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Pre-Sort Standard U.S. Postage PAID Stamford, CT Permit No. 1063 Jewish News Volume XVX, Number 3 UJA Greenwich | One Holly Hill Lane | Greenwich, CT 06830 February 2016 | Shevat/Adar 5776 Honoring the Winners of the Weitzman Youth Award– Cynthia Crispino, Strauss Mann, and Rebecca Powell UJA Gala on April 7 The Weitzman Youth Award for Jewish Philanthropy have allowed Alina and her family to be part of the was founded by Jane and Stuart Weitzman. This award American Jewish community. Alina immigrated to was fueled by the Weitzmans’ vision that every Jew is this country in 1979; her parents tried to leave the responsible, one for the other, and their passion to Former Soviet Union for several years, but were ensure that the next generation truly be inspired to granted permission only when the worldwide Jewish engage in Jewish philanthropy. community stepped forward. Alina’s story is a power- Please join UJA Greenwich Gala co-chairs Pamela ful statement of the impact we have on people’s lives, & Matthew Chasin and Madeline & Scott Simon on often for generations. Thursday, April 7 to honor the 2016 Weitzman Youth Today, Alina is involved in humanitarian causes Award Winners. That evening we are also fortunate in the United States and overseas. Alina has been to hear from a compelling guest speaker, the mov- awarded a number of highly prestigious fellow- ing and inspiring Alina ships including The Brandeis/Bronfman Institute for Spaulding making her Informal Jewish Education, the Covenant Fellowship encore engagement here program for Jewish Education, and the Day School in Greenwich. Leadership Training Institute at Columbia University. The story of Alina Alina is a motivational speaker and a development Gerlovin Spaulding is a consultant. She tells us she can’t wait to thank each of miracle story in which you for the difference you have made in her life, over we each shared a part. three generations. The collective efforts of UJA Greenwich is proud to announce this year’s Alina Spaulding Federations like ours, Continued on page 6 Thank you to all Women’s Philanthropy Education Symposium Welcomes our generous Ethiopian-Israeli Keynoter Zion Uness “Education is an unfinished symphony,” a maxim traced to the Moses. As part of his narrative donors for the late Israeli politician Zalman Aran, neatly captures the spirit of the of survival and transcendence, 2015 Annual Education Symposium, which reconvenes on Wednesday, the acclaimed speaker address- March 2. This celebration of life-long Jewish learning will once es key ideals and perils of the UJA Greenwich again resonate with that philosophy. Jewish State. The 2016 Symposium brings a lineup of esteemed speakers The Symposium continues with Campaign. to the Greenwich community, courtesy of JCC Greenwich and a choice of three topics present- The 2015 UJA Greenwich Women’s Philan-thropy. From a personal story of ed in intimate group settings. transcending borders and challenges to explorations of Jewish At Beth S. Gersh-Nešic’s ses- Campaign total is wisdom, art and cuisine, attendees will experience a rich morn- sion, How Ten Jews Colored $2,334,578 ing of inspiration and enlightenment. At 9:45 am after a buffet Avant-Garde Art, culture breakfast beginning at 9:15 am, African-Israeli activist Zion Uness buffs will consider the epochal Please refer will spark the teach-in with his keynote work of leading Jewish artists entitled Migration, Minorities and Human and collectors in early 20th- to our Potential: The Journey From Ethiopia to century Paris, including Amedeo Honor Roll insert International Spokesman. Break-out ses- Modigliani, Marc Chagall, sions will follow, from 11 am to noon, Chaim Soutine, Sonia Delauney, to see where with signed books on hand for purchase Man Ray and Gertrude, Leo and throughout the morning. Michael Stein. Dr. Gersh-Nešic your money goes Uness was seven years old when he walked is the founding director of the education service, New York Arts and for further from his native Ethiopia to a Sudanese refu- Exchange, and a professor of Art History at Purchase College. acknowledgements. gee camp and joined 8,000 Ethiopian Jews For foodies there’s a cooking demonstration with pastry chef spirited to Israel in 1984’s covert Operation Zion Uness Continued on page 5 Page 2 February 2016 PROUD AS PUNCH! BIG THANKS TO OUR We send a hearty Mazel Tov! to our PJ Library Intern, Cynthia Crispino and fellow awardees, Strauss Mann and Rebecca Powell for receiving the Weitzman Youth Award this year and for GENEROUS HOSTS their admirable achievements and commitment to service. Kol Ha-Kavod to these dedicated teens who will receive this Award at the UJA Gala on April 7th. We Did It! When it was time to plan the December Hanukkah Party event chairs, Jamie Kesmodel and Lisa Small, wanted to incorporate Tzedakah in the program. It was easy to pick