The Jewish News - January 2014 by The Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee

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

Serving our community since 1971!

Published by The Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee www.jfedsrq.org

January 2014 - Teveth/Shevat 5774 INSIDE THIS ISSUE: 11A Community Focus 20A Jewish Interest 25A Commentary 27A Focus on Youth 31A Life Cycle 1B Jewish Happenings 14B Israel & the Jewish World

5A Menorahs and music on the last night of Hanukkah

6A Federation’s Jewish Business Networking Event

6A Kristallnacht Commemoration

Volume 44, Number 1

Celebrating community partnerships through the arts By Howard Tevlowitz, Federation Executive Director

Sarasota-Manatee. In 2014, our Jewish Federation will be sponsoring the play Thurgood and discussion groups at Florida Studio Theatre, the Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe’s play Whipping Man, a Freedom Seder (an interfaith celebration of Passover) at Michael’s On East, and continuing our support for Embracing Our Differences throughout Sarasota-Manatee. In addition to the thousands of adults who will be attending these programs, tens of thousands of school children will participate as well. Our Federation’s mission is to save Jewish lives and enhance Jewish life. These particular anniversaries are an important part of our American Jewish history – and much celebrated Jewish/African-American history. The Jewish community was on the front lines of the battle 50 years ago – and so many Jewish activists contributed to and sacrificed for the Civil Rights Movement. The themes behind plays and programs sponsored/underwritten by Federation celebrate a proud chapter of our American Jewish experience, reminding us of past achievements, looking at the challenges of today and inspiring hope for tomorrow.

rtistry has been a fundamental part of Jewish life and the Jewish psyche since our beginning more than 4,000 years ago. Varying forms of art have been used to remember, to dedicate and to inspire our People in ancient Israel, throughout our 2,000 year Diaspora and during modern times. From colorful mosaics at a bath house in Masada to intricately carved synagogues in Morocco to children’s drawings at Theresienstadt during the Holocaust to proud images of life in the modern State of Israel, art has helped to define us and our history. And Howard Tevlowitz so it continues… On the 150th anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation and the 50th anniversary of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” speech, The Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee is proud to honor these historic occasions and celebrate DIVERSITY, ACCEPTANCE AND SOCIAL JUSTICE through and with the arts community of

Nazi-looted art and The Monuments Men By Grant Cotler, Heller Israel Advocacy Intern

uring the Holocaust, the Nazis performed valuables. However, most of the stealing took place heinous actions against various groups of during the war when the Nazis had access to the Many to recognize individuals ranging from murder public greatest number of homes. the FamilytoJeweler 14276 Name: ________________________________________________ Invoice Ref #:fail ________________ humiliation of innocent Jews, gypsies, the disabled that art was not all that was taken. The Nazis would and homosexuals. A prime example of the humilia- take anything they believed to be valuable. By taking tion is the brazen looting of art. It was not enough everything that the Jewish people owned, it not only for the Nazis to cut the beards of the Orthodox men. removed all sense of identity that they desperately It was not enough for the Nazis to forcibly close all tried to retain, but also contributed to the systematic Jewish-owned businesses. And it was not enough for dehumanization that occurred. The art that the Nazis the Nazis to remove Jewish families from the homes looted was spread throughout Europe until the war’s that most would never see again. Many would think end when recovery efforts took place. that even and those atrocities The art looting all started due to a desire of Hitler This Proof must be signed returned before would be horrible enough, to prove that he was an art connoisseur after being with your the order.Nazis This iswould your not stop there. The Nazis Faiths we can proceedhowever, Proof prior to printing. examine all spell- from the people they perdesiredPlease to take everything rejected from art school. This compensation led to unite at ing and information carefully. not be secuted and RFJD takewill advantage of everything they could. the illegal seizure of hundreds of thousands of pieces held responsible for any unnoticed errors. Any Friendship For that reason, the looting of art from Jewish homes of art, jewelry, gold, silver and many other valuables errors found after printing will be customer’s sole Luncheon from Jewish homes. These pieces were then either became a common practice. responsibility. Nazi art-looting began before the war even stored by Hitler in various holding centers or even Approval officially started. In 1933, special military units sold to museums for profit. Approved called Kunstschutz began pillaging homes for any The Monuments Men...continued on page 2A

18A

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An evening with a hero By Jessi Sheslow

lmost 100 people attended the recent “Ethiopian Exodus with Micha Feldmann” event on Sunday, November 24 in the Arthur and Beatrice Michaels Cultural & Activity Center on the Federation Campus. The event was sponsored by Dr. Robert and Simone Knego, themselves parents to three adopted children, two of whom are Ethiopian. Micha Feldmann has been aiding the immigration and absorption process in Israel, alongside the Jewish Agency and other organizations, since 1970. Since 1982 he has devoted his life to bringing Ethiopian Jews to Israel and helping them in their integration into Israeli society. Prior to “Operation Solomon” in 1991, Micha was the head of the Jewish Agency mission to Ethiopia and the Israeli consul there. He was one of the chief architects of the operation, which succeeded in bringing 14,310 Ethiopian Jews out of besieged Addis Ababa in one weekend. Micha speaks Amharic fluently and knows virtually every Ethiopian family in Israel. He is therefore known as “Abba Micha.” His stories brought cheers, chills and a standing ovation by the crowd.

In 1998, Micha published his first book, The Ethiopian Exodus. In 2012, the English translation entitled On Wings of Eagles was published. Currently, Micha serves as the director of the Ethiopian department within SELAH – the Israel Crisis Management Center that takes care of new

Simone Knego and Micha Feldmann

immigrants from Ethiopia and the former Soviet Union who were stricken by tragedy. The operations to bring Ethiopian Jews are a beacon of light in our shared history, and we are proud to have brought Micha Feldmann to Sarasota-Manatee for our community to hear firsthand the trials and tribulations of these dangerous yet rewarding missions for the State of Israel and world Jewry.

The Monuments Men...continued from page 1A

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The Allies, upon discovering what many Jews were able to regain their the Nazis had done, immediately be- livelihood and remember the family gan searching for the stolen art. They they lost. On Monday, March 10, The Jewish desired to preserve any and all European art and monuments that might Federation of Sarasota-Manatee will have been taken by the Nazis. Special host the “People of the Book” event groups were formed in order to do this. with best-selling author Robert Edsel. A major issue that faced the Allies was Edsel has authored three books about returning the art to their rightful own- The Monuments Men. He is also the ers. Today, the German government has Founder and Chairman of the Board of a database of all lost art so that families the Monuments Men Foundation for the may try and find the art taken from their Preservation of Art. The mission of the ancestors. However, it is increasingly organization is “To preserve the legacy difficult to return art. Few ownership of the unprecedented and heroic work records remain, so it is difficult to de- of the men and women who served termine rights. Today it is estimated that about 20% of European art was looted by the Nazis. Many books and movies have been made surrounding the efforts of the Allies and others to recover the stolen art. The Monuments Men is among the most well-known groups that took efforts to recover Nazilooted art. The group began American GIs hand-carried paintings down the steps with 400 service members of Neuschwanstein castle under the supervision of and civilians who helped to Monuments Man Captain James Rorimer (Photo credit: NARA / Public Domain) protect important monuments in Europe. When the war ended, they in the Monuments, Fine Arts, and Arworked to recover and return the lost chives (“MFAA”) section, known as art. The Monuments Men served to pro- ‘Monuments Men,’ during World War tect, catalogue and remove the art they II, by raising public awareness of the found. Significant discoveries were importance of not only protecting and made in places such as salt mines and safeguarding civilization’s most imporcastles. Due to their work, many pieces tant artistic and cultural treasures from of looted art were discovered and ulti- armed conflict, but incorporating these expressions of man’s greatest creative mately returned to families. Nazi-looted art was only part of achievements into our daily lives.” For more information about the the overall plan of the Nazis to rid the Jewish people of all feeling of identity. “People of the Book” event, or to make However, through the efforts of The your reservation, visit www.jfedsrq.org/ Monuments Men and other groups, events.aspx or call 941.552.6301.

stay connected @ www.jfedsrq.org

FEDERATION NEWS 3A January 2014

January 2014

Ein Gedi Pool to be added at Selby Gardens Staff Report

he Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee has entered into a new collaborative partnership with Selby Botanical Gardens to fund the Ein Gedi Pool in recognition of Israel’s environmental accomplishments. The pool will be one of the most prominent features in the new Ann Goldstein Children’s Rainforest Garden at Selby. No rainforest would be complete without an abundance of cool, precious, life-sustaining water. Clean water is an increasingly scarce and valuable resource, one that plays a central role in many biblical stories and in the lives of those who live in and visit the nation of Israel. The Jewish Federation of SarasotaManatee’s Ein Gedi Pool, some 1,000 square feet in size, will be located directly adjacent to the largest single space within the Ann Goldstein Children’s Rainforest Garden, the Gulf Coast Community Foundation Plaza. Behind it rises the faux rock “Rainforest Mountain.” The stream flowing from a lushly-planted, 12-foot-high waterfall continuously refreshes this shallow body of water. The soundscape will include the calls of animals native

to the forest floor and understory, and sculptures will depict animals a visitor might see at the forest floor level of a rainforest. The Ein Gedi Pool provides outstanding opportunities to educate visitors and children about the water cycle and explore the relationships between water, plants and ecosystems. About a decade ago, The Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee made a bold decision to change the way it was spending donor dollars. The organization moved away from providing large unrestricted allocations to the same few organizations year in and year out. This was a decision that was not made lightly, as this was standard operating procedure for Jewish Federations around the country for decades. What

Ein Gedi Pool at Selby Gardens

has replaced the allocations model is a granting and partnership model that has created dozens of collaborative partnerships with organizations throughout Sarasota-Manatee, in Israel and around the world. “The friendships made, the projects tackled and the impact felt has been

simply mind blowing,” says Marty Haberer, Associate Executive Director of the Jewish Federation. Haberer serves as staff for both the domestic and overseas granting committees consisting of two groups of volunteer leadership with a wide variety of backgrounds and interests. Ten years later, Federation senior staff and top volunteer leadership agree that it was the single best decision the organization has made. The Federation’s collaborative partnership with Selby began a few years

ago with the inclusion of a Federationsponsored hanukkiah to commemorate the Festival of Lights at Selby’s annual Lights in Bloom event. The annual event attracts thousands to the gardens each holiday season. Haberer, who has represented Federation at the Lights in Bloom kick-off for the past three years, was particularly moved this year by Selby’s sensitivity and caring in developing a new and beautiful hanukkiah (often referred to as a menorah by most people, though the menorah is a sixcandle candelabra while a hanukkiah is an eight-candle candelabra), which now stands proudly near the handsomely appointed Bromeliad Christmas tree. “There had been a hanukkiah the past two years as well, but the new one is so much grander. I am particularly impressed with the attention to detail paid by Ann Logan, Selby’s Chief Development Officer, as well as her most professional persona,” adds Haberer, “ I really enjoy our growing collaborative relationship.” For more information about the Federation’s granting process, contact Marty Haberer at 941.552.6303 or mhaberer@jfedsrq.org.

DID YOU KNOW? The Jewish Federation provides grants to qualifying non-profit organizations.

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FEDERATION NEWS

January 2014

Federation sponsors WBTT’s, The Whipping Man, a play probing into self-definition and discrimination

magine a Jewish Confederate soldier returning home after the war to find his house burnt to the ground. Left to greet him are two surviving former slaves who were raised Jewish. Imagine the irony that this homecoming falls on Passover, the day that celebrates freedom from bondage. Is it any wonder that The Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee signed on to be a Presenting Sponsor of a play about this story? This year, The Whipping Man has become one of the most produced plays in regional theaters across America and Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe’s (WBTT) production promises to be a big hit. Directing the play is Sarasota’s own Howard J. Millman. Since retiring as the Asolo’s Producing Artistic Director in 2005, Millman has continued to guest direct plays around the country and is very excited to be directing this play, his first for WBTT. "This wonderful play takes place on April 13, 1865,” explains Millman, “the day of Passover, and draws a dramatic parallel between the freeing of two slaves (who have been made Jewish by their Master) and the celebration of the freeing of the Jews from Pharaoh. It is a brilliant and powerful testament to the human spirit.” A stellar cast of highly-regarded

actors have been brought together for this production. Heading the ensemble cast as one of the slaves is Taurean Blacque, who will be familiar for his role as Det. Neal Washington on Hill Street

Blues, a role that earned him an Emmy nomination. Robert Douglas, who plays the other slave, is another talented actor, from Colorado. His career includes many stage and film credits. Playing the soldier/slave owner is another actor familiar to local audiences. Drew Foster began his stage career as a child actor on the Asolo Rep stage. He went on to study acting at Juilliard where he was the recipient of the John Houseman Award. He’s been busy ever since with many acting credits, including a Broadway tour of West Side Story. The Whipping Man was written by Matthew Lopez, who holds an under-

graduate degree in theater performance from the University of South Florida in Tampa. Lopez came to New York to be an actor (“I was not very good”) and decided to focus on another passion, writing. After seeing Glory, involving a regiment of black troops during the Civil War, he began to wonder how a person could be a slave for most of his life and suddenly be free. Parallels between Jews and AfricanAmericans came to Mr. Lopez, as he did research for his idea of a play set in the crucial month of April 1865, when the Civil War ended. While reading an autobiography of Frederick Douglass, he stumbled upon a casual reference to the fact that in 1865 the Passover observance began the day after Robert E.

Lee’s surrender at Appomattox. “It was this eureka moment,” Mr. Lopez said. “As these slaves were being freed in the American South, there was this ancient observance of the Exodus story.” The play had its first New York opening in 2011 as a Manhattan Theater Club production at City Center. Tickets to The Whipping Man can be purchased online at www.wbttsrq. org or by calling the box office at 941.366.1505 and are priced at $28.50. The play runs January 2 through February 2 with evening performances Tuesday through Saturday at 8:00 p.m. and Sunday matinees at 2:00 p.m. There are two Saturday matinees, January 25 and February 1.

omen gathered at the home of Anne Stein on October 31 to learn more about The Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee’s new initiative, the Women’s Giving Circle (Ma’agal Nashim). Anne’s son, Alexander, artfully carved a pumpkin with the Ma’agal Nashim logo. Ma’agal Nashim’s mission is to enhance the lives of women and children who are in need in Israel and around the world. Women are contributing funds and will have a voice in how the funds will be allocated. For more information, contact Ilene Fox at 941.343.2111 or ifox@jfedsrq.org.

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RSVP ONLINE @ WWW.JFEDSRQ.ORG/EVENTS.ASPX Holocaust Survivor, Rifka Glatz, will join us after the movie to share her story. 65 years later, Rifka Glatz can still see the guard towers at the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp, the barbed wire, the German shepherds awaiting commands. And she knows she would have died there were it not for one man: Rezso Kasztner.

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FEDERATION NEWS 5A January 2014

January 2014

Menorahs and music on the last night of Hanukkah! Established 1971

PUBLISHER The Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee Klingenstein Jewish Center 580 McIntosh Road Sarasota, FL 34232-1959 Phone: 941.371.4546 Fax: 941.378.2947 E-mail: jewishnews@jfedsrq.org Website: www.jfedsrq.org Published Monthly Volume 44, Number 1 January 2014 48 pages in two sections USPS Permit No. 167 February 2014 Issue Deadlines: Editorial: December 27, 2013 Advertising: January 2, 2014 PRESIDENT Nancy Swart EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Howard Tevlowitz ASSOCIATE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Marty Haberer COMMUNICATIONS CHAIR Linda Lipson MANAGING EDITOR Ted Epstein CREATIVE MANAGER Christopher Alexander ADVERTISING SALES Robin Leonardi PROOFREADERS Adeline Silverman, Stacey Edelman, Harold Samtur, Bryna Tevlowitz, Deb Bryan

Staff Report

enorahs are everywhere – on chocolate coin wrappers, official Israeli documents, and synagogue architecture, to name just a few. What makes the menorah such an omnipresent symbol of Judaism? The first menorah was built for the tabernacle in the desert, and is described in Exodus 37:17-18 and Numbers 8:1-2. A menorah was placed in the Temple in Jerusalem (I Kings 7 [First Temple] and Zechariah 4:2-4 [Second Temple]) and is depicted on the Arch of Titus being carried away by Roman soldiers. After the destruction of the Temple, the menorah figured prominently in Jewish art. It appeared in architecture as well as on artifacts. The endurance of the menorah as a symbol of the Jewish people even in the Diaspora demonstrates that Jews identified with the Temple in Jerusalem and all it represented – a direct connection to God, sovereignty in the Land of Israel, and Jerusalem as the spiritual and political center of the Jewish nation. In the late nineteenth century, the menorah became a symbol of the Zionist movement, and since 1948, has been the official emblem of the State of Israel. Since the destruction of the second temple in Jerusalem in 70 C.E., prayer

ORT volunteers organized the lighting of the 100 hanukkiot

has been our people’s primary means of communication with God. There has been a fixed order to our modern worship experience dating back to the sixth century, but according to Jewish teaching, knowing the fixed order and praying the standard words of worship is only part of the experience. Without the proper intention when praying, known as kavanah, one cannot have a transcendent moment, but rather, when we use our hearts in addition to our mouths, we are more likely to experience these unique and divine moments. A Hasidic teaching tells us that when we sing, it is as if we have prayed twice. Music often provides that sense

of kavanah, helping worshipers express feelings in their hearts that somehow cannot be expressed by the spoken word alone. Music enables people to feel part of a community by getting caught up, not only in the words of liturgy and songs, but in the mood, and in the spirit as well. On the last night of Hanukkah, The Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee and Kobernick House celebrated with residents, volunteers and guests by lighting almost 100 hanukkiot and singing Hanukkah and Israeli songs. This was a wonderful way to celebrate Jewish life with our Sarasota community. We all know that the things that we value are the things that are shared.

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MISSION STATEMENT: The Jewish News of Sarasota-Manatee strives to be the source of news and features of special interest to the Jewish community of Sarasota-Manatee, to provide a forum for the exchange of ideas and opinions in the Jewish community, and to communicate the mission, activities and achievements of the Federation and its Jewish community partners. OPINIONS printed in The Jewish News of Sarasota-Manatee do not necessarily reflect those of The Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee, its Board of Directors or staff. SUBMISSIONS to The Jewish News are subject to editing for space and content, and may be withheld from publication without prior notice. Approval of submissions for publication in either verbal or written form shall always be considered tentative, and does not imply a guarantee of any kind. Submissions must be sent electronically to jewishnews@jfedsrq.org. LETTERS to the editor should not exceed 300 words, must be typed, and include the writer’s name, mailing address and phone number. Letters can be submitted via snail mail or e-mail (jewishnews@jfedsrq.org). Not all letters will be published. Letters may be edited for length and content. ADVERTISING: Publisher reserves the right to refuse any advertisement and may require the words “Paid Advertisement” in any ad. Publication of advertisements does not constitute endorsement of products, services or ideas promoted therein. Member publication:

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FEDERATION NEWS

January 2014

Kristallnacht – 75 years later By Howard B. Fuchs, M.D.

n Sunday, November 10 at Temple Beth Sholom, I was honored to be invited to participate in an excellent program coordinated by Orna Nissan of The Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee to commemorate Kristallnacht, “The Night of Broken Glass.” Betty Silberman delivered a wonderful introduction and emceed the event. There were solemn yet artistic musical performances by Hazzan Jeff Weber, Dr. Howard Fuchs the Sarasota Jewish Chorale and Gloria Musicae. The guest speaker was Sigmund Tobias, a child survivor of Kristallnacht who later became a college professor. He gave a brilliant eyewitness account from a child’s view as well as a detailed historical prospective of the impact of Kristallnacht. The second speaker, Bishop Frank Dewayne, added some provocative pearls of wisdom and the closing bene-

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diction of the program. Kristallnacht took place over a 24hour period between November 9-10, 1938. On November 7, 1938, a Jewish teenager, Hershl Grynspan, who was studying in Paris, went to the German embassy to inquire about his missing parents. He subsequently wounded a Nazi secretary who died two days later. Minister Goebbels immediately announced a government-sanctioned reprisal against the Jews of Germany. Nazis and their collaborators murdered between 100-200 Jews and raped, tortured and imprisoned thousands of others. One-hundred-ninety-one synagogues were torched and destroyed. Jewish businesses, homes and schools were vandalized and looted. Until that vicious violence, anti-Semitism mostly consisted of increasingly repressive laws that deprived Jews of all their rights as citizens during Hitler’s time as Chancellor from 1933-1938. During the presentation, along with other professionals, Holocaust survi-

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vors, religious leaders and students, I was asked to read a few of these laws. Since I am a pediatrician and a son of two concentration camp survivors, mine in- Orna Nissan, Bishop Frank Dewayne, Betty Silberman, Sigmund Tobias cluded edicts against practicing medi- which ended with 6,000,000 deaths of cine and prohibiting Jewish children innocent men, women and children. from attending public schools. The othIt was important to me that this ers read other similar laws which even- event at the temple include students on tually made life intolerable for Jews in the podium and teenagers in the audiGermany. ence because genocide is something Because there was little world re- they should know must be prevented in sponse or outrage after Kristallnacht, their lifetimes. the Nazis interpreted this as a sign To learn more about the Federation’s that violence against Jews would not Generations After group and Holocaust be contested. Thus, this pogrom begat education programs, please contact the systematic persecution, torture and Orna Nissan at onissan@jfedsrq.org murder of Jews throughout Europe, or 941.552.6305.

