NOVEMBER 17, 2022 | 23 CHESHVAN 5783 CANDLELIGHTING 5:24 P.M. 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Mazal Tov to Josh Shapiro ’91 and the entire Shapiro family on his election as the Governor of Pennsylvania! 2 NOVEMBER 17, 2022 | JEWISHEXPONENT.COM THIS WEEK Local 5 Penn Hillel to Launch Inaugural Peer Mental Health Partnership With BBYO 6 How Did Local Jewish Candidates Fare in the 2022 Election? 7 Sigd, the Ethiopian Jewish Holiday, Differs Across Generations, Locations Helping to care for the people you love! Opinion 10 Editorials 11 Letters 11 Opinions Featrure Story 16 A Look at Josh Shapiro’s Election Night Victory Party Community 19 Obituaries 23 Synagogue Spotlight 25 Calendar In every issue 4 Weekly Kibbitz 8 Jewish Federation 9 You Should Know 15 Nation Briefs 18 Food & Dining 19 Social Announcements 22 Arts & Culture 24 D’var Torah 27 Last Word 28 Classifieds 215-885-7701 www.slhomecare.com PA State Licensed / All caregivers are bonded and insured Cover: Interfaith Philadelphia Executive Director Abby Stamelman Hocky forges deep interreligious relationships enn Hillel, BBYO partnering for 7 Ethiopian Jewish holiday of 5 P mental health initiative Sigd starts on Nov. 22 look at Josh Shapiro’s 16 A election night victory party JEWISHEXPONENT.COM 3 Weekly Kibbitz Popular Comedian Who Has Been Source of Pride for French Jews Converts to Catholicism “Although, if you ask them what’s going on with me, they’ll probably say ‘he’s working through something at the moment, he’s not exactly 100% with it right now,’ ” said the comedian. He explained his conversion in mystical terms, saying the “Virgin Marie took me under her wing,” adding, “I turned to her gradually, and began asking her to help me, especially before shows.” Elmaleh recalled being afraid to enter a church as a child growing up in his native Casablanca. He moved with his parents to Canada when he was 17 and from there to Paris in the 1990s. “It was completely forbidden. My dad told me: You see this building? You do not enter there,” he said. Elmaleh, who had lived in the United States for several years until returning recently to France, was voted the “funniest man of the year” in 2007 by viewers of the TF1 television channel. His mother has been less understanding when he fi rst told her about his change of faith. “She told me: ‘You’re changing a God, so you may as well change parents,’ ” he recalled from a con- versation that made its way also into the screen- Gad Elmaleh is shown at the Angouleme French- Speaking Film Festival in Angouleme, France, on Aug. 27. play and the fi lm. Those words “were very violent, they hit me very hard,” acknowledged Elmaleh. “But here’s the thing, which I also explained to her: I’m not changing Gods. I still believe in the same God.” Reactions to his announcement were mixed. Some fans, including Jews, on Twitter congratu- lated him on following bravely and fully a spiritual journey, while others berated him. “This is no doubt a joke,” wrote Pierre-Ange Zalcberg, a lawyer for an association promoting blood donations in France, on Twitter. Alain Jakubowicz, the previous president of the LICRA anti-racism group, who is Jewish, expressed his confusion in the form of a question. “How to make a successful fi lm out of a personal journey?” he tweeted about Elmaleh’s conversion. — Cnaan Liphshiz PLAN AHEAD FOR peace of mind. W H E N YO U M A K E YO U R F I N A L A R R A N G E M E N TS I N A DVA N 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 HUNTINGDON VALLEY TREVOSE 215-673-5800 215-673-7500 Memorial Park Memorial Park > DignityPennsylvania.com < 4 NOVEMBER 17, 2022 | JEWISHEXPONENT.COM Sylvain Lefevre/WireImage/Getty Images G ad Elmaleh has been one of the most famous Jews in France’s entertainment industry in the past two decades. The son of Moroccan immigrants, who has often referenced his Jewish identity in his wildly successful sketches, has been nominated for a Cesar award, the French equivalent of an Oscar, and he has crossed over into the American comedy landscape. He made further headlines for having a child with the daugh- ter of a princess from Monaco. In a country with high rates of antisemitism, his success was a source of pride and comfort for French Jews. But on Nov. 7, the 51-year-old actor said during a television interview promoting his new auto- biographic fi lm “Reste un Peu” (“Stay a While”) that he is converting to Catholicism. The new fi lm, which is due to premiere in France next week, features Elmaleh’s actual mother and father, Regine and David, portraying themselves. His parents are not too happy about his decision but decided to “support me anyway,” he said on France 2’s “Quelle Epoque” talk show. local Penn Hillel to Launch Inaugural Peer Mental Health Partnership With BBYO SASHA ROGELBERG | STAFF WRITER I t’s no secret that the challenges of an Ivy League college, exacerbated by an ongoing pandemic, have brought a host of mental health challenges to students. A cluster of student suicides last academic year at the University of Pennsylvania was a turning point for Rabbi Gabe Greenberg, Penn Hillel’s executive director. Every week, about 600-700 students, Jewish and not, walk through Steinhardt Hall, Penn Hillel’s on-campus home; Greenberg saw the space and Jewish community there as the foundation for an intervention. top-down and a bottom-up approach,” Greenberg said. “Th e top-down is having a therapist who could just individually connect with students, and the bottom-up is empowering students to bring this out to their friends and communities in a real grassroots way.” BBYO-CAW’s fi rst training for Hillel leadership will take place this spring, with a second training scheduled for the fall of next academic year. Forty students are expected to complete the training. Founded in 2019, BBYO-CAW, part of the larger BBYO Jewish teen movement, has worked with youth-serving organiza- tions across the country to provide policy Courtesy of Penn Hillel Penn Hillel and BBYO Center for Adolescent Wellness’ peer mental health partnership will train 40 students in its pilot year. On Oct. 25, Penn Hillel announced a partnership with BBYO Center for Adolescent Wellness “poised to train students at the University of Pennsylvania to be prepared to support the mental health needs of their peers,” according to a press release. In addition to hiring a culturally competent therapist to provide coun- seling to students in Steinhardt Hall, Greenberg plans to work with BBYO- CAW to develop a curriculum geared toward Hillel leadership, who will be trained to provide resources and sup- port for peers experiencing mental health challenges. “Th e biggest picture for how we’re doing this is trying to approach it from both a and procedure change and support to promote mental health awareness and advocacy. Th e center’s partnership with Penn will be its fi rst time working with a college or Hillel. According to BBYO-CAW, 60% of stu- dents are living with a mental health dis- order, and about half of young adults have reported an increase in stress, anxiety and depression since the pandemic’s onset. “In the post-pandemic world, we’re see- ing increasing controlling behaviors, so we’re seeing a lot of disordered eating, a lot of substance use disorders, a lot of nonsuicidal self-harming behaviors,” BBYO-CAW Director Drew Fidler said. “A lot of that is about control and trying to take control back from places in their lives where things are out of control.” Greenberg added that attending a high- ly-ranked school such as Penn mounts additional pressure on students. “Th ere’s a high degree of competition and focus on achievement, and that leads pretty directly to high degrees of anxiety and worry,” he said. Student leadership at Penn Hillel knows this fi rsthand. Th e incoming Hillel lead- ership team has navigated COVID for the entirety of its time at college. “COVID has had a huge mental impact, not just in the ways that you would expect of isolation, feeling alone, but also, these trickle-down impacts,” said Lilah Katz, a junior and co-student president of Penn Hillel. See Hillel, Page 31 The Time is Now Outside, our beautiful campus offers the best of suburban living amidst stunning architecture and manicured landscapes. Inside, safety, comfort and all the necessary services await, so you can live worry-free today and in the future. Masonic Village includes exceptional amenities, distinct dining options, friendly neighbors and welcoming staff ready to accommodate your lifestyle. CALL TODAY FOR MORE INFORMATION 484-534-2087 801 Ridge Pike, Lafayette Hill, PA | MasonicVillageLafayetteHill.org | Open for Everyone JEWISHEXPONENT.COM 5 local How Did Local Jewish Candidates Fare in the 2022 Election? JARRAD SAFFREN | STAFF WRITER Wild, the Democrat, was running for her third term aft er beating Scheller, the Republican, by about 14,000 votes in 2020. And Wild, who converted to Judaism during her son’s bar mitzvah process, beat her rival again. With 98% of the vote counted, the contest has been called for the incum- bent. But with red Carbon County in PA-7 this year, it looks like Wild will beat Scheller by even less this time. Wild leads by 1.6% and fewer than 5,000 votes. “Pennsylvania’s 7th congressional district is a truly special place and the only place I have ever called home,” Wild said in a campaign email aft er her victory. “It has been the honor of a lifetime to serve as your representative, and even more of an honor to earn your trust to continue that service.” Santarsiero and Pinsley Santarsiero, who served four terms in the state House from 2009 to 2017, got elected to the Senate from the state’s 10th district in 2018 and now reelected in 2022. Th e Democrat received 6 Ben Waxman, second from left, campaigns in Philadelphia. more than 76,000 votes compared to a little over 54,000 for his oppo- nent, Republican Matt McCullough. Santarsiero fi nished with more than 58% of the vote. Pinsley fell to Republican Jarrett Coleman in the 16th Senate district. Th e Lehigh County-heavy territory, which also includes parts of Bucks, was gerrymandered by Republicans to exclude most of Allentown, the Lehigh County seat. In Allentown’s 2021 mayoral election, Democrat Matthew Tuerk received almost two-thirds of the vote. So, the gerrymandering made it diffi cult for Pinsley to win. But the controller of Lehigh County doesn’t regret his attempt. “I would totally do it again. I met so many people. It’s just so interesting to see the diff erent communities,” he said. Next year, he will do it again, in a way. Pinsley is planning on running for reelection to his controller seat. Th e businessman was not involved in politics before 2016 but became moti- vated by that year’s Republican pres- idential candidate, Donald Trump. He didn’t like Trump’s rhetoric about Mexicans and Muslims. And once you get involved in politics, Pinsley said, “all of a sudden you see a lot of injus- tice.” He said the experience reminded him of the importance of his favorite NOVEMBER 17, 2022 | JEWISHEXPONENT.COM Jewish value, tikkun olam, or repairing the world. “You really do feel like we need to repair the world,” he added. Waxman, Breyman and Stoltz For Waxman, who was running in the Center City-based 182nd district, there was little doubt that he would win. Philadelphia is more than 80% blue. Th e question was how many people would turn out, and the answer was a respectable amount. Waxman, a Temple Beth Zion-Beth Israel member, received more than 26,000 votes in an election in which the total turnout, more than 29,000, topped 50%. Th e party activist and former com- munications staff er for Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner was excited to see Shapiro and John Fetterman, the Democratic candidate for Pennsylvania’s U.S. Senate seat, win as well. “It was a really good day for Democrats,” he said. And that really good day should help protect the right to an abortion that was overturned by the Supreme Court earlier this year, according to Waxman. “People want to make sure that Roe v. Wade is protected and codifi ed in state law, and we have that now in the governor,” he said. Pennsylvania state Senate candidate Mark Pinsley Breyman and Stoltz, running in pur- ple Bucks County, did not fare as well as Waxman did in blue Center City. Breyman fell by more than 4,000 votes in PA-178, while Stoltz lost by less than 3,000 in PA-143. Like Pinsley, though, Breyman enjoyed the experience. “I got out in my community and talked to thousands upon thousands of people. I walked probably every street here,” he said. “Bucks County is beauti- ful, and our district is beautiful, and it was great to be able to see it.” JE jsaff ren@midatlanticmedia.com Courtesy of Mark Pinsley Wild versus Scheller Courtesy of Ben Waxman P ennsylvania Gov.-Elect Josh Shapiro was not the only Jewish candidate to run in the Greater Philadelphia area in the 2022 election: Several Jewish locals ran for the United States Congress and the Pennsylvania General Assembly, too. Two Jewish women, Susan Wild and Lisa Scheller, competed against each other for the U.S. House of Representatives seat from PA-7, which covers the Lehigh Valley. Two Jewish Democrats, Steve Santarsiero, a Congregation Kol Emet member in Yardley, and Mark Pinsley, campaigned for state Senate offi ces representing Bucks and Lehigh counties, respec- tively. And three Jewish Democrats, Ben Waxman, Ilya Breyman and Gwen Stoltz, tried to win state House seats in Center City, lower Bucks County and central/upper Bucks County. Here’s how they did. local Sigd, the Ethiopian Jewish Holiday, Diff ers Across Generations, Locations SASHA ROGELBERG | STAFF WRITER Courtesy of Penn Hillel Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons F or many Jews, the evening of Nov. 22 is just a quiet Tuesday night, but for Ethiopian Jews in Israel and the Diaspora, Nov. 22 is the beginning of Sigd, a pilgrimage holiday holy to the Beta Israel community. Celebrated 50 days aft er Yom Kippur on the 29th day of Cheshvan, Sigd is the commemoration of the day God was revealed to Moses and means “worship” or “prostration” in the Ethiopian liturgi- cal language of Ge’ez, according to My Jewish Learning. Living in isolation from other Jewish communities, Ethiopian Jews observe Sigd as a longing to visit Israel and the Temple. However, from the 1970s to the early 2000s, following a coup d’etat in Ethiopia, Israel began airlift ing Ethiopian Jews to Israel. As of 2021, more than 160,000 Ethiopian Jews live in Israel, according to the Israel Central Bureau of Statistics. With more Beta Israel living in their promised land or immigrating to the United States, the holiday of Sigd, once representing a yearning of a singular, isolated people, has come to be celebrated in a multitude of ways, largely depending on the age and location of the person celebrating. Th ough the holiday’s origins are unclear — there’s some documentation to suggest it began in the sixth century following a Jewish-Christian war and other accounts dating to a religious war in the 1400s, according to the Museum of the Jewish People — Sigd is typically celebrated with prayers, fasting and an evening break fast. In Ethiopia, Jews don white and ascend a mountain, symbolizing a similar ascent of the Israelites up Mount Sinai. Th is tradition is one of the few memories Sigal Kanotopsky, Lower Merion resident and Northeast regional director for the Jewish Agency for Israel, has of her home country before she arrived in Israel at age 5. “If Yom Kippur is about individual aspects or focused on individuals, then Mari Beza is an Ethiopian Jew and Israel fellow at Penn Hillel. [Sigd] is a communal Yom Kippur,” Kanotopsky said. “Meaning, you com- bine eff orts, community eff orts, with a day of purity, prayers and yearning and longing to our desire for Zion and to really unite with our brothers and sisters in Jerusalem.” As a child, the yearning Kanotopsky and her family felt to arrive in Jerusalem was literal. Today, however, for many Beta Israel in Israel, the holiday has taken on a more metaphorical signifi cance. “In a way, while our dream of getting to the geographical Jerusalem and the physical Jerusalem came true, I think we are still in the process, and we have a great [amount] to do to get to the con- ceptual Jerusalem of living in a healthy and reformed society that is accepting of everyone, and everyone has his or her own place in the mosaic in society or in world Jewry.” Israel began recognizing Sigd as a national holiday in 2008 aft er decades of only tenuously accepting the infl ux of Ethiopian refugees. National acknowl- edgment of Sigd represented a step in embracing Beta Israel and marked a shift in the tone of the holiday. Mari Beza, University of Pennsylvania Hillel’s Israel fellow, has spent 22 of her An Ethiopian Jewish Kes, or high priest, celebrating Sigd in Israel Meet BL A IR SEITZ Photojournalist HE’S CALLED SIMPSON HOUSE HOME SINCE 2021 Blair is a Dillsburg, Pennsylvania native turned globe-trotting photojournalist who spent a decade in Africa and Asia. He has published images in National Geographic Traveler, The New York Times Magazine, and the Pennsylvania’s Cultural and Natural Heritage books. Having lived around the world and having spent the last several years as part of a multicultural alliance in Reading, he loves the diversity at Simpson and the friendliness of the staff and residents. “We’re a family here,” Blair says. Call us today at 267-550-7680, or visit SimpsonHouse.org/JE-BS2 to see for yourself why Blair and so many other creative, well-traveled people choose Simpson House for retirement living. 