March 28, 2007 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks E665 supervision of Dr. Rabbi Saul Lieberman and of Jewish text which takes place every morn- emy) Epstein, Aviva (Ami) Robinson, Nava Dr. Rabbi Louis Finkelstein. Prior to his move ing. This study program has continued for the Silton and Shira Silton. They currently have 15 to Albany, New York, Rabbi Silton spent 6 past 10 years. In addition, he strengthened the grandchildren. years as a teacher and Education Director at daily minyanim, instituted Yom Kippur dia- f Camps Ramah in Glen Spey, New York and logues with inspiring international figures, initi- in Palmer, Massachusetts. Rabbi Silton arrived ated holiday dinners and workshops, orga- COMMENDING THE ADELPHI NEW in Albany after serving as Rabbi at Congrega- nized Hassidic Song Festivals, Cantorial con- YORK STATEWIDE BREAST CAN- tion Beth in North Adams, Massachu- certs and innumerable Kallot featuring inter- CER HOTLINE & SUPPORT PRO- setts. While in North Adams, Rabbi Silton national performers and scholars. Through the GRAM taught at Williams College and served as pris- efforts of Rabbi Silton, Temple Israel has re- on chaplain. ceived numerous awards from United Syna- HON. CAROLYN McCARTHY Already in 1974, the pattern of Rabbi gogue of Conservative Judaism including OF NEW YORK Silton’s Rabbinate began to diverge from that those for: Israel Affairs, Camp Givah, Per- IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES of his colleagues. Here at Temple Israel, he forming Arts, Community Relations and Israel/ Wednesday, March 28, 2007 began his career as Educational Director for Masorti Affairs as well as Education Awards students N–12, including the Communal High for Programming, High School Education and Mrs. MCCARTHY of New York. Madam School, Camp Givah Director and assistant to the Framework for Excellence Synagogue Speaker, I rise today to commend the Adelphi Rabbi Kieval. In each of those areas, he ac- School Program Award. He assisted in the New York Statewide Breast Cancer Hotline & tively fostered growth and change. Gradually founding of HADAR, the award-winning Judaic Support Program (‘‘the Program’’). The Pro- the nursery school expanded into a full Early Art and Book Center at Temple Israel. Rabbi gram, established 27 years ago at the Adelphi Childhood Center, servicing day care needs of Silton has also been featured in four books in- University School of Social Work, was one of pre-kindergarten youngsters and their parents. cluding The Outraged Conscience by Rochelle the first breast cancer programs in the coun- It now includes Baby and Me, Mommy (or G. Saidel, 1984; Against the Stream: Growing try. This highly respected and valued program Daddy) and Me toddler programs, and morn- Up Where Hitler Used to Live by Anna has developed important services that have ing and afternoon nursery. The Religious Rosmus, 2002; Out of : Leaving a City been replicated throughout the U.S., and vol- School extended to 7 hours a week and fea- Hitler Called Home by Anna Rosmus, 2004; unteers have been crucial to the services pro- tured a school-wide Israeli Dance Program, and in a soon to be published book about the vided. On April 19, 2007, the Program volun- which eventually grew to present dance per- Sabbath by Christopher Ringwald. teers who have given women a place to turn formances in Albany, Boston, and New York All of the above mentioned activities at- when faced with breast cancer will be recog- City. On Shabbatot and High Holidays, tracted the community to Temple Israel but nized. preprimary and primary children in addition to Silton directly involved himself in countless The dedicated volunteers and staff of the ‘‘Juniors’’ could now attend services especially community events as well. For nearly 20 years Program offer crucial information and emo- designed for them. As they grew older, stu- he directed the Communal High School and tional support to people throughout New York dents could tour and study in Israel with dou- taught at the Bet Shraga Capital District He- who are coping with breast cancer. Almost all ble the amount of scholarship aid from gen- brew Academy. When Soviet Jewish immigra- the 100 volunteers have had breast cancer. erous member endowments and community tion was at its height, he supervised the ritual They know the fear and confusion that comes sources. Adults could now attend class 5 days circumcisions of nearly all Soviet immigrants’ with the discovery of a breast lump or the di- a week and occasionally participate in Hebrew male children, arranged and officiated at the agnosis of breast cancer. Because they have Reading Marathons; Professor Stephen Berk’s first Russian Jewish wedding and Bar Mitzvah ‘‘been there,’’ they immediately provide hope lecture series became a most successful Adult of