AUGUST 4, 2022 | 7 AV 5782 CANDLELIGHTING 7:52 P.M. CIRCLE OF FRIENDS CO-CHAIR MICHAEL FABIUS FOSTERS JEWISH-MUSLIM COMMUNITY TIES. Page 13 Jewish Exponent PHILADELPHIA Publisher & Chief Executive Offi cer Craig Burke cburke@midatlanticmedia.com Associate Publisher Jeni Mann Tough jmann@midatlanticmedia.com EDITORIAL Editor | Andy Gotlieb 215-832-0797 agotlieb@jewishexponent.com Staff Writers Jesse Berman, Jillian Diamond, Sasha Rogelberg, Heather Ross, Jarrad Saffren ADVERTISING Account Executives Alan Gurwitz, Pam Kuperschmidt, Jodi Lipson, Taylor Orlin, David Pintzow, Sara Priebe, Mary Ramsdale, Sharon Schmuckler, Kim Coates Schofi eld, Shari Seitz, Sylvia Witaschek MARKETING Audience Development Coordinator Julia Olaguer 410-902-2308 jolaguer@midatlanticmedia.com CREATIVE Art Director | Steve Burke Graphic Designers | Ebony Brown, Rachel Levitan, Jay Sevidal, Frank Wagner, Carl Weigel 2100 Arch Street, 4th Floor, Philadelphia, Pa. 19103 Vol. 135, No. 17 Published Weekly Since 1887 BUSINESS Accounting Manager Pattie-Ann Lamp 410-902-2311 plamp@midatlanticmedia.com accounting@midatlanticmedia.com Senior Accounts Receivable Specialist Shelly Sparks ssparks@midatlanticmedia.com Accounts Receivable Specialist Sarah Appelbaum sappelbaum@midatlanticmedia.com 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 215-832-0749 Connect with us: Legal Notices legals@jewishexponent.com 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. 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Get in touch by calling 610-484-4328 or visiting TheQuadrangleCCRC.com/Exponent. ©2022 Sunrise Senior Living 2 AUGUST 4, 2022 | JEWISHEXPONENT.COM THIS WEEK Local 6 Jimmy Kieserman, Grandson of Harry Litwack, Seeks Validation from Basketball Legend 8 Local Athletes Reflect on Maccabiah Games Experience 10 Jewish Exponent Archives Find New Life At Gratz College MAKOM SHALOM IS NOW OPEN AT LAUREL HILL WEST Opinion 14 Editorials 15 Letters 15 Opinions Feature Story 20 Jews in Gameland – where to spot the Jewish characters in video games Community 25 Obituaries 28 Synagogue Spotlight 30 Calendar In every issue 4 Weekly Kibbitz 12 Federation 13 You Should Know 24 Arts & Culture 25 Food & Dining 29 D’var Torah 30 Social Announcements 32 Last Word 33 Classifieds 3 ACRES OF GARDENESQUE LANDSCAPE 900+ PROPERTIES CUSTOMIZED SERVICES Cover: Circle of Friends co-chair Michael Fabius fosters Jewish-Muslim community ties 6 G randson of basketball legend 10 J ewish Exponent archives seeks validation via Maccabiah Games find new life, home at Gratz College 20 J ews in Gameland – where to spot the Jewish characters in video games JEWISHEXPONENT.COM 3 Weekly Kibbitz The Auburn University men’s bas- ketball team traveled to Israel last weekend for a 10-day Birthright- style trip, likely the fi rst of its kind for a full Division I college or profes- sional team. Coined “Birthright for College Basketball,” the trip features some of Israel’s most famous histori- cal and tourist sites — from the Western Wall and the Dead Sea to the Yad Vashem Holocaust memo- rial museum — plus three exhibi- tion games against teams of players from the top echelon of Israeli bas- ketball. The Tigers, who won the Southeastern Conference champi- onship last season, played Israel’s Under 20 National Team on Aug. 2 in Jerusalem and will also play Israel’s All-Star Select Team in Tel Aviv on Aug. 7 and Israel’s National Team on Aug. 8 in Tel Aviv. The trip also includes the team Bruce Pearl celebrates with his team after defeating the Alabama Crimson Tide at Auburn Arena on Feb. 1. participating in a basketball clinic for Jewish, Muslim, Christian and Druze teens. In addition, the itinerary includes the Tigers having lunch with the coach of the Palestinian National Team in Bethlehem. Auburn’s Jewish coach Bruce Pearl is one of the more outspokenly Jewish and pro-Israel coaches in college sports. He co-founded the Jewish Coaches Association, which hosts an annual breakfast for Jewish NCAA basketball coaches at March Madness. He considers coaching in the 2009 Maccabiah Games to be a career highlight, alongside making it to the NCAA Tournament’s Final Four with Auburn in 2019. NCAA teams are allowed an over- seas trip once every four years. The University of Connecticut men’s team visited Israel in 1998, and the Toledo women’s team and Wheaton’s men’s team followed suit in 2011 and 2016, respectively. Pearl said that his vision is for the trip to become a repeat occurrence — and to expand it to the United Arab Emirates. He fl oated changing its name to the “Abraham Accords Cup,” a reference to the series of normalization agreements between Israel and some of its neighboring Arab countries in recent years. — Jacob Gurvis Michael Chang/Getty Images via JTA Auburn University Men’s Basketball Team Embarks on ‘Birthright for College Basketball’ Trip Bulletin Print Ad Celebrating each life like no other. ROOSEVELT It's simple to customize this ad for your WE HONOR INTERFAITH MARRIAGES 1. Change the document name of your ROOSEVELT MEMORIAL PARK MEMORIAL PARK spacer Trevose clicking on "Change Document Name" of the page. Consider including size, abbreviated publication name. 215-673-7500 Do Have You Have a for Plan for the Future? Do You a Plan the Future? Do You Have a Plan for the Future? 2. Review the property information to the correct location(s) has been Why You Pre-Plan Should Pre-Plan Today You Should Pre-Plan Why Why You Why Should Today You Should Pre-Plan Today Today 3. 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Family Service Manager (215) 673-7500 (215) 673-7500 Enes Kanter during an interview with AFP at the United Nations Office Family Freedom Service poses Manager Karen Pecora Pecora Karen in Geneva on April 5. OR, to save your ad to work on later, Family Service Service Manager Family Your Manager ad will appear in the Drafts tab of Documents folder. The Jewish Federation’s Campaign Year Ends on August 31 st Help ensure a strong and vibrant Jewish community in Greater Philadelphia, in Israel and around the world. Creating an inclusive and accessible community Connecting to Jewish communities in Israel and around the world Combating antisemitism Fostering Jewish identity Caring for people in need Make your gift today: jewishphilly.org/donate 215.832.3484 O JEWISHEXPONENT.COM 5 local Jimmy Kieserman, Grandson of Harry Litwack, Seeks Validation from Basketball Legend J JARRAD SAFFREN | STAFF WRITER immy Kieserman, a former Abington High School bas- ketball standout, University of Miami basketball letter winner and four-time U.S.A. basketball player in the Maccabiah Games, only really wanted one thing out of his career. Th at would be a verbal confi rma- tion from his grandfather, the Temple University coaching legend and Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame inductee Harry Litwack, that he was a good player. But it never came. Litwack, famously, was a man of few words. He also was a man of the old school, who sided with fellow coaches against even his family members. Yet this summer, the grandson is perhaps getting his long-awaited con- fi rmation from the Philadelphia bas- ketball public. Aft er playing in his fourth Maccabiah Games at age 52 in July, Kieserman will join his grandfa- ther in the Philadelphia Jewish Sports Hall of Fame. “Somewhere, he’s so proud,” Kieserman said of Litwack. Th e grandson grew to love the game at his grandfather’s basketball camp in the Poconos, according to Lois Kieserman, Kieserman’s mother and Litwack’s daughter. Kieserman came away from those experiences repeating Virtual 26 th Annual Solomon and Sylvia Bronstein Seminar for Professionals Jimmy Kieserman and Harry Litwack Courtesy of Jimmy Kieserman Jewish Federation gratefully acknowledges the following sponsors whose generous contributions have helped to underwrite the cost of this seminar: GOLD September 10, 2021 via Zoom | 8:30 a.m. - 10:00 a.m. Register at jewishphilly.org/bronstein SILVER Recent Developments in Estate Planning for Retirement Benefits: Planning in a Post-SECURE World Featuring Natalie Choate, Esquire and the presentation of the Edward N. Polisher Award to Robert A. Miller, CLU, ChFC, RICP Continuing Education credits available Accreditation is now made possible through the generous partnership of Blank Rome LLP 6 AUGUST 4, 2022 | JEWISHEXPONENT.COM BRONZE Abramson Senior Care Astor Weiss Kaplan & Mandel, LLP Bala Law Group, LLC Brown Brothers Harriman Dechert LLP Feldman & Feldman, LLP Fox Rothschild LLP Fuhrman Management Associates The Haverford Trust Company Isdaner & Company, LLC Raymond James Rose Glen LLC RSM US, LLP RubinGoldman and Associates Savran Benson LLP Silver Lining Home Health Care, Inc. Stedmark Partners at Janney Montgomery Scott fi rst Maccabiah Games in Israel for Team U.S.A. As the point guard, he helped lead the U.S. to the gold medal game against the home country. His grandfather was in the stands for the game alongside his mother. He watched closely as Kieserman led the U.S. to an early lead before being benched for another point guard. Kieserman’s coach wanted the other kid to get some playing time. In the sec- ond half, with the lead slipping away, Litwack slapped his knee and walked out of the gym. Th e American team lost with Kieserman on the bench. Lois Kieserman had to follow her father out of the gym because he was in his 80s. “He could not believe what he was watching,” she said. “Th at was the fi rst time that he really saw the other side of it, where he sided with me as a player,” Jimmy added. Litwack died in 1999, two years aft er becoming an inaugural member of the Philadelphia Jewish Sports Hall of Fame. Kieserman played for the United States again in the Maccabiah Games in 1997, 2017 and 2022, playing in divisions for men in their 40s and 50s during the latter two trips. He never got as close to winning gold as he did that fi rst time — he won a bronze medal this year — but he was OK with that in the end. “If I was a good basketball player in his eyes that was all that mattered,” the grandson said. “I’m going into this hall of fame. Th at’s the only thing that matters.” JE jsaff ren@midatlanticmedia.com SUMMER IS FOR FRIENDS! Jimmy Kieserman played basketball for the University of Miami. Courtesy of Steven Murphy Sports Pictures Network Litwack’s mantra about the “seven Ps”: “Proper preparation prevents piss-poor performance.” “Jimmy grew up quoting that,” Lois Kieserman said. “Pop-Pop used to say ...” But at the camp, Litwack would give the opening day speech and then go sit out on the porch, smoking his cigar. Other coaches would ask Jimmy what his name was; when he informed them he was the Temple coach’s grandson, they were surprised. Lois Kieserman said that her father did not ignore or separate himself from her son. He actually encouraged young Jimmy. He just did not want to self-pro- mote or show favoritism. “He would watch him play. He would have a smile on his face,” she recalled of her father. Kieserman grew up to become the captain of Abington’s varsity basket- ball team and earn a collegiate schol- arship. Yet throughout high school, his grandpa spent time in Florida and could not attend many of his games. Every article about Kieserman men- tioned that he was Litwack’s grandson. But the Hall of Fame coach, who led Temple to two NCAA Final Fours and an NIT championship in 1969 when it meant something, did not seem to want to embrace the obvious narrative of his grandson’s career. “He was a coach’s coach,” Jimmy said. “He separated himself.” As Kieserman explained, though, Litwack did not separate himself in general. When the family came over to his house, he would turn off the televi- sion and start asking the kids how they were doing in school. And since Kieserman was a natural athlete who also became Abington’s No. 1 golfer and boys’ tennis player, Litwack took an interest in those other sports. He would take his grandson to the driving range and watch him hit balls for an hour. He also “would tell everyone” about his grandson’s golfi ng exploits, Kieserman said. “He would say, ‘You should see him hit a golf ball,’” Kieserman added. Th e only validation that eluded the grandson was the one he really wanted. But in 1993, a year aft er he graduated from Miami, Kieserman played in his Join the warmth and friendliness that is Paul’s Run. A wonderful lifestyle for everyone with incredible amenities to include our brand new culinary venues to enjoy with friends. COME VISIT WITH US! Retirement Community Contact Jennifer and Rebecca to schedule your personal visit at 1-877-859-9444 PaulsRun.org/Welcome 9896 Bustleton Avenue • Philadelphia, PA 19115 JEWISHEXPONENT.COM 7 local Local Athletes Refl ect on Maccabiah Games Experience JARRAD SAFFREN | STAFF WRITER T he 21st Maccabiah Games took place in Israel from July 12-26. U.S. President Joe Biden attended the opening ceremony in Jerusalem alongside Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid and President Isaac Herzog, becoming the fi rst U.S. head of state to appear at the games. Among the thousands of athletes from countries all over the world at the “Jewish Olympics,” many were from the Philadelphia area or had Philadelphia ties. Several spoke to the Jewish Exponent about their experi- ences. Th ere was one unifying theme in all of their refl ections: It was really cool to be there. Aiden Abrams Th e Penn Valley resident and incoming senior at Harriton High School helped lead the United States’ U18 basketball team to a gold medal in the three-on- three tournament. In a semifi nal game against one of two Israeli teams in the fi eld, the point guard assisted on a basket, hit a three and buried some free throws to turn a late fi ve-point defi cit into a win. Aft er beating the other Israeli team in the championship before a packed crowd, Abrams threw the ball in the air and jumped for joy with his teammates. Th e American teenager said he came away from the experience with a new appreciation for his religion. He especially enjoyed unplugging on the Sabbath. “You eat dinner with the people you love on Friday night,” Abrams said. “I want to be more in touch with people than my electronics.” Danny Rosenblum Rosenblum, a Radnor resident, rising senior at Radnor High School and point guard on the school’s boys’ bas- ketball team, played on the United States’ U18 fi ve-on-fi ve team. His role was to back up Yogi Oliff , a standout point man from the Chicago area who will play for Washington University in St. Louis, a Division III school, next year. Rosenblum embraced his role and provided a spark off the bench, scoring baskets, assisting on others and steal- ing the ball from opponents, during the team’s undefeated gold medal run. On his fi rst trip to Israel, he also felt like he grew to understand his people more deeply than before. Rosenblum and his teammates plan on staying in touch, holding reunions and giving each other places to stay during future college visits. “Just how well Jewish people stay together and look out for each other,” he said. “Within the fi rst week or so we were basically family.” Brenda Benaim Benaim was born in Philadelphia, grew up in Bucks County and attended Ohev Shalom in Richboro with her family. Aft er the family moved to Australia when she was 15, Benaim picked up netball. And then, aft er she made ali- yah with her husband in 2007, she par- ticipated in her fi rst Maccabiah Games in the all-female sport in 2009. Th is year, the 47-year-old partici- pated in her third Maccabiah Games for Team Israel in the master’s divi- sion for athletes 35 and older. She also Walk together in American history with the Philadelphia Civil Rights Mission to Atlanta, Georgia and Montgomery and Selma, Alabama to understand the historic struggle that helped shape our nation. Register by Friday, August 12 jewishphilly.org/civilrights P Philadelphia hiladee lphia hilad C Civil i vil Rights Mission 8 AUGUST 4, 2022 | JEWISHEXPONENT.COM Space is limited, register today. SPONSORS served as an assistant coach for Israel’s senior netball team for players between 19 and 35. In both events, Benaim’s teams earned silver medals. She now has a bronze medal and three silvers in her Maccabiah Games career. Benaim, who lives in Ra’anana with her two daughters, would love to win gold in the future, but that’s not why she keeps playing in the games. “To walk into an opening ceremony, wearing the jersey of Israel and to see the entire world, basically, it doesn’t get old,” she said. “You have that wow eff ect. You feel like you’re a part of something important.” Aviva Menche Menche, whose story about realizing her dream of making aliyah was fea- tured in the Jewish Exponent in July, played in her fi rst Maccabiah Games on that Israeli senior netball team that Benaim helped coach. Th e Northeast Philadelphia native, who moved to Israel with her husband and daughter in 2020, picked up the sport as a college student studying abroad in Australia. Th en, years later, she rediscovered it in Tel Aviv as a way to meet people in her new home. Th at led to a look from Team Israel’s head coach, Shan Aiden Abrams plays in the 21st Maccabiah Games. Photo by Yael Amsili Berman, and a spot on the national team. In the Maccabiah tournament, Menche, a former point guard in bas- ketball at Stern Hebrew High School in Philadelphia, played wing defender, wing attacker and center, a position Danny Rosenblum helped lead the United States to a gold medal in the Maccabiah Games’ U18 fi ve-on-fi ve basketball tournament. Photo by Bonita Eldeman much like point guard. Her assists helped swing the momentum toward Israel in two games leading up to the championship. But in the title matchup against Australia, Israel fell a little short. Still, a silver medal wasn’t bad. Neither was playing for the Jewish home of her dreams. “It was great to represent Israel,” she said. “It was cool to be around Jewish athletes from all over the world.” JE jsaff ren@midatlanticmedia.com JEWISHEXPONENT.COM 9 local Jewish Exponent Archives Find New Life At Gratz College SASHA ROGELBERG | STAFF WRITER “G” is for Green Party, Grenada, Graterford Prison, Gratz. “H” is for Habitat for Humanity, hala- cha, Halley’s Comet, hate crimes. Th e mishmash of categories fi nds order in a drawer marked “GRA-HEB,” the bottom of three drawers in a fi ling cabinet among 33 others of its kind, each with stacked drawers fl ush with fi les labeled with subjects and names. Since the 1950s, the Jewish Exponent has kept its archives of clippings and photos in these fi ling cabinets in its 2100 Arch St. offi ce in a room known lovingly as “the morgue.” Packed like sardines and lining all four walls of the room, the fi les — the epitome of organized chaos — were not only a resource to the paper’s reporters but were also representative of decades of Philadelphia Jewish history. On the opposite side of the wall in the hall- ways, one could fi nd bound volumes of the Exponent storing issues from the publication’s 135-year history. Th ese archives will no longer just be accessible to the Exponent staff , housed in a room with a name connot- ing lifelessness. In mid-July, the Jewish Exponent archives found a new home and renewed purpose at Gratz College’s Melrose Park campus, where the library staff will organize, digitize and put online the publication’s archives over the next 12-plus months. Th e move of the archives comes in tandem with the move of the Exponent staff offi ce to Gratz. “Th ere’s a fi le on everything from radical reform synagogues in the 20th century to the Philadelphia Yeshiva, from Holocaust aid and rescue eff orts to burgeoning restaurants and music festivals, the free Soviet Jewry