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JewishA publication of the Jewish Federation of the Berkshires, serving V the Berkshires and surrounding ice NY, CT and VT Vol. 29, No. 7 Elul 5781 - Tishri/Cheshvan 5782 August 23 to October 10, 2021 jewishberkshires.org

“Bob Dylan: Prophet Mystic Poet,” Soar Into the High Holy Days! with Seth Rogovoy Wishing everyone a happy, healthy, “American Jewry’s greatest Dylan scholar” and peaceful 5782 concludes his “Great Jewish Rock Poets” series

On Thursday, September 30 at 6:45 p.m., nationally renowned (but still our favorite local) music and culture journalist Seth Rogovoy will conclude the two-part “Great Jewish Rock Poets” with “Bob Dylan: Prophet Mystic Poet.” This Jewish Federation of the Berkshires program will be presented via Zoom. Please visit our calendar of events at jewishberkshires.org for a link to this program. In this multimedia program incor- porating still images, video, and close lyrical analysis, Seth Rogovoy explores the deep and profound influence of the Jewish background and scriptural roots on Bob Dylan’s life and work. We will see how the Nobel Prize-winning rock poet’s familiarity with Torah, The Jewish Federation of the Berkshires wishes our PHOTO BY BILL INGALLS / NASA.GOV PUBLIC DOMAIN Talmud, and Kabbalah has worked its Bob Dylan receives the Medal of community a joyous and meaningful holiday season. This way into his songs and public utter- Freedom from President Barack circa 1915 Shana Tovah was printed in Germany and sold ances, along with his embrace of Israel Obama on May 29, 2012 in the US by the Williamsburg Postcard Company, one and the Jewish outreach organization of several holiday cards of the day featuring that then- Chabad. Participants will be encour- He is the recipient of a 2016 Simon aged to reflect on and discuss how Rockower Award from the American newfangled contraption, the airplane. Dylan can best be seen and appreci- Jewish Press Association for excellence The Yiddish inscription in the upper right corner reads: ated as a Jewish artist. in arts and criticism for his portrait of We bring you good tidings/ a wonderful time is approaching/ Termed “American Jewry’s greatest musician Leonard Cohen published in of light and radiance, of happiness and joy/ the world will be Dylan scholar” by Religion News Hadassah Magazine in its April/May Service, Seth Rogovoy is the author 2015 issue. renewed. May it come true! of Bob Dylan: Prophet Mystic Poet For three decades, Rogovoy’s work (Scribner, 2009), a full-length anal- has appeared in the English-language ysis of Bob Dylan’s life and work, and national Jewish publication, The The Essential Klezmer: A Music Lover’s Forward, to which he is a contrib- Guide to Jewish Roots and Soul Music uting editor. Seth is a former board (Algonquin Books, 2000), the all-time member of the Jewish Federation of the TZEDAKAH bestselling guide to klezmer music. Berkshires.

THE FATE OF OUR JEWISH A Very Israeli Rosh Hashanah, COMMUNITY IS IN YOUR HANDS with Michael Solomonov and Adeena Sussman TZEDAKAH SUNDAY Shanah tovah! Make this year espe- cially sweet and delicious by joining us August 22 on September 1 at 8 p.m. for a 1-hour live virtual cooking class with 5-time James Beard Foundation Award- We’ll receive a $10,000 challenge winning Chef Michael Solomonov and grant if we secure 100 gifts! New York Times bestselling cookbook author Adeena Sussman. Our hosts will demonstrate how to ANSWER THE CALL prepare a holiday feast of If your phone rings on August 22 (or in the days following), please • Skillet chicken with date syrup, answer it! Your contribution to the Federation’s 2021 campaign will sumac, and tahini help feed the hungry, comfort the elderly, and care for Jews in need • Halvah gazoz (seltzer) across the Berkshires, in Israel, and around the world. Your gift helps • Turkish salad nurture and sustain Jewish life today and for future generations.

• Moroccan carrots • Radish and zucchini salad with During this interactive experience SAVE US THE CALL mint and nigella seed (pictured to celebrate Rosh Hashanah, you will If you have not yet made a gift to the 2021 annual campaign, please right) receive recipes in advance and have visit www.jewishberkshires.org to make a pledge or donation online the opportunity to ask questions to be or call us at (413) 442-4360, ext. 16. answered live. Inside Michael Solomonov was born in G’nai Yehuda, Israel, and raised MAKE THE CALL Responding to the Shofar...... 3 in Pittsburgh. At the age of 18, he Volunteers are needed to reach out to donors and ask for their Your Federation Presents...... 5-7 returned to Israel with no Hebrew support for the 2021 Annual Campaign. All calls can be made from language skills, taking the only job he the safety of your home. Contact the Front Desk at (413) 442-4360, High Holy Days in the Berkshires...... 8-9 could get – working in a bakery – and ext 10 or email [email protected]. Local News...... 10-12 his culinary career was born. Chef Hannah Wohl’s Bound by Creativity...... 18 Solomonov is a beloved champion Our Jewish Community needs your Berkshire Jewish Voices...... 22-24 A VERY ISRAELI ROSH HASHANAH, support, now more than ever! continued on page 10

Page 2 Berkshire Jewish Voice • jewishberkshires.org August 23 to October 10, 2021

In My View Letters to the Editor Putting the Most Important Themes of the Jewish New Year Into Action Appreciation for a Your Dignity Drive By Elisa Schindler Frankel The Yamin Nora-im (High Holy Days) from Rosh Job Well Done Donations Much Hashanah to Yom Kippur is the sacred cycle in the To the Editor: Appreciated The Berkshire Jewish Voice is a Jewish calendar I most welcome. While I consider Dear Jewish Federation of the consistently excellent publication. It is Shabbat to be equally holy to Yom Kippur and Berkshires: an ideal combination of local Jewish relish in the weekly rituals of Sabbath observance, The Department of Children and news, educational articles about Israel these ten Days of Awe give me a rare and special Families Pittsfield Area Office appre- and Jewish history, announcements gift – time set aside to turn within. ciates your continued support and of upcoming local events of interest to I rejoice, reflect, and take responsibility for my donations to the families we serve in our community, and information about actions on Rosh Hashanah, but it is the solemn- Berkshire County. With the donations Berkshire Jewish institutions, especially ness of Yom Kippur that resonates with me most, from the Dignity Drive, many under- our synagogues. I enjoy your selection as I truly repent, forgive others, and atone. For me, privileged families received necessary of photos and even your ads, through it is always important to worship through Neilah personal hygiene items. Thank you which I learn about local services and (closing service), which I do each year with a great again for your partnership with the events. sense of urgency. The Gates of Heaven have been Berkshire Area Office. kept open to receive my final prayers and suppli- I am only a summer resident, but enjoy reading it throughout the year. cations. My fear is always that the Gates will close Respectfully yours, before I have truly repented and that I will not be inscribed and sealed into the Angela Bryan Tiffany Bassi, M.S. Thank you for a job very well done! Book of Life, even though I have been taught that the Gates do not close until the Area Director Supervisor seventh day of Sukkot and that the Gates are always open to the truly repentant. Jesse Samuels People come together as a community to observe the High Holy Days for a wide West Hartford, CT variety of reasons. We pray together not just as individuals, but as Jews. For me, it is not only my deep belief in the precepts of Judaism that draw me in, but also the three pillars of this cycle: Teshuva (Turning), Tefilla (Prayer) and Tzedakah (Righteousness). One of the most meaningful ways we mark this cycle is through A Query and Conundrum Federation unites people from many congregations and communities across the Berkshires of one faith, bound together by a common sacred cause

“tzedakah” – charitable actions aimed at breaking the poverty cycle and enabling those less fortunate to establish themselves as independent and productive members of our community. Much like the congregations during the High Holy Days, the Jewish Federation of the Berkshires unites people from many congregations and communities across the Berkshires of one faith, bound together by a common sacred cause. Your participation and support give our organization the strength it needs to move forward throughout the year. We are a strong and thriving organization today in no small measure because of each one of you. We, as an organization, benefit from the many rich gifts of heart and mind that you bring to our work. I feel honored and privileged that, through my service as president of the Jewish Federation of the Berkshires, I can put the most important themes of the Pro-Israel rally in Great Barrington, May 16, 2021 Jewish New Year into action – including learning from the past in order to shape the future; maintaining a strong sense of community and family; and upholding common values and teachings. To the Editor: They inform us where donations to the From my home to yours, wishes for a Shanah Tovah (Sweet New Year) and Permit me to voice a query and Federation are importantly used. This Gmar Chatimah Tovah (A Good Final Sealing). conundrum, having just thoroughly rationale would call us to respond to re-read the June/July Berkshire racist and criminal behavior, unse- Elisa Schindler Frankel is president of the Jewish Federation of the Berkshires Jewish Voice and listened to another lectively, and include incidents of JFB event. They are the catalysts that anti-Semitism, or, more accurately, lead me to question the inclusion Judeophobia. CORRECTION: In our last Editor’s Note, we referred to Carol of a disclaimer which follows Marco History and current events show Goodman Kaufman’s book by the wrong title. It is Once in a Greenberg’s measured account, in the us what ignorance of un-addressed Full Moon. We regret the error. June/July BJV, about a number of extreme bias, and misrepresentation do assorted Jewish community members to further unquestioned political narra- showing up on May 16 outside Town tives. Where do we stand? Hall in Great Barrington, to counter “a pro-Palestinian demonstration at the Thanks for your attention, height of the recent violence directed Ruth Heuberger at Israel by Hamas forces in Gaza.” Great Barrington The undistorted facts of that violence are readily available; however, the Dear Ruth: disclaimer reads: “The views expressed Marco Greenberg’s article was orig- are the author’s.” inally intended for Berkshire Jewish Ironically, In the same issue of the Voices, but was placed on a news page BJV, one article informs us of the high rather than an opinion section during incidence and ongoing anti-Semitic layout and, for practical reasons, L’shana tova tikateyvu incidents in New England, as reported could not be moved. The disclaimer we by the ADL. (Elsewhere, we read of appended to it was intended to indi- this occurring in spite of Holocaust cate the story was not an objective teaching.) A full-page layout also illus- “news” story, but rather an opinion trates multiple programs concerned piece reflecting the author’s experience with promoting Jewish identity, and feelings. The disclaimer was not including addressing anti-Semitism, intended to represent the Federation’s as well as the aid and attention to stance on any of the issues the article ƒ››‘—„‡™”‹––‡ ‹–Š‡ social justice in our wider community. touches on. ‘‘‘ˆ‹ˆ‡ˆ‘”ƒ‰‘‘†›‡ƒ”Ǩ

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JA ewishpublicationA publication ofof the the Jewish Jewish Federation Federation of the Berkshires, of the serving Berkshires,V the Berkshires serving and surrounding the ice Berkshires NY, CT and VT and surrounding NY, CT and VT The color photography in this issue of the Berkshire Jewish Voice is made possible through the generosity of Rob Bildner & Elisa Spungen Bildner and Jim Heeger & Daryl Messinger, honorary publishers. The staff of the Federation and the BJV are deeply grateful.

 Elul 5781 - Tishri/Cheshvan 5782 Berkshire Jewish Voice • jewishberkshires.org Page 3 Rabbi Reflection Let the Shofar’s Sound Be Our Clarion Call in In Memoriam – Rose Tannenbaum Returning to a Mindful, Productive, Focused, In the previous issue of the BJV, we Purposeful Life marked Rose Tannenbaum’s retirement as our graphic designer with a fond By Rabbi David Weiner farewell from our copy editor, Jenny There’s an old joke about a rabbi who was Greenfeld, and Rose’s own parting riding in a taxicab that drove off a bridge. No one thoughts on leaving a role at Federation survived. Moments later, the rabbi and the cab that had been hers for nearly 30 years. driver found themselves in line at the gates of Within a week of our wrapping up heaven. They approached the podium together. that paper, Rose was hospitalized. On “You,” the angel said, pointing at the cab driver, Sunday, July 25, Rose passed away, “You come right in. But you,” and here he frowned surrounded by her loving family. at the rabbi, “You, not so much.” Rose’s friends and colleagues here “What do you mean? How come he gets in, and at the Federation are heartbroken. We I don’t?” asked the rabbi. remain in awe of the fortitude and opti- “Well,” said the angel, “When you spoke to your mism Rose showed over the years as congregation week after week, many of them just she bravely battled the grievous illness dozed off, but when people got in his cab and he that claimed her life. We are moved by the conscientiousness she demon- started driving, every one of them prayed.” strated in July in laying out the paper one last time and then tying up The sound of the shofar is a response to the loose ends for us, even as her health took a serious turn for the worse. phenomenon that makes us smile at this well-worn joke. Its cry is an alarm We can’t imagine what working on the paper will be like without Rose – meant to startle us out of our habits in a way that no verbal message ever could. we know only that we will miss her terribly. The 12th-century sage Maimonides writes about the message he perceives through We extend our condolences to Rose’s husband, Emerson; to her chil- the blast of the shofar: “Wake up, sleepers, from your slumber! Drowsy ones, dren, Amory and Molly; to her brothers, Aron, Ted, and Matt; and to her shake off your torpor! Check your deeds, turn in repentance and remember your extended family and close friends. Please see the obituary on page16 for Creator! You who lose track of the truth in favor of fleeting fads, who stray all more on Rose’s life. year long towards insignificant trivialities, take a good look at your souls. Choose Rose worked thoughtfully and well for our Jewish community for many years. Her courage will continue to inspire all of us who It is hard to know what tomorrow may demand knew her. May Rose’s memory be for a blessing. of us; still, opportunities for mitzvot abound. better paths and behaviors. Leave your selfish choices and wrong thoughts behind.” (Laws of Repentance 3:4) So much has changed for so many of us in the last 18 months. A pandemic, illnesses, deaths, face masks, social distancing, travel restrictions, vaccina- tion and re-emergence. Guidelines that keep us safe continue to evolve, based on scientific research as well as local circumstances. Last year at this time, we were so scared of contagion that we could barely sound the shofar at all. My LETTERS TO THE EDITOR congregation blew the ram’s horn outside, near the sanctuary, rather than inside The Berkshire Jewish Voice welcomes signed letters on subjects of inter- the room, and most attendees were sitting at home and watching the service est to the Jewish community. Letters are printed upon space availability. by camera. This year many of us, now inoculated against infection, are still The BJV reserves the right to edit all letters for content, length, and style. figuring out how to draw close to other people again and return to vibrant lives. The BJV does not print anonymous letters, insults, libelous or defamatory While many have developed beneficial new routines because of the pandemic, statements. Published letters do not represent the views of the Federation, like more frequent handwashing, some of us have grown used to new habits its board of directors, or the newspaper, but rather express the views of that were necessary but are not serving us well right now. This year the shofar, their authors. For verification purposes, please include full name, home sounded indoors to resonate once again in each of our souls, might inspire us to address, and a day and evening telephone number. Send letters to: reconsider our choices and habits, to return to a mindful, productive, focused, Berkshire Jewish Voice, 196 South Street, Pittsfield, MA 01201, or email: purposeful life. It is hard to know what tomorrow may demand of us; still, oppor- tunities for mitzvot abound each and every day. [email protected]. Maimonides continues his thoughts on shofar with a pep talk about the significance of our choices: “All year long, every person should consider them- selves as if they were half deserving and half culpable and similarly think of the entire world as half deserving and half culpable. One who misses the mark even once has tipped self and world towards destruction. Yet one who does even one mitzvah has tipped self and world towards merit, bringing rescue and hope... For this reason, between Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur, people customarily redouble their efforts to give tzedaka, do good deeds and engage in mitzvot.” There is so much work to do to heal, to rebuild our lives, to reconnect with our community, to continue to heal our society through good deeds. Every mitzvah we choose to do makes a difference, carrying each of us and all of us towards the next best possible outcome. Let’s make sure we wake up this Rosh Hashana and stay awake throughout the year.

Rabbi David Weiner is the spiritual leader of Knesset Israel in Pittsfield. VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!

