November 17-23, 2017 Published by the Jewish Federation of Greater Binghamton Volume XLVI, Number 46 BINGHAMTON, NEW YORK BU Rabbi Moses Margolis Memorial Lecture to be held on Nov. 30 The Binghamton University Judaic Stud- Jewish kinship is primarily when we start to think of Jewish His published works include “Jewish ies Department will hold its Rabbi Moses understood as oriented toward genealogy and ‘blood ties’ as Families,” “Mornings at the Stanton Margolis Memorial Lecture on Thursday, the past,” said organizers of the oriented toward the future.” Street Shul: A Lower East Side Summer” November 30, on the BU campus, Library lecture. “Drawing on documents Boyarin is the Mann Profes- (see The Reporter’s review at http:// Tower Room 2207, at 7:30 pm. The lecture ranging from a late story by Grace sor of Modern Jewish Studies www.thereportergroup.org/Article.as- will feature Professor Jonathan Boyarin Paley, to recent ethnography of and professor of anthropology px?aID=2471) and “The Unconverted of Cornell University, who will speak on Yiddish philanthropy as fictive at Cornell University. His work Self: Jews, Indians, and the Identity of “Genealogies of the Future.” The lecture is kinship, to artistic re-imaginings centers on Jewish communities Christian Europe.” open to the general public. of a lost family album, Professor and on the dynamics of Jewish For more information, contact the BU “The work of determining lines of Boyarin discusses what happens Jonathan Boyarin culture, memory and identity. Judaic Studies Department at 777-3070. Israeli Aroma Café at BU on Nov. 20 Students at Hillel at Binghamton Uni- free event will take place on Monday, No- in an effort to bring them together to learn event of the fall semester, it has become versity will create a Binghamton version of vember 20, from 1-4 pm, in the Old Union about and discuss anything Israel over Is- one of the iconic events for Jewish life on Aroma Café, an Israeli coffee shop, in spon- Hall in the Student Union at Binghamton raeli food,” said organizers of the event. “In campus! Community members are invited sorship with Stand With Us, Israel Campus University, and is open to the public. past years, the event has engaged more than to come with their families.” Coalition, the Israel Studies Department and “The café is serving Aroma-style food 500 students and community members in a More information about the event can be the Student Association at Binghamton. The to students and local community members fun and meaningful way. As Hillel’s largest found at https://tinyurl.com/Hillel-Aroma. U.S. begins distributing $770 million to Madoff victims By JTA staff Attorney General Rod Rosenstein. billions of dollars from tens of thousands to victims of the scheme, more than half (JTA) -- The U.S. Department of Justice “We have recovered billions of dollars of people from the early 1970s until his came from the estate of Jeffry Picower, a began distributing $772.5 million in recov- from third parties – not Mr. Madoff – and 2008 arrest. Many nonprofits also suffered Madoff investor who reportedly profited ered funds to some 24,000 victims of Bernie are now returning that money to tens of big losses, with Yeshiva University taking more than Madoff from the Ponzi scheme Madoff’s Ponzi scheme. thousands of victims,” Rosenstein said in a a $140 million hit, Hadassah $90 million and was later sued by Madoff investors. The sum, which is being returned statement issued on November 9. The $772.5 and the foundation of Elie Wiesel losing Another $1.7 billion was collected as part eight years after the former stockbroker million is only a fraction of the more than $4 $15 million. of an agreement with JPMorgan Chase and investment adviser pleaded guilty billion in assets that were recovered for the In 2009, Madoff pleaded guilty to 11 Bank, according to the Justice Department’s to committing one of the largest fraud victims in total, according to the statement. federal felonies and was sentenced to 150 release. JPMorgan Chase was fined under schemes in U.S. history, is the largest Madoff, a Jewish New Yorker, used his years in prison. He was also ordered to forfeit the Bank Secrecy Act, which requires banks restoration of forfeited property in the position as the chairman of Bernard L. nearly $171 billion, according to CNBC. to notify law enforcement of suspicious United States, according to Deputy U.S. Madoff Investment Securities to swindle Of the $4 billion that will be distributed activity, CNBC reported. Spotlight Israel a rising star in space and satellite technology By Adam Abrams to launch its own satellites, and is also of environmental phenomena, including JNS.org one of only 11 nations with the ability to atmospheric gases like carbon dioxide. Adding to Israel’s existing reputation independently launch unmanned missions In line with the nanosatellite launch, as the “start-up nation” and a major hub into space. Currently, Israel has 17 civilian Blasberger