Federation Star - September 2019

SAVE 

THE 

DATE 

2020 ANNUAL COMMUNITY CAMPAIGN 

KICKOFF EVENT 

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2019 

7:00PM - 9:00PM 

Stonebridge Country Club 

Guest Speaker Avraham Infeld 

Celebrating Jewish Life in Greater Naples, Israel and the World 

Federation Star 

Published by the Jewish Federation of Greater Naples 

serving Naples, Marco Island and the surrounding communities 

www.JewishNaples.org September 2019 – Elul 5779 / Tishrei 5780 Vol. 29 #1 

INSIDE THIS ISSUE: 

5A Men’s Cultural Alliance 

6A Women’s Cultural Alliance 

9A Community Focus 

14A Tributes 

21A Jewish Interest 

28A Israel & the Jewish World 

33A Commentary 

35A Organizations 

36A Synagogues 

38A Focus on Youth 

39A Community Directory 

1B Jewish Book Festival 

11A 

Fiddler: A Miracle of Miracles – 

film goes behind the curtain 

Happy anniversary 

Jeffrey 

Feld 

Federation 

President/ 

CEO 

Five years ago, in September 2014, 

I began my tenure as the CEO 

of this Federation. I stated that I 

was extremely honored and excited to 

become a part of this community. I can 

openly and honestly tell you that I am 

still equally honored and excited to be 

the CEO of this Federation. 

Many of the articles that I have 

written for the Federation Star have 

included the notion of “Change” and 

“Building Community.” So here it is, 

five years later and we are still talking 

about and creating change and building 

community. 

I am pointing this out because it is 

important to recognize what we have 

changed, what we have built and accomplished, 

and what our goals going 

forward should be. We changed our 

name. We became the Jewish Federation 

of Greater Naples. This was and is 

an important change. Some things that 

are not so noticeable include that we 

have changed our fiscal year and the 

timeframe for the Annual Community 

Campaign. These items have helped 

us to be more planful, more engaging 

and more responsive to the needs of 

the individuals and organizations in our 

community. 

The Jewish Federation of Greater 

Naples has grown enormously through 

the myriad of programs that are a part of 

Federation, including: Jewish Community 

Relations Council, Israel Advocacy 

Committee, Catholic-Jewish Dialogue, 

Community Chanukah Celebration, 

Shop with a Sheriff, Jewish Book 

Festival, Young Jewish Professionals, 

Evy Lipp People of the Book Cultural 

Event, Mix & Mingle, Men’s Cultural 

Alliance, Women’s Cultural Alliance, 

Jewish Russian Cultural Alliance, 

Jewish Community Day of Learning 

and Israel Scouts Friendship Caravan. 

The Jewish Federation of Greater 

Naples provides programs that include 

cultural, recreational, informal educational, 

socialization and social action 

for all members of our community. 

We have changed, and we have 

grown. More people, of all ages, want 

to be able to do more things through our 

auspices because of the opportunities we 

are able to provide for the community. 

Of course, Federation cannot do all 

of this and provide everything for the 

community without a successful Annual 

Community Campaign. We changed the 

timeframe for that. The campaign now 

begins in November with a Kickoff 

Event, and concludes in March with our 

Power of Community Celebration Jazz 

Brunch. We have just completed our 

first campaign in that timeframe and it 

was a RECORD-BREAKING success. 

Another aspect of change has to do 

with the number of individuals who are 

choosing to help in the campaign solicitation. 

There are more people now who 

are calling their friends and neighbors to 

promote the notion of our community, 

and that it is through participating in 

the Annual Community Campaign that 

they are able to help Jews and others in 

our community. 

But wait, that is not the only change 

continued on page 2A 

Israeli aid in action 

in Puerto Rico 

29A 

For full details on the 2019-20 Greater Naples Jewish Book Festival – 

including the authors, book descriptions, event dates, venues, tickets and more – 

see the 8-page supplement in this issue of the Federation Star. Tickets are on sale now! 

30A 

Start-up strategies unite 

FGCU with Israeli university 

38A 

Naples BBYO summer and fall 

happenings 

Jewish Federation of Greater Naples 

2500 Vanderbilt Beach Rd., Ste. 2201 

Naples, FL 34109 

Steve Israel 

November 11 

Alana Newhouse 

December 2 

Dave Barry 

December 9 

Pam Jenoff 

January 8 

Like us on Facebook! 

ConneCt 

with your Jewish Community 

www.facebook.com/ 

JewishFederationofGreaterNaples 

facebook.com/jfedsrq 

Lori Gottlieb 

February 5

2A Federation Star September 2019 

LIVE! AT THE CENTERS 

THE STEEPWATER BAND 

September 6, Friday 8:00pm 

FUNNY SHORTS LIVE! 

September 13, Friday 7:30pm 

September 14, Saturday 2:00pm 

SPANISH INSPIRATIONS 

MUSICAL MOMENTS 

October 6, Sunday 3:00pm 

CENTER FOR VISUAL ARTS 

26100 OLD 41 Rd Bonita Springs, FL 

TERRY SYLVESTER 

OF THE HOLLIES 

September 21, Saturday, 8:00PM 

JUST FOR LAUGHS 

A COMEDY VARIETY SHOW 

October 11, Friday, 7:30PM 

MONDAY NIGHT IS MOVIE NIGHT! 

Join us Monday nights in our Moe 

Auditorium & Film Center, furnished with 

a large movie screen and comfortable chairs 

to watch the best foreign and independent 

films. Wine, beer, non-alcoholic beverages, 

snacks and popcorn are available. 

Doors open at 6:30pm & films begin at 7pm 

Center for Performing Arts - Moe Auditorium 

General admission - $10 per person 

Money-saving ticket packages are available: 

20 Films for $150 | 10 Films for $80 

OTHER PERFORMANCES YOU MIGHT LIKE... 

Saturday, October 12, 2019 ........................................... Rocky Horror 

October 18-20, 2019..................................... Youth Play 'The Hobbit' 

October 24 - 27, 2019............................................Cause & Affection 

Friday, November 1, 2019 .....Murder & Mayhem: Live at the Cabaret 

Sunday, November 3, 2019 .... Musical Moments Rock Around Clock 

Thursday, November 7, 2019 ........... The Everly Brothers Experience 

Friday, November 8, 2019 ....................................... Staged Readings 

Saturday, November 9, 2019 ...........................................Adrian Legg 

Thursday, November 14, 2019 ..................... OMB ! Open Mic Bonita 

Friday, November 15, 2019 ............................................Iron Butterfly 

Saturday, November 23, 2019 .............Official Blues Brothers Revue 

Sunday, December 1, 2019 ...... Musical Moments Holiday Potpourri 

Saturday, December 7, 2019.................... One Too Many (A Capella) 

FOR TICKETS & INFORMATION 

239-495-8989 WWW.ARTCENTERBONITA.ORG 

CENTER FOR PERFORMING ARTS 

10150 Bonita Beach Rd Bonita Springs, FL 

Graciously Sponsored by 

Sponsored in part by the 

State of Florida, Department 

of State, Division of Cultural 

Affairs and the Florida 

Council on Arts and Culture. 

Jeffrey Feld...continued from page 1A 

in our Financial Resource Development 

arena. We now have a Foundation Department. 

We created an alliance with 

TOP (Tampa Orlando Pinellas Jewish 

Foundation) to work with us to provide 

our community members with more 

vehicles for their philanthropic interests. 

Phil Funds/Donor Advised Funds can 

now be created, there is a Charitable Gift 

Annuity program that is available, and 

we have begun a LIFE & LEGACY 

program to benefit our entire Jewish 

community. From a philanthropic 

standpoint, this community is moving 

forward in a most significant way. 

It is no secret that our Jewish Federation 

is looking forward to building a 

new home. This is due to the increase 

of space needs as a result of the increase 

in programming that is being conducted 

through the Federation. There will be 

philanthropic opportunities for everyone 

in the community to participate regarding 

a new Federation building. 

The very nature of our Federation 

has become more open, engaging 

and transparent. We are here to meet 

JEWISH FEDERATION 

Renee’s community 

program & events corner 

Reneé 

Bialek 

Program 

Director 

As Program Director of the 

Jewish Federation of Greater 

Naples, I want you to be aware 

of some upcoming events in October 

and November: 

¡ Mix & Mingle Rosh Hashanah meal 

on Monday, September 30 following 

services 

¡ Movies That Matter on Wednesdays, 

October 16, 23 & 30 

¡ Jewish Book Festival dates in November: 

Tuesday, November 5 and 

Monday, November 11 

¡ Herb Keinon, Israeli journalist for 

The Jerusalem Post, will speak at 

The Federation Star delivers! 

Introduce your business to a POWERFUL 

demographic and reach over 5,000 Jewish 

residents in the Greater Naples area! 

For ad rates and deadlines, contact 

Joy Walker at 941.284.0520 

or walkerjoy62@yahoo.com. 

This month’s advertisers 

This publication is brought to you each month thanks to the support 

of our advertisers. Please be sure to use their products and services, 

and mention that you saw their ad in the Federation Star. 

AFMDA.............................29A 

Beth Tikvah.........................21A 

Center for the Arts Bonita.....2A 

Chabad Hebrew School......24A 

Chabad of Naples...............17A 

Chellie Doepke, Realtor ® ....23A 

Margot Escott, LCSW.........27A 

FGCU.................................37A 

Fiddler: A Miracle of Miracles.6A 

Fuller Funeral Home..........27A 

Dr. Barrett Ross Ginsberg.....1B 

Hilton Naples........................8B 

Hodges Funeral Home........18A 

Holocaust Museum & Ed. Ctr.9A 

Jewish Cong. of Marco Island.25A 

Jewish Historical Society....17A 

Kaye Lifestyle Homes........22A 

Keystone Place....................14A 

James Knafo, Architect.......32A 

A. Stephen Kotler, Attorney.23A 

7:30 p.m. on Thursday, November 7 

¡ The Kristallnacht Commemoration 

will take place at 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, 

November 17 

¡ Jewish Federation’s Campaign 

Kickoff event is on Monday, November 

18 

More details on these events can 

be found in this issue, in our weekly 

eblast and at www.jewishnaples.org. 

Our website has a community calendar 

where you can find a variety of events. 

Please mark your calendar for 

our Community Chanukah Celebration, 

which takes place at 5:00 p.m. on 

Monday, December 23 on the lawn at 

Mercato. There will be latkes for sale, 

entertainment, face painting and lots 

more fun! There’s free admission for the 

entire community. If you have Judaica 

items for sale, or want to rent a booth for 

this event, please contact me at rbialek@ 

jewishnaples.org or 239.263.4205. 

your needs. The staff at Federation has 

also grown and changed. Permit me 

to introduce them to you at this time. 

Renee’ Bialek, Program Director; Julie 

Hartline, Annual Campaign Director; 

Marcy Friedland, Capital Campaign/ 

Planned Giving Director; Nathan Ricklefs, 

Database Manager; Janine Hudak, 

Administrative Coordinator; and Teresa 

Zimmerman, Finance & Operations 

Manager. This is the team that works 

with all of our lay leaders to make everything 

at our Federation and in our 

community possible. I appreciate each 

of them for all that they do for all of us. 

Please also recognize the Federation 

Star, the excellent publication that 

is produced 11 times a year. We appreciate 

editor/designer, Ted Epstein, and 

Joy Walker, Director of Sales. 

I learned of a quote, however, I 

do not know from where it comes. It 

certainly applies to us. “Individually, 

we can build a house – but together, 

we can build an entire community.” 

We are building a wonderful, vital and 

vibrant community. 

Lorel Martens.....................36A 

Mattis Inc............................37A 

Memory Care of Naples......16A 

Men’s Cultural Alliance.....25A 

Moorings Park Grande Lake.7A 

Naples Envelope & Printing..5A 

Naples Jewish Cong............14A 

Preferred Travel..................15A 

Publix.................................19A 

Senior Housing Solutions...16A 

Sinatra Schwartz Group.....29A 

T-Michaels..........................16A 

Temple Shalom...........13A,31A 

The Carlisle Naples............20A 

The Samuel Team.................3A 

Truly Nolen.........................31A 

Watercrest Senior Living....11A 

Wynn’s..............................27A 

ZOA...................................28A 

Debbie Zvibleman, Realtor ® .20A


Join us in building 

for the future 

Jane 

Schiff 

Federation 

Board Chair 

Where did summer go? This 

time of year, every year, 

especially as I grow older, I 

am amazed because it seems as though it 

was just last week that I was celebrating 

the start of the new year. How did this 

happen? I may be starting to understand 

the theory of relativity; time does travel 

at a different pace depending on many 

factors. When I was trying to explain 

to my granddaughter that a year is not 

a very long time, she said that at age 

10, one year was 1/10 of her life! Wow, 

that puts things in perspective. 

So, what is the perspective on Federation? 

Again, it depends on your point 

of view. I may be too much of an insider 

to have an overview, but I do have some 

knowledge based on some focus groups 

that were conducted over the summer. 

(Yes, we have been working straight 

through the summer.) From those focus 

groups emerged consensus on four key 

focus areas of our Federation. And, I 

am careful to say OUR FEDERATION, 

because each of the 147 Federations in 

North America is unique. 

1. We sustain and support Jewish 

and non-Jewish causes locally and 

worldwide. 

2. We organize Jewish cultural, educational 

and social events in Greater 

Naples, including the Jewish Book 

Festival and Community-wide 

Chanukah menorah lighting. 

3. We enrich and strengthen Jewish 

heritage in Greater Naples through a 

variety of cultural programs through 

WCA (Women’s Cultural Alliance), 

MCA (Men’s Cultural Alliance), 

BBYO and a variety of others. 

4. We serve as a voice in defending, 

protecting and supporting Jewish 

life throughout the Greater Naples 

area. 

Every week, we have newcomers 

stop in our office and ask about Jewish 

life here in Paradise. Some of their 

questions are easy. What synagogues 

are here? How do I become involved in 

Jewish life here? Some of their questions 

are impossible to answer. Where 

do the Jews live here? Where is the 

kosher butcher? 

Greater Naples is growing by leaps 

and bounds. We all see the growth in 

season as traffic has become more and 

more challenging. Jews, like many other 

folks, have found our corner of paradise 

and are moving here. We are a very 

welcoming community. Federation and 

all the other Jewish institutions are open 

to, and in need of, new blood to grow. 

It is our obligation to build this 

Jewish community. In Columbus, Ohio, 

where I grew up, my grandparents’ 

generation built a thriving Jewish community 

and I grew up feeling nurtured 

in my synagogue and the JCC. We are 

building Jewish institutions for the 

boomers and beyond who will want to 

join us. It is our obligation to do so. Federation 

is uniquely poised to help every 

synagogue and agency grow, thrive and 

build for tomorrow. 

We so appreciate each and every 

person who agrees and chooses to join 

us in building for the future. Thank you, 

and know that each of you is doing a 

mitzvah that others in the future will 

appreciate. 

September 2019 Federation Star 

Karen 

Deutsch 

Campaign 

Co-Chair 

3A 

A sweet New Year 

and new campaign year! 

Ihope everyone has enjoyed a fun, relaxing 

summer and is excited for the 

upcoming season, beginning with a 

very happy, healthy, sweet New Year! 

It is my pleasure to share news with 

you about our upcoming 2020 Annual 

Community Campaign 

events, beginning with 

the introduction of my 

co-chair for the 2020 

Campaign, Jay Weiss. 

Jay serves on the Federation’s 

Board of Directors 

and has spent 

the last two years as a 

member of our Allocations 

Committee. He 

truly understands the 

growing educational 

needs, and the social 

and humanitarian needs within our 

community, in Israel and throughout 

the world. If you have not met Jay, you 

will get to engage with him at many 

of our upcoming Annual Community 

Campaign events. 

Our 2020 Campaign began July 1, 

2019, with the beginning of our new 

fiscal year. However, our official 2020 

Campaign kickoff will be on Monday, 

November 18 at Stonebridge Country 

Club. Our guest speaker will be Avraham 

Infeld, President Emeritus of Hillel. 

Our Major Gifts and Lion of Judah 

Appreciation Dinner will be held on 

Wednesday, January 8 at Venue Naples. 

Our Power of Community Celebration 

Jazz Brunch will be held on Sunday, 

March 29 at Grey Oaks Country Club. 

We will celebrate the success of our 

2020 Annual Community 

Campaign and present the 

Patricia J. Adkins Youth 

Leadership, Human Needs 

and Stand Up for Justice 

Grants and Awards. 

Save these dates and 

look for more information 

in the upcoming months 

about these events and future 

projects sponsored by 

our Women’s Philanthropic 

Divisions – Pomegranate 

Jay Weiss Society and Lion of Judah. 

IT ALL STARTS WITH YOU! You 

make everything we do possible! Thank 

you for being a part of our wonderful 

community, and thank you for your 

generous gift to our 2020 Annual Community 

Campaign. 

What do you think? 

The Federation Star wants to know! 

Send your letters and comments to fedstar18@gmail.com. 

Letters Policy 

Include your name, full address and daytime phone. Letters should be no longer than 300 words. 

We reserve the right to edit for length and/or accuracy. Letters do not necessarily reflect the 

viewpoint of the Jewish Federation of Greater Naples, the Federation Star or its advertisers. 

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presents 

Alexandra Silber 

in Concert 

One Night Only 

Tuesday, January 7 

at 7:15 p.m. 

Temple Shalom 

4630 Pine Ridge Road, Naples 

Accompanied by Ben Moss 

Al and Ben entertained at the Greater Naples Jewish Book Festival in December 2017. 

Tickets are $36 ($45 at the door if seats available) 

© Arielle Doneson 

Alexandra Silber takes you on a musical journey through 

her multi-faceted career encompassing classic hits from 

Fiddler on the Roof, Kiss Me Kate, Cabaret, She Loves Me 

and West Side Story, plus she will introduce you to new 

tunes and hidden gems. Witness intimate and honest performances 

that have catapulted this lovely, young actress to 

Broadway, the West End and symphony stages nationwide! 

“The fastest-rising soprano in musical theatre... 

the firestarter for getting the Broadway world 

re-acquainted with its ‘legit sound’ – the same 

crystal clear, open voice that Leonard Bernstein 

would have heard in his first Maria...” 

— The Huffington Post 

Piano provided by Steinway Piano Gallery. Visit the showroom at 28751 S. Tamiami Trail, Bonita Springs. 

• Check in at the event 

(no physical tickets issued) 

• Doors open at 6:45 p.m. 

• General admission seating 

• Video presentation 

at 7:15 p.m. 

• Show begins at 7:30 p.m. 

• Dessert Reception follows 

the show 

YES! I’d love to attend “Alexandra Silber in Concert” on January 7! 

I am purchasing ___ tickets at $36 each for a total of $_______. 

Check enclosed (payable to Jewish Federation of Greater Naples) 

Please charge my: MC Visa Discover American Express 

Card #____________________________________ Exp. ____/____ CVV#_______ 

Name (please print): ________________________________________________ 

Address: __________________________________________________________ 

City: ___________________________________ ST: _____ Zip: _____________ 

Phone: _____________________ Email: _________________________________ 

3 ways to order your tickets: 

1 Mail this order form to: 




2 

3 

In person at the Federation 

office. 

Charge by phone: 

239.263.4205


Celebrating Jewish Life in Collier County, Israel and the World 


Published by the Jewish Federation of Collier County 


Published by 

2500 Vanderbilt Beach Road, 

Suite 2201 

Naples, Florida 34109-0613 

Phone: (239) 263-4205 

Fax: (239) 263-3813 

www.jewishnaples.org 

Email: info@jewishnaples.org 

Officers 

Board Chair: Jane Schiff 

Vice Chairs: Karen Deutsch, 

Marc Saperstein, Phyllis Seaman 

Secretary: Rosalee Bogo 

Treasurer: Elliot Lerner 

Immediate Past Chair: Alvin Becker 

Board of Directors 

Joshua Bialek 

Harvey Cohen 

Amanda Dorio 

Paula Filler 

Merlin Lickhalter 

Robin Mintz 

Les Nizin 

William Petasnick 

Jamie Satz 

Betty Schwartz 

Arlene Sobol 

Michael Sobol 

Elaine Soffer 

Steve Strome 

Jay Weiss 

Beth Wolff 

Edward Wollman 

Jeff Zalasky 

Past Presidents 

Gerald Flagel, Dr. William Ettinger, 

Ann Jacobson, Sheldon Starman, 

Bobbie Katz, Rosalee Bogo, 

Judge Norman Krivosha 

Synagogue Representatives 

Debra Antzis 

Cantor Donna Azu 

Rabbi Ariel Boxman 

Ted Bunten 

Rabbi Ammos Chorny 

Shelley Goodman 

Rabbi Mark Gross 

Sue Hammerman 

Rabbi Howard Herman 

Stephen P. McCloskey 

Rabbi Adam Miller 

Rabbi James Perman 

Dr. Arthur Seigel 

Rabbi Fishel Zaklos 

Federation President/CEO 

Jeffrey Feld 

Staff 

Renee’ Bialek: Program Director 

Marcy Friedland: Capital Campaign 

& Planned Giving Director 

Julie Hartline: Annual Campaign Dir. 

Janine Hudak: Admin. Coordinator 

Nathan Ricklefs: Database Manager 

Teresa Zimmerman: Finance & 

Operations Manager 

Federation is the central Jewish 

community-building organization for 

Greater Naples, providing a social 

service network that helps Jewish 

people locally, in Israel and around 

the world. As the central fundraising 

organization for Jewish communal 

life in our area, strength is drawn 

from organized committees of dedicated 

volunteers. 

Programs include: 

• Annual Campaign & 

Endowment Fund 

• Celebrate Israel 

• Educational & Cultural Programs 

• Israel Advocacy Committee 

• Israel Scouts 

• Jewish Book Festival 

• Jewish Community Relations 

Council 

• Jewish Professionals 

• Jewish Russian Cultural Alliance 

• Men’s Cultural Alliance 

• Publication of the Federation 

Star, Connections and 

Community Directory 

• Women’s Cultural Alliance 

• Women’s Division 

• Youth Activities Committee – 

sponsoring youth education and 

scholarships for Jewish Summer 

Camp and the Israel Experience 


A preview of this season’s MCA events 

By Jeff Margolis 

Anew year brings a new and 

exciting season for the Men’s 

Cultural Alliance (MCA). Many 

of our members will be returning to 

the beauty of the Greater Naples area 

shortly. Others have already returned. 

We would like to provide our members a 

preview of what’s new for the upcoming 

MCA season. 

Special events that have already 

been planned include an MCA dinner 

and Hanukkah Comedy Night celebration 

at Off the Hook Comedy Club featuring 

Sarge on Wednesday, December 

18; a special tour of Babcock Ranch; a 

luxury car tour of REVS; and a return 

visit to the Kennedy Space Center. 

Due to popular demand, the Men’s 

Health Series, featuring several notable 

local physicians, will be returning. This 

series has sold out in the past so check 

the website for reservation information. 

Check the MCA eblasts for dates, 

times, specific topics and location 

information for all of the above activities. 

MCA’s resident film maven, Steve 

Brazina, has announced the program 

and schedule for the extremely popular 

Documentary Film Series. Reservations 

are a must. Times and locations for these 

films will be forthcoming: 

November 5 - Carl Laemmle 

December 3 - Prosecuting Evil 

January 7 - 93Queen 

February 5 - An Act of Defiance 

March 3 - The Waldheim Waltz 

April 2 - King Bibi 

The MCA monthly luncheon speaker 

series kicks off on Thursday, November 

14 with featured speaker Frank 

Cipolla. His program is entitled “My 

Career as a Broadcast Journalist.” Here 

is a list of the other scheduled luncheon 

meetings: 

December 12 - Alfred Moses, “U.S. 

Foreign Policy at Its Best” 

January 9 - Wayne Smith, “From 

the Hanoi Hilton to the Corporate 

World” 

February 13 - Nick Penniman, 

“Fake News – from the Revolution 

 

to Today” 

March 19 - Benjamin Alalouf, 

“Journey to Freedom – Yugoslavia 

to the USA” 

April 1 - Ed Hightower, “My 36 

Years as an NCAA Ref” 

The monthly luncheon meetings 

will be returning to the popular Audubon 

Country Club and the cost will be $30. 

Reservations can be made online at the 

MCA website at www.MCANaples.org. 

This is just a sampling of the events 

planned for the upcoming season. If you 

wish to be a part of this fabulous year, be 

sure to renew your membership. Dues 

5A 

are $80 and include membership in the 

Jewish Federation of Greater Naples. 

New members are always welcome. 

There are 3 Ways to 

Join the MCA! 

1. Go to our website – WWW.MCANaples.org. 

Click on MCA Membership Form and complete the 

form (you can pay by credit card or check). 

2. Send an email with your name, email address and 

phone number to JoinMCA@MCANaples.org. 

3. Mail your name, email address and phone number 

to Larry Israelite, 8820 Savona Court, Naples, FL. 

34119. 

Have any questions? 

Call our President – Les Nizin – at 516-356-2897 

In one way or another, your life is rooted in experiences 

that connect you to the Jewish Community. 

If you are currently supporting charitable organizations and want to 

continue to do so more effectively, let us know. We are here to help! 

TOP Jewish Foundation, the Jewish Foundation of the Jewish Federation of 

Greater Naples, was founded in 1980 to help community members like you 

make their charitable dollars - and their commitment to tzedakah - 

go further, both during lifetime and thereafter. 

• Gifts in Wills or Trusts (Bequests) 

• Permanent Endowments 

• Gifts of Insurance & Retirement Assets 

• IRA Charitable Rollover Gifts 

contact Ellen Weiss at 813-961-9090 

email: ellen@topjewishfoundation.org 

website: www.topjewishfoundation.org 

FULL SERVICE 

PRINTING & 

GRAPHIC 

DESIGN 

239.592.9377 

naplesenvelope1@aol.com 

2052 J AND C BLVD. • NAPLES, FL 34109 

Together, we are ensuring the Jewish future 

TOP can help you support your favorite charities with: 

We 

are here to 

help with all your 

legacy & 

philanthropic 

needs 

• Donor Advised Philanthropic Funds 

• Gifts of Appreciated Stock & other assets 

• Charitable Remainder Trust 

• Charitable Gift Annuities, and more... 

contact Marcy Friedland at 239-263-4205 

email: mfriedland@jewishnaples.org 

website: www.jewishnaples.org



WOMEN’S CULTURAL ALLIANCE www.WomensCulturalAlliance.com / 215-820-6697 

Sneak Preview of the WCA 2019-2020 Speaker Series 

These speakers will be part of WCA’s 2019-2020 Speaker Series: Ellaine Rosen, Professor Steve Yussen, Penny Pearlman 

By Susan Koeppel, WCA Board Member-at-Large and Speaker Series Chairperson 

Iam thrilled to share our exciting for the Cultural Arts Campus and new of Fotos.” Art lover and gallerist Bob 

plans for the 2019-2020 WCA season offerings. Our focus on culture Foss will present “Peggy Guggenheim’s 

Speaker Series! 

and the arts will also include the third Impact on the Art World.” 

To attract the best possible cadre 

of speakers and maximize attendance, 

the Speaker Series will be scheduled on 

different days of the week, and mornings 

and afternoons. The speaker, topic, day, 

time and location will be announced in 

the weekly eblast. All events will require 

pre-registration and will be open only 

to WCA members, unless otherwise 

specified. 

As we developed this year’s program, 

our goal was to present a range 

of topics that reflect the wide and varied 

interests of our membership. We encourage 

you to pursue your special areas of 

interest and also to invest time in learning 

about subjects that are less familiar. 

Below is a preview of only some of the 

events; our lineup is still in progress. We 

hope you will join us for this exciting 

new season. 

A highlight of our Speaker Series 

will be Artis—Naples CEO & President 

Kathleen Van Bergen, who will bring 

us up to date on the exciting new plans 

session in the three-part film series 

by the Jewish Historical Society of 

Southwest Florida, which will feature 

Lenore Greenstein and Elena Rosner. 

TheatreZone’s Artistic Director Mark 

Danni will reveal his plans for a wonderful 

new season of shows and concerts. 

Director Catalina Smith (who directed 

the Bonita Arts Center’s production 

of the Tony Award-winning play Waverly 

Gallery) will present an original 

dramatic reading by breast cancer survivors. 

Author Emily Berkowitz will 

dispel myths about male ballet dancers 

and share her experiences with ballet 

luminaries from her book Balanchine’s 

Dancing Cowboy. Professor Mary Kirn 

will discuss the “Power of Women and 

Henpecked Husbands in Renaissance 

Art.” Professor Steve Yussen will address 

how different cultures in America 

live and work together. Our focus on art 

will also include programs by renowned 

local photographer Morris Herstein, 

who will discuss his exhibit “A Fusion 

Topics of specific Jewish interest 

will include a two-part Holocaust 

lecture, “Witnesses to Goodness,” presented 

by historian and scholar Ellaine 

Rosen. Cantor Barbara Ostfeld, the first 

ordained female cantor, will discuss her 

unique experiences, and accompanied 

by WCA member Cantor Donna Goldstein, 

will present a liturgical music concert. 

Rabbi Micah D. Greenstein, Senior 

Rabbi of Temple Israel in Memphis, 

and son of WCA board member Lenore 

Greenstein, will discuss “Jews and Civil 

Rights.” Steven Shreier will update us 

about Israel with “Israel 2020: A Vision 

into the Future,” and Ally Halperin, Director 

of Development at the American 

Committee for the Weizmann Institute 

of Science, will share information with 

us about the Weizmann Institute. And 

WCA board member Dina Shein will 

discuss Bukharian Jews. 

Programs addressing environmental 

issues will have a local emphasis 

this year, with five speakers presenting 

information relating 

to Southwest Florida. 

FGCU Marine Science 

Professor Dr. 

Michael Parsons, recently 

appointed by 

Governor DeSantis 

to the Blue-Green 

Algae Task force, will 

inform us on issues 

of environmental importance. 

Kim Dye of 

the Everglades Foundation 

will discuss 

“Preserving our Waters,” and local author 

Marya Repko will discuss “Women 

in the Everglades: Pioneers and Early 

Environmentalists.” Brenda Brooks, 

Executive Director of the Corkscrew 

Regional Ecosystem Watershed Land 

and WaterTrust (CREW), will address 

topics of particular interest to Lee and 

Collier counties. If you read The Orchid 

Thief, you will be especially interested 

in the presentation by Mick Owens, 

Fakahatchee Strand State Preserve 

Biologist, on “The Orchids of the Fakahatchee,” 

which is the locale in the book. 

Our Speakers Series will include 

several talks on self-improvement and 

health topics. Shelly Stauber, the medicinal 

gourmet, will discuss “The Healing 

Power of Foods.” Dr. Avi Goldstein will 

help you answer, “Is Your Mouth Killing 

You?” Dr. Jeffrey Shein will discuss the 

physical effects of stress. Dave Rutstein 

returns for a repeat presentation about 

Ethical Wills, and M&R Capital CEO 

John Maloney will address your fiscal 

health when he speaks about “Portfolio 

Challenges in Retirement.” 

And just for fun, you will have the 

opportunity to learn about the history 

of Flamenco Dancing and take a Flamenco 

lesson with Penny Pearlman. 

(You might remember Penny from her 

presentation last season about Miss 

Americas.) 

We have an exciting and educational 

season of speakers planned and more are 

yet to be added to the lineup! Remember 

to check the WCA weekly eblast and 

then register for these outstanding presentations. 

But you will only receive the 

eblast if you are a member of WCA! If 

you are not a member or if you haven’t 

renewed your dues, please “due” it now! 

Complete the Membership Form on this 

page and mail it with your check to the 

Federation. Or you can pay online with 

a credit card or by check by going to 

https://www.wcanaples.org and clicking 

on the green button. 

Susan Koeppel joined the WCA board 

in 2019. She and her life-partner John 

Maloney are from New York and began 

spending “the season” in Naples in 

2015. When they purchased their condo 

from Lea and Mike Bendes, Lea told 

Susan all about WCA – and she was 

hooked! Susan said,” I continue to be 

amazed at the diversity of rewarding 

experiences and the caliber of women 

I have met through WCA. I am excited 

to now be helping to plan the wonderful 

programming that WCA offers.” 

Women’s Cultural Alliance: 

1,600 members strong and growing! 

WOMEN’S 

CULTURAL 

ALLIANCE 

Women’s Cultural Alliance 

2019-2020 MEMBERSHIP FORM 

The membership year is from September 1 until August 31 of the next year. 

Dues received after March 1 will be applied to the next season. 

Please check one: NEW RENEWAL (PLEASE fill out the form completely and PRINT CLEARLY!) 

Is there a change in your information from last year? YES NO 

If you checked NO, just LEGIBLY print your name, fill in payment info, sign Event Waiver below, and mail to WCA/JFGN. 

