MARCH 3, 2022 | 30 ADAR 5781 Mid-Atlantic Media acquires Jewish Exponent Page 6 CANDLELIGHTING 5:38 P.M. Shuli Karkows ky is moving up at the Elkins Park-based Jewish organization MOVING TRADITIONS Page 18 SPRING A N N U A L WWW.FLOORSUSA.COM 555 S. Henderson Road King of Prussia, PA 610.757.4000 MAKEOVER EVENT! * *see store for details 2100 Arch Street, 4th Floor, Philadelphia, Pa. 19103 Vol. 134, No 46 Published Weekly Since 1887 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 Writer | Jarrad Saffren jsaff ren@jewishexponent.com Staff Writer | Sasha Rogelberg srogelberg@jewishexponent.com ADVERTISING Account Executives Lisa Gaglia, Alan Gurwitz, Pam Kuperschmidt, Jodi Lipson, Taylor Orlin, David Pintzow, Sara Priebe, Mary Ramsdale, Sharon Schmuckler, Kim Coates Schofi eld, Shari Seitz, Stacie Shapero, Sylvia Witaschek MARKETING Audience Development Coordinator Julia Olaguer 410-902-2308 jolaguer@midatlanticmedia.com 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 Legal Notices legals@jewishexponent.com Main Offi ce: 215-832-0700 editor@jewishexponent.com 215-832-0797 circulation@jewishexponent.com 215-832-0700, ext. 1 advertising@jewishexponent.com 215-832-0700, ext. 2 classifi ed@jewishexponent.com 215-832-0749 Connect with us: CREATIVE Art Director | Steve Burke Graphic Designer | Frank Wagner Digital Media Coordinator James Meskunas JEWISH EXPONENT, a Mid-Atlantic Media publication, is published weekly since 1887 with a special issue in September (ISSN 0021-6437) ©2022 Jewish Exponent (all rights reserved). Periodical postage paid in Philadelphia, PA, and additional offices. Postmaster: All address changes should be sent to Jewish Exponent Circulation Dept., 11459 Cronhill Drive, Suite A, Owings Mills, Maryland, 21117. A one-year subscription is $50, 2 years, $100. Foreign rates on request. Jewish Exponent does not endorse kashrut claims. To verify the kashrut of goods or services advertised in Jewish Exponent, readers should consult rabbinic authorities. The Jewish Exponent reserves the right to revise, reject or edit any advertisement. Celebrate Local Seniors! Join us for a unique campaign to recognize the contributions of seven local residents over 70 who have greatly impacted our community. Nominate a family member, friend, or neighbor from Lower Merion Township who is over 70 years young and has demonstrated a commitment to the greater good. Nominations open now through April 15th For more information or to submit a nominee, contact: 610-595-4647 dglantz@residencebalacynwyd.com ‰ĘåĀűĬƀŅƴåų„åƴåĹƋƼƵĜĹĹåųŸƵĜĬĬÆåĘŅĹŅųåÚ ±ĹÚ±Ƶ±ųÚåÚ±Ƌ±ŸŞåÏĜ±ĬųåÏåŞƋĜŅĹĜĹa±Ƽţ In partnership with: Independent Living, Personal Care & Memory Care 610-595-4647 | residencebalacynwyd.com 2 MARCH 3, 2022 | JEWISHEXPONENT.COM THIS WEEK Local 6 Jewish Exponent Sold to Mid-Atlantic Media 7 Brother Fights to Solidify Vietnam Vet’s Legacy 8 Weitzman Reopening with New Exhibit Nation World 12 Ukrainian Jews Find Themselves Refugees Again Opinion 14 Editorials 16 Opinions Feature 18 Moving Traditions Welcomes New CEO Community 25 Obituaries 27 Synagogue Spotlight 29 Calendar 30 Around Town In every issue 4 Seen 10 Federation 11 You Should Know 22 Food & Dining 23 Arts & Culture 28 D’var Torah 31 Last Word 32 Classifieds ON THE COVER Shuli Karkowsky is moving up at the Elkins Park-based Jewish organization Moving Traditions Courtesy of Moving Traditions xhibit to explore 7 Revisiting Vietnam era 8 E modern antisemitism 23 Making it in Hollywood JEWISHEXPONENT.COM 3 the seen Roblox, Popular Kids’ Computer Game, Removes Virtual Nazi Gas Chambers Roblox, a collaborative computer gaming platform for children as young as 7, has faced serious criticism over the years for failing to properly moderate its content — with antisemitism and racism rife, according to multiple reports. Now the platform says it has removed a virtual Nazi concentration camp featuring gas chambers that users could operate. In a report, the Daily Mail revealed the existence of the concentration camp game, which included tall watchtowers, gas chambers and train tracks apparently representing the cattle cars that brought Jews to Nazi death camps to be murdered. The game featured gas chambers which users could operate by pressing a button with the word “execute” or enter to experience the death of their avatar, or the computer fi gure representing the player, by gassing. Roblox released a statement to the Daily Mail in which it said it had removed the concentration camp game and condemned extremism and antisemitism. “We have zero tolerance for content or behaviours that promote or glorify extremism, including antisemitism. We have removed the experiences in question and banned the individuals who created them. We work tirelessly to maintain a platform that is safe, civil and inclusive, and use manual and automated detection tools to swiftly remove experiences that do not comply with our community standards,” the company said. Roblox experienced a major increase in popularity during the pandemic as more children began playing the game while at home during lockdowns and used the game, which allows players to interact, to stay in touch with friends. The growth means that more people are present to encounter and In this photo illustration, the Roblox app seen displayed on a smartphone screen and a Roblox logo in the background. participate in illicit content that has plagued the platform for years, in a refl ection of the internet’s well-known tendencies. In recent months, the platform has been plagued with recurring game rooms in which players engage in sexually explicit conversations and in which their avatars engage in sex acts. The company has said it removes the games quickly, but they frequently reappear. The sexually explicit game rooms have also been reported to include avatars dressed in Nazi uniforms. — Shira Hanau SNL: NBC, via YouTube via JTA; Roblox: Thiago Prudêncio/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Gett y Images via JTA ‘SNL’ Parodies ‘Fiddler’ — and a Famous Chasidic-run Camera Store horrors of the New York subway system, from erratic service to sketchy passengers to, yes, the “Mole Men” who are said to live in the tunnels. “If I were a mole man,” he sings, adding in some “yubba-dubbas” from the “Fiddler” classic, “If I Were a Rich Man. “All day long I’d drink a shoe of rum, if I were a mole per-son!” Soon Mulaney is joined by a chorus line of Chasidic dancers, who do a credible version of the tavern scene from the show. But wait, there’s more: When someone asks, “Was that the actual cast of ‘Fiddler’?”, Mulaney replies, “No, there’s just a lunch break at B&H Photo.” Even many New Yorkers may need a footnote here: B&H Photo is an electronics megastore in Midtown Manhattan famously owned and staff ed by Satmar Chasidic Jews. John Mulaney and Kenan Thompson perform a parody of “Fiddler on the Roof” with a chorus line of Chasidic dancers on “Saturday Night Live” on Feb. 26. It was once even slapped with a lawsuit claiming it discriminates against non-Jewish employees (the suit was dismissed). “Saturday Night Live” is famously “Live from New York,” and in the latest The skit, called “Subway Churro,” went on to include parodies of “South episode the show doubled down on the promise. Pacifi c,” “Little Shop of Horrors,” “The Music Man,” “Les Misérables” and In a skit on last week’s episode, guest host John Mulaney led the cast in a “Dear Evan Hansen.” The “Chasidic” dancers returned for the fi nale — based parody of Broadway musical numbers that included an homage to “Fiddler on, what else, “Jesus Christ Superstar.” — Andrew Silow-Carroll on the Roof.” Mulaney plays a newsstand operator who sings about the 4 MARCH 3, 2022 | JEWISHEXPONENT.COM JEWISH NATIONAL FUND - USA TREE OF LIFE ™ GALA HONORING STEVEN H. COLLIS Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of AmerisourceBergen Corporation THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2022 • 6:00 PM HILTON PHILADELPHIA CITY AVENUE EVENT CHAIRS Gina Clark • Jackie & Dale Danilewitz • Paula & Bill Glazer Andrea & Richard Gottlieb • Erin Miller Ellen Holtzman & Joseph Wolfson Caroline & Robert Zuritsky For Sponsorship Opportunities and to RSVP, visit jnf.org/epatol More Information Marina Furman, Executive Director, National Major Donor Advancement mfurman@jnf.org ∙ 215.832.0690 x860 DIETARY LAWS OBSERVED JNF-USA requires all event attendees to provide proof of vaccination. Please visit jnf.org/epatol for full list of COVID-19 entry protocols. JEWISHEXPONENT.COM 5 local M ANDY GOTLIEB | JE EDITOR Jewish Exponent Sold to Mid-Atlantic Media id-Atlantic Media, LLC, bought, effective Feb. 28, the 135-year-old Jewish Exponent from the Jewish Publishing Group, a subsidiary of the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia. The terms of the deal were not disclosed. Mid-Atlantic Media, which is based near Baltimore, pledged to maintain local news operations for the Exponent, which is the second-oldest continu- ously published Jewish newspaper in the United States. Mid-Atlantic Media CEO and Publisher Craig Burke said that the acquisition fits in well with the compa- ny’s strategic plans. “The Jewish Exponent has always been one of the preeminent Jewish pub- lications in the country,” he said. “Seven years ago, we considered it an honor and privilege to help provide custom media services to the Jewish Exponent. Now, the opportunity to acquire the Exponent and bring it into our corpo- rate media portfolio is a true thrill.” The Exponent was founded by 43 prominent Philadelphians and debuted on April 15, 1887, at 14 pages with sermon recaps, synagogue updates, society tidbits and foreign news. Over time, the paper grew in size, adding opinion columns, obituaries, debates about Zionism and extensive coverage of major world events. When the paper floundered finan- cially in the 1940s, real estate magnate Albert M. Greenfield bought it and turned it over in 1944 to the Allied Jewish Appeal — the precursor of the local Jewish Federation. In 1962, The Philadelphia Inquirer touted the paper as “the largest Anglo- Jewish weekly in the United States.” It averaged around 40 pages per issue then and grew as large as 100 pages per issue in the late 1980s. The Jewish Federation addressed the paper’s sale in a letter to the Jewish 6 Jewish Exponent in 1943 Jewish Exponent in 1981 Jewish Exponent anniversary issue in 2017 paying tribute to 1887 masthead Photos by Andy Gotlieb community. “We are immensely proud to have been the stewards of our community’s news for nearly eight decades and are excited that such a powerhouse in the Jewish publishing business will now take over the reins,” the letter reads. “Importantly, this change in own- ership will also enable the Jewish Federation to have greater human and financial resources dedicated to serv- ing the community. In the months and years to come, the Jewish Federation will continue to address the communi- ty’s most critical needs while also part- nering with the many thriving Jewish agencies, schools and synagogues to ensure a vibrant, inclusive and wel- coming Jewish community of Greater Philadelphia for generations to come.” Jewish Federation and President Michael Balaban said the move makes sense for multiple reasons. “It’s a business you (Mid-Atlantic Media) should be in, and we shouldn’t be in,” he said. “Organizations like ours have to focus on what we do best.” Balaban noted that the trend has been away from Federations owning papers — most have already divested themselves. For the local Jewish Federation, MARCH 3, 2022 | JEWISHEXPONENT.COM three factors came into play, Balaban said. Aside from Jewish Federation not being a good fit in the publishing industry, the paper was operating at a loss, leaving less money available for the organization’s core purposes. And in today’s highly polarized world, it’s hard to please everyone, he said. He said conservatives called the paper too liberal, while liberals com- plained the paper was too conserva- tive. Some organizations thought they weren’t featured enough in the paper, while others opposed stories they thought weren’t favorable. “Our steadfast commitment to engage, educate, entertain and con- nect Jews across the religious, political, demographic and geographic spectra of our community has never wavered,” Jewish Federation said in its statement. “However, the ever-changing landscape of print media can make owning a local Jewish newspaper challenging to main- tain. In Mid-Atlantic Media, the paper will have proven experts in the field focusing on its growth, development and relevance in the marketplace.” For those that receive the Jewish Exponent as a gift from Jewish Federation for a donation once made to the Jewish Community Fund, that will continue. Mid-Atlantic Media will con- tact subscribers occasionally to update contact information. Mid-Atlantic Media first became associated with the Exponent in 2015 when it was hired to operate the paper’s editorial and production departments. “Jewish publications build and strengthen Jewish community with their content, both in print and digi- tally,” Burke said. “We look forward to providing valuable content to Jewish readers in the Greater Philadelphia area and helping our advertisers grow their business.” In addition, in 2021, Mid-Atlantic Media bought Philadelphia-based par- enting magazine MetroKids. The company also publishes Baltimore’s Child, Baltimore Jewish Times, Baltimore Style, Consumer’s Eye Magazine, Frederick’s Child, Home Services Magazine, Montgomery Magazine, Washington Family and Washington Jewish Week. The company also operates a sub- stantial national custom media divi- sion providing services to clients throughout the Mid-Atlantic region; Key West, Florida; Pittsburgh; New York; San Francisco; and Scottsdale, Arizona. JE local L Brother Fights to Solidify Vietnam Vet’s Legacy SASHA ROGELBERG | JE STAFF arry Liss, a pathfi nder-turned- pilot in Vietnam, was given a simple mission on May 14, 1967. Liss was to assist pilot Tom Baca, who was to retire in the coming days, in tak- ing the military chaplain to the outlining special forces unit for Sunday services. When they landed and dropped off the chaplain, Liss and Baca heard commo- tion over a radio communication — 100 of their own men were surrounded by Vietnamese soldiers deep in the thicket of a bamboo forest in Cau Song Bae. Liss and Baca jumped back into their helicopter, which was unarmed and not meant for combat, and fl ew through the thicket — back and forth — more than six times, each time pulling wounded men into the helicopter and dropping them back off at the base. At day’s end, what should have been an easy task turned into a medical evacua- tion of 87 U.S. soldiers, Liss remembered. Larry Liss’ brother Art Liss believes his brother is deserving of far more recog- nition than he received for the mission. He’s been working for the past 14 years to procure his brother a Silver Star or a Congressional Medal of Honor to no avail. Larry Liss, 80 and a Penn Valley native now living in Birchrunville near West Chester, is a “forgotten hero,” Art Liss said. Larry Liss, however, “couldn’t care less” about a Silver Star. During his three years in the military, he received 25 Air Medals, one for Valor, the Bronze Star, three Purple Hearts, the Valorous Unit Award for extraordinary heroism, National Defense Service Medal, the Meritorious Unit Commendation, Vietnam Service Medal, the Vietnamese Campaign Medal and the Distinguished Flying Cross for Valor for his rescue mis- sion in Cau Song Bae. His story was documented in a 2009 Windfall Films documentary series “Helicopter Wars: Vietnam Firefi ght,” where he was featured alongside Baca. Larry Liss’ only reasons to have inter- est in the Silver Star are two-fold: He Larry and Art Liss Courtesy of Art Liss Larry Liss receiving the Distinguished Flying Cross in July 1967 would be able to then nominate fellow sol- diers for similar accolades, and he would bring awareness to the few Jews who have received honors for their time in World War II and Vietnam in particular. According to Larry Liss, of the 1,500 cadets in his year at the Pennsylvania Military College, now Widener University, there were 11 Jews and one Black cadet. According to the National Museum of American Jewish Military History, only 18 American Jews have received the Medal of Honor since the Civil War. As Vietnam vets reach their 70s and 80s, the urgency to recognize them Courtesy of Larry Liss has grown. Art Liss survived lung cancer fi ve years ago, a feat that reminded him of the urgency of this project. “I’m in good shape, but I would not want to see this come through posthu- mously,” he said. “Because that would be a very lazy way of putting off , putting off , putting off for years.” But Art Liss hasn’t been lazy. He fi rst pursued getting his brother rec- ommended for a Medal of Honor in 2007. In 2008, Larry Liss’ retired com- manding offi cer, then a congressman, recommended him for a Silver Star, but his election loss stalled the process. Liss’ application for a Medal of Honor was turned down an additional three times. Th e lack of documentation of the event has not been Art Liss’s friend. Philadelphia-based military lawyer Earl Kauff man said that is the main rea- son for veterans having to go through an “arduous process” to receive honors. Th ere are only two offi cial records of the Cao Song Bae mission: citations from Liss and Baca, but not a commanding offi cer. Art Liss has tried to reconstruct eyewitness accounts, but it’s challenging as more time passes. Th e mission was 55 years ago. “Th ere’s nobody in the unit anymore where this happened, or whatever divi- sion or unit he was with; all these peo- ple fi nished their military service and retired,” Kauff man said. Th e Liss brothers suspect that antisem- itism has played a role in Larry Liss’ lack of Silver Star. Kauff man said that race has played a role in Black soldiers not receiv- ing honors, and antisemitism could have played a role in Liss’ case as well. “I got picked on so much; I got abused so much,” Larry Liss said of his time in military school. He encountered further antisemi- tism in Vietnam and butted heads with his fl ight operations offi cer, at one time punching him. Aft