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Beetles invade Israel, but ministry says let them be Send address changes to New Jersey Jewish Media Group,
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● Hordes of large black But the beetles are The appearance of an advertisement in The Jewish Standard
beetles have invaded notoriously poor flyers, does not constitute a kashrut endorsement. The publishing of
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are finding lots of bugs die within a few hours.
in many communities The pestilence, which
around the country. comes on the heels of a Candlelighting:
Dr. Leibele Friedman much less icky butterfly Friday, May 10, 7:44 p.m.
of Tel Aviv University migration, is expected
identified the creatures to end soon as the Shabbat ends:
as the common Calo- weather turns hotter af- Saturday, May 11, 8:49 p.m.
soma olivieri, which grow up to 1 inch in length, a ter what has been a particularly rainy winter.
ministry statement said. There also have been reports of more moths this
The beetles are not harmful, don’t transmit dis- spring than usual. For convenient
eases, and are beneficial to agriculture because of The ministry told exterminators not to spray with- home delivery,
their appetite for smaller bugs, so Israelis are being out a permit. Essentially, they’re saying that we can call 201-837-8818 or
not to use pesticides against them. work it out. TIMES OF ISRAEL bit.ly/jsubscribe
Noshes
“Anyone who is a collector of that stuff?
Don’t bother showing up.”
— Jeff Schwarz, responsible for selling thousands of props and
costumes from the now-finished Amazon series “The Man in the
High Castle,” set in a world where the Nazis won World War II.
Items with swastikas were not for sale.
WOMEN CONMEN:
‘Hustle’ is really
a remake’s remake
“The Hustle” time” and “Scoundrels,” ple new wines in the Lily Tomlin will host
stars Anne and DALE LAUNER, Napa Valley but end and appear as two of
Hathaway and 66, who co-wrote up re-examining and her famous “Laugh-
Rebel Wilson as female “Scoundrels.” Working rediscovering their In” characters. Jewish
scam artists who team alone, Launer wrote decades-long friend- stars appearing include
up, in the words of the the great comedy ships. The actresses BILLY CRYSTAL, 71,
publicity release, “to “My Cousin Vinny.” playing the friends TIFFANY HADDISH,
take down the dirty The new team writer include “SNL” veterans 39, BRAD GARRETT,
rotten men who have is JAC SCHAEFFER, — MAYA RUDOLPH, 59, JON LOVITZ,
wronged them.” TIM 41, a woman who was 46, RACHEL DRATCH, 61, JEFF ROSS, 53,
BLAKE NELSON, 54, hired to turn the funny 53, Tina Fey, and Amy NATASHA LEGGERO,
has a large supporting conmen into conwom- Poehler (who also 45, and MICHAEL
role — third billing — as en. Schaeffer’s father directed). Much of DOUGLAS, 74.
Tim Blake Nelson Aya Cash
Portnoy in the film set is Jewish. the movie was filmed GEORGE SCHLAT-
to open May 10. But I made a boo-boo in the Napa Valley in TER, 88, the creator
there are no details out in my last column. California and there of “Laugh-In” and a
about his role yet. “POMS,” starring Diane are a lot of jokes about co-producer of the
The words “dirty rot- Keaton as a retirement Napa, wine-tasting, 50th anniversary show,
ten” may ring a cine- community resident and tasting menus. also appears on stage.
matic bell for you. “The who forms a senior JASON SCHWARTZ- Schlatter grew up near
Hustle” is a female cheerleading squad, MAN, 38, appears in St. Louis, went to col-
remake of two earlier opens on May 10, not one of those tast- lege in California, and
movies. You may re- May 3 as I wrote. RHEA ing scenes. then became a Holly-
member “Dirty Rotten PERLMAN, 71, co-stars. Poehler told the wood agent. In the ear-
Scoudrels,” a 1988 film Wine Spectator that ly 1960s, he morphed
in which Steve Mar- Big Bang’s finale the film is loosely into a producer of TV
tin and Michael Caine is a two-parter based on an actual specials and series. A
Natasha Leggero Miguel Sapochnik
played conmen who The series trip that she and some journalist friend who
team up to fleece finale of the will marry in one of ters whose stories other women took to recently did a phone
a rich heiress. You hit sitcom “Big series’ final episodes. If frequently are inter- Napa. She said: “We interview with Schlat-
probably don’t know Bang Theory” airs on so, we will probably connected. Three did all get together ter told me that he
that “Scoundrels” was Thursday, May 16, at 8 see Raj’s father, a Jewish cast members for Rachel [Dratch]’s sounded “really spry.”
based on “Bedtime p.m. on CBS. It’s a recurring character. have appeared in the birthday one year in Congrats to MIGUEL
Story,” a 1964 movie in two-part hour-long Raj’s father is played first two seasons and wine country. We did SAPOCHNIK, 44, for
which Marlon Brando show. I liked “Big by BRIAN GEORGE, return this season: have dance parties in directing “The Long
and David Niven were Bang,” one of the most 66, who was born in DAVE FRANCO, 33, the living room and Night,” the spectac-
the con artists. Jewy shows on TV. Israel, the son of Iraqi/ who plays Jeff; MARC have kind of teary con- ular HBO “Game of
When a film is a The show’s creator Indian Jewish parents. MARON, 55, who plays versations in the hot Thrones” battle-heavy
re-make, like “Hustle,” (CHUCK LORRE, 66) is Jacob; and AYA CASH, tub, and go into the episode that premiered
the practice is to give Jewish, as are four of Over on Netflix 36, who plays Sherri. deep end as most fe- on April 28. Sapochnik
screen credit to the the main cast mem- and HBO “Wine Country” male friendships do.” is the go-to guy for big
writers of the earli- bers (MAYIM BIALIK, The third and is an original Netflix Last March, a 50th battle episodes and
er version(s). “Hus- 43, KEVIN SUSSMAN, final nine-epi- film that premieres anniversary “Laugh-In” I expect the episode
tle” credits include 48, MELISSA RAUCH sode season on Friday, May 10. It special was filmed, live, that premieres May 12,
STANLEY SHAPIRO and SIMON HELBERG, of “Easy” begins on is a comedy/drama at a Los Angeles the- which Sapochnik also
(1925-1990), an Os- both 38). I suspect that Netflix on May 10. It is about six very dif- ater. The tape of the directed, to be another
car-winning writer who Raj, the Indian-Ameri- a dramatic anthology ferent female friends special will premiere action-laden wow.
co-wrote both “Bed- can main character, series about charac- who set out to sam- on Netflix on May 14. –N.B.
Want to read more noshes? Visit facebook.com/jewishstandard California-based Nate Bloom can be reached at
Middleoftheroad1@aol.com
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The normalization of bias
Statistics and insight both show trend toward increasing anti-Semitism
JOANNE PALMER aren’t counted as anti-Semitic even if chants and the murder of counterpro- people who are afraid to walk around
T
that is the intent behind them. “White testor Heather Heyer in Charlottesville in their neighborhood because they are
he news is grim. There’s no identity statements, like flyers from in 2017 been? obviously openly Jewish.”
getting around that. Yes, it Identity Evropa,” the white supremacist “We historically have tracked the per- Abraham Foxman of Bergen County
could be grimmer, but still it’s group that both the ADL and the South- centage of Americans who hold anti-Se- worked for the ADL for 50 years; from
just not great. ern Poverty Law Center classify as a hate mitic attitudes, and that number has 1987 to 2015, when he retired, he was its
According to Alexander Rosemberg group, and that generally is considered remained roughly the same,” Mr. Rosem- head, and now he is its national direc-
(and no, that’s not a typo; he is from Ven- as part of the alt-right, berg said. “That averages tor emeritus. He was born in Europe, a
ezuela, and its naming conventions dic- “doesn’t use specifically about 12 to 14 percent. hidden child, brought up as Catholic by
tated the m in the middle of his name), anti-Semitic tropes, but “What has changed is the former nanny who saved him, later
the Anti-Defamation League’s director anyone who is Jewish who that society had a much reclaimed by his parents, brought back
of community affairs for New York and sees them understands better check on those to Judaism with love, and then brought
New Jersey, local reported incidents of that it is a threat. We all attitudes. The zeitgeist — to the United States, again with love.
anti-Semitism recently have begun to know what the threat of and I am speaking about He and Mr. Rosemberg see the world
trend upward. white supremacy means, it coming from leaders in much the same way. Things are not
“Despite the fact that we are looking but they are purposely from the left and the as good as they were, but they are
at a nominal drop in incidents from 207 being covert. They speak right and in between — under control.
last year to 200 this year across New Jer- more about the possibility was that it wasn’t okay to
sey, there has been a rise toward the end of genocide for the white come out publicly with
of the year,” he said. “After Pittsburgh.” race, but everyone who is those things.
Pittsburgh has come to be short- a member of a minority “But now the rhetoric
hand for the murders of 11 Jews and the group knows what that
Alexander Rosemberg
has made it possible for It is a ripple
wounding of seven more in the Tree of
Life synagogue in that city on October
means.”
Those flyers — those “propaganda
these things to be unchecked, and so
you have people who are emboldened to
effect. So
27. The killer was a white supremacist episodes,” as the ADL called them — are come out and say them and act on them. now you have
fueled by anti-Semitism.
The rise in reported incidents that Mr.
aimed at recruiting new members.
Using the most current data, from
“That’s what we call the normalization
of bias. Attitudes and biases that become
people who are
Rosemberg was talking about was 76 per- 2018, “We have seen 41 of these epi- unchecked become speech, and if that afraid to walk
cent. He’s not sure, however, if it was a
rise in actual incidents, or that people
sodes” — of flyers from alt-right groups
— “across New Jersey, and 67 in New
is unchecked it becomes action against
property or persons.”
around in their
chose to report them. “Often we find York State,” Mr. Rosemberg said. “Only There also has been an increase in neighborhood
that there is a sticks-and-stones attitude
toward run-of-the-mill slurs shouted in
a fraction is counted as anti-Semitic. In
the others, the threat was implied rather
the number of anti-Semitic assaults; the
numbers are low but they are going up.
because they
the street,” he said. Words won’t harm than expressed. “There has been a 55 percent increase in are obviously
them, the recipients of those insults think.
“So we don’t know what to attribute that
“A lot of these propaganda efforts are
happening in and around campuses and
anti-Semitic assaults in New York State,”
he said. “There were 17 in New York and
openly Jewish.
spike to, but it’s reasonable to think that it schools. Rutgers saw a lot of these flyers.” three in New Jersey.”
was happening all along and now people Mr. Rosemberg described what he There is something important to “I am still an optimist,” Mr. Foxman
find more reason to report it. called “the Princeton hoax.” In 2019, an remember, Mr. Rosemberg added. “We said. “America, after Israel, still is the
The New Jersey county that reported alt-right group hung posters at the Ivy often can lose sight of this, but these safest country for Jews anywhere in the
the most anti-Semitic incidents was League school advertising a rally; no one are not just numbers. Behind each of world. Having said that, I do have to say
Bergen, with 36. In Rockland, “we are showed up for it, as its conveners had these incidents, there is someone who that the situation now is serious, but it
talking about underreporting,” Mr. planned, but it drew about 400 counter- is being hurt. There is someone who is not critical. Over the years that I have
Rosemberg said. “In 2017, we counted protestors. “That gave the group legiti- is being made afraid of doing certain been involved in the ADL, we have tried
12, but we were able to count only four macy,” he said. “They now apparently things. And this disrupts the entire to tell the American Jewish community
in 2018.” If that were an accurate count, had the power to do that, and to provoke social dynamic. that anti-Semitism still is out there.
that would be marvelous, but it is more all that attention. “We heard of a case yesterday, on the “There is a significant component of
likely, in that tense county, that inci- “There, groups put a poster up and Upper East Side of Manhattan. Someone the American society that is seriously
dents were not called in. take a picture of it and publish it in social was walking — my understanding is that infected by anti-Semitic tropes and
Reports come from a number of media.” That amplified it. this person was wearing religious garb — stereotypes.
sources, he explained. “Direct calls from “There were 61 anti-Semitic incidents and no one touched them but they were “The good news is that the anti-Sem-
complainants, federations and JCCs, and in K-12 schools in New Jersey in 2017; in verbally threatened for the mere fact of itism is latent,” he continued. “There-
law enforcement and government part- 2018 that went up to 63, and 29 of them being Jewish. fore, our major responsibility and chal-
ners. There is a myriad of sources.” were after October 27. In New York, we “Nothing really happened, in the lenge is to make sure that it continues
Most online hatred does not figure saw an increase of 39 percent on college sense that nobody was really hurt. But to be latent. We always worry about the
into these counts, he added. “We only campuses in 2018.” these words shake the recipient up, to flashpoint that will take it from latency
count that as anti-Semitic if it targets What has the effect of President Don- say the least, so the recipient goes home to being active. So throughout the years,
specific groups or people. We have a ald J. Trump’s comments about there and has a conversation with the family, we as a community have built a firewall,
separate count for online hate.” Even in being “very fine people on both sides” and in turn the family gets shaken up. a policy of containment with all kinds of
the physical world, some kinds of hate after the “Jews will not replace us” “It is a ripple effect. So now you have elements that could contain it.
6 JEWISH STANDARD MAY 10, 2019
JS-7
Local
“Anti-Semitism is a disease,” he said. “A And then there was Israel. “Israel pro- firewall has been dissipating,” he contin- an asset to a liability, and now it has
virus. We have been relatively successful vided part of our firewall, because Israel, ued. “The memory is less and less. Civil- become a legitimizing platform to be
in the last 50 years in keeping it latent.” as a sovereign state, provided us with an ity I believe has been hurt by our pub- used against Jews,” Mr. Foxman said.
