AWARDS FOR SINAI SCHOOL page 6

BACK FROM BIRTHRIGHT page 10

HELPING ISRAELI CAMPERS GET KIDNEY CARE page 12
DEAR RABBI ZAHAVY page 33

JULY 7, 2017
VOL. LXXXVI NO. 40 $1.00 86 2017
7

NORTH JERSEY THEJEWISHSTANDARD.COM

Teanecks
trumpeter
Jordan Hirschs
musical life in jazz,
klezmer, and
Yiddish theater
Page 18

CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED

Teaneck, NJ 07666
1086 Teaneck Road
Jewish Standard
 APPLY NOW
FOR FALL 2017

ATTEND A JULY
OPEN HOUSE!

Yeshaya Lieber, LMSW Touro College

Graduate School of Social Work
Clinical Director, Diamond Program
Preschool social worker, HAFTR
Associate therapist in private practice

Ready to make a difference? Earn an MSW from

Touro Colleges Graduate School of Social Work

Touros Graduate School of Social Work prepared Yeshaya to embark on a multifaceted career counseling
children, teens and their parents in a variety of settings. Join us at an Open House and learn more about how
you can earn your Touro MSW graduate degree and have a career that matters. Contact Dr. Steven Tzvi
Pirutinsky, PhD, steven.pirutinsky2@touro.edu or call 646.630.1471 for more information.
Dr. Steven Huberman, Dean

Open House Schedule

BROOKLYN 902 Quentin Road | July 10 | July 12 | July 19 Men Only
NEW YORK 27 W. 23rd Street | July 25
All Open Houses 6-7:30 pm
RSVP: socialwork.college/jstandard

Touro is an equal opportunity institution. For Touros complete Non-Discrimination Statement, visit www.touro.edu

2 Jewish Standard JULY 7, 2017


Israels drone rangers
l Good news for Jewish science fiction
fans: Our ever-approaching drone-filled
dystopia may boast blue-and-white
brains.
Thats the hope of Israeli startup
Flytrex, which wants to be the brains be-
hind the drones that it believes soon will
be flying the skies, delivering consumer
goods now brought by trucks.
Flytrex wants to be the FedEx of the
drone-delivery world. Just as FedEx
doesnt manufacture trucks or planes
but provides the software and human
infrastructure to make the most of ex-
isting tools, Flytrex has created a cloud-
based backend that allows its custom-
ers to operate drones remotely.
Flytrexs software is about more than
being able to set pick-up and delivery
points. All kinds of data information
about the weather, topography, and
other drones in the air can be sent
from the cloud to a drone in real time.
Its one thing to design a nice drone
to deliver goods, but its much more
complicated to take charge of the
whole system, Flytrex CEO Yariv Bash
told ISRAEL21c.
Flytrex recently announced a pilot
program with UkrPoshta, the Ukrainian
Postal Service. Drones controlled by
Flytrex software will deliver packages
weighting up to seven pounds as far
as 14 miles round-trip at speeds of up
to 40 miles per hour. Flytrex estimates
that it will take less than half an hour
from purchase to delivery.
The idea is to offer better services
for a lower rate, Bash says, comparing
drones with delivery trucks. Drones
do it faster and cheaper than any
Ooops.
Israeli Britney fans did it again.
l These are not the
headlines Israel lovers like
to see when a pop star
comes to town.
Britney Spears Took a
Trip to Israel and It Was
a Total Disaster is how
Jezebel.com, with only
a small amount of exag-
geration, summarized the
pop idols visit to Israel
earlier this week.
Britney was in town to
end her month-long Asia
tour. She was promot-
ing her new album, Glory. Her concert
in Tel Aviv drew 55,000 fans Monday
night. Members of Israels Labor Party
did not have to miss it the party had
postponed its election until Tuesday
when the concert was announced, fear-
ing its members would choose Britneys
party instead.
But the pop singers visit to the Kotel
proved contentious is that a theme
these days?
other means.
Amazon doubtless will deploy its
own brains to manage its flying delivery
drones, but if we can have a fraction of
the rest of the market, Bash says, that
will still be a very profitable business.
Bash said that package delivery
drones will not be able to land at a re-
cipients doorstep. Its too dangerous;
drones have fast-spinning rotors.
If your dog runs towards the drone
as it lands, whos going to sue whom?
There werent any
mechitza malfunctions,
thank God. She was, how-
ever, mobbed by fans,
some of whom jumped
on her.
Ooops. Israelis did it
again.
It was a huge mess,
with hundreds of fans and
photographers gathered
around her, a source told
Ynet. It was a real Israeli
celebration; she didnt
stop an excursion during
any other part of her latest tour. This
could only happen here.
This led her to cancel a mooted
but not confirmed, her management
insisted meeting with Prime Minister
Benjamin Netanyahu whose office pro-
ceeded to release a press release com-
plaining about being stood up.
Which is of course a real Israeli cel-
ebration of another kind.
 LARRY YUDELSON
Page 3
Bash wondered. Theres also the pos- be in designated areas like a parking lot
sibility of someone stealing a drone, or or public park. Eventually, drone landing
reprogramming and releasing it with pads may be included on new buildings.
sinister intent. The drones will fly at a relatively low
Instead, the drone will hover about altitude of between 150 and 300 feet.
50 feet above the drop-off point and At that height, you wont hear them in
lower its package by a cable. Recipients the city, Bash says. Theyre much qui-
will have to be available when the drone eter than, say, a scooter. If you look up,
delivery arrives; because it runs on bat- youll maybe see a small dot in the sky.
tery power, the drone can only wait for a A small dot but one, if Bash has his
short time before it must return home. way, with blue-and-white brains.
The first drop-off points will most likely BRIAN BLUM/ISRAEL21C.ORG
For convenient home delivery,
call 201-837-8818 or bit.ly/jsubscribe
Candlelighting: Friday, June 30, 8:14 p.m.
Shabbat ends: Saturday, July 1, 9:22 p.m.
CONTENTS
PUBLISHERS STATEMENT: (USPS 275-700 ISN 0021-6747)
is published weekly on Fridays with an additional edition
NOSHES4
every October, by the New Jersey Jewish Media Group, 1086
Teaneck Road, Teaneck, NJ 07666. Periodicals postage paid
BRIEFLY LOCAL14 at Hackensack, NJ and additional offices. POSTMASTER:
COVER STORY 18
Send address changes to New Jersey Jewish Media Group,
1086 Teaneck Road, Teaneck, NJ 07666. Subscription price
JEWISH WORLD 22 is $30.00 per year. Out-of-state subscriptions are $45.00,
Foreign countries subscriptions are $75.00.
OPINION 24 The appearance of an advertisement in The Jewish Standard
KEEPING KOSHER30 does not constitute a kashrut endorsement. The publishing
DVAR TORAH 32 of a paid political advertisement does not constitute an
endorsement of any candidate political party or political
DEAR RABBI ZAHAVY 33 position by the newspaper or any employees.
CALENDAR34 The Jewish Standard assumes no responsibility to return
unsolicited editorial or graphic materials. All rights in letters
THE FRAZZLED HOUSEWIFE 36 and unsolicited editorial, and graphic material will be treated
CROSSWORD PUZZLE 36 as unconditionally assigned for publication and copyright
purposes and subject to JEWISHSTANDARDs unrestricted
OBITUARIES 37 right to edit and to comment editorially. Nothing may be
CLASSIFIEDS 38 reprinted in whole or in part without written permission from
the publisher. 2017
REAL ESTATE40
JEWISH
JEWISH
STANDARD
STANDARD
MARCH 7, 2017 3
JULY 3,
Noshes
DOPES ON BIKES:
An inside look
at sports scandal
Tour De Pharma-
cy, a mockumen-
tary, will premiere
on HBO on Saturday, July
8, at 10 p.m. Heres the
official description: In
1982, the sports most
venerable, time-honored
race was marred by the
doping of virtually all of
its competitors. Riddled
with nefarious characters,
that years competition
was a hornets nest of
moral depravity. Through
the perspective of five
riders, Tour de Pharmacy
gives an inside look into
the grim realities of the
darkest event in a sport
notoriously tainted
by controversy.
ANDY SAMBERG,
38, and Tony winner
DAVEED DIGGS, 35
(Hamilton), play two
of the five riders. Ac-
tors playing the docu-
mentarys interview
subjects include JEFF
GOLDLUM, 64, MAYA
RUDOLPH, 44, and
director J.J. ABRAMS,
50 (Star Trek). Im not
surprised that disgraced
cyclist Lance I did dope
Armstrong makes a
cameo appearance. Hes
proven hell do anything
for money and camera
face time.
Virtually everyone
has noticed that
the Washington
Post has broken an
incredible number of
huge stories, based on
great investigative
journalism, since Presi-
Want to read more noshes? Visit facebook.com/jewishstandard
4 32185
JEWISHMBSE STANDARD
Strip Ad_2017.inddJULY
dent Trump took office.
The New York Times is a
close second. Every
other media outlet is a
far-distant also-ran.
MARTY BARON, 62, has
been the Posts manag-
ing editor since 2014 and
a lot of credit has to go
to him and Jeff Bezos,
Amazons head.
In 2015, Spotlight
won the best picture
Oscar. It recounted how
Baron, then the Boston
Globes executive editor,
guided its investigative
team as it uncovered the
abusive priest scandal
in Boston-area Catholic
churches. Clearly, Baron
still has the ability to
coax the best out of his
staff. Hes aided by the
millions that Bezos has
pumped into the Post,
and by Bezoss hands-off
policy about the Posts
reporting and editorial
policy. Bezos also has
installed a state-of-the-
art digital ad system
that has raised revenues
greatly. Other papers are two million copies; is
buying it.
BUZZ BISSINGER, 2004 and a hit TV series
62, did the blockbuster
interview with tennis star
Serena Williams thats in
the August issue of Van-
ity Fair. Williams never
has opened up so much
about her pregnancy,
or about her life, period.
(The books photos are
by ANNIE LEIBOVITZ,
67). Bissinger is still best
known for his 1990 book,
Friday Night Lights. can comedian. White
1 7, 2017
My inspiration for Paddington Bear came
from seeing the Jewish child evacuees
of the Kinderstransport waiting on the
platforms of Londons train stations in the late
1930s, each with a label around their neck.
Michael Bond, Paddingtons creator, who died last week at 91
Daveed Diggs Marty Baron
Michael Rapaport Claudia Lonow
It documents the 1998 Famous focuses on
season of a high school rising star Floyd Mooney
team in Texas. It sold (Jay Pharoah). It follows
Mooney as he tries to
spawned a hit movie in maintain his credibility
with black people as he
from 2006 to 2011. becomes so popular that
Showtime has Im white people start taking
Dying up Here, a in his shows, tooin
new show about a other words, hes
female Jewish comedy White Famous.
club owner in the 1970s The pilot, guest-
and the comics working starring STEVEN
her club. Now its mining TOBOLOWSKY, 66,
the minority group laugh was good enough for
barrel again with a show the series to be picked
about a contemporary, up for a Showtime air-
talented African-Ameri- ing sometime this year.
Last week, it was an-
SPECIAL LEASE
OFFERS*
On select Models.
Hurry, offers end soon.
benzelbusch.com
*See your Benzel-Busch Account
Representative for complete details.
Improv, which long vied
for #1 L.A. comedy club
status with The Comedy
Store, the club that is the
model for the club in Im
Dying Up There.
By the way, Rapaports
half-sister is CLAUDIA
LONOW, now 54. They
share the same father,
but not the same mother.
Claudia took her stepfa-
thers name as her stage
Steven Tobolowsky name. Older readers may
remember her playing
MICHELLE LEEs daugh-
ter, Diana Fairgate, on
Knots Landing from
1974 to 1985. Claudias
gone on to a good ca-
reer as a producer. Yes,
Lee, now 75, who played
Karen Fairgate, is Jew-
ish, too. She was born
Michelle Lee Dusick.
Greta Van Sus-
teren, a former
star at Fox News,
Ari Melber moved to MSNBC, the
cable channels much
nounced that MICHAEL more liberal competitor,
RAPAPORT, 47, would last January. On June 29,
have a major recurring she was fired because of
role in White Famous. low ratings and replaced
Rapaport should feel at by ARI MELBER, 37. He
home in the stand-up was the host of an
milieu. While best known MSNBC weekend show
for his mix of comic and often has subbed for
(Friends) and criminal the anchors on MSNBCs
(Kiss of Death) roles, primetime shows. He
he began as a stand- often is a guest on
up comedian. Thrown MSNBC and NBC news
out of high school, he shows because of his
moved to Los Angeles considerable legal
and did stand-up for expertise and experi-
a time. In this he was ence. In 2015, he was
aided by his stepfather, named MSNBCs chief
MARK LONOW, now 73, legal correspondent.
who then co-owned The N.B.
California-based Nate Bloom can be reached at
Middleoftheroad1@aol.com
6/5/17 5:24 PM
 R.
A&S D
S
JO-ANN FABRIC

.
RD
AND CRAFTS
G
RIN

FREE DESIGN SERVICES

PARAMUS
PARK MALL
17

50 A&S Dr
Paramus, NJ 07652
201-477-6044
17 North near Paramus Park Mall at Ring Rd
7 AM-9 PM M-F | 8 AM-9 PM SAT | DEDICATED PRO TEAM
CLOSED SUN
flooranddecor.com

NOW OPEN
IN PARAMUS LARGEST IN-STOCK
SELECTION

TOP QUALITY FLOORS. ROCK BOTTOM PRICES.

29 SQ.FT
69 SQ. FT.
99 SQ. FT.

89
YOUR CHOICE

SQ.FT
LAMINATE SHENANDOAH PURE
SPRING MAPLE BROWN WOOD PLANK DIMENSIONS
6MM CERAMIC TILE LIQUID WOOL GLASS
6 X 24 LAMINATE LIGHT GRAY TILE
TIGERWOOD PORCELAIN TILE
12MM 4 X 8
24 X 24

1
$ 39
1
$ 99
2
$ 49
4
$ 79
13
$ 19
SQ. FT. SQ. FT. EACH EACH

YOUR CHOICE

CROSSCUT CLASSIC SMOKED $ 27 EACH

SQ. FT. MARBLE

HONED BIANCO OYSTER GLASS VALENTINO
TRAVERTINE MARBLE TILE MOSAIC WHITE SPLIT FACE
12 X 24 12 X 12 12 X 12 CHERRY OAK BRICK MOSAIC
SELECT GRADE SOLID SIERRA OAK SOLID 12 X 12
HARDWOOD FLOORING HARDWOOD FLOORING
3/4 X 3 1/4 3/4 X 3 1/4

WHILE SUPPLIES LAST!

Limited NO INTEREST! *

Time!
IF PAID IN FULL WITHIN 18 MONTHS WITH REGULAR PAYMENTS
ON IN-STORE PURCHASES OF $499 OR MORE WITH YOUR
FLOOR & DECOR CREDIT CARD MADE 6/29/17 THROUGH 7/30/17.

*OFFER APPLIES ONLY TO SINGLE-RECEIPT QUALIFYING PURCHASES. NO INTEREST WILL BE CHARGED ON THE PROMO PURCHASE IF YOU PAY THE PROMO PURCHASE AMOUNT IN FULL WITHIN 18 MONTHS. IF YOU DO NOT, INTEREST
WILL BE CHARGED ON THE PROMO PURCHASE FROM THE PURCHASE DATE. DEPENDING ON PURCHASE AMOUNT, PROMOTION LENGTH AND PAYMENT ALLOCATION, THE REQUIRED MINIMUM MONTHLY PAYMENTS MAY OR MAY NOT
PAY OFF PURCHASE BY END OF PROMOTIONAL PERIOD. REGULAR ACCOUNT TERMS APPLY TO NON-PROMOTIONAL PURCHASES AND, AFTER PROMOTION ENDS, TO PROMOTIONAL BALANCE. FOR NEW ACCOUNTS: PURCHASE APR IS
29.99%; MINIMUM INTEREST CHARGE IS $2. EXISTING CARDHOLDERS SHOULD SEE THEIR CREDIT CARD AGREEMENT FOR THEIR APPLICABLE TERMS. SUBJECT TO CREDIT APPROVAL.

**NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. PURCHASE DOES NOT INCREASE CHANCES OF WINNING. MUST BE LEGAL U.S. RESIDENT LIVING WITHIN 250 MILES OF PARAMUS, 18+ AT TIME OF ENTRY. SEE COMPLETE OFFICIAL
RULES AT WWW.FLOORANDDECORRULES.COM/PARAMUSDICEROLL FOR DETAILS INCLUDING ELIGIBILITY RESTRICTIONS, PRIZE DESCRIPTIONS AND ARV. REGISTRATION AND GRAND PRIZE EVENT LOCATION: FLOOR & DECOR, 50 A&S
DR, PARAMUS, NJ 07652. REGISTRATION PERIOD: 7/1/2017, 12:00PM 2:00PM PT. OPEN ONLY TO FIRST (200) ELIGIBLE CONTESTANTS. IN THE EVENT THAT NO FINALIST COMPLETES GRAND PRIZE WINNING REQUIREMENTS, THE
GRAND PRIZE WILL NOT BE AWARDED. ODDS OF WINNING THE GRAND PRIZE ARE 1:46,656. SPONSOR: FLOOR & DECOR, 2233 LAKE PARK DR., SUITE 400, SMYRNA, GA 30080.

JEWISH STANDARD JULY 7, 2017 5

FD001751-ROP-GO-Paramus-10x13-070717-Final.indd 1 6/27/17 3:28 PM
Local
Abigail Hepner Gross and Sam Fishman look at a still from their award-winning documentary, Jacobs Footprints.
Telling Sinais story
Special-needs schools videos win awards in international competition
JOANNE PALMER
Sam Fishman, the Sinai Schools manag-
ing director, and Abigail Hepner Gross,
its communications director, were recog-
nized by two international competitions
for their latest film, Jacobs Footprints.
The pair won three awards of excellence
in the areas of disability issues, Jewish
content, and as a commercial or infomer-
cial as well as a special mention as a
documentary short, all from the Accolade
Global Film Competition. They also won
awards of excellence for disability issues,
a documentary short, and Jewish content
from the Best Shorts Competition.
The Accolade competition honors work
from around the world that showcases
both pressing social issues and the cre-
ativity, artistry, and mastery of the film
media that highlight those issues and
enlightens audiences.
Mr. Fishman and Ms. Gross are not pro-
fessional filmmakers they shared the
awards with the production company
that did the technical work but their
passion for their work and the creativity
with which they approach it made both
Jacobs Footprints and the earlier films
theyve done together both indelible and
deeply moving.
6 JEWISH STANDARD JULY 7, 2017
The Teaneck-based Sinai Schools takes
children, from elementary schoolers
through high school students, whose
special needs make a more conventional
education ineffective at best and more
likely painful and counterproductive
and tailor-makes a program for each one
of them. It places each student in a pro-
gram in a day school, provides him or her
with art therapy, music therapy, occupa-
tional therapy, and classroom work; it also
allows its children and the children in the
schools in which they are housed to social-
ize, eat, play, and pray together, demystify-
ing both sides. Sinai takes students whose
disabilities range across a wide gamut and
whose programs and outcomes are equally
wide-ranging. Sisters was the pairs 2014 documentary.
In some ways, it is a simple story. Each
student is given what he or she needs, anything, even more important. For one attaches itself to a family with a child who
socially, academically, therapeutically, thing, the schools services are expensive, has special needs. For a very long time,
spiritually, in the most personal and and it promises not to let any child who Jewish families (like other families in other
thoughtful way possible. And in other otherwise it could educate there are a cultures) would hide the child, or at the
ways it is an extraordinarily complicated few students whose needs do not match very least, in the face of all evidence, deny
story. Each student has a different set of Sinais offerings have to pass up the the problem. Sinai knows how devastating
needs, comes from a different family, and education because it is unaffordable. The that response can be, and it works hard to
reacts differently. school does not rely entirely on donations, replace the stigma with openness, love,
All schools have relationships with the but it needs them. and pride.
communities that surround them and pro- Also, and perhaps even more impor- The annual movies Mr. Fishman and Ms.
vide them with students, but Sinais needs tantly, there is a stigma unfair, inappro- Gross make are an important weapon in
are deeper and its relationships are, if priate, but there nonetheless that often SEE SINAI PAGE 8
 S E
SummASO
er Sna NS
pshots

Follo
@sea w Us o
sons n ins
in yo o fclift tagra
chan ur sum on an m
ce to mer d tag
be fe p hoto us
and a s
on so tured in for a
cial m our A
edia! ds

JEWISH STANDARD JULY 7, 2017 7

Local

The educational team looks at each

Sweet Boy, last years entry, looks at another Sinai students challenges and
triumphs.
Sinai
FROM PAGE 6
that campaign. The films are shown first
at the annual dinner, usually in February,
and then theyre put online, where they
are easily accessible and have proven to be
wildly popular.
Jacobs Footprints already has been
seen more than 130,000 times, just on
Facebook, Mr. Fishman said. When you
consider other channels, my best guess is
that its been seen more than 150,000 times.
Our hope is that this award will draw new
people to see Jacobs Footprint, and also
to see some of Sinais other body of work.
Because each Sinai student is different
in fact, every child is different, every adult
is on some level unlike every other adult,
but Sinai focuses on its students each
film is different. The goal of the library of
Sinai films thats been created so far, and
that will continue to be created, is to show
the range of students the school educates.
Mr. Fishman began working on the films
about a decade ago, he said; about four
years ago, I had the pleasure and privilege
to partner with Abigail in creating them.
And they serve an important role.
Mr. Fishmans role as managing direc-
tor encompasses many areas that seem
tangential until you think about them.
Although he is not the schools admis-
sions director, he is responsible for the
part of the admissions process that does
not include educational needs. But once
the school decides to accept a student,
based solely on educational possibilities,
he starts to work with the family. Because
he has been involved with the school in
various overlapping ways for 30 years, and
because I am the parent of a child who
attended Sinai for eight years, working on
the financial aspects of the intake goes well
beyond a discussion of dollars.
Parents, thank God, are able to connect
with me, and I with them. We talk about
the experience, and what to expect.
The most common question that I get
from parents, with varying degrees of
emotion and desperation, is, What will
his future be? Is he going to be happy?
Will he ever be able to go to a mainstream
school? Will he be able to go to college? needs, Ms. Gross said. There is a ten-
To get married? To have friends? dency for a person to say, I know so-and-
My answer is always that I am not a
prophet, that each child is unique, that
each childs trajectory will be different.
Having this body of work, these films,
allows me, when I hear parents describe
their child, when I get to know the parent
personally, allows me to send them a link to
a particular film about a particular child and
a particular family that they can connect to.
I can never say to parents that your child
will be exactly like this one, but there is a
possibility that he might turn out like this.
Many parents of prospective students
say that theyve seen one of the films, Ms.
Gross added. They say, I saw how you
prepared that child for his bar mitzvah. I
want that for my son, she said. My son
is just like the boy in that film, and thats
what I want for him.
I want to use the films as a tool to show
parents what is possible, Mr. Fishman
said. And I want to do it in a way that tells
a story and is emotionally powerful, and
child very much as an individual,
and thinks about how we can put
together a program that will make
this child reach his or her potential.
also shows that there can be real help, and
even a happy outcome.
The films are optimistic, but they are
honest. There is always a bittersweet ele-
ment, Mr. Fishman said.
Mr. Fishman and Ms. Gross do not write
a script, and they do not use voiceovers to
explain what the people in the film do not
say. Instead, they film many more hours
than they possibly could use, and then
piece that footage together to tell a story.
They include not only the students and his
or her parents, siblings, and classmates,
but also teachers and program directors.
We dont hold a camera or run the com-
puter program, Mr. Fishman said. We
select the subject, consider the areas we
want to cover.
We rotate to be sure to use different
types of children and issues, he added.
We serve a lot of different types of
children, with a lot of different kinds of
thing, you put your heart and soul in
it, Ms. Gross, who also is a Sinai parent,
so, who goes to Sinai, and think that thats
all that Sinai does. So we make a very
deliberate effort to show all different types
of students, with all different types of chal-
lenges and issues.
We have Jacobs Footprints, about a
young man with many deep-seated chal-
lenges, both developmental and physical,
and we also have Saving Freddy, and that they do in a way that is sophisti-
Freddy is now in college. They are clearly
very different young men, and they both
have been served by Sinai in very many
different ways.
We are not just serving kids with this or
that specific diagnosis, Ms. Gross contin-
ued. That is not how we work. The educa-
tional team looks at each child very much
as an individual, and thinks about how we
can put together a program that will make
this child reach his or her potential.
Because they are so efficient and effec-
tive at telling the schools story, the films
have come to be an important part of its
public face.
As they start thinking about each film
often years before it is made Mr. Fish-
man and Ms. Gross consider which fam-
ily to approach. Not only do they want to
show the range of the schools students,
they also want families who will be willing
to put up with seeing both their familys
stories and also their own more-than-life-
size faces up on the screen at a huge dinner
before it goes online. We have had parents
say that it feels like being naked in front of
the whole community, Ms. Gross said. It
takes very special parents. And of course,
it also takes the childs agreement as well.
We never pressure a family if they are
not comfortable, Mr. Fishman said. But
the ones who agree often say afterward
that they were really grateful. And they say,
If my making the film will help another
family, then I am really glad that I did it.
When you really believe in some-
said. These films are a labor of love. Sam
and I, both independently and together,
really believe in the story that we are tell-
ing. We believe that we can help parents
and children, and by telling the story the
way we have been telling it, we can help
more children.
Telling their students stories in the way
cated and powerful enough to win them
awards is unusual, but it is not unusual
for Sinai. No one who works at Sinai
works or thinks inside a box, Ms. Gross
said. It goes without saying that none of
our kids fits inside a box, but neither does
anyone who works here.
In order to continue to create and grow
the success of the school, we have to think
outside the box.
The Sinai Schools short documentaries
are available on the schools website, www.
sinaischools.org. Click on the tab at the top
of the homepage that says Videos.

