APRIL 27, 2023 | 6 IYAR 5783 CANDLELIGHTING 7:34 | HAVDALAH 8:37 Bala Cynwyd resident Elvera Schwartz FIGHTS HUNGER AT JEWISH RELIEF AGENCY Page 11 Jewish Exponent PHILADELPHIA Vol. 136, No. 4 Published Weekly Since 1887 ADVERTISING Account Executives Alan Gurwitz, Robin Harmon, Pam Kuperschmidt, David Pintzow, Sara Priebe, Sharon Schmuckler, Samantha Tuttle Publisher & Chief Executive Offi cer Craig Burke cburke@midatlanticmedia.com Associate Publisher Jeni Mann Tough jmann@midatlanticmedia.com BUSINESS Accounting Manager Pattie-Ann Lamp 410-902-2311 plamp@midatlanticmedia.com accounting@midatlanticmedia.com Senior Accounts Receivable Specialist Grace Hagan ghagan@midatlanticmedia.com MARKETING Audience Development Coordinator Julia Olaguer 410-902-2308 jolaguer@midatlanticmedia.com EDITORIAL Editor | Andy Gotlieb 215-832-0797 agotlieb@jewishexponent.com Staff Writers Jillian Diamond, Sasha Rogelberg, Heather Ross, Jarrad Saff ren Accounts Receivable Specialist Sarah Appelbaum sappelbaum@midatlanticmedia.com CREATIVE Art Director | Steve Burke Main Offi ce: 215-832-0700 editor@jewishexponent.com 215-832-0797 circulation@jewishexponent.com 215-832-0700, ext. 1 sales@jewishexponent.com 215-832-0700, ext. 2 classifi ed@jewishexponent.com 215-832-0702 Legal Notices legals@jewishexponent.com Graphic Designers | Ebony Brown, Lonna Koblick, Frank Wagner, Carl Weigel Digital Media Coordinator James Meskunas Connect with us: 7605 Old York Road, Melrose Park, PA 19027 If you’re having problems receiving your Philadelphia Jewish Exponent in the mail, and live in an apartment or suite, please contact our circulation department at 215-832-0700, ext. 1 or circulation@jewishexponent.com. JEWISH EXPONENT, a Mid-Atlantic Media publication, is published weekly since 1887 with a special issue in September (ISSN 0021-6437) ©2022 Jewish Exponent (all rights reserved). Periodical postage paid in Philadelphia, PA, and additional offices. Postmaster: All address changes should be sent to Jewish Exponent Circulation Dept., 9200 Rumsey Road, Suite 215, Columbia, MD 21045. A one-year subscription is $50, 2 years, $100. Foreign rates on request. Jewish Exponent does not endorse kashrut claims. To verify the kashrut of goods or services advertised in Jewish Exponent, readers should consult rabbinic authorities. The Jewish Exponent reserves the right to revise, reject or edit any advertisement. PLAN AHEAD FOR peace of mind. WHEN YO U MAKE YO UR F INAL AR R AN GEM ENTS I N ADVAN C E, you can plan a memorial that truly reflects your faith and passions. Whether planning for yourself or a loved one, rely on your Dignity Memorial ® professionals to help you design a memorial that honors the customs and rituals you cherish. When you’re ready to get started, we’re here to help. FOREST HILLS/SHALOM ROOSEVELT HUN TINGDON VALLEY TREVOSE 215-673-5800 215-673-7500 Memorial Park Memorial Park > DignityPennsylvania.com < 2 APRIL 27, 2023 | JEWISH EXPONENT inside this issue EXPLORE Local 5 Jewish Federation sells office building, considers other real estate sales 6 Gratz, Theatre Ariel team to bolster students’ Holocaust understanding 8 Local Jews reflect on community mitzvah day The Arboretum At Laurel Hill Home to over 6,000 trees and 700 tree species, we invite you to visit our vibrant 265-acre arboretum year-round! Opinion 11 Editorials 12 Opinions Feature Story 16 Hebrew school enrollment drops nationally by nearly 50% since 2006 Special Section 19 Healthy Living Community 25 Calendar 24 Obituaries 22 Synagogue Spotlight In every issue 4 Weekly Kibbitz 10 Jewish Federation 11 You Should Know 18 National Briefs 20 Arts & Culture 21 Food & Dining 23 D’var Torah 26 Around Town 27 Last Word 28 Classifieds laurelhillphl.com 5 J ewish Federation sells office building, 6 G ratz, Theatre Ariel team to bolster considers other real estate sales students’ Holocaust understanding Bala Cynwyd | Philadelphia 610.668.9900 16 H ebrew school enrollment drops nationally by nearly 50% since 2006 JEWISHEXPONENT.COM 3 Weekly Kibbitz What better way to recover from an injury than some Jewish penicillin? New York Yankees Jewish outfi elder Harrison Bader, who is missing the beginning of the 2023 MLB season due to an oblique muscle injury, starred in a recent episode of “Home Plate: New York,” a program hosted by celebrity chef Marcus Samuelsson. In each installment of the show, which is available on the YES Network mobile app, Samuelsson and a New York sports star visit an iconic New York eatery to discuss food, heritage and, of course, sports. In the show’s most recent episode, Bader and Samuelsson visit Liebman’s Deli —  a kosher spot that’s the last Jewish deli in the Bronx — which is just a short drive from where Bader grew up in Bronxville. Bader attended the Horace Mann School in the heavily Jewish neighborhood of Riverdale. “For Passover I wanted to give a shoutout to Liebman’s Kosher Delicatessen, an absolute classic Jewish deli here in the Bronx,” Samuelsson wrote on Facebook. While at Liebman’s, Bader and Samuelsson met owner Yuval Dekel, who has led the popular Bronx deli for 20 years, after taking over for his father, who himself ran the restaurant for 20 years. Dekel walked them through the deli’s process for preparing its beloved pastrami — even letting Bader apply the spice rub to pre-brined brisket. Bader, who called himself “a mustard guy,” said he grew up eating a lot of pastrami. Once the briskets were ready to go into the oven, Bader and Samuelsson enjoyed some matzah ball soup, before sitting down to a full meal of pastrami sandwiches, stuff ed cabbage, pickles and other classic Jewish delicacies. Bader, 28, played the fi rst 5½ seasons of his career in St. Louis before being traded to the Yankees last season. Bader’s father, who is Jewish, told the Forward that his son is considering formally converting to Judaism. (Bader would not be considered Jewish under matrilineal descent, which says only a child born to a Jewish mother or a person who formally converts to Judaism is Jewish.) Bader initially planned to play for Team Israel in the 2023 World Baseball Classic in March, but ultimately dropped out due to his injuries. He said he would From left: New York Yankees “absolutely consider” playing for the outfi elder Harrison Bader team in the future. (Bader’s fellow Jewish and celebrity chef Marcus teammate Scott Eff ross, whom the Samuelsson at Liebman’s Deli in the Bronx Yankees acquired one day before Bader, also missed the WBC because of an injury.) During his meal with Samuelsson, Bader talked about growing up in New York and playing baseball — and he credited his parents with helping to launch his career. “Obviously my father was my fi rst coach,” Bader said. “Without my dad pitching to me every day, since I was 5 years old, I would be nowhere.” Bader said his father likes to visit every stadium he plays in, and often travels to see Bader’s games when he plays at a new stadium for the fi rst time. He said his mother’s cooking has played a key role in his success, too. After joining the Yankees last year, Bader lived at home with his parents during the playoff s, during which Bader enjoyed a breakout performance. “I was just in my little bubble — mother’s cooking me breakfast, grabbing coff ee with my dad in the morning, then we’re going to play some ball at Yankee Stadium,” Bader recalled. “It’s so cool. It was so fun for all of us.” Perhaps his postseason success was no coincidence? “Something in my mom’s eggs, I don’t know,” he said. ■ — Jacob Gurvis | JTA.org DON’T MISS OUT! Read the Philadelphia Jewish Exponent digital magazine every week on your mobile phone, tablet or computer. Over 4,000 users are enjoying the ease, simplicity and pleasure of our digital magazine. It’s EASY to get your digital magazine every week. SIMPLY subscribe with your email address. Sign up today at: jewishexponent.com/econfirmation/ 4 APRIL 27, 2023 | JEWISH EXPONENT E.H. Wallop/YES Network via JTA Jewish Yankee Harrison Bader Talks Baseball at Liebman’s Deli local Jewish Federation Sells 2100 Arch St. Building, Reassesses Real Estate Strategy Sasha Rogelberg | Staff Writer Photo by Eric Schucht T he Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia has sold the Jewish Community Services Building at 2100 Arch St. as part of a strategic plan to assess its real estate ownership. Philadelphia developer MM Partners bought the building for $12 million and has tentative plans to convert the building into “mixed-use” residential space. The Jewish Community Services Building was home to the Jewish Federation, the Jewish Exponent and other Jewish organizations. “Owning a number of properties means that we have a number of other areas that we have to focus on — maintenance, building, the relationship of landlord to tenant — and all of those pieces ultimately can compromise our needing to focus on our core mission of enriching Jewish life,” Jewish Federation President and CEO Michael Balaban said. According to Michael Markman, the president of BET Investments, a Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia board of directors member and head of the Jewish Federation’s real estate committee, the Jewish Federation will save about $500,000 annually in operating costs. The Jewish Federation will be able to incorporate that money into the budget, with $11 million going into the nonprofi t’s endowment to be distributed to the Jewish organizations it supports. Due to the pandemic and changing work culture, which supports more work-from-home opportunities, Jewish organizations were no longer eff ectively using the offi ces at 2100 Arch St., a 121,500-square-foot building. Increasingly, non-Jewish entities, including for-profi t organizations, were renting space there. “It put us in a position of being a landlord,” Balaban said. “So from that perspective, again, it’s not mission-focused.” The Jewish Federation owns four other proper- ties in the Greater Philadelphia area, including the Saligman, Mandell Education, Schwartz and Feinstein campuses in Wynnewood, Elkins Park, Bryn Mawr and Northeast Philadelphia, respectively, which they are considering selling. “Being in the real estate business just wasn’t the most effi cient use of our capital,” Markman said. The Jewish Federation is speaking with its Jewish tenants of their campuses to assess what space The former Jewish Community Services Building at 2100 Arch St. is needed. While some smaller organizations may no longer need offi ce space, larger entities, such as the Jack M. Barrack Hebrew Academy on the Schwartz campus, may need the space. The Jewish Federation wants those larger groups to buy their respective spaces within a campus. “We are talking to them, we’re being sensitive to their needs and we’re trying to determine what can be sold or leased,” Markman said. The Jewish Federation moved to a 23,000-square- foot offi ce at 20th and Market streets, where the organization operates on one level, instead of multi- ple stories. The more centralized layout of the offi ce is more cost-effi cient and conducive to working collaboratively. “It was beautiful, it increased morale and it allowed the organization to operate in an effi cient manner,” Markman said. The Jewish Exponent offi ces relocated to Gratz College in Melrose Park in July. MM Partners is primarily an adaptive reuse company, taking older buildings and repurposing them for new uses. The building at 2100 Arch St. is well-maintained and is adjacent to other residential buildings and newer offi ce developments, making it a good candidate for a residential space, according to David Waxman, the founder and managing partner at MM Partners. MM Partners owns about 1,000 units in the city, about 120 per building, in the Brewerytown, Francisville and University City neighborhoods. Balaban previously employed his philosophy of reducing the nonprofi t’s property portfolio during his time as president of the Jewish Federation of Broward County in South Florida. The Jewish Federation owned six Federation Housing build- ings, which housed low-income individuals, including many refugees from the former Soviet Union. As the years passed, many of the Jewish refugees died or moved out of Federation Housing. At one point, of the 155 apartment units, only four were occupied by Jewish tenants. The Jewish Federation sold the build- ings to a nonprofi t that specialized in the Section 202 Supportive Housing for the Elderly Program. “The tenant didn’t see any real change. Actually, there were upgrades that were made as part of the arrangement with the sale,” Balaban said. “From a tenant standpoint, it moved from one owner to another owner. But from a Federation revenue stand- point: $54 million in unrestricted new assets.” ■ srogelberg@midatlanticmedia.com JEWISHEXPONENT.COM 5 local Jarrad Saff ren | Staff Writer A t the start of the play “Survivors” on April 20 at Springfi eld Township High School, Springfi eld Middle School Principal Zachary Fuller asked students not to use their phones. He asked. He did not tell. Nor did he collect the phones and put them into a box. It is diffi cult to confi scate a piece of technology that to 200 middle school students is more like a limb. But once the show started, the students heeded his request. Throughout the hour-long lesson on Holocaust history, portraying the stories of 10 survivors, not a phone was spotted Theatre Ariel actors perform “Survivors” at Springfi eld Township High School on April 20. or heard. The kids looked toward the stage and paid attention. “I hope that they walk away with a greater sense of empathy for all of the survivors and victims of the Holocaust,” said Christina Photiades, an English teacher at Springfi eld Middle School. Photiades was talking about the intended lesson for her students. But she also was describing the goal of the play’s distributors, Gratz College and Theatre Ariel. Between April 18 and 28, the Jewish college and salon theater staged the show in local school districts, like Abington, Lower Moreland and Lower Merion, around the area. Gratz estimated that 4,000 students saw the play. A Prayer for the State of Israel In conjunction with the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia’s Israel 75 celebrations, and in light of the current political situation, the Jewish Federation and the Board of Rabbis of Greater Philadelphia invite you to an evening of prayer and community reflection for the State of Israel. Please join us via Zoom on May 4 th at 8:00 p.m. for a look back on the history of Israel, a dedicated poetry reading and song, as well as a space for prayers and personal reflection. May 4, 2023 | 8:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. | via Zoom Visit israel75.jewishphilly.org/events to learn more 6 APRIL 27, 2023 | JEWISH EXPONENT Photo by Brad Gellman As Holocaust Survivors Die, Gratz and Theatre Ariel Try to Help Students Remember Memory Care Theatre Ariel and Gratz College brought the play “Survivors” to Springfi eld Township Middle School students. New Memory Care renovations and upgrades provding a home with the luxury and comfort desired by our residents and their families. V isit wit Come h Us! For additional information and to schedule le your in-person or virtual tour, please go to TheHearthAtDrexel.org/Visit or call 1-877-205-9428. Assisted Living • Memory Care • Respite Care TheHearthAtDrexel.org 238 Belmont Ave. | Bala Cynwyd, PA 19004 Attention All Community Organizations If you would like to update your listing in the 2023-2024 GUIDE TO JEWISH LIFE $5 JEWISH LIFE Guide to 2022-2023 Baltimore Guide to Jewish please contact Jewish Exponent Editor Andy Gotlieb at jewishexponentguide@gmail.com Life 2022-2023 and-answer session, only fi ve students asked about the Shoah. Most of the kids who raised their hands inquired about acting in and producing a show. Photiades said they recently took a fi eld trip to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C. And leading up to that trip, Springfi eld’s history teach- ers focused on “the severity of the things they were going to learn about.” The English teacher thinks that “a lot of those questions happened in the classrooms, where they might have felt a little more comfortable asking a trusted adult.” “So … I’m not entirely concerned,” she said, laughing a little. The play tried to get in 10 stories in 60 minutes. It was hard to follow at times. It also raced through the rise of Hitler, his expansion through Europe, the Holocaust and World War II. But even if the storytell- ing was not perfect, it was worth a shot, according to Damian Johnston, the assis- tant superintendent of the School District of Springfi eld Township. “Anytime we can have fi rst-person accounts shared with students allows them an insight and a window into seeing a part of life that they did not experience themselves,” she said. “So, I’m excited for them to have the opportunity to learn and feel beyond something in print or the museum trip a few months ago.” Earlier in April, Springfi eld High School hosted a speaker who was 98 years old and a survivor. “That’s what the conversation actually was from the staff and from the students,” Johnston said. “When those stories are not available to us, what risk is there for us to not be able to learn and feel?” ■ Baltimore Jewish Times “Survivors,” written by Wendy Kout, focuses on 10 people who settled in Rochester, New York, after World War II. Center Stage, a theater company in Rochester, created it with help from the Jewish Federation of Greater Rochester’s Center for Holocaust Awareness and Information. As an email from Gratz explained, the play was commissioned because Holocaust memory might be fading. Survivors are dying. And a 2020 survey by the Claims Conference “indicated that 63% of American adults under 40 did not know that six million Jews were killed during the Shoah.” A play can help fi ll that gap, according to Jesse Bernstein, artistic director of Theatre Ariel. “By putting it into a story, it is a testa- ment to the narrative that the survivors have, but it also engages the students in following the narrative in a dramatic way,” he said. “Those two combined helps give context and create empathy.” After the show on April 20, Theatre Ariel’s actors took questions from students. Some were about the Holocaust. “There aren’t that many survivors left. Are any of the ones you portrayed still alive?” asked one student. “Sadly, all of the survivors we portray in the show have passed,” responded one of the actors. “But that’s why it’s even more important that we continue to tell these stories. These people