Community events draw large crowds
Vol. 37, No. 6 n February 2015 / 5775 www.JewishFederationLCC.org Community events draw large crowds C ommunity Breakfast This year’s Community Breakfast, held on Sunday, December 14, was a huge success with a sold-out crowd. Everyone enjoyed the delightful documentary The Sturgeon Queens, about the well-known fish emporium on the Lower East Side of New York called Russ and Daughters. It brought back a lot of memories for people who “One Book Southwest Florida” Community Read The first community read partnership between the Lee County Library System and the Jewish Federation of Lee and Charlotte Counties was a great success. A sold-out crowd came to hear Michael Stolowitzky at Lakes Regional Library on Tuesday evening, January 6. Michael’s story was told in the community read book Gertruda’s Oath by Ram Oren. Michael, now a man in his 70s, was a very charming and engaging speaker. As Michael mentioned in his talk, he chose not to let his past define him, choosing instead to make the most of what life had to offer. grew up going to Russ and Daughters, as well as for those who enjoyed reminiscing about Jewish life years ago. Besides the delicious brunch prepared by the Gulf Harbour Yacht and County Club, attendees also got to sample the twelve pounds of whitefish salad that came from Russ and Daughters via Sara and Brian Krivisky, who brought it back from New York. Barbara Siegel, Federation co-President, introduces the film The Sturgeon Queens at the Community Breakfast Michael Stolowitzky addresses the audience at Lakes Regional Library Do a mitzvah and help us pack and/or deliver our Pesach bags to Do aJewish mitzvah and help pack and/or assisted deliver our bags to residents livingus in independent, livingPesach and nursing Jewish residents independent, assisted andenjoy nursing home facilities living in Fortin Myers and Cape Coral. The living residents home in Fort Myers Capethey Coral. residents enjoy notfacilities only the contents of the and gift bags, loveThe being visited by the the community whobags, deliver them. notmembers only the of contents of the gift they love being visited by the members community deliver THIS ISofA the GREAT WAY FOR who STUDENTS TOthem. EARN VOLUNTEER HOURS ORATO DO A MITZVAH FORTO THEIR BAR/BAT MITZVAH. THIS IS GREAT WAY FORPROJECT STUDENTS EARN VOLUNTEER HOURS OR TOBags DO Awill MITZVAH PROJECT FOR THEIR BAR/BAT be packed on Wednesday, MarchMITZVAH. 25. Bags delivered on Sunday, March 29. 25. Bags willwill bebe packed on Wednesday, March Volunteers should come to the Federation office between 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. to pick up the bags to deliver. Bags will be delivered on Sunday, March 29. Volunteers should come to the Federation office between (Other pick-up and delivery times can be arranged, if needed.) 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. to pick up the bags to deliver. This is an opportunity for all family members to get involved. (Other pick-up and delivery times can bevisit. arranged, if needed.) Seniors love having young children come From babies to - this is a mitzvah wholemembers family canto doget together. Thisbubbes is an opportunity for allthe family involved. Seniors love having young children come visit. From babies to RSVP: [email protected] or 239.481.4449 x3 bubbes - this is a mitzvah the whole family can do together. RSVP: [email protected] or 239.481.4449 x3 ORG POSTMASTER: 9701 Commerce Center Court NONPROFIT Fort Myers, Florida 33908 DATED RELIGIOUS NEWS ITEMS. TIME SENSITIVE– PLEASE EXPEDITE! DELIVER TO CURRENT RESIDENT OR U.S. POSTAGE PAID FT. MYERS, FL PERMIT NO. 175 2 FEDERATION L' C H AY I M F E B R U A RY 2 0 1 5 Jewish Federation of Lee and Charlotte Counties In this issue: 3 7 12 16 20 21 22 23 23 25 27 Our Community Jewish Interest Israel & the Jewish World Commentary From the Bimah Marketplace Focus on Youth Community Directory Organizations Temple News Community Calendar Program notes C alling all Queen Esthers, Mordecais, Hamans and King Ahasueruses. It’s time to choose your costume for our community-wide celebration, “A Jewish Affair with a Purim Flair,” scheduled for Sunday, March 1. We decided to “shake our groggers” up a bit this year and instead of the usual Israel Fest, we’ll celebrate Jewish life in Lee and Charlotte counties with fun and frivolity at a Purim Fest. The event will be held from 12:30 to 4:00 p.m. at the Heights Center at 15570 Hagie Dr. in Fort Myers. The campus Leni Sack has great indoor and outdoor facilities and we plan on using both. A costume parade, carnival games and prizes, balloon making, arts and crafts, pony rides and more are planned for children. Great entertainment, including outstanding Jewish music and some Purim spiels, wine tasting, community booths, delicious food and more are planned for adults. There may even be some other tricks up our sleeves. This community event is for all ages. The weather should be great, not too hot and not too cold. Enjoy an afternoon filled with Jewish laughter and fun—see old friends and make new friends. Show your support for Jewish life in Southwest Florida and mark your calendars now to attend. To help ensure the success of our Purim fest, volunteers are needed for a variety of activities that day. Please call or email me to indicate your availability to help. It’s not too late to make a reservation to attend our author event with Iris Krasnow on Sunday, February 1 at 7:00 p.m. Yes, it is Super Bowl Sunday, which makes the event even more appealing to those who aren’t football fans. Come hear Iris share the insights she learned in researching her book Sex After...Women Share How Intimacy Changes as Life Changes. Enjoy some desserts, coffee and wine while listening to this dynamic and entertaining speaker. And, of course, our film festival continues with more great films scheduled on Tuesday and Thursday evenings through February 10. Don’t forget the family film on Sunday, February 1 at 10:00 a.m. at the Bell Tower Regal Cinema. The film, Igor and the Cranes’ Journey, is a delightful film for all ages – but it does have subtitles, so it is probably best for children ages 9 and older. All families with children ages 5-8 are invited to join us for a Tu B’Shevat PJ Library Program on Sunday, February 8 from 11:00 a.m. to noon. The program will be held at Temple Beth El (16225 Winkler Rd. in Fort Myers) and is open to everyone in the community. Arts and crafts activities, stories and songs, as well as Tu B’Shevat treats are all planned for the morning. RSVP to me by Wednesday, February 4 at [email protected] or 239.481.4449 x3. So plan to shake those groggers, watch those movies, learn about sex (just making sure you are paying attention), and love those trees at our upcoming events! TODAH RABAH, THANK YOU to the following sponsors of the Jewish author event, with Iris Krasnow. Iris will be at the Jewish Federation on Sunday, February 1 at 7:00 p.m. to talk about her new book, Jewish news published monthly by Jewish Federation of Lee & Charlotte Counties 9701 Commerce Center Court, Fort Myers, FL 33908 (239) 481-4449 • Fax: (239) 481-0139 Online at www.JewishFederationLCC.org February 2015 • Volume 37, Number 6 Co-Presidents: Barbara Siegel & Rozzi Osterman Board: Judi Davis • Larry Eisenfeld • Martin Freling Herb Fried • Carolyn Gora • Andi Horowitz Charles Idelson • Marsha Kistler • Sara Krivisky Michele Laboda • JoAnn Lewin • Sylvia Simko Jerry Snyderman • Ken Weiner • Paul Weinstein Guy Whitesman • Sherri Zucker Executive Director: Alan Isaacs Program Director: Leni Sack Executive Assistant: Lori Ramos Jewish Family Services: Lisa Bendetowicz, M.S.W. Editor/Designer: Ted Epstein (239) 249-0699 Advertising: Jim Lewin (239) 634-6923 L’CHAYIM invites correspondence on subjects of interest to Jewish people. Partisan political opinions will not be published, but opinions on subjects affecting the Jewish community are welcome. All inquiries regarding copy for L’CHAYIM should be directed to the editor. All news material must be very clearly printed or typed (not in all-capital letters) and double-spaced. Electronic submissions encouraged. The editor reserves the right to edit for space and content. Photographs should be clear, black-and-white or color prints. If you wish a photograph returned, include a stamped, self-addressed envelope of appropriate size. The Jewish Federation of Lee & Charlotte Counties disclaims responsibility or endorsement of the views expressed by the writers and claims by advertisers. MARCH ISSUE EDITORIAL DEADLINE: Thursday, February 5 “Sex After...Women Share How Intimacy Changes as Life Changes” Principal Sponsors: Lott & Gaylor, Inc. 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OUR COMMUNITY L' C H AY I M F E B R U A RY 2 0 1 5 Jewish Federation of Lee and Charlotte Counties 3 Now on display at the Museum – a new original exhibit: Dearest Pauline – A WWII Healer Writes Home By Amy Snyder, Executive Director, Holocaust Museum & Education Center of SWFL W hile the Holocaust is one of the most analyzed events in history, one of the associated stories not widely known is that of the U.S. Army European Civil Affairs Division (ECAD) and its Medical O ff i c e r s , w h o treated newly liberated concentration camp inmates, and whose four Regiments helped restore or Amy der to chaos in the Snyder closing days of World War II and the post-war period. The Holocaust Museum has been working with the family of Dr. Price Duff, an ECAD Medical Officer, to chronicle this story. They have graciously lent their time, memories and memorabilia to bring this story to life. The Medical Officers of the ECAD were charged with stabilizing and restor- ing the health of the civilian population. Initially, it appeared to be a “cushy” assignment for the small team of physicians, dentists and pharmacists sent to Yale University at the end of 1943 to be trained for the task. However, what they encountered by the end of the war was incomprehensible, even to this select group of seasoned professional medical personnel. Dearest Pauline is a firsthand account told by Dr. Price Duff. A young family man, Dr. Duff had been working as a Tennessee State Health Department doctor in a rural, poverty stricken area of the Cumberland Plateau before the Army called him to serve as an ECAD Medical Officer during the liberation of Europe. Using the letters he sent home to his wife, Pauline, the Dearest Pauline exhibit chronicles Dr. Duff’s Army career, from the time he received his initial orders through his training at various Army posts and specialized Dr. Price Duff Dr. Duff in French town Don and Nancy – Just wanted to tell you how much we love Cypress Cove! Join us anytime for a swim, bird-watching, cocktails and dinner or a game of bocce! Love Where You Live Best, Jean and Ted 10200 Cypress Cove Drive Fort Myers, FL 33908 training at Yale University. We then follow his journey from the States to Europe, crossing the Atlantic on the USS Argentina to work initially in England, as both a doctor and an Army censor, until his crossing of the English Channel in September 1944. From here, we witness his journey through France, Luxembourg and Belgium, finally crossing the Rhine River into Germany where he encounters the inconceivable horrors of the concentration camps. While in Germany, the young doctor is overwhelmed with bringing humanitarian aid to a war-ravaged population in crisis. But nothing could have prepared him for the horror stories he and his fellow officers encountered as they entered such camps as Buchenwald and Nordhausen. Dr. Duff worked steadfastly and courageously – changing lives in the process, including his own. Through his meticulously and beautifully written personal letters, his official Army orders, records, photographs, memorabilia and family interviews, we relive this personal story of a healer who was not just a witness to one of history’s Dr. defining moments, but an active participant. The Dearest Pauline exhibit is on display at the Holocaust Museum & Education Center of SWFL through May 3. Our annual Triumph fundraising event on Sunday, March 29, will carry through on the Dearest Pauline theme, with music of the ’30s and ’40s, as well as a dramatic performance highlighting some of Dr. Duff’s letters. Hand-painted photo of Pauline Duff (at left in both photos) with other officers Because this is the way retirement should be, and the only thing missing is you. Fitness that energizes. Neighbors who become lifelong friends. The assurance that comes from not worrying about the future. The security friends and family feel about you having a plan. How can we be certain you’ll love Cypress Cove? What’s not to love about peace of mind, great value, scenic beauty, delicious food and a community of caring friends? Call 239-481-6605 or visit us online at www.CypressCoveLiving.org. Visit us to see all there is to love! Cypress Cove is a non-profit organization, sponsored by Lee Healthcare Resources; a support organization to Lee Memorial Health System, one of Southwest Florida’s most well-respected healthcare providers. Cypress Cove was first in the state of Florida to achieve Person Centered Accreditation in its healthcare areas. 4 OUR COMMUNITY L' C H AY I M F E B R U A RY 2 0 1 5 Jewish Federation of Lee and Charlotte Counties S d B M APMSS WELCOMES U.S. Veterans as patients! Treatments Offered Conditions Treated Sciatica Back Pain Neck Pain Herniated Discs Spinal Stenosis Neuralgia RSD/CRPS Post –Surgical Pain Hip and Joint Arthritis Spinal Pain and Auto Injuries Vertebral Compression Fractures Shingles and Cancer Pain Epidural Steroid Injections Selective Nerve Root Injections Facet Joint Injections Sacroiliac Injections Radiofrequency Ablations Vertebroplasty Sacroplasty Spinal Cord Stimulation Spinal Infusion Pumps for Cancer Patients Botox Injections Discography Percutaneous Disc Decompressions Spinal Infusion Pumps for Cancer Patients Board Certified Physicians Jonathan S. Daitch, MD Carol Mitnick, ARNP Michael E. Frey, MD Christine Sanchez, ARNP (239) 437-8000 8255 College Parkway, Suite 200 Fort Myers, FL 33919 (8255 2 39 ) 437-8000 College Parkway Suite 200 Fort Myers, FL 33919 www.apmss.net www.apmss.net 1425 Viscaya Parkway, Suite 204 Cape Coral, FL 33990 OUR COMMUNITY L' C H AY I M F E B R U A RY 2 0 1 5 Jewish Federation of Lee and Charlotte Counties 5 Subject of “One Book Southwest Florida” draws huge crowds By Jeff Margolis M ichael Stolowitzky owes his life to his governess. There is no other way that he could have survived the Holocaust. The truth is that because of his devoted and saintly Catholic nanny, Gertruda Babilinska, Michael survived the separation from his father, the untimely death of his mother, and the relentless pursuit of Nazis against European Jewry. Michael’s story, as told in Ram Oren’s bestselling book, Gertruda’s Oath, is a compelling love story of Gertruda, Michael’s governess and teacher, and her three-year-old charge as they face the odyssey from being the wealthiest family in pre-war Warsaw to having to scavenge and use their wiles to survive the war. Before rapt audiences totaling 1,000 attendees at three events in Fort Myers and Naples, Mr. Stolowitzky recounted vignettes of their travails as Gertruda unwaveringly fulfills a vow made to Michael’s dying mother to protect and raise Michael as her own son and see that he safely arrives in Palestine at the end of the war. Gertruda’s Oath was the first selection in the newly created “One Book Southwest Florida” program that was developed by a collaboration of GenShoah Southwest Florida Chair Ida Margolis, GenShoah Program Chair Steve Brazina, along with Amy Snyder, Executive Director of the Holocaust Museum & Education Center of Southwest Florida, and Pat DeGroot, Administrative Supervisor of the Collier County Public Library. Naples Mayor John Sorrey issued a proclamation declaring January 7 and 8 as “One Book Southwest Florida Days.” Throughout the fall, book discussion groups got together in Collier and Lee counties to review the book – which is now available in eleven languages – and to prepare questions for Michael’s visit. Interestingly, most groups were curious about the vast fortune that Michael’s father, industrialist Jacob Stolowitzky, had amassed prior to the outbreak of the Second World War. According to Michael’s calculations, his family’s fortune was estimated to be about $300 million in 1938, with a value Center for Judaic, Holocaust, and Genocide Studies Dedicated to educating all sectors of society about Jewish civilization, the Holocaust, and genocide through: • scholarship • outreach • inquiry • sharing knowledge • preserving the record • helping teachers • encouraging students Visit www.fgcu.edu/hc/ Dr. Paul Bartrop, Director PLEASE SUPPORT OUR ADVERTISERS THEY HELP MAKE L’CHAYIM POSSIBLE. This month’s advertisers This publication is brought to you each month thanks to the support of our advertisers. Please be sure to use their products and services, and mention that you found them in L’CHAYIM. Advanced Pain Management.......4 Alliance Financial Group..........21 Dr. Daniel Bendetowicz............21 Cartridge World.........................21 Cypress Cove..............................3 Diamond General Contracting..21 Dignity Memorial......................17 Discovery Village at the Forum..17 Harold Eskin, Attorney..............21 Faden & Cassu, P.A., Attorneys...6 Joseph Faerber, Attorney...........21 FineMark Natl. Bank & Trust...16 Fleamasters Flea Market...........21 Florida Gulf Coast University.....5 Florida Specialists in Urology....2 Frantz Eye Care.........................21 Susan Glasser, Realtor®.............13 Gordon’s Pool & Spa Service....21 Green Schoenfeld & Kyle, LLP..21 Gulf Coast Orthodontics...........10 Gulf Coast Symphony...............28 Dr. David Heligman....................5 Henderson Franklin...................21 Craig R. Hersch, Attorney...........9 Jewish Museum of FL-FIU....7,18 Kays Ponger & Uselton.............13 Lee Lighting..............................21 Dr. George Markovich...............21 Michael Shapiro Photography...10 Miromar Outlets........................16 Paragon Pools............................21 P.B.S. Photography Studio........22 PCC Tile....................................21 Pepper Pet Sitting......................21 Riverland Nursery.....................15 Alan J. Rubinstein, Attorney......14 Ryder Orthopaedics...................21 Snyderman’s Shoes...................21 Douglas Spiegel, Attorney.........21 Southwest Florida Symphony....19 Taschner Periodontics...............15 Temple Judea..........................8,11 The Springs at Shell Point........12 Bob Vinikoor.............................21 Paul Weinstein, CFP®................21 Michael Stolowitzky (center) with the “One Book Southwest Florida” Committee: Ida Margolis, Steve Brazina, Amy Snyder and Pat DeGroot today being in the billions. Stolowitzky has been in negotiations with Swiss banks for many years in an effort to resolve this issue. At great personal risk and peril, Gertruda fulfilled her oath and arrived in Palestine with Michael in 1947. There she took odd jobs and continued to raise Michael and see to his education. Gertruda is honored as a Righteous Among the Nations in Yad Vashem in Israel. Stolowitzky now lives in New York City and also maintains a residence in Miami. In his remarks, he said, “With the life that I had, I can make a choice to continue to live the past or take a path to live a full life in the future and to be grateful for everything I have.” With the great success of the inaugural “One Book Southwest Florida,” many of the participants are already asking about next year’s book. Stay tuned. The next meeting of the Jewish Genealogy SIG (Shared Interest Group) at the Jewish Federation of Collier County offices (2500 Vanderbilt Beach Road, Suite 2201, Naples) is on Tuesday, February 10 at 10:00 a.m. Seating is limited. RSVP to [email protected]. You will receive an acknowledgement that you have a reservation. Bring a notebook and pen with you to the meeting. 