JULY 14, 2022 | 15 TAMUZ 5782 CANDLELIGHTING 8:10 P.M. K enny Congregation Rodeph Shalom member H oldsman OPENING DOORS WITH BASKETBALL Page 28 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 14 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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The Jewish Exponent reserves the right to revise, reject or edit any advertisement. 2 JULY 14, 2022 | JEWISHEXPONENT.COM THIS WEEK INTRODUCING OUR Local 5 Holocaust Survivor Shares 70 Years of JFCS History 6 Kohelet Yeshiva Receives $12 Million Gift 8 Jewish Overnight Camps Enhancing Security NEW LOOK Opinion 12 Editorials 13 Opinions Feature Story 17 An Inside Look At Jewish Relief Agency’s Volunteer Efforts Community 26 Calendar 22 Obituaries 24 Synagogue Spotlight In every issue 4 Weekly Kibbitz 9 Federation 10 You Should Know 19 Arts & Culture 27 Out & About 20 Food & Dining 25 D’var Torah 28 Last Word 29 Classifieds www.laurelhillphl.com 610.668.9900 info@laurelhillphl.com Bala Cynwyd, PA 5 H olocaust Survivor Shares 70 8 J ewish Overnight Camps Years of JFCS History Enhancing Security Philadelphia, PA 17 A n Inside Look At Jewish Relief Agency’s Volunteer Efforts JEWISHEXPONENT.COM 3 Weekly Kibbitz ‘Great British Bake Off ’ host Matt Lucas discovers his family member lived with Anne Frank’s family Albert L. Ortega/Getty Images via JTA T he Jewish comic actor and “Great British Bake Off ” host Matt Lucas came across a very familiar name while researching his family’s history on BBC’s “Who Do You Think You Are?” — that of Otto Frank.  In an episode of the celebrity gene- alogy show that aired June 16, Lucas learned that Werner Goldschmidt, his grandmother’s fi rst cousin, had rented a room from the Franks while they were still living in their Amsterdam apartment. Goldschmidt was still living with them when they went into hiding in 1942 and was mentioned in Anne Frank’s famous diary.  In a clip from the episode on YouTube, Lucas reads a diary entry Frank had written on July 8, 1942, which describes Goldschmidt as a Matt Lucas at a “Doctor Who” BBC America offi cial panel during Comic-Con in San Diego, July 23, 2017. recent divorcé who was hanging around in the house too long that night, despite the family’s polite hints for him to get on with his evening. “I would have read this diary when I was younger and never realized Your To-Do’s Start With You. C all Vet @ 1p.m. Ca ll a bobou t p U g k c i fatigue P cleanin Nowadays we have more to do than ever before, so sometimes we overlook the most important item on our to-do lists. Our health. Nagging aches and pains? Feeling fatigued? Maybe your body is telling you something. This is your reminder to listen. Don’t delay your care. Learn about the convenient options for seeing your nearest Jeff erson Health doctor. that she was talking about a relative of mine,” said Lucas, who was only vaguely aware that some of his fam- ily members had died in concentra- tion camps. Lucas, who has also appeared in other shows like “Doctor Who” and movies like “Paddington,” was raised in a Reform synagogue in London, though his parents came from traditional Orthodox families. He expands on his Jewish identity in his memoir, “Little Me: My life from A-Z,” which has a chapter “J,” for Jewish.  Contestants on the wildly popu- lar cooking show “The Great British Bake Off ” have made occasional Jewish-inspired plates on the show, such as a charoset-and-matzah- topped pavlova in 2021.  — Caleb Guedes-Reed D ry y 5:00 y b b ills P a today Call 1-800-JEFF-NOW or visit Jeff ersonHealth.org/ToDo. 4 JULY 14, 2022 | JEWISHEXPONENT.COM local Holocaust Survivor Shares 70 Years of JFCS History SASHA ROGELBERG | STAFF WRITER I f a picture is worth a thousand words, then Holocaust survivor Elizabeth Bleiman’s photo album is worth an autobiography. Among photos of her Hungarian childhood home, husband and daugh- ter and concentration camp paperwork is also a clipping from a June 29, 1951 Jewish Exponent article, detailing her time as a cottage parent for a group home for children through the Association for Jewish Children, a pre- cursor to Jewish Family and Children’s Service. Seventy one years later, Bleiman, 101, is still involved in JFCS as a client for their Holocaust Survivor Support pro- gram. Active in the Jewish community, Bleiman and her story are not only representative of American Jewish his- tory, but of a story close to the heart of Jewish Philadelphians. “Her history is like the history of the immigrant in Philadelphia,” said daughter Hannah Fishman. Born in Ofehértó — which translates to “Old White Lake” — Hungary to the prominent Jewish Zuckerman family, Bleiman described her childhood as a happy one until it wasn’t. When she was fi ve, her mother died aft er a mis- carriage, leaving behind Bleiman, her older brother and younger sister. Despite early tragedy, Bleiman has fond memories of her childhood, becoming close with her stepmother, despite her siblings’ lack of emotional connection to her. As the children grew older, even as the war began, they were mostly untouched by Nazi rule, though were sent to diff erent parts of the country to attend gymnasium, similar to high school, because as Jews, they were not allowed to attend many public schools. “We had antisemitism later on or in a certain time, but not [much] in my time,” Bleiman said. “In the village we did not feel it because the family was respected and well-liked.” Th ough Hungarian Jews are safe for most of the war, when Nazis invaded the country, change was quick and unrelenting. F TAY-SACHS REE & CANAVAN SCREENING CALL (215)887-0877 FOR DETAILS e-mail:ntsad@aol.com visit: www.tay-sachs.org Screening for other Jewish Genetic Diseases also available. This message is sponsored by a friend of Nat’l Tay-Sachs & Allied Diseases Association of Delaware Valley Elizabeth Bleiman, 101, is a Holocaust survivor and part of Jewish Family and Children’s Service’s Holocaust Survivor Support program Photo by Sasha Rogelberg “As soon as the Germans came in, everything changed,” Bleiman said. In April 1944, Bleiman and her father and stepmother were sent to the Kisvarda ghetto. By then, Bleiman was a young adult and became a nurse at the fi eld hospital there. Only weeks later, the Germans began shipping people off to concentration camps. Bleiman was torn between staying with the sick to care for them or travelling with her parents. Her father convinced her to stay with him, a decision that ultimately saved Bleiman’s life. In June 1944, Bleiman arrived in Auschwitz and was separated from her father and stepmother, making friends with the four women who shared her bunk. While they remained friends and were transferred to Stutthof labor camp until it was liberated by the Soviet Red Army the following year, half of them died of typhus shortly aft erwards. Bleiman spent three years aft er the war at a displaced person camp in Germany, where she met her husband, a teacher who taught Bleiman Yiddish, which was not commonly spoken in her Hungarian Jewish community. Th e two settled in Philadelphia with their young daughter, where an aunt of Bleiman lived, and looking for work, found jobs as cottage parents at AJC. “Th ey thought that maybe it’d be good to be with children. I guess we went through plenty of hardship,” Bleiman said. By 1952, when the Bleimans left the cottage home so Bleiman’s hus- band could make a living working in a junkyard, AJC continued to change as well. Originally founded as the Jewish Foster Home in 1855, AJC was the oldest Jewish children’s service in the country, according to a 1963 fact sheet from the organization. By the time Bleiman left , AJC was starting to shift their model from a group home to foster model, later rapidly expanding the services they provided to children. Th ough still a part of the Federation for Jewish Charities, the group merged with Jewish Family Service in 1983, becoming the Jewish Family and Children’s Agency. Bleiman has been part of JFCS’ Holocaust Survivor Support program for 10 years, working with various case workers there. Decades aft er her fi rst involvement in the organization, she continues to make her mark at JFCS. “I do not think that I’ve ever had a conversation or interaction with Elizabeth Bleiman where she hasn’t been smiling, laughing or just overall pleasant,” said Carly Bruski, director of JFCS’ Holocaust Survivor Support program. “She’s probably one of the most positive people I have ever met, survivor or not.” Just as seven decades ago Bleiman cared for the vulnerable populations AJC assisted, she now has come full cir- cle, receiving care and building com- munity with the same organization that has evolved parallel to her. “We really look at Holocaust survi- vors as a core group to this agency,” Bruski said. “Th ey’re truly the back- bone of this agency.” JE srogelberg@midatlanticmedia.com JEWISHEXPONENT.COM 5 local Kohelet Yeshiva Receives $12 Million Gift JARRAD SAFFREN | STAFF WRITER O n June 16 at Kohelet Yeshiva’s 22nd annual gala on its Merion Station campus, school benefactors announced a gener- ous gift : $12 million for future expan- sion plans. Longtime Kohelet donors David Magerman and Scott Seligsohn teamed up to provide $8 million and $4 million, respectively, according to school offi - cials. Th ey made the donation because the Main Line institution continues to grow and will need more classrooms to keep growing. Th e school that started in 2000 in the basement of a JCC with 15 students, per its website, now has an entire cam- pus, a K-12 operation and more than 300 students. Its combination of Torah study and secular education appeals to modern Orthodox families who want their children to build a strong Jewish foundation that can help them succeed in the secular world. “Each division is attracting students far and wide,” said Lori Salkin, the sec- retary of the school’s board of directors and the chair of its development com- mittee. “Having a facility to house all that is an incredible dream that we’ll now be able to perform.” Perhaps no one believes in the Jewish-secular mission of the school more than Magerman himself. Th e Merion Station resident, who runs a venture capital fund called Diff erential Ventures and belongs to the Shtiebel of Lower Merion, sent all four of his kids to Kohelet Yeshiva. Th e older two David Magerman speaks at Kohelet Yeshiva’s 22nd annual gala on June 16 in Merion Station. Shira Yudkoff for Kohelet Yeshiva graduated, but the younger two remain students there. It was his belief in the school that drove Magerman to help transform it into what it is today. In 2016, he made a $30 million donation that paved the way for Kohelet to become more than just a high school. Th at same year, Kohelet Yeshiva High School merged with the Yeshiva Lab School to add an elementary oper- ation to its program. Th en in 2017, the community opened Kohelet Yeshiva Middle School to create “a seamless K-12 highway of innovative Jewish education,” as the school’s website describes it. Finally, in September of 2019, Magerman paid for a 30,000-square- foot K-8 building, on top of his previ- ous $30 million donation. “We built this school, and if you build it they will come,” said Salkin, who by next year will have four of her own kids in the Kohelet system. “I have neighbors who moved from California to come to bring their kids to Kohelet.” Magerman, though, was not always this invested in Jewish education, or Judaism in general. About 15 years ago, he experienced a sort of midlife crisis. 6 JULY 14, 2022 | JEWISHEXPONENT.COM He realized that his growing children would soon start to ask him about the meaning of life, and that he wouldn’t have a good answer. “What answer am I going to give besides whoever gets the most toys wins?” he said. So, he started reading Torah, study- ing Talmud and observing the Sabbath. Over his fi rst 5-7 years, he increased his learning to a few hours a week. Th en he tried to start applying his Jewish prin- ciples as he lived his life. By 2014, he was ready to move from Gladwyne to Merion Station so he could walk to his synagogue. He also completed his transition to a full obser- vance of the Sabbath. Magerman may not have fi gured out the meaning of life, exactly. But he could at least tell his kids where to look. “I found truth in what I learned,” he said. “Th e things I do on a moment by moment basis are because I’m doing mitzvahs that God commanded.” Th e philanthropist adopted educa- tion as a cause because he wanted to help other young people fi gure out where to look, too. He referred to Torah as “medicine for the soul.” He believes children need to grow up with it so they can live “Torah-informed lives.” Th is is essential even in a secular society, according to Magerman. He thinks that the two pillars of education are strong secular schooling and deep Torah study. Combining those is the best way to “achieve God’s purpose for us,” he said. “It’s like, why do we breathe? Th is is what I believe we’re put here for,” Magerman added. “To learn Torah and to follow the mitzvot, and to be a light in society.” School offi cials do not yet have a specifi c plan for how they will use Magerman’s and Seligsohn’s recent gift . Th ey just know that more classrooms will be part of the plan. Th e next step, as Salkin explained, is talking to the hundreds of Kohelet families about what they might like to see. Aft er that, school offi cials will have to present their plans to Lower Merion Township for approval. On one early July day alone, Salkin got four new emails from prospective school families. “We have dreams of extreme growth,” she said. JE jsaff ren@midatlanticmedia.com From left: Debra Magerman, David Magerman and Scott Seligsohn Shira Yudkoff for Kohelet Yeshiva The Jewish Federation’s Campaign Year Ends on August 31 st . Our community is depending on you. With your support, the Jewish Federation: • Invests $15 MILLION in the Jewish community through grants, programs, and real estate subsidies • Helps more than 266,000 people locally and in Israel access nutritious food, financial assistance, and other social services • Inspires Jewish identity for more than 26,000 community members …and so much more. Make your gift today! Visit jewishphilly.org/donate or call 215.832.3484 JEWISHEXPONENT.COM 7 local Jewish Overnight Camps Enhancing Security JARRAD SAFFREN | STAFF WRITER T he Tree of Life synagogue com- plex shooting in Pittsburgh, the deadliest attack on Jews in American history, is now almost 4 years old. Each year, it seems, the Anti- Defamation League reports a new record for antisemitic incidents, with the 2021 number of more than 2,700 exceeding the 2020 total by 34%. It’s been well-documented that in this environment, synagogues locally and nationally are adding security layers, like guards outside of services. Th e Jewish Federations of North America even made security a $54 million priority in 2021 with a new grant program to local Jewish Federations and institutions. Now though, the need for security is reaching the perennial oasis of Jewish childhood: overnight camp. On June 30, Teach Coalition, an edu- cation non-profi t affi liated with the national Orthodox Union, announced a new security initiative for sleepaway camps in its Pennsylvania network. Th e Teach Coalition Summer Camp Network is a group of PA camps that will collab- orate on security eff orts, according to a press release from Teach Coalition. Th e group includes several Pocono-based operations like Camp Ramah and Camp 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 8 JULY 14, 2022 | JEWISHEXPONENT.COM Camp Morasha kids enjoy a summer day. Courtesy of Camp Morasha Morasha and represents more than 4,000 campers. Its fi rst big eff ort was landing $1 mil- lion in grant money from Pennsylvania’s Nonprofi t Security Grant Fund Program. Camps in the network are already put- ting those dollars to use. “Teach is no longer looking out for you and your children just from September to June,” said Arielle Frankston-Morris, the