 35

Opinion
Reflections on digital resolutions

Setting boundaries in the age of technology is not necessarily a disconnect
O
nce again the calendar has moved forward a whom we care the most. In chapter 3, Kohelet teaches us “To
year, prompting us to do an internal review, My son recently signed a contract for new everything there is a season, and a time
taking stock of our lives and evaluating how job beginning in the new year. I glanced at to every purpose under the heaven: A
we’ve spent the last 12 months. Did we make his contract, noting the 40-hour workweek, time to be born, a time to die; a time to
good on our resolutions and achieve the goals we set for and wondered if that really exists anymore. plant, and a time to pluck up that which
ourselves a mere 12 months ago? Did we use our time and With the advent of the smartphone and is planted…” To this I would add “A time
our talents wisely? other technologies, does anyone still work to work and a time to refrain from work
Of the many goals I set for myself last year, the one I’ve from 9 to 5? While most salaried employees when the workday ends; a time to be con-
tried hardest to accomplish, is to have a better work-life theoretically expect to work eight hours a nected and a time to disconnect.”
balance. We all know that allowing the workday to spill day, that seems increasingly to be fiction Dr. Tani Here, it seems, we can learn from the
over into our family time can be disruptive to our per- rather than fact. With the constant barrage Foger French. Prompted by concerns over the
sonal lives and sends the wrong message to our children of emails and texts, when does the workday intrusion of work emails into private life,
and loved ones. Yet once we’re attached to our mobile ever really end? they created “the right to disconnect law,”
phones, many of us, myself included, tend to have a When I held the position of school principal, I too was giving employees the right to ignore business emails
hard time disconnecting from our jobs. While we may guilty of answering emails way past normal business that arrive after hours. This law requires companies in
be physically present with family and friends, mentally hours. My phone constantly alerted me to incoming mes- France that have more than 50 employees to establish
we are otherwise engaged. Making it even worse is that sages, which quickly took priority over whatever else I had hours when staff should not send or answer emails.
when we are absorbed in our technology, we send the been doing. Technology allowed me to be tethered to my French legislator Benoit Hamon described this law as
message to those we love that they aren’t as important work, and setting boundaries became quite challenging. relief for employees who “leave the office, but do not
to us as our work. Of course, we all recognize the value Clearly, with the advent of new technologies there must be leave their work. They remain attached by a kind of
of giving undivided attention, yet work can keep us new rules of engagement, along with setting appropriate electronic leash—like a dog.”
from being present enough to fully focus on those about work and leisure-time boundaries. This law went into effect in France one year ago, on
Jew vs. Jedi: ‘May the Schwartz be with you’
T
“ he Last Jedi” is one of the best, if not the Anger is consistent with right-wing is born via immaculate conception on the
best, of the Star Wars cinematic series that screeds against any form of liberal politics, part of the Force and identified as the “cho-
first exploded onto theater screens in 1977. but in this instance the target was Reform sen one” of prophecy, before falling from
The film franchise, originated by George Judaism. As he puts it, “for American Jew- grace and becoming the equivalent of the
Lucas, was sold to the Walt Disney Company in 2012, ish audiences… “The Last Jedi” can feel Christian Satan, Darth Vader.
and revitalized in 2015 by the first installment in the new almost like a documentary, a sordid story The Jedi are referred to as an “order”
trilogy, “The Force Awakens,” directed by J.J. Abrams. about a small community eager to trade in rather than a religion. Judaism does not
Although it was a huge commercial success and gen- the old and onerous traditions for the glit- have any orders, but there are many within
erally well received, many fans were unhappy with the tery and airy creed of universalist kumbaya the Catholic tradition (e.g., Jesuits, Domin-
shift to a more progressive outlook in “The Force Awak- that, like so much sound and fury, signifies Dr. Lance icans), as well in as other forms of Chris-
ens,” and expressed dissatisfaction with the casting, nothing.” Strate tianity including the Methodists, and also
which deviated from the previous films, which were all As a Reform Jew, I am deeply offended by within Buddhism, a major influence as well
but monopolized by white males. In this new trilogy, the Liebovitz’s disdain for those of us who prac- on Lucas and his creation. The Jedi Order is
lead heroic role of Rey is given to a young woman, while tice a form of Judaism different from his own. And I have monastic. Worldly attachments — notably marriage — are
another main character is played by a young African- to wonder what it is about us that makes him so afraid. forbidden; that’s a rule also associated with Christianity
American man. Even when the sentiments expressed In the words of the Jedi master Yoda, who presumably and Buddhism.
were not overtly racist and sexist, those undercurrents represents Liebovitz’s idea of Orthodox Jediism, “Fear A fully trained Jedi is referred to as a knight, and Jedi
were apparent, especially given that the plot of “The is the path to the dark side. Fear leads to anger. Anger knights are all but invincible warriors, in some ways
Force Awakens” was quite consistent with the original leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering.” Don’t we know modeled after Japanese samurai, but also after holy
“Star Wars” film. this to be true? Isn’t our world big enough for differ- paladins, not unlike the Arthurian knights of the round-
“The Last Jedi,” directed by Rian Johnson, extended ent forms of Jewish worship, different modes of Jewish table in search of the Holy Grail of Christian legend. Jedi
the new sensibility by highlighting female leadership, identity? Does he really want to open up an irrevocable also are much like priests, Christian or Shaolin, with a
including the late Carrie Fisher as the leader of the schism in the Jewish population? direct connection to the godlike Force, one that ordinary
resistance and Laura Dern as a self-sacrificing admiral Responses from readers both sympathetic to his gen- people lack. They are nothing like the great rabbis of
of their decimated fleet, while introducing a significant eral outlook and supportive of the Reform movement Jewish tradition, learned sages who study and interpret
new character played by Kelly Marie Tran, the child have taken Liebovitz to task for misinterpreting the our sacred texts.
of Vietnamese immigrants. Consistent with this move meaning of “The Last Jedi,” ignoring important details The Christian sensibility of Star Wars is especially
toward greater diversity in casting, the film also empha- in the film or just getting them wrong, forcing facts to apparent in its valuation of redemption and forgive-
sized the progressive theme of breaking with the past. fit his views instead of vice versa. For my part, I find the ness. At the end of the original trilogy, Luke is able to
Given the reactionary mentality of most disgruntled Star entire conversation absurd. Its original sin is Liebovitz’s convince his father, Darth Vader, to turn on his master,
Wars fanatics, I was disturbed to read Liel Liebovitz’s Decem- equating Jew and Jedi. the evil emperor. Luke insists that there still is good in
ber 18 piece in the Tablet magazine, called “Reform Jediism.” The Star Wars universe was created by George Lucas, Vader, and this final act allows Vader to die in a state
Liebovitz explains his reaction to the film: “I felt a torrent of who was raised a Methodist. The film’s underlying Chris- of grace, and to appear in ghostly form alongside the
anger I haven’t known since gazing at the calamity that was tian sensibility is apparent in its emphasis on a savior good Jedi who have also left the earthly plane. But the
Jar-Jar Binks. That’s because the movie, while otherwise figure. In the original trilogy, the messianic character fact remains that Vader was guilty of untold atrocities,
engaging and enjoyable, introduced a radical new take on the is Luke (evoking the Gospels) Skywalker (paralleling including destroying an entire planet in the first Star
Jedi religion. Call it Reform Jediism.” walking on water). In the prequels, Anakin Skywalker Wars film.

