r The JEWISH VOICE & MASSAC H USETTS 13 TEVET 5769 Vol. XI - Issue I www.jvhri.org Januar 9, 2009 Operation Cast Lead: Israeli forces strike Hamas in Gaza No cease fire, unless on Israeli terms BYLESLIE SussER ]TA Staff Writer JERUSALEM (JTA) - Israel's retaliation against persistent H amas mortar and rocket attacks on civili ans in southern Israel was far more ferocious than anyone, including Hamas, expected. Photo by Nancy Kirsch N EWS ANALYSIS Providence M ayor David The first week of intensive Cicilline spoke forcefully Israel Air Force bombing on behalf of Israel. in Gaza in Operation Cast Photo by Flash 90 Lead reduced hundreds of Solidarity for ISRAELI TANKS are seen at a staging area near Israel's border with t he Gaza St ri p, in southern Israel. H amas government buildings, Israel, prayers of Israel launched a ground offensive on Jan. 3, splitting the Gaza Strip into sections. military compounds, labora­ tories, metal workshops and peace offered supply tunnels to rubble and JINSA: Flying beneath radar screen left more than 400 Palestin­ ians, most of them mi litants, More than 150 lhink tank builds sor to Benjamin Netanya hu , JINSA, a non-profit neo-con­ dead, according to U.N . attend community conduc ted a personal briefing servative think tank in Wash­ offi cials and Hamas officials. relationships between via conference call on D ec. 30 to ington, D.C., had it origins in The name of the operation, service Israeli, American members of the Jewish Institute the 1973 Yorn Kippur War, Cas t L ead, is a Hanukkah fo r National Securi ty when Israel, fi ght­ reference: the dreidel originally BY NANCY K1RSCH military forces Affairs, or JINSA. ing a two-front was manufactured by pouring nkirsch@jjri. org The bri efing, war, found itself molten lead into a mold. It has a BYRI CHARDASINOF according to one par­ in dire need of PROV1DENCE - Nadav double meaning, because that is rasin oj@jfri. 01g ticipant, touched on mi litary equipment how bullets are manufactured. Tamir, Consul General of New what was happening ~ - and was initially England for Israel, ended his PROV1DENCE - As Israeli JIN SA On Jan . 3 Israel launched Gaza, how H ezbol- turned down by a ground offensive as the brief talk from the pulpit of jets streaked over the skies of !ah, with "many the United States. Temple Emanu-El, at a com­ the Gaza Strip, striking targeted airstrikes continued and thousands of rockets aimed at To rectify that situation, some Israeli tanks massed on the munity service Jan. 4 organized positions in the "all-out war the whole country oflsrael," American Jewish leaders decided by JFRI's Community Re!a- against Hamas," former Israeli Israel-Gaza border and Israeli may respond to the conflict, and to develop a means of building warships fired along Gaza's Ambassador Dore Gold, who the ongoing threat of Natanz, See COMMUNITY, Page 8 served as a foreign policy advi- a nuclear faci lity in Iran. See JINSA, Page 7 See WAR , Page 6 Inaugural optimism: Obama's presidency a sign of democracy's strength First 100 days: e-ma~ ~- :1iled~~ •th'-~-~t:;)c •L11'-v- ..u c,1~'-a•;).- Afr"C-=ican-Amer--- "-~ -=ican--- elec"'~ - •~tedA, s-=in--"ce •'-~the Gr'r- ea~"·t Dnep~--res~,-si=on,-- t ,::W: • · "I look forward to the inau- but because of the message it so it's certainly going to be an challenges ahead for guration with great optimism," sends to the rest of the world ." historic day," he said. "We've he wrote. "I am hopeful that In no country other than the got a bad economy, two wars Obama, country President Obama will be a United States could a man ra ised and problems all around the friend to Israel and will actively by a single parent in a modest world - so, it's both a chal­ BY NANCY K IRSCH engage in the pursuit of peace home rise to become president, lenge and an opportunity." [email protected] in the M iddle East. A nd, on Cicilline added. "It speaks to Jennifer Lawless, an assistant PROVIDENCE - In light of the domestic front, I am hope­ the strength of our democracy." professor of politi cal science at President-elect Barack Obama's ful that our new president Darrell M . West, formerly the Brown University, will be pro­ upcoming historic inaugura­ wi ll initiate an era of coop­ director of the Taubman Center viding commentary and analysis tion, The Voice & Herald talked eration, respect for different for Public Policy and American at Temple Sinai in Cranston with some political leaders, a points of view, and he and the Institutions at Brown Unive rsity, on the inauguration, during its community rabbi and policy government will stand by all and now the vice president and televised broadcast, beginning experts to get their views and those who are vulnerable." director of governance studies at noon on Tuesday, Jan. 20. thoughts about the upcoming Providence Mayor David at the Brookings Institution in "I've never seen so much Cicilline said: "The inaugu­ Washi ngton, D.C., shared his attention to a presidential inauguration on Jan . 