Federation holds 2nd successful Jewish Business Networking Event By Robin Leonardi

hey came, they schmoozed! Back by popular demand, The Jewish Federation of SarasotaManatee held its second Jewish Business Networking Event on Thursday, November 14. Hosted by the Polo Grill and Bar in its newly revamped Tack Room, the night was attended by more Dr. Craig Hoffman, Rita Feder, Wendy Wicks than 50 local Jewish professionals, all of whom took advantage of the evening Polo Grill. Four lucky winners each won $50 gift cards to Main Street Graphics. to both socialize and network. Our next Jewish Business NetThe diverse group included many entrepreneurs, some new to the area working Event is scheduled for Monand some who have been active in our day, March 24 from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m., community for decades. New friends and will be hosted by The Savory Street and contacts were cultivated while oth- Cafe. For more information, contact er longstanding members of the Jewish Jennifer New at 941.552.6304 or jnew@ business community reconnected with jfedsrq.org. those they had not seen in quite some time. Harold Lasky of Preferred Realty was the winner of a free ad in The Jewish News and Ronnie Miller of Write it Out and Book Midwife won a $50 Pam Bernstein, Suzanne Crandall, Melissa Karp-Elsbree, Robyn & Neil Spirtas gift card to the

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FEDERATION NEWS 7A January 2014

Federation receives major award from JFNA Staff Report

he Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA) honored only six Jewish Federations in the United States and Canada with its 2013 “FEDovation Award.” The Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee was one of them. The award was given for its groundbreaking Heller Israel Advocacy Initiative. The award recognizes Federations that offer new and innovative programs that set an example for other Federations to follow. Howard Tevlowitz, Federation Executive Director, accepted the award with Marty Haberer, Federation Associate Executive Director, at JFNA’s General Assembly in Israel on November 11. Other communities honored were New York City, Los Angeles, Milwaukee, San Francisco and Washington, D.C. “We’re all deeply humbled by this award,” says Tevlowitz. “At the same time, we feel this is the sort of program the award is meant to encourage.” Tevlowitz notes that The Bob and Esther Heller Israel Advocacy Initiative was established in 2007 to serve as an advocate for peace and security in Israel through education, information and community awareness in the SarasotaManatee region. “Robert and Esther Heller saw a need in our community for pro-Israel advocacy and together we worked to fill that void,” says Tevlowitz. With the support of the Hellers, Federation was able to reach out to the regional Christian community and start a series of interfaith missions, programs and initiatives. In the past two years,

Federation has hosted two interfaith trips to Israel, an Israeli arts and cultural fair, and several other programs that have attracted over 10,000 people from the community. The organization also partnered with area non-profit groups, including Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, Mote Marine Laboratories, Sarasota Ballet and The Perlman Music Program/Suncoast to present programs that showcased aspects of modern Israeli life and culture. “Through these initiatives, we’re able to bring Israel to SarasotaManatee and to educate the community about Israel’s contributions to our world,” says Tevlowitz. Haberer adds that the selection pool was vast, the standards high and the competition fierce. Out of all the Jewish Federations of North America, only 28 offered the kind of innovative programs that met the criteria for the award. An online voting contest narrowed this sample down to six. The final decision was made in an online election. Five hundred votes were cast from JFNA representatives from the U.S. and Canada. According to Haberer, people were cheering when the news came out that The Jewish Federation of SarasotaManatee’s Heller Israel Advocacy Initiative was one of the six winners. “It’s like hearing your brothers and sisters from across the continent say, ‘We think you’re doing a good job. Keep it up.” For more information about the Heller IAI, please contact Jessi Sheslow at the Federation at 941.343.2109 or jsheslow@jfedsrq.org.

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We don’t necessarily have all the answers, but we have...

January 2014

Menschen of the Month: Howard and Naomi Adelman By Sarah Wertheimer

henever our Jewish Federation is in need of volunteers, the Adelmans are there! Not only do Howard and Naomi offer to help with almost every Federation event, they do it with great enthusiasm and humility. One of our most beloved biblical phrases is “Mah tovu o’halecha ya’akov mishkino techa yisroel,” which means, “How good are the tents of Jacob, the tabernacles of Israel…” What this means is that as Jews we attempt to be “a light upon the nations.” Certainly the Adelmans are a light onto us and an example for all of us – teaching how to give back to others, how to volunteer and how to love our neighbor as ourselves. Kim Mullins, Director of Operations at Federation, brags that “the Adelmans are wonderful volunteers! They always arrive with smiles on their faces, ready to greet Federation’s guests.”

Howard and Naomi Adelman

In addition to their incredible volunteerism with The Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee, Howard and Naomi are also very involved with many nonprofit organizations in our community. We couldn’t pick just one Mensch for January…these two are too great to separate! Thank you so much to Howard and Naomi Adelman for being the amazing Menschen that they are!

Sarasota Liberal Yeshiva WINTER SEmESTER 2014

“EAT”IOLOGY: THE JEWS’ RELATIONSHIP TO FOOD

Fridays, Starting January 3, 10:45 AM – 11:45 AM (Eight Weeks) This course will embody biblical and historical perspectives on eating, the mitzvot and minhagim (customs) associated with food, and the cultural development of differing cuisine for various occasions. It will also cover the many Jewish ethnic variations: Jewish-American; Israeli; Mediterranean (Moroccan, Italian, Sephardic); Eastern European (Russian, Polish, Italian) South American as well as oriental cuisine. (This is not a cooking course but a buffet of ethnic pride.)

WHERE IS THE JEWISH-AMERICAN COMMUNITY HEADED?

Mondays, Starting January 6, 4:15 PM – 5:15 PM (Eight Weeks) This course will review and analyze the current data on the ever-changing Jewish-American. It is a demographic and sociological study of contemporary Jewry with implications of the Pew Survey of Jewish Americans on the status of denominationalism, religion, group pride, affiliation and the future of American Jewry. What will be the impact of generational differences?

THE HISTORY OF ANTI-SEMITISM

Tuesdays, Starting January 7, 9:30 AM – 10:30 AM (Eight Weeks) From our beginning as an ancient people to the present day, anti-Semitism has been an issue that has devastated Jews wherever they sojourned. Why? How did it happen? In every age our people confronted it. We’ll study that history and how the Jew has survived in every era.

HOW JEWS MOURN: PSYCHOLOGY OF OUR PRACTICES

warmth

Tuesdays, Starting January 7, 10:45 AM – 11:45 AM (Eight Weeks) This survey course will begin with the various mourning practices emanating from the Bible and Talmud. We’ll study the history and evolution of changes in customs and practices to the present day: keriah, tahara, burial, funerals, cremation, Kaddish, shiva etiquette, shloshim, unveilings and Yizkor. Preparing for the end of life is a hesed, an act of righteousness.

Adult B’Nai Mitzvah Classes ✡ Letty Progrebin Lecture

Classes are held on the Campus of the Jewish Federation, 580 McIntosh Rd. in Sarasota. To register or seek more information, please contact Marden Paru, Dean and Rosh Yeshiva; at 941.379.5655 or marden.paru@gmail.com. Please make checks payable to the Sarasota Liberal Yeshiva and mail to Marden Paru, 2729 Goodwood Court, Sarasota, FL 34235.

sharing enthusiasm, friendship, and spirituality! the feeling you get at Kol HaNeshama...

Shabbat Services ✡ Lunch and Learn ✡ Book Club and so much more!

✡

We Welcome YOU to join us!

for more information visit our website www.congkh.org Congregation Kol HaNeshama ·

Sarasota’s Reconstructionist Congregation South Gate Community Center · 3145 Southgate Circle · Sarasota, FL · 941·244·2042

All courses are $50 – Registration Deadline: December 31, 2013

NOTICE OF NONDISCRIMINATORY POLICY AS TO STUDENTS: The Sarasota Liberal Yeshiva admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and other schooladministered programs. The Sarasota Liberal Yeshiva is a 501(c)3 non-profit agency. It is funded, in part, by a grant from The Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee.

FEDERATION NEWS

January 2014

The Pew Report: Judaism today, tomorrow and forever By Rabbi Howard A. Simon, co-Chair of The Robert and Esther Heller Israel Advocacy Initiative

want to take you back a number of the Pew Research Center released its suryears to the occasion of Time maga- vey of U.S. Jews, representing the most zine’s cover featuring in all caps comprehensive study of the American “GOD IS DEAD.” The lead article dealt Jewish population in a dozen years. with how many religions, including JuHere is the headline of The Interdaism, placed less of an emphasis on national Jerusalem Post, October 4-10, 2013: “Pew poll: 1 in 5 belief in God. In fact, for American Jews have no many people, “God didn’t religion.” Jews read these factor in their lives.” The Jewish world “shried words, shook their heads and, as usual, “shried gevalt” and predicted the demise of our faith. That gevalt.” Judaism is dead. We are through. Time magazine ended up in the garbage. Judaism Why did they say continued to thrive, to this? Because the report says American Jews are grow and to redefine itself intermarrying more and in a variety of ways. The joining Jewish instituState of Israel survived Rabbi Howard A. Simon war after war, grew, detions less. Only 28% of veloped, welcomed olim from around the Jews feel being a part of the Jewthe world and prospered in ways none ish community is important. Only 15% of those interviewed placed an emphaof its Middle Eastern neighbors did. I remind you of this because recently sis on religion as vital to their Judaism.

Jews read these statistics and said “we are finished, Judaism will never survive.” Before you get rid of your kippah and tallit, perhaps you should consider the following: 94% of all Jews are pleased to be Jewish. 69% of American Jewry feels attached to Israel. 44% of American Jews between the ages of 18 and 29 have been to Israel. These are vitally important statistics. Does the Jew of today think about his/her religion in the same way as his parents or grandparents? They do not. But that does not mean our faith will die out. Judaism is strong, vital and very much alive, but it is a changing Judaism. Because you were born Jewish doesn’t mean you will live a Jewish life. If that Jewish life is to be important, then we, the leadership of the Jewish community, must reach out to our brothers and sisters and bring them into our faith as we ask them to make us a part of their faith. That is why your Federation provides scholarships for our young to visit Israel and feel the vitality of Israel. That is why your Federation brings Israel to our community through

culture, movies, books, music, outstanding speakers and social events. When you think about Judaism, realize that we have existed for better than 4,000 years. In that time we have debated about who we are, experienced the Holocaust, argued about the definition of a Jew and of Judaism, reached out to one another to better understand ourselves, and turned our backs on each other because we disagreed with one another. Through it all, including this Pew report, we have survived, we have grown, we have rethought our beliefs, have rejected ways, adopted new ways and, most importantly, we have survived. Such has been true throughout our history, so stop “shrying gevalt,” for such will be true today, tomorrow and, God willing, forever. For more information about the Heller IAI, please visit www.sarasotaloves israel.com or contact Jessi Sheslow at 941.343.2109 or jsheslow@jfedsrq.org.

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IN MEMORY OF Lillian Goldstein Sylvia and Morton Barry John Greenspoon Naomi Roth and Herb Benatovich

BOB MALKIN YOUNG AMBASSADORS IN MEMORY OF June Mishkin Bryna and Howard Tevlowitz Rabbi Herbert Rose Bryna and Howard Tevlowitz

COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIP FUND IN HONOR OF Ron Yonover - Birthday Karen and Paul Morton IN MEMORY OF Zachary Abuza Margo and Jerry Lee

DORIS LOEVNER FUND IN MEMORY OF Jerry Roucher Claire M. Levin

ISRAEL PROGRAMS IN HONOR OF Ilene Fox Susan and Randy Mallitz Rabbi Howard Simon Dorith Hollander

IN MEMORY OF Jeffrey Levin The Mincer and Weinstein Families Jerry Roucher Gerri Aaron and Marvin Albert Alice Hart J. Mark Kincaid Roberta and Allan Lichtenstein Marla and Rabbi David Meyer Ann and Irving Schoenberg Ann Seidman and Family Nancy and Al Siwak and Family Beth and Jerry Stone Natalie and Arthur Sweet Andy and Steven Tick Sheila and Charles Weiss

SKIP (Send a Kid to Israel) IN HONOR OF Barbara Ackerman Rita Compain IN MEMORY OF Jerry Roucher Barbara and Gary Ackerman Sue and Alan Loring

MAZEL TOV Alvin Burack Barbara and Gary Ackerman Pam and Richard Hershorin – Marriage Andi and Bob Munzer Saranee and Cantor Neil Newman Granddaughter’s Bat Mitzvah Shelley and Sheldon Goldklang

NOTE: To be publicly acknowledged in The Jewish News, Honor Cards require a minimum $10 contribution per listing. You can send Honor Cards directly from www.jfedsrq.org. For more information, please call 941.552.6304.

FEDERATION NEWS 9A January 2014

January 2014

Holocaust survivor visits Ringling College By Sam Ness and Ariel Jacqueline Silverstein

n a recent Sarasota evening, Mr. Paul Molnar visited Mr. Marinovich’s Studies of the Holocaust class at Ringling College of Art and Design. His presentation was incredibly moving. The students listened attentively as Mr. Molnar brought to life what history books describe in numbers and statistics. His last sentence, “Do not be a bystander,” is one that will not be forgotten. Mr. Molnar then opened the floor for questions and answered each one with patience and thoughtfulness. He may have retired in 1990, but Mr. Molnar is busy traveling to schools and sharing his story. Paul Molnar was born in Hungary in 1929. As his story began, the small classroom at Ringling College was

Join us at

transported to a very different time. Mr. Molnar was ten years old when the Germans invaded Poland on September 1, 1939. He recalled the anti-Semitic laws that began to encroach on the lives of Hungarian Jews. These laws prevented Jews from entering universities, holding civil jobs, and even owning property, to name a few. In 1943, there were still Jews living in Hungary, and while they were aware of the war, they were not aware of the extent of the Nazi’s horror. That all changed Sunday afternoon, March 19, 1944, when the Germans came for Hungary. Mr. Molnar shared how his life changed drastically over the next two years. His father was drafted for the Hungarian Army. Young Mr. Molnar,

TEMPLE BETH SHOLOM

Sarasota-Manatee’s Conservative Synagogue

in january All Are Welcome! Come Join Us! ONGOING PROGRAMS

Wednesday, January 1, Temple Office Closed

Daily Morning Minyan Sunday-Friday, 8:00am

Thursday, January 2, 9, 16, 23, 30, 10:30am, Advanced Hebrew ReadingChug Ivri with Claire Fox in the Chapel

Minyan Breakfast Wednesdays, 9:00am

Thursday, January 2, 9, 16, 23, 30, 1:15pm, “The Making of the Modern Jew” with Marty Cohn

SHABBAT SERvIcES Fridays, 6:30pm Saturdays, 9:00am

Tuesday, January 7, 10:00am 2:00pm, Torah Fund Sisterhood Study Day and Luncheon honoring Ruth Ades – keynote speaker Rabbi Savenor (“High Nun: The First Biblical Cover-Up”)

Judaica Shop, Gail Jagoda Monday-Thursday, Wednesday, January 8, 1:15 pm, Interesting Lives, Lynda Felmar 10am-3pm Idelson Adult Library Monday-Thursday, 10am-3pm

Temple Beth Sholom

941.955.8121

Wednesday, January 15, 11:00 am, Hebrew Class with Joan Braude Friday, January 10, 5:45pm, Congregational Shabbat Dinner Catered by Michael’s On East; Service will begin at 7:00pm

Wednesday, January 15, 1:15pm, Idelson Library Film Matinee Series: “Dressing America: Tales from the Garment Center”

Sunday, January 19, 5:00 - 8:00pm, Men’s Club Square Dance & Dinner catered by Michael’s On East Thursday, January 23, 10:00am, Knitting Mitzvah Group in the Social Hall

Home of Temple Friday, January 24, 6:30pm, TBS Live Beth Sholom Schools: • The Martin and Mildred Paver Religious School – 941.552.2780 • Justin L. Wiesner Pre School – 941.954.2027 • Goldie Feldman Academy Grades K-8 – 941.552.2770

He was later transferred to a new location where prisoners looked after the children in his barracks. Twice a week, these prisoners would illegally visit the kids and teach them songs and stories. Mr. Molnar remembers these nameless teachers pointing to the birds outside and saying, “Like the birds, you’re going to fly out of here to where life is better.” The end of the year brought additional fear as the Germans grew desperate and began destroying evidence of their crimes. The children were sent to a camp in East Germany. It is there that Mr. Molnar saw American soldiers being held as prisoners of war in the concentration camp. Mr. Molnar’s job in the kitchens – starving yet peeling potatoes that he was forbidden to eat – was interrupted when his camp was told to evacuate. And they set off on a march. After marching for days and one failed attempt to escape to freedom, Mr. Molnar and his Ukrainian friend finally escaped and found refuge with a Czechoslovakian woman, Hanna. In May 1945, they were free and the Germans were gone. Mr. Molnar returned to a broken home, but was reunited with his father. His journey then led him to Detroit, Michigan, where he studied at Wayne University, fell in love, and began his own family. Today, his family continues to grow and he has even reconnected with some family still in Hungary. “I have nineteen in my family. I beat this, guys.” As Mr. Molnar continues to share his story with students, he continues to win. Mr. Molnar is part of The Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee’s Holocaust Speakers Bureau. For more information about Holocaust Education or to obtain a Holocaust speaker, please contact Orna Nissan at onissan@jfedsrq.org or 941.552.6305.

Saturday, January 11, Bar Mitzvah, Brandon Schwartz

info@templebethsholomfl.org Saturday, January 18, Bar Mitzvah, www.templebethsholomfl.org Eli Koplin

1050 S. Tuttle Ave. Sarasota, FL 34237

the women, the elderly and other children were relocated to a “special area” where they shared a small apartment with two other families. They were further separated from their previous lives by a strict curfew and yellow stars sewn into their clothing. But as Mr. Molnar said, the Jews of Hungary thought the war would end soon and that Germany would “collapse any day.” But it continued, and life for Hungarian Jews grew steadily worse. Mr. Molnar described how the Germans forced fifteen thousand Jews into cattle cars on a three-day nonstop journey without food, water or room to move a muscle. He remembered how their horrifying trip finally stopped only to have their meager belongings thrown in a ditch, and then he was further separated from his family. Shuffling into Auschwitz-Birkenau, he asked what the smoking chimneys were for during the heat of the summer. He didn’t believe the answer when he received it. He was fourteen years old. As Mr. Molnar continued his story, he described his first of many nutritionless meals; this first meal he passed up and gave to a starving prisoner watching nearby. He spent one day and one night at Auschwitz before he was forced onto another cattle car. This time he was sent to Buchenwald to be registered as Prisoner 66777 and assigned work as a slave laborer. Snatches of newspapers informed young Mr. Molnar and his fellows that the Americans had landed in Normandy. Again, they mistakenly thought the war would end soon. After accidentally dropping and splitting a bag of cement, Mr. Molnar was brutally beaten by the guards. When he stood up, as a sign that he was not cowed, they set a dog on him that destroyed his leg. Unable to work, Mr. Molnar was in fear for his life. With the help of his cousin in the barracks, he was able to survive.

Saturday, January 25, Sisterhood Shabbat Sunday, January 26, 10:00am, Congregational Meeting in the Sanctuary Wednesday January 29, 1:15pm, Book Review Band/Desenberg Chapel. Light refreshments served. “Rescued from the Reich: How One of Hitler’s Soldiers Saved the Lubavitcher Rebbe,” by Bryan Mark Rigg Friday, January 31, 5:30pm, Tot Shabbat in the Chapel

Paul Molnar with Ringling students; Sam Ness is the first person on the right in the back row; Ariel Jacqueline Silverstein is the third person from the right in the back row.

10A

FEDERATION NEWS

January 2014

Learning and living in the Land of Milk and Honey By Jackson Cacioppo

ast summer, I attended BBYO’s International Leadership Seminar in Israel. ILSI is BBYO’s capstone leadership education program and ILSI alumni consistently take large leadership roles after the trip. I, for example, am now serving as BBYO Regional President for North Florida. At ILSI we learned invaluable leadership skills and how they apply to all kinds of situations in our lives. We learned a brief history of the Jewish people and focused on important events related to the places we visited. Teen-led services and visits to some of Judaism’s most uniquely religious sites helped us explore our Jewish identities. We even found time to relax and have fun in some of the most beautiful tourist spots in Israel. The three weeks I spent on ILSI were non-stop and packed with a wide variety of experiences, and each contributed to the experience in its own way. For example, one night in Arad, we had an early lights-out in preparation for the longest day of the trip. We left the hotel at 3:00 a.m. and hiked up

Masada. On the top of Masada we relaxed, watched the sun rise, and joined another BBYO group from the UK for shacharit, a morning service. We learned the story of Masada and how the Jews preferred suicide over surrender to the Roman conquerors. Our visit to Masada exemplified that connection that Israel allows us to have to our Jewish heritage. That afternoon, we went to the Dead Sea, which was especially interesting because it was completely different from any body of water I’ve ever experienced. I already knew that it was easy to float in the Dead Sea but, like many others, I was surprised at how buoyant I was. It was a really fun afternoon. We then traveled north to Tsfat – one of Israel’s four holy cities – and it definitely lived up to its reputation. Tsfat is known for mysticism and the study of Kabbalah. We got to experience that on ILSI in two ways. First, we went to the art gallery of an AmericanIsraeli named Avraham Lowenthal. He told us about the principles of Kabbalah

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and showed us his Kabbalistic artwork. Then, we broke up into small groups and took a short tour of Tsfat. Later on, we celebrated Shabbat in a synagogue in Tsfat and it was one of the most

Mihail Stoichev from Bulgaria and Jackson Cacioppo from Sarasota at Kibbutz Almog near Jerusalem

spiritual experiences of the trip. Throughout the trip, we saw so many memorable sights and participated in so many unique experiences that it would be impossible to elaborate on all of them. Some other things we did include praying at the Kotel on Shabbat, visiting the Technion – Israel’s leading technical university – eating and sleep-

ing for a night in a Bedouin tent, seeing Israel’s borders with Syria and Lebanon, rafting the Jordan River, and picking beets for impoverished Israelis. One of the most unique parts of ILSI was the participants. The teens on the program came from four countries: the U.S., Canada, Bulgaria and Ukraine. Meeting people from other countries gave me a different perspective on the whole experience. Overall, ILSI was one of the most impactful experiences I’ve ever had. The places we visited and the things we did contributed perfectly to my understanding of my Jewish life as a teen and as a leader. I wouldn’t trade the three weeks of ILSI for anything and I’m so happy that the donors of The Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee provided me that opportunity through S.K.I.P. For more information about S.K.I.P. and other scholarships for travel to Israel, contact Amber Ikeman at 941.343.2106 or aikeman@jfedsrq.org.