er the Cau Song Bae mission, Liss was berated by his commanding offi cer for conducting a mission other than the one he was assigned and for using an air- craft in a combat situation that was not meant for combat. Th erefore, he did not confer with Liss and Baca and document the event — and vital evidence of the mission is missing. Art Liss has enlisted the help of Pennsylvania legislators for his proj- ect but is growing frustrated with the lack of transparency he’s gotten from the Military Awards Branch who have turned down his requests with little explanation. “We will have violated the ethics of the military, of their major ethos, which is, ‘Leave no soldier behind,’” he said. JE JEWISHEXPONENT.COM 7 local I JARRAD SAFFREN | JE STAFF Weitzman to Reopen with New Exhibit n May, the Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History will reopen for the fi rst time since the pandemic broke out two years ago, according to Misha Galperin, the museum’s president and CEO. And it will do so with a new exhibit about an event that just happened: the January synagogue hostage crisis in Colleyville, Texas. Th e exhibit will use the Colleyville crisis, in which an armed British- Pakistani man held four Jews hostage, as anecdotal evidence of the larger rise in antisemitism in the United States since around 2015. Antisemitic incidents in the U.S. have reached record highs during this period, according to the Anti- Defamation League. The stretch includes the 2017 white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia; the 2018 Tree of Life shooting in Pittsburgh; and the 2019 synagogue stabbing in Monsey, New York. Brandeis University professor and American Jewish historian Jonathan Sarna is also the chief historian at the Weitzman, and, in that role, he has pushed the museum to start empha- sizing modern history. According to Sarna, many American Jews forgot that antisemitism was a potent force and still need to be reminded that it has long been a part of the American Jewish experience. Museum offi cials, led by Galperin, agreed and wanted to time their fi rst such exhibit with their reopening. So aft er the January crisis, in which all four hostages escaped unharmed, Galperin and company reached out to the synagogue, Congregation Beth Israel, to procure some materials. “We thought it was an important his- torical event and that it was important to tell the story,” the CEO said. Th e formerly named National Museum of American Jewish History fi led for 8 MARCH 3, 2022 | JEWISHEXPONENT.COM The Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History in Philadelphia Photo by Barry Halkin/Halkin Photography Professor Jonathan Sarna Courtesy of Brandeis University bankruptcy in March 2020, around the same time that it closed due to COVID. But in December, an eight-fi gure gift from Philadelphia shoe designer Stuart Weitzman helped it survive and, ulti- mately, reopen to the public. Its new core exhibit will consist of a series of artifacts from that frighten- ing day in Texas, including the cup in which Rabbi Charlie Cytron-Walker made tea for the terrorist, who was pos- ing as a homeless man, and the chair that the rabbi later threw at the man to help the hostages escape. Sarna is also going to interview Cytron-Walker and two other hostages in a video to accompany the artifacts. Sarna’s scholarship and lectures focus on a similar theme. Th e professor oft en refers to Jewish historians in the 1990s who proclaimed “the end of American antisemitism,” he said. But in the 2010s, thanks to a variety of forces like changing demographics, hollowing towns, reeling elites and the rise of social media, antisemitism came roaring back, according to Sarna. Now, Jewish historians and museums need to bridge those eras so that American Jews understand their connection. Before the new exhibit, the Weitzman was not doing that. It last updated its building and core exhibition in 2010, according to Galperin. “You want a historical exhibit to reach up to the present. Life has changed. You can’t freeze time.” JONATHAN SARNA Museums, as both Galperin and Sarna explained, function best by using symbols. Th ey aren’t books or ency- clopedias; they aren’t going to tell you everything. So they use big examples to refl ect a larger context. In this case, the Colleyville crisis will lead museum visitors into the modern story of antisemitism. It will then be complemented by programs, both vir- tual and in-person, and statistics that explain the larger context, including this one, cited by Galperin: 58% of reli- giously based hate crimes are against Jews, even though Jews are less than 2% of the population. “Antisemitism, including its newest form, anti-Zionism, seems to be toler- ated easier than other forms of racism,” he said. Galperin moved to the United States from Ukraine in the 1970s to escape antisemitism and, for a while, he did. He quickly realized that American Jews weren’t worried about it like he was. “You want a historical exhibit to reach up to the present,” Sarna said. “Life has changed. You can’t freeze time.” Th e Weitzman is the nation’s only institution whose focus is on the entire history of American Jewry, per the CEO. And with the Colleyville display, the museum sees itself as taking on a national leadership role. Museum offi cials are rolling out the exhibit in May to align with Jewish American Heritage Month, a recog- nition that dates to George W. Bush’s presidency. Today, more than 100 orga- nizations and institutions across the nation participate, Galperin said. Once May ends, the Weitzman will keep the Colleyville artifacts on display for at least a year. Th en it may set up a traveling exhibition as it has done with past exhibits. “If you don’t know your history, you’re bound to repeat it,” Galperin said. JE Thank you for Answering the Call The Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia gives our heartfelt thanks to the hundreds of community members who made Super Sunday gifts this year. Your generosity helps us care for people in need and build a vibrant Jewish community. Missed your Super Sunday call? There’s still time to make a gift. Visit jewishphilly.org/give or call 215.832.0899 JEWISHEXPONENT.COM 9 We’ve worked in the Ukraine for decades – but today, the need is different. The estimated 200,000 Jews living in Ukraine have been profoundly affected by the political and economic instability that have wracked the country. Thousands are trapped in conflict zones in the east. Thousands more have fled the fighting. Help Jewish Federations across North America raise $20 million to support the communities in Ukraine, working with our partners on the ground: Jewish Agency for Israel, JDC and World ORT. Emergency Funding will focus on: • • • • • • • Helping people make Aliyah to Israel Securing the local community and its institutions Maintaining critical welfare services Assisting internally displaced people in multiple locations Launching an emergency hotline Securing temporary housing for people in transit Purchasing satellite phones to maintain communications across the region • Securing five Jewish schools and training staff to manage crisis needs Our Ukrainian brothers and sisters are counting on you. Your gift to the Emergency Response Fund will help provide these urgent needs. Visit jewishphilly.org/emergency or call 215.832.3484 10 MARCH 3, 2022 | JEWISHEXPONENT.COM YOU SHOULD KNOW ... Bex Odorisio open-call audition, Orodisio instead auditioned for the national tour of the show. The March 2020 auditions were postponed for obvious reasons, but Odorisio got another shot in the summer of 2021, when another round of auditions was held virtually. The rest is history. What was it like to do an audition over Zoom? It was actually kind of fun because I got to be in my living room. I wasn’t wearing any shoes — They didn’t know that, but I guess they’ll know it now. And it was both exciting and comfortable, and also a little surreal, because it felt almost like I was hav- ing a dream where I was auditioning for something in my living room, but it was really happening. What does your day-to-day look like while touring? A Photo by Kris Rogers SASHA ROGELBERG | JE STAFF rdmore native Bex Odorisio has “Proudly Bat Mitzvah’d” displayed prominently on her resume, but that’s hardly the most eye-catching thing listed there. The singer and actor received training at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts and the Upright Citizen’s Brigade (and attended Hebrew school at the Kaiserman JCC in Wynnewood). And her chops have earned her a role in the AppleTV+ original show “Dickinson” and, most recently, the role of one of three of the Fates in the North American tour of the musical “Hadestown,” which showed in Philadelphia from Feb. 9-20. The musical was nominated for 13 Tony Awards in its Broadway debut year in 2019, snagging eight of them, including for Best Musical and Best Original Score. In the retelling of the ancient Greek story of Orpheus’ voyage to the underworld to rescue his love Eurydice, the Fates “control the threads of a mortal’s life,” Odorisio said, acting as the small voice in the back of characters’ heads, tempting them or causing them to second guess themselves. The role is a huge departure from Odorisio’s previous part as Ladybug in her first-grade production of “Goin’ Buggy” or her Lower Merion High School debut as fairy queen Titania in “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.” However, Orodisio’s role as a Fate was a long time coming. After missing out on the part in the Broadway production in an early 2020 It’s crazy in a really fun way. The day times, depending on the day of the week, are sometimes rehearsals and sometimes exploring; sometimes unpacking the suitcase in a hotel or sometimes going to a gym, going to a museum, going to a coffee shop. And then in the early evening, head- ing to the theater of whatever city that I’m in and getting ready for the show. That involves makeup, vocal warm-up, costuming — layers and layers — and performing into the evening and then tucking myself in with Netflix before going to bed at night. Where did your interest in the- ater come from? I think it’s from my mother. I’m going to go ahead and shout-out Susie Greenspon, who had the forethought to take me to a bunch of shows, often musicals, in Philadelphia when I was growing up. She would switch off between taking me and one of my younger sisters to a show, but I really got bit by the bug early. And my high school, Lower Merion High School, has a wonderful and very comprehensive drama club, and that’s what launched me further into the idea that I could pursue this as a career if I wanted to. What was your Jewish upbring- ing in Philadelphia like? My mother is the Jewish one of the family, so she passed on the tradi- tions to her three daughters. I was bat mitzvahed at Martins Run in Havertown, which was a syn- agogue attached to a senior care center. And I had a beautiful experi- ence there interviewing some of the older women, some of whom had escaped Europe before or during the Holocaust. That was my [bat mitzvah] project. It was very influ- ential to me, to speak about their experiences. We tried to keep the highest of the holy days alive and well, always observing Rosh Hashanah, always observing Yom Kippur, Passover. In my 20s, I got to go on my Birthright trip to Israel and had a really beau- tiful experience seeing that country for the first time. There are so many Jewish giants associated with Broadway — Stephen Sondheim, Steven Spielberg, who recently directed the “West Side Story” movie. What is it like to have these deep Jewish connections in your profession? Not having been brought up very strictly in a religious capacity, most of my connection to Judaism is cul- turally, and that has been a beautiful thing, to see that so easily reflected in our cultural stratosphere. Irving Berlin wrote the most famous Christmas song of all time (“White Christmas”). There are a lot of Jewish figures that transcend that definition, and their creations appeal to everybody, regardless of religion. That’s a really beautiful thing. JE JEWISHEXPONENT.COM 11 nation / world Jews from Ukraine arrive at a Jewish community center in Chisinau, Moldova on Feb. 25. Courtesy of Rabbi Pinchas Salzman via JTA.org Ukrainian Jews Find Themselves Refugees Again A CNAAN LIPHSHIZ | JTA.ORG cross Ukraine, Jews are engaging in a historically Jewish experience: becoming refugees. And hundreds of them from Odessa have headed to an unlikely destination, the impoverished nation of Moldova whose capital, Chisinau, was the site of a major pogrom that became a symbol of Jewish fl ight out of Eastern Europe in the early 20th century. As Russian troops pour into Ukraine and bomb its cities, many Ukrainians are on the move both internally and in an attempt to leave for other coun- 12 tries. Border crossings in the country’s west and south are attracting thou- sands of prospective exiles, according to the Guardian. Th ere are also at least 100,000 internally displaced persons. Some of the Jews who live in Ukraine — who number at least 43,000 and potentially many more — are part of that unfortunate migration. “We just put many mattresses in the strongest part of the sturdiest building. It will have to do for now,” Moshe Azman, one of several men bearing the title of chief rabbi in Ukraine, said about what is happening at the residential compound near Kyiv that Azman and his commu- nity fi rst set up in 2014 to aid Jewish MARCH 3, 2022 | JEWISHEXPONENT.COM refugees fl eeing the last Russian invasion. Named Anatevka — a reference to the fi ctional hometown of Tevye the Dairyman from the famed Broadway musical “Fiddler on the Roof” and the iconic Sholom Aleichem short stories on which it was based — the compound has seen dozens of families arrive from more densely populated areas, Azman said. Many of the internally displaced are from cities, some of which have been hit by Russian armaments over the past 24 hours, and are leaving for places seen as less likely to draw fi re and to avoid being in crumbling Soviet-era apartment buildings during bombings, Azman explained. Anatevka, built at a time of a more limited Russian incursion, has no bomb shelters. More than 100 people have died in bombings and hostilities so far in the war, which has not included signifi - cant urban fi ghting. In one case, one person died and fi ve were wounded when an explosive device detonated near the center of Uman, a city of about 80,000 halfway between Odessa and Kyiv. Some parts of the city — which in peacetime is a destination for Jewish pilgrims from abroad — were evacu- ated following the incident, according to some reports. Th e explosion happened about a mile from the gravesite of Rabbi Nachman of Bratslav, an 18th-century luminary and the founder of the Breslov Chasidic movement. Each year around Rosh Hashanah, about 30,000 Jews gather at the gravesite. Over the years, hundreds of Breslov followers, mostly from Israel, settled in Uman, which today has a year- round Jewish population of about 200. Dozens of them, including some women and children, have left since the invasion, and a video posted to Instagram showed a bus full of Orthodox Jews being transported within the city. But others are staying put, said Chaim Chazin, a Jewish resident who moved to Uman from Israel. His wife and daugh- ters have been in Israel for several weeks. “The situation is complicated right now,” he said. “All of us, everyone in Ukraine, need to literally keep our heads down until this passes.” Elisha Shlomi, another Israel-born res- ident of Uman, said that the remnant community intends to stay but will move to another country if fighting approaches or erupts in Uman. As tensions between Ukraine and Russia began escalating in November, some Israeli officials said they were pre- paring for a wave of mass immigration from Ukraine, where at least 200,000 are eligible to immigrate to Israel under its Law of Return for Jews and their relatives, according to a 2020 demo- graphic study of European Jewry. So far, the wave has not material- ized on the scale that officials said they expected. But the Israeli embassy, which relocated, along with other for- eign embassies, from Kyiv to Lviv in the country’s west, this month has registered appeals from about 3,000 Ukrainians who are not already citi- zens of Israel to immigrate to it. Another 5,000-odd appeals connected to reaching Israel came from people in Ukraine who are already citizens, the embassy said, according to Ynet. Most of the non-citizens who contacted the embassy are married to citizens. On Feb. 25, Yair Lapid, Israel’s min- ister of foreign affairs, tweeted exit routes from Ukraine that he said were still viable for Israelis living in the country — into Poland, Romania and Hungary, all of which are absorbing an influx of refugees. In recent days, tens of thousands of people have poured over the border from Ukraine into Moldova, a landlocked country between Romania and Ukraine often described as Europe’s poorest. Among them are hundreds of Jews from the vicinity of Odessa, whose residents normally enjoy one the highest stan- dards of living anywhere in Ukraine. The Jews who crossed over to Moldova had more help than the non-Jewish new arrivals, who mostly have come from southern Ukraine, thanks to the mobilization of some Moldovan Jews for their Ukrainian coreligionists. “The refugees and their children are being housed in motels, and provided with hot food and essential supplies” by the local community, partly thanks to funding of the Nacht Family Foundation, a charity set up by the Israeli entrepre- neur Marius Nacht and his wife Inbar, Moldova’s Chief Rabbi Pinchas Salzman said in a statement on Feb. 25. Salzman said he expected hundreds more Jewish refugees to arrive in the coming days. They will encounter a rapidly grow- ing infrastructure to accommodate people displaced by the war in Ukraine. IsraAID, an Israeli nonprofit human- itarian aid organization, is sending a team to the region to assist refugees. So is United Hatzalah, the Israeli emer- gency service that frequently assists in disasters internationally. And the Chabad house in Chisinau is prepar- ing for a first Shabbat with