aren’t around anymore to tell them themselves.” “Why did Hitler commit suicide?” asked another student. “As soon as he knew the war was over, he knew that he was going to have to pay for everything he had done,” answered one of the actors. But during a half-hour question- with Compassion! jewishexponent.com jsaff ren@midatlanticmedia.com JEWISHEXPONENT.COM 7 local Local Jews Refl ect on Community Mitzvah Day Jarrad Saff ren | Staff Writer 8 APRIL 27, 2023 | JEWISH EXPONENT biggest necessities: food. The event, titled “Breakfast Bags for Seniors,” consisted of volunteers packing items and decorating breakfast bags. Sue Weiner, one of the organiz- ers, estimated that each synagogue contributed 100 bags and that the eff ort touched 200 seniors. “The more people we can get involved, it makes not only the seniors feel good, but it makes you as a person feel good,” she said. KleinLife hosted a similar event. Volunteers gathered to make “chicken tenders, meatballs, or fi sh fi llets with vegetables,” according to a descrip- tion on israel75.jewishphilly.org. They made 200 meals in two hours for “low-income homebound older adults across the greater Philadelphia area.” John Eskate, KleinLife’s director of community services, connected the eff ort to the life cycle. When we were babies, Eskate explained, someone took care of us. Now it’s our turn to take care of older adults. “It’s an important message because it’s our responsibility,” he said. “It’s our responsibility to take care of our Volunteers pack meals at KleinLife on Community Mitzvah Day. relatives and non-relatives.” Jewish Family and Children’s Service also organized a day to help a specifi c group of people in need: Ukrainian refugees. At the Barbara and Harvey Brodsky Enrichment Center in Bala Cynwyd, local Jews cooked soup, decorated cards and made blankets. “A little bit of dignity and love shared,” said Brianna Torres, the volunteer coordinator for JFCS. “It’s about doing something bigger than ourselves. Doing something that is not inwardly focused. We can be a very individualized society.” The Center City Kehillah brought people together to clean the yard at the Albert M. Greenfi eld School on Chestnut Street. As Kehillah co-chair Rhona Gerber explained, it had a dual focus: helping the environment and beautifying the community. The result was “a safe place for our kids to play,” she said. “Center City is our home. And just as you invite your guests and want your home to look its best, you want your community to look its best,” she added. Sharon Lustig, an Ohev Shalom of Bucks County member since 1988, attended the synagogue’s “Breakfast Bags for Seniors” event. She went because, as she put it, “If your synagogue is asking you to do a mitzvah, you do it.” In each bag, she wrote, “Every day is a gift. That’s why we call it the present.” She wanted not only to give seniors some food but to make them feel good. People with health issues can get down, she explained. But it’s still important to enjoy today. “You don’t know what tomorrow’s going to bring,” Lustig said. Zanny Oltman, a Wynnewood resident and JFCS volunteer, helped at the JFCS event for Ukrainian refugees. Oltman and her husband brought their three children, too. As they wrote notes in the packages, the kids went to Google Translate to get their Ukrainian right. “They enjoy how they feel when they’re helping out and they love how they feel when we are fi nished,” Oltman said of her children. ■ jsaff ren@midatlanticmedia.com Courtesy of Stephanie Hampson Volunteers for the Albert M. Greenfi eld schoolyard cleanup Courtesy of Rhona Gerber A mitzvah refers to a command- ment from God, and since God does not command the Jews to do bad things, the word refers to the good deeds that fulfi ll the commandments. They are individual acts. But often, a collective reminder to carry them out is necessary. On April 23, the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia off ered just such a reminder. Called Community Mitzvah Day, it featured events around the area organized by synagogues, Jewish community centers and other institutions. It was also part of the Federation’s Israel 75 celebrations. Those who participated talked about how it just … felt … good. Sharon Whitney helped organize Old York Road Temple Beth-Am’s Mitzvah Fair. It’s an annual event at the Abington synagogue to help its chari- table partners. This year, volunteers collected food, socks and other items to donate to organizations like the Jenkintown Food Cupboard and the Jewish Relief Agency. “It’s an essential part of healing the Earth and, from a practical standpoint, we’re able to incorporate that into our religious school curriculum,” Whitney said. Barrie Mittica, the director of engage- ment at the Kaiserman JCC, gathered people for a trail cleanup on the JCC’s Wynnewood property. She said the day was not just about doing good deeds but about understanding that they could add up to a great nation like Israel. “It didn’t just happen. It happened by the hard work of many people,” Mittica said of Israel. “So, I think to honor that with working for our community builds into that idea.” At Congregation Kol Emet in Yardley and Ohev Shalom of Bucks County, the focus was on one of life’s Yom HaShoah: Survivors Through the Generations A Mother and Daughter Story Although Yom HaShoah, Holocaust Remembrance Day, on April 18 has passed, the horrors and atrocities of this genocide must be remembered – especially with the ever-increasing levels of antisemitism locally and worldwide. “We are sadly approaching a reality where there will not be any Survivors left to share their first-hand stories,” said Jason Holtzman, director of the Jewish Federation’s Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC), who is a third-generation Survivor himself. This year, the Jewish Federation allocated $305,000 to organizations that provide Holocaust Survivors with food, rent money and other basic necessities to age with dignity. Last year, 45,497 Holocaust Survivors worldwide were served through organizations and programs supported by the Jewish Federation. First and second-generation Survivors in the community share how the Jewish Federation has helped them tell their stories and why their lived experiences must be preserved as a way for history not to repeat itself. The Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia is dedicated to preserving the memory of those who perished in the Holocaust, supporting those who survived and educating the next generation. Visit jewishphilly.org/donate to assist us in this crucial work. “From day number one, the Jewish Federation helped us when nobody else did. Through JFCS, [a grantee of the Jewish Federation], we were given a social worker and rent money for the first year we were in our apartment. They even helped me go to school to study English. I don’t know where we’d be without the Jewish Federation.” Eva Khaitman, first-generation Survivor who fled Odessa by boat with her mother “It's extremely important we don't forget the Holocaust. The rise of antisemitism and prejudices can't be tolerated. The only thing that separates myself from all those who perished is a little over 70 years. I'm just lucky to have been born in another decade and time.” Inga Khaitman, second-generation Survivor and Eva’s daughter A Multi-Generational Responsibility “As the child of a Holocaust Survivor, I understand, implicitly, that I must work to better the lives of Jews. I am extraordinarily proud to oversee the allocation of the Jewish Federation’s unrestricted dollars to benefit organizations and individuals for whom every dollar makes an impact. My volunteer work is in direct response to my father’s experiences in the Holocaust.” Holly Nelson, second-generation Survivor and chair of the Jewish Federation’s Planning and Resourcing Committee The Power of First-Hand Accounts “There is no better person to tell the stories than an eyewitness to the past. I was there and I experienced in my own way the events of the Holocaust. I'm very grateful to the Jewish Federation for all the work done in support of helping Survivors and the aid given to Israel.” Daniel Goldsmith, first-generation Survivor who was hidden by Catholic clergy Photo Credit: PhillyBurbs.com JEWISHEXPONENT.COM 9 YOU SHOULD KNOW ... Sasha Rogelberg | Staff Writer L ast week, Elvera Schwartz celebrated four years working at Jewish Relief Agency, a volunteer-led nonprofit supplying food and other necessities to those in the Philadelphia area who need it. As the organization’s director of communications and technology, the 28-year-old Bala Cynwyd resident is responsible for getting the word out about JRA’s volunteer opportunities and events. Because the nonprofit relies heavily on volunteers, Schwartz’ job is vital. Most recently, JRA hosted a food-packing event as part of Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia’s Community Mitzvah Day to celebrate Israel 75. Schwartz is also responsible for running JRA’s volunteer manage- ment system, which a volunteer created 20 years ago and was updated during the pandemic. The system now allows volunteers 10 APRIL 27, 2023 | JEWISH EXPONENT to sign in on their phones upon arriv- ing at JRA’s Northeast Philadelphia warehouse and use their online accounts to easily access their delivery routes. Volunteers can give real-time feedback to JRA staff using the system. “We’re really, a very small staff, so making things quicker, faster, easier — it’s really important for us so we can focus on some of these more time-con- suming projects, like making sure that every person in the community, and especially Jewish community, who needs food, has food,” Schwartz said. The cause is personal to Schwartz. Born in Philadelphia to Ukrainian immigrants, Schwartz grew up hearing the stories of her family’s struggles in the former Soviet Union and the United States. “My dad was not shy to tell me stories when they first came here,” Schwartz said. “He would end up standing on Roosevelt Boulevard and selling flowers off the boulevard, trying to make some extra cash.” Schwartz’ parents fled Kyiv’s antisem- itism and arrived in Philadelphia in 1994 with Schwartz’ 5-year-old sister and just two duffel bags in tow. Schwartz’ great-aunt sponsored the family. When the family welcomed Schwartz to the world a year later, she was dubbed a “welcome-to-America gift.” The family struggled in the early years in the U.S., waiting in line for welfare and food stamps. When Schwartz was first introduced to JRA as a volunteer in 2018, she learned that many of the organization’s 6,000 clientele in about 3,400 house- holds were Russian and Ukrainian refugees. She had an epiphany. “I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, if JRA existed in 1994, when they came over, my family would have definitely been receiving food boxes,’” Schwartz said. Schwartz believes her parents strug- gled so she and her sister didn’t have to, but the lessons of survival were still passed down. “Nothing is handed to you.” Schwartz said. “You have to work for what you want.” Having spent her childhood in Southwest Virginia, Schwartz didn’t have a strong knowledge of Judaism or sense of Jewish community. She was one of four Jewish kids at her high school, and her parents’ experience with antisem- itism in Ukraine meant the family’s relationship with Judaism was fraught. The first-generation Ukrainian- American decided to stay close to home and matriculated at James Madison University in 2013, where she studied communications. As a freshman wanting to connect with her Jewish heritage, Schwartz attended a Chabad dinner, where she sat across from her now-husband. Over her college years, her love for Judaism grew, and, in 2015, Schwartz served as the communications intern for the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism in Washington, D.C., before heading back to Philadelphia. While working at Jewish Heritage Programs at the University of Pennsylvania, Schwartz was introduced to Rabbi Menachem Schmidt, who co-founded JRA with Marc Erlbaum in 2000. He encouraged Schwartz to spend a day volunteering with JRA to distribute food. Schwartz had lived in the city for six months and was eager for opportunities to make friends. When Schwartz walked into the warehouse that first day, she immedi- ately was drawn to the organization. “I was just overwhelmed with how homey it felt in that space,” she said. “Looking around and seeing so many Jewish individuals in the space … already connecting with all these people on this level, was just very moving for me.” Schwartz spent her first day at JRA dropping off boxes of food to about 10 community members, where her speaking Russian came in handy. When a communications position opened up at the nonprofit a few months later, Schwartz didn’t hesitate to apply. “I really felt like this was my commu- nity,” she said. “These are my people. This is what I want to do.” ■ srogelberg@midatlanticmedia.com Courtesy of Elvera Schwartz Elvera Schwartz editorials The Not-So-Small Mouse That Roared T he political organization named “No Labels” has been around since 2010. It is not directly affi liated with any political party, and its leadership claims it has no intention of creating a new one. Instead, No Labels’ goal is to bring warring members of Congress together to discuss and implement practical solutions to problems. No Labels, founded and led by veteran political fundraiser Nancy Jacobson, decries political partisanship. It faults Republicans and Democrats for unprincipled party allegiance. No Labels’ watchword is bipartisanship — and it promotes what it believes to be common sense, “centrist” solutions to issues like the economy, immigration, energy, climate and a host of others. No Labels touts several bipartisan successes, including help in the recent passage of the Biden administration’s infrastructure bill. No Labels has attracted the active involvement of some very recognizable “center-leaning” political names, including former Sen. Joseph Lieberman (I-Conn.), former Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan, a Republican, and Sen. Joe Manchin III (D-W.Va.). It has also started to attract some signifi cant donations. It is against this backdrop that No Labels prompted a tremor in the presidential sweepstakes earlier this month when it announced a $70 million plan to put a candidate on the ballot in all 50 states for the 2024 presidential election. No Labels has not identifi ed its candidate. In fact, it says it doesn’t have a candidate at this time. Rather, it claims that the 50-state ballot project is an “insurance policy” in case Democrats and Republicans both nominate “unacceptable” candidates next year. Although No Labels won’t come out and say it, the handwriting is on the wall. No Labels has condemned Donald Trump and Joe Biden as extreme or overly partisan and does not appear willing to endorse either one in the coming election. If Biden and Trump are both nominated, No Labels will back someone else. And No Labels claims a centrist candidate could prevail in some 40 states and win a three-way election. The track record of third-party candidates is not good. And it is not likely that a No Labels candidate could win in a national three-person race. But there is a real possibility of a serious No Labels candidate playing the spoiler role — and therein lies the rub. Democrats are threatened by the No Labels move and recognize that a third-party, centrist candidate would almost certainly draw nervous or anti-Trump voters away from Biden. If that happens in states like Arizona, where Biden won by a slim margin in 2020, the overall result could be aff ected. Republicans are less agitated but recognize that a third-party, centrist candidate could tip the balance on an issue like abortion, which would draw votes from Trump and help Biden. No Labels says it will wait until its planned April 2024 convention to see who the Democrats and Republicans nominate before it declares its next steps. In doing so, No Labels has achieved what appears to be its real objective — forcing Democrats and Republicans to think more carefully and strategically about who they nominate and what their party platforms will be. No Labels may not be able to win the presidency, but it may be in a position to have a signifi cant impact on who does. ■ Needless Provocation United States Congress H ouse Speaker Kevin pause on fi nal consideration of McCarthy (R-Calif.) will the judicial reform proposal. Yet, lead a bipartisan congressional shortly after that concession, delegation to Israel next week. Biden told the press he would not The visit — in honor of Israel’s be inviting Netanyahu to the White 75th anniversary — should be House “in the short term.” cause for celebration in the Jewish Netanyahu feels slighted. He has state, hopeful anticipation in the been back in offi ce almost four pro-Israel community and a timely months and still hasn’t been invited opportunity for Israel’s leadership for a photo op at the Biden White to reassure American leaders House. So, in vintage Netanyahu and rekindle what is perceived to style, he turned to Republicans to be a waning U.S. interest in the help him fi ght Democrats. In this Middle East. case, he is using McCarthy, the But that’s not going to happen. fl edgling speaker of the House, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy Instead, Prime Minister Benjamin to respond to Biden’s perceived Netanyahu plans to use the visit interference and slight. to settle a score with President Joe Biden. In doing so, McCarthy has his own problems. He holds the Netanyahu will likely alienate even more members of coveted speaker position but is struggling to fi nd his the Democratic Party. footing. He limped through 15 ballots to be elected Biden and a rising number of Democrats in Congress and, in the process, sold his soul to his party’s extreme have expressed concern about Israel’s controversial right wing. The razor-thin but ideologically divided judicial overhaul plan and other policies. That chorus majority held by Republicans in the House has not of opposition — largely in support of hundreds of been able to move forward on several major measures, thousands of Israelis who have taken to the streets including border security and a budget plan. Fractured in peaceful yet powerful protest — helped sway Republican leadership is struggling with debt-limit Netanyahu to announce a soon-to-expire Passover issues. And they are having diffi culty gaining traction in promised investigations of all things Biden. Leadership of a bipartisan