2101 Belmont Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19131 SimpsonHouse.org/JE-BS2 • 267-550-7680 See Sigd, Page 31 JEWISHEXPONENT.COM 7 COMMUNITY NEWS The Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia mobilizes financial and volunteer resources to address the communities’ most critical priorities locally, in Israel and around the world. ost people use DoorDash to order including the infl ux of Ukrainian refugees, forgotten lunches, last-minute din- who are now settling in the Northeast and ners or late-night cookies. require food assistance. Th is year, the food delivery company “With the growing need of these refugees, is teaming up with the Jewish Federation our social workers will be able to have a fur- of Greater Philadelphia’s Mitzvah Food ther reach in these impoverished communities Program to serve up something diff erent: while DoorDash provides the means to deliver Th anksgiving meals for those in need. these much-needed food supplies,” Drukier As part of an ongoing partnership, the two said. organizations are ensuring that everyone is Th e current increase in need comes off the able to have a table fi lled with nutritious food heels of last year, when 1,060,742 pounds of for the holidays and all year long. nutritious, kosher food was distributed to “With nearly a third of our city’s popula- 6,530 clients. tion experiencing food insecurity in 2021, it Unlike many food relief agencies, the is our mission to expand our reach to help Mitzvah Food Program’s clients are able to alleviate the issues facing this most basic choose from fresh and frozen groceries as well human need,” explained Whitney Drukier, as non-perishable goods. Th is choice-based Mitzvah Food Program operations manager. structure uses a point system that incentivizes “Partnerships like the DoorDash deliveries clients to select more nutritious items when help our clients by getting to these communi- placing their orders. ties as quickly as we can.” Aside from providing food, the Mitzvah Fueling this relationship, DoorDash pro- Food Program hopes to make a greater impact vided the Mitzvah Food Program with an by off ering increased social services to its initial one-year, in-kind donation of $100,000 clientele. In a holistic approach to hunger, in services. Th e initiative offi cially began the staff helps clients apply for Supplemental on April 25 and has already made 1,126 Nutrition Assistance Program, also known deliveries, totaling more than 22,520 pounds as SNAP, benefi ts, and sign up for other food A volunteer from Mitzvah Food Program’s Thanksgiving meal of food. insecurity programs, like JRA and KleinLife’s distribution in 2021. The Jewish Federation’s Mitzvah Food Program began a partnership with DoorDash earlier in 2022 Th e ability to deliver groceries addresses Meals on Wheels. Since many of the clients to help make deliveries, including holiday packages, to food- two key barriers for people experiencing are Russian immigrants, the program employs insecure individuals and families. food insecurity: transportation and privacy. two Russian-speaking social workers at the DoorDash deliveries are discreetly made Northeast pantry to off er additional support. within a 10-mile radius of two of the Mitzvah Food Program’s four pantries: Twenty-six years aft er its inception, the Mitzvah Food Program has upheld its the Main Line location at the JFCS – Barbara and Harvey Brodsky Enrichment commitment to helping all who are hungry, regardless of race, religion or fi nan- Center and the Northeast location at the KleinLife building. cial background. Now, with the help of DoorDash, the longstanding program will “We are honored to partner with the Mitzvah Food Program to broaden food be able to expand its goal of relieving food insecurity and creating the opportu- access,” said Kelly Jones, DoorDash Drive director of government and nonprofi t. nity for clients to focus on other aspects of their lives. “Local delivery has helped support food pantries’ provision of food and other “Relieving the worries of our food supply means we can focus on regaining our essentials while emphasizing convenience and dignity to meet the need in a long- physical strengths,” said Jean and Jason Lovell, clients of the Main Line pantry term, sustainable way.” who receive Mitzvah Food Program deliveries twice a month from DoorDash. Th is partnership proved to be especially needed during the summer, a time of “We now have the freedom to join the senior center and participate in the activ- year when volunteering is traditionally at its lowest. In lieu of volunteer drivers, ities off ered there. We’re extremely grateful to the Mitzvah Food Program for its DoorDash was able to step in and deliver an average of 175 parcels per month continuous contributions and compassion.” from May to August. While volunteer engagement is expected to rise during the winter holidays, *** DoorDash’s aid will remain an essential resource for the Mitzvah Food Program For more information about the Mitzvah Food Program, visit jewishphilly. through the colder months ahead. Th is is due to the program’s increase in clients, org/mfp, email mitzvahfoodprogram@jewishphilly.org or call 215-832-0509. 8 NOVEMBER 17, 2022 | JEWISHEXPONENT.COM Courtesy of Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia M The Jewish Federation’s Mitzvah Food Program Partners With DoorDash YOU SHOULD KNOW ... Rabbi Ezra Cohen Photo by Nachi Troodler I n August, the Jewish Exponent’s weekly Synagogue Spotlight section focused on Lower Merion Synagogue, the Orthodox shul where congregants walk to Shabbat services. The article focused on how the community that started in 1954 with five families never stopped growing over the decades. Today, it has more than 450 households and is the largest Orthodox synagogue in Pennsylvania. The article also mentioned that the continued growth required LMS to hire its first-ever assistant rabbi. It just did not include that new rabbi’s name. He’s Ezra Cohen, and he’s excited to introduce himself to the wider Jewish community in the Philadelphia area. Cohen, 27, lives in Merion Station near the shul and works under Rabbi Avraham J. Shmidman, LMS’ spiritual leader. The assistant rabbi started in July after accepting the offer and moving from New York City with his wife Tova. Cohen grew up in New Rochelle, a sub- urb of NYC, and attended Yeshiva University in the city. This is his first job out of rabbinical school. “I thought it was a community I wanted to work at,” he said. “It’s definitely great to have a new world to explore,” Cohen added of the Philadelphia area. “I am enjoying the weather that’s warmer by about 2 degrees every day.” The young rabbi chose LMS because it checked out both on paper and off, as he put it. On paper, the synagogue wanted a rabbi who would get out there and interact with people; and Cohen likes to do that in general, not just in his professional life. The shul also wanted a young leader whose religious philosophy aligned with its denomination; Cohen, for his part, believes in interpreting Jewish law as it’s been interpreted throughout his- tory. And lastly, LMS wanted a rabbi who could teach and help expand its educational programming; the 27-year- old is already working on a new ini- tiative to bring classes into people’s homes. While those qualities were evident to Cohen during the interview process, he would not have taken the job if it didn’t feel right. So when he came for his Shabbat visit in March, he tried to determine if the Main Line syna- gogue could become his home, he said. And during services, meals and con- versations, he felt a “warmth” from the congregants in attendance. They were excited about the Cohens’ visit. “We found people we wanted to be with and people who wanted to be with us,” he said. Cohen did not accept his offer with a promise of replacing Shmidman down the line. The head rabbi started at LMS in 2008 and is still in his prime, according to his new protégé. So, for the younger rabbi, the job was a place to start, learn and grow. And he is doing all three so far. Cohen said his job description is “very long.” He is handling sermons and teaching classes, including a fam- ily learning course after Shabbat every Saturday night. He is making himself available for congregants’ life cycle events and for their questions about Jewish law. He’s also just trying to meet and speak with as many people as possible. “There’s something exciting about it,” the young rabbi said. “There’s a lot of potential.” Ezra and Tova Cohen have been married for a little over a year and do not yet have kids. She is still in nursing school at Columbia University and commuting to New York City once or twice a week. The husband and wife are young and figuring it out. And outside of his job, they are not tied or settled down. Cohen said they will probably have a conversation about their long-term future in 6-10 months. But the young rabbi is already doing what he wants to do. He grew up in an Orthodox household and was always committed to studying Talmud. Then as a freshman at Brandeis University in Massachusetts, he kept coming back to psychology and Judaic studies as possible majors. “I said, ‘What is it about them?’ I thought about it and realized they were just a proxy for the two things I loved most: the Torah and people,” Cohen explained. “I want to engage and inter- act with Torah in a serious way. I want to engage and interact with people in a serious way. I said, ‘I guess I want to be a rabbi.’ And I never looked back.” That was in 2015, and Cohen’s love for both has only grown, he said. “I think Torah is very deep and the more you poke and prod, the deeper you realize it is,” Cohen added. “And I’m increasingly mesmerized by it.” JE jsaffren@midatlanticmedia.com JEWISHEXPONENT.COM 9 editorials Lessons From the Midterm Elections I t wasn’t Armageddon. And it wasn’t a red tsunami, either. Last Tuesday’s election results reflected a thoughtful yet divided electorate focused on issues and candidate quality. In a historic departure from midterms shellacking the incumbent president’s party over the past several decades, Democrats took a hit but were not knocked out. In January, Americans will return to divided government but just barely. At a time when President Joe Biden’s pop- ularity is low, inflation is high, and crime and immigration issues worry voters, it was expected that a Republican wave would grab decisive control of the House and a shift in control of the Senate. But that didn’t happen. Instead, when all the votes are counted, Democrats will control the White House and the Senate, and Republicans will have a small major- ity in the House. That’s not a bad thing. Whether it translates into gridlock or a new focus on the importance of legislating from the center, it will be up to the men and women who have been elected to begin to move forward. Efforts to reach consensus will be particularly important for Republican pragmatists who may otherwise be stymied by their party’s hard-right wing, known as the Freedom Caucus — a group of House members who are elections deniers, and bent on chaos and the destruction of those they consider the enemy. Now, with only razor-thin majorities in both houses of Congress, neither party will be able to govern from the fringes. Negotiation and some degree of compromise will likely be the only way to get things done. There will, of course, be investigations of the Biden family and efforts to impeach the president. But most of that will be background noise as more serious efforts to run the country and serve the American people will require careful legislative nav- igation and execution. And if Republicans insist on squandering valuable time on wasteful activity, they will likely face further voter rejection — particularly from independents — in the next round. There is another significant takeaway from last week’s results. When Donald Trump was president, he promised his followers so many victories that they’d get tired of winning. But saying that didn’t make it so. And it hasn’t happened. Republicans lost the House in the midterm election in 2018. Trump lost the presidency in 2020. His Republican Party lost control of the Senate in 2021. And last Tuesday showed Trump losing significant trac- tion with voters as many of his hand-picked candidates were rejected. At the same time, Trump’s nemesis in Georgia, Brian Kemp, was handily re-elected governor, while Trump-picked, scandal-ridden Senate candidate Herschel Walker has been forced into a runoff in a largely red state. An increasing segment of the GOP is finally beginning to recognize that Donald Trump is a drag on the party. His narcissism and reflexive bad judgment single-handedly cost Republicans control of the Senate in last year’s Georgia elec- tions and again this year. As many have observed, elements of the electorate may support Trumpism, but they have had enough of Trump himself. There are alternatives. JE L ast week, the Anti-Defamation League announced that it was opening a new front in the war against antisemitism through its “acquisition” of an organization called JLens — a Jewish values- based investor network that promotes socially responsible investing while aggressively advocating for Israel. Through its JLens affiliation, ADL — the veteran Jewish defense agency, known best for its leading role in fighting antisemitism worldwide — plans to join in efforts to fight the boycott, divestment and sanctions movement against Israel (and con- tinue with its efforts to combat antisemitism) from the board rooms of corporations in which JLens- associated funds have been invested. JLens was established in 2012. It advises Jewish donors and organizations on values-based investment opportunities and impact investing — an approach that considers environmental and social factors along with a focus on financial returns. More than 30 North American Jewish Institutions have invested nearly $200 million in JLens’ Jewish Advocacy Strategy, an investment option that advocates with companies for 10 NOVEMBER 17, 2022 | JEWISHEXPONENT.COM Jewish communal concerns. JLens has been at the forefront of exposing BDS practices within the growing impact investing and socially responsible investing fields. And it has monitored anti-Israel bias in actions by corpora- tions and companies that rate them. It was JLens that helped lead the inquiry into the multibil- lion-dollar financial-services company Morningstar, which was accused of prejudice in its ratings against Israeli companies, particularly through one of its subsidiaries, Sustainalytics. The JLens allegation was picked up by a number of national Jewish organizations, including ADL and Jewish Federations of North America, which joined in discussion and negotiation with Morningstar that led to its announcement earlier this month that it will take a number of substantive steps to address numerous aspects of anti-Israel bias in its ratings process. The affiliation between ADL and JLens promises to be a win-win combination. The ADL connection will help enhance JLens’ stature through the added credibility of ADL’s anti-bias reputation. And JLens will afford ADL access to high-level executives and members of the board at some of the largest companies in the world in order to address BDS and antisemitism concerns. Although ADL has been involved in pressuring corporations like Facebook, Unilever and others to address antisemitic activity within their compa- nies, it has done so from the outside. Now, through JLens, ADL hopes to be afforded the opportunity to advocate from within. And given JLens’ experience in the space, it can help ADL refine its approach to corporate advocacy. The recent decision by Adidas to separate from Kanye West after his repeated antisemitic com- ments highlights the potential value of the ADL- JLens affiliation. Although Adidas ultimately cut its ties with West, the move took a lot of time. With increased corporate boardroom access through JLens, it is very possible that the disengagement process with West could have been accomplished a lot sooner. We welcome the ADL-JLens affiliation and wish their combined efforts much success. JE PEXELS.com ADL Strengthens Corporate Advocacy opinions & letters Which Bibi Will We Get? BY DAN SCHNUR T wo weeks ago in this space, we asked the then-seminal question, “To Bibi or Not to Bibi?” Now we turn to an even more complicated query: “Which Bibi?” Now that Netanyahu has claimed a decisive victory in the most recent Israeli elections, spec- ulation turns to what type of government he will form. Given his alliance with a bloc of religious and far-right parties that was necessary to achieve a majority in the Knesset, most observers assume that the once and future prime minister will turn over key cabinet positions to the leaders of those partners and give them great leeway in fashioning his government’s policy agenda. Netanyahu has always been careful not to allow himself to be outflanked to his right, and with polling that shows the Israeli electorate continuing to move in that direction, his most obvious next step would be to cement those relationships. surely recognizes that a unity government could either exclude the religious bloc altogether or at least limit their power within the govern- ment. Their most extremist demands would be less likely to sway Netanyahu if he knows he is not completely reliant on their votes to remain in office. The question is what Netanyahu could offer Gantz and Sa’ar and their followers in exchange for their support, given their strong disapproval of his efforts to avoid judicial consequences for his past actions. But the additional sweetener of limiting the RZP’s influence on Israeli society, combined with significant policy concessions and political opportunities for the two men themselves, could