A life-changing moment that parents hope for By Deb Bryan

ometimes we parents can get to leave – all of it came together on that early morning this past June as we really lucky. I have two children, Dylan and waved goodbye and hoped for the best Madison. Both attended religious experience possible for Madison. Little school and eventually had their bar did my husband and I know then how and bat mitzvahs. But afterwards, as pivotal a moment in time this would be sometimes is the case, they decided that for our Young Ambassador. Perhaps, here is the paragraph in their formal Jewish education would end. They didn’t want to participate in this piece of writing where I would confirmation classes or temple youth give you, the reader, a rundown of all groups, and knowing what can happen the sights and sounds that a Young Amwhen you force teenagers to do things bassador becomes immersed in while on this intriguing explorathey absolutely do tion of their Jewish roots. not want to do (I However, that would be teach high school a bit redundant; after all, students and know you can find all of that inthis all too well), formation at www.jfedsrq. my husband and I org/ya.aspx or by stophesitantly decided ping by the Federation ofto let them make fice and talking to Amber their own decisions Ikeman. What I can do is about continuing briefly tell you about the their Jewish educalife-changing moment that tion. All along, we my husband and I, as parsecretly hoped for a Madison Bryan, 2013 Young Ambassador, in Israel ents, were hoping for. miracle. We didn’t It was that night in the desert when want our kids to “quit” and miss out, yet the silence of her surroundings spoke to we knew better than to force the issue. But sometimes things in life have a Madison louder than any textbook ever could. As she would later write, it was way of working out. Dylan has since joined the Marines when she was in the desert that “I reand his letters from boot camp are filled alized I was meant to go on this trip. I with renewed expressions of belief. As also knew that I had to come back here for Madison, it was her participation in again. I knew because for the first time The Jewish Federation of Sarasota- in my life, I finally felt a sense of spiriManatee’s Bob Malkin Young Ambas- tual belonging.” Sometimes we parents can get sadors Teen Leadership Program and going on a two-week mission to Israel really lucky, and those miracles we hope for really can happen. that brought her back into the fold. Becoming a Young Ambassador has For more information about the Bob reinforced Madison’s beliefs and com- Malkin Young Ambassadors Teen Leadmitment about what it means to be Jew- ership Program, contact Amber Ikeman ish. From the months of preparation on at 941.343.2106 or aikeman@jfedsrq. Sunday mornings at the Federation to org. the planning and shopping to get ready

The Jewish News is a monthly nonprofit newspaper supported by generous readers, committed advertisers and The Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee.

COMMUNITY FOCUS 11A January 2014

January 2014

11A

Acclaimed author and journalist, Emmy recipient and social activist to speak at Cong. Kol HaNeshama By Sandy Chase

ongregation Kol HaNeshama welcomes you to the Southgate Community Center at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, January 9, to join Letty Cottin Pogrebin as she explores the topic of being Jewish and Female in America, the theme of one of her memoirs, Deborah, Golda, and Me. She’ll be talking about reconciling her feminist head with her Jewish heart, after which she’ll be signing copies of this thoughtprovoking memoir. Letty will also be signing her 10th book, How To Be a Friend to a Friend Who’s Sick. Letty’s recent bout with breast cancer, and the diverse reactions of her friends and family to her illness, inspired her to interview other women who were also going through radiation treatment at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. The resulting book is a compendium of practical guidance and usable wisdom. I was fortunate to spend some time with Letty, who according to a friend, “...can bang out a magazine column, babysit for a grandchild, speak at a rally, and set a gorgeous table for her Palestinian-Jewish women’s group meeting – all the same day.” You have been called a feminist pioneer for our time. How do you live up to the title?

I don’t pay attention to labels. I ordination of women rabbis and cantors, sphere, and if we value democracy and just keep trying to advance the feminist the struggle of women to be counted in human rights, we ought to be consistent agenda, which is to protect and advance the minyan, to have their Bat Mitzvah about protecting both the personal and the rights and dignity of half the human ceremonies on Shabbat morning – not political expressions of those values. the “ghetto” of Friday nights – to be When you make the mental and emorace. What similarities exist between called to the Torah for aliyot, to wear tional connection between all forms of biblical women and Jewish femi- tallitot, and all the other milestones won oppression – sexism, anti-Semitism, by Jewish feminists intent on creating a racism, homophobia, Islamophobia – nists? The most notable similarity is our more inclusive Judaism in which wom- you realize how important it is to challenge social hierarchies and to humanize willingness to rebel, to be nonconform- en count as Jews as much as men do. With the strides Jewish the other. ists, to disobey the I read that you still feel 36. Did women have made in being inrules. Our Jewcluded in formerly male reli- you choose that age because of the ish foremothers gious practices, do you believe Jewish significance of the number as – Sarah, Rebecca, that Jewish feminism has be- double-chai? Leah, Rachel and I’ve always felt 36 because I felt come passé? Miriam – were all That’s like saying is fair- older than my years when I was young disobedient womness passé. We still have miles and now I feel younger than my years. en. They followed to go before we achieve equal- The Jewish significance of the number their understandity in Jewish communal life, in (double-chai and Lamed Vavniks) didn’t ing of G-d’s plan valuing women’s contribution figure into my gut feeling but I certainly for the Jewish Letty Cottin Pogrebin to Jewish scholarship and, of think it’s no accident. people rather than For more information about this course, in Author advancingand women’s role in play the conventional subservient fe-Renowned Journalist event, please see the ad on page 3B. Judaism. male role. There would have been no OrthodoxEmmy Recipient and Social Activist You have said that feminism Sandy Chase is president of WordMasMoses without Miriam, who violated ters, a writing-editing company, which working for dignity,OGREBIN the Pharaoh’s decree and put the baby means you’re ETTY OTTIN freedom and equality of women. Is creates powerful business images, comin the basket to save his life. speak involved at Congregation pelling communications, and successful in many Kol so- HaNeshama Tell us about your reentry into Ju- that whytoyou’re fiction and nonfiction (www.theword daism after you were excluded from cial justice causes? Southgate Community Center the shiva minyan for yourJANUARY mother? 9th, 7:00 Yes. I PM think· power relations in one’s master.net). Look for Sandy’s novel, The 3145 Southgate Circle · Sarasota personal life (wife/husband, child/par- Resolutionary War, on Amazon.com What has that journey been like? ent, worker/boss, for example) mirror and other online booksellers or directly It’s been a very gratifying $10 journey for non-members of KH · Reservations Required that began in the early 1970s with Buffet the power Dessert followingrelations Lecture in the larger public at theresolutionarywar@gmail.com.

Being Jewish

&Female

in America

Seating is limited for this Outstanding One Time Special Event.

12A

COMMUNITY FOCUS

January 2014

Jewish Museum of Florida-FIU seeks 2014 Breaking the Glass Ceiling Award nominations

he Jewish Museum of FloridaFIU, the only museum dedicated to telling the story of 250 years of Florida Jewish heritage, arts and culture, is proud to announce its search for nominations for its Breaking the Glass Ceiling Awards. This annual award is presented to women who have broken the proverbial glass ceiling in professional fields that are normally dominated by men. Nominees are also judged based upon activities in the Jewish and civic communities and serving as role models for other women. The deadline for nominations is Friday, January 17. “While there have been outstanding strides made by Jewish professional women throughout the state, it is important that we continue to recognize these women as an inspiration to others to aim for the stars,” said Jo Ann Arnowitz, director of the Jewish Museum of Florida-FIU. “We encourage the Florida community to nominate women who

2013-14

GOLDEN GATE $500,000+ Anonymous Beatrice Friedman Esther and Robert Heller Gertrude Jais* Jerry Lavin* Beatrice and Arthur* Michaels Robert Michelson* Sally and Sam Shapiro Sylvia G. and Robert M. Zell*

ZION GATE $250,000-499,999 Sylvia and Joseph Bloom* Sylvia and Gershom Cohn* Lois and Willard Cohodas Helen and Len Glaser Rita and Herbert Gold* Edna Rogers* & Jonas Kamlet* Lawrence S. Klotz* Hope Leuchter Daniel Logan* Olga O. Schwartz* Susan Shimelman Marvin Wolf

JAFFA GATE $100,000-249,999 Anonymous Marcia Abel Barbara Ackerman Rebecca and Richard Bergman Mandell (Bill) Berman Barbara and Donald Bernstein Jacob Carmen* Edie Chaifetz Ellen and Joel Fedder Jacqueline Siegel Frascella Joshua Green Julie Green Sylvia and Daniel Hamberg Sandra & Lewis Hanan Kates Foundation Renee Irene Katz* Alisa and Ernest Kretzmer Josh Leuchter Audrey Lucow Marjorie E. Meyers* Frank Paul* Flori Roberts Betty and Bert Rosen Irene and Martin Ross

they feel are worthy of this honor. Each year, we receive a fascinating assortment of nominations of women from all over the state in diverse professions, from fire fighters to forensic artists.” The Breaking the Glass Ceiling Award was established by the museum in 1995. To date, more than 75 outstanding winners have been honored with this distinction, from a wide variety of fields such as medicine, banking, accounting, academia, politics, law, aviation, journalism, sports and entertainment. The 2014 Breaking the Glass Awards ceremony will take place at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, March 30, featuring the honorees discussing the obstacles they faced and how they broke through the glass ceiling. “The event is always an uplifting experience,” said Tamra Sheffman, who has been chair of the committee almost since its inception. “We especially encourage students to attend this program, We would like to recognize and thank those who have made the most personal and thoughtful gift of all: a commitment to The Jewish Federation through a will, trust agreement, prepaid life insurance policy or other estate planning vehicle. Paulette and Martin Samowitz Barbara Saphier Betty and Herbert* Schiff Betty Schoenbaum Claire Sischy Lois and David* Stulberg Naomi and Bruce Wertheimer Geri and Ronald Yonover

LION’S GATE $10,000-99,999

Herbert Angel* Sidney Bernstein* Ruth Bregman* Patricia E. Burnes* Karl Ebner* Seymore Fenichel* Martha and Joseph Forman* Gitta Frankl* Leda Freedman* Roz Goldberg Grace and Sam Gorlitz Ruth and David Gorton Sheila and Erwin Horwitz Ruth and Jerome Kapner* Robert Kaufman* Elizabeth and William Karbell Litt* Herbert Karol* Raena Korenman David Leavitt* Claire M. Levin Edith Becker Lilienfeld* Sandra and Neil Malamud Mehler-Lublin Family Suzanne and David* Lutkoff Harvey Mendelow* Gladys Mittleman* Majorie and Nelson Newmark* Molly Nierenberg* Ethyl C. Ornstein* Marguerite and Joseph Persky* Ernest Rice* Susan Rosin Marjorie* and Earl Sharff Golda Sands Sharon* Rose and Rabbi Albert Shulman* Sondra and Judge Marvin Silverman* Ned F. Sinder* Helen A. Sobin* Salli Struble* Thea Becker* Trust Gertrude Willens*

The Legacy Society includes Bequests, PACE/LOJE Funds, Scholarship Funds, and Restricted Funds. Please contact Martin Haberer at 941.552.6303 if you have made a bequest in your will, insurance policy, or retirement fund OR if we happened to have missed you. *Deceased The Klingenstein Jewish Center, 580 McIntosh Rd., Sarasota FL 34232

941.371.4546 TheJewishFederation.org

as it is such an inspiration to hear these women’s personal stories of their often rocky paths to success.” To submit a nominee for the award, please visit www.jewishmuseum.com and download the nomination guidelines and application form, or contact Membership Director Nancy Cohen at 786.972.3164 or membership@jewishmuseum.com. About the museum: The Jewish Museum of Florida-FIU is the only museum dedicated to telling the story of 250 years of Florida Jewish heritage, arts and culture. The museum is housed in two adjacent lovingly restored historic buildings, at 301 Washington Avenue on South Beach, that were once synagogues for Miami Beach’s first Jew-

ish congregation. The museum’s focal point is its core exhibit, MOSAIC: Jewish Life in Florida, 1763 to Present, and its temporary history and art exhibits that change periodically. Now on display: Growers, Grocers & Gefilte Fish: A Gastronomic Look at Florida Jews & Food through October 5, 2014, and Graphic Details: Confessional Comics by Jewish Women through February 16, 2014. A Collections and Research Center, several films, Timeline Wall of Jewish History, museum store and Bessie’s Bistro complete the experience for visitors of all ages and backgrounds. The museum is accredited by the American Alliance of Museums. For more information, call 305.672.5044 or visit www.jewishmuseum.com.

JFCS to offer doula volunteer training

By Beverly Mishkin, Director of Jewish Programs, JFCS

ewish Family & Children’s Service’s Jewish Healing Program, funded in part by The Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee, will be offering a training session for individuals interested in serving as doula volunteers. Doula services offer specially trained volunteers to accompany individuals and their families during times of life-altering illness, advanced aging, or the end of their life cycle. Many individuals living in our community often have limited support from family and friends and don’t know where to turn. JFCS is looking to enroll an additional 10-12 doula volunteers and is hosting a seven-week intensive and interactive training session. The training is free and available to volunteers whose qualifications include:

Sponsored by

An open heart, compassion and empathy for others Willingness and availability to make a commitment to a care recipient Participation in the seven-week training Ongoing training, support and supervision will be provided by JFCS Jewish Healing Program staff. You don’t need to be a medical professional. Doulas provide emotional, spiritual and social support, comfort and companionship, and links to community resources. To learn more or to register for the training, please contact me at 941.366.2224 x119 or bmishkin@ JFCS-Cares.org.

JEWS IN THE MILITARY

Our Service To The Nation SUNDAY, JANUARY 19 @ 10:30AM Polo Grill, 10670 Boardwalk Loop, Lakewood Ranch Presented in partnership with The Jewish Club at Lakewood Ranch

Only $5 • No Refunds FEATURING

Colonel Bob Taradash Colonel Taradash has held a wide variety of command leadership positions and led soldiers in combat as a platoon leader, battalion commander and brigade commander.

QUESTIONS?

Contact Len Steinberg @ 941.552.6301 or lsteinberg@jfedsrq.org

COMMUNITY FOCUS 13A January 2014

January 2014

13A Sponsored by

Fourth Annual Ringling College Hillel Judaic Art Competition to take place in January

ingling College Hillel, in conjunction with the Ringling College of Art and Design, is pleased to announce the Fourth Annual Ringling College Hillel Judaic Art Competition. The theme of the competition will be “The Book of Leviticus” which represents the continuation of the competition’s work through the Five Books of Moses. The competition will be judged by Ringling College faculty members. All full-time Ringling College students are invited to participate and will have the opportunity to utilize any art

medium taught at Ringling College. Following a private awards ceremony and reception, the exhibition will be open to the public daily from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., from Friday, January 24 to Sunday, January 26 in the Diane Roskamp Exhibition Hall in the Ulla Searing Student Center on the Ringling College of Art and Design campus, 2700 N. Tamiami Trail in Sarasota. Student scholarships, ranging from $1,800 to $500, will be awarded for first, second and third place. Competition entries will be available for sale to

the public during the exhibition period. Last year’s competition was very successful and featured original works of art by 17 Ringling College students. To view the artwork and artists’ statements about their work from the program, please visit www.ringlinghillel. org The Ringling College Hillel Judaic Art Scholarship Competition is made possible through the generosity of the Maurice A. & Thelma P. Rothman Family Foundation. Hillels of the Florida Suncoast sup-

ports Jewish life on six college campuses along the Suncoast of Florida, including University of South Florida (Tampa and St. Petersburg), University of Tampa, Eckerd College, New College of Florida, and Ringling College of Art and Design. Ringling College Hillel is a beneficiary agency of The Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee. For more information, contact Linda Wolf, Assistant Director for Hillels of the Florida Suncoast, at 813.899.2788 or shalom@suncoasthillels.org, or visit www.suncoasthillels.org.

Sarasota Jewish Food Festival returns

he 6th Annual Sarasota Jewish Food Festival at Temple Sinai will take place on Sunday, January 12 from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Start with bagels and a schmear, and move right into all the traditional comfort foods like brisket, corned beef and cabbage rolls. Or maybe blintzes, knishes or matzoh ball soup would entice you? Come and experience a blast from your past or some new taste treats. A large selection of delectable baked goods will be available. Admission is free and this event takes place rain or shine. You may eat in, or takeaway is a popular option. New this year is a partnership with All Faiths Food Bank, and guests are

encouraged to bring a canned good or non-perishable donation. The need is great in this community and the food bank works tirelessly to help meet it. Temple Sinai will be donating a portion of the day’s proceeds as well. This year’s event is sponsored in part by The Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee, Right at Home, Graphic Jam and Furniture Warehouse at the Gold level. Silver level supporters are Autumn of Sarasota and Rudd International. Media partners are SRQ Media and WSRQ talk radio, which will be doing an on-site live broadcast. The day includes a Health Fair with displays from numerous health-related

companies as well as a used book sale, and many craft and art vendors. Temple Sinai is located at 4631 S. Lockwood Ridge Road, Sarasota. Enter off Proctor Road between Swift and

Sponsored by

Beneva. For more information, please call 941.924.1802 or visit www.jewish foodsarasota.com.

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Upcoming lectures All lectures at 5:30 p.m. Mildred Sainer Pavilion, 5313 Bay Shore Road

“Lessons learned from Rock-n-Roll” with Tony Michaelides, Music Executive

January 21, 2014

“Economic Outlook"

with Eric Rosengren, President and CEO of Federal Reserve Bank of Boston

February 6, 2014

tickets $20: donate.ncf.edu/events, (941) 487-4888

“Our Bodies, Ourselves: Four and a Half Decades of Advancing Women’s Health and Human Rights” with Judy Norsigian, Women's Healthcare Expert

February 25, 2014

“Contemporary Afghanistan”

with David Staats, former U.S. Consul in Peshawar, Pakistan

March 19, 2014

14A

COMMUNITY FOCUS

January 2014

Where is Jewish America headed? By Marden Paru, Dean, Sarasota Liberal Yeshiva

verywhere I go these days it seems that the conversation quickly turns to the question: Where is Jewish America headed? In classes, temple, havurot and living rooms or when dining out, our friends want to prognosticate the Jewish future. Why are we even chatting about this? Why do we seem to be so engaged? By now you have heard the headlines or read the results of the Pew Survey on Jewish Americans just released this fall. The Anglo-Jewish press has been saturated with analyses about the “Pews Jews” raising many serious points of contention in just about every sector of the American Jewish Community. What does it mean to be Jewish? Can one be Jewish and not follow the religion of Judaism? Why aren’t the young joining our Jewish institutions? What is the impact of the high rate of intermarriage? Are we doomed? Some of the actual findings are rather remarkable. Not all is bad. Look magazine printed an article in 1964 called “The Vanishing American Jew,” predicting that by the year 2000 there would be no Jews left in the U.S. (It was actually Look magazine that disappeared.) According to the Pew Survey we are 6.8 million strong, a far cry from becoming an extinct community. Yes, a few kosher delis, bakeries and butcher

Sponsored by

shops vanished, but that has more to do with the economy and the commercialization of the Jewish food industry than with a declining population. The level of ritual practice has certainly gone down, which to a small degree may have contributed to the demise of around-the-corner neighborhood kosher food concessions, but it doesn’t account for the seemingly wholesale disaffection of many from organized Jewish community life. The Sarasota Liberal Yeshiva will present an eight-week course and open dialogue on “Where is the Jewish-American Community Headed?“ starting Monday, January 6 (4:15 to 5:15 p.m.) on the campus of The Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee. This course will review and analyze the current data on the ever-changing Jewish-American community. It is a demographic and sociological study of contemporary Jewry with implications of the Pew Survey of Jewish Americans on the status of affiliation, denominationalism, religion, group pride, and the future of American Jewish institutions. For further information, please contact me at marden.paru@gmail.com or 941.379.5655.

