In Memoriam Mary Lil Walsh Federation Welcomes New Families
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Jewish Federation of NEPA Non-profit Organization 601 Jefferson Ave. U.S. POSTAGE PAID The Scranton, PA 18510 Permit # 184 Watertown, NY Change Service Requested Published by the Jewish Federation of Northeastern Pennsylvania VOLUME XI, NUMBER 4 FEBRUARY 22, 2018 Federation welcomes new families to Northeastern Pennsylvania To our extended Jewish family in We welcome you and your family to Synagogues in Lackawanna, Pike, Numerous Jewish membership orga- Northeastern Pennsylvania, our extended Jewish family, and all the Wayne, and Monroe counties repre- nizations including B’nai B’rith of Amos For some of you, this will be the first programs and services that you will read senting all of the religious branches of Lodge, Hadassah, Jewish War Veterans edition of The Reporter you receive. You about in these pages are offered to you Judaism. and Auxiliary, Jewish Woman Internation- and your family represent one of hundreds and yours. A full-time Hebrew Day School in al of Hemlock Farms and others. of Jewish households in our region, and This newspaper will be delivered to Scranton and many part-time Hebrew Nationally-renowned institutions of this newspaper is provided to you at your door twice a month (except for schools throughout the region. higher Jewish learning such as Yeshiva absolutely no cost – an expression of our December and July, which are single-is- The Jewish Home of Eastern Pennsyl- Beth Moshe. gratitude that you have chosen to make sue months). If, for any reason, you do vania – a state-of-the-art nursing facility. B’nos Yisroel – based in Scranton. Northeastern Pennsylvania your home. not wish to receive The Reporter, feel Elan Gardens – a modern assisted Bais Ya’akov Institute – based in The Reporter offers our readers some- free to contact the Jewish Federation living facility. Scranton. thing on everything, from opinions and office at 570-961-2300, ext. 3, or by Webster Towers and Amos Towers – Jewish Heritage Connection – regional columns on controversial issues that e-mail at jfnepareporter@jewishnepa. subsidized apartments. in scope and based in Scranton. affect our lives and times; to publicity org and advise us accordingly. We will The Jewish Resource Center of the The Jewish Discovery Center (Chabad) for the events of our affiliated agencies remove you from our mailing list – no Poconos located on Main Street in – based in Waverly. and organizations; to life cycle events, questions asked. Stroudsburg. Scranton Community Kollel. personality profiles, Letters to the Editor, The Jewish Federation of Northeastern A Jewish Community Center – based Scranton Ritualarium – our regional a Jewish community calendar, and other Pennsylvania hosts many educational, in Scranton. mikvah. columns that cover everything from food religious, social and recreational outlets, Jewish Family Service of Northeastern For more information about the Federa- to entertainment. including: Pennsylvania – based in Scranton. tion or any of its affiliated agencies, please visit our website at www.jewishnepa.org or contact our offices at 570-961-2300, ext. 1. Saudi-based Muslim body rejects We are pleased to be of service to you. With best wishes, Douglas Fink, President Holocaust denial Jewish Federation of Northeastern Pennsylvania BY RON KAMPEAS all since we share the same human soul “a radical, hate-filled, anti-West, antisemitic WASHINGTON (JTA) – A Sau- and spiritual bonds.” version of Islam.” Al Issa expressed a will- di-based Muslim group rejected Holocaust The letter was posted on January 25 ingness to visit the Holocaust museum the denial in a letter to the U.S. Holocaust on the site of the Washington Institute for next time he was in Washington. Memorial Museum. Near East Policy. Al Issa suggested the The appointment of Al Issa appears to “History is indeed impartial no matter letter was prompted in part by his friend- be of a piece with Saudi Arabia’s pivot Pay it forward & give to how hard forgers tried to tamper with ship with the think tank’s director, Robert westward under its new crown prince, the 2018 Jewish Federation or manipulate it,” said the letter sent on Satloff, who has written extensively about Muhammad bin Sultan, Satloff said. of Northeastern Pennsylvania January 22 to the museum by Moham- North African Muslims who protected “Taking his lead from Muhammad bin Annual Campaign! mad Al Issa, the secretary general of the Jews during the Holocaust. Salman, the current crown prince who has Muslim World League, five days before Writing separately, Satloff described vowed to cleanse his country of extrem- International Holocaust Remembrance meeting Al Issa in December when he led a ism and return it to ‘moderate Islam,’ Al $902,000 - $902,000. Day. “Hence, we consider any denial of delegation of lay leaders of his think tank to Issa seems to have a specific mandate to as of Feb. 15, 2018 