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INSIDE

this week

CONNECTICUT JEWISH LEDGER | SINCE 1929 | AUGUST 27, 2021 | 19 ELUL 5781

8 & 15 Briefs

17 Crossword

18 Kolot

18 Torah Portion

19 What’s Happening

Abraham Accords @ 1.................................................................................................5 Business, governmental and academic ties are blossoming between Israel and the UAE a year after normalization began.

Arts & Entertainment..................... 5 What’s so Jewish about Mayim Bialik? Turns out, a lot.

The Ledger Scoreboard................. 9 When Italian tennis star Camila Giorgi won Canada’s most prestigious tennis tournament, she scored a major upset over her opponent…and became the first Jewish player to win the event in 56 years.

Campus News..................................11 A longtime Jewish journalist shares his own experience being targeted in college because of his support for Israel.

19 Around CT

20 Obituaries

21 Business and Professional Directory

22 Classified

ON THE COVER:

With the Taliban in power in Afghanistan, the Middle East is doomed to remain brutal, repressive and culturally Islamist. Regional powers, including Israel, must come together to guarantee stability, says an Israeli military expert. Pictured on the cover: Almost 650 Afghan civilians are packed into Reach 871, a U.S. Air Forc C-17 cargo plane flown from Kabul to Qatar on Aug. 15. (Defense One). PAGE 12 jewishledger.com

The Final Blow................................10 Poland enacts a bill widely condemned by the international community as another attempt to wipe out responsibility to restore the property confiscated from its Jewish community during World War II and the Holocaust.

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UP FRONT

CONNECTICUT JEWISH LEDGER | SINCE 1929 | AUGUST 27, 2021 | 19 ELUL 5781

Trust and partnership: Israel, UAE celebrate first year of normalization BY ABIGAIL KLEIN LEICHMAN

(Israel21c) On Aug. 13, 2020, an extraordinary event transformed the Middle East: Israel and the United Arab Emirates signed a joint statement of intent to normalize diplomatic relations. Formalized at the White House in September, the historic Abraham Accords opened wide a door that seemed hopelessly shut between the two countries. True, discreet business had been conducted between Israelis and Emiratis for years, and Israelis holding foreign passports had quietly entered Dubai and Abu Dhabi. But the Abraham Accords changed the game, with direct flights and direct phone calls linking businesspeople, government officials and ordinary citizens who’d long been curious about one another. Every day brought another “first” between Israel and the UAE. In October, Etihad Airlines launched a Hebrew-language website to help Israeli travelers book reservations. Thousands of Israeli tourists flooded the UAE until COVID-19 put a temporary stop to that. The flurry of activity following the Abraham Accords spanned everything from an Israeli lingerie ad shoot in Dubai to ambitious collaborations in agricultural and medical research. Israel’s Central Bureau of Statistics

reported that between September 2020 and June 2021, Israel exported $197 million worth of goods to the UAE and imported $372 million worth of goods from the UAE. Groups formed quickly to foster connections. Among them are the Abu Dhabi-Israel Business Hub, UAE-Israel Business Council, Israeli-Emirati Forum, UAE-IL Tech Zone, Gulf-Israel Women’s Forum and Gulf-Israel Green Ventures.

$10 billion investment fund “We are very happy to see the collaboration between our nations continuing to bud and prosper,” says UAE-IL Tech Zone advisory board member Ahmed Nasser al-Nowais, founder & CEO of Abu Dhabi-based Annex Investments. One of the most remarkable results of the Abraham Accords was the March announcement of a $10 billion UAE investment fund earmarked for the Israeli energy, manufacturing, water, space, health-tech and agri-tech sectors. “The investment fund will promote economic cooperation between our nations, deriving from government, semi-private, as well as private institutional money. This will allow for technological integration and implementation between our nations, as

well as spurring innovation through joint investments,” said al-Nowais. Dubai-based investor and fund manager Dorian Barak, cofounder of the UAE-Israel Business Council, estimates that nearly $500 million in business was conducted between Israel and the UAE in the first year following the Abraham Accords. “You’re going to find Israeli businesses setting up companies in the UAE to use it as a base for targeting commercially the greater Middle East,” said Barak. Many opportunities are arising in Gulf and Far East nations, added high-tech veteran Gilad Carni, founder and CEO of the UAE Israel Innovation Office, a forprofit venture facilitating business between the UAE and Israel. “In the past, big Israeli players were able to sell to these countries by opening a company in Europe, but today even smaller companies without the financial ability to open offices in Europe can do this through UAE distributors,” said Carni. For example, Carni’s office got an Israeli construction-tech company involved in a tender for a multimillion-dollar project in a country Israel does not have relations with, and brokered a deal to sell dates to an Asian country that Israel does not have ties with, all via the UAE.

Building relationships

HEBREW UNIVERSITY AGRICULTURE SCHOOL DEAN BENNY CHEFETZ AND UAE MINISTER FOR FOOD AND WATER SECURITY MARIAM AL-MUHAIRI TALK TOMATOES IN REHOVOT. PHOTO BY YOSSI ZAMIR.

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“There’s a lot going on businesswise,” said Carni, although the pace of splashy announcements is slower as the work of implementation goes on behind the scenes. Israelis have learned that deals will not progress at the speed to which they are accustomed. “Israelis tend to fly out to a business meeting and then go home. Emiratis are all about relationships. You’ll go to dinner, meet their families, talk about anything other than business, to build the personal relationship first,” said Carni. “It takes time, but if you’re there for the long run it pays off.” Personal relationships are a primary goal of the Israeli-Emirati Forum, says

10 Jewish facts about ‘Jeopardy!’ host Mayim Bialik

BY MADDY ALBERT

n case you missed it, Jewish actress and neuroscientist Mayim Bialik is officially a new host of “Jeopardy!” She will be hosting primetime and spinoff versions of the beloved game show – including ABC’s recently announced college championship.

(FOX/GETTY IMAGES)

Bialik may be best known for the memorable characters she’s played, including Amy Farrah Fowler in the “Big Bang Theory” and Blossom in the beloved ’90s sitcom by the same name. But when she’s not on screen, Mayim is in touch with her Jewish identity in so many ways, from her excitement about Jewish holidays to the ways she incorporates Jewish practice into raising her two children. In honor of the news, here are 10 Jewish facts about this incredible Jewish mom.

1. She is a secondgeneration Jewish immigrant.

Like many Ashkenazi Jews in the U.S., Mayim’s grandparents immigrated from Poland, Hungary and thenCzechoslovakia. Mayim describes herself as “a second-generation American whose grandparents on one side never really mastered the English language.” Given her accomplishments as a scholar – she has a Ph.D. in neuroscience from UCLA – and a public CONTINUED ON PAGE 7

CONTINUED ON THE NEXT PAGE

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AUGUST 27, 2021

Abraham Accords CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5

founder Asher Fredman. About 120 businesspeople, officials, academics and students from both countries communicate regularly through the forum on WhatsApp, Zoom and, when possible, in person. “It’s a place for people to share and build trust. We are creating the bonds between people that will help us overcome periods of tensions that will certainly come,” said Fredman. “The forum has been, and I hope will be even more so, a springboard for collaboration in all fields – in business, innovation, culture, education, and interfaith dialogue.” When Israel decides the pandemic situation allows for reopening its borders to UAE visitors, Carni expects a flood of business travel on the three-hour route to Tel Aviv. “I have a list of UAE businesspeople just waiting to get on a plane and come here and build those relationships,” he said.

Genuine and heartfelt Abdulla Baqer is one of those Emiratis waiting to get on a plane. The president of the UAE-Israel Business Council, and director of Endemaj Funds global investment and advisory house, Baqer wants to come to Israel for a month to learn its culture. “I’ve had many invitations,” he told participants in a Zoom event marking the June 14 opening of the United Arab

Emirates Embassy in Tel Aviv. The UAE, he said, is the region’s top trade and financial hub, while Israel is the regional leader in technology and innovation. “We have the world’s two most dynamic economies. A lot of experience can be transferred between the two countries for the benefit of both and for the whole world. Everything is possible if we sit together and have a dialog and understand each other,” said Baqer. Fellow speaker Yoel Guzansky, a senior research fellow at the Institute for National Security Studies in Israel, said strong personal connections and religious openness will ensure the durability of the Abraham Accords. “With Egypt we don’t have connections between the people. It’s a different model with the UAE, a language of tolerance. But beyond words, the UAE is taking actions such as building a synagogue/mosque/ church complex and changing some of the wording in textbooks,” said Guzansky. Barak, of the UAE-Israel Business Council, says he was surprised at how openly Emiratis embraced Israelis. “This wasn’t just governmental; this has really become a people-to-people peace that is genuine and heartfelt,” he said.

Food security, logistics, healthcare Baqer and Guzansky pinpointed food security, healthcare, investment and finance, education, logistics, security and defense as areas where the Abraham Accords can be a gamechanger for the Middle East and beyond.

ASHER FREDMAN, CEO OF GULF-ISRAEL GREEN VENTURES (GIGV) (SECOND FROM RIGHT), HAS INVESTED HIS ENERGIES IN BRIDGING THE GREENTECH LEADERSHIP IN ISRAEL WITH THE ROBUST DEVELOPMENT IN GULF COUNTRIES TO FURTHER SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN THE REGION CREDIT: GULF-ISRAEL GREEN VENTURES.

JEWISH LEDGER

| AUGUST 27, 2021

A recent example of healthcare cooperation is a July 11 memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the Department of Health-Abu Dhabi and Sheba Medical Center in Israel to collaborate on advancing medical research, healthcare and telemedicine services, sharing knowledge and best practices, and positioning Abu Dhabi as a prominent destination for medical tourism. Baqer mentioned a cargo logistics company under development by the UAE and Israel. “It will be the Uber of logistics. All the big companies like FedEx, DHL and Emirates Airlines will use our facilities because it will be cheaper and faster,” he predicted. “This will boost the economy and create a lot of jobs for both countries.” In the area of food security, Carni’s office matched an Israeli agri-tech company with an Emirati project to grow rice in the desert.

Academic cooperation Joint academic agreements are a key area of cooperation, Guzansky said. “This didn’t receive proper attention in the media but it’s important. Academic agreements can enhance people-topeople and economic and government cooperation,” he said. Some examples: • Mohamed Bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence and Israel’s Weizmann Institute of Science will establish a joint virtual institute for artificial intelligence and begin student and postdoctoral-fellow exchange programs, conferences and seminars. • UAE Minister for Food and Water Security Mariam Almheiri and UAE Ambassador to Israel Mohamed Al Khaja spoke at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev at a July 14 ceremony establishing the Moshe Mirilashvili Center for Food Security in the Desert. “We are interested in becoming a global player on food and water security policy,” Almheiri said. “We have access to 2 billion consumers through our ports and airlines and you have the technology. We would love to import your spirit of entrepreneurship to our youth.” Almheiri discussed a food-tech and agri-tech research partnership with Hebrew University leaders. Among the hot topics are plant adaptation to heat and desert-like conditions, smart water management and high-quality seed and food production in the face of climate change. • The Moshe Dayan Center for Middle Eastern and African Studies at Tel Aviv University and TRENDS Research and Advisory Center in Abu Dhabi plan cooperative projects in geopolitics, economy and intercultural relations. • TRENDS also signed an agreement with the University of Haifa following an international symposium led by the

university’s Ezri Center of Maritime Policy and Strategy. University President Prof. Ron Robin is well acquainted with Emirati culture; he lived in Abu Dhabi for eight years when he was Senior Vice Provost for Global Faculty Development at New York University. • An Israeli-Emirati Water Research Institute will open in Abu Dhabi through a strategic collaboration between Israeli water-from-air technology company Watergen and UAE company Baynunah, in cooperation with the Moshe Mirilashvili Institute for Applied Water Studies at Tel Aviv University. Watergen and Baynunah are building a Watergen production facility in the UAE. • In May, private Israeli university IDC Herzliya welcomed Israel’s first full-time Emirati student, Mansoor bin Shamekh al-Marzooqi, who is studying for a bachelor’s degree in government. Many more are expected to follow. Sami Bashir, director of technology management and innovation at Khalifa University’s Khalifa Innovation Center in Abu Dhabi, told a meeting of the UAEIL Tech Zone that his office is “finalizing several collaborations with [university] tech-transfer offices in Israel” and invited Israeli students to “come and visit if you want to validate your business models in our incubator.”