Berkshire Deliver Rosh Hashanah Care Packages  ƒ†˜‹•‹–™‹–Š‘Ž†‡”ƒ†—Ž–•‹ ƒ••‹•–‡†Ž‹˜‹‰ˆƒ ‹Ž‹–‹‡•ǡ —”•‹‰Š‘‡•ǡŠ‘•’‹–ƒŽ•ǡƒ†Š‘‡„‘—†ƒ– ›‘—”Ž‡‹•—”‡„‡–™‡‡—‰—•–͵ͳ–‡’–‡„‡”ʹǤ JAewish publicationA publication of the Jewishof the Federation Jewish of the FederationBerkshires, serving V theof Berkshires the Berkshires, and surrounding ice NY,serving CT and VT the Friendly visitors needed Berkshires and surrounding NY, CT and VT –‘ ˜‹•‹–Š‘‡„‘—†•‡‹‘”•‹–Š‡‹”Š‘‡• Published nine times a year by the ƒ†Ȁ‘”˜‹ƒ–‡Ž‡’Š‘‡ ƒŽŽ•‘ƒ™‡‡Ž›„ƒ•‹•Ǥ”ƒ‹‹‰ƒ†•—’’‘”– Jewish Federation of the Berkshires Substitute’”‘˜‹†‡†Ǥ drivers needed Dara Kaufman: Publisher and Managing Editor –‘†‡Ž‹˜‡”‘•Š‡”Ž— Š‡• –‘Š‘‡„‘—† Rob Bildner & Elisa Spungen Bildner: Honorary Publishers ‹†‹˜‹†—ƒŽ•‹‹––•ˆ‹‡Ž†ƒ†‡‘šǤ  ‘‡†‡Ž‹˜‡”‹‡•‘ —”‘Ǥǡ—‡•Ǥ Jim Heeger & Daryl Messinger: Honorary Publishers ƒ†Š—”•ǤͳͳǣͶͷ –1:30. We’re looking for a few volunteers to help out Albert Stern: Editor Welcome™Š‡‡‡†‡†Ǥ Shabbat volunteers needed  RB Design Co.: Graphic Design and Layout –‘Ž‹‰Š– ƒ†Ž‡•ƒ†”‡ ‹–‡ Jenny Greenfeld: Advertising Sales Representative „Ž‡••‹‰•‘ƒ ”‹†ƒ›ƒˆ–‡”‘‘ȋ‘ ‡ƒ‘–ŠȌ™‹–Š‘Ž†‡”ƒ†—Ž–•”‡•‹†‹‰ and Assistant Editor ƒ–•‡‹‘”ˆƒ ‹Ž‹–‹‡•Ǥ ‡ƒ†ƒ•Š‘”–•‹’Ž‡•‡”˜‹ ‡—•‹‰‘—””‡•‘—” ‡•‘” Editorial opinions expressed in the Berkshire Jewish Voice are those of the ‘ˆˆ‡”›‘—”‘™™‡Ž ‘‡Šƒ„„ƒ–‰ƒ–Š‡”‹‰„ƒ•‡†‘›‘—”‘™ newspaper and not those of any individual. Signed editorials do not represent the ‡š’‡”‹‡ ‡Ǥ view of the newspaper, but rather express the writer’s view. The Berkshire Jewish Voice is under no obligation to accept any advertisement. It  Ǩ‘–ƒ – does not guarantee the kashrut of any merchandise or service advertised. —•ƒ ”‹• Š‡Š”‡”ƒ– To have the BJV mailed to your home, please send a minimum donation of $18 ȋͶͳ͵ȌͶͶʹǦͶ͵͸Ͳǡ‡š–ǤͳͶ Next issue publication date: October 11, 2021 – November 14, 2021 •Ž‡Š”‡”̷Œ‡™‹•Š„‡”•Š‹”‡•Ǥ‘”‰ Press deadline: August 24, 2021 • Advertising deadline: September 14, 2021 The Jewish Federation of the Berkshires' Tikkun Olam Volunteer (TOV) Berkshire Jewish Voice e-mail: [email protected] Network connects community members of all ages with Mitzvah Phone: (413) 442-4360, ext. 11 Fax (413) 443-6070 opportunities to make a difference in our community.

Page 4 Berkshire Jewish Voice • jewishberkshires.org August 23 to October 10, 2021

Letters to the Editor, continued

Senior Artisans Back at Work in Home in the Valley – Supporting Afula-Gilboa’s LGBTQ+ Jerusalem – Thanks In Part to Your Community Through Partnership2Gether Campaign Contributions Dear Jewish Federation of the Berkshires: Home in the Valley is a social enterprise that combines all the informa- tion, programs, events, and professional work in the Afula/Gilboa region and its surroundings for the benefit of the LGBTQ+ community. It's a center that provides a solution for young people and adults alike, families and individuals, organizations and educa- tional institutions, authorities, members of the community Artisans at Yad LaKashish and their wider environment, in order to create tolerance, Dear Jewish Federation of the Berkshires: equality, and acceptance. We gratefully acknowledge receipt of the generous grant given Home in the Valley is by the Jewish Federation of the Berkshires that we just received supported by your Federation via The Jewish Agency For Israel. through its membership in Home in the Valley picnic for LGBTQ+ families As daily activity resumes in Israel, we are happy to share the Southern New England that over 230 artisans are arriving daily to a meaningful, Communities (SNEC) Partnership2Gether, a program of The Jewish Agency For Israel. productive routine in the workshops. With the lifting of restric- Recently, Home in the Valley held several events such as picnics for families, a community trip tions, they have moved back to their pre-COVID workstations to Mt. Gilboa, a joint Kabbalat Shabbat and graffiti painting event for teens, street parties and with a renewed sense of purpose and vitality. "Pride in the Living Room" events, where members of the community met with the general popula- Heading into our 60th year of empowering low-income elderly tion and talked about the LGBTQ+ community's challenges. in Jerusalem, we are proud of our partnership with the Jewish An official pride forum was launched to generate collaborations, create a broad infrastructure of Federation of the Berkshires that we have built over the years action, and expand the response to the benefit of the LGBTQ+ community in the region. The most and are thankful to you for standing with us and believing in significant event was the pride flag-raising ceremony held in the Gilboa regional council's plaza, what we do. marking equality, tolerance, and coexistence for all populations living in the Gilboa. This partnership enables us to provide purposeful work opportunities and essential services to low income seniors across Thank you for your support, Jerusalem, allowing them to live their most senior years with Achiya Ben Ari Buganim purpose and dignity. Living Bridge Coordinator, Partnership2Gether It will be our pleasure to host you and groups from the Afula/Gilboa Berkshires at Yad LaKashish when travel restrictions are lifted. Thank you again.

Best wishes, Ariela (Relly) Schwartz-Zur You can now read and share Berkshire Jewish Voice feature stories online! Visit jewishberkshires.org and Executive Director, Yad LaKashish, Jerusalem select Community & Events>Berkshire Jewish Voice for links to highlights of current and past issues.

Anticipating a Sweet Year – Even After Finding Out That Ice Cream Can Also Leave a Bitter Taste Israel’s Consul General for New England reflects on a challenging year and its bright spots By Meron Reuben Summer was a global pandemic that constricted every aspect of the Israeli athletes who were victims of terror in the exceptionally wet this our lives and caused the death of millions across Munich Olympics of 1972. May their memories be year in New England. the globe. Israel has been a leader in vaccinating its blessed. In fact, it was the population, and we are now in a drive to give booster Another positive note was struck recently when wettest in recorded shots to the population over 60 years old. Israel regained its observer status to the African history. As an Israeli, Limiting travel to Israel has been a necessary Union after a nearly 20-year hiatus. The irony of I enjoyed the rain and means of controlling the spread of the virus. We know this is not lost on us in light of the massive media soaked up the magnif- how frustrating this has been for so many of you, coverage of the Ben & Jerry’s debacle. I presume that icent greenery that it but my sincere hope is that travel to Israel will soon positive news about Israel does not sell. left behind. September get back to normal, even though will soon be upon us, the spike in the highly contagious with Rosh Hashanah, Delta variant of the virus makes Our efforts to push back on the decision Yom Kippur, and other this difficult to predict. are vital to defending the very legitimacy of fall festivals coming The Abraham Accords continue early this year. After to spread a message of hope and the State of Israel, unfairly singled out for a year-and-a-half of mutual understanding in our living with COVID-19, we are beckoned at this time of region. It was a thrill this summer alleged human rights abuses year to turn inward, assess what has happened, and to welcome “Sharaka,” a new NGO look forward to new chapters in our lives. comprised of young Israeli and UAE social leaders of So, all in all, we have a lot to be grateful for as we It has been yet another challenging year for the all religions committed to peace and normalization leave 5781 and go into 5782. I have had a very chal- State of Israel. The conflict in May with the terrorist through forging warm people-to-people connections. lenging, yet exciting, nine months in New England, group Hamas that runs the Gaza Strip was another The “2020 Olympics” in Tokyo offered another and hope to meet many more members of the Jewish reminder that we have an uphill battle to reach the reason to rejoice. Israel sent its largest delegation community in person (and not on Zoom) this coming goal of peace and tranquility in our beloved land. ever, some 90 Olympians, including baseball Team year. This summer has also shown us that ice cream Israel, that included many American olim. We even May the new year bless us all with peace and good can leave a bitter taste. Ben & Jerry’s indepen- had a chance to see them play in Hartford before they health. dent board of governors decided to boycott us and left for Japan. In Tokyo, Team Israel kept hope alive Shana Tova U Metuka – a good and sweet New used their so-called social mission and values to by defeating Mexico and advancing into the second Year to everyone. join the BDS movement in bashing Israel instead round of the Olympics, defying expectations and of trying to help the two sides find ways to collabo- serving as emissaries for baseball in Israel. Based in Boston, Meron Reuben is Israel’s Consul rate. How can peace possibly be achieved for Israelis Israeli Olympian Artem Dolgopyat made us all General for New England, covering five states – and Palestinians alike through economic terrorism? proud by winning a gold medal in gymnastics for Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Maine, Our efforts to push back on the decision are vital to the men’s floor exercise. This was only the second and Vermont. Ambassador Reuben has a diplomatic defending the very legitimacy of the State of Israel, Olympic gold in our sporting history! career spanning over three decades, during which unfairly singled out for alleged human rights abuses Avishag Semberg received a bronze medal in tae he has served in various positions, including roles in a world filled with totalitarian and truly brutal kwan do, and Israel’s Judo team won a bronze medal, at the Israeli embassies in Chile and Mexico, and regimes. as well. as ambassador to Paraguay, Bolivia, and Colombia. Despite this challenge, there are many positive But the most important thing of all for us was Ambassador Reuben served as Israel’s ambassador developments to celebrate as the year draws to a that for the first time, after ignoring the fact for 49 to the UN between 2010-2011, and as Israel’s Chief of close. A year ago, we were living under a cloud of years, the Olympic Committee publicly memorialized State Protocol from 2015 to 2020. ​ Elul 5781 - Tishri/Cheshvan 5782 Berkshire Jewish Voice • jewishberkshires.org Page 5 Your Federation Presents

Volunteers Are Vital! Jewish Women’s Foundation Rosh Hashanah Care Packages For Our Seniors to Pack Meals of Hope for Area By Susan Frisch Lehrer / Coordinator of Volunteers and PJ Library

The Jewish Federation of the Food Pantries Berkshires is committed to ensuring Member volunteers to the well-being and continuity of the pack 25,000 meals in Jewish people both in our commu- nity and beyond. We know that many one morning of our seniors are still isolated and GREAT BARRINGTON – On we want to bring them a special treat Sunday, September 19 from before the High Holy Days. 9 a.m. to noon, the Jewish Volunteers are needed to deliver Women’s Foundation of the Rosh Hashanah gift bags to our Berkshires (JWF) will partner seniors at home and in facilities with Meals of Hope for a food- insecurity event’ in the memo across the Berkshires. Please let packing event at Berkshire line. us know if you can assist with this South Regional Community The Jewish Women’s important mitzvah. Center, during which volunteers Foundation of the Berkshires, The bags may be picked up at our will pack 25,000 meals. These a constituent organization Federation office, 196 South Street, meals will be transported to the of the Jewish Federation of Pittsfield, on the following dates and Western Massachusetts Food the Berkshires, is dedicated times: Bank, which will in turn deliver to sharing Jewish values by Tuesday, August 31; Wednesday, September 1; and Thursday, September 2 from 9 a.m. to the meals to food pantries addressing needs in the commu- 4 p.m. throughout the county. nity and supporting social Friday, September 3 from 9 a.m. to noon. For further informa- action. We ask that all volunteers wear masks (during pickup and delivery) and ring the front door tion, contact Toby Levine at Each member pledges $500 bell of our office. You may deliver at your convenience. [email protected] annually, enabling JWF to For more information, contact Susan Frisch Lehrer, Coordinator of Volunteers and PJ provide local organizations Library, (413) 442-4360, ext.14 or [email protected]. Donate to this worthy cause! with funds to address unmet needs. Now in its twelfth year, About Joe’s Project A donation will go a long way to support food insecurity JWF has granted more than Twice a year volunteers bake, pack, and deliver challot (and honey) before Rosh Hashanah programs in the Berkshires. $400,000 to community orga- and hamantaschen (shalach manot) before Purim to Jewish seniors who reside at home and in $18 = 72 meals nizations. In 2021-22, JWF will senior residences, to folks in the hospital, and to those with special needs – reaching 250 indi- $36 = 144 meals provide grants totaling close to viduals in Berkshire County, Southern Vermont, and New York’s Columbia County. $72 = 288 meals $60,000 to 18 local non-profit Known as Joe’s Project in memory of the late Joe Madison, who started this program with a You can donate online organizations. group of his hiking buddies, this is a community-wide program engaging 100+ volunteers of all at jewishberkshires.org/ The mission of Meals of Hope, ages. Many of our local kids and campers from Eisner Camp help decorate the bags that, once jewish-womens-foundation. You a Naples, FL, based organiza- filled, are delivered by numerous volunteers, including some of our PJ Library and Federation can also mail a check payable to tion, is to inspire and empower families. This program is more than just a gift bag delivery; it is a personal visit to someone who the Jewish Women’s Foundation communities to come together may not get many of them. to the Jewish Federation of the to end hunger. Organizations Berkshires, 196 South Street, throughout the Berkshires will Pittsfield, MA 01201. Write ‘food be providing volunteers to staff Donate ~ Volunteer ~ Make a Difference this event. Page 6 Berkshire Jewish Voice • jewishberkshires.org August 23 to October 10, 2021 Your Federation Presents

JFNA Convened its National Young Leadership Cabinet to Mobilize Against the Growing Threat of Anti-Semitism in North America Deborah Lipstadt selected by President Biden to serve as the nation’s Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism By Ted Merwin, Senior Writer / JFNA director of the White House Office security funding to the Jewish commu- stand up to the Boycott, Divestment, WASHINGTON, DC – In one of of Faith-Based and Neighborhood nity, out of a total budget of $180 and Sanction (BDS) Movement; experts the first in-person conferences in Partnerships, promised that President million. JFNA is lobbying for this total on anti-Semitism and anti-Zionism the Jewish world since the begin- Biden would shortly name a State budget to be doubled in the next round in the media (with a particular focus ning of the COVID-19 pandemic, Department ambassador-at-large to of appropriations. on the growing use of social media Jewish Federations of North America monitor and combat anti-Semitism, Anti-Semitic incidents have surged platforms both to spread hatred and (JFNA) convened its National Young which JFNA and other Jewish organi- in the last few years, with a partic- to oppose it); and activists like Daryl Leadership Cabinet on July 20 to zations had requested in their letter ularly dramatic uptick during, and Davis, a celebrated African-American mobilize against the growing threat to the president after the Virtual Rally in the wake of, the recent conflict blues pianist who has convinced a of anti-Semitism in North America. Against Anti-Semitism in May. between Israel and Hamas. This has number of Ku Klux Klan leaders to The 250 lay leaders, who came from [On July 30, Professor Deborah led to calls for the federal government renounce racism and intolerance. fifty different communities, explored a Lipstadt of Emory University, a former to expand its role in safeguarding the To learn more about the National variety of ways to cope with the crisis member of JFNA’s National Young Jewish community. Senator Jacky Young Leadership Cabinet of JFNA, the on both the national and local levels. Leadership Cabinet, was selected by Rosen (D-NV) spoke about the bipar- Jewish Federations’ Advocacy Corps, In particular, the conference marked President Biden to serve as the nation’s tisan resolution that she and Senator and the other ways that you can join the launch of the Jewish Federations’ Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat James Lankford (R-OK) introduced in the urgent fight against anti-Semitism, Advocacy Corps, an initiative that will Anti-Semitism. For JFNA reactions to May – and which was co-sponsored please contact the Jewish Federation enable Federations to respond during her appointment, see below.] by three-quarters of the entire U.S. of the Berkshires and make your voice crises and advocate for policies that “In recent months, the surge in Senate – which condemned the global heard. will strengthen and defend the Jewish domestic anti-Semitism reached surge in anti-Semitism; it demanded community. record highs, prompting rallies and that steps be taken to stem the tide JFNA Responds to Deborah Among those urging action without condemnation, but this fly-in had a by, for example, boosting Holocaust Lipstadt’s New Role laser-focused goal: to galvanize JFNA’s education and heightening secu- delay were almost a dozen lawmakers, Mark Wilf, chair of the board of National Young Leadership Cabinet to rity at synagogues. Former Senator including Representatives Ted Deutch JFNA, said: “We are thrilled that shape policy and change history in the Norm Coleman, national chairman (D-FL), Kathy Manning (D-NC), and Professor Lipstadt, who is a long- critical fight to protect North American of the Republican Jewish Coalition, Brad Schneider (D-IL), all of whom standing Jewish Federation leader, Jews from the wave of abhorrent encouraged Cabinet members to take are themselves Cabinet alumni. Other has been chosen for this crucial role anti-Semitism,” said Eric Fingerhut, leadership roles in their home commu- Members of the House who joined the in leading the charge against anti- JFNA CEO. He announced that the nities to push back against all those gathering were Troy Balderson (R-OH), Semitism. We hope that her nomina- 2020 Nonprofit Security Grant Program who vilify Jews. Bill Johnson (R-OH), Brian Mast tion will be confirmed. We would be (NSGP), which enables nonprofit orga- Also highlighted at the conference (R-FL), Marc Veasey (D-TX), and Debbie honored to work with her in restoring Wasserman Schultz (D-FL). nizations to protect themselves from were Jewish college students who are Melissa Rogers, the executive violent attacks, yielded $115 million in taking the lead on their campuses to JFNA, continued on page 15

Berkshire Thank you to our supporters! The Berkshire Jewish Voice extends a very special “thank you” for the generosity extended by those who have sent in their contri- JewishA publication of the Jewish Federation of the Berkshires, serving V the Berkshires and surrounding ice NY, CT and VT butions for voluntary subscriptions to the paper.

