MAY 18, 2023 | 27 IYAR 5783 CANDLELIGHTING 7:55 | HAVDALAH 9:00 Page 9 RABBI KAMI KNAPP SCHECHTER Congregation Or Shalom's RETURNS TO THE BIMAH Jewish Exponent PHILADELPHIA Publisher & Chief Executive Offi cer Craig Burke cburke@midatlanticmedia.com Associate Publisher Jeni Mann Tough jmann@midatlanticmedia.com EDITORIAL Editor | Andy Gotlieb 215-832-0797 agotlieb@jewishexponent.com Staff Writers Jillian Diamond, Sasha Rogelberg, Heather Ross, Jarrad Saff ren ADVERTISING Account Executives Madison Goldstein, Alan Gurwitz, Robin Harmon, Pam Kuperschmidt, David Pintzow, Sara Priebe, Sharon Schmuckler, Samantha Tuttle MARKETING Audience Development Coordinator Julia Olaguer 410-902-2308 jolaguer@midatlanticmedia.com CREATIVE Art Director | Steve Burke Graphic Designers | Ebony Brown, Lonna Koblick, Frank Wagner, Carl Weigel Digital Media Coordinator James Meskunas 7605 Old York Road, Melrose Park, PA 19027 Connect with us: Vol. 136, No. 7 Published Weekly Since 1887 BUSINESS Accounting Manager Pattie-Ann Lamp 410-902-2311 plamp@midatlanticmedia.com accounting@midatlanticmedia.com Senior Accounts Receivable Specialist Grace Hagan ghagan@midatlanticmedia.com Accounts Receivable Specialist Sarah Appelbaum sappelbaum@midatlanticmedia.com Main Offi ce: 215-832-0700 editor@jewishexponent.com 215-832-0797 circulation@jewishexponent.com 215-832-0700, ext. 1 sales@jewishexponent.com 215-832-0700, ext. 2 classifi ed@jewishexponent.com 215-832-0702 Legal Notices legals@jewishexponent.com If you’re having problems receiving your Philadelphia Jewish Exponent in the mail, and live in an apartment or suite, please contact our circulation department at 215-832-0700, ext. 1, or circulation@jewishexponent.com. 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A limited number of apartments are still available. 610-595-4647 | residencebalacynwyd.com An LCB Senior Living Community: More Than 25 Years of Excellence 2 MAY 18, 2023 | JEWISH EXPONENT inside this issue Local 5 ‘Outpouring of support’ helps Temple Judea stay at home 6 Lawmakers announce Black-Jewish Caucus 8 Cherry Hill teacher shares experience on Netflix’s ‘Jewish Matchmaking’ Opinion 12 Editorials 13 Letters 13 Opinions Feature Story 20 Djerba Jews show resilience after deadly attack Community 26 Obituaries 28 Synagogue Spotlight 29 Calendar In every issue 4 Weekly Kibbitz 9 You Should Know 10 Federation 17 National Briefs 22 Food & Dining 24 Arts & Culture 27 D’var Torah 31 Around Town 33 Last Word 34 Classifieds 8 Cherry C herry Hill teacher shares experience on Netflix’s ‘Jewish Matchmaking’ On the Cover 9 Rabbi Kami Knapp Schechter returns to the bimah 5 ‘ Outpouring of support’ helps Temple Judea stay at home 6 L awmakers announce Black-Jewish Caucus 20 D jerba Jews show resilience after deadly attack JEWISHEXPONENT.COM 3 Weekly Kibbitz bonus digital content “Oppenheimer,” the hotly anticipated Christopher Nolan biopic about the Jewish nuclear physicist who developed the atomic bomb, will include another familiar Jewish face when it opens this summer: Albert Einstein. A new trailer for the drama, released this week, includes a brief glimpse of the scientist’s unmistake- able visage, as rendered by the Oscar-nominated Scottish character actor Tom Conti. Underscoring the gravity of the bomb’s development, this Einstein has foregone his usual cheery demeanor and is instead wearing a grave frown. It seems appropriate for the film, which tracks J. Robert Oppenheimer (Cillian Murphy) as he and the other members of the Manhattan Project race to develop the bomb by constructing the Los Alamos Laboratory in New Mexico in the mid-1940s. Oppenheimer and his team of scien- tists tested the weapon there before it was eventually dropped on the Japanese cities Hiroshima and Nagasaki in the waning days of World War II, killing more than 110,000 people.  As the legend goes, the scientist initially heralded the bomb’s successful test run by quoting from the Hindu text Bhagavad Gita: “I am become Death, destroyer of worlds.” He would eventually come to regret his creation, telling President Harry Truman he had blood on his hands. Einstein’s role in the bomb’s development is often overstated, yet still notable. According to the American Museum of Natural History, when the physicist and Jewish refugee of Nazi Germany learned that German scientists had succeeded in splitting the uranium atom in 1938, he urged then-President Franklin Delano Roosevelt to speed up development of nuclear weapons in the United States. His fear was that the Nazis might develop the bomb first, in part building on his own scientific equations. Einstein was later barred from participating in the actual Manhattan Project as his left-leaning politics were enough to deem him a security risk. As soon as the bomb was dropped on Japan, Einstein reportedly was devastated and came to regret even his small role in pushing Roosevelt to develop it. Several other Jewish figures from the atomic age will make appearances in the historical drama, including U.S. Atomic Energy Commission chair Lewis Strauss (played by Robert Downey Jr.), Manhattan Project physicist Richard Feynman (Jack Quaid), hydrogen bomb developer Edward Teller (Benny Safdie) and nuclear physicist Isidor Isaac Rabi (David Krumholtz). “Oppenheimer” will open in theaters on July 21. Nolan, a filmmaker known for his grandiose style in blockbusters like “The Dark Knight” and “Inception,” shot the entire film in large-format IMAX cameras to add to its epic scale. It will be his second WWII history, after 2017’s “Dunkirk.” Screenshot via Universal Pictures via JTA In ‘Oppenheimer’ Trailer, the Atomic Bomb Is Born — and Einstein Weeps The sportswear giant Adidas has decided to sell off its West. remaining inventory of sneakers from Kanye West’s Yeezy Shortly after dropping West, Adidas  — which was founded brand and donate the proceeds to charity. by Nazi Party members — announced a $1 million, four-year The decision comes roughly seven months after Adidas partnership with the ADL designed to educate athletes about cut ties with West in the face of mounting pressure due to antisemitism and other forms of bigotry. his stream of antisemitic comments. Adidas’ sales of the The ADL praised Adidas’ plans but told JTA that the rapper’s sneakers had accounted for 10% of the company’s company hasn’t said if the ADL will receive a donation from annual revenue last year, or roughly $2 billion. That decision the Yeezy sales. The organization added that it was not advis- left Adidas with $1.3 billion of unsold Yeezy inventory in its ing Adidas on where to direct the sale proceeds.  The Adidas logo is pictured on a possession. “This is a thoughtful and caring resolution for the unsold building on July 14, 2022. During the company’s annual shareholders meeting in merchandise,” ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt said in a state- Germany, where Adidas is based, CEO Bjørn Gulden pledged that the money would ment. “Ye’s antisemitic remarks and abhorrent behavior have resulted in real-world go “to the organizations that are helping us and that were also hurt by Kanye’s acts of antisemitic hate. Any attempt to turn the consequences of his actions into statements.” something that ultimately benefits society and the people he has hurt is most Gulden did not elaborate on which organizations the proceeds would be directed welcome.” to, nor if any of them would go to Jewish or anti-hate groups. In response to a request Adidas had agonized for months over how to deal with the Yeezy merchandise, at for comment, Adidas shared Gulden’s comments from the board meeting but did not one point considering simply burning it. That idea was nixed by Gulden. “Burning is say which charities it would be donating Yeezy sales to. not the solution,” he told shareholders. Jews were the target of West’s comments last fall. West, who now goes by Ye, But the company’s Yeezy woes aren’t over yet. Adidas still faces a lawsuit from promised to “go death con 3 on Jewish people,” professed admiration for Hitler and investors who allege executives knew about West’s “extreme behavior” for years bragged that he could say antisemitic comments and Adidas would not drop him. In and didn’t end their partnership quickly enough. Last year, amid West’s antisemitic November, the rapper dined with former President Donald Trump and Nick Fuentes, comments, reports emerged that  West had openly admired Hitler for years  and a prominent antisemite, at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida. wanted to name one of his albums after him. Following his comments, statements such as “Kanye Was Right” became a rally- As for West himself, he recently announced that he no longer hated Jewish people ing cry for antisemites. According to the Anti-Defamation League, 59 antisemitic after watching Jewish actor Jonah Hill in the 2012 comedy film “21 Jump Street.” ■ incidents that took place from Oct. 11 through the end of 2022 directly referenced — Andrew Lapin | JTA 4 MAY 18, 2023 | JEWISH EXPONENT Daniel Harvey Gonzalez/In Pictures via Getty Images via JTA Adidas Says It Will Sell off Yeezy Shoes and Donate Proceeds local ‘Outpouring of Support’ Helps Temple Judea Stay on Central Bucks Property Jarrad Saffren | Staff Writer Photos by Jarrad Saffren D riving up to and then walking into Temple Judea on a weekday in May, you will notice a synagogue that feels very much alive. Parking spots are filled. The sound of laughter echoes up from the bottom floor of children in the Small Wonders preschool. The only Reform shul in central Bucks County feels alive because it is … at least for now … at least for another year. At the end of February, a Jewish Exponent Synagogue Spotlight article discussed how in 2023 and ’24 the community would “fight for its life.” A decline in membership from almost 200 households to 150 had made Temple Judea’s Furlong property too expensive to maintain. Synagogue leaders were considering a sale by the end of 2024. But in the months since, “an outpour- ing of support from past and present congregants,” as an email from the synagogue describes it, has allowed the temple to extend its lease on life through June 2025. Small Wonders, which has 158 preschool students, many of whom are not temple members, will also begin paying rent on July 1, accord- ing to Sheryl Milstein, the school’s direc- tor. A benefactor bought the school, but the synagogue will still absorb certain costs like office management. “It’s really been overwhelming,” synagogue President Len Saffren said of the support. One family in the congregation offered to pay the balance of outgo- ing Rabbi Sigal Brier’s salary. Another congregant, Noel Weiss, whom Saffren had only met once before, asked the president if he could use his construc- tion company to take over maintenance free of charge. Saffren estimated that Weiss’ largesse will save the temple between $50,000 and $60,000. One donor accounted for about Temple Judea of Bucks County half the money that Temple Judea received. But Saffren said almost 25 former members and 20 current members gave in the range of $1,000 to $10,000 each. Benefactors expressed a similar feeling: They wanted a Jewish commu- nity to exist in central Bucks County. Saffren heard from many people about antisemitism in the Central Bucks School District. In 2021, a group of district board members were slow to condemn antise- mitic comments expressed at a board meeting. Board members also made exaggerated comparisons between COVID masking and Nazi Germany policies. In 2023, district leaders made a librarian at Central Bucks High School South take down a poster showing a quote from Holocaust survivor Elie Weisel about combating hate. They later apologized and allowed the librarian to put it back up. “There was talk in the community that Temple Judea was not going to survive. It was out there,” Saffren said. “There’s part of our culture and our history that needs to be passed From left: Temple Judea’s President Len Saffren and incoming President Noel Weiss along to our families,” Weiss added. Weiss joined the synagogue before COVID because his daughter told her parents one day that she “identified as being Jewish,” the dad recalled. Weiss’ mother is Episcopalian, and he was raised that way, but his father is Jewish. The incoming president’s wife is Catholic, and they had been raising their daughter in that tradition before she expressed her desire to connect with Judaism. After that, Weiss talked to some friends in the community, learned of Temple Judea and attended a Shabbat service. “It felt comfortable,” he said. But he became motivated to get more involved after hearing about antisemi- tism in the school district, both from his daughter and on the news. “It struck me inside,” he said. “I feel that I’m able to do something, then I really want to do it.” Weiss’ goal is to keep the synagogue going beyond June 2025. His vision starts with the life cycle events that Jews still depend on synagogues to organize. But he knows that those events alone are not enough to convince residents to walk through the doors each week. That’s why he’s starting “Club Judea,” a social club offering gather- ings and community service oppor- tunities. Group leaders are already planning a family barbecue night, a parents’ night out and Jewish cooking lessons, according to the email from the temple. A recent wine and cheese night drew 25 people, Saffren said. He hopes to hold these types of events once a month. “To make the synagogue a place where people come besides services. It’s a way for people to develop connections and friendships. That’s the way you maintain membership,” Saffren said. “Too many people join synagogues in a transactional way. They join when the kid’s 8 or 9, they pay their fees, the kid gets bar mitzvah’d and the transaction’s done. We need them to think of it as an ongoing relationship.” ■ jsaffren@midatlanticmedia.com JEWISHEXPONENT.COM 5 local Jarrad Saffren | Staff Writer O n May 1 inside the Capitol Media Center in Harrisburg, a group of Jewish and Black representatives walked onto the stage. They lined up in a row and stood behind the podium as their leaders, Rep. Jared Solomon and then Rep. Jordan Harris, stepped forward to speak. Solomon, who is Jewish and represents the 202nd district in Philadelphia County, and Harris, who is Black and represents the 186th district, also in Philadelphia County, were introducing the new Black-Jewish Caucus in the PA General Assembly. They pledged to build a relationship, work together to combat antisem- itism and racism and collaborate on legislative issues. But about 18 minutes into the press conference, the camera panned out over the audience in the room. It was mostly empty, save for four people sitting in chairs and two more standing with cameras. There Rep. Jared Solomon speaks at the press conference announcing the Black-Jewish Caucus in the Capitol Media Center in Harrisburg on May 1. was only one reporter in the room asking questions, and he led with the obvious one. “We heard a lot about conversations. I’m just wondering in terms of what this caucus can do to back each other’s priorities,” he said. “I think that legislative priorities, legislative victo- ries, begin with relationship building,” Solomon answered. For now, as Solomon repeated afterward, that’s the goal. “It’s reestablishing the importance of the relation- ship,” he said. According to Solomon, the Black-Jewish alliance hit its high point during the civil rights movement. But since then, it has not been the same “organized, coordinated, comprehensive, growing majority that builds relationships, handles issues and speaks authoritatively,” he said. “What we need to do is make this relationship relevant to the new generation of Blacks and Jews in our communities,” Solomon explained. “Jordan and I want to model this type of behavior. We are friends.” “Friendships are about give and take,” Harris added. Come experience life at your own pace by relaxing or living it up at Anthology of King of Prussia. Here you can continue your life story on your own terms and share our bright, positive outlook. Our maintenance-free community gives you the freedom to express yourself and indulge in what makes you special. LET’S CONNECT OVER A TOUR : 4 8 4-39 0-5 31 5 CONTINUE YOUR LIFE STORY WITH US ANTHOLOGY OF KING OF PRUSSIA C E L E B R AT I N G T H E Y O U N G AT H E A R T 6 MAY 18, 2023 | JEWISH EXPONENT 350 Guthrie Rd. / King of Prussia, PA Independent Living / Personal Care / Memory Care AnthologyKingofPrussia.com Photo by House Democratic Photographers PA Lawmakers Announce Black-Jewish Caucus Members of the new Black-Jewish Caucus in the Pennsylvania General Assembly Solomon, Harris and 10 of their General Assembly colleagues — eight Black members and four Jewish members — attended the press conference and modeled the type of relationship building they hope to spread. Rep. Ben Waxman, who represents the 182nd district, based in Center City, was one of the Jewish leaders present. All 12 attendees, as Solomon joked during the press conference, are Democrats, though the invita- tion is open to Republicans to join. None of them could attend on May 1 due to scheduling conflicts, according to Solomon. David Edman, the co-founder of Alliance of Trust, a Philadelphia nonprofit that WE DELIVER! seeks to build relationships between the Jewish and Black communities, also attended and spoke. Five years ago, Edman met Harris and told him about Congregation Temple Beth’El, a Black synagogue in Philadelphia. Harris and Solomon then attended a Shabbat service there together. “And that kind of planted the seeds,” Edman said. But it remains unclear what those seeds will sprout into as the caucus starts to meet. According to Solomon, relationship building must lead to both groups standing up during instances of antisemitism or racism. After that, they can stand together on different pieces of legislation. See our website for additional specials steinsfamousdeli.com PRICES IN EFFECT WEDNESDAY 5/17 - TUESDAY 5/23!! “What makes sense for us to do? Is it gun violence? Is it housing? I’m not sure,” Solomon said. “But both Jordan and I have a sense of how to get there.” During the press conference, Waxman stepped forward and explained that in recent years PA has increased security grant funding for nonprofits. The program has benefited both Jewish and Black insti- tutions, and that’s one example of an issue on which the caucus could stand together. Rep. Dan Frankel, whose district includes Pittsburgh’s Squirrel Hill neighborhood, where the Tree of Life synagogue shooting unfolded almost five years ago, also stepped forward to mention a package of bills, introduced at the end of April, that would update the state’s hate crimes statute to include protections for additional groups, like people with disabilities, and train- ing for law enforcement officers, among other measures. Frankel and Napoleon Nelson, a Black representative who was at the press conference, introduced the package. “I was there at the Tree of Life synagogue. I took a tour of the Tree of Life synagogue. I heard the stories. I saw the pain in the eyes of my colleagues who were with me who were of the Jewish faith,” Harris said. “I also know they see the pain in my eyes when we talk to mothers who are losing their sons and daughters in the streets of Philadelphia to gun violence.” ■ jsaffren@midatlanticmedia.com Hours: MON-THU 8:30AM-5:30PM FRI-SAT 8:00AM-5:30PM SUNDAY 7:00AM-5:00PM * ALL DELI ON SALE, IS SOLD BY THE POUND! 