6 OUR COMMUNITY L' C H AY I M F E B R U A RY 2 0 1 5 Jewish Federation of Lee and Charlotte Counties Collier/Lee Hadassah presents Shana and Shlomo’s Wedding B By Iris Shur W edding bells are ringing for Shana and Shlomo, and you are invited. The wedding is the annual major fundraiser of the Collier/Lee Chapter of Hadassah. The parents of the bride and groom are not entirely thrilled, and you will have to attend to find out why on Sunday, March 8 at 5:30 p.m. at the Vanderbilt Country Club. You might cringe a bit, laugh a lot and be thankful you didn’t have such a wedding. These families are a little off the wall so we don’t know what will happen. You will shout “Mazel Tov” as Shlomo breaks the glass – if it gets that far. This is a wedding you don’t want to miss. “Rabbi” Bernie Lashinsky will attempt to officiate, and Aunt Iris will try to get the families to allow her granddaughter to participate, just to give you a little taste of the drama of the evening. Aside from a few Hadassah member participants, Improv Anonymous of the Center for the Arts of Bonita Springs will be performing professionally throughout the evening, bringing the wedding to life and providing hilarity. Cantorial Soloist Douglas Renfroe from Sanibel Island will also be there to help Shana and Shlomo tie the knot. Just so we don’t have big fights over the table seating like they do at most weddings, when you RSVP, why don’t you decide who you want to sit with and let us know. And no fights either about who gets invited. You and your friends are ALL invited. You don’t have to be a Hadassah family member to attend. Shana and Shlomo’s families have spared no expense (of yours) on this wedding. There will be a pre-wedding reception with cocktails and passed hors d’oeuvres, followed by the wedding, a sit-down dinner, and dancing to the tunes we love, spun by DJ Mike Cole from Black Tie Entertainment. Oh yes, the gift registry. Shana and Shlomo are registered with Hadassah and you know what that means! They ask for no wedding gifts but that you donate to Hadassah and the wonderful work it does. So pull out your tux and gown, or dress country club casual (just no shorts or jeans), and plan to have a fun, funny, exciting evening as you become part of Shana and Shlomo’s wedding. Please call the “wedding planner,” Lynn Weiner, at 239.598.1009 or email her at [email protected] with any questions or for an invitation. Temple Beth El Events open to the community Wednesday, February 11 - Mah Jongg Tournament: Registration and breakfast start at 8:15 a.m., and play begins at 9:00 a.m. sharp. Your $35 fee includes a continental breakfast, allday beverage service, registration fee, prizes and a sumptuous lunch. For more information, please call Sheila Duerden at 239.481.8011. For reservations, email Sheila at shegd@msn. com by February 9. The tournament takes place at Temple Beth El, 16225 Winkler Road, Fort Myers. *** Wednesday, February 18, 12:30 p.m., Lunch and Learn at Sasse’s: Enjoy lunch at Sasse’s (3651 Evans Ave., Fort Myers) while Rabbi Jeremy Barras presents a Jewish topic for discussion. The cost of $15 includes a healthy lunch entree, beverage and tip. RSVP by February 16 to [email protected] or 239.433.0018 x101. CASH OR CHECK ONLY. *** Monday, February 2, 7:30 p.m., Gerald Ziedenberg lecture series on The Trials and Tribulations of the Jewish People: The topic is The Rescue of the Teheran Children. Over a thousand Polish Jewish orphans are rescued from the Holocaust and find their way from the depths of Russia to Teheran and finally to safety in Palestine. Monday, February 9, 7:30 p.m.: Gerald Ziedenberg completes his lecture series with Moe Berg, the great Jewish baseball player who became a spy and scholar. No admission fee. The lectures take place at Temple Beth El, 16225 Winkler Road, Fort Myers. TRIBUTES In honor of Gerald & Shelia Laboda from Arlene Kallen The Board of Directors and staff of the Jewish Federation of Lee and Charlotte Counties send condolences to: Practice Areas Family Law • Divorce • Child Support • Child Custody • Alimony • Adoptions • Domestic Violence • Injunctions • Mediations • Modifications • Paternity • Relocations Estate & Probate • Wills • Trusts • Summary Admin. • Ancillary Admin. • Guardianship • Estate Planning Business Law • Acquisitions & Sales • Partnerships • LLCs • Corporations • Contract Disputes Real Estate Law • Evictions (Residential & Commercial) • Purchases • Sales • Short Sales • Foreclosures • Contract Disputes • Deeds Immigration Law General Civil Litigation Call Us Today 239-243-0677 1342 Colonial Blvd. Bldg H-59 Fort Myers, FL 33907 www.fadencossulaw.com N EEDED TO LABEL L’C HAYIM N EEDED TO LABEL L’C HAYIM for coffee, bagels and the simple N EEDED TO LABEL L’C satisfaction HAYIM that N EEDED TO LABEL L’C HAYIM comes from meetingTO and making friends with other volunEEDED LABEL HAYIM JOIN US for coffee, bagels and the simple satisfaction that JOIN US teers, we keep thousands local with readers JOINas US forhelp coffee, bagels and theof simple satisfaction that comes from meeting and making friends otherinformed volunJOIN US for coffee, bagels and the simple satisfaction that comes from meeting and making friends with other volunJOIN US for coffee, bagels and the simple satisfaction that about local, national and international Jewish news. teers, as we help keep thousands of local readers informed comes from meeting and making with other volunteers, as wenational help keep thousands of local readers informed comeslocal, from meeting and making friends friends with other volunabout and international Jewish news. teers, as we help keep thousands of local readers informed about and international Jewish news. teers, local, as wenational help keep thousands of local readers informed Call 481.4449 ext. to add your name about local, and Jewish news. about local, national national and3international international Jewish news. to the Call 481.4449 3 to we add will yourcall name to the phone list. Eachext month to confirm Call 481.4449 ext 3 to add your name to the phone list.date Each month we will call to confirm the mailing and canwill let call us know you Call 481.4449 ext 33 you to your name to Call 481.4449 ext to add add your name toifthe the phone list. Each month we to confirm the mailing date and youwe can let call us know if you phone list. month will to are available to help apply labels forknow L’CHAYIM. phone list. Each Each month will to confirm confirm the mailing date and youwe can let call us if you are to help apply labels forknow L’CHAYIM. the mailing and you let ifif you the available mailing date date andapply you can can let us us know you are available to help labels for L’CHAYIM. are available to help apply labels for L’CHAYIM. are available toTime: help apply 9:30labels A.M. for L’CHAYIM. Time: 9:30 A.M. Time: 9:30 A.M. Monday, February 23, 2015 Time: 9:30 A.M. Time: 9:30 A.M. Wednesday May 28, 2014 Friday April 18, 2014 Monday, March 23, 2015 Monday June18, 23,2014 2014 Friday 2014 Friday April April 18, May Monday, April23, 27,2014 2015 Friday Friday May May 23, 23, 2014 2014 The family and friends of Shirley Robbins, who passed away in Orlando in December Lori Frantz and family on the passing of Lori’s father Martin Lazarus in January James Rubenstein and family on the passing of James’ father Stanley Rubenstein in January FOOD PANTRY The Federation thanks the following for their generous donations to the Federation Food Pantry: Anonymous Angels Lila Williamson Mellow Mah Jongg Ladies Temple Beth El Temple Beth El Sisterhood Stan Zell Sheila Duerden Bonnie Kasdan Louis & Ruth Klein The Rosman Family Robert & Bette Batson Arlene Kallen Ira & Paula Zlatkin Joseph & Sheila Cramer Paul & Linda Phillips Robbie Mitnick Joy Angel Sheila Sklar Don & Sandy Komito Robin Baum Dorothy & Robert Ruberto Judy & Marty Freling Sol & Shirley Soloway JEWISH INTEREST 7 L' C H AY I M F E B R U A RY 2 0 1 5 Jewish Federation of Lee and Charlotte Counties An unlikely Holocaust hero By Paul R. Bartrop, PhD O n February 25, 1942, an Austrian soldier serving in the Wehrmacht, Sergeant Anton Schmid, was summarily court-martialed for high treason. Soon after that, he was executed by firing squad. Who was this man, and why was he shot 73 years ago this month? Anton Schmid was born in Vienna in 1900, mar Dr. Paul ried Stefi, and had a Bartrop daughter. An electrician by trade, by the time he reached early middle age he owned a radio shop and lived a comfortable life in Vienna. Having been drafted into the German army after the Anschluss (union) with Austria, he was mobilized upon the outbreak of war in September 1939. He was sent first to Poland and, after the Nazi invasion of the Soviet Union in June 1941, was transferred to Nazioccupied Lithuania. By the autumn of 1941 the now-Sergeant Schmid was stationed near Vilna (Vilnius). Witnessing the creation of the Vilna ghetto (in reality, two ghettos were es- tablished) in September 1941, Schmid soon learned what the fate of the Jews was to be. Mass killings had already been taking place since July 1941, and continued throughout the summer and fall. By the end of the year, about 21,700 Jews had been murdered by Einstatzgruppen units (and their Lithuanian allies) in the Ponary Forest near Vilna. Schmid was appalled, particularly as he saw children being beaten in front of him. From his perspective, it was unthinkable not to try to find a way to go to the Jews’ aid. Schmid’s assignment, which saw him based at the Vilna train station, was to command a unit responsible for reassigning soldiers who had been separated from their detachments. From here, he saw a great deal of the malicious treatment meted out to Jews, and he lost no opportunity to use his position to alleviate their condition. He would take them off the trains and employ them as workers; he arranged for some to be released from prison; he organized new papers for others; and even – at immense personal risk – sheltered Jews in his office and personal quarters. Among those he hid were Herman The Holocaust: How Could It Have Happened? International Holocaust Remembrance Day event at FGCU T o commemorate United Nathe day by incorporating both rememtions International Holocaust brance and education. Remembrance Day this year, a The forum will take place on panel of students at Florida Gulf Coast Tuesday, February 3 in the Cohen Center, room 247, from 1:00 University will have the opportunity to explore the to 2:30 p.m. question “The Holocaust: All FGCU students, faculty How Could It Have Hapand staff are welcome to attend. pened?” with Professor Outside guests are also invited to attend, to join with the Alex Alvarez, an internationally-renowned and FGCU community in helping to contribute to our understandaward-winning Holocaust and Genocide scholar ing of how the Holocaust could have happened. Please note from Northern Arizona Dr. Alex Alvarez University. that those coming from outside The event will be moderated by should obtain a parking permit from the Information Booth at the university Professor Paul Bartrop, Director of entrance off Ben Hill Griffin Parkway. FGCU’s Center for Judaic, Holocaust, FGCU is located at 10501 FGCU Blvd. and Genocide Studies. By scheduling the forum on the S., Fort Myers. FGCU campus during the teaching day, For more information, email Dr. Paul Bartrop at [email protected]. we will be fulfilling the UN mandate of Adler and his wife, Anita, both members of Vilna’s prewar Zionist movement. Through this link, Schmid was placed in contact with one of the leaders of the nascent Jewish resistance movement in the ghetto, Mordechaj Tenenbaum. The result saw Schmid developing a relationship with the resistance in which he started smuggling Jews away from Vilna to other Jewish cities such as Bialystok – places where it was thought the Jews could have a better chance of survival. The association with Schmid also enabled the various resistance groups to establish contact with each other. Ultimately, Schmid’s actions in hiding Jews, supplying them with false papers and arranging their escape, managed to save the lives of up to 250 Jewish men, women and children. Within resistance circles, news of his activities on behalf of Jews spread. Inevitably, owing to informers, he began to be watched more closely by Nazi authorities. It was obvious that he knew this, but the knowledge that he could be found out only emboldened him to work on behalf of Jews with greater determination and audacity. Eventually, given the military and police state environment in which he was operating, Schmid was found out. He was arrested in the second half of January 1942, and on February 25 he was summarily court-martialed for high treason. The death penalty was the only possible outcome of such a trial, and on April 13, 1942 he was duly executed by firing squad. Anton Schmid was an extremely brave human being. He clearly knew that he was placing himself in danger through his actions, and that, if caught, his fate could have only one possible outcome. For all that, however, he did not see anything particularly special in what he did. In his last letter to his wife, Stefi, written from his prison cell prior to his execution, he wrote: “I only acted as a human being and did not want to hurt anyone.” Sadly, his actions had an unfortunate outcome for Stefi, besides the obvious one of depriving her of her husband, his income, pension and a war hero’s death. When word got back to Vienna, her neighbors shunned her, referring to her husband as a traitor, and socially ostracizing her. At one point, her windows were smashed. The life-saving deeds of Anton Schmid had another outcome, however, when, on May 16, 1967, Yad Vashem in Jerusalem recognized his actions through naming him one of the Righteous Among the Nations. Stefi received the award personally, having been flown to Jerusalem for the occasion. Then, on May 8, 2000, the German government named a military barracks in Schmid’s honor in Rendsburg, northern Germany, as the “FeldwebelSchmid-Kaserne.” At the naming ceremony, Germany’s Defense Minister, Rudolf Scharping, said: “We are not free to choose our history, but we can choose the examples we take from that history. Too many bowed to the threats and temptations of the dictator, and too few found the strength to resist. But Sergeant Anton Schmid did resist.” A man who refuses to acquiesce to darkness, when all those around him are silent, is a man from who we can take inspiration. Anton Schmid was one such man. 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 [email protected]. For a continuously updated calendar of events, visit www.JewishFederationLCC.org. A community-wide celebration of Purim and Jewish life in Lee & Charlotte Counties. Activities for all ages, Purim carnival, costume parade, entertainment, great food and more — bring your groggers and come ready to party! Heights Center 15570 Hagie Drive, Fort Myers Volunteers needed. Contact Leni Sack at 239.481.4449 x3 or [email protected]. THE CHOSEN: Hung Liu, Yang, 2008, 74 x 74", Jacquard Tapestry From the Collection of the Brody/Brinberg Family ©Hung Liu Selected Works From Florida Jewish Art Collectors On view through 3.8.15 This groundbreaking exhibition showcases prominent works chosen from a cadre of Florida’s preeminent Jewish art collectors with world-renowned art from internationally acclaimed artists such as George Segal, Louise Nevelson and Alexander Calder to name a few! Sponsored by Mercedes-Benz of Coral Gables, Museo Vault, Biscayne Bank, Kenneth & Barbara Bloom and Elliot Stone & Bonnie Sockel-Stone. On view through 3.22.15: From a Coin Toss into Politics: The Life of a Senator 2-for-1 admission with this ad L’Chayim 301 Washington Avenue Miami Beach, FL 33139 305.672.5044 • jewishmuseum.com [email protected] Open Tuesday-Sunday 10am - 5pm Except Holidays The Museum is supported by individual contributions, foundations, memberships and grants from the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs and the Florida Council on Arts and Culture, the Miami-Dade County Tourist Development Council, the Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs and the Cultural Affairs Council, the Miami-Dade County Mayor and Board of County Commissioners and the City of Miami Beach, Cultural Affairs Program, Cultural Arts Council. 8 JEWISH INTEREST L' C H AY I M F E B R U A RY 2 0 1 5 Jewish Federation of Lee and Charlotte Counties How to appreciate wine like a pro By The Wine Whisperer L ots of people enjoy wine, and that’s wonderful. However, enjoyment and appreciation are two different things. The way I look at it, enjoying wine is liking it. Appreciating wine is knowing why you like it. It’s sort of like the way I watch football. I know nothing about it, and to me it’s a bunch Jerry of guys running Greenfield around, getting hit, and falling down. But when I watch a game with my cousin David, and he says, “See the way he ran the buttonhook to the down and out on the left side,” the intricacies begin to emerge, and the enjoyment turns to appreciation. Same with music, wine or almost any other interest. There are several ways to take your enjoyment of wine to the next level and derive more out of the sampling experience. The first is what I call the Three Gs. That’s the Grape, the Ground, and the Guy or Gal. If you know what the grape is, where it comes from, and who makes it, you have a much better chance of guessing what’s in the bottle and making a wise choice from the bewildering selection in the store or on the wine list. First, the Grape. In a way, wine grapes are like apples. You have Red Delicious, Jonathan, Granny Smith and many others, each of which has its own set of distinctive flavors. Same with grapes. Wines made from Cabernet Sauvignon grapes have characteristic flavors of black fruit, currant and so on. Wines made from Sauvignon Blanc grapes will generally give you grapefruit, pineapple, citrus and other tropical fruits. Next is the Ground. Different countries and cultures make wines in different ways, and follow a wide range of traditions. Wines from the U.S., Australia, New Zealand and other New World countries are “fruit forward,” meaning that the first thing you’ll sense on the nose and palate are pronounced fruit flavors. On the other hand, wines from France, Spain, Italy and the Old World will offer the aromas and flavors of the places where they’re made: earth, forest, smoke, tar and other vegetal sensations. Also, grapes grown in cooler climates will provide one set of fruit flavors, while grapes from warmer southern climes will be more tropical. The difference between red cherries and black cherries, for example, or pear and peach. The difference between a Syrah from Washington State and one from Sonoma or Napa in California. And finally, we have to think about the winemaker: the Guy or Gal. Each one is faced with a bewildering range of choices in the winemaking process. What grapes to grow, and where. When to harvest. How long to ferment. Whether to ferment and age the juice in stainless steel or oak, or a combination of both. How long to leave the wine in the barrel before bottling. They’re like chefs, using available seasonings in different, personal and characteristic ways. For the beginning wine enthusiast, knowing the vintner can be extremely important. There are hundreds of (for example) Sauvignon Blancs from New Zealand on the shelves. If you find certain brands and producers you like, stick with them, but continue to sample and discover other winemakers and varietals. That’s where the fun is. Just like anything else, the more you know about a topic or a thing, the more pleasure and interest you’ll derive from it. Wine give us back what we bring to it, so we may as well bring as much as we can. That’s where the “Five S” approach comes in. It’s the process that we use to evaluate, understand and, yes, appreciate that liquid we just paid $50 for. In order, the “Five S” approach includes See, Swirl, Sniff, Sip and Swallow. Each of the steps gives us more information and understanding about the wine. We’ll delve into that next month. Meanwhile, here are some recent discoveries I hope you’ll enjoy. C h a t e a u Labrande Cahors – The Cahors region of France is the Chateau Labrande label home of the Malbec grape. Most of the Malbecs on the shelf these days come from Argentina, but this brand is a true Old World style. Bargain priced, too. Romanelli Montefalco Rosso 2010 – I referred to Montefalco wines in a previous column, but just discovered this producer. From Perugia in central Italy, this wine is a blend of the Montefalco Village Square native Sagrantino grape with Sangiovese, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. It offers a nice earthy nose and fresh berries and cherry on the palate. Sono Montenidoli Vernaccia Tradizionale 2011 – You may not find this white varietal everywhere, but it’s worth seeking out. It’s a straightforward wine for everyday drinking that treats you to nice acidity and citrus flavors. Great with shellfish and other seafood. Sample widely. Email me. Jerry Greenfield is The Wine Whisperer. He is Creative Director of Greenfield Advertising Group and former Wine Director of the Southwest Florida Wine & Food Festival. His new book, Secrets of the Wine Whisperer, is now available through his website or on Amazon. Read his other writings at www.winewhisperer.com. Chicken schnitzel – recipe by Dalia Hemed C hicken Schnitzel is a popular and tasty treat served throughout Israel. Schnitzel is Austrian in origin; it was traditionally made with veal (known as Wiener Schnitzel) or pork. The dish later found its way to Israel with European Jewish immigrants. Like many Jewish foods, immigrants adapted this regional dish to suit their unique dietary kosher laws. In the case of schnitzel, pork (thrifty but not kosher) and veal (which was expensive and difficult to obtain) was replaced by chicken and turkey. The result is a tasty treat that can be found in nearly every restaurant in Israel. Schnitzel is a simple, budgetfriendly dish to prepare. It is often served with French fries, but I prefer to serve it with a fresh Israeli salad (see last month’s recipe). This easy recipe is sure to become a mainstay in your kitchen. I make it once or twice a month because it’s so simple and tasty. Kids love it, too. The traditional way to serve schnitzel is with fresh lemon juice. A squeeze of lemon juice really suits schnitzel, but funny enough, the origin of this pairing is less than appetizing. Before refrigeration was invented, lemon juice was used to mask the flavor of meat that had gone bad. The tradition of lemon juice stuck, and we still serve schnitzel with lemon slices to this day! While I do love lemon juice on my schnitzel, I also like to get creative and dip it in spicy mustard or hot sauce. Yuuuuuummy! DINE TO DONATE In an effort to support our local community, Perkins Restaurant and Bakery is proud to work with organizations on their fundraising efforts. Please present this ad to the cashier during the month of February 2015 and Perkins will donate 10% of your total bill to Receive a 10% discount on your next visit (excluding Bakery To-Go) at any local Perkins after completing a short survey. See your bill. Coupon expires February 28, 2015. Valid at Perkins on Six Mile Cypress and U. S. 41, Fort Myers, Florida. Additional coupons will be available in Temple Judea’s lobby. Ingredients: • 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts (4 large breasts) • 1 cup flour for dredging • 2 eggs • 1 cup breadcrumbs, matzo meal or panko • 2 tbsp paprika • 1 tbsp sesame seeds (optional) • Salt and pepper • Oil for frying • Fresh lemon wedges for garnish You will also need: • Plastic wrap, mallet, skillet, paper towels XX Lay down a 2-foot-long strip of plastic wrap on your kitchen countertop. Place chicken breasts on the plastic, leaving a 2-inch space between each breast. Cover the breasts with another strip of plastic so the meat is sandwiched between two layers of plastic. Use a mallet to pound the breasts until they are a little less than ¼ inch thick. XX Set up three wide, shallow bowls and a large plate on your countertop. In your first bowl, put the flour. In the second bowl, beat the eggs. In the third, stir together the breadcrumbs, paprika, 1 tsp salt and sesame seeds (optional) till well blended. Leave an empty plate nearby where you will place your coated schnitzels. XX Pour oil into a skillet until it’s deep enough for frying (about ½ inch). Heat the oil slowly over medium. While the oil is heating, dip each breast one by one into your breading bowls – first coat with flour, then with egg, then with breadcrumb mixture. Personal Chef Dalia Hemed can be reached at 239.887.1986 or [email protected]. XX The ideal temperature to fry schnitzel is around 375 degrees F. When the oil is hot (but not smoking or splattering), fry the coated breasts in single-layer batches until they are golden brown on both sides. If your oil is at the right temperature, it should take about 3-4 minutes per side. Don’t fry more than two breasts at a time in a regular sized skillet, or the oil temperature will drop and the schnitzels will become greasy. XX After frying, set the schnitzels on a paper towel and pat them dry to soak off excess oil. XX Sprinkle the schnitzels with salt to taste. Serve hot garnished with lemon wedges and your favorite condiment. L’CHAYIM delivers! Introduce your business to a POWERFUL demographic and reach 5,000 readers each month for pennies per reader! For ad rates and deadlines, contact Jim Lewin at 239.634.6923 or [email protected]. JEWISH INTEREST L' C H AY I M F E B R U A RY 2 0 1 5 Jewish Federation of Lee and Charlotte Counties 9 Two complementary views of Jewish strength and vulnerability e ,By Philip K. Jason, Special to L’CHAYIM . tion from attack. Anything Israel did in Making David into Goliath: How the retaliation was immediately labeled as World Turned Against Israel, o disproportionate. s by Joshua Muravchik. Encounter National and international Socialist - Books, 296 pages, Hardcover $25.99. bodies redefined Zionism as both racist ~ n and classist. Weighing evidence was e Flexigidity: The Secret of Jewish rarely an issue. The once-sympathetic Adaptability, by Gidi Grinstein. political Left moved inevitably to the Gidi Grinstein. 