July 29-August 4, 2016 Published by the Jewish Federation of Greater Binghamton Volume XLV, Number 31 BINGHAMTON, NEW YORK “Touch-a-Truck” family event at the JCC on Aug. 7 Children of all ages and adults have been “We’ve added a couple of exciting fea- invited to attend a “Touch-a-Truck” event tures to this year’s event to make it extra on Sunday, August 7, from 1-4 pm, in the special,” said Nichole Fuller, ECC assistant parking lot of the Jewish Community Center, director and organizer of the event. “We 500 Clubhouse Rd., Vestal. Admission will will open with a Johnny Only Concert from cost $5 per person with a $20 maximum 1-1:20 pm. Kids will have an opportunity to per family. The event will be open to the watch the helicopter land and we will even entire community. No advanced ticket sales have a kosher ice cream truck.” or reservations are needed. Children will The event will also feature a child be welcome to climb up and explore each identification card station, face painting truck while learning about the features and and arts and crafts. Parents have been use of each. encouraged to bring a camera or phone, as The event will be the third annual organizers anticipate many opportunities “Touch-a-Truck” event sponsored by the to take photos at the event. Parking will be JCC. The proceeds from the event will go to available across the street in the Brookdale benefit the Early Childhood Center, which parking lot. is the oldest and largest center in the county. For more information, contact Fuller It provides childcare to families throughout at 724-2417, ext. 431, or at NicholeF@ The Vestal Fire Department attended last year’s “Touch-a-Truck” event, giving the Broome, Tioga and Susquehanna counties. binghamtonjcc.org. children a hands-on experience with a fire truck. IAUJC Holocaust memorial lecture series established in honor of Jacob and Jeannette Geldwert The Ithaca Area United Jewish Com- her husband, Jesse Levy, hope their with a gift to the Geldwert Holocaust munity announced the establishment of gift will make possible a continuing Memorial Lecture series.” a Holocaust Memorial Lecture Series in public commemoration marking Yom The fund supporting the Jacob and honor of Jacob and Jeannette Geldwert. Hashoah, Holocaust Remembrance Jeannette Geldwert Holocaust Memo- The Geldwerts were survivors of the Ho- Day, in Ithaca. The event has featured rial Lecture will be administered by the locaust who moved to Ithaca after World Holocaust survivors who have spoken IAUJC, which supports Jewish com- War II. For many years, they worked side to standing-room-only audiences from munities locally and around the world. by side at Jake’s Red and White Market across the region. Additional support for the community on Court Street. Now, the memory of the According to Josef, “For many years, event will be accepted into the fund. Geldwerts will live on in Ithaca through my father and mother spoke to the chil- Information concerning the IAUJC can a gift from their children that will fund dren in the Ithaca area schools, as well as be found at www.iaujc.org. an annual Holocaust memorial lecture to those of the Cornell and Ithaca College A service to honor Jacob’s memory in the community. communities, about their experiences will be held on Sunday, August 7, at 2 The annual event began two years during the Holocaust. While always pm, at Temple Beth-El. The service is ago. Jacob – who was born in Oswiecim, painful to revisit their personal horrors open to the public and the establish- Poland – died on the day of this year’s during the Holocaust, our parents felt it ment of the new fund will be officially Holocaust commemoration lecture at was important for the community to have Jacob and Jeannette Geldwert announced at that time. For more in- Temple Beth-El on May 5. Jeannette this personal reference to this horrible formation, contact Marjorie Hoffman, died in 2013. The Geldwerts’ children, time in world history and to provide a who listened to their stories. We are so program chairwoman of the IAUJC, at Josef and his wife, Janice, and Ella and lasting impact on the memories of those pleased to honor our parents’ memories 257-9924 or at [email protected]. Spotlight Auburn Public Theater executive director talks about theater and “My Son The Waiter: A Jewish Tragedy” By Rabbi Rachel Esserman had a role in Steven Spielberg’s “The Lost a major consideration. We also had a second Editor’s note: The Off-Broadway show World: Jurassic Park” – find himself in a child, Heschel, who is now 9.” “My Son The Waiter: A Jewish Tragedy” small town in Central New York? Eidel didn’t originally pursue show starring