Early-stage startups While joint ventures and technology exports are flourishing in the wake of the Abraham Accords, early-stage Israeli startups have largely been left out of the picture. “Emiratis are not huge investors in early-stage technologies,” said Barak. “When the normalization started in August, a lot of Israelis went to Dubai to semi-vacation and semi-check out business possibilities with the hope of meeting rich locals and raising money,” said Carni. It turned out that Emiratis didn’t want to throw money at Israeli startups. New founders got the message and stopped asking. As Carni notes, “Israeli businesses are getting plenty of capital without the Emiratis anyway.” Indeed, the first half of 2021 saw Israeli high-tech startups raising a record $11.9 billion. Startups that successfully scale up over the next few years are likely to find that they didn’t miss their chance in the UAE. Emirati officials and businesspeople, Carni explained, think strategically about “where they want to be in five, 10, 20 years” and will look for Israeli companies strongly positioned to help them meet those goals. This article was first published by Israel21c. Naama Barak contributed to this report.

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Mayim CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5

figure, we can only imagine the immense pride and joy her grandparents would feel over her accomplishments today.

2. Her name has many layers of Jewish meaning.

Mayim’s full name – Mayim Chaya Bialik – carries serious Jewish meaning. Her first name, Mayim, means “water” in Hebrew. (She’s named after her grandmother, Maryam, who was known as “Bubbe Mayim.”) Her middle name, Chaya, means “alive” in Hebrew; it shares the same root as “chai” or “life.” As for Bialik, Mayim’s a distant relative of the pioneering modern Hebrew poet Hayim Nahman Bialik.

3. Mayim identifies as Modern Orthodox.

Although she was raised in a Reform Jewish family, Mayim has become more religiously observant as an adult and now identifies as Modern Orthodox. The Orthodox value of modesty is one that she holds dear, and she brings her preference for modest dress into her very spiffy “Jeopardy!” outfits. She told Jeopardy.com that her professional dress during her guest-hosting stint was meant to maintain the elements of formality and decorum that she so respected in late host Alex Trebek, and “to look like the academic I was trained to be.”

4. She was the first woman in her family to become a bat mitzvah.

When Mayim spoke at the National Museum of American Jewish History’s celebration marking the 90th anniversary of the first bat mitzvah ceremony in the United States, we learned that Mayim was the first woman in her family to have a bat mitzvah. Speaking about the way that the bat mitzvah has become a key marker of women’s equity in Jewish communities, Mayim told the Philadelphia Inquirer:“The bat mitzvah is the beginning. It’s not the end.”

5. Education is one of her core values.

One of the reasons Mayim is so perfect for the “Jeopardy!” job is that, in her own words, she has dedicated her life to “knowing things and to being able to communicate things.” Education is deeply valued in Jewish culture, and it is even stressed in Jewish text, as the Talmud dictates that the study of Torah is the greatest commandment. What’s more, as an undergrad at UCLA, Mayim minored in Hebrew and Jewish Studies – so Jewish education has always been part of her many ambitions.

6. She was active in Jewish life during college.

Mayim was also active in Jewish life outside the classroom during her years at UCLA. She was a student leader of Hillel, she founded a women’s Rosh Chodesh group and she blew the shofar during High Holiday services. In addition, she conducted and wrote music for UCLA’s Jewish a cappella group.

7. Jewish holidays are very important to her.

Speaking of Jewish education, Mayim makes a point to teach her fans all about Jewish holidays. She recently made a series of six videos for Kveller called “You Know How I Know: Jewish Basics With Mayim Bialik,” covering Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Sukkot, Hanukkah, Purim and Passover. These short, fun videos are meant to teach viewers about the key elements of each Jewish holiday (with her special Mayim flair, of course).

8. Mayim was one of the first editors of Kveller.

It’s true: The Jewish parenting site through which you are reading this article would not be the same without Mayim’s brains and initiative. Mayim was one of the original contributing editors of Kveller (more than 10 years ago).

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9. She has a very Jewish bedtime ritual for her kids.

Mayim’s sons – Miles, 15, and Frederick, 12 – are being raised with many Jewish rituals, including Mayim singing the bedtime “Shema” prayer to them before bed. Even as her kids grow older, “I still try to sing the Shema to them,” she said in 2019. “And I remember that I used to watch their eyes shift from blinking, to heavy lids, to closing and fluttering, to closing completely for the night, when I used to pray for their souls to be watched over as they slept.” So sweet.

10. She is passionate about mental health.

Mayim has been a longtime advocate for mental healthcare. During her “Jeopardy!” guest-host stint, Mayim raised funds for the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), where she has referred friends for many years. Mental health advocacy is tied to many Jewish values, including the Talmud passage “Kol yisrael arevim zeh bazeh”– which means “all Jews are responsible for one another” – as well “pikuach nefesh,” the Jewish value of saving a life. What’s more, Mayim’s podcast, “Mayim Bialik’s Breakdown,” aims to break down “the myths and misunderstandings about mental health and emotional well-being” according to Spotify, while “removing the stigma surrounding mental health.”

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This article originally appeared on Kveller. jewishledger.com

JEWISH LEDGER

AUGUST 27, 2021

Briefs

Daily Beast to review editorial standards after writer calls IDF ‘genocidal’

Conservative movement to investigate sexual abuse allegations at youth program (JTA) – Days after allegations of sexual abuse by former Jewish youth program participants appeared in the media, the Conservative movement announced it would implement new safety measures and investigate how program officials have handled complaints. In the announcement, the CEO of the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism, Rabbi Jacob Blumenthal, said the reports of abuse of teenage boys at programs run by its affiliated organization United Synagogue Youth require taking action. Blumenthal said USY would hire a third party to manage its reporting hotline and pay an independent consultant to investigate the allegations and the involvement of program officials or volunteers. The allegations, published in an article two weeks ago in The Times of Israel, took place decades ago and involve Ed Ward, a former USY Nassau County divisional director. The article quoted a former camper of Ward’s named Jordan Soffer and cited two lawsuits filed anonymously against Ward and USY. Following the Blumenthal announcement, a Times of Israel reporter tweeted that Soffer does not believe the Conservative movement is doing enough to ensure accountability. “I am glad to see that USY is committed to making sure that this can never happen again,” Soffer is quoted as saying. “Ensuring it doesn’t happen again, however, must begin with recognition and empathy. Their failure to acknowledge that this happened, and their failure to express any empathy for their graduates, gives me little faith that there will be enduring change.” The announcement of an investigation at USY comes several months after the movement’s Rabbinic Assembly launched an audit of its own process for handling ethical complaints. Meanwhile, in the Reform movement, three such investigations are taking place. And in July, the movement’s youth arm, NFTY, released a statement responding to an article in the Jewish college student publication New Voices accusing NFTY of fostering an overly sexualized environment for teens. The youth program welcomed the scrutiny and said it was in the process of revamping its abuse reporting process and adding language to its code of conduct.

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(JTA) – The Daily Beast has edited an article to remove the word “genocidal” as a description for Israel’s military. Criticizing the choice of Mayim Bialik as a host of the game show “Jeopardy!”, the article, published Thursday, August 12, said that in 2014, the Jewish actor had “proclaimed her donation toward bulletproof vests for the genocidal Israeli Defense Forces.” Accusations that Israel is committing a genocide of the Palestinians spiked during the recent conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, despite the objections of human rights lawyers. The story drew condemnation from Jews and Jewish organizations on social media, including the American Jewish Committee. Appearing to respond to the criticism, the article’s author, Tirhakah Love, a Daily Beast entertainment reporter, tweeted, “the Zionists should really stop emailing me cus girl I do not care.” In a subsequent tweet, Love said Zionism was “an articulation of white supremacy.” The word remained in the story on Monday morning. But later in the day, it had been removed. A subsequent sentence was also added about the April 2021 Human Rights Watch report that said some of Israel’s actions in the West Bank and Gaza “amount to the crimes against humanity of apartheid and persecution.” “The story has been updated to replace the word genocidal in reference to the IDF,” the Daily Beast said in response to a request for comment from JTA. The website added, “The Daily Beast is developing an editorial standard for future use of the word.” The Daily Beast did not immediately respond to a followup question about Love’s tweets, which are still up.

Bob Dylan sued for allegedly sexually abusing young girl in 1965 (JTA) – A woman is suing Bob Dylan for sexually abusing her when she was 12 under a New York law that temporarily lifted limitations on such lawsuits. The woman, identified in court documents as JC, says the Jewish rock star groomed and exploited her in his room at the Chelsea Hotel over six weeks in 1965, USA Today reported on Monday. She says she suffered physical and psychological harm. A lawyer for Dylan vigorously denied the charges, the newspaper reported. The Chelsea Hotel was at the time a hideout for bohemian artists and musicians. Dylan was just 24 in 1965, but at the height of his influence. The New York State legislature, in the wake of the #MeToo movement exposing the exploitation of women, in 2019 passed the Child Victims Act, allowing people to sue their alleged assailants for a window of

| AUGUST 27, 2021

time, which ended Saturday. The woman filed the lawsuit the day before. Peter Yarrow, a Jewish folk singer with the trio Peter Paul and Mary has also been sued by an alleged victim under the act.

Arizona 8th state to launch review into possible Ben & Jerry’s sanctions (JTA) – Arizona has become the eighth state to begin reviewing whether Ben & Jerry’s plans to withdraw from doing business in the West Bank merits sanctions under its law targeting the Israel boycott movement. In emails obtained by JTA, the state’s treasurer last week asked Unilever, the ice cream manufacturer’s parent company, to comply with its 2016 law. It requires state entities, including pension funds, to divest from companies boycotting Israel or businesses in territories under Israel’s control, explicitly including the West Bank. The treasurer’s office gave Unilever 90 days to do so. Unilever and Ben & Jerry’s have said they are not observing the movement to boycott, divest and sanction Israel, or BDS, because they are only seeking to pull out of the West Bank, and plan to continue sales in Israel. There are 34 states in total that require their governments to stop doing business with companies that boycott Israel – and 21 of those, like Arizona, include West Bank settlement boycotts in their definitions. So far eight states are known to have triggered similar reviews that could result in divesting from Ben & Jerry’s and Unilever. In addition to Arizona, New York, New Jersey, Florida, Texas, Illinois, Maryland and Rhode Island have launched formal proceedings. “This is significant because Arizona is a major trade partner with Israel,” IAC For Action, the legislative and policymaking arm of the Israeli-American Council, which initiated the review with a formal request, said in a statement.

Jewish humanitarian groups step in as crises unfold in Haiti, Afghanistan (JTA) – Two major humanitarian crises are eliciting the involvement of Jewish aid organizations, although it is unclear whether much can be done from afar to support Afghans now that the Taliban has retaken their country. An earthquake struck Haiti early Saturday, August 14, killing nearly 1,300 with the death toll likely to rise. Meanwhile, the country is experiencing political instability and still recovering from a devastating 2016 hurricane and a 2010 earthquake in the capital of Port-auPrince that left more than 220,000 people dead. Among those directing aid to Haiti is the American Jewish Joint Distribution

Committee, which first engaged with the country in the 1930s, when Haiti was one of just a handful of countries to accept Jewish refugees from the Nazis. The JDC worked to support those refugees. Now, the group is working with a longtime local partner to send medical supplies to a hospital in the region of Haiti most affected by the earthquake. The American Jewish World Service, which has long been involved in helping Haitians advocate for human rights, is also raising funds to support relief aid for Haiti. In Afghanistan, where the Taliban has retaken the country just weeks after the U.S. removed troops that had been there for nearly two decades, humanitarian groups have fewer avenues to help. The U.S. and its allies had said they would evacuate people who aided their mission and are likely to face retaliation by the Taliban, but those efforts were proceeding slowly. HIAS, originally the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society, wrote on Facebook last week that it would work to help Afghans who make it to the U.S. through a special program designed to protect people who aided the U.S. mission there. But there is little more to do at this time, it said. “Our hearts break for the people of Afghanistan right now. Unfortunately, the current reality is that options for resettlement are limited to the Special Immigrant Visa program,” the group wrote. “We are advocating to change that.” Meanwhile, it is unclear whether the last known Jew in Afghanistan is still in the country. Zabulon Simantov, 61, stayed in Kabul to tend its last synagogue even after his wife and children moved to Israel.