create an opportunity for an implausible but mutu- ally beneficial partnership. The fork in the road for Netanyahu is not nearly as dramatic as choosing between left and right. For all practical purposes, with the failure of the Meretz Party to win any seats in the new Knesset and the near-irrelevance of the once-powerful Netanyahu will ultimately make his decision based on whether his long-term aspirations outweigh his more immediate needs. But Bibi has been here plenty of times before. He knows that a government held hostage by the Religious Zionist Party would not be a particularly pleasant experience for him. It would be enough to allow him to escape his legal difficulties — and that might be all he needs or wants — but Israeli voters have moved rightward primarily as a reaction to the war with Hamas last year and the subsequent upsurge in terrorism. It’s not clear whether a voting majority is on board with some of RZP’s other goals, and so it’s entirely possible that Netanyahu will look elsewhere when forming his governing coalition. This is where Netanyahu’s former allies Benny Gantz and Gideon Sa’ar may come back into the picture. Both Gantz and Sa’ar parted ways with Netanyahu, not over policy differences but because of his legal troubles. They have already announced that their National Unity Party will stand in opposition to Netanyahu’s anticipated alliance with the religious parties. But Netanyahu Labor Party, there is no meaningful political left remaining in Israel. So the choice for Bibi is between center-right and far-right. While the religious parties have brought him to this position, their goals may not reflect the thinking of the broader Israeli public. Centrists like Gantz, Sa’ar, Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid may not inspire as much passion from their supporters as Itamar Ben-Gvir and his RZP colleagues, but they might offer Netanyahu stability that would be helpful to him going forward. Netanyahu knows that he can still inspire, but the centrist establish- ment offers him a sustainability that he might not be able to achieve without them. Netanyahu will ultimately make his decision based on whether his long-term aspirations out- weigh his more immediate needs. He is already Israel’s longest-serving prime minister but has yet to achieve the iconic status of some of his pre- decessors. Part of him is very concerned with his legacy, and he wants to be remembered as Israel’s greatest leader rather than a polarizing figure. But he also wants to avoid a conviction and stay out of jail. This means the history books might have to wait. JE Dan Schnur is a professor at the University of California-Berkeley, USC and Pepperdine. This article was originally published by the Jewish Journal. letters Ben-Gvir’s Words Seem Suspect I read with interest the op-ed piece by Itamar Ben- Gvir (“My Brethren on the Left, Give Me a Chance,” Nov. 10) proclaiming his moderation and asking his “brethren” to give him a “chance.” Interestingly, the piece was published on the same day that Ben-Gvir praised the late Rabbi Meir Kahane at a memorial service — praise that led State Department spokesman Ned Price to call Ben-Gvir’s actions “abhorrent.” I hope the Exponent follows up on the story. Maynard Seider, Philadelphia Afraid for the Future When I read the columns from Jonathan Tobin (“US Panic Surrounding Israel’s Next Government Is About Politics, Not Values,” Nov. 10) and Itamar Ben Gvir (“My Brethren on the Left, Give Me a Chance,” Nov. 10), as well as the accompanying edi- torial about the Israeli election (A Clear Victory for Israel’s Right,” Nov. 10), all I could think was that this is exactly what I am afraid of from the next Israeli government. Tobin’s column and the editorial in particular were a complete dismissal of any Jew who does not buy into the Netanyahu coalition’s vision of what a true Jew is. Surprisingly, the most honest column was from Itamar Ben-Gvir himself, even though his long history of violent rhetoric speaks for itself. However, he will most likely be a minister of the government soon, so to hear from him directly had some value. That said, his vision of a Judaism based in supremacy over others is still pretty awful. JE Len Zangwill, Glenside Letters should be related to articles that have run in the print or online editions of the JE, and may be edited for space and clarity prior to publication. Please include your first and last name, as well your town/neighborhood of residence. Send letters to letters@jewishexponent.com. JEWISHEXPONENT.COM 11 opinion Don’t Get Hysterical Over Israel’s Election BY MITCHELL BARD N ew York Times columnist Thomas Friedman has predictably described the results of Israel’s Nov. 1 election in apocalyptic terms. Of course, any government that does not share his views is anathema. The same goes for many other critics. The doomsayers predicting the demise of U.S.-Israel relations are crying wolf. Israel demonstrated again that it has a super-democracy that Americans and Jews should be proud of. Instead of being limited to choosing between two parties, Israelis had a choice of 40, giving them a better opportunity to be represented. While his supporters crown Benjamin Netanyahu king and the media interprets the election outcome as a great victory for the comeback senior, few analysts have noted that only 23% of Israelis voted for him. Netanyahu is unpopular, but he won because his rivals are even less popular. Netanyahu did not do well even by Likud stan- dards, winning fewer seats than his predecessors. His bloc picked up 64 seats, but this was no land- slide either. Analyst Yossi Alpher has noted that the incoming coalition received barely 30,000 more votes than the outgoing one. However, a win is a win, and Netanyahu will hold power. The election did show Israel’s continuing shift to the right. This began with the failure of Oslo and was cemented by the disengagement from Gaza. Israelis have no interest in compromising with peo- ple they view as a mortal threat, whether they are radicalized Israeli Arabs, Palestinians, Hezbollah or Iran. After decades of Palestinian intransigence, the Palestinians’ rejection of multiple opportunities for a state and incessant terror, it is unsurprising that the “Palestinian issue” was a non-issue in the last five elections and the left has become irrelevant. The dovish once-dominant Labor Party won just four seats and Meretz none. The most disturbing result for many Jews was the success of the far-right Religious Zionist Party. It was embraced by only 10% of the electorate, but still became the third-largest party in the Knesset. Though it has been taken for granted that party leaders Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich will be given ministries and wreak havoc on Israel’s democracy, Netanyahu has already signaled that he will not let them dictate policy. Theoretically, they 12 NOVEMBER 17, 2022 | JEWISHEXPONENT.COM could threaten to bring down the coalition, but that would mean giving up their newly-won influence. It is also possible that Benny Gantz will decide it is better to be in the government, keep Ben-Gvir and Smotrich out and give Netanyahu an opportunity to avoid the headaches they would cause. However, the main reason not to get hysterical is that Netanyahu is a known quantity. He will con- duct himself as he has in the past. Netanyahu has successfully steered the econ- omy, kept Israel out of war (though he wanted to attack Iran) and is familiar to world leaders. He will have to make the usual concessions to the reli- gious parties on the budget, education, the draft, the Western Wall and Shabbat, but his domestic approach to security will not change dramatically, no matter what Ben-Gvir and Smotrich want. His first, second and third priorities remain Iran. The only question is whether he can convince the defense establishment to pull the trigger if Iran gets closer to building a nuclear weapon and the United States fails to act. Without U.S. approval, which Israel is unlikely to get, an attack on Iran would upset the Biden administration, but the intensity of its ire would depend on the success of the operation and Iran’s reaction. Remember, President Ronald Reagan was furious over Israel’s attack on Iraq’s nuclear reactor, but the relationship survived and America’s security was enhanced. Unlike the hostility that marred relations during President Barack Obama’s presidency, Joe Biden and Netanyahu have gotten along in the past and understand where they disagree. In his congratu- latory phone call to Netanyahu, Biden “reaffirmed the strength of the U.S.-Israel bilateral partnership, based on a bedrock of shared democratic values and mutual interests, and underscored his unwavering support for Israel’s security.” Biden recognizes that the peace process with the Palestinians is moribund and hasn’t wasted time or political capital on it. The focus will be on expanding the Abraham Accords. This is Netanyahu’s priority after helping to drive the normalization of ties with Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates. Though it is still a long shot given the current state of U.S.- Saudi relations, the hope is that the Saudis will join the Accords. We know Netanyahu met secretly with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in 2020, and they share concerns about Iranian ambitions. Congress will also remain solidly behind Israel. With Republicans likely to control the House, Israel can count on continued mili- tary assistance and greater scrutiny of aid for the Palestinians. The Senate will remain reliable no matter who has the majority. Neither party wants to alienate pro-Israel voters as they gear up for 2024. Inevitably, there will be disagreements over set- tlements, Israel-China relations and policies toward the Palestinians, but none are new or consequen- tial enough to weaken the relationship. Most American Jews are not going to turn on Israel. The same disputes over pluralism will remain, but the outgoing government did not resolve them either, despite its pledge to do so. If the Religious Zionists are in the government, their rhetoric will cause tsouris, but it will not cause American campuses to grow more anti-Israel than they already are. Israel didn’t get any credit for hav- ing an Islamist Arab party in the last government and can do nothing to assuage the hostility of its detractors on and off campus. Israel’s existence, not its policies, is the root of their hatred. If the new Israeli government adopts policies that are viewed as anti-democratic, it will be just one more thing to kvetch about. Elections have consequences, and if you don’t like the results, make aliyah and participate in the political process rather than throw bricks from afar. Some American Jews will always focus on its flaws, but true lovers of Israel, unlike the Thomas Friedmans of the world, do not turn on the country because they have disagreements. JE Mitchell Bard is a foreign policy analyst and an authority on U.S.-Israel relations who has written and edited 22 books, including “The Arab Lobby, Death to the Infidels: Radical Islam’s War Against the Jews” and “After Anatevka: Tevye in Palestine.” opinion What I Learned About Antisemitism From Jewish Civil War Soldiers BY ADAM MENDELSOHN M ax Glass, a recent immigrant from Hungary, had an unhappy Civil War. Tricked out of his enlistment bonus when he joined the Eighth Connecticut Infantry — recent arrivals were soft touches for scam artists — Glass was then “abused for reason [sic] that I never understand” by men in his regiment. “It may have been,” he speculated, “becaus I did not make them my companions in drinking, or as I am a Jew. If I went in the street or any wher I was called Jew. Christh Killer & such names. I also had stones, dirt thrown at me.” He complained to his commanding officer, beg- ging to be transferred, because “no man that had feeling could stand such treatment,” but to no avail. Finally, Glass fled his regiment, hoping to receive better treatment if he enlisted in the Navy. Instead he was tried as a deserter and sen- tenced to hard labor. Glass was not the only Jewish soldier to be cru- elly mistreated when serving in the Union Army. But as the new Shapell Roster of Jewish Service in the Civil War demonstrates, his experience was far from typical. I explored the Shapell Roster while working on my new book, on the experience of Jewish sol- diers in the Union army. What I learned from the vast collection of documents and data was that indifference, benign curiosity and comradeship appear to have been much more common than conflict for the majority of Jewish soldiers in the Union army. For every Max Glass there was a Louis Gratz. Born in Posen, Prussia, Gratz scraped by as a ped- dler before the war. Enlisting in April 1861 — just days after the war started — he took to military life. By August he had become an officer. As he proudly wrote to his family, I have now become a respected man in a respected position, one filled by very few Jews. I have been sent by my general to enlist new recruits so I am today in Scranton, a city in Pennsylvania only twenty miles from Carbondale, where I had peddled before. Before this no one paid any attention to me here; now I move in the best and richest circles and am treated with utmost consideration by Jews and Christians. In contrast to Max Glass, his letters whisper not a word about prejudice. As my new book on the experience of Jewish soldiers in the Union army demonstrates, Gratz’s experience was not unusual. Max Glass ultimately escaped his sorry start in the army through the intercession of General Benjamin Butler. After reading Glass’ tale of woe, the general pardoned the hapless Hungarian. In doing so, Butler seemingly followed Abraham Lincoln’s lead when confronted by antisemitism within the Union army. The president, after all, had quickly countermanded Ulysses S. Grant’s General Orders Number 11 expelling Jews from the districts under his command, the “most notori- ous anti-Jewish official order in American history,” But alas this story does not have a redemptive ending. Beyond the rank and file, Jews felt the sting of prejudice. The damage done in wartime left a legacy of antisemitism that continues to this day. For even as General Butler was pardoning Max Glass, he was locked in a heated public exchange that reveals how wartime warped attitudes toward Jews. The imbroglio began when Butler took spe- cial note of the fact that a small group of smug- glers, recently detained by the Union army, were Jewish. When challenged, the combative general refused to apologize. Instead, he countered that deceit and disloyalty were among the defining characteristics of Jews, and that avarice was a par- ticularly Jewish avocation. According to his logic, Jews could never become loyal Americans because they preferred profit to patriotism. An 1877 cartoon from the satirical newspaper Puck illustrates the antisemitic practices of the Grand Union Hotel in Saratoga, New York. The cartoon compares the corrupt gentile clients favored by the hotel, center, with respectable (albeit stereotypical) Jewish figures, including Jesus. (Library of Congress) Butler’s corrosive claims reflected a steady drip of acid on the homefront that began in 1861. In the first year of the war, Jews felt the sting of prejudice as the “shoddy” scandals captured the public imagination. Military contractors were publicly accused of fleecing the army by supplying substandard uniforms and gear, even as soldiers shivered in the field for want of decent clothing. In seeking to explain the profiteering and cor- ruption that attended the rush to war, the press summoned the specter of the venal and disloyal Jew. Cartoonists delighted in identifying Jews as the archetypal cunning contractors, who not only refused to enlist but also actively undermined the war effort. Jews were also imagined as the specu- lators who profited at the expense of the common good and as smugglers who traded with the enemy. Butler, in other words, was drawing on calumnies that became common currency during wartime. The contractor, smuggler, speculator and shirker, however, were more than just figures of scorn. Jews and other “shoddy aristocrats” came to be seen as the creators and beneficiaries of the new economic and social order produced by the war. This “shoddy aristocracy” — whose morals and manners marked them as undesirable, whose profits were ill-gained, and whose power derived from money alone — was imagined to lord it over a new and unjust social heap summoned into being by the chaos and disruption of war. Even as the heated rhetoric of the war years receded after 1865, these ideas remained primed for action. They were returned to service in the Gilded Age. It was no coincidence that the episode tradi- tionally identified as initiating modern antisem- itism in America — the exclusion of Joseph Seligman by Henry Hilton from the Grand Union Hotel in Saratoga Springs on May 31, 1877 — had at its center a man who had made a fortune as a contractor and banker during the Civil War. Seligman, a friend of President Grant, was viewed as an exemplar of the new capitalism that was remaking America. Henry Hilton slandered Seligman as “shoddy— false—squeezing—unmanly,” a social climber who “has to push himself upon the polite.” Hilton drew upon themes familiar from wartime antisemitism: the Jew as speculator who trafficked in credit and debt; the Jew as obsequious ingratiator who attached himself to the powerful; the Jew as prof- iteer who advanced by improper means; the Jew as vulgarian who flaunted his (and her) obscene wealth and did not know his (or her) place; and the Jew as overlord whose money allowed him (or her) to displace others. In short, the “Seligman Jew” was the “shoddy aristocrat” by another name. In an age of inequality and excess, the antisem- ite imagined the Jew as embodying all that was wrong with American capitalism. And during an age of mass immigration from Romania and the Russian Empire, they soon added another theme familiar from General Butler’s wartime diatribe: The Jew could not be trusted to become fully American. Sadly, even as Louis Gratz, Max Glass and many other Jewish soldiers became American by serv- ing in the Union army, the Civil War produced a range of pernicious ideas about Jews that have proven remarkably durable. We have escaped the everyday torments that afflicted Max Glass, but are still haunted in the present by the fantasies of Benjamin Butler and Henry Hilton. JE Adam Mendelsohn is the author of “Jewish Soldiers in the Civil War: The Union Army.