WESTCHESTER July 2019 -- Sivan-Tammuz 5779, Volume 25, Issue 7 Celebrating 1994-2019 Years JewishWESTCHESTER COUNTY’S ONLY MONTHLYLife JEWISH NEWSPAPER FOR 25 YEARS Large Attendance at Mount Kisco Festival BY STEPHEN E. LIPKEN Croton-on-Hudson choir and bands conducted by Eddie Over fifteen hundred peo- Pleasant with vocal soloist ple attended the first- North- Cantor Lauren Fogelman plus ern Westchester Jewish Fes- Carla Friend, Founder and Ex- tival held in the Mount Kisco ecutive Director, Tkiya, who Village Lot on Sunday, June earlier entertained children 23rd. The event was hosted with books and small animal by BBYO; Congregation B’nai hand puppets. Israel of Armonk; Congrega- Kids feasted on home- tion Shir Shalom; Congrega- made hummus, prepared by tion Sons of Israel, Briarcliff Fiddle Heads Cooking Studio. Manor; Chabad of Bedford; A unique display was Eden Village Camp; First He- “Tzahal Shalom of Northern brew Congregation in Peek- Westchester (www.tzahalsha- skill; Hebrew Congregation of lom.org),” in its 13th year, Somers; J-Teen Leadership; bringing seven recently re- Mount Kisco Hebrew Congre- leased reservist officers from gation; PJ Library; Pleasant- Israel Defense Forces to North- ville Community Synagogue; ern Westchester Jewish com- Sprout Westchester; Temple munity, housed by host fami- Beth El of Northern West- lies as goodwill ambassadors chester; Temple Beth Elohim, for Israel and IDF, November At Young Judea Sprout Westchester Day Camp Exhibit, Hannah Gorin, 4 1/2. Brewster; Temple Beth Sha- Left to right: Challenge Island co-owners Stacey Piken, Jill Schantz; Harriett 10-20. lom; Temple Israel of Northern “Gigi” Zeller; Hudson Schantz; Jadon Schantz Also appearing were Jill 21st Century skills such as critical thinking skills as well Westchester; Temple Shaaray Schantz and partner Stacey cooperation, communication, as creativity. Tefila; Tzal Shalom; Westches- chester Community Mobilizer pursue outside of the walls of Piken, owners of Challenge Is- ter Jewish Council; Yorktown Tali Strom was asked. “We their synagogues for the larger land, an educational enrich- Jewish Center; and supported started talking to four rabbis Jewish community in North- ment company, featuring by UJA Federation of New York. in Northern Westchester. We ern Westchester. STEAM Building and cross- How did this event come had a conversation with them “They brought together curricular “and we enhance about, UJA Federation West- around what they may want to some of their lay leaders and invited all the Jewish institu- tions that play in Westchester to partner with them. We had about 20 host organizations and synagogues and various other institutions. They sat around the table for the last three months, building this event. UJA served as a pri- mary funder and sponsor and served as convener in order for these organizations to move forward.” Elaborate musical en- tertainment was provided by Kenny Green and the West- chester Klezmer Program; the Maccabeats; Temple Is- Temple Israel of Northern Westchester member Amy Hersh,Guitar, President Kenny Green, leading the Westchester Klezmer Program Abby Weinberger, 5 rael of Northern Westchester, Steve Samuels. Visit www.westchesterjewishlife.com Harriet Schleifer Elected American Jewish Jeanette and Fred Begart of Mamaroneck Committee President Donate to Rebuild IDF Synagogue Harriet Schleifer has been elected president of the Friends of the Israel American Jewish Committee (AJC), the leading global Defense Forces (FIDF) Jewish advocacy organization. The first woman to head supporters Fred and Jean- AJC since its founding in 1906, Schleifer was elected by nette Bogart of Mama- AJC’s Board of Governors during the June AJC Global roneck and Boca Raton, Forum. She succeeds John Shapiro. Florida, recently donated “I am deeply honored, and thankful, to be entrust- $60,000 to rebuild the ed with leading over the next three years, in partnership synagogue on the Israel with AJC staff and lay leaders, the most dynamic, pio- Defense Forces (IDF) Kis- neering and effective organization in American Jewish sufim Base, which houses life,” said Schleifer. “I am a great believer in the value of the 414th Nesher Field Intelligence Battalion and a rotation of infantry units. The synagogue, along Jewish advocacy. AJC is helping transform and ensure with a Torah scroll, used by IDF soldiers, was destroyed by a Hamas rocket. the Jewish future.” Following the attack, FIDF launched a campaign on May 29 to raise $60,000 to rebuild the syna- AJC CEO David Harris said, “Harriet Schleifer’s gogue and an additional $43,000 to dedicate a new Torah scroll. Upon hearing of the campaign, the passion for the Jewish people, for core American demo- Bogarts donated the full amount needed to repair the synagogue. Thanks to their support, the syna- cratic values, for Israel, for Yiddishkeit, combined with gogue should be rebuilt by September. her unbounded energy are distinctive