The Jewish News - October 2020

JFSM Virtual
PUBLISHED BY
The Jewish Federation
OF SARASOTA-MANATEE
THE LARRY & MARY GREENSPON
FAMILY CAMPUS FOR JEWISH LIFE
October 2020 - Tishrei/Cheshvan 5781 www.jfedsrq.org Volume 50, Number 9
INSIDE THIS ISSUE:
20 Community Focus
23 Jewish Happenings
30 Jewish Interest
37 Israel & the Jewish World
40 Commentary
44 Focus on Youth
47 Life Cycle
PEOPLE OF THE BOOK
Special 8-page section
covering People of the
Book author series
Where your dollars go:
American Friends of
Magen David Adom
Hunger leaders detail
the depth of need
10
12
18
Federation assistance crucial
to Aviva’s efforts to keep
COVID-19 at bay
People of the Book Author Lecture Series
to feature 25 virtual events
By Ted Epstein, People of the Book Coordinator
Beginning in October and concluding
in June 2021, the 2020-
21 People of the Book Author
Lecture Series will offer a dazzling series
of author events, building upon the
highly regarded 2019-20 series. People
of the Book is a program of The Jewish
Federation of Sarasota-Manatee
in cooperation with the Jewish Book
Council. It will once again provide an
outstanding contribution to the cultural
life of our community. The festival’s
26 authors will present at 25 events via
Zoom, so you can be entertained, enlightened,
engaged and enriched right
from the comfort of your home.
As you read through this article,
don’t feel like you have to choose
some authors and not others. We’ve
made it easy for you to decide. Simply
purchase a Page Turner Pass for $108
($97 through October 6), and your entire
household will get admission to all
25 People of the Book events! That’s
about $4 per author presentation.
For a complete schedule of events,
admission information, author bios and
book synopses, see the eight-page insert
in this issue or visit jfedsrq.org/
books. For questions and general information,
contact Jeremy Lisitza at
941.343.2113 or jlisitza@jfedsrq.org.
Jeremy and I attended the Jewish
Book Council’s virtual three-day conference
in July and watched 230 authors
give two-minute presentations
about their books. That was the start of
a long process to select the 26 authors
chosen for this program.
Here’s an overview of what you can
expect at the 2020-21 People of the
Book series:
We kick off the series with two special
events. On Wednesday, October
14 at 7:00 p.m., enjoy actor Stephen
Tobolowsky, author of My Adventures
With God. On Wednesday, October 28
at 7:00 p.m., join Alana Newhouse
as she presents The 100 Most Jewish
Foods: A Highly Debatable List. For
more information on these two presenters,
see Gayle Guynup’s article on
page 5.
Monthly themed events
From November 2020 through June
2021 (except for March 2021, when the
Federation’s Keep Us Safe Fund
addresses community security needs
By Kim Adler, Chief Operating Officer
This is a critical moment for our
country and our Jewish community.
We find ourselves in
the midst of a deadly pandemic, global
economic strife and an alarming level
of toxic polarization that threatens the
very fabric of our society. In addition,
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by, the staff or leadership of The Jewish
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PEOPLE OF THE BOOK
we are at the same time also facing
unprecedented levels of antisemitism
and an increase in antisemitic sentiments.
With shocking regularity,
public figures express inconceivably
vile and bigoted Jew-hating opinions.
This is a stark reminder that we must
always condemn antisemitism forcefully
and always provide education
to combat ignorance and prejudice.
The Anti-Defamation League reports
that synagogue shootings and hate
crimes are at their highest peak in recent
memory. In Florida, antisemitism
is growing at an alarming rate. Just in
See our list of virtual events this season on pg 13
continued on page 4
the last few months, our local community
has seen three overt antisemitic
acts at area synagogues. As a result,
our Federation has taken on a large
leadership role to protect these dangers
head-on.
We started the Keep Us Safe Fund
in April in response to these acts of
antisemitic vandalism that impacted
our Jewish community. Thanks to our
extraordinarily generous donors, we
have already raised over $250,000 for
this effort, including a $100,000 match
from our Federation Board Restrictcontinued
on page 2
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work at the forefront of Jewish life here in
Sarasota-Manatee.
Visit jfedsrq.org/donate and select
“Make my Donation Monthly Recurring.”
941.371.4546
Celebrating legacy
donors, virtually
By Gisele Pintchuck, LIFE & LEGACY Director
What would have been another
beautiful evening in a
ballroom filled with legacy
donors and community partners, will
now be virtual. Our LIFE & LEGA-
CY Community Celebration 2020,
expressing deep gratitude for the commitment
and generosity of our local
LIFE & LEGACY donors, will take
place on Thursday, November 12 at
7:00 p.m. We will come together via
Zoom to celebrate the accomplishments
of all LIFE & LEGACY partners
during a time when our lives changed
dramatically. Even so, philanthropy remained
a priority to many individuals.
This past May, the LIFE & LEGA-
CY program reached $1 billion in estimated
gifts promised by 17,000 donors
nationwide. Locally, our 10 partners
have secured $19 million in estimated
gifts through over 600 Letters of Intent
since the program’s launch in 2017. It is
truly a testament that the LIFE & LEG-
ACY program has successfully grown
endowments to help fund
the future of Jewish communities
throughout the
U.S. and Canada.
Our virtual celebration
event will feature
Rabbi Daniel Cohen, author
of What Will They
Say About You When You
Are Gone? Creating a Life
of Legacy. He is co-host of
the nationally syndicated
radio show, The Rabbi and
the Reverend, with Reverend
Greg Doll. Rabbi Cohen writes
for the Huffington Post blog, and is a
Bottom Line, Inc. expert. He serves as
Senior Rabbi of Congregation Agudath
FEDERATION NEWS
KeepUsSafe
FUND
JFEDSRQ.org/KeepUsSafe
Sholom, the largest Modern Orthodox
synagogue in New England.
In a world in flux, Rabbi Cohen’s
engaging and captivating style draws
Rabbi Daniel Cohen
on timeless stories and strategies enabling
each individual to maximize
every moment while leading a life of
impact and legacy.
“His personal experience as a rabbi,
sharing life-affirming
moments, combined with
his humor and humanity,
provide him with a unique
narrative. We look forward
to sharing this evening
with Rabbi Cohen,
our LIFE & LEGACY
donors and our community
partners,” said Nelle
Miller, LIFE & LEGACY
Community Chair.
For more information
about LIFE &
LEGACY and to register for the Community
Celebration, please contact me
at 941.706.0029 or gpintchuck@jfed
srq.org.
Federation’s Keep Us Safe Fund...continued from page 1
ed Fund. These funds will be used to
assist area Jewish institutions with increasing
their security presence, to provide
training for staff and volunteers,
and to support the hiring of a Jewish
Community Security Director.
Through our Federation’s partnership
with the Secure Community
Network (SCN), we have created a
community-wide organizational security
structure designed to protect its
synagogues and Jewish agencies in
which the new security director plays
a critical role. Our Jewish Community
Security Director, Jeff Solomon, comes
to our community with an extensive
background in policing and terrorism.
Jeff will work together with our community
institutions to train on a variety
of topics from first aid to hurricane preparedness,
assess each organization’s
security needs, maintain collaborative
relationships with local law enforcement
and oversee the hiring of additional
security guards where needed.
Jeff will work collaboratively with two
committees – one that addresses Federation’s
security and safety needs, and
another that oversees
those needs for our Jewish
community institutions.
Our Federation will
continue to do everything
in its power to
provide a safe and secure
future for our area
Jewish institutions. Thank you to those
who have joined us in this effort and
have generously given their time, talents
and tzedakah to support this important
initiative.
To make a contribution to the Keep
Us Safe Fund, please visit jfedsrq.org/
KeepUsSafe or call 941.371.4546.
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FEDERATION NEWS
October 2020
Helping to fight the stigma of mental illness
By Marty Katz, Senior Director of Communications & Marketing
Brian and Joan Wides, Londoners
who now consider Sarasota certified Youth Mental Health First
mental health professionals to become
their snowbird home, wish they Aid Instructors. Then, throughout the
had begun their philanthropy in earlier year, these instructors will certify local
members of the Jewish community
years. “When our lives were extremely
busy bringing up children and progressing
our professions, we were not
that involved in working for non-profit
organizations,” Brian says. “We encourage
others to make time, and money
if possible, to become involved at
an earlier age. The fact that we’re now
able to make some contributions to
many lives is very fulfilling.”
The Wides’ daughter Melissa suffered
from mental illness for 20 years
before she passed away in 2014. The
couple has now made it their life’s
work to support organizations that
Joan and Brian Wides
combat a variety of mental illnesses. who live and work closely with teens.
At The Jewish Federation of It is a five-step action plan designed to
Sarasota-Manatee, they have established
the Melissa Wides Foundation suffering from a mental health or sub-
raise awareness and help adolescents
Education Scholarship Fund which stance abuse crisis.
awards college scholarships to those Andrea Eiffert, Federation’s Teen
who are behaviorally or emotionally and Family Program Coordinator who
challenged and those who are interested
in pursuing the mental health pro-
says, “The Wides’ commitment and
will be coordinating this new program,
fession. Specifically, it helps students caring for individuals struggling with
with a financial need to attend a 2- to their mental health is even more crucial
now when so many people have
4-year college, university or vocational
program; who are challenged with psychological,
physical, cognitive, behav-
of work, etc. This program will have
been isolated, lost loved ones, are out
ioral or emotional limitations; or who a direct and positive impact on many
are planning to major in an area of undergraduate
study such as Psychiatry, Major Gifts Officer Rich Bergman
teens and families in our community.”
Psychology or Social Work. The Wides says, “Brian and Joan understand that
family has provided funds sufficient to mental health issues are widespread
assist four students each year for each and universal. Working with our Jewish
Federation, their vision is to help
of the years they attend school (up to
four years).
people struggling with mental health
Lisa Feinman, Resource Development
Manager who manages the make their lives better. Our communi-
challenges to restart their lives and
Federation’s college scholarship program,
says, “At the outset, Brian and their love and leadership.”
ty is so fortunate to be the recipient of
Joan take the time to get to know Outside of the Federation, the
each awardee and endeavor to keep in Wides are very active in the local
touch with them as their studies progress.
Their generosity and vision have ed by Federation board member Bunny
chapter of Compeer, which was creat-
opened doors that might otherwise Skirboll in Rochester, New York in the
have remained closed.”
1970s. The program matches community
volunteers in supportive friend-
Brian and Joan are also demonstrating
their deep compassion once ship relationships with children and
again by sponsoring a new Federation adults with mental health issues. Joan,
program that will enable two local who is on the Compeer board and also
ADULTS
CHARITY
CULTURE
works as a volunteer, says, “Our commitment
to Compeer is the result of
our awareness of the stigma of having
mental illness and the need to end the
social isolation of those with mental
health issues. Bunny Skirboll is positive
and inspiring and gives tirelessly
of herself.”
Bunny says similar kind words
about the Wides. “They are the most
kind, generous, smart and unassuming
people I know. They did not let their
own personal tragedy stop them from
helping others with mental illnesses
in every way possible.” Bunny adds,
“They are true mensches!”
Their generosity does not stop
there. The Wides like to support causes
where they can see the practical benefits
of their giving. They are involved
with the Academy at Glengary which
provides community reintegration and
career training for adults with mental
health issues, in areas such as technology,
graphic design, culinary & hospitality
and customer service. Brian says,
“The future looks bleak for those with
mental illness. It gives them something
positive to do and somewhere to go. It
gives them hope and is a tremendous
3
boost to self-worth and self-confidence.”
The couple also gives generously
to JFCS of the Suncoast, assisting two
programs: Camp Mariposa, which provides
weekend-long camps for children
impacted by addiction and trauma, and
school-based programs in lower income
Sarasota County schools.
Brian and Joan Wides’ impact on
the mental health community in our
region speaks volumes. Unfortunately,
there were not many mental health
services available to their daughter
when she was alive. “We have now
learned how much she could have been
helped, and we have the opportunity
to help others that still need that help.
If we can help people in a practical
way, it’s a wonderful thing to do. We
try to give people the opportunities she
never had.” Joan poignantly adds, “To
be able to change someone’s life in a
positive direction, even if just changes
one person’s life, is a very precious
thing.”
For information on how you can
support The Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee,
please contact Ilene Fox
at ifox@jfedsrq.org or 941.343.2111.
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4 October 2020
FEDERATION NEWS
People of the Book...continued from page 1
Jewish Film Festival comes to town),
People of the Book will feature one
week each month when three or four
authors will present. These authors
are part of the Jewish Book Council
Network. We’ve divided the authors’
books into monthly themes: Memoir,
Jewish Identity, Arts & Culture, Fiction,
History, Women, Holocaust.
November: Memoir
During the week of November 2, four
authors will share their memoirs. (For
dates and times, please see the insert in
this issue or visit jfedsrq.org/books.)
Alexandra Silber, who graced
Sarasota audiences at last season’s
People of the Book, kicks off the week
talking about her second book, White
Hot Grief Parade. Told with raw passion,
candor and wit, it’s an ode to the
restorative power of family and friendship
– and the unbreakable bond, even
in death, between father and daughter.
Bess Kalb, Emmy-nominated TV
writer, saved every voicemail her
grandmother, Bobby Bell, ever left
her. Bobby was a force – irrepressible,
glamorous, unapologetically opinionated.
Bobby doted on Bess; Bess
adored Bobby. Then at 90, Bobby died.
But in the debut memoir Nobody Will
Tell You This But Me, Bobby is speaking
to Bess once more in a voice as
passionate as it ever was in life. Recounting
both family lore and family
secrets, Bobby brings us four generations
of indomitable women and the
men who loved them.
Kirkus Reviews sums up Jason
Rosenthal’s My Wife Said You May
Want to Marry Me with, “An essay
gone viral leads to this memoir about
deep loss and navigating
profound
grief…filled with
advice and support
for anyone
else going through
similar circumstances.”
Rosenthal
shares how
his wife Amy’s
Modern Love column became her final
gift to him, granting him the freedom
to imagine what the rest of his life
could look like.
Parnaz Foroutan concludes Memoir
Week with Home is a Stranger.
Parnaz leaves Los Angeles for Iran
19 years after her family fled the religious
police state brought in by the
Islamic theocracy. Struggling with her
own identity in a culture that feels both
foreign and familiar, she tries to find a
place for herself between the American
girl she is and the woman she hopes to
become.
December: Jewish Identity
December will see four authors at three
“Jewish Identity” events. First up is
Danielle Renov, author of Peas Love &
Carrots, a cookbook
for everyone,
filled with
over 360 recipes
of all varieties.
From her kitchen
in Israel, Renov
creates delicious
and approachable
recipes, lifestyle tips and hacks, and
shares all things motherhood and family
related. But mostly, it’s food – the
medium she uses to express her love
to those around her. She is looking forward
to bringing more peas and love
into the world by helping others gather
people around tables everywhere, filled
with yummy food and happy tummies!
Next are Stephanie Butnick and
Liel Leibovitz, authors (with Mark
Oppenheimer) of
The Newish Jewish
Encyclopedia,
a highly entertaining
encyclopedia
of all things Jewish
and Jew-ISH,
covering culture,
religion, history, habits, language and
more.
Rabbi Corinne Copnick, ordained
a rabbi at the age of 79, concludes the
2020 events with A Rabbi at Sea, in
which she narrates 40 interconnected
stories of her travel experiences as a
guest rabbi on cruise ships. On every
journey and in every country visited,
she discovered and explored Jewish
life. Offering a global perspective, she
presents a host of insights about the
culture and the people she encountered
throughout her travels.
January: Arts & Culture
We start off the new year with one of the
funniest people around. Alan Zweibel,
author of Laugh Lines – My Life Helping
Funny People Be Funnier, weaves
together his own stories and interviews
with his friends and contemporaries,
including Richard
Lewis, Eric
Idle, Bob Saget,
Sarah Silverman,
Dave
Barry and Carl
Reiner. Zweibel
was one of the
first writers at
Saturday Night
Live, where he
penned classic material for Gilda Radner,
John Belushi and all of the original
“Not Ready for Prime Time Players.”
The next evening, join us for
OMG WTF Does the Constitution
Actually Say? (A Non-Boring Guide to
How Our Democracy is Supposed to
Work) with author Ben Sheehan. The
book walks us through the entire Constitution,
from its preamble to its final
amendment (with a bonus section on
the Declaration of Independence). The
Hollywood Reporter named Sheehan
one of entertainment’s 35 Rising Executives
Under 35.
Rounding out the “Arts & Culture”
theme is Myla Goldberg’s Feast Your
Eyes. Framed as the catalogue notes
from a photography show at the Museum
of Modern Art, Goldberg tells the
life story of Lillian Preston: “America’s
Worst Mother, America’s Bravest
Mother, America’s Worst Photographer
or America’s Greatest Photographer,
depending on who was talking.”
February: Fiction
If you love a good novel, historic or
otherwise, clear your calendar the
week of February 8 for four best-selling
novelists. Susan Jane Gilman’s
Donna Has Left the Building is an unforgettable
tale about spiritual awakening
and what it really means to love in
today’s big, broken, beautiful world.
The National Book Review said, “In
Gilman’s new hilarious work of fiction,
a 45-year-old ‘bad Jewish girl,’ recovering
alcoholic and flamed-out punk
rocker, leaves her dentist husband and
his dominatrix, and narrates her road
trip. A final sharp twist in the novel
provides it with a special meaning.”
Rachel Barenbaum’s A Bend in
the Stars was named a New York Times
Summer Reading Selection. Grounded
in history, the novel is an epic love story
and heart-pounding journey across
WWI-era Russia about a brilliant
young scientist racing against Einstein
to solve one of the greatest mysteries
of the universe.
Based on true events, The Last
Train to London, by Meg Waite Clayton,
tells the story of a Dutchwoman
who, working with British and Austrian
Jews, faces down Adolf Eichmann
to rescue thousands of children from
Nazi-occupied Vienna.
In The Wartime Sisters by Lynda
Cohen Loigman, two estranged sisters,
each burdened with her own
shocking secret, are reunited at the
Springfield Armory in the early days
of WWII. While
one sister lives
in relative ease
on the bucolic
Armory campus
as an officer’s
wife, the other
arrives as a
war widow and
takes a position
in the Armory
factories as a “soldier of production.”
Resentment festers between the two,
and secrets are shattered when a mysterious
figure from the past reemerges
in their lives.
April: History
Join us the week of April 13 for some
intense and intriguing non-fiction.
First up is Raffi Berg, author of Red
Sea Spies (The True Story of Mossad’s
Fake Diving Resort). This page-turner
tells the story that
inspired the recent
Netflix drama
The Red Sea
Diving Resort.
What began with
one cryptic message
pleading for
help, turned into
the secret evacuation
of thousands
of Ethiopian Jews and the spiriting of
them to Israel.
Steven Zipperstein follows the
next day with Law and the Arab-Israeli
Conflict. During the early years of the
Arab-Jewish conflict in Palestine, the
parties repeatedly used the law to gain
leverage against each other and influence
international opinion. By the late
1920s and 1930s, the conflict had become
as much a battle fought in the
courtroom as in the streets, playing out
in three separate trials. The arguments
the parties made in those trials continue
resonating in the conflict today,
nearly 100 years later.
The Betrayal of the Duchess by
Maurice Samuels overflows with intrigue
and lush detail. It is the riveting
story of a high-spirited woman, the
charming but volatile young man who
double-crossed her, and the birth of
one of the modern world’s most deadly
forms of hatred.
May: Women
To celebrate Mother’s Day, the three
books chosen for May celebrate women.
In America’s Jewish Women: A History
from Colonial Times to Today, Pamela
Nadell asks what it means to be a Jewish
woman in America. Informed by
the shared values of America’s founding
and Jewish identity, America’s Jewish
women – the well-known and the
scores of activists, workers, wives and
mothers whose
names linger
on among their
communities –
left deep footprints
in the
history of the
nation they call
home. Nadell
won the 2019
National Jewish Book Award for Book
of the Year.
Janice Kaplan, former editor-inchief
of Parade magazine, will share
her latest book, The Genius of Women
(From Overlooked to Changing the
World). Kaplan explores the powerful
forces that have rigged the system
– and celebrates the women geniuses
past and present who have triumphed
anyway. Using her unique mix of memoir,
narrative and inspiration, Kaplan
makes surprising discoveries about
women geniuses now and throughout
history in fields from music to robotics.
Bill Haltom’s Why Can’t Mother
Vote? is the story of Joseph Hanover,
an unsung hero of the fight for women’s
suffrage, 100 years ago. Hanover,
an Orthodox Jew, had fled Poland
in 1895 to escape the Czar of Russia
and the pogroms. This immigrant and
his family found a new life in Memphis,
Tennessee. He went to night law
school, became a lawyer and was elected
to the Tennessee Legislature. There,
in August 1920, he led the successful
fight for the ratification of the Nineteenth
Amendment to the Constitution,
giving women the right to vote.
June: Holocaust
The 2020-21 People of the Book series
concludes the week of June 15 with
three intense Holocaust-related stories.
Debbie Cenziper’s Citizen 865 – The
Hunt for Hitler’s Hidden Soldiers in
America, a story spanning seven decades,
chronicles the harrowing wartime
journeys of two Jewish orphans
who outran the soldiers of Trawniki,
Poland, and settled in the U.S., only to
learn that some of their onetime captors
had followed. Ariel Burger, author
of Witness: Lessons from Elie Wiesel’s
Classroom, who spoke at last season’s
People of the Book, said, “Citizen
865 reads like a
thriller, but it is
so much more...
[It] tells an essential
and unknown
tale of
post-war justice
and the search
for truth, linking
the events of
the Holocaust to
the familiar, more recent past. Telling
this story of a decades-long quest for
continued on page 6

