Saddleback Tidings Saddleback Section, National Council of Jewish Women

September 2019 National website: www.ncjw.org Volume 13-No. 1

Saddleback section presents ANTI-DEFAMATION LEAGUE Updates and What Can You do?

Friday, September 13, 2019 Clubhouse Five 9:30 am bagels, coffee and conversation 10:00 am program

Rabbi Peter Levi will speak about matters, local and national, the chaos on the southern border, the hate in our local schools, statewide and national legislation. ADL fights anti-Semitism and all forms of bigotry. ADL builds relationships with elected officials.

ADL’s ultimate goal is a world in which no group or individual suffers from bias, discrimination or hate.

For questions: Lisa Michaels 949 - 472-1102 Members Free Guests $3.00 donation

For Laguna Woods residents and their guests only. President’s Message By Sharon Beck, President NCJW Officers 2019-2020 I hope you have all had a relaxing summer. President Sharon Beck Vice Presidents We just came back from visiting 1st Vice President Julie Neilson St.Thomas and St. John in the Advocacy Harriet Himmelstein Virgin Islands. Linda Mendelsohn One of the highlights of our Committee Diane Levin trip was to visit a synagogue in Community Service Ginny Frogel St. Thomas called The Hebrew Congregation of St. Committee Carol Sandusky Thomas. Eileen Garbutt The story was fascinating. According to their Brenda Rader brochure, Jews first settled in the Virgin Islands in 1655, Solange Fisch Irene Shapiro when it was ruled by Denmark. Diane Levin The Synagogue was founded in 1796, and the first Program Lisa Michaels building constructed in 1803. Committee Arline Spindell Since then there have been several fires. The recent Linda Mendelsohn building was dedicated in 1833. It claims to be the Diane Levin oldest synagogue in continuous use under the American Sharon Beck Flag and the second oldest in the Western Hemisphere. Treasurer Carol Sandusky They pride themselves on having a membership of 100 Corresponding Secretary Barbara Landsman families as well as Chai members all over the world. Recording Secretary Barbara Zell They are a Reform Synagogue with diverse roots Directors at Large Irene Shapiro Rhona Ginsberg The summer is about to end, and we can now look Arline Spindell forward to many important events in Laguna Woods. Judy Levy The first is on September 13 when we will have Rabbi Solange Fisch Peter Levi, Regional Director of the Anti-Defamation Affairs Diane Levin League speaking about ADL updates and what we can Personal Giving Jean Cohn do. This is not to be missed! (See front page.) Publicity Susan Levinson-Silvers The board is also working on other speakers, Membership Book Eileen Garbutt fundraisers, and trips. So watch the Globe and your e- Hospitality Irene Shapiro mails. Newsletter Sandra Smolinsky Federation Rep. Lisa Michaels Barbara Landsman will keep you up-to-date on all Programs Lisa Michaels that is happening. Her emails help you to know what Card Party we are doing both locally, state-wide and nationally, and Tidings and Blasts Barbara Landsman how you can help. Website Caryn Glasky If you are not a member this year, please pay your Trips Phyllis Faigeles dues. This helps us in our mission to support women, Programs children, families and immigrants. More information Fashion Show about some of these projects will follow. Membership Eileen Garbutt If you would like to help us please call me at 949-380- 1018.

