JewishLife WESTCHESTER

February 2015 — Shevat-Adar 5775, Volume 21, Issue 2

WESTCHESTER COUNTY’S ONLY MONTHLY JEWISH NEWSPAPER

Forum Empowering Students to Stand Against Campus Anti-Semitism Held at JCC Mid-Westchester BY STEPHEN E. LIPKEN

Over 84 Jewish high school, college students and parents participated in an Interactive Forum, “Empowering Students, Stand Up to Anti-Semitism on College Campuses,” sponsored by Students and Parents Against Campus Anti-Semitism {SPACA}, held at JCC Mid-Westchester in Scarsdale on Monday, January 5. SPACA, a grass roots local organization, has a mission to empower, support and educate college students on how to deal with intimidation, hateful propaganda and violent incidents on campus. Their focus, is concentrated on the wave of Anti-Semitism that has changed the atmosphere on campuses, replacing academic debates, exchange of ideas and tolerance, with alarming acts, they noted. The forum featured a video showing antiSemitic campus demonstrations by Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP), discussing the Boycott, Divest and Sanction (BDS) movement and anti-Israel faculty members on different campuses. There was also a panel consisting of Stand With Us (SWU) Coordinators Yoni Kaplan and Aviva Malviera; Jewish National Fund (JNF) Israel Education Director Anna Richlin and Dr. Eric Mandel, M.D., founder, Middle East Political Information Network (MEPIN), Jerusalem Post columnist and SWU Northeast Co-Chair. “SJP, small in number works with scripted responses and dismissive attitudes,

Left to right: Richard Arronow, Donor and Supporter, Students and Parents Against Campus Anti-Semitism; Shoshana Bederman, Founder and Organizer, SPACA; Yoni Kaplan, New York Coordinator, Stand With Us; Laura Adkins, NYU Torch PAC President saying, ‘Anti-Semitism does not exist. We are Semites,’” Laura Adkins, President, New York University (NYU) Torch PAC, stated. “SJP manipulates students with ‘Mock Eviction’ notices, slid under NYU Palladium Hall students’ doors on April 24, 2014 during final exams, plus BDS. “Israel has been accused of being an apartheid state. In South Africa, a Black minority was discriminated against by a white majority. In Israel, Arabs, though a minority, serve in Knesset; Supreme Court; higher education; entertainment; recreation with their civil rights upheld,” Adkins stressed.

In five different break-out groups, students shared individual experiences and obtained practical advice on how to deal with intimidation and violence. Parents received pragmatic and effective means of dealing with college administrators, demanding that colleges take serious steps to ensure a safe student environment. “Create a safe place to meet with openminded people, engaging in conversation where there is civilized debate with no intimidation. You have the right to selfexpression…seek the facts and judge for yourself,” Dr. Mandel concluded.

Michael Douglas Selected as Genesis Prize Laureate Westchester resident and academy award winning actor and producer, Michael Douglas, has been named the 2015 recipient of The Genesis Prize. He plans to direct his One Million Dollar prize money toward promoting activities designed to raise awareness of inclusiveness and diversity in Judaism. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will present the award to Douglas this summer, as he did for the first winner of the Prize, former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, last year in Jerusalem. “I share this award with my family who encouraged me in my exploration of the Jewish faith,” Douglas noted. “ I hope these teachings and values will be part of the legacy in the world that I leave for my children and those who follow.” In January, Stan Polovets, CoFounder and Chairman of the Genesis prize Foundation said, “ The Genesis Prize Foundation is proud to honor Michael Douglas, both for his professional achievements and for his passion for his Jewish heritage and the Jewish State. The Douglas family’s experience of connecting

Michael Douglas with its heritage and embracing it on their own terms, embodies an inclusive approach for Jews of diverse backgrounds. This is particularly important today,

when the question of what it means to be Jewish has become more pressing than ever.” The Genesis Prize Foundation received 258 nominations from 16 countries, from diverse professional fields. Natan Sharansky, Chairman of the Jewish Agency for Israel and head of the Genesis Prize Selection Committee said, “The lifetime work and journey of Michael Douglas proves how Jewish roots and heritage can be important drivers for personal and professional success.” He added, “There is always a way to support and strengthen the Jewish People and the Jewish State by identifying, expressing and working for Jewish solidarity. Michael Douglas did this in his own inimitable and very impressive way. I salute him upon receipt of this great honor.”

Temple Beth Abraham to Switch from Dues Model to Voluntary Contributions Temple Beth Abraham (“TBA”) will become the first synagogue in Westchester County and the Hudson Valley, they claim, to rely on voluntary contributions from members to fund its operations rather than relying on a more formal dues structure. TBA, which is affiliated with the Union for Reform Judaism, has more than 400 families and conducts services in both the Reform and Conservative tradition, formally approved this shift at a membership meeting in early January. The change is one part of a larger effort by TBA to strengthen its connection to existing members and remove barriers in attracting new members. By removing fixed dues pricing from the relationship, the Temple and its members will be bound by a spirit of generosity and good will. “We’ve long prided ourselves on being an

Rabbi David Holtz egalitarian synagogue which has never turned anyone away for financial reasons,” said Rabbi David Holtz, who has led Tarrytown-based TBA since 1993. “This is the next logical step. No matter how you spin it, ‘dues’ feel more like something you pay to a country club, not a sacred contribution in support of a house of worship.”

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Terrorism in France—Where Do We Go From Here? BY STEPHEN E. LIPKEN

In the wake of recent terrorist incidents in Paris, American Jewish Committee (AJC) Westchester/Fairfield and Westchester Jewish Council (WJC) presented a solidarity program, “Terrorism in France— Where Do We Go From Here?” at Temple Israel Center {TIC}, White Plains on Tuesday, January 20, attended by well over 500 people from Westchester Jane Braden Golay County and outlying Jewish communities. Regional AJC President Stuart Ginsberg welcomed the community, followed by a Remembrance Ceremony from TIC Senior Rabbi Gordon Tucker; Young Israel of Scarsdale Rabbi Jonathan Morgenstern and Westchester Reform Temple Rabbi Jonathan Blake. AJC Regional Director Scott Richman introduced Keynote Speakers European Union of Jewish Students (EUJS) President Jane Braden-Golay and AJC Executive Director David Harris. “I thought being an active Jewish student meant discussing issues such as Darfur and taking pride in being Jewish,” Braden-

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Teens Commemorate Dr. Martin Luther Rivertown Students Team Up to Break Down Barriers King, Jr.’s Birthday Through Service

J-Teen Leadership brought interfaith youth organizations together from Westchester and beyond for its annual morning of service in commemoration of Martin Luther King, Jr.’s birthday on Monday, January 19, 2015. More than 50 teens participated in a project where they sorted medical supplies at the Afya Foundation in Yonkers. Afya supports ongoing health initiatives in developing countries by supplying critically needed surplus medical supplies, hospital equipment and humanitarian provisions. Supplies and equipment are collected from the healthcare, corporate and private communities and sent to partner organizations on the ground. Teens who attended this event came from Congregation Emanu-El of Westchester in Rye, the Rosenthal JCC of Northern Westchester in Pleasantville, Westchester Youth Alliance and Peacebuilders of the Kings Bay YM-YWHA in Brooklyn. According to Abbe Marcus, Executive

Director of J-Teen Leadership, “Our teen leaders are committed to coming together with others from all backgrounds in order to connect, break down barriers and ultimately see their commonalities as they share in the work of helping those in need.” This year’s service included packing and sorting medical supplies for clinics in West Africa in desperate need of provisions to aid with the worsening Ebola crisis. Danielle Butin, executive director of Afya, has worked with J-Teen Leadership for years and characterizes its members as emerging leaders who have demonstrated their readiness to help in times of disaster. “They collect, act, show up in ways never seen before in a teen-age group,” she says. J-Teen Leadership is dedicated to empowering and inspiring Jewish teens from all backgrounds with leadership training, core Jewish values and community service, so they can start contributing to the Jewish community and the world today.

The “Through a Clear Lens” project, formulated by the JCC on the Hudson, will team up Jewish and Latino teens to develop 7-10 minute films that will look at their respective cultures, similarities and differences, in an effort to break down barriers. The films will be showcased as a film festival in March or April. “Several years ago I read an article about a girl who heard a Holocaust survivor speak at her school. His experience touched her profoundly and she went up and spoke with him after the talk. The reason his story resonated with her was because she was a survivor of the genocide in Rwanda-- something she did not share with anyone, because she felt people could not begin to understand her experience. “She ended up forming a very close bond with this older Jewish man (she became close with his family as well) and they also did speaking tours together. Although it was something terrible that brought them to each other, I love the image of a young Rwandan girl and this old Jewish man and the friendship they shared and the bonds they forged,” related Laura Kramer, project director of a “Through a Clear Lens.” Through this filmmaking collaboration, it is hoped to be a wonderful opportunity to build a bridge between the local Jewish and Latino communities. “I think this project will clear up some of the stereotypes that both of these cultures have,” said Sleepy Hollow High School senior Alexandra Torres, who expects the process to “be very interesting and fun.” The work will take place after school at Sleepy Hollow High School. So far, participating students are from the school’s Latin American Student Association and from the Jewish Culture Club (newly formed as a result of this project). As a community service, the project is an opportunity to learn movie-making and to make an important statement. “I believe in the power of sharing stories as a way to discover all that we have in common, and as a way in which we can begin to eradicate assumptions and replace ignorance with true human experience,” said Ms. Kramer. “The insight and knowledge participants will hopefully gain through this project will help them be better citizens of the planet, along with becoming artistic storytellers!” Additional recruiting is taking place through the Rivertowns Jewish Consortium (the JCC and five local Jewish congregations). Anyone interested in joining or helping “Through a Clear Lens,” should contact [email protected]. “Through a Clear Lens,” is made possible by a UJA-Federation of NY Community Connections grant, and is a joint project of the JCC on the Hudson and the Union Free School District of Tarrytown.

Terrorism in France—Where Do We Go From Here? ...continued from page 1

Rabbi Jonathan Morgenstern (Young Israel of Scarsdale), Rabbi Jonathan Blake (Westchester Reform Temple) and Rabbi Gordon Tucker (Temple Israel Center) Golay observed. “But 2012 was a defining year with the attack on a school in Toulouse, France and the Cologne, Germany court decision against ritual circumcision. One affected our physical safety; the other our spiritual practice. “After the attack on the Brussels Jewish Museum in 2014, we had to leave our EUJS office for a couple of weeks and step up security. I always speak about amazing Jewish life in Europe but now find it difficult to balance this in light of recent events. “I am very concerned for our 200,000 students—where are we going to go? However, there are some positive signs, particularly French Prime Minister Manuel Valls’ speech acknowledging the exodus of European Jews,” Braden-Golay continued. “It was painful to listen to Jane, together with her 200,000 European students that her organization represents,” Harris stressed. “What must we do to ensure Jane’s future, wherever she chooses to live? “Europe must wake up and combat radical Islam. Anti-Semitism is not about Jews alone. It is a cancer that, left unchecked, will metastasize and ultimately destroy European democracy. If we come together tonight and nothing changes in our lives tomorrow morning, we have failed,” Harris concluded.

