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NOVEMBER 16, 2017 – 27 CHESHVAN, 5778 VOL 42, NO 7 JEWISHJOURNAL.ORG Anti-Semitic incidents surge across New England in 2017 By Penny Schwartz tion, or ethnicity. In 2016, there were JOURNAL CORRESPONDENT 6,121 reported hate crimes, compared to the 5,850 reported in 2015. BOSTON – In a year marked by a Race-based crimes directed against steep rise in anti-Semitic incidents African Americans continue to be the across New England, 26 communi- highest, accounting for more than 50 ties north of Boston did not escape the percent. Religious-based hate crimes are surge of vandalism and harassment that the next highest, with those directed at riled residents from Marblehead and Jews and Jewish institutions accounting Swampscott, to Peabody, North Andover, for 53 percent of that category. Crimes Reading, Melrose and more. targeting Muslims rose the sharpest, up In the first three quarters of the year, by 19 percent from 2015 to 2016. Those there were 132 anti-Semitic incidents directed at the LGBTQ community were in New England – a 32 percent increase third highest. over the same period in 2016, includ- “The divisive political climate com- ing vandalism, harassment and threats bined with technology are contributing against Jewish institutions, according to to the increase,” said the ADL’s Trestan, the Anti Defamation League. when asked about the rise in anti Semitic Massachusetts, with 117 of the region’s incidents in Massachusetts and the FBI’s incidents, ranked third highest across latest figures. the country, according to the ADL’s Audit “We cannot ignore the correlation of Anti-Semitic Incidents, published on Anti-Semitic and racist grafitti was spray-painted on the sea wall at Marblehead’s between the ‘Muslim ban’ and a 19 per- Devereux Beach over the Fourth of July weekend. Nov. 2. A breakdown of the incidents in cent increase in hate crimes [that] tar- the state was provided to the Journal tion of hate crimes and the support of nity advocacy group. geted Muslims,” he wrote in an email. from the ADL’s New England regional victims, according to the governor’s Kraft, president of the New England “Since most hate incidents don’t rise to office. office. Patriots Charitable Foundation, said that the level of a crime, the FBI report is a As the ADL released its audit, Gov. At the State House ceremony, Baker while the group is not yet off the ground, reminder that people continue to experi- Charlie Baker re-established the swore in the 17-member task force co- he is enthusiastic about its diversity as ence bigotry every day.” Governor’s Task Force on Hate Crimes, chaired by Secretary of Public Safety and an asset to combat the challenge of hate The ADL cautions that the FBI’s data signing an executive order at a Nov. 6 Security Daniel Bennett, and Josh Kraft, crimes. collection is based on voluntary report- State House ceremony. president of the Boys and Girls Clubs of In related news, hate crimes across the ing from police departments, leading “Our administration is committed to Boston. country rose by nearly 5 percent, the sec- to perennial underreporting of these making Massachusetts a safe and wel- The task force also includes Robert ond increase in as many years, according crimes and is working with other groups coming place with zero-tolerance for Trestan, ADL New England regional to the Federal Bureau of Investigation. to press for changes to improve informa- hate or violence,” Baker said in a state- director and, from north of Boston, Ana On Tuesday, the FBI released its annual tion gathering. ment. The advisory group will take up M. Javier, president of the Merrimack report that collects data on hate crimes the prevalence; deterrence and preven- Valley Project, a Lowell-based commu- based on race, religion, sexual orienta- continued on page 23 Israeli Band of Brothers takes Battle for the ‘pushke’ sobering sojourn to Normandy There’s a new war brewing in Israel, and it’s not on a front you’d expect By Casey Sherman By Lawrence Rifkin to develop the chronically underfunded They stood as a group, 19 strong hud- Galilee and Negev. dled amongst the 9,385 tombstones at the emember the pushke? That little Today, it owns some 13 percent of the American Cemetery in Colleville-sur-Mer, blue-and-white collection box – land in Israel, while about 80 percent France. They are members of the Israeli Rthe older versions of which is state-owned organization Brothers for Life, and on this are now collectors’ items – was and 7 percent day they came to honor the dead; those long the symbol of the Jewish privately owned. Americans that sacrificed their young lives National Fund, which, since its That’s right. on the doorstep of freedom during those founding in 1901, has been seen The JNF still devastating summer months in 1944. by many as the flagship Zionist owns