July 30-August 12, 2021 Published by the Jewish Federation of Greater Binghamton Volume L, Number 16 BINGHAMTON, NEW YORK JFS seeks donations for We Remember You project Jewish Family Service is again seeking food and, with the pandemic continuing, Rd., Vestal, NY 13850. community really cares.” donations for the We Remember You Proj- we want to make sure that everyone is “The We Remember You Project is a Shea added, “The We Remember You ect. The project, which is now in its 14th kept safe.” wonderful way to give tzedakah during Project has been a success all these years year, supports Jewish families locally who The monetary donations will be used for this time of self-reflection and grati- and I know the recipients appreciate all that struggle to make ends meet. the purchase of grocery gift cards along with tude,” noted Rose Shea, JFS director. is done for them. Let’s make this another “Once again, we are asking for dona- a monetary gift. Tax deductible donations “The Binghamton community has been successful year. Projects like this are what tions, rather than items for food baskets,” should be sent to JFS by Thursday, August especially generous during the pandemic Jewish Family Service and the Jewish said Rose Shea, director of JFS. “Recipi- 12, with “We Remember You” written on and JFS clients so appreciate it. This Federation are all about.” ents of the gift cards have mentioned how the memo line. Checks should be mailed program is another way to show our Contact Shea at [email protected] much they enjoy picking out their own to Jewish Family Service, 500 Clubhouse neighbors they are not forgotten and the for further information. Federation to hold Super Sunday on August 29 By Reporter staff at the Rod Serling School of Fine Arts at The Jewish Federation of Greater Binghamton City School District, will lead Binghamton will hold Super Sunday on the discussion of the film. Sunday, August 29, at 10 am, at the Jewish The Federation would like to thank the Community Center, 500 Clubhouse Rd., Victor and Esther Rozen Foundation for Vestal. It will feature a brunch, comedy by supporting the Film Fest since the pandemic comedian Josh Wallenstein and a showing began, including the showing of “Miracle of the film “Fiddler: A Miracle of Miracles” of Miracles.” about the Broadway musical “Fiddler on “After not being able to gather during the Roof.” Larry Kassan, who has directed the pandemic and share a meal, it will be productions of the musical, will facilitate the wonderful for us to be together again,” said film discussion. The cost of the brunch and Hubal. “Campaign Chairwoman Marilyn film is $15 and reservations are requested by Bell and I really want this event to be a Sunday, August 22. To make reservations, joyful experience for all, filled with laughter visit the Federation website, www.jfgb.org/, – a celebration of our heritage and coming A scene from “Fiddler on The Roof” as performed at Chichester Festival Theatre, U.K. or contact the Federation at director@jfgb. together after the pandemic. I look forward (Photo by the Chichester Festival Theatre, courtesy of Roadside Attractions and Samuel org or 724-2332. to seeing and talking to everyone.” Goldwyn Films) “We are hoping to get community mem- bers to pledge early again this year,” said Shelley Hubal, executive director of the Wallenstein combines a love of Federation. “We started the 2021 Campaign with almost 25 percent of the pledges al- ready made. That helped to cut back on the comedy and teaching manpower we needed to get through the Campaign. When the community pledges By Rabbi Rachel Esserman Wallenstein’s family are for Shabbat services and bar/bat early the allocation process is much easier. Comedian and teacher Josh Wallenstein members of Temple Concord mitzvahs, which I’ve been doing We also want the snow birds to have an will perform on Super Sunday, August 29. and he spent many years there, on and off for over 10 years now. opportunity to gather before they leave for For more information about the event, see first as a student, then a teacher What’s the saying? I’m like the sunnier climates this fall.” the article on this page. and finally as a cantor. “As a kid who graduates high school, Wallenstein, son of Larry Wallenstein, Josh Wallenstein is grateful to be giving kid, I grew up attending Temple but still hangs around the football will share a comedy routine. During the back to a community that means a great deal Concord for religious school and field (although I was never really pandemic, he returned to this area from to him by performing his stand-up comedy at Hebrew school to prepare for my hanging out at the football field, California where he had been performing the Jewish Federation of Greater Bingham- bar mitzvah,” he said. “After that’s for sure).” stand-up comedy. Since last November, he ton’s Super Sunday. “When Shelley Hubal my bar mitzvah, I came