September 2019, pg. 2 Advocacy By Harriet Himmelstein, V.P. Advocacy Chair Starting in September, at each of our meetings, the Mitch Mcconnell has held this country hostage by his Advocacy Committee now with Linda Mendelsohn, position as US Senate Majority Leader since he refused Chris Schechter, Vivian Clecak will have Letters For to bring to the floor of the Senate President Obama’s Signing at each table. We have selected issues NCJW is nomination of Merritt Garland for the seat on the US particularly interested in supporting. September’s Letter Supreme Court created by the death of Antonin Scalia in will be about the Violence Against Women Act which 2016. ran out last year. Now that seems a no-brainer. Who His job allows him to decide what will be discussed would not be against violence of women? Mitch said by the Senate. He has refused to bring HR8, requiring he could have supported the old bill, but the House all gun dealers to do background checks and HR1112 changed the crime of stalking a person you are dating which extends the waiting time to 10 days. Both from a misdemeanor to a federal crime ,as are those passed bipartisanly by the House, March 4th, 2019, against children, spouses and cohabitors. They also and were put on the Senate calendar the same day. The made it a federal crime for a federal law enforcement majority of Americans want sensible gun control laws. officer to have sex while in the course of official duties, Our forefathers could not foresee the weapons and regardless of whether or not it is consensual. Mitch ammunition we have available to us today. Just as we thinks HR1585 is too extreme. The guilty party would have created limits to the first amendment, we should be prohibited from buying guns. Again the NRA pulls be able to write laws that will do so with the second its strings. amendment. Money from the NRA should not be the We are providing the letters, the stamped and deciding factor. addressed envelopes. All you need do is read the letter I sent out a Blast with the way to contact Mitch and sign it. To save yourself from having to provide your Mcconnell. The Senate returns September 7th. There info on the envelope and on the letter, please bring two is still time to flood his office with our needs. Our lives return address stickers you can use instead. depend on this. All the letters will be sent to Mitch Mcconnell.. 1-502-582-6304 Ky. Office 1-202-2541 DC office Email WWW.mcconnell.senate.gov

Gentle Reminder If you haven’t already paid your dues, there’s no time like the present.

September 2019 pg. 3 Israel Reports Sustainable villages Israeli entrepreneurs Jonathan By Diane Levin, Israel Affairs Chair Haran and Victor Hajaj are founders of the Sustainable Group. They plan to build the first carbon-negative Awards for three inspiring women Zionists village in a kibbutz near Mizpe Ramon. They are also The World Zionist Organization honored Ilana developing AI software for cities to manage food, water, Metzger, Joy Wolfe (StandWithUs UK President and energy and waste for humans and the environment. VeryGoodNewsIsrael supporter) and Ruth Jacobs for their Zionist activism by awarding them Golden Golda Africa’s most advanced satellite Israel’s SpaceCom Awards - named after former Israeli premier . is shortly to launch its Amos 17 satellite on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from the Kennedy Space Center. Its Abramovich helps turn back the desert Russian- main aim is to improve TV, cellular and Internet services Israeli billionaire Roman Abramovich has made a large to Africa. SpaceCom already has $53 million of orders donation to help afforestation, forest rehabilitation and for services. The satellite will operate for up to 20 years. fight desertification in the Negev. The gift will also fund a new forest dedicated to Lithuanian Jews who were Connecting teachers to Israel Hundreds of murdered in the Holocaust. Jewish and non-Jewish educators visited Israel for a World Education Conference. The aim of the trip Israel welcomes 121 Ukrainian Olim A special was to strengthen the teachers' connection to and flight, organized by the International Fellowship of understanding of Israel, in order to teach about Israel in Christians and Jews, brought 121 new immigrants a more informed way. to Israel from the Ukraine. They were welcomed at a special ceremony attended by Israel’s Prime Minister, the Taking sick Palestinian Arabs to hospital 900 Absorption Minister and the president of the IFCJ Yael volunteers in Israeli NGO Road to Recovery take Eckstein. Palestinian Arabs (around 150 every day) to get lifesaving treatments in Israeli hospitals. The NGO, Summer night of two hugs Two recent emotional Non Governmental Organization, recently won the IIE encounters in Jerusalem included ex-Chief Rabbi Victor J. Goldberg Prize for Peace in the Middle East, Israel Meir Lau and the son of the chaplain of the US IIE manages more than 200 programs with participants Army unit that liberated him from Buchenwald. Also, from more than 180 countries. In the last year alone, President Rivlin greeting Dr Ruth Westheimer at the more than 29,000 people participated in IIE. It also Jerusalem Film Festival’s documentary of her life. arranges beach days and has saved Israeli lives. Film debut for Oscar-winning film Israeli director Saving babies in Ghana Israel has upgraded neo- Guy Nattiv won an Academy Award (Oscar) for his natal facilities in the Kumasi South and Suntreso Live Action Short film “Skin”. Skin has just opened hospitals in Ashanti, Ghana. Israeli medical personnel at US theatres and will be shown at October’s Haifa from Beersheva’s Soroka Medical Center also trained International Film Festival. staff at those hospitals. Doctors there estimate that some 700 babies have been saved as a direct result. J.Lo knocks it out of the park. Jennifer Lopez’s “It’s My Party” concert to celebrate her 50th birthday in Tel MRIs detect molecular changes in the brain Aviv’s Hayarkon Park was acclaimed as one of the best Hebrew University of Jerusalem scientists have ever. The singer/dancer brought a 100-person crew, transformed magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to including dancers, musicians and 45 tons of equipment detect microscopic changes in the biological makeup of for the 90-minute show in front of 57,000 fans. brain tissue. Doctors can now get an early warning if a patient is developing a disease such as Alzheimer’s or Window wonderland Jerusalem’s “Window Stories,” Parkinson’s. is a towering palace made of 550 windows salvaged from across the city, in a variety of shapes and styles from different eras. It is free to the public until 21st Sep in Gan HaSus (Horse Garden) on King George Street. At night it becomes a glittering lighthouse. Putting Israel in the shade Israel’s National Planning and Building Commission is eliminating bureaucracy preventing artificial shade in public spaces. It estimates the cost of shading a street at around NIS, New Israeli Sheklel, 1000 per square meter – trivial, compared to the NIS 800,000 cost of one person’s treatment for skin cancer.

