FREE SPEECH OR OVERT ANTI-SEMITISM? BDS Event at Umass Amherst Faces Strong Pushback
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MAY 2, 2019 – 27 NISSAN 5779 JEWISHVOL 43, NO 20 JOURNALJEWISHJOURNAL.ORG Boston Jews, governor hold vigil for victims of Poway shooting “I locked eyes with this terrorist,” said Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein, who was wounded in the attack. Rabbi who confronted shooter: Photo: Steven A. Rosenberg/Journal Staff “We love you for your faith,” Governor Charlie Baker told the crowd ‘Am Yisrael Chai’ at Sunday’s vigil for the victims of the Poway shooting. By Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein to wash my hands in preparation. By Steven A. Rosenberg you for your faith, we love you Then I heard the very first shot. I instinctively JOURNAL STAFF for the dignity that you bring to I just got out of surgery. It’s not even 24 hours turned around to try to see what was going on and your religion and we love you for since the unthinkable, unfathomable terrorist I locked eyes with this terrorist, this murderer evil BOSTON – A day after a gun- the role you play in your com- attack occurred at Chabad of Poway. It was yes- human being standing there. He was in position man burst into a California syn- munity.” terday, as we were finishing reading of the Torah with the rifle as he turned the rifle on me, and I agogue with a semi-automatic As Baker addressed the for the last day of Passover that I went out to the lifted up my hands to protect my face and he shot a rifle and killed a woman, and crowd, many were still in shock lobby and to go and prepare myself for reading the couple of rounds off taking off my right finger and injured three – including the and learning the details of haftorah that talks about the coming of Moshiach severely damaging my left finger. congregation’s rabbi – Greater the second deadly attack on a [the Messiah]; that gives us our hope for a greater I turned back around and I realized we have an Boston Jewish leaders and state U.S. synagogue in the last six future. active shooting going on. I saw a group of kids in officials gathered at a vigil at months. The shooting occurred After freshening up, I came back to the lobby the banquet hall. I ushered them together and I ran the New England Holocaust at a Chabad synagogue in and our dear friend, Mrs. Lori Kaye – who has outside. My young granddaughter, 4½ years old, Memorial to pay tribute to the Poway, CA. just before the con- been with us since the early nineties – a woman was watching her zeyde [grandfather] bleeding victims of the deadly shooting. gregation was about to begin full of chesed and kindness; her mother recently profusely. I didn’t even realize that I took a tallis, “I know I speak for the people its Yizkor memorial service to died, and she came to me and asked me what wrapped it around my hand, and I shouted as loud of Massachusetts when I say we remember the deceased. Lori time is Yizkor, because she wanted to say Yizkor as I could to get all of the kids away to a neighbor- love you,” said Governor Charlie Gilbert-Kaye, who had planned for her mother. And when I told her Yizkor’s at ing house. Baker, who attended the vigil to attend Yizkor to remember 11:30, I turned around to go to the banquet hall continued on page 24 with his wife Lauren. “We love continued on page 24 FREE SPEECH OR OVERT ANTI-SEMITISM? BDS event at UMass Amherst faces strong pushback By Steven A. Rosenberg help and emergency medical ed the law and its own policies JOURNAL STAFF personnel. The official spon- by sponsoring an anti-Semitic sor is the Northampton-based rally. The judge planned to rule Despite a lawsuit, a letter of Media Education Foundation. on the case on Thursday, May 2. opposition from 80 organiza- But the event raises questions In 2016, UMass Chancellor tions, and protests by students, about the university’s posi- Kumble R. Subbaswamy said in faculty and alumni, UMass tion on academic boycotts and a statement that the “University Amherst is poised to allow a the BDS movement since it is of Massachusetts Amherst is May 4 pro-Boycott, Divestment, also being co-sponsored by opposed to academic boycotts Sanctions movement event at the university’s Department of of any kind.” He reaffirmed that its Fine Arts Center that will fea- Communication, Department last month in a letter to AMCHA ture anti-Israel activists Roger of Women, Gender, Sexuality Initiative, which represents the Waters and Linda Sarsour. Studies, and Resistance Studies 80 organizations that oppose According to UMass Amherst, Initiative UMASS. the May 4 event. The 80 organi- the BDS event, “Not Backing Linda Sarsour and Roger Waters will lead a Boycott, Divestment, Earlier this week, a Suffolk zations range from B’nai B’rith Sanctions panel at UMass Amherst on May 4. Down: Israel, Free Speech, Superior Court judge heard a International to the Simon and the Battle for Palestinian and no university or taxpayer rental fee for the 1,700-seat hall lawsuit brought by students Wiesenthal Center. Human Rights,” is not a uni- funds are being used to sup- will be $5,579, and will cover who alleged that in allowing the In his April 23 letter to versity-sanctioned program, port it. According to UMass, the hall workers, security, custodial event, the university had violat- continued on page 17 The Jewish Journal is a nonprofit newspaper supported by generous readers, committed advertisers and charitable organizations. Email [email protected]. 2 THE JEWISH JOURNAL – JEWISHJOURNAL.ORG – MAY 2, 2019 COMMUNITY NEWS THE JEWISH JOURNAL – JEWISHJOURNAL.ORG – MAY 2, 2019 3 2019 #2 Why EMSculpt_Jewish Journal ad.2.qxp_Layout 1 4/26/19 5:37 PM Page 1 On Independence Day, North Shore Olim celebrate their new home in Israel ASK SUSAN! : Why EMSculpt® instead By Michael Wittner Q of CoolSculpting®? JOURNAL STAFF Are they the same? TEL AVIV – One of the many A: The short answer is NO, things Israelis will celebrate on Yom Ha’atzmaut Independence they are not the same. Day, May 9 – is the fact there is While both treatments are FDA approved, CoolSculpting® now a place that Jews from all is known to only reduce fat, and is not without pain and corners of the world can make their home. In Tel Aviv, a group side eects. EMSculpt® is the of young North Shore Jews are only treatment that reduces proof of this vision’s success. fat while building muscle at This group of Olim – (the plu- the same time. 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It’s a very small Jewish and Interfaith Weddings somewhere longing for the she mentioned should not country. It’s never more than 2 opportunity to be able to go to be discounted. First, there is degrees of separation.” All Life Cycle Events Jerusalem, and yesterday I took the application process itself, Daniella Tacheny, a Rowley the bus to Jerusalem like it was which requires several inter- native who moved to Tel Aviv RabbiWiner.com nothing. That’s such an amazing views and documents, includ- in 2016, said that she’s found privilege.” ing proof from a rabbi that the Israelis to be more hospitable Even though Finkel has only applicant is Jewish. Once the than Americans, even to strang- been in Israel a month, her new application is approved and ers. “They’re a bit more willing life is up and running, and she Olim arrive in Israel, more to take people under their wing, credits Israeli society for inte- bureaucracy awaits. take you into their house, invite grating new arrivals so well. “You need to have an [ID you for Shabbat,” she said. “In “As crazy as the bureaucracy card], and in order to get an [ID general, people really empa- is, it’s miraculous to me that card] you need a cell phone so thize with immigrants.” [email protected] 508-877-9900 as an immigrant, I’ve been that they can text you when the The Olim report having a mix- here for a month, and I have [card] is at the post office so you ture of friends that are Israelis health insurance, I have a bank can go pick it up,” said Finkel. and expats. Some, like Sokolow account, I get money from the “But you can’t get a cell phone continued on page 20 government, I get ulpan,” she unless you have an Israeli credit said.