318 pages. other side throughout Europe, and that Trade paperback $15.00. transition became apparent in the United ach in its own way, these two States as well. recent books consider the interEdward Said. Need I say more? The locking destinies of the Israeli moral corruption of academic institustate and the Jewish People. tions whose faculties were brainwashed by a smooth charlatan did enormous At once impassioned and clearheaded, Muravchik’s abundantly redamage to Israel’s standing. . searched discussion of Israel’s decline Yes, as Muravchik admits, Israel’s h in world public own leaders and political parties made opinion is necesa number of poor decisions. He details sary reading for several key instances and their conseall who care about quences. Just as much of a problem is this highly vulnerthe culture of dissent that has weakened able country. How Israel from within. t is it that an innovaThis author sees a severely impers tive, democratic, iled Israel whose enemies might sucr peace-seeking naceed. “The result,” he insists, “would tion keeps losing be a second Holocaust.” This timely Phi l the propaganda study, puncturing illusions and facing J a s on war? Muravchik shows us how in a hard facts, is must reading. rinstein’s Flexigidity is truly series of well-crafted chapters. r a most remarkable, original The author begins by reminding a and inspirational book. While readers of the high esteem with which , aimed at building a body of knowledge Israel was generally regarded in the first w and skills for a new leadership of the decades following its declaration of nan Jewish People in individual communitionhood. To some measure, that esteem t ties and worldwide, it deserves a readgrew out of how the tiny new nation had ership among all Jews and, indeed, all overcome seemingly insurmountable students of the Jewish journey through odds – and continued to do so. history. It is nothing less than a map Over time, however, various forces for the Jewish future based upon a keen dimmed the luster of the glorious David. understanding of the Jewish past and the The chapter titles outline the story well. challenges of the present situation – a One example: “The Arab Cause Bemixture of prosperity and power on the comes Palestinian (and ‘Progressive’)” one hand, vulnerability on the other. explores the psychological warfare Get past the gimmicky title: the in Arab/Muslim politics that slowly jamming together of the counterpoint repositioned David and Goliath. Israel traits of flexibility and rigidity that was positioned not as threatened by the Grinstein sees as the essential characMuslim masses, but as the demonical ter of Jewish experience. Get past the usurper of Palestinian rights. Losing unconventional but highly functional underdog status in world opinion was design, an extended outline form laced a major blow. with text boxes and boldface passTerrorist assaults on Israel did one ages that announce the most important kind of damage, constantly diverting concepts. Forgive what seems like a resources. Assaults on Jewish institutechnical report or systems analysis tions in Europe weakened the moral approach. This book is nothing but good fiber of European nations and also resense writ large. leased latent Anti-Semitism. On top of Although the author takes us this, Arab countries were able to use through almost all of Jewish history to the petroleum weapon to make Europe make his points about the processes of cower. The message was clear: if you Jewish survival, he pays particular atwant oil, detach yourself from Israel tention to the last 130 years “of radical in every possible way. and fundamental transformations” reThe takeover of the UN by so-called nnonaligned nations rendered Israel a sulting “from the compounded effect of rpariah, constantly charged and found repetitive disasters in Europe, as well as sguilty of crimes against humanity rather from the dramatic successes of Zionism ythan responsibly defending its populaand Americanism.” Grinstein urges the E , s o l - G APRIL APRIL 15, 15, 2015 2015 6:30 6:30 P.M. P.M. n o t h e Chocolate Chocolate and and Wine Wine -- Need Need we we say say more? more? Join Join us us for for the the second second part part of of the the Women’s Women’s Philanthropy Philanthropy series series — —a a deliciously deliciously elegant elegant night night of of chocolate chocolate and and wine wine pairings pairings hosted hosted by by NORMAN NORMAN LOVE. LOVE. RSVP RSVP to to Leni Leni Sack Sack at at 239.481.4449 239.481.4449 x3 x3 or or [email protected]. [email protected]. Cost: Cost: $75. $75. Space Space is is limited. limited. necessity of a productive respect among Zionists and Israelis for a healthy and growing Jewish diaspora and a powerful understanding in the diaspora about the essentiality of Israel for the Jewish future. He worries, as others have done, about the concentration of the Jewish population in so few places, while recognizing that there are benefits to that concentration as well. Hebrew literacy, based on the historical transmission of Judaism’s sacred texts and the Zionist insistence on (re)building a Hebrew-speaking nation, is one necessity for which the future might have to find more flexibility in that rigidity. Nonetheless, Grinstein values such literacy as usefully bonding and differentiating. The author ably demonstrates the existing and necessary interconnectedness of all factions of the Jewish People. His thesis, analysis and synthesis ably and stridently portray “flexigidity” – the framing design of a People who are “a network of small units – communities and their institutions – as the most important foundation of Jewish longevity.” I highly recommend this book as a long course – or series of short courses – for leaders and aspiring leaders of Jewish communities and institutions everywhere. These two reviews appear in the Fall 2014 (Grinstein) and Winter 2014 (Muravchik) issues of Jewish Book World (Vol. 32 Nos. 3 & 4). They are reprinted by permission of the Jewish Book Council. 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. BOOK CLUB MEETINGS Everyone is welcome to join the book club for the following book discussions: Sunday, February 1 at 7:00 p.m. - RSVP required Sex After…Women Share How Intimacy Changes as Life Changes by Iris Krasnow IRIS KRASNOW WILL BE HERE TO DISCUSS HER BOOK Join us for the first in a 3-part Women’s Series - wine & refreshments will be served Wednesday, February 25 at 6:00 p.m. Me Before You by Jojo Moyes Wednesday, March 25 at 6:00 p.m. The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh To get more information about the book club or to RSVP for the events above, contact Leni Sack at 239.481.4449 x3 or [email protected] Florida Residency and Estate Planning WORKSHOP Receive a FR EE Florida Estate Planning Guide Presented by: Craig R. Hersch “Will Power” Columnist, Author Michael B. Hill Florida Bar Board Certified | Wills, Trusts & Estates Attorneys You will learn: • If your will and trust from up North are still valid • What you need to know about Florida homestead laws • If you can save taxes by declaring Florida residency • Why your Durable Power of Attorney needs updating • Why you need to update your legal documents to Florida law • How to avoid probate • How to keep your legal documents up-to-date Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2015 Thursday, Feb. 5, 2015 2:00 p.m. 2:00 p.m. Sanibel Community House 2173 Periwinkle Way Sanibel 33957 Temple Beth El 16225 Winkler Rd. Fort Myers 33908 Complimentary Written Trust Analysis: Bring your current documents to the workshop one-half hour early Reservations: 239-425-9379 9100 College Pointe Ct., Fort Myers, FL 33919 www.sbshlaw.com 10 JEWISH INTEREST L' C H AY I M F E B R U A RY 2 0 1 5 Jewish Federation of Lee and Charlotte Counties Jerusalem Post Crossword Puzzle Unthemed by Martin Ashwood-Smith Difficulty level: medium Will Shortz praises S upgraded Jerusalem Post B Crossword Puzzle E b h level of difficulty, rising each weekJ ew York Times crossword during a given month from Easy tot editor Will Shortz, the dean of Manageable to Medium to ChalAmerican puzzledom, recently lenging. Then, four times a year, a applauded the newly upgraded weekly 17x17 puzzle will be published. The Jerusalem Post Crossword Puzzles, Easy puzzles should be accessible calling it a “great product” with puzzles to people with little Judaic backthat are “well-constructed.” Further, he ground and crossword experience, added, “the high Jewish content in the and the Challenging puzzles clues is very impressive.” should be a match for the The Jerusalem Post wits of solvers with strong Crossword Puzzle currently backgrounds in both. appears in nearly 20 Jewish David Benkof, who has publications worldwide, inconstructed the crosswords cluding the Washington Jewfor the past six years, now ish Week, the Atlanta Jewish serves as editor, working with Times, the New Jersey Jewish puzzles created by some of Standard, the Connecticut the top names in the crossJewish Ledger, and the JewDavid Benkof word world. ish Tribune of Canada. As before, each puzzle’s clues are Southern California solver Chloe 100 percent Jewish-related, which is Ross said the puzzle is “the first thing a nearly unheard-of feat for themed I look at when I open the Jewish Jourpuzzles. nal.” And Ellen Futterman, the editor of The puzzle clues continue to use the St. Louis Jewish Light, praised the lots of puns and wordplay, such as: puzzles for being “both challenging for • The Hebrew one has a nun in it veteran puzzlers and also within range (8 letters) ALPHABET for those who are novices.” • It takes guts to cook them KISHKES Some changes to the puzzle for • It had a major part in “The Ten 2015 include: Commandments” REDSEA Most puzzles have themes. January • That’s life? CHAIM themes include “Noshing Ventured” The new, improved puzzles will beand “Amblin’ Actors.” In addition, gin appearing in newspapers throughout some puzzles include twists like the the world the first week in January. January 2 puzzle, “Inner Sanctum,” Questions can be addressed to Dawhich has circled letters in some vid Benkof at 314.201.1552 or David answers, spelling out the names of [email protected]. items found in a synagogue. Each 15x15 puzzle is assigned a N Editor: David Benkof, [email protected] Across 1. They’re buried together in Hebron 16. Provides leniency in Jewish law 17. Israel became a member in 1949 18. Start of some Jewish names ending with -berg, -blum, and -feld 19. Temple offering, sometimes 20. Mother tongue of many Beverly Hills Jews 23. Tsuris 24. Qassam rocket’s path 27. Attended a 38-Across 28. The Shayetet is the equivalent of this Navy operations force 32. Brownish-yellow color of Lee Krasner’s early 1960s paintings 34. Some Donna Karan products 36. “Demi-___,” the musical revue in which Gershwin’s “Swanee” had its debut 37. 9/11 plotter Mohamed 38. Annual White House event since 2009 40. These critters, and not the Jews, spread the Black Death 41. Prepared a child’s costume for Purim 43. Israeli flyer Danny Shapira, for one 45. Give a bubbe nachas 46. The Kinneret, ___ of Galilee 47. St. whose Jewish Museum was the first in the Pacific Northwest 48. Farm home for a chazer 49. Studio where “The Longest Yard” director Robert Aldrich got his start 51. Appointed as rabbi, perhaps 53. Nazi Dassler whose name was shortened to dub the shoe company he founded 54. Food with a schmear on top 57. Term that has been used for Emma Goldman and Saul Alinsky 64. Madeleine Albright was running it when she learned much of her family died in the Holocaust 65. Area under the Temple Mount Down 1. It’s the largest country in the Arab world (abbr.) 2. Insect in Jerry Seinfeld’s 2007 animated film 3. Tried to join the Knesset 4. Swears on the Holy Bible 5. Trait of Bar Kochba or Yoni Netanyahu 6. Jehoshaphat’s father and namesakes Solution on page 18 7. First sex in Genesis? 8. “The Case for Israel” author Dershowitz 9. 1948 and 613, e.g. 10. Gave two tablets, perhaps 11. Spread anti-Semitic vitriol, maybe 12. “Oy vey!” 13. Director Reiner (“Stand By Me”) 14. The whole megillah 15. Fifth Hebrew letter 20. Some temples have Moorish ones 21. How to hang your mezuzah 22. Shabbat 23. Evaluate the quality, as an etrog 24. Biblical character whose name, doubled, is a Faulkner title 25. Jews hope to do it regarding the Temple in Jerusalem 26. Like the shield of the Rothschilds 29. Techies who can earn a certificate but not a degree from Brandeis U. 30. Comeback from Kyle on the South Park playground 31. “The Peacemaker” director Mimi 33. One of Anouk Aimée’s quatre 35. Feminist Orthodox activist Rivka 39. El Al path (abbr.) 42. U.S. diplomats in Israel get one for their expenses 44. Obama Defense Secretary who said “all options” were on the table to stop Iran 50. Boychik 52. “ ... like ___ that is led to the slaughter” 53. “Merchant of Venice” quote: “___ thy friends - for when did friendship take a breed for barren metal of his friend?” 54. 1997 Martin Landau/Halle Berry flop that played with stereotypes about Jewish women 55. Near Eastern VIPs 56. Tightened (his loins) 57. Arthur Goldberg’s WWII intelligence agency 58. Some Mormons believe ___ -Aztecan languages are related to Hebrew 59. Radio show hosted by Ira Glass, briefly 60. Poet’s erev 61. Literally, “Man-made mound” 62. Number of wives for Isaac 63. Abraham Joshua Heschel was concerned about civil ones (abbr.) Stay connected at www.JewishFederationLCC.org Bar / Bat Mitzvah Specialist Choosing the right photographer is an important decision. Michael Shapiro has more than 30 years experience in media and journalism. He is able to capture images that are unique, unexpected and spontaneous. Mellow Mah Jongg Each Tuesday afternoon, an open session of Mah Jongg is held at the Jewish Federation. Players must be at least advanced beginners, as no lessons are given. DAY: Tuesdays, 12:30 – 3:30 P.M. FEE: $1 per week For more information, call Rona Strausberg at 239.949.9003 Other Services: Weddings / Family Portraits / Events 239.770.6860 [email protected] www.shapiro-photography.com JEWISH INTEREST 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. Oscars Sadly, press deadlines mean I have to submit this month’s column in advance of the Oscar nominations and, of course, the ceremony itself (held this year on Sunday, February 22). However, here is a list of some likely Jewish nominees based on the fact that they have already been honored with other award nominations, like the Golden Globe or SAG award. Best Actor: JAKE GYLLENHAAL, 34, Nightcrawler; and JOAQUIN PHOENIX, 40, Inherent Vice; Best Actress (supporting or lead): PATRICIA ARQUETTE, 46, Boyhood. Best Film Screenplay: GRAHAM MOORE, 32, for The Imitation Game, which is about British computer expert and WWII codebreaker Alan Turing and features, as an important character, fellow codebreaker PETER HILTON (a British Jew). Moore, a self-described “Jewish kid from Chicago,” is the son of SUSAN STEINER SHER, 63. She was Michelle Obama’s chief-of-staff from 2009 to 2011. Also: DAN FUTTERMAN, 47, co-writer of the Foxcatcher screenplay. The film was directed by BENNETT MILLER, 47. The film may also get a best-picture nomination. Best Original Score: HANS ZIMMER, 57, Interstellar. One of the most honored film composers of our time, Zimmer was born and raised in Germany, the son of a non-Jewish father and a German Jewish mother who escaped to England in 1939 and returned after the war. He “outed” himself as Jewish on German TV in 1999, but this fact was not widely known until he talked to the Jewish Journal of Los Angeles last May. He told them, “The Jews are my people.” Best Original Film Song: “Mercy Is” (Noah), Patti Smith and LENNY KAYE, 67; and “Opportunity” (Annie), GREG KURSTIN, 45, Sia Furler, and WILL GLUCK, 42. Gluck also directed Annie and co-wrote the screenplay. Best Foreign Language Film: Ida (Denmark/Poland). Plot: During the 1960s, Anna, a novice nun, finds out from a relative that her parents were Jewish and died in the Holocaust. She sets out to learn more. Ida was directed and co-written by Pawel Pawlikowski, a Pole who learned as an adult that his paternal grandmother was Jewish and that she died in the camps. Also in this category: Gett: The Trial of Viviane Amsalem (Israel). In the words of Variety: “This expertly written, brilliantly acted film documents the painful five-year process for one [Israeli] woman attempting to obtain a divorce [in Israel].” The film was co-written and co-directed by RONIT ELKABETZ, 50, and her brother, SHLOMI ELKABETZ, 46. They are Israelis of Moroccan Jewish ancestry. Koenig Heads-Up SARAH KOENIG, 45, produces and sometimes hosts the NPR show, This American Life. But since October, the buzz around her is her podcast show, Serial. Over five million people followed the show’s first season, which focused on a (real) 1999 Baltimore murder over L' C H AY I M F E B R U A RY 2 0 1 5 Jewish Federation of Lee and Charlotte Counties 11 Interested in Your Family’s History? Ten years of doing a Jewish celebrities column has turned Nate Bloom (see column above) 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. So here’s the deal: Email Nate at [email protected], tell him you saw this ad in L’CHAYIM, and include your phone number (area code, too). Nate will then contact you about doing a “limited” family history for you at a modest cost (no more than $100). No upfront payment. 12 episodes. The last episode aired on December 18, but you can still listen to the series (free) while online, or download the episodes (free) to many devices. Log on to: serialpodcast.org. Koenig’s husband, BEN SCHREIER, 44, is a professor of English and Jewish studies at Penn State. New TV Shows In December, Bravo premiered its first “scripted” series, Girlfriend’s Guide to Divorce, co-starring LISA EDELSTEIN, 48 (House), and PAUL ADELSTEIN, 45, as a long-married couple with two kids, whose marriage is breaking up. This comedy/drama is, in the words of almost all critics, surprisingly very good and I completely agree. By the way, the divorcing couple is supposed to be Jewish – despite their non-Jewish last name. The first 13-episode season concludes this month. Try and catch up online or through encore showings. Starting Thursday, February 19 is a new version of The Odd Couple, the famous 1965 stage show authored by NEIL SIMON, 87. The ABC series stars Matthew Perry (Friends) as Oscar, a slovenly sports writer, and Thomas Lennon as Felix, a neat-freak photographer. As you probably know, they are old friends and when Felix’s wife leaves him, he moves into the apartment of Oscar, who is long-divorced. LINDSAY SLOANE, 37, who has been appearing as a TV guest or series regular (Sabrina) since she was a teen, plays Emily, a resident of Oscar’s building who attracts the romantic attention of the guys. While I haven’t seen the pilot, I have no doubt that one of Simon’s most famous lines will be used in an early episode – Oscar: “Stop leaving me notes on my pillow, Felix. It took me weeks to figure out that ‘F.U.’ at the end of the note means Felix Unger.” Simon, by the way, denies that he named the character Felix Unger just to make this joke work. 12 ISRAEL & THE JEWISH WORLD L' C H AY I M F E B R U A RY 2 0 1 5 Jewish Federation of Lee and Charlotte Counties Arab-Jewish art museum opens window on a new world By Viva Sarah Press, ISRAEL21c, www.israel21c.org, December 1, 2014 I n a country already boasting the honor of having the most museums per capita in the world, the opening of the Arab Museum of Contemporary Art and Heritage (AMOCAH) in the Galilee is nonetheless eliciting great excitement. The new museum – set to open its doors on December 13 – will showcase “original works of contemporary art alongside items of Palestinian heritage” and host artistic cooperation and collaboration between Jews and Arabs. “Every museum has its uniqueness. Museums today are not just about safeguarding art; there has to be an agenda to the museum. This museum is an opportunity for Jews and Arabs to meet, for their cultures to meet,” Israeli artist Avital Bar-Shay, one of the founders of AMOCAH, tells ISRAEL21c. Bar-Shay and Belu-Simion Fainaru, a Romanian artist who lives in Haifa part of the year, came up with the idea for AMOCAH. The Sakhnin municipality and its mayor, Mazin G’Nayem, jumped aboard the project and helped allot the museum’s new home in Sakhnin’s Old City. The museum has more than 2,000 objects related to Palestinian Arab heritage and some 200 contemporary artworks. Fainaru and Bar-Shay envisioned the museum after curating and running the Mediterranean Biennale in Sakhnin in 2013. They plan to run future biennales under the auspices of AMOCAH. The museum is also launching a residency program with artist Johannes Vogel as its first participant. He will come live in Sakhnin, give workshops and create artworks based on his experiences there. Though this past summer’s Gaza McKenzie Millis & Vivian Ciulla war, Operation Protective Edge, stirred up trouble between the Arab and Jewish populations in Israel and tensions continue to simmer, Fainaru and BarShay decided not to delay the opening of the museum. They wanted to offer something positive to counter the tense atmosphere. “Through art, [we] will bridge the conflicts with an emphasis on multidisciplinary arts, self-respect, and a vision of a better future,” reads a press statement announcing the museum’s opening. Window to a world you don’t know There are a number of levels of purpose Images by Bashir Borlakov of Turkey will be exhibited in AMOCAH to the museum, Bar-Shay says. The most obvious is to create the opportunity for Jews and Arabs (Christian, Muslim, Druze, Bedouin) to meet, cooperate and talk. “It’s a stage for coexistence and dialogue,” she says. “If you come to the museum, you already open a window to a world you don’t know.” The museum also answers the call for art in the periphery. Bar-Shay says most of the top art museums in Israel are in the center of the country. “It’s not just art on display; it’s good art of local and international caliber. This is wanting in the periphery. In the Arab communities, they’re longing for a place like this,” she tells ISRAEL21c. The museum’s first exhibition is called “Hiwar,” the Arabic word for “dialogue.” It will present contemporary works by Jewish and Arab artists including