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The Threat to Democratic Nations That said, as longtime friends of France and the transatlantic partnership, we, too, have a big stake in where France goes from here. Allow us a The terrorist attacks in France last month few observations. that killed 17 innocent people have provoked First, what happened last month was by no widespread revulsion and condemnation. means unique to France. Many other countries, All people of good will stand as one with including our own, have been caught in the France. Its citizens were attacked, and so were crosshairs of jihadist terrorists. Moreover, it its laudable values, which have inspired the is painfully obvious that these individuals, democratic spirit worldwide whatever their country for well over two centuries. of residence, represent a Those values were transnational phenomenon precisely the chosen targets and a global threat. of the jihadist gunmen. The ease of their It began with the communication and weekly magazine Charlie information-sharing via Hebdo, an equal-opportunity cyberspace; the lure of critic of religions, politicians training, indoctrination and and the self-important. At battlefield experience in such times, its chosen methods countries as Iraq, Syria and of satire and caricature Yemen; the lack of border may have offended some, controls in the European including Christians, Jews Union’s Schengen group, not and Muslims. But that is to mention the proximity to a price those living in free Turkey as a transit nation; societies should willingly pay and the possibility of for the sacred right to express acquiring new passports and themselves, knowing, as identities all demand the well, that those who take Congresswoman Nita Lowey closest possible coordination offense are also invited to and intelligence-sharing speak their minds – peacefully, of course. among like-minded Western countries, France Then it was a police officer gunned down and the United States centrally included. in the line of duty as she was protecting the Second, it is high time to be clear in our citizens – and, yes, the values – of French society. language. If some are not willing to identify our And, finally, it was a kosher market, a place adversaries, that makes formulating the proper chosen by the assailants because French Jews strategies only more difficult. To be sure, the shop there, all the more so on a Friday, hours threat does not come from all Muslims or the before sundown, when the Sabbath begins and faith of Islam writ large. Any such assumption the observant set aside their daily chores. would be painfully misguided and inaccurate. We know from experience that a big But those who repeatedly commit these question waits. Once the shock begins to wear terrorist acts, whether in Europe, the Western off, the rallies end, and the calls for national Hemisphere, Africa, Asia or the Middle East, unity fade away, what happens next? loudly invoke their Islamic faith and teachings Obviously, this is a decision that only the to justify their heinous deeds. The perpetrators democratically elected government and people are exponents of radical Islam, and they should of France can make. be so identified. BY CONGRESSWOMAN NITA LOWEY AND DAVID HARRIS JANUARY 12, 2015

Third, much as all democratic societies must stand up resolutely to the magnitude of the threat, there is another essential front line to this battle – what takes place within the Muslim world. Will the many Muslims repelled by these (and other) attacks in the name of their faith join those courageous individuals who have already stood up and seek to marginalize the hijackers of their religion? Much will depend on the answer. Fourth, there has been considerable debate in Europe, including France, about anti-Semitism – its definition, nature and reach. Frankly speaking, there has been too much debate, and it has distracted some countries from tackling the problem in a serious and sustained way. There is no simple answer, no one-sizeDavid Harris fits-all solution, to the pathology – and specificity – of anti-Semitism, as Europe, from its long history, knows better than anyone. The response must begin, of course, with the steadfast protection of democratic and pluralistic values. The effort must extend to the spheres of education, law enforcement, the judiciary, media and, critically, civil society. Indeed, history amply proves that the fates of religious minorities and free societies are inextricably interlinked. Therefore, to ensure the health of democracy is to enhance the sense of place of Jews, and, conversely, to guarantee the well-being of Jews is to strengthen the foundation of democracy. Thus, when Jews start marching with their feet out of Europe – as has happened in recent years, most notably in France – it should be a wake-up call for European leaders. As French

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Prime Minister Manuel Valls aptly told Jeffrey Goldberg of The Atlantic, “If 100,000 Jews leave France, France will no longer be France.” Indeed, all Europe is under threat if Jews no longer feel they can be safe shopping in a kosher market, sending their children to Jewish school, visiting a Jewish museum, or worshiping in a synagogue. And finally, it’s time to see Israel in a different light. In Europe and elsewhere, there has been far too much demonization of the Jewish state. Even apart from its inherent unfairness and prejudice, this animus has helped create an atmosphere where all Jews feel vulnerable. Israel is a democratic and pluralistic society, with robust domestic debates and unenviable security dilemmas. By dint of geography, it is on the front line in the struggle against radical Islam. Would that its neighbors were Sweden and Norway rather than Syria and Gaza! While there may be distinctions between Islamic State, Al-Qaeda, Hamas, Hezbollah, Islamic Jihad, etc., they are united in their rejection of everything our democratic nations embody—other than the freedom, when possible, to hide behind our values to advance their cause. Thus, the threat they pose to Israel is truly a threat to every democratic society. In other words, wherever we may live in the free world, our destinies are truly intertwined. Congresswoman Nita Lowey (D-NY) has served in Congress since 1989 and is the Ranking Member of the Committee on Appropriations. David Harris is the executive director of the American Jewish Committee (AJC) and a recipient of the French Legion of Honor.

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Baby Boomer Volunteers Make a Difference Through Engage

Seymour Schreiber has been volunteering weekly for almost a year at The Sinai Free Synagogue’s Senior Canteen in Fleetwood. “Seymour has been a tremendous asset to the WJCS Senior Programs,” said Rabbi Andy Bossov. “At our Mt. Vernon site, he joins us on Tuesdays to help engage participants in conversation (particularly those who do not go in for the pre-lunch seated exercise), and then assists with serving lunch.” Following the meal, he said, the participants enjoy a current events discussion led by two long-time participants. “Seymour has become an active third partner in this invaluable offering, providing additional insights and topic suggestions which are appreciated by all involved. His bright and cheery attitude shines through everything he does with our participants and the staff.” UJA-Federation of NY’sEngage Jewish Service Corps celebrated its first year this past November, and honored Seymour, among other outstanding volunteers. “He’s quite a catch as a volunteer!” raved Rabbi Bossov. Seymour’s wife Rhonda, also volunteers and was honored as well. Crazily enough, the Schreibers were unable to attend the event—they were busy volunteering! “Our group is having quite an impact on the volunteering landscape in Westchester County,” said Bob Koch, JCC on the Hudson Engage Coordinator. “Our volunteers use their skills, expertise, passion and leadership to address Westchester issues such as poverty, hunger, education, helping the isolated elderly and those with special needs - in a way that fits volunteers’ schedules and lifestyle.” Collaborating with various agencies in Westchester County, Koch matches volunteers with one-time or continuing service opportunities that are fulfilling. Volunteers bond with other volunteers, and have the opportunity to participate in educational and fun events. To volunteer, contact [email protected].

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UJA Federation of New York Hosts Workshop on Mindful Parenting More than 40 guests came to learn about Mindful Parenting at a workshop sponsored by UJA-Federation of New York at Congregation B’nai Yisrael of Armonk on Wednesday, January 7th. Chappaqua resident Jodi Baretz, a licensed clinical social worker and certified health and wellness coach, shared tips and techniques to use the principles of mindfulness to raise happy, resilient children. In private practice at the Center for Health and Healing in Mount Kisco, Baretz has more than 20 years experience providing clinical services, psychotherapy, and nutritional and career counseling. Event Chair Jen Sokol of Armonk told the gathering that UJA-Federation supports many programs and services that benefit families, in New York and in 70 countries around the world. “There’s so much that UJA-Federation supports in our own backyard that we may take advantage of at different times in our lives, whether that’s day school or afterschool religious school, Jewish camping Speaker Jodi Baretz of opportunities, JCC programs, mental-health guidance, support Chappaqua with Event Chair for kids with special needs, and so much more.,” she said. “We’re Jen Sokol of Armonk proud to provide essential children and family services through our network of beneficiary agencies and grantees.”

Summer Trip to Germany Sponsored by HHREC The Holocaust and Human Rights Education Center (HHREC) is sponsoring a trip to Germany this summer that provides the public an opportunity to meet with and learn from government officials, human rights and religious groups. The group will travel to Berlin, Weimar and Erfurt. Steve Goldberg, the center’s co-director of education will lead an expedition that includes the chance to see the living roots of such history-making events as the rise of Neo-Nazism, demise of Communism after the fall of the Berlin Wall, the movements of the Turks in Germany and the gays in Eastern Europe. While HHREC has led many trips to Germany, this is the first time the public is invited to join, although the group will be limited in size. The trip will be from Wednesday, July 1 to Sunday, July 12 and costs $5,100 per person double occupancy including all transportation, hotels, admissions, guided tours, breakfasts, two group lunches and seven group dinners. Additional information is available at www.hhrecny.org or by contacting Millie Jasper, executive director, at [email protected]. 914.696.0738. Valerie Moore O’Keefe is Chairperson of HHREC. The mission of the Holocaust & Human Rights Education Center is to enhance the teaching and learning of the lessons of the Holocaust and the right of all people to be treated with dignity and respect.

Temple Beth Abraham to Switch from Dues Model to Voluntary Contributions ...continued from page 1

Under the new model, congregants will now determine the amount of annual support they will provide TBA, rather than paying the amount assessed on each membership category, which included different dues amounts for families, singles, seniors and longterm members. At the outset, the goal is to have current members contribute at least what they previously paid for membership, though they are under no obligation to do so. The shift by TBA to a sustainable voluntary contribution model mirrors a gradual but growing trend among synagogues nationwide, which have experienced drops in memberships as more Jews seek out Jewish experiences away from a synagogue. Synagogues were also hurt by the recession as congregants and potential members saw their discretionary income erode. While a number of synagogues nationwide have successfully switched to a voluntary donations system, TBA is believed to be the first to make this shift in Westchester and the Hudson Valley. “We are now Jews without dues, but as an

institution we are not Jews without financial needs,” said Herb Baer, TBA president. “The success of this model will rely upon fostering a culture of deep connections and generosity, and not a series of transactions where individuals see their financial commitment as a fee for service.” TBA has been in the Tarrytown area since 1899 and Rabbi Holtz said the flexible voluntary contributions model is likely the best way to ensure the synagogue remains a vibrant part of the Rivertowns community and beyond for decades to come. “What our synagogue does, both for our members and in the larger community, is more important today than it has ever been,” Rabbi Holtz said. “We need to do a better job in making that clear, in creating strong personal connections, and in removing any barriers to a sense of inclusivity. One way to begin is to make sure everyone knows that belonging to our community is not about finances.” For more information about Temple Beth Abraham, go to www.tba-ny.org.