Print Name 

Email (very important) 

Local Street Address 

W CA 

Spouse/Partner Name 

FL Community 

City State Zip 

Florida Phone 

Northern Address 

Cell Phone 

No. Phone 

City State Zip 

In Southwest Florida Full-time Part-time from 

NAME BADGES: New Members receive a one-time name badge as a welcome gift from WCA/JFGN. 

Returning Members: If you need a new or replacement name badge, please increase your fee by $ 8. 

Print your name as you want it to appear on the badge 

MEMBERSHIP DUES: $ 90 (US Funds only, Minimum for the year; includes membership to the JFGN):____$ 90.00 

I am also including a voluntary donation to the Federation in the amount of: _ $ 

I am including $8 for a replacement Name Badge: __ $ 

Total enclosed or authorized: __ $ 

I will be paying by check. Please make your check payable to JFGN/WCA. 

I will be paying by credit card. Card Number 

Expiration Date Name on Card CVV 

Mail this SIGNED form (with your check or credit card number) to: 

WCA/Jewish Federation of Greater Naples 

2500 Vanderbilt Beach Rd., Ste. 2201, Naples, FL 34109 

I would like to VOLUNTEER my services/expertise and would be willing to chair or co-chair an activity on the 

following topic or topics. 

to 

EVENT PARTICIPATION WAIVER. By signing below, I accept the terms of this waiver. 

As a participant in a WCA event,* I, acting for myself, my heirs, executors, administrators, successors and assigns agree as 

follows: That I waive all rights, claims and/or causes of action of any kind whatsoever that I or my heirs, executors, administrators, 

successors and assigns may claim to have against either the Jewish Federation of Greater Naples, and/or the Women’s Cultural 

Alliance, their members, agents, servants, and/or employees, for any loss, injury, or damage sustained by me while participating 

in a WCA event. This waiver and release shall be construed broadly under the Laws of the State of Florida. 

Signature ________________________________________________Date ____________ 

*Note: Certain higher risk events such as athletic activities or trips require an enhanced waiver to be signed. Contact your activity’s director for more information. 

2019-20 

For more information contact Membership Director, Hope Abels at hopeabels@yahoo.com



7A 

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SIGN UP FOR THE FEDERATION’S 

WEEKLY COMMUNITY eNEWSLETTER! 

Get the latest information on upcoming 

community events and cultural activities, 

news from Israel and lots more. 

Send an email to info@jewishnaples.org. 


Israel Advocacy Committee announces fall programs 

By Jeff Margolis 

The Israel Advocacy Committee 

(IAC) is pleased to announce 

its kickoff program for the upcoming 

season. The opening program, 

slated for Thursday, November 7 at 7:30 

p.m. at Temple Shalom, features Herb 

Keinon, an American-born Israeli journalist 

for The Jerusalem Post. Since 

2000, he has served as the paper’s diplomatic 

correspondent. 

Keinon earned his B.A. in Political 

Science from the University of Colorado, 

Boulder, and a master’s degree 

in Journalism from the University of 

Illinois. He is author of two books: 

Lone Soldier: Israel’s Defenders from 

Around the World and French Fries 

and Pita, a collection of his slice-oflife 

monthly “Out There” columns. 

Keinon’s presentation will include 

discussions of Israel society, 

security and Middle 

East politics. The cost 

of this event is $18 

and reservations can 

be made by calling 

the Jewish Federation 

of Greater Naples 

at 239.263.4205. The 

IAC is currently in 

the process of planning 

a sponsor dinner 

with Keinon, where 

patrons can meet and 

chat with him on a 

more personal basis. 

More information for this event will be 

forthcoming. 

The second scheduled event will 

take place on Wednesday, December 

11 at 7:00 p.m. at Temple Shalom with 

speaker David Lehrer from the ARAVA 

Herb Keinon 

Institute. Lehrer holds a joint master’s 

degree in Management Science from 

Boston University and Ben-Gurion 

University. He is currently 

pursuing a doctorate from 

Ben Gurion University’s 

Department of Geography. 

The ARAVA Institute 

for Environmental Studies 

is a leading environmental 

studies and research 

institution focusing on 

the Middle East. The institute 

fosters academic 

programs, research and 

international initiatives 

focusing on a range of environmental 

issues. Tickets 

for this event are $18 and can be 

obtained by contacting the Federation. 

Other events for the season are in 

the planning stage and will be featured 

in upcoming issues of the Federation 

Star. 

You can make this Rosh Hashanah 2019/5780 a sweet New Year with your 

generous gift to our 2020 Annual Community Campaign. 

The Jewish Federation of Greater Naples provides for our Jewish community’s 

needs today and in the future. 

H 

IT ALL STARTS WITH YOU! 

You make everything we do - possible. 


offers grants to our community synagogues and 

members, for religious enrichment for all ages. The 

Federation provides partial scholarships to our youth 

to attend Jewish summer camps and the Israel experience 

for teens. We support the Birthright Israel initiative 

and provide funding for Hillel on our college campuses, 

support the bbyo Naples youth group for all of our 

Jewish teens. We assisted in the founding – and 

continue to support – The Holocaust Museum & The 

Janet G. and Harvey D. Cohen Education Center. 

Federation supports mental health and social services 

provided by Naples Senior Center at JFCS. We also 

provide funding for Jewish Film Festivals sponsored 

by Beth Tikvah and Jewish Congregation of Marco 

Island, Jewish Book Festival, Jewish Day of Learning, 

Kristallnacht Commemoration, Yom HaShoah 

observance, and Celebrate Israel. 

Our Jewish Community Relations Council and Israel 

Advocacy Committees play important roles, advocating 

for and the education of the Jewish and at-large 

communities; as do the interfaith activities of the 

Catholic-Jewish Dialogue…and much more. More 

information at www.jewishnaples.org. 

Israel and Overseas 

Your support of the Jewish Federation’s Annual 

Community Campaign fulfills the ethical responsibility to 

ensure the welfare of all Jews, wherever they are. 

Campaign dollars are allocated to the core funding 

needs of our overseas partners, JDC, Jewish Agency 

for Israel and World ORT. We also provide supplemental 

grants for special projects in Israel, like the shelter for 

abused children at Neve Michael, Yad LaKashish- Lifeline 

for the Old, Sapir Community Center at Kfar 

Saba for new immigrants, Ethiopian National Project, 

S.P.A.C.E. Program, Preschool at the Progressive 

Reform Synagogue in Kiev, Ukraine...and so much more. 

OF GREATER NAPLES 

THE STRENGTH OF A PEOPLE. 

THE POWER OF COMMUNITY. 

2500 Vanderbilt Beach Road, Suite 2201, Naples, Florida 34109 

Phone: (239) 263-4205 • Fax: (239) 263-3813 

E-mail: info@jewishnaples.org • Website: www.jewishnaples.org 

At this New Year 5780 , I/We pledge and promise to pay a contribution of $___________ for the 

Federation’s 2020 Annual Community Campaign Contribution enclosed (Check #________) Please bill me 

Please charge my: MasterCard VISA American Express 

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

Account Number Expiration Date: (Mo/Yr) Security Code 

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

Cardholder Name Cardholder Signature Date Telephone 

You may also donate online by going to www.jewishnaples.org to make a difference right now. 

LEAVE A LEGACY– REMEMBER THE JEWISH FEDERATION IN YOUR WILL OR TRUST. 

Please call me regarding a legacy gift. 

Jewish Federation of Greater Naples is registered as a charitable organization in Florida. Reg. No. CH4862.

COMMUNITY FOCUS 


9A 

HOLOCAUST MUSEUM & COHEN EDUCATION CENTER www.holocaustmuseumswfl.org / 239-263-9200 

Holocaust Museum & Cohen Education Center update 

Susan 

Suarez 

President 

& CEO 

Greetings from the new Holocaust 

Museum & Janet G. and 

Harvey D. Cohen Center! Staff, 

interns and many dedicated volunteers 

spent the months of June and July dismantling, 

packing up and readying the 

contents of the old museum to be moved 

to our new location at 975 Imperial 

Golf Course Blvd., Suite 108, Naples, 

FL 34110. 

In early August, the expert exhibit 

installation team from Capitol Museum 

Services and a large United Moving van 

arrived in Naples. The moving van was 

filled with display cases, wall panels, 

illuminated displays, digital picture 

frames and mannequins, plus installation 

tools and equipment. Luckily, everything 

was unloaded and moved into 

the museum just before a monsoon-like 

afternoon storm hit. The team, working 

with Curator Cody Rademacher, then 

set up their work zones in the galleries, 

classroom, temporary exhibit space and 

reception area. They worked long hours 

for many days, checking and doublechecking 

that everything followed the 

master design, placed in proper order 

and displayed to its best advantage. 

The universal first impression from 

everyone upon entering the new museum 

is WOW! There is so much to take in 

at first glance. Guests enter via the light, 

airy reception area, which is anchored 

by the impressive Jerusalem-stone-clad 

reception desk. At the entrance to Gallery 

One is the large photo mosaic 

portrait of Anne Frank. From a series 

created by artist Robert Silvers, it is 

composed of thousands of small pre- 

WWII, WWII and Holocaust-period 

images. Our portrait was specially 

modified to include the black and white 

portraits of local SWFL Survivors and 

Liberators taken by photographer Erik 

Kellar for the Museum’s 10 th anniversary. 

Many of them have worked as Museum 

Educators in our programs and/or 

participated in our Oral Visual History 

project, which preserves 

their testimonies about the 

Holocaust for future generations. 

Museum founding 

member and first curator, 

Lorie Mayer, is among those 

pictured. 

We are grateful to the 

many donors who have 

given generously to the Capital 

Campaign for this new 

museum. As in the previous 

museum, information is 

presented in a logical and chronological 

sequence from the rise of the Nazi party 

to the postwar period and now beyond 

that. It was important to all involved in 

the creation of this new museum that 

we preserved the connection to our 

local SWFL community by including 

Catholic-Jewish Dialogue 

of Collier County 

invites the community 

81 st Anniversary of Kristallnacht 

Commemorative Service 

Kristallnacht is recognized by most historians as 

“The Night the Holocaust Began” 

Sunday, November 17 at 2:30 p.m. 

Saint John the Evangelist Catholic Church 

Ballroom ~ 625 111 th Ave. N., Naples 

Guest speaker: Rabbi Stephen Fuchs 

Everyone is invited. Free admission. 

RSVP to cjdialogue@naples.net 

Sponsored By: 

Catholic-Jewish Dialogue of Collier County 

Jewish Community Relations Council 

of the Jewish Federation of Greater Naples 

Diocese of Venice in Florida 

GenShoah of SWFL 

Holocaust Museum & Janet G. 

and Harvey D. Cohen Education Center 

artifacts, documents and photographs 

donated by local residents. Throughout 

the museum you will find updated narratives 

and technology. Adding to the 

impact of the new museum is the professionally 

designed exhibit lighting. The 

artifacts on display include both major 

pieces previously exhibited as well as 

never-before-seen items from our archived 

collections and recent donations. 

The additional space 

our new location provides 

enables us to now include 

exhibits dealing with the 

postwar period Displaced 

Persons camps, as well as information 

on post-Holocaust 

genocides. 

The 2019-2020 school 

year is already underway, 

and we have welcomed 

student groups to the new 

museum. With the 

larger classroom capacity 

and updated 

technology, we are 

looking forward to 

hosting many more 

school groups in the 

coming years. Our 

expanded parking will accommodate 

school and tour buses 

as well. 

We look forward to welcoming 

you to our new home. 

Please save the date for our 

Grand Opening and Dedication 

Ceremony on Sunday, 

November 10 from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. We 

also hope to see you at the interesting 

exhibits and events we have planned for 

this coming year. Information is available 

on our website at www.Holocaust 

MuseumSWFL.org. 

Movies 

That Matter 

SWFL 

We CAN make a difference 

GRANT RECIPIENT 

In October, the “Movies That Matter” 

documentary film series returns for 

its second year. Each of the three films 

will be shown at the Paragon Pavilion 

Theater, 833 Vanderbilt Beach Road, 

Naples. Screenings will be at 6:30 p.m. 

An expert panel discussion will follow 

the films to discuss how the issues 

covered affect SWFL and how to help 

combat them. Tickets are $10 and must 

be purchased online at www.Holocaust- 

MuseumSWFL.org. Here are the dates/ 

films to be shown: Wednesday, October 

16 – Invisible Hands – about child labor 

and child trafficking; Wednesday, October 

23 – A Place at the Table – about 

hunger in America; Wednesday, October 

30 – Heroin(e) – about three women 

battling the opioid epidemic. 

For details on how you can support 

the museum’s education programs or 

sponsor exhibits and events, contact me 

at susan@HolocaustMuseumSWFL.org 

or call 239.263.9200. I am excited for 

you to see our new museum! 

YOU CAN MAKE A 

DIFFERENCE! 

MOVIES THAT MATTER 

RETURNS. 

JOIN US TO EDUCATE, 

ENGAGE, AND FACILITATE 

DISCUSSION 

AROUND HUMAN RIGHTS 

TOPICS THROUGH FILM. 

INVISIBLE HANDS Wed., Oct. 16 at 6:30 pm (1 hour 20 minutes) 

This is the first feature documentary to expose child labor and 

child trafficking within the supply chains of the world’s biggest 

companies. It is a harrowing account of children as young as 6 

years old making the products we use every day. 

A PLACE AT THE TABLE Wed., Oct. 23 at 6:30 pm (1 hour 24 minutes) 

50 Million Americans - 1 in 4 children - don’t know where their 

next meal is coming from. A Place at the Table tells the powerful 

stories of three such Americans, who maintain their dignity even 

as they struggle just to eat. It is a riveting journey that will change 

forever how you think about the hungry. 

HEROIN(e) Wed., Oct. 30 at 6:30 pm (39 minutes) 

This Oscar-nominated film follows three women - a fire chief, a 

judge, and a street missionary - battling the opioid epidemic. 

Each film will be shown at Paragon Pavilion Theater 

833 Vanderbilt Beach Rd, Naples, FL 34108. 

There will be a panel of experts and discussion after each film 

about how these issues affect Southwest Florida and how to help. 

Tickets are $10 each and available online only through the 

Holocaust Museum’s website - HolocaustMuseumSWFL.org. 

There will be open seating for each screening. 

& 

Cohen Education Center 

Presented by


Naples Senior Center update 

Dr. Jaclynn 

Faffer 

President/ 

CEO 

Summer has certainly flown by. I 

had to double check that the article 

I was writing for the next Federation 

Star was, indeed, for September. 

September means back to school, and 

Naples Senior Center (NSC) is proud 

to continue our tradition of assisting 

families with young children who are 

struggling financially with gift cards to 

Walmart for back-to-school supplies. 


Jewish National Fund welcomes Joshua Mellits 

as Western Florida Director 

Jewish National Fund (JNF) is 

proud to welcome Joshua Mellits 

as its new Western Florida Director. 

In this new capacity, Mellits will 

be instrumental in helping JNF connect 

the people of Western Florida – which 

includes Sarasota, Fort Myers and 

Naples – to the land and people of Israel, 

as well as support JNF’s unique 

projects that enhance the lives of 

Israelis. 

Mellits joins JNF after working in 

the development department for the 

Committee for Accuracy in Middle East 

Reporting in America (CAMERA), 

heading donor engagement and fundraising 

events. 

We know most of these families through 

our food pantry program, although some 

are children being raised by their grandparents 

– seniors who attend many of 

our senior center programs. 

Over the summer we developed 

two new groups to meet unmet needs. 

We have a weekly caregiver support 

group for individuals caring for a loved 

one with Alzheimer’s disease or related 

dementia. The second is a bereavement 

support group for individuals who have 

lost a loved one within the past year. 

Both groups are facilitated by an NSC 

licensed clinical social worker. For more 

information, please call our offices at 

239.325.4444. 

As we gear up for “season” we ask 

“I am so excited to join this wonderful 

organization,” said Mellits. “As 

a proud alumnus of Alexander Muss 

High School in Israel (AMHSI-JNF), 

I am eager to utilize my skills, experience 

and devotion to Israel to advance 

JNF’s mission of developing community, 

education initiatives and essential 

infrastructure.” 

Mellits spent much of his early 

years traveling to Israel, but credits 

his hands-on, experiential education at 

AMHSI-JNF for his dedication to the 

land. Mellits graduated from the Hornstein 

Jewish Professional Leadership 

Program at Brandeis University with 

an MBA in Non-Profit Management 

you to circle an important date on your 

calendar: January 11, 2020, for our 8 th 

Annual Evenings for Better Tomorrows 

to be held at Royal Poinciana Golf Club. 

This year’s theme is “Motor City Magic 

– Memories of Motown.” Tickets are 

$375 per person and Patron Tables are 

selling for $7,500 for tables of 8 to 10. 

Last year we sold out and we expect to 

do the same this year. 

Those of you who stop by know 

that even throughout the summer we 

have been busy with seniors taking 

classes, painting, playing cards and 

mah jong, line dancing and so much 

more. We keep adding new and exciting 

programs to the schedule. This year, 

through a partnership with Gulfshore 

and an M.A. in Jewish Professional 

Leadership. He earned a B.S. in Journalism 

from Boston University. 

Sarasota Board President Dr. Bart 

Levenson looks forward to working 

with Mellits, and said, “We are excited 

for Josh to come onboard as we work 

toward educating the community about 

JNF’s vital mission to create a more 

prosperous future for the land and people 

of Israel.” 

To learn more about Jewish National 

Fund in Western Florida and 

connect with Joshua Mellits directly, 

please call 941.462.1330 x865 or email 

jmellits@jnf.org. 


Playhouse, a talented group of Senior 

Center members will be reading the 

lines and singing the songs from the 

Broadway hit, Godspell. More information 

to come. 

NSC is able to provide the wide 

range of services to seniors and their 

families because of the generous support 

we receive from organizations like the 

Jewish Federation of Greater Naples, 

Community Foundation of Collier 

County, the Richard M. Schulze Family 

Foundation and donors like you. Thank 

you for helping us help so many. 

Joshua Mellits 

If your information has NOT changed, you do not have to do anything. 

If your information HAS changed or if you are NOT listed 

in the 2019 edition, complete and return this form. 

Jewish Community Directory 

Our Jewish community continues to grow. To help everyone keep in touch with one another, your Jewish 

Federation of Greater Naples will be publishing the 2020 Community Directory. Free copies will be made 

available to all. But first... 

We need your help! 

We’re gathering information now so we can distribute the new Directory in 

December 2019. 

If your information has NOT changed from what appears in the 2019 

edition, you do not have to do anything. We will print the same information 

in the next edition. 

If your information has changed, or if you are not listed in the 2019 

edition, complete and return this form by mail or by fax. All requested 

information is optional. 

If we do not hear from you by October 31, we will assume we have your 

permission to publish your name(s) and contact information as we currently 

have them in our files. 

Copies of the 2019 Directory are available at the Federation office. 

Please check 

one of these 

boxes 

Contact information: (please print clearly) (M) Male (F) Female 

First Name(s): (M) ____________________ (F) ____________________Last: _____________________________ 

Florida Address: _________________________________________________________________________ 

City:_______________________________________________ St: ______ Zip: ___________________________ 

Phone: Local: _________________________________ Northern: __________________________________ 

(M) Cell: __________________________ (M) Email: ____________________________________________ 

(F) Cell: _________________________ (F) Email: ___________________________________________ 

Additional information: 

full-time resident 

part-time resident: 

{ 

Yes! Please include me/us in the 2020 Directory. 

Only include information below that you’d like in the Directory. 

No, please do not include me/us. 

Please provide us with your name(s) and address below. 

We arrive in SW Florida on: _____________________ 

We head north on: _____________________________ 

Please return by October 31, 2019. 

 

 

COMMUNITY 

DIRECTORY 

2020 

The Jewish Federation of Greater Naples 

serves 3,000 Jewish households in Naples, Marco Island 

and the surrounding communities by recognizing 

and addressing the charitable, educational, cultural, 

humanitarian, and social service needs of the Jews 

in our community and around the world. 


2500 Vanderbilt Beach Road, Suite 2201 


239.263.4205 www.jewishnaples.org 

Fax your completed form to: 

(239) 263-3813 

or mail it to: 



Naples, FL 34109



11A 

Watercrest Brings Luxury Senior Living 

to Northeast Naples Neighbors 

In the last year, drivers passing 

through Naples have noted the 

spectacular property development 

on Bellaire Bay Drive. As community 

excitement and speculation has grown, 

Watercrest Naples Assisted Living and 

Memory Care is preparing to welcome 

residents to its beautiful community 

this fall. 

Watercrest Senior Living Group, a 

Vero Beach-based senior living developer 

and operator, and United Properties, a 

developer based in Denver and Minneapolis, 

are partners in the development 

of Watercrest Naples and Watercrest 

Sarasota, which opens in 2020. Watercrest 

and United Properties identified 

Installation of the sign at 9015 Bellaire Bay Drive 

as construction nears completion 

the need to develop an upscale senior 

living community in Naples, and the 

positive response from local residents 

has been tremendous. 

With an increasing demand for exceptional 

care and resort-like accommodations 

for seniors, many local residents 

have already secured reservations at 

Watercrest Naples for themselves, their 

spouses or their family members. 

“Honoring our seniors means providing 

safety, security and a quality of 

living that we ourselves would expect 

to receive,” says Marc Vorkapich, Principal 

and CEO of Watercrest Senior 

Living Group. “We are thankful to the 

Naples residents for their support and 

enthusiasm for this project. Collectively, 

we look forward to providing seniors 

here the outstanding care and worldclass 

services they so deserve.” 

Watercrest Naples will be a signature 

Watercrest product, offering 96 

assisted living and 32 memory care 

apartments with premium accommodations, 

resort-style amenities and 

world-class care. Residents will enjoy 

pampering in elegant Spa W, savor 

private label Watercrest wines at the 

bistro, and relish the flavors 

of locally grown, seasonal 

ingredients and organic fare 

whether dining outdoors, 

bistro-style or in the chef’s 

private dining room. 

The exceptional architecture 

and design will boast 

a stunning promenade, fireplace, 

signature water wall, 

multiple dining options, 

pool, salon and spa, grand 

balconies and Florida-style 

outdoor living spaces in a 

peaceful setting. Watercrest’s 

uniquely designed Market Street Plaza 

will showcase an ‘outdoor’ streetscape 

with numerous LifeBUILT programming 

touches; a highlight and crucial 

element of the multi-sensory memory 

care programming. 

A Great Place to Work-Certified 

company, Watercrest Senior Living 

prides itself on providing outstanding 

caregivers and extraordinary care, all 

tailored to individual resident preferences. 

“The character and competence 

Advertorial 

of our people is the true distinction,” 

says Vorkapich. 

Watercrest Senior Living Group 

was founded by Marc Vorkapich, CEO, 

and Joan Williams, CFO, to honor our 

mothers and fathers, aspiring to become 

a beacon for quality in senior living by 

surpassing standards of care, service 

and associate training. Watercrest Senior 

Living communities are recognized 

for their luxury aesthetic, exceptional 

amenities and world-class care, and their 

innovative and artfully designed Market 

Street Memory Care Residences offer 

unparalleled service to seniors living 

with Alzheimer’s and dementia. 

Watercrest associates answer a calling 

to serve seniors and their families 

every day. They are recognized for their 

achievements and empowered to share 

their vast experience with their peers. 

By continuously investing in these servant 

hearts, Watercrest Senior Living 

Group develops value-centered leaders 

Stunning views from resident apartments 

who deliver personalized service. 

Dawn Osterweil, Executive Director 

of Watercrest Naples, is a shining 

example of that philosophy. “I am honored 

and blessed to be part of the Watercrest 

family and work with the best and 

brightest professionals in the business,” 

says Osterweil. “It means the world to 

me to bring the Watercrest brand to the 

Naples market and ‘to welcome, care 

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Drive, Watercrest Naples is just minutes 

from sandy white beaches, casually 

elegant shopping, dining and cultural 

venues. To schedule a tour, contact 

Dawn Osterweil at 239.734.5639. 

For information about Watercrest 

Senior Living Group and Watercrest 

Naples, visit www.watercrestsenior 

living.com. 

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F 

o 

A 

o 

M 

Set sail for the 2019-20 Greater Naples 

Jewish Book Festival 

Opening Event: Tuesday, November 5 

7:00 - 9:30 p.m. at the Hilton Naples 

Elyssa Friedland • The Floating Feldmans 

Sink or swim. Or at least that’s what Annette Feldman tells herself when she 

books a cruise for her entire family. It’s been over a decade since the Feldman 

clan has spent more than 24 hours under the same roof, but Annette is determined 

to celebrate her 70 th birthday the right way. Just this once they are going 

to behave like an actual family. Too bad her kids didn’t get the memo. 

Between the troublesome family secrets, old sibling rivalries and her teenage 

grandkids, Annette’s birthday vacation is looking more and more like the 

perfect storm. Adrift together on the open seas, the Feldmans will each face 

the truths they’ve been ignoring – and learn that the people they once thought 

most likely to sink them are actually the ones who help them stay afloat. 

Elyssa Friedland is the author of The Floating 

Feldmans, The Intermission and Love and Miss 

Communication. She has written for The Washington 

Post, Bustle, POPSUGAR, Real Simple, 

McSweeney’s and more. She is a graduate of 

Yale University and Columbia Law School. Elyssa lives in 

New York City with her family. She has survived a cruise and 

many family trips. 

This cruise-themed event includes: 

Cruise ship atmosphere with photo station and island music 

Preview presentation of all 2019-20 Jewish Book Festival events 

with ticket and book giveaways 

Drawings for special gifts 

Light bites and drinks 

Free valet parking at the Hilton “port” 

Dress in cruisewear or casual Naples resort wear 

Scenes from the book will be acted out during Elyssa’s presentation 

Sponsored by Hilton Naples 

Send your best cruise photos to be shown on screens 

in the Hilton ballroom from 6:30 - 7:00 p.m. 

The top five will win prizes. 

Send 1-3 photos to Ted Epstein at fedstar18@gmail.com 

with “cruise photos” in the subject line. 

Include your name(s) in the body of the email. 

Winners must be present. 

$30 in advance • $40 at the door • includes light bites and one drink 

For full details on the 2019-20 Greater Naples 

Jewish Book Festival – including the authors, 

book descriptions, event dates, venues, tickets 

and more – see the 8-page supplement in this issue 

of the Federation Star. Tickets are on sale now!


Fiddler: A Miracle 

of Miracles 

A film that goes behind the curtain 

opens September 13 at Regal Naples 

Many people are not aware that 

Broadway musical Fiddler 

on the Roof has its roots in a 

novel by Joseph Stein, which is based 

on the Tevye the Dairyman stories written 

by renowned Yiddish author and 

playwright Sholem Aleichem. 

The origins of this beloved production 

are recounted in a new documentary 

film directed by Max Lewkowicz, Fiddler: 

A Miracle of Miracles. Its creative 

roots, in early 1960s New York, sprang 

Grey, Harvey Fierstein, Danny Burstein, 

and authors Fran Lebowitz, Calvin Trillin 

and Nathan Englander. 

Rare archival footage of rehearsals 

from the various productions, along with 

excerpts from the unforgettable score 

with songs – including “If I were a Rich 

Man,” “Sunrise Sunset,” “Matchmaker” 

and “Tradition” – are used throughout 

the film and bring some of the most 

memorable moments of the show back 

to life. 

September 2019 Federation Star 13A 

High Holy Days 

2019 / 5780 

Maria Karnilova, Tanya Everett, Zero Mostel, Julia Migenes and Joanna Merlin backstage on opening 

night, Sept. 22,1964 (photo credit AP - courtesy of Roadside Attractions and Samuel Goldwyn Films) 

to life on the New York stage at a time 

when “tradition” was on the wane, as 

gender roles, sexuality, race relations 

and religion were evolving and in the 

forefront of the public consciousness. 

The show that almost didn’t happen 

became one of the longest-running musicals 

on Broadway for nearly a decade, 

surpassing 3,000 performances. Fiddler 

on the Roof won nine Tony Awards, 

spawned five Broadway revivals and is 

still performed more than any other production 

– from middle schools in inner 

cities to high schools in rural America, 

Melanie Moore, Alexandra Silber and Samantha Massel in Fiddler 

on the Roof, Broadway 2016 (photo credit Dog Green Productions - 

courtesy of Roadside Attractions and Samuel Goldwyn Films) 

around the world in grand state theaters 

in Japan and Vienna to Johannesburg 

and Mexico City. 

In the film, the journey of Fiddler 

on the Roof is told through a tapestry 

of intimate interviews with lyricist 

Sheldon Harnick, producer Hal Prince, 

original cast member Austin Pendleton, 

and Broadway luminaries, including 

Lin-Manuel Miranda, Chaim Topol, Joel 

While most everyone views Fiddler 

on the Roof as an iconic piece of popular 

culture that inspires endless sing-alongs, 

the reason Fiddler on the Roof has persisted 

and continues to resonate with 

audiences today is because the themes 

at the heart of the show are universal to 

people around the world, transcending 

time and place. 

The story of an Orthodox Jewish 

community in 1905, struggling to deal 

with pogroms and changing traditions, 

parallels themes of 1964 when 

the show opened on Broadway, and 

resonates with the 

world in which we 

live today. Fiddler: A 

Miracles of Miracles 

explores many of 

these themes, all of 

which are present in 

each timeframe. It is 

the timeless, ubiquitous 

themes that give 

Fiddler its power, 

for they shed light 

on what it means to 

be a human being in 

this world, whether 

you are a 19 th century 

Russian dairyman 

or a young African- 

American girl in the 

21 st century. 

As Lin-Manuel Miranda says in 

the film, “Fiddler captures those big 

moments in our lives – moments of 

transition, moments of tradition breaking, 

tradition renewing.” 

Fiddler: A Miracle of Miracles, 

from Roadside Attractions and Samuel 

Goldwyn Films, opens Friday, September 

13 at Regal Naples. 

SOULFUL, JOYFUL, 

INSPIRATIONAL 

AND WELCOMING! 

JOIN US FOR 

THE HIGH HOLY DAYS 

Schedule of Services 

Erev Rosh Hashanah 

Sunday, September 29 

Evening service 

7:30pm 

Rosh Hashanah Day 1 

Monday, September 30 

Morning service 

10:00am 

Family service 

2:30pm 

Tashlich 

4:00pm 

(Lake at Vineyards Park) 

Rosh Hashanah Day 2 

Tuesday, October 1 


10:00am 

Sukkot Celebration 

Sunday, October 13 

Family picnic 

11:30am 

Sukkot Service 

Monday, October 14 

10:00am 

Erev Yom Kippur 

Tuesday, October 8 

Kol Nidre service 

7:30pm 

Yom Kippur 

Wednesday, October 9 


10:00am 

Family service 

2:30pm 

Afternoon service 

3:30pm 

Yizkor & Neilah 

5:00pm 

Simchat Torah 

Sunday, October 20 

Yizkor service 

9:30am 

Simchat Torah & 

Consecration 

10:30am 

For information regarding ticket prices, services or 

membership, please contact the Temple Shalom office. 

If you’ve never joined us before, are on active military 

duty or a college student, please contact us to 

receive complimentary tickets. 

Advance tickets or government issued ID are 

required for entrance to services. 

Fiddler on the Roof, Chichester Festival Theatre UK (photo credit Chichester Festival Theatre - 

courtesy of Roadside Attractions and Samuel Goldwyn Films) 

For a continuously updated community 

calendar, visit www.jewishnaples.org. 

Temple Shalom 

4630 Pine Ridge Road 


239-455-3030 

www.naplestemple.org • info@naplestemple.org


Holocaust Scholar-in-Residence at FGCU 

to discuss the Second Generation 

The Center for Judaic, Holocaust, 

and Genocide Studies at Florida 

Gulf Coast University (FGCU) 

will host its first-ever Scholar-in-Residence 

during September. 

Dr. Jennifer Rich comes from 

Rowan University, New Jersey, and is 

Co-Director of the Rowan Center for 

Holocaust and Genocide Studies. A 

well-known commentator on contemporary 

events relating to the Jewish 

community, she will present a number 

of lectures to FCGU students regarding 

aspects of education and the Holocaust. 

Dr. Rich’s first address at FGCU 

will be a public lecture on Sunday, 

September 22 at 3:00 p.m. in Sugden 

Hall, Room 111. No registration is necessary, 

and parking is free. 

She will speak on “The Future 

of Holocaust Memory,” based on her 

forthcoming book, Keepers of Memory. 

In this, she will discuss how the 

Second and Third Generations want 

the Holocaust to be remembered as we 

move forward to a time when the survivors 

are no longer with us. 

This will be a “must see” event for 

all members of the community with an 

interest in how the Holocaust might be 


remembered in the future. 

For more information, contact the 

Director of the Center, Dr. Paul Bartrop 

(pbartrop@fgcu.edu), or Associate 

Director Jessica Evers (jevers@ 

fgcu.edu). 