move- ment. It’s a phenomenal repository of the impact and eff orts of Jewish Philadelphia,” Gratz President Zev Eleff said of the archives. Aft er the organization and digitiza- tion eff orts, the archives will be avail- able on a website free to the public. It will be part of Gratz’s expanding digital archival footprint, which also includes online Holocaust oral history transcripts and audio fi les and a com- pilation of 800 Rebecca Gratz letters detailing the Philadelphia Jewish com- munity aft er the Revolutionary War and the establishment of Gratz College. Th e Exponent archives take up about 320 linear feet, the de facto measure- ment of archive size, making it one of the college’s largest archives, according to Donna Guerin, Gratz’s director of library services. Gratz’s long-established focus on A Passover seder at the Rebecca Gratz Club, which provided support for “troubled” young women Jewish Exponent archives 10 AUGUST 4, 2022 | JEWISHEXPONENT.COM online learning means it already has the infrastructure to take on another exten- sive archival project. Holding its fi rst online class in 2001, Gratz’s strong online presence was built to accommodate its non-traditional student body. Th e college boasts 5,000 students spanning across 36 states and six countries. Seventy-fi ve percent of its Holocaust and genocide studies program students live out-of- state; most students in its other graduate programs are public school teachers in the commonwealth. While Eleff was interviewing as a job candidate for president at Gratz, he identifi ed the school’s online presence as a strength. “It became very clear that, as a col- lege that has a very wide online foot- print, we needed to point our library services directly at our degree pro- grams and also to support broader learning opportunities, resources for the extended Gratz and Philadelphia Jewish community,” he said. Before Eleff ’s tenure, the Claims Conference awarded Gratz with a grant to digitize their Holocaust survivor oral histories, the nation’s second-old- est Holocaust testimonial archive. It received a naming gift from the Barbara and Fred Kort Foundation. Concurrent with creating the Holocaust Genizah Project with the digitized oral histo- ries, Gratz will digitize the Exponent archives as part of a Judaica Americana collection. Once a website is built to house the collections, it will primarily be used by Gratz students, who are also teachers, to help build curricula and identify primary sources for research. With the initial grant money, the college bought technologies to digitize and store its materials, creating a prec- edent of how to continue its long-term archival work. Th e process of main- taining and digitizing the archives, however, endures. Gratz’s Holocaust oral history proj- ect began in 1979, and though it has accumulated 900 interviews, about 300 have complete transcripts, according to Josey Fisher, director of the Holocaust oral history archive. One hundred and twenty-four are available on the U.S. The Jewish Exponent front page from Sept. 8, 1995, celebrating the 100th anniversary of Gratz College Holocaust Memorial Museum website. Originally, the oral histories were recorded on cassette tapes and sent to USHMM to be converted into digital fi les. Using funds from Yad Vashem and USHMM, Gratz hired transcrib- ers; now, they mostly rely on volun- teers, but the transcription process is challenging, particularly because the survivors sharing their stories are not native English speakers and oft en have thick accents. “It’s very, very time-consuming and very meticulous, which is why we have not gotten through the whole collec- tion, and that won’t happen,” Fisher said. “We’re not going to be able to get through all of that, not at this point.” While the Holocaust oral history digitization is ongoing, digitizing the Exponent archives presents its own chal- lenges. Attempting to digitize all of the fi les chronologically or cabinet by cabinet is a tall order, Guerin said. Likely, she will put together a collection that will be relevant to Gratz and includes fi les on its history and programming and also relates to current events. Guerin, like Fisher, is not put off by the mountain of work before them. “Th is is common with any digital collections that college libraries are doing,” Guerin said. “Th ere’s the caveat that’s on the website that says, ‘Th is is an ongoing project’. Th is isn’t every- z Bring this ad. Take 17% off any item. Certain restrictions apply. Offer ends September 8, 2022 Former Prime Minister of Israel David Ben-Gurion speaks at Gratz College thing. Th is isn’t a fi nite thing. It’s not like, ‘We’ve done the scanning, and now it’s up there, and now it’s over, and we’re moving onto something else.’ Th ey’re all living collections.” JEVS Human Services Franklin C. Ash summer intern Isabella Duarte has spent the last three weeks scanning the Jewish Exponent fi les, fi rst on her phone and then on industrial scan- ners, matching clippings with original photos, and documenting the photos’ fronts and backs. She organizes the scanned fi les into digital folders. Each folder has 60-100 clippings and photos, Duarte said, and each drawer contains 50-80 folders. When handling newspaper archives, archivists need to make special consid- erations about the fi les, Guerin said. Newsprint, unlike other papers, is acidic, meaning it will break down if not stored properly. Newspaper clip- pings also tend to be folded, which speeds up paper deterioration. Because newspapers are laid out in thin columns and stories may span over a few pages, individuals oft en use paper clips or staples to keep clippings together. Th e little metal pieces can rust and damage the paper further. “You want to make sure that you’re removing anything that’s going to damage the items further than they already are,” Guerin said. Digitizing the fi les means that, even in the case of having severely damaged clippings, the source will fi nd a new home online. “Th e big overarching driving force that we have is really access — access and preservation — to show people what we have,” Guerin said. “It’s sort of like a tree falling in the woods, right? If no one hears it, did it happen? Same thing with libraries. If no one knows these collec- tions exist, then they might as well just not exist. Th at’s the big, sort of, takeaway from this project.” When Duarte spent her fi rst day with the Exponent archives, she sat with a bound volume for more than two hours, reading over old issues. Born and raised in Elkins Park, Duarte, 20, said she found her grandparents’ engagement announcement in the paper; in another issue, she found a story about the open- ing of a new bagel shop she remembers telling her parents about. She wants to be part of preserving the pages for the next generation. “Th e Jewish Exponent is the pillar of our community, of our people,” she said. JE srogelberg@midatlanticmedia.com Happy Happy Habitat 17 % The Sweater Mill 115 S. York Road, Hatboro 215.441.8966 Open Monday-Saturday 11-4 FREE ESTIMATES PERSONALIZED SERVICE SENIOR DOWNSIZING DECLUTTER / HOARDING CLEAN OUTS ALL ITEMS SOLD, DONATED, OR REPURPOSED RESPECTFUL OF HOMES WITH ACCUMULATIONS OF 30+ YEARS JOLIE OMINSKY OWNER SERVING PA, DE, NJ JOCSERNICA@YAHOO.COM Jewish Exponent fi le cabinets that house clippings and photos dating to the 1950s Photo by Sasha Rogelberg 610-551-3105 JEWISHEXPONENT.COM 11 Next Year in Israel The Jewish Federation Plans Community-Wide Mission for 75 th Anniversary An unyielding commitment turned a dream into reality – the creation of a Jewish homeland on May 14, 1948. Today, Israel has flourished into a safe haven for the Jewish people as well as a leading country in innovation. With next year marking Israel’s 75th anniversary, members of the Greater Philadelphia community will have the opportunity to travel together to the country that defied all odds. The Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia’s Israel 75 Mission will take place from May 14-21, bringing along hundreds of people for an unparalleled journey to celebrate a historic achievement. The land cost of the mission starts at $5,499 per person for a double room. In an effort to make this a multigenerational experience, there is a $1,000 subsidy for participants under 45 years of age who need it. Included with the cost are accommodations at five star hotels, a tour guide and luxury bus, most meals, activity and entrance fees, and gratuities and taxes. Participants will be expected to arrange their own travel accommodations to Israel. Beyond the tangible amenities, missions have the ability to motivate leaders to rise and have life-changing impact. This influential quality a mission can have is something that Susan Schwartz, Israel 75 Mission co-chair, knows all too well. "The experience I had on my first mission 25 years ago was truly transformational. Not only did I get to share a unique and meaningful experience with fellow community members, but I was inspired to make a difference in a way I had never been before,” Schwartz reflected. “This inspiration ignited in me a desire to learn more, get involved and become a leader in an organization that I have come to care for deeply." Registration will remain open through October or until capacity is met. People are encouraged to register as soon as possible to secure their preferred track. Interested community members can also attend an in- person or virtual information session to learn more about the mission.The next information session will be open to all and in person at Green Valley Country Club on August 11 at 6:00 p.m. "We are thrilled to be able to work with our lay leaders and partners to provide this incredible opportunity for the community,” said Jewish Federation’s President and CEO Michael Balaban. “Israel’s 75th anniversary is an important landmark for the country and for the Jewish people, and it will be a quarter of a century until you can celebrate its next major milestone of 100 years." “Traveling to Israel on a community mission gives you unique access to the best sights, speakers and experiences,” explained Gail Norry, Jewish Federation’s board co-chair. “You will also make the most wonderful friendships and have the opportunity to make a difference in people’s lives in Israel and back in Philadelphia upon your return.” Over the course of eight days, participants will explore the country through highly curated activities as they visit Jerusalem, Tel Aviv and the Jewish Federation’s partnership region of Netivot and S’dot Negev. Kicking off this journey will be an opening party on the roof of the newly constructed ANU Museum with a welcome from the Mayor of Tel Aviv Ron Huldai. From there, participants will enjoy a wide-variety of activities, including taking a graffiti tour in Tel Aviv, participating in a joyous Shabbat gathering overlooking the Old City Walls, giving back to those in need by harvesting produce at the national food bank Leket and much more. Ready to sign up for the Israel 75 Mission? Learn more and register at jewishphilly.org/Israel75Mission or contact Erica N. Miller, Mission Manager for Domestic and Overseas Travel, at erica.miller@jewishphilly.org. Want to learn more? Find out details about the Israel 75 Mission, including the itinerary, specialized tracks and more, at an information session. Sign up for one of the below sessions at: jewishphilly.org/Israel75Mission Info Sessions In-person: In addition to group programming, there will be four customized tracks to provide a personalized experience of the vibrant country: adventure; food, wine, and culture; tech and business; and people, places, and politics. Whether rappelling in salt caves, touring the northern vineyards, visiting hi-tech accelerator programs or engaging in intimate conversations with members of the Knesset, these tracks offer unique and exciting opportunities for first-time as well as repeated travelers to Israel. • Thursday, August 11 at 6:00 p.m. at “Each time I visit Israel I come away with something new. Whether I’m exploring a new region, trying new food or having a new experience, I always come home feeling fulfilled yet at the same time feeling like I haven’t had enough,” said Jessica Katz, co-chair of the Israel 75 Mission. “What I’m most looking forward to on this journey is getting to experience Israel with my Philadelphia community and making connections that I hope will last a lifetime.” • Sunday, September 18 at 10:00 a.m. Providing spiritual “connections” to Israel is the mission’s Rabbi-in- Residence Eric Yanoff of Adath Israel. During the trip, Rabbi Yanoff will be a resource to foster deep self-reflection and thought-provoking discussions. 12 AUGUST 4, 2022 | JEWISHEXPONENT.COM Green Valley Country Club Virtual: • Wednesday, August 24 at 7:30 p.m. Hosted by Beth Sholom and the Old York Road Kehillah • Monday, October 24 at 7:00 p.m. YOU SHOULD KNOW ... Michael Fabius SASHA ROGELBERG | STAFF WRITER Courtesy of Ballard Spahr W hen Michael Fabius’ grandmother died in January, his 3-year-old son began to have questions about God and spirituality. Fabius, 40, took his son to Congregation Rodeph Shalom to give him a Jewish perspective on death, but he also reached out to an imam, a leader in Philadelphia’s Muslim community. As co-chair of the Circle of Friends, the Philadelphia chapter of the Muslim-Jewish Advisory Council co-founded by the American Jewish Committee, Fabius is committed to giving his two children a strong Jewish foundation but also opportunities to meaningfully engage with other Abrahamic religions. “It will be important to me that they know their Jewish heritage; it will be ultimately their prerogative as they grow to develop and uncover their own identities,” Fabius said. “​​Part of the mitzvah of parenting is being able to see that growth.” As part of Circle of Friends since its 2016 founding, Fabius, an adminis- trative law attorney at Ballard Spahr, views his work within the MJAC chap- ter as a chance to build a world for his children that embraces a diversity of ideas and spirituality. “This work is really being part of how I want to parent: trying to influence the world where they grow up, so that they can be who they are, and there’s a measure of self-determination,” Fabius said. In practice, Fabius’ work with Circle of Friends looks like finding ways to identify and mitigate hate crimes against Jewish and Muslim commu- nities by building interfaith solidarity. On July 20, AJC Philadelphia/Southern New Jersey honored Fabius with the 2022 Human Relations Award for his work in “fostering Muslim-Jewish ties in the community,” an AJC press release described. Fabius is raising his children and building interfaith relationships with his childhood in mind. Growing up attending Friends’ Central School, a Quaker school in Wynnewood, Fabius only knew one Muslim kid; he vaguely remembers the child not eating during the month of Ramadan. Despite growing up with one Jewish and one Christian parent and embracing plu- ralism from an early age, Fabius and his classmate were not close. In hindsight, Fabius recognized, also as a religious minority, that not hav- ing a strong understanding of Islam was an oversight. “There’s some merit to knowing when you’re ignorant, rather than just acting from a place of being ignorant of your ignorance,” he said. When Circle of Friends co-founders Tom Tropp and Amid Ismail invited him to dinner in early 2016, Fabius reflected on this idea. After almost six years as part of the group, Fabius has noticed how he, as well as the political and social landscape of interfaith soli- darity, has changed. “It’s made me a better ambassa- dor for myself, my community, for the Muslim community,” Fabius said. “I did not speak intelligently about Muslim Americans, or Muslim com- munities in general, before Circle of Friends.” On a broad level, his work in Circle of Friends helped build on a national initiative to address hate speech and crime. As part of the national MJAC initia- tive, Fabius helped lobby and organize grassroots efforts to pressure Congress to pass the Jabara-Heyer National Opposition to Hate, Assaults, and Threats to Equality (NO HATE) Act. The legislation followed an FBI report that, despite steady levels of hate crimes in 2017 and 2018, 87% of law enforce- ment agencies did not report any hate crimes to their jurisdictions. The legis- lation would increase resources for data reporting on hate crimes. Fabius said that Jews experience the largest pro- portion of religious hate crimes, and Muslims experience the fastest-grow- ing number of hate crimes. On an interpersonal level, Fabius feels he has the tools to challenge misinformation or bigotry against Muslim communities. Through Circle of Friends events, he’s been able to learn more about Islam and share more about Judaism. This past spring, the organization hosted an interfaith Iftar, the meal eaten after sunset of Ramadan. They’ve hosted ceremonies and celebrations of holidays at City Hall. State Sen. Sharif Street, a Circle of Friends member, sponsored state legislation protecting religious institutions from vandalism and desecration. Though Circle of Friends has helped to create lasting tangible change in religious communities, Fabius asserts that the impact of the group has also created a feeling of safety and com- fort in the wake of Islamophobia and antisemitism, such as following the 2018 Pittsburgh Tree of Life shooting. “We’ve been able to build solidarity, project solidarity ... there’s some com- fort in knowing that there are allies to help support in times of crisis,” Fabius said. JE srogelberg@midatlanticmedia.com JEWISHEXPONENT.COM 13 editorials Russia Targets the Jewish Agency T here’s a lot of uncertainty surrounding the Jewish Agency for Israel office in Moscow. Here is what we know: Last month, Russia’s Justice Ministry called for the Jewish Agency to end operations in that country. Last week, a Russian court held a preliminary hearing on the Justice Ministry’s application to close the office. The next hearing is scheduled for Aug. 19. The Jewish Agency is the quasi-governmental body that, among other things, helps Jews immi- grate to Israel. Russian Jews need the Jewish Agency’s presence in their country to help facili- tate aliyah efforts, which have surged since Russia invaded Ukraine. The potential closing of the Jewish Agency office in Moscow is serious business — a move that would have significant symbolic as well as practical implications. The threatened closure brings to mind the dark decades of the Soviet Union when Jews were barred from leaving that country and were punished for trying to do so. That changed in the 1980s when the Iron Curtain parted to allow emigration. Since 1989, some 1.7 million Jews have emigrated from the Former Soviet Union, with more than a million of them going to Israel. Russian authorities have explained the request for closure based upon the assertion that the Russian Jews need the Jewish Agency’s presence in their country to help facilitate aliyah efforts. Jewish Agency’s collection of immigrant data vio- lates Russia’s privacy laws. But no one takes that claim seriously. Instead, most agree that the move is retaliation for Israel’s new leadership, headed by Prime Minister Yair Lapid, speaking out against Russia’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine. When Russia first invaded Ukraine, Naftali Bennett was Israel’s prime minister, and Lapid was foreign minister. Bennett sought to position him- self as a neutral. He traveled to Russia early in the war to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and sought to mediate potential peace talks between Ukraine and Russia. That never happened. But even as Bennett was playing the neutral, his foreign minister was vocal in joining Western con- demnation of Russia’s aggression. Another cause for mounting tension is Russia’s increasing embrace of Iran, a country whose leaders regularly call for Israel’s destruction. Last month, Putin traveled to Iran for talks with Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. This was Putin’s first visit to a country outside the former USSR since the invasion of Ukraine, and it sent a clear message. Israel is watching these developments closely. Lapid has warned Russia against closing the Jewish Agency office, saying that doing so would hurt the relationship between the two countries. Israel wants to send a diplomatic team to Russia to discuss the issue, and that’s a good idea. This is not a matter that should be debated by the parties on the public stage. It is a serious matter that requires careful diplomacy that can only be handled in private. And diplomatic navigation will likely require acceptance of the fact that, in a world of bad choices, it is more important for Russian Jews to have access to a Jewish Agency office than to have Israel join the Western boycott of Russia. Quite simply, Israel must avoid poking the Russian bear. JE Realpolitik in the MD-4 Primary I srael isn’t much of an issue to the voters of Prince George’s County, Maryland. But last month’s Democratic primary in Maryland’s 4th Congressional District, which includes most of the county, attracted millions of dollars in dueling pro-Israel campaign contributions. In the end, the better candidate won — former state’s attorney Glenn Ivey, who has a strong record of performance and communal involve- ment, prevailed and will likely be elected in November in the heavily blue district. Although Ivey shares many of the progressive positions of his defeated rival, former Rep. Donna Edwards, including on gun control, health care and climate change, they differ on Israel. Ivey supports continued U.S. security assis- tance for Israel, embraces a further strengthening of the U.S.