“ JEWISHEXPONENT.COM 13 opinion The Kyrie Case Isn’t About ‘Blacks Vs. Jews.’ It’s About Bigotry BY ANDREW SILOW-C ARROLL A powerful revival of “Parade,” the 1998 Broadway musical about the 1915 lynching of the Jewish factory manager Leo Frank by a Georgia mob, is wrapping up a short-term engagement at New York’s City Center. The show is stirring and moving without trivializing or exploiting one of the worst antisemitic incidents in U.S. history. And yet I couldn’t quite shake my discomfort that this lavishly orchestrated, heart-tugging musical about the post-Reconstruction South was focused on the lynching of a white man. Alfred Uhry, who wrote the book, and Jason Robert Brown seem to have anticipated this. They include a song, sung by two Black characters, noting that the Frank case would not have gotten half the attention it did if Frank or the girl he allegedly killed were Black. For all the glorification of Black and Jewish cooperation in the civil rights era — some of it exaggerated, much of it deserved — the two com- munities have long been locked in this kind of com- petitive suffering. Black leaders have questioned Jewish claims to victimhood — especially when Jews accuse other Black leaders, such as Louis Farrakhan, of antisemitism — and have accused Jews of amplifying the power and reach of Black antisemites for their own ends. Jews, meanwhile, resent being told that, as a community that tends to be seen as white, suc- cessful and politically influential, they can’t be regarded as victims of bigotry, especially when it comes from a disempowered minority. Both dynamics have played out in the case of Kyrie Irving, the Brooklyn Nets star who shared a link to “Hebrews to Negroes: Wake Up Black America,” a 2018 film that contains a host of antisemitic tropes and that is based on a book that, no doubt thanks to Irving, is now a bestseller. In defending his decision to share the film — and giv- ing it perhaps the widest platform it ever enjoyed — Irving downplayed his own sizable Twitter fol- lowing and influence. “You guys come in here and make up this powerful influence that I have … [and say], ‘You cannot post that.’ Why not? Why not?” he asked reporters. The canards shared in the film — especially the notion that Blacks are the “real” Jews — are rooted in the idea that “the greatness of Black men is being hidden or stolen from them,” as Jemele Hill, a Black sports journalist, explains in a piece in the Atlantic. What dismays Hill and other critics of Irving — Black, Jewish, both and neither — is that this understandable impulse to promote 14 NOVEMBER 17, 2022 | JEWISHEXPONENT.COM The Jewish community doesn’t have the luxury of condescension when celebrities, however troubled, insert insidious ideas into the social media ecosphere. Black empowerment draws on a history of classic antisemitism: The film cites Henry Ford’s antise- mitic opus “The International Jew” and denies the Holocaust. It claims that Jews have used false- hoods to “conceal their nature and protect their status and power.” Writes Hill: “Irving has joined a troubling club of high-profile Black male celebrities — also including the rapper Kanye West — who have stubbornly embraced conspiracy theories, particularly anti-Se- mitic ones, under the pretext of seeking a deeper truth about their own origins.” Some white liberal Jews are uncomfortable about calling out certain forms of antisemitism by prominent Blacks precisely because of a per- ceived power imbalance between Blacks and Jews, or because the ideas come from a place where ignorance meets legitimate grievance. Some Black leaders have similarly excused the long history of antisemitism and bigotry by Farrakhan’s Nation of Islam because the group has been seen as a force for good in impoverished Black communities. And still others have suggested that Ye, with a history of mental illness, and Irving, who often dabbles in conspiracy theories, should not be sub- jected to the blunt outrage used to combat white supremacy and anti-Zionism. Or that none of us should be in the business of “policing the expres- sion of Black athletes,” as the sports journalist Shireen Ahmed put it (before condemning Irving, it should be said). These attitudes are patronizing, and it’s import- ant to note that few if any influential Jews or Black commentators went there this week. West and Irving had few defenders for the antisemitic things they said or shared (although there was some Twitter “what-aboutism” suggesting the NBA was more concerned about a Black man’s antisemitism than China’s treatment of the Uighurs — a sticking point for a league that does major business in China). On the left, Dave Zirin of The Nation writes about the link between racism and antisemitism and the far right: “What terrifies me about the cur- rent moment is that Kyrie’s politics are migrating and finding a sick alliance among Nazis, fascists, nationalists, and all manner of white suprema- cists who have long promoted these notions but wanted no part of Black politics unless it was about expressing common separatist ideas.” As Zirin suggests, the canards West and Irving are sharing are hardly unique to the Black commu- nity. Antisemitism and racism are social prejudices “that all peoples and societies fall prey to,” is how Kendell Pinkney, who is Black and Jewish, put it in a JTA essay. The Jewish community doesn’t have the luxury of condescension when celebrities, however trou- bled, insert insidious ideas into the social media ecosphere. On Nov. 3, as the Nets, Kyrie, the NBA and the Anti-Defamation League were going back and forth on how to defuse his behavior, the FBI warned New Jersey synagogues of a credible “broad threat” against them, apparently from a man, so far unidentified, who holds “radical extremist views.” Jews are vigilant about diehard conspiracy theo- ries, political dog whistles and online harassment not because they want to “protect their status and power,” but because they have seen spasms of deadly violence inspired by garbage shared online. Late on Nov. 3, Irving at last apologized for his tweet, writing, “I posted a Documentary that contained some false anti-Semitic statements, narratives, and language that were untrue and offensive to the Jewish Race/Religion, and I take full accountability and responsibly for my actions.” His statement came after the Nets suspended him for a minimum of five games. It’s not clear what other acts of contrition he might undertake, but I suggest he read up on the Leo Frank case, in which a Jewish man was falsely accused of murder by the same bigots who enforced Jim Crow. He might learn that when it comes to confronting hate and bigotry, Jews and Blacks have more to gain by listening to one another than tweeting about each other. JE Andrew Silow-Carroll is editor-in-chief of the New York Jewish Week and senior editor of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency. nation / world UK Chief Rabbi Will Sleep Over at King Charles’ House to Attend Coronation, Which Falls on Shabbat King Charles III wants to make sure that the United Kingdom’s chief rabbi can make it to his coronation ceremony next year — so much so that he’s letting the Jewish leader sleep over at his house, JTA.org reported. The coronation is set for May 6, 2023, which falls on a Saturday, in the middle of the Jewish sabbath. Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis and his wife Valerie, who are Orthodox, are not allowed under Jewish law to travel by car or use electricity on Shabbat. King Charles’ residence before he moves into Buckingham Palace is Clarence House, located a few minutes’ walk from the palace. So the sleepover allows the Mirvises to walk to the ceremony. While the Telegraph reported that a member of the rabbi’s staff called the offer “an amazing gesture,” it’s not the first time the king has accommodated Mirvis’ religious observance. Mirvis, 66, has been the chief rabbi since 2013, succeeding the late Jonathan Sacks. KFC Germany Apologizes for ‘Treat Yourself’ Chicken Promotion Tied to Kristallnacht The German branch of international fast-food chain KFC apologized to custom- ers on Nov. 9 for sending out a promotional message tied to the anniversary of Kristallnacht, JTA.org reported. “It’s memorial day for Kristallnacht! Treat yourself with more tender cheese on your crispy chicken,” KFC Germany said in an initial push notification message to customers, in German, advertising its “KFCheese.” A short time after, the chain sent a follow-up in all-caps: “SORRY WE MADE A MISTAKE.” The company blamed the message on “a bug in our system.” Reaction to KFC’s “mistake” came swiftly. Daniel Sugarman, director of public affairs for the Board of Deputies of British Jews, tweeted that the promotion was “absolutely hideous.” Arsen Ostrovsky, head of the pro-Israel legal group International Legal Forum, said he was “utterly speechless and repulsed.” Exclusive Women’s Apparel Boutique Made in USA Mother of the Bride/Groom, Bar-Mitzvah and all of your special occasions needs. Plus and Petite Sizes Custom Fit Couture Fashion Collection 61 Buck Road Huntingdon Valley, PA 19006 elanacollection.com/shop (215)953-8820 By Appointment Only Monday-Friday 10am-3pm ADL Acquires Jewish Investment Watchdog to Fight Threats to Israel on Wall Street The Anti-Defamation League is bolstering its advocacy on Wall Street by absorbing JLens, an organization known for rating companies on their alleged support for the Israel boycott, according to an ADL announcement on Nov. 10, JTA.org reported. Founded in 2012, JLens was for years one of the only groups pressing pro-Is- rael positions in the growing environmental, social and governance movement, known as ESG, which advocates for a form of corporate decision-making in which profit is not the only priority. Over time, JLens managed to raise awareness that Israel could get ensnared in ESG filters used by investors who wish to avoid doing business in conflict zones or with companies implicated in human rights abuses. As part of its mission, JLens also urges investors, especially Jewish organi- zations with significant endowments, to prioritize Jewish concerns in deciding where to put their money. JLens says more than 30 Jewish organizations have opted to invest nearly $200 million according to JLens guidelines. Israel Launches $17M Autonomous Public Transportation Pilot Israel’s Innovation Authority announced on Nov. 6 the launch of a two-year pilot program to study the viability of using autonomous public buses, JNS.org reported. In collaboration with the Transportation Ministry and Ayalon Highways, the authority selected four groups, including Egged, Israel’s largest bus operator, to begin operating self-driving buses on public roads, according to the IAA. The state is contributing half of the $17 million required for the two-stage pilot. In the first stage, the groups will test the technology’s viability from business, legal and safety standpoints, as well as in closed and operational areas. In the sec- ond stage, they will operate autonomous bus lines on public roads, with a range that will grow throughout the pilot. JE — Compiled by Andy Gotlieb FREE ESTIMATES PERSONALIZED SERVICE SENIOR DOWNSIZING DECLUTTER / HOARDING CLEAN OUTS ALL ITEMS SOLD, DONATED, OR REPURPOSED RESPECTFUL OF HOMES WITH ACCUMULATIONS OF 30+ YEARS JOLIE OMINSKY OWNER SERVING PA, DE, NJ JOCSERNICA@YAHOO.COM 610-551-3105 JEWISHEXPONENT.COM 15 feature story A Look at JOSH SHAPIRO’S JARR AD SAFFREN | STAFF WRITER T hey sipped beers, ate ice cream and held lively conversations around high-rise tables. Th ey smiled; they laughed; they even danced to the party playlist blaring overhead. Some people stood on the balls of their feet and watched CNN on one of the many screens set up around Th e Greater Philadelphia Expo Center. But for the most part, the hundreds of supporters of Jewish Democrat Josh Shapiro knew what their result would be on Nov. 8. Josh Shapiro addresses the crowd at his election night victory Shapiro, Pennsylvania’s attorney general, an party at The Greater Philadelphia Expo Center in Oaks. Abington resident and a member of the Beth Sholom Congregation in Elkins Park, would become the commonwealth’s next governor. Doug Mastriano. Th e Republican, a state senator who “Th is is a great experience for anyone who’s here denied Donald Trump’s defeat in the 2020 U.S. pres- tonight,” said Scott Holloman, 42, of Harleysville. “I idential election and participated in the Jan. 6, 2021 storming of the U.S. Capitol Building, took a full fi ve have 100% faith that Josh will win.” It happened around 11:15 p.m. On a big screen to days to concede. But that almost seemed beside the the left of the stage in the Oaks, Montgomery County point. Th e Democrat leads by almost 15% and more venue, CNN showed a graphic declaring Shapiro the than 700,000 votes with 98% of the vote counted. winner. It seemed beside the point on Nov. 8 at the Expo As media outlets called the race throughout the 10 Center, too. Aft er Shapiro’s running mate Austin o’clock hour on social media, supporters moved from Davis addressed the crowd, the governor-elect walked their high-rise tables in one room to the area in front onto the stage, waved to the people and smiled. Th en of the stage in the next room. Once CNN called the he stepped to the podium. “Rural, urban, suburban folks across this common- race, attendees hollered and held up their “Shapiro wealth, who I’ve had the opportunity to talk with, for Governor” signs. Shapiro, 49, had defeated his Republican opponent you know they basically all want the same thing,” 16 NOVEMBER 17, 2022 | JEWISHEXPONENT.COM Shapiro said. “Th ey want a real opportunity for good schools, safe communities and an economy that just gives everybody a shot.” Th e crowd clapped and hollered. “We showed in this campaign that no matter what you look like, where you come from, who you love, or who you pray to, you are valued here in Pennsylvania!” Shapiro continued. “And we hear you!” Th e supporters cheered in unison. “And I can stand before you tonight, thanks to all of you, in the birthplace of our democ- racy, in the cradle of liberty, and look you in the eye and say, ‘Because of you, our democ- racy endures,’” Shapiro said later on. Two years ago, Shapiro, in his role as attor- ney general, defended Pennsylvania’s election process from Trump’s lawsuits that attempted to overturn President Joe Biden’s victory in the state. Mastriano, in his role as a state senator, allied himself with Trump and tried to pass a resolution that would have allowed the state legislature to reject the result of the vote and appoint delegates to the Electoral College. As Mastriano himself wrote on his state Senate website, “For the legislature to pass the resolution, Governor (Tom) Wolf needed to call a special session and he refused.” During his campaign, the Republican said that as governor, “I could decertify every (voting) machine in the state with the stroke of a pen.” And the stroke of Mastriano’s pen likely would have mattered a Photos by Jarrad Saff ren Election Night Victory Party Josh Shapiro supporters at his election night victory party on Nov. 8 in Montgomery County Josh Shapiro supporters young and old enjoyed his victory party on election night in Oaks. great deal. Th e last two presidential elections, Trump’s win over Hillary Clinton in 2016 and Biden’s victory over Trump in 2020, came down to a few close states, including, and perhaps especially, Pennsylvania. Biden beat Trump by fewer than 100,000 votes in the Keystone State in 2020; while Trump beat Clinton by about 44,000 in the commonwealth in 2016. Th e Shapiro-Mastriano fi ght was about many issues, including crime, the economy and a woman’s right to choose to have an abortion. But it was not an exaggeration to say that the Democrat was pro-democracy while the Republican was against it. For that reason, even as the party at the Expo Center started hours before CNN declared Shapiro’s victory on Nov. 8, the attorney gen- eral’s supporters in attendance were still a little nervous. “I think it’ll probably be closer than we want it to be,” said Jessica Rosenthal, 47, of Ambler. Less than an hour aft er Rosenthal tempered her expectations, CNN fl ashed an early count from the PA governor’s race that showed Shapiro up by more than 30 points. A few people around the Expo Center cheered as they watched the TVs. As the eight and then nine o’clock hours continued, more results appeared on the screens. Around 9:30, as people started walking over to the area in front of the stage, an event staff member turned up the vol- ume on the big screen to the left . CNN’s John King was discussing Shapiro’s advantage, which remained at about 30 points with almost a quarter of the vote counted. Th e crowd clapped and hollered. Over the next 45 minutes, votes continued