Journalist Gil Hoffman Provided Insight Into the Issues Confronting
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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 X, NUMBER 22 NOVEMBER 16, 2017 Journalist Gil Hoffman provided insight into the issues confronting Israel at UJA’s Major Gifts program The Jewish Federation of Northeast “His intimate knowledge of Israeli Pennsylvania’s annual Major Gifts pro- affairs both national and international gram was held on October 23 at the home interspersed with elements of humor of Dr. Shaya and Phyllis Barax in Scranton was an insight to those who attended this and hosted as its speaker Gil Hoffman, the fascinating evening,” said organizers of chief political correspondent and analyst the event. “Hoffman provided the group for The Jerusalem Post. with a behind-the-scenes look at the in- Connected to both Israeli and Pales- trigue and humor in the Israeli political tinian leaders, Hoffman has interviewed arena and has lectured in every major major figures across the Israeli political English-speaking country in the world, spectrum, has been interviewed by top more than half the Canadian provinces, media on six continents and is a regular and recently made history by becoming analyst on CNN, Al-Jazeera and other the first speaker to have lectured about L-r: Jeff Ganz, Lou Nivert, Doug Sheldon, David Fallk and Rabbi Samuel Sandhaus news outlets. Israel in all 50 states.” attended the Gil Hoffman presentation. Gil Hoffman used a map to explain a point. L-r: Alan Sare, Jeff Ganz and Lou Nivert concentrated on the presentation. L-r: Gil Hoffman and Mark Silverberg 2018 UJA talked before the presentation. paign Upd Cam ate Pay it forward & give to the 2018 Jewish Federation of Northeastern Pennsylvania Annual Campaign! Goal: $910,000 For information or to make a donation call 570-961-2300 ext. 1 or L-r: Mark Silverberg; Dassy Ganz; Phyllis and Shaya Barax, hosts for the program; send your gift to: and Gil Hoffman. Jewish Federation of Northeastern Pennsylvania Sheila Cutler listened to the speaker. 601 Jefferson Ave., Scranton, PA 18510 (Please MEMO your $323,029 Hurricane relief update pledge or gift 2018 as of Nov. 9 2017 UJA Campaign) THIS UPDATE INCLUDES INFOR- rain, Houston and the other areas affected MATION THROUGH OCTOBER 30. by Hurricane Harvey are still in fairly early Note from the Jewish Federation of stages of recovery. With more than 2,000 Northeastern Pennsylvania: JFNA’s Jewish homes flooded, and eight major Emergency Committee and many of institutional facilities in the Jewish com- our Federations on the front lines of munity sustaining catastrophic damage, addressing natural disasters have had the scope of issues facing the Houston an extraordinarily busy and taxing eight Jewish community are enormous. weeks since the start of Hurricane Harvey. To date, approximately $17.9 million We thank all of our Federations and has been raised through the Jewish Fed- Federation Network communities who have worked eration system as follows: to mobilize support and resources $6.5 million raised by Jewish Federa- on Facebook through our Jewish Federation system in tions across North America. The Jewish Federation of Northeast- addressing the many urgent needs arising $9.1 million raised by the Jewish Fed- ern Pennsylvania now has a page on from these disasters. eration of Greater Houston. Facebook to let community members Following is an update on the work of $1.3 million contributed by Jewish know about upcoming events and keep our system to date. Foundations (does not include foundation connected. Gil Hoffman showed a page featuring HURRICANE HARVEY grants to local Federations or the Houston the members of the Israel Knesset. Seven weeks following the end of the See “Update” on page 6 Candle lighting INSIDE THIS ISSUE November 17 ............................... 4:23 pm November 24 ...............................4:19 pm Kiev’s JCC Making music Digging up the past December 1..................................4:16 pm Kiev’s American-style JCC gives Members of an Israeli band don’t Recent archeological discoveries PLUS low-income Jews a place to call let their disabilities get in the way reveal Jerusalem’s transformation Opinion .......................................................2 home and educate their children. of touring and making music. during the Second Temple period. UJA Campaign Chai-Lights ...................3 Story on page 9 Story on page 14 Story on page 15 D’var Torah ...............................................8 2 THE REPORTER ■ NOVEMBER 16, 2017 A MATTER OF OPINION Children of Holocaust survivors need help also BY RABBI DOVID KRAUTWIRTH all of them suffer from some form of PTSD, themselves finding their place in the world, insecurity, makes them a demographic that It is well known that two to three anxieties and fears. There are several orga- resulting in a decreased earning capacity. needs