August 13-26, 2021 Published by the Jewish Federation of Greater Binghamton Volume L, Number 17 BINGHAMTON, NEW YORK Federation to hold Super Sunday on August 29 By Reporter staff contact the Federation Campaign. When the The Jewish Federation of Greater Bing- at [email protected] community pledges hamton will hold Super Sunday on Sunday, or 724-2332. Marilyn early, the allocation August 29, at 10 am, at the Jewish Commu- Bell is the chairwom- process is much eas- nity Center, 500 Clubhouse Rd., Vestal. It an of Campaign 2022. ier. We also want the will feature a brunch, comedy by comedian “We are hoping snow birds to have Josh Wallenstein and a showing of the film to get community an opportunity to “Fiddler: A Miracle of Miracles” about the members to pledge gather before they Broadway musical “Fiddler on the Roof.” early again this year,” leave for sunnier Larry Kassan, who has directed productions said Shelley Hubal, climates this fall.” of the musical, will facilitate the film discus- executive director of Bell noted how im- sion. The cost of the brunch and film is $15 the Federation. “We started the 2021 Cam- portant the Campaign is to the community. and reservations are requested by Sunday, paign with almost 25 percent of the pledges “As I begin my fourth year as Campaign August 22. To make reservations, visit already made. That helped to cut back on chair, I know – and I know that you know the Federation website, www.jfgb.org/, or the manpower we needed to get through the – how essential our local organizations are to the Jewish community,” she said. “This “As I begin my fourth year as Campaign chair, I know is truly a wonderful community and you have always come through for Federation – and I know that you know – how essential our local to support these organizations. It has cer- organizations are to the Jewish community,” [Campaign tainly been a tough year for everyone, but it will be wonderful to be together again on Chairwoman Marilyn Bell] said. “This is truly a wonderful Super Sunday to celebrate and enjoy each community and you have always come through for other, good food and a good movie. I look forward to seeing you all there.” Poster of the film “Fiddler: A Miracle of Federation to support these organizations.” Wallenstein, son of Larry Wallenstein, Miracles” will share a comedy routine. During the pandemic, he returned to this area from “Fiddler: A Miracle of Miracles,” a Save the date California where he had been performing documentary by Max Lewkowicz, tells stand-up comedy. Since last November, he the origin story of the Broadway musical has been working as a fifth grade teaching “Fiddler on The Roof,” and its creative Holocaust memorial service assistant and was recently featured in a roots in early 1960s New York City. The Newsweek article titled “5 TikTok Teachers film includes interviews with the show’s Share Behind the Scenes of Virtual Teach- creators, which reveal how the success to be held on Sept. 12 ing.” His comedy videos can be seen at and worldwide impact of “Fiddler” and www.tiktok.com/@thatjoshuakid93. See “Sunday” on page 3 The Jewish Federation of Greater Binghamton will hold a memorial service at the Holocaust Memorial Monument in Chabad Center to hold the Temple Israel Cemetery on Conklin Avenue in Conklin on Sunday, September 12, at 10:30 am. The service will be led by area rabbis. The monument was one of the Piaker lecture on Sept. 2 first memorial stones in the United States The Chabad Center will hold beginning at 7:30 pm. There is to acknowledge the Holocaust. the 2021 Pauline and Philip no charge, but reservations are “We were unable to have the service last Piaker Memorial Lecture, “It’s required and can be made at year due to the pandemic,” said Shelley a Brave, New World – From www. Jewishbu.com/Piaker or Hubal, executive director of the Federation. Messenger RNA Vaccines to by calling Chabad at 797-0015. “We hope you all will be able to join us for Mitochondrial DNA Genes: The “The Chabad Center and the this important commemoration.” Jewish Approach to the Latest Piaker family are delighted to For more information, see the next issue Medical Advances,” by Rabbi invite the community to this of The Reporter. Edward Reichman. M.D., on year’s lecture,” said organizers Thursday, September 2, at the of the event. “A community At right: The Holocaust Memorial Chabad Center. The doors will be tradition since1995, when the Monument in the Temple Israel Cemetery open and refreshments available Rabbi Edward lecture was established by Phil on Conklin Avenue in Conklin. at 7 pm, with the presentation Reichman, M.D. to memorialize his dear wife, Pauline, the lecture was not held last year due to Covid.” IAUJC to host Rosh Hashanah young “We are grateful to be past the worst of the global pandemic and to resume what has been an important and widely family event on Aug. 29 enjoyed community tradition,” said Rabbi Aaron Slonim. On Sunday, August 29, from 3-4:30 pm, This will