WESTCHESTER JCC Mid-Westchester Celebrates 67th Year of

Transcription

JewishLife
WESTCHESTER
May 2015 — Iyar-Sivan 5775, Volume 21, Issue 5
WESTCHESTER COUNTY’S ONLY MONTHLY JEWISH NEWSPAPER
JCC Mid-Westchester Celebrates 67th
Year of Israel’s Independence
BY STEPHEN E. LIPKEN
The Jewish Community
Center of Mid-Westchester
conducted a Memorial Ceremony, Yom Ha Zikaron (Day
of Remembrance), followed by
Yom Ha’atzmaut, celebrating
Israel’s 67th year of independence on Wednesday, April 22
in conjunction with the Jewish
Education Project (JEP) and
Westchester Jewish Council
(WJC), attended by over 250
citizens from Westchester and
surrounding communities, including 60 students from Harrison, Solomon Schechter and
Scarsdale High Schools.
“This event was a truly
collaborative effort, targeting
teens and unaffiliated Israelis.
With the help of our partners
and committed volunteers…we
were able to attract over 250 Is-
Students stepping on stage to light the 67 LED Memorial Candles
rael lovers living in Westchester. We were also privileged to
have a number of clergy present, including Rabbi Melvin
Sirner from Beth El Synagogue
Center, Jonathan Blake from
Westchester Reform Temple
and Rabbi Eytan Hammerman
from Jewish Community Center Harrison (JCCH),” according to JCC Mid-Westchester
Director of Adult Programs
Liat Altman.
Westchester Community
Shaliach (Emissary)
Yoav Cohen opened
the Program with a
video showing the Israel Memorial Siren
bringing the entire
country to a standstill for two minutes,
commemorating the
23,320 Israeli Defense
Force (IDF) members
fallen in battle since
1948.
Students lit 67
LED Yizkor Candles
and placed blue and
white memorial flowers. Operation “Defensive
Edge” Memorial Video presented the faces of IDF personnel who died in service of their
country.
Former IDF Lone Soldier
Corey Feldman spoke about his
...continued on page 5
Rescued Torah Scrolls Procession Marks
Countywide Yom HaShoah Commemoration
By Stephen E. Lipken
A procession of Holocaust
Rescued Torahs, standing in
silent testimony to Holocaust
Survival some kosher, others
posul (unfit for ritual use) from
13 synagogues in Westchester
area carried by Rabbis, Solomon Schechter students and
synagogue members, opened
the Annual Countywide Yom
HaShoah / Holocaust Commemoration at White Plains
Garden of Remembrance on
Thursday, April 16. The afternoon ceremony was presented
by the Holocaust and Human Rights Education Center
(HHREC), Westchester Jew-
ish Council (WJC) and
witnessed by over 200
citizens and numerous
elected officials. Valerie
Moore O’Keeffe, Chairperson of the Board of
Directors of HHREC, welcomed those assembled
and Rabbi Seth Sternstein, President of Westchester Board of Rabbis
gave the invocation.
“Why did the majority of people remain
silent,” County Executive A group holding Holocaust Rescued Torahs
Rob Astorino demanded.
“As time moves us further that speak truth to the sin of
neutrality—the evil of inaction
and further from the realities
of the Holocaust…time will when human lives are in the
balance…”
rob us of firsthand accounts
Holocaust Survivor Judith Altmann stated that she
was moved to tears when she
discovered that one of the To...continued on page 9
Recommitting to the Meaning of
the Words “Never Again”
From L-R: Ambassador Peter Wittig, Ambassador of Germany to the United
States; Rep. Eliot Engel (D-NY); Ambassador Gérard Araud, Ambassador
of France to the United States; Rep. Kay Granger (R-TX); Rep. Nita Lowey
(D-NY); Rep. Steve Israel (D-NY); Ambassador Peter Westmacott, British Ambassador to the United States; Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-NY); Rep. Ted Deutch
(D-FL). Photo credit: Office of Congresswoman Nita Lowey
BY CONGRESSWOMAN NITA LOWEY
Last month, I attended
the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum’s National Commemoration of the Days of Remembrance. This annual event
unites Members of Congress
and survivors in a moving ceremony in the U.S. Capitol to
pause together to remember
the millions of innocent men,
women, and children who perished in the Holocaust.
On the same day, terribly
troubling news broke of an
outrageous act of anti-Semitic
vandalism at the Congregation
Sons of Israel in Nyack. Their
Holocaust Memorial Day display, created with the help of
Hebrew School students, was
destroyed just a few hours after the start of Yom Hashoah.
This horrendous incident
came mere weeks after racially-charged epithets, including
swastikas and nooses, were
found scribbled across dorm
room walls at Purchase College.
I am confident that local
authorities can quickly investigate who is responsible for
such despicable behavior, and
I pray that as a community we
will stand together in the face
Covering all of Westchester for 20 Years! Visit www.westchesterjewishlife.com
of such intolerance. While we
must be assured that we solidly
outnumber those who espouse
evil, these events and increasing incidents of anti-Semitism
around the world remind us
that we must not be deterred
or distracted from recommitting ourselves to the meaning
of the words “Never Again.”
That’s why I recently
cofounded the Bipartisan
Congressional Taskforce for
Combating
Anti-Semitism.
In April, Ambassadors from
France, Germany, and the United Kingdom joined Members
of Congress for a discussion on
the recent spike in verbal and
physical anti-Semitic threats
in Europe. The Taskforce will
continue to provide a legislative platform to denounce
anti-Semitic incidents; evaluate current law enforcement
efforts; promote Holocaust education; and make recommendations on confronting hatred
around the world. I am very
proud that we already have 40
House Members committed to
joining these initiatives.
As one of the most senior
Jewish Members of Congress,
these efforts are close to my
heart. And as the current
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May 2015 — Iyar-Sivan 5775
•
Westchester Jewish Life
www.westchesterjewishlife.com
Portraits of 20th Century Jewish Women by Chantal Joffe
Beginning May 1, two
walls of the Jewish Museum’s
lobby will be filled with over 30
new portraits by the Londonbased painter Chantal Joffe.
This body of work explores
Jewish women of the twentieth century, focusing on those
who made major contributions
to art, literature, philosophy,
and politics - including Diane
Arbus, Nancy Spero, Gertrude
Stein, Alice B. Toklas, Susan
Sontag, and Hannah Arendt.
Portraits of these women and
others will be hung salon-style
across two walls of the lobby.
Using Walls, Floors, and Ceilings: Chantal Joffe will be on
view from May 1 through October 18, 2015.
Chantal Joffe has long
focused on portraiture, and
this new series, titled Hannah, Gertrude, Alice, Betty,
Nadine, Golda, Susan, Claude,
Nancy, Grace, Diane . . ., continues her direct and gestural
style of painting. The portraits
are not exact depictions, but
are charged with the artist’s
technical, conceptual, and
emotional responses. Joffe
conducted months of research
to gather information and gen-
L to R: Gertrude Stein, 2014, oil on canvas; Betty Friedan, 2014, oil on canvas; Diane Arbus, 2014, oil on board. Art ©
Chantal Joffe/Image provided by the artist, Victoria Miro, London, and Cheim & Read, New York.
erate personal connections to
each subject. As part of this
process, Joffe assembled wellknown as well as obscure texts
and images, and chose to represent the women at various
stages of their lives. By bringing together such notable historical figures, Joffe has created a universal family album,
a tribute to their contributions
as well as an inspiration for audiences today. Implicitly present are the women who perished during the Shoah, whose
creativity and intellect were
lost to history.
This presentation is part
of the Museum’s ongoing Using
Walls, Floors, and Ceilings series, showcasing new works by
artists from around the globe
in the Skirball Lobby. The series builds on the Museum’s
1970s program called Using
Walls, which featured the work
of 14 up-and-coming international artists of the time such
as Richard Artschwager, Sol
LeWitt, Richard Tuttle, and
others both within and beyond
the gallery space of the Warburg Mansion. Now, 45 years
later, the Museum is revisit-
connect with Israel?
By showing a
new generation of
women why the land
and people of Israel
matter more than
ever. They see it with
their eyes, learn it
with their minds, feel
it in their hearts.
Get involved.
Find out @
hadassah.org,
914.937.3151.
ing this moment in its history
by showcasing new work by
emerging artists from around
the globe. Since the launch in
2013, the series has featured
work by Claire Fontaine, Mel
Bochner, and Willem de Rooij.
The Using Walls, Floors,
and Ceilings series is organized by Jens Hoffmann, Deputy Director, Exhibitions and
Public Programs, and Kelly
Taxter, Assistant Curator.
Possessing an eye for everyday awkwardness and an
enlivening facility with paint,
Chantal Joffe brings a combination of insight and integrity
to the genre of figurative art.
Born in 1969, Chantal Joffe
lives and works in London.
She holds an MA from the
Royal College of Art and was
awarded the Royal Academy
Woollaston Prize in 2006. Joffe
has exhibited nationally and
internationally at Collezione
Maramotti, Reggio Emilia, Italy
(2014 - 2015); Saatchi Gallery,
London (2013 - 2014); MODEM,
Hungary (2012); Mackintosh
Museum, Glasgow (2012); Il
Capricorno, Venice (2011, solo);
Turner Contemporary, Margate (2011); Neuberger Museum of Art, Purchase, New York
(2009); University of the Arts,
London (2007); MIMA Middlesbrough Institute of Modern Art (2007); Royal Academy
of Arts, London (2005); Galleri
KB, Oslo (2005) and Bloomberg
Space, London (2004).
Located on Museum
Mile at Fifth Avenue and 92nd
Street, the Jewish Museum
is one of the world’s preeminent institutions devoted to
exploring art and
Jewish
culture from ancient to contemporary, offering intellectually engaging and educational
exhibitions and programs for
people of all ages and backgrounds. The Museum was established in 1904, when Judge
Mayer
Sulzberger donated
26 ceremonial objects to The
Jewish Theological Seminary
as the core of a museum collection. Today, the Museum
maintains a collection of over
30,000 works of art, artifacts,
and broadcast media reflecting global Jewish identity, and
presents a diverse schedule of
internationally acclaimed temporary exhibitions.
The Jewish Museum is
located at 1109 Fifth Avenue at
92nd Street, New York City.
For information on the Jewish
Museum, the public may call
212.423.3200 or visit the website at thejewishmuseum.org.
Afya Foundation Ships Critical Supplies to Nepal
On April 28, The Afya
Foundation announced that it
is quickly expediting an effort to
ship vitally needed medical and
humanitarian supplies to Nepal
to support hospitals and health
care providers. Afya is working
with the Consulate General of
Nepal in New York to facilitate
and accelerate the shipping
process, and the first recipients
will be the orthopedic surgery
departments at Grande International Hospital and Lake City
Hospital. This shipment is supported by the American Jewish
Joint Distribution Committee
(JDC), a longtime Afya partner
and humanitarian agency operating in disaster zones, including
Nepal.
“With the death toll rising and thousands of Nepalese
injured and in need of critical
aid, we call on New Yorkers to
urgently help us provide supplies, donate funds, and help
sort through and package goods
collected for our shipment to Nepal,” said Danielle Butin, Director
of Afya. “As we have done many
times before, Afya is rallying together the public to ensure that
Nepalese victims get the suitable
care and supplies they need to
survive.”
Items for donation include:
tylenol, wound dressing supplies, surgical tools, glucometers
and test strips, personal hygiene
supplies, powdered infant formula, water filters, tents, tarps,
cleaning supplies, tools, buckets
and heavy duty garbage bags.
All goods should be donated/delivered to The Afya
Foundation warehouse, located
at 140 Saw Mill River Road, Yonkers, NY 10701. Donors planning
a drop off at the warehouse are
encouraged to call 914-920-5081
to schedule their delivery. To
learn more visit afyafoundation.
org
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Westchester Board of Rabbis
Celebrates State of Israel
The Westchester Board of Rabbis celebrates the 67th anniversary of the founding of the
State of Israel. Its reestablishment represents an indispensable step forward in the lives of
world Jewry. It is, first and foremost, the only state of the Jewish people. It is a unique residence for those who freely choose to return to our historic homeland, as well as a safe haven for those living either under oppression or threat. As a modern democracy it assures
the rights of all its citizens, both Jewish, and non-Jewish. Though young in years, Israel has
produced thousands of scientists who have improved living conditions throughout the world.