Anonymous donors - 15 Claudia Coplan Joan and Jay Gold Lawrence and Sarah Klein Sydell Roth Ed Abrahams Harriet Croll Edmund Grossman Ed and Roz Kolodny Beverly Rubman and Mark Phyllis and Stephen Abramson Adele Cukor Jack Grossman and Diane Rosalind and Allen Kopfstein Goldfus Marion Adler Joel and Phyllis Curran Cohen Cookie and Enrico Lamet Arlene and Gary Schiff Michael and Susan Albert Ann Dorfman Aaron Gurwitz and Susan Jeff Lazarus and Phyllis Cohen Mike Schiffer Ev Bastow David and Sharon Drucker Abramowitz Helene Leavitt Alice and Len Schiller Nancy and Ira Baumel Terry and Mel Drucker Sue and Mark Hariton Rose Lederman Marcia and Albert Schmier Linda J.L. Becker Eugene Fidell and Linda Ed and Cindy Helitzer Susan and Michael Leff Anne Schnesel Alan and Judith Benjamin Greenhouse Amy and Howard Herman Donna Lefkowitz Naomi Schwartz Shelley and Bob Berend Leslie Fishbein and Tom Jeff and Deb Herman Milton Lestz and Adam Irick Peter Shore and Deborah Barry and Marjorie Berg Sebestyen Peter Herman and Jerri Chaplin Judith Levenfeld and Tony Blum-Shore Helene Berger William and Sandra Flannery Randy Jackson and Jacqueline Hollenberg Richard and Alyson Slutzky Miriam Bergman Lynn Foggle Browner Lawrence Levien Turbi and Paul Smilow Michael Berkowitz Arthur and Gloria Fried Karen and Bruce Jacobs Rita Levin Jeff Solomon and Audrey Myla Blum Bob and Laura Friedman Liz and Alan Jaffe Macey Levin and Gloria Miller Weiner Rabbi Ken Brickman Judy and Jeff Gelfand Arlene and Harry Jaroslaw Elaine and Arnold Levine Lauren Spitz Robin Brickman and Jeff Strait Michael and Ellie Geller Av Kadish Pat and Lou Levine Kenneth Stahl and Shirley Ripullone Ilse Browner Rabbi Everett and Mary Adrian and Kevin Kalikow Barbara Liebert Ken Stark Rich Cohen and Cheryl Sacks Gendler Sharon Karlin Michael Margolis Ronald and Marion Stein Judith and Jeff Cook Mitchell Gilbert Alan Kaufman and Deborah Stuart and Ellen Masters Roth Peter and Abbe Steinglass Barbara Cooperman Bette and Phil Gladstone Tanya and Arnold Mazurenko Nancy Milbauer Phoebe and Don Sugarman Leslie Morris Laurie Sukel Gerry and Dorothy Swimmer SEED WHAT YOU READ! BECOME A SUBSCRIBER TODAY! Judie and Harry Morrow Jack Myers & Rhonda Carnegie Natalie and Robert Tublitz Yes, I support the Berkshire Jewish Voice! Please accept my voluntary Elaine Padilla Henry Tulgan tax-deductible subscription contribution. Louise Penney Barbara Viniar Claudio and Penny Pincus Arthur and Terry Wasser _____ $360 Mensch & Honorary Publisher Arlene Potler Bruce and Penny Wein (Supports color printing in one edition of the Voice) Marcia Powdermaker and Sheila and Peter Weiner _____ $180 Sponsor Andrew Potler Randy and Mara Winn Mail check payable to: _____ $72 Patron Helen and Stephen Radin Florence and Steven Winter Jewish Federation of the Berkshires Charles Wohl and Alba _____ $36 Friend Joel and Beth Radsken 196 South Street, Pittsfield, MA 01201 Stu and Myrna Rodkin Passerini (Please add Berkshire Jewish Voice in the memo) _____ $18 Supporter­­­­ Jerry Rodman Alec and Anna Yantovsky Elisa Romm Margot Yondorf Name to be listed: ______Helaine Rose Harvey and Jan Zimbler p I wish to remain anonymous Bunny and Stanley Rosen The Rothkopf Family Deborah Roth Elul 5781 - Tishri/Cheshvan 5782 Berkshire Jewish Voice • jewishberkshires.org Page 7 Your Federation Presents

Explore the Work of Two Famous Jewish In Person Program: “Aging: Artists with Professor J. Carol Salus A Lifelong Process,” with Roy Lichtenstein (September 13) and Barbara Kruger (October 4) Maggie Bittman On Monday, September J. Carol Salus, who teaches art history at 20 at 10:45 a.m., we welcome Kent State University, will present two online back Maggie Bittman for an programs this fall on major Jewish American in-person program, “Aging: artists. A Lifelong process.” This free On Monday, September 13 at 6:45 p.m., program at Knesset Israel, 16 Salus’s talk will be "Roy Lichtenstein: Early Colt Road in Pittsfield is part Pop Works and Fascination for Masters of Art of the Jewish Federation of the History.” She writes: “Lichtenstein was one Berkshires’ Connecting With of the most influential and innovative artists Community series. Kosher of the second half of the twentieth century. lunch will follow this program He is preeminently identified with Pop Art, – please see the menu on page a movement he helped originate, and his 15. first fully achieved paintings, rendered in a This program will meet style mimicking the crude printing processes in-person under the tent of newspaper reproduction, were based on Roy Lichtenstein riffing on Matisse in his at Knesset Israel. See imagery from comic strips and advertisements. “Artist’s Studio: The Dance” Federation's website for up-to- These paintings lasted some three years and date COVID-19 protocols. Maggie Bittman he is typically associated with these by many. appeared in galleries, museums, billboards, “Aging: A Lifelong Process” There are exuberant canvases inspired by the municipal buildings, department stores, buses, is a program created and we return to these existential masters he admired, such as Picasso, Monet, train stations, and parks around the world. facilitated by Maggie Bittman, truths at each stage of life with and Matisse. Among his more than 5000 works Such rigorously composed works as, ‘I Shop a Licensed Mental Health the added wisdom that comes is a mural for The Tel Aviv Museum of Art. As Therefore I Am,’ have been widely distrib- Counselor who has practiced along with aging.” a teen-ager Lichtenstein’s grandmother rented uted under the artist’s supervision in the form for more than 40 years. This conversation format a house on Lake Buel near Great Barrington, of umbrellas, tote bags, postcards, mugs, Writes Bittman: provides an opportunity to and we will see a photo of him there and learn T-shirts, and posters.” “Throughout Life’s journey, be a part of a group dialogue. about his disciplined art.” These Jewish Federation of the Berkshires we confront four existential Participants will discuss, On Monday, October 4 at 6:45 p.m., the programs will be presented via Zoom. Please truths: share, and offer support to topic will be “Barbara Kruger: Thought- visit our calendar of events at jewishberkshires. • The search to find one another. It is a program Provoking Photographic Works.” Writes Salus: org for links to these programs. meaning and purpose designed for people of all ages “Kruger is known for her bold photographs to J. Carol Salus earned her PhD from Ohio • Facing mortality to allow for intergenerational which thought-provoking messages have been State University. She taught throughout • Experiencing aloneness dialogue. added. These short texts, white inscriptions her career at Kent State University. She has • Engaging self will We look forward to seeing over a red field, treat social and political atti- published in Jewish Art and wrote a notable you there! tudes from gender stereotypes to consumerism. essay on “Memorial to the Murdered European We will highlight how this With a background in graphic design and Jews” in Berlin after interviewing its architect, is a lifelong process, and that photography, Kruger’s public installations have Peter Eisenman.

Answer the Call on Tzedakah Sunday Help us keep the momentum of Federation’s 2021 Annual Campaign going! Federation is so grateful for the many community members who have stepped up and made their gift to our 2021 Annual Campaign. You have helped us make a great start, but we still have a way to go to reach our $1,000,000 goal! We are emerging from this difficult time stronger and more determined than ever to continue Federation’s work to support the vulnerable, empower our young people, and create vibrant and meaningful Jewish life across the Berkshires, in Israel, and around the world. On Sunday, August 22, the Jewish Federation of the Berkshires – with support from community volunteers – will host a Tzedakah Sunday. Everyone’s help is needed to help keep the momentum going to maintain our vital programs and services into the future. We are excited to share that thanks to a generous anonymous donor, Federation will receive a $10,000 challenge grant if we can secure 100 campaign pledges and gifts as part of our Tzedakah Sunday effort! If your phone rings or you receive an email on August 22 (or in the days following), please answer it! Your contribution will help feed the hungry, comfort the elderly, and care for Jews in need across the Berkshires, Israel, and around the world. Your gift helps nurture and sustain Jewish life today and for future generations. We understand that you may not be home to receive your call or prefer not to be called. If this is the case, please take a moment to visit jewishberk- shires.org to pledge or donate online or call us at (413) 442-4360, ext. 16 to To create your Jewish legacy contact: Dara Kaufman make your gift. [email protected], (413) 442-4360, ext. 12 Volunteers are needed to help reach out to donors and ask for their support. All calls can be made from the safety of your home. If you are an experienced Super Sunday caller, please consider joining us. Contact Janet Lee at (413) 442-4360, ext. 19, or email [email protected].

(413) 528-9700

Radon Testing ❑✓ ✓ COMPETITIVE PRICING and Mitigation ❑ PROMPT SERVICE ❑✓ FIVE-YEAR WARRANTY NEHA & NRSB CERTIFIED Page 8 Berkshire Jewish Voice • jewishberkshires.org August 23 to October 10, 2021 l HIGH HOLY DAY SERVICES AND CELEBRATIONS IN THE BERKSHIRES l

High Holy Day Dates

Holiday Date Candle Lighting Havdalah The Jewish Federation of the Berkshires wishes all a Selichot Saturday, August 28 happy, healthy, and peaceful 5782 at nightfall The schedules that appear were provided by local congrega- Erev Rosh Hashanah Monday, September 6 7:00 p.m. tions, which should be contacted directly for more information, Rosh Hashanah – First Day Tuesday, September 7 7:59 p.m. advance ticketing requirements, confirmation of times and Rosh Hashanah – Second Day Wednesday, September 8 7:57 p.m. events, online options, COVID-19 protocols, and details about other planned holiday season programming that may not be Yom Kippur/Kol Nidre Wednesday, September 15 6:44 p.m. listed. Yom Kippur Thursday, September 16 7:42 p.m. The congregational directory with contact information and Erev Sukkot Monday, September 20 5:55 p.m. addresses is on page 9. Services will take place at the locations appearing in the directory, except as noted in the listings that Sukkot – First Day Yom Tov Tuesday, September 21 7:02 p.m. follow. Sukkot – Second Day Yom Tov Wednesday, September 22 7:00 p.m. Candle lighting and Havdalah times are for Pittsfield and Sukkot – Chol Ha’Moed Thursday, September 23 were taken from the Hebcal calendar. to Sunday, September 26 Hoshanah Rabbah Monday, September 27 5:44 p.m. Shemini Atzeret Tuesday, September 28 6:51 p.m. L’Shana Tova! Simchat Torah Wednesday, September 29 6:49 p.m. Hevreh of Southern Berkshire Temple Anshe Amunim

Great Barrington Pittsfield Rabbi Neil P.G. Hirsch, Rabbi Jodie Gordon, and the Hevreh community will celebrate Temple Anshe Amunim, a Reform synagogue will celebrate the 5782 with a Reform service that is rich in song, prayer, and celebration. Jewish High Holy Days with a full schedule of in-person services. All Services will be conducted in the sanctuary and will be streamed at hevreh.org/holi- services will also be available virtually. Those who wish to attend Rosh days. Masks are required indoors regardless of vaccination status. Please contact the Hashanah and/or Yom Kippur services should contact the temple congregation at [email protected] for more information on how to participate. office to arrange for tickets.

SERVICES SERVICES Selichot – Song, prayer, and poetry at Selichot – Contemplative 8 p.m. service at 7:30 p.m. Erev Rosh Hashanah – Service at 7:30 p.m. Erev Rosh Hashanah – Rosh Hashanah 1st Day – Early service at Service at 7:30 p.m. 8:30 a.m. Late service at 11:30 a.m. Family Rosh Hashanah 1st Day service at 2 p.m. Tashlich at Lake Mans- – Congregational service field at 4 p.m. at 10 a.m. Rosh Hashanah 2nd Day – Music and Rosh Hashanah 2nd Day study at 10:30 a.m. – Service in backyard at Yom Kippur/Kol Nidre – Early service at 10 a.m. 5:30 p.m. Late service at 8:30 p.m. Yom Kippur/Kol Nidre – Yom Kippur – Early service at 8:30 a.m. Service at 7:30 p.m. Late service at 11:30 a.m. Family service at Yom Kippur – Congrega- 2 p.m. Small groups gather at 2 p.m. Af- tional service at 10. Study session at 12:30 p.m. Afternoon service at 4 p.m. ternoon service (with Yizkor and Ne’ilah) Yizkor/Ne’ilah at 5 p.m. at 4 p.m. Erev Shabbat services with celebration of Sukkot, September 24 – Services Sukkot events: Please contact Hevreh for more information. at 5:30 p.m. Erev Shabbat services with celebration of Simchat Torah, October 1 – Family friendly services at 5:30 p.m. The service will include a consecration for new Religious School students and blessings for learners of all ages. Congregation Beth Israel

North Adams Congregation Beth Israel’s services will be led by Rabbi Rachel Barenblat. This year, the Days of Awe SERVICES at this Reform congregation will be hybrid, which means that folks can participate onsite or online. Selichot – Service at 8 p.m. to 9 p.m., onsite and online. A Online participation will be open to everyone on the cemetery service will take place on Sunday, August 29 at 2 p.m. (call for location). CBI mailing list and family and friends and will be as robust and participatory as possible. Erev Rosh Hashanah – Service at 7 p.m., online only. Writes Rabbi Barenblat: “Onsite participation Rosh Hashanah 1st Day – Service at 10 a.m., onsite and online. will be limited to 60 people in the large sanctuary. Outdoor children’s service 10 a.m. Tashlich follows service. Masks will be required. For some services (e.g., Rosh Hashanah 2nd Day – Contemplative second day morning second day Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur after- service at 10 a.m., onsite and online. noon, and Ne’ilah), we typically don’t have more Yom Kippur/Kol Nidre – Service at 6:30 p.m., onsite and online. than 60 people on site anyway. For other services Yom Kippur – Service at 10 a.m., onsite and online. Outdoor (e.g., Rosh Hashanah first morning, Kol Nidre, Yom children’s service at 10 a.m. Yizkor takes place at the end of Kippur morning), we typically get a much larger crowd, which means we need to restrict onsite partic- the morning service. Mincha and avodah service at 4:30 p.m., ipation. We are asking our members to tell us which services they most want to attend onsite and onsite and online. Ne’ilah at 6:30 p.m., onsite and online. will do our best to ensure that each member gets to attend at least some of their preferred services Shemini Atzeret – Service (with Yizkor) at 10 a.m., online only. onsite.” Other events: Sukkot celebration in the Sukkah, Friday, Sep- Those who are not members of CBI are welcome to join the services online. The Zoom link will not tember 24 at 5:30 p.m., onsite and online. Please RSVP by Yom be publicly posted, but will be available to everyone on the mailing list. Those interested in attending Kippur. High Holy Day services, please contact the synagogue office at [email protected] and join the mailing list. Elul 5781 - Tishri/Cheshvan 5782 Berkshire Jewish Voice • jewishberkshires.org Page 9 l HIGH HOLY DAY SERVICES AND CELEBRATIONS IN THE BERKSHIRES l