Anchin Pavilion opens multisensory room

Sponsored by

By Carlene Cobb

he grand opening of the multisensory room on November 18 was a successful introduction of an innovative therapy now being offered in Anchin Pavilion, on the Kobernick-Anchin-Benderson campus. Multisensory therapy is a visual, tactile, auditory, vestibular and fragrant feast. It adds another layer of personcentered care for residents with dementia, Alzheimer’s disease and other cognitive challenges. Adding the multisensory room achieves a goal for CEO Darlene Arbeit. “We like to be leaders in providing innovative therapies for our residents,” Arbeit says. “Multisensory therapy will be available for everyone across the

Judith Yaeger, RN and resident Carolyn Fraiden enjoy tactile and visual stimulation in the Multisensory Room in Anchin Pavilion (photo by Carlene Cobb)

urns Ret

campus – and to the public for outpatient therapy by appointment.” Studies indicate that multisensory therapy can enhance mood, calm agitation, reduce challenging behaviors, improve sleep patterns and promote a sense of well-being. A therapist assesses each person and develops a custom sensory diet. For example, the color red may be included to stimulate a person’s appetite. Specific aromatherapy fragrances are chosen for each person to address therapeutic needs. The Sky Chair provides vestibular input, which stimulates muscle tone, brain activity, balance, postural control and more. Elyse Gordon, Speech Therapist and Program Director of Rehab Care, says, “We have seen beneficial results and will continue collecting data to measure outcomes. I am not aware of any facility in the area that has a multisensory room with the scope of therapies this one offers.” Kobernick-Anchin-Benderson’s multisensory room was made possible in part by generous grants from the Verna L. Grauel Fund, The Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee, Jill and Scott Levine, and The Gettinger Family Foundation. To learn more or schedule a tour, please call 941.225.8369.

New Year - New Friends at Kobernick House

Kobernick House residents Len Gumley and Frances Robinson

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New Year Special

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To learn more or take a tour, call Esther: 941-225-8369.

SPECIAL THANKS TO PRITCHARDS PIANOS

Keyboard Conversations®

WITH JEFFREY SIEGEL TUESDAY, JAN. 21, 2014: BACH AND THE ROMANTICS The exhilarating Chromatic Fantasy of Bach followed by works of later composers inspired by him - Mendelssohn, Chopin, Rachmaninoff, and Mozart. TUESDAY, APR. 1, 2014: MISTRESSES AND MASTERPIECES Works of passion, love, and longing inspired by “significant others” in the lives of Brahms, Schumann, Chopin, and Liszt. ALL PERFORMANCES BEGIN AT 8:00 PM.

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Please visit www.jfedsrq.org/keyboard.aspx or call Jennifer New at 941.552.6304 to purchase tickets.

kobernickanchin.org | 1951 North Honore Avenue | Sarasota, FL 34235 Sponsored by Sarasota-Manatee Jewish Housing Council, Inc., Kobernick-Anchin-Benderson operates on a non-discriminatory basis for admissions, services and employment. Assisted Living Facility # 8951 • Skilled Nursing Facility # 130471046

Klingenstein Jewish Center 580 McIntosh Road, Sarasota, FL 34232

www.TheJewishFederation.org

COMMUNITY FOCUS 15A January 2014

January 2014

15A

JFCS seeking volunteer Busy season ahead for mentors for school programs Sarasota Jewish Chorale By Jamie M. Smith, Director of Marketing, JFCS

By Arlene Stolnitz

anuary is National Mentoring and school stressors, allowing them to Month and Jewish Family & Chil- enhance their self-esteem, communicadren’s Service is proud to rec- tion skills, social skills, and the ability ognize the more than 25 volunteer to effectively manage and express emomentors dedicated to our school-based tions. Safe Alternative to Out-of-School SusJFCS staff matches mentors with pension program. Offered at five lo- at-risk youth referred to the program by cal schools including Booker Middle, school administrators. Once matched, Heron Creek Middle, Lincoln Middle, mentors and students meet at the school McIntosh Middle and Emma Booker once a week. Sessions include talking, Elementary, the program provides guid- playing games and, most importantly, ance and counseling to students who are one-on-one time with a compassionate experiencing problems that may caring volunteer adult interfere with their academic and role model who is dedisocial success. cated to helping a child Mentoring these children is find his or her way. “rewarding,” “fun,” “challengJFCS would like ing,” and “feels good,” reports to take this opportunity Volunteer Chair Nina Gitomer. to thank our volunteer Nina has been a mentor for three mentors, and encouryears and recently took on the age individuals to learn Nina Gitomer role as volunteer chair, noting more about this prothat she is inspired by the dedicated gram and how they can provide support volunteers and school staff who work to at-risk youth in our community. so hard and know that it takes working For more information on the Safe together to positively impact the lives Alternative to Out-of-School Suspenof the students. sion program, please contact MisBeing a mentor does not require sy Trzeciak, Director of Child and a big commitment of time – only one Adolescent Services, at 941.366.2224 hour a week – and offers volunteers a x124 or mtrzeciak@JFCS-Cares.org. To huge reward…the opportunity to make volunteer as a mentor, please contact a difference in the life of a child! Chil- Tara Booker at 941.366.2224 x143 or dren assigned to a trained adult men- tbooker@JFCS-Cares.org. tor volunteer learn to cope with family

ith one successful cantata behind them, and inspiration for another perking, singers Brenda Lederman and Rivka Chatman of the Sarasota Jewish Chorale have authored a new script, Hear Our Voice, which will premier in the fall of 2014. The narrative is a continuation of their earlier Esther’s Story, which tells the

Brenda Lederman and Rivka Chatman

tale of a young couple who emigrate to America before the onset of WWII. In Hear Our Voice, the couple’s young child, David, growing up in this country, asks many questions about his heritage, such as: Where did our ances-

tors come from? Incorporated into the storyline are songs, both new and old, which embellish the script. Included in the selection are songs such as Adijo Kerida (Spain), Zog Morran (Morranos), Chey Artsenu ( Africa), Mein Shtetele Belz (Ukraine), L’Chi Lach (Israel), Zol Shoyn Kumen Di Geulah (Poland), Mein Yiddishe Mama (Europe) and many other crowd pleasers. Chorale members are already working on the selections in anticipation of a stellar performance next season. Currently, the Chorale is committed to a full season including April gigs with Voices of the Holocaust with Gloria Musicae, and Ernest Bloch’s Sacred Service under the baton of Matthew Lazar of Zamir fame. For further information, call Susan Skovronek 941.355.8011 or visit www. sarasotajewishchorale.org.

Tidewell Hospice has received its re-accreditation from the National Institute for Jewish Hospice (NIJH). This extends Tidewell’s links with NIJH, which provides staff training, access to resources and education about Jewish customs and practice that may arise while caring for hospice patients who are Jewish. Tidewell has been accredited by NIJH since 2007 and is one of approximately 60 accredited hospices nationwide.

Jewish National Fund g uA r di An O F iSr A E L AwA r d LuncH EOn Honoring

BRUCE & JANET UDELL • DR. NORMAN & HANNAH WEINBERG Tuesday, February 4, 2014 • Registration 11:00 am • Program 12:00 pm Michael’s On East 1212 East Ave. South • Sarasota, FL guest Speaker: russell F. robinson, JnF chief Executive Officer Under Russell F. Robinson’s leadership, JNF has developed successful far-reaching programs that play a significant role in the quality of life for all Israelis, from community development, environmental work, sustainable development of the Negev, and solutions for Israel’s water crisis. Russell’s vision has made JNF one of the most recognized non-profits for its work, business management, financial integrity, and volunteer involvement. The luncheon is sponsored by private JNF supporters and attendees will be given an opportunity to support JNF’s 2014 campaign and its important work in Israel. Registration and sponsorship information is available through January 28, 2014 at jnf.org/sarasotaluncheon or by contacting the JNF office at RSVPNorthFL@jnf.org or 800.211.1502.

For more information, including how to become a table captain, please contact Uri Smajovits at usmajovits@jnf.org or 800.211.1502 x890.

jnf.org

16A

COMMUNITY FOCUS

January 2014

Arlene J. Pearlman to receive prestigious award

T March 16-21

2014

Presented in partnership with

20 14

he Elisabeth Schilder Award for the religious orientations of his people.” Courage in Religious Tolerance That action took considerable courage will be presented to Arlene J. as repercussions for challenging Hitler Pearlman on Saturday, January 25 at in any way were swift and severe. One of the students in the class, Rethe World Peace Day event at Unitarian nate Schubert, looked at Universalist Church, Sarasothe smoldering ruins of ta. The award will acknowla synagogue next door edge her lifetime of service and was profoundly as peacemaker and advocate moved by her teacher’s for religious tolerance and action. She grew up and social justice. devoted her life to the Seventy-five years ago, principle of religious on November 9, 1938, more tolerance, studying difthan 1,000 synagogues and ferent religions and raisbusinesses owned by Jews Arlene J. Pearlman ing her own daughter to across Germany were demolished by Nazis. It was the beginning understand that the differences between of the Holocaust. The following day, a religions were far less important than brave German middle-school teacher, our common humanity. To keep that spirit alive, the Center Ms. Elisabeth Schilder, wrote a quotation from Goethe on her blackboard for Religious Tolerance established the and had her students copy it: “A secular award to honor the memory of Elisabeth leader should always hold sacrosanct Schilder and Renate Schubert.

Behind the scenes at Embracing Our Differences By Arlene J. Pearlman

THE JEWISH CARDINAL

MISSION OF HOPE

RETURN OF THE VIOLIN

DISOBEDIENCE

he Annual Art/Quote Exhibit that graces the Sarasota Bayfront each year is not something that springs up in a matter of days, nor is it something that disappears when it’s gone. Here’s a look at two of the people who help bring this exhibit to the area each year. Carol Poteat Buchanan co-chairs Embracing Our Differences, now in its 10th year. Recipient of numerous awards locally and nationally, Carol serves on numerous boards in Sarasota and was selected by ABC-7 as “One of the Seven Who Care.” Bernadette Bennett is the Program Specialist for Social Studies K-12 in the Curriculum Department of Sarasota County Schools. As part of her duties

she creates learning opportunities for teachers and students in character and diversity education. Some of the workshops include creative writing and art teacher retreats. In 2012 student entries for the exhibit grew to over 23,000 from 186 schools. In 2013 submissions for art and quotations came from 52 countries. Hear why Embracing Our Differences makes an impact for the people who work on it and the people who see it on Saturday, January 11 at 10:30 a.m. at the Congregation for Humanistic Judaism’s services at Unity Sarasota, 3023 Proctor Road. A $5 donation is suggested for nonmembers of CHJ. For more information, visit www. chj-sarasota.org or call 941.929.7771.

The mourning after By Beverly Newman

“

BETHLEHEM

GOD’S NEIGHBORS

*FILM SELECTION SUBJECT TO CHANGE. The Klingenstein Jewish Center 580 McIntosh Rd., Sarasota TheJewishFederation.org

he community, the society should feel the loss of the member of their society…for everybody is important in that society.” When that society consists of Jews, says Merrill Oltchick, shiva is a sacred period of seven days set aside “to be given the time to absorb the trauma.” Oltchick explains, “The deep grief is done in a safe environment…the mourners have to be given a cocoon.” In their cocoon, mirrors are covered, as vanity vanishes. “It’s a different person sitting there…The person could have been married, thirty, forty, fifty years. How frightened can you be [to be alone]?” As president of the Sarasota-Manatee Chevra Kadisha, Oltchick has served for decades, performing ritual cleaning and preparation of the body for burial.

He leads the dedicated Jews who contribute this mitzvah selflessly. Oltchick explains that shiva is “a major, a major section of the Code of Jewish Law,” yet shiva “is a lost opportunity” for many Jews. “There’s no way to go back” if the shiva period is missed. With this in mind, the Al Katz Center instituted the Sarasota Shiva Society in 2013, to assist families after the burial to properly observe the shiva period. If one doesn’t follow the mourning protocol that’s been established for thousands of years, people are not ready to go out and face the world. This holy community duty to surround the mourners the morning and days after the burial exists. Even though their trauma is not as direct, they still need to sit with the mourners as a community.

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COMMUNITY FOCUS 17A January 2014

January 2014

17A

Haifa professor at local sustainability conference By Kim Sheintal

he Sarasota Sister Cities Association organized and hosted an international conference on “Sustainability Through Renewable Energy & Aquaculture” at the University of South Florida-Sarasota/Manatee on November 13-15. Representatives from six of our eight sister cities and from all four area colleges and universities gave presentations at the conference. Over 300 people were in attendance. The theme for Day 1 of the conference was Sustainability Concepts and Practices, and in this session Professor Ori Lahav, the Sister City delegate for Tel Mond, Israel, provided an enlightening presentation on “Improving the Quality of Desalinated Seawater.” Dr. Lahav is an Associate Professor of Environmental, Water and Agricultural Engineering at Technion-the Israel Institute of Technology in Haifa, Israel. His research interests focus on water quality and aquacultural engineering. He has received several significant awards for research innovation and academic excellence in this field. Dr. Lahav arrived from Durham, North Carolina, where he is currently on

Expertise you can rely on. Professor Ori Lahav with Linda Rosenbluth at the Museum of Whimsey among the “hands of friendship” sculptures

sabbatical leave at Duke University. He was thrilled to be a part of the program and is planning to develop cooperative work with Dr. Kevan Main, the Director of the Mote Marine Laboratory, Aquaculture Facility in Sarasota. Dr. Main’s presentation at the conference was on “Opportunities to Conserve Our Fisheries and Ocean Resources Using Sustainable Aquaculture.” Forty percent of the seafood consumed worldwide is from aquaculture. Water quality is a very important factor for production of healthy seafood from aquaculture, and cooperation between these two institutions will provide new insights for future developments in aquaculture.

Keeping the Dream Alive

Sponsored by he Jewish Housing Council Foundation’s third annual Keeping the Dream Alive event at Michael’s On East on November 19 was a success with 214 guests enjoying elegant desserts and quality entertainment by the Sarasota Opera. Kobernick House resident Irving Bashevkin spoke at the event. He and an anonymous donor offered matching-fund challenges to help support the Benevolent Care Program. Sponsorships and individual gifts contributed at the event exceeded Darlene Arbeit and Scott Anderson with some the Foundation’s fundraising goal. of the contributions offered to support the Special thanks to our sponsors for Benevolent Care Program (photos by Cliff Roles) their ongoing support: Premier Corporate Sponsor Gulf Coast Community Foundation; Premier Sponsors Debbie and Larry Haspel and KBR Foundation; Presenting Sponsors Jeanne and Bob Zabelle; Platinum Sponsors Benderson Family Foundation and Gerry Daniel; Corporate Gold Sponsors PNC Wealth Management and Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick, LLP; Gold Sponsors Anonymous, Isabel Anchin Becker, Margot and Warren Coville, Alisa and Ernest Irving Bashevkin and Arline Levine Kretzmer, Sally Yanowitz, Judy Zuckerberg and George Kole; Corporate Silver tion, Betty and Ed Rosenthal, Lorraine Sponsor BB&T; Silver Sponsors Betty and Elliot Schubiner, Sheila and MerSchoenbaum, and Barbara and Rob- rill Wynne; Media Sponsor SCENE ert Schwartz; Bronze Sponsors Gerri Magazine; and Community Sponsor Aaron, Patricia and Robert Baer, Sheila The Jewish Federation of Sarasotaand Jerry Birnbaum, Carol Camiener, Manatee. Janice and Steven Greenfield, Habif, Arogeti & Wynne, LLP; Lila and Stephen Huse, Libbie and Albert Kaplan, Jill and Scott Levine, Judy and Jerry Levinson, Susan Milman of The Milman-Kover Family Development Director Denise Cotler, co-Chairs Carol Camiener Charitable Foundaand Sally Yanowitz, CEO Darlene Arbeit

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18A

COMMUNITY FOCUS

January 2014

Ner Tamid and JFCS Faiths unite at partner for a very special Friendship Luncheon Chanukah Sponsored by

s they have done for the past nine years, members of Bradenton’s Congregation Ner Tamid (CNT) stepped up to the plate and came to bat for needy families and isolated seniors. In preparation for Chanukah, CNT members donated boxes, bags and cartons of household items that were distributed by Sarasota-Manatee’s Jewish Family & Children’s Service to needy and at-risk families in our community. As the Festival of Lights arrived, once again CNT partnered with JFCS to bring Chanukah festivities to senior residents of the Bradenton Oaks Assisted Living Center. Led by service leader Rena Morano and assisted by a dozen CNT members, including the entire Manevitch family, twelve seniors sang along with the candle blessings and traditional songs, played the dreidel game and enjoyed chocolate gelt, as well.

“It was our congregation’s annual Chanukah party,” said board president Elaine Mittler. “But this year we wanted our celebration to also be a mitzvah to bring Chanukah to those who could not otherwise celebrate. It was a joy for us all.”

Education Director Rena Morano shares the story of Chanukah along with Congregation Ner Tamid members, who brought a Chanukah celebration to Bradenton Oaks assisted living residents

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nterfaith fellowship and social acIn conjunction with the theme tion were on the menu as Temple of the Friendship Luncheon, Temple Emanu-El’s Social Action Commit- Emanu-El’s Social Action Committee hosted the seventh annual Friend- tee is now working with Resurrection ship Luncheon with members of St. House in helping to supply its clients Martha Catholic Church on Novem- with the simple necessities of daily livber 16. Social Action Committee chair ing. Donations of blankets, socks, new Emily Tennenbaum welcomed St. Mar- underwear, and other items are being tha attendees as their guests, and lun- accepted during business hours and on cheon chair Lorraine Glixon announced Friday evenings at Temple Emanu-El. that one hundred and ten members of For more information, please call both congregations broke bread toge- the temple office at 941.371.2788. ther. Rabbi Brenner Glickman and Father Fausto Stampiglia blessed those present, and all shared an afternoon of camaraderie and good spirits. In the past seven years, concerns of both congregations in the greater Sarasota Michael Richker, President, Temple Emanu-El; Lorraine Glixon, Friendship Luncheon Chair; Bernie Ehrlich, community have always Temple Emanu-El Social Action Chair of Special Projects; been a topic for discussion Father Fausto Stampiglia, St. Martha Catholic Church; following lunch. With most and Rabbi Brenner Glickman, Temple Emanu-El people in Sarasota concerned about the homeless, Marion Goldsmith, chair of the new adult project for the Social Action Committee on the homeless, introduced Bill Wilson, Director of Development at Resurrection House. In a compelling talk entitled “TwentyThree Years of Helping the Homeless,” Mr. Wilson recounted his experiences at Resurrection House and explored Marion Goldsmith, Temple Emanu-El Social the organization’s work with homeless Action Chair on Homeless; Bill Wilson, people in Sarasota County. A question Director of Development, Resurrection House; and Emily Tennenbaum, Chair of and answer period followed Mr. WilTemple Emanu-El’s Social Action Committee son’s report.

Tikkun olam at Temple Beth Sholom By Joel Servetz

t Temple Beth Sholom, tikkun olam isn’t just an ideal to strive for, it’s an integral part of daily congregational life. So it was that on Wednesday, November 20, nine members of TBS, under the auspices of the Social Action Committee, took part along with other community members in packing groceries for the BackPack Kids Program at All Faiths Food Bank. The BackPack Kids Program provides food to children over the weekend and during school holidays when they may otherwise go without a meal. Participating homeless and low-income children in grades K-5 are sent home with a backpack of healthy, kid-friendly food and nutrition information on Fridays and prior to holidays.

Bryna Tevlowitz (at right) (photos copyright RGB Media Services, LLC)

TBS Social Action Committee cochairs Norm and Willie Walter have infused the committee with new life since taking over the leadership of this vital and very popular part of the TBS experience. Among other initiatives, the Committee has taken steps to increase the participation of TBS members in the Family Promise of Sarasota program. As the only Jewish congregation participating in Sarasota County’s program, TBS members honor the words of Hillel, “If I am only for myself, what am I?,” by taking turns providing meals, companionship and overnight hosting to support the program’s goal of assisting and guiding homeless families to return to a life of dignity and self-sufficiency.

Co-chairs Willie & Norm Walter

For daily news stories related to Israel & the Jewish world, visit the Federation’s website at www.jfedsrq.org.

COMMUNITY FOCUS 19A January 2014

January 2014

19A

Looking for kosher meat in Sarasota? Ask Chef Maish By Allie Fraidowitz (aka Chef Maish)

hat does “kosher meat” really West Hartford, Connecticut. I received mean? Ask five Jews, and a BA in math from Columbia Univeryou could get seven differ- sity, and an MBA in finance from the ent answers. My goal is to attempt to University of Chicago. Besides Connecticut, I’ve lived in bring to you an updated Jerusalem, New York, list of all kosher meats within Sarasota-ManaChicago, San Jose, Los Angeles, Cleveland and tee, showing the Kashrut symbol for each item. Sarasota. I am now livThis monthly list will not ing in Palmer Ranch only provide our comwith my two dogs, Jake munity with convenience and Shayna. I could use your for shopping, but will also provide publicity help. If you have infor the stores, encouragformation about kosher ing more kosher meat to meat being offered or be offered. Having more discontinued, please let kosher meat available Allie Fraidowitz (aka Chef Maish) me know, and I will cooking turkey shwarma can only help to enlarge confirm and update the list each month. I can be reached via the Jewish population of this area. A little about me: I was raised in email at moosemcalice@gmail.com.

