Jewish Federation of NEPA Non-profit Organization 601 Jefferson Ave. U.S. POSTAGE PAID The Scranton, PA 18510 Permit # 184 Watertown, NY Change Service Requested Published by the Jewish Federation of Northeastern Pennsylvania VOLUME X, NUMBER 11 JUNE 1, 2017 Trump discussed Iran and more on trip to Israel BY JNS STAFF mentioned Israel during his meeting with He added, “The Arab leaders who (JNS.org) – President Donald Trump Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov you met yesterday could help change the focused on Iran during his meeting with and Ambassador to the U.S. Sergey Kis- atmosphere and they could help create Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at lyak on May 10 in the Oval Office, where the conditions for a realistic peace. These Jerusalem’s King David Hotel on May he reportedly divulged classified informa- are all great signs on your historic visit.” 22, while also briefly touching on the tion on the Islamic State terror group that In his statement, Trump also men- intelligence situation with Russia. “Iran was provided by Israel. “Never mentioned tioned his stop in Saudi Arabia, saying will never have nuclear weapons, that I it (Israel) during the conversation, they’re the country’s King Salman “really wants can tell you,” Trump told reporters, adding all saying I did, so you (the media) had to see great things happen for the world,” Iran should be “grateful” for the benefits another story wrong. Never mentioned including “a renewed effort at peace be- of the nuclear deal it signed with world the word Israel,” Trump said. tween the Israelis and the Palestinians.” powers in 2015. Netanyahu said he regards U.S.-Israel Referencing his business background, President Donald Trump and Prime “We gave [the Iranians] great wealth intelligence cooperation as “terrific.” He Trump said of an Israeli-Palestinian peace Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met in and prosperity,” Trump said. lauded Trump’s “reassertion” of American agreement, “I’ve heard it’s one of the Jerusalem on May 22. (Photo by Amos Trump also waded into the sensitive leadership in the Middle East during joint toughest deals of all, but I have a feeling Ben-Gershom/GPO) subject of the intelligence leak to Russian remarks by the two leaders. “I want you that we’re going to get there eventually, officials earlier in May, saying he never to know how much we appreciate the I hope.” Trump’s visit came after the recent change in American policy on Iran which Trump also made a historic, yet private controversial statements by U.S. officials you enunciated so clearly just an hour visit on May 22 to Jerusalem’s Western regarding the holy site’s status. David ago,” Netanyahu told Trump, referring Wall, becoming the first sitting American Berns, political counselor at the U.S. to comments made on M ay 22, when the president to do so. Trump, who was ac- Consulate in Jerusalem, reportedly told his U.S. president vowed never to allow Iran companied by his wife Melania as well as Israeli counterparts the Western Wall “is to have nuclear weapons. his Jewish daughter Ivanka and son-in-law not in your territory.” The Trump admin- “I want you to know how much we Jared Kushner, was presented with a Book istration quickly disavowed the statement, appreciate your bold decision to act of Psalms containing the inscription of but at a subsequent White House press against the use of chemical weapons in his name by Rabbi Shmuel Rabinowitz, conference, National Security Adviser Syria. And I want to tell you also how the rabbi of the Western Wall. Afterward, H.R. McMaster declined to say whether much we appreciate the reassertion of Trump separated from the women in his the U.S. considers the Western Wall as American leadership in the Middle East,” delegation and headed to the men’s section part of Israel, commenting that the matter President Donald Trump at the Western said Netanyahu, who added he sees “a real of the Western Wall, where he stood for “sounds like a policy decision.” Wall on May 22. (Photo courtesy of hope for change” in the region that can several minutes before placing a custom- On May 23, the second day of Pres- YouTube) lead to peace. ary note inside the wall’s cracks. ident Donald Trump’s visit to Israel, a rocket was fired at the Jewish state from Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula. The IDF SPOTLIGHT confirmed the rocket landed in Israeli territory, but in an open area, causing no casualties or damage. During 2016 and Israeli startups are driving the car the beginning of 2017, several rockets were launched at Israel from the Egyptian Sinai by Salafi jihadists affiliated with the technology revolution – here’s how Islamic State terror group. In April, a Grad BY ANDREW TOBIN company Better Place, which in spite of cars