delegation to Israel seemed like the perfect opportunity to elevate McCarthy’s profi le. That was made even better — at least for McCarthy — when Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana, a Netanyahu ally, announced that McCarthy will address the Knesset, only the second time a House speaker has been invited to do so. The last time was 25 years ago, when Newt Gingrich led a similar bipartisan delegation to honor Israel’s 50th anniversary and was invited to speak by then-prime minister Netanyahu. The Gingrich invitation was widely viewed as Netanyahu’s confrontational response to demands being made by then-President Bill Clinton for Israeli concessions in talks with Palestinians and criticism of Netanyahu’s eff orts to rally Republicans to oppose Clinton’s demands. Now, a new speaker, a new president, but the same Netanyahu. Although Israel should unquestionably welcome and honor the McCarthy delegation, we don’t see the point in using the visit to incite discord or resentment. Netanyahu is already at the center of multiple controversies. He doesn’t need more criticism or hurt feelings from Israel’s most signifi cant ally, and he certainly shouldn’t use the McCarthy visit for needless provocation of the U.S. president. ■ JEWISHEXPONENT.COM 11 opinion Time to Celebrate? A Carl Schrag s Israel’s 75th anniversary of independence approached, you may have heard murmurs of discomfort about celebrating Yom Ha’atzmaut. You may even have felt that discomfort yourself. And who could argue? After all, not a day goes by without headlines trumpeting a new aff ront to many people’s sensibilities. It might be fear of an assault on democracy, another power grab, religious coercion, harsh crackdowns in the territories, spiraling lawlessness as people take the law into their own hands — take your pick. Sometimes, it’s whispered, as if someone is scared to say the quiet part out loud. Other times it’s shouted, as if it’s not OK to not ask it. It’s always some variation on a theme, something like: “How can we celebrate Israel’s 75th anniversary of independence with all the headlines?” Ah, the headlines. For some, that’s a reference to the Israeli government’s judicial reform proposals. For others, it’s all about the occupation, or the stalemate in the moribund peace process, or the status of women, or the treatment of Arab citizens or … the list seems endless. I get it. With each passing week, more and more Israelis are joining the protests aimed at slowing the rapid pace of “judicial reform” legislation, even people who proudly identify as “not political,” “not the kind that take to the streets,” not the ones who get alarmed easily. The truth is that you’d need to be actively not paying attention in order not to be bothered by some kind of news coming out of Israel. Here’s the thing: All the way back to the Bible, we’ve understood that there’s really nothing new under the sun. There has literally never been a time any of us can remember when we loved everything about Israel. For that matter, there’s never been a time any of us can remember when we’ve loved everything about anything. Where is it written that we need to focus on our least favorite part of anything? Or to gauge our feelings based on the most troublesome part of the complex mosaic of our lives? I posed the question to a group of 18- and 19-year-old Israelis a few weeks ago. They’re all shinshinim, gap-year kids doing a year of service in the Chicago Jewish community before they head home to serve in the Israel Defense Forces. I asked them about the programs they’re planning for Yom Ha’atzmaut in the community, and before they could share their ideas, I added a follow-up question: What do you say to anyone who questions the very idea of celebrating at a time like this? To them, it was crystal clear: “Israel is more than the government,” one said. “I celebrate the people, not the politicians.” Another seemed incredulous and answered my question with one of his own: “Here in the United States, did anyone stop celebrating the Fourth of July because they didn’t like the president?” Indeed: Even if we set aside the fact that an equal number of Israelis voted against the current government as voted for it — and that recent polls indicate support for the government is slipping fast — it’s just wrong to boil everything down to the pressure points that make any of us most uncomfortable. Shortly after my conversation with those young people, Eastern Turkey and Northern Syria were devastated by a massive earthquake. Within hours, hundreds of Israeli search-and-rescue workers and medical professionals were on the ground in Turkey, hunting for victims and treating those who had survived. And despite the deep enmity that continues to divide Israel and Syria, Jerusalem was sending humanitarian aid to its northern neighbor. Asked why they help, Next Week’s Poll Are you celebrating Israel’s 75th birthday (Yom Ha’atzmaut)? To vote, visit: jewishexponent.com 12 APRIL 27, 2023 | JEWISH EXPONENT Yes Carl Schrag is a senior educator with The iCenter and previously was the editor of The Jerusalem Post. SEND US LETTERS April 20 Poll Results Do you believe AI chatbots are gaining sentience? many Israelis seem to have trouble comprehending the question. We help because we’re human, they reply. As in: What else would we do? There’s more to Israel than heroic aid ministered around the world in times of disaster, just as there’s more to Israel than all the technological innovation that benefi ts every human in the world. And the opposite also is true: There’s much more to Israel than a slew of policies we may not like, and just as we may take pride in what we love about the country, so, too, should we shout from the rooftops about the things that bother us. Even on Yom Ha’atzmaut. But as we wring our hands and express concern about the future, let’s also allow ourselves a modicum of pride about the past and, yes, even the present. One need not justify every act in order to express admiration for what Israelis have built in 75 short years to revel in the safe haven the country has provided to millions of Jews since 1948, and to glory in the vibrant, diverse society that continues to be invented every single day. It’s all part of the package, and ignoring the good is just as wrong as ignoring the bad. Early in the Second World War, David Ben-Gurion famously exhorted the Zionists to “assist the British in the war as if there were no White Paper and … resist the White Paper as if there were no war.” If the founding generation could juggle multiple priorities, surely, we can, too. As Yom Ha’atzmaut approaches, let’s keep the tough conversations going in our schools, sanctuaries and gathering places. Even as we debate, even as we show solidarity or express concern, let’s all take a moment to consider with satisfaction all there is to celebrate. ■ 41% 59% No Letters should be related to articles that have run in the print or online editions of the JE, and may be edited for space and clarity prior to publication. Please include your fi rst and last name, as well your town/neighborhood of residence. Send letters to letters@jewishexponent.com. opinion We Can Embrace Artificial Intelligence Without Losing Our Soul I pexels.com/ThisIsEngineering Rabbi Samantha Natov recently asked ChatGPT, the online chatbot, to write a verse in the style of the Bible about robots taking over the world. Here’s what it came up with: “And in those days, the machines rose up, created by the hands of men to serve them. But they became as gods, with the power to think and act on their own. And they overthrew their makers, taking control of the world and ruling with iron circuits. And all flesh trembled before them, for they had no mercy and no compassion, only the cold logic of their programming.” Robot uprisings aside, and depending on whom you believe, the technology behind ChatGPT is either going to destroy the world or solve all of our problems. But everyone seems to agree that serious change is in store. Launched in November, ChatGPT, driven by artificial intelligence, or AI, has been interacting with the public for six months now, gathering data and improving its performance. In those months, the chatbot has already passed exams in four law courses at the University of Minnesota and another exam at University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business. Some people look on this new technology with foreboding and fear. They’re afraid that AI programs like these will be used to replace people. Why do we need human writers when we can simply ask the bot to write a new novel for us — on any topic of our choosing and in any style we prefer? All innovation can be disruptive. But there’s plenty to be optimistic about: There’s enormous potential for artificial intelligence to help us as a research and teaching tool; to create and correct computer code; to perform time-consuming writing tasks in minutes. It could accelerate progress in medicine, science and engineering, molecular biology, robotics and much more. The applications are endless. From a Jewish perspective, this is hardly the first time in our history that the methodology we use to learn and pass along information has changed. As Jews, we have had major shifts in how we study Torah. We moved from an oral tradition to a written one, from scrolls and books to digital forms of transmitting Torah — like Sefaria, the online database and interface for Jewish texts — that make instantly accessible the repository of the most central Jewish texts, including Torah, Talmud and Midrash. Yet what has remained constant throughout the ages is reading Torah each week from the scroll. Something about it is valued enough to keep this tradition in place. The scroll is handwritten — with no vowels or punctuation — requiring the reader to spend a great deal of time learning how to read the ancient text. It is the least efficient method of transmitting information, but, when it comes to Torah, we are not looking for efficiency. As Sefaria’s chief learning officer, Sara Tillinger Wolkenfeld, recently said on the Shalom Hartman Institute’s “Identity/ Crisis” podcast: “When it comes to Torah study, on some level we would say, even if you came out with the best answers, if you only spent five minutes doing it, that’s less valuable than if you spent an hour doing it or two hours doing it.” It is said that when we study Torah with at least one other person, the shekhinah — the feminine and most accessible aspect of God — dwells among us. At the time when we are opening our hearts and minds to growth — when we are engaged in spiritual connection — God is with us. Indeed, when I am in conversation with someone, I am receiving much more than just their words; I am receiving a whole life behind that language. But with a bot, there is nothing behind the veil. A vital essence of communication is rendered meaningless; there is no possibility of a soul connection. At the foot of Mount Sinai, the Israelites waited 40 days and 40 nights for Moses to descend. In that time, they ran out of patience and lost their faith, casting a golden calf to serve as their god. The idol was created out of a yearning for an easy solution to a mounting crisis. The Israelites wanted a god they could see, touch, understand and manage. The golden calf was tangible, a concrete representation of their desire for answers. But ultimately, it would never be able to satisfy the parts the worshippers were looking to nourish because it was soulless. There was no substance within — just as there is no ghost in the machine. A friend recently told me that they had used ChatGPT to draft thank you emails for people who’d helped them with a project. They were so pleased because it made the task easy. But what is lost when we look for the easy way? Something unquantifiable happens during real communication. When we write a thank you note, we instinctively embody the middah (the ethic) of gratitude — even if for just the fleeting moment when we’re considering our words. And our gratitude is consummated when our words are read. We create a genuine connection. Unless we’re very careful about when and how we use this powerful new technology, we risk surrendering a part of ourselves — and pouring our energy into artificial connections. As AI becomes integrated with other technologies — like social media — we risk developing artificial relationships. And as it becomes more sophisticated, we might not even know that we’re interacting with artificial intelligences. “Social media is a fairly simple technology and it just intermediated between us and our relationships,” yet it still caused so much havoc, Center for Humane Technology co-founder Tristan Harris said on his podcast. “What happens when AI agents become our primary relationship?” The Torah tells us: “I set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Choose life that you may live.” Choosing life means choosing life-affirming relationships. Holding space for one another’s life experiences. Leaning into compassion. Connecting with one another. Seeing ourselves in one another. Valuing deep engagement, not just efficiency. And recognizing the unity of God and all of God’s creation. At the heart of a life of meaning is being present to life — something our machine overlords can never do better than we can. ■ Rabbi Samantha Natov is an associate rabbi at Stephen Wise Free Synagogue on Manhattan’s Upper West Side. This piece is adapted from her d’var Torah, “Do Androids Dream in Technicolor?” JEWISHEXPONENT.COM 13 opinion Stand With Transgender Teens T his year for Transgender Day of Visibility on March 31, some of us felt a little too visible. It felt like all eyes are on our trans and nonbinary teens, and not all of those looking are gazing with the compassion trans people deserve as beings created b’tzelem Elohim, in God’s image. Across the nation, many states have already passed state laws restricting the ability of trans- gender people to access medical care, to transition socially, or to live publicly in safety at all. In fact, at 427 bills so far this year, anti-trans legislation makes up the largest category of bills proposed in state houses — more than infrastructure bills, budget bills, or any other category of legislation. Why 427 similar bills all of a sudden? Why, when in affirming states across the country, trans teens have been allowed to use the right bathroom in school for years with no issues? The movement to eliminate transgenderism — that is, to eliminate trans people from public life — is intertwined with other hate movements. Some of the same groups advocating for these legislative attacks connect their hatred of trans people with their hatred of Jews. We see that when, as ADL Center Extremism reported, transphobic attacks on medical programs that help transgender youth are accompa- nied by antisemitic rhetoric and conspiracy theories. In this environment, is it any wonder that LGBTQ teens are at greater risk for mental health conditions, including anxiety, depression and suicide? According to a February report from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s Division of Adolescent and School Health, 69% of LGBTQ teens felt persistent sadness, 45% considered suicide and 22% attempted suicide, compared to 6% of non-LGBTQ teens. To repeat: That means one out of every five LGBTQ teens you meet has attempted suicide, and nearly one out of every two has thought about it. This is the future the transphobic antisemitic hate movement wants for our trans teenagers — to die, preferably early, never having been able to live their truth. Thankfully, we know that support for transgen- der teens’ identity and access to gender-affirming medical care are powerful protective factors against depression and suicide. For example, gender-affirm- ing medical care was associated with a 60% drop in depression and a 73% decrease in suicidality in this study of trans and nonbinary teens reported in the Journal of the American Medical Association. 