to come in, except Shapiro’s lead was now diminishing. It dropped from around 30% to less than 20% to 11%. One woman sent out a tweet congratulat- ing Shapiro on beating an insurrectionist. Philadelphia-area newspapers and television stations started reporting the news of the local man’s victory. By the time CNN announced the result, it was a formality. And when Shapiro walked out on stage minutes later, with the crowd clapping, cheering and holding up phones, he did not even need to open his speech with some great line ending in an exclamation point. “I am so humbled to see all of you here tonight,” he said, before thanking his wife Lori Shapiro and pointing out their four children Jonah, Sophia, Max and Reuben to the side of the podium. “I am proud to be a Pennsylvanian,” Shapiro said later. And then, for good measure, the Conservative Jewish man who sits for Shabbat dinner with his family each week paraphrased his favorite line from the Talmud. Th e same one he spoke about during his campaign kickoff speech at Penn State Abington in October 2021. “No one is required to complete the task, but nei- ther are we free to refrain from it,” the governor-elect said. Aft er Shapiro’s speech ended around midnight, aft er he hugged his family members and waved to supporters, and aft er he strolled off the stage, some people walked out to their cars. Reporters hustled back to their tables behind the TV camera riser to fi le their stories. But the lights stayed on, the music kept playing and a group of people started dancing in front of the stage. JE For the most part, the hundreds of supporters of Jewish Democrat Josh Shapiro knew what their result would be on Nov. 8. For a few minutes, it felt like the race might get close. Shapiro’s supporters stood around, checked their phones and watched the screens. Th e event staff and campaign kept turning the party playlist on, off and then back on to try to keep the party going. But in the minds of many, there was never really a doubt. “From the projections now, it looks like he’s defi - nitely going to win,” said Irfan Huda, 42, of Chalfont. Mastriano never got closer than 11%. As the clock struck 10 and the vote count crept into the 60% range, tweets started going out from pollsters and media outlets about how Shapiro had won. President Biden’s White House Chief of Staff Ronald Klain, a prolifi c liker of tweets that make the president look good, liked a tweet from a political poll account that called the race for Shapiro. (Biden and former President Barack Obama headlined a rally with the Democratic candidate at Temple University’s Liacouras Center on Nov. 5.) jsaff ren@midatlanticmedia.com JEWISHEXPONENT.COM 17 food & dining Saami Somi Arrives them; set them aside. Combine the toasted walnuts, vinegar, garlic, onion, parsley, cilan- tro, dill, fenugreek, coriander, dried savory, pepper and salt in a food pro- cessor. Add cold water and pulse until the ingredients form a thick paste. Add more cold water as necessary to loosen the paste and aid in the blend- ing process. Add the beets and pulse until they are fully integrated. Refrigerate the beets for at least 1 hour before con- suming. Form them into balls, garnish them with pomegranate seeds and enjoy. KERI WHITE | SPECIAL TO THE JE S aami Somi, the Georgian restau- rant by siblings Donna and Michael Kolodesh, opened in Reading Terminal Market last month. Th e name, Georgian for “three doughs,” refl ects one of the restaurant’s focuses — they use a leavened sourdough, an heirloom matsoni yogurt dough and a dumpling dough. Th ese are used to make the tradi- tional khachapuri, aka “cheeseboat,” and soup dumplings that comprise part of the menu. Th e other dishes high- light vegetables and feature a fl avor- ful assortment of dips and salad-type items such as the pkhali trio, an array of tastiness off ering portions of beet, eggplant and spinach infused with toasted walnuts, garlic and spices. I sampled these at a recent visit with the traditional khachapuri, and each bite was heavenly. Th e restaurant is an ode to their Georgian heritage with some local fl avor. Th e Kolodesh family immigrated to the United States in 1993 when Michael Kolodesh was 5; his sister was born here. Like many ex-Soviet repub- lics at the time, Georgia was experi- encing major civil unrest; the family heard constant gunshots, and Michael Kolodesh remembers his mother tell- ing him that these were fi reworks cele- brating weddings to allay his fears. Once, while at the airport saying goodbye to friends, gunfi re broke out and forced the Kolodesh family to hide in the bathroom. In addition to the civil unrest, antisemitism and sexism were prevalent and, despite their love of their country, the family decided to immigrate. Th ey came to Northeast Philadelphia and found a community of ex-Soviets. “We have such a strong connec- tion to Philadelphia because we really found a community here. Although they were not all Georgians, there was a shared experience with people from Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Ukraine … (KleinLife) became a gathering space for us all,” Michael Kolodesh said. “Our tra- dition is very family-centric; in Georgia, multi-generational families live in the same courtyard, and we had my grand- mother with us, so we were able to have 18 Spinach Pkhali Makes about 3 cups or 4 servings Pkhali trio that same experience here. She took care of us while our parents worked, and she instilled a lot of traditional Georgian culture in us — we resisted at the time, but now we are grateful.” Donna adds, “Lor Kats, our chef, is the grandson of the woman who cooked at the Klein JCC café; we have known his family since we were kids. So we really do feel a very strong connection to Philadelphia, in addi- tion to keeping our Georgian roots. Th is refl ects in our menu,” Donna Kolodesh said. “For example, our mushroom khachapuri is a fusion of both places. Mushrooms are not gen- erally used in Georgian cuisine, but the Kennett Square mushroom farms are such an important part of the agriculture in this area, we wanted to refl ect that, showcasing our experience as Georgians but also Philadelphians.” Michael Kolodesh noted that because Georgia is at a crossroads, its food has elements of South and East Asia, Slavic, Middle Eastern and Eastern Europe cuisines. Th e siblings shared their recipes for a pkhali trio. See below for the beet- root and spinach varieties; check the Exponent’s online Philacatessen food blog for the eggplant version. Pkhali combines chopped vegeta- bles and herbs in a spiced walnut base and is typically formed into balls and served as a cold salad or dip. NOVEMBER 17, 2022 | JEWISHEXPONENT.COM Photo by Alyza Enriquez Donna Kolodesh recommended making these a day ahead of time to allow the fl avors to fully mesh. Th ey are delightful served as a salad, a dip or alongside a cheeseboat. Beetroot Pkhali Makes 1 pound or 10 small scoops of pkhali ⅔ cups toasted walnuts 1¼ tablespoons white vinegar 1 tablespoon crushed garlic ¼ cup chopped onion 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1 tablespoon chopped parsley 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro 1 tablespoon chopped dill 1 teaspoon fenugreek ½ tablespoon ground coriander ½ tablespoon dried savory 1 bay leaf ½ teaspoon black pepper 1 tablespoon cold water 2 beets Pomegranate seeds for garnish Place the whole, unpeeled beets in a pot. Add cold water until they are fully covered. Add the bay leaf and a pinch of salt. Bring it to a boil, reduce the tem- perature to medium and cook until a cake tester inserted in the largest beet goes all the way through. Let the beets cool, then peel and grate ⅔ cups toasted walnuts 1¼ tablespoons white vinegar 1 tablespoon crushed garlic ¼ cup chopped onion 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1 tablespoon chopped parsley 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro 1 tablespoon chopped dill 1 teaspoon fenugreek ½ tablespoon ground coriander ½ tablespoon dried savory 1 bay leaf ½ teaspoon black pepper 1 tablespoon cold water 12 ounces fresh spinach 1 tablespoon neutral oil Pomegranate seeds for garnish Heat the oil in a large skillet and add the spinach, a handful at a time, stirring until wilted, gradually adding more leaves and cooking out as much water as possible. Remove it from the heat, and cool. Combine the toasted walnuts, vinegar, garlic, onion, parsley, cilan- tro, dill, fenugreek, coriander, dried savory, pepper and salt in a food processor. Add the cold water, and pulse until the ingredients form a thick paste. Add more cold water as necessary to loosen the paste and aid in the blending process. Add the spinach, and pulse until it is fully integrated. Refrigerate it for at least 1 hour before consuming. Form the mixture into balls, garnish it with pomegranate seeds to taste and enjoy. JE social announcements Invitations ENGAGEMENT ERLICH-MINTZ M arla and Leonard Rosenthol of Margate, New Jersey, and Dr. Daena and Larry Erlich of Voorhees, New Jersey, announce the engagement of their daughter Paige Erlich to Harris Mintz, son of Dr. Evan and Lisa Mintz from Dix Hills, New York. Paige is the granddaughter of Eileen and Jerry Victor, z’l, and the late Paula Victor and Yetta and Aron Erlich, z’l, and Sally and Ed Rosenthol. The couple resides in Queens, New York. Paige is a social media and content manager for Murray’s Cheese. Harris is a math teacher at Long Island City High School in New York. JE Courtesy of Marla Rosenthol Stationery Calligraphy Discounts Les Femmes 157 Manor Road Huntingdon Valley, PA 19006 215-938-1440 Fax: 215-938-0421 obituaries BENDER DONALD, age 89, passed away November 7, 2022. Beloved husband of Judith Bender (nee Barrist) Loving father of Mindy Hershorin (Marc), Ronni Wayne (Rick), and Larry Bender (Debi). Adoring grandfather of Scott (Megan), Karli (Brett), Emily, Ashley (Michael), Hayley, and Ruby and great-grandfather of Sloane, Tela, and Miles. Contributions in his memory may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association www.alz.org/delval GOLDSTEINS’ ROSENBERG’S RAPHAEL-SACKS www.goldsteinsfuneral.com BERKOWITZ ROBERT, 74, of Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, a longtime physician, scientist and medical re- searcher, passed away on Sunday, October 16, 2022, while sitting peacefully with his wife. Born in Bridgeport, Connecticut, to William and Lillian Berkowitz, his medical career was dedicated to improving the lives of children. He served for- merly as Psychiatrist-in-Chief and Chair of the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and as an Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Pediatrics at the University of Pennsylvania, where he was also the Senior Medical Director of the Center for Weight and Eating Disorders. He had a distinguished academic career as a clinician, medical researcher, educator, and administrator, and was a beloved colleague, friend and mentor. His medical research and patient care improved the lives of countless children. He received his B.A. from Wesleyan University and his M.D. from the University of Connecticut. He completed his adult psychi- atry training at the University of Connecticut, his child and adolescent psychiatry fellowship at the Yale Child Study Center, and a research fellowship at Stanford University. He was a devoted husband, father, brother and friend, who was kind, patient and loving. He is re- membered by all who met him for his gentle- ness and compassion. He is survived by his wife of 52 years, Barbara, whom he met at a United Synagogue Youth summer camp in Connecticut in the late 1960s, his son Ben, whose early morning hockey games he attend- ed regularly in the 1980s and 1990s, as well as his daughter-in-law Maggie and grandchildren Asher and Nora, each of whom he adored. BLUM Barbara (nee Greenstein), November 7th, 2022; of Haverford, PA. Wife of the late Charles M. Blum; Mother of William Blum (Robin), David Blum (Christine), Lauren Weisberg (Harvey), Susan Fort (Charles) and Devorah Blum (Phil Lawrence); Also sur- vived by 12 grandchildren and 4 great grand- children. The family respectfully requests contributions in lieu of flowers be made to a charity of the donor’s choice. JOSEPH LEVINE & SONS www.levinefuneral.com GORVINE HAROLD “Doc”, Ph.D., 89, passed away on Wednesday, November 8, 2022. Harold was born in Boston, MA, to Rita and Eddie Gorvine on January 22, 1933. He attended Malden High School (‘50) and Tufts University (‘54) and went on to earn a Ph.D. in American History from Harvard University (‘62). Harold taught history and Judaic studies at Akiba Hebrew Academy for 41 years, where he was adored and admired as a teacher and mentor. Harold was preceded in death by his sister, Sandra Sachs. A beloved parent, grandpar- ent, and spouse, he is survived by his devot- ed wife of 59 years, Natalie Gorvine, and his sons, Martin (Jackie) Berman-Gorvine and Ben (Amy Milner) Gorvine, and his grand- children Jonathan (Erin Miller) Gidron, Daniel Gidron, Jefferson Berman-Gorvine, Emma Milner-Gorvine, and Sophie Milner-Gorvine. Donations in his memory may be sent to the New Israel Fund, ACLU, B’Tselem, or a char- ity of the donor’s choice. GOLDSTEINS’ ROSENBERG’S RAPHAEL-SACKS www.goldsteinsfuneral.com HOMER Bernard Homer, 93, November 7, 2022 of Oreland, PA; beloved husband of Lore (nee Hartman); loving father of Karen Brown (Guy) and Guy Homer (Shelly); cherished grandfa- ther of Kevin Homer (Tara) and Mandy Salay (Keith) and great-grandfather of Landon and Luke. Bernie was pre-deceased by his broth- er, Dr. Leroy Homer. In lieu of flowers, contri- butions in Bernie’s memory may be made to Shriners Children’s Hospital-Philadelphia or another charity of donor’s choice. JOSEPH LEVINE & SONS www.levinefuneral.com KAGAN Phyllis Helen Kagan passed away peace- fully at Good Samaritan Hospital in West Palm Beach, Florida at the age of 102. Born in Philadelphia on October 24, 1920, Phyllis JEWISHEXPONENT.COM 19 obituaries graduated from Overbook High School in Philadelphia at 16 and attended Temple University. She is predeceased by her hus- band Herbert and eldest son Michael. She is survived by her son David (Sam Phillips) and 2 grandsons, as well as numerous rel- atives. Phyllis traveled the world as a part- time agent and was a bookkeeper for her husband’s business. She lived the last 10 years of her life in West Palm Beach. She was reading until she went to hospice - using her remarkable intellect. She will be missed by many. A memorial tribute will be held at a later date. KANTER RUTH passed away on November 8th from natural causes surrounded by her loving family. Ruth is preceded in death by her husband, Morton. She is survived by her daughters, Carol Clarke and Connie Kanter, grandchildren, Mary Clarke (Tyler), Roger Clarke (Sylwia), Simon Broches and Miriam Broches, her brother, Sam Marcus, and be- loved sister-in-law, Rhoda Kanter. Ruth was a wonderful listener and devoted friend and had many friends in the Philadelphia area where she lived from her birth in 1932 until 2013 when she moved to Naples, Florida. She made close friends in Naples, enjoy- ing bridge and mah jong with her friends at The Terraces. Ruth had a Bachelor’s Degree from University of Pennsylvania and a Master’s Degree from Villanova University. Ruth worked as a guidance counselor in Philadelphia where her kindness and com- passion impacted many lives. Donations in Ruth’s memory may be made to the University of Pennsylvania (upenn.edu). JOSEPH LEVINE & SONS www.levinefuneral.com LAVET BLOSSOM (nee Young)-November 9, 2022 of Bala Cynwyd, PA. Beloved wife of the late Irving Lavet; loving mother of Robert Lavet (Lorraine), Karen Scott (Lee), and Lynne Lavet Mancuso; devoted grandmother of Jennifer (Jamie), Samantha (Jeff), Jake (Nina), Jessica, Allie, Jenna, and Dani; trea- sured sister of Roslyn, Gilbert (Dianne), and the late Herbert. In lieu of flowers, contribu- tions in her memory may be made to a charity of the donor’s choice. JOSEPH LEVINE & SONS www.levinefuneral.com in death by her husband Edmund Lovenwirth and her daughter Karen Levy. She is survived by her daughter Michele (Jack) Berman, son-in-law Paul Levy, grandchildren, Eric Berman, Melissa (James) Craig, David Levy, and great granddaughter, Charlotte Craig. Contributions in her memory may be made to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, the Alzheimer’s Association, or Congregation Or- Ami of Lafayette Hill. GOLDSTEINS’ ROSENBERG’S RAPHAEL-SACKS www.goldsteinsfuneral.com LIEBMAN EUGENE JULES, Veteran - Eugene Jules Liebman was born on May 18,1940 in north- east Philadelphia. He was the son of Louis and Elizabeth Liebman. Gene passed away on November 8, 2022 at the age of 82. He is survived by his wife Phyllis who he was mar- ried to for 42 years. Father of Michael (Amy) Liebman, Aileen (late Richard) Sabol, Tracy (Marc) Segal and Rachel (Andrew) Franco. Brother of the late Dr. Robert Liebman and Murray Liebman; also survived by 10 grand- children and 1 great granddaughter. As a child, Gene enjoyed spending time at the New Jersey shore with his family. There he could be found swimming, fishing, and walk- ing the boardwalk. He often found his way into the boardwalk arcades and spoke often of his memories playing the amusements in- cluding woodrail pinball machines from the early 1950s. He enlisted in the army prior to the Vietnam War and was stationed for a period of time in Fort Dix, NJ. Gene was a member of the 50th armored infantry division of the US Army but was never deployed. He often told stories of his time in the military, and it defined who he was. Gene held nu- merous jobs for various companies over the years but spoke fondly of his time as a