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New Year, New Blessings, New App BY RABBI JULIE SCHONFELD

There has been much conversation recently about how we, as rabbis, can best reach out to all Jews—not just those who show up at synagogue for Shabbat or holiday services. We have seen studies show that an increasing number of Jews self-identify as “spiritual” rather than “religious,” and seek out our institutions sporadically, if at all. As Jewish leaders, and as rabbis, we must find more ways to help Jews discover our traditions and to help them engage from where they are. We need to find ways to re-engage those who are not finding what they need in our religious institutions, even as we provide more for those we still see frequently. We

must help each Jew connect to their Judaism within the context of their own lives, and to use the experiences and feelings that are most compelling to them as springboards to encounter the many ways that Judaism can guide us to grow through these experiences. Rather than teach Judaism and show its relevance, we can ask, “What is most relevant to you,” and explore those topics through the lens of Judaism. Many Jews are familiar with the bracha (blessing) recited before eating bread, but how many know that we have a more specific blessing to recite before biting into our favorite cookie? Or that there is a blessing for seeing a rainbow or a beautiful flowering tree in the spring? Conservative Judaism is rooted in the interplay of tradition and modernity. This is a challenge we still seek to meet today as we work to find ways to help Jews discover our traditions, and to help them do it in a way that is comfortable for them. These days, the easiest way to reach people is often through technology—through the phones and tablets

Foundation for Jewish Camp Launches Affordability Initiative The Foundation for Jewish Camp (FJC) has launched BunkConnectTM(BunkConnect. org), a new, national program that matches eligible families with high-quality nonprofit Jewish summer camps at a more affordable price. This philanthropic business venture has been developed in collaboration with forwardthinking business executives and leading philanthropists. “BunkConnect marries best practices from the business world, new technologies and learnings from the hospitality industry, and takes a fresh approach to addressing

affordability in Jewish life,” said Michael Leven, president and COO of the Las Vegas Sands Corp., former camper and counselor, and key program funder. “I am very excited to bring this program to a national stage and see how we can help more kids have a summer experience like those that were so meaningful to me many years ago.” Jewish overnight camp offers children the opportunity to discover who they are and build connections to the Jewish future while having the time of their lives. The experience is widely viewed as an essential part of fostering Jewish identity in children and creating a robust Jewish community. BunkConnect is an easy to use online system. After income-eligible families of all Jewish backgrounds supply some basic, confidential information into the new tool, BunkConnect matches them with available camp sessions at low introductory rates (40%-

60% off list prices). This initiative is modeled after the success of FJC’s One Happy Camper program – a need-blind grant initiative for firsttime campers. “Families want to send their children to Jewish camp. By matching their desire with available summer experiences, we are opening new avenues of access,” said Jeremy J. Fingerman, CEO of FJC. “BunkConnect is changing how we look at scholarship, affordability, and capacity for Jewish camp and beyond.” Len Leader, former president of the Venture Group of AOL Time Warner Investments and BunkConnect funder, said, “By using sound economic principles and leveraging market dynamics, we are seeing in BunkConnect an exciting new philanthropic business form. This is a model designed to be ‘the gift that keeps giving’ to all parties involved, especially the campers.” BunkConnect will launch nationally with 75 participating camps, representing various movements and denominations. The program is for first-time campers, basing eligibility on a family’s adjusted gross income, number of dependent children, and place of legal residency. For example, through BunkConnect, a family with two children living in Illinois with a maximum adjusted gross income of $145,000 can realize the dream of Jewish camp. Jewish day school families are welcome. BunkConnect is a program of Foundation for Jewish Camp with The Center for Entrepreneurial Jewish Philanthropy (CEJP), made possible by generous funding from The AVI CHAI Foundation, The Leader Family Foundation, The Michael and Andrea Leven Family Foundation, and The Jack and Goldie Wolfe Miller Fund with additional support from Eileen and Jerry Lieberman. “The philanthropists we advise challenged us to create an outcome-driven business approach that capitalizes on the enormous impact of Jewish camping,” said Joseph Hyman, president and founder, CEJP. “BunkConnect is a game-changing initiative that sets a standard for other philanthropists and organizations to follow.” For more information, or to determine eligibility, visit www.BunkConnect.org.

that often accompany us wherever we go. In embracing this new culture of technological connectivity, and in an effort to join the old and the new, the Rabbinical Assembly (the international association of Conservative/Masorti rabbis) has created a new app called “Sanctifull” for the iPhone, iPad, and iPod. The app is by no means the full answer to the aforementioned larger questions, but it is a step in the right direction to engaging Jews where they are. In creating this app, we sought out prayer-appropriate moments calling for which traditional texts do not exist—or where we found the need for prayers in addition to the existing ones—and have put together a resource that includes translations, transliterations, explanations (or kavanot), and recordings of major blessings. This new platform also includes meditations that draw on traditional texts and speak to critical moments when individuals seek a connection to Judaism, but have no traditional bracha to recite. While our ancient tradition does not directly address every experience, today’s rabbis—as have our teachers throughout the millennia—draw upon our tradition and modernity, creating prayers and blessing that we can use in our lives today. Our Jewish tradition has sources to help us find gratitude or strength for almost every aspect of life, every challenge we encounter, and every step we take. The free app includes, for instance, a new prayer for parents whose child is beginning school for the first time, and for when that child goes off to college or moves into his first apartment. There is also a prayer to give one strength when it is necessary to move one’s mother into a nursing home, and a prayer to recite after a fight with a spouse or close friend.

When our life experiences leave us speechless, these blessings will help provide the words and meditations to help us heal, reconcile, and grow. The app’s traditional blessings bring contemporary aspects to them, while the new contemporary blessings are rich in Jewish tradition. The entry for the traditional prayer on wine, for example, includes a kavanah that reminds us, “Before I drink I pause to recall that wine can be a blessing or a curse. I commit not to drink and drive, not to allow this wine to make me act foolishly. As Rabbi Yohanan taught, for the wise, wine is always a blessing.” Meanwhile, the new contemporary prayer for becoming a vegetarian draws on the age-old Jewish values of sh’mirat haguf (maintaining a healthy body) and tsar ba’alei hayim (compassion for the suffering of animals). Prayer cannot be outsourced to others. We believe that each individual has their own personal relationship with G-d and that each individual has their own way of spiritual communication. We in the Conservative movement have taken on the task of making Judaism’s wisdom accessible for Jews in the rhythm of their everyday experiences. These new prayers have been created to accompany a variety of life’s moments that call out for a sacred connection, so that we can awaken all Jews’ awareness to the richness of Jewish tradition. By making these traditional and new brachot available on the Sanctifull app, we are working to bring Judaism to Jews—wherever they may be. Rabbi Julie Schonfeld is the executive vice president of the Rabbinical Assembly, the international member organization for Conservative and Masorti rabbis.

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February 2015 Calendar of Events

On February 5 at 7:30pm, Westchester Reform Temple, 255 Mamaroneck Road, Scarsdale will host Ari Shavit speaking about “My Promised Land: The Triumph and Tragedy of Israel” in partnership with AIPAC. Call 723-7727 for more information.

UPCOMING

Warm your mind in the cold winter months by joining Westchester Jewish Adult Education for one or more classes: A Documentary History of Judaism in America (5 Thursday mornings beginning February 26, Temple Israel Center, White Plains); The Book of Ruth and Song of Songs (2 Wednesday evenings beginning March 18, 800 Westchester Avenue, 5th Floor boardroom, Rye Brook); or Jewish Cooking: Passover Dinner (Tuesday, March 10 at 10am, private home in Harrison). For more information or registration, visit waje.org or call 328-7001, ext. 704. Save the Date: On April 25 at 9am, UJA-Federation of New York and Young Israel of Scarsdale Campaign presents Shabbat Areyvut: A Shabbat of Communal Responsibility featuring Eric S. Goldstein, the new CEO of UJA-Federation of New York at Young Israel of Scarsdale, 1313 Weaver Street, Scarsdale. For additional information or to join the event, call 761-5100, ext. 120 or email [email protected]. The Museum of the City of New York, 1220 Fifth Avenue at 103rd Street, presents Letters to Afar: Installation by Peter Forgacs and The Klezmatics, an immersive video art installation based on home movies made by Jewish immigrants who traveled from New York back to Poland during the 1920s and 30s on view until March 22. For more information, visit mcny.org. The Jewish Museum features Helena Rubinstein: Beauty is Power in a new exhibit running until March 22 at 1109 Fifth Avenue, New York City. Call 212-423-3200 for more information. On Thursdays, the JCC of MidWestchester, 999 Wilmot Road,

On March 8, Young Israel of New Rochelle, 1149 North Avenue, New Rochelle will hold their Annual Dinner honoring Haina JustMichael and Bernard Michael. Aura and Daniel Lurie will receive the Young Leadership Award. To attend, call 636-2215.

On February 24, the JCC of Mid-Westchester, 999 Wilmot Road, Scarsdale in collaboration with Westchester Jewish Council, will offer a panel discussion entitled, “Leadership through a Jewish Lens” with David Arnow Ph.D, Martine Fleishman and Rabbi Menachem Genack from 7:30 to 9pm. Call 472-3300 to attend.

Scarsdale will hold a 3 up 3 Down Baseball Clinic for ages 6 to 9 years old, February 5 – June 11 at 4pm. Call 472-330, ext. 254 for more information.

At 5pm, Bingo will be played on February 22, March 8 and March 22 at Yorktown Jewish Center, 2966 Crompond Road, Yorktown Heights. Call 245-2324 for details.

WJCS presents the following: March 8 from 2 to 4:30pm – 2nd Annual WJCS Kids’ Kloset Fashion Show Fundraiser at Old Oaks Country Club, 3100 Purchase St., Purchase (RSVP by calling 831-7616 or email [email protected]); March 21 at 7pm – 8th Annual Outreach Benefit Concert at SUNY Purchase Recital Hall, 735 Anderson Hill Road, Purchase (for tickets, call 251-6200 or visit artscenter.org).

Senior Connections at the JCC of Mid-Westchester, 999 Wilmot Road, Scarsdale will host Mah Jongg Classes for beginners on Mondays through March 2 at 9:30am. Call 472-3300, ext. 423 to sign up.

The 2015 New York Ride and Retreat will be held September 4-7, spending Shabbat at Isabella Freedman in the Berkshires and cycling to the Hudson Valley. For more information call 860-824-5991. From February 11-16, Hazon will feature Torah Yoga: Uncovering the Hidden Light, a yoga retreat that is integrated with Jewish teaching at Isabella Freedman Jewish Retreat Center, 116 Johnson Road, Falls Village, CT. Call 860-824-5991. At 4:30pm, StandWithUs and The Westchester Jewish Teen Learning Initiative will offer 6 Sunday Discussions, Just for Teens grades 8-12 on 2/1, 3/1, 3/8, 3/29, 4/12 and 4/26 at The Rosenthal JCC, 600 Bear Ridge Road, Pleasantville. Register at rosenthaljcc.org/standwithisrael From February 27-March 1, Hazon and Keshet will present a Jewish LGBTQ and Ally Teen Shabbaton at Isabella Freedman Jewsih Retreat Center, 116 Johnson Road, Falls Village, CT. Call 617-524-9227 or online at keshetonline.org/ teensshabbaton/register

Volunteers are need to deliver kosher meals to homebound individuals living in Mt. Vernon, Yonkers and New Rochelle. Sponsored by Westchester Jewish Community Services, the Kosher Meal Program operates Monday through Friday from Sinai Free Synagogue in Mt. Vernon where meals are picked up by 11:30am. Call 668-4350 to help.