Ramp Up Your Resume

hop. Revamp, revise and revitalize your old resume
wo rks
our
or build one from the ground up
e
Fre y
r i ng h! with JFCS Re-Launch Career Services.
B unc Thursday, July 13th, 12:30pm - 2:00pm
L
1485 Teaneck Road, Teaneck, NJ
Registration required as seating is limited. 201-837-9090

8 JEWISH STANDARD JULY 7, 2017

JEWISH STANDARD JULY 7, 2017 9
Local
Coming home with a a different perspective
Israeli soldiers are just like us, says Birthright participant
J
LOIS GOLDRICH
ason McDonald of Fair Lawn had a
proper Jewish education.
I attended Hebrew school and was
bar mitzvahed, the 19-year-old stu-
dent, a sophomore at the University of Mas-
sachusetts at Amherst, said. But after that,
he added, I felt like I wasnt being pushed
to go to shul, so I only went on the High
Holidays and celebrated the Jewish holidays
with my family. If there were organized
programs for teenagers, I didnt know
about it. Some friends were involved in
extra stuff, but I wasnt really told about it.
If Jason who recently returned from
a Birthright Israel trip lost touch with
his Jewish identity during those years, he
came home from the 10-day trip with a
completely different outlook.
No one, apparently, was more surprised
than the student himself. I was amazed
to find how much this experience allows
young adults to reconnect with their
Giving comfort
NechamaComfort offers support to parents remembering early losses
BANJI GANCHROW
T
hirty years ago, Pesach Judas,
the firstborn son of Reva and
Danny Judas of Teaneck, died.
He was just 12 hours old.
Everyone deals with infant death or
pregnancy loss differently, and I knew
that this was something that I wanted to
help others with, Ms. Judas said. In 2008,
she founded NechamaComfort, a support
organization for people who have experi-
enced miscarriage, stillbirth, or the death
of an infant. (Nechama means comfort.)
Our main vision is to make sure that
no one feels alone during this unique
trauma, Ms. Judas said. We hope to help
the family navigate through their grief, and
then to find a place for it in their lives.
When it began, the group, which is
open to the entire community and whose
members range from atheists to the ultra-
Orthodox, met at Englewood Hospital; a
year later, it moved to Holy Name Medical
Center in Teaneck. For the last two and a
half years, it has been hosted by the Jewish
Family and Childrens Services of North-
ern New Jersey. It meets the second Tues-
day every month.
10 JEWISH STANDARD JULY 7, 2017
Jewish selves and religion in a completely
new way, he wrote in a letter to the Mens
Progress Club at the Fair Lawn Jewish Cen-
ter/Congregation Bnai Israel, which helped
support his trip.
Jason recalled his first visit to Israel with
his family. I went to Israel with my family
when I was little, he said. I didnt really
understand the bigger picture. Going now
with a bunch of peers everyone on
the trip was from Bergen County put
everything into a different perspective. I
thought about things differently.
On his first trip, he said, I just went
around on a private tour, kind of listen-
ing to our tour guide. But this time was a
different experience. This time I listened,
but it was because of him, the tour guide
himself. He was a big part of why the trip
was the way it was. His guide, Maxi Katzir,
had accompanied Yonatan Netanyahu on
the raid at Entebbe. This man is a huge
reason Israel is what it is today, Jason said.
To have someone as influential as him
On July 1, NechamaComfort became
part of Jewish Family and Childrens Ser-
vices. This means that donations can be
specifically earmarked for the organiza-
tion. Up until now, I had been working
in other capacities and NechamaComfort
was my full-time hobby, Ms. Judas said.
Now, I am making it my full-time career.
She has many goals for the organization,
which include establishing both a hotline
and support groups all over the country
and in Israel. She already has established a
women-only group that meets at the River-
dale Jewish Center in Riverdale, N.Y. on the
third Monday of every month.
Now that Ms. Judas has partnered with
JFCS, her organization will be able to reach
more people, and the extra funding the
arrangement provides will help her fulfill
those goals. We are looking to expand our
services in order to provide the best pos-
sible care to our clients, she said. The
calls to NechamaComfort are on the rise,
and these calls are not just from Bergen
County, but from all around the world.
She also wants to raise awareness and
education to clergy and medical profes-
sionals, something she already has been
doing on her own through her training in
Jason McDonald
lead my trip made the whole experience
that much more memorable.
And there was more. Being older and
going into it with an open mind allowed me
Reva Judas
the area of infant and pregnancy loss.
On Tuesday evening, July 25, Nechama-
Comfort will offer An Evening of Remem-
brance, Comfort and Renewal at the
Teaneck Jewish Center. The benefit, the
first such fundraiser for the organization,
will support the families who have expe-
rienced the profound loss of a fetus or
newborn.
to experience Israel the way it was meant to
be experienced, Jason wrote in his letter to
the FLJC. The first time I went to the West-
ern Wall, I just thought it was cool. This time
when I went and thought about how much
this one wall means to the entire country
I was overcome with emotion.
Noting that he signed up for the trip
because two of his friends wanted to go,
Jason said, I knew that they were going to
talk about Judaism, and figured Id just lis-
ten. But they didnt try to force it on you.
Being there with Israelis provided a different
kind of experience than I was expecting.
His friends came home with equal
enthusiasm. One, the more religious of
the three, chose to remain in Israel for the
summer. But even the other friend, who
wasnt even bar mitzvahed, came back
with the same reaction as me, Jason said.
A member of Hillel at his college, Jason
said that he feels the organization needs
to reach out more. They say, Come to Hil-
lel. Thats it. They need more outreach.
The event is taking place during the
Nine Days, the period from the first of the
month of Av until the fast day, Tisha bAv,
on the ninth day of that month. It is the
time when we remember destruction, but
more importantly how we came out of the
destruction to a time and place of hope
and renewal, Ms. Judas said.
Perhaps coincidentally, the Shab-
bat after Tisha bAv is called Shabbat
Nachamu, the Shabbat of comfort. It is the
time of year to go through tragedy to hope.
Our event is doing the same, she
said. We hope to take the stigma away
for people who experience infant and or
pregnancy loss. Our philosophy is to show
people how to go through this trauma and
put it into a place in their lives. Many peo-
ple can relate this theme to something in
their lives as well.
Ms. Judas emphasized that instead of
simply being depressing, the program will
take an uplifting approach.
The program will include a siyum led
by Shalom Krisher of Teaneck, the hus-
band of NechamaComfort board member
Ellen Krisher, and that will allow people
who otherwise would not eat meat dur-
ing the nine days to do so. His talk will
 Local

the best deals

of the season
He suggested that events, such as concerts, might be
more attractive than lectures, particularly if they can
get Israeli performers.
Jason who said he now feels a heightened sense
of pride about being Jewish, even though we may not

Sidewalk
be the most loved group of people out there said he
definitely plans to go back to Israel. He looks at Israe-
lis differently now, after spending a good deal of time
with soldiers his own age. I was expecting them to
be more military-oriented, he said. But they fit in
right away.
The soldiers were exactly like us, he wrote. They
partied with us, wanted to get to know us and what life

SALE
was like in America, and were some of the friendliest
and most genuine people I have ever met. So friendly,
in fact, that he and his friends plan to keep in touch
with them.
If Jason is excited about his trip, so too is his grand-
mother, Rosa Sirota of Fair Lawn. A hidden child dur-
ing the Holocaust, Ms. Sirota said she is eager for peo-
ple to hear about the effects a trip like Birthright can
have, to encourage people to support this wonderful
program.

be followed by a barbecue, which will be a time to

socialize among friends and family, Ms. Judas said.
NechamaComfort hopes to make this memorial an
annual event.
Thursday Friday & Saturday
Communities from all over the tristate area are
invited, and families who have experienced infant or
pregnancy loss at any time in their lives are invited to
july 20 july 21-22
honor the memory of their children. Their losses will
be symbolized by released butterflies. Families will
Exclusive deals begin Activities, entertainment
have the option of signing a leaf as a tangible way to
remember their lost children.
& more!
The Jewish community handles infant and preg-
nant loss differently than other communities it
RETAILERS: Aerosoles, Alain & Co. Jewelers, Ambience Boutique, Anthropologie,
tends to keep them quiet and I want those who
Banana Republic, Bath & Body Works, Can Do Fitness, Carters, Charming Charlie,
have suffered this loss to know that they can grieve
Chicos, City Place Convenience, Express, Gap, Guess, Hand & Stone Massage, Lenscrafters,
in any way that they are comfortable with but have
Loft, Mercat Boutique, Metromix, Pier 1 Imports, Ulta, Verizon Wireless, Victorias Secret
the choice to do so whether their loss was recent or
decades ago, Ms. Judas said. They should put it in a
& The Vitamin Shoppe.
place that is comfortable for their family.
Ms. Judas will talk about NechamaComfort during EATERIES: Bareburger, Baumgarts Cafe, Chipotle, Flemings Steakhouse, Greek Taverna,
the program. Its goals are not just to ask for much- Hagen Dazs, Izzys, The Orginial Pancake House & Panera Bread.
needed financial support for the programs it now
runs and those it hopes to establish, but also to give a
place and time for people of all Jewish denominations
to remember and honor their babies, if they have or
have not in the past, Ms. Judas said.
To learn more about the program, about support
C I T Y P L AC e
SHOPPING & DINING ON THE HUDSON

groups, or about NechamaComfort, go to its website,

NechamaComfort.com. 225 RIVER RD, EDGEWATER, NJ CITYPLACEPROMENADE SHOPCITYPLACENJ.COM

JEWISH STANDARD JULY 7, 2017 11

Local
The best of American culture and values
Summer camp hosts Israeli teenagers with
kidney transplants through local foundation
ABIGAIL KLEIN LEICHMAN
Last Friday, three eager teenagers from
Israel landed at Newark Airport, looking
forward to two weeks of sleepaway camp
in the Catskill Mountains.
They were accompanied by a nurse
from the transplant team at Schneider
Childrens Medical Center in Petach Tik-
vah near Tel Aviv, and were greeted upon
arrival by Israeli pediatric nephrologist
Yehuda (Lewis) Reisman.
These three teens each have had a kid-
ney transplant.
They are going to Frost Valley YMCA
Camp in Ulster County, New York, cour-
tesy of the Teaneck-based Ruth Gottscho
Kidney Foundation, which has sponsored
a summer-camp experience at Frost Valley
for more than 1,800 eight- to 17-year-olds
with kidney disease since 1975.
The Israelis are the first patients from
outside the United States to be part of the
program, the only one in the world that
fully mainstreams kids with kidney disease
into a regular camp, said Judy Gottscho Neomi Zanhendler and Dr. Lewis Reisman flank Stiven, Aviv, and Bar-Shalom.
Eichinger, chair of the foundation.
Ruth Gottscho, Ms. Eichingers sister, died of congeni-
tal kidney disease in 1960, when she was 15, before the
advent of dialysis. The family lived in Millburn in Essex
County.
My sister always dreamed of going to sleepaway camp
but couldnt because of her illness. She was very jealous
when her friends and I went away to camp, said Ms. Eich-
inger, whose parents, Eva and Ira, had met as summer-
camp counselors.
At first, the foundation in Ruths memory was devoted
to buying and lending dialysis machines for children and
training parents to perform dialysis at home. After Medi-
care began funding the procedure, the foundation began
supporting other services for children with kidney disease. Dr. Reisman said.
Mr. Gottscho died in 1971, and the next year Ms. Gott-
scho looked for camps in New Jersey that mainstreamed
children with kidney disease into the regular summer pro-
gram. She did not find any, but Frost Valley YMCA liked the
idea and agreed to build a small dialysis unit in the camps
wellness center. Since then, Frost Valley YMCA also has
welcomed campers with developmental disabilities, and
this year it also enrolled campers with hearing loss.
Each summer, about 15 campers with kidney disease
or with a transplanted kidney referred by their pedi-
atric nephrologist, nurse, or social worker join in the
first two sessions of Frost Valley YMCA Camp, along with
1,000 other campers in every two-week session. They
live in the same bunks and participate in the same activi-
ties as the other campers on the 5,500-acre campsite,
but they receive dialysis and/or medications under the
supervision of volunteer pediatric nephrology doctors
and nurses, such as Dr. Reisman. The program is over-
seen by the Childrens Hospital at Montefiore Medical
Center in New York City.
The camp is not under Jewish auspices and the camp-
ers come from diverse backgrounds and religions. But Dr.
Reisman, a semi-retired pediatric nephrologist at Tel Aviv
12 JEWISH STANDARD JULY 7, 2017
Sourasky Medical Center who keeps an apartment in Fort
Lee, was eager to include kids from Israel.
I have been going to Frost Valley for many years and I
believe that for the children with kidney disease, the camp her Teaneck home in 2009 after her mother died, has a
experience is much more than a vacation, Dr. Reisman
said. It is an empowering experience that helps build self- band and children. She said that the camp board agreed
confidence in these children. Frost Valley fosters mutual
respect and acceptance and tolerance of others. As such,
it represents the best of American culture and values.
I have long wanted to bring Israeli kids to Frost Val-
ley so that the Israelis would be exposed to the variety of
children at camp, and so that the Americans would have
a chance to get to know Israelis of various backgrounds,
I became certain that I wanted to do
this in 2015, at the celebration of the 35th
anniversary of the pediatric kidney trans-
plant program at Schneider Childrens
Medical Center. The kidney transplant
coordinator, Neomi Zanhendler, said, in
both Arabic and Hebrew, The children are
our bridge to understanding and peace.
Afterwards, three children with kidney
transplants sang Sheyavo shalom aleinu,
May peace come upon us, and all the fam-
ilies Jewish and Arabic joined in.
I decided that I wanted to bring Israeli
kids to Frost Valley to teach the song to the
American kids at camp, Dr. Reisman said.
The Israeli campers include Stiven, 16,
who was born in Russia; Aviv, 17, who was
born in the United States to Israeli-Ameri-
can parents; and Bar-Shalom, 16, an Israeli
of North African descent. All experienced
kidney failure when they were young,
received transplants at Schneider, and
now are medically stable.
The Eichingers and the Reismans hosted
the visitors in their own homes over Shab-
bat the kids and their nurse were eager
to experience Bergen County shopping
and the sights of New York City and then drove them to
Frost Valley on Sunday for the first day of camp.
Ms. Eichinger, who moved the foundation office to
daughter, Karen Feuer, who lives in Israel with her hus-
to fund the cost of the summer camp for the Israeli teens
but was not able to foot the bill for transportation or other
expenses. Dr. Reisman secured donations from the United
States and Israel to fill that gap.
Contributions can be made online at www.gottschokid-
ney.org, or mailed to the Ruth Gottscho Kidney Founda-
tion, 515 Warwick Avenue, Teaneck, NJ 07666. The foun-
dation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.
Campers and
their hosts
hold flags of
Israel and the
Schneider
Childrens
Medical Center,
where the
campers have
received medical
care.
 Local

Who was that man?

Some backstory to our cover photo last week
JOANNE PALMER
When I wrote a cover story on the National
Yiddish Theater Folksbienes production
of Amerike last week, and even when we
picked a cover photo that showed much of
the cast surrounding a young man raising
his fist dramatically in the air, none of us
had any idea who that young man was.
We had no idea that anyone other than
the Folksbienes artistic director, Zalmen
Mlotek of Teaneck, had a local connection.
Well, we all know more this week than
we did last week.
That young man is David Perlman, who
grew up in Closter and whose parents,
JoAnne Hassan and Martin Perlman, now
live in Alpine.
David Perlman has been a professional
actor for years now. His most recent work
before Amerika was A Dog Story,
which hed been involved with for a few
years and opened off Broadway at the end
of 2016, and among his other credits hes
also played Woof in Hair. He traces his
start to the Kaplen JCC on the Palisades
in Tenafly, and to the director of its acting
school, Deborah Roberts. I was 7 years
old when I did Youre a Good Man, Charlie
Brown, he said; he chose not to mention
that he had the productions lead.
Amerike basically is a revue, and some
of its performers have more to say, sing,
and dance than others do. Mr. Perlman
says, sings, and dances a lot; he is at the
productions heart.
Mr. Perlman doesnt speak Yiddish
perhaps its more accurate to say that he
didnt speak Yiddish, because hes learn-
ing it now. He auditioned for Amerike,
he said, because I was excited by the idea
of doing a show in Yiddish, not just as an
actor but even more as a Jew, because it
was telling our story in a language that my
ancestors spoke.
I was excited to take on this challenge. work that runs deep, Mr. Perlman said. He
With any show you have to learn the lines,
and here also the choreography and the
music. Here there is the added layer of its
being in Yiddish.
I like learning as much about it as I can.
I want to be truthful in what I am saying
onstage. I want to feel that I am saying
words that I come up with in my head, not
just sounds that Ive memorized.
Its really an awesome opportunity.
There is an emotional component to this
sees it in Zalmen Mlotek, who is so very
passionate about it, and he feels it in him-
self as well.
It has affected my Jewish identity, he
said. I have been brought up Jewish, and
I always identified with being Jewish, with
Jewish customs and values, but this is giv-
ing me an education. I feel closer to our
history. It deepens how I feel about being
Jewish, about being part of Jewish culture.
And then theres the place where
Amerike is playing, at the Museum of
Jewish Heritage in Battery Park City in low-
est Manhattan.
When you step outside, you see the
Statue of Liberty, Mr. Perlman said.
There it is.
At the beginning of the show, there is
a number where we all are coming off the
boat, and we see the Statute of Liberty. It
is a huge moment.
So actually coming here, in the present
day, and seeing the statue every day it
really does affect us.
The whole story of Amerike is about
immigration, so doing it here absolutely
makes it feel more real. Its a different
time, but its the same place. The place
where it happened.

Serving the Jewish community

of Bergen County for 12 years

All certified home health aides

licensed, bonded and criminal
background checks

RN supervision & coordination

Hourly, live-in and respite care

24/7 live on-call service

Complimentary social work

services

Linkages to other elder care

options

1.866.7FREEDOM
(1.866.737.3336)
www.freedomhh.com

JEWISH STANDARD JULY 7, 2017 13

Briefly Local

BARBARA BALKIN
Curtiss Pulitzer, left, Senator McCaskill, and Rella Feldman.  COURTESY NORPAC

Norpac hosts Missouri senator

Curtiss Pulitzer and Rella Feldman
hosted a June 22 Norpac pro-Israel event
for Senator Claire McCaskill (D-MO) at
their Teaneck home.
Senator McCaskill, a former pros-
ecutor and state auditor, won her Sen-
ate seat in 2006. She became the first
woman elected to the U.S. Senate from
Missouri, winning the seat once held by
Harry Truman. At the meeting, Senator
McCaskill talked about Israels bipartisan
support. She will be running for re-elec-
tion in 2018.
RABBI SIRBU WINS COMMUNITY RELATIONS AWARD: Rabbi Steven Sirbu of
Teanecks Temple Emeth, at far right, received the Matthew Feldman Commu-
nity Relations award from the Township of Teaneck on June 13. Temple member
Wendy Wineburgh Dessanti, at left, who is the co-chair of the advisory board
on community relations, presented him with the award. She, along with her co-
chair David Langford and Township Councilman Alan Sohn, standing next to her,
spoke about the significance of the award at Temple Emeths service on June
23. State Senator Loretta Weinberg, standing beside the rabbi, presented a joint
resolution to Rabbi Sirbu marking the occasion, and Rabbi Sirbu offered reflec-
tions on the honor.

Raising awareness about

kidney donations
Rabbi Josh Sturm, on July 18 as a swap
director of outreach for Cantor Leon
f o r Re n e w a l , d i s - Lissek, who is a fel-
cusses Everything low congregant at
you wanted to know Beth Sholom, but
about kidney donation does not yet have a
but were afraid to ask, match.
at a kidney donation The rabbis of
awareness program Congregations
on Thursday, July 13, Beth Aaron, Beth
at 8:15 p.m., at Congre- Sholom, Bnai
gation Beth Sholom in Rabbi Josh Sturm Yeshurun, Rinat
Teaneck. Renewal is an Yi s ra e l , S h a a re
organization that helps facilitate kidney Tefillah, and Netivot Shalom, Chabad,
transplants in the Jewish community. and Temple Emeth, all in Teaneck, as
On a separate note, Rabbi Shelley well as other synagogues in northern
Kniaz, director of congregational learn- New Jersey and Rockland County, sup-
ing at Temple Emanuel of the Pascack port the program and Renewal.
Valley in Woodcliff Lake and a CBS con- For more information, call (201)
gregant, is scheduled to donate a kidney 833-2620.

Michael Strauss named Pictured from left are Torah education and youth director Rabbi Avremy

YU interim dean Kanelsky; administrator Rabbi Dovid Wilansky, Rabbi Zalman Bamgarten;
Rabbi Mordechai and Shterney Kanelsky; and Mila Libson. COURTESY BRIS AVROHOM

Michael Strauss, associate dean, entrepreneur-in-residence,

and clinical professor of management at the Sy Syms School
of Business, was appointed interim dean of Sy Syms for
one year, effective July 1. Strauss also is the assistant to the
provost.
Strauss began his career as an industrial engineer at New
York Central Railroad and American Airlines before hold-
ing a series of positions at First National City Bank, Bank of
New York, and American Express, where he became one of
three executive vice presidents of its travel-related services
division.
Remembering the rebbe
On June 25, Bris Avrohom held its annual speaker. Rabbi Mordechai Kanelsky, Bris
Gimmel Tammuz commemoration at Avrohoms executive director, encouraged
the Bris Avrohom Center in honor of everyone to undertake a new mitzvah in
the Lubavitcher rebbes 23rd yahrzeit. honor of this special day.
Rabbi Zalman Baumgarten was the guest
Michael Strauss

14 JEWISH STANDARD JULY 7, 2017

UPCOMING AT KAPLEN JCC on the Palisades
Golf, Games & Tennis KAPLEN JCC on the Palisades

PLAY
Play golf, mens or womens tennis, Mah Jongg, bridge or
canasta to support the JCCs programming, services and
camps for children with special needs. The event includes
brunch, cocktail dinner reception, plus exciting live and
on-online auctions.

FORE!
Mon, Aug 7, Montammy Golf Club, Alpine, NJ
Info: contact Michal Kleiman at mkleiman@jccotp.org
Register: jccotp.org/playforethekids

School of Performing Arts Private

Acting & Voice Lessons
THE KIDS
This is the perfect time to enjoy learning a monologue,
a scene or a great new accent for shows in the fall. Begin
Presenting Sponsors: THE HECHLER FAMILY
voice lessons or refresh and build proper technique THE KURTZ & SPADACCINI FAMILY
to increase vocal range and strength, and gain
confidence on stage. Visit jccotp.org/drama-lessons
for further information.
MONDAY, AUGUST 7, 2017
MONTAMMY GOLF CLUB, ALPINE, NJ

amps
jccotp.org/c HAVE SOME OPEN WEEKS IN YOUR SUMMER PLAN?

We have just what youre

looking for at JCC Neil
Klatskin Summer Camps!
A place where every camper can be their best!
Music, sports, science, art, big idea hi-tech, drama,
dance... the incredible options your camper can
choose from. All camps include lunch, snacks, daily
swim and towel service. Campers also have access to
transportation and extended care services.
Visit jccotp.org/camps for all JCC camp offerings.
Ages 3-15, Jun 26-Aug 18, 9 am-4 pm

-1 5
AG E S 3

FAMILIES MUSIC KIDS

Welcome to the World Baby Gift
Do you have a friend, family member or neighbor
who just had a baby? Did you just have a baby?
Let us know! Wed love to welcome the baby to
the community with a special gift!
Visit jccotp.org/welcomebaby
Why study music at home Mommy/Baby Playgroup
when you can study music Enjoy the company of other new parents while
relaxing with your baby in a supportive and friendly
at Thurnauer? environment. Sessions are led by a registered nurse
Solidify plans for fall and join our amazing school! and lactation consultant.
Become part of our vibrant music community,
Wednesdays, 10-11:30 am, $15 drop in
take private lessons, learn from great teachers and
enjoy frequent performance opportunities! Sign up
today! JCC membership not required.
Visit jccotp.org/thurnauer or call 201.408.1465
for details.