Jewish Genealogy Group Meeting 

The next meeting of the Jewish Genealogy SIG (Shared Interest Group) 

at the Jewish Federation of Greater Naples offices (2500 Vanderbilt Beach 

Road, Suite 2201, Naples) is on Tuesday, September 10 at 10:00 a.m. 

Seating is limited. RSVP to genresearch13@yahoo.com. 

You will receive an acknowledgement that you have a reservation. 

Bring a notebook and pen with you to the meeting. 

Tributes 

Tributes require a minimum donation of $18. 

Tributes to the Jewish 

Federation Campaign 

To: 

From: 

Myra Friedman 

In honor of your birthday 

Gracia Kuller 

To: 

From: 

To: 

From: 

Robert Subin 

Wishing you a complete recovery 

Gracia Kuller 

Ellie O’Brien 

In memory of Miriam 

Kathy & Bill Hughes 

To: 

From: 

To: 

From: 

Stuart Warshauer & Family 

In memory of Susan M. Warshauer 

Ida & Jeff Margolis 

Mr. & Mrs. Don Zulanch 

In honor of your grandson’s Bar Mitzvah 

Rita Bernstein 

To: 

From: 

To: 

From: 

Betty Udelsman 

In memory of your husband, 

Jack Udelsman 

JoEllen & Len Rubenstein 

Gail & Mel Ufberg 

Nancy Brown 

In memory of your mother 

Nancy & Burt Kaplan 

To: 

From: 

To: 

From: 

Joan & Marc Saperstein 

Thank you for your gracious hospitality 

Robin & Andy Mintz 

Goldie Wetcher 

In honor of your birthday 

Ida & Jeff Margolis 

To: 

From: 

To: 

From: 

Maude Laurence & Family 

In memory of Elaine Laurence 

Joan Weinstein 

Joyce Toub 

In memory of your husband, Mel Toub 

Sharon & Alan Deutch 

To: 

From: 

Helene & Elliot Lerner 

In memory of Larry Lerner 

Caroline & Bill Schulhof 

Jane Schiff & Lon Gratz 

Sharon & Alan Deutch 

To place a Tribute in the Federation Star in honor or memory of someone, please contact 

Nathan Ricklefs at the Federation office at 239.263.4205 or nricklefs@jewishnaples.org. 

Tributes require a minimum donation of $18. A note will be sent to the person you are 

honoring. Tributes help further the work of the Jewish Federation of Greater Naples. 

PLEASE BE OUR GUEST AT SERVICES FOR 

High 

INDEPENDENT LIVING • ASSISTED LIVING • MEMORY CARE 

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NAPLES JEWISH CONGREGATION 

Warm, Reform, Affordable, Adult 

We are pleased to offer 

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Previous attendees may purchase tickets for $100 per person 

Please contact Stephen McCloskey at 724-747-3359 


Cantorial Soloist Jane Galler 

UNIQUE 

RETIREMENT CONCIERGE 

LIVING AT ITS FINEST 

NOW OPEN, STOP IN FOR EXCLUSIVE BENEFITS 

EREV ROSH HASHANAH SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 29 7PM 

ROSH HASHANAH MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 30 10AM 

KOL NIDRE TUESDAY, OCTOBER 8 7PM 

YOM KIPPUR WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 9 10AM 

Founded in 1998, NJC is a mature congregation, proudly 

offering opportunities for observance, study and fellowship 

in a warm and welcoming atmosphere, nestled in a 

tranquil wooded setting. NJC’s High Holy Days services, 

led by Rabbi Howard Herman, are inspirational, 

throught-provoking and informative. They are infused 

with beautiful music from Cantorial Soloist Jane 

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Please join us to experience the NJC difference. 


A WELCOMING PLACE FOR YOU TO BELONG 

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naplesjewishcongregation.org 239-431-3858 

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Introducing the Butterflies of Hope 

and Remembrance project 

By Bette Zaret and Ida Margolis 

The year 2020 is the anniversary 

of many very significant historical 

events, from the 100 th 

anniversary of the ratification of the 19 th 

Amendment giving women the right 

to vote, to the 60 th anniversary of the 

election of John F. Kennedy, to the 50 th 

anniversary of the Kent State Massacre. 

Many 75 th anniversaries of great 

significance take place in 2020, including 

the anniversary of the end of WWII 

and the liberation of the Nazi concentration 

camps. As a commemoration of 

these events, Southwest Florida will 

have many programs as part of a major 

yearlong initiative known as Butterflies 

of Hope and Remembrance. This 

project originated in Sarasota, and was 

suggested to become a SWFL initiative 

due to the vision and efforts of Bette 

Zaret and Dr. Andre Kraus. They have 

encouraged the involvement of numerous 

organizations throughout SWFL, 

and a great number of important events 

have already been scheduled. 

The Butterflies of Hope and Remembrance 

project is not just a history 

lesson. It is a living project dedicated 

to promoting Holocaust education and 

human rights. 

At the same time that the world is 

losing all World War II veterans, liberators 

and Holocaust survivors, there is a 

resurgence of anti-Semitism and white 

nationalist groups that spread their 

insidious hatred. It is well known that 

the Holocaust didn’t start with killing, 

and most genocides didn’t start with 

killing. They started with measures 

of persecution, gradually increasing 

in gravity, from hatred, prejudice and 

discrimination to classification, 

isolation and 

dehumanization. One of 

the most important lessons 

of the Holocaust is 

that we need to be vigilant 

and stop any form 

of persecution before it 

becomes genocide. We 

must not be lulled into 

passivity in the hope that 

“this too shall pass.” 

We must educate for 

the future. Young people 

need to understand that 

prejudice, exclusion, stereotyping and 

intolerance have terrible consequences. 

We must teach kindness, respect and 

love of our fellow human beings, to 

stand up against acts of hate and, especially, 

not stand by to watch them happen. 

Thus, it is increasingly important 

to continue to educate our youth. 

The title of this project was inspired 

by a poem entitled “The Butterfly,” written 

in 1942 by Pavel Friedmann while 

he was imprisoned in the Theresienstadt 

concentration camp. Friedmann was 

deported to Auschwitz in 1944, where 


SPONSORED BY 

he perished. In many cultures, butterflies 

are deep and powerful representations 

of life and rebirth. People around the 

world view the butterfly as representing 

the wonder of nature, endurance, 

change, life, freedom and hope for a 

more beautiful future. 

During the coming 

year, many groups 

throughout Southwest 

Florida will be working 

with community partners, 

schools, teachers, 

libraries, universities and 

faith-based organizations 

to support and participate 

in programming for this 

yearlong initiative. In addition 

to commemorative 

events, there will be a 

variety of educational 

programs, speakers, films, musical 

programs, displays and art exhibits designed 

to involve the entire community. 

Please join us as we pay tribute to and 

honor those and their families who endured 

the atrocities of the Holocaust; to 

the Righteous Among the Nations who, 

at great risk, helped to rescue them; and 

to those who liberated them. Let’s stand 

up together to resist all expressions of 

discrimination and hatred, with the hope 

of making this world a better place. For 

more information, please email Ida at 

GenShoahSWFL@gmail.com. 

Save the dates for these 

upcoming programs: 

¡ Sunday, November 17 at 2:30 p.m.: 

Kristallnacht Commemoration. 

Join us for the kickoff to Butterflies 

of Hope and Remembrance at 

Saint John the Evangelist Catholic 

Church, 625 111 Ave. N. No reservations 

needed. 

¡ Friday, January 10 at 2:00 p.m.: 

Film screening of Not the Last 

Butterfly at South Regional Library, 

8065 Lely Cultural Parkway, 

Naples. Accompanying art exhibit. 

RSVP beginning in December at 

collierlibrary.org/events. 

¡ Wednesday, January 15 at 2:00 

p.m.: Discussion of Alyson Richman’s 

historical novel The Lost Wife 

at South Regional Library. RSVP 

beginning in December at collier 

library.org/events. 

¡ Sunday, January 26 at 2:00 p.m.: 

To commemorate International 

Holocaust Remembrance Day, a 

film screening of Defi ant Requiem, 

Temple Shalom, 4630 Pine Ridge 

Road, Naples. RSVP at holocaust 

museumswfl.org. 

¡ Monday, January 27, time TBA: 

International Holocaust Remembrance 

Day film screening of The 

Boys of Terezin, Holocaust Museum 

& Cohen Education Center, 975 

Imperial Golf Course Blvd., Suite 

108, Naples. RSVP at holocaust 


¡ Wednesday, March 18 at 6:30 p.m.: 

Film screening of Footsteps of 

My Father, presentation by Perry 

Switzen about his father, a liberator, 

along with honoring liberators, 

Holocaust Museum & Cohen Education 

Center. RSVP at holocaust 


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E y E t o E y E . H E a r t t o H E a r t. M E M o r y t o M E M o r y.



Liberation of Nazi camps and human rights 

among GenShoah SWFL presentations 

Ida 

Margolis 

GenShoah 

Chair 

GenShoah SWFL presents many 

interesting and important public 

programs each season, and 

the upcoming season will include especially 

significant programs. GenShoah’s 

mission statement is: “Promotion of 

Holocaust education and human rights, 

preservation of the history and memories 

of the Holocaust, connection of the 

Second Generation with one another, 

and support of the Holocaust Museum 

& Cohen Education Center.” So even 

though GenShoah is a 2g group, it is 

open to anyone who is interested in the 

promotion of Holocaust education and 

human rights. 

Human rights issues will be highlighted 

and discussed at “Movies That 

Matter,” which will include three 

screenings of films presented by the 

Human Rights Film Coalition of Southwest 

Florida of which GenShoah is a 

member. Each film will deal with current 

significant human rights issues, and 

facilitators with expertise in the topics of 

the films will be present for a Q&A. (See 

descriptions of the films on page 18A.) 

GenShoah is also partnering with 

numerous organizations throughout 

SWFL to commemorate the 75 th anniversary 

of the end of WWII and the liberation 

of the Nazi concentration camps. 

There will be numerous programs, 

including films and speakers, that will 

be announced throughout the season as 

part of the Butterflies of Hope and Remembrance 

Project. The kickoff to this 

project will take place at the Kristallnacht 

Commemoration at 2:30 p.m. on 

Sunday, November 17 at Saint John the 

Evangelist Catholic Church, 625 111 

Ave N, Naples. A special invitation has 

been extended to all survivors, children 

of survivors, and veterans to attend the 

event. If you would like more information 

about this program and upcoming 

programs, or if you know anyone in the 

area who helped liberate any of the Nazi 

concentration camps, please email me at 

genshoahswfl@gmail.com. 

In addition to the public events 

there will be two special programs for 

members of the Second Generation. On 

Sunday, December 15, the annual pot 

luck dinner will be held at a member’s 

home. On Sunday, February 9 there will 

be an opportunity for 2g members to 

share a personal story. 

GenShoah believes that support 

of the Holocaust Museum & Cohen 

Education Center is essential so that the 

museum can continue with its important 

and critical mission to “Teach the lessons 

of the Holocaust to inspire action 

against bigoty, hatred and violence.” 

GenShoah SWFL is an affinity group 

Read the current and previous 

editions of the Federation Star 

and Connections online 

at www.jewishnaples.org. 

of the museum, which sends out the 

GenShoah e-newsletter, helps sponsor 

and promote our programs, and often 

provides a venue for GenShoah programs 

and events. We do not charge a 

membership, as many Second Generation 

groups do. In keeping with our mission 

of supporting the museum, we ask 

that all those interested in the mission of 

GenShoah and who want to receive the 

17A 

GenShoah newsletter be members of the 

Holocaust Museum & Education Center. 

To become a member, call 239.263.9200 

or visit www.HolocaustMuseumSWFL. 

org. 

More specifics and additional dates 

will be published in future editions of 

the Federation Star and the GenShoah 

e-newsletter. For additional information, 

email genshoahswfl@gmail.com. 

The High Holidays 

@ Chabad Naples 

⁄nspiring 

(not tiring) 

ALL ARE WELCOME! 

• Warm and friendly atmosphere 

• Fun and meaningful children’s services 

• Running commentary and inspiring sermons 

• Hebrew-English prayer books 

• Services followed by delicious Kiddush buffet 

Get “out of the box” 

“If you are seeking a place of meaning, warmth 

and joy, please come to the Chabad Naples… 

you will be met with kindness, you will feel 

contentment, and your heart will be touched.” 

Marcy Babcox 

To join Chabad Naples for the High Holidays is to feel at home. Whether your background in Jewish prayer and practice 

is extensive or limited, attending services at Chabad Naples will leave you feeling enriched, connected, uplifted and 

inspired. With the Days of Awe rapidly approaching, we invite you to join Chabad Naples for the High Holidays. 

Your Chabad Naples family wishes you and your loved ones a Happy and Sweet New Year! 

www.ChabadNaples.com/HHReservations 

1789 Mandarin Road, Naples, FL 34102 (239) 262-4474 highholidays@chabadnaples.com 

* No prior experience necessary, open to the entire community. No one will be turned away due to lack of funds.


“Movies That Matter” announces 

lineup of provocative documentaries 

By Carole J Greene 

At a time in our culture when 

comic-book heroes and villains 

fill movie theaters with rabid 

fans, “Movies That Matter” provides 

audiences with the opportunity to confront 

true-life villains and applaud the 

true-to-life heroes who combat them. 

Three documentaries to be screened 

locally in October are sure to provoke 

a wide range of emotions – from incredulity 

to comprehension to chagrin to 

compassion. 

The first, Invisible Hands, 

selected for six prominent film 

festivals in 2017 and 2018, 

will be shown on Wednesday, 

October 16. It exposes the 

stark reality of child labor 

and trafficking throughout the 

world, but mostly in the poorest 

countries. The villains who 

depend on this cheap labor – in 

some cases, amounting to slavery – are 

giant companies with household names. 

Try not to be shocked when you see 

brands like Microsoft, Colgate, Nestle, 

and retailers such as Gap and Walmart 

exploiting children to harvest, mine, 

manufacture, exterminate. And the 

heroes? I won’t spoil it for you. Come, 

watch the film and find out. 

Screened on Wednesday, October 

23, the second documentary, A Place 

at the Table, explores the appalling fact 

that one in four American children – in 

this richest of all lands – suffers from 

food insecurity. This film follows three 

Americans from diverse geographical 

areas to reveal how hunger poses serious 

economic, social and cultural implications 

for the U.S., and makes clear that 

the problem can be solved once and for 

all if the American public decides that 

making healthy food available and affordable 

is in everyone’s best interest. 

A Place at the Table was nominated for 

the prestigious Grand 

Jury Prize at the 2012 

Sundance Film Festival. 

The final film in this 

year’s presentation is set 

for Wednesday, October 

30. The cleverly titled 

Heroin(e) focuses attention 

on three heroes – in 

this instance, heroines 

– who battle the opioid epidemic in 

Huntington, West Virginia, a city with 

an overdose rate 10 times the national 

average. The fire chief, a judge and a 

street missionary jointly express the 

belief that this opioid crisis has the potential 

to bankrupt the country. 

After Netflix premiered the film 

in November 2017, a far-reaching 

response came almost immediately. 

The U.S. Dept. of Health and Human 

Services funded a $350,000 grant to 

SIGN UP FOR THE FEDERATION’S 

WEEKLY COMMUNITY eNEWSLETTER! 

Get the latest information on upcoming community events 

and cultural activities, news from Israel and lots more. 

Send an email to info@jewishnaples.org. 

address the epidemic in Huntington. A 

church and the city donated a downtown 

building to create a constant, stable location 

for women served by the Brown 

Bag Ministry. 

Heroin(e) was nominated for an 

Academy Award for short-form documentary, 

received a News and Documentary 

Emmy, and was a Peabody 

Award finalist. 

All showings will take place at 6:30 

p.m. at Paragon Pavilion Theater, 833 

Vanderbilt Beach Road. Tickets are $10 

and can be ordered only at Holocaust- 


SPONSORED BY 

MuseumSWFL.org. There will be no 

reserved seating. 

Following each screening, various 

experts will discuss the subject and answer 

questions. Look for details about 

these panels in the October issue of 

Federation Star. 

“Movies That Matter” is a collaborative 

effort of the Holocaust Museum 

and Cohen Education Center, GenShoah 

SWFL, Temple Shalom, Jewish Federation 

of Greater Naples, Federation’s 

Jewish Community Relations Council, 

and Naples United Church of Christ. 

Temple Shalom welcomes 


as Rabbi Educator 

Temple Shalom is thrilled to announce 

that Rabbi Ariel Boxman 

has joined the Temple Shalom 

“One Family” team as Rabbi Educator. 

Rabbi Boxman is a graduate of 

American University in Washington, 

D.C. She was ordained in 

2012 and earned a Master 

of Arts in Jewish Education 

in 2013 from Hebrew 

Union College in Cincinnati. 

Rabbi Boxman 

served as the Assistant 

Rabbi and then as the 

Rabbi Educator at Temple 

Shalom, a 700-family 

Reform temple in Plano, 

Texas. There, she found 

new ways to engage members of all ages 

spiritually and educationally. 

As the Rabbi Educator, Rabbi Boxman 

will be the Director of the Religious 


School and will oversee lifelong learning 

at Temple Shalom. In this role, she 

will create innovative and engaging 

classroom and experiential educational 

programs for children, adults and families, 

and assist Rabbi Miller and Cantor 

Azu with pastoral care 

and worship experiences. 

Her energy and creativity 

along with her caring 

approach will be great 

assets to our members 

and the clergy team. 

The Search Committee 

and temple members 

who met her during 

her interview were impressed 

by her thoughtfulness, 

the experiences she brings and 

the ideas she has for Temple Shalom. 

Rabbi Boxman and her husband 

Asher have two sons. 

OF GREATER NAPLES PRESENTS: 

IAC SPEAKER SERIES 

SPONSORED BY THE ISRAEL ADVOCACY COMMITTEE OF JFGN 

THURS. NOV. 7 @ 7:30 PM 

TEMPLE SHALOM 

ISRAELI JOURNALIST FOR THE JERUSALEM POST 

HERB KEINON 

AUTHOR OF FRENCH FRIES IN PITA 

& LONE SOLDIERS: ISRAEL’S DEFENDERS 

FROM AROUND THE WORLD 

Herb Keinon has lectured 

widely in Israel, the US, 

Europe and Australia on 

the political and diplomatic 

situation in Israel, and 

appears on a variety of 

radio and television 

programs around the 

world. He has lived in 

Israel for nearly 35 years, 

is married with four 

children, and lives in 

Ma’ale Adumim, just 

outside of Jerusalem. 

REGISTRATION FOR THE EVENT: 

PRE-REGISTRATION: $18 

AT THE DOOR: $25 

PATRON DINNER WITH HERB KEINON: $100 

Includes dinner & event ticket 

Students are free with pre-registration 

To pre-register call the Jewish Federation at 239-263-4205 

with your credit card or mail check to 

JFGN, 2500 Vanderbilt Beach Rd. Ste 2201 

Naples, FL 34109 Attn: IAC



19A 

Day 1. 

A bright new sunrise 

brings its greetings. 

So gather the apples, 

all fresh and sweet. 

Now a perfectly round 

challah to welcome a king. 

Add the honey, and that’s 

a feast so sweet. 

A bright new sunrise 

brings its greetings. 

Happy new year from 

all your friends at Publix.



2019-2020 EVENTS 

Save these dates: 

Tuesday, November 5, 2019 @ 7:00 p.m. 

OPENING NIGHT – JEWISH BOOK FESTIVAL 

Hilton Naples 

Sunday, November 17, 2019 @ 2:30 p.m. 

KRISTALLNACHT COMMEMORATION 

Saint John the Evangelist Catholic Church 

Monday, November 18, 2019 @ 7:00 p.m. 

ANNUAL COMMUNITY CAMPAIGN KICKOFF 

Stonebridge Country Club 

Monday, December 23, 2019 @ 5:00 p.m. 

COMMUNITY CHANUKAH CELEBRATION 

On the lawn at Mercato 

Saturday, December 28, 2019 @ 5:30 p.m. 

JCMI CHANUKAH EVENT 

Jewish Congregation of Marco Island 

Tuesday, January 7, 2020 @ 7:15 p.m. 

ALEXANDRA SILBER IN CONCERT 

Temple Shalom 

Wednesday, January 8, 2020 @ 6:00 p.m. 

MAJOR GIFTS & LION OF JUDAH DINNER 

Venue Naples 

Sunday, January 19, 2020 @ 9:00 a.m. 

JEWISH COMMUNITY DAY OF LEARNING 

Temple Shalom 

Wednesday, February 5, 2020 @ 7:30 p.m. 

EVY LIPP PEOPLE OF THE BOOK CULTURAL EVENT 

Temple Shalom 

Sunday, March 29, 2020 @ 11:00 a.m. 

POWER OF COMMUNITY CELEBRATION 

Grey Oaks Country Club 

Sunday, April 19, 2020 

YOM HASHOAH PROGRAM 

Temple Shalom 

Wednesday, April 22, 2020 @ 7:00 p.m. 

ANNUAL MEETING 

Sunday, May 3, 2020 

CELEBRATE ISRAEL

JEWISH INTEREST 

Rabbi Barbara Aiello 


21A 

Aging Jewishly – What our traditions teach us about growing old 

The impact of pet ownership for seniors 

By Rabbi Barbara Aiello 

Their names are Scruffy, Ruffy, 

Midnight and Puddin’Pie. Then 

there’s Tuvia, Tova, Sheina and 

Butch. These are the names of dogs and 

cats – pets whose owners I’ve come to 

know and love 

over the years 

that I served as 

a campus and 

resident rabbi at 

several Tampa 

Bay retirement 

homes. And during 

those years, I 

had direct experience 

with what 

sociologists, psychologists and gerontologists 

report about senior citizens 

and pets. Specifically, it’s a fabulous 

combination that promotes mental and 

physical health. 

In an article by Freedom Ahn that 

first appeared in The Huffington Post’s 

“Healthy Living” (December 2016) 

and was reprinted in the publication 

of the Madlyn and Leonard Abramson 

Center for Jewish Life, we learn about 

“The Paw-sitive Effect of Pets,” especially 

for elderly pet owners. Researchers 

confirm that the health benefits for 

seniors who have pets include: 

Reduction of blood pressure 

Reduction of depressed mood by 

increasing serotonin and dopamine 

levels 

Reduction of visits to a doctor 

Increased opportunities to exercise 

Opportunity to meet new people 

Reduction in loneliness 

Yet although the benefits of elderly 

pet ownership seem obvious, there are 

misconceptions that abound. For example, 

Helen is a woman in her 90s 

who says, “I am in love with my cat. 

Her name is Tova and I’ve had her for 

ages. We’re best friends. So I told my 

daughter, I’m not going into a retirement 

home. They won’t take Tova so 

they won’t have me either!” 

Years ago, before gerontology 

professionals understood the positive 

impact of a pet’s companionship on 

an aging senior, most retirement facilities 

would not accept a resident’s cat 

or dog. But now, with what we know 

about the health benefits related to pet 

ownership, the situation has changed 

for the better. Thanks to an online 

clearinghouse, after55.com, it is now 

possible to find pet-friendly senior 

housing and even pet-friendly assisted 

living facilities all over the U.S. In 

fact, after55.com reports that a whopping 

78% of senior living communities 

welcome pets. After55.com says, 

“Pet-friendly senior housing units usually 

allow cats, small- to medium-sized 

dogs, and other small animals such as 

birds and fish. Some senior communities 

have “community” dogs and cats 

that live on site.” 

“But what if I get sick, need an operation 

or have to go to the hospital or 

rehab?” That’s the question Art asked 

as he considered adding a sweet young 

rescue dog as a live-in companion. “I 

want to have a dog,” Art says, “But I 

want to be responsible, too. Who will 

take my dog if I’m incapacitated?” 

Art’s concerns are legitimate ones, 

so much so that pet-loving volunteers 

created a unique service, PACT for Animals, 

that matches pets with foster families 

when the pet owner needs someone 

to care longer term for a dog or cat. 

Originally designed to serve military 

personnel who faced deployment 

and needed a long-term living solution 

for a beloved pet, PACT for Animals 

now offers family fostering opportunities 

for elderly pet owners who face 

surgery or rehabilitation. PACT for 

Animals reports, “(We give) peace of 

mind to hospital patients and military 

personnel by placing their pets into 

temporary foster homes until their 

owners can be reunited with the devoted 

companions they love.” 

Founded in 2011 as the first organization 

of its kind, PACT has facilitated 

the placement of more than 700 

companion pets nationwide. The service 

is offered at no charge, however, 

PACT requires the owner to reimburse 

the foster family for their pet’s food, 

grooming and medical expenses. 

The Senior Solutions Center at 

Colorado’s Jewish Family Services 

puts it well when it says, “For seniors 

and those living alone, pets can have 

a profound impact on quality of life.” 

Baruch HaShem, there are now senior 

housing opportunities that understand 

this basic principle, and organizations 

such as PACT for Animals that offer 

help and peace of mind to senior pet 

owners as they age. 

For ten years Rabbi Barbara Aiello 

served the Aviva Campus for Senior 

Life as resident rabbi. Currently as 

Rabbi Emerita she shares her experiences 

on Aging Jewishly. She divides 

her time between the U.S. and 

Italy, where she is rabbi of Italy’s fi rst 

Reconstructionist synagogue. Contact 

her at Rabbi@RabbiBarbara.com. 

BUYING • SELLING 

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Proudly assisting customers with 

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Bonita Springs and Estero since 2005. 

Mention this ad and I will donate 10% of my commission 

to the Jewish Federation of Collier County. 

The Premier Address 

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Phil Jason 


One family’s story of hope and triumph over evil 

Book review by Philip K. Jason, Special to the Federation Star 

Resilience: One Family’s Story 

of Hope and Triumph Over Evil 

by Judy Stone, MD. 

Mountainside MD Press. 384 pages. 

Trade paperback $17.95. 

As the number of Holocaust survivors 

continues to dwindle, 

only a scant remnant remains 

to tell their stories and verify the facts. 

Scholars continue to explore the field, 

but testimony is so much richer than 

the results of research. 

Dr. Judy 

Stone, the daughter 

of survivors 

and, with this 

book, the voice 

for both the survivors 

of a large, 

extended Jewish- 

Hungarian family 

and their memories 

of those who perished, connects 

the past with the present in an inspired 

and chilling way. 

The time came when Judy Stone 

knew that it was up to her to convey 

the traumas of her elders, giving meaning 

to their perseverance and courage, 

remembering their trials and tribulations, 

and acknowledging that the dead 

can tell no tales – whether those who 

died in the nightmare of the Holocaust 

or those who survived it either speechless 

or simply mortal. In the latter case, 

the author needed to get their stories 

before it was too late. 

It’s all here, the result of committed 

passion lifting the heavy weight of 

assumed responsibility. 

This is one of the answers to the 

haunting question “who will tell our 

story?” that becomes more pressing 

every year. 

Dr. Stone has a second motive for 

bringing her family’s Holocaust experiences, 

and the political backgrounds 

of those experiences, to the attention of 

readers. She sees, and hopes her readers 

will see, the parallels between what 

happened in Europe before and during 

the Holocaust years and what has been 

happening once again in Europe as 

well as in the U. S. and elsewhere. She 

fears the rise of nationalism and isolationism. 

She fears the vilification of the 

mainstream press and the proliferation 

of hate crimes. For her, the handwriting 

is on the wall – in blood! She is bringing 

us her family history, in context, so 

that such potential atrocities are recognized 

and snuffed out early, and the 

hideous mass crimes of the past will 

not be repeated. 

Many aspects of this book are remarkable, 

among them the simple fact 

that there were so many survivors. The 

extended Ehrenfeld and 

Glattstein families suffered 

in almost every 

way one can imagine. 

They were imprisoned 

into forced labor inside 

and outside of concentration 

camps, places 

whose names we know 

all too well. They were 

tortured. They suffered 

from malnutrition, exhaustion 

and sheer barbarism. Among 

them were Judy’s mother and father. 

She writes at length about her parents’ 

siblings – her aunts and uncles. These 

people have stories now told because 

Judy drew their stories out, laboriously, 

and over a long period of time. 

Listen to the names: Magdus (the 

author’s mother), Bözsi, Miklos, Klari, 

Kati, Pista, Miki (the author’s father) 

and Sanyi. 

These Hungarian Jews, some more 

Dr. Judy Stone 

religious than others 

but generally followers 

of traditional Jewish 

customs, established 

and maintained households, 

educated themselves, 

ran businesses, 

and watched – with 

growing concern – 

the beastly takeover 

of Hungary and the 

ascendance of Nazi rule. In late 1938, 

they heard about Kristallnacht and 

then later (after German occupation) 

saw it paralleled in their hometown 

of Sáránd. Soon after, everything was 

gone. Hungarian Jews were either in 

hiding or essentially prisoners of the 

Nazi empire. 

Dr. Stone tells their stories, which 

include their various relationships, in 

an accessible, colorful style. We get 

to know them. We see 

them in full disorientation 

after the Allies 

turn the tide of war. We 

see them attempt (often 

with success) to rebuild 

their lives. We see most 

of them, each in his or 

her own time, decide 

that Hungary is not the 

place to continue their 

lives. We see them rebuilding 

lives and having families in 

the United States. We see their children, 

Dr. Stone’s generation, participate 

in the American Dream. 

We witness family reunions, temporary 

returns to Hungary and – ultimately 

– the deaths of the Holocaust 

generation: Dr. Stone’s mother, as well 

as her aunts, uncles and cousins. We 

know there must have been instances 

and prolonged periods of trauma, yet 

their lives turned out to be the heart- 

beat of resilience. With one exception, 

these survivors lived 

into their eighties and nineties. 

Only one person could write 

this important and necessary 

book. 

About the author 

Dr. Judy Stone, with her longstanding 

interest in genealogy 

and oral history, has fulfilled 

the wishes of her mother by researching 

and writing her survivor 

family’s memoir. 

Professionally, she is an infectious 

disease physician who is experienced 

in conducting clinical research. She 

is the author of Conducting Clinical 

Research: A Practical Guide for Physicians, 

Nurses, Study Coordinates, 

and Investigators, which is a text used 

widely in medical education. 

For 25 years, she ran a solo practice 

in rural Cumberland, Maryland, and 

she now cares for patients part-time as 

a locum tenens (substitute) physician. 

She graduated from Washington University 

in St. Louis, then completed 

medical school at the University of 

Maryland, residency at Rochester General 

Hospital (New York) and a fellowship 

at West Virginia University. 

Dr. Stone is a Forbes Pharma and 

Healthcare contributor and former columnist 

for Scientific American. 

Proceeds from this book are donated 

by Dr. Stone to organizations that 

promote Holocaust education. 

Philip K. Jason is Professor Emeritus 

of English from the United States Naval 

Academy. He reviews regularly for 

Florida Weekly, Washington Independent 

Review of Books, Southern Literary 

Review, other publications and 

the Jewish Book Council. Please visit 

Phil’s website at www.philjason.word 

press.com.


Stars of David 

By Nate Bloom, Contributing Columnist 

Editor’s note: Persons in BOLD CAPS are deemed by Nate Bloom to be Jewish 

for the purpose of the column. Persons identified as Jewish have at least one Jewish 

parent and were not raised in a faith other than Judaism – and don’t identify 

with a faith other than Judaism as an adult. Converts to Judaism, of course, are 

also identified as Jewish. 

The Emmys – a Very Partial List 

The Primetime Emmys, for excellence 

in TV, will be presented, on Fox, on 

Sunday, September 22. There will be 

no host. I won’t attempt to name all the 

Jewish nominees. I will limit myself to 

the acting categories. The number of 

Emmy categories is ever increasing, 

as are the number of nominees in most 

categories (used to be five, now it can 

be up to eight). Many categories, like 

guest star actor/actress, documentaries 

and music (composing) awards have 

been moved to the newish “Creative 

Arts” Emmys, which are presented on 

September 14 and 15. 

MICHAEL DOUGLAS, 74 (The 

Kominsky Method on Netflix), and EU- 

GENE LEVY, 72 (Schitt’s Creek on 

Pop TV), are nominated for the Emmy 

for lead actor in a comedy series. There 

are four other nominees. NATASHA 

LYONNE, 40 (Russian Doll on Netflix), 

competes for lead actress in a 

comedy series with five other women. 

PATRICIA ARQUETTE, 51 

(whose late mother was Jewish), competes 

with JOEY KING, 20, for the 

lead actress in a limited series or TV 

movie Emmy. Their competition is a 

bit weird. Arquette is nominated for 

her star role in Escape from Dannemora, 

a limited Showtime series. King is 

nominated for her star role in The Act, 

a limited Hulu series. Arquette played 

King’s mother in The Act and earned a 

second Emmy nomination this year – 

for best supporting actress in a limited 

series – for her role in The Act. She is 

the only Jewish nominee in this supporting 

category. 

