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March 2020 March Adar – Nisan 5780 Nisan – Adar 2 | March 2020 The Jewish Voice Up Close: Debra Kanof

The Federation’s Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) has been called “our vehicle to pursue justice together, as a community.” Seeking justice is a way of life for this year’s JCRC chair: Debra Kanof, who has been a key member of the U.S. Attorney’s office since 1987 and was El Paso’s first career female prosecutor.

While her parents might have preferred that she follow other family members’ footsteps and become a physician, by the time Debra Kanof was seven, she knew she wanted to go to law school. Growing up, she lived in El Paso, Germany and Italy, wherever her father, a 30-year Army veteran who retired as a colonel, was posted. Her parents made sure she received a proper Jewish education and when she lived in El Paso, she and two brothers attended Sunday School at the Jewish chapel at Fort Bliss. When her oldest brother, Stuart, died in a car accident in his freshman year of college, the loss left a lasting impact on the family, even changing their approach to Judaism. Her passion at Burgess High School had been speech and drama classes, where she learned to excel in extemporaneous speaking and debating. She graduated from the University of Arizona with a degree in speech communication. Her class at the University of Houston Law School was the school’s What do you value the most in with the community around you, first class with a significant number of women – almost one-third – yet your friends? so one of our goals is developing only two women served on the faculty. Deb became the first woman to Their ability to accept me as I am partnerships and increasing win the John Black Memorial Moot Court competition, besting one of and forgive my many imperfections. communication and education the law school’s brightest stars, a man who had been courted by some with the interfaith community. of the state’s most prestigious law firms. What might we be surprised to We plan to develop community learn about your interests? volunteer projects that enhance After working for a small Houston firm and Shell Oil Company, Deb On doctor’s orders 23 years ago, our commitment to Tikkun Olam pursued her dream of working in a prosecutor’s office in El Paso and I began lifting weights and learned: throughout the year, not just on one became the legal advisor to the juvenile court diversion and prosecution 1). I like it, and 2). I have a genetic designated day, such as periodic, programs in 1980. In 1982, she moved to the El Paso District Attorney’s predisposition for strength. I get a routine collections for the El Pasoans Office to handle the Rape and Child Abuse special prosecution unit. real kick out of lifting more than any Fighting Hunger Food Bank. Since 1987, she has served in many federal prosecutorial positions, other woman (and many men) in including Chief of the El Paso Division, Chief of Major Crimes and Chief the gym, even at my advanced age What is your favorite Purim of 66. memory? of Organized Drug Crimes. As a Senior Litigation Counsel, she currently I also crochet, design and Purim was always my mother’s maintains a line position as an Assistant United States Attorney for the complete needle point, and spend favorite holiday. Her true name was Western District of Texas. an inordinate amount of time Esfira, but was later “Americanized” As a civil rights prosecutor for 30 years, Deb sees the Federation’s cuddling with my dog. Can going into Elsie. Esfira was the Russian work as very important today. She notes that it is stunning to see how to Vegas be considered a hobby? It’s word for Esther and like Queen many more crimes are committed against Jews than any other religious definitely an interest! Esther in the Purim story, my mother was very beautiful. So she claimed sects including, for instance, against Muslims. It is time for the Jewish Who’s your favorite Jewish the holiday and the hamantaschen. community to unite to educate others on tolerance and civility. hero? Ruth Bader Ginsberg! (no What’s the best thing about surprise) being part of El Paso’s Jewish community? Don’t Miss in March! What made you decide to Developing a sense of ethnic and get involved with the Jewish religious belonging that I never had Federation and serve on the and making new friends. Our Jewish board? identity is very, very important As a young lawyer, I was very especially in light of what is going March 12, 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. involved in many nonprofiton in the world today. ElPasoConnect For those of us in our 20s, 30s, and 40s organizations until my work in pursuing white-collar offenders Top Golf and Dinner began to complicate my volunteer Two hours of golf and vegetarian buffet work. Later I was on the El Paso $5 donation to Jewish War Veterans of America Holocaust Museum board for ten Born: Queens, Long Island; Funded by Jewish Community Foundation of El Paso Register at jewishelpaso.org/ElPasoConnect years and served as its president. moved to El Paso when she was I served on the Federation’s JCRC four March 8, 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. for several years as the Holocaust Parents: Irving Lee Kanof, PJ Library Museum representative. For pre-schoolers and their families When I got a call from Janet born in Brooklyn to Ukrainian Courage Climb at X-Zone Wechter inviting me to join the immigrants, and Elsie Rawlson 4563 Doniphan Drive Federation board, I gladly accepted. Kanof, who immigrated with Climb and read about Jewish perspectives on courage As I’m speeding toward retirement, I her family from Ukraine when Register at jewishelpaso.org/PJLibrary wanted to get more involved in the she was three. All four of Deb’s March 4 and 18, 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Jewish community. I get comfort Borderland’s Café Europa from attending Jewish services and grandparents fled the pogroms, For those of us over 65For those of us over 65 look forward to becoming part of a travelling to the United States in March 4 Speaker: Debra Kanof congregation. steerage with only the clothes “40 Years of Faith-Based Prosecution” on their backs. March 18 Speaker: Melanie Benjamin What are some plans for the Together with Congregation B’nai Zion Book Zone JCRC this year? Siblings: Brian N. Kanof and the Funded by Jewish Community Foundation of El Paso Part of (physical) security is late Stuart R. Kanof Request Shalom Shuttle Ride at 842-9554 knowing and having relationships

