June 30-July 6, 2017 Published by the Jewish Federation of Greater Binghamton Volume XLVI, Number 26 BINGHAMTON, NEW YORK Israeli Scouts Friendship Caravan to hold community performance on July 27 By Lynette Errante Tzofim throughout Israel, only 100 are chosen The Israel Scouts will perform on Thurs- annually for the Tzofim Summer Delegation. day, July 27, at 7 pm, at the Jewish Com- The Tzofim Friendship Caravan travels munity Center, 500 Clubhouse Rd., Vestal. throughout North America, visiting summer Their performance will be followed by camps and cities. In representing Israel, the refreshments and a meet-and-greet with the Tzofim Friendship Caravan members use Scouts. The Scouts will spend the day with song and dance as their means of expression. the campers at Camp JCC playing traditional The Caravan features 10 teenagers and two Israeli games. The evening performance will adult leaders. be free to the community, but RSVPs will To become part of the Friendship Cara- be appreciated and can be made by calling van, the Tzofim must go through a four-tier the JCC office at 724-2417, ext. 110. elimination process. They are selected Founded in 1919, the Israel Scouts were on the basis of personal interviews, their the first Zionist youth movement in Israel knowledge of Israel, English communica- and the first egalitarian Scouting movement tion skills, general group interaction and in the world where boys and girls partic- leadership abilities. ipated together. The first delegation was After they are selected to be part of the sent to the United States in 1958. Today, Friendship Caravan, the Scouts rehearse the Israel Scouts, Tzofim, remain the only weekly for four months in Tel Aviv under the non-political youth movement in Israel and direction of entertainment professionals. By Campers and community members posed with the 2016 Israeli Scouts. are supported mainly by the Ministry of the end of the rehearsal period, they are said Education and Culture. to have attained the level of a professional friendship. Their professionally choreo- “Camp JCC campers and counselors Like Scouts throughout the world, the entertainment troupe. graphed song and dance routines are said look forward to this event every year” said Tzofim are said to be “always prepared” and The Caravan’s performance will con- to be “charged with natural enthusiasm and camp counselor Jil Foster. “The Scouts get learn the principles of “working with spirit” and vey Israeli culture, music and tradition, energy.” Audiences will be encouraged to the crowd dancing and singing along with “providing community service.” Out of 60,000 bringing with them a message of peace and dance, sing and “enjoy the spirit of Israel.” them, it’s so much fun!” Israeli company that produces water from air launches first pilot program in Florida By Andrew Tobin Gen’s pilot will enable us to measure its President Yehuda Kaploun said Monday. “We available sources. Because of the drought, (JTA) – Large parts of Florida are suf- use for clean drinking water if needed for are ideally positioned to enable communities Miami-Dade County, where Miami Gardens fering from severe drought, and hurricane hurricane relief and any other emergency to tap into a clean and safe drinking water in located, has put restrictions on water use, season threatens to make things worse. water situation that may arise.” source with a refreshing taste.” including banning residents from watering Enter Water-Gen, an Israeli company whose During the last weeks of June, Miami Florida gets much of its drinking water outdoors between 10 am and 4 pm. technology captures humidity to extract Gardens will use a midsized Water-Gen from the Floridian Aquifer and the Biscayne In addition, Florida is bracing for hurri- drinking water from the air. generator to produce drinking water for Aquifer, as well as from surface water canes, which hit the state harder than any On June 19, the South Florida city of its residents. Water-Gen officials said from Lake Okeechobee and other lakes, other and can cause water contamination. Miami Gardens announced it was launching they hope the pilot leads to contracts with but population increases have strained See “Water” on page 6 a pilot program with the company to address Miami Gardens and other parts of Florida. its water problems – the first U.S. city to do The company’s largest generator yields as so. “As representatives responsible for the much as 825 gallons of water per day for quality of life and safety of our communities, only 10 cents a gallon, mostly in energy Temple Israel appoints preparedness and readiness to counter crises costs, according to the company. is mandatory,” Mayor Oliver Gilbert III “Miami Gardens is our first significant said at a City Hall news conference. “Water pilot program in a U.S. city,” Water-Gen USA new rabbi Following an extensive search Tel Aviv University studying process, the