Marina Abramović, Larry Abramson, Jannis Kounellis, Abeer Atalla, Christian Boltansky, Mohammad Said Kalash, Johannes Vogel, Raed Bwayeh, Hermann Nitsch, Hoda Jamal, Mounir Fatmi, Mahmoud Badarneh, Buthaina Abu Melhem, Micha Ullman, Asad Azi, Dani Karavan, Nidal Jabarin, Tamir Lichtenberg, Meirav Heiman, Zuhdi Qadri, Rani Zahrawi and David Wachstein. Fainaru and Bar-Shay chose the artists, while Amin Abu Raya of Sakhnin is curating the exhibit. Connection to culture The Arab Museum of Contemporary Art and Heritage will exhibit all disciplines of art including painting, drawing, sculpture, digital and multimedia. The emphasis is on Middle Eastern art, says Bar-Shay, but notes that “we’re not just showing Israeli Arab and Jewish art.” Exhibits will also include works by artists from Morocco, Turkey and other Middle Eastern countries, she says. “As artists, it’s important for us that we show original and quality art. To show how art can grow from a place. It’s important that there’s a connection to the local culture,” Bar-Shay tells ISRAEL21c. Fainaru also talks about the importance of helping the city’s residents engage with the art. “In Sakhnin, the museum will be located inside the neighborhood. People live near it. The intention is that the This piece by Afghani-German artist Jeanno Gaussi will be featured community will have access to it, that art will exist together with the residents and not just for its own sake,” Fainaru told the Israeli daily Haaretz. “So it is also important to choose works that will not offend the residents’ sensibilities, since this is a very sensitive and volatile place. We don’t want to create opposition; we want to create success and attraction.” Viva Sarah Press is an associate editor and writer at ISRAEL21c. She has extensive experience in reporting/editing in the print, online and broadcast fields. Her work has been published by international media outlets including Israel Television, CNN, Reuters, The Jerusalem Post and Time Out. For daily news stories related to Israel & the Jewish world, visit the Federation’s website at www.JewishFederationLCC.org. Meet Our Assisted Living Experts (of course, when we say “our” we really mean “your”) Navigating the myriad decisions in determining if Assisted Living is right for you or your loved one is just plain difficult. Levels of care. Different facilities. Quality. Affordability. All factors in ensuring an optimized quality of life. If you’ve got a question — or a whole list of them — meet with our assisted living experts, McKenzie or Vivian, today. With the well being of the individual as their highest priority, they’ll give you answers that can assist you in making the most informed decisions possible. When you do, we also invite you to tour Shell Point’s newest assisted living facility, The Springs. With beautiful surroundings and Shell Point’s proven reputation, The Springs offers an affordable option on a month-to-month basis. Meet with our experts and visit The Springs today! Appointments and tours can be arranged by calling (239) 454-2077 13901 Shell Point Plaza • Fort Myers, Florida 33908 • www.shellpoint.org/springs The Springs Assisted Living is part of Shell Point’s Integrated Healthcare System. Shell Point is a non-profit ministry of The Christian and Missionary Alliance Foundation, Inc. ©2014 Shell Point. All rights reserved. SPG-199-14 ISRAEL & THE JEWISH WORLD Think 2014 was a bad year for Israel? Think again! Source: American Jewish Committee, www.ajc.org, December 15, 2014 I f you care about Israel, 2014 might feel like a year you’d like to forget. There was the slow collapse of U.S.sponsored peace talks with the Palestinians, accompanied by the ill-conceived reconciliation between Hamas and Fatah. In June we witnessed the abduction and murder of teenagers Eyal Yifrach, Gilad She’ar and Naftali Frenkel by Hamas terrorists, and the retribution killing of 16-year-old Mohammed Abu Khdeir by Jewish extremists. A continuous stream of Hamas and Islamic Jihad rockets from Gaza eventually triggered an Israeli response – Operation Protective Edge – which uncovered a vast tunnel network which was to have been used to infiltrate Israel and kill its civilians. Talks over the Iranian nuclear program did not yield a deal but only a new deadline set for next year. The governing coalition in the Knesset fell apart after less than two years. All-in-all, not a good year. Or was it? While the situation appeared grim, there was also a lot of good news out of Israel. Let’s take a look: Iron Dome As Hamas launched volley after volley of rockets from Gaza this summer, rather than rushing into battle, Israel was able to respond with a measured escalation. This was because although Israeli civilians had to endure the psychological trauma of needing to constantly run for shelter, very few were dying. The game-changer was Iron Dome. This state-of-the-art missile defense system, developed in Israel with U.S. funding, had a success rate of around 90%, affording Israeli civilians a new measure of safety. Iron Dome saved untold lives this summer, and with peace unfortunately nowhere in sight, it will likely be called upon to protect Israelis again in the future. Support from Congress Iron Dome would never have happened without support from the United States. And then, over the summer, Congress acted quickly to ensure that Israel would have all the replacement parts and rockets it needed to beat back Hamas’s assault. The Senate unanimously passed a bill granting an additional $225 million for Iron Dome spending, and the House approved it by 395-8. At a time when unfounded criticism of Israel was spiking worldwide, the American people and their elected representatives had Israel’s back. Natural Gas Prime Minister Golda Meir’s joke held true for half a century: “Let me tell you something that we Israelis have against L' C H AY I M F E B R U A RY 2 0 1 5 Jewish Federation of Lee and Charlotte Counties For All Your Southwest Florida Real Estate Needs Moses. He took us 40 years through the desert in order to bring us to the one spot in the Middle East that has no oil!” This year, though, upon the completion of exploratory drilling in the Leviathan natural gas field off the coast of Haifa, Israel signed agreements to sell gas to Egypt and Jordan, with further deals likely to come soon. This natural gas discovery, coupled with significant investment in alternative energy like the solar farms in the Negev, sets the stage for Israel, for the first time in its history, to become not just self-sustaining, but an energy exporter. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi The new Indian Prime Minister made his first international appearance at the opening of the United Nations General Assembly. In addition to his rock-star tour of New York City, featuring speeches in Madison Square Garden and Central Park, Modi (with an able assist from AJC) found the time to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. It is no secret that Israel is attempting an economic pivot from Europe to Asia, and India, with its 1.2 billion people, is a major element of that plan. Soon after that meeting, news broke that India would sign a defense deal with an Israeli company, spurning a competing offer from the U.S. Total trade between India and Israel topped $4 billion this year. Israel’s economic growth has long been a source of pride for the country, and all steps to develop new markets are very good news indeed. High-Tech Investment The story is bigger than just the IsraelIndia relationship. Since Dan Senor and Saul Singer’s 2009 book Start-up Nation, Israel has become known around the world as a high-tech powerhouse. In September, Intel committed $6 billion to upgrade its chip-production facility in Kiryat Gat, leading insiders to speculate that Intel will almost certainly be producing its next-level processors, suitable for the coming surge of wearable technology, in Israel. And in the first half of 2014 alone, 335 Israeli high-tech companies raised a record $1.6 billion in capital, 81% more than in the first half of 2013. As a small but noisy group of Israel-hating activists lobby for countries to divest from Israel, it is heartening to see billions of dollars of investment pouring into the Jewish state. 2014 certainly had its downs, but it had terrific ups as well. Here’s to even better things to come! Susan Glasser, Realtor® Royal Shell Real Estate, Inc. 1870 Clayton Court Fort Myers, FL 33907 [email protected] Mobile: (239) 281-3105 Office: (239) 689-7653 Lee County resident for more than 20 years JOIN US FOR ISRAELI DANCING 4:00 p.m. On the following Sundays, February 8*, 15, 22 in the Jewish Federation Community Room All ages (10 to 96) are welcome to join us. All levels of dance experience are welcome. Wear comfortable shoes, bring a water bottle AND A FRIEND - THE MORE THE MERRIER. *The first class of each month will begin at 3:30 for beginners or anyone wanting to review dances. RSVP necessary each week to Marsha Kistler Proudly Serving the Jewish Community Kays Ponger & Uselton Funeral Homes is committed to serving the Jewish community. Through the knowledge of your most sacred beliefs, the service you receive will be truly reflective of the life it represents. For more information on our services and your options, call us today. Port Charlotte Punta Gorda (941) 625-4113 (941) 639-1133 Englewood (941) 474-5575 LemonBayFH.com Venice (941) 493-4900 Glenn Pomerantz Jewish Funeral Director Kays-Ponger.com Englewood (941) 474-2413 GulfPinesMP.com “every life has a story” 13 at [email protected] 14 ISRAEL & THE JEWISH WORLD L' C H AY I M F E B R U A RY 2 0 1 5 Jewish Federation of Lee and Charlotte Counties BRIEFS 8.3 MILLION ISRAELIS AT END OF 2014 At the end of 2014, Israel’s population was 8,296,000 residents, including 6,218,000 Jews (75%), 1,719,000 Arabs (21%) and 359,000 “others,” the Central Bureau of Statistics said Monday, December 29. Some 23,000 new immigrants arrived in 2014. (Yaron Druckman, Ynet News) SAUDI ARABIA TO ALLOW JEWS TO WORK IN KINGDOM On December 30, the Saudi daily AlWatan reported that Saudi authorities are now allowing people of all faiths, including Jews, to work in the kingdom. Saudi Shura Council Foreign Affairs Committee member Sadaqa bin Yahya Fadhel said: “We are permitted to have a connection with Jews, and importing a Jewish worker is exactly the same as importing [a worker] of another faith...So long as we have no relationship whatsoever with Israelis, then there is no problem with this.” Saudi Arabia is the only Gulf state that still bans the establishment of houses of worship for religions other than Islam. (MEMRI) SHARANSKY: 50,000 FRENCH JEWS INQUIRED ABOUT ALIYA IN 2014 Some 50,000 French Jews asked the Jewish Agency for information about immigrating to Israel in 2014, agency Rubinstein, Holz & King, P.A. Family Law Attorneys Alan J. Rubinstein Board Certified – Marital & Family Law Fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers 1375 Jackson St., Ste. 304 Fort Myers, FL 33901 (239) 332-3400 Fax (239) 332-5078 chairman Natan Sharansky said recently. “They have a choice, to stay in France, where there is the biggest welfare basket ever, to travel to other EU nations, or to immigrate to Montreal, where there are few cultural adjustments to make and which was until recently their primary destination,” he said. “The overwhelming majority” of Jewish emigres from France, possibly up to 70%, choose to go to Israel. “For the first time...there is a massive exodus from a community in the free world, which has all the doors open to them, and they are choosing Israel.” (Sam Sokol and Herb Keinon, Jerusalem Post) ISRAEL NAVY TO EXPAND FLEET OF UNMANNED SURFACE VESSELS The Israel Navy is integrating a new fleet of unmanned surface vessels (USVs) into its operational force structure. By mid-2015, the Navy hopes to conclude operational certification of three locally-built Protector USVs. Built by Rafael Ltd., the twin-engine Protectors feature a remote weapon station and intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance capabilities. Two Protectors are now operational and the third is undergoing “its last months of sea trials,” said Rear Adm. Dror Friedman, vice chief na- val officer. “In the end, we’ll see them incorporated into our force for coastal defense and also for the subject of offshore energy sites. Their added value is the ability to remain at sea for prolonged periods and to go to places that are particularly dangerous.” (Barbara Opall-Rome, Defense News) 1,600-YEAR-OLD GLASS BRACELET WITH MENORAH DISCOVERED IN ISRAEL A fragment from a glass bracelet inscribed with a seven-branched menorah from the Second Temple period was discovered during Hanukkah at an excavation in the Mount Carmel National Park, the Israel Antiquities Authority announced recently. The excavation’s co-directors, Limor Talmi and Dan Kirzne, said in a statement that on “the bracelet, which is made of turquoise-colored glass... stamped impressions of two menorahs survived on the small fragment that was found – one a plain seven-branched menorah, of which only the surface of the menorah is visible, and the other one consisting of a seven-branched menorah with flames depicted above its branches.” (Daniel K. Eisenbud, Jerusalem Post) EGYPTIAN JEWS: A COMMUNITY IN DANGER OF EXTINCTION Magda Haroun, 62, is the youngest of nine Egyptian Jewish women, most in their eighties, who are all that remains of a community that numbered 64,000 in 1947 and was one of the most prosperous in the Middle East. Families like Mosseiri, Quatawi, Rolo and Sawares started the first Egyptian banks (Egyptian Immobile Bank, Egyptian National Bank and Egyptian Commercial Bank). Moreover, Jews were a fundamental pillar of the cinema industry and they contributed to the prosperity of cultural life in Egypt in the beginning of the 20th century. (Dina Darwish, AlAhram - Egypt) ISRAELI GROUP FILES WAR CRIMES SUITS AGAINST PALESTINIAN LEADERS Sunday, February 1 at 7:00 p.m. Sunday, at 7:00 p.m. Iris KrasnowFebruary will discuss1 Sunday, February 1her at new 7:00book: p.m. Iris her new “Sex After”… Women Share will Howdiscuss Intimacy as Life Changes” Iris Krasnow Krasnow will discuss her Changes new book: book: “Sex Share Intimacy as Wednesday, April 15 atChanges 6:30 p.m. “Sex After”… After”… Women Women Share How How Intimacy Changes as Life Life Changes” Changes” Wednesday, April 15 at 6:30 p.m. Chocolate and wine with Norman Love evening Wednesday, April 15— atthe 6:30 p.m. speaks for itself. Chocolate with Love evening Wednesday, April 29— atthe 7:00 p.m. speaks Chocolate and and wine wine with Norman Norman Love — the evening speaks for for itself. itself. Wednesday, April at p.m. A “chick flick” with29 a Jewish Wednesday, April 29 at 7:00 7:00twist p.m. A a twist Contact Leniflick” Sack with for more information A “chick “chick flick” with a Jewish Jewish twistat 239.481.4449 x3 or for [email protected] Contact Leni more Contact Leni Sack Sack for more information information at at The Israeli legal group Shurat HaDinIsrael Law Center filed lawsuits on Monday, January 5 at the International Criminal Court against PA Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah, top official Jibril Rajoub, and PA intelligence chief Majed Faraj, all from Mahmoud Abbas’ Fatah party, for war crimes, terrorism and human rights offenses. The NGO filed cases against Abbas last November and Hamas leader Khaled Mashal in September 2014. “Fatah openly boasted in Facebook pages and other media channels that it launched projectiles that caused the injury and death of Israeli civilians – a war crime under international law,” the NGO said. The case against Faraj and Hamdallah details widespread torture and killings of Palestinian residents in areas under PA control. (Avi Lewis, Times of Israel) THE NEW EURO-MUSLIM STATES The distance between Europe and the Muslim world is becoming increasingly shorter. There are already large cities in Europe which will have a Muslim majority within five to seven years. In Marseilles, the second largest city in France, Muslims already make up 30-40% of the population. In 2016, continued on next page ISRAEL & THE JEWISH WORLD L' C H AY I M F E B R U A RY 2 0 1 5 Jewish Federation of Lee and Charlotte Counties 15 continued from previous page the city will inaugurate a huge mosque with a 25-meter minaret and a prayer hall for 14,000 worshippers. The percentage of Muslims in France is already 13%. In Barcelona, Spain, 30% of residents are Muslim. In smaller Spanish towns like Salt, 40% are Muslim. In Brussels, Belgium, the capital of the EU, 25-30% are Muslim. In Malmo, Sweden, 25-30% are Muslim, while in the capital of Stockholm, 20% are Muslim. In Rotterdam and Amsterdam in The Netherlands, 25% are Muslim. (Guy Bechor, Ynet News) INTEL TO PRODUCE NEXTGENERATION COMPUTER CHIPS IN ISRAEL Intel has promised to spend at least $550 million in Israel in the next five years, part of a commitment by the company to spend $6 billion to upgrade its Kiryat Gat plant for the manufacture of new advanced chips for its next generation devices, Intel and the Economy Ministry announced recently. While Israel is providing the company with grants of $600 million over the next five years as well as a major tax break through 2023, Intel committed to hiring at least 1,000 new employees. “This arrangement will have a very positive effect on hundreds of small businesses and suppliers,” said Ziva Eiger, director of investments at the ministry’s Industrial Cooperation Authority. “As a result of this agreement, Israelis can look forward to thousands of more jobs being available.” Intel Israel CEO Mooly Eden said, “Last year, Intel Israel was responsible for more than 9% of Israel’s tech exports.” Intel already employs 10,000 workers in Israel, with over 30,000 Israelis working at companies that provide products and services to Intel. (Times of Israel) BOYCOTT FEARS DISMISSED AS UK-ISRAEL TRADE HITS RECORD HIGH The latest figures from Israel’s Central Bureau of Statistics – covering the first 10 months of 2014 – show bilateral trade at a record 3.16 billion pounds, with exports from Israel to the UK up 14% and Israeli imports from Britain up 13%. Previous figures for the period showed trade worth 2.5 billion pounds. British Ambassador to Israel Matthew Gould said: “The idea that there is some sort of effective boycott going on isn’t borne out by the facts. Ditto on the academic side.” “There’s a long list of British companies now in partnership with Israeli technology,” he added. (Sandy Rashty, Jewish Chronicle - UK) ISRAEL BUYING FOUR NEW WARSHIPS FROM GERMANY FOR OFFSHORE GAS PLATFORM DEFENSE Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday, December 25, confirmed that Israel had acquired four new corvettes from Germany, reportedly to help protect offshore gas facilities. Israel Channel 2 TV reported that the deal was signed in Germany and that the ships would arrive in Israel in two years. “I want to thank German Chancellor Angela Merkel for the constant commitment and help for our security,” Netanyahu said. Germany subsidizes defense projects for Israel as part of its post-Holocaust commitment to help ensure the country’s security. (Ilan Ben Zion, Times of Israel) THE MOST EXCITING ISRAELI START-UPS Some of the most exciting up-andcoming Israeli start-ups were at a conference in December organized by OurCrowd, the Jerusalem-based crowd-investing platform. VocalZoom has a technology that filters out background noise so that when you talk on your cellphone in a loud public place, the call will sound crystal clear. Cimagine allows shoppers to place a 3D picture of a piece of furniture from any website into an “augmented reality” version of their own living room to show how it would look. Beacons are little plastic devices that broadcast where they are so you can track your luggage, phone, keys or kids. Pixie adds “distance” and “direction” to beacons – you won’t just know your car is nearby, but by using the accompanying cellphone software, you’ll be directed right to it. Up-n-Ride is a wheelchair that rises up into a vertical position so the disabled person can participate more normally in everyday activities. Consumer Physics is a molecular scanner that fits in the palm of your hand. Aim it at the pasta on your plate, and it can tell you the ingredients and number of calories. It can be used to sense anything other than metals. (Brian Blum, Jerusalem Post) Harel added. (Sharon Udasin, Jerusalem Post) SECRET COOPERATION BETWEEN ISRAEL AND GULF STATES Israeli companies are assisting states in the Gulf through security consulting, training of local military forces, and the sale of weapons and sophisticated systems and technologies. At the same time, senior officials from both sides are conducting ongoing meetings in and outside the region. Reports indicate that Israel has softened its policy on weapons exports to states in the Gulf as well as its attempts to restrict sales by the U.S. of advanced weapons to the Gulf countries, in part as a signal that it sees a potential for partnership more than it sees a possible threat. In addition, Israel is enjoying a certain amount of access to markets in the Gulf, as long as the products do not have Israeli labels. (Yoel Guzansky, Ynet News) THE STARTUPS OF NAZARETH An increasing number of Israel’s Arabs are finding work in the country’s burgeoning tech economy. Arabs are represented at Israel’s top universities in numbers commensurate with their percentage of the population. The 10% of Israel’s Arabs who are Christian actually perform better academically than any other Israeli demographic and are comparatively prevalent among the country’s Arab software engineers and entrepreneurs. (Drake Bennett, Business Week) PLEASE SUPPORT THE ADVERTISERS WHO SUPPORT OUR FEDERATION & HELP MAKE L’CHAYIM POSSIBLE. ISRAEL AND VIETNAM COOPERATE IN THE DAIRY SECTOR There is a state-of-the-art milking parlor, equipped with the latest Israeli dairy technologies and monitoring systems, near Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon) in Vietnam. The Dairy Demonstration and Experimental Farm was officially launched in August 2013 to increase local milking efficiency and quality. Gonen Harel, the farm’s manager, said recently that cows in Vietnam are only producing 3,500 liters of milk per year, as opposed to the Israeli average of 13,000 liters per year. At the demonstration farm, where cows were producing only 10 liters of milk daily two years ago, the animals are now supplying 23 liters per day, Harel said. Rather than simply “copying and pasting what we are doing in Israel,” it remains important to provide the Vietnamese farmers with the necessary tools to develop their dairy parlors in accordance with local conditions, Ronny S Taschner DDS Active Member of the American Academy of Periodontology Jennifer Taschner DDS MMSc Diplomate of the American Board of Periodontology 1645 Medical Lane, Fort Myers, FL Phone 239-936-0635 Visit Our Website www.taschnerperio.com ! y r a n i rd o a r t Ex Our plants aren’t FL Native just pretty... They’re smart! Plants www.riverlandnursery.com 239-693-5555 13005 Palm Beach Blvd, Fort Myers Delivery and installation available. Open 7 Days A Week! 16 COMMENTARY L' C H AY I M F E B R U A RY 2 0 1 5 Jewish Federation of Lee and Charlotte Counties Top 10 non-Jews positively influencing the Jewish future, 2014 By Dovid Efune, Editor-in-Chief, The Algemeiner, January 1, 2015 This article was originally published by The Algemeiner. Please visit www. algemeiner.com. ive years have now passed since I first published my annual list of non-Jews who are worthy of recognition for their positive impact on Jewish lives and the Jewish state. Looking back, it is fascinating to see how the list has evolved, with some personalities fading from prominence and others emerging to take their place. Some have remained constant throughout the years. As I have pointed out in the past, my choices are by no means scientific and are primarily intended to prompt interest in this unique group of individuals. Hailing from various countries, ethnic backgrounds and religious groups, the list includes heads of state, business tycoons and spiritual and political leaders. While some of their contributions came through effort and sacrifice, for others they seemed like second nature, but all are surely worthy of our recognition. As such, I present my fifth annual list of the “Top 10 non-Jews positively influencing the Jewish future.” The biggest milestone over the past year was Israel’s summer war against Hamas in Gaza, which saw lines drawn between those that supported Israel’s defensive campaign and those that called for the Jewish state to end its operations. The meteoric rise of renewed anti-Semitic expression during the war should have prompted world leaders to rise up and defend their Jewish populations. Few took sufficient steps, but some of the efforts were notable and are reflected on the list. Also worth noting is that this year F saw the publication of a book about philosemitism by one of the list’s alumni. In an article for the UK’s Telegraph, famed British writer Julie Burchill announced that she decided to write Unchosen: The Memoirs of a Philosemite after discovering herself on the list. At the time Burchill wrote of the revelation: “I all but hugged my substantial bulk with glee. Gone was the bitter experience of being recently routed from the synagogue. I was officially a friend of the Jews once more!” 10. Anett Haskia Haskia, a Muslim-Arab Zionist hairdresser from the Israeli city of Acre made a name for herself during the summer’s Operation Protective Edge when she regularly appeared on television to defend Israel’s army. A mother of three, her children serve in the IDF and she maintains an active social media presence. Recently she announced her candidacy to run for parliament in Israel’s Jewish Home political party and could serve as a significant positive inspiration to other members of Israel’s substantial MuslimArab population who traditionally side with the Palestinian narrative. 