FEDERATION NEWS
Established 1971
PUBLISHER
The Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee
The Larry & Mary Greenspon
Family Campus for Jewish Life
Klingenstein Jewish Center
580 McIntosh Road
Sarasota, FL 34232-1959
Phone: 941.371.4546
Fax: 941.378.2947
E-mail: jewishnews@jfedsrq.org
Website: www.jfedsrq.org
Published Monthly
Volume 50, Number 9
October 2020
56 pages
USPS Permit No. 167
November 2020 Issue Deadlines:
Editorial: September 30, 2020
Advertising: October 1, 2020
CHANGE OF ADDRESS:
Inquiries can be sent to Bonnie Souther
at bsouther@jfedsrq.org
or call 941.371.4546 x0
PRESIDENT
Randon Carvel
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
Howard Tevlowitz
SENIOR DIRECTOR OF
COMMUNICATIONS & MARKETING
Marty Katz
MANAGING EDITOR
Ted Epstein
ADVERTISING SALES
Adam Kaplan – 941.552.6307
PROOFREADERS
Edward D. Cohen, Rhonda Kaplan,
Marianne Mandell, Elliot Ofsowitz,
Jeff Sherman, Jill Simons, Linda Stern,
Bryna Tevlowitz
MISSION STATEMENT: The Jewish News of
Sarasota-Manatee strives to be the source of
news and features of special interest to the
Jewish community of Sarasota-Manatee, to
provide a forum for the exchange of ideas
and opinions in the Jewish community, and
to communicate the mission, activities and
achievements of the Federation and its Jewish
community partners.
OPINIONS printed in The Jewish News of Sarasota-Manatee
do not necessarily reflect those
of The Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee,
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STAY
CONNECTED
October 2020
People of the Book Author Lecture Series
kicks off with two special events
By Gayle Guynup
People of the Book is a series of
presentations by Jewish authors
(or authors of books with Jewish
themes) discussing their recently
published books. Now in its second
year, the series is hosted by The Jewish
Federation of Sarasota-Manatee.
People of the Book kicks off the 2020-
21 season with two featured events in
October.
Stephen Tobolowsky
Stephen Tobolowsky, who has appeared
in more than 200 films and
television shows, as well as on the
Broadway stage, is, at heart, a storyteller.
And what a story he has to tell.
Tobolowsky made his way from
Dallas to Los Angeles (with his mother
tagging along for the ride in the family
Oldsmobile), where he ended up
living, working and marrying actress
Ann Hearn. “We stayed in Los Angeles
and began working our way up the
food chain as an actor and actress,”
he said. He explained that he had lost
his hair in graduate school and always
wore glasses, which became his brand
in Hollywood – “the tall, bald guy with
glasses.” It served him well in numerous
roles including Ned Ryerson in
Groundhog Day, which, he said, “kind
of cemented my career.”
He and Ann, whom he describes as
“very adventurous,” developed an interest
in riding horses and worked with
a trainer in Iceland. “On our third trip,
in 2008, we were riding on the side of
an active volcano when we were hit
by a tornadic wind that came off the
Atlantic Ocean. It picked me and my
horse up and threw us into a lava flow.
I broke my neck and had, what doctors
called, a fatal injury – that I somehow
survived,” he said.
“I could barely do anything for
myself. Ann had to help me with everything,”
he said, adding that it was
definitely the “worse” in “for better or
for worse.”
One of the few things he could do
was write. “So, I started writing true
stories from my life to give to my boys
as a legacy.” A friend, David Chen,
suggested recording the stories and
posting them on the internet, which
they did.
“They were supposed to be showbiz
stories, but as I was writing the
fourth story, my mom had a heart attack
and passed away. So my fourth
story, called The Alchemist, ended up
being the story of the last day I spent
with my mother.” The particular podcast
was picked up
by NPR, PRI and
other organizations,
and was heard all
over the world.
When the couple
returned to Los
Angeles, Ann surprised
Stephen by
telling him she had
secretly been taking
conversion classes
for Judaism. “She
told me she wanted
to do that because
she saw the way my
Stephen Tobolowsky
mother lived and the way she loved,
and wanted that for our life together.”
Ann became Jewish and the couple renewed
their vows in their backyard. Today,
they have been married 31 years.
Somehow, Simon and Schuster got
ahold of some of Stephen’s stories, and
wanted to publish a collection of those
stories. His first book, The Dangerous
Animals Club, included stories from his
childhood. After that, his editor asked
if he could do a book from a strictly
Jewish perspective, and that’s when he
wrote My Adventures with God.
“I healed. My neck healed. My
life healed, and amazingly my career
November 5, 2020
7:00 pm via Zoom
5
became reinvigorated,” he said. Following
open heart surgery in 2011, he
ended up working in acting once again,
with recurring appearances on numerous
television shows including Glee,
Law & Order, The Goldbergs
and One Day at a
Time.
With the onset of the
Coronavirus pandemic,
Tobolowsky says he is
now a full-time writer,
as there are no movies or
television shows currently
in production. He is in
the process of releasing
another set of podcasts,
which are available free
worldwide. “The buyin
is easy. All you need
is time,” he said. “And
with the pandemic, we all have plenty
of that.”
Publishers Weekly calls My Adventures
with God “a fast-paced, precise,
wide-ranging and impressive
book that draws upon the I Ching, Talmud,
Einstein, Grimms’ Fairy Tales
and reruns of SportsCenter” when discussing
Tobolowsky’s life of faith.
At his virtual People of the Book
presentation on Wednesday, October
14 at 7:00 p.m., this natural storyteller
will be sharing a story from My Adventures
with God, followed by what is
sure to be a lively discussion.
Biography
• Ambassador Ross is a fellow at The
Washington Institute for Near East
Policy.
• He is also an esteemed professor at
Georgetown.
• For more than twelve years,
Ambassador Ross played a leading role
in shaping U.S. involvement in the
Middle East peace process.
• Ambassador Ross is the
author of five books on the
peace process, the Middle East,
and international relations.
A M B A S S A D O R D E N N I S R O S S
is no charge for this event, but all participants are
There
to register in advance on the TBS website at
required
no later than Tuesday,
www.templebethsholomfl.org/events
3 by 4:00 pm. Space is limited.
November
The Middle East is in a constant state of change.
Just two days after the U.S. presidential election,
Ambassador Ross will analyze current events in
the Middle East and will discuss what to expect
from the next U.S. Administration.
This event is co-sponsored by:
continued on page 6
Deborah & Lawrence Haspel
.com/jfedsrq
info@templebethsholomfl.org | 941.955.8121
www.templebethsholomfl.org/events

6 October 2020
People of the Book...continued from page 4
justice is itself an act of justice.”
Michael Dobbs’ The Unwanted
– America, Auschwitz, and a Village
Caught in Between, is the winner of
the 2019 Jewish Book Club Award for
Holocaust Studies. It examines U.S.
immigration policy under President
Franklin D. Roosevelt through the
prism of a small Jewish community
on the edge of the Black Forest. It
describes the quest for U.S. visas at
a time when, according to journalist
Dorothy Thompson, “a piece of paper
with a stamp on it” was “the difference
between life and death.” The
Holocaust is a German story, first and
foremost, but it has an American foreign
policy dimension, meticulously
explored in this book.
Neal Bascomb, the award-winning
and New York Times bestselling author,
is the final presenter in this series. As
Nazi Germany launched its campaign
of racial terror and pushed the world toward
war, three misfits banded together
to challenge Hitler’s dominance at the
apex of motorsport: the Grand Prix.
Their quest for redemption culminated
we are
in a remarkable race that is still talked
about in racing circles to this day –
but which, soon after it ended, Hitler
attempted to completely erase from
history. Bringing
to life this
glamorous era
and the sport
that defined it,
Faster chronicles
one of the
most inspiring,
death-defying
upsets of all
time: a symbolic
blow against the Nazis during history’s
darkest hour.
We thank our media sponsors for
helping us get the word out about this
series: Observer Media Group, Sarasota
Magazine and WUSF.
The Federation staff responsible
for the People of the Book series and
these add-on events are working hard
to ensure you are kept engaged and
enriched with author/book programs
throughout the 2020-21 season. Please
join us at these exciting events.
For a complete schedule
of events, admission
information, author
bios and book synopses,
see the eight-page
insert in this issue or
visit jfedsrq.org/books.
FED
PEOPLE OF THE BOOK
Engaging Jewish Lives
People of the Book kicks off...continued from page 5
Alana Newhouse
Alana Newhouse is author/editor of
The 100 Most Jewish Foods, a compendium
of those foods that have had
the most relevance to the Jewish story
throughout history. These are not the
most delicious Jewish foods, or the
most popular, but the most significant
throughout the ages.
Newhouse is editor-in-chief of
Tablet, a daily online magazine that
focuses on Jewish news, politics, ideas
and culture that was launched in 2009.
The talented writer/
editor grew up on Long
Island, New York, attended
Barnard College,
and worked in politics
for a while after graduating
from college.
She attended Columbia’s
Graduate School
of Journalism, and then
went to work as religion
reporter and culture editor
at The Forward, a
publication dedicated
to covering the issues,
ideas and institutions of importance to
American Jews. About 12 years ago
she left to start Tablet.
“It’s so hard today to remember a
time when the internet seemed like a
good thing,” she said. “Twelve years
ago, though, it felt like a really good
thing.”
Newhouse’s goal was to connect
with Jews across the country whom
she otherwise would not have had the
opportunity to meet. “The internet does
allow us to make those types of connections,”
she said.
Newhouse hired a group of talented
editors from across the country
– from the Associated Press, Vanity
Fair, The New York Times and other
publications – and went to work on
Tablet. “Twelve years later,” she said,
“the internet is a real challenge. It has
totally changed the way we get our information
and communicate. But there
is a tremendous amount of misinformation
and outright false information
out there, and it can be difficult to sift
through it all.”
The problem, she says, is that all
of this misinformation has created an
“implicit mistrust” of media outlets.
“At Tablet, we do our very best to
change that by adhering to the rules
of traditional journalism that we were
all taught. We have created a product
FEDERATION NEWS
which, over time, people have come to
trust.”
She’s certainly doing something
right. Tablet’s readership is now about
1 million readers per month.
It was an article that appeared in
Tablet that was the inspiration for the
book The 100 Most Jewish Foods. “We
had done a variety of lists, such as 101
Great Jewish Books and 100 Great
Jewish Movies, and we decided the
next natural thing would be food,” she
explained. “Together, these were meant
to create a sense of
what the Jewish cultural
inheritance is.”
The online article
on food was very
popular and created
a lot of online conversation.
So, the
idea for the book was
born. “The story of
the Jews spans human
history, so we
looked at the foods
that were most operative
in that story,”
she said. From that, they created “an
admittedly imperfect list.”
“Our goal was to spark conversation,
to get people talking, sharing
ideas and creating their own lists,” she
said. With contributions from food personalities
including Eric Ripert, Michael
Solomonov, Tom Colicchio and
Ruth Reich, to name but a few, The 100
Most Jewish Foods, has drawn both
critical and popular acclaim.
As NPR’s The Salt wrote, “[The
100 Most Jewish Foods] is a love letter
to food, family, faith and identity, and
the deliciously tangled way they come
together.” (See Phil Jason’s review of
the book on page 32.)
At the People of the Book virtual
event on Wednesday, October 28
at 7:00 p.m., Newhouse said she will
“give people a behind-the-scenes look
at some of the most heated and most
fun controversies that came up in creating
our list. It should be a lot of fun.”
For more information on these
two events, contact Jeremy Lisitza at
941.343.2113 or jlisitza@jfedsrq.org.
To register, and for information on
all 25 events in the 2020-21 People
of the Book series, go to jfedsrq.org/
books. Complete information can also
be found in the special People of the
Book insert in this issue of The Jewish
News.
Alana Newhouse
W
e take great pride in engaging Jewish lives in our community.
From embracing Jewish cinema through our Jewish Film Festival
and Just Reel Films, to celebrating Jewish thought leaders at Women’s Day
and the Community Lecture, to viewing the latest exhibits during our
Club Fed bus trips, your Federation is dedicated to bringing the best in Jewish
programming to our Sarasota-Manatee community.
jfedsrq.org
941.371.4546

FEDERATION NEWS
October 2020
Federation Celebration set for Sunday, November 8
By Gayle Guynup
The Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee’s
will once again
mark the accomplishments of
the organization and its many lay
leaders and volunteers with its annual
awards ceremony at the Federation
Celebration. The virtual event, chaired
by Marsha Eisenberg, will begin on
Sunday, November 8 at 3:00 p.m., and
will include a State of the Federation
address by Board of Directors President
Randon Carvel, remarks by CEO
Howard Tevlowitz, and a groundbreaking
ceremony of the new Federation
campus.
“Our annual Federation Celebration
allows us the opportunity to express
our appreciation for volunteers
and donors who have made such a difference
in the past year. Although our
Celebration will be virtual, it will be
as heartwarming as ever,” said Carvel.
The 2020 awardees were chosen by
Federation staff to recognize volunteers
and lay leaders for their hard work this
past year bringing together the Federation
and the Sarasota-Manatee community.
This year’s award recipients are:
Doris Loevner Memorial
Young Leadership Award
Jaime Marco, nominated by Lisa Feinman:
“Jaime Marco demonstrates the
impact that Jewish day camping has
on fostering Jewish adults who are
active in their communities and passionate
about sharing their formative
experiences with others. Jaime grew
up in Sarasota and attended the JCC
day camp, both before and after it had
a home on the Federation campus.
Now, owner and president of Evolve
Business Consulting, and parent of a
future camper, Jaime is bound and determined
to bring Jewish day camping
back to Sarasota. Her leadership of the
Day Camp Committee, and her enthusiasm
and dedication to creating a summer
experience for Jewish campers,
has ignited interest and support from
lay and professional leaders. Jaime is
the quintessential young leader.”
Ahava (Love) Award
Geri and Lenny Drexler, nominated by
Kim Adler: “Two of the kindest people
you will ever meet, Geri and Lenny
Drexler are incredible ambassadors
for our Federation. Geri serves on our
LIFE & LEGACY TM Committee and is
a staple at our events. Lenny has served
on our board for many years and always
answers the call – serving on
committees, making thank you calls to
donors and helping out at events. And
they still find time to support their synagogue
and the Jewish Club of Lakewood
Ranch.”
The Chinuch (Education) Award
Dave Oness, nominated by Jessi Sheslow:
“Dave Oness is an educator at
Sarasota High School. He was part
of our inaugural class of Classrooms
Without Borders (CWB). Dave soaks
up every bit of knowledge he gains
from this program, not only while active
but even now as an alum. He has
brought Holocaust education to hundreds
of high school students and even
set up a nearly 150 student assembly
Paid PoLiticaL adVertisement
Paid PoLiticaL adVertisement
FiGhtinG anti-semitism
7
to have them hear Holocaust survivor
Howard Chandler, who accompanied
Dave on his trip to Poland with CWB.
He is an exemplar educator who has
provided local students with an incredible
view of the history of the Holocaust.
This is why he deserves our
Chinuch award.”
The Betty Schoenbaum
Heart-to-Heart Award
Hadassah and Martin Strobel, nominated
by Rich Bergman: “For all of us
who know and love them, Hadassah
and Marty Strobel are deserving recipients
of this year’s Betty Schoenbaum
Award. Also known as the “Heart-to-
Heart” award, it was named in honor
of the way Betty liked to give and
receive hugs. This beautiful couple
shows us their hearts every day by being
“Torch” donors for our Federation,
virtually attending and supporting all
of our programs and events, as well
as supporting Israel and Jewish people
around the world. Their love and generosity
help our Federation stay heart
strong and healthy.”
L’Dor V’Dor (Generation
to Generation) Award
David Grace, nominated by Andrea
Eiffert: “David Grace has been a steadfast
volunteer and supporter of The
Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee
for several years. He splits his volunteer
time between the Generations
After program for Holocaust survivors
and adult children of survivors,
and as a member of the Shapiro Teen
Engagement Program (STEP) Committee.
With his feet firmly planted in
both the STEP and Generation After
worlds, David’s dedication to the needs
of both teens and survivors is evident,
and the reason why he is so deserving
of this award. And also…his accent is
delightful!”
Hatikva (Hope) Award
David Weiman, nominated by Jessi
Sheslow: “David Weiman is new to the
Heller Community Relations Committee
but doesn’t stand on the sidelines.
As a sabra Israeli who spent his high
school years in the U.S., he has a strong
pro-Israel voice that he uses well. Bringing
Israeli cultural programming that
ensures younger generations continue
their love and support of Israel and the
Jewish people is a top priority for David.
He brings hope for our future.”
Yad Chazakah (Strong Hand) Award
Larry Haspel, nominated by Kim Adler:
“With his vast experience in business
development, Larry Haspel has
been an incredible partner in developing
plans for our upcoming Event Center on
the Federation campus. As Campus Utilization
sub-committee chair, Larry has
dedicated countless hours to meetings
with contractors, vendors and service
providers, and has helped to draft proposals
to ensure the Federation’s future
success with its campus project.”
Ayshet Chayil
(Woman of Valor) Award
Marsha Eisenberg, nominated by Kim
Adler: “Marsha Eisenberg is a woman
of many talents, and our Federation,
continued on page 9
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“The explosive rise of anti-semitism here in our own
backyard will not be tolerated. Drake Buckman will
represent our Jewish community in Tallahassee.
He is a strong supporter of Israel and embraces
the core Jewish value of tikkun olam.”
—Jerry FLeischer, President
sarasota county democratic Jewish caucus
www.BuckmanforFL.com
Political Advertisement paid for and approved by Drake Buckman, Democrat for State Representative District 72
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8 October 2020 FEDERATION NEWS
If not now, when?
Help us keep our community safe!
KeepUsSafe
FUND
Two more attacks on Jews—
targeted on street and bus in B’klyn
charged
Reprinted with the permission of the Herald-Tribune
Kansas City Horror: Gunman Kills
Three at Two Jewish Centers
Rabbi Hillel famously said, “If not
now, when?” As antisemitism increases
around the country and right here in our own
backyard in Sarasota-Manatee, NOW is the
time to take action.
Facebook ordered to take down
antisemitic page
Together, as a community, our response must
be two-fold. We must keep ourselves
—and our Jewish houses of worship— SAFE
and eradicate antisemitism at its core by
EDUCATION. To do so, we need your
financial help!
Your gift will be matched dollar for dollar
from a Federation board restricted
endowment, up to $100,000.
Your dollars to the KEEP US SAFE fund
will go towards:
• A full-time Community Security Director
• Upgrades in security technology
and cameras at area synagogues
and organizations
• The hiring of additional security guards
• Education and emergency preparedness
training for all area Jewish institutions
YOU MAKE IT POSSIBLE!
Name: __________________________________________________________
Address: _______________________________________________________
City: ______________________________State: ______ ZIP: ____________
Everything Federation does is made possible through the
generous donations from members of our community.
Please consider a gift of: o $18 o $36 o $90 o OTHER ________
Make checks payable to:
The Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee
580 McIntosh Road, Sarasota, FL 34232
Or go online: JFEDSRQ.org/KeepUsSafe
Phone: ___________________________________________________ E-mail: ______________________________________________________________________ Birthdate: ________________________
Payment Method (check one) : o Check o Visa o MC o Amex Total $ Enclosed: _________________________________________
Credit Card Number: _____________________________________________________________________________________________ Expiration Date: ________________________________________
Security Code: _________________________________ Signature: ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
o I have already included The Jewish Federation in my will, estate plan or by beneficiary designation.
A COPY OF THE OFFICIAL REGISTRATION AND FINANCIAL INFORMATION MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE DIVISION OF CONSUMER SERVICES BY CALLING TOLL-FREE 1-800-HELP-FLA
OR ONLINE AT FLORIDACONSUMERHELP.COM. REGISTRATION DOES NOT IMPLY ENDORSEMENT, APPROVAL, OR RECOMMENDATION BY THE STATE. REGISTRATION #: CH449
20COMMSEC

