Federation’s Super Sunday to come calling Feb. 9 33707 St. Petersburg, FL Avenue 6416 Central Jewish Press of Pinellas County Inc. Bay, Tampa The Jewish Press Group of On Sunday, Feb. 9, the Jewish Federa- caller and every commitment made.” out our community’s generous support. tion of Florida’s Gulf Coast will host its The success of the one-day event de- That’s why, this Super Sunday, I am com- annual Super Sunday phone-a-thon, which pends on the participation of both volun- mitted to helping the Federation reach its seeks to reach as many Jewish households teer callers as well as those who take the fundraising goals for 2020,” board of di- as possible in one day. call. In 2019, Super Sunday secured more rectors campaign committee chair Aaron “The significance of Super Sunday is than $240,000 in commitments to the Slavin said. “As a Federation board mem- that it is an incredible opportunity for our Jewish Federation, continuing a streak of ber, I am extremely proud of the good work community to connect with each other in increased donations during the one-day that our Federation does and I know that meaningful ways,” said Emilie Socash, fundraising initiative. none of it is possible without the support of the Federation’s executive director. “We “The many programs our Federation our local community.” are grateful for every call, every volunteer provides support for would not exist with- SUPER SUNDAY continued on PAGE 11 Serving the Jewish communities of Pinellas County: St. Petersburg, Clearwater, Seminole, Largo, The Jewish Press Group the Beaches, Dunedin, Safety Harbor, PAID U.S. POSTAGE of Tampa Bay, Inc. Bay, Tampa of PRESORTED Palm Harbor, Tarpon Springs, East Lake… STANDARD Pasco County: New Port Richey, Trinity... Hernando County: Spring Hill, Brooksville... www.jewishpresspinellas.com VOL. 34, NO. 12 ST. PETERSBURG, FLORIDA A JANUARY 17 - 30, 2020 16 PAGES Threat level JustJust Compliedaa nosh..fromnosh.. JTA news service unchanged Florida teen tells president fellow students drew swastikas on her arm after Iranian A Jewish high school student from South Florida told President Donald Trump that her fellow students drew swastikas on her arms and pushed her around in her general killed school’s hallways due to her religion. By SAM SOKOLS Ariana Hoblin, a junior at Wellington High Schoon, lo- JTA news service cated in Palm Beach County, spoke about the incidents JERUSALEM – On March 17, at the White House on Thursday, Jan. 16, during a sign- ing ceremony in the Oval Office. 1992, a suicide bomber drove a Trump signed an executive order protecting prayer in truck into the Israeli embassy in public schools coinciding with National Religious Free- Buenos Aires, killing 29 and inju- dom Day, among several sweeping Trump administra- ries hundreds of others. Images are provided from Photo Collection Anne Frank House, Amsterdam. tion rule changes announced that loosen church-state Two years later, in the same city, separations and that drew the ire of Jewish civil liberties on July 18, 1994, another bomber groups such as the Anti-Defamation League and the drove a truck into the AMIA Jewish Fresh look at Anne Frank aims Reform Movement’s Religious Action Center. center, killing 85 and injuring hun- “(I)n my middle school, I was the only Jewish person dreds. It remains Argentina’s worst- and I was very open with my religion,” she told Trump. ever domestic attack. to hit home with today’s youth “And when we started our Holocaust unit, it ended with Analysts believe that Hezbollah, everybody being nice to me because I spoke out about The story of Anne Frank – presented in a time to her hiding place, the “Secret An- it. And I wanted to inform people and I wanted to help the Lebanese terrorist group that modern way and addressing current-day is- nex.” The VR component is a 25-minute people learn. And (then) the students started to write is funded by Iran, were behind the sues of identity, exclusion, and discrimina- experience conveying information not only swastikas on my belongings, on my arms. I was pushed two attacks, and that the bombings tion – will be told in an exhibit beginning a about Anne Frank’s life, hopes and dreams, and shoved in the hallway.” were responses to Israeli acts – the yearlong stay at the Florida Holocaust Mu- but the world and times she lived in. Hoblin also said that her fellow students “went so far 1992 murder of Abbas Moussawi, seum later this month. Florida Holocaust Museum Curator Erin as to take my face and put it on Anne Frank’s body. And a Hezbollah co-founder, and the One of the most well-known victims of Blankenship said a VR experience has been it was sent around to three different