HENRY WINKLER, 73 (Barry 

on HBO), and ALAN ARKIN, 85 (The 

Kominsky Method), vie for the supporting 

actor in a comedy series Emmy. 

They compete with Tony Shalhoub, 

who isn’t Jewish, but is nominated for 

playing a Jewish character in The Marvelous 

Mrs. Maisel on Amazon Prime. 

Three other actors also compete. 

ALEX BORSTEIN, 48 (Mrs. 

Maisel), and SARAH GOLDBERG, 

34 (Barry), vie for the supporting actress 

in a comedy series Emmy. They 

compete with Marin Hinkle, who isn’t 

Jewish, but plays a Jewish character in 

Mrs. Maisel. Three other actresses also 

compete. Meanwhile, JULIA GAR- 

NER, 25 (Ozark on Netflix), snared an 

Emmy nomination for best supporting 

actress in a drama series. 

As I said, guest stars are relegated 

to the Creative Arts Emmys. ADAM 

SANDLER, 52, vies for the guest actor 

in a comedy series Emmy (Saturday 

Night Live), and MAYA RUDOLPH, 

47, is nominated as best guest actress 

in a comedy series (A Good Place). 

Creative Arts Emmys are also 

given for best actor and actress in a 

“short form comedy or drama series. 

No Jewish guys are “noms,” but three 

Jewish women snared nominations: 

ILANA GLAZER, 32, and ABBI 

JACOBSON, 35, the stars of the recently 

concluded Broad City comedy 

series on Comedy Central, also starred 

in an “off-season” short sketch show 

called Hack into Broad City and are 

nominated for Hack. They compete 

with JESSICA HECHT, 54, who 

starred in Special on Netflix. 

Now for Something Very Different 

Next month, I’ll cover the new TV 

shows that begin late this month (not 

many) or next month (many) with a 

Jewish cast member(s). But here’s 

something I get asked about frequently: 

the Jewish ties of those seeking the 

Democratic presidential nomination. 

Here goes: 

Two candidates are “just plain 

Jewish” – Vermont Senator BERNIE 

SANDERS, 77, and author/lecturer 

MARIANNE WILLIAMSON, 67. 

Her father changed the family name 

Vishnevetsky to Williamson. Marianne 

was raised a Conservative Jew and 

does mention being Jewish in public 

speeches. 

Colorado Senator MICHAEL 

BENNETT, 54, is the son of a Protestant 

father (with Mayflower passenger 

ancestry) and a Jewish mother. His 

mother, SUSANNE, was only a baby 

when she and her parents were imprisoned 

in the Warsaw Ghetto. Susanne 

was smuggled out of Poland. Susanne’s 

mother found refuge in a Catholic convent 

and her father managed to survive 

the labor camps. Bennett’s mother’s 

family, who came to the States in 1950, 

were never observant Jews. The Senator’s 

father identified as a Christian, 

but was not churchgoing. Bennett was 

raised with exposure to both his heritages, 

but not really in any faith. He 

says he believes in God, but is not a 

practicing “anything.” 

Tom Steyer, a California billionaire 

who has long bankrolled a public 

relations campaign promoting the impeachment 

of Donald Trump, is the 

son of a non-practicing Jewish father 

and an Episcopalian mother. Around 

age 40, he decided to become an active 

Episcopalian. In his campaign 

announcement, he did herald his father’s 

WWII Navy service and his 

father’s time as a Nuremberg trials 

prosecutor. 

Stay connected at 


Interested in Your 

Family’s History? 

Nate Bloom (see column above) has become a family history expert in 10 

years of doing his celebrity column, and he has expert friends who can help 

when called on. Most family history experts charge $1,000 or more to do a 

full family-tree search. However, Bloom knows that most people want to start 

with a limited search of one family line. 

So here’s the deal: 

Write Bloom at nteibloom@aol.com and enclose a phone number. 

Nate will then contact you about starting a limited search. If that 

goes well, additional and more extensive searches are possible. 

The first search fee is no more than $100. No upfront cost. Also, 

several of this newspaper’s readers have asked Bloom to locate 

friends and family members from their past, and that’s worked out 

great for them. So contact him about this as well. 


Project5.qxp_Layout 1 8/20/19 1:34 PM Page 1 

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Wasserman Schultz introduces 

the TIME for Holocaust Survivors Act 

U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman 

Schultz (FL-23) has introduced 

the Trauma-Informed 

Modernization of Eldercare (TIME) 

for Holocaust Survivors Act, legislation 

which would help ensure that the 

roughly 80,000 Holocaust survivors 

now living in the United States can get 

access to the specialized care and services 

that are tailored to their unique 

health needs. 

“Holocaust survivors have endured 

the worst of human atrocities and deserve 

special care for the duration of 

their remaining years,” said Wasserman 

Schultz. “My district has among 

the largest populations of survivors in 

the country. The trauma and grief that 

these survivors endured is unimaginable. 

The TIME for Holocaust Survivors 

Act can tend to that unique pain in 

this closing chapter of their lives, and 

allow them to live out their remaining 

years with dignity.” 

“The survivors of the Holocaust 

are a living testament to the indomitability 

of the human spirit,” said Rep. 

Donna Shalala (FL-27), who co-led 

the bill. “We have a duty to ensure that 

those who lived through the horrors of 

the Holocaust are cared for in their old 

age. This bill would bring us closer to 

making sure that the specific needs of 

these survivors are fully met.” 

“As victims of the very worst of 

humanity, Holocaust survivors deserve 

devoted care and support to address the 

horrific trauma they experienced,” said 

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Rep. Elise Stefanik (NY-21), who also 

co-led the bill. “Many of these survivors 

call the state of New York home 

and depend on the full embrace of our 

communities for comfort in their elder 

years. This bipartisan legislation will 

ensure we are able to care for the specific 

needs of the many Holocaust survivors 

living across the United States.” 

The TIME for Holocaust Survivors 

Act designates survivors as a group 

with a significant social need within 

the Older Americans Act, and creates a 

portfolio within the Administration on 

Community Living to take responsibility 

for Holocaust-related issues. 

The legislation also promotes 

technical assistance and training for 

nonprofits that serve older adults still 

experiencing the long-term consequences 

of this historic trauma. In addition, 

TIME ensures that nutrition 

services through the Older Americans 

Act meet the special dietary needs of 

Holocaust survivors and others. 

More than 300 national, regional 

and local nonprofits from every state in 

the union have endorsed the TIME for 

Holocaust Survivors Act. 

“It is our duty to honor and assist 

Holocaust survivors who experience 

unique trauma and health concerns 

directly related to their experience 

during the Shoah,” said William Daroff, 

The Jewish Federations of North 

America’s Senior Vice President for 

Public Policy. “We applaud Representative 

Wasserman-Schultz for her leadership 

in introducing this bipartisan 

bill that will demonstrably improve 

the lives of Holocaust survivors across 

the nation.” 

PLEASE SUPPORT OUR ADVERTISERS 

THEY HELP MAKE THE FEDERATION STAR POSSIBLE. 

KOTLER LAW FIRM P.L. 

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Jewish Congr


The Shalva Band: 

music that changes lives 

By Arlene Stolnitz 

What better way to start the 

Jewish New Year than with 

the recognition of a band 

that defies convention and allows us 

to realize the potential of those often 

overlooked. We commend the Shalva 

Band for “inspiring 

us to think 

differently about 

how we recognize 

disabilities.” 

Take the Eurovision 

contest 

this past May. 

Held in Tel Aviv, 

Arlene Stolnitz 

the audience was 

wowed by music 

groups from every country in the 

world. But over the top was the Shalva 

Band, which caused a virtual sensation 

with its unique sound and personality. 

This year, Israel chose the Shalva Band 

to represent the country in the Eurovision 

competition. This talented music 

group is comprised of eight musicians 

who perform by invitation around Israel 

in a variety of cultural and dignitary 

events. But this is a group with a 

difference! Each member of the group 

speaks enthusiastically about how music 

affects them personally. 

The performers are musicians who 

live with a variety of physical disabilities 

including blindness, Down 

syndrome, and physical and visual 

impairments. Wherever they perform 

they create a stir. And so it was with 

the Eurovision audience this year. Unfortunately, 

the group dropped out of 

the finals in order to avoid performing 

on the Sabbath. Efforts to bend the 

rules with the Eurovision leaders were 

unsuccessful. However, the band did 

not go unnoticed after an emotional 

performance at Thursday night’s semifinal, 

where, in a guest appearance, it 

received widespread praise internationally 

for its message of inclusiveness 

and acceptance. Performing the 

song “A Million Dreams,” the group 

was thrilled to receive many invitations 

from foreign countries directly 

after its performance. 

The group was formed in 2005 as 

part of the rehabilitative efforts of the 

Israeli Shalva organization that supports 

individuals with disabilities and 

their families. As part of their work/ 

study/volunteer program, the talents of 

these students were discovered in their 

music therapy program. Their bios are 

readily available on the internet, and 

reading about the members of the band 

is an inspiring experience. 

There is Tal Kima, who has Down 

syndrome and has been attending 

Shalva since the age of six. It was here 

that his talent for playing the drums 

was discovered. Anael Khalifa, who 

was born blind, began singing at the 

age of five. She moved to Israel from 

France when she was eight. Singing 

was a tool that helped her adjust to her 

new school when she could not speak 

the language. Dina Samteh was born 

in Manipur, India, and came to Israel 

at the age of 10. Despite being blind, 

she captivates audiences with her 

beautiful voice. Yair Pomberg grew 

up in Shalva programs and plays rap 

and percussion. In addition to playing 

in the band, he works in Cafe Shalva, 

the coffee shop. Guy Maman, a graduate 

of Music Composition at the Jerusalem 

Academy of Music and Dance, 

did not let his visual impairment stand 

in the way of being an accomplished 

keyboardist. Yosef Ovadia, who has 

Williams syndrome, joined the band as 

singer and drummer. He has been part 

of Shalva programming since the age 

of seven. Singing in the band is a big 

part of his life. Sara Samuels has volunteered 

at Shalva for many years. She 

is a talented guitarist and has traveled 

internationally with the band. 

Band Director Shai Ben Shushan 

has been directing the Shalva Band for 

12 years. As a member of an elite army 

unit, he suffered a life-threatening 

injury. After an extensive rehabilitation, 

he decided to give back to the 

community by creating a professional 

band. About the Shalva Band, he says, 

“It’s so moving to see they have become 

talented and professional musicians, 

and stand together with any 

musician out there.” 

“Music lights up my life, music 

makes me equal,” so aptly stated by 

Yosef Ovadia. 

Arlene Stolnitz, founder of the Sarasota 

Jewish Chorale, has sung in choral 

groups for over 25 years. A retired 

educator, she is a graduate of the Gulf 

Coast Community Leadership Foundation. 

A member of the Jewish Congregation 

of Venice, the Venice Chorale 

and the Sarasota Jewish Chorale, her 

interest in choral music has led to this 

series of articles on Jewish Folk Music 

in the Diaspora. 

ntact our office at 239-642-0800 or visit our website marcojcmi.com 

*There is an additional charge for dinners 

egation of Marco Island, 991 Winterberry Drive, Marco Island, FL 34145 


MCA helps you find… 

People to Meet! 

Off-the-Hook Dinner, 

Menorah Lighting and 

Comedy Night 

December 18 

5:30 PM 

$60.00 per person 

Places to Go! 

Things to Do! 

Go to 

www.mcanaples.org 

and join MCA today! 

25A 

Sarge is an extraordinary entertainer. A triple threat: 

a musical piano savant, an amazing improvisational 

comedian and singer. His new book, “Black Boychik”, 

traces his hilarious, inspirational life of twists 

and turns, ups and downs. 

Babcock Ranch 

Eco-Tour 

A True Wildlife 

Adventure! 

January 22 

8:30 AM - 4:00 PM 

Enjoy participating in an eco-tour at the famous 

Babcock Ranch! Babcock Ranch is approximately 

91,000 acres, with more than 73,000 preserved as 

environmentally valuable areas. The Ranch still ranks 

as the single largest preservation purchase in 

Florida state history! 


Guests Welcome 

Join us to celebrate the High Holy Days 5780/2019 Hamilton Unplugged 

by Rabbi Mark Gross and Cantorial Soloist Hari Jacobsen 

With 

EVE of ROSH HASHANAH 5780 

Jewish Sunday, Ellen Katz 

Jewish Congregation 9/29/19 Congregation Worship of of Marco at Island 7:30PM 

Jewish ROSH Guests Congregation HASHANAH, Guests Welcome of Marco 5780 Island 

January 14 

Join us to Join celebrate us to celebrate the Guests High the High Welcome Holy Holy Days 5780/2019 

Monday, led by Join Rabbi us to Mark 9/30/19 celebrate Gross and the Worship High Cantorial Holy Soloist Days at 5780/2019 10:00AM 

Hari Jacobsen 

d by Rabbi Mark Gross and Cantorial Soloist Hari Jacobsen 

6:30 PM 

ay, 10/1/19 led by 11:00AM Rabbi Mark EVE Gross of 

Tashlich 

ROSH and HASHANAH Cantorial Waterside Soloist 5780 Hari Jacobsen Meditative Ritual 

EVE of Sunday, EVE ROSH of 9/29/19 ROSH HASHANAH Worship at 7:30PM 5780 

Sunday, YOM Sunday, KIPPUR 9/29/19 

ROSH 9/29/19 HASHANAH, EVE Worship - KOL at 

5780 at 7:30PM NIDREI 

Monday, 9/30/19 Worship at 10:00AM 

Tuesday, 10/8/19 ROSH 

ROSH HASHANAH, Pre HASHANAH, Kol Nidrei 5780 

Dinner* 5:15PM 

Tuesday, 10/1/19 Monday, 11:00AM 9/30/19 Tashlich Worship Waterside 10:00AM Meditative Ritual 

Tuesday, Monday, 10/1/19 9/30/19 YOM Worship 11:00AM KIPPUR Worship Tashlich EVE at 7:30PM 

- KOL Waterside 10:00AM 

NIDREI Meditative Ritual 

Let Ellen Katz dazzle you with the sheer brilliance of 

day, 10/1/19 

Tuesday, 

11:00AM 

10/8/19 

Tashlich 

Pre Kol 

Waterside 

Nidrei Dinner* 

Meditative 

5:15PM 

YOM KIPPUR 

YOM KIPPUR 

– Day 

EVE - KOL 

of Atonement 

NIDREI Ritual 

Tuesday, 10/8/19 Worship Pre Kol at Nidrei 7:30PM Dinner* 5:15PM 

YOM KIPPUR EVE - KOL NIDREI 

"Hamilton". Ellen connects you to the music and 

day, 10/9/19 10:00AM YOM KIPPUR Worship, – Day at 7:30PM of Atonement including “Yizkor” Memorial 

Tuesday, Wednesday, 10/8/19 10/9/19 YOM 10:00AM Pre KIPPUR Kol Worship, – Nidrei Day of including Atonement Dinner* “Yizkor” 5:15PM Memorial 

3:30PM story of America's amazing founding father. With 

3:30PM Afternoon 

Worship 

Afternoon at 7:30PM 

Worship and and Ne’ilah Ne’ilah 

Wednesday, 10/9/19 10:00AM Worship, including “Yizkor” Memorial 

6:00PM Dinner * 

exciting visuals and music she tells his story in a 

YOM 6:00PM 3:30PM 

KIPPUR Break-the-Fast Afternoon Worship and 

The charge – for Day of is Atonement Dinner Ne’ilah * 

6:00PM Break-the-Fast $100/person. Dinner * 

sday, 10/9/19 The To 10:00AM charge make The your charge 

for Worship, reservation for 

guests 

guests or including is for is 

$100/person. 

more $100/person. 

information “Yizkor” Memorial unique and creative presentation that both 

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contact To your make Afternoon 

office your 239-642-0800 reservation Worship for for visit 

and more more our 

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marcojcmi.com 

*There is an additional charge for dinners 

stands on its own and will enhance your 

please contact our office at 239-642-0800 or visit our website marcojcmi.com 

tact Jewish our Congregation office 6:00PM at of *There Marco Break-the-Fast 

is Island, additional 991 Winterberry charge or Dinner visit for Drive, dinners our * Marco website Island, FL marcojcmi.com 

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The prescient words of Chaim A. Kaplan 

By Paul R. Bartrop, PhD 

On September 1, 1939, Nazi 

Germany invaded Poland. 

Two days later, because of the 

invasion, Britain and France declared 

war on Germany. What did this mean 

for the Jews of Europe? 

Chaim Aron Kaplan, a Jewish 

educator and diarist, chronicled the 

day-to-day events of 

the Warsaw Ghetto, 

making a record of 

life there under German 

occupation. His 

observations on September 

1, 1939 – 80 

Dr. Paul Bartrop 

years ago this month 

– were among the 

most prescient thoughts offered on 

what the outbreak of war might connote. 

Kaplan was born in 1880 in Gorodishche 

(Horodyszcze), a village in Belorussia 

in the Russian Empire. He was 

educated at the famous Mir yeshiva, 

and later studied at the Vilna (Vilnius) 

teachers’ college. In 1902 he moved 

to Warsaw, where he established an 

elementary Hebrew school. He would 

remain there as principal for the next 

40 years. In 1921 he visited the United 

States and, in 1936, Palestine, with the 

idea of joining his two children there. 

As he saw little economic future for 

himself, however, he returned to Warsaw. 

Kaplan devoted his efforts to 

teaching and writing. He began keeping 

a diary around 1933, and in September 

1939, at the very start of World 

War II, decided to detail Jewish life 

in Warsaw and thus preserve a record 

for posterity. This was to become Kaplan’s 

Scroll of Agony. His first entry, 

on September 1, 1939, was chillingly 

prophetic: “This war will indeed bring 

destruction upon human civilization. 

… I doubt that we will live through this 

carnage. The bombs filled with lethal 

gas will poison every living being, or 

we will starve because there will be no 

means of livelihood.” 

After Warsaw’s surrender to German 

forces on September 27, 1939, 

Kaplan wrote, “The Nazis’ objective 

was to eliminate the Jews physically 

through a slow choking process.” By 

the time the ghetto was established 

formally on October 12, 1940, roughly 

375,000 Jews (nearly a third of Warsaw’s 

overall population), along with 

many refugees, were squeezed into an 

area that took up only 2.4% of Warsaw’s 

surface area. To make matters 

worse, Jews were only allotted onetenth 

of the required caloric intake and 

were subjected to forced labor, disease 

and slaughter. Kaplan commented on 

the frequent murder of Jews and the 

constant treatment they experienced, 

explaining that, “The Aryans are put to 

Changing your address? 

Keep the Federation Star 

coming to your home. Email 

nricklefs@jewishnaples.org. 

Evy Lipp 

death after a short period of arrest; the 

Jews are killed without even a pretense 

of arrest.” He further detailed how the 

Nazis carried out many of their violent 

acts. “The murderers burst into a home 

in the middle of the night and put an 

end to a life.” 

Scroll of Agony, the published 

version of the diary, would become 

one of the most powerful and inspiring 

testimonies from the Holocaust 

period. Kaplan recorded his diary in 

small notebooks and focused primarily 

on daily experiences. He attempted 

to remain objective despite the dire 

conditions, seeing his mission as preserving 

a record for posterity, focusing 

strictly on facts and situations as they 

appeared. 

The diary recorded the events and 

experiences Kaplan witnessed himself 

or were told to him by members 

of the ghetto community. He set down 

his thoughts as well as conversations 

with friends and with those he met in 

the streets, tracking down firsthand information 

to provide immediacy and 

authenticity. 

Keeping a diary or any sort of 

written testimony created many risks. 

However, Kaplan felt that recording 

his experiences was a responsibility. 

He continually expressed the hope that 

the diary would be saved, realizing 

its significance for future generations. 

As the Nazis intensified their murderous 

activities, he worked faster, often 

writing several times a day in order to 

include every detail of the horror surrounding 

him. 

This sense of duty was emphasized 

in his entry of January 16, 1940: “Anyone 

who keeps such a record endangers 

his life, but this does not frighten me. I 

sense within me the magnitude of this 

hour, and my responsibility toward it, 

PEOPLE OF THE BOOK 

Cultural Event 

Celebrating 16 years of bringing noted Jewish authors 

to our Federation members 


and I have an inner obligation that I am 

not free to relinquish. … My record 

will serve as a source material for the 

future generation.” He wrote his diary 

so that others would someday be able 

to understand the Holocaust and never 

forget the Jews’ experiences during 

it. In 1942, conditions in the Warsaw 

Ghetto worsened, as Kaplan wrote, 

“The Jewish section of Warsaw had 

become a city of slaughter.” 

Indeed, Kaplan was less concerned 

about his own future than he was about 

the future of the diary. He knew he 

had to get it out of the ghetto if there 

was any chance that his observations, 

so carefully chronicled, would survive. 

Thus, in late 1942 he gave his 

diary to Rubinsztejn, a Jewish friend 

who did forced labor each day outside 

the ghetto. Rubinsztejn smuggled the 

notebooks out and delivered them to a 

Pole, Władyslaw Wojcek, who lived in 

the small village of Liw, near Warsaw. 

In the early 1960s, Wojcek moved to 

the United States, where he sold the 

notebooks. Eventually, they were edited, 

translated and published, and the 

diary has since appeared in editions in 

English, German, French, Danish and 

Japanese. 

Kaplan’s final entry was made on 

August 4, 1942: “If the hunters do not 

stop, and if I am caught, I am afraid my 

work will be in vain. I am constantly 

bothered by the thought: If my life 

ends, what will become of my diary?” 

The diary did survive, but Kaplan and 

his wife did not. They were deported to 

Treblinka, where they were murdered 

in December 1942. 

Dr. Paul Bartrop is Professor of History 

and the Dir. of the Center for Judaic, 

Holocaust, and Genocide Studies 

at Florida Gulf Coast University. He 

can be reached at pbartrop@fgcu.edu. 

T 

a 

M 

PROUDLY PRESENTS 

Lori Gottlieb 

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2020 at 7:30pm 

Temple Shalom, 4630 Pine Ridge Road, Naples 

Tickets: $18 in advance • $25 at the door 

Registration is now open! 

X Use the Jewish Book Festival ticket order form (page 6B); call the Federation 

office with your credit card number at 239.263.4205; or mail your check 

($18 per person), payable to Jewish Federation of Greater Naples, to JFGN, 

Attn: Renee’, 2500 Vanderbilt Beach Road, Suite 2201, Naples, FL 34109. 

X Tickets will not be mailed. Your name will be placed on a reservation list 

that will be checked at the door. 

X Please call Renee’ if you’d like to be a Patron of this event. Patrons receive 

dinner with Lori Gottlieb, a copy of her book and VIP seating at the event. 

Lori Gottlieb is a psychotherapist and New York 

Times bestselling author who writes The Atlantic’s 

weekly “Dear Therapist” advice column. She 

also writes for The New York Times, and appears 

as a frequent expert on relationships, parenting 

and hot-button mental 

health topics in media 

such as The Today 

Show, Good Morning 

America, CBS This Morning, 

CNN and NPR. 

Her book Maybe You 

Should Talk to Someone 

is in development 

for a television series 

at ABC. Learn more at 

LoriGottlieb.com.


The dish of the year: Israeli 

arayes – recipe by Chef Dalia 

y first kosher catering business 

opened in Southwest 

Florida 20 years ago. It 

erved food similar to the real Israeli 

ood I was introduced to as I was growng 

up in Israel. We wiped pita through 

ummus and baba ghanoush. Almost 

obody knew what falafel was, exactly, 

xcept that it was delicious. My “Middle 

astern/Israeli” catering business was 

ne of the oldest in the area. Since then, 

hen it comes to describing what it is 

o eat hummus and cucumber-tomato 

alads and the like, categorizing yourself 

n blanket terms like “Middle Eastern” 

r “Mediterranean” has been the norm. 

But lately, you may have seen a new 

illingness to serve not just a general 

Middle Eastern” cuisine, but Israeli 

ood. It’s something that’s been happenng 

across the U.S. with more Middle 

astern and Mediterranean chains and 

estaurants, many of them explicitly 

illing themselves as Israeli. It’s hard 

ot to notice. 

I love how today’s food trends have 

ade Israeli food so popular. Otherwise, 

obody would have heard of arayes – 

rispy, grilled pita bread sandwiches 

hat are stuffed with seasoned minced 

eat. The meat can be beef or lamb. 

he pita can be baked, grilled or toasted. 

he main thing is that it’s crispy on the 

utside, juicy on the inside and delicious 

ll over. The word arayes is the plural of 

rusa, which in Arabic means “bride.” 

ome ascribe the connection to the 

arriage of the pita and meat, or to the 

eat that is wrapped in the pita the way 

bride is wrapped in her wedding dress. 

This Levantine street food, which 

as virtually unknown in most parts of 

srael until recently, has become more 

nd more trendy in the past three or 

our years. In the last few years, places 

erving it have been popping up all over 

he country. 

What I love even more 

han traditional arayes, is that 

hefs have been creating their 

wn adaptation of the clasic 

for a fun twist, like Fish 

rayes, and I’ve been seeing 

ots of other variations of the 

raditional filling as well. 

These crispy meat sandiches 

are very easy to preare 

and are a great crowd 

leaser. It’s no wonder that 

t became so popular and 

lso that it’s managed to stay 

rendy for quite a while. 

While I’m usually one for turning 

radition on its head, I loved my classic 

ecipe so much that I went with it. To 

ake these flatbread sandwiches, pitas 

re stuffed with minced or ground meat 

nd traditional aromatics, and then 

aked for the perfect bite. My arayes 

eatures lamb and beef, seasoned with 

y own version of baharat – a Middle 

astern blend of spices like coriander, 

ardamom and allspice. On the side, 

ou can serve with tahini and spicy 

omato salad. 

ngredient s: 

• 1 pound minced meat (lamb, beef, 

or mixed lamb and beef) 

• 1 medium onion, finely chopped 

or grated 

• 2 large cloves garlic, finely chopped 

• 1 teaspoon salt 

• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper 

• 1 pinch coriander 

• 1 pinch cardamom 

• 1 pinch nutmeg 

• 1 pinch cinnamon 

• 1 teaspoon cumin 

• 1 teaspoon allspice 

• ¼ teaspoon harissa spice (optional) 

• 1 cup fresh parsley leaves, chopped 

• 1 jalapeno pepper 

• 1 tablespoon mayonnaise 

• 4 pita breads (or 8 mini) 

• 1 tablespoon canola oil 

• ¼ cup olive oil 

• 4 medium tomatoes 

Personal Chef Dalia Hemed 

can be reached at 

daliahemed@msn.com. 

• 2 cloves garlic 

• juice of 1½ lemons 

• 1 small red onion 

• 2 tablespoons tahini paste 

Preheat the oven to 375 F. 

Begin with making the ground 

beef mixture so that it has time to 

marinate. Combine the ground beef 

with chopped yellow onion, ½ cup 

chopped parsley, 1 minced garlic 

clove, ½ jalapeno finely chopped, 

olive oil, cumin, salt, pepper, allspice, 

cinnamon, chopped parsley 

and mayonnaise. Mix well with 

your hands. If you are using the 

harissa spice, add it to the mixture 

as well. Then set aside. 

For the tahini, add tahini paste, juice 

of ½ lemon, salt, pepper for taste, 2 

ice cubes, 1 tablespoon water and 1 

clove minced garlic into food processor. 

Incorporate until it’s creamy 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

and smooth. If too watery, add more 

tahini paste; if it’s too thick, add 

more water. 

For the tomato salad, dice the tomatoes 

and combine with diced red 

onion, remaining chopped parsley, 

remaining jalapeno, remaining lemon 

juice, salt and pepper for taste. 

Cut the pita bread in half, making 

two moon shape pieces. (If you are 

using mini pita, you don’t need to 

cut the mini bread. Use it whole.) 

Stuff each one with a fistful of the 

spiced beef mixture. 

Using a brush, brush the bread with 

a little olive oil on both sides. 

Preheat the canola oil in a large pan. 

Sear the pitas beef-side down in 

the pan for 1 minute or until the 

beef has crisped up. Then, flip to 

the other sides of the pita and fry 

for 30 seconds each, until a crispy 

crust forms. 

Transfer the crispy stuffed pitas onto 

a baking tray lined with parchment 

paper and enter into the oven to finish 

cooking the insides of the beef. 

Bake for 10-12 minutes. You can 

cut into one pita to check how done 

the beef is and make sure you don’t 

dry it out throughout the cooking 

process. 

Remove the arayes from the oven. 

Arrange in a large serving platter. 

Top with tomato salad and a drizzle 

of tahini and enjoy! 


Food Purveyors in Naples since 1938. 

141 Tamiami Trail North • Naples, Florida 34102 

239.261.7157 • Fax: 239.261.3986 • wynns@wynnsonline.com 

IMPROV 

FOR WELLNESS 

FOR ADULTS & TEENS 

Join Margot Escott, LCSW to learn 

improvisational theatre exercises that 

benefit emotional, physical and 

spiritual wellbeing. 

CLASSES FOR ADULTS & TEENS 

improv for anxiety, Parkinson’s, MS & Caregivers 

at The Sugden Community Theatre 

Register at naplesplayers.org • 434-7340 

Margot Escott, LCSW Improv for Wellness Classes 

improv4wellness.com • (239) 434-6558 • margotescott@mac.com 

Margot Escott_1/8_Page_SEPTEMBER_2019_FEDSTAR.indd 1 

Shanah Tovah 5780 

www.FullerNaples.com 

Serving the Jewish community since 1996 

27A 

Improv4 

Wellness 

Improv for Wellness is about playing games 

and having fun, not about being funny. The 

improv games and laughter we share have 

tremendous therapeutic benefits. A great 

way for all ages and abilities to let go, laugh 

and meet fun friends. 

Intro to Improv for Parkinson’s classes 

at Parkinson’s Association of SWFL 

Register at pasfi.org • 417-3465 

Improv 

4 Wellness 

7/30/19 11:55 AM 

High Holiday services 

and events will take place 

on the following dates: 

Erev Rosh Hashanah: Sep. 29 

Rosh Hashanah: Sep. 30 & Oct. 1 

Yom Kippur Eve: Oct. 8 

Yom Kippur: Oct. 9 

5780 

HIGH 

HOLY 

DAYS 

Best wishes for a happy healthy 

and sweet NEW YEAR! 

Wynn’s Market is your place 

for shopping for your dinner 

celebrations, gift baskets, and fine 

selection of gifts and treats. 

Please contact the area’s temples 

for their specific schedules 

and more information.


5,000 American IDF Lone Soldiers 

enjoy “Fun Day” at Israeli water park 

SHEFAYIM, Israel, June 27 

– Some 5,000 Lone Soldiers 

– Israel Defense Forces (IDF) 

soldiers with no immediate family in 

Israel – gathered at Shefayim Water 

Park, Israel’s largest waterpark, just 

outside of Tel Aviv, for a day of rest and 

recuperation, earlier today. 

The “Fun Day” was hosted by 

Friends of the Israel Defense Forces 

(FIDF ) in partnership with the IDF 

and Yachad Le’maan Ha’chayal (The 

Association for the Wellbeing of Israel’s 

Soldiers and The LIBI Fund). 

There are some 6,116 Lone Soldiers 

from 80 countries serving in the 

IDF today. About 810 came from the 

United States, 546 from Ukraine, 459 

from Russia and 412 from France. Men 

comprise 66% of Lone Soldiers, while 

34% are women. Some 55% of Lone 

Soldiers serve in combat or combatsupport 

roles. 

FIDF cares for all Lone Soldiers 

serving in the IDF through the Lone 

Soldiers Program, which supports 

them financially, socially and emotionally 

during and after their challenging 

military service. FIDF also sponsors 

flights for Lone Soldiers to visit their 

families and friends in their countries of 

origin. 

The FIDF “Fun Day” at Shefayim 

Water Park benefitted Lone Soldiers 

from all IDF units. In addition to the 

park’s many attractions, the “Fun 

Day” featured a pool party with leading 

Israeli DJ Eran Barnea, game and 

ISRAEL & THE JEWISH WORLD 

fitness areas, and an all-day smorgasbord 

of barbeque and desserts. The 

Lone Soldiers also received essential 

information about life after their 

military service, including about the 

IDF Lone Soldiers enjoy “Fun Day” at Israeli water park 

(photo credit: Click Photography) 

Temple Shalom Sisterhood 

JUDAICA SHOP 

The ONLY Judaica shop in the 

Greater Naples area! 

Re-opening on Sunday, September 8 

Shop early for the 

High Holy Days! 

Apple & honey plates, 

holiday cards, shofars, 

hostess gifts & more! 