Switching metaphors, “there have insurance policy,” Mr. Foxman said. lic discourse, and also by the internet, “This is our new reality.”
been a whole series of elements that “People took note of all those things, which makes communication imper- How to fix it? “The challenge for us is
managed to keep it in the sewer, and to and they were part of a firewall that basi- sonal. People don’t talk to each other as to rebuild that firewall so that the things
keep the covers on. cally kept us okay. much; they talk past each other, anony- that can be put back together can be
“But what is it that has worked for us? “But I have to remind you that the mously and in code. put back together Some things probably
“First, memory. In the early years, the ADL put out a book in 1964, called ‘Dan- “Taboos have been destroyed by can’t be.
memory of Auschwitz. The memory of ger on the Right,’ and we put out the Trumpism and by politics. It’s okay to “After 9/11, we struggled with finding a
the Holocaust. That worked. It wasn’t annual report of anti-Semitic incidents. say terrible things in public about every- balance between security and civil liber-
100 percent, but it did keep many peo- We have been telling the community for body and anybody now.” ties.” Who’s we? “Both Jews and Ameri-
ple from acting out. years that there is a virus out there, and What Mr. Foxman calls the “new cans in general; we Jews are a bit more
“Because of that memory, we devel- we have to take it seriously. Be aware of lack of civility, the lack of respect, the sensitive and more involved in these
oped a consensus of civility, a consensus it. Don’t be paralyzed by it, but know breaking down of taboos is very seri- issues. We feel it a bit more because we
that it is okay to be a bigot in your heart that it is there. Know that we have to be ous,” he said. “Part of the struggle are more concerned about security.” The
and mind, but it is not okay to act it out. vigilant and knowledgeable.” And that against extremism is the use of the Patriot Act of 2001 shows that struggle,
If you act it out in America, you will pay message didn’t come only from the ADL, bully pulpit, using it for unity, respect, he suggested. “The balance isn’t perfect,
the consequences for it. Those conse- he added; it also came from the Amer- dignity, decency. and we occasionally have to readjust.”
quences might not necessarily be legal, ican Jewish Committee, the America “That bully pulpit is gone, and if any- Now, the internet and social media
but if you are in politics you won’t go far. Jewish Congress, and many other Jewish thing it lines up on the other side. The present the next battleground in the
“And then there was the media, organizations. atmospherics coming from the other struggle between security and civil liber-
which exposed and shamed and edu- So far, so good. “So none of this side are so sad. We have to fix it with- ties. “We need to find a balance between
cated. And we developed coalitions that’s going on now should come as a out them. Anyone who acquiesces to First Amendment freedom and civility,”
with all kinds of other groups, so we great surprise,” Mr. Foxman said. “But this tone, to the lack of civility, from the Mr. Foxman said. “For many years, plat-
didn’t stand alone and they didn’t people don’t want to live with fear.” So leadership is part of the problem.” form providers would say that there is
stand alone. There were taboos. Politi- they ignored the ever-present but invis- And then there’s Israel, which used to nothing we can do about it, because of
cal correctness was not a panacea, but ible dangers. be such a shining asset. the algorithms. We know now that a lot
it was about decency and civility.” “But now, in the last few years, the “Israel has been converted from SEE BIAS PAGE 20
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Local
Frisch and
the food truck
Bergen County students fund treats
for IDF soldiers at the Gaza border
ABIGAIL KLEIN LEICHMAN of Michael Levin. This Jerusalem-based
organization provides supportive ser-
This is a feel-good story that starts in a vices to some 7,000 IDF soldiers whose
Paramus Jewish high school and ends on parents either live overseas or are absent
an Israeli army base. or dysfunctional. A soldier enjoys a hot dog from the food truck made possible by a donation
The first link in the chain of events was In March, Frisch’s assistant princi- from the Frisch School.
the Frisch School’s annual Chanukah pal, Rabbi David Goldfischer, turned
charity fundraising competition, which the collected funds over to Andi Flug donation could cover with money it had of renting a food truck to bring edible
raised a record $20,000 in pledges. Wolfer, the executive director of the U.S. left over. cheer to soldiers in the field on Yom
The student tzedakah committee, Supporters of the Lone Soldier Center. Menachem Katz, the center’s director Ha’atzmaut, Israeli Independence Day,
Kahal, had voted to give the proceeds At the beginning of April, Ms. Wolfer of operations for the Jerusalem district, May 9.
to the Lone Soldier Center in Memory learned of an immediate need that the was starting to look into the possibility Mr. Katz found a business that rents
Local
out food trucks for NIS 10,000 (about Even without the rental expense, watches, Leatherman multi-tools, and sudden we’re throwing a massive birth-
$2,777) per day. But when the business however, the center needed money to flashlights “at an insane discount.” He day party,” Mr. Hason recalled. “There
owner heard the truck was for lone sol- buy the food, gas for the truck, and per- also got discounted premium hot dogs are 200 soldiers dancing with Rina,
diers, he refused to take any money. sonal gear to distribute to troops arriv- and beverages from a supplier he knew. and I’m throwing out Leathermans and
“Money is for the pocket, but good ing at the Gaza border. At that point, Mr. Hason phoned the G-Shocks like I’m Oprah. We turn on
deeds are for the soul,” he told Mr. Katz, “When soldiers transition to a new seven residences sponsored by the Lone music, roll out AstroTurf, and set up
adding that his family had “adopted” a base they might not have all the equip- Soldier Center, asking if any of the 121 chairs. Everybody is going nuts. I cannot
female lone soldier. ment unpacked and available right soldiers in those houses wanted to come describe the amount of simcha there.”
But he also urged Mr. Katz not to wait away,” Mr. Hason said. “Also, we can give along to visit their friends. After two hours, the convoy spon-
until May. This was April 2, a week after them items that may be higher quality One house mother told him that a taneously headed to a base just 1,000
seven residents of a Tel Aviv suburb were than the army can provide.” resident of hers, Rina R., a lone female meters from Gaza. The commander
wounded by rocket fire from the Gaza With no time to waste, Mr. Hason combat soldier from Florida, had just wouldn’t let them enter, but he allowed
Strip. Soldiers stationed near the border talked to his local fundraising chair- learned that instead of having the week- them to set up outside the gate and
were on high alert, and another round of woman, who called Ms. Wolfer in New end off to celebrate her birthday, she he brought out soldiers who had just
fighting was a distinct possibility. Jersey. Ms. Wolfer arranged to transfer would have to stay on base because of returned from a mission, still in combat
The owner told Mr. Katz, “Every- the funds donated by Frisch right away. the tense situation. gear. More than 300 troops enjoyed the
body’s on the border, so go now. I want It was agreed that whatever money On April 4, Mr. Hason, proudly wear- food, music, and giveaways.
you to take a truck down to Gaza.” remained after the food-truck project ing his old Frisch soccer jersey, headed “We were there to lift spirits and that’s
Oren Hason, CEO of the Lone Soldier would go toward buying Passover food a convoy down toward Gaza. There was exactly what happened,” Mr. Hason said.
Center — and, coincidentally, a 2004 vouchers for needy lone soldiers. the food truck, driven by the son of the He sent videos and photos of the day
Frisch graduate — agreed that “giving “What started as a grassroots initia- generous renter and powered by a gen- to Frisch. “Everyone was so touched,
the soldiers something they’d really tive by a group of students in New Jersey erator the man got for them when the partly because they saw a Frisch jer-
enjoy instead of eating the same eggs, ended up supporting young men and truck’s own generator proved faulty. sey but mostly because they could see
cottage cheese, and bread” could be a women halfway around the world con- There were volunteers — including an where their money went.”
good morale booster and, of course, it fronting a tense and unpredictable situ- off-duty lone soldier — in private cars Over the years, many Frisch alumni
would not be limited to lone soldiers. ation,” Ms. Wolfer said. piled high with backpacks and T-shirts have served as lone IDF soldiers and
“When the country is about to go to war, Mr. Katz quickly made the rounds of to hand out. some now are in service, according to
soldiers are sometimes eating very basic Israeli merchants and received 65,000 “We drove down toward Gaza and Kahal’s co-chairs, Rebecca Ciment and
stuff,” he said. shekels’ worth of such items as G-Shock stopped at Rina’s base and all of a SEE FRISCH PAGE 20
Local
I
master criminal would not have done. Each
t didn’t start as the trial of the century (the mistake that they made helped the police
20th century, that is) — there were other eventually nail them and charge them.
compelling ones before it. (Stanford White “There were clearly guilty, and they both
and Evelyn Nesbit, anyone?) And it didn’t confessed.”
hold that title for very long; that was in 1924. The So what was wrong with them? “A lot of
century wasn’t even one quarter over; O.J. was the trial was about that,” Dr. Clemens said.
way in the future. “The most important part of the history of
But the question of why — why did these two the trial is that their parents decided to hire
extremely privileged, very smart (or at least in Clarence Darrow, who was a great oppo-
their own estimation) young men, Nathan Leop- nent of the death penalty.” Darrow was a
old and Richard Loeb, kidnap and murder Bobby famous lawyer and great orator; he went
Franks? They had nothing to gain except the straight from the Leopold and Loeb trial
thrill of committing what they thought would be to the Scopes trial, where he debated the
the perfect murder. question of whether it was legal to teach
What was wrong with them? evolution. That trial was memorialized for
Over the 95 or so years since the two men the public in the play “Inherit the Wind.” In
committed murder and soon were caught, tried, Chicago in 1924, he headed a team of law-
convicted, and imprisoned, their story has fasci- Nathan Leopold and Richard Loeb yers who represented both Leopold and
nated people. They’ve been the subject of nov- Loeb, who were tried together.
els, nonfiction works, movies, plays, and a great deal “Darrow decided to plead them guilty, skip a jury
of scholarship. trial, and throw them on the mercy of the court,” Dr.
On May 16, Dr. Paul Clemens, a longtime history pro- Clemens said. “The judge was fairly liberal, and the plea
fessor at Rutgers, will talk about the case at the Kaplen was to not have them executed. That in a way tricked
JCC on the Palisades in Tenafly. (See box.) the very tough prosecutor, Robert Crowe, who saw this
Part of the reason that the story was so fascinating as a hanging case. He was convinced that they would
was that in in the summer of 1924, “not much else was
happening,” Dr. Clemens said, but the appeal went far
beyond the vacuum it filled. Part of it was the horror
— how did these two guys who seemed to have every-
thing go so wrong? — and part of it was the strength of
That argument wipes
the argument against capital punishment made by their out all sense of
very famous trial lawyer, Clarence Darrow.
Leopold and Loeb grew up in Kenwood, a very Jew-
responsibility. They
ish neighborhood on Chicago’s south side. Both were shouldn’t get the
rich; Leopold was the son of German Jewish immi-
grants, and Loeb’s father had been a vice president of death penalty
Sears Roebuck. Both did very well in school and had
notched impressive lists of academic accomplishments;
because like all of us
both went to the highly prestigious University of Chi- they did what they
cago and graduated early.
And both seemed to be morally deficient.
were conditioned
“These two young men were under 21 when this to do.
starts,” Dr. Clemens said. “They are college graduates
at this point, and they plan a perfect murder that will pay the ultimate penalty. They had confessed, they did
outwit everyone. They will get a handsome ransom for it for ransom, they didn’t need the money.
a kid whom they’ve already killed. “They were not insane according to the legal defini-
“What makes it so sensational is that they have tion. They knew what they were doing was wrong, and
picked him out at random,” he continued. Bobby Franks they did it anyway.”
The plan hadn’t started that way. Leopold and Loeb Perhaps two of the most famous films based on the
had a list of characteristics their victim had to fit. Num- Dr. Clemens said. Because Bobby Franks knew Loeb, case, both fictionalized retellings of the story, were
ber one was that he had to be a boy. “Then they con- “they were able to get him in the car with them.” Alfred Hitchcock’s “Rope,” in 1948, and “Compulsion,”
templated killing one of their siblings and blackmailing After they lured him in, Leopold and Loeb killed Bobby in 1959, based on Meyer Levin’s 1956 novel. “Compul-
one of the family.” But no. Instead, “they decided to do — using a chisel, and then binding and gagging him until sion” starred Orson Welles as the Clarence Darrow-like
it at random. The victim was just in the wrong place at he suffocated. Then they defaced his body to slow down attorney. “The character makes a very famous plea in
the wrong time. He was a young man at the school that its identification, and they hid it in a railroad culvert. that movie,” Dr. Clemens said. “It is an incredible scene.
one of them had gone to. They knew each other.” Four- They sent his parents a ransom note, they cleaned the He sort of gets right what Darrow said.”
teen-year-old Bobby Franks was Loeb’s second cousin, car, and in the following days “they actually spent some It might not have been necessary to have Darrow
and they’d had tennis lessons together. But he hadn’t time supposedly ‘helping’ reporters figure out what had make that speech in real life, Dr. Clemens said. “He
been the pair’s first choice that day. happened,” Dr. Clemens said. “One of them befriended could have made a modest statement, and the judge
“The first person they tried to get into the car turned one of the reporters.” But their plan didn’t work very could easily have said that these youths are going to get
around and walked away, so they got the second one,” well. “They did not collect a ransom. At almost every life imprisonment, not death, because that is what we
10 JEWISH STANDARD MAY 10, 2019
JS-11
Local
In 1948, Israel and the Jewish people had the sympathy of the world, excepting the Arab states and a few other hard-line
anti-Semitic countries. After Israel survived its War of Independence, and certainly years later by the end of the Six Day
War, Israel had few allies left besides America. But, as Golda Meir aptly described the new model for Jews, "I prefer to
stay alive and be criticized than be sympathized."
Through the last remarkable 70 years, Israel has had the moral, economic, and diplomatic support of the United States.
Much of that support comes from America being the greatest national force for good in world history. This support is
reinforced by an American populace who believe that the survival of Israel is vital both as a symbol of our shared values
and our religious beliefs. Zionism is an American right to be practiced by Christians, Jews and others.
Americans have the extraordinary privilege to engage personally with their legislative leaders. If the sole source for
information on Israel in our country was the national media, we would likely see a much more negative light cast by our
leaders on the Jewish Homeland. Fortunately, groups like NORPAC, composed of citizen advocates, regularly meet and
speak with Members of Congress and can better inform our representatives of the facts and context of issues regarding
Israel and the importance of the U.S.-Israel relationship.
NORPAC has become the largest and most active Political Action Committee that is dedicated to improving U.S.-Israel
relations, and serves a different - albeit complementary - function than other important pro-Israel groups, such as AIPAC
(which is a public affairs committee).
Our Mission to Washington is the second largest Pro-Israel Mission to DC and the most intensive having individual
meetings with Members of Congress. Our membership is second to none among grassroots advocates in their knowledge
of the issues and their ability to accurately communicate those issues to our country's legislators.
Aside from the many legislative initiatives our Mission has been instrumental in convincing Congress to pass, there can
be no overestimation of the importance of showing up. Members of Congress take notice of those who take extra effort to
come down to make their issues heard. A personal e-mail to congress counts like 10 voters, a phone call counts like 100
voters, and an actual visit to DC counts like 10,000 voters.
At a time when some Members of Congress can express their anti-Semitism without shame or censure, our participation
in the political process is all the more vital.
At a time when many political leaders are visibly frightened to forcibly face down hatred of Jews, our going to Washington
is compelling.
Israel is currently at war, as it has been on and off for the last 70 years. We are asking you to take one day to personally
meet with Members of Congress and make the case for Israel.
Show your children, family, friends, yourself, and Hashem that you are willing to join in this effort to ensure the support of
America for the Jewish Homeland, and to remind our leaders of our rights as Americans to be proud, Zionist Americans.
Laurie Baumel, PhD, David Steinberg, Trudy Stern Allen Friedman Jeff Schreiber
Mission Chairs Mission Talking Points Chair Mission Logistics Chair
Ben Chouake, MD
NORPAC National President
Local
40 years later…
Former Israeli Supreme Court justice talks history in Englewood
Larry Yudelson
I
t’s August 15, 1992, and Elyakim
Rubinstein is in an airplane, fly-
ing back to Israel from Washing-
ton, D.C., where he met with Pres-
ident George H. W. Bush. Mr. Rubinstein
is cabinet secretary to Israeli Prime Min-
ister Yitzhak Shamir.
And he notes the date.
It is exactly 50 years since most of his
father’s family was massacred and bur-
ied in a mass grave by Nazis in Belarus.
“And here, 50 years later, I’m with the
prime minister, representing the Jew-
ish independent and proud state,” Mr.
Rubinstein said last week.
Mr. Rubinstein, an attorney, served
the Israeli government for nearly half
a century as peace negotiator, cabinet
secretary, and Supreme Court justice.
