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VOLUME XI, NUMBER 1 JANUARY 11, 2018 FEMA extends assistance to houses of worship BY RON KAMPEAS working for more than 15 years to have sented formidable challenges, precluding ship to receive FEMA assistance, like the WASHINGTON (JTA) — The Federal this policy changed,” Nathan Diament, such relief,” it said in a statement. one it replaced excluding such assistance, Emergency Management Agency will now the O.U.’s Washington director, said in The U.S. House of Representatives is a matter of executive branch policy and extend assistance to houses of worship, a statement. “We thank the Trump ad- in December approved a bill that allows not a congressional mandate. A future reversing years of policy that excluded ministration for righting this longtime federal disaster relief funds to go to houses president could reverse the allowance, such aid. wrong and treating disaster-damaged of worship. The Senate is considering which is why Orthodox groups will still “Private nonprofit houses of worship churches, synagogues and other houses parallel legislation. continue to lobby for the bills in Congress, will not be singled out for disfavored of worship fairly – on the same terms Under rules in place until the end of Diament told JTA. treatment within the ‘community centers’ as other nonprofits such as museums, 2017, relief funds from FEMA could not A bipartisan group of lawmakers has subcategory of … nonprofit applicants,” community centers and libraries stricken go to churches, synagogues and other long pushed for the change. In Septem- FEMA said in guidance for 2018 issued by natural disasters.” houses of worship due to concerns about ber, amid a string of hurricanes ravaging on January 2. Agudath Israel of America said the separation of church and state. Other in- the Gulf Coast and the Caribbean, Pres- Orthodox Jewish groups, which have change is consistent with White House stitutions, like community centers or zoos, ident Donald Trump tweeted his support been lobbying for legislation that would backing for legislation advancing through received the funds. The money reimburses for churches receiving FEMA funds. codify the inclusion of houses of worship Congress. “Unfortunately, unnecessary the institutions for aid they provide to “Churches in Texas should be entitled for assistance, welcomed the change. and unfair limitations placed specifically victims of natural disasters. to reimbursement from FEMA Relief “We at the Orthodox Union have been on houses of worship by FEMA have pre- The new rule allowing houses of wor- Funds for helping victims of Hurricane Harvey (just like others),” Trump said on Twitter. Advancing the bill in the House were Jewish groups find small victories in a Reps. Peter King and Grace Meng, re- spectively a Republican and Democrat, both from New York, and Chris Smith tax bill they otherwise hate (R-NJ). The regions they represent were hard hit by Tropical Storm Sandy in 2012. BY RON KAMPEAS percent, which Republicans say will spur cant economic inequality,” the Reform Leading the Senate’s legislation are Sens. WASHINGTON (JTA) – Most Jewish business. It purports to simplify tax filing statement said. Roy Blunt and Claire McCaskill, respec- groups decried a massive tax reform by replacing deductions with tax cuts. B’nai B’rith International, which runs tively a Republican and Democrat from package for what they said were cuts in One nonpartisan analysis predicts it will a network of homes for the elderly, de- Missouri, James Lankford (R-OK) and taxes that would savage entitlements, increase deficits by $1.4 trillion over the cried the risks it said the tax bill posed to Ted Cruz (R-TX). although some groups celebrated discrete next decade. Medicaid as well as to Medicare, which victories in portions of the massive bill. The Reform movement, in a statement subsidizes health care for Americans 65 The Republican-led Senate and U.S. before the Senate vote on December 19, and older. “B’nai B’rith International is 2018 UJA House of Representatives passed the bill said the law “will impose a massive ad- deeply disappointed that Congress has mpaign Upda recently, and President Donald Trump, dition to the debt and threaten effective passed a tax reform plan that does not con- Ca te who hungered for a legislative victory in anti-poverty programs, including Med- sider the negative long-term consequences Pay it forward & give to his first year in office, signed the bill on icaid and SNAP.” Medicaid subsidizes to Medicare and Medicaid – the social the 2018 Jewish Federation December 22. health care for the poor, while SNAP, safety net programs that are a hallmark of Northeastern Pennsylvania The bill, which goes into effect for formerly known as food stamps, provides of this nation’s commitment to those in Annual Campaign! 2018 tax filings, institutes some moderate nutritional assistance to the poor. “It makes need,” it said. Goal: cuts for individual filers and slashes the the tax code more regressive and less fair, The National Council of Jewish Women $910,000 corporate tax rate from 35 percent to 21 deepening our country’s already-signifi- See “Tax” on page 7