FEBRUARY

5 At 7pm, UJA-Federation of New York Westchester Business and Professional Division will conduct the Ninth Annual Sports Talk with featured guest speaker Patrick McEnroe, tennis commentator for ESPN at The RitzCarlton, Westchester, 3 Renaissance Square, White Plains. An afterparty, featuring a Texas Hold ‘Em Casino with an instructor will follow. To RSVP, call 761-5100, ext. 122 or email [email protected]. 8 At 3:30pm, the Friends of the Larchmont Library will present Kensho Watanabe in Concert at Larchmont Temple, 75 Larchmont Avenue. Call 834-6120 for information. At 7pm, an Interfaith Memorial and Prayer Service for the victims of the terrorism in France will take place in Larchmont, sponsored by

Active adults 55+ can join Emmy-winning star Hal Linden on a unique 10-day Journey to Israel from May 27-June 4 with Jewish National Fund. Call 877-563-8687 for reservations.

AJC Westchester/Fairfield and a coalition of major faith groups. RSVP required online at ajc.org/westfair/ francememorial From 2 to 3:30pm, the JCC on the Hudson in Tarrytown will hold a green “TreEvent”, collecting, recycling and repurposing in celebration of the birthday of the trees, Tu B’shvat. For complete details, call 366-7898 and visit jcconthehudson.org 22 At 2pm, the Museum of Jewish Heritage – A Living Memorial to the Holocaust, 36 Battery Plaza, New York City presents “Emma Lazarus and Me” for ages 8-10. For details or tickets call 646-437-4202 or visit mjhnyc.org 26 The JCC of Mid-Westchester, 999 Wilmot Road, Scarsdale will screen the movie, The Green Prince at 11am and 7:30pm. Call 472-3300 for details. 28 At 8:30pm, Westchester Torah Academy, 1000 Pinebrook Blvd., New Rochelle will host a Comedy Night, their annual scholarship event featuring Joel Chasnoff. Call 7126497 for details. The Brotherhood of Scarsdale Synagogue Temples Tremont and Emanu-El, 2 Ogden Road Scarsdale will present a Comedy Night at 7pm with dessert, beer and wine. RSVP to [email protected] or call 7525175.

MARCH

5 At 7:30pm, Dr. Yoel Magid will lecture at Larchmont Temple, 75 Larchmont Avenue about The Israeli Elections. Call 834-6120 for details.

8 Westchester Reform Temple will host a Purim Carnival at 255 Mamaroneck Road, Scarsdale. Call 723-7727 for details. 10 At 5:30pm, the Friends of the Israel Defense Forces (FIDF) will hold their National NY Gala Dinner at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel, 301 Park Avenue, New York City. To RSVP, call 646-274-9696 or email Olivia. [email protected]. UJA-Federation of New York, Westchester Business and Professional Division will hold a Spring Breakfast. Call 761-5100, ext. 122 for details. 11 At 7:30pm, Westchester Jewish Council will host their annual Julian Y. Bernstein Distinguished Service Awards Ceremony honoring 19 volunteers at the Jewish Community Center of Harrison, 130 Union Avenue. Call 328-7001 for information. 22 At 2:30pm, the Museum of Jewish Heritage – A Living Memorial to the Holocaust, 36 Battery Place, NYC presents Modern Jewish Cooking: Recipes and Customs for Today’s Kitchen with author Leah Koenig in conversation with food writer Gabriella Gershenson. RSVP by visiting mjhnyc.org. 26 The Rosenthal JCC, 600 Bear Ridge Road, Pleasantville will host their Annual Gala from 7 to 11pm at Grand Prix New York in Mount Kisco. Call 741-0333 for details.

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City Council Commemorates 70th Anniversary of Auschwitz Liberation The New York City Committee on Cultural Affairs passed a preconsidered resolution on January 20, commemorating the 70th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camps on January 27th, 2015. Prior to the hearing, lead sponsor Council Member Mark Levine was joined by his colleagues, Holocaust survivors, and Jewish advocacy organizations on City Hall Steps to discuss the importance of remembering this anniversary. The scale of Nazi atrocities carried out at Auschwitz and the surrounding network of 45 subcamps strains belief. From early 1942 until late 1944, 1.3 million human beings were sent to these camps. 1.1 million of them--mostly Jews--were murdered there. There are approximately 73,000 Holocaust survivors living in and around New York City, many of whom were liberated from Auschwitz-Birkenau. As many as half of those survivors live at or below the poverty level. This anniversary is a reminder that the city must do more to support these fellow New Yorkers who have given so much and now deserve to live in dignity. Anti-Semitism is again on the rise in Europe and beyond, with Jews murdered in Paris, Brussels, Mumbai and Jerusalem. This

anniversary reminds people of the urgency of confronting genocide everywhere it threatens humanity, no matter the race or creed of the victims. “The lessons of the Holocaust have to be learned and relearned in every generation. This is more true than ever today, when the specter of Anti-Semitism has re- emerged so fiercely in Europe,” said Council Member Mark Levine, Chair of the Jewish Caucus. “As a member of the Jewish Caucus, I

Isaac Bashevis Singer and His Artists on View at Koslowe Judaica Gallery The Koslowe Judaica Gallery has announced the opening of their Winter exhibition, Isaac Bashevis Singer and his Artists at Westchester Jewish Center. With nearly 20 illustrations, the show curated by Amy Levine-Kennedy, reveals the playfulness, exploration and lasting legacy of the Nobel Prize winner’s iconic children’s literature. With a sense of humor and humanity, Singer presented the vanished world of Polish Jews prior to Word War I, as well as the post-Holocaust world that had replaced provincial life with uncertainty and neurosis. His works live in many memories for their earthy and heroic figures, and blur the lines between folk tales and the harsh realities of survival. Born in 1902 or 1904 in Radzymin, an industrial suburb of Warsaw, Poland, Singer grew up in his mother’s traditional Jewish village, Bilgorai, and in Warsaw. Threatened with the roiling antiSemitism in Europe, he immigrated to the United States in 1935 and began his career as a reporter for the Yiddish language newspaper Forverts (The Jewish Daily Forward), where he remained a critic and journalist throughout his life. Singer always wrote and published in Yiddish, influenced by his Hasidic father’s devotion to scripture and ritual. Singer was an aficionado of such writers as Chekhov, Dostoyevsky, Gogol and Tolstoy. Notable authors such as Saul Bellow translated his works into English (Gimpel the Fool). When he received the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1978 he made his acceptance both in Yiddish and English. His many stories of everyday folks surviving by their wits were illustrated by such important Jewish artists as Ira Moskowitz and Raphael Soyer, who compellingly captured the play between naughtiness and innocence in Singer’s writings. Larry Rivers, Maurice Sendak, Eric Carle, Irene Lieblich and Yuri Shulevitz are among the artists in the show. The Russian photographer Roman Vishniac is also included for his work accompanying Singer’s tales about tragedy, imagined worlds and resilience. Isaac Bashevis Singer’s books have stood the test of time for their universal treatment of children’s perspectives. The show, which is on generous loan from the Hebrew Union College Museum, will be on view through March 2015 at Westchester Jewish Center, Palmer and Rockland Avenues,Mamaroneck. Call 914-698-2960 for more information.

am proud to support this resolution in honor of the 1.1 million Jewish people along with countless members of other minorities, who were murdered in Auschwitz. The liberation of this concentration camp marks a moment in history when humanity was restored. In light of the recent terror attacks in Europe, this commemoration serves as a reminder of our commitment to protecting the rights of all New Yorkers, regardless of their race, religion or political views,” suggested Council Member Andrew Cohen. “I am proud be a cosponsor of the Resolution commemorating the 70th Anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz. As the son of a Holocaust survivor, I can attest through first hand stories, which my father told me about, the risks he took to survive the torturous conditions of Auschwitz. My father repeatedly jeopardized his life in order to sneak potato skins under his shirt, from the kitchen, so he could feed malnourished children and the elderly. It is because of his selfless acts of courage that he survived the camps and was able to go on to

raise a family, thus, teaching his sons the importance of caring for the less fortunate.” said Council Member Chaim Deutsch. “Today’s commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the liberation of the AuschwitzBirkenau concentration camps is an important tribute to the memory of millions of innocent men, women and children who were murdered simply because of their Jewish faith. The words “never again” have no meaning if we do not remember the atrocities. As a city, we must stand united against anti-Semitism and all forms of hate. It is vital that we educate our future generations of this horrendous chapter in modern history,” noted Council Member David Greenfield. “The memory of liberated Jews and other persecuted minorities will live on forever and today the City Council honors them with this resolution. Thank you to Council Member Levine for introducing this resolution and for commemorating the 70th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camps,” said Council Member Steve Levin. “The devastating loss of life and cruelty that took place at Auschwitz-Birkenau are among the worst in human history. I’m humbled to cosponsor a resolution that honors the bravery, perseverance, and sacrifice made by those who endured so much. Let this anniversary remind us that the work to stomp out anti-Semitism

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WJCS Receives $52,500 In Grants to Fund and Expand Youth Services Westchester Jewish Community Services announces it has been awarded three grants totaling $52,500 from the Westchester Community Foundation and from the Dammann Fund to expand services for Jewish children; lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning youth as well as pregnant and parenting teens. The Westchester Community Foundation awarded a $30,000 grant Sherry Birnbaum from the New York Community Trust DeWitt Wallace Fund for Youth to the WJCS Center Lane program and a $20,000 grant from the Nathan Moscow Fund to aid Jewish children affected by adverse life circumstances, financial situations and the economic downturn. This marks the second year that WJCS has received the Nathan Moscow award. WJCS Center Lane, the only lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning youth and community resources and education

center in Westchester, will extend its activities to northern Westchester communities. “We’re pleased that the new funds will make our services more accessible so that youth don’t have to travel to lower Westchester, but can go to Peekskill instead,” said Santo Barbagiovanni, director of Center Lane. The Nathan Moscow grant will enable WJCS to provide funding for school supplies, clothing and uniforms; camp tuition; medical and dental needs, and childcare. “WJCS is grateful for the increased support this year, which will allow us to provide cash assistance to Jewish children with acute needs,” said Sherry Birnbaum, director of the Center for Jewish Programs at WJCS. The Dammann grant of $2,500 adds to $15,000 given over the past three years to enable the WJCS Young People Achieve! Program to teach parenting skills, pregnancy

Steven Spielberg and Ronald Lauder Hold Special Reception for 100 Auschwitz Survivors from Around the World

avoidance and health education to more than 80 young women last year. YPA works to ensure the best possible physical and emotional health outcomes for pregnant and parenting adolescents and their babies. It also encourages them to complete high school and spurs them on to success in a nurturing environment. The Dammann Fund, Inc. was founded in 1946 by Milton Dammann and makes grants in the areas of mental health and teen parenthood. The Westchester Community Foundation (WCF) is a nonprofit community endowment

for the benefit of Westchester County. Its mission is to develop and manage philanthropic resources, and to distribute them in a way that is responsive to donor interests and community needs. The foundation actively promotes charitable giving on behalf of the area’s nonprofit organizations. WCF is a division of The New York Community Trust, one of the largest community foundations in the country with assets of approximately $1.8 billion. For more information, visit www.wcf-ny.org. For more information on WJCS, go to www.wjcs.com.