He is speaking in Englewood on Sun-
day, under the auspices of Touro Uni- Elyakim Rubinstein, left, holds open the Israel-Jordan peace treaty for Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin to sign as
versity, where he is a visiting professor. President Bill Clinton looks on during the 1994 ceremony.
(See box.) On Wednesday morning, he
will speak with juniors and seniors at the One difference between the Israeli know how to quote the Quran, they see that you have
Frisch School in Paramus. Supreme Court and its American counter- respect for their culture, for their religion, for their roots.
Mr. Rubinstein, 72, retired from the part is that Israel has a mandatory retire- It reflects on their attitude. It definitely has been helpful.”
Supreme Court two years ago. An Ortho- ment age: 70. In his Englewood talk, Mr. Rubinstein will look back at
dox Jew, he is proud of his role in bring- Another is that the 15 justices, usu- the Camp David negotiations, which culminated in the
ing traditional Jewish jurisprudence, or ally meeting in panels of three, not only accords that Prime Minister Menachem Begin and Egyp-
mishpat ivri, into the Israeli legal system. hear appeals from lower courts, but also
“Israel is a Jewish and democratic receive petitions challenging govern-
state, so the Knesset’s law is the law ment decisions. This results in Israeli
of the country,” he said. But Jewish
law can be brought in as precedent in
high court justices having “a workload
which is by far bigger. The U.S. Supreme
One shouldn’t lose
court rulings. Court takes something like seventy hope. Before Sadat
His final decision as a Supreme Court
justice concerned how much room pris-
Elyakim Rubinstein cases a year. We have something like
eleven thousand.”
came to Jerusalem
ons should allocate to each inmate. “In this particu- Because its task is to oversee the government on nobody knew he was
lar case, I wrote a lot on the attitude of Jewish law to
prisons and prisoners, going back to talmudic texts
behalf of citizens, “the court is sometimes controver-
sial. Human rights, civil rights cases come straight to the
going to come. We
and responsa in the later centuries,” he said. “It is supreme court.” were surprised to a
very relevant to our current lives. Our ancient cul-
ture and legal bookshelf should have an input into
Mr. Rubinstein’s family includes lawyers. His wife, Mir-
iam, was a senior lawyer for the deputy state attorney.
great extent.
our jurisprudence.” Their oldest daughter, who has died, was a human rights
Just last week, the deputy chief of the Israeli prison lawyer dealing with asylum seekers. He has a son-in-law tian President Anwar Sadat signed on September 17, 1978,
authority called to let him know that the regulations who is a lawyer in the government. leading to the peace treaty with Egypt that was signed the
implementing his decision had been finalized. But his own entry into law and, thereafter, government following March.
“It’s a real revolution in the prison authority,” he came about by happenstance. “The good news is that it’s been sustained for these 40
said. “It makes you, as a justice, very satisfied.” “I finished high school young and did my undergrad- years,” Mr. Rubinstein said. “After 30 years and five wars
uate degree before the army,” he said. After graduating, with Egypt and a lot of casualties and a lot of pain, we had
he still had one year left before joining the army. “I was this major strategic change,” Mr. Rubinstein said.
reading a book on the campus of Hebrew University. Two “I remember being in the airport in Israel five years
friends who had just finished the army were passing by. after Camp David. There was a minister from our gov-
But as far as the They said they were going to register for the law school. ernment who originally opposed Camp David. He said,
I said, ‘I’ll join you.’” ‘Look, although I opposed it, if we sustain it for 15 years
strategic part of His undergraduate studies, in Arabic and Hebrew it will be worthwhile.’
peace, the security linguistics and philology, proved useful when he was a
peace negotiator, first as chief of staff to Foreign Minister
“Thank God, it has been 40 years. The quality of
the peace is not what we were hoping for, in terms of
aspect, thank Moshe Dayan at Camp David. human relations, visits, cultural exchanges, and so on.
God it’s holding “In negotiations, respect — honor — is a very major pil-
lar,” he said. “When the other side knows that you know
But as far as the strategic part of peace, the security
aspect, thank God it’s holding and it’s okay. At the end
and it’s okay. their culture, know their language, know some poetry, See Rubinstein page 29
14 Jewish Standard MAY 10, 2019
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T
dig their own graves, undress … and be
he Holocaust was unprece- machine-gunned; or their bodies were
dented and unimaginable. Its tossed from gas chambers into ditches
magnitude and vileness defy and incinerated on pyres in the open air,
any comparisons. permeating our nostrils with the stench of
But when a Jew — Lori Gilbert-Kaye, burning flesh and bones.”
of blessed memory — is murdered and As a Jew who came of age in the
others are injured by yet another vio- shadow of the Holocaust, I have reg-
lent white supremacist as they attend ularly visited Holocaust sites, those
services in Poway, near San Diego, a few simultaneously desecrated and holy
days before Yom HaShoah, Holocaust places where my people were mur-
Remembrance Day, it is impossible not dered. Four months ago, my brother Zvi
to think that this is how it all started, and I and our wives — that’s Zvi’s wife,
more than 80 years ago. As the Poway Nina Kampler, and my wife, Rabbi Amy
congregation’s heroic rabbi, Yisroel Roth — visited Bialystok, Poland, where
Goldstein, said, “It was just 70 years ago many of my father’s family were born
during the Holocaust [when] we were and flourished. After arriving in War-
gunned down like this.” saw, we stopped at the Treblinka death
But we are not in Germany. This is not camp. Treblinka is a horrific place where
the 1930s. Then, nearly all governments tens of thousands visit annually, but on
were complicit. Today, nearly all govern- December 26, 2018, it was just the four
ments react responsibly. Then, civil soci- of us alone in the snow-covered vast-
ety and religious leadership stayed quiet ness, adding to the emotional power
or worse. Today, they can be counted of this horrific place where three quar-
upon to speak out. Then, Jews were not ters of a million Jews were exterminated
easily able to defend themselves. Today, between July 1942 and October 1943.
a cornerstone of Jewish identity is “never Before the Soviets liberated Treblinka,
again.” Never again will we be powerless. the Nazis tried to destroy all incrimi-
There is a Jewish State of Israel and we are nating evidence and bulldozed the gas
still living in the most hospitable place for chambers, crematoria, and camp. In its
Jews in all of diaspora Jewish history, the place today is a very meaningful memo-
United States of America. rial with 17,000 stones of different sizes.
Anti-Semitism is on the rise, not only Seven hundred of the stones bear the
in Europe but here as well. There are From left, Dr. Zvi Marans, Nina Kampler, Rabbi Amy Roth, and Rabbi Noam names of Jewish communities. One of
more hate crimes against Jews than Marans stand outside the gates of the Treblinka death camp in Poland. the larger stones has the name Bialystok,
against any other faith group. The fre- where my family once thrived. I have
quency of assaults against Jews simply observe Deuteronomy’s call — “Zakhor, League partnership that will include his visited Treblinka three times, and that
because they are Jews is now at a fright- lo tishkakh” — remember, never forget. January 2020 visit to Auschwitz with Bialystok stone, my stone, brings me to
ening level. Jews on college campuses We are living in an age when Christianity AJC on the 75th anniversary of the liber- tears again and again. We chanted the El
are feeling vulnerable. Since we met to is no longer overwhelmingly silent as it ation of that infamous Nazi death camp. Malei Rachamim, the traditional Jewish
remember the Holocaust last year on this was during the Holocaust, an age when Al-Issa will be the most senior Islamic memorial prayer for the dead, the four
sacred day, the worst attack against Jews the most visible religious leader on the leader to visit Auschwitz. He said, “The of us, alone with the souls of our people.
in American history took place at a Pitts- planet, Pope Francis, regularly describes heinous attacks in Pittsburgh, Pennsyl- About 90 minutes later we were in Bial-
burgh synagogue, leaving 11 murdered anti-Semitism as a sin. In March, when vania, in Christchurch, New Zealand, ystok, a once vibrant exemplary Jewish
Jews and an indelibly rattled American the organization I represent, the Amer- and most recently in Sri Lanka compel community that today is a Jewish ghost
Jewish community, with armed guards ican Jewish Committee, AJC, met with us all to unite and stand up against those town, like so many in Eastern Europe. At
at services and public events. the pontiff, he said, “I stress that for a who want to divide us.” its peak, Bialystok was 75 percent Jewish.
And yet we are sitting here together Christian any form of anti-Semitism is This is how a survivor, Vera Laska, Tens of thousands from Bialystok were
for the thirty-third time, at the incom- a rejection of one’s own origins, a com- described the Auschwitz the pope will murdered in Treblinka and other camps.
parable Ridgewood Interfaith Holocaust plete contradiction.” visit in her book, “Women in the Resis- Many others were murdered in mass kill-
Remembrance Service. Christians, Jews, On Saturday evening, hours after tance and the Holocaust,”: ings in and around Bialystok.
and other faith-adherents collectively the attack on Jews at prayer in Poway, “The crown of perverted imagination, My father’s aunt, three first cousins,
asserting that we have an obligation to it was a local Presbyterian Church that the feather in the cap of the master build- and an infant son of one of the cousins
hosted the first of many vigils in recent ers bound on efficient extermination, were murdered when a former employer
Rabbi Noam Marans of Teaneck has been days, a heartfelt outreach demonstrat- with an assembly line leading from freight revealed their hiding place outside Bialy-
the director of interreligious affairs at the ing that many have learned the lessons trains through gas chambers, to cremato- stok. That murdered infant had the same
American Jewish Committee since 2010; of history. Just yesterday, the secretary ria going full blast night and day, in sun Hebrew name as my father, Avraham Dov.
for 16 years before that he led the Temple general of the Muslim World League, Dr. and fog…. The fires of the crematoria They were named for the same ancestor,
Israel and Jewish Community Center Mohammad Abdulkarim Al-Issa, visited soared without letup twenty-four hours a my father’s grandfather Avraham Dov
in Ridgewood. AJC to announce an AJC-Muslim World day. At times, the chimneys cracked from SEE RIDGEWOOD PAGE 18
16 JEWISH STANDARD MAY 10, 2019
JS-17
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Local
MAXINE WEINSTEIN
mother of FLORENCE KENT SPINRAD
JODI HEIMLER and BETH WAKS grandmother of ROBERTA ABRAMS
RENEE KISSLER
FLO ABRAMS mother of GLENN & DONNA KISSLER,
grandmother of BARRY & STEPHANIE KISSLER,
ROBERTA ABRAMS SHARON & MARC GOLDSTEIN
“Her children rise up, and call her blessed; Her husband also, and he praises her…
let her works praise her in the gates.”
~ Woman of Valor
Local
H
racism. Next week’s program goes fur- with school superintendents when
ow do you stamp out anti-Semitism? ther: “This is about how teachers can there’s an episode of anti-Semitism in
It seems like an impossible task. address anti-Semitism in their class- their schools. “We help them when
One answer is this: One teacher at a room, either proactively or reactively something goes awry in their own school
time. Each teacher, after all, influences as needed,” Ms. Miller said. district. We’re here to support them con-
several classrooms. “We define and try to begin to under- tinuing their education in how to deal
With that in mind, the Jewish Federation of Northern stand anti-Semitism, as well as its con- with these situations.”
New Jersey is partnering with the Holocaust Museum and nections to other types of bias and Ms. Noveck said that anti-Semitic inci-
Center for Tolerance and Education in Suffern to present racism,” Ms. Miller said. “We look at dents in schools often involves juveniles.
an anti-anti-Semitism training program for middle school the historical context of anti-Semitism, “Our goal is not to harm them. We
and high school educators next week. (See box.) especially the events surrounding the want to help them move forward in their
“It’s important to find a way to educate the educators Holocaust and World War II, as well as Abigail Miller lives, and eradicate the hate,” she said.
who are sharing their views with the next generation,” contemporary anti-Semitism. We bring “A lot of time it’s juveniles acting out for
Ariella Noveck said. Ms. Noveck is the director of the in examples of lesson plans, resources for them to use one reason or another. Swastikas on the wall are done by
federation’s Jewish Community Relations Committee. in the classroom right now. The goal is to address what is juveniles. You don’t hear about the conclusion of the case.”
“Anti-Semitic acts are occurring all over the world,” she happening in schools right now. She said the federation is working to bring anti-preju-
continued. “It’s happening in our backyard.” “Many teachers are lacking the historical context dice programs into public school systems.
The Rockland Holocaust Museum began training to understand anti-Semitism. Many don’t understand “We would love to see a program put in the curriculum
teachers about anti-Semitism and bias a year and half ago how anti-Semitism has presented itself historically, so to teach about bias and hate,” she said.
when it hired Abigail Miller as its director of education. sometimes contemporary manifestations are able to slip
“This year, since September, we have run in excess of under the wire. They don’t understand why something What: Addressing Anti-Semitism
100 programs,” Andrea Winograd, the museum’s execu- connects to historical anti-Semitism. Accusations of dual Through Education Training
tive director, said. “Many schools come to us proactively, loyalty is one example.”
Who should attend: Middle school
because they are concerned by what they see happening About 50 people attended the March training, includ-
and high school teachers and educators
in neighboring communities or on the news and want to ing many school superintendents.
head off any any problems. We also receive many calls Ms. Miller’s presentation included a theoretical Where: Jewish Federation of Northern
New Jersey, 50 Eisenhower Drive, Paramus
from schools wanting to help address something that discussion of how bias works, as well as immediately
has occurred, like a swastika graffiti or something of that practical matters. Taught by: Abigail Miller of the Holocaust Museum
sort.” “We learned about the different kind of problems that and Center for Tolerance and Education in Suffern
The North Jersey federation’s first program with can be reported,” Ms. Noveck said. “Most of the time, if When: Wednesday, May 15, 4 to 6 p.m.
the Rockland museum for educators, held in March, you think it should be reported, it should be. We were Register: jfnnj.org/training
was a success. That program trained teachers in the encouraged to always report.”
Bias such organizations and white suprema- Frisch resonated so much that this year
FROM PAGE 7 cist groups, even though most terrorist FROM PAGE 9 the funds raised at this event will
can be done, like Facebook just removing crimes in the United States have been Hanna Karben. go toward sending another food
Alexander Jones, Louis Farrakhan, and Milo committed by white supremacists — “we “Students know many people truck to soldiers,” she said.
Yiannopoulos. This is a major challenge for have to increase our focus on right-wing who are lone soldiers, so they Mr. Hason added that the orga-
us, finding that balance. groups,” Mr. Foxman said. “Twenty-five really connected to this cause,” nization is looking into buying
“The internet is a superhighway and some years ago, we pushed legislation against said Rebecca, a senior from Engle- its own food truck. “Hopefully
people travel it anonymously, like they’re paramilitary groups. They are still out wood. “We raised more this year we’ll be able to go to more bases
wearing Klan hoods.” He cited the mur- there, and they are beginning to surface than Frisch ever has.” and when lone soldiers’ families
derer who invaded the Chabad synagogue again, as they have on the border. We Hanna, a senior from Pomona, visit, they can come with us and
in Poway and starting shooting, killing Lori have to focus on them. explained that each class decides hand out the things themselves,”
Gilbert-Kaye and injuring three others. “He “‘Never again’ was not a guarantee,” he on its own way to raise funds, he said.
breaks the old rules,” Mr. Foxman said. “His said. “It was an aspiration. We need to be and the class that garners the While the IDF was not sent into
family seems decent. He doesn’t belong to a vigilant about it. Just remembering that it most pledges wins a prize. She Gaza this time around, ongoing
hate church. His anti-Semitism comes from happened before is not enough to make it was pleased that the money went violence at the border is a tough
the internet. not happen again.” toward the Passover vouchers, situation for the troops.
