Passover Passover MMoovviieess SSttaaggee FFoooodd && An unflattering F. Murray picture of Israel. Abraham’s Shylock. PPllaannnniinngg See Page 23 See Page 24 See Pages 12-21

Jews, Muslims find common ground Two immigrants from Arab countries share stories of persecution. Established 1902 See Page 2 Vol. 202 No. 14 ■ 4 Nisan 5771 — APRIL 8, 2011 ■ www.TheJewishAdvocate.com ■ $1.50

Brandeis takes on the world The Israel-Massachusetts connection At his inauguration, President Frederick Lawrence empha- Meeting Mini-Knesset sizes international ties and defends the value of a liberal Peres moves debate at arts education. See Page 3 Patrick most Brandeis By Leah Burrows By Leah Burrows Congregation’s Advocate Staff Advocate Staff final Shabbat In his whirlwind trip to Is- The diversity, conflict and rael, Governor Deval Patrick humor of Israeli politics was The Talner Beis Midrash will visited three cities, met two on full display at Brandeis Uni- hold its last service next prime ministers, and one pres- versity when six members of week, closing a chapter of ident and attended more than the Knesset – two from each Hasidic history in Boston. 20 meetings, conferences and major party – took the stage to See Page 5 forums with politicians, scien- field student questions on top- tists, CEOs and students. ics from J Street to the Loyalty There were press conferences Oath to tolerance. Losing pounds, and town hall meetings; meet- Waltham: MKs Ronit Tirosh (left) and Tzipi Hotovely at Brandeis. The Knesset members were making peace and-greets and photo-ops; visiting Brandeis as part of the Israeli and Palestinian tours and power lunches. weeklong Ruderman Fellow- women bond in a weight-loss But of all the encounters ship program, created by Mass- support group. Their story is over those five days last achusetts native and Brandeis told in the documentary “A month, it was an hour long ses- alum Jay Ruderman to foster a Slim Peace.” sion with an 87-year-old man better understanding between See Page 11 that left the deepest impres- Israeli officials and American sion. Talking with President Jewry. Shimon Peres, Patrick said, “This program was created Parents, read moved him to tears. to educate Israeli leaders of The purpose of the trip was the complexity and breadth of all about it to promote economic ties be- the American Jewish communi- Five from Massachusetts are tween Israel and Massachu- ty,” Ruderman, president of the among honorees in the Syd- setts. But every now and then, Ruderman Family Foundation, ney Taylor Awards, recogniz- Patrick said, he stopped. He told an audience of 200 stu- ing the best in Jewish chil- Continued on Page 31 Jerusalem: Governor Patrick and President Peres. Continued on Page 7 dren’s literature. See Page 25 Not your traditional ‘Fiddler’ Marathon makes Hit musical is retuned Pesach more for an all-girl cast from of a runaround an Orthodox school By Elise Kigner By Amy R Handler Advocate Staff Special to the Advocate The day of the first seder is a busy one SHABBAT CANDLE Chances are few directors have had to for everyone, but the Davids are planning a LIGHTING TIMES grapple with all the challenges schedule like no other. Parshat Metzora Ariel Bavly faced when she presented Around 6 a.m. Amit and Adi David will BOSTON 6:59 PM “Fiddler on the Roof.” leave their Brookline home for Hopkinton, MANCHESTER, N.H. 7:01 PM Her cast was aged 6-13 – and all 15 of run the 26.2 miles of the Boston marathon, FALL RIVER 6:59 PM them were girls. then dash home to host a seder for 30 people. PORTLAND, MAINE 6:57 PM The script had to be altered out of re- Fortunately for them, everyone is pitch- PROVIDENCE, R.I. 7:00 PM spect for the actresses’ Orthodox and Con- ing in with the cooking. SPRINGFIELD 7:05 PM servative backgrounds. No daughter would WORCESTER 7:02 PM “It is very clear to everyone in that group be marrying outside the faith in this “Fid- ERUV STATUS: that we’re not available that day,” said dler.” Some traditions just can’t be broken. David, 41, who works as a military officer in BOSTON 781-446-9797 Furthermore, Bavly had never directed a Cast rehearses for “Fiddler on the Roof.” MALDEN 781-322-5686 Israel. “We just have to get back home and show before. Then again, how many 12- SHARON 781-695-0505 Most members of the cast were current everything will be organized.” year-olds have? or former students of Shaloh House Day A congregant at Temple Emanuel in The Israeli family is