executive director of Teach PA, in the press release. “We are taking care of them in the summer too.” But what does that entail? Jeremy Joszef, the director of Camp Morasha in Lakewood, was kind enough to explain his operation’s new security layout to the Jewish Exponent. Morasha is an Orthodox camp with about 1,300 campers and 500 staff mem- bers. Joszef, 37, is in his 11th year as director. Using money from the grant program, the Pocono operation spent $200,000 on security cameras, lighting, a security barrier and an armed guard. “It’s like a mini city here,” Joszef said. Cameras Morasha offi cials installed security cameras both inside and outside of camp. As the director explains, cameras serve a dual purpose. Externally, they monitor who is entering camp and who is leaving. Internally, “we need to make sure every- body is staying safe,” he said. Lighting Before camp offi cials added light posts and lights all over the property, the Lakewood grounds were dark at night. Now though, Morasha at night is like a neighborhood in a suburb. Th ere’s enough light to make things visible and to make everybody feel safe. By the entrance, it’s also now possible to see people and cars coming in and going out. A Security Barrier Since Morasha is situated along a main road, offi cials want to deter unknown outsiders from gaining access to the grounds. A new landscape barrier on the perim- eter of the property prevents people from seeing into the camp, according to Joszef. Th e barrier is necessary to protect what is to a large degree an outdoor operation. “It’s not like a school where it’s easy to enclose,” he said. A 24-Hour Armed Guard Cameras and lights allow camp leaders to see what is going on. Th ose two and the barrier can also act as deterrents. But they couldn’t do the responding if a security situation were to arise. At the same time, neither could the local police department because there is none. Lakewood is a village with a population in the hundreds. Th e nearest police department is 40 minutes away, according to Joszef. “If there’s a security emergency at camp, we can’t aff ord to wait 40 min- utes,” he said. So instead, the camp created its own police force. A 24-hour armed guard posi- tion is manned by a few diff erent locals on rotation. It is an offi cial camp position. “Th ey are patrolling 24/7,” said Joszef. But while security is a feeling of safety as much as safety itself, the director still needs to try to maintain the blissful feel- ing that oft en defi nes a camp summer. He believes one guard is enough. “We’re not going to have an armed guard every fi ve feet in this camp,” the director explained. “It would scare the kids.” But even Joszef acknowledged that kids today are already used to making security considerations in their everyday lives. In schools, “active shooter drills have become as common as fi re drills,” he said. Now something similar is com- mon in camp, too. While Morasha leaders try not to be too specifi c, they do teach campers how to react in case of emergency. As Joszef explains it, kids know that if this hap- pens, this is where you go and how you communicate. “We relay to them what they need to know but not in a way that will create fear,” he said. JE jsaff ren@midatlanticmedia.com Supporting Jewish Camp Experiences Few things strengthen Jewish values and foster lifelong connections to our Jewish community more deeply than attending a Jewish summer camp. The Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia understands this. We supported our local camps and families during their greatest time of need during the pandemic. Now, as the world returns to a new normal, we’re excited to help continue to build that camp experience, whether it’s for the first time or for returning campers who need financial assistance. Camp for Everyone One Happy Camper From artists to athletes to kids being kids, day camps to overnight camps — there’s a camp for everyone including campers with disabilities. Jewish camps promote children’s independent growth while also growing their own Jewish identity. The Jewish Federation offers One Happy Camper grants for first-time campers – not based on financial need. With the goal of reaching children not yet receiving an immersive, daily Jewish experience, the One Happy Camper grant opens doors to first-time campers to build their identities while growing within the Jewish community. The Jewish Federation offers scholarships to make Jewish day and overnight camps more accessible to families who demonstrate financial need. All dollars for this grant go directly to children and families to defray the costs of Jewish camps. Greater Philadelphia Camp Portrait 32,000 Jewish camp-aged children in our community (ages between 5 and 17)* Families Receiving Scholarships this Summer that are living at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Level: $47,000 Average household income 9% of income would have been directed to camp costs Summer 2022 Camp Snapshot Day Camp $197,000+ in scholarships 415+ campers reached, the highest number in 5 years! Overnight Camp $205,000+ in overnight camp scholarships One Happy Camper $116,000+ in One Happy Camper scholarships 255+ campers reached 95+ campers reached *According to the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia’s 2019 Community Portrait Population Study “I had been the recipient of a scholarship by a Jewish philanthropist when I was 10 years old. That donor’s generosity enabled me to attend a Jewish overnight camp for nine years, which ultimately changed the course of my life. At camp, I met my future husband, George, when we were 12. We would go on to create a Jewish home, and raise four children who attended that same overnight camp (Camp Harlam) and Jewish day schools.” “I’m excited to go to Jewish overnight camp to be with my friends and do what I love which is singing Jewish songs, playing tennis and having fun.” - Matt, 11 year old One Happy Camper grant recipient - Tracy Gordon, Women’s Philanthropy Chair 9 th Annual Summer Shorts Film Festival Virtual – Wednesdays at 7 p.m. – August 3, 10, 17 and 24 Learn more and register: jewishphilly.org/shorts JEWISHEXPONENT.COM 9 YOU SHOULD KNOW ... Rachel Klein of palm whitefish salad and carrot lox. Klein hosts a monthly cooking show “Beat Your Meat” for her Patreon mem- bers, walking her audience step-by-step through a recipe. With her vegetable-forward philos- ophy, Klein is committed to cooking dishes by making the most of fresh ingredients, leaning into the complexi- tie flavor plants are able to give. “Our entrees are very, like, ‘What can we do with this vegetable?’ versus, like, ‘How do we make this taste like meat?’” Klein said. Along with another line cook, a pas- try chef, two prep cooks and a couple front-of-house staff, Klein and her staff pride themselves on good hospitality as much as their food. remembers her superiors dragging a delivery boy by the ear and turning away a server who showed up soaking wet after trekking in the rain to arrive for her shift. “One of the reasons why the restau- rant is the way it is is because I never want to subject people to some of the experiences that I had,” Klein said. As Klein found her footing at Miss Rachel’s Pantry, she made an effort to collaborate with other women in the restaurant industry, including chef Stephanie Reitano of the now- closed Capofitto Forno in Old City. Klein would supply beet pepperoni for Capofitto’s pizza and made a take on arancini, fried rice balls, by deep frying matzah balls and serving them over a SASHA ROGELBERG | STAFF WRITER U nderground punk shows are not usually a destination for those looking for vegan sandwiches. Nevertheless, upon entering a DIY concert in Philadelphia in 2008, you might have found chef Rachel Klein selling wrapped sandwiches and iced tea to sweaty patrons, tucked between the merch tables of band T-shirts. “My payment for having the table was just to feed the headlining bands,” she said. Klein, 37, has come a long way since her tabling days. Now the exec- utive chef and creator of Miss Rachel’s Pantry, she traded sandwich slinging for meal services and catering, opened up her first storefront in 2012, and moved to her 1938 S. Chadwick St. location in 2015. Miss Rachel’s Pantry hosts weekly public dinners booked out a month in advance, private events and occasional pop-ups, serving plant-based eats, including takes on Ashkenazi dishes, such as hearts 10 JULY 14, 2022 | JEWISHEXPONENT.COM “Our food is really good,” Klein said. “But it tastes better because we’re nice.” Klein’s inclination toward good service came from her Jewish roots. Growing up in Northeast Philadelphia, Klein accompanied her mother and sister to Friday night services, while her father, Inquirer food writer Michael Klein, was often working. Klein’s mother was in charge of setting up for oneg after synagogue services, and Klein and her sister would help, alter- nating sneaking bites of pastries with putting them out on trays. For the holidays, the family would cram into her grandmother’s small rancher home, and her bubbe, to accommodate Klein’s vegetari- an-since-kindergarten diet, would plop matzah balls into store-bought vegeta- ble broth, “which wasn’t very good, but I appreciated it.” On a quest to recreate her grand- mother’s dishes, Klein began cooking and, after graduating from Temple in 2007, began taking various restaurant jobs. Along the way, she experienced and witnessed firsthand the maltreatment of working in the industry. Klein carrot puree. “It was really formative to me to see someone I look up to — Stephanie, who’s such a good cook — embrace the way that I cook, and it made me feel kind of validated in a way,” Klein said. Growing diversity in the restaurant industry has helped shift the culture from abusive to collaborative. As much as Klein is working to give her diners a positive experience, she’s looking to do the same for her workers. As restaurants have a harder time hiring, Klein believes keeping employ- ees is a matter of making sure they are paid well and not overworked, one of the reasons Miss Rachel’s Pantry’s din- ner schedule is limited and why it no longer offers catering. Klein also hopes customers are understanding of when the price of dishes increases; it’s reflec- tive of the work that goes into making the food taste good by people who, in Klein’s words, spend almost all of their time preparing the restaurant’s food. “You want to make sure your people are taken care of,” Klein said. JE srogelberg@midatlanticmedia.com Courtesy of Miss Rachel’s Pantry “One of the reasons why the restaurant is the way it is is because I never want to subject people to some of the experiences that I had” nation / world Israeli court rules that online marriages must be honored A district court in Lod, an Israeli city, ruled last week that Israel’s Interior Ministry is required to recognize the marriages of couples who use a virtual wedding service provided by Utah County in Utah. If the decision stands, it would mean that couples who do not want to or cannot have an Orthodox Jewish wedding could get the benefits of marriage without leaving Israel, as they are currently required to do. Those include LGBTQ couples, interfaith couples, and couples in which one partner is not recognized by one of the established religious authorities and couples who are committed to non-Orthodox Judaism. Jewish marriage in Israel has long been controlled by the Orthodox establish- ment. Until now, marriages not recognized by the Israeli religious establishment had to occur abroad in order to be registered by the Interior Ministry. Cyprus in particular emerged as a wedding destination. Israeli couples lost the ability to travel abroad to get married when the pandemic began in early 2020. Some of them turned to an online wedding service launched in May of that year by the county clerk in Provo, Utah, as a service to local couples who could not safely obtain a marriage license in person because of COVID-19. H O L D C O U R T. Biden administration accuses Russia of exploiting Jewish suffering The Biden administration accused the Russian government of antisemitism and of exploiting Jewish suffering through its claims that its war against Ukraine is a “denazification” operation. “To serve its predatory ends, the Kremlin is exploiting the suffering and sacrifice of all those who lived through World War II and survived the Holocaust,” the State Department said in a dossier. The dossier was timed ahead of an informal session Monday afternoon of the United Nations Security Council that Russia called to bolster its denazification claim. Tass, the Russian news agency, last week quoted Dmitry Polyansky, the deputy Russian envoy to the United Nations, as saying the session will “be our response to Western colleagues, who express doubts about one of the main goals of our special military operation in Ukraine, namely de-Nazification, and claim that we are exaggerating the problem.” The State Department dossier quotes historians and Holocaust remembrance institutions, including Yad Vashem, Israel’s Holocaust memorial, and the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, as denouncing the denazification claims as bogus. It also emphasizes that the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelensky, is Jewish and lost family to the Holocaust. Ukraine says it will not allow in Uman pilgrims for Rosh Hashanah The 501 at Mattison Estate is luxury senior living in Ambler, nestled next to Lindenwold Castle. You’ll find all the amenities of an upscale community, with a simple rental approach. At The 501, every day gets the royal treatment. Schedule a tour or learn more today. Call (215) 309-9065 or visit The501.com. More than four months into its devastating war against Russia, Ukraine is sending a new message to the world’s Jews: Don’t come here for Rosh Hashanah. Tens of thousands of Jews flood into Uman, a central city that is home to the grave of Rabbi Nachman of Breslov, a 18th-century Jewish luminary, annually for the Jewish new year. This year, their security cannot be guaranteed, Ukraine’s ambassador to Israel, Yevgen Korniychuk, said in a statement posted on the embassy’s Facebook page. — compiled by Selah Maya Zighelboim www.jewishexponent.com THE WAIT IS OVER. COME SEE THE 501. JEWISHEXPONENT.COM 11 Prime Minister Lapid W hen Yair Lapid became the caretaker prime minister of Israel on July 1 — a position he will hold at least until the next round of elections scheduled for November — he offered a simple yet profound statement of his vision for Israel: “Jewish, democratic, liberal, big, strong, advanced and prosperous.” Lapid is a political “centrist.” He is a secular Jew from the “Tel Aviv bubble” — something akin to the East Coast or Beltway elite. His is a patriotic Zionist who supports the establishment of a Palestinian state. He believes that the Israeli economy must be based on free-market principles. And, despite very real, existential threats from Iran — which he pledges to monitor closely — he does not believe that the whole world is against Israel. Lapid’s vision for the Jewish state is full integration into the world com- munity while continuing to strengthen Israel’s close relationship with the United States. He recognizes Israel’s responsibility to help lead the world- wide struggle against antisemitism, which is also tied to efforts to delegit- imize the Jewish state. Lapid’s speech was inspiring. But, understandably, it lacked a clear game plan for fulfilling his vision. He is, after all, working with the same fragile, dis- parate coalition government as former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett — a construct which was largely orches- trated by Lapid himself a little more than a year ago, in the then-successful effort to prevent Benjamin Netanyahu from returning to power. In the process of forming the Bennett-led government, Lapid did something audacious. Even though Lapid’s Yesh Atid party had more elected