9. Eric Pickles Britain’s Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, Pickles unveiled new laws this week to combat the country’s rise in anti-Semitism. The measures include funding for extra security at Jewish schools, and tough punishments for online hate crime as well as teaching schoolchildren about the Holocaust. The Conservative politician is also a backer of Israeli-British trade and is supportive of the Conservative Friends star. quality. FineMark National Bank & Trust is proud to earn a 5-Star Rating from the nation’s leading independent bank rating firm* for the 15th consecutive quarter. However, the real reason for our success comes from the meaningful relationships we build with our clients. The better we know you, the better we can serve you. of Israel group. 8. Manuel Valls France’s Prime Minister Valls, the country’s former interior minister, has been a leader in the struggle against rampant violence facing Europe’s largest Jewish community. Openly recognizing the twinning of anti-Israel and anti-Jewish sentiment, in July Valls condemned “an anti-Semite who hides his hatred of the Jew behind an appearance of anti-Zionism and the hatred of Israel.” In 2002, while mayor of the Paris suburb of Evry, Valls joined the weekly synagogue walk after the local Jewish community faced violent attacks, signaling to the perpetrators that the Jews had a powerful ally, The Jerusalem Post reported. “To many French Jews, Valls is something of a hero for his unusually robust defense of Israel and the French Jewish community,” the Post said. “His elevation is seen as a reassuring sign amid one of French Jewry’s most troublesome periods.” 7. John Hagee Pastor Hagee’s Christian’s United for Israel has emerged as the world’s largest pro-Israel grassroots membership group. With over 1.2 million members CUFI has made it clear to the leaders of the U.S., Israel’s greatest ally, that support for Israel is far more widespread than just the Jewish community. Outspoken, and criticized for his 1999 assertion that the Holocaust was allowed by God to compel Jews to move to Israel, Hagee later voiced genuine regret and has made contributions to the Jewish people so significant that any past insensitivities can be forgiven. In the early days of Operation Protective Edge, Hagee’s group gathered in Washington, D.C., some 5,000 strong where the pastor told his flock, “We’ve come to Washington to ask our government to stop demanding for Israel to show restraint.” 6. Rupert Murdoch Many of the titles and channels owned by Murdoch’s News Corporation and Twenty-First Century Fox, have, for the most part, covered stories relating to Jews and Israel in a balanced and fair manner, and Murdoch himself has described himself as an ardent Zionist and philosemite. Murdoch has been recognized by a number of major Jewish organizations, including the American Jewish Committee, the Anti-Defamation League, and the Museum of Jewish Heritage. At a dinner late last year for an Israeli charity, Murdoch told the audience, “You know as I do that as Israel goes, so goes [...] our morality and our very existence as freedom loving citizens of the world.” 5. Tony Abbott The government of Australia’s Prime Minister Abbott has been the most pro-Israel in recent memory. In June it resolved to stop referring to East Jerusalem as “occupied” territory and to adopt additional similar steps. During the failed United Nations Security Council vote this week to force an Israeli withdrawal from the West Bank, Abbott’s Australia was the only country to join the U.S. in opposing the move. During Protective Edge the prime minister was firm in his defense of Israeli actions saying, “The problem in the Middle East is that in the end so many people are not prepared to accept Israel’s right to exist.” Abbot has earned strong support from the country’s Jewish community. 4. Stephen Harper As Prime Minister of Canada, Harper has consistently led those members of the international community who have risen to the defense of the Jewish state. In support of Israel’s Gaza campaign, Harper was forthright. “Canada is unequivocally behind Israel,” Harper said. “We support its continued on next page Indulge Yourself or Someone Else s av e u p t o 70% Of f R e ta i l p R i c e s Over 140 designeR outlets Choose FineMark. Make your mark. 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Miromar Outlets is a registered service mark of Miromar Development Corporation. 0215-0075 ® COMMENTARY L' C H AY I M F E B R U A RY 2 0 1 5 Jewish Federation of Lee and Charlotte Counties Top 10...continued from previous page right to defend itself, by itself, against these terror attacks, and urge Hamas to immediately cease their indiscriminate attacks on innocent Israeli civilians.” In 2012, Harper ensured that his government was among the few that opposed the Palestinian Authority’s unilateral move for acceptance at the United Nations. At a meeting in New York in 2013, Harper said, “There is nothing more shortsighted in Western capitals in our time than the softening support for Israel,” according to a Wall Street Journal report. Israel, he said, “is the one strong stable democratic western ally that we have” in the Middle East. 3. Abdel Fattah el-Sisi Perhaps an unexpected inclusion on the list, El-Sisi actually topped last year’s list for his unrelenting war against Hamas terrorists in Gaza, albeit likely for his own purposes. El-Sisi has effectively stunted the flow of deadly weapons to the coastal enclave through shutting down hundreds of smuggling tunnels, and, in 2014, creating a substantial buffer zone between Sinai and the Strip. Despite his heavy handed, autocratic rule, Israeli officials have praised the impact El-Sisi has had, specifically as Hamas has proven to be the single group responsible for the most Jewish deaths over the past two decades. During the summer’s war, El-Sisi all but forced Hamas to accept Israel’s ceasefire terms. Later, he reportedly went so far as to offer a segment of the Sinai Peninsula as land for the establishment of a Palestinian state. 2. Mitch McConnell As the incoming Senate majority leader, McConnell’s commitment to the U.S.Israel relationship has become more significant than ever. Now spearheading domestic opposition to President Obama’s widely criticized foreign policy, McConnell and his Republicans may serve as the only obstacle to the Administration’s reckless and irresponsible pandering to the Iranian mullahs. Additionally, he could lead the drive to cut funding from the Palestinian Authority and the United Nations in the event that unilateral moves towards Palestinian statehood and demonizing Israel continue apace. During Protective Edge, McConnell ensured that domestic politics wouldn’t interfere in U.S. funding for Israel’s lifesaving Iron Dome missile defense system by introducing an aid package that was independent of a controversial immigration bill. 1. Narendra Modi Since his sweeping ascension to India’s top job, Modi has used almost every opportunity to promote Israel-India ties. In November, Bloomberg News reported that “Modi is openly boosting ties with Israel, strengthening a relationship that has largely grown outside of the public spotlight over the past two decades.” The moves, which began with a meeting between Modi and Israeli Prime Minister Netanayhu, include billions in defense deals, and speculation that India is reconsidering its proPalestinian stance at the United Nations. In November, the two allies successfully tested an advanced missile system, which was hailed by an adviser to the Indian defense minister as “an important milestone in the cooperation between India and Israel,” The Times of Israel reported. In December, Modi tweeted a Chanukah greeting in Hebrew which wished his “Jewish friends a happy Chanukah! May this Festival of Lights and the festive season ring in peace, hope and well-being for all.” 17 What do you think? L’CHAYIM wants to know! Send your letters and comments to Ted Epstein, L’CHAYIM Editor, at [email protected]. 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COLONIAL BLVD. 18 COMMENTARY L' C H AY I M F E B R U A RY 2 0 1 5 Jewish Federation of Lee and Charlotte Counties Good guys wear white kippot By Gene Sipe, VP, ZOA Southwest Florida Chapter O n the front page of a recent issue of an Israeli newspaper were two photographs almost side by side. One photo had the smiling faces of a group of cleanly shaved Israeli soldiers. The other photo was of a group of masked Hamas fighters. The article’s story lines on this day were unrelated. However, the visual images portrayed an undeniable contrast. Growing up in America just after the forming of the State of Israel instilled a belief in the western spirit of integrity – that an honorable man was proud to stand up for what he believed in. If his cause was just, there was no reason to hide his face from the public. The train and bank robbers of the old westerns were the “bad guys” who covered their faces with bandanas. So now, almost 70 years later, the incongruity of criminal investigations into the IDF’s actions on a field of battle is no less disturbing than the contrast of those photos. The absurdity of Mahmoud Abbas, chairman of the Palestinian Authority (PA), to submit an application to join the International Criminal Court (ICC) in order to bring charges against the State of Israel is equally as incongruous. He, along with the other leaders of his party, has partnered the Palestine Liberation Organization (PL) terror wing with Hamas, the very terrorists hiding behind black bandanas. Together they are already facing criminal charges levied against them in the U.S. court system for terror attacks committed during the early 2000s. Has the “good guy” in the white hat been replaced by the “terrorist” behind a black balaclava? Let’s see. One current terrorist watch list includes, in Israel alone, Hamas, PL, Hezbollah, Force 17, Comite’ de Bienfaisance et de Solidarite’ avec la Palestine, Holy Land Foundation, Palestine al-Muslima and Tanzim. The total list includes 163 separate organizations actively in operation worldwide. Of these, less than ten are not radical Islamists organizations. The commonality of all of the various radical Islamist’s agenda is implementation of universal law, Sharia, a legal system based on the teachings of the Qur’an, the Sunna and the Hadith of Mohammed. Westerners, however, are generally naive in regard to Sharia and the threat of terror and jihad. The penalty for leaving Islam in all schools of Sharia, whether Sunni or Shiite, is death. Muslims critical of Sharia are intimidated, threatened or killed for expressing independent views. “Fatwas of Death” are commonly issued against anyone who deviates from the religious dictates. The radicalism in devotion to Sharia law causes things like vigilantes to behead a convert from Islam to Christianity, or for women to be legally stoned to death for committing adultery. Because Islam promises heavenly rewards to those who take the law into their own hands, individual Muslims are encouraged to become enforcers. When very few are arrested or punished for personally enforcing Sharia crimes, brutality becomes the commonplace under a Sharia governed society. It is understandable that people are often more afraid of their neighbors and family than of the police, and hide their faces from public view. Should radical Islamic terrorists be granted membership, the ICC will be rendered unable to differentiate between human rights abuses and Sharia honor killings. This can hardly be a fair and just organization to determine war crimes violations. The Criminal Courts can only be just when they represent a society where, when a cause is truly just, its supporters are not afraid for the world to see their true face. B Letter to the Editor randon Marlon’s article (January 2015 edition) presented a compelling, powerful and much-needed re-evaluation of the current security needs of Israel. In theory, I heartily agree with everything he proposes, followed by “if only.” Israel has continually taken great pains to limit its responses against its enemies, particularly in the latest Gaza war. Its reward was worldwide condemnation, in spite of its carefully calculated countermeasures. So what! Israel recently treated the PA’s mother-in-law in its hospital. So what! Did Abbas respond with anything but more vicious rhetoric? Of course not. Thus, one can safely conclude that nothing Israel does will even remotely mollify world opinion. Yet, if Israel were to invoke the first four measures suggested by Mr. Marlon, (which are in the realm of possibility), can anyone imagine the extent of world outrage? Global connections with the rest of the world cannot be ignored, nor would it be possible for Israel to survive by itself. All the advantages lie with the Arabs and their worldwide supporters, as well as the incessant and influential anti-”Zionist” bias of the international press. Most unrealistic and also impossible to achieve is Mr. Marlon’s proposal to destroy Hamas, Islamic Jihad, Hezbollah and the like. He is correct in criticizing “Band-Aid operations” which only serve to allow the enemies of Israel to regroup and gain greater strength for the next battle. In addition, terrorists are clever enough to commit numerous but “small” acts of violence, which receive little attention. However, destroying these massive terror entities is virtually impossible, both militarily and politically. 1.5 billion Muslims and 53 Muslim nations are a formidable foe. Finally, one must also consider the historical fragmentation of Jews. Many American Jews, for example, in order to maintain their assimilated status and economic well-being as well as wishing to deflect any accusations of dual-loyalty, are often Israel’s harshest critics. They seem to believe that the solution is to “just give the Palestinians their state and end all these uncomfortable reactions.” Their delusions and desires for this problem to go away makes everything more intense. Israel can only continue to struggle to survive while maintaining the status quo. Paper solutions are virtually impossible to achieve. – Samuel Frazer, Fort Myers Jerusalem Post Crossword Puzzle Solution to puzzle on page 10 Opinions and letters printed in L’CHAYIM do not necessarily reflect those of the Jewish Federation of Lee and Charlotte Counties, its Board of Directors or staff, or its advertisers. COMMENTARY L' C H AY I M F E B R U A RY 2 0 1 5 Jewish Federation of Lee and Charlotte Counties 19 Anti-Israel forces losing ground By Moshe Phillips, President, Religious Zionists of America – Philadelphia, January 4, 2015 C ritics of Israel periodically issue doomsday warnings about how the Jewish state will face international isolation if it does not quickly give in to Palestinian demands. Last week’s United Nations Security Council vote shows, once again, how wrong they are. Earlier this year, Secretary of State John Kerry warned that Israel’s reluctance to make more unilateral concessions will bring down upon it “an increasing delegitimization campaign.” New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman and other pundits likewise declared that Israel is increasingly “isolated” and is being treated as a “pariah” state. But when Palestinian advocates last week presented the UN Security Council with a resolution demanding an Israeli withdrawal from Judea, Samaria and much of Jerusalem, they couldn’t muster enough supporting votes – in a forum which, in the past, was notorious as the scene of international gangingup on Israel. The Third World bloc, which is thought of as being uniformly antiIsrael, suddenly cracked. Two African nations, Nigeria and Rwanda, defied the Palestinians and abstained. Further shifts in Third World attitudes toward Israel could be in the offing. According to recent media reports from India, the New Delhi government is seriously considering adopting a more pro-Israel position at the United Nations. As the founder of the Third World / Non-Aligned bloc, India’s possible new orientation would signal that the underdeveloped nations are no longer in the Arab League’s pocket. Important Western countries likewise took a stand at the UN last week. Australia voted against the resolution CONNECT with Jewish families through PJ Library. ENCOURAGE Jewish families with young children to explore Jewish literature. SHARE the experience of reading with your children as they grow with PJ Library books. SIGN UP TODAY! Enrollment is open to Jewish families with children between the ages of six months to eight years living in Lee & Charlotte Counties. Sponsored by : Judith Roth for the Roth Family Foundation Kenneth & Gwenda Asher for the Asher Family Foundation Families can sign up for PJ Library at www.pjlibrary.org – despite recent Islamic extremist attacks and threats that might easily have intimidated other governments. Great Britain abstained – despite the recent vote by the British parliament supporting recognition of “Palestine.” At the time of that British parliamentary vote, there was much handwringing in the Jewish world. The vote seemed to lend credence to claims by the doomsday crowd that Israel’s reluctance to make more one-sided concessions was leading “all of Europe” to turn against it. More sober-minded observers pointed out at the time that symbolic resolutions in parliaments are not the final word. Sure enough, when it came to making an actual policy decision, the British government refused to go along with the UN resolution. Much the same is true with regard to the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) campaign against Israel. The movement’s few successes have generated a lot of attention but do not necessarily indicate some new trend in public opinion towards Israel. Recall that when the American Studies Association voted last year to boycott Israel, it received enormous international media attention. Not many people are aware that the ASA’s action was condemned by the American Association of Universities, the American Association of University Professors, and the American Council on Education (representing 1,800 educational institutions), not to mention the 92 university presidents – including the presidents of Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Dartmouth, Cornell and Johns Hopkins – who issued a statement denouncing the ASA’s boycott. The American public at large likewise remains firmly in Israel’s camp. This year’s Gallup annual World Affairs survey found fully 72 percent of Americans have a “very favorable” or “mostly favorable” view of Israel. Compare that to the number who have a favorable view of the other countries in Israel’s neighborhood: Egypt - 45%; Saudi Arabia - 35%; Libya - 19%; Palestinian Authority - 19%; Iraq - 16%; Syria - 13%; Iran - 12%. And this is despite decades of unfriendly news media coverage of Israel. The gloom-and-doom crowd has an agenda. They want to force Israel to retreat. So they promulgate self-fulfilling prophecies about Israel being isolated, in the hope of browbeating the Jewish state and its friends into giving up. They never win at the ballot box, so they look for alternative ways to bring about Israeli concessions. Demoralization is a tactic. Generating despair is their goal. Israel and its supporters understandably worry about how the Jewish state is viewed by the rest of the world. But last week’s events at the UN, and other recent trends, show that skilled diplomacy, reasonable arguments and, ultimately, a just cause, can go a long way towards blunting the international campaign against Israel. Read the current and recent issues of L’CHAYIM online at www.JewishFederationLCC.org. 20 FROM THE BIMAH L' C H AY I M F E B R U A RY 2 0 1 5 Jewish