The Jewish National Edition Post &Opinion Presenting a broad spectrum of Jewish News and Opinions since 1935. Volume 81, Number 2 • January 28, 2015 • 8 Shevat 5775 www.jewishpostopinion.com • www.ulib.iupui.edu/digitalscholarship/collections/JPO Cover art by Jackie Olenick (see About the Cover, p.2). 2 The Jewish Post & Opinion – NAT January 28, 2015 Editorial About the Cover Inside this Issue “Priestly Blessing” By Jackie Olenick Editorial.....................................................2 For this our 18th special Focus on About the Cover ......................................2 Healing edition, I am reviewing a new CD This piece portrays the Rabbi Benzion Cohen on the topic. A joint project of the Cantor’s oldest recorded blessing (Chassidic Rabbi).....................................3 Assembly and The United Synagogue of ever found and is one Arthur Marshall Fell Conservative Judaism, its title describes it of our most beloved (Opinion).................................................3 well. The Spirit of Hope & Healing is from blessings. The three-prong Rabbis Dennis & Sandy Sasso.............4 The Spirit Series Volume 12,Voices of the and four-prong “shins” Rabbi Dennis Sasso................................4 Conservative Movement. in the hands remind us Jackie Olenick Jim Shipley Twenty-one different songs, many of the ultimate unity (Shipley Speaks) ......................................5 familiar, are each sung by different cantors between man, woman and the Source Amy Hirshberg Lederman and an honorary one. They are mellow of all Blessing. (Jewish Educator) ....................................6 and pleasing to the ear as one would May God Bless and Keep You Ted Roberts desire when not May God Shine on You (Spoonful of Humor) ...............................6 feeling well. The and Be Gracious to You Melinda Ribner honorary cantor is May God Shine Within You (Kabbalah of the Month) .........................7 Debbie Friedman, and Grant You Peace. Sybil Kaplan of blessed memory, Jackie Olenick is a Judaic artist and (Seen on the Israel Scene)........................8 whose Mi Sheberach jewelry designer residing in Boynton Alden Solovy............................Healing 1 has become an Beach, Fla. Her work can be seen on her Rabbi David Wolpe.................Healing 1 anthem of today’s website: www.jackieolenickart.com. Lisa E. Harris, M.D..................Healing 2 healing services in Dennis Rosen, M.D.................Healing 4 many synagogues and temples. This is the j i Reb Schachter-Shalomi ..........Healing 4 first song and the CD is dedicated to her. Bikkur Cholim (visiting the sick), it is said Howard Karsh On the insert of the CD, before the first when one visits someone who is ill, it (Jewish America) .....................................9 song it is written: takes away one sixtieth of their illness. Rabbi Irwin Wiener, D.D. “Whereas prayers for healing have an If loud music is what you prefer, then (Wiener’s Wisdom)..................................9 ancient Jewish history with venerable texts you might not like this CD, but it does Rabbi Ben Asher & Bat Sarah that extend back to the Bible, communal an excellent job fulfilling its purpose. I (Gather the People)................................10 healing services have developed in the recommend it! Rabbi Jon Adland Jewish community only during the last ...................................11 three decades – coinciding with the prolific The power of art therapy (Shabbat Shalom) Rabbi Elliot B. Gertel musical and liturgical career of the In our Indiana edition of Jan. 14, 2015, late singer-songwriter Debbie Friedman we published a story titled “Herron art (Media Watch).......................................12 (1951–2011). We dedicate this album to professor in the healing business”about a Morton Gold Debbie’s memory and to her legacy in our local professor who is also a licensed art (As I Heard It).......................................12 lives as Jews and as Hazzanim.”Sam Weiss therapist. Juliet King hopes to improve the Rabbi Israel Zoberman and David Propis lives of veterans facing emotional adjust- (Book Review)........................................13 Also on the insert, besides listing ments after their time on the battlefield. Rivka Sarah Horowitz information on the performers, arrangers “Art therapists…are trained to use art to (Book Review)........................................14 and creators of each song, an explanation help clients find ways to express things Sybil Kaplan or summary introduces it, giving it they might not be able to say with words, (My Kosher Kitchen).............................15 more meaning. King said. Art therapy is an effective treat- Kindey still needed for Drew.............15 Since I am not a musician, but I work ment intervention for helping anyone Auschwitz liberation event.................16 words, I feel more comfortable commenting facing issues such as post-traumatic stress Eliyahu McLean on lyrics. Several of them resonated