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Tu Bishvat Tu Jewish Federation of El Paso Non-Profit Org. 7110 N. Mesa U.S. Postage El Paso, Texas 79912 PAID El Paso, Texas RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED Permit No. 1256 Tu BiShvat Tu January 2021 January Tevet - Shevat, 5781 Shevat, - Tevet 2 | January 2021 The Jewish Voice Up Close: Cliff Eisenberg For businessman, civic leader, and native El Pasoan Cliff Eisenberg, it was only natural that he become involved with Jewish life and organizations in the city of his birth. His father was President of Congregation B’nai Zion, as well as of its Men’s Club, while his mother was President of the congregation’s Sisterhood. Cliff even met his wife, Martha, also a native of El Paso, at the El Paso JCC. Their first date was at a Break-the-Fast Dance while he was on break from college, and it was love at first sight - though Cliff does believe that it was easier to meet people then since there were more young Jewish people in El Paso at that time. Cliff was supposed to go to law school after college, but instead decided to return home to work with his father at American Finance & Investment Co., is the embodiment of freedom of reduced ability to support our local Inc. The company, started by Cliff’s grandfather with a group of local investors, speech, when a college prohibits a Jewish institutions financially. I and family, has seen four generations of family involved in the business, with speaker, who espouses a different am hopeful that there will always Cliff’s son, Ernest, now heading the company. viewpoint than the politically be a vibrant Jewish community in Like his parents, Cliff has become heavily involved with local Jewish correct viewpoint of the students El Paso regardless of size. The and faculty, from speaking. That Foundation can assist in making that organizations. Cliff, too, was President of the B’nai Zion Synagogue. He has makes no sense to me. You don’t dream come true by ensuring the also been President of B’nai B’rith, Jewish Federation Campaign Chair, Jewish have to agree with the viewpoints of survivability and financial solvency Community Center and has only now just stepped down as President of the the speaker, but you should at least of the institutions that serve the El listen. Paso area Jewish community. Jewish Community Foundation of El Paso after 8 years of service. He has also been involved in local civic life as President of the Sunturians, a What’s the best thing about The holiday of Tu BiShvat businessmen’s club, President of the El Paso Country Club, and Chairman of being part of our Jewish – the New Year for Trees - is community? this month. Ironically the logo the Trust Committee of the same. The opportunity to work with so for The Jewish Community Cliff has been married to Martha for 47 years and they are parents of three many committed Jewish people who Foundation of El Paso (JCFEP) children, Jenna, Lauren, and Ernest, and seven grandchildren. all have the same goal of making our is a tree. Can you explain the El Paso Jewish community a better correlation between the two? place to live despite the challenges The purpose of planting trees on Tu we face. We might not all share the BiShvat is to provide nourishment same views on how best to achieve in the near future and for future the goal, but I think the vision is generations just as setting up an pretty universal. endowment fund with the JCFEP is intended to provide financial As you step down from your nourishment to local Jewish role as President of The Jewish organizations and institutions in the Community Foundation of El future so that they may survive and Paso (JCFEP) what hopes and thrive in perpetuity. The parallels dreams do you have for Jewish are striking. All of us have an life here and what role might obligation to do our individual part, the Foundation play? to the greatest extent possible, to There is no doubt that the EP provide for future generations and Jewish community has shrunk endowing a fund with the JCFEP over the last few decades. With is an excellent way to meet that that shrinkage has also come a obligation. What do you value most in game on Yom Kippur. I wasn’t a your friends? Dodger fan (I was a Yankee fan), A good sense of humor. Life but I, like most Jewish boys at that can be complicated and serious so time, was proud of the position having good friends who are fun Sandy Koufax took. My other loving and have a good sense of Jewish heroes are all the survivors of humor adds to the enjoyment of life the Holocaust. They suffered such and reduces stress. I am fortunate inhumane treatment and torture to have many good friends with that we today can’t even imagine so whom I share good times. to have the wherewithal to survive that persecution is truly