Jewish Link Jewish Link The New Mexico Volume 44, Number 9 Published by: The Jewish Federation of New Mexico • New Mexico’s Center for Jewish Philanthropy ELECTRONIC SERVICE REQUESTED Jewish Federation of New Mexico 5520 Wyoming Blvd. NE, Alb. NM 87109 In Their Own Words: Kids Talk Tikkun Olam By Mary-Ellin Brooks Head of School Steve Barberio tends to a fig tree with the help of students in Kitah Gimel “Make everything recyclable and compost!” – Jonah, Kitah Alef “[I can help the world by] picking up trash. Not being mean, not yelling, not pushing.” – Sinai, Kitah Alef “Give money to homeless people. Help others. Plant a tree or a flower or some kind of plant.” – Sarah, Kitah Gimel “Give poor people food if they’re hungry.” – Owen, Kitah Dalet “Give money to poor people so they can buy food.” – Josh, Kitah Dalet “Give food, shelter, and clean water to people who need it. Some places in the world don’t have enough clean water.” – Dasi, Kitah Hay “Help someone who’s disabled do what they really want to do.” – Nathaniel, Kitah Hay Head of School Steve Barberio adds, “Jewish traditions Monthly Service Learning Projects Each month, Jewish Academy teachers will lead a service learning project, putting tikkun olam into action. Last month, Chari Ritchie and Cheryl Saloio (who together teach the combined Kitah Gan/Kitah Alef class) teamed up for a stuffed ani- NON-PROFIT ORGN U.S. POSTAGE PAID ALBUQUERQUE, NM PERMIT NO. 492 and values are rooted in developing people who have character. We instill these values in our students, who ultimately leave the Jewish Academy with the resilience and strength to effect change in the world. That’s why we choose themes like tikkun olam to guide our behavior – students and adults alike – through our time together during the school year.” TIME SENSITIVE MATERIAL PLEASE EXPEDITE Kids Say… We asked Jewish Academy students for their thoughts on tikkun olam. Everyone agreed that it means to “make the world a better place,” and they want to do their part to improve the physical world and help those less fortunate. Here’s what some of them had to say: “Make more water.” – Zoey, Kitah Alef RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED Jewish Federation of New Mexico 5520 Wyoming Blvd. NE Alb., NM 87109 “Clean up. Make sure our world is just how G-d left it.” – Judy, Kitah Gimel Do a quick search for tikkun olam, and you’ll find that this is a concept whose provenance and meaning has been researched and written about. A lot. Some authors even seem just a touch cynical about this notion of “repairing the world.” Thankfully, the students of the Jewish Academy of Arts & Sciences keep the spirit of tikkun olam in their hearts – and their actions. Following last year’s theme of derech eretz, the school has chosen tikkun olam as its theme and guidepost for the 2014-15 academic year. mal and infant blanket drive for the Albuquerque Police Department and Albuquerque Fire Department. Officer Anna Nuñez visited the school, answering students’ questions and offering sound advice for keeping safe and being a good citizen. The September project culminated in delivering a generous collection of stuffed animals and blankets to the local APD substation. Tikkun olam projects will continue throughout the school year, and will be led by a different faculty member each month. Mary-Ellin Brooks is the Community Relations Coordinator at the Jewish Academy of Arts & Sciences. Visit our website, www.jewishacademynm.org and follow us on Facebook and Twitter. Marlyn “Cookie” Gillespie (z”l) May Her Memory Be For a Blessing By Phyllis Wolf and staff reporter “She was able to repair the world because she believed that no one needed to be repaired, no one was deficient.” -- Rabbi Harry Rosenfeld Cookie Gillespie -- beloved teacher, advocate, mentor, nurturer, and friend -- died at home on Wednesday, September 10 of cancer. She is survived by her spouse of 36 years, Robert “Bert” Gillespie; and children, Logan and Jackie, and her siblings Maurice Gross (Keith Case), Mark (Joy) Schwartz, Karen (Natan) Abraham, Steven (Iris) Schwartz, and Joel (Susan) Schwartz. On Monday, September 15, Congregation Albert pushed back the walls of its sanctuary to make room for all of the mourners. At least 400 people attended her funeral, including row upon row of teachers. The parking lot overflowed with cars. All of those present wished to pay tribute to the woman who never stopped giving of herself, who never stopped helping the most vulnerable, or those whom others found too challenging to reach. The service was officiated by Rabbi Harry Rosenfeld and Cantor Barbara Finn, both of whom provided eulogies, as well as former Congregation Albert rabbis Paul Citrin and Joseph Black. Other eulogies were given by her brother Maurice Gross, and her children Logan and Jackie. Cookie, all agreed, was first and foremost a teacher. Her expertise was teaching special needs children, which she approached with unmatched passion and dedication. Former interim education director at Congregation Albert, Sara Koplik said: “I trusted her expertise implicitly and learned so much from her wisdom and deep humanity.” Her friend, Mark Nelson wrote: “She was a woman full of love and kindness, with a joy that was contagious to everyone around her. Maybe more than anyone I have known, she knew how to make you feel loved and TIME S PL RETURN Jewish F 5520 Wyom Tishri/Heshvan 5775 • October 2014 Please take the Jewish Demographic Survey today at www.jewishsurveynm. org or call (505) 821-3214 for a paper copy. Thank you! NO U. AL P understood, no matter what you were dealing with in life. I was so blessed to have known her and be loved by her. .. [Cookie] offered one of the greatest examples of ‘love your neighbor as you love yourself.’” Cookie believed in all of her kids, in her own two children, Logan and Jackie, and in all of the others she met at work, at Collet Park Elementary School, at Congregation Albert, at the JCC, and at Logan’s martial arts studio. One of Cookie’s passions was helping her son Logan launch “Just for Kicks” many years ago at the See GILLESPIE on page 2 2 The New Mexico Jewish Link A Service of the Jewish Federation of New Mexico October 2014 For A Sweet Start: Recipes for the Month of Tishrei By Shanna Koenigsdorf Ward Everyone has their own minhag, or tradition, for foods served during Tishrei. What favorite foods do you enjoy during the first month of the Jewish year? For many, culinary delights aren’t limited to apples, honey, and round challah (though, I admit, these are some of my favorite gastronomic traditions). I also look forward hearty meat or chicken dishes, such as seven-hour braised brisket, served alongside seasonal vegetables and salads, such as a big bowl roasted zucchini with fresh basil. Of course, a decadent and fabulous dessert must (always, always!) make an appearance. Usually, our family enjoys an apple cake or lekach (honey cake), but this year, I am considering throwing something glacé, rich and chocolatey into the mix – for an extra sweet new year, if no other reason! Almost flourless, fudgey brownies, studded with salty, crunchy pecans and rich, dark chocolate morsels are a consistent favorite of family, friends – and me. Leftover brownies freeze beautifully. Unfortunately, this method of preservations has not prevented a certain Kitchen Goddess from her nightly brownie à la mode. Featured below are three recipes that are tried-and-true. They are straightforward and comforting – yet upscale and sure to impress your guests. As always, each dish is approached by my little munchkins, who have the most “discerning” and “refined” palettes – and are never, ever picky. B’tayavon! Preparation: • Preheat the oven to 400 F. • Melt the butter in a saucepan and stir into the olive oil. Toss the zucchini and mushrooms to coat. • Place the vegetables, side-by-side, on a foillined cookie sheet. • Sprinkle with the salt, pepper, basil and parmesan cheese. • Roast for ten to fifteen minutes, until light golden and tender-crisp. • Remove to a platter and serve warm. Seven Hour Braised Brisket Serves 10-12 Loosely based on Patricia Wells’ recipe for “Seven Hour Leg of Lamb” Roasted Zucchini Serves 4-6. Feel free to double recipe for a crowd. Recipe inspired by the American Pi: Recipes from Atlanta’s Paideia School Cookbook Ingredients: 2 Tablespoons garlic-infused olive oil 2 Tablespoons butter or Earth Balance (dairy-free) Buttery Sticks 3 medium zucchini, cut into one-inch slices 1 pound baby portabella mushrooms, quartered 1/2 cup freshly chopped basil 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan, about 2 ounces (optional) salt and pepper, to taste and halved 6 bay leaves 1 bunch of fresh thyme 1 bunch fresh oregano 1 bunch fresh rosemary 2, 3-pound each brisket, chuck or beef tender fillets 2, standard 750 mL bottles of dry white wine, such as pinot grigio 5 pounds large, red potatoes, quartered 5 large heirloom tomatoes, chopped into large chunks. Salt and pepper, to taste Fresh, chopped parsley or chives (optional) Preparation: Preheat oven to 300 F. • Season the meat well with salt and pepper. Sear meat on all sides in a very hot skillet. • Layer the onions, carrots, garlic, tomatoes, bay leaves, oregano and thyme on the bottom of a very large roasting pan. Season the vegetables with salt and pepper. Nestle the meat in the vegetables. • Pour the two bottles of wine over the meat and vegetables. Cover tightly with a lid or foil. After three and a half hours, flip the two large pieces of meat over. Cook for at least seven hours, or longer, basting occasionally. • Cook until the meat is tender and falling off the bone and the juice has mostly evaporated. You want some juice to serve with the meat but not so much that the dish is “soupy” in consistency. • Shred the meat and place it on a large serving platter. Remove the sticks from the rosemary, thyme and oregano. Serve the vegetables on a separate platter. Sprinkle fresh parsley or chives