Hours 

Sunday - 9am to 12pm 

(Sundays during Religious School) 

Wednesday - by appointment 

Tuesday through Friday - 10am to 12:30pm 

Temple Shalom 

4630 Pine Ridge Rd • Naples, FL 34119 

239-455-3030 

FIDF IMPACT! Scholarship Program, 

which grants college scholarships to 

Israeli combat veterans of modest 

means. 

The FIDF “Fun Day” kicked off the 

second annual “IDF 

Appreciation Week,” 

June 26 - July 7, which 

will benefit more than 

50,000 soldiers. 

In addition to the 

Lone Soldiers, IDF 

unit commanders, 

non-commissioned 

officers, high-ranking 

military officials 

and FIDF supporters 

also attended the 

“Fun Day” festivities 

to meet and personally 

thank these brave men 

and women in uniform 

for serving despite 

numerous challenges. 

About Friends of the Israel Defense 

Forces (FIDF): 

FIDF was established in 1981 by a 

group of Holocaust survivors as a 501(c) 

(3) not-for-profit organization with 

the mission of offering educational, 

cultural, recreational and social programs 

and facilities that provide hope, 

purpose and life-changing support for 

the soldiers who protect Israel and Jews 

worldwide. Today, FIDF has more than 

150,000 loyal supporters and 23 chapters 

throughout the United States and 

Panama. FIDF proudly supports IDF 

soldiers, families of fallen soldiers, and 

wounded veterans through a variety of 

innovative programs that reinforce the 

vital bond between the communities in 

the United States, the soldiers of the 

IDF and the State of Israel. For more 

information, visit www.fidf.org. 

Founded in 1897 

ZIONIST ORGANIZATION OF AMERICA 

Southwest Florida Chapter 

2019/2020 Speaker Program 

Welcome back everyone. We hope all our members and friends of the ZOA of Southwest 

Florida had a great Summer. As we enter our 11th year of existence we continue to strive to 

top each previous year in terms of expert speakers on topics related to Israel and the Jewish 

people. We think we’ve once again accomplished this goal: 

Wednesday, November 20, 2019 

Wednesday, December 18, 2019 

Wednesday, January 22, 2020 

Wednesday, February 26, 2020 

Dr. Richard Cravatts, PhD 

Author, Lecturer, National ZOA Board Member 

Topic: Hate Speech on Campus 

Dan Pollak 

ZOA National Director of Government Relations 

Elliot Resnick 

Chief Editor, New York Jewish Press 

Yechezkel Moskowitz 

Policy consultant for Middle East and Israel affairs 

for several prominent think tanks 

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I went to Puerto Rico to see Israeli aid in action 

run. 

One of the residents I spoke to said 

that the Israelis were los ángeles del 

cielo, or angels from the sky. He was 

surprised that Israel was the country 

providing this assistance and said the 

IsraAID staff truly became his family 

during this period of crisis. 

One of the IsraAID staff, Hannah 

Gaventa, worked in Puerto Rico for 

five months with the organization after 

Hurricane Maria. 

“The first thing we do when we ar- 

Earlier this year, I flew to Puerto Rico with ISRAEL21c and discovered just how much Israeli aid organization 

IsraAID has helped the people of the island in the wake of their worst disaster. 

By Jocelyn Gordon, www.israel21c.org, July 23, 2019 

I 

was hustling through the winter Consequently, Israel – in the form of rive in a country is a needs assessment. 

winds of New York to get to the IsraAID – was the first country to make Anyone working in any international 

grocery store when I received a call it to Puerto Rico after Hurricane 

development organization 

that changed my life. 

“Hey Jocelyn, I think there might 

be an opportunity for you to go to Puerto 

Rico with ISRAEL21c to use your 

Spanish.” 

Puerto Rico continues to suffer 

Maria, despite the 

6,000-mile distance. 

IsraAID arrived just 

a week after the hurricane 

and has made miracles 

happen on the island, including 

should be thinking 

about the partnerships 

and the communities,” 

Gaventa said. “It’s not 

about coming in and 

thinking that you know 

from the fallout of Hurricane Maria, 

freshwater sys- 

better, because you 

and very little support had been offered tems and psychosocial 

definitely don’t. We 

its people through the government. 

Other organizations filled in the gaps, 

and that’s where I came in. 

support for teens. 

On one day of the 

mission, the ISRAEL21c 

do use Israeli expertise 

in water and social 

support, but it’s only 

Since August 2018, I have been a 

Digital Ambassador for ISRAEL21c, 

Jocelyn Gordon in Puerto Rico 

(photo courtesy Nicky Blackburn) 

a nonprofit news organization that 

shares the innovations and global impact 

of Israel in the 21 st century. I never 

IsraAID builds a water filtration unit in El Real, Puerto Rico, that can 

filter water even without electricity (photo courtesy IsraAID) 

expected my dedication to the Spanish 

language and the State of Israel to 

intersect, until they needed me to help 

facilitate interviews on the island. 

ISRAEL21c wanted to go to Puerto 

Rico and get a firsthand look at how 

the Israeli international humanitarian 

aid agency IsraAID was helping people 

put their lives back together, and I 

got to go along to help translate where 

needed. 

A core Israeli value is that everyone 

and everything is connected. 

team drove up winding, 

lusciously green terrain to 

the village of El Real, Patillas, where 

we helped IsraAID organize a community 

celebration for the inauguration 

of the water filtration 

system. 

Without electricity 

for eight months, 

clean water accessibility 

had been a serious 

challenge on the 

island. IsraAID created 

a water-filtration 

device using rocks 

and soil that does not 

require electricity to 

Oceanfront Gated Estate with 

4 Residences 

in collaboration with 

communities, and it’s 

specific to that context.” 

In addition to water sanitation, the 

other area that IsraAID chose to focus 

on in Puerto Rico was social support. 

The main psychosocial support 

program can be found 

at Aspira de Puerto Rico 

in Carolina, an organization 

dedicated to keeping 

students in school. When 

we came to Aspira, the 

ISRAEL21c team experienced 

a similar trust-building 

activity that IsraAID 

administers to students. 

29A 

Some people had a 

partner to build a “house” 

by making an upside-down V with 

their arms, and everyone else stood beneath 

the “house” arms and were called 

“bunnies.” Sometimes the bunnies 

needed to find a new house, and other 

times, the houses needed to rearrange 

with another pair of arms. This simulation 

gave insight into the urgency of 

movement and unpredictability during 

a hurricane. 

After Puerto Rican teens participate 

in this seemingly lighthearted activity, 

they feel that they can be more 

open when a serious discussion about 

their feelings follows. I passed by the 

kids in the cafeteria on their lunch 

break, and they were full of smiles and 

ease due to programs like these. 

The principal of the Aspira school 

revealed that because of IsraAID, he 

is full of esperanza, hope, that the 

island will be ready for the next 

hurricane. Tears filled his eyes when 

I asked what IsraAID meant to him. 

“IsraAID nos trata como la familia” – 

“IsraAID treated us like family.” 

Being able to communicate with 

the citizens of Puerto Rico in a way 

that they could share their raw emotions 

through their native language 

brought out tears of my own. A person 

Water filtration system set up in El Real, Puerto Rico, 

by IsraAID (photo courtesy IsraAID) 

is a person, and it is clear that IsraAID 

made that message clear in its eagerness 

to help the citizens. 

It was strange yet natural to be in 

Puerto Rico representing Israel and 

ISRAEL21c after Hurricane Maria as 

an American. Seeing IsraAID’s impact 

on the island made me realize that Israel 

is setting a global example. We are 

all human, and we need to start acting 

like it. 

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Start-up strategies unite FGCU with Israeli university 

Schools team up in historic pact to make strides in entrepreneurial studies 

By Rick Weber, June 18, 2019, fgcu360.com 

As Dr. Sandra Kauanui stood “I truly believe that’s something 

on Israeli ground and gave a we’re doing here at FGCU with our entrepreneurship 

program. We’re making 

two-minute speech in front 

of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, a a difference in our students’ lives and 

100-person Florida delegation, dignitaries 

from Israel and officials from Tel grown rapidly. We’re not a big univer- 

creating a name for ourselves. We have 

Aviv University, she couldn’t help but sity with a large amount of funding, 

think that she had come full circle. and yet we’ve been able to do this.” 

The trip to Israel heralded the How did Israel become the “Startup 

Nation of the World?” And why are 

May 28 announcement that Florida 

Gulf Coast University (FGCU) had start-up accelerators still swarming to 

signed a Memorandum of Understanding 

(MOU) with Tel Aviv University ley) on the coastal plain of Israel, with 

Silicon Wadi (Hebrew for Silicon Val- 

(TAU), Israel’s largest public research Tel Aviv as the epicenter? 

university, to cooperate on growing This is a 71-year-old country with 

both schools’ entrepreneurial studies – just 8.7 million people, virtually no resources 

amid a topography that is more 

part of an historic eight MOU signings 

involving five other Florida universities 

and one Florida college. 

tion surrounded by enemies, a history 

than 50% desert, a geographical posi- 

Kauanui, a professor of entrepreneurship 

and management at FGCU an inflation rate that hit 400% after the 

of external and internal conflict, and 

since 2007, had applied her unbridled 1973 Yom Kippur War and the 1983 

passion to become the driving force Israel Bank Stock Crisis. 

behind the formation and management That’s part of the fascination for 

of the Institute of Entrepreneurship and Kauanui and a powerful driver for 

the establishment of one of the nation’s her belief that this MOU will be lifechanging 

for her students and FGCU as 

few interdisciplinary entrepreneurship 

degree programs. 

a whole. 

And there she stood – on the soil “They’re a small country, and the 

of a country that earned the nickname potential for being attacked is great, 

“Start-Up Nation” as the result of a so they came up with a way to protect 

2009 book by the same name that immortalized 

the Israelis’ dramatic rise siles,” she says. “They came up with 

themselves and shoot down the mis- 

to entrepreneurial kingpin, with more a way to sap the algae out of the water 

high-tech start-up companies and a in lakes. They created the first 3D heart 

larger venture capital industry per capita 

today than any country in the world, cial intelligence is amazing. 

that the scientist can print. Their artifi- 

according to The Economist magazine. “Through the universities and research 

and all the things they’ve done, 

“Our entrepreneurship program at 

FGCU is a start-up program,” she says. they recognized that if they were going 

“It’s something I started and helped to become economically sustainable, 

build. It felt like it’s come full circle. In they needed to support entrepreneurship 

and innovation. Entrepreneur- 

Israel, I was in a place where they survived 

and they built and they grew and ship is seeing the need and solving a 

they created a name for themselves. problem. And that differentiates you 

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“They knew that in order to survive, 

they had to be a start-up and 

grow. They created a start-up nation, 

and they’ve done it with very little 

funds. That is the basis for a lean startup. 

That’s what entrepreneurs do when 

they start businesses and grow them. 

They do it with shear tenacity, determination 

and passion.” 

The MOU will match a rising entrepreneurship 

program at a fast-growing 

Florida university with a developing 

program in a country that is leading 

the way in innovation and TAU’s newly 

formed, nationally funded Center 

for Entrepreneurship and Innovation 

(CEI). 

“Israel is known for entrepreneurship 

and innovation,” Kauanui says. 

“We’re unique because we have an 

interdisciplinary degree at FGCU, and 

there aren’t many in the country that 

have it. Tel Aviv University probably 

has a more traditional program. It’s 

more of a business program than an 

interdisciplinary entrepreneurship program 

that allows students to incorporate 

courses from other disciplines in 

the arts, science, health or engineering. 

They’re just starting to develop their 

BRIEFS 

Center for Entrepreneurship, which we 

could help with. 

“Our students are very entrepreneurial. 

They’re out there trying to 

create new businesses and ideas. I 

think they have lot of entrepreneurial 

knowledge, and if we can tie it together, 

it will be a win-win for both sides. 

Our students would learn from them 

and learn from some of their innovative 

ideas, and they might learn some 

things from our entrepreneurship programs 

and our students.” 

For FGCU, the path to partnership 

all started when Dr. Paul Snyder, 

senior associate provost and associate 

vice president for planning and institutional 

performance, learned that 

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis with FGCU Professor Sandra Kauanui 

MORE THAN FOUR MILLION 

TOURISTS SPENT NEARLY 

$6 BILLION IN ISRAEL 

IN 2018 

More than four million tourists visited 

Israel in 2018, spending $5.8 billion, 

the Israel Ministry of Tourism reported 

recently. 77.5% of all tourists visited 

Jerusalem. 54.9% were Christian, 

27.5% were Jewish and 2.4% were 

Muslim. (Calcalist) 

POLL: IS AMERICA 

EXPERIENCING EUROPE’S 

GROWING ANTI-SEMITISM? 

The National Survey of Anti-Semitism 

in America was conducted by 

McLaughlin & Associates in May 

2019 for the Hudson Institute’s Center 

for Religious Freedom. Attempts on 

college campuses to shut down pro- 

Israel speakers is viewed by 54% as 

anti-Semitic, while 16% disagree. The 

Boycott, Divest and Sanction (BDS) 

movement is seen as anti-Semitic by 

53%, compared with 19% who disagree. 

48% think the U.S. should oppose 

BDS campaigns, compared with 

22% who disagree. 50% agree that 

“Being anti-Israel is the new anti-Semitism, 

while 25% disagree. 

It is not Islamophobic to criticize 

Congresswoman Ilhan Omar for her 

views on Israel, noted 63%, compared 

to 14% who said it was. 57% want Israel 

to be the closest U.S. ally in the 

Middle East. 80% believe it is true that 

in the Holocaust six million Jews were 

targeted and exterminated, compared 

DeSantis was looking for universities 

to engage in joint relationships with 

Israeli universities. 

“Governor DeSantis’ trade mission 

to Israel represented an opportunity 

to significantly increase FGCU’s and 

Florida’s international footprint. That 

is very much in line with the course 

President Martin has set for FGCU,” 

Snyder says. “Entrepreneurism is one 

of the five main themes of FGCU’s current 

strategic plan. It is also one of the 

continued on next page 

with 8% who said it was not true. 51% 

have a favorable opinion of Israel, 

21% unfavorable and 28% no opinion. 

(Hudson Institute) 

ISRAEL’S BLOSSOMING 

INTERNATIONAL TIES 

ARE UNPRECEDENTED 

Israel today is less isolated than at 

any other time in its history. Our relationship 

with Latin America is at 

an unprecedented high and the prime 

minister of Israel has visited four countries 

there. The countries in Africa are 

standing in line to strengthen their relationships 

with us. Our relationships 

with Eastern Europe, the former Soviet 

bloc countries, are excellent. 

We didn’t have relationships with 

China or India 30 years ago. They are 

our biggest trading partners outside of 

Europe today. With India, we also have 

a strategic relationship, an alliance. 

The Sunni Arab states no longer view 

us as an enemy state, but as an important 

ally. These are sea changes. 

Israel is perceived in the world today 

as a power. One international metric 

had us as the eighth most powerful 

country in the world. This is a function 

of the IDF, which is today more than 

twice as big as the British and French 

armies combined. Add our ability to 

project power and to maintain close 

relationships with the leading powers 

of the world – whether they be Russia, 

China or the U.S. – and Israel is 

uniquely positioned. (Interview with 

Michael Oren, Octavian Report) 

continued on page 32A



31A 

Start-up strategies...continued from previous page 

merging strengths of the university as trepreneurship and TAU’s CEI. FGCU 

t cuts across all disciplines. Matching transitions to a School of Entrepreneurship 

on July 1, and aims to expand its 

he purpose of the trade mission with 

rofessor Kauanui’s efforts just made footprint internationally as a key component 

in realizing the Board of Trust- 

erfect sense.” 

Snyder assembled a proposal and ees’ Strategic Plan goal of eventually 

Kauanui jumped on the opportunity. creating a College of Entrepreneurship 

FGCU’s proposal was accepted by to grow and support a more vibrant and 

DeSantis, and Enterprise Florida set up diversified workforce and stimulate 

the six-day mission in Israel. 

economic development for the region 

The MOU covers five years and and the state. The college will be established 

“when we get strong enough,” 

calls for the two universities to: cooperate 

in the exchange of scholarship Kauanui says. 

plans of mutual interest; pursue faculty 

and student exchange programs; Strategic Plan, they had no idea that 

“I guarantee when they signed that 

seek exchanges of cultural and artistic we would grow as rapidly as we did,” 

activities; and collaborate on cooperative 

research and hold joint academic funding as a minor in 2014. We were 

she says. “We started with virtually no 

seminars. 

the largest minor after a few years. 

Points for potential traction include: Then they approved the major two 

Veterans (FGCU has helped vets years ago, and at the end of spring, we 

use their skills to become entrepreneurs, 

and Israel’s success has “The institute has been extremely 

had 450 students in our major. 

been largely due to the work of Israel 

Defense Forces veterans) nor was started four years ago and the 

active for the last four years, the mi- 

Accessible pools of venture capital major two years, so we’re a start-up. 

(TAU Ventures) 

We’ve grown so large at this point that 

Access to each other’s markets and we really needed to become a school.” 

intellectual capital 

These are exciting times for FGCU, 

International connections (TAU offers 

connections to East and South collaboration won’t end with TAU. 

and Kauanui believes that the Israeli 

Asia, Europe and the Americas) “I talked with several other universities 

when I was over there, and they 

There will be joint projects and 

collaboration among students and seem very interested in what we are 

faculty of FGCU and TAU, establishment 

of a venture capital pool, “shark- 

specifically mentioning Ben-Gurion 

doing in entrepreneurship,” she says, 

tank” competition and study abroad University. “Maybe we could create a 

opportunities. 

future partnership with them. 

“We have some venture capitalists “It would be a great environment 

in our community, and they’re always for our students to get involved in. It’s 

looking for future investments,” Kauanui 

says. “I can see, through Naples see that Israel started from nothing 

a great experience for our students to 

accelerators, connecting some international 

businesses to our community. think of the entrepreneurial mindset. 

and has built what they’ve built. You 

There are also potential investors who They’ve done it. It’s a great model for 

might be interested in investing in our students to understand. It’s not just 

these businesses.” 

about starting your own business. It’s 

FGCU wants to establish a relationship 

between its Institute of En- 

about learning to problem-solve and 

evolve.” 

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ATTENTION 

BUSINESS OWNERS, 

MANAGERS AND 

MARKETING 

PROFESSIONALS 

The 2020 edition 

of Connections 

A Guide to Jewish Living 

in Greater Naples 

is coming 

in December! 

Connections 

Evy Lipp 

People of 

the Book 

Celebrate 

Israel 

Israel Scouts 

2019 Guide to Jewish Living in Greater Naples 

Power of 

Community 

Celebration 

Jewish 

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BRIEFS 

continued from page 30A 

COST OF DESALINATED 

WATER IN ISRAEL 

FALLS BY 2/3 

Arid conditions combine with population 

growth and poor infrastructure 

to make water the Middle East’s most 

precious asset. 

Israel has emerged as a world leader 

in water technology after solving its 

own acute water crisis. 

The country’s water revolution 

was accomplished through a combination 

of a national campaign to conserve 

and reuse dwindling water resources 

and a new wave of state-of-the art desalination 

plants. 

Innovative water treatment systems 

recapture 86% of the water that 

goes down the drain for irrigation use. 

Today, up to 80% of water for domestic 

use flows from large coastal desalination 

plants. 

Desalination used to be very expensive, 

but by incorporating advanced 

technologies, Israel has brought the 

price of desalinated water down to just 

a third of what it cost in the 1990s. 

Tackling leakage is also a crucial 

element in water conservation. Israel’s 

7-8% leakage rate is the lowest in the 

world, compared to up to 30% in many 

other countries. (Mark Weiss, Irish 

Times) 

WILLIAM DAROFF NAMED 

CEO OF CONFERENCE OF 

PRESIDENTS OF MAJOR 

AMERICAN JEWISH 

ORGANIZATIONS 

Jewish voices on both the left and the 

right of the political spectrum said that 

William Daroff, 51, the next CEO of 

the Conference of Presidents, is a “unifier.” 

“This is probably the single most 

important professional appointment 

in the Jewish community, and...we’re 

very, very fortunate that we’re going to 

have somebody of William’s caliber in 

that position,” said Ron Halber, executive 

director of the Jewish Community 

Relations Council of Greater Washington. 

(Omri Nahmias, Jerusalem Post) 

ISRAEL RANKED 10TH 

MOST INNOVATIVE 

COUNTRY 

The annual Global Innovation Index 

ranks 129 world economies on 80 parameters 

including research, technology 

and creativity. 

Israel placed 10 th in the latest rankings. 

Israel was 11 th in 2018, 17 th in 

2017, 21 st in 2016 and 22 nd in 2015. 

(Times of Israel) 

HOLLYWOOD IDOL 

AUDREY HEPBURN 

HELPED SAVE DUTCH 

JEWS DURING THE 

HOLOCAUST 

A new book, Dutch Girl: Audrey Hepburn 

and World War II, by veteran star 

chronicler Robert Matzen, describes 

Hepburn’s life in the city of Arnhem 

and nearby Velp during the war where 

she displayed heroism on behalf of individuals 

in danger. In 1942, the Nazis 

executed her uncle, Otto Ernst Gelder, 

Count van Limburg Stirum. 

Audrey, known at the time as Adriaantje, 

refused an order to join a Nazi 

artists’ committee, ending her burgeoning 

dance career, which had made her 

Arnhem’s most famous ballerina by 

1944. Hepburn also assisted Dr. Hendrik 

Visser ’t Hooft, who helped shelter 

hundreds of Jews in Velp throughout 

the war. She was one of the people 

bringing messages to families protecting 

Jews. She also danced to raise 

money for the resistance and to feed 

continued on page 36A 

A 


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COMMENTARY 

A new Jewish decade to fix the world 

Rabbi 

Howard S. 

Herman DD 

As a Jewish community, with 

the advent of Rosh Hashanah, 

we are looking forward to the 

new Jewish decade 5780. We face this 

decade with a mixture of anticipation, 

hope, trepidation and caution. We, as 

a community, have made monumental 

strides during the past 10-year period. 

That fact gives us much optimism to 

look ahead and feel good about our 

achievements. Yet there are still those 

things in our community that we continue 

to battle and continue to need 

greater resolve to arrest. 

One of our great achievements over 

the past decade has been responding 

to the call of Tikkun Olam to help heal 

our world. If you are not familiar with 

the term, it literally means to “fix the 

world.” We have involved more people 

actively in Tikkun Olam over the last 

decade then at any other time in Jewish 

history. It has become a permanent 

Comfort in an uncertain world 

Rabbi 

Fishel 

Zaklos 

As the Hebrew month of Tishrei 

approaches, with many important 

holidays, it’s a good time 

to reflect on how our faith offers a safe, 

secure haven from stormy days in a chaotic, 

tumultuous world. In light of recent 

news, let us ponder deeper aspects of the 

High Holidays, as we automatically turn 

toward spirituality, seeking answers and 

purpose when life feels uncertain and 

threatening. 

Rosh Hashanah is the head of the 

year, and yet we often find ourselves 

walking into the synagogue disoriented 

by the chaos in the world and the challenges 

in our personal lives. However, 

Rosh Hashanah is essentially about 

reflecting on our relationship with G-d 

and His caring, loving presence. Many 

of us have an unfortunate image of G-d 

as a powerful, stern man in the sky with 

a large stick. This can intimidate us from 

connecting with Him as that compassionate, 

caring presence, or connecting 

with Him at all. As a Chassidic master 

fixture and a rallying call in synagogues, 

religious schools, Jewish camps, Jewish 

communal organizations, day schools, 

yeshivot and in Jewish homes, no matter 

what their denominations. 

We have taken it upon ourselves 

to speak out and get involved in things 

like affordable housing, literacy, food 

distribution, voting rights, healthcare, 

women’s rights, LGBTQ rights, battling 

racism, fighting anti-Semitism, prison 

reform and so many other dominant 

issues of our day. We have taken these 

issues to heart because our involvement 

helps create new inroads toward making 

our world, generally, a more tolerable, 

fair, ethical and better place in which to 

live and raise our families. 

Tikkun Olam not only strengthens 

our broader community spirit, it gives 

us as Jews an active chance to follow the 

mandate of the great sage Hillel, who 

taught us, “If I am not for myself, who 

will be for me? If I am only for myself, 

what am I? If not now when?” 

At the same time, our participation 

in Tikkun Olam allows us to follow the 

wisdom of the prophet Micah, who 

taught us “to do justly, to love mercy, 

and to walk humbly with your God.” 

Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur 

once told a self-proclaimed atheist, “The 

G-d that you don’t believe in, I don’t 

believe in either. “ 

A question to reflect on: What was 

my perception of G-d in my childhood, 

and has this perception changed? 

Yom Kippur is the Day of Atonement 

and, yet, G-d asks us to do 

something before making amends with 

Him: to make amends with our family 

and friends. When He sees that we are 

“loving whom your Beloved loves,” he 

is especially open to our prayers and requests. 

After we have asked forgiveness 

from the people in our lives, we turn to 

G-d and acknowledge where we have 

fallen short this past year and commit 

to doing better in the year ahead. It is in 

this spirit of honesty and vulnerability 

that we can culminate Yom Kippur with 

the holiest moments of the entire year, in 

an intense, intimate oneness with G-d in 

the Neilah Prayer. Perhaps before asking 

G-d for forgiveness, we need to forgive 

ourselves. Often, we are our harshest 

critics. We forget that making mistakes 

is part of what makes us human. G-d 

isn’t happy when His children aren’t 

treated kindly. You are one of G-d’s 

children. We need to practice kindness 

within ourselves. 

Some questions to reflect on: Which 

friends and family do I need to make 


are hallmark days when we are tasked 

with reflecting on the past in terms of 

our behavior, our efforts, our resolve 

and our actions. The shofar that we blow 

each Rosh Hashanah is to be a wakeup 

call, an alarm, so to speak. It is supposed 

to awaken not only our memory but 

also our conscience and our moral selves 

to do, be and act the most humanely 

that we can. It is the action of doing 

Tikkun Olam, that answers this call. 

The shofar awakens our sense of morality 

and ethical behavior to move our 

actions toward ethical priority. By doing 

this we become the best ambassadors to 

pass on these ideals to our children. We 

become the role models and the heroes 

who bring about just and righteous 

change for the future. We do what we 

are called to do as human beings. 

Go back to the book of Genesis in 

the Torah, where it teaches us the story 

of creation. The text says after each day 

of creation, “And God saw that it was 

good.” It never says, “God saw that it 

was perfect,” just “good,” which is quite 

a ways from perfection. We take from 

this that as a partner with God, it is our 

job, our responsibility and our destiny 

to take the “good” that God gave us and 

make it better. In other words, move the 

amends to? What character defects do I 

need to talk to G-d about? 

Sukkot is that glorious season when 

we eat in a hut outdoors, surrounded 

by G-d’s bounty. As we commemorate 

G-d’s clouds of protection to the Jews 

in the Sinai desert, on all six sides, we 

affirm that then, and now, our security 

comes from more than stocks and bonds 

and solid roofs over our heads. It comes 

from G-d’s will, from His goodness. It 

is disconcerting and anxiety-provoking 

to face the fact that there are no guarantees 

in life, especially in today’s 

uncertain world. That’s why we rejoice 

in our relationship with G-d. We acknowledge 

that ultimately there is no 

reason to be afraid, because G-d is our 

ultimate provider, protector and constant 

presence. 

On Simchat Torah (the day immediately 

following Sukkot) we dance with 

the Torah closed. If we opened it, some 

might feel inadequate or intimidated by 

others who are more familiar with the 

text. The learning and doing can and 

must come later, for on this day, we all 

just rejoice that this gift of truth belongs 

to everyone, not simply to the Rabbi or 

the Rebbetzin or the learned scholars. 

It belongs equally to every single Jew. 

Some questions to reflect on: How 

have I made ideas, material things and 

33A 

good toward perfection. We can’t do it 

all at once, and we can’t do it everywhere 

because we are only individuals 

with limited scope. But we can do it in 

our small corner of the universe. We can 

make great strides though, through our 

actions of Tikkun Olam. To help bring 

the world closer to perfection is our 

responsibility, and if each of us does 

our individual part, then collectively we 

can help make this world a place where 

God’s spirit reigns supreme through our 

human actions. 

So do your part in this new decade 

of ours. Pitch in and help. Find a project 

and give it your all. Let’s see how close 

to perfection we can move our world. 

Let’s see how great a place this world 

can be. It starts with you and me, and it 

starts on this Rosh Hashanah. In 5780, 

get intimately involved with a Tikkun 

Olam project. Any one of the hundreds 

available will do. Make it a New Year’s 

resolution. Share yourself, your time, 

your effort and your energy. We will all 

derive these blessings because of you. 

Have a wonderfully joyful, healthy, 

productive, blessing-filled New Year. 

Rabbi Howard S. Herman serves at 

Naples Jewish Congregation. 

acquisitions my sense of true (or only) 

security? How can I make rejoicing in 

G-d’s protection and presence a daily act 

of affirmation and gratitude? 

A lasting high and real security 

don’t come from a promotion, social 

media, new car or glass of wine. They’re 

certainly wonderful to savor in the moment 

(and become meaningful when 

used in meaningful ways, as with family, 

or for G-d), but in and of themselves 

they don’t spiritually sustain us. 

This season is called the High 

Holidays because of the truly elevated, 

lasting purpose they give us, not for the 

promise of adrenaline rushes or everlasting 

bliss. 

They give something better and 

deeper. They give us precious reminders 

of G-d’s presence in our personal life, 

of His unconditional love for us, of His 

forgiveness, of His protection, of His 

guidance, and our ability to act with 

courage and kindness, tapping into our 

higher selves. In a world fraught with 

uncertainties, disappointments and pain, 

these Highs can serve as the foundation 

of faith and quiet security that lead to a 

deeply meaningful year. 

Rabbi Fishel Zaklos serves at Chabad 

Jewish Center of Naples. 

What do we do when our schools fail our children? 

By Todd Cohn, Executive Director of Southern NCSY, July 15, 2019 

Just recently, the South Florida have your thoughts, but we are a public 

Jewish community collectively school and not all of our parents have 

took a very deep breath when the same beliefs so they will react differently.” 

Spanish River High School Principal 

William Latson weighed in on the These disturbing events continue 

school’s approach to State-mandated to be at the top of our radar as we wonder 

why the Holocaust is being reclas- 

Holocaust education. I was in complete 

and total shock when I learned of what sified as a belief and not fact. How did 

had transpired just a few miles from this one man find himself in the middle 

our NCSY office. Principal Latson said of one of the biggest challenges facing 

he had to remain “politically neutral” Jews today? 

when choosing how to educate our As the Executive Director of 

children about the Holocaust. He also Southern NCSY, I find myself deeply 

stated in the email, “Not everyone believes 

the Holocaust happened and you teens to their heritage and 

invested in connecting our Jewish 

providing 

What do you think? 

The Federation Star wants to know! 

Send your letters and comments to fedstar18@gmail.com. 

Letters Policy 

Include your name, full address and daytime phone. Letters should be no longer than 300 words. 

We reserve the right to edit for length and/or accuracy. Letters do not necessarily reflect the 

viewpoint of the Jewish Federation of Greater Naples, the Federation Star or its advertisers. 

them the important leadership skills 

needed to exact positive change not 

only in their local communities, but 

also in the world. It’s a task that I’m 

both personally and professionally 

extremely devoted to. We teach them 

about Israel advocacy, help them professionally 

network, teach them Torah, 

and provide them with social programs 

and charitable ones as well. 

One of our programs, JSU (Jewish 

Student Union) operates in 60 high 

schools across South Florida – including 

Spanish River High School. 

At JSU, we seek to engage teens and 

strengthen their Jewish identity. Participation 

is always free and open to any 

teen, regardless of their Jewish background 

or denomination. 

With the continued increase in 

anti-Semitism and the unfortunate 

growth of Holocaust denial, I’m forced 

to re-examine our outreach teen programming. 

I keep asking myself if we 

are doing enough. Perhaps a shift is in 

order? Maybe we need to arm our Jewish 

teens with the ability to deal with 

encounters with Holocaust deniers in 

their own schools? Is that what it’s 

come to? Along the same lines, are 

adults in need of education as well? 

Are middle-class, well-educated Boca 

Raton adults in need of a Holocaust literacy 

program of their own? Do school 

officials need to be taught how to handle 

those who incorrectly deny that 

portions of our world’s history never 

happened? 

Today we are both burdened and 

blessed with instant news, breaking 

news, social networks, text messages, 

group messages and even fake 

news. Information is at your fingertips 

24/7/365. Some people receive information 

and are quick to draw often 

unmoving and irrational conclusions. 

There are people who bend over backwards 

not to offend while others speak 

their mind inappropriately in these forums 

and can incite a riot with just a 

few words. 

continued on next page

Todd Cohn...continued from page 33A 

This brings me back to former 

Principal Latson. Whether or not he either 

personally or professionally holds 

the opinion that the Holocaust never 

happened, the situation should serve 

as a wake-up call. A wake-up call to 

the Jewish people and to the agencies 

around the world that are tasked with 

educating our children. 