Knesset Israel - Pittsfield Congregation Ahavath Sholom

Great Barrington High Holy Day worship with the Re- constructionist Congregation Ahavath Sholom community is an inclusive expe- rience. Rabbi Barbara Cohen creates an atmosphere of intimacy with the congre- gation, the prayers, the music, and the spiritual atmosphere of this awe-filled time. This year, Ahavath Sholom will conduct all services online. Registration is required to attend any of the services below. To register, please go to the CAS website at www.ahavath- Pittsfield sholom.com. Click the green button that Knesset Israel, an innovative congregation known for tremendous says High Holy Day Registration. Both lay participation and leadership, deep spiritual experiences, opportu- registration and payment must be made on the website. There is also an opportunity to nities for lifelong learning, social action, and inclusivity, is delighted remember your loved ones during the Yizkor service on Yom Kippur Day. to announce its plans for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. All services at this Conservative synagogue will take place in the SERVICES main sanctuary and will also be available for viewing at knessetisrael. org/livestream or on the Knesset Israel channel on the Boxcoast App Erev Rosh Hashanah – Online service at 7 p.m. (Roku, Kindle FireTV, Apple TV). Rosh Hashanah 1st Day – Online service at 10 a.m. Tickets for High Holiday services are included with Knesset Israel Yom Kippur/Kol Nidre – Online service at 7 p.m. membership and also available for purchase by non-members. Please Yom Kippur – Online service at 10 a.m. contact KI for up-to-date COVID-19 protocols. To find out about attending services please call the Knesset Israel office at (413) 445-4872 or email [email protected]. All children’s programs and babysitting will take place “Ba’ohel,” in the KI tent and on the playground (weather permitting). Unvaccinated Chabad of the Berkshires children and adults must wear masks. For RSVP and questions about babysitting and children’s programming, please contact Judith Weiner Pittsfield at [email protected]. Now in its 17th year, Chabad of the Berkshires invites the community to SERVICES what co-director Sara Volovik says will be Selichot – Mincha/study session at 7:15 p.m. Rabbi Weiner will teach a “warm, friendly, traditional, and inspira- class titled “Thy Rod and Thy Staff.” Using the techniques of Soulful tional services.” Education, participants will read Psalm 23 and explore the imagery of Services will be held outdoors under this liturgy in preparation of the season of compassion and forgiveness. a tent at the Chabad House in Pittsfield. Maariv, Havdalah, and Selichot follow in the sanctuary at approximately Membership is not required to join 8:30 p.m. (also available on Livestream). Chabad’s services. However, an RSVP is Erev Rosh Hashanah – Service at 6:15 p.m. required to participate. All are welcome, regardless of background or affiliation. Rosh Hashanah 1st Day – Service at 8:30 a.m., Torah/shofar at 9:30 a.m. Due to COVID-19 precautions, space approximately. Families Together programming 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. for is limited, and seats will be arranged grades K-6, and Junior Congregation/families from 11a.m. to 12:30 p.m. according to social distancing recommen- Babysitting (please RSVP) 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tashlich at 4:30 p.m. (at dations. Families from the same household can sit together – others will be spaced 3 feet Pomeroy Avenue Bridge, in-person only). apart. Prayers will combine the original Hebrew and English translations. Rosh Hashanah 2nd Day – Same as Rosh Hashanah 1st Day. “According to Tradition, at the New Year the Doors of Heaven are open; G-d accepts Yom Kippur/Kol Nidre – Mincha and the Max Bruch violin concerto at all prayers, from anyone,” explains co-director Rabbi Levi Volovik. “The least we can do is 6:30 p.m., followed by Kol Nidre and Maariv at 6:45 p.m. open our doors as well, to the entire community.” Yom Kippur – Service at 9 a.m. Torah service and Yizkor after 10:30 a.m. Please reserve online at jewishberkshires.com, or call (413) 499-9899. Donation and Families Together programming 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. for grades K-6, and sponsorship opportunities are available – please call Chabad for more information. Junior Congregation/families from 11a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Babysitting (please RSVP) 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Afternoon service at 5 p.m. and Ne’ilah at SERVICES 6:20 p.m. Selichot – Call for information. Sukkot Yom Tov – Services (lulav and etrog) both days at 9:30. Erev Rosh Hashanah – Service at 6:45 p.m. Dinner will follow the service at 7 p.m. – contact Sukkot Chol HaMoed – See KI calendar for service times. Chabad for details on price and menu. Shemini Atzeret - Service (with Yizkor) at 9:30 a.m. Festive Erev Simchat Rosh Hashanah 1st Day – Service at 10 a.m. Shofar at approximately 11 a.m. Torah dinner at 5:30 p.m.; service (with music by The KI Klezmer Band), Rosh Hashanah 2nd Day – Same as Rosh Hashanah 1st Day. with hakafot, at 6:30 p.m., followed by ice cream reception. Yom Kippur/Kol Nidre – Service at 6:45 p.m. Simchat Torah - Service at 9:30 a.m. Yom Kippur – Service at 10 a.m. (Yizkor at 11:30 a.m.). Afternoon service and Ne’ilah at 5 p.m., Other Events: Cemetery memorial service, August 29 at 10 a.m. at Knesset followed by break-the-fast. Israel Cemetery, 484 Pecks Road, Pittsfield.

BERKSHIRE JEWISH CONGREGATIONS & ORGANIZATIONS

Berkshire Minyan Congregation Ahavath Sholom Jewish Federation of the Berkshires Welcome to the Lay-led egalitarian minyan Reconstructionist 196 South St., Pittsfield, MA Jewish Berkshires held at Hevreh of Southern North St., Great Barrington, MA (413) 442-4360, jewishberkshires.org Everyone is welcome to attend Berkshire, 270 State Rd., (413) 528-4197, ahavathsholom.com Jewish War Veterans services and events at any of the Great Barrington, MA Congregation Beth Israel Commander Robert Waldheim organizations listed here. (413) 229-3618, berkshireminyan.org Reform (413) 822-4546, [email protected] Berkshire Hills Hadassah 53 Lois St., North Adams, MA Please call the organizations Knesset Israel P.O. Box 187, Pittsfield, MA (413) 663-5830, cbiweb.org directly to confirm service times Conservative (413) 443-4386, or to inquire about membership. Hevreh of Southern Berkshire 16 Colt Rd., Pittsfield, MA [email protected] Reform (413) 445-4872, knessetisrael.org Learn more about our Jewish B’nai B’rith Lodge, No. 326 270 State Rd., Great Barrington, MA Temple Anshe Amunim community and find great (413) 528-6378, hevreh.org Chabad of the Berkshires Reform events on the community 450 South St., Pittsfield, MA Israel Philatelist Society 26 Broad St., Pittsfield, MA calendar at: (413) 499-9899, c/o Dr. Ed Helitzer, (413) 442-5910, ansheamunim.org JEWISHBERKSHIRES.ORG jewishberkshires.com (413) 447-7622 Page 10 Berkshire Jewish Voice • jewishberkshires.org August 23 to October 10, 2021 LOCAL NEWS

Dr. Nicholas Christakis to Speak at 54th Annual Feigenbaum Lecture at Temple Anshe Amunim PITTSFIELD - The 54th Annual recovery will not bring us back to our pre-pandemic world, but instead to a world Hilda Vallin Feigenbaum Memorial in which geopolitics, healthcare, communities and the economy are radically Foundation Lecture will be held on altered. Businesses, universities and governments are seeking Christakis’ insights Sunday, October 17 at 7:30 p.m. as as predictive guidance for the path ahead, and he’s been recently sought out by a hybrid lecture, both in person and thought leaders including Harvard Business Review, Amanpour & Company on virtually, at Temple Anshe Amunim, CNN, and JAMA (The Journal of the American Medical Association). 26 Broad Street. Dr. Christakis is part of the team at Yale which developed Hunala, a corona- The speaker will be Dr. Nicholas virus predictive app to help forecast future risk. Just as the Waze app relies on Christakis, director of the Human crowd-sourced data to provide real-time updates of traffic conditions in order to Nature Lab at Yale University and redirect drivers to less congested routes, Hunala relies on daily inputs from users co-director of the Yale Institute for to provide a real-time look at coronavirus risk based on individuals’ associations, Network Science. activities, and health status. The app’s effectiveness at assessing COVID-19- The lecture, organized by the related risks improves as the number of users grows. Temple Anshe Amunim Hilda Vallin Dr. Christakis is the author of over 200 articles and several books, including Feigenbaum Memorial Lecture Connected: The Surprising Power of Our Social Networks and How They Shape Our Committee, is free and open to the Lives. It was translated into twenty foreign languages. His 2019 book, Blueprint: public. A limited number of guests will The Evolutionary Origins of a Good Society, was a New York Times bestseller. In join the lecture in person, while it will 2009, Christakis was named by Time Magazine to their annual list of the 100 Dr. Nicholas A. Christakis be available to all virtually. Registration most influential people in the world. In 2009 and in 2010,Foreign Policy magazine and sign-on details will be available on named him to their annual list of Top 100 Global Thinkers. the Temple website (www.ansheamunim.org) in September. Heralded for balancing bold, macro ideas with tangible takeaways, and for “We are delighted to welcome Dr. Christakis for this first hybrid Feigenbaum breaking down complex concepts with clarity, Christakis takes audiences on a Lecture at Anshe Amunim,” said Andy Hochberg, lecture committee co-chairman. journey to the forefront of innovation and understanding “I believe our speaker is particularly well suited to speak to the Berkshire commu- nity about the events and circumstances we have and will face as we live through About the Hilda Vallin Feigenbaum Lecture Series this extraordinary time. His visit again presents an opportunity to emphasize the The Hilda Vallin Feigenbaum Memorial Foundation continues to enhance the civic and spiritual legacy of Hilda Vallin Feigenbaum. The series would not be spiritual and intellectual life of Temple Anshe Amunim and the larger commu- possible without her sons Dr. Armand Feigenbaum and Dr. Donald Feigenbaum, nity. The Foundation has sponsored lectures by leaders in American government, of blessed memory, who established the Hilda Vallin Feigenbaum Lecture Series in literature, theology, and journalism, hosting such personalities as Julian Bond, perpetuity as a living memorial to their mother’s spirit.” Representative Barney Frank, Isaac Bashevis Singer, Bernard Kalb, Ambassadors Daniel Kurtzer and Martin Indyk, Steven Emerson, Howard Dean, Bret Stephens About the Speaker and David Gergen. Nicholas A. Christakis, MD, PhD, MPH, is a social scientist and physician at For more information, please call the Temple office at: (413) 442-5910 or visit Yale University who conducts research in the fields of network science, bioso- the website at www.ansheamunim.org. Temple Anshe Amunim is an accessible cial science, behavior genetics, public health, and epidemiology. His current building. work focuses on how human biology and health affect, and are affected by, social interactions and social networks. He is the Sterling Professor of Social and Natural Science at Yale University, where he is appointed in the Departments of Sociology, Medicine, Data Science, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Biomedical Engineering, and the School of Management. Dr. Christakis has an important new bestseller, Apollo’s Arrow: The Profound continued from page 1 Impact of Pandemics on the Way We Live, which discusses three phases of the A VERY ISRAELI ROSH HASHANAH, world’s recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. Christakis argues that the of Israel’s extraordinarily diverse and vibrant culinary landscape. Along with Zahav in Philadelphia, Solomonov’s village of restaurants include Federal Donuts, Dizengoff, Abe Fisher, and Goldie. His bestselling cookbooks include Zahav and Israeli Soul. Adeena Sussman is the author of Sababa: Fresh, Sunny Flavors From My Israeli Kitchen, which was named a Best Fall 2019 cookbook by The New York Times, Bon Appetit, and Food & Wine. She is currently working on her follow-up to Sababa, all about the foods of Shabbat. This Jewish Federation of the Berkshires program will be presented via Zoom. Please visit our calendar of events at jewishberkshires.org for a link to this program. Wishing you

a sweet new year! MIDDLE EAST UPDATE 2021:

Threats and Opportunities

.

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Elul 5781 - Tishri/Cheshvan 5782 Berkshire Jewish Voice • jewishberkshires.org Page 11

Independent Living | Assisted Living | Memory Care

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Our renovations are almost complete. Come and see what a life at Melbourne Place could look like for you.

• Modern Private Apartments and Berkshires Mountain View Apartments • Restaurant-Style Dining • State-of-the-Art Movie Theatre • Outdoor Gardens, Patios and Firepit • Complimentary Transportation • Cultural, Educational and Social Programs

Visit our newly renovated community today. Call 413-499-1992 to learn more or schedule a tour.

ResidencesatMelbournePlace.com • 140 Melbourne Road, Pittsfield, MA 01201

Please Join Us In-Person for the 5782 High Holy Days Visit hevreh.org/holidays to learn more All services will also be streamed online

hevreh.org 413-528-6378 Page 12 Berkshire Jewish Voice • jewishberkshires.org August 23 to October 10, 2021 LOCAL NEWS Knesset Israel Families Together Congregation Kicks Off Fall Programming Ahavath Sholom PITTSFIELD - Knesset Israel Families Together is a program offering social and informal educational events for families of all ages. All programs have a Reopens Its Doors social action or awareness component, and this year there will be a focus on the GREAT BARRINGTON - On the diversity within our Jewish universe. morning of June 19, Congregation On Sunday, August 29, Families Together will gather for the Fourth Annual Ahavath Sholom opened its doors for the Family Fun Day. Friends, old and new, are invited to gather from 3-7 p.m. first in-person service since the pandemic under the KI tent for a BBQ, games, and crafts. Members and non-members are struck. welcome. About 30 people, congregation Fun continues on Sunday, October 3, at Bartlett’s Orchard in Richmond members as well as a number of guests, when Families Together meets for a pirate-themed apple picking event begin- attended the gathering. At the service, ning at 2 p.m. Pick apples for your family, as well as for donations to the South masks were not required for vaccinated Congregational Food Pantry – plus, learn a little about Jewish pirates along the individuals, but masks were required for way. non-vaccinated individuals. Writes Rabbi Direct RSVPs and questions about both events to Families Together’s Barbara Cohen: “There was a heightened director, Judith Weiner, at [email protected]. Thanks to generous atmosphere to the wonderful service support from the Harold Grinspoon Foundation there is no cost for Families and a generally grateful feeling as we Together programs. welcomed ‘old faces as well as new ones’ in the beautiful, jewel-like space of our sanctuary.” As one attendee commented, “The sense of community was wonderful.”

Jewish Federation of the Berkshires’ Ongoing Events Ahavath Sholom will also continue to offer worship, learning and social oppor- 2021 Annual Campaign tunities on Zoom, understanding that not everyone is comfortable returning to GOAL $1,000,000 in-person events at this time. They will continue to offer Friday candle lighting services, Wednesday Coffee and Conversation, Sunday Study Sessions, and Creative Arts programs on Zoom. 500 600 For more information, please visit ahavathsholom.com. 400 700 300 800 The Marketplace at Ahavath Sholom The CAS community has a wealth of creative talent. Since last winter, congre- 200 gants who are artisans and writers have had an opportunity to show and sell 900 their creations. The online marketplace also benefits those looking for special gifts for birthdays, get-well, and cheer-up wishes. Without going into stores or wearing masks, shoppers can support this local creative community. A portion of 100 1000 each item sold will be donated to the People’s Pantry in Great Barrington. The art and books for sale are posted on the CAS website at ahavathsholom. com. In order to make a purchase, please contact the seller directly, and he/she DOING YOUR ANNUAL will take care of the entire transaction. EXTRAORDINARY IMPACT CAMPAIGN THINGS IS REAL 2021

Bound by Creativity, by Hannah Wohl, daughter of Alba Passerini and Charles Wohl, reveals how artists develop conceptions of their distinctive creative visions through experimentations and social interactions with gallerists, collectors, curators, and others. Her study of the creative process will be of interest to anyone interested in art.

Hannah will have a book reading and will sign copies of her book at: Lenox Library Reading Lawn September 14, 5:30 - 6:30 PM Elul 5781 - Tishri/Cheshvan 5782 Berkshire Jewish Voice • jewishberkshires.org Page 13

WHEN OUR COMMUNITY NEEDS US, WE ARE THERE

HELP US BE THERE! MAKE YOUR PLEDGE TODAY!

Your gift to the Jewish Federation’s 2021 Campaign will help bring dignity and care to the vulnerable and elderly, build and strengthen the Jewish identity of our children and young adults, support vital community programs, and create meaningful Jewish life across the Berkshires and beyond.

JEWISH LIFE FOR YOUNG RESOURCES TO FIGHT FAMILIES ANTI-SEMITISM You help young families in the Berkshires You help young people stand up against embrace Jewish values and traditions while hate through anti-bias education in our building a supportive community with public schools. You also combat anti- Jewish peers through family programming, Semitism and the BDS movement through PJ Library, and volunteer opportunities. community programming, national advocacy, and security resources.

DIGNITY & COMPASSION You provide older adults and homebound JEWISH EDUCATION & VALUES individuals with nutritious meals and You nurture a strong Jewish future by stimulating programming served up with a providing a high-quality, meaningful and side of companionship and compassion affordable Jewish education for hundreds of through our Connecting with Community children through critical grants to all of our program and Kosher Meals on Wheels. local Jewish religious schools.

A STRONG JEWISH IDENTITY A SENSE OF COMMUNITY You help young people across the You strengthen, sustain, and connect our Berkshires and at UMASS Hillel build strong community through hundreds of Jewish identities and become future educational programs, holiday celebrations, leaders through scholarships for Jewish and the Berkshire Jewish Voice, which bring camp and Israel experiences, as well as people together and engage them in leadership development and holiday meals meaningful Jewish life. on campus.

EMOTIONAL SUPPORT COMMUNITY RELATIONS & & EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE ADVOCACY You help individuals facing unexpected You help provide a proactive voice in our challenges and life transitions receive the community, public schools, media, and support they need through the government, addressing anti-Semitism, Federation's social worker. You also social justice, Israel, and other issues provide a safety net of emergency important to our community. assistance due to COVID-19.

