Published by the Jewish Community of Louisville, Inc. DECEMBER 26, 2014 4 TEVET 5775www.jewishlouisville.org Community 1 INSIDE Jewish Film Festival is larger than ever and a special look back a the history Broadway PAGE 5 Communit■ ■ y FRIDAY VOL. 40, NO. 04 4 tevet 5775 deceMber 26, 2014 Million Dollar Dinner Lives Up to its Name By Phyllis Shaikun The Jewish Federation of Louisville’s Million Dollar Dinner on Saturday, De- cember 13, at the Standard Club, lived up to its name and attracted a festive crowd of more than 200 to celebrate the community successfully raising over that sum during the Week of Giving ef- fort held December 7-13. The gala was a thank you to donors and to volunteers who worked tirelessly, along with 2015 Campaign Chair Doug Gordon and Co- chair Ariel Kronenberg, to ensure the million-dollar mark would be reached by the night of the dinner. Gordon emceed the proceedings and began the evening’s formal program by thanking the Jewish Heritage Fund for Excellence for the use of the Standard Club and to Heaven Hill Distilleries for contributing the alcohol for the evening. Gordon then recognized past presi- dents and chairs from the Jewish Com- munity Center, Jewish Community Federation and Jewish Community of Louisville who provided inspiration and leadership that set the path and brought us to this point. He shared highlights of their collective accomplishments, which A group of past and present CenterStage performers entertained the audience at the tenth annual Light Up CenterStage on December 6. The event finished off Center- see MILLION DOLLAR page 16 Stage’s portion of the Meet the Challenge campaign, meaning the theate will get new chairs and a curtain. See story page 8. JCC to Celebrate 125 Years of Service to Louisville by Lisa Hornung rich history, said Ralph Green, committee informally in literary and social clubs in Communications Specialist co-chair. “Many of those in the Jewish the city. The minutes of the charter meet- community who have been active here ing said the organization would be “an As- The Jewish Community Center will cel- grew up at the JCC.” sociation, the objects of which shall be the ebrate its 125th anniversary this year, and “The JCC has been in Louisville for 125 moral, religious, educational, social and with so many opportunities to celebrate, years, which is a big deal,” said Michelle physical advancement of its members.” you’re sure to find a few in which to par- Tasman, committee co-chair. Dues were set at $6 per year. By the end Cantor David Lipp and Rabbi Michael Wolk light a ticipate. Louisville’s JCC began as the Young of that year, a gym – at a cost of $3,500 – candle to kick off the Million Dollar Dinner at the “We have one of the oldest Jewish com- Men’s Hebrew Association on January 14, had been constructed on the east side of Standard Club on December 13. The gala was a thank munity centers in the country, with a long, 1890, after several years of people meeting see JCC 125 page 19 you to donors and volunteers. INDEX Shavit Discusses Book, Israel’s Importance; JCRC Update ......................................2 Kashua to Talk of Life as an Israeli Arab Wishnia Europe Trip ...........................3 by Lisa Hornung Summer Interns ...................................3 and Shiela Steinman Wallace POSTAGE Jewish Film Festival ............................5 KENTUCKY LOUISVILLE On December 7, the Louisville Jewish/Is- PERIODICALS Calendar of Events ..............................5 Amb. Prosor Speech ....................... 6-7 raeli Author Series brought Ari Shavit, the Light Up CenterStage ..................... 8-9 author of My Promised Land in to speak at Nelson Concert .................................10 Adath Jeshurun at an event sponsored by Federation Update ............................ 11 Adath Jeshurun and co-sponsored by Tem- YAD Annual Event ............................. 11 ple Shalom. JCL Briefing ......................................12 The series will continue on Friday, Jan- PJ Library @ Barnes and Nobel ........12 uary 23, at the Jewish Community Center. Schrader Scholarship .......................15 The community is invited to participate in A Capella Festival..............................18 Kabbalat Shabbat services at 5:30 p.m. fol- Community Impact Grants ...............18 lowed by dinner and discussion with Rabbi Toddler Nutrition Forum ....................18 Danya Ruttenberg, author of Holy Frustra- JFCS Calendar ..................................20 tion and Radical Amazement: Parenting as a Stuart Goldberg, Phyllis Shaikun and Michael Shaikun Gross Released from Cuba ..............21 Spiritual Discussion. The dinner is $18 for at the Jewish/Israeli Author Series reading by Ari Shavit on December 7. Teen Topics .......................................22 adults and $10 for children, and babysitting Newsmakers .....................................22 is available. It is sponsored by the JCC and Chavurat Shalom ..............................22 Keneseth Israel. program is sponsored by Keneseth Israel. Around Town ............................... 23-25 The following day, Rabbi Ruttenberg On Thursday and Friday, February 12 Lifecycle ............................................27 will be the guest and featured speaker at and 13, the University of Louisville Jewish D’var Torah ........................................27 Keneseth Israel for the Shabbat service and Studies Department and The Temple are kiddush luncheon starting at 9:30 a.m. This see SHAVIT page 7 2 Community DECEMBER 26, 2014 4 TEVET 5775 JCRC UPDATE by Matt Goldberg, Director CommunityCommunit is published monthly by theJewish y Community’s circulation has Jewish Community Relations Council to the far right and forming a coalition Community of Louisville, Inc., 3600 Dutchmans Lane, been audited by the Circulation is a complicated affair. The ruling party Louisville, KY 40205-3216. Verification Council. must cobble together a 61 seat colition out USPS #020-068 at Louisville, KY. This past month saw protests in the of the 120 seats in the Knesset. For the The Jewish Community of Louisville is a nonprofit EDITORIAL STAFF streets of Ferguson, MO, Staten Island, last several years it has been the Likud organization. $26 of your pledge is for a subscription Shiela Steinman Wallace NY, around the country, and right here party and Prime Minister Netanyahu for Community. For more information, call (502) 459- Editor/Communications Director 238-2703, [email protected] in Louisville over what many see as in- that have formed a government. But in 0660, fax (502) 238-2724, e-mail jcl@jewishlouisville. justice in the form of racial discrimina- recent years, the Likud has not had more org or check out the website www.jewishlouisville.org. Kristy Benefield tion at the hands of police. They are a than 31 seats so it is beholden to other POSTMASTER – Send address changes to Community Subscriptions response to the decisions by two grand parties, often times with very different Community, 3600 Dutchmans Lane, Louisville, KY 238-2739, [email protected] juries not to indict the policemen re- ideas than Likud. Their main coalition 40205-3216. sponsible for the deaths of Michael partners included Yisrael Beiteinu, a his- Ben Goldenberg Brown and Eric Garner. The anger in torically immigrant party that has gener- COMMUNITY DEADLINES Marketing Director Deadlines for the next two issues of Community 238-2711, [email protected] the streets and during these protests is ally supported a nationalistic foreign pol- for copy and ads are: January 16 for publication palpable, as the African American Com- icy while being anti-Religious. 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True peace talks with the Palestinians, and led right to edit all submissions to conform to style and BOARD OF DIRECTORS justice will not come about when grand by Yair Lapid, a former television news length requirements. juries announce decisions on indict- anchor. Since the coalition has such dif- Board Chair ments, but when the citizenry has faith ferent stances on everything from peace ADVERTISING INFORMATION Karen Abrams in the police, the courts and the justice talks to the price of housing, and with To advertise, please contact our sales system, and feel their own sense of be- such different personalities like Netanya- representative at (502) 418-5845 or e-mail JCL senIOR STAFF [email protected]. longing within it. hu, Lapid and others, it really was only a President & Chief Executive Officer matter of time until this government fell. The appearance of