TO REGISTER OR FOR MORE INFO

VISIT jccotp.org
STAY IN THE KNOW! LIKE US ON
facebook.com/KaplenJCCOTP

KAPLEN JCC on the Palisades TAUB CAMPUS | 411 E CLINTON AVE, TENAFLY, NJ 07670 | 201.569.7900 | jccotp.org
JEWISH STANDARD JULY 7, 2017 15
 Briefly Local
BARBARA BALKIN
Local group visits the
Lubavitcher Rebbes grave
On June 21, a group led by Rabbi Mordechai Shain from Lubavitch on the Palisades
took a bus trip to the ohel (gravesite) of Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, the
Lubavitcher Rebbe, in Queens. The trip was to mark the rebbes 23rd yahrzeit. After
praying at the gravesite and leaving personal letters of prayer, the group joined other
groups for dinner and an inspirational speech given by Rabbi Simon Jacobson, noted
author and lecturer. For upcoming events, go to www.chabadlubavitch.org.
16 JEWISH STANDARD JULY 7, 2017
National Council of Jewish Women volunteers look on at the new graduates of
Bergen Family Centers HIPPY program.  COURTESY NCJWBCS
Hooray for HIPPY grads and volunteers
Children, parents, and volunteers from the Bergen County section of the National Council
of Jewish Women celebrated the 23rd annual HIPPY graduation at Bergen Family Center.
HIPPY Home Instruction for Parents of Preschool Youngsters is a national program
that helps parents become their childs first teacher.
Dressed in caps and gowns, the children accepted their certificates of accomplish-
ment from Bergen Family Center CEO Mitch Schonfeld and program coordinator Rachel
Ventrone.
The Bergen County NCJW section co-founded HIPPY, a three-year pre-kindergarten
program, with the Bergen Family Center in 1994. Its volunteers provide assistance during
monthly workshops, playing with the children while their parents attend a program. The
HIPPY program is one of 16 community services supported by the Bergen County section
of the National Council of Jewish Women.
Keep us informed
We welcome photos of community events. Photos must be high resolution jpg files. Please include a detailed cap-
tion and a daytime telephone. Mailed photos will only be returned with a self-addressed stamped envelope. Not
every photo will be published.
PR@jewishmediagroup.com
NJ Jewish Media Group
1086 Teaneck Rd., Teaneck, NJ 07666
(201) 837-8818 x 110
Party celebrates
end of Emeks year
Emek families at the Kaplen JCC on the Palisades in Tenafly
celebrated the end of an amazing year with a pool party on
the JCC grounds. The hands-on Hebrew educational program
allows children to experience all the wonders of Israel without
having to fly there.
Children attend class each week, learn all about Israeli
culture and heritage, and feel Israel come to life with Israeli,
Hebrew-speaking teachers who specialize in teaching stan-
dard Hebrew as a second language. Participants sing, dance,
talk, bake, listen to music, learn, create, and absorb Hebrew
by engaging in activities that activate their senses. For more
PHOTO COURTESY JCCOTP
information, call Galit Goldberg at (201) 566-1507 or email her
at Galit.goldberg@gmail.com.
Welcome Home
TO

655 Pomander Walk

Teaneck, NJ 07666
201-836-7474
Enjoy a life of luxury at Premier
Residences of Teaneck. From our
Five Star Warmth & Hospitality, to
our friendly, dedicated staff, youll
love to call us home.
OUR COMMUNITY OFFERS:
Providing exceptional Five Star
service for over 27 years
Five Star Dining Experience,
featuring Signature Recipes and
local ingredients
Choice of 1- and 2- bedroom
apartments, some with balconies
Lifestyle360 program for a full
schedule of daily activities Special Pricing!
On-site medical suite staffed by
Geriatric Internists and other Call now to see
specialists
how much
24-hour security and concierge
service you can save
EXPERIENCE THE EXCEPTIONAL LIFE. CALL TO SCHEDULE
A PERSONALIZED TOUR AND COMPLIMENTARY LUNCH.
www.FiveStarPremier-Teaneck.com
INDEPENDENT LIVING ASSISTED LIVING
2017 Five Star Senior Living Pet
Friendly

JEWISH STANDARD JULY 7, 2017 17

Cover Story
Playing with the bands
Y
Larry Yudelson
ou could see him across
Trumpeter the bonfire in Kiryas
Joel on Lag BOmer,
playing the trumpet
Jordan Hirsch as the chassidim cel-
ebrated past midnight.
makes klezmer
Two weeks later, on a Thursday in
May, you could see him up in the bal-
cony at the Theater in Madison Square
music and
Garden as Yeshiva University celebrated
its graduation exercises.
Three days a week during the school
all that jazz year you can see him in St. Hildas and
St. Hughs, a private school in Manhat-
tan. This summer you can see him per-
forming in the orchestra of the National
Yiddish Theatre Folksbienes musical
Amerike: The Golden Land.
But really, to see Jordan is to miss the
point. Youre there to hear him play the
trumpet or if youre at the school, to
learn British brass band from a classi-
cally trained musician who is a regular
on the metropolitan klezmer scene and
has recorded a bunch of klezmer albums.
18 Jewish Standard JULY 7, 2017
Jordans musical interests go back to
the early 20th century. He is a big fan
of early jazz, of Louis Armstrong and
Bix Beiderbecke. His familys musical
roots go back to the 1940s and 50s, to
the world of left-wing folk music that
included Woody Guthrie and Pete
Seeger. Jordans father, Larry Hirsch,
went to City College from 1948 to 1952.
He was part of the City College caf-
eteria socialists, Jordan said. He was
also a member of the Glee Club. He
was a bass baritone. He somehow got
hooked up with the Hootenanny Sing-
ers backup choir. He would hang out at
these folk jam sessions that would be
presided over by Leadbelly, who was
like the rebbe. Pete Seeger would be
there, and Fred Heller from the Weav-
ers, and Oscar Brand. The Hootenanny
Singers would sing at political rallies
and concerts of people like Harry Bela-
fonte and Theodore Bikel.
Sometimes the concerts were politi-
cal rallies and sometimes the rallies
turned into riots, as happened on Labor
Day, 1949, in Peekskill, New York. That
day, after a concert featuring Paul Robe-
son, Pete Seeger, and the Hootenanny
Singers, anti-communist rioters, curs-
ing Jews and blacks, threw stones at
concert-goers, smashing car and bus
windows, as the police looked on.
Things had quieted down by the time
Jordan was born in 1962. His path to
the trumpet was a rather unremark-
able story for the time, he said. It was
a typical thing for kids to play instru-
ments. Students in the East Ramapo
public schools in Monsey were given
an instrument when they were in third
grade. Jordan was given a violin.
I hated it! he said.
Why?
It was hard.
At the entry level, the violin can be
very challenging, he continued. I was
a kid. I didnt like to practice. I would
practice my violin very quickly and
sloppily. So of course I got no results.
After a year, he had a chance to
choose another instrument. But all the
band leader had left was a trumpet.
To help him catch up with his
 Cover Story

bandmates, who had been playing trum-

pet for a year already, his parent got him
private lessons with a terrific teacher. He
was a gentle soul. Really terrific with kids.
This time, the lessons took.
With a trumpet, once you know how
to make a sound, if you just do what your
teacher tells you, you can play some sim-
ple song, Jordan said. The challenges of
the trumpet come later on. The subtleties
involved in producing a good sound get
harder as you go.
By junior high, he was very into playing,
practicing with his friends in the school
practice room during lunch and recess.
He became more interested in living
an observant Jewish life in eighth grade,
when he became involved in the Orthodox
Unions youth group, NCSY. As a result, in
ninth grade, he transferred to the Frisch
School. It was his first time in a yeshiva.
I was sort of gobsmacked by the double
curriculum, he said. He put down his
trumpet.
Then, the summer after ninth grade,
a friend needed a trumpet for a brass
ensemble. Jordan agreed to play with him, Playing with Pete Sokolow and the Creole Curmudgeons at Smokey Joes
started taking lessons again, and I havent
stopped since. Jordan went to Israel for two years, where
In high school, when his classmates he kept up his lessons. Then he went to
were listening to rock and roll, he got inter- Yeshiva College. For three years he played
ested in jazz. My favorite thing was listen- 30 NCSY weekends a year with Jonathan
ing to Benny Goodman and Count Basie, Rimberg. A lot of musicians in the Jewish
he said. music field got their start with NCSY, he
One day he was listening to a record said. As a trumpet player, I would play the
from his parents collection. It was Benny intros and melodies. I did a lot of singing
Goodmans 1938 concert in Carnegie in those days. We would copy stuff from
Hall. One track features Bei Mir Bistu Ruach and other successful groups. It was
Shein, the 1932 Yiddish musical hit that a sort of Jewish folk pop style with a lot of
was translated (except for the title which Shlomo Carlebach and the Rabbis Sons
serves as its chorus) into English by thrown in.
Sammy Cahn and later became a hit for Around then, Jordan started to play
the Andrew Sisters. weddings and meet the older musicians
Theres this big trumpet solo in the who had started playing in the Jewish
middle, by the famous trumpet soloist music scene in the 1930s, 40s, and 50s
Ziggy Elman, Jordan said. Ziggy was born before Shlomo Carlebach, before Ruach
Harry Aaron Finkelman and had played in Revival, when everything was klezmer but
Jewish wedding bands. It was phenom- NCSY Israel Center 1982 klezmer didnt know its name.
enal. A klezmer trumpet solo in this jazz They were born in the 1910s and maybe
concert. I was blown away. in which the Argentinian-born Israeli In his junior year of high school, Jordan the early 20s, Jordan said. Those musi-
And thats when Jordans interest in clarinetist introduced his familys legacy started playing at junior NCSY shabbatons. cians who were playing in the Jewish music
jazz became an interest in klezmer as of shtetl wedding music to American lis- Music was a big part of the youth groups business all had this background. Their
well. People didnt call it klezmer music; teners, and the Klezmorim, who started weekend retreats. Boygirl dancing was roots were in the style we would now call
was just music. It was the instrumen- in Berkeley and released East Side Wed- verboten, as were contemporary rock klezmer. I was hearing on the Jewish music
tal folk music of Eastern European Jews. ding in 1977. songs, but mixtures of exuberant circle bandstand that music I had heard in my
Klezmer is the Yiddish pronunciation of It was the early awakenings of peo- dancing and soulful kumsitz singing were houses.
the Hebrew phrase klei zemer musi- ple popularizing klezmer, Mr. Hirsch key ingredients in NCSYs menu of teenage He was hearing it, he was recognizing it,
cal instruments. If jazz started out as the remembered. religious revival. and he was doing his best to play it him-
music of New Orleans in the early 20th The so-called klezmer revival Mr. Jordan formed a three-piece band with self, figuring out by trial and error the
century, klezmer was the Jewish music in Hirsch avoids the term was barely under- Jonathan Rimberg who went on to head tricks needed to get the style and sound
the early 20th century. way. Andrew Statman was recording his Nafshenu Orchestra, a Jewish wedding that is idiomatic for that music. He didnt
Jordan discovered more klezmer music first klezmer record; Henry Sapoznik and band and Mark Infield, a fellow klezmer yet know a lot of tunes from the reper-
as he explored his parents record collec- other people working at YIVO were start- aficionado who continues to play gigs toire, but word started spreading that he
tion. There was, for example, Giora Feid- ing to discover some of the music on the while working in Frischs physical edu- knew the klezmer trumpet sound.
mans 1973 album, Jewish Soul Music, old 78s. cation department. After high school, Jordan left Yeshiva College before

Jewish Standard JULY 7, 2017 19

Cover Story

graduating. The Jewish music business beckoned. That is,

the world of bands who play at Jewish, primarily Ortho-
dox, weddings. As someone who is shomer shabbos, its
always a good opportunity to play and work, Jordan said.
Playing frum weddings means never having to miss a gig
scheduled for a Friday night.
So much of music-making takes place on weekends.
Unless youre a full-time orchestra musician or have a
steady job, our weekends are filled with gigs. Being in the
Jewish music business, which is built around that accom-
modation, I was able to work pretty frequently for pretty
good money and not have to compromise any of that.
During the week, he worked in the sales office of Neshoma
Orchestra, and at nights on the weekends he worked in
the Orchestra. He did a lot of weddings with the chassidim
in Williamsburg.
Even if you werent a great trumpet player, you could
work a lot in 1985, when he graduated from high school,
Jordan said. There were so many weddings out there
and not a lot of players. For Jordan, there were opportu-
nities to learn. One of the musicians he played with was
Ray Musiker.
Mr. Musiker was born in 1927 the fourth generation in
a family of klezmer musicians. He would say, Lets do a
klezmer. I would listen to him play the first eight measures
and assimilate it as fast as I could. Eight measures by eight
measures, I was learning all these klezmer tunes. I was Performing with the faculty band at KlezKanada, 2015
also learning some of his style. He was a gifted teacher,
very good at explaining things. I would ask him questions: Jordan began to explore his love of jazz as a performer. very lucky.
Whats that tune? Where could I find it? He liked being He started playing with a jazz big band in Manhattan and Meanwhile, a new klezmer scene was forming. In 1985,
put in the position of being the elder statesman. It was a studying jazz and big band trumpet playing at Lynn Henry Sapoznik had organized Klezkamp. It would be an
very avuncular role for him. Olivers famous jazz workshops. annual phenomenon for three decades, with workshops
On the circuit, Jordan found himself being typecast as a He was getting closer to the level of performance he on klezmer music as well as Yiddish and Ashkenazic Jew-
guy who could play good second trumpet. I was very good aspired to. I felt I could touch it, he said. So he went ish culture. Players were coming together. Bands were
at picking out harmonies, but having all sorts of problems back to school, studying music at Brooklyn College. He being formed. Mr. Hirsch was too busy to take off the week
playing. My sound wasnt mature or pleasing. A trombone was a trumpet major. The focus there was primarily clas- and go there. Instead, he was learning from the old-tim-
player, a wonderful guy, once said to me on a gig: Jordan, sical repertoire and style. ers, his bandmates, in a more organic way.
you are a very good musician. You have very good ears. I still never felt wholly satisfied with my sound, he In 1993, saxophonist Greg Wall started a klezmer band,
You play very well. Your sound is like sh. said. Im still not there, but at least Im on the right track. Klezmerfest, and invited Mr. Hirsch to join it. They went
It was a problem. The trumpet is a very challenging In 1996, one of Jordans trumpet teachers at Brook- on to record two albums. Good, New Yorkstyle, straight-
instrument, he said. Youre dealing with the small mus- lyn College started a band program at St. Hildas and St. ahead klezmer music, Mr. Jordan said. We still play a
cle groups in your face, controlling the aperture to create Hughs, where his child was studying. He recruited Jordan. number of gigs over the course of the year. We all like play-
the sound. If you overblow, you get extra pressure and Jordan wasnt sure his father had taught in the New York ing together.
your lips swell up. public schools and it seemed a hard profession. But he Then Jordans older brother David wanted to start
So he started taking private lessons again, working on tried it. He liked it. a klezmer band just for fun and recruited Jordan. Thus
his lip problems. He went to Carmine Caruso, known as The kids liked me, the school liked me, and Ive been was born Kleztraphobix; the group recorded an album
a chop doctor and author of Musical Calisthenics for there since, he said. Theres rarely a satisfaction for in 2003, went on hiatus, and now plays occasionally. Its
Brass. He got me playing again, Jordan said. I started me in music better than seeing a kid figure out how to members are considering another album.
to sort out my sound and my playing abilities. play their first few notes on a cornet or trumpet. I am Kleztraphobix features a lot of original compositions

Performing at Yiddish New York Kleztraphobix

20 Jewish Standard JULY 7, 2017


and more adventurous kind of arrange-
ments, Jordan said. Its kind of a
klezmer fusion band. Even the tradi-
tional music we play is arranged in a
more avantgarde kind of way, with ele-
ments of jazz, funk, rock, Latin music,
different kinds of rhythmic variations.
A couple years ago, Jordan was invited
to teach trumpet at KlezKanada, the
summer program parallel to the win-
ter Klezkamp. In klezmer music, we
often talk about the klezmer tradition,
he said. KlezKanada helped me think
about the relationship between Yiddish
theater music, Yiddish folk music, dif-
ferent kinds of Yiddish dance music. It
helped me pull together a lot of threads
I have been working with but hadnt
fully assimilated.
And thus was born Overnight Kugel.
We play chassidic music the way klez-
morim would have played it, Jordan
said. It comes from years and years of
playing chassidic weddings this rep-
ertoire thats parallel to the Yiddish
klezmer repertoire. Its based on the
chassidic recordings of early 60s, which
is a little less virtuosic, more folk tune
accessible than klezmer music.
We havent done many perfor-
mances. I hope to get the band into a
recording studio soon.
Mr. Hirsch never lost his youthful
love for jazz. A few years ago, Joe Godin
asked him to put together a band to play
at Smokey Joes Kosher BBQ in Teaneck.
Jordan called up Pete Sokolow, who
started playing klezmer as a college stu-
dent in 1958 and has been this master
teacher of klezmer and old jazz. Last
month, Pete was the subject of a klezmer
all-star tribute concert in which Mr.
Hirsch participated.
At Smokey Joes, they played music of
the 1920s and 30s early jazz.
This summer, Mr. Hirschs big project
is the National Yiddish Theater Folks-
biene musical Amerike. He has been
playing with the Folksbiene since 2010.
Hes performed in shows and concerts,
playing with such performers as Theo-
dore Bikel and Fyvush Finkel.
Cover Story Sandi M. Malkin, LL C
Interior Designer
(former interior designer of model
rooms for NYs #1 Dept. Store)
For a totally new look using
your furniture or starting anew.
Jordan
and Staging also available
Fyvush
973-535-9192
Doctors should
be managing
I always love playing shows, Jordan
said. I love being part of the theatrical
their patients care,
experience, working with actors and
singers and sets. The whole experience
not their I.T. care.
of being in an art that encompasses so
Medical Practice Networks Digital Imaging WIFI Firewalls
many artists. People dont necessarily
Managements Software HIPAA Compliant Servers GApps/0365 Email
pay as much attention to me as to an
actor on the stage, but Im part of that
art. The fact that I may be in the pit and SERVING Garb I.T. Group
BERGEN AND
out of view of the audience is really not HUDSON 1415 Queen Anne Road, Ste. 210 Teaneck, NJ
a negative to my mind. COUNTIES
201-379-9234 info@garbcg.com
He thinks that klezmer may yet find
a regular home in North Jersey. When
you scratch the surface, there is an
interest in traditional-sounding Jewish
music, he said. More people are inter- NOW OPEN IN CRESSKILL!
ested than you realize.
We have to find a way to create a
monthly scene. Open IV Therapy
He remembers playing at a Saturday 7 Days! Available
night cafe held in Teaneck a few years
back, and the success of his Smokey
Joes performances.
I told my friends that theres hot jazz.
Come and hear it. And they came, and
Full Service Medical Office
it turns out they really liked the music. No Appointment Necessary -
Theres a lot of cool stuff out there and Walk In & Be Seen!
they may not have heard it. One of the
interesting effects of iTunes and Pan-
dora which have created challenges We Can Do
for the commercial viability of musi- Everything
cians careers is that it has given peo-
ple the opportunity to discover music Your
they dont know.
Presenting music thats not neces-
Regular
sarily in front of everybody all the time Doctor Can
requires dedication, some patience to
find the audience, maybe some con- Do and
centrated cultural funding, he said. More!
In some ways the music we hear in
our communities is kind of monochro-
matic. Its either the folk-pop you hear
as part of synagogue services, or Carle-
bach all the time in some of the Ortho-
We Offer Stitches, Wound Repair,
dox synagogues. Splinting & XRays Onsite!
Its hard to get people to slow down
and appreciate some of the roots of our
culture, he concluded. We have to Open Mon. - Fri. 8am-8pm Sat. - Sun. 9am-5pm
start small. We have to find a venue and
be dedicated and patient. 46 Union Avenue Cresskill 201-399-7695
When that happens, you build the
audience. www.aplusurgentcarenj.com
Jewish Standard JULY 7, 2017 21
Jewish World
Charedi rabbi explains why
he opposes the Western Wall deal
ANDREW TOBIN
JERUSALEM Charedi Orthodox Jews
agree with their non-Orthodox brethren on
one thing: The future of the Jewish people
is at stake in the debate raging over who
controls the Western Wall and conversion
in Israel.
Other than that, though, there is little
common ground.
According to Nachum Eisenstein, the chief
rabbi of eastern Jerusalems charedi Maalot
Dafna neighborhood, Reform and Conserva-
tive Judaism threaten to undermine the sur-
vival of the Jewish people.
The reason why Judaism is the only reli-
gion that survived throughout thousands
of years and all the massacres and all the
attempts to destroy it is that the ours is the
only religion that has always been the same,
Mom and Paps
Home Care
Private affordable
in-home care with dignity
The help you need is just a phone call away!!
Our certified and licensed caregivers
are ready to serve and eager to please.
Call today for your FREE consultation.
201-567-3181 or 732-895-8696
147 N. Dean St.
Englewood
Pot Roast
Dinner Choices
Include:
Grilled Tilapia
Classic Turkey
Chicken Verde
& Corn Tamale
Cakes
Liver and Onions
Garlic Butter
Chicken &
Potato Pancakes
Fried Chicken
$9
All $9.99 dinners are served with
soup or salad, vegetables, potatoes
& dessert of the day. No discount
available on orders to go.
NR-0004158021-04
For delivery call 201-355-2090
22 JEWISH STANDARD JULY 7, 2017
the way it was given to us on Mount Sinai,
Einstein said in an interview. Who gave
you, the Conservative and the Reform, the
authority to make up a new religion?
The Israeli governments suspension last
week of a deal that would have expanded
a non-Orthodox prayer area has sparked
a crisis in Israeldiaspora relations that
some are calling unprecedented. Major
U.S. Jewish groups, led by the Reform and
Conservative movements, rushed to Israel
to complain that the government of Prime
Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had caved in
to charedi Orthodox interests and insulted
the Jewish majority that does not subscribe
to Orthodoxy.
They also railed against a government-
backed bill passed the same day, and since
shelved, to grant Israels charedi-domi-
nated chief rabbinate a monopoly over all
More than
411,000 likes.
Like us on
Facebook.
facebook.com/
jewishstandard
www.ihop.com
201-568-8088
DINE-IN ONLY
D
EARLY BIRD
DINNER
SPECIALS
99 3PM-10PM
EVERY DAY
conversions performed in the country.
But like much of his charedi commu-
nity, Eisenstein welcomed the Western
Wall decision as a victory over non-
Orthodox Jewish meddling. And he
said that the subsequent tabling of the
conversion bill was a setback in the
same battle.
Interior Minister Aryeh Deri, speak-
ing last week to lawmakers from his Sep-
hardic Orthodox Shas party, explained
his camps resistance to non-Orthodox
Judaism as a question of preservation.
We have nothing against Jews in any
place they may be, he said. They are
all our brothers. Our fight is against
the approach, this ideoloy which is
attempting to bring a new Judaism here,
is trying to destroy everything that we
built here over the years.
Charedi leaders often warn against
the pernicious influence of non-Ortho-
dox Judaism in Israel and disparage
Reformim, as they call its adherents in
Hebrew. Although as few as 5 percent of
Israelis subscribe to Reform or Conser-
vative Judaism, according to Pew, about
half of Jewish Americans identify with
one or the other.
Under pressure from the charedi polit-
ical parties in the governing coalition,
last Sunday Israel essentially withdrew
its support for the Western Wall deal.
Non-Orthodox Jewish leaders reacted
with outrage.
We love the State of Israel and will
continue to, Rabbi Rick Jacobs, the
head of the North American Reform
movement, said at the Knesset on June
26. But we will not sit idly by while
the State of Israel delegitimizes us and
frankly says to the Jews of North America
A charedi man prays at the Western Wall earlier this year.
and the Jewish of the world, You do
not matter.
The Jewish Agency, which brokered
the Western Wall deal on behalf of the
Israeli government, took an unprec-
edented public stance against its rever-
sal, and major Jewish groups warned
of an erosion of support for the Jewish
state. One prominent American Jewish
philanthropist briefly threatened to sus-
pend his donations to Israel.
But Eisenstein, who immigrated to
Israel from Chicago decades ago, doubts
the sincerity of the protests, saying they
were about politics, not religion. He said
Reform and Conservative leaders do not
represent their constituents, who gener-
ally dont pray, and anyway prefer to
be part of Orthodox prayer when they
visit Israel.
Just a few leaders, carrying big sala-
ries, want to use the Kotel to get recog-
nition, he said. Its a joke to say their
people want a place to pray.
Who are their people? Theyre peo-
ple who pay their membership fee to
the Conservative or Reform temple, and
they come once a year for the High Holi-
days, or maybe to make a bat mitzvah
for one of their children.
They go to a nightclub to mix [gen-
ders] and find women who dress inap-
propriately. When they come to the
Kotel, the people want to come and visit
a holy place.
As far as concerns about a loss of
American Jewish backing for Israel,
Eisenstein said, Anyone who threat-
ens to withdraw his support from Israel
doesnt really love the state anyway.
In contrast to non-Orthodox lead-
ers, Eisenstein said, Israels chief rabbis
YOSSI ZAMIR/FLASH90
 Jewish World

Jews living in Israel dont want intermarriage, he said.
Charedim arent afraid of it because we wont marry
such people.
But secular Jews wont be smart enough to differenti-
ate them from real Jews, and theyll intermarry. Its a ter-
rible thing.
The non-Orthodox movements, for their part, say that
the crisis in Israel is not intermarriage but indifference. By
controlling marriage, divorce, and conversion, and promot-
ing laws that limit commerce, transportation, and enter-
tainment on Shabbat, the chief rabbinate has alienated the
nearly half of Israelis who call themselves secular. Reform
and Conservative Judaism, they argue, offer secular Israelis
an alternative for exploring Judaism on their own terms.
Eisenstein, who chairs an international charedi rabbini-
cal group that pushes for stricter conversion standards, said
the chief rabbinates conversion authority already was not
up to snuff. Since he worked there years ago, he said, it has
been taken over by more lenient Orthodox rabbis from the
religious Zionist movement.
What you call charedi, I dont call charedi, he said. I
have a higher standard.  JTA WIRE SERVICE

Rabbi Nachum Eisenstein COURTESY NACHUM EISENSTEIN

and charedi politicians had acted in accordance with

deep-seated sentiment in his community by reject-
ing the Western Wall agreement. He said the Western
Walls rabbi, Shmuel Rabinowitz, had made a mistake
by initially backing the agreement, as had any charedi
politicians who may have consented to it.
We did not agree to any compromise, Eisenstein
said. Anyone who agreed to compromise, you have
to speak to him. Who gave him the authority to do
that? Every Orthodox Jew feels that we were left this
Wailing Wall, which is the only remnant that we have
from the holy Temple, and every Orthodox Jew feels
its his responsibly to make sure the holiness of the
wall is observed.
Non-Orthodox Jews have visited the pluralistic
prayer space at the southern end of the Western Wall,
popularly known as Robinsons Arch, since Israel rec-
ognized their right to do so in 2000. In 2013, Naftali
Bennett, in his capacity as diaspora affairs minis-
ter, built a larger platform there as part of what he
called an interim solution. Bennett last week said
the platform still would be expanded and made
more permanent.
Asked about this ongoing supposed desecration,
Eisenstein said that charedi opposition to the Western
Wall deal fundamentally was about staving off state
recognition of non-Orthodox Judaism. The Western
Wall agreement also called for an interdenomina-
tional Jewish committee to oversee the non-Orthodox
section, which charedi critics felt gave non-Orthodox
movements an unprecedented say in Israels reli-
gious affairs.
The conversion bill was meant to head off this kind
of recognition. It requires the government to recog-
nize for immigration purposes only conversions in

Engaged living...
Israel overseen by the chief rabbinate. Although the
bill would affect only the small number of foreigners
who convert to Judaism in Israel each year, and not
non-Orthodox conversions performed overseas, it
would grant a degree of Knesset recognition for the
first time to the chief rabbinates de facto monopoly
on deciding who is a Jew. At Arbor Terrace Teaneck, were doing away with all of the traditional
From an Orthodox perspective, Jewishness is stereotypes of senior living. We offer a maintenance-free lifestyle
matrilineal and does not depend on observance. with numerous amenities and luxury services to fit your every need.
But non-Orthodox converts are not considered Jew- Our community focuses on providing active seniors a comfortable
ish, and marrying any non-Jew is prohibited by Jew- and inspiring lifestyle. Kosher meals available.
ish law. While charedi Jews are more than capable of
keeping track of Jewish bloodlines, Eisenstein said,
most Israelis would be dangerously confused were
Call or visit us online to set up a tour today!
the state to begin recognizing Reform and Conserva- (201) 836-9260| www.arborteaneck.com
201-836-9260
tive conversions.