For information or to make a donation call 570-961-2300 ext. 1 or The year 2017 was a good one for Europe’s send your gift to: Jewish Federation of Northeastern $792,324 Pennsylvania as of Jan. 5, 2018 extremists 601 Jefferson Ave., Scranton, PA 18510 The first upset came in March, when (Please MEMO your ANALYSIS the Dutch anti-Islam Party for Freedom pledge or gift 2018 UJA Campaign) BY CNAAN LIPHSHIZ for the first time since its creation in 2006 became the country’s second largest, with PARIS (JTA) – On the surface, at least, 13 percent of the vote. Those elections also Europe has not changed much over the past allowed the Denk party to enter parliament 12 months. In fact, when it comes to Eu- for the first time in the history of that ropean politics, this year may appear mild far-left movement, which was founded in comparison to 2016, which saw several by Muslim immigrants on a platform of dramatic and shocking developments, resistance to integration and which Dutch such as Brexit, a refugee resettlement Jews accuse of antisemitism. crisis and the terrorist attack in Nice on An AfD poster in Berlin on September 26. In December, the Austrian Freedom Bastille Day, France’s national holiday. (Photo by Steffi Loos/AFP/Getty Images) Party, founded by a former SS officer Federation Across much of the continent in 2017, in the 1950s, for the second time in its however, populists were blocked from Justin Trudeau, over his conservative history joined the coalition government reaching power by centrist parties. To predecessor in 2015. after garnering 26 percent of the vote in on Facebook the relief of the continent’s estimated But a closer examination suggests that elections two months earlier. The Jewish Federation of Northeast- three million Jews and other minorities 2017 nonetheless has been a watershed In September, the populist Alternative ern Pennsylvania now has a page on with bitter memories of extremism, the year for the continent’s far-right and far- for Germany entered parliament for the Facebook to let community members European Union certainly saw no upsets left movements. They have had unprece- first time with its best electoral result ever: know about upcoming events and keep of the scale of President Donald Trump’s dented successes in a series of elections 12.6 percent of the vote in the federal connected. succession of Barack Obama, or that of thanks to discontent, economic anxiety, election. And in Bulgaria, the far-right the liberal prime minister of Canada, nationalistic sentiment and xenophobia. See “Extremists” on page 9 Candle lighting January 5...... 4:29 pm INSIDE THIS ISSUE January 12...... 4:37 pm Unfinished business Jewish food scene News in brief... January 19...... 4:45 pm The documentary “Remember Chicago’s new kosher deli is next Reflections on the myriad myths PLUS Baghdad” posits Jews have to Wrigley Field; a look at the rising and facts surrounding the Israeli Opinion...... 2 “unfinished business” in Iraq. popularity of Israeli cuisine. victory during the Six-Day War. Jewish Community Center News...... 6 Story on page 5 Stories on pages 12-13 Story on page 15 D’var Torah...... 8 2 THE REPORTER ■ JANUARY 11, 2018 A MATTER OF OPINION The enduring struggle over Jerusalem, city of peace BY DAVID FALLK Testament. Jews pray facing Jerusalem. annexed the West Bank and eastern Je- However, for peace to come, the For at least two millennia the world Major Jewish rituals, including the Pass- rusalem and ethnically cleansed all Jews Palestinians must decide that they have has engaged in an enduring struggle to over seder and the Yom Kippur service, from its midst. The Jewish Quarter of more to gain by recognizing Israel as a separate Israel from Jews and its Jewish- end with the affirmation, “Next year in eastern Jerusalem was destroyed and the Jewish state and its chosen capital than ness, and Jerusalem from Israel. Whether Jerusalem.” In the Quran, Jerusalem is Mount of Olives Cemetery desecrated. by perpetuating the conflict until Israel it was the forced Diaspora by the Roman not mentioned even once. Muslims pray The original 1964 PLO charter has been annihilated. But that has prov- Empire and its renaming Judea as Pal- facing Mecca. claimed neither the West Bank nor Gaza en problematic. The annual Palestinian estine, centuries of foreign invaders, or Despite many efforts over centuries or mentioned Jerusalem, but was aimed Authority budget commits almost $350 the three wars of attempted extinction by by colonial powers and Arab pressure to at destroying the entire Jewish state. million for salaries of imprisoned and Arab nations against the state of Israel curb Jewish migration back to the Holy In refusing to accept any final plan for released terrorists and for the families of (1948, 1967 and 1973), the concept of Land, Jerusalem contained a plurality peaceful coexistence, the Palestinians, those “martyred” in their war to murder Jewish nation in the ancestral homeland of Jews for generations, and a Jewish including Yasser Arafat and Mahmoud Israelis and to exterminate Israel. To the of the Jewish people or Jewish control majority since the 19th century. Trump’s Abbas, have resorted to denying history south, Hamas continues to spend tens of over the Holy city of Jerusalem has action merely reinforces the right of the including that a Jewish Temple existed millions of dollars on deadly rockets and proven disconcerting to large segments Jewish people for self-determination and in Jerusalem. building tunnels from which terrorists of the non-Jewish world. for the Jewish state to choose its capital. Israel’s Declaration of Independence can strike. Rev. Michael Azar’s op-ed (Scranton Although Trump affirmed Jerusalem as promised freedom to all religions and If Jerusalem is to live up to its Times, December 22) commenting on the capital of Israel, he refrained from protection of all Holy places. Since 1967, definition as “City of Peace,” those President Trump’s declaration regarding precluding a Palestinian capital there as under Israeli sovereignty, the rights of all who profess an interest in such peace Jerusalem is yet another example of the well, subject to negotiations between the faiths have been respected and protected must stop dwelling on questioning the agita the idea of Jewish sovereignty over Israelis and the Palestinians. to ensure that all religious groups may rights of Jews. Instead, they should any piece of land or city has produced. Since 1936, there have been numerous pray as they wish at a united Jerusalem’s work on getting the Palestinians to say His parsing of geography, history and the proposals to effectuate a two-state solu- holy sites. Control over the Temple “yes” to something other than denial Bible, while ignoring the reality of Arab tion for the region and for control over Mount was ceded to Muslim authorities and violence. enmity and intransigence, inevitably Jerusalem. The Arab world has rejected without quid pro quo. Judaism, Islam Written in response to Rev. leads down the same path that plagues every one, resorting instead to violence and Christianity have all thrived in the Michael Azar’s Scranton Times op- the Middle East. by spawning repeated riots, wars and city. Today, more functioning churches, ed (December 22). Ever since King David made Jerusa- intifadas. After the 1948 war, while Is- mosques and synagogues exist in the Old David Fallk is the Community Relations lem his capital some 3,000 years ago, rael provided citizenship rights to its 20 City of Jerusalem than anywhere else in chairman of the Jewish Federation of that city became eternally and inexorably percent Arab minority, Jordan illegally the world. Northeastern Pennsylvania. connected to Israel and the Jewish people. It was in Jerusalem that Jewish Temples stood, Jewish kings ruled and biblical prophets preached. Jews such as Jesus gathered there during Jewish festivals The #NoWayToTreatAChild campaign as Jews do today. Jerusalem appears 669 times in the Old Testament and 142 times in the New is a cynical way to manipulate Palestinian children BY DANIEL LAUFER such as the American Friends Service lished a joint report in October alleging JNS Committee and Jewish Voice for Peace that detention of Palestinian minors in “ The Reporter” (USPS #482) is published bi-weekly by the In a video that has gone viral, a young to lobby the U.S. government to “use Jerusalem reflects “systematic” and Jewish Federation of Northeastern Pennsylvania, 601 Jefferson Ave., Scranton, PA 18510. Palestinian approaches two Israeli sol- all available means to pressure relevant “extensive” abuse of children. As with diers. She hits, prods and slaps them. Israeli authorities to end the detention other NWTTC materials, the context President: David Malinov and abuse of Palestinian children.” of heightened Palestinian violence and Executive Director: Mark Silverberg She is trying to provoke a reaction that will be caught on camera and show the In November, NWTTAC convinced terrorism, including attacks by children, Executive Editor: Rabbi Rachel Esserman ugly violence of the Israeli army. The Rep. Betty McCollum (D-MN) to pro- is completely missing. Layout Editor: Diana Sochor soldiers respond with professionalism pose legislation that would “to prevent NGO Monitor research shows that Production Coordinator: Jenn DePersis United States tax dollars from support- campaign participants also make nu- Advertising Representative: Bonnie Rozen and restraint, and ignore her attack. Bookkeeper: Kathy Brown The Palestinian in question is Ahed ing the Israeli military’s ongoing de- merous false and misleading allegations Tamimi, best known from a 2015 video tention and mistreatment of Palestinian about the IDF and Israeli military courts. showing her biting and hitting a soldier children.” The bill itself recycled a host One brazen NWTTAC distortion is the OPINIONS The views expressed in as well as from regular demonstrations of NGO claims without independent claim that Palestinian minors are subject editorials and opinion pieces are those in Nabi Saleh. News reports have verification, at times copying DCI-P to solitary confinement. In actuality, of each author and not necessarily variously identified Tamimi as 16- or materials word for word. Israel’s separation of minors from adult the views of the Jewish Federation of 17-years-old, although a number of Another major target for NWTTAC detainees stems from international Northeastern Pennsylvania. observers on social media have pointed groups is the United Nations. Every year, standards and Israeli law geared toward LETTERS The Reporter welcomes to documents from 2011 that would put the U.N. secretary-general publishes a protecting children. letters on subjects of interest to the her current age at 18. lists of armed forces that systematically In fact, contrary to the NGO claims, Jewish community. All letters must be Following the release of the video, and gravely violate children’s rights. And Israeli procedures are consistent with signed and include a phone number. Tamimi was arrested for her assault. every year, NGOs such as DCI-P, Human international norms and the rule of law, The editor may withhold the name upon request. Despite the ambiguity about her age, this Rights Watch and War Child Holland and balance the rights of children with ADS The Reporter does not necessar- triggered a widespread Twitter campaign attempt to have the Israeli military added the need to stop violence and punish ily endorse any advertised products calling for her release, under the hashtag to this list, alongside groups like Boko perpetrators. and services. In addition, the paper #NoWayToTreatAChild. Haram and Al-Qaida. The video of Ahed Tamimi attacking a is not responsible for the kashruth of The use of this hashtag is not accidental Media outlets have joined in the soldier, as well as the disingenuous social any advertiser’s product or establish- or random, and like the video, it reflects the propaganda efforts. Earlier in Decem- media campaign on her behalf, crystallizes ment. cynical manipulation of children’s rights ber, Al Jazeera’s AJ+ channel posted a the cynical calculus that lies at the heart DEADLINE Regular deadline is two that is emerging as a dominant theme in video on its Twitter account, alleging of “No Way to Treat a Child.” Namely, weeks prior to the publication date. anti-Israel activism. that Israel “systematically harasses and Palestinian minors are encouraged to abuses Palestinian kids.” The video endanger themselves in the hopes of pro- FEDERATION WEBSITE: “No Way to Treat a Child,” or NWT- www.jewishnepa.org TAC, is a campaign coordinated by parrots NWTTAC’s blatantly false or voking a violent response that will help Palestinian, Israeli and international misleading claims. An employee of demonize Israel. HOW TO SUBMIT ARTICLES: NGOs, many of which also promote the Human Rights Watch even claimed that For those orchestrating these efforts, Mail: 601 Jefferson Ave., Scranton, PA BDS movement against Israel. Through Israel has no reason to arrest minors – and the NGOs that try to advance a political 18510 concerted efforts to falsely accuse the regardless of the fact that some minors agenda, a detained or injured Palestinian E-mail: [email protected] IDF of violating the rights of Palestinian are perpetrators of violent terror attacks, teenager is far more valuable than ensuring Fax: (570) 346-6147 minors, they seek international sanctions including murder. HRW Executive Di- their safety and well-being. Phone: (570) 961-2300 against the Jewish state. rector Ken Roth disseminated the video Daniel Laufer is the international HOW TO REACH The leading group behind the cam- in an offensive tweet. spokesman at NGO Monitor, an THE ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVE: paign is a Palestinian NGO, Defense Israeli NGOs have a role to play in this independent research institute that Phone: (800) 779-7896, ext. 244 for Children International-Palestine. exploitation of children. First, videos provides information and analysis, E-mail: [email protected] The agency, reportedly tied to the produced by B’Tselem have featured promotes accountability and supports Popular Front for the Liberation of prominently in the campaigns, including discussion on the reports and activities of SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION: Palestine terrorist group, has joined the AJ+ video. Second, B’Tselem and NGOs claiming to advance human rights Phone: (570) 961-2300 with U.S.-based pro-BDS organizations another Israeli group, HaMoked, pub- and humanitarian agendas. JANUARY 11, 2018 ■ THE REPORTER 3 COMMUNITY NEWS Congregation B’nai Harim hosts Monroe County United BY LEE EMERSON explain to the participants On December 10, while most folks were either shopping the differences perceived or watching a football game, the Monroe County United by each and how we are group was learning about the customs and beliefs of each really similar. Working faith. The group is making a difference in the Monroe together, the united com- County area by going into each faith organization’s church, munity has already pro- synagogue or mosque to view the sanctuaries and hear moted an understanding about how we are first human and then how we interact,” of what we believe and said program organizers. “As a group, the faith leaders who we really are.” The members of Con- gregation B’nai Harim (Pocono Pines) presented “Getting a Sense of the Jewish Year.” Tastes, sounds and scents of the Foods usually eaten at the Jewish calendar were Rosh Hashanah holiday meal given with an explana- Rabbi Peg Kershenbaum (far right) described certain tion by Rabbi Peg Ker- were displayed. foods used for each of the Jewish holidays. shenbaum, along with a tasting. Those in attendance said they were surprised by the foods and symbols, some of which were the same as those that were enjoyed in the other faith congregations. DEADLINES For more information on Monroe County United, contact The following are deadlines for all articles and Rabbi Peg Kershenbaum held a challah cover and Kershenbaum at [email protected] or call the B’nai photos for upcoming Reporter issues. explained its use at a typical Jewish meal. Harim call center at 570-646-0100 and leave a message. DEADLINE ISSUE Thursday, January 11...... January 25 Thursday, January 25...... February 8 Tzedakah Tzeason 2017 Thursday, February 8...... February 22 The Jewish Federation of Northeastern Pennsylvania and the Jewish Resource Thursday, February 22...... March 8 finished this year’s Tzedakah Tzeason, successfully do- Center of the Poconos. nating case lots, as well as smaller donations of kosher “JFS is very grateful canned goods, dry goods and other household items to for the support and do- Jewish Family Services’ Mae S. Gelb Kosher Food Pantry. nations that we receive There were drop-off points at the Scranton Jewish for the Mae. S. Gelb Ko- Community Center, the Scranton Hebrew Day School sher Food Pantry. Along with donations from the Gelb Foundation, we rely Bais Yaakov on generous community members, synagogues ve e Dat and organizations like the Sa e Jewish Federation to help Bais Yaakov Production holiday events keep the pantry stocked so Journey of Faith BAIS YAAKOV FAMILY DINNER AND PRE-CHA- that we can assist those An original play written exclusively for the NUKAH CARNIVAL CALLED “HUGE SUCCESS” members of our commu- Bais Yaakov by Mrs. Adina (Laury) Turoff. A larger than usual crowd came out for Bais Yaakov’s nity who are experiencing annual pre-Chanukah dinner and carnival to enjoy the food insecurity. For them, Motzei Shabbos Kodesh food, comradery and carnival games for the children. In being able to come to the February 3, 2018 addition, many toys were collected for the Chai Lifeline pantry makes a significant Dassy Ganz and Sheila Beth Shalom Social Hall Chanukah Toy Drive for sick children in hospitals, as well difference in their lives,” Nudelman Abdo showed 8:30 p.m. as their families. Organizers of the event were Leah Laury said Sheila Nudelman some of the food donated Buffet Melave Malka to follow and Suzanne Severe. Others who volunteered their time Abdo, JFS executive to the Mae S. Gelb Kosher and expertise were Raizel Bracha Hernandez, Miriam director. Food Pantry. For Ladies and Girls Raizel Valencia, Nancy Ben Dov, Vera Epshteyn, Leah Pion, Bracha Alter, Sandi Raven and Atara Raven. The school also thanked the sponsors of the event: Dr. David and Molly Rutta, Rabbi Samuel and Sonya Sandhaus, Filmore Rosenstein, Howard Rosenstein, Gary Davis, Frimi Stahler, and Harris and Janice Cutler. BAIS YAAKOV CHANUKAH PARTY The party for students and staff took place on the See “Bais” on page 9