Opinion
King
FROM PAGE 33
be made straight, and the glory of the Lord shall be

revealed and all flesh shall see it together.”
January 1, 2017. Here, we need to initiate our own Be present and attentive. Perhaps King’s most stirring words about the proph-
healthy tech boundaries to ensure that work does not 4. No technology — phones, tablets, anything — dur- ets were delivered at an address to the Synagogue Coun-
encroach on our personal and family time. Just as we ing mealtimes. cil of America on December 5, 1966. King began this sec-
try to be clear and consistent with our children in set- 5. Create tech-free zones in your home — bedrooms, tion of his speech by saying, “When silence threatens
ting boundaries and establishing reasonable expecta- dining room, kitchen table. to take the power of decision out of our hands … one
tions, we need to be equally clear and consistent with 6. Keep all chargers outside the bedrooms. Set a time looks into history for the courage to speak even in an
colleagues, co-workers, and clients. in the evening when all phones, tablets, and laptops unpopular cause. Looming as ethical giants are those
Guidelines for setting tech-boundaries to help create must be plugged into the hub. This prevents late-night extraordinary of men, the Hebrew prophets.”
a work-life balance: correspondence. King continues with this vivid description of the
1. Establish a routine. If you have a demanding job It’s essential to create a work-life balance to feel ful- prophets: “They did not believe that conscience is a still,
that requires checking and responding to emails after filled and happy, both professionally and personally. small voice. They believed that conscience thunders or
work hours, establish a set time in the evening for Maintaining healthy tech boundaries will foster a more it does not speak at all. They were articulate, passionate,
emails and other work. If you have kids, preferably it productive work life in the age of technology. Respect and fearless, attacking injustice and corruption whether
should be after their bedtime. for these boundaries will lay the foundation for doing the guilty be kings or their own unrepentant people.
2. Let your clients know the exact hours that you an excellent job at work, and establishing thriving rela- Without physical protection, scornful of risks evoked by
will available, via email, in the evening. Set up an auto tionships at home. their unpopular messages, they went among the people
response informing clients when you will be back on Good luck to all of us in achieving a healthy work-life with no shield other than truth.”
line in the morning to respond to further issues. balance in the coming year! King stirringly concludes: “Today we particularly
3. Be a good role model. If you are glued to your need the Hebrew prophets because they taught that
phone, you are teaching your children to do the same. Dr. Tani Foger of Englewood is a psychologist and to love God was to love justice; that each human being
Don’t check your phone while your children are trying educational consultant. has an inescapable obligation to denounce evil where
to talk to you. Don’t email people during family time. he sees it and to defy a ruler who commands him to
break the covenant. The Hebrew prophets are needed
today because decent people must be imbued with the
courage to speak the truth, to realize that silence may
temporarily preserve status or security but to live with
a lie is a gross affront to God. The Hebrew prophets
are needed today because we need their flaming cour-
age; we need them because the thunder of their fear-
less voices is the only sound stronger than the blasts
In “The Force Awakens,” Kylo Ren is introduced as silly, was based on African-American Stepin Fetchit ste- of bombs and clamor of war hysteria….”
essentially worshipping Darth Vader as well as following reotypes, with a Jamaican/Rastafarian speech pattern. A final testimony to King’s remarkable connection
the evil Supreme Leader of the First Order, and engages The leaders of the evil Trade Federation were based on with the prophets: In 2015, on the 50th anniversary of
in acts of patricide and mass murder. In “The Last Jedi,” East Asian “yellow peril” stereotypes. And the greedy the famous march on Selma, historian Taylor Branch
Rey tries to turn Ren away from the dark side, just as slave owner Watto is hook-nosed and speaks with a Yid- described in an interview the influence of the Jewish
Luke did with Vader, saying that it’s not to late for him. dish accent. theologian and activist Rabbi Abraham Joshua Hes-
The idea that you can be forgiven for all of your sins as Liebovitz is wrong in thinking that the earlier Star chel’s 1963 book, “The Prophets,” on King. He says:
long as you repent in the end has its origins in Christian Wars movies emphasized tradition. No, they were exer- “He became like a driven Old Testament prophet…
theology, whereas in our tradition, as expounded by cises in nostalgia, romanticized images of the past. And [King and]all those guys used to carry around Hes-
Maimonides, some sins are so heinous that no forgive- they are profoundly ahistorical, set “a long time ago, in chel’s book. They really identified with the prophets.”
ness or redemption is possible. a galaxy far, far away.” The fairytale-like formula stands Many of us are familiar with the iconic picture of Hes-
I don’t mean to imply that Star Wars is based only in stark contrast to the Jewish invention of historical nar- chel and King marching together in Selma, and Hes-
on Christian elements. Lucas weaved together a vari- rative. The events that occur in the Star Wars universe chel’s remark that “I felt like my feet were praying.”
ety of influences, including Buddhism, Japanese samu- have no connection to our world. How long ago did they Beyond the enduring friendship of this rabbi and min-
rai films, westerns, World War Two movies, old movie happen? What is the connection between their time and ister, Branch writes that “Heschel’s seminal study of
serials such as Flash Gordon, and Joseph Campbell’s ours? Are we the descendants of the human characters the prophets…gained the eager devotion of King and
notion of the hero’s journey (itself more consistent in these stories? Are they even human? For this reason, his fellow pastors.”
with Christianity than Judaism). What I want to empha- as well as the fact that there is no rationale given for the A half century after his untimely death, and as we
size is that Star Wars does not reflect Jewish sensibili- “futuristic” science and technology, purists argue that celebrate an extraordinary life that now is marked
ties, and does not make for a good analogy with con- these stories are fantasy rather than science fiction. with a national holiday, the legacy of Martin Luther
temporary Jewish life. As Jews, we believe in progress toward a better future King Jr. inspires and challenges us anew. His devotion
We still can appreciate and enjoy the movies, which as well as continuity with the past. The Star Wars uni- to prophetic ideals bids us in the Jewish community to
above all are entertaining. But we also ought to be aware verse is as disconnected from our tradition as it is from rediscover our outspoken biblical forbears and their
of Lucas’s failings as a storyteller. His movies have been human history. We can enjoy the films as entertain- quest for justice.
criticized for portraying democratic institutions as ment, certainly, and I would suggest that also we ought How can we walk the prophetic path in these trou-
weak and ineffectual, supported only by the elitist Jedi. to applaud the more progressive approach associated bled times? How can we speak truth to power? How can
Only a few people exhibit the force sensitivity needed with Abrams, Johnson, and Disney. As for a Jewish take we “do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly”? For as our
to become a Jedi, and that trait is inherited rather than on the franchise, I can think of none better than the 1987 great sage Hillel said, “But leave it to Israel; if they are
acquired through hard work or ethical conduct. Mel Brooks movie “Spaceballs,” which teaches us to live not prophets, yet they are the children of prophets.”
Lucas drew on many stylistic elements from the World and let live and not take ourselves so seriously.
War II era, some in disturbing fashion. For example, the And so I say to Liebovitz and others like him, “May the Barry L. Schwartz is director of the Jewish Publication
final scene of the first Star Wars movie is based on a Schwartz be with you!” Society in Philadelphia and rabbi of Congregation Adas
scene from the Nazi propaganda film “Triumph of the Emuno in Leonia. His forthcoming book, “Path of the
Will.” Worse, in the prequel trilogy, Lucas drew on Dr. Lance Strate of Palisades Park is a professor of Prophets: The Ethics-Driven Life” will be the subject
offensive ethnic stereotypes, trying to displace them communication and media studies at Fordham University of this year’s Sweet Tastes of Torah community night
onto alien beings. The character of Jar Jar Binks, whom in the Bronx, and the president of his synagogue, of learning , sponsored by the North Jersey Board of
Liebovitz and many other fans criticized for being too Congregation Adas Emuno in Leonia. Rabbis on February 3.

Opinion
Toward a meaningful Israel-diaspora partnership
I
srael needs us. ultimate purpose is the expansion of the territory of Israel
I do not refer to sup- and the elimination of the possibility of a viable Palestin-
port of its government ian state. The location of settlements and the roads that
in the United States Con- connect them to each other and to Israel proper make “Israel has already
gress. We have AIPAC and the
Conference of Presidents for
movement of Palestinian residents and goods very diffi-
cult. In the words of a Palestinian writer, Fida Jiryis: “…
created facts on the
that. (We also need a strong J what is happening far exceeds an occupation; it’s a struc- ground that make the
Street.) And Israel doesn’t need
your money, although there
tural systematic dispossession of Palestinians just like
that of 1948, only at a slower, yet equally ruthless pace. As
realization of a truly
are many very worthy organi- Rabbi more Palestinian land is lost and Palestinians are pushed independent and
zations there that you should Aryeh Meir into tighter and tighter ghettos, choked by a horrendous
viable Palestinian
continue to support. separation wall snaking through their lands and cutting
No, Israel needs our help in them off from their families, fields, schools and work, state impossible.”
another area. It needs our help in living up fully to the as they are forbidden from using many roads…Israel has FIDA JIRYIA
principles upon which it was founded, as its Declaration already created facts on the ground that make the realiza-
of Independence tell us: “The State of Israel will be based tion of a truly independent and viable Palestinian state • Yisrael Hofsheet (Free Israel) is a grassroots move-
on freedom, justice and peace as envisioned by the proph- impossible. “ ment that promotes freedom of religion and Jewish
ets of Israel; it will ensure complete equality of social and “The worst damage that occupation does,” Israeli pluralism in Israel. Issues include freedom of marriage
political rights to all its inhabitants irrespective of religion, activist Gerson Gorenberg writes, “may be to Israel’s (breaking the government-supported rabbinate’s control
race or sex…”. democracy. Across a border not marked on maps, our over marriage and divorce) and the lack of public trans-
Jews the world over are justifiably proud of the moral government rules over millions of people who cannot portation on Shabbat.
principles that form the basis of Israel’s existence as an vote. With this moral aberration accepted as normal, it • Yesh Din (“There is Law”) has volunteers who work
independent, democratic Jewish state. We are proud that was easier to pass an election law in 2014 that aimed toward “structural, long-term improvement in human
in the face of having to fight for its very existence against (unsuccessfully) at keeping parties backed by Israel’s rights in the occupied Palestinian territory.” It sees the
Arab citizens out of parliament.” occupation as the main source of human rights violation
It should be noted that there are numerous non-govern- of the Palestinian population and seeks to end it. Yesh Din
mental organizations working for change in Israel and in documents human rights violations, conducts legal advo-
“The worst damage the occupied West Bank:

• The New Israel Fund supports a variety of NGOs in
cacy, and raises public awareness of these violations.
• Women in Black was created in 1988, in response to
that occupation does the areas of civil rights, religious freedom, and social serious violations of human rights by Israeli soldiers in the
may be to Israel’s justice. Its ultimate vision is of a democratic, just and

equal Israel. NIF works to promote equality for Palestin-
occupied territories. A group of women began to hold a
vigil every Friday in central Jerusalem, wearing black cloth-
democracy. Across a ian-Israelis and to expand their participation in Israel’s ing; they were in mourning for all victims of the conflict.
border not marked on democratic institutions.

• B’tselem (“In the Image”) believes that the only way
These are only a few examples of organizations work-
ing to advance the ideals and principles upon which the
maps, our government to achieve human rights, democracy, liberty, and equal- State of Israel was created. We should be proud that they
rules over millions of ity is to end the occupation of the West Bank. Because five
million people living under the control of Israeli military
are supported by Israeli citizens, Jewish and Arab, and
by Jews and non-Jews throughout the world who are
people who cannot authority do not participate in the political process that committed to a strong, democratic Israel that upholds
vote.” determines their future, B’tselem believes that Israel can-

not be called a true democracy. Israel treats the West Bank
the human rights of its citizens and of those who live
under its control.
GERSON GORENBERG
as if it were its sovereign territory, building settlements In September 2016, hundreds of Israeli public figures,
and exploiting natural resources for its own needs including seven high-ranking IDF officers, former ambas-
great odds, Israel has remained a strong democracy, the • The Association for Civil Rights addresses the entire sadors, the authors David Grossman and Amos Oz, and
only real democracy in the Middle East. Israel has free spectrum of rights and civil liberties issues and human other leading figures in Israeli society urged world Jewry
elections, though we may not like the idea of religious rights education. to challenge Israeli policy toward Palestinians.
political parties being king-makers in the political system. • Rabbis for Human Rights’ mission is to inform the “We call upon Jews around the world to join with Israeli
Israel’s Knesset includes Palestinian members and the Israeli public about human rights violations and to pres- partners for coordinated action to end the occupation
judicial system is independent. All good. sure state institutions to redress injustices. RHR gives and build a new future, for the sake of the State of Israel
The above principles hold true, to an extent, for Israel’s expression to the traditional Jewish responsibility for the and the generations to come,” they wrote in a statement.
Palestinian/Arab citizens, although they are not treated welfare of the stranger, the different, and the weak; the “The prolonged occupation is inherently oppressive for
equally in many sectors. Israeli Arabs’ median income in convert, the widow, and the orphan. Palestinians and fuels mutual bloodshed. It undermines
2013 was $47,000; it was $75,000 for Jews. Infant mor- • Breaking the Silence was established in 2004 by vet- the moral and democratic fabric of the State of Israel and
tality is nearly twice as high in the Arab sector. There is erans of the Israel Defense Forces to give military person- hurts its standing in the community of nations.”
segregation/separation in housing and education, and nel a means to recount their experience in the occupied You can see the full statement, “diaspora Jews Join Israe-
generally the quality of both is much poorer in the Arab/ territories confidentially. These accounts are published lis in a Partnership to End the Occupation,” at siso.org.il.
Palestinian sector. to enable the Israeli public to learn about conditions It concludes with these words: “…join us in speaking out
Further, there is unequal allocation of government in those areas. The organization has been under heavy and taking action to end the occupation — for the sake of
funding for infrastructure development, land allotted for criticism from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Israel, for the sake of the Palestinians, and for the sake of
construction, and cultural and educational institutions. other government officials. Supporters, including retired the universal and Jewish values we hold dear.”
Arab municipalities are poorly funded by government; senior Israeli security and military figures, say that BtS This statement and the work of the organizations listed
they are the poorest in the country. tries to sensitize Israelis to the effects of the occupation above and many others represent real opportunities for
This is the reality in Israel proper, where Palestinian and “helps maintain the required vigilance about the most diaspora Jews to join with our Israeli counterparts to pro-
citizens of Israel are guaranteed equal rights in all areas of sensitive human issues” in a democratic society. mote the Jewish and human values that we share, as well
life, with the exception of military service for Israeli Arabs • Tag Meir (“Light tag”) is a coalition that responds to as the vision of a just, humane, democratic Israel.
of Islamic faith. In the occupied West Bank and the Gaza violent “price tag” attacks by extremist settlers against
Strip conditions are much worse for Palestinians living Palestinians, Arab citizens, and Christian and Muslim Rabbi Aryeh Meir of Teaneck is on the faculty of the
under military control. The main criticism of the settle- holy sites, and sponsors events to combat racism in Academy for Jewish Religion and is chairperson of the
ment project by many Israelis and Palestinians is that its Israeli society. Teaneck Environmental Commission.