-Israel relationship and opposes the boycott, divestment and sanctions movement and other efforts to delegitimize the Jewish state. Edwards’ record in office was less than stellar when it came to Israel. Enter the pro-Israel money, for both candi- dates. Nearly $6 million went to Ivey from United 14 AUGUST 4, 2022 | JEWISHEXPONENT.COM Democracy Project, a super PAC affiliated with AIPAC. Another pro-Israel group, Democratic Majority for Israel, spent an additional $426,000 in support of Ivey. The Washington Post reported that about half of Ivey’s $1 million in campaign contributions also came from AIPAC donors. Edwards received some $720,000 in PAC money from J Street. How was the money used? Not to play up the strengths of either candidate and largely not to address substantive policy differences between them. Instead, the money was used to fund attack ads, many of which ended with these words: “Donna Edwards, aloofness from the details of local problem solving, notorious for inattention to constituent services. UDP is responsible for the content of this ad.” In the blizzard of ads leading up to the primary vote, Israel was not mentioned. So, what have we learned from this $7 million exercise? We learned a lesson in contemporary politics and the outsized influence national spe- cial-interest groups can have in local political campaigns. The expenditures were entirely legal, above board and transparent. But the sheer mag- nitude of the effort is noteworthy. Members of special interest groups, including AIPAC, have lent support to political candidates of all stripes for decades. Many did so in a very pub- lic way, while others worked more quietly behind the scenes. Both were effective. But now, with changes in how supporters can organize and fund political messaging, AIPAC and other groups have chosen to take the more public approach through affiliated super PACs. And they have mastered the art of negative ads. We know from media reports that many vot- ers in Prince George’s County had never heard of AIPAC and that some expressed concern and confusion when informed about millions in “outside money” being invested in their local campaign. But we also know that the investment succeeded. Ivey overcame an initial significant early polling deficit and won the election by 16 percentage points. It is hard to argue with success. We are happy that the better candidate won. But the message of Israel got lost. JE opinion The Divine Call to Act on Climate Change BY RABBI DEVORAH LYNN A s is appropriate for a people consumed by books, texts and words, the commemoration of Tisha B’Av, the commemoration of the destruction of both Jerusalem Temples, is introduced by a pun in the very first word of its scriptural reading, the Book of Lamentations. “Eicha,” the first word, means “lamentation”: “Woe is me,” “Oy vey iz mir” or “How did it come to this?” “Ayeka” makes its first appearance in the Torah way back in Genesis, in the Garden of Eden, where God confronts Adam with “Ayeka,” which means “Where are you?” in a challenge to Adam to come out of hiding after eating the forbidden fruit. Eicha and Ayeka are the exact same conso- nants, very different vowels and drastically differ- ent meanings. “How did it come to this?” versus “Where are you?” We can now breathe with the surprise good news of a deal, the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, brokered between Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (N.Y.) and Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W. Va.), but we cannot rest easy. It’s a start, but not enough for a climate emergency and begs the two questions above. How did we get to this point of divisiveness, a nation torn apart and unable to address the climate crisis, and where am I as an individual actor? Abraham Joshua Heschel speaks clearly to us on this topic: “Some are guilty but all are respon- sible.” When we look at the root of “responsible,” we see “response.” Have we been hiding like Adam in the bushes because we are too dis- tracted and overwhelmed by the climate reality to respond with active citizenship? What we thought was responsible citizenship, like cooking with gas and recycling plastic, is yet another marketing ploy, backed by enormous fos- sil fuel profits to distract us from the real problem they are creating with dirty energy and plastic, both made from oil. The fossil fuel companies’ plan B is to push more plastic on us to offset the decline in their energy oil earnings. We may not be guilty, but we sure are gull- ible. This strategy is cunning and easy to fall for. Nevertheless, this is in no way to excuse us from a response. We must choose to be loud, vocal, consistent, active citizens and hold our elected officials accountable. Ten or 20 years ago, we didn’t have the technological solutions to our climate prob- lem. But now we do. Widespread use of renew- able energy sources, electrifying transportation and buildings, elimination of plastic and smart changes in waste, agriculture, livestock and fish- eries will give us a cleaner, more beautiful world and survivable earth. And now there are a number of citizen groups to work with in our community: Jewish Earth Alliance, Citizens’ Climate Lobby, Interfaith Power and Light and Dayenu. Making the right personal choices is not enough. Elections have consequences. We must work for the election of courageous climate activists in Congress and at every level of government. The Environmental Voter Project is getting non-vot- ing yet declared environmentalists to commit to being regular voters. All our elected government officials must have the will to make bold changes, enact courageous legislation and help us to make climate-friendly choices. It is a healthy response to allow for some time, certainly the 25-hour fast of Tisha B’Av, to wallow in our grief and sorrow at how we got here. Let us howl from the heart “Eicha” of a world gone upside down. However, the next day we must lift ourselves up to ask with blinders off, Ayeka? Where are we in responsibility and response? And what are we going to do about it? As Paul Hawken writes in “Drawdown,” “From the earth’s point of view, there’s no difference between a climate denier and someone who understands the prob- lem but actually doesn’t do anything.” Our “how” must have a vision that ultimately facilitates real accountability and effective action. Remember that with the Roman destruction of the Second Temple, a group of Jewish survivors evacuated to the city of Yavneh and saved our traditional values while relinquishing the sacrificial priestly system that was no longer sustainable. We must answer the question that God posed to Adam, Ayeka, “Where are you?” in the same way that our ancestors did when Jerusalem was destroyed. They stood up, took responsibility and created a new form of Judaism that has lasted 2,000 years. It turns out that Eicha, “Woe is me!” and Ayeka, “Where are you?” are directly related. Responding to the latter will lead to the solutions we need to save this world. JE Rabbi Devorah Lynn is the co-chair of Jewish Earth Alliance, a Washington, D.C.-based grass- roots network of communities calling on Congress to act on climate. 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 first and last name, as well your town/neighborhood of residence. Send letters to letters@jewishexponent.com. letters Ignoring BDS Is Dangerous For reasons known only to him, Mitchell Bard wants to minimize the virulently anti-Jewish boy- cott, divestment and sanctions movement — a modern tactic employed to advance an age-old hatred and bias — as well as the rampant attacks against Jewish people and institutions. To illustrate his claim, Bard (“Why Does Anyone Care About BDS Campaigns on American College Campuses?”, July 21) cherry-picks, listing some of Congress’ leading anti-Israel activists and their alma maters. Bard neglects a host of other influentials in government who work to eliminate or weaken the US-Israel relationship or otherwise harm the Jewish state, including by giving hundreds of millions of fungible dollars to help the Palestinian Authority and the United Nations Relief and Works Agency — and their alma maters. Among these are foreign-policy advisers for members of Congress, State Department officials and bureau- crats, and those serving in current or previous presidential administrations. Then there is the world of journalists, think-tank experts, lobbyists and corporate leaders. All of these have spent time on a campus. No one knows the extent of or long-term impli- cations of the worsening anti-Jewish indoctrina- tion on America’s campuses. All Jew-hatred — whether BDS or other guises — must be identified and exposed and challenged and combated no matter where it takes place, whether on campus or elsewhere. Steve Feldman, executive director Greater Philadelphia ZOA Mastriano Ads Unprotected Speech I would add to your description of Doug Mastriano’s political ad (“Mastriano Called Out for Link to Extremist Social Media Site,” July 28), the fact that though he himself did not make antisemitic statements, he implicitly approved of and agreed with the violent, abusive antisemitic ideas and language. It is the prevailing standard in political cam- paigns and ads for the candidate to write or state their name, saying, “I have read or reviewed this ad and approve of its content.” Failing such a dis- claimer, Mastriano’s ads must be blocked because they represent an unprotected form of speech, as his language is intended to incite violence. David Herman Elkins Park JEWISHEXPONENT.COM 15 opinion Ben Shapiro and Binary ‘Aliyah’ BY YISHAI FLEISHER A t a recent event in Tel Aviv, American Jewish media personality and headliner Ben Shapiro was asked — to roaring applause from the olim-filled audience — whether he would ever consider aliyah to Israel. “Because the fundamental principles of the United States are good, eternally good and worth upholding, and my fight to do that as a Jew is deeply important … my Jewish mission does not conflict with my presence in the United States,” answered Shapiro. He was then asked, “Shouldn’t all Jews live in the state of Israel?” He replied, “Jews should live where they can be a light to the nations, and for me, as a person with millions and millions of followers in the United States, promoting what I think are values that are eternally good, living in the United States is a point of morality for me.” Further asked whether he ever wonders if, one day, he will be forced to flee the United States, he said, “The existence of the State of Israel is the single greatest guarantor of my loyalty to the United States, frankly. Because Israel exists, that means the United States is going to be a more welcoming place for me, because Israel is there as a backstop in case anything should go wrong.” These were sharp answers from a very thought- ful individual. America is a great nation with important values and perhaps the most influ- ential country in the world. In that sphere, Ben Shapiro has a unique standing. His work affects millions of Americans and, being a believing and practicing Jew, he can justly be said to be on shlichut — emissary work for Judaism and Israel. There are others, like Chabad emissaries on college campuses, who can also claim that they have an important Jewish mission outside the Land of Israel. However, most American Jews who do not have millions of followers or are not on clear emissary duty do not belong in the same category. Shapiro’s remarks about America remaining an inviting place because Israel serves as a defense in case of trouble is a commentary on the history of Jews in non-Jewish societies. Yet Israel’s defense of Jews worldwide is not exactly a rationale to remain outside the Land of Israel. Moreover, I am not sure if Israel is indeed ensur- ing that Jews are safe in America. I have been shocked by what young Jews in American public 16 AUGUST 4, 2022 | JEWISHEXPONENT.COM schools have been telling me about the surge in antisemitism they face, not to mention the hatred that the Jews of France, Russia and South Africa must deal with. The Big Project of the Jewish People As a Jew who lives in Israel and believes in the centrality of the Jewish state, I am very much pro-aliyah and believe that God is ingathering the exiles as promised. Living in Israel is the fulfillment of Jewish destiny. But when thinking about how to speak with my American Jewish brothers and sisters, I have learned to take a less binary approach than I once did. Asking Ben Shapiro head-on if he would make aliyah makes it look like there is only a binary choice — either you are in or you are out. But in truth, the spectrum of ways to connect with Israel is wider than that. Had I been in Ben Shapiro’s place, I would have used the opportunity to pause and ask a basic question: What is the biggest single project of the Jewish people in our time? In my opinion, it is the rebuilding of the Jewish com- monwealth in the Land of Israel. It is what we have prayed and waited for, and it’s happening in our lifetime. And if building Israel is our people’s goal, then that goal is not limited to Jews living in the Land of Israel. All Jews can and should be part of the national mission of rebuilding Zion, no matter where they live. A committed American Jew can say, “I may not be in the land for various reasons, including my shlichut where I am, but I identify as a Jew who believes in the centrality of the Jewish commonwealth. Though I live abroad, I am engaged in building Israel.” Indeed, millions of American Jews are dedi- cated to that national aspiration. They donate their hard-earned money to the cause of building and strengthening Israel; many come to Israel once a year, spending their precious vacation time in the Jewish state; others send their chil- dren to study in the Holy Land for a gap year course at a university, seminary or yeshiva. I know an American Jewish lawyer who brings his family to Israel every summer while he works American hours at night. Another lawyer friend goes out of his way to hire Israeli lawyers to work remotely for his American firm so they can earn a good salary while living in Israel. These people make every effort to support developing and building Jewish life and industry in the Land of Israel while not yet making aliyah. Aliyah Is Not a Binary Option Many Jews cannot make aliyah or won’t make aliyah for various reasons. So, instead of hitting them with an aliyah ultimatum that will likely be answered with a “no,” I prefer to get to “yes” by making simple suggestions: “Have you consid- ered buying property in Israel? It makes good financial sense, your kids will love it and you’ll own a piece of the rock!” Most of the time, Jews seriously consider purchasing real estate in the Holy Land. Other times I get to “yes” by asking, “Where are you thinking of sending your child to study in Israel?” or “Which Israeli organization do you support?” A “yes” on these steps towards a greater con- nection to Israel is better than a “no” on the binary aliyah option. And when people ask me what steps they could take to get closer to Israel, I give simple advice: “Commit to drinking Israeli wine on Friday night— it’s a great way to make a stronger connection and to not only support Israel but to have Israel inside your body and soul.” Also, I always recom- mend putting up a picture of Jerusalem — or a favorite place in Israel — on a wall in their house facing the Holy City, which makes Israel a daily sight. Finally, I like to say, “Consider purchasing a burial plot in the Holy Land.” Almost everyone asks how much it costs. Mini-Aliyot Making aliyah and living here in Israel is a dream come true for some and a fulfillment of a religious mandate for others. But for various reasons, not everyone can do it or even wants to do it. Yet many steps can be taken to strengthen the con- nection between Jews of the Diaspora and Israel — mini-aliyot. The first step is to become con- scious of the rebuilding of Israel as our people’s biggest project, and that we can all take part in it, no matter where we live. Let’s not get stuck in the binary aliyah posi- tion that can lead to a “no” and push Israeli and Diaspora Jews away from each other. Instead, let’s find ways to get to “yes” and foster greater connectivity. And a “yes” on mini-aliyah is more likely to bring a “yes” to full aliyah down the line. All these thoughts may not have come out during Ben Shapiro’s talk, but having the privilege of knowing him, I think he would agree. JE Yishai Fleisher is the international spokesman for the Jewish community of Hebron and an Israeli broadcaster. opinion Can Jews Agree to Disagree? BY ANDREW SILOW-CARROLL kieferpix / iStock / Getty Images Plus H ere’s a story I recently shared on Facebook: I was paddling my inflatable kayak on a lake in the Berkshires. Granted, it is not the sleekest or coolest-looking conveyance, but it gets the job done and it fits in the trunk of my car. At one point I passed two guys in a very lovely canoe. One of the guys says to me, “That looks like fun!” And I say, “And you have a beautiful boat,” which it was. And then the guy in the stern of the boat says, “It’s a lot more expensive than yours.” His response sort of stunned me: Why was he talking about the price of our boats? Had my clunky kayak offended his sensibilities somehow? My Facebook friends mostly agreed with my initial reaction: The guy was a jerk. But then a few people weighed in with an alternative interpreta- tion: The guy was actually making fun of himself for spending so much on a