help. As of yet, there is no organiza- million Jews survived the horrors of the nizations that help impoverished survivors, Others suffer from anxiety, depression or tion focused on that group. I feel that the Holocaust. After the end the war, most including the Claims Conference, The Blue low self-esteem, or are hoarders.1 time has come for the Jewish community did not remain in Europe, but started new Card, local Federations and Jewish Family These issues are not learned as many at large to recognize these issues that af- lives elsewhere. They went wherever Service. These facts are well known in the would assume, but actually genetically fect a small, but significant, segment of they could find refuge: Israel, North or Jewish community. inherited, making it very difficult to the community, and to start committing South America, or Australia. Most of What is less known is that many of overcome. Many of those studied actually resources toward helping them. them married, raised families and went to the symptoms of PTSD were genetically have a high level of the stress hormone Rabbi Dovid Krautwirth lives in work. Some started businesses and were passed down to the children of the survi- cortisol in their blood.2 Scranton and can be reached at dovid88@ very successful. Others didn’t do so well. vors as well. It’s estimated that 200,000 More than 400 papers have been written hotmail.com, or [email protected]. As of 2017, there are approximately second generation survivors live in the by psychologists studying this subject, FOOTNOTES 100,000 survivors left in the U.S.A. One U.S. A certain percentage of them have but the average person is unaware of the 1. Study in the “Cambridge Journal.” third lives below the poverty line. In the had difficulty forming or maintaining issue. As the survivors pass on, some of Yeshiva University forum, October 2012. New York area that figure is closer to half, relationships, resulting in being unable to their children will be left all alone in the 2. Study by Isabelle Mansuy of the due to the high cost of housing. As the marry or in failed marriages. Many of those world, with no resources and no one to University of Zurich, published in the survivors age, the symptoms of the trauma who grew up watching their parents strug- care for them in the future as they age. “Journal of Biological Psychiatry” Sep- they endured become more severe. Nearly gle to make a living now have difficulties Their symptoms, combined with financial tember 2010. How anti-Zionists fueled a far-right victory BY DANIEL TREIMAN are coming not from the far right, but – announced the society’s fall schedule plain about shutting down or stigmatizing (JTA) – In September, New York’s the far left. Anti-Zionist BDS supporters with the declaration that she had worked others. This is the same JVP that tried to Center for Jewish History was the target are masquerading as champions of free to foster “critical, edgy and political- shame LGBT supporters of Israel who of a right-wing campaign seeking to oust expression after their hijacking of the ly challenging cultural and academic marched in this past summer’s Celebrate its new president, David Myers, over his august and heretofore largely apolitical programs where difficult conversations Israel parade in New York by disrupting dovish views on Israel. The campaign AJHS was foiled. about Mizrahim, Jews of Color, Palestine, their contingent. This is the same Fishback drew an appropriately outraged response The latest controversy erupted into cross-cultural solidarity and anti-racism who defended pro-Palestinian activists from leading Jewish scholars, who rallied public view recently when AJHS’s board are highlighted rather than censored.” who shut down an event by a pro-Israel around Myers, a highly regarded historian canceled two events that the society had The result, at least as far as Israel pro- LGBT group at a conference hosted by who has publicly opposed the anti-Israel been scheduled to host: a play by the an- gramming, seems to have been a schedule the National LGBTQ Task Force. BDS – Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions ti-Zionist playwright Dan Fishback on in- that reflected only one very particular Activists like these appear all too happy – movement. trafamilial disagreements about Israel and a strand of thinking on Israel – one that is to see those with whom they disagree shut Now, one of the five independent his- discussion on the Balfour Declaration that far removed from the views of the over- down or shouted down. And they seem torical organizations housed at the center, was co-sponsored with the BDS-backing whelming majority of American Jews. equally happy to aggressively try to co-opt the American Jewish Historical Society, Jewish Voice for Peace. The cancellation The AJHS board officers did not seem the Jewish institutions to which they can is also coming under attack.