an influx of Jewish refugees, though without the supply of kosher food normally imported from Odessa. “With more people you have to be ready with food,” Rabbi Zushe Abelsky told the Los Angeles Times from the United States, where he is currently. “Our rabbis over there are also in distress.” JE FOREST HILLS / SHALOM MEMORIAL PARK Do You Have a Plan for the Future? Why Pre-Plan Today ? • Make sure your family knows your fi nal wishes • Relieve your loved ones from having to make tough decisions and from any unexpected fi nancial burdens • Give real peace of mind for you and your family NEW MASADA V MAUSOLEUM Call us today to speak with a Family Service Professional and receive your FREE Personal Planning Guide. Forest Hills Cemetery/Shalom Memorial Park 25 Byberry Road Huntingdon Valley, PA 19006 215-673-5800 NEW COLUMBARIUM & PRIVATE ESTATES Samuel Domsky General Manager Brent Lanzi Family Service Manager JEWISHEXPONENT.COM 13 editorials Ukraine in Turmoil I n retrospect, politicians and pundits agree that Russian President Vladimir Putin’s decision to launch an all-out attack on neighboring Ukraine was predictable. They point to Putin’s paranoid obsession with an ever-growing list of accusations of Russia-targeted expansion in Eastern Europe by the West and NATO, and the unsupported charges of Ukrainian atrocities against the country’s Russian-speaking minority. Yet, in the run-up to the attack, there was hope that an invasion could be averted and that reason, diplomacy and a universal interest in world order would prevail. That was not to be. While governments and their leaders were issu- ing warnings and threats designed to deter Putin, the international Jewish aid world was ramping up its efforts for rescue and relief of Jews in Ukraine. Instead of waiting for the attack to launch, the relief agencies planned for it with something close to mil- itary precision. The size of Ukraine’s Jewish community is unclear. A 2020 demographic survey numbered 43,000 Jews. The European Jewish Congress says that number could be as high as 400,000. In any case, by the morning after the invasion, Jewish federations in this country were announcing a Ukraine emergency fund and their partnering with the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC), the Jewish Agency for Israel (JAFI), HIAS and World ORT — all of whom have been working in Ukraine for decades and have established relationships in Ukraine to help facilitate relief protocols. We applaud the quick mobilization and careful planning of the Jewish relief effort, and the related fundraising activities of our local federations and the umbrella Jewish Federations of North America. In this time of crisis, our communities are proving once again that we are our brothers’ keepers. While governments and their leaders were issuing warnings and threats designed to deter Putin, the international Jewish aid world was ramping up its efforts for rescue and relief of Jews in Ukraine. The Jewish Agency has established six aliyah-pro- cessing stations at Ukrainian borders to help facilitate a safe and quick aliyah for those eligible, interested and able to take advantage of the opportunity; has accelerated a program to upgrade security at Jewish institutions across Ukraine; and has arranged care for the more than 1500 Ukrainians involved in JAFI-sponsored programs in Israel, Budapest and elsewhere, who cannot return home. JDC’s work in the area is focused on Ukraine’s Jewish population — many of whom are refugees in their own country. That work includes continuing care for nearly 40,000 impoverished elderly Jewish Ukrainians and thousands of vulnerable younger community members and involves as well as works with dozens of local organizations devoted to com- munal safety and welfare. Israel has announced a significant aid package for Ukraine’s Jewish community to support security assistance, food distribution and absorption of refu- gees. But, on the political side, the Israeli government has pulled its punches. Foreign Minister Yair Lapid condemned the Russian invasion. But Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, in speaking about assistance to Jews in Ukraine, did not name the cause of the situation or place fault. That reluctance to confront Putin and Russia caused some to criticize the government’s failure to respond to the invasion with moral clarity. Others were more accepting, recognizing the fragil- ity of Israel’s reliance on Russian goodwill to allow preemptive moves against Iranian terror-supporting activity in war-torn Syria. On Monday, however, Israel announced it would join the U.N. vote to con- demn Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. In the fluid and fraught situation in Ukraine, we find comfort knowing that our community’s inter- national partners are there to help. We encourage our readers to donate generously to those life-saving efforts. JE Ketanji Brown Jackson — a Republican Opportunity W ith war raging in Eastern Europe, you could be forgiven for missing the news last week that President Joe Biden nominated U.S. Court of Appeals Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to the U.S. Supreme Court. The nomination is consequential — not because Jackson would be the first Black woman to sit on the court, but because the nomination presents an opportunity for Senate Republicans to rise above partisan politics and join in approving a worthy can- didate on her merits. The Jackson nomination comes at a significant inflection point in the Biden presidency, as it will be considered and debated during the runup buildup to this year’s midterm elections. Most agree that Democrats face significant challenges in the com- ing round of voting. But if Republicans are seen as obstructionist or unreasonable in their treatment of the Jackson nomination, they could pay a price at the polls. Besides, even if her nomination is confirmed Jackson is not likely to change the current ideological 14 MARCH 3, 2022 | JEWISHEXPONENT.COM balance of the Supreme Court — which is also likely the case for any other Biden nominee. Republicans should embrace the Jackson nomi- nation because she is qualified for the job. Indeed, her resume reads much like many others who have served on the Supreme Court. She attended Harvard University for her undergraduate degree, attended Harvard Law School and served as an editor of the Harvard Law Review. She then clerked for U.S. Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer, the justice whose seat she will fill, if confirmed. Jackson also brings a different blend of work expe- riences to her potential new position, as she will be the first justice to have served as a federal public defender. In her two years in the appellate office of the DC Public Defender Service Jackson obtained a different perspective of the federal criminal justice system — something that has served her well in her eight years as a U.S. District Court judge, and in her current position on the prestigious U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. The upcoming hearings on Jackson’s nomination will be her fourth appearance before a Senate confir- mation panel. Democrats are hoping for bipartisan support for her nomination this time, just like there was in her three previous appearances. While we join in that hope and believe such a move to be in Republican interests, we are not optimistic. We want to be wrong. But last week’s reflexive Republican efforts to link Jackson to the “radical left” and to tar- nish her record by calling her “the favored choice of far-left dark-money groups,” make us doubtful. Whether any Republican senators will vote to confirm Jackson remains to be seen. We hope some do. But above all else, we encourage consideration of Jackson’s qualifications on their impressive merit — irrespective of other considerations. Ketanji Brown Jackson is a gifted lawyer and respected jurist. She has the background and experience to serve on the U.S.Supreme Court and deserves to be confirmed. JE editorials & opinions An Open Letter from Mid-Atlantic Media D ear Jewish Philadelphia: We are the new owners of The Jewish Exponent, but you already know us. For the past seven years we have had the privilege of working with the Jewish Publishing Group and the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia in the weekly publication of The Jewish Exponent. You know our edi- tors and reporters. We hope you have enjoyed our work. When we learned of the possibility of acquiring the Jewish Exponent — an iconic publication with a rich history and an impressive reputation — we jumped at the opportunity. And we are very pleased that we succeeded. We look forward to serving the Greater Philadelphia Jewish community and to carrying on the tradition of excellence that has been the hallmark of the Jewish Exponent since its first edition in 1887. Our group, Mid-Atlantic Media, has been in the Jewish publishing business for about a dozen years. Although the publishing business is challenging, we see Jewish communal media as a means of building, promoting and strengthening Jewish communal life in each of the cities in which we operate. Our goal is to help build community. And we try to do that with our communal publications. In addition to our work with the Jewish Exponent, we own and pub- lish the Washington Jewish Week and Baltimore Jewish Times, and provide select media services for Pittsburgh’s Jewish Chronicle and Phoenix Jewish News. In each city in which we operate we focus on promoting local Jewish institutions, organizations, leaders and everyday people who make up the rich mixture of our diverse and far- flung Jewish communities. And through the economies of scale, which enables us to consolidate many of our back-office and business functions, we have established a model of operation that has enabled us to grow. You can expect to see some modest changes in the appearance, focus and content of your weekly Jewish Exponent. In addition to a change in format — which you will see with this edition — we are also moving toward a more local focus for our stories and reporting. Under this approach, you will hopefully see local stories not covered elsewhere, and highlights of people, events and institutions that are unique to Jewish Philadelphia. We will feature a weekly Synagogue Spotlight, introduce you to people in our You Should Know column and highlight communal leaders and up and coming personalities in a variety of feature articles. We will also proudly include a weekly Federation page, where the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia will keep you up to date on events, stories and accomplishments of Philadelphia’s premier Jewish communal organization. We will also feature weekly editorials and diverse op-ed pieces which we hope will be of interest to you — even if you won’t always agree with all of the views expressed. And regardless of whether you agree or disagree with us, we hope you will let us know how we are doing. We welcome your input, value your opinion and look forward to hearing from you through letters, website posts, emails to our editor and staff reporters, and your participation on our Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages. JE High School Should Be Upsetting H BY SAMUEL J. ABRAMS igh school students today must be put through the gauntlet of confronting real viewpoint diversity and learning to man- age differences if our nation is to move out of its cur- rent polarized paralysis and actually create citizens. My thoughts about high school came into sharp focus recently when I had the opportunity to share some ideas with the Academic Engagement Network, a collegiate faculty group that seeks to oppose efforts to delegitimize Israel and also to promote campus free expression and academic freedom. While I knew my words about open inquiry would resonate with most attendees, I framed them around my own experiences in high school, college and now as a professor. In sharing my story, I was reminded that too many high school students today are leaving school ill-prepared for life in a raucous, diverse and polarized society such as ours. When students head off to higher education, they enter a world with mob rule and a leftist orthodoxy that dictates the curriculum in many places and regularly produces young adults who are utterly incapable of thinking critically, much less able to contemplate belief systems that challenge their own. To combat the indoctrination on our nation’s col- lege and university campuses and train good citizens more generally, I realized that high schools must be the area of focus for all Americans, for it is in one’s teens that so much value formation occurs, and thus the skills and ability to question, debate and think is critically formed. In my high school experience in a pluralistic, non-denominational Jewish day school in the Philadelphia area, I came face to face with questions that challenged my identity and worldview on an almost-daily basis. At Akiba Hebrew Academy (now Jack M. Barrack Hebrew Academy), I had no choice but to form my own opinions on a wide swath of issues from Sabbath observance to questions of gender equity and keeping kosher, as part of a student body was com- prised of students who grew up in gender-segregated Orthodox communities and others ate pepperoni pizza and treated Saturdays like any other day off. The wide band of beliefs and practices at Akiba forced me and my classmates to not only think deeply about our values but to understand and respect the views of those who thought and lived differently than ourselves. Some days were awkward and uncomfortable, but that is part of learning and finding one’s voice. These lessons have been critical to my teaching, research, writing and commitment to diversity in the 25 years since I graduated. This unusual and deeply pluralistic approach to education is exactly what is missing in so many curricula around the nation today, religious or oth- erwise. Even today, the school states that its students “engage energetically, intentionally, and consciously with diversity” and actively seek “understanding through meaningful, respectful dialogue” which results in graduates who are prepared to confront the complexities of the world. Without such commitments from our schools, where will young people learn the ability to compromise and accept others’ views as valid and legitimate? It certainly won’t happen in college. See Abrams, Page 16 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 15 opinion My Jewish Family Fled Kyiv in 1989. My Heart Breaks for the City Today Abrams Continued from Page 15 I did not learn the value of pluralism and diversity of thought as an undergraduate; it was in the unique environment of my Akiba experience two decades ago. Regrettably, the kinds of formative experiences that I had in high school are hard to come by amid the proliferation of speech policing and the decline of civics education across the country. Sadly, survey data have found that a majority of high school students (52%) now believe it would be acceptable to disinvite speakers if some students might perceive the speaker’s message as offensive or biased. Almost two- thirds (64%) support instituting codes of con- duct that restrict potentially offensive or biased speech on their respective high school cam- puses. And 86% support “safe spaces,” or areas of campus designed to be free from allegedly threatening actions, ideas or conversations. The idea of shutting down and limiting speech that could be “hurtful” to some is unacceptable in a learning environment and antithetical to education itself. High school students need to be taught the value of debate, free speech and civil discourse; they are clearly not. When asked about the acceptability for students to pro- test and shout down a speaker, 31% of high school students recently reported that shout- ing down a speaker is permissible always or some of the time. Another 46% believe shouting down a speaker is rarely acceptable but can be acceptable nonetheless. Over three-quarters of students today (78%) sup- port trying to silence disagreement, while just 22% say it is never acceptable. While my education was messy and tumul- tuous, it made me a more thoughtful and well- rounded person. I had an unusual experience that should be the norm, and those of us in the education profession need to confront our students with the fact that they will and should occasionally feel upset, uncomfortable and unsettled by new information and perspectives. That is how learning happens: through shattering norms and bursting echo cham- bers so that ideas may flow freely. A good scholastic program should have something in it to upset and challenge everyone, and high school is where we must do this. JE Samuel J. Abrams is a professor of politics at Sarah Lawrence College and a nonresident senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute. 16 MARCH 3, 2022 | JEWISHEXPONENT.COM M BY MIKHAIL ZINSHTEYN y Jewish family fled Kyiv in 1989. My heart breaks for the city today. I was born in Kyiv. I shy away from calling myself Ukrainian because at the time it was the USSR. And as Jews who eventually fled as refugees, my family didn’t have any ethnonational attachments to the place. Still, it’s where I learned to sort of smile. It’s where my favorite photo of my mom and me was taken, just three years before cancer killed her. I remember the large city park by our apartment and its train for tots in the summer. I remember begging my sister to pull me on a sled in winter despite there being little snow. That I had been born there at all was a function of knowing when to leave — and when to come back. My babushka, my grandmother, fled Kyiv the day before the Nazis came in 1941. Her own grandparents stayed. They were murdered at Babyn Yar. After the war, the antisemitism in Ukraine under the Soviets was intense and repugnant. My father remem- bers seeing KGB officers snapping photos of men lined up by the synagogue to purchase matzah for Passover — a crime of Jewish expression. Men identified in those photos would be fired from their jobs or worse, my dad and his close relatives would recall years later as we sat in our new home in the United States around a dining room table