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2 JEWISH STANDARD APRIL 19, 2024


Iran attack draws dark humor from captive Israeli audience
l There’s nothing like a
dose of existential dread
to turn the People of the
Book into the People of
the Meme. And with mil-
lions of Israelis doom-
scrolling social media
from their safe rooms, the
jokesters took full advan-
tage of their captive audi-
ences.
Days before the barrage
of some 300 or so projec-
tiles that Iran fired at Israel
last Saturday night, Israe-
lis stocked up on some
humor alongside their
canned hummus beans
and six-packs of water.
One prankster asked
AI to create an image of
mullahs riding missiles on
magic carpets.
Another said he was less con-
cerned about the imminent at-
tack from Iran but would like to
pitch Sarah Silverman to play his
character in the resulting Netflix
movie.
Dry Israeli-British humor played
well, including a quip from jour-
nalist Matthew Kalman, who said,
“First direct flights from Iran to
Israel since 1979.”
Not to be outdone, executive
director of StandWithUs Israel,
Michael Dickson, said what many
wide-awake Jewish Israelis were
thinking, “Well, if we’re going to
be up all night, we might as well
do the seder already.”
Page 3
The memes cranked missiles can take two hours (matbucha) and
up once word was out drones should arrive in up to nine hours (cho-
that dozens of car- lent).
sized drones had been Communications guru Sara Eisen came up
launched from Iran and with a slew of pithy limericks to pass the time,
were making their rather including this biblically inspired gem: “Haman
slow way to Israel. of old was a Persian / These days there’s a
A widely shared image ballistic version / That takes all the old hate /
charted the unmanned Which it hurls towards a state / It’s the same
aerial vehicles’ progress strange obsessive perversion.”
to major Israeli cities, For many working Israeli parents already
giving their expected at a loss for how to occupy their school-aged
arrival times in a format children during the Passover break, the news
used for announce- that the daycare system would be shuttered
ments of the beginning Sunday brought a new onslaught of black hu-
of Shabbat. Another mor.
showed a dial — a la food As one parent put it, “In the meantime in the
delivery app Wolt — of daycare’s Whatsapp group: ‘If the drones are
the missiles’ estimated meant to arrive by 4:00 a.m., what reason is
time of arrival. there to not open the daycare as usual?!’”
Many pranksters took Other parents made “kosher for Passover”
screen grabs from major parody sequel posters of favorite childhood
Israeli news networks and “im- movies, including “Cloudy With a Chance of
proved” them with new captions. Meatballs — Iran-style.” TIMES OF ISRAEL
One showed the three forms
of projectiles Iran shot to Israel
alongside their flight times —
and advised which form of food CONTENTS
you should make during their
journeys: Ballistic missiles take NOSHES������������������������������������������������������������������������4
12 minutes (sandwich), cruise LOCAL....�����������������������������������������������������������������������6
AROUND THE COMMUNITY....����������������������������28
JEWISH WORLD....������������������������������������������������� 43

Taylor Swift’s (unofficial) Exodus era

l Swifties can now express their love for the
pop icon while celebrating Passover, thanks to
the “Unofficial Taylor Swift Haggadah,” written
by Na’ama Ben-David.
Ben-David says the idea came from her
teenage daughter, a big Swift fan.
“She loves talking about Taylor Swift,” Ben-
David said in a statement. “Her music, her lyrics
and the inspirational messages she gets from
listening to the albums. When we started talk-
ing about Pesach, she remarked that there are
a lot of parallels between the story and themes
of Pesach, and Taylor Swift’s music — and the
idea was born!”
Illustrated by Shelley Atlas Serber, this edi-
tion of the haggadah joins a crowd of creative
Passover haggadahs published for the 2024
holiday.
It begins by calling the seder, a word that
literally means “order” or “sequence,” a “setlist,”
and is steeped in Tay-Tay esoterica, including
— to four characters whose romantic entangle-
ments are a theme of the 2020 album “Folklore.”
HEALTHY LIVING�����������������������������������������������������47
PASSOVER GREETINGS����������������������������������������57
FRAZZLED HOUSEWIFE������������������������������������� 69
CROSSWORD����������������������������������������������������������� 69
OPINION�������������������������������������������������������������������� 70
OBITUARIES��������������������������������������������������������������75
CLASSIFIED���������������������������������������������������������������77
NOTEWORTHY....���������������������������������������������������� 80
REAL ESTATE....�������������������������������������������������������82
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a paper plane motif (a reference to a necklace
mentioned in the song “Out of the Woods”); page
numbers hidden in friendship bracelets (a refer-
ence to a lyric in the song “You’re on Your Own,
Kid” from her 2022 album “Midnights,” it’s a trend
Swiftie concertgoers adopted in recent years);
hot pink cowgirl hats from the singer-songwriter’s
early days as a teenage country artist; and trivia
about Swift’s life and discography.
Ben-David connects one especially famous
metaphorical section of the haggadah, the story
of the four sons — the wise, the wicked, the sim-
ple, and the one who does not know how to ask
“The vibrant and modern design of the Hag-
gadah was inspired by Taylor Swift’s worldwide Candlelighting
hits,” Serber said in a statement. “When we all sit Friday, April 19 — 7:23 pm
down at our seder tables around the world, we
share the same songs that we’ve enjoyed togeth-
Shabbat ends:
er for years — the hits of the Jewish people.” Saturday, April 20 — 8:25 pm
The book, which is printed in Hebrew and Eng-
lish, is available in paperback and costs $19.89 — For convenient home delivery
Taylor Swift’s birth year, and the name of her fifth
call (201) 837-8818
studio album, released in 2014.
First up on the list of the 10 plagues? Blood —
or should we say, “Bad Blood.” Always find us at
JACKIE HAJDENBERG/JEWISH TELEGRAPHIC AGENCY
TheJewishStandard.com

JEWISH STANDARD APRIL 19, 2024 3

Noshes “Used Iranian ballistic missile
in good condition for sale.”
—P
 ost on Jordanian al-Sooq al-Maftouh (“the open
market”) e-commerce site, in the wake of the
interception of hundreds of rockets and drones sent
Bigfoot pic, by Iran to attack Israel through Jordanian air space.
Make Me a Match!,
Golden Boy
“Sasquatch guess the CW network any role; his versatility Chambon is small
Sunset,” which is hoping a Stanger re- and range bodes well French town — of less
opens wide in boot can work. Her new for a long and distin- than 2,000 people —
theaters on show, “The Matchmak- guished career. that is predominately
April 19, is a comedy, er,” premiered on April Chalamet is now Protestant. France was
with some poignant 11 at 8 p.m. filming “A Complete an officially Catho-
dramatic moments. It Stanger now has a Unknown,” a biopic lic country until the
follows four members partner, Nick Viall, a about BOB DYLAN. It French Revolution in
of a Sasquatch (aka handsome fellow who probably will not be a 1789, and Protestants
Bigfoot) family during a was a “Bachelor” TV blockbuster, but in-de- were persecuted for
difficult yearlong show favorite. In every mand stars like to pivot centuries.
journey. All the actors episode of the new from prestige films like For centuries, the
wear heavy Sasquatch CW show, Stanger and Jesse Eisenberg Patti Stanger the Dylan pic to block- people of Chambon
costumes. JESSE Viall help two clients busters. This jump back took in persecuted
EISENBERG, 40, and find a match. and forth often helps a people. During WWII,
Riley Keough, 34, are Remarkably, Stanger career, overall. the people of Cham-
the main family remains marketable As I have often not- bon saved the lives of
members. (Keough’s as a matchmaker even ed, Chalamet’s mother 3,000 to 5,000 Jews,
father’s mother was though she is 62 and is an American Jew. who were sheltered in
Jewish. Her mother’s never has been mar- His father is a Protes- or near Chambon, or in
father was Elvis ried. She’s the match- tant who was born and some cases smuggled
Presley.) maker who won’t raised in France. The to Switzerland. Each
As I write this, there commit. actor identifies as Jew- resident made the
are about a dozen In January 2010, the ish but isn’t religious. decision to help Jews.
pre-opening reviews Jewish Journal had a Years ago, I wrote No one told them what
by respected film long, gushing article about the special they had to do.
critics. More than half about all the prepa- Timothée Chalamet Bob Dylan nature of Chalamet’s Chambon is one of
— the New Yorker, rations for Stanger’s father’s hometown, just two towns to be
Variety, the Guardian Jewish wedding to sion” and they were just His salary was not Chambon-sur-Lignon collectively designat-
— gave it very good ANDY FRIEDMAN, an “good friends.” After disclosed, but it looks (“Chambon”). I also ed “Righteous Among
reviews while a minori- LA businessman she Friedman, Stanger had like he’ll be paid in noted that Timothée the Nations” by Yad
ty — the Hollywood had dated for seven two fairly long relation- double digits. This visited Chambon Vashem.
Reporter, others — years(!). He gave her ships; neither ended in means $10M or more during his childhood The last time I wrote
said it was just so/so. a four-carat engage- a wedding. per film. (He was paid summers. about Chambon there
Remember romance ment diamond ring, TIMOTHÉE $8M for “Dune 2.”) The Despite all the pub- wasn’t a good film
matchmaker PATTI and Stanger said that CHALAMET, 28, is now remarkable box-office licity about Timothee about the town’s ac-
STANGER? She was he was insisting on a the darling of the en- performance of two Chalamet, no recent tions during WWII on
the host of “The Mil- 500-person wedding. tertainment media, and movies that Chalamet article I’ve seen about YouTube. In the last
lionaire Matchmaker,” In August 2010, Stan- it seems the darling of starred in during the Chalamet even men- few years, many have
a Bravo channel show ger, then 49, said she Warner Brothers. He last year — “Wonka” tions Chambon, and no been posted. Simply
that became a big hit broke up with Friedman just signed a multiyear and “Dune 2” — has led interviewer I am aware enter the name of the
in 2009 and ran until because she wanted feature film deal with to a shower of praise of has asked Chalamet town in the search bar
2015. Show publicity kids and he did not. In that studio. Chalamet from showbiz pundits. about Chambon. Here’s and you’ll easily find 10
always mentioned that 2013, Stanger seemed basically will be run- Here’s a sampler of the Chambon story, or more good videos
Stanger’s mother and to offer an alternate ning the show: picking that praise: He’s the again, with a nice sur- on this righteous town.
grandmother were reason. She said that his future projects as a IT guy; he’s another prise at the end.  –N.B.
traditional Orthodox her relationship with star and sometimes as Leonardo DiCaprio; he’s
California-based Nate Bloom can be reached at
Jewish matchmakers. I Friedman “lacked pas- a producer, too. intelligent and can play
NateBloom@jewishmediagroup.com

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Local
Trevor Ostfeld, left, stands next to Rabbi David-Seth
Kirshner in Krakow. PHOTOS COURTESY SCOTT OSTFELD
Messi the cat
comes back
Father and son return from
a relief visit to Ukraine with
the idea for a children’s book
CURT SCHLEIER
T
revor Ostfeld and his father, Scott, came
back from the Polish-Ukrainian border a little
over a year ago with three good stories and
a best-selling children’s book about a young
girl and her cat.
Their journey into a war zone began in what may
seem an unlikely setting: Temple Emanu-El in Closter,
led by Rabbi David-Seth Kirshner.
With war clouds brewing in Eastern Europe, Rabbi
Kirshner wanted to put together a relief mission to the
beleaguered area. “So he sent out a text or an email to
see if people were interested in going on a trip to bring
humanitarian supplies to Poland to help with the influx
of people coming in from Ukraine,” Scott said.
“I don’t know if you’ve spent any time with Rabbi
Kirshner. I think he’s been to Poland like 37 times or
something like that. He has an incredible network of
organizations that were able to build an itinerary for
us.”
In a separate interview, Rabbi Kirshner suggests that
Scott exaggerates. It’s actually fewer than 30 trips, he
6 JEWISH STANDARD APRIL 19, 2024
Trevor Osfeld and his father, Scott, are in Warsaw together.
told me, but whenever there’s a crisis in the world, he’s
likely to be there. “Well, I hope I’m there after the cri-
sis, too,” he added.
“If I remember correctly, we collected about 130 duf-
fel bags of bulk supplies and brought about 12 to 15 peo-
ple,” including Rabbi Chaim Poupko and a small contin-
gent from Congregation Ahavath Torah in Englewood.
“We did this early in in the war, and we were defi-
nitely one of the first synagogues to do this. It’s import-
ant that we don’t only pray words, but we pray with
our feet, get up and do things that help people in their
times of need.”
But by the time the details were finalized, the Ost-
felds, who live in Bergen County, were in Florida, part
of an annual family visit when Trevor and his sisters,
Vivian and Evelyn, are on spring break. There was no
time to fly back to New York and join the relief party.
So they ordered about a dozen large duffel bags from
Amazon, went to Costco, and likely made that manag-
er’s monthly quota of diapers, tampons, and bandages.
The pair spent more than $1,300 on supplies. They flew
directly from Miami to Krakow on Lufthansa; once air-
line officials learned about their mission, they waived
overweight baggage charges.
At the Polish end, efforts were coordinated by Jon-
athan Ornstein, who ran the Krakow JCC and the JDC.
The Emanu-El contingent toured the city, including,
as Trevor recalls, a large and apparently abandoned
shopping center. “It was a mall with a huge department
store and multiple stores all converted to temporary
housing,” he said.
They went to the border where Trevor, then a
16-year-old high school junior, distributed candy to
children getting off the train from Ukraine. Then the
group switched to smaller buses and actually entered
the country to deliver medical supplies to a hospital
treating bombing victims.
“It was the saddest hospital I’ve ever seen,” Trevor
recalled. “The equipment was 40 tears old. They didn’t
even have an elevator, so they had to put people on a
stretcher and run up the stairs. It was bad.”
Asked if he was concerned about safety, Scott said,
“Yes. At first it was not clear that we were going to be
traveling into Ukraine. That was sort of a later decision
after we obtained some medical supplies. We were a
little concerned because it was getting dark when we

were driving back, which is usually when you have the
bombs. Also, we saw NATO trucks going the other way
right by us delivering weapons. So it probably wasn’t a
great road to be on.
“But we were right near the Polish border. There
had been one bombing a few weeks earlier in that area,
but, for the most part, it was a pretty quiet zone within
Ukraine — notwithstanding the fact that along the road
there were big piles of sandbags and soldiers stationed
there with guns.”
The next morning, father and son went to Warsaw,
visited with refugees, and had several remarkable con-
versations. One was with a non-Jewish couple whose
grandparents and great-grandparents had taken in and
a protected a 10-year-old Jewish child and were memo-
rialized as Righteous Among the Nations. The couple
contacted Yad Vashem, which arranged to get them out
of Ukraine.
The Ostfelds also met two sisters from Dnipro (then
Yekaterinoslav), where both sides of Scott’s family are
from, including Trevor’s great-grandfather, after whom
he was named.
But the encounter that affected them the most was
when they met 12-year-old Iryna Chernyak. “Her story
was very sad,” Trevor said. “You hear all these stories
about how we had to leave our home, it got bombed,
it was a very dangerous time. But she was only focused
on her cat.
“I think that was part of the reason I wanted to write
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the book, because it is about how war affects children.
For her it was missing the cat.”
The idea for a book percolated after the two returned
home. “We couldn’t stop talking about the story, and as
my dad said this really needs to be made into a book,”
Trevor said.
By then, Iryna had recovered her cat, named Messi
after the soccer star. But getting back in contact with
her proved difficult. Eventually, with the help of aid
organizations working in Poland, the Ostfelds were able
to locate her mother.
Language difficulties and Iryna’s mother Alexandra’s
natural suspicion of random people trying to contact
her and her daughter got in the way. But after Trevor
made a connection via WhatsApp and they found a
good translator, Iryna became a more enthusiastic par-
ticipant. “She was excited to speak to someone from
America who was interested in her story,” Scott noted.
“And she’d already gotten her cat back at this point.”
They agreed to tell Iryna’s story in a picture book,
“Finding Messi, the Miracle Cat From Kyiv,” by Trevor
Ostfeld and Iryna Chernyak, that movingly describes
the relationship between Iryna and her pet, the pain
she felt when they were separated, and her joy when
Messi made it home. Here, the Ostfelds are over the border in Ukraine.
Or, as the book concludes, “Well, not exactly home.
I don’t know when we will be back in Kyiv, But for now, instant best seller on Amazon. It went on sale officially
home is where we are together.” on April 16, and all proceeds are being donated to char-
Advance orders made the book a prepublication ities that support victims of the Ukrainian war.
Good for up to 8 people.
Call 201.200.1000 for open hours.
Offer valid March 29 - May 26, 2024
JEWISH STANDARD APRIL 19, 2024 7
Local
FIRST PERSON
What Ashkenazim and Sephardim bring to the table
A young host masters the recipe for pleasing palettes at a culturally mixed seder
DEBBY MAZON
P
assover is a special and meaning-
ful holiday for many reasons. It
is an annual reminder of who we
are and where we come from.
Family and friends gather to retell a critical
event in Jewish history, with a sense of com-
munity and connection to those who came
before us and sacrificed so much. Jews
often quip on the holidays: “They came,
they tried to kill us, we prevailed. Let’s eat!”
So, let’s get to it — the foods of Passover.
Growing up in a Jewish home, I was
familiar with Passover traditions: cleaning
out the chametz, eating matzah and mac-
aroons, and helping my mom as she pre-
pared familiar delicacies: matzah ball soup,
chopped liver, gefilte fish with red horse-
radish, and her signature stuffed cabbage.
And so it went. My grandparents, aunt,
uncle, and cousins would arrive, carrying
bags of Passover goodies from the Bronx.
There was no dinner until after you earned
the right to eat by reciting the Haggadah.
Even if my mom gave us something at
4 p.m. to hold us over, we were starv-
ing throughout that seder, so focused
on the feast to come. We could hardly
wait.
After we ate the sumptuous meal,
we would race around the house try-
ing to find the afikomen. For years,
this was the way it was.
Then I met Richie, my hus-
band-to-be. I don’t think I ever
thought about or realized how differ- Debby Mazon
ent his family was from mine. After
all, we were all Jewish. But they were Sephardim. Not
only did they descend from a different part of the
world, they also had different customs — right down to
The family masks up for the plagues.
8 JEWISH STANDARD APRIL 19, 2024
The family sits down for the seder.
the foods on the seder table.
At the time, this did not worry me. Since
both my parents and my soon-to-be in-laws
lived in Paramus, I envisioned going to my
traditional seder at my parents’ house one night and
then a Sephardic seder at Richie’s parents’ house on
the second night, for years to come.
This is Estelle Mazon’s secret recipe, shared with Hadassah.
After Richie and I were married, I fig-
ured we would invite the families to our
home for birthdays, anniversaries, the
Fourth of July, and so on, and leave the
hosting of Jewish holiday celebrations to
our parents.
No such luck. My in-laws moved to Flor-
ida three years after our wedding, and I
was faced with making our first seder
when I was 26.
By that time, I had sat at a Sephardic
seder table with Richie’s family a few
times. The differences between their tra-
ditions and those of my family were stark.
The Haggadah was in Ladino and Hebrew,
with little English. Chopped liver? Gone.
Gefilte fish? No way. Charoset? Made with
dried fruit and almonds, not apples and
walnuts. Spinach pie and meat pie with a
matzah crust? Two must-haves.
How delicious those delicacies were
when my mother-in-law, Estelle, baked
them. I, however, didn’t have a clue how
she did it. And my mother-in-law did not
believe in sharing recipes. If anyone asked
for an Estelle recipe, she would say, “Come
to my house, darling, and I will make it for
you.” And she did.
She and my father-in-law were flying
up the night before for the first seder
I made, so there was no time for us to
cook together. I remember calling my
mom, quite upset, and asking her what I
should do. “Mom, do I make spinach pie
or matzah ball soup? Do I put dates or apples with wal-
nuts in the charoset?”
My mom was modern and wise, so she simply said,
“Make the dishes that please your in-laws. As long as it
is food, Dad and I will eat whatever you cook.”
Still, there was the challenge of having no recipes
to follow, no internet to Google. I did not even realize
 Local

there was such a thing as a Sephardic cookbook out
there in the world. So I called my mother-in-law and
asked her to explain how to make spinach and meat
pies with a matzah crust.
She told me to skip the meat pie because the recipe
was too complicated. For the spinach pie, she instructed
me to mix fresh chopped spinach with eggs, feta, and
parmesan cheeses and then to lay matzah pieces across
the top and bottom. She said the juices from the spin-
ach would seep into the matzah and soften it. (To be
clear, my mother-in-law’s seder was both pesachdik
and kosher. Her spinach pie did not have cheese. Now,
our seders are kosher-style and pesachdik.)
Nope! My spinach pie smelled great, but the matzah
on top was the darkest brown, crumbled and totally
dried-out. If I had served it like that, we would have
been giving our guests the Heimlich maneuver. I was
holding back tears at the thought of throwing the pie in
the garbage after all that work. Have you ever cleaned
four pounds of fresh spinach? In those days, there were
stalks and bunches that had to be soaked, rinsed, dried,
and then cut up. There was no such thing as ready-to-
eat spinach that came in a cellophane bag.
Richie told me to remove the top crust and serve
it, so everyone had open-faced spinach pie. No one
complained.
Now that we have hosted Passover more than 40
times, I have refined my recipes and varied the menu
to a true blending of Ashkenazi and Sephardic dishes
The table is set for the seder.
that seems to please everyone, family and friends alike,
who return year after year.
However, there is one more thread to this tale — a
Hadassah connection. At one point, my young women’s
Hadassah group, Bat Sheva, merged with the Paramus
chapter, whose multigenerational members included
Richie’s mom and aunt. With the influx of 40 younger
women, the fundraising chair thought it would be a
clever idea to bring the cookbooks that the Paramus
chapter had put together to a meeting for us to buy. Of
course, we did.
A few days later, when I was leafing through the
book, I spotted a familiar dish — Passover Meat Pie,
Mina de Carne. But the real surprise came at the end
of the recipe: my mother-in-law’s name. It was signed
Estelle Mazon! She had shared the recipe for the benefit
of Hadassah but never gave it to a relative or friend. I
realized then how important Hadassah was to her.
Sometime later, a Hadassah colleague from Roches-
ter, N.Y., lent me her Sephardic cookbook, which con-
tained many of the recipes I still make today. She also
gave me her own recipes. Lucky for me and for every-
one who comes to our seders, she believed in sharing
recipes to preserve our traditions for the next genera-
tion. And isn’t that what Passover is all about?
Generation to generation — or, in Ladino, generacion
a generacion.
Debra Mazon of Emerson, the human resources director
of a medical sales company, is chair of American affairs
advocacy for Hadassah and has held many leadership
roles in the organization, including president of its
Northern New Jersey region. She and her husband,
Richard, have two sons and four grandchildren.

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JEWISH STANDARD APRIL 19, 2024 9

Local
FIRST PERSON
Do you suffer from seder stress?
Symptoms include feverish supermarket and kitchen activity
ESTHER KOOK
P
assover preparations can send
relatively sane and well-ad-
justed people over the edge.
You see it happening, right
there in the supermarket aisles. People
with glazed eyes, manically grabbing
boatloads of matzah off the shelves, fill-
ing carts, checking labels — is this really
kosher for Passover? And what hashgacha
does it have? Who certified it? Oh, no! I
can’t see the fine print! I forgot my read-
ing glasses.
Down the aisles we go, tossing matzah
meal, farfel, and multitudes of cans,
sauces, and condiments into our carts,
losing all sense of proportion and reality.
Passover is just one week, right?
And then there are the prices, which
rise every year. I’ve found the best mantra
for all these seemingly endless shopping
expeditions is “breathe, shut the brain,
throw into the cart, and buy.”
Actually, I feel my blood pressure begin
to rise about a week before Purim, when
groceries are being shifted around in the
stores, making room for all the Passover
products. How do you fully focus on the
fun of Purim, when you see what’s right
around the corner?
Full disclosure — I nearly lost it in Amaz-
ing Savings the other day. My cart was
full with all sizes of aluminum pans, alu-
minum foil, paper plates, plastic plates,
chocolate Pesach candies (how could I
not include those?), games for the little
ones, and even cute wine cups — plastic, Esther Kook holds a seder plate.
of course. I was patting myself on the back
for getting this expedition done. That was one more
to-do item off my list.
That relief was short-lived because when I reached
the cashier, she was in a very cranky mood. Seriously,
who could blame her? Passover shoppers can be over
the top, and we buy a lot. She took each item and rang
up the bill, and then asked for my card. I inserted it
three times and my chip was rejected. I began to sweat.
“I’ve got checks,” I offered, feeling desperate. “I’ll
write a check.” “We don’t take checks,” she said — actu-
ally it was more of a growl. Then she called over the
manager, who tried my card again — to no avail. All the
while, I’m praying, please don’t make me do this all
over again.
I tried not looking at the long line of customers stand- tle break?” But I wasn’t done, and soon after I grabbed
ing, staring me down, waiting their turns to have their
carts — which also were filled to the brim with all vari-
eties of plastic and aluminum — rung up. Finally, I rum-
maged through my wallet, and found another card —
and it worked!
That same evening, I went to a pre-Passover bou-
tique at Congregation Rinat Yisrael in Teaneck. I found
10 JEWISH STANDARD APRIL 19, 2024
a beautiful tablecloth for my seder table, and then
splurged on some trinkets for myself. Surely, after that
almost disastrous afternoon, didn’t I deserve some kind
of reward?
And then there’s the cleaning. Some people prac-
tically deconstruct their homes and take apart their
kitchens and dining areas.
I’m usually pretty calm in that respect. But this year,
for reasons that elude me, I found myself armed with
toothpicks, digging in the refrigerator, deep in its crev-
ices, purging ground-in chametz gook.
A few toothpicks in, the rational part of me began
to emerge.
“This is so unlike me,” I thought. “Why not take a lit-
another few toothpicks. The cleaning actually felt
cathartic too. Don’t ask me to explain this weird phe-
nomenon — it’s never happened to me before.
When I think of people and Passover cleaning, Aunt
Helen’s face flashes in my brain. Our family always
joined Aunt Helen and her family for all major holidays.
Even though she chopped, stirred, and churned all the
ingredients for her tried-and-true delicious
recipes in her very kosher-for-Passover
kitchen, Aunt Helen had a more relaxed
attitude about removing chametz in other
rooms.
After one of our seders, my family moved
to the living room, sitting around, trying to
recover from our stupor after our four cups
of wine. As we relaxed, I noticed a dish
with a bunch of candies that looked all too
familiar.
“Aunt Helen, those look like the chametz
candy you usually keep on the table,” I said.
She opened her eyes, took one look, and
nonchalantly said — “Oops! Oh, yes, it is. I
forgot to put it away. Just don’t eat it.”
So whenever Passover panic sets in, I
think very fondly of Aunt Helen and remind
myself to step back and bring it down a few
notches.
But the question that sets shivers down
my spine is “So, when are you flipping your
kitchen?” Some people do it a few days or a
few weeks before, or do a combination, with
some parts of the kitchen being kosher for
Passover, and some parts not. This tends to
be a confusing route to take but is a way to
begin the cooking phase. Bottom line, my
kitchen table ends up littered with boxes of
cereal, leftover bread, and miscellaneous
chametz. I’m actually relieved when b’dikat
chametz — searching for chametz — is done
and my kitchen is fully flipped.
Finally, after a day preparing the seder
plate and food, we sit down at the table
that’s set with our new tablecloths, filled
seder plates, bowls of salt water, and a
myriad of wines. That’s when it hits us.
Although we’re exhausted, after all is said
and done, we look around and it becomes clear that
this is a holiday about our families, dear friends, and all
of us as a Jewish nation. We’ve been through so many
trials and tribulations, and the past several months
have been extremely challenging.
But we’re here with an important story to retell, a
story about faith and resilience.
We are also acutely aware of those relatives who are
no longer sitting at our tables. They’re no longer sing-
ing their special nigunim — the tunes that we love and
incorporated into our seders. They’re no longer telling
us their favorite Pesach stories or retelling their corny
jokes.
We miss them.
But hopefully we have some new additions to our
families and our tables. It’s time to make some new
memories, sing the old nigunim, and learn some new
ones.
Chag sameach!
Esther Kook of Teaneck is a reading specialist and
freelance writer.
May We Be Surrounded by
Hope, Unity and Freedom.