“They are not killing Jews out of love of But there’s a risk on the other side of that food truck, and personal gear. “It’s easy for lone soldiers from
Jesus. It comes out of a white supremacist as well. “If we overdo our security aware- “It felt powerful to make a dif- the U.S. to lose sight of their goals
hatred that he sucked out of the internet. It ness, we may accomplish ourselves what ference and know we are helping and to forget why they enlisted
is a different kind of lone wolf. It used to be the anti-Semites want to accomplish,” Mr. people,” she said. in the IDF in the first place,” Ms.
that the hate came from the environment. Foxman said. “We need to be serious about Ms. Wolfer said that the U.S. Wolfer said. “When they receive
Now someone can sit in a room and push our safety and security, but not to the point Supporters of the Lone Soldier small expressions of gratitude
buttons and infuse himself with hatred.” where Jews are afraid to go to synagogue, or Center in Memory of Michael from students and communi-
What can we do? afraid to have our students go to day school Levin hosts a flagship event for ties back home, it’s a powerful
“Because of this administration and its or yeshiva or Talmud Torah. We can’t be Yom Ha’atzmaut in New York City. reminder that can help give them
focus” — the Trump administration has afraid to the point where we are afraid to “The concept of the food truck a much-needed push forward.
decided to go after jihadist terror groups send them, because that would give Hitler a
instead of splitting its focus between posthumous victory.”
20 JEWISH STANDARD MAY 10, 2019
JS-21*
Local
BARBARA BALKIN.
Briefly Local
Briefly Local
Courtesy Schechter
the ambiance of the life of the Bible, education and as a powerful introduc- news come to life, enabling them
gaining a greater appreciation for the tion to the next step of their Jewish and to more intensely connect to Jew-
labor of their ancestors and applying Zionistic journey. ish culture and heritage. It is these
team-oriented solutions to modern Since the program’s inception experiences that students take with
challenges. One of the day’s highlights in 2006, Schechter has sent about them to their high schools, college
was sheep and goat herding. 600 students to Israel. Through the campuses, and into adulthood.
Remembering
Lori Gilbert-Kaye
Ever since there’s been an IDF
protecting Israel, there’s been
an MDA ensuring their health.
Valley Chabad
Magen David Adom has been saving lives since 1930, some 18 years
Courtesy GRJC
Kindergarten, first- and second-graders and Save a life in Israel. Support Magen David Adom at afmda.org/yomha
their families mark Shabbat at the Glen Rock or call 866.632.2763. Saving lives. It’s in our blood.
N
JOANNE PALMER
pay for children’s religious education. million security allocation to protect synagogues and “The state literally is spending money in all kinds
“It resonated with local and state officials.” day schools, among other nonprofits. Teach California of places where you could make the argument that it
In the 2015-16 school year, New York State allocated was instrumental in advocating for that. So whether it is should go instead to public education.
about $25 per child for security funding. “That was a $150 per child in New Jersey or security guards in New “It is a disingenuous argument that the state can plug
great allocation,” Mr. Litwack said. “And then you start York or in California after the tragedy in Poway, we are the holes through this funding. When you look at the
to see the operations build and grow in a serious way. proud that we not only are advocating for Jewish edu- state budget, you look at the incentives they offer cor-
“The model needs active involvement from parents cation but providing security to our community in our porations, you see that there are a lot of other places
and the schools. You can come up with the best policy time of need. where we can make that argument.”
and the best relationships with elected officials and you “So when you see all this, it is not a surprise that the Instead, look at it this way.
can hire the best lobbyists, but at the end of the day, if governor is coming to speak to us. It is not surprising “This is what the Jewish community is capable of
you don’t have the people, you are done. You are toast.” that we are a success. We are building a movement for doing — having all the schools working together with
Also, he added, the spending is audited; the state our kids and our grandkids, and I believe that it also is the OU, with the federation, hosting an extraordinarily
makes sure that it is spent for the reasons it was allo- good for the state of New Jersey, and for New York state, progressive governor who will be talking about how we
cated. If not, once again, they would be toast. and really for any state.” can educate every child in New Jersey.
Once it proved so successful in New York, Teach And, he said, this is not limited to Jews. “We had “To me, that is a dream.”
officials started to look over the Hudson. “In 2015, we stood side by side with others, whether on the steps of In keeping with its goal of working with all Jews on
started TeachNJ to replicate the success in the New Jer- City Hall in New York or in front of our schools in New Jewish education, the Teach Coalition also works with
sey area,” Mr. Litwack said. Its director is Josh Caplan Jersey with Catholics and Muslims, calling for more Prizmah: Center for Jewish Day Schools, whose mem-
of Teaneck, and a staff works with him. safety funding for our kids. bers come from across the Jewish spectrum.
There also are Teach organizations in Pennsylvania, “That is a testament to how we operate. We don’t Twenty schools belong to TeachNJ, and it is sup-
Florida, Maryland, and California; this year, another want this funding to be going only to our kids. We want ported by two federations — the one in northern New
group opened in Ontario. Each has its own director. it to go to every kid.” Jersey and the Jewish Federation in the Heart of New Jer-
Because it already had a track record, “the first meet- What about the separation of church and state? sey, which convers Monmouth and Middlesex counties.
ing in New Jersey was very different than the first one Is it right for state funds to go to private religious “We believe that federation money can be bet-
in New York,” Mr. Litwack said. “Twenty schools signed institutions? ter leveraged to help the school system through this
up immediately, and the federation” — that’s the Jewish Yes, Mr. Litwack said. Just think about how it really effort than it can be through other methods,” Jason
Federation of Northern New Jersey — “signed up and works. “I believe that the state should invest fully in Shames, the CEO of the Jewish Federation of Northern
invested money in it as well.” our public-school kids, but our finances do not oper- New Jersey, said. “Federation has been a leader in this
From the start, parents were active. “In the last few ate like that. since Day One. We have been giving TeachNJ $50,000
years, we have seen historic increases in funding in “The state of New Jersey has hundreds of millions a year, and that is why we say ‘leverage,’ because of
New Jersey,” Mr. Litwack said. “Our organization has of dollars that it spends on tax credits for corpora- the state reimbursements for things that we believe
encouraged the community to make their voices heard tions and businesses. If we are going to have a genuine that every student in New Jersey should be eligible for
by showing up in Trenton and testifying, by showing up conversation about this, don’t tell us that the $150 per — security, textbooks, nursing, nutrition, and STEM.
in meetings with local officials in dozens of local offices, child, which at the most is about $22 million, is where “It’s based on a per-capita rebate, like a credit from
and by making thousands of phone calls. we are going to find the money to plug the holes in edu- Trenton.” There are about 6,000 day-school students
“All that activism and all that involvement is why the cation funding. in the area, he said. “So if you do that math, divide
state of New Jersey passed legislative funding to provide
$150 per child in security funding.
“We have been asking for security funding increases,
nursing funding, and technology funding. We want to
see the state of New Jersey replicate what New York has
done so successfully in the STEM program,” he added.
Mr. Litwack is thrilled that the dinner, meant to be
the first of an annual series — before this, the yearly Assemblywoman
fundraising meetings were breakfasts — will feature Valerie Vainieri
Governor Murphy. “That’s a testament to who we are Huttle (D-Dist. 37),
and what we are trying to do,” Mr. Litwack said. “It is center, watches as a
an opportunity for the community to thank him for his Ma’ayanot student
work, and to show why as Jewish day-school parents we and her teacher,
make sacrifices for Jewish education. Why we send our Reyce Krause, work
kids there. Why that is so important.” on coding.
Mr. Litwack’s feelings for TeachNJ are both theoreti-
cal and concrete; he has four children, and they’re all
in Ben Porat Yosef in Paramus.
“We also are extremely proud of the fact that as an
organization we are a leader in security funding, not
just in New Jersey but around the nation during this dif-
ficult time,” he continued. “As an example of that, last
week Governor Newsom of California announced a $115
JEWISH STANDARD MAY 10, 2019 25
JS-26
Cover Story
$50,000 by 6,000. That is pennies. Jersey was giving back about $100. It was County in New Milford. She’s been active
But if our money and our efforts at the a great divide. with TeachNJ.
state level result in an increase to the tax “And we still have the highest prop- “It’s trying to get funding for all pri-
reimbursement to the school, there is an erty taxes in the country,” he added. vate schools,” she said. She’s lobbied
exponentially greater impact.” Sixty-five schools belong to TeachNY; for it; “I went with a leader of a Muslim
What about the church/state debate? they include ASHAR in New City. school. The issue that concerns her most
“Look, we are not being disrespectful, (ASHAR is more formally known as the is security, for all kids, in all schools.
but I think that when we talk about Jew- Adolph Schreiber Hebrew Academy of She’s particularly aware of the similar-
ish continuity, which is our mission, Rockland.) ities between the security concerns of
we felt that the overriding desire to David Katznelson is ASHAR’s exec- Jewish and Muslim schools. The Muslim
help the days schools out is primary,” utive director. “TeachNY assists us in representatives said that her schools
Mr. Shames said. “We think that in Ber- identifying and applying for different also are constantly under threat,” she
gen County, about 40 percent of the grants that are available,” he said. “In a reported. “With the help of TeachNJ, we
kids in K through 12 go to Jewish days nutshell, that’s what they do for us. The were able to get money for security.”
schools. It’s one of the highest rates in landscape is full of grants and opportu- She felt the need to advocate because
the country. nities. They help us identify which ones “I was tired of standing on the side and
“Public schools have been receiv- are appropriate for us. just constantly having more and more
ing this from the state forever. Jewish “For the whole group, they advocate fees tacked onto our tuition for security.
families already are paying exorbitant on behalf of institutions like ours, so Maury Litwack And when this organization started, I
funding to schools, so it seems reason- that we can recognize and obtain our had the opportunity to get involved.
able that some of it should come back fair share of government opportunities in how the government works, and how “They paired me up with Eliana Pin-
to them. and programs.” they as citizens can lobby its officials. tor Marin,” a Democratic member of
“If you do the homework, you see Like other schools, Ashar can use the “We have taken our kids on trips to the state’s General Assembly who rep-
that compared to Pennsylvania and help. “As a small institution, we wouldn’t Albany, which is an education in itself,” resents New Jersey’s 29th District, cen-
New York, we get pennies on the dol- know half of what’s out there,” Mr. he said. “We’ve sat in House sessions tered around Newark. “She’s on the bud-
lar in terms of what private-school kids Katznelson said. and met with lawmakers.” get committee, and I usually meet her in
get from Albany and Harrisburg. When Although TeachNY’s main purpose Sarit Perry of Englewood has an Trenton.”
we first started this project, New York is to help with funding, it also provides 11-year-old and a 9-year-old at the Sol- One of the things Ms. Perry has
was giving back $900 per kid, and New the school’s students with an education omon Schechter Day School of Bergen learned through her advocacy work is
2 37 213
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Israeli soldiers walk near an Iron Dome anti-missile battery in Sderot, on August 9, 2018.
SENIOR
YONATAN SINDEL/FLASH90
NIGHTS!
* Israelis: Is Iron Dome getting worse?
SAM SOKOL The number of Israeli civilians killed in the two-day
conflict was only one fewer than during 2014’s Opera-
n d Wednesdays 3 PM
n days a - 10 P
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TEL AVIV — After last weekend’s fighting between tion Protective Edge, a struggle of nearly two months,
M o Hamas and the Israeli army, some Israelis have when Palestinian factions lobbed more than 4,500
raised questions about the strength of their coun- projectiles at Israeli cities.
try’s missile defenses. At the time, the Israel Defense Forces said that its
Over the course of the weekend, Hamas and Islamic Iron Dome batteries had managed to knock down 90
Jihad launched nearly 700 rockets at Israel from percent of the rockets within their coverage zones —
Gaza, killing four people and injuring more than 200. a rate of success disputed by some critics. The IDF
According to Haaretz, of the 690 rockets launched claimed a similar level of success this time, too, telling
from Gaza, Israel’s Iron Dome missile defense system reporters that it had achieved an 86 percent kill rate
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The number of unintercepted rockets and Israeli Speaking with the Jerusalem Post, however, Maj.
fatalities sparked inquiry about the effectiveness of Gen. Yaakov Amidror, a former national security
Iron Dome, and whether Hamas and Islamic Jihad adviser and retired head of the Military Intelligence’s
have found a way to thwart the system. Research Department, said that Iron Dome had gaps
Hamas was quick to declare that it had achieved vic- in its coverage, especially when it came to short-range
tory, overwhelming Israeli defenses with concentrated rockets landing within a few kilometers of the border.
barrages of projectiles. “We don’t have enough time to intercept it,” he said.
Home of the Handmade Milkshake “The Qassam Brigades, thanks to God, succeeded Amidor also said that Iron Dome wouldn’t have
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don’t intercept such rockets.”
A former deputy military intelligence chief, Brig.
*Age 55 and up. Not valid with any other offer discounts or coupons. Dine-in only, for a duced by the Qassam [Brigades] … succeeded in caus- Gen. Meir Elran, said that while “Iron Dome has
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ing great losses and destruction to the enemy.” SEE IRON DOME PAGE 30
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Iron Dome cover. Even with a high level of inter-
FROM PAGE 28 ceptions, with enough metal flying,
proven to be an effective means of sav- some are bound to get through, Gross
ing lives, which also improves the flexi- said, adding that it was unclear exactly
bility of decision makers in Israel,” it is how the IDF had calculated its claimed
clear that the system as now constituted 86 percent interception rate.
cannot provide Israel with sufficient Uzi Rubin, one of the pioneers of
protection if there is a wider conflict. Israel’s earliest attempts at missile
In an article published by the Insti- defense, said that based on the pub-
AY C A
D @ its bM P tute for National Security Studies in Tel
Aviv several weeks before the outbreak
licly available data, it appears that the
Palestinians “tried to tax the system as
est
of hostilities, Elran warned that “the much as they could, but the system as
number of available batteries (some a whole held well.”
operated by reservists) cannot suffice “Eighty-six percent is not much less
as a response to the threat, even one than the 90 percent during [Operation
characterized by sporadic fire against Protective Edge], and remember this
the Israeli depth. In a full-scale con- time most of the fire was concentrated
REGISTER TODAY AT flict the [Iron Dome] system would be on the area around Gaza, which is short
required to cover primarily military range and harder to defend,” he said.