Knesset seats than any other coalition partner, Lapid agreed not to become prime minister and to give the prize to Bennett, of the much smaller, ultranationalist Yamina party. If their government lasted more than two years, or if their government fell and Yamina was part of the reason, Lapid would become prime minister. That’s what happened. Lapid is Israel’s 14th prime minis- ter. He is the country’s first non-right- wing leader in two decades, and Israel’s Prime minister Yair Lapid and France’s PresiIdent Emmanuel Macron at the Elysee palace in Paris, France. one of the few Israeli prime ministers without significant military experi- ence. And his rise to power was also atypical. Lapid is a former TV jour- nalist and news anchor, who many initially dismissed as an intellectual lightweight, who lacked the expe- rience to navigate the complexities of national politics, and too good looking. But he persevered. And he has been remarkably success- ful. After the 2013 election, Lapid joined Netanyahu’s government and became finance minister, only to be fired along with fellow moderate Tzipi Livni. He then settled into oppo- sition until the 2021 election, which enabled him to be the kingmaker and chart his own political course. As caretaker prime minister between now and November, Lapid will have the political bully pulpit of the prime minister’s office. He will have the opportunity to convince voters that their future is brighter with his moderate policies than they are with the right-leaning politics of Netanyahu and his political allies. On that score, Lapid has an uphill battle. But he has surprised us before, and he could do so again. In the interim, we wish Yair Lapid much success. JE Johnson gets the boot T hree years ago, many British Jewish voters were in a quandary as they evaluated their political choices in advance of parliamentary elections. The Labour Party, which most Jews had historically considered home, was led by Jeremy Corbyn, a myopic antisemite who was hostile to Israel and was chummy with its enemies. And there was mounting evidence that the Labour Party itself was infected with antisemitism. The leading alternative was the pro-Brexit Conservative Party, led by Boris Johnson, who appeared to be a Donald Trump knockoff — com- plete with Islamophobia and impos- sible hair. The Brits and the country’s Jews were spared Corbyn, but they got the full Johnson. That included what one commentator described 12 JULY 14, 2022 | JEWISHEXPONENT.COM as a toxic reign by a man who was “deceitful, narcissistic, inconsistent, undisciplined, unethical, unserious, and indifferent to the institutions and norms that sustain democracy.” Johnson resigned last week after a mass walkout by ministers and other members of his administration. Johnson was like a caricature of a British prime minister: faux populist and faux erudite. He carried out the Brexit plan, which seems to be shrink- ing Britain’s footprint. He scoffed when the COVID-19 pandemic began, and the country was in lockdown, only to end up in the intensive care unit of a hospital, with a “50-50 [chance] whether they were going to have to put a tube down my windpipe.” Johnson’s term in office was cha- otic and scandal prone. There was, for example, “Partygate,” where Johnson attended parties that vio- lated COVID precautions while the rest of the country was in lock- down, and then lied about it. He became the first prime minister to be fined by police for breaking the law. And then there was the time Johnson asked Queen Elizabeth II to prorogue Parliament — that is, shut it down — during the debate over Brexit. The queen complied. But the Supreme Court found the action to be illegal, and Johnson was forced to publically apologize to the queen for embarrassing her. Although Johnson’s tenure of scan- dal and controversy has come to an end, he will stay on as caretaker until the Conservatives pick a new party leader, who will become prime minister. There is a line forming. Most anticipate that the party will select someone “a bit less exciting” than Johnson. And that makes sense. But what about the Jews? Johnson’s win over Corbyn and Labour’s antisem- itism was a big deal. And notwithstand- ing all of his other problems, Johnson proved to be a strong supporter of both the State of Israel and the U.K.’s Jewish community. So, what’s next? Although there doesn’t seem to be an obvious successor to Johnson, the U.K.’s Jewish Chronicle reports that Grant Shapps, current transport sec- retary and the most senior Jewish politician in the cabinet, is a signif- icant contender. Shapps had been one of Johnsons’ staunchest allies and a frequent fixture on news channels defending government decisions. We join our British cousins in hop- ing for less excitement and more serious and honest leadership. JE Photo by Eliot Blondet /Abaca/Sipa USA editorials opinion Curtailing abortion rights undermines religious freedom FATIMA ARGUN AND WALTER RUBY | SPECIAL TO JE sdominick / iStock / Getty A s adherents of the two largest minority faith groups in the United States, Judaism and Islam, we strongly protest the Supreme Court’s overturning Roe v. Wade, the landmark SCOTUS decision guaranteeing the right to abortion. This regressive decision not only tramples on the fundamental right of women to control their own bodies but is a transgression on the religious freedom and values of members of our respec- tive faiths. While the decision does not expressly endorse Christian theological beliefs, its honor- ing only those constitutional liberty rights that are “deeply rooted in our history and tradition” implicitly does so by disregarding the diverse beliefs and values long not found to be sufficiently “rooted.” As such, it represents a deeply worrying precedent in which the highest court in the land has adopted the dictates of Christian theology to justify a ruling that will now compel women in states that abolish abortion — including members of our own faiths — to carry a fetus to term. In addition to its troubling adoption of only those historical values held by a limited segment of our Christian population, a result at least implicitly violative of the separation of church and state guaranteed by the First Amendment of the Constitution, the decision known as Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health disregards serious issues of the right to privacy inherent to both our faith traditions. The decision also raises deeply worrying questions as to how comfortable or safe American Muslims and Jews will be in a nation ever more overtly defined by the most inflexible and doctrinaire segments of the larger and more diverse Christian community. According to a May 2022 Pew Research Center poll, 83 percent of American Jews believe abor- tion should be legal in all or most cases. Among Muslims, a poll by the authoritative Institute for Policy and Understanding (ISPU) found a substan- tial majority of 56-37 in support of legal abortion in all or most cases. In that context, it is dismaying to hear some voices referring to the Court’s permitting states to ban abortion as “Christian Sharia.” Sharia (Islamic law) does not demand the banning of abortion either in the Muslim world or here in the United States; the Dobbs decision is far more akin to an expres- sion of Christian fundamentalism pure and simple. While there are important Muslim theological voices on both sides of the issue, just as there are in the Jewish community, the fact remains that for both our faith traditions, the life of the mother always takes precedence over that of the unborn child. As for the all-important question of when life begins, Muslim scholars point to different opin- ions ranging from 40 days, at which time the Prophet Muhammad said human beings are “con- stituted in the womb,” to 120 days, when the soul is believed to enter the fetus. In Judaism, the Torah, the Mishnah and the Talmud all consider a fetus to be a part of its mother’s body until delivery. It is not coincidental that the Hebrew word for soul is neshamah, meaning “breath.” The predominant opinion in both our faiths is that forcing a woman to carry to term a pregnancy that she does not want or that may endanger her life is morally wrong. For these reasons, the Court’s striking down of Roe v. Wade appears as nothing less than a Christianization of American law, which is per- ceived by our minority faith communities as a peril to the principles of religious pluralism and govern- mental neutrality. The majority opinion’s new rule in Dobbs that the relevant constitutional rights be lim- ited to those “deeply rooted in our history and tra- dition” carries us back 200 years to a more overtly “Christian” America in which women could not vote or own property, and African Americans were slaves — and clearly dismisses the present reality of a diverse and pluralistic 21st century America. Jews and Muslims are prepared to rigorously challenge the Court’s overt institutionalization of Evangelical and Catholic doctrine into U.S. law. Even before the striking down of Roe v. Wade, Congregation L’Dor Va-Dor, a synagogue in Boynton Beach, sued Florida over its ban on abor- tions after 15 weeks, arguing that it imposes “the laws of other religions upon Jews.” Muslim experts on sharia and constitutional law argue that Muslim Americans similarly have standing to sue against abortion bans that interfere with their religious exercise. Similar challenges based on the same principles are expected to ensue in the near future. We strongly urge those spearheading this bat- tle in our respective communities to join forces in challenging this state-imposed diminution of our religious freedoms. In so doing, American Muslims and Jews across America will show in one more way how they can stand together in support of pluralism, enhanced interfaith understanding and democracy — societal values that make Muslim and Jewish life sustainable in America. JE Walter Ruby and Fatima Argun are leaders of JAMAAT (Jews and Muslims and Allies Acting Together), a Washington-area grassroots inter- faith organization. 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. JEWISHEXPONENT.COM 13 opinion Yehuda Meshi Zahav: A life lived in Jerusalem’s bright light ended in darkness RON KAMPEAS | JTA Y 14 JULY 14, 2022 | JEWISHEXPONENT.COM Yehuda Meshi Zahav, the chairman of Israel’s Zaka rescue unit poses in Mea Shearim, Jerusalem, Jan. 19, 2021. whose name was a Hebrew poem, gold wrapped in silk. You knew Yehuda Meshi Zahav when he founded Zaka, an acronym for “identifying victims of catastrophe” in 1989 after a Palestinian terrorist forced a bus over a hill and people died, and he extended his intimacies to the splattered remains of the dead. Just when you were transitioning from your 20s to the 30s, so was he, and just when you were leaving behind the hatreds of your youth he was attaching to the name, Zaka, Hesed shel Emet, the kindness found in truth. Because this is how we like to think we evolve, from driven to kind, from beasts to humans, as Yehuda Meshi Zahav put it in 2003, when he described the sufferings of the 900 or so volun- teers who belonged to Zaka and who needed treatment for post traumatic stress: “You’re talking about humans, not angels.” Angels, in Jewish lore, can be monsters, thieves of agency. You knew Yehuda Meshi Zahav when the pro- tester who once shared with you the heat and streets of Jerusalem proudly sent his son into an army he had reviled, and accepted the Israel Prize, the country’s most prestigious, named for an entity he once did not recognize. Because this is how we like to think we evolve from purists unsullied by wisdom to wise men unsullied by purity. You never knew Yehuda Meshi Zahav. Boys and girls who knew him said he was a monster, a thief of agency, a smasher of intimacies who forced them into horrors no one should ever know. He was never indicted, and he denied the allega- tions. We may never know him. He died last week, more than a year after he attempted suicide. He left seven children and his grandchildren. Yehuda Meshi Zahav hid in Jerusalem’s plain light. “There are people who saw one awful image and became traumatized for the rest of their lives,” he said in 2003. We will never know if he was the image, or the victim, or both. When you read an obituary, you want an arc, a life well-lived. You want anger to melt into kind- ness, but some furies are resistant to kindness; they will not dissolve. My editor wonders why I turn obituaries around so much faster than profiles. Because the dead are less likely to betray us with revelations that bend the arc until it shatters. JE asiandelight / iStock / Getty Images Plus ou knew Yehuda Meshi Zahav, or you knew of him. But really, it seemed as if you knew him, because he interacted with everyone he encountered with an immediate intimacy, a shared purpose, however much his cause ultimately meant your disappearance. You knew him in the dry white heat of Jerusalem summers because he protested, he protested the very pavement you trod, because he hated the state, the Zionist state, the state you had made your own. You knew him because you were a student and students protested, sometimes on the same day as haredim, or because you were a secular Jew, and your girlfriend next to you at the bus stop was an abomination, or her spaghetti strap top was an abomination, or because you became a reporter and you covered protests, and he sought out reporters. And whoever you were, he would rush up to you and share an insight about the police on the horses, he would explain how best to avoid them like he was sharing an intimacy, and then he would rush away. In Jerusalem’s plain light, he never seemed angry, just determined. Because this was Jerusalem, a small town pop- ulated by legions of hatreds and no solitudes, but also by men and women who shared its streets and heat and somehow got along. The thick squat buildings in Meah Shearim bled into the British Mandate behemoths downtown bled into the arched Ottoman palaces in Sheikh Jarrah and the people who hated the idea of you were also your companions in arms. You were not the enemy, not you, running for awnings in winter rains and in summer heat, next to me at the bus stop, jostling alongside me on Yafo, in front of me while I waited my turn to pay a bill at the post office. The idea of you was the enemy, and that’s what Yehuda Meshi-Zahav seemed to embody, the hatred of an idea, a boy in thick black cloth who moved like a horse in Jerusalem’s dry white heat, who leapt from the haredim hurling epithets and gravel at the police, to the reporters whispering curses, to the police, thrusting forward his boxy chin bathed in soft red wisps of hair. He was an anomaly, a soldier who despised the military, a pre-state relic who was fluent in post-state slang, a man born to Yiddish speakers opinion There’s uncertainty in Israel and within the Palestinian Authority. The US’s stabilizing role is critical more than ever. KSENIA SVETLOVA J ust months ago, it seemed that the Joe Biden administration’s global priorities were all set — from strategic competition with China to addressing Putin’s emboldened Russia. However, the Middle East, with its many “forever conflicts,” didn’t make the cut to the top of the to-do list. Now, amid the war in Ukraine and a looming global food and energy crisis, US President Biden has been forced to reengage with the region and even lean on some political actors, who up until now, weren’t even eligible for a face-to-face meeting. The scorching summer of 2022 probably isn’t the best time to tour the region. A popular Israeli joke has it that there are only two seasons in the Middle East: the hot sandy winds and elections — and now both are occurring together. All three of Biden’s stops in his regional tour are currently experiencing some degree of turmoil: Israel’s government just fell; the Palestinian Authority (PA) faces the heavy atmosphere of an impending leadership transition; and Saudi Arabia is reinventing itself