New Assistant Executive Director of Named Westchester Jewish Community Services announces it has named Amy Siniscalchi, LMSW, assistant executive director of children, youth and family services. Siniscalchi will oversee a network of programs serving 7,000 Westchester children from pre-school through late adolescence in early literacy, parenting, after-school, violence prevention and intervention initiatives and services to pregnant and parenting teens and LGBTQ youth. Siniscalchi was former chief program officer at My Sisters’ Place, responsible for overall management of the agency’s shelters, counseling and outreach/training programs. “We’re delighted to welcome Amy to WJCS. Her expertise in children and family services and her experience in Westchester’s non-profit sector will be major assets to our agency,” said Bernie Kimberg, chief operating officer, WJCS. Siniscalchi has worked for nearly 17 years in the areas of domestic violence and child abuse, and more recently in the area of human trafficking. During her tenure at My Sisters’ Place, she helped expand the agency’s programming for children, helped launch the agency’s human Amy Siniscalchi, LMSW trafficking initiative, co-founded the Westchester County Anti-Trafficking Task Force, and launched a pet safety project in collaboration with the SPCA of Westchester. She also has authored several publications related to human trafficking and secondary trauma. Siniscalchi also served in various capacities at several other nonprofit agencies in the New York metropolitan area, including Sanctuary for Families, New York Association for New Americans (NYANA) and Safe Horizon. She served as a board member for the New York State Coalition Against Domestic Violence, including two years as vice president. She earned her BA in Sociology from Vassar College, has a Master’s in Social Work with a concentration in Administration from Hunter College and is a graduate of Leadership Westchester, a program of Volunteer New York! WJCS is one of the largest non-profit, non-sectarian human services agencies in Westchester, serving 20,000 people annually at 70 clinic, school, community and home-based locations throughout the county. The agency’s integrated network of services includes mental health treatment and counseling, child and youth development programs, residential and non-residential programs for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, home health and geriatric services. The highest level of professional development and training is offered through the WJCS Educational Institute. For more information on WJCS, go to www.wjcs.com.

City Council Commemorates 70th Anniversary of Auschwitz Liberation ...continued from page 7

(From left to right in the very center) Ronald S. Lauder, president of the World Jewish Congress; David Zaslav, president and CEO of Discovery Communications; and film director Steven Spielberg, founding chair of the USC Shoah Foundation, surrounded by 100 Auschwitz survivors. Photo credit: Shahar Azran The World Jewish Congress and the USC Shoah Foundation held a special reception on January 26 at the Holiday Inn Kraków for 100 Auschwitz survivors who arrived in Poland from at least 19 countries to participate in the January 27 observance of the 70th anniversary of the camp’s liberation, for International Holocaust Remembrance Day. Joining the survivors at the event were Ronald S. Lauder, president of the World Jewish Congress; film director Steven Spielberg, founding chair of the USC Shoah Foundation; and David Zaslav, president and CEO of Discovery Communications. “Their testimonies give each survivor everlasting life and give all of us everlasting value,” said Spielberg at the reception. “We need to be preserving places like Auschwitz so people can see for themselves how evil ideologies can become tangible acts of murder. My hope for tomorrow’s commemoration is that the survivors will feel confident that we are renewing their call to remember. We will make sure the lessons of the past remain with us in the present so that we can now and forever find humanitarian ways to fight the inhumanity.” “I believe that you don’t just represent survivors,” Lauder told the 100 Auschwitz survivors at the reception. “All of you here tonight represent one the greatest forces of light over darkness. And for that we are not just grateful, we are in awe of you. You inspire us all.”

and intolerance in our communities cannot be forgotten or delayed,” said Council Member Helen Rosenthal (D-Manhattan). “The Simon Wiesenthal Center applauds Council Member Levine and Speaker MarkViverito, the Jewish Caucus and the entire City Council for taking the time to reflect and commemorate the 70th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau. The horrors that happened 70 years ago may feel other worldly. But history has shown that the world has a very short term memory and anti-Semitism and the persecution of innocent people of all religious and ethnic backgrounds is now at an all-time high across the globe. The City Council’s resolution ensures that we never forget what happened just 70 years ago,” added Dina Muskin Goldberg, Development Associate of the Simon Wiesenthal Center. Michael S Miller, Executive Vice President and CEO, Jewish Community Relations Council of New York said, “We commend the New York

City Council for its official recognition of the 70th annual of the liberation of Auschwitz. We believe that remembering the Holocaust can play a significant role in educating future generations about the price we pay when hate and bigotry are ignored. The Holocaust reminds us of the absolute imperative to denounce all forms of racism and intolerance.” “Met Council is proud to stand with Speaker Mark-Viverito and the entire City Council in commemorating the 70th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau,” concluded Metropolitan Council on Jewish Poverty CEO and Executive Director, David M. Frankel. “Having provided comprehensive social services to more than 2,000 Holocaust survivors last year alone, Met Council and our dedicated Holocaust social services staff recognize that those who endured the Holocaust still need our help. We thank the City Council for supporting our programs, which aid, sustain, and empower Holocaust survivors and other New Yorkers in need.

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Exhibition of Contemporary Art and Collection Objects That Explore Repetition and Difference in Art Artists throughout history have commonly employed repetition - artworks in series, multiples, and copies - for reasons ranging from the commercial to the subversive, while the value placed on repetitions in comparison with “original” works has varied widely. On view at the Jewish Museum from March 13 to August 9, 2015, Repetition and Difference explores these concepts through over 350 historic objects from the collection and recent works by contemporary artists, demonstrating how subtle disruptions in form, color, or design can reveal intriguing information about their creation and meaning. Large groups of seemingly identical objects, including silver coins struck in ancient Lebanon and 19th-century Iranian marriage contracts, will be juxtaposed with recent works by emerging and established international artists Walead Beshty, Sarah Crowner, Abraham Cruzvillegas, N. Dash, John Houck, Koo Jeong A, Kris Martin, Amalia Pica, and Hank Willis Thomas. Repetition and Difference will feature works from the Museum’s collection - one of the largest and most comprehensive Judaica collections in the world - that have never before been exhibited in such profusion. Among the highlights are 45 examples of seemingly identical 18th-and 19thcentury Hanukkah lamps from Eastern Europe that, on closer observation, display a multitude of motifs as well as small differences due to model condition or casting flaws. A group of 100 silver coins from 126/25 B.C.E. to 58/59 C.E. provide a rare opportunity to examine the contrast between the remarkable consistency in imagery over time and their variations due to human involvement in the minting process. The exhibition will also include boldly patterned 19th-century German Torah binders, enigmatic Judahite pillar figurines from ancient Israel, ornately decorated 19th-and20th century Iranian marriage contracts, elegant silver spice containers, mezuzah cases, and more. These and other selections from the Museum’s Judaica and archaeology holdings, supplemented by loans, will appear in dialogue with recent work by contemporary artists exploring themes of repetition and multiplicity. Walead Beshty, Sarah Crowner, N. Dash, John Houck, Kris Martin, and Hank Willis Thomas work with serial or accumulated forms to evoke the characteristics of mass production or to humanize their chosen materials through handmade variations. Los Angeles-based artist Walead Beshty will show a series of 40-inch flatscreen television sets with large holes drilled through the screens. These altered televisions still function, but display random variations in the picture when powered on. Similarly, N. Dash repetitively folds and rubs identical pieces paper in different ways, and then coats them in graphite to highlight their distinct patterns and texture changes. Abraham Cruzvillegas, Koo Jeong A, and Amalia Pica will present installations utilizing repetition of common materials to emphasize important variations which only become evident by their accumulation. Stabile (with confetti) by the Argentinian artist Amalia Pica consists of colorful confetti paper strewn in a 19-foot circle and adhered to the floor with transparent tape, exploring concepts of randomness and permanence. The ephemeral items like newspaper clippings, photographs, and drawings assembled by Abraham Cruzvillegas are painted a uniform color and mounted to the wall-rendering them indistinguishable from each other and evoking the ad-hoc construction of residential spaces in the artist’s native Mexico City. The sometimes imperceptible, sometimes overt variations among these works will foster close reading and thoughtful analysis, in contrast to the often one-dimensional scanning encouraged by digital technologies. Repetition and Difference is titled after Gilles Deleuze’s

seminal text Difference and Repetition (1968), a landmark book that fundamentally questioned concepts of identity and representation and proposes that repetition is not finite, but rather a reinvention-an “active force producing difference.” The Jewish Museum is located on Museum Mile at Fifth Avenue and 92nd Street, New York City. For information on the Jewish Museum, call 212.423.3200 or visit the website at thejewishmuseum.org.

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A Tree Grows in Pleasantville Fundraiser Benefits Vulnerable Children More than 300 people attended the very successful “A Tree Grows in Pleasantville” fundraiser, on January 10, 2015, ,Jewish Child Care Association’s Tenth Anniversary Cocktail Party to Benefit The Cottage Schools’ programs and services for vulnerable children with serious emotional and family problems. Co-Chairs of the event were Tema Bomback, Mount Kisco; Julianne Cohn Metzger, Chappaqua; Phyllis Neider, Briarcliff Manor; and Judy Shapiro, Armonk. A highlight of the evening was a special performance by Campus residents and the introduction of a vital new initiative, The Center for Healing Sexually Abused and Exploited Children. The event also premiered

the beautiful book Color of My Soul. Inspired by dedicated volunteers, the book includes a sampling of poetry and art created by the youth in the Therapeutic Arts Program of The Cottage Schools. JCCA is a comprehensive child and family services agency which helps children who have been neglected or abused, immigrant Jewish families, and those building new lives. JCCA helps more than 16,000 children and families every year and is consistently rated at the highest levels for the quality of their programs. In all of their work, they are motivated by tikkun olam, the value within Jewish tradition that calls to repair the world, and by their belief that every child deserves to grow up hopeful.