Brad Zimmerman will be per- Before moving to Auburn, Eidel spent 10 business in Auburn. “We purchased [Dadd- formed at the Auburn Public Theater in years in New York City and then another 15 abbo’s] relative’s pizzeria in downtown Auburn from August 11-20. For information in Los Angeles. In an e-mail interview, he Auburn and embarked on a new adventure,” about dates and times, or to purchase tickets, noted that in New York he was “an aspiring he said. “I used to say that I used matzo-rella visit http://auburnpublictheater.org or call actor and stand-up comedian (i.e. I had lots in my pizzas!” A friend in Los Angeles 315-253-6669. of ‘day jobs’).” The move to L.A. worked to influenced his choice: “[The friend] used When Reporter Advertising Represen- his benefit: There he “found success as an to tell us that whenever he needed to get tative Bonnie Rozen learned that the play actor, writer, acting teacher and director.” grounded in his life, he would work in the “My Son The Waiter: A Jewish Tragedy” It was family that precipitated the move to Brad Zimmerman will perform in the Off- kitchen of a kibbutz or ashram to center was going to be performed at the Auburn upstate New York. Broadway show “My Son The Waiter: A himself. We chose pizza dough. After the Public Theater in Auburn in August, she “I met my future ex-wife, Angela Jewish Tragedy” at Auburn Public Theater unexpected death of Angela’s parents, we was hoping to get an advertisement for Daddabbo, in Los Angeles,” he said. “She in Auburn from August 11-20. needed a reason to stay in the area. Although the newspaper. What she discovered is was working as a film producer and after I love to eat pizza, it was not our passion.” that another member of the tribe was the we married and had our daughter, Gianna a change and we relocated to Central New His heart still belonged to show business. executive director of the theater. How did (16), we decided that the best place to raise York. Both her parents were here and my “We had both always dreamed of running a Carey Eidel – a comedian and actor who her was in her home town of Auburn, NY. folks still lived four hours away in West- theater, but it was not practical in either New appeared in numerous television shows and Although working steadily, I was ready for chester County, so being around family was See “Theater” on page 6 INSIDE THIS ISSUE Pokemon welcome at shul Play ball! News in brief... Special Sections A Russian synagogue offers An Israeli signs with the San Diego Germans draw Israel parallel after Legal Notices ................................... 4 Pokemon hunters a prize if they Padres; a Little League team helps string of attacks; an Israeli bill to Book Review .................................... 4 catch one at the shul. its Jewish pitcher play on Shabbat. exempt haredi from teaching math. Dine Out .......................................... 9 ........................................Page 5 ........................................Page 8 ............................ Pages 9 and 12 Classifieds ..................................... 12 Page 2 - The Reporter July 29-August 4, 2016 Opinion From the Desk of the Federation Executive Director Hello – this is Sima SIMA AUERBACH I read an article on the op-ed page recently that made outside. The drapes were metal chains that swayed with going up. There is more traffic and a bit more rude- me stop, close my eyes and remember. the currents of the heating and cooling. It was a place of ness on the road – quite unusual for Binghamton. And The Four Seasons restaurant in New York City is calm amidst chaos out of doors. On your second visit, the what is happening to the Jewish part of Binghamton? closing. The building has been bought and the new waiter asked if you would like the same cocktail as you Can we stay intact and support each other? Do we owners want a “new look.” As you read this, it is has had the first time. And you knew you were home. It was value the Jewish part? We just finished an important closed its doors. a beautiful sanctuary within a city of scurrying feet and campaign – the Temple Beth El windows – to keep The Four Seasons was my favorite restaurant. I went there honking taxi-cabs and so I loved it. our history alive by placing the windows throughout only on special occasions as it was pricey – but actually, I And so I love Binghamton – no scurrying feet, no our community. And it was accomplished because so went there also when I needed a peaceful haven. Whether honking taxi-cabs, but a sanctuary within New York state. many contributed their knowledge, their hands, their occasion or need, it was the only place I wanted to go.