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Avid Netflix watchers or reality televi- sion buffs may know what happens next: Green’s date was featured on episode seven of Netflix’s “Jewish Matchmaking.” The eight-episode reality TV show, a spinoff series of “Indian Matchmaking,” follows matchmaker (and 2013 Tribe 12 fellowship alum) Aleeza Ben Shalom as she works with Jewish singles across the country and across denominations and Jewish upbringings. In the show’s seventh episode, “So the Song Goes,” Ben Shalom meets Nakysha, one of the few Jews of color in Kansas City’s Jewish commu- nity. Nakysha is a Reform Jew in her mid-20s looking for a nice Jewish boy no older than 33 with a full head of hair and tolerance for motorbikes and guns. Enter Green, 38 and bald, but a teacher who is “personable, talkative, friendly, outgoing, communicative”, Ben Shalom insists. The pair share a date at the roller skating rink Nakysha grew up going to, and Green shares his experience with ice skating as a kid and having a brother with disabilities, who inspired him to become a special education teacher. “I went into it as if it was someone that they felt was a compatible match for my personality and her personal- ity,” Green said. “And I took it as, this is an opportunity to meet someone new to hopefully see if it was a true match, and then go from there.” Green prepared for the date as he would any other, and treated it as though there weren’t any cameras 8 MAY 18, 2023 | JEWISH EXPONENT Aleeza Ben Shalom and Ryan Green around. After the date, he flew back home. Though the match didn’t spark a romantic relationship, Green said the experience was growthful and made him more open-minded to meeting Jews across denominations and backgrounds. “It definitely made me think about, to become more open or more vulnerable to having potential dates — Everyone has a different religious standpoint in Judaism, where she has her religious standpoint; I have mine,” Green said. “Everyone is Jewish in their own separate ways.” Green first learned about the oppor- tunity to be on “Jewish Matchmaking” from Philadelphia-based matchmaker Michal Naisteter, who had worked with Green previously. Naisteter would occasionally connect Green with a client before Green became Naisteter’s client a few years later. Naisteter, who referred dozens of singles to pursue a casting call for the show, thought Green was a good fit. “When I was working with him closely as a matchmaking client, he was open to matches; he was open to new ideas,” Naisteter said. “For me, he was just like a dream,” she added. Green’s hometown of Buffalo, New York, had a dearth of Jewish dating options, making the Philadelphia area an appealing dating scene when he arrived in Cherry Hill in 2009. Green is tethered to his Conservative Jewish upbringing, making dating Jewishly a priority: His mother, who died in 2017, instilled in him the value of marrying a Jew, and his family belongs to Congregation Beth Tikvah in Marlton, New Jersey. Green also serves as a board member for the Philadelphia Jewish National Fund-USA’s JNFuture Philadelphia Board, helping to fundraise for JNF-USA and recruit young philanthro- pists to the organization. Like many other singles, Green was fed up with using dating apps and was drawn to matchmaking as a more meaningful way to find love. But like so many on the show, Green was not able to find a romantic match. This is a typical part of the dating process and an important depiction of dating, Naisteter said. “I loved watching every single date. Every single date was important because every single date gives you an opportunity to work on presenting yourself,” she said. “Saying ‘no’ is just as important as saying ‘yes’.” Dating is vulnerable, even more so on television in front of a global audience. Naisteter was glad that no one on “Jewish Matchmaking” was married after the first season, as it was a more realistic portrayal of what dating is like. “That’s just what dating is, you know?” Naisteter said. “It’s a world of possibilities and a world of rejection.” Matchmaking is more than just setting people up on dates, Ben Shalom said. It’s about mentally and emotionally preparing someone for the highs and lows of dating and opening hearts to connection. “I help people to build their confi- dence,” Ben Shalom said. “When a match doesn’t work, we know it’s not the right person and we don’t blame ourselves.” ■ srogelberg@midatlanticmedia.com Courtesy of Jennifer Milton Cherry Hill Teacher Shares Experience on Netflix’s ‘Jewish Matchmaking’ YOU SHOULD KNOW ... Rabbi Kami Knapp Schechter Courtesy of Kami Knapp Schechter Sasha Rogelberg | Staff Writer R abbis are usually the ones stewarding congregants through life cycle events, such as births, deaths, coming of age and marriage, but what happens when a rabbi goes through those same monumental life moments? Congregation Or Shalom Rabbi Kami Knapp Schechter, who just turned 40, is returning to her synagogue on May 22 after maternity leave, having given birth to twins three months ago. As she plans to step back on the bimah, the spiritual leader of the Berwyn Conservative synagogue is honest about the difficulty of the transition. “If I can’t advocate for time and space to properly heal myself, then I can’t be there 100% for my congregants, and that’s what’s most important," Knapp Schechter said. The role of a rabbi is precarious, as it means being emotionally available to the community, but still professional. As she navigates being a new mother to three, she has to balance her job and congregation’s needs with her boundar- ies and hopes her community trusts and supports her. Some congregants don’t want to see the person giving them spiritual guidance in their own period of turmoil or emotional distress, Knapp Schechter said. It’s a struggle to see their rabbi as someone who is not perfect. It can sow doubts in their minds about the strength of their spiritual leader. “Rabbis are people too,” she said. Knapp Schechter joined Or Shalom in 2019. She decided to stay in Philadelphia after graduating from the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College in 2017, falling in love with the city and her now-husband, who she had just begun dating. In the four years since becoming rabbi to a community of 75 families, she’s gotten married, had two births and experienced the death of her brother two weeks before her twins were born. Or Shalom’s 75 family units witnessed those moments, including a wedding celebration and the bris of her twins over Zoom. Their willingness to support Knapp Schechter was one of the reasons she joined the synagogue. “They were very open and excited about my continuing journey, both as a rabbi and also as a person,” she said. She has the same faith in her congre- gation today. Next month, she will host a kiddush to thank the synagogue for their support and allow them to meet her twins. Motherhood has been especially transformative in Knapp Schechter’s relationship with God. In the middle of the night, exhausted while feeding her babies, the rabbi sometimes speaks to God, yearning to connect with or get a response from the almighty. “Finding the holy moments in every day is so real and pressing and diffi- cult during a postpartum period,” she said. “I would say I have experienced and cultivated my relationship with God, more so in these moments than in other moments of my life.” Originally from Seattle, Knapp Schechter was always involved in Jewish community but did not immedi- ately seek it out in the rabbinate. She studied international studies at the University of Seattle, hoping to one day become a diplomat or work for the United Nations. She moved to London for a few years, attending a synagogue there, but the country on the brink of a reces- sion required any immigrants who weren’t students or workers to leave. Knapp Schechter returned to the U.S. without any next steps to pursue inter- national studies and consulted a life coach. Always connected to Jewish commu- nity, Knapp Schechter realized she could make it her job to deepen those connec- tions. The then-29-year-old matriculated at the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College. “I wanted to grow personally, as a Jewish person,” Knapp Schechter said. “I wanted to be in an environment where I could learn, where I could be challenged, where I could be in relation- ship with really amazingly intelligent Jewish scholars.” Last month, though still technically on maternity leave, Knapp Schechter returned to the bimah to help lead services for a bar mitzvah for a family with whom she was close. She stayed for the service but left before the kiddush luncheon to take care of her family. The moment marked an example of how she wants to shape her future at Or Shalom: on her terms, with mutual trust between congregant and leader. “I know I was able to go back and support the family because if I hadn’t been in a position to, say, emotionally or physically, if I was not able to be present in that moment or be there, they would have understood,” Knapp Schechter said. “... It’s a relationship.” ■ srogelberg@midatlanticmedia.com JEWISHEXPONENT.COM 9 Thank you to all who made the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia’s Israel 75 celebrations possible: Community Mitzvah Day, Shabbat Gatherings, A Taste of Israel Festival, Israeli Flag Raising Ceremony & Israel 75 Mission. Thank you to our generous Israel 75 Sponsors GOLD SPONSOR SILVER SPONSORS BRONZE SPONSORS along with Cari & Alan Lasdon Margie & Jeffrey Honickman Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia Circle of Partners Sponsor Community Partners, Participating Vendors & Featured Guests A La Karte Catering Aish Chaim American Jewish Committee AMIT Amy Zitelman  Anti-Defamation League (ADL) Beth Israel Congregation of Chester County Beth Sholom Synagogue Beth Tikvah-B’nai Jeshurun Bikkur Cholim of Philadelphia Birthright Israel Foundation Camp Galil Chester County City of Philadelphia and City Representative Sheila Hess Congregation Adath Jeshurun Congregation Beth Am Israel Congregation Beth El Congregation Beth El Ner Tamid Congregation Beth Israel of Media Congregation Beth Or Congregation Brothers of Israel Congregation Kol Ami Congregation Kol Emet Congregation Ohev Shalom in Wallingford Congregation Tifereth Israel Congregations of Shaare Shamayim Consulate General of Israel in New York Darchei Noam Deluxe Catering Development Corporation for Israel for Israel Bonds Dinah Federation Housing Friends of Jewish Cemeteries Greater Philadelphia ZOA Greater Philly Hillel Network Hadassah Har Zion Temple HIAS PA Hillel at Drexel University Horsham Center for Jewish Life 10 MAY 18, 2023 | JEWISH EXPONENT Israel Bonds Israeli Scouts Israellink Jack and Jill Ice Cream Jack M. Barrack Hebrew Academy JCHAI – Judith Creed Horizons for Achieving Independence Jennifer Dash Designs JEVS Human Services/ Helping Hands Program Jewish Agency Jewish Family and Children’s Service of Greater Philadelphia Jewish Federation’s: Bucks County Kehillah Buxmont Kehillah Center City Kehillah Chester County Kehillah Delaware County Kehillah Lower Merion Kehillah Northeast Kehillah Old York Road Kehillah NextGen Women of Vision Women’s Philanthropy Mitzvah Food Program Jewish Graduate Student Network Jewish Learning Venture Jewish Relief Agency JGirls + Magazine jkidaccess jkidphilly JNFutures Philadelphia Journey’s Unlimited Joy Stember Metal Arts Studio JStreet Kaiserman JCC Kehilat Hanahar Kesher Israel of Chester County KleinLife Laurellen Productions Harriet and Mark Levin Makom Community Makom Community Mekor Habracha Melrose B’nai Israel Emanu-El Michael Solomonov My Tree in Israel New Israel Fund Nothing Bundt Cakes Ohev Shalom of Bucks County Old York Road Temple - Beth Am Or Hadash Orot Our Closet – Powered by JFCS Penn State Hillel Perelman Jewish Day School Perlman Camp Philadelphia City Council and Councilman Kenyatta Johnson Philadelphia Israel Bonds  Philadelphia Israel Chamber of Commerce Philadelphia Jewish Exponent Philly Friendship Circle Reform Congregation Keneseth Israel Renewal by Andersen Rita’s Water Ice Roling’s Bakery Sharsheret Shir Ami Six13 Soom Foods StandWithUs Star of David Temple Beth Hillel-Beth El Temple Beth Zion-Beth Israel Temple Brith Achim Temple Judea of Bucks County Temple Sholom in Broomall Temple Sinai The Chevra The Chilly Banana Tikvah AJMI Tribe 12 Volunteers for Israel Weitzman National Museum of Jewish History Yehuda Sichel  Israel 75 Chairs Margie Honickman Tamar Silberberg Shiffman Israel 75 Volunteer Leadership Israel 75 Marketing Ambassador Sharona Durry Community Mitzvah Day Chairs Allison Goodman Corie Moskow Matthew Moskow Sarah Vogel Community Mitzvah Day Committee Members Renanit Baker Robin Bender Stevens Rachel Fox Barbara Glickman Beth Ladenheim Robin Rifkin Barbara Rosenau Tori Rultenburg Shelley Sanders Thierry Steenberghs Amy Wittenstein Shabbat Gatherings Chairs Yoella Epstein & Jeremy Kriger Meredith & Stephen Moss Shabbat Gatherings Committee Members Robyn Barret Joyce Brown Abby Gilbert Max Novick Scott Noye Lysa Puma Sharon Rhodes Nason Russ Josh Weinberg Taste of Israel Festival Chairs Paula Glazer Cari & Alan Lasdon Shelby Zitelman Taste of Israel Festival Committee Members Allison Benton Alex Freedman Beth Joseph Amy Kaminsky Jacques Lurie Adi Ozery Marty Roffman Selma Roffman Debbie Rosenberg Israel 75 Mission Chairs Jessica & Josh Katz Susan Schwartz Mission Track Captains Adventure: Gregg & Sandi Epstein Business & Technology: Harold & Sherri Middleberg Food, Wine & Culture: David & Jodi Miller People, Places & Politics: Cara Levinson Mission Bus Captains Zach & Emily Berman Steve & Robin Katz Jon & Meredith Stevens Brett & Lisa Studner Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia Leadership Board Co-Chairs Gail Norry David Adelman President and CEO Michael Balaban Chief Development Officer Sarah Bernstein Solomon Senior Chief of External Affairs Jeffrey Lasday Mitzvot, Meals and Memories A Snapshot of the Jewish Federation’s Israel 75 Celebrations In honor of Israel’s 75th birthday, the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia hosted a number of celebrations. In April and May, thousands within the community commemorated the Jewish homeland’s milestone by volunteering, welcoming in Shabbat, tasting Israeli foods, witnessing the Israeli flag being raised and traveling to the Jewish homeland. Community Mitzvah Day On April 23, over 1,500 people participated in Community Mitzvah Day, featuring more than 25 hands-on volunteer activities throughout the Greater Philadelphia region. A Taste of Israel Festival On May 7, over 2,000 people attended A Taste of Israel Festival, complete with cooking demonstrations from award-winning chef Michael Solomonov, performances by renowned a cappella group Six13 and a host of other food vendors, craft vendors and activity booths. Shabbat Gatherings April 28 and April 29, the Jewish Greater Philadelphia community celebrated with over 80 public and private Shabbat experiences. Israeli Flag Raising On May 11, the Jewish Federation’s Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC), in partnership with the City of Philadelphia, raised the Israeli flag at City Hall Plaza for 24 hours. Israel 75 Mission From May 14-21, 130+ community members of the Greater Philadelphia community are in Israel on an exhilarating and meaningful eight-day mission, discovering the Jewish homeland through one of four customized tracks: adventure; food, wine and culture; tech and business; people, places and politics. Interested in helping the Jewish Federation uplift and support communities in Greater Philadelphia, in Israel and around the world? Give today at israel75.jewishphilly.org/donate JEWISHEXPONENT.COM 11 editorials Political Fluidity in Israel I srael’s recent deadly skirmishes with Islamic Jihad — known as Operation Shield and Arrow — have been driven by very real security concerns. At the same time, the defense effort supported by Iron Dome and the offensive pursuit of precision targeting of terror leaders and facilities have provided a meaningful political boost for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Because of the rocket attacks on Israel, many of the mass street protests against the government and its planned judicial overhaul that have energized the opposition were canceled, thereby providing a reprieve for the prime minister. That was followed by even more good news for Netanyahu when new polling reflected voter trust in Netanyahu to protect the country’s security, even as his personal popularity has fallen. Things looked very different just a couple of weeks ago. Early May polls indicated that if an election had been held then, the right-wing governing coalition would have lost its majority in the Knesset. The polls predicted that Netanyahu’s Likud party would fall from 34 to 24 seats and be replaced by former Defense Minister Benny Gantz’s center-right National Unity party as the country’s largest party, with 29 seats. Those polls projected that the current opposition parties would win a combined 63 seats, a majority, with Gantz as the likely choice to head the government. The revival of Israel’s center-left, and the growing popularity of the opposition, reflect the impressive success of the orchestrated opposition to Israel’s most extreme right-wing government in its history, and alarm over the government’s promised policies. That success was helped by the impatient aggressiveness of right-wing leaders and their overreach in rushing to enact legislation to accomplish their goals all at once, rather than doing so more patiently. Had they moved incrementally — even if gradually toward their goals — the level of opposition and concern would likely not have been as intense. At least as of now, Israel’s right-wing leaders have failed to deliver on their promises. The vaunted judicial “reforms” have not gone past a first vote in the Knesset. Extremist National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has been visible and vocal but has largely been sidelined by Netanyahu in government decisions. And the haredi Orthodox parties have seen no progress in their coalition demands to exempt their schools from teaching math, science and English or their effort to exempt haredi men from military service. All of this will almost certainly come to a head in the next couple of weeks as all eyes focus on the Knesset’s budget vote at the end of this month. By law, a failure to pass the budget would bring down the Netanyahu government and force new elections. That will not happen. With knowledge of the early May polling results no one in the current majority wants to risk new elections. Yet Ben-Gvir and haredi leaders have threatened to use the budget vote to gain leverage against Netanyahu. They will fail. Netanyahu has decades of experience in the blood sport of Israeli politics. He knows the game better than anyone else and is a master of political manipulation and orchestration. He will do what it takes to remain in power. And he will drag his coalition partners with him. ■ T here is nothing quite like Yom Hazikaron, Israel’s Memorial Day. It is observed on the day before Yom Ha’atzmaut, Israel’s Independence Day, and is marked by a profound level of reverence and respect shown by the entire nation for the fallen soldiers of the wars of Israel. The day is deeply emotional, and its seriousness and solemnity are felt throughout the country, at every age level. While Yom Hazikaron is best known in the Diaspora for its countrywide moments of silence while air raid sirens are sounded and for the annual memorial ceremony on Mount Herzl in Jerusalem, similar memorial ceremonies and services are held in every city and cemetery throughout the country as Israelis mourn and remember fallen family members, friends and legendary national heroes. The Israeli government expanded Yom Hazikaron’s scope in 1980 to include victims of the pre-state underground movements, the Mossad and the Prison Guard Service. And in 1998, it added civilian terror victims killed in Israel. Last week, Israel’s Ministry of Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism announced that it was forming a committee to study a recommendation to expand the Yom Hazikaron observance to include Diaspora Jews who were felled by antisemitic terror. 