Southern NCSY plans to lend a 

hand in making sure the students, parents 

and school officials at Spanish 

River High School (and other schools 

in South Florida) have not only a clear 

picture of the tragic history of the Jewish 

people, but are also armed with the 

confidence to stand behind Holocaust 

programming. For it’s through education 

that we can both preserve our history 

and ensure that it never happens 

again. 

About NCSY 

Southern NCSY serves teens in Florida, 

Georgia, North Carolina, South 

Carolina, Alabama and Arkansas. 

Mission: NCSY is the premier 

organization dedicated to connect, inspire 

and empower Jewish teens and 

encourage passionate Judaism through 

Torah and Tradition. 

Vision: NCSY is a national youth 

group where Jewish teens are encouraged 

to grow into leaders. We strive to 

create an environment that empowers 

teens to make informed and educated 

choices that further their commitment 

to passionate Judaism. We provide a 

range of regional and local educational 

programs. We believe in teaching 

through example, and our hand-picked 

advisors and staff model a diverse, passionate, 

open–minded and enthusiastic 

approach to Jewish life. NCSY enables 

each teen to fulfill his or her personal 

potential as a Jew, as a leader and as a 

valued community member. 

For more information about Southern 

NCSY, visit southern.ncsy.org. 


Fair game 

Rabbi 

Adam F. 

Miller 

Michael Lewis, author of 

Moneyball, The Blind Side 

and The Big Short, recently 

produced a podcast series, “Against 

the Rules.” Lewis explores the roles 

of “referees” – those individuals or institutions 

that exist in society to make 

things more fair. He begins with sports, 

where the purpose of a referee is to ensure 

that the rules are followed so that 

both sides have an equal opportunity to 

perform at their best. While that may 

seem simple, the practical reality is far 

more complicated. The speed of athletic 

competitions, combined with human 

limitations, often leave referees as the 

most despised individuals on the field. A 

referee cannot always keep up with the 

action, see the play from every angle, or 

make the right judgment call. Even under 

the best of circumstances, and with 

a myriad of replay technology available, 

they may make, or miss, a critical call 

that significantly impacts the end of the 

game (such as in the NFC championship 

game last year). 

When it comes to sports, as well as 

other areas of life, referees often receive 

blame when things go wrong. We quickly 

question whether the referee made the 

right calls. And if we receive a favorable 

“break,” we justify the outcome that 

turned in our favor. At the conclusion 

of the first episode, Lewis asks his son 

what message he would give to referees. 

The boy’s answer provides insight 

beyond the realm of sports. “Don’t pick 

sides…unless it’s my side.” While we 

say we want referees to be fair for both 

sides – there is at least some part of us 

that always wants to win. Realistically, 

every call cannot turn in our favor. In 

the comedy Bruce Almighty, Jim Carrey’s 

character says yes to every prayer 

request that is received. The result is 

pure chaos – exemplified by a world in 

which everyone wins the lottery, and 

the prize money is about the same as 

the entry fee. 

In the coming weeks, we enter into 

the High Holy Days, a time when the 

concept of fairness lays heavily on our 

minds. We expect God, as Referee, to 

give us a level playing field. We feel 

and express intense emotion over those 

times when we feel life has blessed us, 

as well as those that left us struggling 

in pain. The Unataneh Tokef prayer, 

with its memorable and chilling words, 

“Who shall live and who shall die… 

who by fire, who by water…” captures 

this struggle. Even centuries removed 

from the origins of this prayer, there are 

many illnesses, accidents and tragedies 

that are beyond our ability to anticipate. 

There are moments in life that feel “unfair,” 

leaving some to question if God 

the Referee has abandoned us. Focusing 

on the “referee” in these moments 

keeps us searching for the “why” to 

explain life’s struggles. Rabbi Harold 

Kushner teaches that asking “why” can 

be the wrong question during times of 

struggle or tragedy. He suggests that a 

better response to loss is to ask “how?” 

How will we respond after challenge? 

How can we help those who have suffered 

or fallen? 

Unataneh Tokef reflects that same 

teaching. Consider the final message, 

“Repentance, prayer and tzedakah 

temper Judgement’s severe decree.” We 

often think of this in terms of mitigating 

our own punishment for transgressions – 

hoping that the referee will be less likely 

to penalize those who do these positive 

actions. What if the tempering is not of 

our punishment, but rather mitigating 

the impact that suffering or loss has 

had upon us or others? In other words, 

we should repent, pray and do tzedakah 

not to be saved, but rather as forms of 

response to tragedy. Repentance, prayer 

and tzedakah are the “how” providing a 

recipe for response after suffering, and a 

way to bring light after darkness. 

When you gather with your community, 

family and friends this year, 

listen to the Unataneh Tokef with a new 

understanding. Instead of focusing on 

the referee and the “missed calls” from 

the past year, focus instead on how to 

move forward. Be aware of those around 

you who have suffered loss, and how 

you can lift them up. Reflect on what 

you will do to aid those who have experienced 

tragedy. Realize that though we 

are mortal, we each have the capacity to 

be partners with the Divine in making 

our world whole and holy. 

On behalf of the entire Temple Shalom 

Family, I wish you a New Year full 

of sweetness, blessing and good calls. 

Shanah Tovah U’Mtukah. 

Rabbi Adam Miller serves at Temple 

Shalom in Naples. 

Opinions and letters printed in the Federation Star do not necessarily reflect those of 

the Jewish Federation of Greater Naples its Board of Directors or staff, or its advertisers. 

COMMENTARY 

Belonging and Becoming 

Rabbi 

Ammos 

Chorny 

This summer I enjoyed a most 

memorable gift: a Sabbatical to 

spend time traveling and learning. 

To that end, my wife Aviva and I 

spent two months traveling in Europe 

and Israel, searching for better ways to 

understand our Jewish identity. What 

brings us together as Jews? How can 

we chart the future for ourselves and 

our fellow Jews in the 21 st century and 

beyond? 

While away, I validated the notion 

that Jewish religion and identity are an 

amalgamation and synthesis of two core 

principles: Peoplehood and Practice, 

what we call the Judaism of Belonging 

and the Judaism of Becoming. 

Judaism of Belonging is about attachment, 

imagining oneself a member 

of the community of the descendants 

of Abraham, and those who married or 

joined them. Jewishness is an existential 

fact, it is simply who we are. Here there 

are no better Jews or worse Jews; there 

simply are Jews. Judaism is a modality 

of being, not of doing. 

Judaism of Becoming goes in 

another direction. To be a Jew is not 

simply who you are, it is an expression 

of what you do and believe; your commitment 

to strive to become. Here, the 

defining moment is Sinai, where God 

becomes the commanding God. A Jew 

is a member of a Holy Nation, part of a 

people commanded and challenged to 

live in accordance with the values and 

beliefs of the Tradition. It is a Judaism of 

“Becoming,” because no individual ever 

fully embodies all of Judaism’s principles 

and values; embarking on a lifelong 

journey to become more. 

These two principles, Belonging 

and Becoming, meant to complement 

and complete each other, constitute 

the meaning of Jewishness. Judaism is 

at its best, and Jewish identity strongest, 

when the two exist as parts of a singular 

whole. Jewish identity becomes a 

challenge and a problem when one tries 

to exist without the other or the balance 

between them is skewed. 

How do we forge them together? 

Rabbi Sidney Schwarz, (Jewish Megatrends) 

suggests we focus on Jewish 

values, our moral compass. When our 

congregations are embedded in these 

values, being a part of them gives 

meaning to our lives. Judaism brings 

ethics and values to the world, including 

(tzedek) justice, (chesed) compassion, 

(tzelem Elohim) human dignity and, 

ahavat ger, protection of those who are 

most vulnerable – love of the stranger; 

to treat all people fairly because all 

are created in God’s image. We are 

commanded to pursue justice with 

compassion, caring and concern. We 

are reminded 36 times in the Torah to 

care for the stranger in our midst for we 

were strangers in the land of Egypt. We 

carry the experience in Egypt so deeply 

that treating strangers, refugees and 

newcomers with fairness and care, intrinsically 

stems from these core values. 

We are seekers of wisdom (chochmah), 

of knowledge and learning to 

build a strong foundation for our living 

and doing, to inform our decision making 

in pursuing justice, in building community 

and finding kedushah, sacred 

purpose in our lives. 

We are seekers of Social Justice/ 

Tzedek in times of political turmoil. Our 

political culture is dysfunctional, and the 

social and environmental threats to the 

planet grow exponentially. The Jewish 

community is providing many ways to 

advance tzedek in the world. We return 

to God’s charge to Abraham, “laasot 

tzedakah umishpat” – to extend the 

boundaries of righteousness and justice; 

and we are told “tzedek, tzedek tirdof” 

– Justice, justice shall you pursue. Our 

texts speak of ways to instill this pursuit 

of justice in our lives and our world. 

We are seekers of community (kehillah). 

When technology makes meaningful 

social interaction harder to come 

by, the Jewish community offers places 

where people can find support when in 

need, communal celebration in times 

of joy, and friendships to make life 

fulfilling. 

We are seekers of lives of sacred 

purpose (dorshei kedushah). The Jewish 

community can offer a glimpse of 

kedushah, experiences that provide holiness, 

transcendent meaning and a sense 

of purpose, when we better understand 

the shortcomings of consumerism. Our 

sacred task is to help Jews live lives of 

sacred purpose. 

Hillel said, “Im ein ani li, mi li? 

Ucheshe’ani l’atzmi mah ani? If I am 

not for myself, who am I? But if I am 

only for myself, what do I amount to? 

(Pirke Avot 1:14) It wasn’t an either/or. 

It was both. The first is particular/belonging. 

If I am not for myself, who am 

I? The second is covenantal/universal/ 

becoming. But if I am only for myself, 

what do I amount to? We have the opportunity 

to find balance between them. 

Rosh Hashanah invites us to write 

the next chapters in our stories – personal, 

American, Jewish and more – 

with pride in our unique experiences, 

and a deep sense of what binds us all 

together. We are at our best when we 

use our particular traditions to realize 

the fullness of our universal humanity. 

L’Shanah Tovah Tikateyvu – May 

you be inscribed for blessing in the 

book of life! 

Rabbi Ammos Chorny serves at Beth 

Tikvah in Naples.

ORGANIZATIONS 


35A 

JEWISH WAR VETERANS https://jwvpost202.wordpress.com/ 239-261-3270 

JWV Post 202 update 

Harve Sturm 

Commander 

JWV 

Post #202 

Martin Cohn 

Vice 

Commander 

JWV 

Post #202 

and Jr. ROTC award ceremonies at local 

high schools in April. 

For more information, please visit 

jwvpost202.wordpress.com, call 

239.261.3270 or email jwvpost202@ 

gmail.com. 

The Jewish War Veterans Post 202 

has had a quiet summer except 

for one big event – the Naples 

Independence Day Parade on July 4. We 

had a record turnout with 15 members 

in three cars prominently displaying our 

logo. We had more members representing 

veterans than any of the other veterans 

associations. As we rode down in 

the parade, we tossed wrapped candy to 

grateful children lining the streets with 

their parents. Every now and then we 

could hear a “Shalom” from someone 

along the street. The crowd appeared 

much larger than last year. We all felt 

proud by participating. 

We are getting ready for the upcoming 

season and a number of our activities, 

including Veterans Day Celebration 

in November, Chanukah in December, 

The “team” of veterans from Post 202 who participated in the Naples Independence Day Parade 

COLLIER/LEE CHAPTER OF HADASSAH www.hadassah.org / 732-539-4011 

From the darkness into the light in 10,500 steps 

Diane 

Schwartz 

Collier/Lee 

Hadassah 

President 

It was a Saturday in New York City 

– sunshine, museums and good 

food. All in advance of Hadassah’s 

National Convention. 

Then it happened. A midtown 

Manhattan blackout! My roommate 

and travel buddy, Iris Shur, and I had 

enjoyed a nice dinner and got in line to 

see a Broadway show, a long-planned 

excursion. 

Fate intervened, the blackout occurred, 

the traffic was stopped and the 

show was canceled. We walked 12 

blocks, mostly in the dark, along with 

thousands of people. While we walked 

faster than traffic, we still made our 

way slowly. 

When we finally made it back to 

our hotel, we joined mobs of people 

sitting on every surface and floor available. 

Two hours after our arrival, cheers 

rang out and clapping commenced as 

the lights came back on and power was 

restored. 

JEWISH HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF SWFL www.jhsswf.org / 239-566-1771 

In the year 5780 

Marina 

Berkovich 

JHSSWF 

President 

One of the saddest experiences 

of my personal Jewish journey 

was in 2013 Prague. While 

touring what remains of the once vibrant 

Jewish neighborhood and its temples, I 

realized that I was walking on the cemetery 

of history – first they killed the 

Jews, then they gathered the artifacts 

that once belonged to Jews, now they 

are charging other Jews (and non-Jews) 

to tour the remnants of glorious Czech 

Jewish history. 

I had a somewhat different experience 

at the tomb of Christopher 

Columbus in Seville, Spain, in 1984, 

when my tour guide, recognizing my 

Jewish face, confided in me that Columbus 

was a Jew who sailed to America 

with Jewish money. July 31, 1492, was 

the deadline the Jews in Spain had to 

Happily, we were able to enjoy the 

company of close to 1,000 Hadassah 

women from across the country as the 

convention began. For me, it was great 

to see and reconnect with Hadassah 

friends from my New Jersey days in 

Hadassah as well. 

Now for the best light of all. The 

convention was eye-opening, warm, 

enlightening and inspiring. Here are 

some highlights: 

Elan S. Carr, U.S. Special Envoy 

to Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism, 

urged all to call out anti-Semitism for 

what it is, to be proud of who we are, 

and continue blazing paths forward to 

benefit our children and grandchildren. 

Eloquently, he said, “Israel is not just 

a country but history’s response to the 

world’s greatest evil.” 

Bari Weiss, New York Times writer 

and editor, was a singular voice in 

analyzing the rise of anti-Semitism 

in America. Her aptly named book, 

How to Fight Anti-Semitism, will be 

released this September. Growing up 

in the Squirrel Hill neighborhood of 

Pittsburgh, she attended and was a Bat 

Mitzvah at the Tree of Life synagogue. 

She was eloquent and passionate in her 

reporting following the murders in the 

synagogue as well as in her presentation 

decide – convert or leave. Nina, Pinta 

and Santa Maria and other vessels left 

Spain on August 3, 1492, sailing in the 

same direction, taking with them, with 

full knowledge of Queen Isabel, some 

special passengers. But then, the Jews 

of Spain were no more… 

Moving to the New World… The 

very first Jew to set foot first in San Salvador, 

Bahamas, then on Hispaniola, the 

island that is now shared by Dominican 

Republic and Haiti, and most likely the 

very first known Jew on the American 

continent, was Columbus’s personal 

interpreter, Luis de Torres, a converso 

born Yosef ben Levy Ha-Ivri, who died 

the following year. The rest, as they say, 

is history. 

Is it comforting or shocking to know 

that 25% of the Iberian Peninsula and 

its descendants carry Jewish DNA? In 

July 1938, as the world turned away 

from its German Jews at the Evian 

Conference led by President Franklin 

D. Roosevelt, out of 32 nations, only 

one – the Dominican Republic – agreed 

to help resettle those refugees and took 

in about 100,000. 

to Hadassah delegates. 

Hadassah International was represented 

by President Robert Dorfman. 

Hadassah International was started by 

Hadassah Past President Bernice Tannenbaum 

36 years ago. All activities 

support Hadassah Medical Organization 

(HMO), which is considered more 

than a hospital but a key aspect of a 

world-class health system. Hadassah is 

represented in Australia, New Zealand, 

France, United Kingdom, Israel, Argentina, 

Brazil and Mexico, raising money 

through a “World Without Borders” 

strategy. 

Dr. Zeev Rotstein, Director General 

of HMO, shared news about the new 

Ophthalmology Department programs 

including gene therapy treatment for 

eye conditions and diseases, and training 

As we embark on the year 5780, 

some 527 years after Columbus’s 

journey, it is impossible to separate 

man from fiction. Did a Genovese Jew, 

whose family converted before arrival in 

Spain when he was a boy of two, really 

scribble in his ship’s log in Hebrew? 

What is within our reach is to use 

our 21 st century logic and our knowledge 

of events to connect the dots of history, 

to string a story and pass it on, bringing 

hope to the future of our tribesmen in 

the wake of the ongoing Jewish tragedy 

of anti-Semitic persecution. 

In our stead there will come a different 

generation – more globalized, 

if you will, blurring lines between our 

essentials until they are blended beyond 

our anticipation. 

Yet, unlike those who were forced to 

become conversos or were exterminated 

by the Nazis, we have substantially better 

means of preserving our trail and 

making new generations aware of and 

proud of their heritage. But are we doing 

all we can? 

We are inspired by the year 5780! 

Compare it to America’s 527! 

physicians from Africa, Saudi Arabia 

and the Palestinian Authority. 

There were powerful remarks about 

Jewish life, life in Israel and Jewish 

interaction worldwide by Stephen Flatow, 

who lost his 20-year-old daughter 

Alisa to terrorism in Israel. Also powerful 

were the words of Henrietta Szold 

Award-winner, the Honorable Dr. Irwin 

Cotler, a significant force in international 

organizations working against 

anti-Semitism. 

It was all a truly ENLIGHTENING 

experience. 

Remember to support Hadassah’s 

L’Chaim List honoring our children, 

grandchildren and families. Contact 

Carol Weisberg at carolw@tetragonia. 

com. 

Save the Date: 

Wednesday, October 16: JNF Blue Box Luncheon – contact Denise Sultan 

 

 

 

 

at dina4630@icloud.com or Patti Bloom at bloom1210@yahoo.com 

Sunday, October 27: Trivia Night – Contact Lee Henson at lhenson13@ 

gmail.com 

Wednesday, November 13: Fall Luncheon featuring the Crafty Women 

Mini Boutique – contact Elyse Morande at amorande@aol.com 

Wednesday, December 4: Knowledge and Nosh – contact Elyse Morande 

Sunday, December 15: Keepers of the Gate Brunch – contact Ellen Harris at 

ehjh@comcast.net or President Diane Schwartz at dianepschwartz@gmail. 

com or 732.539.4011 

We know it will be a meaningful 

Jewish year. L’Shana Tovah! 

The Southwest Florida Jewish Pioneers 

film series’ next presentation is 

Thursday, October 10 at 10:00 a.m. in 

partnership with WCA. 

Don’t forget to join our mailing 

list to be notified of all events we offer 

during the year. 

At the Jewish Historical Society of 

SWFL, we strive to preserve the eyewitness 

accounts. The Eyewitness Stories 

are featured at the Virtual Museum of 

Southwest Florida Jewish History. 

Membership in The Jewish Historical 

Society of Southwest Florida is open 

to anyone who is interested in our mission 

of historical preservation. 

The Jewish Historical Society 

of Southwest Florida 

8805 Tamiami Trail North, 

Suite # 255, Naples FL 34108 

833.547.7935 (833.JHS.SWFL) 

www.jhsswf.org 

office@jhsswf.org 

Virtual Museum of SWFL 

Jewish History http:// 

jewishhistorysouthwestflorida.org/


SYNAGOGUES 

Beth Tikvah update 

Beth Tikvah Co-Presidents 

Shelley Goodman and Sue Hammerman 

Summer has been a busy time for 

Beth Tikvah. Our thanks go to 

Cantor Frani Goodman for providing 

us with services and interesting 

classes while Rabbi Chorny has been 

traveling on Sabbatical. With September 

comes the excitement of the High 

Holidays. We are pleased that Cantor 

Frani will be joining us for High Holiday 

Services again this year together 

with Rabbi Chorny. We are planning a 

full schedule of High Holiday services 

and related events. If you are planning 

to worship with us, please contact 

the office at office@bethtikvah.us or 

call 239.434.1818 to arrange for your 

tickets. 

As we approach the High Holidays, 

BETH TIKVAH www.bethtikvahnaples.org / 239-434-1818 

it is a time of gratitude and appreciation 

for all in Beth Tikvah who make our activities 

possible. Our Board of Trustees 

has committed to making progress in 

the new year in improving our sanctuary 

and facility. We have begun improvements 

to our building security and 

physical accessibility. We have launched 

a long-term planning initiative, which 

includes participation with the Jewish 

Federation of Greater Naples LIFE & 

LEGACY program. We have an extensive 

program of activities planned, 

including a Scholar-in-Residence weekend, 

lecture series, kosher eat and learn 

events, musical events and a celebration 

of Beth Tikvah’s Bat Mitzvah and 13 th 

year. 

We thank our predecessor presidents, 

Phil Jason, Rosalee Bogo and 

Stuart Kaye, for their continuing involvement 

and commitment. Our 

Treasurer and Religious Affairs Chair, 

Harvey Rosenthal, is a rock upon whom 

we all rely. Membership Chair Linda 

Scheinberg also leads our Chesed outreach. 

Our Vice-Presidents, Justin Land 

and Paulette Margulies, lead in financial 

and programming development. Elaine 

Kamin schedules our Mavens for Kiddush 

Lunches and our Rosh Chodesh 

women’s group. She supports Rosalee 

Bogo and Jay Kaye in creating the 

Naples Jewish Film Festival. Spiritual 

Leader Rabbi Ammos Chorny is our 

ever-present guide to Torah together 

with Aviva Chorny and their growing 

family. 

Join us for our High Holiday services, 

share with us in a Shabbat 

Kiddush lunch, take part in Rabbi 

Chorny’s weekly lunch-and-learn 

discussions. Explore with us a participatory, 

egalitarian approach to Conservative 

Judaism. 

Our wishes go to all in the Greater 

Naples Jewish community for a 

healthy, prosperous and joyful New 

Year. L’Shana Tova Umetukah. May we 

all be inscribed in the Book of Life for 

a good and sweet New Year! 

Beth Tikvah Happenings 

¡¡ 

Jewish Perspectives with Rabbi 

Chorny, Tuesdays, 12:15 to 1:30 

p.m. (bring a dairy lunch) 

¡¡ 

Saturday, Sept. 21: Selichot service 

following film - 7:30 p.m. 

¡¡ 

Thursday, Sept. 26: High Holidays 

Workshop with Rabbi Chorny - 7:30 

p.m. 

¡¡ 

Sunday, Sept. 29: Erev Rosh Hashanah 

- 6:15 p.m. 

¡¡ 

Monday, Sept. 30: Rosh Hashanah 

1- 9:00 a.m. (Tashlikh in afternoon) 

¡¡ 

Tuesday, Oct. 1: Rosh Hashanah 

2 - 9:00 a.m. 

¡¡ 

Tuesday, Oct. 8: Kol Nidre Erev 

Yom Kippur - 6:00 p.m. 

¡¡ 

Wednesday, Oct. 9: Yom Kipper - 

9:00 a.m. 

¡¡ 

Break Fast: 8:00 p.m. after Yom 

Kippur concludes. Reservations 

necessary. 

¡¡ 

Sunday, Oct. 13: Erev Sukkot - 6:15 

p.m. followed by “Sunday in the 

Sukkah” 

¡¡ 

Monday, Oct. 14: Sukkot 1 - 9:00 

a.m. 

¡¡ 

Sunday, Oct. 20: Simchat Torah - 

6:15 p.m. 

¡¡ 

Monday, Oct. 21: Shemini Atseret 

- 9:00 a.m. 

¡¡ 

Rosh Chodesh Women’s Study will 

begin Sunday, October 27, 10:00 to 

11:30 a.m., reoccurring monthly. All 

women welcome.Thursdays, 4:30 

to 6:30 p.m. 

Religious Services 

Friday services begin at 6:15 p.m.; Saturday 

services begin at 9:30 a.m. and 

conclude with a Kiddush luncheon. We 

convene Yahrzeit minyanim upon request. 

We are located at 1459 Pine Ridge 

Road, just west of Mission Square Plaza. 

You may reach Rabbi Chorny directly 

at 239.537.5257. 

JEWISH CONGREGATION OF MARCO ISLAND www.marcojcmi.com / 239-642-0800 

CMI update 

y Ted Bunten, President 

o prepare spiritually for Rosh 

Hashanah and Yom Kippur, our 

congregation will attend S’lichot 

ervice on Saturday, September 21. 

his S’lichot (forgiveness) service is 

esigned to help us direct our hearts and 

inds to the process of teshuva. At this 

ervice, we begin to examine our deeds 

f the past year, seek forgiveness from 

od, and promise to improve our behavior 

in the New Year. Our S’lichot service 

will begin with a dessert reception, followed 

by a program and worship. 

Personally, I look forward to this 

time of introspection, soul searching 

and reflection. It enables me to take an 

accounting of my soul and life, to right 

relationships, and to reconnect with 

family, community and God. 

We at JCMI are extremely appreciative 

of all the great work that the 


does throughout the year. Under the 

leadership of Board Chair Jane Schiff, 

President and CEO Jeffrey Feld and 

their Board of Directors, Federation 

has brought wonderful programs to our 

community that have enriched our lives. 

Those programs extended from Marco 

Island to the very northern section of 

W 

Tt 

o 

o 

t 

h 

H 

t 

p 

i 

s 

Greater Naples. We look forward to 

participating in Federation’s 2019-2020u 

programs and events. 

o 

On behalf of JCMI, we wish ouri 

entire Jewish community a sweet, s 

happy and healthy New Year. May thisp 

be a time of healing, renewal and hope. 

May you be inscribed and sealed in the 

Book of Life to a good year. L‘Shanah 

Tovah Tikatevu. 

BRIEFS 

continued from page 32A 

Jews in hiding. Her family members 

risked their lives sheltering a British 

soldier, and she and her mother assisted 

as nurses. At one point, the Nazis 

rounded up Dutch women and girls 

to work in German kitchens, including 

Hepburn, but she escaped. (Rich Tenorio, 

Times of Israel) 

COMPARING GUN 

VIOLENCE IN ISRAEL 

AND THE U.S. 

In Israel, the annual rate of gun deaths 

per 100,000 people in 2015 was 

1.38%, with 111 deaths. In the U.S. it 

was 11.28% per 100,000, with 36,247 

deaths. 

In Israel there are 6.7 firearms for 

every 100 people, for a total of 557,000. 

In the U.S. there are 120.5 weapons per 

100 persons, or 393 million firearms. 

(Patty Nieberg, Haaretz) 

STANDARD AND POOR’S 

AFFIRMS ISRAEL’S 

AA- CREDIT RATING 

International financial services and 

credit rating agency Standard & Poor’s 

reaffirmed Israel’s global credit rating 

and economic outlook recently, giving 

it an AA- score with a stable outlook. 

S&P cited that the Israeli economy 

has grown for 15 consecutive years, 

the low unemployment rate, and the 

fact that Israel’s high-tech industry is 

enjoying peak investment. 

The Leviathan offshore gas field, 

which is expected to become fully operational 

in 2020, will boost the economy 

further. (Israel Hayom) 

WEST POINT GRADUATES 

1,000TH JEWISH STUDENT 

When West Point graduated its 1,000 th 

Jewish cadet on Saturday, May 25, it 

was more than a historical moment. 

For the 12 Jewish cadets graduating 

this year out of a class of 980, and 

the hundreds of Jewish alumni before 

them, this milestone shows how much 

Jewish life has grown here since the 

military academy’s 1802 founding. 

(Cathryn J. Prince, Times of Israel) 

For daily news stories related to 

Israel & the Jewish world, 

visit www.jewishnaples.org. 

Federation Star Publication Policy 

The Federation Star is a subsidized arm of the Jewish 

Federation of Greater Naples (JFGN). Its purpose and 

function is to publicize the activities and programs of 

the Federation, and to publicize the ongoing activities of 

the established and recognized Jewish organizations in 

Greater Naples. 

The goal of the JFGN is to reach out and unite all Jews 

of the Greater Naples area. While differing opinions and 

points of view do, and will continue to, exist about many issues 

of importance to Jews, the Federation Star will confine 

itself to publishing ONLY items that report the facts of actual 

events of concern to Jews and will only offer commentary 

that clearly intends to unite all Jews in a common purpose or 

purposes. 

Critical or derogatory comments directed at individuals 

or organizations will NOT be published. 

(Adopted by the Officers and Board of Trustees 

of the Jewish Federation of Collier County 1/98) 

To avoid misunderstandings, controversies and destructive 

divisions among our people, the Officers and Board of 

Trustees of the “Federation” have adopted the following 

publication policy: 

Advertisements: All advertisements, regardless of their 

sponsor, shall be paid for in full, at the established rates, 

prior to publication. The contents of all advertisements shall 

be subject to review and approval of the Federation Board 

or its designee. Commercial advertisers may make credit 

arrangements with the advertising manager, subject to the 

approval of the Federation Board. 

Regular Columns: Regular columns shall be accepted only 

from leaders (Rabbis, Presidents, Chairs) of established and 

recognized Jewish organizations in Greater Naples and the 

designated Chairs of the regular committees of the Jewish 

Federation of Greater Naples. 

Special Announcements: Special announcements shall be 

accepted from established Jewish organizations in Greater 

Naples and may, at the discretion of the Federation Board, 

be subject to the conditions applicable to paid advertisements, 

as set forth above. 

News Items: Only those news items pertaining to matters of 

general interest to the broadest cross-section of the Jewish 

Community will be accepted for publication. 

Note: Items of controversial opinions and points of view, 

about political issues, will not be accepted for publication 

without prior approval of a majority of the Federation Officers 

and Trustees. 

All persons and organizations objecting to the actions 

and rulings of the Editor or Publications Committee Chair 

shall have the right to appeal those rulings to the Officers 

and Board of Trustees of the JFGN.

SYNAGOGUES 


37A 

TEMPLE SHALOM www.naplestemple.org / 239-455-3030 

Temple Shalom update 

For more information on the events 

below, please call the temple at 

239.455.3030. 

Torah Talk 

Join the volunteer-led discussion of the 

week’s Torah portion on the first Saturday 

of each month. On September 7, the 

portion is Shoftim. There will be a light 

breakfast at 8:15 a.m. with discussion to 

follow at 8:30 a.m. 

Temple Shalom Open House 

Temple Shalom will have an Open 

NAPLES JEWISH CONGREGATION www.naplesjewishcongregation.org / 239-431-3858 

hy the Days of Awe should still matter to us 

Steve 

McCloskey 

President 

The essence of Rosh Hashanah 

and Yom Kippur is embodied by 

the broad themes of introspection 

and redemption. These themes 

of critical self-appraisal and ridding 

oneself of sin and guilt through repentance, 

forgiveness and atonement are the 

hallmark of the Days of Awe. The High 

Holy Days provide us an opportunity 

to rededicate ourselves to the Judaic 

polestars of justice, mercy and humility, 

and to reassess what it is that we 

stand for. 

The self-assessment required of 

us involves a degree of probity not 

often employed in our daily lives, an 

intimate look inside ourselves that can 

sometimes be too revealing. The purpose 

of our inward examination is to 

House before our Shabbat service on 

Friday, September 13 at 6:30 p.m. We 

will have the answers to all those questions 

you have about our Temple Family 

and our voluntary dues structure. Take 

a tour of Temple Shalom and stay for 

an inspirational and uplifting Shabbat 

evening service. Open to all! Wine, 

cheese and good company. How could 

you go wrong? 

Selichot Program and Service 

Join us on Saturday, September 21 at 

gain greater self-awareness and insight 

into what drives us, both positive and 

negative. The objective is to embrace 

the good and to discard the bad, to press 

our personal reset button to the end of 

improving ourselves in the new year by 

charting a better path. 

In deciding what course we want 

to follow in the new year, we must 

reflect upon where we have been in the 

past year. Have we stood for exclusion 

or inclusion? Have we conducted our 

affairs with civility or rancor? Have 

we fomented partisanship or fostered 

comity? Have we embraced unity or 

sown rancor? Have we treated others 

with dignity and respect or with scorn 

and enmity? 

Going forward, we must decide 

what we stand for as individuals, as 

Jews and as Americans. In doing so, we 

are all cognizant of the fact that our free 

will is both a blessing and, at times, a 

curse. We cannot blame others for who 

we are or how we behave. We should be 

guided by the following test: Would our 

children/grandchildren be proud of our 

7:30 p.m. for a time to pause and reflect 

before the High Holy Days. The 

program features a film followed by a 

brief discussion and Selichot service. 

High Holy Days 

Temple Shalom looks forward to welcoming 

you to our beautiful High Holy 

Days services. If you have never spent 

the High Holy Days with us, we invite 

you to join us as our guest! Active duty 

military personnel and college students 

always receive complimentary tickets. 

