Denial” Water, and Ice Have Been Provided with As Has Been the Custom for Many Prove That Irving Knew He Was Lying When Particularly in His Treatment of the Jews
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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 19 OCTOBER 5, 2017 Federation alert Hurricane Relief Funds established Hurricane Harvey Relief needed emergency cash assistance grants been impacted. It will take an effort that cy Fund and directed to the Hurricane to help with transportation, clothing, food, reaches across all boundaries to help ev- Harvey Relief Fund. Fund (as of September 20) supplies and temporary housing. Camps eryone get back on his or her feet. Should members of the Jewish com- As of September 20, more than $14 opened to provide beds and a safe place OFFERING TRAUMA SUPPORT munities of Northeastern Pennsylvania million has been raised of the estimated for children. Later, grants and loans will ($800,000) wish to donate by contributing to the $30 million needed to rebuild. This in- be given to help rebuild homes and com- Families that have been flooded out of Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund, visit the cludes $5.8 million raised in Houston, pensate for other financial hardships. their homes – some two or three times in following sites www.jewishnepa.org or $5 million from Federations across North REBUILDING INFRASTRUCTURE less than three years – require assistance www.jewishfederations.org/Hurricane- America, $2.2 million from national Jew- ($9 MILLION) from expert therapists. HarveyRelief, or send a check payable ish foundations and $1 million from the Seven facilities that form the backbone of RESTORING SYNAGOGUES to “JFNA” to The Jewish Federations of government of Israel. the Houston Jewish community were devas- ($3.4 MILLION) North America, Wall Street Station, P.O. These funds – from Federations, foun- tated. These critical institutions are needed to Three of the largest synagogues in Box 157, New York, NY 10268 with dations and the government of Israel – are educate children, engage teens, care for the Houston incurred catastrophic damage, “Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund” on the already being put to work. Of the 51,000 elderly and sustain a vibrant Jewish spirit. and many others are flooded and have memo line. Jews who live in Houston, 71 percent SUPPORTING SCHOOLS leached toxins. Thousands of congregants Hurricane Irma Relief Fund live in areas affected by flooding, 1,000 ($1.3 MILLION) had no place to go for the High Holidays (as of September 20) people have been displaced from their Hundreds of day school families are im- and other religious and life cycle events. homes, 14 percent of Jewish day school pacted by flooding and struggling to meet ACTIVATING VOLUNTEERS Funds are urgently-needed for basics students and 20 percent of day school staff basic needs. Maintaining a commitment ($250,000) like food and medicine, and long-term have confirmed flooding. Seven major to Jewish education is out of their reach Volunteers from Houston and around needs like trauma counseling. One hun- Houston Jewish institutions have suffered without substantial scholarship support. the world have come to remove debris dred percent of funds raised will be used catastrophic flood damage, including three MAINTAINING JEWISH LIFE and offer comfort. to help those impacted by catastrophic of the largest synagogues and a day school. ($ 4.5 MILLION) INCREASING CAPACITY flooding and damage caused. Seven Acres, which was one of the largest The Evelyn Rubenstein JCC’s oper- ($25,000) Of particular concern are the following: Major flooding in Naples, Jacksonville Alzheimer’s care units in the country, ating revenue loss threatens the sustain- Rotating teams of experienced Feder- and the catastrophic damage in the U.S. experienced complete flooding on its first ability of this crucial Houstonian Jewish ation staff from around the country are Virgin Islands and Key West has heavily floor. Residents had to be relocated. hub, which once supported a vast campus providing holistic and integrated support impacted individual families. The draft breakdown of anticipated with multiple facilities and an impressive for Jewish community institutions and Physical damage from the storm is costs is as follows: array of programs. their leaders. uneven, but there are a number of Jewish AID TO FAMILIES ($5.3 MILLION) BOLSTERING RECOVERY A check in the amount of $2,000 was communal institutions that have sustained In the first few days after the hurricane, ($3 MILLION) issued to JFNA from the Jewish Federation severe damage – in Key West, Miami, displaced and affected families urgently Hundreds of thousands of people have of Northeastern Pennsylvania’s Emergen- Naples and St. Augustine. The prolonged power