over both platters. Retain any juices in a gravy boat to be served along side the dish Almost Flourless Brownies Ingredients: 6 medium yellow onions, quartered 6 carrots, peeled and quartered 1 whole head of garlic, about ten cloves, peeled Brinwood HAIR MANAGEMENT Brinwood was created for those who expect the highest quality in healthy haircuts & color, performed in a quicker manner than top hairsalons/barbershops. A private relaxing studio serves to provide a pleasant experience, free of interruption, for a proper hair service. Low overhead = very reasonable prices for you. Facebook & Yelp 237-2227 Makes 24-32 squares. These elegant brownies are inspired by Katharine Hepburn’s original recipe. Ingredients: 4 ounces, one entire package, unsweetened chocolate, chopped 2 sticks salted butter or Earth Balance (dairy-free) Buttery Sticks 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract 2 cups white, granulated sugar 4 large eggs 2 Tablespoons espresso or very strong coffee 2 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder 2 cups roasted Georgia pecans, chopped 2 cups 60% dark chocolate chips 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, sifted 1/2 teaspoon salt Preparation: • Preheat oven to 325F and line a 9×13 glass Pyrex pan with buttered parchment paper. Allow the parchment paper to hang over the sides of the pan. • Melt the chocolate and butter over low-heat, using a double boiler. Allow to cool slightly. • In a large bowl, whisk together the chocolatebutter mixture and the sugar, vanilla, eggs and espresso. • In a medium bowl, whisk the cocoa powder, flour, chocolate chips, pecans and salt. • Mix the ingredients of the medium bowl into the large bowl, just until completely combined. • Place the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 30-40 minutes, just until the brownies are set and a toothpick inserted two-inches from the side of the pan comes out clean. Do not over-bake. • Allow pan to cool completely on a wire rack, then remove the brownies from the pan using the sides of the parchment paper to lift. Cut into 24-32 squares and serve. For more recipes and culinary inspiration, see shannaward.com Meditation Shabbat Resumes at Congregation Albert By Paula Amar Schwartz We are proud to announce the schedule for the tradition of Meditation Shabbats at Congregation Albert, October through May. The Meditation Service, led by Rabbi Rosenfeld, Paula Amar Schwartz, and Paula Donahue, takes place in the main sanctuary, running parallel to the traditional Shacharit service, conducted by Cantor Barbara Finn. The two groups join for the conclusion of the Shabbat Service with Torah, Aleinu and Kaddish. Meditation is not new to the Jewish tradition. King David is said to have had a breath meditation, which he taught. References to these practices remain in Psalms and in our liturgy. “May the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable…” Over the centuries of Jewish history, meditation was passed down orally. In later centuries, the mystical tradition of Kabbalah recorded and refined many of these practices. In Albuquerque, we are fortunate to have meditation opportunities at many of our congregations. Congregation Albert is unique in being one of a handful of Reform congregations with ongoing meditation opportunities. For ten years, the congregation offered Saturday morning meditation preceding services. Five years ago, a Shabbat morning parallel service meditation was offered twice as an experiment. They were well received by both participants and by those attending the traditional service. Since that time, the number of meditation Shabbat services has increased. Meditation is a spiritual practice: a way to still the body, quiet the mind, and open the soul to deeper levels of consciousness. Linked to our sacred texts, language, and images, meditation has an important place alongside prayer and study as a pathway to that which is holy. At each Meditation Shabbat, we offer meditations focused on the weekly parasha or Torah portion. The format includes a breath meditation, a practice of repetition of a sacred phrase, and a chant. There is always a meditative Shema, followed by a guided imagery based on the parasha. Those attending enter and leave in silence. To assist in that practice, we often use recorded music to enter and leave. The goal of meditation, Judaism suggests, is not to escape the world, but to become a vehicle for perfecting it. Meditation enables us to quiet our thoughts and concentrate on the marvel of God’s world, on the blessings of life. Our meditation schedule for the New Year 5775 follows. October 25, 2014 December 20, 2014 January 24, 2015 March 14, 2015 April 11, 2015 May 9, 2015 Noah/ Rosh Chodesh Miketz/Chanukah Bo Va’yakel Pikudai Passover/Yiskor Emor GILLESPIE continued from page 1 HAIR SPECIALIST JCC. It was a martial arts class for special needs kids. Next, she coBrinwood Hair Management/Juan Carlos founded adaptive swim lessons in Our focus is to listen to the needs of the partnership with the JCC and the client & re-interpret the trends to customize Carrie Tingley Hospital Foundation. their service to each individual. Clients can expect to leave the studio This followed her non-ending tenlooking current, but still like themselves.ure as a ‘swim mom’ long after both 237-2227 Facebook & Yelp her kids had outgrown the Orcas team at the JCC. Cookie loved the water. Before dying, she requested that a special fund be established to help children with special needs learn how to swim. In lieu of flowers, donations in her memory may be made to the JCC (with notation for “Cookie Gillespie Swimmer Fund/Cookie’s Kids”) and mailed to 5520 Wyoming Blvd. NE, Albuquerque, NM 87109. Contributions to this fund may also be made online at www.jccabq.org by clicking on “Donate to the JCC” on the home page and then selecting “Cookie Gillespie Swim- mer Fund.” Funds will be used for scholarships to help special needs kids and needy families participate in JCC aquatic programs. For more information about this fund, contact membership services at 348-4461. All those who knew Cookie are diminished by her death, but her compassion and profound goodness live on through the lives of so many, most especially the children that she guided along the way. October 2014 A Service of the Jewish Federation of New Mexico The New Mexico Jewish Link 3 An Israeli View of Jewish Life on Campus By Oded Gvaram Editor’s note: Hillel at the University of New Mexico had a special visitor from Jerusalem for two weeks in September. Oded Gvaram was sent by Hillel’s national office, the Jewish Agency for Israel and by the Jewish Federations of North America to provide extra support and programming for college students. The following article is extracted from his blog. A Beautiful Shabbat September 14 Friday started at 7:00 am with a Hillel student taking me to bake challah with members of the com- the extra mile to preserve their Jewish tradition and heritage. This sentiment brings to mind a passage from this week’s Haftara: “Arise, shine, for your light has My First Day in New Mexico September 9 I arrived in New Mexico late last night, and got into a taxi. Upon arriving at the home of my host, I gave the taxi driver a $50 bill for an $11 ride. He tried to give me $3 change, (but was unsuccessful)! I hope that this is the last thing that isn’t so nice about this trip! I went to sleep quickly and woke up to a beautiful view of the desert and the mountains. The next day, I met with a student who wanted to take me to a special place to have our meeting. I didn’t guess that he would take me to the top of the Sandia Mountains. In our meeting, we spoke about how to build a cohesive group that will work throughout the year. Getting to Know New Mexico’s Students September 11 Yesterday morning, I arrived at a very small and quiet Hillel, and even at the start, I felt that this is a true home for the students. I met with the student who lives in the Hillel House, and we spoke about many ideas for Shabbat. I was really touched by an IsraeliAmerican student who told me about Havdalah at Hillel House through dancing with one another in the city of Jaffa. The movie offered unique perspectives of the different narratives of Israeli society. After the movie, I held a question and answer session. We ended up discussing different cities in Israel where there is true coexistence between Jews and Arabs. All said and done, I hope that I have equipped the students with the tools to build bridges and community here on campus. Adventure, Movies and More Fun! September 17 Today and yesterday, I met with a lot of students to talk about not only their opinions regarding Israel, but to learn more about them as individuals. We decided to have an Israeli movie night, and picked “Dancing in Jaffa,” a movie that I’ve never seen before, and I was nervous because I didn’t know what to expect as far as content was concerned. To my relief, I found the movie to be a very inspirational documentary revolving around a dancer who bridged gaps between Arab and Jewish Israeli children Lobos for Israel gather at Hillel House Oded Gvaram (left) and Gabe Zambello bake challah at Congregation Albert munity at Congregation Albert. It was really amazing to see the community so active in baking challot with one another so early in the morning! After that, I started to cook for Shabbat at Hillel. On the menu, there was salmon with a lemon-honey mustard sauce, noodle kugel, potatoes and onions, A view from the back wall of Hillel House her year in London, where she experienced real prejudice. People would not even speak to her when they learned she was Israeli. I was very moved by her desire to try to become a bat mitzvah as a young adult. During these past few days, I started to get to know the New Mexican cuisine, and it is delicious! The only problem is that I support Ha-Poel Yerushalim! (the Jerusalem soccer team whose color is red), but every time the waitress asks me