Holocaust & Human Rights Education Center Appoints Barbara Lewis Kaplan Board Member Barbara Lewis Kaplan has joined the Board of Directors of the Holocaust & Human Rights Education Center (HHREC), it was announced by Valerie M. O’Keeffe, Board Chair. The daughter of Holocaust survivor Leon Lewis, Kaplan is an active member of the Center’s Generations Forward Speakers’ Bureau. A Larchmont resident, Kaplan, a former public relations executive, serves her community in a number of volunteer capacities, including the Board of Trustees of the Larchmont Temple and a docent for children grades one to three for the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. “Barbara Lewis Kaplan is already playing an important role for the Holocaust & Human Rights Education Center (HHREC) as an active contributor to Generations Forward,” said O’Keeffe. “As a Board Member, we look forward to tapping her experience in public relations and as a community volunteer who works with younger children to further our mission as an educational resource.” Barbara Lewis Kaplan The mission of the Holocaust & Human Rights Education Center (HHREC) is to enhance the teaching and learning of the lessons of the Holocaust and the right of all people to be treated with dignity and respect. The Center helps schools fulfill the New York State mandate that the Holocaust and other human rights abuses be included in their curriculum

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Left to Right Tema Bomback, Co Chair of a Tree Grows in Pleasantville, Peter Hauspurg, President, JCCA Board of Trustees, Phyllis Neider Co Chair, Judy Shapiro, Co Chair, Richard Altman CEO of Jewish Child Care association and Julianne Cohn Metzger, Co Chair

39th Annual WJC Gala Honors “The Big Shot”

Left to right: Paul Warhit; Ron Burton; Nancy Zaro; Eliot Forchheimer; Debra Abrams Weiner; WJC Associate Treasurer Bill Schrag BY STEPHEN E. LIPKEN

Over 500 members of Westchester and outlying Jewish communities braved the aftermath of a snow/ ice storm to pay tribute to “The Big Shot,” Westchester Jewish Council (WJC) Executive Director Elliot Forchheimer for 10 years of dedicated service at WJC’s 39th Anniversary Gala on Saturday, January 24 at Beth El Synagogue Center, New Rochelle, sponsored by WJC and UJA Federation of New York/Westchester. Under Forchheimer’s leadership, WJC expanded from an umbrella organization of 90 to 157 members, uniting 150,000 Jews; overseeing roundtables for clergy, executive directors, lay leaders and committees focused on social action and Israel, as well as community-wide nights of Jewish learning, Kol Hazzanim “Night of Music and Joy” concerts and garnering group participation in the Israel Day Parade under Council’s banner. Forchheimer’s Rabbi, Jeffrey Segelman, Westchester Jewish Center, cited Elliot’s sponsoring congregational family Israel trips saying, “Elliot told me, ‘I’ll get them to Israel and you take it from there.’ So I nicknamed him Moses, and I, Joshua remembering how Moses brought Israel to the Promised Land but Joshua actually entered it.” WJC Co-Chairs Ronald Burton; William H. Schrag; Debra Abrams Weiner and Nancy Zaro presented Forchheimer with a special framed Mezuzah Candle Award, depicting the Mezuzah at the gates of Jerusalem. Musical entertainment included Blue Roadhouse Orchestra plus Henry Haid’s Billy Joel Tribute from Tony award-wining musical “Movin’ Out.”

The myriad of local and national political leaders attending included Congressman Eliot Engel; Congresswoman Nita Lowey; County Executive Rob Astorino; New Rochelle Mayor Noam Bramson; Greenburgh Town Supervisor Paul Feiner; White Plains Mayor Thomas Roach; Westchester County Legislator Benjamin Boykin; Assemblyman David Buchwald; Judge David Everett; Retired NYS Justice Samuel Fredman; Legislator David Gelfarb; County Clerk Tim Idoni; Board of Legislators Chairman Michael Kaplowitz; Turkish Cultural Center Executive Director Sakir Keskin; NYS Senator George Latimer; Yonkers City Council President Emeritus Chuck Lesnick; Assemblyman Steven Otis; Legislator Catherine Parker; Assemblywoman Amy Paulin; Deputy County Executive Kevin J. Plunkett; former Legislator Martin Rogowsky and NYS Senator Andrea Stewart-Cousins. Clergy included Bet Am Shalom Rabbi Lester Bronstein; Shaaray Tefila Bedford Corners Rabbi David Greenberg; Kol Ami Rabbi Shira Milgrom; Temple Israel Center White Plains Ritual Director Rabbi Dina Shargel; Chabad Larchmont/Mamaroneck Rabbi Mendel Silberstein; Beth El Synagogue Center Rabbi Melvin Sirner, who hosted the event; Bezer Holiness Church, New Rochelle Pastor Martin Nelson; TIC Senior Rabbi Gordon Tucker and Temple Israel Rabbi Emeritus Amiel Wohl. Regarding re-naming Westchester Jewish Conference to Westchester Jewish Council, Forchheimer commented, “I think of the initials WJC as ‘Westchester Jewish Cholent,’ a spicy stew of community leaders leaving egos behind, working together for the common good.”

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Mazel Tov Ben’s Celebrates Grand Opening of Its New Restaurant Littman Krooks LLP Announces New Partners in Scarsdale On January 12, Ben’s Kosher Delicatessen Restaurant & Caterers celebrated the grand opening of its seventh restaurant, located at 718 Central Park Avenue in Scarsdale. Ben’s management and their families, local elected officials, religious leaders and area customers were in attendance to join in a ribbon cutting ceremony, a tour of the restaurant and a chance to sample Ben’s original fare, as well as its newer menu items, designed to appeal to a broader customer base. The decision to open a location in Westchester was due to customer demand for a quality, Joe Silverstein (left), son of Todd Silverstein (back row, second from Kosher delicatessen in the area. right), Vice President, Ben’s Restaurant Group; Ronnie Dragoon (second The new, standalone restaurant from left), Founder/Owner, Ben’s Restaurant Group; Cindy Dragoon will be among Ben’s largest locations, with a second-story (center, holding scissors), Mr. Dragoon’s wife; Scott Singer (second catering space and a full bar. It will from right), President/CSO, Ben’s Restaurant Group; and Jim Coleman be the first Ben’s with a second- (right), Executive Director, Westchester Industrial Development Agency story catering venue and the representing Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino, are surrounded second to have a full bar, after the by Ben’s staff, their family and friends for the ribbon cutting Manhattan location. “We really want our Scarsdale location to have a much broader appeal,” said Scott Singer, President and CSO of Ben’s. “With the newest Ben’s location, we’re looking to evolve the traditional delicatessen of yesteryear into a more modern offering for today’s busy consumers and families who want convenience, but don’t want to sacrifice quality.” Two years ago, Ben’s broke ground on the 5,700-square-foot space. What sets this new establishment apart from other Ben’s restaurants is that the Scarsdale venue will have a different, more embellished menu, with an extensive list of freshly made daily specials that will appeal to a broader customer base — in addition to the traditional Kosher deli fare that made Ben’s famous. The Scarsdale restaurant will be the seventh incarnation of the renowned 43-year-old establishment, with three locations on Long Island and one each in Manhattan, Queens and Boca Raton, Florida. “This new location has special meaning to me, as I grew up there,” said Singer. “We always had a few Kosher delis in the area, but one by one, they started to disappear. The demand for a Ben’s restaurant from the Westchester consumers was overwhelming. We’re happy to be able to give the public what they’ve been craving.”

Women’s Philanthropy Explores Complexity of Family Relationships

Rabbi Lori Koffman (center) with (from left) Rickie Broff of Scarsdale, Amy Tanenbaum of Harrison, Allison Spitalny of Scarsdale, Amy Tenney Levere of Larchmont, Nancy Kanterman of Mamaroneck, and Susie Schnall of Purchase UJA-Federation of New York’s Westchester Women’s Philanthropy explored the complexity of family relationships with Rabbi Lori Koffman at a private home in Larchmont on Thursday, January 22, 2015. Nearly 50 women came together to learn the Jewish perspective on the joys and challenges of being both parents and children. Event chairs included Rickie Broff of Scarsdale, Caren Osten Gerszberg of Larchmont, Nancy Kanterman of Mamaroneck, Susie Schnall of Purchase, Allison Spitalny of Scarsdale, and Amy Tanenbaum of Harrison. “We have something in common: We share the same values and concerns,” said Susie Schnall. “We’re Jewish women who care about our families and want to understand and elevate those relationships. And we’re here today, coming together under the auspices of UJA-Federation of New York, which means that we also share values that are common to the Jewish community – caring for those in need, ensuring that there is a Jewish community tomorrow, and finding meaning in our heritage and legacy.”

Amy C. O’Hara

Elizabeth Valentin

Littman Krooks LLP has announced that Sheryl Frishman, Amy C. O’Hara, and Elizabeth Valentin have been named partners at the firm. “As our firm continues to grow, it is with deep appreciation for their contributions that the firm welcomes these outstanding lawyers as partners,” says Bernard A. Krooks, managing partner. Sheryl Frishman is a national expert in the area of Disability and Special Needs Law and is an active member of many organizations in the disability and legal community. She has been instrumental in developing and implementing programs in New York for people with disabilities and their families and is a frequent lecturer on the subject. Most recently, she was named to the Board of Directors of The Arc of the United States, the nation’s leading advocate for people with developmental disabilities. Amy C. O’Hara focuses her practice on Special Needs Planning, Trusts and Estates, Personal Injury Settlement Consulting, and

Sheryl Frishman Elder Law. She is a member of the Special Needs Alliance and was recently elected to the Board of Directors of Westchester Disabled on the Move, Inc., a not-for-profit organization that aims to improve the quality of life and the rights for all people with disabilities. Elizabeth Valentin specializes in Elder Law, Guardianships, Trusts and Estates, Special Needs Planning and Asset Protection. She currently serves on the Executive Committee of the Elder Law and Special Needs Planning Section of the NYSBA and teaches an Elder Law course at Westchester Community College. Littman Krooks LLP offers legal services in several areas of law, including elder law, estate planning, special needs planning, special education advocacy, and corporate and securities. Their offices are located at 655 Third Avenue, New York, New York; 399 Knollwood Road, White Plains, New York; and 300 Westage Business Center Drive, Fishkill, New York. Visit the firm’s website at http://www.littmankrooks.com

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Westchester Jewish Life

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Kitchen & Bath Insider© - #171: Look for a Legitimate Home Improvement Contractor BY PAUL BOOKBINDER, M.I.D., C.R.