spread with homemade gefilte fish, salat olivier and chopped herring salad. A mention of a pogrom, the killing of Jewish doctors or total Soviet amnesia that Jews were specifically tar- geted by the millions in Germany’s invasion of the USSR — all of these would get a knowing and exhausted nod. And so we left again. I still have all the papers that tell our departure story, familiar to so many Jews who left in the 1980s. Our exit visa to Israel. Our United States refugee papers. Our refugee ID numbers. Leaving for Israel, with an official exit visa, was the only way for Jews to get out of the USSR. But because Israel and Moscow had no diplomatic ties, all Jews first flew to Vienna. While other families bound for Israel pivoted straight to their flights to Tel Aviv, we remained in Vienna waiting for our permission to enter the U.S. Our tri-national spread of exit and entry visas are stamped by the Dutch (Israel’s representatives in Moscow), the Austrians and the Soviets. After several months in Vienna, the Hebrew International Aid Society secured our flight to New York City. We arrived in the United States as refugees on Feb. 7, 1989. My mom died of an aggressive breast cancer months after our arrival in New York. My family long suspected her cancer was fueled by our proximity to Chernobyl when its nuclear reactor blew. That assump- tion is scientifically unfounded but played a huge role in my family’s story. Because I was a child in Kyiv when Chernobyl’s core melted and spewed radioactive waste into the sky, my dad feared I was contaminated, too. For my entire childhood, he’d limit my play outside to when the sun was setting and have me in long sleeves and a hat if we were out in the day — so strong was his fear that the sun could trigger something in me unknown to doctors that Chernobyl left behind. I’d like to think that’s why I’m so pale today. We first lived in Midtown Manhattan for a few weeks, in what I believe was a halfway home for recovering addicts (The last time I checked, in the 2000s, it was a hotel). My dad recalls speaking to doctors in a hallway payphone about my mom’s worsening state, his broken English competing for clarity over the commotion in the public space. Once in Brooklyn, I attended a Jewish camp with my older sister — experiences organized for us by a rabbi my dad befriended, in part to distract us from our mom’s demise. Months later, we’d move to Los Angeles, where I remained for most of my life and now live again. According to my dad and a photo I once took on a return visit, our old neighborhood was festooned with placards that read “patrolled by private police” — an alleged refer- ence to the organized crime figures who kept watch. Despite the trauma of this journey, I regard Kyiv with fondness. My heart breaks for the other children at risk of displacement, the families who may have to flee because of Moscow’s misdeeds. I didn’t think Putin would commit to a full-scale invasion, that he’d instead try to destabilize Ukrainian democracy with less force. I had also assumed that, con- sidering both lands are united by the horror of Hitler’s invasion, a Russian blitzkrieg of Ukraine would be beyond the pale. Alas. I quiver that a city that has endured genocidal occu- pation, nuclear fallout and civil unrest all in the past 80 years must now endure this. It’s not my place to offer solutions. It is my place to say a city’s tragedy 6,000 miles away feels very present and raw. JE Mikhail Zinshteyn is an education reporter for CalMatters. He has a master’s degree in comparative politics from the London School of Economics. opinion The Years I Spent in Ukraine Taught Me a Very Jewish Concept: Hope B BY JEREMY BOROVITZ a rabbi living in Berlin, a concept that would have been anathema to most of my grandpar- ents. I walk down streets every day that are ERLIN – I watch what is happening in littered with Stolpersteine, the brass plaques or Ukraine, and I feel helpless, scared for “stumbling stones” memorializing the Jews who the state of the world, terrified for my used to inhabit these buildings. But despite this friends and former students and anxious about obscene history, and despite my own encounters the future of the place that I called home for in Germany with violent antisemitism, we con- nearly four years of my life. tinue to live here, to build up Jewish life here, to When I first arrived in Ukraine 12 years ago as a believe that there is a future for Jews here, if only Peace Corps volunteer, I didn’t speak the language, we can will it to be. To live our lives as Jews is, was intimidated by the culture and was plagued by for me, a deeply resilient act. stories of pogroms and mass shootings that had It feels like the whole world is currently penetrated the Jewish collective trauma. Mikhail Zinshteyn’s family’s exit visa from the USSR and a picture of mired in some sort of COVID PTSD, trauma- Imagine my surprise (not to mention the him with his mother and sister. (Courtesy of Mikhail Zinshteyn) tized by the isolation, by the loved ones we lost, surprise of my family and friends back home in Peace Corps volunteer. by carefully crafted and curated worlds that were the United States) when it was Ukraine, and life in a I asked him how he was doing, expecting to hear small Ukrainian village, that led to my own spiritual a mix of my own trepidation and nervousness and turned upside down. And so we read of impending awakening, which brought me closer to Torah, prayer uncertainty. Instead, he said he was doing great. The doom on the Eastern front and we want to shout out and God, and which was the catalyst for the rabbini- winter thaw was dropping away, and he might even to our fellow Jews, “It’s time to run! It’s time to get cal role in which I find myself today. be able to plant potatoes in the next few weeks. War out!” And meanwhile they are busy kashering their Ukraine has somewhere between 43,000 and lingers on the horizon, but the field must be sowed. dishwashers. 200,000 Jews, a wide swing that depends on who is One of my friends in Ukraine shared with me some And when I spoke to some of my friends in Kyiv, counting and how they count. The vast majority of advice from his father regarding the current moment: they were concerned about the Russian invasion these Jews live in four major cities — Kyiv, Dnipro, The biggest regret of his own relatives in World War but were more worried that someone had put dairy Odessa and Kharkiv — where one can find a vibrant II was that they split up the family in the face of dishes in the meat dishwasher and if everything was and breathing Jewish life. upheaval. No matter what, they will stay together. As now treyf. In addition, most large to mid-size Ukrainian cities long as they are together, hope remains. And while texting with a former student we dis- have synagogues and/or cultural centers, and you Can our Jewish family stay together? Both Russia cussed her husband and their plans for a family and, will often find in small towns across the country a and Ukraine have strong, proud Jewish communities. sure, she said, there are tanks at the border, but right handful of elderly Jews who still gather from time to And while I am decidedly pro-Ukrainian, it would be now she was just trying to imagine her future. time for holiday celebrations. One of my most trans- wrong to suggest that the global Jewish community is Some might call this naivete or denial. I call it formative Jewish experiences was an impromptu unanimous in its views on this conflict. Then again, hope. And hope is the ultimate act of resilience. Torah-reading for Simchat Torah celebrations in the we never are. Jews are no strangers to hope. Maimonides tells town of Zvenyhorodka. And yet despite our differences, despite our dis- Kyiv, the city which I used to call home, is home us that one of the 13 principles of Jewish faith is the agreements, despite the despair I feel when I think to multiple synagogues, a JCC, grassroots social and complete belief in the coming of the Messiah. Despite of the future of Ukraine and my friends there, I am cultural movements, a Hillel, a Moishe House and a persecution, despite hardship, we are compelled to forcing myself to hope. There are moments when I kosher bar, among other institutions. While many believe in a more perfect world. The national anthem feel a sense of déjà vu from eight years ago, when young Jews left Ukraine in the past eight years for of the state of Israel is called “Hatikvah,” literally the world stood by as Russia annexed Crimea and economic reasons, as recently as a few weeks ago I “The Hope,”’ its lyrics adapted from a 19th-century provoked war in Donbass. But the post-World War spoke with friends excited to mark a post-COVID poem that expressed a longing tinged with optimism. II order has been more unified in its opposition than “Od lo avda tikvateinu.” Our hope has not yet died. return to Jewish life with a massive Purim bash. it has seemed in decades. I’m not sure if these words In fact, the Ukrainian national anthem captures and those sanctions will do anything to quell the vio- I spent Tuesday night glued to my phone, unable to sleep, counting Russian battalions on the border similar themes. The opening line declares “Shche lence. But for the moment, it does give me some hope. and refreshing Twitter feeds in English, German and ne vmerla Ukrayiny,” which translates to “Ukraine So I will pray for peace, and I will pray for a reso- Ukrainian. I watched speeches by Russian President has not yet died.” Written in the mid-19th century, lution, and I will pray for my friends. Our hope isn’t Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr this line is in defiance of history, a declaration that dead yet. Ukraine isn’t dead yet. And neither are we, Zelensky. Early the next morning, after I got my kids an entity that had yet to exist (the first independent and neither is the future we have yet to build. JE off to school, I called Vassil Ivanovich, the physics Ukrainian state wouldn’t come about until the post- and math teacher at the school in the small village World War I era) had nevertheless refused to perish. Jeremy Borovitz is a rabbi and director of Jewish learning for of Boyarka that I called home for two years as a I think a lot about defying history. I am currently Hillel Deutschland. JEWISHEXPONENT.COM 17 feature story PHOTO BY LEENAWATTIE NARAIN I wanted to take the best job in the world. 18 MARCH 3, 2022 | JEWISHEXPONENT.COM KUBKOO / ISTOCK / GETTY IMAGES PLUS S Moving Traditions Welcomes New CEO he’s never been a CEO before. She’s taking over for the woman who built the nonprofi t organization, Moving Traditions, from nothing. And the task before her, from the board of directors, is no less than to expand the organization to communities all over North America. But Shuli Karkowsky says she is ready. According to Deborah Meyer, Karkowsky’s predecessor at the Elkins Park nonprofi t, as well as the board’s search committee, Karkowsky is the ideal leader to guide Moving Traditions forward. Th e new CEO’s professional network recognized the same thing: When Meyer announced her retirement, connections started reaching out to Karkowsky to encourage her to apply. And she agreed. At the time, Karkowsky was the executive vice president of Hazon, a New York City-based environmental advocacy organization, overseeing more than 50 staff members and a budget that exceeded $9 million. After handling those responsibilities for more than two years, she believed she was ready to be the boss. Karkowsky also believed in Moving Traditions’ JARRAD SAFFREN | JE STAFF mission of giving teenage Jews a space to work through their feelings, fi gure out their identities and then manifest them through positive community work. “I wanted to take the best job in the world,” she said. On Feb. 7, she did. But luckily for Karkowsky, Meyer is sticking around until March 31 to train and help her. Th e new CEO, 38, is embracing the insights of her soon-to-be emeritus mentor; it was Meyer who created the organization in the early 2000s as a program for teenage girls to talk about their emotions. Meyer, a longtime community activist, noticed increasing rates of anxiety and depression in the youth population. She responded by opening a space for girls to discuss friendship, academic pressure, gender and sexuality, among other topics. Th e CEO also rooted the conversations in Jewish values like shleimut (wholeness), hesed (caring) and tzedek (justice). Th ose values challenged teens to think Jewishly even aft er their bat mitzvahs, according to Meyer. Th e leader kept repeating the same questions in her head as she considered the importance of her program. Why isn’t Jewish education focusing on what it means to be a teen and a human being? Why are we letting kids drop out aft er their bar or bat mitzvahs? “If you drop out, you haven’t really had a chance to talk about sexuality, how to be a responsible member of society, how to advocate for a better world,” Meyer said. “We wanted to bring Jewish values and the adolescent experience together.” Th at approach was successful, as Moving Traditions grew from girls to boys, too, and then to pre-teens preparing for their bar and bat mitzvahs, and fi nally to other parts of the country. Today, the organization serves more than 5,000 kids a year in 29 states on a budget of $3.6 million. Meyer’s legacy is in those numbers. But really, it’s deeper than that, according to Darcie Crystal, the chair of the nonprofi t’s board of directors. It’s in the thousands of kids who Moving Traditions has helped, Crystal said. “She gave teens a space to explore their identity,” she said. “She saw a need in the Jewish community and built an organization to address that need.” But Meyer’s life’s work was only part one, according to Meyer herself. JEWISHEXPONENT.COM 19 feature story On a group call with Karkowsky listening in, Meyer said, “Shuli’s going to get us in all 50 states.” And the new leader did not try to downplay that expectation. Just as she’s ready to be a CEO, she’s ready to do what a CEO does: find new territory. Karkowsky wants to use Moving Traditions’ mental health-enhancing programs to “give parents confidence to parent correctly,” she said; to convince schools to “take elements of our program and reeducate young people,” she added; and to simultaneously “stay in Philly but have a national impact,” she concluded. The former corporate lawyer has a three-year plan to double engagement. 20 She wants to start by increasing enrollment in Moving Traditions’ core programs and then pitch its approach to Jewish schools. “Feminism, gender identity, self- acceptance — all the pieces that help young people help themselves — if they were implemented more broadly, I’d feel good about the future of Jewish education,” Karkowsky said. According to the CEO, the nonprofit conducts studies and surveys that show that its programs enhance mental health and a sense of security in teens. It’s just a matter of proving this to more and more people. Meyer said she sees parents as MARCH 3, 2022 | JEWISHEXPONENT.COM partners, and Karkowsky agrees. But the new CEO also said that parents “don’t always have the language to talk to their kids.” The famous “sex talk” is a good example of this problem, Karkowsky said. “You want children to understand that it’s not something they should be cavalier about, but you don’t want to stigmatize it,” she said. “That’s a hard balance to walk.” Moving Traditions tries to help parents achieve this balance, she added. The more it succeeds, she explained, the more it will make kids feel comfortable expressing their true identities. Karkowsky herself is a mother of three children, ages 7, 7 and 2. She already sees her son lowering his voice around bigger kids, and her daughter becoming conscious of how her non- feminine interests, like Legos and martial arts, make her different. “I’m seeing these forces bloom in my own life,” the mother said. “I’m seeing how early in their lives social influences start to affect them.” As a mom, Karkowsky knows she will love her kids “no matter what,” she added. Her goal with Moving Traditions is to “create a world where every young person feels that security from the people around them,” she concluded. JE The Jewish Exponent: Transition in Ownership An Open Letter to the Community Dear Philadelphia Jewish Community, F or more than 130 years, The Jewish Exponent has strengthened the fabric of the Philadelphia Jewish community sharing local, national and worldwide news. The second-oldest continuously published Jewish newspaper in the United States, it has evolved from its roots as a voice for prominent businessmen to a vital multimedia platform for delivering Jewish news and information and stimulating community dialogue. Today, we are excited to be sharing some important news. As of February 28, 2022, The Jewish Exponent came under new ownership by Mid-Atlantic Media, a premier media company with extensive expertise in the Jewish media business. After nearly 80 years of ownership, the time has come for the Jewish Publishing Group, a subsidiary of the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia to pass ownership of the paper on so that we may hone our focus to care for those in need and build a vibrant Jewish community. Our steadfast commitment to engage, educate, entertain and connect Jews across the religious, political, demographic and geographic spectra of our community has never wavered. However, the ever changing landscape of print media can make owning a local Jewish newspaper challenging to maintain. In Mid-Atlantic Media, the paper will have proven experts in the field focusing on its growth, development and relevance in the marketplace. Mid-Atlantic Media currently owns Baltimore Jewish Times and Washington Jewish Week, and manages projects across the region including Phoenix Jewish News, Pittsburgh Jewish Chronicle, Philly’s MetroKids and more. We expect under this ownership that the paper will remain an award-winning publication, better able to meet the needs of its readers including expanding its footprint in the digital media marketplace. We are immensely proud to have been the stewards of our community’s news for nearly eight decades and are excited that such a powerhouse in the Jewish publishing business will now take over the reins. Importantly, this change in ownership will also enable the Jewish Federation to have greater human and financial resources dedicated to serving the community. In the months and years to come, the Jewish Federation will continue to address the community’s most critical needs while also partnering with the many thriving Jewish agencies, schools and synagogues to ensure a vibrant, inclusive and welcoming Jewish community of Greater Philadelphia for generations to come. Many of you currently receive The Jewish Exponent as a gift from the Jewish Federation for a donation you once made to the Jewish Community Fund, and this will continue. Mid-Atlantic Media will contact you occasionally to update contact information. To each of you, thank you for making this paper a cornerstone of our community. We appreciate your many years of loyal engagement with The Jewish Exponent and look forward to your continued support in the years to come. May we all go from strength to strength. Gail Norry Board Co-Chair David Adelman Board Co-Chair Michael Balaban President & CEO 2100 Arch Street Philadelphia, PA 19103 215.832.0500 info@jewishphilly.org jewishphilly.org JEWISHEXPONENT.COM 21 food & dining Get a Jump on Passover with an Easy Brisket Dinner T KERI WHITE | JE FOOD COLUMNIST ami Rona, a spunky grandma from New Jersey who is active in the Temple Emanuel Sisterhood and works as a travel consultant, shared with me a few of her family’s favorite dishes. Her brisket is locally famous, and no holiday celebra- tion is complete without it. Rona learned this the hard way: “One year, I decided to try something different and special, so I bought lamb. It cost me a fortune — this was years ago, and I must have spent $80 on the meat alone. My children and grandchildren arrived and, when I served dinner, it was a disaster. The lamb was terrible, everyone was disappointed to miss the famous brisket and, to this day, I have not lived it down. Every holiday dinner starts, with ‘Remember the year Grandma served that awful lamb?’ Now I don’t mess with the menu — brisket and potatoes, and everyone is happy.” Rona learned the recipe from her late husband’s cousin Eva. One night, Eva served an eye of round with this delicious gravy. Rona asked for the recipe, thought it would be better with brisket, added some of her own techniques and flairs, and the rest is history. TAMI RONA’S BRISKET Serves 8 This is an old-school brisket — pantry ingredients, nothing fancy, but always a hit. 1 4-pound brisket 2 large Spanish onions, sliced thinly 1 tablespoon oil 1 can golden mushroom soup 1 envelope onion soup mix 1 soup can of water Generous sprinkling of pepper Heat your oven to 325 degrees F. Coat a large skillet with oil, and sear the brisket on all sides. Remove it from the pan and cook the onions, scraping up browned bits, until the onions are soft and beginning to turn golden. Place the onions in the bottom of a roasting pan, place the seared meat on top and gener- ously coat it with pepper. Pour one can of soup, one can of water and one envelope of soup mix over the brisket, cover, and cook it in the oven for 3 hours. Turn the meat over every hour to ensure even cooking and to avoid it drying out. When done, cool the meat slightly, remove it from the pan and slice it thinly on the diagonal across the grain. Pour the gravy and the sliced meat into a pot, and refrigerate overnight. Heat the meat on very low heat, simmering for 2 hours, on the stove, and serve. TAMI’S SMASHED POTATOES Serves 8 In her own words: “These potatoes are always a hit. They are wonderful with the brisket, but I served them at a barbecue last summer, and all I heard about was the potatoes. Forget all the other things I made — everyone was going on about these potatoes!” You can make these with just olive oil if a vegan or pareve dish is desired, or you can do a mix of melted butter and oil for added flavor and rich- ness if that conforms with your menu. Rona uses the spice assortment described below but says you can get creative; if you have a particular flavor combo or spice blend that you like, go for it. Heat your oven to 400 degrees F. Place the potatoes in a large pot of salted water and bring it to a boil. Simmer for about 20 minutes until the potatoes are just done — soft but not falling apart. Drain. In a small bowl or measuring cup, mix the oil, butter (if using) and spices. Line a large baking tray with nonstick foil or parchment, and spread out the potatoes in a single layer. Using the bot- tom of a cup, press the potatoes once to “smash” them. Pour the oil mixture over the potatoes. Bake for about 45 minutes until crispy. l 22 MARCH 3, 2022 | JEWISHEXPONENT.COM Lara Hata / gettyimages 4 pounds small potatoes (size of a golf ball) 4 tablespoon olive oil, or 2 tablespoons olive oil and 2 tablespoons melted butter 2 teaspoons salt 1 teaspoon garlic powder 1 teaspoon paprika 1 teaspoon black pepper Local Kid David Sirota Nominated for Oscar D JARRAD SAFFREN | JE STAFF avid Sirota is known as a longtime political journalist and operative, having written for The Guardian and Jacobin, among other media outlets, as well as speeches for Bernie Sanders’ 2020 presidential campaign. As for the movie thing, Sirota said, “I honestly kind of fell into it.” It turned out to be a life-defining accident. After pitching director Adam McKay on the story for the 2021 apocalyptic black comedy “Don’t Look Up,” Sirota received an Oscar nomination for Best Original Screenplay. The Abington kid, former Reform Congregation Keneseth Israel member and William Penn Charter graduate, who now lives in Denver, will attend the Academy Awards in Los Angeles on March 27. In between looking for an outfit to wear, he’s reflected on his accomplishment. Sirota talked about how he got to this moment. First and foremost, tell us about your Philly background. I think it’s fair to say that I was one of the most intense Sixers fans. I grew up hating Michael Jordan for beating Charles Barkley. Rick Mahorn and Charles Barkley. The Sixers were sort of a mini, not as good version of the (Bad Boys) Pistons when Mahorn came over. Like a bruiser team. This year, when the movie came out, my friend got me a cameo of Rick Mahorn congratulating me. David Sirota and his daughter greet Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders.  Courtesy of David Sirota OK, that was cool, now tell us about your background in politics and journalism. I went down to D.C. and got a job working for Bernie The local kid used to dream about working in the Sanders. I applied to a bunch of congressional White House. But he never imagined winning an Oscar. offices and had no idea who he was. He responded. “My friend said, ‘This is the kind of thing they put When I first worked for him, I was right out of college. It helped me find who I was and what my values are. on your obituary,’” Sirota recalled. JEWISHEXPONENT.COM 23 After that, I worked in Congress on the appropri- ations committee. I worked on a Senate campaign in Montana. Then the same guy got elected gover- nor. So I moved to Montana with my wife, and then we moved down to Denver. I got a job on radio and went back to investiga- tive, follow-the-money journalism. How did the movie come together? Adam McKay has been a friend for a long time. In the mid-2000s, I had written an article about NAFTA. He got in touch and said he liked the arti- cle. “Next time you’re in L.A. let’s meet.” We struck up a friendship. I spent election night 2016 with him and the cast of (HBO’s) “Succession.” They were doing a table read of the show. After that, I got in touch and said, “Listen man, I loved ‘Vice’ (the 2018 black comedy movie about former Vice President Dick Cheney). You have to use your superpower mixing comedy and politics to address the climate crisis.” He said, “I know man, but I don’t want to do, like, post-apocalyptic ‘Mad Max.’” I called him again after I had written a couple stories about climate change; I was frustrated that people didn’t care enough. I said, “It feels like a comet’s coming to earth and people don’t care.” We brainstormed over the phone. He wrote the script. I gave notes. Two weeks later he said, “Jennifer Lawrence and (Leonardo) DiCaprio are interested.” A week later he’s like, “This is actually happening. We’re sending the paperwork over.” I was shocked. trying to say. So, what was it trying to say? So the movie comes out on Netflix and goes viral on social media. What was that experience like? I tweeted this out, but I hope to see my Little League teammate Bradley Cooper. When he first became famous, I was like, “That name sounds familiar.” Then my best friend was like, “That’s Bradley from East Abington Little League.” I asked my mom to find the team photo. There it is. Me in the bottom row, him in the top row. I never expected the movie to become a cultural phenomenon. You see politicians referring to “just look up.” It really has become part of the cultural discourse. I think the reason that happened is because it’s a movie about the here and now. This movie feels a lot like reality. Everybody has strong opinions on the here and now. It felt as politically supercharged as campaign discourse. There was this controversy on Bernie’s campaign: He made a half-joke like, “Jeff Bezos’ paper (The Washington Post) is really friendly with me.” And it was like, “Bernie is attacking journalism!” A lot of the debate was about what the movie was 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 today! Consult with the designer to explore your style options. 24 MARCH 3, 2022 | JEWISHEXPONENT.COM Every politician is asked questions about the econ- omy. What we have to do is bake that same attitude about climate into the coverage. The economy is the way we talk about politics. The livable atmosphere needs to be at the same level. What are you looking forward to most about the Oscars? That’s very cool. So what’s next for you now? Are you a screenwriter? I’ve got some irons in the fire on other projects. I’m also doing my journalism every day. I take from this that there’s pent-up demand for movies, TV shows that wrestle with the challeng- ing issues of the day. To me, that’s exciting. That’s what I’ve been doing. That’s what I want to do. JE obits Photojournalist Sharon Wohlmuth Dies at 75 SASHA ROGELBERG | JE STAFF O n their way to Minot, North Dakota, to interview and photo- graph subjects for their photo essay book “Sisters” — which later spent 63 weeks on The New York Times Best Sellers list — photographer Sharon Wohlmuth and essayist Carol Saline were caught in a snowstorm. The two had no boots or coats and lost their way while headed to their destina- tion. All of a sudden, Wohlmuth insisted on pulling over the car. Despite Saline’s confusion, she complied and, soon, per Wohlmuth’s request, they began to make snow angels in the freshly fallen snow. “She was very big on ‘be here, now’,” Saline said. Wohlmuth died on Feb. 13 in her Rittenhouse Square home. She was 75. In addition to copublishing four addi- tional photo essay books with Saline after “Sisters,” Wohlmuth was a photojour- nalist with The Philadelphia Inquirer for Montefi ore Cemetery Company Since its founding, Montefi ore has honored and kept the traditions of Judaism. • Jewish owned & operated • NO vaults or liners required • Prudent fi nancial management ensuring highest standard of care Let Montefi ore Cemetery help you protect your loved ones from overwhelming decisions and expenses. And, as always, 0% Interest on all pre-arrangements. ONTEFIORE C EMETERY C OMPANY Serving the Jewish Community…Preserving Our Tradition 600 Church Road • Jenkintown, PA 19046 • 215-663-1250 www.montefi ore.us Sharon Wohlmuth presents at the Old City Jewish Art Center as part of the “Morning Meditations” exhibit. Photo by Zalman Wircberg more than 20 years and won a Pulitzer Prize in 1980 for her work in the paper’s coverage of the Three Mile Island nuclear accident. Her photos, which spanned from Brooklyn Lubavitcher life to Somali refugee camps, attracted some of the Old City Jewish Art Center’s largest audiences while they were on display in exhibits in 2009 and 2015, OCJAC director Zalman Wircberg said. Wohlmuth was an active member of the Philadelphia Jewish community. Both a member of Temple Beth Zion- Beth Israel and Vilna Congregation, Wohlmuth had “chutzpah” and was “very, very proud of being Jewish” recalled Rabbi Menachem Schmidt of Vilna Congregation, a friend with Wohlmuth for 40 years. On Rosh Hashanah, Wohlmuth vol- unteered to visit a local hospital with Schmidt and blow the shofar for patients to welcome the new year. In addition to going room-to-room to visit patients, Wohlmuth would greet doctors and nurses in the hallway who “looked Jewish” to blow the shofar for them, too. “She just had a lot of class,” Schmidt said. “She had a tremendous presence.” Born in Bristol, Connecticut, on Sept. 25, 1946, Wohlmuth was the middle child to older brother Gary Joslow and younger sister Beth Josolowitz. Her father was an avid photographer and influenced her decision to pursue pho- tography in school. After a short stint at a travel agency, where she met first husband Edward Wohlmuth, Sharon Wohlmuth enrolled in the Moore College of Art and Design in 1972. For her thesis, she lived among a Lubavitcher community in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, for six months in 1974, photographing weddings and scenes from the Yeshiva. Her photography impressed Inquirer photo editor Gary Haynes, who hired her a few months after she received her bachelor’s in photography. She was among the first four women to be hired as photographers for The Inquirer. In 1994, Wohlmuth and Saline pub- lished “Sisters” through Running Press, a small publisher run by Wohlmuth’s second husband Larry Teacher. The book had a modest first printing of 20,000, but it skyrocketed in popularity after it was featured on an episode of “Oprah.” Companion books “Mothers and Daughters” and “Best Friends” also earned acclaim. Wohlmuth was open about her ADD diagnosis, and she hired organizers to help sort through bits of paper, receipts and knickknacks in her pock- JEWISHEXPONENT.COM 25 obits ets and purses. But Saline attributes Wohlmuth’s ADD to her keen photog- raphy skills; it gave her the ability to hone in on her subjects, while “every- thing else was up in the atmosphere.” “She had a wonderful way of making people feel comfortable and forget that the camera was there,” Saline said. Wohlmuth’s generosity with her cam- era extended out to her family, whom she and Teacher hosted every summer for a reunion at their Long Beach Island, New BIDDLE Francis Edith Disner Biddle, who taught elementary school, helped her husband earn a Ph.D., raised two sons, doted on her grandchildren, and helped elect Dem- ocrats from Franklin Roosevelt to Joe Biden, died Jan. 9 at her retirement com- munity in Bryn Mawr, PA, two weeks after her 101st birthday. Her beloved husband, Edmund R. Biddle, predeceased her by 21 years. Her survivors include sisters Marion Zieman and Marjorie Newman; sons Ste- phen and Daniel, grandchildren Jonathan, Ellery and Elizabeth, and a great-grand- daughter, Cleo. Ms. Biddle’s health de- clined sharply after a bad fall more than a year ago, but thanks to her heroic friend and helper Barbara Davis, she was able to vote for Biden in 2020. She complained of memory loss by then, and lamented often that unlike her wealthy mother-in-law she hadn’t kept a diary. But she still remem- bered how a professor at the University of Pennsylvania, 70 or so years earlier, had stopped his lecture on British writers to admonish one student, a tall, dark-haired World War II veteran: “Mr. Biddle, if you in- sist on disrupting the class by whispering to Miss Disner, why don’t you just go sit next to her?” Their classmates applaud- ed as Randy Biddle moved back to sit by Miss Disner. Her marriage to Randy lasted from a summer day in 1951 until his death in 2000. Frances Edith Disner was one of five children of Israel and Sarah (nee Kahn) Disner, immigrants from Lithuania and Ukraine who spoke Yiddish and met on a Philadelphia streetcar. She grew up in Philadelphia, Detroit and Merchantville, N.J., where she and her siblings worked in their father’s drycleaning and tailoring shop to help the family get through the Depression. She never knew her grand- father, a rabbi who defiantly practiced his faith in the time of pogroms, and who was said to have been taken by Cossacks on horseback never to return. She lost an aunt and cousins in the Holocaust. Ms. Biddle’s interest in politics surfaced early. In seventh grade she wrote a song cheer- ing on President Roosevelt and the New Deal (“...For in the time of the socalled de- pression/ You have changed ... the country to a better condition...”), mailed it to the White House --and got a thank-you note signed by FDR’s aide Louis Howe. The local newspaper published the lyrics in a story headlined, “Musical Ode To Pres- ident Composed By Borough Girl.” She attended Western College in Ohio before enrolling in night classes at Penn after the war, earning a B.A. in English. The Army 26 Jersey, home. She would take pictures of her family on the beach, having her nieces and nephews pose on the life- guard chair. Because she had no children, she would spoil her nieces and nephews, family members said. She frequently invited younger relatives to visit her Philadelphia penthouse or would take them on weekend trips to New York. “It was a fantastic adventure for kids. They were always thrilled to be invited Air Corps veteran she met in those class- es was from a well-off Philadelphia family. When they began dating, friends called them Romeo and Juliet. Both were crazy about Democratic politics, Penn football games at Franklin Field, postwar writers like J.D. Salinger and Saul Bellow, and teaching. She taught at a boys’ school before becoming a mom; he became an English professor who taught at Drexel, Rutgers and Widener universities. They spent many vacations on Cape Cod at his parents’ Wellfleet home. Ms. Biddle’s mar- riage merged a family persecuted by the Nazis with one that helped bring them to justice. Randy’s father, Francis