They continue to search for solutions to the most challenging social problems, and cures for
the most intractable diseases. Israel is among the leading countries which produce technological breakthroughs year after year. Despite threats to its very existence from its neighbors,
Israel has emerged as a regional power that makes peace with those who wish to live peaceably
with her.
We hope and pray that Israel will remain a strong and vibrant country, blessed with leaders who embody the finest Jewish ideals, supported by citizens who cherish both Jewish life
and democracy, and embraced by all other nations that value justice, freedom and peace. May
Israel’s light continue to illumine the world.
President
Rabbi Seth Sternstein
Officers
Rabbi Jaymee Alpert Rabbi Fredda Cohen
Rabbi Daniel Gropper
Rabbi David Holtz Rabbi Jonathan Morgenstern Rabbi Gordon Tucker
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OLAM, A New Initiative Launches to
Promote Global Jewish Service
The Alliance for Global Good, Charles and
Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation and
Pears Foundation are partnering to launch
OLAM, a shared platform to promote global
Jewish service -- volunteering and service learning, international development, and
social justice advocacy -- to
support communities in need
around the world.
OLAM will serve as
a field-building resource,
championing,
coordinating and educating for the
benefit of existing organizations, practitioners, and volunteers. It will expand the
global Jewish community’s
awareness and philanthropic
support of these fields; build
and strengthen practitioner
networks to facilitate sharing knowledge and best practices; and grow the number of Dyonna Ginsburg
volunteers and practitioners
and direct them to Jewish opportunities for involvement around the globe.
From providing urgent health care in Haiti,
to training farmers to maximize their yields in
Kenya, to rescuing people from the ruins of an
explosion in Mexico, Jewish and Israeli organizations are pursuing meaningful ways to relieve
suffering and inspire a new generation of Jewish
global citizens in the process. A landscape analysis commissioned by OLAM in anticipation of
its launch, Global Citizens Changing the World,
identifies over 40 Jewish organizations in the fields of volunteering and service learning,
international
development
and social justice advocacy.
Despite
their
numerous
achievements, many are underfunded, under-networked,
and under-recognized as they
address vast challenges, such
as disease, poverty, and hunger.
“Today’s global Jewish
community is blessed with
unprecedented wealth and
influence. Israel, which was a
developing country less than
60 years ago, has a strong
economy and is a world leader
in many realms,” said Dyonna
Ginsburg, the newly appointed
executive director of OLAM. “Yet, with resources comes responsibility -- a responsibility to be
true to our own tradition of tikkun olam, repairing a fractured world, and to do our part to address some of the world’s most complex issues,
which no single organization or funder can solve
alone. It is only by coming together and learning
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Community Advocates Call on City to
Support Holocaust Survivors
Chair of the City Council
Jewish Caucus Mark Levine
announced on April 16 that
the the New York City Council’s Jewish Caucus, along with
a bloc of city elected officials,
the Survivor Initiative and
advocacy organizations held
a rally in support of the New
York City Council Survival
Initiative on the steps of City
Hall. The coalition of elected
officials and advocates called
for $1.5 million of public investment to help all Holocaust
survivors living in poverty.
Seventy years after the
United States put an end to
World War II and revealed
the horrors of the Holocaust,
30,000 survivors are living
near, at or below the federal
poverty line in New York City.
Founded in 2012, the Survivor
Initiative is a volunteer-led
national effort that reaches
across generations to raise
awareness and funds for Holocaust survivors living in poverty. In conjunction with its
partners, the Survivor Initiative has catalyzed millions of
private dollars raised for survivors and is calling on the City
to do their share.
“On Yom Hashoah we
recall the atrocities of the Holocaust and the 6 million Jews
who perished. We can’t undo
this horrific history, but we
can and must at least provide
a measure of support and dignity to the many thousands of
brave survivors who still live
among us. We are calling on
the City to fund
an initiative that
will help ensure
that no Holocaust
Survivor in New
York City lives out
their final days
in poverty,” said
Council
Member Mark Levine,
Chair of the City
Council Jewish
Caucus.
“It is absolutely
essential
that no Holocaust
survivor live in
poverty. Our survivors must be
protected
and
have access to full
city services. This
is essential to our
integrity as a city,’ and I look
forward to workingwith fellow
officials and the Jewish Caucus
to ensure it is areali said Council Member Ben Kallos, Vice
Chair of the Jewish Caucus.
“As the grandson of Holocaust survivors, it is heartbreaking to know that so
many who lived through this
atrocity now face poverty and
Holocaust Commemoration
at Young Israel of Scarsdale
economic hardship here in
our city. The Survivor Initiative has been at the forefront
of this issue since its founding and does incredible work
on behalf of those who have
already endured so much and
just need a little support to
have a good quality of life during their senior years. It is now
time for us to do our part as a
city and provide the Survivor
Initiative with the resources
it needs to continue its vital
work,” said Council Member
Mark Treyger.
“UJA-Federation of New
York is thankful for the widespread support of the New
York City Council on this important initiative. Holocaust
survivors deserve to live out
their days with dignity and
respect and it is incumbent on
New York City to contribute to
their care and well-being. We
urge the passage and inclusion of this worthy initiative
in the Fiscal Year 2016 budget,” said Karen Spar Kasner,
UJA-Federation of New York,
Chair, NY Government Relations and Public Policy Committees.
Haina Just-Michael and father, Joseph Just assisted by Rabbi Reuven Fink
of the Young Israel of New Rochelle lighting one of six memorial candles
representing the 6 million who perished in the Holocaust
On April 15, Young Israel of Scarsdale hosted a Yom HaShoah
Commemoration , co-sponsored with Congregation Anshe Sholom, Hebrew Institute of White Plains, Magen David Sephardic
Congregation, Young Israel of Harrison, Young Israel of New Rochelle, Young Israel of Scarsdale and Young Israel of White Plains.
An emotional program commemorating those lost in the
Holocaust took place with special remarks from Rabbi Jonathan
Morgenstern, Cultural Consul Anita Demeter from the Hungarian Consulate and survivor/author Mr. Leslie Schwartz.
Yom HaShoah Commemoration at
Yorktown Jewish Center Features a
Third Generation Survivor
Sheri Gordon Handwerger calls herself a “third generation survivor.”
That’s because the Yorktown Heights resident grew up
with maternal grandparents
and a mother who survived the
Holocaust. And while it shaped
their lives, it also shaped hers.
“I felt robbed of my family,” she said of growing up in
Riverdale, just one street shy
of the Yonkers border. “I had
three uncles I never met, as
well as a host of other relatives
I never knew.” To this day,
she says she would never buy
a German car such as a Mercedes or BMW. “I just won’t!”
And while she had a normal childhood growing up, she
was aware of the tattoo on her
grandmother’s arm (her mother had her tattoo -- received at
Auschwitz -- removed when
she was young. “She was tired
of the questions at cocktail
parties asking what that was,”
said Handwerger. “People
actually asked, ‘Is that your
Modrzejow, Poland
phone number?’”).
She admits it wasn’t until
she was about 14 that she started to ask questions. “The Holocaust wasn’t something we talked about when we were young,”
she said. “It wasn’t taught at our
elementary school and it wasn’t
a topic of discussion.”
It took a high school history class that delved into
World War II that Handwerger’s father gently suggested she might want to talk to
her mother.
“That’s when the story
started to unfold, “ she explained. It’s also
when she began to ask more
questions of her
g r a n d m o t h e r,
who lived with
them in a twofamily
house
(her
grandfather had since
passed).
The family was from
Modrzejow, a small village in
Poland. It was so small, added
Handwerger, that when the
Germans marched into the
country in 1939 the family continued with their day to day activities until 1942.
That’s when they started
running, hiding in the forest.
At this point, Handwerger’s
Mother, Marysia Wegier, was
with her father and mother.
One brother had been shot in
the street after curfew trying
to find food. The other two
•
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Israeli-American Council (IAC) to hold Nation-Wide Festivities
Honoring Israel’s Independence Day
People across the
country will show their
support for Israel this
May with a first-ever series of national festivals
featuring art, music and
culture produced by the
leading Israeli-American
organization, the IsraeliAmerican Council (IAC).
IAC’s historic national
Celebrate Israel Festival
will honor Israel’s 67th
Independence Day and
is modeled after IAC’s
hugely popular annual
Israeli Independence Day
Festival in Los Angeles, Recording artist Rita
the largest Jewish festival
in North America, typically York (May 31), and Boston
drawing a crowd of more than
(May 31).
15,000 people in one day.
“It is truly a dream come
Visitors at each event
true to see Celebrate Israel feswill be able to taste the land
tivals planned from coast-tothey already know and love, coast!” said Naty Saidoff, IAC
or experience the vibrancy of
National Board Member and
modern-day Israel for the first original Celebrate Israel Festime in their own backyard. tival founder. “When we first
The new series of five Celfounded the festival in Los Anebrate Israel events welcomes geles, we wanted to share the
people of all backgrounds and magic of Israel in one spectacfaiths with festivals in Florida ular day reminiscent of the Is(May 3), Las Vegas (May 10),
rael Independence Day events
Los Angeles (May 17), New my wife and I experienced as
with free arts and crafts projects for the entire family; an
Israeli “Shuk” Marketplace
modeled after Israel’s beautiful outdoor markets featuring
artists from Israel and America selling jewelry, Judaica,
paintings, sculpture, pottery,
clothing and more; and music
headliners varying by location . Recording artist Rita
will perform at Pier 94 in New
York City with Rinat Gabay
entertaining children.
young parents. We feel lucky
to live in the greatest democracy ever and it is incredibly
fitting to celebrate Israel, the
only democracy in the Middle
East.”
For the first time, each
Celebrate Israel Festival (with
over 50,000 people expected
nationwide) will feature unified elements and activities
for every age, including: a
Kotel where visitors have the
opportunity to place notes in
the Western Wall; Create Lab
JCC Mid-Westchester elebrates 67th Year of Israel’s Independence
...continued from page 1
solemn responsibility as a member of the Givati Brigade, representing the unit at memorial ceremonies of soldiers who fell in battle.
“This summer I attended the funeral of Jordan Bensemhoun, a lone soldier from France…The
family asked that only close friends come to his funeral; 30,000 people showed up at the cemetery,
an incredible tribute to Israel’s appreciation for her soldiers.”
Not all the ceremonies were solemn. Fourth grade pupils played on a floor-sized map of Israel; there
was an opportunity to talk to IDF Saman (Sergeant) Jonathan Divon; Israeli Flag-making; Mock Kotel
(Western Wall); shirt decorating; video-making; food; Hebrew Bead Jewelry, Trivia and Shuk (market).
Yom HaShoah Commemoration at Yorktown Jewish Center Features a Third
Generation Survivor
went sent to the camps and
would later die there, one from
a burst appendix, the other
from being beaten to death.
At one point in the woods,
Wegier’s father said he couldn’t
go on anymore. “He told my
mother and grandmother he’d
meet them when it was over,”
said Handwerger.
The two women were
eventually caught and sent to
Auschwitz (in total they were
in three camps ) where Gitta,
Handwerger’s grandmother,
worked doing the Getaspo’s
laundry while Marysia, then
16, had to walk two hours each
way every day to work at Birke-
nau where she dug trenches to
bury the dead.
“My grandmother basically kept my mother alive,”
said Handwerger. “She had
only one child left and was going to do everything she could
to keep her alive.”
When they were liberated
in 1945, they went to Sweden
and were eventually reunited with Kiva, Handwerger’s
grandfather who had survived
as a vagrant ducking into outhouses and barns or where
ever he could find refuge. The
three came to the U.S. in 1945
and settled in Brooklyn.