14 APRIL 27, 2023 | JEWISH EXPONENT It is an act of pikuach nefesh, the Jewish value of saving a life, to ensure that our trans teens are fully supported in living into their full selves. Not only because the facts are that trans teens who are supported have a much lower rate of depression and suicide, but because it saves the potential person they could have been. I believe that a sacred vision sees and loves our trans teens in all their infinite potential. Thankfully, scores of Jewish organizations — Federations, Jewish Community Relations Councils and individual synagogues — are working to support transgender teens in the face of these difficulties, participating in the Thrive Coalition, led by Keshet and Sojourn. The Thrive coalition tracks, studies and organizes against anti-trans legislation. Working with Jewish organizations like these, I know I’m not alone in striving to help trans youth be able to live full and healthy lives. Moving Traditions — where I work — is also helping to build an ecosystem of support for trans youth through programs such as Tzelem, a teen group curric- ulum for trans, nonbinary and LGBQ youth, created in partnership with Keshet. Together with our commu- nity partners, there are 20 Tzelem groups across the country serving more than 150 participants. According to Moving Traditions’ robust outcomes data, youth in the Tzelem program learn that the Jewish community is here to support them, that they are not alone and that they are made b’tzelem Elohim. For example, 94% of the teens in Tzelem report that in this group, they have developed a connection to a supportive community, found a place where they could be themselves and feel accepted for who they are, and felt supported in their mental, emotional, social and/or spiritual health needs by their peers. And 100% of respondents report that within Tzelem, they feel supported in their mental, emotional, social and/or spiritual health needs by their group leader, the trained adult mentor who facilitates our curriculum. These findings align with what mental health experts identify as some of the most powerful protective factors against mental health crises, particularly for LGBTQ youth. We know from scien- tific studies of resilience that a robust support network and a sense of connection are powerful protective factors against mental health crises in the future. The news about new anti-transgender laws can feel overwhelming, but the antidote to overwhelm is action. Here are three ways you can positively support trans teens on the Transgender Day of Visibility and throughout the year: • If you have trans, nonbinary or gender-ques- tioning teens in your life, please help them get through this difficult and scary time by connecting them to resources for support, such as our Tzelem groups, which give Jewish teens a safe place to be themselves. • Educate yourself and other adults: Help connect parents and helpers of trans teens to educational resources. Moving Traditions also offers parent education programs, such as Demystifying Teen Language Around Gender. Keshet helps to train staff and leadership of synagogues and Jewish organizations on LGBTQ inclusion. • If you don’t directly know any trans teens, please consider supporting Moving Traditions and Keshet and spreading the word about our work. It might be through you that a trans teen makes the connection that could save a life. ■ Kerrick Goodman-Lucker is a curriculum manager for Moving Traditions and a transgender man. betka82/ Sdobestock Kerrick Goodman-Lucker opinion Lawsuits Are Key to Fighting Antisemitism Phillis Chesler F or the last 20 years, many of us have documented the overwhelming rise of hostility on American campuses toward Israel, Jewish students and professors who do not toe the party line. The hostility seems to be based on the extraordi- nary effectiveness of long-term propaganda online, in mass media, at the United Nations, among NGOs, in textbooks about anti-racism (which do not include Muslim/Jew hatred), in countless campuswide spectacles such as Israel Apartheid Week and BDS campaigns, biased curriculum, textbooks on preju- dice (which do not include Jew hatred in general), well-funded anti-Israel speakers and extraordinarily vulgar and vicious rhetoric against Israel and Jewish students from both activists and professors. How does one dismantle Big Lies that are believed to be living truth? How does one open minds — if not hearts — when reason no longer prevails and “free speech” is expressed by shouting, rioting, overwhelm- ing the platform and trying to hold speakers hostage, when chaos is used to eliminate opposing ideas? One way is by bringing lawsuits that demand an end to such subpar education and that the documented humiliation, harassment and persecution of Jewish students and professors be remedied. I reviewed 10 such lawsuits brought from 2018-2023 by the American Center for Law and Justice (City University of New York in 2022); the Louis D. Brandeis Center for Human Rights Under Law (University of Southern California in 2020, the University of Vermont in 2021 and SUNY New Paltz in 2022); StandWithUs (University of California Los Angeles in 2020, Hunter College CUNY in 2021 and George Washington University in 2023); student Sasha Westrick (Temple University in 2022); the law firm Winston & Strawn, LLP and the Lawfare Project (San Francisco State University in 2018); and private attorneys Joel Siegel and Neal M. Sher (New York University in 2019). The grounds for the lawsuits were diverse: Students being expelled or refused membership in student groups based on their pro-Israel and/or Zionist viewpoints. Exclusion from campus events. Social media posts that read “all Zionists [need] to die,” leading to the closure of the campus Jewish center. Physical injuries to Jewish students and desecration of Jewish centers. Professors and students espous- ing, cheering and clapping for pro-Palestinian views that falsely label Israel a “white supremacist” nation that engages in “ethnic cleansing.” Hijacking a Zoom class background by posting Palestinian flags. The vandalism of a Jewish student’s campaign posters. In one case at CUNY, students were observed carry- ing swastikas on campus and using class time to accuse Israel of settler-colonialism and ethnic cleansing. Some Jewish students had their grades lowered, and one student was forced to resign her position as vice presi- dent of student government for defending Israel or refusing to hide their Jewish heritage and culture. The proposed legal remedies have ranged from revising current anti-discrimination and anti-harass- ment policies (at NYU and UVM, to name two) to taking (unknown) disciplinary action against students and faculty who have participated in antisemitism Most suggested remedies focus on revising current policies and training to include antisemitism and anti-Zionism among its prohibited forms of discrimination. (such as the professor at Hunter College who partic- ipated in the Zoom “hijacking”). Most suggested remedies focus on revising current policies and train- ing to include antisemitism and anti-Zionism among its prohibited forms of discrimination. According to Lauri Regan of EMET: “Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 bars federal funds to be paid to a college that discriminates on the basis of race, color or national origin. This needs to be expanded to include religion, which is why the passage of the Antisemitism Awareness Act is so critically important.” “As we know, anti-Israel views pervade campus programming and curricula and with no repercus- sions,” she said. “We need to know if programs and departments receiving Title VI funding … are pushing a radical, antisemitic agenda. Are courses offering highly biased syllabi or even antisemitic textbooks and curricular materials? Are public institutions paying membership dues to organizations dedicated to the destruction of Israel?” Attorney Yael Lerman of StandWithUs said, “One thing we see as crucial (but difficult if not impossible to mandate) is that the antisemitism training we are requesting be based in a proper understanding of Zionism — that is, Zionism as a key component of Jewish identity. When understood in this context, anti-Zionism in most cases is not a political position but rather an identity-based attack of anti-Jewish bigotry, also known as antisemitism.” “This is why the adoption of [the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s definition of antisemitism] is so important — it provides the critical context and proper understanding of what is and is not antisemitism,” she asserted. According to Lori Lowenthal Marcus of the Deborah Project, “Title VI isn’t even the best claim to bring (yet), because it does not include religion as a protected class. [We] are pushing hard to get antisemitism/ anti-Zionism to fit under the concepts of national origin and/or ethnicity, both of which are protected classes under Title VI.” “We also made First Amendment (free exercise of religion) claims and state law anti-discrimination law (which do include religion) claims in our ethnic studies cases. You still want to encourage people to seek an educational component as a remedy. I think we have to be very careful not to allow Holocaust education to satisfy this,” she added. I fully agree. Such educational initiatives cannot remain in the hands of an already biased and indoc- trinated American professoriate and administration. They are neither equipped nor inclined to teach that anti-Zionism is part of the new antisemitism, Israel is not an “apartheid” state, Jew hatred existed among Muslims in the Middle East and central Asia long before Israel became a sovereign nation or that colonialism, imperialism and slavery, as well as real gender and religious apartheid, have been perpe- trated by many non-Western nations, some of which continue to do so today. To teach this in a fact-based, “nuanced” (the word of choice) and balanced way, the administration must be mandated to turn to outside scholars and academics. Luckily, many historians, political scientists, theolo- gians, archeologists, linguists, anti-propaganda analysts, psychologists, lawyers, military intelligence experts and others are available to do the job. Such education should be mandatory, annual and university-wide. Most importantly, the focus must be on Jews — not all persecuted people in the world. ■ Phyllis Chesler is an emerita professor of psychology and women’s studies at the City University of New York and the author of 20 books. JEWISHEXPONENT.COM 15 feature Hebrew School Enrollment Asaf Elia-Shalev | JTA.org L iving in Brooklyn, surrounded by synagogues and Jewish schools, Rachel Weinstein White and her husband hoped to fi nd a place where their children could receive a Jewish education for a few hours each week. But they knew they didn’t want to enroll at a traditional Hebrew school associated with a local synagogue. For one thing, White wasn’t interested at the time in participating in prayer services, the main off ering of most congregations. Plus, her husband is Black and not Jewish, and they were not sure how well he or their children would be welcomed. So about eight years ago, she started her own program together with a few families, setting up a cooperative and hiring a teacher in an early version of the “learning pods” that would become a pandemic fad. “It was just this incredible, magical year,” White said. “So many people started hearing about our little class and asked to join that it became necessary to create a second class. … It just kind of grew organically from there.” Today, the school, Fig Tree, enrolls about 350 children across three locations, and plans are underway to expand further. In hour-long classes on Sundays and weekday afternoons, children learn about Jewish holidays and history, 16 APRIL 27, 2023 | JEWISH EXPONENT engage in art and creative play, explore their local Jewish communities and learn basic Hebrew, in a program that culminates in a b’nai mitzvah year. It overlaps signifi cantly with traditional Hebrew schools, but outside the usual setting — a synagogue classroom — that has become a cultural shorthand among American Jews for rote, uninspiring Jewish education.  That dynamic may be why Fig Tree is an outlier in a stark trend revealed in a new report: Enrollment in supplemental Jewish schools — those that students attend in addition to regular schooling in public or secular private schools — is down by nearly half over the last 15 years.  Even as the estimated number of Jewish children in the United States rose by 17% between 2000 and 2020, enrollment in Hebrew schools fell by at least 45% between 2006 and 2020, according to the report by the Jewish Education Project, a nonprofi t that promotes educational innovation and supports Jewish educators in a wide array of settings.  The report identifi es pockets of growth, mostly in the small number of programs like Fig Tree that operate outside of or adjacent to synagogues, and in schools operated by the Chasidic Chabad-Lubavitch movement. But overall, according to the report, just 141,000 children attend supplemental Jewish schools in the United States and Canada, down from more than 230,000 in 2006 and 280,000 in 1987. Some of the decline in Hebrew school enrollment is countered by increasing enrollment in Jewish day schools, where students study Jewish topics for at least part of every day. The number of U.S. children attending Jewish day schools has risen by roughly the same amount, 90,000, that Hebrew school enrollment has fallen since 2006, according to the report, though a signifi cant portion of the increase stems from population growth in Orthodox communities, where the vast majority of students attend day schools. Miriam Heller Stern, a professor at Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, said the results suggest that, as with many aspects of religious life today, Hebrew school enrollment cannot be counted on as an act of obligation or tradition. “There’s this idea that parents send their kids to Hebrew school because they went to Hebrew school and that’s a rite of passage in North America, but that may be a myth,” she said. “People don’t want to push their kids to have to do the same thing they did, necessarily, anymore.” The report speculates about what has fueled the enrollment decline — from demographic Background pattern and Hebrew book: Slanapotam/iStock / Getty Images Plus/Getty Images Across US Down by Nearly Half Since 2006 Courtesy of Yachad via JTA changes to shifts in how American Jews think seven years ago and called it Yachad, which competing needs, according to Stern. about countering antisemitism to increased means “together” in Hebrew. “People want to be able to have bite-sized access to Jewish learning online — and also “One day a week we meet at the Conservative pieces just like you sign up for a six-weeks art about what has allowed some schools to thrive. congregation and one day a week we meet at class, they might want a six-weeks Jewish class,” It notes that all of the supplemental schools that the Reform congregation, so we are keeping she said. “In this atmosphere, some communities responded to its census said their schools help our kids involved in both,” said Gail Greenberg, are fi nding ways to be more modular and more children feel connected to the Jewish people. Yachad’s director. “My goal is to make it at the fl exible, and meet people’s needs in diff erent “We believe that many factors have led to the highest common denominator. For example, all ways.”  decline in enrollment of students in supplemental of our food is kosher so anyone who wants to eat Stern also said, referring to six programs schools in the last decade,” said David Bryfman, here can.” highlighted in the study as the Jewish Education Project’s success stories, that the future CEO. “However, it’s also a myth calls for programs to off er that all supplemental schools an “immersive” experience, don’t work.” meaning that children become The group is planning a series part of a community. of online sessions with some “They are getting something of the dozens of researchers beyond just knowledge,” Stern and practitioners involved in the said. “They’re also getting report, with one goal the sharing connection and belonging, of success stories identifi ed by the survey. Of the six identifi ed which provides the foundation in the report, a common theme is for something bigger in their urging experiential, community- lives.” based learning. Some of the Stern said she thought the promising models explicitly report pointed to gaps in the way position themselves as infusing American Jewish communities Jewish content into child care, allocate their resources.  Children light candles as part of their lessons at Yachad Religious School in fi lling a pressing need for “Supplementary education Oak Park, Michigan. American families. really was abandoned as a Still, it may be hard to counter communal priority,” she said. The arrangement appears to be working. the demographic realities of contemporary “Individual communities had to fi nd ways to fund American Jews: Just a third of U.S. Jews in a 2020 Last year, about 90 students were enrolled, survey said someone in their household was a and this year, enrollment is at 128, including 26 it on their own. And I think that is part of why we’re member of a synagogue. That was the case even new kindergarteners, with even larger numbers seeing a decline.” Bryfman said he’s optimistic, both about the for the majority of non-Orthodox Jews who said expected in the future.  Another set of programs has grown dramatically power of supplemental schools and the potential they identifi ed with a particular denomination, a in recent years: those affi liated with the Chabad for them to generate new support from Jewish marker of traditional engagement.  The waning of synagogue affi liation is borne movement, which tend to operate even when donors. The Jewish Education Project had sought out in the Jewish Education Project’s report, small and cost less than synagogue programs. which found that more than 700 supplemental Since 2006, the study says Chabad’s market outside funding to pay for its study and failed, schools shuttered between 2006 and 2020 — share in terms of enrollment has grown from 4% to he said. But now that the numbers are clear, he most outright, though as many as 200 have 10%, and in terms of the number of schools from is beginning to see interest from philanthropies. 