the project-raising money to provide PJ Library subscriptions for the children who live at Emunah Center in Israel- a respite for children who cannot live at home due to poverty, abuse or neglect. We aimed to sponsor enrollments for each child, which would cost $1,500. That felt like a lot to raise until Claudine Cohen and David Rabins stepped up. With their encouragement – and a generous matching gift to insure success – we did it! Emunah Center children will receive their very own PJ Library books for the year ahead. When asked to comment on behalf of herself and David, Claudine offered “PJ Library books are uniquely uplifting and meaningful. Helping to provide them to children who have such challenging circumstances just spoke to our hearts. It is our pleasure to participate in this effort.” PJ Library Chair, Cori SaNogueira adds, “My children adore receiving PJ Library books. I am so happy to live in PJ Library big siblings gathered at Rosie’s to enjoy reading their favorite PJ Library books out loud to family and friends. Readers Mason Davis, a generous community which embodies giving and teaching our children to do Mica Farstrup, Anna Sanders, Maya Zwilling and Stacey Zwilling kept the the same.” crowd of almost 20 riveted. Steve & Sindy Steinberg made everyone feel welcome and their Frozen Yogurt sundaes were an extra special treat! Our Tots at Sunday Fundays! JBabies thoroughly enjoyed the Baby Massage Workshop taught by Ricki Ainbinder of Mother Nurture Massage and Bodywork. With special thanks to our friends at Classic Kids Photography. Upcoming Speaker Event: February 2016 Page 3 COMMUNITY WHERE YOUR MONEY GOES… DIRECTORY UJA Greenwich UJA Supports UConn Hillel’s Focus on Israel (203) 552-1818 To Reach Peace, Teach Peace! Israel Advocacy Seminar Anti-Defamation League (203) 288-6500 On Thursday, October 22nd, about 35 people including Due to students’ requests, and current events in Israel, UConn Bi-Cultural Day School students from the Muslim Student Association, and Arab Student Hillel invited StandWithUs to come and facilitate a workshop on (203) 329-2186 Association came to meet in person with two representatives from how to effectively advocate for Israel on campus, and give the Carmel Academy Beit HaGefen. Beit HaGefen is an Arab-Jewish cultural center students a breakdown on how the situation escalated to where it (203) 863-9663 based in Haifa, where Jews and Arabs work together to promote is now. About 20 students attended the session, which generated Chavurat Deevray Torah coexistence. The two Israeli girls, Mai Ayub (a Christian-Arab), positive feedback, with participants saying that now they are (203) 637-9478 or (203) 637-5877 and Ella Chernyak (a Russian-Jew) talked to UConn’s student fully aware of what’s going on in Israel and how they can better Chabad Lubavitch of Greenwich, population about diversity in Israel. respond to other students’ questions regarding the issues. Camp Gan Israel of Greenwich (203) 629-9059 Gan of Greenwich Preschool (203) 869-1742 Congregation Shir Ami (203) 504-2424 Greenwich Reform Synagogue (203) 629-0018 Hebrew Wizards (203) 249-4036 JCC Greenwich (203) 552-1818 Jewish Family Services of Greenwich (203) 622-1881 Jewish High School of Connecticut (203) 357-0850 Jewishish SeniorSenior ServicesServices (203) 365-6400 Selma Maisel Nursery School at TS NEPAL: New Skills and New Hope for Mira with Help from JDC (203) 622-8121 Ten months have passed since twin her husband worked hard to make ends their families. This includes increasing Templeemple SholomSholom earthquakes struck Nepal, killing more meet, and had recently managed to add a access to reliable childcare, providing (203) 869-7191 than 8,800 and injuring 22,300 people, room to their small home. However, when tools lost in the earthquake to regain SHABBAT & HOLIDAY destroying nearly 600,000 homes, and the first earthquake hit, their house was their livelihoods, training in home-based CANDLE LIGHTING TIMES damaging another 280,000. Since then, split in two and their lives were turned skills with higher earning potential and Nepali survivors have faced tremendous upside down. The family lost not only psychosocial counseling. Fri., Feb. 19 ............................. 5:14 hardships as they cope with the devastating the roof over their heads, but also Mira’s In recent months, Mira and her husband Fri., Feb. 26 ............................. 5:23 loss of loved ones, homes, livelihoods, and workplace and income. have succeeded in repairing part of their Fri., Mar. 4 ............................... 5:31 basic community infrastructure. Following the earthquake, Mira and her home, and have returned to live there. Fri., Mar. 11 ............................. 5:39 Mira is one such survivor now working family were forced to move into a tent as Mira continues to be a member of her Fri., Mar. 18 ............................. 6:46 to rebuild her life.