12 MAY 18, 2023 | JEWISH EXPONENT Yom Hazikaron, 2015 The recommendation was made by the U.S.-based Ruderman Family Foundation and the World Zionist Organization as a means for the State of Israel to mark, observe and act in solidarity with Jews around the world. Until now, terror attacks against Jews in the Diaspora memorialized on an ad hoc basis. There is no single date upon which our community remembers the 2018 attack on the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh, the murder of four people at the Hyper Cacher (Kosher) market in Paris in 2015 and the 1994 bombing of the Jewish community center in Buenos Aires. Nor is there any coordination beyond whatever local observance is planned to remember those victims and numerous others. The proposed policy is a good one for two reasons: First, it will provide a uniform date for world Jewry and others to remember victims of antisemitism and serve as a springboard for expanded programming and engagement on the issue of antisemitism in our communities. Second, it will provide an opportunity to bring Jews of Israel and the Diaspora together in marking the memories of those who were targeted and fell simply because they were Jewish. We share a common history and heritage with our Israeli family. And just as we join with them in celebration, it is appropriate that we also join together to remember victims and to mourn. We will wait to see what the Israeli government decides and whether the idea will gain traction in the Diaspora. From our perspective, however, anything that brings our Israeli and Diaspora communities closer together is a good thing. ■ Photo by Israeli Defense Forces Spokesperson’s Unit / CC BY-SA 3.0 We Are One in Mourning opinions & letters The Jerusalem Embassy, Five Years Later Nikki Haley T he United States finally opened our embassy in Jerusalem, 23 years after we first promised to do so. This was an important moment for Israel. But it was just as important for America. It showed that we keep our word, stand with our allies and put our own inter- ests and principles ahead of the world’s demands. The day was a long time coming. In 1995, Congress passed and President Bill Clinton signed the Jerusalem Embassy Act, which pledged to move the American embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. This should not have been a controversial move. Jerusalem is Israel’s capital. America had located its embassy in the capital city of every other country, just not Israel. embassy. After Donald Trump finally implemented the act, I proudly vetoed a U.N. resolution criticizing the U.S. for doing so. I was the lone veto out of the 15-member Security Council. It was the first U.S. veto at the U.N. in nearly seven years. In my speech following the veto, I explained, “Jerusalem has been the political, cultural and spiri- tual homeland of the Jewish people for thousands of years” and that America was acknowledging the obvious. Just as importantly, I stood up to the critics, defended American sovereignty and took the names of those who attacked us. As I warned, “The United States will remember this day in which it was singled out for attack in the General Assembly for the very act of exercising our right as a sovereign nation. … This vote will be remembered.” For too long, America acted like an international The U.S. embassy in Jerusalem is a proud symbol of American strength and the strength of the U.S.-Israel relationship. But Republicans and Democrats alike ignored the act. Even though it was passed by an overwhelming margin, three straight presidents declined to imple- ment it. They were warned that the sky would fall if we moved our embassy. So, the leaders of the free world gave into fear and cowardice. Even in 2017, it was not a foregone conclusion that America would fulfill its decades-old promise. Many of my colleagues in the Trump administration were strongly opposed to the idea. They warned that our allies would turn against us, Americans would be killed and war in the Middle East would quickly ignite. Some of us knew better. Twenty-two years of the status quo hadn’t curbed Palestinian terrorism or brought the two sides closer to a peace agreement. Our unwillingness to act only made America look weak. A country that can’t fulfill a simple decades- old promise to an ally is a country no one respects. Everyone walks all over it. Moving our embassy was ultimately about stand- ing up for ourselves. No one — not the U.N., not our friends and certainly not our enemies — has the right to tell the United States where to put our doormat. We worried more about upsetting enemies than defending friends. We looked the other way when evil regimes committed unspeakable crimes. We convinced ourselves that playing nice would make the worst countries in the world play nice too. They did not. All we did was embarrass ourselves. Five years later, the U.S. embassy in Jerusalem is a proud symbol of American strength and the strength of the U.S.-Israel relationship. It is also a reminder of how America can and must ignore the bullies and do what’s right — not least because it puts the bullies in their place. How things have changed. Under President Joe Biden, America has gone into retreat. From the surrender in Afghanistan to the failure to deter Russia from invading Ukraine to putting partisan politics ahead of allies like Israel, Biden is listening to the same foolish ideas — often from the same foolish people — that I heard over and over before we moved the embassy to Jerusalem. They say that weakness is really strength, that inaction is really leadership. It wasn’t then. It isn’t now. More than ever before, the United States needs to send the message that our friends can trust us, our enemies should fear us and we’ll do what’s right no matter who stands in the way. That is the lesson of moving the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem. It’s a lesson we need to remember, and then remind the world of it. ■ Nikki Haley is the former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations and a Republican presidential candidate. letters Heritage Months Serve a Purpose Jonathan Tobin is wrong (“Jews Don’t Need a Heritage Month, and Neither Does Anyone Else,” May 11) about why various groups need heritage months, which provide opportunities to teach important aspects about those who’ve landed on our shores. For centuries, it was through our country’s white Anglo-Saxon Protestant founders and their descen- dants that the story of America was told. With much information to impart, teachers inevitably concen- trate on teaching the larger stories. However, it’s important that other immigrants tell their stories of how they arrived and the welcome they received. Instead of ignoring other cultures let us learn about them, celebrate their history and appreciate their contributions to our society. If it takes a heritage month to do so, so be it. Tobin shouldn’t employ hot-button catchalls of anti-wokeism like tribalism, diversity, equity, inclu- sion, intersectionality and critical race theory, which seek to divide us instead of allowing us to learn from one another. I don’t need Jewish Heritage Month or Jewish Heritage Night at sports stadiums, but if other Jews are kvelling in that attention, gay gezinteh hait. We would live in a better country if all Americans learned the backgrounds and challenges facing all other immigrant groups as well as those experienced by the diverse Native American tribes who were here to welcome the first European immigrants. ■ Paul L. Newman, Merion Station SEND US LETTERS 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 publi- cation. Please include your first and last name, as well your town/neigh- borhood of residence. Send letters to letters@jewishexponent.com. JEWISHEXPONENT.COM 13 opinion Rabbi Adam Zagoria-Moffet P erhaps the strangest part was sitting through a Sunday service in the 1,000-year-old nave of St. Albans Cathedral (the longest nave in England!) and hearing the Hebrew Bible (specifically I Kings 1:32-40) read aloud in English. Maybe stranger yet was hearing part of that passage set to the music of 17th-century maestro George Friedrich Handel! These, and many other oddities, were only a fraction of the wonderful and unusual experiences of being an American-born British rabbi during the first coronation this country has seen in 70 years. As with the funeral last year of the late Queen Elizabeth, the scale of organization and competence required to pull off such an event is astounding. For a country where it often feels that small-scale bureaucracy can get in the way of day-to-day life, the coronation was, by all accounts, seamless. This, of course, makes it the exception rather King Charles III than the rule, as coronations past were often marred by logistical issues, bad luck and wouldn’t return (officially) for 400 years — or get an sometimes straight-up violence. It was the coronation of Richard I in 1189 that official apology from the church for 800. These festivities, thankfully, were of a very different unleashed anti-Jewish massacres and pogroms across the country and led to the York Massacre caliber. Not only were Jewish communities front and in 1190, in which more than 150 local Jews killed center, but Jews, religious and not, were active and themselves after being trapped in Clifford’s Tower, welcome participants in the ceremony in Westminster which was set ablaze by an angry mob. During that Abbey. Indeed, despite the ceremony taking place year there were attacks in London, Lynn, Bury St. on Shabbat, the United Synagogue (a mainstream Edmunds, Stamford, Lincoln, Colchester and others. Orthodox denomination that accounts for 40-45% It was exactly 100 years later, in 1290, that Edward of British Jewish synagogue membership) was I would expel Jews from England altogether. They represented by Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis, who, together May 11 Poll Results Do you think Congress is going to vote to raise the debt ceiling in time? Next Week’s Poll Shavuot begins on May 25. Which dairy treat are you looking forward to celebrate the giving of the Torah on Mount Sinai? To vote, visit: jewishexponent.com 14 MAY 18, 2023 | JEWISH EXPONENT NO 32% 68% YES with other faith leaders, played a role in greeting the king as he left the church. This was especially unusual as it has long been the position of the United Synagogue that their rabbis and members should not go into churches (much less on Shabbat). In many ways, this demonstrates one of the consistent themes of the coronation: the interruption of normal routine and the continued exceptionalism of the royal family. Judaism is agnostic, at best, about kings. Our own monarchy came about because the people insisted on it, but against the will of the prophet Samuel against the desire of God. Once it was established — a process that involved several civil wars, a lot of bloodshed and the degradation of many historical elements of Israelite society — it did, for a brief time, bring some stability to the fragile confederacy of Israelite tribes. But it was really only the half-century golden era under King Solomon that managed this feat. After him, and ever since, the monarchy has been a source of conflict and violence. While we still hope that a righteous heir of the Davidic monarchy will reappear and take their place as king of Israel, we, famously, are not holding our breath. Our approach to non-Jewish monarchs is even more complex. Whilst King Charles III was being coronated to the words of our holy texts and being anointed in oil (the ceremony for our monarchs) from the Mount of Olives (in our holy land), we were at the same time reciting a litany of prayers, as we do daily, to remind us (in the words of our prayers): “We have no king but You” (Avinu Malkeinu); “Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom” (Ashrei); “God is King, God has ruled, God will rule forever (Y’hi Khavod); “God’s kingship is true there is none else” (Aleinu). These words were chosen by our sages for our prayers in part because they shared the biblical anxiety about monarchs. Halacha, Jewish law, does retain the notion of a king over Israel, but that king is so heavily bound by legislation, it is far from the absolutist monarchies of most of Europe. However, since 1688 at least, after the brief (and failed) experiment with the notion of divine right of kings, England (and now the United Kingdom) has See King Charles III, page 13 Hugo Burnand/Royal Household 2023/PA Wire / Avalon/Newscom As an American Rabbi in King Charles’ Court, I’m Learning to Love the Idea of Monarchy opinion A Shooting in Buffalo Brought Jewish, Black Communities Together. What Took So Long? Rabbi Alex Lazarus-Klein T he attack on the Tops Friendly Market on Buffalo’s Jefferson Avenue last May 14 shook Western New York to the core. In less than 10 minutes, an 18-year-old wielding an AK-47 killed seven and injured three Black people. The victims were teachers, caretakers, activists, new fathers, grandmothers, community leaders and all-around good people. If not for the heroism of retired police officer Aaron Salter Jr., who lost his life in the attack, and the quick response of the Buffalo Police Department, the death toll could have been far higher. For our Buffalo Jewish community, the attack was a call to action. In years past, the Jefferson Avenue corridor was the heart of the Jewish community. As Jews joined the white flight to the suburbs, it became a place that few Jews ever frequented. The vigils held in the aftermath of the attack were the first time many Jews in our community had been back in the East Side of Buffalo in decades, if not more. The gunman specifically targeted the neighborhood, traveling three hours away from his home to “kill black people.” As the national media emphasized over and over, Buffalo is the sixth most segregated city in the country. What does it mean that our white Jewish community is so removed from our Black and brown neighbors? A casual remark by a young Jewish parent a few King Charles III Continued from page 12 endorsed the notion of a constitutional monarch — a king or queen who is esteemed, but also bound by the law and by restrictions imposed by the people. In practice, this makes today’s monarchy an awful lot like that of ancient Israel, and very different from historic European monarchies, as well as very different from how Americans and others often see it. After nearly six years living and working on these green isles, I’ve come to appreciate the complexities and absurdities of the British monarchy and to value the role that the ceremonies play in the collective life of Britons. Many here are surprised to find that, being a Yankee, I’m not also a republican (an anti-monarchist, in the British context). Indeed, while I have my doubts weeks after the attack really struck home for me. He said the shooting at the school in Uvalde, Texas, in June 2022 hit a lot closer to home than the shooting just down the road at Tops. As a parent of school-age children, he could relate to the suffering of the parents in Texas, not to the horror that occurred in Buffalo’s inner city. How could this be? Where did our community go wrong? As the rabbinic consultant at our local Jewish Communal Relations Council, I take this disconnect personally. I grew up in a predominantly Black part of West Philadelphia. Back in the 1980s, none of my classmates in my suburban Jewish day school would come to visit my house. They and their parents were afraid to come by, locking their car doors whenever they happened to drive by my home. Sadly, the divide has only grown worse. Starting in 2017, our local Jewish federation has made a concerted effort to bridge this divide. We have held two missions to Israel, specifically geared toward our local African-American leadership. We hired a racial justice coordinator, and are part of the initial cohort of the Jewish Federations of North America’s Jewish Equity and Diversity Initiative. It has begun to make a difference. The Sunday after the May 14 attack, dozens of Jewish communal leaders showed up on the street outside Tops. Over the past year, we have held racial healing circles, hosted museum tours of local Black artists, held a Freedom Seder and toured gardens on Buffalo’s predominately Black East Side. While we are very far from the shared society we aspire to, I can honestly say we are making strides toward closing the gap. Our community is much more open and accepting of Jews of color, and its members are beginning to accept our role in the systemic racism that is pervasive in our society. This has been a very bad year for us in Western New York. Beyond the mass shooting at Tops, we had the stabbing of Salman Rushdie at the Chautauqua Institution, two major blizzards that left more than 40 people dead and the near death of Buffalo Bills player Damar Hamlin on the football field. The one-year anniversary of the Tops attack will hit us hard, but it will not deter us from the work ahead. We, the Buffalo Jewish community, will be there in full force at the various events planned to mark the occasion, not as bystanders, but as upstanders. We are, after all, not only Jews, but Buffalonians. As my friend, fellow recent traveler to Israel and poet laureate of Buffalo, Jillian Hanesworth, wrote in her poem “Choose Love”: “[W]hen evil tries to break us / we choose to stand tall / We’ll shout loud and live louder / until the walls of hate fall / because justice can’t be limited / so we choose it for all… So, no matter what others say / no matter what they try to do / love, light, and each other / is what we will always choose.” ■ about the idea of monarchy and while, religiously, there is a strong argument against human authority, the monarchy as it operates in modern Britain is fairly compatible with the idea of kingship as established by halacha — restrained, limited and primarily occupied with being a moral exemplar rather than an authoritarian ruler. Maybe then it shouldn’t be so strange that so much of the ceremonies this weekend were drawn from our texts, and so much of the symbolism referential to our tradition. We can be grateful that King Charles’s coronation, the first in a generation, went off without a hitch and without bloodshed, and with the support and involvement of a diverse representation of Britain’s peoples and faiths. To the outside, the coronation likely appeared to be just a lot of pomp and pageantry. No doubt, it is often Americans who are camping out on the Mall in see-through tents or wearing the royal family’s faces as masks in coronation parties — but this American, after more than half a decade here in Britain, can appreciate the depth of the monarchy in ways I couldn’t before. I see both its deep significance and history, its connection to our own tradition (sometimes through appropriation) and its negatives. As a rabbi and a Jew, I will always believe that there is only one Sovereign who truly rules, but there is something to be said for having a king as well as a King. ■ Rabbi Alex Lazarus-Klein is the rabbi of Congregation Shir Shalom of Buffalo in Williamsville, New York, and a rabbinic consultant to the Buffalo Jewish Communal Relations Council. Rabbi Adam Zagoria-Moffet is the rabbi of St. Albans Masorti Synagogue. He was ordained by