ÊCheck out the Federation’s new, updated website at www.jewishnepa.org or find it on Facebook 4 THE REPORTER ■ JANUARY 11, 2018 TEMPLE ISRAEL OF THE POCONOS CHANUKAH CELEBRATION, on Tuesday, December 19, featuring YOEL SHIRABI, Israeli Yeminite Entertainer Extraordinaire. JANUARY 11, 2018 ■ THE REPORTER 5 Protagonists of “Remember Baghdad” feel Jews have “unfinished business” in Iraq BY ELIANA RUDEE al Jewish homeland, while the U.K. is “the feel they have lost part of the country’s soul when the JNS country and people that gave me physical Jews left.” When thinking of the words “refugee” and financial security, the freedom we never He continues, “My dream is that Iraqi Jews and Israel and “Middle East,” many displaced groups had, a beautiful family and the opportunity will be that link to Iraq, to help provide friendly lead- come to mind. But few know that some of the to rebuild my life after escaping Iraq.” Yet ership to the Middle East and show the way they can original refugees of the region were a million he believes that due to changing geopolitical transform themselves to positive contributors in the way Middle Eastern and North African Jews whose conditions in the Arab world in recent years, Israel has done in the short 70 years of its existence. It history often entails hangings, imprisonment David Dangoor Arab states like Iraq might be ready for a new is a strong dream of mine that I feel one day Iraqi Jews and finding refuge in Israel. The critically ac- spoke in a scene relationship with Jews that includes business will be welcomed in bringing advancement to Iraq.” claimed documentary “Remember Baghdad,” from “Remember ties and tourism. But this change, he says, must be linked to recognition released this year upon the 100th anniversary Baghdad.” (Pho- “There is a big change in the mindset of of Israel – and even if the Iraqi government embraces the of the British-Ottoman battle over that city to courtesy of “Re- the Arab street toward Jews. … The gates Jewish state, Dangoor argues that the former vibrancy during World War I, is the untold story of Iraqi member Baghdad”) are being breached in a big way,” he says. of Iraq’s Jewish community would still be a key missing Jews – filmed through their eyes. To this end, Shuker says Israel should initiate element. “The thing that was most precious about Iraq is Their story is not always one of simply fleeing to ar- “a proper national debate within Iraqi Jewry and wider now very much manifested in Israel,” he says. rive in the Jewish state. About half of Iraqi Jews fled to sects of Jewish refugees to review where we stand with Supporting Israel is not just sentimental, but practi- countries outside of Israel and still yearn for what once countries [where we had lived].” Shuker has gone as far cal for Dangoor. Four years ago, he bought a house in was. Many of them long to return to Iraq and have even as buying a house in the northern Iraqi city of Erbil and Israel and has traveled there nine times this past year. applied for citizenship, voted in elections or purchased a visits frequently. His charitable foundation is a contributor to Bar-Ilan home in Baghdad. “I feel that there is unfinished business David Dangoor, one of the film’s other leading pro- University’s medical school, the Weizmann Institute there,” Edwin Shuker, one of the film’s four protagonists, tagonists, fled Iraq for the U.K. 50 years ago and says of Science, and various educational and heritage-based tells JNS. “To say that we are gone, finished and that that Iraq’s Jewish past is “like a distant bell ringing in See “Iraq” on page 12 we’ve left forever is unbearable for me. Nobody should the back of our heads, always reminding us where we be required to cut his roots or lose ancestry.” came from.” He speaks of fond memories in Baghdad Shuker says Israel is the eternal physical and spiritu- involving Jewish festivals, outdoor gatherings and other elements of a “vibrant” community. “Until the 1951 evacuation of the Iraqi community, Iraqi Jews would go abroad to make their fortune in Europe or America, but would always come back to marry an Iraqi,” he recalls. Dangoor, who has not been back to Iraq since 1959, was hopeful for change following the U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003, and even applied for Iraqi passports and voted in the subsequent elections with his father. “But unfortunately, things have regressed,” Dangoor tells JNS. In Dangoor’s estimation, the “prospect of Jews going back to Iraq has been deteriorating over the last few years and the Middle East has been sliding backwards for the A photo of Iraq’s former Jewish community that whole 20th century.” But he says there is still room for appeared in the “Remember Baghdad” documentary. hope, considering that “the darkest hour is just before A film poster for “Remember Baghdad.” (Photo (Photo courtesy of “Remember Baghdad”) daybreak and I do feel there are intellectual Iraqis who courtesy of “Remember Baghdad”)

Jewish Federation of Northeastern Pennsylvania 2018 UJA Campaign WE CAN MAKE THE WORLD BETTER BY WORKING TOGETHER The mission of the Jewish Federation of Northeastern Pennsylvania is to rescue the imperiled, care for the vulnerable, support Israel and world Jewry, and revitalize and perpetuate Jewish life in Northeastern Pennsylvania.

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Authorized signatureDate DR. JOEL AND LEAH LAURY, CO-CHAIRS OF THE 2018 UJA CAMPAIGN THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT ÊCheck out the Federation’s new, updated website at www.jewishnepa.org or find it on Facebook 6 THE REPORTER ■ JANUARY 11, 2018

OVER 200 ATTEND THE JCC’S CHANUKAH EXTRAVAGANZA! The JCC held its annual community Chanukah Extravaganza on December 13th and over 225 people were in attendance! Attendees enjoyed glatt kosher Chinese food from Chop Chop of New York City including dishes like sesame chicken, egg rolls, lo mein and more! Entertainment was provided by magician Bill Dickson who performed an elaborate magic showcase that delighted young and old alike! Children were able to enjoy activities such as a dreidel-a-thon, candy dreidel making, face painting, balloon artist, Chanukah card making, latke bean bag toss and word games. There was also a performance by the Scranton Hebrew Day School Junior Choir. The JCC would like to thank Leah Laury & Alma Shaffer for serving as chairs of this event. Special thanks to our sponsors, Mitchell Cohen Orthodontics, the Foundation for the Jewish Elderly of Eastern PA, Pennsylvania Paper & Supply Co., Jewish Federation of NEPA, Philip Ball Company and PDQ Print. Thank you to Louise McNabb, JCC Director of Adult Services & Community Outreach for organizing the event in conjunction with our Chairs. And lastly, this event would not be possible without the help of our many volunteers and JCC staff and for that we say a heartfelt “thank you. JANUARY 11, 2018 ■ THE REPORTER 7 The seven most heartwarming Scranton Reporter 5 x 15 7/8 Jewish stories of 2017 Wyoming Valley 5 x 15 7/8 BY JOSEFIN DOLSTEN When 6-year-old Ayel Morgenstern (JTA) – Political turmoil, terror attacks learned that her great-great-grandmother’s and natural disasters around the world: headstone was among the 100 toppled at a 2017 had plenty of people feeling down, Jewish cemetery in St. Louis in February, for good reason. But there were also she sprung into action. notable moments of light. As this year Ayel, who lives in Florida, decided in draws to a close, here is a chronology of March to paint rocks to decorate head- some of the more heartwarming stories stones at the St. Louis cemetery, as well JTA published this year. as for additional grave sites that were ‹‹ An Orthodox Jew builds bridges with vandalized at a Philadelphia cemetery. In his Yemeni Muslim neighbors the end, Ayel painted more than 250 rocks, After President Donald Trump issued which she sent to the cemeteries – plus an his first executive order banning immi- additional 100 stones that she sent to the grants from seven predominantly Muslim family of Adam Krief, a Jewish father of countries, Alexander Rapaport, a Chasidic three who died after a highly publicized Featuring the largest kosher selection of fresh meat, poultry, Jew, wanted to show his support for his struggle with blood cancer. dairy, frozen, grocery & baked goods! neighbors in Brooklyn. So when New ‹‹ A dog saves a couple from a fire at a York bodega owners from Yemen went kosher supermarket on strike in February in protest of the ban, Daisy, a 3-year-old spaniel, helped avert –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– disaster when fire broke out at a London Rapaport organized community members Including a large selection of Kosher Dairy & Frozen items. to put Post-it notes with messages of kosher supermarket in June. The dog’s Grocery bb barking roused Alex Gibson and Char- support on the storefront of a local store ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––18-20 Ct. 12 oz. owned by Yemeni immigrants. lotte Perren, who were sleeping in their Select Varieties Select Varieties “I made a point of walking in there apartment above the store. Fortunately, the Bigelow Manischewitz today – I actually live a mile away,” Ra- couple was able to make it out on time, but paport, the executive director of Masbia, Daisy, who belongs to Gibson’s mother Herbal Tea Egg Noodles a kosher soup kitchen network, told JTA. and whom the couple was taking care of, 2 4 “I just learned that they were Yemenite, died of smoke inhalation. $ /$