Biddle, was Roosevelt’s last attorney general -- and chief U.S. judge at the Nuremberg war crimes tribunal in 1945-1946. She loved recalling how her future husband had said nothing about his father’s prominence till she demanded to know why, during a meet-the-parents outing in Atlantic City, passersby waved and said, “Hello, Mr. Attorney General.” She was also fond of quoting the friend who spied her and Ran- dy at a movie theater and teased, “There go the poor but intellectual Biddles.” In the 1960s, 70s and 80s, when they lived in Bala Cynwyd, PA, Ms. Biddle threw kaffeeklatsches for candidates such as Pennsylvania’s first Jewish governor, Mil- ton Shapp, and Rita Banning, Montgomery County’s first female commissioner. Her son Steve, a retired legal draftsman of multistate employee benefit plans who is active in politics and regional planning, remembers her phone calls rallying voters for a Democratic congressional candidate who narrowly won the Bucks County dis- trict where Steve and his wife Lynn live. In 2008 Ms. Biddle organized Democrat- ic women in her retirement community, Beaumont at Bryn Mawr, to get out the vote for Barack Obama. Always interested in drama, she pitched in for a time with Plays For Living, a national group affiliated with Jewish Family Service that used the- ater to confront family and societal issues. When her son Dan, a longtime Philadel- phia Inquirer reporter and editor, lost his wife of 35 years, Cynthia Roberts, to pan- creatic cancer in 2016, Ms. Biddle became a leading donor to the fund that honors her memory. The Cindy Fund helps disadvan- taged families enroll children in the West Philadelphia preschool Roberts once led, the Parent Infant Center. Ms. Biddle lived to see her son remarry last October. Dan and former New York Times reporter Sara Rimer staged their tiny, masks-on ceremo- ny in the courtyard of Ms. Biddle’s retire- ment community so that she could attend. MARCH 3, 2022 | JEWISHEXPONENT.COM by Aunt Sharon,” Gary Joslow said. “She loved people; she liked having fun. She was a happy, social person.” “It was like a luxurious escape for us,” nephew Zachary Joslow said. Wohlmuth’s love of her family was apparent as they grew into adulthood. Nephew Seth Josolowitz was con- templating attending college in Japan, but Wohlmuth was skeptical. During a work assignment, Wohlmuth met President Bill Clinton and immediately Her friend Barbara Davis helped her gen- tly into a wheelchair. Her son Steve was best man. Her granddaughter Ellery was emcee. Her great-granddaughter Cleo, 20 months old, was the flower girl. Ms. Biddle waved her bouquet for a photo and remarked of the unusual wedding, “Leave it to the Biddles.” She died three months later. The family suggests donations in her memory to the Cindy Fund, the ACLU, the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Widener University’s English Depart- ment, and the Wellfleet Historical Society. MAGARICK Barry Magarick, 83, a Philadelphia native, advertising executive, radio host and fix- ture in the Philadelphia broadcast com- munity for over 50 years died on January 23. His involvement in the media began at the age of 13 on the Children’s Hour on WCAU TV. At Overbrook High School he did play-by-play announcing for basketball games, and at Temple University majoring in Communications he was Program Di- rector at WRTI, Temple’s radio station. He had an on-air jazz program and folk music program, both on WHAT radio. Psychic World, his all-night call-in talk show, ran for many years on WCAU radio. Soon after graduating college he traveled through Europe and lived in Israel for 1.5 years. His love and support of Israel continued after his return to Philadelphia through his charitable involvement in support of Boys Town Jerusalem, the Philadelphia Geriatric Center and other Jewish Com- munal organizations. He also served on the Boards of the Civil War Museum and Library, the Abraham Lincoln Foundation of the Union League, the Philly Pops. Bar- ry enjoyed a long and successful career as an advertising executive at Magarick Advertising where he was responsible for branding many local regional retail com- panies that became household names. He loved mentoring young people interested in the industry. Many of his interns from local universities went on to very success- ful careers and credited his mentoring with their later success. His professional accomplishments were recognized with a number of awards and he was inducted into the Broadcast Pioneers Hall of Fame with a Lifetime Achievement Award. His inveterate curiosity led him to become an avid collector of antiques, artwork and collectibles which reflected his interest in history, the arts and culture. In addition to his wife Rochelle, and his son Joshua he is survived by a sister. A memorial celebra- tion of his life will be held at a later date. called Josolowitz, putting Clinton on the other line. Clinton gave Josolowitz his blessing to go to school in Japan, ultimately convincing Wohlmuth it was the right decision as well. “She was unlike anyone I’ve ever met in her ability to get people backstage, to the front of the line,” Josolowitz said. “Places you weren’t supposed to be, she could get you there.” Wohlmuth is survived by her siblings and five nieces and nephews. JE REICH We note with sadness the passing of Pace Reich, Esq. of Elkins Park, PA on February 20, 2022. Pace Reich was a devoted son, brother, husband, father, grandfather and uncle. Born December 2, 1930 in Phila- delphia, he was a graduate of Wharton Business School and graduated with hon- ors from the University of Pennsylvania Law School. He was a deputy city solicitor for Philadelphia and was engaged in the private practice of corporate bankruptcy law with his partners for many decades in several firms. He served as chairman of the board of directors of the former Met- ropolitan Hospital and led the acquisition of other hospitals during his tenure. A true original, Pace pursued many interests and hobbies, most notably woodworking, met- alworking, home improvements and was always providing help and free furniture to those he loved. Pace is survived by his wife, Mary Lou (née Meyer), his children David (Keith Marran), Judy (DG Sarsfield) and Benjamin (Emily), and his grandchil- dren Batya Reich, the late Hannah Reich, Thomas Sarsfield, Peter Sarsfield. In lieu of flowers and gifts, please consider a contri- bution to the charity of your choosing. GOLDSTEINS’ ROSENBERG’S RAPHAEL-SACKS www.goldsteinsfuneral.com REISS Lois Reiss, 91, our beloved mother, grand- mother, and great-grandmother, passed away on February 19, 2022. She resided formerly in Blue Bell, PA, Elkins Park, PA, and Philadelphia, PA. She was the daugh- ter of Lorraine and Louis Denicoff. Lois was the loving wife of the late Jerry Reiss, loving mother of Gary (Leslie) Reiss, David (Adam Massinger) Reiss, Debi (Bob) Rosen- thal, and the late Brian Reiss. Lois was the cherished grandmother of 12—Lauren (Mike Reeves), Alison (Bob) Motta, Erica (Ben) Berstein, Jared (Kristen), Ryan (Kim- berly Muscara), Brandon (Michelle), Calin, Aaron (Lizzie Fulton), Cody, Alexa (David), Mara, Reiss—and great grandmother of 16—Courtney, Brian (Raven), Camryn, Scarlett, Dylan, Jeri, Mason, Zach, Reiss, Gabriella, Audrey, Sophia, Alex, Elliana, Noah, and Milo. In lieu of flowers, contri- butions in Lois’ memory may be made to the ALS and Alzheimer’s Associations. JOSEPH LEVINE and SONS www.levinefuneral.com RUBIN Harriet G. (nee Greenspan) of Pompano Beach, FL, formerly of Bala Cynwyd, PA passed away peacefully on February 24, 2022 at the age of 97. She was prede- ceased by her loving husband Jack after 73 years of marriage and by their beloved son Lee. She was the loving mother of Barbara (Michael) Ayes and Marsha (Moshe Bourak) Zidel. Harriet is also sur- vived by her adoring grandchildren, David (Marnie) Zidel, Lyle (Anna) Ayes, Jennifer Zidel, Leslee (Peter) Schneider, Lauren (Alex) Rose and Jared (Michelle) Ayes. She will be remembered lovingly by her 13 great grandchildren. Family was her passion. Harriet will be remembered as a warm, giving, gracious and dignified lady respected by all who knew her. Contribu- tions in Harriet’s memory may be made to the Lee Scott Rubin Memorial Fund, 430 Sprague Road, Penn Valley, PA 19072 or to a charity of the donor’s choice. JOSEPH LEVINE and SONS levinefuneral.com SUSTEN KENNETH, Feb. 18, 2022. Husband of Rhonda (nee Goldberg). Father of Kyle (Hannah) and Gabriel (Jennifer) Venit. Brother of Mark (Wendi) and Drs. Allan (Sandra) Susten. Grandfather of Daniel, Ashley, Suzy, Jenna Venit, and Shawn, Molly and Eric Kramer. Also survived by many loving nieces and nephews, and his faithful co-pilot, Coee. Contributions in his memory may be made to the Lewy Body Dementia Association, 912 Killian Hill Rd. S.W., Lilburn, Georgia 30047, wwwlbda. org or to Seth’s Picks c/o JFCS, 2100 Arch St., 5th Fl., Phila., PA 19103, www.jfcsphilly. org or to a charity of the donor’s choice. GOLDSTEINS’ ROSENBERG’S RAPHAEL-SACKS www.goldsteinsfneral.com synagogue spotlight What’s happening at ... Aish Chaim Synagogue A JARRAD SAFFREN | JE STAFF Aish Chaim Attracts Young Families ish Chaim does not own a building. For services and other weekend programs, the Modern Orthodox congregation rents space in the Jewish Family and Children’s Service building in Bala Cynwyd. On some occasions, synagogue members have shown a willingness to gather in other places, such as backyards during the High Holidays last fall. As long as the roughly 100 or so younger to middle-aged families are together, according to Rabbi Binyomin Davis, the shul, which he runs with his wife, Gevura Davis, is not an address; it’s a community. And that’s why younger fami- lies have flocked to it in recent years, they say. “What I love about Aish Chaim is it brings together Jews of different spiri- tual practices. Some are more spiritual, some are more religious,” said Melinda Engel, a Center City resident and Aish Chaim board member. “It’s a place where everyone can feel connected.” Rabbi Davis moved to Philadelphia in 2015 to work for Etz Chaim, a Torah outreach organization. But in 2019, Etz Chaim merged with Aish Philadelphia, a group that brought “enlightening programs” to Jews on the Main Line, according to a Facebook description. The rabbi and his wife were lead- ing Etz Chaim as executive director and director of programming, respec- tively, and they took over leadership of the new organization, Aish HaChaim, as well. What started out as Aish HaChaim became Aish Chaim and, in the ensuing years, its membership grew, Davis said. “We’ve probably grown it about one- third,” he added. That one-third consists of people like Jason Blau, a 42-year-old Bala Cynwyd resident. Blau and his 8-year- old daughter joined the shul about seven months ago. “We were looking for a Modern Orthodox community that would help us become more observant Jews,” the father said. Blau and his daughter attend both Shabbat services and other events. The father credited Rabbi Davis, Gevura Davis and the community as a whole for opening its doors. He said, “They’ve treated us like family,” and “given us the tools to guide us in our journey.” That one-third also includes con- gregants like Engel, who joined Aish Chaim a couple of years ago. In 2017, Engel met Gevura Davis on a trip to Israel and became friendly with the Davises. As she learned more about their shul, she realized that it could fill the void at the heart of her Jewish life. The mother of two was not a member of a synagogue at the time. Now, Engel attends Gevura’s Saturday morning Torah class, while her boys, ages 10 and 13, go to weekend programs that Aish Chaim runs. “I’ve found my community,” the mom said. Both Blau and Engel grew up outside of the Orthodox denomination; Blau in a Northeast Philadelphia house- hold he described as “secular” and “Conservative,” and Engel in an envi- ronment she characterized as “Reform or more Conservative.” Yet they both wanted a religious community that was central to their lives, they said. They found that at Aish Chaim because it didn’t make the jump to Orthodoxy seem daunting. Even if you didn’t know how to host a Shabbat dinner or observe the Sabbath, you were welcome, you could learn, and the Davises and fellow con- gregants were there to help. “It inspires young families to want to learn,” Engel said. Aish Chaim’s growth has motivated Gevura Davis and Rabbi Binyomin Davis  the Davises to expand the synagogue’s programming. Jordy Ufberg, a Penn Valley res- ident and the shul’s coordinator of youth activities, is now serving in that role as a part-time employee, not as a volunteer. The synagogue offers clubs that train students for their bar and bat mitz- vahs, programs for various age groups on Shabbat morning and a mommy and me class. During the pandemic, Ufberg started a middle school movie night, with chairs pushed six feet apart, and “something for every holiday,” she said. But the list of programs extends beyond the childhood age groups, too. Rabbi Davis is in the process of recruit- ing adults for an Aish Chaim softball team. Exponent archives “What I’d like to see us as is a big family,” the rabbi said. “You can come in, feel part of something.” That ethos, though, may put a limit on Aish Chaim’s growth potential. “We’re not a 1,000-member shul where nobody really knows each other,” Davis added. “We’re still small enough where people come in and feel welcome.” But that doesn’t mean that the Orthodox synagogue can’t remain open to outsiders, according to the rabbi. Its email list is 4,000 addresses long. And while Shabbat service attendees are mostly members, they are sometimes outsiders, too. “It’s just a warm, friendly place,” Rabbi Davis said. “That’s the culture we’re trying to create, and I think we are.” JE JEWISHEXPONENT.COM 27 d’var torah Making a List BY RABBI DAVID LEVIN A Parshat Pekudei ll for one and one for all? God is in the house! Every pilot uses a checklist. This detailed accounting of seeming minutiae is deliberate and purpose- ful. Broad categories are broken down into line items. Everything is checked and confirmed from this exhaustive list. The 747-400 Normal Procedures Checklist is an example: Checklist Categories Power Up/Safety checklist Preflight checklist Before Starting checklist Before Taxi checklist Start Taxi checklist Taxi Out checklist Before Takeoff checklist 28 13 Items 48 Items 16 Items 6 Items 3 Items 10 Items 8 Items These all are necessary to ensure that everything is as it should be. But it doesn’t ensure everything will work, and the plane gets off the ground. But this thorough and meticulous approach cannot account for a sudden engine mal- function, a flock of birds in front of the engines, an unruly passenger making a scene over wearing a mask, etc. Similarly, Moses did all of his “pre-Divine Descending” checklists on the Mishkan, down to the vestments of the high priest. But he did not know if what they had completed would work or meet with God’s acceptance until the Cloud descended and filled the place with the Divine presence. So Moses ran through the checklist. But this accounting, Pekudei, the title of our parsha, is the list. Pekudei is about God and the people. For it was B’nei Israel who did all of the MARCH 3, 2022 | JEWISHEXPONENT.COM necessary things to build the Mishkan. The offerings, the creating and the build- ing were all the work of all the people, young and old, artisans and laborers, men and women. Everyone had a role to play, and all were necessary to create God’s home. Chapter 39 of the Torah portion repeatedly states the Children of Israel did the work. So Pekudei is driving home the point that God could be there because the people did everything, building for a common purpose. That was the point of the exercise; it was a Divinely-inspired team-building exercise facilitated by the team consultant. But it is not about the consultant, Moses. The text shares in Exodus 40:35 that “Moses could not enter the Tent of Meeting because the cloud rested upon it and the glory of the Lord filled the Mishkan.” Pekudei makes it clear that the creation of the Mishkan was not about Moses or built by others so that Moses had a special place to be with God. However, until the moment that the Cloud descended, the average member of the Children of Israel could not know this was the intended purpose of their collective efforts. Often, we do not know if the things we do matter. These things feel disconnected from any bigger or broader purpose. We then also become disconnected, retreat- ing to narrow and small tribal groups. We are alienated from others, and we double down in an emotional response by alienating others from us. Parsha Pekudei resonates with us in these troubling times. We do what we do, disconnected from those who are supposed to represent us. As a result, discourse becomes increas- ingly divisive. We do not build bridges with each other. Instead, we fortify our defenses on our side of the chasm rather than reach out to those different from us. Where do I fit into it all? This is the question many of us ask. American folk- lore celebrated the rugged individualist. But this vision of the loner is in tension with the Jewish part of us. In the good old days, we moved to a place and joined a community, a syna- gogue, to be with others with whom we shared values and culture. We surrounded each other to celebrate or console, mark the special occasions in our lives, and make us all feel as though we belonged as part of something larger than ourselves. The synagogue was more than a place of prayer; it was a place of learning and, importantly, a place of gathering. As we acculturated and assimilated, these com- munities seemed obsolete, and many of us left them behind. But politics from both the left and the right have splintered the oneness of the American experience. The American aspiration, E Pluribus Unum, Out of Many — One, has been under assault as the culture wars heated up. The pandemic exacerbated our feel- ings of alienation, creating an almost existential radical aloneness. Quarantine and social distancing, intended to keep us safe from physical harm, has done substantial damage both psychically and emotionally. In the beginning, Genesis 2:18, God realizes it is not good for human beings to be alone. And here we are, feeling more alone than ever. The Mishkan experience shows us that we do belong to something meaningful. When we do not see it, we need to try and take the broader view because it is there. Our differences are opportunities to learn from one another and celebrate what makes us unique. We do things differently, but each is no less significant than the other. Differences are not to be feared but rather to be embraced. When we see ourselves and our brothers and sisters as part of something larger, we find we are all vital in the beautiful enterprise of bringing God to dwell here with us. JE Rabbi David Levin is the director of the Jewish Relationships Initiative focused on using Jewish wisdom to help people make meaning on their life journey. The Board of Rabbis of Greater Philadelphia is proud to provide diverse perspectives on Torah commentary for the Jewish Exponent. The opinions expressed in this column are the author’s own and do not reflect the view of the Board of Rabbis. worth the schlep M A R C H 3 — MARC H 10 FRI DAY, M A R C H 4 JEWISH SIGNS EXHIBIT The “Signs of Our Jewish Times” exhibit at the Temple Judea Museum at Reform Congregation Keneseth Israel will be on display until March 31. What constitutes a “sign”? Admittedly, our defini- tion is quite broadly interpreted. See for yourself. 