The Voice of the Greater New Haven Jewish Community See center Hanukkah pull-out on page 13 NEW HAVEN FALL/WINTER 2018•KISLEV/TEVET 5779 Walking in the Footsteps of the Past... Page 2 Federation Leads Mission Trip to Poland JFS LAUNCHES SHARING STORIES AUDITORIUM KEN’S CLOSET OF THE SIMPSONS GETS FACELIFT Jewish Family Service of Writer for “The Simpsons” Through the generosity Greater New Haven has Mike Reiss speaks on of Barry & Hyla Vine, the created a new program Nov. 29 at Best Video JCC’s Vine Auditorium is offering clothing for men Film & Cultural Center undergoing and women. PAGE 4 in Hamden. PAGE 11 improvements. PAGE 3 Page 3, FROM THE DESK OF JUDY ALPERIN Vine Family Sponsors CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER I [email protected] SHALOM NEW HAVEN 5778 Page 2 NEW HAVEN Auditorium Improvements SHALOM New Haven is published six Warsaw Offers Glimpse of Our Tragic Past, times per year and delivered free of by Scott Cohen , 2018 charge to the Greater New Haven Jewish JCC Executive Director But Also Hopes for Renaissance of Jewish Life community by the Jewish Federation of This month’s column is written from has one Jewish parent but didn’t know to financial limitations, so as a com- Greater New Haven. The Vine Family Auditorium, long the Warsaw, Poland, where I am proud her Jewish story. Hers is a common munity, we must work harder to raise COPY DEADLINES home of cultural arts programs, com- to be part of a delegation from our tale --- after WWII and the rise of Com- funds to help enable our kids to build Copy deadlines for the upcoming Shalom munal events and family programs, is community to visit Warsaw, Lublin munism, religious identity was some- a strong foundation and affinity with New Haven issues are: in the midst of a facelift and a major , 2018 and Krakow before flying to Israel to thing to be tamped down. It was only Jewish life. • Nov. 30 for January/February issue technology improvement. • Jan. 25 for March/April issue continue our mission and concluding after the fall of the Soviet Union when • March 29 for May/June issue With the help of donors to the Annual Through the generosity of Barry and at the Jewish Federations of North a spiritual awakening became pos- 5778 Jewish Federation campaign, nascent • May 24 for July/August issue Hyla Vine, a major investment in new Found a House? America’s General Assembly. sible. The JDC, our overseas partner • July 26 for September/October issue SHALOM NEW HAVEN Jewish communities are growing — technology will improve the quality supported by our community’s Annual • Sept. 27 for November/December issue Warsaw is a beautiful, modern, thriv- supported and enriched at places like and the accessibility of any event Campaign, was on the ground to help _________________________________ Apply Online or In Person. ing city. It’s difficult to square today’s the Warsaw and Krakow JCCs. Young held in the Vine Family Auditorium. and begin the process of supporting reality of modern Warsaw with the Jews are re-discovering their identities SUBMISSIONS The improvements begin with a new the Jewish community. Agata was sent To submit an article or photo, please essexsavings.com black and white images of the hor- and putting down new Jewish roots in projector and screen for movies and to Jewish summer camp by the JDC. email [email protected]. rors of the Warsaw Ghetto, the forced Poland. presentations. The powerful projector At Camp Szarvas in Hungary, she met Please include your contact information deportations and massed killings of when submitting. and ambient light-rejecting screen will hundreds of other kids like her who And those roots can be rekindled in more than 300,000 Jews from War- improve the quality of all presenta- were discovering that they were Jew- unexpected places. There have been Space is limited; submission does not saw alone at Treblinka. tions with a brighter and sharper im- ish and immersed in Jewish summer several goose bump moments. But guarantee publication. All articles are subject to approval by the editorial age. The new screen will support the camp fun and ritual. She returned a the best one for me today came when It’s important to understand our board. wide-screen format of new films and history and to bear witness to all that changed person and became more Dr. Harry Schwartz shared that as a make subtitles easier to read. In addi- Essex, 35 Plains Road, 860-767-2573 • Essex, 9 Main Street, 860-767-8238 happened here. But equally important involved in learning about her heritage son of a child survivor of the Warsaw SHALOM NEW HAVEN STAFF Nurit Kohl tion, connecting to the projector can Chester, 203 Middlesex Avenue, 860-526-0000 • Madison, 99 Durham Road, 203-318-8611 and helping lead the community. Ghetto he had seen this experience Old Lyme, 101 Halls Road, 860-434-1646 • Old Saybrook, 155 Main Street, 860-388-3543 