busi- ness owner of hair salons serving customers in the greater Philadelphia area. He always enjoyed working on his cars and eventually started racing as a hobby well into his seven- ties. He owned several corvettes and other race cars that he would take to the track at ATCO or Maple Grove raceway. Gene had a sweet tooth and rarely could pass up dark chocolate, ice-cream, or a good pastry. LOVENWIRTH MYRA (nee Cohen), of Philadelphia, PA - Passed away peacefully on October 15, 2022, at the age of 85. She was preceded MARKS CONNIE, for more than 35 years an ele- mentary school teacher in Philadelphia, died Nov. 4, 2022, at 95. She was beloved in her neighborhood of Northeast Philly, where she got hundreds of children off to a strong aca- demic start and helped them become kind, curious, and self-confident human beings. Every school has a teacher for whom par- ents petition the principal, begging for their children to be in that class. Connie was that teacher. Connie lived in Princeton, N.J., since 2005. Born July 15, 1927, in Philadelphia, Constance Pearl Seidler was the daughter of Morris and Rose Seidler, who owned a dry- goods store in Minersville, Pa., a town known for its anthracite coal. She was the middle child, coming after brother Edwin and before baby sister Lois. The Seidlers were among only a few Jewish families in the community. Connie’s high school yearbook singled her out as “the career girl” of the class. She loved reading, and as a high school student, she hoped to become a librarian. Minersville’s public library had closed in 1941, and in 1944, Connie and three classmates came up with a project to reopen it. With the help of a teach- er, they cleaned all the books and helped to get the building ready. The library reopened in November of that year and remains open today. After high school, Connie attended Penn State University, commuting to a satel- lite campus for the first two years. Her family had lost the dry-goods store as a result of the Great Depression, and so did not have money to send her for a master’s degree, which she would need to become a librarian. She majored in education instead. For the rest of her life, she said this was one of the best things that ever happened to her.Connie adored teaching, and her students adored her. Her first teaching job was at the Landreth School in Philadelphia. But she spent almost her entire career – 35 years – at the school her own children attended, Louis H. Farrell Elementary School, just a couple of blocks from her Northeast Philadelphia home. She taught first and second grade – sometimes together – and led school assemblies and conducted the chorus. Some of her success can be attributed to what came to be known as the “Connie look”: She would stand silent- ly at the front of a roomful of rambunctious 6-year-olds, and within seconds, the children would miraculously settle into silence. In the 1970s, when Northeast Philly drew Jewish immigrants from the Soviet Union and ref- ugees from Vietnam, Connie advocated for these students and gave them clothing, toys, and equipment from her family’s closets. “If you haven’t worn it, played with it, or used it in a year, you don’t need it,” her daughter, Marilyn, recalls Connie telling her. Connie stressed that her daughter should never say anything if she saw another child wearing her coat or riding her bike in the schoolyard, as this would embarrass the child. Connie’s success and devotion to teaching were rec- ognized by her supervisors and others. She was nominated multiple times by district lead- ers to be national Teacher of the Year, and when she retired, the City Council adopted a resolution lauding her for “tapping into the inquisitive minds of children, and instilling pride and confidence in her students … so no child slips through the system unnoticed.” A council member presented the resolution at a surprise school assembly. She was a strong supporter of her union, the American Federation of Teachers. But when the union went on strike for better working conditions – occasionally for weeks at a time – Connie worried that children in her class would fall behind. Each day, after spending the morn- ing on the picket line, Connie would spend the afternoon tutoring children at her home. The lessons were free, though some families offered payment in lasagnas and cakes. The great love of Connie’s life was Morris Marks, whom she met when they lived across the street from each other in Philadelphia. They were married for 64 years, until Morris died 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 Jewish Exponent PHILADELPHIA 20 NOVEMBER 17, 2022 | JEWISHEXPONENT.COM jewishexponent.com • 215-832-0700 in May 2018. Together, they traveled around the country and the world, visiting Israel, the United Kingdom, and finally – in her late 70s – China, where their son, Ted, was working. The couple moved to Tamarac, Florida, for several years after retirement, where they built a network of close friends and were introduced to the pleasures of early-bird din- ners. In 2005, health concerns brought them back to the Northeast, where they could be close to their daughter. Connie enjoyed living in Princeton, where she found friends among neighbors and fellow members of her book club, the local chapter of Jewish Women International, and the Let’s Talk group meeting at the Princeton Senior Resource Center. She never missed an election and grew especially interested in politics later in life. She attended her first political fundrais- er – for Barack Obama – when she was 81 years old. Connie is survived by her children and children-in-law, Marilyn Marks Tal and Reli Tal of Princeton, with whom she lived; and Ted and Ilene Fluss Marks of San Jose, California. She is also survived by three grandchildren, Rinat Ma’ayan Tal, Eliana Lauren Marks, and Zachary Aaron Marks. In recent years, she most cherished her time with Rinat, Eliana, and Zack. Graveside services were held Sunday, November 6 at Princeton Cemetery, in Princeton, NJ. The family suggests that contributions in her memory be sent to the Minersville, Pa., pub- lic library (minersvillelibrary.org); the Home and School Association at Farrell Elementary School (c/of Debbie Simon, Farrell School, 8300 Castor Ave., Philadelphia, PA, 19152); Planned Parenthood (plannedparenthood. org); or HIAS (hias.org). Arrangements are by Orland’s Memorial Chapel in Ewing, N.J. ORLAND’S EWING MEMORIAL CHAPEL OrlandsMemorialChapel.com NERENBERG With heavy hearts, we announce the passing of Lowell Nerenberg of Germantown, MD, on November 2, 2022. Lowell was born in Philadelphia, PA, to Henry and Anne (Liss) Nerenberg in 1942. He is survived by his devoted wife Beverly (nee Cohen) of 57 years, sons Eric and Greg, step mother Joan (Heyne), siblings John, Jennie and the late David, and grandchildren Zach, Julie and Alexis. ROTHSCHILD MORTON A. “Bud” passed away on November 3, 2022. Born to wonderful par- ents, Dr. Norman Stanley Rothschild and Dorothy Jacobs Rothschild. Bud graduated from Central High School in 1943, Class #179, and Penn State in 1948. He served in the 87th Infantry Division - Artillery from 1943 to when he was discharged in 1946. In 1953, he married Dorothy Beckman Rothschild, his wife of 65 years. Bud enjoyed life. He loved sports, especially Penn State College Football, the Phillies, and the Eagles. He also loved playing golf and bridge. But most of all, he loved his wife, children and grandchildren and was a wonderful husband, father and grandfather. Bud was predeceased by his parents, wife of 65 years, brother Norman Rothschild Jr and niece Peggy Ann Welt. Bud will be greatly missed by his daughters, Susan (Robert) Sahm and Jill R. Weiss, his grandchildren Scott (Ashley) Weiss and Sara (Tommy) Thompson and his nephew Steve (Karen) Harris. He will also be missed by Barbara Sitman, his wonderful partner, and her family, who made his final years a plea- sure and a blessing. Donations in his memory can be made to: Montgomery County SPCA 1006 Edge Hill Road Roslyn, PA. 19001 Or the charity of your choice. GOLDSTEINS’ ROSENBERG’S RAPHAEL-SACKS www.goldsteinsfuneral.com SANDBERG MYRNA TRUDY, age 85, passed away on November 3, 2022 at St. Joseph Manor. A longtime resident of Philadelphia, Myrna was born on March 29, 1937 to parents, Louis and Sadie Snyder. Myrna was preceded in death by her beloved husband Allen and cherished son, Kurt Sandberg (Marlynn). She is sur- vived by daughters Tracy Sandberg (Lisa Mills) and Jamie Berenbaum, and grandchil- dren, Molly Mathew (Ron), Maddie Sandberg, Jake Berenbaum, Alec Berenbaum. A private service took place at Washington Crossing National Cemetery. Memorial contributions in Myrna’s name may be made to Alzheimer’s Association at https://www.alz.org/donate DIGNITY MEMORIAL dignitymemorial.com SCHWARTZ FREDERICK was born on March 15, 1928 in South Philly. He was the only child of 7 chil- dren born at home. His sister Faye, just 14 at the time was sent to go fetch the Doctor, who lived down the street. Dr. Skversky delivered Fred in the living room. As a small child, he brought his Father bootlegged whiskey. On pay day, his Father would give him a quar- ter, a wrapped hard candy, and ask him to go across the street to Mrs. Schlindler. He had to reach up to hand the quarter to her at the front door. She came back with an old-fashioned medicine bottle. No words passed between them. Fred’s Father wanted to burn the house down. Why ? That was the only way to get rid of the bedbugs. When did the bedbugs come he asked. His Father said: “They came with the house”! Fred inherited his Father’s won- derful sense of humor, and kept it through- out his life. Fred passed away peacefully on Saturday, October 29th at 1:15 pm. He was married to Leona Farber Schwartz, the love of his life, for over 50 years. He was 94 years old and is survived by his two sons Eric and Evan, his daughter Diane, his grandchildren Kimberly and Ashley, and his great grandchil- dren Parker and Gwendolyn. Despite grow- ing up poor, Fred had empathy for his fellow man. During the Depression, he remembers his Mother feeding beggars at the kitchen ta- ble. Donations can be made in his memory to Philabundance: www.philabundance.org, the Art Museum in Philadelphia and the Jewish National Fund. WEISS RICHARD - October 31, 2022 of Philadelphia, PA. Father of Debbie (Lee) Yogel, Cindy (Marc Fisher) Weiss-Fisher, and Jody Weiss- Pencek. Grandfather of Jenna (fiancé Vinny), Evan, Luke, Josh, Julia and Audrey. Brother of Ruth Greenstein and Dr. Robert Weiss. Contributions may be made to the Deborah Heart and Lung Center, www.demanddebo- rah.org or to any other charity whose main purpose is to make the world a better place. PLATT MEMORIAL CHAPELS www.plattmemorial.com JEWISHEXPONENT.COM 21 arts & culture ‘Armageddon Time’ an Honest, Overworked Tale of Two Americas T he potency of James Gray’s “Armageddon Time” relies on the fi lm being watched in 2022. A New York boy coming of age in 1980, protagonist Paul Graff (Banks Repeta) turns to a friend and tells him that his favorite band is Th e Beatles. “I hear they’re getting back together soon,” he says with confi dent earnestness. Th e sad joke is that, of course, the band — unbeknownst to Paul — was not getting back together. John Lennon would be fatally shot on Dec. 8 of that year, just a couple of months aft er Paul starts his sixth-grade year at a Queens public school. On day one of the new school year, Paul rekindles his friendship with Johnny (Jaylin Webb), a Black boy held back a year, and the two fi nd glee in making mischief. Johnny almost always receives 22 the harsher punishment of the two, but their friendship endures, despite Paul’s family’s sour outlook on the presence of a Black kid in Paul’s life. Eventually, the Graff s transfer Paul to the same private school as his older brother, where Paul trades in well-worn striped turtlenecks for a trim suit and his Black classmate for pale, wealthy ones who spit the n-word. As Paul still struggles at his new school, head in the clouds and hands busy doo- dling, Johnny struggles, too. Tired of the punitive nature of his public school, Johnny drops out and asks increasingly larger favors of Paul: He needs a place to stay away from his senile grandmother and money to run away to Florida, where he can become a NASA astronaut. In the middle of everything is Paul. His father Irving (Jeremy Strong) is a hot-and-cold repairman who has no problem whipping Paul with his belt NOVEMBER 17, 2022 | JEWISHEXPONENT.COM Banks Repeta and Anthony Hopkins in “Armageddon Time” upon learning from his wife Esther (Anne Hathaway) that Paul had smoked pot in school. And Paul can no longer rely on the goodwill of Esther, who is the president of the district’s parent-teacher association. Education is the most important thing to the Graff family, a tight-knit Ashkenazi family. Paul’s grandfather Aaron Rabinowitz, played as gentle yet haunted by Anthony Hopkins, encountered enough strife fl ee- ing Ukraine in decades past. He wants Paul to keep his head down and remember the sacrifi ces his family made to immigrate and assimilate to the United States to give the young generation a fi ghting chance of going to college. A private school funded by the Trump family (yes, that Trump family) is the family’s best bet. Between Hopkins’ tra-la-la dialogue with Paul and the palpable weight of family trauma bearing on him, the patri- arch builds the foundation of a family just trying to make it, fi nding levity in the ever-serious days building up to Ronald Reagan’s election. Among the next generation, Hathaway and Strong’s depictions of Paul’s parents show a tenacity to achieve this American dream, even willing to step on the heads of others. Paul, despite being warped by his family’s and classmates’ racism, still wants to be friends with Johnny. He knows how to stand up for what’s right, but with no backup and increasing famil- ial pressures to stay out of trouble, it only becomes harder for Paul to do so. In a seamless dialogue between childhood naivete and optimism and grown-up jaded realism, “Armageddon Time” has no problem raising the stakes and letting the audience squirm and sit with a struggling Jewish family’s anti-Blackness and proclivity toward stiff punishments. Gray doesn’t pull punches in showing Johnny’s descent into trouble. Johnny’s is a fate that has become all too familiar to a liberal white audience, who, since the 2020 Black Lives Matter pro- tests, has perhaps spent the better part of two years learning about the school-to- prison pipeline and police brutality. Gray relies on today’s zeitgeist to a fault. When Fred Trump, father to the U.S.’s 45th president, introduces Maryanne Trump to speak at Paul’s school, the scene defl ates the bubble of period-era verisimilitude Gray had so slowly and steadily built. Clues of the private school’s elite and conservative status abound, even without the notorious family's presence. A period piece of the 1980s, “Armageddon Time” says more about the politics of the 2020s, but perhaps not in the clever, understated way Gray intended. With its strong cast of actors, atten- tion to detail and gut-punching plot, “Armageddon Time” could have cemented itself as an evergreen mod- ern classic of interracial friendship and the turmoil of generational trauma. But sometimes a little too on the nose, the fi lm makes itself vulnerable to feeling dated in a time of a rapidly changing political and social landscape. JE srogelberg@midatlanticmedia.com Courtesy of Focus Features via IMDb SASHA ROGELBERG | STAFF WRITER synagogue spotlight What’s happening at ... Germantown Jewish Centre Germantown Jewish Centre Celebrates 20 Years With Rabbi Adam Zeff JARR AD SAFFREN | STAFF WRITER Courtesy of the Germantown Jewish Centre I n 1999, Adam Zeff and his wife Cheryl moved to Mount Airy with their children. Shortly thereaft er, the family joined the Germantown Jewish Centre, and Zeff got a job working in academic administration at the nearby Reconstructionist Rabbinical College. It was his fi rst job outside the home, as Zeff had taken care of his children while his wife worked as a medical res- ident. But it would also lead him to the rest of his career. While helping rabbinical students, Zeff fi gured out that he wanted to become one of them. So in 2002, he enrolled at the RRC and became the student rabbi at his home synagogue. And he hasn’t left . Two decades later, the 56-year-old is now Rabbi Adam Zeff , and he has been the Germantown Jewish Centre’s spiritual leader since 2010. On Nov. 4 and 5, the synagogue celebrated the rabbi’s 20th anniversary at the GJC with a musical Shabbat ser- vice, an oneg and a luncheon, among other activities. Zeff ’s mentor and pre- decessor, Rabbi Leonard Gordon, who served the temple from 1994 to 2010, came back from Boston to join in on the celebration. “Adam is incredibly diligent and hard-working,” Gordon said. “A large part of the rabbinate has to do with showing up and being present.” In the late 1990s, Zeff was not sure if he wanted to show up and be pres- ent for a job outside his home. He was enjoying and fi nding meaning in doing both of those things for his kids. He kept asking himself, “What could be important enough to take me away from my children?” (Th e Zeff s have three sons, Zeke, Avi and Mati.) Th e future rabbi was a Ph.D. student in anthropology at the University of Pennsylvania. But academia was not the answer to his question, he said. As a cultural anthropologist, though, he was interested in what was in people’s minds. “How do they make meaning in their lives?” the rabbi asked. But instead of just studying people’s answers to that question, he wanted to explore it with them. What’s the meaning of life? What