Opinion
Win or lose, Iranians want regime change
F
or the first time in
nearly a decade, we
can dare to believe
that the Islamist
clerics who have ruled Iran
since 1979 will not be in
power by the time the 40th
anniversary of their revolu-
tion rolls around in 2019.
The nationwide protests Ben Cohen
are a direct challenge to the
legitimacy of the Islamic
Republic, as evidenced in the slogans the demonstra-
tors chant. They are also a rude antidote to the think-
ing of much of the Western establishment, which still
clings to the notion that the “reformers” with whom
they negotiated the 2015 nuclear deal are the key to
Iran’s future prosperity.
We are, it seems, a long way from President Barack
Obama’s Nowruz message of 2009—the first time an
American leader referred officially to Iran as “The
Islamic Republic of…” and the prelude to his abandon-
ment of the Green Movement one year later. That is
ironic, really, because the aspirational politics of the
new protest wave in Iran have a distinctly Obama-
esque flavor.
The vision being manifested on Iran’s streets would,
in another context at least, sit very comfortably with
the worldviews of American progressive Democrats or
Europeans on the center-left. The protesters want state Iranian students protest at the University of Tehran on December 30, 2017. STR/AFP/GETTY IMAGES
revenues to be spent on health, education, and public

infrastructure. They’ve had enough of corrupt, nepo- down the elected national assembly and replaced it same time of running a “dictatorship.” Trump even
tistic government. They reject foreign wars outright with a tame impostor, and presided over a corruption- suggested at one point that there might be a U.S. “mili-
— not primarily out of sympathy for the victims of the stained economic collapse that has resulted in malnu- tary option” against Venezuela — though later, prob-
regime’s foreign adventures, but because the immedi- trition among the very same urban poor the Chavistas ably wisely, he backed off from that idea.
ate demands of Hamas in Gaza or Hezbollah in Lebanon say they represent. Venezuela will have reminded Trump and those
have nothing to do with their immediate demands. The depths of the misery in which Venezuelans have around him that the overthrow of tyrannies involves
Most of all, they are cynical about the promises of become mired were brutally illustrated on Christmas much more than targeted sanctions and words of con-
their rulers, seeing the categories of hardliners and Eve in Caracas, when soldiers shot an 18-year-old preg- demnation, no matter encouraging those things are.
moderates that are so routine in Western thinking as nant woman dead in front of her husband. The couple More broadly, recent history also should remind him
lazy constructs intended to paper over the ever-more-
visible cracks in the Shiite Islamic state and its official
doctrine of “velayat-e-faqih”—the guardianship of the The vision being manifested on Iran’s streets
jurists, a concept of the late revolutionary leader Aya-
tollah Ruhollah Khomeini.
would, in another context at least, sit very
What is at stake here, therefore, is an entire system comfortably with the worldviews of American
of rule. Most tyrants — Khomeini in Iran, Lenin in Rus-
sia, Hugo Chavez in Venezuela — believe themselves
progressive Democrats or Europeans on
to be architects of new civilizations. By the time their the center-left. The protesters want state
revolutionary states start to rot — recent examples sug-
gest their life span is anything from a decade to almost
revenues to be spent on health, education,
a century — those founding fathers generally are no and public infrastructure.
longer around to see the full consequences.
And yet, when you consider the near-term options had been standing in line with a larger group of people that not every confrontation with tyranny ends in suc-
for Iran, it seems far more likely that the mullahs and waiting to buy a scarce joint of pork — a traditional cess; the final overthrow of communism in 1990 was
the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps security estab- Venezuelan Christmas dish — when soldiers ordered preceded by bloody, tragic failures — Soviet troops
lishment will push the country onto an even more illib- them to disperse. marching into Budapest and Prague, the repression of
eral, bellicose path than it is that these demonstrations “This is how the murderous regime treats the peo- the Solidarity labor union in Poland, to name but two
will triumph. Vast numbers of Iranians — those blurry ple,” Venezuelan opposition lawmaker Delsa Solorzano such events — in the decades before. Iran may be in the
figures we see whooping and cheering and chanting on tweeted after the shooting, expressing a sentiment that middle of a similar cycle of history.
the amateur video shared on social media — wish that could have just as easily come from Iran. “The sorrow That is why the handful of world governments who
the Islamic Republic would be buried. Sadly, that alone of this man, whose wife and baby to be were killed by regard the demise of the Islamic Republic as a desirable
will not make it so. a bullet from the state, is Venezuela’s sorrow.” end need to stay the course, however long it may take.
Consider the experience of Iran’s close ally, Venezu- Venezuela is instructive for another reason. Like JNS.ORG
ela, whose people have made clear their rejection of Iran, it is another foreign crisis on which the Trump
the “Bolivarian socialism” instituted by Chavez in the administration has completely reversed the policies of Ben Cohen writes a weekly column Jewish affairs and
heydays of high oil prices almost 20 years ago. its predecessor. During the summer, President Donald Middle Eastern politics. His work has been published
Chavez’s successor, Nicholas Maduro, has impris- Trump instituted stringent sanctions against several in Commentary, the New York Post, Haaretz, the Wall
oned opposition leaders, attacked the free press, shut leading Venezuelan officials, accusing Maduro at the Street Journal and many other publications.

D’var Torah
Va’era: What if this time we are the pharaohs?
I
n Parshat Va’era (Exodus 6:2-9:35), awareness of divine power.” (The Women’s to what we’re experiencing teach the Jewish value ofbal
the famous “Dynamic Duo” siblings, Torah, URJ Press, p. 338) today: water pollution and tashchit (do not destroy),
Moses and Aaron, repeatedly come But does it really matter whether the scarcity; frogs and other essen- an ethical principle forbid-
before Pharaoh to demand in the plagues were miracles or the result of sci- tial amphibians going extinct ding the cutting down of
name of God, “Let My people go, so that entific phenomena? to leave crucial roles unfilled fruit trees in order to assist
they may serve Me in the wilderness.” But Twice a year, we tell the story of how in the ecosystem; pests such in establishing a siege dur-
the pharaoh, who is seen as the Egyptian God delivered our ancestors from slav- a mosquitoes and ticks bringing wartime. (Deuteron-
god, repeatedly refuses to acknowledge ery into freedom: first during these ing diseases to humans and omy 20:19–20)
being defeated by the Israelite’s God, who weekly Torah readings and later during our domestic animal part- Upon reading this
is acting here as a transcendent God, an Passover seders. However, perhaps we ners; wild animals invading Rabbi Meeka week’s Torah portion of
Almighty God of Nature. should use this opportunity to read Par- our cities and suburbs due Simerly Va’era, we are reminded
Then, the Israelite God sends seven shat Va’era and examine our own mod- to deforestation and habitat Temple Beth that each of us can easily
Tikvah, Wayne,
plagues that are related to the environ- ern indulgences and how they lead to loss; rare and deadly diseases Reform
turn into a careless pha-
ment. The waters of the Nile turn to our enslavement? such as Ebola reaching “pesti- raoh of our environment,
blood. Swarms of frogs overrun the land. Perhaps, this is a great opportunity lence” level proportions that and on Tu b’Shvat we are
Lice infest all humans and beasts. Out- to take deeper look at ourselves and can reach even the shores of America; given an opportunity to celebrate and
of-control wild animals invade the cities. figure out how we, as a free people, People all over the world afflicted with think about ways to make our world a bet-
A disease called “pestilence” (perhaps can easily turn into oblivious, greedy, severe allergies, immune system deficien- ter place for our sake, and for the sake of
an ancient reference to the contagious indulgent pharaohs when it comes to cies, and infertility; and again for number future generations.
bubonic plague) kills domestic animals our weakening environment? Maybe seven: ice and fire. Each year we’re faced So perhaps we can start the New Year
and humans. Excruciating boils afflict the this is our wake-up call to examine our with more unpredictable weather condi- by making a resolution to act on behalf of
Egyptians. The seventh plague descends world, and its addiction to an unsustain- tions like colder, drier winters that lead to the environment. Can we recycle more?
from the skies as a devastating onslaught able environmentally destructive reality hotter, wildfire-prone summers. Combine How about supporting E-waste programs,
of hail, a combination of both ice and fire: based on aspects of fossil fuel consump- this with the resulting floods, tornadoes, or a local Humane Society? There are so
“…throughout the land of Egypt the hail tion, byproducts of meat-eating, air and super-storm hurricanes, and we’re ulti- many ways to celebrate Tu b’Shvat, and
struck down all that were in the open, water pollution, as well as hazardous mately dealing with disasters of increas- there are many ways to understand and
both man and beast” (Exod. 9:25). The waste production. ingly biblical proportions. translate those first seven plagues that the
hail also struck down all the grasses and We learn that each of us must see her- But, the good news is that our genius ‘Dynamic Duo’ Moses and Aaron inflicted
shattered all the trees of the field, causing self or himself as though God had lifted Jewish tradition also gently reminds us of on a stubborn ruler.
major environmental ruin in the ancient us out of slavery. We are instructed to the solution — to treat our environment Moses and Aaron had no choice. They
land of Egypt. learn from our ancestors’ experiences, with loving care. Torah isn’t all about the had to get their point across using “otot
The Israelite God orchestrates all of and do the wise thing: acknowledge our fire-and-brimstone induced fear of God- u’moftim” (acts of magic and sorcery),
these plagues: an almighty God of supe- enslavements. As we know, the pha- delivered natural catastrophes. while trying to convince a tyrannical Pha-
rior nature. Still, “The heart of Pharaoh raoh of Exodus will eventually give up Every year we also have the opportu- raoh to allow our people to be released
was hardened and he would not let the and let the Israelites go. However, today nity to celebrate our environment, like from slavery. In this day and age, obvi-
Children of Israel go” (Exodus 9:35) our enslavement to indulgent lifestyles the upcoming minor holiday of Tu b’Shvat ously we need more than signs and mira-
Does any of this sound familiar? and our lack of consciousness about the (this year it falls on January 31). During cles. We simply need to understand that
“Some scholars have proposed natural- environmental consequences are being Tu b’Shvat we honor and acknowledge all these environmental signs we have
istic explanations for these events…. For put to the test. How long can we engage the birthday of the trees in various ways, been experiencing are a reminder for us
instance, the claim has been made that in abusive behavior toward nature, and we advocate for the preservation of to act.”
the Nile appeared red due to red sediment before our God or the elements will put our forested environment. Giving a Jew- What will it take for us to finally wake up
caused by uncommonly heavy rainfalls,” a stop to our environmentally irrespon- ish perspective to the celebration of our and understand that if we don’t do some-
says Dr. Rachel Havrelock. “However,” sible behavior? environment, for example, many Reform thing for our environment, and get out of
she continues, “the rhetoric of Exodus I find it so interesting that the plagues congregations across our nation use the our comfort zone of indulgent living, we
emphasizes that these are unique preter- discussed in this week’s Torah portion spe- opportunity to educate our children and will continue to be enslaved to the pha-
natural occurrences intended to promote cifically describe natural disasters similar congregants during Tu b’Shvat seders. We raoh of all pharaohs — apathy?
BRIEFS
Hamas terrorist accidentally shoots himself in the head Mossad chief confirms Israel
has ‘eyes and ears’ inside Iran
Hamas terrorist Imad al-Alami was rushed to a hospi- who have been injured or killed as a result of their
tal in Gaza City last week after accidentally shooting involvement with the terror group, with several simi- Yossi Cohen, the head of Israel’s intelligence agency, Mossad,
himself in the head while cleaning his weapon. lar operational mishaps purportedly occurring in confirmed that Israel has active agents in Iran and warned of the
Hamas member Fawzi Barhoum said the terrorist Gaza last year. Islamic Republic’s aggressive military expansion throughout the
is in “critical condition.” Alami, a hardline member of A terrorist commander from Hamas, Ibrahim Hus- region.
the Gaza-ruling terror group since the 1980s, worked sein Abu al-Naja, was killed last June in what Hamas “The Iranians are spreading across the Middle East with a vast
to support Hamas’s ties with Iran and was the first described as an “accidental” explosion. Three Hamas array of forces, and there is little holding them back,” Cohen said
Hamas member to operate from the Iranian capital terrorists were injured last April in an explosion near during a meeting at Israel’s Finance Ministry.
of Tehran. He returned to Gaza in 2012 after spending Rafah, in what the terror group called a training “acci- Iran is on course “to realize its dream of creating what almost
several years abroad. According to Hamas, Alami was dent.” Two additional Hamas terrorists were injured amounts to a land and air bridge allowing them to dump troops
injured in an alleged Israeli airstrike in 2014. later that same month in another explosion in Gaza. across the Middle East,” he said, adding that Israel is monitoring
Alami is the latest in a series of Hamas operatives JNS.ORG the Iranians closely from abroad and from within Iran.
“We have eyes and ears, even inside Iran,” Cohen said. JNS.ORG

