Non-Profit Organization U.S. Postage PAID Norwich, CT 06360 Permit #329 Serving The Jewish Communities of Eastern Connecticut & Western R.I. CHANGE SERVICE RETURN TO: 28 Channing St., New London, CT 06320 REQUESTED VOL. XLVI NO. 10 PUBLISHED BI-WEEKLY MAY 22 2020/28 IYAR 5780 NEXT DEADLINE MAY 29, 2020 16 PAGES HOW TO REACH US - PHONE 860-442-8062 • FAX 860-540-1475 • EMAIL [email protected] • BY MAIL: 28 CHANNING STREET, NEW LONDON, CT 06320 One year on the job! By Carin Savel, JFEC Executive Director One year ago, on May 15, 2019, I began my service to JFEC as the new Executive Director and the first female leader in decades. As I drove from Raleigh to New London last May, I mused about Pledge 2 my new community, new hometown, and new Federation, but I never thought I’d be living in a new reality. Protect Amidst the current turmoil, fear, and uncertainty, however, I am grateful. I have been warmly welcomed into such a caring, dedicated, launches and generous community. I’ve gotten to know many of you in coffee houses, in your homes or at community events. I’ve enjoyed each of On May 15, the your drop-in visits -- just to see the office! Federation launched I’m blessed -- the Federation volunteer leadership and Pledge 2 Protect, our hardworking staff are all worth their weight in gold. I’ve been to initiative to provide restaurants, plays, synagogues, Main Streets, and beaches, and I’ve protective masks for had a ball documenting it all on Facebook. There has not been a staff and residents single day when I didn’t pinch myself over my abundant life. in our local nursing Two months into a new normal shaped by COVID-19, we have homes. It’s a part of This is a turning point. We learned how to live in quarantine, how to translate life in-person the JFEC Community Relief and Recovery Fund which has been have seen for ourselves just how to life online, and how to get up in the morning and acknowledge funding critical needs in our community. important community is to our what day of the week it is. Every day we are one day closer to all Many thanks to Pacific Link Institutional Supply, who is physical, spiritual, and global this being over. matching our efforts-- for every mask we buy, they will donate well-being—and this is our We may need to live like this a while longer but, ultimately, a second one. That means every dollar you contribute to buy chance to react. Let’s use this we must ensure that the contractions in our lives are temporary. protective masks is doubled in value. opportunity not to turn inward When the virus subsides and we go about the work of picking up To those of you who have not yet donated, your support is vital. but to continue reaching out the pieces, we will have the choice of sticking to our bubbles or of To donate, please visit our website https://www.jfec.com/ renewing our sense of community with vigor. Judaism teaches us to and strengthening the ties To anyone who needs help in this crisis, please reach out and opt for the latter. we share. Let’s take all of the let us know at 860-442-8062. We will be there. We can tap into some of our other new skills—our desire to positive, hard-fought lessons of Thank you for giving so generously. Every donor counts, deepen our relationships with loved ones and our heightened sense this time and use them to build every dollar counts, and your generosity will ensure the Federation of care for the world in which we live—to inform our path moving a better, stronger Jewish future. remains open and doing the most good in these challenging times. forward. Please consider giving to this critical fund. Shavuot holiday May 28 -- celebration Todah Rabah to you all-- we are very grateful. Ahavat Achim, Beth El, Beth Jacob, Temple Bnai Israel, and Temple 8:50-9:10 Emanu-El will join for a community-wide celebration of Shavuot. Tai Chi -- with Rabbi Alter “Festivities” begin on Thursday evening, May 28, with a Zoom 9:15-9:45 Tikkun L’eil Shavuot, a custom begun by the kabbalists in Tzfat in How to Disagree northern Israel about 500 years ago, in which we study Torah in honor A Talmudic model of of the transmission of Torah to Israel on Mount Sinai. The evening will begin at 7:00 and end at about 10:00 pm. All are maintaining community -- Led welcome, irrespective of whether you belong to one of the sponsoring byengaging Rabbi Scheinin conflict yet synagogues. ZOOM information can be had from any of the sponsoring Shir Hama’alot: Psalms synagogues – just reach out to them for the information. of Ascent The schedule for the evening Singing and reading of selections from Psalms 7:00-7:15 pm – Check-in 120-134 -- 7:15-7:45 Led by Rabbi In ‘Defense’ of the Haredi Response to the Pandemic Ekstrand and Cantorial Soloist