FEDERATION NEWS
October 2020
9
Federation Celebration...continued from page 7
as well as our Jewish community, are Morasha (Legacy) Award
the lucky benefactors. As head of the Bobbi and Don Bernstein, nominated
College Scholarship Committee, Marsha
works tirelessly to ensure that area deserving recipients of the Morasha
by Rich Bergman: “The Bernsteins are
students receive much-needed funds to (Legacy) award. They believe that they
attend college and vocational schools. are able to enjoy life’s benefits because
Marsha also spent considerable time those who came before us left a legacy
over the last two years to complete our for them, and they, in turn, will do the
2019 Jewish Community Study, which same for future generations. The couple
has established legacy gifts through
identified the tremendous growth in
our community, and provided tools to our LIFE & LEGACY program for both
help organizations plan for the future.” our Jewish Federation and for Temple
Atid (Futures) Award
Emanu-El. In addition, they established
Merrill Wynne, nominated by Rich an endowment for our new Federation
Bergman: “A retired partner in a prestigious
Atlanta accounting firm, commu-
while you live, where you live” has
campus. Their philosophy of “give
nity activist, Federation board member been a blessing for our Jewish Federation
and our entire community. Their
and Development Chair for our campus
capital campaign, Merrill Wynne is the legacy will live on for many years.”
perfect choice for this award. Merrill Avodah (Service) Award
understands how our new campus will Ed Cohen, nominated by Marty Katz:
help provide a safe, healthy and loving “Retired lawyer and judge Ed Cohen
home for our Jewish community for is a proofreader for The Jewish News.
many generations to come. Merrill is His sharp eye has been instrumental
active with the Child Protection Center,
Josh Provides Epilepsy Assistance ten finds errors that no one else does.
in keeping us on our toes and he of-
Foundation, and many organizations May we all have such a keen mind at
supporting Israel and our Jewish people.
He and his wife Sheila have three Acharai (Follow Me) Award
95 years old!”
daughters and four grandchildren to Ellyn Bender and Christine Elliot, nominated
by Howard Tevlowitz: “Syna-
help with his dream for a bright Jewish
future for all of us.”
gogues have been the heart and soul of
Kehilah (Community) Award our Jewish community for millennia,
Kurt Hoffman, nominated by Jessi and those who run them are our community’s
unsung heroes. Today, syna-
Sheslow: “Sheriff-elect Hoffman has
been a friend of the Federation for gogues also face challenges related to
some time. We never thought the day COVID-19, changing demographics
would come when we would need the and the recent string of antisemitic acts
full force of the Sarasota County Sheriff’s
office behind us, but unfortunately, recognize two outstanding individu-
of vandalism. Our community must
we did this past summer. Sheriff-elect als who have exhibited extraordinary
Hoffman made sure his entire team leadership qualities in the face of these
worked to make the Jewish community
feel safer. For his leadership and Temple Sinai, and Christine Elliot, ex-
challenges. Ellyn Bender, president of
friendship, Kurt Hoffman wholeheartedly
deserves the Kehilla award.” both serve as role models not only for
ecutive director of Temple Emanu-El,
Zachor (Never Forget) Award their respective synagogues, but for our
Bette Zaret, nominated by Jessi Sheslow:
“Bette Zaret is a force to be reckate
their hearts, caring and leadership.”
overall Jewish community. We apprecioned
with. She is an amazing partner Ish Chayil (Man of Valor) Award
and chair of the Heller CRC’s Holocaust
sub-committee. She never stops Tevlowitz: “Men of valor have three
Michael Ritter, nominated by Howard
thinking about how to assist our community
to ‘Never Forget;’ she will age and passion. As our Immediate Past
distinct characteristics: strength, cour-
come to me with seven ideas that ‘just President and current Fundraising Development
Chair, as well as a member
came to her.’ I am always excited when
I see an email from Bette entitled ‘I of our Finance and Audit committees,
think you’ll love this!’ because it’s typically
her incredible mind at work for silient strength, unflappable courage and
Mike has consistently demonstrated re-
Holocaust education. I am fortunate to intense passion for the well-being of our
have Bette as a supportive committee entire Jewish community. He has been
leader. ‘Never Forget’ is in her blood.” my partner-in-crime and now, proudly,
Halutzim (Pioneer) Award
our Federation’s Man of Valor.”
Mel Taub, nominated by Howard Kehilah Ha’argonit
Tevlowitz: “Jewish organizations in (Corporate Community) Award
Sarasota and Manatee counties will Sabal Palm Bank, nominated by Kim
enjoy a new culture of safety and security,
including trainings, facility as-
at Sabal Palm Bank have been wonder-
Adler: “Neil McCurry, Jr. and his team
sessments, security consultations and ful partners to work with through very
collaborative law enforcement relationships
thanks to Mel Taub. Mel, a committed to the success of our Feder-
challenging times. Sabal Palm Bank is
Federation board member, graciously ation and has been ready, willing and
agreed to serve as chair of our Federation’s
inaugural Security Committee. ors. We look forward to the evolution
able to help us in all of our endeav-
With an extensive technology background,
Mel has played a critical role years ahead.”
of this relationship in the months and
in planning for The Larry & Mary Please join us at the Federation
Greenspon Family Campus for Jewish Celebration to honor those who have
Life, and was a member of the hiring made such a difference in our Jewish
committee for our new Jewish Community
Security Director. We are so org/events. For more information, con-
community. To RSVP, visit jfedsrq.
grateful and appreciative for his help tact Jeremy Lisitza at jlisitza@jfedsrq.
venturing into this new territory.” org or 941.343.2113.
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Though we are physically distancing ourselves for the health &
safety of all of us, we are continuing to find ways to socially &
emotionally connect, grow and celebrate. Please refer to Temple
Sinai's website and Facebook pages for a vast array of events
delivered right to your home!
#InnovativeReform
4631 South Lockwood Ridge Rd., Sarasota, FL 34231
(Enter off of Proctor Rd.)
941-924-1802
www.SinaiSRQ.org Office@SinaiSRQ.org
www.facebook.com/templesinaisarasota

10 October 2020
What’s next for
Just Reel Education?
By Trudi Krames, Program Director
Moving to and continuing
with a virtual platform for
our season of events and
programs is evolving and advancing
with every passing week! We are excited
about the coming season and
the educational film partnership, Just
Reel Education, created between The
Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee,
Just Reel Films, Heller CRC and
Classrooms Without Borders
(CWB).
Just Reel Education, a
spin-off of Just Reel Films
sponsored by Ian Black
Real Estate and chaired by
Rosann Black, will continue
to bring two films virtually
each month to our
community, followed by
post-film discussions via
Zoom with experts and a member of
the film team such as a producer, actor
or director. Pairing documentaries
with scholars and the director/producer
of the film allows learners to broaden
their knowledge base and engage with
the topic matter in an in-depth and personal
way.
Members of the Federation program
team are also hard at work
planning new and innovative ways to
partner with Dr. Tsipy Gur, founder of
Classrooms Without Borders, utilizing
her resources in conjunction with the
already established CWB.
We look forward to expanding and
enriching our Federation’s educational
programming in the areas of Holocaust
awareness, Generations After, Israel
education and Israeli
family programming for
teens, young adults and
our overall greater Jewish
community. What’s on
the horizon? We are looking
forward to offering
interfaith panel discussions
and series on racial
justice, Jewish heritage
and Israel.
To sign up for Just Reel Education
events, visit jfedsrq.org/events.
For more information, please contact
Jeremy Lisitza at jlisitza@jfedsrq.org
or 941.343.2113. If you’d like to learn
more about the Heller CRC or Classrooms
Without Borders, please contact
Jessi Sheslow at jsheslow@jfedsrq.org
or 941.343.2109.
Where your dollars go
This series highlights mission-based programs and projects that are supported by
The Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee. Funding for these initiatives is derived
from the Annual Campaign. The series helps to explain where your generous
dollars are spent and features certain initiatives that enrich the lives of Jews living
in Sarasota-Manatee, local projects with area partners, and overseas programs that
support the social and humanitarian needs of Jews in Israel and around the world.
Your generous support is found in our tenet of tikkun olam – repairing the
world!
American Friends
of Magen David Adom
By Trudi Krames, Program Director
The Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee
is proud to share
some updates from the positive
impact we have made to American
Friends of Magen David Adom, which
provides funds for Magen David Adom
(MDA) worldwide. Our donation of
$25,000 in 2014 went toward the purchase
of a life-support ambulance. As
reported in the organization’s most
FEDERATION NEWS
Israel’s hero! Israeli EMTs and paramedics
devote their lives to saving
lives across Israel. MDA is Israel’s national
ambulance, blood-services and
disaster-relief organization, as well as
Israel’s representative to the International
Red Cross. Like most Red Cross
societies, it is not a government agency
and relies on funding support such as
that from our Federation.
recent Annual Report, the sponsored
ambulance has since serviced nearly
13,000 emergency calls, saved over
12,000 lives and made many families
whole again. Some of the specific calls
included:
Adult Medical Emergencies,
6,193 calls, 48%
Child Medical Emergencies,
637 calls, 5%
Women in Labor, 538 calls, 4%
Terrorist Incidents, 17 calls,

FEDERATION NEWS
October 2020
11
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12 October 2020
Commemorating
Kristallnacht
By Gayle Guynup
It was November 9, 1938, when
German Nazis torched synagogues,
vandalized Jewish homes, schools
and businesses, killing nearly 100 Jews
– changing the nature of Jewish persecution
from economic, political and
social to physical. The repressive Nazi
policies turned suddenly violent, and
some 30,000 Jewish men were arrested
and taken to concentration camps. The
day – Kristallnacht – is often referred
to as the beginning of the Holocaust.
Every year, The Jewish Federation
of Sarasota-Manatee commemorates
Kristallnacht or “Night of Broken
Glass.” This year is no exception,
though the event will be virtual, held
on Monday, November 9 at 7:00 p.m.
One highlight of this year’s event will
be the return of Violins of Hope, and
a special performance by violinist Niv
Ashkenazi and pianist Matthew Graybil.
“Niv Ashkenazi and Matthew Graybil,
both Perlman Music Program/
Suncoast alumni, performed in Sarasota
for the Violins of Hope project in
2017,” said PMP Suncoast President
Fran Lambert. “We are delighted they
accepted our invitation to return, virtually,
for this special Kristallnacht presentation.”
Violins of Hope is a collection of
string instruments that survived the
Holocaust and have been lovingly restored
by father and son, Amnon and
Avshalom Weinstein. Violins of Hope
takes these instruments around the
world, holding performances, exhibitions
and educational programs.
According to Ashkenazi, the two
graduates of Juilliard will be working
cross-country (Matthew in New York
and Niv in Los Angeles) to bring the
concert – which will include a piano
solo, violin solo and pieces on which
they come together – to their virtual
audience.
“For me, whenever I am playing
these instruments, I try to put myself
aside and let the voice of the instrument
come through,” Ashkenazi said.
“It is so important to keep reminding
the world about what happened, so that
we never forget. Each time we play
these instruments, we are allowing
those who were silenced to be heard
again.”
In addition to the concert, this
year’s Kristallnacht program will begin
with words from Rabbi Stephen
Fuchs, the child of a Holocaust survivor.
His late father was arrested on
Kristallnacht and taken to Dachau
Concentration Camp. Following the
Violins of Hope concert, Cantor Lizzie
Weiss from Temple Emanu-El in Beverly
Hills will perform three songs for
the virtual audience.
The Jewish Federation of Sarasota-
Manatee has partnered with the Perlman
Music Program/Suncoast for over
a decade. “From classical music outreach
programs in schools to “Itzhak
Perlman - In the Fiddler’s House,” the
Federation’s generous contributions allow
us to continue preserving the heritage
of the Jewish community through
cultural and educational programming,
and inspiring the entire community
through the gifted talents of PMP Suncoast
students, alumni and faculty,”
Lambert said.
To register for this program, go to
jfedsrq.org/events. For more information,
please contact Jessi Sheslow at
jsheslow@jfedsrq.org.
Hunger leaders detail
the depth of need
By Rabbi Brenner Glickman
On Thursday, September 3 at
a Zoom webinar, the Jews of
Sarasota-Manatee were offered
an insider’s look at just how
much the pandemic has affected food
insecurity. Here and in Israel, the story
is the same. COVID-19 froze up traditional
sources of food donation, just as
widespread unemployment drove up
the need. There is a crisis of hunger
here and in Israel.
Sandra Frank, CEO of All Faiths
Food Bank, described how local supermarkets
were running out of food
themselves, and basically shut down
Clockwise from top left: Federation Chief Operating Officer Kim Adler,
Temple Emanu-El Rabbi Brenner Glickman, American Friends of
Leket CEO Lauren Yoked, All Faiths Food Bank CEO Sandra Frank
FEDERATION NEWS
“Jewish on Campus” – Redefining college prep
By Mary Collier, Chair, Heller Community Relations Committee
Traditional thoughts on “College what every current or future student
Prep” are swirling in uncertainty
as the linchpin of the all-imlege
journey, but we can help them
will encounter on their personal colportant
SAT and ACT scores are now prepare. Recently, The Jewish Federation
of Sarasota-Manatee and its
coming into question. Scholars and admissions
faculty are heatedly debating Heller Community Relations Committee
(CRC) and Shapiro Teen Engage-
if they have become a part of systemic
racism or if they are a great equalizer.
Changes to the admissions process “Jewish on Campus,” to help educate
ment program (STEP) hosted a series,
are yet to be known. Then there is the parents and students on Jewish life on
new reality of pandemic living. Both college campuses and the hot topics of
of these evolving scenarios are making anti-Zionism, antisemitism and BDS.
college preparation a bit trickier.
According to Stephanie Hausner,
Jewish families should be adding Interim Director of the Israel Action
one more item to their college prep Network, who led a Zoom discussion
checklist. Unfortunately, this item is with Sarasota-Manatee parents in
a little more certain. Even if you think part one of the series, there is thriving
Jewish life and support on many
your future college student will not have
much interest in a Jewish connection, college campuses around the United
there needs to be discussion surrounding
rising antisemitism and the reality rael movements and provides support
States. She follows trends of anti-Is-
that they could encounter this during to campuses experiencing particularly
their college experience. As teens leave contentious incidents. Stephanie offered
parents a view into what is hap-
our community bubble, they need to
know there are anti-Israel groups actively
engaged in purposefully divisive prepare themselves and their teens, and
pening on campuses, how they can
tactics. Sometimes these organizations answered their questions.
blur the line between anti-Israel sentiment
and outright antisemitism. on finding help if your student needs
Stephanie also gave some advice
Preparation is key. We can’t know support in the wake of experiencing
antisemitism. She advised:
Contact the Hillel affiliated with
the university immediately, even if
your child has never been to their
campus Hillel. Hillel is tasked with
having relationships with school
administration and has community
connections for Jewish students. It
will know the history and climate
of antisemitism at that particular
school.
If there is not a Hillel at your student’s
school, look for the closest
office of The Jewish Federations of
North America.
Contact the Anti-Defamation League.
If you are not finding support
through avenues that are connected
to the location of the campus in
question, contact us. We will help
find resources to address your concerns.
Join us in our campus re-imagination...
Join us as we reimagine our 32 acre campus.
We are JFED Proud & Strong!
Have your future college students
signed up for part two of “Jewish on
Campus” with current college students
on Thursday, October 22? Your
teens can hear firsthand from a panel
of college students originating from
the Sarasota-Manatee area. They will
speak about what they are experiencing
on their campuses and open up a
dialogue for questions. The discussion
will be moderated by Logan Marr,
Florida State University alumnus and
Federation Communications and Marketing
Coordinator. To register, visit
jfedsrq.org/events.
For more information about the
Heller CRC, contact Jessi Sheslow at
jsheslow@jfedsrq.org or 941.343.2109.
For more information about STEP,
contact Andrea Eiffert at aeiffert@jfed
srq.org or 941.552.6308.
their donations to the food bank. This
caused All Faiths to purchase significant
amounts of food to provide to
those in need, and find new ways to
reach out and find them.
Lauren Yoked, CEO of the American
Friends of Leket, described a
similar situation that the national food
bank is facing in Israel. The devastated
economy in Israel caught everyone by
surprise. For instance, in the resort city
of Eilat, unemployment rose from 3%
to 70%. This surge in need came just
as the usual food donors were shuttering
their businesses. Leket responded
by purchasing enormous amounts of
food to provide for the elderly, children
and vulnerable populations. Leket sent
thousands of volunteers to pick fresh
produce that farmers could not sell to
restaurants and hotels. Major corporations
such as McDonald’s
lent Leket trucks
to transport the huge
increase of food distributions.
Here and in Israel,
the food banks are responding
to the need.
If you would like to
donate or volunteer,
please visit www.allfaithsfoodbank.org
and
www.leket.org.
The well-attended webinar was
hosted by Rabbi Brenner Glickman and
sponsored by The Jewish Federation
of Sarasota-Manatee, and the Social
Action Committee and Brotherhood of
Temple Emanu-El.
jfedsrq.org
What do you think?
The Jewish News wants to know!
Send an email to jewishnews18@gmail.com.
THE LARRY AND MARY GREENSPON FAMILY CAMPUS FOR JEWISH LIFE
Letters Policy
KLINGENSTEIN JEWISH CENTER | 580 MCINTOSH RD, SARASOTA FL 34232 | 941-371-4546 | JFEDSRQ.org
Letters to the editor should not exceed 300 words, must be typed, and include the writer’s name, mailing
address and phone number. Letters can be submitted via USPS or email (jewishnews18@gmail.com).
Not all letters will be published. Letters may be edited for length and content.

