Ernest H. Parsons Funeral Home, Located at 71 Main “But Israel Reached out His Right Hand and Put It on Staff to Help Guide You Through the Funeral Process
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January 1-14, 2021 Published by the Jewish Federation of Greater Binghamton Volume L, Number 1 BINGHAMTON, NEW YORK Film Fest to hold virtual screening in January By Reporter staff Critics have called the film “a sensitive The Jewish International Film Fest of and hilarious debut from director, writer Greater Binghamton will hold a virtual and star Yossi Atia” that “deftly blends showing of the Israeli romantic-come- romantic comedy with the complexities of dy “Born in Jerusalem and Still Alive” At left: Ronen modern life in a style reminiscent of Albert directed by Yossi Atia and David Ofek. Matalon (Yossi Brooks.” The film has also been described The film is in Hebrew (with subtitles) Atia) led a as “a darkly quirky semi-autobiographical and English. It was named Best First Film specialized tour romance, between Ronen, who guides tours (Yossi Atia) – Jerusalem Film Festival in of Jerusalem. around the famous terror attack sites in 2019. A discussion on “Born in Jerusalem (Photo by Shai Jerusalem as a way of coping with his own and Still Alive” will be moderated by Goldman) nightmares, and a girl with a thirst for life.” Stephen A. Lisman, Ph.D., distinguished “The Film Fest Committee thought a good teaching professor emeritus, Department way to beat the early winter blues would be of Psychology, Binghamton University. to screen a film and have a lively discussion,” People will be able to register on the said Shelley Hubal, executive director of the Federation website, www.jfgb.org. The a sanitized version of his hometown’s recent “From Trauma to Fantasy” that was part Jewish Federation of Greater Binghamton. film will be streamed free for up to 100 history. This inspires him to begin his own of a 2010 public arts festival in Jerusalem. “Plus, there’s no need to worry about snow! computers. After Shabbat ends on Saturday, “Terror Tour,” taking tourists to famous Both performance piece and film were You can watch the film and participate in January 30, a link to the film will be sent bombing sites and giving them his take on the inspired by Atia’s experiences during the the discussion without having to leave the to those who sign up in advance. The film absurdity of everyday life during the terrorist Second Intifada (2000-2005). Ofek, who warmth and safety of your home.” will be available for viewing on personal attacks of the 1990s and 2000s. On one of co-directed the film with Atia, has been Hubal added, “The Federation continues devices for 24 hours. On Sunday, January his tours he meets Asia, an ex-Jerusalemite called one of the leading filmmakers in to look for ways to keep our community 31, at 7:30 pm, Lisman will facilitate the living in Barcelona, and their relationship Israel. Working in both documentary and connected during the pandemic. Our motto online video discussion of the film. challenges him to begin healing from the drama, Ofek is said to “peel away the layers for this year is ‘Socially Distant, Spiritually “Born in Jerusalem and Still Alive” be- trauma that envelops his emotional life. of Israeli reality, presenting a picture that is Connected’ and the Film Fest is just one of gins when Jerusalem native Ronen Matalon Atia co-directed and stars in the film, at times complex and uncomfortable, but the ways we are making that come true. Join (Yossi Atia) overhears a tour guide offering which is based on his performance art piece always with a caring caress.” us for this exciting event.” TI-TC Adult Ed. to hold virtual program on Jan. 17 The Temple Israel/Temple Concord [email protected]. of the Adult Education Committee. He has at Binghamton University, lectures on Adult Education Group will present the Ben Kasper, professor emeritus at selected a short story from Philip Roth’s entrepreneurship, and offers choreographic virtual program “Select Jewish Shorts” SUNY Broome, who serves on the Ex- book “Goodbye Columbus.” The book, workshops at schools and conservatories on Sunday, January 17, at 10:30 am. The ecutive Board of Temple Israel and is along with the five short stories, received on a global stage. program will be dramatic readings of select co-chairman of the Adult Education Com- the National Book Award in 1960. Horowitz is the co-winner of the Edin- Jewish short stories. Members of Temple mittee, will read one of the short stories. The feature presentation of the morning burgh Festival’s Critics Choice Award and Israel and Temple Concord will receive Kasper’s selection is from a collection will also be a short story from Roth read the Moers International Comedy Arts prize. the Zoom link in e-mails sent out by their titled “Scribblers on The Roof: Contem- by Andy Horowitz. Horowitz is a gradu- He was the 2017 recipient of the Broome synagogues. Anyone who does not receive porary American Jewish Fiction.” ate of Binghamton University who also County Heart of the Arts award. He played those bulletins and wants to join the program Steve Gilbert, professor emeritus of has an M.B.A. from Syracuse University. the leading role in the dramatic reading of the should either contact Temple Israel at titam- psychology at SUNY Oneonta, who is past Horowitz is the artistic director of Galum- play “My Name is Asher Lev,” which was [email protected] or Temple Concord at president of Temple Israel, is co-chairman pha Dance Company. He is on the faculty performed at Temple Israel in June 2018. Spotlight At home in the university and the yeshiva By Rabbi Rachel Esserman in their stories. When focus on his personal experiences. Boyarin Editor’s note: Some spellings of the I examined Zionism noted, “For an anthropologist, ‘participant non-English words are based on the Ashke- and Palestinian na- observation’ classically describes precisely nazic/Yiddish pronunciations of the words. tionalism, I did so the method of coming from the outside and Cultural anthropologists study the cultur- partly to figure out learning about the ‘natives’ by living with al system of a chosen group of people and what my own Jewish them and doing what they do. That doesn’t attempt to learn how that system shapes the politics were. When I necessarily preclude interviews, but I haven’t world in which they live. Some anthropol- chronicled a summer really done interviews since my dissertation ogists travel halfway around the world to at the Stanton Street research almost 40 years ago. To take time study cultures very different from their own. Shul, I was really re- out for formal interviews – even if my fellow Others look closer to home. One example of flecting on the almost L-r: Reb Dovid Feinstein, the late rosh yeshiva of Mesivtha Tifereth students had agreed to it – would probably the latter is Jonathan Boyarin, the Mann Pro- 30 years I’d been a Jerusalem; Jonathan Boyarin; and his son, Jonah Sampson have been seen as bitul toyre [wasting time] fessor of Modern Jewish Studies at Cornell member there. And Boyarin. The occasion was a siyum, a celebration marking the for them and for me, a waste of time better University. His interest in Jewish culture is when I came (back) elder Boyarin’s completion of study of the Babylonian Talmud in spent learning. Besides, in the long run, I reflected in his new work “Yeshiva Days: into MTJ, it was large- the ArtScoll edition. think I learned more about them and about Learning on the Lower East Side,” which ly in order to increase myself just by studying together, day after gives details of the year he spent studying my competence as a student of Talmud, not me a certain amount of ‘street cred.’” day, year after year. And while it would be Talmud at Mesivtha Tifereth Jerusalem, a just to scout my next fieldwork project.” At first, Boyarin wasn’t sure if he was interesting to me, and probably more so to yeshiva located in New York City. Boyarin had studied at the yeshiva going to write about his time at MTJ. After others, to know how the finances work, that In an e-mail interview, Boyarin noted it before, but returned in 2011 during a sab- asking for and receiving permission from the really didn’t seem part of my story.” was not uncommon for him to seek subjects batical. He felt comfortable there because rosh yeshiva (head of the yeshiva) to do so, he It was important to Boyarin that “Yeshiva that relate to his own life. “I’ve never done he already had what he calls the relevant had to decide on the parameters of his partic- Days” be accessible to those with whom fieldwork with people to whom I felt no cultural competence. “I mean that in at least ipant-observation style of study. Was he only he studied. That’s why the book contains prior connection,” he said. “But the nature two senses,” he noted. “One was posses- going to write about his experiences learning little academic jargon and less over-arching of that connection changes. When I wrote sion of the basic skills for reading the text, with and talking to the men at the yeshiva, or analysis than one might expect from an about elderly Polish Jews in Paris, I often where I was way behind my peers, but not was he going to include formal interviews and anthropological work. “This is connected felt like a substitute for their own grand- entirely out of their league. The other was explore the structure of the yeshiva itself? In to a strict criterion I set for myself when I children, who may have been less interested my knowledge of Yiddish, which afforded the end, he decided to draw boundaries and See “Yeshiva” on page 7 INSIDE THIS ISSUE Aliyah from India Virtual talks News in brief..