admirable. Who’s your favorite Jewish hero (living or not/fictional or What value do we need most not) and why? in our world today? I have two really. Growing up Tolerance and open-mindedness. when I did and being a sports fan, For example, I am bewildered by I always admired Sandy Koufax what has become of this nation, for refusing to pitch a world series one that supposedly cherishes and BETTER TOGETHER The Jewish Voice January 2021 | 3 Todah Rabah Borderland’s Thank you to our volunteers EPHM: Connecting History to the Contemporary Borderland’s Café Europa Jamie Flores, Executive Director of the El Paso Holocaust Museum & Study Center Guest Speakers- Wednesday, January 13 | 11:30am Susan Goodell and Yossi Lapid Life as A Wandering Historian Meet Elizabeth Sloane, For Those We Love Caregivers Support Group - Jewish Federation of Greater El Paso Lee Chayes Wednesday, January 27 | 11:30 am Chanukah Donut Deliveries- Naomi Estrada, Noel For Assistance Call: 915-842-9554 Hollowell-Small, Bob and Monika Kimball, and RSVP by noon on Monday before the Clara Viana event to have a light lunch delivered to you JCRC Chanukah Program - Debra Kanof and Noel Hollowell Event Co-Chair, Debra Kanof, JCRC Chair, Tatiana Avila, Diana Cepeda, Rachel Curtin, Mindy Escobar-Leanse, Brian Kanof, Eitan www.jewishelpaso.org Lavi, John Porras, Peter Svarzbein and to all those that shared Chanukah wishes with us: Monika Kimball, JFED President, Marc Ellman, Hamicha family, Peralta family, Felicia Rubin These We Honor With Tributes Jewish Federation of Greater El Paso TO: The Family of Bruce Rosen in his Memory FROM: Irwin Kurland and the Kurland Family A publication of the Jewish TO: Arianna Bender in Memory of her Husband Joseph Federation of Greater El Paso FROM: Irene and Ira Batt TO: Rosie Daw in Memory of her Husband Jimmie The Jewish Voice of El Paso, published ten times a year, is dedicated to informing, educating, and uniting the Jewish community by providing news items of local, national, Israeli and international FROM: Irene and Ira Batt concern. TO: Barbara Perez in Memory of her Husband Paul The Jewish Voice will consider for publication any materials submitted that support the mission FROM: Irene and Ira Batt of the Jewish Federation of Greater El Paso and have relevance and appeal to the El Paso Jewish community. Articles are subject to editing at the editor’s discretion and are subject to space limitations. Letters cannot be longer than 150 words and articles must be kept to a maximum of TO: Jewish Federation of Greater El Paso with thanks for Café Europa meals 300 words. Please email to [email protected] FROM: Irene and Ira Batt Opinions are those of individual writers and not necessarily those of the Jewish Federation of Greater El Paso. The Jewish Voice is not responsible for the kashrut of any product or eating establishment advertised herein. TO: The The Family of Charlie Saul in his Memory FROM: Steve and Carol Sage Executive Director: Robert French Editor: Elizabeth Sloane Director of Philanthropy : Sue Bendalin Layout and Design: Beatriz Garcia Administration Coordinator: Araceli Rico Advertising Rep: Robert Piñon President: Monika Kimball Printing: PDX Printing Advertise with us Office: 915-842-9554 7110 North Mesa, El Paso, TX 79912 Call 915-842-9554 915-842-9554 | www.jewishelpaso.org 4 | January 2021 The Jewish Voice In Loving Memory: Bea Weisz Memorial Scholarship Fund Conversation and Support for the Bereaved Applications are now bein accepted Bereavement Support Group for the Bea eisz Memorial Scholarship Led by Sharon Ash Tancredi Fund Loss is a lonely and isolating experience. In this online ZOOM group, you have the opportunity to share the loss of Applications must be received on or your loved one with others from our community. Coping with before May , for distribution by a loss is particularly difficult during a pandemic when some of us are secluded. We will come together weekly, comfort Auust , each other, share our stories, discover how each of us cope with the impossible, and inspire each other. n July the Beatrice L eisz 6 online sessions Memorial Scholarship Fund was Advance registration required established so that proceeds from the Group limited to 8 individuals fund would be iven to a needy and worthy Jewish collee students in El Course requires computer access to join Paso to enable him or her to pursue his online Zoom sessions. or her studies Advance registration required; group limited to 8 individuals. Links will be emailed upon registration. ppliations are availale online at wwwewishelpasoorg Sign-up through our weekly email Sharon Ash Tancredi earned a Master’s Degree in Social Work from Boston Universi- ty and has been in private practice for more than twenty-five years.
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