FEDERATION NEWS
October 2020
13
JFSM Virtual
FEDERATION MAJOR EVENTS
2020–2021
OCTOBER 2020 – JUNE 2021
People of the Book Series
NOVEMBER 8, 2020
Federation Celebration
NOVEMBER 9, 2020
Kristallnacht with special
performance by Niv Ashkenazi
and Matthew Graybill
DECEMBER 7, 2020
THE Women’s Event
with Jamie Bernstein & Alexandra Silber
JANUARY 24, 2021
International Holocaust
Remembrance “Honoring
Children of the Holocaust”
FEBRUARY 23, 2021
Community Lecture
with Eli Beer,
President & Founder,
United Hatzalah of Israel
MARCH 1 – MARCH 25, 2021
12 TH Annual Jewish Film Festival
To register, visit jfedsrq.org/events

14041 Icot Boulevard, Clearwater, FL 33760
14041 Icot Boulevard, Clearwater, FL 33760
14 October 2020
Antisemitism not Anti-Semitism
By Jessi Sheslow, Community Relations Director
Jewish community knowledge about
antisemitism is extensive. However,
when we think about the antisemitism
that is happening today, we
must take into consideration that we do
not all possess the same understanding
of the definition of antisemitism.
This past February, Professor Deborah
Lipstadt was the guest speaker at
The Jewish Federation of Sarasota-
Manatee’s Community Lecture. Her
topic was based on her
book of the same name,
Antisemitism Here and
Now.
Dr. Lipstadt is one
of my professional inspirations
and in reading
some of her works,
she has opened my
eyes about the use of
the term ‘antisemitism’
in communities outside
of our Jewish community.
She talks about
Jessi Sheslow
two things: 1) ‘antisemitism’ without
a hyphen and 2) the simple fact that
many people do not understand what
antisemitism is.
She talked about an encounter that
she had in a New York City taxicab. As
many of us have experienced, you either
get a very chatty cab driver or one
who doesn’t talk at all. In the case of
this anecdote, Professor Lipstadt had a
very chatty driver. He wanted to know
where she was from and what she was
doing in the great city of New York.
She said that she was an author and a
IN 2019,
ANTISEMITISM
GREW BY
12% on
EDUCATION.
jfedsrq.org
professor who just wrote a book, and
so many people want to hear her talk.
Excited at the prospect of having a celebrity
in his cab, the driver asked what
the book was about. “Antisemitism,”
Professor Lipstadt said. To which the
cab driver replied, “What is semitism?”
Now this can be an indictment on
our education system, sure, but what
I understand it to mean is that if your
community is not directly affected by
“it,” you don’t fully understand
“it” across the
spectrum of “isms.”
Thanks to this anecdote
by Professor
Lipstadt along with
several personal encounters,
I am adding
in ‘anti-Jewish’ anytime
I use the word ‘antisemitism’
outside of
the Jewish community,
and I encourage you
to as well. Because the
truth is, when you say ‘anti-Jewish,’
a non-Jew most likely knows what
you’re saying; but ‘antisemitism’ is not
as widely known a term as we in the
Jewish community believe it to be.
The next part is the difference
in the spelling of ‘antisemitism’ versus
‘anti-Semitism.’ According to the
Anti-Defamation League, the word
‘semitic’ was coined by German historian
Johann Christoph Gatterer in 1781
to bind together languages of Middle
Eastern origin. There is no such thing
as a semitic peoplehood, but it is wide-
according to the ADL’s
annual audit. This is
the highest number
on record since 1979.
What are we doing about it?
The Robert and Esther Heller Community Relations Committee takes
a firm stand against antisemitism. We use community resources and influence to
combat a rise in antisemitism and anti-Zionist sentiments, which often result in
aggressive acts and rhetoric against Jews. Through education, advocacy, and building
relationships with the greater community and law enforcement, together we can
combat hatred, bigotry, and harassment of Jews and other minorities.
For more information contact Jessi Sheslow at 941.343.2109 or jsheslow@jfedsrq.org
Letter of thanks
to Federation
Howard Tevlowitz
Chief Executive Officer
The Howard Jewish Tevlowitz Federation of Sarasota-Manatee
580 Chief McIntosh Executive Road Officer
Sarasota, The Jewish FL Federation 34232 of Sarasota-Manatee
580 McIntosh Road
Sarasota, FL 34232
August 7, 2020
August 7, 2020
Dear Howard,
FEDERATION NEWS
ly understood that people who are semitic
come from the Middle Eastern
region. It is important to understand
this history in order to understand the
distinction that if one is anti-semitic
you can be ‘anti anyone’ who speaks
a language of Middle Eastern origin.
If you are antisemitic, you are anti-
Jewish, and antisemitism is hatred toward
Jews.
This may seem to be simple language
semantics, but our community
must begin changing our language
so that when we speak out about antisemitism,
hatred against the Jews, the
community at large knows what we are
referring to and better understands our
pain.
For more information about the
Heller Community Relations Committee
and how to address antisemitism,
contact me at jsheslow@jfedsrq.org or
941.343.2109.
Dear Howard,
Here is a letter describing the great work Gulf Coast Jewish Family & Community
Services does together with JFCS of the Suncoast, made possible by the support of
The Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee. We are very appreciative of all you
do to support the community.
Kind regards,
Cindy Stern Minetti
Senior Director, Jewish Family Services
I Dear am pleased Howard, to offer this letter of support for the efforts of our friends at JFCS of the Suncoast. Our
organizations have benefited from a strong partnership, and we are excited to continue our work,
addressing I am pleased the to needs offer this of Jewish letter of and support other families for the efforts in the greater of our friends Tampa at Bay JFCS and of Suncoast the Suncoast. regions. Our I
particularly organizations want have to benefited stress the from importance a strong of partnership, our relationship and we with are JFCS excited of the to Suncoast continue in our regard work, to
the addressing Holocaust the Survivor needs of and Jewish Jewish and Healing other families Programs, in the made greater possible Tampa due Bay to the and support Suncoast of regions. the Jewish I
Federation particularly of want Sarasota-Manatee. to stress the importance This letter of provides our relationship you with with an overview JFCS of the of the Suncoast services in regard we to
provide, Howard the Holocaust Tevlowitz together. Survivor and Jewish Healing Programs, made possible due to the support of the Jewish
Chief Federation Executive of Sarasota-Manatee. Officer This letter provides you with an overview of the services we
For The provide, several Jewish together. Federation years, we have of Sarasota-Manatee
jointly supported Holocaust survivors in Sarasota-Manatee counties. The
funding 580 McIntosh Gulf Coast Road JFCS receives from the Conference of Jewish Material Claims Against Germany (the
Claims Sarasota, For several Conference) FL years, 34232 we allows have us jointly to provide supported homecare, Holocaust financial survivors assistance, in Sarasota-Manatee and socialization counties. activities The to
Survivors funding Gulf on the Coast west JFCS coast receives of Florida from from the Conference Citrus to Sarasota of Jewish counties. Material Supporting Claims Against Survivors Germany in (the
Sarasota Claims Conference) and Manatee allows would us to not provide be possible homecare, without financial the Federation’s assistance, funding and socialization of Jan Alston’s activities (case to
August
manager) Survivors
7,
on
2020
position. the west In addition coast of Florida to working from with Citrus Jan, to we Sarasota have partnered counties. with Supporting the Federation Survivors for in the
Survivor Sarasota Chanukah and Manatee luncheons would not and be other possible holiday without events. the Federation’s funding of Jan Alston’s (case
manager) position. In addition to working with Jan, we have partnered with the Federation for the
In Dear Survivor March Howard, Chanukah 2019, Gulf luncheons Coast JFCS and received other holiday a grant from events. the Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA)
to implement the Holocaust Survivor “Chai” Program. Chai aims to reduce Survivors’ social isolation
I
and In am March pleased
increase 2019, to
wellness. Gulf offer Coast this letter
Again, JFCS we received of support
partner a with grant for the
JFCS from efforts
of the of
the Jewish our friends
Suncoast Federations JFCS
to provide of of
these North the Suncoast.
services. America With (JFNA) Our
organizations
this to implement have
grant, Anna the Eckstein Holocaust benefited
was Survivor from a strong
hired and “Chai” partnership,
she became Program. a member Chai and aims we
of to are
the reduce excited
Jewish Survivors’ to continue
Healing social our
staff at isolation work,
JFCS of
addressing
the and Suncoast. increase the wellness. needs of
The Federation’s Again, Jewish we and
funding partner other
enables with families JFCS in
Rabbi of the the greater
Katz Suncoast Tampa
to provide to supervision provide Bay and these Suncoast
for services. regions.
Anna and With I
Jan,
particularly want to stress the importance of our relationship with JFCS of the Suncoast in regard to
and this grant, provides Anna additional Eckstein financial was hired assistance and she became for the Survivors a member in of Sarasota-Manatee.
the Jewish Healing staff at JFCS of
the Holocaust Suncoast. The Survivor Federation’s and Jewish funding Healing enables Programs, Rabbi made Katz to possible provide due supervision to the support for Anna of the and Jewish Jan,
JFCS Federation and provides of the Suncoast of additional Sarasota-Manatee. also financial has a JFNA assistance This grant letter through for provides the the Survivors you Network with in an Sarasota-Manatee.
of overview Jewish Human of the Service services Agencies we to
implement provide, together. the Uniper technology for Survivors. Uniper provides a safe network for an array of video
engagement JFCS of the Suncoast programming also has and a JFNA wellness grant activities. through Through the Network this grant, of Jewish 50 Survivors Human Service in our Agencies program to
For several years, we have jointly supported Holocaust survivors in Sarasota-Manatee counties. The
will implement receive the Uniper. Uniper Again, technology we are working for Survivors. closely Uniper together provides to make a safe this network happen. for Both an of array these of JFNA video
funding Gulf Coast JFCS receives from the Conference of Jewish Material Claims Against Germany (the
grants engagement end in programming February 2021. and wellness activities. Through this grant, 50 Survivors our program
Serving Claims Conference) Survivors is among allows our us to most provide important homecare, goals. financial We help assistance, them to safely and remain socialization in their activities homes and
will receive Uniper. Again, we are working closely together to make this happen. Both of these JFNA to
Serving to Survivors live their Survivors on remaining the west is among coast years our of in dignity. Florida most important from Gulf Coast Citrus goals. JFCS to Sarasota We currently help them counties. supports to safely Supporting 242 remain Survivors Survivors in their in five homes in counties,
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and
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at
provide
727-479-1864
supervision
if needed.
for Anna
We
and
stand
Jan,
ready and provides to support additional your local financial efforts. assistance for the Survivors in Sarasota-Manatee.
JFCS of the Suncoast also has a JFNA grant through the Network of Jewish Human Service Agencies to
Warmest Regards and Todah Rabah,
implement the Uniper technology for Survivors. Uniper provides a safe network for an array of video
Warmest engagement Regards programming and Todah and Rabah, wellness activities. Through this grant, 50 Survivors in our program
will receive Uniper. Again, we are working closely together to make this happen. Both of these JFNA
grants end in February 2021.
Dr. Sandra E. Braham
Cindy Minetti
Dr. President Sandra & E. CEO Braham
Senior Cindy Minetti Director, Jewish Family Services
President & CEO
Senior Director, Jewish Family Services
cc: Arthur Lerman, Rabbi Jonathan Katz, Jan Alston, Anna Eckstein
14041 Icot Boulevard, Clearwater, FL 33760
cc: Arthur Lerman, Rabbi Jonathan Katz, Jan Alston, Anna Eckstein
14041 Icot Boulevard, Clearwater, FL 33760
(727) 479.1800 ● www.gcjfcs.org

FEDERATION NEWS
October 2020
15
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Note from Congressman Vern Buchanan
_____________________________________________________
This year has been extremely difficult for everyone. The COVID-19
pandemic has put our health at risk, devastated our economy and
completely reshaped how we go about our daily lives. I want you to know
that we will get through this and that it is more important than ever that we be
kind to one another.
Unfortunately, the Coronavirus is not the only disease we’re combatting here
locally. The recent vandalism of Temple Sinai and Temple Emanu-El in Sarasota
is a stark reminder that anti-Semitism is ever-present and on the rise. Swastikas
painted on synagogue walls, the desecration of Jewish cemeteries and bomb threats
at Jewish Community Centers have tragically occurred far too often in this country.
It’s abhorrent.
So how do we combat the stain of anti-Semitism? At the federal level, I am working
with Republicans and Democrats as a member of the Bipartisan Task Force to
Eliminate Anti-Semitism. Whether it’s co-sponsoring the NO HATE Act
(H.R. 3545) to give law enforcement the tools they need to immediately report
hate crimes or passing legislation (H.R. 943) to help educate students about the
horrors of the Holocaust, I believe we can never do too much to reject this hateful
ideology. We also must address the disgraceful BDS movement invading college
campuses that seeks to delegitimize Israel.
Here in the Sarasota-Manatee region, we are fortunate to have what I consider
to be the best Jewish Federation in the state and country. The selfless work that
Howard Tevlowitz, Randon Carvel, Jessi Sheslow, Ilene Fox and so many others
put in to help strengthen and educate our community is unrivaled. Frankly,
I’m a better representative because of it.
In the words of Anne Frank: “What is done cannot be undone, but one can prevent
it happening again.”
Truer words have never been spoken.
Vern
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16 October 2020
Volunteer Spotlight
Bette Zaret: Passion propels purpose
By Sandy Chase
Honored to be a member of
the Heller Community Relations
Committee (CRC) and
chair of its Holocaust subcommittee at
The Jewish Federation of Sarasota-
Manatee, Bette Zaret, founder and
chair of Butterflies of Hope and Remembrance,
is fulfilling her lifelong
passion as a retiree.
This passion – coupled with a
successful career and a memorable
upbringing – supports her purpose as
a volunteer for Federation and other
nonprofits.
“Volunteering is a gift,” says Bette.
“I’m grateful that I can continue pursuing
my passion and realize my purpose
to help make this world a better place.”
Bette has been instrumental in promoting
the Butterflies of Hope yearlong
project commemorating the 75 th
anniversary of the liberation of Nazi
concentration camps.
“With the rise of worldwide antisemitism
and the awareness that the
Holocaust is being forgotten among
school children, and given that the
remaining firsthand witnesses surviving
the Holocaust are sadly passing, I
knew that I wanted to promote Holocaust
education,” says Bette.
For Bette, it’s crucial that all learn
the truth about this unprecedented
genocide, especially in view of increasing
Holocaust denial.
“We must teach the importance of
Dr. Deborah Lipstadt and Bette Zaret
resisting all forms and acts of hatred
and discrimination.”
Bette says emphatically, “In today’s
polarized world, Holocaust education
plays a key role in educating us
about the importance of human rights
and how democracy will guarantee
those rights.”
Delighted, she notes that Federation
is incorporating the Butterflies of
Hope program into its Holocaust Education
Initiative, providing Holocaust
training to Sarasota-Manatee teachers
and other community organizations.
Bette describes how she and Ronnie
Riceberg, another staunch Federation
volunteer, dreamed up the possibilities
for this vital project – making a difference
in their lives as well as the lives of
others in this community.
Bette became involved with Federation
even before moving to Sarasota
in 2009 with her husband, Dr. Andre
Krauss, a retired art historian and media
psychologist, who lectures about
Holocaust history, antisemitism and
other topics. He also offers Holocaust
teacher training for the local school
systems.
“Since the early
1980s, I’ve attended Federation
events when we
visited my mom and stepdad
in Sarasota,” says
Bette. “The Federation
has always been the hub
of Jewish life in this community.”
Bette is thrilled that
Federation provides a
home for greater understanding,
boosting its
mission through education.
“Speaking on behalf
of Jewish brothers and sisters encourages
community cooperation while
creating a better world now for us and
future generations,” she says. “My
background and career have helped
me define my journey into retirement,
which began in 2017. I’ve found a new
meaning, as I strive to make a difference
– receiving so much more than I’m
giving. But I wish I could do more.”
FEDERATION NEWS
Federation’s Director of Community
Relations, Jessi Sheslow, sees Bette’s
comments as an understatement,
saying, “She’s one of the most effective
leaders I’ve ever worked with, as
she continues to find innovative ways
to ensure that the community – especially
our youth – knows about the Holocaust.”
Bette’s successful retirement can
be traced to her exciting 40-year career,
traveling and collaborating with
people internationally as a global strategic
brand and marketing executive.
She has worked at major international
corporations, living in such places as
Paris, Tokyo and London.
“Johnson & Johnson, Clairol/Bristol-Myers
Squibb, Disney, Transitions
Optical and Pepsi have provided educational
experiences that have expanded
my understanding of and respect for
different peoples – teaching me how to
better communicate,” says Bette.
Majoring in anthropology and
French also taught her about diverse
cultures. In her junior year, she lived
with a Parisian family whom she
“adopted” as her own, continuing this
friendship after 50 years.
Bette is convinced that these firsthand
educational experiences have
taught her that regardless of our diverse
cultures, languages and beliefs – all to
be respected and celebrated – there’s
continued on page 17
Leave a legacy.
You are helping grow Jewish tomorrows.
Please consider making a legacy gift in your will, trust,
retirement account or life insurance policy to our
LIFE & LEGACY ® Partners.
Sarasota-Manatee
Chabad
Learn more about each partner organization at
JFEDSRQ.org/Legacy-Partner-Program
To discuss creating your Jewish legacy, contact LIFE & LEGACY director:
Gisele Pintchuck
941.706.0029 or gpintchuck@jfedrsq.org

FEDERATION NEWS
Please open your hearts
By Rich Bergman, Major Gifts Officer
To quote the famous words that
patriot Thomas Paine wrote in
1776, “These are the times that
try men’s souls.” While he was writing
to encourage General Washington’s
troops during our American Revolution,
his words are fitting for our
Sarasota-Manatee Jewish community
today.
First came COVID-19
and all its pain and heartache,
then we were hit
with vicious acts of antisemitism,
and now, in the
aftermath of these events,
we are faced with enormous
issues – emotional,
physical and financial.
We have donors who
are now recipients of our
help in order to feed their
families. There are Holocaust
survivors who tell us that they
feel “they are going through the terror
of the Nazis and antisemites all over
again.” There are families that are now
food insecure, and synagogues and
Jewish organizations that have huge
security needs. In desperation, they
have all turned to our Federation for
Rich Bergman
help. And we want to help.
We know that you may have made
a gift to our Annual Campaign this year
and we thank you so much for that.
There are also many who have made
their annual gifts, but in addition, are
also supporting our “STRONGER TO-
GETHER: Coronavirus Relief” campaign
and our “Keep Us
Safe” security fund. We
are immensely grateful.
These are indeed
times that try men’s
souls! If you have not
yet done so, please help
us protect those Jewish
people in our community
who are at risk
and in need. We ask
you to open your hearts
once again and support
our “STRONGER TO-
GETHER: Coronavirus Relief Fund”
and “Keep Us Safe” security fund. You
can donate at jfedsrq.org/relief or jfedsrq.org/keepussafe.
Thank you for your generosity and
giving hearts.
Rich Bergman can be reached at rberg
man@jfedsrq.org or 941.552.6306.
Volunteer Spotlight...continued from page 16
much we have in common.
Bette’s dream was to work at the
United Nations, but at the time, it
wasn’t easy for a woman to get a job
other than as a teacher, nurse, airline
stewardess or secretary – careers she
respects but weren’t for her.
She still remembers having to take
a typing test before even being granted
a job interview, and when prospective
employers begged her not to get married
or pregnant.
By a quirky twist of luck, Bette
was able to leverage her French speaking
skills to land her first job as a marketing
assistant with Pepsi in its Foods
International Division in Paris, thus
beginning her illustrious career in international
business.
When it was time for Bette to retire,
she had to determine how she
would spend the rest of her life.
To make the transition, Bette started
consulting. One client was Pines of
Sarasota Rehabilitation & Senior Care
Community. She left her mark with
the Ready & Steady Falls Prevention
program, intended to help prevent falls
and to minimize the risks of falling.
Bette says that socializing and networking
with people of all ages are
paramount during retirement. Besides
her meaningful work at Federation, she
volunteers for the following organizations:
Brandeis National Committee as
Chief Information Officer, dedicated
to providing philanthropic support
to Brandeis University.
Embracing Our Differences, where
she reads books about inclusiveness
and kindness to schoolchildren.
Aviva – A Campus for Senior Life,
serving on the advisory panel,
where she shares her knowledge of
the senior care community.
Sarasota Ministerial Association,
as a member of the Hatred Ends
as All Rise Together (HEAART)
Ministry Action team.
Volunteering defines Bette. She is
rewarded multifold as she shares her
quest for knowledge, sees wonder in
children’s eyes, brings joy to those in
their twilight years, and respects and
embraces all races and religions.
Bette’s passion for others stems
from her childhood. Her parents were
role models who instilled middle-class
values, treating everyone equally.
“My father’s business partner was
African American. Our family pediatrician
was African American. Our family
dentist was a woman. We traveled and
made many friends worldwide, inviting
them to stay with us,” says Bette.
Both Andre and Bette are indefatigable
in wanting to contribute as
educators in this community. Passion
driving purpose explains it all.
If you are interested in volunteering,
there are many ways to contribute and
be part of the volunteer life at the Federation.
For more information, please
contact Jeremy Lisitza, Director of Innovation
and Volunteer Engagement,
at 941.343.2113 or jlisitza@jfedsrq.org.
JFEDSRQ.ORG
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18 October 2020
Federation assistance crucial to Aviva’s efforts
to keep COVID-19 at bay
By Gayle Guynup
Aviva – A Campus for Senior
Life has been carefully managing
life for its residents
during the Coronavirus pandemic, with
the primary goal being the health and
safety of its residents and staff. With
the help of grants from The Jewish
Federation of Sarasota-Manatee,
Aviva has been able to implement industry-leading
safety standards, providing
a sense of security to residents,
staff and families in the face of the
COVID-19 epidemic.
Nikki Visnoski, MDS Coordinator; Dustin Schuler, Director of
Nursing; Debra Edwards, Registered Nurse at Benderson Skilled
Nursing; Sunilda Quiles, Assistant Director of Nursing
“The partnership and friendship
between Aviva and The Jewish Federation
of Sarasota-Manatee has been
strengthened during this difficult
time,” said Aviva President and CEO
Jay Solomon. “We truly appreciate
the help the Federation has provided,
SAVE
the
and we place tremendous value on our
relationship.”
“Our Federation is pleased to be
able to support the life-saving work
that our colleagues at Aviva have been
doing since the COVID-19 crisis began,”
said Kim Adler, COO of The
Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee.
“Aviva staff is committed to keeping
their residents, some of our Jewish
community’s most vulnerable citizens,
safe and healthy during these trying
times. Our STRONGER TOGETHER
Granting Committee has
worked diligently throughout
the granting phases to
ensure that we can provide
them with this much needed
support,” she said.
Aviva has received
two rounds of Federation
STRONGER TOGETHER
grants. In Phase I, Aviva
secured $39,000 of its total
distribution of $68,000.
The grant was used for
personal protection equipment
(PPE) and for a new
communication system in
the Kretzmer Center. In Phase II, Aviva
received funds for more personal
protection equipment, sanitization and
dining supplies ($41,000), and for staff
testing ($20,000).
Aviva will also be eligible to apply
for Phase III funds, when those
DATE!
FC ederation
elebration
2020
Sunday, November 8, 2020
3:00 pm
CHAIR: MARSHA EISENBERG
Via Zoom
For more information contact Jeremy Lisitza
at jlisitza@jfedsrq.org or 941.343.2113
become available.
In addition to the grants,
the Federation also helped
Aviva secure a variety of inkind
donations. For example,
one of the Federation’s vendors
provided face shields,
and the Federation, in turn,
donated 65 of those to Aviva.
A generous donor also made
a donation of masks, which
Federation then gave to its
partnering agencies, including Aviva.
“Federation has been a wonderful
link to these in-kind donations,” said
Aviva Chief Development Officer Ann
Logan.
According to Solomon, in the early
days of the Coronavirus, the availability
of PPE was so limited, the fact
Aviva CEO Jay Solomon
that the Federation could use its donor
network to make connections, helped
Aviva acquire more than 1,000 masks.
“For example, the grandson of two
Federation donors had set up a private
foundation for mask distribution to
nonprofits,” Solomon said. “The Federation
connected us with the grandson,
and he provided us with our first
shipment of masks.”
Before the Coronavirus
struck, Solomon said Aviva
was spending about $2,000
a month for PPE. Once
the pandemic hit, that cost
went up to about $60,000
per month. N95 masks,
which had a pre-pandemic
cost of about $1 each, cost
$12-$15 each at the height
of the virus. While Aviva
did receive some PPE from
FEMA, it was “substandard,” Solomon
said. “It was through the relationships
with the Federation that we procured
quality, usable PPE.”
The new communication system in
the Kretzmer Center allows Aviva to
broadcast programming directly into
each resident’s room. “The Federation
recognized the importance of keeping
people engaged during this time,” said
Logan. “It is very easy for people who
are already feeling very isolated to become
depressed, and this new system
keeps them involved with a variety of
programming options.”
By livestreaming into the apartments,
residents are treated to a variety
FEDERATION NEWS
Aviva resident Merlyn Steinhart enjoys an Aviva program
of YouTube videos – lectures, movies
and concerts – and Shabbat and High
Holiday services. “And I do my fireside
chats,” said Solomon. “It gives me the
opportunity to get right into each living
room and bring them up to date on the
latest news on the virus and what Aviva
is doing to keep them safe.”
The staff is currently being tested
every two weeks. The state requires
this mandatory testing for nursing facilities,
and Federation funds are helping
to cover this cost.
In addition to the grants, Aviva
received an additional $5,734, which
came from The Jewish Federations of
North America and its “Pledge to Protect”
crowdfunding campaign. “This
would not have happened without the
support of our local Jewish Federation
chapter,” Logan said.
Aviva is taking numerous other
steps to ensure the safety of residents
and staff. Under the executive orders
of Florida’s governor, Aviva’s Anchin
Assisted Living & Memory Care and
Benderson Skilled Nursing units have
joined Florida’s entire assisted living
and nursing home industry as they
were ordered into lockdown, including
the suspension of visitation, since early
March.
In addition, Kobernick (independent
living) residents are restricted
in terms of their movement. When
all public areas, including the dining
Ellen Frank brings a sweet treat to Aviva resident Olga Smith
room, were closed, they began a program
whereby residents receive dinner
menu choices each day, with the meals
then being delivered to their rooms.
There is additional daily sanitizing.
When outside vendors, including those
in the health care field, come onto the
campus, Aviva has established a strict
testing and tracing protocol should the
need arise.
“We are delighted that the Federation
is playing such an important role
in helping Aviva keep our residents
healthy and safe,” said Logan. “Just as
important as the grants themselves is
the message this sends to others in our
continued on page 19