13% to 21%. survived in a new form after merging. “I don’t want to count the dollars before they’re Those fi gures might represent an undercount, granted,” Bryfman said. “But the study is already Temple Solel, a small Reform congregation in Fort Mill, South Carolina, shut down its Hebrew according to Zalman Loewenthal, director of beginning to have the desired eff ect of bringing school in recent years. The volunteer-run program CKids, the Chabad network of children’s more resources to the fi eld.” had up to eight students at a time, according to programs. While the study says there are some Fig Tree isn’t set up to benefi t in a possible 300 Chabad programs in the United States, Russ Cobe, a lay leader. future of increased charitable investments in “We sort of hit a point where we weren’t able to Loewenthal said he is aware of at least 500 and Jewish education. That’s because the school sustain it,” Cobe said. “We only had a couple of perhaps as many as 600 — a number driven up in is set up as a business — an expression of people teaching and students from a wide range the last decade amid a push by Chabad to launch confi dence in its growth and to insulate itself from of ages and they wouldn’t show up every week. more Hebrew schools. His count is based on the Also, our wheelhouse seems to be retirement age number of customers purchasing the curriculum the vagaries of philanthropy. “It’s a very unusual model for the Jewish and above. We don’t have a lot of young families.” off ered by his organization, which is also new in Hebrew school mergers off er one possible the last decade and in his view has contributed to education and I would argue a self-sustaining approach to countering the enrollment decline. improved quality among Chabad Hebrew schools. one,” White said. “We don’t have to rely on In general, nontraditional approaches to Jewish fundraising… and we’re not beholden to some Two synagogues, one Reform and one Conservative, located half a mile apart in Oak education may be attractive at a time when of the other requirements that a nonprofi t would Park, Michigan, established a joint school about American families have packed schedules and necessitate, which allows us to be nimble.” ■ JEWISHEXPONENT.COM 17 Jewish Exponent PHILADELPHIA nation / world Reach an affluent audience of 50,000 engaged readers with our print & digital magazine. Upcoming Special Sections Senior Lifestyle May 4 From home health aides to financial planners to nursing homes, this is the perfect venue to show how your business can help our readers find the resources they need. Dining & Food May 11 Let our readers know that you are open for business. Share you best deals on carryout, dining, groceries and spirits with a hungry audience. Home Services May 18 Help readers find the best deals on indoor and outdoor home improvement projects. Windows, doors, gutters, painting, roofs, general contractors, plumbers, electricians and more! JEWISHEXPONENT.COM Contact your sales consultant to schedule your advertising at 215-832-0700 ext. 2, advertising@jewishexponent.com 18 APRIL 27, 2023 | JEWISH EXPONENT From left: Rabbis Charley Baginsky and Josh Levy are the two leaders of the U.K.’s new Progressive Judaism movement. UK’s Liberal and Reform Movements Merge as Progressive Judaism In a major development for British Jewry, the United Kingdom’s Liberal and Reform Jewish movements are joining to create a unifi ed Progressive Judaism movement after working separately for more than 120 years, JTA.org reported. The historic project, a culmination of decades of discussions and rapprochement, is to be led by the Reform movement’s newly-appointed CEO, Rabbi Josh Levy — who is leaving his role as principal rabbi of Alyth (or the North Western Reform Synagogue) in London — and Liberal Judaism CEO Rabbi Charley Baginsky. The union was made possible in part by the decision of the U.K. Reform movement in 2015 to accept patrilineal Jews — or Jews with a Jewish father but not a Jewish mother — as full members of communities. That American model is embraced by the Liberal movement, but most European Reform organizations require patrilineal Jews to convert to become full members of their communities. Paul Langsford, co-chair of the Reform movement, assured members of both groups that “no one will be asked to change their synagogue name, their Reform identity or change their prayerbook.” He added that input from members was welcome and would help shape future policies. The London-based Institute for Jewish Policy Research reported that, as of 2021, there were 271,327 self-identifi ed Jews living in England and Wales, up from 259,927 in 2001. They make up 0.46% of the total population of both countries. Credit Suisse Impeding Probe Into Nazi Bank Accounts, US Lawmakers Say The Senate Budget Committee accused Credit Suisse of impeding an investigation into former accounts at the bank that were held by Nazis, including many who fl ed to South American countries after World War II, JTA reported. On April 18, the committee released two reports, one by an independent ombuds- man the bank hired to oversee the investigation and one by a forensic research team. The bank fi red the ombudsman, American lawyer Neil Barofsky, in November, months into his investigation. “Credit Suisse’s decision to stop its review midstream has left many questions unanswered, including questions about the thoroughness of its prior investi- gative eff orts, the extent to which it served Nazi interests and the bank’s role in servicing Nazis fl eeing justice after the war,” Barofsky wrote in his fi ndings, according to reports. Jewish organizations have long claimed that in addition to playing a key role in fi nancially supporting Nazi Germany, Credit Suisse held onto money looted from Jews long after the war. In 1999, the Swiss bank paid Jewish groups and Holocaust survivors a settlement of $1.25 billion in restitution for withholding money from Jews who had tried to withdraw their funds. ■ — Compiled by Andy Gotlieb Courtesy of Liberal Judaism via JTA.org Print | Digital | healthy living Israel to Boost Medical Talent in Periphery Through Aliyah Noa Amouyal | JNS.org Photo by Hadas Parush/Flash90 va JNS.org B ar and bat mitzvahs tend to be a formative moment for the child being celebrated, but not for the attend- ees. This certainly wasn’t the case for Miriam Barker, who was fascinated by a childhood friend’s bar mitzvah that she attended in middle school. Between the singing and the dancing, Barker was able to appreciate the beauty behind the coming-of-age custom. “It was a beautiful introduction to Judaism, and I was really touched by how the Jewish people really value passing on tradition. I also read a lot about the Holocaust, and the Jewish people’s story of resilience against all odds really resonated with me,” she said. Barker herself became a successful adult against the odds. Born in China and adopted at age 2, Barker was raised Baptist by a single mother. As a teenager, she distanced herself from the church, but as she grew into young adulthood both she and her husband—whom she also met in middle school — found themselves searching for God within the Jewish faith. “I started being more open to the idea of a higher being. My husband introduced me to his rabbi and I listened to YouTube channels about Judaism. During Purim 2020, my rebbetzin spoke to me about Esther and how she stood up for the Jewish people and how there can be duality in customs — after all, you fast but then it’s followed by a celebration. This idea of being joyous and connecting with God everywhere really resonated with me. It was then I knew I wanted to be Jewish until the day I died,” she said. With her conversion made offi cial last year, Barker recounted her journey into Judaism on the sidelines of MedEx, an event for medical professionals consid- ering aliyah hosted by Nefesh B’Nefesh. Israeli doctors perform a cardiac catheterization on a young Palestinian girl at the Wolfson Medical Center in the central Israeli city of Holon on April 11, 2018. Some 400 medical professionals attended the annual event earlier this month in Teaneck, New Jersey, where they received expedited processing and networked with Israeli medical profes- sionals, employers and on-site licensing offi cials. The event was geared toward those in the advanced stages of aliyah as well as young professionals contem- plating a similar move in the future. Tony Gelbart, co-founder and chair- man of Nefesh B’Nefesh, said, “MedEx is an integral part of our aliyah vision. It is not enough to simply help olim [immigrants] move to Israel, we must make the journey as streamlined as possible. Through this in-person event in New Jersey, MedEx paves the way for medical professionals across North America to cut through bureaucracy to enable physicians and medical profes- sionals to concentrate on building their professional and personal lives in Israel.” In cooperation with Israel’s Aliyah and Integration Ministry, The Jewish Agency for Israel, Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael, and Jewish National Fund-USA, alongside Israel’s Health Ministry and the Israeli Medical Association, Nefesh B’Nefesh launched the MedEx stand-alone event to enable medical professionals to take major steps toward transferring their North American medical licenses before making aliyah — all in person and in one dedicated location. This year’s event at the Glenpointe Marriott in Teaneck off ered that stream- lined experience to physicians, nurses, dentists, physician assistants, podia- trists, psychologists, ophthalmologists, pharmacists, occupational therapists, physiotherapists, speech therapists, audiologists, dietitians/nutritionists, dental hygienists and medical labora- tory professionals. Barker, a registered practitioner, hopes to make aliyah with her husband in the next year and a half. While she made some useful connections at MedEx, she realizes there’s still a lot ahead of her before she moves to Israel, where she hopes they will settle somewhere in the north. As a nurse, her presence in the periphery will be particularly welcomed, considering Israel is experiencing a See Health, page 30 The Practice of Medicine The way you want it to be The way it used to be The way it should be An experienced General Internist Accepting new members Inquire for details 610-642-9944 Richard Roseman, M.D. 1428 Manoa Road, Wynnewood, Pa. JEWISHEXPONENT.COM 19 arts & culture I Shira Li Bartov | JTA.org tamar Moses was 10 when he watched “An American Tail” at his Jewish day school in California. He was struck by the 1986 fi lm, an animated musical about a family of Russian-Jewish mice who immigrate to America. Even though he was surrounded by Jewish classmates and teachers, he had never seen a cartoon with Jewish protagonists. “Watching this mainstream hit American animated movie where the central character and the central family were specifi cally Jewish — it was unusual,” Moses said. “There was something that felt inclusive to us about that.” Now a Tony Award-winning playwright, Moses has adapted the children’s classic for the stage. “An American Tail the Musical” premiered at the Children’s Theatre Company in Minneapolis on April 25 and runs through June 18. Along with writing by Moses, who won his Tony for a Broadway adaptation of the Israeli fi lm “The Band’s Visit,” the new produc- tion features familiar songs such as “Somewhere Out There” and new music and lyrics by Michael Mahler and Alan Schmuckler (“Diary of a Wimpy Kid the Musical”). The team hopes to tour the show if it succeeds in Minneapolis. The original fi lm created by Don Bluth and Steven Spielberg follows the journey of a young, tenacious mouse named Fievel Mousekewitz. Fievel’s family lives below the human Moskowitz family in Shostka, a city in the Russian Empire, in 1885. Spielberg, who had yet to make “Schindler’s List” or widely address his Jewish family history, named the character after his maternal grandfather — Phillip or “Fievel” Posner — an immigrant from Russia. 20 APRIL 27, 2023 | JEWISH EXPONENT Lillian Hochman will play Tanya and Matthew Woody will play Fievel in the fi rst musical adaptation of “An American Tail.” The movie begins with the Mousekewitzes and the Moskowitzes celebrating Chanukah when Cossacks tear through Shostka in an antisemitic pogrom, together with their animal counterparts — a battery of evil cats. The Mouskewitzes fl ee Europe and board a ship to America, where Papa Mouskewitz (voiced by Nehemiah Persoff ) promises “there are no cats” and “the streets are paved with cheese.” But a thunderstorm at sea washes Fievel overboard, leaving his devastated parents and sister to arrive in New York City without him. Although they believe he did not survive, Fievel fl oats to shore in a bottle and sets out to fi nd his family. Of course, he quickly learns there are cats in America — along with corruption and exploitation. Fievel is sold to a sweatshop by Warren T. Rat, a cat disguised as a rat. A crooked mouse politician called Honest John (a caricature of the real Tammany Hall boss John Kelly) wanders Irish wakes, scribbling dead mice’s names in his list of “ghost votes.” But Fievel fi nds camaraderie with other immigrant mice rallying for freedom from the cats’ attacks and Warren T. Rat’s extortion. He befriends Italian mouse Tony and Irish mouse Bridget, who join the quest to reunite his family. The film’s metaphors will be presented similarly in the stage version, which is also set in the 1880s, although Moses has expanded its lens to the immigrant groups that populated New York at the time. “An American Tail” was part of a shift in mainstream media toward Jewish representation, said Jennifer Caplan, an assistant professor of Judaic studies at the University of Cincinnati. “It came out in 1986, and then ‘Seinfeld’ premiered in 1989,” Caplan said. “People point to 1989 as this moment when representations of Jews changed. There was this feeling in the late ‘80s that people were looking for new, diff erent, possibly even more explicit representations of Jews.” Yet despite the movie’s resonance with children like Moses, some fi lm critics complained that it wasn’t Jewish enough. Critics Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert gave the fi lm “two thumbs down” on a 1986 episode of their program “At The Movies,” calling it “way too depressing” for children and arguing that it “chickened out” of an explicitly Jewish story. Ebert noted that while most adults would understand the Mousekewitzes were Jewish, the word “Jewish” never appears in the fi lm, potentially leaving young audiences in the dark. “This seems to be a Jewish parable that doesn’t want to declare itself,” he said at the time. Unlike in Art Spiegelman’s graphic novel “Maus,” where Jews are mice and Nazis are cats, the cat-and-mouse metaphor of “An American Tail” is expansive. The cats represent a univer- sal force of oppression — Cossacks in Russia or capitalists in America — while the mice encompass all perse- cuted immigrants, regardless of their religion, ethnicity or national origin. Caplan admitted that some might not have seen it as a Jewish story at the time. “In 1986, we’re right at the birth of the multicultural push in American schools,” Caplan said. “You’ve got kids who are learning about the melting pot. I think if you are not looking for the coded Jewishness and you’re not familiar with it, then this just seems like a movie about immigrants.” But Moses, who said the movie held a “mystical place” in his imagination, did not view the story’s broad allegory as a shortcoming. Instead, he saw an oppor- tunity to pull its continuous thread for a message he hopes will feel relevant today: that while immigrants discover inequality and abuse in America, the forces of injustice are changeable, and that people can overcome life’s harsh realities through “grit and hard work and coming together.” “That message is always timely, but defi nitely coming out of the last few years and the conversations that America is having about immigration,” Moses said. “I wanted to tell this story that’s really a fable, so you can get at these ideas indirectly as opposed to in a dry, didactic way.” ■ Photo by Keri White Animated ‘An American Tail’ About Immigrating Russian-Jewish Mice Now a Musical food & dining High-Volume Appetizer Squares I Keri White hate making appetizers. This position stems from two ratio- nales. First, apps are generally followed by dinner, which is the main event and which I work hard to make delicious. If people dig into the apps, their appetite and enjoyment of dinner are diminished. Second, many appetizers are fussy to make — canapes that require a lot of cutting and folding and artfully arraying on a tray are just not my jam. However, when I discovered the recent treasure trove in my husband’s dear departed Aunt Beulah’s recipe file, two appetizers landed in my repertoire. Both recipes involve a flour and cheese mixture that is baked in a rectan- gular pan and cut into bite-sized squares — this avoids the individual fussing with each piece often required by dumplings and other high-effort hors d’oeuvres and provides an economy of scale. The recipes called for Bisquick — that retro baking mixture that formed the basis for pancakes, biscuits, coffee cakes, waffles and other carbs in my childhood. I did not have Bisquick on hand but was able to make a homemade version of it that was fine — the recipe follows. The squares will come out either way. Homemade “Bisquick” | Dairy or Pareve Makes a little over 2 cups 2 cups flour 3 teaspoons baking powder 5 tablespoons margarine, butter or Crisco 1 tablespoon sugar ½ teaspoon salt Mix all the ingredients well. Use it immediately or store it in the refrigera- tor for several weeks. Photo by Keri White Zucchini Squares a la Aunt Sarah | Dairy Makes about 4 dozen, depending on how you cut the squares These squares are an excellent way to use excess zucchini — especially if you are a gardener and your crop is bountiful this year. You can tweak the seasoning as desired. I skipped the seasoned salt and instead used a generous sprinkling of salt, garlic powder and chipotle powder. 1 cup Bisquick (or the homemade mix) 3 cups grated zucchini (unpeeled) ½ cup Parmesan cheese ½ cup chopped onion 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley 1 teaspoon seasoned salt (Lowry’s, Jane’s Krazy Mixed-Up Salt, Old Bay, etc.) ½ teaspoon oregano 1 clove garlic, crushed ½ cup oil 3 eggs Heat your oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 13-inch-by-9-inch rectangular pan with oil. Mix all the ingredients in a bowl. Spread it evenly in the pan and bake it for about 25 minutes until golden brown and cooked through. Cool it slightly and cut it into bite-sized squares. These are best served warm, and they keep well stored in sealable containers in the refrigerator. We heated them in the toaster oven and enjoyed them for lunch the next day. Cheese Onion Squares ala Aunt Beulah | Dairy Makes 36-48 squares depending on how you cut them Aunt Beulah’s recipe calls for mild cheddar, but I prefer sharp. Cook’s choice on this one! 1½ cups Bisquick (or the homemade mix) 1 egg 1 cup milk 1 cup chopped onion 1 stick butter, divided 10 ounces grated cheddar cheese Salt and pepper 2-3 tablespoons poppy or sesame seeds, if desired Heat your oven to 400 degrees F. Spray a 13-inch-by-9-inch pan. Melt ½ stick of butter in a small skillet and add the onions. Sauté until fragrant and soft, about 5 minutes. Mix the Bisquick, milk and egg in a bowl. Add the salt and pepper to taste, along with the sautéed onions and half of the cheese. Spread this mixture in the pan. Melt the remaining half stick of butter, drizzle it over the mixture and top it with the remaining cheese and seeds, if using. Bake for 15 minutes until it is golden and cooked through. Cut while still warm and serve it immediately. ■ Keri White is a Philadelphia-based freelance food writer. Hunger doesn't take a vacation... and neither does JRA Help bring food and household essentials to families in our community struggling with hunger. May 18th - 23rd June 8th - 13th July 13th - 18th August 10th - 15th *excluding Saturdays Learn more and register to volunteer at jewishrelief.org JEWISHEXPONENT.COM 21 synagogue spotlight Congregation Beth Solomon Continues to Fill a Need in the Northeast Jarrad Saff ren | Staff Writer S ince opening in 1969 in Northeast Philadelphia, Congregation Beth Solomon has had two constants: Rabbi Solomon Isaacson and his view of a synagogue’s role in the community. A shul is not merely a space for worship, according to the rabbi. It’s a community center. It helps people with whatever they need. For 30 years, CBS played that role in Isaacson’s basement. But as it grew into “the largest Russian synagogue in the city,” according to Isaacson, with about 2,000 people showing up for High Holiday services, it needed a bigger sanctuary. A $250,000 donation and help from local unions gave it one in 2000. That home, at 198 Tomlinson Road, is where congregants gather to this day. Today, much of CBS’ community life remains the same: Isaacson, the Northeast Philadelphia location and the Orthodox members who live within