and reshaping its foreign policy, while preparing for the inevitable transition of power from ailing King Salman to his energetic son, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The current regional turbulence might seem to be an inhospitable backdrop for a US presidential visit. However, the importance of the United States assert- ing its regional leadership role and driving its strategic interests cannot be underestimated. During periods of regional and global instability, it is critical that the US indicate to its regional allies that they matter and their needs are being taken into consideration. Transitions might be messy, but they also present an opportunity to start afresh and to reboot lagging ties or to develop new relationships. Israelis and Palestinians know well that, while they will be getting their share of attention, the most important and perhaps most difficult part of Biden’s Middle East tour will take place in Saudi Arabia. The kingdom is important, not only because of its ability to provide some stability to global oil markets, but also due to its rising regional influence. In the after- math of the 2011 Arab Spring, Saudi Arabia, along with the United Arab Emirates, not only survived the turmoil, but also emerged as one of the Middle East’s leading countries. Saudi Arabia’s divorce from radical Wahhabi ideology, support for the 2020 Abraham Accords, and buttressing of moderate Arab regimes in the region are all extremely important. The rise in Saudi Arabia’s regional influence coin- cided with sharp ups and downs in its relations with the United States. Saudi Arabia provides Egypt with financial aid that helps Cairo stay afloat, but, at the same time, it is unable to protect its oil installations and airports from foreign aggression. Emboldened Saudi enemies, such as Iran and their Houthi proxies in Yemen, triggered a chain reaction in Riyadh. When the Saudis felt that they didn’t get sufficient reassur- ances from Washington, they began looking at diver- sifying their foreign relations and weapons purchases, with particular focus on Moscow and Beijing. Israelis share the same fear of US disengagement from the region as the Saudis. This sentiment — con- cerns of further security destabilization in the Middle East while the Americans pull out from Syria, Iraq, and Afghanistan — also shapes Jerusalem’s current policy on Russia, including its efforts to seek a middle ground on the war in Ukraine. In addition to the Saudis, the Palestinians have been suffering from extreme ups and downs in their relations with the White House over the years. This began with the deep involvement in peace talks between Ramallah and Jerusalem during the Barack Obama administration — only for an unofficial boycott during the Donald Trump era. Now, under the Biden administration, there appears to be an atmosphere of indifference and stalemate. The guideposts in Palestinian relations with Washington were lost, with the constant reference point having disappeared. The situations in Israel and the Palestinian Authority are, of course, very different. Despite all its fears and insecurities, Jerusalem is a staunch U.S. ally. At the same time, Ramallah openly wishes for a different broker that is less sympathetic to Israel. In November, Israel will go through its fifth election in three years after the Naftali Bennett-Yair Lapid government collapsed on June 20. Meanwhile, Palestinians yearn for elections that haven’t happened since 2006, when Hamas won a legislative majority in an upset victory against Mahmoud Abbas’s Fatah party. Even so, the current endgame is similar, as both sides go through an undefined period of political instability and a power vacuum that prevents any possi- bility of serious dialogue or negotiations. Precisely due to this precarious situation, the United States needs to reaffirm its commitment to the two-state solution, as there is no other proposed alternative. This commitment should be reinforced not only by statements — although they are, of course, important — but by concrete positive steps designed to stabilize the situation and inspire hope. Some of these steps involve fulfilling earlier promises to the Palestinians regarding reestablishing a U.S. consulate in Jerusalem, which closed in 2019. Others require conveying a clear message to Israel that mass evictions of Palestinians from their homes or home demolitions are counterproductive, dangerous, and generally unacceptable. While it’s clear that the path to the negotiation table is currently blocked due to the unstable political situation in Ramallah and Jerusalem, much more can be done to prevent the collapse of the PA and what is left of the Oslo Accords through regional initia- tives. After initial hesitancy about how to respond to the Abraham Accords, the Biden administration has rightly embraced them as the only ray of light in an otherwise troubled region. Biden himself said there are “much larger issues than just energy” motivating his upcoming trip on July 16 and indicated that he is going to Saudi Arabia to discuss normalization efforts, as well as regional security challenges. There is no doubt that, today, the most pressing regional concern to U.S. allies — Israel and Saudi Arabia — is Iran and the possibility that it might soon become a nuclear threshold country. Yet, despite being side- lined for the last decade, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict hasn’t faded into thin air. It remains a major strategic challenge to Israel’s national security and regional sta- bility. Both the previous inflation of its centrality and the current underestimation of its graveness is dangerous to Israel and the Palestinians, as well as for their closest neighbors, Jordan and Egypt. The United States and its Middle Eastern allies cannot allow inertia to dictate the course of events, as the outcome it will produce might be too grave. To influence the course of events and prevent escalation, the United States must act as a stabilizing force, presenting its regional approach and involvement with clarity and consistency. When China and Russia are keen to deepen their influence in the Middle East and American allies in the region are doubtful about the future, it is up to the United States to connect the dots and provide the stabil- ity and firmness that is lacking in today’s regional land- scape. Biden’s visit to the Middle East must not be an isolated event, a band-aid for other people’s problems. Instead, it should powerfully relaunch relations between the United States and its long-term allies and partners in the Middle East. If stability cannot be derived from the inside, it might be injected from the outside. JE Ksenia Svetlova is a nonresident senior fellow with the Atlantic Council’s Middle East Programs, and is the director of the Israel-Middle East Relations Program at Mitvim. This article originally appeared at atlanticcouncil.org/category/blogs/ menasource and is reprinted with permission. JEWISHEXPONENT.COM 15 opinion BY BEN COHEN | JNS O ne of the main differences between the American and European systems of democratic government is the absence, on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean, of a First Amendment- style guarantee of free speech. In the United States, for example, it’s perfectly legitimate for a neo-Nazi or an Islamist to deny the Holocaust and display hateful symbols at the same time, while in Europe such activities could theoretically land one with a prison sentence. Europe, in general, regards hate speech and hate gestures as a form of criminality; it eschews the American approach that such outbursts should be protected, however off ensive the words or images might be. And so, it’s worth examining whether anti-Zionist expressions of antisemitism — denying Israel’s right to exist, comparing Israel with Nazi Germany and so forth — should also fall under the rubric of the European courts, rather than being tested by public opinion. Two distinct questions arise here: Are legal penalties for anti-Zionism feasible? And are they desirable? These issues are not entirely abstract. In Germany and the United Kingdom, for example, the annual “Al Quds Day” (“Jerusalem Day”) rally sponsored by the Iranian regime has been banned in recent years, largely because its open call for the destruction of Israel is invariably accompa- nied by vulgar antisemitic rhetoric. The last time the rally was staged in Berlin, in 2019, one of its organizers told a Jewish counter-demonstrator that “Hitler should come back and kill all the Jews.” Meanwhile, in London in 2017, calls for Israel’s elimination served as the perfect cover for one speaker, who told the crowd that “Zionists” were directly responsible for the devastating fi re that tore through a public housing complex in the west of the city during the same year. After sev- eral years of lobbying and complaints from Jewish representatives, the authorities fi nally realized that, at least in the case of the “Al Quds Day” rally, anti-Zionism was not some liberal appeal for the human rights of Palestinians but a vehicle for attacking local Jews and the State of Israel simultaneously. That observation should serve as a reminder that the main victims of anti-Zionist activism, particularly the BDS campaign seeking to quar- antine Israel from the international community, have not been Israeli companies, but Jews living in Diaspora communities. Especially in campus settings, calls to boycott Israel have frequently involved harassment of individual Jews who, 16 JULY 14, 2022 | JEWISHEXPONENT.COM A 2010 protest against Israel’s Gaza blockade and attack on a humanitarian fl otilla, Melbourne, Australia while they might well sympathize with the Jewish state, are not its citizens. Since the 11-day confl ict in Gaza between Israel and Hamas in May 2021, that harassment has increasingly taken on a violent form. On both sides of the Atlantic Ocean last year, the slogan “Free Palestine” became inseparable from the physical attacks on Jews, anti-Semitic chants and other horrors that accompanied these ostensible demonstrations of “solidarity.” What these examples suggest is that the boundary between anti-Zionist rhetoric and hate speech is blurred indeed, while the causal rela- tionship between such rhetoric and antisemitic violence has, sadly, become fi rmly established. One European politician is now calling for anti-Zi- onist incitement to be prosecuted in much the same way as expressions of traditional antisem- itism or racism. Meeting last week with a group of visiting American Jews, the head of the city govern- ment in the Spanish capital Madrid, Isabel Díaz Ayuso, informed them that she had submitted an amendment to the European Union’s comprehen- sive strategy to combat antisemitism that would criminalize calls for Israel’s destruction. While the exact details of the proposal have not been explained, it’s reasonable to assume that a slogan like “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free,” which is precisely a call for Israel’s destruc- tion, would theoretically fall foul of the law. Ditto with fl ags and banners showing Israel’s Star of David crossed out or replaced with a Nazi swas- tika. As we know from the “Al Quds Day” rallies and the pro-Palestinian demonstrations last year, wherever such slogans are visible, antisemitic violence is not far behind. Not every aspect of this problem is so eas- ily analyzed, however. Should the organizations sponsoring these activities also be banned? Again, that is not an abstract question; in March, French Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin banned two pro-Palestinian organizations for promoting “hatred, violence and discrimination,” although that decision was later overturned through a legal appeal. Essentially, Darmanin was compelled to realize that his concerns about antisemitic incite- ment were matched by the concerns of others about freedom of speech and assembly. Those rights cannot easily be dismissed, even when the subject is something as outrageous as the BDS movement, which is built upon a series of fabrications about the nature of Israel — that it is a racist and colonial entity in which Jews segregate and oppress Palestinians through a framework of apartheid. Whether Díaz Ayuso’s proposal would criminalize those who advance this argument is unclear, but regardless, doing so is inadvisable. Those academics and pundits who demean Israel as an apartheid state, carefully making clear at the same time that they scorn anti-Semitism in all its forms, will not be silenced by such measures and will wear any bans or restrictions as a badge of pride. Rather than seeking to criminalize anti-Zionism in toto, European governments would be better off carving out those aspects that can uncom- plicatedly be dealt with by the law, such as pre- venting the public display of Hezbollah or Hamas fl ags on the grounds that these incite violence and promote antisemitic organizations, and allow civil society to adjudicate the broader political debates. The depiction of Israel as an apartheid state is wrong and immoral, but it shouldn’t be illegal, for the simple reason that banning certain types of speech is a gateway to further, unexpected restrictions. Additionally, the cause of defending Israel would be severely compromised, perhaps fatally, by the shuttering of anti-Zionist associ- ations. As we’ve discovered over the last two decades, debates and arguments with these groups are frustrating and often pointless, and yet there is no substitute for them. If the goal is to persuade the wider public that Israel’s existence marks a positive for the world, then clamping down on the free speech of Israel’s adversaries sends the signal, however much we might wish otherwise, that the Jewish state’s allies have lost the argument. JE Ben Cohen is a New York City-based journalist and author. Photo by Takver / Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic Banning anti-Zionism: Feasible? Desirable? An Inside Loo k At feature story Jewish Relief Agency’s Voluntee r Eff orts SASHA ROGELBERG | STAFF WRITER A ttached to the back of David Kent’s compact car is a large storage trailer he borrowed from his dad, who uses it to carry equip- ment back and forth from dog shows. But rather than being fi lled with canine supplies, Kent’s trailer was fi lled with boxes full of food on July 8, stacked neatly by his teenage son and nephew. For the past three years, Kent, a Horsham resi- dent, has volunteered with Jewish Relief Agency, a Philadelphia-based nonprofi t combating hunger in the area by providing food to over 3,400 low income households and 6,000 individuals in the area. For one week out of each month, the organization hosts volunteers at their North Philadelphia ware- house, where dozens of individuals pack and deliver boxes to be dropped off across 90 zip codes. Th e orga- nization serves mostly elderly clients, 73% of whom are over 65 and 65% of whom are Jewish. Many are Russian and Ukrainian immigrants. “People are always very grateful for getting what JRA provides,” Kent said. “It’s a really valuable service. I think it’s something that we can tell is needed, that we can tell is of terrifi c value to the people involved.” Like all organizations, JRA has been impacted by the pandemic, having to change their volunteer model and accommodate growing demand for food from those impacted by COVID. But even through the nonprofi t’s struggles and adaptation, one thing has remained the same: Th ose who show up are excited to be there and happy to help. camps for help. “Our whole program relies on volunteer power,” Roth-Saks said. “It’s really essential that we recruit from the community.” JEVS Human Services Franklin C. Ash Summer Interns were at the warehouse Friday learning the ropes from the more seasoned volunteers. “Food is such an essential thing for us as humans, and no one should be restricted from that,” said intern Ella Spencer. “It’s great that I’m able to help contribute.” Set