attributes that, “We feel privileged to be able to contribute to the wonderful efforts of Friends of the IDF in under her leadership, will propel AJC’s pioneering work supporting the brave men and women of the IDF,” said Fred Bogart. “These soldiers risk their lives in confronting the many challenges facing Jews in the to defend the Jewish homeland on the Gaza border, so helping to restore this place of spirituality is U.S., Israel and around the world.” an honor for us.” A resident of Chappaqua, Schleifer has been in- The Bogarts will be recognized for their donation with a plaque in the synagogue. They will be volved with AJC since 2004, first as a member and then invited to the synagogue’s reopening and have an opportunity to meet the soldiers and commanders president of the AJC Westchester/Fairfield Regional Of- of the Kissufim Base. fice. She joined AJC’s national Board of Governors (BOG) Harriet Schleifer In addition to this generous donation, FIDF is still looking for $43,000 to replace the Torah in 2007 and has served on the AJC Executive Council scroll donated in memory of Holocaust survivors, which was also destroyed by the Hamas rocket since 2013. From 2014 to 2016, Schleifer served as chair of Project Interchange, AJC’s educational attack. program that has brought to Israel more than 6,000 leaders from across the U.S. and other countries “The soldiers of the Kissufim Base work along the dangerous Gaza border to ensure the safety around the world, and as Chair of AJC’s Board of Governors from 2016 to 2019. of the state of Israel,” said Susan Levin-Abir, FIDF Palm Beach/Broward Executive Director. “Rebuild- “As a child of Holocaust survivors from Poland, Jewish continuity is so much a part of my being. ing the synagogue will raise the morale of the soldiers, and return a center for prayer, celebration, I want to be sure we are always in a position of strength, creating our own destiny,” said Schleifer, and spirituality that was lost.” who has also served as president of her Conservative synagogue in Westchester. “Knowing our his- Photos: Courtesy of FIDF. tory, our tradition is vital to understanding and honoring the past, confronting the challenges we face as Jews today and readying for future tasks.” The directorship position in the AJC Central Europe office in Warsaw was endowed and is dedi- New Directors Announced at Temple Sholom cated to the memory of her parents, Rubin and Frances Partel. They arrived in New York City in 1947, Temple Sho- tion as Director of individuals with learning dis- with the assistance of HIAS, to resettle and start anew in the U.S. lom (300 East Schools,” said Exec- abilities. “They instilled in my sister and me identity, memory and remembrance, resilience of the hu- Putnam Avenue, utive Director Eileen In his new role of Senior man spirit, coping with tragedy but having to live a life and still remember,” Schleifer said of her Greenwich, CT) has Robin. “We know Rabbinic Fellow/Director of parents in an interview with the Jerusalem Post at the opening of AJC Central Europe in March 2017. announced that ef- David will bring his Judaic Studies, Rabbi Kevin Earlier in her career, Schleifer practiced law with a focus on education and has extensive pro- fective July 1, 2019, passion for learn- will assist in creating a vibrant fessional and personal experience representing students with special needs. Together with her hus- current Nursery ing and Judaism to Jewish learning environment band, Dr. Leonard Schleifer, they helped revitalize what is now named the Chapel Haven Schleifer School Director this new role, and for all students, implementing Center, a residential school and organization in New Haven, Connecticut, that provides services for David Cohen will many of our Temple family programs and services, people with developmental and social disabilities. take on the role of families are thrilled and providing support and Other senior AJC officers elected at the AJC Global Forum include: Anthony Meyer, Chair, Director of Schools to have him oversee mentorship for the religious Board of Governors; Matthew Bronfman, Chair, Board of Trustees; Steven Wisch, Associate Chair, at Temple Sholom, the educational pro- school staff. “We are excited Board of Trustees; Cliff Goldstein, Associate Chair, Board of Trustees; Kim Pimley, Chair, Advocacy; and Senior Rabbinic David Cohen grams in both the to have Kevin Peters expand Michael Tichnor, Chair, Leadership Development; Matthew Coen, Chair, Global Communications; Fellow Kevin Pe- nursery school and his role to include Director of Frank Linde, Treasurer/Secretary; and David Berz, Associate Treasurer/Budget Committee. ters will oversee the religious the religious school.” Judaic Studies,” said Robin. school curriculum and faculty Kevin Peters first came “Rabbi Kevin has been work- at the Temple Sholom Learn- to Temple Sholom in 2018 as ing closely with David Cohen ing Center as the Director of a Rabbinic Fellow.