Once she learned of her
grandmother’s and mother’s
stories, Handwerger said she
felt like they were heroes.
“They are both strong-willed
people who, once they put
their mind to something, could
accomplish anything.”
One of Handwerger’s
stories shows the strength of
her Mother. While on a trip to
China, Handwerger’s Mother, aunt and cousin were visiting when the Tiananmen
Square uprisings broke out.
“My cousin and aunt were
scared for their lives,” related
Handwerger. “But my Mom
said to them, ‘Relax. This is
nothing.’’
Discount tickets, schedules and additional details for
IAC’s first-ever national series
of Celebrate Israel Festivals
are available online at www.
celebrateisraelfestival.com.
The
Israeli-American
Council (IAC), the preeminent
Israeli-American organization
in the United States, seeks to
build an engaged and united
Israeli-American community
that strengthens the next generations, the American Jewish
5
community, and the State of
Israel. Headquartered in Los
Angeles with offices nationwide, the IAC currently serves
the Israeli-American community, currently estimated at
600,000, with a large variety
of programs and events for
all ages, and supports a wide
range of other community
non-profit organizations and
initiatives. For more information about the IAC, visit www.
israeliamerican.org.
6
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On May 31, the 2015 Celebrate
Israel Parade will begin at 11am
marching up Fifth Avenue, from 57th
to 74th Street, New York City. A onemile fun run also begins at 11am
following the parade route up Fifth
Avenue. To register for the run, go to
celebrateisraelny.org
UPCOMING
The 30th Annual Bruce Museum
Outdoor Crafts Festival will take
place May 16-17 from 10am to 5pm
at 1 Museum Drive, Greenwich, CT.
For more information, call 203869-0376.
UJA-Federation of New York will
host the following events: a Scarsdale event on May 12 at 7pm – in a
private home in Scarsdale (RSVP
to Janine at 761-5100, ext. 114); May
14 – the Westchester Business
and Professional Division Annual
Luncheon honoring Daniel Singer
and Debra Abrahams Weiner at
Brae Burn Country Club, Purchase
(RSVP to Nora Shapiro at 761-5100,
ext. 122); and June 4 – a LarchmontMamaroneck Event honoring Suzi
and Martin Oppenheimer (RSVP to
Hedy at 761-5100, ext. 109).
Join Westchester Adult Jewish
Education for exciting classes,
Talmud from the Inside – 8 Thursday mornings beginning May 7 at
Beth El Synagogue Center of New
Rochelle, 1324 North Avenue. For
more information or to register,
visit waje.org or call Alice Tenney,
Director at 328-7001, ext. 704.
The Chabad Jewish Center, One
Stone Place, Bronxville will hold
a 6-session course on Thursdays
beginning May 7 at 7pm called Judaism Decoded: The Origins and
Evolution of Jewish Tradition. Call
458-2441 for more information.
JCC on the Hudson, 371 S. Broadway, Tarrytown offers the following: May 11 from 10:30am to noon
– They All Sang on the Corner: The
Roots of ‘Doo-Wop’ Rock ‘n Roll;
May 27 at 7:30pm – Briefing on
the State of Anti-Semitism Locally
and Worldwide (free program,
pre-registration required); June
15 from 10:30am to noon – Israeli
Music by Gilad Ben-Zvi and Oren
Neiman. For complete details, call
366-7898.
•
On May 12 at 8pm, the 92Y presents
Melissa Rivers in Conversation with
Hoda Kotb in the Kaufmann Concert
Hall, Lexington Avenue at 92nd
Street, NYC. Call 212-415-5500 for
tickets.
On May 14 at 6:30pm, comedian
Judah Friedlander will be featured
at the JCC of Mid-Westchester
Celebrate 60 Gala, 999 Wilmot
Road, Scarsdale. For tickets, call
472-3300.
The Central Westchester Chapter
of the Brandeis National Committee (BNC) offers an array of
cultural and social events – including trips to museums, card and
mah jongg parties, seminars on
history, ethics, taxes, book discussions – all designed to entertain,
education and raise money for
Brandeis. Three of the most highly
anticipated events coming up are
the May 7th Spring Luncheon at
Tappan Hill with guest speaker,
author Elinor Lipman; a guided
tour bus trip to Queens on June
11th and the fun-filled Card and
Games Luncheon at Bonnie Briar
Country Club in Larchmont on
June 25th. For further information on the Spring Sampler or becoming a member, send an email
to [email protected].
Peekskill will hold the following :
May 17th – Carnival & BBQ Picnic
beginning at noon (RSVP by May
11 to 739-0500 or fhc@firsthebrew.
org); May 21 – Young Guns: a free
screening of 20/20 Diane Sawyer’s
special report on kids and guns
from 7 to 9pm; and May 29 – Musical Shabbat and Dinner at 7pm
(RSVP to 739-0500 or [email protected]. Visit firsthebrew.org for
further information.
At 5pm, Bingo will be played on
May 17 and 31 at Yorktown Jewish
Center, 2966 Crompond Road,
Yorktown Heights. Call 245-2324
for details.
Spend Shavuos with Yeshiva at
the Annual RIETS Yarchei Kallah
featuring the president, Roshei
Yeshiva, Rebbeim and faculty from
May 22 through 25 at Westchester
Hilton, Rye Brook. To learn more,
call 646-592-4021 or email [email protected].
The 2015 New York Ride and
Retreat will be held September
4-7, spending Shabbat at Isabella
Freedman in the Berkshires and
cycling to the Hudson Valley. For
more information call 860-8245991.
Jewish Girl Scout Troup 1870 is a
newly formed group that meets
twice monthly in New Rochelle.
For further information, contact
Miriam Grimaldi, dr.grimaldi@
gmail.com or Paul Gilder, [email protected].
First Hebrew, 1821 Main Street,
May 2015 Calendar of Events
MAY
7
At 7pm, the Holocaust & Human
Rights Education Center Distinguished Lecture will feature
author Dan McMillan speaking about his book “How Could
This Happen, Explaining the
Holocaust” at the Mamaroneck
Library, 136 Prospect Avenue,
Mamaroneck. For additional information, call 696-0738 or email
[email protected].
9
The Survivor Mitzvah Project
Presents “The Stars Come Out for
Survivors NYC” at Webster Hall,
New York City hosted by Charles
Grodin. For tickets go to: ticketfly.
com/event/833673
10
At 10:45am, a Historic Walking
Tour showcasing Heroines of the
Lower East Side will commence at
Strauss Square at the intersection
of East Broadway, New York City,
sponsored by the Lower East Side
Jewish Conservancy. Register at
212-374-4100, ext. 1, 2.
11
At 6pm, join Westchester Jewish
Council and Westchester County
Board of Legislators for the Annual Celebration of Jewish History
and Heritage Month honoring
women in Westchester with a tribute to Hadassah Westchester and
Jewish Women’s Foundation of
On May 30, Beth El Synagogue
Center, 1324 North Avenue, New
Rochelle will host a special morning
Shabbat Service marking the retirement of Rabbi Melvin Sirner after 43
years of devoted service. To attend,
RSVP to bethelnr.org/sirner. On May
31, a Gala in honor of Lenore and
Rabbi Sirner will be held at 6pm.
Call 235-2700 to attend.
New York at the Michaelian Office
Building, 148 Martine Avenue, 8th
Floor, White Plains. Call 328-7001
for details.
12
At 6pm, Westchester Community
College’s Celebrity Salon Series
features “Approach the Bench”
with guest speaker Judge Judith
Kaye, hosted at a private Tudor
home in Scarsdale. RSVP by calling 606-6558.
At 7:45pm, Women’s Initiative for
Jewish Studies presents Dr. Dana
Fishkin, Assistant Professor of
History, Touro’s Lander College
for Women and Graduate School
of Jewish Studies at Young Israel of
New Rochelle, 1149 North Avenue.
For complete information, call
636-2215 or email [email protected].
At 8:30pm, the Jewish Education
Program (JEP) of Westchester
presents The Bert and Gerta Harburger and Alice Stern Memorial
Lecture, “Slippery Slope, Maintaining Emunah in a Challenging
World” by Rabbi Zaitschek at 88
Runyon Place, Scarsdale. For more
information call 381-2210.
17
At 10:30am, Yorktown Jewish
Center Sisterhood hosts Professor and Author Alisse Waterston
discussing her book, “My Father’s
Wars” at Yorktown Jewish Center,
2966 Crompond Road, Yorktown
Heights. RSVP by calling 245-2324.
The Lower East Side Jewish Conservancy will hold a Jewish Community of Colonial New Amsterdam Walking Tour at 10:45am,
meeting at the corner of Pearl and
Broad Streets in Manhattan. Call
212-374-4100 for tickets.
19
At 7:30pm, Yorktown Jewish Center, 2966 Crompond Road, Yorktown Heights will conduct a Jew-
On May 8, the Annual Westchester
Government Relations Legislative
Breakfast will begin at 7:45am
with registration hosted at the JCC
of Harrison, 130 Union Avenue, a
joint program of Westchester Jewish
Council and UJA-Federation of New
York with guest speaker NYS Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul. RSVP to
ujafedny.org/Westchester-legislativebreakfast or contact Susan Scharf
Glick at 761-5100, ext. 120.
ish Women’s History Study Group
with Marsha Sternstein. Call 2452324 with questions.
28
AJC Westchester will host their
Defining Moment Gala at 6:15pm
at The Ritz Carlton Westchester
Hotel, White Plains. To attend, call
948-5585.
The Polyphony Foundation – an
organization dedicated to using
the power of classical music to
bridge the divide between Arab
and Jewish communities in Israel
– will present a performance by
four young Arab and Jewish musicians compirising the Polyphony
Quartet at All Souls Church, 1157
Lexington Avenue at 80th Street,
NYC. Visit Eventbrite.com for tickets.
31
At 4pm, Rosenthal JCC, 600 Bear
Ridge Road, Pleasantville will
have a Dedication of the Dr. Eric
Levy Butterfly Garden with light
refreshments. RSVP by emailing
Ann Pardes at ann@rosenthaljcc.
org
From 2 to 7pm, the Israeli-American Council will host the Celebrate
Israel Festival at Pier 94, West Side
Highway at 54th Street, NYC with
live entertainment featuring Rita,
family activities, culture, food and
art. For tickets, visit celebrateisraelfestival.com/newyork
JUNE
1
The JCC on the Hudson will hold
their 16th Annual Golf and Tennis
Classic at the Elmwood Country
Club in White Plains honoring
Frank Hassid, JCC Executive Director. For details, call Lori Robinson at 366-7898.
On May 19 at 7pm, Ruth Messinger will moderate a discussion
on Moving the Needle: The Jewish
Commitment to Healing the World
with Rabbi Shira Milgrom and
Rabbi Jonathan Blake at the JCC
of Mid-Westchester, 999 Wilmot
Road, Scarsdale, presented by the
American Jewish World Service. Call
472-3300 for information.
3
From 7 to 9:30pm, JCC of MidWestchester, 999 Wilmot Road,
Scarsdale will host a panel discussion, “What are Students Facing
Today on Campus?” Contact Pam
Goldstein at [email protected]
for details. Open to all.
7
From 10am to 4pm, a Children’s
Carnival will take place at Rosenthall JCC, 600 Bear Ridge Road,
Pleasantville featuring games,
rides food, entertainment, face
painting and more. Advance discount ticket purchase at Rosenthaljcc.org/carnival2015
From 5 to 8pm, the Yorktown Jewish Center, 2966 Crompond Road,
Yorktown Heights is having a Barbeque featuring arts and crafts,
storytime, lawn games, music,
dancing and lots of food. Perspective new members are welcome
at no fee. For more information,
contact 245-2324 or email info@
yorktownjewishcenter.com
14
Register at 8:30am and join
Sunrise-Walks to help children
with cancer enjoy summer camp.
Meeting at Sunrise Day Camp
at the Henry Kaufmann Campgrounds, Entrance B, adjacent to
43 Sickletown Road and 667 Blauvelt Road, Pearl River. Walk begins
at 10am. To register, visit sunrisewalks.org.