Election signs for Jewish Canadian MPs targeted with antisemitic graffiti (JNS) Campaign banners for two Jewish parliament members who are running for re-election in Canada’s upcoming elections were vandalized with swastikas. On Sunday, August 15, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called for the current government to be dissolved with new elections to be held on Sept. 20. Among those running for re-election are current ministers of Parliament Rachel Bendayan and Anthony Housefather, both of Montreal. It was their banners that were defaced. “It is absolutely sickening to see this vile antisemitism targeting Jewish election candidates,” said Michael Levitt, president and CEO of Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center. “There’s no place for this Jewhatred in the city of Montreal or anywhere else in Canada.” Housefather, a Parliament member for Mount Royal, wrote on Twitter: “Pretty sad to see anti-Semitism hitting the campaign on Day 3. I can assure whoever did this that no swastika is going to scare me or stop me CONTINUED ON PAGE 15

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THE LEDGER SCOREBOARD Yes, Italian tennis star Camila Giorgi is Jewish BY MARVIN GLASSMAN

(JTA) – Last week Camila Giorgi won the National Bank Open, Canada’s most prestigious tennis tournament. It was a milestone for two reasons. First, it was the first major title win in the 29-year-old’s career, and a huge upset – she was ranked 71st in the world before beating No. 6 Karolina Pliskova in the finals. Second, Giorgi became the first Jewish player to win the event in 56 years, since American Julie Heldman took what was then called the Canadian Open in 1965. Heldman, now 75 and a grandmother, said from her home in Santa Monica, California, was once ranked fifth in the world in 1969. She was inducted last month into the International Tennis Hall Of Fame. Founded in 1881, the Canadian Open is the second oldest tennis tournament behind only Wimbledon. Even Giorgi was surprised she pulled off the win. “I think I didn’t have the opportunity [to win the tournament] in these years,” she told JTA in her broken English following the match. Reports have swirled for years that Giorgi might be Jewish, and that she was considering obtaining Israeli citizenship to play for the country’s team in the Fed Cup – a World Cup-style tournament. She confirmed to JTA that her parents, Argentines who immigrated to Italy, are Jewish. In fact, her favorite book is “The Diary of Anne Frank.” “The book moved me because I am Jewish, but also because she was such a good person who saw the good in people,” Giorgi told JTA. Although she did not see Giorgi win the National Bank Open on television, Heldman said she knew of the Italian player and her Jewishness and was “elated” to learn of her victory. The National Bank Open title moved Giorgi’s world ranking to 34 and continued a hot streak: She has won 16 of 20 matches since the French Open in late May and reached the quarterfinals for Italy at the Tokyo Olympics earlier this month. Giorgi credits her success to her father, Sergio, who fought in Argentina’s 1982 Falklands War and has been her coach since she first picked up a racquet – at age five. The father-daughter team is one of several that have led to success in professional tennis. Heldman’s late mother, Gladys, was an icon in her own right – she founded World Tennis magazine and helped launch the women’s tour in the 1970s. jewishledger.com

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CAMILA GIORGI ADDRESSES SPECTATORS AFTER WINNING THE NATIONAL BANK OPEN IN MONTREAL, AUG. 15, 2021.

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Claudia and Sergio Giorgi immigrated to Italy from La Plata, Argentina, prior to Camila’s birth in 1991. The young Camila took lessons starting at five and won many junior tournaments. By nine she was offered a tennis scholarship by the renowned coach Nick Bollettieri and would go on to win many more junior events. As Giorgi’s ranking rose through years, she was selected for Italy’s Fed Cup team. However, in 2012, Giorgi was not high enough on the depth chart to make the squad, and her parents were wooed by Israeli officials, seeing Giorgi as a possible No. 2 behind Shahar Peer, according to Raphael Geller of Israel Sports Radio. Ultimately Giorgi decided to compete for Italy, and she has played in the Fed Cup for her native country since 2014. Along with winning the National Bank Open, Giorgi has upset several No. 1-ranked players in her career, including former stars Victoria Azarenka, Maria Sharapova and Caroline Wozniacki. Giorgi reached the Wimbledon quarterfinals in 2018, losing to Serena Williams. “What is so impressive about Giorgi is that at age 29, she is able to adapt and transform her game in a way to enable her to beat high quality players in Montreal,” said Cindy Shmerler, a New York Times writer and former editor of World Tennis. Off the court, Giorgi credits her mother – who designs her on-court outfits – with giving her an appreciation for art and other things to take refuge in away from the grueling professional sports world. “I love my life. I want to do well in tennis, but tennis is just my work,” Giorgi said. “In the end, I know my family loves me and I enjoy art, the museums and stores, so my life is in balance.”

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AUGUST 27, 2021

OPINION

Will Polish anti-restitution law permanently harm ties with Israel, Jewish community? BY DMITRIY SHAPIRO

(JNS) Despite international pressure to veto the bill, Polish President Andrzej Duda signed a bill passed by the Polish legislature on Aug. 14 that would prevent individuals with property seized by either the Nazis during World War II or the postWar Communist government from having it returned. The bill effectively ends the chances that Poland’s Holocaust survivors and their descendants from receiving restitution by filing claims to reinstate their confiscated property, including those who are currently in court seeking restitution. The action, the president wrote in a statement after signing the bill, would end decades of uncertainty for Polish people over whether the property individuals occupied have to be returned to its preCommunist or even pre-war owners. “In my opinion, this is the end of the state of uncertainty, when the bona fide flats and real estate could be taken away by an ordinary administrative decision, when their owner from over 70 years ago was found,” wrote Duda. “Practice has shown that these owners were often fictitious, and that criminal groups became rich at the cost of tens of thousands of people thrown onto the pavement. Anyone born at the wrong time and place could be the victim, and re-privatization to restore justice became almost synonymous with injustice and human harm.” While the law does not mention Jews, the Holocaust or World War II, it ensures that an administrative decision rendered more than 30 years ago could no longer be challenged. For months, the bill was condemned by the international community, which saw it as another attempt by Poland to wipe out its responsibility to restore the property confiscated from its Jewish community during the years of World War II and the Holocaust. Duda’s signing of the law was seen as an affront by Jewish organizations and leaders worldwide. “We deeply regret the adoption of these amendments. Further, we urge the Polish government to consult with representatives of affected parties and to develop a clear, efficient and effective legal procedure to resolve confiscated property claims and provide some measure of justice for victims,” U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement on Monday. “In the absence of such a procedure, this legislation will harm all Polish citizens 10

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whose property was unjustly taken, including that of Polish Jews who were victims of the Holocaust.”

‘Justice for what happened in the past’ The American Jewish Committee called the approval of the bill deplorable, writing on Twitter that it would make it virtually impossible for Holocaust survivors and claimants to seek restitution and urged the governments to return to a constructive dialogue. “Shameful that Poland has passed a law that punishes families of Polish Jewry mass murdered by the Nazis in ghettos and death camps established by Nazi Germany on Polish soil during Shoah. No respect even in death,” said Rabbi Abraham Cooper, associate dean and director of Global Social Action Agenda at the Simon Wiesenthal Center. The World Jewish Restitution Organization (WJRO)–the world’s leading advocate for property restitution in central and eastern Europe, which has been fighting the law since it was first introduced–said it was a sad day for justice and rule of law. “With this law, Poland is attempting to say to the world if you delay justice long enough, you can shut the door to history without taking responsibility and benefit in the present from the Communist actions of the past. They are wrong,” WJRO chair of operations Gideon Taylor said in a statement. “This issue will not go away. Holocaust survivors, their descendants and other Polish citizens have been struggling for decades to reclaim their rightful property nationalized by the Polish Communists will not give up. Without justice for what happened in the past, there will not be legal certainty for those who trade in this stolen property in the future.” In his statement, Duda took offense that the law had anything to do with the Holocaust and that Communist nationalization of property applied to all citizens regardless of religion.

‘Israel and the Jewish people will not remain silent’ The new Israeli government took an even stronger line in condemning the new law. “Israel views with utmost gravity approval of the law that prevents Jews from

| AUGUST 27, 2021

receiving compensation for property that was stolen from them during the Holocaust and regrets the fact that Poland has chosen to continue harming those who have lost everything,” Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said in an Aug. 14 statement. “This is a shameful decision and disgraceful contempt for the memory of the Holocaust. This is a grave step that Israel cannot remain indifferent to.” Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid called the law unethical and anti-Semitic, and recalled the charge d’affaires of the Israeli Embassy in Warsaw to return to Israel immediately for indefinite consultations. He also said that the new Israeli ambassador to Poland has been instructed to stay in Israel and recommended that the Polish ambassador to Israeli remain in Poland where he was on a vacation. “This time should be used to explain to the people of Poland the meaning of the Holocaust to the citizens of Israel, and the extent to which we will refuse to tolerate any contempt for the memory of Holocaust and its victims,” Lapid said in the statement the day the law was signed. “It will not end here. We are holding discussions with the Americans to coordinate our future response. “Tonight, Poland has become an antidemocratic and illiberal country that does not honor the greatest tragedy in human history,” he continued. “We must never remain silent. Israel and the Jewish people will certainly not remain silent.” The law was drafted and supported by Poland’s ruling right-wing Law and Justice Party which previously was on friendly terms with the government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

‘Strong supporters of the Jewish state’ Eugene Kontorovich, professor of law and director of the Center for Middle East and International Law at the Antonin Scalia Law School at George Mason University, said that whatever problems Poland has had with antisemitism in the past, he did not see this law as inherently antisemitic and that the Israeli leaders are picking a needless fight. “There’s nothing inherently wrong with them wanting to have a settlement of property rights so that property rights are not constantly in question,” he explained.

POLISH PRESIDENT ANDRZEJ DUDA. (GRABOWSKI FOTO/SHUTTERSTOCK)

“And you know, the cut-off period of 30 years makes it seem that it’s really primarily about Communist nationalization and transition from communism. Given that the Holocaust in Poland now was close to 80 years ago, it’s weird to think that this is primarily or significantly about Jews or about the Holocaust, when pretty much anything or all the claims that could have been made about Holocaust-era issues would have been made by now.” Poland, he said, on numerous occasions have stood up and threatened to veto antisemitic actions in the European Union, becoming a vital Israeli ally–at great cost to itself–and that the outrage over the bill may be sacrificing this support. “On numerous occasions, they have vetoed European initiatives against Israel in a way that has … generated anger from Brussels [the seat of the European Commission], and they’ve been willing to take the heat,” said Kontorovich. “I think the Polish government have proven themselves to be strong supporters of the Jewish state.” Kontorovich believes that the pushback to the law is a vast overreaction that will likely hurt Israel’s relationship with Poland. “Next time the Europeans are considering some kind of sanctions measure or a restriction on trade or settlements … or some condemnation of Israel, is Poland going to not veto it because of this?” posed Kontorovich. Meanwhile, WJRO vows that it will continue fighting for the restitution of Polish property. “Many Holocaust survivors and their families have been waiting for justice for too long,” said Taylor in a statement. “Those who deal in what is in reality stolen Jewish property should understand that we will not stop seeking justice for Holocaust survivors and others.” jewishledger.com

CAMPUS NEWS When I faced antisemitism on campus in 1985, I felt alone. It’s different today. BY HOWARD LOVY