if I want red or green chile, I needed to say green because the red is so hot! come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you.” Sitting among these students as they made such a beautiful Shabbat, I really felt this light shining on all of us. Shavua Tov! Farwell Hillel September 19 How can I summarize my two magnificent weeks in New Mexico? First, I want to tell you about my two last days in Albuquerque. On Wednesday, I spent a lot of time at the Jewish Federation of New Mexico. I told them about the activities I had done with the students at UNM. In the evening, I spoke with the Federation’s board members about how my family was impacted by the missiles fired with a giant bowl of Israeli salad. Shabbat was very calm and relaxing (like Shabbat is supposed to be), but the ball got rolling fast as soon as Shabbat ended. Immediately after Havdalah, we cooked up a storm in the kitchen, making two pans of delicious shakshuka, as well as more Israeli salad, and completed the meal with some authentic Israeli coffee and chocolate. Words can’t describe the unique atmosphere at UNM Hillel. In a predominantly Catholic state, there are a growing number of students who walk from Gaza. I sat with the members and heard about their commitment to Israel and their plans to help the South. Now to summarize my stay at Hillel: I think the most important thing I observed was that Hillel really tries to help its students realize their dreams. The organization let me carry out all the things I planned. I realized once again that to work with youth is always fascinating. To see how they are building their own identity in front of you and to see how you can help them do that is a unique experience that I always appreciate. I also want to say that it’s wonderful to come from a different place and be exposed to the beautiful culture of New Mexico – and to see how in this culture the Jewish community is building its own unique identity. It also makes me see the importance of building stronger connections between the more inclusive forms of Judaism that I saw in New Mexico and the prevailing forms of Judaism in Israel. 4 The New Mexico Jewish Link A Service of the Jewish Federation of New Mexico October 2014 Belarus Falls (Literally) All Over Native Son Eliezer Ben Yehuda By Cnaan Liphshiz JTA — The sun was already at a zenith when a bus full Jewish tourists rolled into the small Belarusian town of Glubokoe. The drab building style and visible poverty of this ex-Soviet town failed to excite the passengers – journalists and VIP participants of the Belarus conference organized earlier this month by the Jewish learning group Limmud FSU. We had come because of Glubokoe’s relevance to the life of Eliezer Ben Yehuda, the man widely regarded as the father of modern Hebrew. He studied in Glubokoe, and his wife was born here. Those of us with experience working in the former Soviet Union expected a city hall reception with stale biscuits and staler speeches by low-level local government officials, followed, perhaps, by some tour of a decaying municipal museum. But as the bus neared Glubokoe’s main square, the sound of gasps of astonishment filled our bus. Standing in the sun on the asphalt of Glubokoe’s main street was an all-female marching band made up of 20-odd beautiful young women who were carrying musical instruments and wearing a white-and-red uniform featuring short miniskirts and tall boots. Fumbling to extract our cameras and lens caps, we disembarked to meet a smaller welcoming party comprising the governor and three local women. They were holding a 25-inch loaf of bread whose black crust was decorated with lighter dough in the shape of a sunflower. The bread was presented to the delegation’s guest of honor, Gil Hovav – an Israeli celebrity chef and food critic who is Ben Yehuda’s greatgrandson. The marching band performed songs for us before leading the delegation to a square with nine columns, each of them carrying the bust of a famous personality from Glubokoe. Among them was a statue unveiled in 2010 depicting the young Eliezer Ben Yehuda wearing an austere, almost quarrelsome, expression that people who knew of him confirmed was typical of this iron-willed redhead. Hugging a bottle of water, I hid from the beating sun under a yellowing chestnut tree and from some An all-female marching band greets Limmud FSU delegates in Glubokoe, Belarus, Sept. 11, 2014. (Cnaan Liphshiz) distance watched as the marching band took up positions around the speaker’s floor. Hovav delivered a touching yet honest speech about his great-grandfather, whom he said lived in prestate Israel with a constant feeling of being under-appreciated– leading to clashes and fights with real and imagined adversaries. Ben Yehuda, Hovav assured the good people of Glubokoe, would really get a kick out of seeing his statue there. But as he was speaking, one of the women who performed for us earlier began to stir in her place before advancing on tiptoe with a dramatic expression on her face. Gil Hovav, standing second from right, and other Limmud FSU delegates at a ceremony in Glubokoe, Sept. 11, 2014. (Cnaan Liphshiz) Eliezer Ben Yehuda, as depicted on an Israeli stamp. (Wikimedia Commons) I assumed she was about to give an interpretive ballet recital on Ben Yehuda’s life. However, the band’s male conductor correctly understood that, after standing in the sun for the better part of an hour, the poor woman was about to faint and was staggering forward in an attempt to avert collapse.Lunging in her direction, the conductor caught her just before she hit the ground and carried her away for treatment. She was not the only Glubokan to lose consciousness that day. Minutes after her collapse, a second performer fell — this time without warning – before the ceremony was concluded. B’nai Israel Preschool (located at the corner of Indian School and Washington) Now accepting enrollment for the 2014/15 school year!!! Children of all abilities welcome. Classes start August 12, space is limited School Day runs from 9am-1pm Extended care available from 7:30am 5:30pm Contact us at: (505) 266-0155 Children age 2 though kindergarten are welcome! “The Link is a community newspaper, published as a service by the Jewish Federation of New Mexico, that focuses on Jewish life in New Mexico. It is committed to seeing Jewish life thrive.” — Since 1971 Publisher: Link Staff: Contributors: Jewish Federation of New Mexico (JFNM), 821-3214 Sara Koplik, Ph.D., Sam Sokolove Paula Schwartz, Tori Lee, Sarah Abonyi, Phyllis Wolf, Peter Weinreb, Mary-Ellin Brooks, Shanna Konigsdorf Ward, Oded Gvaram, Diane J. Schwartz, Gail Rubin. Production: Christine Carter, Envision Graphics Wire service: Jewish Telegraphic Agency Advertising manager: Anne Grollman, 505-259-2161, fax 821-3351, E-mail: [email protected] Advertising deadline: The 15th of the month preceding publication. Address: The New Mexico Jewish Link 5520 Wyoming Blvd. NE, Alb., NM 87109 Submissions: Letters to the editor, articles, or other information to be considered for publication must be typed with return address and phone number and signed by the author. E-mail submissions are preferred. The editor reserves the right to edit or deny publication to submissions. Materials sent to The Link will not be saved or returned unless accompanied by self-addressed, stamped envelope. All letters, readers forums and opinion pieces solely reflect the opinions of the authors and not the opinions of The New Mexico Jewish Link, nor of its publisher, the Jewish Federation of New Mexico. These serve as a forum for the New Mexico Jewish community and The Link strongly urges submissions. Send submissions via e-mail to [email protected] or via post to The New Mexico Jewish Link, 5520 Wyoming Blvd. NE, Albuquerque, NM 87109. Submissions to editor deadline: The 15th of the month preceding publication. The New Mexico Jewish Link is published monthly with a bi-monthly June/July issue for $36 per year Postmaster: Send address changes to JFNM, 5520 Wyoming Blvd. NE, Alb, NM 87109. All letters, readers’ forums, opinion pieces and advertisements solely reflect the opinions of the authors and not the opinions of the New Mexico Jewish Link. Later that day, a similar ceremony — minus the fainting — repeated itself in Luzhki, Ben Yehuda’s hometown, where Hovav unveiled a special monument for the late linguist. Hundreds of locals came to watch the unveiling. I asked Boris Gersten, the chairman of the Union of Belarusian Jewish Public Organizations and Communities, why locals seem to find Ben Yehuda’s legacy so important. “We don’t get a lot of international interaction,” he said of his country, which is sometimes called Europe’s last dictatorship and is subject to sanctions by the European Union for alleged human rights abuses by its all powerful president, Alexander Lukashenko. “So whenever there is some point of interaction with people from abroad, it is interesting, attractive,” he said. While this may be true, the presence of regional “cultural officers” at every stop of the way made some of us believe the displays of affection toward Ben Yehuda may have been born out of an edict from the top rather than grassroots admiration for his oeuvre. Either way, the women who waited for us for god-knows-howlong in the sun in Glubokoe that day succeeded in leaving an unforgettable first impression. And though he made a point of appearing utterly impervious to Europe’s charms, I think Ben Yehuda would have appreciated it, too. October 2014 A Service of the Jewish Federation of New Mexico The New Mexico Jewish Link 5 Growing a Stronger Self and Revitalizing the Land: A Volunteer Trip with JNF By Sarah Abonyi Editor’s note: In March 2014, Sarah Abonyi received partial funding from the Jewish Community Foundation’s Galit Mares Fund to travel to Israel and volunteer with the Jewish National Fund for a week. Israel is one of two countries with a net gain in number of trees upon entering the 21st century. This global