up like an assembly line, volunteers walk down rows set up in the warehouse, grabbing cans of fruit and tuna, boxes of oatmeal and pasta, and toilet paper rolls to pack in 12-pound boxes. Volunteers place a yellow slip with instructions — in both English and Russian — on how to contact JRA and a recipe to make with the box’s ingredients on top of the packed goods. Families with young children may get a bag stuff ed with chips, granola bars and kid-friendly snacks. Some get custom-packed bags with diapers, shampoo or menstrual products. JRA works with the Greater Philadelphia Diaper Bank and Cradles to Crayons to distribute items for younger children. “We partner with several agencies in Philadelphia who provide much-needed diapers, incontinence supplies, children’s clothing and school essentials that are delivered by our volunteers directly to our recipients along with their food boxes,” JRA Chief of Operations Julie Roat said. As volunteers continue to pack, Arthur Davis stands out from the crowd in his neon yellow t-shirt. A volunteer at JRA since the opening of their ware- house in 2007, Davis is quick to lend a helping hand to the newbies; aft er all, he used to be one of them. Th e Old York Road Temple Beth Am member was recruited by a friend several years ago to come vol- unteer at JRA. Th e fi rst time his friend asked him to volunteer, Davis didn’t show up. “He said to me, ‘I tell you what: I’m going to come pick you up next time, and I will continue to knock on your door until you either come or you call the police,’” Davis said. Davis showed up to volunteer the next opportunity Every Litt le Bit Matt ers Inside the warehouse, about a dozen volunteers begin loading up 3,200 food boxes to be distributed for the month. It was an unusual day; JRA was a bit ahead of schedule thanks to the summer camps who were there on Wednesday and Th ursday assembling and packing boxes. While most deliveries happen Sunday through Tuesday, the packing happens the Th ursday to Sunday prior, with a break for Shabbat on Saturday. Th at week, campers from Camp Galil, Camp Canadensis, Camp Ramah Day Camp and Camp Moshava Ba’ir came to volunteer, their fi rst time returning to JRA since the beginning of the pandemic. “Th e campers are high energy and a lot of fun,” said JRA Executive Director Jodi Roth-Saks. “We’re so glad they came out to volunteer.” Over the summer, when volunteer numbers wane, JRA relies on professional groups and summer First time volunteer and JEVS Ash intern Ella Spencer packing boxes Photos by Sasha Rogelberg JEWISHEXPONENT.COM 17 Volunteer and Old York Road Temple Beth Am member Arthur Davis, who has been volunteering at the JRA warehouse for 15 years and has been showing up ever since. He’s a believer in the work JRA does, but he’s a bigger believer in the volunteers. Before COVID, Davis recalled attending a Sunday packing day with over 1,100 volunteers. Even as JRA tries to recruit more help, Davis believes in the power of showing up. He marveled at the stacks of assembled boxes lining the warehouse walls, singing the praises of the campers who spent the day assembling them. “If you bring yourself, and you bring family mem- bers, especially bringing children, they learn, ‘What is this all about?’” Davis said. “Th en that’s what makes the world a better place. Because that becomes something that becomes instinctive to people, and that’s what helps these kinds of things to grow.” Mee ting People Where They’re At Th e JRA offi ce adjacent to the warehouse is no less quiet than the warehouse. Behind the front desk, JRA staff are blowing up beach balls and infl atable palm trees. “We’re doing theme distributions for the summer months,” said Volunteer Program Manager Jenny Rubin. So this month is ‘Beach Day at JRA’…It boosts morale; it gives us an opportunity to be a little silly and play around during the summer.” Having themed volunteer days on Sunday is just a small part of Rubin’s work to engage JRA volunteers. Low volunteer numbers have been a nationwide problem exacerbated by the pandemic, Rubin said. “Everyone had a long, hard look at their priorities, and a lot of their habits also changed during the pan- demic,” she said. “We’re serving more people than we were previously, with half or even fewer than half of 18 JULY 14, 2022 | JEWISHEXPONENT.COM the [volunteers] we’ve had previously.” JRA has relied largely on word-of-mouth to gener- ate greater volunteer turnout. Th ey reach out to syn- agogues, summer camps, professional development groups, schools and college Greek life to see if they’d be interested in volunteering. While Rubin’s work is ongoing, the reimagined volunteer schedule has helped better accommodate volunteers who want to keep showing up. Now that volunteer days are held for an entire week rather than only Sunday prior to the pandemic, summer camps are able to schedule private packing days; retired folks enjoy coming in on the weekdays when the warehouse is less crowded. Instead of just schmoozing, eating a bagel and packing a couple boxes during volunteer hours, peo- ple come ready to work. “Th ough we have fewer people in the space, we are able to get so much done,” Rubin said. “Everyone who comes leaves feeling really accomplished because they’re doing more physical labor throughout the day.” In particular, Orthodox community members may have diff erent dietary needs than the rest of JRA’s population. It’s Steinerman’s job to speak with clients, including Orthodox community members, to address their needs. But along with food and additional supplies, JRA also provides clients with an intangible gift : mean- ingful human interaction. For older community members isolated by the pandemic, a box of goods accompanied by a quick chat lift s spirits substantially. Elvera Gurevich, JRA’s director of communications and technology, fi nds this element of working at JRA the most rewarding. A fi rst generation Ukrainian immigrant, Gurevich personally relates to many of JRA’s clients. “Had there been a JRA when my parents fi rst came here, we would have been getting boxes of food,” she said. “I could really empathize and see myself in that, so that’s what attracted me to the agency.” Th ough not a large part of Gurevich’s job, she still enjoys delivering boxes — sometimes only one or two — to clients each month. “Th at just like helps me stay motivated, too, because I get really focused on logistics and effi ciency and operations,” Gurevich said. “It’s a nice reminder of ‘Who are we helping? What are we really doing here?’” Last month, Gurevich delivered a box to a Russian- speaker who was eager to speak with her, asking her where she was from, how she knew how to speak Russian. “I was able to just chat with her for fi ve minutes,” Gurevich said. “And you could see her face just light up.” JE srogelberg@midatlanticmedia.com Clients with Diverse Nee ds As Rubin works to expand JRA’s volunteer base, Program Specialist Rachel Steinerman works to engage JRA’s cli- ent base, especially in the Orthodox community. “JRA has grown so much, and we help anybody who comes to us, who asks us for help, as long as they’re within our delivery area,” Steinerman said. “But as those Jewish clients have aged, and unfor- tunately passed away, we started an initiative with our Jewish community outreach to reach every sin- gle Jewish family — since we are the Jewish Relief Agency — for anybody who needs our services.” JRA staff preparing for the “Beach Day at JRA” themed distribution arts & culture ‘Image of Victory’ shows limits of idealism T Photo courtesy of MPRM Communications SASHA ROGELBERG | STAFF WRITER here’s just as much singing and dancing as there is armed combat in Israeli director Avi Nesher’s fi lm “Image of Victory.” In the fi nal days of the Nitzanim kib- butz in late 1947 and early 1948, in order to cope with the mishmashed squad of rejected soldiers and former prisoners sent to protect the village from an impending attack from Egyptian forces, residents of the kibbutz bang on the table and sing “Dayenu”; they dance in partners to what- ever tunes a teenage soldier can muster to play on an out-of-tune piano. Meanwhile, Egyptian journal- ist-turned-documentarian Mohamed Hassanin Heikal (Amir Khoury) is assigned to fi lm the ambush in hopes of getting footage to propagandize the Egyptian king’s military prowess. Th e hungry, wannabe fi lmmaker is more con- cerned with fi nding good angles than he is with the war continuing around him. On both sides of the violence, “Image of Victory” balances the humanity and ferocity of war, showing the lengths humans will go to pursue or fi ght war what they love, to a fault, even with their lives on the line. Th e fi lm starts stream- ing July 15 on Netfl ix, one of the fi rst Israeli fi lms on the streaming service. But as the Nesher attempts to tell a balanced story with protagonists on both sides of the Arab-Israeli war, the fi lm’s own ambition and idealism washes away some of its own potency. Th e fi lm, which begins with a fl ash- forward to Hassanin as a middle-aged, well-established journalist, is predicated on Hassanin’s fascination with Mira (Joy Reiger), a young mother and Nitzanim resident who commits an unknown act of heroism. Th e audience comes to know Mira as headstrong, whip smart and fi ercely loyal to her village and her young son, becom- ing the de facto leader of the kibbutz’s futile eff orts to stave off attacks from Arab forces. As Hassanin takes an interest in fi lm- ing a budding love story between an Arab soldier and a woman from a nearby town, he establishes himself as a roman- tic, thinking that the power of love will appeal to the king of Egypt more than a story of a military victory. Hassanin travels with a group of rag- gedy bearded soldiers in soiled clothing, and his own white suit and clean shaven face betray his place in the war. He’s more loyal to a good story than he is to his country. “You see your enemy as a real person, and it does something to you,” he said. Nesher is keen to humanize soldiers on both sides of the war beyond the story’s two protagonists. Arab soldier Salman gives soft looks to the woman he is try- ing to court; the kibbutz’s ragtag soldiers enjoy a swim aft er alluding to their sur- vival of the Holocaust. But the fi lm fails to deliver on many of the character’s stories, and though Nesher is generous enough to give most everyone a back story, the lack of attention to each individual is unsatisfying. As many of the characters in the fi lm meet tragic ends, the desired eff ect of drawing sympathy from the audience is achieved; it would perhaps be more eff ective if the audience could remember each character’s name. Th e same can be said of the story of the two protagonists. Th ough a complicated and charismatic force, Mira’s story gets lost in the shuffl e of battle, and though her story has closure, the fi lm is quick to assign meaning to it without giving the audience a chance to make up their own minds about her. Conversely, as Hassanin is forced to reckon with his actions as a young man complicit in war propaganda, there is lit- tle resolution to his angst and not enough context in the fi lm to create fulfi lling meaning to him. Th ough the fi lm’s two hour run time is not long enough to fl esh out the sto- ry’s characters, it gives enough detail to Amir Khoury as Hassanin in “Image of Victory” ensure they are all endearing, even if underdeveloped. “Image of Victory” is a story about the horrors of war, though it sometimes wants to be a love story, an anti-war story and a fi ctional memoir all in one. Just as the ambitions of Nesher’s characters got the best of them, “Image of Victory,” in some moments, seems to suff er the same fate. Nesher nevertheless tells the story based on true events with assured authority. JE srogelberg@midatlanticmedia.com JEWISHEXPONENT.COM 19 food & dining Super Sandwiches for Picnics LINDA MOREL | SPECIAL TO THE JE S andwiches are still your best bet at picnics. I’ve tried getting fancy with chopped salads in large plastic containers; poached salmon and barbecued chicken, which are messy to eat; and canning jars layered with roasted vegetables and quinoa. But they are a headache to lug, and leaking is an ever-present danger. On the other hand, sandwiches are easy to pack and require no sil- verware, plates or utensils. All the prep work is done at home — not at a park, the beach, an outdoor concert or, worse yet, a hiking trail. Well-planned sandwiches are an extremely efficient way of delivering a balanced meal. The ideal sandwich contains a combination of protein (meat, fish, hard-boiled eggs or cheese), along with greens, veggies or fruit all piled on good-quality bread. People can design their sandwich of choice. No two diners need to eat the same combination of ingredients. Leftovers, such as meatloaf and sliced chicken, create great sandwiches. Here are a few tips: Tomatoes become soggy in make-ahead and eat- later sandwiches. For the same reason, be judicious about how much mayonnaise, mustard or other spreads you use. Avoid chunks of chicken or turkey, which are hard to eat on the go and cause sandwiches to 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. Double-click on the headline of the ad • Make sure sure your sure family your knows your nal final wishes Make your family knows your fi knows wishes Make sure your family knows your final final change wishes the messaging. Choose from Make family your wishes Relieve your ones from to make following options in the Relieve your loved ones having make ones to to the make • R eveile Relieve ruoy loved devol your seno loved orf m having gnivah ot from m from eka having hguot appears on the right: tough decisions and from any unexpected tough decisions and from from any unexpected unexpected tough and any decisions and decisions from any unexpected fi nancial burdens - Celebration financial financial burdens burdens - Community • Give real real financial peace of of burdens mind for for you Give peace mind you and and your your family family Give real real peace peace of of mind mind for for you you and and your your family family Give - Pre-Plan - Traditions us today to speak to speak with with a a Call Call us today Once you've selected the type of Call us today today speak with a a Call us to to receive speak with Family Service Professional Family Service Professional and and receive your your would like, click "Apply." Family Service Professional and receive receive your your Family Service Professional FREE Personal Planning Guide. FREE Personal Planning Guide. and Roosevelt Park Park Roosevelt Memorial Memorial 2701 2701 Old Roosevelt Lincoln Old Lincoln Hwy. Hwy. Roosevelt Memorial Park Park Memorial Trevose, PA PA 19053 Trevose, 19053 Lincoln 2701 Old Lincoln Hwy. Hwy. 2701 Old 673-7500 (215) (215) 673-7500 Trevose, PA PA Karen 19053 Trevose, 19053 Pecora New Come Cremation see our Options new Private Family Estates Cremation Options Cremation Options Colored Monument Sections Ellipse II Garden Monuments available in various Sections colors Leah Feldman Colored Monument Sections Private Family Monument Estates Colored Leah Feldman General Manager Shomer Shabbos orthodox section General Leah Manager Leah Feldman Feldman Ellipse Gardens Come see our new Cremation Options Private Family Family Estates Estates Private 20 JULY 14, 2022 | JEWISHEXPONENT.COM General Manager Manager General Mary Beth Madill downloading or saving. Close out the Preview tab to return to the Ad LauriPatterson / E+ / gettyimages Come see our new FREE Personal Personal Planning Planning Guide. Guide. 