canoe. One friend, a Jewish educator, channeled the guy’s thinking this way: “Our boat might be beautiful, as you say, but I’m not sure it’s worth it, considering we could be getting a lot of fun from rowing in a kayak like yours and would have spent a lot less money to do it.” True or not, I love that interpretation. It reminds me of something from Pirke Avot, the Mishnah’s compilation of ethical principles: “Judge to the side of merit.” (1:6) That is, in life and conversation, give the other person the benefit of the doubt. How many conversations slip off the rails because we assume the worst of the other person? The story was fresh in my mind when I attended an invitation-only event on July 26 on “view- point diversity,” put on by the Maimonides Fund. The day-long seminar brought leaders of various Jewish organizations together to discuss our society’s inability to engage in what the keynote speaker, NYU social psychologist Jonathan Haidt, describes as “constructive disagreement.” In Haidt’s 2018 book “The Coddling of the American Mind,” he and coauthor Greg Lukianoff dissect a “callout culture” in which “anyone can be publicly shamed for saying something well-intentioned that someone else interprets uncharitably.” Because Haidt’s book is mostly about the col- lege campus, I thought the day might shape up as an attack on “wokeism.” But the speakers and attendees were diverse, and liberals and conser- vatives alike fretted about the demise of civility and tolerance in their polarized worlds. A Jewish education professional said she is wary about bringing up Israel in front of donors, many of whom treat any criticism of Israeli policy as “anti-Israel.” And the leader of a right-leaning think tank com- plained about a left-leaning Jewish “monolith” that dismisses the views of Jewish conservatives or considers them somehow “un-Jewish.” A considerable number of people spoke about what they characterized as self-censorship, fear- ing the consequences they or colleagues might face if they utter an ill-considered thought — or if their opinions diverge from emerging small-o orthodoxies on gender, race, politics and, once again, Israel. (I agreed to Chatham House Rules, which means I could characterize our conversa- tions but not quote or identify participants.) After the event, Mark Charendoff, president of the Maimonides Fund, said he and his col- leagues — Ariella Saperstein, program officer for Maimonides, and Rabbi David Wolpe of Los Angeles’ Sinai Temple put much of the program together — had been thinking about these issues for a while. “It seems to us that it’s just become more difficult to have some of these conversa- tions,” Charendoff told me. “It started off with Israel — what are you allowed to express regard- ing Israel, and then, you know, politics in America has become obviously a dividing line. And it doesn’t seem to have gotten any better.” Although few if any members of Gen Z were tak- ing part in the convening, the group born after 1995 seemed to be on a lot of people’s minds. That’s partly because of Haidt’s framing of the issue; in his book, he dates strict campus speech codes and polarizing identity politics to the arrival of Gen Z on college campuses. A leader of a secular Jewish group that works with young people said she is often under pressure from Gen Z-ers to take an organizational stand on hot-button issues, when her mission is to encourage par- ticipation from a politically diverse population. On the flip side, a leader working with the same cohort said Gen Z-ers complain that they were “lied to” about Israel by their Jewish elders, and that their own ambivalent or anti-Zionist viewpoints are shunned in Jewish spaces. Indeed, a few participants defended “red lines,” saying viewpoint diversity does not mean “anything goes.” As one fundraising executive told the room, “When it comes to Israel, the last thing I want is nuance.” When I brought this up with Charendoff, he said, “One-hundred percent I want to hear from young people who are uncomfortable with Zionism, because I want to understand why, and I think our young people are smart and pas- sionate. That doesn’t mean … that we have to be completely neutral to who the convener of a dis- cussion is and what their motivations are.” At times I lost track of who is to blame for con- stricted speech and cancel culture, especially on college campuses. Is it the student governments at liberal universities that block campus Jewish clubs from organizing because their support for Israel made other students uncomfortable? Or is it the Jewish groups that insist campuses that allow harsh criticism of Israel are making Jewish students feel unsafe? I also thought about the value of “viewpoint diversity” if one side or the other is playing fast and loose with the facts, or refusing to argue in good faith. Haidt warns against the tendency to “inflate the horrors of a speaker’s words far beyond what the speaker might actually say” — he calls this “catastrophizing” — but how do we respond to actual catastrophes? Viewpoint diversity may seem a luxury in debating, say, the climate crisis or threats to democracy. Still, the general thrust of the day was encour- aging people to do their part in lowering the temperature in Jewish circles: to urge ideological opposites to listen to one another with more gen- erosity of spirit, to assume the best of others and to consider the possibility that they may actually be wrong about a given issue. Because when it all comes down to it, we’re all in the same boat. JE Andrew Silow-Carroll is editor-in-chief of the New York Jewish Week and senior editor of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency. JEWISHEXPONENT.COM 17 opinion Mastriano Shows How Not to Defuse an Antisemitism Controversy BY JONATHAN S. TOBIN A merican conservatives have gotten to the point where they are often unmoved by eff orts by their liberal antagonists to get them to disavow extremists on the far-right. The existence of hateful and dangerously extreme groups, including those that spread antisemitism, is a problem that needs to be confronted, however small their numbers may be. So deep is the distrust between the two sides in the tribal culture war that passes for political discourse these days that they assume every such request is merely a setup. They see no reason to comment on people who are wholly unrelated to them, and they also believe that no matter what they say, their remarks will be twisted or misinter- preted to falsely portray them as extremists by a partisan liberal media. There are plenty of examples of this dishonest game being played by some in the press, not the least being the way former President Donald Trump’s remarks were taken out of context and fallaciously portrayed as an endorsement of the participants in the 2017 “Unite the Right” neo-Nazi march in Charlottesville, Virginia, when his “very fi ne people” line was actually not about them, but those there to preserve certain statues. Trump still hasn’t escaped that false narrative. But the scandal that Doug Mastriano is dealing with can’t be dismissed as a similar example of liberal bias or unfair reporting. On the contrary, the Republican Pennsylvania gubernatorial nominee, whose ties to a brazen antisemite were recently made public, is the author of his own troubles. Mastriano spent 21 years in the Army before being elected to the Pennsylvania State Senate. He is no stranger to controversy. A hard-core conservative and ardent Trump supporter, he believed that the 2020 presidential election results in Pennsylvania were “rigged.” He helped organize attendance at Trump’s Jan. 6 “Stop the Steal” rally and was pres- ent when some participants later broke into the Capitol, though did not himself join in. That’s enough for Democrats to label him an “insurrectionist.” Interestingly, his opponent — Attorney General Josh Shapiro, who is Jewish — and other Democrats spent heavily on ads pro- moting Mastriano in that primary over other more moderate opponents. They did so because they believe him to be the weakest GOP candidate. In a year in which President Joe Biden’s pop- ularity is cratering amid record infl ation and an impending recession, it’s not entirely clear whether that cynical tactic, which has also been employed elsewhere by Democrats, will backfi re on them. But 18 AUGUST 4, 2022 | JEWISHEXPONENT.COM in the case of Mastriano, who trails Shapiro in the polls, they might have been right. The issue is Mastriano’s decision to invest some of his campaign funds in ads on Gab, a social-media platform. Gab says it is devoted to free speech and proclaims its willingness to host “off ensive” mes- sages. In theory, that’s OK since, in a free country, there should be room for all kinds of speech, includ- ing messages that are off ensive. The willingness of major platforms like Twitter to censor ideas or opin- ions its liberal owners and staff don’t like is a threat to democracy since it is, along with Facebook, for all intents and purposes, the modern public square. But Gab isn’t merely a site for those who are sick of Twitter’s woke censorship. It is a place where genuinely extremist and hateful messages from the far-right are commonplace. So, Mastriano’s decision to invest even a rela- tively small sum in advertising there is troubling. The deal he cut with Andrew Torba, its CEO, which led to all new accounts being automatically made followers of Mastriano’s account, reportedly also involved some additional consulting fees. Torba is also not merely the impresario of a plat- form that is home to despicable hate. He’s some- one who is himself antisemitic. Torba went beyond the usual critique of some Democrats, especially those in law-enforcement positions like Shapiro, getting support from leftist billionaire George Soros, which ought to be con- sidered fair comment and not antisemitic. Instead, he spoke of Mastriano as the leader of a “Christian movement” and denounced Jewish conservatives like Ben Shapiro and Dave Rubin. He thinks they should be shunned because they are Jewish and therefore undermining his goal of making America an exclusively “Christian country.” Even after the fi rst criticisms of his ties to Mastriano surfaced, he said that all those who are not Christians would be welcome, but only so long as they “repent.” Indeed, he went even further in saying he wished to expand this sphere of Christian dominance to the entire planet, declaring, “Our generation of Christians is not buying dispensational Zionist lies.” That such a person would be regarded as an ally by Mastriano is troubling. But so intense is the distrust of the media and so strong is the instinct of many on the left to ignore all accusations about ties with extremists that Mastriano delayed for weeks saying anything to disassociate himself from such a bizarre and delusional personality. It was only on July 27 after pressure and con- demnations of his silence grew that he deleted his Gab account and fi nally stated that Torba “doesn’t speak for me or my campaign,” and added, “I reject antisemitism in any form.” Still, Mastriano’s complaints about “smears from Democrats and the media” aren’t enough to answer the questions that must be posed about his decision to partner with Gab and Torba until it became politically expedient to back away. In order to fully defuse this controversy, he would have to explicitly state his condemnation of Torba. That probably won’t happen because Mastriano is following the lamentable example of Trump, who believes it is counterproductive to apologize for off ensive statements because he not incorrectly believes that it will make no diff erence to his critics. But there is a distinction that should be pointed out. Trump is blamed for extremism because his opponents claim radicals are encouraged by his contempt for the conventional pieties of public discourse. That is largely unfair because it involves blaming Trump for people with whom he has no contact and who often don’t even support him. But Mastriano’s endorsement of Torba isn’t a matter of connecting otherwise disconnected political dots. Antisemitism is on the rise on the political left largely because of the way intersectional ideology and ideas related to critical race theory are linked to antisemitism and anti-Zionism. Those politicians on the left who associate with or support open Jew-haters — such as, for example, congressio- nal “Squad” member Rep. Cori Bush (D-Mo.) — deserve the opprobrium directed at them. But if Bush should be condemned for fundraising with an anti-Zionist who said she wanted to “burn every Israeli alive,” then the same conclusions should be drawn about Mastriano. That’s exactly the conclu- sion drawn by the Republican Jewish Coalition, which condemned Mastriano for his actions. Right-wing antisemitism is an unfortunate fact of life that cannot be ignored. There can be no tolerance for hate or antisemitism on either side of our polarized political landscape. And there should be no room for excuses, rationalizations or exam- ples of “whataboutism” in which leftist Democrats’ misbehavior is cited, put forward on behalf of Mastriano. It is a sorry commentary on the state of American politics that someone who is comfortable associ- ating with far-right wing antisemites has worked his way into the political mainstream. But citing the actions of bad actors on the left who are also no longer confi ned to the fever swamps of American discourse is not a suffi cient reason to avoid treating Mastriano as having gone beyond the pale. JE Jonathan S. Tobin is editor-in-chief of JNS — Jewish News Syndicate. nation / world Maryland Auction House Defends Sale of Hitler Items An auction house in Maryland defended the sale of what it says were personal objects of Adolf Hitler, amid criticism from a European Jewish group, JTA reported. One of the priciest items in the catalog for the July 29 auction by Alexander Historical Auctions house in Chesapeake City, Maryland, was a candy dish esti- mated to be worth at least $3,000 that the auction house says belonged to Hitler and was stolen from his Berghof compound near Munich. Another similarly priced item is a dog collar said to have belonged to Eva Braun, Hitler’s wife, for her pet Scottish terrier. Th e leather artifact is studded with multiple metal swastikas. Th e European Jewish Association, a Brussels-based lobby group, condemned the sale in a letter, saying the items only give “succor to those who idealize what the Nazi party stood for” or off er “buyers the chance to titillate a guest or loved one with an item belonging to a genocidal murderer and his supporters,” wrote the group’s chairman, Rabbi Menachem Margolin. Bill Panagopulos, the president of Alexander Historical Auctions, which has faced similar rebuke for previous sales — including one that featured the personal diaries of Josef Mengele, a notorious Nazi war criminal — dismissed the criticism as “nonsense and sensationalism.” Wish Your Friends & Family A HAPPY NEW YEAR in the Jewish Exponent The Jewish Exponent’s graduation issue will publish on Thursday, June 30 TH DEADLINE IS THURSDAY, JUNE 24 TH 3” x 5.25” SIZE A $ 150 World’s Largest ER Debuts in Tel Aviv Th e world’s largest emergency room opened in Tel Aviv on July 28, Th e Times of Israel reported. Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center houses the 86,000-square foot facility, which was inaugurated by Prime Minister Yair Lapid, President Isaac Herzog and others. Th e center is designed for both sudden casualties from war or terrorism and regular emergency needs. Th ere are 100 inpatient beds, which can be doubled. Philanthropist Sylvan Adams donated $28 million to the hospital, which is naming the ER in his honor. Prosecutors: Neo-Nazi Marine Plotted to Attack Jews, Others A former Marine who belonged to a neo-Nazi group that counts willingness to murder Jewish children as a membership requirement was arrested on charges stemming from a federal investigation into his plot to commit mass murder, including against Jews, JTA reported. Matthew Belanger was an active Marine while conspiring online with members of a hate group called Rapekrieg, according to a July 14 court fi ling by federal prosecutors arguing that he should remain in jail while awaiting trial. Together with others from his Long Island, New York, hometown, Belanger had “procured weapons, uniforms, and tactical gear, and discussed committing attacks on a synagogue, Jewish persons, women, and minorities,” according to the court document. Belanger was also discharged because of his extremist activity, according to the fi ling. JE SIZE B 95 $ A 95 $ May you be inscribed in the Book of Life for a happy and healthy year. YOUR NAME Lufthansa to Create a Position to Fight Antisemitism Luft hansa Airlines is creating a senior management role dedicated to preventing discrimination and antisemitism two months aft er it barred a large group of Orthodox Jewish passengers from boarding a fl ight, JTA reported. However, an independent investigation the airline commissioned said there was no evidence of institutional antisemitism behind the incident, which CEO Jens Ritter deemed “categorically inappropriate.” During the May 4 incident, more than 100 Chasidic passengers were kicked off a connecting fl ight from New York to Budapest because some of them had not worn masks and committed other fl ight violations, such as gathering in the aisles. In a Luft hansa letter dated July 22, the airline’s task force acknowledged that some of its crew members were “insensitive and unprofessional” in dealing with the passengers. But the report concluded, “Th e thorough investigation did not reveal any sentiments of antisemitism, prejudice or premeditated behavior by Luft hansa representatives.” 