BETTER TOGETHER The Jewish Voice March 2020 | 3 Israel Trauma Coalition: What El Paso needed On August 3, Jewish Federations of North Voice cover story at jewishelpaso.org/voice. experiences America leadership reached out to Robert French, and broaden our Federation’s executive director, to provide The Israel Trauma Coalition training their skill set. support and resources. Among those resources: was exactly what our community The partici- paying for Israel Trauma Coalition professionals needed six months after the Wal-Mart pants reacted to spend time in the city to work with those on the shooting on August 3. The training was positively and front lines of post-traumatic reactions: therapists, empathetic, educational, and uplifting. shared feelings first responders, and faith leaders. Emergence Health Network invited of relief to pro- Two highly trained trauma experts stayed therapists from the community to attend cess their own in El Paso for a week in February, working a three-day clinical workshop to learn vicarious trau- with Celeste Nevarez and other professionals at new skills and strengthen their resilience. ma in a safe Emergent Health Care, El Paso County’s Mental One day was dedicated to faith-based space. Health/Intellectual Disabilities Authority. For leaders and community leaders in order They also more information, read the February Jewish to develop a “leadership in crisis” ap- reported that proach to serv- they took ing the com- away new munity. And interventions, one day was approaches, should another crisis arise. This training dedicated to and viewpoints in responding to crisis was like no other because it normalized law enforce- and trauma. The Israeli facilitators, Tal the feelings of the participants while ment and first and Vanessa, took the time to understand honoring the efforts they have made to responders to the needs of each training group in order help serve the El Paso community. provide a space to provide precise educational methods. Thank you again for this absolutely for them to I have worked as a therapist for amazing training. El Paso is indebted to process their nearly ten years, and I was impressed the Jewish Federation of Greater El Paso with how effortless the ITC approach and the Jewish Federations of North was to address such a substantial topic as America. trauma. The interventions taught were Celeste Nevarez, LPC-S, LPHA Todah RabahJewish Filmto FestivalOur 2020 Volunteers simple, accessible, and effective. Chief of Clinical Services Jennifer Ehrlich and Dana Frank, Co-Chairs Every attendee was able to walk Emergence Health Network Joyce Anenberg, Wendy Axelrod, Mike Batkin, Oscar Beltran, away with a new set of tools to utilize Brenda Ehrlich, Romaree Herbert, Rebecca Krasne, Joan Korn, Lowry Martin, Wendy Siegel These We Honor With Tributes Pacesetters FEDERATION TO: Amanda and Adam Levine in Honor of Jon and Arlene Sonnen, Co-Chairs the birth of their Daughter Olivia Wendy Lanski and Robin Furman, Campaign Co-Chairs TO: The Family of Ann Schaechner in FROM: Janet and Randy Wechter Debra Kanof and Monika Kimball Memory of Your Beloved Wife and Mother Brian Kanof, photographer FROM: Leslie and Robert Beckoff TO: Sam Ellowitz in Honor of his 90th Birthday FROM: Janet and Randy Wechter TO: Jewish Federation in Appreciation for Rise Against Hunger the Café Europa Shabbat Dinner TO: Susie and Eddie Goldman in Honor of Lee Chayes and Noel Hollowell-Small, Co-Chairs FROM: Rochelle Saks the birth of their Grandson Nathan Pretiger Joyce Davidoff, Naomi Estrada, Holly Hernandez, FROM: Sue Bendalin Steve Newcomb, Meagan O’Toole-Pitts, Harriet Roth, TO: Cindy and David Metrikin in Honor of the birth of their Granddaughter Olivia Camp Kadima Memorial Scholarship In Marcia Schwartz, Marilyn Silverstein, Judy Weiser Levine Memory of Leona Goldfarb and Minna Frank FROM: Janet and Randy Wechter Café Europa FROM: Sue Bendalin TO: Sam Ellowitz in Honor of His 90th Scott Stevens Birthday Paul Geneson and Guy Hauptman FROM: Bobby Goldfarb