Kosher meat available in Sarasota‐Manatee Store Name/Location Costco (Sarasota Square Mall)

Publix (Bay Street and 41)

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20A

JEWISH INTEREST

January 2014

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Speeches and intentions By Paul R. Bartrop, PhD

here are many questions that remain unresolved when discussing Adolf Hitler. Did he have a master plan for obtaining power? Was he certain that his threats would work against Britain and France in the 1930s? Did he always intend to invade Poland or Russia? Did he want to control the world? Why did he declare war on the United States? (More recently, a book has Dr. Paul Bartrop asked if he was, in fact, physically or psychologically ill throughout his rule in Germany, and whether or not this had an impact on his decision-making.) Where the “Jewish Question” is concerned, of course, one question has trumped all others for decades: Did he always intend to carry out the annihilation of the Jewish people? During the 1980s, this question generated considerable debate among historians, who divided themselves into two streams of thinking. Those who became known as “Intentionalists,” on the one hand, argued that the Holocaust was primarily centered in the person of Adolf Hitler, his anti-Semitism, and his commitment to bringing to realization a world free of Jews. They cite Hitler’s many public speeches vilifying the Jews and promising them harm, as well as his own writing in Mein Kampf. To these scholars, Hitler always intended to exterminate the Jews, right from the very beginning. Opposing them were those who came to be known as “Functionalists,” who argued that the Holocaust was not the result of a planned, carefully organized and orchestrated agenda because of Hitler’s overwhelming anti-Semitism but, rather, an evolving and sometimes even chaotic program of death and destruction which really began to assert itself after the invasion of Soviet Russia in June 1941 (“Operation Barbarossa”). Prior to this, they argued, it was done by low-level bureaucrats in a somewhat haphazard – even inefficient – manner. While there is no space here to analyze the arguments in depth, something that can be recalled is a speech Hitler gave, 75 years ago this month, in which he made clear his intention – at least rhetorically. When addressing the Reichstag on the occasion of the sixth anniversary of his appointment to office in 1933, Hitler made a long speech celebrating the achievements of his government and stating where he wished to go in the future. Included in this speech were some of the most pointed remarks he had made publicly about the “Jewish Question” for quite some time. He noted, for example, that it was “a shameful spectacle” to see how “the whole democratic world is oozing sympathy for the poor tormented Jewish people,” but nonetheless steadfastly refused to take in the Jews whom Hitler

wanted to offload. Rehearsing a number of arguments relating to the two-facedness of the democracies, the “historical” exploitation of the German people by “the Jews,” and the fact that under his government this state of affairs had now ended, Hitler then made a statement that has gone down in history as the clearest expression of his genocidal intentions: “In the course of my life I have very often been a prophet, and have usually been ridiculed for it. During the time of my struggle for power, the Jewish race received my prophecies with laughter when I said that I would one day take over the leadership of the State, and with it that of the whole nation, and that I would then among many other things settle the Jewish problem. Their laughter was uproarious, but I think that for some time now they have been laughing on the other side of their face.” He continued with words that carry a chilling portent: “Today I will once more be a prophet: If the international Jewish financiers in and outside Europe should succeed in plunging the nations once more into a world war, then the result will not be the Bolshevization of the earth, and thus the victory of Jewry, but the annihilation of the Jewish race in Europe!” This was the first time that Hitler had made any public announcement relating to the future annihilation of what he termed the “Jewish race.” Clearly, at this time he regarded the eradication of the “Jewish race” as forming part of the Nazi agenda, even if it was only at this time a matter of his oratory and bluster. Moreover, this was not just a oneoff statement made for effect. Hitler was to repeat his prophecy six times in public: on January 30, in 1941 and 1942 (again reprising the anniversary of his ascent to power), and on February 15, 1942, September 30, 1942, November 8, 1942, and February 24, 1943. The speech made 75 years ago this month was stated openly, and was intended to be picked up for all to hear. Sadly, few people in Europe or the United States took much notice, as it remained just as difficult for Jews to obtain refugee entry as before. Immigration quotas around the world did not budge one iota. And, as subsequent events were to show, when war came just nine months later, Hitler was able to start moving towards a process that would mobilize the Nazi effort to carry out his long-sought agenda. He might not have been aware of how that would happen – in 1939, nobody could have foreseen what was to come – but his speech placed everyone on notice that there was much more to his address than just rhetorical flourish. It was, perhaps, an expressed desire awaiting fulfillment. Dr. Paul Bartrop is Professor of History and the Director of the Center for Judaic, Holocaust, and Genocide Studies at Florida Gulf Coast University. He can be reached at pbartrop@fgcu.edu.

For a continuously updated community calendar, visit www.TheJewishFederation.org.

JEWISH INTEREST 21A January 2014

January 2014

21A

Racial hatred survives the embers of the Holocaust By Philip K. Jason, Special to The Jewish News Anselm is interested in maximizing income, and this means developing technologies to recycle steel from sunket in 1978, the second Henri en vessels. Such operations, and othPoincaré Mystery is actually a ers, take advantage of lax regulations in prequel to the award-winning All third-world countries, allowing Kraus Cry Chaos (2010). It relates the events Steel to use what is virtually slave labor that change the and horrendous working conditions to young Frenchman exact huge profits. As Henri’s guarded engagement from an ambitious engineer working with Liesel’s family develops, he finds frantically to estab- reason to suspect some kind of crimilish a viable busi- nal (war crime) complicity of the Straus ness into an Inter- steel enterprise with Nazi racial represpol agent. It is a sion, abuse and murder. He has doubts dark, painful story about what went on in the combined about the after- Straus factory and slave labor camp Phil Jason math of the Holo- at Drütte, officially the Reichswerke caust and the racial hatred that enflamed Hermann Göring munitions factory. He questions the glorious biography of a continent. We meet Henri and his partner Alec Otto Straus that daughter Liesel shares as they put specially designed structures with him. Something just isn’t right – espein place to assist a shipwreck salvage cially that part about operation. Their contract has the ten Jewish witnesses taken them to the Wadden who testified under oath Sea at the edge of Holland, that, given the wartime working for the giant insurcircumstances and the ance company that insured workings of Hitler’s rethe sunken ship and hopes gime, Otto was a fair to recapture its losses. The and even generous man steel used in this operation who made their lives was ordered from Kraus much less painful and Steel, a post-war industrial arduous than they would giant that has sprung out have been without his of a wartime enterprise that Leonard Rosen concern. supplied steel needed for the Though warned away from looking Nazis war effort. It is Henri’s fate to run across the into the family’s past, and even physilovely, intelligent Liesel Kraus, who cally attacked, Henri cannot keep himenjoys spending time as a tour guide in self from pursuing the truth. He seeks this part of Holland that is near a Straus out documents in various archives family estate. She and her brother that bring him closer and closer to the Anselm are heirs to the Straus fortune, horrors of Otto’s operation. Morethough Liesel is mostly occupied with over, he seeks out the witnesses who community relations and charitable are still alive in order to substantiate their veracity. Perhaps they signed the projects. The Tenth Witness, by Leonard Rosen. Permanent Press. 288 pages. $29.

document only to save their own lives. He has an additional motive. One of the names on the list is familiar to him: Jacob Zeligman, a man who was a friend of Henri’s “Uncle Isaac.” Isaac Kahane was a Jewish neighbor and friend of Henri’s parents who played a special role in young Henri’s life. It now seems as if Isaac, too, was a survivor of the Drütte’s slave labor operation that enriched the Krause family. Henri needs to bring justice to those who once tortured this beloved family friend. Finding the tenth witness, the only one left as others are murdered during Henri’s pursuit, is his main hope of achieving his goal. On several occasions, Henri’s dangerous mission brings him into contact with an Interpol agent, Serge Laurent, who has spent years working a parallel investigation. They are helpful to one another, and it’s no secret, given Mr. Rosen’s earlier novel, that Henri eventually becomes an Interpol agent.

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The Tenth Witness is a gloriously literary thriller. The author’s handling of dialogue, interpersonal relationships, Henri’s powerful attraction to Liesel and his equally powerful revulsion at her family’s activities (both in the past and the present), the splendidly drawn settings (including Buenos Aires), and the clockwork plotting all contribute to a high-level achievement sure to bring Leonard Rosen more acclaim and more readers. With great sensitivity and skill, Mr. Rosen brings each reader closer to a personal understanding of the undying power of racial hatred – a beast that he suggests lies within us all to a greater or lesser degree. Philip K. Jason is Professor Emeritus of English from the United States Naval Academy. He reviews regularly for Florida Weekly, Jewish Book World, Southern Literary Review, and other publications. Please visit Phil’s website at www.philjason.wordpress.com.

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22A

JEWISH INTEREST

January 2014

Stars of David

By Nate Bloom, Contributing Columnist Editor’s note: Persons in BOLD CAPS are deemed by Nate Bloom to be Jewish for the purpose of the column. Persons identified as Jewish have at least one Jewish parent and were not raised in a faith other than Judaism – and don’t identify with a faith other than Judaism as an adult. Converts to Judaism, of course, are also identified as Jewish. Levine is Sexiest/His Bris Pack In November, People magazine named rock musician and The Voice coach ADAM LEVINE, 34, its sexiest man alive for 2013. 1998 winner HARRISON FORD, 71, whose late mother was Jewish, is the only other tribe member to be named “sexiest” since 1985, when the award began. Here’s the Jewish “411” on Levine: Levine, who identifies as Jewish, has been secular as an adult. His father is Jewish, while his mother is the daughter of a non-Jewish mother and a Jewish father (his maternal grandfather descends from English Jews and maybe some Sephardim). His Jewish step-mother is the mother of Levine’s two younger half-siblings. Levine told a UK Jewish paper that he was raised with only a little Jewish religious observance and, in light of that, he decided to decline his father’s offer Omitzvah P Sceremony. A L EHeS to give him T a bar said he feltA it was S Sa serious O C ceremony IATE that evidenced a spiritual commitment Ranked in the Top 1%

he hadn’t been prepared for. He thought it wrong that many of his Jewish peers had a bar mitzvah because they wanted a big party and gifts. By the way, Harrison Ford once seriously said that he wasn’t tattooed so he could be buried in a Jewish cemetery. Trust me: While Jewish religious law seriously frowns on tattoos, it is a persistent myth that Jewish cemeteries refuse burial to the tattooed. So, in case you were wondering and worrying – the “very tattooed” Levine could be buried in a Jewish cemetery. Not long after People honored Levine, his music manager, JORDAN FELDSTEIN, 35, the brother of actor JONAH HILL, 29, wed Francesca Eastwood (November 17), the daughter of Clint Eastwood, 83, before an Elvis impersonator. Reports say that they both were probably drunk while taking their vows and, on November 25, the bride moved to have the marriage annulled. An interesting 2012 interview with Levine describes his relationship with

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

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Fast and Furious movie series co-star Paul Walker led media outlets to ask Gadot about his death. She, of course, expressed her shock and sadness about Walker’s death. Then, on December 4, she got some very good news. She beat out scores of other actresses for the coveted role of Wonder Woman in a sequel to Man of Steel, the hit 2013 Superman movie. The sequel will also feature Batman (played by Ben Affleck). Gadot’s resume and life history reads like the bio of a Jewish super woman. Born and raised in Rosh Hayin, a town of about 38,000 in central Israel, she grew up in what she describes as a very Jewish/Israeli family environment. In 2004, when she was 19, she won the Miss Israel pageant and represented her country at the Miss Universe competition. She continued to model, part time, as she performed her two-year military service (2005-2007); she was a sports trainer for the military. In 2007, she got an Israeli film role and, since then, she has guested on several American TV shows. But wait! She’s also an avid high-performance motorcycle rider and a mother. She wed an Israeli businessman in 2008 and they had a girl in 2011. Gadot follows four other Jewish women who have played comic-book superheroes in movies or on TV (no others have had military training, however). Here’s my list: HELEN SLATER, now 49, title role in Supergirl (1984); ALICIA SILVERSTONE, now 37, Batgirl in Batman and Robin (1997); DINA MEYER, now 44, as Batgirl/ the Oracle in the 2002 TV series, Birds of Prey; and SCARLETT JOHANSSON, now 29, as Natasha Romanoff/ the Black Widow in several films, including The Avengers (2012).

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JEWISH INTEREST 23A January 2014

January 2014

23A

Return to the Catskills By Sonia Fuentes n November 2, 2013, I traveled to the Catskill Mountains of New York to be one of ten inaugural inductees into the Hall of Distinction of the Monticello Central School District, from whose high school I had graduated as valedictorian in 1946. It was a voyage into my past. I had first come to the village of Woodridge in the Catskills in 1936 with my parents and brother, after fleeing from the Nazi regime in my birthplace, Berlin, Germany. Woodridge, with a population of about seven hundred, was one of the villages in an area that used to be known as the “Borscht Belt” (named for the beetbased soup popular among Jews), in a range of the Appalachian Mountains in southeastern New York. The Catskills were a popular vacation spot for New York City Jews from the 1920s to the 1970s. Borscht Belt hotels, bungalow colonies, and rooming houses were frequented by middleand working-class Jewish New Yorkers. The area was known for the many famous comedians and other entertainers who got their start there and for hotels like Grossinger’s and the Concord that were legend. But all that ended a long time ago. As early as 1965, declines at many Catskill resorts were apparent. There were a number of reasons for this, including competition from other vacation spots and cheap air fares to Europe. In Woodridge, my parents rented a rooming house for five years and, in turn, rented out those rooms for the summer season, which ran from Memorial Day to Labor Day. When our five-year rental was up in 1941, my parents built the Pine Tree Bungalow Colony on fifty acres of land about 1 1/4 miles from downtown Monticello, a much larger village. Monticello had a winter population of about 3,500, which swelled to 75,000 100,000 during the summer season. Monticello My hostess and former classmate, Joan Rhulen Farrow, picked me up at the airport and drove me around the area before and after the induction ceremony. Wherever we drove, I saw not only the villages, towns and people there today, but in my mind’s eye those I remembered from the 1930s and ’40s. A sign pointing to Ellenville reminded me of Joe and Ethel Kooperman, a husband-and-wife team, who were my parents’ lawyers. Ethel was my inspiration for going to law school. They had lived and had their office in Ellenville’s Wayside Inn, a four-story wooden hotel in the center of town. Sadly, a fire destroyed the Wayside Inn in October 1967. Joan told me that beyond the two of us, very few members of our class remain alive, and of those who are alive, some are seriously ill. Sadly, the village and the area are in a depressed state. Many of the stores in Monticello are shut, and jobs are few. Monticello has no movie theater and that is also true of some of the other

villages in the area. I remembered the movie theater that had been there in my day, the Rialto. When the owner of the theater changed the price of admission from $.25 to $.50, I, along with other students, picketed the theater. Monticello has become much more diversified. In our class of about a hundred, there was one African-American student. Now the mayor is an AfricanAmerican. Statistics reveal that of the current population of 6,741, thirty-one percent are African-American and thirty percent are Hispanic. Induction ceremony The Hall of Distinction was established to honor outstanding graduates, former students, and former employees. During the ceremony, each Hall of Distinction inductee gave a three-minute talk. I shared a story from my memoir, Eat First - You Don’t Know What They’ll Give You, The Adventures of an Immigrant Family and Their Feminist Daughter. I discussed the time in my senior year of high school when I intervened to stop the sale of our bungalow colony because that would have meant that my family would relocate, and I wanted to graduate with my high school class. After the ceremony, the ten plaques for the inductees were unveiled, each of which contained a picture of the inductee and some biographical material. Woodridge As we drove to Woodridge, the stories I remembered came teeming into my mind. In a small village like Woodridge, everyone knows everyone else and stories abound. It is almost fifty years since I moved to Woodridge but the stories are with me still. Perhaps they started me on the path to being a storyteller. We met with Joan Collins, who was sworn in as Woodridge’s first woman mayor on December 7, 2012. She joined us in Joan Farrow’s car and we drove around Woodridge together. Joan Collins pointed out Glen Wild Road, where the Alamac Hotel had stood. The Alamac was owned by the parents of Rosalie Shapiro and her cousin, Joyce, who attended my annual birthday parties. They were the wealthiest children who attended and the only ones who never brought a present. Woodridge played a role in the story of a musician with the NBC Symphony Orchestra. His wife and daughter lived in Woodridge, but he spent most of his time in New York City with the NBC Symphony Orchestra. When his affair with a woman violinist in the orchestra turned sour, he killed her and fled to Woodridge, seeking his wife’s protection. Instead, she turned him in and he was arrested, found guilty of the murder, and imprisoned. Another sensational Woodridge case involved Abe Laskowitz, a cattle dealer who was convicted of hiring men to set an arson fire in 1932 that destroyed a property on which he held a mortgage. Laskowitz was sentenced to serve at least eight years prison, but he never served a day! His lawyer’s

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maneuvering kept him out of prison. We passed the premises of what had been the Inter-County Farmers Cooperative Association, Inc. The Inter-County had been formed in the mid-1930s by the Jewish Agricultural Society and individual farmers to meet the farmers’ needs for feed during the Depression. After our tour of the village, Joan Farrow and I said good-bye to Joan Collins and returned to Monticello. So ended my just-over-one-day in the Catskills, a very special trip into my past. The writer thanks Joan Rhulen Farrow, Joan Collins and Allison Ruef for their assistance in supplying facts for this article, and Johnnie Bohannan for her editorial help.

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24A

JEWISH INTEREST

January 2014

Jerusalem Post Crossword Puzzle

K’zohar Ha-Ivrit Olam – a concept of time and space By Dr. Rachel Zohar Dulin

By David Benkof, DavidBenkof@gmail.com Across 1. “Lotty’s ___ Tablecloth (Jewish Heirloom Stories)” 5. Conservative camp since 1947 10. Yiddishe ___ 14. High holiday preparation month 15. American Yiddish poet Greenblatt 16. Jerem. alternative 17. Pioneer of graphic novels (“A Contract with God”) 19. Historian Levin (“While Messiah Tarried”) 20. Urges forward 21. Lawmakers 23. Floppy-eared dog 25. Jewish American Heritage Month 26. “Golden Boy” playwright Clifford 29. Cynthia Ozick’s Holocaust short story “The ___” 33. Small bay 37. Wisconsin Jewish camp 38. Champion figure skater Cohen 39. Eilat sight 40. “Etz Chayim ___” (Hebrew for “it is a tree of life”) 41. Violated the Ninth Commandment 42. “___ in the Prussian Forest” (Holocaust poem) 44. Some Atlanta Jewish Times employees (abbr.) 45. Ramon and Halimi 46. ___ Stooges 47. Drudge and Stone 49. Oscar-winner Buttons (“Sayonara”) 51. Plains Indian 56. “___ on Hebrew Themes” (Prokofiev work in C-minor) 61. Triptik, notably 62. Kabbalah Center devotee Moore 63. “A Fish Called Wanda” Oscarwinner 65. Garcetti or Cantor 66. ___ is a curved line 67. “Man on the ___” (Andy Kaufman biopic) 68. Smith & ___ (vaudeville comedy duo) 69. ___ of humor (Seinfeld specialty) 70. Slaloms

Solution on page 26A

Down 1. Jerry or Shari 2. Walk with ___ (hobble) 3. Part of an apology 4. Barkin of “The Big Easy” 5. Taken in, as by a Federation 6. Jolson and Capp 7. Land ___ (Golan Heights problem) 8. “One God Clapping: The Spiritual Path of ___ Rabbi” 9. ___-esh-Sharif (Temple Mount) 10. “Let’s Make a Deal” host 11. Suffix with peek 12. Lenny Bruce’s comedian mother Sally 13. Workers for Robert Morgenthau 18. Scandal-plagued Spitzer 22. “Dream a Little Dream of Me” singer Mama ___ 24. HaMotzi word 27. Bara in “Salome” 28. Shabbat activity for a Spanish Jew 30. From Haifa to Hanoi 31. “___ Harry Met Sally...” (Rob Reiner film) 32. Bar mitzvah boys 33. “The peacemaker’s time ___ hand!” (“Light One Candle” lyric) 34. Bible from Joshua to Chronicles 35. Holocaust denier, e.g. 36. “The Adding Machine” playwright 43. Amanda of “Syriana” 45. “Red Cavalry” author Babel 48. “Shamanic ___ in Modern Kabbalah” (Jonathan Garb book) 50. “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice” composer 52. Hamsas 53. Self-evaluating question for the self-help crowd 54. “Trip to ___” (1968 Susan Sontag book) 55. Begins on Broadway 56. Israeli negotiator Eran, who held out the prospect of a Palestinian state 57. Former Portland mayor Katz 58. Holocaust philosopher Fackenheim 59. Civil libertarian Cassin 60. Actress ___ Rachel Wood (“Across the Universe”) 64. In 2013, it targeted groups with “Israel” in their names

or some of us this is the time for travel. Traveling is a thrilling experience that expands the mind and provides appreciation for different cultures with which we share the world. Identifying with those who travel this season, I wish to explore the Hebrew word olam, often translated as ‘world’ or ‘uniDr. Rachel Dulin verse.’ The question arises, did the Hebrews of biblical time who coined the word comprehend the concept olam as we do, a word denoting ‘planet,’ ‘universe,’ ‘world’ and ‘the earth with its inhabitants?’ In the Bible, olam is mentioned more than four hundred and thirty times. Interestingly, with possibly one exception (Ecc 3:11), olam is used in reference to time, not to space. In other words, olam expresses long durations of time, antiquity, continued existence and even eternity or uninterrupted future. However, olam is not understood in terms of a spatial vast universe. Some scholars point out that the noun olam is derived from the verb alam meaning ‘hidden,’ ‘concealed’ and ‘unknown time.’ Others point to the Akkadian word ullu meaning ‘remote time’ as the origin of the Hebrew concept. Either way, olam is the Hebraic conceptualization of time not of space or location. Many phrases were coined in biblical Hebrew using olam to elucidate the concept of time. Phrases like me-ah-tah ve-ad-olam ‘from now to eternity,’ leo-lam ‘forever,’ me-olam ‘from time immemorial,’ me-olam lo ‘never,’ brit

olam ‘an eternal covenant,’ le-olam chasdo ‘His mercy is forever,’ are but a few examples. Only with the influence of the Greek and Roman worlds, did the meaning of olam expand. Now, olam was conceptualized in terms of the physical world we live in and the idea of actual space was incorporated into the notion of time. New terms emerged like ha-olam ha-zeh ‘this world,’ the world we live in, versus ha-olam ha-bah ‘the world to come,’ the spiritual place of the righteous. The Chasidic adage kol ha-olam kulo gesher tzar me-od ‘the whole world is a narrow bridge,’ only enhances this spatial comprehension. Space is too short to mention all the Hebrew phrases derived from rabbinic literature where olam is at the center. Suffice it to mention, Melekh ha-olam ‘King of the universe,’ Ribon olam ‘Master of the world’ and Adon olam ‘Master of the Universe,’ appellations given to God acknowledging His sovereignty over the world. The famous saying al sh’loshah de-varim ha-olam o-med... ‘the world is sustained on three principals: the Torah, worship and charity’ (Avot 1:2), is a rabbinic ethical bequest to us. And, last but not least, we should mention the term tiqun olam meaning ‘world repair,’ the motivation behind Jewish social action. I wish all our readers planning a trip a safe journey. May they return to their olam, their family and home b’shalom. Dr. Rachel Zohar Dulin is a professor of biblical literature at Spertus College in Chicago and an adjunct professor of Hebrew and Bible at New College in Sarasota. She lectures and writes in the field of biblical literature.