JCCOTP.ORG/NKDC or 201.567.8963 installations and vital national infra- Israel doesn’t rely on just the Iron
FULL DAY: 9 AM-4 PM I AGES 3-7 YEARS structures,” which would mean that Dome to keep its citizens safe. Phone
LUNCH, SWIM & TOWEL SERVICE INCLUDED there would be gaps in the system’s apps warn of incoming missiles, and
coverage of residential areas. bomb shelters and safe rooms are ubiq-
TRANSPORTATION, EXTENDED CARE &
HEBREW IMMERSION OPTIONS AVAILABLE “During a broad and protracted uitous, if not always well-maintained.
conflict,” Elran wrote, there is a In his article, Elran suggests that “exist-
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“danger of multiple, simultaneous ing plans for improving public and pri-
Membership for only $250 for new families, $750 for returning, and events that stretch the capacity of vate shelters should be implemented in
enjoy all the JCC has to offer your whole family from Memorial Day-Labor Day! response systems.” other parts of Israel.”
The IDF has been beefing up its sys- Elran also urged the Home Front
tems. The army has reportedly been Command and municipal leaders to get
KAPLEN JCC on the Palisades TAUB CAMPUS | 411 E CLINTON AVE, TENAFLY, NJ 07670
working on improvements to Iron on the same page when it comes to clos-
Dome intended to deal with just the ing schools and opening public shelters,
kinds of barrages used over the week- “issues that continue to be disputed.”
end, as well as against the kinds of Residents of southern Israel had dif-
Annual Gala
Despite this weekend’s death toll, he said. “Iron Dome is a bandage
Iron Dome acquitted itself well, Times of to keep the people feeling safe and
Israel military correspondent Judah Ari protected. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a
Gross said. The higher than usual level great system, but its capabilities are
of civilian casualties can be attributed highly overestimated.”
Sunday, June 2, 2019 to a combination of bad luck, the inten-
sity of the barrages, and Hamas’ use of
On the other hand, Adele Raemer,
who lives in of Kibbutz Nirim on the
New York City heavier rockets with larger payloads. Gaza border, said she did feel safer
Such projectiles can intensify the dam- than in previous escalations. “We’ve
HONORING age when they do get through. only had Iron Dome for about a year,”
HIS EXCELLENCY “In one barrage, they fired 117 rockets she said. “As a resident, I do feel more
Ron Dermer toward Ashdod. One got through. Is that
overwhelming the system?” he asked.
protected now that we have it.”
Asked for comment, the IDF said that
AMBASSADOR OF ISRAEL
“You can say, yes, it is — especially as it was unable to provide information
TO THE UNITED STATES
that one killed an Israeli civilian — or no, on Iron Dome’s performance or how it
AND THE COURAGE OF
that’s a 99.1 percent success rate.” calculates interception rates because it
UCLA PROFESSOR The missile that did get through was short-staffed due to Tuesday eve-
in Ashdod killed Pinchas Menachem ning’s Yom Hazikaron, or Memorial
Judea Pearl Prezuazman, a 21-year old American Day, commemorations.
citizen who was hit while running for JEWISH TELEGRAPHIC AGENCY
cameragala.eventbrite.com
camera.org
www.thejewishstandard.com
30 JEWISH STANDARD MAY 10, 2019
Jewish World
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involved in a patient’s care could use as a precedent that would curtail any
their own beliefs to dictate services.” government attempt to ban religious
PS
O V A T
IN@N its bes I O N exaggerated. For one thing, he said,
the rules are based on federal laws
passed in the 1970s that already exist
eral dollars from going to religious
causes kept the Federal Emergency
Management Agency from deliver-
t
in many states. For another, they do ing aid to synagogues, churches and
not apply to emergency procedures, other religious institutions. “We advo-
allowing patients the time to find pro- cated to the Obama administration to
viders who would be willing to carry reverse FEMA’s policy against syna-
out the procedure. gogues and other houses of worship
MIX-AND-MATCH SPECIALITY CAMPS FOR A FULL SUMMER “If you’re a patient, you don’t want to rebuild after natural disasters,” Dia-
EXPERIENCE OR PICK JUST THE WEEKS THAT WORK FOR YOU. a doctor or nurse who has qualms mant said. “The Obama administra-
about how they’re treating you,” Dia- tion refused to reverse it. The Trump
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ment said. administration saw that as hostile and
GRADES 3+ I FULL DAY: 9 AM-4 PM Orthodox Jews do not oppose abor- discriminatory; they reversed it.”
LUNCH, SWIM & TOWEL SERVICE INCLUDED tions to the same degree as conserva- Saperstein said funding religious
TRANSPORTATION AND EXTENDED CARE OPTIONS AVAILABLE tive Christians do. Nonetheless, the expression was a slippery slope.
Orthodox favor the conscience rules “The last thing we need in America
SCIENCE I FINE ARTS I BIG IDEA HI-TECH I
because of the principle that religious are sectarian entities competing with
SPORTS I DANCE I DRAMA & MORE
observance should not be forced to each other for government money or
defer to professional practice. religious symbols placed in public set-
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Membership for only $250 for new families, $750 for returning, and
Cohen said that as end-of-life pro- tings or religious prayers in public set-
enjoy all the JCC has to offer your whole family from Memorial Day-Labor Day! cedures become more intricate and tings,” Saperstein said. “We’ve been
complex, the Orthodox are still work- spared the bitter sectarian divisive-
KAPLEN JCC on the Palisades TAUB CAMPUS | 411 E CLINTON AVE, TENAFLY, NJ 07670
ing through which religious princi- ness that has plagued so many other
ples apply and which do not — and countries.” JEWISH TELEGRAPHIC AGENCY
32 JEWISH STANDARD MAY 10, 2019
Jewish World
State Department
appeals decision
granting citizenship
to child of Jewish
same-sex couple
MARCY OSTER
T
here is a great deal of cruelty in the world.
I write this on an exuberant midspring
who worked for the Democratic National Commit-
tee; he was from Nebraska, came from a loving
firing, but refuses to
day. The flowering trees are at peak pink- family, was young, smart, and enthusiastic, and fire a hater of its own
O
and-white beauty, there are still occasional was discovered dead on the street near his Wash-
splashes of holdout bright yellow forsythias, the ington, D.C., home in the summer of 2016. He n 29 May 2018, Roseanne Barr, the single big-
tulips are a Pantone display, and the trees bloom was killed in the middle of the night. His murder gest television star in America, sent an offen-
with tender baby almost florescent green little wasn’t ever solved, but the police said that they sive tweet.
leaves. Very soon it will turn overwhelmingly green, thought it was likely to have been a mugging done Even as she explained that she was impaired
and the light will gild it to some wild only-in-nature terribly wrong. by Ambien, that her intent was to oppose the Iran deal
color. So yes, there is much beauty in the world. Some right-wing political influencers, though — rather than cause Valerie Jarrett personal offense, and to
But also there is cruelty. Red-in-tooth-and-claw chief among them Alex Jones, Sean Hannity, Rush protect Israel, many considered the tweet highly racist.
stuff, yes, of course, but also gratuitous, human- Limbaugh, and Newt Gingrich — thought other- Roseanne paid for the tweet with her job. All who know
made, jaw-dropping, purposeful cruelty. wise. They went after Mr. Rich as the person most Roseanne know she is no racist, which is not an excuse for
Try to imagine, if you have the stomach for it, likely to have given the Democratic Party’s hacked the tweet but rather a statement that it was out of character.
that your child has died. emails to Wikileaks. The timing made it possible; Days later Roseanne apolo-
I can assure you that unless you have experi- everything else that everyone knew about Seth gized, cried bitterly over her
enced that nightmare, you cannot imagine the feel- made it impossible. error, expressed contrition and
ing. You cannot imagine the depth and blackness The accusations gutted his parents, who had to remorse, and begged for for-
and soul-deadening silence of that feeling, and if deal not only with their son’s murder but also with giveness. She did all of those
you think you can, you’re wrong, and you’re lucky. the accusations aimed at him; he was dead and things together with me on a
Let’s just say, for argument’s sake, that somehow couldn’t defend himself, and they were alive but one-hour podcast we recorded
you can imagine it. barely, hobbled with grief. that was listened to by hun-
Then imagine that someone tells you that your In a little corner of the Mueller report, though, dreds of thousands of people.
child is not really dead; in fact, you never really had we can read this: Still, she was fired.
that child in the first place. It’s all made up. Or imag- “WikiLeaks and Assange made several public state- Rabbi Worse, the beloved show
ine that someone says that yes, your child is dead, ments apparently designed to obscure the source of Shmuley she’d built for decades went on
but he had been a sneak, a spy, and a liar, killed by the materials that WikiLeaks was releasing.” Assange Boteach without her, the character she’d
the creeps he’d entangled his no-good self with. went after Rich, because his dead body was there; he created and played crudely
And then imagine those stories magnified and “implied falsely that he had been the source of the killed off in a drug overdose.
amplified by social media and the conspiracy theo- stolen DNC emails,” Mueller wrote. On the very day of Roseanne’s firing, the New York Times’
rists who lurk and howl there. He wasn’t. chief television critic penned an op-ed gloating in ABC’s
Sounds ridiculous, right? It was important to Assange that it not seem as decision to fire its single biggest star. In it, he wrote this:
But it seems to be a new thing. if Wikileaks knew anything about the source of “The battle against bigotry is not just about bigots. It’s
Think of Alex Jones of Info Wars, who has made the material that it obtained and dumped online. about those who reap the benefits of ignoring bigots, and
a fortune selling nutritional supplements and con- That’s bad — but that’s Assange. But to do that to still think they should be able to call themselves good peo-
spiracy theories. He told his followers that the kin- the parents of a dead son is the kind of casual cru- ple. When an institution like ABC takes a stand — in prime
dergarteners slaughtered at Sandy Hook were not elty that seems endemic in public life these days. time, where people notice it — that matters.”
dead. Had never lived. Had not been born. Had It’s small scale; one family, one dead kid, one set of Eleven months later, the tables have turned. Now, it’s the
not been shot and killed. And some of his crazier bereaved parents, siblings, aunts and uncles, and Times that’s been scandalized. But the outcome could not
followers not only believed him but felt it neces- close friends. So what, right? be more different.
sary to act on that knowledge. So parents of some But each one of us is the whole world. Each one Last week the New York Times’ international edition ran
of those little dead kids were stalked and harassed of us counts. We each matter. Cruelty matters. Not a cartoon that was so blatantly anti-Semitic I literally had to
by people demanding birth certificates and death exploiting people in grief matters. wipe my eyes to believe it.
certificates, calling them names, spitting at them, I am extremely grateful to Robert Mueller for
threatening violence. proving that Seth Rich was not guilty. That does
Or turn your attention to the Mueller report. not bring him back to life, but at least it allows his The opinions expressed in this section are those of the authors,
One of the least savory stories in the compilation parents to grieve him properly, and maybe, some not necessarily those of the newspaper’s editors, publishers, or
of jaw-dropping stories is the one about Seth Rich. springtime, maybe not this springtime, at least look other staffers. We welcome letters to the editor. Send them to
Remember him? He was a young Jewish staffer outside and see the light. —JP jstandardletters@gmail.com.
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thejewishstandard.com Israeli Representative
F
have a nametag hanging from their col- So that was the apology. We, the Times,
lar, this one had a Star of David clasped are incompetent. We have no proper over- or years, friends have been Holocaust — should be supported,
to its neck. His face was featured with the sight of editors making earth-shattering trying to convince me to especially in an era of increased
two essential elements of any anti-Semitic decisions. We’re the most famous news- stop reading the New York polarization, where facts give way to
depictions of Jew: a bent nose and black, paper in the world, but we’re a mess. Times. polemics. While anti-Semitism is on
vacuous eyes. But a tremendous statement of Usually they are outraged by its the rise, the Times committed itself
Just in case one might believe this to accountability! unfair treatment of Israel. Some- to “stand in opposition.” Admitting
be an attack on Israel — and not Jews as a Till today, the Times, which advocates times they are reacting to the overly its silence through the 1930s and
whole — Trump was depicted with a tradi- transparency and seeks to expose any- sympathetic treatment of Israel’s 40s, The Times wrote that “that fail-
tional Jewish skullcap on his head, a reli- one guilty of bigotry, refuses to identify adversaries. ure still haunts this newspaper.” A
gious item that has everything to do with the employee. The editor who chose to These past couple weeks we talked self-reflective and self-critical ethos
the faith we call Judaism and nothing to do broadcast this case of textbook anti-Sem- about anti-Semitism. The Times is a laudable editorial culture.
with the country we call Israel. itism has not been named. And that per- talked about its own anti-Semitism. It I do not deny that the Times is
The idea behind the cartoon was the son has not apologized. That editor has printed a rebuke, issued statements imperfect. I find myself quite frus-
most hateful feature of all. Trump, the car- not expressed remorse and contrition. The of apology, and then ran trated with a particular
toonist would have you believe, does not person has not, unlike Roseanne, begged a lead editorial about the bent of a story on cer-
support Israel for the many clear strate- for forgiveness. poor decision to include tain days. Sometimes
gic, economic, or idealistic reasons Amer- And still, that person has not been fired. a cartoon that appeared I defend my friends’
ica has for doing so. To the anti-Semite, if Quite unlike the case of Roseanne Barr, in its international edi- criticisms of any given
somebody doesn’t hate Jews, it’s because however, here there is no logical expla- tion showing the presi- article on any given
the Jews control them. The Jews, after all, nation as to why this person would not dent of the United States day, and other times I
are behind everything. be fired. as blind and being led by let it go.
This wasn’t needle-eye bigotry, the kind If the editor didn’t know how offensive Benjamin Netanyahu, But I am keeping my
that has to be inferred or explained. This the cartoon was, he or she probably lacks who was personified as subscription.
was clear-cut and easily identifiable, the the historical and political acumen to be a Jewish dog. The pres- Rabbi Dr. I have spent more
kind of hatred that leaps off the page and picking cartoons for the New York Times. ident is wearing a kip- David J Fine time in my life reading
latches to your face. If they do know how offensive the car- pah, indicating that he the New York Times
Elsewhere I have written that the car- toon was, then he or she is an anti-Semite. has fallen under the than any other work of
toon should have been published not in Either way, the Times would be wise to let spell of the sinister-looking hound. literature, with the possible excep-
the New, but the Old York Times. Because them go. While some, including the cartoon’s tion of the Pentateuch. While I in no
old York in England was the site of one But there’s a more important point. To author, have argued that there was way intend to attribute any element
of the grisliest mass murders of Jews make it, I’ll borrow some words. no anti-Semitic intent to the draw- of sanctity to the paper of record, I
in all of medieval times. Anti-Semitism “The battle against bigotry is not just ing, the Times conceded that the car- do start my day with it religiously. As
was spreading like wildfire throughout about bigots. It’s about those who reap the toon was “appalling” and “obviously I feel when I read the Torah, I rarely
Europe in the 12th century, heated in benefits of ignoring bigots, and still think bigoted.” The Times’ editorial was am surprised by what I read in my
large part by the vile rhetoric of the Cru- they should be able to call themselves criticized in turn for specifically call- morning paper. I already know what
sades. Then, on March 16, 1190, the entire good people.” ing out President Trump for “prac- happened. I read an article online if
Jewish community of York was massacred The Times needs to take a stand and fire tice[ing] a politics of intolerance it is timely or grabbing, knowing that
— wiped out in full — in a tower where this editor — in Prime-Time, when people for diversity” although it did note it will appear on my driveway the fol-
they had attempted to escape. William of notice it. that the president did “condemn” lowing morning. And yet when I see
Newburgh depicted the annihilation and That — and only that — will matter. the cartoon the Times published. an article in print on the following
those who carried it out as indulging in Or, the Times can change its editorial While the Times’ editorial did say day, I find myself sometimes think-
slaughter “without any scruple of Chris- outlook and its views on people who make that “both right-wing and left-wing ing about things differently.
tian conscientiousness.” I lived in the U.K. mistakes. I said from the outset that ABC politicians have traded in incendi- My children do not understand
for eleven years. The slaughter of York’s should not fire Roseanne but rather allow ary tropes, like the idea that the Jews why I continue to insist on reading
Jews is remembered till today. her to repent. I do not believe in “one secretly control the financial system articles from an actual printed paper
It was hoped that New York — a new city strike and you’re out.” The Times should or politicians,” they failed specifi- when everything is on my phone.
in the new world, though named after the name the editor in question, have them cally to mention examples of left- But for those of us who begin our
old one — would be a city of refuge for the apologize sincerely for the error, declare wing voices such as the controversial day with the ritual walk down the
Jews. New York City would go on to have that the newspaper is doing a deep and statements of Congresswoman Ilhan driveway to pick up the paper, is
the largest Jewish population of any city wide-ranging review of systemic preju- Omar (D-Minn.). Special mention there any need for a rational expla-
in the history of the world. But the city’s dice against Jewish interest and Israel, was reserved for the president. nation? Just as in synagogue we roll
leading publication, and the newspaper ever since they buried reporting about the But I am keeping my subscription scrolls of parchment to the parashah
of record, seems to have decided that it’s Holocaust 75 years ago, and seek the com- to the New York Times. of the week, we seem to hold on to
time to claw back to the spirit of old York. munity’s forgiveness. A paper of record that can admit antiquated technology for such ritu-
Amidst sweeping condemnation, the And if they repent and change — but to poor decisions — both its mistakes als of reading.