FEDERATION NEWS
A meaningful “Shalom
from SRQ” greeting
By Marni Mount, Chair, Shapiro Teen Engagement Program (STEP)
As part of the Shapiro Teen Engagement
Program (STEP), Sarasota, these kids got around town.
at a shop in St. Armands or downtown
local teens were invited to submit
photos of themselves participating infection was their smiling faces; you
And the best part? The only threat of
in outdoor activities this past summer can’t help but smile yourself!
with the heading “Shalom from SRQ.”
This brought the outside world into
Aviva – A Campus for Senior Life,
where residents have had limited outdoor
exposure for several months because
of the pandemic.
Social distancing, cancellation of
activities, and isolation have been particularly
hard on our teens and elder
populations alike, particularly in the
early summer when camps were closed
and there was a shelter-in-place order.
Teens were feeling lonely and bored, so
Abe Pintchuck says, “Shalom from
we asked them to take photographs of
downtown Sarasota, Florida!”
themselves doing individual activities
or safe small-group outdoor activities,
in order to share a small piece of their
summer with isolated Aviva residents.
Abbie Mount says, “Shalom from the
Chattahoochee River” in Helen, Georgia
Assisted living and independent living
facilities have been unable to accept
any visitors, even immediate family
members, so this gesture by the teens
was especially meaningful
to the seniors.
The finished project,
a slideshow consisting of
30 photos from local teens,
wonderful music and visual
effects, showcased adventures
from as close as
Siesta Key to as far as the
Blue Ridge Mountains of
Georgia. Whether floating
on a lake in Georgia, swimming
at a home pool, going
masked to UTC mall, sitting
Hopefully, the residents at Aviva
will enjoy the slideshow, beautifully
arranged by STEP graduate (and my
daughter) Natalie Mount, and may recognize
some of the local teens or even
their grandchildren. This intergenerational
connection is just the start of
STEP teens finding meaningful ways
to connect with elders at Aviva. In late
October, STEP and Aviva will partner
again for Better Together, an all-virtual
buddy program pairing up teens and
seniors for meaningful discussions and
activities.
For more information about STEP,
contact Federation’s Teen and Family
Program Coordinator, Andrea Eiffert, at
aeiffert@jfedsrq.org or 941.552.6308.
Danielle Rudd says, “Shalom from the porch”
in the Georgia Blue Ridge Mountains
Federation assistance...continued from page 18
community, about the importance of heart of Sarasota, Aviva is set in a
taking care of our elderly. It is a message
that is being heard, and inspiring for residents to be safely at home while
park-like campus that was designed
others to give,” she added.
enjoying family and friends, fun activities,
innovative programs and quali-
“When you look at the terrible
toll this disease has taken on nursing ty onsite healthcare services. Though
homes across the country, we are very with the onset of COVID-19, the campus
has had to be closed to family and
blessed to have the support of organizations
like The Jewish Federation of friends for residents’ safety, Aviva continues
to offer a variety of activities and
Sarasota-Manatee,” Logan said.
Solomon agreed, adding, “I am the same state-of-the-art care on which
super blessed with a phenomenal management
team that is dealing with a The Aviva campus includes Kober-
residents have come to rely.
CEO who is obsessed with protecting nick at Aviva, for independent living;
everybody,” Solomon said. “At a time Anchin at Aviva, for assisted living and
like this, we have to worry about lives memory care; and Benderson at Aviva,
and not revenues.”
a skilled nursing and rehabilitation
Located in The Meadows, in the center.
Read the current and previous
editions of The Jewish News
online at jfedsrq.org.
October 2020
JEWISH
ON CAMPUS
WHAT STUDENTS NEED TO KNOW
Join us for a conversation with STEP alumni
and learn about how they are connecting
to Jewish life on their respective college campuses.
This event will be moderated by
Florida State University alumnus, Logan Marr,
and feature panelists:
Mo Glickman, Rice University
Phoenix Berman, University of Florida
Abe Pintchuck, Florida Gulf Coast University.
Lots of time for Q&A so come with all your questions!
Thursday,
October 22
at 7:00 pm
(via Zoom)
Register for this FREE event at
JFEDSRQ.org/Events
For more information, contact Jessi Sheslow at
jsheslow@jfedsrq.org or 941.343.2109.
CONNECT. LEARN. BELONG.
19
Interested in Judaism? Do you have questions? Want to make
new friends? Join Rabbi Stephen Sniderman every Tuesday at
11:00am ET, as he leads a virtual ZOOM discussion class about
all things Jewish! This class is FREE and open to the community!
Upcoming Classes & Topics
Oct. 6 th at 11:00 AM – Why the “Old Testament” is not a Jewish Concept
Oct. 13 th at 11:00 AM – Who Created the Jewish Bible?
Oct. 20 th at 11:00 AM – What is the Talmud?
Oct. 27 th at 11:00 AM – What would an Old-School Jew Find Familiar
in Mishkan T’filah?
To Register:
www.tbi-lbk.org
TEMPLE BETH ISRAEL
567 Bay Isles Road
Longboat Key, FL 34228
(941) 383-3428

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Join us in our campus re-imagination...
Howard Tevlowitz
941.343.2110
htevlowitz@jfedsrq.org
Join us as we reimagine our 32 acre campus.
We are JFED Proud & Strong!
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KLINGENSTEIN JEWISH CENTER | 580 MCINTOSH RD, SARASOTA FL 34232 | 941-371-4546 | JFEDSRQ.org
Contact us to learn more.
Kim Mullins
941.552.6300
kmullins@jfedsrq.org
Ilene Fox
941.343.2111
ifox@jfedsrq.org
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Major Gifts
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rbergman@jfedsrq.org
about Jewish
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PAID PAID POLITICAL PAID POLITICAL ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT
Ambassador Dennis Ross
to speak at TBS event
This program is sponsored by
The Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee
Ambassador Dennis Ross will
address members of the Sarasota/Manatee
Jewish community
on Thursday, November 5 at 7:00
p.m. via Zoom. The Middle
East is in a constant state of
change. Ambassador Ross
will analyze current events
in the Middle East and will
discuss what to expect from
the next U.S. administration.
This program is presented
by Temple Beth Sholom
(TBS) in conjunction with
The Jewish Federation of
Sarasota-Manatee through
the generosity of Deborah
and Lawrence Haspel. There
is no charge for this event,
Dennis Ross
but all participants are required to register
in advance on the TBS website at
www.templebethsholomfl.org no later
than Tuesday, November 3 at 4:00 p.m.
Space is limited, and if the maximum
is reached prior to November 3, then
registration will be closed
early. You are encouraged
to register now for what
promises to be an amazing
evening.
Ambassador Ross is
counselor and William
Davidson Distinguished
Fellow at The Washington
Institute for Near East
Policy. He is also Distinguished
Professor of the
Practice of Diplomacy at
Georgetown University.
For more than 12 years, Ambassador
Ross played a leading role in shaping
U.S. involvement in the Middle East
peace process, dealing directly with the
parties as the U.S. point man in both
the George H. W. Bush and Bill Clinton
administrations. He served two years
as special assistant
to President Barak
Obama and National
Security Council
Senior Director for
the Central Region,
and a year as special
advisor to Secretary
of State Hillary
Rodham Clinton.
A graduate of
UCLA, Ambassador
Ross wrote his doctoral
dissertation on
Soviet decision-making
and served as executive director
of the Berkeley-Stanford program on
Soviet International Behavior. He received
UCLA’s highest medal and has
been named UCLA alumnus of the
year. Ambassador Ross is the author of
five books on the peace
process, the Middle East
and international relations.
His most recent
book, Be Strong and of
Good Courage: How
Israel’s Most Important
Leaders Shaped Its
Destiny” (Public Affairs,
2019), written with colleague
David Makovsky,
was published in September
2019.
For more information
about the event, please contact
Kelly Nester at Temple Beth Sholom at
941.955.8121.
JFCS of the Suncoast’s
Talk Story highlight
Al Seidman turned 95 in August.
In honor of this milestone, he
wore a personalized “Aged to
Perfection” t-shirt to Talk Story, the
weekly Jewish current events forum
sponsored by JFCS of the Suncoast
that is currently facilitated on Zoom by
Rabbi Jonathan R. Katz.
“Al is a remarkable person,” Rabbi
Katz said in tribute to him. “What
a mensch. He really brightens a room
with his presence. We always enjoy
a good time talking about a range of
things and, inevitably, trading jokes.”
When Rabbi Katz drew attention
to the shirt, Al remarked that he had
another one that referred to his being
built 95 years ago with most of
his parts still in and in working order.
However, Rabbi Katz shared with the
group that Al was missing a shirt, one
with an I-95 logo on it. Well, a few
days later, Al sent Rabbi Katz a photo
of him wearing such a shirt. Al’s son is
in the t-shirt business and was happy to
oblige his dad’s request.
Al Seidman models his three t-shirts

COMMUNITY FOCUS
October 2020
TBS to offer four-part comparative Judaism Zoom series
Al Treidel, Program Chair at
Temple Beth Sholom, announced
that TBS is launching
its morning “Nosh and Learn” programs
with a series titled “Comparative
Judaism: Three Roads Leading to
the Same Destination.” This four-part
program is open to all members of the
Sarasota/Manatee Jewish community
at no charge. Treidel stated, “Sarasota/
Manatee maintains a rich and diverse
group of Jewish houses of worship that
foster a variety of interpretations and
religious practices that make our community
special.” This series introduces
us to three of the largest Jewish movements.
The first three sessions are dedicated
to informing the attendees of each
of these religious traditions. Rabbi
Chaim Steinmetz, Director of Chabad
Lubavitch of Sarasota & Manatee
counties, will speak on Thursday morning,
October 29 about the Lubavitcher
movement. The following Thursday
will feature Rabbi Michael Shefrin,
Associate Rabbi at Temple Emanu-El
in Sarasota. Rabbi Shefrin will speak
about Reform Judaism. Rounding out
the three presentations will be Rabbi
Anat Moskowitz, who has led congregations
in California and Colorado,
and will speak about the Conservative
movement.
At the final session, the three presenters
will be joined by Temple Beth
Sholom’s Rabbi Howard Siegel, who
will moderate a panel discussion addressing
contemporary issues and how
the three movements view and address
these challenges.
The sessions take place on Thursdays,
October 29 and November 5, 12
and 19 at 10:00 a.m.
21
To obtain the Zoom link, participants
should register by Tuesday, October
27 at www.templebethsholomfl.
org/events.
“These we honor”
Your Tributes
ANNUAL CAMPAIGN
IN HONOR OF
Steve Hochberg’s Birthday
Paula Hochberg
Bob Goldschmidt -
Speedy Recovery
Sylvia and Lew Whitman
IN MEMORY OF
Ira Berger
Cynthia and Stanley Wright
Hank Greenberg
Joan and Arnold Weiner
JEWISH BURIAL FUND
IN MEMORY OF
Karen Alfaro’s Father
Jeremy Lisitza
Dorothy Jacobson
Jeremy Lisitza
Debbie Sanford’s Father
Jeremy Lisitza
Adina Schwartz’s Mother
Jeremy Lisitza
KEEP US SAFE FUND
IN MEMORY OF
Alan Loring’s Mother
Bryna and Howard Tevlowitz
MORTON SKIRBOLL
FUND
IN MEMORY OF
Morton Skirboll
Marsha Eisenberg
Nadia Ritter
STRONGER TOGETHER
FUND
IN HONOR OF
Marsha and Marvin Frank’s
Anniversary
Nadia Ritter
IN MEMORY OF
Jill Simons’ Mother
Saranee and Cantor Neil Newman
NOTE: To be publicly acknowledged in
The Jewish News, Honor Cards require a minimum
$10 contribution per listing. You can send
Honor Cards directly from jfedsrq.org.
For more information, please call 941.552.6304.
FED
we are
Engaging Jewish Lives
Guiding investors and their
families for over 20 years.
Ally Zemelman, CRPC ®
Financial Advisor
Vice President – Investments
1819 Main St., Ste. 230, Sarasota, FL 34236
941-361-5812
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Community Celebration
A virtual evening to thank, honor
and celebrate legacy donors
and partnering LIFE & LEGACY organizations.
SAVE THE DATE
Thursday, November 12, 7:00 pm
via Zoom
Guest Speaker
Rabbi Daniel Cohen
author of
“What Will They Say About You When You Are Gone - Creating a Life of Legacy”
Sarasota-Manatee
Chabad
We take great pride in engaging Jewish lives in our community.
Your Federation is dedicated to bringing the best in Jewish
programming to Sarasota-Manatee.
jfedsrq.org • 941.371.4546
Event Chair:
Nelle S. Miller
QUESTIONS?
Contact Gisele Pintchuck
941.707.0029 or
gpintchuck@jfedsrq.org

22 October 2020
The FHM announces new outdoor exhibition
“Beautiful Questions: The Art of Samuel Bak”
Spreading the message of hope and resilience throughout our community
The Florida Holocaust Museum
(The FHM) is pleased to announce
the opening of a new
outdoor exhibition, “Beautiful Questions:
The Art of Samuel Bak,” on
display now on the exterior of the Museum.
This outdoor exhibit is spreading
the message of hope and resilience
throughout our community.
“Everyone in the world is struggling
to come to terms with the feelings
Outdoor exhibition on the exterior of The Florida Holocaust Museum
of unsafety and powerlessness we’ve
experienced during this pandemic. One
of the many important lessons that Holocaust
survivors have taught us is that
human beings have the inner strength
to move through traumatic events, and
that we have the ability to turn despair
into hope. This exhibition gives our
community a safe outdoor environment
to experience the beauty of Samuel
Bak’s art while exploring many of
the same questions that
helped him, as a Holocaust
survivor, make
sense of his experiences,
and create resiliency and
hope for himself,” said
Elizabeth Gelman, Executive
Director of The
Florida Holocaust Museum.
This innovative display
features artist Samuel
Bak, who creates
beautifully detailed and
highly colorized work
that pose unanswerable questions
about the horrors he survived. While
his art is part testimony of experience,
his paintings also explores the Holocaust,
society and the systems that allow
atrocities and injustice to happen.
Bak feels that the creation of art “could
be seen as a sign of resilience.”
“As our Museum doors have remained
shut, we have continued to
engage our community here in Tampa
Bay and throughout the state through
technology with a variety of virtual
tours, programs and activities.
However, not everyone has regular
access to technology. In addition,
studies have shown that the
in-person experience of interacting
with art is a powerful one and
not easily replicated online. We
see this exhibition as a small gift
to our community, allowing everyone
to experience art, free of
charge, and be able to reflect on
the questions we are all grappling
with today,” said Gelman.
The FHM launches three digital exhibitions
based on beaches, benches and boycotts
Experience new virtual exhibitions highlighting St. Petersburg, Tampa and Sarasota
The Florida Holocaust Museum
(The FHM) is pleased to announce
the upcoming launch of
three digital exhibitions based on the
museum’s original exhibition “Beaches,
Benches and Boycotts: The Civil
Rights Movement in Tampa Bay.” The
digital experience contains three different
virtual exhibitions highlighting areas
throughout Tampa Bay. The virtual
experiences are divided between St.
Petersburg, Tampa and Sarasota. The
three new digital exhibitions are accessible
at TheFHM.org.
On August 28, 1963, the African
American Civil Rights Movement
reached its peak when Martin Luther
King, Jr. delivered his “I Have a
Dream” speech in front of the Lincoln
Memorial in Washington, D.C. The
demonstrators came together in the nation’s
capital to demand voting rights
and equal opportunity for African
Americans and to appeal for an end to
racial segregation and discrimination.
Tampa Bay remained racially segregated
at the dawn of the Civil Rights
era and many local institutions and establishments
held out on integration for
several years after Brown v. the Board
of Education and the Civil Rights Act
of 1964.
“These three virtual exhibitions
highlight the foot soldiers who bravely
acted and spoke out to end racial
inequality throughout Tampa Bay. We
are excited to share this valuable information
about our region’s history with
students and our community through
these new online exhibitions,” said
Erin Blankenship, The FHM’s Director
of Collections and Interpretation.
Under “Jim Crow,” every aspect of
African American life in Tampa, St. Petersburg,
Sarasota and their surrounding
cities was segregated. Restricted
covenants were in place that segregated
residential neighborhoods. African
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GERARD A. CURTIS, MD
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EIHAB AKARY, MD
CASIE WODZIEN, MSN, APRN, ANP-BC
American children had to attend segregated
schools that were under-funded
and often in disrepair. Blacks could
only be cared for at “Black only” hospitals,
and other public and private establishments
like restaurants and beaches
were often segregated – if Blacks were
allowed in at all.
The Civil Rights Movement in
Tampa Bay may have had characteristics
similar to other areas of the South
but its stories are its own. These digital
exhibitions illuminate our region’s
COMMUNITY FOCUS
About The Florida
Holocaust Museum
One of the largest Holocaust museums
in the country, and one of three nationally
accredited Holocaust museums,
The Florida Holocaust Museum honors
the memory of millions of men, women
and children who suffered or died in
the Holocaust. The FHM is dedicated
to teaching members of all races and
cultures the inherent worth and dignity
of human life in order to prevent future
genocides.
Under the Trees by Samuel Bak (oil on canvas)
struggle with racial equality and shine a
light on the local leaders who changed
our cities.
Please stay engaged with The
FHM online through the museum’s
virtual tour, virtual resources, online
curriculum, collections and Holocaust
Survivor testimonies.
The Florida Holocaust Museum
looks forward to announcing the reopening
of the Museum. Please continue
to visit TheFHM.org for museum
updates.
Every woman
matters here.
The Women’s Giving Circle [ “Ma’agal
Nashim”] is a giving circle that empowers
women as funders, decision makers and
agents of change. Each member contributes
$500, and each has an equal voice in
directing our funds. The giving circle model
multiplies individual actions, creating a
tremendous collective impact.
In the last five years, we have distributed
more than $273,006 in grants to
nonprofits in Israel that help women and
children of all backgrounds live safer,
healthier and more meaningful lives.
Our Mission
To enhance the lives of Jewish women and children
who are in need of help and live in Israel.
3325 S. Tamiami Trail, Suite 200
Sarasota, FL 34239
PHONE: 941.917.8488
FAX: 941.917.8475
6310 Health Parkway, Suite 210
Lakewood Ranch, FL 34202
NEW location as of 9/2/20:
4351 Cortez Road, Suite 201
Sarasota, FL 34210
Urologytreatmentcenter.com
a Division of 21 Century Oncology
Contact Jeremy Lisitza at 941.343.2113
or jlisitza@jfedsrq.org

