Find a complete listing of area High Holiday Services, Pages 26-31 The Jewish Journalof san antonio ELUL 5774 - TISHREI 5775 Published by The Jewish Federation of San Antonio SEPTEMBER 2014 Help make 5775 a Shanah Tovah Jonathan Gurwitz and weak, were subject to the targeting of Arab or Muslim to the Jews.” Jews have taken JOINING TOGETHER TO 2014 JFSA Campaign Chair vicissitudes of their times. civilians in Syria, Iraq, down mezuzahs from their BUILD COMMUNITY As we approach 5775, what Sudan or Pakistan – and in doorposts or hide their kipot JFSA welcomes you to join “L’Shanah tovah tikatevu.” kind of year will it be? A year numbers that dwarf the entire and other religious garb in us. Find out how to get For 100 generations, Jews that fulfills our hopes for the Arab-Israeli conflict – passes public for legitimate fear of involved. have greeted one another future, or one that confirms without notice. Yet Israel’s being targeted. PAGE 19 at the New Year with this our fears from the past? response to a Hamas strategy Perhaps most worrisome, expression of hope and The headlines are that seeks to maximize an intellectual blind spot blessing: “May you be grim. Israel, under attack civilian casualties on both or, worse, a tolerance for inscribed in the Book of Life from homicidal fanatics sides earns condemnation. naked hatred, has emerged for a good year.” committed to its destruction, In Europe, synagogues and among people who should Yet, we know the history. is denounced by the cemeteries are desecrated. know better. On college Many of those years were international community Groups from the far left and campuses, in the media and, not good ones. Jewish for having the audacity to the far right march together in communities, often isolated defend itself. The deliberate the streets and chant, “Death See 5775, page 7 FLAMENO SEPHARDIT: Israel lowering interest rate again A fusion of Jewish Ladino music with pure flamenco from Spain coming to San Antonio, as economy struggles amid Gaza op PAGE 32 JERUSALEM (JTA) Along with the Gaza Israel Radio on Monday. — Israel’s central bank is operation, Bank of Israel The Gaza operation has reducing its interest rate to Governor Karnit Flug cited the affected nearly all economic an all-time low to counteract global economic slowdown sectors of Israel, including a foundering economy due for the problems in Israel’s tourism, agriculture and in part to the Gaza military economy. manufacturing. operation. “Our intention in reducing Israel’s Manufacturers The Bank of Israel the interest rate is in effect to Association estimated the OUR RABBIS’ VOICES announced late last month that help the economy strengthen total economic impact of Area rabbis share their it was dropping the rate to its capability to recover from a the operation on Israeli thoughts for the upcoming Governor of the Bank of Israel High Holidays. 0.25 for September. It marks weakness it finds itself in both manufacturers so far to be Karnit Flug during a meeting of the the second straight month that due to the global slowdown finance committee in the Knesset PAGE 20-23 the rate has been lowered. and the fighting,” Flug told See RATES, page 38 in Jerusalem in January, 2014. 12500 N. W. NON PROFIT WHAT’S INSIDE Military ORGANIZATION U.S. POSTAGE Highway, #200 CANDLE LIGHTING 4 HIGH HOLIDAYS 24 San Antonio, PAID CALENDAR 4 ARTS & CULTURE 32 TX 78231 SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS YOUTH NEWS 13 JEWISH COMMUNITY 34 Change PERMIT NO. 17 PERSPECTIVE 16 MAZAL TOV 39 Service Requested Home- Delivery By Requested WHAT’S HAPPENING 18 U.S. & WORLD 36 September 5, 2014 Also read the Journal online at: www.jfsatx.org PAGE TWO The Jewish Journal IN LOVING MEMORY of san antonio David Garrison Elinor Mazur PUBLISHED BY SUPPORTED BY The Jewish Federation of San Antonio Grants from the Helen Arronge Lee Greenberg Susan Tani 12500 N. W. Military Highway, #200 Fund, the Eilenberg Family San Antonio, TX 78231 Memorial Endowment Fund, the Avis Halberstadt Charles Henry Way Charles Atkin Memorial Trust (210)302-6960 Fund, the Freeman Education www.jfsatx.org Fund and the Jewish Federation Annual Campaign. RONIT SHERWIN, CEO RICHARD PLANTO, Board Chair SHABBAT CANDLE LIGHTING TIMES LESLIE KOMET AUSBURN, Editor/Director of Marketing & Communication September 5 September 20 September 27 ADVERTISING SALES PROOFREADERS 7:32 p.m. Candle lighting Parashat Nitzavim-Vayeilech Parashat Ha’Azinu Sandy Leigh Idelle Abramson Eleanor Komet David Simon September 6 Leil Selichot Shabbat Shuva GRAPHIC DESIGNER Barbara Argo Marsha Surad Lauren Sandoval Lenore Karp Parashat Ki Teitzei 8:44 p.m. Havdalah 8:35 p.m. Havdalah Tenar Klein 9:01p.m. Havdalah September 24 October 3 September 12 Erev Rosh Hashanah Erev Yom Kippur 7:24 p.m. Candle lighting 7:09 p.m. Candle lighting 6:58 p.m. Candle lighting September 13 September 25 October 4 Parashat Ki Tavo Rosh Hashanah 5775 Yom Kippur 8:53 p.m. Havdalah September 26 8:27 p.m. Havdalah September 19 Rosh Hashanah II is a proud member of the Jewish Federations of North America. 