in the United States School in Brighton. for a year while Amit participates in the Newton, Bavly directed and produced the Crowd reaction was so enthusiastic that 1964 Jerry Bock-Sheldon Harnick musical Wexner Fellowship at Harvard University. there is already talk of Bavly directing chil- Monday night, the Davids will host six of as a project for her bat mitzvah. dren in another show. That bat mitzvah took place last Satur- the families in the fellowship, which teach- Bavly, who just turned 12 on March 15, es public administration to Israelis in the day. The show took place the next day, be- is already a veteran actress. Last October, fore a large audience at Gann Academy in public sector. Waltham. Continued on Page 6 Continued on Page 17 THE JEWISH ADVOCATE APRIL 8, 2011 NEWS 7

Israelis spar at Brandeis ‘town hall’ The Boston Synagogue Continued from Page 1 Connect I Learn I Celebrate I Worship dents, faculty and community Creating Community for Jews in Downtown members Monday night. The visiting politicians got a taste of that complexity during Celebrate Passover in Downtown – Join us for Services! the town-hall style meeting With the Synagogue’s dear friend, DR. DAVID FISHMAN when a group of students from Prof. Modern Jewish History, JTS & Noted Author on Jewish Communities of the Brandeis chapter of Jewish Eastern Europe. David is taking a break from his sabbatical in Israel this Spring Voice for Peace protested Knes- to visit us in Boston! set member Avi Dichter – a Schedule Beginning: Schedule: End of Passover ruckus reported in the Israeli Led by Dr. Fishman: Sun. Evening, April 24. Services 6:30 press. th Dichter, a member of the Monday, April 18 . First Night Seder Mon./Tues. Morning, April 25/26. (Call for Availability) Services: 6:30. Preliminary Prayers 9:30 Kadima Party, is the former Seder Follows head of the Israeli security Services 9:45 am. Tues./Wed. Morning, April 19/20. Tues. am agency Shin Bet. He had come Preliminary Prayers: 9:30 YIZKOR Memorial Prayers. ~ 10:30 am under scrutiny by some organi- Services 9:45 zations for actions during the From left at Brandeis forum: Avi Dichter, Carmel Shama Hacohen, Fri. Evening, April 22. Services 6:30 %$./(1$ (##0.' %,)),2. !! *,-+(+& Second Intifada, including the Ronit Tirosh, Tzipi Hotovely, Daniel Ben Simon and Eitan Cabel assassination of a high-ranking Sat. Morning, April 23. Preliminary .$-1("$.3 Prayers 9:30. Services 9:45 am Hamas terrorist that also result- rael without the conflict,” he “Democracy must defend it- ed in the death of 15 people, said. “J Street and other organ- self,” said Hotovely, who sup- including nine children. Shout- Welcome wherever you might be on your Jewish spiritual journey… izations from right and left ported the Nabka law. “If you as singles, couples or families ing “war criminal,” and “we’ll should have an impact on our don’t do that, you get Germany see you in the Hague,” refer- life after peace. It’s better to in the 1930s, and you get Hitler Go To: www.bostonsynagogue.org for the most up-to-date service times and info! ring to the international crimi- care than be indifferent; to be controlling your country.” nal court, the handful of stu- indifferent is death. …We have The Knesset members did dents was escorted from the The Boston Synagogue… Unaffiliated. Transdenominational. Egalitarian to be tolerant of all voices.” find something to agree on building. 55 Martha Road in Charles River Park. Near Mass General Hospital/Charles Street Red Line T/TD Kadima’s Tirosh disagreed. when a student asked when the Garden/North Station Green Line T/Museum Towers/Science Park Green Line T. Free Parking. In an interview after the “You talk of tolerance, oh my government would pass a con- event, Dichter downplayed the G-d,” she said. “If J Street stitution. protest. “We expected some thinks they can dictate policy kind of reaction,” he said, “But Although mandated in its for the government of Israel I declaration of independence, I wouldn’t say it was a signifi- am totally against it.” cant protest against me. As Israel has yet to adopt a consti- Further right on the spec- tution — primarily because of head of Shin Bet, they call it trum, Hotovely of Likud said Texas rancher gives crimes against humanity, but conflicts between religious and she supported the committee’s secular principles. unique perspective and I’ve been fighting terrorists inquiry. “There is a legitimacy over 40 years.” “As long as