JEWISH STANDARD APRIL 19, 2024 11

Local
Was Pope Pius good for the Jews?
Abe Foxman and David Kertzer discuss damning
information newly revealed in Vatican archives
JOANNE PALMER
W
hat exactly did Pope Pius XII do during
World War II?
Was he a good man who did his best
to rescue Jews from the Nazis and their
collaborators, but constrained by political realities he
could not overcome?
Or was he not even aspirationally heroic? Was he, in
fact, at best indifferent to the fate of the Jews, and at
worst not displeased to have them deported to their
deaths?
Historians have always known that the answers to
these questions were available in the Vatican archives,
that vast, jumbled storehouse packed with idiosyncrat-
ically indexed troves of information. But for years the
Vatican — in the person of the reigning pope — refused
those historians access to the archives.
That changed in 2020.
Two men with vital interests in the contents of the
archives and even more in the actions and intentions of
Pius XII will talk about it on Sunday, April 28, at Temple
B’nai Abraham in Livingston. (See box.)
Dr. David Kertzer has a list of academic credentials
too long to list here; to skim them, he’s the Dupee Uni-
versity Professor of Social Science Emeritus at Brown
University, where he’s now a research professor. He’s
also written histories of Italy and the Jews that are both
academic and readable; his next-to-most recent, “The
Pope and Mussolini,” won the Pulitzer for biography
in 2015.
His most recent book, “The Pope at War,” is about
Pius and his relationship with Hitler and other Axis
leaders; it’s based on information he unearthed in
archives across Europe.
He’ll talk to Abraham Foxman of Bergen County, who
In a Look magazine photograph published on July 25, 1944, Rabbi Kertzer leads a minyan of Jewish
soldiers at Anzio.
12 JEWISH STANDARD APRIL 19, 2024
Pope Pius XII
retired after a 50-year career with the Anti-Defamation
League, most of them as its head.
“The controversy over the pope’s silence has been
around for a long time,” Dr. Kertzer said. “It began in
1963 with ‘The Deputy,’ by a German playwright, Rolf
Hochhuth, who portrayed people in the church as beg-
ging Pius to get involved, and Pius refusing to do so.
“The play was banned in Italy, but it played in the
United States and throughout Europe, including in
Berlin. In response, the pope at the time, Paul VI, who
had been Number 2 to Pius, said he wouldn’t open the
archives so historians could examine documents from
the war years to learn who was right, the pope’s critics
or those who were portraying him in heroic terms, as
the savior of the Jews.
“He had a group of four Jesuit historians who pro-
duced 12 thick volumes of documents from the war
years, and they said that they’d made everything rel-
evant public.”
As it turned out, they had not. But the contro-
versy did quiet down for decades. But in 1999, a Brit-
ish writer, John Cornwell, published “Hitler’s Pope,”
accusing Pius of working with the Germans to grow
the church’s power, even though that meant betraying
the Jews. “It was a best seller, it stirred up controversy
again, and Jewish groups and scholars begged the Vat-
ican to open its archives so the question could be set-
tled,” Dr. Kertzer said.
“The pope resisted.”
But in 2019, yet another pope, Francis, said he would
authorize opening the archives. “I was there on the
morning of March 2, 2022, when they were opened”
Dr. Kertzer said. “I was basically the first person — cer-
tainly the first American — at that event.”
He used the information he found in the Vatican
archives, along with documents he found in other
archives across Europe, to put together the story of a
pope who did not care what happened to the Jews who
were being murdered all around him.
Dr. Kertzer studied the reports coming from the
European ambassadors, envoys, and other officials who
met constantly with papal representatives, frequently
met with the pope, and routinely sent daily reports of
those meetings back to their own governments. He tri-
angulated that information, as he put it, with the pope’s
actions to learn what he knew, and from that to under-
stand why the pope did what he did.
For example, Dr. Kertzer said that Pius XII “had
a prelate in the secretary of state’s office, whom he
regarded as an expert on Jews. His role was unknown
until my book came out, but clearly, he was a fierce
antisemite, and you can see the kind of advice he was
giving the pope.
“In the fall of 1942, Roosevelt sent word to the pope
that he had been getting horrifying reporting about the
mass murder of the Jews of Europe. But he knew that
if he released that information people would think it
was just propaganda, so he asked the pope if he had
any evidence of what was going on. It would be very
helpful, Roosevelt said to Pius. And the pope had a lot
of that evidence.
“But the pope sent the request to this prelate, who
told him not to admit to anything” — to knowing any-
thing, that is, not to doing anything — “because the
Allies will cite it, and it will make the Germans angry.
“So keep quiet, he told the pope.”
All the details are upsetting, and they can be hard
to take, Dr. Kreutzer said. He recalled being upset by
“the stories of individual Jews.” He talked about a group
arrest “of Jews, mainly women and children, who were
rounded up on October 16, 1943, which was a very
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4/5/24 13
4:11 PM
Local
Dr. David Kertzer
important day in Italian Jewish history.
“On that day, 250 SS officers went door to door
with lists, and the people on those lists were sent
to holding cells just outside the Vatican. They
arrested 1,269 people, but they weren’t put on
trains to Auschwitz for two days. For some rea-
son, 250 of them were released. The question is
why? It turns out that the Vatican was very busy
getting lists to the German embassy showing who
was baptized, and which Jews had married Catho-
lics and agreed to raise their children as Catholic.
“Those Jews were released.” The rest of the
Jews — to repeat, mostly women and children —
were sent to their deaths at Auschwitz.
Dr. Kertzer had a personal reason to do this often
heart-wrenching scholarly work. “My father, Morris
Kertzer, was a rabbi and a chaplain in the army,” he
said. “He was with the forces that landed on the Anzio
beachhead in early June 1944, and he was there when
Rome was liberated. That was on a Sunday. A few days
later, they reopened the Great Synagogue of Rome. The
Jews who had been hiding in Rome crowded into the
synagogue, thousands of them, to see which of their
friends and relatives had survived the war.
“My father co-conducted services there with the
chief rabbi of Rome.
“I grew up hearing these stories.”
Rabbi Kertzer went on to become the founding direc-
tor of the American Jewish Committee’s interreligious
affairs department.
Mr. Foxman also has a very personal reason to care
about the relationship between the Roman Catholic
Church and the Jews.
He was born in 1940, in a town that was in Poland
then and is Belarus now. His parents, Helen and Joseph,
took their own child and fled to Vilnius, now the capital
of Lithuania. There, as the dark shadow of the Shoah
began to spread, they left baby Abe with his nanny, Bro-
nisława Kurpi, who had him baptized and brought him
up as a beloved, obviously Catholic — albeit for some
reason, certainly not because he was Jewish and cir-
cumcised — boy.
It was hellishly difficult for his parents to leave him
with Ms. Kurpi, but Mr. Foxman is certain that had they
not done so, none of them would have survived. His
parents would have been encumbered by a baby, and
all three of them would have been caught and killed.
14 JEWISH STANDARD APRIL 19, 2024
Abe Foxman with his parents, Helen and Joseph, at a DP
camp in Austria in 1947.
Somehow, however, all three of them survived. After
the war, the Foxmans found and reclaimed their son,
causing Ms. Kurpi great pain but opening the world to
young Abe.
Mr. Foxman remembers how gentle his parents were
with him as they moved him back from Catholicism to
Judaism. “When we were reunited, I wore a cross,” he
said. “My father replaced it with a tallit kattan. I was
6, so it wasn’t a question of theology for me. I under-
stood that I no longer wear a cross; instead, I wear this
thing that’s close to my body, so I can be close to God.
I used to say my prayers in Latin and now I say them in
Hebrew. I didn’t understand the Latin and now, at 6, I
don’t understand the Hebrew. Before I was 6, I would
kneel to pray. Now I don’t kneel anymore.
“Everything was transitional for me then, not theo-
logical. When I walked by a church, I crossed myself.
When I saw a priest, I kissed his hand. And then I went
to the synagogue with my father.”
Mr. Foxman knows that had it not been for Ms. Kurpi
— whose relationship with the Foxmans ended with
pain, who chose to remain in Poland rather than going
to the United States with them, and whose life faded
away as the Foxmans lost touch with her and the Iron
Curtain dropped between them — he would not have
survived. He also feels gratitude to the priest who bap-
tized him. Without the documents that showed that he
was Catholic, little Abe’s life would have been entirely
unofficial, and he would have been in great danger.
“He was acting against what the church might have
instructed him to do. He risked his life. And I never
have been able to find his name.” He’s been trying, Mr.
Foxman added. He’d like to find his baptism records,
which so far have eluded him.
Mr. Foxman feels strongly that the truth about
Pius XII and the Jews should be more widely
known than it is, and that Dr. Kertzer’s book
should be more widely read.
“To me, why this book never made news is a
great enigma,” Mr. Foxman said. “For 60 years,
survivors and Jewish organizations have ham-
mered, we have pushed, we have negotiated,
we have demanded that the Vatican open up its
files. For the last 60 years, we have demanded,
badgered, requested, cajoled the church to
open up its files on Pope Pius XII. I don’t
remember a meeting with top Catholic clergy,
either here or in Rome, when Jewish represen-
tatives didn’t elevate this issue to the top of our
agenda. This was the top, and recognizing Israel
was the second.
“And then Pope Francis finally opens the
archives, Dr. Kertzer, a great scholar, writes
the book — and it’s a horrendous exposé. We
see how horrific Pope Pius was — and nobody
seems to care.
“Thanks to Francis and to David, for the first
time we have a close-up look about whether
the pope was a saint or not. I think that if you
had asked me before the book came out, I think
most of us would have said — I know I would
have said — that Pope Pius could have done
more, but at least he did something.
“That was the guesstimate, although people
did start wondering why the Vatican resisted
attempts to have it look good. But now, here
comes David. His book paints a horrible pic-
ture of Pius as the pope. I don’t think that David
Kertzer calls him an antisemite, but I do. The
only Jews he lifted a finger to help were those
who were baptized. I wouldn’t say that he was Hitler’s
pope — but he certainly did nothing to save Jews.
“So here is the problem.
“Finally, after 50, 60 years of advocating to get the
truth, we finally get it — and the truth is horrible. It is
the worst possible. You had a person in power who had
the ability to speak, to intervene, to save Jews, but he
didn’t do a thing.
“He turned a deaf ear and a blind eye.
“So now, after all these years, the truth is out — and
the Jewish community is like ho-hum. The book should
be a best seller. The author should be carried from one
synagogue to another. So why isn’t it? Why isn’t he?”
What does he want? Although church policy and the-
ology toward the Jews has changed immensely since
World War II, “the church has yet to acknowledge the
role of their leader during the darkest moment of Jew-
ish history,” Mr. Foxman said. “Christians could have
helped — but they didn’t. The sad hard fact is that many
of those who slaughtered Jews on Monday through Fri-
day went to church on Sunday.”
He also wants reassurances that Pope Pius XII will
not be beatified, because, as the archival findings make
clear, he was no saint.
Who: David Kertzer and Abe Foxman
What: Will talk about Dr. Kertzer’s book,
“The Pope at War”
Where: At Temple B’nai Abraham in Livingston,
for the synagogue’s Bloom Family Lecture series
When: On Sunday, April 28, at 4 p.m.
For more information: Go to tbanj.shulcloud.com
or call (973) 994-2290
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JEWISH STANDARD APRIL 19, 2024 15

Local
Judaism and love
Rabbi Shai Held talks about his new book
JOANNE PALMER
T
he world is an immensely compli-
cated place, and we human beings
who live in it are immensely compli-
cated as well.
We shouldn’t need a theologian, in a great
many chapters and with a formidable crane-
load full of footnotes, to tell us that.
But Rabbi Shai Held’s new book, “Judaism
is About Love: Recovering the Heart of Jewish
Life,” explores the way we Jews — for that mat-
ter, everyone, but most specifically us Jews —
live in family, community, and history. And it’s
equipped with all those endnotes so the text
can flow lucidly but anyone who wants to pur-
sue any thought any farther can find direction
— and of course anyone who doubts any idea’s prove-
nance can check it.
Rabbi Held, who grew up in Monsey, was educated
at Ramaz and Harvard, and was ordained at the Jew-
ish Theological Seminary, is the dean and president of
the Hadar Institute, an independent Jewish organiza-
tion that values intellectual rigor and clarity, halachic
observance, and egalitarianism. (That’s clear in his
book; Rabbi Held is meticulous in not referring to God
using gendered pronouns. His God is not He — his God
is God.) Rabbi Held will talk about his book at Oheb Sha-
lom Congreagtion in South Orange on May 5, and Con-
gregation Beth Sholom in Teaneck on May 23. (See box.)
We live in complexity and contradiction, Rabbi Held
said. “The world full of unfathomable beauty and
unspeakable cruelty, and they’re both true at the same
time. Part of what it means to be awake in the world is
to be open to both those things.”
Take the idea of Judaism as being about love, and
God as being a God of love. Rabbi Held holds to that
idea — and he does so despite it being engrained into
us as American Jews that it’s the Christians who have a
God of love. Ours is a God of vengeance, or at the most
yielding, a God of law.
In truth, there is both love and law in both our Bible
and the Christians’ scriptures, and both are neces-
sary. “There is a Protestant temptation, specifically a
Lutheran temptation, to set up law and love as antithet-
ical to each other, but to set them up in juxtaposition
to each other is antithetical to the spirit of rabbinic and
Rabbinic Judaism,” Rabbi Held said.
“Law is itself a manifestation of a revelation of God’s
love.”
As for Jews feeling God’s love, “twice a day, we say
Ahavat Olam,” thanking God for both love and law, he
added.
And if you are in the mood for a vengeful God, there
certainly are some New Testament passages to get your
blood boiling.
Rabbi Held thinks that part of Jews’ own belief in
their God as a God of wrath “is institutionalized anti-Ju-
daism. We know that minority groups tend to see
themelseves the way the majority groups tend to see
them. we take on the perspective of those who see us
in belitting ways. That runs very deep. And it is exacer-
bated by the anxiety Jews felt aabout assimilation. They
16 JEWISH STANDARD APRIL 19, 2024
came to believe that whatever Christinity is, Judaism is
not.” If Christianity is about love, well then, Judaism
must be about something else.
He suspects but does not have the research to prove
that this Jewish belief in Judaism as not being about
love is from modern America; it does not trace back
any farther.
Similarly, the concept of grace — something good that
you have not earned but have been given nonetheless —
is Jewish as well as Christian, although by now the word
itself has a churchy sound.
Another example, Rabbi Held said, is that because
American Jews convinced themselves that Christianity
was all about the afterlife, they also decided that Juda-
ism has no notion of the afterlife. “Which is ridiculous,”
he said.
Rabbi Held describes love as “having an emotional
dimension, but it is not itself an emotion. It is an exis-
tential posture. And that’s helpful, because if you were
to try to build a spiritual life on any emotion, you’d be
destined to fail, because nobody feels anything all the
time. So you can be a loving person, even if what you’re
feeling at the moment is grumpy.
“It’s the same as gratitude. When people say that they
feel grateful all the time, I think it’s a mistake. Some of
the time, the world makes us feel grief and sorrow. Love
is not simply an emotion, even though it has an emo-
tional dimension.”
It also has a wide range of meanings. “It’s an umbrella
term for a series of different postures and emotions,”
Rabbi Held said. “I can say that I love the stranger and
my neighbor and my daughter. That’s all true, and it’s
all love — but it’s not all the same emotion. Similarly,
compassion, kindness, generosity of spirit — they all fall
under the umbrella of love.”
He’s taken with the idea of compassion. “In Aramaic,
the language of the Talmud, there is no way to distin-
guish between love and compassion. They’re the same
word. It’s both interesting and suggestive.”
The Jewish approach to love is to start inside and
move out from there, Rabbi Held said. “It works with
the grain of nature, not against it. I start with loving my
family; I love the guy down the street, but not as much.
Jewish texts don’t talk about loving enemies in the same
way that Christian texts do.”
Rabbi Held’s book was finished before October 7, but
now we live in a post-October 7 world. How does
he make sense of it?
“We live in a world that God has created, with
real freedom,” he said; because God allows us to
make our own decisions, there is evil in our world.
That’s unavoidable. Still, he said, “there are cer-
tain pieces of wisdom that the Jewish tradition
might offer us in making our way through this
moment.
“First of all, it is it is totally understandable and
also morally defensible to think first of your family
and your people”; that’s a point Rabbi Held makes
repeatedly, as love moves from the concrete to
the abstract. But “that said, compassion is never
a vice, and dehumanization is never permitted.
“So as tempting as it sometimes might be, some-
times, to forget this, we have to remember that
we’re at war with human beings. We’re never allowed
to forget that, not least because dehumanizing people
can lead to some really ugly moral places.
“If there ever is going to be peace in the blood-soaked
land of Israel, it will only be made possible by people
choosing to listen empathically to each other’s stories
and each other’s suffering. There is no alternative.
“I realize that it may sound Pollyanna-ish, but what’s
the alternative? Compassion and empathy remain abso-
lutely key to the possibility of there being peace in the
Middle East, even at a moment like this — maybe even
especially in a moment like this. Even if you think that
this war is just and necessary, you have to know that
war is not the ultimate end.”
Rabbi Held knows that many of the ideals in his
book may be more aspirational than easily reachable.
“They’re like asymptotes, right?” he said. They’re like a
curve that comes closer and closer to a line — but both
will go off into infinity close but without ever touching.
“We’re never fully going to embody these ideals — and I
know this is a mixed metaphor — but they’re a lodestar.
“Writing this book was a deeply aspirational project.
These are ideals that I dream of embodying. They’re
what I want for my kids and my students.
“We write beyond what we know.”
Who: Rabbi Shai Held
What: Will talk about his new book, “Judaism is
About Love”
*
When: On Sunday, May 5, at 10 a.m.
Where: At Oheb Shalom in South Orange
Why: For the annual Rabbi Alexander M. Shapiro
z”l memorial lecture and breakfast
To learn more and to register: Go to hadar.org,
scroll down to R. Shai Held is on a book tour, and
click on it, or go to www.ohebshalom.org
*
When: On Thursday, May 23, at 8:15 p.m.
Where: At Congregation Beth Sholom in Teaneck
To learn more: Go to hadar.org, scroll down to
R. Shai Held is on a book tour, and click on it, or go
to www.cbsteaneck.org
JEWISH STANDARD APRIL 19, 2024 17
Local
GOA seniors pick strawberries at Kibbutz Ketura on Good Deeds Day in March.
Seeing firsthand makes a difference
Visiting GOA seniors reflect on the Iran attack and their relationship to Israel
ABIGAIL KLEIN LEICHMAN
T
he war in Gaza did not stop 28 seniors
from Golda Och Academy in West Orange
from proceeding with the annual 12-week
Neshama trip, encompassing a week in
Poland in February, followed by an extended stay in
Israel.
Only seven seniors decided to forgo the Israel part
of the trip, where the teens partake in what Head of
School Rabbi Danny Nevins describes as “a traveling
seminar” of tours, presentations, and lectures, but no
formal assignments, tests, or grades. Their GOA teach-
ers don’t come with them; rather, Neshama is directed
by Israel-based educational tour guide Rabbi Rob-
ert Kahn and staffed by local counselors and security
personnel.
Rabbi Nevins came to visit, however, while he was
recently in Israel with heads of Jewish day schools from
13 countries, during which he spoke at Conservative
Judaism’s headquarters in Jerusalem about his new
book, “Torah and Technology: Circuit, Cells, and the
Sacred Path.”
“I’m really pleased how strong this group is,” Rabbi
Nevins said. “They have a really positive attitude. They
recognize they are in Israel during a historic moment,
and it’s incredibly meaningful to Israelis that they have
come. Because they are here for three months, they are
not just witnesses but participants.”
The students hike, volunteer, participate in
18 JEWISH STANDARD APRIL 19, 2024
workshops, engage in seminars on political advocacy,
and visit historical, religious, and cultural sites, all the
while perfecting their Hebrew skills and learning about
current events.
We spoke to four of the seniors less than 24 hours
after Iran bombarded Israel with missiles and suicide
drones in the wee hours of April 14. They were staying
in Kibbutz Ketura in the southeast, following a Shabbat
where they fanned out to different host families across
the country.
“When we got to Ketura, one of the first things we
did was sit in a circle and talk about where we were
last night and how we feel about what happened,” Zach
Siegel of South Orange said. “This made us feel com-
fortable and safe.”
Zach said that after October 7 he posted messages
supportive of Israel on Instagram.
“But I didn’t realize there was a certain level of dis-
connect that I felt toward Israel from afar in New Jer-
sey,” he said. “Being here, helping evacuated families
clean up their houses at Kibbutz Saad, visiting Sderot,
and volunteering on farms with Hashomer Hachadash
— seeing firsthand the effects of what happened and
hearing the heroic and tragic stories from the people
who were on the kibbutzim and the frontlines — has
made me feel so much closer to Israel and opened my
eyes to how much more we can try to be doing as Amer-
ican Jews.”
Zach added that Neshama “has provided us with a
unique lens to learn about what’s going on in Israel.
There’s a big difference between classroom learn-
ing and experiential learning; we’re in the moment
and living it. When Rob is telling you the history of
the place where you’re standing, it really sticks with
you, and you associate that piece of information with
the experience you’re having, which helps you recall
and retain it more. It’s so much more meaningful and
impactful than something that can be attained in a
classroom setting.”
Eliana Finkel of Pine Brook said that her favorite class
in school is history, where she’s studied concepts of war
and diplomacy. “But the experiential learning teaches
you what real-world applications of these concepts look
like. Being in the heightened political climate of Israel,
we see what laws can do, we see military tactics being
put into place. Living through these vague concepts we
are taught from textbooks teaches us a lot of valuable
lessons we can process more than we could in a class-
room setting.”
“This is one of the best learning experiences I’ve had
in my life,” Yuval Krispin of Cranford said. “It’s been an
incredible way to learn. When we go out and hike and
get a lesson on where we are, when we do something
with our hands or see something with our eyes, or talk
to someone about their experiences, we can absorb the
information so much better and understand it from a
point closer to Ground Zero, which is super awesome.”
The program’s weeklong “Many Faces, Many Voices”
segment gives the teens an opportunity to listen to a
variety of people — Palestinians, settlers, Arab Israelis,
Experience a Rich YU
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JEWISH STANDARD APRIL 19, 2024 19
Local