CARING IN TIMES OF CRISIS A SAFE PLACE TO CALL HOME When crisis hits, in the Berkshires or You help tens of thousands of new around the world, you help mobilize local immigrants, who are fleeing anti-Semitism resources to respond with immediate relief in Europe and fighting in the Ukraine, build and longer-term recovery. From support better lives for themselves and their through COVID-19 to whatever the future families in Israel through job training and holds, you help deliver an SOS response. support services that ease their transition.

A CLOSE & CARING FOOD SECURITY, HEALTHCARE, RELATIONSHIP WITH ISRAEL & WINTER RELIEF You help connect the Berkshire Jewish Winters are long and cold in the Ukraine, Community with Israel and you also help but you help the most vulnerable prepare provide programs for at-risk students, with warm clothes, blankets, and heaters. shelter for abused women, and support You also bring food cards, home health services for disabled youth. aides, and medicine to those who need it most.

Donate or pledge online at jewishberkshires.org Thank you for making a difference! Page 14 Berkshire Jewish Voice • jewishberkshires.org August 23 to October 10, 2021

SALE EFFECTIVE AUG. 19  SEPT. 8, 2021 IN OUR GREAT BARRINGTON, 700 MAIN ST., RTE 7 AND OUR LEE, 10 PLEASANT ST. LOCATIONS ONLY.

Prices valid with Shana Tova Big Y Membership. Rosh Hashanah begins at sunset Sept. 6, 2021 From Our In Our In Our In Our Kitchen Bakery Bakery Produce Dept. Dept. Dept. Noodle Kugel, Freshly Baked Lilly’s Tzimmes or Round Raspberry Royal Latkes with Challah Rugelach Gala Apple Sauce Plain or Raisin, or Apricot, Chocolate 9 to 16 oz 16 oz or Cinnamon, 8 oz Apples $ 99 99 69 2FOR 12 4 4 1 lb

In Our In Our In Our In Our Seafood Frozen Dairy Meat Dept. Aisles Aisle Dept. Vita Wild Nova Tabatchnick Temp Tee Salmon Soup Cream Empire 3 oz, 14.5 to 15 oz, Cheese Turkey Previously Frozen All Varieties 8 oz Frozen 99 $ 49 99 4 2FOR 4 3 3 lb

In Our In Our In Our In Our Grocery Floral Warm Grocery Grocery Aisles Dept. Aisles Aisles Yehuda Wishes Bouquet Manischewitz Yahrzeit Big Y Soup Mix Memorial Honey Bear 99 6 oz, Candles Honey 12A soft, charming All Varieties Single Count 12 oz floral bouquet $ $ 99 which exudes FOR FOR warmth and light 4 5 3 2 2 in celebration of the season Elul 5781 - Tishri/Cheshvan 5782 Berkshire Jewish Voice • jewishberkshires.org Page 15

Knesset Israel 16 Colt Road, Pittsfield

ONGOING MINYANS Sunday 8:45 a.m. and 7 p.m. Tuesday 7 p.m. Thursday 7 p.m. Friday 7 a.m. and 5:45 p.m. Saturday 9:30 a.m. and evenings approximately 30 minutes before sunset

CANDLE-LIGHTING Candle Times Holiday candle lighting times and Havdalah are on page 8. Friday, August 27...... 7:13. p.m. Friday, September 3...... 7:01. p.m. Friday, September 10...... 6:49. p.m. Friday, September 17...... 6:37. p.m. As we move to fully re-opening… Friday, September 24...... 6:25. p.m. Friday, October 1...... 6:12. p.m. At press time, in-person lunches have resumed on Thursdays at noon only – come catch up with your friends and community! However, be sure Friday, October 8...... 6:00. p.m. to read “Re-Opening and Safety Protocols” at jewishberkshires.org/news-announcements/safety. Also as of press time, most Connecting With Community programming is still online. For the most up-to-date information and details on virtual and in-person programming, please visit our website www.jewishberkshires.org. Sign up for our eblasts to receive a weekly listing of online opportunities. MAZEL TOV! Meals-on-Wheels & Meals to Go – Advance Reservation Required Kosher lunch will be prepared on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday. Meals to go will be ready by noon for pickup Bea Selig on her birthday. at the Knesset Israel kitchen door, 16 Colt Road in Pittsfield. All meals-on-wheels will be delivered by Federation volunteers in the early afternoon. Emma Lezberg on her recent designation by the Please call (413) 442-2200 no later than 9 a.m. to reserve your meal for pickup and to arrange delivery if US Department of Justice as standing instructions are not in place. All are welcome to reserve meals for pick-up, although delivery may be an accredited immigration limited in certain circumstances. representative. Emma is a case worker for the Berkshire The menus listed below are planned, but may be modified depending on availability of ingredients. When making a reservation, please inform us Immigrant Center in Pittsfield. if a person in your party has a food allergy. Adults 60 and over: $2 suggested donation. Adults under 60: $7 per person. Volunteers are Vital! Volunteer drivers who can deliver meals-on-wheels are always appreciated. Please call Susan Frisch Harold Grinspoon, whose Lehrer at (413) 442-4360, ext. 14. The Federation’s kosher hot lunch program is offered in collaboration with Elder Services of Berkshire County. sculpture “Effervescent” won best in show at the Norman Rockwell Museum’s juried exhibition “Land of Enchantment” in July.

AUGUST Tuesday, 14...... Roasted chicken**#, chicken soup, Monday, 23...... Salisbury steak**#, salad, hash parve noodle kugel, asparagus cuts n tips, apples & browns, mixed vegetables, pumpernickel bread, and honey, Challah, and applesauce. peaches. Thursday, 16...... Closed for Yom Kippur Tuesday, 24...... Pomegranate glazed chicken**#, Monday, 20...... Penne & “sausage”#, celery rice tomato, cantaloupe, and red onion salad, mixed soup, salad, green beans, garlic bread, and fruit cocktail. vegetable, brown rice, oat bread, and tropical fruit salad. continued from page 6 Tuesday, 21...... Closed for Sukkot JFNA, Thursday, 26...... Fresh fish**, borscht & potato, a sense of safety and security to stewed tomatoes, broccoli, dinner rolls, and baklava. Thursday, 23...... Fresh fish**, mushroom soup, rice all the members of the Jewish pilaf, mixed vegetables, dinner rolls, and pudding. community.” Monday, 30...... Chicken Marsala**#, rice pilaf, Lipstadt, the Dorot Professor mixed vegetables, salad, whole wheat bread, and Monday, 27...... American chopped suey#, mixed of Modern Jewish History and Mandarin oranges. vegetables, oat bread, and peaches. Holocaust Studies at Emory University, is not just the Tuesday, 31...... Make your own ground turkey Tuesday, 28...... Closed for Shemini Atzeret nation’s leading expert in the tacos**#, passion fruit juice, Mexican corn, yellow rice, field of anti-Semitism, but she Thursday, 30...... Macaroni & cheese, salad, stewed has rendered decades of service taco shells, and tropical fruit salad. tomatoes, rye bread, and raspberry pillow cookie. to the Jewish community as a tireless advocate against all those who assault Jews and SEPTEMBER OCTOBER Jewish history. Thursday, 2...... Hot dogs and hamburgers**#, She has transcended the potato chips, sauerkraut, vegetarian beans, hot dog and Monday, 4...... Meat loaf**#, broccoli, mashed role of academic by taking on potatoes, salad, pumpernickel bread, and apricots. and ultimately defeating David hamburger rolls, and melon. Irving, a notorious Holocaust ...... Stir fried chicken**#, egg drop Monday, 6...... Closed for Labor Day Tuesday, 5 denier, in a British courtroom. soup, white rice, Oriental blend vegetables, whole wheat She was appointed by President Tuesday, 7...... Closed for Rosh Hashanah Clinton to the United States bread, and pineapple. Holocaust Memorial Council Thursday, 9...... Tuna salad platter**#, vegetable Thursday, 7...... Chef’s pleasure of pizza, salad, and served two terms. She was soup, green salad, Challah bun, and Ken’s choice of the recipient of a 2019 National green beans, and fruit cocktail. cookie. Jewish Book Award for her most Monday, 11...... Beef stew**#, noodles, salad, recent book, Anti-Semitism: Here Monday, 13...... Meat loaf**#, celery rice soup, and Now. white bread, and applesauce. salad, mashed potatoes, peas & carrots, rye bread, and Eric Fingerhut added, Tuesday, 12...... Turkey piccata, zucchini rice soup, “Professor Lipstadt’s academic applesauce. credentials are second to none brown rice, roasted Brussels sprouts, salad, dinner roll, in the field of understanding and pears. anti-Semitism. More than that, she has been an indefatigable and intrepid combatant against the scourge of Holocaust denial in all its forms. We can think of no better candidate for the posi- tion of Ambassador to Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism.” Page 16 Berkshire Jewish Voice • jewishberkshires.org August 23 to October 10, 2021 OBITUARIES

Rose L. Tannenbaum, 68, adoring and adored grandchil- home of natural causes on Angela (Wottitz) Her smile was contagious. world of color, art, music, dren, Miriam Dora and Jonah Wednesday, July 7. Kalischer, 85, teacher, She befriended those in the dancing, and adventure Lev Kudler-Flam, were also Born January 3, 1926, dancer, marched to her community who were lonely or STOCKBRIDGE - Rose L. present to share in and receive Lola grew up in Brooklyn, the own rhythm in need, knowing that kind- Tannenbaum, 68, passed his infinite love for his family. Bronx, and Manhattan. As LENOX - Angela (Wottitz) ness was a way to help others away on Sunday evening, Born March 15, 1937, in a young child, she appeared Kalischer, 85, died peacefully heal. July 25. Hers was a world of Brooklyn, NY, he left home on the radio as “Baby Lola,” at home in Lenox on Monday, Angela’s work had a color, art, music, dancing, and at the age of 16 without reciting works of poetry. She June 21, surrounded by her profound impact on the lives adventure. How wide was this a high school diploma studied theater at Carnegie loving family. of her students. She was a world! Poker evenings, book to attend Washington & Tech (now Carnegie Mellon). Born on April 8, 1936 one-woman theater depart- club, Berkshire Sings, Guild Jefferson College, a small She married Ed Jaffe in in Vienna, Austria, the ment and encouraged young of Berkshire Artists, Balkan liberal arts college in western 1947 and moved to Fall River, daughter of modern architect people to be open to their dancing, garland dancing, Pennsylvania that became MA, where she became the Ernest Wottitz, and kinder- own passions. During the globetrotting with Zlatne Uste, a refuge from an unhappy proud mother of four children. garten teacher and later summers, she refueled by painting, the Dance Flurry, childhood. Howard returned During their early life together, interior designer Gertrude attending cultural events. bluegrass camp, banjo tuba to New York after three years Lola and Ed were extremely (Goldhammer) Wottitz. Her A cat may have nine lives, duets!, busking, the graphic of college, again without a active in social and political family fled Vienna after Hitler but Angela had more. Starting design work that she loved, diploma or degree, to attend activities in Fall River and marched into Austria in in 1986, she endured nine and, of course, her family the Columbia University southeastern Massachusetts. 1938. They resettled in New different episodes of cancer, whom she loved most of all. School of Dentistry. There, She was an avid bridge player York, where Angela’s parents a major debilitating stroke, And her friends. A lifetime of he earned his Doctor of and achieved Life Master exposed her to the arts and and eventual loss of vision. them. How did she find the Dental Surgery and launched status. After Lola and Ed built cultivated her appreciation of Many mortals would have time to love all that? (Easy, an acclaimed and compas- their house in 1968, they Viennese culture. Their family given up after a few of these she stayed up late and got up sionate practice in dentistry. divided their time between suffered huge losses due to hardships, but she brushed early.) While still in dental school, Stockbridge and Manhattan. the Holocaust and this left a them aside because she had The joys and accomplish- Howard met the love of his Lola had a lifelong love for permanent mark on their lives. serious living to do. Some of ments of her life and the grace life, Beatrice Salzberg. Howard the performing arts, which she In response, Angela wanted to her greatest joys were folk by which she moved through married Bea in 1960. After instilled in her entire family. bring joy to peoples’ lives. dancing; weaving self-designed the world are some of the a brief stint in private prac- Lola served actively on the She graduated from the clothes; making jewelry; lasting memories she has tice, Howard was called up to board of Jacob’s Pillow Dance High School of Music and listening to Leonard Cohen, given us. serve his country as captain Festival for 17 years. She also Art at 16 years old, spent a Classical, and Klezmer music; Rose was born in in the US Army at age 26, was active for many years year working with leather watching Ingmar Bergman Bronxville, NY, on March and proudly served as head on the board of the Friends craftsman Fred Braun before films; looking at Egon Schiele 18, 1953. She moved to the of hospital at Fort Polk, in of the Israeli Philharmonic. enrolling at Pratt Institute to and Gustav Klimt art; going to Berkshires in the late 1970s, Leesville, LA. Lola and Ed were honored by study architecture. She met the Neue Galerie; and eating finding a home at Serenity Howard was an early the American Israel Cultural her future husband, Clemens herring, liptauer, sachertorte, Leather in West Stockbridge, adopter of implant surgery Foundation and received The Kalischer, at Avaloch Inn in and palatschinken. Her place a shop featuring handmade and lifelong learning. He King Solomon Award. Lenox. They shared a common of greatest peace was sitting leather goods and musical was widely recognized by his Lola’s proudest achieve- history of having survived the on a secluded beach on Block instruments. Isaac Stern once colleagues and patients for ment was the creation of the Holocaust, as well as a passion Island. came in to buy some strings his technical expertise and Mahaiwe Performing Arts for the arts. They were married COVID-19 meant living a “for his fiddle.” authentic charm. Howard Center in Great Barrington in 1956 and she became his year removed from the things Later, she started her own retired after nearly 40 years in 2003. This jewel box of a assistant. She left NYC to that brought her joy. She was leather company, simply called of practicing his craft only theater, whose stage is named live in the Berkshire Garden thrilled to be returning to “Rose,” some goods of which to transform into a master after her, injected new life Center in Stockbridge. For 30 Tanglewood, as music was her you can still see among her sculptor and duplicate bridge into Great Barrington and years they enjoyed the garden solace. Her great hope was to clients strolling through the player. has become one of the major setting, after which they lived attend her grandson’s wedding Berkshire Hills. Never to truly recover performing arts centers in the at Elm Court, before she in August. In her waning days, Rose is survived by her from the loss of his son Allen United States. purchased a home in Lenox. as her body grew tired, she husband Emerson Hawley, Mitchell in 2005, Howard Among her many Angela adored the Berkshires, kept returning to the excite- who adored her; son Amory managed to forge ahead and honors, she was named an area she was first intro- ment of the wedding. This and daughter Molly Drennan. make a new life with his 2006 Person of the Year duced to when she was a was Angela – a true believer She was predeceased by her beloved, Bea. The two of them by the Southern Berkshire nanny for Hans Maeder’s in love and hope. She wanted first husband Robert E. “Eric” traveled extensively, meeting Chamber of Commerce and family at The Stockbridge to dance at the wedding, even Drennan. Her heart was so new people and finding new the 2007 Citizen of the Year School in 1952. if she was in a wheelchair. large and grateful for the bridge partners while sailing by the Great Barrington In Stockbridge, Angela used She did not concede an inch family she shared. the open seas on bridge cruise Rotary. She received an her dance training to teach to loss. When movement and She is also survived by her liners. Honorary Doctorate from young children modern dance. speech were taken from her 15 loving brothers Aron (Karen), Howard will be terribly the Massachusetts College She and Clemens ran several years ago, she challenged her Matthew (Carol), and Ted missed by his daughter, of Liberal Arts (MCLA) in foreign film festivals, and she brain to find a new pathway (Danise); nieces Lara, Robin, Jocelyn “Botzy” Kudler of May 2008, the 2010 ISPA participated as a community for speech, and four and a Shawnee, Sophie and nephew South Windsor, CT, and son, (International Society for the actor in Austen Riggs theater half years after her stroke Jason Tannenbaum; grand- Neil “Neily” Kudler, MD, of Performing Arts) Angel Award, productions directed by Jayne she began to speak again. nephews, Ezra, Dashiell, Northampton, MA. He has left and the 2016 Berkshire Mooney. In 1960, Norman She pushed the boundaries Jason, and Fenno; grandniece them with the greatest gift Museum Berkshire Award. Rockwell hired her to draw of how a stroke defines you. Siena; cousin David (Norah) of all - the legacy of his love. A special focus of Lola’s was the buildings for what would She attended OLLI classes and and her great good friend But no one will suffer his loss exposing young people to the become his famous painting, read with gusto. She knew Vivien. greater than the love of his arts. She and Ed supported Stockbridge Main Street at that knowledge was some- A graveside service was life, the woman he swore over an annual fellowship at the Christmas. Aided by photos thing that could not be taken held Wednesday, July 28, at and again he would follow Tanglewood Music Center. taken by Clemens, she used from her. We will hold her Elmwood Cemetery, Great to the ends of the earth, his She was proud to establish her architectural training to in our hearts and remember Barrington. Contributions Beatrice/Bea/Beatty/Bayla. ALFEA (Anne Levinson Fund draw each buildings’ bricks, her passion for the arts, her may be made to The Guthrie Married for over 61 years, for Experiencing the Arts), windows, and clapboards. family, friends, and students. Center, which she loved so Howie and Bea were rarely a program in which Lola In 1969, she started a She was a life force! much, c/o Finnerty & Stevens apart. brought Berkshire high school 37-year career at Miss Hall’s Angela leaves her sister- Funeral Home, 426 Main Memorial donations may students to New York City to School teaching modern in-law, Eva Apfelbaum; three Street, Great Barrington, MA be made in Howard’s name expose them to the fine and dance, choreography, and nieces; first cousin George 01230. to Yad LaKashish (https:// performing arts. theater. In the 1970s, she Bennett of Australia; and life- www.lifeline.org.il/), an orga- Lola was the daughter of finished her BA in Creative long friend, Harvey Rosenberg. Howard Norman Kudler, nization that provides work the late Anne Levinson. She Arts Therapy through the She was predeceased by her 84, loved his family with opportunities, community, leaves behind her four children UMass University Without husband of 62 years, Clemens unmatched exuberance and support services to needy and their spouses: Walter Jaffe Walls Program. This training Kalischer. Her greatest joy was BOYNTON BEACH, FL - and disabled elderly, or ERAN and Paul King, Allan and Toby contributed to her dance being a mother and grand- Howard Norman Kudler, (https://en.eran.org.il/), an Jaffe, Bob and Jill Jaffe, and therapy work at Riverbrook. mother (Gaga). She leaves her DDS, of Boynton Beach, FL organization that provides Donna and Bill Fishbein. She Her life was about learning daughters, Cornelia Kalischer and Great Barrington, died lifesaving emotional first aid also leaves eight grandchildren and helping all individuals (Kevin Smith) and Tanya peacefully in Delray Medical services in Israel. Funeral and and five great-grandchildren. reach their potential. She Kalischer (Chris Coggins), as Center’s exemplary hospice burial services were held in Funeral services were held produced over 60 dramatic well as her beloved grand- unit on Saturday morning, Northampton at Congregation Sunday, July 11 at Berkshire and musical shows that sons Aaron Kalischer-Coggins July 10. With his family by his B’nai Israel. South Regional Community delighted people of all ages. (fiancé Megan Monteleone) Center, Great Barrington. and Noah Kalischer-Coggins. side, he entered into hospice Lola E. Jaffe, 95, lifelong Throughout Angela’s life eight days before he died. A memorial service in the she marched to her own She was grateful to live with love for the performing Berkshires will be planned Aaron and Noah for nine years During this time, his loving arts, founder of Mahaiwe rhythm. She wore vibrant for a later date. Donations colors with unusual patterns after her stroke. This allowed wife Bea, daughter Jocelyn, Performing Arts Center daughter-in-law Rabbi Nancy may be made to the Mahaiwe or black and white outfits. She her to watch them grow into Flam, and son Neil experi- STOCKBRIDGE - Lola E. Jaffe Performing Arts Center, P.O. showed up at PTA meetings in adulthood. She was adored by enced his tremendous love (nee Schweitzer), beloved wife Box 690, Great Barrington, MA bell bottom pant suits wearing her family and will be missed and passion for his family. of the late Edwin A. Jaffe, 01230. large pieces of self-designed forever. passed away peacefully at With the aid of technology, his jewelry and bright lipstick. OBITUARIES, continued on next page Elul 5781 - Tishri/Cheshvan 5782 Berkshire Jewish Voice • jewishberkshires.org Page 17 OBITUARIES