the Jewish Theological Seminary where he also received an MA in Jewish thought and moved to the UK in 2017. JEWISHEXPONENT.COM 15 opinion Is Chutzpah a Bug or a Feature of Israeli Life? Uri Pilichowski 16 MAY 18, 2023 | JEWISH EXPONENT drivers seem to wake up angry and honking their car horns every morning. Traffic lights barely turn green and cars three or four back in line already start honking their horns. There’s little to no consideration for the angst this causes other drivers or the noise pollution that disturbs entire neighborhoods every morning. The general lack of decorum creeps into every aspect of Israeli life. Store clerks are more likely to scold and refuse to help than offer customer service, and government workers are obstinate and create bureaucratic quagmires that seem insurmountable. Anglo immigrants to Israel from countries like England, Australia, South Africa and America struggle the most with Israeli chutzpah and lack of formality. The constant honking grates on their nerves, the lack of customer service befuddles them and the government bureaucracy upsets them to levels where they almost want to find Theodor Herzl and convince him to keep at his job as a journalist instead of creating Zionism. When talking to Anglo immigrants in Israel, complaints about these aspects of Israeli society are frequently heard, along with dismay that Israelis cannot act with more refinement and civility. The immigrants who strive to improve (in their eyes) Israeli society through Anglo-style patience, courtesy and politeness fail to recognize that Israel could only have succeeded because of chutzpah and lack of formality. Herzl and other early Zionist activists’ audaciousness in attempting to convince the world to give the Jewish people their historic homeland and allow them to create a state required an overdose of chutzpah. When the British turned their backs on the Jewish people with their White Paper, the Jewish people’s chutzpah led them to fight the British instead of giving up on the dream of their own state. An argument can be made that refining Israeli life to look more like Anglo countries could harm Israel’s success. Israeli chutzpah isn’t a bug, it’s a feature. Israel’s triumph is directly tied to its culture. The IDF didn’t create this lack of formality, it is inherent in Israeli life. It was forged in the swamps the early Zionists drained, the fields where Haganah and Irgun fighters fought to defend the nascent state of Israel and in the study halls where Torah scholars who survived the Holocaust recreated their old communities in a new land of Israel. As long as Israeli chutzpah persists, Israel will continue to overcome impossible odds. ■ Rabbi Uri Pilichowski is a senior educator at numerous educational institutions. The author of three books, he teaches Torah, Zionism and Israel studies. istock/gettyimages/Tanja Ristic I srael has the chips stacked against it when it comes to economic success. Unlike many other Middle Eastern states, Israel has no natural resources to bolster its economy. While other nations’ treasuries overflow with oil money, 60% of Israel is empty desert. Add to this Israel’s security concerns, and the Jewish state’s survival is considered by many to be miraculous and its success inexplicable. In their book “Start-Up Nation,” authors Dan Senor and Saul Singer took an innovative approach to explaining Israeli hi-tech companies’ considerable success in the global marketplace. Senor and Singer pointed to Israel’s mandatory military service and Israeli culture in general as the key to Israel’s success. Military service shapes and forms the Israeli population, as soldiers learn teamwork, courage and, most importantly for the roles they’ll be playing in civilian life, how to innovate. Senor and Singer pointed to the fact that most armies have a strict hierarchy in which high-ranking officers give orders to lower-ranking officers with no room for the latter to express their opinions. The IDF is different. Lower-ranking officers are not only allowed to offer their opinions but are encouraged to do so. The lack of formality in the IDF can seem outrageous to experienced soldiers from other militaries. They sometimes say there’s only one word for it — chutzpah. The IDF’s indulgence of chutzpah encourages boldness of thought, creativity and self-confidence. On the battlefield, these traits can make the difference during harrowing operations like the 1976 Entebbe rescue. In the high-tech world, chutzpah fosters a culture of innovation and creativity. Israeli chutzpah spreads to realms outside the battlefield and the marketplace. Most non-Israelis who have watched a Knesset debate are shocked by the raucous lack of decorum. Knesset members yell at each other, interrupt speakers mid-sentence and even openly mock each other. If chutzpah at its best creates apps that change the world, chutzpah at its worst manifests in a Knesset that resembles an out-of-control kindergarten more than a world-class parliament. The lack of decorum in the Knesset isn’t only attributable to chutzpah, but also to a general lack of formality and sensitivity in Israeli society. Israeli nation / world US Ambassador to Israel Tom Nides Is Resigning Tom Nides, the U.S. ambassador to Israel, is resigning this summer at a time of unresolved tensions in the U.S.-Israel relationship he strove to uphold, JTA.org reported. An administration official said Tom Nides speaks at the Concordia Summit in New York City on Oct. 2, 2015. that Nides would be gone by this summer. The report first appeared in Axios on May 9. Axios quoted Secretary of State Antony Blinken as saying that Nides wanted to spend more time with his family. “Tom has worked with characteristic energy and skill to further strengthen the special bond between the United States and Israel, and to advance U.S. diplo- matic, economic and security interests,” Blinken told the online political news site. “We will all miss having him represent us in Israel, but I know he is looking forward to some well-deserved time with his family.” Nides, a former executive at Morgan Stanley who was a senior State Department official in the Obama administration and who had deep Democratic Party ties, brought an easygoing sensibility to the role, especially to ties between Israel and the U.S. Jewish community. Nides’ efforts to advance an impression of a conflict-free relationship were undercut by tensions stoked after the election last year of the most far-right government in Israel’s history, led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Birthright Sees 40% Decrease in Summer Trips Due to Rising Travel Costs Birthright Israel announced on May 8 that it will send 40% fewer young people to Israel in 2023 compared to last year, JNS.org reported. The program, which is nearly 30 years old, pointed to increased inflation and travel costs for the drop. This year, Birthright will bring 12,658 young Americans and Canadians on free, 10-day educational trips to Israel between mid-May and September. Last summer, that number was 18,358. “The inflation that has hit much of the global economy and the rising costs of travel post-COVID have driven up Birthright Israel’s expenses,” Birthright Israel CEO Gidi Mark said. “Without offsetting donations, thousands of applicants in the future will be denied the chance, as were thousands this summer, to experience a Birthright Israel trip. We feel terrible about that, but we had no choice.” Birthright has a waiting list of 20,000 young Jews, he added. Getty Images via JTA.org El Al Disciplines Pilot Who Criticized Judicial Reform in Flight El Al will discipline a pilot who spoke out against the Israeli government’s pro- posed judicial reforms during an April 18 flight to New York, Hebrew media reported on May 7, JNS.org said. The pilot, Doron Ginzburg, said over the flight intercom system on Holocaust Remembrance Day that “things like Holocausts are potentially to be occurring in dictatorships, and we are fighting in Israel to remain a democratic country.” Ginzburg’s punishment will include an official letter of reprimand from the company for expressing his opinion without authority. In addition, he will not be permitted to command a plane for a specified time, and thus won’t be able to make announcements during flights. Israel’s national carrier came out against the pilot’s actions at the time he made them, saying, “The company condemns political statements of any kind by any of its employees as part of their work, and certainly not on its planes, which cannot be a platform for this type of activity.” ■ — Compiled by Andy Gotlieb JEWISHEXPONENT.COM 17 GET NOTICED! Contact us TODAY to advertise in the 2023-2024 Guide to Jewish Life! • Religious Life • Seniors • Arts & Culture • Simcha • Camps / Schools & Education • Dining & Food • Financial & Legal • Health & Fitness • Retail & Fashion • Community Organizations • And More... Philadelphia Jewish GET A 12-MONTH INVESTMENT FOR ONE LOW PRICE! $3.5 0 Exponent JEWISH LIFE Guide to 2022-2023 Guide to Jewish Life RESERVE YOUR AD TODAY! 2022-2023 jewishexponent.com jewishexponent.com Call today! 215-832-0700 ext. 2 advertising@jewishexponent.com 18 MAY 18, 2023 | JEWISH EXPONENT bonus digital content nation / world Israel to Invest $40 Million in North American Jewish Day Schools Jackie Hajdenberg and Philissa Cramer | JTA C iting “a major crisis in Jewish education,” Israel’s Diaspora ministry plans to pour about $40 million into training educators at Jewish schools in the United States and Canada. Amichai Chikli, Israel’s minister of Diaspora affairs, announced the initiative, called “Aleph Bet” after the first two letters of the Hebrew alphabet, on May 15. He hopes enrollment will increase at Jewish day schools, fearing that “we are losing large parts of the Jewish people,” and said the initiative would “focus on training teachers for Jewish education and Israel studies as well as principals for Jewish day schools,” according to The Jerusalem Post. Chikli did not elaborate on how his ministry would spend the allocation of NIS 150 million, nor did he detail when funds could start making their way into North American Jewish schools. His office did not respond to a request for comment. Israel’s governing coalition plans to approve a state budget next week, ahead of a May 29 deadline.  North American Jewish schools have received varying levels of Israeli government support for years, according to Paul Bernstein, CEO of Prizmah, a nonprofit supporting Jewish day schools. He said staff members of day schools were optimistic about the additional funding despite lacking details about where it would go.  “There’s quite a lot of chatter. People are excited by the fact that the state of Israel really sees the importance of Diaspora education, and is recogniz- ing that the strength of the Diaspora is integral to [a] strong Israel and strong relationships,” Bernstein said. “Irrespective of all that’s going on in the world, that is a very positive and important long-term development.” The announcement comes at a time of tension between Israel’s right-wing governing coalition and North American Jewish communities. A chorus of U.S. Jewish leaders has criticized the government’s proposed overhaul of Israel’s judiciary, and last month, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu canceled a speech at a signature conference of North American Jews in Tel Aviv in the face of anti-government protests. Chikli, who assumed his role in January, has defended the judicial overhaul while acting as an ambassador of sorts to an often skeptical audience of Diaspora Jews.   Chikli, whose father is a Jewish educator in Mexico, had previously indicated that he sees Jewish day schools abroad as an important destination for Israeli aid. He has said repeatedly —  including on Monday — that children who do not attend Jewish day schools are at risk of being lost to the Jewish people.  “We are in the midst of a crisis where it is possible to lose an entire generation of Jews,” he said during the funding announcement. Early in his tenure, Chikli floated the idea of working with philanthropists to subsidize day school tuition in the Diaspora. More recently, he has signaled that covering tuition —  which can range from several thousand dollars at haredi Orthodox yeshivas to more than $40,000 a year — is less of a priority. “Jewish education in private schools is very expen- sive, and at times out of range for the average family,” he told Hamodia, a haredi publication, in April. “This is where we step up to the plate. This isn’t to say we’re giving out free scholarships … but we invest, as noted earlier, in the teachers, in the school systems, to ensure Jewish education, and continuity of Jewish generations. We want to raise the pride of Jewish studies teachers.” Attending a Jewish school is widely considered a strong predictor of lasting Jewish identity, although that may be because parents who prioritize Jewish identity are more likely to send their children to Jewish day school. Enrollment in Jewish schools in North American Jewish schools is growing, largely because of the growth of Orthodox communities, where the vast majority of children attend private Jewish schools.  Outside of those communities, most North American Jewish children do not attend Jewish day schools. But the pandemic saw Conservative, Reform and nondenominational day schools grow as well, according to a survey by Prizmah, following more than a decade of decline. The survey found that schools have maintained those enrollment gains even as the pandemic has ended.  Meanwhile, Hebrew schools and other supplemen- tal Jewish schools have shrunk by nearly half since 2006, according to a recent report by the Jewish Education Project. Chikli did not specify whether any of the new funding could go to such schools.  Chikli’s father, Eitan Chikli, is the rector of the Hebraic University in Mexico City, which receives some funding from his son’s ministry. Previously, he was the longtime director general of Israel’s TALI Education Fund, which promotes pluralistic Jewish education in Israeli schools and also produces materi- als for use in Jewish schools abroad.  The elder Chikli told The Jerusalem Post in January that he would not discuss the funding his university receives with his son, who he said is fastidious about avoiding conflicts of interest. But he said that teacher training was an urgent problem for Jewish schools. “The biggest problem Jewish people in the Diaspora face today is Jewish education and lack of a high level of teachers for Judaic studies,” Eitan Chikli said in January. “The most difficult problem is that there is no new generation of proper teachers for Hebrew and Judaism.” ■ JEWISHEXPONENT.COM 19 feature Interior of La Ghriba Synagogue, Djerba, Tunisia ‘JEWISH LIFE GOES ON’: Ron Kampeas | JTA.org T he day after a gunman killed four people outside an ancient place of Jewish worship on the Tunisian island of Djerba, men gathered in the same synagogue not to mourn, but to celebrate. They were there to witness the blessing of a new life: a brit milah, or ritual circumcision. Not long after, a recording of the ceremony, complete with the men chanting in Hebrew as they surrounded the eight- day-old baby, made its way to the phone of Isaac Choua, a Sephardic rabbi living in New York. For Choua, watching the ceremony was a relief from the horrors that had emerged the day before, when a rogue security official at the Tunisian synagogue killed two Jewish cousins, Aviel Haddad, 30, and Benjamin Haddad, 43, as well as two security guards before being gunned down. 20 MAY 18, 2023 | JEWISH EXPONENT “Something beautiful happened,” said Choua, the Middle East and North Africa communities liaison for the World Jewish Congress, in an interview. “They had a brit milah in Djerba, even with all the chaos. Jewish life goes on.” The May 9 deadly shooting came during the Hiloula, an annual pilgrimage and celebration of Jewish sages held on or around Lag b’Omer, which takes place a little more than a month after the beginning of Passover. The annual festivity attracts thousands of Jews from around the world, many of Tunisian descent. It is held at the El Ghriba synagogue — a 19th-century building constructed on a site believed to have been a Jewish house of worship for as long as 2,500 years. The pilgrimage has grown substantially in recent years, after trepidation following an attack on the synagogue by Al-Qaeda in 2002 that killed 20 people, and a suspension of the pilgrimage in 2011 amid security concerns in the wake of the Arab Spring, which began in Tunisia. The Tunisian government has invested in the pilgrimage, billing it as a symbol of the country’s tolerance, and has provided intense security. Last year, Tunisia was one of six African countries that signed the “Call of Rabat,” an initiative of the American Sephardi Federation that sought a commitment to preserving Jewish heritage on the continent. Jason Guberman, the executive director of the American Sephardi Federation, said the numbers that the Hiloula attracts today have not yet reached the 10,000 or so who attended before the 2002 attack. The Arab Spring and COVID-19 pandemic, he said, “have also deterred pilgrims in the past decade.” He estimated that fewer than 5,000 people attend annually now. Additionally, Tunisia’s authoritarian president Kais Saied remains unfriendly to Israel and has rebuffed Hasan Mrad/DeFodi Images via Getty Images via JTA.org Djerba Jews and Their Supporters Show Resilience After Deadly Attack feature Courtesy of Chrystie Sherman/Diarna Geo-Museum of North African & Middle Eastern Jewish Life via JTA.org Jewish pilgrims at the Ghriba synagogue in Tunisia’s southern resort island of Djerba on May 8 efforts by successive American administrations to join the Abraham Accords, the normalization agreements between Israel and several Arab countries. Djerba, nonetheless, remains an oasis of coexistence, said Yaniv Salama, the CEO of the Salamanca Foundation, which seeks to reinvigorate Jewish communities in Muslim lands. “You have to understand something about Djerba,” Salama said. “The community there has very, very deep ties with the local municipalities. Everything is done in conjunction — there are joint [security] watches” between the Jewish and larger communities, “and joint communication between the Jewish community leaders and the local police.” Jason Isaacson, the American Jewish Committee’s chief policy and political affairs officer, who has frequently visited Djerba, said it was significant that two Tunisian security officials died protecting the Jewish community. “It’s obviously now going to be a source of shame for the country that this happened, within its own military forces, but this happens within military forces” everywhere, he said. “The fact that the country deploys a huge protective cordon around the synagogue and around the festivities and around the worshipers who come, to assure that it all goes off smoothly and proper in a celebratory spirit, is significant.” Aaron Zelin, a senior fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy think tank whose expertise is Islamist extremism in Tunisia, said the attack appeared to be an outlier, unlike the carefully planned 2002 attack. “It wasn’t really a sophisticated attack,” Zelin said. “So it’s plausible it could have just been one person that just decided to do something on their own accord, and there wasn’t some broader plot or planning in the same way.” Choua said the Tunisian Jewish Diaspora would not be deterred. “Jewish Tunisians are still going to either visit family [or] visit this pilgrimage site,” he said. “Jews are resilient.” Djerba has the attention of the world, at