8339 Old York Road, Elkins Park. For more infor- mation: TJMuseum@kenesethisrael.org; 215-901- 2656; 215-887-8700, ext. 416. CALENDAR G ENE ALO GY LE C T U RE , SUNDAY, MAR CH 6 PARSHA FOR LIFE Marta Shershen / iStock / Getty Images Plus Join Rabbi Alexander Coleman, Jewish educator and psychotherapist at the Institute for Jewish Ethics, at 9 a.m. for a weekly journey through the Torah portion of the week with eternal lessons on personal growth and spirituality. Go to ijeth- ics.org/weekly-torah-portion.html to receive the Zoom link and password. VIRTUAL CLASSES Golden Slipper Gems is a great place to connect with friends and meet new people. Our diverse speakers will stimulate your passion for learn- ing, and you’ll keep returning to sample all that we have to offer. Click on our website and learn more about our most recent classes: goldenslip- pergems.org. M O N DAY, M AR C H 7 MAHJONG GAME The Jewish Genealogical and Archival Society of Greater Philadelphia presents speaker Serafima Velkovich, head of Yad Vashem’s Family Roots Research Section, at 1 p.m. to dis- cuss the genealogical resources at Yad Vashem. This meeting is for members only. Contact Marilyn Mazer Golden, membership vice president, at membership@jgasgp.org for more information. 215-677-1600 for further details. Melrose B’nai Israel Emanu-El Sisterhood invites the community to join our weekly mah- jong game at 7 p.m. Cost is $36 per year or free with MBIEE Sisterhood membership. For more information, call 215-635-1505 or email office@ mbiee.org. 8339 Old York Road, Elkins Park. BINGO WITH BARRY TU E S DAY, M AR C H 8 WE D N E S DAY, MARCH 9 Gratz College will host Rabbi Adm. Aaron Landes at 7 p.m. to begin a new virtual lecture series, “Fighting for Rights: Conscription and Jewish Emancipation in Modern History.” Prereg- istration is required to get Zoom link. For more information, contact mcohen@gratz.edu. Har Zion Temple Sisterhood and Department of Lifelong Learning present the “Open A Book ... Open Your Mind” event series via Zoom. Each event will cost $18. At 4 p.m., author Annelise Heintz will discuss “Mahjong.” For information and to register, email openabook@harziontem- ple.org. LECTURE SERIES SISTERHOOD MEETING The Sisterhood of Congregations of Shaare Shamayim will host a Zoom general meeting at 7:30 p.m. The guest entertainer is our Cantor Don Samuels. There is no charge for this pro- gram. An email link will be sent out prior to the meeting. Contact the synagogue office at Join Barry at Tabas Kleinlife for an afternoon of bingo from 12:30-3:30 p.m. on March 8, 9 and 10. Free parking and free to play with snacks avail- able on March 9. For more information, call 215- 745-3127. 2101 Strahle St., Philadelphia. BOOK TALK GLOBAL CONNECTIONS As part of the Global Connections series, Robert Siegel (former senior host of NPR’s “All Things Considered”) will interview Jason Furman (professor, Kennedy School, Harvard University), Abby Joseph Cohen (professor, Columbia Business School) and John Cassidy (author and staff writer, The New Yorker magazine) at 4 p.m. on the Biden economy. Free registration: rb.gy/iljlra. T HU RSDAY, M A RC H 3 BEREAVEMENT GROUP Jewish Family and Children’s Service is offering an eight-session online support group for individuals who have suffered the loss of a loved one. Sessions will be held from 10:30 a.m.-noon until April 21 on Zoom, and the cost is $144 total. Contact Rivka Goldman at 267-256-2250 or rgoldman@jfcsphilly.org for more information. HOARDING SUPPORT Jewish Family and Children’s Service is offering an online support group to help individuals find community and connection with those whose partner, parent or loved one is also struggling with a hoarding disorder. Sessions will be held from noon-1 p.m. on Zoom until March 24. To register or for more information, contact Rivka Goldman at 267-256-2250 or rgoldman@jfcsphilly.org. JE JEWISHEXPONENT.COM 29 around town Out & About 1 2 3 4 5 1 Perelman Jewish Day School fifth-graders learned about the human body via various experiments. Courtesy of Perelman Jewish Day School 2 Walmart Market 165 donated boxes of non-perishable food to Jewish Family Service of Atlantic & Cape May Counties. Courtesy of Jewish Family Service of Atlantic & Cape May Counties 3 Jewish Residents’ Council of Ann’s Choice welcomed on Feb. 23 Jewish educator Steven Chervin, who discussed the Dead Sea Scrolls. Photo by Bernard Roseman 4 , 5 The Abrams Hebrew Academy marked Twosday on Feb. 22, 2022 with a day of crafts, activities and fun. Courtesy of the Abrams Hebrew Academy 30 MARCH 3, 2022 | JEWISHEXPONENT.COM last word THE LAST WORD: Frederick Strober W Photos by Christopher Brown SASHA ROGELBERG | JE STAFF hen Frederick Strober was at Temple University’s Beasley School of Law, he didn’t see a whole lot of other students like him. He was in his 30s and studying at night, and it took him four years to earn his law degree, not the usual three because he was still working his day job. Strober’s path was hardly traditional, but it allowed him to build his founda- tion as a real estate and construction law giant in the Philadelphia area. A partner at Saul Ewing Arnstein & Lehr LLP, where he’s worked for 40 years, Strober has led projects in the nonprofit sector with the mission of “seeking justice” for his clients and those they serve. “I would rather be working for insti- tutions that have the mission to serve people, whether it’s in the health care, or educational or cultural sphere,” Strober said. Strober also served as chair and president of American Jewish Committee Philadelphia/Southern New Jersey from 2014-’16 and 2016-’18, respectively. He served as president of Congregation Rodeph Shalom and has served on the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia’s board of trust- ees three times over three decades. AJC Philadelphia/Southern New Jersey will present Strober the 2022 Judge Learned Hand Award at a virtual event on March 9 to honor his work at AJC, in the community and beyond. “Fred brings a high level of knowl- edge, ethics and integrity to his work at AJC and has the ability to affect those around him positively,” AJC Philadelphia/Southern New Jersey Regional Director Marcia Bronstein said. “He works outside the spotlight and helps others to find a place at AJC both locally and nationally. He engen- ders trust and respect from his fellow board members as a leader who sets the tone for community work.” The Judge Learned Hand Award was created in 1964 to “honor those who have contributed meaningfully to the legal profession and whose work ref lects the integrity and broad humanitarian ideals exemplified by Judge Learned Hand,” Bronstein said. As a real estate and construction lawyer, Strober is tasked with rep- resenting clients buying and selling commercial properties, most of whom are nonprofits. For 15 years, Strober oversaw the rede- velopment of the Philadelphia Shipyard. Counseling Philadelphia Shipyard Development Corp., a nonprofit corpo- ration created by the city, Strober helped the corporation ensure that it was abid- ing by the appropriate environmental agreements and aligning with the vision the city and commonwealth have for the commercial space. Most recently, Strober has taken on the Pittsburgh Tree of Life syna- gogue complex as a pro bono client, where he is assisting in its “Remember, Renew, Rebuild” initiative to construct a Holocaust remembrance center and a center to combat hate and antisem- itism. “It didn’t take me a nanosecond to say ‘yes,’” he said. “The ability to work with Tree of Life ... is to me, at this point of my career, just something I couldn’t pass up.” But real estate law was not Strober’s passion growing up. Strober, a New York native, moved to Philadelphia after high school, where he received a bachelor’s in American civilization from the University of Pennsylvania in 1970 and a master’s in educa- tional administration from Temple University in 1977. Strober became a teacher at Greene Street Friends School before teaching at Green Tree School, a small Quaker school, where he taught students with disabilities. He eventually became the director of development there, where he learned grant writing and public relations. But the experience from Strober’s pre-law days that gets him talking the most is his year in Israel, where he lived on a kibbutz and paid visits to his aunts in Jerusalem. “I was single, I was 25, and I had a lot of relatives in Israel,” Strober said. Strober’s roots in Israel run deep. His family first moved to Jerusalem in 1809, and his mother’s family, the Rivlins, stayed while Strober’s mother moved to New York. Reuven Rivlin, Israel’s 10th president from 2014-’21, is Strober’s cousin. “He could be considered a Jerusalemite,” Rivlin, who will speak at the AJC’s virtual event, said of Strober. Strober’s time in Israel in 1973-’74 coincided with the Yom Kippur War, when there was a shortage of men able to work in kibbutzim. The kibbutzim at which Strober worked comprised mostly of young Germans, and Strober spent the year with the children of Holocaust refugees. When he returned to the states, Strober continued his path in educa- tion, but ultimately decided to become a lawyer, something he had wanted to be since childhood but didn’t seriously consider pursuing until adulthood. “It’s been a great ride,” Strober said. JE JEWISHEXPONENT.COM 31 CLASSIFIEDS REAL ESTATE YARD SERVICES RENTALS EDUCATION ACTIVITIES BUSINESS/ FINANCIAL EMPLOYMENT/ HELP WANTED OUT OF AREA VACATION SALES/RENTALS INFORMATION SERVICES PROFESSIONAL/ PERSONAL AUTOMOTIVE HOUSEHOLD SERVICES MERCHANDISE MARKETING REPAIRS/ CONSTRUCTION STATEWIDE ADS TO PLACE A CLASSIFIED AD: LINE CLASSIFIED: 215-832-0749 classified@jewishexponent.com DISPLAY ADVERTISING: 215-832-0753 DEADLINES: LINE CLASSIFIED: 12 p.m. Mondays DISPLAY ADVERTISING: 12 p.m. Fridays MAIN LINE Place an ad in the Real Estate Section The Spring Market is HOT! Now is the time to list your home with US! KKKKKK T O W E R SP E C I A L O P P O R T U N I T Y ! NEW LISTING! 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Origin- ally $2950 per plot, asking $3650 for both, including transfer fees. 610-547-1837 SHALOM MEMORIAL PARK FOR SALE, REDUCED PRICE - GREAT LOCATION TWO PLOTS AND 3FT DOUBLE WIDE GRANITE MONUMENT INCLUDED. CALL 954-873-2949 OR EMAIL Moniw328@gmail.com RO O S E V E L T M E M O R IA L P A R K 2 plots available, Section B-6, Lot 41, Graves 3&4. $7500. for imme- diate sale. Bonniemike@gmail.com or Bonnie@ 856-534-3525. MONTEFIORE CEMETERY Two plots for sale in Section 10. Great location with nice neighbors! Asking $2500.00 per plot or $4000.00 pair OBO. Contact 267-992-5511 or dsaffren2793@gmail.com 2 0 Y e a r s E x p e r i e n c e V e r y A f f o r d a b l e 2 1 5 - 4 7 7 - 1 0 5 0 COMPANION/AIDE seeks pos. to care for sick/elderly live out, 30 yrs exp., great references; own car 215-681-5905 or 215-242-5691 LEGAL NOTICES 92 6 N 1 9 t h S t r e e t H o m e o w n e r s A s - s o c i a t i o n , Inc. has been incorpor- ated under the provisions of the PA Nonprofit Corporation Law of 1988. Orphanides & Toner, LLP 1500 JFK Boulevard Suite 800 Philadelphia, PA 19102 Notice is hereby given that, pursu- ant to the Business Corporation Law of 1988, B P O i l P i p e l i n e Com- pany, a business corporation incor- porated under the laws of the Delaware, will withdraw from do- ing business in Pennsylvania. The address of its principal office in its jurisdiction of incorporation is 501 Westlake Park Blvd., Houston, TX 77079 and the name of its com- mercial registered office provider in Pennsylvania is C T Corporation System. The statement of With- drawal of Foreign Registration shall take effect upon filing in the De- partment of State. E C A C O N S T R U C T I O N , I N C . has been incorporated under the provi- sions of the Pennsylvania Business Corporation Law of 1988. FR A N K D I F L U M E R I R E S I D E N T I A L A P P R A I S A L SERVICES INC has been incorporated under the provi- sions of the Pennsylvania Business Corporation Law of 1988. HY U N J I N I N C has been incorpor- ated under the provisions of the Pennsylvania Business Corpora- tion Law of 1988. McCreesh, Mc- Creesh, McCreesh & Cannon 7053 Terminal Square Upper Darby, PA 19082 P E R U C H A S S E R V I C E , I N C . has been incorporated under the provi- sions of the Pennsylvania Business Corporation Law of 1988. NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN THAT Articles of Incorporation were filed with the PA Dept. of State for S P R I N G A R T S M E R C H A N T S A S S O - C I A T I O N , a nonprofit corporation organized under the PA Nonprofit Corporation Law of 1988. THE SAMUEL F. BROWN AND RE- BECCA L. BROWN REVOCABLE TRUST AS AMENDED SAMUEL F. BROWN, Deceased Late of Phil- adelphia This Trust is in existence and all persons having claims or demands against said Trust or de- cedent are requested to make known the same and all persons in- debted to the decedent to make payment without delay to BAR- BARA ANN BROWN, TRUSTEE, c/o Adam S. Bernick, Esq., 2047 Lo- cust St., Philadelphia, PA 19103, Or to her Attorney: ADAM S. BERNICK LAW OFFICE OF ADAM S. BERNICK 2047 Locust St. Philadelphia, PA 19103 Court of Common Pleas for the County of Philadelphia, January Term, 2022 No. 1725 NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that on February 4, 2022 the petition of Hunter Troes- cher was filed, praying for a decree to change their name to Hunter Medwid Star. The Court has fixed March 11, 2022 at 10:30 AM in Room 691, City Hall, Philadelphia, PA for hearing. All persons inter- ested may appear and show cause, if they have any, why the prayer of the said petitioner should not be granted. ESTATE OF ANGELINA MARQUEZ, DECEASED. Late of Philadelphia LETTERS of ADMINISTRATION on the above Estate have been gran- ted to the undersigned, who re- quest all persons having claims or demands against the estate of the decedent to make known the same and all persons indebted to the de- cedent to make payment without delay to JUAN R. BERRIOS MAR- QUEZ, ADMINISTRATOR, c/o Samuel Reveron, Esq., 2536 Doral Dr., Pennsauken, NJ 08109 Or to his Attorney: SAMUEL REVERON 2536 Doral Dr. Pennsauken, NJ 08109 Estate of Annette Farber Farber, Annette Late of Philadelphia, PA. LETTERS TESTAMENTARY on the above estate have been granted to the undersigned, who request all persons having claims or demands against the estate of the decedent to make known the same, and all persons indebted to the decedent to make payment without delay to Lawrence Marc Goodman, 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 DOLORES MELISH, DECEASED Late of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania LETTERS TESTA- MENTARY on the above Estate have been granted to the under- signed, who request all persons having claims or demands against the estate of the decedent to make known the same and all persons in- debted to the decedent to make payment without delay to Edith Keller, Executrix c/o Michael E. Eis- enberg, Esquire 2935 Byberry Road, Suite 107 Hatboro, PA 19040 Or to Attorney: Michael E. Eisenberg, Esquire 2935 Byberry Road, Suite 107 Hatboro, PA 19040 ESTATE OF Avon Edward Wilson DECEASED, late of Philadelphia LETTERS on the above Estate have been granted to the undersigned, who request all persons having claims or demands against the Es- tate of the decedent to make known the same, and all persons indebted to the decedents to make payment without delay, to Execut- or Paul D. Wilson Gary E. Thompson, Esquire Carosella & Associates, P.C. 882 South Matlack Street, Suite 101 West Chester, PA 19382-4505 ESTATE OF CYNTHIA LYNN FULTON a/k/a CYNTHIA L. FULTON, CYNTHIA FULTON, DE- CEASED. 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 ROBERT D. FULTON, EXECUTOR, c/o Harry Metka, Esq., 4802 Ne- shaminy Blvd., Ste. 9, Bensalem, PA 19020 Or to his Attorney: HARRY METKA 4802 Neshaminy Blvd., Ste. 9 Bensalem, PA 19020 ESTATE OF ERNEST POLLARD, SR., 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 ERNEST POLLARD, ADMINIS- TRATOR, c/o Jay E. Kivitz, Esq., 7901 Ogontz Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19150, Or to his Attorney: JAY E. KIVITZ KIVITZ & KIVITZ, P.C. 7901 Ogontz Ave. Philadelphia, PA 19150 ESTATE OF ERNESTINE HOYLE a/k/a ERNESTINE FLEMING, DE- CEASED. 