WE OFFER REPAIRS 1245 Teaneck Rd.

AND ALTERATIONS
We want your business and we go the extra
Teaneck
TALLESIM CLEANED SPECIAL SHABBOS RUSH SERVICE mile to make you a regular customer 837-8700
JEWISH STANDARD JULY 7, 2017 23
Editorial
This is America
T percent divorce rate say gays
here is nothing like a long walk
down the Hudson River on the
Fourth of July, from Manhat-
tans Upper West Side to the
Museum of Jewish Heritage, to help you
feel hope, and despite everything that
should keep this from happening, occa-
sional stabs of pure joy.
We often are told that New York has
turned its back on the river, but there
are pathways the city has built that run
alongside it. Thats the route I took.
The river was greenish and choppy on
the Fourth of July, the sky was bright blue
and the clouds were either bright white
or steel gray, the sun was golden, and the
water sparkled silver. There were boats
tankers, freighters, tugboats, pleasure
boats, kayaks, and one double-masted
tall ship with its sails down, powering
along. And there were people, a huge
mass of people, dressed as if for every
one of the four seasons, coming from
every last tiny nook of this great big
world.
Just beyond the river, New Jersey stood
guard. At the north of my walk, the Pali-
sades are clear, and further south Jersey
City absolutely glistens; it used to be a
gritty city, and certainly parts of it still
are, but from across the river you see not
the grime but the glow. Its home to more
and more people who plan to stay there,
including many more Jews. It will be an
important part of our next story.
New York and New Jersey were created
by and for immigrants. As I walked by, I
could see them. I could hear the many
languages that they spoke, although I
couldnt possibly begin to identify them.
I smelled wonderful food of course it
was treif, but that doesnt stop the smell
from being heavenly.
I saw many people dressed for the
beach in other words, barely and
others who were covered modestly. I saw
three chasidim ride by on bicycles, the
two men in black and white, tzitizt fly-
ing, the woman pedaling valiantly away,
her knees pumping under her skirt. I saw
many women in hijabs, and some oth-
ers in saris. I saw many people decked
out in red, white, and blue, including
Jewish Editor
Joanne Palmer
Standard Associate Editor
Larry Yudelson
1086 Teaneck Road
Community Editor
Teaneck, NJ 07666
Beth Janoff Chananie
(201) 837-8818
Fax 201-833-4959 About Our Children Editor
Heidi Mae Bratt
Publisher
James L. Janoff
Associate Publisher Emerita
Marcia Garfinkle
thejewishstandard.com
24 JEWISH STANDARD JULY 7, 2017
the elderly man wearing red pants, a
red-white-and-blue shirt, a blue tie, and
a white Stetson. I saw quite a few little
African-American girls in red, white, and
blue. One had a tutu skirt that fluttered,
one had a glittery tiara, one had pigtails
tied with red, white, and blue sparkly
stars. They all looked happy, and they all
were gorgeous.
I saw people who obviously were tour-
ists and others who clearly were native
New Yorkers.
As I walked downtown, the vistas kept
changing, from the green of Riverside
Park to the marsh grasses and overfed
seabirds further down, until the path
decanted by the Intrepid Sea, Air &
Space Museum and then the Circle Line.
It was pure Americana there; there were
lines to get on the boats, food to pacify
them as they waited, bikers and joggers
and dog walkers passing them by, ignor-
ing them. South of that, by Chelsea Piers,
west of Chelsea and Greenwich Village,
the massive, beautiful old buildings that
have gone in and out of style many times,
buildings that would have been familiar
to the first generations of our ancestors
to arrive here.
One World Trade Center, the Freedom
Tower, the tower that replaced the Twin
Towers that were demolished on 9/11,
soon looms into view, still looking new,
still vaguely shocking. Its in an oddly
new, definitely upscale neighborhood, all
businesses and pricey bars with stunning
views. The city, to get all tendentious,
constantly changes. Here it has incorpo-
rated tragedy and resolutely moved on.
It is just about where the old buildings
give way to the new that I saw her. The
Statue of Liberty. Unchanging, stately,
out of reach, glowing. Still there.
The Museum of Jewish Heritage is at
Manhattans southern tip. Its windows
overlook New York Harbor and the Stat-
ute of Liberty. It tells the story of Jewish
life before, during, and after the Holo-
caust; because it is in New York, because
of its iconic view, the American Jewish
experience is at its core. It was a logical
place to end a gloriously long walk on the
Fourth of July. JP
Correspondents
Warren Boroson
Lois Goldrich
Abigail K. Leichman
Miriam Rinn
Dr. Miryam Z. Wahrman
Advertising Director
Natalie D. Jay
Classified Director
Janice Rosen
TRUTH REGARDLESS OF CONSEQUENCES
Straight people with fifty
destroy marriage?
R
abbi Joseph Dweck of the
Spanish and Portuguese Syn-
agogue in London got into
hot water recently when he
praised homosexuality as a coming of age
and an expansion of cultural blessing. His
Orthodox credentials were called into
question and he was forced to resign from
a rabbinical body, although confusion still
reigns about which one.
I did not comment on
the controversy right away.
First, because Anglo-Jewry
loves a good scandal and
seems addicted to these
regular flair-ups of alleged
rabbinic heresy. Its enter-
taining, but its bad for
the community. Second, I
didnt even know about it
until a friend told me at shul Rabbi
on Shabbos. And third, my Shmuley
priorities recently have far Boteach
more to do with stopping
the slaughter in Syria and
preventing Iran from making good on its
promises to annihilate Israel.
Not that homosexuality, or any kind of
sexuality for that matter, is unimportant.
Indeed, I discovered just how important
when I Facebook-lived part of the Gay
Pride march those courageous souls
who marched with an Israeli flag and
immediately got unfriended by a bunch
of people.
So it bears repeating what I believe to
be the halachic, reasonable, and think-
ing mans approach to homosexuality.
On the one hand, I am an Orthodox of those who say that gay marriage will
rabbi. The Bible is not vague with regard
to homosexuality it stands in contra-
vention to the divine will and clearly is
labeled a sin. Period.
On the other hand, I believe in the
Shmuley Boteach is the founder of the World Values Network and the author of 30 books,
including Kosher Sex and Kosher Lust. Follow him on Twitter @RabbiShmuley.
Advertising Coordinator
Jane Carr
Production Manager
Jerry Szubin
Account Executives
Graphic Artists
Deborah Herman
Peggy Elias Bob O'Brien
Brenda Sutcliffe
International Media Placement
P.O. Box 7195 Jerusalem 91077
Tel: 02-6252933, 02-6247919
Fax: 02-6249240
Israeli Representative
separation of church and state as well
as the equality of all of Gods children. I
have seen way too much homophobia in
my life. I insist on governments protect-
ing and promoting gay men and womens
equal rights. I am incredibly proud of the
State of Israel, in contrast to all other Mid-
dle East countries, especially the barbaric
government of Iran, for the dignity and
equality it accords its gay citizens.
But I am not in favor of
gay marriage, even as I
insist on equality for all.
How so? Very simply. when
it comes to government, I
believe in civil unions for
all and marriage for none. I
dont favor states recogniz-
ing any marriage. Marriage
should be an exclusively
religious institution, and
secular states should be in
the business of licensing
only civil unions.
I have long advocated this
position. It elegantly allows for the coex-
istence of both beliefs: that governments
should not be upending traditional reli-
gious marriage and that governments
should be treating all people as equals,
according both straight and gay couples
the same rights. Gay and straight men
and women should be allowed to con-
tract with a partner and earn the civil
benefits that accrue in civil unions. If
they also wish to be married, let them go
to their rabbi, priest, or imam.
But lets get real about the hypocrisy
destroy straight marriage. We straight
people have done an admirable job of
destroying marriage quite on our own,
thank you very much. How can we be in
hysterics over gay marriage when nearly
Founder
Morris J. Janoff (19111987)
Editor Emeritus
Meyer Pesin (19011989)
City Editor
Mort Cornin (19151984)
Editorial Consultant
Max Milians (1908-2005)
Secretary
Ceil Wolf (1914-2008)
Editor Emerita
Rebecca Kaplan Boroson

50 percent of straight marriages end
in divorce? Do we straight people have
any credibility with our argument that
gay unions will undermine marriage
and the family when half of all spouses
are at each others throats?
There are so many other values issues
confronting America that have been
neglected due to our obsession with
gay marriage, from rampant material-
ism among our population, to teenage
self-indulgence, meaninglessness, and
depression, to growing male disrespect
for women, evidenced in the unbeliev-
able one-in-five campus rape statistic.
So why have we, the religious,
focused so exclusively on homosexu-
ality as the foremost challenge to the
future of our civilization?
Some justify this obsession by citing the
Bibles use of the word abomination to
describe homosexuality, a practice that
they consider deeply immoral. But the
truth is that the Hebrew Bible uses the
word abomination more than 100 times,
including for bringing a blemished sacri-
fice on Gods altar and eating shellfish. So
why have we established homosexuality
as the red line whose crossing implies
complete social decay?
Then there is the issue of morality.
Yes, God gave Ten Commandments but
notice they were split into two blocks
of stone. One is for religious law, and
holds laws that govern the relationship
between God and man. Hence, laws
like the commandment to believe in
God and the prohibition of worship-
ping idols or blaspheming are in the
first group. The second group cap-
tures moral law, laws that govern the
relationship between man and his fel-
low man do not steal, do not commit
adultery. These are laws that safeguard
the rights of human beings and adjure
individuals to respect one another
and refrain from infringing on each
others rights or acting deceptively, as
in adultery.
The prohibition against homosexu-
ality is a religious rather than a moral
prohibition. It is akin to the laws keep-
ing us from desecrating the Sabbath
or eating non-kosher food. Someone
who eats a cheeseburger at McDon-
alds, mixing milk and meat, is not
immoral. He is contravening a bibli-
cal commandment.
What I sense in my friends who are
firmly opposed to all gay rights is a
misunderstanding of this distinction
between moral law versus religious
law. Prohibition against homosexuality
is a religious law, much in the same way
lighting a match on the Sabbath is a vio-
lation of the divine will.
While I may insist on societal adher-
ence with moral laws as part of a
broader social compact that binds us
together, I cannot reasonably expect
to impose my religious beliefs upon
others, and certainly not in Amer-
ica or Britain, nations built on reli-
gious freedom.
I realize that gay marriage is in a some-
what different category, involving as it
does the question of social institutions
upon which the world has long relied for
stability. But what is better? To encourage
gay men and women to be in enduring
relationships based on fidelity and faith-
fulness, or doom them to eternal single-
hood, bereft of commitment?
For those who might call themselves
culture warriors and want to fight for
traditional marriage, I call on you to
look inward and begin your fight on a
new front: combatting the ridiculously
high fifty percent divorce rate. Fight to
keep families whole. Fight to prevent
the dislocation of children and the pain in the United States must be a close
of seeing parents fight in court. Fight to
Do we straight
people have any
credibility with
our argument
that gay unions
will undermine
marriage and
the family when
half of all
spouses are at
each others
throats?
end the shameful epidemic of hetero-
sexual marital decline that affects half
of new marriages today. That is where
the battle ahead lies, and it is one that
affects us all.
For all those who predict that the
legalization of gay marriage is the end of
Western civilization and the traditional
family, lets face facts. Divorce and the
easy culture of recreational sex, which
makes a mockery of intimacy and com-
mitment, poses a far greater threat to
the future of the family than gay mar-
riage. One affects about 5 to 7 percent of
the population, while the other affects
far higher numbers.
Its not gay marriage but heterosexual
divorce that threatens a real end-of-days
scenario for the American family.
Shmuley Boteach is the founder of the
World Values Network and the author of
30 books, including Kosher Sex and
Kosher Lust. Follow him on Twitter @
RabbiShmuley.
Opinion
All in the family?
O
n Monday, June 26, 2017, the
U.S. Supreme Court granted
certiorari and consolidated
the 4th and 9th Circuit
Courts of Appeals cases that prohibited
the enforcement of President Trumps
travel ban.
In doing so, the U.S. Supreme Court
partially lifted the preliminary injunc-
tions the circuit courts had issued, and
it ruled that the travel and refugee bans
may not be enforced against foreign
nationals who have a credible claim of
a bona fide relationship with a person
or entity in the United States. Further-
more, although the court clarified that
a bona fide relationship to someone
familial one, it did not define what that
phrase meant.
L eft without a clear
definition, on June 28 the
Trump administration,
through the State Depart-
ment, issued guidance to
U.S. embassies and con-
sulates adjudicating visa
applications in which it
defined close family to
include parent (includ- Michael
ing parent-in-law), spouse, Wildes
child, adult son or daugh-
ter, son-in-law, daughter-
in-law, sibling, whether whole or half.
This includes step relationships. Close
family does not include grandparents,
grandchildren, aunts, uncles, nieces,
nephews, cousins, brothers-in-law and
sisters-in-law, and any other extended
family members.
This guidance issued by the Trump
Administration shows a fundamental
lack of empathy and a failure to under-
stand the realities of non-traditional
or cultural family dynamics, where
extended family members often serve
as primary care givers. For example,
more than 4.9 million American chil-
dren are raised by their grandparents
in the United States, and this figure
is expected to increase due to issues
around poverty, crime, incarceration,
war, and illness. In fact, statistics show
that grandparent-headed households
have helped fuel the rise in multigener-
ational households; this phenomenon
has been increasing steadily over the
last 40 years.
According to Merriam-Websters dic-
tionary, the term bona fide means
authentic or genuine. The defini-
tion of close family established by
The opinions expressed in this section are those of the authors, not necessarily those of the
newspapers editors, publishers, or other staffers. We welcome letters to the editor.
Send them to jstandardletters@gmail.com.
the Trump administration creates an
artificial (not authentic or genuine)
hierarchy in which one relative, by law
through marriage or by blood through
birth, possesses more value than
another. For example, your mother-in-
law would be close enough to you to be
allowed to come into the United States,
but your grandmother wouldnt be,
although she is a blood relative without
whom you wouldnt exist.
What criteria does the Trump admin-
istration use to determine or measure
whether a relationship is bona fide? Ulti-
mately, who gets to decide what family
means? Is it the place of our government
to determine that a stepparent, whose
relationship may be established merely
through act of law, has any more standing
or value than a grandparent?
Separating families
based on a false narrative
is cruel and inhumane to
those people specifically
affected by this travel ban.
Many of the people who
are affected directly by this
travel ban already have had
their families destroyed by
war, terrorism, and acts of
extreme violence. Many
have waited months, if not
years, to be reunited with
the only family they may have left; that
may be an aunt, uncle, cousin, or grand-
parent. By prohibiting such people from
entering the United States, because we
have placed an artificial value on certain
relationships, merely re-victimizes peo-
ple who already have endured unimagi-
nable horrors.
We all agree that our president
should have the tools to protect our
nations security. What should we say,
for example, to a young person whose
parents were killed during acts of ter-
rorism in Syria and whose only relative
may be an aunt, uncle, or grandparent?
How do we reconcile this decision with
our nations history? With its image as
the land of the free and the home of
the brave?
Michael J. Wildes of Englewood, the citys
former mayor, is managing partner of
Wildes and Weinberg, P.C. He is a former
federal prosecutor with the United States
Attorneys office in Brooklyn, he has
testified on Capitol Hill in connection with
anti-terrorism legislation, and he teaches
immigration law at Benjamin N. Cardozo
School of Law.
JEWISH STANDARD JULY 7, 2017 25
Opinion

Against silence

L
ast month marked the 50th anni-
versary of the Six Day War. It was
a stunning victory. And while we
have already buried our fallen and
healed our wounded we are learning today,
50 years later, of yet another casualty; one
will put our Jewish democratic state at risk if
it is not healed.
For those too young to remember that
would include more than half of the popula-
tion of Israel as well as more than 50 percent
of the American Jewish community it is dif-
ficult to describe the vulnerability and isola-
tion of Israelis, or the fear for the future of
Israel that Jews around the world felt in the
weeks before the Six Day War. It is equally
impossible to describe the relief and celebra-
tion at the victory. Before June 5, 1967, Israel
was considered as David among the Goli-
ath of the surrounding Arab nations. In the
weeks before the conflict, the UN and Euro-
pean countries abandoned their security
commitments; they allowed the Egyptian
army to position itself in massive numbers
on Israels borders. The Straits of Tiran were
closed to Israeli shipping, shutting down the
Port of Eilat and closing off all the imports to
the south of Israel. It signaled the culmination
of years of planning, a massive military build-
up, and a policy of military confrontation on
the part of Arab countries against Israel. As
tensions mounted in May, daily propaganda
announcements from the press and Arab
leadership called for the total destruction of
Israel. On May 30, Jordan joined Egypt in a
military pact. On the eve of the war, Iraq and
Syria added to the military alliance.
On paper, the Israeli Defense Forces were
outmatched. The Arab countries surround-
ing Israel had significantly larger armies and
more equipment, particularly sophisticated
armor and aircraft supplied by the Soviet
Union. Western countries pressed for a pol-
icy of restraint. For Israel, however, time
weighed heavily; a policy of restraint was not
possible either militarily or economically.
With war on the horizon, the Israeli military
planned a pre-emptive strike, fully aware of
the grave risks to the lives of the soldiers and
the future of the country.
Focusing on the more powerful and aggres-
sive Egypt, Israel initiated secret backchannel
communiques to Jordan promising that if it
was left alone, Israel would not attack. The
messages were ignored, and when Jordan
attacked both military and civilian targets,
Israel revised its initial plans, ultimately cap-
turing the West Bank from Jordan and the
Golan Heights from Syria. The extent of the
successes in combat surprised the world; it
was a surprise to Israel as well.
When the guns fell silent on the seventh
day, Israel found itself in control of a vastly
larger territory, including the portion of its
historical homeland, which it had ceded in
the partition of the British Mandate. Jerusa-
lem, once a city torn between Israel and Jor-
dan, now was whole. The Jewish community
of Kfar Etzion, which had been overrun in
1947, now was back in Israeli control. Israelis
now were free to go to Hebron and the Cave
of the Patriarchs, where Abraham and Sarah,
Isaac and Rebecca, and Jacob and Leah are
believed to be buried.
Israel no longer felt like little David.
The war was over in a week. The soldiers
came home and the victory was intoxicating.
But the conquered territory was not empty
of people. It was home to a large non-Jewish
population, Muslims, Christians, Bedouin,
and Druze, many of whose families had
lived there for generations and others who
had arrived there as war refugees during
the 1948 Israeli War of Independence. How
these people would be treated
saddled the Israeli government
with an entire portfolio of new
concerns. The victory had
brought with it legal, moral,
political, social, demographic,
economic, and security issues.
Fifty years later, there still is
no consensus on the disposi-
tion of the territories taken in Dr. Mark
the Six Day War that remain Gold
under Israels control.
Almost as soon as the guns
quieted and the smoke cleared,
the conversation about trad-
ing land for peace began. At
the same time there were then
as there still are now Israe-
lis who celebrated the victory
as a starting point for fulfilling
a new Israeli destiny: that of
a Greater Land of Israel. The
point of this column is not to Hiam Simon
argue these issues. The point is
to highlight that after 50 years,
there are remain substantial disagreements
among Israelis and among Jews globally
about what can and should be done.
These debates take place around dinner
tables, in newspaper articles, and on the
floor of the Knesset. The dialogue sometimes
is quiet and academic and sometime raucous,
filling public squares with hundreds of thou-
sands of people. Debates like these are vitally
important for a healthy democracy in order
to maintain an informed public and allow
that public to express ideas that can shape
government policy. A state that cannot or will
not listen to the voices of its people no longer
can call itself free. And if Israel truly is to be Israel, representing the nations seven
the Zionist dream, a Jewish homeland, and
not simply a country for Israelis, that same
dialogue is crucial for the rela-
tionship between Israel and
Jewish communities around
the world as well.
For 50 years, the debate has
raged on in a country where a
majority of its citizens support
a two state solution, even while
that same population contin-
ues to elect a right wing gov-
ernment that doesnt.
Unfortunately, now that
same government is respon-
sible for efforts to shut down
the discussion and silence
the debate, to make free dis-
cussion the casualty we men-
tioned earlier. Recently, it was
revealed that Naftali Bennet,
Israels education minister,
has initiated action to create
an official state-sponsored
code of conduct that would
preclude political discussion
by university professors. This
code would replace the existing individual
university parameters for conduct. As pro-
posed, it would require Israeli universities
to establish a unit that would monitor politi-
cal activity on campus. If a student reported
and investigation confirmed that a professor
engaged in any kind of political discussion,
the professor could receive a disciplinary cita-
tion. Repeated complaints could lead to more
severe consequences.
The code also prohibits professors col-
laboration with organizations that are con-
sidered political.
The Committee of University Heads in
universities, responded strongly with a
statement that the proposal would deny

The unlikely partner for equality in Israel

T
he Israeli governments recent
decision to renege on its prom-
ise to dedicate prayer space
for non-Orthodox Jews at the
southern side of the Western Wall has left
diaspora Jews in a pickle. Beyond feeling
betrayed again by the promises of the
government, no one is quite sure what is
the best path forward.
Many have suggested kneejerk reactions
that include ceasing funding to such Israeli
causes as Israel Bonds, JNF, UJA in Israel,
and the like until the decision is reversed.
Some rabbis are threatening to cancel
upcoming congregational trips to Israel.
Many are arguing to make future support
for AIPAC contingent on exerting political
muscle to enable pluralism in Israel.
These half-baked ideas would create
another form of BDS, only this time man-
dated by pluralistic Jews insisting that ritual
be open to our standards. That option is not
viable and goes against the grain of the val-
ues we seek to promote.
The charedi community in Israel has
unbridled political clout. While charedim
still are a small but growing portion
of the population, they successfully have
evaded military duty, sucked the marrow
out of Israeli welfare and social service
programs, and been the linchpin in secur-
ing the leadership and coalition of every
government for decades. The rabbanaut,
exclusively overseen by the ultra-Orthodox,
dominates the discussions over who is a
Jew, who can marry and even be buried in
Israel. They are a mouse that roars.
Now that mouse has bellowed again, this
time using its political capital as leverage
to ensure that no space in Jerusalem and
soon all of Israel will be open to pluralistic
prayer and varied expressions of religion.
The key to creating a space The challenge was an obvi-
for non-charedi Jews to pray ous affront to the rabbi, but it
together near the Kotel lies also inherently questioned the
with modern Orthodox Jewry authenticity of his commu-
in Israel and worldwide. That nity. In response, its members
segment of Jewish society has spoke out loudly and clearly,
been noticeably silent in the and the charedi community
wake of this decision, and in backed down.
the months and years of dis- This is the voice that is
cussion on non-charedi prayer Rabbi needed to move the needle
and the status of Jews in Israel. David-Seth on issues of inclusion for the
The modern Orthodox Kirshner non-Orthodox community
community has found its within Israel.
voice on occasion. For exam- For time immemorial,
ple, when Rabbi Haskel Lookstein, one of the mountain that an oppressed group
the great rabbis and leaders of our genera- has been forced to climb has always
tion, had his credentials examined when the been summited with the help of wise
kosher-ness of his conversions was under and passionate people who have no offi-
discussion in Israel, the modern Orthodox cial investment in the enterprise, stand-
world thundered back at those who dared ing side by side with the oppressed. It
to question Rabbi Looksteins bona fides. was white people standing with African