membership of Tem- science, Jewish history, Hebrew ple Israel has appointed Rabbi and Tanach. Geoffrey Brown as their new Brown held numerous teach- spiritual leader. Brown served the ing and leadership positions in congregation as the interim rabbi synagogues and several other from November-May, providing Jewish institutions before mov- a variety of religious, educational ing to New York City five years and pastoral services on alternate ago with his wife, Elissa, to weekends. While fulfilling his launch his seminary studies. duties as interim rabbi, he com- Rabbi Geoffrey His spiritual journey cul- pleted his rabbinical studies at the Brown minated with his post as rabbi Academy for Jewish Religion, of Temple Israel. When asked from which he received smicha on April 27. about his new pulpit, he observed, “Tem- He also holds a master’s degree in Jewish ple Israel has welcomed me with open studies from Gratz College in Philadelphia. arms, and I am excited to breathe new Brown is said to have “a long and close spiritual life into this warm, kind and connection” with Israel, having first vis- diverse congregation.” ited there when he was in the 10th grade. Brown will begin his responsibilities at He returned as a participant of the Young Temple Israel starting with Kabalat Shabbat Miami Gardens Mayor Oliver Gilbert III, second from left, Water-Gen USA President Leaders Abroad Institute in Jerusalem after services on Friday, July 7 (13 Tammuz). As Yehuda Kaploun and Lior Haiat, consul general to Israel in Miami, toasted Water-Gen high school graduation. As a junior at Drake always, the community is welcome to join in Miami Gardens, FL, on June 20. (Photo courtesy of Mendy Studio) University, he spent an academic year at Shabbat worship at Temple Israel. INSIDE THIS ISSUE Western Wall deal Jewish spouses Nazi-era objects Special Sections The suspension of the Western A new study by the Jewish People A cache of 75 original Nazi objects Legal Notices ................................... 4 Wall deal leaves Jewish leaders Policty Institute claims that were discovered by Argentine Safe Driving .................................. 6-8 feeling betrayed. “Jewish spouses matter.” Federal police. Dine Out .......................................... 9 ........................................Page 3 ........................................Page 6 ........................................Page 7 Classifieds ..................................... 12 Page 2 - The Reporter June 30-July 6, 2017 JEWISH FAMILY SERVICE NOTES We Remember You 2017 ROZ ANTOUN, DIRECTOR It may seem a bit early to be thinking about the High them for their preferences and needs, the gift baskets are In order to retain to the community spirit of this program, Holidays, but at Jewish Family Service, the rhythm of life being streamlined to give the recipients the special foods the children of Hillel Academy will design greeting cards moves more quickly than the actual calendar. I am always that have meaning to them. to put into the baskets. JFS is also asking families with scurrying to meet deadlines and paying attention to details So, I am requesting that with your usual generosity children to pick apples for the baskets and perhaps create so that JFS programs flow smoothly. Therefore, I want to and kindness, you help fund the We Remember You some other treat bags to add a spark of fun. inform you about our new approach to the “We Remem- program with money instead of non-perishable food And, there is another way you can donate small items ber You Holiday Mitzvah Project,” which completed its items. Supermarkets and other businesses have already if you like. Please call me if you are interested in donating 10th year last September. And once again, I want to thank been contacted and asked to make donations of the foods spices or honey and I will let you know exactly what is Lynne Green, who has retired from the program, for her that will be distributed in the baskets. Therefore, money needed. It is my hope that we not duplicate items and do commitment and untiring service to remember people in will be needed to give out to the recipients so they can not give out items that the recipients will not use. need in our Jewish community. shop for the additional foods items they would like at Call me at my office 607-724-2332 or e-mail me at Please take notice of the new name of the program, We their holiday table. Please make your donation to JFS by [email protected] Remember You, short and simple. And in this same vein, Monday, September 11, with checks noted on the memo Thank you for 10 years of making this project special. after my personal phone calls to each recipient asking line for “We Remember You.” And as the recipients say, “Thank you for remembering me.” Opinion My special-needs daughter’s tallit is her superhero cape By Elissa Einhorn experience in public school and at an all-girls’ Catholic of Marvel vs.