Don’t be surprised if you find an exact duplicate of your present (or future kitchen) replicated in such foreign places as North Korea, China or even New Jersey! Even where food is scarce and life is cheap, people still want a breathtaking kitchen and they will not be denied, even if it means using illicit means to hack into the interweb or darknet to steal your most secret design concepts or selfies. Is nothing safe today? Not really, just watch Person of Interest on TV, or the news if you dare. If you want to ensure a unique solution to your kitchen or bathroom project, and have it executed properly, look for a secure, licensed, accredited firm that has been around for a while and knows what they are doing. Beware especially of the “sleeper contractor” who remains dormant until there’s mischief to be made. These reprehensible operators operate under the radar, off the grid, in the shadows, until it’s time to strike. They have no license, they have no insurance, they don’t even have scruples! They would steal a design, or cut a corner, without giving it a second thought and install cabinets infused with arsenic, from countries that pay their workers pennies a day! Just wait until something goes wrong or you need a replacement part, or the cabinets start to warp. If you’re lucky enough to find them, just as their name connotes, they’ll probably be “sleeping” on the job and unable to help you. Unfortunately legitimate design/build firms don’t come cheap and I’ll tell you why. Licensing fees alone for a lawful home improvement business in our area runs over a thousand dollars. They include Westchester County fees; separate fees for Yonkers;

Connecticut license fees and New York City, too. And in New York City you can’t actually do home improvements even if you have a Home Improvement License unless you also get a “Home Improvement Salesman License” too! (Also add Rockland and Putnam license fees for firms that work there). Then there are the feds. In order to be a legitimate home improvement contractor you must pay to be trained and certified by the EPA for the “Lead Renovation, Repair and Painting Program”. This training cost a couple of hundred dollars every few years, not to mention the time involved for classes. In addition, you also have to pay $300 to the EPA every so often, just to be registered. On the other hand, you have to weigh all that against being taught never to leave stuff lying around that can be inhaled, stolen or copied by another, less reliable contractor. And let’s not forget insurance, as if anyone with 15 minutes could ever forget insurance. The “sleeper contractor” doesn’t need “no stinkin’ insurance”. However, the properly trained and licensed home remodeling firm is required to have many types of insurance. They need liability insurance. They need disability insurance. They need Worker’s Compensation insurance. They need auto insurance. And those with permanent locations like a showroom need even more insurance. And insurance isn’t free! So when you hear that someone got an all new kitchen with installation for $5,995, you can only guess who did it. Wake up! They made a conscious choice to give up the piece of mind that comes from using a real American contractor who plays by the rules. Of course this type of security doesn’t come cheap, but you get what you pay for. And, if you need warranty

service years after the job has been completed, who do you think will not be sleeping and be willing to take care any problems that may arise? Paul Bookbinder, M.I.D., C.R., is president of DreamWork Kitchens, Inc. located in Mamaroneck, New York. A Master of Design (Pratt Institute), and

E.P.A. Certified Remodeler, he serves on the Advisory Panel of Remodeling Magazine. A member of the National Kitchen & Bath Assoc., he is also a contributor to Do It Yourself magazine. He can be reached for questions at 914-777-0437 or www. dreamworkkitchens.com.

Real Estate Matters: February May be the Best Month to List Your Home for Sale BY JOHN BAER, SRES

Are you serious? February is in the middle of winter and everyone knows that the springtime, when flowers are in bloom and your lawn is lusciously green, will show your house off to its very best. Well, I’m here to make the case for listing your home in February, and not in the spring. Redfin researchers recently completed a study based on data compiled between 2010-2014, and found that February is historically the best month to list. An average of 66% of homes listed sold within 90 days. In the two-year study completed last December, Redfin researchers found that in each of 19 major markets, including cold-weather cities, “home sellers were better off listing their homes in the winter than during any other season.” So, why is this the case? 1. Less Competition - Most sellers don’t put their homes on the market during fall and winter, which means if there are buyers looking to buy here, in Westchester, you may be at an advantage selling when most sellers are waiting. 2. More time to get top dollar - Because there is less competition, marketing your home early may result in securing a higher price. 3. January is the biggest transfer month – Did you know that more corporate moves happen during the month of January than at any other month of the year? Corporate transferees, who need to buy a house now, simply cannot wait until spring. 4. Your home will stand out in the crowd - Is it easier to get noticed in a group of 10 or 100? Those numbers are extreme, but your listing is bound to get more exposure now with a lower number of homes for sale than when a higher number becomes available. 5. Better timing - By selling your house during the winter you may be putting yourself in the best situation to buy, you will have the opportunity of “first dibs” on the spring inventory. 6. Your Closing Process will be Faster - Due to the record low interest rates, banks have been inundated with home purchases and refinancing paperwork, sometimes it can take days for banks to send an appraiser out there to appraise the house, which can cause delays on the closing. Since the volume of sales is lower, you will be able to close your house and receive your sales proceeds on time and quicker, avoiding all the frustrations of the delays.

7. An anticipated rise in mortgage rates - The average rate for a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage has fluctuated between just above 4% and 4.5% for most of 2014. The Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corp., or Freddie Mac as it is commonly called, is predicting rates will rise to 5% in late 2015. In an earlier study conducted by Redfin, it pulled a year’s worth of data on three quarters of a million homes listed across the country and analyzed sales statistics by season. Here’s what Redfin found: • Homes listed in winter sell faster: 46 days in winter vs. 55 days in summer • Homes listed in winter are more likely to sell: 59.2% sell in winter vs. 53.1% sell in summer • Homes listed in winter sell closest to their original price: a 2.7% drop from the listing price in winter vs. a 5.2% drop from the listing price in summer, worth more than $14,000 on a $600,000 home • Overall, homes listed in winter sell best. 5.8% more homes listed in winter eventually sell (compared to the overall percentage of homes listed throughout the year), and they sell 1.4 percentage points closer to their original list price than the median—that’s $9,800 on a $700,000 home. And, as stated earlier, Redfin found that February historically has been the best month to list your home for sale. Should the season influence whether — and precisely when — you list your home for sale? Sure. But other, more personal factors should get higher priority: Is your home ready to list and show? Have you interviewed several agents to get comparative market analyses on your home’s probable selling price range? Are you prepared to do what’s necessary to sell at maximum price, which may include staging the interior and completing fix-ups and improvements? Answer those questions, and price your property realistically based on the market analyses you’ve received from professionals — analyses that may include advice on timing — and you should have a good shot at a successful sale. John E. Baer, SRES, DPA is a NYS licensed real estate salesperson associated with Prudential Centennial Realty of Scarsdale and Larchmont. He can be reached for questions at 914/600-6086 or at 914/8442059. His website is www. WestchesterHomes.info.

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Westchester Jewish Life

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New Legislation for Individuals and Families with Special Needs After several years of advocacy efforts, the Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Act was signed into law by the President on December 19, 2014. First introduced in Congress in 2008, the act was amended several times before finally becoming law. Unfortunately, the final version of the law is a watered-down version of what the act was originally intended to accomplish. Nevertheless, it is another vehicle which individuals with special needs and their families may utilize as part of their overall estate planning. Preliminarily, it is important to understand that we won’t really have a handle on what ABLE accounts will actually look like until the federal government adopts regulations implementing the new law and the state of New York authorizes these accounts. It could be months, if not longer, before this happens. The ABLE Act amends Section 529 of the Internal Revenue Code to allow for certain accounts in the name of an individual with disabilities that will accumulate income tax-free. More importantly, the account, if properly administered, will not cause the individual to lose Medicaid and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits. Under the terms of the new legislation, a person with a disability can only have an ABLE Account if the onset of disability occurred prior to age 26. Why this limitation? It’s mostly about federal budgets; if every person with a disability could open an ABLE Account, the projected cost

of the program would mushroom. What does it mean to have a disability before age 26? The easy answer is that someone who was receiving SSI or Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI, or SSD) benefits by that age qualifies. Others might qualify, but it will be harder to establish eligibility. Each person with a disability can have just one ABLE Account. Contributions to an ABLE Account may not exceed $14,000 in a given year. That’s total contributions — if the person with a disability puts in, say, $5,000, then other family members may not contribute more than $9,000 in the same year. That figure is indexed to the maximum annual gift tax exclusion amount (though gift taxes are mostly irrelevant to ABLE Accounts), so it should go up to $15,000 in a year or two. The maximum size of an ABLE Account in New York will be $375,000, the current limit for section 529 college funding accounts. However, if the account value exceeds $100,000, the beneficiary will lose SSI benefits — but not Medicaid eligibility. If ABLE Account funds are used to pay for government-approved disability-related expenditures, there will be no income taxation on the interest or increase in in value of the ABLE account assets, and the expenditures will not be counted as income to the beneficiary. Unfortunately, when the ABLE beneficiary

Israel Bonds Surpasses $1 Billion in U.S. Sales for Second Consecutive Year Following 2013’s record U.S. sales, Development Corporation for Israel/Israel Bonds has surpassed the $1 billion mark in U.S. sales for the second consecutive year. Eightyfour percent of total sales were investments of $25,000 and under, and 54 percent of total sales were $1,000 or less, demonstrating the instrumental contribution of individual investors in the sales of Israel bonds. Worldwide sales have now surpassed $37 billion since bonds were first issued in 1951. In 2013, U.S. sales exceeded $1.12 billion. “Today’s milestone shows that last year’s record sales were not an outlier, but an attainable goal the organization will target each year,” said Israel Bonds President and CEO Izzy Tapoohi. “Israel Bonds serves as a strategic resource for Israel. We continue to draw an increasingly diverse array of individual and institutional Izzy Tapoohi investors, even in times of conflict, who are eager to become shareholders in one of the most resilient economies in the world.” Tapoohi’s work to grow the Israel Bonds organization’s sales was the subject of a November 2014 profile in Bloomberg News. The article touched upon new marketing strategies, internal technology upgrades and a reorganization of the global operations responsible for Israel bonds sales, as well as interest from institutional investors. Tapoohi told Bloomberg News, “We run a brokerage firm with a Jewish heart.” In the same article, New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli – who has invested millions of dollars in Israel bonds for the state’s portfolio – said, “New York feels a strong connection to the state of Israel, so an investment like this has a double bottom line.” This summer, Israel Bonds displayed its strategic value to Israel during Operation Protective Edge, rapidly mobilizing the securement of funds for Israel’s economy. In November 2014, Fitch Ratings, a global

credit ratings agency, issued a report in the wake of the Gaza conflict citing “an active diaspora bonds program” as one of the key indicators of Israel’s financing flexibility. (Israel bonds themselves are not rated.) In addition to the surge in sales over the summer, which nearly doubled the total average sales in July and August from the previous three years, other highlights from the past year included a January 2014 event in Boca Raton, Fla. launching the new sales effort, and a September Israel Bonds international leadership delegation to Israel and France. While in Israel, the delegation met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon and then Finance Minister Yair Lapid, as well as with several prominent French political leaders and members of the Paris Jewish community during their time in France. Israel bonds are debt securities issued by the government of Israel. Israel Bonds is also the commonly known name of the Development Corporation for Israel (DCI), which underwrites the bonds in the United States. DCI is a Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member brokerdealer. The bonds can help preserve capital, diversify personal or corporate investment portfolios, and provide protection from market fluctuations. Israel bonds are versatile securities that currently pay strong rates. Capital provided through the sale of Israel bonds has helped strengthen every aspect of Israel’s economy, enabling the development of key national infrastructure. Today, expanded ports and transportation networks help facilitate the shipment of “Made in Israel” technology around the world, enhancing national export growth. Capital accrued through the sale of Israel bonds has enabled cutting-edge innovation that saves lives and changes the world on a daily basis.