there is no sepa- insight into the importance of all opinions from left and ration between state and reli- The other Israeli MKs were right – this is what democracy of the land of Israel, the Labor’s Eitan Cabel and Daniel gion, we will have this prob- is all about,” she said. “But lem,” Tirosh said. American Jewish Aliyah, Ben Simon, a former Haaretz there is a big problem when an reporter; Kadima’s Ronit “Maybe, one day, when the and a glorious organization like J Street dele- messiah comes, we will have a Tirosh, who sits on the Com- gitimizes Israel’s ability to de- Passover event which is mittee of Education; Likud’s constitution” said Cabel of being activated by the fall fend itself. … This is Israel’s Labor, only half-joking about Tzipi Hotovely, the youngest most basic right, and I expect the difficulties of bridging the of the American economy. member of the Knesset at 32; all of you to stand with Israel religious and secular. and Carmel Shama-Hacohen, and to say those people, those The event’s moderator, Ilan Order your copy of chairman of Finance Commit- actors that are not letting us be Troen, director of the Schuster- tee. who we are, should be excused I AM The GOD of Israel man Center for Israel Studies, The members arrived in the out of the political game.” States on Sunday and by Mon- praised the debate among the by Curt Zant Other sources of contention Amazon.com day were already learning les- were the proposed Loyalty Oath politicians. “There are differ- at sons from American Jewish life. requiring new citizens of Israel ences, and there ought to be Ben Simon told an anecdote to pledge allegiance to a “Jew- differences,” said Troen. “In Is- about having dinner in the ish, democratic state” and the rael one makes a joyful noise kosher section of a Brandeis Nabka law, which bans towns or unto the Lord, and that joyful dining hall. After the meal, state-sponsored organizations noise is not a quiet one.” which included meat, Ben from observing Israeli Indepen- He likened Israeli politics to Simon requested ice cream. He dence day as a day of mourning. the miracle of the burning One Stop Shopping for approached the rabbi oversee- Nabka, Arabic for catastrophe, is bush. & ing the section, asking him what many Palestinians call the “The task of the people up Boys Young Men where he could find ice cream. creation of Israel. here tonight – with their differ- We’ve Suited Up Thousands of Bar Mitzvah Boys! The rabbi escorted him to the Ben Simon told the audi- ences and great commonality – stand. ence he had voted against the is to live in one of the most in- “In Israel he would be exe- Nabka law. tense places in the world and Best Selection cuted for that,” Ben Simon “Because [your boss] told not get consumed and not con- of: said, jokingly. “Because in the you to,” Tirosh retorted. sume each other.” Israeli way you cannot be both: You have to be religious or sec- Suits ular. Right or left. What he showed me tonight with his Blazers simple manners is that you can Dress Pants be tolerant of the other and that is what we have to learn Dress Shirts from you.” Tolerance of different opin- Ties ions and groups was the focus of several student questions. Casualwear Asked about the recent Elie Wiesel - In the Bible: A Judge Named Deborah. Join Professor Elie and more! Knesset inquiry into whether J Wiesel as he delves into the fascinating tale of the biblical Deborah, who Street is indeed pro-Israel, the was a female judge in Israel at a time of male dominated leadership. JOSEPH ABBOUD • HICKEY FREEMAN This is the first in our series of satellite broadcasts • DKNY • POLO • TALLIA & more! SIZES 8-22 REGULAR & HUSKY members gave answers across “Live from the 92nd Street Y in New York.” *BASIC ALTERATIONS the spectrum. Labor’s Ben Simon said he Thursday, April 7, 2011— 8:00 PM opposed the inquiry, saying Free for Vilna Shul Chai and Shammes Society Members Donation of $10.00 requested of others & those who instigated it would Vilna Shul, 18 Phillips Street, Boston, MA 02114 SIMON SONS “fit in the Tea Party here.” Take the redline to the Charles/MGH station or park 210 Needham Street • Newton, MA • 617-969-8844 “The question that arises is, Inside the Charles River Plaza garage where validated parking is only $5.00 HOURS: Monday, Tuesday, Friday, Saturday 10AM-6PM what will be the character of Is- RSVP to 617-523-2324 or visit www.vilnashul.org Wednesday & Thursday 10AM-8PM • Sunday 12PM-5PM