are now whirring along roads across rocket struck a greenhouse in Israel’s TEL AVIV (JTA) – Israeli startups its high-profile bankruptcy in May 2013 is the globe, consuming a third as much ener- southern community of Yuval, adjacent were revving their engines ahead of credited with putting Israel’s automotive gy as their gasoline-powered counterparts. to the Egyptian border. In February, the the country’s largest-ever “smart trans- tech scene on the map. The next month, Pulling over to recharge them, however, is Salafis claimed responsibility for firing portation” event. More than 200 local Google bought the Raanana-based map- a buzzkill. So Israeli startups are working several rockets at Israel’s southernmost companies working in transportation ping company Waze for $1 billion. And in See “Car” on page 4 city of Eilat. technology were at the EcoMotion Con- March of this year, Intel agreed to acquire ference in May at the Peres Center for the self-driving car technology power- Peace in Jaffa. The plan was to give auto house Mobileye, located in Jerusalem, for 2017 UJA $908,770 industry giants a look under the hood of a record $15 billion. BMW, Ford, General as of May 24, 2017 “Startup Nation.” Motors, Honda, Uber, Volkswagen and Campaign Update “Companies from around the world Volvo have also invested in Israeli tech- want to see what’s happening in Israel,” nology since 2016. said Lior Zeno-Zamasky, the executive di- Now that they have the world’s atten- WE MADE IT! Goal: rector of EcoMotion, a networking group tion, Israeli entrepreneurs have shifted into $896,000 for transportation technology companies overdrive. According to Zeno-Zamasky, at Our sincerest thanks in Israel that is organizing the conference. least 550 startups now work in the coun- “The idea is ultimately to make deals, and try’s transportation technology industry. to each of you for I can tell you we’ve had a lot of success Here are some of the revolutionary things making this achievement stories in the past.” those attending the fifth annual EcoMotion Israel in recent years has become an conference are trying to make cars do. possible! unlikely center for automotive innovation Run on electricity with little or no – it has no car manufacturing to speak of, charging and the country is notorious for its bad The era of the electric vehicle has of- drivers. It started with the electric car ficially arrived. A couple million plug-in For information or to make a donation call 570-961-2300 ext. 1 or send your gift to: Federation on Facebook Jewish Federation of Northeastern Pennsylvania The Jewish Federation of Northeastern Pennsylvania now has a page on Face- 601 Jefferson Ave., Scranton, PA 18510 book to let community members know about upcoming events and keep connected. (Please MEMO your pledge or gift 2017 UJA Campaign) INSIDE THIS ISSUE Candle lighting June 2 ............................................8:13 pm Class on Six-Day War Hipsters in Brooklyn News from Europe... June 9 ............................................8:17 pm The JCC and Jewish Discovery A new, progressive Jewish Czech Parliament calls for its June 16 ......................................... 8:20 pm Center will offer “Exploring Israel community is growing in Crown gov’t to recognize Jerusalem as PLUS Through the Lens of the Six-Day War.” Heights, Brooklyn. Israel’s capital; and more. Opinion .......................................................2 Story on page 3 Story on page 6 Story on page 5 D’var Torah ...............................................8 2 THE REPORTER ■ JUNE 1, 2017 A MATTER OF OPINION College doesn’t turn Jews away from Judaism BY LAURENCE KOHLER-BERKOWITZ likely to keep kosher at home, to refrain special responsibility to Jews in need, to tence of God, less observant of some (JTA) – In a recent analysis of U.S. from handling money on Shabbat, to report say it’s essential to them to be part of a rituals, and less inclined to say religion religious groups, the Pew Research Center that all or most of their close friends are Jewish community and to be emotionally and being Jewish are very important to reported that the most educated American Jewish, and to say that being Jewish is attached to Israel. In addition, they are them. It also appears to weaken Jewish Jews are also the least religious. very important to them. (Note: I analyzed just as likely to attend Jewish religious friendship networks modestly. In these In considering these findings, it’s Jews 30 and older because by that age services monthly or more, to be able to ways, then, education may contribute to tempting to think that secular education most people have either gone to college converse in Hebrew, and, among those assimilation. leads to assimilation among American or decided not to). who are married, to have a Jewish spouse.