(Detroit Jewish News via JTA) – In 1985, I stood in the corner of a crowded meeting room at the Wayne State University Student Center, stone-faced, while people I did not know lined up at a microphone to denounce me before the Student Newspaper Publications Board. “I don’t think Howard Lovy should be editor of The South End because he is biased toward Israel,” said one, referring to the student newspaper, where I was up for the editor’s position. The board would decide if I should take the top job. By virtue of my role at the paper, I was in position to assume the top editor slot. “Howard is a Zionist,” said another critic, “so he should be disqualified from this important job as editor of The South End.” Some of them said something about the racist rabbi, Rabbi Meir Kahane. Another said something about the massacre of Palestinians in the Sabra and Shatila refugee camps in Lebanon three years previously by an Israel-allied militia group and with the knowledge of the Israeli army. Apparently I was responsible for all these things and people. I should not have been surprised. A few anti-Zionist students had targeted me months earlier, not only peppering the paper with letters to the editor about me but showing up at The South End office specifically to harass and threaten me. But at this hearing, there were not dozens but hundreds of people I had never met telling the board about what a lousy journalist I was because I had written pieces on the opinion page in support of Israel. The Student Newspaper Publications Board, wary of controversy because of a previous editor’s anti-military activism, rejected me, and I did not get the job. I was 19 years old at the time. I’m 55 now and over the shock, but I look back on it as a key event in my development as a Jew and as a journalist. It was an important lesson for me in how isolating antisemitism could be. It was difficult for me to explain to my friends and colleagues that this even was antisemitism at all. I mean, it seemed perfectly reasonable to many that my “bias” in favor of Israel’s existence compromised my impartiality. But what was the “other side” I was supposed to take equally? Israel’s nonexistence? In 1985, at the age of 19, I lacked the words to explain to anybody that I was being targeted for harassment jewishledger.com

specifically because I was a Jew. In this way, I understand what is happening on campus today, with the rise in antisemitism masquerading as antiZionism. The AMCHA Initiative has been tracking antisemitic incidents and activities on U.S. college campuses since 2015. Out of curiosity, I punched Wayne State University into their database and found 16 incidents of “antisemitic expression” and activity in support of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement targeting Israel from March 2016 to June of this year. (Different groups use different standards to identify antisemitism. Another monitor of antisemitic activity, the Anti-Defamation League, did not record any incidents at Wayne State during that time. The ADL recently announced a partnership with Hillel International to better understand antisemitism on campuses.) The argument, of course, can be made that all these events are not antisemitic, that they simply express solidarity with Palestinians. And if you’re not a Jew on campus and don’t see and feel for yourself how these things manifest themselves in reality, it is difficult to explain this gray area between pro-Palestinian activism and antisemitic hate speech. You just know it when you feel it. Ultimately, Jews are gaslighted with the phrase “Criticism of Israel is not antisemitism,” which creates a nonexistent caricature of a Jew who takes offense at every criticism of Israel. What got me into the whole mess, and sent me down a path I continue to this day, was a story I wrote about a pamphlet. Earlier in ’85, the director of the campus Hillel had approached me at the Wayne State Student Center. He tossed a book near my lunch tray and asked, “Guess what I found the Muslim Students Association selling at Manoogian Hall?” It was “The Protocols of the Learned Elders of Zion,” the infamous czarist-era Russian forgery that sets out the Jewish plan for world domination. The Hillel director knew I wrote about Jewish issues, so he challenged me to write a story about this. “It doesn’t matter if the ‘Protocols’ are fiction. Maybe they are, maybe they aren’t,” the head of the Muslim Student Association told me in an interview at the time. “But you cannot deny that many of the prophecies in this book have come true. Jews run the financial systems.”

This student became my nemesis. Every time I’d write anything in The South End, there he was to refute it. Not only that, but it became a campaign. The Muslim Student Association began tracking everything I wrote. Once I ran into one of its members while shopping at Detroit’s Eastern Market. I heard him say “Zionist” as I walked by. OK. Yes. That was, and is, true. I am a Zionist. So how do you describe to non-Jews that for anti-Zionists, “Zionist” is the equivalent of saying “dirty Jew”? How do you tell people that this was not “just criticizing Israel” when it’s part of a coordinated campaign to attack everything a Jew writes and, ultimately, prevent him from attaining the editor’s position? I was alone in 1985, but today, Jewish students can find solace in online communities. Julia Jassey, a University of Chicago student who runs a group called Jewish on Campus, is emerging as a leader among young people on campus fighting back against antisemitism that masquerades as anti-Zionism.

Of course, none of those things were available to me in 1985, so I did the next best thing: I interned for the Detroit Jewish News, which also ran a version of my story about the “Protocols.” This unexpectedly led to my career as a “Jewish journalist” and, years later, as managing editor at the Jewish Telegraphic Agency. Today my college experience is wrapped into a lifetime of experiences in recognizing the various shades of antisemitism. It is difficult, I know, for college students. But I am also optimistic that even though it may look worse than it was “in my day,” young Jews are working together to help define and fight the problem of campus antisemitism. This article first appeared in the Detroit Jewish News. Howard Lovy is an editor and writer based in Traverse City, Michigan. He is the former managing editor of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency.

(HOLGER HILL/GETTY IMAGES)

JEWISH LEDGER

AUGUST 27, 2021

The U.S. Withdrawal from Afghanistan: What’s next? BY YAAKOV AMIDROR

(Jerusalem Institute of Strategy and Security via JNS) Earlier this week, I spoke with a respected American journalist who asked about the impact on Israel of the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan and the country’s fall to the Taliban. He was not the first person to ask about this. Some expand the question, tying the hurried withdrawal from Afghanistan to the U.S. decision to stop fighting in Iraq, leaving behind only U.S. troops that will train the Iraqi army. The first to define the process of U.S. withdrawal from the region was President Obama, who talked about a pivot to the East, in other words shifting U.S. efforts from the Middle East eastward, alluding to China. President Trump followed suit, deciding to withdraw all U.S. forces from Syria and Iraq (although this was not fully acted upon). President Biden continued this process and brought it to a difficult end in Afghanistan, taking another step toward a complete withdrawal from Iraq. In other words, this withdrawal from Afghanistan is part of an ongoing historical process reflecting deep-rooted American sentiment. The enormous U.S. investment in wars in the Middle East, the trillions of dollars

spent, and tens of thousands of dead and wounded, have not yielded the desired result. With regard to Israel, the question is how this U.S. decision to reduce American military involvement in the Middle East, and the Taliban’s rapid takeover of Afghanistan, will impact the international and regional order within which Israel operates. Thus, three spheres need to be addressed: global, Middle Eastern and Israeli. From a global perspective, the collapse of the U.S. nation-building effort in a country that America took responsibility for in 2000 is a resounding failure, especially considering the lightning speed at which it happened. Will this failure impact America’s international standing, primarily the race between it and China? Most likely, it will impact U.S. standing very little. U.S. competition with China is not tied to any one event. China is driven by its beliefs and wideranging assessment over time of America’s decline; that the democratic system has run its course and China has emerged on the global stage to change the world, not integrate into it—and certainly not according to the rules set by the West. It is not at all certain that China is interested in Afghanistan becoming a terror

U.S. SOLDIERS ON THE WAY BACK TO KANDAHAR ARMY AIR FIELD ON SEPT. 4, 2003. THE SOLDIERS WERE SEARCHING FOR TALIBAN FIGHTERS AND ILLEGAL WEAPONS CACHES. PHOTO: STAFF SGT. KYLE DAVIS/U.S. ARMY.

JEWISH LEDGER

| AUGUST 27, 2021

state, but what happens in Afghanistan will not dictate China’s actions. America’s success or failure in Afghanistan will also not lead Europe to change its cautious position regarding the struggle between China and the United States. Europe will continue to speak in grandiose terms about protecting human rights and simultaneously expand its trade with China. The Europeans would certainly be happy if the United States succeeds in isolating the Taliban, and were even willing to provide some help during the various stages of the war against the Taliban and Al-Qaeda— but most Europeans believe trade is preferable to war, and when your largest trading partner is China you cannot really fight it, even if there are obvious moral reasons to do so. The real lesson the world took from the U.S. failure in Afghanistan has to do with the entire Middle East. The failure of America’s Middle East policy has demonstrated that history cannot be replicated, and that what succeeded after World War II in Germany and Japan does not necessarily work in the Middle East. The United States failed to change the local culture in Iraq, let alone in Afghanistan. Apparently, the Middle East, and the various Muslim countries that make up this region, are not ripe for change. It should therefore be quite clear that the Middle East, between the Atlantic Ocean and India’s borders, will not change dramatically anytime soon, just as it did not following the Oslo agreements nor following the mislabeled “Arab Spring.” This region is doomed to remain brutal, repressive and culturally Islamist. The dual failure of the United States in the region demonstrates this once again. Healthy suspicion must accompany every announcement or assessment about a change for the better, because it is difficult to impossible to realize such a change in the region. The world must recognize this and view regional processes accordingly. At the same time, we must take into consideration that after the United States partially or completely leaves, there will not be a void. The obstacle to the involvement of other powers which the United States posed by its very presence will have been removed. This will enable China and Russia to expand their influence in the area. There will be economic indications of this. They will take part in rebuilding Syria as well as in the rebuilding of Iraq and Lebanon, and probably Afghanistan too (mainly by China), and will expand their influence by building military bases in the region and selling arms.

The Chinese interest, besides competition with the United States, stems from China’s energy needs. The Russian interest is geostrategic. It sees the Middle East as “the neighboring area” from which problems can spill into former Soviet countries and even into Russia itself. China and Russia will be glad to expand their influence, even symbolically, into any place from which the United States withdraws— if for no other reason than to signal a change in their favor. Their more prominent presence in the region likely will bring about a change in behavior of Mideast countries, since it will not be possible to ignore Russian and Chinese interests. The world looks different when there is a Chinese or Russian military base nearby, instead of an American one. As for the Middle East itself: Countries in the region must recognize that the political and security conditions around them are changing, and that the U.S. umbrella is growing weaker (because America decided to fold the umbrella up, for better or worse). For Iran and Turkey, two countries with imperial pasts that dream of restoring their former glory and expanding their influence, this is an opportunity not to be missed, and therefore they will likely become more aggressive. For the countries seeking to maintain the status quo and which are concerned about the Shi’ite “axis of evil,” as well as a reemergence of the Ottoman Empire driven by a Muslim Brotherhood-like ideology—now is the time to act collectively. These are Arab countries, some rich, some heavily populated, and some with serious economic and social problems. They are dictatorships at some level or another, exerting harsh control over their populations and suppressing opposition. At the same time, they are threatened by extreme Islamic organizations, both internally and externally. Separately, each will find it very difficult to contend with Turkish or Iranian pressure as well as with the lurking danger of internal enemies. However, if they act together, rendering each other mutual assistance regarding economic, intelligence and military matters, they will be able to contend with the two nonArab countries that seek to control the Arab world. Each of these countries will be left with difficult internal challenges, but they will also be able to deal with these more easily if the external threat is mitigated and they receive “Arab sister” support from the outside. It is entirely unclear whether the Arab world jewishledger.com