/ –––––––– and I was looking to do something in “Daisy was our hero,” Gibson told The 5 5 solidarity with the people affected by the Jewish Chronicle. “It was fate she hap- ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– executive order.” pened to be staying with us that night. She 32 oz.•Creamy Tomato or 12 oz. Roasted Red Pepper & Tomato Select Varieties ‹‹ A 6-year-old girl sends painted rocks saved both of our lives and our neighbors.” to decorate vandalized Jewish cemeteries See “Seven” on page 8 Pacific Food Nature’s Earthly Organic Soup Choice Quinoa 99 99 Continued from page 1 Tax 3 –––––––– 4 also reserved its most pointed attack for Orthodox groups, usually to the right of ––––––––––––––––24.5 oz. ––––––––––––––––– the reform package’s potential to slice other Jewish groups on domestic issues, funding for Medicare, Medicaid and So- found reasons to praise and criticize the Rice Select 11 oz. cial Security. “Perhaps most egregious, legislation. The Orthodox Union and Agu- Plain Pearl Ah-So the cuts to revenues endanger programs dath Israel of America praised the pres- Coucous Sparerib Sauce such as Medicare, Medicaid and Social ervation of “qualified tuition reductions.” Security by triggering rules that would Intended primarily for graduate students 99 49 force Congress to make up for shortfalls whose university employment is paid in in those programs by slashing benefits, part by tuition write-offs, the measure 4 –––––––– 3 since revenue increases would be off the exempts taxes on the tuition. Religious –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– table when the tax bill becomes law,” schools use the reduction to subsidize b Including a selection of Glatt Kosher Fresh and Frozen Beef, Chicken & Turkey. the group’s CEO, Nancy Kaufman, said tuition for the children of staff and are Meat b in a statement. thus able to attract quality teachers. There ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––32 oz. The Reform movement and B’nai had been proposals to end the exemption. Empire Kosher B’rith also decried the removal of a tax “Many nonpublic schools – including penalty for those who fail to buy health the Jewish community’s day schools – Boneless & Skinless Empire Kosher insurance, which had been a feature of utilize QTRs as an essential element to Chicken Breasts Leg Quarters the Affordable Care Act, the signature law recruit and retain teachers to work in their passed by Trump’s predecessor, President schools by offering tuition discounts for 98 49 lb. Barack Obama. “Last year, 3.3 million the teachers’ children to attend the school,” 11 –––––––– 2 people between the ages of 55 and 64 Nathan Diament, the O.U.’s Washington ––––––––––––––––7 oz. –––––––––––––––––33 oz. received insurance through the Afford- director, said in a statement. able Care Act marketplace,” B’nai B’rith Orthodox groups also welcomed one Empire Kosher Sliced Meal Mart said. “Repealing the individual mandate, new measure allowing parents to use a Turkey, Turkey Salami Meat Balls in according to the Congressional Budget portion of tax-exempt savings for tuition, or Turkey Pastrami Marinara Sauce Office, will cause premiums to increase or 529 plans, to subsidize education in by 10 percent.” K-12 private schools. 79 99 Charities also fear that the new tax Agudath Israel of America decried the code will discourage charitable giving removal of personal exemptions – $4,050 3 –––––––– 9 by doubling the “standard deduction,” per tax filer and each of her dependents –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– which does not require itemization from – and reductions in deductions for state bb Including a selection of Salmon Fillets & Steaks. $6,350 to $12,000 for individuals and and local taxes. “As a high percentage of Fish $12,700 to $24,000 for married couples. Orthodox Jews have large families, and –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– “These provisions will greatly decrease reside in areas that are highly taxed, these 9 oz. 8 oz. the number of taxpayers that itemize changes will likely have a dramatically Gold’s Nathan’s (and thus benefit from a tax deduction for negative effect on large numbers of our Cocktail Sauce Smoked Salmon charitable giving) as well as ‘increase the community,” said Agudath, an umbrella cost of giving’ for those who continue to body for haredi Orthodox Jewish groups. 99 99 itemize,” the Jewish Federations of North Groups across the Jewish spectrum also America said in an analysis. breathed a sigh of relief at the preservation 1 –––––––– 9 Groups pointed to some wins wrapped of the so-called Johnson amendment, –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– into the reforms – although in many cases, a decades-old ban on tax exemptions • the victories involved the preservation of for houses of worship that are directly Westside Mall, Edwardsville 287-7244 long-existing provisions that Republicans involved in electioneering. Trump has 1228 O’Neill Highway, Dunmore • 346-4538 had at various points sought to remove. campaigned to kill it, but the provision The bill preserves deductions for medical that would do so was removed at the last expenses for at least two years. There had minute on a technicality. been talk of removing them, and JFNA Although some synagogues may have and B’nai B’rith said the elderly espe- welcomed the opportunity to endorse cially would be adversely affected. Also candidates, most organizations believe preserved was the Low Income Housing the amendment draws an appropriate line Tax Credit, which B’nai B’rith says is an between church and state, and relieves incentive to build affordable housing for local clergy of the pressure to take divisive Prices effective Sunday, December 24, 2017 thru Saturday, January 27, 2018. the elderly. political stands. 8 THE REPORTER ■ JANUARY 11, 2018 D’VAR TORAH Frogs on a heap BY RABBI BARUCH BINYAMIN HAKOHEN is the verb “vayitzberu.” Its root is TZiBuR, meaning MELMAN, TEMPLE ISRAEL OF THE POCONOS a congregation, i.e., a “gathering.” In a sense, then, the Vaera, Exodus 6:2-9:35 Torah is warning synagogues about misplaced priorities. The Kotel was a pleasure to visit and immerse myself And the doubling of the missing yuds, so striking in their in prayer. At least on Shabbat, no one would interrupt absence, spells a name often referring to God. my davening and deep meditation by tapping me on How often God Himself is missing from synagogues. the shoulder in the middle of prayer with requests for There is no room left for Him, for He is crowded out by tzedakah. They say tzedakah saves from death, but so the massive ego heaps and materialism run amok. So does prayer, so each has their place. what this is really teaching us is that when the spiritual The Kotel is not a fancy building. It is just stone. is missing, from out of a heightened and disproportionate Ancient stone. Stones below and stones above. focus on the material, a foul temper then rules the day. Stones everywhere. Stone is eternal. Hashem is eternal. The purpose of the synagogue is similar to the pur- The Earth was first stone before there was vegetation pose of the land of Israel: to be a vessel for the spiritual or animals. Hashem was present before anything else. development of its inhabitants. Ego is to people what In prayer we must set aside our egos and the mate- materialism is to values. Both have their place, but neither rial husks that encase the spirit. Synagogues are like should predominate. Physicality, the physical structure, the stones of the Kotel, physical places that allow our is but to serve spiritual ends. The body is the vessel for spirits to soar and connect to the Divine, only less so. the soul’s manifestation and expression. They vibrate like the stones. Only the intensity varies, Indeed, even America, in its mandate to espouse the according to the intensity of the prayer. freedom and safety of its people, was envisioned by its Many synagogues today find themselves in trouble early Puritan founders to be a New Israel, seeking freedom when they place monetary or materialistic values over of worship to escape the spiritual bondage of the Church spiritual ones. When education and learning and prayer of England. America was their Promised Land, England enjoy a low priority, apathy and malaise are the bitter was their Egypt, while the oceanic voyage was their fruit. It is a pointless, empty enterprise. Their long-term Exodus, their crossing of the Great Sea. Freedom was assurance is not guaranteed. The synagogue is a meeting but to serve spiritual ends. America is the physical vessel place of prayer and study. This is its core central function, by which the values of freedom, liberty and justice could its raison d’etre. become a beacon of hope for the peoples of the world. A remarkable textual allusion in the parasha offers It behooves us today to take this lesson to heart. Let a rich homiletic support to this idea. As the plague of us ponder its meaning, drawing from the message of our frogs halted, their rotting frog corpses were gathered in timeless Torah. As long as we make God the center of “gigantic heaps, fouling the air with their vile stench.” our lives, seeking to understand the proper path of our (Ex. 8:10) “Vayitzberu otam chamarim chamarim vati- life’s true work, we shall be spiritually free. Only when vash ha’aretz.” we see each other as fellow reflections of the Divine, as Notice that the word for heaps, “chamarim,” in the true brothers and sisters to one another, will we always Hebrew is spelled minus the letter yud, the usual plural be able to count on each other for support. For without indicator. The duplication of the word chamarim serves to that common bond, we are all, one another, merely but call our attention to a deeper understanding of the word, frogs on a heap. in the sense of “CHoMeR,” or materialism. Most tellingly Shabbat shalom.

Seven Continued from page 7 ‹‹ A Jewish woman comforts a distressed child with flooding from Hurricane Harvey reached her door, her autism on an airplane home survived the storm unscathed. But that wasn’t the During a transatlantic flight in July, Rochel Groner case for many of the members of Temple Sinai, where noticed an autistic boy crying and shrieking. The atmo- she works. So Gal-Or wanted to do something to help sphere on the flight grew increasingly tense and she felt those families in need – along with assisting scores of she had to do something. Groner, a Chabad emissary in others who had been affected by recent natural disasters. North Carolina, who with her husband runs two groups “I can’t rebuild their houses,” Gal-Or told JTA. “I don’t for young adults with special needs, approached the child have the money to do much. There was this increasing and comforted him for about two hours. awareness that there was nothing I could do.” “I put out my hand, and he took my hand. It was such Then she realized she could help by collecting a surreal moment, and he just took it, and he stopped mezuzahs, the small scrolls traditionally affixed to crying,” she said. “He kind of just followed me into the the doorposts of Jewish dwellings, and distributing aisle. I walked to the bulkhead, and I sat down and I put them for free to Jewish people in need. She started him in my lap, and I gave him a gentle, but firm, hug and the unofficial organization Door L’Door – a play on I just started to rock him. He calmed down.” the biblical phrase “l’dor v’dor,” which means “from Social media users were touched by the story. Photos generation to generation – raising money and soliciting of Groner holding the boy, along with a post by her hus- donations for mezuzahs, with the goal to dispatch them band detailing the account, received some 6,700 likes to Jews in need. and was shared 1,300 times on Facebook. ‹‹ Supporters raise more than $1 million for an Orthodox ‹‹ In Israel, a monkey and a chicken become best friends fashion designer after her husband suddenly died At the Ramat Gan Safari Park near Tel Aviv, Niv, an Tragedy struck Simi Polonsky, the Orthodox co-found- Indonesian black macaque, was having a bit of trouble er of a modest fashion label, when her husband, Shua, finding a mate. So he got creative. When a chicken wan- died in November from a condition he had contracted only dered into his enclosure, the monkey cozied up to it – and weeks before. To help alleviate her suffering, supporters an inseparable friendship was born. Niv has been hanging quickly came to her aid – and more than 9,000 donors out with the bird on a regular basis, holding it, caressing raised more than $1 million online for Polonsky and her it and sleeping next to it at night. The friendship, which two young children, with a third on the way. was documented in August, appears to be mutual; after Polonsky, who said she will continue working on all, the chicken can easily slip out of the monkey cage, The Frock NYC, wrote on Instagram that the support but chooses to stay. While 2017 wasn’t a year for forging helped her go on. “I know no one will be able to heal lasting peace between Israel and its neighbors, at least my broken heart, but at the times when I feel like I this pair found a way to put their differences aside and just cannot keep my arms raised any longer, your love live in harmony. and support are the rocks that hold them for me,” she ‹‹ After surviving Hurricane Harvey, woman distributes wrote. “My mind boggles, when I think about the un- mezuzahs to people in need stoppable love that ushers unto my family on a minute Houston resident Chava Gal-Or was lucky: Though to minute basis.” JANUARY 11, 2018 ■ THE REPORTER 9