back to The Jewish Community Cen- has been working as a fifth-grade teaching asked me to perform for the Federation, I Temple Concord and attended Josh Wallenstein ter was another home away from assistant and was recently featured in a was over the moon,” Wallenstein said in an confirmation classes with Rabbi Barbara home for Wallenstein. “I also worked at the Newsweek article titled “5 TikTok Teachers e-mail interview. “To be able to perform, [Goldman-Wartell], along with some of summer camp and after-school program at Share Behind the Scenes of Virtual Teach- to do the thing that makes me happiest, in my classmates. Soon after this, I started the Jewish Community Center for many ing.” His comedy videos can be seen at a place where I’ve grown up, and that has working one-on-one with other students, years, which definitely helped connect me www.tiktok.com/@thatjoshuakid93. (For had a heavy hand in making me who I am, helping them prepare for their bar and bat to the local Jewish community,” he added. an interview of Wallenstein, see the article will be very special.” mitzvahs. Finally, I started acting as a cantor See “Comedy” on page 3 on this page.) “Fiddler: A Miracle of Miracles,” a docu- mentary by Max Lewkowicz, tells the origin story of the Broadway musical “Fiddler on Federation held family get-together The Roof,” and its creative roots in early 1960s New York City. The film includes interviews with the show’s creators, which reveal how the success and worldwide impact of “Fiddler” and its subsequent film adaptation is most appropriately viewed through the lens of the social upheaval At right: Children and parents enjoyed and change in mid-20th century America. snacks at the Jewish Federation of The documentary also explores a variety Binghamton’s family event on July 15, of international productions of the show, which was held at Stair Park in Vestal. detailing how individuals of many cultures (See page 3 for more photos.) see themselves in the residents of Anatevka. The film features scenes from productions from Canada, the United Kingdom and the Netherlands, as well as the last Broadway production revival with Danny Burstein and Jessica Hecht. Kassan, who is the coordinator of special events and theatre INSIDE THIS ISSUE Play ball At the Olympics News in brief... Special Sections Bill Simons reflects on an Yad Vashem highlights Jewish Israeli environmental ministry Book Reviews .................................. 4 exhibition game Israel’s baseball athletes in an online exhibit; Israeli delays UAE pipeline; NJ Personal and Business Services ..... 5 team played prior to the Olympics. gets bronze in taekwondo; more. investigating Ben &Jerry’s; more. Congregational Notes ...................... 6 ........................................Page 5 ........................................Page 7 ........................................Page 8 Classifieds ....................................... 8 Page 2 - The Reporter July 30-August 12, 2021 Jewish online resources By Reporter staff August 11-September 1, at 7 pm, with Kohenet Naomi Family Fiction,” featuring author Julie Klam, on Wednesday, A variety of Jewish groups are offering educational Azriel. The three sessions will focus on “The Holiday August 18, at 4 pm. For more information or to register, visit and recreational online resources. Below is a sampling of Table as Altar Place,” “The Sacred Flower and Mitzvot of https://programs.cjh.org/event/almost-legendary-2021-08-18. those. The Reporter will publish additional listings as they Beautification” and “Styling for your Holiday Table.” The Jewish Majorca hosts weekly virtual tours. The August become available. class is inspired by the Jewish value of hiddur mitzvah, tours feature “Synagogues Around the World.” Previous Ritualwell will hold the virtual class “Aligning Ourselves beautifying a mitzvah. The cost to attend is $136 for the tours are available as recordings. There is a charge for for the New Year” on Tuesdays, August 10, 17, 24 and 31, at three sessions; registration is open until Thursday, August 5. the tours depending on whether purchasing one tour or 2 pm. The class will be taught by Daniel Raphael Silverstein, For more information or to register, visit www.tickettailor. multiple tours. For more information, visit https://www. who is a rabbi, educator, meditation teacher and MC/poet. com/events/ritualwell/528777. jewishmajorca.com/travel/. The class aims to help participants prepare for the end of The American Jewish Historical Society will hold the Urban Adamah hosts a monthly “Virtual Singing Circle the Jewish year and the beginning of a new one through virtual book talk “Once We Were Slaves: The Extraordinary for the Soul with Anna Cone.” The next program will take spiritual teachings and reflective writing on the year that Journey of a Multi-Racial Jewish Family” on Wednesday, place on Thursday, August 5, from 6-7 pm.