3” x 2.57” MAY THE NEW YEAR BE EVER JOYOUS FOR YOU AND YOUR FAMILY 3” x 1.25” L’Shana Tova Tikatevu SIZE C 55 $ YOUR NAME YOUR NAME PLEASE RUN MY NEW YEAR GREETING IN YOUR HOLIDAY May ISSUE. this be a I WOULD LIKE AD (circle year one here) A, B, C of peace for all. Name _________________________________________________ Phone Number _________________________________________ YOUR NAME Street Address __________________________________________ City____________________ ZIP __________________________ We read: wish everyone The message should __________________________________ in the Jewish _______________________________________________________ community a very _______________________________________________________ Happy Healthy I am enclosing a check for $ & _______________________________ (all congratulations must New be paid Year. for in advance) OR email your information and credit card number to: YOUR NAME pkuperschmidt@midatlanticmedia.com. MAIL TO: CLASSIFIED DEPT., 11459 Cronhill Drive, Suite A • Owings Mills, MD 21117 If you have any questions, contact the Jewish Exponent at 215-832-0757 or pkuperschmidt@midatlanticmedia.com. — Compiled by Andy Gotlieb JEWISHEXPONENT.COM 19 feature story JEWS in GAMELAND Avicebron - Fate/Grand Order fategrandorder.fandom.com HERE’S WHERE TO SPOT THE JEWISH CHARACTERS IN VIDEO GAMES JILLIAN DIAMOND | STAFF WRITER O ver the past few years, diversity in video games has become a hot-button topic in the gaming industry and in fan communities. Developers have made a more concerted eff ort to include minority characters in the casts of their games and to account for a variety of experiences: those of people of color, LGBTQ individuals and people with disabilities. Th ough increased diversity in games has been criticized as “pushing an agenda” by some, more people than ever are now able to have a gaming experience that refl ects their own real-life experience. One area that is still lacking, though, is diversity of religion. As such, Jewish characters are a rarity in games, but there are still some out there. Here are seven: B.J. Blazkowicz - Wolfenstein (1981-present) Th e “Wolfenstein” series is all about fi ghting Nazis. Th e ongoing series was foundational to the fi rst-per- son shooter genre, being one of the fi rst of its kind to achieve widespread popularity alongside “Doom” and “Quake.” “Wolfenstein”’s innovations in the genre would lead to some of the most well-known games ever, such as the “Call of Duty” and “Halo” series. But the series is not without its controversy, as one might expect from a game about killing as many Nazis as you can. Th e fi rst game was banned in Germany due to its usage of Nazi iconography and, in recent years, some on the far right have taken issue with the series’ violent answer to fascism and its #NoMoreNazis advertising campaign in 2017. Th e main character of most of the games, William Joseph Blazkowicz, or “B.J.” for short, is a Polish- American Jew who acts as a spy and specializes in one-man missions. He’s an ardent antifascist who joins the American resistance against the Axis pow- ers to investigate Nazi activity. Th e games pull no punches in displaying how B.J. and the developers feel about Nazis — in “Wolfenstein 3D,” B.J. can even assassinate Adolf Hitler himself. Otacon - Metal Gear Solid (1998-present) Due to the ubiquity of the “Metal Gear Solid” series, Dr. Hal “Otacon” Emmerich is one of the more pop- ular Jewish characters in video games and arguably Rabbi Russell Stone (and various other characters) - The Shivah (2006, 2013) B.J. Blazkowicz - Wolfenstein MachineGames / Bethesda Soft works Rabbi Russell Stone TVTropes.com Otacon - Metal Gear Solid metalgear.wikia.com/ wiki/Hal_Emmerich 20 one of the better known cases on this list. Being the closest partner of series protagonist Solid Snake, he plays a major role in the franchise, whether he is assisting Snake in missions or raising a child, Sunny, with him. He is certainly not the toughest or coolest video game character — he’s a nerd and a self-proclaimed “otaku” (fan of anime and other Japanese media), and his introduction is, in a word, embarrassing — but he’s also an incredibly intelligent scientist with a complicated history. Above all else, he is dedicated to doing the right thing. Th e nature of his Jewish identity is more apocry- phal than other Jewish characters in video games, as it has mainly been alluded to in “Metal Gear Solid” supplementary material, such as him being listed as being American and Jewish in the “Metal Gear Solid Offi cial Mission Handbook.” His father being introduced in a later game in the series complicates things, as his and Otacon’s mother’s Jewish identities are never expanded upon. AUGUST 4, 2022 | JEWISHEXPONENT.COM As far as indie games go, “Th e Shivah” could be con- sidered one of the fi rst to feature Jewish characters and themes. Published in 2006 by developer Wadjet Eye Games, “Th e Shivah” is perhaps the most Jewish game ever. It follows the tale of a rabbi struggling with his faith who becomes the suspect in the murder of a former member of his synagogue. “Th e Shivah” is a point-and-click adventure game in the style of the “Monkey Island” series and “Myst.” Like many of its genre contemporaries, it presents the player with multiple dialogue options that determine the ending they get. Where “Th e Shivah” diff ers is that the player cannot directly decide what Rabbi Stone will say next: Th ey can decide his tone, as well as whether they want to give a “Rabbinical response” and answer a question with another question, but exactly what he says is up to him. Th e game’s confl ict stems from an interfaith mar- riage between two characters. Stone refusing to marry them and casting them out from his synagogue is what eventually leads to one’s murder. As the story progresses, he is forced to come to grips with his own ideals and whether the way he espouses his faith is really the right way to do it. Th e sanctity of marriage between Jews is something “Th e Shivah” creator Dave Gilbert says his mother felt very strongly about, and viewing it as a “very Jewish problem to face” led him to include it in the game. In the 16 years since the game’s fi rst release, Gilbert admits that he has found inaccuracies in the original game, and it is not an exhaustive look at Judaism and the issues that Jews may face in their communities. But these inaccuracies do not change the fact that “Th e Shivah” comes from a very personal place of reexamining one’s faith and coming to terms with it. “It exists as this thing I made when I was going through a transition of deciding what I wanted to do with my life,” Gilbert said. “But it just ended up taking off because of its subject matter.” Brigid Tenenbaum — Bioshock (2007-present) “Bioshock” is a surprising well of Jewish represen- tation. Ken Levine, creator of the series and direc- tor of the fi rst game, stated in an interview with GameInformer that “pretty much half the cast” of the fi rst game is Jewish. He listed Andrew Ryan, Sander Cohen, J.S. Steinman and Mariska Lutz as examples. It is worth noting that aside from Mariska, these characters are all villainous in nature and as a result their status as “good” Jewish representation is debat- able. Still, the game’s Jewish cast stems from Levine writing of his own religion (though he now identifi es as an atheist) and experiences. Th e most important non-villainous Jew in the game, though, has to be Dr. Brigid Tenenbaum. She is intro- duced as a geneticist and the creator of the Little Sisters, young girls who have been genetically modifi ed to col- lect ADAM, a gene-altering substance, from around the underwater city of Rapture. She eventually comes to see them as her children and is protective of them. Her story is inextricably tied to her Judaism, as she grew up in Minsk during the Holocaust and became a prisoner in Auschwitz. She only survived because her intelligence was useful to the Nazi doctors who worked there, and they forced her to help them with their experiments or risk death if she refused. Tenenbaum’s character is complex — she is clearly racked with grief because of what she was forced to do in Auschwitz and what she did to create Little Sisters, and has grown attached to them perhaps as an outlet for that grief. Whether the player chooses to kill Little Sisters they come across or not has a sig- nifi cant eff ect on the story, with Tenenbaum assisting protagonist Jack if he spares them. Jack even adopts fi ve little girls at the end of the game if the player has beaten it without killing a single Little Sister. Avicebron - Fate/Grand Order (2015) Th e plot of the “Fate” series of games is diffi cult to explain, but the most succinct summary is that they are visual novels about mages who summon the spirits of historical and mythological fi gures — commonly known as “servants” — to fi ght each other in hopes of receiving a wish from the legendary Holy Grail. While not the most accessible series to play, as many of its games have never left Japan, it has managed to garner a passionate online fanbase. “Fate/Grand Order” is the franchise’s mobile entry, and while it contains Jewish fi gures from the Hebrew Bible, such as David and Solomon, the most curious piece of Jewish representation in the game is a fi gure players are less likely to be familiar with: Avicebron, better known as Solomon ibn Gavirol. Solomon ibn Gavirol, born around 1021, was one of the most preeminent medieval Jewish poets and philosophers. “Fate” is notorious for bending the truth of the historical fi gures it features, though, and its depiction of Avicebron focuses primarily on the Kabbalism his teachings inspired. A matter-of-fact, reclusive person, he fi ghts using golems: a reference to the fact that Solomon ibn Gavirol is rumored to have created golems to do his chores. Th ough a relatively minor character in a game with over 300 characters, he has a fairly complex characterization and is likely how many players found out that ibn Gavirol even existed. Dina — The Last of Us Part II (2020) Dina may be the most overt case of Jewish represen- tation in an AAA (made by a major publisher and given a higher development and marketing budget, akin to a blockbuster) game. Th e partner of Ellie, the main character, Dina speaks openly about Judaism and Jewish practices. She wears a bracelet marked with a hamsa, has a chai symbol hanging in her house and notes that her sister would take her to a synagogue to pray. While her Judaism was never outright stated in game, it was a popular fan theory that was later confi rmed by Naughty Dog creative director Neil Druckmann. “So I was like, ‘Well, it’s rare to see a Jewish character in a video game, and for her to own that,’” he said in a Mashable article. He also noted during a panel at the E3 video game conference that getting the light to refl ect properly on Dina’s frizzy hair, a physical trait shared by many Jews, posed a particular challenge to the development team. In the zombie-infested, dire and oft en cruel world of “Th e Last of Us,” Dina provides Ellie with much-needed comfort and someone to talk with aft er the death of Joel, her guardian from the fi rst game. Th e state of their sur- roundings puts pressure on both her and Ellie, and it is diffi cult to say if they will fi nd a happy ending together in future games. But Dina still stands out as one of the most visible cases of Jewish representation in gaming: As of June 22, “Th e Last of Us Part II” has sold 10 million copies on the PS4 alone. pack — among these are a dreidel, a menorah and mezuzahs to be hung on door frames, implying that the main character is Jewish. “Unpacking is all about learning about a person from the items they own,” said Wren Brier, the game’s creative director. “We wanted to make the characters feel like real, three-dimensional people so that players could relate to them. One aspect of that is a religious and cultural identity. Our character happens to be an artist, and she happens to be queer, and happens to be Jewish. All of these are important parts of who she is. “I just want to see more [Jewish representation],” Brier said. “Games rarely feature Jewish characters at all. And I’d like to see a greater variety of Jewish representation in popular media in general. Th e Jewish experience is diverse: We live all over the world, we come in every skin color and every level of religiosity, from ultra-Orthodox to atheist. It feels like the only Jewish people I see in popular media are white American Jews, usually in New York, or white European Jews during World War II. Th ose are, of course, valuable perspectives, but I think a lot of other Jewish perspectives are just not represented at all.” JE jdiamond@midatlanticmedia.com Main character — Unpacking youtube Brigid Tenenbaum — Bioshock bioshock.fandom.com Main character — Unpacking (2021) “Unpacking,” a puzzle game by Australian develop- ment team Witch Beam, is a curious case in terms of its Jewish representation. By all accounts, the game has no characters who ever appear on screen or even any dialogue. But through the combination of block-fi tting and home decoration that make up the gameplay, the player learns about the lives of the nameless homeowners they assist in eight diff erent moves over the course of 21 years. Th e game’s primary narrative is communicated through the items the player is assigned to place or Dina hero.fandom.com/wiki/Dina JEWISHEXPONENT.COM 21 seniors Simple Changes Allow You to Stay Home As You Age ROSIE ROMERO JR | SPECIAL TO THE JE T oday’s real estate market is tough for homebuyers. From the soaring prices to low inven- tory, fi nding a home that fi ts your needs as you or a loved one age can be challenging and costly. If you are having trouble looking for another house with aging-friendly amenities, consider staying put and adding them to your current home. It doesn’t have to cost a lot of money to make a few simple changes to your home that could allow you to live there longer. Th ere are many low-cost ways to make your home, or your parents’ home, more comfortable and accessi- ble, including these suggestions. For starters, focus on these areas that can become the biggest barriers as you 22 get a little older: the doorways and the bathroom. In addition, it’s wise to get rid of the steps approaching at least one of the home’s entrances. Entryways You could replace the steps with a small, natural ramp with some grading and landscaping. Pro tip: Th e ramp should be a foot in length for every inch of rise to the threshold. Otherwise, the slope will be too high and someone approaching in a wheelchair will stall halfway up. Th ere are also portable ramps if you can’t add a permanent one. For stairs where a ramp isn’t fea- sible, add additional lighting to reduce the risk of falls. Widen the front doorway to the home so it’s at least 36 inches, the width a wheelchair or walker needs to fi t through without scraping the sides. AUGUST 4, 2022 | JEWISHEXPONENT.COM Doorways Th e same goes for interior doors to bedrooms and bathrooms, which are typically only 30 inches wide. Can’t aff ord construction? Fit your door with a swing-out hinge that will add 2 to 3 inches to the width. Th e hinges can be found at hardware stores or online. Bathrooms Next, make your bathroom more com- fortable to use now and in the future. If you’re having trouble getting up and down when using the toilet, add a steel toilet safety frame with arms to help you lift and lower yourself. You can fi nd them at home improvement stores that sell medical aids. If you don’t like the look of the safety frame, install a grab bar on the wall next to the toilet. You can fi nd grab bars in stylish fi nishes and designer colors to match your bathroom’s décor. For a more comfortable solution, though a bit pricier, swap your old 14-inch-tall toilet for a new “com- fort-height” model with a seat that’s 17 to 19 inches from the ground, which is more like the height of a chair. Consider adding a washlet or bidet. A bidet is a standalone fi xture that resembles a toilet. It uses water with a retractable or separate hand-held sprayer, faucet or direct spray from the bottom of the bowl. A washlet is a toilet seat with integrated bidet functions. Grab bars in the bathroom were once associated with disabilities. Th at’s not the case anymore. People of all ages and abilities are buying and installing them. In addition to the grab bars next to your toilet, place one or two on the shower walls. Th ey’ll help you hang on if you lose your balance. Your visitors will use them for the same reason. Pro tip: Before installing grab bar(s), consider how you will use it. One that’s positioned horizontally will give you the best leverage as you get out of the bathtub or stand up from the toilet. Choose one that is 24 inches long. Place it 33 to 36 inches above the fl oor. If you’d like to add a bar on the same wall as the showerhead, it should be at least 12 inches long. Keep in mind that an angled bar is handy if people of diff erent heights share the bathroom. Th e angled grab bar might be easier to install because wall studs are placed 16 inches apart. A 24-inch bar installed at a 45-degree angle will allow you to screw the bar into those studs easily. You need to anchor the grab bar to a wall stud or with a toggle bolt that has a guaranteed weight rating. Otherwise, it could pull right out from the wall and send you fl ying if you lean or pull on it. Plus, most building codes require that grab bars be secure enough to stay in place even under the pressure of a 250-pound load. Th at means you must screw the bars into wall studs. If the wall studs don’t match the length of the bar, then reinforce the wall with plywood, and screw it into that. Many people use their showers far more than their bathtubs, espe- cially if they no longer bathe children. Th erefore, consider replacing your tub with a curbless shower. Have a bench and a hand-held spray installed at the same time, so that you can sit while you shower. If you’re still stepping over a curb to get into the shower, you could trip. And if you need to use a wheel- chair down the road, rolling into the shower will be easier. Better to make those changes now when it’s not an urgent need. Most people want to live inde- pendently, no matter what their age. Making a few future-minded improve- ments to your home now can help keep you comfortable and safe at home for years to come. JE Rosie Romero, Jr. is co-owner of Arizona’s home improvement radio pro- gram “Rosie on the House.” food & dining S Off-Season Roast Chicken vegetables, to add flavor to grains like quinoa and barley and to stretch sauces. It has already paid dividends. The beauty of this broth is that you don’t have to peel or chop anything. Just chuck it all in the pot! KERI WHITE | SPECIAL TO THE JE ometimes you just want a roast chicken. It seems a bit incongruous for this classic cold-weather comfort meal, which invariably ends up as a simmering soup, to appear on a summer table. But sometimes you just want a roast chicken. As the old saying goes, “In for a penny, in for a pound,” so we went autumnal for this dinner — roasting sweet pota- toes and cabbage alongside the chicken. The plate was beautifully colorful, filled with superfood nutrients, and the bone broth we made the following day from the chicken carcass, while steamy, filled our freezer with an elixir that we will be thankful for when fall falls. Here’s what we did: Roast Chicken with Sweet Potatoes Serves 2-4 4.5-pound roasting chicken 1 tablespoon salt 1 tablespoon sugar 1 teaspoon black pepper 1 tablespoon garlic powder 1 tablespoon white vinegar 1 lemon, cut in half 4 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut in halves lengthwise (or wedges, if potatoes are large) Sprinkle of olive oil, salt and pepper Place the chicken in a large pot, and fill it with cold water. Add the remain- ing ingredients, except the sweet potatoes and additional oil, salt and pepper, squeezing all the juice out of the lemon into the pot and adding the rind. Cover and allow it to brine in the refrigerator for 2-24 hours. When done, discard the brine, but save the lemon halves. Rinse the chicken, place the lemon halves in the cavity and place them in a large roasting pan. (Use a pan larger than the chicken requires, as you will be adding the sweet potatoes later and will need the space.) Pour ½ cup of water or broth in the bottom of the pan, and roast the chicken at 350 degrees F. While the chicken begins to cook, prepare the sweet potatoes — peel, cut and toss them with a bit of oil, salt and pepper. Bones, skin, fat and drippings from a whole roast chicken 2 stalks celery 2 carrots 1 onion, cut in half A few cloves garlic A handful of fresh herbs, such as rosemary, dill, thyme and sage, if you have them; if not, use ½ teaspoon of each dried 2 teaspoons each salt and pepper Photo by Keri White After 30 minutes in the oven, remove the pan from the oven and place the sweet potatoes next to the chicken. Place it back in the oven for another 60 minutes until the chicken and sweet potatoes are cooked through. a zip-seal bag with all the drip- pings, and make the broth when the weather breaks. We simmered this overnight, cooled it and froze it in sealable containers for use in soups, risottos, to simmer Place all the ingredients in a large pot covered with cold water. Bring it to a boil, lower the heat, cover and sim- mer on very low heat for 12-24 hours. Cool, strain and use as desired or freeze. JE Herbed Roasted Cabbage Serves 4 generously (chop the