Jewish Federation of NEPA Non-profit Organization 601 Jefferson Ave. U.S. POSTAGE PAID The Scranton, PA 18510 Permit # 184 Watertown, NY Change Service Requested Published by the Jewish Federation of Northeastern Pennsylvania VOLUME X, NUMBER 4 FEBRUARY 23, 2017 Trump and Netanyahu: The mixed messages of a diplomatic lovefest Netanyahu said instead that others, in- ANALYSIS cluding former Vice President Joe Biden, BY RON KAMPEAS At right: Israeli Prime have cautioned him that a state deprived of WASHINGTON (JTA) – One state. Minister Benjamin security control is less than a state. Instead Flexibility. Two states. Hold back on Netanyahu, left, and of pushing back against the argument, he settlements. Stop Iran. President Donald Trump in said it was a legitimate interpretation, but When President Donald Trump met the Oval Office of the White not the only one. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu: House on February 15. That relieves pressure from Net- What a press conference! (Photo by Andrew Harrer/ anyahu’s right flank in Israel, which has But wait. Pool/Getty Images) pressed him to seize the transition from In the Age of Trump, every post-event the Obama administration – which insisted analysis requires a double take. Not so on two states and an end to settlement – much “did he mean what he said?” – he ONE STATE, TWO STATES predecessors have also said that the final to the Trump administration and expand appears to mean it, in real time – but “will At first blush, Trump appeared to headily status must be determined by the Israelis settlement. Now he can go home and say, he mean it next week? Tomorrow? In the embrace the prospect of one state – although and the Palestinians, but also have made truthfully, that he has removed “two states” wee hours, when he tweets?” it’s not clear what kind of single state he clear that the only workable outcome is from the vocabulary. This is a president who, after all, speaks meant. Would Palestinians in the West Bank two states. THE KID IN THE CANDY SHOP of a “ban” on travelers from Muslim-ma- be enfranchised? Comb through what he What’s the difference? Netanyahu, in Netanyahu was like the proverbial jority countries and then deploys his said, and his departure from the policies of his remarks and briefing Israeli reporters kid in the candy shop: He couldn’t have spokesmen to insist there is no ban and, his three predecessors was indeed substan- after his three-hour summit with Trump, made clearer his relief at the departure of by the way, don’t mention Muslims either. tive, but not necessarily radical. indicated that the difference is leverage President Barack Obama. “I think that’s a So what can we take away from the “So I’m looking at two-state and one- for Israel: If the Palestinians want their change that is clearly evident since Presi- February 15 Netanyahu-Trump summit? state, and I like the one that both parties own state, it must adhere to Israel’s terms. dent Trump took office,” Netanyahu said A lot. Trump’s interlocutor on Febru- like,” he said, as Netanyahu chortled. Netanyahu has always said that he be- at the joint press conference, referring to ary 15, Netanyahu, has a more evolved “I’m very happy with the one that both lieves a Palestinian state should recognize Trump’s tough talk on Iran. “I welcome reputation for consistency – indeed, for parties like. I can live with either one,” Israel as a Jewish state, and that it must be that. I think it’s – let me say this very coherence. And despite his renowned Trump said. “I thought for a while the demilitarized and accept Israeli security openly – I think it’s long overdue.” capacity for peregrinations of thought, two-state looked like it may be the easier control of the West Bank. Until now, those See “Mixed” on page 4 Trump offered enough substance in his of the two. But honestly, if Bibi and if the were his preferred outcomes. On February remarks – for instance, confirming a pivot Palestinians – if Israel and the Palestinians 15, he attached a new descriptor to those 2017 UJA in U.S. policy away from an emphasis are happy, I’m happy with the one they terms: “pre-requisites.” That leaves little on a two-state solution as an outcome to like the best.” wiggle room for the Palestinians. paign Upd Cam ate Israeli-Palestinian peace talks. Trump is not endorsing a single state The Israeli leader, notably, also did not Pay it forward & give to So, let’s venture into the February 15 – he’s kicking it back to the parties: use the term “two states” and refused to the 2017 Jewish Federation summit. Figure it out, Trump says. Trump’s three afterward in his briefing with reporters. of Northeastern Pennsylvania SPOTLIGHT Annual Campaign! With full Talmud translation, online $827,117 as of Feb. 17, 2017 For information or to make a donation call 570-961-2300 ext. 1 or Goal: library hopes to make sages accessible send your gift to: Jewish Federation $896,000 BY BEN SALES with a bevy of barriers to entry. Written