26 JEWISH STANDARD JULY 7, 2017


institutions of higher education the free-
dom to set norms of behavior for academic
staff members A careful study of the code
shows that although it is defined as an ethi-
cal code for appropriate behavior in the
areas of overlap between academic activ-
ity and political activity, many of its articles
deal with general activities in academic
research and lectures. The university state-
ment said that the proposed code under-
mines institutes of higher educations free-
dom to decide their own codes of conduct
for their academic staffs, and thus infringes
on academic freedom in the most serious
and fundamental way.
The chairman of the National Union of
Israeli Students, Ram Shefa, responded to
the proposal, saying, Although we support
the struggle for each and every student to
have the right to feel safe in expressing his or
her political views without fear of the conse-
quences, we do not support such silencing
and harming of freedom of speech.
The idea that one can restrict speech
and thought within the academy is funda-
mentally flawed, because, yes, everything
is political and it is impossible to separate
politics from other fields of life, especially
in the academy, he continued.
The bill as proposed so shocked the inter-
national community of educators that even
the American Association of University
Professors and the American Federation of
Teachers were driven to release a joint state-
ment in support of the Committee of Uni-
versity Heads and Ram Shefa. The code
of ethics that the government of Israel is
considering for the countrys academic
institutions is a threat not only to academic
freedom in Israel, but to Israels standing as
a democracy, it reads. We join with col-
leagues in Israels Association of University
Americans that helped make significant
headway in enabling voter equality and
rights for all Americans. The picture of
Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel march-
ing with the Rev. Martin Luther King
Jr. has become the emblem of unity
for generations. It also demonstrates a
non-oppressed person advocating for
the subjugated.
In the same way, images of Michael
Schwerner and Andrew Goodman along-
side James Chaney the three young
men, one black, two Jewish, who were
murdered in Mississippi in 1964 as they
worked together for civil rights reminds
us of our responsibility to use our voices
and our feet and to act to form our future.
Straight people marching with the
LGBTQ community changed our society
for the better. Men marching with women
allowed for more gender equality in the
Heads, and with the National Union of
Israeli Students, in condemning it.
The Israel Democracy Institute also
opposed the proposal, saying, The ethi-
cal code that is being proposed unreason-
ably expands the definition of what is politi-
cal. The definition does not differentiate
between political and the public, between
political and ethical, and between system-
atic preaching and free discourse. Political
activity, according to the proposed ethical
code, includes all direct support or opposi-
tion to a particular point of view in a rec-
ognized public dispute. Such an ethical
code tramples freedom of expression with a
heavy foot. It would cause professors to self-
censor and create an opening for pursuing
and harassing professors.
Member of Knesset Tzippy Livni of the
Zionist Union was blunter. This is another
attempt by the government to silence its
critics and to stamp out freedom of thought,
this time in the universities, she said. This
is the kind of thing backwards countries do,
it is not appropriate for Israel. Another MK,
Zehava Galon of Meretz, called the proposal
a Bolshevik code that undermines the
education for democracy and pluralism.
Even Israels President Reuven Rivlin com-
mented, Freedom of speech and thought
should not be taken for granted The free-
dom to express a different opinion needs
procedural protections and constant vigi-
lanceWe will not be able to build thriving
and vital systems of scientific research and
development of inspirational works of art
if we do not actively foster educational sys-
tems that encourage diversity, controversy,
initiative, and unpredictability.
Another Bennet initiative, a program
called Mosaic United, is raising similar con-
cerns about government-sanction thought
private and public square. Jews campaign-
ing with Palestinians have furthered the
cause for two states for two peoples. These
are just a sampling of instances when oth-
ers have stood for beliefs they aspire to
create and a world they want to shape,
devoid of personal gain or interests.
To my modern Orthodox kinsfolk I
hope you can glean from history the value
of standing shoulder to shoulder with the
Reform and Conservative movements in
our hour of challenge. We beseech you to
lend your voices to this cause of equality
and our right to be counted. Stand with us.
March with us. Protest with us. With us,
the very same people who mourned with
you when our boys were kidnapped and
murdered. With us, the same Jews who
bring throngs of congregants to AIPAC to
lobby Congress next to you. With us, the
same Jews who lead countless missions to
control. The program, a funding platform
formed by the diaspora Affairs Ministry, is
described as designed to promote activi-
ties for young diaspora Jews. The organiza-
tion, previously known as The Initiative
for the Future of the Jewish People, has as
its agenda combatting critical discourse
about Israel. While the program formally
is nondenominational, the ministry has
selected Hillel International, Chabad, and
a collection of Orthodox organizations
banding together under the Olami banner
to operate the program, estimated to cost
about $66 million this year. Hillel is an orga-
nization for Jewish university students that
has come under attack recently for its cen-
sorship of invited speakers from Israeli pro-
gressive organizations. The other two orga-
nizations are ultra-Orthodox groups with a
hard right-wing political orientation.
This heavy-handed Israeli government
plan to shut off critical discourse among
diaspora Jews is not only wrong in principle
it is counterproductive to its own stated goals.
It will fail to change the hearts and minds of
those who question the wisdom or the jus-
tice of current Israeli government policy. It
may stifle discussion but will not eliminate
it. Instead, it will move these debates out-
side the Jewish mainstream. It will alienate a
large swath of the Jewish public, particularly
young adults who have a serious conflict bal-
ancing their core beliefs of social justice with
the behavior of the Israeli government. It will
undermine the Jewish communal institutions
that were created to serve the needs of the
entire American Jewish community in all
its shapes and sizes, colors and viewpoints.
The attempt to muzzle Jewish and Zionist
pluralism also will have the unintended con-
sequence of turning away critically minded
Jews and Jewish youth from Zionism and
Israel kindling a lasting love that Jews feel
in our promised land, one soul at a time.
With us, the people who sat next to you
on the airplane when we led solidarity and
support missions in the wake of countless
wars. With us, who make up a dispropor-
tionate number of the Jews who fund Jew-
ish camps, Jewish day schools, JCCs, UJA
federations, and other vital institutions
that keep our communities vibrant. With
us, your brothers and sisters, your neigh-
bors, your co-workers, your friends.
We need your help, your expression,
and your presence, now more than ever.
I call upon all rabbinic colleagues,
friends, and leadership worldwide, along
with Jews of all stripes and backgrounds,
to please stand with the Reform and Con-
servative movements in Israel. Do not
allow a permanent schism to form; it will
affect the relationship between Israeli and
Opinion
Israel, when they will not see the rich diver-
sity of opinion in the community but only an
unappealing monolith.
In an interview with Haaretz, Rabbi Rick
Jacobs, president of the Reform Movement in
North America, said the initiative continues
the Orthodox monopoly in Israel and extends
it to the diaspora. This is unacceptable to the
large majority of Jews here. He continued,
saying Weve never been invited [by the
diaspora Ministry or Mosaic] to present our
campus activity.
The great victory of the Israeli Defense
forces in 1967, repelling armies arrayed for
the destruction of the Jewish state, altered
Israels condition and the way in which the
family of nations perceived it. That achieve-
ment, however, created new challenges and
questions about what Israel should do and
what it should be. Fifty years later, those
questions continue. More than half the Jews
living in the United States today know Israel
only as a state that keeps over 1.7 million
Palestinians under military rule. To save
the Jewish democratic state and the Jewish
people, the dialogue must be strengthened,
not silenced.
Dr. Mark Gold of Teaneck holds a Ph.D. in
economics from NYU. He is on the executive
board of Partners for Progressive Israel,
a member organization of the American
Zionist Movement and an affiliate of the
World Union of Meretz.
Hiam Simon of Englewood is the past
chief operating officer of Ameinu. He lived
in Israel for many years, where he was
the dean of students for what is now the
Alexander Muss High School, and he served
in the IDF as a noncommissioned officer in
the artillery
diaspora Jewry forever more. Call upon
Prime Minister Netanyahu and his govern-
ment to reinstate the shared Kotel solution
and once and for all let the ultra-Orthodox
know that our voice, our love for Israel
and Klal Yisrael, and our status as Jews, all
matter as much as theirs does.
We cannot afford the price of apathy.
Let a new picture of modern Orthodox
Jews standing with Reform and Conserva-
tive Jews prevail as memorys picture in
our minds eye. Let this moment be the
dawn of changing the fate of our world for
the better and in making our shared home-
land a democratic, dynamic, and diverse
home for all Jewish people.
David-Seth Kirshner is senior rabbi of
Temple Emanu-El of Closter, president of
the North Jersey Board of Rabbis, and past
president of the New York Board of Rabbis.
JEWISH STANDARD JULY 7, 2017 27
Opinion
One people with one heart?
T
he Rabbis described
the Jewish people
standing ready to
receive the Torah at
Sinai as one people with one
heart. That view of the Jewish
people has persisted from the
rabbinic period into modernity,
though sometimes more in the
breach than in reality. We are a Rabbi Dr.
fractious bunch, but not usually Michael
when our security as a commu- Chernick
nal entity is at stake.
The recent decision by the
Israeli cabinet to renege on its promise to create a suitable,
permanent, and aesthetic place for American and Israeli non-
Orthodox Jews to express their religious or spiritual commit-
ments in their own way at the Kotel has shown that one
people is a myth.
And that has broken our one heart.
The Kotel is not just a religious symbol. The now-famous
picture of the awed soldiers who were among those who
recaptured the Wall in 1967 was not a photo of Orthodox
Jews. It was a picture of young men, mostly secular Israelis,
who were in awe of the locus that embodied the centuries-
old yearning of Jews, among historys greatest victims, for a
place that would allow them the dignity that comes with being
able to decide your own fate and defend yourself when it is
necessary.
That symbol, once meaningful to secular and religious
Israelis and Jews around the world, has lost much of its hold
on the imaginations of the 85 to 90 percent of non-Orthodox
or non-observant Israelis since it has been reshaped by Israels
religious establishment. That establishment changed the Kotel
from a place that expressed two forms of sanctity, one his-
torical and the other religious, into an Orthodox synagogue
belonging to only 10 to 15 percent of world Jewry. And that
synagogue too often has been a scene of extreme violence
by those who think they are appointed by God to wreak ven-
geance on others, who do not conform to what they consider
proper Kotel etiquette.
Under pressure from groups like the Orthodox Women of
the Wall organization and the Conservative and Reform move-
ments in Israel and abroad, Benjamin Netanyahu asked Natan
Sharansky, the refusenik hero now serving as head of the
Jewish Agency, if he would try to work out a plan that would
provide worship space for non-traditional Orthodox and non-
Orthodox religious expression at the Kotel. Work on a plan
started in 2013. When it was finalized three years later, it was
presented to all factions in the cabinet, which included ultra-
Orthodox representatives.
As if the messianic age had arrived, all the parties signed
on to an agreement that would allow a section of the Kotel at
Robinsons Arch as an area for religious expression at the Kotel
that did not follow the pattern established by Israels Ortho-
dox establishment.
Now, push has come to shove, and the ultra-Orthodox rep-
resentative who had to sign off on the agreement refused to do
so. Finally, the Netanyahu cabinet simply reversed itself, set-
ting off the present conflagration between Israel and Ameri-
can Jewry.
The American Jewish reaction has run the gamut of strate-
gies in the face of this breach of faith. Some seek to reverse
the decision by threatening to cancel trips to Israel and with-
holding funds they normally give to Israel or its institutions.
AIPAC has sent a delegation to the prime minister, express-
ing its opinion about how this will affect present and future
Israel advocacy. Major Jewish business figures who support
Israel to the tune of millions of dollars, as well as the heads of
28 JEWISH STANDARD JULY 7, 2017
every major American Jewish organization, have penned pub-
lic expressions of disappointment and outrage. Some actually
have withdrawn their financial support of the projects they
usually fund in Israel, most of which are neither responsible
for or sympathetic to this decision.
While I understand the anger that leads to a financial boy-
cott of Israel, I find that reaction tragic. It too easily plays into
the hands of those whose boycott efforts are more about dele-
gitimatizing Israel than getting it to be the state it should be.
While I am sure that delegations of powerful Jewish organiza-
tions that advocate for Israel cannot hurt, I dont believe they
can sway a prime minister who responds only to those who
can keep him in power or deprive him of it. And those people
are Knesset members, not American Jewish leaders. As for
angry letters, unfortunately they are easily consigned to the
circular file.
I have more confidence in actions like that of the Chicago
federation, the Jewish United Fund, which declared any gov-
ernment supporter of the Kotel catastrophe to be persona non
grata in Jewish Chicago, and it would be helpful if Jerry Silver-
man, the president of the Jewish Federations of North Amer-
ica, would recommend the same policy to all the federations
that make up his organization. That is an action of protest that
could be taken without causing good, deserving, and innocent
Israeli institutions that receive federation funds to lose them.
But if federations and American Jewry want to win this bat-
tle, the banishing of complicit Knesset members, who gen-
erally will not show up in the States anyway, is not enough.
Rather, federations and major Jewish organizations must rec-
ognize that this is the moment to fight together the second
battle for the Kotel, the symbolic place that is the one heart
of the Jewish people.
World Jewry should be equally cognizant that there is loom-
ing legislation that will make the no-longer-Zionist chief rab-
binate of Israel the sole arbiter of what constitutes a legitimate
conversion. It is telling that in the face of the present mael-
strom of American Jewish anger, the bill has been shelved for
six months. But it will rear its head again if the charedi parties
can claim victory in the Kotel controversy.
Can American Jewry of all stripes rise up against this pro-
posed law, which jeopardizes the standing of all conversions,
even those done under Orthodox auspices, if the chief rab-
binate does not like a rabbis or beit dins halachic standards
or religious ideology? Prestigious American Orthodox rabbis
conversions already have been rejected by the chief rabbin-
ate in the recent past. True, the chief rabbinate backed down
under pressure then. But when it is empowered by Israeli law,
will it be cowed in the same way again?
We must unite in refusing to allow one body dominated
by ultra-Orthodox figures to determine whose conversion
to Judaism, in the recent past and present, is sufficient for
them to be members of klal Yisrael. If we can unite, then
some precedents for getting causes acted on in Israel might
be instructive.
What brought the last Knesset to power? Tent camps
that existed for months all over Israel with their inhabitants
demanding more concern for the needs of the middle class
and those on or below the poverty line.
What produced the charedi conscription legislation that
required every Israeli citizen to carry the weight of the secu-
rity of the state equally, including ultra-Orthodox men who
were generally exempted from army service because they
were all (!) yeshiva students? Refusal of rank and file national
Orthodox and non-Orthodox Israelis to have their sons and
daughters lives put in jeopardy for people who generally held
the state in disdain. (This law since has been undone by the
present Knesset at the behest of the charedi political parties,
who threatened to bring down the government if it was not
repealed.)
From left, Israeli paratroopers Tzion Karasenti,
Yitzhak Yifat and Chaim Oshri standing at the
Western Wall after Israel captured the Temple
Mount in Jerusalem on June 7, 1967. DAVID RUBINGER/GPO
What brought Gilad Shalit, who was held captive by Hamas
for five years in Gaza, home? His fathers organization of a
Free Gilad pilgrimage of thousands of Israelis, plus other
massive demonstrations worldwide, ultimately led Netanyahu
to trade 1,000 Palestinian prisoners for Gilad, over the opposi-
tion of army and security personnel.
If these represent any models for result producing action,
then only demonstrating and continued protesting by hun-
dreds and thousands of American Jews and their Israeli
friends and family will change the Israeli governments per-
ception of what it can get away with in relation to the world
Jewish community, and especially its American branch.
So, dont cancel trips to Israel or withhold funds. Treat
Israel as the homeland of the Jewish people, and hold it
accountable to all of us by arranging massive trips that include
demonstrations at the Knesset and the prime ministers office
and residence. Better, let the best organized sectors of the
American Jewish community, the federations, rabbinic orga-
nizations, and Israel advocacy groups, arrange such trips for
their constituencies, together or separately, but in significant
numbers. Missions and delegations wont do it.
Israels present prime minister, who has the audacity to
come to the JFNAs General Assembly and publicly proclaim
his love for Reform and Conservative Jews and then stab
them in the back, has only one real agenda: staying in power.
I believe that massive American Jewish protest on the soil of
Israel and at Israeli consulates in the diaspora can show the
prime minister, his cabinet, and the average Israeli how they
have jeopardized the security of the State of Israel by letting
two charedi parties rule highhandedly over 85 percent of
world Jewry. This may finally end Knesset legislation against
the interests of world Jewry and Israel itself will stop.
If we as a community can pull this off and this is no easy
task organizationally or financially we not only will have
strengthened ourselves, but we will have found the way to
deal with Israeli political parties and figures that care more
about themselves than their people at home or abroad.
Professor Michael Chernick of Teaneck holds the Deutsch Family
Chair in Jewish Jurisprudence and Social Justice at the Hebrew
Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in New York; his area
of expertise is the Talmud. He received his doctorate from the
Bernard Revel Graduate School and rabbinic ordination from
the Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary.
 Opinion

A Jewish version of intersectionality

W
hatever else
is said these
d ay s a b o u t
anti-Semi-
tism, it remains the case that
being accused of it is a sure-
fire way of gaining name rec-
ognition among thousands, if
not millions, of people who
otherwise would never have Ben Cohen
heard of you.
Had a group of Jewish
women waving gay pride rainbow flags embossed with
the Star of David not been ejected from a recent LGBT
parade in Chicago, I doubt the Chicago Dyke Collec-
tive would have made headlines.
All the condemnation this group of fanatics justifi-
ably received was internalized in the only way that
makes sense to them: by lashing out once again at
Zionism as a form of racism, and by justifying a
nasty instance of racist exclusion as an act of resis-
tance in much the same way that racial segregation
was trumpeted in the Old South as a defense of civi-
lized values.
Inevitably, the scandal of anti-Semitism on display
at the LGBT parade in Chicago has generated a slew
of articles about intersectionalitythe idea that all
forms of social oppression are linked, but with the
caveat that what counts as oppression can only be
determined by those who are oppressed.
Therein lies the trick. Among the evangelists of
intersectionality whose tone, to my mind, has more
in common with scientology than with a rational-
ist politics of left or right the idea that Jews can be
oppressed even in theory is dismissed with contempt,
because Jews are regarded as bearers of racial and
social privilege. If someone is accused of anti-Sem- A Jewish gay pride float at Chicagos gay pride parade in 2013. WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

itism, the logic proceeds, its because that person has

dared to criticize expressions of Jewish privilege for
example, by visibly identifying with a state built upon
the cardinal sin of Zionism.
In my view, arguing with someone who sees the
world through the prism of intersectionality is a waste
of time, because intersectionality is a device to pre-
vent authentic debate from occurring in the first place.
Heres a good example: During a meeting at Dartmouth
College in May, Palestinian-American BDS activist
Linda Sarsour refused to answer a question about her
stance on female genital mutilation, on the grounds
that the questioner was a young white man whose
perspective was offensive to her by definition.
This sort of dumbed-down totalitarianism isnt ame-
nable to reasoned exchange. But theres a more impor-
tant point: For the intersectionality folks, argument is
besides the point.
Leon Trotsky, the Communist leader exiled from
the Soviet Union by Josef Stalin, once was asked why
he had been defeated in their epic political struggle,
when Stalin was clearly Trotskys intellectual infe-
rior. Trotsky gave a proper Marxist answer. A politi-
cal struggle is in its essence a struggle of interests and
forces, not of arguments, he wrote.
Even though Trotsky who was fond of good cognac
and hunting would have had very little in common
In my view, arguing with someone who
sees the world through the prism of
intersectionality is a waste of time,
because intersectionality is a device
to prevent authentic debate from
occurring in the rst place.
activist who is committed to the liberation of Pales-
tine will not hear in a counterargument from a Zionist
merely an argument, but rather a dishonest rational-
ization of Zionism and racism that is paid for by
the apartheid regime in occupied Palestine. obvious. Jews, who often feel alone in these contexts,
How, then, to respond to this freeze on thought? One
answer is to ignore it, or to at least put it in perspec-
tive by recognizing that certain things like booting
Jewish women out of a parade infuriate us precisely
because they are not the norm. Another response is to
take on the whole edifice of intersectionality by high-
lighting the almost violent way that it shuts down inde-
pendent, critical thinking, and by challenging its aca-
demic and media advocates to speak in propositions,
not declarations.
A third approach and the one I find most intrigu-
Europe, Kurds and Yazidis in Iraq and Syria, and pretty
much every religious minority from Christians to
Bahais that lives under some form of Islamic rule.
The advantages of this kind of advocacy should be
will realize that they are not. The largely ignored strug-
gles around the world against genocide and tyranny all
those examples we invoke when we talk about double
standards will start getting the attention they deserve.
This combined force can begin the task of speaking truth
to the growing power of intersectionality in our schools
and universities.
Practically speaking, I can think of one great orga-
nization UN Watch that already works along these
lines. Theirs is an example worth studying, because
this problem is not going away. JNS.ORG

with the safe spaces and trigger warnings of intersec-
tionality, his observation probably would resonate
with the more thoughtful of its advocates. Arguments,
this strongly materialist view holds, are simply reflec-
tions of the political forces advancing them; hence, an
ing is the suggestion that Jews, particularly those in
progressive circles, should develop their own version of
intersectionality. There are many peoples around the
world with whom we share common links and mutual
experiences of persecution: Roma gypsies in Eastern
Ben Cohen writes on Jewish affairs and Middle Eastern
politics. His work has been published in Commentary,
the New York Post, Haaretz, the Wall Street Journal and
many other publications.