Extremists Continued from page 1 Volya party entered parliament for the Merkel, who took the lead in welcoming Jews and others.” first time in elections that also saw the the immigrants. “Strategically she did the Fears of Muslim immigration this year successor to the Bulgarian Communist right thing, but technically she might have were a main theme at one of the largest Party double its voters to become the made a mistake,” Goldschmidt, a frequent nationalist rallies in the recent history of country’s second-largest. critic of Europe’s far right, told JTA. Central Europe: On November 11, some But the real shocker came this spring in Germany’s negative birth rate and 60,000 people attended a march in Warsaw the two rounds of the presidential election growing need for working-age citizens that featured anti-Muslim banners and in France, which is home to both Europe’s “explains why Merkel wanted to open the antisemitic chants. In nearby Hungary, the largest Jewish and Muslim populations. In gates, but short-term it created tremendous rightist government placed the immigration May, France’s National Front achieved its amount of troubles for her, her party and issue squarely at the center of a campaign best electoral result ever when 34 percent moderate forces throughout Europe,” he against the Jewish and pro-immigration bil- of voters cast their votes for the far-right National Front leader Marine Le said. The rise of the far-right Freedom lionaire George Soros, which some critics candidate Marine Le Pen in the presiden- Pen addressed activists at the Espace Party to power in Austria “is a backlash said had antisemitic overtones. tial election won by Emmanuel Macron. Francois Mitterrand in Henin Beaumont, against Merkel’s policy,” Goldschmidt Fear of Russian expansionism under In the first round in April, 19 percent France, on April 23. (Photo by Jeff J said. He said it has gained strength amid President Vladimir Putin is further ex- of voters chose Jean-Luc Melenchon, a Mitchell/Getty Images) growing fears of Islamist attacks in Europe acerbating the ultranationalist problem far-left candidate and communist activist and tensions connected to failures in the in countries with bitter memories of life who is calling for rewriting the constitution problem. In France, the National Front integration of second- and third-genera- under Russia’s rule, Dominique Reynié, and a “redistribution of wealth.” Like Le is believed to enjoy the backing of 13.5 tion Muslim immigrants. a political science professor and founder Pen, Melenchon also seeks to take France percent of Jewish voters. The party was Meanwhile, Goldschmidt added, the is- of the Paris-based Fondapol think tank, out of the European Union and has been thought to have had few Jewish supporters sue is taxing the already uneasy relationship noted at the CRIF event. But that threat, accused of fomenting racist hatred against before Le Pen took over the party from her between the western and eastern compo- along with radical Islam, is also having Jews. The CRIF umbrella group of French father, the avowed antisemite Jean-Marie nents of the European Union. Hungary, Po- therapeutic effects on the ailing European Jews branded him “just as bad” as Le Pen Le Pen, in a bid to rehabilitate its image. land, the Czech Republic and Croatia have Union and may be key to its survival, last year. In the Netherlands, Party of Freedom moved to close their borders to newcomers Reynié added. Like nearly all of Europe’s far-right leader Geert Wilders polled 10 percent in open defiance of Brussels’ decision to “For the first time in decades, the Eu- and anti-Muslim parties, the National among Jewish voters despite his party’s welcome them. And this, Goldschmidt said, ropean Union has enemies in Putin and Front has formally distanced itself from support for a ban on the ritual slaughter is bad news “for the European Union, which jihadism,” Reynié said. And while those supporters and members who espouse of animals and his 2014 promise to make is the best guarantee for the continuation threats come with serious complications, antisemitism. But such declarations were sure the Netherlands has “fewer Moroc- of the most tolerant environment that has she said, “they are also pillars for a dis- generally met with suspicion by Jewish cans” – language that many Jews found existed in centuries on the continent toward united European Union to rally around.” community leaders. racist and offensive. In France, where wartime collabora- Bruckner spoke of the French elections tion with the Nazis is still the subject of as “a warning sign in which extremists SCRANTON acrimonious debate, the gains of the far came closer than ever before after World right and far left were widely seen as signs War II to ruling France.” of the breaching of conventions held in “We’re seeing a breakdown of conven- HEBREW DAY SCHOOL’S place after World War II and the growing tional politics,” he said. “Half of the French polarization in society. population wants out of the European “We got lucky with Macron,” Pascal Union and they almost had their way.” Bruckner, a well-known French philos- Many blame the revival of far-right Illuminations opher who has written extensively on parties in countries where bitter memories antisemitism, said during a panel discus- of Nazism had kept such movements at bay sion about populism at the December 10 on leaders who admitted into the European CRIF annual conference in Paris. “But Union at least two million refugees from this might not be the case next time, with the Middle East since 2015. Chinese Auction potentially destructive consequences for Pinchas Goldschmidt, the president GALA PRIZE EXTRAVAGANZA France and Europe.” of the European Conference of Rabbis, To some observers, the growing popu- said the far-right renaissance in Europe Sunday, January 14 • 6pm larity of the far right even among European “is a counter-reaction” to the pro-refugee Jews is indicative of the scope of the policies of German Chancellor Angela POSH@The Scranton Club 404 N. Washington Ave., Scranton Bais Continued from page 3 seventh night of Chanukah at the home her late mother-in-law’s grandmother, The evening will feature individual of Rabbi Mayer and Esther Elefant. All who lived in Poland in a small village. drawings for fabulous prizes including students, mothers, sisters and board mem- Her house was on top of a mountain. bers were invited to partake of a Chanukah She would always light Shabbat candles 2 domestic airline tickets, silver Judaica, dinner (including latkes, of course). Guest five minutes early. Since she was on diamond jewelry, a handwritten Megillah and speaker Rabbi Mayer Elefant spoke about top of the hill, the people in the village the nes (miracle) of Chanukah and its below would see her Shabbat candles. case and gift cards to Target, Amazon, etc. A deep meaning. This signaled to them that it was candle dairy buffet and dessert will be served. Deborah Fink, former parent and lighting time. The desire to bring in the current board member, spoke about kedushah (holiness) of Shabbat carried Admission is $18 per person, $30 per couple. a project she is presently involved in on through her generations of offspring, Special early bird prize packages are available. called “Making Chatzos” – being ready who are shomrei Torah mitzvot and to greet Shabbat by “chatzos,” or mid- say they have a particular love for the For further info or to receive a prize brochure day. She offered her insights and tips mitzvah of Shabbat. please call the school office, 570-346-1576. on how to greet Shabbat properly, she The evening concluded with a Cha- also shared a story about Tobi Finks, nukah game. All proceeds benefit the school’s scholarship fund. Save the Dates... (Spring will be here before we know it!) Sunday, April 15 Wednesday, May 16 Sunday, June 3 The Jewish Federation The Jewish Federation Celebrate and the Scranton JCC of NEPA Trip to the Israel invite you to celebrate Museum of the 70th birthday of the Jewish Heritage, Parade, State of Israel NYC NYC ÊCheck out the Federation’s new, updated website at www.jewishnepa.org or find it on Facebook 10 THE REPORTER ■ JANUARY 11, 2018 A 25-year-old Jewish guy plays SpongeBob on Broadway BY CURT SCHLEIER involves hypnotizing everyone in town. NEW YORK (JTA) – There’s a new star The community rallies against Sandy, on Broadway and his name is – wait for it soon sporting “Mammals Go Home” – SpongeBob SquarePants. “SpongeBob signs. And while the play wasn’t intended SquarePants: The Musical” opened earlier At left, l-r: Danny Skinner as a political statement, as it has developed in December to “rapturous reviews.” And as Patrick Star and Ethan over the years and the political situation no one collected higher praise than the Slater as SpongeBob in the U.S. has changed, the anti-science, title character, played by Ethan Slater, a SquarePants perform in anti-almost-everyone aspect obviously graduate of Ramah summer camps. “SpongeBob SquarePants: took on new (and adult-like) resonance. For those unfamiliar with Nickelode- The Broadway Musical.” Potentially dark undertones aside, Slat- on’s long-running animated kids’ show, (Photo by Joan Marcus) er considers himself an optimist – and said SpongeBob is – spoiler alert! – a sea he’s become one even more since since his sponge who lives in a pineapple in the involvement with the production began. undersea community of Bikini Bottom. An “I’ve grown to be more like the character eternal optimist, he’s a cook at the Krusty in the sense that every day when I wake Krab (Eugene Krabs, proprietor) and has rat, but stayed on until I was 16,” he said. of “Lion King” dancing in their heads, up, I feel I’m happy and it’s going to be a host of friends, including a starfish (Pat- Like many Jewish camps, arts and they were mindful that not all animated the best day of my life,” he said. rick Star), a squirrel (Sandy Cheeks) and music are considered major parts of the shows-turned-musicals become hits. “I think I’m a little less naive than a squid (Squidward Q. Tentacles). Also Ramah experience. But perhaps there is (Does the name “Spider-Man” ring a bell?) SpongeBob can sometimes seem to be,” in town: the less-than-virtuous Plankton something unique to Ramah’s programs The show’s casting director saw some- he added, “but I would also say I appre- (real name Sheldon). – two other Broadway stars are alumni thing he liked in Slater and called him two ciate the similarities more than I do the “SpongeBob SquarePants: The Musi- of the Conservative camping network. weeks later about an opportunity – without differences.” cal” has been called “a genuinely fasci- Ben Platt recently completed his Tony disclosing what it was. “From the sides nating confection that will warm and win Award-winning run in “Dear Evan Han- [pages] and scenes he sent me, it became the hearts of, well, anyone with a heart.” sen,” which also won the Tony for best clear that it was SpongeBob,” Slater said. At its center is Slater, 25, who has been musical, and Cassie Levy will play Elsa “I didn’t watch the show much,” Slater involved in the production for five years. in the Broadway adaptation of “Frozen” admitted. “I grew up without cable, so His story is instructive in the way Broad- that opens in March. I didn’t have a lot of memories. I first way musicals work today – as well as the For his part, Slater started acting and watched it at my bubbe’s house.” Shalom Hartman roles that both fate and family can play in singing as a kid, and never really had a Fortunately, thanks to grandma, Slater’s Institute webinar shaping one’s career path. Plan B. “I know that my father was a little peripheral knowledge of Bikini Bottom The Shalom Hartman Institute Slater grew up in a Conservative Jewish nervous about me pursuing a career in and its denizens helped convince Landau will hold a webinar as part of the Created household in suburban Washington, DC. the arts,” he said. “It was actually at his that he was her ideal SpongeBob. “At the Equal Project on Wednesday, January 24, His father, Jay, is a doctor who works for suggestion that I go to a liberal arts college time there was no script, no music,” he at noon Eastern time, 9 am Pacific time the Federal Drug Administration and his as opposed to an [acting] conservatory.” said. “We were just messing with these and 7 pm in Israel. Elana Stein Hain will stepmom, Ellen Goldmuntz, works for the And, yes, he took a number of political characters to see if can make them fun.” speak on “On the Jewish Canon and Male National Institutes of Health. The family science courses, just in case there was There were a series of workshops, held Privilege.” belonged to Ohr Kodesh, the Conservative law school in his future. But that never over summer and winter breaks, so as not to Webinars are streamed live on the Sha- synagogue in Silver Springs, MD, where happened. Instead, as a sophomore at interfere with Slater’s studies. Slater was lom Hartman website and on Facebook. Slater had his bar mitzvah. Vassar College, Slater auditioned for a about two years into the project when he An e-mail reminder with viewing instruc- He attended the Charles E. Smith Jew- show – one that was decidedly not about was was told “if the show moved forward, tions and links is sent one day prior to the ish Day School through middle school, and a sea creature. I was the guy – which was a relief,” he webinar. Created Equal: Men, Women while he attended a secular high school, However, “it just so happened the au- said. “Of course, there was no guarantee and the Ethics of Shared Leadership is Slater continued to take classes at Shoresh dition was being run by the same casting we were going to move forward. The a research project that seeks to address Hebrew High, affiliated with Ohr Kodesh director who was working on what was only reason to bring it to Broadway was persistent inequities around gender, race and co-founded by his dad. then called ‘The Untitled Tina Landau if it was something new and innovative and class by considering how Jewish ideas Asked how his Jewish upbringing Project,’” Slater explained. theatrically, not to do it just to do it.” and experience can inform the struggle to impacted his career, Slater said it has Landau, an accomplished theater It was a sentiment Nickelodeon heartily pursue the ethical. informed “every aspect” of his life – in- director, had already been working on endorsed: If the network was going to For more information, visit Shalom- cluding his childhood summers. a SpongeBob project for five years – invest a reported $20 million or so, the hartman.org/createdequal. Slater attended Camp Ramah in New during that time, the cost of opening a show needed to be perfect. The team England because his dad was the camp show on Broadway has skyrocketed. And made a number of fortuitous choices, Fashioning Jewish dress doctor. “I went there originally as a staff while Nickelodeon execs had visions such as having the actors project their The Jewish Museum in New York City characters’ essences and not simply copy will hold the exhibit “Veiled Meanings: their cartoon counterparts. “I didn’t want Fashioning Jewish Dress, from the Col- to be doing an impression,” Slater said. lection of The Israel Museum, Jerusalem” “It was important to me and Tina that we until March 18. The exhibit showcases weren’t just copying.” more than 100 articles of clothing from the So instead of wearing a boxy yellow 18th to 20th centuries, arranged as complete costume, Slater dresses in colorful plaid ensembles or shown as stand-alone items. slacks and a bright checkered yellow shirt. The array of apparel from more than 20 He retains SpongeBob’s walk – more a countries on four continents offers an op- sashay, really – which is greeted by cheers portunity for American audiences to view from the audience as he crosses the stage many facets of Jewish identity and culture the first time. through rarely seen garments. The show’s plot crosses age lines. At The range of textile designs and clothing its simplest, a volcano threatens to engulf in the exhibition illuminates the story of how Bikini Bottom. Sandy the squirrel comes diverse global cultures have thrived, inter- up with an innovative (and scientific) way acted and inspired each other for centuries. to vent the volcano, but it is rejected by For more information, visit http://jewishmu- the community in favor of a simpler, but seum.org/exhibitions or contact the museum fake, solution offered by Plankton, which at [email protected] or 212-423-3200.