The First Annual Garden Party
for Jewish Women will take place
from 11am to 1pm at the Outdoor
Terrace at the Avalon Apartments,
125 Parkway Road, Bronxville featuring a buffet lunch, inspirational
speaker Yitta Halbertam and music. Email Mushka at mushka@
jewishbronxville.com for complete details.
•
May 2015 — Iyar-Sivan 5775 •
Mazel Tov
Johnna Freud to be Honored as Woman of the Year
J-Teen Leadership Participates in Day of Jewish Youth Service
The Sisterhood of
Greenburgh
Hebrew
Center {GHC} will be having its annual Sisterhood
Shabbat, honoring Johnna
Freud as Woman of the
Year, at 9:30 am on Saturday May 16 at 515 Broadway
in Dobbs Ferry. GHC is
an egalitarian synagogue
where women are routinely included in all aspects Johnna Freud, Sisterhood Woman of the Year
of Jewish observance, but,
Sisterhood Shabbat is a special photography, and has recently
celebration of how far Jewish been invited to join the Memberwomen have come. All the parts ship Committee. She has also
of the service, including leading marched in the last two Israel Day
the service and reading Torah,
parades with the GHC contingent.
are performed by women.
A New Jersey native and StamJohnna Freud has been ford, CT resident since 1995, she
active at Greenburgh Hebrew is the Director of Development
Center for almost six years. She and Community Engagement for
has been involved with Sister- Jewish Family Service (JFS). She
hood since 2012, accepting the spearheads fundraising initiaposition of VP of Programming tives and donor relations for JFS,
in 2013. As she has done for the
a non-sectarian social service
past three Sisterhood Shabbats,
agency, which is headquartered
Freud will once again deliver the
in Stamford and has a catchment
D’var Torah and D’var Haftorah
area from Stamford up through
at this year’s Sisterhood Shabbat.
and including Bridgeport.
In addition to her SisterFreund is a graduate of Florhood responsibilities, Freund has
ence Melton Adult Mini-School,
helped behind the scenes when a focused two-year program that
needed with Hanukkah Dinprovides access to comprehenners, post high holiday cleanup, sive Jewish literacy through the
On April 19, 2015 over 100 Jewish teens from across
Westchester County came together to participate along
with 11,000 Jewish teens from across North America,
Europe, and Israel in a day of community service and
improvement projects as they took part in J-SERVE,
the International Day of Jewish Youth Service. J-SERVE
2015 was the Jewish service component of the Global
Youth Service Day of Youth Service America.
The 2015 Westchester J-SERVE project: J-SERVE
“ing” in the Park took place at the Saxon Woods Park
in White Plains. A teen planning committee of fifteen
teens from across Westchester from ten area high
schools had worked together since January to plan an
afternoon of park beautification. Activities included
mulching, raking, and cleaning the playground and
surrounding parkland. Other Jewish youth groups
from across Westchester joined J-Teen Leadership in
this effort.
study of classic Jewish
texts and a lifetime member of Hadassah. She has
also volunteered time for
United Jewish Federation
programs, particularly as
multi-year member of the
committee responsible
for Tapestry, the annual
evening of Jewish Community learning and a
solicitor on the phones at
Super Sunday.
Sisterhood GHC, provides
support to the entire Greenburgh Hebrew Center family
and other worthy causes. With
over 180 members, Sisterhood
presents Brunches, Mah Jongg
games and other activities,
with a special emphasis on the
Women of GHC. It is a participating member of Women’s League
for Conservative Judaism. The
Greenburgh Hebrew Center is a
Conservative egalitarian congregation with over 300 member
families, serving the Rivertowns,
Scarsdale, Hartsdale, White
Plains, New Rochelle and Yonkers. For more information, visit,
www.g-h-c.org/sisterhoodshabbat, call the Greenburgh Hebrew
Center at (914) 693-4260 or email
[email protected].
MEET THE MOMENT WITH AJC
S A V E T HE D A TE
GALA
WJCS Gala Raises Record $730,000
Karen Blumenthal, second left, and Emily Grant,
were honored by WJCS at
Willow Ridge Country Club in
Harrison on April 21 by WJCS
executives, from left, Board
President Barry Kaplan, CEO
Alan Trager and COO Bernie
Kimberg. The more than 250
Gala guests included Westchester’s Deputy County Executive Kevin Plunkett and Mike
Kaplowitz, vice-chairman of
the Westchester County Board
of Legislators, who presented
Blumenthal and Grant with
proclamations lauding them
for their outstanding contributions to the County. The honorees applauded WJCS for the
many programs that benefit
20,000 people in Westchester
every year.
Guests also heard compelling stories of help and
hope about two individuals in
whose lives WJCS has made
a difference. One client was
a teen girl whose suicidal
tendencies were halted after
receiving leading-edge behavioral therapy and the other
had been a passenger in the
first car of the Metro-North
HO N ORING
Stuart Ginsberg
Regional President
AND
train that erupted in flames after colliding with a car on the
tracks in February. He sought
counseling treatment from
WJCS immediately after the
crash and is recovering from
the traumatic experience.
A children’s emotional
support program that Blumenthal pioneered at WJCS was
just one of many achievements
for which she was honored.
Her tireless advocacy for children was highlighted as well as
her sterling service as a WJCS
Board member.
Grant, a former Board
member, also won praise for
her continuing commitment to
enhancing life in Westchester
through her numerous philanthropic efforts.
The gala raised more than
$730,000 to enable WJCS to
continue providing more than
80 mental health, home care,
residential, special needs, educational and other programs to
the Westchester Community.
“We are gratified by the
overwhelming support of our
donors, sponsors and attendees who gave generously,” said
Susan Lewen, director of development at WJCS, “and who
value the vital impact WJCS is
making to strengthen the lives
of Westchester residents.”
Bobbie Gottlieb
CEO
Tom Gottlieb
President
Thursday, May 28, 2015
Ritz Carlton, Westchester
Additional details and to RSVP
www.ajc.org/westfair/gala2015
For Tickets, Journal Ads or more information,
Vicki Kline [email protected]
or 914.948.5585
7
8
• May 2015 — Iyar-Sivan 5775 •
Mazel Tov
UJA-Federation of New York’s Westchester Region Honors Families at Celebration
More than 350 guests joined
UJA-Federation of New York’s
Westchester Region as it honored
the Beckman family of Scarsdale
and the Rieger family of Bedford.
At this Westchester Celebration,
Yoav Cohen of White Plains was
recognized for his contributions
as Westchester’s first shaliach, or
Israeli emissary, who serves as a
cultural bridge between the local
community and Israel.
The event took place on
Tuesday, April 14, 2015, at Brae
Burn Country Club in Purchase,
where guests came together as
a community to applaud the
achievements of the honorees for
their committed leadership in the
Westchester Jewish community
and to support UJA-Federation
and its network of nearly 100 local
and global nonprofits.
The evening’s theme focused on the families’ legacy of
transmitting values — including commitment to their Jewish
heritage, philanthropy, caring
for those in need, and collective
responsibility — and recognized
the honorees for their dedication
to making a difference through
their actions.
“In the rich narrative of Jew-
ment of the State
of Israel and the
opening of the Iron
Curtain to Soviet
Jews.”
An interactive
drumming
experience kicked
off the program
and enlivened the
evening.
Shari
and
Joel
Beckman,
who were honored
with their sons,
Steven and Jacob,
have
embraced
the values of UJAFederation for the
past 30 years. Shari
(From left) Honorees Richard and Heidi Rieger of Bedford, Yoav Cohen of White Plains, and
has served the orShari and Joel Beckman of Scarsdale
ganization in many
capacities, includish history, the Beckmans and ish community around the world. ing as Scarsdale area chair and
as a member of both the Board
Riegers continued the chain by
“You’ll see that UJA-Federaof Directors and the Westchester
passing these meaningful values
tion’s history may very well mirto their children,” said UJA-Fedror your family history in many Program Services Cabinet, which
eration’s Westchester Regional ways,” she continued. “For nearly provides funding to programs
that further the Westchester
Chair Martine Fleishman of Pur100 years, we’ve responded in
chase. She encouraged guests times of challenge — during the Jewish community’s efforts to
address needs and support new
to view an exhibit at the event, a Great Depression, the darkness
approaches to successful models.
colorful timeline that showcased
of the Holocaust, and the Six-Day
UJA-Federation’s response to the War — and in times of joy and op- Shari’s professional career as a
college advisor to high school stuevents that have shaped the Jewportunity, such as the establishdents has extended to volunteer
opportunities, such as working
with the Off the Street program,
J-TAG Fellows offers a
summer and beyond
experience, like no other!
TEEN
S IN
LLY
LOBAavaya
G
N
H
O
AC TI merly
*for
June 28 - July 28, 2015
For Jewish teens entering 10th - 12th Grades
• American and Israeli teens
travel together through Israel
and the US
• Community service
• Leadership development
Limited spots available!
Contact: Yoav Cohen • [email protected] • (914) 741-0333 x13
RosenthalJCC.org/JTAGFellows
which is run by UJA-Federation
beneficiary agency Westchester
Jewish Community Services.
Co-founder of Greenbriar
Equity Group, a private equity
firm in Rye, Joel serves on the
Board of Directors for UJA-Federation and the Metropolitan
Council on Jewish Poverty. A
past board member of the Jewish Community Center of MidWestchester, he is vice-chairman
of the Chordoma Foundation and
active in other philanthropic organizations.
Recognized with their
daughters, Rebecca, Hillary, and
Abigail, Heidi and Richard Rieger
have devoted much of their lives
to supporting the Jewish people.
A member of UJA-Federation’s
Board of Directors, Heidi is a
founding member of The Neshamot Fund – Westchester
Women’s Venture Philanthropy
of UJA-Federation. A certified social worker with a part-time practice in Northern Westchester,
she currently sits on the boards
of the Jewish Community Center
of Manhattan, Facing History and
Ourselves, Clal, The Jewish Education Project, and The Blue Card.
Richard serves as a senior advisor
to Kingdon Capital. He serves on
the board of the University Settlement House, the Photography
Committee at MoMA, and the
board of trustees at the Ethical
Culture Fieldston School.
As shaliach, Yoav Cohen has
built bridges and fostered understanding between the community
and Israel. Born in Johannesburg,
Yoav lived in South Africa until the
age of 12, when he moved to Israel.
He served in the IDF as a platoon
commander and fitness trainer.
Following his service, he worked
in Israel’s high-tech sector at software giant SAP and then in the
academic world at IDC Herzliya.
He also co-founded friendasoldier.com, an innovative dialogue
website connecting former IDF
soldiers with the rest of the world.
The gathering also heard
from Eric S. Goldstein, UJA-Federation’s CEO. “Westchester is
an extraordinary philanthropic
community,” he told the gathering. Speaking to the honorees, he
added, “You represent the best of
this community, and we’re grateful to you.”
Mindy and Andrew Feldman of Harrison, Janie and
Adam Frieman of New Rochelle,
Anita and Richard Greenwald
of Armonk, Michele and Judah
Kraushaar of Chappaqua, Randi
and Dan Kreisler of Pleasantville,
and Nancy and Robert Rieger of
Rye served as event chairs.
ADL National Chairman Abe Foxman Honored by JNF
At its national board of
trustees meeting in April, Jewish National Fund (JNF) honored Abe Foxman, the national
director of the Anti-Defamation
League (ADL) who is retiring
later this year.
Foxman, the “larger-thanlife” head of ADL and child survivor of the Holocaust is also a
staunch supporter of Israel. He
first became active at the ADL in
1965, and as its national director
for the last 28 years, has worked
to transform the organization
into the nation’s premier civil
rights/human relations agency.
ADL fights anti-Semitism and all
forms of bigotry, defends democratic ideals, and protects civil
rights for all.
Ronald S. Lauder, JNF’s
chairman of the board remarked,
“Abe Foxman is the dean of the
Jewish world. Beyond his role at
ADL he’s been one of the great
mentors to Jewish professionals
and lay leaders throughout the
world and advisor to senior executives of every organization.”