chasidim, Bedouins, peace activists — and consider

many perspectives.
Yuval, a self-described “huge Zionist” with Israeli
parents, found his beliefs challenged when the group
heard from the sheikh of a Palestinian village who was
stymied in his attempts to build a house for his grown
son’s family, and then heard the other side of the story
from a resident of the neighboring settlement that was
preventing the Palestinians from building those homes.
“Hearing both sides, I felt this huge conflict build-
ing up inside me,” Yuval said. “It’s hard to differen-
tiate which view is true, and I’ve been swaying back
and forth since that day. My connection to Israel hasn’t
changed — I love it to death, and it will always be my
home — but how much do I agree with the current pol-
itics and policies?”
Giselle Weiss of Livingston said one of the “many
faces” was a woman who impressed her as “an extreme
Zionist who totally believes that Israel belongs to the
Jewish people and that the only people who should be
citizens are Jews, and that Palestinians and non-Jews
could only be residents. That was an interesting per-
spective I’d never heard before. It forced me to struggle
with my own opinion. I believe Israel should be a Jew-
ish state, a place that is safe for Jews, and I never really
considered that taking away some rights from others
would ensure that. I don’t know how I feel about that
idea … but I also don’t understand how we can assure
the safety of the Jews in Israel.”
Giselle has been to Israel five times and said it is “the
greatest place and the most important thing in the
world to me. It’s hard to acknowledge its many flaws,
but it’s great that we are learning about them.”
Eliana added, “A lot of flaws come from misunder-
standing, so I think our job as American Jews is to
continue getting involved in dialogues with different
perspectives, continuing to learn and not be closed- A few of the 28 Golda Och Academy seniors in Israel on their 12-week Neshama trip.
minded. The ability to hold room for drastically differ-
ent opinions allows both sides to feel seen and valued can come, then we’ll find a way to come,’” she said. see so many different levels of faith in God across the
and heard.” “After October 7, that feeling was even stronger that it Israeli population. It’s enlightened me about how faith
Rabbi Nevins said these deep reflections are what the was our responsibility to come if Israel said we could. can look in different communities. Our experience in
Neshama trip aims for. We like to talk about values, and sometimes it’s harder Poland affirmed that I don’t believe in God, but it’s
“We are trying to train to them to love Israel, and to act on them, but in this case we are doing it.” been so interesting to go through these experiences
also to think critically because it doesn’t help to hear a The Neshama itinerary does have to be adjusted with friends like Giselle who do and be able to gain
simplistic storyline,” he said. “We want them to wrestle sometimes as per the authorities’ guidelines, she something from these experiences — to be able to learn
with the complexities of this place. acknowledged. about faith.”
“This is the 32nd cohort of Neshama, and we notice “Our senior classes have been in Israel at the height Yuval noted that when the group was at the Kotel
many of our former students have gone on to be lead- of the second intifada, and during rocket attacks from on Rosh Chodesh, they witnessed clashes between the
ers on campuses in the U.S. and some come on aliyah Gaza Strip or the North, and parents know we shift our feminist Women of the Wall organization and ultra-Or-
and serve in the IDF. They are all, in their own ways, programming as directed by the police situation room. thodox worshipers.
engaging seriously with Israel and Jewish leadership. We follow their guidelines exactly. One day recently, for “When I hear people at the Kotel yelling that the
More than academic goals, we want them to feel they example, our students were supposed to go to the Old Reform movement is murdering God, the last thing I
are nuanced in their understanding of this place and City, but the situation room advised against it, so we ever want to do is be like them. I don’t want to go all
will be able to respond to less nuanced sentiments they went to the Biblical Zoo and had a picnic. It was still a the way to the left and I don’t want to go all the way to
may encounter.” fun morning out in Jerusalem.” the right, but the middle is so vast it’s hard to find your-
Rabbi Meirav Kallush, GOA’s director of Israel edu- When they do get to the Old City, and particularly the self. This trip has helped me find my place and reason
cation, said a critical part of Neshama is “getting them Western Wall — called the Kotel in Hebrew — it’s always within myself a level of Judaism that I want to practice.”
involved in Israeli society outside of the bus. Our base an impactful experience spiritually and culturally. Rabbi Nevins emphasized that alongside heavy
is Agron Youth Hostel in Jerusalem, and we never take Giselle, for example, said, “I have always been a experiences, the students “are also having a good time,
a bus to the Old City. We walk because the idea is being super strong believer in God. I was raised to believe going to the beach in Tel Aviv, spending an overnight
with people and getting to know the geography. We that everything is in God’s hands. Being here has only in the Negev Desert in Mitzpeh Ramon, and staying at
encourage students to go for home hospitality week- strengthened that belief. When I go to the Kotel, imme- Kibbutz Ketura.”
ends to family or friends to really experience life in diately my body feels different — perhaps it’s just in my “I’ve really connected with the community aspect
Israel on a deeper level.” head, but I choose to believe it’s not. I just feel so con- of Judaism,” Eliana said. “I’ve seen how Jews come
Rabbi Kallush said that GOA’s 10-day November trip nected and safe here, even with everything happening together in times of urgency and grief. I appreciate the
for ninth-graders had to be postponed until the late now, because I am in God’s hands. My faith protects me resilience of the people. We had a class in school called
spring. Neshama went forward only after close con- from being scared.” Modern Israel, and I felt educated on the history, but
sultation with the Israel Police and the Homefront For Zach, standing at the Kotel makes him feel closer my love of Israel was more surface level. Now, seeing
Command. to Judaism even though he “doesn’t possess much of Israel under threat and how much scrutiny it’s under
“During covid, we said, ‘If the state of Israel said we a belief in God. It’s been eye-opening on this trip to across the world made me appreciate Israel more.”
20 JEWISH STANDARD APRIL 19, 2024
Learn in Yeshiva.
Live in Israel.
Earn a Degree.
NEW PRICING Tuition: $17,500* Housing: $8,500
for our inaugural * Additional scholarships available
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>> Earn a YU Degree in Partnership with either Tel Av

University or Bar Ilan University

>> Full residence life and programming, including tiyulim

and Shabbatonim on our beautiful Jerusalem Campus

APPLY TODAY AT tinyurl.com/yui-men

For more information contact YUIPROGRAM@YU.EDU

JEWISH STANDARD APRIL 19, 2024 21

 From matzah
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 TRADITION
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Prices, programs and promotions effective Sun. April 21 thru Sat. Apr. 27, 2024 in ShopRite® of Paramus & Englewood. Sunday sales subject to local blue laws. No sales made to other retailers or wholesalers. We reserve the right to limit purchases of any sale item to four (4) purchases, per item,
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JEWISH STANDARD APRIL 19, 2024 23

Local

‘An American Bombing’

Jewish filmmaker explores the root causes of the Oklahoma City explosion
CURT SCHLEIER

B
efore I ask Marc Levin about
hi s new HBO documen-
tary, “An American Bombing:
The Road to April 19,” I sing
the praises of one of his earlier works,
“Schmatta: From Rags to Riches to Rags.”
“Schmatta” was about the decline of
the American garment business and very
personal for me, I told him. My father
was one of the casualties, a proud mem-
ber of the International Ladies Garment
Workers Union — until he found himself
jobless, when his company moved out Marc Levin
of the area to the union-less South and
eventually to Asia. Many farmers who’d been
Mr. Levin appreciates the compli- encouraged to plant from fence
ment, but at first seems confused when I to fence suddenly found them-
suggest that “Schmatta,” which was out selves heavily in debt and forced
in 2010, was a precursor of “American off their properties.
Bombing,” about the Oklahoma City “We start with the farm crisis in
explosion that took down the Alfred P. the heartland, and that spreads
Murrah Federal Building, killing 168 peo- to manufacturing, and then,
ple, including 19 children. obviously, to where we are today,

MARC LEVIN
Until I explain. with the incredible economic
“Schmatta,” for me, was the story of inequality. That’s the soil for
American greed. It describes how once extremism and for demagogues
family-owned business were sold to to take advantage of these legit-
conglomerates (usually to pay off inher- Kathy Sanders, who lost two grandchildren in the bombing, and Daniel Coss, the imate grievances and anger, and
itance taxes), the industry’s emphasis Oklahoma City police officer who found their bodies, stand near the bomb site. unfortunately direct them in
changed from people to profits and these violent directions.”
share prices. If you can import fabric for five cents a honestly you put your finger on something we made But as the film notes, it wasn’t just the loss of jobs that
yard cheaper with a new supplier than with your cur- an extra effort to include in ‘American Bombing,’ and fueled discontent.
rent one, your 30- or 40-year relationship with that that is some of this alienation, some of this rage, some During the late 1980s and early ’90s, rightwing talk
company, which also is just one building over, doesn’t of these grievances are legitimate,” he told me during a radio flourished, spreading its lies, and the evangel-
matter. From there, it’s only baby steps to first move Zoom interview. ical right became a political force. (The late Ed McA-
production south and then entirely overseas. In the film, Mr. Levin points to Jimmy Carter’s order teer, head of the Religious Roundtable and the man
Mr. Levin agrees with my analogy almost immediately. to embargo wheat shipments to Russia as punishment most responsible for bringing fundamentalists into the
“I hadn’t thought of that connection myself, but quite for its invasion of Afghanistan as the first flashpoint. Republican Party, was the subject of another Levin film,

Marc Levin, producer Daphne Pinkerson, Katie Couric, and veteran war
correspondent Mike Boettcher confer on the film.  MICHAEL BUCHANAN Marc Levin interviews President Bill Clinton.  DANIEL LEVESQUE

24 JEWISH STANDARD APRIL 19, 2024


“An American Zealot.”) Also, a significant number of
soldiers, like Oklahoma City bomber Timothy McVeigh,
returned from war zones with PTSD.
And as a final ingredient in this volatile mix, at Ruby
Ridge and Waco, federal law enforcement engaged
rightwing groups in armed combat.
It seemed an explosion was inevitable.
“American Bombing” does more than retell the story
of what happened, it revisits some of the people who
lived through the explosion, lost family members,
whose lives were devastated, and offers interviews
with a former extremist, and reporters who covered
the event.
In fact, it is in part through another reporter, Katie
Couric, that the film came about. Ms. Couric was in con-
versation with Nancy Abraham, HBO’s executive vice
president of documentaries, about doing films on sto-
ries she’d covered during her career. One of them was
Oklahoma City. Ms. Abraham suggested she speak to Mr.
Levin, who directed a Bill Moyers special on the subject
almost three decades ago.
Mr. Levin told me had three goals for the film. “The
first was to retell the story to a new generation, because
when we first started, the executives at HBO were say-
ing, ‘You know, my kids go to Ivy League schools. And I
asked them what do you know about the Oklahoma City
bombing, and they just looked at me like, what’s that?’”
His second goal was to provide context, showing that
the bombing wasn’t an isolated event but a result of a
confluence of events dating back more than a decade.
Best wishes for a Happy Passover!
Ad-Jewish Standard-Passover-10x6.5-2024.indd 1
“In the popular imagination and in so much of the media,
McVeigh was portrayed as a lone bomber, kind of a
crazed ex-veteran,” he said. But his choice of target and
date suggest otherwise. The Murrah building had been
targeted by a previous group, the Covenant, the Sword,
and the Arm of the Lord. And April 19 was the anniver-
sary of Waco.
And Mr. Levin’s final goal was to “show the human-
ity, the resilience, and the compassion” of survivors.
“We’ve got to understand how all this happened, so that
we can begin to figure out how not to repeat that down
the road,” he said. “As President Clinton says in the film,
these [violent] ideas that seemed so strange back in ’95
and were so universally condemned, that ideology has
somehow gone mainstream.”
One of the survivors put it another way: “Not too
many years from now, when I tell someone I lost my
grandchildren in the bombing, they’re going to say,
‘which one?’”
Mr. Levin was born in New York City and grew up
in Elizabeth and Maplewood in a largely secular family.
“What I remember from Hebrew school is being told to
shut up over and over,” he said. My parents were not
religious, but my grandfather, my father’s father, Her-
man Levinstein, was the real Jewish influence in my life.
“He was the president of the East Midwood Jewish
Center in Brooklyn and got involved in the Reconstruc-
tionist movement. Mordecai Kaplan was at my bar
mitzvah. He was one of the great thinkers of modern
Judaism.
Local
“Because of my grandfather, I prepared for my bar
mitzvah by commuting into Manhattan to the Recon-
structionist Synagogue on the Upper West Side.”
His bar mitzvah was on February 7, 1964, and all his
friends were invited. They showed up — but they myste-
riously disappeared from the synagogue before he read
his haftarah. Levin later discovered that his bar mitzvah
coincided with the Beatles arriving in the U.S., and his
buddies left for the Plaza Hotel to welcome them.
He went to Israel in 1973 on a work assignment, as
cinematographer on a film that was not released. “I was
filming in May 1973 only feet away from the reviewing
stand of the parade” that was celebrating Israel’s 25th
anniversary. “There was Golda Meir, Moshe Dayan,
David Ben-Gurion, the founding fathers and mothers
of Israel.”
The experience connected him with his Judaism, a
return growing stronger today.
“My grandchildren are going to a public day care that
is run out of the Chabad on 23rd Street,” he said. “And
just yesterday when I came home, my grandchildren
were singing “Mah Nishtanah.” Every public school is
allowed a second language, and because it’s run out of
Chabad, the second language is Hebrew. Also, because
Shabbat begins tonight, they want to light candles. So I
feel the spirit of my grandparents coming back through
my grandchildren returning me to some of the rituals.”
“American Bombing: The Road to April 19,” by HBO
Documentary Films, is streaming on HBO and Max now.
Maria Reina
Branch Manager
33 Nathaniel Place
(at Palisades Court)
Englewood
201-408-9560
applebank.com
JEWISH STANDARD APRIL 2024AM25
19, 10:14:25
3/15/2024
Passover

Passover is a wonderful (albeit a bit stressful) time of
year. There’s so much to clean, prep, schlep, and buy in
anticipation of the holiday. I have noticed fewer items
on the shelves and even some key missing ones like sour
cream. (I’ll keep looking.) Luckily, I bought my husband’s
favorite Manischewitz toasted coconut marshmallows as
soon as they came out — and actually had trouble finding
more on my subsequent shopping trips. I am grateful
for the convenience of living in an area full of places to
shop and, yes, I admit, having the ability to buy ready-
to-serve prepared foods. As I age, this has become more
apparent. I did add to our beautiful family Passover
collection and got a new hot pink afikomen bag from
Midrash Manicures for our six granddaughters to enjoy.
(It is awesome!)
Below are two recipes to try. One is a new fun one is
from PJ Library. The Pesach Mandelbroit is an annual
staple in our home — with credit to our beautiful friend
of blessed memory, Enid Ruzinsky.
Happy Pesach and remember, what matters most is
family and good health!!! — BETH JANOFF CHANANIE

Manischewitz celebrates its

new branding with swag
Just in time for Passover, Manischewitz has
a major “rebrand” with a bold fresh look
and feel across the product line and new
products.
The Manischewitz Company has been
crafting kosher foods for more than 130
years — and now it’s celebrating. The com-
pany has been making traditional Jewish
foods since 1888, when Rabbi Dov Behr
Manischewitz founded a small matzah bak-
ery in Cincinnati. During the age of Amer-
ican innovation, he tinkered away in that
bakery and discovered that the secret to
machine matzah was square. That’s how
the first entirely automated kosher matzah
production began. An assembly of rabbis
from all over the world traveled from far
and wide to witness Rabbi Manischewitz’s
marvelous matzah-making machine, and
they certified it as kosher.
The Manischewitz website lists the Man-
ischewitz products, great recipes, and a
few new fun items to buy. Go to www.man-
ischewitz.com and go to category “Merch”
for Manischewitz swag including a tank
top, tee shirt, and tote bag.

PJ Library offers kid-friendly

Passover resources and recipes
PJ Library is a trusted resource for Jewish families
who receive free books each month — kids in 40
countries now get packages from PJ Library. In time
for Passover, it has set up a hub with fun and fresh
kid-friendly Passover recipes for breakfast, lunch, and
dinner for the eight-day holiday. (Passover this year
is from sundown on April 22 to sunset on April 30.)
The recipe below and Passover activities for kids
are available on the PJ Library Passover hub/website,
pjlibrary.org. They’re all downloadable and free.

Fire Roasted Tomato Soup with Cheddar Matzah Crisps

Recipe by Jennifer Stempel of TheCubanReuben.com

INGREDIENTS:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small sweet onion, diced
2 whole carrots, diced Pesach Mandelbroit
1 1/2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning Recipe by Enid Ruzinsky z”l, a true woman of valor,
1 14.5-ounce can of diced fire-roasted
courtesy of her daughter, Ellen Ruzinsky.
tomatoes
1 tablespoon fresh oregano, chopped
INGREDIENTS:
kosher salt and freshly ground black
2 cups sugar
pepper
1/2 (one half to clarify) pound margarine (unsalted)
3 tablespoons cream cheese
6 eggs
splash of milk
2 3/4 cups matzah cake meal
fresh basil for garnish
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
3/4 cup potato starch
1-2 pieces of matzah
two 3-ounce bars of bittersweet chocolate cut into
small bits
PREPARE:
1 cup chopped walnuts
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a soup
1 teaspoon cinnamon and 2 teaspoons sugar mixed
pot, sauté onions and carrots in olive oil
together for topping
over medium heat, until onions become
translucent and carrots soften. Add
PREPARE:
Italian seasoning, fire-roasted tomatoes (including liquid from can), and fresh oregano. Season
Cream sugar and margarine. Add eggs one at a
with salt and pepper to taste. Let simmer for 15 minutes. Stir in the cream cheese and splash of
time, beating after each one. Sift cake meal, salt,
milk, and let the cheese dissolve. Use an immersion blender (or very carefully pour your liquid
and starch together. Fold into egg mixture.
into a regular blender) to blend the soup to your desired consistency. Ladle the soup into bowls
Add chocolate and nuts and mix well.
and garnish with fresh basil.
Form into two loaves, 2 inches wide and less
While the soup simmers, sprinkle cheese onto matzahs and bake in the oven for 5-10 minutes,
than an inch high. Sprinkle with cinnamon and
or until the cheese melts. Break matzah into large pieces and serve with soup. COURTESY PJ LIBRARY
sugar mixture. Bake on a greased cookie sheet for
350 degrees for 45 minutes.

26 JEWISH STANDARD APRIL 19, 2024

 ‫לשנה‬
‫הבאה‬
‫בישראל‬
‫הבנויה‬
NEXT YEAR IN ISRAEL

!‫חג פסח שמח‬

JEWISH STANDARD APRIL 19, 2024 27
Around the Community

Friday APRIL 19
Dementia awareness in West
Orange: Arden Courts offers
“Power of Mind,” a dementia and
Alzheimers awareness program,
at the JCC MetroWest. Speakers,
lunch, raffle, 2 CEU credits, and
more. 10 a.m.–2 p.m. Register:
www.EventBrite.com, search for
dementia west orange.
Sunday APRIL 21
Lily Arbisser
Dimitri Malignan
PHOTOS COURTESY TBR
Music of the Shoah in Wyckoff:
Two award-winning musicians,
soprano Lily Arbisser and pianist
Dimitri Malignan, will perform
“Missing Voices: Music by Jewish
Composers Persecuted in the
Shoah” at Temple Beth Rishon.
Noon. www.bethrishon.org.
Fay Jacobs
Aging gracefully with humor:
Comic/storyteller Fay Jacobs
presents her show, “Aging
Gracelessly: 50 Shades of Fay,”
for Temple Emeth in Teaneck’s
Viewpoints committee. 2 p.m.
(201) 833-1322 or
viewpoints@emeth.org.
All Seasons Chamber Players
Chamber music in Teaneck: The
All Seasons Chamber Players, one
of New Jersey’s most popular and
active chamber music ensembles,
will perform “A Musical Tapestry”
at the Teaneck Public Library.
2 p.m. Admission is free.
Information: (201) 837-4171.
Tuesday APRIL 23
Passover minyan in Paterson: The
Paterson Shul @Seniors Tower of
Paterson, 27th Street/corner of
12th Avenue, holds a minyan in the
10-story apartment complex. 9 a.m.
Also April 30. Email JerrySchranz@
gmail.com or go go Paterson Shul
on Facebook.
Arthur Schechner Chris Wragge
JCHC plans annual May gala
The Jewish Community Housing Corpo-
ration of Metropolitan New Jersey will
honor its founding president, Arthur
Schechner, at a celebration at the Crys-
tal Plaza in Livingston on May 15. CBS2
News anchor Chris Wragge will emcee
the program, which will include a cock-
tail dinner reception and a live perfor-
mance by Karen Mason of Broadway’s
“Sunset Boulevard,” “Hairspray,” and
“Mamma Mia!”
Attendees will make a difference in
the lives of senior residents and the com-
munities where they live by supporting
the ongoing Lester Senior Housing Com-
munity Capital Campaign. Donations
will fund vital building renovations,
enriching community activities and
healthcare advancements for all JCHC
senior residents.
For information, reservations, or
Karen Mason
sponsorship opportunities, go to wiz-
events.com/jchcorp2024, call JCHC’s
director of development, Amy Epstein,
at (973) 530-3966, or email her at
AmyE@jchcorp.org.
The JCHC, a nonprofit, 501(c) (3) orga-
nization rooted in Jewish values, was
founded in 1983 with the mission of pro-
viding senior citizens with affordable
homes in nurturing and enriching com-
munities in Greater MetroWest NJ. In
addition to owning, managing, and oper-
ating a variety of residential options for
seniors, the JCHC continues to develop
a range of programs and activities to
enhance the residents’ quality of life and
to provide both residents and their loved
ones with the peace of mind that they
are in good hands. To learn more about
the JCHC, go to jchcorp.org.
PHOTOS COURTESY JCHC

Camp Ramah in the Berkshires

to hold annual gala on May 9
Camp Ramah in the Berkshires will hold
its annual gala on May 9. It will honor
Eileen and Jerry Lieberman of Harrison,
N.Y., and Susie and Joel Berman of Hew-
lett, N.Y. Arielle Glaser of Oradell, Eli
Grossman of Teaneck, and Josh Wohl
of East Brunswick will receive Alumni
Leadership awards. Camp Ramah in the
Berkshires in Wingdale, N.Y., is celebrat-
ing its 60th anniversary.
The Liebermans, dedicated sup-
porters of Ramah Berkshires, have
been instrumental in founding the Tik-
vah program, enabling campers with
a wide range of disabilities to enjoy all
the magic camp has to offer.
The Bermans’ connection to Ramah
spans three generations. Their com-
mitment to camp includes participat-
ing in year-round Ramah Berkshires
community events and hosting the
28 JEWISH STANDARD APRIL 19, 2024
annual Golf & Pool Outing in North
Salem, N.Y.
Arielle Glaser, Eli Grossman, and
Josh Wohl are leaders in the Alumni
Association, engaging alumni through
initiatives including Labor Day week-
end for alumni at camp in Wingdale
and the Ramah Basketball Association
in NYC, and chairing the Golf & Pool Mayor Mark Zinna of Tenafly, left, with Adi Alexander, father of hostage
Outing. Edan Alexander of Tenafly, Englewood Mayor Michael Wildes, and Rep. Josh
Ramah Berkshires is a vibrant sum- Gottheimer (D-NJ Dist. 5.)
mer camp community. From sports to
the arts, swimming to outdoor adven- Fundraiser for
ture, camp is infused with the best of
the traditions and values of Conser- Congressman Josh Gottheimer
vative Judaism: love of mitzvot, the
Mr. Wildes hosted a breakfast fund- hostages of the October 7 — including
Hebrew language, and the land and
raising meeting with Congressman U.S. citizens — home from Gaza and their
people of Israel; commitment to inclu-
Josh Gottheimer that focused on Mr. Hamas captors. For information, go to
sion and tikkun olam; and the joy of
Gottheimer’s support of Israel and the www.wildeslaw.com or email Mr. Wildes
learning and prayer. To donate, go to
pressing need to bring the October 7 at michael@wildeslaw.com.
ramahberkshires.org/gala2024.
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JEWISH STANDARD APRIL 19, 2024 29

 Around the Community
JFCS volunteer coordinator Stacey Frenkel, left, with volunteers Michelle
Beer, Pam Morgenstern, Marsha Shapiro, Dani Volerich, and Gillian Volerich
JFCS of Northern New Jersey celebrates its volunteers
Jewish Family and Children’s Services
of Northern New Jersey celebrated its
volunteers at its first annual Volunteer
Appreciation luncheon, held at Care
One at the Cupola in Paramus on April
3. Volunteers gathered for an afternoon
of education, socialization, entertain-
ment, and glatt kosher food catered
by CareOne in Teaneck. The program
was a token of appreciation for JFCS’s
200+ volunteers, who are commit-
ted to improving the lives of people in
need. The volunteers provide essential
support, ensuring that JFCS is the men-
tal health and social safety net for our
Young Jewish business leaders
attend Excel Fellowship Summit
Last week, about 400 Excel Fel-
lows from North America and
around the world gathered in
New York City for the Exceler-
ate24 Summit. Excel is a lifelong
global business fellowship, part
of Birthright Israel, that identifies
and brings together the next gen-
eration of Jewish business lead-
ers. After completing a summer
business or tech internship in
Israel, the Excel community pro-
vides immersive opportunities in
professional development, net-
working, personal growth, Israel
engagement and Jewish identity.
Meital Rosenberg of Parsippany, left,
After their internships, Excel
and Becky Haft of Fair Lawn
Fellows have maximized their
experiences by taking on positions at
top-tier companies such as J.P. Morgan
Chase, Bain & Company, and Google,
developing strategic partnerships with
Israeli companies, and starting their
own companies, often hiring other
fellows.
30 JEWISH STANDARD APRIL 19, 2024
PHOTOS COURTESY JFCS
JFCS board member Ron Rosensweig, left, with Arline Herman, Judi and
Jerry Pitkowsky —2023 JFCS Volunteers of the Year — and Richard Kulesza
community. the opportunity to honor them. Its vol-
The luncheon kicked off with CPR unteers are integral to how JFCS serves
training, led by Doug Tobin of Metropol- the community, with its Kosher Meals
itan Medical Corporation; it was funded on Wheels, Friendly Visitor, Telephone
by the Sephardic Foundation on Aging. Reassurance, Cooking Companion,
Participants learned infant, child, and RAISE, Corner Market Food Pantry,
adult CPR. and ClubEd After School programs. The
JFCS CEO Susan Greenbaum and Jen- volunteers provide thousands of hours
nifer Van Dam, CareOne at the Cupola’s of valuable services and allow JFCS to
director of sales and marketing, were operate effectively and efficiently.
among the speakers. The day ended To learn more about volunteer-
with an origami lesson by JFCS volunteer ing email Stacey Frenkel at StaceyF@
Ilene Kahn. jfcsnnj.org. To learn more about JFCS
JFCS appreciates all that the volun- or request services, go to jfcsnnj.org or CPR trainer Doug Tobin is with
teers contribute and was grateful for call (201) 837-9090. volunteer Pam Morgenstern
Binghamton University
marks Mega Shabbat 2400
The 30th annual Mega Shabbat met at Shabbat candles, and heard greetings
the Rohr Chabad Center for Jewish Stu- from many public figures, including
dent Life at Binghamton University on New York’s Governor Kathy Hochul and
April 5. Mega Shabbat 2400 was created performers Montana Tucker and Mayim
to bring together as many Jewish stu- Bialik.
dents as possible in a joyous celebration “Binghamton’s annual Shabbat din-
COURTESY BIRTHRIGHT ISRAEL EXCEL.
of Shabbat and of their Jewish identity. ner at the Events Center is one of the
Originally named Shabbat 1000, the pro- university’s great traditions and it has
gram evolved into a longstanding tradi- been emulated by colleges around the
tion that has since been replicated on world since it began 30 years ago,” Mr.
more than 150 campuses throughout the Stenger said. “My thanks go out to Rabbi
world. To this day, Binghamton main- Levi Slonim and the Rohr Chabad Center
tains the record for the largest number as well as the many student volunteers
of students gathered in one space for a who make this event possible. Many of
Shabbat dinner. our students are away from home, and
The participants included Bingham- Shabbat 2400 allows them to experience
ton’s President Harvey Stenger and familiar comforts — and build a sense
other faculty members. During the of belonging — through sharing a meal
Moshe Lavi, whose brother-in-law, pre-Shabbat part of the program, par- with other members of the university
Omri Miran, is a hostage in Gaza, ticipants wrapped tefillin, danced, lit community.”
was among the speakers. A panel,
Six Months of Strength & Survival,
featured Excel Fellows who are IDF NORPAC’s Mission to Washington 2024
reservists and talked about their On Wednesday, May 15, NORPAC goes to Congress in Washington with busloads of
experiences. supporters to advocate for a stronger U.S.-Israel relationship.
Early registration pricing is available until May 1. More information is available
online at norpac.net/mission-to-washington, by emailing Avi@norpac.net, or calling
(201) 788-5133.
LET’S
WORK!
Ohel’s Prevocational Training Program
and Employment Support in Teaneck
For Adults 21 and Older with
Developmental Disabilities
Ohel helps adults with developmental disabilities prepare for — and
maintain — employment through pre-employment training and job
coaching in a supportive, encouraging, and fun environment.