Who are the Taliban who conquered Afghanistan? BY JAMES DORSEY

AFGHANS CROWD AT THE TARMAC OF THE KABUL AIRPORT ON AUG. 16, 2021, IN AN EFFORT TO FLEE THE COUNTRY AS THE TALIBAN RETOOK CONTROL AFTER 20 YEARS. (AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES)

is ready for such a change. Perhaps the old rivalries between and within these countries will not enable them to cooperate, no matter how critical it may be that they do so. If this proves to be the case, Iran and Turkey will have an easier time in threatening countries across the Middle East. At the same time, radical Islamist movements will be encouraged by the Taliban’s success and will increase their efforts in these Arab states. Whether Al-Qaeda, Islamic State or a new organization with similar ideology emerges remains to be seen. From the Israeli perspective, the weakening of the U.S. commitment to, and involvement in, the Mideast poses a problem mainly because Israel will be left bearing the burden of contending with the countries threatening both it and the entire region. At the same time, this also presents Israel with a genuine opportunity. After all, Israel is less impacted by U.S. withdrawals than Arab countries. Israel never built its defense capability on active American partnership, certainly not on the battlefield. The United States has not backed away from its commitment to Israel, and therefore the conditions for conducting future warfare have not fundamentally changed from Israel’s perspective. Nevertheless, it is true that Israel is now more alone in bearing the day-to-day burden of dealing with aggressive forces in the region, both to prevent and win wars. Israel will have to address this additional burden in its military force build-up. Israel should try to convince the United States to assist in this additional effort. But under no circumstances should Israel call on the United States to return its soldiers to the region. It is not Israel’s business how the United States sets its priorities and where it is willing (or unwilling) to sacrifice the lives of its men and women. Again, Israel must enhance its military power, and to this end receive as much assistance as possible from the United States so that it will not need American assistance on the battlefield. Israel must repeatedly emphasize jewishledger.com

that it will defend itself by itself. Israel is willing to pay for this capability, but will be happy to receive U.S. assistance in easing the burden of realizing this capability. Israel’s regional standing may in fact grow stronger in two areas. Perhaps Mideast countries will come to understand that an open relationship with Israel is vitally important for their ability to defend themselves. In contrast to Iran and Turkey, Israel does not have any pretensions or aspirations to control or influence Arab countries, besides its desire to prevent them from threatening it. Thus, Arab countries can gain significantly from open relations with Israel because Israel can provide knowledge and technology in areas that are important to these countries, such as water, agriculture, education and health. Israel can help them defend themselves by way of intelligence cooperation as well as overt and covert security assistance. Israel is not a substitute for the United States, but together with Israel these countries will be able to build a regional scheme making it easier for them to contend with various threats. If it responds correctly to the U.S. decision, the Arab world can mature and learn to deal with its problems on its own—together with Israel. From the U.S. perspective, the importance of Israel for securing American interests in the region (and necessarily also of Israel’s standing as a component of U.S. national security) will increase. If the United States assesses the situation correctly and does not let clamor from the anti-Israeli ideological flank on the far-left margins of the Democratic Party impair its rational and professional thinking, it will understand that Israel is the only country in the region on which the United States can count. Israel is the only country in the region in which the United States has a serious partner and a safe forward-deployment area; the only country about which the United States can be confident regarding regime resilience and friendship. It is the only democracy in the region, on which the United States can rely

in the deepest sense of the word. “Shared values” is not an empty slogan, but rather the basis for cooperation in the face of difficult predicaments. The decision of recent American presidents to cut back on investments in the Middle East (mainly to direct energy and budgets to the Far East) is undoubtedly of historical significance for the entire region. The U.S. shift does not ensure success in the race against China, but certainly undercuts the feeling of countries in the Mideast that there is someone to rely on in case of a crisis, particularly with respect to Iran and Turkey and with regard to the fight against global terror. Nevertheless, if they act together, Arab countries should be able to defend themselves against Iranian and Turkish aggression. Adding Israel to this undertaking will make it much easier to contend with the regional powers that are not Arab but that aspire to rule the Arab world. Israel must continue to strengthen its ability to defend itself by itself, albeit with the assistance of the United States. Israel will remain the most reliable U.S. ally in the face of threats and changes washing over the region. IDF Maj. Gen. (res.) Yaakov Amidror was national security adviser to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and chairman of Israel’s National Security Council (April 2011-November 2013). He served for 36 years in senior IDF posts (1966-2002), including commander of the Military Colleges, military secretary to the defense minister, director of the Intelligence Analysis Division in Military Intelligence and chief intelligence officer of the IDF Northern Command. He is a distinguished fellow at JINSA’s Gemunder Center and the author of three books on intelligence and military strategy.

(Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies via JNS) — The Taliban, who have controlled all of Afghanistan since Sunday, August 12, have yet to announce a government or the precise principles on which their governance will be based. As the Ledger went to press, the Taliban were seeking to calm concerns about their rule by urging women to join a government that has yet to be formed, declaring an amnesty for people employed by the former government, the United States and other foreign forces, and cracking down on criminals disguising themselves as Taliban. However, they have so far left unaddressed their relationship with terrorist groups in Afghanistan such as Al-Qaeda, a key factor in the way they will be perceived by all segments of the international community. “If the Taliban of 2021 are different from those of 2001, it’s not because they have moderated their religious obscurantism, but because they don’t want to make the same strategic error, which was their blind support for Al-Qaeda which cost them power,” said militancy scholar Jean-Pierre Filiu, suggesting that Taliban support for Al-Qaeda and other terrorist groups would be more circumspect than in the past. The United Nations recently reported that Al-Qaeda “is present in at least 15 Afghan provinces,” and that its affiliate in the Indian subcontinent “operates under Taliban protection from Kandahar, Helmand and Nimruz provinces.” The Taliban have given no indication that they will expel the jihadists and groups such as the Turkestan Islamic Party (TIP), made up of Uyghurs, which fought in Syria and want to establish an Islamic state in the troubled Chinese province of Xinjiang, though it was the Taliban’s hosting of such radicals that prompted the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan in October 2001. The United States was responding to Al-Qaeda’s planning from Afghanistan of the 9/11 attacks and the Taliban’s refusal to hand over Osama bin Laden in three years of talks before 9/11, during which Al-Qaeda attacked U.S. embassies and the USS Cole, a guided-missile destroyer that was being refueled in the Yemeni port of Aden. In the more recent negotiations in Doha on the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, the Taliban promised that no terrorist attacks would be launched from Afghan territory under its control, nor would

This article was first published by the Jerusalem Institute of Strategy and Security. JEWISH LEDGER

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JEWISH LEDGER

| AUGUST 27, 2021

foreign fighters be allowed to operate there. The Taliban pledged further to prevent Al-Qaeda and other terrorist groups from recruiting and training operatives and raising funds on Afghan soil. However, giving terrorists a safe haven is unlikely to convince the international community that the Taliban can or even want to keep their promise. Nor will the fact that thousands of Pakistanis reportedly remain part of the Taliban fighting force, or the recent report from Kabul that two ISIS terrorists attended prayers at the capital’s Abdul Rahman Mosque. The two men were former inmates sprung free from an Afghan prison at Bagram Airfield. The mosque’s newly installed Taliban prayer leader praised the jihadists for helping to establish an Islamic government in Afghanistan. In contrast to its warm relations with Al-Qaeda, the Taliban’s relations with ISIS’s Afghan affiliates have been tense. Some experts suggest that the Taliban may use potential future clashes between the two groups as evidence that they are preventing terrorists from operating from Afghan soil. Meanwhile, the group has yet to outline what its government will look like and who may be part of it. Various scenarios exist. Among them the appointment of members of the Taliban who hail from ethnic and religious minorities or non-Taliban elements invited to surrender their arms and join the government on the Taliban’s terms, including the establishment of an Islamic emirate, rather than as full-fledged partners. Non-Taliban candidates include reconciliation negotiator Abdullah Abdullah, Hizb-i Islami leader Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, former president Hamid Karzai and former deputy president Karim Khalili. Abdullah, Karzai and Hekmatyar were hoping to travel to Doha for talks with the Taliban. The Taliban may be counting on the likelihood that a lesser degree of inclusiveness would give a new Afghan government legitimacy in Beijing, Moscow, Islamabad, Tehran and Central Asian capitals but fall short in Washington, Brussels and London. Much the same is true when it comes to adherence to human rights. Local Taliban commanders seemed to have had little time in the past months for those who disagree with them or served the ousted Afghan government. Human Rights Watch reported in early August that the Taliban had executed soldiers, police and civilians with alleged ties to the Afghan government. “We will expel foreigners from this Islamic land, including the United States and its other occupying partners, including its dissidents. … They have to either flee and we’ll kill them, or they accept the laws of the Mujahideen,” said Mullah Aleem, a Taliban commander in northwestern Faryab

TALIBAN FIGHTERS INSIDE THE PRESIDENTIAL PALACE IN KABUL. SOURCE: SCREENSHOT.

province. The Taliban have yet to make clear what those laws are. During their rule in the 1990s men were forced to pray five times a day and grow long beards. Smartphones, television and women’s schooling were banned. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said in May that the group, once in power, would write laws to ensure the participation of women in public life. “The purpose would be enabling women to contribute to the country in a peaceful and protected environment,” he said. Other Taliban leaders have said that women would be allowed to get an education and work as long as they were veiled. But speaking last month to an Afghan television station, Mujahid suggested that the Taliban would reinstate their ban on women singing. “No, she cannot [sing]. In Islam, she cannot. This is not our view; this is Islam’s view,” said the spokesman. In a similar vein, villagers in rural areas of Afghanistan said last month that the Taliban, in an apparent repeat of the misogynist rule of the 1990s, were burning girls’ schools as soon they took control of an area. In some cities, female bank employees were ordered to go home and not to return to work. Nonetheless, TOLOnews, the Afghan broadcaster that spoke with Mujahid in July, featured on Tuesday women anchors interviewing Taliban representatives. “TOLOnews and the Taliban making history again: Abdul Haq Hammad, senior Taliban rep, speaking to our [female] presenter Beheshta earlier this morning. Unthinkable two decades ago when they were last in charge,” tweeted Saad Mohseni, director of MOBYgroup, the company that owns TOLOnews. Dr. James M. Dorsey, a nonresident senior associate at the BESA Center, is a senior fellow at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies at Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University and co-director of the University of Würzburg’s Institute for Fan Culture. This article was first published by the Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies.

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Briefs CONTINUED FROM PAGE 8

from speaking up for Jewish Canadians.” “Whatever your political views, spreading hateful and violent messages is not the way to go,” Bendayan posted on social media. The vandalism comes as Canada deals with high numbers of antisemitic incidents. “Disgusted by the targeting of Jewish candidates with the most vile of antiSemitic symbols of hatred–swastikas,” tweeted Irwin Colter, founder and chair of the Raoul Wallenberg Centre for Human Rights. “There is no room for such antiSemitic hate in Canada, or anywhere, and certainly not in a democratic electoral process.” Also concerned about the vandalism is Trudeau, whose government recently held a forum on antisemitism in the country and promised to do more to protect Canadian Jews. “It is completely unacceptable,” Trudeau wrote on Twitter. “I stand in solidarity with Rachel and Anthony, and the entire Jewish community, against this type of hatred.”

Ex-Ben & Jerry’s employee: Company spoke to antiIsrael activist pre-boycott (JNS) A former employee of Ben & Jerry’s said the company’s board consulted with anti-Israel activist and Human Rights Watch’s (HRW) Israel-Palestine director Omar Shakir before the ice-cream maker announced its decision last month to boycott the West Bank and eastern Jerusalem. “They believed him to be a valid source of information about Israel,” Susannah Levin told Israel’s Channel 2 radio on Tuesday, August 17, as reported by The Washington Free Beacon. Levin worked as a freelance graphic designer for Ben & Jerry’s for 21 years before resigning last month after the company said on July 19 that it would stop selling its products in Israeli settlements and eastern Jerusalem. “Omar Shakir spoke directly to the board,” added Levin. “He wrote the Human Rights Watch report, [which] is what they were basing their information on.” Shakir penned a report for HRW in April that accused Israel of committing “crimes against humanity of apartheid and persecution.” The HRW director has also been accused of antisemitism and ties with terrorism. He was deported from Israel in 2019 for promoting a boycott of the Jewish state and took credit for Airbnb’s 2018 decision to ban Jewish-owned listings in Judea and Samaria, a move that was later reversed. Anti-Zionist activist and writer Peter Beinart recently revealed that he had also “spoken privately to [Ben & Jerry’s] executives and encouraged their efforts” jewishledger.com

on the boycott decision. Earlier in August, Ben & Jerry’s invited Beinart to speak with franchisees about their concerns regarding the boycott, reported the Beacon. The British company Unilever now runs the ice-cream company, though founders Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield have a direct say in social-justice and politically related issues.