Presented with the gift of
an iconic JNF Blue Box, personally inscribed in Hebrew with
the
message, Chazak
Ve’Aamatz,
be strong and
courageous,
Foxman said
“Growing up
there
was
always a JNF
pushke box
in my home.
Its purpose
was to build From left: JNF President Jeffrey E. Levine, ADL National Direca strong and tor Abe Foxman and JNF CEO Russell F. Robinson
secure future
for the Jewish people and the ple and the Jewish homeland.”
In his remarks before the
land of Israel. I am proud to say
more than 100 people in attenthat the first time I went to Israel
was thanks to a Jewish National dance, Russell F. Robinson, chief
Fund scholarship. That journey executive officer at JNF, said, “I
like to think we helped shape
forever cemented the relationAbe’s connection to Israel and
ship I have to this great organizathe Jewish world because it all
tion.”
JNF President Jeffrey E. started at Jewish National Fund
when Abe went on a Zionist
Levine commented, “Jewish organizations across the globe, es- youth leadership trip, supported
by a JNF scholarship. But seripecially those with deep connections to our Jewish homeland, ously, one of the first acts when
are better and stronger today I started as CEO in 1998 was to
because of Abe Foxman’s leader- call Abe Foxman for his advice.
Abe told me, ‘Russell, stay true
ship at ADL. He has taught us to
be ever vigilant, prepared and vo- to your mission, your mission is
cal when representing our peo- everything.’”
•
•
9
Rescued Torah Scrolls Procession Marks Countywide
Yom HaShoah Commemoration
rahs was from her father in her
native Czechoslovakia. After
a harrowing train journey to
Auschwitz where she saw Dr.
Josef Mengele, she was forced
to do roadwork and unload
ships in Gelsenkirchen, Germany; then worked in an ammunition factory in Essen.
“We were marched to
Bergen-Belsen with its mountains of dead bodies, where
there was no food.
“I was able to share some
soup by helping carry dead
bodies. On April 15, 1945 we
were liberated and I went to
Sweden. From there I came to
the United States.”
Describing her February Auschwitz visit, Schechter
Westchester senior Rebecca
Landau remarked, “As I walked
along the snow covered train
tracks of Auschwitz-Birkenau
with an Israeli flag draped
on my back, it struck me that
this was the exact place where
families were separated and
millions of innocent lives were
taken. I stood in a gas chamber
at Majdanek…”
Raising his shofar, Rabbi
Harry Pell, Associate Head of
Solomon Schechter School
of Westchester stressed, “We
worry that we could forget,
that the world could fall asleep.
We blow the shofar to
keep us awake to it. We blow
the Shofar to say, ‘Never
again!’”
Rabbi Harry Pell, Associate Head of School, Solomon School of
Westchester with Shofar.
Left to right: County Clerk Tim Idoni; MH Fryberg; HHREC Chair Valerie M. O’Keeffe.
J-Teen Leadership Participates in
Civil Rights Journey
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Teens with Hank Thomas
From March 29- 31, 2015,
35 teens and parents/adult allies from Westchester County
took a Civil Rights journey
with J-Teen Leadership, a
community service initiative
for Jewish teens, to Atlanta,
Ga. and cities in Alabama to
engage with the legacy of social
action in the civil rights movement and provide hands-on assistance where needed.
Teens and adults participated in a community service
project at the Clarkston Community Garden, as well as
toured Stone Mountain, the
site of a cross burning and Ku
Klux Klan activities where discussion was held on the legacy
of racism and prejudice taking
place today, and paid tribute to
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. at
the King Center.
The Atlanta visit culminated with a dinner at The
Temple, a synagogue with a
leading voice for civil rights
in Atlanta and the site of a
1957 bombing as a result of
this role. Teens and parents
had the unique opportunity of
hearing the civil rights story
of Mr. Henry “Hank” Thomas,
best known as an American
civil rights activist and one of
the original thirteen Freedom
Riders, men and women who
bravely boarded the first Greyhound bus that traveled the
South in 1961 to protest segregation.
Thomas was arrested 22
times for his active attempts
at bringing equality to African
Americans during the Civil
Rights Movement of the 1960s.
He also received a Purple
Heart for his bravery in the
Vietnam War and continues to
be a highly regarded civil leader and diversity advocate.
A central theme of
Thomas’ talk was the Jewish
community’s involvement in
the Freedom Ride, as well as
how to apply his experience to
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10
•
•
Rabbi Eytan Hammerman Formally Installed, Javitch
Sanctuary Dedicated at JCCH
BY STEPHEN E. LIPKEN
A picture-perfect day
set the scene for over 350
citizens
and
synagogue
members from Harrison
and surrounding communities, marching down Union
Avenue from Young Israel
of Harrison to Jewish Community Center of Harrison
(JCCH) to celebrate the official installation of Eytan
Hammerman as the sixth
JCCH Rabbi and dedication
of JCCH Lee Javitch Sanctuary on Sunday, April 26.
Leading the procession were Color Guards
from JCCH and White Plains
Army Career Center; Assemblyman David Buchwald;
NYS Senator George Latimer; Mayor Ron Belmont with
Trustees Joseph Cannella,
Stephen Malfitano; Fred
Sciliano; a Harrison Fire
Department engine; parade
of convertibles; Veterans
Service Officer Ben DeFonce
and fellow Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3047 members; Dixie Dandies band
Rabbi Eytan Hammerman; top,
Cantor Israel Singer
plus a wide array of bicycles
and scooters as well as Harrison Library Director Galina Chernykh and Children’s
Services Librarian Miss Bonnie Tjomstol, towing a wagon
offering free books.
Clergy attending the festivities included Rabbi Adam
Baldachin, Montebello Jewish
Center, Suffern; Cantor Jacob
Feldman, Beth Shalom, Mahopac; Father Richard Guarnieri, St. Gregory the Great
Church; Hammerman’s father
Rabbi Richard Hammerman;
Rabbi William Lebeau, Jewish
Theological Seminary; Rabbi
Harry Pell; former JCCH Rabbi Norton Shargel and JCCH
Cantor Israel Singer.
“This
Congregation
has always had a rich tradition of Rabbinic leadership,”
Congresswoman Nita Lowey
noted, presenting Hammerman a Special Proclamation
from United States Congress,
along with Proclamations
from Latimer and Buchwald.
Legislator David Gelfarb
dropped off a Proclamation
designating April 26 “Eytan
Hammerman Day.”
Clergy and children on
the bimah held a tallit over
Rabbi Hammerman, reminiscent of a chuppah (marriage canopy),
consecrating his Rabbinate with the
Priestly Blessing.
Rabbi
Lebeau
cited Javitch’s philanthropy and membership on the JCCH and
JTS Boards.
Giving the family
response, Rona Javitch
stated, “At Rosh Hashanah services five years
ago, Lee and I whispered to each other,
‘This Sanctuary is looking tired, worn and will
not attract new members.’ He got sick six
months later and never The Consecration of Rabbi Eytan Hammerman
tan, Rabbi Richard Hammerknew about the Capital Camman said, “I never taught you
paign. We hope that it will be
how to play baseball very
used for decades to come.”
well, how to be an accounTurning to his son Ey-
tant, lawyer or businessman
but I made sure that you
could do nothing else—but
be a Rabbi.”
Yiddish culture
is alive and flourishing throughout the
world, and it will be
on vivid display for
a full week in New
York this summer.
Coinciding with
the National Yiddish
Theatre Folksbiene’s
100th Anniversary
Season, KulturfestNYC, the first-ever
international Jewish performing arts festival,
will bring together hundreds
of global acts in Jewish and
Yiddish theatre, music, dance,
cabaret, and film, from more
than two-dozen countries, performing in multiple citywide
locations from June 14-21.
“What better way to
showcase the international
commitment to this culture
than by having this week-long
festival right here in the capital
of the world, New York City,”
said Bryna Wasserman, Executive Director of the award-winning National Yiddish Theatre
Folksbiene, the longest consecutively-producing Jewish Arts
organization. “KultufestNYC is
about celebrating our culture
in all its depth and scope- in all
its uniqueness that is thriving
across the globe. To produce
this type of festival in such
magnitude has never been
done before, that itself is truly
exciting and humbling.”
“It’s an historic occasion,”
added Zalmen Mlotek, NYTF
food festival; exhibitions; cabaret; films; the world’s first international Jewish playwriting
contest, and much more.
“It’s extraordinary to see
this all come together,” says
NYTF Executive Producer
Chris Massimine, “This culture has such a strong heart
and a deep soul that continues to captivate audiences of
all ages, ethnicities, and religions.”
This extravaganza of global talent all coming together to
inspire, educate and entertain
kicks off at the Winter Garden
at Brookfield Place on June 14,
when KulturfestNYC partner
Arts Brookfield presents the
Grand Opening Concert, an
evening of global pageantry
featuring the Grammy Awardwinning Klezmatics and special guests.
For more information
about KulturfestNYC or National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene, visit www.nytf.org or call
(212) 213- 2120.
First-ever International Festival
of Jewish Performing Arts
Artistic Director. “The Festival line-up is comprised of so
many talented artists, from upand-comers to Grammy winners. With dozens of programs
spanning Manhattan from
the seaport to uptown, from
klezmer concerts to full-scale
productions, it’s going to be an
incredible week with plenty of
activities for New Yorkers and
visitors alike. It’s a tribute to
life, work, and legacy and an
investment for future generations.”
KulturfestNYC, which is
presented by NYTF, in collaboration with UJA-Federation
and some 20 other major Jewish arts and cultural organizations, will feature acts from
South Africa, Canada, Poland,
Israel, Romania, France, Australia, Russia, Poland, Hungary, Japan, Germany, Israel,
Mexico, Belgium, Canada,
The Netherlands, Spain, and
the U.S.; symposia featuring
the top Yiddish scholars from
around the world; a street and
...con tinued from page 9
at the time of the Civil Rights
Movement. Teens participated
in a group activity with other
teens from PEACE Birmingham
(People Engaged in A Cultural
Exchange). Originally founded
as a project of Temple Emanu-El,
PEACE Birmingham was created
to provide a place for African
American and Jewish teens to
get to know one another and become allies during the 1960s Civil
Rights struggle. Today, PEACE
allows teens from different cultures and faiths to learn about
one another.
Ricky Powell, a foot soldier who was arrested during
the children’s march in 1963
addressed the group at the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute
whose mission is to enlighten
each generation about civil and
human rights by exploring the
past and working together in the
present to build a better future.
Participants also toured
Kelly Ingram Park, a central staging ground for large-scale dem-
onstrations during the American
Civil Rights Movement in the
1960s and toured the 16th Street
Baptist Church, the target of a
racially motivated bombing in
September 1963 that killed four
girls in the midst of the American Civil Rights Movement.
Abbe Marcus, J-Teen Leadership’s Executive Director, believes that “hearing the stories
of past and present Civil Rights
leaders helps the teens and
adults frame and understand the
Civil Rights issues that are still
very much in existence today.”
J-Teen Leadership is a community service leadership development initiative for Jewish high
school students who want to
make a difference in the world. JTeen Leadership is dedicated to
empowering and inspiring Jewish teens from all backgrounds
with leadership training, core
Jewish values and community
service, so they can start contributing to the Jewish community
and the world today.
Recommitting to the Meaning of the Words “Never Again”
Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Committee as well as its Subcommittee on State and
Foreign Operations, I am working hard to ensure the United States is leading the world in promoting
human rights and religious freedom.
From protecting synagogues, schools, and homes in our own community against anti-Semitism
and bigotry, to ensuring the rights of Jews and other minorities to live and worship freely around the
world, let us come together to combat intolerance and injustice so that the darkest chapter in human
history will never be repeated.
Congresswoman Nita Lowey represents New York’s 17th Congressional District and is the Ranking
Member on the House Appropriations Committee.
New Initiative Launches to Promote Global Jewish Service
from one another that we can
leverage the tremendous wisdom that already exists.”