outages have left tens of thousands of seniors isolat- Pocono UJA Campaign opening program ed in apartment buildings throughout Florida, with a big concentration in Broward County. Emergency outreach and wide-scale distribution of meals, featured the film “Denial” water, and ice have been provided with As has been the custom for many prove that Irving knew he was lying when particularly in his treatment of the Jews. Federations, Jewish Family Service years, Federation’s annual Pocono UJA he claimed the Holocaust did not occur. He felt that Irving had “significantly” agencies and Chabad are active on this Campaign opening program took place on Irving represented himself.” misrepresented, misconstrued, omitted, front. Risks to seniors and others who September 17 at Temple Israel (Strouds- Background to film: In 1993, Lipstadt, mistranslated, misread and applied double are already dealing with respiratory burg) and featured the award-winning of Emory University, wrote “Denying standards to the historical evidence in issues is called “enormous.” film “Denial,” which covered Professor the Holocaust: The Growing Assault on order to achieve his ideological inter- While the overall impact of Hurricane Deborah Lipstadt’s legal battle in Britain Truth and Memory” to expose the lies, pretation of history. Gray also found that Irma on communities will not reach the “to prove the Holocaust occurred” against distortions and political agendas that Irving was an “active Holocaust denier; scale of Houston, emergency resources to David Irving, who had accused her of libel drive Holocaust denial. In her book, she that he is antisemitic and racist, and that help affected communities and families when she declared him to be a Holocaust discussed a number of specific Holocaust he associates with right-wing extremists recover is needed. A check in the amount denier. The civil trial that took place in deniers, including Irving, whom she who promote neo-Nazism.” of $2,000 was issued to JFNA from the the early 2000s received extensive inter- called a “dangerous spokesperson” for Following the film, Mark Silverberg, See “Funds” on page 3 national media coverage. Holocaust denial. executive director of the Federation, The evening was “well-attended” by In 1996, Irving sued Lipstadt and her expressed his appreciation to those who members of the Pocono Jewish com- British publisher, Penguin Books Ltd., for organized the program. He also thanked munities and was introduced by Sandra libel, saying his reputation as an historian those who attended and contributed to Federation Alfonsi, president of Temple Israel of was defamed. The suit was filed in the the Federation’s current UJA Campaign, the Poconos, and Doug Fink, president U.K. where libel laws are considered to which funds not only regional Jewish of the Jewish Federation of Northeastern favor plaintiffs. organizations, agencies and institutions on Facebook Pennsylvania. The film was introduced The trial started on January 11, 2000, in Northeastern Pennsylvania, but hun- The Jewish Federation of Northeast- by Dassy Ganz, of the Federation, and and ended on April 11, 2000, when Judge dreds of Hesed Centers that provide food, ern Pennsylvania now has a page on a dinner was catered by Colfax Avenue Charles Gray handed down his judgment. medicines, social assistance and cultural Facebook to let community members Enterprises of Wilkes-Barre. Lipstadt and Penguin Books had won their programs to isolated Jewish communities know about upcoming events and keep “It was the film that enthralled the au- case and court costs in excess of $3 million around the world, and helps cover the cost connected. dience,” said organizers of the program. were ultimately assessed against Irving. of aliyah and absorption into Israel for “In the English legal system, in cases of Gray found that Irving had “for his own Jews who feel under threat and fearful of libel, the burden of proof rests on the ac- ideological reasons persistently and delib- the future, including in Europe. Candle lighting Silverberg also wished everyone a cused! Therefore, it was up to Lipstadt and erately misrepresented and manipulated October 5 .......................... after 7:20 pm her legal team led by Richard Rampton, historical evidence” in order to portray Hit- happy Rosh Hashanah and best wishes Q.C., Anthony Julius and James Libson to ler “in an unwarrantedly favorable light” for a healthy, happy and safe new year. October 6 ......................................6:18 pm October 11 ................................... 6:09 pm INSIDE THIS ISSUE October 12 ........................ after 7:09 pm October 13 ................................... 6:06 pm U.S. military in Israel Shemini Atzeret Jews in Puerto Rico October 20 .................................. 5:56 pm The first permanent