anomaly is hugely a product of the Jewish National Fund (JNF), an Israeli non-profit organization and world leader in environmentalism. JNF began in 1901 to purchase and develop land from the Ottoman Empire for the establishment of a Jewish state. Since then, it has developed over a quarter million acres of land, planted 250 million trees, built over 1,000 parks and more than 200 water dams and reservoirs. But JNF’s profound environmental impact is beyond numbers. As I discovered on a JNF Alternative Spring Break trip to Israel this March, these numbers are stories reflecting intrinsic Jewish values that have become defining characteristics of Israeli culture. My six-day trip was filled with various volunteer missions in northern Israel that offered me an invaluable glimpse into the lives of people who dedicate themselves to enhancing the lives of others through nature. I gained a deeper understanding of Jewish service and a spiritual understanding of Judaism’s emphasis on cultivating the earth. Unfortunately, I cannot recount each event and nuance of my trip, so I chose to tell you about a few of the most resonant. As an active Zionist advocate on campus, my relationship with Israel had been primarily formal and political. Planting and foresting on this trip allowed me to connect to Israel in a fresh, intimate and powerful way. In 2010, the largest fire in Israeli history killed 44 people and destroyed over 5 million trees in the Carmel Forest. Since then, JNF has enlisted volunteers for the reforestation efforts. Our group of 40 students was tasked with clearing brush and pruning lower branches of mature trees. Like in New Mexico, this job is tedious but necessary to prevent devastating forest fires since brush and lower branches catch and spread fire quickly. Although our work on a small area of the forest felt like a drop in a sea, I was able to tangibly measure my progress, which cannot be done with advocacy work. Our group made much greater progress with our work on the Bat Galim community garden in Haifa. Bat Galim is an urban neighborhood primarily inhabited by mostly new, underprivileged immigrant families and elderly people who rarely interact due to language and age barriers. The garden was established on bar- Making adobe bricks in Haifa. Photo courtesy of Sarah Abonyi. ren, government land in the middle of a few apartment buildings by the independent initiative of a couple of young Haifa locals. For the past four years, JNF volunteers have helped them landscape, plant, prune, and paint. My duty was to weed, and then use the stems of the weeds mixed with sand and water from the garden to create mud bricks for new seating areas. Others helped create individual plots of soil that residents could use for larger, private planting. The garden is mostly maintained by neighborhood residents from all strata, providing a space for them to interact, and most importantly, to collaborate in cultivating healthier, fresh eating options. Like the Bat Galim garden, Lotem nature trails invigorate a typically marginalized portion of the population through nature. Lotem is a nonprofit organization that makes nature accessible to handicapped and special-needs individuals. Through well-defined trails, guidance, and nature workshops, Lotem allows people who are blind, deaf, physically or intellectually challenged to enjoy the therapeutic benefits of nature. After clearing hiking trails for wheel chair access, we listened to the story of Raz, a Lotem volunteer who, because of the organization, was able to enjoy nature even after a crippling car accident in his youth left him bound to a wheel chair. Motivated by Lotem and sponsored by JNF, Raz raced in the Jerusalem marathon. Concluding the trip, we each planted a tree in Neot Kedumim, the View of the garden in Bat Galim, Haifa. Photo courtesy of Sarah Abonyi. Biblical Landscape Reserve near Jerusalem. As I planted my small oak sapling amidst the park’s diverse vegetation, I realized that I, too, will continue to grow, to participate, in this Jewish landscape rich with history, tradition, and diversity, in which I am deeply rooted. Thank you to friends and community members for your generous funding, and especially to Erika Rimson and the Jewish Community Foundation of New Mexico whose Galit Mares scholarship enabled me to participate in this revitalizing program. 6 The New Mexico Jewish Link A Service of the Jewish Federation of New Mexico October 2014 Successful Elul Retreat Community S’lichot Service at B’nai Israel, September 20, 2014 After the torahs have been dressed in white, the shofar is sounded, the S’lichot service ends with the prayer Avinu Malkeinu. The service program was compiled and edited by Cantor Barbara R. Finn. Rabbis Paul Citrin, Deborah Brin and Min Kantrowitz concluded the daylong Elul retreat with a Havadalah service. Photo Credit: Diane J. Schmidt. By Diane J. Schmidt Thirty-three participants celebrated a pre-High Holy Days retreat led by Rabbis Deborah Brin, Paul Citrin and Min Kantrowitz for the Jewish community on September 6, 2014. Representing a cross-section of the Albuquerque Jewish community, Nahalat Shalom, Congregation Albert, Temple B’nai Israel, Havurat HaMidbar, and other community members all came together and enjoyed an entire day and evening of prayer, singing, studying sacred texts in teachings, walking meditations, yoga, three satisfying meals, and ending with a Havdalah service. The program ran from 8:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. on the peaceful grounds of the Norbertine Center on South Coors in Albuquerque, which has 33 acres of walking paths through a natural landscape. As the program, titled “The Mirror of Elul: Reflecting on our Lives,” described, “Jewish tradition recognizes the great spiritual challenge of making the High Holiday Days personally meaningful and elevating. For this reason, Jews have devoted the last thirty days of the year, the month of Elul, to self-examination and soul-searching.” Rabbi Min added, “Through text study, silence, probing questions, walking meditation and lively, deep conversations, participants began the important inner work of personal transformation which characterizes this holiday season. “ There was enthusiastic agreement that the daylong program was a success and the desire was generally expressed that similar retreats could be held in the future. The rabbis said they enjoyed having the time to discuss questions in-depth in an open classroom setting with one group, and with a loosely structured thematic program that they each created and brought together. MADELINE DUNN Associate Broker Cell: 505.980.2505 Direct: 505.857.2345 When it’s time to buy or sell, give me a call. Register now for Kehillah Fall 2014 Adult Jewish Studies! Our Adult Jewish Studies program is here, with exciting options for a variety of experience and interest levels. Visit www.jewishacademynm.org/kehillah for details and to register. Sessions begin October 19 Mountain Chai Club for Teens with Reb Chavah Carp Bringing Judaism Home to Your Family: A Workshop in Three Acts with Joy Rosenberg A Rebel, a Heretic, and an Eccentric: Three Jews Who Matter with Michael Nutkiewicz What have we lost? What have we gained? Conversations About the Jewish World with Rabbi John Feldman Jewish Meditation with Rabbi Min Kantrowitz Esoteric Kabbalah with Reb Chavah Carp d 505-232-2325 • [email protected] Locatee 5520A Wyoming Blvd. NE h on t pus Albuquerque, NM 87109 m www.jewishacademynm.org JCC ca Follow Fa us on and Tcwebook itter! Photos by Diane J. Schmidt Havdalah during S’lichot with Rabbi Min Kantrowitz of Shutafim: New Mexico Jewish community connections, Cantor Barbara R. Finn and Rabbi Harry Rosenfeld of Congregation Albert, Rabbi Deborah Brin of Nahalat Shalom, and Rabbi Arthur Flicker of B’nai Israel. SIMCHAS B’not Mitzvah Anna and Emily Kuehn will become b’not mitzvah on Saturday, October 11 at Congregation Nahalat Shalom. Anna loves animals, especially cats, and enjoys computer graphic art and games. Emily enjoys singing, music of all kinds and the creative arts. Both twins are in the 8th grade at Eisenhower Middle School. Anna and Emily invite the community to join them on their special day. Message from the President of the State of Israel to the Jewish Communities of the Diaspora on the occasion of Rosh HaShana 5775 Brothers and Sisters, According to Jewish tradition, Rosh HaShana represents a time of personal, community and national soul-searching. In the shadow of the events of the past months, this year, here in Israel, these days of reflection are reaffirmed and take on a special Reuven Rivlin meaning. With the kidnapping and murder of the four teenagers: Naftali, Gilad, Eyal and Muhammad; and the ongoing campaign in southern Israel in the background, the citizens of Israel and their leaders were faced with difficult dilemmas: the responsibility to defend our homes and land, alongside the concern of harming innocent people; the commitment to enable a free democratic dialogue, versus the need to set clear limits to restrain manifestations of inflammatory behavior and incitement. Israel had to respond to the threats of terror organizations from the outside, while maintaining its image and values as a Jewish and democratic state that is committed to international law and is dedicated to providing all its citizens with equality and dignity, Arabs and Jews alike. The resilience of Israel is not based on its military strength, but emanates from the liberal, democratic and Jewish values on which it was founded. Even at a time when Israel is required to mobilize its military front, it cannot ignore its home front and the surge of violent political manifestations of incitement and hate in its streets. Israel’s leadership and Israel’s society are judged not only by their military resiliency, but also by their civil resiliency, not only in normal times, but also in times of crisis. In the course of Operation Protective Edge, I