JEWISH HAPPENINGS
October 2020
23
Jewish Happenings
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 2
“Sukkot Under the Stars”
Join us at 7:00 p.m. in the huge sukkah at Chabad Education Center (21560
Angela Lane, Venice) for the annual “Sukkot Under the Stars” with Sukkot
prayers and a boxed Oneg (with social distancing). Celebrate this beautiful
holiday in style, along with family and friends. The Chabad sukkah will
be open to all throughout the holiday. For more information, contact Rabbi
Sholom Schmerling at 941.493.2770 or rabbi@chabadofvenice.com.
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 3
Lunch in the Sukkah
Join Chabad of Sarasota at noon for a socially distanced, delightful and
festive lunch in its new large and airy sukkah, located at 7700 Beneva
Road. In addition to the lunch, which will celebrate the birthday of
Dr. Barry Stein, a staunch supporter of Chabad of Sarasota, participants
will have the opportunity to recite the blessings on the Four Species known
in Hebrew as the Lulav & Etrog. Wearing a mask (while not eating) is
required. Advance reservations are necessary at sarasotachabad.com or
941.925.0770.
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 4
Sukkot Scavenger Hunt
Temple Emanu El Religious School (TEERS) invites young Jewish and
interfaith families to celebrate Sukkot joyfully – and safely – with “Holla
for the Hut,” a mystery Sukkot Scavenger Hunt around the “wilderness”
of Sarasota. Pick up materials at TEERS (151 McIntosh Road, Sarasota)
and enjoy a morning of fun completing Sukkot-themed challenges, then
meet back at Temple Emanu-El to fulfill the mitzvah of “dwelling” in our
drive-through sukkah and enjoying “Pizza in the Hut!” Free Sukkot goodie
bags for all! The fun takes place from 10:00 a.m. to noon. Please email
teers@sarasotatemple.org or call 941.378.5567 for more information or
to register.
PLEASE SUPPORT OUR ADVERTISERS.
THEY HELP MAKE
THE JEWISH NEWS POSSIBLE.
MONDAY, OCTOBER 5
“Speak Out Stand Up Against Antisemitism”
This four-part series examines unchecked antisemitism in contemporary
America. Linda Sarsour, well-known outspoken antisemitic provocateur,
was featured at the 2020 DNC convention. In Los Angeles, 2020 riots targeted
and terrorized Jews and Jewish business owners, while antisemitic
threats are sprayed at the entrance to Beverly Hills. Black Lives Matter is
embraced by countless political leaders, despite denouncing Zionism in its
written platform, and Congress frequently foregoes condemning antisemitic
accusations by its own members. This class, presented by the Al Katz
Center, begins at noon via Zoom on Mondays, October 5, 12, 19 and 26.
Cost: $10 per day or $50 per month for all classes. To RSVP and receive
the Zoom link, please call Beverly Newman at 941.313.9239.
“Faces of Suffrage: Then and Now”
As we celebrate 100 years of women’s right to vote, the National Council
of Jewish Women (NCJW) will sponsor a program, “Faces of Suffrage:
Then and Now,” at 5:30 p.m. on Zoom. It is a review of the suffragette
history (THEN) followed by a panel discussion featuring some of the past
NCJW Women in Power honorees who are making history (NOW). The
panelists will discuss the importance of voting, women’s rights and issues
pertaining to women. The event is free, however donations to NCJW are
appreciated. To RSVP and receive the Zoom link, email Keren Lifrak at
kerenlifrak@gmail.com or Patti Wertheimer at plw3640@gmail.com.
“Wildlife and Plastics Don’t Mix”
Temple Sinai’s Social Action & Justice Committee’s Green Team presents
a free program by a Nobel Laureate. Dr. Terry Root has agreed to give
her “Innocent Victims: Wildlife and Plastics Don’t Mix” presentation via
Zoom at 7:00 p.m. For the Zoom link, visit www.templesinai-sarasota.org.
For more information, call 941.924.1802 or email office@sinaisrq.org.
Women’ s
The
Event
An Evening With Jamie Bernstein and Alexandra Silber
Helping you live the life
you want, the way you want.
Helping you live the life
you want, the way you want.
Helping you live the life
you want, the way you want.
• Personal Care
• Daily Living Assistance
• Light Housekeeping
• Skilled Nursing
• Dementia Specialists
• Respite Care and Family Relief
• Inpatient Hospital Sitters
• And Much More …
• Personal Care
• Daily Living Assistance
• Light Housekeeping
• Skilled Nursing
• Dementia Specialists
• Respite Care and Family Relief
• Inpatient Hospital Sitters
• And Much More …
“You have given us the true gift of
peace of mind, knowing that Mom
• Personal Care
is being very well cared for in a
• Daily Living Assistance
tough situation where we can’t be
• Light Housekeeping
there • Skilled every Nursing day to look over her.”
• Dementia Specialists
–Cheryl
• Respite Care and Family Relief
• Inpatient Hospital Sitters
• And Much More …
Photo by Steve Sherman
MONDAY, DECEMBER 7 • 7:00 pm
Via Zoom • Tickets: $10
Co-Chairs: Janis Collier
and Wendy Mann Resnick
LEONARD BERNSTEIN’s eldest daughter, Jamie Bernstein,
shares a rare and intimate look at her father on the centennial of his
birth in her new memoir, Famous Father Girl: A Memoir of Growing
Up Bernstein. Jamie is joined by Broadway performer Alexandra
Silber (Fiddler on the Roof ) for an endearing and entertaining
conversation and a selection of the Maestro’s most famous songs.
QUESTIONS?
Contact Gisele Pintchuck
at 941.706.0029 or
gpintchuck@jfedsrq.org
Photo by Michael Kushner
TO REGISTER, VISIT JFEDSRQ.ORG/EVENTS

24 October 2020
JEWISH HAPPENINGS
Sukkot
Shemini Atzeret
First two days
of Tabernacles,
commemorating the
dwelling of the Israelites in
booths in the wilderness.
Eighth Day of Assembly.
5781
Eve of Oct. 2
Oct. 3
Oct. 4
Eve of Oct. 9
Oct. 10
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 6
Temple Sinai Presents Pirkei Avot –
Chapters of the Sages
Every Tuesday at 3:00 p.m., join Reb Ari Shapiro as he offers an informative,
free course on the ethical and moral principles guiding the Jewish
way of life as handed down by the sages. It is a guidebook for living facilitated
by Reb Shapiro on Zoom. For more information and the Zoom link,
contact Reb Shapiro at rebari18@gmail.com.
Beyond the Headlines: Living in Israel 2017-2020
You will not want to miss this three-part presentation as Dr. Benjamin
Sachs touches upon a variety of topics rarely covered sufficiently in the
news. Through multi-media presentations and personal commentary, he
will discuss such diverse topics as the Masorti (Conservative) Movement,
Women of the Wall, Chasidim in Israel, shopping in Mea Shearim, Israel’s
healthcare system, other religions in Israel, Israeli academia, life
in the West Bank, a Samaritan Pesach, and life on the Gaza border, just
to name a few. Dr. Sachs will provide you with different perspectives of
life in Israel that we rarely hear about. Parts II and III are on Tuesdays,
October 13 and 20. The events begin at 7:30 p.m. on Zoom (https://zoom.
us/j/2926069224). No cost, but donations are always appreciated. For
more information and the Zoom password, call the Temple Beth Sholom
office at 941.955.8121 or email info@templebethsholomfl.org.
Simchat Torah
Celebrates the new cycle
of annual scriptural
readings.
Oct. 11
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7
Temple Emanu-El “Lunch with the Rabbis”
Are you looking for a great lunch date? Grab a bite to eat, log into Zoom,
and join Temple Emanu-El Senior Rabbi Brenner Glickman, Associate
Rabbi Michael Shefrin and friendly, interesting companions for socializing
and discussion of current events and subjects of Jewish interest. This
popular monthly program has become a hit online as new and old friends
enjoy the opportunity to gather virtually. All are invited to this free event at
noon. Please register at sarasotatemple.org or call 941.371.2788 to receive
the private Zoom link.
we are
FED
Educating Jewish Minds
“Roosevelt and the Jews”
Although President Franklin Roosevelt has been popularly considered a
friend of the Jews, he consistently rejected abundant opportunities to save
Jewish lives. In 1938, just two weeks after Kristallnacht, the Alaska Plan
was proposed as a “haven for Jewish refugees from Germany and other
areas in Europe where the Jews are subjected to oppressive restrictions.”
Yet, Roosevelt tragically opposed such plans to allow immigration of endangered
Jews to the U.S., even to the sparsely populated and militarily
vulnerable Alaskan Territory. This class, presented by the Al Katz Center,
begins at 10:00 a.m. via Zoom. Cost: $10 per day or $50 per month for all
classes. To RSVP and receive the Zoom link, please call Beverly Newman
at 941.313.9239.
Spaghetti in the Sukkah for Teens
Calling all teens in grades 7-12 to join a socially distanced Spaghetti in
the Sukkah dinner at 5:00 p.m. at Chabad of Sarasota, 7700 Beneva Road.
There will be ample time to enjoy a group game, socialize, and say a
blessing on the Lulav & Etrog. This event is being offered free of charge to
all teens. When not eating, masks will be required. Advance reservations
are required. To RSVP and for information about CTeen at Chabad of
Sarasota, email ella@chabadofsarasota.com.
Your Federation is dedicated to educating Jewish minds throughout the
Sarasota-Manatee area — from Holocaust and civil rights education to
Israeli history and advocacy through our Heller CRC, to reaching young children
and their parents through PJ Library, to an array of adult education offerings.
We also take great pride in educating the interfaith community on Jewish
history and antisemitism.
jfedsrq.org
941.371.4546
Outdoor Klezmer in the Sukkah Concert
Enjoy a beautiful outdoor (with social distancing) evening with popular
klezmer music along with a BBQ, Simchas Beis Hashoeva and the sukkah.
Open to the whole community, this event begins at 5:30 p.m. at the Chabad
Education Center, 21560 Angela Lane, Venice. The cost is $15 per person
in advance, and $20 at the door. Free admission for children under 12. For
more information, call Chaya Rivka Schmerling at 941.493.2770 or visit
www.chabadofvenice.com/klezmer.
Drive-By Sukkot Carnival
Celebrate Sukkot at 6:00 p.m. at The Chabad House, 5712 Lorraine
Road, Bradenton. Enjoy delicious carnival foods, activities and games,
lively music, and shake the Lulav & Etrog all from the safety of your car!
Attendance is free. For more information, contact Rabbi Mendy Bukiet at
941.752.3030 or rabbi@chabadofbradenton.com.
280 kosher characters
twitter.com/jfedsrq

JEWISH HAPPENINGS
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8
October 2020
25
Just Reel Education:
Ma’abarot: The Israeli Transit Camps
Sponsored by The Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee
The film Ma’abarot: The Israeli Transit Camps (2019, 84 minutes) will
be available starting Friday, October 2 with a Zoom talkback on Thursday,
October 8 at 3:00 p.m. with film producer Arik Bernstein. Jewish refugees
from the Middle East and North Africa reveal the systematic discrimination
and harsh conditions awaiting them upon landfall in 1950s Israel.
Arriving during a time of poverty and austerity, Jews seeking shelter in
the Promised Land instead were forced into remote shantytowns of tents
and sheds known as ma’abarot. Thrown together from different cultures,
already demoralized immigrants waited days for food, showers and toilets.
Authorities dealt severely with those who resisted. Exposing little-known
details of overlooked Israeli history, the troubling testimony of camp refugees
is illustrated with never-before-seen archival materials. To register,
please visit jfedsrq.org/events. For more information, contact Jeremy
Lisitza at jlisitza@jfedsrq.org or 941.343.2113.
Memoir Writing Workshop
Temple Emanu-El’s Adult Education Committee invites you to this special
workshop facilitated by author and Jewish Writing Project editorial
director Bruce Black. Bruce will expertly and warmly guide you through
the process of reviewing your life events for memorable moments, and
help you shape these moments into stories to share with your family and
friends. No previous writing experience is necessary. All are invited to
this free one-hour learning opportunity at 10:30 a.m. Please register at
sarasotatemple.org or call 941.371.2788 to receive the private Zoom link.
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 10
Drive-In Tot Shabbat
Celebrate Shabbat and Sukkot joyfully – and safely – at Temple Emanu-
El’s Drive-In Tot Shabbat. You’ll receive a goodie bag filled with Sukkotthemed
snacks, craft supplies and treats, and we’ll explore them while
enjoying prayers, songs, movement and stories. We’ll also fulfill the
mitzvah of dwelling in the sukkah with Temple Emanu-El’s drive-through
sukkah, and safely spend fun, meaningful time together. Tot Shabbat is
designed for families with children up to age 6, but all are welcome! This
free event begins at 10:00 a.m. at Temple Emanu-El, 151 McIntosh Road,
Sarasota. To register, visit sarasotatemple.org/event-registration.html. For
more information, please email elaine-glickman@comcast.net.
Simchat Torah Under the Stars
Celebrate Simchat Torah at 7:00 p.m. in the Chabad of Sarasota parking
lot at 7700 Beneva Road. Enjoy no-contact dancing and a COVID-friendly
deli-style outdoor dinner. All are welcome free of charge. Advance reservations
are necessary at sarasotachabad.com or 941.925.0770.
Simchat Torah Under the Stars
Join us at 7:30 p.m. and enjoy individually packaged dinners, distance
dancing, a separate CKids program with flags, prizes and lots of merriment
on the joyous holiday. This free event takes place at The Chabad
Tent, 5712 Lorraine Road, Bradenton. Donations appreciated. For more
information, contact Rabbi Mendy Bukiet at rabbi@chabadofbradenton.
com or 941.752.3030.
Wed. October 21 st
6:00 PM EDT
“The Future is Now!”
Wed. October 21
Wed. November 4
Wed. November 18
Wed. December 2
Wed. December 16
Wed. January 6
Wed. January 20
Wed. February 3
Wed. February 17
Temple Beth Israel - The Center for Jewish Living on Longboat Key
Join us for first VIRTUAL 92Y season! Due to the current Covid-19 Health
Crisis, we are offering pre-recorded 92Y programming online with a LIVE
follow-up group discussion via ZOOM at 7:30 PM! This is open to the
entire community, free of charge! PRE-REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED
and can be done by visiting our website at www.tbi-lbk.org, emailing
shana@tbi-lbk.org or by calling (941) 383-3428.
AI and robots were once the stuff of science fiction. Now they
are reality—coming to our streets, stores, homes. And the
Coronavirus pandemic just threw this change into an even faster
pace, from remote work to AI surveillance scaling to new levels.
How will this change our politics, economy, wars—even our family life?
Join (Ret.) General David Petraeus for a discussion with P.W. Singer,
one of the world’s leading experts on 21st century tech and security,
about what happens next with robots, society and his new book, Burn-
In: A Novel of the Real Robotic Revolution. (rec. 6/3/20)
P.W. Singer with General (Ret.) David Petraeus
‘The Future is Now’
Wes Moore with Willie Geist- ‘Protesting for Change’
Seth Rogan, Martha Stewart, Jane Krakowski & Friends
‘It’s All In Your Head: Live’!
Rabbi Peter J. Rubinstein and Imam Dr. Al-Hajj Talib
‘Praying with Our Hearts, Hands & Feet’
David Simon & cast in conversation with Peter Sagal
‘The Plot Against America’
Rabbi Delphine Horvilleur in conversation with Rabbi Peter
Rubinstein – ‘Directly From France’
Rabbi Peter Rubinstein and Reverend Jacques Andre DeGraff
‘Building Bridges’
Neil DeGrasse Tyson with Bill Nye – ‘COSMOS: Possible Worlds’
Barry Sonnefeld with Jerry Seinfeld – ‘Call Your Mother’
This program is made possible through the generosity and support of
the CHARLOTTE P. GRAVER FUND AT THE COMMUNITY
FOUNDATION OF SARASOTA COUNTY & The Rabbi Sanford E.
Saperstein Memorial Fund of Temple Beth Israel that initiated the 92Y
to honor Rabbi Saperstein and his belief in community enrichment.
A COMMEMORATION
Join our community as we commemorate
the Night of Broken Glass.
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 2020
7:00 pm • Via Zoom
$10 per household
Zoom registration required
SPECIAL GUEST PERFORMER
NIV ASHKENAZI
playing a Violin of Hope
On the evening of November 9,1938, Nazi leaders unleashed a
series of pogroms against the Jewish community in Germany
known today as Kristallnacht, or the Night of Broken Glass.
We remember. We commemorate. We stand up
against antisemitism and bigotry together.
Bette Zaret, Chair
RSVP at jfedsrq.org/events
QUESTIONS? For more information about the Heller CRC or Holocaust
programming, contact Jessi Sheslow, Director of Community Relations,
941.343.2109 or jsheslow@jfedsrq.org
941.371.4546
jfedsrq.org