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COMMENTARY 25A January 2014

January 2014

25A

Mind the gap on Iran: A time to reassure allies and rebuild trust By David Harris, Executive Director, American Jewish Committee (AJC), November 24, 2013

srael appears to have come up with the short end of the stick in the justannounced Iran deal. While President Obama and Secretary of State Kerry are going to great lengths to say that Israel ought to feel safer, at least for the life of the sixmonth agreement, Israel’s top leaders clearly don’t agree. In fact, official American and Israeli views couldn’t be further apart right now. Washington believes that while the deal entails risks, it offers the first chance in years to move Iran in a more constructive and peaceful direction. The administration further challenges its critics to suggest an alternative path that would not lead inevitably to war. Jerusalem, on the other hand, asserts this accord is an error of historic dimensions, likely to turn into a permanent arrangement that enshrines Iran’s right to enrich uranium and keeps intact the $100 billion-plus nuclear architecture that Tehran has been steadily constructing. Obviously, only time will tell which side is closer to the truth. Meanwhile, despite repeated American claims of unprecedented cooperation on the Iran issue between Washington and Jerusalem, it is evident there were limits. Israel must now take into account that the U.S.-held backchannel talks with the Iranians over many months, barely, if at all, kept it in the loop as those talks proceeded. It’s also not clear how much the Saudis, Kuwaitis, Emiratis and other American allies were in the know, or, for that matter, our closest European partners. Moreover, Israel – and the Gulf nations – must grapple with the fact that their oft-expressed concerns about the direction of the Geneva-based nego-

tiations went largely unheeded, despite their belief that the U.S. considered them vital partners whose perspective was worth taking into account. Having effectively been told to keep quiet and trust Washington, they must now feel quite abandoned. Former senior State Department official Nicholas Burns may have captured this realpolitik view best in the New York Times (November 23), saying: “It’s in the American national interest to try to make this negotiation work. If it’s not in the Israeli interest or Saudi interest, so be it.” Yet, how can Israel – and the Gulf nations – roll over and play dead when what happens affects them far more than any of the P5+1 nations? After all, it is Israel that has been the most frequent target of Iran’s antiZionist and anti-Semitic venom. It is Israel whose very existence has been questioned by Iran’s current leaders. It is Israel that has felt the long arm of Iran through Iranian-backed Hezbollah. And it is Israel that Iran seeks to wipe off the world map. Yet those who wish the Israeli prime minister to stop speaking up conveniently distort his government’s position. First, had it not been for Israel’s perseverance, there might not have been the global attention to Iran’s nuclear program we see today. Second, if Iran was on the ropes because of crippling sanctions, this was in no small measure because Israel pressed for escalating measures, and called especially for targeting specific sectors of the Iranian economy. These efforts were, shall we say, not always universally popular in some P5+1 countries. Third, Israel has not called for war

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against Iran. Those who suggest otherwise are reframing the Israeli position to serve their own interests. Rather, Israel has consistently said that, precisely to stop Iran’s nuclear program without a military strike, two elements are essential – tough sanctions and a credible threat of the use of force. As it watches the sanctions being somewhat relaxed post-Geneva, that remains Israel’s position, while, rhetoric to the contrary notwithstanding, the credible threat of force erodes. Israel’s position recalls Winston Churchill’s decades earlier. The British leader wrote: “One day President Roosevelt told me that he was asking publicly for suggestions about what the war should be called. I said at once, ‘The Unnecessary War.’ There never was a war more easy to stop than that which has just wrecked what was left of the world from the previous struggle.” In other words, Churchill believed the Nazis only understood strength. Yet, in the years leading up to the outbreak of war in 1939, when he was out of power, they encountered eagerness, at times bordering on desperation, for a deal. Netanyahu doubtless views the Iranian regime similarly – it will only respond to a determinedly stiff spine, not a bout of bonhomie and acts of goodwill as advance payment from its adversaries. Meanwhile, what lessons do the Saudis and other Gulf nations draw from the latest developments? Their options seem quite stark. They could band together in a secret alliance of convenience with Israel, and see where that gets them against their most despised enemy, Iran. Or they could use their wealth to go nuclear by turning to, say, Pakistan, triggering precisely the arms race that everyone fears in the Middle East. Or they could try to cut their own deal with Iran, improbable as that may seem. Or they could seek to diversify their foreign policy, relying less on the U.S. and more on others, including – gulp! – Russia and China. Or they could opt to place their full trust in Washington, but that seems increasingly difficult for them to do. After all, the U.S. handling of Egypt and Syria hasn’t exactly heightened the confidence of Gulf nations in America’s grasp of regional issues and policy direction. So maybe we are at the proverbial fork in the road, and perhaps Ambassa-

dor Burns captured it best: America has its own national interest. If it doesn’t converge with nations we’ve called allies till now, even on issues of existential importance to them, so be it. For many, though, it would be a tough pill to swallow. That’s why I hope Washington will use the coming days and weeks to reaffirm that Jerusalem and our Gulf friends, and the essential quality of American alliances, do continue to matter – and remain a fundamental tenet of America’s national interest. For more information, visit www.ajc. org.

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26A

COMMENTARY

January 2014

Judaism and end-of-life decisions

“We know nothing about death, nothing beyond the one fact that we shall “die” – but what is that, to die? We do not know. We must therefore assume that death constitutes the final limit of all that we are able to imagine. The desire to extend our imagination into the beyond of dying…seems to me to be a lack of faith disguised as faith. Genuine faith says I know nothing about death, but I do know that God is eternity; and I also know that He is my God. Whether what we call time will abide with us beyond our death becomes rather insignificant for us compared to the knowledge that we are God’s.” – Martin Buber

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that you are not completely dead when you die if you leave behind people who will understand what you stood for and who will continue your values. You do not have to be Jewish to write an ethical will. Tuesday, February 4 – “Cremation or Burial? A Jewish View” Only one generation ago, cremation was unknown in the Jewish community. Today, over one third of Jews across America are choosing it. Some of the reasons cited include environmentalism, discomfort with decomposition, and finances. Deciding what to do with our bodies and those of our loved ones is both personal and meaningful. In a sense, it is the last decision we ever make – and one that cannot be undone. Together, we will clarify this all-important issue. Tuesday, February 11 – “What Happens When I Die? Jewish Reflections

on the Afterlife” Modern Judaism rarely dwells on an afterlife, but Jewish tradition has plenty to say about this perennial question. Ask Jews what happens after death, and many will respond that the Jewish tradition doesn’t say or doesn’t care, that Jews believe life is for the living, and that Judaism focuses on what people can and should do in this world. But not so fast. We will explore what a number of prominent Jewish thinkers and writers believe we’re headed for. As they say: two Jews, three afterlives. Each session of the mini-series will begin at 7:30 p.m. in the Temple Beth El sanctuary. All are cordially welcome, and there is no charge. In addition to serving at Temple Beth El Bradenton, Rabbi Harold F. Caminker is the president of the Sarasota-Manatee Rabbinical Association.

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n our youth-oriented society, dying is a painful subject; for many, a forbidden topic. But in this avoidance, we are somehow never prepared for this one certainty of existence. Volumes have been written interpreting the meaning of death, but we have always shunned the practical, necessary questions. This year, my annual winter adult education mini-series at Temple Beth El will focus on three end-of-life challenges/opportunities: Tuesday, January 28 – “Ethical Wills: Do I Need One?” Nowadays, we all have legal wills which make sure that our property will be distributed in accordance with our wishes. And many of us have living wills which is a euphemism for dying wills. But an ethical will is an old Jewish tradition, going back to Father Jacob in the Torah, of sitting down while you are well and writing a letter or creating a videotape – to be shared afterwards – in which you try to express what you want from your children and your loved ones after you are gone. Our tradition believes

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Jerusalem Post Crossword Puzzle Solution to puzzle on page 24A

FOCUS ON YOUTH 27A January 2014

January 2014

The importance of a Jewish education

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ecent surveys have shown that 32% of Jews under age 30 say they have no religion and are raising or will be raising their children without any Jewish identity. After reading the latest statistics regarding American Jewry, noted historian Jack Wertheimer said, “It’s the story of a community contracting.” Can we afford for this to continue? History has shown us that when Jews were fully accepted by a host society, it became easy to leave their Jewish identity behind. Today, in America, we have attained the highest level of acceptance comparable to the Golden Age in Spain in the 14th and 15th centuries, and not so long ago to 20th century Europe. Rather than allow history to repeat itself and watch the next generation lose its Jewish heritage and identity, there is something we can do. There is much to be proud of in our past and our present. Jewish education today will ensure a Jewish future. It has been said that for others, a knowledge of the history of their people is a civic duty, but for Jews, it is a sacred duty. Education is the link that ties our people of yesterday with our people of today. We don’t have to sacrifice our identity to climb the ladder of success in America; we can have both. When I grew up in New York City, it was possible for a child to feel Jewish by osmosis. Jewish phrases were shouted in the streets, Jewish foods were available on every street and Jewish smells were in the air. The neighborhood provided a sense of Jewish identity. The signs in the shops read Kosher Bakery, Kosher Butcher, Jewish Book Store, Jewish Scribe. As a fiveyear-old, I would walk with my mother to the Streit’s Matzo Factory and we

our children. That pattern of behavior starts with your child reciting Modeh Ani, Sh’ma Yisrael, and Hamotzi before eating bread, and grace after meals. This is the beginning of the civilizing process in Jewish education. What your child learns in kindergarten, first grade, fourth grade, eighth and ninth grades – the values, the sharing, the respect for you, the awareness of the wonders of nature, the importance of preserving our world (tikkun olam), the decision to help those less fortunate, the immediate response to people who suffer natural disasters – will shape the adults they become. Studies have shown that students receiving a Jewish education, whether it be in a day school or a religious supplementary school, tend to establish home environments which are Jewish oriented and exhibit a high level of Shabbat and kashrut observance regardless of what their home observance was. They have a much higher level of Jewish organizational involvement than peers who had no religious education. Today’s odds overwhelmingly favor Jewish education as the one thing that will ensure a future Jewish community. By providing and supporting Jewish education today for our children, our grandchildren will be Jews because we have shown our children how to be. Dr. Geraldine Nussbaum is the Religious Education Director at Temple Beth Sholom’s Paver Religious School.

lin

Dr. Geraldine Nussbaum

watched the matzo being made in the window. On Friday afternoons, coming home from school we were met with the smells of Erev Shabbat: the chicken soup, the gefilte fish, the chicken and brisket, and the hot challah just from the oven. On the table was a beautiful white cloth used only on the Sabbath, candlesticks, wine and grape juice. A child living in that world knew she was Jewish in her home and on the streets she walked. Today that is no longer the case in most large American cities where we have transplanted ourselves. Unless one decides to make a major commitment to Jewish education, osmosis will not do the job and our children may or may not grow up to take our places as solid identifiers with a love for Judaism, an excitement for Israel and also assume leadership roles in America. Those people who garden know that the most critical time for plants is when they are seedlings. It is not always from a little acorn that a big oak tree does grow. As Jewish educators we are very much aware that what happens in our classrooms will have lasting effects and we take care. Theodore Sizer, one-time Dean of Education at Harvard and headmaster at Phillips Academy at Andover, said, “Education is often looked upon merely as the collecting of skills – but really the child is neither a tool just to be sharpened nor a flower just to be watered and admired. The child requires sharpening and nurturing and more. The child can learn to discriminate and is capable of love and taste. In a word, the child can be civilized. And that is what education, of course, is all about.” How interesting that Dr. Sizer calls it being civilized. We call it menschlichkeit. It is creating menschen that we are about, beginning in the Jewish preschool with awakening a sense of fairness, justice, love and tenderness in

Take Control of Your Life …

Education Corner

27A

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FOCUS ON YOUTH

January 2014

Temple Emanu-El and PJ Library® invite families to celebrate Tu B’Shevat at Sarasota Children’s Garden

arasota Children’s Garden will be the site of a very special celebration on Saturday morning, January 18, as Temple Emanu-El and PJ Library host a birthday party for the trees in honor of Tu B’Shevat. The festivities begin at 10:00 a.m. and are open to the entire community. Admission is free with advance reservation, or $18 per family at the door. In addition to socializing in the Sarasota Children’s Garden’s charm-

ing natural setting and innovative play areas – which include a maze, pirate ship, dress-up room, tire swing, climbing equipment and slides for kids, as well as porch-style swings for adults to relax and watch the fun – attendees will participate in a special Tu B’Shevat planting activity. A breakfast of bagels, cream cheese and juice will be served; families will also enjoy a special fruit treat in honor of the holiday. Rabbi Brenner Glickman will lead an age-

appropriate Shabbat service of blessings, songs, movement and a story; and families will sing “Happy Birthday” to trees decorated with party hats to conclude the celebration. This is Temple Emanu-El’s second year hosting a Tu B’Shevat party at Sarasota Children’s Garden, and the partnership of PJ Library will make the event even more special. Although the morning is designed for Jewish and interfaith families with children up to

USF Hillel students bring Christians United For Israel group to USF

tudents from Hillel, the Jewish student organization at the University of South Florida/Tampa, have established a Christians United For Israel (CUFI) chapter on their campus. After hearing CUFI’s Eastern Regional Organizer, David Walker, speak, Hillel student Elyse Warren was inspired to form a chapter at USF. To establish the CUFI chapter, Warren was required to gather and educate student leaders and to form an administrative board. Warren explains, “We had to attend many meetings with USF’s Student Affairs Office and present them with a constitution of the organization’s

principles. We worked closely with CUFI headquarters in San Antonio, Texas. Our goals are to present weekly meetings, education sessions, exciting events and conference trainings, in order to keep the chapter vibrant and effective.” Specifically, the first project of this chapter, the 203rd of CUFI, is to not only get established on campus, but also to participate in the national campaign of “raising hope and awareness” of the current persecution of Christians in Syria and Coptics in Egypt. The CUFI board consists of Warren as the facilitator and Jewish liai-

Curriculum unit on “The Home” begins with construction instruction By Denise Hoff

BS Schools Kindergarten enjoyed its annual Trolley Tour of Sarasota this past month. The tour started with a stop at a D.R. Horton construction site. Students saw each stage of how a house is built. They learned about how important the foundation is, especially in Florida! Laying bricks was the next step in building a house. One student was excited to see wall construction

TBSS kindergarteners earn their hard hats

with bricks and mortar just like the strongest house in the Three Little Pigs – a story the class had recently read! Children also saw how the roof goes on at the end, and watched as a crew member operated important, heavy-lifting equipment. The children were mesmerized by all of the large tools and equipment it takes to build a house. To end a fabulous tour of the site, D.R. Horton presented each child with a construction hat labeled with their name along with a bag of real tools! It felt like a birthday party...for a house! After visiting many of the local tourist points in Sarasota, the last stop on the trolley tour was Rothenbach Park. Built on the site of the old Bee Ridge landfill, the park presented an interesting topic on how the park was constructed.

MASA ISrAel TrAvel ScholArShIp

son. Other officers include Matt Floyd, Chair; Mallory Johnson, Vice Chair; Sara Miller, Development Director; and Carissa Leonardi, Events Director.

CUFI Leadership: Carissa Leonardi, Elyse Warren and Mallory Johnson on the USF campus

Warren, the Grinspoon-Morningstar intern for the Israel on Campus Coalition, which functions as part of the student Hillel organization, explains that “each of these leaders was selected because of their tremendous campus leadership and work towards Israel advocacy. They have been involved politically and religiously with promoting Israel awareness. We wanted to provide them with the opportunity to channel this dedication through a group that fits into their Christianity.” In January, the new student CUFI

Sponsored by

age eight, all are warmly welcome. The event is chaired by Alicia Zoller. This event is also sponsored by The Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee. The Sarasota Children’s Garden is located at 1670 Tenth Way. For more information or to RSVP, email elaine-glickman@comcast.net or call 941.379.1997. Sponsored by

board will be attending the CUFI Student Advocacy Leadership Training (SALT) Conference in San Antonio. “We are establishing a legacy at USF that will continue to promote awareness of Israel in social, religious and political aspects and to counter potential antiSemitism on campus,” says Warren. Hillels of the Florida Suncoast supports Jewish life on six college campuses along the Suncoast of Florida, including University of South Florida (Tampa and St. Petersburg), University of Tampa, Eckerd College, New College of Florida, and Ringling College of Art and Design. Ringling College Hillel is a beneficiary agency of The Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee. For more information about the Hillels of the Florida Suncoast, please visit www. suncoasthillels.org. For more information about the CUFI Chapter at USF or the USF Hillel organization, please contact Linda Wolf, Assistant Director for Hillels of the Florida Suncoast, at 813.899.2788 or shalom@suncoasthillels.org.

MeMories last Forever

Jewish Camp inCentive Grants

Apply by Jan. 27, 2014 by visiting www.theJewishFederation.org. The Federation, in partnership with local philanthropists, provides incentive grants for Jewish children planning to attend not-for-profit Jewish overnight camps.

The Federation will offer scholarships to applicants who have been accepted to a MASA program! Scholarships are first come, first serve. (Up to $2,000 to cover travel to and from Israel only.) Visit www.TheJewishFederation.org.

Contact Sarah Wertheimer at 941.552.6308 or swertheimer@jfedsrq.org Klingenstein Jewish Center, 580 McIntosh Road, Sarasota, FL 34232 Amber Ikeman, Youth Engagement Coordinator 941.343.2106 • aikeman@jfedsrq.org

The Klingenstein Jewish Center, 580 McIntosh Rd., Sarasota FL 34232

941.371.4546 • www.TheJewishFederation.org

FOCUS ON YOUTH 29A January 2014

Temple Sinai sings with Beth Schafer

here was dancing in the aisles ple members. For weeks the students when Beth Schafer, award- rehearsed the chorus of her song Bring winning Jewish songwriter and It Down. Those who particularly enjoy musician, recently performed with her singing worked together on the verses. band at Temple Sinai on a late Shabbat The final mix will be the temple’s first afternoon. In keeping with the tradition music recording, which will be used in of gathering for Seudah Shlishit, a third a temple slideshow and on the phone Shabbat meal, the concert was preceded system for callers on hold. by a nosh and concluded with HavdaRabbi Geoff Huntting and Chazzan lah. Cliff Abramson graciously underwrote Beth Schafer’s music is part of the the cost of this musical experience repertoire of the Reform movement, which touched so many in the congreespecially at URJ summer camps and gation. biennials. She has recorded seven albums and won American Idol’s Faith-based Competition in 2006. She performs at congregations around the country while also serving as the spiritual leader of Congregation Shir Shalom in Orlando. As part of her visit to Temple Sinai, she conducted a recording session on Sunday morning with religious school students, teachers, madrichim, Temple Sinai students and adults spent a Sunday morning recording parents and other tem- Beth Schafer’s hit Bring It Down following her Saturday night concert

January 2014 Development Corporation for Israel Member FINRA

State of Israel Bonds 12600 South Belcher Road, Suite 101A Largo, Florida 33773

Reva Pearlstein Assistant Director

ne of the best things about Temple Beth Sholom Preschool is that it is a place to make friendships that last, with Jews and non-Jews alike. Shortly after one of my old friends from preschool, Lindsay, jokingly asked me to save her a plate of latkes this Chanukah, I received an email about an upcoming event: The Kadima/USY “Great Latke Cook Off.” I thought to myself, “Okay, Lindsay, if you want your latkes, you’re going to have to cook them.” On Sunday, November 24, I grabbed Lindsay and another buddy from preschool and headed to the TBS kitchen. The event started off with the Kadimaniks and USYers being split up into cooking teams. Everyone was asked to bring their own recipe to share all of our Hanukkah traditions. My team of five 8th and 9th-graders was provided basic ingredients and tools, but then we were stumped by a surprise ingredient: mozzarella cheese! Let’s just say that by the time all the teams had finished plating and frying their creations, some interesting flavors emerged, like chocolate gelt cheese sauce. In order to honor the rare holiday of “Thanksgivukkah,” my team attempted to make a cranberry applesauce; difficult with no can opener. Our end result

USYers and Kadmaniks with judge Mitch Weiss at the “Great Latke Cook Off”

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was a very heavy latke, a crushed can of cranberry sauce, and our signature mozzarella sour cream. Mitch Weiss was the judge. He is no Julia Child, but he has an excellent palate (author’s disclosure: my team won)! After all of the grating, mixing, frying and tasting, we took a break to talk about the real meaning of Hanukkah. USYers Allison Davis and Sydney Hanan led a discussion about hunger, which tied into the USY SATO (Social Action/Tikkun Olam) theme for the year, “Food for Thought.” Allison and Sydney shared some alarming facts about hunger in the U.S. They explained that the word Hanukkah translates to “dedication,” and we talked about ways that we can dedicate ourselves to fighting hunger. We all started by taking the canned food items we brought and stacking them in the shape of a menorah to display in the lobby. Everyone is looking forward to the upcoming TBS youth group events, which are open to temple members and nonmembers alike. I am glad that members from outside of the usual Temple Beth Sholom community were able to join in, be accepted and have as good a time as I did.