leftovers into salad tomorrow) 1 medium head cabbage, cut in wedges 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 tablespoon herb blend, such as Italian seasoning or herbs de Provence 1 teaspoon salt Generous sprinkle of fresh cracked pepper Line a baking tray with parchment. Place the wedges on the tray, brush both sides with oil and sprinkle them with herbs and seasonings. Roast them in the oven alongside the chicken for 45 minutes until cooked through and beginning to brown at the edges. Bone Broth If you’ve roasted a chicken, it is practically a law that you must make a soup or broth out of the bones and freeze it, even if it is the dead of sum- mer and the heat is oppressive. Trust me, your October self will thank you. If you really can’t stand the notion of this enterprise now, put the whole chicken carcass in the freezer in Exclusive Women’s Apparel Boutique Made in USA Custom designs, color options and free alterations available Evening Gowns Suits/Separates Cocktail Dresses 61 Buck Road Huntingdon Valley, PA 19006 www.elanaboutique.com (215)953-8820 Make an appointment to consult with the designer Monday-Friday 10am-3pm JEWISHEXPONENT.COM 23 arts & culture Between a Rock and a Flooding Place: Area Playwright Details Upcoming Show I SASHA ROGELBERG | STAFF WRITER t makes perfect sense, if you don’t think too hard about it, that the son of a part-time clown would go on to write a play about a magic rock. For Philadelphia-born Jewish play- wright Dan Kitrosser, growing up play- ing Monsier Dumb Bobo — the assistant to his father Juggles the Clown and brother Noodles in the family “Bagel and Cream Cheese Circus” — laid the groundwork for the need to pretend. Playing make-believe in his Mt. Airy home eventually evolved into Kitrosser, 38, becoming a full-time playwright, mak- ing a career in New York and Portland, Oregon, and returning to Philadelphia with his husband this past spring. Kitrosser’s newest play and Philadelphia homecoming, “Hannah + Th e Healing Stone,” showing Aug. 18-28 at Th e Drake, aims to capture the whimsy of his child- hood theatrical roots while grappling with what it means to be human in relationship with others today. Th e play is presented by the terraNOVA Collective. Set in a fi ctionalized Jenkintown, “Hannah + Th e Healing Stone” begins with a Martin’s Aquarium employee who is asked to deliver a goldfi sh to an old “put- tering” shut-in. Th e man stumbles across a stone with magical properties: If you hold onto it, think hard about what upsets you and let the stone go, you will be healed. Only the man, holding onto grief, pain and toxic masculinity, refuses to let go of the stone. Meanwhile, the old putterer turns into a goldfi sh with the ability to grant wishes; a fi lm crew comes to Jenkintown to shoot a fi lm; and the town begins to fl ood, with resident Hannah, “the girl who always wanted to leave town but couldn’t,” the only person able to set things right. Th e play, overfl owing with absurdity, has unconventional origins, but it is ulti- mately rooted in today’s zeitgeist. In 2019, Kitrosser’s husband Jordan Siegel (who also plays the neurotic fi lm director in the show), rattled off fi ve ran- dom objects to Kitrosser, who needed an idea for the opening scene of a play. “Th at’s kind of why the play kind of lives in a Jungian, dreamlike state because I was just sort of doing some automatic 24 writing,” Kitrosser said. “So it was almost like an exercise that turned into a play.” For most of the play’s early existence, it did not have a proper ending, drop- ping off at the end with an unsatisfying conclusion. Aft er the pandemic began, Kitrosser changed the ending. Th e real-life story about the importance of community in sustaining one another, even in times of grief and uncertainty, suddenly meshed with the fi ctional story about the reluc- tance to let go of pain and grief for fear of a similar uncertainty. “Without the pandemic, I would not have had the space and the understand- ing of what this play was teaching me,” Kitrosser said. It’s befi tting that “Hannah + Th e Healing Stone” is making an extended appearance — having debuted in Portland last year — in Kitrosser’s hometown, with heavy cre- ative input from his husband and longtime collaborator and director Kyle Metzger. Creating strong emotional themes in the show was only one challenge of the show; creating a dynamic set in which the characters live was another. Metzger, Dan Kitrosser (left) at a rehearsal of “Hannah + The Healing Stone” who met Kitrosser during their early careers in New York, was tasked with representing a fl ooding town and bring- ing a goldfi sh to life. “Hannah + Th e Healing Stone” incorporates puppetry, dioramic sets, screens and a rich sound- scape to immerse the audience into a waterlogged and magical Jenkintown. Th e show’s visual eff ects also have the pandemic to thank, with Zoom theater creating innovative ways to incorporate technology into productions. AUGUST 4, 2022 | JEWISHEXPONENT.COM “Th e live video component and the projection is very much an eff ort to bring in some of the tools and the toys that we created during the pandemic era from digital theater back onto the stage,” Metzger said. But “Hannah + Th e Healing Stone” hits close to Kitrosser’s self-proclaimed “very gay and very Jewish” roots. Kitrosser attended Solomon Schechter Day School and Akiba Hebrew Academy and grew up indoctrinated into Jewish comedy by his father, who put on old recordings of Borscht Belt comedians. Th ough many of the characters in the show are queer, Kitrosser adds his Judaism into the show more judiciously. “Hannah + Th e Healing Stone” cap- tures the same frenetic, anxious energy common in Jewish life and common in the traits of Kitrosser’s own family. It’s his own experiences, upbringing and personal touch that breathes life into the show. “Th e great thing about Jewish comedy is that it lives right on the edge of danger, right on the edge of, ‘If we don’t do this, it will all fall apart,’” Kitrosser said. “Even though [the play] is not about yeshiva, it’s Jewish.” JE srogelberg@midatlanticmedia.com obituaries Jewish Community Leader Ruth Magil Perry Dies at 88 JARRAD SAFFREN | STAFF WRITER R uth Magil Perry, a Jewish com- munity leader known for her 40-plus years of service to orga- nizations like the Jewish Th eological Seminary and the American Jewish Congress, died on July 21 at her Jenkintown home. She was 88. According to family members, Magil Perry served the Jewish community in Philadelphia and New York City in paid and volunteer positions. She also was a fundraiser, speaker and offi cer for Temple Sinai in Philadelphia, the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism and the Camp Ramah Commission, among others. But they said she was proudest of her two elected terms at the helm of the Women’s League for Conservative Judaism, which represented more than 200,000 sisterhood members. Th rough her advocacy, Magil Perry ended up dining with the father of modern Israel, David Ben-Gurion, and sharing cigarettes with the mother of modern Israel, Golda Meir. Th e former homemaker was driven by a core belief, according to her son Daniel Perry. “Th e world should have Jews,” he said. “She always felt that there was a certain moral obligation to do the right thing and teach those ethics and pass them on.” Magil Perry is survived by her children Dan (Jennifer Haskell) and Stephanie Perry (Ronan McGrath), as well as her three grandchildren. And her descendants have vivid memories of the Jewish home that she created with her husband of 50 years, M. Milton Perry. On Shabbat, the matriarch welcomed a house full of people. She cooked chicken soup, matzah balls, roast chicken, challah and “the best chopped liver ever,” Dan Perry said. If she had 18 guests, she would make chopped liver for 18. Her children were not allowed to miss it even when they got older, though they could bring friends. One of Dan Perry’s best friends from growing up in the Philadelphia public schools, Benjamin Th ompson, was not Jewish. But he came over for Shabbat dinner every Friday night between the Ruth Magil Perry Courtesy of the Perry family ages of fi ve and 15. “We dubbed him the Shabbos queen,” Dan Perry said. “Mom would go all out.” Magil Perry’s rule about making enough food extended to all Jewish hol- idays, her son explained. It also applied whether the food was brisket or chicken or turkey. And in her preparations for meals, Magil Perry made sure to involve fi rst her children and then her grandchil- dren. Th e family did not stop at the biggest celebrations, either. On Sukkot, they built a sukkah every year. On Simchat Torah, “we went all out,” Dan Perry said. For Chanukah, Magil Perry even took a page out of the Christmas playbook and decorated her house in color, with blue, silver and white replac- ing Christmas red and green. Stephanie Perry recalled that, if a guest was invited in one time, he or she would inevitably be invited back. Aft er the children left for college, their friends kept stopping by to say hi to their mom. “Th ere was always an assortment of people,” Stephanie Perry remembered. “She took Jewish family living seriously.” Joel Beaver, who served on the board of the AJC during Magil Perry’s tenure as director, used to go to the Perry house for Th anksgiving dinner, Passover seders and Rosh Hashanah dinner. “I became an unofficial mem- ber of their family,” he said. “She was very knowledgeable about Judaism. Dedicated.” Magil Perry was the daughter of a rabbi: Reuben J. Magil, the spiritual leader of Harrisburg’s Jewish commu- nity in the 1930s, ’40s and ’50s. Magil was a man with “unbelievable curiosity,” Dan Perry said. He had three doctor- ate degrees and spoke 10 languages. Th e grandson remembers visiting his grandpa’s Harrisburg home and seeing newspapers in every language all over the place. Magil Perry worshipped her father. As Dan Perry put it, they were “amazingly close, on the same page and of the same mind.” Th e daughter grew up to become the valedictorian of her high school and a University of Pennsylvania grad- uate. She also carried her father’s Jewish traditions, of observing the Sabbath, attending shul and celebrating all of the holidays, outside of his home. “You are Jewish, and this is what we do as Jews,” Dan Perry explained of his mother’s philosophy. When Ruth met Milt Perry, the 6-foot-2 football player and bodybuilder with movie star looks was acceptable to her father for one reason. “He had a bar mitzvah in Atlantic City,” Dan Perry said. For a while aft er they got married, though, Milt Perry worked in the paper business and Magil Perry made their Jewish home. But aft er seven or eight years, she became president of the sis- terhood at her synagogue, Temple Sinai, in the early 1960s. “Th at gave her a taste of, ‘Hey, I can be a leader,’” Dan Perry said. JE jsaff ren@midatlanticmedia.com Complimentary Financial Planning Consultation Due to the ongoing pandemic, I am offering virtual financial planning. It will be just you and me in on a Zoom call. We'll spend one hour discussing any financial issues, questions, and concerns that matter to you. Services • Portfolio management • Financial planning • Goal setting & Prioritization • Portfolio reviews/Second opinions • Wealth management • Distribution strategies • Estate planning • Retirement planning • One-on-One Financial Advice • Private and Confidential • No Strings Attached • No Obligations Matthew A. Ramos, CFP® Founder MAR Financial Planning, LLC p: 267.225.7685 Matt@MARFP.com | www.MARFP.com Straightforward financial planning for everyone™ To schedule a meeting, please email me (Matt@MARFP.com) or call/text me (267.225.7685). JEWISHEXPONENT.COM 25 obituaries BLUM JON, age 88, died in his Phila- delphia home on July 21, 2022. Blum was a Philadelphia-born and raised businessman and social activist committed to progressive liberal Democratic causes from the Civil Rights Movement long into his retirement years as a so- cially responsible venture capital volunteer consultant. After earn- ing his bachelor’s degree from Dartmouth College, he spent two years in the United States Army, including time in Munich, Germany where he earned a commendation for meritorious service. When he returned to the United States in the early 1960s, he joined Phil- adelphia-based Kuhn Blum and Company (KBC), a textile manu- facturing business that his father co-founded with Alan Kuhn. He spent five years in Chicago with his then-wife, Nancy Blum, and two children, growing the KBC business and becoming active in the Chicago civil rights movement. In 1963, a photograph of Blum was featured on the cover of the Chicago Daily News being pulled into a paddy wagon by police when he was arrested at a Congress of Racial Equality (CORE) sit-in protesting residential and school segregation. He became active in local affairs which included City Charter protection and reform, the Get Set program, Poor People’s campaign, and West Mount Airy Neighbors. Blum actively cam- paigned and fundraised for Dem- ocratic candidates Thatcher Long- stretch, Edmund Muskie, Milton Shapp, Jimmy Carter and mod- erate Republican Arlen Specter, many of whom wrote him personal thank you letters for his efforts. In 1973, he was named chairman of Americans for Democratic Ac- tion (ADA) and was appointed by Governor Shapp to the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Com- mission (DVRPC). Blum ran for City Council in 1975 and was de- scribed in the Philadelphia Bulletin as demonstrating “independence and aggressive leadership as Gov- ernor Shapp’s appointee to the DVRPC” who “has not hesitated to confront the Rizzo Administra- tion on matters before the regional planning group.” Blum was one of 26 1000 prominent American busi- ness and labor leaders appointed by President Carter to help direct the United Nations Day programs honoring the anniversary of the UN. In 1978, he became execu- tive producer of the award-win- ning documentary “Amateur Night at City Hall: The Story of Frank L. Rizzo.” In the early 1980s, he was elected president of Mutual Real Estate Investment Trust (MRE- IT), a public real estate compa- ny whose mission was to prove that integrated communities do not lower property values. In the 1990s, Blum moved from the tex- tile business to the financial world at Merrill Lynch where he helped develop a socially responsible in- vestment strategy for more than 20 years. After he retired in 2010, he stayed active as a venture capital consultant with Untours Founda- tion and as a condominium board member. He enjoyed international travel with his wife Fran Freed- man, as well as frequent visits to his family in Colorado, California, Florida, New York and Illinois. He is survived by his wife Fran Freed- man Blum, his children, Ellen Blum Barish (David), Adam (Gary Lang (d)), his step children, Samuel (Maryna Boiko) Freedman, Mat- thew (Anna), Edward Freedman, Katie Freedman Goldsmith (Adam Goldsmith) his many loving grand- children Emily, Jennifer (Kelle), Max, Avery, Haven, and Ted. He is also survived by his brother Michael (Irma) Blum. Gifts in his memory may be made to Untours Foundation, untoursfoundation. org/donate-now. GOLDSTEINS’ ROSENBERG’S RAPHAEL-SACKS www.goldsteinsfuneral.com BROWNSTEIN SELMA (nee Butow), July 25, 2022. Wife of the late Philip. Moth- er of Lisa (Jerome) Brown, Stuart Brownstein and Lynda Krevitz. Grandmother of the late Brooke Le- rner. Great grandmother of Madden Lerner. Contributions in her memo- ry may be made to a charity of the donor’s choice. GOLDSTEINS’ ROSENBERG’S RAPHAEL-SACKS www.goldsteinsfuneral.com DAVIS RONALD P. “Ron”, July 23, 2022. Husband of Linda (nee Rossin) and the late Pearl (nee Dubin) Davis. Father of Edward (Jan) and Scott (Dawn Gilley) Davis, and Holly (Da- vid) Lipow. Brother of Judith (Alan Snegaroff) Schuster. Grandfather of Brandon (Alana), Brett, Jordan, Bradley, and Paige Davis, and Matthew and Jason Lipow. Great grandfather of Blake and Evan AUGUST 4, 2022 | JEWISHEXPONENT.COM Davis. Stepfather of Barrie and Richard Feldman, and Stacy Alex- ander. Step-grandfather of Henry Alexander and Brett and Jessica Feldman. Ron served in the Korean War. Upon his return, he attended Temple University and married his childhood Sweetheart, Pearl. He then began a decades-long career in the food industry, ultimately be- coming the President of Colonial Beef Company. After Pearl’s pass- ing in 1991, Ron married Linda, with whom he remained married until his passing. Contributions in his memory may be made to a charity of the donor’s choice. GOLDSTEINS’ ROSENBERG’S RAPHAEL-SACKS www.goldsteinsfuneral.com FORMAN RHODA S., November 15, 1939 – July 25, 2022-It is with great sad- ness that the family of Rhoda S. Forman announces her passing on Monday, July 25, 2022, at the age of 82, in her home with fami- ly by her side after a courageous battle with thymic cancer. She is survived by her beloved husband, David, her loving daughters Stacey Forman (Andy Middleman) and Al- ison (Michael Goldberg), her ador- ing grandchildren Lexi and Jared Goldberg, and her devoted broth- er Steven Smith (Andee Herson). Rhoda was a kind, genuine, loving and successful woman who owned and operated a jewelry store, In- dulgence by Rhoda Forman, in Haverford, Pennsylvania. Funeral services will be graveside, private, and for immediate family. Contribu- tions in her memory may be made to American Heart Association. GOLDSTEINS’ ROSENBERG’S RAPHAEL-SACKS www.goldsteinsfuneral.com FREEMAN ESTELLE (nee Berkowitz)-July 27, 2022 of Philadelphia, PA. Beloved wife of the late David Freeman; loving mother of Richard Freeman (Lisa), Jeffrey Freeman (Melissa), Cindy Freeman (David Nemer- son), and Sherri Walters (Robert); adoring grandmother of Lauren (Aaron), Michael, Nick, Jason (Ra- chel), Alex, Josh, William, Jack, Sarah, Arlo, Jessica, and Trevor and great-grandmother of Violet, Samuel, Asher. In lieu of flowers, contributions in her memory may be made to the Alzheimer’s Asso- ciation (alz.org) or the American Lung Association (lung.org). JOSEPH LEVINE & SONS www.levinefuneral.com LISS LYNN (nee Levinson) of Philadel- phia passed away on July 22, 2022. She is survived by her husband, Sheldon, and children, Rachel and Joshua (Nicole). At Lynn’s request, there will be no funeral or memorial service. Contributions in her mem- ory may be made to the Coalition Against Hunger (www.hungercoali- tion.org). GOLDSTEINS’ ROSENBERG’S RAPHAEL-SACKS www.goldsteinsfuneral.com MAYER STEVEN, July 25, 2022, of Con- shohocken, PA; beloved husband of Miriam (nee Katz); loving father of Jeffrey Mayer (Jennifer) and Karen Stephens (Scott); devoted brother of Kenneth Mayer and Lar- ry Mayer (Marcy); cherished grand- father of Zachary Mayer (Amanda) and Jaden Mayer. In lieu of flowers, contributions in Steven’s memory may be made to a charity of the do- nor’s choice. JOSEPH LEVINE & SONS www.levinefuneral.com MELNIKOFF MARVIN D.