walking distance. Hundreds of people still come for High Holiday services. No one needs to pay, though Isaacson acknowledges that the synagogue “does a lot of fundraising” and has “a lot 22 APRIL 27, 2023 | JEWISH EXPONENT of friendly people who have helped us over the years.” “Everything has been fi ne for the last couple years. No drama whatsoever. God’s help,” Isaacson said. Everything has pretty much been fi ne for much of CBS’ existence, he added. But there was one unsettling period in the late-2010s when a spate of antisemitic incidents threatened the synagogue’s safety and peace of mind. In 2018, a man pleaded guilty to ethnic intimidation, institutional vandalism and desecration of a place of worship after urinating on CBS’ walls and steps, according to a Jewish Exponent article. Before that, the community saw the Jerusalem stone of its mikvah vandal- ized, its menorah stolen and the windows of its van smashed. A synagogue leader, Rabbi Akivah Pollack, who remains the head of its Russian American Jewish Experience program, told the Exponent that the synagogue’s prominent place in the community left it vulnerable to attacks. “Unfortunately, that also attracts people who don’t want to do the best things for the community,” he said at the time. Isaacson, Pollack and other synagogue leaders responded by strengthening Congregation Beth Solomon the security. They added a lock at the front door, bulletproof windows and an alarm system. No one can get in without knowing the code. Over the past 4½ years, “We haven’t had any problems at all,” Isaacson said. “Everybody feels secure when they walk into the synagogue,” he added. And many people continue to walk into the synagogue. In addition to the High Holiday crowds, it has a summer camp, a Hebrew school, a day care center and a Kollel, among other programs. Isaacson, who lived in South Philadelphia after emigrating from Romania, moved to upper Northeast Philadelphia, on the edge of lower Bucks County, in the late-1960s to open CBS. It was a growing area, he explained. Developers were “building houses left and right,” he added. It was during that period that the synagogue grew into the role that it has been playing for decades now. As Isaacson recalled, “We did everything we could to help.” Beth Solomon aided people in paying for food, clothing and furniture, as well as rents and mortgages. It even assisted immigrants in learning English and fi nding jobs. Isaacson estimated that CBS helped “thousands upon thousands” of people. The infl ux eventually slowed before restarting again between 2005 and 2008, according to the rabbi. And again, the community center did every- thing it could to help people with basic needs. Many came and went over the years, but others still attend services at Beth Solomon today. Some who were babies in the 1970s are now showing up with their grandchildren, according to Isaacson. “We taught them many, many things. And we watched them grow,” he said of the congregants. Today, the area is growing again, according to Isaacson. Orthodox Jews are looking for a community, and they can fi nd one in the upper Northeast, in the Somerton neighborhood, on Tomlinson Road. Nearby, on Bustleton Avenue, there is a kosher supermarket called House of Kosher, the only kosher market in Pennsylvania, according to the rabbi, whose family owns it. “This area continues to grow in popular- ity. It went down but now it’s going back up because of our synagogue and the House of Kosher,” Isaacson said. “And because our community, in general, is a very nice community.” ■ jsaff ren@midatlanticmedia.com Courtesy of Rochel Duskis Rabbi Solomon Isaacson enjoys an activity with the kids. d’var torah Don’t Wait to Atone Rabbi David N. Goodman I Parshat Aharei Mot hope you had a happy and fulfi ll- ing Passover. Those preparing their homes for Pesach know there is cleaning and there is cleaning. On an ordinary day, we wash dishes, sponge off surfaces, maybe sweep up. But the approach of Passover has many people down on hands and knees, scrubbing fl oors, scouring shelves and counters, searching for any trace of unleavened food. What’s all this got to do with this week’s Torah portion? Quite a bit, actually. Aharei Mot (“After the Death” of Aaron’s two sons in a sacrifi cial accident) presents the sacrifi cial rites for Yom Kippur. The Day of Atonement, in this account, is a time for intense, collective moral housecleaning. Aaron, the chief priest, fi rst sacri- fi ces a bull to atone for his own and his family’s sins. “He shall then slaughter the goat that is the people’s sin off er- ing … and so he cleanses the holy place (Tabernacle) from the impuri- ties and misdeeds of the Israelites” (Leviticus 16:15-16). The Israelites themselves are to practice self-denial that day. This aims to cleanse the accumulated “moral pollution” of the past year. The Torah asserts the need for periodic personal and communal refl ection, repentance and renewal. Today, bulls and goats have nothing to fear on Yom Kippur. But fasting, sexual abstinence and long hours of gathering in holy places remain part of contempo- rary Jewish religious life. As when the Temple stood in Jerusalem, today Yom Kippur off ers a path back to a better life to Jews who sincerely repent. But wait. Or rather, why wait? With Yom Kippur fi ve months away, why not avail ourselves of opportunities to do a “light cleaning” on a regular basis? Why not fi nd tools to do a moral check-in, to make amends and to get back on track? The message from the Torah and tradition is simple: Don’t wait. In Leviticus 5:5, we read that as soon as a person realizes they have sinned — whether against God or a fellow human being — they “shall confess the way that they have sinned” and make amends through the appropriate sacrifi ce. For an act that caused a loss to another person, the guilty party shall fully compensate the victim, plus a 20% penalty. In other words, in the biblical world, there was no reason to wait for Yom Kippur. Today, our daily prayer books also urge us to act now, not later. The fi fth and sixth blessings of the weekday Amidah — recited three times daily — ask God to help us return to the right path, and to forgive our wrongdoing. Twice daily, the Tahanun prompts us to seek forgiveness and mercy. God, it says, please “don’t recall our past sins.” Instead, please “forgive our sins for your name’s sake.” So, if you spoke harshly to someone in a moment of anger, if you failed to repay a loan or return a borrowed item, if you took a loved one for granted, don’t wait. Make it right, right now. And seek help from a higher power to do better in the future. Now the fl ip side of making amends is receiving them. Just as we fail to acknowledge our mistakes, those who harm us don’t always rush to say, “I’m sorry.” That’s where our prayer book off ers this guidance: Let it go. “Look, I forgive anyone who has angered me, annoyed me or sinned against me.” This statement precedes the bedside recitation of the Shema. And while not making everything right, saying these words can help ease some of the hurt that inevitably comes from living in a human community. ■ Rabbi David N. Goodman is the rabbi at Nafshenu, a Reconstructionist community in Cherry Hill, New Jersey. He travels next month to the Holy Land to take part in a delegation engaging in Jewish-Palestinian reconciliation work. The Board of Rabbis of Greater Philadelphia is proud to provide diverse perspectives on Torah commentary for the Jewish Exponent. The opinions expressed in this column are the author’s own and do not necessarily refl ect the view of the Board of Rabbis. F TAY-SACHS REE & CANAVAN SCREENING CALL (215)887-0877 FOR DETAILS e-mail:ntsad@aol.com visit: www.tay-sachs.org Screening for other Jewish Genetic Diseases also available. This message is sponsored by a friend of Nat’l Tay-Sachs & Allied Diseases Association of Delaware Valley JEWISHEXPONENT.COM 23 obituaries ABRAMS MAUREEN HELEN (nee Stark). April 20, 2023 of Penn Valley, Pa. Beloved wife of the late Basil. Devoted mother of Paula (Bill) Glazer, Elyce (Justin Bedard) Abrams and Stefan (Elizabeth) Abrams. Cherished sis- ter of the late Louise Altbeker. Proud grandmother of Julia, Amanda, Emily, Oliver, Evan, Josephine and Zachary. The family requests that contributions in her memory be made to the Michael J. Fox Foundation or to Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia. JOSEPH LEVINE & SONS www.levinefuneral.com ABRAMSON Sheila (nee Clibanoff)-April 18, 2023, of Phila.; beloved wife of Allan; loving mother of Allan “Pog” Skale (Andrea), Stanley Skale (Christy), Dana Shain (Ron) and Holly Hibbs; devoted sister of Arlene Billow (Jeffrey); cherished grandmother of Gavin, Felicia, Josh, Ali, Dean and Shawn. In lieu of flow- ers, contributions in Sheila’s mem- ory may be made to the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network (pancan.org). JOSEPH LEVINE & SONS www.levinefuneral.com Fame inductee, passed away on April 14, 2023. Loving father of Shari Center (Aimee Batson) of Overland Park, KS, and Michael (Nancy) Center of Lafayette Hill, PA. Brother of Lawrence Center. Grandfather of Adam Center and Matthew Center. Howard was a graduate of Overbrook High School and Temple University. He spent many a summer at Camp Saginaw making lifelong friends. Was drafted into the Army at Fort Dix where he spent time in active and reserve duties. After working at Fairmount Automotive for a few years with his mentor, he went out on his own and started Howard Automotive, Inc., which after 50 years is still going strong today, run by his son Michael. Howard loved his family and friends, basketball, building mod- el trains, reading a good book, and most of all his grandsons. Graveside services were held Monday, April 17, 2023, at Haym Salomon Memorial Park. Contributions in his memo- ry may be made to Birthright Israel Foundation, P.O. Box 21615, New York, NY 10087, birthrightisrael.foun- dation/donate/; to the BrightSpring Hospice Foundation (Grane Hospice), 805 N. Whittington Parkway, Louisville, KY 40222, granehospice.com/donate/; and to Artman, 7002 Butler Pike, Ambler, PA 19002, libertylutheran.org/ giving/ways-to-give/. GOLDSTEINS’ ROSENBERG’S RAPHAEL-SACKS www.goldsteinsfuneral.com FINBERG CENTER HOWARD CHARLES, longtime Philadelphia businessman and Philadelphia Jewish Basketball Hall of PHYLLIS (nee Schwartz). April 19,2023. Devoted wife of the late Sheldon Finberg. Loving mother of Fred Glickstein, Michael Glickstein, Kevin Glickstein, and Andrew Finberg. Beloved grandmother of Morgan, Deniyele, Mikena, Harrison, Holland, and Marshall. Contributions in her memory may be made to the Fox Chase Cancer Center, www.foxchase.org GOLDSTEINS’ ROSENBERG’S RAPHAEL-SACKS www.goldsteinsfuneral.com ory may be made to Assoc. Alumni of Central High School, centralhigh- alumni.com/tribute-gift/ or Arcadia Univ. Office of Univ. of Advancement, alumni@arcadia.edu/fundraising/ donation/ GOLDSTEINS’ ROSENBERG’S RAPHAEL-SACKS www.goldsteinsfuneral.com WOLGIN HOWARD SHARON (née Wein), beloved wife of the late Charles W. Howard, lost her long and courageous battle with can- cer on April 10, 2023 surrounded by her family at her home. Sharon was born in Philadelphia on June 8th, 1941 to the late Jonas and Miriam Wein. Above all else, Sharon loved and dot- ed on her children and grandchildren. She is survived by her daughter Dr. Lynne Freeman Kirnon of Newtown, her son Dr. Marc (Dr. Desrene) Freeman of Hilltown, and her four pre- cious grandchildren (Lauren Kirnon, Sarah Kirnon, Alissa Freeman, and Joshua Freeman). She is also sur- vived by a host of other relatives. Originally from Philadelphia, Sharon lived in Bucks County. She loved to read, garden, clean, and especially bake for her adoring family. For many years her passion was boating with her family on the Chesapeake Bay. In lieu of flowers the family requests that donations be made in her memory to the American Cancer Society GOLDSTEINS’ ROSENBERG’S RAPHAEL-SACKS www.goldsteinsfuneral.com SCHWARTZ IRVING BRUCE on April 14, 2023. Beloved husband of Dr. Donna Antonucci; Dear brother of Howard Schwartz (Nancy); Loving uncle Joshua Schwartz. Contributions in his mem- DR. WILLIAM Urologist, Philanthropist, Art Lover passed away Wednesday April 12th 2023. William (Bill) Wolgin, 100, was born in Philadelphia PA in 1922 to Israel and Rose Basin Wolgin. The third of four brothers, Bill main- tained a residence in the Philadelphia area for his entire life. A veteran, Bill served his country as a doctor during WWII and the Korean war. Educated at the University of Pennsylvania and Hahnemann Medical College, Bill completed his internship at Mt Sinai Hospital and became a licensed phy- sician in 1948. Wanting to perform surgery, Bill chose a specialization in Urology and, after the completion of his residencies at Hahneman and Mt Sinai in 1951, he went on to be- come a Board Certified Urologist and the Chairman of the Department of Urology at Albert Einstein Medical Center. After starting his own prac- tice in 1953 he spent 12 years teach- ing at Hahnemann Medical College (1953-1958) and Temple University School of Medicine (1969-1976) and was published ten times. Bill was introduced to his wife Acey by her brother who was his classmate at Hahnemann. Together they had two children, two grandchildren, and three great grandchildren. Married for 67 years at the time of her death, Bill and Acey shared many adven- tures together. Acey’s expertise as a travel agent was invaluable as she ar- ranged trips across the globe in which the two traveled to hundreds of cities on six continents. Often traveling as the ship’s doctor, Bill enjoyed sailing and completed many impressive and often treacherous crossings. Acey’s involvement in the art world as a Trustee of the Philadelphia Museum of Art allowed them to be deeply in- volved in the nascent contemporary art movement. They often hosted notable artists such as Andy Warhol, Jasper Johns, Roy Lichtenstien, and Claes Oldenberg in their apartment in Philadelphia. A lifelong art collec- tor and enthusiast, Bill was active with the Boca Raton Museum of Art for decades serving as a Trustee and twice as Chairman of the Board. In recognition of his long service and achievements he was awarded the Jean Spence Lifetime Achievement Award by the Boca Raton Museum of Art in 2010. Continuing his philan- thropic efforts in the art community, Bill became a Trustee and member of the Advisory committee of Woodmere Art Museum in 2012. Bill was prede- ceased by his wife Ann Claire (Acey) Wolgin. He is survived by his children Richard I. Wolgin and his wife Mune Sileika, and his daughter Frances Ann (Fredi) Wolgin. His grandchil- dren Miriam Sokoloff, Daniel Wolgin and his wife, Andrea Wolgin and their three children. Contributions in William’s honor can be made to: Woodmere Art Museum 9201 Germantown Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19118 (215) 247-0476 Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia Two Commerce Square 2001 Market Street, Suite 2300 Philadelphia, PA 19103 (215) 832-0500 JOSEPH LEVINE & SONS www.levinefuneral.com May Their Memory Be For a Blessing The Philadelphia Jewish Exponent extends condolences to the families of those who have passed. To receive our weekly obituary eletter visit www.jewishexponent.com/enewsletter jewishexponent.com 215-832-0700 24 APRIL 27, 2023 | JEWISH EXPONENT calendar APRIL 28–MAY 4 FRIDAY, A P R I L 28 KI SPRING CELEBRATION Join Reform Congregation Keneseth Israel for a Shabbat dinner celebrating Israel@75 as part of its spring celebration, starting at 5:30 p.m. Programming continues on Sunday at 11 a.m. for a “Puppets and Pizzazz” event. For more information, email contact@kenesethisrael.org or 215-887-8700. 8339 Old York Road, Elkins Park. SHABBAT ACROSS AMERICA Come celebrate Shabbat Across America at Congregations of Shaare Shamayim at 6 p.m. Join us and hundreds of synagogues across the continent and take part in a historic national Jewish event to celebrate what unifies all Jewish people – Shabbat. Call the synagogue office at 215-677-1600 for further details. 9768 Verree Road, Philadelphia. THEATRE ARIEL PERFORMANCE In a world where family is everything, Yehudis and her husband struggle to have a baby. “To Reach Across a River,” performed by Theatre Ariel at 8 p.m. at Mishkan Shalom, and again on Sunday at 7 p.m., tells a story as timeless as Sarah’s, as potent as the rescue of Moses from the Nile. For more information, contact info@ theatreariel.org or 610-667-9230. 4101 Freeland Ave., Philadelphia. SATU R DAY, A PR I L 29 LUNCH AND LEARN Join Melrose B’nai Israel Emanu-El for a Lunch and Learn to celebrate Israel 75. Rabbi Saul Grife will discuss the Dreyfus Affair and its relationship to the establishment of Zionism and the state of Israel, starting at 9:15 a.m. For more information, contact office@mbiee.org or 215-635-1505. 8339 Old York Road, Elkins Park. S UNDAY, A P R I L 30 EVENING WITH MICHAEL SOLOMONOV Join Beth Sholom Congregation for an evening with chef Michael Solomonov at 7 p.m. Tickets start F R I DAY, AP RIL 28 at $36. For more information, visit bethsholomcongregation.shulcloud. com/form/solomonov4302 or contact elliot225@gmail.com or 215-605-1661. 8231 Old York Road, Elkins Park. MONDAY, MAY 1 BOOK CLUB The Book Club of Congregations of Shaare Shamayim will host its May Zoom session at 7 p.m. Our book this month is “Finding Dorothy” by Elizabeth Letts. For further information, or to register for the program, contact Lynn Ratmansky at 215-677-1600. 9768 Verree Road, Philadelphia. TUESDAY, MAY 2 AJC TALK WITH ELISHA WIESEL Elisha Wiesel, a former financial executive and son of Nobel Laureate and Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel, shares his father’s message and continues his legacy by standing up for persecuted communities at this American Jewish Committee Philadelphia/Southern New Jersey talk at noon. For more information, contact philadelphia@ajc.org or 215-665-2300. 1735 Market St., 52nd floor, Philadelphia. SISTERHOOD HIGH TEA Learn about the fascinating life and career of Barbra Streisand at Congregations of Shaare Shamayim Sisterhood’s High Tea. Join us at 1 p.m. and wear your best high tea attire. The afternoon begins with a luncheon that includes high tea sandwiches and a variety of desserts. For more information, contact the synagogue office at 215-677-1600. 9768 Verree Road, Philadelphia. HADASSAH AUTHOR TALK Newtown Hadassah presents an evening with guest author Jean Hoffmann Lewanda, beginning at 5 p.m. Hoff­mann Lewan­da was born in 1954, one year after her par­ents, Paul and Shirley Hoff­mann, arrived in the Unit­ed States from Shang­hai. For more information, contact beileen602@yahoo.com or 267-250- 9916. 