least for the moment. The day before the attack, Deborah Lipstadt, the U.S. envoy monitoring antisemitism, alongside U.S. Ambassador to Tunisia Joey Hood, joined Tunisian officials in a ceremony launching the Hiloula. “I am sickened and heartbroken by the lethal, antisemitic attack targeting the Ghriba synagogue in Djerba during the Lag B’Omer celebrations, with thousands of Jewish pilgrims in attendance,” Lipstadt said on Twitter. That may be the silver lining, the World Jewish Congress’s Choua said: The predominantly Ashkenazi Jewish Diaspora tends to forget the communities that persist outside the Western world. “The Jewish world is noticing that there’s still Jews in the Middle East and North Africa,” he said. “This might even spark more tourism in the country itself.” Salama said he did not expect the community of about 1,400 people, which includes several institutes of religious learning, to be broken following the attack. “They’ll do their grieving and they’ll continue, they’ll push forward,” he said. “They really have got a stiff upper lip.” Robert Ejnes, the executive director of CRIF, the umbrella body for French Jewry, said the French Jewish community is close to the Tunisian Jewish community because France colonized the country beginning in the 1800s, and because the community speaks French. He said that the Hiloula attracts French Jews of all ethnic origins. “It’s really affecting the whole of the community of France because on the Hiloula, there are a lot of people going [from] the French Jewish community of all origins,” he said. Ejnes found it notable that even after the attack, French Jews who attended the Hiloula posted photos of the festivities on social media. He said he expected the same number of people to attend next year’s Hiloula. “People will be resilient,” he said. “They posted pictures of them[selves] at the Ghriba, saying, ‘We’ll be back.’” ■ JEWISHEXPONENT.COM 21 food & dining It’s a Piece of Cake! 1½ cups flour hese two recipes are very differ- ent but equally delicious. The first, a vanilla riff on a classic Italian lemon ricotta cake, leans heavily into dairy and requires a bit of effort but is truly delicious. The second, a pareve/vegan choco- late cake designed to feed one or two, is a classic pantry recipe that is surpris- ingly tasty. Most reasonably stocked kitchens will be equipped with the ingredients needed for the chocolate cake, and it is simple to make. For the glaze: 1 cup powdered sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 teaspoon vanilla paste 2-3 tablespoons milk (adjust for proper consistency) T Vanilla Ricotta Cake | Dairy Makes 1 9-inch cake I had a surplus of ricotta cheese in my fridge recently; I’m a sucker for “buy 2, get one free” promotions. I used two containers for lasagna and mulled the third. One rainy Saturday, I had the urge to bake, and this cake suggested itself. The original recipe calls for lemon instead of vanilla, and I had no lemons but, given the weather, I was loathe to venture out. I had plenty of vanilla, both extract and paste, so I went with that. If you don’t have vanilla paste, just use an extra teaspoon of extract. The results were great; over the next several days, two guests who claim to “not like cake” came back for seconds. If you prefer the lemon version, simply omit the vanilla from both the batter and the glaze. For the cake, use the zest and juice of 1 whole lemon or 1 tablespoon of lemon extract. For the glaze, use the juice and zest of ½ lemon or 1 teaspoon of lemon extract. Butter and powdered sugar for the pan 1½ sticks butter, softened 1½ cups sugar 1 15-ounce container ricotta cheese 3 eggs 2 teaspoons vanilla 1 teaspoon vanilla paste ½ teaspoon baking soda ½ teaspoon salt 22 MAY 18, 2023 | JEWISH EXPONENT Heat your oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9-inch springform pan with butter, then dust it with about ¼ cup of powdered sugar. Set it aside. Cream the butter and sugar in a mixer, then add the ricotta and beat until fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, and blend, then add the vanilla extract and paste, if using. Add the baking soda and salt, then add the flour and mix briefly until just combined (do not overmix or the cake will be heavy). Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake it for 45 minutes until the center springs back and the cake is a light golden brown. Cool the cake for 10 minutes in the pan, then remove the rim. While the cake is cooling, make the glaze: Mix all the ingredients with a fork or whisk it until smooth. When the cake is completely cool, drizzle the glaze over the top. Wacky Cake | Pareve This cake lived up to its name. I teach a monthly cooking class at JCHAI, an organization that supports individuals with disabilities to live independently. We have a great time, and the students leave with the fruits of their labor to enjoy in their apartments. Recently, one of the students requested a chocolate cake for the next lesson. Because of the logistics, we always create individual portions for the participants to take home, so I sought a single-serving recipe. I found this “wacky cake,” a rich chocolate cake that is reputed to date to the World War II era when cooks had to work around rationing. I scaled it to a small quantity, and it was shock- ingly delicious. When I introduced the recipe, I explained the cake’s history and the need for cooks at the time to be creative due to shortages of staple ingredients such as butter and eggs. We made the cakes, put them in the oven, and one of the participants remarked about the sugarless cake and asked about other cakes that had similar substitutions. I was like, “What do you mean ‘sugarless’?” and then I checked the recipe … somehow I had omitted the sugar from the written recipe. Even though I had brought a bag of sugar to the demo kitchen, it never made it into the batter. Rut-roh. I semi-panicked; there wasn’t much to do now that the cakes were baking. But cooking requires the ability to pivot, and that’s what we did. I ransacked the demo kitchen for remedies, and we found Nutella, chocolate syrup, milk, Marshmallow Fluff, a can of frosting and sprinkles. We mixed the chocolate syrup with the milk and, when the cakes came out, soaked the cake with it, tres leches style. Then we offered the students the other ingredients to top and decorate the cakes. It wasn’t the goal, but it worked out pretty well. And now I have a plan for next month’s class: chocolate cake with sugar. Mini Chocolate Cake Serves 1 or 2 One beautiful thing about this cake is the lack of mess — you mix the batter right in the pan! ½ cup flour ¼ cup sugar 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder Pinch salt ½ teaspoon baking powder ½ teaspoon vanilla 2 tablespoons oil ¾ teaspoon white vinegar ⅓ cup hot water Grease a mini loaf pan. Heat your oven to 350 degrees F. In the pan, mix the dry ingredients with a fork or a small whisk. Make 3 little wells in the mixture. In one well, place the vanilla, another the oil and the last the vinegar. Pour the hot water over the whole mixture. Whisk until blended. Bake it for about 18 minutes until the middle of the cake is done and no longer wet. Let the cake cool slightly, and top as desired with frosting, chocolate syrup, caramel, butterscotch, jam, whipped cream, ice cream, etc. ■ Keri White is a Philadelphia-based freelance food writer. Photo by Keri White Keri White bonus digital content food & dining Nana’s Cheesecake for Shavuot Jessica Grann I ’m going back to basics this Shavuot with my mother’s classic cheesecake recipe. It’s hard to find someone who doesn’t love a good, old-fashioned cheesecake. There are a lot of different recipes floating around in my family, but this is the one that was made for special occasions. There is never a bad time of year to eat cheesecake, but it’s an expectation for Shavuot. This has a beautifully dense yet creamy consistency that’s scented with lemon, and I can’t get enough of the graham cracker crust. It also has a sour cream layer on top which makes it look and taste divine. You don’t need to be a talented baker to get a great result from this recipe — it’s easy to follow and has easy-to-find ingredients. I can’t bake this too often because we can’t stop eating it. There are three distinct steps in this recipe, which are outlined below. Nana’s Cheesecake Serves 10-12 Ingredients Graham cracker crust: 1 cup finely crushed graham crackers (1 sleeve of crackers makes 1 cup) ¼ cup melted butter. You can use salted butter. (If you have unsalted butter, add a small pinch of sea salt to the mixture.) 3 tablespoons sugar ⅛ teaspoon cinnamon Photos by Jessica Grann Cheesecake filling: 3 8-ounce bricks of full-fat cream cheese ¾ cup sugar 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice 1 teaspoon lemon zest 3 eggs Sour cream top layer: 1 cup (8 ounces) full-fat sour cream 2 tablespoons sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla This recipe requires a 9-inch springform pan. It’s also imperative that all of the dairy is at room temperature. Room temperature doesn’t mean warm, but if the cream cheese is too cool to the touch it won’t mix correctly. I usually put all of the dairy products and the eggs on the counter 2 hours before I bake. Prepare the crust first. You can hand crush the graham crackers by placing them in a large plastic food storage bag and going over them with a rolling pin. I throw them in the food processor. If there are any larger pieces left intact, crumble them with your fingers. Place the crushed graham crackers in a small bowl, and mix in the melted butter, sugar and cinnamon. The cinnamon does something special for this cheesecake. It’s so light that you don’t really taste it, but the crust doesn’t taste as good if you omit it. I think that the cinnamon plays well with the lemon. Mix the ingredients — the consistency will be very light and almost sandy. You can make this ahead of time and leave it on the counter until you’re ready to bake. Preheat your oven to 325 F and place the rack in the center of the oven. Pour the graham cracker crumbs into the springform pan. Gently press the crumbs down with your hands, spreading them evenly across the bottom of the pan to create a crust. Bake for 8-10 minutes and remove from the oven. While the crust is baking you can mix the cheesecake batter. Using either a whisk or a paddle attachment, add the cream cheese to the bowl and mix it on medium- low for 2 minutes, until smooth. Add the sugar, lemon juice and lemon zest, and mix for another minute before adding the eggs, one at a time. As soon as the yellow of the egg yolk looks mixed into the batter, it’s time to add the next egg. Once blended, turn the speed up to medium and mix it for another minute. Stop the mixer, scrape the bowl and mix it again on low speed for one more minute. You may see some small lumps even if it’s well mixed; they will bake into the cheesecake, so don’t worry about them. Gently pour the batter over the graham cracker crust. Reduce the heat of the oven to 300 F. and bake for 55 minutes. Don’t open the oven door during this time. I don’t use a water bath, or bain-marie, with springform pans; I don’t want to add the extra layers of tinfoil or plastic bags that are needed to prevent water from seeping into the cake pan. As an added precaution against cracking, you can place a large baking pan or wide pot with hot water onto the lower shelf of the oven. I often choose a pan that is larger than the springform pan in case there are unexpected leaks; that way, any mess falls into the water instead of all over my oven. I’ve been giving myself some grace when cheesecakes crack. I make the same recipe consistently and have been doing so for decades. I think that weather has a lot to do with the outcome. Sometimes they crack and sometimes they don’t. If it cracks, let it go. Embrace the crack and fill it with a special sauce like a berry coulis or fresh berries, chocolate sauce, etc. The last step is to mix the sour cream, vanilla and sugar in a small bowl by hand. The top of the cheesecake has this beautiful, creamy layer, and it won’t sweat like some cheesecakes can. Remove the cheesecake from the oven immediately when the timer goes off. Using a rubber spatula, pour the sour cream mixture over the cheesecake and gently spread it across the top. Return the cheesecake to the oven and bake for an additional 10 minutes. I have had good results taking this cheesecake immediately out of the oven to cool on my stovetop, but out of precaution I usually let cheesecakes cool in the oven for at least half an hour. If you do this, turn the oven off, open the oven door and leave it in a cracked position. You can let the cheesecake cool completely in the oven, or you can take it out after half an hour and let it rest on your counter. Once it’s cool, run a sharp knife around the edges and release the spring on the pan. I prefer to leave the springform sides around the cake while refrigerating to support it and protect it from anything that may fall onto it. I place a dinner plate over the pan and refrigerate overnight. Avoid plastic wrap at this point; it will ruin the finish. It is essential to let the cake rest overnight. You put in effort and you want to have the best result. Wishing you an inspiring holiday of Shavuot. ■ Jessica Grann is a home chef living in Pittsburgh. JEWISHEXPONENT.COM 23 arts & culture bonus digital content Proximity to Humans Could Lead to Jackal Domestication Golden jackals, an overabundant species in urban habitats, have long thrived near people. Pesach Benson / JNS.org I 24 MAY 18, 2023 | JEWISH EXPONENT A long-furred jackal on the Golan Heights The observation of Jackie’s domestication-like traits off ers researchers a unique opportunity to explore this ongoing evolutionary process. Dekel described the fi ndings as a scientifi c breakthrough, emphasizing the importance of ongoing research in genetics, evolution and ecology to gain a deeper understanding of this remarkable phenomenon. Dayan said the study highlighted signifi cant insights into the evolution of human-animal inter- actions and the processes behind animal domes- tication. The study’s comparative research, using collections from the Steinhardt Museum of Natural History in Tel Aviv, helped to confi rm the identity of Jackie as a wild jackal. According to the researchers, the population of jackals on the Golan Heights continues to increase each year, mirroring the conditions during the early stages of dog domestication more than 15,000 years ago. Similar to the past, the availability of food waste around human environments attracts jackals that gradually become less fearful of humans. Over time, these individuals may undergo physi- cal and behavioral changes, ultimately leading to self-domestication. As researchers embark on this fascinating journey, further investigations will shed light on the evolu- tionary implications of jackal domestication and the potential for the emergence of a new domesticated species. The study not only enhances scientifi c knowledge but also emphasizes the importance of preserving natural history collections for future research. With jackals becoming a regular sight in urban areas, it remains crucial for wildlife and municipal authorities to educate the public about the risks of approaching or feeding these animals. ■ Photo by Shlomo Preiss-Bloom/Scientifi c Reports via TPS sraeli researchers have found evidence that living in close proximity to humans may lead to the domestication of jackals. Golden jackals, an overabundant species in urban habitats, have long been observed thriving near human populations. However, a Tel Aviv University study conducted on the Golan Heights suggests that the existing closeness between humans and jackals might be initiating the fi rst stages of domestication, akin to the domestication of dogs from wolves. The study conducted by Ayelet Barash, a doctoral student from Tel Aviv University’s School of Zoology, was published in the peer-reviewed "Scientifi c Reports" this month, presenting fi ndings that challenge the current understanding of jackal behavior. Working in collaboration with Yaron Dekel from the Shamir Institute for Research and the University of Haifa, and Professor Tamar Dayan from the Steinhardt Museum of Natural History and Tel Aviv University, the researchers initially suspected that a jackal exhibiting traits of a domesticated animal was a hybrid of a jackal and a dog. However, through comprehensive genetic and morphological analyses, Barash’s team confi rmed that the animal was a wild jackal and not a hybrid. This was the fi rst documented case of an animal possessing characteristics resembling domestica- tion without recent hybridization. One indicator of domestication is a change in fur color, Barash explained. During a camera survey on the Golan Heights, the researchers discovered fi ve unusual jackals with long fur, white patches and upright tails. One of these jackals, nicknamed “Jackie,” became the focal point of the study. Genetic and skull examinations confi rmed that Jackie was 100% jackal, ruling out any dog hybridiza- tion or known coat color mutations. The discovery of Jackie raises the possibility that this might be an incipient stage of self-domestica- tion, a phenomenon not witnessed in the thousands of years since the domestication of the last wild mammal. Israel, particularly the Golan region, holds historical signifi cance as the birthplace of plant and mammal domestication. arts & culture Nancy Spielberg: ‘We Have to Get People Back into the Theater’ W Featureflash Photo Agency/Shutterstock via JNS.org Bradley Martin | JNS.org hen Israeli filmmaker Tal Inbar approached Nancy Spielberg with her documentary “Closed Circuit” about a deadly terrorist shooting at a Tel Aviv cafe in June 2016, Spielberg knew that she had to produce it. “I just came away thinking, what if that happened to me?” she said. Spielberg, 66, one of Steven Spielberg’s younger sisters (he has three) and a distinguished filmmaker in her own right, was living in Tel Aviv at the time of the attack. She presented the documentary to an audience of about 100 at Landmark Theatres in Glenview, Illinois, on May 4. The day beforehand, she spoke at a screen- ing of the documentary at a conference of the Melton School of Adult Jewish Learning. See Spielberg, page 31 From left: siblings Anne, Sue, Nancy and Steven Spielberg, and lead actors Michelle Williams and Paul Dano at the premiere for “The Fabelmans” on Nov. 6, 2022 PLAN AHEAD FOR peace of mind. WHEN YO U MAKE YO UR F INAL AR R AN GEM ENTS I N ADVAN C E, you can plan a memorial that truly reflects your faith and passions. Whether planning for yourself or a loved one, rely on your Dignity Memorial ® professionals to help you design a memorial that honors the customs and rituals you cherish. When you’re ready to get started, we’re here to help. FOREST HILLS/SHALOM ROOSEVELT HUN TINGDON VALLEY TREVOSE 215-673-5800 215-673-7500 Memorial Park Memorial Park > DignityPennsylvania.com < JEWISHEXPONENT.COM 25 obituaries BENDER ANDREA K., on May 5, 2023. Loving wife of the late Joel Bender. Adoring mother of Noah (Anita), Ellyn (Russell) and Benjamin (Judy); grandmother of Ethan, Deborah, Sammy, Aaron, Leah, Joel and Jordyn. Contributions in her memory may be made to Abramson Cancer Center, https://giving.apps. upenn.edu/fund?program=MC&- fund=600499 GOLDSTEINS’ ROSENBERG’S RAPHAEL-SACKS www.goldsteinsfuneral.com BRAHIN JUDITH (nee Freeman)-Passed away on May 11, 2023. Mother of Jeffrey (Carol) Brahin and Lee (Silver) Brahin. Grandmother of Roman and Jordan. Contributions in her memory may be made to The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, https://en.huji.ac.il. GOLDSTEINS’ ROSENBERG’S RAPHAEL-SACKS www.goldsteinsfuneral.com Community Greater Phila. – Adriana Halper Fund, cancersupportphiladel- phia.org/Adriana-Halper-Fund/ GOLDSTEINS’ ROSENBERG’S RAPHAEL-SACKS www.goldsteinsfuneral.com GOLD SANDRA (nee Lepow)-May 3, 2023, of Wyncote, PA; beloved wife of Burton; loving mother of Irisa Gold (Stephen Tow), Larry Gold (Stefanie) and Ken Gold (Kerri); devoted sister of Libbi J. Lepow (David Dunning); cherished grandmother of Halle, Ethan, Samantha, Ari, Justin, Josh and Allie; adored Mom-Mom of Pax. In lieu of flowers, contributions in Sandra’s memory may be made to the Alzheimer’s Disease Assoc. (alz. org), the Montgomery County S.P.C.A. (montgomerycountyspca.org), or the Anti-Defamation League (adl.org). JOSEPH LEVINE & SONS www.levinefuneral.com HOROWITZ RABBI HERMAN (CHAIM) -Passed away on May 9, 2023. Husband of the late Simone Horowitz. Father of Sara (Michoel) Shepard, Mimi Horowitz (Marc Gaines) and Adeena Horowitz (Aaron Newman). Grandfather of 10 and Great Grandfather of 29. Contributions in his memory may be made to Cong. B’nai Israel-Ohev Zedek, 8201 Castor Ave., Phila., PA 19152, www.biozshul.org. GOLDSTEINS’ ROSENBERG’S RAPHAEL-SACKS www.goldsteinsfuneral.com DRESNIN, DDS DR. STANFORD on May 5, 2023. Beloved Fiancé of Ellen Pesin; Loving father of Nicole Dresnin Schaeffer (James) and Michael Dresnin (Sherrill); Dear brother of Caryn Weiss (Edward) and Mark Dresnin; Loving stepfather of Staci Harpell (Jared) and Ashley Pesin (Marc Peyton); Adoring grandfather of Julia, Stephen, Lily, Nathan, Eli, Chase, and Ella; Devoted uncle of Jason Weiss and Jonathan Weiss. Also survived by lifelong “Brothers”. In lieu of flowers, contributions in his memory may be made to Penn Medicine Development, ATT: Penn Memory Ctr., giving.aws. cloud.upenn.edu Search for Penn Memory Ctr Caring Difference Fund, or ALS Assoc. Greater Phila. Chpt., alsphiladelphia.org or Cancer Support KAUFMAN BARRY I., 83, passed away on May 8th, 2023. Beloved husband of Sylvia (nee Rose). Loving father of Michael and his wife Stephanie, and Steven and the late Kymme. Adoring grand- father of David (Shoshana), Rachel (Dovidchai), Ilana, Naomi, Eli and Ari; great-grandfather of Yonatan. Brother of Audrey Norris. Contributions in his memory may be made to the to American Friends Of Magen David Adom (AFMDA) or a charity of the do- nor’s choice. GOLDSTEINS’ ROSENBERG’S RAPHAEL-SACKS www.goldsteinsfuneral.com KITAIN SANDRA FERN passed away peace- fully at her home in Washington Crossing on Sunday, May 7, 2023, with Howard, her husband of 46 years, at her side. A mother and grand- mother, educator, and published au- thor, Sandy left us far too soon, at only 70 years old, after fighting chronic kidney disease for many years. Sandy was born in Queens, New York on April 8, 1953. After attending public schools in Queens, Sandy was the first in her family to go to college, graduat- ing with Bachelor’s and master’s de- grees in early education from Queens College of the City University of New York, before returning to school years later to earn a Master’s in Library Science from Clarion University of Pennsylvania. Sandy taught elementa- ry school in New York and Connecticut before leaving the workforce for a time to apply her professional focus in early childhood education to raising her children, Marshall and Lara, her pride and joy. Sandy later worked as a literacy/ESL coach at Walt Disney Elementary in Levittown, worked in the Bucks County Free Library System, wrote reviews of new children’s books for School Library Journal, and served as a peer reviewer for the U.S. Department of Education. A longtime resident of the Yardley Hunt neighbor- hood in Lower Makefield Township, Sandy was known by her family and friends as a force of nature. She was an avid reader, always having her nose in a book and reading multiple news- papers a day (as proven by the many articles she cut out and saved for fam- ily members and friends). She enjoyed her frequent visits to New York to see Broadway shows and many trips with her husband to Long Beach Island, Maui other locations around the coun- try and world. One of Sandy’s greatest accomplishments is her book “Shelf- Esteem,” published by Neal-Schuman Publishers in 2008. Sandy wrote Shelf Esteem as a resource to teachers, li- brarians, parents, and caregivers to help children deal with difficult topics such as moving, bullies, and divorce by featuring children’s books on these topics. When Sandy passed, her daughter Lara was grateful to be able to pick up her copy of Shelf-Esteem and turn to the chapter on illness and death, in order to purchase the books listed for her seven-year-old son to help him through this difficult process. Sandy continues to help, teach, and guide her family even after she has left us. An only child, Sandy was preceded in death by her father Sol Speckman and her mother, Selma Speckman, a force of nature in her own right. Sandy is survived by her husband Howard; her daughter Lara Flynn, son-in-law Brendan, and grandson Jackson of Lower Makefield Township; her son Marshall, daughter-in-law Lauren, and granddaughters Evelyn and Sydney of Scarsdale, New York. In lieu of flow- ers, the family asks that donations be made to Hadassah, a national organi- zation in which Sandy, her mother, and her daughter have all been life mem- bers. LEVIN ROBERT - May 6, 2023, of Henrico, VA; beloved husband of the late Sandra (nee Weiner); loving father of Alison Levin and J. Jared Levin (Stephanie); devoted brother of Arlene Raab. Graveside services were held on May 8, 2023, at Roosevelt Memorial Park, Trevose PA. In lieu of flowers, contributions in Robert’s memory may be made to the American Cancer Society (cancer.org). JOSEPH LEVINE & SONS www.levinefuneral.com MELLER ELAINE, of Voorhees, NJ (born in Yonkers, NY) died May 6, 2023. She was the adored wife of Stephen M. Meller for 53 years; loving mother of Eric Meller and Wendy (Samuel) Hutkin; sister of Susan Auerbach and Mom Mom of Jonah, Jacob, Albert and Sienna. Elaine had spent many years in Sales on Jewelers Row. She loved going to Elaine’s Beach in Atlantic City every summer and was an award winning gardener. Contributions in her memory can be made to the American Cancer Society, www.cancer.org. PLATT MEMORIAL CHAPELS www.plattmemorial.com Family owned and Operated since 1883 26 MAY 18, 2023 | JEWISH EXPONENT SHAPIRO YAIRA A., nee Ackerman, 86.-Beloved wife of the late Jack H. Loving mother of Elizabeth (Benjamin Kopin) Shapiro Kopin, Yossi (Sara Kahn) Shapiro and Jonathan (Carly Figliulo) Shapiro. Proud grandmother of Joshua (Emily Higgs) Kopin, Zachary (Kellie Lounds) Kopin, Shira Kahn Shapiro, Isaac Kahn Shapiro, Jacob (Erin Wallin) Shapiro, and Ma’or Shapiro. Cherished great grandmother of Ya’ara Kahn Shapiro. Dear sister of Dotty (Dr. Jerome) Starr. Will be missed by many nieces, neph- ews, cousins and friends. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in Yaira’s memory to The Cantor Irving Ackerman and Amalia Isaksohn Ackerman Cantorial Scholarship Fund at the Jewish Theological Seminary, 3080 Broadway, New York, NY 10027, donate at jtsa.edu, Jewish Woman’s Foundation of Metropolitan Chicago, jwfchicago.org, Meals on Wheels, cje.net, or The Masorti Foundation for Conservative Judaism in Israel, for Minian Shivioni Mazkeret Batya, masorti.org, Masorti Foundation, 3080 Broadway, New York, NY 10027. CHICAGO JEWISH FUNERALS chicagojewishfunerals.com May Their Memory Be For a Blessing The Philadelphia Jewish Exponent extends condolences to the families of those who have passed. To receive our weekly obituary eletter visit www.jewishexponent.com/enewsletter jewishexponent.com 215-832-0700 d’var torah Enter the Wilderness Rabbi Linda Holtzman B Parshat Bamidbar amidbar is a fascinating book. Starting with the word bamid- bar, in the wilderness, we learn just how wild the wilderness can be. The English name of the book, Numbers, describes the counting of the people that takes place as we enter the text, but that doesn’t do the book justice. Imagine a book that tells tales of rebellion and fiery Divine punishment, of leprosy and struggle, of spies and uncertainty, of battles and killing, of women’s rights and of women’s punish- ment by magical potion if they are accused of adultery, and, of course, a in the surprises that are in store for us. Going to the midbar means looking below the surface of our lives: our personal lives and the life of our community. Being in the midbar is being honest with ourselves; nothing is there to limit our vision. Is there something we have been wanting to do that we keep putting off because of worry or fear? Are we satis- fied with our work or our relationships, and are we afraid to face the possibil- ity that we are not getting all that we could out of either? If we let ourselves fully enter the midbar, there is nothing that stops us from seeing the truth, from acting with courage. This is true in our community as well. Can we see the ways that the Jewish community, either here or in Israel, is not living up to all that it could be? If been working and see who has a plan that has vision and creativity. If we are open to facing the truth about this city, our votes can change the future. And if we pay attention to what the hundreds of thousands of protesters in Israel are saying, we can stand with them to demand change. What does it take for us, the American Jewish community, to look at what is happening beneath the surface and to face it honestly? It’s time for us to take the risks to see the truth and to stand in solidarity with our Israeli siblings who are determined to live in a country they can be proud of. It does take counting and studying the numbers, both here and in Israel, knowing the hard facts and taking them in. And then, it takes our willing- ness to enter the wilderness that can open us to new possibilities and to new opportunities for growth, in our personal lives and in our communities. May we be deeply inspired as we dive into the wilderness of Bamidbar. ■ Rabbi Linda Holtzman is the director of student life at the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College and the rabbi of the Tikkun Olam Chavurah. The Board of Rabbis of Greater Philadelphia is proud to provide diverse perspectives on Torah commentary for the Jewish Exponent. The opinions expressed in this column are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect the view of the Board of Rabbis. Is there something we have been wanting to do that we keep putting off because of worry or fear? talking donkey who is willing to go out of his way to save a man’s life. Entering the wilderness opens the people to a wide array of magic and violence and terror; and there are always numbers, the counting of the people more than once. I have always loved Bamidbar for these startling and provocative tales and have loved how it takes me into a fantastical realm that fires my imagination. Yet Bamidbar is not just a grand fantasy. As we read this extraordinary book, we are inspired to allow ourselves to move into whatever wilderness we need to inhabit. Entering a wilderness means that we are willing to take a risk, to relinquish the safety of a clearly boundaried life. Entering a wilderness is opening ourselves to whatever may happen and finding ways to live fully we let ourselves see the truth, then it is our responsibility to act, to stand up and “speak truth to power,” letting our governments and our leadership hear what we are seeing. On May 16, there was an important election in Philadelphia. There were many candidates for mayor and for council representatives. Even though this was just a primary election, the results will matter. It is up to us to do what Bamidbar teaches us. Look beneath the surface. Don’t be swayed by the glitzy advertisements. Don’t let our hopelessness about this city and its high levels of violence and its challenging public school system stop us from believing that we can make a difference. Listen to all that the candidates were saying beneath the slogans. Focus on what has not JEWISHEXPONENT.COM 27 synagogue spotlight Jarrad Saff ren | Staff Writer C ongregation Kol Emet’s new outdoor contemplative space is not a big sanctuary with seating for hundreds. It’s a small patch of land with benches and enough seating for perhaps 100 people. But leaders at this Reconstructionist synagogue in Yardley want to use the space for the biggest events in Jewish life, from High Holiday services to bar and bat mitzvahs. They also want to use it for regular activities on the Jewish calendar, like Shabbat services. The outdoor sanctuary is the primary piece of a $750,000 capital campaign to upgrade the synagogue. Post-COVID, this congregation of about 180 households is leaning into the outdoors, to the smell of fresh air and to intimacy. The synagogue broke ground on its outdoor sanctuary on April 2. It is dedicating the space on June 4 with a ceremony, a barbecue and an ice cream truck. “I can’t wait until June 5 so we can use it,” said Sue Weiner, the religious school and camp director at Kol Emet. The congregation’s rabbi, Anna Boswell-Levy, is also counting down the days. “I really am excited to lead services in that space and see how it feels to be out there, be singing. Acoustically, it will be diff erent,” she said. “The fresh air on people’s skin. It’ll change the whole dynamic. Kids could run around and be loud kids.” Boswell-Levy explained that Kol Emet has always been a community open to experimentation. And during COVID, it had to experiment with outdoor services and activities. Two years ago, the congregation gathered for High Holiday services outdoors. On another occasion, members watched an Eagles game in the sukkah. As synagogue member Geoff Goll, whose engineering fi rm, Princeton 28 MAY 18, 2023 | JEWISH EXPONENT Kol Emet synagogue leaders (back row) Howard Greenberg and Ken Goldstein and (front row) Liz Ravitch, Alexis Miller and Sue Weiner in the shul’s new outdoor contemplative space Kol Emet’s new outdoor contemplative space Hydro, designed the space, explained last fall, congregants wanted to fi nd a way to use the property better. Kol Emet’s patio could only fi t about 30 people. So, Goll’s blueprint for the contemplative space allowed for more than twice that number. The outdoor sanctuary has enough seating, no walls and wheelchair accessibility. “There are benches. There’s light- ing. There’s electricity. There’s Wi-Fi,” the rabbi said. “We’ve made it easier to be outside. It allows us to be more unbounded.” “It says to our congregation that we are a community that is open,” added Howard Greenberg, the shul’s incom- ing president. “And we want people to have options. People could have a bar mitzvah out here. We could put a table on the side so, if it’s small enough, they could eat.” “I think it signifi es how healthy our congregation is,” said Alexis Miller, the synagogue’s executive director. Ken Goldstein, Kol Emet’s treasurer and a member since the ‘90s, said that an outdoor sanctuary has been an idea among the leadership for two decades. But a donation from the Schatz family, a longtime member household, made it fi nancially possible, and the pandemic created a desire among the congre- gants. As Goldstein explained, “People want to be outside.” “I don’t think we’ll have to twist anybody’s arm to have an event out here,” he added. “It’ll be the opposite. If there’s any way they can do it outdoors, they will do it outdoors.” According to Weiner, Kol Emet’s summer camp will use the space as its amphitheater and use it every morning and afternoon as its meeting place to begin and end the day. Liz Ravitch, the synagogue’s preschool direc- tor, said that the school has Shabbat every Friday, and once the space is dedicated, she wants to move Shabbat outside so students can experience nature. Boswell-Levy mentioned that families are already considering the outdoor sanctuary as an option for bar and bat mitzvahs. Greenberg hopes the space can attract the unaffi liated masses of Jews in the Yardley area. Boswell-Levy also thinks that it may help with expenses if it can be rented. But even if it doesn’t do either of those things, that’s OK. “The days of the big synagogues with thousands of members, it would be lovely fi nancially if that could happen, but I think those days are over,” Ravitch said. “And I think the more intimate kind of gatherings are what people are looking for. And you could still have 100 people out here. It’s not like it’s limited to 10 people. But I think those are the kinds of gatherings that people are looking for nowadays.” ■ jsaff ren@midatlanticmedia.com Photos by Jarrad Saff ren Congregation Kol Emet Introducing New Outdoor Contemplative Space bonus digital content calendar MAY 19–25 SATUR DAY, MAY 2 0 FRIDAY, M AY 1 9 DAVID AND ME David Harris and Alvin Gilens met in Israel in 1965 and bonded instantly over their mutual love for Israel and for photography. The photographs displayed in this Temple Judea Museum exhibition through June 30 attest to their friendship and their talent for capturing the land and its people. For more information, contact tjmuseum@ kenesethisrael.org or 215-887-8700. 8339 Old York Road, Elkins Park. PARSHA FOR LIFE Join Rabbi Alexander Coleman, a Jewish educator and psychotherapist at the Institute for Jewish Ethics, at 9 a.m. for a journey through the Torah portion of the week with eternal lessons on personal growth and spirituality. Go to ijethics.org/weekly-torah-portion. html to receive the Zoom link and password. JRA FOOD PACKING Volunteers will assist with Jewish Relief Agency’s pre-distribution preparation from 10 a.m.-noon. Volunteers will tape boxes, pack toiletries and assemble family-friendly food bags. For more information about JRA’s volunteer schedule, visit jewishrelief. org/calendar. 10980 Dutton Road, Philadelphia. FAMILY SHABBAT Join Congregation Kol Ami to say todah rabah and l’hitraot to Cantor Harrison for her contributions to our legacy and unified congregations, starting with JEWISH NEW MEDIA FESTIVAL After four years, Philadelphia Jewish Film and Media’s Jewish New Media Festival is back and bigger than ever. Join PJFM for a weekend celebrating prolific up-and-coming Jewish content creators at the Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History. The weekend will feature Israeli-American rapper Kosha Dillz and a live, in-person recording of the “Unorthodox” podcast. Tickets are available at phillyjfm.org and through the digital app. 101 S. Independence Mall East, Philadelphia. latkes at 5:45 p.m. and with Shabbat evening services following at 7 p.m. For more information, contact info@kolaminj.org or 856-489-0029. 1101 Springdale Road, Cherry Hill, New Jersey. Agar and the band at 6 p.m. for a musical Kabbalat Shabbat. The community is welcome to attend. Call 215-887-1342 for information. 8231 Old York Road, Elkins Park. MUSICAL KABBALAT SHABBAT JRA FOOD DISTRIBUTION Join Beth Sholom Congregation’s Rabbi David Glanzberg-Krainin, Cantor Jacob THROUGHOUT THE WEEK, THROUGHOUT THE WORLD NOW on your favorite podcast platforms. SPOTIFY, GOOGLE, AMAZON, APPLE AND MORE! Jewish Community Radio with Estelle Deutsch Abraham MUSIC | FEATURES | INTERVIEWS FOR INFORMATION CALL 301-530-6530 S U N DAY, MAY 2 1 Join Jewish Relief Agency from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. for junior and all ages food packing, as well as food delivery to allow recipients to receive assistance directly to their door, alleviating some of the challenges they may face, such as transportation, language barriers or access. Additional delivery opportunities are available Monday through Wednesday. For more in- formation about JRA’s volunteer schedule, visit jewishrelief.org/ calendar. 