The Frazzled Housewife “THE SHABBAT MENU”
Crossword
BY YONI GLATT, KOSHERCROSSWORDS@GMAIL.COM
DIFFICULTY LEVEL: MANAGEABLE
I hate football
BANJI GANCHROW me about the six teams in one division
I
and how we like three of the teams
hate math and I hate football, and if a train leaves to Philadelphia
but I love my sons. going 100 miles an hour and another
I am writing this on Sunday train leaves from New England going
morning, with a purpose. The 80 miles an hour, the Eagles might be
purpose being that each son follows in the Super Bowl.… “Honey, I have
a different team. Son #2’s team, the no idea what the heck you are taking
Rams, formerly of Los Angeles, then about!!!!!!!!!!” Breathe. Okay.
formerly of St Louis, and now pres- Back to today.
ently of Los Angeles again, was elimi- Son #3’s favorite team has always
nated last night. Son #2 is busy learn- been the Panthers. They are from
ing in Israel and hoping that we let him North Carolina, Charlotte, to be spe-
stay till Pesach (which will be another cific. Cam Newton is the quarterback
column) so he was probably minimally and we love him because he is a good
disappointed, that is if he guy. They play today,
even looked up from his Sunday, against the New
gemara to see all of the wat- Orleans Saints. They
sapps that his family sent have lost to them twice
him about the loss. before during the regu-
And then there were two. lar season. But here is
Son #1 has been follow- where it gets interesting
ing the Minnesota Vikings (that is, if you haven’t
since before he could see fallen asleep yet reading
above the bima in the this football nonsense —
synago gue we attend. Banji what do you mean the
How does a little boy from Ganchrow yellow line really isn’t
Teaneck fall in love with on the field. Gosh I hate
Across Down
a team from Minnesota? football.)
1. Reveals 1. Recent Spielberg flop, with “The”
(Though the more important question Anyway, if the Panthers win — 6. Maker of more than 50 percent of 2. Draft pick?
is how does a girl from Fair Lawn sit in now pay attention — they play THE Israel’s cell phones, once 3. Activity down the Jordan
a car for 20 hours to take her sons to VIKINGS!!!!!!!!!! That means that of the 11. Stereotypical Jewish job, for short 4. Arab chieftain’s domain
the Minnesota Vikings training camp six teams, three of which we wanted to 14. Eternal light 5. Tennis champ Monica
15. Brings home 6. ___ nap (wiped)
in Yenemsvelt, Minnesota????!?!?! Yes, win because it makes our kids happy,
16. Mark Ronson’s “Uptown Funk”, e.g. 7. Klutzes
I make everything about me.) Son #1 but one team was already eliminated 17. It’s often on a Shabbat menu 8. ___’at Shema
met these lovely gentleman in shul and now if son #3’s team can pull off 19. Spanish cheer 9. Org. that causes problems for some
and they were all Vikings fans…and a win then they will have to play son 20. ___ water (stays afloat) “citizens”
#1’s team. (By the way, for those of you 21. Fish which can pack a bite 10. Biblical brother paired with Gad
23. False “handles” 11. It’s often on a Shabbat menu
who read my husband #1 and Alexa
25. “Bewitched” actor Dick 12. Light lager
piece, he is currently yelling at her to 28. Lewis Black might go on one 13. Had some of this puzzle’s theme
Did any of you play Eitan Katz and she is yelling back
at him, but I digress, again, because
29. Jacob’s father-in-law, in the Bible
31. Draft status of Steve Rogers, eventu-
18. Chinese weight unit
22. Freudian issue
hear me football is sooo boring.) ally
32. It’s often on a Shabbat menu
23. Locale for Shem, Ham, or Japheth
24. Former Israeli Chief Rabbi Yisrael Meir
screaming with Okay. Son #1 is sitting here telling
me that I should wait to see who wins.
34. Digging, so to speak
36. Carson Daly’s old MTV show, for short
25. Went down, like a sub
26. Chip you wouldn’t make a blessing on?
glee in ShopRite Will the Panthers win? I want them to 37. It’s often on a Shabbat menu 27. Tefillat ____ (Dew Blessing)
when former win for two reasons. 1. Son #3 will be

happy and 2. He will wake up on time
40. Kissinger org., once
43. “Kacha kacha”
30. Big kosher animal found in Yellowstone
33. In Israel they’re kgs.
Vikings great to pick up his friend and be in school

44. It’s often on a Shabbat menu
49. Sound heard at the Machtesh crater
35. Where some won big betting on
American Pharoah, for short
Adrian Peterson on time.
But then, what happens if they do
51. One who goes for the gold?
54. Hoover and Degania
38. Home of the Tempio Maggiore
39. Notable name in terrorism
was on the win and they play the Vikings? 55. Tragedies and betrayals, e.g. 40. It’s needed for a swoosh
cover of the Who do I choose? This is why I am 57. Bayer who played a Bar Mitzvah boy 41. Sounds in Eli Roth or Wes Craven flicks
on “SNL” 42. It’s often on a Shabbat menu
writing it before the game, because
Wheaties box? deep down I do want them to play
59. “Anything ___” (2003 Woody Allen
film)
45. Sheldon who backed Trump
46. Big horn
each other, because then the whole 60. Sabras, in Israel 47. Distance measures, in Israel (abbr.)
family will get together to cheer on 61. Heb___.com (Jewish dating site?) 48. Cool ___ cucumber
so his love of the team began. Did any their teams. And that is really beauti- 62. It’s often on a Shabbat menu 50. Symbols that signify OK for some Jews
67. Thurman of “The Avengers” 52. Brings back, as memories
of you hear me screaming with glee in ful. All of my boys, together.
68. Computer collection that’s often 53. CBS has an Amazing one
ShopRite when former Vikings great Okay, I am lying. They all watch in “cleared” 56. Unlikely city to play dreidel in
Adrian Peterson was on the cover of a different room and I have no place 69. Lasso loop 58. Mom’s mom, to some
the Wheaties box? I digress. So son to go. 70. Word before Tamid or Kodesh 60. Start of a Shabbat song
#1’s team got a bye — not like bye-bye Anyone want to go to the movies 71. Regions 61. Stage signal
72. Former U.N. leader Kofi 63. Herzl or Sinai
team. A bye means that they were so next Sunday?
64. Part of the seventh plague
good that they didn’t have to play in 65. “Miracle on Ice” team
the first round. Banji Ganchrow is clearly not a football The solution to last week’s puzzle 66. “... my tongue is the ___ of a ready
Gosh I hate football. fan. She also can’t balance a checkbook is on page 47. writer” (Psalms 45:1)
Because all of their teams were doing because she always rounds up to the
well, husband #1 tried explaining to nearest dollar. But she can iron!

Arts &
Culture
Lorin Sklamberg talks about the music

he makes with the Klezmatics, inset.
The Klezmatics come to Town Hall;

London and Sklamberg tell us about it
CURT SCHLEIER enrolled at the New England Conservatory together to play klezmer.” Europe folk, before moving to New York
T
of Music in Boston, he decided to pursue Sklamberg was one of those musicians. in 1983. Here he held a number of jobs: in
he Klezmatics bring their unique a degree in Afro-American music. In a A singer and accordion player, he grew the classical music department at Tower
brand of klezmer to Town Hall telephone conversation, he defined that up in a Conservative southern California Records, taking class photos at a private
in Manhattan on January 20. as “jazz, jazz improvisation, and all the household “I’ve been playing some form school, singing in a church choir. And
If you have heard the band music that comes from the African-Amer- of Jewish music all my life,” he said in a then he met London, when he sat in on
before, you already know it won’t be your ican tradition.” separate phone interview. He had a band a rehearsal of some Balkan music. “I ran
father’s brand of klezmer. If not, be pre- But at one point during his undergradu- with three Hebrew school classmates, but into him later at a Moroccan restaurant
pared for traditional Jewish music filtered ate days, London’s music took a detour. back then he wasn’t certain where his in the East Village,” he said. It was then
through the diverse backgrounds of the Hankus Netsky, a professor at the conser- musical future might take him. that he broached the idea of forming a
band’s members. vatory, recruited him for a new band that He studied at both USC and UCLA, but klezmer band.
We caught up with two of the group’s became known as the Klezmer Conserva- found “no one knew what to do with me or “It sounded like a good way to make
founders, Frank London and Lorin Sklam- tory Band. make of me. The music departments, espe- some extra money,” Sklamberg said. “I
berg, who explained the band’s genesis. It did well, and as London recalls, “it cially the voice departments, didn’t really didn’t realize at that point that it would
London, a trumpeter, grew up on Long turned out that this was the first wave of have a way of supporting, training people, become my main musical expression.”
Island playing weddings and bar mitzvahs. the klezmer revival. We didn’t know.” who didn’t fit into one sort of mold. The Neither did London. “All we wanted
“But I never heard anything interesting in London moved to New York in the early best thing my pedagogical teachers did to do was copy and play [the original
Jewish music,” he said. “Just schlocky wed- 1980s, “and through very random circum- was to kind of leave me alone.” klezmer] music,” he explained.
ding songs.” stances I met up with a bunch of people He dabbled in a number of musical That was in 1986. By 1988, when the band
So it’s not surprising that when London who were very different, and we all got genres, most notably in Balkan and east booked its first concert gig in Germany,