4. Click "Preview" to review your ad FREE 5. Click "Finish" and "Download" to as a PDF with crop marks to print or to a publication. Family Service Manager (215) 673-7500 673-7500 (215) Family Service Manager Karen Karen Pecora Pecora OR, to save your ad to work on later, Family Service Service Manager Family Your Manager ad will appear in the Drafts tab Documents folder. break apart. Skip salty foods, such as lox, which make people thirsty. Wrap sandwiches in aluminum foil, which can double as a plate, making one less thing to schlep. For the well-rounded picnic, take along potato chips, fruit, your favorite cookies, thirst-quenching drinks and a garbage bag. Because sandwiches are an efficient way to feed a crowd out- doors, the host can relax like a guest. The ingredients below make one sandwich. If serving more people, add the appropriate amount of ingredients. Light-Smoked Turkey Sandwich | Meat 2 tablespoons light mayonnaise ¼ teaspoon dried tarragon A squirt of fresh lemon juice 2 slices of multigrain bread ¼ pound smoked turkey, sliced thin 4 slices cucumber, peeled 4 slices peeled and cored Granny Smith apple ¼ teaspoon capers, drained on paper towels 2 leaves of Bibb lettuce, rinsed and dried in a salad spinner or paper towels In a small bowl, mix the mayon- naise, tarragon and lemon juice, until well combined. Place the slices of bread on a cut- ting board. Spread the mayonnaise mixture evenly on one side of both slices of bread. Starting with the first slice, lay turkey over the mayonnaise, followed by cucumber and apple. Scatter the capers over the apples. Then place Bibb lettuce over them. Place the second slice of bread, mayonnaise side down, on top. With a sharp knife, cut the sandwich in half. Nouvelle Roast Beef Sandwich | Meat 1 tablespoon light mayonnaise 1 tablespoon ketchup ¼ teaspoon Dijon mustard ⅛ teaspoon garlic powder 2 slices rye bread ¼ pound thinly sliced roast beef, preferably rare 1 piece of red onion, sliced very thin 1 cornichon pickle, sliced thin 1 tablespoon fresh dill, minced 1 leaf romaine lettuce, broken into pieces In a small bowl, mix the mayon- naise, ketchup, mustard and garlic powder until well combined. Place the slices of bread on a cutting board. Spread the mayon- naise-ketchup mixture evenly on one side of both slices of bread. Starting with the first slice, place the roast beef over the mayon- naise-ketchup mixture, followed by the red onion, pickle and dill, ending with the romaine lettuce. Place the second slice of bread, mayonnaise-ketchup side down, on top. With a sharp knife, cut the sand- wich in half. Italian Deli Mozzarella Sandwich | Dairy 2 slices of sourdough bread 4 slices of mozzarella, drained on paper towels 3 pieces of sundried tomatoes, drained and sliced 6-8 basil leaves, chopped 6 thinly sliced pieces of yellow, red or orange pepper 6 pitted Kalamata olives, drained and thinly sliced 6-8 arugula leaves Place the slices of bread on a cutting board. Place the mozzarella cheese over one slice of bread, fol- lowed by the sundried tomatoes. Scatter the basil leaves on top, fol- lowed by the pepper slices, olives and arugula. Place the second slice of bread on top. With a sharp knife, cut the sandwich in half. 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 610-551-3105 Leftover Meatloaf Sandwich | Meat 1-2 tablespoons ketchup 2 slices country white bread 2 slices of leftover meatloaf, homemade or store bought 3-4 slices of sweet and sour pickles, drained on paper towels 2 scallions, sliced thin 1-2 iceberg lettuce leaves, broken into pieces Place the slices of bread on a cut- ting board. Spread ketchup on one side of each slice of bread. On the first slice of bread, place the meat- loaf slices over the ketchup. Place pickles over the meatloaf. Sprinkle scallions over the pickles. Place the lettuce over the scallions. Place the second slice of bread, ketchup side down, on top. With a sharp knife, cut the sandwich in half. JE JEWISHEXPONENT.COM 21 obituaries Professor of Medicine Gerald Escovitz Passes Away at 85 BY GALL SIGLER G erald Escovitz, retired pro- fessor of medicine and board member at Freire Charter School, passed away on May 29th. He was 85 years old. Born and raised in Boston, Escovitz attended Boston Latin School, the oldest operating school in the United States. A life-long fan of the Red Sox, Escovitz used to hang outside of Fenway Park with friends in his youth, hoping to catch fly balls. Together with his best friend since he was six years old, Paul Daum, Escovitz matriculated in Harvard. Following graduation in 1958, they embarked on a motorcycle trip in Europe, which Karen Escovitz said in an email to the Exponent, “was the source of many stories, or maybe just a few that were told many times.” Escovitz went on to receive his med- ical degree at State University of New York Downstate in Brooklyn. Escovitz’s interest in medicine was entwined with a passion for educa- tion. In 1969, Escovitz became assistant professor and deputy director of the regional medical program at Jefferson Medical College, later the Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University. Escovitz later went on to work at the Medical College of Philadelphia for three decades as a doctor, professor and vice dean. Escovitz’s dedication to education did not falter when he faced professional challenges. In 1994, the Medical School of Gerald Escovitz at his 85th birthday with his daughters Karen Escovitz and Lisa Kerness.  Courtesy of Karen Escovitz Philadelphia and Hahnemann University merged into Allegheny University of the Health Sciences. Four years later, the school declared bankruptcy and was bought off by a corporation. “I believe he was faced with hard choices about whether to stay in an environment that no longer demon- strated values he held as important. He did for a while, but ultimately left,” says Karen Escovitz. Escovitz contributed to the field as a researcher as well. He co-authored numerous papers on medical education, healthcare and other related topics. Escovitz’s retirement did not put an end to his resolve to contribute to the education field, on the contrary. Since 2001, Escovitz has served on the board of Freire Charter School in numerous capacities, including vice chair, trea- surer and chair of the education com- mittee. From 2014 to 2020, Escovitz 22 JULY 14, 2022 | JEWISHEXPONENT.COM served as chair of the board. “He was able to use his experience as a medical school administrator to bring some much needed perspective and support to this developing school which is dedicated to college-prep level education for all- and primarily serves kids from the poorer communities in Philly. He was very proud of what they had accomplished and built,” says Karen Escovitz. Escovitz oversaw 2,500 students graduating from Freire. In a meeting on June 9th, the Freire Board expressed its gratitude to Escovitz’s work. “Gerry always believed in the right for every student to have the best, top- notch college prep education regard- less of race, background, zip code, or experience,” mentioned the meeting’s minutes. Although Jewish observance was not stressed in the Escovitz household, the Jewish community was dear to Escovitz. “He was not religious, but strongly cul- turally Jewish,” says Karen Escovitz. Escovitz grew up in a Reform house- hold and was involved in the reform youth group NFTY as a teenager. Years later, Karen was also involved with the same movement, which she is certain ABRAMS Kirk, July 7, 2022. Son of the late Alfred and Shirley Abrams. Brother of Hank (Helene) Abrams and the late Marsha Abrams. Uncle of Nina, Stephanie and Eric. Graveside ser- vices are private. Contributions in his memory may be made to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, www.nationalmssociety.org GOLDSTEINS’ ROSENBERG’S RAPHAEL-SACKS www.goldsteinsfuneral.com ADLER Martin “Marty” W., PhD Of Warm- inster, PA, passed away on July 5, 2022. He was the son of the late Sonia and Jacob “Jack” Adler. Be- loved husband of Toby (Wisotsky), father of Dr. Charles (Dr. Laura) Adler and Eve Adler, brother of the late Dr. Sheldon (Barbara) Adler, Anita (late Tim) Flynt, and Jerrold (Cindy) Adler, grandfather of Ilyssa (Matt Wolf), Jennifer Adler, Sarah Goldberg, and great-grandson Ja- cob Shai Wolf. Marty grew up in Washington Heights, NY and grad- uated from Bronx HS of Science and NYU and after returning from Korea. He became the fi rst Ph.D. graduate in Pharmacology from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York. He moved to Phila- delphia in 1960 to join the faculty in the Department of Pharmacolo- gy at Temple University School of Medicine where he spent his entire career of over 60 years. He was an internationally recognized expert in the fi eld of opiate pharmacolo- gy and drug abuse research and he co-founded the Temple Center for Substance Abuse Research (CSAR). He also was executive secretary of The College on Prob- lems of Drug Dependence (CPDD). His passion was research and teaching. In lieu of fl owers, dona- tions in his memory can be made to the National Multiple Sclerosis So- ciety or The Michael J. Fox Foun- “made him happy.” In 1979, Escovitz spent six months in Israel, where he worked on medical education. In recent years, Escovitz frequented Kol Nidre service with Karen Escovitz, who led her chavura community during High Holiday services for a dation. Masks are required at the Service and at Shiva. JOSEPH LEVINE & SONS www.levinefuneral.com AZEFF Marlene (nee Soffer) passed July 3, 2022. Age 73. Beloved wife of Nel- son Azeff. She was like a mother to Philip (Susan) Azeff, and Yvonne Azeff, and grandmother to Jacob and Justin. Dear sister of William Soffer. She was a graduate of Temple University and retired from a long career as a teacher and ad- ministrator in the education fi eld. Family and friends are invited her funeral service on Wednesday July 6, 2022, 10am precisely, at Roos- evelt Memorial Park 2701 Old Lin- coln Highway, Trevose PA 19053. Contributions in her memory may be made to any charity that benefi ts the State of Israel. GOLDSTEINS’ ROSENBERG’S RAPHAEL-SACKS www.goldsteinsfuneral.com Age 101 of North Wales PA. She is survived by her loving son Robert Katz. Grandmother of Kimberley (David) Harris. Great grandmother of Kyle and Ally Harris. She is predeceased by her late husband William Katz and her son David (Ei- leen) Katz. Marion was mostly know by her nickname Menchy. Besides her great concern and support for her children she was fond of music, played piano, played cards, took lessons in painting and drawing, loved to travel, and loved entertain- ing and cooking at home for friends and family functions. She grew up in South Philadelphia and had life- long childhood friends that stayed together for all their lives sharing friendships and memories that are priceless. Contributions in her memory can be made to a charity of the donor’s choice. GOLDSTEINS’ ROSENBERG’S RAPHAEL-SACKS www.goldsteinsfuneral.com KATZ BINSWANGER Frank G. Jr. July 6, 2022 of Philadel- phia, Pa. and Margate, NJ. Beloved husband of Suzanne (nee Hirsch). Devoted father of Eve B. Wildrick, Jody (Andy) Snider and Jeff (Shau- na) Binswanger. Cherished brother of John (Gay Greene) Binswanger and the late Robert Binswanger. Proud grandfather of Remy (David) Kline, Whitney (Zach) Jones, David (Whitney) Snider, Jonathan (Annal- isa) Snider, Zach and Katie. Loving great-grandfather of Ellie, Stevie and James. Services and interment will be private. Contributions in his memory may be made to Wesleyan University (or) Deerfi eld Academy. JOSEPH LEVINE & SONS www.levinefuneral.com KATZ Marion (nee Rowens) July 2, 2022. few years. Karen Escovitz is not sure if he attended “for religious reasons or because he wanted to hear me sing.” In his 60s, Escovitz decided to pur- sue another passion of his – classical music. He began singing in a classi- cal choir. “His fi rst eff orts were pretty awful, but he improved quickly,” says Martin Katz, June 30, 2022, of Phila.; beloved husband of Wilma “Billie” (nee Heitzer); loving father of Robert Katz (Stacey) and Lori Soberman (Stuart); devoted broth- er of Nancy Oblon (Arnie); cher- ished grandfather of Jaime Rowley (Jack), Rachel Soberman, Andrew Katz and Jake Soberman. Marty as he was affectionately known by all. He was a pioneer in the turnaround and restructuring business; a doc- tor for sick businesses paving the way for so many others. He sup- ported, promoted, educated col- leagues in our industry. His chari- table ways within the community as well as well as with his time with younger people should be a lesson for us all. One of our colleagues de- scribed Marty this way and I could not have said it better. Funeral services were held on, Tuesday, July 5, 2022, 11:00AM, at Joseph Levine & Sons, 4737 Street Rd., Trevose, PA. Interment followed at Montefi ore Cemetery. Shiva was observed at the residence of Stac- ey and Robert. In lieu of fl owers, contributions in Martin’s memory may be made to the Children’s Leu- kemia Research Assoc. (childrens- leukemia.org), or Thon-For the Kids (thon.org). JOSEPH LEVINE AND SONS www.levinefuneral.com Karen Escovitz. Escovitz eventually performed with Vox Ama Deus, led by the accom- plished conductor Valentin Radu, at the Kimmel Center. Besides his daughter Karen, Escovitz is survived by his wife, Francyn, and grandchildren. JE LESACK The Lesack family mourns the passing of Dr. Linda Lesack, age 78, of Charlotte, North Carolina on July 4, 2022. Born on September 4, 1943, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to Wil- liam and Eva Lebowitz, Linda at- tended Girls High, Temple Univer- sity, and the University of Missouri, where she earned a doctorate in Spanish in 1973. Affectionately known as “Doctora” to her students, she spent much of her career teach- ing at the George Washington High School in Northeast Philadelphia. Linda and her late husband, Burton Lesack, relocated from Cherry Hill, New Jersey to the Ballantyne area of Charlotte in 2004, becoming ac- tive members of the Temple Israel community. She believed deeply in Jewish community and Jewish ed- ucation, and loved to travel, espe- cially to Spain with her high school students and to Disney World with her family. Linda is survived by her children, Warren Lesack (Barrie Stesis), Jeff Lesack (Barb Johnson), Marshall Lesack (Roseanne), and Daniel Tuksar; the many grandchildren who called her their Bubby - Emma, Maya, Zoe, Cole, Elle, Maria, Ja- son, Tzofi ya, Eliora, and Micha; her sister, Lory Brenner; and her sister- in-law, Gladys Lesack. Donations in her honor can be made to the Jack M. Barrack Hebrew Academy in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania and Temple Israel in Charlotte, North Carolina. Condolences may be offered at www.McEwenPinevilleChapel.com. MCEWEN FUNERAL HOME PINEVILLE CHAPEL www.McEwenPinevilleChapel.com LEVINE Jay H., of Ventnor, NJ, formerly of Cherry Hill, NJ died July 6, 2022 in Atlantic City, NJ. He was the hus- band of Marsha Levine, father of Ilene (Steven) Berman and Ellen Northrup, grandfather of Lee (Kar- ly), Holly (Ben), Nina, and Kyle and great grandfather of Ryder, Van, Ashton, Ryan and Lexi. Services and burial took place at Roosevelt Memorial Park in Trevose, PA. In lieu of fl owers, the family requests that donations be made in memo- ry of Jay to Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. Checks made out to Children’s Hospital of Philadel- phia Foundation can be mailed to P.O. Box 781352, Philadelphia, PA 19178-1352. Please remember to write in memory of Jay Levine on the memo line of the check. Gifts may also be made online at http:// www.chop.edu/give. PLATT MEMORIAL CHAPELS www.plattmemorial.com MILLER Dorothy (Nee Sorkin), July 6, 2022. Wife of Robert; mother of Iris (Rich) Schepise, and Beth (Paul) Feldman; stepmother of Craig and Nancy; grandmother of Cara, Hil- lary (Nate), Amanda, Maria (Kevin) and Gina; Also survived by 7 great grandchildren. Contributions in her memory may be made to the Amer- ican Kidney Fund www.kidneyfund. org/give or the American Diabetes Association www.diabetes.org GOLDSTEINS’ ROSENBERG’S RAPHAEL-SACKS www.goldsteinsfuneral.com MORGENSTERN Earl, CPA July 2nd, 2022, of Haver- ford, PA: husband of Esther Gush- ner; Father of Rick Morgenstern (Nancy), Linda Morgenstern (Vivian Belmont), Donna O’Brien Gramigna (William), Lisa Morgenstern (Noah Solomon), Stacey