OBITUARIES, continued astronomy, and carpentry. Albert Abraham Rothman, Medical Center) as a nurse’s athletic teenager. She swam in from previous page He shared his vast knowledge 91, loved and cherished aide and worked for local the Atlantic Ocean, rode horses while serving on the Planning by many dentists and pediatricians. on what were then dirt roads Board of Monterey, and the In the 1960s, Janice decided on Long Island, and played Please consider a dona- AVENTURA, FL - Albert boards of Gould Farm and to change careers and began tennis. While raising three tion in her name to Miss Abraham Rothman, 91, passed Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome. He selling real estate, joining children, Helen completed Hall’s School (https://www. away Thursday, July 22. He was instrumental in bringing Isgood Realty where she was her undergraduate degree misshalls.org/giving). A was born February 17, 1930 in broadband service to western among the most successful in education and a graduate Celebration of Life was held on Bronx, NY. Massachusetts. He enjoyed agents. That was no surprise degree in counseling at Hofstra Sunday, July 18, in the Woods He was loved and cherished enriching his life by taking since not only was Janice College, all at night and during Theater at Miss Hall’s School. by many people, including his classes and lecturing as a wife, Frances Arlene Rothman; extremely capable, she knew summers, and then worked Larry Klein, devoted member of OLLI, spending son David Scott Rothman almost everyone in Pittsfield. in Valley Stream, NY, elemen- husband and father, mornings with the Monterey (Sheryl); daughter Lori At least that was what we used tary schools as a guidance US Navy pilot, Coffee Club, attending the Susan Snyder; step-daughter to say about her. counselor. electrical engineer, and opera, Tanglewood, and Kimberly Nan Rosenberg She was beloved by her Helen was a lifelong learner, entrepreneur theatre with Sondra. His labor (Jack); and step-son Seth countless friends and acquain- avid reader, and outspoken of love was building his RV-10 tances, many of whom she activist for peace, conservation, MONTEREY - On January Landon Rosenfarb; brother single-engine airplane. He is helped over the years. She was and democratic causes. Even 3, Lawrence “Larry” Klein, Herbert Rothman, sisters survived by his wife, his two known for her empathy, caring, in the last weeks of her life, 86, formerly of Seaford, NY, Beatrice Padawer and Rose children Nancy (husband and generosity. Janice was she discussed with her family passed away peacefully. He Kruh; and 6 grandchildren. Arthur) and Brad, two grand- extremely helpful to the many the books she was reading and was a wonderful and dedicated A graveside service was held children, and several nieces surgical residents who were helped curate books in Kimball husband to his beloved wife of Friday, July 23 at Bailey and nephews. trained at Pittsfield General, Farms residential library. 56 years, Sondra. Memorial, North Lauderdale, especially the foreign residents Helen believed that every- Larry was born in Brooklyn, FL. Dr. Lester H. Friedman, from Africa. She made them thing is broken but nothing is NY, in 1934 to Ben Klein 89, husband, father, feel welcome, become settled beyond repair, that even things and Sadie (Horowitz) Klein. Nathan Milikowsky, kind grandfather in Pittsfield, and navigate that are badly damaged are Growing up in Far Rockaway, heart, sharp mind, and GREAT BARRINGTON - Dr. American life. worth fighting for. A passionate NY, he attended Far Rockaway fighting spirit Lester H. Friedman, 89, died One of Janice’s greatest anti-war activist during the High School. A methodical NEW YORK CITY - Nathan Thursday, July 22 at Fairview lifelong loves was knitting. Her Vietnam era, she volunteered thinker with a keen zest for Milikowsky passed away after Hospital. many wool sweaters continue her skills to counsel young learning, Larry became an a long illness on Tuesday, July Born March 22, 1932 in to keep so many kids, both men to avoid the draft. Eagle Scout. After gradu- 27. Memphis, TN, son of Marion friends and family, warm. Her Helen and Milt shared ating from high school, Larry Born in Tel Aviv, Israel, and Edith (Lazar) Friedman, sweaters have been handed adventures together – they enlisted in the US Navy and Nathan graduated from Yale he married his wife, Diana down in the family for three traveled the world, filled served during the Korean War, University, studied at NYU (Bookbinder) Gittelman on generations. Her afghans their lives with culture, and from 1953 until his honorable School of Law, and served in October 13, 1991 in New York, continue to keep us cozy at volunteered in their commu- discharge in 1957. He piloted the U.S. Marine Corps. He was NY. night. We will miss you. nity. Together they ushered at a Grumman S2F submarine in the steel business for more Lester was a dedicated Janice was predeceased Tanglewood for many years, tracker aboard the aircraft than 50 years, in partnership member of both the New York by her sisters, Ruth Millowitz, and even later in life when carrier USS Philippine Sea. with his brother, and he built Psychoanalytic Institute and Lillian Holtz, and Estelle she could no longer attend the Larry studied electrical and nurtured many successful the Berkshire Psychoanalytic Pomerantz; and her brothers, concerts that gave her plea- engineering at the RCA businesses. Institute. He was also a former Milton Selkowitz and Larry sure, Helen listened to the Institute and New York The patriarch of his family, member of The Stockbridge Laine. BSO Tanglewood broadcasts Institute of Technology. He Nathan was widely loved, a Golf Club. Graveside services were on the radio in the comfort of received a master’s degree surrogate father and brother Lester is survived by held Tuesday August 3 at the her home. in finance from CW Post to so many who knew him. His his wife Diana Gittelman; Temple Anshe Amunim section Above all of her interests University. An avid private kind heart, sharp mind, and daughter, Deborah Klein; of the Pittsfield Cemetery and intellectual curiosity, pilot, Larry and a friend flew fighting spirit will be remem- three granddaughters, Sarah with Rabbi Liz P.G. Hirsch Helen’s family was her biggest a private plane across the bered by all. Klein, Rachel Klein, Alexa officiating. project and meant the world to Atlantic Ocean, following the He is survived by his loving Klein; two grandsons, Henry her. She was devoted to Milt, northern “Blue Spruce Route” wife, Rebecca Gold; his daugh- Perry-Friedman, and Joseph Helen Fink, 95, lifelong and visited him regularly in the to Europe in 1964. ters Brina and Shira; his sister Perry-Friedman; step-chil- learner, keen sense of last few years of his life when At the age of forty-eight, Michelle Harman; and his dren, Lisa Gittelman-Udi fairness and justice he resided in Kimball Farm’s after working for Sperry Rand brother Daniel Milikowsky. and husband Amnon, Craig LENOX - Helen Fink, of memory care. She and Milt for twenty-two years, Larry, A service was held on Gittelman and wife, Susanne, Kimball Farms Life Care, died were proud of their children along with two partners, Thursday, July 29 at Riverside and Kevin Gittelman; at Berkshire Medical Center on and found great pleasure in started Robocom Systems, Memorial Chapel, New York, step-grandchildren, Adam Udi July 28 after a sudden illness. the strong bonds the chil- a robotics engineering firm, NY. Donations in Nathan’s and wife Maya, Jordan Udi, Helen’s passing followed dren have with each other which automated warehouses name can be made to Dana- Sarah Gittelman, and Zachary two significant events in her as adults. She respected and for clients such as Coors, Farber Cancer Institute, the Ellis;sister-in-law, Shirley life – she lost Milt Fink, her adored her grandchildren and AT&T, Boeing, and NASA. His Prostate Cancer Foundation, Friedman; and daughter-in-law husband of 71 years, on June their partners. Helen leaves business travels took him and B’nai Jeshurun. Dianne Perry-Friedman. 16 and she celebrated her her sons David (Karen) and around the world. When he Lester was predeceased 95th birthday on July 17. Her Jesse (Betsy); her daughter retired, he and Sondra moved Janice Selkowitz, 96, by his son, Michael Steven family was constantly by her Judy (Rob); and her grandchil- full-time to their weekend knew almost everyone in Friedman and his brother, side for her final week, and she dren Nathan, Drew (Dani), and home in Monterey, while also Pittsfield David Friedman. was comforted by the compas- Carly, who miss her dearly. spending the winter month PITTSFIELD - Janice Services for Lester H. sionate and capable staff at the The family will cele- of February in Coronado, CA, Selkowitz was born, raised, Friedman were private. Please hospital, along with Hospice brate Helen’s life privately. where he loved to watch the and lived in Pittsfield, the city consider donations to the Care in the Berkshires, Inc. Donations may be made to Navy Seals train along the she loved, her entire 96 years. American Cancer Society in Helen was a vibrant and the Helen and Milton Fink shore. She was a graduate of Pittsfield care of the Finnerty & Stevens tenacious woman, with strong Scholarship Fund at the Larry did not slow down High class of 1944 and trained Funeral Home, 426 Main opinions and a keen sense of Berkshire Music School, 30 in retirement. He spent his at the House of Mercy (later Street, Great Barrington, MA fairness and justice. Born in Wendell Avenue, Pittsfield, MA time fostering his passions. He Pittsfield General Hospital 01230. Far Rockaway, NY, she was an 01201. loved cooking, baking, reading, before becoming Berkshire

The Nassau Synagogue & Jewish Community Center We invite you to join us as לשנה טובא .we usher in the New Year Join our Zoom-based Services for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. Email us for more details. • Shabbat Services • Educational Programs • Traditional, Egalitarian Located on Route 20 • Village of Nassau, N.Y. Established 1913 nassausynagogue.org For more information, contact us: [email protected] Page 18 Berkshire Jewish Voice • jewishberkshires.org August 23 to October 10, 2021 CULTURE & ARTS

"Bound by Creativity: How Contemporary Art is Created and Judged" Sociologist and Berkshire native Hannah Wohl dissects the New York art world in her first book

LENOX - Berkshire native Hannah Wohl of experimentation. They experiment with different elements and repeat elements has just published her first book, Bound by that excite them, and then recognize these repeated elements as consistencies, Creativity: How Contemporary Art is Created which they associate with their creative visions. As artists get bored with these and Judged (University of Chicago Press). In it repeated elements, they experiment with new elements and their perceptions Wohl, now an assistant professor in sociology of their creative visions evolve. Others, like dealers and curators, do not judge at University of California, Santa Barbara, individual works discretely, but as part of bodies of work, or oeuvres. They buy examines the New York art world through a the work of artists who they view as having “mature” creative visions but as still sociological lens. evolving their bodies of work, which requires artists to balance both consistency Although a scholarly work, Bound by and variation within their bodies of work. Creativity offers satisfactions for the non- academic reader, as well, particularly Wohl’s BJV: One of the enjoyable aspects of your book is your reportage about New York observations about the business of art. Her City’s art scene, in which you navigate disparate cultural and economic realms and fieldwork took her across many intersecting realities alongside the subjects of your fieldwork. I particularly liked your observa- realms within New York’s art community, tion that “The city sorts people, pushing them together or ensuring that their paths from grungy artist studios to prestigious (and do not cross.” How did your immersion in these divergent worlds as a sociologist not-so-prestigious) galleries to the art-filled shape your narrative and your point of view about how contemporary art is created homes of super-wealthy collectors. Her descrip- and judged? tions are incisive and often arch, and provide HW: Artists tend to live and work in cheaper neighborhoods, often in Brooklyn an enjoyable, if not always flattering, portrait of or Queens, while most collectors live in Manhattan, and galleries clustered in Hannah Wohl the contemporary art scene and the people who the Chelsea and Lower East Side neighborhoods of Manhattan. The world that inhabit it. artists (especially emerging artists) inhabit is very different from that of collectors. On Tuesday, September 14, the Lenox Library (18 Main Street) will host I sometimes found myself spending the day in an artist’s paint-splattered studio Hannah Wohl as part of its Distinguished Lecturer Series. The lecture is free and and the night at an Upper East Side penthouse for a collector’s private party. open to the public, and begins at 5:30 p.m. What I found fascinating as an ethnographer was that these disparate worlds did, Hannah Wohl is the daughter of Dr. Charles Wohl and Alba Passerini, a past in fact, frequently collide. Artists often had close relationships with their dealers member of the board of the Jewish Federation of the Berkshires. About her trajec- and collectors wanted the bohemian experience of socializing with artists. There tory from the Berkshires to academia, Wohl writes: were important power dynamics at play here, as artists relied on collectors to "I grew up in Lenox and attended religious school at Temple Anshe purchase their work. Artists were far more sensitized to these power dynamics. Amunim from kindergarten through high school, where I solidified friendships While collectors described their interactions with artists in terms of friendship that continue to this day. Through the Harold Grinspoon Foundation, the and leisure, artists described these interactions as always, at least in part, work. Federation provided me with scholarship money to attend Brown University, These interactions also influenced what happened in the studio. Even though where I majored in sociology. After working at a nonprofit, I decided to pursue artists worked alone in their studios or with the help of studio assistants, their my PhD in sociology at Northwestern University. There, I turned my focus to contact with their peers, dealers, curators, collectors, and others in the art market the sociology of culture, which allowed me to join my academic interests in meant that they could not seal themselves sociology with my personal interest in art. I was interested in understanding off from how others perceived their creative how creative producers across fields made decisions about how to create visions. The creative process is social, even their work. The contemporary art world was an ideal place to study this, both when it occurs in solitude. because I had a personal interest in the field and because there is a lack of consensus around what “good” contemporary art is." BJV: You write about the explosive growth of university art programs in which “stu- Questions for Hannah Wohl dents are taught to see art as a professional Bound by Creativity is both a description of the current art marketplace and career and to view articulating their voice as an exploration of the cultural and aesthetic values of the today’s art world. If you their chief task.” Within the art scene, the care about art and art history, it has a lot to tell you. expectation is that artists publicly “interact A summary of Dr. Wohl’s thesis: The “art movement” era, which began when in ways that show their eccentricity, aes- the French Impressionists broke with the establishment art academies in the thetic commitment, and economic disinter- 19th century, ended in the last decades of the 20th century. These transfor- est” – if only, in some cases, to liven up the mative and radical art movements took artmaking to formal and theoretical stodgy work-focused and money-centric extremes. She writes: “Art movements diminished in salience because there was lives of prospective collectors. Can you say no clear consensus around which movements constituted the forefront of the more about these three qualities that artists avant-garde. Artists were no longer primarily valued for being part of innovative must display to get ahead in a market over- movements, but instead for having distinctive creative visions.” For an artist, “a supplied with artists? good creative vision is one that is distinctive and has enduring consistencies, HW: The idea of creative visions is not only while evolving through continued experimentation.” The art world is “a ‘winner attached to the work that artists produce, takes all’ market, where a small number of people capture the lion’s share of but also to artists themselves, because critical and commercial success.” The essential players in that market are the people see creative visions as an authentic artists, the dealers/gallery owners, curators, critics, and collectors. “Like artists,” expression of artists’ identities. One of the she writes, all of these players “view themselves as having creative visions, in reasons that collectors want to get to know artists is because they often think it that they perceive continuities among the works that they select and believe that will help them better understand artists’ creative visions, and this is what they they have certain aesthetic sensibilities that guide these choices.” The interplay value when they purchase art. Artists often display eccentric and unruly behavior, of these various creative visions not only shapes the art market (and how work is such as dressing in unconventional ways or making inconvenient demands upon judged aesthetically) but influences artists’ creative processes, as well. Ultimately, their dealers. Dealers manage their behavior from going too far, but also cater to this interaction, informed by social values, defines our contemporary aesthetic by artists both because it appeals to collectors and because to be “good dealers,” they determining how work is created, funded, and exhibited. must be perceived as supporting and not intervening in artists’ creative visions. The BJV’s editor, Albert Stern, interviewed Hannah Wohl via email in late July. Artists also display obsession with certain aesthetic themes, often highlighting that they have worked on these themes for decades and cannot stop, as well as Berkshire Jewish Voice: “Creative vision” is one of your book’s key concepts. Could economic disinterest, or a lack of financial savviness and attention to making you explain what you mean by the term and how it drives the dynamics of the con- money. By showing that they have these qualities, artists claim that they have temporary art world? authentic creative visions, in that they have a distinctive worldview that they are Hannah Wohl: We often use the term “signature style” similarly, although I prefer committed to for purely aesthetic reasons. creative visions because signature style is often used pejoratively in the art world to connote branding one’s work. I define creative visions as bundles of elements BJV: As I read your book, I was struck by the absence of two words I might have that are enduring and core in a body of work. These elements are both formal, expected to see. The first is “post-modernist,” which doesn’t appear at all, even such as media and technique, as well as conceptual, such as ideas and themes. though the approach to art (referential and unmoored to a particular movement) that For example, a contemporary artist may often work with everyday materials, you chronicle is often described as such. Was shying away from that term a writerly/ like socks and hummus containers, to express ideas of domesticity, and these scholarly decision, or is the label “post-modernism” inapt or simply irrelevant? The materials as well as the theme of domesticity would all be part of this artist’s second word is “beauty,” which appears just once in the text (although “beauti- creative vision. Artists identify and hone their creative vision through the process ful” appears several times in varying contexts). The term you use that most closely