Ruth Bader Ginsburg helped promote female leadership in Jewish institutions (JTA) – About two years before Ruth Bader Ginsburg died, the Genesis Prize Foundation gave out $3.5 million for gender equity initiatives in her honor. One of the Ginsburg grants has now borne fruit with the release of a report on why there are relatively few female leaders in Jewish institutions – and how to fix the problem. According to The Chronicle of Philanthropy, Ginsburg reviewed the grants and upon learning about the planned report shook her head, appalled that Jewish organizations were still struggling with a gender gap in leadership. “[Ginsburg’s] attitude was almost: ‘We’re still doing this?’” Jill Smith, a Genesis Prize official who was with Ginsburg for the review, said in an interview with The Chronicle of Philanthropy. The organization that went on to do the study is called Leading Edge. Founded in 2014, Leading Edge advises Jewish nonprofits on how to retain employees and foster their development into leaders. In this instance, the group’s focus was on gender, and it found signs that women are gaining more representation on boards and in executive offices. Women now lead nearly half of all Jewish federations, according to the study, which also noted that high-profile executive openings at the JDC and the Jewish Theological Seminary were filled by women last year. But overall, the survey found, women still tend to run smaller nonprofits and programs. Most Jewish summer camps are run by men, as are nearly two-thirds of Jewish community centers and all but one of the 17 federations serving large metropolitan areas. The gender gap in leadership is a problem for the wider nonprofit world, according to The Chronicle of Philanthropy, and evangelical Christian organizations tend to have a larger imbalance than Jewish ones. The report says that existing leaders should make gender diversity a priority in recruiting new leaders, and that overall staffing practices should incorporate diversity, equity and inclusion strategies. The report, which looked at gender from a binary prism, acknowledged trans and nonbinary identities in a footnote and called for further studies.

Larry David reportedly yelled at Alan Dershowitz over ties to Trump, Republicans (JTA) – Larry David “screamed” at the prominent legal commentator Alan Dershowitz at a popular convenience store on Martha’s Vineyard, the New York Post reported Wednesday, August 18, over Dershowitz’s ties to the Donald Trump camp in recent years. Those ties have made him a pariah at the posh vacation spot since at least 2018, reports claim. But the David episode is circulating on the internet for its humorous details. David apparently hit Dershowitz with this line, among others: “It’s disgusting. Your whole enclave – it’s disgusting. You’re disgusting!” The lawyer clapped back before he “drove off in an old, dirty Volvo.” Dershowitz didn’t find the scene to be funny, he said. After David critiqued him for cozying up to former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Dershowitz told the Post that he worked with Pompeo, a former student of his at Harvard, on the Trump administration’s Israel policy. “While [David] was writing bad jokes, I was helping to bring about peace in the Middle East,” Dershowitz said. Dershowitz defended Trump against impeachment calls through several TV interviews during his presidency, and critics have also pointed to the famed O.J. Simpson defender’s ties to the late disgraced Jewish financier Jeffrey Epstein. In response, many of his liberal Martha’s Vineyard friends, such as David, now shun Dershowitz. “I’m reveling not whining,” he tweeted in 2018. “I’m proud of taking an unpopular, principled position that gets me shunned by partisan zealots. It’s not about me. I couldn’t care less about being shunned by such people.”

Orthodox areas are among fastest growing in NY, NJ, census data shows (JTA) – When the federal government moved up the deadline to complete the 2020 U.S. Census to the middle of the High Holidays last year, many Orthodox Jews feared that the local community would not be fully counted. But if Orthodox Jews were undercounted in the census, it doesn’t show in the data, the first set of which was recently released. That release showed that Hasidic Williamsburg was the fastestgrowing Assembly district in New York state, while in New Jersey, increasingly haredi Lakewood grew at the highest rate of any city in the state. Lakewood is now the fifth-largest city in New Jersey. If its rate of growth continues – 46% in just 10 years – it could be the third biggest by the next census in 2030. The census data does not identify people as Jewish because the survey

on which it’s based does not ask questions about religion. But some communities are so heavily Orthodox that changes in their demographics can only be driven by Orthodox population growth. High birth rates tend to drive population growth in Orthodox communities generally; Lakewood’s birth rate is among the highest in the world. Lakewood is also a destination for Orthodox Jews from New York City seeking a lower cost of living. The Jersey Shore city, in the central to southern part of the state, is also home to multiple massive yeshivas that attract young men from around the world. In New York, another dramatic population swing also stems from a change in the local Orthodox population. The population of Monroe in upstate Orange County dropped by 46%, but only because about half its residents – mostly Orthodox Jews – are now part of the newly created town of Palm Tree. The demographic statistics, which come every 10 years, determine representation in the U.S. House of Representatives and guide how the federal government distributes $1.5 trillion to state and local governments, businesses, nonprofits and households across the country.

Denver police arrest several suspects in yeshivah student murder case (JNS) The Denver Police have arrested four individuals and a fifth is being sought for an August 17 crime spree and murder of a yeshiva student. Shmuel Silverberg, 19, of Cleveland, was outside of a dormitory for Yeshiva Toras Chaim in Denver when he was shot and killed. Several bullets also hit the building. “At this time in the investigation, it appears that the victims were targeted at random. Therefore, the homicide near the Yeshiva Toras Chaim does not appear to be bias-motivated,” the police said in a release on Thursday. “However, if the evidence is discovered that it was, the Denver Police Department will work with the Denver District Attorney’s Office on adding appropriate charges.” The arrested individuals are Isaiah Freeman, 18; Seth Larhode, 21; Aden Sides, 18; and Noah Loepp-Hall, 19. They are facing charges including burglary, firstdegree burglary, felony menacing, firstdegree auto theft, first-degree assault and first-degree murder.

JEWISH LEDGER

AUGUST 27, 2021

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JEWISH LEDGER

| AUGUST 27, 2021

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THE KOSHER CROSSWORD AUGUST 27, 2021 “Slicin’ and Dicin’” By: Yoni Glatt

Difficulty Level: Challenging

Vol. 93 No. 35 JHL Ledger LLC Publisher Henry M. Zachs Managing Partner

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Leslie Iarusso Associate Publisher Judie Jacobson Editor judiej@jewishledger.com • x3024 Hillary Sarrasin Digital Media Manager hillaryp@jewishledger.com EDITORIAL Stacey Dresner Massachusetts Editor staceyd@jewishledger.com • x3008 Tim Knecht Proofreader

SHABBAT DINNER TRADITIONAL DAIRY LUNCHEON DELI SANDWICH PLATTER DINNER MENU

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ANSWERS TO AUGUST 20 CROSSWORD

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Across 1. Saturday slice that might be diced 9. His head was sliced off by Samuel 14. It’s not fiction or fantasy 15. New Mexico athletes or animals 16. Distribute 17. Establish, as a scholarship 18. Israel 19. ___ Grossman, Tom Cruise’s “Tropic Thunder” character 21. Japanese Beatle backer? 22. Shabbat activity 23. Ills 25. Arab bigwig

26. Hi- follower 27. Techies, stereotypically 28. Water, for one 29. Salad green 30. Some rolls 32. Take short cuts...Or a hint to solving this puzzle 34. Venus de Milo, basically 35. Word on the “Ghostbusters” license plate 36. “...all the inhabitants of Canaan shall ___ away” (Ex. 15:15) 37. Speaker of the previous clue 39. Some gas stations 42. End of many L. Frank Baum titles

43. They defeated of Saruman the White 44. Site of Goliath’s last stand 45. That dude 46. Alphabet string 47. Arabian Peninsula capital 48. Notable Gad 50. U.S. Cabinet department 54. Daughter of “The Greatest”, with 49-Down 55. “Now hear this!” 56. It should be unsliced for a nazir 57. Jew known for his slicing and some dicing

Down 1. Possible instrument for 57-Across and 36-Down 2. Canadian singer Dion 3. Angelic headwear 4. In accompaniment 5. Cousin of Inc. 6. Female name that’s an anagram for Ali 7. End of a ship 8. Followed, like a dog 9. Drinks in Jerusalem and Palestine? 10. Ending with penta or deca 11. Breadbaskets, so to speak 12. Mikey Walsh, Chunk Cohen, and Data Wang, to name a few

13. David used Goliath’s to do some slicing and dicing 20. Flavoring extracts 23. Said “Bruchim Habaim!” 24. Crossword’s favorite cookie 25. Start of the Spanish year 27. Recent World Series winners 29. Brando’s “Apocalypse Now” role 31. Lab doctors? 32. Its capital is Bogota 33. Keep the Sabbath 34. Partner of “teshuva u’tzedakah” 36. Jew known for his slicing, but definitely not dicing 38. Fictional reporter April and

actual reporter Roger 39. Magician who was once entombed in a block of ice for 63 hours 40. Bear fruit 41. What the instruments of 57-Across and 36-Down must be 44. Shemonah ___ 46. Certain autocrat 49. See 54-Across 51. Fauci’s org. 52. General associated with many orders? 53. Catchall abbr.

JEWISH LEDGER

AUGUST 27, 2021

TORAHPortion

KOLOT

Ki Tavo

A Shabbos Tail

haya bat Nechama was a joyous woman who loved having Shabbos guests. She was an excellent cook and talented baker, and the Jewish families in her town were always made to feel welcomed at her Shabbos table. Each Thursday, singing quietly to herself, she bustled about the kitchen of her snug cottage, baking delicious sweet desserts and scrumptious challahs, and each Friday afternoon there were pots of different sizes bubbling away on the stove and assorted meats and kugels roasting in the oven giving off wondrous aromas. While the food was cooking, Chaya worked hard cleaning her home, making it ready for Shabbos. She wasn’t overly fastidious, but for the past few months, after stepping back to see how sparkling clean everything looked, she always spotted a bit of shmutz in the corner by the fireplace hearth. It wasn’t a lot of dirt, really not very big, but just enough to nudge her each Friday afternoon. Then, one Friday afternoon, as Chaya bat Nechama sat down with a hot glass of tea and a piece of mandelbrot to take a break, she saw a small grey field mouse curled up asleep on the fireplace hearth. She leaned down and not wanting to startle the little creature spoke quietly. “Hello, little mouse.” The mouse slowly opened her eyes and because of the soothing tone of Chaya’s voice knew she had nothing to fear. “Hello to you, too,” the mouse said quietly as it sat up. “So, nu, who are you and what are you doing in my house?” asked Chaya curiously. “I am Minde Mouse and I’ve been visiting your home each Friday afternoon for the past few months. Because of the delicious smells wafting from your stove and the laughter that echoes through your windows each Shabbos, we creatures in the nearby woods are aware of you and your home. Your cottage seems to glow each

Shabbos evening; a glow that brings a sense of warmth and comfort to those of us living in these woods.” Minde paused for a moment and then continued. “I was curious what your home was like on the inside, so I discovered a way to sneak in and found a spot on this corner of the hearth to observe you and your guests each Shabbos evening. And each Shabbos afternoon, I sit and share with my forest friends all the joy and wonder I’ve seen in your home. I apologize for coming in uninvited and won’t do it again.” Chaya sat thoughtfully for a moment and then said,”I am flattered that you and your friends think so well of my home, so you are invited to come as often you like. It will be very pleasant to have your company Friday afternoons. But, there is one problem.” She then directed her gaze to the tip of Minde’s tail where there was attached a walnut size dust bunny. The two laughed. “I’ll make sure there will be no further dust bunnies,” agreed a smiling Minde. From that time on, each Friday afternoon Minde was a special guest – dust bunny free, of course – in Chaya Bat Nechama’s home. Sometimes they spoke, catching up on the week’s events in each other’s life, but most often they just nodded to acknowledge their presence to one another, because in a true friendship sometimes that is all that is needed. Howard Meyerowitz is a Ledger staff member. He lives in Bloomfield with his wife, Susan. The father of two grown daughters, he delights his two grandchildren with his original and imaginative Shabbat tales.

