The New Jewish Voice November 2017
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Non-profit Organization U.S. POSTAGE PAID Permit # 184 Watertown, NY november 2017/cheshvan-kislev 5778 a publication of United jewish federation of Volume 19, Number 8 Greater Stamford, New Canaan and Darien Honoring 100th Anniversary Tapestry 2017: Spotlight on of the Balfour Declaration Community By Lauren Steinberg features more ways to bring the entire Dr. Steven Bayme to Speak at TBE On the evening of Saturday, No- community together as learners, put- On Thursday, November The event is sponsored vember 18, the Stamford community ting a spotlight on communal unity. 2, exactly 100 years after by AJC Westchester/Fair- will once again gather at the Jewish As in past years, the Tapestry program the Balfour Declaration, Dr. field and Temple Beth El. Community Center to participate in will begin with communal Havdalah at Steven Bayme, AJC’s director Co-sponsors include Congre- Tapestry, an annual night of communal 6:30 pm. Participants will then have the op- of contemporary Jewish life, gation Agudath Sholom, the Jewish learning, sponsored by United portunity to attend one of three courses. will speak at Temple Beth El Greenwich Historical Society, Jewish Federation of Greater Stamford, “A Jewish Journey from Ethiopia,” in Stamford at 7:30 pm. His Greenwich Reform Syna- New Canaan and Darien, the Stamford presented by Shlomit Daniel, will tell lecture is titled “Honoring gogue, the Jewish Historical Jewish Community Center and the the story of Daniel’s experience hav- the 100th Anniversary of the Society of Fairfield County Stamford Board of Rabbis. In light of ing been born in a Jewish village in Balfour Declaration.” Bayme and Temple Sholom. the creation of a Jewish Community Ethiopia, moving to Israel as part of will address the questions: What is the Balfour Dec- Relations Council through Federation, Operation Solomon, serving as one of What did the Balfour Decla- Dr. Steven Bayme laration? On November 2, the evening will showcase topics that the first female Ethiopian officers in ration mean in 1917? What is its lasting 1917, British Foreign Secretary Arthur highlight JCRC and Federation activ- the IDF and then moving to the U.S., legacy in 2017? See “Balfour” on page 4 ity. The newly designed program also See “Tapestry” on page 5 Bi-Cultural Day School Secrets to Stronger Receives National Blue Relationships and Greater Ribbon Honors Happiness Bi-Cultural Day School of Stamford active demonstrations of preparing ev- has been selected a 2017 National Blue ery child for a bright future,” said U.S. Sixth Annual Saul Cohen-Schoke JFS Lecture Ribbon School by the U.S. Depart- Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos in Bruce Feiler, an American a gift to the community ment of Education. In winning the an online address to honorees. “You are author and television person- through the generosity of award, Bi-Cultural becomes one of 342 visionaries, innovators and leaders. You ality whose work includes six Mimi and Saul Cohen, and schools nationwide – only 50 of which have much to teach us: some of you per- consecutive New York Times is hosted by Schoke Jewish are private schools – and one of five sonalize student learning, others engage nonfiction bestsellers, will Family Service. A book sale schools in the state of Connecticut, to parents and communities in the work and speak on Thursday, Novem- and signing, and a dessert be so honored. The pre-kindergarten life of your local schools, and still others ber 9, at 7:30 pm, at the Fergu- buffet, will follow the main through grade eight school has also develop strong and forward-thinking son Library in Stamford. The lecture. earned the distinction of being the leaders from among your teaching staff.” lecture, titled “The Family As a voice on contempo- only Jewish day school in the country According to the Department of Today: Secrets to Stronger rary life, Feiler will present to receive the award this year. Education, the National Blue Ribbon Relationships and Greater the themes of his most recent “National Blue Ribbon Schools are See “Honors” on page 14 Happiness at Any Age,” is Bruce Feiler See “Secrets” on page 9 15- Candle 2 Bits & Pieces 6 International Professional 15 Adult 16 Voices & 18 Lighting News 16 Support Volunteers Views Walking the Walk On October 1, close to 800 people participated in Friendship Circle’s Friendship Day and Walk at Westhill High School and helped raise more than $80,000 to support individuals with special needs in Fairfield County. Walkers included representatives of area synagogues, youth groups, day schools and other Jewish organizations. See more photos on page 7. 