A Rust Belt Synagogue ‘Runs out of Angeles and Was Composing Awards
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Editorials ..................................... 4A Op-Ed .......................................... 5A Calendar ...................................... 6A Scene Around ............................. 9A Synagogue Directory ................ 11A JTA News Briefs ........................ 13A WWW.HERITAGEFL.COM YEAR 42, NO. 19 JANUARY 12, 2018 25 TEVET, 5778 ORLANDO, FLORIDA SINGLE COPY 75¢ Artists-in-Residence event at Temple Israel Sam Glaser, one of Amer- ica’s foremost composers, performers and interpreters of Jewish music will be visit- ing Central Florida Jan. 19-21 as the Artist-in-Residence at Temple Israel and Temple Shir Shalom in Winter Springs. Both congregations invite the community to attend four events: A Reform-style musi- cal service and festive oneg on Friday, Jan. 19 at 7:30 p.m. (no charge); A Conservative-style musical service followed by kiddish and study with Glaser on Saturday, Jan. 20, at 10 a.m. (no charge); a Gala Concert presented by Temple Israel Sam Glaser with Temple Shir Shalom on Alanna E. Cooper Saturday, Jan. 20, at 7:30 p.m. Haneshama.” He performs an- Congregants from Temple Hadar Israel in New Castle, Pa., gathering at the local Tifereth Israel cemetery to bury ritual (tickets for purchase); and a nually before thousands and objects from their defunct synagogue, Dec. 31, 2017. free family concert on Sunday, has toured the world over, and Jan. 21 at 12:30 p.m. has won Parent’s Choice, John Glaser was born in 1962 Lennon, and International to a Jewish family in Los Songwriting Competition A Rust Belt synagogue ‘runs out of Angeles and was composing awards. and performing by the age of He produces music through seven. He recorded his first his own record company, people’ and gathers to bury its past full-length album by age 11. Glaser Musicworks, as well He graduated the University of as producing scores for film By Alanna E. Cooper was a subdued sort of mourning because town with a suddenly booming economy. Colorado with a B. A. in busi- and television. He has also no friend or relative had been taken from Linked first to the canal system and later ness and a minor in music. produced albums for other NEW CASTLE, Pa. (JTA)—It was a their midst. Nor was the “death” a sudden to the railroad, the population of New He also attended the Berklee recording artists. In 1995, frigid 10 degrees on Sunday, the last day one. Indeed, the congregation had been Castle swelled at the turn of the 20th College of Music and the UCLA Glaser was appointed music of 2017, but some 20 people gathered at preparing for this day for years. century as the town’s manufacturing Film Scoring Program. coordinator for the depart- Congregation Tifereth Israel’s cemetery Deep below, the hole was lined with base grew. Tin plate and paper mills and Glaser has released 24 ment of Continuing Educa- in this city of 22,000 on the Ohio border. cardboard boxes containing yahrtzeit steel and ceramic factories brought great albums as well as four col- tion at the American Jewish A blue tent and folding chairs had been set plaques, tallit prayer shawls and other prosperity to the region. Ancillary busi- lections of lyrics and poetry, University where he super- up for attendees, and a pit in the ground ritual items that cemetery caretakers nesses cropped up to support the growing four musicals, five sheet music vised the music curriculum had been opened. had carefully lowered in a few days before. population. Many of these—drug stores, songbooks of his Jewish music No hearse would be arriving at this The mourners had come to bury, in a department stores, furniture stores, and an SATB choral book, “Kol Temple Israel on page 15A unusual burial, which was not for a sense, their synagogue. groceries—were owned by New Castle’s person. Still, a few attendees choked up Congregation Tifereth Israel was Jewish residents. when they greeted each other with hugs founded nearly 125 years ago. In 1894, and wiped tears from their cheeks. This synagogue members lived in a busy Rust Belt on page 15A Holocaust American immigration to Israel Remembrance Day The Holocaust Memo- rial Resource and Education takes a new turn in 2017 Center is commemorating International Holocaust Re- By Larry Luxner membrance Day, Jan. 27, with a pair of programs that TEL AVIV—As a group honor the legacy of the Bielski of well-wishers waved tiny Partisan group. Israeli flags and shouted Film screening and Book “Welcome home,” Diane Club discussion Hewitt of Hoboken, New Sunday, Jan. 21, at 1 p.m. Jersey, stepped off the El Al The film “Defiance” by jet that had just flown her Nechama Tec will be dis- to Tel Aviv from New York, cussed. The film is about the extraordinary experience