While most of the job skills training takes place one-on-one, our
Prevocational program also includes enriching group activities and
socialization opportunities.

Our programs help individuals discover careers that match their abilities
and passions, so they can enjoy volunteering and working in their
communities and lead more fulfilling lives.

We can help your family member learn

pre-professional skills and maintain a meaningful
paid job.

For more information, contact Ohel at

njservices@ohelfamily.org or 718-686-3313.

JEWISH STANDARD APRIL 19, 2024 31

Yeshiva University’s Katz School
launches premier fast-track nursing program
Program allows students to finish nursing degree in just 16 months
YESHIVA UNIVERSITY investment in New York’s future.” health assessment, clinical skills, and advanced clinical

M
e e t i n g t h e u r ge n t
demand for more com-
petent, caring, and
qualified nurses in the
tristate area and across the nation,
the Katz School of Science and Health
at Yeshiva University has created
a premier program that will bring
nurses into the field in just 16 months.
Featuring a cutting-edge curricu-
lum that meets the most up-to-date
standards for competency-based
curriculum outlined by the Ameri-
can Association of Colleges of Nurs-
ing, the Accelerated B.S. in Nursing
is geared toward those students with
a non-nursing bachelor’s degree who
wish to fast track their entry into the
field with a degree in nursing.
The program is now accepting applications for Fall
2024.
Here’s how it works.
At Katz, nursing students need to take only nursing
courses and clinical rotations. This allows them to grad-
uate in just 16 months, with an immersive health sci-
ence experience, and fill urgently needed positions at
hospitals and clinics locally and nationally.
“Yeshiva University’s new nursing program is
another example of our values in action,” Rabbi Dr. Ari
Berman, president of Yeshiva University, said. “When
we see a need in the world, we rise to meet it at the
highest level of academic excellence. The program will
launch in a brand new, state-of-the-art 30,000-square-
foot facility. Yeshiva University is making a long-term
“Located in Midtown Manhattan—
two blocks from Grand Central Station
and surrounded by world-class hospi-
tals — our students will gain unparal-
leled hands-on clinical experiences,”
Dr. Paul Russo, dean of the Katz
School, said. “They will be prepared
for jobs at the best hospitals, schools,
and clinics in the country. The market
is huge for to them with starting sala-
ries for RNs in the New York area rang-
ing from $100K to $110K.”
The nursing program joins the Katz
School’s other top-tier healthcare pro-
grams, which prepare highly skilled cli-
nicians in physician assistant studies,
occupational therapy, and speech-lan-
guage pathology programs. On aver-
age, 95% of Katz School health science
graduates have passed their national licensure exams
and are employed within six months of graduation in
high-growth, high-wage careers.
“Katz School graduates are committed to improving
health outcomes, quality of life, and the experience of
their patients,” Selma Botman, provost and vice pres-
ident for academic affairs, said. “Our graduates will
have boundless opportunities to make a difference in
the lives of patients and their families.”
The accelerated B.S. in nursing teaches the latest
methods, diagnostics, and protocols for working with
patients from all backgrounds and across the lifespan,
preparing highly trained, culturally competent regis-
tered professional nurses to provide evidence-based,
patient-centered health care.
Students master patient-care skills in state-of-the-art
simulation laboratories, and gain clinical experience in
top-tier hospitals and clinics during medical, surgical,
pediatric, maternity, psychiatric, and community clin-
ical rotations.
“Our students will be able to focus on nursing and
immerse themselves in a rigorous health science envi-
ronment,” Peggy Tallier, Katz School senior associate
dean of nursing, said. “At the Katz School, our mission
is clear: train the best students well and do it quickly,
so they can contribute to the health of our community.”
Graduates will be qualified to take the National
Council Licensure Examination — Registered Nurse
(NCLEX-RN), enabling them to take on generalist roles
in a variety of health care settings.
For more information or to apply, go to www.yu.edu/
nursing.
About the Katz School
of Science and Health
The Katz School of Science and Health, in the
heart of New York City, is Yeshiva University’s
flagship school for STEM and health sciences.
We are research scientists, tech builders, and
patient-centered clinicians, working on prob-
lems that matter. We focus on industry sectors
that are central to the modern economy: AI,
biotechnology, computer science, cybersecuri-
ty, data analytics, digital media,and fintech, as
well as nursing, occupational therapy, physi-
cian assistant studies, and speech-language
pathology. In the lab, classroom, and clinic, we
lead with kindness, integrity, generosity, and
a commitment to making the world smarter,
safer, and healthier.

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Rabbi Schachter and Rebbetzin Schachter with Dean Shoshana Schechter, Dr. Yitzchak Schechter, and students after Havdalah.
Rabbi Hershel and Rebbetzin Shoshana Schachter
spend a memorable Shabbat with Stern College students
STERN COLLEGE FOR WOMEN
I
n what was a unique and extraordinary experi-
ence, more than 50 Stern College students had
the opportunity to spend Shabbat with YU Rosh
Yeshiva Rabbi Hershel Schachter and his wife,
Rebbetzin Shoshana Schachter. The special Shabba-
ton took place on April 12-13 at the home of Shoshana
Schechter, the associate dean of Torah and Spiritual
Life at Stern College for Women, and her husband, Dr.
Yitzchak Schechter.
Rabbi and Rebbetzin Schachter joined the students
34 JEWISH STANDARD APRIL 19, 2024
at the Shabbat meals, giving the young women a
chance to interact with the couple and get to know
them. In addition to offering words of Torah through-
out Shabbat, the rabbi and rebbetzin participated in
a question-and-answer session that offered a glimpse
into their personal lives, sharing their thoughts on
such topics as who their mentors have been and what
inspires them. In a special treat for everyone after
Havdalah, Rabbi Schachter beautifully sang the niggun
“Haben Yakir Li” while Rebbetzin Schachter accompa-
nied him on the piano. It was the tune that accompa-
nied them down the aisle at their wedding.
“The Shabbaton was incredibly meaningful and
filled with Torah and warmth, with the students get-
ting to see the personal side of a true Gadol Hador and
his remarkable wife,” Dean Schechter said. “Where
else can you spend an up-close-and-personal Shabbat
with such a special couple than as a student at Stern
College? It was an experience none of the students will
ever forget.”
Dina Schiowitz, a junior from Teaneck, added: “I have
so much hakaras hatov to Stern for providing us with so
many incredible and meaningful opportunities, such as
spending Shabbos with Rav and Rebbetzin Schachter.”
 JEWISH
COMMUNITY
CAMPAIGN
CARES FOR OTHERS • COMBATS ANTISEMITISM & SECURES OUR COMMUNITY
STRENGTHENS JEWISH IDENTITY • ADVOCATES & SUPPORTS ISRAEL

Federation’s Jewish Community DONATE

Campaign touches the heart of the
community by extending a helping
hand, standing up against hate, !‫כולנו ביחד‬
fostering our Jewish spirit and showing
All of us together
unwavering support for Israel. JFNNJ.ORG/DONATE
50 Eisenhower Drive, Paramus | 201-820-3900

JEWISH STANDARD APRIL 19, 2024 35

Local

A day late, a dollar short

Ukraine and Russia, Israel and Iran face off in a game of existential chess
JOANNE PALMER

T
here are both similarities and differences
between chess as a game with ivory pieces
on a checkered board — the ultimate abstract
Game of Thrones — and what’s going on
right now as aspiring empires around the world, led
by bloody-handed dictators, reposition themselves as
the tectonic plates shift beneath them — the all-too-real
Game of Thrones.
Our Ukrainian war analyst, Alexander Smukler of
Montclair, knows a lot about chess. As a child in the
Soviet Union, he learned to play the game.
“I’ve been playing chess all my life,” he
said. “Chess education was very high-level
as a matter of state policy, so I started to This chess set uses
go to chess school when I was 8,” he said. traditional Russian
“They were very sophisticated, semi-pro- and politicians are matryoshka dolls in place
fessional level, I usually went two or three very good at chess. But of more conventional warriors.
times a week, after school or on week- I’m not nearly as high level as
ends.” The training is open to all small Natan Sharansky.” been saying are connected for the last year — is the
children, but once you hit high school, This is relevant because Mr. Smukler sees game’s mittleshpiel.
you had to be selected to play. He was. “I Alexander Smukler the world in terms of chess — and he’s not “Last May, I said that Putin is cornered, and he will
was the chairman of my high school and alone. He’s sure that Vladimir Putin sees it be looking for a way out,” Mr. Smukler said. “One of the
college chess clubs,” Mr. Smukler said. in the same way — “I don’t know if he plays chess, but ways he could get out would be a conflict on another
“When I graduated from the university, I couldn’t I’m sure that he must, and I know that the KGB acad- part of the planet.
get a job, because I was a refusenik and a member of emy had chess as part of its education” he said — and so “The game has three phases — debut, mittleshpiel,
Mashka” — an underground Jewish movement — “so I do the leaders of China and Iran. and endshpiel,” Mr. Smukler said. “The debut was
taught chess. It gave me free time in the morning. So what’s going on now in the wars in Ukraine and extremely bad for Putin. He made a major mistake
“Chess is my passion,” he added. “Jewish intellectuals Gaza — which he sees as deeply connected, and has when he invaded Ukraine. His blitzkrieg did not work.

The Iron Shield — and Israel’s allies — shoot down the attack from Iran.
36 JEWISH STANDARD APRIL 19, 2024
JEWISH
COMMUNITY
CAMPAIGN
ADVOCATES & SUPPORTS ISRAEL
AND • CARES FOR OTHERS •
COMBATS ANTISEMITISM & SECURES OUR COMMUNITY •
STRENGTHENS JEWISH IDENTITY •

DONATE
Federation’s Jewish Community
Campaign touches the heart of the
community by extending a helping
hand, standing up against hate,
!‫כולנו ביחד‬
fostering our Jewish spirit and showing All of us together
JFNNJ.ORG/DONATE
unwavering support for Israel.
50 Eisenhower Drive, Paramus | 201-820-3900

JEWISH STANDARD APRIL 19, 2024 37

 Jewish World

Donald Trump shakes hands with former U.S. ambassador to Israel David M.
U.S. Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-La.) speaks with reporters on Friedman, during the 2024 NRB International Christian Media Convention
Feb. 5, 2024. ANNA MONEYMAKER/GETTY IMAGES Presidential Forum in Nashville on Feb. 22, 2024.  JON CHERRY/GETTY IMAGES

That was his debut. That continued until October 7.
“But then there was the incredibly bloody October
7, and then, according to my theory, Putin moved the
global game of thrones to mittleshpiel.
“According to chess theory, you analyze many differ-
ent options, and choose one of them. You have to break
the situation into many small pieces. You have to pre-
dict your opponent’s moves, and as long as you predict
correctly, you win.
“In chess, there is no such thing as morality. You
simply have to destroy your opponent.
“In real life, there should be morality, but in reality
there isn’t. There are different rules up on the level
that those leaders play on, the people who lead the
world, and there is no morality. Their minds are built
differently.”
In general, Western leaders operate under different
constraints than Putin and his peers do.
“Western leaders wouldn’t do what Putin did
because they respect international law,” Mr. Smukler
said. They operate in a framework that values such
ideals, at least to some extent. “Putin destroyed the
pillars of peaceful cooperation because he crossed
the border into another country. From the point of
view of international law — not of morality — that’s
a crime. But of course Putin finds thousands of rea-
sons to explain why he did what he did — to denazify
Ukraine, to protect Russian-speaking Ukrainians. He
lies to his people.
“The fundamental difference between democratic

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 THIS PASSOVER, ELIJAH’S WON’T BE
THE ONLY EMPTY SEAT AT THE TABLE.
As we celebrate the seder, we remember those who should still be with us. Some of those seats belong
to Magen David Adom medics, who gave their lives trying to save others. Your donation provides the
equipment MDA needs so that next year only Elijah’s seat may be empty.
Join the effort at afmda.org or call 866.632.2763.

JEWISH STANDARD APRIL 19, 2024 39

Jewish World

and authoritarian leaders — dictators — is that in the
democratic world, leaders know that their terms are
short, and then they will step down and be replaced.
In the authoritarian world, the leader can stay
for years. Their priority is to protect their power.
Their throne.
“That’s what happened with Putin. He became a czar.
He concentrated such power that for him it became
more important to get a page in a history textbook than
to live in the modern, morality-based world.”
Mr. Smukler feels that Putin accomplished this goal
by working with partners in this shifting global order,
citing China and Iran as chief among those partners.
They were able to trigger Hamas to set off the explosion
that is rocking the Middle East now.
“And now we see the next face of this explosion,” Mr.
Smukler said. “We saw it on Saturday night, when Iran,
for the first time, started its missile attack on Israel not
through any proxies, but from its own territory.
“From a military point of view, the attack was enor-
mous. Nobody in history has had the experience of pro-
tecting its own country from hundreds of drones, tens
of ballistic missiles, and dozens of cruise missiles. The
scale of the attack was massive.
“And Israel protected itself, with help from the U.S.,
the U.K., and Jordan, destroying drones and missiles.
And Saudi Arabia helped too. This is incredible — abso-
lutely unexpected signs of cooperation. I applaud it.”
So now that Putin has plunged the deadly game he’s
playing with the world into mittleshpiel — a stage that
generally is fairly long, Mr. Smukler said, but most likely
will not be in this game — “the world’s attention was
switched to the Middle East, to Gaza, and to what Bibi
is doing, and to the hostages, and to the pro-Palestinian
demonstrations in Europe and the United States, and
Ukraine stopped being a priority for world leadership
after October 7.”
So for Bibi, as long
as the war continues,
he survives. I think
he needs the war,
and that was
predicted by
the people sitting
in the Kremlin.
Now, Mr. Smukler said, Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu will have to decide what to do. “He might
attack Iran,” Mr. Smukler said. “He is under enormous
pressure not to attack from the United States and from
Europe, but still it might be in his best interest to do so.
“He understands that he lost the war against Hamas.
He did not destroy Hamas. He has not gotten the hos-
tages home. He’s lost the lives of hundreds of soldiers.
They had to almost withdraw from Gaza, with zero
understanding of what to do next. Who will rule it?
Who will rebuild it?
“But now, according to my understanding, Bibi is
completely cornered. His career will end the minute the
war stops. He will be blamed for everything — not only
for October 7 but also for the war against Hamas, which
did not bring any results after six brutal, intense months.
“So for Bibi, as long as the war continues, he sur-
vives. I think he needs the war, and that was predicted
by the people sitting in the Kremlin. Personally, I think
that everything was planned and executed from there.
From that one place. From the Kremlin.
“But the U.S. administration and the White House are
putting every possible pressure on Bibi not to respond
to Iran. If he does respond to Iran now — not to Hezbol-
lah, not to any other proxies, but to Iran — that will start
the real third world war.”
Mr. Smukler returned to the matter of Ukraine.
“For six months, the United States was paralyzed in
its response.” The Republicans in the House have been
blocking aid packages to Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan
that have passed in the Senate and that President Biden
will sign immediately if they hit his desk.
“For some reason, the Freedom Caucus” — the small

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JEWISH STANDARD APRIL 19, 2024 41
Jewish World

group of extremely rightwing Republicans
that has assumed control of the House
because, given the arithmetic there, it
finds itself with veto power — “suddenly
realized themselves to be players in the
global game of thrones.
“It is shocking to me that our politi-
cal system is so impotent that we cannot
override them,” Mr. Smukler said; he is
joined in that shock by large numbers of
Americans who, like him, find themselves
surprised and appalled by the sclerotic
way the House is operating now.
The Freedom Caucus is voting against
aid to Ukraine because the man to
whom it pledges loyalty, former presi-
dent Donald J. Trump, has told them to
do so. “Donald Trump is one of the most
important players in this, and of course
he has his own agenda,” Mr. Smukler said;
his agenda seems to include an alliance of
sorts with Vladimir Putin.
As time goes by — it’s been more than
two years since Russia invaded Ukraine
— Ukraine has been getting less and less
of the aid that it needs. Both the United
States and the countries of the European
Union have been cutting back in their
help. “We should admit that there is not a
majority in the world that wants Ukraine
to be able to defend itself. More and
more countries, including Hungary, Slo-
vakia, Turkey, China, and the other Brics
countries are becoming more and more
involved in helping Russia. They think
that it would be much better if Ukraine
loses the war.
“Right now, Ukraine is still holding
onto the front lines, but it’s slowly, slowly
losing territories, and the Russians are
breaking through the front lines in differ-
ent places.
“They’re moving into a city called
Chasiv Yar, which is only 10 miles from
Bakhmut and Aavdiivka.
“Aavdiivka was an important point in
the Ukrainian defense line, but recently
the Russians invaded and broke through
the line. They’re moving toward Chasiv
Yar. They have gained just 10 miles of ter-
ritory in the last month, and they’re los-
ing almost 1,000 soldiers every day.
“But they will take over Chasiv Yar.
Their goal is to do it before the beginning
of May. It’s a small town, but it’s a very
important integral part of the Ukrainian’s
defense line.
“After that, the Russian will have won
an important strategic goal, and they
will go on to take over Kramatorsk,
which is one of Donetsk oblast’s big-
gest cities, and very highly industrial.
“Losing Kramatorsk would be a
major strategic disaster for Ukraine,
not only because it is a big city but
also because it’s Ukraine’s supply cen-
ter for that part of the defensive line.
Losing it would change the w hole ball
game.
“So right now, we have a very seri-
ous situation. The Ukrainians are
bleeding. They are holding up the
defense lines for now, but they are
losing the capacity to hold on.
“If Russia breaks through the
defense lines, that will mean the end
of the war. The Russians will be free to
move to Kharkov, and then to Odesa.
They will wall Ukraine off from the
Black Sea.”
From there, they’d go on to Kyiv,
and it would be game over.
“So right now, we’ve reached the
most important part of the mittlesh-
piel game — and of the war. Ukraine is
suffering the deficit of every possible
munition right now, and especially of
the air defense systems. They can’t
defend themselves. They can’t pro-
tect themselves against drones and
missiles.”
And then, to add to the misery,
there’s more.
“Last month, Russia successfully
destroyed Ukraine’s energy gen-
eration system,” Mr. Smukler said.
“Ukraine has practically lost its capac-
ity to generate energy. There are cities
with millions and millions of people
who have no electricity, no hot water,
no refrigerators.
“Ukraine today is getting some
electricity from Europe — there is a
power bridge between Ukraine and
European suppliers — but they are
not able to fully satisfy Ukraine’s
power needs. And the Russians now
are actively destroying not only pow-
er-generation stations, but also the
to five times as much to help it rebuild
its infrastructure,” Mr. Smukler said.
“It will cost us and our allies trillions of
dollars then, instead of billions of dol-
lars to support Ukraine now.”
It is also true that much of the
money for arms to Ukraine would be
spent not in Ukraine but in the United
States, where those armaments are
made.
“The only reason that Ukraine is
surviving now is because Putin was
waiting for his re-election” — the dic-
tator was swept back into the office
he plans never to leave by a vast if
coerced majority in mid-March —
“and he wasn’t able to announce
mobilization. The only problem for
him today is a huge deficit of cannon
fodder”— remember that the Rus-
sians were sacrificing almost 1,000
men a day to inch toward a small
town of no inherent value to them.
“He already has announced that he
will mobilize another 150,000 peo-
ple, but military experts agree that
Russia really will have to mobilize
between 500,000 and 600,000 in
the next four to five months.” And
now that he does not have to worry
about looking bad internally, Putin
feels free to impress as many young
men, particularly from the boon-
docks, as he needs.
“Russians understand. They are
feeling the weakness of Ukraine,
because our David, fighting against
Goliath, is getting weaker and weaker.
With Russia’s mobilization and train-
ing of new soldiers, it will increase its
attacks, using drones and missiles,
destroying Ukrainian infrastruc-
ture as it works to break through its
defense lines.
“I predict that Russia will start its
major offensive operation toward the
end of June or the beginning of July,
and that it will concentrate an enor-
mous number of missiles and drones
and aircraft and tanks and artillery
and human resources, and it will be

‫חג פסח שמח‬ transmitting equipment that could

transfer electricity throughout the
country.”
Yudin’s will be open: It could have been different “if, six
Thursday April 25 months ago, Ukraine had been able
Friday April 26 to successfully defend their skies
Sunday April 28 from missiles and drone attacks,”
Mr. Smukler said. “If only they’d had
enough missiles and shells. But they
didn’t, and they don’t.”
The missiles and drones the Rus-
sians fire at Ukraine are the same
ones that Iran hurled at Israel.
The United States “is saving $60
378 Main St, Wyckoff, NJ · 201-891-3111 billion in military support to Ukraine
right now, because the Republicans
218 Brook Ave, Passaic, NJ · 973-777-3849 aren’t allowing the financial package
www.yudinsappliances.com through, but if we want Ukraine to be
our ally after the war, it will cost us four
42 JEWISH STANDARD APRIL 19, 2024
able to change the pattern of the war
and basically destroy Ukraine.
“And Ukraine will move into a guer-
rilla war, with partisans fighting in
the woods, as they did in World War
II, using machine guns, bombs, and
explosives.
“Russia has a huge window of
opportunity to win the war and
smash the Ukrainian army. Ukraine is
suffering and bleeding because of the
lack of military supplies from Western
allies.”
What happens now basically is in
the hands of the right-wing Republi-
can members of Congress and their
spiritual leader, Donald Trump,
as they enthusiastically join in this
round of the global game of thrones.
 Jewish World

How does this war end? The day after

is looking ‘dark’ for Israel and Gaza
ANDREW SILOW-CARROLL

T
he war between Israel and Hamas — now in
its seventh month — shows no sign of ending
soon.
The United States said on Monday that
Hamas rejected the most recent proposal for a tempo-
rary ceasefire in Gaza. Meanwhile, an unprecedented
rocket attack on Israel from Iran scrambled the calcu-
lations of Israel and its allies. In a rare statement, the
Israeli Mossad intelligence service said Hamas “con-
tinues to take advantage of tensions with Iran to try to
unite the theaters and to achieve a general escalation
in the region.”
But Israel said on April 7 that it was withdrawing all
but one brigade from southern Gaza, and its special
ground forces had “concluded its mission” in the city of
Khan Younis and left Gaza “to recuperate and prepare
for future operations.”
While Israel still insists it must invade Rafah to finish An Israeli soldier flashes the V-for-victory sign atop a tank moving along the border with Gaza in
off Hamas, this month’s withdrawal raises the possibil- southern Israel on Feb. 15, 2024.  JACK GUEZ/AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES
ity for an end to the war itself — or at least an opportu-
nity for experts in the region to begin asking what end- What’s the short answer? Nothing good. Oct. 7, the Israeli government of Prime Minister Benja-
ing the war would look like, and what happens next. After Hamas’s brutal attack on southern Israel on min Netanyahu announced two main goals: eliminating