the Holocaust or minimizing of its effect Saudi Arabia. A former justice minister, Al transform the MWL from an organization For information or to make a donation call a crime to distort history and an insult to Issa had taken over the Saudi-funded Muslim synonymous with extremism to one that 570-961-2300 ext. 1 or the dignity of those innocent souls who World League in 2016. Satloff wrote that the preaches tolerance,” he said. send your gift to: Goal: Jewish Federation $910,000 have perished. It is also an affront to us league had been a linchpin in propagating Al Issa did not specify Jews as victims of Northeastern of the Holocaust in his letter to the muse- Pennsylvania 601 Jefferson Ave., um director, Sara Bloomfield, but instead Scranton, PA 18510 spoke of “this human tragedy perpetrated (Please MEMO your In Memoriam by evil Nazism” and “our great sympathy pledge or gift 2018 with the victims of the Holocaust, an inci- UJA Campaign) dent that shook humanity to the core, and Mary Lil Walsh created an event whose horrors could not With much sadness, the Jewish Federation of be denied or underrated by any fair-minded Northeastern Pennsylvania extends its condolences or peace-loving person.” to the Walsh family on the recent passing of Mary Lil The Muslim World League, which was Walsh on Friday, February 2. A longtime employee of founded in 1962, is funded principally the Jewish Federation, Lil served as its bookkeeper by Saudi Arabia’s government. President from April 1, 1985, until her retirement on April 1, Donald Trump, visiting Saudi Arabia in 2012, during which time she provided excellent pro- June, encouraged it and other Sunni Arab Federation fessional services for and on behalf of this Federation. countries to combat radical Islam. She was a fine and caring person who brought honor Holocaust denial has proliferated for to our Federation and continually demonstrated love decades in the Arab and Muslim worlds, on Facebook and respect to her large family based primarily in sometimes encouraged by official gov- Scranton. Her presence and her many kindnesses are ernment bodies, including in the past by The Jewish Federation of Northeast- a loss for all who knew and respected her. She will Mary Lil Walsh Saudi Arabia. President Barack Obama ern Pennsylvania now has a page on never be forgotten and she will be deeply missed. in his 2009 speech to the Muslim world Facebook to let community members May her memory forever be a blessing, as was her presence among us, and may delivered in Cairo said the perpetuation know about upcoming events and keep she rest in peace. of Holocaust denial was an obstruction to connected. better relations with the West. Candle lighting INSIDE THIS ISSUE February 23 ................................ 5:28 pm Siberia’s soldiers’ shul Rewriting history Art mecca in NJ March 2 ........................................ 5:36 pm March 9 ........................................ 5:45 pm A century-old Siberian synagogue Poland isn’t the only european An Israeli entrepreneur based in built by abducted child soldiers is country trying to police what can New York City wants to make New PLUS now back in Jewish hands. be said about the Holocaust. Jersey an artists’ mecca. Opinion .......................................................2 Story on page 4 Story on page 5 Story on page 7 D’var Torah ...............................................8 2 THE REPORTER ■ FEBRUARY 22, 2018 A MATTER OF OPINION Gaza needs to look in the mirror BY JONATHAN S. TOBIN settler and settlement in an effort to cre- because the welfare of the Palestinian and Israel has been forced to build an (JNS) Gaza is broke. As a recent front- ate a de facto separation between Jews people or even the building up of a state underground barrier to prevent the tactic page New York Times feature explained and Arabs. The international community that would protect them and their interests from succeeding. at length, the conflict between the Gaza cheered when philanthropists purchased has never been the primary goal of either But if the focus of Palestinian nation- Strip’s Hamas overlords and the Fatah the greenhouses built by Jews in order to Hamas or Fatah. alism had been on state-building and party that runs the West Bank has resulted give them to the Palestinians. The intent The United Nations pays for schools enabling their economy and vital services in a cash crunch that has left many of the was to allow Gaza to become an incubator and other services via its UNRWA refugee to thrive, the people of Gaza wouldn’t be compact area’s two million people without of development and peace. But within agency, which exists to keep Palestinian in this fix. Had even part of the money money. Along with Gaza’s inadequate hours of the withdrawal, the greenhouses refugees in place in order to perpetuate the spent on waging a pointless war against infrastructure, the resulting poverty from were demolished by angry Palestinian conflict with Israel.