ewish Federa the J tion on ’s e To get Federation updates via email, u ma yo il re lis A t? rregister on our website We send updated announcements and special event details weekly to those who wish to receive them. www.jewishnepa.org

Send Dassy Ganz an email if you would like to join the list. [email protected] Pledge or Donate online at www.jewishnepa.org/donate JANUARY 11, 2018 ■ THE REPORTER 11 Everyone on Google was searching for Gal Gadot in 2017 BY BEN SALES Worldwide, Gadot ranked (JTA) – Is Gal Gadot the below disgraced “Today” host most famous Israeli ever? Matt Lauer (#1); American Judging by 2017’s top actress-turned-British princess Google searches, the answer bride Meghan Markle (#2) might be yes. Gadot was the and, surprisingly, Nadia Toffa sixth-most searched person (#3), an Italian TV presenter worldwide, and the third-most who erroneously reported a searched actor. dangerous nuclear experiment The 32-year-old, who was Gal Gadot was the was planned. Still, Gadot came in above born and raised in Israel and sixth most searched served in the Israel Defense first lady Melania Trump (#7) person on Google Forces, starred in two movies as well as Michael Flynn (#9), in 2017. (Photo by this year: her breakout film the former national security “Wonder Woman” and the en- Dia Dipasupil/Getty adviser who pleaded guilty to semble superhero flick “Justice Images) lying to the FBI. League.” The movies were the #2 and #5 But the funniest data point on Gadot most-searched films, respectively. might be one of the top searches related Google didn’t say how many searches to her name: “gal gadot husband shirt.” each term got, but searches for Gadot People typing in that term are probably peaked worldwide the week of June 5, looking for an Instagram post by Gadot’s when “Wonder Woman” premiered in husband, real estate developer Yaron the U.S. There were also spikes the week Versano, in which he’s wearing a shirt after she hosted “Saturday Night Live” in comparing “your wife” (a generic ladies’ October, and the week in November when room symbol) to “my wife” (a drawing “Justice League” had its U.S. premiere. of Wonder Woman). In the photo, Gadot Where is Gadot most popular? Not is sitting next to him with a huge grin on Israel, her home country, nor the United her face. States, where she lives now. She was Gadot isn’t the only Jew to make most popular in the Philippines, where Google’s top 10 lists. Harvey Weinstein, she was the second-most searched person the Hollywood mogul accused of sexual overall. Other southeast Asian countries abuse by 90 women, was number four on also have Gadot-mania: Both Singapore the list of most-searched people. and Malaysia searched for Gadot far more However, despite persistent internet than the average country. So did Puerto rumors – and despite having been photo- Rico and Costa Rica. In the United States, graphed in 2005 wearing a “Chai Main- she barely cracked the top 10, coming in tenance” t-shirt – it bears repeating that at number 10. royal-to-be Meghan Markle is not Jewish.

Jewish Federation of NEPA

Facebook ® is a registered trademark of Facebook, Inc 12 THE REPORTER ■ JANUARY 11, 2018 On the Jewish food scene In the shadow of Wrigley, Chicago’s newest kosher deli pitches cured meats and good deeds BY ELLEN BRAUNSTEIN “We’re telling the story of Jews in America through CHICAGO (JTA) – Baseball gloves and caricatures baseball,” Aeder said. of famous ballplayers adorn the walls of Milt’s Extra Extra Innings branches away from the barbecue fare Innings – no surprise for a deli that’s a short drive from next door by offering fresh meat sandwiches, prepared Wrigley Field, the home of the Chicago Cubs. But look salads and side dishes. The deli, offering catering and closely and the picture becomes a little more unexpected: takeout, is small, seating only 14. The deli fare ranges The memorabilia on the walls celebrate Jewish greats and from soups to schnitzel to whitefish salad and sweet not-so-greats like Sandy Koufax, Philadelphia Athletics potato salad. The workers cure their own meats and sell first baseman Lou Limmer, and the catcher and some- them in vacuum-sealed pouches. A Shabbat menu offers times spy Moe Berg. And there among the collection of traditional fare like cholent and chicken. bobbleheads, right next to former catcher Brad Ausmus, Extra Innings was a response to customers, general is Moses – that Moses – gripping a set of tablets. manager Stephen Kriesler said. “Our customers appreci- The latest addition to the redevelopment of the ated a kosher restaurant, but wanted more than barbecue,” neighborhoods around Wrigley is a kosher deli that is a he said. “For almost four years we thought about what celebration of Jews and America’s pastime – as well as other foods we could do. Then the restaurant next door a place where Jewish adults with intellectual disabilities left and the space became available.” can find meaningful work experience. Most of the deli workers at Extra Innings are asso- Restaurateur and real estate investor Jeff Aeder recent- ciated with Keshet and its GADOL program – Giving ly opened Milt’s Extra Innings next door to his kosher An exhibit at the Jewish baseball museum at Milt’s Adults Daily Opportunities for Living. They have an Milt’s Barbecue for the Perplexed, which for five years Extra Innings in Chicago. At left is deli worker Zahava intellectual disability, but are high functioning, Kriesler has donated all profits to Jewish causes. Milt’s Extra Auerbach. (Photo by Ellen Braunstein) said. Overseen by a job coach, “They can hold a job, Innings will follow suit, donating all profits to Keshet, learn tasks, be able to communicate with people, and a Jewish agency serving children and adults with intel- Detroit slugger Hank Greenberg’s game-used bat and a help prepare and serve the food,” he said. lectual challenges in the Chicago area. mitt used by Berg. Deli worker Shmuel Emanuel, 24, describes his work The owner of a 5,000-piece collection of Jewish base- “Baseball is a great metaphor for the Jewish ex- as fun. “I like making the sandwiches and working with ball memorabilia, Aeder is showcasing a small fraction perience in America,” Aeder said of his niche Jewish my co-workers,” he said. of artifacts that celebrate 170 Jews who have played in Baseball Museum, where his entire collection lives, for Debbie Harris, Keshet’s director of adult program- the major leagues. A mural timeline on a wall tracks the moment, online. The website includes a quote from ming, said, “We are excited to bring together people the history of Jews in the sport from 1860 until today. author Jonathan Eig saying that in baseball, like Judaism, of all abilities to work side by side and create a new Among the framed collectibles near the deli counter members of a “tribe... pass along a collective sense of community. Most of all, we are grateful to Jeff for his are a jersey worn by Koufax from 1963 (his best year), identity – where we come from and who we are.” incredible vision and are so pleased to be his partner in this new endeavor.” Aeder views the deli as a partnership between the community and the restaurants. “Hiring primarily special needs adults to work in the restaurant, we’ve given them an opportunity to live a fulfilling life,” he said. The neighboring kosher-certified restaurants are not in an P A C E Orthodox Jewish neighborhood, so the clientele is diverse, Perpetual Annual Campaign Endowment Aeder said. “We created something for all of us to be proud of. The success of it is dependent on the community viewing it as their own. And I think that the patrons gain something from the experience of interacting with each other.” Your gift to the Annual Campaign Redevelopment around Wrigley Field includes a new five-story headquarters for the Cubs, a seven-story hotel, DOES A WORLD OF GOOD. a new residential and retail complex, and an annex to Endowing your gift allows you to be there for the the park that will include retail and restaurant space. It doesn’t hurt that the Cubs won the World Series in Jewish community of NEPA forever. 2016 – ending a historic 107-season drought – and made it to the National League Championship Series this year. A Perpetual Annual Campaign Endowment (PACE) is a permanent fund that endows “I’m a huge Cubs fan,” Aeder said, “and being able to your Jewish community Annual Campaign gift as a lasting legacy. A PACE fund will throw that into the equation was great.” continue to make an annual gift in perpetuity on your behalf. To determine the amount you need to endow your entire campaign gift, multiply your current Iraq Continued from page 5 annual gift by 20. projects in Israel. “I am conscious of the fact that most You can fund your PACE by adding the JEWISH FEDERATION OF NORTHEASTERN of my ancestry would have given nearly everything to PENNSYLVANIA to your will, or by making the Federation a beneficiary of your IRA. All live in Israel with an army, parliament, technology and the universities we have now,” says Dangoor. “All my contributions to establish a PACE are tax deductible. ancestors prayed for a return to Israel. When we talk Let your name be remembered as a blessing. about a homeland, I don’t think either Iraq or Britain approaches Israel. Iraq is history and community, Britain Endowments can be created through a variety of vehicles, some of which do not necessitate is refuge and Israel is homeland.” funding during your lifetime yet still provide your estate with considerable tax benefits. They also enable you to perpetuate your commitment to the Annual Campaign in a way that best achieves your own personal financial and estate planning goals.

Examples Of Ways To Fund Your Pace Gift Are: * outright contribution of cash, appreciated securities or other long-term * capital gain property such as real estate * charitable remainder trust * gift of life insurance * charitable lead trust * gift of IRA or pension plan assets * grant from your foundation * reserved life estate in your residence * bequest Using appreciated property, such as securities or real estate, affords you the opportunity to eliminate the income tax on the long-term capital gain, will in some instances generate a full income tax charitable deduction and will remove those assets from your estate for estate tax purposes.