Monica DiGiovanni

727-539-6445  800-622-8017

USY and Kadima heat up latke cooking contest By Hadleigh Schwartz

29A

New Orleans

Connect, Explore & Celebrate The RichNess OF Jewish Music, FOOd, ARTs & culTuRe

TribeFest is an entertaining, interactive and educational celebration that will draw over 1,500 Jewish young adults (ages 22-45) from across North America. TribeFest will reflect the vibrant setting of its host city, New Orleans, offering meaningful, fun, and top-quality content. Through presentations by dynamic leaders in politics, entertainment, music, art, food, religion and other aspects of Jewish life, TribeFest will offer attendees many ways to connect to their own Judaism and how they see themselves as part of the community.

Wanna go? Contact Jessi sheslow at 941.343.2109 or jsheslow@jfedsrq.org to discuss the details.

www.TheJewishFederation.org

JFedsRq

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FOCUS ON YOUTH

January 2014

Community

BLUE CARPET NIGHT

tEEn This program is presented in partnership with the Shapiro Teen Engagement Program of The Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee.

All local Jewish teens are invited to walk down the blue carpet into a night of movie-themed games and activities, popcorn bar, your favorite theatre snacks and prizes for best dressed and most creative costumes! Bring your own sleeping bag & pillow.

WHEN:

January 11, 2014 @ 6:30PM thru January 12, 2014 @ 9:00AM

WHERE:

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

FREE! RSVP at www.jfedsrq.org/events.aspx For more information, contact Amber Ikeman at 941.343.2106 or aikeman@jfedsrq.org.

SHA LOM BA BY Families who are expecting or have recently celebrated the arrival of a baby can receive a Complimentary Gift Basket, which includes special baby items and a helpful resource guide for our Jewish community.

Temple Emanu-El, BBYO volunteer at food bank

Sponsored by

or the fourth year in a row, Temple Emanu-El Religious School families marked the Thanksgiving season by “giving back” at a special afternoon at All Faiths Food Bank. This year’s event, held on Sunday, November 17, was attended by over 80 children, parents and grandparents. Ten members of BBYO also joined in the effort. Greeted by All Faiths Food Bank Executive Director Sandra Frank, Chief Operating Officer Scott Malcom, and Volunteer and Events Coordinator Fran Talley, attendees toured the food bank – including a trip into the walk-in freezer! – and learned about the problem of hunger in Sarasota and DeSoto counties. Families and teens then volunteered in sorting donated food; filling bags with fresh produce; breaking down boxes; sweeping and cleaning; and checking conditions of donated food. The spirit of camaraderie and the work ethic was amazing. In less than two hours, the Temple Emanu-El families

and BBYO teens had provided 13,000 meals for hungry people in Sarasota and DeSoto counties! “We are grateful to All Faiths Food Bank for helping Jewish youth to give back during this Thanksgiving and Hanukkah season,” commented Rabbi Elaine Rose Glickman, who organized the project and also serves on the executive board of All Faiths Food Bank. “Two of the highest commandments in Judaism are feeding the hungry and teaching our children the ways of righteousness. We look forward all year long to fulfilling these commandments at All Faiths Food Bank.” “I helped people by giving them food to survive,” added Temple EmanuEl Religious School fifth-grader Katie Hurwitz. “We want everyone to have a great Thanksgiving meal and a happy holiday, like it’s supposed to be.”

Temple Emanu-El Religious School kindergartener Mia Amdur sorts food

Temple Emanu-El Religious School fourth-grader Seth Gross packs fresh produce

TheJewishFederation.org

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The PJ Library program supports families in their Jewish journey by sending Jewishrelated books and music on a monthly basis to children for free. Sponsored By:

Karp Family Foundation Follow us at facebook.com/pjlibraryofsarasota Visit the Federation website to sign up!

TheJewishFederation.org Questions?

Contact Amber Ikeman 941.343.2106 or aikeman@jfedsrq.org

The Breakfast Club’s new book club

n Sunday, November 3, Paver The group discussed tefillah and Religious School’s 8th and 9th- nigunim as being the great connections graders, known as the Break- that Jews all over the world have. One fast Club, initiated a new book club at parent found on his phone the audio Temple Beth Sholom. This discussion of children in Eastern Europe singing group includes parents and incorporates Oseh Shalom, and the entire group sang texts about the Holocaust. The first along. book was The Broken Mirror by actor It was once said, “For others, knowlKirk Douglas. edge of the history of their people is a Not everyone is aware that Kirk civic duty. For Jews it is a sacred duty.” Douglas is a prolific writer and that many It is the one important link that ties our of his books contain Judaic content. He people of yesterday with our people of wrote The Broken Mirror in 1997 after today. Bringing the significance of the he was in a helicopter that collided with Jewish past into our classrooms builds a small plane. The two people in the a profound and meaningful Judaic fuplane were killed, and he began ques- ture. This intergenerational book club is tioning why he lived and they did not. helping to build that Judaic future and He found solace in learning Torah and providing a gift of communication to decided to write a book, particularly for our families at Temple Beth Sholom. teenagers. The Broken Mirror takes us back to the Second World War and follows a child who is the sole survivor of his family and no longer wishes to remain a Jew. He assumes a new identity but finds his way back to Judaism in a most At Temple Beth Sholom, Paver Religious School’s 8th and 9th-graders meaningful way. have started their own book club

LIFE 31A CYCLE

January 2014

ANNIVERSARIES th

65 Murray & Annie Lowenthal Temple Beth Sholom 60th Daniel & Rosalind Radman Temple Beth Sholom 50th Stephen & Peggy Simon Temple Beth Sholom

20 Fred and Carole Gorin Temple Sinai 10th Jerry Cohn and Carol Bernhard Temple Sinai

Brandon Schwartz, son of Marc & Lauren Schwartz, January 11, Temple Beth Sholom Eitan Seldin-Schneider, son of Rochelle Seldin & Hanna Schneider, January 11, Temple Emanu-El Eli Koplin, son of Seth & Nancy Koplin, January 18, Temple Beth Sholom

admin 941.224.0778 men 941.377.4647 women 941.921.4740 1050 S. Tuttle Ave., Sarasota, FL 34237

IN MEMORIAM

Zack Abuza, 93, of Longboat Key, Nov. 11 Stanley Adelman, 88, of Sarasota and Syracuse, NY, Dec. 3 Rhoda Slohn Albert, 81, of Sarasota, formerly of Tampa, Nov. 16 Gerald F. Bamberger, 93, of Sarasota, Dec. 2 Stuart Arthur Beloff, 82, of Sarasota, Nov. 13 Virginia R. “Ginny” Bimstein, 93, of Sarasota, Nov. 17 Evelyn Bockler, 94, of Sarasota, Nov. 16 Cynthia Calisch, 55, of Sarasota, Nov. 1 Howard Edward Elder II, 76, of Fort Myers, Dec. 2 Lee Salem Harrow, 87, of Sarasota, formerly of Osprey, Nov. 5 Michael Jacko, of Woodbury, NJ, Oct. 31 Henry H. Kahn, 100, of Charlotte, NC, formerly of Sarasota, Nov. 21 Dr. Idella J. Moss, 83 of Sarasota, Oct. 28 Gloria T. Nathanson, 90, of Sarasota, Nov. 11 Leo Protigal, 87, of Sarasota, Nov. 29 Rabbi Herbert H. Rose, 84, of Sarasota, Nov. 27 Burton Stern, 83, of Sarasota, formerly of Roslyn, NY, Nov. 8 Marla Sue Wallach, 44, of Maitland, FL, Oct. 26

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

F O R M O R E I N F O CO N TAC T: AMBER IKEMAN 941.343.2106 O R A I K E M A N @ J F E D S R Q.O R G

Send-A-Kid-to-Israel Program

Apply oNlINE: TheJewishFederation.org The SKIP program is funded in large part by the Betty and Herb Schiff Send-a-Kid-to-Israel Fund.

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

IF YOU DID NOT RECEIVE THIS PUBLICATION, PLEASE CALL 941.343.2115 AND WE WILL SEND YOU A COPY AND UPDATE OUR RECORDS ACCORDINGLY.

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Robin Leonardi 941.552.6307 rleonardi@jfedsrq.org www.TheJewishNews.org

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

Serving our community since 1971!

Published by The Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee www.jfedsrq.org

January 2014 - Teveth/Shevat 5774

Volume 44, Number 1

Jewish Happenings thursday, january 2 “Great Musical Jews: Their Lives & Times” The stage of musical Jews contains extraordinarily-talented men and women, often from impoverished backgrounds, who rose to the heights of public acclaim by inspiring and entertaining the world. Each one of these accomplished Jews has given immeasurable pleasure to diverse cultures hungry for beauty and melody. The accomplishments of Itzhak Perlman are described in the first class of a six-month course covering the beautiful music of Jews that transcends the bounds of age, race, nationality and religion. Healthy kosher refreshments included. Join us at 2:00 p.m. at the Al Katz Center, 713 South Orange Avenue, Burns Square, Sarasota. Cost: $7 per adult; $3 per student. For more information or to RSVP, call Beverly Newman at 941.313.9239.

friday, january 3 Brandeis National Committee meeting

Join us in celebrating our

10th ANNIVERSARY!

There will be a reception for new and prospective members of Brandeis National Committee of Sarasota immediately following the organization’s general meeting. Men and women are invited to attend this brief reception at 10:00 a.m. on the Jewish Federation Campus, 580 McIntosh Road, Sarasota. This is an opportunity to learn more about the mission and programs of the BNC. For more information, call Irma Amsel at 941.312.6789 or Susy Green at 941.927.7638.

sunday, january 5 Chabad Men’s Club breakfast and presentation Chabad of Sarasota’s Men’s Club will be hosting a breakfast and presentation by Dr. Isaac Kalvaria, who will address the topic “Everything You Wanted to Ask Your Gastroenterologist But Were Afraid to Ask.” Enjoy the best kosher breakfast in Sarasota. Men and women are welcome to attend at 9:00 a.m. at Chabad of Sarasota, 7700 Beneva Road. Cost: $7 for Club 770 members; $10 for nonmembers. For additional information or to RSVP, call 941.925.0770 or email info@chabadofsarasota.com.

10TH ANNIVERSARY

Celebration Concert Featuring Itzhak Perlman conducting the PMP String Orchestra

As the culmination of the 10th annual PMP Sarasota Winter Residency

January 4, 2014, 5 p.m. • Sarasota Opera House Tickets are $40, $60, $80 • Sarasota Opera box office: 941-366-8450

monday, january 6

For information about the 10th Annual Celebration Gala, which follows the concert, call 941-350-2338.

Torah Tots Join other parents, grandparents and caregivers as we explore the child’s world through story, song, cooking, crafts and circle time. Torah Tots encourages multi-sensory experiences that stimulate emerging language, motor development, socialization and bonding between parents and child. Explore child rearing from a Jewish perspective, participate in group activities and learn Jewish customs that will enhance this unique time in your toddler’s life in these formative years. Torah Tots runs from 10:00 to 10:45 a.m. at The Chabad House, 5712 Lorraine Road, Bradenton. Suggested donation: $6. For more information, contact Rabbi Mendy Bukiet at 941.752.3030 x3 or info@chabadofbradenton.com.

in partnership with

For information, call 941-955-4942 or visit PMPSuncoast.org

JEWISH HAPPENINGS

January 2014

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Temple Beth Sholom Sisterhood Invites you to attend

The Torah Fund

tuesday, january 7

Day of Study and Luncheon Honoring

Bible study with a scholar

Ruth F. Ades

Rabbi Larry Mahler teaches “An Overview of the Hebrew Bible - Where History and Theology Intersect” on Tuesdays at 10:00 a.m. for 12 sessions at Temple Sinai, 4631 S. Lockwood Ridge Road, Sarasota. Nonmembers are welcome; $18 for the series. RSVP to rablar@tampabay.rr.com.

Light of Torah Ruth F. Ades Ruth F. Ades

8325 Lakewood Ranch Boulevard | Lakewood Ranch, FL 34202 | 941.907.9595 | michaelsaunders.com

Tuesday, January 7, 2014 Temple Beth Sholom

Rabbi Charles E. Savenor Rabbi Charles E. Savenor Keynote Speaker

Registration begins at 9:30am Program begins promptly at 10:00am ▪ Lunch at noon Couvert $36.00 checks made payable to TBS Sisterhood

Donations in honor of Ruth are separately payable to Torah Fund RSVP by December 18th to Julie Friedman 941-484-2790 or Betty Levitt 941-927-4854

1050 South Tuttle Avenue, Sarasota, Florida 34237

Rosh Chodesh Society – Your Beautiful Fruit Join Chanie Bukiet for the third of seven classes in RCS’s latest course: A Reason to Celebrate. This course looks to illuminate our lives though the Jewish holidays. In this class, we will explore the seven fruits corresponding to the seven dimensions of our souls. Refreshments will be served. The class begins at 7:30 p.m. at The Chabad House, 5712 Lorraine Road, Bradenton. $75 per course; $15 per class; textbooks included. For more information, contact Rabbi Mendy Bukiet at 941.752.3030 x3 or info@ chabadofbradenton.com.

“The Triumph and Tragedy of Israel”

Sarasota Concert Association presents the 2014

at the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall Monday, January 6 • 8 p.m.

Haaretz senior correspondent Ari Shavit joins New Yorker editor David Remnick for an incisive analysis of the Jewish state’s fraught history, and its prospects for the future. Shavit’s new book, My Promised Land: The Triumph and Tragedy of Israel, is the sweeping result of his 30 years in the trenches of Israeli society and politics. The event begins at 7:30 p.m. at Temple Beth Israel, 567 Bay Isles Road, Longboat Key. Cost: $5 (free for TBI members). For more information, contact the TBI office at info@tbi-lbk.org or 941.383.3428.

wednesday, january 8 Newcomers Reception

Marc-André Hamelin, piano Combining deep insight and technical wizardry!

Monday, January 27 • 8 p.m.

Kalichstein-Laredo-Robinson Trio Nokuthula Ngwenyama, violist

Wednesday, February 5 • 8 p.m.

East Coast Chamber Orchestra A rare ensemble performance by these celebrated musicians!

Wednesday, February 19 • 8 p.m.

Russia’s St. Petersburg Philharmonic Nikolai Alexeev, conductor • Denis Kozhukhin, pianist

Monday, March 3 • 8 p.m.

Detroit Symphony Leonard Slatkin, conductor • Olga Kern, pianist

SUBSCRIBE NOW AND SAVE OVER 25% ON SINGLE CONCERT TICKET PRICES FIVE-CONCERT SUBSCRIPTION: $255 • $225 • $185 • $145 Single ticket prices: $40-$75

941-955-0040

www.scasarasota.org

Sponsored by

New to the area? New to Federation? Join us from 5:00 to 6:30 p.m. at the Sarasota Yacht Club (1100 John Ringling Blvd.) for a Newcomers Reception to meet and connect with other Jews in the area and learn about upcoming programs and events. Free; reservations are required. To RSVP, visit www.jfedsrq.org/events. aspx. For more information, contact Ilene Fox at 941.343.2111 or ifox@ jfedsrq.org.

Temple Emanu-El “Lunch with the Rabbi” Are you looking for a great lunch date? Join Rabbi Brenner Glickman and plenty of nice, friendly, interesting companions for lunch, socializing and a discussion of current events and subjects of Jewish interest. All are invited to this popular, stimulating and enjoyable program at noon at Temple Emanu-El, 151 McIntosh Road, Sarasota. Attendees are asked to bring a brown-bag lunch and are also welcome to bring a newspaper article or suggested topic for discussion. Homemade dessert and terrific company are provided! For more information, call the temple office at 941.371.2788.

Interesting Lives Series presents Lynda Feldmar Lynda Feldmar will talk about some highlights of her career as a registered nurse, with entertaining anecdotes about the operating room, obstetrics and other areas of her profession. We welcome all members of the community to come and hear about her life both as a nurse and as an educator. Light refreshments will be served. This free event is open to the public and begins at 1:15 p.m. at Temple Beth Sholom, Band/Desenberg Chapel, 1050 South Tuttle Ave., Sarasota. For more information, call Arlene Hamburger at 941.921.2554.

JEWISH HAPPENINGS 3B January 2014

January 2014

thursday, january 9

Being Jewish

The Hidden Holocaust at Sobibor

&Female

Sponsored by

Join us at 7:00 p.m. for a film screening and discussion with guest speaker Professor Richard Freund. This free event takes place on the Jewish Federation Campus at 580 McIntosh Road, Sarasota. RSVP required at visit www.jfedsrq.org/events.aspx. For more information, please contact Orna Nissan at 941.552.6305 or onissan@ jfedsrq.org.

JFCS Holocaust Survivors Support Group Sponsored by

All survivors are invited to attend these monthly gatherings of friendship, camaraderie and support. Find out the latest on Claims Conference information, enjoy a light nosh and a lively discussion on “Your Personal Traditions.” The group meets from 1:00 to 2:30 p.m. at JFCS, South County Human Services Center, 19503 West Villages Parkway, North Port (next door to the State College of Florida). Sponsored by Jewish Family & Children’s Service, Gulf Coast Jewish Family and Community Services, The Jewish Federation of SarasotaManatee and the Claims Conference. To RSVP or for more information, contact Jan Alston at 941.366.2224 x172 or jalston@jfcs-cares.org.

SaBra Hadassah meeting and installation of officers Terri Tankel, President of Florida Central Region of Hadassah, will be the installing officers for the 2014 SaBra Chapter. At the meeting, Chapter President Lee Ruggles will present “The Foreseeable Future is Now... Choose Where to Make Your Impact.” Members, Associates and guests are welcome. A light lunch will be served. The meeting begins at 11:30 a.m. in the Zell Room on the Jewish Federation Campus, 580 McIntosh Road, Sarasota. Space is limited. RSVP to Nancy Mizrahi by January 6 at 941.923.1790.

in America

Renowned Author and Journalist Emmy Recipient and Social Activist

LETTY COTTIN POGREBIN

to speak at Congregation Kol HaNeshama

JANUARY 9th, 7:00 PM · Southgate Community Center 3145 Southgate Circle · Sarasota

$10 for non-members of KH · Reservations Required Dessert Buffet following Lecture Sign up is on the home page of our website at www.congkh.org or call 941·244·2042

Seating is limited for this Outstanding One Time Special Event.

So much more than yogurt!

On St. Armands Circle

Hot dogs to order!

“Sephardic History Throughout the Ages” The rich Sephardic culture is woven into Israeli life across the board, but is virtually unfamiliar to many American Jews. Join us for the first of a six-month series on an enlightening journey through centuries of time and multiple continents to learn about and experience the depth and breadth of Sephardic Judaism and its remarkable influence upon all of Jewish life through today, including customs, geography, history and influences on Judaism. A light healthy kosher meal, with vegetarian options included. The event begins at 6:00 p.m. at the Al Katz Center, 713 South Orange Avenue, Burns Square, Sarasota. Cost: $7 per adult; $3 per student. For more information or to RSVP, call Beverly Newman at 941.313.9239.

Rosh Chodesh Society - “Seven Fruits” N’shei Chabad Women invites all women to attend the Rosh Chodesh Society, which includes a talk entitled “Seven Fruits – Seven Dimensions of Your Soul.” On Tu B’Shevat, the “New Year for Fruit Trees,” we partake of the fruits for which the Land of Israel is blessed, each of which embodies a lesson in personal or spiritual growth. Following the class, women will have the opportunity to taste and learn to prepare cholent – a tantalizing and traditional Shabbat food. A thank you to Chabad’s First Lady, Anne Stein, for underwriting the course. Join us at 7:15 p.m. at Chabad of Sarasota, 7700 Beneva Road. Cost: Rebbetzin Circle members, free; N’shei Women members, $10; nonmembers, $12. For additional information or to RSVP, call 941.925.0770 or email info@chabadofsarasota.com.

Self serve yogurt! Fresh cut curly fries!

Homemade ice cream!

Create a masterpiece!

Hot mini donuts!

• Catering for Bar/Bat Mitzvah, Weddings and Special Occasions • Enjoy special pricing for Birthday/Occasion parties for lunch or dinner at Sarasota Yogurt (10 or more) • Call for bookings and reservations: Scott Pastor

ST ARMANDS CIRCLE | 327-A JOHN RINGLING BLVD. | 941.388.0300 SARASOTAYOGURTCOMPANY.COM

CONFLUENCE: ISRAEL

Jewish Women’s Club Join us for mah jongg or challah baking. Whether you’re a novice or an expert, you will have the opportunity to learn and have fun with the activity of your choice! Sample delectable desserts and discover the history of the Jewish heroine Sara and learn how she provided guidance in the past and lessons for the present. Cost: $12 for JWC members; $15 for nonmembers. The event begins at 7:30 p.m. at Chabad Jewish Center, 2169 S. Tamiami Trail, Venice. For more information, contact Rivka Schmerling at 941.493.2770 or rivka@chabadofvenice.com.