JEWISH STANDARD APRIL 19, 2024 43

 Jewish World
Hamas and bringing back the hostages whom the terrorists Meanwhile, Israel will need assurances that its own
dragged to Gaza. people are safe from attacks, and that a rump force of
Israel has seriously degraded Hamas’s military and killed Hamas or whichever radicalized fighters now emerge
one of its top commanders, Saleh Arouri, allowing Israel won’t stage another Oct. 7, or even a series of smaller
the potential to declare at least a partial battlefield victory. attacks.
Should hostages be returned and the bodies of the missing Experts suggest a limited range of possibilities for
be accounted for — for now, a big if — that would bring Israel the future governance of Gaza:
closer to its stated goals. The Palestinian Authority, which cooperates with
But then what? Gaza is a shambles, and in the absence of Israel in governing Palestinian population centers in
Hamas — which has governed the enclave in various ways the West Bank, could do the same in a postwar Gaza.
since 2006 — someone else has to coordinate its reconstruc- A United Nations-led or international coalition
tion and deliver on the everyday needs of a traumatized could keep the peace and deliver humanitarian aid.
and in large part internally displaced population of more A group of countries in the region— including
than 2 million. Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and nations that have signed
normalization agreements with Israel — could take
charge
None of these options will be easy, or even likely.
HAPPY PASSOVER “I would say that numbers two and three are basi-
cally kind of fading,” Nathan Brown, a professor of
political science and international affairs at George
Washington University, said. “So we’re back to num-
ber one. The P.A. is now kind of making noises to
484 KINDERKAMACK RD., RIVER EDGE, NJ suggest it might play some kind of role if given that
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OUR SERVICES ARE: The two main obstacles to a P.A. role in Gaza’s
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| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | even dimmer view of its longtime president, Mah-
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
moud Abbas. He has not stood for election in nearly
Wishing you two decades, and the vast majority of Palestinians
want him to resign.
a Happy
“For the P.A. to take on a significant role it would be
Passover! seen by most Palestinians as essentially a collaboration
with the Israelis,” said Brown, the author of six books
on politics in the Arab world, including “Palestinian
VOTED Politics After the Oslo Accords” and “When Victory Is
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12 Michael Christodoulakis © 2012 Michael Christodoulakis imagine this government doing it.”
And even if Israel and the P.A. could agree to an
arrangement in Gaza, the task is enormous. “This
isn’t just sort of stepping into an existing administra-
$1 OFF tion,” Brown said. “This is really like stepping into a
massive refugee camp, with none of those services
any $10 purchase provided.”
$2 OFF Meanwhile Israel’s far right has its own plans for
the future of Gaza: Jewish resettlement. In January,
any $20 purchase right-wing ministers and lawmakers met in Jerusa-
Dine-in only, 5pm-9pm. Expires 5/31/24. lem to discuss rebuilding Israeli settlements in Gaza,
Cannot be combined with other offers.
which Israel dismantled in 2005. Israeli Prime Min-
ister Benjamin Netanyahu and other senior officials
have said repeatedly that they have no intention of
reoccupying Gaza, and most Israelis oppose the idea.
375 State Rt. 17 North, Mahwah, NJ But far-right leaders hold senior positions in Netanya-
(201) 529-3353 hu’s coalition and can play the spoiler in implement-
ing any of the alternatives.
www.statelinediner.com Netanyahu also has proposed an alternative
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | to resettlement or a strong role for the P.A.: He
44 JEWISH STANDARD APRIL 19, 2024
suggested putting “civil administration and respon-
sibility for the public order” in the hands of “locals
with administrative experience.”
“There’s been this idea of finding heads of clans
or tribal chiefs or business people with some sort
of authority who can set up alternative structures,”
Michael Koplow said; he’s the chief policy officer
of Israel Policy Forum, a U.S.-based group that sup-
ports Palestinian statehood alongside Israel. “The
idea is that you then run Gaza in a more localized
way instead of treating it as a whole, and you find the
strong man or committee of strong men who can run
each municipality. I think that’s unlikely and unwork-
able for all sorts of reasons,” including the likelihood
that local leaders will be intimidated by what remains
of Hamas or their sympathizers.
“What does seem clear, however, is that both sides
now have no good options that will bring lasting
peace or stability,” Koplow continued, reflecting not
just the views of his organization, which has long sup-
ported a two-state solution, but a growing consensus
across an ideological spectrum.
Writing for the right-leaning Israeli think tank
BESA, Shai Shabtai described victory as a “fundamen-
tal weakening of the enemy’s military capacity to do
harm.” In the aftermath, he envisions a years-long
process in which the Israeli Defense Forces would
continue to battle and eliminate guerrillas and a local
civilian authority would emerge, responsible for gov-
ernance and law enforcement.
“Such a process does not yet appear practical or
feasible in Gaza, and even if it were, it is highly com-
plex,” Shabtai acknowledged. And even if were to
come about, it would be temporary absent “a funda-
mental change in the situation on the ground.”
In an interview, Dana Stroul, director of research
and senior fellow at the Washington Institute for Near
East Policy, described the immediate challenges fol-
lowing a military victory.
“We’re going to have to have discussions about
clearing the rubble, getting people back to their
homes,” she said. “Kids are going to have to go to
school, people are going to need medical care and
need to get water pumps and sanitation back on. All
of that requires some sort of governing entity. You
want a phone number you can call, an office you can
go to, and if it’s not going to be Israel in charge — and
they’ve said they don’t want to be an occupying force
— it has to be something else. And there is no articu-
lated answer from either Netanyahu or anybody else
about what that day after looks like.”
Like others, Stroul, who was U.S. deputy assistant
secretary of defense for the Middle East from 2021
to 2023, knows what a day after can look like when
things go horribly wrong.
“We know, from decades of U.S. military experi-
ence in Iraq and Afghanistan, that if you just have mil-
itary operations to defeat the enemy, and you don’t
actually think about the needs of the civilian popula-
tion, then you are creating conditions for perpetual
insecurity,” she said.
Brown compared the challenges facing Israel and
the Palestinians to the “de-Ba’athification” process
after the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in 2003.
“Conventional military victory was obtained easily
within weeks, but as soon as they got to Baghdad the
first thing they did was essentially abolish large parts
of the Iraqi state,” Brown said. “They abolished the
Ba’ath party, abolished the Iraqi military, sent every-
body home, and then hoped something else would

emerge. It did not, and I think that’s really been inform-
ing an awful lot of the heavy American pressure [on
Israel] on the day after.”
Koplow said that even if Israel succeeds in remov-
ing Hamas from government and defeating its military,
there will be a sizable number of people who worked
in Hamas’s bureaucracy in various functions in Gaza
since 2007, after a power struggle with the P.A.-affili-
ated Fatah left Hamas in control of the strip.
“I think that ultimately, unless this is going to be
a forever war, Israel is going to have to deal with the
non-military Hamas institutions in some way, shape or
form that doesn’t mean accepting them and allowing
them to rule Gaza,” Koplow said. “I think that not inter-
acting with them is going to end up being a mistake.”
Koplow also believes the Iranian missile barrage may
force Israel to choose between disregarding the P.A. and
keeping Iranian influence at bay. “For all of its numer-
ous faults, the P.A. is not an Iranian proxy,” Koplow
tweeted on Saturday. “If the fight against Iran is going
to be prioritized, it needs to mean changes with regard
to Israeli policy in the West Bank and Gaza, full stop.”
Israel is facing pressure from the United States to put
a two-state deal back on the table, pressure from Euro-
peans who have lost patience with the enormous death
toll in Gaza and reports of looming famine, and growing
impatience from Arab neighbors who have peace trea-
ties or normalization agreements with Israel or are, like
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Saudi Arabia, considering them.
But Israel is also a democracy, and on the day the war
ends, it will have to deal with its own population — one
that is deeply traumatized by Oct. 7 and angry with its
government.
“The Israeli public now is traumatized, saying there
is no one to talk to and they have no interest in Pal-
estinian affairs,” Shira Efron, senior director of pol-
icy research at the Israel Policy Forum, said. “At the
moment the Israelis know what they don’t want to see,”
which is a military threat from Gaza.
“And they want the hostages back, and they also
don’t want a long-term Israeli occupation of Gaza. They
don’t want their taxpayers to pay for Gaza, or the edu-
cation of its children. At the end of the day, the Israeli
public would like Gaza to be managed in a responsible
way.”
But Efron said a distinction must be made between
what the people want and what is required of their gov-
ernment to lead and inspire them.
“We have to start thinking about how to solve and
how to address what happens next,” she said. “And it’s
a difficult conversation that the Israeli public is not hav-
ing at the moment.”
At the moment, it is hard to find any observer who
feels optimism about what happens after the fighting
stops. Even were Israel to encourage the P.A. to play a
role in governing Gaza, the obstacles remain enormous,
PROGRAM & CONCERT
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10-10 Norma Avenue, Fair Lawn
Transportation may be available upon request.
Community Speaker
Fair Lawn Mayor Gail Rottenstrich
Jewish World
as Aaron David Miller, a former U.S. State Department
Middle East analyst, wrote recently in Foreign Policy:
“Training thousands of Palestinian security forces
would be a logical first step, but this will take up to a
year or more,” he wrote. “Even if that were to happen,
the P.A. has no credibility in the West Bank, let alone in
Gaza. Elections for a new Palestinian Legislative Coun-
cil and president are light years away. And given the
P.A.’s weakness, it would need Hamas’s support in Gaza
to return to govern.”
Miller tends to share Brown’s deep pessimism; Brown
argued in a piece he wrote shortly after the start of the
war that the region faces “a long twilight of disintegra-
tion and despair.”
“I think Israelis are looking at a future that is dark —
not grinding on a daily basis, but just dark,” Brown said
this week. “It will leave a lot of people pessimistic about
the society’s long-term future. And for Palestinians it is
absolutely disastrous, and for the ones in Gaza, there’s
just an enormous cost in human terms. For most Pales-
tinians, they’ve got their national identity feelings, but
they have no viable strategy for realizing national goals,
and even their basic institutions are disintegrating.
“I’ve been kind of in a dark mood about this,” Brown
continued, almost apologetically. “This destroying
of tens of thousands of lives brought out the worst in
almost all actors. I don’t see how anything good comes
anytime soon.” JEWISH TELEGRAPHIC AGENCY
A Concert:
A Journey of Music Written
During the Holocaust
JEWISH STANDARD APRIL 19, 2024 45
Jewish World

Ken Holtzman, winningest Jewish pitcher in MLB history, dies at 78

JACOB GURVIS
Ken Holtzman, the winningest Jew-
ish pitcher in baseball history, died
Sunday night. He was 78. He had been
hospitalized for three weeks with heart
issues, his brother Bob told the St. Louis
Post-Dispatch
The MLB veteran threw
two no-hitters, won four
World Series rings, and beat
Sandy Koufax head-to-head
once across 15 seasons in the
1960s and 1970s. He would
later work at a local JCC

SPORTING NEWS VIA GETTY IMAGES

Best Wishes for a Happy Passover! and as a manager in Israel’s
short-lived professional base-
ball league — though he quit
before the season ended, cit-
ing poor conditions.
Holtzman was drafted by
the Cubs in the first MLB
Saddle River, NJ Draft in 1965, and went on
cell: 201-314-7042 to play for the Cubs in two
www.ruthweitzman.com stints; the Oakland Athlet- Ken Holtzman pitches for the Chicago
Certified Listing Professional ics, where he won three con- Cubs during the 1968 season.
Ruth Weitzman secutive titles from 1972 to
“Everything She Touches Turns to Sold” 1974; the Baltimore Orioles, and the
New York Yankees, where he won his
fourth ring in 1978 despite not appear-
ing in the series. He was a two-time
PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE OF THE
All-Star.
PLANNING BOARD OF THE TOWNSHIP OF
In a post on Monday announcing
TEANECK, BERGEN COUNTY, NEW JERSEY Holtzman’s death, the Cubs remem-
ADOPTION OF ENVIRONMENTAL bered him as “one of the best left-
RESOURCE INVENTORY UPDATE handed pitchers in Cubs history.”
As a young Jewish lefty pitcher
PLEASE TAKE NOTICE, that the May 9, 2024 regular meeting of the Township breaking into the big leagues in 1965,
of Teaneck Planning Board, at 8:00 PM (or as soon thereafter as the matters can Holtzman often drew comparisons to
be reached), located at the Township Municipal Building, 818 Teaneck Road, Los Angeles Dodgers great Sandy Kou-
Teaneck, NJ 07666, the Planning Board of the Township of Teaneck will hold a fax, who was in the midst of a dazzling
public hearing on the adoption of the Environmental Resource Inventory Update for stretch of dominance that concluded
the Township of Teaneck, as an amendment to the Master Plan for the Township of with his retirement in 1966.
Teaneck. Any interested party may appear personally or by attorney, at the aforesaid On Sept. 25, 1966, in Koufax’s pen-
hearing and participate therein in accordance with the rules of the Board. A copy ultimate regular season start, the
of all documents proposed for adoption shall be on file in the Township Clerk’s & two lefties faced off in what the Jew-
the Land Use Secretary’s office and shall be available to the public for inspection at ish Baseball Museum considers to be
Township Municipal Building, 818 Teaneck Road, Teaneck, NJ 07666. the first-ever matchup between two
A Copy of the Updated ERI may also be found digitally on the township website: Jewish starting pitchers. (It’s only
https://www.teanecknj.gov/planning-board - under “Recent Documents”. happened five times; Holtzman was
PLEASE BE ADVISED THAT the Secretary of the Board is authorized to mail and involved in three of them.)
publish this notice in the manner required by law. Both pitchers threw complete
games, and both had only one earned
Take notice that adequate notice of these meetings is being provided in accordance
run — though the Cubs scored another
with the Open Public Meetings Act pursuant to N.J.S.A. 10:4-8, 10:4-9 et seq. and
unearned run, giving Holtzman the
N.J.S.A. 10:4-10.
win over Koufax that day. He was the
The agenda for the Board’s Meeting, will contain a hearing on the adoption of last pitcher to beat the Hall of Famer
Environmental Resource Inventory for the Township of Teaneck, as an amendment during the regular season. Holtzman
to the Master Plan for the Township of Teaneck. The remainder of the agenda is not would end his career with 174 wins,
known at this time but will be provided to the public in advance of the meetings, nine more than Koufax. He also racked
accordance with the Open Public Meetings Act pursuant to N.J.S.A. 10:4-8, 10:4-9 up 1,601 strikeouts, second to Koufax
et seq. and N.J.S.A. 10:4-10 and Teaneck Ordinances. (2,396) among Jewish pitchers, and a
Please take notice that formal action may be taken on the above applications, and/ 3.49 ERA.
or such other matters to come before the Board at these meetings. Please be advised Holtzman retired after the 1979
that all documents, plans, maps, applications and reports relating to any item on the season and earned four Hall of Fame
agenda are available for public inspection at least ten (10) days prior to the date of votes in 1985 and five in 1986. He is a
the Meetings, Monday through Friday during normal business hours at the office of member of the St. Louis Jewish Sports
the Planning Board Secretary, Township of Teaneck, 818 Teaneck Road, Teaneck, Hall of Fame, the International Jewish
NJ 07666. The meetings are open to the public. Official action will be taken. For Sports Hall of Fame and the Chicago
agenda information, please go the agendas & minutes section of the township Cubs Hall of Fame.
website – www.teanecknj.gov After his playing career ended,
Howard Thompson, Chairman Holtzman, a St. Louis native, worked
Planning Board, Township of Teaneck, at his hometown JCC, running the
818 Teaneck Road, Teaneck, NJ 07666 gymnasium and coaching the JCC’s
Maccabi baseball teams.
Holtzman also managed the Petach
Tikva Pioneers in the Israel Base-
ball League’s first and only season in
2007, though he left during the season
because of disagreements and disap-
pointment over the state of the league.
At the beginning of the season,
according to coverage at the time in
the Israeli news site Walla, Holtzman
expressed hope that the IBL could
popularize baseball in Israel in the
same way basketball had gained a
following there. But his optimism
appeared to have vanished as the sea-
son got underway. In an interview
translated into Hebrew for Walla,
he said the players wouldn’t be able
to make it in the United States, den-
igrated the ballparks and predicted
(accurately) that the league would fail.
Walla reported that the game that day
drew only 30 or 40 fans.
When Holtzman quit near the end
of the season, his team, the Petach
Tikva Pioneers, had a record of 7-31.
They finished in the cellar of the six-
team league, eight games behind the
fifth-place team.
“He is a big boy,” IBL Commissioner
Dan Kurtzer said upon Holtzman’s
departure, according to the Jerusalem
Post. “There’s no hard feelings on our
side. He came out here and it wasn’t
easy to leave his family and other
activities.”
Fanchon Auman, who chaired the
St. Louis JCC’s sports recreation and
aquatics department from 1993 until
2016, said that Holtzman’s name rec-
ognition helped bring people into the
building, and that he was a valued
member of the team.
“People were very proud to have
him as a figurehead and as part of our
department,” Auman said. “Everyone
was very proud to have him in our
community.”
JEWISH TELEGRAPHIC AGENCY

46 JEWISH STANDARD APRIL 19, 2024

 Healthy Living & Adult Lifestyles

JCHC offers assisted living Englewood Hospital has new treatment

program to low-income seniors
The Jewish Community Housing Corporation ( JCHC) is a faith-based
nonprofit organization based in Livingston that provides residential
options for hundreds of senior citizens at four locations in the Jewish
Federation of Greater MetroWest NJ community.
Over four decades, the JCHC has grown in size and scope to meet the
needs of seniors in Essex and Morris counties, regardless of income level
(subsidized affordable and market-rate) and level of care (independent
living, assisted living, and memory care in an assisted-living setting).
To further help seniors age in place, the JCHC is offering its Assisted
Living Program (ALP) to low-income seniors residing at rent-subsidized
communities in West Orange and South Orange. Through the ALP,
seniors living in these affordable apartments are now able to receive
medically necessary services and assistance they could not otherwise
afford. Given that only a few organizations are currently licensed to pro-
vide this kind of in-home care in New Jersey, and many assisted-living
facilities are out of reach for seniors living on a fixed income, the JCHC
hopes to extend the ALP to residents of other affordable apartment
buildings.
The JCHC is grateful to the Healthcare Foundation of New Jersey for
providing essential seed funding to launch the ALP and acknowledges
the generous support of the Grotta Fund for Older Adults, the Jewish
Community Foundation of Greater MetroWest NJ, Friends Foundation
for the Aging, and the Fannie and Morris Sklaw Foundation. To support
the JCHC in taking care of those who took care of us, call 973-397-5077
or go to JCHCorp.org.
for patients with irregular heartbeat
Cardiac electrophysiologists at Englewood
Hospital have successfully treated their first
patient using an emerging technology called
pulsed field ablation. This technology offers
patients with atrial fibrillation access to more
precise procedures, improved outcomes, and
enhanced quality of life when they pursue
treatment for their abnormal heart rhythm.
“Pulsed field ablation is a game-changer in
the treatment of atrial fibrillation,” said Grant
Simons, MD, chief of heart rhythm services
at Englewood Hospital. “It offers a safer and
more efficient way to treat atrial fibrillation
while minimizing damage to surrounding
heart structures. Englewood Hospital is
proud to offer this cutting-edge solution to
patients across northern New Jersey.”
Cardiac electrophysiologists at Englewood
Hospital are using the newly FDA-approved
Medtronic PulseSelect™ system to deliver
this novel therapy.
Atrial fibrillation occurs when electrical
signals in the heart’s upper chambers mis-
fire, leading to irregular and rapid heart-
beats. This can raise the risk of complications
like blood clots or stroke if left untreated.
Unlike traditional methods of ablation that
use heat or cold to destroy abnormal heart
tissue and treat atrial fibrillation, pulsed
field ablation employs pulsed electric fields.
These fields are delivered through a special-
ized catheter, disrupting irregular electrical
impulses by creating tiny pores in the tissue.
This process interrupts the abnormal path-
ways causing atrial fibrillation.
By targeting precise areas, pulsed field
ablation can prevent faulty signals from
spreading to other parts of the heart.
Englewood Health comprises a network
of physician practices, urgent care centers,
and imaging centers, as well as Englewood
Hospital. Founded in 1890, it was recognized
as a 2022-23 Best Regional Hospital by “U.S.
News & World Report,” holds the Leapfrog
Hospital Safety Grade ‘A’ (2023), and was
named a Leapfrog Top Teaching Hospital
(2023). Englewood Health’s focus on health
equity and population health encompasses
outreach to underserved communities to
enhance individual and public health.

Happy passover
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JEWISH STANDARD APRIL 19, 2024 47

Healthy Living & Adult Lifestyles

Holy Name welcomes North Jersey Orthopaedic Specialists

Holy Name Medical Center in Teaneck has added North
Jersey Orthopaedic Specialists, P.A., to its growing ros-
ter of healthcare providers. The practice has been
providing high-quality, personalized surgical care to
patients in Bergen County for more than six decades.
“The expansion of Holy Name’s orthopedic offerings
represents a significant advancement in enhancing acces-
sibility and quality for patients in the region,” said Den-
nis Pfisterer, chief of Orthopedic Surgery at Holy Name.
“Together, we are dedicated to providing comprehen-
sive, best-in-class, patient-centered orthopedic services.”
The specialists joining Holy Name include:
• General orthopedic surgery — John M. Owens, MD,
FAAOS, a board-certified, fellowship-trained surgeon
who specializes in adult reconstruction of the hip and
knee, as well as general orthopedics.
• Shoulder, hip, knee surgery and sports medi-
cine — Jonathan M. Archer, MD, FAAOS, a board-cer-
tified, fellowship-trained surgeon who specializes in
arthroscopic surgery of the knee and shoulder, arthri-
tis, and joint replacement, as well as general orthope-
dics. His area of expertise extends to cartilage injuries,
ACL ruptures, and rotator cuff injuries.
Jake P. Zarah, MD, a board-certified, fellow-
ship-trained orthopedic surgeon specializing in the From North Jersey Orthopaedic Specialists, from left, John Owens, MD; Teja Karukonda, MD; Rehan
arthroscopic and open treatment of disorders of the Shamim, MD; David Penn, PA-C (physician assistant); Jen Lee, MD; Nicholas Bevilacqua, DPM; Jonathan
shoulder, hip, and knee. His expertise includes total Archer, MD, FAAOS; and Jake Zarah, MD.
shoulder replacement and minimally invasive total hip
and knee replacement. experienced in performing minimally invasive spinal and ankle surgeon. He is also board-certified in foot sur-
Rehan S. Shamim, MD, a board-certified, fellow- procedures and robotic spine surgery. gery and reconstructive rearfoot and ankle surgery by
ship-trained orthopedic surgeon with specialized train- • Hand/upper extremity surgery — Jen F. Lee, MD, the American Board of Foot and Ankle Surgery.
ing in the most advanced techniques in orthopedic sur- FAAOS, a board-certified, fellowship-trained hand and
gery and sports medicine. upper extremity surgeon. He is experienced in per- North Jersey Orthopaedic Specialists operates from
• Spine surgery — Teja Karukonda, MD, a board-cer- forming complex hand and wrist procedures as well as three office locations: Teaneck (201-353-9000),
tified, fellowship-trained orthopedic surgeon specializ- elbow and shoulder surgery. Englewood (201-608-0100), and Closter (201-784-6800).
ing in spine surgery. He treats spinal disorders involv- • Foot and ankle surgery — Nicholas J. Bevilacqua, To schedule an appointment, go to holyname.org/
ing the cervical, thoracic, and lumbar spine and is DPM, FACFAS, a board-certified, fellowship-trained foot physician/ or contact an office directly.

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48 JEWISH STANDARD APRIL 19, 2024

 Healthy Living & Adult Lifestyles

Beyond the smile: critical link between dental health and overall wellness
DAVID EIDMAN, DDS oral hygiene habits and attending regular dental appoint- care tailored to your unique needs and preferences.
ments, individuals can not only preserve their smiles but Whether you require routine check-ups, preventive care,
Dental health isn’t just about having a bright smile; also safeguard their systemic health. or advanced treatments, we’re here to ensure you receive
it’s intricately linked to our overall well-being. At Elmwood Dental Professionals, we understand the the highest-quality dental care possible.
The mouth serves as a gateway to the body, and vital connection between dental health and overall well-be-
neglecting dental care can have far-reaching con- ing. Our state-of-the-art office is equipped to address all Trust Elmwood Dental Professionals to safeguard your
sequences. Periodontitis, a severe form of gum dis- your dental needs, with a caring staff dedicated to your smile and support your journey to optimal health and
ease, occurs when bacteria in the mouth infect the comfort and satisfaction. Our team comprises superb den- wellness. Please call us at 201-791-1299 or check out
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and even adverse pregnancy outcomes.
Regular dental care plays a crucial role in pre-
venting and managing these systemic health risks.
Routine dental check-ups allow for early detection
and treatment of dental issues before they escalate
into more severe problems. Moreover, dentists can
educate patients about proper oral hygiene prac-
tices and offer personalized advice to maintain
optimal dental health.
Beyond preventing dental diseases, regular den-
tal care can have a positive effect on overall health.
Studies have shown that individuals who prioritize
oral health tend to have lower healthcare costs and
better overall health outcomes. By maintaining good

Valley Health CEO

recognized by ROI-NJ
Audrey Meyers, CEO of
Valley Health System, is
included in the 2024 ROI
Influencers: Super 60
Power List and 2024 ROI Valley’s New Home.
Influencers: Women in
Business List.
On the Women in Busi-
Your New Hospital.
ness List, Meyers was rec-
Care like no other is now in Paramus. And it’s a new
ognized among the top
healthcare experience from every angle, with private rooms,
three female leaders who Audrey Meyers
are “ready, willing, able, expanded emergency care, and advanced technologies.
and eager to take on any role.” She was also recog- All with the same compassion you’ve come to expect from
nized as one of the most influential players in the one of the best hospitals in New Jersey.
business world on the Super 60 Power List.
Meyers was honored for her many accomplish- Rooted in our community’s history. Ready for the future.
ments, including The Valley Hospital’s recent move
to a new, state-of-the-art healthcare facility, in
Paramus. T H E VA L L E Y H O S P I TA L I S N O W O P E N I N PA R A M U S .
“I am honored to receive these recognitions by
Learn more at ValleyHealth.com
ROI-NJ,” said Meyers, adding that she was looking
forward “to being in our new hospital, where we
will continue to offer our patients high-quality care
for generations to come.”
ROI-NJ describes itself as a media site/publi-
cation that’s a business journal that, in addition
to covering business news in the major sectors
(health care, commerce, finance, commercial real Care Like No Other
®

estate, higher education, lifestyle, politics), it also

covers issues of importance to the diverse nature
of the state.
To learn more about Valley Health System, go to
ValleyHealth.com.
JEWISH STANDARD APRIL 19, 2024 49
Healthy Living & Adult Lifestyles

The benefits of concierge medicine in 2024

JEFFREY A. WEISS, MD, FACP
As a concierge medicine physician, I am passionate about
providing personalized, high-quality healthcare that pri-
oritizes the needs and preferences of my patients. Here
I will point out the numerous benefits of concierge med-
icine, comparing it to the current conventional primary
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care model. I will illustrate how concierge care addresses
the shortcomings of the existing healthcare system.
• Time and attention: Imagine a scenario in which a
patient with a complex medical history visits a primary
care clinic. Due to constraints, the doctor has limited time
to thoroughly understand the patient’s concerns, lead-
ing to a rushed and perhaps incomplete assessment. In
concierge medicine, physicians have the luxury of
spending more time with each patient, allowing
for comprehensive evaluations and personalized
treatment plans and fostering a stronger doctor-pa-
tient relationship, with patients feeling heard,
understood, and valued.
• Accessibility and convenience: In the conven-
tional model, patients often face long wait times
for appointments, leaving them frustrated and per-
haps exacerbating their health conditions. With
concierge medicine, patients have direct access to
their physician via phone, email, or video consul-
tations, reducing unnecessary visits. This access
ensures that patients receive prompt attention and
minimizes the risk of their conditions worsening.
• Preventive and proactive care: Consider a
patient who has a family history of heart disease
but has not received a preventive screening in
years. In the conventional model, preventive mea-
sures are often overlooked due to time constraints
and a focus on reactive care. In concierge medi-
cine, physicians have the opportunity to proac-
tively identify and address potential health risks,
providing personalized screenings, lifestyle guid-
ance, and early interventions. This approach pro-
motes long-term health and prevents the develop-
ment of chronic conditions.
• Comprehensive and coordinated care: In the
current fragmented healthcare system, patients
may struggle to navigate specialists and coordi-
nate their care effectively. Through close collabo-
ration with specialists, concierge physicians offer
comprehensive and coordinated care and can
streamline referrals, ensure seamless transitions
between healthcare providers, and facilitate a
holistic approach.
Through the provision of personalized atten-
tion, increased accessibility, preventive care, and
comprehensive coordination, concierge medicine
offers a superior healthcare experience.