with me disorder, which can affect not only war (Jerusalem Peacemaker).........................16 but one stood out.Titled“I’ll Be Here for You,” veterans but also victims of rape, torture, it is performed and arranged by Hazzanim child abuse, car accidents and natural The Jewish Alisa Pomerantz-Boro & Leon Sher and disasters, she said. (See article on our the music & lyrics are by David Roth. website or Facebook profile). Post&Opinion Jewish News and Opinion since 1935. One of the verses is: “Well, I don’t really This reminded me of my editorial from have any answers,/ And I don’t always know Nov. 26, 2008. I wrote about American art 1427 W. 86th St. #228 what to do./But if shoulders were meant educator Maureen Kushner, who spoke Indianapolis, IN 46260 to be leaned upon, / Then I’m putting one and presented a slide show at our annual email: [email protected] out here for you.” Sung with beautiful Ann Katz Festival of Books. As part of a phone and fax: (317) 405-8084 harmony, I found this especially comforting. traveling exhibit,“Peace Through Humor,” website: www.jewishpostopinion.com This reminds me of a message from Dr. she came with artwork from Israeli publisher & editor: Jennie Cohen Gerald Jampolsky and Diane Cirincione in children – Jewish, Arab, Bedouin, and graphic designer: Charlie Bunes the book Change Your Mind, Change Your Druze as well as Ethiopian and Russian Life. They found that when visiting the immigrants. She had worked in 27 schools and paintings were on the theme of war sick, frequently it was not necessary to say in Israel between 1992 and 1996 by invita- and peace. As Kushner clicked through a or do anything. Simply sitting with the tion of the Israel Ministry of Education. slideshow of artwork, she described the person was all that was needed. Also in The exhibit had been to 174 cities in the experiences of the children that led to the time-honored Jewish tradition of United States and Canada. The murals (see Editorial, page 14) January 28, 2015 The Jewish Post & Opinion – NAT 3 Semitism is the symptom of a crisis of Chassidic Rabbi Opinion democracy, a crisis of the Republic. For that reason it must be met forcefully. BY RABBI BENZION COHEN After Ilan Halimi in 2006, after the crimes in Toulouse, anti-Semitic acts have increased intolerably… Ingathering BY ARTHUR MARSHALL FELL “How can we accept that Frenchmen can be assassinated because they are One aspect of the complete and final French government Jewish?…It is not acceptable. If the nation redemption is the ingathering of the has not reacted sufficiently up to now,… exiles. Moshiach (our righteous Messiah), stands solidly I say, we cannot accept it, that we must and his followers will bring all of the fight against it and make a clear diagnosis. Jewish people to live in the land of Israel. behind Jews There is an historical anti-Semitism which The Lubavitcher Rebbe told us 23 years dates from centuries ago, but there is ago that this is actually happening right There is consternation in my thinking above all a new anti-Semitism born in now. At that time a million Jews moved to and in the minds of many people I know our neighborhoods, relayed through Israel from the former Soviet Union. Every in France following recent events in early Internet…and based on hate of the State day many Jews move to Israel from all over January with the terrorist assassination of of Israel and hate of Jews…It must be said the world, and recently Israel became the journalists of a humoristic political weekly and the words must be pronounced so largest center of the Jewish population, and clients at a Kosher grocery store. as to combat that unacceptable type of with almost 6 million Jews. The community radio station, Radio Aviva, anti-Semitism. One part of this process is that many which is in the main synagogue and where “As Madame Segolène Royal [a Minister people are discovering that they are I do a weekly radio program consisting of in the French Government and former Jewish. Here is an amazing case of this in jazz and commentary is under heavy Socialist candidate for the Presidency of which I was personally involved. A few guard by several army troopers. France] said in Jerusalem and I said this years ago I flew to Brooklyn, to spend the The Prime Minister of France, Manuel morning, and as Claude Lanzmann wrote High Holidays by the Rebbe. Together Valls, a Socialist born in Spain and who in a magnificent article in Le Monde, yes, with me on the plane were another 20 came to France as a teenager, made a let’s say it to the world: without Jews, men, women and children, also going to spectacular speech in the French National France would no longer be France. We the Rebbe. We changed planes in Assembly on Jan. 13. He said among must spread this message widely and Budapest, where we had to wait for 10 other things: France would not be France loudly to everyone… hours. We decided to visit the local without the Jews. His speech was a “We have not been indigent enough.