felt that Israel was not alone in the arena. Leaders of the free world and many of the members of the various Jewish movements and communities stood shoulder to shoulder with Israel, supporting its duty to defend its citizens and identifying with its efforts to restore peace to Israel’s southern communities. On the threshold of the New Year, I want to thank you, leaders and members of the Jewish communities, for your support of Israel’s soldiers and its home front, and especially its southern communities. It is with much anticipation that I hope we shall continue to stand together in the face of the challenges awaiting the Jewish people in Israel and the Diaspora in the future, generated by a sense of mutual responsibility and partnership. The coming year is marked by Jewish tradition as a shmita year, a sabbatical year for land and man. The observance of shmita serves to slow down the economic race and utilitarianism, and see in others, a human being. I pray that this year the gates of our hearts will open to let in compassion, generosity and mutual responsibility. May the coming year bring the sound of joy, a symphony of miscellaneous Jewish voices that will unite us all as a family, community and people. Shana Tova Ve’Metuka, Reuven (Ruvi) Rivlin October 2014 A Service of the Jewish Federation of New Mexico PA I D P O L I T I CA L The New Mexico Jewish Link 7 A DV E R T I S E M E N T Allen Weh • Married 46 years to Becky • 3 children & 7 grandchildren • CEO of CSI Aviation, Inc. which he founded • Colonel, USMCR (Ret) • If you're Pro-Israel, I need your vote on November 4, 2014 “Washington is broken; if you want to restore leadership, you have to change the Senator." Israel and the United States have a special relationship that developed following Israeli independence in 1948. That relationship remains strong today with the American people despite the adversarial pressure being applied to the Jewish Nation by the current administration in Washington. It should be a policy of the United States to continue to support Israel, both economically and in matters of National Defense, without pre-conditions. Furthermore, I have zero tolerance for the anti-Semitism now revealing its ugly head among elements of the Democratic Party witness the “Free Palestine” bumper stickers on cars sporting support for Democrat candidates. These people are not our friends. President Obama has failed Prime Minister Netanyahu numerous times, and Tom Udall has consistently supported Obama 94% of the time. For my full policy position on Israel and the Middle East, please visit my website. www.AllenWeh.com 505-828-4876 Allen Weh For Senate PO Box 26086 Albuquerque, NM 87125-6086 Paid for by Allen Weh For Senate, Rebecca Sanchez, Treasurer 8 The New Mexico Jewish Link A Service U of the Jewish Federation p c o m i n g of E New Mexico October 2014 v e n t s An Evening with Kinky Friedman at the JCC on December 6 Legendary humorist, writer and musician Kinky Freidman will deliver an evening of song, social commentary, and irreverence at the Jewish Community Center of Greater Albuquerque on Saturday, December 6, 2014 at 7:30 p.m. All proceeds from this event, which is presented by the Jewish Community Center and Jewish Federation of New Mexico, will benefit the JCC’s Jewish Arts and Culture program and the Jewish Federation’s 2015 Annual Campaign. Described as a cross between Mark Twain, Groucho Marx and Johnny Cash, in the early 1970’s, Friedman achieved international noto- riety with his band, Kinky Friedman & the Texas Jewboys, which resulted in an invitation to the Grand Ole Opry. Meanwhile, his songs – “Ride ‘em Jewboy”; “They Ain’t Making Jews like Jesus Anymore”; “Shield Of Abraham” and “Something’s Wrong With The Beaver” -- and his now-classic albums -- Sold American, Lasso from El Paso and Old Testaments & New Revelations -- mix biting satire with knowing empathy on such issues as the Holocaust, anti-Semitism, and the other side of the American dream. In 1999, Willie Nelson, Tom Waits, and Lyle Lovett cov- 2014 JCC Author Series 2014 JCCBook Book Fest Fest &&Author Series Sun WedOct Oct2929 SunOct Oct19 19 -- Wed engaging topics · entertaining speakers · year after year Sun 10/19 · 3 pm Allen Salkin, From Scratch: The Uncensored History of the Food Network $10 advance, $15 at door; book $17 S ausage-making and scandals, Garten (Ina) and gossip, Salkin’s dishy behind-the scenes history of the Food Network and the celebrity chefs it made famous will fascinate anyone interested in food, media, and afterhours wheeling and dealing. As a reporter for The New York Times, Salkin has written hundreds of features about food, culture, and media. This book is an exhilarating roller coaster ride from chaos to conquest—and sometimes back again. Anecdotes, slides and video clips will bring these real tales to life. Wed 10/22 · 7 pm Molly Antopol, The UnAmericans $10 advance, $15 at door; book $15 T ales from Tel Aviv to the Upper West Side, Belarus and beyond, Molly Antopol’s debut collection of short stories depicts sympathetic characters struggling for footing in an uncertain world. These provocative and haunting stories are intimate depictions of the lives of OldWorld and New-World Jews. Antopol, professor at Stanford, recently won the National Book Foundations “5 Under 35”. Thur 10/23 · 7 pm Nicole Mones, Night in Shanghai $10 advance, $15 at door; book $25 PR’s Alan Cheuse calls Nicole Mones’ novel, “historical fiction at its best.” This page-turner reveals the saga of African-American jazzmen living in Shanghai in the 1930s, until the Japanese bombing of Shanghai and the outbreak of World War II. Meanwhile, in Vienna, Chinese Consul Ho Feng-Shan falsifies thousands of visas, enabling Jewish families to escape. Based on true stories, Night in Shanghai is an entertaining look at a time largely forgotten. The presentation will include period slides and music. N Sun 10/26 · 3 pm Gail Sheehy, Daring: My Passages $10 advance, $15 at door; book $30 G ail Sheehy, legendary author of the worldwide bestseller, Passages, turns the lens on her own passages in this gutsy memoir. In Daring, we follow Sheehy as she overcomes the ‘pink ghetto’ of newspapers “women’s pages”- to conquer the gritty “man’s world” of New Journalism. Writing for New York Magazine and others, Sheehy walked city streets with hookers to expose violent prostitution, marched with protesters in Northern Ireland, and interviewed Egypt’s president Anwar Sadat after he was targeted for assassination. An amazing life told in person by the woman who is living it! Wed 10/29 · 11:30 am Juliana Maio, City of the Sun Luncheon $25 (reservations required); book $16 I t’s 1941 in wartime Egypt, and Cairo is playing host to a stream of refugees, spies and soldiers from around the world. Jewish/Egyptian-born author Juliana Maio’s enthralling historical novel sets a love story against the backdrop of a threatened Jewish community with the rise of the Muslim Brotherhood. Passion, espionage, and shifting alliances converge in a time and place that sowed much of the turbulence in today’s Middle East, which Maio will also address. Video clips and photos will be shown. Registration and books available at www.jccabq.org, 348.4518 or at the JCC. Books are also available at Bookworks, 4022 Rio Grande Blvd. NW, 344-8139. JCC of Greater Albuquerque · 5520 Wyoming Blvd NE, Albuquerque, NM 87109 · 505.332.0565 · jccabq.org ered his music on the tribute album Pearls in the Snow: The Songs of Kinky Friedman. As an author, Friedman has written for Rolling Stone and Texas Monthly magazines and, most famously, has become a writer of unique and outrageous mystery novels such as Greenwich Killing Time, A Case of Lone Star, and The Mile High Club, which feature a Jewish country singer turned private eye named Kinky Friedman. Tickets are $36 each and are available at www.brownpapertickets.com. The event will also include a live auction of Kinky Friedman memorabilia. For more information call (505) 821-3214. Mark Your Calendar for the December 14th Chanukah Fest By Phyllis Wolf The JCC of Greater Albuquerque will again be hosting its annual community Chanukah Festival, a huge Jewish holiday celebration, open to all, on Sunday, December 14, from 12:00 – 4:00 pm at Embassy Suites Hotel, 1000 Woodward Place NE (at I-25 between Mountain and Lomas) This year’s celebration will again feature Jewish ethnic foods from New York deli sandwiches and kosher hot dogs to the requisite latkes and falafel plus other Middle Eastern staples and desserts. A latke cooking demonstration and tasting will be must visit. Nonstop entertainment on the stage will anchored by the best Klezmer band in Albuquerque: The Rebbe’s Orkestra with Israeli and Klezmer dancing, children’s performances and will culminate in a Menorah community lighting with singing led by Cantor Barbara Finn. For Chanukah and holiday shopping, look no further than our merchant bazaar and silent auction which will include Judaica, books, artwork/photos, jewelry, skin care, wood and glasswork, novelty clothing items, and much more. Jewish organizations and congregations will be hosting tables to provide information about their resources and services. The Jewish Academy of Arts and Sciences will present an exciting array of adult-supervised children’s activities: inflatable bouncers, dreidel games, craft activities, and face-painting. Teen Scene coordinated by BBYO will return with activities for youth from 1217. Our mitzvah projects will be two-fold: the NM Diaper Bank will be taking collections of all sizes from infant to elderly for economically disadvantaged families; and rescue pets will be available for adoption. For more information, contact Phyllis Wolf, cultural director, 348-4500; [email protected] or Sarah Friedland, cultural coordinator, at 348-4518 92nd Street Y Live Kicks Off with “Cooking Fast and Slow” By Phyllis Wolf Congregation Albert and the Jewish Community Center are cosponsoring 92nd Y Live