Are you a Jewish 

If you have joined us in the past, tickets 

that include all High Holy Days services 

are available at the cost of $100 per 

person, and that cost can be applied to 

Temple Shalom membership. Reservations 

are required. Our High Holy 

Days schedule of services can be found 

in our ad in this issue. For additional 

information regarding services, tickets 

or membership, please contact Temple 

Shalom. 

conduct? If they would not, we should 

not do it. When we lift others up, we 

lift ourselves up. Let us help bend the 

moral arc of the universe toward justice 

and mercy for not only those we know 

and love, but also for those whom have 

no one to advocate for them. 

We will have a blank slate to fill in 

in the coming year. Let us fill it with 

good deeds and let us comport ourselves 

with tolerance and compassion 

toward others and with empathy in 

our interactions with others. We seek 

to fix our mistakes from the past year 

by atoning for those misdeeds and by 

seeking absolution from those whom 

we have aggrieved. As we abstain, if 

able, from food and drink on Yom Kippur, 

let us also refrain from the use of 

our ubiquitous electronic devices, by 

taking a much needed 25-hour respite 

from social media, our computers, TVs 

and the like. Disconnect from your devices 

and reconnect with your family 

and friends. 

Naples Jewish Congregation (NJC) 

will observe Yom Kippur and Rosh Hashanah 

at the end of September and the 

beginning of October. We look forward 

to our spiritually uplifting and thoughtprovoking 

High Holy Days services, 

led by Rabbi Howard Herman. His 

messages are always timely, cogent and 

designed to make us think. The music is 

engaging and soulful, led by Jane Galler, 

our Cantorial Soloist, augmented by 

our enthusiastic choir, all expertly accompanied 

and conducted by our Music 

Director, Alla Gorelick. 

If you have not previously attended 

High Holy Days services with us, you 

will be our guest. Please see our ad in 

this issue of the Federation Star. Come 

see for yourself why NJC is the small 

congregation with the big heart. 

High School Student 

Graduating May 2020? 

Center for Judaic, Holocaust, 

and Genocide Studies 

Dedicated to educating all sectors of society about 

Jewish civilization, the Holocaust, and genocide through: 

• scholarship 

• outreach 

• inquiry 

• sharing knowledge 

• preserving the record 

• helping teachers 

• encouraging students 

Visit www.fgcu.edu/hc/ 

Dr. Paul Bartrop, Director 

PRESENTS: 

OF GREATER NAPLES 

Patricia J. Adkins Youth Leadership Award 

A one-time award of $2,500 for further education! 

TO QUALIFY: 

Jewish senior in high school 

Resident of Collier County 

Active in a congregation and/or BBYO 

Strong academic record 

Active leadership role in the community 

Application Deadline: January 1, 2020 

jewishnaples.org/scholarships-grants 

For Questions Contact Reneé at rbialek@jewishnaples.org


Temple Shalom Preschool update 

By Susan Feld, Ed.S., Director, Temple Shalom Preschool 

Believe it or not, teachers are just tion about the child in order to determine 

as excited as the children are appropriate instructional methods and to 

to begin the new school year. provide the best learning environment 

Teachers love to teach but they also love and opportunities. This idea makes it 

to learn and are known to be lifelong essential that every effort be made to 

learners. An important goal for educators 

ensure that ongoing and effective part- 

is to create lifelong learning habits nerships are created and maintained 

in the children in their care. Teachers with families. 

also strive to include parents as active At Temple Shalom Preschool, we 

collaborators in their child’s education. invited parents to Story Gathering, an 

Collaboration requires that parents and activity that was held for parents and 

teachers work together to share informa- 

teachers the week before the first day 

Chabad at FCGU 

Welcome to Chabad at FCGU, your Jewish home away from home! Whether you’re 

looking to express your Jewishness in a fun and warm way, enjoy fresh homemade 

food or connect with friends, we are here for you! 

We look forward to joining Chabad at FCGU as new directors this fall semester 

to introduce and expand programming. 

Chabad provides Shabbat and holiday dinners, programs, educational opportunities 

and events, all imbued with joy and meaning. Chabad at FGCU is open to 

all, regardless of Jewish background. For more information, email jewishfgcu@ 

gmail.com. 

Looking forward to greeting you personally, 

Mendel, Shternie and baby Mussia Gordon 

For the 10 th year, a grant has been established by the Jewish Community Relations Council of 

the Jewish Federation of Greater Naples. 

The 2020 STAND UP FOR JUSTICE Educator Grant recognizes High School, Middle School 

For the 10 th year, a grant has been established by the Jewish Community Relations Council of 

and Elementary School educators who are innovative in bringing respect for others’ differences 

the Jewish Federation of Greater Naples. 

into their activities with students in a transformative, impactful and caring way. The goal is to 

create The 2020 a resource STAND for UP educators FOR JUSTICE of any Educator discipline Grant to incorporate recognizes strategies High School, that promote Middle School 

understanding Elementary and School respect educators among who students, are innovative countering bigotry bringing and respect bullying. for others’ This grant differences 

recognizes into their activities teachers, with guidance students counselors, in a transformative, school librarians, impactful media and caring specialists, way. The school goal is to 

psychologists, create a resource administrators, for educators etc. of any discipline to incorporate strategies that promote 

understanding and respect among students, countering bigotry and bullying. This grant 

recognizes teachers, guidance counselors, school librarians, media specialists, school 

psychologists, administrators, etc. 

Visit this link to download the application and see previous recipient submissions: 

https://jewishnaples.org/outreach/educator-award 

Visit this link to download the application and see previous recipient submissions: 

For additional information, please contact 

https://jewishnaples.org/outreach/educator-award 

Grant Coordinator Beth Povlow at 239.393.6306 or 

For MarcoPovlow@hotmail.com. 

additional information, please contact 

Grant Coordinator Beth Povlow at 239.393.6306 or 

MarcoPovlow@hotmail.com. 

HEY KIDS! 

What are your plans 

for the summer of 2020? 

of school. The parents participated in a 

one-on-one meeting with their child’s 

teacher, sharing family stories as a 

powerful and meaningful way to connect. 

Stories are effective with children 

and adults of all ages and backgrounds. 

The conference gave the teachers an opportunity 

to learn all about the family, 

hear stories about the child, learn the 

child’s likes and dislikes, and discuss 

the child’s learning styles. It was a 

chance for the families to tell the teacher 

about family traditions, recent trips, 

and parents’ hopes and dreams for their 

child. Some families brought photos 

and favorite toys, and also enjoyed the 

time to talk about any concerns. Story 

Gathering was the first step in building 

a positive partnership with the parents 

and the teachers. 

The following week, the parents 

FOCUS ON YOUTH 


brought the children to visit the classrooms 

and meet their teacher. Since the 

teachers and parents had already had an 

opportunity to chat, the children were 

able to dive into the activities, instead 

of waiting for the adults to introduce 

themselves. At Visitation Day, families 

worked together on crafts, built with 

blocks, and played with new toys. 

Many thanks to the Jewish Federation 

of Greater Naples for providing 

scholarship funding for many of our 

families. We are appreciative for the 

support, without which many children 

would be unable to participate in 

our high-quality Jewish preschool 

program. 

Naples BBYO happenings 

By Jessica Zimmerman, Associate Regional Dir., North Florida Region 

This past summer, BBYO teens 

have flourished at Jewish summer 

camps and BBYO summer 

programs, and some have even traveled 

to Israel to take high 

school-level courses. 

Max Klein, our 

current Negev AZA 

Godol (President), 

participated in CLTC 

(Chapter Leadership 

Jessica Zimmerman 

Training Institute) at 

Camp B’Nai Brith 

in Montreal. CLTC is BBYO’s premier 

hands-on leadership camp for students 

in grades 9-10. BBYO offers a total 

of eight sessions of CLTC, each two 

weeks in length, that draws over 600 

participants throughout the summer. 

Here’s what Max said about CLTC: 

“CLTC was a great experience. I 

learned more than I thought possible 

about leadership. CLTC opened my 

eyes to new ideas about how to grow 

Negev AZA in Naples. It taught me the 

skills necessary to be a strong leader in 

not only BBYO, but also in the Greater 

Naples community and beyond. I’m 

grateful I had the opportunity to learn 

and truly indulge myself in all-things 

BBYO on the chapter level. I would 

like to thank the Jewish Federation 

of Greater Naples, the Men’s Club of 

Temple Shalom and BBYO Inc. for this 

experience and learning opportunity.” 


Naples BBYO looks forward to 

bringing our excitement and passion 

for Jewish programming to create a 

truly amazing year. We start with our 

Fall Kickoff at Rainbow River State 

Park for a tubing adventure on Sunday, 

September 8 from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 

p.m. We will tube down the ancient 

natural springs that make up much of 

our backyard in North Florida. BBYO 

will provide transportation to and from 

Naples. 

Our first convention of the year, JEI 

(Jewish Enrichment Institute), will take 

place the weekend of November 8-10. 

This convention will bring Jewish teens 

together from as far as Tallahassee to 

as close as Fort Myers for an unforgettable 

weekend of engagement, fun and 

ritual at Day Springs Camp in Ellenton, 

Florida. 

To register for kickoff and to learn 

more about local programming, email 

me at jesszimmerman@bbyo.org. 

We are searching for advisors for 

our Naples BBYO chapters. Advising is 

a volunteer position and asks anywhere 

from six to 10 hours of your time each 

month. Please contact me for more 

information. 

Would you like to go 

to a Jewish Summer 

Camp or visit Israel? 

The Jewish Federation of Greater Naples, 

Temple Shalom and 

Temple Shalom Men’s Club, 

together offer PARTIAL scholarships 

for Jewish Summer Camps and 

the Israel Experience for teens. 

There are scholarship opportunities for 

all Jewish children in the community 

regardless of congregation affiliation. 

For information and a scholarship application, 

contact your local synagogue or call 

the Jewish Federation at 239.263.4205. 

Scholarship request deadlines: 

Summer Camps: December 18, 2019 

Israel Programs: February 3, 2020 

Max Klein (at left in front) at CLTC with his brother Alephs 

Sign up for The PJ Library and you’ll receive a FREE, high-quality 

children’s book or CD each month. The PJ Library will enrich your family’s 

life with Jewish stories and songs – and it’s absolutely FREE for families 

with children from six months up to eight years of age in Collier County. 

The PJ Library is brought to the Greater Naples 

community by the Naples Senior Center at JFCS. 

For more information, call 239.325.4444.

COMMUNITY DIRECTORY 


39A 

TEMPLE SHALOM 

OF NAPLES (Reform) 

4630 Pine Ridge Road, Naples, FL 34119 

Phone: 455-3030 • Fax: 455-4361 

Email: info@naplestemple.org 

www.naplestemple.org 

Rabbi Adam Miller 

Cantor Donna Azu 

James H. Perman, D.D., 

Rabbi Emeritus 

Debra Antzis, President 

Deborah Rosen Fidel, Executive Dir. 

Rabbi Ariel Boxman, Rabbi Educator 

Susan Feld, Preschool Director 

Jim Cochran, Music Director 

Shabbat Services: 

Shabbat Eve - Friday 7:30 p.m. 

Shabbat - Saturday 10:00 a.m. 

JEWISH CONGREGATION 

OF MARCO ISLAND (Reform) 

991 Winterberry Drive 

Marco Island, FL 34145 

Phone: 642-0800 • Fax: 642-1031 

Email: tboxma@marcojcmi.com 

Website: www.marcojcmi.com 

Rabbi Mark Gross 

Hari Jacobsen, Cantorial Soloist 

Ted Bunten, President 

Shabbat Services 

Friday 7:30 p.m. 

Seasonal: Saturday Talmud-Torah at 

9:30 a.m. and Shachrit at 10:30 a.m. 

Rabbi’s Life Long Learning Series 

Sidney R. Hoffman Jewish Film Festival 

Saul I. Stern Cultural Series 

JCMI Book Club 


(Reform) 

Services are held at: 

The Unitarian Congregation 

6340 Napa Woods Way 


431-3858 

Email: rabbi@naplesjewishcongregation.org 

www.naplesjewishcongregation.org 

Stephen P. McCloskey, President 

Jane Galler, Cantorial Soloist 


Friday evenings at 7:00 p.m. 

May - August: services once a month 

Sisterhood • Men’s Club 

Adult Education • Adult Choir 

Social Action • Community Events 

BETH TIKVAH 

(Conservative) 

1459 Pine Ridge Road 


(just west of Mission Square Plaza) 

Phone: 434-1818 

Email: office@bethtikvah.us 

Website: www.bethtikvahnaples.org 

Rabbi Ammos Chorny 

Shelley Goodman, Co-President 

Sue Hammerman, Co-President 

Roberta Miller, Secretary 


Friday evenings at 6:15 p.m. 

Saturday mornings at 9:30 a.m. 

Youth Education 

Adult Education 

Community Events 

Sisterhood • Men’s Club • Adult Education 

Havurot • Youth Groups • Religious School 

Judaic Library • Hebrew School • Pre-School 

Adult Choir • Social Action • Outreach 

Naples’ only Judaica Shop 

CHABAD NAPLES JEWISH 

COMMUNITY CENTER 

serving Naples and Marco Island 

1789 Mandarin Road, Naples, FL 34102 

Phone: 262-4474 

Email: info@chabadnaples.com 

Website: www.chabadnaples.com 

Rabbi Fishel Zaklos 

Dr. Arthur Seigel, President 

Ettie Zaklos, Education Director 


Shabbat - Saturday 10am 

• Camp Gan Israel • Hebrew School 

• Preschool of the Arts 

• Jewish Women’s Circle 

• Adult Education • Bat Mitzvah Club 

• Friendship Circle • Smile on Seniors 

• Flying Challah • Kosher food delivery 

The Federation Star is published 

monthly, September through July, 

by the Jewish Federation 

of Greater Naples. 

2500 Vanderbilt Beach Road 

Suite 2201 

Naples, FL 34109-0613 

Phone: 239-263-4205 

Fax: 239-263-3813 

E-mail: info@jewishnaples.org 

Website: www.jewishnaples.org 

Volume 29, No. 1 

September 2019 

48 pages 

USPS Permit No. 419 

Publisher: 


Editor: 

Ted Epstein, 239-249-0699 

fedstar18@gmail.com 

Design: 

Federation Media Group, Inc. 

Advertising: 

Joy Walker 

941-284-0520 

October 2019 Issue Deadlines: 

Editorial: September 3 

Advertising: September 6 

Send news stories to: 

fedstar18@gmail.com 

BEING JEWISH 

IS A TRUST 

Being Jewish is a trust. We are entrusted to safeguard the 

precious heritage received from our predecessors, which 

must be handed down intact to our children and heirs. All 

sorts of forces would take this heritage away from us. And if 

we let them, or walk away on our own, we betray that trust. 

But if we preserve and protect what we have been given, we 

can leave this world with a sense of personal and historical 

integrity. This is no small matter when, as we come closer 

to the end than to the beginning of our lives, we begin to 

reflect on the meaning and purpose of our existence. 

Keep the Trust 

Make A Gift That Unites Our Heritage and Our Hopes 

For more information, contact the 


at 239.263.4205. 

Tikkun Olam 


Jewish 

Organizations 

to Serve You 

in Greater Naples 

(All area codes are 239 unless otherwise noted.) 


Phone: 263-4205 • Fax: 263-3813 

Website: www.jewishnaples.org 

Email: info@jewishnaples.org 

• Federation Board Chair: Jane Schiff 

• Federation President/CEO: Jeffrey Feld 

American Jewish Committee 

• Regional Dir: Brian Lipton, 941-365-4955 

American Technion Society 

• Chapter Dir: Kelley Whiter, 561-395-7206 

Friends of the IDF 

• Exec. Dir.: Dina Ben Ari, 305-354-8233 

GenShoah SWFL 

• President: Ida Margolis, 963-9347 

Collier/Lee Chapter of Hadassah 

• President: Diane Schwartz, 732-539-4011 

Holocaust Museum & 

Cohen Education Center 

• President: Herb Berkeley, 263-9200 

Israel Bonds 

• Monica DiGiovanni, 727-282-1124 

Jewish Historical Society 

of Southwest Florida 

• President: Marina Berkovich, 566-1771 

Jewish National Fund 

• Joshua Mellits, 941-462-1330 x865 

Jewish War Veterans Post 202 

• Commander, Harvey Sturm, 261-3270 

• Senior Vice Commander, 

Marty Rubin, 716-863-5778 

Men’s Cultural Alliance 

• President: Les Nizin, 653-9259 

Naples BBYO 

• Jessica Zimmerman, 263-4205 

Naples Friends of American Magen 

David Adom (MDA) 

• SE Reg Dir: Joel Silberman, 954-457-9766 

Naples Senior Center at JFCS 

Phone: 325-4444 

• Chairperson: Edward Anchel 

• President/CEO: Dr. Jaclynn Faffer 

Women’s Cultural Alliance 

• President: Elaine Soffer, 431-7905 

Zionist Organization of America 

• President: Jerry Sobel, 914-329-1024 

Federation Membership 

According to the bylaws of the Jewish Federation of Greater 

Naples, members are those individuals who make an annual 

gift of $36 or more to the Federation’s Annual Community 

Campaign. For more information, please call Julie Hartline, 

Annual Campaign Director, at 239.263.4205.


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Celebrating Jewish Life in Greater Naples, Israel and the World 


Published by the Jewish Federation of Greater Naples 


www.JewishNaples.org September 2019 – Elul 5779 / Tishrei 5780 Vol. 29 #1 

Jewish Book Festival launches fifth season 

By Phil Jason, Jewish Book Festival Co-Chair 

eginning in November and concluding 

in March, the 2019-20 

Greater Naples Jewish Book 

Festival will offer a dazzling series of 

author events, building upon the highly 

regarded and jam-packed 2018-19 season. 

The festival, a Jewish Federation 

of Greater Naples program in cooperation 

with the Jewish Book Council, 

will once again provide an outstanding 

contribution to the cultural life of our 

community. The festival will offer 12 

events at several venues, covering 19 

books with 22 visiting authors. 

Many of the festival events will 

feature two authors matched by a common 

theme or genre. Other events will 

feature a dynamic solo presenter. One 

event will feature a book created jointly 

by three talented authors, all of whom 

will be on hand. 

Be at the Hilton Naples on Tuesday, 

November 5 at 7:00 p.m. for the 

festival’s lead-off speaker, Elyssa 

Friedland, who will discuss her 

novel The Floating Feldmans. Annette 

Feldman, hoping to inspire 

family unity, has chosen to celebrate 

her 70 th birthday on a cruise 

ship with her entire 

family. It’s a 

high-risk piece 

of wishful thinking 

that troubled 

relationships will 

be healed and that 

proximity will 

foster togetherness. 

Pathos and 

humor blend as rivalries re-emerge, 

secrets are revealed and surprises 

abound. This opening event will 

feature a 15-minute preview of the 

entire festival. The event features 

cruise-themed fun, with prizes for 

the best cruise photos; giveaways 

of books and tickets; music; drinks 

and light bites; and other surprises. 

See the ad on page 12A for all the 

details. 

On Monday, November 11 at 1:00 

p.m., enjoy a fiction session at the 

Naples Conference Center. Bestselling 

thriller writer Andrew 

Gross will talk about his terrifying 

work of historical 

fiction, The Fifth 

Column. A huge 

Nazi rally in New 

York’s Madison 

Square Garden 

eerily suggests 

Hitler’s popularity 

in the winter 

of 1939. Charles 

Mossman, despondent from losing 

his job and family, strikes out 

at a Nazi group. Two years later, 

still struggling as the threat of war 

grows, Mossman finds himself in a 

world in which Nazi spies are everywhere 

and his daughter Emma’s 

life is in jeopardy. Former New 

York Congressman Steve Israel’s 

novel, Big Guns, takes us behind the 

Steve Israel 

scenes into the political mayhem of 

the gun debate. After the mayor of 

a small Long Island town passes an 

ordinance to ban guns, he is countered 

by an arms manufacturer’s 

scheme to promote a recall election. 

As with Gross’s book, the possible 

future is horrifying and what seems 

absurd may come to pass. 

On Monday, December 2 at 11:30 

a.m., a special food-related event 

comes to town. Alana Newhouse’s 

book, The 100 Most Jewish Foods: 

A Highly Debatable List, becomes 

the inspiration for lunching at the 

Hilton. The James Beard Foundation 

nominee for 

innovative storytelling 

is informative, 

passionate, 

quirky and 

rich with layers 

of tradition and 

history. Which 

Jewish foods are 

the most significant, 

culturally and historically, to 

the Jewish people? Find out from 

this book, brimming with recipes 

and thoughts from a gallery of 

important contributors. Newhouse 

is the founder and editor of Tablet, 

the daily online magazine of Jewish 

news, culture and issues. 

History lessons continue with the 

hilarious A Field Guide to the Jewish 

People by Dave Barry, Adam 

Mansbach and Alan Zweibel. 

Return to the Hilton on Monday, 

December 9 at 7:00 p.m. as the 

Dave Barry 

authors let us in on such critical 

information as why yarmulkes 

are round and who was the first 

Jewish comedian. Finally, you can 

learn why random Jewish holidays 

keep springing up at unexpected 

times. Floridians are long familiar 

with Pulitzer Prize-winning Barry. 

Mansbach has several bestselling 

titles and an award-winning novel, 

The End of the Jews. Zweibel, who 

wowed us during the 2017-2018 

festival, has won five Emmy awards 

for his work on The Late Show with 

David Letterman and Curb Your 

Enthusiasm. 

On Thursday, December 19 at 7:00 

p.m., come back to the Hilton for 

a non-fiction duet. Hear Adam 

Chandler expound on America’s 

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romance with fast food as described 

in Drive-Thru Dreams. It’s been 

at least a century since the bond 

between American life and fast 

food took hold. 

The food has 

been addictive; 

the operations of 

the major players 

have been questionable. 

Chandler 

reveals the 

industry’s history 

through heartfelt 

anecdotes and 

fascinating trivia. From its White 

Castle beginnings to its international 

charisma, Chandler provides 

food for thought and thought for 

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2B Federation Star September 2019 

Patron opportunities for the 2019-2020 

Greater Naples Jewish Book Festival 

By Susan Pittelman and Robin Mintz, Jewish Book Festival Co-Chairs 

Why has the Greater Naples touched by the appreciation that 

Jewish Book Festival been they showed. 

so successful? One key to Alyson Richman: This warm, enthusiastic 

and intellectually curious 

its success is our fabulous Patrons! 

Their financial support as well as their community is a dream audience for 

enthusiasm at festival programs has an author. 

enabled us to bring an outstanding array Many Patrons have told us that 

of authors to our community. And this they feel that that the greatest benefit 

coming season is no different. 

of being a Patron is “knowing that I am 

Last season, in response to suggestions 

from Patrons, we created three that the next valued benefit is “not hav- 

supporting the book festival.” It appears 

Patron levels: $500 Platinum, $360 Gold ing to remember to buy tickets/getting 

and $225 Silver. A total of 162 community 

members became Patrons (24 Plati- 

of the events having sold out the last few 

tickets to all of the events.” (With a few 

num, 40 Gold and 98 Silver), which is a years, this is an important perk of being 

strong affirmation that our community a Patron!) Another greatly appreciated 

considers the festival a highly valued benefit is the Patron FastPass, an expedited 

way to enter an event. Platinum 

component of our Federation’s cultural 

programming. 

and Gold Patrons have also mentioned 

Comments that authors from last 

season’s festival have shared with us, 

reinforce the importance of the enthusiasm 

of our audience. 

 

 

 

C arol Leifer: Attentive and engaged 

audience – it was a home run. They 

are a book-loving crowd, too, that’s 

for sure. 

Martin Fletcher: I loved my event 

at the Greater Naples Jewish Book 

Festival. I especially enjoyed the 

audience, whose passion for literature 

and enjoyment of the authors 

came through loud and clear. 

Gregory Wallance: I was really 

struck by the enthusiasm of the 

audience ... they really cared about 

my book and I was extremely 

Jewish Book Festival Patron Levels and Benefits 

Patron Benefits: 

Tickets to all 12 events (a $320 value) 

Copy of Lori Gottlieb’s book 

FastPass & separate check-in 

Recognition in Federation Star 

Reserved VIP seating 

Reserved seating area 

Free book voucher(s) 

Patron event with an author TBA 

Extra luncheon event ticket for guest 

that they value having reserved seats. 

We are pleased to share with you 

that ALL of the Patron benefits of last 

season’s book festival will again be 

offered for 2019-2020. (See the chart 

below.) And new this season, all Patrons 

will not only receive tickets to the Evy 

Lipp People of the Book Cultural Event 

with author Lori Gottlieb, they will also 

receive a copy of her book, Maybe You 

Should Talk to Someone. 

If you are looking forward to attending 

Jewish Book Festival events, 

being a Silver Patron for only $225 is 

in itself a great value! You will save 

$95 (not even counting the free book!) 

compared to buying individual tickets to 

all 12 events (which adds up to $320). 

Plus, you get the perks of being a Patron 

Platinum Gold Silver 

$500 $360 $225 

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JEWISH BOOK FESTIVAL 

and knowing that you are supporting the 

book festival. 

Being a Patron of the Jewish Book 

Festival, at any level, is certainly a 

win-win situation! The financial contributions 

from Patrons ensure that 

both community support and funding 

are available so that we can continue 

to bring you outstanding authors (80 

through the first four festivals!). At the 

same time, Patrons gain the personal 

satisfaction of knowing that their dollars, 

and attendance and enthusiasm at 

book festival programs, are instrumental 

in our ability to continue to offer these 

quality cultural events. 

If you have been a Patron in the 

past, we thank you and urge you to become 

a Patron once again. If you have 

not yet been a Patron, we hope you will 

join this wonderful and generous group 

of Jewish Book Festival supporters. To 

become a Patron, simply indicate on the 

Ticket Order Form (see page 6B) that 

you want to be a Patron (Platinum, Gold 

or Silver), or call Reneé or Janine at the 

Federation at 239.263.4205. 

For a complete schedule of events, 

ticket information, venue locations, 

contributing sponsors, author bios and 

book synopses, see the 4-page insert in 

this section or visit www.jewishbook 

festival.org. 

We look forward to welcoming you 

at this season’s Jewish Book Festival 

events and to thanking you for your 

continued support. 

Phil Jason...continued from previous page 

food. Stephen M. Silverman, 

who has written 13 books, takes 

readers on the ultimate nostalgia 

trip with his captivating history of 

The Amusement Park. He tells the 

story through tracing the lives of the 

characters who envisioned and built 

these parks. Have a reading vacation 

with him as you visit Sea World, 

Coney Island, Tivoli Gardens, Six 

Flags, Dollywood, Riverview and 

all the rest. Silverman’s work appears 

in such topnotch periodicals 

as Harper’s Bazaar, The London 

Times and Vogue. Enhancing their 

presentations, both authors will use 

photos and graphics projected on 

large screens in the Hilton ballroom. 

On Wednesday, January 8 at 1:00 

p.m., Temple Shalom will be the 

venue for a historical fiction session. 

In Pam Jenoff’s The Lost Girls of 

Paris, a seemingly abandoned 

Pam Jenoff 

suitcase is found by a woman who 

discovers that it holds photographs 

of 12 different women. Through a 

series of setting and point-of-view 

shifts, Jenoff reveals that the woman 

who misplaced the suitcase was the 

leader of a cadre of women who 

served as secret agents during World 

War II. They did their work in Occupied 

Europe as couriers and radio 

operators. Several of these women 

are profiled in detail and their fates 

are revealed. Melanie Benjamin’s 

Mistress of the Ritz is a fictionalized 

representation of Blanche Auzello’s 

amazing life. This 

Jewish-American 

woman used 

forged papers to 

create a new life 

as an undercover 

Resistance worker. 

Her cover was 

playing hostess 

to the invading 

Germans at the legendary Ritz in 

Paris. Both authors have several 

bestselling books. 

Monday, January 13 brings the 

festival to the Naples Jewish Congregation 

for a memoir session 

beginning at 1:00 p.m. Marra B. 

Gad’s The Color of Love relates the 

experiences of a mixed-race woman 

who, after 15 years of estrangement 

from her racist great-aunt, helps 

bring her home when Alzheimer’s 

strikes. This inspirational story 

probes what people inherit from 

their families: identity, disease and, 

in the best case, love. Gad holds an 

advanced degree in modern Jewish 

history from Baltimore Hebrew 

University. Angel Himsel’s A River 

Could Be a Tree tells of being the 

seventh of 11 children growing up 

in southern Indiana in an apocalyptic, 

doomsday Christian faith. A trip 

to Israel to learn 

what’s behind 

the church’s strict 

tenets made her 

question Christianity 

and ultimately 

convert 

to Judaism. Himsel’s 

writing has 

appeared in The 

New York Times and Jewish Week. 

Her book is listed in 23 Best New 

Memoirs (bookauthority.org). 

On Tuesday, January 28, return to 

the Hilton at 7:00 p.m. for an exciting 

non-fiction event showcasing 

two entertainment media specialists. 

Ken Sutak’s Cinema Judaica: 

The Epic Cycle 1950-1972 is the 

stunning sequel to Cinema Judaica: 

The War Years 1939-1949. It is illustrated 

with more than 400 fourcolor, 

high-definition images of 

Jewish heroines, heroes and history 

(biblical, Holocaust and Israel foundation) 

taken from the breathtaking 

movie poster art of the post-war cycle 

of spectacular, epic films. Sutak 

has also produced museum exhibits 

and is a donor of the Cinema Judaica 

Collection at the U.S. Holocaust 

Memorial Museum. Elizabeth 

Weitzman’s Renegade Women in 

Film & TV blends stunning illustrations, 

fascinating biographical 

profiles and exclusive interviews 

with icons like Barbra Streisand, 

Rita Moreno 

and Sigourney 

Weaver to celebrate 

the accomplishments 

of 50 extraordinary 

women. 

More names? 

Lucille Ball, 

Oprah Winfrey and Nora Ephron. 

Weitzman was named one of the 

top film critics in New York by The 

Hollywood Reporter. 

This year, the Evy Lipp People of 

the Book Cultural Event will be 

part of the Jewish Book Festival. 

Be at Temple Shalom on Wednesday, 

February 5 at 7:30 p.m. to hear 

psychotherapist Lori Gottlieb talk 

Lori Gottlieb 

about her book Maybe You Should 

Talk to Someone. Gottlieb invites 

us into her world as both clinician 

and patient, examining the truths 

and fictions we tell ourselves and 

others as we teeter on the tightrope 

between love and 

desire, meaning 

and mortality, 

guilt and redemption, 

terror and 

courage, hope 

and change. The 

book is a disarmingly 

funny and 

illuminating account 

of our own mysterious lives 

and our power to transform them. 

The author is well known for her 

many television appearances and 

contributions to such periodicals 

as The New York Times and The 

Atlantic’s weekly “Dear Therapist” 

column. 

Also at Temple Shalom, on Wednesday, 

February 26 at 1:00 p.m., is a 

multifaceted program that begins 

with Bob Mankoff’s Have I Got 

a Cartoon for You. The cartoon 

and humor editor for Esquire and 

former New Yorker cartoon editor 

has put together 

his favorite Jewish 

cartoons. He 

explains the importance 

of the 

cartoon in the 

vibrant history 

of Jewish humor 

and plumbs Jewish thought, wisdom 

and shtick for humorous insights. 

“It might be strange,” says Mankoff, 

“that the People of the Book became 

the People of the Joke.” Jewish culture 

is more broadly explored in The 

Newish Jewish Encyclopedia by 

Stephanie Butnick, Liel Leibovitz 

and Mark Oppenheimer (Butnick 

and Oppenheimer will present at 

the festival). The authors host Tablet 

magazine’s 

wildly popular 

Unorthodox 

podcast. Their 

book is an edifying, 

entertaining 

and thoroughly 

modern introduction 

to Judaism, 

an alphabetical encyclopedia of 

short entries featuring an exhibition 

continued on page 7B

November 5, 2019 – March 11, 2020 

12 Events • 22 Authors • 19 books 

presented by 

In this 4-page Jewish Book 

Festival insert, you will find 

information on all 12 events 

in the 2019-20 program. 

To the right are the details 

for the Opening Event. The 

evening includes a preview 

of the other 11 events. 

Evening Events 

On page 2 are the five 

other evening events. The 

day, time and location are 

printed in a blue header. 

The Evy Lipp People of the 

Book Cultural Event is now 

part of the Jewish Book 

Festival. 

Luncheon Event 

On page 3 is the luncheon 

event on Monday, 

December 2 at the Hilton. 

There is a red header above 

the event. 

Afternoon Events 

Also on page 3 are the five 

afternoon events. The day, 

time and location of each 

event are printed in a green 

header. Tickets to these 

afternoon prgorams are $18 

in advance and $25 at the 

door. 

Page 4 includes the Ticket 

Order Form, the Patron 

Levels and Benefits chart, 

event venues, Sponsor 

logos and other pertinent 

information. 