Times at first did not apologize. They did really change — we should be prepared to today and its silence during the SEE FINE PAGE 37
acknowledge that the cartoon “included forgive.
anti-Semitic tropes” — but, still, they Dr. David J. Fine is the rabbi of Temple Israel and Jewish Community Center in
wrote even that off as nothing more than Rabbi Shmuley Boteach is the author of Ridgewood and president of the New Jersey Rabbinical Assembly. He holds a
an “error of judgment.” “Judaism for Everyone.” Follow him on doctorate in modern European history and is an adjunct professor of Jewish
As the international opprobrium Twitter @RabbiShmuley. law at the Abraham Geiger and Zacharias Frankel colleges at the University of
Potsdam in Germany.
JEWISH STANDARD MAY 10, 2019 35
Opinion
Letters
to someone my age who is dealing with As time goes on, a police officer’s daily majority of Israelis, was not pleased with
similar issues. Because of the stigma, no work and career become more difficult the arrangement. Not only did it dictate
OCD is a bully; fighting one is willing to talk about these issues; and complicated. We need to look no fur- an end to Israeli retaliatory air strikes
stigma is fighting back they keep them deep inside. ther than the daily news to read, hear and against the leaders of Hamas, but addi-
Thank you for your article “Fighting It is horrible to have a mental illness, see that. Please take a moment to reflect tional fuel was supplied to the terrorists
Stigma” on May 2. I am a middle-schooler but even worse fighting alone, due to on the past, present and future sacrifices in Gaza, as well as a grant for an exten-
and I have Obsessive Compulsive Disor- feeling embarrassed and ashamed. of these men and women. sion of boundaries for fishing.
der (OCD). The stigma that is described Therefore, until we can eliminate Next Wednesday, or on any day, when After over 700 rockets being fired
in the article affects me, which is why I stigma, I am asking our community to you see a police officer, please take a into Israel, resulting in four deaths
am uncomfortable signing my name to develop a way for me to meet other kids minute to say “thank you” and let them and the wounding of dozens of Israelis
this letter. I have to keep this letter anon- with similar issues so we can share our know that you value their service and and the destruction of buildings, there
ymous because I am embarrassed and strategies for fighting our anxiety disor- commitment as they protect and safe- should have been more than a gen-
scared of what the public will think. ders and not feel alone. guard our rights and property each and tle slap on the wrist for this criminal
My doctors always describe OCD as a Anonymous every day. Both you and they will be action. The Israeli public is right to be
bully. OCD bullies my brain by intruding happy that you did. dismayed at the weak response of Israel
with fears. It then asks for my “lunch Say ‘Thank you’ Yitz Stern, Teaneck to the murderous attacks of Hamas and
money,” strange things I feel like I have to police officers Islamic Jihad.
to do, called compulsions. When some- On Wednesday, May 15, flags across the Weak response The obvious question is would an
one is getting bullied, the victim appreci- United States will be flown at half-staff from Israel alternative Gantz Blue and White gov-
ates allies to help them fight the bully so in recognition of Peace Officers Memo- While I am not knowledgeable about ernment have acted differently? I would
they do not have to give the bully their rial Day and in memory of all those law the tactics and the strategy that led have hoped so as indicated by recent
“lunch money.” I am lucky to have many enforcement officers who have lost their to this most recent truce between the statements from Gantz.
allies: my parents, psychologist, and lives in the line of duty for the safety and rocket-firing Hamas and the Israeli gov- Nelson Marans, Manhattan
doctor. But I am always aching to talk protection of others. ernment, I, along with apparently the SEE LETTERS PAGE 38
JEWISH STANDARD MAY 10, 2019 37
Opinion
W
hen the Jewish Council of Public that I’m getting older, and I’m trying to squeeze in as for him and he had nothing to fear is what kept him
Affairs, the national hub of the com- much as possible. But I do know that I felt compelled moving forward.
munity relations network, represent- to make this journey, and in doing so, to see if there is I left with a renewed wonder in the power of Dr. King
ing 125 local Jewish Com- a possibility of doing good in the world as to convince others that non-violence was the way to vic-
munity Relations Councils and 17 national we move the JCPA agenda forward. tory and that calling attention to the civil rights move-
Jewish agencies, announced that it was Age does not matter if you want to do ment on a national level was what was needed to push
putting together a civil rights mission just a mitzvah. the federal government into action.
after Passover, I read the flyer and itiner- The mission started in Atlanta, at the Now that I am back in New Jersey, I wonder what can
ary and immediately jumped up and said National Human and Civil Rights Museum. I do to make things better in today’s society for civil
“YES!” The group took a walk on Auburn Avenue rights. I think that the current relationship that Jews
The purpose of the mission was to re-en- and visited the King Center neighborhood have with the African American community is different
gage the Jewish community in the mod- and tomb. Then it was on to Montgomery from that relationship in the 1960s. We cannot simply
ern-day civil rights movement, focusing and the Rosa Parks Museum, followed rely on the past. Is it OK to say that I am proud of my
on criminal justice reform. Simone by the National Museum for Peace and son, Dov Wilker, who is the executive director of the
As a child growing up in Savannah, Wilker Justice, sometimes called the Lynching American Jewish Committee in Atlanta and its black/
Georgia, in the 1950s and 1960s I lived Museum, which is backed by the Equal Jewish coalition? And I also know that there are organi-
firsthand with the two-tiered system sepa- Justice Initiative. This was the day of the zations and synagogues in our area that are working on
rating whites from African Americans — separate water museum’s first anniversary. Inspired partly by the Holo- civil rights programs, too.
fountains for white people and “colored” people, sepa- caust Memorial in Berlin, the museum is dedicated to The success of the civil rights movement in the 1960s
rate waiting rooms in doctor’s’ offices for white patients the victims of white supremacy; 800 weathered steel demonstrates the power of words, faith in God, and
and “colored” patients. The schools were segregated, columns hang from the roof. The day ended in Selma determination of man. There are so many themes on
and so were the beach and the theaters and any other where we heard from Sam Walker, who was a “foot this mission that reminded me of the Jews and the
gathering places. And let’s not forget the buses, where soldier” under Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and the Holocaust. I’m thinking. I’m thinking about why Jews
only the white people could sit up front. That was busi- other leaders of the civil rights movement. As a school must care and act. I’m thinking of what to do next. After
ness as usual. child he was beaten and arrested as he participated in this mission, criminal justice reform is on my personal
Everyone in my family owned a store — clothing, fur- demonstrations after school. agenda. Now I feel that we, as Jews, can and should
niture, groceries, you name it — and they all served the Then we marched as a group across the Edmund move to enhance our present relationship with the Afri-
African American community, mostly on the west side Pettus Bridge to remember Bloody Sunday, which took can American community and discuss their needs with
of town, almost exclusively. The customers called my place on March 7, 1965, when armed police attacked them as we attempt to move issues that impact all of
dad, “Mr. Sidney.” Even my little 4 foot 6 inch grand- and brutally beat civil rights movement demonstra- us, such as criminal justice reform, forward together….
mother had a dress store, and this was way before tors with horses, billy clubs, and tear gas as they were
women’s lib. I had no idea that people didn’t work six attempting to march to the state capital, Montgomery. Simone Wilker of Washington Township, who recently
days a week. So, against this backdrop, why would I Our trip concluded at the new Birmingham Civil retired as the owner of AlphaGraphics, has served as
want to go on this mission, when I supposedly believed Rights Institute in Birmingham. And in Freedom Park, a board member of Temple Emanuel of the Pascack
that I had seen it all and lived through the changes that across from the 16th Street Baptist Church, we met with Valley; she and her late husband Bernie chaired the
took place in the South? the singing Reverend Calvin Wallace Woods, Sr., who synagogue’s move from Westwood to Woodcliff Lake.
I simply felt as though it were my moral obligation had been on the marches with Dr. Martin Luther King, She now splits her time between Atlanta and New Jersey.
to see where the historic changes and advances in the Jr., and had been beaten along the way. His faith in God, She’s been involved in many Jewish organizations, such
civil rights movement had taken place. It could just be and his unassailable belief that God was watching out as Hadassah, JCRC, JNF, and AIPAC.
Letters Mueller urged Barr to release the Fine wrestle with it. Did the original author
FROM PAGE 37 unredacted materials to Congress. FROM PAGE 35 mean something else? Or did the edi-
Impeach Barr Barr referred to Mueller’s letter as Every morning I brush my teeth. tor repair an even more troubling
After watching Attorney General “snitty.” He also said, “it was prob- Every morning I recite my morning viewpoint? Some mornings I resign
William Barr testifying before Con- ably written by one of his staff prayers with tallit and tefillin. And myself as I acknowledge that at least
gress, I found it disgraceful and members.” every morning I retrieve my New York on this or that question, which may be
shameful that the Attorney General Is this the way for an attorney gen- Times. I understand that the literary of great importance to me, my news-
of the United States would speak dis- eral to speak? How disgusting!! body that makes up the Times is writ- paper just does not speak for me. At
honestly with misleading answers. The Congress has the right to see ten over a varied period and is contrib- other times I am in awe of the ambi-
How shameful to listen to the an unredacted copy of Robert Muel- uted by different authors, reaching its tious vision and epic accomplishment
head of the United States Depart- ler’s two-volume report. codified form only after multiple lay- of the work.
ment of Justice and chief lawyer of The attorney general’s role is that ers of editing. Sometimes I look at the The way we read The Times is at
the United States Government, in of the guardian of the public interest small print that reveals the multiple least in some ways comparable to
his four-page summary of Robert and Barr has shown his misplaced voices. When some reporting is done the way we read the Torah. The com-
Mueller’s report, omit information loyalty to a lawless, lying president. from one location and another from parison I am proposing is not one
and only furnish fragments from He is not Trump’s personal attor- somewhere else I sometimes will break of quality, and certainly not one of
the report. ney. He is the attorney general of the down the original components in my genre. My point of comparison is the
Mueller’s report laid out ten American people. mind, imagining what was contributed self-reflective experience of reading.
instances in which Trump possibly William B. Barr, in trying to exon- from Jerusalem and what from Wash- In both cases, we read looking to rec-
obstructed justice. The letter that erate Trump, has shown he is not fit ington. More often I am content with ognize our own voices within the text.
Mueller wrote to Barr stated that his for this job and should be disbarred the resultant composite text, accepting When we discover our voice, we feel
summary “did not fully capture the or impeached. the work of the editors. self-validated. When we encounter
context, nature, and substance of Grace Jacobs, Cliffside Park Sometimes I am bothered or dissonance, we are uncomfortable
this Office’s work and conclusions.” angered by the text. Sometimes I and pained. That’s a worthy process.
38 JEWISH STANDARD MAY 10, 2019
Opinion
E
xtraordinary. It’s not a word that we see a lot the O is broken into different categories — the O-1A, frustratingly terse.
of these days. And yet anyone who works in which recognizes extraordinary ability in the sci- What does this mean for the future of fashion? In
fashion encounters the extraordinary daily. ences, business, athletics, and academics, and the the short term, it means delays in the issuance of visas
That’s because the industry’s O-1B, reserved for the arts. Both require as attorneys scramble to adjust to trends in review by
ranks are filled with singularly talented a foreign worker to submit evidence that USCIS. Long term, it could lead to widespread disen-
creative professionals who come from satisfies three categories from a specific franchisement, with creative talents deciding that the
around the globe to work in a variety of list (eight for the O-1A, six for the O-1B). bar to entry to the United States is too high, and so
jobs. All of them face the same challenge: While the O-1B criteria are intended skipping New York and Los Angeles in favor of cities
Immigration. And in most cases, their way to be representative of the kind of evi- like Paris or Shanghai.
in is through the O visa, which is reserved dence indicative of meaningful achieve- All is not lost, though. As the tides change politically,
for foreign workers with demonstrably ments in creative professions, such as a we undoubtedly will see new approaches and ideas for
“extraordinary ability.” While the path to history of starring roles in distinguished immigration, particularly as it applies to extraordinary
establishing this ability always has been productions or magazine articles that people. Immigration attorneys also are adapting, and
something of a challenge, we are seeing Michael have run in major publications about we increasingly are using the same kind of creative
trends in immigration that have made Wildes the applicant, there is still a burden to skills displayed by our clients to present compelling
obtaining an O visa harder than ever, establish that an alien truly has achieved stories that can overcome bureaucratic cynicism.
threatening not only careers, but the rep- distinction in the field that places them Ultimately it will come down to the industry itself to
utation of the United States as the first destination for “substantially above” what is ordinarily encountered. decide what — and who — it wants to look like. Fashion
the world’s best and brightest. At least, that’s how things used to be. is more than just sartorial contrivance. It’s a mode of
When Congress introduced the O visa under the In recent years, immigration attorneys who regu- communication, a means of creative expression, and
Immigration of Act of 1990, it was effectively codify- larly secure visas for creatives like fashion designers, a cultural force that touches every aspect of the arts.
ing the impossible. That’s because the central premise models, and photographers have experienced an It’s also a multibillion-dollar industry that is made up
of the O visa is that it is possible to identify “extraor- unprecedented level of pushback from immigration of some of the most talented and influential people in
dinary” talent through the receipt of a major award authorities. Evidence that previously met the regula- the world.
like a Nobel Prize or an Oscar, or by satisfying specific tory standard now is frequently disqualified through With time and effort, we can show the world that
evidentiary criteria. That ability can be boiled down narrow technicalities, or in some cases simply ignored. America is a home for the extraordinary, no matter
to regulatory arithmetic may seem anathema to the Industry standards also are routinely disregarded, where they come from.