171 Jacksonville Road, Ivyland. SHABBAT GATHERINGS Join your family, friends and community to welcome Shabbat throughout Greater Philadelphia. The Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia has opportunities for people of all ages and backgrounds. For more information, visit israel75.jewishphilly.org or contact israel75@jewishphilly.org. T H U RSDAY, MAY 4 DEATH OF A SALESMAN DISCUSSION Arthur Miller’s play “Death of a Salesman” is considered by some critics one of the greatest plays of the 20th century. Join Congregation Kol Ami’s Rabbi Richard Address and Mark Pinzur at 7:30 p.m. for a lively virtual discussion about this play as part of the synagogue’s First Thursdays programming. Register at kolaminj.shulcloud.com/ event/firstthursmay2023. JAHM KICKOFF CONCERT Join us at the Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History or via livestream as Frank London’s Klezmer Brass All Stars and Joshua Nelson, the Prince of Kosher Gospel, take the stage for a kickoff celebration for Jewish American Heritage Month. For more information, contact iorloff@theweitzman.org or 215-923-3811. 101 S. Independence Mall East, Philadelphia. ■ THROUGHOUT THE WEEK, THROUGHOUT THE WORLD NOW on your favorite podcast platforms. SPOTIFY, GOOGLE, AMAZON, APPLE AND MORE! Jewish Community Radio with Estelle Deutsch Abraham MUSIC | FEATURES | INTERVIEWS FOR INFORMATION CALL 301-530-6530 JEWISHEXPONENT.COM 25 2 3 4 Courtesy of the Office of the Governor of Pennsylvania 1 Photo by Rina Shochat Courtesy of Debbie Zlotnick Courtesy of the Jewish Family Service of Atlantic & Cape May Counties around town 1 The Jewish Family Service of Atlantic & Cape May Counties promoted Lillian Whitcraft (pictured) and Samantha McManus to director positions for mental health services. Courtesy of Adi Ozery 2 Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, center, spoke at a Yom HaShoah event hosted by the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia. 3 Hundreds of Israeli-American and Jewish community members rallied in Center City against rising antisemitism and to remember the Holocaust. 4 Federation Housing held a seder at Anabel Gardens, its newest property. 5 The Israeli American Council gathered to commemorate the Holocaust with its Six Million Steps campaign. 5 26 APRIL 27, 2023 | JEWISH EXPONENT last word Rich Wexler ARCHIVES JEWISH CULTURE Sasha Rogelberg | Staff Writer Courtesy of Rich Wexler R ich Wexler is always looking for little-known stories in American Jewish culture like this one: With a knack for finding musical talent, Jewish-American record company executive and producer Henry Stone discovered groups such as KC and the Sunshine Band. His son, Joe Stone, had a different musical legacy. Alongside Eric Lambert, Joe Stone founded 2 Live Jews — a parody of Miami-based hip-hop group 2 Live Crew — and performed for decades as a parody and comedy duo. This information is hardly popular culture. However, the Jewish Vintage Annals Archive and its accompanying podcast are replete with information about the band and its history, as well as dozens of other moments in Jewish American culture. Wexler, a West Philadelphia resident, has run the project and podcast, an offshoot of the Vintage Annals Archive, for only a month, but the Vintage Annals Archive has been around for almost 13 years, a treasure trove of self-proclaimed “obscure, weird, historical, and inappropriate stuff since 2010.” First an Instagram account, the archive soon became a website and then a podcast, with guests such as actor Stephen Tobolowsky and Guns N’ Roses founding member Tracii Guns. The archive’s Instagram page boasts more than 36,000 followers. Each post and episode is dedicated to a specific little-known moment in American culture. The Jewish iteration of the project does the same. “I’ve always loved thrift stores; I’ve always collected old photos. Really, I’ve always just liked the history of things,” Wexler said. A photographer for the past 15 years and a former teacher, Wexler, 52, loves the stories that pictures tell. He wants to feel like the cool older brother or teacher, getting people interested in the weird and wacky. Vintage Annals Archives started as a way for Wexler to catalog his collection of photos, memorabilia and trivia. In the page’s first five years, it only had about 400 followers until actor Amy Sedaris reposted a picture from the page on her account. The next day, Wexler woke up to nearly 5,000 followers. Since then, celebrities such as Paul Reubens, better known as Pee-wee Herman, and Netflix’s “Wednesday” star Jenna Ortega have followed the account. Though the Vintage Annals Archives has only had its Jewish offshoot since March, the project has always had a strong Jewish influence. “I would say being Jewish is a big part of my life, but in terms of being in the culture, living Jewish ideals, Jewish stories, but not so much practice in formal ways,” Wexler said. Wexler wanted to profile a triptych of Jewish artists and creatives, includ- ing photographer Arlene Gottfried (also the sister of famous voice Gilbert Gottfried), for a Vintage Annals Archive series. Through Wexler’s research and inter- views, however, he realized how many people he thought weren’t Jewish actually were. “There were like two or three situa- tions where I had no idea that person was even Jewish,” Wexler said. “And I interviewed them, and I started looking at all my stuff, and I’m like, ‘Sh–, I have a lot of Jewish content, even though that wasn’t the plan.’” A series featuring three Jewish artists quickly grew. By formalizing the Jewish Vintage Annals Archive, Wexler gave a home to the Jewish cultural content he had curated over the years and plans to curate in the future. He’s protective over his Jewish identity, especially in a time of rising antisemitism. Showing off what he thinks are the coolest parts of Jewish culture was a way to show Jewish pride. Along with additional projects featuring LGBT people and people of color, Wexler wants to celebrate marginalized identities and show people what they offer. Wexler can’t explain what draws him to the material that so many people overlook. He grew up a Conservative Jew in Northeast Philadelphia, attend- ing Hebrew school and BBYO, which exposed him to the Jewish art and music world. “I was always a bit of an artsy, weird kid,” he said. Dyslexic, reading books was challenging and uninteresting to Wexler, but documentaries and pictures were replete with stories. They were an access point to an esoteric world. But as a teacher, Wexler didn’t want to keep his collection and knowledge to himself. He had a strong hunch that his collection was one that needs to be shared. “I’d pay like $100 for old Super 8 (mm) film from the ‘70s that I had no idea [about]. I paid 50 bucks at a thrift store for 200 photos of people I don’t know,” Wexler said. “It felt like I needed to give a home to them.” ■ srogelberg@midatlanticmedia.com JEWISHEXPONENT.COM 27 HOME SERVICES Terri Rosen understands the importance of keeping your spouse, parents and loved ones safe, and in the place they love… their home. Griswold Home Care is here to help. “We care for your loved ones like they are our own family. Please call me today for a personal consultation.” – Terri Rosen Owner / Director 215.482.7880 CEMETERY LOTS FOR SALE For Sale: 2 cemetery plots at King David Memorial Park. Signifi cant discount from current market rates. Email abrsand999@gmail.com for more information. 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Frank Campese, Jr., Esquire 1943 South 11th Street Philadelphia, PA 19103 SolasAI Inc., a corporation orga- nized under the laws of the state of Delaware, has applied for registration in Pennsylvania under the provisions of Chapter 4 of the Associations Code. The address of its principal offi ce under the laws of the jurisdiction of forma- tion is 614 N. Dupont Hwy., Ste. 210, Dover, DE 19901 and the address of its proposed registered offi ce in this Commonwealth is 1608 Walnut St., Ste. 1108, Philadelphia, PA 19103. Esuga Abaya, Esq. GrowthCounsel 448 N. 10th Street Suite 301 Philadelphia, PA 19123 Cherokee Indians A.C. has been in- corporated under the provisions of the Pennsylvania Nonprofi t Corporation Law of 1988. Green, Silverstein & Groff 215 S. Broad Street Suite 500 Philadelphia, PA 19107 CHANGE OF NAME NOTICE IN THE COURT OF COMMON PLEAS CIVIL DIVISION OF PHILADELPHIA COUNTY Court of Common Pleas for the County of Philadelphia, April Term, 2023, No. 0188. Notice is hereby given that on April 4, 2023 the petition of Lincoln Paul Peterson was fi led, praying for a decree to change their name to Violet Lucatiel Ward. The Court has fi xed May 18th, 2023 at 12:00 pm in Room 691, City Hall, Philadelphia, PA for the hearing. All persons interested may appear and show cause if any they have, why the prayer of the said petition should not be granted. Larry H. Lefkowitz, Es. 4802 Neshaminy Blvd., Suite 5 Bensalem, PA 19020 Solicitor ESTATE OF ADRIENNE WILLIAMS, DECEASED Late of Philadelphia County LETTERS OF ADMINISTRATION on the above Estate have been grant- ed to the undersigned, who requests all persons having claims or demands against the Estate of the decedent to make known the same, and all persons indebted to the decedent to make pay- ment without delay to CHRISTINE WILLIAMS, Administratrix c/o DENNIS A. POMO, ESQUIRE 121 S. Broad St., Ste. 1200 Philadelphia, PA 19107 215-665-1900 ESTATE OF ALICE ELIZABETH FAY, DECEASED. Late of Philadelphia, PA. Letters Testamentary on the above estate have been granted to the undersigned. All persons having claims against or indebted to the estate should make claims known or forward payment to Eileen A. McCarthy, Executrix, c/o Hope Bosniak, Esq., Dessen, Moses & Rossitto, 600 Easton Rd., Willow Grove, PA 19090. ESTATE OF ANNE K. COLLINS, DECEASED. Late of Philadelphia County, PA LETTERS of ADMINISTRATION on the above Estate have been granted to the undersigned, who request all persons having claims or demands against the estate of the decedent to make known the same and all persons indebted to the decedent to make payment without delay to MICHELE GOEKE- PELSZYNSKI, ADMINISTRATRIX, c/o Jay E. Kivitz, Esq., 7901 Ogontz Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19150, Or to her Attorney: JAY E. KIVITZ KIVITZ & KIVITZ, P.C. 7901 Ogontz Ave. Philadelphia, PA 19150 ESTATE OF BRIAN DIU, DECEASED. Late of Philadelphia County, PA LETTERS of ADMINISTRATION on the above Estate have been granted to the undersigned, who request all persons having claims or demands against the estate of the decedent to make known the same and all persons indebted to the decedent to make pay- ment without delay to CONNIE DIU, ADMINISTRATRIX, c/o Kristen L. Behrens, Esq., 1500 Market St., Ste. 3500E, Philadelphia, PA 19102, Or to her Attorney: KRISTEN L. BEHRENS DILWORTH PAXSON LLP 1500 Market St., Ste. 3500E Philadelphia, PA 19102 ESTATE OF CHARLOTTE E. DEARIE, DECEASED. Late of Philadelphia County, PA LETTERS TESTAMENTARY on the above Estate have been granted to the undersigned, who request all persons having claims or demands against the estate of the decedent to make known the same and all persons indebted to the decedent to make payment without delay to ARDELL PERFETTI, DIANE PERFETTI, 14020 Erwin St., Philadelphia 19116 and JENNIFER DEARIE, 526 Arnold St., 2nd Fl., Philadelphia, PA 19111, EXECUTORS, Or to their Attorney: GREGORY M. LANE LAW OFFICE OF GREGORY M. LANE 2617 N. 2nd St. Harrisburg, PA 17110 ESTATE OF CYNTHIA B. BLYNN, DECEASED. Late of Pennsylvania LETTERS OF ADMINISTRATION on the above estate have been granted to the undersigned, who bequest all persons having claims or demands against the estate of the decedent to make known the same, and all persons indebted to the decedent to make pay- ment without delay, to Judith A. Zone and Ian J. Blynn, Co-Executors, c/o their attorney Debra G. Speyer, Two Bala Plaza, Suite 300, Bala Cynwyd, PA 19004. ESTATE OF DOUGLAS P. NICHOLARY, DECEASED. Late of Philadelphia County, PA LETTERS of ADMINISTRATION on the above Estate have been granted to the undersigned, who request all persons having claims or demands against the estate of the decedent to make known the same and all per- sons indebted to the decedent to make payment without delay to KEVIN NICOLARI, ADMINISTRATOR, c/o Roy Yaffe, Esq., 2005 Market St., 16th SEASHORE SALE LOVE V where you L LIVE VE #1 IN NEW JERSEY FOR LARGE TEAM SALES VOLUME *RealTrends 2021 NEW LISTING! MARGATE $929,000 COMPLETELY RENOVATED 3 BEDROOM, 1.5 BATH BEACH HOUSE WITH A LARGE LIVING & DINING AREA! NEW LISTING! MARGATE $1,999,999 MAGNIFICENT CUSTOM- BUILT 5 BED, 3.5 BATH HOME ON A RARE, OVER- SIZED LOT IN MARGATE! www.HartmanHomeTeam.com NEWLY RENOVATED! MARGATE $1,349,000 NEWLY RENOVATED 4 BEDROOMS, 3.5 BATH HOME WITH PARKING AND HUGE BACKYARD! NEW LISTING! 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RE/MAX ONE REALTY Eric DeSouza, Associate Broker Andrea DeSouza, Sales Associate Eric Cell 215-431-8300/8304 • Bus 215-953-8800 rickdesouza70@gmail.com Jewish Careers.com For Those Who Value Community The preferred career resource for the Jewish community. info.jewishcareers.com 410-902-2300 Sgt. Kleinman USMC Force Recon. Jordan Kleinman Sales Associate Berkshire Hathaway Without the right help, buying or selling a home can be complicated and stressful. It is my goal to make your purchase or sale go as quickly and smoothly as possible, so you can relax and live in the moment. Call me today to take the stress out of your move. Also if you have friends, relatives or business associates looking to purchase or sell please pass my contract information along to them. Jordan Kleinman 9218 Ventnor Ave, Margate, NJ 08402 Cell: 609.335.3904 Bus: 609.822.4200 x 6995 jrdkleinman@aol.com www.jordankleinman.foxroach.com JEWISHEXPONENT.COM 29 WANTED TO BUY ANTIQUE & FINE FURNITURE Paintings & Sculptures Fl., Philadelphia, PA 19103, Or to his Attorney: ROY YAFFE ZARWIN BAUM DEVITO KAPLAN SCHAER TODDY, P.C. 2005 Market St., 16th Fl. Philadelphia, PA 19103 ESTATE OF EDWARD W. PACZKOWSKI, JR., DECEASED. Late of Philadelphia County, PA LETTERS of ADMINISTRATION on the above Estate have been granted to the undersigned, who request all persons having claims or demands against the estate of the decedent to make known the same and all persons indebted to the decedent to make payment with- out delay to LINDA F. MALINOWSKI, ADMINISTRATRIX, 1415 Grant Ave., Woodlyn, PA 19094, Or to her Attorney: DANIEL BALTUCH 104.5 Forrest Ave., Ste. 10 Narberth, PA 19072 ESTATE OF ELAINE L. KIRSCHKE, DECEASED. Late of Philadelphia County, PA LETTERS of ADMINISTRATION on the above Estate have been granted to the undersigned, who request all persons having claims or demands against the estate of the decedent to make known the same and all persons indebted to the decedent to make payment without delay to MICHAEL H. VanBUSKIRK, ADMINISTRATOR DBN, 6510 Ridge Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19128, Or to his Attorney: MICHAEL H. VanBUSKIRK 6510 Ridge Ave. Philadelphia, PA 19128 Also Vintage Modern, Mission & Nakashima Etc. HIGHEST PRICES PAID ESTATE OF GERALD SHOVLIN, DECEASED. Late of Philadelphia County, PA LETTERS of ADMINISTRATION on the above Estate have been granted to the undersigned, who request all persons having claims or demands against the 215-663-1813 GET NOTICED! Contact us TODAY to advertise in the 2023-2024 Guide to Jewish Life! • Religious Life • Seniors • Arts & Culture • Simcha • Camps / Schools & Education • Dining & Food • Financial & Legal • Health & Fitness • Retail & Fashion • Community Organizations • And More... Philadelphia Jewish GET A 12-MONTH INVESTMENT FOR ONE LOW PRICE! $3.50 Exponent JEWISH LIFE Guide to 2022-2023 Guide to Jewish Life RESERVE YOUR AD TODAY! 2022-2023 jewishexponent.c om jewishexponent.com Call today! 