7:15 p.m. Candle lighting 7:06 p.m. Candle lighting EDITORIAL SUBMISSIONS: The submission deadline for the OCTOBER 2014 issue of the Jewish Journal is SEPTEMBER 12, 2014 at noon. All materials submitted after this date will be considered for the following issue. How to submit: Email submissions to [email protected] • Articles & Announcements - Email as word documents. Articles submitted for consideration are subject to editing. • Photos - Email high resolution images (300 dpi) in jpg attachments only. tile • carpet • natural stone • hardwood laminate • bamboo • area rugs ADVERTISING: To place an advertisement or request ad rates, contact Sandy Leigh at (240) 498-8999 or [email protected]. Ad deadlines for OCTOBER 2014 ISSUE: • Ad space reservations due no later than September 12, 2014 by noon; • Press ready ads due by September 12, 2014. Please include a contact name and phone number with all submissions. The Jewish Journal is a free publication of the Jewish Federation of San Antonio, and is published in print and online 11 times a year as a public service to the community. Donations to offset production and mailing costs are always welcome. largest selection of fi ne fl oors in texas 60-day satisfaction guarantee • lifetime installation warranty members of the san antonio jewish community for four generations www.okrentfl oors.com 2075 n. loop 1604 e (at gold canyon rd.) 210-c-a-r-p-e-t-s (210-227-7387) 2 September 2014 A publication of the Jewish Federation of San Antonio THE JEWISH JOURNAL FOCUS ON FEDERATION Preparing for the Days of Awe Letter to the Editor The weeks leading up to Letter from behave. Whether it is our the Jewish Days of Awe, our CEO relationship with God or our To Whom It May Concern: Rosh Hashanah and Yom relationships with others, the Kippur, are filled with RONIT month of Elul is a time to I wanted to take a moment to sincerely thank The SHERWIN complex anticipation. We reflect and to commit to doing Jewish Federation of San Antonio for your substantial are eager to begin a new better. We are given another donation to The Torah Academy of San Antonio year of hope and promise, of Elul for preparations year and another chance to (T.A.S.A.). Your generosity will touch the lives of while also anxious with for the New Year. Jewish improve ourselves and our each and every family that T.A.S.A. has the honor to fear of judgment for a year tradition refers to this month world. serve in offering a creating a cutting-edge Torah and of unfulfilled promises and as time in which “the King It is with the fullness of secular education, and our efforts in the classroom unaccomplished goals. It (God) is in the field.” At aspiration and hope that I have been graciously supported by your mitzvah! The is a time that mirrors the all other times, the King wish each of you in our San furniture you donated is greatly appreciated, and will deep tension we harbor as sits in the castle, far from Antonio Jewish community continue to be cherished for as long as Hashem blesses a Jewish people, our hubris the field and inaccessible to a happy, healthy and T.A.S.A.’s doors to be open. We will be dedicating as being human beings with the people. But it is during peaceful New Year. I hope a day of instruction at The Torah Academy of San infinite potential who are this time that God is near to that we all aspire to better Antonio to The Jewish Federation of San Antonio in also just pebbles of sand in us, most able to hear us and ourselves and do more for our your honor. a vast universe. The Jewish understand our thoughts and community. L’shanah tova New Year is a time of intense our prayers. u’metukah - to a good and Sincerely, introspection and reflection We are now in this time sweet New Year for us all! on what matters in our lives. of closeness to the Divine, Michael David Tamaren, M.Ed. The brilliance of the a time in which we are Ronit Sherwin Jewish calendar shines as it perhaps more conscious of JFSA CEO “Establishing the T.A.S.A. Way!” provides the entire month who we are and how we [email protected] L’Shana Tova Wishing you a happy, healthy, and peaceful New Year 5775 from the Officers, Board of Directors, and Staff of the Jewish Federation of San Antonio The STRENGTH of a People The POWER of Our Community www.jfsatx.org See MISSION, page 6 THE JEWISH JOURNAL A publication of the Jewish Federation of San Antonio September 2014 3 IN TRIBUTE CALENDAR OF EVENTS: Sept.