Federation of Lee and Charlotte Counties Looking “behind the curtain” I n the Torah story of Moses at the Burning Bush, when Moses asks God what God actually is, God rebuffs him by saying “eheyeh asher eheyeh,” which means “I will be that which I will be.” Often you find that mistranslated as “I am what I am,” but there is no way to express the present tense of the verb “to be” in Rabbi Hebrew. “I am what Bruce am” works for PopDiamond eye, but not for the Jewish idea of God. The writer uses the imperfect (future) form of that verb to suggest that the true and absolute knowledge of what God actually is to be unattainable. It’s always “out there” beyond us. Traditionally, we Jews were able to live with this perpetual theological uncertainty because we were sure the Torah was from God, who gave it to Moses. That meant that while we could never actually know God, we could still know what God expected of us, and that was “dayenu,” enough. Of course, there were those in our religion, and in our daughter monotheistic religion Islam, who speculated about the actual nature of the divine “essence.” We have our Qabbalists, and the Moslems their Sufis and Mutakallimun, but, by in large, they were discouraged and often vigorously suppressed by normative religious authorities. “Do not look behind the curtain” (“al tabeyt meahoray laparvad”), an admonition by our early Sages against speculation about God, became the norm for Jewish religion. They even offered cautionary tales about great thinkers who were injured or killed by entering the labyrinth of the “Pardes,” the realm of divine contemplation. Things are not that uncomplicated for many of us contemporary Jews who are quite certain that God did not Vayeishev – commentary J ews have always believed in the healing powers of chicken soup. So it was no surprise to hear that there was a multi-cultural contest looking for the best chicken soup wisdom. In this particular contest, the Jewish chicken soup won because of the cook’s unique perception that chicken soup is “good for you but bad for the chicken.” Doesn’t that re Rabbi sult epitomize the Devora Jewish way of thinkBuchen ing? The operation was a success but the patient died. The story of Joseph occupies the last four parashiyot of Genesis. It is the longest single narrative in the book. It is the story of a young man blessed with a special grace, so that whatever misfortunes befall him, he is able to surmount them. Although there was an effort to do harm, all ended with triumph. However, this so-called triumph set the stage for the Israelites descent into slavery. It would appear that there was a predestined plan. Psychologists warn parents to avoid showing too much preference to one child over the other. In our family, Irv has always referred to each of our sons as the number one son. (Charlie Chan was famous for introducing this phrase.) An effort toward making each son feel special. Sukkot 5575 reflects the intimacy between Jacob and Joseph by always following Jacob’s name with that of Joseph. A midrash gives meaning to the two names. What happened to Jacob is about to happen to Joseph, something that did not happen with any other son. The midrash goes on to say that both were born circumcised; their mothers, Rebecca and Rachel, had difficulty conceiving and giving birth; both were their mother’s first born; both were hated by their brothers who wanted to kill them. The midrash also deals with the pattern of sibling rivalry that exhibits itself in three generations of Abraham’s descendants. Isaac and Ishmael do not grow up together and are indeed estranged and antagonistic toward each other. Jacob and Esau do grow up together but a threat of violence is always ever present. Jacob deceives Isaac and therefore takes Esau’s rightful blessing, splintering the whole family. However, Jacob also has preferred one child over the other, therefore unleashing a rivalry between the two. A no-kvetch year A s the old (secular) year came to an end, so did our weekly Torah portions from the Book of Genesis. In the next-to-last Shabbat Torah portion, Vayiggash, the Joseph story comes to blessed resolution. Unlike at the beginning of the story, the brothers – Judah in particular – this time “do the right thing.” Joseph forgives them all. Jacob learns that Rabbi Joseph is alive and Myra Soifer flourishing. And the whole family leaves the famine in Canaan and comes to live in the choicest area of Egypt. And in Genesis 47.8-9, Joseph formally presents his father to Pharaoh. In that scene, Pharaoh asks Jacob how old he is. And Jacob can’t seem to help but “kvetch” a little in response. In the text he says, “The years of my sojourn are one hundred and thirty. Few and hard have been the years of my life, nor do they come up to the lifespans of my fathers during their sojourns.” To put that in modern Jewish vernacular, Jacob says, “I’m 130 years old and – Oy vey! – you should only know the troubles I’ve seen!” So, here’s a bit of text trivia. The two verses, where Pharaoh asks and Jacob answers about his age, contain 33 Hebrew words. Jacob, it turns out, lived to be 147, which was 33 years fewer than his father, Isaac. 33 Hebrew words of kvetching. 33 years fewer of Jacob’s lifespan. It would seem that for every word of his complaint, Jacob lost a year of life. Sometimes it seems that we Jews have raised kvetching to an art form. It’s almost like we do it automatically. Perhaps Jacob is our patriarchal model of such unfortunate inclination. And so this midrashic lesson that such kvetching shortened his life. We are a month into this new year of 2015. Secular New Year’s resolutions have been made, tax filings begun, and new calendars hang on the wall. How about we commit, as well, to a kvetch-free year? There’s no guarantee that doing so will add years to our lives. But it certainly will make the days of our years a whole lot more pleasant for us and, no doubt, for all whom we encounter. In any case, it seems worth a try! Rabbi Myra Soifer serves at Bat Yam Temple of the Islands on Sanibel Island. compose the Torah and give it to Moses over 3,000 years ago. We understand that it was composed, compiled and redacted more than once by our ancestral scholars over several centuries, and represents certain early stages in our religion that have continued to evolve over the millennia. But now what? Of course our Orthodox coreligionists still hold fast to their conviction that God dictated the Torah to Moses, so their religious life is not bogged down by the theological questioning that is the lot of so many of us who struggle to hold on to our religion without dogmatic certainty. Some modern Jews, notably Reconstructionists and Jewish Humanists, have cut the Gordian Knot by claiming that the Jewish religion has nothing to do with the actual existence of God; for the former, God is merely a Jewish cultural artifact, and for the latter, an unnecessary aberration. That’s just not enough for me. For me that most important aspect of life is that is affords me the opportunity to try to grab a peek “behind the curtain.” The quest for God is an act of existential heroism since it is Sisiphysian – doomed to failure from the outset since, by definition, God in monotheism is unknowable. But that’s what I am doing with my life anyway. The life of mitzvah, my “the commanded life,” provides me with a stable, oriented platform from which I can continue this search without intellectual restraints, since, frankly, the Jewish religion doesn’t care what you think, only how you act. Like the surveyor’s mark, it is my fixed point from which I start my quest as well as where I’ll end up. My Jewish way of life provides me with the “How, When and Where” of living. It’s left to me and to every modern Jew to figure out the “Why.” Rabbi Bruce Diamond serves at the Community Free Synagogue in Fort Myers. The temptation to read these stories through the eyes of our modern beliefs about dysfunctional families is very appealing. However, I would like to take this thesis one step further. Could it be that these beginnings produced the tragedy of a fractured and dysfunctional nation? The descendants of our patriarchs became a deeply divided nation. I would also like to put forth that the story of Hanukkah may well be a story of religious persecution that actually began with civil war. (The problems of dissention that plagued our beginnings continued throughout our history.) We have the traditional story of Hanukkah, but it does not fully compute with what was happening in the Hellenistic civilization at that time. Originally, there was no evidence of religious oppression, even by King Antiochus. Rather, history conveys that the wealthy Jews, so very eager to become a part of the Hellenistic world which Alexander the Great had brought to the Middle East, decided to make peace with the so-called heathens and began practicing heathen rites. They built a gymnasium in Jerusalem according to heathen customs. This is related to us in the First Book of Maccabees. The Second Book of Maccabees adds that Antiochus was always in need of money and was ready to sell the high priesthood to the highest bidder. Two Jews stepped forward for the honor, Jason (4:7) and later Menelaus (4:23-24). The pietists and the family of Mattathias resisted, and so Antiochus was persuaded to squelch the rebellion. Many victims of the wrath of Judah Maccabee were Jews who had lined up with the priests of the heathens. What is my point in commenting on these somber episodes? Jewish history shows a continuous pattern of struggle. A pattern of fracturing within the family seems to continue. We live in a world of fragmentation that makes us long for unification and a sense of wholeness. This is probably one of the reasons that Kabbalah is so popular today. The key to celebrate life’s paradoxes is to find healing. We are separate and unique individuals, yet we are all connected. All one people under God. However, in order to maintain our sense as Jews we must be together. Jews need Jews to be Jews. The synagogue offers sanctuary wherever we are. The disagreements will never cease but we are a majority in the house of worship. We come together as one people, individuals with strong opinions, but intent on making a success of our small congregation as a haven for all. Maybe, in a strange way, being exiles so often through our history has made us experts, and disagreements have given us an edge. Maybe, in the final analysis, this will bring us closer to the goal of national unity and continued strength, and the growth of our beautiful congregation. Rabbi Devora Buchen serves at Temple Beth Shalom in Cape Coral. How deep are your roots? I n the Talmud it is recorded that the great rabbis of old used to utilize the outdoors. Rohann taught in a vineyard, Rabbi Eliezer used to sit on a rock with his students gathered around him, and Rabbi Akiba liked to lecture in the shade of a broadleaved fig tree. Once a young student came to Rabbi Akiba and said, “Teach me Rabbi about faith.” Rabbi Solomon Akiba showed him a Agin tiny sprout and said, “Pull it up.” The young man did so quite easily with his fingers. Then the sage showed him a young sapling and said, “Pull that one up.” The lad did it with just a little more effort. Then he showed him a small shrub and asked him to remove it from the earth. With both hands and a little more strength, the young man tore it out of the soil. Finally, the Rabbi showed him a fullgrown tree and he requested, “Uproot it!” The student put his hands around the tree and pulled with all his might but he could not even shake a leaf. And Rabbi Akiba said, “Just so, my son, it is with faith. If our roots are deep, if our religion is grown and mature, no one can uproot it. Remember this – your faith will always be as strong and as powerful as are you roots.” And what is it that roots require? Roots demand cultivation and nurturing. They must continually be refreshed and cared for. Faith, in a similar manner, requires constant concern and nourishment. It requires our constant tending through steady thought and periodic recommitment. Roots in trees and in faith must not be neglected. They connect us with the nourishing earth and keep us growing ever upward. Rabbi Solomon Agin serves at Temple Shalom in Port Charlotte. MARKETPLACE INC. Ryder Orthopaedics L' C H AY I M F E B R U A RY 2 0 1 5 Jewish Federation of Lee and Charlotte Counties Prosthetist/Orthotist 1500 Royal Palm Sq Blvd Fort Myers, FL 33919 239-939-0009 1250 Tamiami Trail N #104 Naples, FL 34102 239-643-6673 David Hemed President DIAM ND General P: 239.333.0500 F: 239.333.0501 [email protected] www.leejustice.com Contracting Cell:239-770-8100*Off:239-549-5858*Fax:239-542-5858 Email: [email protected] * Web: WWW.Diamondcgc.com 1625 Hendry Street, Suite 102 Fort Myers, Florida 33901 One of our Country’s TOP 5 Bladeless Laser Cataract Surgeons (239) 418-0999 BetterVision.net Fort Myers • Cape Coral • Lehigh Acres • Punta Gorda • Naples Paul Weinstein, CFP® RICK SNYDERMAN Managing Partner, WWFG Branch Manager, RJFS Licensed Pedorthist 1900 Trailwinds Dr. Fort Myers, FL 33907 Fort Myers Ph: (239) 939-2099 Fax: (239) 939-7792 FIT • SERVICE • QUALITY We Specialize In All Widths We Will Ship Anywhere RAYMOND JAMES Attorney at Law 13720 Six Mile Cypress Pkwy #1 • Fort Myers, FL 33912 239-768-1490 • 888-768-1490 Toll Free • 239-768-1935 Fax [email protected] Securities offered through Raymond James Financial Services, Inc. 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MARKOVICH, MD, FACS Board Certified Orthopedic Surgeon Specializing in Reconstructive Joint Implant Surgery Arthroscopic Surgery and Sports Medicine (239) 482-5399 www.jointteam.com ? e Divorce • Child Support • Visitation A Trusted Name in Eye Care r s r Attorney at Law CGC 1507925 Jonathan M. Frantz, MD, FACS t d t d s r n t n New Construction*Commercial*Residential*Remodeling Adult and Pediatric Prosthetics and Orthotics Laura E Ryder, CPO, FAAOP 21 FORT MYERS 8350 Riverwalk Park Blvd Suite 1 ESTERO 10201 Arcos Ave Suite 206 Mergers & Acquisitions Business and Tax Planning Guy E. Whitesman, Esq. Florida Bar Board Certified Tax Attorney henlaw.com • 239.344.1100 PATTERSON, ESKIN & BALL HAROLD S. ESKIN, P.A. For more information or to place an ad, call Jim at 239.634.6923 or send an email to [email protected]. ATTORNEY AND COUNSELOR AT LAW CERTIFIED FAMILY LAW MEDIATOR CERTIFIED CIVIL LAW MEDIATOR 1420 S.E. 47TH STREET, CAPE CORAL (239) 549-5551 • FAX (239) 549-4834 E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected] 22 L' C H AY I M F E B R U A RY 2 0 1 5 Jewish Federation of Lee and Charlotte Counties Time really flies when you are having fun and, of course, eating “high quality” chocolates! On Sunday, February 1, grades 3 and up will be going to see the movie Igor and the Cranes’ Journey at the Bell Tower in Fort Myers. This wonderful opportunity is brought to us by Leni Sack and the Jewish Federation of Lee and Charlotte Counties. After the movie, we will be meeting at Grimaldi’s for pizza and socializing. Please stay tuned for further details. On Sunday, February 8, from 11:00 a.m. to noon, we will be having a special program, also brought to us by the Jewish Federation. Grades K-2 will be learning about Tu B’Shevat through the PJ Library. A special educational program will be most worthwhile for our students and their families. Our next Junior Congregation will be held on Saturday, February 21. Please note that this is a mandatory part of our curriculum for students in grades 4-7, and a wonderful way to be introduced to the Saturday morning TEMPLE BETH EL SCHOOLS Fort Myers Religious School news Dale M. Cohen, R.J.E., MA, Educ., Religious School Director We are off and running into the year 2015. The time always continues to go by so quickly. As I am writing this article, we are in anticipation of a cold front. This is my favorite time of the year as we experience some cooler temperatures in this tropical climate. I know that it is hard to believe, but one of our biggest fundraisers of the year will be coming to you soon. The Barton’s Passover Candy Sale is a great opportunity for our PTO to subsidize all of the wonderful programming for the children in the Religious School. The profits from this fundraiser are used only for the Religious School students. Please support this endeavor, as you will also enjoy the delectable and Kosher Passover goodies. I have been working with Barton’s (Miss Chocolate) for fifteen years! Celebrate the birthday of the trees, with stories, songs, crafts and some special snacks. If you aren’t already receiving free monthly Jewish books for your children, this is a good opportunity to sign up. If you are already signed up, you know how great PJ Library is. The event takes place at Temple Beth El, 16225 Winkler Rd., Fort Myers FOCUS ON YOUTH liturgy. Our February B’nai Mitzvah who will be called to the Torah are: • Zachary Goldstein – February 7 • Ben Schoenfeld – February 14 • Aidan Taschner – February 21 We wish their families much mazel and naches on one of the most meaningful days of their lives. Please note: There will not be any Religious School on Sunday, February 15 in honor of President’s Weekend. *** The Learning Tree Jesyca Russell Virnig, M.A.Ed., Director In February I always pause to review a compilation of our previous six months of classroom work. This is a very powerful experience – the children’s blossoming development and the teachers’ passion for creative planning is always inspiring. Our teachers have achieved Interrater Reliability Certification through the nationally-renowned curriculum developer Teaching Strategies. This means that each teacher has formally demonstrated the ability to best identify and plan for each child’s current level of development. While the parents and teachers enjoy a great daily relationship and communication, the special use of parent-teacher conferences provides an important time to celebrate this journey together. Each child has a developmental portfolio that follows him/her from classroom to classroom highlighting their current milestones and the next to come. This becomes a keepsake item from the preschool years, and many of the children refer to it as their “special book.” What? Can you hear the laughter already? It may sound like it’s too soon but summer camp is just around the corner. The Learning Tree will begin summer camp registration on February 27. Each week of summer camp is designed to delight our youngest learners, ages 2-6, with indoor bounce houses for COOL jumping, pony rides, a real ice cream truck, a special story time tea with a princess, science experiments, petting zoo, and so much more! Last year, a new addition was our Mitzvah Week, a meaningful time for the children to participate in service projects geared specifically to their young age. Please see our website for more information. TEMPLE BETH SHALOM RELIGIOUS SCHOOL Cape Coral Adrian, Gabriel, Ian, Sam, Max, Jonah, art teacher Gail Velasquez, Ellis, Chloe, Jordan, David and Gregg ready to get to work The children of Temple Beth Shalom Religious School met on a Thursday before Hanukkah and decorated their own personal menorahs. Gail Velasquez, of “Paint Escape” in Cape Coral, brought all the menorahs and supplies, and taught the kids how to paint on unfired clay. First, the students made individual designs, and with Gail’s assistance they painted their menorahs. Then Gail took all the pottery back to her store and fired the pieces, creating a lasting and unique hanukkiah for years to come. The children light their menorahs as Rabbi Devora Buchen looks on Earn CAS Credits The Jewish Federation of Lee and Charlotte Counties is interested in hearing from teenagers in high school who might like to earn CAS credits though various work in the Jewish community. If you are interested, please send the following information to [email protected]: Name Address Phone # Age Grade School Preferred volunteer hours (e.g. 2 - 5P.M. Sundays) ORGANIZATIONS L' C H AY I M F E B R U A RY 2 0 1 5 Jewish Federation of Lee and Charlotte Counties April 23: “The Nude in Art from Ancient to Modern: Modern Period” Gulf Beaches Chapter To RSVP, send your (239) 649-4000 check (payable to ORT Desserts and other morsels will be America) to Marebe Crouse, 3200 on the menu on February 26 Gulf Shore Blvd. N., #109, Naples, Helene Dorfman Fuchs FL 34103. All proceeds benefit ORT The ancient Greeks knew the differschools in Israel. ence between “naked” and “nude” acThe “Just Desserts” series began cording to art historian Dottie Magen, in December with a slide show-lecture and they used that knowledge to make on “Mary Cassatt and Edgar Degas,” amazing sculptures of athletes and and elicited such comments as “I hope gods. Dottie, a teacher and lecturer as you enjoyed it as much as I did” and well as a docent at the Baker Art Mu“I didn’t know that Mary and Edgar seum, will elaborate on that theme at knew each other.” Additional “I didn’t the first “Nude in Art from Ancient to knows” responded to a few unsettling Modern” program on Thursday, Februbehind-the-scenes morsels that only ary 26 in the Jewish Federation of Colsomeone as knowledgeable as Dotlier County’s Community Room. tie Magen could identify: that Edgar The program is part of ORT’s “Just Degas was an anti-Semite; that CasDesserts” series, which features lussatt and Degas argued over the Dreyfus cious, irresistible desserts at 1:00 p.m. Affair. followed by a slide show-lecture at To fill in your knowledge of “the 2:00 p.m. The cost is $60 for the three nude in art,” to learn revealing tidbits remaining programs, or $20 each: about the art and artists, and to help February 26: “The Nude in Art ORT schools in their effort to educate, from Ancient to Modern: Ancient Pecounsel and enrich the lives of children riod” worldwide, plan to attend this informaMarch 26: “The Nude in Art from tive series. Ancient to Modern: Renaissance Pe*** riod” ORT provided safe havens for chil- ORT AMERICA PLEASE SUPPORT THE ADVERTISERS WHO SUPPORT OUR FEDERATION TEMPLE BETH EL REFORM 16225 Winkler Road, Fort Myers, FL 33908 Rabbi Jeremy Barras E-mail: [email protected] Temple educator: Dale Cohen, Ma.Ed., R.J.E Preschool director: Jesyca Virnig Cantor: Victor Geigner President: Harriet Lipschutz Phone: 433-0018 • Fax: 433-3235 Web site: www.templebethel.com Shabbat services: 7:30 p.m. Friday; Torah study 9:00 a.m. Saturday; B’nai Mitzah 10:30 a.m. Saturday Religious School: 9:30 a.m.