10980 Dutton Road, Philadelphia. MON DAY, MAY 22 MAHJONG GAME Melrose B’nai Israel Emanu-El Sisterhood invites the community to join our weekly mahjong game at 7 p.m. Cost is $36 per year or free with MBIEE Sisterhood membership. For more information, call 215-635-1505 or email office@mbiee.org. 8339 Old York Road, Elkins Park. SCIENCE AND POWER OF SPIRITUALITY Join Moving Traditions’ Rabbi Daniel Brenner in conversation with Lisa Miller, author of “The Awakened Brain” and “The Spiritual Child,” at 8 p.m. on Zoom, as we observe Mental Health Awareness Month. For more information, contact cohenrosie@ movingtraditions.org or 215-887-4511. TH U RSDAY, M AY 25 CANASTA GAME Ohev Shalom of Bucks County Sisterhood invites the community to a weekly canasta game from 1-3 p.m. Open play is $4. Call 215-968-6755 for more information. 944 Second Street Pike, Richboro. ■ JEWISHEXPONENT.COM 29 CALL TODAY FOR A FREE QUOTE (267) 202-4600 AMAYZING sale WINDOW BUY ONE GET ONE WINDOW 40 % OFF INCLUDING INSTALLATION Plus no interest until December 2024 WE DESIGN, BUILD AND INSTALL YOUR WINDOWS WITHOUT THE MIDDLEMAN MARKUP All Doors All Clog-free Gutter Systems All Siding All Roofing 20 % 20 % 20 % 20 % OFF OFF OFF OFF Thompson Creek is neither a broker nor a lender. 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Delaware DOR Lic. # 2023701741, New Castle County # LC11070 / Class D 30 MAY 18, 2023 | JEWISH EXPONENT bonus digital content T around town Israeli Flag Raising Ceremony Held at City Hall o commemorate Israel’s 75th anniversary, the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia and the City of Philadelphia raised an Israeli flag outside of City Hall on May 11. Spokesperson for the Israeli Consulate Itay Milner and Jewish Federation’s Jewish Community Relations Council Director Jason Holtzman joined City Representative Sheila Hess and Councilman Kenyatta Johnson for the dedication and ceremony. Harriet and Mark Levin, parents of the late IDF soldier and local fallen hero Michael Levin who died in combat in 2006, raised the flag and shared reflections on their son. They founded The Michael Levin Lone Soldier Foundation in his honor several years ago. During the flag-raising, two students from Jack M. Barrack Hebrew Academy performed both the “Star Spangled Banner” and the Israeli national anthem, “Hatikvah.” Photos and video courtesy of Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia Scenes from the May 11 Israeli flag-raising ceremony JEWISHEXPONENT.COM 31 Courtesy of Rhona Gerber Courtesy of Norman Einhorn around town 2 3 4 5 6 1 Jewish Learning Venture celebrated Judge Harold Berger. 2 The “Philly Friends of Paper Clips” recently visited Whitwell, Tennessee, home of the Paper Clips Project devoted to Holocaust remembrance. 3 Chef Michael Solomonov and Rabbi David Glanzberg-Krainin had a conversation during the gala fundraiser at Beth Sholom Congregation on April 30. 4 The Jewish Interest Group held its Sid Kessler Forum at Shannondell at Valley Forge. 5 Perelman Jewish Day School students celebrated Israel’s 75th birthday. 6 Or Hadash, A Reconstructionist Congregation and Reform Congregation Keneseth Israel presented a Holocaust memorial program on Yom HaShoah. 32 MAY 18, 2023 | JEWISH EXPONENT Courtesy of Carol Anne Mueller Courtesy of Lizzy Friedman-Zayon Photo by Steve Goldblatt Courtesy of Beth Sholom Congregation 1 last word Keren Keshet LEADS PHILADELPHIA’S ISRAEL SCOUTS Sasha Rogelberg | Staff Writer Courtesy of Keren Keshet A t the May 7 Taste of Israel festival, visitors to the tent with the large “Paamon” banner flapping in the breeze were barely able to spot Keren Keshet among the gaggle of teens in tan shirts and green kerchiefs socializing and selling cupcakes to passersby. Keshet, 49, best described the group as a big Israeli family, and she is their leader. As head of the Philadelphia chapter of Tzofim, the Friends of Israel Scouts, Inc., Keshet helps to teach the 102 Philadelphia-area kids involved about leadership and Jewish culture. Most kids and teens involved have at least one Israeli parent who seeks out the organization to connect with an Israeli community in the U.S. “They come, and they don’t need to explain [to] other kids why their parents are talking in Hebrew at home and why every summer they’re going to Israel,” Keshet said. “It’s a place that they feel they all have something in common, and they feel a sense of belonging.” Founded in 1995, Tzofim is a volun- teer-led organization developed as a way to grow and maintain the connection between “Israel and North American Jewry,” according to the organization’s website. While fourth through 10th graders can participate in scout activities and overnight camps, 15- to 18-year-olds can take gap years or make aliyah to Israel and are counsel- ors that help lead the younger kids. All of Tzofim’s programming is in Hebrew, though most kids chat to each other in English, making it a haven for bilingual kids straddling Israeli and American culture. Tzofim’s 24 chapters, or Shvatim, across the country emulate Boy and Girl Scout troops, each with a unique identity. Paamon, the name of the Philadelphia Tzofim shevet, means “bell” in Hebrew, a reference to the city’s Liberty Bell. Keshet, who lives in Malvern, has headed Paamon for almost five years. Keshet works for Israel-based software company Amdocs, and her job in customer engagement brought her to the U.S. When Keshet emigrated from Israel to Philadelphia 13 years ago, she sought the same connec- tion for her young daughter, who was learning English and having difficulty adapting to her public school. Within a week of coming to the U.S., a friend told Keshet about Tzofim, and they attended an event together on a Sunday. “Israelis always find Israelis,” Keshet said. Keshet was born and raised in Moshav Lachish in the northern Negev of Israel, the small, tight-knit community where her family owned a vineyard for table grapes. Since she was a teenager, Keshet volunteered in the moshav. When her eldest daughter was in the first grade, Keshet helped establish a school within the village that still operates. Previously, students from the moshav commuted more than 30 minutes to a nearby school. Keshet’s mother, brother and sister still live in the moshav, and her eldest daughter is 21 and a lone soldier in the Israel Defense Forces preparing to become an officer. The Philadelphia- based family travels to Israel every three months to visit them. “The house of our heart is still there,” Keshet said. It’s common for Tzofim members to venture back and forth from Israel. Paamon has a shlichim program for young Israeli emissaries to stay in Philadelphia for two years. While the first year at Paamon gives the shlichim a chance to get to know the kids, the second year is when the real bonding takes place. In August, Paamon’s shlicha will return to Israel, and Keshet is looking for someone to fill the role. Because Tzofim is volunteer-led, the funding for chapters waxes and wanes, and Paamon is still recovering from the pandemic, where it was difficult to adapt online because of the hands-on nature of the group’s programming. Fundraising, such as the cupcake sale at Taste of Israel, as well as contri- butions from parents, help keep the chapter afloat. But in the past couple of years, Paamon’s number of scouts has increased to near the pre-COVID levels. Events with other chapters in Pennsylvania and Maryland have grown too large to accommodate all the groups involved, Keshet said, a good problem to have. She hopes to improve the chapter’s outreach to other parts of the Philadelphia area. “We hope to grow and expand,” she said. ■ srogelberg@midatlanticmedia.com JEWISHEXPONENT.COM 33 HOME SERVICES CEMETERY LOTS FOR SALE Our Community Has Trusted Rosen Family Businesses for Three Generations! For Sale: 2 cemetery plots at King David Memorial Park. Significant discount from current market rates. Email abrsand999@gmail.com for more information. 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GOLDEN HARMONY HOME CARE Golden Harmony Home Care offers unique amenities and services to help you live life to the fullest. We make it easy for you to stamp your own individual care. Non-medical Home Care • Dememtia/Aizheimer’s Care • 24-hour care/ hourly/Live-in Medication Reminders • Meal preparation/ light housekeeping Transportation/ Doctor’s visit/ Mobility Assistance • Companionship • Shopping and errands License/insured/bonded Call 267-969-8312 for more information www.golden-harmony.com CHARMED CLEANING SERVICES “Always on time, Always Professional” No job too big or too small so give us a CALL! Residential & Commercial 484-802-9424 LICENSED, INSURED, AND BONDED HOMES FOR SALE Take a tour of Brookdale Dublin at 160 Elephant Rd, A Memory Care Community. To inquire call Dana at 610-564-0750 to receive special pricing and bring home our specialty pie. 34 MAY 18, 2023 | JEWISH EXPONENT FOR RENT Jerusalem - Vacation apartment Well-equipped, with 2 bed- rooms, large salon and kosher kitchen. Close to Katamon shteiblach. Rentals 1 week+ Inquiries please send to war- renbraham@gmail.com Margate Beach Block Full Season only 9600 Building 2 BR-2BA 610-235-1179 HOUSEHOLD GOODS WANTED DOWNSIZING OR CLEANING OUT? 1 man’s trash/another man’s treasure Call Joel 215-947-2817 CASH IN YOUR CLOSET INC. Licensed and Bonded ESTATE SALES MISCELLANEOUS Miscellaneous: Are you a pet owner? Do you want to get up to 100% back on Vet Bills? Physicians Mutual In- surance Company has pet cov- erage that can help! Call 1-888- 616-1622 to get a free quote or visit insurebarkmeow.com/pasn Miscellaneous: Become a Published Author. We want to Read Your Book! Dorrance Publishing-Trusted by Authors Since 1920 Book manuscript submissions currently being reviewed. 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(215)576-1096 www.educationplusinc.com LEGALS HOON CORP. has been incorpo- rated under the provisions of the Pennsylvania Business Corporation Law of 1988. McCreesh, McCreesh, McCreesh & Cannon 7053 Terminal Square Upper Darby, PA 19082 Invo Aesthetics, Inc., a corporation organized under the laws of the state of Delaware, has applied for registration in Pennsylvania under the provisions of Chapter 4 of the Associations Code. The address of its principal office under the laws of the jurisdiction of forma- tion is c/o 651 N. Broad St., Ste. 201, Middletown, DE 19709 and the address of its proposed registered office in this Commonwealth is c/o 2021 Arch St., Philadelphia, PA 19103. The Tannenbaum Law Group 600 West Germantown Pike Suite 400 Plymouth Meeting, PA 19462 Notice is hereby given that Articles of Incorporation were filed for The Safe City Corporation with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The address of the association’s proposed registered office in this Commonwealth is 215 E Johnson St., Philadelphia, PA 19144 in Philadelphia County. This corporation is incorporated under the provisions of the Business Corporation Law of 1988, as amended. CHANGE OF NAME NOTICE Court of Common Pleas for the County of Philadelphia, March Term, 2023, No. 1598 NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN than on March 14, 2023, the petition of Sibyl Morieha Fullard was filed, praying for a decree to change name to Sybil Morietta Fullard. The Court has fixed June 6, 2023 at 10 o’clock AM., in Room No. 691, City Hall 34 So 11th Street, Phila., Pa. for hear- ing. All persons interested may appear and show cause if any they have, why the prayer of the said petitioner should not be granted. Lawrence W. Abel Solicitor Court of Common Pleas - Phila. County, PA - Feb. Term ‘23 – NO. 02859 – Lisa Smith, Plaintiff vs. Shannon Studivant- Barnes, Ean Holdings, LLC and Holiday Delivery Group LLC, Defendants - To: Holiday Delivery Group LLC, Defendant, 3507 Oakmont St., Phila., PA 19136. Take notice that a Complaint in Civil Action has been filed against you in the above-named Court - Motor Vehicle Accident has been filed against you in the above-named Court. Said complaint arises from an accident that took place on or about 5/12/21 at ap- prox. 9:00 a.m. on eastbound Stenton Ave. and Old York Rd. in Phila. County, PA. NOTICE: YOU HAVE BEEN SUED IN COURT. If you wish to defend against the claims set forth in the notice above, you must take action within twenty (20) days after this Complaint and Notice are served, by entering a written ap- pearance personally or by attorney and filing in writing with the Court your defenses or objections to the claims set forth against you. You are warned that if you fail to do so the case may proceed without you and a judgment may be en- tered against you by the Court without further notice for any money claimed in the Complaint or for any other claim or relief requested by the Plaintiff. You may lose money or property or other rights important to you. YOU SHOULD TAKE THIS PAPER TO YOUR LAWYER AT ONCE. IF YOU DO NOT HAVE A LAWYER, GO TO OR TELEPHONE THE OFFICE SET FORTH BELOW. THIS OFFICE CAN PROVIDE YOU WITH THE INFORMATION ABOUT HIRING A LAWYER. IF YOU CANNOT AFFORD TO HIRE A LAWYER, THIS OFFICE MAY BE ABLE TO PROVIDE YOU WITH INFORMATION ABOUT AGENCIES THAT MAY OFFER LEGAL SERVICES TO ELIGIBLE PERSONS AT A REDUCED FEE OR NO FEE. Phila. Bar Assn., Lawyer Referral & Info. Service, One Reading Ctr., Phila., PA 19107, 215.238.6333. John Borelli, Atty. for Plaintiff, Ostroff Law, PC, 518 E. Township Line Rd., #100, Blue Bell, PA 19422, 610.279.7000 ESTATE OF HOWARD CHARLES CENTER, DECEASED Late of Montgomery County and Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Notice is hereby given that Letters Testamentary on the above named Estate have been granted to Shari Center and Michael Center on April 28, 2023. All persons indebted to the said Estate are requested to make immedi- ate payment and those having claims or demands, to present the same without delay to: In c/o LAWRENCE CENTER, ESQ. 620 Primrose Lane Allentown, PA 18104 (610)360-7381 ESTATE OF ADA C. BELLO a/k/a ADA BELLO , DECEASED. Late of Philadelphia County, PA LETTERS TESTAMENTARY on the above Estate have been granted to the under- signed, who request all persons having claims or demands against the estate of the decedent to make known the same and all persons indebted to the decedent to make payment without delay to JOHN CUNNINGHAM, JR., EXECUTOR, c/o Roy Yaffe, Esq., 2005 Market St., 16th Fl., Philadelphia, PA 19103, Or to his Attorney: ROY YAFFE ZARWIN BAUM 2005 Market St., 16th Fl. Philadelphia, PA 19103 ESTATE OF BERNARD POLSKY, DECEASED. Late of Philadelphia County LETTERS TESTAMENTARY on the above Estate have been granted to the undersigned, who request all persons having claims or demands against the estate of the decedent to make known the same and all persons indebted to the decedent to make payment with- out delay to ARLENE R. WEISS, 284 Hendrix St., Philadelphia, PA 19116 and LAWRENCE J. POLSKY, 221 Parkside Ln., Glenside, PA 19038, EXECUTORS ESTATE OF CAROLYN B. SCHOCK a/k/a CAROLYN L. SCHOCK and CAROLYN SCHOCK, DECEASED. Late of West Goshen Township, Chester County, PA LETTERS TESTAMENTARY on the above Estate have been granted to the undersigned, who request all persons having claims or demands against the estate of the decedent to make known the same and all persons indebted to the decedent to make payment without delay to TODD A. SCHOCK, EXECUTOR, c/o Rachel Fitoussi, Esq., 62 W. Princeton Rd., Bala Cynwyd, PA 19004, Or to his Attorney: RACHEL FITOUSSI 62 W. Princeton Rd. Bala Cynwyd, PA 19004 ESTATE OF DEBORAH BEATRICE WHITLOCK a/k/a DEBORAH WHITLOCK, DECEASED. Late of Philadelphia County LETTERS TESTAMENTARY on the above Estate have been granted to the undersigned, who request all persons having claims or demands against the estate of the decedent to make known the same and all persons indebted to the decedent to make payment without SEASHORE SALE LOVE where you LIVE #1 IN NEW JERSEY FOR LARGE TEAM SALES VOLUME *RealTrends 2021 NEW LISTING! MARGATE $929,000 COMPLETELY RENOVATED 3 BEDROOM, 1.5 BATH BEACH HOUSE WITH A LARGE LIVING & DINING AREA! NEW LISTING! MARGATE $1,699,000 5 BEDS AND 4 BATHS, JUST A FEW YEARS YOUNG! LOCATED IN THE HEART OF MARGATE! www.HartmanHomeTeam.com NEW LISTING! MARGATE $999,000 COMPLETELY REMODELED HOME HAS 3 BEDS, 2.5 BATHS, A NEW EAT-IN KITCHEN AND AN ADORABLE BACK PATIO! NEW LISTING! MARGATE $2,299,000 GORGEOUS NEW CON- STRUCTION IN THE SOUTH- SIDE OF MARGATE WITH 5 BEDS AND 4.5 BATHS! NEWLY RENOVATED! VENTNOR $1,250,0000 COMPLETELY RENOVATED 3-STORY HOME WITH 5 BEDS, 5 BATHS AND ROOM FOR A POOL! NEW LISTING! MARGATE $2,300,000 COMPLETELY RESTORED, CHARMING 4 BED, 2.5 BATH HOME PLACED ON AN OVERSIZED CORNER LOT! NEWLY RENOVATED! MARGATE $1,349,000 NEWLY RENOVATED 4 BEDROOMS, 3.5 BATH HOME WITH PARKING AND HUGE BACKYARD! NEW LISTING! MAYS LANDING $2,500,000 COMPLETELY CUSTOM 3 BED, 3.5 BATH HOME NESTLED ON 6.6 ACRES WITH A HUGE BARN AND FLOATING DOCKS! HHT Office 609-487-7234 9211 Ventnor Avenue, Margate 8017 Ventnor Avenue, Margate 9313 Ventnor Ave, Margate NEW LISTING! OCEAN VIEWS! VENTNOR $1,389,000 LUXURY BEACHBLOCK TOWN- HOME WITH 5 BEDS, 4 BATHS, A 5-STOP ELEVATOR AND A HUGE ROOFTOP DECK! NEW LISTING! BRIGANTINE $3,500,000 MEDITERRANEAN-STYLE BAY- FRONT HOME WITH 5 BEDS, 3.5 BATHS, ELEVATOR AND AMAZING WATER VIEWS. VENTNOR $1,650,000 FULLY RESTORED ST. LEONARD’S TRACT BEAUTY ON A 50X125 LOT WITH 7 BEDS, 4.5 BATHS AND SO MUCH CHARACTER! NEW CONSTRUCTION!! VENTNOR $3,750,000 NEW CONSTRUCTION! 6 BEDS, 6 FULL BATHS & 2 HALF BATHS! POOL, ELEVATOR & 3 LARGE FRONT DECKS! HOMES FOR SALE PENN VALLEY “OAK HILL” The DeSouzas are Back on Bustleton! Call directly for updates on sales and rentals. OAK HILL TERRACES • OAK HILL TOWER OAK HILL ESTATES Pool Season Begins Soon! THE SPRING MARKET IS HERE! NEW LISTING – TOWER AT OAK HILL 4th Floor, spacious, 1 bedroom, 1.5 bath. Large living room, dining room and den or office. Eat-in kitchen, “WALL OF CLOSETS”. Sunny balcony overlooking pool, 24 hour doorman, basement storage, SPECIAL CABLE PACKAGE; 2 gyms. Heating & air conditioning included. NO PETS PERMITTED! April Availability: ONLY, $192,500. Things Change Over The Years But Not LOYALTY, DEDICATION, SERVICE & HARD WORK Now is the time to list your home with Us! NEW LISTING – FOR RENT – Tower at Oak Hill 7th Floor - CORNER; 2 bedroom/2.5 bath; modern open kitchen; granite counters; breakfast bar; new appliances; washer/dryer in unit; wall-to-wall carpet; new closets; SUNNY balcony; 24 hour doorman; basement storage, SPECIAL CABLE PACKAGE; 2 gyms. Heating & air conditioning included. SEPTA 44 & school bus at front door. NO PETS PERMITTED! RENT: $2,800 a month NEW LISTING – Oak Hill Estates Mid-level Townhouse; 2 bedroom/2 bath; open granite kitchen; washer/dryer; fireplace; custom lighting; parking under covered balcony. Facing the woods! REDUCED & Available Immediately: $2,195.00 per month NEW LISTING – Tower at Oak Hill Large corner 2 bedroom/2.5 baths; wood floors; washer & dryer in unit; lots of closets; balcony overlooking pool; 24 hour doorman; basement storage, SPECIAL CABLE PACKAGE; 2 gyms. Heating & air conditioning included. SEPTA 44 & school bus at front door. NO PETS PERMITTED! UNDER RENOVATION – Oak Hill Estates Townhome 2nd floor walk-up; spacious 2 bedroom/2baths; washer/dryer in unit; new carpets; new appliances; living room w/ fireplace; lots of closets; sunny balcony. Pool Season Begins Soon! FOR RENT IMMEDIATELY $2,300 plus utilities Realtor® Emeritus. 