For more information contact Mark Silverberg at [email protected] or call 570-961-2300, ext. 1. JANUARY 11, 2018 ■ THE REPORTER 13 On the Jewish food scene Two Jews, three za’atar recipes: reflecting on the diversity and rising popularity of Israeli cuisine BY ELIANA RUDEE Yet according to the director, the film still – even among the most secular Israelis. JNS seeks to educate the masses who are largely Jewish dietary laws, such as not When film director and producer Roger “clueless” about Israel – including Sherman mixing milk and meat as well as not Sherman referred to Israel as one of the himself, who describes himself as “naive” on cooking during Shabbat, seep through “hottest food scenes in the world,” his that topic before visiting the Jewish state to the culture and into the food. “Shabbat colleagues laughed. It was at that moment shoot the film. “While I don’t consider this is very important to the Jewish cuisine, that Sherman knew he had discovered a to be a historical film, we do tie together the because when people [assimilated into] subject for a successful film. historical aspects of immigration, how poor the Diaspora, what made them different Sherman’s documentary, “In Search the country was, and how cuisine started and from their neighbors were the Shabbat of Israeli Cuisine,” featuring world-re- developed,” Sherman tells JNS. and the kosher laws. Because they had nowned chef and restaurateur Michael “We don’t get the full picture from to preserve the Shabbat, not to light fire Chef and restaurateur Michael Solomonov Solomonov, has played in 38 theaters the [United] States, only the bad picture and all kinds of religious regulations, they with a tray of bourekas. (Photo courtesy across the U.S. and more than 150 around and bad news,” he says. “So it came as developed a lot of dishes,” says culinary of “In Search of Israeli Cuisine”) the world on the film festival circuit. The a surprise to me when I found out about journalist Ronit Vered in the film. documentary is now available on Netflix. Israel’s technological advances, agricul- Similarly, Solomonov maintains that local. While being a “locavore” (eating The film’s success is reflected not only in tural advances, and that Israel has some the nuances and fusion of traditions and only local ingredients) has become a fad its ability to reach wide audiences, but also in of the happiest people in the world despite cultures represent the hallmarks of Israeli in the U.S. in recent years, Israelis have showing a side of Israel that very few knew being surrounded by hatred.” food. He specifically notes Israeli spices, been cooking with almost exclusively existed – including Israelis themselves, who Solomonov, who was born in Israel and small dishes and “primitive cooking meth- local ingredients for decades. “It took a turned to Sherman after screenings to admit grew up in Pittsburgh, co-owns and runs ods” such as “al ha-esh” (food cooked while, but eventually, Israelis were saying, that they learned various new things about Zahav, a modern Israeli restaurant in Phil- directly on a flame) that serve to excite ‘Why are we copying other cuisines when their own cuisine and heritage. adelphia. The chef tells JNS he was happy and stimulate the Western palate. we have such amazing fresh vegetables that through the film, he could “personally The result, celebrity chef Yisrael here?’” says Sherman. make a case for Israel, outside of politics.” Aharoni says in the film, is an “amazing, Gradually, Israel’s chefs began to take In Sherman’s estimation, the film con- colorful mosaic” of cultures – as opposed their grandmothers’ traditional family veys a “portrait of the Israeli people, as to a melting pot of cultures – in which recipes, and expanded and innovated on told through food, conflict and all. the 150 cuisines that came to Israel from them with local ingredients. Sherman and “Every chef, whether Druze, Christian, around the world keep their distinct flavors Solomonov believe that process, as well as Palestinian, Arab or Jewish, said, ‘You so that traditions can really shine. the Israeli travel bug, could be behind the cannot be my enemy if you are sitting at For instance, Israeli spice shops often recent worldwide boom of Israeli cuisine. my table,”’ he says. sell 10 different za’atar mixes, each one “Israel is such a small country, but it is Sherman found that Israeli culture was a slight variation based on its origin. “It’s very well-traveled,” says Solomonov. much more rich and modern than he had remarkable that the same dish can be done “Israelis travel everywhere, and with that, Film director Roger Sherman sampled previously thought, and was surprised to 10 different ways,” says Sherman. combined with their entrepreneurial spirit, Israeli cuisine. (Photo courtesy of “In find that Israeli traditions rooted in religion Due to the size of Israel – about the size it was just a matter of time that Israeli food Search of Israeli Cuisine”) have become part of the country’s culture of New Jersey – nearly all ingredients are became globalized.”

Each year at this time the Jewish Federation of Northeastern Pennsylvania calls upon members of our community to assist in defraying the expense of issuing our regional Jewish newspaper, The Reporter. The newspaper is delivered twice of month (except for December and July which are single issue months) to each and every identifiable Jewish home in Northeastern Pennsylvania. As the primary Jewish newspaper of our region, we have tried to produce a quality publication for you that offers our readership something on everything from opinions and columns on controversial issues that affect our people and our times, to publicity for the events of our affiliated agencies and organizations to life cycle events, teen columns, personality profiles, letters to the editor, the Jewish community calendar and other columns that cover everything from food to entertainment. The Federation assumes the financial responsibility for funding the enterprise at a cost of $26,400 per year and asks only that we undertake a small letter writing mail campaign to our recipients in the hope of raising $10,000 from our readership to alleviate a share of that responsibility. We would be grateful if you would care enough to take the time to make a donation for our efforts in bringing The Reporter to your door.

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With best wishes, Mark Silverberg, Executive Director Jewish Federation of NE Pennsylvania 601 Jefferson Avenue Scranton, PA 18510 ÊCheck out the Federation’s new, updated website at www.jewishnepa.org or find it on Facebook 14 THE REPORTER ■ JANUARY 11, 2018