tuation or vowels, let alone translation. of Northeastern Its premier explanatory commentary, Pennsylvania NEW YORK (JTA) – For centuries, mostly in Aramaic, the Talmud in its most 601 Jefferson Ave., studying a page of the Talmud has come commonly printed form also lacks punc- composed by the medieval sage Rashi, Scranton, PA 18510 is usually printed in an obscure Hebrew (Please MEMO your pledge or gift 2017 typeface read almost exclusively by reli- UJA Campaign) gious, learned Jews. Even then, scholars can still spend hours figuring out what the text means. And that’s not to mention the Talmud’s size and cost: 37 full volumes, called tractates, that can take up an entire shelf of a library. Helping students and readers crack these barriers and access what amounts to a library of Jewish law, ritual, folklore and moral guidance has been an ongoing endeavor. Federation Milestones include the first (unfinished) -at tempt at an English translation by American publisher Michael Levi Rodkinson at the on Facebook th turn of the 20 century, an abridged version The Jewish Federation of Northeast- by Rabbi Chaim Tchernowitz in the 1920s, ern Pennsylvania now has a page on and “The Soncino Talmud on CD-ROM” Facebook to let community members from 1995. Now, a website hopes to build know about upcoming events and keep The interface of the Steinsaltz Talmud on Sefaria includes line-by-line translation, on these earlier breakthroughs and break connected. along with links to commentaries and references to a range of Jewish sources, all the barriers at once. See “Talmud” on page 10 which appear in a separate vertical. (Photo courtesy of Sefaria) Candle lighting INSIDE THIS ISSUE February 24 ................................ 5:30 pm Intermarriage March 3 ........................................ 5:38 pm Reading with dementia News in brief... March 10 ...................................... 5:46 pm Israeli rabbis check families’ A look at a picture book designed A poll says most Americans view lineage; interrmarried in U.S. form for Jewish adults living with Israel favorably; Hamas has new PLUS communities with each other. Alzheimer’s and other dementias. political leader; and more. Opinion .......................................................2 Stories on pages 3 and 11 Story on page 12 Story on page 15 D’var Torah .............................................10 2 THE REPORTER ■ FEBRUARY 23, 2017 A MATTER OF OPINION Thoughts on our 2017 UJA Campaign and our Legacies for Life Endowment Program BY MARK SILVERBERG Both will be honored in our 2016-2017 Institute (Scranton) JDC to assist in defraying the expense of Despite the fact that we have lost many Annual Report, which will be placed on Temple Hesed Religious School this massive European aliyah. devoted members of our communities our Federation website and distributed in (Scranton) Our communities were founded by throughout the past year, our annual UJA our Reporter newspaper in June to each Temple Israel Religious School those who believed in the continuity of Campaign – which and every identifiable Jewish household (Scranton) Jewish life here in Northeastern Penn- concludes in May – B’nai Harim Religious sylvania, in Israel and around the world. shows that a significant School (Pocono Pines) It was their generation that contributed number of our current FROM THE DESK OF THE Temple Israel of the to the birth of the modern Jewish state Campaign donors have Poconos Hebrew School and supported Israel through its many increased their gift this EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR (Stroudsburg) wars against those who continue to seek year over last year’s Bais Yaakov (Scranton) its destruction. Campaign gift. MARK SILVERBERG Scranton Ritualarium It was their generation who built our In addition, we have (Community Mikvah, Scranton) religious, recreational, housing, educa- been fortunate in that in Lackawanna, Monroe, Pike and Wayne Jewish Fellowship of Hemlock Farms tional and social welfare institutions and two new UJA Cam- counties. It is our way of expressing our Religious School (Lords Valley) synagogues, established Hebrew Free paign grants from the Schwartz-Mack gratitude to them and to each of you for Jewish Heritage Connection (Scranton) Loan Associations to assist newly-arrived Foundation (Scranton) and the Lester G. honoring and sustaining our community In addition, capital grants (for renova- European Jewish immigrants in estab- Abeloff Foundation (Stroudsburg) have through your generosity and vision. tions and/or security purposes) and grants lishing their lives here in Northeastern just been received and two new Perpetual Despite these new grants and endow- for new, innovative and creative programs Pennsylvania, built our Hebrew schools Annual Campaign Endowment funds ments, however, our 2017 UJA Campaign have also been awarded to many of these and senior living facilities, and understood have been established during the past two is not yet over.