BOUND BY CREATIVITY, continued on page 19 Elul 5781 - Tishri/Cheshvan 5782 Berkshire Jewish Voice • jewishberkshires.org Page 19

BOUND BY CREATIVITY, continued from page 18 approaches the concept of beauty is school. One of the central tenets of contemporary art is that, while contem- Wishing You A “aesthetic value,” which you variously characterize as “not objective,” “rad- porary art may sometimes be beautiful, ically uncertain,” a quality “anything it does not need to be, and contempo- can have.” It’s also a term that holds rary art is not created for the sake of Sweet New Year an intrinsic monetary connotation. My beauty. Contemporary art is supposed question – is the “beauty” of an art ob- to be a form that expresses an idea. ject something that is much considered This idea often cannot be easily 49 99 lb. or discussed among artists, dealers, and reduced to words but instead conveys a mood or synthesis of concepts. 3 collectors in the New York art world you 3with AdvantEdge Card chronicle? However, there is no clear consensus around which ideas are most important Kedem Concord Empire Kosher I try to understand the world from HW: or when a form adequately captures Grape Juice Frozen Whole the perspective of the people I study, these ideas. Ultimately, creative 64 oz. Turkey so I often convey this world using their visions anchor aesthetic judgments Select Varieties Kosher terminology. Postmodernism was not in the contemporary art world. Each a term that people in the contempo- artist identifies formal and concep- rary art world often used, most likely 3 Lb. tual elements that are relevant to their 24 oz. 99 because interest in this movement Bag 99 creative visions, and others judge work 3 peaked in the 90s and also because 2with AdvantEdge Card based on what they think appears to postmodernism became such a broad be a distinctive creative vision and Plain Round catchall term that the meaning became Market 32 based on what is relevant to their own Challah Bread watered down. Beauty is sometimes Eastern Red Apples Large creative visions. jokingly called “the B word” in art U.S. #1 Raisin $4.99 99 99 lb. 5with AdvantEdge Card 14 PICS Smoked Salmon Meal Mart 4 oz. 1st Cut Brisket Regular or Pepper & Garlic Kosher 299 13 99 with AdvantEdge Card with AdvantEdge Card

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Page 20 Berkshire Jewish Voice • jewishberkshires.org August 23 to October 10, 2021 CULTURE & ARTS

Yiddish for Onheybers and Mavens An occasional feature about the Yiddish language for beginners and experts. Our word this time is: tsereysn verb tse· reyts’· n

Definition 1. tear up 2. exasperate Infinitive: tsereysn (can be used as a noun) Past participle: tsereyst (can be used as an adjective)

Notes Curiously, there seem to be few Yiddish words that directly denote “exasperation.” Instead, seemingly innumer- able adages exist that convey the experience of strongly felt annoyance or irritation (e.g., Dos gantse yor iz zi leydik, gezesn un erev yom-kiper hot zi a zok ongehoybn – “She sits idle all year, and on the eve of Yom Kippur she starts to knit a sock”). As one word on its own holds less capacity for drama, nuance, and exaggeration than a saying, adages are the preferred means by which to express exasperation, an emotion so central to Yiddish thought. Tsereysnheit has a moodier German equivalent – Zerrissenheit. (Note: ‘-heit’ in both German and Yiddish is a suffix that converts an adjective into a noun and usually denotes an abstract quality of the adjectival root, equivalent to the English suffixes -ness, -th, -ty, or -hood.) This malady afflicted American philosopher-psychologist William James, who wrote: “The constitutional disease from which I suffer is what the Germans call Zerrissenheit or ‘torn-to- pieces-hood’ ...The days are broken in pure zig-zag and interruption.” A Yiddish speaker could conceivably use ‘tsereysnheit’ to convey the ‘torn-to-pieces-hood’ described by William James. In most cases, however, for the typical Yiddish speaker, tsereysnheit is more situational than existential, less an abstract manifestation of spiritual angst than a palpable reaction to the outrageous provocations of family members, friends, business associates, and total strangers. When tsereyst, it is altogether appropriate to address the source of one’s exasperation in Yiddish with either of the following entreaties (which presumably were not available to William James):

“Hock mir nisht keyn chaynik” “Drey mir nisht keyn kop” Lit.: “Don’t bang a tea kettle at me” Lit.: “Don’t screw with my head” Fig.: “Don’t bust my chops.” “Leave me alone.” Per Fig.: “You’re twisting my melon, man.” “Quit making Michael Wex in Born to Kvetch: “You don’t have to shut my teeth itch.” up completely, but I’d really appreciate it if you’d stop rattling on about the same damned thing all the time.”

Illus.: “Drey mir nisht keyn kopf”

Illus.: “Hock mir nisht keyn chaynik” Bonus factoid: “Dreidel” is derived from the word “drey,” to twist.

An occasional series of Yiddish instruction sponsored by The Berkshire Yiddish Preservation Society: “Yiddim in Galus. Yiddim in Druchus.”TM

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Catch The Hevreh Ensemble in Performance on August 28 WEST CORNWALL, CT – The last issue of the Berkshire Jewish Voice we put together before the pandemic featured a cover story about a Knosh & Knowledge (remember those?) featuring two members of The Hevreh Ensemble, an inno- vative chamber music group based in New York City. The ensemble has no affil- iation to Great Barrington’s Hevreh of Southern Berkshire, but the group’s genesis can be traced to a lifecycle ritual performed at the synagogue, The Hevreh Ensemble the 2001 bat mitzvah of one of its member’s daughters that featured a duet on Cherokee flutes composed for that event. The musically-attuned Rabbi Deborah Zecher invited the musicians back for a Selichot service, something clicked, and the rest is Hevreh Ensemble history. We enjoyed talking to oboist Judith Dansker and clarinetist Laurie Friedman and telling the ensemble’s story, and looked forward to hearing them play. Alas, the event was taken off the calendar, the first of many disappointing COVID-19 cancelations of Federation-sponsored cultural programming. But on Saturday, August 28 at 5 p.m., The Hevreh Ensemble will present a live, in-person concert at the Prentice Barn in West Cornwall, CT, which is just a little more than a half-hour from downtown Great Barrington. Their special guest will be Naren Budhakar on tabla. As we wrote at the time: “The Hevreh Ensembles orchestration is nothing if not eclectic – Cherokee flutes, oboe, English horn, clarinet, bass clarinet, percussion, keyboards, and shofar, augmented in the studio (on their latest recording, 2019’s A Path of Light) by a string quartet, tabla, double bass, and percussion instru- ments like the djembe, dumbek, ocean drum, balafon, kalimba, rain stick, and log drum played by a Silk Road Ensemble member. The music is hard to cate- gorize – the instrumentation suggests the ‘World Music’ genre, but the melodies are inflected with jazz and contemporary classical ideas…and also with Jewish musical themes.” In addition to Dansker and Friedman, The Hevreh Ensemble includes composer and bass clarinetist Jeff Adler and keyboardist Adam Morrisson. It’s not a Federation event, but it will be nice to have a chance to hear them play – what’s more, the group announced in July that it has a new album in the works. The Prentice Barn is at 129 Lake Road, West Cornwall, CT. For more informa- tion, reservations, and ticketing, visit hevrehensemble.com.

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Hazon and Pearlstone Center’s Merger Will Raise the Profile of Jewish Environmentalism in Our Area Hazon’s outgoing chair on new synergies affecting the Isabella Freedman Jewish Retreat Center

By Richard Slutzky / Special to the BJV retreats attracting a broad spectrum our Seal of Sustainability program Hazon, the largest faith-based envi- of Jews from the culturally Jewish to in local synagogues. We also began ronmental organization in the United Haredi Jews. The retreat center became adding new board members from States, just announced its intention extremely popular during Jewish across the country to reflect our to merge with another strong Jewish holidays, and its Sukkahfest was a national ambitions and commitment. environmental organization, Pearlstone regular sell-out, attracting hundreds Then COVID-19 hit. Running Center, headquartered outside of Jews of all ages from the Northeast a retreat center like Isabella Baltimore. Until June 30, I had the and beyond. I remember attending a Freedman in rural Connecticut privilege of being chair of Hazon for the Sukkahfest in recent years and was required significant support staff last two years. pleasantly surprised by the diverse to operate the facility and provide Well known for its annual bike rides mixture of Jews – queer Jews, straight programming, hospitality, and in Israel (that’s how I got involved), Jews, young and old Jews, Haredi maintenance services. We correctly Hazon promotes a diner menu of Jews, and politically left, center, and anticipated that state protocols The Isabella Freedman Jewish exciting programs, including JYCM, the right-wing Jews. All came together would mandate that we close Retreat Center in Falls Village, CT new Jewish Youth Climate Movement under an enormous Sukkah for lunch, the Freedman campus and took that educates and organizes Jewish thinking how nice it would be if we preemptive action. Sadly, we had Jewish retreat center similar to Isabella high schoolers across the country to could only replicate this experience to cancel all programming for the 2020 Freedman, with comfortable accommo- promote environmentalism in their repeatedly – sharing time and learning year and had to lay off more than 35 dations for up to 300 people. Their staff communities; Adamah, a training from each other together. staff members – a terribly stressful is very knowledgeable about hospitality ground for Jewish college-aged adults My tenure as chair started in outcome, but one we had to do in and programming, complementing our to learn about Jewish environmen- July 2019. We had hired new staff order to survive as an organization. existing staff with their strong skill talism; and Brit Hazon, a program for national programming, for devel- Fortunately, our remaining staff was sets. encouraging individual Jews to make opment, and a new executive vice intrepid and began renting our facility Before finalizing with our boards, a personal commitment toward a more president to assist our CEO. We to other leading Jewish organizations we quietly talked to our major donors sustainable way of life. were well-positioned to accomplish in the Northeast, allowing us to earn and foundations about this possibility. Hazon has a close connection to our goals! We had just completed much-needed revenue to make up for What appeared to us as a great way the Berkshires. Just south of us, in a strategic plan earlier that year losses from the shutdown. to hire a new charismatic CEO while Falls Village, CT, Hazon operates the and were intent on bolstering our Nigel Savage, the Manchester-born combining two strong, like-minded Isabella Freedman Jewish Retreat national programming, which included creative and charismatic founder of organizations into one definitely reso- Center, which has been under Jewish augmenting an initiative we call the Hazon, made it known to the board nated with our funders. communal auspices for more than 120 Seal of Sustainability. It’s sort of an and me that he wanted to step down As of August 1, Jakir will be years. Originally purchased to offer environmental Good Housekeeping after 21 years of service as CEO Hazon’s CEO (as well as Pearlstone’s recreation for women working as piece- Seal to encourage Jewish institu- this September, the beginning of the CEO) while both organizations workers in the NYC textile industry, it tions to initiate steps to become more Shmita year so that he could spend work on legally merging, combining later morphed into a Jewish Renewal sustainable, like using solar panels, time in Israel and contemplate his next finances and databases, organizing retreat center for many years. using compostable plates and uten- chapter. Thus began our search for a staff, building esprit de corps among In 2014, Hazon took over the oper- sils, and making sure that served food new CEO. the staff. The merged entity will be ation of the Isabella Freedman Retreat is not wasted or over-purchased. We Jakir Manela, the current CEO of known nationally as Hazon and in the Center, refocusing its programming were building upon our active presence Pearlstone Center in Baltimore and Baltimore area, the Pearlstone name on Jewish environmentalism, with a in Detroit, where Hazon sponsored a a current board member of Hazon, will remain prominent. healthy mix of spiritual and religious major Jewish food conference and built threw his hat in the ring and also The new Hazon will have a $12 an energetic staff there working with proffered the concept of a merger with million budget and will employ over Pearlstone. Jakir had spent consider- 100 employees. Our new home office able time as a young adult at Isabella will be at Pearlstone, but we will Freedman and had gone through continue to operate Isabella Freedman our Adamah Jewish farm training. and our Detroit offices. Since Jakir spent his post-college As we witness the horrific drought life dedicated to Jewish farming and conditions in the West and the environmentalism – and was smart, immense impact of catastrophic articulate, well-liked, respected as a flooding in Europe, plus other climate leader, and a very successful CEO at aberrations on a more frequent Pearlstone – we believed it was in the basis due to climate change, we are best interests of Hazon to explore the reminded of the fragility of our small concept. planet and our responsibility as Jews We formed an exploratory committee to participate in tikkun olam – to to meet with a similar committee from literally heal the world. Even though Pearlstone Center to see if a merger the American Jewish community is made sense. We looked at our respec- proportionately small, we CAN make tive missions and goals, finances, and a difference, and we are compelled by staff, and it was clear this merger made our faith to make every effort to do so. a lot of sense, a synergy between two And if not now, when? strong organizations. Pearlstone Center has a magnifi- Richard Slutzky, an Egremont resident, cent 180-acre campus with forests, is a member of the board of Hazon, fields, meadows and rolling hills. The Construct Inc. of Great Barrington, and Pearlstone leadership has done an the Jewish Federation of the Berkshires. excellent job building and running a Berkshire Hills Hadassah wishes all Shana Tovah! sings be as ear’s bles ” ur New Y pomegranate “May yo eds of the sah as the se rt Hadas plentiful and suppo m Join gmail.co dassah@ ehillsha berkshir Elul 5781 - Tishri/Cheshvan 5782 Berkshire Jewish Voice • jewishberkshires.org Page 23 BERKSHIRE JEWISH VOICES