land it pur- These 19 Israeli war veterans under- charity. chased for the stand sacrifice. They have lost their The origi- Zionist endeavor, brothers and parts of themselves – both Letter from nal goal of the and at 13 per- mentally and physically – in the never- JNF, found- cent, that’s a lot ending effort to protect the State of Israel. Jerusalem ed in 1901, of real estate. A Theirs is now a fraternity to which was to pur- great deal of it is no one wants to pledge. From different chase tracts of land in Ottoman- leased out for military units, they have come together to ruled Palestine for settlement by extended peri- form a battalion of 800 men whose mis- early Zionists. This goal continued ods, much sion is to heal each other. Now entering through British Mandate rule and of it to kibbut- its 10th year, Brothers for Life serves as a even after the establishment of the zim and moshavim (which supporting social framework that helps State of Israel, with the organization in recent years have upended general injured soldiers recover and fulfill their gradually branching out to the planting understandings about some of the agri- Israeli war veterans paid their respect at personal and professional goals. of forests, water management, parks, and cultural land they rent from the JNF and Jewish American war graves in France. continued on page 20 other nature projects, as well as helping continued on page 20 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 – NOVEMBER 16, 2017 COMMUNITY NEWS Have a lox and bagel at the ‘Oneg’ Reflections Memory Care: A collaboration Memory Care with such renowned healthcare organizations Excellence ReflectionsasReflections Harvard Medical MemoryMemory School,Care: Care: A BrighamcollaborationA collaboration & MemoryMemory Care Women’s Hospital and McLean Hospital. NOWMemory on the North Care Shore withReflectionswith such such renowned renowned Memory healthcare healthcareCare: A organizationscollaboration organizations ExcellenceExcellence aswithas Harvard Harvard such renownedMedical Medical School, School,healthcare Brigham Brigham organizations & & Excellence as Harvard Medical School, Brigham & NOWNOW on on thethe North ShoreShore Women’sWomen’s Hospital Hospital and and McLean McLean Hospital Hospital. Women’s Hospital and McLean Hospital. NOWThe on Residence the North atShore Vinnin Square ThecombinesThe ResidenceResidence the latest atat TheVinnin Residence Square at Vinninresearch Square with the Vinninfinestcombines care, Square the in latest a combines the latest Photos by Steven A. Rosenberg/Journal Staff combinesresearch with the latestthe Kenny Sorkin presents Dave Kasoff a birthday cake at the “Oneg.” researchwarm, life-affirming with the finest care, in a researchenvironment. with the t’s 11:30 on a Friday morning at the Jewish Community Center of finestwarm, care,life-affirming in a the North Shore health club, and a handful of men move toward finest care, in a Ia round table filled with lox, bagels, cream cheese, and herring. warm,environment. life-affirming “I got to admit the herring is out of this world,” says Harold warm,environment. life-affirming Mindel, a retired banker from Lynn who fills his plate with herring, For more information call us lox, a bagel, onions, tomatoes, and plain cream cheese before return- environment. ing to eat with his friends. at 781-603-0099 Mindel and the 15 other men that arrive late Friday mornings to For more information call us eat, schmooze, and relax call their repast “the Oneg.” Most of the men have been meeting and eating on Fridays since the building Forat 781-603-0099 more informationIndependent, call us Assisted & Memory Care Living opened in Marblehead in the early 1970s. But the tradition goes back For more information call us to the mid-1950s, when old-timers wound their way up the steps of at 781-603-0099 the old JCC in Lynn and held court on Fridays in a locker room on 224 Salem Street, Swampscott, MA at 781-603-0099Independent, Assisted & Memory Care Living the side of the gym. 781-603-0099 | www.residencevinninsquare.com Because so many of the men spend the winter in Florida, the Independent, Assisted & Memory Care Living Oneg is held these days from May through Thanksgiving. If there 224 Salem Street, Swampscott, MA is a leader and a historian in the group, it is Kenny Sorkin, a former 781-603-0099Independent, | Assistedwww.residencevinninsquare.com & Memory Care Living Camp Simchah director who grew up in Lynn. In the early 1970s, 224 Salem Street, Swampscott, MA men like Bob Harris and Lennie Sogoloff – who ran the legendary 781-603-0099224 Salem | www.residencevinninsquare.com Street, Swampscott, MA jazz club Lennie’s-on-the-Turnpike – used to shop on Friday morn- 781-603-0099 | www.residencevinninsquare.com ings to put together the Oneg.

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