-noon Sunday Confirmation class: 6 p.m. Wednesday Hebrew School: Wednesday 5:30 p.m. Affiliated: Union for Reform Judaism TEMPLE BETH SHALOM REFORM 702 S.E. 24th Ave., Cape Coral, FL 33990 Rabbi Devora Buchen President: Arnie Schwartz Phone: 772-4555 • Fax: 772-4625 E-mail: [email protected] Web site: www.templebethshalomcc.org Services: 7:30 p.m. Friday Religious School: Thursday 4:00 - 6:30 p.m. Torah study with Rabbi Buchen: Shabbat 10:30 a.m. Organizations: Brotherhood, Sisterhood, Family Service (1st Friday of the month at 7:30 p.m.) BAT YAM TEMPLE OF THE ISLANDS REFORM Meets at Sanibel Congregational Church 2050 Periwinkle Way, Sanibel Island Rabbi Myra Soifer President: Martin Pokedoff Music Director: Douglas Renfroe Phone: 395-2544 Web site: www.batyam.org Services: 8:00 p.m. Friday Adult Education: Saturday, 9:00 - 11:00 a.m. (Nov. - Apr.) Jewish Current Events: Saturday, 11:15 a.m. to noon Write: P.O. Box 84, Sanibel, FL 33957 Affiliated: Union for Reform Judaism (formerly UAHC) TEMPLE SHALOM CHARLOTTE HARBOR AND THE GULF ISLANDS REFORM 23190 Utica Ave., P.O. Box 494675 Port Charlotte, FL 33949-4675 Rabbi Solomon Agin President: Carol Roark Phone: (941) 625-2116 E-mail: [email protected] Web site: templeshalomfl.com Services: 7:30 p.m. Friday Religious school: Sunday 10 a.m. Beginning Hebrew: Tuesday 4:15 - 5:15 p.m. Advanced Hebrew: Thursday 4:15 - 5:15 p.m. Organizations: Sisterhood Affiliated: Union for Reform Judaism dren and families during the IsraeliHamas war in a myriad of ways. ORT activated its science enrichment programs in Southern Israel in a special format adapted to the security situation, often taking place in shelters and other safe places in cities such as Kiryat Gat and Dimona. Several hundred children took part each day in science and engineering courses, including veterinary science, architecture, astronomy and chemistry. Activities also included sports, theater and robotics. Other ways in which ORT helped: ORT provided practical supplies – flashlights and tactic bags, for example 23 – for soldiers in combat; respite for children of the south with alternative educational structures and activities in a secure environment; coaching and trauma counseling for children (ages 6-18) from the area bombarded by rockets; “return-to-normalcy” workshops for teachers, school counselors and parents; and a day of relaxation and enrichment for 450 teachers at the four Kadima Mada (Science Journey) schools in Southern Israel. ORT works and you know it! And your individual involvement helps ORT achieve its goals. ORT America (Organization for Rehabilitation through Training) Did you know: ORT supports 300,000 students annually in 56 countries by providing technical education that emphasizes employable skills? ORT’s most famous (and least publicized) mission was to educate Holocaust victims in DP camps so they were able to move on with their lives? ORT America has four college campuses in the U.S., including two in New York and one each in Chicago and Los Angeles, that serve the most vulnerable communities? ORT America is active in Southwest Florida? Please attend Gulf Beaches Chapter events and support ORT’s educational mission. Help ORT raise funds to save lives through education. To join/renew/transfer, contact ORT America Gulf Beaches Chapter President Marina Berkovich at 239.566.1771, or Membership Chair Marebe Crouse at 239.263.4959. Please visit www.ortamerica.org for a virtual ORT experience. The Jewish Federation thanks all our advertisers for their continued support! Without them we would be unable to provide our readers with L’CHAYIM. We invite other businesses in our community to explore this valuable advertising opportunity. For ad rates and deadlines, contact Jim Lewin at 239.634.6923 or [email protected]. JEWISH DIRECTORY SYNAGOGUES & ORGANIZATIONS IN LEE & CHARLOTTE COUNTIES Y COMMUNITY FREE SYNAGOGUE REFORM 10868 Metro Parkway, South Fort Myers (The Southwest Florida Masonic Center) P.O. Box 07144, Fort Myers, FL 33919 Rabbi Bruce Diamond ([email protected]) Coordinator: Natalie Fulton ([email protected]) Music director: Diane Coffman Phone: (239) 274-7485 E-mail: [email protected] Web site: www.fortmyerssynagogue.com Community Sabbath eve dinner each Friday at 6:30 p.m. Sabbath eve worship every Friday at 7:30 p.m. Light breakfast and Torah study with the rabbi every Saturday morning from 9:30 - 11:30 a.m. TEMPLE JUDEA CONSERVATIVE 14486 A&W Bulb Road, Fort Myers, FL 33908 Rabbi Marc Sack E-mail: [email protected] Co-Presidents: Brian Simon and Robert Thomas Preschool Director: Joann Goldman [email protected] Phone: 433-0201 • Fax: 433-3371 E-mail: [email protected] Web site: www.tjswfl.org Services: 6:15 p.m. Friday and 9:30 a.m. Saturday Minyan: 9:00 a.m. Monday Religious school: Sun. 9:30 a.m.-noon; Wed. 4:30-6 p.m. Early childhood education: Preschool, M-F, ages 18 months-5 years; “Mommy & Me,” 12 months-2 years Affiliated: United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism CHABAD OF BONITA SPRINGS/ESTERO ORTHODOX 24850 Old 41 Road, Suite 20 (in the Bernwood Centre) Bonita Springs, FL 34135-7024 Rabbi Mendy Greenberg Phone: 949-6900 Web site: www.JewishBonita.com Services: Saturday at 10 a.m., followed by a kiddush CHABAD OF CHARLOTTE COUNTY ORTHODOX 204 E Mckenzie St Unit B, Punta Gorda, FL 33950 Rabbi Simon Jacobson Phone: (941) 833-3381 E-mail: [email protected] Web site: www.chabadofcharlottecounty.com Services: Saturday at 10 a.m. followed by a kiddush Torah study: Wednesday at 8 p.m. CHABAD LUBAVITCH OF SOUTHWEST FLORIDA ORTHODOX 5620 Winkler Road Fort Myers, FL 33919 Rabbi Yitzchok Minkowicz Phone: 433-7708 • Fax: 481-9109 E-mail: [email protected] Web site: www.chabadswf.org Services: Friday 5:15 p.m.; Saturday Kabbalah class 9 a.m.; Shacharit 10 a.m.; Kiddush at noon Minyan: Monday & Thursday 7:00 a.m. CHABAD OF CAPE CORAL ORTHODOX 1716 Cape Coral Pkwy. W., Cape Coral, FL 33914 Rabbi Yossi Labkowski Phone: 541-1777 • Fax: 465-4942 E-mail: [email protected] Web site: www.chabadcape.com Services: Friday at 6:30 p.m.; Saturday at 9:30 a.m., followed by Kiddush luncheon; Sunday at 8:00 a.m.; Monday - Friday at 7:00 a.m. Weekly Torah study: Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. Chassidic Farbrengen: Thursday at 7:30 p.m. Hebrew school: Sunday 10:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Mini Chefs: Wednesday 4:30 - 5:30 p.m. CTeens: Wednesday 6:00 - 7:00 p.m. COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS • AIPAC (American Israel Public Affairs Committee): Jacki Waksman — (954) 653-9053 • AJC (American Jewish Committee): Brian Lipton — (941) 365-4955 • Anti-Defamation League: (561) 988-2900 • B’Nai B’rith International: (941) 302-4500 • Chevra Kadisha: Rabbi Yitzchok Minkowicz — 433-7708 • Generations of the Shoah SWFL: 963-9347 • Hadassah - Collier/Lee Chapter: Lynn Weiner — 598-1009 • Hadassah - Sharon Chapter (Charlotte County): Odette Port — (941) 505-1409 • Hazak 55+ Chapter: Joyce Rosinger — 437-1566 • Humanistic Jewish Havurah: Paula Creed — 495-8484 • Israel Bonds: Regional Headquarters: (800) 622-8017 • Jewish Community Services: 481-4449 • Jewish National Fund Memorial Tree Planting in Israel — (727) 536-5263 • Jewish War Veterans: Post 400: Commander Harvey Charter — 561-6535 • Mikvah Bashka of Southwest Florida: Nechamie Minkowicz — 822-2784 • Naples Jewish Social Club: Arnold Bresnick — 566-1126 • ORT - Gulf Beaches Chapter Marina Berkovich — 566-1771 24 ORGANIZATIONS L' C H AY I M F E B R U A RY 2 0 1 5 Jewish Federation of Lee and Charlotte Counties want to build a convent in Auschwitz. Temple Shalom in Naples is co-sponsoring this film along with Catholic-Jewish Dialogue of Collier County. On Sunday, February 15 at 5:00 p.m., Beth Tikvah Naples will be hosting popular speaker Dr. Phil Jason, co-editor of Don’t Wave Goodbye: The Children’s Flight from Nazi Persecution to American Freedom. The book, which was co-edited by Dr. Jason with Iris Posner, tells the triumphant and tragic story of 1,000 children brought to the U.S. between 1934 and 1945. It demonstrates what a small group of determined people can do, as these rescues were funded and carried out by private citizens, organizations and volunteers. Author of the recently published I Was a War Child: WW II Memoir of a Little French Catholic Girl, Helene Gaillet de Neergaard will be the featured speaker on Sunday, March 15 at 5:00 p.m. at the Holocaust Museum & Education Center of Southwest Florida. Prior to Ms. de Neergaard’s talk, local March of the Living participant, Zoe Van Slyke, will talk briefly about her experience. Space is limited and reservations are required for all events. Donations so that GenShoah can continue to present exceptional programming will be requested and are appreciated. To RSVP, email [email protected]. In addition to public events, GenShoah holds meetings that are open not only to children of Holocaust survivors (the Second Generation), but to all those who are interested in the mission of GenShoah which is: Promotion of Holocaust education, preservation of memories of the Holocaust, connection of members of the Second Generation to one another, and support of the Holocaust Museum. There will be brief meetings at 4:30 p.m. prior to the programs on Sundays, February 15 and March 15. If you are interested in attending any events or meetings, or would like more information about GenShoah, contact me at ida.margolis2@gmail. com or 239.963.9347. and spent her childhood in Egypt and Gaza before immigrating to America Southwest Florida Chapter in 1978. Her father died (239) 597-0855 when she was eight years old, while leading covert attacks on ZOA Southwest Florida Chapter Israel. He was a high-ranking Egypevent update tian military officer stationed with his Gene Sipe, VP, ZOA family in Gaza. After he died, he was Southwest Florida Chapter considered a “shahid,” a martyr for jiThe February ZOA SWFL chapter had. His posthumous status earned her meeting hosts an extremely informafamily an elevated position in Muslim tive presentation by renowned human society. At an early age she developed rights activist, author and lecturer Noni a skeptical eye and questioned her own Darwish. Muslim culture. Then, after hearing a Ms. Darwish was born in Cairo Christian preacher on television, she converted to Christianity. She has written three critically acclaimed books: Now They Call Me Infidel, Why I Renounced Jihad for America, Israel and the War on Terror and Cruel and Unusual Punishment. This program will be offered on Tuesday, February 17 at 7:30 p.m. at the Chabad Jewish Center of Naples, and is open to the public at $20 per person. RSVP by email to [email protected] or reserve your seats by prepaying with checks payable to ZOA SWFL, 7550 Mission Hills Drive, Ste. 306, Box 90, Naples, FL 34119-9607. For additional information, call 914.329.1024. The March program will feature a lecture by Robert Spencer. Please visit www.zoaswfl.org for more information on any of our programs or to read commentaries by local supporters of Zionism, and to check the top headlines of the day with links directly to The Jerusalem Post. The site is interactive and you are invited to register and participate with your thoughts and comments. when a sounder of a hundred or so wild pigs, large and small, crossed the road right in front of my car in the wee hour fog rising from the swampland. The pigs kept popping out at night for a year or so on their old beaten trails, but the airport squeezed them out, just as it squeezed out the cows last year, due to the new exit ramp being built off I-75. Everything moves so quickly in the ever-escalating whirlwind of Southwest Florida’s progress, that often history can be neglected, forgotten, misplaced, rewritten or distorted, because people are simply too busy with progress itself to take time for contemporaneous historical preservation. Lucky for our future generations, this will not happen in Southwest Florida. The foundation, so wonderfully forged on Monday, January 12 between The Jewish Historical Society of Southwest Florida, the Jewish Federation of Collier County, the Jewish pop- ulation and the “snowbird” community of Southwest Florida, will serve as an excellent start. In a letter written by Jules Freedman to Rabbi Bloom in the early 21st century, which Helen Weinfeld, Temple Shalom of Naples first historian, preserved and shared with us, Mr. Freedman writes: “Perhaps never in U.S. history (even in New York in the late 19th century) have so few Jews provided to the development of an area devoid of Jewish life, as these few Jews in Southwest Florida, who built such a major bastion of Jewish life.” As initially suspected by me, every community has a historian or two and many would be historians who will join in the effort as the goals and objectives crystallize. The work continues and the community grows, but to keep clear focus on our mission, The Society wants you to help us in the following ways as soon as possible: • Identifying Jewish residents of Southwest Florida who lived here in 1972 and prior, their descendants and/or friends, who can document their story for our testimony collection. • Sharing photographs, event announcements, newspaper clippings or publications for The Society’s historical archives of Jewish contribution in Southwest Florida development. • BECOMING A MEMBER to show your support of this initiative. The only membership requirement is to pay annual dues. Members will receive newsletters, information about upcoming events and programs, and special alerts. For membership information, call 239.566.1771, email [email protected] or visit www.JHSSWF.org. The Jewish Historical Society of Southwest Florida, Inc. is a Section 501(c)(3) organization. All contributions are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law. Court decision. This decision states that pursuant to the Religious Freedom of Southwest Florida Restoration Act (RFRA), (239) 398-3935 owners of a closely held Humanistic Jewish Havurah to disfor-profit corporation have religious cuss U.S. Supreme Court decisions: rights that permit them to refuse to Town of Greece and Hobby Lobby provide some contraceptive insurance Paula Creed coverage to employees. Two recent United States Supreme If you are curious to learn more Court decisions that deal with the sepaabout these Supreme Court cases, Dena ration of Church and State will be the Sklaroff will accept your reservation to topic on Sunday, February 15, when attend this event at [email protected] the Humanistic Jewish Havurah of or 239.591.0101. Southwest Florida meets at 2:00 p.m. In October 2013, our national orin the Community Room of the Jewganization, the Society for Humanistic ish Federation of Collier County. The Judaism (SHJ), joined the American public is invited. Humanist Association, Americans for Our distinguished speaker will be Religious Liberty and others in filing Douglas L. Wilson. A graduate of the a friend-of-the court (amicus) brief in Law School of University of Arkansas, the Town of Greece matter. SimultaneMr. Wilson was admitted to the Arously, a press release was issued statkansas bar in 1970 and to the Florida ing in part, “This case centers on the bar in 1992. He has argued civil rights constitutionality of official prayers and employment issues before the U.S. in local government settings, such as Court of Appeals, and has appealed to invocations at city council or school the U.S. Supreme Court. board meetings. This practice goes to In Town of Greece v. Galloway the heart of our core interests in the the Court found the town’s practice separation of Church and State. The of beginning legislative sessions with Society is concerned with protecting prayers does not violate the Establishreligious freedom for all, including ment Clause of the First Amendment. those who do not espouse a traditional The ruling in Burwell v. Hobby Lobby religious belief, and for ensuring that is considered a landmark Supreme our members will not be discriminated against by government favoring of theistic religion.” In May 2014, following the announcement of the Court’s decision in Town of Greece, the Executive Director of the Secular Coalition for America, who represented the plaintiffs, said, “We are extremely disappointed that the Court chose to ignore the very blatant burden sectarian prayer imposes on the conscience of citizens with diverse religious beliefs and those without religious beliefs. Our founders went to great lengths to ensure that no American would be disenfranchised from civic participation due to their personal religious beliefs or lack thereof. This ruling violates the founding secular principles our country was built on.” Shortly thereafter, in June 2014, the Supreme Court issued its opinion in the case popularly known as Hobby Lobby. On that occasion SHJ issued another press release expressing its disappointment and stating, in part, “As Humanistic Jews, we recognize that all people have a fundamental right to determine the course of their own lives. Contraceptive choice is only one of the many components of this personal freedom. A woman’s ability to access contraception shouldn’t depend on where she works or on the beliefs of her boss or the company’s owners.” In addition, the SHJ joined more than 40 fellow member organizations of the Coalition for Liberty and Justice in a statement denouncing discrimination and supporting real religious liberty for all. The groups wrote, “We are united in our belief that public policies should both respect religious liberty and protect against the use of religious beliefs to discriminate or undermine equality.” GENERATIONS OF THE SHOAH SOUTHWEST FLORIDA (239) 963-9347 GenShoah invites the community to its numerous events Ida Margolis The docudrama The Jewish Cardinal will be presented by GenShoah Southwest Florida at Temple Shalom on Wednesday, February 11 at 7:00 p.m. Steve Brazina, GenShoah Program Chair, will present this highlyacclaimed award-winning film. The Jewish Cardinal is the true story of Jean-Marie Lustiger, the son of Polish-Jewish immigrants to France who found himself as a mediator when nuns ZIONIST ORG. of AMERICA JEWISH HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF SOUTHWEST FLORIDA (239) 566-1771 Focus on the future Marina Berkovich What do Sanibel, Cape Coral and Port Charlotte have in common? You guessed it! They were started or developed by Jews in the mid 20th century. So recent is the origin of Jewish history for most of Southwest Florida, that witnesses are still able to relate stories of the initial settling and share some early settlers’ anecdotes about the inconvenience of travel, the absence of shopping variety or medical specialists. I am, in relative terms, new to Southwest Florida. My family moved here only ten years ago. But on the other hand, that was pre-Mercato, preWhole Foods, pre-Trader Joe’s and even pre-Southwest Florida’s spectacular new airport. I remember my first trip there to meet a 12:05 a.m. flight, HUMANISTIC JEWISH HAVURAH Guidelines for publication DEADLINES: 5 p.m. on the 5th of each month for all articles and photos. If the 5th falls on a weekend or holiday, the deadline is the following business day. WORD LIMITS: 600 words for temples and organizations providing materials for their respective sections. Those exceeding these limits will be edited to fit. SUBMISSIONS: Email: [email protected] Articles should be sent as text files, Word files, or Rich Text Format files. Receipt will be acknowledged if requested. Photos may be submitted electronically; high-resolution JPG or TIF formats preferred. ORGANIZATIONS / TEMPLE NEWS HADASSAH Collier/Lee Chapter (239) 598-1009 Lynn Weiner Exciting news! Hadassah was just named by the Charity Navigator as #3 of the top 10 charities with a 4-star rating! The Charity Navigator rates charitable organizations and publishes a list periodically. We are honored to be named as one of the top charities in the country. Recently, a new drug technology developed at the Hadassah Medical Organization to treat fatty liver disease – a condition with no approved effective drug treatment – was given the go ahead by the United States Food and Drug Administration for a Phase II multi-center clinical trial in the U.S. Current estimates reveal that at least five percent of the Western world’s population suffers from the disease. The new technology was developed by Prof. Yaron Ilan, Director, Department of Internal Medicine and former president of the Israel Liver Association, and his team in Hadassah’s Liver Unit. “The new drug is based on a novel discovery that bacteria in our gut are (239) 433-0201 TEMPLE JUDEA t , s Fort Myers (239) 433-0201 www.tjswfl.org lWe have a BIG combination event as mFebruary begins. The Storyteller Teaching Training Project founder, Jennifer Zunikoff, f ncomes to Temple Judea the weekend -of February 6-8. This Scholar-in-Restidence program will take place Friday night, Shabbat morning and Sunday afternoon. Please join us for three entertaining and educational programs you won’t want to miss. Join our Chaverot! The women of Temple Judea have formed this new, energetic organization which has Goldblatt. Please contact Donna at 239.597.3441 or [email protected] to RSVP or if you know someone who might be interested in attending. On Thursday, February 19 at 7:00 p.m. at Beth Tikvah, Hadassah and Beth Tikvah will co-sponsor a cooking and book signing event with Arlene Levin, author of My Cooking Journey: Arlene’s Simple to Lavish. RSVP to Beth Tikvah at [email protected]. Hadassah Shabbat will be on Friday, February 20 at 7:30 p.m. at Temple Shalom. Everyone is invited. Home-made baked goods are needed. To RSVP, contact me at 239.598.1009 or [email protected]. We will have another of our Knowledge & Nosh @ Noon series on Wednesday, February 25 at 11:30 a.m. at Bonita Bay. Our guest speaker will be Judy Belmont, psychotherapist and author, who will offer tips on how to stay positive and manage stress effectively no matter what comes your way. Contact Elyse Morande at 239.498.0623 or [email protected]. Mark your calendars for Hadassah’s Annual Fundraising Event on Sunday, March 8 at 5:30 p.m. at Vanderbilt Country Club. You are all invited to Shana and Shlomo’s Wed- ding, a comedy spoof. There will be a reception, wedding, dinner, dancing, laughter and fun as you become a participant in the wedding event! Donations will benefit Hadassah and Hadassah Medical Organization. For more information or to receive an invitation, please contact me. See the article on page 6 for more details. How would you like to win dining experiences at many of the fine restaurants in this area? That’s exactly what you can do if you buy the winning tickets for the Second Epicurean Adventure. The winning ticket holders will receive complimentary meals that they can savor as they go on their very own epicurean adventure! To buy tickets, contact Rhonda Brazina at 239.325.8694 or Barbara Kronenfeld at 662.304.5240. We also have the Daytime Study Group, Evening Activity Group, Hike for Health Group and Hadassah Book Clubs. Contact me to find out more about these activities. To join Hadassah or become a Life Member or Associate (male affiliate of Hadassah), contact Donna Goldblatt at 239.597.3441 or [email protected]. ing: Rabbi’s panel featuring Rabbis Jeremy Barras from Temple Beth El, Yitzchok Minkowicz from Chabad and