JEWISH STANDARD JULY 7, 2017 29

Keeping Kosher
Kosher.com offers Skinny Cooking Secrets by Victoria Dwek
Powerhouse food personality Victoria
Dwek, considered one of todays top
kosher food writers, released Secrets of
Skinny Cooking, her seventh cookbook,
on May 22. A week later, it was #5 on
Amazon.coms bestsellers list in its cat-
egory. Kosher.com has a large collection
of recipes and how-to-videos, along with
several of Dweks new recipes, helping
people to get the skinny on the latest
healthy summer recipes.
On the popular websites brand new
channel, Skinny Cooking, Dwek shares
recipes and secrets for mouthwatering
entrees and delectable desserts, from fet-
tuccini to cheesecake, and promises that
no one will suspect these rich, satisfying
treats are low-calorie.
Kosher.coms fully searchable recipe
library makes it easy to find inspiration
for warm-weather eating. Search by
ingredient, chef, dietary need, holiday,
level of difficulty, cuisine, or keyword to
find recipes including Watermelon-Feta
Salad, Mexican-Style Ceviche, and Plum
Granita, plus photos that make these
dishes irresistible.
Skinny Cooking is just one of the
shows hosted by kosher celebrity chefs
Perfect red wines for summer
Conventional wisdom holds that red wine
is too heavy to drink during the summer.
Its true that many full-bodied tannic reds
can be hard to enjoy when the weather
turns hot and humid. However, some
delicious reds can and should be served
slightly chilled. Theyre light and refresh-
ing enough to share a place at the picnic
table with whites and ross. In fact, these
reds are perfect companions to traditional
summer fare like grilled steaks, barbecued
ribs, and burgers.
According to the experts at the Royal
Wine Corporation, the top four varieties of
red wine particularly suited to the (hot) dog
days of summer are pinot noirs, cabernet
francs, tempranillos, and tintos. Gabriel
Geller, director of public relations and cli-
ent services and wine education at Royal
Wine Co., recommends chilling them to
accompany warm-weather menus.
Geller explains that red wines are made
from dozens of different kinds of grapes,
and its up to the winemaker to decide
what style he or she wants to achieve.
Wines can be made light or heavy,
depending in large part to the type of
grapes being used. Some kinds of grapes
develop more tannins compounds in the
skin, stem, and seed that give wine its dry-
ness and acidity which impact the result-
ing wine.
30 Jewish Standard JULY 7, 2017
and experts on Kosher.com, the pre-
mier hub for kosher cooking and con-
versation. Others include Employees
Only: Restaurant Takeaways with Jamie
Geller, Renees Table with Renee
Muller, Sunny Side Up! with Naomi
Nachman, Shabbos with Yussi featur-
ing Yussi Weisz, Swirl with Jay Buchs-
baum, and Under the Hood with Gabe
Garcia, to name a few.
Leah Gottheim, vice president of
Kosher.com, says the websites content
makes it a one-stop shop for kosher
cooks and foodies. We cull from all the
top names in the kosher food world
notable chefs, food bloggers, cookbook
authors and from kosher home cooks
around the world, with new recipes, arti-
cles, and videos added every day.
Gottheim adds that almost every rec-
ipe that ever appeared in the popular
magazines Mishpacha, Bayis, Binah, and
Ami recently were made available on the
website, free of charge.
When it comes to kashrut cooking
and eating, anyone looking for informa-
tion and inspiration will find that Kosher.
com really is the most powerful free
resource out there, she says.
Pinot noir is a grape with a very thin
skin, and is thus less tannic than caber-
net saugivnon, syrah, and merlot. Wines
made from this variety are usually light-
bodied, elegant, and delicate. Serve pinot
noir at about 65 degrees, Geller suggests.
It pairs perfectly with chicken, veal, or
salmon. One favorite is the Baron Herzog
Pinot Noir, featuring flavors of currants,
tart raspberries, and dark chocolate. Its
not only a very enjoyable wine, but also a
fantastic value, he adds.
A chilled cabernet franc such as the
(Almost) No-Cal Sushi
Courtesy Kosher.com
If youre craving sushi but wish you
could enjoy it without the carbs, this
version totally satiates that craving
and might even have some people
fooled. Using the whole nori sheet
will help it remain sealed. Note that
though most of your sushi will stay to-
gether, a few pieces might fall apart in
the process. Dont serve those on your
sushi platter; rather, theyre perfect for
taste-testing and munching. After all,
theyre (almost!) calorie-free!
Yield: 5 (8-piece) rolls
Rice:
1 (24-ounce) bag frozen cauliflower,
halfway thawed
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
Domaine du Val Brun Saumur-Champigny
is an ideal companion to casual outdoor
fare like cold cuts, charcuterie, and grilled
vegetables. A light- to medium-bodied
wine from the Loire Valley in France, it has
a bouquet of violets and strawberries with
a hint of earth and spice. This wine, like
the Baron Herzog, also represents tremen-
dous value, Geller said.
Garnacha or garnatxa (grenache), a vari-
ety grown primarily in Spain and in the
south of France, is highly versatile; it can be
bold and heavy or restrained and refined.
The Capanes Peraj Petita, produced at
the highly regarded Celler de Capanes in
Montsant, Spain, has interesting and some-
what unusual flavors. Geller describes it
as medium-bodied with hints of cherries,
roasted meats, minerals, and espresso, and
says it pairs perfectly with smoked meats,
dried salami, and grilled vegetables.
Tinto de verano (literally red wine of
summer), another chilled red, is a light,
medium-bodied cousin of sangria. Elvi,
a Spanish brand of quality kosher wines,
creates a budget-friendly tinto blend. Elvi
Vina Encina Tinto carries flavors of cran-
berries, licorice, and smoke, and has a
moderate alcohol content. Geller calls
this well-balanced blend ideal for the
warm weather and quite food-friendly.
Its versatile enough to complement
For assembly:
5 nori sheets
Vegetables or fish of your choice
Add cauliflower to a food processor.
It should not be frozen solid, but still
partly frozen, so it breaks apart nicely
without getting mushy. Pulse cauli-
flower until pieces resemble rice-sized
grains.
Grease a saute pan with nonstick
cooking spray and heat over medium-
high heat. Add cauliflower rice and
cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 min-
utes, until cauliflower is cooking and
moisture evaporates. Season with salt
and stir in rice vinegar.
Place a nori sheet on a sushi mat
or paper towel in front of you. Pat
down cauliflower rice on the bottom
half of the nori in a thin layer. Spread
filling across the center. Roll up the
entire nori sheet (use the sushi mat or
paper towel to help you) pressing to
compress as you roll. Slice sushi using
a serrated knife. Serve alongside low-
sugar teriyaki and/or light spicy mayo.
To watch skinny cooking videos, go
to www.kosher.com/shows/7/skinny-
cooking
In fact, these
reds are perfect
companions
to traditional
summer fare like
grilled steaks,
barbecued ribs,
and burgers.
Mediterranean dishes like grilled chicken
with pesto, although it also marries well
with a big, juicy burger.
Royal Wine Corporation, the leading
producer, importer, and distributor of
kosher wines and spirits, headquartered
in Bayonne, offers more than 300 brands
in its portfolio. They include Bartenura
Moscato, the best-selling Italian moscato in
America (kosher or not) which Royal Wine
owns. Its portfolio of domestic and inter-
national wines come from nearly every
significant wine-producing region in the
world including California, France, Italy,
and Spain, as well as Israel, New Zealand,
and Argentina.
 Keeping Kosher
Kosher Market
Celebrity Israeli chef asks for Meats Chicken Deli Appetizing
help in feeding Israels hungry children Prepared Foods Groceries Frozen Foods Catering
67 A. East Ridgewood Ave. Paramus, NJ 07652
Israeli celebrity chef Haim Cohen
launched the nonprofit Nevets
201-262-0030
www.harolds.com
first U.S. fundraising campaign last MON-WED 8-6; THURS 8-7; FRI 8-4; SUN 8-3; CLOSED SATURDAY
UNDER RABBINICAL SUPERVISION
month, urging American Jews and
Israeli Americans to help feed hun-
gry schoolchildren in Israel. The
Serving The Kosher Way Since 1976
campaign was on social media,
including YouTube.
Nevet, founded by the non-profit
Leket Israel in 2006, provides nutri-
tious daily breakfasts to disadvan-
taged students at 120 schools across DELI RESTAURANT CATERING
Israel. Most Israeli children go to
1
Annual
school without eating breakfast at Readers
Choice
# New Jersey
home instead they are given sand- Avi & Haim Poll 894 Prospect Street
Proprietors Glen Rock, NJ
wiches and snacks to eat during a Tel: 201-445-1186
Under Rabbinical Supervision
mid-morning break, said Rotem www.koshernosh.com Fax: 201-670-5674
Yosef, Nevets vice president of stra-
tegic development. Unfortunately,
many students from disadvantaged
or dysfunctional backgrounds come KOSHER
to school hungry and empty handed
and thats where Nevet steps in.
According to the Israeli govern- Chef Haim Cohen Ronen Mangan

ments National Insurance Institute,

there are 776,500 children living
below the poverty line in Israel. Nevet
distributes some 1.3 million breakfasts
every year to 8,000 students daily, but
OU womens kashrut seminar in August
This years OUs Advanced Kashrut
Seminar for Women, From your
GOING ON VACATION OR HEADING TO
kitchen to the Hilton kitchen
understand kashrut as never
e THE MOUNTAINS THIS SUMMER?
before, is set for August 28 to
t Cedar Market Will Make Yo u Feel At Home
s
l H AV E U S D E L I V E R Y O U R O R D E R T O Y O U R V AC
there are still some 13,000 students
on the organizations waiting list and
many more who would benefit from a
healthy, daily breakfast.
September 1, 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.,
at 11 Broadway in Manhattan. It
includes lectures, hotel kitchen, and
industrial plant tours. The Harry H.
Beren Foundation of New Jersey
AT I O N H O M E
Anyone interested in donating to
the campaign should go to www.nevet.
org/en/donate-a-sandwich-for-child/. BUY ONE
DONUT
GET
ONE
sponsors the program. Registration
is limited. For information, call Avi-
FREE!
With This Ad
gail Klein at (212) 613-8279, or email
her at aklein@ou.org. 1406 Teaneck Rd. Teaneck, NJ
(201) 862-0062
186 Elmora Ave. Elizabeth, NJ
(908) 289-9327

e Cedar Market delivers

O R P I C K I T U P O N Y O U R W AY O U T O F T OW N
E m a i l u s a t o r d e r s @ t h e c e d a r m a r k e t . c o m fo r d e
tails

, Cedar Market in Teaneck has many great

selections and offers. There are always great
, secret midweek deals available to email
. subscribers and social media fans. The sale is
on as long as supplies last, and there are no
rain checks. 2016
2016

Cedar Market is also a one-stop camp head- READERS

READERS CHOICE
quarters a place to stock up on tasty nosh CHOICE
FIRST PLACE
items and healthy snacks. Have Cedar Market FIRST PLACE
BAKERY
CHALLAH
send a care package to your child in camp. In
addition, Cedar Market will deliver an order
to a vacation home or have it ready for you to WE ARE NUT FREE!
pick up on your way out of town. For informa-
tion, email orders@theCedarMarket.com.
Sign up for a Cedar Market Loyalty Card
at the stores customer service counter. Its a
great way to start saving and earn a bonus.
Summer hours are Sunday, Monday, and
Tuesday, 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Wednesday, 7 a.m.
to 10 p.m.; Thursday, 7 a.m. to 11 p.m.; and Fri-
day, 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Challah Pastries cookies bobkas pies & More...

Service
Service and
and quality
quality you
you trust
trust
Cedar Market is at 646 Cedar Lane in Teaneck. Call the store at (201) 855-8500 or go to thecedarmarket.com. WHERE QUALITY AND FRESHNESS COUNT!
www.zadiesbakeshop.com zadiesbakeshop@yahoo.com

ANYWHERE YOU GO!

GO ! Jewish Standard JULY 7, 2017 31
Dvar Torah
Balak: Bad tents allusion to our synagogues and our dwell- 2012 and Natan Sharansky had just been must be a place where all streams of Judaism

A
t that moment, the hymn Ma
Tovu, which we sing at the begin-
ning of the Shacharit (morning)
service, took on a much deeper
meaning.
I was standing with 45 members of my
congregation and their families at the base
of the southern extension of the Kotel, at
what is commonly referred to as Robinsons
Arch. This area of the Jerusalem Archaeo-
logical Park is so named after the remnant
of a Herodian arch discovered by American
archaeologist, Edward Robinson, which
sticks out from the top of the southern tip of
the Western Wall. It once formed part of an
enormous staircase that took worshippers
up to the Temple Mount from the Tyropoeon
Valley street, a major traffic artery in the first
century C.E.
Standing on what was once that street,
looking up at the Temple Mount, our tour
group was about to daven Shacharit and cele-
brate the bnei mitzvah of six members of our
group, including my own daughter, Sarah.
It was an awesome moment. As I began
to lead the group in singing Ma Tovu, the
words from this weeks Torah portion, Balak,
not only rang from our mouths but resonated
in my heart, Mah tovu ohalecha Yaakov,
mishknotecha Yisrael, How good are your
tents, O Jacob, your dwellings, O Israel. In
the Torah, these words come from the mouth
of the pagan prophet, Balaam, as he looks out
at the encampment of the Israelites gathered
on the edge of the Promised Land. In mak-
ing this pronouncement, Balaam blesses our
people instead of cursing us, as the Moabite
king, Balak, had wanted him to do. The Tal-
mud (Sanhedrin 105b), taking the words out
of context, understood our tents as an
ings to our religious schools. Consequently, appointed to head up the commission to fig-
our rabbinic forebears saw this verse as the ure out how to create a legitimate egalitarian
perfect statement to make worship site in the area of Rob-
each morning upon entering insons Arch.
our houses of worship and What do you do when Natan
study. Sharansky comes to join your
At the same time, Rashi minyan? Well, first finish Mah
points out that ohalecha and Tovu. At least thats what I
mishknotecha also refer to did. Then I yelled up to him in
the Temple in Jerusalem, the Hebrew, Mr. Sharansky! It is an
great, ancient site of Jewish honor to have you here. We are
worship, even when it is in a group of Reform Jews from
ruins. The subsequent lines Rabbi Jordan New Jersey who have come to
of the hymn, all taken from Millstein pray at the Kotel and celebrate
various locations in Psalms, Temple Sinai of the bnei mitzvah of several
clearly refer to a person enter- Bergen County, members of our community.
ing the Temple in Jerusalem Tenafly, Reform Mazal tov! Sharansky
to worship: I, by your great replied.
love, enter your House, and I came away from that morn-
worship in awe at your great shrine (Psalm ing not only with a sense of awe and grati-
5:8). Adonai, I love your House of dwelling, tude for having had the opportunity to wor-
the abode of your glory (Psalm 26:8). What ship with my congregants and celebrate my
a feeling to sing out these words standing at daughters bat mitzvah at such an incred-
the foot of the Temple Mount with so many ible, historic site but also with a sense that
members of my congregation, about to cel- I had been privileged to witness an historic
ebrate my own daughters bat mitzvah! moment: Natan Sharansky evaluating the sit-
My spiritual senses were on joyful overload uation at Robinsons Arch, which would soon
when all of sudden, in the middle of singing lead to the creation of an officially sanctioned
Mah Tovu, I noticed our fabulous tour egalitarian worship space at the Kotel!
guide, Ezra Korman, pointing up to the ramp My prophetic vision turned out, sadly,
that we had walked down to get to where we to be a delusion. After four years of promises
stood at the base of the Wall. I looked up and, and delays, on June 25, Prime Minister Netan-
there, unmistakably, was Natan Sharansky, yahu crushed the hopes of non-Orthodox
the legendary former refusenik, now Chair- Jews everywhere by officially capitulating to
man of the Executive of the Jewish Agency for the ultra-Orthodox parties in his government
Israel. It took me a couple of seconds to real- and denying the sanctioning of an egalitarian
ize that Sharanskys sudden appearance was worship space at Robinsons Arch.
not some sort of prophetic vision. Rather, he The practical and symbolic significance of
had come to check out the area of Robinsons this action cannot be underestimated. For
Arch and how it was being used for egalitar- the Kotel to truly be the great national reli-
ian worship. This was the end of December, gious site that our people believes it to be, it
can gather to worship. Reneging on the Kotel
compromise is an abandonment of the prin-
ciple of Jewish unity (klal yisrael) and a state-
ment against the legitimacy of non-Orthodox
Judaism. It is a violation of the principle of
Jewish nationalism that unites the Jewish peo-
ple the very foundational idea of Zionism.
Kol hakavod kudos to the Jewish
Agency for joining the various branches of
the Reform and Conservative Movements
here and in Israel in making a clear, unequiv-
ocal statement condemning the Israeli gov-
ernments actions reneging on its agreement
to establish the egalitarian worship space at
Robinsons Arch. Still, more must be done.
It is my hope that not only liberal Jews, but
traditional Jews, including those non-charedi
Orthodox leaders who believe in the principle
of klal yisrael and profess to respect Jews who
have different approaches to halachah than
they do, will speak out against this outrage.
Together we must say to the representatives
of the Israeli government here and in Israel
that this is unacceptable and we will not rest
until the Kotel compromise is endorsed.
The Talmud (Bava Batra 60a) posits that
what Balaam saw that led him to declare that
the tents of Israel were good was the way
they were arranged. Their entrances did not
face towards one another out of respect for
the privacy of those who live there. It is high
time we, too, stop looking into one anothers
metaphoric tents, our houses of worship, and
judging the legitimacy of the Judaism that
others practice. We dont have to endorse
what others do. But we do need to create the
space, both at the Kotel and here at home, for
all of us to worship as we see fit, in safety and
in peace. Then will Balaams blessing truly be
a reality: How good are your tents, O Jacob,
your dwelling places, O Israel!

Gabbay promised to create a Labor-led governing coali-

BRIEFS Herzog unseated tion and said he would not join a unity government with
Israeli player Omri Casspi signs as Israeli Labor leader Netanyahu. JNS.ORG

Israeli opposition leader and Knesset member Isaac Herzog

with Golden State Warriors
Israeli basketball player Omri Casspi signed a one-
year contract with the Golden State Warriors, the 2017
National Basketball Association champions.
Casspi inked the $2.1 million agreement during a mid-
night conference call with the teams representatives,
Israels Channel 2 reported.
A native of Holon, Casspi joined the NBA in 2009 as
the first Israeli-born player in the leagues history. His
last team was the Minnesota Timberwolves, who signed
him after he was waived by the New Orleans Pelicans.
Casspi suffered a broken thumb in his first game with
New Orleans. The Pelicans acquired him in February
from the Sacramento Kings as part of their trade for All-
Star center DeMarcus Cousins.
The 6-foot-9 Casspi has averaged 8.2 points and 4.1
rebounds per game, while shooting about 37 percent
from three-point range, in eight NBA seasons. The War-
riors will be his sixth NBA team.
 JNS.ORG
was unseated as the head of the Labor party. Two other law-
makers advanced to a runoff for the partys leadership.
After polls closed Tuesday, former Labor leader Amir Per-
etz had garnered 32 percent of the vote, followed by former
Kulanu party member Avi Gabbays 27 percent. Herzog, the
partys leader since 2013, received about 17 percent. Gabbay
is Israels former environmental protection minister, and Per-
etz is a former defense minister.
Herzog was Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus top chal-
lenger in Israels March 2015 election, when Labor teamed
with Tzipi Livnis Hatnuah party to form the Zionist Union
alliance.
Because no candidate emerged with 40 percent of the vote
needed to become Labors new leader, Peretz and Gabbay
advanced to a runoff that will be held on July 10.
The members of the Labor party have spoken. I respect
their decision, Herzog said.
Peretz said, I am proud of my accomplishment and am
convinced I will win in the second round, after which we will
replace Netanyahu.
British royals to tour Holocaust
sites in Poland and Germany
British royals Prince William and Kate Middleton, the duke
and duchess of Cambridge, will tour several sites memorial-
izing victims of the Holocaust during a visit to Germany and
Poland later this month.
Kensington Palace announced that the royal couples five-
day tour will begin in Warsaw on July 17 and will include visits
to the site of the Stutthof concentration camp in Poland as well
the Warsaw Rising Museum and Berlins Holocaust memorial.
At each location Their Royal Highnesses will meet survi-
vors of these periods, who will describe their personal expe-
riences, according to a statement from Kensington Palace.
The duke and duchess will meet a group of five former
prisoners of the Stutthof concentration camp July 18. Later
on their trip, the British royals will meet with German Chan-
cellor Angela Merkel.
The royal couples children, Prince George and Princess
Charlotte, will accompany their parents for some parts of
the trip. JNS.ORG

32 JEWISH STANDARD JULY 7, 2017


Your talmudic advice column
Dear Rabbi Zahavy,
I recently asked my friend how her young
grade-school kids a boy and girl were
doing. She replied that they are fine, and
they have new names. The boy now has a
girls name and the girl has a boys name. I
asked why? She matter-of-factly replied that
they both are transgender.
I was dumbfounded to hear this. I said
nothing to her. Should I ask her more about
this? Should I discuss this with a responsible
authority?
Worried About Trans Kids
Dear Worried,
Yes, you have every right to ask the par-
ent for more details, and to seek out, with
sensitivity, more information on this topic
from friends of experts or from your own
counselors. The mother makes no secret
of the facts. She is open and proud of her
children and their gender identities.
Gender dysphoria is a seriously hot topic
this year in social and political discus-
sions, and in the media. You will find many
experts and pundits out there willing to
share advice and counsel on the subject.
Complex gender anomalies are as old as
human culture. The Torah sets forth strict
lines of demarcation in this area, banning
what it considers to be divergent behavior
such as cross-dressing and homosexuality.
The Talmud dealt with gender ambiguities
when it addressed the status of the Tum-
tum, whose physical genitalia were indis-
tinct, and the Androgyne, who possessed
genital traits of both male and female.
Todays discussions of gender identity
delve more into the inner states and sta-
tuses of someones personality.
We all do understand that sexual prefer-
ences and gender identity are personal to
each one of us, across a rainbow spectrum
of options. And to many of us, the motives
and drives in our own gender preferences
and sexual appetites are mysteries when
we are young and first discovering them,
and for some of us they can remain confus-
ing and evolve throughout life.
Gender proclivities may be evident in
young children. We conventionally pre-
sume that sexuality and sexual prefer-
ences emerge later, during puberty. The
revolutions in psychology in the twentieth
century helped remove our inhibitions
about the public discussion of sexuality
and more lately of gender identification.
The Dear Rabbi Zahavy column
offers mindful advice based on
Talmudic wisdom. It aspires to be
equally open and meaningful to all
the varieties and denominations
of Judaism. You can find it here
on the first Friday of the month.
Please mail your questions to the
Jewish Standard or email them to
zahavy@gmail.com.
Yet, even in our frank and open age its
odd to us to hear that a parent publicly
announces that her younger children are
transgender.
Since 2014, Amazon has broadcast the
Emmy award-winning series Transpar-
ent, about a parent who comes out to
his family as transgender. Because it had
so much Jewish content, Ive watched a
bunch of episodes. For sure, though, that
does not make me any kind of expert in
the area.
Yes, to put your own mind at ease, you
ought to discuss this situation with people
who have greater expertise in this area, so
you can better understand your friends
choices as she navigates through the bio-
logical and societal challenges posed by
her childrens transitions.
People on the whole spectrum of gender
identity existed throughout history, but
lived often in the shadows, in denial and
in emotional stress. We should be happy
to live in an era where this no longer has
to be the case.
Dear Rabbi Zahavy,
My neighbors daughter is having a bat mitz-
vah soon. I heard from her friends that she
is going to have an added enhancement for
the occasion. She will go to the mikvah and
accept the commandments. That seemed
odd to me. When I asked her mother, she
told me confidentially that her daughter
was adopted as an infant from a non-Jewish
family. As is the practice, a beit din court
accepted Judaism on her behalf at the time.
Her parents never have told her that she
was adopted. And now the familys rabbi
asked about the circumstances of the childs
conversion. When told that the court had a
woman rabbi as a judge, he ruled that she
must be reconverted in the mikvah with a
new court of three men present.
First, I am startled that the parents have
not told the child that she is adopted. And
second, I am upset to hear that a rabbi
demands a redo of the conversion.
Should I express my concerns to the par-
ents or to the rabbi?
Concerned About A
Covert Child Conversion in Closter
Dear Concerned,
I am still shaking my head in disbelief.
First, I cannot approve of, or even imagine,
not telling your child that she is adopted at
an appropriate early age.
And beyond that I cannot sanction or
envision a rabbinic charade that supports
requiring a new conversion and promotes
keeping the child in the dark on this signifi-
cant personal fact of life.
Why would parents hide this informa-
tion? Are they fearful that an adopted and
converted child will be treated differently
in our community? Are they worried that
a child who knows she is adopted will not
Dear Rabbi Zahavy
love her parents? Dear Fit,
No matter what the Common sense would dic-
motives, I cannot condone tate that you and your friend
this parentrabbi conspiracy not go to places where you
to hide these realities. More- feel uncomfortable, even
over, its customary to have a if it is a mere trifling prac-
child who was converted as tice that creates a sense of
an infant reaffirm her Jewish- annoyance and intimidation
ness when she reaches adult- for you. You know that an
hood. If she does not know Rabbi Tzvee Orthodox synagogue must
the facts, how can that confir- Zahavy follow the many laws and
mation take effect? customs that govern who
Yes. The critical particulars will come should receive an aliyah. For example, a
out in public at some point in this familys kohein receives the first aliyah, and a Lev-
future. ite gets the second. A man who has a yah-
No. Its not your job to be the catalyst rzeit often gets precedence, and so does
for that to happen. However, you certainly the father of a newborn child and a groom
should feel free to express your reserva- before his wedding. Major donors to a syn-
tions and opinions discreetly to the par- agogue get some preferential treatment, as
ents or to the rabbi. do important rabbis. Ive noticed also that
the gabbai who allocates aliyot gets his fair
Dear Rabbi Zahavy, share of them too. And a woman is not
I read in the Jewish Standard two weeks back called to the Torah at all.
that you published your fiftieth Talmudic You may know that some non-Orthodox
advice column. I am a huge fan. I wonder if Jews find the exclusion of women from this
you have one column that you consider your process of public honors to be troubling
favorite? or even offensive. Orthodox spokesmen
Talmudic Admirer in Tenafly point out that women receive due respect
and honor in their community, just not by
Dear Admirer, receiving aliyot.
Thanks for asking and for your kind words. Forty years ago, when I asked Rabbi
I choose as the favorite my column about Joseph B. Soloveitchik about the possibility
neckties in shul, published in June 2013, of women receiving aliyot in an Orthodox
because it was so down-to-earth in look- minyan, he quipped to me, When women
ing at an issue that displayed a friction write the checks, then they will receive
between an individual and an institution, the aliyahs. The Rav dodged my inquiry. I
and it generated a good deal of discussion understood his reply to be a clever obser-
and controversy in our town. Im repro- vation or a social comment, but not any
ducing it below. halachic guidance.
Now, the synagogue that you describe in
Dear Rabbi Zahavy, your question definitely created for itself a
I am sad for my good friend, a respected heightened odd character when it adopted
community leader and a member of a local an additional tie rule to further govern
Orthodox synagogue for many years, who its members roles and aliyah rights. Even
does not like to wear a tie. His synagogue if its eccentric practice is an approved
follows an idiosyncratic rule that no matter requirement of synagogue committees,
how nicely dressed he may be, a man who officers, and boards, it still fits the category
does not wear a tie cannot receive an aliyah of a socially undesirable because-we-say-
to the Torah on a Shabbat or a holiday. So so intimidation.
my friend has not received an aliyah to the That said, you and your friend may be
Torah on any of those days for many years, able to ignore and rise above this nonsense
even on the special occasions of his parents if you keep in mind that Moses, King Solo-
yahrzeits. It hurts me to see him suffer this mon, Jeremiah, Rabbi Akiva, Maimonides,
arbitrary form of petty ostracism and humil- the Vilna Gaon, and many other great non-
iation. What should I do? tie-wearing-Jews would not be offered a
Fit To Be Tied in Teaneck (June 2013) Torah honor if they somehow, via time
and space travel, showed up in your sub-
urban shul.
Tzvee Zahavy received his PhD from Brown University and his rabbinic ordination from
Yeshiva University. He is a prolific author and has published many books about Judaism and
Jewish texts. He also is the CEO of Halakhah.com, a site that distributes free annually world-
wide more than 600,000 English translations of the Talmud and many other Jewish books.
www.thejewishstandard.com
JEWISH STANDARD JULY 7, 2017 33
Calendar
Saturday Sunday
july 8 july 9
Rummage sale in
Closter: The sisterhood
of Temple Beth El of
Northern Valley holds a
bargain-filled rummage
sale, 9 a.m.-noon, and
1-3 p.m. Gently used
clothing, shoes, toys,
sports equipment, and
household goods. 221
Rabbi Dr. Binyamin Lau Schraalenburgh Road.
(201) 768-5112 or www.
Shabbat in Teaneck: tbenv.org.
The adult education
committee of
Congregation Rinat
Yisrael presents a
distinguished scholar-
in-residence, Rabbi Dr.
Binyamin Lau of Ramban
Synagogue, Jerusalem,
also an author/activist/
teacher. Pre-Mincha, at
6:55 p.m., he discusses
in English, Turning the
Film in Paramus:
Tanakh into a national
conversation: How the
The JCC of Paramus/ JULY Joshua Nelson and his Kosher Gospel Choir perform at the
Congregation Beth
summer concert series at the Wayne YMCA on Thursday,
13
929 project has turned
Tikvah shows Lion,
many thousands of
starring Dev Patel, July 13, 7 p.m. Aretha Franklin has hailed Nelson, and Oprah
Israelis toward Torah.
After Mincha he
Rooney Mara, David Winfrey called him the next big thing. The series runs
Wenham, and Nicole
discusses in Hebrew,
Kidman, 3 p.m. Optional
through August 24. The Metro YMCAs of the Oranges is a partner of
Protest or Silence in the
deli dinner follows the the YM-YWHA of North Jersey. 1 Pike Drive. (973) 595-0100 or www.
Face of Transgressors;
An Analysis of a
movie. East 304 Midland wayneymca.org. DZB Productions
Ave. Dinner reservations,
Talmudic Tale. 389
(201) 262-7691.
West Englewood Ave.
(201) 837-2795.
The castles curator Tenafly join for outdoor
Monday Wednesday will present Fun and
Games Through the
family-friendly services
at State Line Lookout.
july 10 july 12 Ages. Learn the history Enter off the Palisades
of games today and Interstate Parkway
Learning about plastic play games from back North, two miles north
surgery: Congregation in time. 3 Valley Road. of Exit 2, 6:30 p.m.
Beth Aaron in Teaneck (973) 247-0085 or Songs and prayers led
continues a five-week lambertcastle.org. by clergy from both
Paul Juszcyk series, Perfecting congregations. Bring
Perfection: Of Blood drive in Teaneck: lawn chairs and bug
Poetry reading in Circumcision, Earrings, Young Israel of Teaneck spray. If it rains, services
Rabbi Sam Frankel
Passaic: The Third and Plastic Surgery, holds a blood drive will move to Temple Beth
Shabbat in Teaneck: Ward Park Association, led by Yossie Cohen. with New Jersey Blood El, 221 Schraalenburgh
Rabbi Sam Frankel, in cooperation with the This week, What is a Services, a division of Road. Another service
middle school rabbi Boathouse Caf, presents Wound?, 8:45 p.m. New York Blood Center, with Temple Emeth of
Rabbi Hillel Gold 950 Queen Anne Road.
at Yavneh Academy an afternoon of poetry 3-9 p.m. 868 Perry Lane. Teaneck will be on Aug.
and individual and and music featuring Learning about (201) 836-6210 or go to (800) 933-2566 or www. 18. (201) 768-5112 or
family therapist, poet Paul Juszcyk and Judaism: The JCC of www.bethaaron.org. nybloodcenter.org. www.tbenv.org.
presents Mindfulness musicians Anthony and Paramus/Congregation
and Judaism, Part
2, following Mincha
Christian Liguori, 3-5 p.m.
Open reading to follow.
Beth Tefillah continues Thursday Friday Sunday
a nine-session class,
at 8:05 p.m. 950 350 Passaic Ave., inside True, but sometimes
july 13 july 14 july 16
Queen Anne Road. Third Ward Park. (973)- unbelievable concepts
(201) 836-6210 or www. 931-0012. within Judaism, led by Family fun and games: Shabbat on the Jews of India: Meylekh
bethaaron.org. Rabbi Hillel Gold, 7 p.m. Everyone of all ages Palisades: Temple Beth Viswanath talks about a
304 E. Midland Ave. is welcome to play El of Northern Valley in recent Shabbat he spent
(201) 262-7691. at Lambert Castle in Closter and Temple Sinai with the Bnei Noah of
Paterson, noon-4 p.m. of Bergen County in