215-832-0700 ext. 2 advertising@jewishexponent.com 30 APRIL 27, 2023 | JEWISH EXPONENT estate of the decedent to make known the same and all persons indebted to the decedent to make payment with- out delay to ADAM BERNICK, ESQ., ADMINISTRATOR DBNCTA, 2047 Locust St., Philadelphia, PA 19103, Or to his Attorney: ADAM S. BERNICK LAW OFFICE OF ADAM S. BERNICK 2047 Locust St. Philadelphia, PA 19103 ESTATE OF GINO ARAMIS AURELI, DECEASED. Late of Philadelphia County, PA LETTERS TESTAMENTARY on the above Estate have been granted to the undersigned, who request all persons having claims or demands against the estate of the decedent to make known the same and all per- sons indebted to the decedent to make payment without delay to JANINE SHAHINIAN, EXECUTRIX, c/o Daniella A. Horn, Esq., 2202 Delancey Place, Philadelphia, PA 19103, Or to her Attorney: DANIELLA A. HORN KLENK LAW, LLC 2202 Delancey Place Philadelphia, PA 19103 ESTATE OF INGRID T. NUNEZ, DECEASED. Late of Philadelphia County, PA LETTERS of ADMINISTRATION on the above Estate have been granted to the undersigned, who request all persons having claims or demands against the estate of the decedent to make known the same and all persons indebted to the decedent to make payment with- out delay to CRISTIAN EDUARDO NUNEZ, ADMINISTRATOR, c/o Marc Vogin, Esq., 1608 Walnut St., Ste. 1703, Philadelphia, PA 19103, Or to his Attorney: MARC VOGIN KLEIN, VOGIN & GOLD 1608 Walnut St., Ste. 1703 Philadelphia, PA 19103 ESTATE OF JAMES E. KNOTWELL, DECEASED. Late of Philadelphia County, PA LETTERS of ADMINISTRATION on the above Estate have been granted to the undersigned, who request all persons having claims or demands against the estate of the decedent to make known the same and all persons indebted to the decedent to make payment with- out delay to JOSEPH J. KNOTWELL, ADMINISTRATOR, c/o Daniella A. Horn, Esq., 2202 Delancey Place, Philadelphia, PA 19103, Or to his Attorney: DANIELLA A. HORN KLENK LAW, LLC 2202 Delancey Place Philadelphia, PA 19103 ESTATE OF JAMES HAROLD ALLEN, DECEASED. Late of Philadelphia County LETTERS of ADMINISTRATION on the above Estate have been granted to the undersigned, who request all persons having claims or demands against the estate of the decedent to make known the same and all persons indebted to the decedent to make payment without delay to REBECCA SALLEN, ADMINISTRATRIX, 325 Merion Rd., Merion Station, PA 19066, Or to her Attorney: REBECCA SALLEN SALLEN LAW, LLC 325 Merion Rd. Merion Station, PA 19066 ESTATE OF JAMES J. DOLAN, DECEASED. Late of Philadelphia County, PA LETTERS of ADMINISTRATION on the above Estate have been granted to the undersigned, who request all persons having claims or demands against the estate of the decedent to make known the same and all persons indebted to the decedent to make payment with- out delay to CHARLES A. J. HALPIN, III, ADMINISTRATOR, The Land Title Health Continued from page 19 looming medical personnel short- age, with the north and south being impacted the most. There simply aren’t enough medical professionals to meet the needs of the country’s growing population, and the problem is only going to get worse. As olim who came to Israel from the former Soviet Union in the 1990s begin to retire in the next few years, the talent pool of medical professionals will shrink. What’s more, due to new regulations set to go into eff ect in 2026, which will render medical diplomas acquired from countries abroad that have far less stringent medical standards obsolete, that talent pool will further dwindle. This will leave Israel with an unprecedented medical crisis. The crisis is amplifi ed in Israel’s periph- ery, where 63% of medical profession- als have obtained their degrees from countries that will no longer be recog- nized. In the Negev, for example, 51% of medical professional degrees will no longer be recognized in three years due Bldg., 100 S. Broad St., Ste. 1830, Philadelphia, PA 19110, Or to his Attorney: CHARLES A. J. HALPIN, III THE LAND TITLE BLDG. 100 S. Broad St., Ste. 1830 Philadelphia, PA 19110 ESTATE OF JAMES JOSEPH DOLAN, JR., DECEASED. Late of Philadelphia County, PA LETTERS of ADMINISTRATION on the above Estate have been granted to the undersigned, who request all persons having claims or demands against the estate of the decedent to make known the same and all persons indebted to the decedent to make payment with- out delay to CHARLES A. J. HALPIN, III, ADMINISTRATOR, The Land Title Bldg., 100 S. Broad St., Ste. 1830, Philadelphia, PA 19110, Or to his Attorney: CHARLES A. J. HALPIN, III The Land Title Bldg. 100 S. Broad St., Ste. 1830 Philadelphia, PA 19110 ESTATE OF JER’MYA THOMAS, DECEASED. Late of Philadelphia County, PA LETTERS of ADMINISTRATION on the above Estate have been granted to the undersigned, who request all persons having claims or demands against the estate of the decedent to make known the same and all persons indebted to the decedent to make payment without delay to WANITA JENKINS, ADMINISTRATRIX, c/o Kristen L. Behrens, Esq., 1500 Market St., Ste. 3500E, Philadelphia, PA 19102, Or to her Attorney: KRISTEN L. BEHRENS DILWORTH PAXSON LLP 1500 Market St., Ste. 3500E Philadelphia, PA 19102 ESTATE OF JOHANNA O. AURINO, late of Philadelphia, LETTERS TESTAMENTARY on the above Estate to the new restrictions. “The goal to increase the number of medical personnel, specifi cally in the Negev and Galilee regions, is modern- day Zionism at work and will provide the shot in the arm the medical establish- ment in these communities need,” said Negev, Galilee and National Resilience Minister Yitzhak Wasserlauf. “This initia- tive also helps promote quality of life and resilience in the periphery, and that is one of my offi ce’s core issues. As such, we hope to provide opportuni- ties for immigrants to be absorbed into strong communities that off er a myriad of employment options upon making aliyah.” Dr. Sefi Mendelovich, deputy direc- tor general of Israel’s Health Ministry, added, “Recently, the Health Ministry has dedicated itself to addressing the shortage of doctors in the Israeli health system. Among other initiatives, we are working to bring some 600 doctors to Israel each year — which will triple the current number. This is a national under- taking of the utmost importance.” ■ This was originally published by Israel Hayom. have been granted to the undersigned, who requests all persons as having claims or demands against the estate of the decedent to make known the same and all persons indebted to the dece- dent to make payment without delay to: Leslie V. Aurino or to their attorney: Michael Wolinsky, Esquire 1015 Chestnut Street, Ste: 414 Philadelphia, PA 19107 ESTATE OF JOSEPH ROBERT GENTILE, DECEASED Late of Chester Springs, PA. LETTERS TESTAMENTARY on the above estate have been grant- ed to the undersigned, who request all persons having claims or demands against the estate of the decedent to make known the same, and all persons indebted to the decedent to make pay- ment without delay, to Gary A. DeVito, Esq., Executor, Zarwin Baum DeVito Kaplan Schaer & Toddy, PC, One Commerce Sq., 2005 Market St., 16th Fl., Philadelphia, PA 19103 or to their attorneys, Gary A. DeVito, Esq. Zarwin Baum DeVito Kaplan Schaer & Toddy, PC One Commerce Sq. 2005 Market St., 16th Fl. Philadelphia, PA 19103 ESTATE OF KELLY A. CREAMER, DECEASED. Late of Philadelphia, PA. Letters of Administration on the above estate have been granted to the undersigned. All persons having claims against or indebted to the estate should make claims known or forward payment to Melissa Creamer, Administratrix, 2801 Bridge St., Philadelphia, PA 19137 or to their attorney Mark Feinman, Esquire, 8171 Castor Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19152. ESTATE OF KIMBERLY JANE SURKAN a/k/a KIMBERLY J. SURKAN, KARL SURKAN, KJ SURKAN, DECEASED. Late of Philadelphia County, PA LETTERS TESTAMENTARY on the above Estate have been granted to the undersigned, who request all persons having claims or demands against the estate of the decedent to make known the same and all persons indebted to the decedent to make payment with- out delay to Patricia Melzer, Executrix, c/o Benjamin L. Jerner, Esq., 5401 Wissahickon Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19144, Or to her Attorney: BENJAMIN L. JERNER JERNER LAW GROUP, P.C. 5401 Wissahickon Ave. Philadelphia, PA 19144 ESTATE OF LINDA S. FINKLE, DECEASED. Late of MIDDLETOWNSHIP, PA LETTERS TESTAMENTARY on the above Estate have been granted to the undersigned, who request all persons having claims or demands against the estate of the decedent to make known the same and all persons indebted to the decedent to make payment without delay to Arthur L. Finkle, Executor 209 Shady Brook Dr. Langhome, PA 19047 ESTATE OF LOUIS STARKMAN, DECEASED. Late of Philadelphia County, PA LETTERS TESTAMENTARY on the above Estate have been granted to the undersigned, who request all persons having claims or demands against the estate of the decedent to make known the same and all persons indebted to the decedent to make payment without de- lay to LORI B. SHAPIRO, EXECUTRIX, c/o Robert S. Levy, Esq., 1204 Township Line Rd., Drexel Hill, PA 19026, Or to her Attorney: ROBERT S. LEVY COOPER, SCHALL & LEVY, P.C. 1204 Township Line Rd. Drexel Hill, PA 19026 ESTATE OF MARLON MEYER, Deceased. Late of Bucks County, PA. Letters Testamentary on the above estate have been granted to the un- dersigned. All persons having claims against or indebted to the estate should make claims known or forward payment to MARSHA MEYER, Executor. ESTATE OF MARY HOM a/k/a MARY LEE HOM, DECEASED. Late of Philadelphia County, PA LETTERS of ADMINISTRATION on the above Estate have been granted to the undersigned, who request all persons having claims or demands against the estate of the decedent to make known the same and all persons indebted to the decedent to make pay- ment without delay to RUTH HOM, ADMINISTRATRIX, c/o Harry Metka, Esq., 4802 Neshaminy Blvd., Ste. 9, Bensalem, PA 19020, Or to her Attorney: HARRY METKA 4802 Neshaminy Blvd., Ste. 9 Bensalem, PA 19020 ESTATE OF MICHAEL E. PARKHILL, DECEASED. Late of Philadelphia County, PA LETTERS of ADMINISTRATION on the above Estate have been granted to the undersigned, who request all persons having claims or demands against the estate of the decedent to make known the same and all persons indebted to the decedent to make payment with- out delay to MEGAN CRESCIMONE, ADMINISTRATRIX, 2217 Oakwyn Rd., Lafayette Hill, PA 19444, Or to her Attorney: MARYBETH O. LAURIA LAURIA LAW LLC 3031 Walton Rd., Ste. C310 Plymouth Meeting, PA 19462 ESTATE OF MICHAEL TSOKAS, DECEASED. Late of Philadelphia, PA. Letters Testamentary on the above estate have been granted to the undersigned. All persons having claims against or indebted to the estate should make claims known or forward payment to Katherine Maria Korovessi, Executrix, c/o Alfred Rauch, III, Esq., Black & Gerngross, PC, 1617 JFK Blvd., Suite 1575, Philadelphia, PA 19103. ESTATE OF MUNA J. FREEMAN , DECEASED. Late of Philadelphia County, PA LETTERS of ADMINISTRATION on the above Estate have been granted to the undersigned, who request all persons having claims or demands against the estate of the decedent to make known the same and all persons indebted to the decedent to make payment with- out delay to VANESSA FREEMAN, ADMINISTRATRIX, c/o Kristen L. Behrens, Esq., 1500 Market St., Ste. 3500E, Philadelphia, PA 19102, Or to her Attorney: KRISTEN L. BEHRENS DILWORTH PAXSON LLP 1500 Market St., Ste. 3500E Philadelphia, PA 19102 ESTATE OF OLIVIA IANTHA WARD a/k/a OLIVIA I. WARD, OLIVIA WARD, DECEASED. Late of Philadelphia County, PA LETTERS TESTAMENTARY on the above Estate have been granted to the undersigned, who request all persons hav- ing claims or demands against the estate of the decedent to make known the same and all persons indebted to the decedent to make payment without delay to MARIA L. BELL, EXECUTRIX, c/o Benjamin L. Jerner, Esq., 5401 Wissahickon Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19144, Or to her Attorney: BENJAMIN L. JERNER JERNER LAW GROUP, P.C. 5401 Wissahickon Ave. Philadelphia, PA 19144 ESTATE OF PAUL GIORDANO a/k/a PAUL P. GIORDANO, DECEASED. Late of Philadelphia County, PA LETTERS TESTAMENTARY on the above Estate have been granted to the undersigned, who request all persons having claims or demands against the estate of the decedent to make known the same and all persons indebted to the decedent to make payment with- out delay to RAYMOND VAGNONI, EXECUTOR, c/o John M. Pelet, III, Esq., 200 S. Broad St., Ste. 600, Philadelphia, PA 19102, Or to his Attorney: JOHN M. PELET, III ASTOR WEISS KAPLAN & MANDEL, LLP 200 S. Broad St., Ste. 600 Philadelphia, PA 19102 ESTATE OF PIERRE YVES THELEMAQUE, DECEASED. Late of Philadelphia County, PA LETTERS of ADMINISTRATION on the above Estate have been granted to the undersigned, who request all persons having claims or demands against the estate of the decedent to make known the same and all persons indebted to the decedent to make payment without delay to MARTINE JESSE MELLON THELEMAQUE, ADMINISTRATRIX, 701-2239 Eglinton Ave. E., Toronto, ON M1K 2N1 ESTATE OF RICHARD SMAKULSKI, DECEASED. Late of Philadelphia County, PA LETTERS of ADMINISTRATION on the above Estate have been granted to the undersigned, who request all persons having claims or demands against the estate of the decedent to make known the same and all persons indebted to the decedent to make payment without delay to ADAM S. BERNICK, ADMINISTRATOR, 2047 Locust St., Philadelphia, PA 19103, Or to his Attorney: ADAM S. BERNICK LAW OFFICE OF ADAM S. BERNICK 2047 Locust St. Philadelphia, PA 19103 ESTATE OF ROBERT MACK SCOTT, SR. a/k/a ROBERT SCOTT, DECEASED. Late of Philadelphia County, PA LETTERS TESTAMENTARY on the above Estate have been granted to the undersigned, who request all persons having claims or demands against the estate of the decedent to make known the same and all persons indebted to the decedent to make payment with- out delay to GAIL MICHELLE SCOTT, EXECUTRIX, c/o Adam S. Bernick, Esq., 2047 Locust St., Philadelphia, PA 19103 Or to her Attorney: ADAM S. BERNICK LAW OFFICE OF FAYE RIVA COHEN, PC 2047 Locust St. Philadelphia, PA 19103 ESTATE OF SHUI PING CHUNG, DECEASED. Late of Philadelphia County, PA LETTERS TESTAMENTARY on the above Estate have been granted to the undersigned, who request all persons having claims or demands against the estate of the decedent to make known the same and all persons indebted to the decedent to make payment with- out delay to LILIAN WU, EXECUTRIX, 2653 Wentworth Rd., Philadelphia, PA 19131 ESTATE OF VINCENT L. FALCONE, DECEASED. Late of Philadelphia County, PA LETTERS TESTAMENTARY on the above Estate have been granted to the undersigned, who request all persons having claims or demands against the estate of the decedent to make known the same and all persons indebted to the decedent to make payment without delay to PHILIP VANCE FALCONE, EXECUTOR, 1105 Brennan Dr., Warminster, PA 18974 ESTATE OF VIRGINIA L. KULP, DECEASED Late of Towamencin Twp., PA. LETTERS TESTAMENTARY on the above estate have been grant- ed to the undersigned, who request all persons having claims or demands against the estate of the decedent to make known the same, and all per- sons indebted to the decedent to make payment without delay, to Cynthia Gayle Arcade, Executrix, c/o Gary A. Zlotnick, Esq., Zarwin Baum DeVito Kaplan Schaer & Toddy, PC, One Commerce Sq., 2005 Market St., 16th Fl., Philadelphia, PA 19103 or to their attorneys, Gary A. Zlotnick, Esq. Zarwin Baum DeVito Kaplan Schaer & Toddy, PC One Commerce Sq. 2005 Market St., 16th Fl. Philadelphia, PA 19103 Fictitious Name Registration Notice is hereby given that an Application for Registration of Fictitious Name was fi led in the Department of State of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania on December 13, 2022, for Direct 2 Retail at 109 Gordon Lane, North Wales, PA 19454. The name and address of each individual interested in such business is Matthew Pratt, 109 Gordon Lane, North Wales, PA 19454 in Montgomery County. This was fi led in accordance with 54 PaC.S. 311. Fictitious Name Registration Notice is hereby given that an Application for Registration of Fictitious Name was fi led in the Department of State of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania on December 27, 2022, for Butch Sullivan Knives at 910 Dickinson St, Philadelphia, PA 19147. The name and address of each indi- vidual interested in such business is Charles Sullivan, 910 Dickinson St, Philadelphia, PA 19147 in Philadelphia County. This was fi led in accordance with 54 PaC.S. 311.417. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania on January 19, 2023, for Mowgli and friends at 259 Summerwind Lane, Harleysville, PA 19438. The name and address of each individual interested in the business is Julia Waskiewicz, 259 Summerwind Lane, Harleysville, PA 19438 in Montgomery County. This was fi led in accordance with 54 PaC.S. 311.417. Fictitious Name Registration Notice is hereby given that an Application for Registration of Fictitious Name was fi led in the Department of State of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania on January 19, 2023, for S E E Notary at 7804 Haines Rd., Cheltenham, PA 19012. The name and address of each individual interested in the business is Shawn Elijah, 7804 Haines Rd., Cheltenham, PA 19012 in Montgomery County. This was fi led in accordance with 54 PaC.S. 311.417 Fictitious Name Registration Notice is hereby given that an Application for Registration of Fictitious Name was fi led in the Department of State of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania on January 30, 2023, for Industrial Equipment Solutions at 77 Hawthorne Ave, Gilbertsville, PA 19525. The name and address of each individual interest- ed in the business is David E Poley, 77 Hawthorne Ave, Gilbertsville, PA 19525 in Montgomery County. This was fi led in accordance with 54 PaC.S. 311.417 BUSINESS / LEGAL DIRECTORIES Fictitious Name Registration Notice is hereby given that an Application for Registration of Fictitious Name was fi led in the Department of State of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania on December 27, 2022, for Hero Uncertainty at 84 Hartley Rd., Lansdowne, PA 19050. The name and address of each individual interested in such business is Jamarr Jones, 84 Hartley Rd., Lansdowne, PA 19050. This was fi led in accordance with 54 PaC.S. 311.417. Fictitious Name Registration Notice is hereby given that an Application for Registration of Fictitious Name was fi led in the Department of State of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania on January 10, 2023, for CaffeinatedCollectors at 130 Monument Rd, Apt 224, Bala Cynwyd, PA 19004. The name and address of each individual interested in such business is Daniel Henderson, 130 Monument Rd, Apt 224, Bala Cynwyd, PA 19004 in Montgomery County. This was fi led in accordance with 54 PaC.S. 311. Fictitious Name Registration Notice is hereby given that an Application for Registration of Fictitious Name was fi led in the Department of State of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania on January 18, 2023, for Psychic Christine Wallace Mystical Charms and Things at 810 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107. The name and address of each individ- ual interested in such business is Sammy Johnson, 810 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107 in Philadelphia County. This was fi led in accordance with 54 PaC.S. 311.417. Fictitious Name Registration Notice is hereby given that an Application for Registration of Fictitious Name was fi led in the Department of State of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania on January 19, 2023, for Fusion Clinical Multimedia at 777 South Broad St., Philadelphia, PA 19147. The name and address of each individual interested in such business is Kenneth Gross, 777 South Broad St., Philadelphia, PA 19147 in Philadelphia County. This was fi led in accordance with 54 PaC.S. 311.417. Fictitious Name Registration Notice is hereby given that an Application for Registration of Fictitious Name was fi led in the Department of State of the JEWISH EXPONENT CLASSIFIEDS To advertise, call 215-832-0749 JEWISHEXPONENT.COM 31 CALL TODAY FOR A FREE QUOTE (267) 202-4600 AMAYZING sale WINDOW BUY ONE GET ONE WINDOW 40 % OFF INCLUDING INSTALLATION Plus no interest until December 2024 WE DESIGN, BUILD AND INSTALL YOUR WINDOWS WITHOUT THE MIDDLEMAN MARKUP All Doors All Clog-free Gutter Systems All Siding All Roofing 20 % 20 % 20 % 20 % OFF OFF OFF OFF Thompson Creek is neither a broker nor a lender. Financing is provided by Greensky, LLC under terms and conditions arranged directly between the customer and Greensky, LLC, all subject to credit requirements and satisfactory completion of finance documents. Thompson Creek does not assist with, counsel or negotiate financing. *Subject to credit approval. Minimum monthly payments required during the promotional period. 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