26 October 2020
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 11
PJ Sukkah Challenge!
Sponsored by The Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee
Challenge on! Make and decorate your own PJ-sized sukkah and then join
us for the big reveal on Sunday, October 11 at 3:30 p.m. on Zoom. Kids
of all ages and sizes are welcome to pick up a large cardboard box at the
Federation office, or collect one of your own, and decorate it with all the
symbols and traditions of Sukkot. Then, show off your efforts during our
Zoom sukkah challenge on Simchat Torah! To register and for kids’ sukkah
decorating inspiration, please visit jfedsrq.org/events. For more information,
contact Andrea Eiffert at aeiffert@jfedsrq.org or 941.552.6308.
MONDAY, OCTOBER 12
Three-Day Florida Regional BDS Training
with the Israel Action Network
Sponsored by The Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee
Join fellow Florida JCRCs and the Israel Action Network from noon to
1:00 p.m. for an in-depth look at what the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions
(BDS) movement is and how to combat it. To register, visit jfedsrq.org/
events. For more information, contact Jessi Sheslow at jsheslow@jfedsrq.
org or 941.343.2109.
“Jews and Socialism”
Twenty-five years ago, Venezuela was the richest country in South America,
with huge oil reserves. Its citizens were made extravagant political
promises, electing a Socialist government in 1998. Today, desperate Venezuelans
eat from garbage cans and beg for release from their Socialist
dictatorship. Government-sponsored antisemitism, including police raids
on Jewish schools, charges of Jewish global domination, state promotion
of antisemitic conspiracy theories, and the welcome presence of Hezbollah
factions, has caused mass emigration of 80% of Venezuela’s Jews. This
class, presented by the Al Katz Center, begins at 7:00 p.m. via Zoom. Cost:
$10 per day or $50 per month for all classes. To RSVP and receive the
Zoom link, please call Beverly Newman at 941.313.9239.
JEWISH HAPPENINGS
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 13
ADL Empowering Our Children Series,
Standing Up to Hate
Sponsored by The Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee
This is the third webinar in the ADL Florida’s new series confronting complex
topics that many PJ Our Way and STEP families are facing today.
Learn how to remain calm and keep safe in an active shooter situation
anywhere. To register for this 7:30 p.m. event, please visit jfedsrq.org/
events. For more information, contact Andrea Eiffert at aeiffert@jfedsrq.
org or 941.552.6308.
Swimming in the Sea of Talmud
Talmud is the vast compendium of Jewish law. The morals, ethics and
values taught in the Talmud are of universal interest. Come prepared to
learn, discuss and debate theological, political and everyday concerns of
living with Rabbi Howard Siegel. English texts will be provided. No previous
background in Talmud is required. We meet via Zoom (https://zoom.
us/j/2926069224) on Tuesday mornings from 11:00 a.m. to noon beginning
today. No cost, but donations are always appreciated. For more information
and the Zoom password, call the Temple Beth Sholom office at
941.955.8121 or email info@templebethsholomfl.org.
“Getting More Out of the Friday Night Service”
This Temple Sinai class with Chazzan Cliff Abramson reviews prayer
book liturgy so that everyone can get more out of the Friday evening Erev
Shabbat service (on Zoom). This free class will continue every Tuesday
at 11:00 a.m. For more information, call 941.924.1802 or email office@
sinaisrq.org. For the Zoom link, visit www.templesinai-sarasota.org.
Be a Guest on Clergy Coffee Talk
Temple Sinai’s Rabbi Samantha Kahn, Chazzan Cliff Abramson and
Rabbi Geoff Huntting would love to hear from you. We know you have a
lot on your mind. Join the free Zoom link by 1:30 p.m. You will be invited
into the show’s waiting room and then put online to ask a question, give
an opinion or just to say hello. We look forward to hearing from you on
Zoom. For more information, call 941.924.1802 or email office@sinaisrq.
org. For the Zoom link, visit www.templesinai-sarasota.org.
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JEWISH HAPPENINGS
October 2020
27
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 14
People of the Book Opening Event
With Stephen Tobolowsky
Sponsored by The Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee
If you are not familiar with the name Stephen Tobolowsky, you will certainly
recognize his face. Stephen has appeared in more than 200 films
and television shows, including unforgettable roles in Mississippi Burning,
Groundhog Day and Glee. He is also the consummate storyteller – warm,
funny and profound. My Adventures With God, Stephen’s second book, is
a collection of humorous, introspective stories that tells of a boy growing
up in the wilds of Texas finding and losing love, losing and finding himself
– all told through the prism of the Torah and Talmud, mixed with insights
from science, and refined through a child’s sense of wonder. Tickets to
this 7:00 p.m. event on Zoom are $10 per household. For tickets to this
and all other People of the Book events, please visit jfedsrq.org/books.
For more information, contact Jeremy Lisitza at jlisitza@jfedsrq.org or
941.343.2113.
Gutsy Torah with Rabbi Howard Siegel
Join Rabbi Siegel each Wednesday morning from 11:00 a.m. to noon as
participants are exposed to an eye-opening discussion of the week’s Torah
portion. Meet, discuss and debate up close and personal with the most
profound and controversial Torah scholars of the past 2,000 years. Classes
meet via Zoom (https://zoom.us/j/2926069224). No cost, but donations
are always appreciated. For more information and the Zoom password,
call the Temple Beth Sholom office at 941.955.8121 or email info@temple
bethsholomfl.org.
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 15
Three-Day Florida Regional BDS Training
with the Israel Action Network
Sponsored by The Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee
Join fellow Florida JCRCs and the Israel Action Network from noon to
1:00 p.m. for an in-depth look at what the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions
(BDS) movement is and how to combat it. To register, visit jfedsrq.org/
events. For more information, contact Jessi Sheslow at jsheslow@jfedsrq.
org or 941.343.2109.
“The Bare History of Bayer”
Today, Bayer, which mass-produced poisonous gas for Nazi gas chambers,
continues its toxic track record with Monsanto, producer of Roundup, a
weed killer judged in courts to be carcinogenic. The company concealed
for 40 years that Roundup causes tumors in rodents and for 20 years that
it causes non-Hodgkin lymphoma in humans, but it safeguarded its enormous
profits from the world’s most widely used herbicide. Bayer faces
over 14,000 Roundup lawsuits, plus floods of lawsuits over waterways
contaminated with PCBs. This class, presented by the Al Katz Center, begins
at 10:00 a.m. via Zoom. Cost: $10 per day or $50 per month for all
classes. To RSVP and receive the Zoom link, please call Beverly Newman
at 941.313.9239.
Temple Sinai’s “Jewish Music Education”
Every Thursday at 10:00 a.m., Chazzan Cliff Abramson will give a free
class on Jewish Music Education, focusing on what we sing and why we
sing it. For more information, call 941.924.1802 or email office@sinaisrq.
org. For the Zoom link, visit www.templesinai-sarasota.org.
Jewish Heritage Tour of Budapest, Vienna and Prague
Are you saddened that you are not able to travel and visit amazing places
right now? Join us for a virtual tour of exciting Budapest, vivacious Vienna
and picture-perfect Prague! See and hear about some of the most amazing
Jewish sites in Eastern Europe. Join us live with Jacob Shoshan, one of
Israel’s most celebrated tour leaders as he shows and tells you about these
amazing places. It will be the next best thing to actually being there. The
program begins at 7:30 p.m. via Zoom (https://zoom.us/j/2926069224).
No cost, but donations are always appreciated. For more information and
the Zoom password, call the Temple Beth Sholom office at 941.955.8121
or email info@templebethsholomfl.org.
Send your monthly
Jewish Happenings to
jewishnews@jfedsrq.org
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P R E S E N T S
MA’ABAROT: THE ISRAELI TRANSIT CAMPS
Jewish refugees from the Middle East and North Africa reveal the systematic
discrimination and harsh conditions upon arrival in 1950s Israel. Jews
seeking shelter in the Promised Land were forced into remote shantytowns
of tents and sheds known as ma’abarot. Exposing little-known details of
overlooked Israeli history, this film includes the testimony of camp refugees
and illustrates never-before-seen archival materials. 2019, 84 minutes
Available starting October 2 with a Zoom talk back on
October 8 at 3 PM with film director Arik Bernstein.
THE DAY I MET HITLER
This film features newly discovered stories and images of the most
infamous man in history. Racing against time, the filmmaker weaves
together the personal narratives of the last remaining people who had
direct contact with Hitler. The film and lecture are presented by a son of
a Jewish boy who met Hitler in Berlin in 1934. 2020, 88 minutes
Available starting October 16 with a Zoom talk back on
October 22 at 4 PM with film director Ronen Israelski.
To register for these films and talk backs, please visit JFEDSRQ.org/events.
These events are free, but we would appreciate a donation to the Federation’s
Virtual Programming Fund at JFEDSRQ.org/VirtualFund
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH:
JUST reel education
BROUGHT TO YOU BY

28 October 2020 JEWISH HAPPENINGS
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 18
Temple Emanu-El Presents “A Virtual Tour of Israel”
We are all missing our homeland these days! Join Temple Emanu-El’s Israel
Committee and Ayelet Tours CEO Jeff Rubtchinsky for a very special
Zoom tour through the amazing cities, inspiring holy sites and beautiful
landscapes of the State of Israel. Jeff has created countless itineraries for
trips to Israel, traveled to over 60 countries and even staffed an aroundthe-world
bicycle trip! All are invited at 1:00 p.m. via Zoom to this special
afternoon of travel, learning and connection with Israel! Please register at
sarasotatemple.org or call 941.330.2006 for more information.
MONDAY, OCTOBER 19
Three-Day Florida Regional BDS Training
with the Israel Action Network
Sponsored by The Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee
Join fellow Florida JCRCs and the Israel Action Network from noon to
1:00 p.m. for an in-depth look at what the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions
(BDS) movement is and how to combat it. To register, visit jfedsrq.org/
events. For more information, contact Jessi Sheslow at jsheslow@jfedsrq.
org or 941.343.2109.
“Jewish Resistance in the Holocaust”
Remarkably, some Jews resisted the Holocaust by “hiding in plain sight”
in Berlin. Cioma Schönhaus was an art student who became an expert
document forger. Ruth Arndt worked in a German officer’s house although
he knew she was Jewish but kept the secret. Eugen Herman-Friede escaped
suspicion by wearing the Hitler Youth uniform of the son of the family
who hid him. Hanni Weissenberg dyed her hair blonde to look Aryan
and assumed a new identity. This class, presented by the Al Katz Center,
begins at 7:00 p.m. via Zoom. Cost: $10 per day or $50 per month for all
classes. To RSVP and receive the Zoom link, please call Beverly Newman
at 941.313.9239.
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 20
Torah & Tea
Join Chanie Bukiet, either in person outdoors (The Chabad Tent, 5712 Lorraine
Road, Bradenton) or on Zoom for a weekly dose of Torah spiced
with lessons on the weekly Torah portion and roundtable discussions. This
free event takes place from 11:00 a.m. to noon on Tuesdays beginning
today. For more information and the Zoom link, call the Chabad office at
941.752.3030 or email info@chabadofbradenton.com.
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 22
Just Reel Education:
The Day I Met Hitler
Sponsored by The Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee
The film The Day I Met Hitler (2020, 88 minutes) will be available starting
Friday, October 16 with a Zoom talkback on Thursday, October 22
at 4:00 p.m. with film director Ronen Israelski. The film features newly
discovered stories and images of the most infamous man in history. Racing
against time, the filmmaker weaves together the personal narratives of
the last remaining people who had direct contact with Hitler. The film and
lecture are presented by a son of a Jewish boy who met Hitler in Berlin in
1934. To register, please visit jfedsrq.org/events. For more information,
contact Jeremy Lisitza at jlisitza@jfedsrq.org or 941.343.2113.
Jewish on Campus:
Teen Program with College Panelists
Sponsored by The Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee
Calling all teens! Hear from current college students about what it’s like
to be Jewish on the college campus. Hear about your options to engage
in Jewish life on campus and how to deal with difficult situations you
may face. Our incredible panel will get you ready and excited for college,
whether it’s next year or later! This event takes place on Zoom from 7:00
to 8:30 p.m. To register, please visit jfedsrq.org/events. For more information,
contact Jessi Sheslow at jsheslow@jfedsrq.org or 941.343.2109.
“This Month in Jewish History”
November is Presidential election month, so let’s look at Presidents and
the Jews. Washington championed religious freedom for Jews. Lincoln
reversed General Grant’s expulsion order of Jews during the Civil War.
Grant later welcomed Jews into his administration. In 1922, Harding declared
the right of the Jews to their own homeland. Truman boldly recognized
the State of Israel within minutes of its declaration. Nixon saved
Israel from annihilation during the Yom Kippur War with a massive airlift
of desperately needed armaments. This class, presented by the Al Katz
Center, begins at 10:00 a.m. via Zoom. Cost: $10 per day or $50 per month
for all classes. To RSVP and receive the Zoom link, please call Beverly
Newman at 941.313.9239.
Learn about
our growing Jewish community…
The first population study in 20 years is here!
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 21
Say No to Gun Violence, Hate Crimes
and Human Trafficking
The National Council of Jewish Woman is sponsoring a panel discussion
featuring four knowledgeable speakers from Sarasota/Manatee who will
share ideas for making the community safer. The event will be held on
Zoom at 1:00 p.m. Members and guests from the community are welcome
to participate in this free program. To make your reservation and
receive your Zoom link, contact Rhoda Friedman at rhokayak@aol.com
or 609.425.7262, or Ilene Gelber at igelber@verizon.net or 716.689.7933.
Quickly Locate all of your favorite Jewish
organizations, clubs and service providers online.
JFEDSRQ.org/Directory
Keyword Search Filter Options Drop Pin Locator Map
Cohen Center Authors:
Matthew Boxer
Matthew A. Brookner
Eliana Chapman
Janet Krasner Aronson
2019
Jewish Community Study
A socio-demographic portrait of the Jewish
community in Sarasota-Manatee
Sponsored in part by
a grant from:
Learn about our Sarasota-Manatee Jewish community:
For more information,
contact Kim Adler
941.552.6300
kadler@jfedsrq.org
jfedsrq.org/CommunityStudy

JEWISH HAPPENINGS
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 25
Temple Emanu-El Presents “Barry, Birds and Bagels”
Temple Emanu-El Brotherhood begins its popular breakfast series via
Zoom! You supply your own bagels – while Temple Emanu-El Brotherhood
supplies the fascinating program, engaging conversation and lively
atmosphere with old and new friends. This month we welcome Barry Gerber
to speak about the history of Celery Fields, the life of Bertha Honore
Palmer and the birds of our region. Barry is the President of Temple Emanu-
El, Past President of Brotherhood and a Florida Master Naturalist. This free
event begins at 10:00 a.m. Please register at sarasotatemple.org or call
941.685.4528 for more information.
October 2020
29
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 28
People of the Book
With Alana Newhouse
Sponsored by The Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee
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.
Contributors include Ruth Reichl, Joan Nathan, Michael Solomonov,
Dan Barber, Gail Simmons, Maira Kalman, Shalom Auslander, Dr. Ruth
Westheimer and Phil Rosenthal, among many others. Tickets to this 7:00
p.m. event on Zoom are $10 per household. For tickets to this and all other
People of the Book events, please visit jfedsrq.org/books. For more information,
contact Jeremy Lisitza at jlisitza@jfedsrq.org or 941.343.2113.
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 29
Comparative Judaism:
Three Roads Leading to the Same Destination
The first three presentations of this series will each relate to one of the
three major Jewish movements in Sarasota-Manatee with a Chabad rabbi
discussing Chabad’s approach to Orthodox Judaism (October 29), a Reform
rabbi discussing Reform Judaism (November 5), and a Conservative
rabbi talking about Conservative Judaism (November 12). The final
program (November 19) will take the form of a panel discussion with the
three rabbis discussing how their movements approach a variety of contemporary
issues. This promises to be a fascinating series with a lot of time
for questions, answers and interesting dialogue. The presentations begin
at 10:00 a.m. via Zoom (https://zoom.us/j/2926069224). No cost, but donations
are always appreciated. For more information and the Zoom password,
call the Temple Beth Sholom office at 941.955.8121 or email info@
templebethsholomfl.org.
AFTER THE
CURTAIN
HAS CLOSED
Make someone
feel special
on their birthday
by making a donation
in their name.
You can still watch
many of our programs at
JFEDSRQ.org/ProgramRecordings
Call Bonnie at
941.343.2115
Or visit jfedsrq.org/tribute
to donate