-Passed away on July 27, 2022. Husband of Sandra Mel- nikoff (nee Radosh). Father of Mer- yl Melnikoff (Mary Bradley) and the late Rona Rosner. Brother of Mitch- ell (Stephanie) Melnikoff and Har- vey (Rita) Melnikoff. Grandfather of Mallory Rosner, Tracy Rosner (Robert Reyes) and Daniel Ros- ner. Contributions in his memory may be made to Cong. Beth El-Ner Tamid, www.cbent.org, or to The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp, www. holeinthewallgang.org. GOLDSTEINS’ ROSENBERG’S RAPHAEL-SACKS www.goldsteinsfuneral.com Scott (Lori) Paikin; great-grand- mother of Samantha & Dane Stein and Dylan, Blake, & Aiden Paikin; mother-in-law of Tina Goodman; and also survived by many nieces and nephews. Contributions in her memory may be made to Chabad of Abington, 515 Meetinghouse Road, Rydal, PA 19046, www.jew- ishabington.com. GOLDSTEINS’ ROSENBERG’S RAPHAEL-SACKS www.goldsteinsfuneral.com PASHKO MORRIS, passed away at home on July 23, 2022. Adoring husband of Toby (nee Newstat); loving father of Sandy Pashko and Bruce (Randi), grandfather of Jared and Zachary (Alesha). Contributions in his mem- ory may be made to the American Diabetes Association or to the char- ity of the donor’s choice. GOLDSTEINS’ ROSENBERG’S RAPHAEL-SACKS www.goldsteinsfuneral.com MYEROV JOSEPH on July 27, 2022. Be- loved husband of the late Loretta (nee Epstein); Loving father of Anita Yampolsky (Harry), Neil My- erov (Joan), and Benjamin Myerov (Susan); Dear brother of Doris Mann; Devoted grandfather of Aar- on, Megan (Robert), Micah, and Celia; Adoring great-grandfather of Sebastian. Contributions in his memory may be made to Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research, www.michaeljfox.org or Beth Sholom Cong., 8231 Old York Rd., Elkins Park, PA 19027. GOLDSTEINS’ ROSENBERG’S RAPHAEL-SACKS www.goldsteinsfuneral.com PAIKIN LILIAN “Lily” (nee Shapiro), age 106, died on July 25, 2022. Wife of the late Abraham “Johnny”; mother of the late Franklin Paikin; grand- mother of Jill (Marc) Stein and PERRY RUTH MAGIL-Jewish Community Leader Died July 21, 2022, age 88. Daughter of Rabbi Reuben J. And Selma Diskan Magil, wife of over 50 years to the late M. Milton Per- ry. Survived by children Stephanie Perry (Ronan McGrath) and Daniel Magil Perry (Jennifer Haskell) and grandchildren Andrew C. McGrath, Rebekah, Aviva Perry (Philip Hyn Cho) and Aaron Magil Perry. Sister of the late David Solomon Magil. Survived by sister Judith M. Ber- liner, and by Manuel Grife of Rydal Park, her companion for 14 years. Mrs. Perry served the Jewish com- munity in Philadelphia and in New York, in both paid and volunteer positions, for over 40 years, as a fundraiser, speaker, officer or di- rector, for Temple Sinai , United Synagogue, Camp Ranch Commis- sion, Jewish Theological Seminary, American Jewish Congress, and others, often as the only woman of- ficer. She was proudest of her two elected terms as President of the Women’s League for Conservative Judaism, using her powerful voice to represent over 200,000 Sister- hood women worldwide, and of her work as a member of the Confer- ence of Presidents of Major Jewish Organizations to advance Ameri- can-Israeli relations and the inter- ests of world Jewry. Due to Covid concerns, there will be no shiva and interment will be private. RIFKIND ROBERTA (nee Peterson)-On July 24, 2022. Beloved wife of Eu- gene. Devoted mother of David Rifkind (Sonia Melamed) and the late Adam Rifkind (Millie). Loving grandmother of Serine Crespo and Harlan and Lydia Rifkind. Dear sister of Patricia Ross and Debbie Jo Howard (Bruce). Contributions in her memory may be made to Melrose B’nai Israel – Emanu El, 8339 Old York Road, Elkins Park, PA 19027. GOLDSTEINS’ ROSENBERG’S RAPHAEL-SACKS www.goldsteinsfuneral.com SARACHEK DEBORAH MARY (nee Wexler) of Allentown, Pennsylvania, passed away on March 4, 2021. She was 77 years old. Debbie, as she was known to loved ones and friends, was the daughter of the late Sol- omon Wexler and Sylvia Wexler Rosenthal, who remarried the late Ed Rosenthal. She is survived by her beloved daughters, Elizabeth Blacker and Becky Sarachek, dear son-in-law Andrew Blacker, and cherished grandson Braden. Deb- bie is also survived by her dear brother Robert Wexler and neph- ews David and Alex Wexler. Debbie was a brilliant student, graduating as valedictorian from Abington High School, and from the Univer- sity of Pennsylvania, magna cum laude. She also received a Master of Economics from the University of Pittsburgh. Debbie lived most of her adult life in Allentown, Pennsylva- nia and spent summers in Barnegat Light, New Jersey. Contributions in Debbie’s name may be made to the University of Pennsylvania. SHAPIRO HARRIET (nee Keen)-Passed away on July 22, 2022. Wife of Robert Shapiro. Mother of Lori Damsker and Alan (Margaret Mary) Haber. Sister of Stuart (Kathleen) Keen. Grandmother of Jesse (Alli- son) Damsker and Ashley Damsker. Contributions in her memory may be made to American Cancer Soci- ety, www.cancer.org. GOLDSTEINS’ ROSENBERG’S RAPHAEL-SACKS www.goldsteinsfuneral.com WEINSTEIN JUNE (nee Gross)-Our hearts are broken because our beloved June Weinstein passed away suddenly yesterday. June Weinstein, daugh- ter of Winnie and Jack Gross, of Langhorne, PA., wife of the late Ar- nie Weinstein passed away unex- pectedly but peacefully in her sleep July 20th, 2022. June was born in Philadelphia in February, 1929. She, like her late husband Arnie, lived an enchanted life. June, Nan- ny, Nanny June, Juney and Aunt June was an amazing woman full of vitality and life right up until the moment she passed. June was a fashion model, tennis player, ski- er, actress and very special artist. Her role as “Stupifyin’ Jones” in the local production of Lil’ Abner was casted perfectly since she was similar to her in real life – “drop dead gorgeous”. Although 93 at her time of passing, June was never “old”. June was forever young. She loved working on her iPad when she wasn’t yelling at it. She played “Words With Friends”, was active on Facebook, read books and, of course, watched The Batchelor- ette on TV. But her favorite pas- time was watching nature, looking out over her pond and studying the animals, flowers and trees, planting flowers and watching the seasons change. June was the matriarch of her family and so very proud of her 3 children and their spouses, 9 grandchildren and 10 great grand- children. She loved nothing more than the conversations she had with all of her children and her chil- dren loved speaking with her just as much. She leaves a great big hole in all of our hearts that will be very difficult to ever fill. We love you for- ever. JOSEPH LEVINE & SONS www.levinefuneral.com JEWISHEXPONENT.COM 27 synagogue spotlight What’s happening at ... Congregation Hesed Shel Emet Congregation Hesed Shel Emet in Pottstown Hires New Rabbi JARRAD SAFFREN | STAFF WRITER S he was a rabbi on a “sabbatical of indeterminate length,” as she described it; and they were older synagogue members who had sold their building and considered disbanding. But now, Rabbi Cynthia Kravitz’s “sabbatical” is over; and Congregation Hesed Shel Emet members are stay- ing together and keeping their temple open. Kravitz, 69, is stepping up to lead the Pottstown shul and its 40 families on part-time pay. The Lafayette Hill resident will help maintain a congregation that dates to 1892. Most of the 40 families are older and have been congregants for many years, according to Larry Cohen, the synagogue’s president. But, as Cohen put it, “There’s not a year that goes by that we don’t lose a couple members.” “It’s mostly due to the fact that peo- ple are aging,” he added. Kravitz began her tenure on Aug. 1. It is her sixth synagogue position in a career that started even before her ordination at the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College in 1983. She served Society Hill Synagogue in Philadelphia while still a rabbin- ical student. Then she worked at the Germantown Jewish Centre, Congregation Or Ami in Lafayette Hill, Kesher Israel Congregation in West Chester and Temple Har Zion in Mount Holly, New Jersey. Kravitz spent 22 years at Kesher Israel from 1997- 2019 before guiding Har Zion through the difficult pandemic days of 2020. After that tiring year, the rabbi began her “sabbatical of indeterminate length” in January of 2021. Kravitz had spent four decades working to enhance Jewish education and leading congregations from the pulpit in the Philadelphia area. She was also part of the first generation of female rabbis in the United States following Sally Priesand’s ordination in 1972. It was a career she was proud of and, with the pandemic still raging, a future she was uncertain about when she con- 28 Rabbi Cynthia Kravitz Courtesy of Rabbi Cynthia Kravitz Congregation Hesed Shel Emet has gathered at its building on Keim Street since 1962. Courtesy of Larry Cohen “My plan is to get people to interact with each other as much as possible. In person and on Zoom. Then you let people take it from there.” RABBI CYNTHIA KRAVITZ sidered her next step. Kravitz decided not to seek another congregational position. Friends and family members told her she was retired. But she never fully adopted the label. “Cynthia Kravitz does not know the word retired,” the rabbi said. “I used the year to study.” She read Hebrew poetry twice a week and took Zoom classes in Jewish thought and history through the Shalom Hartman Institute in Israel and the Herbert D. Katz Center for Advanced Judaic Studies at the University of Pennsylvania. “It cemented what I already knew, but I could see it more clearly,” Kravitz said. “Every generation of Jewish peo- ple, we have our challenges. But it’s our spirit and our belief that has really carried us through.” When Kravitz was meeting with Hesed Shel Emet members during her interview process, both in person and over Zoom, she felt like they were her partners. Both the rabbi and the con- AUGUST 4, 2022 | JEWISHEXPONENT.COM gregants understood their challenge: Jews today are not affiliating with syn- agogues like they did “40 or 50 years ago,” Kravitz said. “The biggest challenge is to help peo- ple see the value of being able to come together with others,” she added. Based on that problem, the rabbi and the congregation share a vision for the future of the synagogue. Kravitz said they want to “build relationships between people,” and they want to build them on the belief that “Judaism is all of life.” “My plan is to get people to interact with each other as much as possible. In person and on Zoom,” Kravitz said. “Then you let people take it from there.” Cohen believes that Kravitz and the remaining members can make the vision come to life. There are a lot of Jews but not a lot of synagogues in western Montgomery County, he explained. The nearest synagogues are in Phoenixville, Blue Bell and Reading, all between 20 and 40 minutes away. According to Cohen, a congregant since 2015 who also grew up there in the 1960s and ’70s, synagogue lead- ers need to do a better job of reach- ing out to people. They hired Kravitz because, as an experienced rabbi, she knows how to build a congregation and understands that, in a community with just 40 families, it’s her “number one mission,” as Cohen described it. “She needs to reach out and talk to people,” he said. “Tell people we’re here and we’re available.” Hesed Shel Emet sold its Keim Street building, which opened in 1962, to the Bethel Community Church in 2016. But congregants continue to worship in its lower sanctuary. After giving the church money for renovations, the synagogue will begin paying $1,600 a month in rent in a few years. Cohen said the community will pay that “in perpetuity until we decide to end the contract.” JE jsaffren@midatlanticmedia.com d’var torah Did I Make a Diff erence? nmls 215-901-6521 • 561-631-1701 N OMIN HAVE S ATIONS TARTE D 2 BEST O 02 F Rabbi David Levin manages Jewish Relationships Initiative, a 501(c)(3), this column are the author’s own and do not refl ect the view of the Board of Rabbis. BUSINESS / LEGAL DIRECTORIES Jewish Exponent PHILADELPHIA WI JE his timeless question is in Moses’ heart as Devarim, the fi rst parsha of Deuteronomy, as he recounts the trials and tribulations from Egypt to the edge of the Promised Land. He has led the people faithfully, but the old generation is gone. Moses pre- pares for his death, Joshua is appointed the new leader and a new generation of people formed and steeled in the cru- cible of the Midbar prepares to move forward, leaving Moses behind. Moses’ recollections are slightly diff erent than what we read as things occurred along the journey. Despite pushback from the people and God, he places himself in the spotlight as the true champion in every circumstance. Elie Weisel suggests, “Some stories are true that never happened.” Indeed, memories oft en are the recalling of experiences based on the values that helped us understand those experiences and shaped us. It has been an oft en-fraught rela- tionship, with the people wanting to rebel and turn back, factions acting out against Moses and Moses saving the people from God’s wrath. Moses recounts things through the fi lter of his memory and the desire to be remem- bered for his accomplishments as the person who brought B’nei Israel into nationhood and to the Promised Land, following God’s direction. But now, it is Joshua’s turn as God’s chosen successor. We sense the tension in the transition as Moses recounts the extraordinary experiences thus far under his tute- lage. Although we consider Moses most humble, even he needs to see that his time has meaning, his life was for a pur- pose and the people he served appreciate all he has done. We are on the verge of a new chapter. At the edge of the Promised Land, the needs are diff erent. New and fresh lead- ership is required to meet the new tests, the challenges of a new generation and the new enterprise of taking the land and dwelling in it. But this transition is oft en abrupt and dismissive, without the helping seekers of meaning through Jewish wisdom, particularly relation- ships and end-of-life challenges. Th e Board of Rabbis of Greater Philadelphia is proud to provide diverse perspectives on Torah commentary for the Jewish Exponent. Th e opinions expressed in SH PH IA T Parshat Devarim respect the elders have earned. Can we elevate the process by off ering sincere gratitude and recognizing this as a “shehecheyanu” moment? Can we maintain a respectful place for those soon-to-be former leaders as curators of wisdom and institutional memory? Th is kind of transition is a process, not a moment. And the lessons of the Torah are timely. Change a name and the set- ting, and we are talking about us. Th e pandemic accelerated many changes already underway in our cul- ture and society. Legacy institutions have struggled with membership and age; leaders are fi nding they do not speak a language that resonates with the next generation to engage them success- fully; identity is more fl uid than ever. For many clergy leaders, the time has come to leave the pulpit and make way for the new group of leaders. Can we fi nd ways to usher this change along, honoring the past while looking to the future? I suggest that although the methods may diff er, the Torah’s endur- ing values remain constant. We will lose much if we cannot embrace the old while turning toward the new. It is about giving our people both roots and wings, to liken it to parenting. It validates who we as parents are, the nurturers and teachers. Th e values they learn are the values we taught. Th e ability to fi nd meaning is grounded in the world in which we raised them. Th is is a moment of extraordinary challenge, and the opportunities are practically unlimited. We brought them along on this remarkable journey to this partic- ular point. Now they, the next generation, must move forward, leaving us behind, but carrying us in their hearts and minds. Th is is the underlying message of the phrase, Zichronam Livracha, may their memories be for a blessing. May we live our lives to bring honor to a tradition grounded in morals and ethics and understand that we live in service to something greater. And may the next generation honor us by doing the same. JE 2 BY RABBI DAVID LEVIN PHILADEL From your favorite restaurant to the best bagel, day camp to your favorite doctor, Family-friendly Shabbat service to best non-profit organization, nominate your favorite people, places and things in Jewish Philly! The winners are chosen by popular vote, so nominate your favorites. As a business, share with your audience to help you win the title of “Best” in your category! Nominations close August 12th. Voting for the winners starts August 25th. Winners will be contacted in October and the results will be in the October 27th issue of the Philadelphia Jewish Exponent. Go to www.jewishexponent.com/readerschoice2022 and nominate your favorites! Jewish Exponent PHILADELPHIA Print | Digital | Contact Jeni Mann Tough for more information jmann@midatlanticmedia.com JEWISHEXPONENT.COM 29 calendar AUGUST 5–AUGUST 11 MONDAY, AUGUST 8 G O L F TO U RNAMENT cowboys have in common? Thursdays at the J. Presented by Philadelphia Jew- ish Film and Media and Kaiserman JCC, this film series will show three delight- ful, family-friendly films outdoors at the JCC every other Thursday night, begin- ning July 14 until Aug. 11 at 8 p.m. Visit phillyjfm.org/tribe-events/category/ thursdays-at-the-j for more informa- tion. 45 Haverford Road, Wynnewood. JRA FOOD PACKING You are cordially invited to Jewish National Fund-USA’s annual golf tournament at the Manufacturer’s Golf & Country Club at 11 a.m. Join with your friends and fellow supporters for a day of golf, fun and food, all for the purpose of strengthening the land and people of Israel. 511 Dreshertown Road, Fort Washington. FRI DAY, AU G . 5 MONDAY, AU G . 8 T U E SDAY, AU G . 9 Join Rabbi Alexander Coleman, Jewish educator and psychotherapist at the Institute for Jewish Ethics, at 9 a.m. for a weekly journey through the Torah portion of the week with eternal lessons on personal growth and spirituality. Go to ijethics.org/weekly-torah- portion.html to receive the Zoom link and password. Melrose B’nai Israel Emanu-El Sisterhood invites the community to join our weekly mahjong game at 7 p.m. Cost is $36 per year or free with MBIEE Sisterhood membership. For more information, call 215-635-1505 or email office@mbiee.org. 8339 Old York Road, Elkins Park. Join Barry at Tabas Kleinlife for an afternoon of bingo from 12:30-3:30 p.m. on Aug. 9, 10 and 11. Free park- ing and free to play with snacks available on Aug. 10. For more information, call 215-745-3127. 2101 Strahle St., Philadelphia. PARSHA FOR LIFE MAHJONG GAME BINGO WITH BARRY T H U RSDAY, AU G. 1 1 THURSDAYS AT THE J What do the ’80s, baseball and Volunteers will assist with Jewish Relief Agency’s pre-distribution prepa- ration from 10 a.m. to noon. During this time, volunteers will tape boxes, pack toiletries and assemble family-friendly food bags. This is a great opportunity for team building and for small and large groups to come volunteer at JRA. For more information about JRA’s volunteer schedule, visit jew- ishrelief.org/calendar. 10980 Dutton Road, Philadelphia. GRATZ COLLEGE LECTURE This Gratz College Continuing Legal Education program will examine the 2nd Amendment, firearm regulations and recent Supreme Court opinions, with Gratz’s Paul Finkelman leading the lecture at 1 p.m. In-person at Gratz and online simultaneously. For more information, contact Mindy Cohen at 215-635-7300, ext. 155, or mcohen@gratz.edu. 7605 Old York Road, Melrose Park. JE social announcements B I RTHS K DANIEL REESE GRIFFIN ara Elyse Griffin (née Dezure) and Matthew Scott Griffi n announce the birth of their son Daniel Reese Griffi n on July 15. Sharing in the joy are grandparents Susan and Stanley Dezure of Bensalem and Diane and Scott Griffi n of Langhorne, aunt Jennifer Dezure, aunt Vicki and Uncle Tim McKenna, cousins Griffi n and Logan and family and friends. Daniel Reese is named in loving memory of his maternal great-grandmother Dorothy Solomon and paternal great-grandmother Rebecca Dezure. 