Morgenstern, Stephen Mitnick (Denise), David Mitnick (Shelly), Lisa Mitnick (Seth Barsky), Susan Mitnick (Ari Macht); Grandfather of Ryan (Jeanna), Ava, Sara, Elizabeth, Jacob, Silas, Abby, Emily, Eliana, Liam, Maleia, Skyla, Emily (Mike), Elizabeth, Ariel (Ian), Jeremy, Michael, Becky, Jasper, Gemma, and Pearle. Great Grand- father of Mia and Ella. Predeceased by son Joshua Morgenstern (Anas- tasia). The family respectfully re- quests contributions in his memory to Manna, Philabundance, Feeding America. JOSEPH LEVINE & SONS www.levinefuneral.com JEWISHEXPONENT.COM 23 synagogue spotlight What’s happening at ... Congregation Kol Ami Kol Ami Echoes Voice of the People JARRAD SAFFREN | STAFF WRITER O n June 26 at M’kor Shalom in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, Rabbi Jennifer Frenkel took the Torahs out of the ark and handed them to the seven past presidents standing on the bimah. Th e group then joined hundreds of their fellow con- gregants in marching about two miles from their Evesham Road home to their new home: Temple Emanuel on Springdale Road, also in Cherry Hill. Later that day, two of South Jersey’s biggest Reform synagogues unifi ed under the name of Congregation Kol Ami, which means “voice of my people.” Th e new community of about 700 families held its fi rst Shabbat service on July 1. Frenkel, the former leader of M’kor Shalom and the new senior rabbi of Kol Ami, led the service from the bimah. Marylee Alperin, who with her hus- band Stuart Alperin was one of the founders of M’kor Shalom in 1974, watched Stuart accept one of the Torahs from Frenkel as a past president before the march to their new temple. Th en the couple walked to Springdale Road together. “It was beautiful,” Marylee said. Th e Reform temples are unifying because it just made sense, according to leaders from both institutions. M’kor Shalom and Temple Emanuel saw their respective memberships decline from over 1,000 to about 300 to 350 in recent years. In becoming one, they could add members, sell M’kor Shalom’s building and devote their resources to a single location. Th e June 26 “March of the Torahs,” as a press release described it, was the culmination of a two-year process made possible by the retirement of Rabbi Jerome P. David, who led Temple Emanuel for 47 years. David’s decision allowed Frenkel, who was ordained in 2009, to become the senior rabbi of the unifi ed congregation. But even with their senior rabbi role fi gured out, the synagogues would not have proceeded without the support of their congregants. On Jan. 24, 98% of 24 JULY 14, 2022 | JEWISHEXPONENT.COM them voted to come together, accord- ing to former M’kor Shalom presi- dent and Kol Ami co-president Drew Molotsky. A few weeks ago, about 300 members marched together with the Torahs. Th e new name was submitted by a congregant. “I believe that change is a good thing,” said Amy Sussman, a Temple Emanuel member for 11 years. “I’m excited to make new friends and make our community larger.” For M’kor Shalom congregants, the change was a little more bittersweet, as they were leaving their building. Sharla Feldscher, a Voorhees resident and PR executive who wrote the release about the “March of the Torahs,” was a mem- ber at M’kor from the beginning. She sang in the choir there for over three decades; her daughters were confi rmed there; her granddaughter went to pre- school there. During the last Shabbat service in the building on June 24, Feldscher and other choir members cried and hugged. Th ey looked out at fellow members, who looked back. “It was a love fest,” Feldscher said. But the M’kor alum is also “excited” to become a Kol Ami member. She said she’s looking forward to meeting new people. Two days aft er that fi nal service, she watched the presidents place the Torahs in the new ark at the conclusion of the “March of the Torahs.” At that moment, “it felt like we were a part of it,” Feldscher explained. Marylee Alperin felt the same way. She called the transition “diffi cult at fi rst.” But she kept reminding herself that she wanted all of their eff orts over the years to live on. “We must perpetuate Judaism,” Alperin said. If the last Shabbat service at M’kor Shalom was emotional, the fi rst one at Kol Ami was hopeful, according to Sussman. People were saying hello to each other and starting conversations. “It was diff erent, but it was a good diff erent,” she said. Th e 39-year-old is part of a group of about 15 Emanuel families called “the up-and-comers.” Th e parents are around Sussman’s age and the kids The Lieberson family on the “March of the Torahs” to the new Congregation Kol Ami in Cherry Hill on June 26 Photo by Sharla Feldscher Longtime M’kor Shalom member Steve Friedman at the new and unifi ed Congregation Kol Ami in Cherry Hill Photo by Sharla Feldscher are going through preschool, religious school and Jewish life at the Cherry Hill temple. Th e Sussmans moved to South Jersey because they wanted their two children to “grow up in a more Jewish area,” the mom said. Susan Marinoff , 40, joined Emanuel with her husband and three children because she always felt more connected to her Jewish friends grow- ing up, and she wanted the same thing for her own kids. Rob Baron, another “up-and-comer” at Emanuel, also said it was important for his two children to grow up in a synagogue. Now, with the two temples unifying, Reform Judaism in South Jersey will have “strength in numbers,” he said. Th at strength will give his kids “a place they can call home.” “It’s every parent’s hope,” Baron explained. “So that when they leave the house, they take those ideals with them and build their own life in Judaism.” JE jsaff ren@midatlanticmedia.com d’var torah Could that have been Elijah? RABBI ERIC YANOFF O Parshat Balak ne of my teachers, Rabbi Burt Visotzky, tells the story of meeting Elijah the Prophet while on a mission meeting refuseniks in the Former Soviet Union: Th ey were advised that they would be followed by the KGB. In order to bolster Jewish life of the refuseniks without exposing and endangering the group, they had to take special care in getting to their des- tination. It was not safe to take a taxi directly there, and so they got turned around and lost. Rabbi Visotzky tells the story that as they wandered, look- ing for the meeting of refuseniks, a man appeared suddenly, led them to a non-descript doorway, and before they could turn back to thank him, he was gone. Rabbi Visotzky, a master storyteller, calls that man “my Eliyahu.” In Jewish tradition, Elijah oft en appears out of context, unexpectedly and ahistorically to off er support. I recalled this a few summers ago when my family were among several families on a day off from Camp Ramah. We had planned to meet up with a few other minivans of camp families and go on a hike, but we got separated and had no cell service. I walked from the trailhead back to the road, and aft er some time holding my phone at diff erent angles in futil- ity, a cyclist came by, off ered us some fresh milk (a random detail, but true), and encouraged us. He disappeared as quickly as he had come, and just min- utes later our friends arrived; they had encountered him on his bicycle, and he somehow “knew” that they were the friends we sought. He led them in the right direction… but again, our friends barely saw him cycle away. We called him “our Elijah.” Have you ever encountered an Elijah – unexpected support from a random encounter? Perhaps more importantly, did you recognize that unsolicited, out- of-nowhere help as extraordinary? Parashat Balak challenges us to open our eyes, our ears and our voices to appreciate that support sometimes comes in the most surprising of places. Th e story itself, of the Moabite King Balak seeking the help of the faraway prophet Bilaam to curse the People of Israel, reads like a random inser- tion into the Torah’s narrative; indeed, some ancient sources viewed it as its own “book” of the Torah. Aft er mul- tiple entreaties, God assents to Bilaam going on Balak’s quest – on the condi- tion that Bilaam only prophesize using the words God gives him. What happens next is almost comi- cal in its caricature of Bilaam’s obtuse- ness: Riding on his donkey, Bilaam gets increasingly frustrated as the donkey strays from the path, scrapes Bilaam’s leg against brush along the side of the path and then sits down in the path – all to keep Bilaam from harm. Finally, with Bilaam enraged and beating his animal, God opens the mouth of the donkey and enables Bilaam to under- stand the donkey’s noble intentions to save the prophet from an angel of death. All along, the narrative seems to mock Bilaam’s absurd inability to appreciate the help he is receiving from an unlikely source. Th e caricature is laughable in its irony: Bilaam, a noted, sought-aft er prophet and seer, cannot see the help off ered, even by a lowly ass. And given Bilaam’s inability (or perhaps biased refusal) to see the don- key’s unexpected support, who then is the true ass in the narrative, and who is the better seer and orator of blessings and curses? On the other end of the spectrum of unseen, miraculous support, Bilaam is also not even receptive to the support that God gives him, as God places words of blessing (instead of curses) into the prophet’s mouth. True, the blessings enrage Bilaam’s contracted employer (King Balak), but more nota- bly, it takes Bilaam multiple attempts to recognize God’s supporting role, just as he could not see the donkey’s saving role. Finally, in the end, he full-throat- edly embraces God’s words in his mouth, and off ers his most famous blessing that begins our morning ser- BUSINESS / LEGAL DIRECTORIES vice: “Mah tovu ohalecha Ya’akov, mishkenotecha Yisrael – How good are your tents, Jacob, your dwellings, O Israel!” (Bemidbar 24:5). Th e story of Bilaam reminds us that help can come from the most surpris- ing sources – from a lowly donkey, or from the Creator of Heaven and Earth. Our role is twofold: First, we must recognize that support as miraculous. Don’t be the guy in the joke who is des- perate for a parking spot for an import- ant meeting and makes an impulsive promise: “God, if you help me here, I pledge to become more observant…” – and when two parking spots imme- diately open up directly in front of him, quickly reneges, saying, “God, forget it – I found a spot myself.” My rabbi growing up, Rabbi Sidney Greenberg z”l, said memorably, “Coincidence is God’s way of staying anonymous.” We, however, should be in the business of uncovering God’s “cover” or anonym- ity, and giving God – or whomever comes to our aid – full “credit” in those moments. Second, our role is to BE that unex- pected, unsolicited and even unde- served help for someone. It is a mitzvah to recognize someone’s “Elijah” – but it is an even bigger mitzvah to BE some- one’s “Elijah.” I have seen it hinted and off ered online and in-person – and so I challenge us: In a world with plenty of reasons for darkness, uncertainty and fear – how might we step into that role, light the way and become someone else’s Elijah? JE Rabbi Eric Yanoff , one of the rabbis at Adath Israel in Merion Station, is immediate past president of the Greater Philadelphia Board of Rabbis. 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 this column are the author’s own and do not refl ect the view of the Board of Rabbis. nmls 215-901-6521 • 561-631-1701 JEWISHEXPONENT.COM 25 calendar JULY 15–JULY 20 WEDNESDAY, JULY 20 H OA R D I N G S U P P O RT Join Jewish Family and Children’s Service and like-minded individuals from April 13-July 27 from 5:30-7:30 p.m., in a supportive community where you will learn tools to address compulsive acquir- ing and saving while deepening your understand- ing of clutter and how you got here. To register or for more information on sliding scale options, contact Rivka Goldman at 267-256-2250 or rgoldman@jfcsphilly.org. E X C LUS IV E 4TH OF JULY SAVINGS FRIDAY, JU LY 1 5 PARSHA FOR LIFE Join Rabbi Alexander Coleman, Jewish educator and psychothera- pist at the Institute for Jewish Eth- ics, at 9 a.m. for a weekly journey through the Torah portion of the week with eternal lessons on per- sonal growth and spirituality. Go to ijethics.org/weekly-torah-portion. html to receive the Zoom link and password. S U N DAY, JU LY 1 7 MIDSUMMER DAYDREAM *Guaranteed not to clog for as long as you own your home, or we will clean your gutters for free LIFETIME NO-CLOG WARRANTY MADE ONSITE SPECIFICALLY FOR YOUR HOME THE ONLY ONE-PIECE SEAMLESS DEBRIS SHEDDING GUTTER SYSTEM. SCRATCHGUARD® PAINT FINISH Call Today for Your FREE ONLY $99 INSTALLATION * Estimate! 302-205-6926 Offer sponsored by LeafGuard Holdings Inc. Limit one per household. Company procures, sells, and installs seamless gutter protection.This offer is valid for homeowners over 18 years of age. If married or involved with a life partner, both cohabitating persons must attend and complete presentation together. Participants must have a photo ID and be legally able to enter into a contract. 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LeafGuard operates asTri State LeafGuard in Pennsylvania under HICPA license number PA 126357 26 JULY 14, 2022 | JEWISHEXPONENT.COM Reform Congregation Keneseth Israel’s very own Lee Slobotkin, who portrayed leading roles in “The Book of Mormon” on Broadway and the national tour of “Wicked,” will entertain with tunes from stage, screen and more, with brunch at 12:30 p.m. and concert at 1:30 p.m. For questions, contact Sue Fried at simcha1818@gmail.com. 8339 Old York Road, Elkins Park. MON DAY, JU LY 18 MAHJONG GAME Melrose B’nai Israel Emanu-El Sisterhood invites the community to join our weekly friendly mahjong game Mondays 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. TU E SDAY, JU LY 1 9 BINGO WITH BARRY Join Barry at Tabas Kleinlife for an afternoon of bingo from 12:30-3:30 p.m. on July 19, 20 and 21. Free parking and free to play with snacks available on July 20. For more information, call 215-745-3127. 2101 Strahle St., Philadelphia. HOARDING SUPPORT Join Jewish Family and Children’s Service and participants who have completed a prior hoarding support group program from 4-5 p.m., in a supportive community where you will learn tools to address compul- sive acquiring and saving while deepening your understanding of clutter and how you got here. To register or for more information on sliding scale options, contact Rivka Goldman at 267-256-2250 or rgoldman@jfcsphilly.org. JE Out & About Photo by Bernie Roseman Courtesy of Legal Services of New Jersey around town 2 3 4 Courtesy of Gail Lindo Courtesy of Brooke Newman 1 1 Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia representatives made a presentation on the support they are providing to people displaced by the war in Ukraine at Ann’s Choice in Warminster on June 29. 2 Kristen Alzamora, eviction diversion initiative/access to counsel supervisor for the Jewish Family Service of Atlantic & Cape May Counties, and Laura Rodgers, JFS’ chief impact officer, accepted the Legal Services of New Jersey’s Equal Justice Medal for significant pro bono service on behalf of JFS. 3 JCC Camps at Medford campers enjoyed a day at camp. 4 Congregation Mikveh Israel in Philadelphia held services for Tish’a BeAb. JEWISHEXPONENT.COM 27 last word Kenny Holdsman JARRAD SAFFREN | STAFF WRITER I n the 1990s, Kenny Holdsman was working as a lawyer at Ballard Spahr, a Philadelphia firm that rep- resented “institutional clients,” as he put it. Since Holdsman was a graduate of Temple University’s James E. Beasley School of Law, the job made sense. But the young lawyer felt unfulfilled. He didn’t really think he was a lawyer. Then one night, the chairman of the firm’s litigation department, Arthur Makadon, walked into Holdsman’s office and told him as much. The well- known Philadelphia “insider,” who introduced Ed Rendell to his future chief of staff David L. Cohen, said to the young litigator that his talents, values and passions would serve him better in another line of work. “He was by no means firing me,” Holdsman said. “But he was giving me a piece of advice.” It went on to shape the rest of his life. Holdsman, a member of Congre- gation Rodeph Shalom in Philadelphia, pivoted to the nonprofit sector and embarked on a multi-decade journey to where he is today. The 54-year-old is the president, CEO and founding board member of Philadelphia Youth Basketball, a nonprofit organiza- tion that runs out-of-school basket- ball, study and leadership programs for children from underprivileged backgrounds. PYB serves about 800 kids at a time, according to the CEO’s LinkedIn pro- file. But in September of 2023, it will open the Alan Horwitz ‘Sixth Man’ Center in Philadelphia’s Nicetown neighborhood, a $25-million, 100,000- square-foot facility with a stadium court, five classrooms and a multi- media lab, among other amenities. Once the facility opens, PYB will be able to help over 5,000 students. “This is the thing that he was born to do,” said Amy Holdsman, Kenny’s wife of 28 years. 