Arts & Culture
“the only thing we did different from any other

klezmer group was that we refused to be nostal-
The Insult
gic, refused to be kitschy, refused to do schtick,” ERIC A. GOLDMAN
E
London said. “We refused to do novelty songs.”
But a German record producer asked them a ight years ago, something
question that changed everything. quite remarkable happened
“ ‘You guys are all jazz players,’” London recalls in the Israeli film industry.
the producer saying. “ ‘Why don’t you put your Ziad Doueiri came to
own personalities into the music?’ Israel to make a film.
“We looked at each other, and said, ‘Are we A foreign filmmaker shooting a film
really allowed to do that?’” in Israel was not all that unusual, but
The answer was yes. a Lebanese Muslim filmmaker — that
That question and answer changed the Klez- was ground-breaking.
matics, who began incorporating their own styles To Israel’s credit, Doueiri was given
and other musical influences into their work. the freedom and support he needed to
At concerts now, it’s not unusual for an eclectic shoot his film. The film, “The Attack,”
group of artists to join them. At Town Hall, for was about a Tel Aviv-based Israeli Arab
example, jazz pianist Fred Hersch, singer/song- doctor, highly respected by his Jewish Adel Karam in a scene from “The Insult.” COHEN MEDIA GROUP
writer Holly Near, and rocker Natalie Merchant and non-Jewish colleagues, who finds
also will perform. out that the suicide bombing that took place not too far from people — two sides — leads to disruption, hurt, family dis-
The Klezmatics book between 50 and 60 gigs a the hospital where he worked was perpetrated by his own solution, and eventual disaster.
year, and the audiences generally vary by venue: wife. The film, a powerful look at the integration or non- Neither the Lebanese Christian nor the Palestinian refu-
they tend to be very young when the Klezmatics integration of a highly respected citizen of Israel who was gee is able to see the human character of the other. Outside
play a dance club and older when they appear at an Arab, was powerful. Not only was it screened theatrically, parties try, but they don’t seem to be able to ameliorate the
a concert venue. but it also was shown at Jewish film festivals all across North situation. The late Middle East conflict resolution strategist
For the most part, despite rampant anti-Sem- America. Stephen P. Cohen of Teaneck wrote, “Acceptance means
itism, the group hasn’t endured any significant Doueiri, whom I met at the time, told me that he was defining an end to the conflict and inviting the former
incidents. “In 1991 or 1992, right at the moment raised in Beirut to hate Jews and Christians, but had an eye- enemy to share in its benefits.” Neither man seems ready
the Iron Curtain was falling, we did a crazy tour of opening experience when he went to San Diego to study to do that.
East Germany in the last days of East Germany,” filmmaking and actually met and worked with Jews and Cohen continued, “It will be difficult to achieve reconcili-
London said. “In some small cities, there were Christians, some of whom became close friends. The hatred ation while dignity rests so heavily on success in perpetrat-
right wing neo-Nazis protesting outside our con- with which he was raised quickly turned into a need to bet- ing brutality against the other.” When might something that
certs. There’s always the possibility of that. ter understand difference and causes of conflict. After years begins as a petty quarrel end? In taking note of the growing
“We try not to be stupid. We try to reach out in in Hollywood, he returned to Lebanon in 1998 to make his disrespect that each side has for the other, Doueiri and co-
every place and use our music to make bridges first feature film, “West Beirut.” Shortly after, he fell in love writer Joelle Touma provide us with an exercise in under-
and open dialogue.” with a Lebanese Christian woman, whom he married and standing how conflict evolves.
“I think you might think about the danger when who co-wrote “The Attack” and his new film release, “The After making “The Attack” in 2012, Paris-based
something comes up,” Sklamberg added. “But Insult,” opening today in Manhattan. Doueiri was encouraged to stay away from his home in
when you are in the middle of playing, you just “The Insult,” set in today’s Beirut, is about a Palestinian, Lebanon. Because he had broken Lebanese law by vis-
do what you do. Yasser, who is assigned by the local municipality to fix a iting and working in Israel, he was considered an out-
“Playing in Poland for the first time was kind code violation, a drainpipe that runs out onto the street. law. Here was a Lebanese Muslim employing Israelis and
of weird, because we were playing in vacant Cra- The pipe comes from the apartment of Lebanese Christian, turning his back on the BDS movement. Some people
cow buildings that had largely once been inhab- Tony, who is angry that someone came to make the repair even labeled him a Zionist.
ited by Jews. It was sort of like playing in a Jewish without first getting his permission. Yasser — an interesting Doueiri eventually did go back to Lebanon and he filmed
ghost town.” choice of name — who lives in a nearby refugee camp, and “The Insult” there, with the assistance of the police and the
Everyone in the group has “outside musical Tony, a Muslim with a strong bias against Palestinians, begin military. But when he returned to Beirut for the film’s pre-
projects,” London said. He’s done film scores, to argue. miere several months ago, he was arrested at the airport for
worked as a session musician, and performs with Symbolically, the pipe that drains off residue is broken, having visited and worked in Israel. His enemies finally had
chasidic New Wave, which plays more of a mix- insults are thrown, and a full-fledged conflict caused by this prevailed on the authorities.
ture of jazz and chasidic music. That group will minor plumbing problem erupts. Writer/filmmaker Doueiri After a short detention, the filmmaker was released, and
appear in Brooklyn on February 3, accompanied takes a story about a minor infraction and builds a motion all charges were dropped. In the end, Lebanon submitted
by a Senegalese drumming ensemble. picture about how one insult leads to another, and how “The Insult” as its Oscar submission for best foreign lan-
Sklamberg has a day job as the sound archivist indifference and an inability to communicate between two guage film.
at YIVO, and also has “several other musical aggre- It is unusual that I turn to a Lebanese film to review in
gations I play with.” the Jewish Standard. But because Ziad Doueiri’s unusual
The outside activities, London says, “keeps the connection with Israel, and because “The Insult” is a film
Klezmatics fresh all the time. It allowed us to stay that struggles with conflict and its possible resolution, it is a
together for over 30 years. I don’t know many must for anyone trying to understand Lebanon, the Middle
groups that have stayed together for 32 years. It East, or even the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Doueiri master-
wouldn’t have happened if we had to do one thing fully avoids political statements, but he lays out an amazing
for 32 years.” scenario for analysis. There is no blame placed on any one
The performance is at 8 p.m. At 7, there’ll be party. Though this is not a film about Israel, it provides the
a Q&A with band members. It will be moderated viewer with an unusual perspective on how not recognizing
by Dr. Hanna Griff-Sleven, who is a noted folklor- the humanity another person can lead to disaster, no matter
ist and the program director at the Museum at on which side you stand.
Eldridge Street.
Tickets for the Town Hall Concert on January Eric Goldman is adjunct professor of cinema at Yeshiva
20 are available through Ticketmaster, on the University, where he will teach a course on Israeli cinema this
Klezmatics’ own website, klezmatics.com, and on semester. He is also host of “Jewish Cinematheque” on the
Town Hall’s easily google-able site. Prices range Rita Hayek and Adel Karam in Ziad Doueiri’s “The Jewish Broadcasting Service.
from $47 to $67. Insult.”

Calendar services that begin at historian Dick Burnon
Shabbat in Wayne: 9 a.m. An essayist and gives a lecture, “History’s
Rabbi emeritus Israel fourth generation rabbi, Famous Love Affairs,”
S. Dresner honors the he is rabbi emeritus about actors Spencer
life of Dr. Martin Luther at Congregation Neve Tracy and Katherine
King Jr., during services Shalom, Metuchen, Hepburn and aviators/
at Temple Beth Tikvah, where he served for authors Charles A.
7:30 p.m. Rabbi Dresner 45 years. 180 Piermont Lindbergh and Anne
was part of the civil Road. (201) 750-9997 or Morrow of Englewood,
rights struggle of the templeemanu-el.com. at a meeting of REAP
1960s and was close (Retired Executives
to Dr. King. President Shabbat in Paramus: and Professionals) at
Obama honored Rabbi Sam Weiner leads a Book talk in Fair Lawn: the Kaplen JCC on the
Dresner at the White Shabbat adult learning The Sisterhood of Palisades, 10:45 a.m.
House in 2013 for service at the JCC of Temple Beth Sholom 411 East Clinton Ave.
the 50th anniversary Paramus/Congregation meets to hear Diane (201) 569-7900 or www.
celebration of the Beth Tikvah, 10 a.m. Haft leading a discussion jccotp.org.
March on Washington. Regular services begin at of “The Orphan’s
950 Preakness Ave. 9. Kiddush lunch follows. Tale” by Pam Jenoff,
(973) 595-6565 or www. E. 304 Midland Ave. (201) 11 a.m. Refreshments.
templebethtikvahnj.org. 262-7691 or JCCParamus. 40-25 Fair Lawn Ave.
org. (201) 797-9321.
Shabbat in Emerson:
Congregation B’nai Honoring MLK in
Israel offers its annual Teaneck: The Jewish
“Freedom Shabbat” Center of Teaneck
service honoring the
COURTESY JCCOTP
hosts the first annual