schools. And I was 1994 capture of Mustapha Dirani, a the Holocaust as a consequence of the post- touted as one of the best ways to generate terrified to say I was Jewish. And that should never be in anyone’s mind.” Hezbollah ally and Lebanese secu- humous publication of her diary, the exhibit empathy and she is hoping those who take rity official. She told Trump that her high school has been very aims to connect Anne Frank’s story to to- advantage of the VR component will find a The Argentine bombings are supportive of her and have helped her to “be a leader in day’s youth as they grow up and learn all deeper way to relate to the life and death of just two examples of bloody retali- the Jewish community.” The new rules introduced in nine government agen- ation by groups tied to the Iranian actions and words matter. Anne Frank. The museum has six pairs of The St. Petersburg museum is one of the VR goggles and folks can make an appoint- cies make sweeping changes to restrictions on govern- military, which has a reputation for ment funding for religious activity, for instance, removing responding violently – and some- first stops in the U.S. for the exhibit, “Let ment to use them by visiting the museum’s Me Be Myself: The Life Story of Anne website at www.flholocaustmuseum.org. a requirement that government-funded religious groups times years later – to attacks on administering aid programs advise recipients of alterna- themselves or their allies. Jewish Frank.” “This exhibition connects Anne Frank’s tives. and Israeli sites have often been the This presentation about Anne Frank will life story with the present and makes the Iranians’ targets. also feature a Virtual Reality (VR) compo- fate of the millions of victims of the perse- UK soccer club unveils mural with But after the U.S. assassination of nent from Force Field VR and Oculus Stu- cution of the Jews during the Second World Jewish players murdered at Auschwitz Iranian general Qassem Soleimani, dios that allows the visitor to travel back in ANNE FRANK continued on PAGE 10 The Chelsea soccer club in Britain marked Interna- which enraged Tehran and prompt- tional Holocaust Remembrance Day with a commemora- ed Iran’s president to promise re- tive mural of Jewish players and prisoners of war who venge, Jewish communities around were sent to a Nazi camp. the world aren’t likely to change Rebbe’s White House The mural was unveiled on a wall outside of the West their security plans much. Stand at Stamford Bridge and is part of Chelsea’s Say According to conversations that No to Anti-Semitism campaign being funded by the the JTA news service has held ‘envoy’ to speak here club’s Russian-Israeli owner, Roman Abramovich. “By sharing the images of these three individual foot- with representatives of a number of Rabbi Abraham Shemtov, often called “the Reb- Jewish organizations, many Jewish ball players on our stadium, we hope to inspire future be’s ambassador to the White House,” will be the generations to always fight against anti-Semitism, dis- communities have already signifi- special guest speaker on Wednesday evening, Jan. crimination and racism, wherever they find it,” Chelsea cantly increased their security in 29 in Clearwater. chairman Bruce Buck said in a statement on the club’s response to years of rising anti- The event, co-sponsored by the Chabad of Pinellas website. Semitism. County and the Chabad of Clearwater, will begin at The mural features three portraits. “For the moment, we don’t think Julius Hirsch, a German Jewish international foot- 7 p.m. at the Tabacinic Chabad Center, 2280 Bel- that Iran will, in the short term, take baller, was murdered sometime after 1943 at the Aus- leair Road, Clearwater. revenge like what they did in AMIA chwitz Nazi camp in occupied Poland. Also depicted is and the embassy,” Ophir Revach, A dedicated disciple of the late Rebbe Menachem Árpád Weisz, a Hungarian Jewish football player who the CEO of the European Jewish With much fanfare, Rabbi Abraham Shemtov Mendel Schneerson, Rabbi Shemtov will speak on was murdered there in 1944. Congress’ Security and Crisis leads a previous year’s National Menorah light- “The Rebbe’s Impact on the White House and the The third portrait is of Ron Jones, known as the ing in Washington, D.C.. He is credited with World.” “Goalkeeper of Auschwitz,” who was a British prisoner of THREAT LEVEL continued on PAGE 8 launching the tradition in 1979. REBBE ENVOY continued on PAGE 13 war at Auschwitz. He survived the camp. ADVERTISEMENT PAGE 2 A JEWISH PRESS of PINELLAS COUNTY JANUARY 17 - 30, 2020 Super SundAy is a powerful day when volunteers, donors, and community members come together to make a difference.