28 JULY 14, 2022 | JEWISHEXPONENT.COM But the nonprofit leader did not get here overnight. In fact, he did not even start PYB until 2015. The Philly resident worked for several other organizations before he created his own. After leaving Ballard Spahr, he spent five years at the Philadelphia School District as the director of service learning and youth leadership. Then he became the senior program officer and director for the youth engagement team at the Academy of Educational Development, a Washington, D.C.- based nonprofit. Finally, from 2009- 2015, Holdsman served as president and CEO of Arthur Ashe Youth Tennis and Education. At each stop, the Jewish leader got a little closer to his ultimate destination. With the Philly schools, he led an expansion of summer service pro- grams to 22 different institutions across the city. During those years, he was primarily helping Black students, so he learned how to approach working in the Black community without the benefit of personal experience. “Through a lot of reading and con- versation and feedback,” Holdsman said. “Learn how to allow others who are more culturally connected to the work to be more visible and influential than myself.” In his next position, with the Academy of Educational Development, Holdsman worked remotely on an initiative to use funding from cen- ter-left foundations, like the Carnegie Foundation and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, to develop pro- grams to give young people “voice, value and visibility,” as he described it. The projects got students involved in philanthropy and community gover- nance, among other civic arenas. It was through that work that Holdsman recognized “the thread of my career,” he said. “Creating ways for young people, especially those from lower-income communities of color, to be fully visible and valued with authentic voice.” But during those years, Holdsman was also coaching his own sons, Greg and Danny, in basketball, baseball and soccer. He probably spent 25 hours a week building teams with his sons, their friends and their neighbors in northwest Philadelphia. Holdsman saw that sports could develop self-esteem, resilience and an ability to fit into a team dynamic. The experience inspired him to take the job with the Arthur Ashe organization, which used tennis in a similar way that PYB now uses basketball: as a founda- tion to develop well-rounded people. As he guided the Philadelphia-based organization, Holdsman started to receive visitors interested in studying his programs. They included Doug Young, Kobe Bryant’s teammate at Lower Merion High School and later a Lower Merion assistant coach; Bill Ellerbee, the former coach at Simon Gratz High School; and Alvin Williams and Jason Lawson, who both played for Villanova University in the 1990s, with Williams going on to a career in the NBA. They all left Holdsman with a similar message. If he wanted to help as many young people as possible, he should focus on basketball. “I was convinced that basketball could be the single best door-opener for thousands of kids in Philadelphia,” he said. Now, when the new facility opens, it really might be. JE jsaffren@midatlanticmedia.com Courtesy of Isaiah Nathaniel of MadOptics Productions and Nahijee Cross of Philadelphia Youth Basketball FINDS HIS CALLING SEASHORE SALE LOVE where you LIVE VOTED ATLANTIC COUNTY BOARD OF REALTORS 2020 REALTOR OF THE YEAR! *TOP 10 in the country out of all Berkshire Hathaway agents *GCI 2019 NEW LISTING! 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Watch your favor- ite live sports, news & en- tertainment anywhere. First 3 months of HBO Max, Cin- emax, Showtime, Starz and Epix included! Directv is #1 in Customer Legals CHANGE OF NAME NOTICE IN THE COURT OF COMMON PLEAS CIVIL DIVISION OF PHILADELPHIA COUNTY Court of Common Pleas for the County of Philadelphia, June Term, 2022, No. 2389. Notice is hereby given that on June 27, 2022 the pe- tition of Luke Joseph Myers was filed, praying for a decree to change his name to Luke Joseph Zenak. The Court has fixed July 28, 2022 at 10:00 am, in Room 691, City Hall, Philadelphia, PA for the hearing. All persons interested may appear and show cause if any they have, why the prayer of the said petition should not be granted. Larry H. Lefkowitz, Es. 4802 Neshaminy Blvd., Suite 5 Bensalem, PA 19020 Solicitor CHANGE OF NAME NOTICE IN THE COURT OF COMMON PLEAS CIVIL DIVISION OF PHILADELPHIA COUNTY Court of Common Pleas for the County of Philadelphia, June Term, 2022, No. 2391. Notice is hereby given that on June 27, 2022 the pe- tition of Nickolas Ryan Gonzalez was filed, praying for a decree to change his name to Nickolas Ryan Tulao. The Court has fixed July 28, 2022 at 10:00 am, in Room 691, City Hall, Philadelphia, PA for the hearing. All persons interested may appear and show cause if any they have, why the prayer of the said pe- tition should not be granted. Larry H. Lefkowitz, Es. 4802 Neshaminy Blvd., Suite 5 Bensalem, PA 19020 Solicitor ESTATE OF ANTHONY L. MAHER, 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 de- mands against the estate of the decedent to make known the same and all persons indebted to the decedent to make payment without delay to THOMAS M. DOEBLEY, EXECUTOR, care of Harry Metka, Esquire, 4802 Neshaminy Boulevard, Suite 9, Bensalem, PA 19020, Or to his Attorney: HARRY METKA 4802 Neshaminy Boulevard Suite 9 Bensalem, PA 19020 ESTATE OF ARLEEN R. WEITZ, 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 STEWART J. WEITZ, EXECUTOR, c/o Robert J. Stern, Esq., Two Bala Plaza, Ste. 300, Bala Cynwyd, PA 19004, Or to his Attorney: ROBERT J. STERN ROBERT J. STERN LAW, LLC Two Bala Plaza, Ste. 300 Bala Cynwyd, PA 19004 ESTATE OF BETTY KELLY a/k/a BETTY LOU KELLY, 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 ANGELA L. KELLY, ADMINISTRATRIX, c/o Brian L. Strauss, Esq., Rothenberg Center, 1420 Walnut St., Philadelphia, PA 19102, Or to her Attorney: BRIAN L. STRAUSS THE ROTHENBERG LAW FIRM LLP Rothenberg Center 1420 Walnut St. Philadelphia, PA 19102 ESTATE OF CAROLYN PLATT DECEASED of Montgomery County, PA LETTERS OF TESTAMENTARY ON THE above estate have been grant- ed to the undersigned, who requests all persons having claims against or are indebted to the estate of the above to make known the same to FRANKLIN PLATT, EXECUTOR AT 208 Fillmore Street Jenkintown, PA 19046 ESTATE OF DENISE L. BOWEN, 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 with- out delay to COURTNEY CORRIN BOWEN, ADMINISTRATRIX, c/o Tom Mastroianni, Esq., 415 Johnson St., Ste. 102, Jenkintown, PA 19046, Or to her Attorney: TOM MASTROIANNI THE ELDER CARE LAW CENTER, LLC 415 Johnson St., Ste. 102 Jenkintown, PA 19046 ESTATE OF DI-NEFFA DIAMOND RAMSON, 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 DENNIS D. RAMSON, 1909 W. Somerset St., Philadelphia, PA 19132 and TINA L. BRIGHT, 1733 W. Juniata St., Philadelphia, PA 19140, Administrators, Or to their Attorney: DAVID V. BOGDAN 2725 West Chester Pike Broomall, PA 19008 ESTATE OF DIRIAN ARLYN GUZMAN, 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 JACLYN ARROYO, EXECUTRIX, c/o Daniella A. Horn, Esq., 2202 Delancey Place, Philadelphia, PA 19103, Or to her Attorney: DANIELLA A. HORN KLENK LAW, LLC 2202 Delancey Place Philadelphia, PA 19103 ESTATE OF ELAINE T. PARELMAN, 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 ELEANOR B. LISIECKI a/k/a ELEANOR BARBARA LISIECKI, ELEANOR LISIECKI, 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 with- out delay to BARBARA A. LISIECKI, ADMINISTRATRIX, c/o Samuel G. Forte, Esq., 9225 Frankford Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19114, Or to her Attorney: SAMUEL G. FORTE LAW OFFICES OF SAMUEL G. FORTE 9225 Frankford Ave. Philadelphia, PA 19114 ESTATE OF GEORGE A. PLAUFCAN, SR., 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 CHARLES A. J. HALPIN, III, ADMINISTRATOR, The Land Title Bldg., 100 S. Broad St., Ste. 1830, Philadelphia, PA 19110, Or to his Attorney: CHARLES A. J. HALPIN, III The Land Title Bldg. 100 S. Broad St., Ste. 1830 Philadelphia, PA 19110 ESTATE OF GEORGE WHEELER FRISON a/k/a GEORGE FRISON and GEORGE W. FRISON, 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 ROZELLA FRISON, EXECUTRIX, 617 Baily Rd., Yeadon, PA 19050 ESTATE OF GLORIA QUICI, 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 JOHN CAHILL, EXECUTOR, c/o Vicki Herr, Esq., 14 S. Orange St., Media, PA 19063, Or to his Attorney: VICKI HERR 14 S. Orange St. Media, PA 19063 ESTATE OF JOSEPH FRANCIS DAVIS, SR a/k/a JOSEPH F. DAVIS DECEASED. Late of Lower Merion Township/ Montgomery County 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 MARY J. DAVIS, EXECUTIVE c/o AMY W. SOSNOV, ESQ SOSNOV AND SOSNOV 540 SWEDE STREET NORRISTOWN, PA 19401 ESTATE OF JOSEPH MERCEDE, DECEASED. Late of Philadelphia County, PA. LETTERS of ADMINISTRATION on the above Estate have been granted to the undersigned, who request all persons having claims or demands against the estate of the decedent to make known the same and all persons indebted to the decedent to make payment with- out delay to LAURIE MERCEDE, 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 JUSTIN ROY WILEY, 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 with- out delay to CHARLES A. HALPIN, ADMINISTRATOR, The Land Title Bldg., 100 S. Broad St., Ste. 1830, Philadelphia, PA 19110, Or to his Attorney: CHARLES A. J. HALPIN, III THE LAND TITLE BLDG. 100 S. Broad St., Ste. 1830 Philadelphia, PA 19110 ESTATE OF MARTHA LEE, 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 MICHAEL J. STANTON a/k/a MICHAEL STANTON, 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 M. TRASK, EXECUTRIX, c/o Harry Metka, Esq., 4802 Neshaminy Blvd., Ste. 9, Bensalem, PA 19020, Or to her Attorney: HARRY METKA 4802 Neshaminy Blvd., Ste. 9 Bensalem, PA 19020 ESTATE OF RHONDA JOHNSON- KIEMTORE a/k/a RHONDA A. JOHNSON-KIEMTORE, 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 RISA ANN REAVES, EXECUTRIX, 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 ROBERT M. SCHAEFFER Schaeffer, Robert M. late of Philadelphia, PA. Anthony Meli and Jeffrey Long, c/o Henry S. Warszawski, Esq., 413 Johnson St., (201), Archways Prof. Bldg., Jenkintown, PA 19046, Executors. Henry S. Warszawski, Esq. 413 Johnson St., (201) Archways Prof. Bldg. Jenkintown, PA 19046 ESTATE OF STANLEY D. ZAWISLAK, 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 STANLEY A. ZAWISLAK, ADMINISTRATOR, c/o William J. O’Brien, II, Esq., 4322 Main St., P.O. Box 4603, Philadelphia, PA 19127, Or to his Attorney: WILLIAM J. O’BRIEN, II 4322 Main St. P.O. Box 4603 Philadelphia, PA 19127 ESTATE OF SUSAN ICE aka SUSAN M. ICE Ice, Susan aka Ice, Susan M. late of Philadelphia, PA. Alan I. Roomberg, c/o John R. Lundy, Esq., Lundy Beldecos & Milby, PC, 450 N. Narberth Ave., Suite 200, Narberth, PA 19072, Executor. Lundy Beldecos & Milby, PC 450 N. Narberth Ave. Suite 200 Narberth, PA 19072 ESTATE OF WILLIAM COSOM Cosom, William late of Philadelphia, PA. Richard Cosom, Jr., 1220 W. Wyoming Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19140, Administrator. Mark Feinman, Esquire 8171 Castor Avenue Philadelphia, PA 19152 ESTATE OF WINDSOR EUGENE CARLTON a/k/a WINDSOR CARLTON, 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 GREGORY G. CARLTON, Jewish Careers.com For Those Who Value Community The preferred career resource for the Jewish community. info.jewishcareers.com 410-902-2300 SR., ADMINISTRATOR, 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 LINDA BOBRIN, ESQUIRE REGISTER OF WILLS OF BUCKS COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA CERTIFICATE OF GRANT OF LETTERS ESTATE OF GERALDINE K. SELTZER Late of Warminster Township Date of Death: June 9, 2022 File Number: 09-2022-02308 Whereas, on the 23rd day of June, 2022, my office admitted to probate to probate a/an instrument(s) dated the 19th day of August, 2015, known as the Last Will of the decedent a true copy of which is annexed here- to: Now, therefore, I Linda Bobrin, Esquire, Register of Wills in and for the County of Bucks in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, hereby certify that I have this day granted Letters Testamentary to Robert A Seltzer (a/k/a Robert Abram Seltzer), who has duly quali- fied as executor of the estate of the above-named decedent and has agreed to administer the estate ac- cording to law, all of which fully ap- pears of record in my office at Bucks County Courthouse, Doylestown, Pennsylvania. In Testimony Whereof, I have here- unto set my hand and affixed the seal of my Office on this 23rd of June, 2022. Linda Bobrin, Esquire Register of Wills Notice to all creditors ESTATE OF MARIA ALICE TAVARES aka MARIA A TAVARES DECEASED Notice is hereby given by the un- dersigned, Valdemar T. Vieira 2345 Borbeck Ave. Philadelphia, PA 19152 executor of the last will and testament of Maria Alice Tavares, deceased, to the creditors of and all persons having claims against the said deceased, to exhibit them with the necessary documentation, within one year from date of first publication of this notice, to the said executor. Valdemar T vieira Executor for the estate of Maria Alice Tavares, Deceased. NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, pur- suant to the provisions of Act of Assembly No. 295, effective March 16, 1983, of the filing in the office of the Department of State of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, at Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, an application for the conduct of a business in Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania under the assumed or fictitious name, style or designation of Name: Goodman Distribution, Inc., with its principal place of busi- ness at: 19001 Kermier Rd, Waller, TX 77484. The names and address- es of all persons or entities own- ing or interested in said business are: Daikin Comfort Technologies Distribution, Inc., 19001 Kermier Rd, Waller, TX 77484. The application has been filed on 6/21/2022. Jewish Exponent PHILADELPHIA Print | Digital | Reach an affl uent audience of 50,000 engaged readers with our print & digital magazine. Upcoming Special Sections Home Services July 21 Help readers find the best deals on indoor and outdoor home improvement projects. Windows, doors, gutters, painting, roofs, general contractors, plumbers, electricians and more! Ask the Expert July 28 Show readers you are the expert in your field by offering great advice to our readers in your field of expertise. Senior Lifestyle August 4 From home health aides to financial planners to nursing homes, this is the perfect venue to show how your business can help our readers find the resources they need. JEWISHEXPONENT.COM Contact your sales consultant to schedule your advertising at 215-832-0700 ext. 2, advertising@jewishexponent.com JEWISHEXPONENT.COM 31 NOMIN A HAVE S TIONS TARTE D F 2 ES 2 0 2 B T O Jewish Exponent PHILADELPHIA ISH H ELP IA JE W PHILAD 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