this fall. The first event will be held on Sunday, October 12, at the JCC, 5520 Wyoming Boulevard NE, and will start promptly at 5:00 pm. Mark Bittman -- the beloved New York Times food writer and author of the mega-selling How to Cook Everything -- joins his friend, master chef Mario Batali, for a gastronomic tête-à-tête. Mario celebrates slow food in his new book, America Farm to Table, which pays homage to American farmers with brilliant recipes created from their lovingly grown top-of-the-line produce. Bittman -- who has just revolutionized everyday cooking with his new magnum opus, How to Cook Everything Fast -- shares his genius for creating maximum flavor with ease in minimal time. Hear both sides moderated by Sam Sifton, food editor at the New York Times and formerly served as its restaurant critic and national editor. Doors will open at 4:30 pm and the program will conclude at about 6:30 pm. Tickets are $8 in advance (and $10 at the door) and may be purchased at the JCC website www. jccabq.org, by calling 348-4518, or in person. Light refreshments will be served. October 2014 A Service of the Jewish Federation of New Mexico U p c o m i n g E The New Mexico Jewish Link 9 v e n t s Brotherhood Gubernatorial Debate Changes Gears Swab a Cheek and Be Inscribed for Life at Yom Kippur Bone Marrow Registry dates’ views on matters of interest available to both the congregational and local community. Congregation Albert Brotherhood King will be present during the fascheduled its 2014 debate between New mous and delicious breakfast, after Mexico Gubernatorial candidates for which he will speak on issues of the day Sunday, October 5. Governor Susana that are important to New Mexicans. He Martinez declined the invitation to dewill answer questions and visit with the bate her opponent, Attorney General Gary audience. King. The event will now be a candidate Reservations are requested and can breakfast and forum with gubernatorial be made by calling (505) 883-1818, candidate Gary King at 10:00 a.m. at 3800 extension 3203 or emailing: brotherLouisiana Blvd. NE, Albuquerque. Gary King [email protected]. The cost Congregation Albert Brotherhood has of the breakfast and participation in the hosted candidate debates for more than 50 years, welcoming candidates for mayor, US Senate, forum is $10 for Brotherhood and Sisterhood memUS House of Representatives, governor, attorney gen- bers and $12 for non-members. For more information, please contact Brotherhood eral and other offices. King accepted the invitation promptly, and Congregation Albert Brotherhood will President Jeffrey Paul at (505) 259-3190 or jbartonp@ maintain its public service tradition of making candi- comcast.net A person suffering from leukemia, lymphoma or other bloodrelated diseases, could view each day as if time were running out. Bone marrow transplants offer a hope, perhaps a chance to return to a normal life with their loved ones. Sadly, there is a shortage of Jews registered in the National Bone Marrow Registry. That shortage denies donors an opportunity to try to save a life, and it denies the stricken an opportunity to be healed. The Union for Reform Judaism is enlisting its congregations to conduct bone marrow screenings during Yom Kippur. Congregation Albert in Albuquerque will take part. “We are commanded in Torah to not stand idle while our neighbor bleeds,” says Rabbi Harry Rosenfeld. “We are also commanded that potentially saving a life takes By Peter Weinreb A PA in the UK: Hadassah Luncheon Discusses the British Way of Life “After 25 years of practicing as a physician assistant in the US, Sharon Girard is looking for a new challenge. When she hears that the United Kingdom is bringing American PAs to England she jumps at the chance to incorporate her love of travel with her love of medicine. What happens next is a delightful story, a mix of love, frus- tration and the excitement of an expat’s life.” With these lines, Amazon.com describes Sharon Girard’s journey on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean. The author herself will speak about her experience practicing socialized medicine and adjusting to the British way of life. Sharon Girard will have her book for sale. The books originally went for $15 but will be sold at $10 with the entire sale monies going to Hadassah The luncheon will occur on Tuesday, October 21st at the JCC at 11:45. The cost of the vegetarian/gluten free meal is $15. For a reservation or for questions, please email, albuquerque@hadassah. org or call Sandy at 331-1456 Shabbat Sing and Pot Luck Dinner Crafted for Families with Young Rabbi Rosenfeld shares a story Do you want to share a short and sweet Shabbat? Congregation Albert invites everyone - whether you are a family with young children, or if you are just young at heart! On October 10, from 5:00 – 6:00 pm, please join us for Shabbat Sing and Pot Luck Shabbat. At Shabbat Sing, Rabbi Harry Rosenfeld and Cantor Barbara Finn make the most of Shabbat; we give tzedakah, we sing the blessings, we joyfully bless each other and we enjoy a marvelous story, sometimes a PJ Library Book, and always told by Rabbi Rosenfeld. These stories are created for the young, enjoyed by all, and always meaningful for everyone. After the story, it’s time to share a pot luck dinner, so bring a friend – or make a new Gems to Warm a Chilly Autumn Night at Jewelry Sale Take care to protect your eyes amidst the sparkling bounty of rings, bracelets, beads, pins and more at the annual Jewelry Sale on Sunday, November 2 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Congregation Albert, 3800 Louisiana Blvd. NE, Albuquerque. Sisterhood has gathered thousands, truly thousands, of new and gently used jewelry items with an unrelenting goal. That goal, of course, is to treat women to sparkling bargains. This sale gives both men and women an opportunity to please a special person with a memorable gift. Fashion-savvy Sisterhood members can advise the undecided. Sale proceeds benefit youth and temple activities, so buyers can feel doubly-good about their purchase. Entry is free. To donate, bring items to the temple office during business hours through October 31. Tax letters are available. To volunteer at the sale, please contact Arlene Paglia at 2998839. Volunteers to sort, price, bag and set up on November 1, please contact Joyce Wall at 821-9429. For additional information, please contact Congregation Albert Sisterhood at (505) 883-1818 ext. 3016. friend, bring something tasty and let’s share Shabbat as a community. By Peter Weinreb precedence even over Shabbat and Yom Kippur. By participating in the bone marrow registry on Yom Kippur, we get to fulfill both these important commandments. It’s part of our commitment to social action and social justice to make a difference in society” The screening is a simple, painless swab inside the cheek. The results are coded for privacy. Volunteers will conduct the screening on Friday, October 3 from 6:30 – 7:30 p.m. and on Saturday, October 4 from 9:00-10:00 a.m. and from 1:00-3:00 p.m. Eligible donors must be between the ages of 18 and 60, be in good general health, meet the guidelines, and be willing to donate to any patient, at any time, worldwide. For those who are not members of Congregation Albert, an RSVP is required to Cassidy Smith at (505) 883-1818 or [email protected]. Jewish-Christian Dialogue Meeting Focuses on End-of-Life Issues The October meeting of the Jewish-Christian Dialogue of New Mexico will feature guest speaker Dr. Aroop Mangalik speaking on “Discussing Religious Aspects to End-ofLife Medical Decision-Making.” Dr. Mangalik is a retired oncologist, one of the plaintiffs in the New Mexico physician aid-in-dying lawsuit, and interested in helping terminally-ill patients achieve peaceful deaths. Clergy as well as laypeople are invited to attend and participate in what will be a fascinating discussion. The meeting will take place on Thursday October 23 at 4:30 p.m. at Congregation Albert, 3800 Louisiana Blvd. NE in the board room (between the sanctuary and the chapel). The Jewish-Christian Dialogue usually holds their monthly meetings on the third Thursday of the month, but the Jewish holidays of Shemini Atzereth and Simchas Torah coincide with that date this year. For more information about the dialogue and this meeting, contact president Gail Rubin at (505) 265-7215. 10 The New Mexico Jewish Link A Service B of the Jewish Federation o o k s & New Mexico of M o v i e s Doyenne of Death Helps Plan Ultimate Party By Tori Lee Link correspondent, Santa Fe The “Doyenne of Death,” aka Gail Rubin, specializes in planning funerals for those who don’t plan to die. Ever. Through her website, newspaper columns, weekly radio show and recently released TV/DVD series, Ms. Rubin helps people of all faiths and none navigate the emotional, legal and financial complexities at the end of life, whether for oneself or a loved one. Perhaps even a not-so-loved one. Ms. Rubin does so with grace, humor and empathy for those who are confused scared or both. What else can you say about a woman who begins her TV talk show with an episode titled “Over My Dead Body?” Although a certified thanatologist (death educator) with experience in many religions traditions, Gail Rubin specializes in Jewish funeral traditions and burial practices. New Mexico Jewish Link readers may recognize Ms. Rubin’s name from workshops on Jewish funeral traditions presented at A Taste of Honey. No topic or question related to death and/or burial is off limits, nor are questions related to preparing for death or how survivors can begin to cope after the death of a loved one, including a pet. Rubin tackles questions about cremation for Jews, what a Jewish burial society can and cannot do, how to arrange a “green funeral” to return the body to the earth as naturally as possible, why embalming is not generally acceptable in Jewish and Muslim funeral practices, and how to respect practices and rituals for death, burial