be the first in-person festivity the books as a way to learn about Jewish Reichman is a professor of emergency the Ithaca Area United Jewish Community since the beginning of the pandemic. The holidays, traditions and values,” said or- medicine and professor in the Division of will host a celebration in honor of the up- event is being co-sponsored by Chabad at ganizers of the event. “The celebration on Education and Bioethics in the Department coming Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashanah, Cornell, Congregation Tikkun v’Or and August 29 will help bring people together of Epidemiology and Population Health at at the Small Pavilion in Stewart Park in Temple Beth-El. for a fun afternoon. Those interested in the Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Ithaca. The event is designed for young The family program is one of several becoming subscribers will be assisted.” Yeshiva University. He received his B.A. families, but those who are “young at heart” that, under normal circumstances, are held A program of the Harold Grinspoon from Yeshiva University, his M.D. from the are welcome, as well. There will be craft throughout the year by Ithaca Area United Foundation, PJ Library is made possible Albert Einstein College of Medicine, and activities related to the holiday and a “Make Jewish Community to bring together young through partnerships with philanthropists rabbinic ordination from the Rabbi Isaac a Joyful Noise” drumming circle at 3:45 pm families who subscribe to the PJ Library and local Jewish organizations, such as Elchanan Theological Seminary. led by musician Sam Fishman. Children Jewish storybook program. This is a free IAUJC. Families raising children from In addition to his full-time clinical can make their own percussion instruments subscription program; to find out more, visit birth through 9 years old with Judaism as practice in Emergency Medicine at Mon- before the drumming begins. In addition, www.pjlibrary.org. No formal affiliation part of their lives are welcome to sign up. tefiore Medical Center, Reichman lectures Rabbi Dovid Birk, of the Roitman Chabad to a Jewish institution is required to be a PJ Library welcomes all Jewish families, internationally on Jewish medical ethics. Center at Cornell, will blow the shofar. subscriber. “In fact, many subscribers use See “Family” on page 3 See “Piaker” on page 5 INSIDE THIS ISSUE Small Town Judaism Belarus memorial News in brief... Special Sections Columnist Bill Simons continues A group plans to create a memorial Israel to help Greece fight wildfires; Book Review .................................... 4 his look at Jewish life, and with Jewish gravestones that have Taiwan to open a JCC; CDC Prepare for Rosh Hashanah ......... 6-7 Dine Out .......................................... 8 baseball, in Fleischmanns. been discovered around Belarus. warning on Israel travel; more. Women in Business ......................... 9 ........................................Page 5 ...................................... Page 11 ...................................... Page 12 Classifieds ..................................... 12 Page 2 - The Reporter August 13-26, 2021 Opinion Will the Delta variant spoil the High Holiday comeback? By David Suissa Of the many obstacles to in-person prayer services caused has concrete value. A live appeal from a rabbi, needless to (JNS) – Just as things were returning to normal, and rabbis by COVID, one of the toughest is surely the mask mandate. say, is a lot more powerful than an online one. across America were eagerly anticipating a full reopening How many people will tolerate wearing masks during And yet, this is the new reality in which we find ourselves, for the High Holy Days, the Delta variant showed up. the long Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur services? It’s for better or worse. Enclosed indoor spaces of all kinds Oh no, not again. one thing to wear a mask while you go grocery shopping have gone out of fashion. And that includes synagogues. Need I remind you that nearly every synagogue and or briefly enter a public space, but when more pleasant As long as mask mandates are around, and alternatives are Jewish center in America pretty much shut down during alternatives are easily available – either via online or in available, many people will see these indoor spaces as an last year’s High Holidays because of COVID-19? That someone’s backyard – how many Jews will brave the inconvenient risk not worth taking. the great American Jewish ritual of scoring High Holiday unintended indignity of covering one’s face during our I hope this doesn’t last. Prolonged physical isolation can tickets succumbed to a deadly, global virus? That rabbis holiest days of the year? be debilitating, especially for communities that are used to had to scramble for alternatives, from Zoom services to As I write this, the anxiety of uncertainty is building: If mingling and interacting and connecting in person.