Join our email list for the latest updates! Contact Howard Meyerowitz howardm@jewishledger.com 860.231.2424 x3035 18

JEWISH LEDGER

BY RABBI TZVI HERSH WEINREB

BY HOWARD MEYEROWTIZ

| AUGUST 27, 2021

first learned this lesson in my training as a psychotherapist, long ago: One does not see what one does not want to see, no matter how blatant and obvious the facts

are. I learned that all the evidence in the world will not convince someone who prefers to be blind to that evidence. All the arguments in the world, however rational and forceful they may be, cannot persuade a person who is clinging to his preferred beliefs. In truth, I should have learned this lesson long before I embarked upon a career in psychology. I should have learned it when I first studied this week’s Torah portion, Ki Tavo (Deuteronomy 26:1-29:8), which says: “Moses summoned all Israel and said to them, ‘You have seen all that the Lord did before your very eyes in the land of Egypt...The wondrous feats that you saw with your own eyes, those prodigious signs and marvels. Yet to this day the Lord has not given you a mind to understand or eyes to see or ears to hear.’” (Deuteronomy 29:1-3) To paraphrase: “You saw, but you did not see. You heard, but you did not hear. All that you needed to know was before you, but did not have the mind to understand.” A great rabbi in Israel had a collection of his writings on the Torah portions of the week issued shortly after his untimely death 50 years ago. In this collection, Min HaBe’er (From the Well), Rabbi Bar-Shaul reflects upon these verses and writes: “There is a magnificent teaching here in these verses for all generations and all situations. A person can see wondrous things, true revelations, and yet, paradoxically, not see them...The Almighty, blessed be he, gives the person eyes to see and ears to hear and a heart to understand, but it is the person who must choose to see and hear and understand. It is the person who must open his eyes well to see, and even then he cannot see unless he also opens his heart to understand. For if a person just sees with his eyes alone, he may react emotionally. But as long he does not direct his mind to what he has seen, his emotional reactions will fall short of understanding, of knowing... “It is not for us to have critical thoughts about our ancestors who failed to see. But the Torah here is giving us both a guideline and a warning signal. When Moses tells the people of Israel, ‘You have seen...But you were not given

a mind to understand or eyes to see or ears to hear,’ he is calling upon us, today, to think deeply and well about these words and to apply them to our own circumstances.” So often in our history we have failed to see facts that were apparent to those who possessed understanding hearts. Most tragically, regarding the Holocaust many of us ask, “Did they not see what was coming? Did our enemies not warn us very clearly about their intentions to destroy us? Why did so few take advantage of opportunities to escape before escape became impossible?” These questions haunt us still today. Perhaps, they questions are beyond our capacity to answer. But what we can learn, in less tragic circumstances, is to do our utmost to understand what the Almighty has allowed us to see. He has allowed us to see, for example, a thriving Jewish state. We must understand its significance. He has allowed us to hear the voices of children studying His Torah, and the sounds of yeshivot greater in size than ever before in history. Our hearts must celebrate these achievements. We will soon see throngs of Jews all over the world congregating to hear the sounds of the shofar calling upon us to become better Jews and human beings. The Almighty will let us see these sights and hear these sounds. We must open our hearts and minds not just to see and hear them but to understand them, appreciate them, and grow from them. Let us not permit these blessed sights and sounds to be ignored. Let others not be able to ask of us, “How could you not see them? How could you not hear them?” Rabbi Tzvi Hersh Weinreb is the Executive Vice President, Emeritus of the Orthodox Union.

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WHAT’S HAPPENING Jewish organizations are invited to submit their upcoming events to the our What’s Happening section. Events are placed on the Ledger website on Tuesday afternoons. Deadline for submission of calendar items is the previous Tuesday. Send items to: judiej@ jewishledger.com.

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 25 Dignity Grows Packing Party UJA/Jewish Federation of Greater Hartford will host a Dignity Grown “Young Ladies” Night Out Packing party on Aug. 25, 7-8 p.m. Join this effort to pack 100 bas of personal care items for those in need. Suggested sponsorship is $10 per bag. Register at ujf.org/dignity.

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 2

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 19

BEKI Ancestors exhibit

Keney Park Reunion

“Ancestors,” an exhibit featuring pre-1950 photographs and artwork that portray the diverse ethnic backgrounds of members of Congregation Beth El-Keser Israel (BEKI) in New Haven will be on exhibit at the synagogue Sept. 20 to Nov. 7. The exhibit reveals fascinating photos and stories that tell of the experiences of those who helped form future generations. Approximately 40 members contributed images and stories of ancestors, some which date as far back as the 1880s. “Ancestors” will be available to view on Friday evenings, during morning services, and by appointment by calling BEKI at (203) 389-2108.

Share memories of Keney Park and the North End at this in-person reunion to be held at the park on Sept. 19 at 2 - 4 p.m.; Share your memories of spending time in the park; learn about the Keney Park Sustainability Project; take a short tour their demonstration garden, beekeeping and maple syrup making. Light refreshments. Hosted by the Jewish Historical Society of Greater Hartford. $15/members; $18/ non-members. For more information or to register, visit jhsgh.org/keneypark.

THURSDAY, AUGUST 26 Jewish Approaches to Health and Wellness Mind says yes, body, not so much. A look at how our tradition sees both physical and mental health issues led by Rabbi Richard F. Address. Hosted by UJA/JCC Greenwich on Aug. 26, 112:30-1:30 p.m. For more information, visit ujajcc.org

ROSA AND DAVID REICH, MATERNAL GREAT-GRANDPARENTS OF BEKI MEMBER MARGARET OLIN, IN THEIR CHICAGO DELICATESSEN (C.1910S). THE REICHS EMIGRATED FROM HUNGARY C.1880

“Shabbat Under the Stars” at Emanuel Synagogue

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 5

Friday, Aug. 27, 6:00 p.m.–The Emanuel Synagogue will host “Shabbat Under the Stars” in the shul’s parking lot, on Aug. 27 at 6 p.m. Services followed by Shabbat dinner. Located at 160 Mohegan. Dr., West Hartford. Reservations and payment needed for dinner. For information or to register, visit emanuelsynagogue.org. SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 12

Young Israel LegenDAIRY!

WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 1

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 12

“A Very Israeli Rosh Hashanah” Cooking Demo

Picking for the Pantry

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Awards. Enjoy music, food and activities for the kids. USA Track & Field Certified 5K court will wind through the residential neighborhoods of Woodbridge. Groups are encouraged. Free event t-shirts. Save 20% by registering before Sept. 1. For information, visit jewishnewhaven.org. Mitzvah Fair Hosted by the Young Israel of West Hartford on Sept. 19, 10 a.m. - 12 noon. Featuring: lulav & etrog market; soar on site; mezuzah and teffilin check, Sukkot decoration project for kids.

10th Anniversary Murray Lender 5K Bagel Run

WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 24

The annual Murray Lender 5K Bagel Run Road Race, 2-mile Family Fit Walk and Free Kids’ Costume Run will be held Sept. 19; 8 a.m. registration, 9 am Kid’ Costume Race, 9:30 a.m. Bagel Run and 2 Mile Family Fit Walk, 10:30 a.m. Bagel Breakfast and

Sukkah Crawl Young Israel of West Hartford presents their 2nd Annual Sukkah Crawl, Sept. 24 at 8 p.m. With d’var Torahs and drinks. Location to be announced.

AROUND CT

FRIDAY, AUGUST 27

A one-hour live interactive virtual cooking class with 5-time James Beard Foundation award-winning Chef Michael Solomon and NY Times best-selling cookbook author Adeena Susan, on Sept. 1, 8 p.m. Recipes include: Halvah Gazoz and chicken with date syrup from Adeena, and salatim (a two of salads) from Michael. $10

AUGUST 25 – SEPTEMBER 24

The Young Israel of West Hartford invites everyone – members and nonmembers – to take a break from your Rosh Hashanah prep dn enjoy dinner, ice cream and fun with old and new shul friends at the LegenDAIRY Welcome Back Event on Sept. 5, 4:40 - 6:30 pm. ARSVP optional. For more information: youngisaelwh.org/legendairy.

Pick apples at Silverman’s Farm in Easton on Sept. 12, 3 - 4:30 p.m. Hosted by PJ Library and UJA/JCC of Greenwich, this event will benefit local families who use the Schoke Jewish Family Service Kosher Food Pantry. No rain date. $36/family (includes a bag for picked apples to be donated to the food pantry. For information, contact uja@ ujajcc.org.

20 CT students to receive college scholarships from Sen. Lieberman’s fund

he Joe Lieberman Connecticut Scholarship Fund announced two weeks ago that five Connecticut students who are headed to college in the fall will be the 9th class of Lieberman Scholars to receive scholarships from the Fund. In addition, 15 current college students who received scholarships beginning in their freshman year will have the scholarship renewed for their upcoming sophomore, junior or senior year. The five students who graduated from high school last month – from Enfield, Ridgefield, Wallingford West Hartford and Weston – will each receive $1,500 scholarships for their freshman year, which can be renewed for their sophomore, junior and senior years if they maintain a solid academic record. Students to receive scholarships for their freshman year include: Ellery Campbell, Wallingford; Cassandra Dean, Enfield; Julia Grey, Ridgefield; Greta Magendantz, West Hartford; Leila Troxell, Weston. “Higher education can provide the foundation for greater opportunity, enabling determined and inspiring young people to advance their studies and

achieve their aspirations,” said former Sen. Lieberman. “I am pleased to support these students with this scholarship. It is a way for me to express my appreciation and give back to Connecticut. And it reflects my confidence that these young people, along with past scholarship recipients, will distinguish themselves in their academic studies and beyond, influencing the future of their local communities and our nation.” The Joe Lieberman Connecticut Scholarship Fund received 502 applications in 2021 from students attending 164 high schools in 141 Connecticut cities and towns. A selection committee at Scholarship America determined recipients based on factors including academic record, demonstrated leadership and participation in school and community activities, work experience, and career and educational goals and objectives. Financial need is not considered. The program began in 2013, and the first class of Scholars graduated college four years ago. The scholarship is administered by Scholarship America. Sen. Lieberman used excess funds from his campaign fund to seed the scholarship program, and additional funds have been raised. Applications for the 2022 scholarship will open in February 2022 and close in April 2022. For additional information, visit https://learnmore.scholarsapply. org/lieberman/

JEWISH LEDGER

AUGUST 27, 2021

OBITUARIES ELMAN Marshall W. Elman, 99, of West Hartford, Boca Raton, Fla., and New London, died August 15. He was the husband of Jeanne (Herrup) Elman. Born in Hartford, he was the son of the late Bernard and Alice (Greenberg) Elman. He served in the U.S. Army-Cavalry Division. He was a founding member of Beth El Temple and a regular worshipper at Temple Israel and Congregation Beth El, in New London. He is survived by his children, Harriet Bergman and her husband Brian of Hawthorne, N.J., and Larry Elman and his wife Debbie of West Hartford; his sonin-law Sidney Melius, of Tarpon Springs, Fla.; his grandchildren, Seth (Rachel) Bergman and Allison (Joseph) Ehrlich, of Wyckoff, N.J., Matthew (Leah) Melius, of Ivoryton; Jonathan (Aimee) Melius of Lake Worth, Fla., Jennifer (Wes) Cushman and Julie Elman of West Hartford; his great-grandchildren, Sophie, Max, Rebecca, Joshua, Annabelle, Abigail, Ryan, Mason, Avery, and Jackson. He was also predeceased by his brother, Lt. Lawrence L. Elman, who was killed in action in France

during WWII, and by his daughter Rhea Ann Melius of West Hartford. PRESSMAN Barbara Zetlin Pressman, 84, of Parkland, Fla., and formerly of Wellesley and Chestnut Hill, Mass., died August 17. She is survived by her daughter, Lori Zetlin Rosmarin and her husband Adam of Boca Raton, Fla., Eric Zetlin of Reno, Nev., and Richard Zetlin and his wife Leslie of Ashland, Mass.; her grandchildren, Derek and Renee, Samantha, Taylor, and Jacob Zetlin; and her great-grandchild Palmer Zetlin. TOBIAS Walter Tobias, 87, of Simsbury, died August 13. He was the husband of Evelyn Anne (Parker) Tobias, and the widower of Evelyn “Evie” (Schupack) Tobias. Born in Cologne, Germany, he was the son of the late Hugo and Irma (Gartner) Tobias. He served in the United States Army for four years, stationed in Fort Hood, Texas. He was a longtime member of the congregation at Tikvoh Chadoshoh in Bloomfield. In addition to