Ginsburg joins OLAM
after serving as the Director of Education and Service
Learning at The Jewish Agency for Israel. Previously, she
served as Executive Director
of Bema’aglei Tzedek (“Circles
of Justice”), an Israeli NGO
that aspires to create a more
just Israeli society inspired by
Jewish values, and was one of
the founders of Siach, a global
network of Jewish social justice and environmental professionals.
Under Ginsburg’s leadership, OLAM will help existing
organizations work effectively
together and multiply their
collective impact while also
engaging a new generation
of Jews in global Jewish service. Among its initial activities, OLAM will convene and
network professionals in the
field and provide shared pro-
fessional training, curricular
resources, evaluation tools,
and other opportunities for
strategic planning and learning. OLAM will also work to
organize study trips around
the world for key funders and
influencers, such as rabbis
and other leaders, to raise the
profile of global Jewish service
generally.
“There needs to be a way
of providing a Jewish frame
for young Jews – in the U.S.,
UK, Israel or anywhere – who
want to engage with the world
to do so in a way that doesn’t
present them with a choice
to either engage in the world
or do something Jewish, but
allows them to engage with
the world in a way which emphasizes, brings out and sits
in the context of their Jewish
identity. I believe OLAM can
do that,” said his Excellency
Matthew Gould CMG MBE, the
British Ambassador to Israel,
who spent a year volunteering
•
11
Shorashim Makes Jewish Learning Engaging
J-Teen Leadership Participates in Civil Rights Journey
the civil rights challenges and
struggles the country faces today.
In Montgomery, Alabama
members of the trip visited the
Rosa Parks Museum and learned
about the bus boycott initiated to
protest segregated bus service.
They also visited the Southern
Poverty Law Center (SPLC), internationally known for tracking and exposing the activities of
hate groups.
Participants marched the
Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma,
Alabama, the site of the Bloody
Sunday conflict of 1965 and
learned about the fight for voting and other civil rights from
Joanne Bland, a witness and participant in some of our nation’s
most consequential civil rights
battles.
At a dinner at Temple Emanu-El in Birmingham, Rabbi Jonathan Miller and congregant Hal
Abroms spoke about the complicated involvement of the Jewish community in Birmingham
•
in Zimbabwe as a teenager.
The Alliance for Global Good, Charles and Lynn
Schusterman Family Foundation, and Pears Foundation
have each been independently
funding organizations in the
fields of volunteering and service learning, international
development, and social justice advocacy for many years.
OLAM was founded out of the
shared belief that collaboration and coordination—among
foundations,
organizations
and individuals—can exponentially increase the Jewish
community’s impact on the
world’s most pressing issues.
“It is exciting to see so
many players in the field coming together in order to ramp
up the contribution of Israel
and the Jewish world to global
development efforts,” said Dr.
Aliza Inbal, Director of the
Pears Program for Global Innovation at Tel Aviv University.
Kids today at Westchester’s
Temple Israel Center (TIC) experience much different learning than their parents once did.
The old model of sitting at a desk
while a teacher talks has been
thrown out the window. In its
place is Shorashim, which uses
talented, dynamic educators to
help bring Jewish education to
life. The result is something that
many parents thought they’d
never see: a vibrant congregational learning environment that
kids not only don’t resist, but
thoroughly enjoy.
“My oldest kid is 19 and my
youngest is 11, so I’ve seen how
Shorashim has such a positive
impact on children and builds a
true love of our heritage,” says Jill
Friedman, a parent at TIC. “They
have kinds of learning experiences
outside of the classroom environment.”
Susan Mandelbaum said,
“My youngest daughter absolutely
loves going to TIC and participating in the different Shorashim
programs because she has discovered the joy of being Jewish,” says
Mandelbaum. “What Shorashim
does so differently from some other schools is make Jewish learning
active and engaging.
Friedman also notices a major change in Hebrew language
classes.
“It used to be that teachers
would just have you memorize
vocab words,” she adds. “But these
educators know how to make it
interesting and relevant in the
kids’ lives today. It’s about building
a deeper connection and understanding beyond just memorization.”
Shorashim was the vision of
Nancy Parkes, the education director at TIC. She says that focus
groups show that kids are happier
now at TIC and have more positive
feelings about their Jewish identities.
“We wanted to create something special that would make
children enthusiastic about learning and about being Jewish,” says
Parkes. “And that’s exactly what
Shorashim does. A big part of this
is having ‘community educators’
who aren’t just in classrooms.
They’re also youth group advisors
and Shabbat service leaders and
anywhere else that is an opportunity for Jewish learning to flourish. We want kids to have a love of
living Jewishly—and that doesn’t
just happen in the classroom.”
Different than the traditional “Hebrew school” model,
Shorashim educators serve in
various capacities at TIC. So they
have time to build strong relationships with learners and help them
connect what they learn in class
to how they experience Judaism
outside of that environment. This
helps each learner develop their
own, personal connection to being
Jewish.
The Jewish Education Project, a New York-based agency that
improves local Jewish learning,
works closely with TIC and other
congregations to help them better
understand what families really
want out of their Jewish community. The Jewish Education Project is part of a national network
with four other communities—
known as “Shinui,” which means
“Change” in Hebrew—designed
to help share and implement new
models in part-time Jewish education.
12
•
•
Kitchen & Bath Insider© - #174: Even Lucy is Managing Digital Assets in your Estate Plan
Refacing!
BY BERNARD A. KROOKS.
CERTIFIED ELDER LAW ATTORNEY
BY PAUL BOOKBINDER, M.I.D., C.R.
To be more accurate, the
statue of Lucy is going to be
refaced. The likeness of Lucille
Ball, in her hometown of Celoron,
New York, is so bad looking
that the town has decided to
have her refaced. The newspaper headlines vary but my
favorite is “Upstate Town
Terrorized by Demon Lucy
Statue”. Thank goodness
refacing is now considered
an acceptable method of rejuvenating a scary, sad looking statue or kitchen.
The mayor of Celoron,
Scott Schrecengost, has
chosen to reface Lucy, rather than replace her, because
it is considerably less expensive to put a new face on a
400lb bronze statue than to
replace it completely. And, it can
be done much faster that starting a
new statue from scratch. Interestingly these are the same reasons
most people chose to reface their
cabinets rather than replace them.
It comes down to convenience
and cost. With our hectic schedules, many people don’t want to
have their lifestyles disrupted any
longer than necessary. It’s hard
enough getting everything done
that we’re supposed to each day
without having construction going on for several weeks. Refacing
takes much less time than replacing a kitchen and is much less
stressful than a total renovation.
And in most cases it’s usually more economical than a new
kitchen. I say “usually more economical” because there are factors that can increase the costs of
refacing. When you select thermofoil replacement fronts the cost
is about 50% less than buying and
installing new, all-wood cabinets.
However, if you choose special
shapes or wood fronts the savings
begins to diminish. Another factor that can add to the expense of
refacing is changing the layout of
your kitchen. You realize the greatest saving when no alterations are
made to the floor plan. If you intend on changing more than 10%
of the cabinets in the kitchen it
makes more sense to think about
replacing all of them.
The selection of replacement
fronts has recently expanded exponentially. Now, Lucy’s new face
could be anyone; Ethel, Marge,
Wilma, or best of all, a pretty image
of Lucy, as was originally intended.
In your home, you can reface with
real wood, choosing from maple,
cherry, alder, birch, pine or exotic woods. If you want to go with
laminate fronts there are close to a
hundred colors to chose from, and
now the laminates can be textured
or hand-crafted with a glazed finish or Italian high gloss lacquer,
just like real wood. Add to this all
the modern internal conveniences
that you find in new kitchen cabinets and refacing becomes a viable
alternative.
Although, in the past, refacing used to conjure up a less-thanbeautiful solution, where the ma-
terial used to cover the cabinets
and doors didn’t look real and
would peel off in a few years. While
this may have been true years ago,
the materials and adhesives used
for refacing today have improved
dramatically. Most contractors
who offer this service now replace
the door and drawer fronts and
cover the cabinet with the same
material the new fronts are made
of. Today, a custom refacing job, if
done properly, looks just like a new
kitchen and lasts just as long.
If you’re terrorized because
you’re living with a scary looking
kitchen, like the folks in Celoron
are of their statue, it might be time
to consider this wonderful solution. Granted, it’s not for everyone,
so it’s in your best interest to speak
with a professional designer for
their input, however, most kitchens will benefit from refacing. And
considering Lucy was one of the
most talented, beautiful and funny
women in TV’s history, it is only
right that her statue get a face-lift.
If you find yourself upstate, stop
by the Lucille Ball Memorial Park
to visit with Lucy (after the work
has been completed) and see what
a difference a new face can make.
Paul Bookbinder, M.I.D., C.R.,
is president of DreamWork Kitchens, Inc. located in Mamaroneck,
New York. A Master of Design (Pratt
Institute), and E.P.A. Certified Remodeler, he serves on the Advisory
Panel of Remodeling Magazine. A
member of the National Kitchen &
Bath Assoc., he is also a contributor to Do It Yourself magazine. 7770437 or dreamworkkitchens.com.
Let’s face it, we all have an
online presence, whether we
like it or not. Think about all
the online accounts you have
such as Facebook, LinkedIn,
Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest, to name a few. Also,
add in all your email accounts,
frequent flier miles, bank and
brokerage accounts and all
the bills you pay online. I’ll bet
that if you made a list of these,
you probably have more thank
you think. For a while it was
just an interesting theoretical
problem: what would happen
to these accounts upon your
death or if you became incapacitated. Now, it has evolved
into an interesting legal dilemma.
Do you want to allow
someone else access to your
online accounts if you became
incapacitated or passed away?
What needs to be done to ensure that this happens? Also,
what do you want to happen
with your digital assets (all
those pictures you have posted
on Facebook and Instagram)?
Should they stay online or be
removed?
Let’s start with passwords. You know that you’re
not supposed to reuse passwords, and that you should
change your passwords on a
regular basis (how many of us
really do that?). Maybe you
have made the decision not to
change the password for some
sites, or to use the same password for your car rental and
airline reservation accounts.
Even so, you probably have a
lot of passwords, and it might
seem like a full-time job just to
manage them.
Now think about allowing
your family member or other
trusted person access to those
passwords in the event something happens to you. Do you
write them down somewhere?
That would be very insecure,
and a lot of work — you need to
update the list every time you
change a password (or add a
new account). Where can you
keep it that it is available and
secure? A password-protected
file on your computer? Which
computer and how hard is it to
break the password protection
on your favorite word proces-
sor, and what happens if your
computer hard drive fails (as
it most assuredly will, sooner
or later)? There are some online services that will store you
passwords in an encrypted
space. This way, you have only
one password to remember
(the one for the online service).
How do you pass along
the password information on
death or disability — without
giving anyone access right
now? Look into something
called a “dead man’s switch.”
The concept is borrowed from
train locomotives. In the electronic world, it works like this:
you set up an account, and it
sends you a message every 30
(or 60, or 90 — you usually can
change the timing) days. You
respond by telling the program
that you’re still OK, and nothing happens for another cycle.
But if you don’t respond, it decides something has happened
to you, and it sends a message
(which you have written in
advance) to the recipient(s) of
your choice.
You can see how that
might make sense. You write
a message telling your daughter the login information for
your password management
program, and a list of major accounts for her to look into. All
you have to do is remember to
update that message each time
you change your password,
and respond to the messages
you get every month. The rest
takes care of itself.
Think about what documents and arrangements you
need to prepare in advance.
Should there be a provision in
your power of attorney, your
trust and/or your will about
digital assets? Probably, but
recognize that the law is still
unsettled when it comes to
whether your executor or
agent under a power of attorney has access to your digital assets. You may recall (or
may not recall) that when you
signed up for your online account you checked a box called
a “terms of service agreement.”
This lengthy, boilerplate document likely has some discussion about what happens to
your account if something
happens to you and it possibly prevents your fiduciary
from accessing your digital assets. Whomever you appoint
as your fiduciary will have to
overcome this hurdle along
with state and federal privacy
laws in order to manage your
digital assets upon your incapacity or death.