kind of moral and ethical guidelines should we fol- low? Th ose were the questions that Zeff really wanted to ask, he said. He started thinking about all of that before he took the job at the RRC. And once he started working at the college and talking to future rabbis, his thoughts became clear. “I was thinking about what’s most important to me in my life,” he said. As a congregant at the Germantown Jewish Centre, Zeff became known as an active volunteer, according to Gordon. Th en when he became the student rabbi in 2002 and the assistant rabbi upon his graduation from the RRC in 2007, he showed his ability to lead a service. “He’s a singer; he’s a composer; he writes stories,” Gordon said. “He’s added a musical dimension to things that revitalized our prayer services in very important ways.” Gordon never expected to leave Mount Airy in 2010. But when his wife got a job in Boston, he followed her there. All of a sudden, the Germantown Jewish Centre needed a new spiritual leader. Synagogue offi cials spent a year asking congregants what they wanted in a new rabbi. Th eir answers kept alluding to the man who was already in the building. Zeff was still a volunteer at heart. His musical talents made services lively. And he understood that, in a syna- gogue with 515 households, many of which included rabbis who worked in other institutions, the spiritual leader must know when to lead and when to let the people lead. Rabbi Adam Zeff Rabbi Adam Zeff started working at the Germantown Jewish Centre in 2002 and never stopped. “We have to make room in the world for other people. We can’t take up all the air in the room. We have to leave room for others,” the rabbi said. Zeff has never worked at another synagogue. And he does not see that changing anytime soon. Under his leadership, the GJC managed to add 10-15 families per year during the pandemic. GJC congregant Mathieu Shapiro said there’s a moment every year when Zeff reminds him of why he belongs to the Mount Airy synagogue. It’s when the rabbi sings the fi nal Sim Shalom near the end of Yom Kippur services. “He sings this particular tune with energy and vigor that seem impossible at the end of the long day of fasting, but simultaneously seem typical for him,” Shapiro said. “He sings it with the spirituality he constantly brings both to our services and to our everyday interactions with him.” JE jsaff ren@midatlanticmedia.com JEWISHEXPONENT.COM 23 d’var torah Longing for Home BY RABBI JASON BONDER Parshat Chayei Sarah A t the very beginning of this week’s portion, Sarah dies. In search of a burial place for her, Abraham spoke with the Hittites, among them Ephron the Hittite, who owned the Cave of Machpelah. When Abraham spoke with the Hittites, he did not begin by telling them that he was brokenhearted. Nor did Abraham tell them about his wife and the life that she lived. Rather, Abraham opened by telling the Hittites that he was not one of them. Abraham made it clear that he was diff erent — and from a diff erent place. He said, “I am a resident alien among you.” (Genesis 23:5) Just a bit later in this portion, it came time for Abraham to fi nd his son, Isaac, a wife. At fi rst, Abraham did not seem immediately concerned about fi nding Isaac the perfect match. Nor did he seem terribly concerned about many of the other typical characteristics in fi nding a wife for his son. Rather, in Abraham’s mind, the key priority over all the rest was the hometown of Isaac’s future bride. Abraham made his servant swear that he would not fi nd a Canaanite woman for Isaac. Rather, he would go back to the land of Abraham’s birth to fi nd Isaac a wife. Abraham said, “And I will make you swear by God, the God of heaven and the God of the earth, that you will not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites among whom I dwell but will go to the land of my birth and get a wife for Isaac.” (Genesis 24:3-4) Abraham’s announcement of his “res- ident alien” status and his insistence on fi nding Isaac’s wife from “the old country” remind me that everything in life comes with a price tag. Abraham was given the opportunity of a lifetime. He was blessed to hear God’s call to “go forth.” He was blessed to be the father of a multitude of nations. He was blessed that his family followed him on his journey. He was literally blessed by God. And yet, we see in this week’s portion that heeding God’s call took a toll on Abraham. It seems that Abraham was dreams. Chasing a goal oft en means following a path with no clear desti- nation in sight. But they do it because they feel called to do the work just as Abraham was called to journey toward the Promised Land. Toward the end of this portion, Abraham’s death is described in the following way, “And Abraham breathed his last, dying at a good ripe age, old and contented, and he was gathered to his kin.” Had Abraham stayed in his home- town of Haran, he may have grown old, but I don’t think that he would have been contented. I believe it was his fulfi llment of God’s call that enabled him to feel contented upon his death. Had Abraham stayed in Haran, he would have spent his entire Chasing a goal often means following a path with no clear destination in sight. homesick all of his life. In his advanced years, no matter what the folks around him said, Abraham did not feel at home. Th e Hittites said to Abraham, “Hear us my lord.” “You are the elect of God among us ...” (Genesis 23:5) But Abraham didn’t agree. He insisted on paying for the Cave of Machpelah. Furthermore, it seems like there were plenty of Canaanite women who would have gladly married Isaac. Otherwise, why would Abraham have had to emphatically direct his servant to avoid bringing home a Canaanite woman for Isaac? But he did it because the Canaanites were not the right fi t for Isaac, in Abraham’s eyes. Abraham nobly followed God toward a place that God would show him. But getting to that land, and staying there, meant feeling like an outsider for the rest of his life. Th is is the price that many leaders pay in pursuit of their 24 NOVEMBER 17, 2022 | JEWISHEXPONENT.COM life with his kin, but he would not have fulfi lled his destiny. By always holding onto his role as an outsider, perhaps Abraham allowed himself to feel con- nected to his ancestors even though he was physically separated from them. Perhaps Abraham not only founded Judaism by the sound of God’s voice calling him, but also by the urge to make those from his hometown proud. JE Rabbi Jason Bonder is the associate rabbi of Congregation Beth Or in Maple Glen. Th e Board of Rabbis of Greater Philadelphia is proud to provide diverse perspectives on Torah commentary for the Jewish Exponent. Th e opin- ions expressed in this column are the author’s own and do not refl ect the view of the Board of Rabbis. calendar N OV E M B E R 17–N OV E M B E R 23 Have you heard about the Old York Road Temple-Beth Am 15th annual “Second Time Around” vintage and more sale? From the joy of the hunt to the lure of the bargain, you’ll find it all right here from 6:30 a.m.-9 p.m. and 8:30 a.m.-3 p.m. on Nov. 20. For more information, contact Gail Arnopol at 215-663-0299 or Evelyn Fair at 215-680-1315. 971 Old York Road, Abington. S A T U R D A Y, N O V. 19 GALLERY OPENING The Penn Museum will reveal its new Eastern Mediterranean Gallery: Crossroads of Cultures, exploring the world’s first alphabet to the origins of Judaism, Islam and Christianity, with a public opening weekend celebration, Nov. 19-20 from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. 3260 South St., Philadelphia. F R I D A Y, N O V. 1 8 PARSHA FOR LIFE Join Rabbi Alexander Coleman, Jewish educator and psychotherapist at the Institute for Jewish Ethics, at 9 a.m. for a weekly journey through the Torah portion with eternal lessons on personal growth and spirituality. Go to ijethics.org/weekly-torah- portion.html to receive the Zoom link and password. ACOUSTIC MUSICAL SHABBAT Join Beth Sholom Congregation’s Rabbi David Glanzberg-Krainin, Cantor Jacob Agar and the band at 6 p.m. for a musical Kabbalat Shabbat service featuring acoustic music. The community is welcome to attend. Call 215-887-1342 for information. 8231 Old York Road, Elkins Park. SISTERHOOD SHABBAT Congregations of Shaare Shamayim’s Sisterhood Shabbat is scheduled for 7:45 p.m. sharp. The Sisterhood will conduct the service assisted by Rabbi Sandy Berliner and Cantor Bernard Walters. An oneg will follow services. Please contact 215-677-1600 for further information. 9768 Verree Road, Philadelphia. JEWISH FILM FESTIVAL The Philadelphia Jewish Film Festival, presented by Philadelphia Jewish Film and Media, presents the best in Jewish international cinema, running until Nov. 19 and including seven international feature films, one shorts program, an in-depth discussion of Hollywood’s Jewish New Wave of the ’60s and ’70s, and an exclusive brunch screening of “Funny Girl.” More information and tickets available at phillyjfm.org. S A T U R D A Y, N O V. 19 VINTAGE SALE A CAPPELLA CONCERT Pizmon, an a cappella singing group of students from the Jewish Theological Seminary, Columbia and Barnard, will perform at Congregation Beth El-Ner Tamid in Broomall at 7 p.m. Reservations are required. Adults $18; Children $5. Contact the CBENT office at 610-356-8700 or email office@cbent.org for more information. NEFESH MOUNTAIN CONCERT Enjoy a musical evening with Nefesh Mountain, where bluegrass meets Jewish heritage and tradition, at 8 p.m. at Zlock Performing Arts Center, Bucks County Community College in Newtown. For questions, contact buckscounty@jewishphilly.org. 275 Swamp Road, Newtown. S U N D A Y, N O V. 2 0 CHANUKAH BAZAAR Come to Tiferet Bet Israel for a fun day featuring dozens of local artisans and vendors for all your holiday shopping needs. Sellers will offer unique clothing, Judaica, jewelry, home goods, children’s items, handmade gifts and accessories from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Contact tbihanukkahbazaar@gmail. com or 484-744-1995 for more information. 1920 Skippack Pike, Blue Bell. M O N D A Y, N O V. 21 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. T U E S D A Y, N O V. 2 2 BINGO WITH BARRY Join Barry at Tabas KleinLife for an afternoon of bingo at 12:45 p.m. on Nov. 22 and 23. Free parking and free to play, with snacks available on Nov. 23. For more information, call 215-745-3127. 2101 Strahle St., Philadelphia. W E D N E S D A Y, N O V. 2 3 INTRODUCTION TO JUDAISM Introduction to Judaism at Congregation Kol Ami is a multisession course for anyone who wants to gain a deeper understanding of Jewish life, continuing from Nov. 2. No charge for congregants. $180 per device for non-congregants. For more information, contact Ruth Scott, director of community engagement: ruth@kolaminj.org. 1101 Springdale Road, Cherry Hill, NJ. T H U R S D A Y, N O V. 2 4 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. YIDDISH SHMOOZE GROUP If you’ve got the chutzpah, join Congregation Kol Ami for casual conversations and programs in Yiddish. Yiddish Shmooze Group will meet on Zoom from 10:30-11:45 a.m. on the second and fourth Thursdays of the month, through June. For more information, contact 856-489-0029. JE JEWISHEXPONENT.COM 25 2 6 Photo by Edy Israel 3 26 NOVEMBER 17, 2022 | JEWISHEXPONENT.COM 1 Nancy Winkler, a shareholder of Eisenberg, Rothweiler, Winkler, Eisenberg and Jeck, and her son Zachary Winkler, an attorney at Hangley Aronchick Segal Pudlin & Schiller, received the 2022 Founder’s Award at the Evening of Hope for the Philadelphia/ Delaware Valley Chapter of the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation. 2 The Philadelphia and Delaware chapters of Americans for Ben- Gurion University held their annual patron party in support of their Nov. 13 tribute brunch. 3 Temple Sinai congregants Stu Weitz, Bobby Parkin and Larry Allen cheered on the Philadelphia Phillies in the World Series. 4 The American Jewish Committee’s Latino-Jewish Coalition hosted a symposium on exploring new frontiers in the Latino-Jewish political alliance at the Pyramid Club on Oct. 27. 5 Jewish Family Service of Atlantic & Cape May Counties staff members Natasha Bettencourt, Christina Swank, Maria Diaz and George Taylor showed their Phillies support during the World Series. 6 The Jewish Residents’ Council at Ann’s Choice in Warminster sponsored a program on life in the shtetl in Poland and Russia. Courtesy of Bernie Roseman 5 Courtesy of Amy Schrager 1 Courtesy of the Jewish Family Service of Atlantic & Cape May Counties 4 Courtesy of Wayne Pollock Out & About Photo by Christopher Brown around town last word Abby Stamelman Hocky CELEBRATES RELIGIOUS DIFFERENCES SA SHA ROGELBERG | STAFF WRITER Courtesy of Abby Stamelman Hocky P ennsylvania founder and name- sake William Penn established the colony — before it became the City of Brotherly Love — in the name of religious freedom. Yet by the 21st century, New York, Washington, D.C., and Los Angeles had all established interfaith centers, but Philadelphia had not. In the early aughts, Abby Stamelman Hocky, associate executive director of the Jewish Community Relations Council of Philadelphia at the time, traveled to New York to visit James Morton, founder of the Interfaith Movement of New York, alongside Rev. Richard Fernandez, who was then the leader of the more localized Neighborhood Interfaith Movement in Northwest Philadelphia. It was in New York that she made that realization. “It all of a sudden opened our eyes to the fact that there were these inter- faith centers in major cities around the country and around the globe,” Stamelman Hocky said. “And why here, in the birthplace of America and religious freedom, wasn’t there some- thing like that?” Stamelman Hocky sought to change that. In January 2004, she helped found the Interfaith Center of Greater Philadelphia, which later became Interfaith Philadelphia. Today, Interfaith Philadelphia con- tinues its mission to “promote social harmony and inter-religious under- standing” through a series of partner- ships offering certificates on faith and social impact and interfaith leadership with the University of Pennsylvania’s Center for Social Impact Strategy and Interfaith America, respectively. The organization has worked with seminaries and religious organiza- tions to build relationships and pro- mote interreligious education and dialogue. Since its inception, Interfaith Philadelphia has offered a youth pro- gram to build leadership skills with middle schools, high schools and col- leges. The program has worked with 1,000 youth over 19 years. “It’s really shaped the career paths, the college experience and confidence that young people have in going into this time, with knowing how to really respect and appreciate people across all kinds of differences,” Stamelman Hocky said. Stamelman Hocky, 66, like the youth Interfaith Philadelphia works with, ben- efited from an early introduction into community organizing. After receiving her bachelor’s degree in sociology from Lafayette College, Stamelman Hocky attended Wurzweiler School of Social Work at Yeshiva University in New York for her Master of Social Work degree. She’s also involved in the local Jewish community as a member of both Congregation Beth Am Israel and Or Zarua. When she arrived at the JCRC in 1980, she felt well-prepared to work for the organization. “It was really a proud way to serve the community from my Jewish iden- tity and my Jewish professionalism, to work with the broader commu- nity,” Stamelman Hocky said. “And that’s only prepared me for the kind of change and vision that I saw was possi- ble in Philadelphia.” In the two decades with JCRC, Stamelman Hocky had always had an interest in interreligious relations. In working with so many faith organi- zations in the Philadelphia area, she became well acquainted with the power of religion in conversations around social values and social justice. “There’s something very, very pow- erful in people inspired by the deep wells of their faith, however they define spirituality in their lives or however they orient around religion,” she said. Stamelman Hocky founded Interfaith Philadelphia at a time when magnifying the power of religious val- ues and forging deep interreligious connections was more tenuous. Still, soon after 9/11, 2004 was marked by continued religious prejudice, espe- cially toward the Muslim community. In Interfaith Philadelphia’s early days, the organization was focused on “prej- udice reduction.” People of other faith groups were not familiar with Muslim practices or didn’t know about how the Holocaust contin- ued to impact the Jewish community. Step one of Interfaith Philadelphia’s work was getting people to understand their differences and not see them as threats or detriments. “The kind of classic dialogue work that goes into meeting your neighbors and such was a lot of the fabric of the context in which we were living,” Stamelman Hocky said. Today, Interfaith Philadelphia is working on building “civil conversa- tion,” a dialogue among faith groups that aims to go beyond religious toler- ance to celebrate religious differences and understand how religious diversity can enhance one’s faith identity and connection to a wider community. “The world has become so much more aware that multiculturalism and multiracial relations and interfaith relations are all part of a spectrum of diversity, that we like to feel is kind of the new pluralism that our founders here really envisioned but could never have imagined,” Stamelman Hocky said. Stamelman Hocky knows that the work of building meaningful inter- faith connections extends beyond her- self and Interfaith Philadelphia. As she thinks about the future of interreli- gious relations in Philadelphia, there’s a core question she asks: “What does it look like to create a rich and multicul- tural society?” JE srogelberg@midatlanticmedia.com JEWISHEXPONENT.COM 27 CEMETERY LOTS FOR SALE ROOSEVELT MEMORIAL PARK 2 plots available, Section B-6 Lot 401, Graves 3 and 4 $5000, For Immediate Sale Contact bonniemike@gmail.com ROOSEVELT MEMORIAL PARK 2 Premium Side by Side Lots includes Monument for sale Section W2 - Lot - 110 - Sp 1 & Sp 2 Contact Larry 215-470-7373 (after 2:00PM) SHALOM MEMORIAL PARK FOR SALE GREAT LOCATION IN GABRIEL SECTION TWO LOTS ALL SERVICES AND FEES INCLUDING TRANSFER FEE BRONZE PLACQUE WITH ENGRAVING GRANITE BASE OVER TIME FOR WEEKEND PERPETUAL CARE CALL 480-622-0596 OR EMAIL SIDBE@AOL.COM SHALOM MEMORIAL PARK 2 Premium Side by Side Lots. Section David - Lot 307 Sites 3 & 4. $9,000 o.b.o. 