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50 JEWISH STANDARD APRIL 19, 2024

 Healthy Living & Adult Lifestyles

Ketamine’s emerging role in treating addiction disorders

Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a medical condition
characterized by an impaired ability to stop or
control alcohol use despite adverse social, occupa-
tional, or health consequences. April marks Alco-
hol Awareness month, which aims to raise aware-
ness about the impact of AUDs on individuals,
families, and communities. It is also an opportu-
nity for the medical and mental health community
to reflect on the inroads made and the obstacles
that remain in treating AUD and other substance
use disorders.
Substance use disorders, including alcoholism,
are complex conditions that require comprehensive
treatment and support. Recently, ketamine therapy
has emerged as a novel tool in treating both mental health
disorders (including depression, anxiety, PTSD, and bipo-
lar disorder) and substance abuse disorders (including
cocaine abuse and alcohol abuse). Ketamine acts on the
glutaminergic system, modulating synaptic plasticity and
neuronal signaling pathways implicated in addiction.
Clinical studies have suggested that through this mecha-
nism, ketamine may disrupt the neural circuits involved
in reward processing and cravings, thereby promoting
abstinence.
The initial clinical studies examining the efficacy of ket-
amine therapy in the treatment of AUD have shown prom-
ising results. For instance, the University of Exeter’s 2022
study “Ketamine for the Reduction of Alcoholic Relapse”
demonstrated that patients receiving ketamine therapy
achieved a prolonged and statistically significant increase
in rates of abstinences in the six months post treatment.
At Keta Medical Centers — in Oradell and, in New York,
New Rochelle and Manhattan — we are committed to pro-
viding the highest level of clinical care to patients seeking
treatment for addiction disorders and other conditions. At
Keta Medical Centers, our physicians will take the time to
understand your mental health goals and/or addiction his-
tory. You will receive treatment in a comfortable, support-
ive, and non-judgmental environment, with a physician
always present during treatments. If you believe you may
be a candidate for ketamine treatment, book a free consul-
tation with one of our physicians at ketamc.com.

Jewish organizations
host joint
NARCAN training
On April 9, JQY ( Jewish Queer Youth) joined
the Selah Brooklyn community to host a training
session as part of an effort to mobilize the Jewish
community in the use of NARCAN nasal spray to
prevent drug overdoses.
Synagogues, Hillels, Jewish Community Centers,
and other institutions serve as central communal
hubs; this makes them ideally positioned to play
a crucial role in public health initiatives like Selah
Brooklyn’s effort to train 1,000 people in using the
nasal spray that can reverse the effects of opioid
overdose.
“The tragic reality is that too often members of
the LGBTQ+ community turn to opioids and other Open to the Community!
substances to self-medicate as they grapple with
their identity and their sense of belonging in their
families and communities,” said JQY executive
director Rachael Fried. “Hosting NARCAN training
events and partnering with organizations like Selah
New, State of the Art, Outpatient Rehab Center
Brooklyn are part of our commitment to making
sure Jewish queer youth survive so that they can
ultimately thrive, living joyfully and authentically.”
Get back to what you love.
JQY operates New York’s first and only Jewish Our new, progressive outpatient center offers physical, occupational, and speech therapy.
drop-in center where LGBTQ+ youth can find sup- We specialize in the treatment of orthopedic injuries, neurological conditions, balance
port and participate in weekly programming. By and fall prevention, range of motion, post-surgery rehabilitation, and more.
providing the social, mental, and emotional sup-
• 1500 sq ft, temperature controlled, warm water hydrotherapy pool
port young people need to live long, healthy, joyful 2023
lives, JQY creates a place for youth to belong and • Hydroworx® individual therapy pools with built-in treadmills
connects them to care providers and opportunities • Advanced strength and conditioning equipment
to imagine their futures. • One-to-one, personalized treatment
NARCAN is an over-the-counter nasal spray • Commercial insurance and Medicare accepted FIRST PLACE
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that can be given to people who are experiencing FACILITY
an overdose of heroin, fentanyl, or other opioids.
More than 110,000 people died in the United States For more information, call 551-444-3125 or email rehab@jewishhomefamily.org
during a 12-month period that ended last April,
according to the the Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention.
“Jewish tradition says to save a life is to save a
whole world,” said Fried. “While I don’t know when
or if I’ll ever use NARCAN, having the kit on hand CENTER FOR REHABILITATION EXCELLENCE
and knowing how to use it means I’m able to save a 10 Link Drive, Rockleigh, New Jersey
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For information, go to jqy.org.
jewishhomefamily.org/rehab

JEWISH STANDARD APRIL 19, 2024 51

Healthy Living & Adult Lifestyles

Hackensack among first hospitals to use da Vinci 5 robotic surgical system

Hackensack Meridian University Med-
ical Center, a leader in robotic-assisted
surgery, was selected to be one of only
14 centers in the world, and the only
one in the tristate area, to acquire the
Intuitive Surgical da Vinci 5 multiport
surgical system. With more than 10,000
times the computing power and the first-
of-its-kind force-sensing technology, the
da Vinci 5 is the most advanced surgical
technology available.
The Hackensack University Medical
Center team performed the first proce-
dures using the new system to treat four
patients on April 1.
Da Vinci 5 builds on Intuitive’s da
Vinci Xi’s highly functional design. The
system includes more than 150 enhance-
ments, including:
• Enhanced precision and control,
making it the most precise system Intu-
itive has developed to date, helping sur-
geons maintain comfort during long
procedures.
• Next-generation 3D display and
image processing: Intuitive’s highest
quality 3D imaging system, enabling sur-
geons to see more.
• First-of-its-kind force-sensing tech-
nology: Force Feedback technology and
optional instruments enable the system
to measure, and surgeons to feel, subtle
forces exerted on tissue during surgery.
• Streamlined workflow: Innovative
features designed to increase surgeon
autonomy and streamline surgeon and
care team workflow.
• Expanded computing power and
advanced data capabilities: Enabling
innovative new system capabilities and
advanced digital experiences.
These innovations will continue to
streamline workflow in the OR and
potentially save valuable time, without
compromising patient safety.
“The da Vinci 5 will allow us to take
robotic surgery to the next level and
expand on our long history of innova-
tion and excellence,” said Michael D.
Stifelman, chair of Urology and director
of Robotic Surgery at Hackensack Uni-
versity Medical Center, and professor
and founding chair of Urology at Hack-
ensack Meridian School of Medicine.
“Across our network, we are commit-
ted to using the most advanced technol-
ogy to improve the surgical experience
for our patients,” said Robert C. Garrett,
FACHE, CEO of Hackensack Meridian
Health.
Benefits patients may experience
include: decreased blood loss and
reduced need for transfusions, less
risk of infection, less pain after sur-
gery, smaller external and internal
scars, shorter hospital stays and faster
recovery,
“At Hackensack Meridian Health, we
are continually investing in technology
that benefits our patients, advances our
capabilities, and enhances the care we
provide,” said Mark D. Sparta, FACHE,
president and chief hospital execu-
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 Healthy Living & Adult Lifestyles

Valley Hospital
moves to new
home in Paramus
On April 14, the Valley Hospital moved from Ridge-
wood to its new home at 4 Valley Health Plaza in
Paramus and is now open to provide acute and
emergency care to the community.
On the day of the move, patients in the Ridge-
wood facility were individually transported by
OnTime Medical Transportation ambulances to
the Paramus hospital, located 2.5 miles away, and
accompanied by members of Valley’s medical staff.
The move “marks an exciting new chapter for
Valley. All those who come through our doors start-
ing today will continue to be well served by Valley’s Zissen
compassionate staff in this outstanding facility for
generations to come,” said Audrey Meyers, CEO of
Pesach!
Valley Health System. “We thank our patients for
entrusting their care to Valley and our staff for all
they do to serve and care for our patients, their
families, and our community.”
The new hospital project was first announced in
2017, with the groundbreaking taking place Novem-
Are You Frustrated By Doctors
ber 1, 2019.
Robert Brenner, MD, MMM, FACHE, president of
Who Are Always in a Rush?
Valley Health System, said the new hospital “is at
the heart of a 40-acre health and wellness campus At the Infusion Center of New Jersey, we provide Concierge Medicine
that offers our patients the opportunity to receive services, for improved health outcomes with greater patient satisfaction.
virtually every healthcare service they may need in
one location, including inpatient care, outpatient
procedures, cancer care, the ability to see many of
Valley’s doctors, and more.”
Key features of the new 370-bed, state-of-the-art Benefits of Concierge Medicine:
hospital include single-patient rooms for privacy
and healing, inclusive of a 75-inch footwall to dis- • Doctors spend more time with patients,
play key patient details and display entertainment allowing for thorough evaluations and
options; single-patient rooms for neonate intensive
care unit patients; an expanded Emergency Depart-
personalized treatment plans
ment; an intraoperative magnetic resonance imag-
ing suite; park-like grounds and green roofs; and
• Patients have timely and convenient
the latest technology. direct access to doctors, minimizing
“At Valley, we provide patient- and family-cen- the risk that their conditions worsen
tered care, and that is exemplified in the new hos-
pital,” said Karteek Bhavsar, senior vice president
• Concierge medicine focuses on a proactive
and COO of Valley Health System.
The former facility in Ridgewood will be known and preventive approach to care
as Valley Health System-Ridgewood Campus, an
outpatient healthcare destination providing such • Comprehensive coordination with your
services as full-service outpatient laboratory ser- various health care specialists
vices; outpatient diagnostic imaging; outpatient
endoscopy services; Valley’s Wound, Ostomy, and
Continence Center; The Valley Breast Center; and
The Valley Hospital Community Care Clinic. The
Ridgewood campus will also serve as the home of
Valley’s graduate medical education programs.
For information, go to ValleyHealth.com. Call today for
an appointment:
Reach Your Target Audience (973) 272-6220
with an ad in
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Call today! 842 Clifton Avenue, Suite 4
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Natalie: 201-837-8818 ext. 121
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JEWISH STANDARD APRIL 19, 2024 53

 Wishing You Bright Healthy Living & Adult Lifestyles
Smiles for Passover
STI Awareness Week:
education, prevention, destigmatization
TRACY VERRICO, DO, FACOOG, MS
In April, a spotlight shines on a critical topic often left in
the shadows: sexually transmitted infections (STIs). STI
Awareness Week, observed annually in April, serves as
Dr. Sami Dr. Ari a reminder of the importance of education, prevention,
Solaimanzadeh Frohlich
and destigmatization surrounding these infections.
Sexual health is essential to overall well-being.
• Almost all private insurances accepted Anyone who has vaginal, anal, or oral sex can get
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multiple hygienists available at the same time important to talk openly and honestly with your part-
ner about being tested for STIs before having sex and
using condoms every time you have sex. Agreeing to
be monogamous will help reduce the risk of getting
TEANECK DENTIST an infection. If you have an STI, such as herpes or
We put the Care HIV, it is vital that you tell your partner.
into Dental Care! Education lies at the heart of STI Awareness Week.
Through campaigns, workshops, and online resources,
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sion, symptoms, and treatment options. If you test pos-
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ner, be sure you both get the right treatment, and avoid
Convenient Morning, Evening & Sunday Hours having sex until the treatment is completed.
Prevention remains paramount in combating STIs.
Promoting safer sex practices, such as condom use
and regular testing, reduces transmission rates sig-
nificantly. According to estimates, approximately one
in five people in the U.S. have had an STI, with almost
$16 billion in healthcare costs in a year. Education
about STIs provides the tools needed for prevention,
testing, and treatment. Also, discuss whether certain
vaccines, such as the HPV or hepatitis B vaccines,
would be appropriate for you.
Destigmatization plays a crucial role in fostering
supportive environments. Shame and fear often
deter individuals from seeking testing or treatment.
By challenging stereotypes and fostering empathy,
communities can create spaces where individuals
feel comfortable addressing their sexual health needs
without judgment. Open dialogue is key in reducing
the fear and stigma associated with STIs.
STI Awareness Week serves as a reminder that sex-
ual health is a fundamental aspect of overall well-be-
ing. Prioritizing education, prevention, and destig-
matization will further a time where everyone has
access to the resources and support they need to lead
healthy, fulfilling lives.
To learn more, call Bona Dea Gynecology in Paramus
at 551-278-5898 or go to bonadeagynecology.com.

Holy Name performs first

ultrasound renal denervation in NJ
Holy Name in Teaneck has suc-
cessfully completed the first
REAL MEDICINE ultrasound renal denervation
FOR REAL PEOPLE procedure in New Jersey, which
is designed to significantly
lower a patient’s blood pres-
STRUGGLING WITH DEPRESSION? sure and has been shown to be
safe and effective across three
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NEW! trials.
The procedure was per-
FDA APPROVED formed by Jaffar Raza, MD,
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cardiologist at Holy Name, Dr. Jaffar Raza
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Free Phone Consultation With One Of Our Doctors The procedure is FDA-approved and ney disease, and cognitive issues.
EVENING AND SUNDAY HOURS AVAILABLE offers a safe and effective option for “This is a significant milestone for
patients who have not responded to Holy Name and our patients,” said Dr.
traditional blood pressure treatment Raza. “We are committed to offering
Commercial Insurance options, including lifestyle changes the latest and most effective treat-
and medications. Patients often find ments to our patients, and the intro-
and Medicare Accepted it challenging to tolerate medications duction of ultrasound renal denerva-
due to side effects, and adhering to tion is a testament to our dedication
daily medication regimens can be to improving health outcomes in our
KETA Medical Center burdensome for many, with patients community.”
690 Kinderkamack Road, Suite 103, Oradell, NJ 07649 missing doses or skipping their medi- The procedure is minimally inva-
7 West 96th Street, Suite 1H, New York, NY 10025 cations altogether. sive and may be performed in an out-
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blood pressure outside the normal To learn more about the procedure
ketamc.com | info@ketamc.com | 201-267-2006
range, are at an increased risk for car- or to request a consultation, contact
diovascular diseases, such as heart Dr. Raza at 201-991-8561.
54 JEWISH STANDARD APRIL 19, 2024
 Healthy Living & Adult Lifestyles

Hackensack University Medical Center named to Best Hospitals list

Hackensack Meridian University Medi-
cal Center — part of Hackensack Merid-
ian Health, New Jersey’s largest and
most comprehensive health network
— has been named among the top hos-
pitals in Newsweek’s list of World’s Best
Hospitals 2024. The center was recog-
nized as a Six-Year Champion and was
ranked 58 out of 420 hospitals in the
United States that made the list.
“Hackensack Meridian Health is
proud to once again be recognized
by Newsweek among the top hospi-
tals worldwide that are looking to
advance healthcare and build health-
ier nations,” said Robert C. Garrett,
FACHE, CEO, Hackensack Meridian Health. “Our team
members deliver cutting-edge treatments and continue
to advance the standards of healthcare excellence, pro-
viding high-quality compassionate care to the commu-
nities we serve.”
Newsweek and Statista Inc. presented the award,
which was announced on February 28.
“Hackensack University Medical Center is commit-
ted to building healthier communities, enhancing the
patient experience, and improving patient outcomes,”
said Mark D. Sparta, FACHE, the center’s president and
chief hospital executive and president, Hackensack
Meridian Health’s north region. “This recognition…is a
testament to our team members’ commitment and ded-
ication to providing high-quality, safe care each day.”
The World’s Best Hospitals 2024 ranking lists the
best hospitals in 30 countries, including the United
States, Israel, Canada, Germany, Japan, France, Italy,
United Kingdom, and South Korea. The other countries
are Brazil, India, Spain, Australia, Mexico, Colombia,
Netherlands, Saudi Arabia, Switzer-
land, Taiwan, United Arab Emirates,
Austria, Belgium, Chile, Malaysia,
Thailand, Sweden, Denmark, Finland,
Norway, and Singapore.
The lists are based on four data
sources: Recommendations from
medical experts, results from patient
surveys, hospital quality metrics, and
Patient-Reported Outcome Measures
implementation survey.
For more information about News-
week’s list of World’s Best Hospitals
2024, go to newsweek.com/rank-
ings/worlds-best-hospitals-2024/
united-states.
Hackensack Meridian Health, a leading not-for-profit
health care organization and a leader in health care
philanthropy, is the largest and most comprehensive
health care network in New Jersey, offering a range of
medical services, innovative research, and life-enhanc-
ing care. The network has 18 hospitals and more than
500 patient care locations. The network has the only #1
ranked adult and children’s hospitals in New Jersey, as
ranked by U.S. News & World Report (2023-24). To learn
more, go to hackensackmeridianhealth.org.

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Jewish World
Bill to create a national coordinator to fight
antisemitism draws rare bipartisan support in Congress
RON KAMPEAS
WASHINGTON — Republicans and
Democrats in Congress are uniting to
pass a bill that would create a national
coordinator of the fight against
antisemitism — though it faces compe-
tition from another Republican-backed
bill that seeks to define antisemitism.
The bipartisan Countering Antisem-
itism Act, introduced last week, is
meant to advance President Joe Biden’s
national strategy to fight antisemitism,
rolled out nearly a year ago. The plan
focused on action across the executive
branch, demanding reforms in federal
agencies from the Education Depart-
ment to the Department of Agriculture.
The national coordinator would help
see through those reforms. The coor-
dinator would also receive an annual
assessment of violent antisemitism
nationwide from law enforcement and
intelligence agencies. The position Rep. Kathy Manning is a Democratic member of Congress from North Carolina.
would be a counterpart to the State
Department’s antisemitism envoy, who focuses on
anti-Jewish bigotry abroad.
Rep. Kathy Manning said the bill was in the works
before the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war on Oct. 7,
but that the ensuing rise in antisemitic incidents and
rhetoric made it more urgent.
“We have seen it spread on social media, the pro-
tests on college campuses are beyond what anyone
expected,” she said. Manning, a North Carolina Dem-
ocrat, is one of three lead sponsors of the bill, along
with Rep. Chris Smith, a New Jersey Republican, Sen.
Jacky Rosen, a Nevada Democrat, and Sen. James Lank-
ford, an Oklahoma Republican. Manning and Rosen are
Jewish.
But that is not the only legislation seeking to fight
antisemitism. One day after the bipartisan bill was
introduced, Republican Rep. Anthony D’Esposito
of New York introduced legislation on how to define
antisemitism.
That bill wades into a long-running debate over the
International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s work-
ing definition of antisemitism. The IHRA definition has
been endorsed by hundreds of countries, local govern-
ments, universities, and corporations, but has drawn
criticism because it includes certain forms of criticism
of Israel, such as calling it a “racist endeavor.”
D’Esposito’s bill would codify the IHRA definition
across U.S. law, including in jury instructions and appli- the U.S. following the Oct. 7th terrorist attacks on Israel, Diaspora Alliance, a progressive Jewish organization
cations of civil rights laws. Talking points from D’Es-
posito’s office, circulated by the National Jewish Advo-
cacy Center, which backs the bill, said it does not target William Daroff, the CEO of the Conference of Presidents
legitimate Israel criticism.
“The definition makes clear that ‘criticism of Israel
similar to that leveled against any other country can-
not be regarded as antisemitic,’ and that none of the
examples, even the ones about Israel are automatically
antisemitic; just that they ‘could, taking into account
the overall context,’ be antisemitic,” the talking points tism,” he said in a statement.
said.
The D’Esposito bill, while endorsed only by
56 JEWISH STANDARD APRIL 19, 2024
Republicans, expands on a separate bipartisan bill that
was introduced shortly after Oct. 7 but has yet to be
advanced. That bill would codify the IHRA definition
when enforcing Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, which
denies federal funding to institutions that discriminate
against several protected classes and has emerged as
a preferred tool of activists fighting antisemitism and
anti-Zionism on college campuses.
Following Biden’s rollout of the plan to counter
antisemitism last May, a number of right-leaning Jewish
advocacy groups criticized it for citing both the IHRA
definition as well as another one, called the Nexus defi-
nition. Nexus places a greater focus on parsing when
anti-Israel criticism verges into antisemitism.
Manning’s bipartisan bill seeks to avoid that debate.
A press release from her office included endorsements
from an array of organizations that prefer the IHRA
definition. But it also has the backing of the group of
scholars who wrote the Nexus definition.
The American Jewish Committee, which supports the
IHRA definition, will be launching a campaign on Tues-
day called Voices Against Antisemitism in which it calls
on constituents to ask their representatives to support
the bill. The groups endorsing the bill focused on what
they said was the importance of creating the coordina-
tor position at a time of rising antisemitism.
“Given the unprecedented surge of antisemitism in
this legislation is a significant step in protecting Amer-
ican Jewry and combating the oldest of hatreds,” said
of Major American Jewish Organizations.
That message was echoed by Jonathan Jacoby, the
director of the Nexus Leadership Project. “The disturb-
ing rise in antisemitic incidents nationwide urgently
demands the comprehensive, multi-pronged effort laid
out in the U.S. National Strategy to Counter Antisemi-
Kevin Rachlin, Nexus’s Washington director, said the
need for a domestic antisemitism coordinator made
the bill an easy sell for the group. But
he noted other positives, including that
the bill says that the IHRA definition is
non-binding.
Rachlin said the bill also would please
liberals because it focuses as much on
right-wing antisemitism as it does on
the left, at a time when he says many
Republicans are ignoring the threat
from the right.
Those “looking for actions to actually
counter antisemitism, the tachles of it,”
should be satisfied by the bill, Rach-
lin said, using a Yiddish word roughly
meaning “bottom line.” He said the bill
is “pushing back on this rising tide from
the right and what’s happening on the
left as well.”
Manning said she realized early
on that she needed language in the
bill to address how both Republi-
cans and Democrats see the threat of
antisemitism.
“The language we have in the bill was
very carefully negotiated,” she said.
“The interesting thing about the composition of the
Congress right now is if you actually want to get some-
thing passed, you have to have something that you can
get Republicans in the House willing to lead, and Dem-
ocrats in the Senate willing to lead. So that calls for a
truly bipartisan approach.”
In that vein, D’Esposito’s bill, backed only by Repub-
licans, has no chance on its own of becoming law. But
parts of it may be wrapped into Manning’s legislation as
an amendment, an occasional outcome when multiple
bills address the same topic.
The Manning-Rosen bill may still face controversy: A
substantial portion is devoted to combating antisem-
itism on American campuses, and activists on the
left worry that the fight against campus antisemitism
is sometimes used as a way to shut down criticism of
Israel.
Lara Friedman, the president of the Foundation for
Middle East Peace, noted on X, formerly Twitter, that
the bill’s section on higher education cites a 2019 execu-
tive order on antisemitism by President Donald Trump.
“That EO, as a reminder, centers on enforcing the
IHRA definition, including its examples as part of Title
VI, as a means of repressing/punishing/chilling criti-
cism and activism targeting Israel and/or Zionism on
U.S. campuses,” she said.
Emma Saltzberg, the U.S. strategic director for the
that seeks to combat antisemitism and opposes the
IHRA definition, said the Manning-Rosen bill is better
than D’Esposito’s. But she said her group could not
endorse it in part because the coordinator position
would not be subject to congressional confirmation.
“This coordinator position, unlike the special envoy
to monitor and combat antisemitism, would just be a
presidential appointment, which means that there are
no formal mechanisms for Democratic [Party] input
into that decision,” she said. “And we can only imagine
what a Trump administration might do with that kind
of appointment.” JEWISH TELEGRAPHIC AGENCY
 Passover Greetings

Tnuva USA wishes all its customers

a Chag that is kosher, happy & delicious!

Check the packaging for the Mehadrin tnuvausa.com

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Wishing you Joy and Many

Blessings at Passover and
Throughout the Year!
The staff of
The Jewish Standard

JEWISH STANDARD APRIL 19, 2024 57

Passover Greetings

Wishing everyone a Chag Sameach! Happy & Healthy Passover

Daughters of Miriam Apartments II District 37 State Legislators

Esther & Sam Schwartz Bldg. Senator Gordon M. Johnson
a Jewish Senior Independent Living Bldg. Assemblywoman Shama A. Haider
135 Hazel Street, Clifton, NJ 07011 Assemblywoman Ellen J. Park
The Center is a beneficiary agency of the Jewish Federation of Northern New Jersey Paid for by the Election funds of Johnson, Haider, and Park

Chag Pesach Sameach!

Wishing you Peace & Blessings
this Passover season.
Arthur Sinensky, Board Chair
Steve Rogers, CEO
and the entire Board of Directors, Trustees & Staff

58 JEWISH STANDARD APRIL 19, 2024

 Passover’s true
significance
has never
been more
meaningful.
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Passover Greetings

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a half months as we begin the celebration of
Passover. This year, let us find inspiration
from the Passover story and pray for
peace and freedom for Jews all over
the world and especially in Israel. At
your seder table, consider leaving an
empty seat as a way of honoring the
hostages who are still in captivity
and cannot be with their families
and loved ones.