and mourning in interfaith families. The average price of a burial including preparation of the body and a funeral service is $10,000, c o n sid e r a bly higher if no arrangements are in place beforehand. Pre-planning as well as pre-paying for burial expenses makes much sense and Ms. Rubin has created a comprehensive checklist on her website to help people navigate the process. At a minimum, make sure you have a record of social security number, mother’s maiden name, place of birth, military service information, and online passwords. Make sure someone else knows where this information is. Government agencies cannot and will not issue death certificates without some of this information. Likewise, put together a dossier of information about legal documents or copies of the documents themselves: living will, living trust, medical power of attorney, advance medical directive, organ donor information, safe deposit box information and location of key, original birth certificate, insurance information of all types – house, auto, life. Pension, retirement and investment account information should also be in the dossier, as well as information about your life online. Ms. Rubin is especially helpful in providing information and guidance on planning a meaningful funeral that celebrates the now deceased “life of the party,” and how to comfort those left behind. Give people Retelling Genesis Review By Gail Rubin, CT As we approach Simchat Torah, when we begin reading Genesis anew, Retelling Genesis, the new book by Barry Louis Polisar, gives a timely fresh perspective on thirteen stories in the Torah’s first book. Each story gives a voice to many secondary characters whose perspectives are overlooked in the original Bible stories. Polisar offers the thoughts and feelings of many female char- acters: Eve, Noah’s wife, Lot’s daughters, Hagar, Zilpah and Bilhah (Jacob’s handmaidens), and Dinah. He also explores what the silent Isaac thought about his nearsacrifice, what Cain thinks about his mark, and ponderings by Esau, Laban, and Joseph’s brothers. Readers who know the original biblical text will pick up on the poetic references to those passages. For those who don’t, Retelling See REVIEW on page 11 October 2014 instructions about what you want, what you don’t want, how you want to be remembered and for what. Naturally, there is no guarantee this will happen, but making arrangements and providing information ahead of time increases the odds in your favor. If you have no children, who do you want to make the necessary decisions and do they know what you want? Do you want the local chevra kadisha (Jewish burial society) to perform the rituals of tahara (ritual purification) for you? Do you want a truthful but tasteful eulogy delivered? By whom? Do you want a service at the funeral home, the synagogue, the cemetery, another location? What do you consider your five most important virtues or an important act of charity you performed? Do you want to take this information to your grave or let people know about it? In addition to your will that stipulates the distribution of financial assets, have you written an ethical will, a statement of what your values are and why, what you learned during your many journeys around the sun, what advice you would like to leave behind? This document can be very personal, full of your stories, your memories and can even be read at the funeral or memorial service. Gail Rubin considers a “good funeral” to be a celebration of the deceased’s life, an occasion that gives the living a chance to remember and celebrate with both tears and laughter. She is a certified funeral celebrant, qualified to both organize and conduct end-of-life rituals that can be as traditional or as personally idiosyncratic as decorum and the law permit. For herself, Rubin has planned a traditional funeral and is hoping for a full house for her “good goodbye.” Enormous amounts of information on all topics relating to end-oflife issues are available on Ms. Rubin’s website: www.agoodgoodbye. com. Two Cities: Jewish Women’s Circle Begins Another Year with the Movies Marcia Torobin, director of Santa Fe Jewish Film Festival, speaks on cinema history at the Jewish Women’s Circle meeting. By Tori Lee Link Correspondent, Santa Fe The Santa Fe Jewish Women’s Circle launched another year of entertaining and informative meetings around the theme “Physical, Emotional and Spiritual Health: The Jewish Way.” Rebbetzin Devorah Levertov presented a well received dvar Torah (Torah talk) on the need to immerse oneself in the prayers of the Rosh HaShanah liturgy. The guest speaker was Marcia Torobin, director of the Santa Fe Jewish Film Festival. In a presentation entitled “A Tale of Two Cities,” Torobin discussed the relationship between Hollywood movie studies and German censorship during the 1930s. Germany was a big market for U.S produced and distributed movies. So despite the fact that several large studios were owned by Jews, U.S. movie studios cooperated with German censorship efforts to insure that Germany and the German people were portrayed in a positive light in movies shown for public entertainment. Any movie that harmed Germany’s image of itself, showed death and defeat of German soldiers or threatened public order could be banned in Germany. Beginning in 1932, such problematic scenes meant the movies could not be shown anywhere in the world if U.S. movie distributors also wanted to show the movie in Germany. Until late into the 1930s, U.S. movie studios allowed a German censor, Georg Gyssland, in Hollywood to have approval over content of American made movies for the German market. In 1933 alone, the German censor’s office reviewed 400 American movies. When the Nazis came to power in 1933, censorship of public media became increasingly strict. “Tarzan” movies were banned in Germany, as was “Song of Songs” starring Marlene Dietrich as a prostitute. “Invisible Man,” “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” and other horror movies were also banned. In 1933, Warner Brothers was told to get rid of its Jewish employees. U.S. movie studios felt they could not make movies directly against anti-Semitism and the Nazis if they wanted to keep access to the German film audience. The movie “House of Rothschild” (1934) was made by the newly formed 20th Century Fox under Darryl Zanuck, who was not Jewish. But the movie was still full of Jewish stereotypes. Scenes from the movie were used several years later in a Nazi propaganda film to “prove” that Jewish bankers had a plan to take over the world. By 1936, Universal, Disney and RKO had closed distribution facilities in Germany. MGM, Paramount and 20th Century Fox stayed on until closer to America’s entrance into the war. In 1937, Paramount appointed a Nazi as manager of its German branch. After Kristallnacht in November 1938, imports of American films into Germany fell dramatically. Lists of Jewish writers, actors, singers and composers were drawn up. Any movie employing any names on the lists was banned. The American studies responded by cutting the names of Jews out of the credits for a film. The excision of Jews from movies was not confined just to Nazi Germany. In another sad piece of history, many Jews were blacklisted in the 1940s by the House UnAmerican Activities Committee. Much more information on this area of cinema history is available in Ben Urwand’s book: The Collaboration: Hollywood’s Pact with Hitler (2013), cited by Marcia Torobin in her presentation. The Santa Fe Jewish Film Festival will kick off its own season the weekend of November 8-9 with three films all focused on New York and New Yorkers. On Saturday, November 8, the festival will screen “Regarding Susan Sontag,” a documentary about the author, social critic and human rights advocate who died in 2004. Sontag wrote 17 books and numerous essays critiquing American politics and culture, including some harsh remarks on America after the attacks on September 11, 2001. She traveled to some of the world’s war See CITIES on page 11 October 2014 A Service of the Jewish Federation of New Mexico B o o k s & M The New Mexico Jewish Link 11 o v i e s Reb Zalman Gathers Figs By Tori Lee Link correspondent, Santa Fe In the coming years, any number of people will write books and articles on one or more aspects of the ideas and teachings of Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi (Reb Zalman), z”l. Dana Densmore’s Reb Zalman Gathers Figs is a very thoughtful introduction into this responsa tradition. The book is based on recordings of conversations and teachings Reb Zalman gave during a series of weekend retreats in winter 1988-89 at his “Wisdom School” at Naropa University in Boulder, Colorado. Participants were graduate level students, members of his renewal community P’nai Or and people constructing a more meaningful spiritual practice. The text of what Reb Zalman called “Primal Myths” is organized around the order of the weekend retreats. Densmore has transcribed the recordings, so readers are able to get a feel for Reb Zalman’s insights directly on the page, accompanied by explanatory context and additional material supplied by the author. The subtitle to Reb Zalman Gathers Figs is “A Study of Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi’s reading of Biblical text to re-vision Judaism for the present day.” During his lifetime, Reb Zalman was aware of concerns that he was inventing his own brand of Judaism, divorced from traditional Jewish theology and practices. Reb Zalman countered that he was not re-inventing but re-visioning Judaism, a process that has been occurring daily in post-Second Temple Judaism. Unimpressed with traditional synagogue life, Reb Zalman spent decades developing insights and rituals to inject more meaning into traditional Jewish practices as Jewish Renewal developed into its own autonomous form. Reb Zalman wanted people to stop pursuing spirituality so much and actually practice spirituality. But, to ask