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 TIFFANY TINA HOYLE, 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 To place an ad in the Real Estate Section call 215.832.0749 Place a Classifi ed Ad CALL: 215.832.0749 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! MARGATE $5,400,000 FINALLY! OPEN BAYFRONT WITH BREATHTAKING VIEWS IS NOW AVAILABLE! THIS MANSION HAS IT ALL! NEW LISTING! VENTNOR $1,499,000 THIS CORNER BEACH- BLOCK GEM IS NOW AVAIL- ABLE AND READY TO BE BROUGHT BACK TO LIFE! www.HartmanHomeTeam.com NEW LISTING! VENTNOR $3,499,000 STUNNING, CUSTOM BEACH BLOCK NEW CONSTRUCTION COMING TO THE DESIRABLE ST. LEONARD'S TRACT NEW PRICE! VENTNOR $654,900 OVERSIZED DUPLEX JUST TWO BLOCKS TO THE BEACH AND BOARDWALK!! WITH 11 BR IN TOTAL AND 4.5 BATHS WANTED TO BUY HHT Office 609-487-7234 NEW LISTING! MARGATE NEW LISTING! $2,150,000 PARKWAY NORTH NEW CON- STRUCTION! WILL FEATURE 5 BR, 4.5 BATHS WITH A DESIR- ABLE LAYOUT AND FINISHES! NEW PRICE! VENTNOR MARGATE $1,899,000 INGROUND POOL AND MORE! THIS 5 BEDROOM 3.5 BATH SPACIOUS HOME HAS SO MUCH TO OFFER! $524,900 MARGATE $399,000 HURRY! THIS SOUTHSIDE COTTAGE WON’T LAST! 1 BEDROOM 1 BATH AND JUST STEPS TO THE BEACH! NEW LISTING! NEW LISTING! VENTNOR $1,599,000 NEW CONSTRUCTION JUST STEPS TO THE BEACH! 5 BEDROOM 4.5 BATH SINGLE FAMILY HOME! NEW PRICE! GORGEOUS 2 BEDROOM, 1 BATH IN 5000 BOARDWALK! INCREDIBLE OCEAN VIEWS FROM PRIVATE BALCONY! 9211 Ventnor Avenue, Margate 8017 Ventnor Avenue, Margate NEW PRICE! VENTNOR $1,499,000 YOU WON'T BE ABLE TO BEAT THIS CORNER PROPERTY AND THIS AMAZING FRONT WRAP-AROUND PORCH! NEW PRICE! $379,900 JUST STEPS TO THE BAY! THIS HOME FEATURES 3 BED- ROOM 2 FULL BATHROOMS, AND A NICE SUNROOM! MEET YOUR MATCH MARGATE ATLANTIC CITY $173,900 OCEAN VIEWS FROM THE 15TH FLOOR AT THE HIS- TORIC RITZ! 2 BEDROOMS, 2 BATH, PET FRIENDLY! MEET YOUR MATCH Radiant, Resourceful, Resilient DWF 69, looking for like male, financially savvy, likes outdoors, travel, passion for reading and learning and appreciation for fine food and wine.SLR737@aol.com LEGAL NOTICES MEET YOUR MATCH! Place your ad to find companionship, friendship and love. You may include your email/phone number in the ad. If you choose not to, you will be given a JE Box Number and any letter responses will be forwarded to you as received. To reply to a JE Box Number: Address your reply to: JE Box ( ) *Attn: Classified Department* 2100 Arch St. 4th Floor Philadelphia, PA 19103 CALL 215-832-0749 Check out https://wwdbam.com/podcasts/jewish-singles/ for new conversation on today's Jewish singles world COURT OF COMMON PLEAS - MONTGOMERY COUNTY, PA - 2021-25114 - COMPLAINT TO QUIET TITLE - Boxwood Partnership, Plaintiff vs. Robert N. Dusek, Anthony J. Dunleavy, Harvey J.M. Faford and John F. Nugent, III, Defendants - To: Anthony J. Dunleavy, 1221 Red Rambler Road., Jenkin- town, PA 19046 and Harvey J.M. Faford, 8117 Martindale Street, Phil- adelphia, PA 19136, Defendants - TAKE NOTICE THAT THE Plaintiff has filed an action Quiet Title on 748 N. Bethlehem Pike, Spring House, PA 19477, as captioned above. NOTICE: IF YOU WISH TO DEFEND, YOU MUST ENTER A WRITTEN APPEARANCE PERSONALLY OR BY ATTORNEY AND FILE YOUR DEFENSES OR OBJECTIONS WITH THE COURT. YOU ARE WARNED THAT IF YOU FAIL TO DO SO THE CASE MAY PROCEED WITHOUT YOU AND A JUDGMENT MAY BE ENTERED AGAINST YOU WITHOUT FURTHER NOTICE FOR THE RELIEF REQUESTED BY THE PLAINTIFF. YOU MAY LOSE MONEY OR PROPERTY OR OTHER RIGHTS IMPORTANT TO YOU. YOU SHOULD TAKE THIS NOTICE TO YOUR LAW- YER AT ONCE. IF YOU DO NOT HAVE A LAWYER GO TO OR TELEPHONE THE OFFICE SET FORTH BELOW. THIS OFFICE CAN PROVIDE YOU WITH INFORMATION ABOUT HIRING A LAWYER. IF YOU CANNOT AFFORD TO HIRE A LAWYER, THIS OFFICE MAY BE ABLE TO PROVIDE YOU WITH IN- FORMATION ABOUT AGENCIES THAT MAY OFFER LEGAL SERVICES TO ELIGIBLE PERSONS AT A REDUCED FEE OR NO FEE. Lawyer Reference Service/Montgomery County Bar Assn., 100 W. Airy St., Norristown, PA 19404, 610.279.9660, x201. JUSTIN M. PILCHMAN, Atty. for Plaintiff, STUCKERT AND YATES, 2 N. State St., Newtown., PA 18940, 215.968.4700 www.jewishexponent.com To Place a Classified Ad CALL:215.832.0749 JEWISHEXPONENT.COM 33 ESTATE NOTICES ESTATE NOTICES ESTATE NOTICES ESTATE NOTICES ESTATE OF ERROL DAVID, DE- CEASED. Late of Philadelphia LETTERS of ADMINISTRATION on the above Estate have been gran- ted to the undersigned, who re- quest all persons having claims or demands against the estate of the decedent to make known the same and all persons indebted to the de- cedent to make payment without delay to BEVERLY DAVID, ADMIN- ISTRATRIX, c/o Adam S. Bernick, Esq., 2047 Locust St., Philadelphia, PA 19103, Or to her Attorney: ADAM S. BERNICK LAW OFFICE OF ADAM S. BERNICK 2047 Locust St. Philadelphia, PA 19103 ESTATE OF JOSEPH ELLIOT SANDERS (a/k/a Joseph E. Sanders; Joseph Sanders), DECEASED, late of Lower Merion Township, Montgomery County LETTERS on the above Estate have been granted to the undersigned, who request all persons having claims or demands against the Es- tate of the decedent to make known the same, and all persons indebted to the decedents to make payment without delay, to Co-Ex- ecutors Charlene G. Sanders and Elissa M. Sanders c/o Heather C. Winett, Esq. 1515 Market Street, Suite 1200 Philadelphia, PA 19102-1932 ESTATE of MARC A. GARAFOLO, Deceased Late of Pennsylvania LETTERS of ADMINISTRATION on the above Estate have been gran- ted to the undersigned, who re- quest all persons having claims or demands against the Estate of the decedent to make known the same and all persons indebted to the de- cedent to make payment without delay to Francis J. Garafolo, Admin- istrator c/o his attorney Debra G. Speyer, Two Bala Plaza, Suite 300, Bala Cynwyd, PA 19004. ESTATE OF THELMA LEE AYERS, DECEASED. Late of Lower Merion Township, Montgomery County, PA LETTERS of ADMINISTRATION on the above Estate have been gran- ted to the undersigned, who re- quest all persons having claims or demands against the estate of the decedent to make known the same and all persons indebted to the de- cedent to make payment without delay to PHILIP E. FRANKS, AD- MINISTRATOR, c/o Neal G. Wiley, Esq., 1880 JFK Blvd., Ste. 1740, Philadelphia, PA 19103, Or to his Attorney: NEAL G. WILEY ALEXANDER & PELLI, LLC 1880 JFK Blvd., Ste. 1740 Philadelphia, PA 19103 ESTATE OF ESTHER M. ROBERTS, DECEASED. Late of Philadelphia LETTERS of ADMINISTRATION on the above Estate have been gran- ted to the undersigned, who re- quest all persons having claims or demands against the estate of the decedent to make known the same and all persons indebted to the de- cedent to make payment without delay to GAIL D. GREEN, ADMINIS- TRATRIX, c/o Roy Yaffe, Esq., One Commerce Square, 2005 Market St., 16 t h Fl., Philadelphia, PA 19103-7042, Or to her Attorney: ROY YAFFE GOULD YAFFE AND GOLDEN One Commerce Square 2005 Market St., 16 th Fl. Philadelphia, PA 19103-7042 ESTATE OF GRIGORY RAITER a/k/a GREGORY RAITER, DECEASED. Late of Philadelphia LETTERS of ADMINISTRATION on the above Estate have been gran- ted to the undersigned, who re- quest all persons having claims or demands against the estate of the decedent to make known the same and all persons indebted to the de- cedent to make payment without delay to LINA MATLIS and MAR- INA POBIRSKI, ADMINISTRATORS, c/o Michael D. Rubin, Esq., 686 Gray Circle, Southampton, PA 18966, Or to their Attorney: MICHAEL D. RUBIN LAW OFFICE MICHAEL D. RUBIN 686 Gray Circle Southampton, PA 18966 ESTATE OF HARRY C. BARBER a/k/a HARRY BARBER, DECEASED. Late of Philadelphia LETTERS of ADMINISTRATION on the above Estate have been gran- ted to the undersigned, who re- quest all persons having claims or demands against the estate of the decedent to make known the same and all persons indebted to the de- cedent to make payment without delay to HELEN C. MELCHIORE, ADMINISTRATRIX, 13 Valley Green Dr., Aston, PA 19014, Or to her Attorney: MARK J. DAVIS CONNOR ELDER LAW 644 Germantown Pike, Ste. 2-C Lafayette Hill, PA 19444 ESTATE OF HOWARD LEE SAMPSON a/k/a HOWARD LEE SAMPSON, SR., DECEASED. Late of Philadelphia LETTERS of ADMINISTRATION on the above Estate have been gran- ted to the undersigned, who re- quest all persons having claims or demands against the estate of the decedent to make known the same and all persons indebted to the de- cedent to make payment without delay to CAROLYN P. SAMPSON, ADMINISTRATRIX, c/o Adam S. Bernick, Esq., 2047 Locust St., Philadelphia, PA 19103, Or to her Attorney: ADAM S. BERNICK LAW OFFICE OF ADAM S. BERNICK 2047 Locust St. Philadelphia, PA 19103 To place a Classified Ad, call 215.832.0749 34 ESTATE of JOSEPH L. ROSSI,SR., Deceased Late of Pennsylvania LETTERS of ADMINISTRATION on the above Estate have been gran- ted to the undersigned, who re- quest all persons having claims or demands against the Estate of the decedent to make known the same and all persons indebted to the de- cedent to make payment without delay to Debra G. Speyer, Esq., Ad- ministrator c/o his attorney Debra G. Speyer, Two Bala Plaza, Suite 300, Bala Cynwyd, PA 19004. ESTATE OF JOSEPHINE J. McK- EON, 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 Frances R. McDermott, Executrix, 1230 Bristol Rd., Southampton, PA 18966, Or to her Attorney: BETH B. MCGOVERN Trevose Corporate Center 4624 Street Rd. Trevose, PA 19053 ESTATE OF JOYCE WILLIS a/k/a JOYCE B. WILLIS, DECEASED. Late of Philadelphia LETTERS of ADMINISTRATION on the above Estate have been gran- ted to the undersigned, who re- quest all persons having claims or demands against the estate of the decedent to make known the same and all persons indebted to the de- cedent to make payment without delay to CHRIS STEVEN GLADNEY, ADMINISTRATOR CTA, c/o Adam S. Bernick, Esq., 2047 Locust St., Philadelphia, PA 19103, Or to his Attorney: ADAM S. BERNICK LAW OFFICE OF ADAM S. BERNICK 2047 Locust St. Philadelphia, PA 19103 Estate of June M. Pecura, Deceased Late of Philadelphia, PA. LETTERS TESTAMENTARY on the above estate have been granted to the undersigned, who request all persons having claims or demands against the estate of the decedent to make known the same, and all persons indebted to the decedent to make payment without delay, to Richard S. Pe- cura, Executor, c/o Gary A. Zlot- nick, Esq., Zarwin Baum DeVito Ka- plan Schaer & Toddy, PC, One Commerce Sq., 2005 Market St., 16th Fl., Philadelphia, PA 19103 or to their attorneys, Gary A. Zlotnick, Esq. Zarwin Baum DeVito Kaplan Schaer & Toddy, PC One Commerce Sq. 2005 Market St., 16th Fl. Philadelphia, PA 19103 ESTATE OF KATHLEEN INEZ BRU- NER, 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 PATRICIA A. BELLEZZA, EXEC- UTRIX, 1008 Napa Circle, Penns- burg, PA 18073 TO PLACE A CLASSIFIED AD CALL 215.832.0749 MARCH 3, 2022 | JEWISHEXPONENT.COM Estate of Martin M. Thorn Thorn, Martin M. Deceased Late of Philadelphia, PA. LETTERS TESTAMENTARY on the above estate have been granted to the undersigned, who request all persons having claims or demands against the estate of the decedent to make known the same, and all persons indebted to the decedent to make payment without delay to Doris V. Steinha- gen, 743 Cornwallis Dr., Mt. Laurel, NJ 08054, Executrix. Keith Levinson, Esquire Boulevard Law Center 1730 Welsh Road Philadelphia, PA 19115 Estate of Michael E. Probe Probe, Michael E Deceased Late of Philadelphia, PA. LETTERS TESTAMENTARY on the above estate have been granted to the undersigned, who request all persons having claims or demands against the estate of the decedent to make known the same, and all persons indebted to the decedent to make payment without delay to Valerie Ferris, c/o Jeffrey S. Michels, Esq., 1234 Brid- getown Pike, Suite 110, Feasterville, PA 19053, Executrix. Jeffrey S. Michels, Esq. 1234 Bridgetown Pike Suite 110 Feasterville, PA 19053 ESTATE NOTICES FICTITIOUS NAME STATEWIDE ADS ESTATE OF RANDOLPH WALLS, DECEASED. Late of Philadelphia LETTERS of ADMINISTRATION on the above Estate have been gran- ted to the undersigned, who re- quest all persons having claims or demands against the estate of the decedent to make known the same and all persons indebted to the de- cedent to make payment without delay to MARGARET FOSTER, AD- MINISTRATRIX, 1720 Brassie Court, Kissimmee, FL 34746-4535, Or to her Attorney: BETH B. MCGOVERN TREVOSE CORPORATE CENTER 4624 Street Rd. Trevose, PA 19053 Notice is hereby given that an Ap- plication for Registration of Ficti- tious Name was filed in the Depart- ment of State of the Common- wealth of Pennsylvania on Decem- ber 08, 2021 for M K E l e c t r i c at 142 St. Pauls Rd. Ardmore, PA 19003. The name and address of each indi- vidual interested in the business is Michael J. Kearney Jr. at 142 St. Pauls Rd. Ardmore, PA 19003. This was filed in accordance with 54 PaC.S. 311.417 M i s c e l l a n e o u s : DISH Network. $59.99 for 190 Channels! Blazing Fast Internet, $19.99/mo. (where available.) Switch & Get a FREE $100 Visa Gift Card. FREE Voice Remote. FREE HD DVR. FREE Streaming on ALL Devices. Call today! 1- 855-335-6094 Mi s c e l l a n e o u s : GENERAC Standby Generators provide backup power during util- ity power outages, so your home and family stay safe and comfort- able. Prepare now. Free 7-year extended warranty ($695 value!). Request a free quote today! Call for additional terms and condi- tions. 1-888-605-4028 Mi s c e l l a n e o u s : Become a Published Author. We want to Read Your Book! Dorrance Publishing-Trusted by Authors Since 1920 Book manuscript submissions currently being reviewed. Com- prehensive Services: Consulta- tion, Production, Promotion and Distribution. 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KASTNER, aka Timothy Alexander Kastner, DECEASED Late of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania LETTERS TESTA- MENTARY on the above Estate have been granted to the under- signed, who request all persons having claims or demands against the estate of the decedent to make known the same and all persons in- debted to the decedent to make payment without delay to Erin Kast- ner, Executrix c/o Michael E. Eisen- berg, Esquire 2935 Byberry Road, Suite 107 Hatboro, PA 19040 Or to Attorney: Michael E. Eisenberg, Esquire 2935 Byberry Road, Suite 107 Hatboro, PA 19040 facebook.com/jewishexponent www.JewishExponent.com LEGAL DIRECTORY Follow us on Notice is hereby given that an Ap- plication for Registration of Ficti- tious Name was filed in the Depart- ment of State of the Common- wealth of Pennsylvania on Decem- ber 08, 2021 for 4 S e a s o n s T r u c k - i n g at 6910 Chelwynde Ave. Phil- adelphia, PA 19142. The name and address of each individual inter- ested in the business is Adrienne Davis at 6910 Chelwynde Ave. Phil- adelphia, PA 19142. This was filed in accordance with 54 PaC.S. 311.417 Notice is hereby given that an Ap- plication for Registration of Ficti- tious Name was filed in the Depart- ment of State of the Common- wealth of Pennsylvania on Decem- ber 17, 2021 for FM No t e s at 6736 Rising Sun Avenue, Apt.6736-D Philadelphia, PA 19111. The name and address of each individual in- terested in the business is Charles Augustin Misantrope at 6736 Rising Sun Avenue, Apt.6736-D Philadelphia, PA 19111. This was filed in accordance with 54 PaC.S. 311.417 To place a Classified Ad, call 215.832.0749 www. jewishexponent .com @jewishexponent TO PLACE A CLASSIFIED AD CALL 215.832.0749 BUSINESS DIRECTORY Overwhelmed with the thought of moving? THINKING OF A RETIREMENT COMMUNITY? Can I afford it? What if I need care? What will I do with all of my stuff? These and the rest of your questions will be answered by the senior living experts at S3Living. Real Estate Brokerage for Seniors Looking to Thrive Point Your Phone’s Camera below to learn more Call David L. Reibstein Broker of Record 215-259-5225 (o) 215-870-7362 (c) nmls Wish Your Friends & Family A HAPPY PASSOVER in the Jewish Exponent Be a part of our April 14 th holiday edition. DEADLINE IS WEDNESDAY, APRIL 6 TH $ Best Wishes $ A SWEET & JOYOUS Passover to all for a Happy Passover Happy Passover YOUR NAME N C 45 D YOUR NAME ESIG $ YOUR NAME ESIG D 45 D D $ N D B 75 N A 95 ESIG N ESIG Warm Passover Greetings From YOUR NAME – Personal Greetings Only – PLEASE RUN MY GREETING IN YOUR HOLIDAY ISSUE. I WOULD LIKE AD (circle one here) A, B, C, D Name _______________________________________________Phone Number __________________________________ Street Address ________________________________________ City ________________________ZIP _______________ Th e name(s) on the message should read: __________________________________________________________________ I am enclosing a check for $ _________________________________________ (All greetings must be paid for in advance.) OR email your information and credit card number to: classifi ed@jewishexponent.com. MAIL TO: CLASSIFIED DEPT., 2100 ARCH ST., 4TH FLOOR, PHILADELPHIA, PA. 19103 If you have any questions, contact the Jewish Exponent at 215.832.0749 or classifi ed@jewishexponent.com. JEWISHEXPONENT.COM 35 Every Tuesday of the Month 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. MEMORY CARE Questions? 215-321-6166 Join us each month for coffee and conversation specifically for people with dementia and their caregivers. Event to be held at: Barnes and Noble (in the Starbucks) 210 Commerce Boulevard Fairless Hills, PA 19030 What is a Memory Café? Originally started in England, this informal setting provides the caregiver a forum for discussion, reducing the isolation often felt by people with dementia, their caregivers and families. Discussions can range from practical tips for coping with dementia, avoiding caregiver burnout or information about community resources. There is no cost or obligation, and many attendees develop friendships that result in support even outside the Memory Café setting. All attendees will adhere to proper COVID-19 guidelines including masking, staying socially distant and hand sanitizing. DEMENTIA Support Group arden-courts.org Every 2nd and 4th Thursday of the Month 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. RSVP: 215-957-5182 or Warminster@arden-courts.com Specially Designed for Families and Caregivers If you are caring for someone with dementia, who is caring for you? You are not alone. This informational, supportive group will help you to learn more about the disease as well as understand their feelings about the changes dementia has made on their daily lives. Support groups can also help you: • Learn practical caregiving information • Get mutual support © 2022 ProMedica Health System, Inc., or its affiliates 14526_Warminster-Yardley_9.25x11_1.indd 1 36 MARCH 3, 2022 | JEWISHEXPONENT.COM • Learn about your local community resources • Find solutions to challenging behaviors 779 W. County Line Road Hatboro, PA 19040 215-957-5182 arden-courts.org 1/19/22 5:14 PM