There are some new developments on the horizon. A
national group, the Uniform
Laws Commission has drafted
and approved a Uniform Fiduciary Access to Digital Assets Act. The Act attempts to
make digital assets available
to fiduciaries. They even spent
a great deal of time on deciding what constitutes a “digital
asset.” States, however, have
been slow to adopt this Act.
More importantly, the online
industry is against the Act
and is taking the position that
the “check the box” boilerplate provisions in the terms
of service agreement generally require them to protect
your privacy and not disclose
information to your fiduciaries. This issue will likely be
resolved by the court system in
upcoming years.
So, what should you do?
At a minimum, make a list of
all your accounts and passwords and keep it in a safe
place. Speak with your estate
planning attorney about how
to best ensure that your fiduciaries will have access to
these accounts (if that is what
you want) if something happens to you.
Bernard A. Krooks, Esq., is
a founding partner of Littman
Krooks LLP and has been honored as one of the “Best Lawyers”
in America for each of the last
seven years. He is past President
of the National Academy of Elder
Law Attorneys (NAELA) and past
President of the New York Chapter of NAELA. Mr. Krooks has also
served as chair of the Elder Law
Section of the New York State Bar
Association. He has been selected
as a “New York Super Lawyer”
since 2006. Mr. Krooks may be
reached at (914-684-2100) or by
visit elderlawnewyork.com.
westchesterjewishlife.com
•
•
13
Real Estate Matters – Mistakes Seniors Selling or Buying Homes Often Make
BY JOHN BAER, SRES
Selling Mistakes:
The issues facing senior citizens when selling their homes are
much different than for younger
people, and most real estate
agents have little idea how to resolve them. A mistake can be very
costly, and for that reason senior
home sellers should consult with
a specialist, most notably an agent
designated as a Senior Real Estate
Specialist (SRES).
Ideally, for seniors, the decision to sell a home should reflect
market realities plus address
investment and tax objectives,
as well as lifestyle and emotional
needs. Seniors, many of whom
have lived in their homes for 40
or more years often feel very comfortable in homes that are “lived
in” and somewhat worn. However,
in order to show the house off to its
greatest potential, invest in costeffective repairs and/or upgrades
where the return on investment
makes sense.
If you polish and fix up the
inside of your home but neglect
to take care of dead bushes, a sick
looking lawn, or chipped paint on
the exterior of your home, you run
the risk of potential buyers leaving
without ever entering your home.
Remember, the curb appeal of
your home forms the first impressions of your home.
Withholding information
from buyers can cost you dearly. If
you hope that the buyers or their
home inspector won’t find out
about a buried oil tank or the fact
that your basement gets flooded
every winter, you run the risk of a
nasty negotiation, or worse, a lawsuit.
Seniors often have difficulty
selling their home when they overprice the home. Seniors who hire
the right real estate agent, someone who can give them a strong
market analysis and help them
determine a reasonable price for
their home, will avoid overpricing
the home.
Divest your home of some
furnishings, collections and heirloom’s, by either placing them in
temporary storage or more permanently with family members or
friends who will appreciate them.
This is an ideal time to take those
treasures of a lifetime and start
sharing them with the family.
Senior Real Estate Specialists often identify individuals
known as Senior Move Planners
to help senior homeowners go
through closets, attics, basements,
and garages to get rid of clothing,
furniture, files, and other belongings the homeowner will never
need in the future.
Moving is stressful enough.
Don’t be uprooted twice before
you settle into the new home. The
home buying process is sometimes rushed because of a pending
date to vacate. Here again, a SRES
can help a senior home seller with
the timing of preparing the home
for sale before listing the home for
Children’s Mental Health Matters: Fight the
Stigma of Seeking Help
More than 15 million children in the U.S. have a mental
health disorder, but only half of
them will ever receive treatment.
Why? Mainly because of the perceived stigma of seeking care -- the
fear and shame that often create
an insurmountable barrier. But
during May -- National Mental
Health Awareness Month – it’s a
great time to remind families how
they can overcome their fears and
find help, hope and healing.
Stigma is most commonly
defined as a sign of social unacceptability, the shame or disgrace
associated with a particular circumstance, quality or person. Its
effects are pervasive in terms of
limiting parents’ ability to seek
mental health care for their children. The National Institute for
Mental Health reports that one
out of five children in the U.S.
suffers from a mental health disorder, but only 20 percent are
identified, and receive treatment.
Suicide continues to be the second
leading cause of death in people
ages 15-34. According the World
Health Organization, mental illness is the number one disability in the world. Yet somehow,
it’s more widely acceptable to get
treatment for other illnesses than
it is for a mental health disorder.
These statistics can no longer
be ignored…it is time to address
this stigma head-on, by engaging
in a public conversation. Ignorance
breeds fear…resulting in discrimi-
nation against that which is not
understood. One of the best ways
to combat stigma is through education. Another is through actively
meeting individuals and hearing
personal stories from those who
speak out about living with a mental health disorder.
Often, parents and caregivers report that it can be difficult
to distinguish between signs of
a mental health concern and
normal childhood behavior. It is
essential for parents, caregivers
and educators to become aware
and address the warning signs,
including mood changes, intense
feelings, difficulty concentrating, sleep irregularities, behavior
changes, unexplained weight
loss, substance abuse or physical
harm. If a parent is concerned, it
is important to ask for support,
information and referral to professional providers in order to effectively help children.
There is hope for the millions of children and youth living with mental illness and their
families. Many new, very effective
interventions and treatments
available.
WJCS provides many programs and services for children,
youth and families that address
mental health literacy and enhance community awareness.
The newest initiative is Youth
Mental Health First Aid (YMHFA),
a nationally recognized, evidencebased certification course that
teaches warning signs and risk
factors of various mental health
challenges common among adolescents and ways to deal with
them until professional help is
available. The YMHFA training
program is intended for non-mental health professionals who work
with and care for youth 12-18.
Other WJCS programs and
services include mental health
clinics and school-based clinics
and youth programs, programs
for the Jewish community in synagogues and Jewish Day Schools,
including Partners In Caring,
Partners in Schools and Guiding
Parents Through Services (GPS).
Together, mental health providers, primary care providers, educators, advocates, and parents can
partner, not only during May, but
throughout the year, to encourage
community conversations, increase
access to quality mental health
care, and continue the fight to destigmatize mental illness. Through
increased awareness, children,
youth and adults may no longer hide
in the shadows of shame and fear of
judgment, but can bloom in the light
of progress, acceptance, knowledge
and support.
Brenda P. Haas,
LMSW,
Ed.M
is the Program
Coordinator of
WJCSs’ Guiding
Parents Through
Services).
She
can be reached at 761-0600 x318.
sale.
If they decide to sell, seniors
should get a professional to help
them get the most for their home.
It comes down to four things:
price, condition, location, and
competition. And, of course, condition of the house can make a
huge difference. If the neighbor’s
house has sold for X amount of dollars and that house has been updated, seniors need to understand
that it will cost something to bring
their house up to market value.
Seniors should always meet
with well-informed professionals
before making any decisions. Here
are a few tips that seniors can take
to prevent being taken advantage
of:
• If it sounds too good to be true, it
probably is.
• Read and understand the fine
print (or find someone who does)
before you sign anything.
• If someone is rushing you, they
are probably trying to get away
with something.
• Get a second opinion.
• Get a market analysis.
• Ask neighbors about houses that
have sold in the area.
• Go online and look at the assessed
values of homes in your area to get
a better idea of what your house is
worth.
Home Buying Mistakes:
Changing health conditions
may prevent driving. Carefully
consider ease of access to public
transportation, stores, work, businesses, healthcare facilities, loved
ones and favorite places to socialize. Also keep in mind that a home
that is remote from other homes
or located at the top of a hill, may
pose driving problems in snowy,
icy weather.
Stairs and seniors don’t mix.
Seek single floor layouts, stepless
entries and level driveways. Nonslip floors, bathroom grab bars
and levered door handles will likely make life easier as well, either
now or down the road.
Not visiting new communities can spell disappointment. Explore many potential options for
relocation and then re-visit your
favorites at different times of the
year - and even different times of
the day - before you move.
Moving too far from kids
and grandkids may not be a good
idea. Warmth is where the heart
is. Many new Floridian has backtracked to home base to live near
family.
Calling a phone number off
a yard sign will hook you up to the
seller’s agent who may not represent your best buying interests.
Do your homework. Purchasing a
home is a major investment and,
therefore, you need to interview
several agents before signing on
the dotted line. Remember, you
will be working with this individual for several months, and
therefore, you want your personalities to be as complementary as
possible.
John E. Baer, SRES, DPA is
a NYS licensed real estate salesperson associated with Prudential
Centennial Realty of Scarsdale and
Larchmont. He can be reached at
914/600-6086 or at 914/844-2059.
His website is www.WestchesterHomes.info
14
• May 2015 — Iyar-Sivan 5775
•
Jewish Education Reimagined at Temple Sholom Learning Center
Responding to a call for action from its members for a more
flexible, innovative and engaging
religious school program, Temple
Sholom, has introduced the Temple Sholom Learning Center—
“Jewish Education Reimagined.”
Under the leadership of Barry Gruber, Temple Sholom’s new
Director of Congregational Learning, the Learning Center features
smaller Hebrew classes with an
emphasis on individual instruction, more flexible days and an
engaging, diverse curriculum
designed to nurture in students a
love of learning and pride in their
Jewish identity.
“Coming this September,
parents and students will find
that the new Temple Sholom
Learning Center is indeed ‘Jewish
Education Reimagined,’” said Gruber. “These changes are based
on what we’ve learned, through
surveys and focus groups, about
what issues concerned parents
most. We have enriched our edu-
Barry Gruber
cational offerings accordingly.”
Open to students of pre-kindergarten age through seventh
grade, the mission of the Temple
Sholom Learning Center is to provide students a joyful and spiritually vital educational experience.
Hebrew reading is taught through
prayers and sacred texts. The
curriculum also includes Judaic
Studies (Bible, History, Jewish
Living, Holidays, Israeli Studies)
and Community Building.
The school’s new, flexible
schedule comprises four hours
of classes: two and a half hours
on Sunday morning from 9:00 to
11:30 and one and a half hours on
a weekday afternoon.
Other features of the new
schedule and curriculum include: Hebrew reading will be
taught in small groups of no more
than ten so that students receive
more individual attention and
can progress at their own pace ;
Parents and students can choose
their weekday—either Tuesday,
Wednesday or Thursday; Students who miss their regular
weekday class may, with prior office approval, be accommodated
on a different day that week ; The
curriculum will more ardently
emphasize community and Jewish identity.
Membership in Temple
Sholom is required for participation in the Learning Center. A
membership representative will
be on hand to answer any questions as well.
Business Cards
$73. per issue. Prepaid only. Just mail us your Business Card and Full Payment and we’ll take care of the rest. Mail to:
Shoreline Publishing, 629 Fifth Ave., Suite 213, Pelham, N.Y. 10803
Let us handle the
creative side
of your business.
Website design, logos, brochures, mailers, annual reports,
flyers, business cards, signage, event materials and more...
shorelinecreative
Call 914-738-7869 or email [email protected]
for complete details.
Westchester
Jewish Life
PUBLISHING, INC.
Edward Shapiro, President and Publisher
[email protected]
Helene Pollack, Publisher, Editor-in-Chief
[email protected]
Cynthia Pena, Art Director
[email protected]
Westchester Jewish Life is published monthly by Shoreline
Publishing, Inc., 629 Fifth Avenue, Suite 213, Pelham, NY
10803. 914-738-7869. The entire contents of Westchester
Jewish Life is copyrighted by Westchester Jewish Life. No portion
may be reproduced without written permission of the publisher.
The views, opinions and content of this publication does not
necessarily reflect that of the staff of Shoreline Publishing.