Marc Sack from Temple Judea. The moderator will be local attorney Keith Grossman. The topic is “Fostering Allegiance to Israel by Younger Jews.” Any monetary donation to the Federation Food Pantry would be appreciated. Because seating is limited, an RSVP is requested to George Rosinger at 239.437.1566. For future HAZAK programs, read L’CHAYIM, or see Temple Judea’s Scroll available at Temple Judea’s (14486 A&W Bulb Rd.) or the Jewish Federation building. Our programs are always open to the community. If you are interested in joining our HAZAK 55+ group and would like more information, please call Richard Hymes, President, at 239.936.0980, Joyce or George Rosinger at 239.437.1566, or Temple Judea at 239.433.0201. Temple News scheduled exciting programs for the upcoming year. Our February activity will be held Sunday, February 22, and is a Catered Dinner with the Guys, and entertainment by The Calendar Girls. To join our Chaverot, be added to our mailing list, or just get more information, email [email protected] or call the temple office at 239.433.0201. Save the date of Wednesday, March 11 for a Catered Luncheon with the Chaverot, when Rabbi Danielle Upbin of Clearwater will present “A history of Israel through its popular music.” Temple Judea will hold its monthly Torah brown bag study group on Thursday, February 5. Call the office if you would like to attend this group of inquiring minds for very stimulating conversation and thought. The study group meets the first Thursday of each month at noon. BIG thanks to Myers, Brettholtz & Co. (12671 Whitehall Dr., Fort Myers) for providing its offices for this monthly event. Jammies & Jeans will hold its next service on Friday, February 13. This early evening, casual, warm and kidfriendly Shabbat service is filled with singing, storytelling and lots of fun, followed by dinner. These are held the 2nd Friday of every month at 5:30 p.m. Make your reservations by emailing [email protected]. Are you connected? Give the temple office a call or email tjswfl@gmail. com and request to be added to the email blasts. Think you are on our list but not getting those emails? Please, give us a call with an update and we will be sure to update our records. We are on Facebook. Log on and become a fan of Temple Judea happenings. Visit our website at www.tjswfl. org. Regularly scheduled events at Temple Judea include: • Erev Shabbat services at 6:15 p.m. • Shabbat services begin at 9:30 a.m. All are welcome to a light Kiddush luncheon. • Jammies & Jeans on the 2nd Friday of the month begins at 5:30 p.m. • Torah brown bag study group on the 1st Thursday of each month at noon at Myers, Brettholtz & Co. • Morning minyan is held Mondays 9:00 a.m. ous bass-baritone Music Director, will perform music from opera and Broadway at Chapel by the Sea in Fort Myers Beach on Sunday, February 8 at 2:00 p.m. Doug will co-teach a course entitled “Songs of the Heart: Spirituals and Folk Music in Jewish and Christian Traditions” with Reverend John Danner of the Sanibel Congregational Church. Classes will be held at the church on Wednesdays, February 4, 11 and 25 at 10:00 a.m. with an identical class at 7:00 p.m. These classes are free. On Sunday, February 1, Rabbi Soifer will preach at the Congregational Church services at 9:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. as part of the annual pulpit exchange between the two congregations. The subject of her sermon will be “The Pieces of the Tablets, The Pieces of Our Lives.” (Exodus 32:15-20) Reverend Danner is scheduled to speak during Shabbat services on Friday, January 30. Bat Yam congregants are involved in the Sanibel community, following Judaism’s teaching of tikkun olam, healing the world. Bat Yam and Rabbi Soifer hope to repeat last year’s mitzvah of participating in the Sanibel-Captiva Heart Walk, which will take place on Sunday, February 15, starting at 2:00 p.m. at the corner of Tarpon Bay Road and Island Inn Road. Warm-up exercises, health information, socializing and snacks will start at 1:00 p.m. Bat Yam has paid for its team’s entry, but additional individual contributions are welcome, all to support the research of the American Heart Association. Rabbi James Rudin’s class in January on the American Civil War at the BIG ARTS Winter Academy on Sanibel, discussed, not only the historical significance of the war, but also the unresolved issues of states’ rights, sectionalism and racism which still plague society today. Dr. Judith Rubin, Certified Art Therapist and Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Pittsburgh, directed a film which she will present at BIG ARTS on Saturday, February 7 at 7:00 p.m. The film concerns “What Mr. Rogers (of TV fame) Was REALLY Teaching.” This children’s program helped youngsters learn social skills and how to meet the vicissitudes of life. Frank Siegel volunteers on Sanibel at FISH, which helps low income and infirm individuals by delivering meals and medical equipment, and providing rides to medical facilities. Bat Yam mourns the passing of beloved, longtime contributing member, Sue Richard, whose enthusiasm and optimism will be sorely missed. Bat Yam extends deepest sympathies to Skip and family. With deep sorrow, Bat Yam announces the passing of Erica Amsterdam. A message of sympathy has been sent to her family. Condolences to Bat Yam member Elaine Congress and family on the passing of Robert T. Snyder. Get well wishes to Shirley and Mel Bleiberg, David Crown, Marge and Herb Kallman, Hartley Kleinberg, Howard Pachman, June and Hal Patinkin, Esther Pokedoff, Bill Schlackman, Barbara Schwartz and Dr. Kathy Zoss. BAT YAM TEMPLE OF THE ISLANDS Sanibel (239) 395-2544 www.batyam.org Rabbi Myra Soifer’s Saturday morning Adult Education classes have increased in size as more congregants come out to discover “What Judaism Says About” society’s contemporary issues. Rabbi Soifer has presented issues dealing with death and dying, end-of-life choices, suicide, physician-assisted suicide, etc. The discussions have been quite spirited, with participants adding much from their own experiences. Individual lay presentations dealing with the chosen topic, “Lost and Found People and Events in Jewish History” for this month include: • Feb. 7 - “Three Cardinals” - Rabbi Jim Rudin • Feb. 14 - “Anna” - Mike Derechin • Feb. 21 - “In the Shadow of Majdanek” - Irene Skolnick • Feb. 28 - “Jews in Entertainment” - Edina Lessack Doug Renfroe, Bat Yam’s marvel- 25 relevant for the induction of inflammation in our body, which is associated with liver disease, diabetes and obesity,” said Prof. Ilan. “The new therapy is safe and has no side effects, and we hope the results of the Phase II trial will enable us to move forward with its development as a treatment for diabetes and fatty liver disease.” Hadasit, Hadassah’s technology transfer arm, and Immuron, an Australian biopharmaceutical company, worked together to develop the product. The multi-center clinical trial will involve 120 patients in several leading medical centers in the U.S. and Australia. Clinical trials were already conducted at Hadassah, which confirmed the safety and efficacy of the treatment. This new product is a prime example of the wonderful work of Hadassah that benefits people around the world. Upcoming events February is going to be a very busy month for Hadassah! We start with our Mahj and Card Party on Monday, February 2 that is sold out with a wait list. Our New and Prospective Member Brunch will be on Sunday, February 8 at 11:00 a.m. at the home of Donna HAZAK 55+ CHAPTER at Temple Judea -Joyce Rosinger yJoin us at the following program: Monday, March 9 from 7:00 to 9:00 -p.m. at the Jewish Federation builds s - L' C H AY I M F E B R U A RY 2 0 1 5 Jewish Federation of Lee and Charlotte Counties 26 TEMPLE NEWS L' C H AY I M F E B R U A RY 2 0 1 5 Jewish Federation of Lee and Charlotte Counties deliver its fifth truckload filled with cases of food to the Jewish FederaFort Myers tion’s Food Pantry. The (239) 274-7485 congregation tithes its www.fortmyerssynagogue.com income, giving 10% to tsedaqah. Rabbi Diamond’s six-week course, Space is filling up for the May 28 “Pathways Through Jewish Law and June 9 C.F.S. Pilgrimage to Israel. This Custom,” continues each Thursday in deeply moving tour, led by elite Israeli February from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. Using guide Nadav Ben-Gal along with RabShlomo Ganzfried’s Kitzur Shulhan bi Bruce Diamond, costs only $2,500 Arukh (Abbreviated Code of Jewish (excluding airfare) and takes you “off Law), the classes present an overview the beaten trail” to sacred spaces and on a wide range of Jewish practices surancient sites you’re not likely to experounding charitable giving, synagogue rience on off-the-shelf pre-packaged life, visiting the sick, laws of mourning, tours. Couples will also have an opand family law. The classes are free. portunity to renew their vows under a Plan to join us on Sunday, Februhuppa in Jerusalem. For more informaary 1 at 1:00 p.m. as we celebrate Tu tion and registration forms, please visit Bshvat by planting an Etrog and a www.fortmyerssynagogue.com. Myrtle Tree in our Biblical Garden. Last month, C.F.S. was pleased to Eventually, their produce will be used to celebrate the Festival of Sukkot each year. Download your free copy of the new Community Free Synagogue prayerbook by clicking on “Free Jewish Stuff” on C.F.S.’s website, where you’ll also find the free downloadable C.F.S. ketubah and Passover Haggadah. You will not want to miss the joyous C.F.S. Megillah reading and Purim Sing-Along starting at 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, March 4. Come in costume or we’ll put you in one. Homemade hummentaschen to follow. Each Friday evening at 6:30 p.m., The Community Free Synagogue serves a traditional Sabbath dinner. It is free and reservations are never required. At 7:30 p.m., the Sabbath is welcomed with prayer and music offered by the renowned Shirat Hayam Musical Ensemble. A coffee hour follows worship. Every Saturday at 9:30 a.m., C.F.S. offers a light breakfast followed by a lively discussion of the week’s Torah portion until 11:30 a.m. The Rabbi’s Torah Study gatherings have become a mainstay of Jewish adult education in our area over 17 years! Now in its 10th year, the synagogue does not sell memberships or engage in fundraising, relying solely on the voluntary donations of its participants. All of its events and offerings are free and open to all, and take place at the synagogue’s meeting place, the Southwest Masonic Center, 10868 Metro Parkway in South Fort Myers. For more information, visit the synagogue’s website, www.fortmyerssynagogue.com, or call its 24-hour voice message number at 239.274.7485. Club. It was so nice to get together and raise money for our temple. We had Fort Myers fun, lots of laughter and, (239) 433-0018 of course, Jackpot Prizes. www.templebethel.com If you missed it, join us Tuesday, February 17 for our next Bingo. Bingo is open to the Sisterhood news public, so come early. The doors open Sisterhood began 2015 with a Bingo at 6:15 p.m. and Bingo starts promptly Fundraiser co-sponsored with Men’s at 7:00 p.m. As of press time, on Thursday, January 22 we plan on visiting the Broadway Palm Theatre to see the play, First Date after enjoying lunch at Christof’s Restaurant. It is always fun to get together with our sisters for a casual day out. Reserve your seat now for Tuesday, March 10. We have Rusty Brown returning to Temple Beth El. Her new one woman show is America’s First Greeter about Emma Lazarus. We will have a New York theme for the luncheon. This is sure to be a sellout, so call Dottie at 239.482.2552 or email Leslie at [email protected] to reserve your seat. the evening, dessert was homemade apple pie by our own Nancy Swanson. Cape Coral The most important thing (239) 772-4555 was that everyone had a www.templebethshalomcc.org good time. On Tuesday, January Temple Beth Shalom Sisterhood held 6, 21 members of Temple Beth Shaits annual Hanukkah gift exchange and lom headed in caravan to the Baker dinner on Monday, December 8. SisArt Museum in Naples. A guided tour terhood members and guests enjoyed was arranged by social activities ditheir Chinese dinner catered by China rector Maxine Morris, who had just Palace, while anticipating the selecfinished a bang-up job with the (partion of a Hanukkah gift. Each person don the expression) Annual Christmas who brought a gift selected a number Day Chinese Buffet and movies party. which corresponded to their opportuThis time, Maxine arranged for Ronity to select a wrapped gift. As each berto Montalbano, a docent, to lead number was called, a wrapped gift was a love-and-learn tour of the museum thoughtfully selected, opened and disand some of its masterpieces. Only 21 played to the group. The next person people are allowed to follow a single then selected a gift, opened and disdocent around the gallery. After the played it. This person could swap that tour the group descended on the Stage gift with a person’s gift which had been 62 Delicatessen for lunch. The deli is opened before theirs. Much discusa branch of a famous deli in Birmingsion and laughter erupted as gifts were ham, Michigan, which every Jew in ‘stolen’ again and again. To finish off Michigan must have been to at one time or another. Sisterhood’s first Bingo & Spaghetti Dinner was Saturday, January 10. At press time more than 70 participants had signed up. A report will follow next month on the big winners. Scheduled for Saturday, January 24 is the 20th-something annual Honoree Banquet at Palmetto-Pine Country Club. This year’s honorees – Janice Albion, Ruth Belkin and Mark Horowitz – are three of the greatest contributors to the success of Temple Beth Shalom in the past year (and many more years than that). Coverage of this event will await next month’s issue. Temple Beth Shalom is beginning its 42nd year as the only Reform Jewish synagogue in Cape Coral. Members come from the Cape, Pine Island, North Fort Myers and the Greater Fort Myers area. Kabbalat Shabbat services, including a Torah reading, are held every Friday night beginning at 7:30 p.m., and the first Friday of the month is a Family Service. This once- a-month service is geared to the children of the congregation and includes Rabbi Devora Buchen finding parts of the service for every willing child to participate in. Kids also get the rabbi’s “special sermon” while up on the bimah. The temple has a Brotherhood and Sisterhood that help support activities, fundraising and the well-being of the congregation. Children’s religious school meets Thursdays at 4:30 p.m. Many committees and individuals make up a family team that keeps the wheels turning and the family atmosphere glowing. Newcomers are always welcome to visit and experience the warmth and friendship that always greets strangers the first time they visit. The second visit they become friends. And after that they become family. Come and visit any Friday. Also, look up your interests and find a place in the family on our website at www.temple bethshalomcc.org. p.m. and concluding at 2:00 p.m. Registration is Charlotte Harbor & the Gulf Islands a must as the program is limited to 15 people. Call (941) 625-2116 941.625.2116 to reserve http://templeshalom.planitjewish.com your spot. New Member ShabTemple Shalom continues to provide bat will be on Friday, February 6. New programs for its membership and the members of the temple will be called to community. the bimah and formally welcomed by On Tuesday, February 3, there Rabbi Solomon Agin and President Dr. will be a “Lunch & Learn with the Carol Roark. A Certificate of MemberForward” starting with lunch at 12:30 ship and the book On the Doorposts of Thy House are presented to each new member. Services start at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, February 7 brings the Temple Shalom Gala Art Auction at the Kingsway Country Club, starting at 6:00 p.m. with a preview and cocktail party. Donation: $36 per person or $55 per couple. On Monday, February 9, join us for the Sisterhood Annual Card Party/ Game Day. This annual event is one of Sisterhood’s major fundraising events to benefit the temple. Kindly call Naomi Alexander at 941.629.4448 for additional information. On Friday, February 20, Shabbat services will feature guest speaker Rabbi A. James Rudin, former director of the American Jewish Committee. Rabbi Rudin will talk about “The Three Cardinals in this Life.” Services start at 7:30 p.m. For more information on these and other programs, call the temple office at 941.625.2116. on issues surrounding spirituality, the human psyche, love and relationCharlotte County ships. Every experience (941) 833-3381 offers meaningful and www.chabadofcharlottecounty.com timely lessons – from the most timeless of texts. You will walk away surprised, inspired, At Chabad, we know that the richness and knowing more about who we are as of our tradition and the wisdom it ofJews, and who you are as an individual. fers can be exciting, even thrilling. Our Join us on Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m. Torah Studies program, developed by at 204 E Mckenzie St., Unit B, Punta the world-renowned Jewish Learning Gorda. For more information, call Institute, brings you the tradition of 941.833.3381. classical Jewish learning in a series of Are you looking for a warm, lovinspiring and engaging weekly classes. ing, educational and fun environment, Our lessons probe the depths of conwhere your child can learn about his/ temporary Torah thought, with a focus her Judaism? Chabad is the place for you. Chabad of Charlotte County Hebrew School is open every Sunday from 10:00 a.m. to noon for boys and girls ages 6-12. Chabad First Step Program is open every other Sunday from 10:30 to noon for boys and girls ages 3-5. For more information or to enroll your child, call Sheina at 941.833.3381. Chabad of Charlotte County will be celebrating 10 years of service to the community with a Gala Fundraising Dinner on Sunday, February 8 at the Punta Gorda Yacht Club. For more information, visit www.chabadofchar lottecounty.com or call 941.258.0177. The Jewish Women’s Circle will meet on Tuesday, February 17 at 7:30 p.m. at the Chabad Jewish Center for its 4th annual Kosher Cooking. Call Sheina to reserve your spot. The Chabad Purim Celebration will take place on Thursday, March 5 at 5:30 p.m. at the Chabad Jewish Center. Enjoy a complete Purim feast of kosher deli, Megillah reading and slideshow, crafts for the kids, L’Chaim and hamentashen. Come dressed in your favorite Purim costume! Entertainment for the entire family. Suggested donation: adult $12, child $8, sponsor $180. RSVP by March 2 to 941.833.3381 or [email protected]. COMMUNITY FREE SYNAGOGUE TEMPLE BETH EL TEMPLE BETH SHALOM TEMPLE SHALOM CHABAD L’CHAYIM is a monthly nonprofit newspaper supported by generous readers, committed advertisers and the Jewish Federation of Lee and Charlotte Counties. COMMUNITY CALENDAR February 2015 / 5775 SUNDAY 1 10:00 a.m. Jewish Film Festival Family Film 7:00 p.m. Author event with Iris Krasnow 8 11:00 a.m. PJ Library Tu B’Shevat event 3:30 p.m. Israeli Dancing 15 4:00 p.m. Israeli Dancing 22 9:30 a.m. JWV meeting 4:00 p.m. Israeli Dancing MONDAY 2 6:30 p.m. SAT Class 9 6:30 p.m. SAT Class 16 Presidents Day 23 9:30 a.m. L’CHAYIM mailing 6:30 p.m. SAT Class l 0 r n t . , t . TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY 3 4 5 6 12:30 p.m. Mah Jongg 6:30 p.m. SAT Class 7:15 p.m. Jewish Film Festival 10 12:30 p.m. Mah Jongg 6:30 p.m. SAT Class 7:00 p.m. Federation Board meeting 7:15 p.m. Jewish Film Festival 7:15 p.m. Jewish Film Festival 11 8:15 a.m. Temple Beth El Mah Jongg Tournament 18 17 12 13 19 20 Candle lighting: 6:05 p.m. 25 12:30 p.m. Mah Jongg 6:30 p.m. SAT Class Candle lighting: 5:56 p.m. 14 Candle lighting: 6:01 p.m. 12:30 p.m. Mah Jongg 6:30 p.m. SAT Class 24 SATURDAY 7 26 27 21 Major Gifts Reception 28 Candle lighting: 6:10 p.m. 6:00 p.m. Book Club Meeting For more information about events featured on the community calendar, please contact the sponsoring organization (see the Directory on page 23) or the Jewish Federation. March 2015 / 5775 SUNDAY 1 12:30 p.m. Purim Fest 8 3:30 p.m. Israeli Dancing e d e 27 For a continuously updated community calendar of events, visit www.JewishFederationLCC.org. MONDAY 2 6:30 p.m. SAT Class r r L' C H AY I M F E B R U A RY 2 0 1 5 Jewish Federation of Lee and Charlotte Counties 15 9 6:30 p.m. SAT Class 7:00 p.m. HAZAK Rabbi Panel Discussion 16 9:30 a.m. JWV meeting 4:00 p.m. Israeli Dancing 29 Deliver Passover Senior Visit Gift Bags 4:00 p.m. Israeli Dancing 12:30 p.m. Mah Jongg 6:30 p.m. SAT Class 10 12:30 p.m. Mah Jongg 6:30 p.m. SAT Class 7:00 p.m. Federation Board meeting 17 12:30 p.m. Mah Jongg 4:00 p.m. Israeli Dancing 22 TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY 3 4 5 Purim 6 23 9:30 a.m. L’CHAYIM mailing 30 24 12:30 p.m. Mah Jongg SATURDAY 7 Candle lighting: 6:14 p.m. 11 8:15 a.m. Temple Beth El Mah Jongg Tournament 18 12 11:00 a.m. Pack Passover Senior Visit Gift Bags 6:00 p.m. Book Club Meeting 14 Candle lighting: 7:17 p.m. 19 20 21 27 28 Candle lighting: 7:21 p.m. 11:30 a.m. Lion of Judah Luncheon 25 13 26 Candle lighting: 7:24 p.m. 31 12:30 p.m. Mah Jongg To submit your organization’s or temple’s event, send an email to [email protected]. 28 L' C H AY I M F E B R U A RY 2 0 1 5 Jewish Federation of Lee and Charlotte Counties SYMPHONIC POPS SERIES Tickets from $42, 4-Concert Pops Subscriptions from $168 Feb 8 DANCING AND ROMANCING 2 Classic song and dance, including routines of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers Feb 22 GLORY OF GERSHWIN ( at 6pm ) Piano Concerto in F performed by Di Wu, and other favorites with Broadway star Melissa Errico Mar 29 BEST OF WEBBER & RODGERS Hits from Phantom of the Opera, Oklahoma, South Pacific, Cats & more Apr 18 CIRQUE DE LA SYMPHONIE World-class acrobats, aerial flyers, contortionists and strongmen perform with the Symphony CLASSICAL ACCESS SERIES Tickets from $22 Mar 15 VERDI REQUIEM With Fort Myers Symphonic Mastersingers; Jennifer Holbrook, soprano; Claudia Chapa, mezzo soprano; William Davenport, tenor; Branch Fields, bass May 16 BEETHOVEN FEST! Coriolan Overture, Piano Concerto No. 4 with Susan Starr, Symphony No. 7 Box Office: 239.481.4849 For more information visit GulfCoastSymphony.org or call 239.277.1700 All performances at the Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall. Concerts begin at 7pm unless noted otherwise. FREE EVENTS! 2 0 D AY S OF MUSIC To celebrate our 20 years of bringing the community together through music, from January 25 through March 1 we will be presenting more than 20 free events throughout Lee County! For a complete calendar visit GulfCoastSymphony.org, follow us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram: #20DaysofMusic #GCS20
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