dies, remaining assets in the account must go to repay Medicaid which provided benefits to the beneficiary during life. An alternative to an ABLE account would be to set up a third party special needs trust (SNT). This is a trust set up by someone other than the person with disabilities. On the death of the person with disabilities, the money in the third party SNT can go to other family members or beneficiaries instead of to Medicaid. Moreover, family members may contribute as much as they want to a third party SNT and are not limited by the $14,000 cap imposed on ABLE accounts. Of course, there are expenses and complications associated with setting up and administering any trust, including a third party SNT, however, the benefits obtained from a third party SNT must be weighed against the costs to determine if it makes sense in your case. If the money used to fund the ABLE account belongs to the person with disabilities, then, in some circumstances, it might make sense to fund the ABLE account instead of a first party SNT. A first party SNT is funded with the assets of an individual with disabilities and is subject to the same Medicaid payback requirements as an ABLE account. If the amount of money that the person with disabilities receives as a result of a lawsuit or inheritance is under $14,000 then an ABLE account might be the best option. In other cases,

it probably is prudent to review other planning vehicles. As you can see, it might be hard to figure out whether an ABLE account is the right way to resolve a particular person’s problem. Some generalizations, though: if you are considering setting aside your money for a family member with a disability, ABLE is probably not your best choice. If the problem is how to handle money belonging to the person with a disability, there are quite a few factors to consider. You should get good legal advice to figure out the best solution in your situation. Bernard A. Krooks, Esq., is a founding partner of Littman Krooks LLP and has been honored as one of the “Best Lawyers” in America for each of the last seven years. He is past President of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA) and past President of the New York Chapter of NAELA. Mr. Krooks has also served as chair of the Elder Law Section of the New York State Bar Association. He has been selected as a “New York Super Lawyer” since 2006. Mr. Krooks may be reached at (914) 684-2100 or by visiting the firm’s website at www.elderlawnewyork.com.

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Westchester Jewish Life

The Passing of Two Giants Among Holocaust Survivors The loss of heating. Three years two giants in the ago to the day, his field of teaching dear wife of 68 years, the lessons of the Anna died. He is Holocaust using their survived by his three personal experiences loving sons Saul, Bill as survivors, Stefan and Ted; daughtersWeinberg, 91 and in-law Audrey and Jack Polak, 102, is Franne. He was the mourned by the devoted grandfather Holocaust & Human of Blake, Jordan, Rights Education Taylor and Adam. Center. Jack Polak’s Both Stefan romance with his Weinberg and Jack wife Ina, both Dutch Polak were Nazi Jews, whom he met concentration camp while they were held survivors who spent in the Westerbork the last 70 years as transit camp in the living witnesses to Netherlands, inspired the horrors they the making of “Steal Stefan Weinberg (left) and Jack Polak endured. While A Pencil For Me,” into building successful a documentary by professional careers in their adopted America, Academy Award nominee Michèle Ohayon. The they devoted their personal time to use their film was based on the book of the same name. experiences as survivors as a teaching moment for The Polaks, who moved to the US in 1951, thousands of children and adults in Westchester worked tirelessly to raise awareness about the and the Lower Hudson Valley. Holocaust, and Jack served as chairman emeritus of A member of the Board of Directors of the the Anne Frank Center USA, which was founded by Holocaust & Human Rights Education Center, Otto Frank to educate people about the Holocaust, Weinberg, a resident of Purchase, was a survivor of racism and discrimination. He won numerous five concentration camps - Theresinstadt, Plaszow, awards for his work and was knighted by Queen Grossrosen, Buchenwald, and Sonnenberg, and Beatrix of the Netherlands on his 80th birthday. He the liquidation of the Krakow Ghetto in his also worked closely with the Holocaust & Human native Poland. He was 16 years old when the Rights Education Center in White Plains. Germans first imprisoned him. After several near Jack Polak lived in Eastchester and once death experiences, Weinberg finally escaped and said, “Every Holocaust survivor has the task to reached a displaced persons camp where he stayed tell as much as possible to everybody because until he immigrated to the US in 1949. that’s the only way that the Holocaust will be Using mechanical skills he developed as remembered.” a prisoner, Weinberg founded AMHAC, which He is survived by his sons Frederick and has become one of the region’s largest service Anthony, daughter Margrit Polak Shield; five companies in the field of air conditioning and grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren.

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Alan Gross Addresses Conference of Presidents Leaders

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February 2015 — Shevat-Adar 5775

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JCC Hudson Early Childhood Center Students Learn a Lesson That Lasts a Lifetime Each week, JCC on the Hudson’s Early Childhood Center students bring in boxed or canned food to share with people who don’t have enough to eat. The Center expands the concept of Tzedakah, the Jewish ethic of giving and sharing, and talk about sharing all the world’s resources --food, water, shelter, education and clothing, to the children. The teachers hope to instill the idea that even the tiniest things, when shared, can really make a difference to someone else.

Preschool students bring food donations to the collection bin.

Temple Sholom Selma Maisel Nursery Schoolers Warm Hearts with Winter Coat Drive

Ron Halber, Executive Director, JCRC of Greater Washington, Robert G. Sugarman, Chairman, Conference of Presidents, Alan Gross, Malcolm Hoenlein, Executive Vice Chairman/CEO, Conference of Presidents, William Darroff, Vice-President for Public Policy and Director of the Washington Office, The Jewish Federations of North America, and Rabbi Joseph Potasnik, Executive Vice President, New York Board of Rabbis. The Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations was privileged to recently host a meeting with Alan Gross at Bnai Zion in New York City. Alan Gross was arrested in Cuba in 2009 for establishing internet service for the Cuban Jewish community and was released on December 17, 2014 from Cuban imprisonment after serving five years of a fifteen year sentence. Gross expressed gratitude to the Conference’s leaders and its members for their devoted efforts on his behalf. He spoke eloquently about his imprisonment and the importance of the support he received that “kept him going.” Children from the Solomon Schechter school on Long Island presented a song they wrote in his honor and sung at a daily program praying for his release. Malcolm Hoenlein recounted meetings with high-level American and Cuban officials beginning shortly after Gross’s arrest and the many rallies and demonstrations in pursuit of his freedom.

Throughout January, Temple Sholom Selma Maisel Nursery Schoolers in Greenwich, Ct., learned the importance of community service while collecting new and gently used winter coats for children ages 0-16. The initiative is due to a partnership with Mothers for Others, a group of local mothers who accept donated children’s items and redistribute them to local organizations that identify and assist families in immediate need. “The Mothers for Others Coat & Clothing Drive at SMNS is a wonderful opportunity for children to learn about community service,” explains Nursery School Director, Phyllis Lyons. “When a child learns that another boy or girl may not have a winter coat to keep warm they show such compassion and an urgency to help. Our families get involved and we all join together to make a difference.” Donated items will be distributed to clients of Family Centers, Inc., Greenwich Children from left to right, Eli Lloyds, Ella Frattaroli, Natalie Social Services, Kids in Crisis and YWCA Rosen, Ethan Azous and Max Lloyds. Nursery School Domestic Abuse Services. Director, Phyllis Lyons (left) with teacher is Leslie Kellman.

Jerusalem Unity Prize Recently Launched Israel’s President Reuven Rivlin expressed strong support for the recent launch of the Jerusalem Unity Prize in memory of Eyal Yifrach, Gilad Shaer and Naftali Fraenkel, the Israeli teens kidnapped and murdered by Hamas in the West Bank last year. Rivlin met the families of the teens in mid January, in a ceremony with Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat, who was the main force behind the initiative. The prize was conceived in partnership with the families of the three boys and the Jerusalem-based organization Gesher as a way to perpetuate the spirit of unity across Israel and around the world during the days following the boys’ kidnapping. “In the shadow of the events of last summer, and inspired by that spirit of mutual responsibility which we witnessed, we must continue to encourage all those working to maintain and strengthen that sense, that feeling, of unity and commitment,” President Rivlin said at the ceremony. “The Jerusalem Unity Prize reminds us what is acceptable, what is desired, what is appropriate. In awarding this prize, we want to embolden and amplify the positive voices in our society, and focus on the good.” Barkat added that “out of the intense pain of the boys’ tragic deaths came remarkable unity in large part due to the strength and leadership exhibited by these three families. We know that unity is a central value in our identity as a people and this prize will afford us the chance to advance these ideals across Israel and around the world.” The fathers of the three boys also spoke at the event. Avi Fraenkel, father of Naftali, said that he recalled his previous visit to the

president’s residence immediately following the kidnapping, when their fate remained unknown. “During those days we gained enormous strength from the knowledge that people all around the globe were with us,” he said. “Today we have returned here to ensure that that spirit of unity is preserved and we are confident this award will serve to accomplish that Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat (fifth from left) and Israel’s President Reuven Rivlin goal. (sitting right) gather with the families of the three boys who were kidnapped and Uri Yifrach, murdered by Hamas in the West Bank last year. father of Eyal, said that he had no doubt that the tragedies of three boys and dignitaries from Israel and the boys’ death brought a sense of common the Diaspora. bonds within the Jewish people that hadn’t The first category is Individuals or been felt in many years. Ofir Shear, father of Organizations. This award will be presented Gilad, echoed that sentiment. “We feel an to individuals, entities or organizations obligation to ensure that the personal pain who prove that they have worked in an that we have experienced be channeled for exemplary manner to advance Jewish unity the betterment of people all over the world over an extended period of time. and that is what we all hope this prize will The second category is Social accomplish,” he said. Initiatives. This award will be presented The Jerusalem Unity Prize will be to individual visionaries or groups of presented in three separate categories, each visionaries who have advanced social with prizes of up to NIS100,000 ($25,297). programs that challenge the problem Winners will be chosen from a committee of dis-unity within the greater Jewish chaired by the mayor, the parents of the community.

The final category is Israel and the Diaspora. This award will be presented to individuals or groups who have successfully advanced programs that better unite the Diaspora with the land and people of Israel. “Our goal is to transform the concept of unity from an abstract idea to real life action,” said Anat Schwarz Weil, director of the initiative. “Despite all that they have been through, these families have become the embodiment of the importance and strength of Jewish unity. This idealism rooted in action makes the families the perfect ambassadors to carry this message of unity to Israel and the world.” In addition to the prize, a special Unity Day is being planned for June 3 in Jerusalem, where the awards will be presented alongside programming to promote unity initiatives. The event is being held on the first anniversary of the boys’ deaths. The Jerusalem Unity Prize and Unity Day are being made possible thanks to the support of Ira and Ingeborg Rennert, Jay and Jeanie Schottenstein, Robert and Amy Book, David and Sarena Koschitzky and the UJA-Federation of New York. Eric S. Goldstein, CEO, UJA-Federation of New York said, “UJA-Federation of New York is honored to support the Jerusalem Unity Prize, which seeks to harness and perpetuate the unprecedented level of unity expressed in Israel and in Jewish communities across the globe after the tragic events of last summer. This initiative is distinguished in its goal of promoting mutual respect to strengthen the bonds that unite us as a people.”

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