34 Jewish Standard JULY 7, 2017


Vishakapatnam on
the eastern coast of
India at Congregation
Beth Aaron in Teaneck,
6:45 p.m. Most of the
Bnei Noah are former
Christians who were
dissatisfied with the
contradictions they
In New York Thursday
July 13
Monday Bialystoker history:
July 10 The Lower East Side
Jewish Conservancy
sponsors a tour of the
magnificent Bialystoker
Summer kollel in Fort Lee
For the first time in the history of the Jew-
ish community of Fort Lee, the Sephardic
Congregation of Fort Lee will host a Sum-
mer Kollel. Rabbi Netanel Wiederblank
and eight other rabbis will lead the pro-
Calendar
college and rabbinic students at Yeshiva Uni-
versity. He also is the rabbi of the Yeshiva
Community Shul in Washington Heights.
All are welcome to the program launch
on July 9, which begins with Shacharit at

Photo by Marco Grob

saw in the Christian gram, with daily learning and Torah teach- 8 a.m.; breakfast will follow. The shul is
understanding of Synagogue, 7 p.m. Meet
biblical sources and in front of the shul, ing, from July 9 through August 18. at 323 Tom Hunter Road in Fort Lee. For
look instead to the 7-11 Willett/Bialystoker Rabbi Wiederblank teaches Tanach, Tal- more information, call Adam Abergel at
Hebrew Bible and to Place (between Grand mud, halacha, and Jewish philosophy to (646) 248-0467.
the Jewish view of and Delancy Street).
their obligations. 950 (212) 374-4100 or www.
Queen Anne Road. nycjewishtours.org.
(201) 836-6210 or go to
www.bethaaron.org.
Daniel Silva
Ladies offer laughter in Englewood
Singles
Tuesday Englewoods Bergen Perform-
july 18 Saturday ing Arts Center presents The
July 8 Ladies of Laughter on Wednes-
Support for caregivers: day, July 26, at 8 p.m. The show
A confidential Shabbaton in
sandwich generation/ returns with some of the funni-
Riverdale: The
caregivers support Shidduch Project est women to come out of the
group is at CareOne Author in NYC: AMIT hosts a Shabbaton for national Ladies of Laughter
in Teaneck, 7-8:15 p.m. will host Daniel Silva,
The group is for those a New York Times
modern Orthodox/ competition, which began in Marion Grodin Sara Contreras Maureen Langan
machmir young the Bergen County YWCAs
who are taking care of best-selling author, professionals, 23-40, at
elderly parents while for a discussion of his Riverdale Jewish Center, gymnasium in 1998. Among the perform- Ehlers, a Hoboken native. It also includes
taking care of their own new book, House of Riverdale, N.Y. Includes ers are Marion Grodin and Sara Contreras an appearance from the first New Jerseys
families. Refreshments. Spies, at the Ramaz
544 Teaneck Road. Arlin School, 7 p.m. Elissa
three interactive meals, of Teaneck; Maureen Langan, originally Funniest Female Micki Shilan, a grand-
oneg with speakers from Lake Hiawatha; Dana Eagle, who mother from Teaneck.
Matos, (201) 862-3300 and Michael Katz of including Rabbi Yitzy
or AMatos@care-one. Bergenfield chair the Genack, cocktails, speed grew up in New Brunswick; Julia Scotti, Tickets are available at www.ticketmas-
com. talk. Silva, the author dating, walks by the originally, from Fairview, and Sandy ter.com or the box office, (201) 227-1030.
of 20 novels, is best river and historical sites,
Jewish learning in known for his series
Teaneck: Lamdeinu, musical Havdalah and
featuring art restorer kumsitz, and housing.
a center for Jewish Gabriel Allon, who also Hosted by Rachel
learning that meets
at Congregation Beth
is an assassin and an
Israeli secret agent.
Ruchlamer and friends.
Shidduchprojects@
College Essay Coaching Services
Aaron, offers a two-part Before becoming a
series on Educating gmail.com or
novelist, Silva was the (201) 522-4776.
Our Children for a executive producer of
New Reality, taught CNNs talk-show unit. In
by Dr. Rivka Schwartz, House of Spies, Silva Sunday
8:15 p.m. Next session turns his attention to
July 25. 950 Queen
july 9
the post-9/11 world and
Anne Road. Register at the global war on terror,
lamdeinu.org. Seniors meet in West
as Allon tries to hunt
Nyack: Singles 65+
down the worlds most
meets for a social
dangerous terrorist, an
bagels and lox brunch
ISIS mastermind known
at the JCC Rockland,
only as Saladin. 60 East
11 a.m. All are welcome,
78th St.. Book signing
particularly if you are
and dessert reception.
www.amitchildren.
from Hudson, Passaic, WRITE THE UNCOMMON COMMON APPLICATION
Bergen, or Rockland
org/danielsilva or call
counties. 450 West Rising Seniors: Its Time to Start Writing!
(212) 477-4725.
Nyack Road. Gene
The college application process has begun. Campus visits, SAT/ACT review courses,
Arkin, (845) 356-5525.
internships, and vacations all contribute to a busy summer. Get a jump on crafting a
compelling Common Application personal statement. More than 600 colleges accept
the Common Application. Which of the (7) prompts will you choose?
My clients attend an impressive list of colleges:
Childrens clothing drive at Keter Torah Auburn University, Boston University, Brandeis University, Champlain College, Cornell
University, Fordham University, Franklin&Marshall, Indiana University, Ithaca College-
The Childrens Clothing Drive/Gemach 19, as well as to work during the shop- Park School of Communications, James Madison University, Lehigh University, Marist
will collect childrens clothing, shoes, ping days, which are July 12 to 19. Shop- College, New York University, Ohio State University, Penn State University, Pomona
and coats in very good condition, ping is by appointment. No appointment College, Rutgers University, Temple University, The College of New Jersey, The George
sized for newborns through teens on is necessary, however, on the last two Washington University, University of Delaware, University of Maryland, University of
Sunday, July 9, from 9 to 11 a.m., and all days Tuesday, July 18, 6 to 8 p.m., and Miami, University of Michigan, University of Pennsylvania, University of Pittsburgh,
day on Monday, July 10, at Congregation Wednesday, July 19, 9 to 11 a.m.
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, University of the Sciences/Philadelphia
College of Pharmacy, University of Rochester, University of Virginia, Villanova
Keter Torahs main ballroom in Teaneck. Suggested prices are $1/item; funds are
University, Virginia Tech, Washington University in St. Louis, Newhouse School of
The drive benefits community members. donated to Yad Leah. Leftover clothing
Communications and Whitman School of Management at Syracuse University, and more.
It would be helpful if donors sort the will be sent to Israel through Yad Leah.
clothing, bag it by age and gender, and Shoppers can choose private or small Coaching sessions include: initial discussion, outlining/ editing the Common
label it. Do not leave bags outside the group appointment times. Everyone is Application essay, and drafting all college-specific supplements. I am currently
shul. invited to sign up to make an appoint- accepting clients for Fall, 2017.
Volunteers also are needed to help ment to shop. For information, email Contact Deb Breslow to schedule your appointment now!
sort and pack the clothing from July 9 to childrensclothingdrive@gmail.com.
djbreslow@aol.com 201-410-3598 web: www.djbreslow.com

Jewish Standard JULY 7, 2017 35

The Frazzled Housewife
Older and wiser
R
emember when you were
little and everyone seemed
older than you were?
Chances are, you probably
dont remember much from when you
were a toddler. That is the ideal time of
life. You are the center of the universe.
Give me cookie, I go make, Mine! the TV show. Some kitschy plot about
I want! I no sleep now! Yup, good an evil mastermind who is trying to
times. You are so busy learning and
exploring and your parents are learn-
ing what to do with you and are trying
everything in their power to keep you
alive: 1. Because that is their
job at that point (and to,
hopefully, not turn you into
a spoiled brat; though some
things cannot be helped)
and 2. Because they dont
want their parents or in-laws
to criticize their parenting.
(Though my relationship
with my in-laws has never
been ideal, they always Banji
thought I was a good par- Ganchrow
ent. Of course, now I have
no idea what they think, and
that is ok).
Nothing bothers a new parent more
than someone telling them that what
they are doing is wrong. Or the par-
ents who think they know everything
Ah, those are the absolute best kind
of parents.
But parenting aside, as you grow up,
when you pass the whole me, me, me
stage (sadly, some of us never pass that
stage), you realize that everyone who
takes care of you is older than you are.
Your doctor, your parents, your teachers
that is the way it is in the beginning.
The people who are older than you are,
are supposed to be wiser than you are.
Ha! If only that were true. But that is the
way things seem to be. If someone was
older, they knew what was best for you,
and you trusted them.
Even superheroes.
I loved Wonder Woman. Lynda Carter
was the absolute bomb. She had those
awesome bracelets, so she was always
accessorized perfectly. Her hair, even
after saving the world, didnt frizz or
look out of place. Wonder Woman was
the ultimate role model. I was also a big
fan of Spider-Man, and my friends and
I would sing the theme song as we pre-
tended to shoot webs from our wrists,
just like Spidey did. (Yes, I didnt have
many friends back then either. Pretend-
ing to be Spider-Man could be just one
of the many, many reasons.) And the
superheroes were older than I was, so of
course they knew what they were doing.
Christopher Reeve was the ultimate
36 JEWISH STANDARD JULY 7, 2017
Superman and it still breaks my heart
to recall the tragic turn his life took.
How could something like that happen
to Superman?
In any event, husband #1 and I went to
see Wonder Woman a few weeks ago. In
my mind, I though it was going to be like
destroy the world, and perfectly dressed
and accessorized Wonder Woman foils
his evil plan and saves the world. Easy
breezy. But I was wrong. The movie was
so much more than that,
and Gal Gadot, the gor-
geous Israeli who plays
Wonder Woman, is so
incredibly amazing.
Two things, though,
struck me about this
Wonder Woman. The
first in this day and age
of cross fit and weight
lifting designed to make
us strong, Wonder Wom-
ans arms and shoulders
werent especially muscu-
lar. Dont get me wrong. I would still be
quite happy to look like her (that was not
an invitation for a Medifast coach to con-
tact me privately) but I was a little sur-
prised at her lack of muscular definition.
And the second, and more important
thing that struck me WONDER WOMAN
IS YOUNGER THAN I AM! Now, the first
time I went to a doctor who was younger,
I was a little taken aback, but I got over it.
But this is a superhero. This is someone
who is saving the world from evil. How
can she do that if she hasnt had the joy
of having a hot flash? How can she know
what she is doing if she hasnt used the
line, Of course life begins at 40!
With age comes wisdom! With age
comes experience! And if Wonder
Woman is younger than I am, does this
mean that Spider-Man and Batman and
Superman are also so young?
I need a superhero who takes Geri-
tol before he puts his cape on! I need a
superhero who takes a calcium supple-
ment and wears reading glasses. Then I
know we will be safe from evil. Yes, I am
in denial about getting older. And, yes, I
do know that if these superheroes were
older, they probably would forget where
they parked the Batmobile and the codes
to disarm the nuclear reactor.
But sometimes, we all need someone
who makes us feel safe at any age
Banji Ganchrow still wants to be
some form of superhero perhaps
LaundryWoman or SuperCrankyLady.
The possibilities are endless!
Crossword
CLASSIC ROLES BY YONI GLATT
KOSHERCROSSWORDS@GMAIL.COM
DIFFICULTY LEVEL: EASY
Across
1. Top notch shiduch option
6. AKA (corporate alias)
9. Wallace and Ditka
14. ___ ha-shalom (Peace be upon
him)
15. Michael Mann boxing film
16. King David sent him to the front
lines
17. Dorothy Zbornak
19. What Sarah Hughes does quite well
20. ___ Adumim
21. What Isaac could not do late in life
22. Talk like Harvey Fierstein
25. Phoebe Buffay
30. Triumphant cry in the Nicholas
Stoller penned Captain
Underpants movie
32. Sipped part of a kiddush cup
33. Rabbinical alternative to YUs RIETS
program
34. Mount where the Torah was given
35. Shalom
36. Flushing team owned by the
Wilpons
37. Roseanne Roseannadanna
41. Shofar, e.g.
43. Shortened name for Yitzchaks
father
44. Knesset topic
47. ___ Ledodi...
48. It was used to create dinosaurs for
Spielberg: Abbr.
49. Simon Helbergs The Big Bang
Theory co-star Jim
51. Dot Matrix
54. Grandson of Adam
55. Point (an uzi)
56. Unlike matzah
58. Disney Center with a Little Israel
61. Streisand classic...or a description of
17, 25, 37 & 51-Across
65. Sam who directed Spider-Man
66. ___ out clause (what could make
Ian Kinsler a free agent)
67. Like works by Stein or King
68. Where Passover dishes might be
stored
69. Some J.J. Abrams creatures, for
short
70. Preliminary version by Kellerman
The solution to last weeks puzzle
is on page 39.
Down
1. Mercedes car in Israel, often
2. HeBrew brew
3. Wissotzky product
4. Great Lake whose area is over seven
times larger than the Kinerets
5. Lashon ___
6. Its a flower in both Hebrew and
English
7. Genre for Benny Goodman or B.B.
King
8. Isr__ Airlines
9. Los Angeles has a notable one Of
Tolerance
10. Like one being noodged
11. South Korean car one could buy in
Netanya
12. What a Jew often does after saying
a blessing
13. Abigail or Esther, e.g.
18. Like Saul or Goliath
21. Went down Hermon, perhaps
22. A.C.L.U. concerns: Abbr.
23. Gold on Entourage
24. Spanish wine beverage one might
enjoy in Eilat
26. A Stark on Weiss Game of
Thrones
27. Ned played by Stephen Tobolowsky
in Groundhog Day
28. Sukkot mo., often
29. Lbs. and amot
31. Need a refuah
35. ___at HaOlam (creation of the
world)
36. Job title for an angel in the Bible
38. Fish in Israel?
39. Tel ___
40. Jerusalem Mayor Barakat
41. Famous Uris novel (with The)
42. Kiryat or Yoko
45. Echad, to Juan
46. End of Proverbs?
48. Job for Joel Siegel
49. Runs this publication
50. The A in IFA or NBA: Abbr.
52. Ruths mother-in-law
53. Blow, like Etna
57. Blue ___ (like Paul Newman)
58. Koufax had a great one (stat.)
59. Buchanan accused of anti-Semitism
60. Young worker at Camp Ramah, for
short
61. Syria, to Israel in 1973
62. A Gershwin
63. Rabbi Isaac al-Fasi (with The)
64. ___ my people go!

Erika Eckstut
Erika K. Eckstut, ne Neuman, 89,
of Staten Island, formerly of Mary-
land, died July 2.
Born in New York City, she was a
member of Independent Bucaviner
Society Jersey City.
Predeceased by her husband,
David, in 2012, she is survived
by children, Michael of Princ-
eton and Elise Teen of Sum-
mit, six grandchildren and five
great-grandchildren.
Arrangements were by Eden
Memorial Chapels, Fort Lee.
Arrangements were by Eden
Memorial Chapels, Fort Lee.
Stanley Rosenthal
Stanley Rosenthal, 95, of Fort Lee,
formerly of Demarest, died July 2.
An NYU graduate, he was an Army
Air Force World War II veteran com-
missioned as a First Lieutenant,
serving in the European Theater as a
decorated bombardier and naviga-
tor. Afterward, he was a manufactur-
ers representative in the securities
industry for over 50 years.
He was a Demarest board of
Obituaries
( John), William, Susan (Don), and
four step-grandchildren.
Contributions can be made to
Gods Love We Deliver.
Obituaries are prepared with
Arrangements were by Gutter-
man Musicant Funeral Directors, information provided by funeral homes.
Hackensack. Correcting errors is the responsibility
of the funeral home.
In loving memory of
Marion Robert Schoems Menorah Chapel, Inc
Jewish Funeral Directors

Florence Mayer
Florence Mayer, ne Bressler, 80,
of Fort Lee, died June 26. Born in
Brooklyn, she was an administra-
tive assistant for Price Waterhouse.
Predeceased by a brother, Abra-
education president; councilman,
police commissioner, and a found-
Raindorf Family Owned & managed
Generations of Lasting Service to the Jewish Community
ing member of the town library. He our beloved credit Serving NJ, NY, FL & Our Facilities Will Accommodate
was an active member of the 492nd manager who worked Throughout USA Your Familys Needs
Prepaid & Preneed Planning Handicap Accessibility From Large
Air Force veterans organization. with us for many years. Graveside Services Parking Area
Predeceased by his first wife,
Irene, and a son, Douglas of New
We miss her. Gary Schoem Manager - NJ Lic. 3811

ham Bressler, she is survived by
her husband, Herbert; daughters,
Laura Schaschter and Michele
Puchall; a brother, Arnold Bressler;
and grandchildren, Scott, David,
Cory, and Lindsay.
York, he is survived by his wife, May her memory Conveniently Located
W-150 Route 4 East Paramus, NJ 07652
Cecily; sons, Mitchell (Karen) of be a blessing 201.843.9090 1.800.426.5869
Norwood, and Richard (Arlen)
of Maryland; and a sister, Ruth; THE JEWISH STANDARD
four grandchildren; four great- STAFF
grandchildren; stepchildren Sandra

BRIEFS
Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert released early
Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert was released early
from prison Sunday after serving 16 months of a 26-month
sentence related to two separate corruption scandals.
Olmert the first former Israeli prime minister to serve
time in prison did not speak to reporters when exiting
Maasiyahu Prison in central Israel. Hebrew-language media
later reported that Olmert arrived at one of his homes in Tel
Aviv, escorted by security officers.
The former prime ministers release followed a parole
board ruling June 29 in favor of granting him an early exit
on account of good behavior. The State Attorneys Office
Palestinian Authority rebuilds memorial for Palestinian terrorist
After IDF soldiers last Friday demolished a memorial in
Jenin erected in honor of Palestinian terrorist Khalid Nazzal,
Palestinian Authority activists built a new memorial stone at
the same site the next day and constructed a second memo-
rial for Nazzal in Ramallah.
Nazzal, a leader of the Democratic Front for the Libera-
tion of Palestine terrorist group, was behind a 1974 terror
attack in the Israeli town of Maalot that killed 22 children
and three adults one of the deadliest terror attacks in
Israels history.
Nazzal was killed in 1986 in what Palestinians claim was a
European medical society recognizes Jerusalem as Israels capital
The Israel Heart Society successfully petitioned the
European Society of Cardiology to recognize Jerusalem
as Israels capital.
The recognition came through ESCs approval of an
official document that also included an apology from the
organization for previously referring to Tel Aviv as the
capital of Israel.
At an ESC conference next month in Barcelona, the
medical association will acknowledge its recognition
Established 1902
Headstones, Duplicate Markers and Cemetery Lettering
With Personalized and Top Quality Service
Please call 1-800-675-5624
did not appeal the decision, allowing Olmert to leave
www.kochmonument.com
prison.
Under the conditions of his early release, Olmert is tempo- 76 Johnson Ave., Hackensack, NJ 07601
rarily barred from leaving Israel, must appear before police
twice a month and cannot give interviews to the media.
The former head of state was convicted in March 2014 for Gorny Funeral Service Inc.
receiving bribes to facilitate the construction of the Holyland
1-862-354-8596 or 973-919-4570
housing project in Jerusalem in 2004. In 2015, he was found
guilty of receiving payoffs from American businessman Morris
WE SPECIALIZE IN
Talansky between 1993 and 2002. Olmert began serving his
GRAVESIDE SERVICES
multiple sentences in February 2016. JNS.ORG COST-CONSCIOUS AND
RESPECT FOR TRADITION
FREE CONSULTATIONS
revenge killing initiated by Israel. www.gornyfsinc.com
The initial memorial for Nazzal was erected last month by 240 Mount Prospect Ave. Newark, NJ 07104
the PA, which also named a public square after the terror- John M. Gorny, Manager NJ Lic #3563
ist. Palestinian Media Watch, an organization that monitors
Palestinian incitement, reported that Jenin Deputy Mayor
Mahmoud Abu Mwais said at the memorials unveiling, Our We continue to be Jewish family managed,
leadership and our people will continue on the path of the knowing that caring people provide caring service.
martyrs.
PA activists said they restored the demolished memo- GUTTERMAN AND MUSICANT
rial and built the second memorial as a challenge to Israeli JEWISH FUNERAL DIRECTORS
authorities. JNS.ORG 800-522-0588
WIEN & WIEN, INC. MEMORIAL CHAPELS
800-322-0533
of Jerusalem in the parade of capitals of its member
states, and will also designate one of the conferences 402 Park Street, Hackensack, New Jersey 07601
lecture venues as Jerusalem Hall. About 30,000 peo- ALAN L. MUSICANT, Mgr., N.J. Lic. No. 2890
ple are expected to participate in the meeting. MARTIN D. KASDAN, N.J. Lic. No. 4482
We are happy that we succeeded in raising the pres-
tige of Jerusalem, the capital of Israel, in the minds of Advance Planning Conferences Conveniently Arranged
the ESC and correcting this political injustice that has at the Funeral Home or in Your Own Home
no place in medicine or any other international arena, GuttermanMusicantWien.com
IHS President Prof. Ran Kornowski said. JNS.ORG