Wishing you a
meaningful Passover.
Chag Sameach and
Am Yisrael Chai!

www.jfnnj.org | 201.820.3900
@JFNNJ

60 JEWISH STANDARD APRIL 19, 2024

 Passover Greetings

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JEWISH STANDARD APRIL 19, 2024 61
Passover Greetings

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0002441714-01.qxd
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62 JEWISH STANDARD APRIL 19, 2024

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68 JEWISH STANDARD APRIL 19, 2024

 The Frazzled Housewife Kosher Crossword
“DOUBLE PUZZLE”
BY YONI GLATT, KOSHERCROSSWORDS@GMAIL.COM
DIFFICULTY LEVEL: MEDIUM

Little house
on the prairie
W
hen real life reveals itself doctor who traveled from town to town.
like a horrifying movie,
you either double down
and plug into the news,
like your life depends on it, or you
choose to stay in your bubble of oblivion
and keep your head in the clouds.
I am sure there is a happy medium, I
am just not sure what it is. When your
kids are scared, it scares you. But when
you realize that there is nothing you can
do about the situation, you
just smile, pray, and say
things like, “It will all be
okay.” Will it? Only God
knows. As long as they
keep making things cov-
ered in milk chocolate,
though, all will be fine.
My dad was very good at
keeping me calm. He might
have developed that skill Banji
from dealing with anxious Ganchrow
moms-to-be for so many
years, but when he said,
“Don’t worry, it will all be okay,” I took
that as gospel. When I was at the den-
tist last week, and the dentist started
freaking me out about something, I told
him what my dad would say and made
him reframe his assessment of my den-
tal situation. Of course I will still need to to the board to fix it.
seek out a periodontist at some point,
but that is another story. (Don’t worry,
I won’t tell it.)
In other news, my surrogate grand-
daughter brought home a new book
from school — “Little House on the
Prairie,” by Laura Ingalls Wilder. I was
so excited that I texted her mother to
find out if it was okay for me to show
her daughter an episode of the televi-
sion show on the computer. If you are
under the age of 45, you probably have
no idea about this show. Or maybe even
the book. As a child, I loved reading the
chapters that dealt with the Christmas
candy that Laura and her sister would
get from Pa. The delicious descriptive
details of said candy always made me
so happy. The television show made me
happy too, but it never had any episodes
about candy.
Imagine showing this show to a 9-year-
old today. The school is also the church,
the synagogue (ha ha), the simcha hall
(ha ha), and any other all-purpose room.
No one had cars. No one had phones.
No one had lightbulbs. Pa Ingalls (rest in
peace, Michael Landon) built the house,
the furniture, and anything else that
required building. Ma made the clothes,
the sheets, the towels. There was one
There was one wealthy family in town
who owned the general store. The kids
from those owners were the bullies in
school, with Nellie making fun of poor
Laura and Mary Ingalls and their hand-
sewn clothes. And yet there are still bul-
lies today, so, apparently, things might
have changed, but people haven’t.
We will now get to the point of this
column. The blackboard, aka the chalk-
board. Chalk. Erasers. My
surrogate granddaugh-
ter had no idea what a
blackboard was. I guess
this probably belonged
in last week’s column of
“you know you are getting
old when” — you are with
someone who has no idea
what a blackboard is.
“You don’t know what
a blackboard is?” I asked.
“I know what a smart-
board is,” she happily
replied.
Smartboards don’t always work. The
internet is spotty, the teacher presses
the wrong button. The board doesn’t
turn on or off; then the class has to be
put on hold so the IT guy can be called
But a blackboard always works as
long as you have chalk. And remember
being so excited at getting your turn to
erase the board when class was over? Or
pounding the erasers together, creating
huge clouds of dust that was probably
really bad for us, but nobody thought
about that? Or throwing an eraser at
someone and leaving that rectangular
mark of chalk on their clothes? Or hid-
ing the chalk from the teacher? Am I the
only one who remembers these things?
(Or did these things?)
My sister had given me a couple of
blackboard place mats that never were
opened. When Strudel was over, I
opened one for her. The sheer delight
of her being able to erase her beautiful
chalk drawings was both priceless and
adorable. Ahh, the simple pleasures of
times gone by.
May God watch over and protect all
of our beautiful children and our beau-
tiful land of Israel. And may everything
be okay….
Banji Ganchrow of Teaneck is so excited
to start baking Husband #1’s favorite food
of all time, Kosher for Passover coffee
cake. Don’t worry, it’s from a mix. Good
times.
Across
1. Kitchen spray
4. Furious
9. “In Cold Blood” author, informally
12. Had some matzah, e.g.
13. Apt kosher tuna brand
14. Organization that might get your
Judaism burning
16. Senator Scott
17. Locates what’s hidden four times
in this puzzle
19. Glimpse
21. Rock singer Snider
22. Collection of maps
23. Waze lines: Abbr.
25. Show with a record 200+ Emmy
noms
26. Transparent, as fabrics
28. You might ask a Rav one
32. Israeli kiosk in many malls
33. Ndamukong ___, 2010 N.F.L.
Defensive Rookie of the Year
34. Polluter-busting org.
35. Annual Nissan event...or what
one can literally do in this grid
39. Ewe’s “yo”?
40. “Phooey!”
41. Ill-natured
42. More 4-Across
45. Young lady, with sass
46. Third of July?
47. ___-CREF
48. Top pick in the 1992 NBA draft
51. When repeated, a confection
52. Thing in a folder
56. Crossword alternative...which
this grid doubles as
59. “30 Rock” creator
60. Lessen, as stress
61. Lech ___ (var.)
62. Air safety org.
63. Pronoun for Mother Nature
64. Big name in Israeli music
65. Prada competitor, initially
The solution to last week’s puzzle is on page 79.
NOTE TO READERS: There won’t be a crossword puzzle next week.
Yoni Glatt will be on vacation during Pesach. It’ll be back in the May 3 issue.
JEWISH STANDARD APRIL 19, 2024 69
Down
1. Brady got most of his rings with
them, for short
2. “Let me give you ___, pal”
3. Office note, briefly
4. Protector of the Jews, for short
5. One looking for the Ark
6. Seymour Skinner’s mother on
“The Simpsons”
7. All’s rival
8. Ambulance inits.
9. With a sharp tongue
10. Cambodian currency
11. Gronk pitches this insurance
15. Most TVs, now
18. “Munich” actor Eric
20. Roman fountain name
24. Durable furniture wood
25. “Quiet!”
26. Beit __, northern Israel town or
Valley
27. Nahash of Israel
28. ___ as it is
29. Sinister looks
30. With precision
31. Hard to recollect
32. Great Rav Arika
33. Israeli flag item
36. Notable sibling rivalry figure
37. Where most people live
38. Shabbat prayer
43. One laining
44. Poverty, pollution, and such
45. It’s said after 38-Down
47. Flashlight, to a Brit
48. Be short on a payment
49. One building an ark
50. What some Irish speak
51. ___ Yaakov
53. Touch-and-go
54. Actresses Thompson and
Salonga
55. Big name in Israeli music
57. Kohen Gadol in Shoftim
58. Farm fodder
Editorial
Pesach
is coming
W
hy is this year different from all other
years?
Because on all other years, for those
of us lucky enough to be born into lov-
ing, comfortable families in the United States after the
end of World War II, entering the minds of the Israelites
as they left Egypt, or the rabbis as they talked about it
millennia later, was a purely imaginative exercise.
This year, not so much.
I don’t want to overstate — that’s a cheap and easy rhe-
torical danger. We’re still safe and comfortable here. This
is not Weimar Germany or Vichy France, with evil leering
at us just a few years away. North American and Israeli
Jews still are living in arguably the best time and place a
Jewish community ever has created or found.
But things are changing.
Iran is shooting drones and missiles at Israel — the
same drones and missiles that the Russians are shoot-
ing at Ukraine. Israel is incredibly lucky in its defenses,
its brains, and its allies — Ukraine isn’t nearly as lucky —
but the combination of the pure barbaric evil of Octo-
ber 7, still fresh in our minds, and the destruction fall-
ing from the sky are signs of very real danger.
The world order was securely in place since the end of
World War II, but it’s shifting now. Democracy is at risk.
Autocracy is on the rise.
And to go from the abstract to the specific, the hos-
tages — if they are still alive, if any of them are still alive
— still are in captivity. They need freedom.
We will sit at our seder tables in a few days, and we
will try to figure out how to combine all these truths —
the pain and the hatred and the antisemitism, the bar-
barism and the starvation, the deaths of so very many
firstborn — with the truth of the green springtime, and
the family and friends gathered around the table, whose
presence can give us even more love and strength than
we had before. With the truth of the wine and the food,
the eggs and the saltwater and the crumbs. With the
truth of the physical reality in front of us, the physical
reality of the demolished kibbutzim and empty Shabbat
tables in Israel, and the need for hope as we continue to
move forward.
Because another truth is that the only way to go is for-
ward, and we will do it together.
We wish all our readers a ziessen Pesach, and the hope
that we can overcome grief with the possibility of joy.
—JP
Jewish Editor
Joanne Palmer
Standard Community Editor
Beth Janoff Chananie
PO Box 2128
Our Children Editor
Teaneck, NJ 07666
Heidi Mae Bratt
(201) 837-8818
Fax 201-833-4959 Copy Editor
Jonathan E. Lazarus
Publisher
James L. Janoff
Associate Publisher Emerita
Marcia Garfinkle
thejewishstandard.com
70 JEWISH STANDARD APRIL 19, 2024
Opinion
The connection between sexual
repression and antisemitism
I
s there a connection between sexual repression Owens, who sought to portray herself almost as
and antisemitism? Strange question, right? But a celibate nun — kind of weird, as she is married
is there? with three children — compared to us Jews who are
Over the last six months, since the start of obsessed with having passionate sex.
the October 7 war, initiated by the Hamas massacre, As I pondered why each of these filthy antisemites
I have debated some of America’s and the world’s all brought up Jewish sexual activities and teachings,
leading antisemites. There was Cenk Uygur, the for- it finally dawned on me what the connection was
mer Democratic presidential candidate who bel- between antisemitism and sex.
lowed and howled like a lunatic on international TV What is sex other than a celebration of life? At its
that Israel took delight in murdering Palestinians. best, sex is simply something that makes a husband
There was Europe’s foremost Islamist, Mohmmed and wife feel most alive. Let’s face it. Marriage can be
Hijab, who claimed Israel’s terrorist-to-civilian death filled with drudgery. Changing diapers. Paying bills.
ratio was 1-80. There was America’s foremost Jew- Affording a mortgage. And the stultifying deadness of
ish antisemite, Norman Finkelstein, who actually any everyday routine. Then comes along a passion-
wrote that on October 7th he praised God and said ate sexual connection that invigorates the couple and
“Halleluiah” to see the Israelis murdered. There was, brings them back to life.
of course, Candace Owens, who promoted the idea And that’s what antisemites hate must about us
that I as a rabbi was “drunk on Christian blood,” and Jews: that we always choose life.
whom my daughter Rochel Leah and I got fired three Why do Hamas, Iran, Hezbollah, and all the
weeks ago through nonstop pressure other Islamist sickos hate us so much?
on her Orthodox Jewish employer, Because no matter how much they
Ben Shapiro. And then there was my pledge to spill our blood, we continue
debate with conspiracy-psycho Alex to choose life. Israel is filled with cafes,
Jones. restaurants, museums, universities,
All of these debates had three things parks, and children’s playgrounds.
in common. First, they were watched Gaza, by contrast, well before Isra-
by vast audiences, cumulatively prob- el’s invasion last year, was just a giant
ably more than 30 million people. garbage dump. I know because I was
Second, each opponent told the most personally there with the Reverend Al
disgusting lies and offered the most Rabbi Shmuley Sharpton in October of 2001. The place
poisonous blood libels about Jews. And Boteach was an ugly trash heap. Our Palestinian
third — and here it gets weird — nearly brethren — not Israel — had chosen to
every single one attacked me viciously make it so.
for my international best-selling book “Kosher Sex” The same is true of so many other places that once
and the marital-aid company of the same name that were beautiful — like Lebanon and Beirut, the Paris
my daughter Chana, an IDF veteran, set up in Israel. of the Middle East — which today are essentially piles
I was astonished at the sexual prudishness of my of rubble.
opponents and how much they indulged attacks Our enemies hate us because no matter how hard
about Jews and sex. Indeed, I was unprepared for the try to make our lives miserable, we are always
just how obsessed each was about Jews and sex in joyous, we always rise above their hate, and we
general. The attacks were constant. Why did you always choose life.
write your books “Kosher Sex,” “Kosher Lust,” “The Let me make the case even stronger.
Kosher Sutra,” “Kosher Adultery,” etc etc.? And why Notice what meesskeits, what miserable wretches,
is your daughter selling products that enhance inti- all the pro-Hamas and anti-Israel activists all around
macy and passion between married, monogamous the United States are. The only joy they get is by ruin-
couples? ing your day. They will protest concerts and shut
The most disgusting of all the attacks came from them down. They will shut down airports so you
Mohammed Hijab and especially from Candace miss you flight and can’t visit your family or take a
Rabbi Shmuley Boteach of Englewood has just published the 25th special anniversary edition of “Kosher Sex.”His
website is www.shmuley.com. Follow him on Instagram and X @RabbiShmuley.
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Rebecca Kaplan Boroson

vacation. They are miserable people
who spread misery. Show me even a
single pro-Israel rally where we have
taken that attitude or trying to spread
agony.
Antisemites are the most miserable
wretches on earth. Their only joy is in
making sure you have no joy. That’s
why, little by little, all these disgust-
ing anti-Israel protests and marches
are backfiring. These miserable peo-
ple are making the lives of everyday
Americans absolutely miserable.
Of all the hundreds of thousands of
newsreels we ever saw of Hitler and
his henchmen, Goebbels, Goering,
and Himmler, maybe 10 show them
smiling. They were vile people pos-
sessed of a vile melancholy.
The idea of the happy Nazi, the
gleeful terrorist, the smiling mur-
derer, is obviously an anachronism.
And the single happiest nation on
earth, relative to their historical mis-
fortunes and current global chal-
lenges, are easily the Jewish people.
Larry David just ended his 24-year
run of the most successful comedy
on TV, “Curb Your Enthusiasm.” Yes,
he plays a curmudgeon. But it’s all
about making you laugh. Notice how
some of the world’s greatest comics
and wits are Jews, and how so much
of their humor is about taking every-
day misery and learning to laugh at it,
like Woody Allen (yes, I know, right
now not the best example) or Rodney
Dangerfield.
Who are the Jews? The nation that
has learned not just to survive perse-
cution but to flourish. What is Israel?
The most irrationally hated nation
on earth that was simultaneously
— according to the 2024 World Hap-
piness Report, released last month —
just voted the fifth happiest country
in the world, and this despite the war
in Gaza and the October 7 massacre.
And now you see why all these
reptiles whom I’ve debated, or got-
ten fired, like Candace Owens, hate
Jewish sex more than anything else.
Because Jewish sex is not only that
which keeps our nation surviving,
quite literally, but thriving, quite lit-
erally as well.
Judaism is the only religion on
earth that says sex is not just for pro-
creation — surviving — but for inti-
macy, thriving. As the book of Gene-
sis says (2:24) “Therefore shalt a man
leave his father and his mother, he
shall cleave unto his wife and they
shall become one flesh.”
So much of religion leads to sexual
The opinions expressed in this section are those of the authors, not
necessarily those of the newspaper’s editors, publishers, or other staffers.
We welcome letters to the editor. Send them to jstandardletters@gmail.com
repression. In Catholicism priests
and nuns — the religious leaders of
the Church — have to be completely
celibate, easily the most unnatural
human state to exist in. St. Paul said,
“Now to the unmarried and the wid-
ows I say: It is good for them to stay
unmarried, as I do. But if they can-
not control themselves, they should
marry, for it is better to marry than to
burn with passion” (1 Corinthians 7).
And many Islamic countries have
taken sexual repression to an extreme
by cloaking women in such austere
and severe garb, and by so separat-
ing the sexes, that there can be little
everyday joy in social interactions.
Hitler, of course, famously cre-
ated the Lebensborn program that
likewise reduced sex to simply birth-
ing more and more soldiers for the
Fuhrer.
And that’s why so many antisem-
ites attack my book “Kosher Sex”
and my daughter Chana’s company
of the same name. Because both are
a clear distillation of that most essen-
tial of ideas, that Judaism wants us to
celebrate life. That Judaism doesn’t
believe that men and women marry
primarily to have children but to feel
alive in each other’s company and to
make love. And that life is meant to
be lived at the mountain’s summit
and not just in the deep dark valleys.
The holiest book of the Hebrew
Bible is something that is anathema
to the average miserable antisem-
ite, who hates life and all of his fel-
low human creatures. The Song
of Solomon is an erotic lust poem
that describes the burning yearning
between a man and a woman: “Your
breasts are like two fawns, like twin
fawns of a gazelle that browse among
the lilies... Your stature is like that of
the palm, and your breasts like clus-
ters of fruit. I said, ‘I will climb the
palm tree; I will take hold of its fruit.’”
For us Jews, lust is hot, sexy, and holy.
The tenth commandment is clear:
“Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s
wife.” Which means, by direct impli-
cation, you ought to be coveting your
own.
The antisemites, well, they too
covet. They covet Jewish joy. They
are jealous of Jewish prosperity. They
are envious of Jewish success. And
instead of following our lead and imi-
tating our greatest teaching of all —
l’chaim, always choose life — they find
it much easier just to make sure that
even we cannot choose it by making
us dead.
The week that was
W
hen I was a kid, a long
long time ago, I used
to have a little Brownie
camera. I had to load
it with film, if you remember what film
is, and then take the shots, eight or 12 of
them, I think. I had to be careful, since
each photo was destined to be precious
if I got it right. If I got it wrong, it was
worthless, but not cost-less. Worst of all
for the impatient me that I was, and con-
tinue to be, I had to bring it to a store,
usually a drug store or what we called a
candy store, which would send it out to
be developed. And then I had to wait! My
pictures provided no immediate gratifica-
tion whatsoever.
Of course, it was exciting to pick up
the developed photos. Often there were
duds. I never was a terrific photographer.
But often there were
some good and memora-
ble shots. Although it was
always an anticipated
moment and the waiting
itself provided a delicious
delay, today’s way is sig-
nificantly better. And less
stressful.
Today, we, all of us,
whip out our phones, our Rosanne
magic gadgets that allow Skopp
us to speak in unlimited
time and distance to our
friends and family around the world, see
them (remember when a visual telephone
conversation was a far-fetched dream),
check the stock market and the news and
read the newspapers, watch a film, check
our flight schedule, and on and on ad
infinitum. Oh yes. We can also snap pho-
tos, over and over until we get them right,
and they are “developed” instantly. And
what treasures those photos encompass.
Yesterday I got a series of precious
shots of our brand new great-grand-
daughter, who is as yet unnamed, but
certainly not untitled! She is definitely a
princess, being born to a family of three
sons and to a father who is one of five
sons. Oh yes. Whatever beautiful name
she is blessed with, she’s a princess with-
out a doubt!
So there she is in my phone’s col-
lection, which already includes new-
born shots of her three big brothers,
Noam, Itai, and Lior, and two first cous-
ins, Sophie, another fabulous girl, and
Elchanan, another delightful boy. To call
these photos treasures is a distinct under-
statement. They are in fact the great-
est joys, and I can easily gaze on them
Rosanne Skopp of West Orange is a wife, mother of four, grandmother of 14, and great-
grandmother of six. She is a graduate of Rutgers University and a dual citizen of the
United States and Israel. She is a lifelong blogger, writing blogs before anyone knew what
a blog was! She welcomes email at rosanne.skopp@gmail.com
JEWISH STANDARD APRIL 19, 2024 71
Opinion
whenever the muse instructs me to gaze
on your great-grandchildren.
Now that I’ve got this remarkable gad-
get, the phone, and these so much more
amazing kids, the great-grandchildren, I
can do so much more with them. With
the babies on Facetime I can make ador-
able — and from an 84-year-old not much
is adorable — sounds to entertain them.
More importantly, they can make their
own adorable sounds to entertain me.
And they can kick their little feet and
learn to eat string beans, and even bet-
ter, peas, and reach for their mobiles and
coo and turn over and then grow up so
quickly that I have already seen the eldest
get his siddur. I love to watch from afar as
they all mature and develop, but clearly
it is a monumental leap from a picture
sent in an envelope, without the reality
of interactions and conver-
sations. So this little girl is in
Maryland and I am in New
Jersey, but I see her and hear
her loud and clear. And she is
beautiful, as is Sophie, and all
the boys are handsome, and
I feel close to them. And love
them immensely!
The picture of the new
baby with her three brothers
gazing at her, she being then
a day old, is simply thrilling.
She is magical, and they are
enchanted. Yes. I know. They will soon
take her for granted, at least sometimes,
but my own mother was born to a family
of two older brothers, and they watched
over her all their lives. A little sister is a
special item! I cannot wait to hear her
name.
This was a dynamic week, a dynamic
wedding week I should say. This marks
the halfway point of our grandchildren’s
weddings. This was the seventh out of 14.
If the remaining seven match up as per-
fectly as the first seven, we will indeed
be very lucky grandparents. Not only is
everyone Jewish, but everyone is seri-
ously proudly educated, learned Jewish.
We could have had no better goal in our
lives than to have every single member of
our family marry another committed Jew.
Credit must be given for this to our amaz-
ing children, who’ve spent enormous
fortunes on day school educations, Israel
travel, and Jewish camps. We certainly
have investment-quality grandchildren!
Each and every one of them.
This week’s wedding of Maayan and
Ari was simply fabulous. Within the next
SEE WEEK THAT WAS PAGE 75
Opinion

I’VE BEEN THINKING

Singing across continents and generations

M
y last column was a heavily political,
serious one about the Israel-America
relationship (“An Unnecessary Error”). I
thought it might be somewhat controver-
sial, and in fact the number of thoughtful comments
I received was greater than usual. Surprisingly, there
were more complimentary ones than I had expected,
but plenty in strong disagreement as well. While this
one will also, in some ways, be about Israel-America
relationships, it’s much lighter, and I hope without any
controversy.
The story of this column began in 1960 when — wait,
that’s too late. Let’s go back to 1941, when the HaNoar
Ha’Ivri movement, dedicated to building a Jewish life in
the United States that promoted Zionism and the revival
of the Hebrew language, opened a Hebrew-speaking
day camp in Far Rockaway, under the direction of
Shlomo Shulsinger, called Massad. The name comes
from a line in a poem by Chaim Nachman Bialik, Isra-
el’s national poet — “if you had not built the rafters but
only the massad [foundation], be content my brothers,
your toil is not in vain.” The poem was put to music
and became the Labor Zionist anthem under the name
Techezakna, and was sung often and enthusiastically
at Massad.
Massad soon became a sleepaway camp,
relocated to Pennsylvania, and eventu-
ally grew to three separate camps. While
very successful in the 1950s and ’60s,
when it was the pre-eminent American
Hebrew-speaking camp (if you wanted salt
at dinner and you didn’t ask for melach,
your food went unseasoned), it began to
decline in the 1970s and closed in 1981.
In the late 1950s, Yonatan Zak, Massad’s Joseph C.
music counselor, formed the Massad coun- Kaplan
selors choir. In the fall of 1960 (where I ini-
tially thought I’d start this story), Stanley
Sperber, a Massadnik who later went on to music-con-
ducting fame in Israel and now is conductor laureate of
the Haifa Symphony Orchestra, transformed that choir
into the Massad Choral Group, which met during the
year at JTS. Massad encouraged this endeavor as part of
its effort to reach out to camp alumni during the winter
season.
It didn’t take too long for a chamber choir of 16 voices
to develop into an ensemble of over 90. Soon it began
performing around the country and producing records
under its new name, the Zamir Chorale (zamir is singer
or nightingale in Hebrew). In July 1967 it made a jubilant
two-week visit to Israel following the Six Day War. (The
visit had been scheduled the previous year.) They sang
at Israel’s Zimriya, Hebrew University’s liberated Mount
Scopus campus, and the Western Wall. Its Hebrew reper-
toire, which included Handel’s Saul oratorio, which they
sang with the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra, expanded
to include the newly written Yerushalyim Shel Zahav.
Joseph C. Kaplan, a retired lawyer, longtime Teaneck
resident, and regular columnist for the Jewish Standard
and the New Jersey Jewish News, is the author of “A
Passionate Writing Life: From ‘In my Opinion’ to ‘I’ve
Been Thinking’” (available at Teaneck’s Judaica House).
He and his wife, Sharon, have been blessed with four
wonderful daughters and five delicious grandchildren.
72 JEWISH STANDARD APRIL 19, 2024
Ilan Penkower takes a selfie with some of his many HaZamir friends  ALL PHOTOS COURTESY JOSEPH KAPLAN
The Zamir Chorale is not the first Jew-
ish choral group to use zamir; an earlier
group called Ha-zamir was founded at the
turn of the 20th century in Lodz, Poland,
and flourished for four decades in Eastern
Europe. Indeed, as a tribute to its prede-
cessor, Zamir begins and ends each of its
concerts with a rendition of “ha-Zamir,”
composed in 1903 by Leo Low, Ha-zamir’s
conductor. According to Joshua Jacobson,
founder and artistic director of the (unaf-
filiated) Zamir Chorale of Boston, Low
wrote that song — “Sing brethren, sing!/
Then with song we will rouse the people” — “in the
bright key of A major, in a joyous tempo, with sharply
chiseled rhythms and rising melodic lines.”
In 1972, after Sperber went on aliyah, Maestro Mati
Lazar took over the conducting reins of Zamir. For the Ilan Penkower and Maayan Roth stand outside
next decades, Zamir continued to sing in concert and Carnegie Hall
on records in the United States and in Israel. In 1990,
Mati expanded Zamir’s scope by founding the Zamir Just to recap, because it can get confusing. Zamir,
Choral Foundation, which “promotes choral music as previously the Massad Choral Group, is the adult Jew-
a vehicle to inspire Jewish life, literacy, community, and ish-American choral group. The Zamir Foundation is
connection to Israel, . . . guided by an expansive vision the parent body of both Zamir and HaZamir: The Inter-
of vibrant Jewish identity across the generational, national Jewish Teen Choir. Ha-zamir is the earlier
denominational and political continuums through the Polish choral group, and ha-Zamir is the anthem of all
study and performance of Jewish music at the highest the various Zamir choirs. Got it? If not, don’t worry; it
level of excellence.” won’t be on the test.
In 1993 Mati formed HaZamir: The National Jewish (Hat tip to my good friend Lawrence Kobrin, a proud
High School Choir. In 2005, Mati’s wife, Vivian, became alumnus and former officer of Massad; Stanley Sperber’s
its director, rebranded it as HaZamir: The International article, “Reminiscences of the Origins of Zamir Chorale
Jewish Teen Choir, and revised its program to offer in America”; Vivian, and Google for help in filling in
“high schoolers in 35 chapters across the United States many blanks about the history of Massad and Zamir.)
and Israel the opportunity to learn and sing Jewish cho- But HaZamir is much more than singing. In addition
ral music at the highest musical standard and on the to having a chamber choir for more advanced singers,
world’s greatest stages.” (Disclosure: Vivian and I have there are teen leadership and conductors training pro-
been friends forever; we grew up literally — and I’m grams, HaZaPrep for younger singers, and a serious edu-
using that word literally — across the street from each cational aspect in which the singers study a new theme
other and were elementary school classmates at HILI.) each year around which HaZamir’s musical repertoire —
(See “The Memories are Still Green.”) learned by all chapters in weekly rehearsals — is chosen.