September 2019, pg. 4 We Support MOMS Orange County Tidings is published ten times yearly by Saddleback Section, National Editor: Sandra Smolinsky [email protected] MOMS Orange County is Circulation: Fran Baum & Bobby Rosenfeld the region’s largest nonprofit Proofreader: Arline Spindell dedicated solely to newborn and pregnancy health. Mission Statement Please bring new, unwrapped The National Council of Jewish Women (NCJW) is a grassroots baby items such as a blanket, organization of volunteers and advocates who turn progressive ideals diapers, or clothes for a newborn or toddler to our meetings. into action. Inspired by Jewish values, NCJW strives for social justice by improving the quality of life for women, children, and Any questions, please call Ginny Frogel, 858-220-4617. families and by safeguarding individual rights and freedoms.

Community Services Reminder: please don’t bring clothing to the meetings. Call the chairpeople to make arrangements.

Friendship Shelter South County Outreach Chair: Bobby Rosenfeld 583-1895 Chair: Fran Baum 457-2556 Bed linens, towels, blankets and unopened toiletries. Clothing and household items.

Laura’s House (for abused women and children) Meals On Wheels Chair: Linda Berkowitz 859-2775 Chair: Gently used clothing and household goods Drivers needed for one and a half hours each month Laura’s House Resale Store to deliver meals within Laguna Woods Village. S O S School Service Chair: Diane Levin 380-1179 Chair: Unopened toiletries, Volunteer in San Joachin Elementary School baby clothes, and children’s books and games. classroom once a week

September 2019 pg. 5 Roster of Elected Officials 2019 - 2020

President Phone 202-456-2461 Donald Trump Website President.whitehouse.gov

U.S. Senator Phone 202-224-3553 Kamala Harris Phone 213-894-5000 L.A. Website Harris.senate.gov U.S. Senator Phone 202-224-3841 Dianne Feinstein Phone 310-914-7300 L.A Website Feinstein.senate.gov U.S. Rep Phone 202-225-5611 Katie Porter Phone 45th District Website porter.house.gov Governor Phone 916-445-2841 Gavin Newsom Website Gov.ca.gov

State Senate Phone 916-651-4037 John Moorlach Phone 714-662-6050 37th District Website moorlach.cssrc.us

State Assembly Phone 916-319-2074 Cottie Petrie-Norris Phone 949-251-0074 74th District Website a74.asmdc.org

September 2019, pg. 6