JEWISH STANDARD JULY 7, 2017 37

Classified
Houses For Sale Events Situations Wanted
(201) 837-8818
Situations Wanted Handyman Home Improvements
COMPANION, nurses aide/care-
TEANECK - By Owner
Great location! Split level,
Not too early
to make your DAUGHTER giver. Flexible hours. Days/nights.
Live-in/out. Reliable. Excellent ref-
Your Neighbor with Tools
Home Improvements & Handyman BEST of the BEST
BH

oversized 60x150 park-like

FOR A DAY, LLC
Reservation... erences. I live in Bergen County.
201-838-4829 Shomer Shabbat Free Estimates Home Repair Service
lot. 3 Bdrm. 1654 Bucking- COMEDY NIGHT Over 15 Years Experience
ham Rd. Steps away from Carpentry Painting
Keter Torah & short walk to featuring Sherry Davey LICENSED & INSURED COMPANION: Experienced, kind, Adam 201-675-0816 Decks Kitchens
& trustworthy person seeking part
Beth Abraham & Bnai Yes-
hurun. $789K, Taxes $16K. Jonny Lampert FOR YOUR time work. Weekends OK. Meal
Lic. & Ins. NJ Lic. #13VH05023300
www.yourneighborwithtoolshandyman.com
Locks/Doors
Basements
Electrical
Paving/Masonry
Call Cherl 201-838-3238 November 18, 2017 PROTECTION preparation, laundry, housekeep-
ing. Will drive for doctors appoint-
Bathrooms
Plumbing
Drains/Pumps
Maintenence
No Brokers! Call Cindy ments; occasional sleepovers. 973- Painting
201-907-0305 Handpicked 519-4911 Tiles/Grout Hardwood Floors
Certified Home General Repairs

Crypts For Sale Health Aides VETERAN/COLLEGE graduate CHRIS PAINTING NO JOB IS TOO SMALL
Hourly - Daily - Live In seeks employment in telephone INTERIOR/EXTERIOR
Situations Wanted sales. 25 years experience in pur- 24 Hour x 5 1/2 Emergency Services
LOVELY above ground burial NURSE SUPERVISED chasing and marketing of diverse
SHEETROCK Shomer Shabbat Free Estimates
CHHA Certified Nurses Aide/Long
crypt available at SANCTUARY POWER WASH & SPRAY SIDING
of Abraham & Sarah, New Ce-
time care - 15 years experience Creative products. Proven success in gen-
erating new business through WATER DAMAGE REPAIR 1-201-530-1873
caring for the elderly with Alzhei- companionship
dar Park Cemetery, Paramus,
N.J.. Bldg 3, crypt #10762.
mers/dementia. Knowledge of
interactive,
building strong relationships, senior
201-896-0292
kosher food preparation, will shop, buyer of toys, hobbies, hard goods
30 yrs. exp. Free est. Ins. Vendors
Price $6,500: Includes one-time clean, administer medication and intelligent and bulk toys. Honest, hard work-
mandtory fee of $1500 for re- er. email:yendisid@optImum.net No job too small or too big
drive client to MD appointments. conversation & VENDORS
quired perpetual care, Deed References upon request. 201- lic. #13VH06003700
Transfer Fees, etc. payable to social outings JOIN US AT OUR
310-3149
Sanctuary of Abraham & Sarah. Downsize Cleaning Service Want to Buy GOODS & SERVICE
732-637-2118
CHHA to care for elderly. Live-in or Coordinator BOUTIQUE
live-out. Pleasant! 12 years experi- A POLISH CLEANING WOMAN . to be held Sunday,
ence! References! Drives/own car! Assist w/shopping, ALWAYS PAYING CASH
- Homes, Apartments, Offices- Nov.12, 2017
973-778-0884 errands, Drs, etc. FOR SPORTS CARDS
Get results! Organize/process
15 years experience, excellent
references. AND AUTHOGRAPHS.
Congr. Beth Sholom,
Teaneck,N.J
Advertise on CHHA works at Holy Name Hos- paperwork, Affordable rates!
Izabela 973-572-7031 WE BUY IT ALL!
For more particulars call
Cindy 201-907-0305
pice looking for FT/PT position to bal. checkbook,
this page. care for elderly. 3 yrs. experience. bookkeeping CALL 732-547-4381
Very reliable, speaks English,
201-837-8818 drives/own car. 201-310-9437 Resolve medical
insurance claims A Team of Antiques
Free Consultation Polish Women
Clean
Help Wanted Apartments Sterling Associates Auctions
.
RITA FINE Homes Offices
Experienced References SEEKING CONSIGNMENT AND OUT RIGHT PURCHASES
Cantor Barbra Lieberstein is seeking local, 201-214-1777 201-679-5081
Sculpture Paintings Porcelain Silver
qualified Hebrew Tutors www.daughterforaday.com
for private and small groups, in-home lessons Jewelry Furniture Etc.
to expanding Rockland County student base. Established 2001
Must be able to drive to Rockland County. Call us. TOP CASH PRICES PAID
Please call or email for interview
201-768-1140 www.antiquenj.com
201-788-6653 RELIABLE, experienced Brazilian Were waiting for info@antiquenj.com
cantorbarbra@aol.com lady will clean your home and of-
www.cantorbarbra.com fice. Good references. Please call your classified ad! 70 Herbert Avenue, Closter, N.J. 07642
Marilucy 551-574-6303
201-837-8818 FREE APPRAISALS TUESDAYS FROM 12-2
IN OUR GALLERY. CALL FOR APPOINTMENT.
Antiques
TEACHERS - GRADES 2 - 8
Expanding boys Yeshiva in Passaic, NJ interviewing
teachers for 2nd - 8th grade positions
We pay cash for Antiques Wanted
for the upcoming school year. Antique Furniture
Elementary and junior high school
Learning Disabled (mild/moderate) self-contained Modern Furniture WE BUY
classroom
2nd - 3rd grade teachers - hours are 12:45-4:00 pm Modern Art
4th - 5th grade teachers - hours are 1:30-4:45 pm Oil Paintings Silver
Junior High School teachers - hours can be flexible Paintings
Language Arts
Social Studies Bronzes Silver Bronzes Porcelain
Math
Hours are 2:00 - 5:25 pm. Candidates who can only Chinese Porcelain & Art Oriental Rugs Furniture
teach from 2:00 - 3:30 or begin at 3:30 or 4:00 pm may
be considered as well. ALL TEACHER POSITIONS Mens & Womens Watches Marble Sculpture Jewelry
ARE MONDAY - THURSDAY AFTERNOONS.
NO FRIDAYS OR WEEKENDS. Top Dollar for any kind of Tiffany Items Chandeliers
QUALIFICATIONS
Bachelors degree preferred in Education or related
Jewelry, including costume Chinese Art Bric-A-Brac
field. Alternate route acceptable.

ANS A Tyler Antiques

At least two years of classroom elementary or high
school teaching experience is a must.
BENEFITS
Sick/Personal days. Over 25 years courteous service to tri-state area Established by Bubbe in 1940!
Salary paid over 12 months.
Free parking. We come to you Free Appraisals
Safe and friendly atmosphere. Shommer tylerantiquesny@aol.com
Excellent work schedule. Call Us! Shabbas
Dress code for students and staff.
Please email resume to bhykop@gmail.com
201-861-7770 201-951-6224 201-894-4770
or fax to 973-778-5697. www.aadsa726@yahoo.com Shomer Shabbos

38 JEWISH STANDARD JULY 7, 2017

 Classified

Car serviCe

PARTY
Solution to last weeks puzzle. This weeks puzzle is
on page 36.

A PLUS
Limo & Car Service
The most reliable and efficient service
at all times for your transporation needs.
Our professional and courteous team works together for you.
PLANNER
Serving the Tri-State Area, New York and Bergen County
EWR $39 LGA $42 JFK $59
Tolls, parking, wlt, stops & tps are not included Extra $7 Airport Pickup
Prices subject to change without prior notice. Price varies by locations.
Fuel surcharge may add up to 10% Additional charge may be applied to credit card payment
201-641-5500 888-990-TAXI (8294)
Visit us online at: www.apluslimo1.com E-mail: apluslimo@earthlink.net

rooFing
Jewish Music with an Edge
ROOFING SIDING
HACKENSACK GUTTERS LEADERS Ari Greene 201-837-6158
AGreene@BaRockorchestra.com
Free ROOFING
OOFING Roof www.BaRockOrchestra.com
Estimates CO. Repairs
INC.
201-487-5050 83 FIRST STREET
HACKENSACK, NJ 07601

Being hungry affects

your appearance,
Inspired by Jewish values and ideals,
MAZON is a national advocacy
how you act. When Im
hungry, Im not in the
organization working to end hunger
mood for anything. among people of all faiths
and backgrounds in the
United States and Israel.

Help us end hunger.

Please donate today.

10850 Wilshire Blvd. Suite 400

Los Angeles CA 90024
(800) 813-0557 | mazon.org

JEWISH STANDARD JULY 7, 2017 39

 2017 MID-YEAR REVIEW

4 YEARS IN OVER 7700

FOLLOWERS ON
BUSINESS SOCIAL MEDIA

87HOMES
SOLD 46CONTRACT
UNDER
52 AVERAGE NUMBER OF
DAYS ON THE MARKET

RANKED #16
RESIDENTIAL SALES BERGEN COUNTY 36 RESIDENTIAL
RENTALS

WE SOLD 13 HOMES
WE SOLD HOMES IN
OVER $1M 28 TOWNS
IN BERGEN COUNTY

95% RANKED #1
OUR LISTINGS
SOLD ON FOR SALES VOLUME IN
AVERAGE OF LISTING PRICE BERGENFIELD & TEANECK

OUR TEAM CALL LINKS RESIDENTIAL FOR ANY REAL ESTATE NEEDS!

MALKA ABRAHAMS ZEEVYAH BENOFF MALKIE BENSON NINA EIZIKOVITZ BRUCE ELICHMAN
201.739.9654 201.956.0208 585.500.5233 201.280.5025 201.294.4858
MALKA@LINKSNJ.COM ZEEVYAH@LINKSNJ.COM MALKIE@LINKSNJ.COM NINA@LINKSNJ.COM BRUCE@LINKSNJ.COM

URI GRUBNER SARA LANDERER TUTU PACKER DEBORAH PEARLMAN KEN SCHWARTZ
201.743.8744 917.608.9084 917.670.6495 917.208.6415 201.564.8361
URI@LINKSNJ.COM SARA@LINKSNJ.COM TUTU@LINKSNJ.COM DEBORAH@LINKSNJ.COM KEN@LINKSNJ.COM

GNESHA SHAIN ALAIN SPIRA MARC STEIN RENA STRULOWITZ MICHELLE WASSERLAUF
908.787.6300 917.680.1885 201.522.9733 201.214.1131 646.702.8577
GNESHA@LINKSNJ.COM ALAIN@LINKSNJ.COM MARC@LINKSNJ.COM RENA@LINKSNJ.COM MICHELLE@LINKSNJ.COM

Teaneck Maywood
LINKSNJ.COM 201.992.3600 201.636.7200
Information from the NJMLS 1/1/2017 - 6/30/2017, Data pulled on 7/5/2017. All information deemed reliable but not guaranteed.

40 JEWISH STANDARD JULY 7, 2017


Conservative Jews pray at Robinsons Arch in Jerusalem on July 30, 2014. 
ANALYSIS
American Jews really
care about pluralism
but its not just about pluralism
ANDREW SILOW-CARROLL
T
he Great Jewish Revolt of 2017. The Bar Kotel
Rebellion. The Diaspora Strikes Back.
Whatever you call it, last weeks clash
between American Jewish leaders and the
Netanyahu government felt louder, angrier, and more
significant than previous clashes over pluralism in Israel.
That may be because it wasnt only about pluralism.
Thats not to say that pluralism isnt important in its
own right. The non-Orthodox Jewish groups who fought
hard for a space and a say at the Western Wall only to
see the agreement frozen want their versions of Juda-
ism to be treated with respect in Israel. They knew that
granting more control over conversions to the charedi
Orthodox chief rabbinate, as a controversial conversion
bill would have done, would present another signal that
Reform and Conservative leaders have no authority, or
legitimacy, in Israel.
Reform and Conservative Jews will tell you how gall-
ing it is that Israel may be the only place in the Western
world where the freedom of Jews to marry and worship
as they wish is restricted by law. They find it baffling
and hurtful that their religious identity generations
old and shared with a majority in the diaspora has at
best only symbolic legal standing in the homeland of
the Jewish people. (Consider what happened in May,
when boys and girls from Conservative day schools in
New York and New Jersey tried to pray from a Torah
scroll at a pair of kibbutzim far away from the fevered
Western Wall. Local Orthodox authorities threatened to
take away the kibbutz kitchens kosher certification if
the egalitarian service went on as planned. The service
was scrapped.)
And they find it more than insulting when Orthodox
politicians in Israel denigrate liberal Judaism as worse
Real Estate/Jewish World
TM
LEONIA GRACIOUS $829,900
Authentic Stickley colonial is beautifully maintained & updated, large rooms,
hardwood floors, central A/C, 4 bedrooms, 3.5 baths, 2 fireplaces, fabulous
oversized deck, detached garage, convenient location on
lovely tree-lined street, walk to town & NY bus.
ALPINE/CLOSTER
TENAFLY RIVER VALE ENGLEWOOD CLIFFS TENAFLY CRESSKILL
Orna Jackson, Sales Associate 201-376-1389
894-1234
768-6868 666-0777 568-1818 894-1234 871-0800
OPEN HOUSES
TEANECK
ROBERT SWIFT/FLASH90
than no religion at all when their own religious leaders
have so little to say to, and so little positive influence on, 248 Van Buren Ave. 2 PM 4 PM $604,000
the near majority of Israelis who are secular. Charm Tudor. Parklike Prop/110'' x 120'. Stained Glass Wins, Nat
All this is enough to understand the anger of U.S. Woodwk. LR/Fplc, Den/Fplc, French Drs to Form DR, Lib, MEIK. 5
BRs, 4 Bth Units. 2 Car Gar. Hosp Area.
Jewish groups last week. But there is reason to believe
there are other factors at play: politics, psychology 902 Country Club Dr. 2 PM 4 PM $625,000
and strategy. C Club Area. Mint Cond. Tri-Lev Split. Spectacular Grnt Isle Kit/Bfst
Politics: This is the thanks we get? Rm, 4 BRs, 2.5 Updated Bths. C/A/C. Gar.
Mainstream Jewish groups by and large are liberal 1135 Emerson Ave. 2 PM 4 PM $549,000
when it comes to domestic issues: abortion, immigra- Charm Stone, Dutch Col. Updated Throughout. Over-sized LR/Fplc,
tion, a solid social safety net. These liberal groups are Form DR, Quartz Cntrd Kit/Bkfst Nook, 4 BRs, 3.5 New Bths. Fin
Bsmt/Fplc+ O/S Ent. C/A/C.
seeing the consequences of their support for Israel
everywhere. The exclusion of the Star of David flag from 580 Rutland Ave. 2 PM 4 PM $1,150,000
the Chicago Dyke March was a funhouse reflection of Stunning CH Col. Beaut New Construc/Exist Found. LR, Banq DR/
more mainstream erosion of support for Israel on the Fplc, Gourmet, Desig Kit/Huge Qrtz Cntrd Isle to Fam Rm. Tray Ceil
Mstr Suite/Soaker Tub+Shower + 5 addl BRs, 4.5 New Bths Total.
left. Israel may not be a pariah for most of the Demo-
Game Rm Bsmt. C/A/C. 2 Car Gar.
cratic Party, but you are far more likely to find unques-
tioning support for Israel on the right. On a list of things
Jewish groups share with other progressive groups,
OPEN HOUSES
Israel stands out like a sore thumb usually unfairly, TEANECK VIC/N MILFORD
but still.
309 Hoffman Ave. 1 PM 3 PM $450,000
As a result, leaders of the major groups feel they are Lovely Street. Spacious 3 Brm, 2.5 Bth Col. LR open to DR, EIK,
doing the heavy lifting when it comes to supporting Game Rm Bsmt. Huge Party Deck. Gar.
Israel, defending it not just to the Republicans and evan-
gelicals whose support for Israel is unconditional, but
fellow liberals who are confused, indifferent, or hostile.
BY APPOINTMENT
Spacious Brick S/L. 81' x 104' Prop. LR/Fplc, Din Area open to
That task was hard enough when Israel was seen as a Grnt Isle Kit, Fla Rm, Master BR/Bth + 2 more BRs + Bth. Fin Bsmt,
democratic darling of the West; its only gotten harder as C/A/C. Att Gar. $376,000
Israels nationalist government has proposed everything
ALL CLOSE TO NY BUS / HOUSES OF WORSHIP /
from trying to hobble left-wing NGOs to banning sup- HIGHWAYS / SHOPS / SCHOOLS
porters of the BDS movement to attempting to enshrine For Our Full Inventory including
Hebrew as the countrys only official language. Details & Pictures, Visit our Website
To then see Israeli officials ignore them or backtrack www.RussoRealEstate.com
on an issue they care deeply about pluralism feels
doubly ungrateful. (201) 837-8800
SEE PLURALISM PAGE 42
JEWISH STANDARD JULY 7, 2017 41
Real Estate/Jewish World

Pluralism
FROM PAGE 41
Psychology: Saying one thing, mean-
ing another.
Many of the biggest Jewish groups, and
a majority of their constituents, are well to
the left of the Israeli government on the Pal-
estinian issue. Poll after poll suggests that
American Jews support a two-state solution
to the conflict and are growing more wary of
what they see as undemocratic tendencies in
Israel. The younger they are, the more this
wariness and disconnection grows.
But Jewish groups generally will not chal-
lenge Israel on what both sides have agreed
to call security matters. American Jews do
not vote in Israel and their children do not
fight in its wars. Despite a diverse mem-
bership, the Conference of Presidents of
Major American Jewish Organizations and
AIPAC see their role as defending the sitting
Israeli government.
Rabbis also tend to be more dovish than
the current government, but often hesitate
to say so from the pulpit. Peace issues are
considered too divisive. Too political. As a
result, a third of American rabbis told a poll-
ster in 2013 that they are fearful about
expressing their views on Israel, and half
said they had refrained from publicly voic-
ing their views on Israel at least once in the
previous three years.
Rabbis have fewer qualms expressing
their views about pluralism, however. We
can only guess how many sermons this
past Shabbat were devoted to the Western
Wall and conversion issues. Federations
that would hesitate to invite a speaker from
Peace Now or J Street often staff committees
and fund projects devoted to fighting for
the rights of Reform and Conservative
Jews in Israel. And groups that are hesi-
tant to wade into the IsraeliPalestinian
debate let the rhetoric fly when it comes
to pluralism.
Freud had a term for swapping
unwanted impulses into socially
approved expressions: sublimation. For
the members of a largely liberal com-
munity, pluralism is not only a vital
issue in its own right but a steam valve.
It allows them to voice their indepen-
dence from and occasional displeasure
with the Israel government without sec-
ond-guessing security decisions or and
this may be key giving ammunition to
Israels most hostile critics, who care
about the Palestinian issue and not at all
about the religious debate. Tired of hold-
ing their tongues, Jewish groups have in
pluralism a meaningful, focused subject
through which they can help shape the
Jewish state.
Manhattan one of the day schools
denied the use of a Torah put it this
way: If Schechter Manhattan students,
and students like them throughout North
America, are made to feel that their Jew-
ish communities, their very religious
identities are devalued and rejected in
the Jewish state, they will not sustain
positive connections with Israel.
Or as Natan Sharansky, chairman of
the Jewish Agency, said in his Western
Wall statement: Todays decision signi-
fies a retreat from that agreement and
will make our work to bring Israel and
the Jewish world closer together increas-
ingly more difficult.
I imagine AIPAC leaders said pretty
much the same thing when they flew
to Israel last week to warn Netanyahu
about the consequences of the anger
over the Kotel and conversion decisions.
Even a number of U.S. lawmakers made
it known that they disapproved of the

SELLING YOUR HOME?

Strategy: What about the kids?
For the past few years American Jews
have been preoccupied with the Boycott,
Divestment and Sanctions movement
against Israel, and attempts to delegiti-
mize Israel in European capitals, in U.N.
bodies, and on college campuses. The
antidote, many Jewish organizations say,
is educating and empowering young,
often indifferent Jews, and giving them
the tools to counter negative perceptions
about Israel. At the same time, there is
a cottage industry of organizations wor-
ried that diaspora Jews care less and less
about Israel.
Now some are beginning to make
freezing of the Kotel deal.
Mainstream defenders of Israel prefer
that the pluralism debate and security
issues stay on separate tracks. Advocat-
ing for pluralism is a sincere, vital and
safe way to fight for North American
Jewish values in Israel without plow-
ing into the Palestinian question. The
steam valve is a good thing for the Jew-
ish community, keeping the Jewish
mainstream from tearing itself up over
the West Bank.
But the June Uprising may be a
moment when Jewish impatience with
Israel jumped from one track to another.
 JTA WIRE SERVICE

the connection between the pluralism

debate and the generational challenge. Andrew Silow-Carroll of Teaneck is JTAs
Benjamin Mann, the head of school editor in chief.
of the Solomon Schechter School of

BRIEF
Call Susan Laskin Today
To Make Your Next Move A Successful One! Church condemns Israel for
BergenCountyRealEstateSource.com Cell: 201-615-5353
2017 Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. Coldwell Banker is a registered trademark licensed to Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC.
alleged treatment of Palestinian children
The United Church of Christ one of the detention, and violence at the hands
An Equal Opportunity Company. Equal Housing Opportunity. Owned and Operated by NRT LLC.

largest mainline Protestant churches in of Israeli forces.

America, with 915,000 members over- The UCCs move is the latest in a

Jimmy J
Jim
im
whelmingly approved a resolution con- series of anti-Israel stances taken by
demning Israel for its alleged treatment the Protestant denomination. In 2015,
of Palestinian children. the UCC overwhelmingly approved a
The resolution, titled A Call for resolution calling for divestment from
the United Church of Christ to Advo- companies that profit from Israels
the Junk Man cate for the Rights of Children Living
Under Israeli Military Occupation,
occupation or control in the dis-
puted territories, as well as a boycott
the
the
RESIDENTIAL & COMMERCIAL was approved at the UCC synod
Baltimore, with 79 percent voting in
in of products from Israeli settlements.
Rabbi Noam Marans, the American
RESIDEN
WE CLEAN OUT: favor, 13 percent against, and 9 per- WE
Jewish Committees director of inter-
Basements Basements
Attics Garages Fire Damage cent abstaining.
religious and intergroup Attrelations,
Construction Debris Hoarding
Construction Specialists The measure calls for attention to said the latest UCC resolution contin- De
WE RECYCLE the plight of children suffering under ues a trajectory dictated by the BDS W
CALL TODAY FOR A FREE ESTIMATE CALL
Israels prolonged military occupation movement, accusing Israel exclusively
TODAY
201-661845-600-5941
- 4940
of the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and of human rights violations and pre-
201-661-4940
We do not transport solid or hazardous waste
Gaza. It claims Palestinian children
are living with constant fear of arrest,
venting the end of the conflict.

201- 6
JNS.ORG
We do not trans

42 JEWISH STANDARD JULY 7, 2017

 The Art of Real Estate
*TENAFLY SHOWCASE*
Ruth Miron-Schleider
Broker/Owner

J J
SO
LD SO UST SO UST SO
LD
LD LD !
! !

8 WOODLAND PARK DRIVE 17 N. SUMMIT STREET 1 KNICKERBOCKER ROAD 30 OXFORD DRIVE

TO GOR U
CO PDA CO BR SO
W GE NT IL LD
NH O LO TE EM LIA !
OU US NI D PO NT
SE AL RA
! ! RY
!

61 GORDON AVENUE $5,700/MO 23 DOWNEY DRIVE $5,950/MO 27 SUFFOLK LANE $1,349,000 15 BIRCHWOOD PLACE
SO SO SO SO
LD LD LD LD
! ! ! !

150 COLUMBUS DRIVE 120 DEVRIESE COURT 140 DOWNEY DRIVE 511 KNICKERBOCKER ROAD
SO SO SO SO
LD LD LD LD
! ! ! !

11 WHITEWOOD ROAD 297 ENGLE STREET 186 ELM STREET 29 FARVIEW ROAD
SO SO SO SO
LD LD LD LD
! ! ! !

34 CLOVER STREET 82 OAK AVENUE 74 SHERWOOD ROAD 7 GLENWOOD ROAD

Call us today for your complimentary consultation!

Office: 201.266.8555 Mobile: 201.906.6024
ruth@mironproperties.com
www.MironProperties.com JEWISH STANDARD JULY 7, 2017 43
GOING ON VACATION OR HEADING TO
THE MOUNTAINS THIS SUMMER?
Cedar Market Will Make You Feel At Home
ATI O N HOM E
HAV E US DEL IVE R YO UR O RDE R TO YOU R VAC
OR PIC K I T UP ON YOU R WAY OUT OF TOW N
ls
Ema il us at o rd er s@t hec eda rma rket .c om for d etai

Service
Service and
and quality
quality you
you trust
trust
ANYWHERE YOU GO!
GO !