1516, building walls to contain the Jews in the neighborhood in the shadow of Traveling With Jewish Taste the foundry to contain the Jews. And in Rome and Genoa, conditions of poverty and hunger worsened so that the Jews were forced to accept baptism simply to Italy: Pasta and Future survive. In response to increasingly worse circumstances, the community gradu- By Carol Goodman Kaufman / Special to the BJV ally moved northward, ultimately migrating to Poland and Lithuania. By the 20th century, things went from amazing heights to calamity. Rome had Silvery-green olive trees shimmer under a a Jewish mayor, the country elected a Jewish prime minister, and over a dozen blazing Tuscan sun. Vines laden with pendu- Jews served in the Senate. During World War I, Jews served in the military as offi- lous bunches of grapes climb rocky terraces. cers and many hundreds of them were decorated for valor. Frescoes, oil paintings, sculpture, and stat- Then fascism arose in the 1930s and, despite the movement’s blatant uary fill churches and museums to the brim. anti-Semitism, many Jews supported the fascists. In an example of pure realpo- Trattorias, osterias, ristorantes, and gelaterias litik, Italian leader Mussolini — Il Duce — wanted to reduce British influence in line the streets of every city. And the wine! Italy is the only place on earth where I can drink the wine without fear of a migraine to follow. Interesting factoid: Rome claims to be the site Despite Italy’s a fine reputation for art, food, and wine, the country has had a mixed rela- of the longest continuous Jewish presence tionship with its Jews. Tribespeople have risen in the world after Jerusalem to high levels of business, the arts, govern- ment, and the military in one era but confined the Middle East. At the same time, Revisionist Zionist Vladimir Jabotinsky wanted to ghettoes in another. They’ve mixed at the to establish a naval officer training facility for Palestinian Jews in Italy. A deal was highest levels of society but perished in concentration camps in the next. made, but it was a deal with the devil. Although Italy has never home to a large Jewish population, our people have With the establishment of the racial laws in 1938, things went from bad to had a presence in the country since the second century BCE, when Judaea allied worse. These new fascist-imposed regulations restricted Jews’ civil rights, banned with the Roman Empire against the Hellenistic Seleucids (of Hanukkah infamy). our books, and excluded Jews from public office and higher education. Other The High Priest Simon Maccabeus, leader of the Hasmonean dynasty, sent a dele- parts of the law stripped Jews of their assets and restricted travel. gation to Rome to negotiate a deal and found a small Jewish community there. Ironically, Italy took in many Jewish refugees from Nazi Germany, but despite Interesting factoid: Rome claims to be the site of the longest continuous Jewish the Fascist government’s original refusal to deport Jews to the death camps, presence in the world after Jerusalem. about 15% of Italy’s Jews perished in concentration camps. But alliances change. The Romans, coveting the Middle Eastern crossroads in Perhaps in atonement for its behavior toward its Jews, Italy has erected monu- the Mediterranean, made war against Judaea three times over several decades, ments to commemorate the Holocaust and holds annual memorial services to beginning in the first century CE. They sacked Jerusalem, destroyed the Second honor those thousands of Italian Jews who perished. But unlike most countries, Temple, and brought our ancestors as slaves to Rome, where the emperor Italy has included Jewish history in its public school curriculum. Domitian erected the Arch of Titus to celebrate the victory. In fact, one of the Italy’s Jewish population has gradually dwindled since the end of the war, and carvings on the arch depicts the captured Jewish slaves carrying the Temple’s now makes up less than one half of one percent of the nation’s 61 million people. menorah. But most Jews in Italy today are not native, but immigrants and children of immi- The menorah has not been seen since. And Jewish history changed forever. grants, and they congregate mainly in Rome and Milan. As if slavery wasn’t bad enough, the Romans then forced a tax upon every Jew Despite the small numbers, there are 21 distinct Jewish communities across in the empire. This was a particularly heinous act for devout Jews as it took the the country. The Unione delle Comunità Ebraiche Italiane is the umbrella orga- money meant for the maintenance of the Temple in Jerusalem to support the idol- nization similar to our Federation that represents the community. Synagogues, atrous Temple of Jupiter in Rome. many ancient and in various stages of restoration, can be found from Rome to A couple of centuries later, while Christianity grew as the official religion Siena to Venice’s ghetto. There are also museums, ancient Jewish neighborhoods, of the Roman Empire, our status in Italy declined even further. The Emperor and archeological sites to visit. Constantine established onerous restrictions on the Jews. We did enjoy a brief But be sure to bring your passport with you when you do go, as security is reprieve under his successor, Julian the Apostate, who even encouraged the Jews very tight at Jewish institutions. in their quest to build a new Temple in Jerusalem. Unfortunately, his death cut that interlude short and just two years after his ascent, his successor, Jovian, rescinded Julian’s liberal policies toward the Jews. Oppression began again. By the turn of the 6th century, however, Jewish life flourished in cities from Carol Goodman Kaufman is a psychologist and author with a passion for travel Milan in the north to Palermo in the south, and Rome in the middle. Neither the and food. She is currently at work on a food history/cookbook, tracing the paths various popes nor the leaders of the various city-states in Italy bothered the Jews. that some of our favorite foods have taken from their origins to appear on dinner In fact, they chose to take advantage of their business acumen and even provided plates and in cultural rites and artifacts around the world. She invites readers a bit of protection to the community. to read her blog at carolgoodmankaufman.com and to follow her on Twitter @ But, as the roller coaster that is our collective story goes, the Jews suffered goodmankaufman. sanctions ranging from special taxes to expulsion, and the situation changed depending on which pope sat in power. For example, Pope Alexander III in the 11th century vetoed anti-Jewish laws proposed by anti-Semitic advisors. But Pope Innocent III in the 12th wasn’t so darn innocent. He not only threatened Spinaci con Pinoli e Passerine: to excommunicate anybody who hired a Jew for public office, he had every Jew Spinach with Pine Nuts and Raisins already employed fired. The final insult: he ordered the wearing of a yellow badge. Fast forward a few centuries to 1492, when King Ferdinand and Queen Serves 6 Isabella of Spain issued their Alhambra Decree, also known as the Edict of Recipe adapted from Joyce Goldstein’s Cucina Ebraica: Flavors of the Italian Expulsion. They ordered all practicing Jews banished from the kingdom. Many Jewish Kitchen. This recipe, a combination of sweet and savory flavors, can of them fled to Italy and, depending on the rulers of its various city-states, found be used by itself as a side dish, or encased in a phyllo dough pocket or pie. differing receptions. Some reached safety under the protection of King Ferdinand I of Naples, while others found safety in Tuscany. Pope Alexander VI welcomed our folks from both Spain and Portugal into Rome, stating publicly that they were “permitted to lead their life, free from interference from Christians, to continue in their own rites, to gain wealth, and to enjoy many other privileges.” Some popes even hired Jewish physicians in direct conflict with the Spanish monarchs’ edict. One of the families that stopped in Italy on its way from the Iberian Peninsula to ultimate freedom in the Ottoman Empire was that of conversa Beatrice Mendes. Famous for helping fellow conversos Ingredients: escape the clutches of the 2 ½ pounds spinach, stems 4 tablespoons raisins, soaked in hot Inquisition, she stayed for removed and leaves rinsed well water 15 minutes, then drained a while in Venice before 2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil 4 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted fleeing to Ferrara, where 2 small yellow onions or Salt and freshly ground pepper Duke Ercole II welcomed her to the city and prom- 6 green onions, minced to taste ised freedom to practice Grated zest of 1 lemon her religion. It was in EERKSHIRERKSHIRE Ferrara that Beatrice Directions: B openly declared her Heat a teaspoon of olive oil in a large skillet. Add rinsed spinach and sauté OOOFINGOFING & Judaism and reclaimed quickly, turning spinach frequently, just until wilted. Transfer spinach R the Jewish name by which to a colander to drain. UUTTERTTER CO.CO. she is known even today: Meanwhile, heat 1½ tablespoons olive oil in the pan. G Doña Gracia Nasi. 413-298-1029413 298 1029 Add onions and cook over medium heat until they are translucent, wwww.BGRCo.netww.BGRCo.net Unfortunately, other not browned, 5-8 minutes. CCEDAREDAR ROOFROOF areas of Italy were not so SSTANDINGTANDING SEAMSEAM MMETALETAL welcoming. Throughout Add drained spinach, raisins, and pine nuts and toss lightly to combine. AASPHALTSPHALT SSHINGLESHINGLES the 16th century, condi- Add salt and pepper to taste. WWrittenritten EstimatesEstimates • FullyFully InsuredInsured • OwnerOwner InstalledInstalled MAMA LLic.ic. ##145878145878 tions deteriorated. Just before serving, sprinkle with lemon zest. SSEAMLESSEAMLESS GGUTTERSUTTERS Venice established the Serve warm or at room temperature. CCopperopper • AluminumAluminum • GutterGutter CoversCovers world’s first ghetto in ““WeWe likelike youryour smilesmile whenwhen we’rewe’re done”done” AA++ S31033 Page 24 Berkshire Jewish Voice • jewishberkshires.org August 23 to October 10, 2021 BERKSHIRE JEWISH VOICES Booze and Jews: A History (Presented in Moderation) By Alex Rosenblum / BJV Bronfin Correspondent Outside on a beautiful late spring Shabbat (Shelakh Lekha) in the Berkshires, through the early decades of the we had just finished davening on the deck and were gingerly taking small steps 20th century – its main markets towards normalcy. Wine and packaged snacks were carefully passed around. were eviscerated by revolution in Unexpectedly, a bottle of Milk & Honey Israeli whisky appeared and shots were (a Russia, prohibition in the United bit warily) distributed. One of the khevreh, seeing the source of the whisky, passed States, and Arab nationalism a flippant remark about how alcohol was becoming a staple of Jewish life. Another in the Middle East. Today, of quickly chimed in that alcohol has long been such a staple, citing a passage from course, Israel is in the midst of a the Torah reading highlighting wine as an important function of prayer. winemaking renaissance. Pausing to finish my drink, I then pointed out that alcohol has indeed been While Jewish involvement an integral part of our Jewish history from biblical times up to the present. At in the alcohol business largely various whisky tastings in New York and here in the Berkshires, my statement diminished by the beginning of is usually challenged by members of the audience. After all, Jews as alcoholics – the 20th century because of the shickurs? Can’t be! Not us! growth of virulent anti-Semitism But proper use of alcohol as prescribed by our Torah, prophets, rabbis, and in the Pale and mass exodus of our tradition of temperance has made alcohol an important religious, social, the Jews there, Jewish involve- and economic part of Jewish life through five millennia. Making kiddush every ment in the liquor industry Friday evening and on yom tov has not made our people into drunkards. The joy had already been introduced and importance of making a special toast – a l’chaim – is a significant tradition to America with immigration to happily acknowledge special events and occasions and has not made us into of some 200,000 German and drunkards. And for those of us whose last name incorporates “shenk” (tavern), Austria-Hungarian Jews from “kretchmer” (innkeeper) or the more common “wein” (wine), be assured that at about 1840 to 1900. some time in the last few hundred years, somewhere in Eastern Europe, we had Jews emigrating to America a family member involved in a business which involved managing, supplying, or took with them their experi- working in a tavern, inn, or brewery, and/or engaging in bookkeeping, or money- ence in the liquor trade. One

lending (services that were usually based at a tavern or inn when provided by of these entrepreneurs was IMAGE: NATIONAL LIBRARY OF ISRAEL Jews). Charles Fleischman, who came When I explain those connections to descendants of Eastern European Jews, to America with his recipes for yeast and a background managing a distillery in inevitably, someone (more often than not a senior citizen) will exclaim that he or Vienna. He soon made a fortune on his yeasts and, by the turn of the last century, she remembers stories from parents and grandparents about a family association built and owned a vodka distillery and America’s first gin distillery. Perhaps his to some form of the liquor industry. (For example, as I prepared this story, the greatest contribution to American Jewry involved his response to being turned peerless editor of this newspaper informed me that his mother’s family operated away after making a reservation at a hotel in central New York State. He simply a distillery and tavern in the town of Kozhanhorodok, then in Poland, now in and quickly built his own fancy hotel in a nearby region called the Catskills, and Belarus.) the rest is American Jewish history! The guidelines, uses, and abuses of wine and strong wine (shekar) is found Other immigrants settled in Midwest states such as Ohio, Illinois, and in over 50 passages of our Torah. Wine is a gift from God to be used joyously, Kentucky. The Bernheim family opened a bourbon distillery with a distinctly correctly and expeditiously. But, needless to say, misuse of wine can lead to American name, I.W. Harper, and was followed by other Jewish immigrants to bad results, as seen by Noah, Lot, and Aaron’s two older sons. What’s more, the point that it was estimated that while Louisville had a population that was 3 numerous references, including warnings and proper uses for wine and strong percent Jewish, Jews made up about 25 percent of the bourbon/liquor industries. drink, are made by our prophets. As a result, we have had a historic guideline for Similar figures were found in distillery cities such as Peoria and Cincinnati. These the temperate use of alcohol. soon to be wealthy Jews who made their money on distinctly American liquor During the Crusades period until the end of enlightenment period, Jews had largely tended supported the growth of distinctly American Jewish movements moved and/or been forced out of Western Europe – England, Germanic king- such as Reform Judaism, Hebrew Union College, and YMHA. doms, France, and the Iberian Peninsula. Many settled in central and eastern By and large, early Jewish involvement in the American in the alcohol business Europe. By the 18th century, most of the world Jewry lived in the lands that would was met with little anti-Semitism. After all, many previously founders of liquor become the Austria-Hungarian Empire, the Polish Empire, Ukraine, and the businesses were themselves recent immigrants from Ireland and Germany. But lands between Ukraine and Russia that would with the coming of the 20th century, the liquor become the “Pale” of Russia. As the aristoc- industry in general and also the Jewish involve- racy became more powerful and richer in these ment came under fire. kingdoms, they realized that the grain grown McClure’s magazine in 1909 noted that their in their vast estates could produce twice the “acute and unscrupulous type of mind which profits if, instead of it being used to make bread had taken charge of the wholesale liquor trade and basic foods, it was distilled into alcohol in this country.” And Henry Ford complained for consumption by the masses. A conspic- that the liquor industry had become “rot- uous involvement in the liquor trade was not gut” because distillery cities like Cincinnati something with which these aristocrats wished and Louisville had become a city of “Judaic to sully their hands, however, and they devised complexion.” A few decades earlier, the Women’s ways to operate taverns and inns as absentee Christian Temperance Union had been founded landlords. To help them preserve their reputa- with the aim to shut down consumption of tions, the aristocracy turned to the Jews. alcohol. As Christianity moved to the right and Jews in Eastern Europe were not allowed America urbanized (including the opening of NOSTAL.CO.IL to own land. Many had turned to trading and L’chayim for a happy and healthy 5782! numerous bars in each neighborhood resulting peddling, so they often had networks of connec- in increased consumption), Jews were caught in tions and contacts in other towns and cities. the middle. The aristocrats tended to view the Jews in their towns and cities as well-educated, This American preoccupation with temperance was not of particular Jewish reliable, and good businessmen. Not only that, Jews had the reputation of being concern. Simply put, Jews were not prone to join a “Christian organization,” alco- temperate in their alcohol usage – Jews were not going to drink up the merchan- holism was not a Jewish problem, and the newly arriving hundreds of thousands dise! The 18th century, incidentally, also saw the birth of Hasidism, with its goal of Jewish immigrants were too busy just trying to survive. As pointed out by one of achieving ecstasy by approaching God more closely. Hasidim soon gained a historian and independently verified at our occasional tastings and gatherings, reputation of being “robust” drinkers – but the personal self-restraint with alcohol many people remember a zaydeh making wine from grapes or plums in the base- characteristic of the movement’s powerful and charismatic rabbis helped that the ment or in the closet. Alcohol prohibition or not, almost every Jew had access to Hasidic enthusiasm for drinking never tainted our people’s overarching reputation wine for kiddush! for sobriety. The passing of the 18th Amendment to the US Constitution in 1920 prohibiting A system developed wherein Jews leased taverns and inns, and soon managed the sale and transport of alcohol in the United States presented new and “unique” a majority of alcohol-related businesses in eastern and central Europe. In the opportunities for the North American Jewish liquor entrepreneurs. Stay tuned for Austria-Hungarian Empire, as well in parts of emerging Germany where Jews had more on Jews in the Prohibition era and beyond in an upcoming issue of BJV. been granted more freedom, Jews also came to own and manage wineries, brew- For any comments, observations, thoughts, kvetching, drop me a line at eries, and distilleries by the mid-19th century. [email protected]. And for additional reading, see Glenn Dynner’s In 1882, Baron Edmond de Rothschild, owner of France’s prestigious Château Yankel’s Tavern – Jews, Liquor & Life in the Kingdom of Poland and Marni Davis’s Lafite, provided financial and technical assistance in establishing what would Jews and Booze – Becoming American in the Age of Prohibition. Check inter alia on become Carmel Wine Company in Eretz Israel. Vineyards were cultivated in the internet: myjewishlearning.com for “The Forgotten History of Jews in Rishon LeZion and then on Mount Carmel, south of Haifa. By 1895, wines from the Alcohol Business” and the thedailybeast.com for “The Jews Who Made the Holy Land were being imported to Eastern Europe and around the Ottoman American Whisky.” Empire. They early heyday of Carmel Wine Co. did not last long, enduring only HeirloJoewmelrys Wearable history in Roman glass & silver. Exquisite, affordable jewelry from Israel. Paula Kahn Almgren, Esq. One West Street, Lenox, MA 01240 heirloomsjewelry.com The Mews, 36 Main St., Stockbridge, MA n 413.298.4436 413.637.5075 ~ www.almgrenlaw.com