2 THE NEW JEWISH VOICE ■ NOVEMBER 2017 President’s Message We are Listening By Ricky Arbon of the community. Under the leadership of Arlene Advisory Council to include professionals from each As the president of Federa- Rosen, the Advisory Council has served as a place for organization, as well as lay leaders from the commu- tion, an important responsibili- community leaders to gather, learn and brainstorm nity in general. If you would like to have a voice in ty is to listen. Over the years, in about how we can make our community stronger. these discussions, I encourage you to get involved my never-ending quest for per- Meetings of the Advisory Council rotate among with the Advisory Council. sonal and professional growth, the offices of the agencies, providing a great way to A few years ago, based on listening to the com- I have spent a lot of time read- showcase local organizations and educate members munity, we changed the size and structure of our ing about leadership – what it of the council about the vital work other community board, and also changed UJF’s allocation process. means, how it’s implemented organizations are doing. The passage of time has allowed us to analyze re- and ways to grow to become a Based on feedback, the Advisory Council recently sults. Based on what we have learned, combined better leader. I recently came Ricky Arbron, tackled a number of timely and important issues with feedback, we plan on revisiting these issues in across an interesting article in UJF president facing our community, including communal security, the months ahead. A healthy organization adapts the Harvard Business Review teen engagement, outreach to unaffiliated Jewish over time; we continue to assess where we are, and titled “What Great Listeners Actually Do” by Jack families and the creation of UJF’s Jewish Community we continue to listen. Zenger and Joseph Folkman, founders of Zenger/ Relation Council, which strives to strengthen ties I wanted to thank you for sharing, thank you for Folkman, a highly regarded leadership consul- with the broader community and to react quickly listening and thank you for being a valued donor tancy. They believe “good listening is much more and effectively when issues arise. and stakeholder in our Stamford, New Canaan and than being silent while the other person talks. To After listening to feedback, we are rebooting the Darien Jewish community. the contrary, people perceive the best listeners to be those who periodically ask questions that promote discovery and insight. These questions gently challenge old assumptions, but do so in a A MESSAGE FROM UJF’S JEWISH constructive way. Sitting there silently nodding does not provide sure evidence that a person is COMMUNITY RELATIONS COUNCIL listening, but asking a good question tells the speaker the listener has not only heard what was said, but that they comprehended it well enough Building Partnerships and Gratitude to want additional information. Good listening was By Lauren Steinberg leaders of different groups to people, humans, consistently seen as a two-way dialog, rather than There is a reason that who can stand together in big and small ways to a one-way ‘speaker versus hearer’ interaction. The Thanksgiving is a time for make our community better. best conversations were active.” annual interfaith, diversity On November 16, the United Jewish Federation I, too, believe that listening is a key component to themed activities. Thanksgiv- will be partnering in the annual Westchester/ good leadership and, regarding Federation, I believe ing incorporates ritual without Fairfield County Thanksgiving Diversity Breakfast, I have grown and become a better listener – both to discriminating. It invites all sponsored by AJC. individuals and to what the community as a whole Americans, regardless of faith It is worth noting that the theme of this inter- is telling me – so that I can give better feedback to or background, to sit down faith breakfast is “Healing our Fractured Society.” the UJF board. together, break bread and Lauren Steinberg There is no question our society is, indeed, frac- Three years ago, UJF’s Advisory Council was express gratitude. It asks that tured. The breakdown in dialogue concerns us, formed to provide vital communal input and feed- we look past our differences and find threads of as it should. In Jewish tradition, an inability to back to the president and board about the needs common cause. speak and treat others with civility was part of the This is work that the JCRC does every day as we societal breakdown that triggered the destruction build relationships with the faith and civic leaders of the Second Temple in Jerusalem. Conversely, CANDLE LIGHTING in our community. In building ties with churches Jewish tradition teaches value in a diversity of and mosques, and with ethnic and racial advocacy opinions. “These and these are the words of the groups, we in turn strengthen the bonds of com- Living God,” says tradition of the historic dispute TIMES munal conversation and understanding. in interpreting Jewish law between the schools of October 27 ..........................5:38 pm In the past few months, I have spoken to the sages Hillel and Shammai.