was how we completed our first day of Director of Marketing & Communications be accomplished wirelessly and seam- as something connecting him to his Toll-Free: 877-377-3922 • www.essexsavings.com the mission. Current studies tell us that the lessly. A ceiling-mounted spotlight will past but after listening to Agata at the Member FDIC Equal Housing Lender Millennial Generation and those that Jeannette Brodeur allow for a better audience experience After a day walking in the footsteps Warsaw JCC, he was proud and happy Editor follow will not see their part in Jew- by highlighting our presenters. of the past, immersed in the tragic to consider himself a child of Warsaw. ish peoplehood through the lens of Wendy Bowes JCC better serve our community. This realities that befell the Jews, we New speakers and microphones will the Shoah. The bond to the Jewish My mentor and friend, Mark L. Senior Graphic Designer is the theme of our Capital Campaign, concluded with an inspiring visit at the guarantee sound quality and distribu- people and to Israel must be formed Goldstein, z”l, the former Executive Building Memories. As we look to the Warsaw JCC. The bright and cheery George Hauer tion, ensuring that wherever you sit, through experiences that celebrate Director of the Jewish Federation of future, the JCC was rebuilt after the building, located in a hip, young and Advertising Sales Manager you will be able to hear a speaker, the beauty of and deepen the Lehigh Valley, used to comment fire with many new features, including thriving area of the city, is about to musician or movie. The final upgrade understanding of Jewish culture, that there was nothing like a Jewish EDITORIAL BOARD new program spaces and accessibil- celebrate its fifth anniversary and is to be installed is a hearing impaired learning, ritual and connection. Federation mission. For Harry and for Chesky Holtzberg: Chair ity improvements. The JCC is seeking enjoying steady growth of program- Chava Light system to allow audience members to each of us who are having moments generous community members to ming, membership and engagement. Experiential education also creates a Mark Oppenheimer listen to the audio through earphones that will last a lifetime, Mark help fund the improvements. If you It has become home to activities and lifelong impact. This is why our com- Cindy Papish Gerber connected to their smartphone or a continues to be very right. _________________________________ are interested in building memories programs for youth, families, men munity provides gateways to those device provided by the JCC. and women and is a major part of the experiences like March of the Living, for the current and next generation LEADERSHIP of JCC users, contact Amy Holtz, renaissance of Jewish life. The visit Israel programs -Birthright Israel, Dr. Jeffrey Hoos All of these upgrades were possible was inspiring because of the passion- MASA, Jewish learning programs and President because of the generosity of the Vine Chief Development Officer, at x254 or ate leaders we met there like Agata Jewish overnight camp. Not everyone family and their interest in helping the [email protected]. Judith Alperin Rogavitzka, Director of the JCC. Agata will be able to participate, many due Chief Executive Officer Scott Cohen JCC Executive Director Lisa Stanger, Esq. SOUP’S ON! Foundation Executive Director _________________________________ Proudly serving Willoughby’s Jewish Federation of Greater New Haven Coffee & espresso drinks 360 Amity Road, Woodbridge, CT 06525 (203) 387-2424 Comfortable lounge & free WiFi [email protected] Soups, salads, sandwiches, jewishnewhaven.org/SNH Karen Burstein-Ayalon (left), & Nave Yogev (right) of baked goods, smoothies & more! Partnership2Gether/Afula-Gilboa–Southern New Open Sunday-Friday England, and The Jewish Agency for Israel, joined (closed Saturdays) Members of the Jewish Federation of Greater New Federation CEO Judy Alperin (center) to visit the Haven’s mission trip to Poland and Israel shared a meal oldest synagogue in Afula, Israel. Beit HaKnesset together sand made new friends at the Warsaw JCC, HaGadol Beit Shalom was built with the support of JCC of Greater New Haven, 360 Amity Rd., Woodbridge | jccnh.org which is about to celebrate its fifth anniversary. families from New Haven. Page 5, JFS Launches Ken’s Closet Jewish Family Service Welcomes New Board Members At the June annual meeting, Jewish local Jewish organizations and many bers that raised vegetables for local of the Jewish Fed- SHALOM NEW HAVEN Family Service of Greater New Haven cultural, civic and educational activi- soup kitchens, the Interfaith Coop- eration of Greater 5778 Page 4 Program for Community welcomed three new members to its ties. Currently, he serves on the Board erative Ministries, Hartford Seminary New Haven, and Jewish Family Service of Greater New Board of Directors.