lives and messages of community-wide Martin
Dr. Martin Luther King Luther King Jr. lecture
Jr. and Rabbi Abraham with keynote speaker, Lunch/learn in
Joshua Heschel, Theodora Lacey, a civil Englewood: The
7:30 p.m. Rabbi Debra rights activist, who will Dor L’Dor group at
Orenstein will lead the discuss “Civil Rights Congregation Ahavath
service with participation From Montgomery to Torah offers a talk,
The Waltuch Art Gallery at the of Westwood area clergy, Today,” 8 p.m. 70 Sterling “False Messiahs and
Kaplen JCC on the Palisades in different faith choirs, and Place. (201) 833-0515 or Their Impact on Jewish
congregants from their
Film in Hoboken: The History,” by Joel
Tenafly presents “Torah is Like churches. 53 Palisade
United Synagogue of office@jcot.org.
Berkowitz, an educator
Hoboken presents the
a Group Show,” an exhibition Ave. (201) 265-2272 or
Israeli box office hit
and photographer
www.bisrael.com. of synagogues
of etchings and watercolors by “The Women’s Balcony,” throughout the world,
Jeffrey Packard. The show will Shabbat in Woodcliff 7:30 p.m. Refreshments. noon. 240 Broad Ave.
Lake: Temple Emanuel 115 Park Ave.
be on display through January of the Pascack Valley (201) 659-4000 or www.
Lunch reservations,
(201) 568-5921 or www.
31. The Waltuch Art Gallery is a hosts Shabbat Yachad, hobokensynagogue.org. ahavathtorah.org.
community space that exhibits Hebrew prayers set to
thematically Jewish artwork, or easy-to-sing melodies,
8 p.m. 87 Overlook Drive.
Sunday
art produced by Jewish artists. All (201) 391-0801 or www. JANUARY 14
artwork is available for sale and a tepv.org. Rabbi Saul Berman
Children’s program:
portion of the proceeds supports The JCC of Paramus/ MLK lecture in
cultural arts programming at the Saturday Congregation Beth Teaneck: To mark
JANUARY 13 Martin Luther King day,
JCC. (201) 408-1406 or email Tikvah continues its
education committees
Sunday Special series
nbachrach@jccotop.org. for kindergarteners to of Congregation Rinat
third graders with a Yisrael present Rabbi
program on Tu b’Shvat Saul Berman, a Yeshiva Michal Horowitz
soloist Jo-Ann Skiena featuring crafts, and University and Columbia
Friday Garey, will perform
with accompaniment
kosher, nut-free snacks, Law School professor,
discussing “Selma 1965:
Women’s shiur: Michal
9:30-11:30 a.m. East 304 Horowitz discusses
JANUARY 12 by pianist Itay Goren, MidlandAve.(201)262-7733, Jewish Lessons From “Rosh Chodesh: The First
guitarists Cantor Ilan edudirector@jccparamus. Prison,” 8 p.m. 389 West National Mitzvah and the
Shabbat in Wyckoff: Mamber and Mark org, or www.jccparamus. Englewood Ave. (201) Tremendous Potential in
Temple Beth Rishon Kantrowitz, clarinetist org. 837-2795. Each Moment of Time,”
offers Shabbat Shira, Jacob Niederman, and at Congregation Beth
a service in song led
by Cantor Ilan Mamber
percussionist Jimmy
Cohen. Dessert and Rabbi Gerald Zelizer Tuesday Aaron in Teaneck, 8 p.m.
950 Queen Anne Road.
and cantorial intern coffee. 585 Russell JANUARY 16 (201) 836-6210 or www.
Naomi Rogin, 7:30 p.m. Ave. (201) 891-4466 or Shabbat in Closter: bethaaron.org.
The service also marks bethrishon.org. Rabbi Gerald Zelizer is Comedic lecture in
Tu b’Shvat. The Kol scholar-in-residence at Tenafly: Dumont
Rishon Choir, with Temple Emanu-El during

Calendar
Wednesday Friday Sunday

JANUARY 17 JANUARY 19 JANUARY 21
Balfour Declaration: Shabbat in Wayne: Ballet in Franklin Lakes:
Dr. Eric Mandel, a world Representatives of Temple Emanuel of North
expert on Middle Eastern Passaic County CASA, Jersey screens a video
policy, presents “The a child advocacy non- of Tchaikovsky’s “Swan
100th Anniversary of profit organization, talk Lake,” 1:30 p.m. Ice cream
the Balfour Declaration about the organization’s and popcorn. Canceled if
and How It Affects Israel work during services the weather is bad. 558
Today” at the Kaplen at Temple Beth Tikvah, High Mountain Road.
JCC on the Palisades 7:30 p.m. Jessica (201) 560-0200 or www.
in Tenafly, 8 p.m. He is Mickley, the group’s tenjfl.org.
the founder /director community outreach
of MEPIN (Middle East
Political and Information
coordinator, will lead
a Q&A and discussion.
Tuesday
Network), providing 950 Preakness Ave. JANUARY 23 Dan Turgeman and Liron Levo Polishuk in “Amor.”
private Middle East (973) 595-6565 or www.
research analysis that templebethtikvahnj.org. Blood drive in Teaneck:
is read by members Holy Name Medical Kaplen JCC features ‘Amor’
of Congress and
leaders. Refreshments.
Saturday Center holds a blood
drive with New Jersey as part of Israeli film series
(201) 569-7900. JANUARY 20 Blood Services, a
division of New York The Kaplen JCC on the Palisades a reception with director Rafael Rebibo
screens “Amor” as part of its IAC Cin- and producer Martine Fitoussi. The
Thursday Disabilities awareness:
Temple Israel & Jewish
Blood Center, 2-8 p.m.
718 Teaneck Road. ematec Israeli Film series on Sunday, film screening at 7:30 is followed by a
JANUARY 18 Community Center in (800) 933-2566 or www. January 21. The series is designed to talkback dialogue at 9 with Mr. Rebibo
Ridgewood hosts a nybloodcenter.org.
disabilities awareness bring people together to see acclaimed and Eran Polishuk, director of film and
panel discussion, noon, Israeli films and participate in unique media at Israel’s Office of cultural Affairs.
after services. Program
will focus on services Singles dialogues with film experts.
“Amor” is about an abstract artist
The evening also includes an exhibition
by two artists, Shosh Earnst and Nira
available in Bergen
County to people with Thursday who, after wandering around Europe Chorev, whose work will be for sale; the
all kinds of disabilities. for three years, returns home to his artists will donate 40 percent of the sales
Shelby Klein, LSW, JANUARY 18
small farming village in Israel. The vil- to benefit the IAC Cinematec program.
president and CEO
of the Adler Aphasia Widows and widowers lage also is home to a former dancer, The screening is been made possible
Eitan Kastner Center in Maywood, meet: Movin’ On, a who now is paralyzed and has no will in collaboration with the Jewish Fed-
and James Thebery, monthly luncheon to live. The film explores the demands eration of Northern New Jersey’s Israel
American Jewish MA, CSW, director of group for widows and
widowers, meets at love can make, and how memories are Film Festival. Tickets available at www.
history: The JCC of the Bergen County
Fort Lee/Congregation Office of Disability the Glen Rock Jewish both fragile and fleeting — but some- jccotp.org/israeli-center-special-events.
Gesher Shalom hosts Services, will speak. Center, 12:30 p.m. times all we have. For more information or to register, call
“American Jewish The discussion will be 682 Harristown Road. The evening begins at 6:30 p.m. with (201) 408-1427.
History” with visiting facilitated by congregant (201) 652-6624 or email
scholar Eitan Kastner Paul Aronsohn, a former arbgr@aol.com.
for the shul’s CSI Ridgewood mayor.
Scholar Fund program, 475 Grove St. www.
1 p.m. Also January 25. synagogue.org.
1449 Anderson Ave.
(201) 947-1735.
Gil Alon and Anat Atzmon COURTESY JCCOTP
Reclaim the art of human connection

Lubavitch on the Palisades goal is to make participants
Floyd Vivino, Steve Marshall, Inna Swinton PHOTOS COURTESY TIJCC begins “Communication: better parents, spouses, co-
Its Art and Soul,” a six-week workers, friends, and people.
Comedy in Ridgewood January 27 course from the Jewish Learn-

ing Institute. The rise of the
Medical and mental health
professionals, including social
Temple Israel & JCC in Ridgewood’s of stand-up comedy in the last three years. internet, mobile phones, and workers and family therapists,
Brandeis Men’s Club presents an adults- Inna Swinton, the evening’s emcee, is an social media has completely can earn continuing education
only comedy night starring comedian actress, author, and comedian who has changed the way people credits for attending the class,
Uncle Floyd, and featuring comedians been performing in New York City clubs, relate, interact, and com- which is led by Rabbi Morde-
Steve Marshall and Inna Swinton. The Jan- including Gotham, Dangerfield’s, and municate with one another. chai Shain. It begins on Janu-
uary 27 show at the shul, 475 Grove St., in Broadway Comedy Club. The course aims to teach Rabbi Mordechai ary 23, at 8 p.m., at Lubavitch
Ridgewood, begins at 7:30 p.m. Admission includes a spaghetti dinner. how to reclaim the lost art of Shain COURTESY LOTP on the Palisades, 11 Harold St.,
Floyd Vivino, a Glen Rock High School For information, email mensclubevents@ communication. in Tenafly.
graduate, has performed stand-up com- synagogue.org or go to www.synagogue. The course will contrast Jewish thought Register online at myjli.com or call (201)
edy and on television and in movies. Steve org. with scientific discovery to better our- 871-1152, option 5, extension 501.
Marshall has done more than 400 nights selves, our relationships, and society. The

Local
other races. They have friends from every “Initially when we told our kids that they “Being on a scholarship in yeshiva, you’re
Frum times nationality. They’re in our house all the would be switching schools, they were ter- not willing to speak up so loud. You’re too
FROM PAGE 9
time. It’s so sweet. A great story: On Pesach, rified. They had a lot of apprehension. We afraid of being the difficult parent and los-
in yeshiva, they would go to a friend’s house Mousa, an Egyptian friend, went up to our were told for so many years about the hor- ing the scholarship. I would do everything
and be starving, or teachers would forget that son and said, ‘I just want to tell you: I’m rors of public school. to keep my kids in yeshiva. I overlooked so
they couldn’t eat ice cream when there was a really sorry.’” “A lot of people pray for my children’s much. I was blinded.”
birthday party.” The switch to Teaneck High wasn’t the neshama,” their souls, she said. “Not a single And of course, there are the extracurricu-
Their son in Teaneck High gets his Jew- first time the Hillers had clashed with the one knocks on the door to learn Torah with lar activities that don’t exist in yeshiva.
ish studies through Chabad and NCSY. “He’s administration of their day school. A couple them. My eldest said to me that she has some “My oldest daughter is in chorus,” she said.
more involved Judaically now than when of years ago, when he was still in yeshiva, friends who are not allowed to socialize with “My twins love violin. Thank you, Teaneck
they were in the yeshiva system,” his mother one of their boys was in a production of the her because she’s in public school. It made taxpayers. In fourth grade, children choose
said. “My children felt they were never good play “Falsettos” at the Black Box Performing my blood boil.” their musical instrument. I rent the violins
enough. They would sit in class and listen to Arts Center in town. It’s true, Ms. Bleiberg said, “that there are and my children now read music.”
everyone learning better than them and dav- “The administration was against it,” Ms. situations in public school that might be more Her children’s experience is nothing like
ening faster than them. Hiller said. “They talked about the homo- aggressive than my kids are used to from “what’s put out there, sadly, by the yeshiva
“I don’t want to fault anyone,” she con- sexuality in the play. They literally came out yeshiva. But the school itself is used to the community, that the Teaneck public schools
tinued. “My kids had some amazing teach- and said to us, ‘We don’t really approve of situation, so they clamp down quite faster. are the worse, that your kids will be beaten
ers. They’re just not set up for it. They wish the content and values of the shows in which The reaction is much faster than in yeshiva. up or go off the derech,” abandon obser-
they were, and they wanted to be — and they he’s performing.” There was an instance last year. The child was vant Judaism.
weren’t.” “They way we look at it, our children have treated the same every child who would have “The teachers are actually very good.
That doesn’t mean that the community to learn about things in a safe environment,” acted that way. In yeshiva, it depends on how I’m amazed. A lot of teachers have teach-
didn’t try to pressure the Hillers to keep Mr. Heller said. much you pay the school.” ing degrees and experience. Their sci-
their children in the yeshiva system. For Deborah Blaiberg, the decision to pull Her children don’t need to hide their Jew- ence teacher is incredible. He created
“You’re putting him in public school?” her children out from the yeshiva system was ish identity in school. a love of science in my daughter that
they were asked many times, including by “purely financial.” After her husband was laid “Over Chanukah, my daughter went is unbelievable.”
school administrators. “Don’t you know the off from work, “Private education sadly was to school with a Magen David painted on Financially, being in public school “takes a
kind of things they’ll be exposed to? They not affordable now,” she said. her cheek,” Ms. Blaiberg said. “It was fully suffocating pressure off you. I was very con-
do drugs there! And have sex there!” Her four children now are in Thomas Jef- accepted. Not a person said a word. They’re scious that because I was getting tuition assis-
“It too me a long time to have the ferson Middle School. “Academically, these bringing in a new cultural awareness to tance, I shouldn’t be doing this, I shouldn’t be
response,” Ms. Hiller said. “You think that’s children just fly,” she said. “Because they their school.” doing that. Asking for help, you get so para-
not happening in the yeshiva system?” were no longer on a dual curriculum, they Academically, new vistas are opening up noid. It’s a different situation now.
“We hear from their friends what goes suddenly had more time given to certain sub- for her children. “The tuition assistance committees are
on in the yeshiva system,” Mr. Hiller said. jects. Their learning is much deeper on the “My eldest has been struggling for years inherently suspicious. The people who actu-
“There was a huge party right on my block. secular side.” with math,” she said. “Within a year and a ally need help are screwed over by those who
The parents were away. The police were As for making the switch: “My kids transi- day, she got on the principal’s honor roll and want to abuse the system. It gets insulting and
called. There was drinking, kids were vomit- tioned very well. I told the boys they could pulled up to an A in every subject, including degrading and humiliating, to be told by the
ing, drug paraphernalia was found. It’s teen- wear shorts and I let the girls color their hair Spanish. She’s a happier kid. Her confidence committee to get a different job” so you can
agers. It’s on us as the parents to educate and wear pants,” all against the yeshiva dress has been up. Before, I was watching a child afford tuition.
our children about that. codes. “My kids were like, ‘OK, you’re good.’ be broken down. She is at peace with the fact that “my chil-
“They”— day school parents and admin- I’ve got two boys with kipot and tzitzit and “All my children had a severe lack of basic dren will never be Talmud scholars. They’re
istrators — “felt I was exposing my kids to two girls, one with pink hair and one with math facts. This was not a program they were not going to learn Rashi 24/7. I’ll live.”
all these horrible things,” he continued. purple hair. It’s a new form of diversity within teaching in yeshiva. Once they learned it they Instead, “we will finally be in a position
“Really, they’re exposed to other religions, the public schools. picked it up fine. where we can send them to camp.”
itself but also us with security in the fight