said one of the Jewish state’s of innovation, the Jewish state has been satellites orbiting the Earth, two-thirds of greatest feats in the field is its “very strong” called “a rising star in space and satellite which are communication devices. capability for “miniaturizing satellites.” technology.” “Israel is one of the few countries that “Our satellites’ performance per kilo- Several key developments in recent years has the entire chain of satellite capabilities, gram is the best in the world,” he said. highlight Israel’s growing contributions in which means launch, design, construction “For example, the Venus satellite is 250 the field, including the successful launch and operation,” Avi Blasberger, director kilograms (550 pounds). In comparison, of the Venus satellite on August 2. Venus, general of the Israel Space Agency at the other satellites in its class weigh at least a micro-satellite weighing 550 pounds, was Israeli Science Ministry, told JNS.org. “It’s two or three times as much.” jointly designed by Israeli and French aero- an entirely self-sustained program. Israel is Besides being able to condense a large Israel’s first nanosatellite, BGUSAT, which space firms for the purpose of monitoring one of the few countries in the world that amount of technology into a small space – was launched in mid-February as part climate change. The cutting-edge satellite can be proud of this.” much like the modern state of Israel itself of an academic initiative by Ben-Gurion observes 110 sites on five continents every Preceding the launch of Venus, Israel – other Israeli satellite innovations are being University of the Negev. (Photo courtesy two days, and closely monitors the impact launched its first nanosatellite, BGUSAT, developed in the private sector. of Ben-Gurion University) of human activity on vegetation, water and in mid-February as part of an academic With the global civilian satellite tech- carbon levels. initiative by Ben-Gurion University of the nology market worth an estimated $150 within the next few years,” said Blasberger. The micro-satellite was built as part of Negev that enables researchers to study billion a year, Israel hopes to corner at least While Venus and BGUSAT are two a collaboration between Israel Aerospace climate change as well as agricultural and 10 percent of that sector, and is aiming examples showcasing Israel’s prowess in Industries and France’s space agency, other scientific phenomena. to earn as much as $15 billion in space space technology, these public-facing ini- CNES. Israel’s Rafael Advanced Defense Slightly larger than a milk cartoon, the technology exports annually. “Currently, tiatives fall under the smaller of two sepa- Systems provided the micro-satellite’s elec- nanosatellite is outfitted with a visual and we have several Israeli start-up companies rate organizations that comprise the Israeli tric propulsion system and Elbit Systems short wavelength infrared camera and hov- with innovative ideas for space technology space program. “The Israeli space program manufactured its high-resolution camera. ers at 300 miles above the Earth’s surface and services, which we hope will be on the is supported by two government agencies, Israel is the smallest country in the world – allowing researchers to study a broad array cutting-edge of technology in this sphere See “Star” on page 5 INSIDE THIS ISSUE On the silver screen Kiev’s JCC JCC movie night Special Sections A film looks at Hungary’s treatment Kiev’s American-style JCC gives The JCC will host a Family Legal Notices ................................... 4 of Holocaust survivors; and an low-income Jews a place to call Movie Night open to the entire Book Review .................................... 4 interview with Rob Reiner. home and educate their children. community on December 2. Financial Planning ........................ 8-9 ........................................Page 6 ........................................Page 8 ...................................... Page 11 Classifieds ..................................... 12 Page 2 - The Reporter November 17-23, 2017 NEWS IN BRIEF From JTA Chabad rabbis get back one book from disputed Brussels Jewish museum opens first exhibition since Schneerson collection held by Russia 2014 massacre Rabbis of the Chabad-Lubavitch movement were able to obtain in Israel a book belonging Three years after the slaying of four people at the Jewish Museum of Belgium in what to the Schneerson collection that they are fighting to get back from Russia. The volume was prosecutors say was a jihadist terrorist attack, the institution opened its first new exhibition. discovered recently at the Kedem Auction House in Israel and returned to the Chabad rabbis in “Belgium, Welcoming Land,” which opened in October, explores the history of immigration the United States, according to a statement on Nov. 9 from the office of Sen. Charles Schumer to the country through photographs, testimonies and other artifacts.