30 AUGUST 4, 2022 | JEWISHEXPONENT.COM D Photo by Stanley Dezure ELLIOT RYAN BLUTSTEIN r. Stanley Goldfarb of Bryn Mawr and Dr. Arthur and Millie Blutstein of Boca Raton, Florida, announce the birth of their grandson, Elliot Ryan Blutstein, on July 19. Elliot is the son of Allan Blutstein and Rachael Goldfarb of Arlington, Virginia. Joining in welcoming the baby to the family are siblings Eden, Ben and Adam Blutstein, uncle Michael and aunt Hilary Goldfarb, aunt Laurie Blutstein and grandmother Elaine Culbertson. Elliot is named in loving memory of his maternal great-grandmother Belle Block and maternal grandmother Rayna Goldfarb. Courtesy of the Goldfarb family Courtesy of Robin Rothstein and Bonnie Levin Photo by Dror Miller Out & About around town 3 2 4 Courtesy of Stephanie Dworkin Photo by Christopher Brown 1 1 Twenty Philadelphia area teens went to Israel as part of the Diller Fellowship, a leadership program. 2 On July 20, American Jewish Committee Philadelphia/Southern NJ hosted its annual meeting and Human Relations Award dinner at Fairmount Water Works. 3 Local “biking bubbes” finished in the top 15 in their age category in the Philadelphia Women’s Triathlon in Fairmount Park. 4 Nicholas Robbins got ready for some tennis baseball at the Katz JCC in Cherry Hill, New Jersey. JEWISHEXPONENT.COM 31 last word Gary Delfiner HEATHER M. ROSS | STAFF WRITER M ost people spend a long time figuring out what it is they’re meant to do, but few can say they go through the process at 65 years old. Gary Delfiner, 74, reinvented him- self at that age and started a company called Digital Sylvia. He started with just one channel and grew his brand WatchFree Flix to include 15 digital movie channels available via app on Roku and Amazon Fire with 1.5 mil- lion monthly viewers, he said. “Age is not a factor when you have a passion to do something,” Delfiner said. It’s not easy to be an independent business owner, but Delfiner has risen to the challenge. “My channels are in the top 70 of 1,000 movie channels in this country,” Delfiner said. “I have over 3,000 movies and an additional 1,500-2,000 movies per year. I have 25 movie distributor vendors who provide me with those films. The channel is ad-supported, not subscription. Just like broadcast TV.” WatchFreeFlix content can be found via Roku, Amazon Fire TV and Comcast. Delfiner got his start at 16 in Philadelphia as a disc jockey, work- ing Sweet 16s and bar and bat mitz- vahs. He advertised his business in the Jewish Exponent in a 2-inch-by-2-inch advertisement that ran from 1964-’66. Delfiner and his partner at the time, Larry Goldfarb, also started one of the first discotheques in Philadelphia, Grendel’s Lair. Delfiner’s Philadelphia roots run deep. While he hasn’t spent his whole life here, his love for the city and his family brought him home when the pandemic hit. “It’s a big small town; access to people in the arts and in the media or movie space is pretty easy. It’s really one of the top world-class cities because of the culture. It’s changed, and it continues 32 to evolve. More restaurants are open- ing, more shows are coming through. Not to mention, the history of our country is here,” Delfiner said. However, Delfiner’s adventures in the business world were far from straightforward. When higher educa- tion beckoned, he chose a pre-med pro- gram at Syracuse University. He stayed on that track for three years, planning to become a doctor. But, one fateful day, he went to see a movie called “Funny Girl,” and that changed everything. “I looked at that movie and the sto- ryline of Fanny Brice, a story about a AUGUST 4, 2022 | JEWISHEXPONENT.COM girl from the Lower East Side who just wanted to be on a stage. I walked out of that theater, and my world turned upside down. On that day, I applied to Temple University to transfer to their radio television and film school, and that’s where I graduated. To this day, I’ve never regretted that move, ever,” Delfiner said. The way a movie radically impacted his life inspired Delfiner to make sure movies are available to other young people looking to explore themselves and share his love of film. Ultimately, Delfiner only credits “Funny Girl,” in part, with his digital media journey; he credits his curiosity to his mother. “My mother was the biggest influ- ence in my life; in her honor, I called the company Digital Sylvia. She taught me it’s better to be interested than interesting. So it’s because of my curi- osity I went into and studied this whole digital streaming business,” Delfiner said. Delfiner has spent time working a variety of jobs in music and movie production, including producing jazz concerts and MTV video clips to being an executive at West Coast Video. “I love movies; movies affect people’s lives, especially these days,” Delfiner said. Delfiner is so passionate about the movie business that he welcomes the competition. “The digital media business is the biggest growth area of the digital space, and I like being in the middle of the action. This is a business that I plan on doing for the rest of my life. It keeps growing, my channels keep growing. I bring on more vendors all the time to bring me more movies,” Delfiner said. According to Delfiner, there’s plenty of room for other movie enthusiasts and independent business owners to get involved. “No matter what a person’s age is, their background, no matter their eth- nicity or where they came from, the digital media business is really wide open, and it’s a great opportunity,” Delfiner said. Delfiner isn’t considering slowing down, either. This fall, he plans to enter the production scene again by producing low-budget films and a non- fiction TV series, specializing in the paranormal, sci-fi, UFOs and all things supernatural. He also intends to expand to half a dozen other platforms and places around the world, branching out to Latin America, England, Italy and Australia, to name a few. 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At Tractor Supply® (www.hap- pyjackinc.com) PET SITTING Jenkintown area Great job for retirees Send letter of interest to amybulldogs@yahoo.com TUTORING EDUCATION PLUS Private tutoring, all subjects, elemen.-college, SAT/ACT prep. 7 days/week. Expd. & motivated instructors. (215)576-1096 www.educationplusinc.com Legals Notice is hereby given that an Application for Registration of Fictitious Name was filed in the Department of State of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania on May 31, 2022 for SONSONS HAIR & NAIL SALON at 7492 Oxford Ave. Philadelphia, PA 19111. The name and address of each individual interested in the business is Lua Cam Thi Son at 7492 Oxford Ave. Philadelphia, PA 19111. This was filed in accordance with 54 PaC.S. 311.417 Notice is hereby given that Articles of Incorporation for a Domestic Nonprofit Corporation for Riley I Whitelaw Memorial Fund were filed with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The address of the corporation’s registered of- fice is 1500 Market St., West Tower, 34th Floor, Philadelphia PA 19102 in Philadelphia County. This Corporation is incorporated under the provisions of the Pennsylvania Nonprofit Corporation Law of 1988, as amended. Notice is hereby given that Articles of Incorporation were filed for Posh Properties of Philly, Inc. with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The address of this corporation’s proposed registered office in this Commonwealth is 3770 Frankford Ave., Philadelphia PA 19124 in Philadelphia County. This corpora- tion is incorporated under the pro- visions of the Business Corporation Law of 1988, as amended. 1017 Cumberland, Inc has been incorporated under the provisions of the Pennsylvania Business Corporation Law of 1988. McCreesh, McCreesh, McCreesh & Cannon 7053 Terminal Square Upper Darby, PA 19082 1704 Wallace Street Association has been incorporated under the provisions of the Pennsylvania Nonprofit Corporation Law of 1988. Capstone Law LLC 1760 Market Street Suite 1200 Philadelphia, PA 19103 An application for registration of the fictitious name John L. Thomas, Esquire, 18 Beth Dr., Moorestown, NJ 08057, was filed in the Department of State at Harrisburg, PA, July 20, 2022, pursuant to the Fictitious Names Act, Act 1982-295. The name and address of the per- son who is a party to the registration is John L. Thomas, 18 Beth Dr., Moorestown, NJ 08057. CHANGE OF NAME NOTICE - COURT OF COMMON PLEAS OF PHILA. COUNTY, PA - No. 220701130 - NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that on 7/18/22, the Petition of ANNA HELENE SOBERS was filed in the above-named Court, praying for a Decree to change Petitioner’s name to NUR ANNA HELENE SOBERS-KHAN. The Court has fixed 8/25/22, at 10:00 A.M. in Courtroom 691, City Hall, Phila., PA, as the time and place for the hearing of said Petition, when and where all persons interested may appear and show cause, if any they have, why the prayer of the said Petition should not be granted. DANIEL MUKLEWICZ, Atty. for Petitioner, AVALLONE LAW ASSOC., 215 S. Broad St., 5th Fl., Phila., PA 19107, 215.735.5525 CHANGE OF NAME NOTICE Court of Common Pleas for the County of Philadelphia, July Term, 2022, No. 000188. Notice is here- by given that on July 12, 2022 the petition was filed, praying for a de- cree to change his name from Nuria Dunia Abdelfettah Oggadi to Nuria El Ouahrani Oggadi. The Court has fixed August 11, 2022 at 10:00 A.M. in Courtroom 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 petitioner should not be granted. Ejaz A. Sabir, Esq. Sabir Law Group 6454 Market Street Second Floor Upper Darby, PA 19082 Solicitor Court of Common Pleas for the County of Philadelphia, July Term, 2022, No. 000945. Notice is hereby given that on July 18, 2022 the peti- tion was filed, praying for a decree to change his name from Rose Hoenes Fontaine (Hoenes Fontaine as the last name) to Rose Hoenes Fontaine (Hoenes as the middle name and Fontaine as the last name). The Court has fixed August 25, 2022 at 10:00 A.M. in Courtroom 691, City Hall, Phila., PA for the hearing. All persons interested may appear and show cause if any they have, why the prayer of the said petitioner should not be granted. Philip A. Charamella, Esq. Law Offices of Michael D. Fioretti Cherry Hill Plaza, Suite 105 1415 Marlton Pike East Cherry Hill, NJ 08034 Solicitor ESTATE OF DARLENE JACOBS, DECEASED LETTERS on the above Estate have been granted to the under- signed, 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 decedents to make payment without delay, to Rowena Durant, Executrix Or to Attorney Gary E. Thompson, Esquire Carosella & Associates, P.C. 882 South Matlack Street, Suite 101 West Chester, PA 19382-4505 ESTATE OF ALBERTA C. SMITH, 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 DAVID E. PEARSON, EXECUTOR, c/o Arnold Machles, Esq., Two Bala Plaza, Ste. 300, Bala Cynwyd, PA 19004, Or to his Attorney: ARNOLD MACHLES Two Bala Plaza, Ste. 300 Bala Cynwyd, PA 19004 ESTATE OF ANNA FEDOR, 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 KENNETH FEDOR, EXECUTOR, c/o Jay E. Kivitz, Esq., 7901 Ogontz Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19150, Or to his Attorney: JAY E. KIVITZ KIVITZ & KIVITZ, P.C. 7901 Ogontz Ave. Philadelphia, PA 19150 ESTATE OF BETTY JEAN ELLIS, DECEASED. Late of Philadelphia 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 HOWARD M. SOLOMAN, ADMINISTRATOR, 1760 Market St., Ste. 404, Philadelphia, PA 19103, Or to his Attorney: Howard M. Soloman 1760 Market St., Ste. 404 Philadelphia, PA 19103 ESTATE OF CARROLL R. VICTOR, DECEASED. Late of Philadelphia 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 CARYLE VICTOR, ADMINISTRATRIX, 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 CHARLES T. TOMCZAK, DECEASED Late Of Philadelphia, 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 Executor, Christine L. Harrison, Beneficiaries Christine L. Harrison and Antoinette B. Deleano a/k/a Kopaz. The Law Offices of Jon Taylor, Esquire, PC, 1617 JFK Blvd., Suite 1888, Philadelphia, PA19103 also the attorney. ESTATE OF CHARLOTTE WILSON aka CHARLOTTE JANET WILSON, DECEASED Late of Philadelphia, 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 Lisa Sable, 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 ESTATE OF CORA E. SMALL SMALL, CORA E. Late of Philadelphia, PA. Anthony Hudgins, 526 N. 53rd St., Philadelphia, PA 19131, Administrator. Andrew I. Roseman, Esquire 1528 Walnut St. Suite 1412 Philadelphia, PA 19102 ESTATE OF ELEANOR DEAL aka ELEANOR J. DEAL Deal, Eleanor aka Deal, Eleanor J. late of Philadelphia, PA. Clayton Deal, c/o Hope Bosniak, Esq., Dessen, Moses & Rossitto, 600 Easton Rd., Willow Grove, PA 19090, Administrator. Dessen, Moses & Rossitto 600 Easton Rd. Willow Grove, PA 19090 ESTATE OF FRANCES D. BIDDLE DECEASED Late of Lower Merion Township, 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 STEPHEN G.BIDDLE, CO-EXECUTOR, 130 S Main St, Quakertown, PA 18951, or to DANIEL R. BIDDLE, CO-EXECUTOR, 4621 Pine St, Apt G405, Philadelphia, PA 19143. ESTATE OF FREDDIE BALDWIN a/k/a FREDDIE MAE BALDWIN, DECEASED. Late of Philadelphia 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 RAYMOND DUBOIS, EXECUTOR, c/o Michael S. Bloom, Esq., 712 W. MacDade Blvd., Milmont Park, PA 19033, Or to his Attorney: MICHAEL S. BLOOM PRESSMAN & DOYLE, LLC 712 W. MacDade Blvd. Milmont Park, PA 19033 ESTATE OF GLORIA HIRSCHHORN, 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 CARRIE H. SHERRETTA and ERIC D. HIRSCHHORN, Executors, 19 Heather Place, Southampton, NJ 08088 ESTATE OF HAZEL PALMER NURSE a/k/a HAZEL P. NURSE, DECEASED. Late of Philadelphia 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 KENNETH J. NURSE, EXECUTOR, c/o Bruce M. Dolfman, Esq., 901 N. Penn St. F-2102, Philadelphia, PA 19123, Or to his Attorney: Bruce M. Dolfman 901 N. Penn St. F-2102 Philadelphia, PA 19123 ESTATE OF INEZ SHORT, DECEASED Late of Philadelphia County LETTERS OF ADMINISTRATION on the above Estate have been granted 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 payment with- out delay to TAMMY SHORT, ADMINISTRATRIX c/o DENNIS A. POMO, ESQUIRE 121 S. Broad St., Ste. 1200 Philadelphia, PA 19107 215-665-1900 ESTATE OF JUDITH JOHNSON RIVERA, DECEASED. Late of Philadelphia 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 JAMES JOHNSON, ADMINISTRATOR, c/o Benjamin L. Jerner, Esq., 5401 Wissahickon Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19144, Or To his Attorney: BENJAMIN L. JERNER JERNER LAW GROUP, PC 5401 Wissahickon Ave. Philadelphia, PA 19144 ESTATE OF KATHRYN DAHILL a/k/a KATHRYN ANN DAHILL, DECEASED. Late of Philadelphia 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 DONNA COCCI, EXECUTRIX, c/o Amy F. Steerman, Esq., 1900 Spruce St., Philadelphia, PA 19103, Or to her Attorney: AMY F. STEERMAN AMY F. STEERMAN LLC 1900 Spruce St. Philadelphia, PA 19103 ESTATE OF LORRAINE D. PACK, DECEASED Late of Philadelphia County LETTERS TESTAMENTARY on the above Estate have been granted 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 payment with- out delay to LEON PACK, EXECUTOR c/o DENNIS A. POMO, ESQUIRE 121 S. Broad St., Ste. 1200 Philadelphia, PA 19107 215-665-1900 ESTATE OF MARTHA LEE INGRAM , DECEASED. Late of Philadelphia 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 CALVIN JONES, ADMINISTRATOR, c/o Adam S. Bernick, Esq., 2047 Locust St., Philadelphia, PA 19103, Or to his Attorney: ADAM S. BERNICK LAW OFFICE OF FAYE RIVA COHEN, PC 2047 Locust St. Philadelphia, PA 19103 ESTATE OF MERCEDES AYALA RESTO, DECEASED Late of Philadelphia County LETTERS TESTAMENTARY on the above Estate have been granted to the undersigned, who re- quests 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 EDITH LOPEZ, Executrix c/o DENNIS A. POMO, ESQUIRE 121 S. Broad St., Ste. 1200 Philadelphia, PA 19107 215-665-1900 ESTATE OF RAYMOND W. GASKIN, DECEASED. Late of Philadelphia 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 KEEYA J. GASKIN, ADMINISTRATRIX, c/o Ronald G. McNeil, Esq., 1333 Race St., Philadelphia, PA 19107-1585, Or to her Attorney: RONALD G. McNEIL 1333 Race St. Philadelphia, PA 19107-1585 ESTATE OF SHERI E. VANCE, DECEASED. Late of Aston Township, Delaware 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 NOEL J. VANCE, JR., EXECUTOR, c/o Zachary R. Dolchin, Esq., 50 S. 16th St., Ste. 3530, Philadelphia, PA 19102, Or to his Attorney: ZACHARY R. DOLCHIN DOLCHIN, SLOTKIN & TODD, P.C. 50 S. 16th St., Ste. 3530 Philadelphia, PA 19102 ESTATE OF STANLEY M. JOHNSON a/k/a STANLEY JOHNSON, DECEASED. Late of Philadelphia LETTERS of ADMINISTRATION CTA on the above Estate have been granted to the undersigned, who re- quest 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 ROSALYN M. JOHNSON, ADMINISTRATRIX CTA, 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 THERESA DELORES 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 ANNETTE COLLINS LEWIS, ADMINISTRATRIX, c/o Robert J. Stern, Esq., Two Bala Plaza, Ste. 300, Bala Cynwyd, PA 19004, Or to her Attorney: ROBERT J. STERN ROBERT J. STERN LAW, LLC Two Bala Plaza, Ste. 300 Bala Cynwyd, PA 19004 ESTATE OF THOMAS M. FISHER, JR. a/k/a THOMAS FISCHER, DECEASED. Late of Philadelphia LETTERS of ADMINISTRATION DBN 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 DEVARIO SIMPSON, ADMINISTRATOR DBN, 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 VIOLA WALKER, DECEASED. Late of Philadelphia County, PA LETTERS of ADMINISTRATION DBN 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 CARYLE VICTOR, ADMINISTRATRIX DBN, 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 WILLIAM KLOTSAS a/k/a WILLIAM H. KLOTSAS, DECEASED. Late of Philadelphia 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 LAURIE MYERS BOBLEY, EXECUTRIX, c/o Laura M. Tobey, Esq., 229 W. Wayne Ave., Wayne, PA 19087, Or to her Attorney: LAURA M. TOBEY REIDENBACH & ASSOCIATES, LLC 229 W. Wayne Ave. Wayne, PA 19087 Jewish Careers.com For Those Who Value Community The preferred career resource for the Jewish community. info.jewishcareers.com 410-902-2300 JEWISHEXPONENT.COM 35 Every Tuesday of the Month 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. MEMORY CARE Questions? 215-321-6166 Join us each month for coffee and conversation specifically for people with dementia and their caregivers. Event to be held at: Barnes and Noble (in the Starbucks) 210 Commerce Boulevard Fairless Hills, PA 19030 What is a Memory Café? Originally started in England, this informal setting provides the caregiver a forum for discussion, reducing the isolation often felt by people with dementia, their caregivers and families. Discussions can range from practical tips for coping with dementia, avoiding caregiver burnout or information about community resources. There is no cost or obligation, and many attendees develop friendships that result in support even outside the Memory Café setting. All attendees will adhere to proper COVID-19 guidelines including masking, staying socially distant and hand sanitizing. DEMENTIA Support Group arden-courts.org Every 2nd and 4th Thursday of the Month 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. RSVP: 215-957-5182 or Warminster@arden-courts.com Specially Designed for Families and Caregivers If you are caring for someone with dementia, who is caring for you? You are not alone. This informational, supportive group will help you to learn more about the disease as well as understand their feelings about the changes dementia has made on their daily lives. Support groups can also help you: • Learn practical caregiving information • Get mutual support © 2022 ProMedica Health System, Inc., or its affiliates 14526_Warminster-Yardley_9.25x11_1.indd 1 36 AUGUST 4, 2022 | JEWISHEXPONENT.COM • Learn about your local community resources • Find solutions to challenging behaviors 779 W. County Line Road Hatboro, PA 19040 215-957-5182 arden-courts.org 1/19/22 5:14 PM