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 XIV, NUMBER 8 APRIL 15, 2021 Israel to reject jurisdiction of ICC, war crimes allegations BY JNS STAFF Benjamin Netanyahu on April 8. The option of Israel launching its own Netanyahu said, “It will be made clear (JNS) – Israel plans to formally reject The ICC’s intention to open an inves- investigation was rejected by senior mil- that Israel is a country with rule of law the International Criminal Court probe tigation was announced in March by ICC itary officials, fearing that it would set a that knows how to investigate itself,” ac- into alleged war crimes perpetrated Chief Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda. precedent and inherently recognize the cording to Reuters. He also mentioned that by the Israel Defense Forces against Netanyahu held discussions with De- jurisdiction of Bensouda, who will soon Israel “completely rejects” any allegations Hamas in Gaza as part of “Operation fense Minister Benny Gantz, Attorney leave the position. Criminal lawyer and hu- that it carried out war crimes. Protective Edge” in the summer of General Avichai Mandelblit and others man-rights expert Karim Khan was elected The Palestinian Authority, which 2014, based on the fact it lacks authority before the April 9 deadline to respond to in February to take over, and is slated to requested the probe, welcomed the ICC over Israel, said Israeli Prime Minister the ICC, Ynet reported. begin his nine-year term on June 16. decision. In partnership with AJC, hundreds of U.S. mayors sign pledge to combat antisemitism BY JNS STAFF lead their cities in taking concerted steps said his organization has always called on Jewish state’s right to exist. Additionally, (JNS) – American Jewish Commit- to fight it,” said AJC CEO David Harris. mayors to speak out against hate crimes. the mayors also will support national, state tee and the U.S. Conference of Mayors The statement, Mayors United Against “By signing this statement, more than 525 and local efforts to eradicate antisemitism; announced on March 29 that more than Antisemitism, in part reads: “In a world mayors registered their opposition to the reject notions that Israel’s actions can jus- 525 mayors across the United States have of global communications, where anti-Se- dramatic increase in antisemitism we have tify or excuse antisemitic acts; and affirm joined their national effort to combat mitic ideas spread rapidly, a concerted and experienced in our country and pledged that a climate of mutual understanding and antisemitism. The two organizations are principled response is required to raise to work together to reverse it,” he said. respect among all citizens is the bedrock calling on mayors across the country to awareness, to educate and to ensure de- As part of signing the pledge, the may- of pluralistic communities. sign a statement declaring that antisem- cency prevails. As mayors and municipal ors agree to condemn antisemitism in all In 2019, the Conference of Mayors itism is incompatible with fundamental leaders, we have a unique responsibility its forms, including hatred and prejudice adopted policy condemning the disturb- democratic values. to speak out against the growing menace directed toward Jews; stereotypes or con- ing increasing trend of violence toward “Antisemitism is a growing societal of anti-Semitism.” spiracy theories about Jews; Holocaust individuals and institutions based on faith. menace, it comes from multiple sources, Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer, pres- denial or distortion; and anti-Israel animus That resolution specifically condemned and mayors are uniquely positioned to ident of the U.S. Conference of Mayors, that crosses a line to target Jews or deny the See “Mayors” on page 5 SPOTLIGHT Yad Vashem online exhibit emphasizes the power of family BY DEBORAH FINEBLUM of the Third Reich is ignored,” says Steven By the end of 1943, more than 1.5 Kiev on erev Yom Kippur of 1941, where (JNS) – The world marked Yom Hasho- Katz, director emeritus of the Elie Wie- million Jews from the region – represent- 33,771 Jewish men, women and children ah – Holocaust Memorial Day – on April sel Center for Jewish Studies at Boston ing one-fifth of the six million Jews who were massacred. 7-8 with attention on the 80th anniversary University, who also holds the school’s perished during the years of the Holocaust “We want to show their faces, give of a campaign against the Jews of Eastern Alvin J. and Shirley Slater Chair in Jewish – had been murdered. The grisly routine, their names, remember them as human Europe that was nothing short of mass Holocaust Studies. “These countries may repeated over and over around the region, beings, as part of our Jewish family,” says murder. This deadly Nazi plot would put have responded a little differently from each consisted of rounding up a community’s See “Exhibit” on page 7 the close and loving Jewish family to other, but one thing they all had in common: Jews, taking them to a spot on the outskirts the most painful of tests. The