Feature Films Denial - Based on the acclaimed book Denial: Holocaust History on Trial, Denial recounts Deborah E. Lipstadt’s legal battle for historical truth against David Irving (BAFTA nominee Timothy Spall), who accused her of libel when she declared him a Holocaust denier. In the English legal system, in cases of libel, the burden of proof is on the defendant, therefore it was up to Lipstadt and her legal team, led by Richard Rampton, to prove the essential truth that the Holocaust occurred. Denial is directed by Emmy Award winner Mick Jackson (‘Temple Grandin’) and adapted for the screen by BAFTA and Academy Award nominated writer David Hare. Producers are Gary Foster and Russ Krasnoff. Dough - An old Jewish baker (Jonathan Pryce) takes on a young Muslim apprentice to save his failing kosher bakery. When his apprentice’s marijuana stash accidentally falls in the mixing dough, the challah starts flying off the shelves! DOUGH is a warmhearted and humorous story about overcoming prejudice and finding redemption in unexpected places. (Shown at the 2017 UJA campaign opening event) Everything is Illuminated - “Everything is Illuminated” tells the story of a young man’s quest to find the woman who saved his grandfather in a small Ukrainian town that was wiped off the map by the Nazi invasion. What starts out as a journey to piece together one family’s story under absurd circumstances turns into a meaningful journey with a powerful series of revelations -- the importance of remembrance, the perilous nature of secrets, the legacy of the Holocaust, and the meaning of friendship. (Donated by Dr. and Mrs. David Malinov) Europa Europa - Based on the autobiography of Solomon Perel, this movie recounts the severe actions a young boy must take in order to survive the Holocaust. (Donated by Dr. and Mrs. David Malinov) Hidden in Silence - Przemysl, Poland, WWII. Germany emerges victorious over the Russians and the city comes under Nazi control. The Jews are sent to the ghettos. While some stand silent, Catholic teenager, Stefania Podgorska, choose the role of a savior and sneaks 13 Jews into her attic. Munich - Inspired by real events, Munich reveals the intense story of the secret Israeli squad assigned to track down and assassinate the 11 Palestinians believed to have planned the 1972 Munich massacre of 11 Israeli athletes - and the personal toll this mission of revenge takes on the team and the man who led it. Music Box - In this intense courtroom thriller, Chicago attorney Ann Talbot (Jessica Lange) agres to defend her Hungarian immigrant father against accusations of heinous war crimes committed 50 years earlier. Norman - Norman Oppenheimer (Richard Gere) lives a lonely life in the margins of New York City power and money, and strives to be everyone’s friend. His incessant networking leads him nowhere until he ends up befriending a young but charismatic politician, Micha Eshel (Lior Ashkenazi), at a low point in his life. Three years later, the politician becomes the Prime Minister of Israel. Norman uses Eshel’s name to leverage his biggest deal ever: a series of quid pro quo transactions linking the Prime Minister to Norman’s nephew (Michael Sheen), a rabbi (Steve Buscemi), a mogul (Harris Yulin), his assistant (Dan Stevens) and a treasury official from the Ivory Coast. Norman’s plans soon go awry, creating the potential for an international catastrophe he must struggle to prevent. Norman: The Moderate Rise and Tragic Fall of a New York Fixer is a comedic and compassionate drama of a man whose downfall is rooted in a human frailty all too easy to forgive—a need to matter. Remember - With the aid of a fellow Auschwitz survivor and a hand-written letter, an elderly man with demntia goes in search of the person responsible for the death of his family. (shown at the 2017 UJA campaign opening event) Son of Saul - October 1944, Auschwitz-Birkenau. Saul (Géza Röhrig) is a Hungarian member of the Sonderkommando, the group of Jewish prisoners forced to assist the Nazis. While working, Saul discovers the body of a boy he takes for his son. As the Sonderkommando plans a rebellion, Saul decides to carry out an impossible task: save the child’s body, find a rabbi to recite the mourner’s Kaddish and offer the boy a proper burial.(shown at the 2017 UJA campaign opening event) The Book Thief - THE BOOK THIEF tells the inspirational story of a spirited and courageous young girl who transforms the lives of everyone around her when she is sent to live with a new family in World War II Germany. The Jolson Story - THE JOLSON STORY is classic Hollywood biography at its best; a fast-paced, tune-filled extravaganza following the meteoric rise of legendary performer Al Jolson. THE JOLSON STORY was nominated for six 1946 Academy Awards , winning two, (Best Musical Scoring and Best Sound Recording). The Other Son - As he is preparing to join the Israeli army for his national service, Joseph discovers he is not his parents’ biological son and that he was inadvertently switched at birth with Yacine, the son of a Palestinian family from the West Bank. This revelation turns the lives of these two families upside- down, forcing them to reassess their respective identities, their values and beliefs. The Zookeeper’s Wife - In 1939 Poland, Antonina Zabinska (two-time Academy Award nominee Jessica Chastain) and her husband successfully run the Warsaw Zoo and raise their family in an idyllic existence. Their world is overturned, however, when the country is invaded by the Nazis and they are forced to report to the Reich’s newly appointed zoologist (Daniel Brühl). To fight back on their own terms, the Zabinskis risk everything by covertly working with the Resistance and using the zoo’s hidden tunnels and cages to save families from Nazi brutality. Woman in Gold - Based on the true story of Maria Altman, played by Helen Mirren, who sought to regain a world famous painting of her aunt plundered by the Nazis during World War II. She did so not just to regain what was rightfully hers but also to obtain some measure of justice for the death, destruction and massive art theft perpetrated by the Nazis. (Donated by Dr. and Mrs. David Malinov) Non-Feature Films Above and Beyond - In 1948, just three years after the liberation of Nazi death camps, a ragtag group of skilled American pilots - both Jewish and non-Jewish, answered a call for help. In secret and at great personal risk, they smuggled planes out of the U.S., trained behind the Iron Curtain and flew for Israel in its War of Independence. This band of brothers not only turned the tide of the war, they also embarked on personal journeys of discovery and pride. (Shown at the 2016 UJA campaign opening event) Everything is a Present: The Wonder and Grace of Alice Sommer Hertz - This is the uplifting true story of the gifted pianist Alice Sommer Hertz who survived the Theresienstat concentration camp by playing classical piano concerts for Nazi dignitaries. Alice Sommer Hertz lived to the age of 106. Her story is an inspiration. Follow Me: The Yoni Netanyahu Story - Yoni Netanyahu was a complex, passionate individual thrust into defending his country in a time of war and violence. The older brother of Benjamin Natanyahu, the current Israel Prime Minister, Yoni led the miraculous raid on Entebbe in 1976. Although almost all of the Entebbe hostages were saved, Yoni was the lone military fatality. Featuring three Israeli Prime Ministers and recently released audio from the Entebbe raid itself. Hava Nagila (The Movie) - A documentary romp through the history, mystery and meaning of the great Jewish standard. Featuring interviews with Harry Belafonte, Leonard Nimoy and more, the film follows the ubiquitous party song on its fascinating journey from the shtetls of Eastern Europe to the kibbutzim of Palestine to the cul-de-sacs of America. If These Knishes Could Talk tells the story of the New York accent: what it is, how it’s evolved, and the love/hate relationship New Yorkers have with it. It features writer Pete Hamill, director Penny Marshall, attorney Alan Dershowitz and screenwriter James McBride, along with a cast of characters from Canarsie to Tottenville. In between, it explores why New Yorkers eat chawclate and drink cawfee, and how the accent became the vibrant soundtrack of a charming, unforgiving and enduring city. Israel: The Royal Tour - Travel editor Peter Greenberg (CBS News) takes us on magnificent tour of the Jewish homeland, Israel. The tour guide is none other than Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The viewer gets a chance to visit the land of Israel from his own home! Jews and Baseball: An American Love Story (narrated by Dustin Hoffman)- This documentary portrays the contributions of Jewish major leaguers and the special meaning that baseball has had in the lives of American Jews. More than a film about sports, this is a story of immigration, assimilation, bigotry, heroism, the passing on of traditions, the shattering of stereotypes and, most of all, the greatest American pastime. Nicky’s Family - An enthralling documentary that artfully tells the story of how Sir Nicholas Winton, now 104, a British stockbroker, gave up a 1938 skiing holiday to answer a friend’s request for help in Prague and didn’t stop helping until the war’s beginning stopped him. He had saved the lives of 669 children in his own personal Kindertransport. The Case for Israel - Democracy’s Outpost - This documentary presents a vigorous case for Israel- for its basic right to exist, to protect its citizens from terrorism, and to defend its borders from hostile enemies. The Israel Course - A 7-part Israel education series that sheds light on the Holy Land through the ages. Featuring biblical scholars and Middle East experts, including Harvard professor Alan Dershowitz, Emeritus Chief Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks, Ambassador Dore Gold, Princeton professor Bernard Lewis and many others. The Life and Times of Hank Greenberg - As baseball’s first Jewish star, Hammerin’ Hank Greenberg’s career contains all the makings of a true American success story. Unmasked: Judaophobia - the Threat to Civilization – This documentary exposes the current political assault against the State of Israel fundamentally as a war against the Jewish people and their right to self-determination. JANUARY 11, 2018 ■ THE REPORTER 15 NEWS IN BRIEF From JNS.org order to consult with their rabbis about the legislation. While Jewish law technically Terror fights terror: Islamic State declares war on Hamas allows for the death penalty, the standard for carrying out the punishment is nearly impossible. Opposition leader MK Isaac Herzog (Zionist Union) also opposed the in bloody execution video bill. “This is only about political considerations. The ministers need to ask: How will The Islamic State affiliate in Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula has called for attacks on this help Israeli security? Will it deter? What will it do to our Jewish brothers in Arab the Palestinian terror group Hamas in a gruesome execution video posted online. countries? Analyze the psychology of those who commit acts of terrorism,” Herzog In the video – published by the SITE Intelligence Group, which monitors Islamic said. Israel has only carried out the death penalty twice since the establishment of extremism online – a man who is accused as being a Hamas collaborator is executed the state in 1948. Meir Tobianski, who was accused of treason during Israel’s War of by Islamic State’s Sinai branch. “[Hamas] uses its smuggled weapons to empower Independence, was executed by a firing squad in 1948; he was posthumously exoner- that which was not revealed by God. It also fights supporters of the Islamic State in ated. In 1961, an Israeli civilian court sentenced former Nazi leader Adolf Eichmann Gaza and the Sinai and prevents the migration of these supporters from Gaza to the to death by hanging and he was executed in 1962. Sinai,” states an Islamic State terrorist in the video. “Never surrender to them. Use Israeli exports for 2017 expected to pass $100 billion explosives, silenced pistols and sticky bombs. Bomb their courts and their security (Israel Hayom/Exclusive to JNS) – Israel’s annual exports of goods and services locations, for these are the pillars of tyranny that prop up its throne,” the terrorist adds. are expected to exceed $100 billion for the first time when the final figures for 2017 The animosity between the two terror groups likely stems from Hamas’ crackdown come in, according to a preliminary report by the Israel Export and International on Gaza-based Salafi extremist groups that are tied to Islamic State. Salafi groups Cooperation Institute as well as the country’s Economy and Industry Ministry. The in Gaza have criticized Hamas for not being extreme enough and not sufficiently preliminary report stated that the exports of goods and services, excluding start-up focusing on Islam. The Salafi groups have launched rockets at Israel without coordi- technology and diamonds, increased to $92 billion in 2017, up 6 percent from 2016. nating with Hamas, while Israel holds Hamas – which rules Gaza – responsible for Industrial exports, which comprise 85 percent of goods exported by Israel, rose 3 all attacks emanating from the coastal territory. The Sinai has become increasingly percent in 2017 to a total of $45 billion. Diamond exports for 2017 are expected to dangerous and lawless in recent years, with many large-scale attacks being carried total $7 billion, a decrease of 7 percent from 2016, while agricultural exports are out by Islamic State-affiliated terrorists against Egyptian security forces as well as expected to reach $1.2 billion, a 2-percent increase. According to the report, Israeli civilians, especially Egyptian Christians. In order to curry favor with Egypt, Hamas exports to the European Union increased by 20 percent in 2017. There was also a has beefed up security along its border with the Arab country as part of a crackdown 7-percent increase in exports of high-tech services. A total of 243 companies received on Islamic State terrorists. assistance from Israel’s Economy and Industry Ministry in 2017, compared to 129 Despite rift, Israel and Palestinian Authority maintain in 2016. “Israeli exports have great importance to the economy. They are the engine coordination against Iran that drives economic growth and the main source of steady employment,” Economy and Industry Minister Eli Cohen said on Jan. 2. (Israel Hayom/Exclusive to JNS) – Despite the ongoing political rift between Israel and the Palestinian Authority, they have maintained security coordination – much of Palestinian teen seen slapping Israeli soldier in viral video it covert – in an effort to keep Iran from expanding its reach to the West Bank and is charged with assault the Gaza Strip through the assistance of pro-Iranian elements in those areas. A senior Ahed Tamimi, the 17-year-old Palestinian (some reports say she is 16, others 18) representative from P.A. President Mahmoud Abbas’s office told Israel Hayom that who was arrested for slapping and kicking an Israeli soldier, was indicted on Jan. 1 in many Palestinian leaders are angry with the head of Iran’s elite Quds Force, Maj. Gen. a military court. The court indicted Tamimi on several counts, including aggravated Qasem Soleimani. Officials in Ramallah say Soleimani’s recent pledge that Iran would assault, obstructing a soldier in the performance of his duty and throwing stones at provide Palestinian factions with funding and weapons poses a risk to Palestinian na- troops. “Tamimi threw stones at [the soldiers], threatened them, obstructed their ability tional security as well as the stability of the current Palestinian leadership. Palestinian to fulfill their duty, took part in riots and incited others to take part in them,” the IDF officials say Iran’s meddling must therefore be stopped at any price, including through said. In Dcember, a video of Tamimi went viral after she was filmed outside of her increased security cooperation with Israel. A senior Palestinian security official said home pushing, kicking and slapping Israeli soldiers, who maintained their compo- that Palestinian security forces recently carried out a number of arrests of pro-Iranian sure and did not retaliate. The footage of Tamimi, who has been hailed in Palestinian elements -- mainly from the Islamic Jihad terror organization in the northern West activist circles as an icon, sparked a debate in Israel about the soldiers’ refusal to act. Bank, but also of Hamas members in Hebron and the Ramallah area. But the IDF praised the soldiers’ restraint in the face of the provocations. Israeli lawmakers approve preliminary bill on death penalty for terrorists Israeli lawmakers on Jan. 3 approved a preliminary piece of legislation easing the threshold for military courts to carry out executions of convicted terrorists. The bill was approved in a 52-49 vote in its preliminary reading by the Knesset. Currently, Gifting Stock military courts have the power to carry out executions only if a panel of three military judges passes a sentence unanimously. The new bill would lower that requirement to a majority verdict. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he supports the Form death penalty in “extreme situations,” pointing to the July 2017 Halamish terror attack, in which three members of an Israeli family were fatally stabbed by a Palestinian Gifting stock to a charitable 501©(3) organization terrorist as they gathered around the table for a festive Shabbat meal. “I’ve seen some is a great way to make a donation. shocking things in my life, but I was shocked,” Netanyahu said regarding that attack. “There are extreme cases, where people commit terrible crimes and don’t deserve to By gifting stock in which you have a large capital gain, you not live. We’re changing the law for these situations.” The bill was introduced by Mem- only receive the benefit of making a sizable donation, but you ber of Knesset Robert Ilatov (Yisrael Beiteinu), who said lawmakers have a “moral also save the capital gains tax. obligation to the people of Israel. ...When terrorists sitting in Israeli prisons end up going free [in prisoner exchanges], I think the most moral thing is for [terrorists] to Example: get the death penalty,” he said. The bill sharply divided Netanyahu’s coalition, with Gift: $2,000 haredi parties such as United Torah Judaism asking for the vote to be postponed in (Stock: ABC @ $20 per share - Gift: 100 shares)

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Contact Dassy at (570)961-2300 or [email protected] ÊCheck out the Federation’s new, updated website at www.jewishnepa.org or find it on Facebook 16 THE REPORTER ■ JANUARY 11, 2018