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Schedule a FREE LeafFilter estimate to- day. 15% off Entire Purchase. 10% Senior & Military Dis- counts. Call 1-855-569-3087 Miscellaneous: Prepare for power outag- 28 NOVEMBER 17, 2022 | JEWISHEXPONENT.COM Miscellaneous: Safe Step. North America’s #1 Walk-In Tub. Comprehen- sive lifetime warranty. Top- of-the-line installation and service. Now featuring our FREE shower package and $1600 Off for a limited time! Call today! Financing avail- able. Call Safe Step 1-833- 437-1428 TUTORING EDUCATION PLUS Private tutoring, all subjects, elemen.-college, SAT/ACT prep. 7 days/week. Expd. & motivated instructors. (215)576-1096 www.educationplusinc.com Legals 1537 North 33rd Street Condominium Association has been incorporated under the provisions of the Pennsylvania Nonprofit Corporation Law of 1988. Law Offices of Jon Taylor, PC 1617 JFK Blvd. Suite 1888 Philadelphia, PA 19103 Somerset Station Owners’ Association, Inc. has been incor- porated under the provisions of the Pennsylvania Nonprofit Corporation Law of 1988. Klehr, Harrison, Harvey, Branzburg LLP 1835 Market St., (1400) Philadelphia, PA 19103 Court of Common Pleas for the County of Philadelphia, October Term, 2022, No. 000399 NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that on October 17, 2022, the petition of Stacy Anne Fahnestock was filed, praying for a decree to change Stacy Anne Fahnestock name to Anastacia Fahnestock. The Court has fixed November 18, 2022 at 10:00 A.M., in Room No. 691, City Hall, Phila., PA for hearing. All persons interested may appear and show cause if any they have, why the prayer of the said petitioner should not be granted. Court of Common Pleas for the County of Philadelphia, October Term, 2022, No. 1131 NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that on October 13, 2022, the petition of Tiffany Zhu was filed, praying for a decree to the change name her to Tiffany Zhu Lin. The Court has fixed December 2, 2022 at 10:00 A.M., in Room No. 691, City Hall, Phila., PA for hearing. All persons interested may appear and show cause if any they have, why the prayer of the said petitioner should not be granted. Stanley J. Sinowitz, Esquire 261 Old York Road Jenkintown, PA 19046 ESTATE OF ANGELINA PIACENTINI, DECEASED. Late of Philadelphia County LETTERS TESTAMENTARY on the above Estate have been granted to the undersigned, who request all persons having claims or de- mands against the estate of the decedent to make known the same and all persons indebted to the decedent to make payment with- out delay to FRANK PIACENTINI and SOFIA ANGELINA CEDRONE, ADMINISTRATORS, c/o Kristen L. Behrens, Esq., 1500 Market St., Ste. 3500E, Philadelphia, PA 19102, Or to their Attorney: KRISTEN L. BEHRENS DILWORTH PAXSON LLP 1500 Market St., Ste. 3500E Philadelphia, PA 19102 ESTATE OF ANNA H. HERRMANN a/k/a ANN HERRMANN, 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 TERESE A. MCFADDEN and ANNA M. FOSTER, EXECUTRICES, c/o Susan Verbonitz, Esq., 1339 Chestnut St., Ste. 500, Philadelphia, PA 19107, OR to their Attorney: SUSAN VERBONITZ WEIR GREENBLATT PIERCE, LLP 1339 Chestnut St., Ste. 500 Philadelphia, PA 19107 ESTATE OF ANTHONY R. FIDURA, 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 KEITH ANTHONY FIDURA, EXECUTOR, c/o Harvey Abramson, Esq., 7 Neshaminy Interplex, Ste. 400, Trevose, PA 19053, Or to his Attorney: HARVEY ABRAMSON LAW OFFICES OF HARVEY ABRAMSON, P.C. 7 Neshaminy Interplex, Ste. 400 Trevose, PA 19053 ESTATE OF BARBARA ANNE GOLAS a/k/a BARBARA A. GOLAS, BARBARA GOLAS, 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 CHRISTOPHER EDWARD GOLAS, EXECUTOR, c/o Harry Metka, Esq., 4802 Neshaminy Blvd., Ste. 9, Bensalem, PA 19020, Or to his Attorney: HARRY METKA 4802 Neshaminy Blvd., Ste. 9 Bensalem, PA 19020 ESTATE OF BRIAN REINHART, DECEASED. Late of Philadelphia County LETTERS TESTAMENTARY on the above Estate have been grant- ed to the undersigned, who re- quest all persons having claims or demands against the estate of the decedent to make known the same and all persons indebted to the decedent to make payment without delay to JEAN REINHART, ADMINISTRATRIX, c/o Bess M. Collier, Esq., 820 Homestead Rd., Jenkintown, PA 19046, Or to her Attorney BESS M. COLLIER FELDMAN & FELDMAN, LLP 820 Homestead Rd. Jenkintown, PA 19046 ESTATE OF BRUCE ALLEN ALSMAN, SR., 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 SHEILA KAYE TYSON, ADMINISTRATRIX, 15568 Bream Rd., Jacksonville, FL 32226 ESTATE OF CHARLES A. McCLAMY, SR., 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 CYNTHIA MCCLAMY-FARRELL, ADMINISTRATRIX, c/o Daniella A. Horn, Esq., 2202 Delancey Place, Philadelphia, PA 19103, Or to her Attorney: DANIELLA A. HORN KLENK LAW, LLC 2202 Delancey Place Philadelphia, PA 19103 ESTATE OF ELIZABETH A. PROCTOR, 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 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 GAIL D. WOLLERTON, DECEASED. Late of Philadelphia LETTERS TESTAMENTARY on the above Estate have been granted to the undersigned, who request all persons having claims or de- mands against the estate of the decedent to make known the same and all persons indebted to the decedent to make payment without delay to AMANDA LEA CLAUSER, EXECUTRIX, c/o Daniella A. Horn, Esq., 2202 Delancey Place, Philadelphia, PA 19103, Or to her Attorney: DANIELLA A. HORN KLENK LAW, LLC 2202 Delancey Place Philadelphia, PA 19103 ESTATE OF HERTA A. TUTTLE Tuttle, Herta A. late of Philadelphia, PA. Barbara Pileggi, 332 Highland Ave., Ambler, PA 19002, Executrix. Andrew I. Roseman, Esquire 1528 Walnut St. Suite 1412 Philadelphia, PA 19102 ESTATE OF JAMES HORACE McRAE, 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 TAMIKO MCRAE-WILKERSON, ADMINISTRATRIX, c/o Daniel Muklewicz, Esq., 215 S. Broad St., 5th Fl., Philadelphia, PA 19107, Or to her Attorney: DANIEL MUKLEWICZ AVALLONE LAW ASSOCIATES 215 S. Broad St., 5th Fl. Philadelphia, PA 19107 ESTATE OF JOEL ZIMMERMAN, 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 STEVEN M. ZIMMERMAN, ADMINISTRATOR, 5742 Harbison Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19135 ESTATE OF JOHN J. McCOLLIGAN a/k/a JOHN McCOLLIGAN, JOHN J. McCOLLIGAN, III, 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 SEAN MICHAEL McCOLLIGAN, Executor, c/o Harry Metka, Esq., 4802 Neshaminy Blvd., Ste. 9, Bensalem, PA 19020, Or to his Attorney: HARRY METKA 4802 Neshaminy Blvd., Ste. 9 Bensalem, PA 19020 ESTATE OF JUDITH KREINDLER, DECEASED. Late of Philadelphia County LETTERS TESTAMENTARY on the above Estate have been granted to the undersigned, who request all persons having claims or de- mands against the estate of the decedent to make known the same and all persons indebted to the decedent to make payment without delay to WILLIAM S. KREINDLER, EXECUTOR, c/o Daniella A. Horn, Esq., 2202 Delancey Place, Philadelphia, PA 19103, Or to his Attorney: DANIELLA A. HORN KLENK LAW, LLC 2202 Delancey Place Philadelphia, PA 19103 ESTATE OF KATHLEEN MCCULLOUGH, 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 payment without delay, to Lisa Marie Elizardo, Administratrix c/o his attorney Debra G. Speyer, Two Bala Plaza, Suite 300, Bala Cynwyd, PA 19004. SEASHORE SALE LOVE where here you LIVE LIV HHT Office 609-487-7234 #1 IN NEW JERSEY FOR LARGE TEAM SALES VOLUME *RealTrends 2021 www.HartmanHomeTeam.com NEW LISTING! LONGPORT $2,975,000 5 BED, 5 FULL BATH NEW CONSTRUCTION LESS THAN TWO BLOCKS TO THE BEST BEACH! LARGE 40X101 LOT! NEW LISTING! MARGATE NEW PRICE! 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MARGATE - FOR SALE BY OWNER $2,950,000 Beach block unobstructed beach/ocean views Principals only; By appointment Alice – 516-287-6808; beachblock111@icloud.com MOVING TO BOCA Delray Beach, Boynton Beach or ANY of the Surrounding Areas???? 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 Post and beam, upside down, classic mid-century modern Deck House home • 4 bedrooms - 2 w/private bathrooms; all custom closets • 3.5 new bathrooms include steam shower, spa tub, accessible shower • Designer open kitchen, 2 dishwashers, island • Elevator to all 3 levels; 1 car garage; 3+ cars park on shared drive- way • Central AC/gas heat, 2 zones; electric floor heat in bedrooms/ baths • High end audio and video components included • Walk to local businesses & restaurants • Short bike ride to the Ventnor boardwalk • At home “front seats” for the Fourth of July fireworks • Beach access features an open bulkhead & an ADA dune ramp Erica.Zaslow@elliman.com Douglas Ellman 900 East Atlantic Avenue #1 Delray Beach, FL 33483 ERICA ZASLOW 305 7850676 JEWISHEXPONENT.COM 29 ESTATE OF LINDA RUBIN SIMON, DECEASED. Late of Haverford Township, Delaware County, PA LETTERS TESTAMENTARY on the above Estate have been granted to the undersigned, who request all persons having claims or demands against the estate of the decedent to make known the same and all persons indebted to the decedent to make payment without delay to HOWARD RUBIN, EXECUTOR, c/o Rebecca Rosenberger Smolen, Esq., 1 Bala Plaza, Ste. 623, Bala Cynwyd, PA 19004, Or to her Attorney: REBECCA ROSENBERGER SMOLEN ESTATE OF LUCILLE BEVERLY JONES, 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 CORNELIUS A. LONG, ADMINISTRATOR, 956 Taylor Dr., Folcroft, PA 19032, Or to his Attorney: FRANCIS X. REDDING 1414 Bywood Ave. Upper Darby, PA 19082 ESTATE OF LUIS VELEZ, 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 FRANCIA E. VALENCIA, ADMINISTRATRIX, c/o A.J. Thomson, Esq., 1500 Walnut St., Ste. 500, Philadelphia, PA 19102, Or to her Attorney: A.J. THOMSON LAW OFFICES OF JARED S. ZAFRAN 1500 Walnut St., Ste. 500 Philadelphia, PA 19102 ESTATE OF MARY K. HOWE, 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 DIANE TRITZ, ADMINISTRATRIX, 1251 Fanshawe St., Philadelphia, PA 19111, Or to her Attorney: BRANDON J. LAURIA LAURIA LAW LLC 3031 Walton Rd., Ste. A320 Plymouth Meeting, PA 19462 ESTATE OF MATHERDA S. PULLIAM, 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 KARL C. PULLIAM, II, ADMINISTRATOR, c/o Daniella A. Horn, Esq., 2202 Delancey Place, Philadelphia, PA 19103, HOMES FOR SALE The DeSouzas are Back on Bustleton! The Fall Market is Here! Now is the time to list your home with US! 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 Or to his Attorney: DANIELLA A. HORN KLENK LAW, LLC 2202 Delancey Place Philadelphia, PA 19103 ESTATE OF MEGAN M. DONOHUE, 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 LISA DONOHUE, ADMINISTRATRIX, c/o A.J. Thomson, Esq., 1500 Walnut St., Ste. 500, Philadelphia, PA 19102, Or to her Attorney: A.J. THOMSON LAW OFFICES OF JARED S. ZAFRAN 1500 Walnut St., Ste. 500 Philadelphia, PA 19102 ESTATE OF MILDRED ALTUS, 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 MARLENE ELLEN GOLDFARB, EXECUTRIX, c/o Roy Yaffe, Esq., 2005 Market St., 16th Fl., Philadelphia, PA 19103, Or to her Attorney: ROY YAFFE ZARWIN BAUM DEVITO KAPLAN SCHAER TODDY, PC 2005 Market St., 16th Fl. Philadelphia, PA 19103 ESTATE OF NADINE SMITH, 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 David Williams, Administrator, c/o Stephen C. Josel, Esq., 1628 JFK Blvd., Ste. 400, Philadelphia, PA 19103, Or to his Attorney: STEPHEN C. JOSEL JOSEL & FEENANE, P.C. 1628 JFK Blvd., Ste. 400 Philadelphia, PA 19103 ESTATE OF ROSE LAUER, 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 JOHN LAUER, JR., ADMINISTRATOR, c/o Daniella A. Horn, Esq., 2202 Delancey Place, Philadelphia, PA 19103, Or to his Attorney: DANIELLA A. HORN KLENK LAW, LLC 2202 Delancey Place Philadelphia, PA 19103 ESTATE OF STANLEY M. STEIN 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 LAWRENCE M. STEIN and PAUL L. FELDMAN, EXECUTORS, 820 Homestead Rd., Jenkintown, PA 19046, Or to their Attorney: BESS M. COLLIER FELDMAN & FELDMAN, LLP 820 Homestead Rd. Jenkintown, PA 19046 ESTATE OF THADDEUS LEO FIALKOWSKI THADDEUS FIALKOWSKI, 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 SUSAN SULLIVAN, EXECUTRIX, c/o Bradley Newman, Esq., 123 S. Broad St., Ste. 1030, Philadelphia, PA 19109, Or to her Attorney: BRADLEY NEWMAN ESTATE & ELDER LAW OFFICE OF BRADLEY NEWMAN 123 S. Broad St., Ste. 1030 Philadelphia, PA 19109 ESTATE OF TYMISHA PAGE, 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 TRACY PAGE, ADMINISTRATRIX, c/o A.J. Thomson, Esq., 1500 Walnut St., Ste. 500, Philadelphia, PA 19102, Or to her Attorney: A.J. THOMSON LAW OFFICES OF JARED S. ZAFRAN 1500 Walnut St., Ste. 500 Philadelphia, PA 19102 ESTATE OF VICTORIA J. LILLEY, 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 TIMOTHY G. LILLEY, ADMINISTRATOR, 1936 Washington Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19146 ESTATE OF WILLIAM MORRIS, 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 BRENDA MORRIS, EXECUTRIX, c/o Zachary R. Dolchin, Esq., 50 S. 16th St., Ste. 3530, Philadelphia, PA 19102, Or to her Attorney: ZACHARY R. DOLCHIN DOLCHIN, SLOTKIN & TODD, P.C. 50 S. 16th St., Ste. 3530 HOME SERVICES WANTED TO BUY GOLDEN HARMONY HOME CARE WANTED TO BUY Independence while at the same time improving their quality of life by helping them remain in the comfort of their own homes. 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Th ough he’s found a new normal, Weinstein said that fi nding a social network at Penn has been a challenge. “As time goes on, people are able to fi nd the communities and fi nd resources, but particularly in college, I think that for a lot of people, it can be very diffi cult to know where to turn,” he said. Hillel has been at the center of these students’ social life, making the peer com- ponent of the peer mental health train- ing especially important. According to a BBYO-CAW study, 79% of young adults will go to a peer fi rst to talk about mental health issues. “Walking into the counseling center is a huge step,” Fidler said. “It can feel over- whelming sometimes taking that next step, or that fi rst step is paralyzing, while talking to a friend is easy.” Hillel is one of several “micro-com- munities” for students, Greenberg said. Beyond creating a support network within the student organizations, stu- dent leaders can take their training to their other communities and clubs. And rather than visiting the health center, which feels removed from campus, stu- dents are more likely to want to visit a central and convenient location for pro- fessional support. Steinhardt Hall’s position as a high-traf- fi c building and home for the Jewish student community establishes it as the bedrock for these mental health interven- tions. Students already feel at ease visiting the space to do homework, go to class and socialize with friends. “Th ose students are here and, for many of them, they feel very comfortable and safe,” Greenberg said. “Th is is their home away from home.” JE srogelberg@midatlanticmedia.com 27 years in Israel, where she’s observed rabbis and older generations of Ethiopian Jews take part in a day of fasting and prayers on Sigd. But to her generation, the holiday is a time of reunion with friends and family with a large ceremo- nial meal of dabo, a fragrant yeasted honey bread, being served alongside an Ethiopian meal with injera. While the older generation holds on to some of the somberness of the holiday, remembering a time of their own yearn- ing or struggle arriving in Israel, the younger generation is fi lled with feelings of spiritual and physical arrival to the land of milk and honey. “It’s kind of become a half-fasting and then half-celebration,” Beza said. “We no longer need to pray to get to Jerusalem because we made it.” For Ethiopian Israeli Jews in America, however, the observance of Sigd looks signifi cantly diff erent. Kanotopsky and Beza will fast and break their fasts in the evening, but their celebratory din- ners will consist of dining with family in Kanotopsky’s case, and with a group of students from UPenn’s Ethiopian Eritrean Student Association in Beza’s. In the short time Kanotosky and Beza have been in the United States, there has been a desire from their American Jewish counterparts to learn more about Sigd. Beza believes that the Jews in the U.S. have taken to learning about Ethiopian Jewish culture more quickly than Israeli Jews — symbolic of a greater acceptance of Jewish plurality. “Th ere’s a lot of excitement and maybe desire to know this community, more here to American Jews than maybe in Israel because it’s something that they don’t really know or are used to,” she said. “American Jews are kind of really excited about it, that there are Jews that not only look like them, [but] there’s a lot of Jews that look diff erent than them.” JE srogelberg@midatlanticmedia.com BUSINESS / LEGAL DIRECTORIES nmls 215-901-6521 • 561-631-1701 • Careers.com Jewish For Those Who Value Community The preferred career resource for the Jewish community. info.jewishcareers.com 410-902-2300 COMMERCIAL LOANS BANK LET YOU DOWN? 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