Reb Zalman’s favorite question, “how do we do that?” For Reb Zalman, the first step is to turn/return oneself to the forma- tive text of Judaism, the Torah. Each weekend retreat in the Primal Myths retreat series was devoted to the essential narratives of Genesis and Creation, Exodus, Deuteronomy in comparison to Ecclesiastes. Reb Zalman wants his students to understand the psychological intention and intensity of these narratives in order to give them present and future meaning, In his teaching on the creation of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, Reb Zalman teaches that God always intended for Adam and Eve (humanity) to risk physical death to be able to live a more god-like life. The “Fall” is actually a necessary step for humans to assert full personhood in order to have a freely chosen, spiritually evolving relationship. For Reb Zalman, much of the Book of Genesis is about family dysfunction and rivalry, but he wants his students to understand how these narratives are primarily about rivalry and argument within each individual. Each of us is both Cain and Abel, and about what happens when we give in to anger. When reading the Biblical accounts “ask yourself the question, at each crisis moment, how could this have gone differently?... How else could it have happened.” Reb Zalman’s concern for the planet, for environmental ethics, shows through is his re-visioning of the consequences of Cain’s murder of Abel. Cain, the world’s first named farmer, is cut off from the earth, just as much of contemporary society has cut itself off from meaningful connection with the natural world. Cain’s exile from his community of origin sets the stage for the development of the Jewish Diaspora, an idea Densmore discusses in her commentary on this teaching. Some of Reb Zalman’s teachings tend towards stream of consciousness responses to questions posed by participants. Densmore’s commentary provides the necessary textual references and definitions/ translations of Hebrew and Yiddish vocabulary. Many people have difficulty understanding why building the Tower of Babel, developing the necessary cooperation to complete a complex project, was such a bad idea that God destroyed Babel and scattered the people. Reb Zalman presents a unique interpretation why Babel’s destruction was not only necessary but actually a positive development when understood from a psychological point of view. The people building the Tower of Babel glossed over real conflicts for the sake of the project, just as many people gloss over problems in a relationship both with others and with oneself in order to continue with the business at hand, only to have those unresolved issues rear their ugly heads at a later and most inopportune time. Premature or forced harmony that covers up emotional wounds and unfinished business is not a solid foundation upon which to build anything. Dana Densmore has carefully selected the most cogent passages from the vast amount of material generated over the course of eight weekend retreats. These selections illustrate Reb Zalman’s technique for imaginative participation in the action of the biblical narrative. Densmore’s commentary is particularly insightful in explaining the psychological meaning of Reb Zalman’s explication of the Book of Exodus. Each person needs to “walk out of their own familiar and perhaps comfortable but limiting past into freedom.” [p.137] Just as Moses was raised Egyptian and Jewish, so each of us must learn something from our enemy, our other side. Much of the Torah is recapitulated in the Book of Deuteronomy in which many chapters recount Moses telling the Israelites do this, don’t do this, a code of moral absolutes. What of this past moral code can we carry forward? Reb Zalman asserts “Deuteronomy continues to have value provided…” [p.211] He understands Moses’ instructions to be as from as parent to a child who must learn to follow rules before growing up enough to begin to make his/her own decisions. Deuteronomy is for the Israelites when they were children in their relationship with God. Reb Zalman contrasts these straight forward instructions with the type of advice or wisdom recorded in Ecclesiastes in which the traditional author, Solomon, is an old man writing down some of his hard-earned wisdom for the benefit of future generations. The final 100 pages of Reb Zalman Gathers Figs contains Dana Densmore’s discussion of some of the questions raised by Reb Zalman’s psychological interpretations of and commentary on biblical texts. How does one interpret passages that are blatantly misogynistic, that sanction genocide? How does Reb Zalman distinguish between what pieces of Biblical heritage to bring into the present/future and what to leave behind? How do modern readers develop the sensitivity to analyze the moral substratum of a Biblical text? How does a modern sympathetic reader/believer decide which parts of the bible no longer apply? How do present day readers tease out the evolving wisdom encoded within Scripture? Reb Zalman spent his life gathering figs. [Proverbs 27:18, commentary in Babylonian Talmud Eruvin 54a-b], meaning he gathered new fruit, new insights each time he came to Torah. He wished for all his students to cultivate their own orchards of fig trees. Polling Expert Sanderoff Explains Election Results at November’s Breakfast By Peter Weinreb The pivotal 2014 elections will have just concluded. Who will emerge as the winners, and why? Research & Polling, Inc. president Brian Sanderoff tackles those questions at Congregation Albert Brotherhood’s monthly breakfast, which begins at 10:00 a.m. on Sunday, November 9 at 3800 Louisiana Blvd. NE, Albuquerque. Sanderoff has expertise honed by nearly 20 years of polling and analyzing demographic data. His firm conducts polls for the Albuquerque Journal, and he is the political analyst for KOAT-TV, Albuquerque’s ABC network local affiliate. He has also appeared on CNN, MSNBC, FOX, BBC and the Jim Lehrer News Hour. Sanderoff holds a B.A. in political science from the University of New Mexico. The breakfast’s cost is $10 for Brotherhood and Sisterhood members and $12 for all others. Please make reservations by Wednesday, Nov. 5 via email to [email protected] or by calling 8831818 ext. 3203 and leaving your name, telephone and number of persons attending. CITIES continued from page 10 zones to write her pieces from the center of the conflict. Sontag stated that “a writer’s duty is to be as much in contact with reality as possible.” On Sunday, November 9, the festival will screen a completely different type of movie, “Sukkah City,” a documentary about an internationally juried architecture competition that drew 600 entries from around the world. Architects and designers were challenged to envision “radical possibilities for traditional design” of a Sukkah. Twelve Sukkah finalists were erected in Union Square in New York City. Over a two-day period, the show was viewed by over 200,000 people. All of the finalist designs on display met the specifications for a kosher Sukkah. Ms. Torobin hopes to have some of the sketches and drawings from these entries on display with the screening. The third film that the Santa Fe Jewish Film Festival will screen is “AKA Doc Pomus,” on Sunday night, November 9. Born Jerome Felder, Doc Pomus was a blues singer and songwriter in the 1950 and 60s, prior to the Beatles’ arrival on the American musical scene. He contracted polio as a child, and faced life long health issues. He died in 1991. His name may not be familiar but his music certainly is. Among his many hit songs covered by artists as varied as Elvis Presley, Ray Charles, Dion and even Bob Dylan are: “Save the Last Dance for Me,” (a poignant song written by a man whose physical disabilities made it impossible for him to dance) and “This Magic Moment.” The Santa Fe Jewish Film Festival will again screen a movie on Christmas Day at its now traditional Flix and Chopstix event. Marcia Torobin also stated there will be “a pop-up film” in the line up, meaning a very recent award-winning film that will come to the attention of the program committee without much advance notice. For details of the upcoming film season, please see the Santa Fe Jewish Film Festival website: www.santafejff.org. Full details of the monthly Jewish Women’s Circle meetings are available on the website: www. jewishwomenscircle.com. Meetings are currently held at the temporary Chabad Jewish Center of Santa Fe, 509 Camino de los Marquez. weekly Torah study class with the rabbi. He has wrestled with these stories and the questions they raise for over a decade. He’s also the author of Telling The Story: A Passover Haggadah Explained. Polisar has a four-decades-long career writing books, and recording and performing his songs for children throughout the U.S., Europe and Canada. The slim paperback is illustrated with full-color drawings by Barry’s wife Roni. The book is available for $7.95 through bookstores, online retailers such as Amazon.com and at www.BarryLou.com. Gail Rubin is President of the Jewish-Christian Dialogue of New Mexico. REVIEW continued from page 10 Genesis can serve as a juicy introduction to Bible stories they may consider dry and lifeless. Polisar, who was raised in a secular Jewish home, started going to the Saturday services at Sha’are Tefila Conservative congregation when his children entered Hebrew school. That led to curiosity about the Torah portions and joining a To advertise in The Link please contact Anne Grollman at 259-2161, fax 821-3351 or e-mail: [email protected] Professional Services Directory 12 The New Mexico Jewish Link A Service of the Jewish Federation of New Mexico October 2014 ACUPUNC TUR E ADULT PRIMARY CARE AT TOR NE YS Diane Polasky, MA, DOM, Dipl. Ac., DAAPM Center for Holistic Health, 505-298-7371 Acute & Chronic Disorders & Injuries 9412 Indian School Rd. NE, Albuquerque 87112 Trang M. Tran, M.D. 5300 Sequoia Rd. 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