Gottheimer
FROM PAGE 11
against terror, in opposition to Iran.” I like this guy personally. He
bill goes up, and your value goes down
Mr. Gottheimer still is opposed to the
Iran deal, which he thought was unwise
is smiling on the day of the
— what are you supposed to do? My next before it was adopted, and about which vote on the tax bill, and I ask
door neighbors’ kids have graduated, and
they are going to move. They love it here,
he has not changed his mind. Iran has
continued with “flagrant testing of long-
him why, and he says ‘Today
but they say ‘What are we going to do? We range missiles and support for Assad, and is the day we get to stick it
can’t afford it.’”
He fumes quietly. “I was in a bipartisan
they have bolstered their development of
conventional missiles, and poured billions
to the Northeast.’
working group, and I was talking to a guy of dollars into terrorists groups, includ-
from a moocher state,” he said. “I like this ing Hezbollah, and Hezbollah has been on Jerusalem,” he said. “I think that where letting our fundamental values slip away.
guy personally. He is smiling on the day unabashed in its march into Syria. As Isis he has reached out for a deep, strong rela- “We have to be aggressive and stamp it
of the vote on the tax bill, and I ask him has moved out, Hezbollah has moved in. tionship with Israel, that is a step in the out everywhere,” Mr. Gottheimer said.
why, and he says ‘Today is the day we get “There were snap-back provisions in the right direction.” Despite his centrism, Mr. Gottheimer is
to stick it to the Northeast.’” deal, but there need to be stronger sanc- On the other hand, Trump “has a Democrat, and as a freshman in a district
Israel is another big issue for Mr. Got- tions on their terrorist activity,” he said. unleashed anti-Semitism in general, that had been represented by a Republican
theimer, who is Jewish. He was an early co-sponsor of a bill to from the extreme Tea Party right and the for many years — Mr. Gottheimer defeated
“Israel has become an increasingly par- increase sanctions on Iran as it continued extremists, which is rearing its head in the incumbent, Scott Garrett, to win his
tisan issue,” he said. “I tend to be on the to support and fund terrorist groups. “It is many of our communities. seat — and that went for Trump in 2016,
hawkish side. If I get grief over that, then I clear that money is moving, and that Hez- “That is one reason why I have been he is seen as vulnerable. So his high-wire
get grief over that. bollah and Iran are sophisticated in their aggressive against BDS, and is also why I have act continues.
“Until recently, it was not a partisan financing,” he said. been speaking so strongly about why we But he seems comfortable and confident
issue at all,” he continued. “It is our key When it comes to President Trump, Mr. must not abandon our core values as a coun- as he stands there, high on the wire, and
ally in the region, and it provided not only Gottheimer is nuanced. “I agree with him try. When we let people spew hatred, we are looks out at all sides.

Obituaries
BRIEFS Daniel Oster
Daniel Oster, 67, of Fort Lee died January 3.
Pence slated to visit Israel, Born in the Bronx, he was a real estate developer
Egypt, and Jordan next week in Bergen County and a member of JCC of Fort Lee/
Vice President Mike Pence will visit Israel, Egypt, and Jor- Congregation Gesher Shalom.
Predeceased by parents Bernard and Miriam Oster Obituaries are prepared with
dan from January 19 to 23, the White House announced.
On the upcoming visit, Pence will hold talks with Egyp- and a brother Abe Oster, he is survived by his sister- information provided by funeral homes.
tian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, Jordan’s King Abdullah, in-law, Ann Oster of Englewood, and a niece, Jane Correcting errors is the responsibility
and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The vice Oster of Manhattan.
Arrangements were by Eden Memorial Chapel, of the funeral home.
president will visit Jerusalem’s Western Wall and give a
speech to the Knesset. Fort Lee.
“At President Trump’s direction, the vice president is
traveling to the Middle East to reaffirm our commitment
to work with the U.S.’s allies in the region to defeat radical-
ism that threatens future generations,” said Alyssa Farah,
a spokesperson for Pence. Arleen S. Gamza The Christopher Family
Pence’s long-awaited trip to Israel will come after many
Arleen S. Gamza passed away on January 7 at the age
delays. The vice president was originally slated to visit in
mid-December during Chanukah, but that was pushed of 78. serving the Jewish community
back several days due to the pending U.S. tax reform legis- Arleen was born in Jersey City, NJ and graduated since 1900
Paterson Monument Co.
lation. Ultimately, Pence canceled his December visit. from Lincoln High School. She had a lengthy
Pence is not expected to visit with Palestinian leaders, career in the New York City Department of Housing
who announced in December that they would not meet Preservation and Development, and was Chief MAIN BRANCH
with him in response to President Donald Trump’s deci- Architect at the time of her retirement in 1996. She Paterson, NJ 07502 Pompton Plains, NJ 07444
317 Totowa Ave. 681 Rt. 23 S.
sion to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. JNS.ORG was the only female awarded an architecture degree 973-942-0727 Fax 973-942-2537 973-835-0394 Fax 973-835-0395
from The University of Pennsylvania in 1961. She TOLL FREE 800-675-0727
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Terror victims favor Services were Tuesday January 9, 11:30 a.m., at the
a tax punishment for Sixth Street Synagogue 325 East 6th Street, New
Robert Schoem’s Menorah Chapel, Inc
PA-paid perpetrators York, NY under the direction of Riverside Memorial Jewish Funeral Directors
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Hundreds of families of terror victims urged Israeli Prime
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46 Jewish Standard JANUARY 12, 2018
Classified
Solution to last week’s puzzle. This week’s puzzle is

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When I’m hungry, I’m not in the
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Jewish standard JanUarY 12, 2018 47
Real Estate & Business
12th annual Kosher Food and Wine Experience will showcase

fine vintages, spirits, and gourmet restaurants, caterers, and chefs
Tristate oenophiles and foodies will be the first to savor the The event will showcase some 700 intriguing kosher As always, the spectacular wine line-up repre-
latest in fine kosher wines, spirits, and creative cuisine at the wines and spirits from around the world as well as on- sents all price points, from the Herzog Generation
12th annual Kosher Food & Wine Experience (KFWE) New trend cuisine from top local kosher caterers, restaura- VIII Padis Vineyard Napa Valley ($250 SRP) to Don
York (http://thekfwe.com), sponsored by The Royal Wine teurs, and gourmet specialty companies. Tickets sell out Alfonso Merlot from Chile ($7.99 SRP), and features
Corp., on Monday, February 5. The popular event returns quickly for this much-anticipated chance to sample the interesting new varieties from France, Italy, Spain,
to Pier 60, Chelsea Piers (23rd Street and West Side High- newest products, limited editions, and Passover delica- Israel, Australia, Canada, Chile, Argentina, Washing-
way). Doors open to the public at 6:30 p.m. cies for 2018. ton, Oregon, and California.
A key highlight of KFWENY will be the release of
high-end wines from the exceptional 2015 vintage in
Bordeaux. These include:
• The first kosher run from the legendary Château
Lascombes 2015 – 2nd cru classé from Mar-
gaux, arguably one of the finest kosher wines
ever produced.
• The return, after a 10-year absence, of Château Léo-
ville Poyferré 2015 – 2nd cru classé Saint Julien.
• The first kosher run of Château Cantenac Brown
2015 – 3rd cru classé Margaux, one of Bordeaux’s
most celebrated estates.
• The first kosher run of Château Fontenil 2015
OUR CLIENTS from the château of Michel Rolland, the world’s

most sought-after winemaker and oenologist.
AGREE
• The first kosher cuvée from the very modern Châ-
teau Fayat 2015 - Pomerol
Other noteworthy offerings include:
• Château Remo, a new boutique winery from Isra-
el’s Galilee.
• The return to America of Gush Etzion, a great bou-
tique winery from the Judean Hills that produces
The Sooner You Call, an impressive array of high quality wines.
• A superb Pinot Noir from Catalonia’s cult Spanish
The Sooner We Can Help! winery, Celler de Capçanes Peraj Ha’abib Special
Edition Pinot Noir 2015.
It’s never too soon to start thinking about Pass-
over, and there’s much to be excited about in 2018
REVIEWS as the majority of wines at KFWE are kosher for Pass-
over. In particular, a selection of notable new bot-
tlings will be introduced:
• Chateau Trijet, Bordeaux 2015 (SRP $12.99)
• Herzog Lineage Choreograph, Clarksburg CA 2016
V&N was the agency that (SRP $19.99)
sold our co-op in Fort Lee. V&N helped in getting our • Domaine du Castel La Vie Blanc, Judean Hills 2016
We received timely calls and taxes lowered which was (SRP $24.99)
follow ups, excellent advice critical to selling our home. • Chateau Fontenil, Fronsac 2015 (SRP $54.99)
and tremendous service. • Chateau Lascombes, Margaux 2015 ($124.99)
— A. G., Teaneck
— M. B., Fort Lee And the spirit of Passover won’t stop at wines.
5/5 LVOV is releasing a new OUP vodka, distilled from
5/5 beets (MSRP $20), and a new Hacienda de Chich-
uahua Sotol Plata (MSRP $37) as well as Reposado
(MSRP $40). While similar to tequila or mezcal,
sotol, a spirit from Mexico with a centuries old his-
tory, has its own unique flavor profile and is distilled
from wild agave harvested in the Chihuahuan Desert
V&N’s professionalism and of Northern Mexico.
My V&N agent saved our house
warmth distinguished them For more information and to buy tickets, visit
from totally flooding on Erev
from any realtor we’d ever thekfwe.com
Yom Kippur when we were out
of the country. worked with.
— R. L., Teaneck — J. E., Bergenfield