5 Star winner, Philly Mag Google Harvey Sklaroff oakhillcondominiums.com HBSHOME@AOL.COM Office: 610-667-9999 Direct: 610-660-9999 Cell/Text: 610-613-7606 PA#RB041533-A NJ#8310118 Call Andi or Rick DeSouza for an appointment & we will deliver: Results, Not Promises! RE/MAX ONE REALTY Eric DeSouza, Associate Broker Andrea DeSouza, Sales Associate Eric Cell 215-431-8300/8304 • Bus 215-953-8800 rickdesouza70@gmail.com BOCA RATON Fabulous 2 bedroom 2 bath yacht and tennis condo overlooking the intracoastal. Great amenities including a luxury pool. Available for weekly or monthly rentals. Photos upon request. Please call 610-742-3056 Sgt. Kleinman USMC Force Recon. Jordan Kleinman Sales Associate Berkshire Hathaway Without the right help, buying or selling a home can be complicated and stressful. It is my goal to make your purchase or sale go as quickly and smoothly as possible, so you can relax and live in the moment. Call me today to take the stress out of your move. Also if you have friends, relatives or business associates looking to purchase or sell please pass my contract information along to them. Jordan Kleinman 9218 Ventnor Ave, Margate, NJ 08402 Cell: 609.335.3904 Bus: 609.822.4200 x 6995 jrdkleinman@aol.com www.jordankleinman.foxroach.com JEWISHEXPONENT.COM 35 delay to CLARENCE H. GUESS, JR., EXECUTOR, c/o Harvey P. Abramson, Esq., 7 Neshaminy Interplex, Ste. 400, Trevose, PA 19053, Or to his Attorney: HARVEY P. ABRAMSON SKARLATOS ZONARICH 7 Neshaminy Interplex, Ste. 400 Trevose, PA 19053 ESTATE OF DIANE J. MEZEJEWSKI, DECEASED. Late of Philadelphia County, PA LETTERS of ADMINISTRATION on the above Estate have been granted to the undersigned, who request all persons having claims or demands against the estate of the decedent to make known the same and all persons indebted to the decedent to make payment with- out delay to CHARLES A. J. HALPIN, III, ADMINISTRATOR, The Land Title Bldg., 100 S. Broad St., Ste. 1830, Philadelphia, PA 19110, Or to his Attorney: CHARLES A. J. HALPIN, III The Land Title Bldg. 100 S. Broad St., Ste. 1830 Philadelphia, PA 19110 ESTATE OF EMIL COHN a/k/a EMIL COHN, III and EMIL COHN, 3RD, DECEASED. Late of Abington Township, Montgomery County, PA LETTERS TESTAMENTARY on the above Estate have been granted to the undersigned, who request all persons having claims or demands against the estate of the decedent to make known the same and all persons indebted to the decedent to make payment without delay to ANDREW STARR and JUDITH H. COHN, EXECUTORS, c/o Robert J. Stern, Esq., Two Bala Plaza, Ste. 300, Bala Cynwyd, PA 19004, Or to their Attorney: ROBERT J. STERN ROBERT J. STERN LAW, LLC Two Bala Plaza, Ste. 300 Bala Cynwyd, PA 19004 Estate of Estelle Smith, Deceased. Late of Philadelphia, PA. Letters of Administration on the above estate have been granted to the undersigned. All persons having claims against or indebted to the estate should make claims known or forward payment to Jacob Green, Administrator, c/o David W. Crosson, Esq., Crosson Richetti & Daigle, LLC, 609 W. Hamilton St., Suite 210, Allentown, PA 18101. ESTATE OF EUGENE GLASER, DECEASED. Late of Bucks County, PA. Letters Testamentary on the above estate have been granted to the undersigned. All persons having claims against or indebted to the estate should make claims known or forward payment to MARILYN GLASER, Executor c/o STEPHANIE KALOGREDIS LAMB MCERLANE, PC 24 E Market St Westchester, PA 19382 ESTATE OF EVA BUNN, DECEASED. Late of Philadelphia County, PA LETTERS TESTAMENTARY on the above Estate have been granted to the undersigned, who request all persons having claims or demands against the estate of the decedent to make known the same and all persons indebted to the decedent to make payment with- out delay to GINA MARIE DiPRINZIO, EXECUTRIX, 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 FLORENCE RUBINSKY, DECEASED. Late of Lower Moreland Township, Montgomery County, PA LETTERS TESTAMENTARY on the above Estate have been granted to the undersigned, who request all persons having claims or demands against the estate of the decedent to make known the same and all persons indebted to the decedent to make payment without delay to SCOTT RUBINSKY, EXECUTOR, c/o Michael D. Rubin, 686 Gray Circle, Southampton, PA 18966, Or to his Attorney: MICHAEL D. RUBIN LAW OFFICE MICHAEL D. RUBIN 686 Gray Circle Southampton, PA 18966 ESTATE OF FLORENCE SEARLES, DECEASED. Late of Philadelphia County LETTERS TESTAMENTARY DBN on the above Estate have been granted to the undersigned, who request all per- sons having claims or demands against the estate of the decedent to make known the same and all persons indebt- ed to the decedent to make payment without delay to E. CAMPBELL and ROSALYN SEARLES, EXECUTRICES DBN, c/o Daniella A. Horn, Esq., 2202 Delancey Place, Philadelphia, PA 19103, Or to their Attorney: DANIELLA A. HORN KLENK LAW, LLC 2202 Delancey Place Philadelphia, PA 19103 ESTATE OF HALA HELOUNE, DECEASED Late of Philadelphia, PA. Letters Testamentary on the above estate have been granted to the undersigned. All persons having claims against or indebted to the estate should make claims known or forward payment to Nour Alawi, Executrix, 9615 Hilspach St., Philadelphia, PA 19115 or to their attorney Mark Feinman, Esquire, 8171 Castor Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19152. ESTATE OF HARRY P. SCHLEIN, DECEASED. Late of Huntingdon Valley, PA LETTERS TESTAMENTARY on the above Estate have been granted to the undersigned, who request all persons hav- ing claims or demands against the estate of the decedent to make known the same and all persons indebted to the decedent to make payment without delay to LINDA G. SCHLEIN and BRET H. SCHLEIN, CO-EXECUTORS, 3780 Glenn Court, Huntingdon Valley, PA 19006 PET SERVICES WE SCOOP DOG POOP 215-364-7667 www.poopiescoopersr-us.com 36 MAY 18, 2023 | JEWISH EXPONENT ESTATE OF JAILENE HOLTON, DECEASED. Late of Philadelphia County LETTERS of ADMINISTRATION on the above Estate have been granted to the undersigned, who request all persons having claims or demands against the estate of the decedent to make known the same and all persons indebted to the decedent to make payment with- out delay to KAREN MCCONNELL, ADMINISTRATRIX, c/o Kristen L. Behrens, Esq., 1500 Market St., Ste. 3500E, Philadelphia, PA 19102, Or to her Attorney: KRISTEN L. BEHRENS DILWORTH PAXSON LLP 1500 Market St., Ste. 3500E Philadelphia, PA 19102 ESTATE OF JOHN V. BARBALIOS, DECEASED. Late of Philadelphia, PA. Letters Testamentary on the above estate have been granted to the undersigned. All persons having claims against or indebted to the estate should make claims known or forward payment to Mary B. Kitsios and Christos J. Barbalios, Executors, c/o Anthony J. Beldecos, Esq., Lundy Beldecos & Milby, PC, 450 N. Narbarth Ave., Suite 200, Narberth, PA 19072. ESTATE OF JORDAN TOBIAS, DECEASED. Late of Pennsylvania LETTERS OF ADMINISTRATION on the above estate have been granted to the undersigned, who bequest all persons having claims or demands against the estate of the decedent to make known the same, and all persons indebted to the decedent to make pay- ment without delay, to David Bacharach, Administrator, c/o their attorney Debra G. Speyer, Two Bala Plaza, Suite 300, Bala Cynwyd, PA 19004. ESTATE OF JOSEPH FRANCIS ALTOMARE a/k/a JOSEPH F. ALTOMARE , DECEASED. Late of Philadelphia County, PA LETTERS of ADMINISTRATION CTA on the above Estate have been granted to the undersigned, who request all per- sons having claims or demands against the estate of the decedent to make known the same and all persons indebt- ed to the decedent to make payment without delay to RACHEL MALESKI, ADMINISTRATRIX CTA, 709 7th Ave., Elizabeth, PA 15037, Or to her Attorney: DANIEL BALTUCH 104.5 Forrest Ave., Ste. 10 Narberth, PA 19072 ESTATE OF LINDA E. MAZAUD a/k/a LINDA MAZAUD, DECEASED. Late of Warrington Township, Bucks County, PA LETTERS TESTAMENTARY on the above Estate have been granted to the undersigned, who request all persons having claims or demands against the estate of the decedent to make known the same and all persons indebted to the decedent to make payment with- out delay to ALAIN Z. MAZAUD (a/k/a ALAIN MAZAUD) and GABRIELLE A. MAZAUD (a/k/a GABRIELLE MAZAUD), EXECUTORS, c/o Adam S. Bernick, Esq. 2047 Locust St., Philadelphia, PA 19103, Or to their Attorney: ADAM S. BERNICK LAW OFFICE OF ADAM S. BERNICK 2047 Locust St. Philadelphia, PA 19103 Market St., Ste. 3500E, Philadelphia, PA 19102, Or to her Attorney: KRISTEN L. BEHRENS DILWORTH PAXSON LLP 1500 Market St., Ste. 3500E Philadelphia, PA 19102 ESTATE OF MARY A. BYRNES a/k/a MARY BYRNES, DECEASED. Late of Philadelphia County LETTERS TESTAMENTARY on the above Estate have been granted to the undersigned, who request all persons having claims or demands against the estate of the decedent to make known the same and all persons indebted to the decedent to make payment without delay to KATHLEEN A. RENYE, EXECUTRIX, c/o Renata T. Pabisz, Esq., 116 E. Court St., Doylestown, PA 18901, Or to her Attorney: RENATA T. PABISZ HIGH SWARTZ LLP 116 E. Court St. Doylestown, PA 18901 ESTATE OF ROCHELLE SCHLESINGER a/k/a SHELLY SCHLESINGER, DECEASED. Late of Philadelphia County LETTERS TESTAMENTARY on the above Estate have been granted to the undersigned, who request all persons having claims or demands against the estate of the decedent to make known the same and all persons indebted to the decedent to make payment with- out delay to BUDDI KARPO and EVAN SCHLESINGER, EXECUTORS, c/o John M. Pelet, III, Esq., 200 S. Broad St., Ste. 600, Philadelphia, PA 19102, Or to their Attorney: JOHN M. PELET, III ASTOR WEISS KAPLAN & MANDEL, LLP 200 S. Broad St., Ste. 600 Philadelphia, PA 19102 ESTATE OF MICHAEL DASKALUK, DECEASED. Late of Las Vegas, NV. Letters of Administration on the above estate have been granted to the undersigned. All persons having claims against or in- debted to the estate should make claims known or forward payment to Robin Siegfried, Administratrix, 36 Legacy Oaks Dr., Richboro, PA 18954 or to their attorney Mark Feinman, Esquire, 8171 Castor Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19152. ESTATE OF QUENTIN Da-SILVA, DECEASED. Late of Philadelphia County LETTERS of ADMINISTRATION on the above Estate have been granted to the undersigned, who request all persons having claims or demands against the estate of the decedent to make known the same and all persons indebted to the decedent to make payment without delay to ESMIE DaSILVA, ADMINISTRATRIX, c/o Jay E. Kivitz, Esq., 7901 Ogontz Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19150, Or to her Attorney: JAY E. KIVITZ KIVITZ & KIVITZ, P.C. 7901 Ogontz Ave. Philadelphia, PA 19150 ESTATE OF RAEL SKENDERAJ, DECEASED. Late of Philadelphia, PA. Letters of Administration on the above estate have been granted to the un- dersigned. All persons having claims against or indebted to the estate should make claims known or forward pay- ment to Ned Hark, Esq., Administrator, Goldsmith Hark & Hornak, PC, 7716 Castor Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19152. ESTATE OF ROBERT NICK, DECEASED. Late of Philadelphia County LETTERS of ADMINISTRATION on the above Estate have been granted to the undersigned, who request all persons having claims or demands against the estate of the decedent to make known the same and all persons indebted to the decedent to make payment with- out delay to Louise Nick, Administratrix CTA, c/o Kristen L. Behrens, Esq., 1500 ESTATE OF ROSALIE HAUT a/k/a ROSALIE B. HAUT, DECEASED. Late of Philadelphia County, PA LETTERS TESTAMENTARY on the above Estate have been granted to the undersigned, who request all persons having claims or demands against the estate of the decedent to make known the same and all persons indebted to the decedent to make payment without delay to ELLIOTT RICHARD HAUT and WENDY LAURA HAUT, EXECUTORS, c/o Joseph D. Rutala, Esq., 1500 JFK Blvd., Ste. 1203, Philadelphia, PA 19102, Or to their Attorney: JOSEPH D. RUTALA 1500 JFK Blvd., Ste. 1203 Philadelphia, PA 19102 ESTATE OF RUTH M. KISLOW, DECEASED. Late of Philadelphia County, PA LETTERS of ADMINISTRATION on the above Estate have been granted to the undersigned, who request all persons having claims or demands against the estate of the decedent to make known the same and all persons indebted to the decedent to make pay- ment without delay to APRIL POPOLO, ADMINISTRATRIX, 3637 Edgemont St., Philadelphia, PA 19134, Or to her Attorney: MARYBETH O. LAURIA LAURIA LAW LLC 3031 Walton Rd., Ste. C310 Plymouth Meeting, PA 19462 ESTATE OF SERIGNE M. THIOUNE, DECEASED. Late of Pennsylvania LETTERS OF ADMINISTRATION on the above estate have been granted to the undersigned, who bequest all persons having claims or demands against the estate of the decedent to make known the same, and all persons indebted to the decedent to make pay- ment without delay, to Aminata Faye, Administrator, c/o their attorney Debra G. Speyer, Two Bala Plaza, Suite 300, Bala Cynwyd, PA 19004. ESTATE OF STANLEY D. JOHNSON, DECEASED. Late of Philadelphia County LETTERS of ADMINISTRATION on the above Estate have been granted to the undersigned, who request all persons having claims or demands against the estate of the decedent to make known the same and all persons indebted to the decedent to make payment without delay to LOGAN HAYES-JOHNSON, ADMINISTRATRIX, c/o Kristen L. Behrens, Esq., 1500 Market St., Ste. 3500E, Philadelphia, PA 19102, Or to her Attorney: KRISTEN L. BEHRENS DILWORTH PAXSON LLP 1500 Market St., Ste. 3500E Philadelphia, PA 19102 ESTATE OF THOMAS DEVINE, DECEASED. Late of Philadelphia County, PA LETTERS of ADMINISTRATION on the above Estate have been granted to the undersigned, who request all persons having claims or demands against the estate of the decedent to make known the same and all per- sons indebted to the decedent to make payment without delay to ANNIE MAE POTTS, ADMINISTRATRIX, c/o Kristen L. Behrens, Esq., 1500 Market St., Ste. 3500E, Philadelphia, PA 19102, Or to her Attorney: KRISTEN L. BEHRENS DILWORTH PAXSON, LLP 1500 Market St., Ste. 3500E Philadelphia, PA 19102 ESTATE OF VICENTE AYALA COLON, DECEASED. Late of Philadelphia County LETTERS of ADMINISTRATION on the above Estate have been granted to the undersigned, who request all persons having claims or demands against the estate of the decedent to make known the same and all persons indebted to the decedent to make payment without de- lay to DENISSA AYALA and VERONICA ASCCENCIO, ADMINISTRATRICES, c/o Sharon Wilson, Esq., 215 S. Broad St., Philadelphia, PA 19107, Or to their Attorney: SHARON WILSON 215 S. Broad St. Philadelphia, PA 19107 ESTATE OF WILLIAM J. McMENAMIN, DECEASED. Late of Abington Township, Montgomery County, PA LETTERS TESTAMENTARY on the above Estate have been granted to the undersigned, who request all persons having claims or demands against the estate of the decedent to make known the same and all persons indebted to the decedent to make payment without delay to CAROLE COVERT McMENAMIN, EXECUTRIX, c/o Robert S. Cohen, Esq., 123 Old York Rd., Ste. 201, Jenkintown, PA 19046, Or to her Attorney: ROBERT S. COHEN LAW OFFICE OF ROBERT S. COHEN 123 Old York Rd., Ste. 201 Jenkintown, PA 19046 Jewish Careers.com For Those Who Value Community The preferred career resource for the Jewish community. info.jewishcareers.com 410-902-2300 Spielberg WANTED TO BUY Continued from page 21 Consul General of Israel to the Midwest Yinam Cohen attended the Glenview viewing and said that the documentary is probably the most realistic portrayal of a terrorist attack he has ever seen. “You sense the fear and panic and trauma that comes during the aftermath,” he said. Spielberg said that telling Jewish stories on film is particularly important amid rising antisemitism and anti-Israel hatred in the United States and through- out the world. “It is important for us as Americans to understand what it is like for Israelis, who are survivors of these kinds of terrorist attacks,” she said. Spielberg admires what she describes as the Israeli spirit that savors life and makes the most of it, knowing full well that one faces danger on a daily basis. In fact, she thinks, Israelis are so good at carry- ing on in trying times that non-Jews might mistake that spirit of resilience and overlook the trauma that Israelis and U.S. Jews regularly face. “We, as American Jews, need to be recognized as a minority. We do our best to move forward, making it seem like we don’t need help, but in reality, we do,” she said. “When it comes to rising antisemitism, we must raise awareness.” ‘A very creative time’ Courtesy of the Consul General’s Office via JNS.org In that vein, Spielberg’s latest film is an epony- mous 2023 documentary about Jewish photogra- pher Roman Vishniac. From 1935 to 1938, Vishniac documented and raised funds for poor Eastern European Jewish communities, which he photo- graphed on assignment for the American Joint Distribution Committee. His photographs testify about communities that would be wiped out several years later. Spielberg, the executive producer of the documen- tary, expects that it will soon be shown as part of the Tel Aviv International Documentary Film Festival. “Vishniac” premiered at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival. In other industry news, she said that the pandemic was a mixed bag for the film industry. “The pandemic itself was very good for writers. It came to be a very creative time. But at the same time, it made filmmak- ing impossible,” Spielberg said. She found it difficult to film the Vishnian documen- tary under such circumstances and said that her brother, 76, experienced the same with his coming- of-age drama “The Fabelmans,” loosely based on his adolescence and early years as a filmmaker. Spielberg added that the rise in the use of stream- ing services prompted by the pandemic is not an adequate substitute for the magic of seeing movies in a theater. “Thankfully, it looks like people are relaxing now,” she said. “We have to get people back into the theater. Watching a film in an actual theater with other people is an experience that just does not happen when streaming.” ■ ANTIQUE & FINE FURNITURE Paintings & Sculptures Also Vintage Modern, Mission & Nakashima Etc. HIGHEST PRICES PAID 215-663-1813 BUSINESS / LEGAL DIRECTORIES Consul General of Israel to the Midwest Yinam Cohen with Cindy Stern, executive director of Chicago Festival of Israeli Cinema, in Glenview, Illinois, on May 4 JEWISHEXPONENT.COM 37 L-R: Technion Prof. Gidi Grader, Cyma Satell, Ed Satell, Prof. Emeritus Peretz Lavie, Lena Lavie, Michael Waxman-Lenz Warmest Congratulations The American Technion Society (ATS) congratulates business the award was granted in recognition of his steadfast dedication Cyma are Technion Guardians — an honor reserved for those who support the University at the highest level. Their many projects have made a great impact on student life and research, particularly in the fields of alternative energy, stem cell research, and medical nanotechnology. philanthropy. His vision for the greater good has supported On behalf of the ATS National Board of Directors, we offer our gratitude to Mr. Satell for being a close friend and benefactor. entrepreneur and philanthropist Edward M. Satell for receiving the Albert Einstein Award, the highest honor bestowed by our organization. Capping a lengthy history of Technion honors, and generosity to the University and his extensive community more than 60 initiatives with more than 40 nonprofits to help enrich communities and create the leaders of tomorrow. Mr. Satell has served as a director on the ATS National Board (now emeritus) and is an honorary member of the ATS – Philadelphia Board of Directors. He and his wife Mark Gaines, President Steve Berger, Chair of the Board Michael Waxman-Lenz, CEO Elissa Miller, Director of Leadership Giving & Foundation Relations ATS – Philadelphia 610.940.3800 | technion.philadelphia@ats.org ats.org