A publication of the Jewish Federation of Greater El Paso

The Jewish Voice of El Paso, published ten times a year, is dedicated to informing, educating, and uniting the Jewish community by providing news items of local, national, Israeli and international concern. The Jewish Voice will consider for publication any materials submitted that support the mission of the Jewish Federation of Greater El Paso and have relevance and appeal to the El Paso Jewish community. Articles are subject to editing at the editor’s discretion and are subject to space limitations. Letters cannot be longer than 150 words and articles must be kept to a maximum of 300 words. Please email to [email protected] Opinions are those of individual writers and not necessarily those of the Jewish Federation of Greater El Paso. The Jewish Voice is not responsible for the kashrut of any product or eating establishment advertised herein.

Executive Director: Robert French Cindy Graff Cohen Campaign Director: Sue Bendalin Editor: Beatriz Garcia President: Janet Kent Wechter Layout and Design: Robert Piñon Office: 915-842-9554 Advertising Rep: 7110 North Mesa, El Paso, TX 79912 Printing: PDX Printing

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BETTER TOGETHER The Jewish Voice March 2020 | 7 And they lived happily ever after... In many Jewish communities Purim Haman was killed, the Jews lived happily it was unchangeable. For two months an entire jesters visit homes to enliven the festivities ever after... Mordechai and Esther petitioned year. Their and collect money for worthy causes. That’s not what happened. Haman incessantly, until Achashveirosh agreed deepest They sing a famous Yiddish song-song cast his lots two days before Passover and to issue a counter decree that the Jews connection that roughly translates to this: “Today is scheduled the Final Solution for eleven should defend themselves on the day they to G-d Purim, tomorrow no more. Give me a months down the line. Mordechai and were condemned to death. By no means was on full dollar and throw me out the door.” Esther swiftly sprung to action and within had the danger passed until they were display - Once the last crumbs of Hamentashen three days Haman was hanging from the victorious the next year. every single gallows, but The decree had an interesting day. his murderous loophole since it only targeted “Yehudim” More Be sure to celebrate Purim by fulfilling the four Mitzvahs of Purim. Rabbi Levi Greenberg 1. Hear the Purim story as it is read in the original text from a genuine scroll – and be sure decree was which referred specifically to Jews who than any to bang out Haman when he is mentioned – on March 9 in the evening and on March 10. still very much refused to become heathens. A Jew who other holiday, Purim illustrates that To- 2. Give generously to (at least) two charitable causes throughout the day of March 10. alive. Since would forsake his or her faith in G-d rah and Mitzvot are not exclusive to 3. Share gifts of food with your friends and acquaintances throughout the day of March 10. it was signed would be spared death but no one used special times and places. Judaism is not 4. And of course – partake in a delicious festive meal ‘til you can party no more. with the king’s this escape. only relevant on Shabbat and Festivals, signet ring, The entire Jewish nation faced the in the synagogue, around the seder table so long as ultimate test of faith and they passed it or next to the menorah. We are Jews ev- disappear and the costumes get stored Achashveirosh remained in power the with flying colors. For a full year, every ery moment of the day, wherever we are. away is Purim truly no more? Jews still faced a terrifying end. single Jew clung to Judaism under penalty Turns out that every day is Purim. Upon studying the Megillah closely Even after Esther begged and of death. many are surprised to discover that pleaded that he rescind the decree, the It emerges that the miracle of Purim Best wishes for a joyous Purim! the miracle of Purim was an episode mighty king demurred claiming it was did not only unfold in the halls of power, Rabbi Levi Greenberg that extended for close to a year. Often against “the process.” Once a decree but in the behavior of every Jewish man, Chabad El Paso storytellers make it seem as if once was stamped with the royal signet ring woman and child for the duration of

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