American concept of individuality, but that’s exactly such as when an itinerary showing three years’ worth
how United States Citizenship and Immigration Ser- of contracted employment is required, even though Michael Wildes is the mayor of Englewood and the
vices — also known as USCIS — determines who may short-term engagements are common throughout the author “Safe Haven in America: Battles to Open the
(or may not) enter the country to work because they fashion industry. The reasoning behind these chal- Golden Door”. He is a former federal prosecutor and an
are extraordinary people. lenges, typically communicated by USCIS after an adjunct professor of immigration law at the Benjamin
Because the elements of the extraordinary are dif- application is submitted via the dreaded “Request N. Cardozo School of Law in Manhattan and a member
ferent for, say, a data scientist and a footwear designer, for Evidence,” is often labored, inaccurate, and of Congregation Ahavath Torah in Englewood.
Croog noticed, and understood. Kaplan more deeply appreciating the benefits
FROM PAGE 36 People have come to me asking if FROM PAGE 37 while understanding the deficiencies of
SOBA College Recovery’s substance there are any peer-led mood disor- warm memories of joining in this magnif- both manners of celebration.
abuse program. Shalvah, based in New der support groups of the same kind icent tradition in my younger years. But For me it comes down to that well-
Brunswick, offers Jewish addicts treat- where they live, groups that cater I also remember that when I did so, the known acronym — TNSTAAFL. Never
ment without compromising their Jew- to the Jewish community. And I feel first day of yom tov was pretty much of a heard of it? Simple: there’s no such
ish values and halachot. frustrated because I don’t know in blur until I caught up on my sleep. thing as a free lunch. And there really
Finally, the last organization that which way to steer them. Not a serious problem in America, isn’t. In our case, some pay, for exam-
I will mention here (though there But now, recently, having seen with a second day in which to have fam- ple, for that extra family tiyul with
certainly are many more) is Relief how this road to mental wellness ily meals with everyone together and missing their grandkids’ divrei Torah
Resources, a nonprofit founded in works, I’ve decided to keep with this fully awake, learn some Torah with a and songs that didn’t make it into their
2001 that offers referrals to mental image of an ever-widening road. So clear mind and open eyes, and enjoy a one and only seder, and others pay
health resources based on each indi- that when the next person asks me piece (or maybe even two) of cheese- for those delicious grandkids’ addi-
vidual’s needs and challenges. if I know of a support group in their cake. But without a backup day, Shavuot tional participation at a second seder
And then I go back to Refa’enu. area like the ones Refa’enu provides, can descend into haziness, with some by having the possibility of a dreaded
What I have witnessed with Refa’enu’s instead of shaking my head and of its flavor — spiritual and culinary three-day yom tov when Shabbat is
peer-led support groups—which meet lamenting that I don’t know of any, — diminished. sometimes tacked onto the two days
the first and third Tuesdays of the I’m going to look at them enthusias- Notwithstanding these issues, were I of diaspora yom tov.
month in Paramus—as well as with tically, veer off in a new direction, to spend any of these holidays in Israel, I TNSTAAFL is true, of course, in so
the Mood Disorders Support Group of and say: “Hey! Let’s create one!” would, as all of my daughters did, follow many other aspects of our lives, whether
New York, where I received my facili- How fortunate I am to be involved the Israeli timetable — for many reasons career, family, neighborhood, or politics,
tator training, is that the peer support in this movement, one footstep and with the halachic imprimatur of my to mention some of the more obvious
group model works. It does exactly among many who are, collectively, congregational rabbi. But while in earlier ones. But since lunch often is delectable,
what it’s supposed to do. It’s a forum paving the way towards mental well- years I was quick to join the bandwagon let’s not forget to enjoy its deliciousness
for one person to support another, ness. With each new traveler, our of those who would easily vote out yom even as we remember that there will be a
without any judgment or shame. It’s a confidence to march on only grows. tov sheni on this side of the Atlantic, bill to pay at the end of the meal.
place where a person can feel heard, Join us. I’m much less sanguine about that now, Just be sure not to overpay.
JEWISH STANDARD MAY 10, 2019 39
Home Design
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T
he scene takes place in in its place. They touch the steel gate to
L aGuardia Airport. The confirm that it is, indeed, steel. And that
weather is rainy and mis- it is, indeed, not moving.
erable. A group of people The two people stand there for a few
stands around Carousel E in Terminal minutes looking at each other. “I don’t
B. Then the buzzer sounds and the car- think our suitcase is coming out,” one
ousel starts moving. One by one, the said to the other. “This is why you never
suitcases appear. All shapes and sizes, pack your tefillin in your suitcase,” one
all different colors and said to the other. “Um,
textures, all filled with what are we supposed
precious and not-so-pre- to do now?” one asked
cious belongings. Clothes, the other. The two peo-
shoes, perhaps jewelry or ple see a man wearing
photos. Souvenirs to com- an official-looking vest.
memorate a special trip “Excuse me, our suit-
or work papers that still case did not appear with
need to be looked over or everyone else’s. What are
filed. All of these things Banji we supposed to do now?”
wanted by the people Ganchrow one asked the man in the
waiting for them. official-looking vest. “I
Kids are running personally took all of the
around, parents are looking harried bags off of the plane and put them on
and exhausted. Businessmen look impa- the belt. There were no other bags left.
Across Down tient. The hour is late because the flight Go report it to the office,” the man in
1. Funny Garrett 1. 1997 title role for Depp (with was delayed. And the carousel goes the official looking vest said to the two
5. Funny Maron Pacino) round and round. Bags are lifted off of people with no suitcase.
9. Gladden 2. She ran a Yericho inn and married the belt. Carried out to waiting cabs or So off to the back of Terminal B went
14. Actor Malek Yehoshua cars. Strangers help strangers lift their the two people, where they asked the
15. Make, in Hebrew 3. Pioneering pilot Earhart
luggage off before it passes them by. woman behind the counter where their
16. “Fiddler” star 4. Mustard option
17. IAF star 5. “Miss Mary” on the playground The crowd starts to thin out. Slowly lost suitcase was. She typed in the num-
18. Many a Yaakov, in America 6. Pose but surely the carousel comes to a ber that was on the boarding pass that
20. Total sons of Abraham 7. “Diff’rent Strokes” actress Charlotte halt and a metal gate comes crashing belonged to one of the two people with
22. Crocodiles on Noah’s Ark 8. Body-raising exercise down over the entrance to the belt. The no suitcase. “It appears that your suit-
23. ___ Rock (parody group) 9. Basic beliefs buzzer sounds again, and there is quiet. case is still in Atlanta,” the woman says
24. Israeli footwear 10. Lehmann or Lenya
All of the suitcases, duffle bags, with much authority. “But we are not
25. “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels” star 11. “... all that were strong and ___
26. Seder cups for war” (2 Kings 24:16)
strollers, and car seats are with their in Atlanta,” one of the two people with-
28. Wedding blessings 12. Kind of truck rightful owners. Families are on their out a suitcase responds. “That is true,”
32. Anatomical eggs 13. “Turn to Stone” rock grp. way home to unpack, do laundry, set- the woman responds. “But for some
33. Lewinsky confidante Linda 19. Clear plastic overlay tle into deep sleep and happy dreams. reason, your suitcase is still there. The
35. Basketball Hall-of-Famer Hank 21. Swimmer with a long snout Other travelers might have connecting computer cannot tell me why it is still
36. Gounod opera about a soul-seller 26. Eel or a 21-Down, e.g.
flights or have flown to New York City there, but it is still there.” Then she con-
37. Sterling of “This Is Us” 27. Chose to participate
40. Poker instruction...or another title 29. Toyota car that sounds like a
for a vacation. tinues to type something. “It looks like
for this puzzle Verizon service But there still are two people stand- there are a lot of flights tomorrow. We
42. Plays really loudly 30. “Charlotte’s Web” author’s mono- ing in front of Carousel E in Terminal will get your suitcase and then deliver
44. Elizabeth and Bob gram B. These two people are tired, but also it to you,” the woman assures the two
45. Baby ___ choy 31. One of the Bobbsey twins still basking in the glow of a wonderful people, who still have no suitcase.
46. They’re memorized 34. Grooves to get stuck in
weekend. A weekend that was spent It is tomorrow and the lone black
47. Ben Yehuda and King George: 36. Some protesters consider
Abbr. it murder
celebrating the bar mitzvah of a friend’s suitcase still is homesick and alone.
50. Shelomzion (Salome), for one 37. Kind of cabbage son. The friend has been a friend for The two people are still waiting for its
53. Saul was Israel’s first 38. Chasidic branch more than two decades and was a safe return, but are fully aware that it is
54. Capital of Bolivia 39. Kin of aves. bridesmaid at the wedding of the two just a suitcase and there are much more
56. “Check it out” 40. Marble or meltaway, e.g. people who are still standing in front of important things in life, like spending
57. Venue 41. Abbr. for many a synagogue Carousel E in Terminal B. They spent a weekend in Atlanta with wonderful,
58. Books of Mishna 42. Patio party, for short
61. Patriarchs in Judaism 43. Grumpy Grant
a weekend in Atlanta, embraced by special friends. They also are aware that
63. Terms for Netanyahu 46. Compares southern hospitality and southern food. one of the two people with no suitcase
64. Lost tribes 47. Outpourings Cheesy grits — still not sure what a grit is probably should have tipped the lady
65. Ballade’s concluding stanza 48. What some scouts scout and was too scared to taste it, but it sure in Atlanta who took his suitcase in the
66. Seizes suddenly 49. Heroic poet Hannah does sound southern. The two people first place. But we won’t go into that
67. Descartes the thinker 51. John of song are staring at the carousel, wondering right now……
68. Blacken 52. Like a perfect game in baseball
why it has stopped moving when they
69. Dentist’s directive 53. ‘50s war zone: abbr.
70. The Concordes, when they flew 55. Alternatives to Dells still haven’t retrieved their lone black Banji Ganchrow of Teaneck is hoping
57. Schindler document suitcase, the one that has a pink ribbon that by the time you read this, her
58. Prepare, as a table tied to one handle and an NCSY orange suitcase will be back in Teaneck,
The solution to last week’s puzzle
59. “Not ___ million years!” luggage tag on the other handle. unpacked and put away. If not, there will
is on page 51. 60. “Sweet” Roman numeral? The two people stare at the belt, will- certainly be a part two to this column
62. “Tell-Tale Heart” author’s initials
ing it to continue to move. They look at where husband #1 is in really
63. Org. with a Most Wanted List
the steel gate that has remained firmly big trouble….
42 JEWISH STANDARD MAY 10, 2019
JS-43*
WANT TO INCREASE YOUR
TORAH KNOWLEDGE?
D’var Torah
Join fellow Bergen County professionals and study with an experienced teacher
Kedoshim: Waiting for the fruit
at Paramus Torah Partners!
I
feel a special connection to this grows on newly planted trees does not read a midrash (rabbinic Each one of us plants our
week’s Parasha because it was taste good and is therefore not fit for interpretation of the Torah) metaphorical trees, nurtur-
the one I read on my bar mitz- offering to God or for human consump- about an old man planting ing relationships and ideas
vah. Year in and year out, every tion. However, I believe that there is a a fig tree. Hadrian (Roman along the way. As a great
time we reach this week’s Torah read- different, and much more powerful, Emperor, second century educator once told me, we
ing, I remember back to what it felt like lesson to be learned from these verses. CE) saw this and could not have no idea what fruit may
to stand in front of the community for We know that agriculture is a long-term understand why the old man grow from the trees we plant
the first time, to look out and see friends proposition — people who are here today was planting the fig tree, as each and every day. We may
and family eagerly awaiting my next and wandering off to a different place it was nearly impossible that only find out (if we ever do!)
move, and to know that this event (hav- tomorrow do not typically plant crops. he would be alive to eat the Rabbi Joel years afterward. But like
ing a bar mitzvah) was just one more People who plant crops are people who fruit of this tree. The man Pitkowsky that old man in the midrash,
small step on a great journey. plan on sticking around for a while. replied to Hadrian, “If I am Congregation Beth someone planted for him
Paramus Torah Partners is open to men of all ages who would like to study
No clothing I wore that day still fits Fruit trees take even more time than worthy (if I should live long Sholom, Teaneck, years ago, and so he plants
me. My very first suit was too short on most other forms of agriculture. Do you enough) then I shall eat from Conservative for the next generation.
me just a few weeks after the big day, know where you’re going to live five the tree, and if not, then just What kind of seeds are you
and within several years I outgrew years from now? Would you be able to as my ancestors worked for planting? What types of fruit
understands
and disadvantaged, and so much more.
Many of these mitzvot are connected to
that most of
specific moments in life, moments that Want
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to Thursday
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8:15- 9:30 P.M.
8:15- 9:30 P.M.
(Followed by Maariv at 9:30)
(Followed by Maariv at 9:30)
synagogue, Mickve Center for Tolerance for the CSI Scholar Israel of Ridgewood’s fling” with outdoor
Israel. Light southern and Education in Fund of the JCC of monthly “Dessert & games, live music, a
Jewish dessert. Chaired Rockland County Fort Lee/Congregation Discussion” in lieu of bounce house, and
by Liz Pearl and welcomes teachers Gesher Shalom and a service, at a private lunch, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.
Roberta Weiss. 1 Engle and educators to its sisterhood. The home, 7 p.m. Location 30 Hinchman Ave.
St. (201) 568-3035 or “Addressing anti- series opens with information, rcbi@ (973) 696-2500 or
eduk850@gmail.com. Semitism Through “What Went Wrong syngaogue.org. shomreitorahwcc.org.
Education Training” at in the Middle East?”
Israeli music in Film in Franklin Lakes:
Closter: Temple
JFNNJ headquarters,
4 p.m. 50 Eisenhower
and continues May
30. Refreshments,
Saturday Temple Emanuel of
Emanu-El of Closter Drive. JFNNJ. 12:15 p.m.; speaker at MAY 18 North Jersey screens
welcomes Friends org/training or Larry Shafier 12:45. 1449 Anderson “Almonds and Raisins,”
of the Israel Defense (201) 820-3946. Ave. (201) 947 1735. Shabbat in Emerson: a documentary of the
Forces Musical Talking about golden years of Jewish
Sportswriter Neil
Ensemble in concert, Yoga & Torah in retirement: Larry cinema, 2 p.m. Popcorn
Amdur will speak at
7:30 p.m.180 Piermont Closter: Temple Shafier and Michael and ice cream. 558
Congregation B’nai
Road. (201) 750-9997 Emanu-El offers “Yoga Visconti discuss “The High Mountain Road.
Israel during services
or templeemanu-el. & Torah,” a holistic Retirement Red Zone” (201) 560-0200 or
led by Rabbi Debra
com. workout that stretches at Congregation Beth tenjfl.org.