tensile and They all wanted to get rid of their Jews.” of town or the local Jewish cemetery, and enduring strength of the Jewish family is One has only to look at pictures of forcing them to strip and surrender their 2021 UJA on full view in a new online exhibition German soldiers looking on while the valuables before gunning them down. They from Yad Vashem: The World Holocaust locals did the killing to grasp the idea, were then shoved into one of thousands of Pay it forward & give to Remembrance Center in Jerusalem called points out Katz. “The Germans gave the mass graves, many of which historians say the 2021 Jewish Federation “The Onset of Mass Murder: The Fate of locals the freedom to express their own have yet to be discovered. The most famous of Northeastern Pennsylvania Jewish Families in 1941.” antisemitism in the most deadly way.” of these killing sprees was Babi Yar near Annual Campaign! Timed to release the week of Yom Hashoah, the exhibition reveals a dozen never-before-published stories of Jewish families caught in the web of the Nazis’ Goal: “Operation Barbarossa,” an organized rout For information or to $970,000 of the Jewish communities in Soviet-con- make a donation call 570-961-2300 ext. 1 or $930,165 trolled countries beginning that summer. send your gift to: as of April 7, 2021 Carried out by Einsatzgruppen SS mobile Jewish Federation of Northeastern killing units teamed up with local au- Pennsylvania thorities and citizens, “Barbarossa” cut a 601 Jefferson Ave., Scranton, PA 18510 bloody swath across the Soviet-controlled (Please MEMO your lands of Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, East- pledge or gift 2021 ern Poland, Belarus, Ukraine, Romania UJA Campaign) and Yugoslavia. Four years later, only the third of Eu- rope’s Jewish population who survived were left to tell their story of a love stronger than hate, stronger even than death itself. “Too often, the Holocaust is taught as one madman in Berlin while the cooper- The wedding of Zalman Jershov and Luba Pilschik in Zilupe, Latvia, on December ation of the so-called ‘conquered’ nations 26, 1937. (Photo courtesy of Yad Vashem) Candle lighting INSIDE THIS ISSUE April 16 ........................................ 7:26 pm April 23 ........................................7:34 pm Summer camps Digging up the past Ed. for girls in Ghana April 30 .........................................7:41 pm May 7 ............................................ 7:49 pm Jewish camps get $10 million to Evidence medieval British Jews World ORT has launched a STEM expand enrollment and incorporate kept kosher found; oldest ancient project for girls in Ghana with PLUS COVID protocols. tool found in northern Israel. UNESCO’s backing. Opinion .......................................................2 Story on page 2 Stories on page 4 Story on page 5 D’var Torah ...............................................6 2 THE REPORTER ■ APRIL 15, 2021 Jewish camps get $10 million to expand enrollment and incorporate COVID protocols BY JNS STAFF and our camp partners work diligently the Jim Joseph Foundation, Charles and could not rent out their grounds during the (JNS) – Jewish summer camps will be to ensure a safe and successful summer Lynn Schusterman Family Philanthropies, off-season months for events or programs, getting a financial boost to help expand 2021,” said Jeremy Fingerman, CEO of Aviv Foundation, Maimonides Fund, Paul losing yet another source of funding. their enrollment this summer while main- the Foundation for Jewish Camp, which E. Singer Foundation, and Jack, Joseph taining coronavirus safety regulations. The worked to secure the funding. and Morton Mandel Foundation, “were $2.6 million Capacity Expansion Grants Fingerman estimates that the fiscal impressed with the number of strong and from the Jewish Community Response dollars will allow camps to welcome more creative applications FJC received and are and Impact Fund (or JCRIF) will benefit than 3,000 new children this summer. proud to help enable even more kids than more than 30 Jewish camps. Additionally, another $8 million in grants ever to attend camp this summer.” “Camps want nothing more than to from other donors will be available to Last year, many, if not most, Jewish provide a safe, healthy and joyful Jewish camps that meet donor-specified criteria, camps that are part of the FJC network environment for campers, and although including geographical location. were closed due to the coronavirus pan- Celebrating Israel Day at Camp Yavneh many challenges and uncertainties remain, Felicia Herman of the JCRIF said demic. The closures significantly impacted in New Hampshire. (Photo courtesy Camp I feel optimism and anticipation as FJC the organization’s supporters, including the bottom line of the camps, which also Yavneh via Facebook) A MATTER OF OPINION Faculty foxes guarding the campus henhouse BY MITCHELL BARD said it is a “special concern of the First their views are attacked, but happy to were denied tenure and saw a pattern “of (JNS) – There is a new organization Amendment).