If you have questions not 

answered in this insert, 

please send an email to 

fedstar18@gmail.com or 

call the Federation office at 

239.263.4205. 

Set sail for the 2019-20 Greater Naples 


Opening Event: Tuesday, November 5 

7:00 - 9:30 p.m. at the Hilton Naples 

Elyssa Friedland • The Floating Feldmans 

Sink or swim. Or at least that’s what Annette Feldman tells herself when she 

books a cruise for her entire family. It’s been over a decade since the Feldman 

clan has spent more than 24 hours under the same roof, but Annette is determined 

to celebrate her 70 th birthday the right way. Just this once they are going 

to behave like an actual family. Too bad her kids didn’t get the memo. 

Between the troublesome family secrets, old sibling rivalries and her teenage 

grandkids, Annette’s birthday vacation is looking more and more like the 

perfect storm. Adrift together on the open seas, the Feldmans will each face 

the truths they’ve been ignoring – and learn that the people they once thought 

most likely to sink them are actually the ones who help them stay afloat. 

Elyssa Friedland is the author of The Floating 

Feldmans, The Intermission and Love and Miss 

Communication. She has written for The Washington 

Post, Bustle, POPSUGAR, Real Simple, 

McSweeney’s and more. She is a graduate of 

Yale University and Columbia Law School. Elyssa lives in 

New York City with her family. She has survived a cruise and 

many family trips. 

This cruise-themed event includes: 

Cruise ship atmosphere with photo station and island music 

Preview presentation of all 2019-20 Jewish Book Festival events 

with ticket and book giveaways 

Drawings for special gifts 

Light bites and drinks 

Free valet parking at the Hilton “port” 

Dress in cruisewear or casual Naples resort wear 

Scenes from the book will be acted out during Elyssa’s presentation 

Sponsored by Hilton Naples 

Send your best cruise photos to be shown on screens 

in the Hilton ballroom from 6:30 - 7:00 p.m. 

The top five will win prizes. 

Send 1-3 photos to Ted Epstein at fedstar18@gmail.com 

with “cruise photos” in the subject line. 

Include your name(s) in the body of the email. 

Winners must be present. 

$30 in advance • $40 at the door • includes light bites and one drink

Monday, December 9 • 7:00 - 9:00 p.m. 

Hilton Naples 

An Evening of Comedy with Dave Barry, 

An Adam Evening Mansbach of Comedy and Alan with Zweibel Dave Barry, 

Adam 7:00 - 9:00 Mansbach pm • Hilton Naples and Alan Zweibel 

7:00 - 9:00 pm • Hilton Naples 

Dave Barry Adam Mansbach Alan Zweibel 

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author whose work has appeared in hundreds of newspapers. 

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Show with David Letterman and Curb Your Enthusiasm. 



Thursday, December 19 • 7:00 - 9:30 p.m. 

Hilton Naples 

Two Fun Presentations on Americana 

Two 7:00 - 9:30 Fun pm Presentations • Hilton Naples on Americana 

7:00 Adam - 9:30 Chandler pm • Hilton • Drive-Thru Naples Dreams 

Adam Chandler • Drive-Thru Dreams 

For better or worse, America is synonymous with fast food, and in Drive-Thru 

Dreams, Adam Chandler expounds on America’s romance with it. The food 

For 

has been 

better 

addictive; 

or worse, 

the 

America 

operations 

is synonymous 

of the major 

with 

players 

fast food, 

have been 

and in 

questionable. 

Drive-Thru 

Dreams, 

Chandler 

Adam 

reveals 

Chandler 

the industry’s 

expounds 

history 

on 

through 

America’s 

heartfelt 

romance 

anecdotes 

with 

and 

it. The 

fascinating 

food 

has been 

trivia, 

addictive; 

as well as 

the 

interviews 

operations 

with 

of the 

fans, 

major 

executives 

players 

and 

have 

workers. 

been questionable. 

Beginning 

Chandler 

with its White 

reveals 

Castle 

the industry’s 

beginnings 

history 

in Wichita, 

through 

Kansas, 

heartfelt 

in 1921, 

anecdotes 

Chandler 

and fascinating 

tells an 

intimate 

trivia, 

and 

as 

contemporary 

well as interviews 

story 

with 

of America 

fans, executives 

through its 

and 

beloved 

workers. 

roadside 

Beginning 

fare. 

with 

Adam 

its 

Chandler 

White Castle 

is a 

beginnings 

former staff 

in 

writer 

Wichita, 

at Tablet 

Kansas, 

and 

in 

The 

1921, 

Atlantic. 

Chandler 

His 

tells 

work 

an 

intimate 

has appeared 

and contemporary 

in numerous 

story 

publications, 

of America 

including 

through 

The 

its beloved 

New York 

roadside 

Times, 

fare. 

The 

Adam 

Wall Street 

Chandler 

Journal, 

is a 

New 

former 

York 

staff 

magazine 

writer at 

and 

Tablet 

The Jerusalem 

and The Atlantic. 

Post. 

His work 

has appeared in numerous publications, including The New York Times, The 

Wall Street Journal, New York magazine and The Jerusalem Post. 

Stephen Silverman • The Amusement Park 

Stephen Silverman • The Amusement Park 

Step right up and discover the rich anecdotal history of amusement parks, from 

Coney Island to Disneyland, from Chicago’s Riverview to Tivoli Gardens, 

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and many 

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Newsweek, The New York Times, Smithsonian 

and Vogue. A 20-year veteran of Time Inc., Stephen has taught at the Columbia 

$36 in advance University • $45 at Graduate the door School of • includes Journalism. light bites and one drink 

Wednesday, February 5 • 7:30 - 9:00 p.m. 

Temple Shalom 

Evy Lipp 

PEOPLE OF THE BOOK 

Cultural Event 

Lori Gottlieb • Maybe You Should Talk to Someone 

Now included in 

the Greater Naples 


Lori Gottlieb is a psychotherapist and New York Times 

bestselling author who writes The Atlantic’s weekly “Dear 

Therapist” advice column. She also writes for The New York 

Times, and appears as a frequent expert on relationships, 

parenting and hot-button mental health topics in media such 

as The Today Show, Good Morning America, CBS This 

Morning, CNN and NPR. Her book Maybe You Should Talk 

to Someone is in development for a television series at ABC. 

Learn more at LoriGottlieb.com. 

A hilarious, thought-provoking and surprising new book – from a New York 

Times bestselling author, psychotherapist and national advice columnist – takes 

us behind the scenes of a therapist’s world, where her patients are looking 

for answers (and so is she). One day, Lori Gottlieb is a therapist who helps 

patients in her Los Angeles practice. The next, a crisis causes her world to 

come crashing down. As Gottlieb explores the inner chambers of her patients’ 

lives, she finds that the questions they are struggling with are the very ones 

she is asking. With startling wisdom and humor, Gottlieb invites us into her 

world as both clinician and patient – examining the truths and fictions we tell 

ourselves and others as we teeter on the tightrope between love and desire, 

meaning and mortality, guilt and redemption, terror and courage, hope and 

change. The book is a boldly revealing portrait of what it means to be human, 

and a disarmingly funny and illuminating account of our own mysterious lives 

and our power to transform them. 

$18 in advance • $25 at the door 

Jewish Book Festival Patrons receive a copy of Lori’s book 

Jewish Book Festival Committee 

Coordinator: Ted Epstein 

Co-Chairs: 

Phil Jason, Robin Mintz, Susan Pittelman 

Patti Boochever 

Steve Brazina 

Gayle Dorio 

Judith Finer Freedman 

Susie Goldsmith 

Carole Greene 

Lenore Greenstein 

Lee Henson 

Carol Hirsch 

Bobbie Katz 

Ellen Katz 

Ida Margolis 

Irene Pomerantz 

Dina Shein 

Iris Shur 

Elaine Soffer 

Tuesday, January 28 • 7:00 - 9:30 p.m. 

Hilton Naples 

Arts & Culture: Film & TV 

Arts Culture: Film & TV 

Arts & Culture: Film & TV 



Ken 

7:00 

Sutak 

- 9:30 

• 

pm 

Cinema 

• Hilton 

Judaica 

Naples 

– The Epic Cycle, 1950-1972 

Ken Sutak • • Cinema Judaica – The Epic Cycle, 1950-1972 

The stunning sequel to Cinema Judaica: The War Years, 1939-1949, this 

book is illustrated with more than 400 four-color, high-definition images of 


Jewish heroines, heroes and history (biblical, Holocaust and Israel foundation). 

Images 


Jewish heroines, 

are taken 

heroes 

from 

and 

the 

history 

breathtaking 

(biblical, 

movie 

Holocaust 

poster 

and 

art 

Israel 

of the 

foundation). 

post-war 

cycle 

Images 

of spectacular 

are taken 

epic 

from 

films. 

the breathtaking movie poster art of the post-war 

Ken Sutak is the author of the two Cinema Judaica books, producer of the 



Jewish heroines, heroes and history (biblical, Holocaust and Israel foundation). 

Images are taken from the breathtaking movie poster art of the post-war 

cycle of of spectacular epic films. 

two 

Ken 

HUC-JIR Sutak is is the 

museum 

the author 

exhibits 

of of the the two 

of 

two 

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name, Judaica 

donor of 

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located museum 

at the exhibits 

U.S. Holocaust 

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employment author of of several discrimination law law books and litigator and environmental based in New reports, York and and City. also also a a practicing 

employment discrimination litigator based in in New York City. 

Elizabeth Weitzman • Renegade Women in Film & TV 

Elizabeth Weitzman • • Renegade Women in in Film & TV 

Renegade Women in Film & TV blends stunning illustrations, fascinating 

biographical Renegade Women profiles, in in and Film exclusive & & TV TV blends interviews stunning with illustrations, icons like Barbra fascinating Streisand, 

biographical Rita Moreno profiles, and and Sigourney and exclusive Weaver interviews to celebrate with icons the like accomplishments 

like Barbra Strei- 

of sand, 50 extraordinary Rita Moreno and and women Sigourney throughout Weaver the to to history celebrate of the the entertainment. accomplishments Each 

profile 50 50 highlights extraordinary the groundbreaking women throughout accomplishments the the history of of entertainment. and essential work Each 

profile pioneers highlights from the the big groundbreaking and small screens, accomplishments offering little-known and and essential facts about work 

of household of pioneers names from the (Lucille the big big and and Ball, small Oprah screens, Winfrey, offering Nora little-known Ephron). 

facts about 

Elizabeth household Weitzman names (Lucille is a journalist, Ball, Oprah film Winfrey, critic and Nora the Ephron). author of more than 

two Elizabeth dozen books Weitzman for children is is a a journalist, and young film film adults. critic and She and the currently the author covers of of more movies 

than 

two for two The dozen Wrap, books and for for was children a critic and and for young the New adults. York She She Daily currently News for covers 15 years. movies 

for for The The Wrap, and and was was a a critic for for the the New York Daily News for for 15 15 years. 


$36 in in advance • $45 at at the door • • includes light bites and one drink 

Wednesday, March 11 • 7:30 - 9:30 p.m. 

Temple Shalom 

Salvador Dali, the Marx Brothers 

and the Strangest Movie Never Made – 

a multimedia and musical presentation 

Josh Frank • Giraffes on Horseback Salad 

Giraffes on Horseback Salad was a Marx Brothers film, written by modern art icon 

Salvador Dali who had befriended Harpo. Rejected by MGM, the script was thought lost 

forever. But author Josh Frank found it and, with comedian 

Tim Heidecker and Spanish comics creator Manuela Pertega, 

he has recreated the film as a graphic novel in all its gorgeous, 

full-color, cinematic, surreal glory. It is the story of two 

unlikely friends – a Jewish superstar film icon and Spanish 

painter – and the movie that could have been. 

Josh Frank is a writer, producer, director and composer. He’s 

the author of Fool the World: The Oral History of a Band 

Called Pixies and In Heaven Everything Is Fine; and coauthor 

of the illustrated novel The Good Inn. Frank has worked 

with some of the most interesting and innovative musicians, 

filmmakers, producers and artists in the industry. He has interviewed 

over 200 of America’s most notable names in entertainment for his books and 

screenplays. Giraffes on Horseback Salad is his 4 th book and second illustrated novel. 

$25 in advance • $35 at the door • includes beverages and light snacks

Monday, December 2 • 11:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. 

Hilton Naples 

Festival Luncheon – All about Jewish Foods 

Alana Newhouse • The 100 Most Jewish Foods 

To paraphrase an old cliché, put any two Jews together and you’ll have three opinions 

about Jewish food. Ask them to name the most Jewish Food and the list turns highly 

debatable – exactly the best way to describe The 100 Most Jewish Foods, edited by 

Alana Newhouse of Tablet magazine. Informative, unexpected, passionate, quirky and 

rich with layers of tradition and history, like an edible timeline tracing the diaspora, it’s 

a book that celebrates the one unwavering constant of Jewish 

life: Food. The book is not about the most popular Jewish 

foods, or the tastiest, or even the most enduring. It’s a list of 

the most significant foods, culturally and historically, to the 

Jewish people, explored deeply with essays, recipes, stories and 

context. The recipes are global and represent all contingencies 

of the Jewish experience. Contributors include Ruth Reichl, 

Joan Nathan, Michael Solomonov, Dan Barber, Gail Simmons, 

Yotam Ottolenghi, Maira Kalman, Shalom Auslander, Dr. Ruth 

Westheimer and Phil Rosenthal among many others. 

Alana Newhouse is the founder and editor in chief of Tablet, a 

daily online magazine of Jewish news, ideas and culture. A graduate of Barnard College 

and Columbia’s Graduate School of Journalism, Newhouse has contributed to The New 

York Times, The Washington Post, The Boston Globe and Slate. 

$40 • includes luncheon • No tickets sold after November 25 

Two Thrilling Novels 

Andrew Gross • The Fifth Column 

Andrew Gross’s latest novel is set in a 1939 New York City teeming with 

Nazi supporters. Charles Mossman, reeling from the loss of his job and the 

demise of his marriage, takes a swing at a Nazi sympathizer, and a torrent of 

unintended consequences follows. As the threat of war grows, fears of a “fifth 

column” – German spies embedded into everyday life – are everywhere. After 

Pearl Harbor is attacked, the Nazi spy conspiracy turns into a deadly threat 

with Charles’ daughter as an innocent pawn. Based on the true story of the 

Duquesne Spy Ring, Gross delivers a tense, stirring thriller. 

Andrew Gross is an internationally bestselling author of nine novels. He is 

also coauthor of five #1 New York Times bestsellers with James Patterson. His 

books have been translated into more than 25 languages. 

Steve Israel • Big Guns 

Former Congressman and author Steve Israel takes you behind the scenes of the 

gun debate in Washington in this “pleasingly wicked” indictment of the state 

of American politics. Mayor Michael Rodriguez starts a national campaign to 

ban handguns from America’s cities, towns and villages. Otis Cogsworth, the 

wealthy chairman and CEO of Cogsworth International Arms, and lobbyist 

Sunny McCarthy convince an Arkansas congressman to introduce federal 

legislation mandating that every American must own a firearm. Events soon 

escalate and Washington politicians are caught between a mighty gun lobby 

and the absurdity of requiring every American to carry a gun. What ensues is 

both discomfiting and hilarious. 

Steve Israel left Capitol Hill – unindicted and undefeated – to pursue a career 

as a writer. He currently heads the Cornell University Institute of Politics and 

Global Affairs. 

Wednesday, January 8 • 1:00 - 3:30 p.m. 

Temple Shalom 

Historical Fiction from Bestselling Authors 

Melanie Benjamin • Mistress of the Ritz 

Praised for her signature ability to breathe life into the narratives of history’s 

most compelling women, Melanie Benjamin presents an enthralling, rich and 

rewarding novel based on the story of the extraordinary life of Blanche Auzello, 

a Jewish-American woman who forged papers to create a new life for herself 

abroad. Auzello secretly worked for the Resistance, all while playing hostess to 

the invading Germans at the legendary Ritz in Paris. Benjamin weaves in a host 

of historical figures – including Coco Chanel, alleged to be a Nazi sympathizer, 

and Ernest Hemingway – creating an engaging group of supporting characters. 

Melanie Benjamin is a New York Times bestselling author, whose books include 

The Girls in the Picture, The Swans of Fifth Avenue, The Aviator’s Wife, The 

Autobiography of Mrs. Tom Thumb and Alice I Have Been. 

Pam Jenoff • The Lost Girls of Paris 

Set against the backdrop of World War II and inspired by true events, The 

Lost Girls of Paris weaves the stories of three brave women and is centered 

on a ring of female spies on a daring mission in France. Filled with intrigue 

and adventure, love and betrayal, the novel is a perfect blend of rich historical 

detail and a gripping, emotional narrative. 

Pam Jenoff is the author of several novels, including New York Times bestseller 

The Orphan’s Tale. She holds a bachelor’s degree in International Affairs from 

George Washington University and a master’s degree in History from Cambridge, 

and received her Juris Doctor from the University of Pennsylvania. 

Jenoff’s novels are inspired by her experiences working at the Pentagon and also 

as a diplomat for the State Department handling Holocaust issues in Poland. 

Monday, November 11 • 1:00 - 3:30 p.m. 

Naples Conference Center Monday, January 13 • 1:00 - 3:30 p.m. 

Jewish Journeys 

Marra B. Gad • The Color of Love 

The Color of Love is an unforgettable debut memoir about a mixed-race Jewish 

woman who, after 15 years of estrangement from her racist and abusive Great 

Aunt Nette, chose to become her caregiver after Nette developed Alzheimer’s. 

The disease slowly erased Nette’s prejudices, at last allowing Marra to develop 

a relationship with the woman who had shunned her in her youth. This is a 

story ripe with themes of identity, racism, family politics and more. Both heart 

wrenching and heart warming, it is an honest and personal narrative from a 

voice that needs to be heard. 

Marra Gad was born in New York and raised in Chicago. She holds an advanced 

degree in modern Jewish history from Baltimore Hebrew University. 

Gad is an independent film and television producer. 

Angela Himsel • A River Could be a Tree 

How does a woman who grew up in southern Indiana as a fundamentalist 

Christian end up a practicing Jew in New York? Attempting to understand the 

church’s strict tenets and its Doomsday philosophy, Angela went to Israel when 

she was 19 to study at Hebrew University in Jerusalem. Instead of strengthening 

her faith, she is introduced to a new world with different people and different 

perspectives. Eventually, she finds her own form of salvation in a mikvah on 

Manhattan’s Upper West Side. Angela tells her story with warmth, humor, and 

a multitude of religious and philosophical insights. 

Angela Himsel is a New York-based freelance writer. Her work has appeared 

in The New York Times, The Jewish Week, The Forward and Lilith. Her column 

Angetevka on Zeek.net has won two American Jewish Press Association 

Awards. 

Wednesday, February 26 • 1:00 - 3:30 p.m. 

Temple Shalom 

Jewish Life and Identity 

Bob Mankoff • Have I Got a Cartoon for You! 

Cartoonist and author Bob Mankoff has devoted his life to discovering 

just what makes us laugh. Mankoff has assembled his favorite Jewish 

cartoons into his new book, Have I Got a Cartoon for You! Mankoff shows 

how his Jewish heritage helped him to become a successful cartoonist, 

examines the place of cartoons in the vibrant history of Jewish humor, 

and plumbs Jewish thought, wisdom and “schtik” for humorous insights. 

Bob Mankoff is the Cartoon and Humor Editor for Esquire and previously 

was the Cartoon Editor for The New Yorker for 20 years. He has 

published over 950 cartoons in The New Yorker. In 2014, he published 

his New York Times bestselling memoir How About Never – Is Never 

Good For You?: My Life In Cartoons. 

Stephanie Butnick & Mark Oppenheimer 

The Newish Jewish Encyclopedia 

Holocaust-themed Non-fiction 

Jack Fairweather • The Volunteer 

The New Jewish Encyclopedia is an entertaining and thoroughly 

modern introduction to Judaism written by the hosts 

of Tablet magazine’s popular Unorthodox podcast. The 

book is an encyclopedia of short entries and, like contemporary 

Judaism itself, features an array of divergent voices, all 

amusing and well informed and none in perfect agreement. 

Stephanie Butnick is the deputy editor of Tablet and has 

written for The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal. 

Mark Oppenheimer is the former Beliefs columnist 

for The New York Times and author of The Bar Mitzvah 

Crasher: Road-tripping Through Jewish America. 

Naples Jewish Congregation Wednesday, March 4 • 1:00 - 3:30 p.m. 


To uncover the fate of the thousands being interred at a mysterious Nazi camp 

on the border of the Reich, a 39-year-old Polish resistance fighter, Witold Pilecki, 

volunteered for an audacious mission: assume a fake identity, get captured 

and sent to the camp, and then report back to the underground. Gathering 

information was not his only task. He was to execute an attack from inside. 

The name of the camp was Auschwitz. The Volunteer, the true story of a Polish 

resistance fighter, is an unflinching portrayal of survival, revenge and betrayal. 

Jack Fairweather has been a correspondent for The Washington Post and The 

Daily Telegraph, where he was the paper’s Baghdad and Persian Gulf bureau 

chief. His reporting during the Iraq invasion won him the British Press Award 

(the British equivalent to the Pulitzer Prize). 

Jack Hersch • Death March Escape 

Death March Escape describes 18-year-old Dave Hersch’s year in Mauthausen 

Concentration Camp, his two escapes, and his son Jack’s thrilling journey to 

Mauthausen decades later. After a year slaving in Mauthausen’s granite mine, 

Dave was put on a death march. Weighing 80 lbs. and suffering from several 

diseases, he found the strength to escape, but was quickly recaptured and sent 

back to Mauthausen. Put on another death march, he escaped again. As Jack 

retraces his father’s footsteps, the places he slaved in and those he escaped, he 

learns much more about his father’s remarkable survival, and also about himself. 

Jack Hersch is an expert on troubled companies, and a strategic advisor to 

investment institutions and corporate managements. He has guest-lectured in 

many business schools including MIT, USC and UC Berkeley.

Jewish Book Festival Ticket Order Form 

Book Festival Patron: Tickets to all 12 events 

Platinum $500 x ___ = total $_____ 

Gold $360 x ___ = total $_____ 

Silver $225 x ___ = total $_____ 

Monday, December 2 @ 11:30am Luncheon w/ Alana Newhouse 

Please indicate choice of entree: chicken salmon vegetarian 

Please indicate choice of dessert: pastry fruit 













$500 $360 $225 

ü ü ü 

ü ü ü 

ü ü ü 

ü ü ü 

ü 

ü 

2 1 

ü ü 

ü 

Event location legend: HN: Hilton Naples JCMI: Jewish Cong. of Marco Island NCC: Naples Conference Center 

NJC: Naples Jewish Congregation TS: Temple Shalom 

Evening Events: 

Tuesday, November 5 @ 7:00pm - HN Opening Event w/ Elyssa Friedland $30 x ___ = $_____ ($40 at the door) 

Monday, December 9 @ 7:00pm - HN Dave Barry, Adam Mansbach, Alan Zweibel $45 x ___ = $_____ ($55 at the door) 

Thursday, December 19 @ 7:00pm - HN Adam Chandler & Stephen Silverman $36 x ___ = $_____ ($45 at the door) 

Tuesday, January 28 @ 7:00pm - HN Ken Sutak & Elizabeth Weitzman $36 x ___ = $_____ ($45 at the door) 

Wednesday, February 5 @ 7:30pm - TS Lori Gottlieb (People of the Book Event) $18 x ___ = $_____ ($25 at the door) 

Wednesday, March 11 @ 7:30pm - TS Closing Event w/ Josh Frank $25 x ___ = $_____ ($35 at the door) 

Luncheon Event: 

Monday, December 2 @ 11:30am - HN Alana Newhouse $40 x ___ = $_____ 

Please indicate choice of entree: chicken salmon vegetarian 

Please indicate choice of dessert: pastry fruit 

No tickets sold 

after November 25 

Afternoon Events: 

Monday, November 11 @ 1:00pm - NCC Andrew Gross & Steve Israel $18 x ___ = $_____ ($25 at the door) 

Wednesday, January 8 @ 1:00pm - TS Melanie Benjamin & Pam Jenoff $18 x ___ = $_____ “ 

Monday, January 13 @ 1:00pm - NJC Marra B. Gad & Angela Himsel $18 x ___ = $_____ “ 

Wednesday, February 26 @ 1:00pm - TS Bob Mankoff & Butnick/Oppenheimer $18 x ___ = $_____ “ 

Wednesday, March 4 @ 1:00pm - JCMI Jack Fairweather & Jack Hersch $18 x ___ = $_____ “ 

YES! I’d love to attend and support the 2019-20 Jewish Book Festival! 

I am purchasing the tickets indicated above for a total of $_______. 

Check enclosed (payable to Jewish Federation of Greater Naples) 

Please charge my: MC Visa Discover American Express 

Card #____________________________________ Exp. ____/____ CVV#_______ 

Name (please print): __________________________________ Zip: __________ 

Phone: _____________________ Email: _________________________________ 

3 ways to order your tickets: 

1 

Mail this order form to: 




2 

In person at the Federation 

office. Please fill out form in advance. 

3 

Charge by phone: 

239.263.4205 

Please fill out form prior to calling. 

Become a Book Festival Patron 

and receive numerous benefits! 













$500 $360 $225 

ü ü ü 

ü ü ü 

ü ü ü 

ü ü ü 

ü 

ü 

2 1 

ü ü 

ü 

Become a Patron by September 5 and you’ll be listed on the Patron acknowledgment page 

in the festival brochure. All Patrons will also be listed in several issues of the Federation Star. 

Venues 

Hilton Naples: 5111 Tamiami Trail N., Naples 

Jewish Congregation of Marco Island: 991 Winterberry Drive, Marco Island 

Naples Conference Center: 1455 Pine Ridge Road, Naples 

Naples Jewish Congregation: 6340 Napa Woods Way, Naples 

Temple Shalom: 4630 Pine Ridge Road, Naples 

Festival Website & Email 

Visit the official Festival website at www.jewishbookfestival.org for more 

information on the authors and their books, event updates and a printable order 

form. Have questions that have not been answered in this insert? Send an email 

to fedstar18@gmail.com or call the Federation office at 239.263.4205. 

Tickets ARE Transferable 

Consider purchasing a Patron Festival Package. Even if you can’t make it to all 

12 events, you can gift your tickets to friends, colleagues and family members. 

Multi-Author Events 

For the events with more than one author, due to travel arrangements, the order 

in which they present will be decided a few days prior to their event. If you’d 

like to know the order, please email fedstar18@gmail.com or call 239.263.4205. 

Festival Sponsors as of August 19 

We are grateful to these businesses and organizations 

for their support of the 2019-20 Greater Naples Jewish Book Festival: 

• Physical tickets will not be issued. Simply check in at each event. 

• You will receive an email reminder about a week prior to each event. 

• No refunds unless entire event (both authors for multi-author events) is 

canceled and not rescheduled. 

• If an author cancels (weather, illness, etc.) we will attempt to reschedule 

the author in late March or April. Your original reservation will be good 

for the rescheduled event. 

• If you cannot attend an event, you can give your ticket to a friend. 

To make the change, please call the Federation office 

at 239.263.4205 or email rbialek@jewishnaples.org. 

• Open seating at all events. Platinum and Gold Patrons, and Sponsors/VIPs 

will have reserved seats. 

• Event payments are NOT tax deductible. 

• If a venue, start time or author needs to be changed, all ticket buyers will 

be notified via email. 

All authors appearing at the 2019-20 

Greater Naples Jewish Book Festival are members 

of the Jewish Book Council Network.



7B 

Phil Jason...continued from page 2B 

of divergent voices. 

On Wednesday, March 4 at 1:00 

p.m., the Jewish Congregation of 

Marco Island will be the venue 

for two Holocaust-related nonfiction 

books. Jack Fairweather, 

former Baghdad 

and Persian Gulf 

bureau chief for 

the Daily Telegraph 

and former 

correspondent for 

The Washington 

Post, discusses 

his book The Volunteer: 

One Man, 

an Underground Army and the Secret 

Mission to Destroy Auschwitz. 

A Polish resistance fighter infiltrates 

the camp to sabotage it from within. 

He attempts to warn the Allies about 

the Nazis’ plan for a “final solution” 

before it’s too late. Jack J. 

Hersch’s Death March Escape: The 

Remarkable Story of a Man who 

Twice Escaped the Nazi Holocaust 

tells the story of 18-year-old Dave 

Hersch’s year in 

Mauthausen Concentration 

Camp, 

his two escapes at 

the end of the war, 

and his son Jack’s 

journey back to 

Mauthausen decades 

later. After 

a year slaving in 

Mauthausen’s granite mine, Dave 

was put on a death march. Weighing 

80 pounds and suffering from several 

diseases, he found the strength to 

escape, but was quickly returned to 

Mauthausen. Put on another death 

march, he escaped again. 

On Wednesday, March 11 at 7:30 

p.m., Temple Shalom hosts the final 

session of the Jewish Book Festival. 

Josh Frank’s Giraffes on Horseback 

Salad: Salvador Dali, the 

Marx Brothers, and the Strangest 

Movie Never Made is a re-creation 

of the lost-and-found script for the 

film in the form of a graphic novel. 

The book honors the would-be film 

by reflecting 

its gorgeous, 

full-color, cinematic, 

surreal 

glory. It 

is the story of 

two unlikely 

friends: a Jewish 

superstar 

film icon and a 

Spanish painter – and the movie that 

could have been. This is Mr. Frank’s 

fourth book and second illustrated 

novel. The event will include a multimedia 

presentation with film clips 

and photos, live music and songs. 

For a complete schedule of events, 

ticket information, venue locations, 

contributing sponsors, author bios and 

book synopses, see the 4-page insert in 

this section or visit www.jewishbook 

festival.org. For questions and general 

information, call 239.263.4205 or email 

fedstar18@gmail.com. 

For a continuously updated 

community calendar, 

visit www.jewishnaples.org. 

L 

Themes On Philanthropy 

JOIN US for a lunch & learn! 

Come for one or all six sessions as 

Ellen Weiss, Executive Director 

of TOP Jewish Foundation, 

discusses various philanthropic topics, 

including opportunities for tax-savings. 

All sessions are held noon-1:00 pm 

at the Jewish Federation of Greater Naples 

October 

L 

17 

November 21 

December 19 

January 23 

February 20 

March 26 

Coming Soon 

Lunch will be provided. 

All sessions are complimentary. 

6 Educational Sessions 

Donor advised funds, private foundations 

and establishing endowments 

Legacy Giving: charitable bequests 

from wills and living trusts 

Charitable Planning Opportunities 

for Retirement Accounts and 

other beneficiary designations 

Gifts with Income: 

Charitable Gift Annuities & 

Charitable Remainder Trusts 

Donor advised funds, private foundations 

and establishing endowments 

Legacy Giving: charitable bequests 

from wills and living trusts 

Respect 

Anti-Semitism 

Human 

In 2019, there were almost 1,900 

reported anti-Semitic incidents 

in the United States. 

Why? 

What can we do about the alarming 

increase of hateful events? 

SAVE THE DATE! 

Annual Jewish Community Day of Learning 

A program of the 

JEWISH COMMUNITY RELATIONS COUNCIL 

Confronting Anti-Semitism — Overcoming Hate 

Nationally-acclaimed speakers will be our mentors. 

Sunday, January 19, 2020 

9:00 a.m. – 1:45 p.m. 

at Temple Shalom 

L 

TOP Jewish Foundation, the Foundation of the 

Jewish Federation of Greater Naples, 

can help make your charitable dollars, and 

your commitment to tzedakah, go further, 

both during your lifetime and thereafter. 

TOP can help you support 

your favorite charities with: 

• Gifts in Wills or Trusts (Bequests) 

• Permanent Endowments 

• Gifts of Insurance & Retirement Assets 

• Required Minimum Distributions for IRAs 

• Donor Advised Philanthropic Funds 

• Gifts of Appreciated Stock & other assets 

• Gifts that generate income, such as 

Charitable Remainder Trusts and 

Charitable Gift Annuities 

contact Ellen Weiss at 813-769-4785 

email: ellen@topjewishfoundation.org 

website: www.topjewishfoundation.org 

contact Marcy Friedland at 239-263-4205 

email: mfriedland@jewishnaples.org 

website: www.jewishnaples.org 

of the 

Jewish Federation 

of Greater Naples 

Together, we are ensuring the Jewish Future

8B Federation Star September 2019 


At Your Service! 

Hilton Naples proudly supports the 

Greater Naples Jewish Book Festival. 

Collier County Jewish Book Festival. 

5111 Tamiami Trail North I Naples, FL 34103 

239.430.4900 I HiltonNaples.com I ShulasNaples.com

Federation Star - September 2019

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