20. Photo by Flash 90 Rabbi Peter W. Stein, ration of a new president is views, in a telephone inter- transition," she said. "People president of the Rhode Island always exciting, but this one view. "The new president will are so excited for a new presi­ PRESIDENT-ELECT BARACK Board of Rabbis and rabbi at is particularly significa nt, not tak.e office during the greatest dent. It has as much to do OBAMA visiting Sderot when he was a candidate Temp)e Sinai in Cranston, only because he is the first challenge our country has faced See OBAMA , Page 21 in July 2008 _, PAGE 2 Jewish Voice & Herald January 9, 2009 COMMUNITY FIRST PERSON PLURAL Why healing is a Jewish word Program on Jan. 12 is spent "out-of-pocket" annu­ As a polari ty therapist, an and a demonstration of one with Jewish tradition. About ally on alternative medicine energy healer, I set out to specific Jewish way to heal our 10 yea rs ago, I launched WW\V. at ]CC will explore than for standard medical care discover the Jewish path to illness . We wiU discuss the jewishealing.com, a web site in order to deal with un relent­ healing. I explored the distinc­ disti nction between traditional dedicated to Jewish hea li ng and Jewish spiritual ing suffering. TI1ere are hun­ tion between conventional allopathic medicine and holistic spirituality to establish a Jewish healing dreds of chronic illnesses, from medicine and holistic healing. healing, and we wiU investigate healing presence on the I nter­ asthma and diabetes to lupus Much of today's holistic heal­ several heali ng envi ronments. net. Jewisheali ng.com receives BY WALLY S PIEGLER and stress disorders. The word ing established its practices Who would ever think, that numerous e-ma il inquiries Special to The Voice & Herald is out that people hea l better from the traditions of other in a cou ntry ru led by rational regarding health co ncerns. with a combination of alterna­ countries and religions: acu­ EN PEOPLE thought, where proof is required In my opi nion, the Ameri­ tive and conventional medicine. puncture from China, ayurveda every step of the way, that prayer can Jewish community needs ct sick, it is The Jewish H ealing Insti­ and yoga from I ndia, and wou ld be considered a legitimate a Jewish alternative alongside uaUy not W tute wiU present a free evening shiatsu and reiki from Japan. source of healing? Could it be standard medica l intervention. tastrophic. program, "H ealing is a Jewish Jews are asking: why can't that in view of all the disen­ Life-threaten ing illnesses play W ord," sponsored by the Jewish we find healing from our own chantment with current medical a minor role in the pantheon of Wally Spiegler RPP, a certi­ Community Center of Rhode tradition, which would be more practices, even some doctors diseases that doctors treat today. fied healer, willfacilitate the Island. "This event wi ll take fitting to our Jewish way of life? themselves promote prayer? presentation. Space is limited, M ost people stricken with I believed such a system For years now, I have so please call theJ CCRI at 861- illness do not necessarily existed but needed to be attempted to coordinate my 8800 to make reservations. fee l isolated or detached flu shed out, approx_imat­ own energy healing practice from the community, as "The American Jewish ing the means by which might be the case with the community needs a we distilJ meanings from more seri ously ill. M any Torah verses. First, I sifted ca n go to work and attend Jewish alternative along CANDLE LIGHTING TIMES through Tanach to find to their daily chores, in side standard medical passages that might lead For Greater Rhode Island spite of thei r suffering. intervention." me in the ri ght direction. I What passes for Jewish i' I 2009 The pivotal ve rse I healing today is outreach encountered says: "And the Jan. 9 4:14 to those in crisis: visiting ti' - : place at the JCCRI on M onday Lord will take away from you the sick and elderly, supporting Jan. 16 4:22 even ing, Jan. 12, at 7 p.m. all sickness, and will put none of fami lies whose loved ones face I n my opinion, Jewish heal­ ... .. the evil diseases of Egypt, which Jan.