these newly settled immigrants in the Cap- and much more to callers. These highly Education program. ital District. In addition to serving on a host of trained and well-supervised volunteers direct At Camp Givah, Rabbi Silton founded the community boards and committees including callers to the latest information, sending pam- Kibbutz Program, inspired the building of Yam the Police Review Board under Mayor Gerald phlets and other resources when needed. Sarah (Givah’s lake), the arts and crafts cen- Jennings, he initiated the first Jewish-Latino They let them know what services are avail- ter, and the early childhood shelter. He intro- Seder, hosted the third annual Black-Jewish able in their communities. And they are a duced and developed programs in boating, Seder, assisted the Aviva chapter of B’nai ‘‘shoulder to lean on’’ for callers. They are gymnastics, computers, horseback riding, and B’rith with the first Seder for the develop- there to listen and to help and get people Red Cross Boating Certification. For younger mentally disabled, discussed Judaism with through difficult times. children who literally could not wait until next hundreds of church groups and taught basic My office has used the program many times summer’s Givah excitement, he originated and Judaism classes and has lectured at area col- when constituents have come to me looking organized Camp Horef Katan, a winter camp. leges including College of St. Rose, Maria for help for themselves or their family mem- As Rabbi Silton’s responsibilities increased, College, Siena College, and SUNY Albany. He bers. I have been able to refer them to the so his avid interest in many other areas con- also worked with Mayor Jennings on the ob- Adelphi Program knowing that they will be tinued to expand. He founded Holocaust Sur- servance of Yom HaShoah to honor the late handled with care and concern and given the vivors and Friends in Pursuit of Justice and he Chiune Sugihara, a Japanese ‘‘Oskar best possible assistance. In the Healthy Fami- hosted the first major 3-day national Holocaust Schindler’’. In 1994, Silton built the first lies and Communities Subcommittee, of which conference for 1500 participants in April 1984 mikveh owned by Temple Israel to serve the I am the Chairwoman, we have explored the at Temple Israel. Since then he has organized congregation and the entire Capital district need for volunteers and I understand how crit- a multitude of services for the community community. The building of the mikveh has ical volunteerism is to this Nation. I thank the Kristalnacht and Holocaust Memorial com- been an inspiration to other conservative con- Program and its volunteers for their work. memorations, featuring international figures gregations throughout the country. An article f such as Beate Klarsfeld. He visited about it will be coming out in the very near fu- several times in support of those testifying at ture of United Synagogue Review. TRIBUTE TO MINNIE BELLE war crimes trials, to officiate at an interfaith On an ongoing basis, Rabbi Silton teaches MCINTOSH service in Passau, Germany, and at other in the Temple Israel Educational Center: junior events that united survivors and liberators. high, high school, and adult education depart- HON. CHRIS VAN HOLLEN Silton’s most passionate efforts, however, ments. Following the Six Day War, Rabbi OF have focused on Temple and community. In Silton spent a year of study in Israel with his IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES addition to attending to traditional Rabbinical wife, Faye. While studying at the Hebrew Uni- duties at Temple Israel, he greatly expanded versity and the Rav Kook Yeshiva in Jeru- Wednesday, March 28, 2007 the Bar and Bat Mitzvah roles of boys and salem, he learned to become a Mohel. Or- Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Madam Speaker, I rise girls, initiated full reading of the scrolls by dained in 1968 by the Chief Rabbinate of today to recognize one of my constituents, women on various holidays, a women’s prayer Israel, he has officiated at thousands of B’ritol Minnie Belle McIntosh, who celebrates her group, Rosh Chodesh benching, P’Sukei Milah from Syracuse to the Catskills to West- 100th birthday on March 30, 2007. D’Zimra, and regular Torah reading; he intro- ern Massachusetts. Rabbi Silton and his wife, Minnie Belle McIntosh has led an extraor- duced Birkat Kohanim on an ongoing basis, a Faye, are the parents of Elana (Dr. Ari) dinary life. When she was only 4 years old, hashkamah (early) minyan and a learners’ Moskowitz, Michal (David, Esq.) Kahan, Dr. her mother died of tuberculosis, leaving her minyan. He also began a daily study program Akiva (Dr. Sharon) Silton, Tamar, Esq. (Jer- and her sister Anne as orphans to be shuttled

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