Larchmont Ledger
www.larchmontledger.com
Harrison Herald
www.harrisonherald.com
New Rochelle Review
www.newrochellereview.com
The Pelham Post
www.thepelhampost.com
The Bronxville Bulletin
www.thebronxvillebulletin.com
wsn2day.com
Formerly Westchester Senior News
Shoreline Publishing accepts the submission of articles, events and items
of interest no more than 500 words with .jpg photos for inclusion in Shoreline
newspapers and websites. Email to: [email protected] or Shoreline
Publishing, 629 Fifth Avenue, Suite 213, Pelham, NY 10803. Shoreline Publishing
reserves the right to edit or omit any submissions.
Barry Gruber, Director of
Congregational Learning is a Columbia University educator for
twenty years. He was previously
Education Director at Temple
Beth El in Rochester, the largest
Conservative congregation in upstate New York. Most recently he
was Principal of Talmud Torah of
Minneapolis. He has been a chairman of the Jewish Educators Assembly national conference and
is currently serving his fourth
term on that organization’s board.
Founded In 1916 by ten families, Temple Sholom is today the
spiritual home of more than 650
Jewish families in Greenwich and
neighboring communities, including Port Chester, Rye Brook,
Armonk and Stamford. Throughout the years the Temple has
sought to involve and teach others
about Judaism through service to
Classifieds
the community (the Red Cross
blood drives; senior luncheons;
mitzvah day; collection drives for
Stamford Hospital, Kids in Crisis,
Neighbor to Neighbor and more,
and ecumenical programs such
as the community Thanksgiving
Service and a Martin Luther King
memorial service. For more information visit www.templesholom.
com or write to [email protected].
PERSONAL/ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT -- SEEKING OPPORTUNITY
Experienced lower Westchester administrative/personal assistant seeking project assignments including administrative/computer work, correspondence, bookkeeping, personal shopping, event/holiday
planning, mailings, calendar management, etc. from full home office or offering on-site flexibility. For
further information, including local references, please contact [email protected] or call Margaret
at 914-738-0089.
ANTIQUES • ART • COLLECTIBLES
Most cash paid for paintings,
antiques, furniture, silver,
sculpture, jewelry, books,
cameras, records, instruments,
coins, watches, gold, comics,
sports cards, etc. Please call
Aaron at 914-654-1683.
7094 [email protected]
EXP. BOOKKEEPER AVAILABLE
25 Years Corporate Finance
Experience at Verizon
Communications. Knowledge
of Quickbooks, Microsoft Excel
and Word. Call Karen, 914-5826749. References Available Upon
Request.
WOMAN SEEKING APARTMENT
Woman of good character, with
references seeks large studio apt.
with kitchen and bath, ample
storage space, private ent. and off
street parking in a nice residential
or estate area. Rent negotiable.
Contact: 914-318-4678.
AMER. HISTORY MAVEN WANTED
Patriotic American History Maven
wanted to showcase positive,
inspiring, humorous stories of
unsung heroes from all walks
of life, from our 1776 Founding
Fathers till today. Joe: 914-552-
HOUSE FOR SALE
Beautiful 5 bd, 3 bth Colonial in
Scarsdale, FR with fireplace, FDR,
Eat-in-Kitchen, large Playroom, tons
of storage. 3200 sq. ft. on double lot,
many new upgrades, great schools, low
taxes. Call 914-874-3314 for info.
PLOT FOR SALE
Single plot, excellent location,
Kensico Cemetery. Priced to sell
at $2000. Cemetery offering same
plot for $3000. Call me at
561-641-1453. M. Weiner.
MATH TUTOR
MATH
I LOVE IT
I TUTOR IT -- ALL LEVELS
Columbia MBA, Perfect Score MATH
SAT. Text Chris, 914-815-2429.
NANNY
Attend to two children in pvt. home,
one child has special needs in
speech. Supervise & engage in
play, transport to activities & help
in light cooking & laundry. Cert. in
ped., first-aid, CPR pref. M-F 9-5pm.
$12.45/hr. Speak English & Tagalog.
Stay-in pref. Temp. Contact Cathy at
[email protected]
TUTORING SERVICES
Outstanding Tutoring by a Ph.D.
in Math, English, History, Regents,
SAT, ACT. All levels. Critical
thinking and study skills taught.
Dr. Liss. (914) 315-9382.
Classified Ad Form
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One Mile Fun Run Kicks off
Celebrate Israel Parade
The Jewish Community
Relations Council of New York
(JCRC-NY) announced that Fifth
Avenue will once again turn blue
and white on Sunday, May 31st,
2015, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., as
more than 25 floats with musical
performers, 15 marching bands
and 40,000 marchers, entertain
hundreds of thousands of spectators for the largest celebration
of Israel in the world, the annual
Celebrate Israel Parade.
This year marks the 51st
anniversary of what has become
one of the largest parades in New
York City, growing exponentially
each year in attendance and excitement since its founding in
1965. The Parade is the marquee
event of the JCRC-NY’s Celebrate
Israel Initiative – a project largely
sponsored by UJA-Federation of
New York and Consulate General
of Israel in New York – that celebrates the positive impact the
Jewish and democratic state of
Israel has on the lives of people in
New York and around the world.
New this year, 400 people
will be kicking off the Parade
with a one-mile fun run beginning at 11 a.m., following the
Parade route up Fifth Avenue.
Registration is now open, and
can be done by visiting celebrateisraelny.org.
Masses of people who sup-
port Israel from around the
country will converge on Fifth
Avenue for the Parade, including
several top Israeli music artists
and special Israeli guests who
will draw even larger crowds to
this year’s Parade.
More than 200 organizations are scheduled to march
along Fifth Avenue, from 57th
Street to 74th Street, including
groups of rollerbladers, motorcyclists, dance groups, and juggling
clowns.
The 2015 creative theme
for marching groups and floats
is “Israel Imagines!” Each group
works with Parade staff to de-
velop a presentation of colorful
banners, costumes and props
related to the theme in some way.
For the fifth year in a row,
the Parade will be televised live
by FOX affiliate, WWOR-TV My9
from 12–2 p.m., and streamed
online from 12-3 p.m., so Israelis
and Israel supporters throughout the world can watch.
For information on participating in the Parade as a group,
visit
http://celebrateisraelny.
org/parade/registration/. For
the latest information on the
Celebrate Israel Parade, visit the
Parade website at celebrateisraelny.org
•
Frank A. Corvino
also showcase the important
work of VNSW and inspire giving to support its high-quality
home health and community
healthcare services. Michael
Gargiulo, news anchor at
NBC4 New York, will serve
as emcee. In addition to the
awards ceremony, the event
will feature a spectacular silent auction, gourmet dinner,
and decadent desserts.
“This year’s honorees
exemplify the collaboration
across the spectrum of healthcare organizations that is
necessary to improve healthcare for all in our region,” said
Timothy P. Leddy, interim
president and chief executive
officer, VNSW. “Both Frank
Corvino and Dr. Sumir Sahgal,
and their respective organizations, are valued partners of
VNSW. It is our privilege to
express our heartfelt thanks to
them for helping us fulfill our
mission of providing the highest level of care to patients,
15
J-TAG Fellows: Teens in Action Globally
Is your teen entering 10th –
12th grade? Interested in exploring Israel and the US with other
American and Israeli teens? Participating in community service
projects? Developing their leadership skills? Looking for something
exceptional, motivating, and fun?
Then J-TAG Fellows is the answer.
J-TAG Fellows, formerly
Havaya International, is led by inspiring educators from both Israel
and the US, exploring the pillars
of Jewish peoplehood, leadership
and tikkun olan through transformative experiences.
From June 28 through July
28, forty two American and Israeli
teens will spend 2 weeks in Israel followed by 2 weeks in the US engaged in unique outdoor adventures, community service and leadership development culminating in a final week when teens put their leadership skills
into practice as they develop and lead a day camp for inner-city children in Savannah, GA.
“Havaya was a life-changing experience…I have experienced all sides of Israel. I have a greater appreciation for Jewish culture and history, and I am more proud to be a Jewish than ever before. It has enhanced my
identity, opened my eyes to the differences as well as the similarities between people and cultures and has
prepared me for success in a unique way that cannot be found in any other program, ” commented Edden, a
2014 Havaya participant.
At the end of the summer program, the creation of these life-long bonds between New York and Israeli
teens will continue throughout the year. The teens will be engaged as leaders, inspiring other teens in their
respective communities through meaningful service projects in their own hometowns and in perpetuating
Jewish peoplehood.
J-TAG Fellows is a program of the Rosenthal JCC with support from the UJA Federation of New York, in
collaboration with Sid Jacobson JCC, the Kings Bay Y and other in the New York area, as well as sister communities of Ramat HaSharon, Shoham, the Beit Foster Community Center and others in Israel.
“The teens came back appreciating kindness, caring, friendship, bravery, and sympathy. In the matter
of only four unforgettable weeks they indeed turned into mature and thoughtful people,” said a parent of a
teen participant.
Spots are limited. Contact Yoav Cohen at [email protected] or 914-741-0333 x13 for more information or to apply. Scholarships are available for qualified participants. Also, visit the web page www.rosenthljcc.org/JTAGFellows for additional details including a sample schedule, testimonials, and FAQs. Watch the
testimonials from previous teen participants on the YouTube channel (J-TAG Fellows) to hear firsthand about
their travels and life-altering experiences.
VNS Westchester’s Spring Benefit Gala
Two distinguished leaders in the healthcare community will be honored by
Visiting Nurse Services in
Westchester (VNSW) at its
17th Annual Spring Benefit Gala on Tuesday, May
12, 2015 at the Willow Ridge
Country Club in Harrison. A
long-standing and celebrated
tradition on the Westchester
County springtime social calendar, the VNSW spring benefit will this year recognize
the generous spirit of healthcare innovator and visionary
Frank A. Corvino, chairman of
the Greenwich Hospital Foundation; and Dr. Sumir Sahgal, a champion of leveraging
healthcare information technologies to enhance care for
chronically-ill homebound patients. The festive evening will
•
their families, and caregivers
in the comfort of their own
homes.”
Proceeds from VNSW’s
Gala will support a wide range
of programs for residents
of Westchester, the Bronx,
Dutchess, Putnam and Rockland counties. These include
free health screenings, health
education programs focusing on preventative care and
chronic disease management,
and home care services for
uninsured and under-insured
patients. Community funding
is critical, says Leddy, as these
services are not reimbursed by
government or other funding
sources.
“Healthcare today is vastly different than it was 15 or 20
years ago,” said Leddy. “With
fewer and shorter hospital
Dr. Sumir Sahgal
stays for many patients, we are
experiencing a greater need
for home healthcare throughout our entire service area. We
invite residents of Westchester
and adjacent communities to
join us on May 12 to recognize
westchesterjewishlife.com
the contributions of our honorees and to celebrate our 100+
years of service to the region.”
The gala is co-chaired by
Mahopac resident Debra Swee,
communications consultant
and VNSW board member,
and Michael Wilson, co-owner, Wilson & Son Jewelers of
Scarsdale and Mt. Kisco, and
resident of Stamford, CT. Tickets for the event, which takes
place on May 12 from 5:30 –
8:30 p.m. at the Willow Ridge
Country Club in Harrison, may
be purchased for $300 each at
www.vns.org. For information
on Sponsorship Opportunities, Journal Ads or contributions to the Silent Auction,
contact Joyce Infante, Director
of Development, at JInfante@
vns.org or (914) 682-1480, ext.
649.
United Hebrew of New Rochelle
A Comprehensive Campus of Care
Skilled Nursing & Rehabilitation • Willow Towers Assisted Living
AZOR Home Care • Independent Senior Housing
Willow Towers Licensed Assisted Living
Licensed by NYS Department of Health
Alzheimer’s/Dementia Program located on separate floor
Sub-Acute Short Term Rehabilitation
For more information or to schedule a tour,
please call 914.632.2804 ext. 1148 or visit www.uhgc.org
Five Star Quality Rated
by Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
Ranked in
1st Quintile
by New York State
Quality Pool
Indicators

WESTCHESTER JCC Mid-Westchester Celebrates 67th Year of

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