Sherry Barnes Led by Rabbi Rabinowitz Synagogue contact information Save the DATE We’reThe intersection/conflict Stuck in Our Houses. of traditional But what’s belief a house and science? in Judaism? -- Surprising bits of wisdom from Bible, kabbalah, classic sages, Ahavat Achim -- 860-537- 2809 and contemporary teachers -- Led by Rabbi Schwartz Beth El - 860-442-0418 Thurs June 18 @ 7 PM 7:50-8:10 Beth Jacob - 860-886-2459 Sacred Drumming with Ellen Shapiro JFEC ANNUAL MEETING Temple Bnai Israel -- 860- 8:15-8:45 423-3743 Jonah: A study of Isolation and Trauma -- Led by Rabbi Berg via ZOOM details in the Temple Emanu-El -- 860-443- Responses to Contagion in our Sacred Jewish Texts -- Led by 3005 Rabbi Safman June 5 Leader 2 THE JEWISH LEADER, MAY 22, 2020 Meet the Israeli startup making water drinkable again By Naama Barak, Israel21c “For years, it was common You’d think that bacteria would be hard to see with the naked eye, practice to work with algicides, and even harder to spot from outer space. But when it comes to toxic algal blooms, even satellites orbiting Earth can’t miss it. BlueGreen’s CEO and co-founder Eyalspecifically Harel. “It’s copper,” excellent material,explains as cyanobacterial blooms. These occur when a water ecosystem it works great.” becomesBlue-green unhinged algal as blooms a result are of toxicinternal bacteria or external scientifically contamination. known “But it’s a heavy metal that The photosynthesizing algae proliferate and take over all the resources sticks around – it mounts up in the lakes or reservoirs and ruin their ecosystem, sometimes even and in the end it’s a chemical,” turning them into dead aquatic zones. he says. “In the past 25 years a This isn’t bad news only for the body of water and its plant and animal new algicide based on hydrogen inhabitants, but also for the people who live around it and rely on it peroxide was introduced. It also for their drinking does a great job, water, livelihood but it’s hydrogen and recreation. peroxide. The way Drinking the it’s being used water becomes today requires a out of the very, very great question, as deal of it.” Choir practice – corona style does eating the Using copious amounts of these A local Petach Tikvah choir practicing in a local park. there. Consuming substances is They are seen keeping the mandatory distance from vegetablesfish that livedthat not great for the each other due to the government health requirements. were grown using environment © Ashernet the water is also and not always not advisable, and neither is bathing treating the algal Candle Lighting for Eastern CT area in it – it literally blooms.efficient Thisin stinks. Algal blooms take over all the resources in bodies of waters is because the Friday, May 22 • 7:49 pm Algal blooms and can render them dead aquatic zones. A red algal bloom in bloom resides Friday, May 29 • 7:55 pm take over all the Sarsota, Florida, summer 2018. Photo by Shutterstock.com on the surface of resources in the water and is Friday, June 5 • 8:00 pm bodies of waters moved around by Friday, June 12 • 8:04 pm and can render them dead aquatic zones. A red algal bloom in Sarsota, the currents, while the chemicals Florida, summer 2018. Photo by Shutterstock.com used to treat it are heavy and sink This is where Israeli startup BlueGreen Water Technologies steps to the bottom, meaning that large in. Founded in 2014, the company started as one of the cofounders’ amounts of the algicides go to doctoral dissertation on cyanobacteria. It turns existing forms of algal waste. National Award Winner of the Council of Jewish of Jewish Federations as the Outstanding use solution. WATER CONT. ON PG 3 Small Cities Jewish newspaper. Published every other Friday for the dissemination of blooms treatments into a more efficient, planet-friendly and easy-to- Jewish news and views by the Jewish Federation of Eastern Connecticut, 28 Channing Street, New London, CT 06320, 860-442-8062. Managing Editor ............................................... Mimi Perl Layout Editor .................................................... Jen Gault Social Editor ..................................................... Freida Katz President .......................................................... Romana Strochlitz Primus Executive Director ............................................. Carin Savel Mailing Volunteers ............................................ Mimi & Milt Seed, Marlene Siegel .......................................................... Gerald & Marilyn Rubin Advertising: Call Mimi Perl 860-442-8062 or [email protected]. Advertising Deadline: Friday, May 29 for June 5 issue. Editorial Content: Preferred receipt of editorial material is via email to [email protected].