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his wife, he is survived by his children, Steve Tobias and his wife Robin of Stafford Springs, Karen Stanford and her husband Ted of Farmington; his grandchildren, Jesse (Nicolle), Lindsay, Ashley (Ken), Jared (Sarah), Michael (Melissa Anne), and Zachary; and his great-grandchildren, Evie and Nina. He was also predeceased by his youngest son Robert S. Tobias. WALKER-GRANT Judyth N. Walker-Grant of North Granby, died August 17. She was the wife of Alan Grant. Born in Hartford, she was the daughter of Priscilla (Swett) Walker of New Hartford, and the late Harold Walker. In addition to her mother and husband, she is survived by her daughter, Vanessa CarsonSasso and her wife Patty of Plymouth, Mass.; her grandson, Jack Carson of Plymouth, Mass.; her sister Patricia Walker of Nokomis, Fla.; her brothers, Harold Walker, Jr. of New Hartford, and James Walker and his wife Bette of Rowley, Mass.; her mother-in-law Toby Grant of Albany, N.Y.; her brother-in-law Mel Grant and his

wife Wendy of Burlington, Vt.; eight nieces and nephews. She was also predeceased by her sister Sandra Dews, and her father-inlaw Harry Grant. ZWEIG Dorothy (Ladofsky) Zweig, 96, of Avon, formerly of North Woodmere, N.Y., died August 14. She was the widow of Murray. She is survived by her children, Richard and his wife Dianne, Elliot and his wife Doreen, and Paula and her wife Marilyn; her grandchildren, Leah, Joshua (Becky), Sharon (Matt), Benjamin, Ian (Melissa), Scott (Julia), Robert (Kim), Rachel, Barry, and Jenny (Brittany); her great-grandchildren, Cooper, Emma, Levi, Scarlett, Ava, Jack, Connor, Ryan, Russell, Maya, Miles, Rafael, and Judah; and many nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her sisters Frieda and Sally; and her brothers, Abe and Louie. For more information on placing an obituary, contact: judiej@ jewishledger.

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CT SYNAGOGUE DIRECTORY To join our synagogue directories, contact Howard Meyerowitz at (860) 231-2424 x3035 or howardm@jewishledger.com. BLOOMFIELD B’nai Tikvoh-Sholom/ Neshama Center for Lifelong Learning Conservative Rabbi Debra Cantor (860) 243-3576 office@BTSonline.org www.btsonline.org BRIDGEPORT Congregation B’nai Israel Reform Rabbi Evan Schultz (203) 336-1858 info@cbibpt.org www.cbibpt.org Congregation Rodeph Sholom Conservative (203) 334-0159 Rabbi Richard Eisenberg, Cantor Niema Hirsch info@rodephsholom.com www.rodephsholom.com CHESHIRE Temple Beth David Reform Rabbi Micah Ellenson (203) 272-0037 office@TBDCheshire.org www.TBDCheshire.org CHESTER Congregation Beth Shalom Rodfe Zedek Reform Rabbi Marci Bellows (860) 526-8920 rabbibellows@cbsrz.org www.cbsrz.org COLCHESTER Congregation Ahavath Achim Conservative Rabbi Kenneth Alter (860) 537-2809 secretary@congregationahavathachim.org

EAST HARTFORD Temple Beth Tefilah Conservative Rabbi Yisroel Snyder (860) 569-0670 templebetht@yahoo.com FAIRFIELD Congregation Ahavath Achim Orthodox (203) 372-6529 office@ahavathachim.org www.ahavathachim.org Congregation Beth El, Fairfield Conservative Rabbi Marcelo Kormis (203) 374-5544 office@bethelfairfield.org www.bethelfairfield.org GLASTONBURY Congregation Kol Haverim Reform Rabbi Dr. Kari Tuling (860) 633-3966 office@kolhaverim.org www.kolhaverim.org GREENWICH Greenwich Reform Synagogue Reform Rabbi Jordie Gerson (203) 629-0018 hadaselias@grs.org www.grs.org Temple Sholom Conservative Rabbi Mitchell M. Hurvitz Rabbi Kevin Peters (203) 869-7191 info@templesholom.com www.templesholom.com

HAMDEN Congregation Mishkan Israel Reform Rabbi Brian P. Immerman (203) 288-3877 tepstein@cmihamden.org www.cmihamden.org Temple Beth Sholom Conservative Rabbi Benjamin Edidin Scolnic (203) 288-7748 tbsoffice@tbshamden.com www.tbshamden.com MADISON Temple Beth Tikvah Reform Rabbi Stacy Offner (203) 245-7028 office@tbtshoreline.org www.tbtshoreline.org MANCHESTER Beth Sholom B’nai Israel Conservative Rabbi Randall Konigsburg (860) 643-9563 Rabbenu@myshul.org programming@myshul.org www.myshul.org MIDDLETOWN Adath Israel Conservative Rabbi Nelly Altenburger (860) 346-4709 office@adathisraelct.org www.adathisraelct.org NEW HAVEN The Towers at Tower Lane Conservative Ruth Greenblatt, Spiritual Leader Sarah Moskowitz, Spiritual Leader (203) 772-1816 rebecca@towerlane.org www.towerlane.org

Congregation Beth El-Keser Israel Conservative Rabbi Jon-Jay Tilsen (203) 389-2108 office@BEKI.org www.BEKI.org Orchard Street ShulCongregation Beth Israel Orthodox Rabbi Mendy Hecht 203-776-1468 www.orchardstreetshul.org NEW LONDON Ahavath Chesed Synagogue Orthodox Rabbi Avrohom Sternberg 860-442-3234 Ahavath.chesed@att.net Congregation Beth El Conservative Rabbi Earl Kideckel (860) 442-0418 office@bethel-nl.org www.bethel-nl.org NEWINGTON Temple Sinai Reform Rabbi Jeffrey Bennett (860) 561-1055 templesinaict@gmail.com www.sinaict.org NEWTOWN Congregation Adath Israel Conservative Rabbi Barukh Schectman (203) 426-5188 office@congadathisrael.org www.congadathisrael.org NORWALK Beth Israel Synagogue – Chabad of Westport/ Norwalk Orthodox-Chabad Rabbi Yehoshua S. Hecht (203) 866-0534 info@bethisraelchabad.org bethisraelchabad.org Temple Shalom Reform Rabbi Cantor Shirah Sklar (203) 866-0148 admin@templeshalomweb.org www.templeshalomweb.org NORWICH Congregation Brothers of Joseph Modern Orthodox Rabbi Yosef Resnick (781 )201-0377 yosef.resnick@gmail.com https://brofjo.tripod.com

ORANGE Chabad of Orange/ Woodbridge Chabad Rabbi Sheya Hecht (203) 795-5261 info@chabadow.org www.chabadow.org

WASHINGTON Greater Washington Coalition for Jewish Life Rabbi James Greene (860) 868-2434 jewishlifect@gmail.com www.jewishlife.org

The Emanuel Synagogue Conservative Rabbi David J. Small (860) 236-1275 communications@emanuelsynagogue.org www.emanuelsynagogue.org

Congregation Or Shalom Conservative Rabbi Alvin Wainhaus (203) 799-2341 info@orshalomct.org www.orshalomct.org

WATERFORD Temple Emanu - El Reform Rabbi Marc Ekstrand Rabbi Emeritus Aaron Rosenberg (860) 443-3005 office@tewaterfrord.org www.tewaterford.org

United Synagogues of Greater Hartford Orthodox Rabbi Eli Ostrozynsk i synagogue voice mail (860) 586-8067 Rabbi’s mobile (718) 6794446 ostro770@hotmail.com www.usgh.org

WEST HARTFORD Beth David Synagogue Orthodox Rabbi Yitzchok Adler (860) 236-1241 office@bethdavidwh.org www.bethdavidwh.org

Young Israel of West Hartford Orthodox Rabbi Tuvia Brander (860) 233-3084 info@youngisraelwh.org www.youngisraelwh.org

SIMSBURY Chabad of the Farmington Valley Chabad Rabbi Mendel Samuels (860) 658-4903 chabadsimsbury@gmail.com www.chabadotvalley.org Farmington Valley Jewish Congregation, Emek Shalom Reform Rabbi Rebekah Goldman Mag (860) 658-1075 admin@fvjc.org www.fvjc.org

Beth El Temple Conservative Rabbi James Rosen Rabbi Ilana Garber (860) 233-9696 hsowalsky@bethelwh.org www.bethelwesthartford.org Chabad House of Greater Hartford Rabbi Joseph Gopin Rabbi Shaya Gopin, Director of Education (860) 232-1116 info@chabadhartford.com www.chabadhartford.com

SOUTH WINDSOR Temple Beth Hillel of South Windsor Reform Rabbi Jeffrey Glickman (860) 282-8466 tbhrabbi@gmail.com www.tbhsw.org

Congregation Beth Israel Reform Rabbi Michael Pincus Rabbi Andi Fliegel Cantor Stephanie Kupfer (860) 233-8215 bethisrael@cbict.org www.cbict.org

SOUTHINGTON Gishrei Shalom Jewish Congregation Reform Rabbi Alana Wasserman (860) 276-9113 President@gsjc.org www.gsjc.org TRUMBULL Congregation B’nai Torah Conservative Rabbi Colin Brodie (203) 268-6940 office@bnaitorahct.org www.bnaitorahct.org WALLINGFORD Beth Israel Synagogue Conservative Rabbi Bruce Alpert (203) 269-5983 info@bethisraelwallingford.org www.bethisraelwallingford.org

Congregation P’nai Or Jewish Renewal Shabbat Services Rabbi Andrea Cohen-Kiener (860) 561-5905 pnaiorct@gmail.com www.jewishrenewalct.org

WESTPORT Temple Israel of Westport Reform Rabbi Michael Friedman, Senior Rabbi Cantor Julia Cadrain, Senior Cantor Rabbi Elana Nemitoff-Bresler, Rabbi Educator Rabbi Zach Plesent, Assistant Rabbi (203) 227-1293 info@tiwestport.org www.tiwestport.org WETHERSFIELD Temple Beth Torah Unaffiliated Rabbi Alan Lefkowitz (860) 828-3377 tbt.w.ct@gmail.com templebethtorahwethersfield.org WOODBRIDGE Congregation B’nai Jacob Conservative Rabbi Rona Shapiro (203) 389-2111 info@bnaijacob.org www.bnaijacob.org

Kehilat Chaverim of Greater Hartford Chavurah Adm. - Nancy Malley (860) 951-6877 mnmalley@yahoo.com www.kehilatchaverim.org

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JEWISH LEDGER

AUGUST 27, 2021

In-Store Holiday Pickups Schedule Sunday 9/5 & Monday 9/6 9am - 2pm

It is important that you show up on your chosen day. If you arrive a day early for your pickup expect a long delay in getting your food. HOLIDAY PICKUPS HAVE CHANGED FOR THE BETTER! You arrive during pickup hours on your given day and check in outside with an attendant. A paper with your order # will be attached to your vehicle window or handed to you and your order will be brought to your car. PLEASE KEEP THIS NUMBER VERY VISIBLE. If you need to do additional shopping we are pleased to welcome you into the store, but please remain available outside once you have checked in for your holiday food order pickup, if your order is brought out and you are not there to receive it, your order will be returned to refrigeration and the process will have to begin again extending your wait time! This new procedure will drastically reduce wait time if these guidelines are followed!

Last Day For Curbside or In-Store Pickups Of Grocery Products Will be Wednesday 9/1 (needs to be ordered by 8/29) But We Welcome You Into The Store To Shop!

Reminder: Website Closed

Our online store will remain closed from 4 pm 8/27 through 9/8 and will reopen Thursday morning, 9/9 Please Plan Accordingly!

The Crown Market 2471 Albany Ave West Hartford, CT 06117

860.236.1965

Shana Tovah!

www.crownmarketonline.com HKC supervises the Bakery, Five o’clock Shop, Butcher Department and Catering. We’re not JUST kosher...we’re DELICIOUS! 24

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| AUGUST 27, 2021

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