Orenstein, 10 a.m.
the mind and body Aaron in Teaneck,
Mr. Amdur was with
Southern Jewish food while connecting 8:15 p.m. 950 Jewish trivia in
the New York Times
in Hoboken: As part spiritually with Torah Queen Anne Road. Ridgewood:
and also co-authored
of the “One Book One teachings, song, (201) 836-6210 or Reconstructionist
books with Arthur
Community” project and prayer featuring www.bethaaron.org. Congregation Beth
Ashe, Chris Evert, and
sponsored by the instructor Shari John Daly Olympic champion Israel offers a pop
Jewish Federation
of Northern New
Brooks and Cantor
Israel and Bruria
Thursday COURTESY CHABAD Vincent Matthews. quiz-style game of
Jewish Jeopardy at
MAY 16 53 Palisade Ave.
Jersey, Moishe Singer, 10:30 a.m. The story of a Jewish (201) 265-2272 or Temple Israel & Jewish
House Hoboken has 180 Piermont Road. skinhead: John Daly, bisrael.com. Community Center,
a southern Jewish (201) 750-9997 or a former neo-Nazi, 3 p.m. Led by RCBI
cooking gathering, templeemanu-el.com. shares his life story Women’s song circle members Chrissi
7:30 p.m. Based fighting hate, at the in Teaneck: Join a O’Donnell and David
on this year’s book Chabad Center for z’mirot song circle Volin. 475 Grove St.,
selection, Jonathan Jewish Life in Upper for women only at second floor. rcbi@
Rabb’s “Among the Passaic County in the Jewish Center synagogue.org or
Living.” Location Wanaque, 7:30 p.m. of Teaneck, 4 p.m. synagogue.org.
information, text 815 Ringwood Ave. 70 Sterling Place.
(704) 907-5803 or email JewishHighlands.org or Email Womens
moishehousehoboken@
gmail.com. For Susan Kapp
(201) 696-7609. Zmirot+owner@
groups.io.
In New York
upcoming events, COURTESY JHF
go to Moishe House
Hoboken on Facebook. Rabbi Brian Leiken Parkinson’s support Sunday Saturday
in Rockleigh: The MAY 19 MAY 18
Essence of prayer: Rockland mental Jewish Home Family
Rabbi Mordechai Shain health program continues a monthly ASL-Shabbat Across
kick-off: The support group for
Tal Brody in Wyckoff: America in NYC: Town
of Lubavitch on the
Rockland Board of American-Israeli
Palisades begins a those with a diagnosis & Village Synagogue
Rabbis and Rockland basketball player Tal
new six-week course, of Parkinson’s Disease, in Manhattan holds
Jewish Family Brody is the guest
“With All My Heart,” their families, and an ASL-interpreted
Service introduce for the Distinguished
exploring the art of caregivers, with Rock Menachem Begin Shabbat service,
its new Lo Levad Speaker series at
prayer and spirituality, Steady Boxing at PHOTO PROVIDED 10 a.m. 334 East 14th
(you are not alone) Temple Beth Rishon
8 p.m. 11 Harold St., the Jewish Home at St. (212) 677-0368V,
program, for shuls and Menachem Begin’s in Wyckoff, 10 a.m.
Tenafly. (201) 871-1152 Rockleigh, 10:30 a.m. www.tandv.org, or
Jewish institutions, leadership: Herzl Entry fee includes a
or chabadlubavitch. At 11, Susan Kapp, Bram at bramweiser@
in conjunction Makov, chair of the 1-hour Q&A session
org. MS, RD, Jewish Home usa.net.
with mental health Menachem Begin with the All-Big
at Rockleigh, will
awareness month, at Heritage Center and Ten & All-American
Wednesday discuss “Nutritional
basketball player,
MAY 15
the Rockland JCC,
7 p.m. Rabbi Brian
Considerations for
Those Living with
former chief of staff to
Prime Minister Yitzchak who now is Israel’s Singles
Leiken of the Temple Shamir, discusses Goodwill Ambassador.
Parkinson’s Disease.”
585 Russell Ave.
Brunch/lecture/ Beth Sholom in New
City will speak. 450
Refreshments. 10 Link
Drive. (201) 750-4234
“The Attack on the
Osirik Nuclear Reactor Reservations, Thursday
trip: The Dor L’Dor (201) 891-4466, MAY 16
group at Congregation West Nyack Road, or email parkinsons@ and the Leadership
West Nyack, N.Y. Values of Menachem gonen@bethrishon.
Ahavath Torah in jewishhomefamily.org.
(845) 354-2121, ext.142. Begin” for the adult org, or bethrishon.org. Widows and
Englewood hosts a
brunch and talk about education committee widowers meet:
Second generation Lag B’omer Movin’ On, a monthly
the 9/11 Memorial and at Congregation Rinat
survivor talk: Dr. in Emerson: luncheon group for
Museum in Lower Yisrael in Teaneck,
William Reszelbach Congregation B’nai widows and widowers,
Manhattan, then a 8:30 p.m. 89 West
discusses “What Israel hosts a spring meets at the Glen Rock
trip to the memorial Englewood Ave.
Is It Like to be a barbecue, with Jewish Center, 12:30
site for a docent- (201) 837-2795.
Child of Holocaust vegetarian options, p.m. 682 Harristown
led tour. 240 Broad an inflatable slide,
Survivors?” at the Road. (201) 652-6624
Ave. Reservations,
(201) 568-1315,
Englewood Public Friday games and prizes, or email arbgr@aol.
Library, 7 p.m. 31 Engle MAY 17 10:30 a.m.–noon., after com.
dorldor@ahavathtorah. the Hebrew school’s
St. (201) 568-2215 or Mordechai Kedar
org. moving-up ceremony.
englewoodlibrary.org. COURTESY JCC OF FORT LEE Celebrating Shabbat: 53 Palisade Ave.
Anti-bias/diversity Rabbi Leiah Moser
(201) 265-2272 or
training in Paramus: The Middle East: leads an informal
Scholar Mordechai bisrael.com.
The Jewish Federation discussion about the
of Northern New Kedar begins a series, weekly Torah portion
“Insights into the Picnic in Wayne:
Jersey and the at Reconstructionist Congregation Shomrei
Holocaust Museum Troubled Middle East,” Congregation Beth Torah has its “spring
PHOTO PROVIDED
Jewish children, people who want to convert to
Judaism, anyone who wants a refresher course
I
t’s glitzy. It’s kitschy. It’s like a musical Olympics
or “American Idol” on steroids.
Welcome to the Eurovision Song Contest, an
annual pageant in which all of Europe (and some
of its neighbors) send national representatives to com-
pete for the best forgettable pop song and most unfor-
gettable outfits.
The competition is huge in Europe and beyond, yet
many Americans know little about it. And this year it is
being held in Tel Aviv. We break down the music fest for
you — including why Israel is a part of it and the contro-
versy about this year’s contest.
What is Eurovision?
Founded in 1956, the Eurovision Song Contest is a
musical competition mainly for European countries.
Though there’s no cash prize, the 42 countries that
compete take it quite seriously. Some 186 million view-
ers tuned in for last year’s finale.
Each country holds its own internal contest to pick
its act for the general competition. All the countries
then get together for a series of televised rounds, cul-
minating in a glam-filled finale featuring performances
by the top 26 entries.
Since 1973, competitors have been able to sing in any
language — previously they could sing only in one of
their country’s official languages — and most entrants
today perform in English. The logo of the Eurovision Song Contest is displayed during the 2019 national selection show, in Kiev,
Each country is given points to award an entry; Ukraine, on February 23, 2019. STR/NURPHOTO VIA GETTY IMAGES
countries cannot vote for themselves. After the perfor-
mances, viewers vote on their favorites by phone or on the contest. Last week, more than 100 artists — among
a mobile app. Those votes make up 50 percent of each
Where in Israel is the them Sharon Osbourne, Gene Simmons, and Stephen
score — the rest come from a professional jury. The
contest being held? Fry — denounced the calls to boycott. And earlier this
country with the most points wins the contest. The 64th edition of Eurovision will be held at Expo Tel year, France’s contestant said even death threats would
In lieu of prize money, the winning country gets to Aviv, in the city’s north. not deter him from performing in the Jewish state.
host the competition the next year. For the winning art- This will be the country’s third time hosting. Israel There was conflict, too, over what day to hold the
ists, it’s an opportunity for exposure, though many of declined after the 1979 victory, citing financial con- competition. The Shalva Band had to drop out of the
them end up as one-hit wonders. straints. Israelis were overjoyed with Barzilai’s win last competition to represent Israel because some of its
year, as it ended a 20-year drought. members are Sabbath observant and thus would not be
Why is Israel in the Eurovision? The Israeli government at first had insisted on hold- able to participate in the contest’s final dress rehears-
Participating countries must be members of the Euro- ing the contest in Jerusalem — the host country typ- als on Friday night and Saturday. The finale is held on
pean Broadcasting Union. Though the organization is ically has the event in its capital city — but relented Saturday evening.
made up mostly of European countries, it’s not limited eventually following the controversy over the U.S. rec- And there are security issues. Hamas and Palestinian
to the continent. The Israel Broadcasting Authority was ognition in 2017 of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and a Islamic Jihad fired hundreds of rockets into Israel over
a member from 1957 to 2017, when it shut down and subsequent fear of boycotts. Tel Aviv also is Israel’s the weekend, and the Israeli army retaliated with air-
was replaced as a member by the Israeli Public Broad- secular cultural capital. strikes in Gaza. By Monday morning, however, a cease-
casting Corp. Cyprus, Armenia, Morocco, and Australia This year, singer Kobi Marimi will represent Israel fire was in place and it appeared that the situation had
are among the other non-European competitors. with the song “Home,” a heartfelt ballad about self-dis- largely returned to normal.
Since joining the contest in 1973, Israel has won covery and homecoming. Despite the various issues, Israelis are excited about
four times, placing it in a fourth-place tie with the the Eurovision festivities.
Netherlands for the most wins. (Ireland is in first What’s the controversy all about? “In terms of excitement, the level is only second to
with seven.) The Jewish state took home its first gold Europe’s pro-Palestinian left has made it a priority to Mount Sinai,” joked Eytan Schwartz, CEO of the tour-
in 1978 with Izhar Cohen’s version of “A-Ba-Ni-Bi,” a boycott Israel. Only days after Israel won, two Irish EU ism initiative Tel Aviv Global.
song about childhood love sung in Hebrew pig Latin, representatives called for boycotting the Jewish state.
then followed up the following year with the sunny In Iceland, more than 27,000 people signed a petition How can I watch it?
“Hallelujah,” which went on to become a Jewish clas- calling for a boycott of the event, but the country’s Viacom’s Logo channel aired the finals last year in
sic. Israel won again in 1998 with “Diva,” a poppy ode national broadcaster said it still would participate. A the United States and brought in 74,000 viewers, but
to female beauty sung by the transgender star Dana group of 50 British artists, including Peter Gabriel and the company isn’t broadcasting it this year. However,
International. Pink Floyd’s Roger Waters, also signed a letter to the American fans need not despair: Eurovision will be
Last year it snagged the top prize with Netta Barzilai BBC urging the broadcaster to ask that the contest be livestreaming the contest on its official YouTube channel.
performing “Toy,” a quirky pop hit that features cluck- held elsewhere. The semifinal will be held May 14-15, and the finals
ing chicken noises over looped vocals and English lyrics. But Israel has its share of defenders, too, among them on May 18. All shows begin at 10 p.m. Israel time (3 p.m.
the pop queen Madonna, who will be performing at Eastern time in the United States). JTA WIRE SERVICE
Manuel Erb, 76, of River Vale, formerly of Hillsdale, and Musicant Funeral Home, Hackensack.
died May 1.
Born in Argentina, he was active in Rotary Interna-
tional and was a Paul Harris Fellow.
He is survived by his wife of 56 years, Eva, née Hei-
delberg; children, Karen D’Ambrosio (Louis) and Erica
(Wendy Wagner); siblings, Heriberto, Raul (Rene), and Obituaries are prepared with
Nora Hilu; six grandchildren; nieces and nephews. information provided by funeral homes. Correcting
Donations can be made to the Gift of Life, Rotary errors is the responsibility of the funeral home.
District 7230. Arrangements were by Louis Suburban
Chapel, Fair Lawn.
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Jewish Standard MAY 10, 2019 53
JS-54*
Bergen Community College’s Phi Theta Kappa honor society wins awards
Bergen Community College’s Phi Theta William Mullaney said. the exceptional work they have done to create a new curriculum for students
Kappa honor society chapter, Alpha It marks the first time in PTK history this year.” who declared an undecided major;
Epsilon Phi, has earned an institu- that a chapter from the Middle States Also at the international conference, in the second, students worked on a
tion-record 23 honors at the organiza- geographical region, which covers New Bergen student Jenna Santacroce, of double-blind undergraduate research
tion’s annual convention in Orlando, Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Mary- Saddle Brook, was elected as the 2019- study aimed at analyzing the cognitive
Florida, including the international and land, and Washington, D.C., won the 20 division 1 vice president, Phi Theta effects of autonomous sensory merid-
regional “Most Distinguished Chapter” award, according to Angie Goldszmidt, Kappa international officer. Santacroce ian response media using electroen-
awards, thus making Bergen’s chapter Bergen’s PTK adviser. is the fifth Bergen student to serve as cephalographic brainwave monitoring.
number one in the world. “Winning the most distinguished a PTK international officer in the past Using EEG machines, students focused
“Bergen is proud of our PTK chap- chapter award has been a surreal expe- four years. on measuring the short-term effects
ter and its accomplishments on the rience and exceeded the goals we have To earn the most distinguished chap- on anxiety in comparison to classi-
regional, national and international level had for the program,” Goldszmidt, of ter award, the chapter created two cal music.
as a testament to our students’ dedica- Cresskill, said. “I am incredibly proud projects for consideration of merit: “Their projects truly redefined student
tion, leadership, and commitment,” Ber- of our students, not only for the awards one where students collaborated with activism and undergraduate research
gen Vice President of Academic Affairs they received, but particularly for administrators, faculty and counselors opportunities,” Goldszmidt said.
Jimmy J
J
Cimino, WNBC-TV meteorologist, MS Center to set the standard for out-
im
im
once again served as honorary chair- standing care to the MS community.”
person, Meredith Vieira acted as hon- Donations made to this event
orary MS ambassador, and Lord and directly support a full spectrum of
Taylor at the Fashion Center provided services tailored to meet the medical
201-66•1845-600-5941
- 4940
Holly Schepisi, vice president of devel- tion at (201) 833-3187 or foundation@
201-661-4940 opment at Holy Name and president
We do not trans
308 BOOTH AVENUE $2,150,000 170 HILLSIDE AVENUE 140 GLENWOOD ROAD 320 MOUNTAIN ROAD $5,500,000
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16 REGENCY CIRCLE 286 ROBIN ROAD 285 STARLING ROAD 191 GLENWOOD ROAD
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201 ALLISON COURT 411 CUMBERLAND STREET 132 LYDECKER STREET 140 LYDECKER ROAD
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19 LEXINGTON COURT 212 MAPLE STREET BRINCKERHOFF MANOR #D5B 161 BRAYTON STREET
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184 SHERWOOD ROAD 139 MAPLE STREET 401 DOUGLAS STREET 30 SUTTON PLACE
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360 THORNTON ROAD 215 EAST LINDEN AVENUE 150 WALNUT STREET 341 MOUNTAIN ROAD