Another critical aspect of HaZamir is the
creation of relationships. This process begins
inwardly, as the members of chapters first
bond with each other, and then expands as
they bond first with the members of other
chapters in their country and then with chap-
ters across the Atlantic. Much of this last step
takes place at HaZamir’s annual U.S. festival,
attended by all Israeli and American chapters.
The festival reaches its acme in a concert in a
major New York City venue, this year Carnegie
Hall, where Israeli and American HaZamir kids
joined in glorious song. Just imagine the thrill
teenagers feel performing on the stage of Amer-
ica’s premier concert hall.
But just like HaZamir is more than singing,
the festival is more than the concert. The var- Three generations of HaZamir Penkower singers are in
ious Israeli chapters have American sister cit- Carnegie Hall — Ilan is flanked by his grandfather, Monty,
ies, and before heading to a hotel for a long and his father, Ariel.
Shabbat weekend of rehearsals and renewing
old friendships and making new ones, the Israeli kids
spend a few days in their sister cities, sleeping and eat- established one-and-a-half degrees of separation with
ing some meals at the homes of local hosts. During the
day they visit Jewish schools, senior citizen facilities,
and other institutions (with some touring, shopping,
and kosher restaurants thrown in). These pre-concert
activities broaden the Israelis’ vistas, help our Ameri-
can kids broaden theirs, and forge even more relation-
ships both across generations and between a new gen-
eration of American and Israeli youth.
For the past two years, my wife, Sharon, and I were
privileged to serve as hosts for visiting Israeli sing-
ers. While most hosts open their homes to complete
strangers, we hosted Israelis we knew: last year a great-
niece, Maayan Roth, and great-nephew, Ilan Penkower,
Passover 2024 — History and Hope
A
s Passover approaches, this year’s celebra-
tion of the Exodus and Jewish nationhood
feels bittersweet. Much to our great sorrow,
the well-known maxim that history repeats
itself is too often true. The tragic events of October 7,
six long months ago, were in many ways reminiscent
of the pogroms of the 1800s, and of the
monstrous Nazi war crimes a century
later. Beyond the horrific events perpe-
trated by a terrorist organization, there
has been the additional pain of open
antisemitism on many college campuses
across the country.
History teaches us that it is never fruit-
ful to ignore injustice. As Elie Wiesel
wrote, neutrality helps the oppressor,
never the victim; silence encourages the Dr. Alan
tormentor, never the tormented. Kadish
Moses understood this notion instinc-
tively. Before being selected to lead his
nation and deliver the Torah — an event
that would forever shape world history — Moses acted
to right injustice. When he saw his fellow Jews being
whipped, he did what he deemed necessary to put an
Dr. Alan Kadish of Teaneck is the president of Touro
University.
together with their friend Liam Rosenfeld (yes, we
him), and this year just Ilan, since Maayan and Liam
spent their pre-hotel days with their chapter in its sister
city of Providence.
And while we love Maayan and Ilan equally, I must
note that Ilan is truly a unique member of HaZamir. His
father, Ariel Penkower, sang in Zamir before he made
aliyah, and his grandfather, Monty Penkower (Sharon’s
brother), was among the early Zamir singers under
Maestro Sperber. In fact, Monty participated in Zamir’s
1967 Israel trip, which he has often told us about with
gusto. This makes the Penkowers a three-generation
Zamir family — to our knowledge, the only one. It is a
badge they wear with pride.
end to the torment.
Entering the Passover holiday season, we are con-
scious of pressing world events. As of this writing, there
are wars raging in the Middle East and in Ukraine, and
many of us feel the threat of antisemitism. It may seem
as if the entire world is hanging in the balance. To help
put these challenges in perspective, the
history of Passover holds valuable lessons
that are as applicable to us now as they
were when the events occurred.
Some 3,300 years ago, the entire Jew-
ish nation was enslaved and facing infan-
ticide. A tyrant who regarded himself as a
deity reigned over nearly the entire world
and his Hebrew slaves faced cruel oppres-
sion. How could anyone so disempow-
ered imagine escaping the daily hardship
and terrible ordeals?
But ancient Jews did not abandon
hope, that powerful and essential human
quality that has continued to shape the
development of humankind. Indeed, when the people
joined together, with God’s intervention and deliver-
ance, the cruel oppression was overcome. There was
redemption not only for the Jews, but for all peoples
who wished to leave the bonds of slavery.
Today, as we wake up to turmoil, it is easy to find
Opinion
This year was difficult for HaZamir, as it was
for all of us. But it was one where all these vari-
ous relationships became even more important.
Many of the Israeli kids were displaced from their
homes, had parents, siblings, or friends fight-
ing in the IDF, and, tragically, sat through more
funerals than any teenager should be expected
to attend. And HaZamir, both as an institution as
well as through its individual leaders and mem-
bers, gave them a shoulder to cry on, a place to
receive emotional and practical assistance and
advice, and the knowledge that people they knew
cared about them and the difficulties they were
enduring. No singer was left behind. They pulled
together, so all could continue to participate and
join in this year’s festival.
Sunday’s concert, “HaZamir Sings for Israel,”
was truly a wonderful afternoon. But I know my
limits, and I’m no music critic. So let me just note
three personal highlights. First, hearing 400 mag-
nificent voices opening and ending the concert with the
more than 120-year-old ha-Zamir anthem united gener-
ations and continents. Second, their soulful rendition
of Acheinu, which has become the anthem of October 7,
reminded me how tragedy can sometimes beget unity.
And third, when the 60-member Israeli choir was intro-
duced to sing its selections, the audience exploded in
a stirring minutes-long standing ovation, which ended
only because we wanted to hear them sing.
I’m not a crier, but a packed Carnegie Hall audience
standing on their feet, cheering young Israeli singers,
some of whom will soon be young Israeli fighters,
moistened even this Litvak’s eyes. May peace come
speedily to acheinu kol beit Yisrael — to our brothers
and sisters, the entire People of Israel.
ourselves frightened by current events. But the people
who lived in the days of the first Passover under a ruth-
less Pharaoh — and many people throughout history —
have faced turmoil that, in their time, was also unprec-
edented. Ultimately, with perseverance and Divine
Providence, slavery and bias can be overcome.
Just as Moses took action to right injustice, today we
can speak up and advocate for our people and address
bias and double standards that we see playing out in
various settings on the local, national, and world stages.
Last weekend, I believe we all witnessed a glimmer
of Divine Providence that should embolden us to hope
once again. As God and the Iron Dome intercepted hun-
dreds of rockets aimed at Israel and no one was killed,
we can envision a modern day redemption.
Passover is steeped in custom and tradition, perhaps
the most important of which is the sharing of those tra-
ditions with the next generation. This year, let us share
a message of hope — because history does repeat itself,
and redemption — with God’s help — is never far away.
History also teaches us that the desire for freedom and
peace will ultimately triumph despite what may seem
like impossible odds.
Ultimately, Passover is a time of renewal — a time for
affirming our belief that, with determination and God’s
blessing, better times are ahead. May those days come
speedily.
JEWISH STANDARD APRIL 19, 2024 73
Opinion

‘Education Day, USA’ brings peace

to the Middle East and the entire world

A
n interesting fact is that the only federally rec- just about learning facts, figures and formulas, but about
ognized holiday linked to the Hebrew calendar transmitting a moral and ethical framework for our chil-
is Education and Sharing Day, USA or Educa- dren so that they can inherit and upkeep a better and
tion Day for short. You may not more just society. This was the rebbe’s
be familiar with it, but this lesser-known hol- message for children of all faiths.
iday occurs just four days before Pesach on As Jews, the way we impart our values
the 11th of Nissan, coinciding with the birth- to our children is by prioritizing high qual-
day of the Lubavitcher rebbe, Rabbi Men- ity Jewish education — one that transmits
achem M. Schneerson, of righteous mem- our rich history and shows the next gen-
ory. (It falls on April 19 this year.) eration the way of Torah and mitzvot. A
For the past 46 years, starting with Pres- motto I often refer to is “If education is the
ident Carter in 1978, every president has foundation of humanity, Jewish education
issued an annual proclamation recognizing is the cornerstone of Jewish continuity.”
the 11th of Nissan as Education Day, as do Rabbi Mordechai Less than a week after Education Day
hundreds of local and state governments. Shain comes Pesach, the holiday that embodies
But what is the meaning behind such a day? education more than any other. The Hag-
According to the 2023 Presidential proc- gadah’s main focus is “v’higatida l’vincha”
lamation, Education Day emphasizes that “education — our obligation to teach our children. The seders on
should not just be about training individuals to earn a the first two nights of the holiday are immersive educa-
living, but it should also be about making a better living tional experiences where we teach our children the story
for society as a whole…Students should not only learn of Pesach and encourage them to ask questions and be
but also build character.” involved in every aspect of the seder.
An official day dedicated to the importance of educa- Apart from Pesach’s emphasis on education, it also
tion serves an important purpose. It brings our attention marks the birth of our nation, and these two ideas are
back to what education really means, which is imparting profoundly interconnected. When we became a nation,
essential values to our children. A true education is not we were given a set of rules to live by and were made
responsible to pass on that way of living to our children.
Rabbi Mordechai Shain is the director of Lubavitch The best way I’ve seen in my three decades of Jewish
on the Palisades. For more information, go to communal work to guarantee that our traditions are
www.chabadlubavitch.org. passed down is through ensuring that each Jewish child
has access to high quality Jewish education.
Equally as important as educating our children is
the need to do it properly. Looking at the situation in
Gaza and the Middle East, we see a clear failure to instill
the values of human life. The result, which can be seen
everywhere, is devastation and suffering; and to make
matters worse, people across the world, in the name of
tolerance, are protesting in favor of Hamas and amplify-
ing their message of hate. By prioritizing moral and ethi-
cal education, as well as a transmission of the 7 Noahide
Laws, we could avert such realities and the world would
not look like what it does today.
Doing so also helps create better advocates for Israel.
When a child is taught that their right to their homeland
comes from G-d, not the U.N, United States, or some
other entity, it empowers them to be braver advocates
for their land and people. And ultimately, in times of
extreme pressures and uncertainty, such as we are see-
ing today, this sense of purpose is what will carry the
Jewish people through.
The world is complicated, messy, scary, and in tur-
moil. However, the messages of Pesach and Education
Day teach us that through intentional and proper edu-
cation, we can turn the tide of history. By promoting
moral and ethical education, we build a world of toler-
ance and understanding for all people. And by gifting
our children with a strong Jewish education, we make
them cognizant of their heritage and duty to their peo-
ple, and show them the way of G-d and the beauty of a
life lived in accordance with His will.

Psalms as a source of comfort and joy

J
ust hours after a surprising thwarting of an Iranian reflects our people’s longstanding tradition of finding
attack, a friend pointed me to something quite
intriguing on Google Trends. This
tool shows what people are search-
ing for by region, and the results for Israel
were quite telling.
Not surprisingly, “chadashot” — news
— topped the list as everyone scrambled
for updates about the more than 300
missiles and drones that had targeted
Israel. There was also a surge in searches
for “tissot” — flights — thanks to closed
airspace messing up many Passover Rabbi Mendy
travel plans. Kaminker
What I didn’t expect to see in the top
five searches was “tehillim” — psalms.
Both during and after the attack, Israelis were search-
ing for psalms, and one of the specific psalms that was
highly popular right after the attack was Psalm 100: A
Song for Thanksgiving. After days of fear and dread
of the impending Iranian attack, people were deeply
thankful to G-d for witnessing this miracle and wanted
to express their thanks to Him.
The fact that so many turned to psalms deeply
Mendy Kaminker is the rabbi of Chabad of Hackensack
and an editorial member of Chabad.org. He looks
forward to your thoughts and comments at Rabbi@
ChabadHackensack.com
74 JEWISH STANDARD APRIL 19, 2024
solace and expression in the words of tehillim.
For generations, the Book of Tehil-
lim was our chief source of comfort. In
moments of sorrow or pain, you’d see
people hold their precious Tehillim, cry-
ing to G-d for whatever they needed. And
in moments of happiness, they will use
the singing praises of psalms.
The Book of Tehillim includes 150
chapters, many of which are tradition-
ally associated with prayers for specific
requests. Psalm 20, for example, is often
said as a prayer for healing; Psalm 121 is
appropriate for times of distress, and as
mentioned, Psalm 100 is a song of thanks
to G-d for his kindness.
A deeply meaningful tehillim tradition championed
by the rebbe is the custom of daily reciting the chapter
associated with our current age and year of life. You
can calculate this by looking at your age plus one. For
example, if you are 22 (aren’t we all?), then you have
completed 22 years on this earth, and you are in your
23rd year of life. Your chapter of Psalms is going to be
Psalm 23.
Every year, on your Hebrew birthday, your chapter
will change based on your upgraded age. (We never get
old; we just upgrade our age!)
Saying our chapter of Tehillim daily brings us divine
blessings. In the same way, saying the chapter of our
loved ones can be a source of blessings for them. Par-
ents can say their children’s chapter every day, teachers
can say their students’, children can say their parents’
chapter, and chassidim would often say the Rebbe’s
chapter. Even after their deaths, the holy words of King
David can bring blessings to those we wish to remain
connected to.
The words of Tehillim are poetic and rich with met-
aphors. They can lift us and bring us closer to our
inner souls.
Here is an example of one psalm that resonates
deeply now, in light of the current disturbing wave of
antisemitism. It is Chapter 123, as this is the rebbe’s
chapter for this year. Here is my translation/adapta-
tion of it:
“A song of ascent: I lift my eyes to You who dwell in
heaven. Like servants who watch their master’s hands,
and maids who watch their mistress’s hands, wholly
reliant on them, we keep our eyes on You, Lord, wait-
ing patiently for Your kindness.
Please show us Your favor, dear God! Show us your
favor! We’re tired of being looked down on, and our
hearts are heavy with mockery from those who are too
comfortable and the contempt from the proud.”
Dear G-d, please listen to our prayers, make this
world a better place for us all, and may we always
have reasons to recite psalms of songs and thanks to
you. Amen.
 Opinion/Obituaries

Week that was

FROM PAGE 71
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Our grandson Aaron recited the prayer for Israel
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suit and tie was quite the contrast from recently see- A Happy, Healthy
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If only my news could stop right there, without
Iran casting giant dark shadows on all of us. Let me
say it loud and profanely: those bastards are trying
to destroy our happiness, yours, mine, and every
other Jew’s on this planet! The absolute nerve of
them! Why can’t this world allow us to have peace
and pleasure without haunting us with missiles?
Why do our joyous moments have to be tempered
by the sounds of distant air-raid sirens in our own
land? We’ll show them. Indeed we will prevail, but
not one of our people should have to lose his life to
teach them a lesson.
A comment from an old lady who was taught to
speak like a lady but is just too infuriated to remem-
ber her parents’ teachings: let our enemies rot in
hell!!!!

JEWISH STANDARD APRIL 19, 2024 75

Obituaries

An Argentine court says Iran, Hezbollah responsible for 1994 AMIA bombing
JUAN MELAMED “a crime against humanity” and Iran as “a Iran’s role in the attack. In 2013, Kirch- embraced Israel, which now is in con-

A
terrorist state.” The bombing was, at the ner had signed a memorandum of flict with Iran and Hezbollah. In a state-
n Argentine court has ruled time, the deadliest single attack on Jews understanding with Iran that allowed ment, his office praised the ruling.
that Iran and Hezbollah were since the Holocaust. It came two years Iran and Argentina to jointly investi- “The office of the president wel-
behind the 1994 bombing of after a bombing at the Israeli embassy in gate the attack. comes the ruling … that puts an end
the AMIA Jewish community Buenos Aires killed 29. An official report in 2017 found to decades of postponement and cov-
center in Buenos Aires, a landmark devel- Controversy over the bombing, and that Nisman was murdered. Kirchner er-up in the AMIA case,” Milei’s office
opment in the reckoning over the antise- who is culpable for it, has roiled Argenti- later served as Argentina’s vice presi- said, adding that Milei has “asserted
mitic attack that may open the door to na’s politics and legal system for decades. dent from 2019 to 2023 and was con- the absolute independence of the
international legal action. In 2015, Alberto Nisman, a Jewish pros- victed on separate corruption charges judiciary,” allowing the court “to exer-
In a nearly 800-page ruling, the coun- ecutor, was found dead in his apartment shortly before leaving office, which cise its function with total freedom,
try’s highest criminal court said that Iran shortly before he was to present evidence she was expected to appeal. without political pressure, to deliver
directed the 1994 bombing of AMIA, which that the country’s then-president, Cristina Argentina has South America’s larg- the justice that both victims and their
killed 85 people, and defined the attack as Fernández de Kirchner, had covered up est Jewish population, at more than families have been waiting for for
200,000. Jorge Knoblovits, president decades.”
of the Argentine Jewish umbrella orga- The ruling came months after the
nization DAIA, welcomed the ruling in U.S. Justice Department charged a
a statement. dual Colombian-Lebanese citizen
“We must applaud these judges, with playing a key role in the bomb-
who have had courage and probity,” ing. According to the Justice Depart-
Chevra Kadisha Taharath Jacob Isaac he said, noting that the ruling “opens ment, the suspect, Samuel Salman El
the possibility of a lawsuit in the Inter- Reda, 58, has been a Hezbollah oper-
Serving the needs of the Jewish community for 40 years national Criminal Court.” ative since 1993. He was charged with
with respect, dignity and strict adherence to halacha Argentina’s new president, Javier providing material support to a desig-
through many funeral homes in the tri-state area. Milei, is a Catholic who has called nated terrorist organization.
Family operated for three generations. Judaism a source of his values and JEWISH TELEGRAPHIC AGENCY

For emergencies, 24 hours, 201-530-5822

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MARCY NEEDLE BETH BERMAN WECHSLER
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76 JEWISH STANDARD APRIL 19, 2024

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 Classified

Solution to last week’s puzzle. This week’s puzzle is on page 69.

Help Wanted

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Noteworthy

EL AL launches nonstop service between Fort Lauderdale and Tel Aviv

On April 15, EL AL Israel Airlines operated its inaugural
flight on its 787 Dreamliner aircraft from Fort Lauder-
dale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL), Fla., to Tel
Aviv. This nonstop service brings the weekly south Flor-
ida schedule to seven flights, just in time for Passover
and the busy summer travel season.
“In response to increased demand, EL AL is expand-
ing its U.S. operations and flight schedules,” said Simon
Newton-Smith, EL AL senior vice president of the
Americas. “EL AL exists to keep community connected,
and when all other airlines stopped flying to Israel, EL
AL morphed from airline to lifeline.
“With Broward County home to a strong Jewish
community of 230,000, Fort Lauderdale was a natural
choice for EL AL. Both Miami and Fort Lauderdale offer
passengers access to many domestic and international
connections, especially with our codeshare partners
Delta Air Lines and JetBlue,” said Newton-Smith.
EL AL will operate seven weekly flights
between south Florida and Israel.
Maor Elbaz-Starinsky, consul general of Israel
in Miami, said the new flights “build on the Above, EL AL, Israeli, airport, and Broward County officials cut the
strong bonds between Broward County, Flor- ribbon to launch the inaugural EL AL flight from Fort Lauderdale-
ida, and Israel. The two sunshine-blessed states Hollywood International Airport to Tel Aviv. Left, carriers for the new
will count on more ways to further expand the flights will be EL AL’s 787 Dreamliner aircraft.
already vibrant political, commercial, cultural,
and tourism ties.” the southern U.S., Since October 7, EL AL has adjusted its U.S. flight
Mark E. Gale, Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood said, “I wish to schedule to maintain a vital air bridge to and from
Airport CEO/director of aviation, said, “Adding congratulate the Israel, with plans to operate over 50 direct weekly
EL AL to our airport’s roster of international EL AL team for flights to Israel this summer. All EL AL flights from
carriers is a feather in the cap for FLL as we adding this very North America are operated with Boeing 787 Dream-
strive to increase our portfolio of global airlines and important service. Since the beginning of the year, liner aircraft featuring the latest amenities, including
destinations.” travel has been slowly resuming and growing, and this lie-flat seats in Business Class, gourmet meals, and an
Lorin Maugery, Israel Ministry of Tourism’s consul to is another strong sign of recovery of tourism to Israel.” extensive choice of wines and beverages.

Music of Abayudaya Yagdil Torah v’yaadir

concert to premiere on JLTV
“Abayudaya Music Celebrating Uganda’s
Jews” will premiere on JLTV ( Jewish Life
Television) Sunday, April 28, at 3 p.m.
and will repeat on Friday, May 3, at 8 p.m.
and Sunday, May 5, at 4 p.m. The concert,
featuring the Abayudaya Music to the
World Choir and Orchestra, is presented
by Achvah: The Partnership for Abayu-
daya Rights.
The Abayudaya, African Jews living in
Uganda, have practiced Judaism for over
a century. Israel’s Ministry of the Interior
does not recognize the Abayudaya peo-
ple as authentic Jews; as such, they are
denied access to Israel’s law of return to
become citizens.
The concert — featuring Jewish prayers
sung in Hebrew, Swahili, and Luganda,
set to Abayudaya music — is part of a
fund-raising effort to send 10-12 Abayu-
daya representatives to Israel, where they
will present their case for recognition to
the Israeli public.
“We are proud to air this lively, engag-
ing, and meaningful concert.” said JLTV
executive vice president Brad Pomerance.
“The music is wonderful, the challenges
of the Abayudaya are generally unknown,
80 JEWISH STANDARD APRIL 19, 2024
and we look forward to bringing this enter-
taining and educational program to JLTV’s
North American audience.”
“It has been a pleasure participating in
the production of this concert,” said Rabbi
Michael Chernick, a member of the Ach-
vah organizing committee. “We have been
working for many years to draw attention
to the treatment of the Abayudaya by Isra-
el’s Ministry of the Interior. This concert
demonstrates the passion of the Abayu-
daya people for Judaism and the State
of Israel.”
Rachel Namudosi, music director of the
Abayudaya Music to the World Choir and
Orchestra, reported, “Preparing for the
concert has brought together the Abayu-
daya communities dispersed throughout
Uganda. This has united us and created
a strong social bond between us. We are
proud to be helping members of our com-
munity go to Israel to see the land and seek
Israel’s recognition of our community as
full and authentic Jews.”
J LT V i s t h e 2 4 - 7, E n g l i sh l a n -
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To find its channel position in any commu-
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The Steinsaltz Center is disseminat-
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CALL TODAY FOR A FREE ESTIMATE
201-661- 4940
THE BIGGER
WeRISK
do not transport solid or hazardous waste

IS NOT ADVERTISING!
Call today!
Natalie: 201-837-8818 ext. 121
JEWISH STANDARD APRIL 19, 2024 81
 Real Estate

NAAMA MANAHAN
Realtor
FLORIDA (201) 655-2316 Cell

It’s your move May we have

www.edandellyhometeam.com our hostages
back NOW!
SELL • BUY • RENT • INVEST
873 TEANECK RD., TEANECK
(201) 837-8800 OFC
naamalea@gmail.com

HAPPY
PASSOVER
Downsizing? Selling? Buying?
Active Adult, Country Club and Beachside in STEVEN L. FINKELSTEIN
BOCA RATON, DELRAY BEACH, BOYNTON BEACH, Your Seniors Real Estate Specialist ®
JUPITER, PALM BEACH GARDENS
OFFICE CALL/EMAIL TODAY!
and the surrounding communities
201-837-8800 X44
Select Group DIRECT
6905 SW. 18th St. · Boca Raton, Fl 33433 917-804-2618
Elly & Ed Lepselter
stevensellshomesnj@gmail.com
(561) 302-9374
Former NJ residents 873 Teaneck Rd., Teaneck, NJ · www.stevensellshomesnj.com

I CE IVE
FF US
O CL
EX

289OakwoodRoadEnglewoodNJ.com
Tyrene Gibson Alyssa Goldberg
115 River Road suite 103 Edgewater NJ 07020
201-978-8218 201-969-2626 201-280-5552
82 JEWISH STANDARD APRIL 19, 2024
to love your job
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Ohel is a meaningful place of work where you can

find your career path while making a difference.
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For more information, call 718-686-3102

JEWISH STANDARD APRIL 19, 2024 83

Mehadrin Norman’s B’gan B’gan Lieber’s Manischewitz or Streit’s
Lebens Greek French Fries Mini Florets Semi Sweet Cake Meal or
Assorted
6 Oz
Yogurts Assorted Cauliflower or Chocolate Matzo Meal
Broccoli
Chips
2 Lb 16 Oz
Assorted
24 Oz
5.3-6 Oz 9 Oz

4/$
5 3/$
4 $499 EA $599 EA $279 EA
2/$
7
Manischewitz Glicks or Lieber’s Hollywood Lieber’s or Gefen Heinz Coca-Cola
Matzo Vegetable or Safflower BBQ Tomato Regular or
Farfel Olive Oil Oil Sauce Ketchup Diet Only
2 Lt
Assorted
Spray
14 Oz 32 Oz 24.7 Oz
18 Oz
5 Oz

$399 EA $399 EA $899 EA

2/$
7 $479 EA
2/$
4