Fri-Sat, January 10-11 Community Shabbat with David Nesenoff Join Chabad for a fabulously entertaining Shabbat with David Nesenoff, including dinner, Shabbat Kiddush and Saturday night kumzitz. The cost for the whole Shabbat experience is $25; Friday night dinner at 7:00 p.m. only is $18; kumzitz only is $10; Shabbat Kiddush is free and open to the public. All events take place at The Chabad House, 5712 Lorraine Road, Bradenton. For more information, contact Rabbi Mendy Bukiet at 941.752.3030 x3 or info@chabadofbradenton.com.

The Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee is collaborating with Art Center Sarasota in the area’s first exhibition showcasing art by emerging and established Israeli artists in different mediums such as painting, sculpture, photography, drawing, woodwork, video, jewelry and embroidery. The exhibition runs from March 13 through April 25, 2014, with an opening reception for the public on March 13, 5-7pm.

www.artsarasota.org

JEWISH HAPPENINGS

January 2014 saturday, january 11

sunday, january 12

Community Teen Lock-In

6th Annual Sarasota Jewish Food Festival

Sponsored by

All local Jewish high-schoolers are invited to walk down the blue carpet into a night of movie-themed games and activities, a popcorn bar, your favorite theatre snacks, and prizes for best dressed, most creative costumes! Bring your own sleeping bag and pillow. The event begins Saturday night at 6:30 p.m. and ends Sunday morning at 9:00 a.m. It takes place on the Jewish Federation Campus at 580 McIntosh Road, Sarasota. Free; reservations are required at www. jfedsrq.org/events.aspx. For more information, contact Amber Ikeman at 941.343.2103 or aikeman@jfedsrq.org.

BNC Patron’s Party Please join the Sarasota Chapter of Brandeis University at a Patron’s Party celebrating the arrival of Stephen McCauley, notable author and Associate Director of Creative Writing at the University. The event will be held at a chapter member’s home from 8:00 to 10:00 p.m. A buffet of desserts and coffee will be served. Minimum Patron’s donation is $36; Bronze to Gold levels range from $50 to $100. All proceeds go to Brandeis University’s research in degenerative diseases. For more information or to register, call Shari Paler at 414.628.8229 or Fran Spring at 941.753.2211.

Sponsored by

It’s time again for blintzes, knishes and matzoh ball soup! And brisket, corned beef and cabbage rolls. Come experience traditional comfort foods or enjoy the opportunity to try something new. There is free admission to this event that runs from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., rain or shine, at Temple Sinai, 4631 S. Lockwood Ridge Road, Sarasota. You may eat in or take out. This event is sponsored in part by The Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee, Right at Home, Furniture Warehouse, Graphic Jam, Autumn of Sarasota, and Lauren Rudd Asset Management. The community partner is All Faiths Food Bank and guests are encouraged to bring a non-perishable item to donate to the needy. There will be a Health Fair, arts and craft vendors and a used book sale. Media sponsors are SRQ Media and WSRQ talk radio, which will be broadcasting live. For more information, please call 941.924.1802 or visit www.sarasotajewishfoods.com.

University on Wheels brunch The Sarasota chapter of Brandeis invites you to hear acclaimed novelist Stephen McCauley, author of eight novels, speak at the University on Wheels brunch at Prestancia Country Club. His talk, “Pseudonyms and Surprises: One Novelist’s Journey in the Ever Changing World of Literature,” will be presented from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. McCauley is Associate Director of Creative Writing at Brandeis University. To register, call Shari Paler at 414.628.8229 or Fran Spring at 941.753.2211.

Falafel with Yoav & PARveDise ice cream Join us at noon at The Chabad House (5712 Lorraine Road, Bradenton) and enjoy a terrific kosher falafel lunch and delicious non-dairy ice cream from our very own soft-serve PARveDise ice cream machine. This month’s event features a talk by Chef Linda Rubin from LS Kitchen in New York City. Cost: $5 for all-you-can-eat falafel; $2 for ice cream. For more information, please contact Rabbi Mendy Bukiet at 941.752.3030 x3 or info@ chabadofbradenton.com.

asolo rep

RAFI (Relatives and Friends of Israelis) meeting

in g n i n e p O ! January

RAFI is a social group that is the bridge between loved ones in Israel and the U.S. RAFI is a non-political, non-fundraising group. Members enjoy sharing news about loved ones in Israel and have fun, interesting meetings. Connect with people who have the same interests. Join us at 1:00 p.m. at Temple Beth Sholom, 1050 S. Tuttle Avenue, Sarasota. For more information, contact Harriet Joy Epstein at hjesarasota@yahoo.com or 941.342.1818.

Tu B’Shevat Seder at Temple Emanu-El How many religions have a holiday to celebrate the birthday of the trees? Judaism created Tu B’Shevat to celebrate the wonders of nature. How many religions call their sacred text an Eitz Chaim, a Tree of Life? We do. Since biblical days, Judaism has focused on taking care of our environment. Join us to continue this tradition with a Tu B’Shevat Seder at 2:00 p.m. at Temple Emanu-El, 151 McIntosh Road, Sarasota. Celebrate the birthday of the trees, drink four different cups of wine, taste many different kinds of fruit, and even ask four questions. Cost: $18 for guests; $5 for Temple Emanu-El members; children under 12 free. Please email Temple Emanu-El Adult Education Chair Beth Salzman at bethanny2@comcast. net with your reservation by January 9.

PHILADELPHIA, HERE I COME!

January 10–April 12 by Brian Friel directed by Frank Galati A touching and humorous portrait of a young man preparing to leave Ireland for a new life in America. Director Frank Galati injects music and merriment into this uplifting coming of age story.

OTHER DESERT CITIES

January 17–February 27 by Jon Robin Baitz directed by Greg Leaming This fiercely funny new play brings dysfunctional family drama to new heights. This critically acclaimed Broadway hit is filled with crackling wit and a storyline that grabs you from the opening scene through the riveting conclusion.

BLacKtroupe

West coast

VANYA AND SONIA AND MASHA AND SPIKE

preseNtING proDucer Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee

January 24–April 13 by Christopher Durang directed by Peter Amster WINNER 2012 Tony Award Best Play In this irresistible, laugh-out-loud new comedy, middle-aged siblings Vanya and Sonia live a quiet life in their Pennsylvania farmhouse, until their movie-star sister Masha returns for a visit that shakes things up.

13-14 SEASON

941-351-8000 or 800-361-8388 visit us online at asolorep.org

theatre

Directed by Howard Millman

“The Whipping Man” is presented by special arrangement with SAMUEL FRENCH, INC.

PAID FOR IN PART BY SARASOTA COUNTY TOURIST DEVELOPMENT TAX REVENUES

Get tIcKets NoW! 941-366-1505 WBttsrQ.orG

JEWISH HAPPENINGS 5B January 2014

January 2014

monday, january 13 Tour of the Southeastern Guide Dog Campus Join the SaraMana ORT Chapter for a fun and informative tour of the Southeastern Guide Dog Campus, 4210 77th St. East, Palmetto. Our day will begin at 9:00 a.m. with a chance to pet the puppies, followed by a walking tour of the beautiful 35-acre campus, during which we will learn about the organization’s mission and what it takes to create a guide dog team. Lunch will follow the tour at 11:30 a.m. For more information, contact Mollie Sernau at molliejer@gmail.com or 941.388.0863.

tuesday, january 14 YAD Happy Hour Meet with other young Jewish adults for great happy hour specials and great company! No RSVP required, just show up from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. at Selva Grill, 1345 Main St., Sarasota. For more information, contact Jessi Sheslow at 941.343.2109 or jsheslow@jfedsrq.org.

“How to Understand and Form a Positive Relationship with Our Adult Children” Rita Feder, a registered nurse with a master’s degree in Counseling Psychology, will address this important topic in a special program sponsored by Temple Emanu-El’s Adult Education Committee. Generational differences, obstacles, strategies and basic guidelines for understanding and bonding with adult children will be presented. So many parents are baffled as to why their adult children treat them so disrespectfully; participants will share stories, explore coping strategies, and learn that you are not alone in this struggle. This free event begins at 10:30 a.m. at Temple Emanu-El, 151 McIntosh Road, Sarasota. Please email Temple EmanuEl Adult Education Chair Beth Salzman at bethanny2@comcast.net with your reservation.

Art in the Afternoon Join the Brandeis National Committee at 11:00 a.m. at the Meadows Country Club, 3101 Longmeadow, Sarasota. Jean Renoux, designer, filmmaker and lecturer will present “The Art and Architecture of Prague, its Historic Perspective.” The lecture precedes lunch. Cost: $30 for BNC members; $40 for guests. Please call Janet Tolbert at 941.388.9624 for registration information.

FLORIDA STUDIO THEATRE

wednesday, january 15 Idelson Library Film Matinee Series Dressing America: Tales from the Garment Center tells the largely unknown story of how an industry was created through the rough and tumble efforts of an interesting assortment of Jewish “characters.” They created a ready-to-wear business that grew by leaps and bounds, nurturing a legion of designers that included Anne Klein, Donna Karan, Isaac Mizrahi and Ralph Lauren. Lionel Zahler will lead a question and answer session after the 57-minute film is screened. The event begins at 1:15 p.m. at Temple Beth Sholom, Madeline L. Sainer Social Hall, 1050 South Tuttle Ave., Sarasota. The cost is $3 for members and $5 for nonmembers. Refreshments, including popcorn, will be served; sponsored by the Men’s Club. For more information, please call the temple office at 941.955.8121.

“What Are the ‘Core Issues’ of Reform Judaism?” This is the first of two sessions of this Miniversity course. The second session takes place at 2:00 p.m. on Wednesday, January 22. In order to fully understand Reform Judaism, one must first understand something about Reform’s theology and its relationship to halacha, Jewish law. We live in a polytheistic world where there are many God concepts. Though we believe in One God, we are a people with many concepts. Come explore the core concepts of Reform Judaism with Rabbi Peter Kasdan, Rabbinic Advisor to the Jewish Genetic Disease Consortium and chair of Temple Beth Israel’s Speakers Committee. Join us at 2:00 p.m. at Temple Beth Israel, 567 Bay Isles Road, Longboat Key. Cost: free for TBI members; $5 for nonmembers. To register or for more information, contact the TBI office at info@tbi-lbk.org or 941.383.3428.

For a continuously updated community calendar, visit www.jfedsrq.org.

“A vivid portrait of justice” - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

THURGOOD by George Stevens, Jr.

“Playful sense of humor” - The New York Times

“Heartfelt Applause” - The New York Times

366-9000 0oridastudiotheatre.org

1241 N. Palm Avenue, Downtown Sarasota

Richard Hopkins, Artistic Director

Sponsored in part by the Department of State, Division of Cultural Aﬀairs, the Florida Council on Arts and Culture, and the State of Florida.

JEWISH HAPPENINGS

January 2014

Lion of Judah & Pomegranate Chocolate Luncheon Friday, February, 14, 2014

The Resort at Longboat Key Club Featuring Rabbi Debbi Prinz

thursday, january 16 JFCS Bereavement Support Group Sponsored by

This group meets from 10:30 a.m. to noon on Thursdays from January 16 through February 20 at JFCS, 2688 Fruitville Road, Sarasota. Cost: $36 per person for the six-week session. For more information, contact Beverly Mishkin at 941.366.2224 x119 or bmishkin@jfcs-cares.org.

JFCS Holocaust Survivors Support Group Sponsored by

Co-chairs Nadia Ritter & Bunny Skirboll Questions? Contact Ilene Fox at 941.343.2111 or ifox@jfedsrq.org The Klingenstein Jewish Center 580 McIntosh Rd., Sarasota FL 34232 941.371.4546 • www.TheJewishFederation.org

The Federation

Blog

www.FederationBlog.org

Join the Jewish Conversation!

Morocco With the girls!

All survivors are invited to attend these monthly gatherings of friendship, camaraderie and support. Find out the latest on Claims Conference information, enjoy a light nosh and a lively discussion on “Your Personal Traditions.” The group meets from 1:00 to 2:30 p.m. at Kobernick House, 1951 N. Honore Ave., Sarasota. Sponsored by Jewish Family & Children’s Service, Gulf Coast Jewish Family and Community Services, The Jewish Federation of SarasotaManatee and the Claims Conference. To RSVP or for more information, contact Jan Alston at 941.366.2224 x172 or jalston@jfcs-cares.org.

Jewish Comfort Foods: Tu B’Shevat Seder Judaism and comfort foods are inextricably intertwined from antiquity through the present. The comfort food experience can be very relaxing, motivating, and healthy. Celebrate the Jewish Festival of Trees with a Tu B’Shevat Seder – a feast of fruits and grains – plus planting saplings in pots. If you have never attended a Tu B’Shevat Seder, don’t miss this great Jewish experience. Enjoy good food, good music and good conversation. The event begins at 11:30 a.m. at the Al Katz Center, 713 South Orange Avenue, Burns Square, Sarasota. Cost: $7 per adult; $3 per student. For more information or to RSVP, call Beverly Newman at 941.313.9239.

Miniversity - “Surprises in Jewish Cooking” Cabbage soup is enjoyed in many cultures. Come enjoy a live demonstration of a great Jewish preparation, which will include cooking tips, history and a little nosh. Join us at 2:00 p.m. at Temple Beth Israel, 567 Bay Isles Road, Longboat Key. Cost: free for TBI members; $5 for nonmembers. To register or for more information, contact the TBI office at info@tbi-lbk. org or 941.383.3428.

SaraMana ORT Chapter Officer Installation The SaraMana ORT Chapter will install its new officers at its next general meeting from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. at Lakewood Ranch Town Hall, 8175 Lakewood Ranch Blvd. Members, guests and prospective members are invited to participate and get to know the new officers. For more information, contact Lynn Sacks at lynndsacks@yahoo.com or 941.907.8907.

l Calling Arsl Choriste

RECRUITING FOR

APRIL 3, 2014 Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall

Interested? Please contact Ilene Fox at 941.343.2111 or ifox@jfedsrq.org

REHEARSALS LATE SUNDAY AFTERNOONS, STARTING JANUARY 12 Church of the Redeemer, Parish Hall, Palm Avenue, Sarasota

CALL

Linda Buxbaum, 896-9130 or Ann Moe, 735-4606

MAY 2014

The sights, sounds, cuisine, culture, art, gardens, Jewish heritage and shopping!

Help create an outstanding musical and cultural event for the community. Come sing with us! All parts needed — 150 singers needed! Sing Ernst Bloch’s Sacred Service, Broadway favorites by Weill, Bernstein, Gershwin and others along with a 50-member orchestra and be conducted by world-class choral director, Matthew Lazar. Soloists include Metropolitan Opera soloist Jason Stearns, Cantor Jeff Weber, Cantor Cliff Abramson, Cantor Riselle Bains and Cantor Deborah Jacobson.

This event is sponsored by the Jewish Federation of Sarasota Manatee, the Rabbinic Assembly of Sarasota Manatee and supported by our temples and synagogues.

JEWISH HAPPENINGS 7B January 2014

January 2014

EVERY TUESDAY

friday, january 17 Architecture and History Tour Brandeis National Committee invites you to a John and Charles Ringling Estate Architecture and History Tour with Ron McCarty, Historian, Curator and Keeper of the Ca d’Zan. Meet the bus at the Ringling Museum parking lot at 9:45 a.m. and return at 3:00 p.m. Also on the agenda is lunch at Café L’Europe with a talk by interior designer Joyce Hart. Cost: $50 for BNC member; $60 for guests. Call Janet Tolbert 941.388.9624 for registration information.

JAN 14 - MAR 4

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Interfaith Shabbat Program

INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTERS

BECOME AS

SMART AS YOUR

GRANDCHILDREN!

Bishop Henry Porter of the Westcoast Center for Human Development joins Rabbi Brenner J. Glickman on the bimah for a moving Shabbat service honoring the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Following words of tribute for Dr. King, singers from Westcoast will offer an inspiring and energetic performance. Participants will also share stories of their own involvement in the struggle for civil rights. This annual interfaith event is a beautiful way to remember Dr. King. All are welcome at 7:30 p.m. at Temple Emanu-El, 151 McIntosh Road, Sarasota. For more information, call the temple office at 941.371.2788.

Instructor: Joe Floersheimer Class Runs 8 Weeks Tuesdays, 1:00 - 4:00 pm $70 / Student *Requires minimum of 5 students. Payment is your reservation.

The Klingenstein Jewish Center 580 McIntosh Road, Sarasota, FL 34232

Sat-sun, January 18-19

941.343.2115

TheJewishFederation.org

SAFETY Sub-Regional Limo Hunt Sponsored by

Join Jewish teens from all over the west coast of Florida to compete in a race against time! Teens will participate in a scavenger hunt around downtown Sarasota in, yes, LIMOS! This fun event begins at 3:00 p.m. on Saturday at Temple Sinai, 4631 S. Lockwood Ridge Road, Sarasota. It will conclude at 3:00 p.m. on Sunday. To RSVP, contact Len Steinberg at 941.924.1802 x112 or len@templesinaisarasota.org. This event is presented in partnership with the Shapiro Teen Engagement Program of The Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee.

saturday, january 18 Ner Tamid birthday celebration and dinner 2014 marks Bradenton’s Congregation Ner Tamid’s tenth birthday and nothing says “Yom Huledet Sameach” better than a delicious deli supper. Door prizes and entertainment, too. Bring a friend to enjoy this warm and open congregation. The fun beings at 6:00 p.m. at The Lodge, 4802 B 26th St. W., Bradenton. The cost is $15 per person. For information and reservations, contact Elaine at 941.755.1231 or shalom@nertamidflorida.org.

Chabad Film Fest Join Chabad for a movie night to watch Ticket to Heaven, a film about the recruiting of a young man in what appears to be a cult. Enjoy hot dogs, chips and drinks. The screening begins at 7:30 p.m. at The Chabad House, 5712 Lorraine Road, Bradenton. Admission is $3; admission and food is $5. For more information, contact Rabbi Mendy Bukiet at 941.752.3030 x3 or info@chabadofbradenton.com.

April 2–April 27 TIME MAGAZINE ”THE BEST PLAY OF 2012, HANDS DOWN.” This funny and moving masterpiece looks at how two outsiders find their way in the world today. 21-year-old, Leo has just bicycled 4,000 miles from Seattle to the West Village apartment of his grandmother, Vera. When his overnight sleepover turns into an extended stay, Vera’s surprising political views collide with Leo’s carefree hippie lifestyle and the two become a veritable odd couple. Slowly, Leo begins to reveal the mysterious events of his journey and the two discover the narrow line between growing up and growing old. TO PURCHASE TICKETS

www.asolorep.org

5555 North Tamiami Trail, Sarasota

DEADLY DECEPTION at SOBIBOR

inform EngagE www.SarasotaLovesIsrael.com The Robert & Esther Heller Israel advocacy Initiative • Get the facts about Israel • Learn how to respond to anti-Semitism • Advocate to local government and media

“Fighting anti-Semitism and the movement to delegitimize israel.”

Sponsored by

Join The Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee and the Jewish Club at Lakewood Ranch for an informational talk by U.S. Army Col. Bob Taradash. Col. Taradash will discuss his experiences as a Jew serving all over the world in the Army for over 30 years and specifically during three combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. He will also examine the U.S. Army’s historical connection to the Holocaust and the Liberation designation given to some Army units. The event begins at 10:30 a.m. at the Polo Grill, 10670 Boardwalk Loop, Lakewood Ranch. Tickets: $5 (no refunds). For more information, visit www.jfedsrq.org/events.aspx or call 941.552.6304.

Jewish War Veterans meeting Join Sarasota Co. Post 172 Jewish War Veterans of the USA at its monthly meeting at Temple Beth Sholom, 1050 S. Tuttle Avenue, Sarasota. Breakfast with lox and bagels begins at 9:15 a.m. The business meeting will begin at 10:00 a.m. followed by speaker Stanley Katz, former Under Secretary of Commerce and advisor to many nations. He will speak on the present state of the economy. For further information, contact Stuart Krupkin, Commander, at 941.342.3413.

Jewish Genealogical Society of Southwest Florida This month’s JGS program features the Sarasota Jewish Chorale performing Esther’s Story, a cantata in words and music. It’s a tale of a young couple who meet, marry and leave Europe for America when the future looks grim, just prior to WWII. The cantata is written by Rivka Chatman and Brenda Lederman and conducted by Linda Stewart Tucker; the accompanist is Sybil Broh. The Chorale is in its 15th year, entertaining Southwest Florida as ambassadors of Jewish culture, singing the music of our people, and recounting their journey through history. Everyone is welcome to this free event at 1:00 p.m. at Kobernick House, 1951 N. Honore Ave., Sarasota. For more information, contact Kim Sheintal at 941.921.1433 or klapshein@aol.com, or visit http://jgsswf.org/.

Square Dance Come and enjoy an evening with your favorite partner! All are invited to a Temple Beth Sholom Men’s Club-sponsored Square Dance, with professional caller Red Bates and his music. A Chuck Wagon Dinner by Michael’s On East will be served and prizes will be awarded. The event begins at 5:00 p.m. at Temple Beth Sholom, 1050 S. Tuttle Ave., Sarasota. Cost: $23 per person, cash or check, to TBS. Reservations required by January 14. Please contact Gerry Ronkin at 941.955.8121 or gronkin@ templebethsholomfl.org.

Tuesday

February 18 th, 2014

APJA potluck dinner get-together

7:00 - 9:00 PM Hear the experiences of internationally known leaders with interfaith work and learn specific knowledge about how to be the best advocate for Israel.