of the Bielski partisan group and their leader, Tuvia Bielski. The film (based on the book) will be screened at 1 p.m. Mickey Bielski in advance of the book club discussion at 3:30 p.m. Lead- will share the story of what it ing the discussion will be Dr. was like to come of age in the Larry Luxner Susan A. Bach, whose father, shadow of the incredible legacy In all, 3,633 North Americans immigrated to Israel among some 29,000 total new im- Joe Abrams (Josef Abramo- of his father. He will share his migrants in 2017. wicz) and mother, Esther own, and his father’s stories, Greenberg (Ester Grinberg) with humor, passion and above cradling her 8-year-old blind and fell in love,” Hewitt said brought the total number of Abrams, were members of the all, love. beagle, Annie, in her arms. as she petted Annie, who had immigrants to Israel from the Bielski Partisan group. This pair of programs, A retired jewelry industry accompanied her as an ESA, United States and Canada to An Afternoon with held to commemorate Inter- executive, Hewitt, 65, had or emotional support ani- 3,633 for the year. Overall, Mickey Bielski, son of national Holocaust Remem- always dreamed of moving mal (Hewitt has Parkinson’s about 29,000 immigrants Tuvia Bielski brance Day, is generously to Israel, but she didn’t want disease). “You feel at home, from around the world arrived Sunday, Jan. 28, at 2 p.m. sponsored by Dr. Susan and to leave behind her daugh- and everybody is family. It’s in Israel in ‘17. Meet at the Holocaust Center Mr. Larry Bach in memory ter, Sarah. But after Sarah a feeling like no other.” The last year has seen a for a special presentation from of Susan’s parents, Joe and herself immigrated to Israel Hewitt arrived at Ben- noticeable shift in the types of Mickey Bielski, whose father, Esther Abrams. a year ago and married an Gurion International Airport immigrants coming to Israel Tuvia Bielski, was the leader Israeli, there was little to keep on Dec. 27 along with 92 other from North America, accord- of the Bielski Brothers, an or- Hewitt in her city across from new immigrants aboard the ing to Rabbi Yehoshua Fass, ganization of Jewish partisans Manhattan. last of 19 Nefesh B’Nefesh co-founder and executive who formed an armed brigade “I came to Israel for the first “aliyah flights” in 2017. The and fought against the Nazi’s time in 2014, got off the plane specially designated flights Immigration on page 15A and their collaborators. Mickey PAGE 2A HERITAGE FLORIDA JEWISH NEWS, JANUARY 12, 2018 Don’t miss the Central Florida premier of ‘The Bigot’ By Pamela Ruben More than 50 years later, acter named Jim. Answering that one reviewer called Jim, Eva, now a playwright along- the opening sentence to this ‘Archie Bunker 2.0.’ “How can you hate someone side husband, Gabi, found article, Jim hates just about “Jim feels threatened by an you have never even met?” was herself haunted by the uptick anybody he hasn’t met, espe- era of change that is not part a question frequently pondered of hate taking place in modern cially those who are ethnically of who he is,” Gabi continued. by 6-year-old Eva Mor, as a America, and throughout the and socially ‘diverse,’ and look Ultimately, as a result of a young child growing up in world. Together, the couple or act differently than himself. surprise ending (which the Poland in the year’s following brainstormed ideas for a play “The Bigot’s” lesbian neigh- Mors are not sharing), Jim’s World War II. Often harassed that addressed hate that comes bors experience his wrath, life opens up from the smallest and bullied on the way to and from a place of cultural igno- and he is open about his racist glimmer of hope. from kindergarten, or even rance, much like from her own tirades, with his son, (much Following the play’s pre- from a short walk to the park, childhood. The idea for the play to his dismay) a social liberal. miere this past summer at New the child of two Holocaust and “The Bigot” was hatched in late When asked what makes York’s Off-Broadway Manhat- labor camp survivors was per- 2016, just as local news became Jim different than “All in the tan Repertory Theatre, Eva and plexed by the hate and bigotry filled with stories of injustice Family’s” Archie Bunker, Gabi Gabi recalled the numerous directed at the Jewish mem- and intolerance. notes that while there are times neighbors and acquain- bers of her community well With the hopes of trigger- some similarities, “Archie has tances stopped them on the after the war’s end. In 1957, the ing a global conversation, the more of a gut reaction to his street to let them know they family sought refuge in Israel, Manhattan- and Orlando- surroundings, Jim attempts were still talking about the but the disturbing memories based couple created “The to defend his responses with a play.