More than 412,000 likes.
5/5 5/5
Like us
on Facebook.
vera-nechama.com / 201.692.3700 / 1401 Palisade Ave, Teaneck NJ facebook.com/jewishstandard

Israel sets new record with Englewood Healthcare System announces

3.6 million tourists in 2017 trustee appointments across the board(s)
REBECCA STADLEN AMIR Several local community leaders have been named to the perspectives will continue to move our mission forward,”
Boards of Trustees of Englewood Healthcare System, Engle- said Warren Geller, president and CEO of Englewood Hospital
Israeli tourism hit an all-time high in 2017, earning $6 wood Hospital and Medical Center (EHMC), and its fundrais- and Medical Center. “Their insight and guidance provide an
billion in revenue from incoming tourism alone thanks ing organization, Englewood Hospital and Medical Center opportunity to build upon our legacy of medical excellence,
to new flight routes and marketing efforts led by the Foundation. Joining the health care system’s board are Rich- while also innovating to meet the new demands of a modern
Ministry of Tourism. A total of 3.6 million tourists were ard Lerner and Leon Redensky; joining the medical center’s healthcare model.”
recorded, a 25 percent increase over 2016. board is Lisa Sepulveda; and joining the foundation’s board
“The all-time record number of tourists visiting Israel are Neil Piekny and Karen Singer. TM
this year is no accident; it is the result of a clear policy,” “These appointments come during a pivotal time for Engle-
said Minister of Tourism Yariv Levin. “We have imple- wood Hospital and Medical Center,” said Thomas C. Senter,
mented several significant initiatives including reaching chairman of the Board of Trustees of Englewood Hospital and
out to new and focused markets, building sub-brands Medical Center and its parent organization, Englewood Health-
and launching new campaigns, collaborations with large care System. “We recognize the integral role of our trustees,
online travel agents, giving financial incentives to airline who will undoubtedly strengthen our medical center and help
companies that open new routes to Israel, and contin- advance its mission as we enter an exciting new era of growth
ued marketing throughout the world.” that will continue to revolutionize how we deliver care.”
As part of these efforts, 18 new air routes to Ben- “We recognize the important role that each of our new
Gurion International Airport were opened this year, board members will have. They will be invaluable in build-
including direct flights from Europe, Miami, and Ice- ing upon our medical center’s impact in the entire region for
CLOSTER $520,000
land via airlines LOT, Ryanair, Wizz Air, and WOW. years to come,” said Chairman of the Board of Trustees of 4BR, 2.5Bth perfect for Flip or Own! Calling all Contractors!
As in previous years, the majority of incoming tour- EHMC Foundation Jay C. Nadel. House needs work has potential. LR, DR with fireplace,
finished ground level, central a/c, 2 car-garage. Close to
ism was from the United States, with 716,000 visitors “We’re very excited to welcome new members to our shopping, schools & transportation.
arriving between January and November 2017, 21 per- governing boards, whose visionary leadership, ideas, and
TENAFLY
ALPINE/CLOSTER
cent more than the previous year. Russian visitors took Orna RIVER VALE
Jackson, TENAFLY
Sales Associate CRESSKILL
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second place with 307,000 visitors, and tourism from WHAT WILL YOU BE 894-1234
France was third, with about 284,000 visitors. Ger-
DOING THIS WINTER?
many and the United Kingdom rounded out the top
five with 202,000 and 185,000 visitors, respectively. OPEN HOUSE
Jerusalem remains the city most visited by incoming
Think SUNDAY, JANUARY 14
tourists (78 percent of all tourists) followed by Tel Aviv-
Jaffa (67 percent) and the Dead Sea area (49 percent). Florida! t TEANECK t
With a new focus on the digital space, the ministry
hosted nearly 3,000 opinion leaders, celebrities, blog-
gers, actors, sports stars, producers and journalists
from around the world. Notable celebrity visitors in
Advantage Plus
2017 included Latin heartthrob William Levy, Ameri- 601 S. Federal Hwy • Boca Raton, FL 33432
can fashion model Ashley Graham, and performers Elly & Ed Lepselter
Justin Bieber and Mariah Carey. (561) 302-9374
“The additional half million tourists who came to
Israel this year are half a million more ambassadors of
Israel around the world and our loyal representatives
on social media, and this is also a decisive contribution
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8 exciting Israeli gadgets hitting the market in 2018

Israeli minds are always dreaming up inven- telescoping selfie stick built into a smart- secure connection.
tions to bring more fun, convenience or con- phone case. Many copycats are now on The TytoHome, TytoPro, and
nectivity into our lives. Only time will tell if the market, so the developers got back on TytoClinic products currently
the gadgets listed below — a small sampling the case, so to speak, and are gearing up to are rolling out to select health
of many Israeli consumer products expected release a line of all-new lightweight versions systems, providers, employers,
to hit the market in 2018 — will prove to be for popular smartphone models. One of and strategic partners. They
as successful as predecessors such as the these will feature images from the upcoming are expected to be available
Mifold grab-and-go booster seat or the Oten- sci-fi movie “Bumblebee,” thanks to a licens- for retail sometime in the next
tik portable sunshade. ing deal with Hasbro. year. Initially, Tyto will be sold
through doctors’ offices.
Stikbox TytoCare TytoHome includes a
It’s not every day that a product video goes This line of telemedicine kits provides mod- re c h a r ge a b l e d ev i c e a n d
viral, but when Insider Design posted the ular tools for anyone — say, a parent or a attachments for examina- TytoHome medical kit includes audio-visual
promo for Stikbox in June 2016 on Face- health care practitioner at a remote point tion and measuring heart rate instructions to guide the user.
book, it garnered 10 million views and sev- of care — to perform standard throat, ear, and temperature. A compan-
eral hundred thousand more on YouTube. eye, skin, heart, and lung examinations of ion TytoApp enables live video tele- attached by Velcro to the outside of a
Invented in Jerusalem by a father-and- high enough quality to enable a remote diag- health exams or “exam and forward” diaper, connected via app to the care-
son team, Stikbox was the first full-length nosis by a physician via a HIPAA-compliant capabilities. giver’s smartphone for real-time infor-
mation on whether or not the diaper
Kado Wallet needs changing.
You’ll be able to tote this ultra-slim The ultra-compact sensor can eas-
SELLING YOUR HOME? wall charger in your wallet because it’s

only as thick as three credit cards stuck
together. Kado, which claims to be the
ily be removed from the old diaper and
attached to the new diaper. The device
doesn’t touch the body or any fluids.
world’s thinnest phone charger, went The company plans to market Digi-
into production in China at the end of Sense as a solution for infants and the
December 2017 and soon will start ship- elderly, in home environments, long-
ping worldwide. term care facilities, nursing homes,
Kado Wallet, which includes a smart- and hospitals.
phone cable, appeared on USA Today’s
“CES 2017: 5 gadgets that made me say Toibot
wow” list. You may soon be able to throw away your
toilet brush. Now ready for preorder, the
TReGo bike trolley Toibot toilet-cleaning robot is expected
This green-minded gadget upgrades any to be mass-produced and on the market
bicycle into a cargo bike. The trolley in time for the December 2018 holidays,
attaches with a patented fast connec- for less than $100.
tor, replacing the regular front wheel. Sales initially will be online although
Remove it at your destination to serve as founder and inventor David Alush tells
a rolling shopping cart holding up to 50 ISRAEL21c that a few dozen worldwide
pounds. It’s expected to go on the mar- distributors have approached the Haifa-
ket by summer 2018. based startup.
The same company also is developing Toibot claims to perform a compre-
a towing cart kit, sort of like a little red hensive cleaning and disinfecting after
wagon that attaches to the back of your every flush. Users will need to replace
Call Susan Laskin Today bike, for toting heavier loads. the disinfection tablets once a month
To Make Your Next Move A Successful One! and the flexible brush attachment every
PowerUp Dart six to eight months “without touching
BergenCountyRealEstateSource.com Cell: 201-615-5353
Described as “a conversion kit for paper any nasty parts,” Alush promises.
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An Equal Opportunity Company. Equal Housing Opportunity. Owned and Operated by NRT LLC. planes that makes them awesome,” Pow-
erUp Dart attaches to a small paper air- BrighTap
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plane that you fold yourself, enabling a BwareIT’s BrighTap home water meter
immy im
im
juiced-up experience in aerobatic flying and water-quality analytics data platform
at speeds up to 15mph (25km/h). aims to let households monitor water
The crash-proof carbon fiber device use and quality simply by attaching the
features a flight-assist correction sys- standalone sensor to any standard tap,
the Junk Man the

the
tem, boost button and landing gear.
The control range is 200 feet (60
pipe or hose. The device connects to a
dedicated mobile app.
RESIDENTIAL & COMMERCIAL RESIDEN meters) and it can go 10 minutes on a

single charge.
The compact, rust-proof design pro-
totype has won a slew of awards for the
WE CLEAN OUT: The Kickstarter campaign for this Jerusalem-based WEstartup, including a
Basements •Basements Attics • Garages • Fire Damage fun gadget raked in more than $1 mil- top-five•spot in the 2016 Global
Att Entrepre-
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expected in February 2018. petition, and a $50,000 prize in Unile-
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NORTH JERSEY JCC HIRES AMBASSADORS page 6

EX-YESHIVA KIDS EMBRACED BY TEANECK PUBLIC SCHOOLS page 8

JANUARY 12, 2018

NORTH JERSEY THEJEWISHSTANDARD.COM

Teaneck, NJ 07666 page 18

Our fresh roasted coffee is

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Five Israeli singers to watch in 2018 branched out from doing

a Lego tower record Candlelighting: Friday, January 12, 4:32 p.m.

Jewish Standard January 12, 2018 3

4 JEWISH STANDARD JANUARY 12, 2018

An Evening with Author Gordon Korman

It can be difficult to care for a loved one with Alzheimer’s. It can

To support families through greater understanding, Harmony Village at CareOne

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Frum times in Teaneck High

Thank you for your service.

Funding provided through Anne J. Caudal Foundation

Please call (201) 837-9090 or email info@JFCSNNJ.org for more information.

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Getting things done in Washington

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‘Nobody is entitled to his own set of facts’

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Lego Robotics 3 Day Workshop

The 100th Anniversary of the

Dr. Mandel explores the specific challenges

kids Film adults

Young professionals meet

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Sunday Evening, February 25, 2018

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28 U IGN S ents) decided that the best course would be a nursing

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