30 October 2020 JEWISH INTEREST
Something uplifting: “Bei Mir Bist Du Shein”
By Arlene Stolnitz
With all the difficult news lately,
we need something uplifting,
and the swing music
of an earlier era does create that ”feel
good” sensation. To my mind, there is
nothing quite like the swing music of
the ’40s.
Recently, my
50-something
daughter sent me
a video she had
seen on the internet.
It sounded to
me like she had
never heard of
this group before.
Arlene Stolnitz
But she was excited
to hear “Bei
Mir Bist Du Shein” sung in Yiddish by
the Andrews Sisters. Who in this group
of readers does not remember this
song? Anyone alive during the ’40s
knows how popular it was!
Of course, for me, that was cause
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for research, and to work I went. As is
typically the case, I discovered a story
I was unaware of.
The recording was released in
1942. The A-side of the record was a
Gershwin song, “Nice Work if You
Can Get It,” while the B-side was an
unknown Yiddish love song called “
Bei Mir Bist Du Schoen,” translated as
“To Me, You Are Beautiful.”
The song was written in the ’30s
by Shalom Secunda (composer) and
Jacob Jacobs (lyricist) for the 1932
Yiddish comedy musical I Would if I
Could (Men Ken Lebn Nor Men Lost
Nisht), which closed after a one-season
run in Brooklyn’s Parkway Theater. It
has been reported that Secunda, a Russian
born cantor who had emigrated to
the U.S. in 1906, was paid a mere $30
for the song, and that he bypassed the
upcoming George Gershwin in favor of
Jacobs as his lyricist.
Even more amazing was finding
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Alice McGraw loves to
draw, and she draws
everywhere!
She learns her colors and letters,
and then how to write her name,
which opens a world of possibilities
for Alice. This is a story about
a child’s love of drawing which ignites
her creativity. A wonderful book for
children ages 2-7.
out that this song was beloved by the
Nazi party in the ’30s!
“Bei Mir” had a lively existence
after its initial premiere in 1932. After
a rather complicated start, which
involved many composers and musicians
trying to get rights to the song,
the original “Bay Mir Bist Du Sheyn”
in Yiddish, became “Bei Mir Bist Du
Shoen” in German, and was made
popular by the Andrews Sisters’ rendition.
By 1938, the song, in German,
had become a smash hit of the Nazis.
German sympathizers in the U.S. even
sang the tune in ale houses, not knowing
the song was composed by a Jew.
It was picked up during the WWII era
by a German swing group called Charlie
and His Orchestra, which did Nazi
propaganda parodies aimed at British
and American Allied Forces. The band
played jazz standards but with modified
lyrics meant to demoralize the enemy
by spreading Nazi ideology.
Eventually, this music and all other
“jazz” music was banned by the Nazis
as “degenerate” music.
I had never heard the term “mondegreens”
before researching this song.
Turns out it refers to misheard lyrics.
Not to be confused with “parody,”
which is an intentional rephrasing of
lyrics, a mondegreen occurs when people
misunderstand the lyrics in a song
and substitute new words giving it a
different meaning. In listening to many
recordings of “Bei Mir,” the comments
of listeners are quite amusing. Here are
some “mondegreens” for “Bei Mir:”
“My dear Mr. Shane,” “A Beer Mr.
Shane” and “My Mere Bits of Shame”
are just a few that I ran across.
“Bei Mir” is accessible on You-
Tube with renditions by many wellknown
musicians such as the Andrews
Sisters, Ella Fitzgerald, Benny Goodman
and the Barry Sisters. The recording
I like the most is found under the
title “Bei Mir Bist Du Schejn” and
is known as the “original” Yiddish
version as recorded by the Budapest
Klezmer Band. The vocalist is Natalie
Dessay, a French singer and actress
known for her former career as a coloratura
soprano. The video is complete
with images from yesteryear.
Comments from listeners on You-
Tube show how beloved the song has
been throughout the years. Many listeners
remember a parent or grandparent
singing “Bei Mir “ to them when
they were young.
Arlene Stolnitz, founder of the Sarasota
Jewish Chorale, is a member of
the Jewish Congregation of Venice. A
retired educator from Rochester, New
York, she has sung in choral groups
for over 25 years and also sings in
The Venice Chorale. Her interest in
the preservation of Jewish music of all
kinds has led to this series of articles
on Jewish Folk Music in the Diaspora.
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JEWISH INTEREST
Jewish-themed Crossword Puzzle
Your monthly crossword puzzle
is generously brought to you by
October 2020
DON’T DO IT
ALONE!
31
We find SAFE
Senior Care Options
at NO COST!
“Jew/Non-Jew” by Yoni Glatt, koshercrosswords@gmail.com
Across
1. Motel rollout
4. Flower holder
8. Like citrus fruits
14. Aladdin’s buddy
15. Apple device
16. Docking spot
17. Edward G/ Jackie
19. More bananas?
20. “...from the ___ even to the greatest”
(Jer. 42:8)
21. Make fun of
23. “Before,” in old poetry
24. Professor Henry Jones Jr., to friends
26. Doris/ Julia
28. Arthur/ Reggie
31. Think likewise
32. “As far ___ know...”
33. Drugstore Duane
35. Larry/ Stephen
39. Stan/ Bruce
40. Gene/ Russell
43. Alon/ Charlie
44. Primo/ Zachary
46. Fictional nation in “The Hunger Games”
47. It can be split in a fight
48. “Beyond the Sea” Bobby
51. Joan/ Doc
53. Dustin/ Philip Seymour
56. Merry king of rhyme
57. Santa___, California.
58. Seal or signet
60. Owner of Rubber Ducky
64. Parts of Fiji
66. Bill/ Whoopie
68. Apartment dweller
69. Top draft choice?
70. Work at romancing
71. Violates the Eighth Commandment
72. Observes the Sabbath
73. It became Spike TV in 2003
Down
1. Track legend Lewis
2. Slender instrument
3. Not so slender instrument
4. Winemakers
5. H.S. courses for coll. credit
6. Like a neglected chimney
7. Bart’s teacher Krabappel
8. “Fur Elise” key
9. “Inconceivable!!”
10. Roth acct.
11. Restaurant that probably doesn’t serve
cholent
12. Like krypton and some other gases
13. Gives a hoot
18. What Obama called ISIS
22. Cheer for
25. Eins + zwei
27. “Oh my! A mouse!”
28. Malcha or American Dream
29. “Got it”
30. Schreiber in “Spotlight”
31. Male Madison Ave. employee
34. Energizing, with “up”
36. Sitting around doing nothing
37. Neet rival
38. Cons
41. Emperor that converted to Judaism,
according to the Talmud
42. Welcomed with a grin
45. Holy Land protector, for short
49. Popular brew from Holland
50. Staff rewards
52. Action word
53. Makes like the seventh plague, minus
the fire
54. Start
55. Kind of prophet
56. Exact copy
59. Marty, in “Young Frankenstein”
61. Pond amphibian
62. One might be used before getting
dressed for synagogue
63. A Ghostbuster
65. “___ Einai”
67. The, to Rashi’s neighbors
See the Crossword Puzzle
solution on page 39
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32 October 2020 JEWISH INTEREST
Author of unique book featuring Jewish recipes and
food lore to speak at People of the Book event
Book review by Philip K. Jason, Special to The Jewish News
The alphabet never tasted so
good.
A huge and dazzling array of
contributors brings to life what would
seem to be an impossible task: a plausible
gathering of what’s “most Jewish”
in the palates of Jews across time, space
and memory. The
contributors are at
once erudite and
down to earth. Author
Alana Newhouse
gives them
brief but impressive
identification
at the end of the
Phil Jason
book so that readers
can connect
their perspectives to their credentials.
Readers will chuckle at the book’s
table of contents. It provides a delightful
visual image as an identifier for
each selection, in which these same
images reappear. They exist to make us
hungry.
The format is basically a mini-essay
followed by a recipe. So, we travel
and gorge from adafina (a Sabbath
stew) to Yemenite soup, with the expected
and plenty of surprises along
the way.
Just where it needs to be is the apple,
given a personality by Dan Barber,
who plays the part well, complaining
about being blamed for Eve’s lack of
discipline, but then boasting about having
flourished all over the world. The
apple’s journey is a guilt trip. Apple
cake becomes the choice for instruction.
The recipes share a professionally
structured style that readers will find
PEOPLE OF THE BOOK
Author Lecture Series
Featuring 25
virtual events from
October 2020 – June 2021
Events are $10 each per
household. Purchase a
Page Turner Pass to all
25 events for just $108
($97 through October 6).
efficient without being overly formal.
Measurements are given in the vernaculars,
so the reader will always know
such things as a half cup of sugar is 65
grams. Chocolate Babka immediately
caught my attention, but I plan to get
my babka by giving a copy of the book,
properly bookmarked, to a good friend
who bakes.
Okay, so you’d expect a section on
bagels, but don’t tell me you anticipated
Bazooka gum. Bialys are another
must, as are black-and-white cookies,
blintzes and maybe bokser. And borscht
is inevitable, with this section offering
a brief essay on “The Secrets of Soviet
Cuisine.” The section on brisket is best
read overnight.
“C” is for carciofi all giudia (artichoke
Jewish-style). “C” is also for
challah, charoset and cheesecake –
AND chicken. Yes, there is a section
on Chinese food that explains in detail
“Why Jews Eat Chinese Food on
Christmas.” The mysteries of cholent
and chopped liver come next, laced
with both wisdom and humor. And
there is a lot more to the (pardon the
pun) c-section.
I have to speed up now: dates,
deli, dill; eggplant, Entenmann’s, eyerleckh;
flanken; gefilte fish, goose and
the wished-for gribenes; halva, hamantaschen,
haminados and Hebrew National
hot dogs.
Let me depart from the alphabet
now and address some other charms of
this “most Jewish” book.
Many of the contributors are notable
writers, or at least darn good ones.
Often, they take the opportunity to personalize
their entries with memories of
October Events
family gatherings, holidays and lifecycle
events at which Jewish food is not
the theme, but somehow the bonding
agent. We can trace how a recipe was
introduced, passed along to others,
sometimes modified, but always linking
the generations – just like Hebrew
school, but usually with greater impact.
These personal stories that link the
food with the occasion and the family
are sometimes humorous, but always
moving and inviting.
There is a surprising and welcome
inclusiveness in the scope of the recipes.
A favorite of Tunisian Jews, Pkaila,
is one of the surprises. Adafina is
from the Iberian world, and Haminados
are among the Sephardic tastes readers
are lured to sample. Jews from the Republic
of Georgia indulged themselves
with Labda, which also has a connection
with Persian cuisine. Jews in India
enjoy Malida at the Seder table. Treatments
of matzo are manifold. One of
these is the Sephardic Mina de Matzo.
And you don’t want to miss trying Mufleta,
Persian rice and Ptcha – foods
with various origins across the Jewish
world. Tsimmes, of course, is universally
familiar.
Well, the person who put all this
together, New Yorker Alana Newhouse,
is the editor-in-chief of Tablet,
a daily online magazine with a huge
following. Founded in 2009, it features
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.
At the People of the Book virtual
event on Wednesday, October 28
at 7:00 p.m., Newhouse said she will
“give people a behind-the-scenes look
at some of the most heated and most
fun controversies that came up in creating
our list. It should be a lot of fun.”
To register, and for information
on all 25 events in the 2020-21 People
of the Book series, go to jfedsrq.org/
books. Complete information can also
be found in the special People of the
Book insert in this issue of The Jewish
News.
Philip K. Jason is Professor Emeritus
of English from the United States Naval
Academy. He reviews regularly for
the Washington Independent Review
of Books, Southern Literary Review,
other publications and the Jewish Book
Council. Please visit Phil’s website at
www.philjason.wordpress.com.
Wednesday, October 14 at 7:00pm
Opening Night:
An evening with actor
Stephen Tobolowsky
This masterful storyteller will share a tale
from his book, My Adventures With God,
followed by what is sure to be
a lively discussion.
Wednesday, October 28 at 7:00pm
Featured Event:
An evening with
Alana Newhouse
Alana is the founder and editor-in-chief
of Tablet, a daily online magazine of
Jewish news, ideas and culture.
She will talk about the one unwavering
constant of Jewish life: Food!
For a complete schedule of events, admission information, author bios and
book synopses, see the eight-page insert in this issue or visit jfedsrq.org/books.

JEWISH INTEREST
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.
October 2020
Interested in Your
Family’s History?
33
Nate Bloom (see column at left) 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.
Local Guy in Good Flick; New Doc;
New Series; and Fun
Chemical Hearts is an original Amazon
film that’s now streaming. AUSTIN
ABRAMS, 23, co-stars as Henry, a
sensitive young man who meets Grace
(Lili Reinhart) when they are selected
to co-edit their high school paper.
Grace is smart, beautiful and, for quite
a while, hard to figure out. I won’t spoil
it for you by saying more. But this film
is much smarter than almost all teen
dramas. It’s for everybody. It got good
reviews from most, if not all, respected
critics.
Abrams, a very cute guy, grew up
in Sarasota, the child of two doctors.
He’s had recurring roles on The Walking
Dead and Euphoria. Veteran actor
BRUCE ALTMAN, 65, a practicing
Jew, has a smallish role as Henry’s father.
He makes the most of his screen
time. You’ll probably recognize him
from scores of TV guest shots.
MITZI SHORE (1930-2018)
co-founded The Comedy Store, a Los
Angeles nightclub, in 1968. She had a
truly great eye for young talent and is
credited with giving many great comedians
their start or big break (a partial
list: Robin Williams, David Letterman,
ANDY KAUFMAN, Jay Leno and
GARRY SHANDLING). A five-part
Showtime documentary about the club
will premiere on Sunday, October 4.
The director is sometime actor MIKE
BINDER, 62.
Mitzi was the real talent in the
family. She effectively ran the club
from its inception because her husband
and club co-founder, “so/so” comedian
SAMMY SHORE, was usually
on the road. Mitzi became the club’s
sole owner after she and Sammy split
in 1974. Their son, “so-so” comedian
PAULY SHORE, now 52, had a miniburst
of fame in the ’90s, but he’s really
faded.
Monsterland is an original Hulu
series that begins streaming on Friday,
October 2. It is an eight-episode
anthology series (each episode stands
alone) about “broken” people who
have encounters with mermaids, fallen
angels and other strange beasts.
JONATHAN TUCKER, 38, who has
many film and TV credits, co-stars in
the first episode. The seventh episode
co-stars MICHAEL HSU ROSEN,
30ish. He is just breaking into TV/film
work following years as a ballet dancer
and stage actor. His father is Jewish.
His mother is Chinese.
The original Showtime series The
Good Lord Bird was set to premiere
months ago. The premiere was moved
to Sunday, October 4. As I wrote before,
a lead character is the famous
abolitionist Frederick Douglass, who
escaped from slavery. DAVEED
DIGGS, 38 (Hamilton) plays Douglass.
Cobra Kai, a sort of re-boot of The
Karate Kid movies, got little attention
when the first two seasons streamed
only on the little-watched YouTube
Red channel. However, it got huge
viewing numbers when Netflix started
streaming the first two seasons on August
28. (A third season, already filmed,
will appear “sometime” on Netflix.)
The original film was about the conflict
between sweet teen Daniel (Ralph
Macchio) and the teen bullies who
study karate at Cobra Kai, an “evil”
karate school run by the nasty John
Kreese (MARTIN KOVE, 74). Daniel
meets a Japanese American karate
expert who turns him into a blackbelt.
In the film’s climatic scene, Daniel defeats
Johnny, Cobra Kai’s top student,
in a karate match. The re-boot is set in
the present. Johnny re-founds Cobra
Kai, but he runs it more humanely than
Kreese did, and Daniel re-founds the
school that his mentor ran.
Reprising their film roles are Macchio,
Kove and RANDEE HELLER,
73 (she played/plays Daniel’s mother).
Kove really is a martial arts expert.
Otherwise, he’s not like Kreese. He
goes around the country giving anti-bullying
lectures. In 2017, he told a
South Florida-based Chabad rabbi that
he tries to be as observant as he can
and that his two children (twin boy and
girl) had a bar and bat mitzvah.
Here’s a Jewish-related entertainment
anecdote to make you smile in
these difficult times. On YouTube,
I recently came across a 1970 Dick
Cavett interview with star actor William
Holden. Cavett asked him about
on-set difficulties. Holden said that
getting into makeup and costume can
take hours. He then told a story about
Charlton Heston, who played Moses
in The Ten Commandments (1956).
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Heston, he said, was dressed up as the
elderly Moses when he met Bob Hope
on a studio street. Heston told Hope
that it took hours to put on and take off
his heavy makeup, which included a
full white beard. Plus, he said, he was
dying from the heat in his heavy robe
and he was drenched in sweat. Hope
replied, “Well, as I have always said,
it’s hard to be a Jew.”
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8/4/20 12:11 PM

34 October 2020 JEWISH INTEREST
K’zohar Ha-Ivrit
Sim-cha – Joy
By Dr. Rachel Zohar Dulin
The new year 5781 has begun.
The sounds of the Shofar resonating
on Rosh Ha-Shannah
and Yom Kippur are behind us and
hopes for a blessed year fill the air. And
so, according to
biblical tradition,
this is the time
to celebrate the
festival of Sukkot
(Lev. 23:34),
a festival of simcha,
a festival of
‘joy’ (Dt.16:14).
Dr. Rachel Dulin
Sukkot was a
major festival in
biblical times. We know this because
the holiday received several names in
the text, names like: Chag Ha-Asif,
literally ‘the holiday of ingathering’
(Ex. 23:16), Chag Sukkot, ‘holiday of
booths’ (Dt. 16:13), and Chag Adonai,
‘the Holiday of the Lord’ (Lev. 23:34).
Also, Sukkot was designated as He-
Chag, ‘The Festival’ (I Kigs. 8:65), that
is to say, the most prominent festival of
the year. It is not surprising that King
Solomon chose to dedicate the Temple
in Yerushalaim during the festivities of
Sukkot (I Kigs. 8:2).
As the Bible attests, autumn was
a season of joy, a time of celebration
of the harvest and the ingathering of
grapes. During that time, dances to
music and voices of laughter echoed
from the fields and the vineyards. The
Book of Judges described the celebration
in which He-Chag to the Lord
reached bacchanalian proportions (Jud.
21:19-25). The writers of the Torah
encouraged these festivities saying:
U’smach-tem, ‘rejoice before the Lord,
your God’ (Lev. 23:40), and ve-ha-yi-ta
akh sa-me-ach, ‘you shall have nothing
but joy’ (Dt.16:15).
It becomes clear that sim-cha is
at the center of the Sukkot narratives.
In honor of the holiday, let us briefly
examine the meaning of the word simcha.
The noun sim-cha is derived from
the verb sa-mach, meaning ‘rejoice,’
‘be joyful,’ ‘be glad’ and ‘be happy.’
It is related to the Akka verb sha-mahu,
meaning ‘to sprout’ or ‘to flourish.’
Hence, sim-cha means ‘gladness,’
‘merriment’ and ‘festivity.’ It is not
surprising that over the years many idioms
and phrases were formed based on
the word sim-cha. For example, simchat
olam means ‘boundless joy,’ and
be-sim-cha means ‘with pleasure.’ One
interesting idiom is the one that states:
ain me-ar-be-vin simcha be-sim-cha,
literally, ‘one festive occasion should
not be mixed with another.’ Figuratively,
it implies that in an argument, for
example, one should stick to the point
‘as different matters should not be mingled.’
And since we are celebrating Sukkot,
we should mention the ceremony
Simchat Bet Ha-Sho-e’vah, ‘the rejoicing
of the place of the water drawing’
(based on Isa.12:3). According to
rabbinic sources, on Chol Ha-Moed, tion added to this period of joy at the
‘the intermediate days’ of Sukkot, this end of the festivities of Sukkot, where
celebration reverberated in the court we celebrate the yearly cycle of reading
the Torah.
of the Temple. The flutes played, candles
were lit, and the people danced I wish all our readers a holiday
and sang jubilantly in the Temple court filled with sim-cha, or as we say in
(Suk. 5:2-4). The rabbis added that Hebrew: chag sa-me-ach.
whoever had not seen the joy of Bait Dr. Rachel Zohar Dulin is a professor
Ha-sho-e-vah, had not witnessed real of biblical literature at Spertus College
in Chicago, and a retired adjunct
joy in his life (Suk. 5:1).
Another holiday we should mention
here is Sim-chat Torah, namely College in Sarasota.
professor of Hebrew and Bible at New
‘the joy of Torah,’ a rabbinic celebra-
FED
we are
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jfedsrq.org • 941.371.4546

JEWISH INTEREST
October 2020
Aging Jewishly – What our traditions teach us about growing old
From technoklutz to “Silver Techie” –
COVID-19 pushes seniors into the digital age
By Rabbi Barbara Aiello
The box sat on the kitchen table,
partially opened. Amid the
cardboard and bubble wrap,
the corner of what looked like an electronic
device seemed to taunt Connie
to retrieve it. But
Connie, the recipient
of the “gift,”
was having none
of it. That was
until Connie’s
best friend Joan
stopped by.
“Don’t come
in until you’ve
Rabbi Barbara Aiello sanitized your
hands,” said Connie. “The bottle is by
the door. And wait right there ’til I get
my mask.” Connie, who was now ready
for visitors, motioned for Joan to sit at
the kitchen table. That’s when Joan
saw Connie’s half-opened box with
what appeared to be a state-of-the-art
iPad inside. “OMG,” Joan announced.
“You’ve got an iPad Pro there. Wow!
Lucky you!”
Connie pushed the box toward
her friend – a gesture that seemed to
renounce ownership of her gift. “My
son and granddaughter sent me this…
this… machine for my birthday. You
say ‘Lucky me?’ I say Oy Gevalt! I’m
too old for this stuff.”
Joan shook her head in disbelief
and began to read the promotional
material tucked inside the box, highlighting
for Connie the miraculous
properties of her gift. “It says right here
that you have a magical piece of glass,
faster than most computers, that has a
state-of-the-art camera, too. Your family
gave you a fancy-schmancy iPad
Pro, that BTW, I could kill for, and all
you can say is ‘Oy Gevalt?’ Connie
Dahling, have you lost your marbles?”
Connie’s dilemma and Joan’s reaction
are not unique. In fact, they
demonstrate opposite ends of the digital
continuum compounded for seniors
by the isolation caused by COVID-19.
While Joan has embraced the digital
age, Connie is reluctant to try.
Even before the advent of the pandemic,
research professionals began to
study why some older people were uncomfortable
with digital technologies.
A 2018 study conducted by Lancaster
University in the UK revealed
that, “Fear of making mistakes and wider
concerns about their social responsibility
are among reasons why older
people are rejecting digital technologies.”
STAY CONNECTED
facebook.com/jfedsrq
The study also found that although
many adults enter retirement after having
used computers during their work
lives, and each year more older adults
access the internet, a digital divide exists
between seniors and younger people.
This divide is most obvious in that
“Older adults use significantly fewer
digital applications and spend less time
online than younger adults.”
In recent years, pre-COVID, experts
in aging believed that senior reluctance
to enter the digital age was
grounded in a lack of accessibility. It
was assumed that finding and using a
computer was complicated and difficult
for older adults. The Lancaster University
study determined that accessibility
was not the problem. Instead, they
found that “personally held values to
do with the desirability of technology…
and fears of getting things wrong
when using software are significant
factors holding back technology use
among older adults.”
Seniors also reported concerns regarding
security, especially related to
online banking, were also significant
factors holding them back from the
digital world.
“I haven’t seen my granddaughter
for five months,” Connie said, “and I
want to talk to her on this new gadget
but I’m afraid I’ll mess it up so badly
that it can’t be fixed.”
Dr. Bran Knowles and Professor
Vicki Hanson addressed this and other
issues in their paper, “The Wisdom of
Older Technology (Non) Users” (ACM
Journals). Dr. Knowles found that,
“The fact that digital technologies can
and do make certain jobs obsolete is a
common concern for older adults who
worry about their grandchildren’s job
prospects.” Knowles emphasizes that
developing solutions to attend to this
wider societal problem appears to be
key to fostering acceptance of digital
technologies among older adults.
Researchers also found some older
people, like Connie, use their age
as a cover for distancing themselves
from technology. The researchers call
it “playing the age card” – a myth that
many older adults themselves often
perpetuate so that they don’t have to
deal with electronic advances. It’s the
“can’t teach an old dog new tricks”
syndrome that becomes a psychological
obstacle preventing seniors like
Connie from taking the “gadget” out of
its box.
STAY CONNECTED
twitter.com/jfedsrq
On the bright side, PRNewswire
reports that six out of 10 older adults,
whom they term “Silver Techies,” are
embracing technology – an advancement
brought about, in large part, by
the COVID-19 pandemic. In fact, according
to a new healthinsurance.com
survey, these Medicare-eligible seniors
are overcoming psychological barriers
to become digitally savvy, mainly because
they now find an online meeting
with a doctor or other health professional
an important alternative to an
in-person office visit. Then there are
the Zoom, FaceTime and Skype visits
with family members that, sans digital
technology, would not happen for seniors
during the COVID era.
With the New Year upon us, and
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35
with it a return to the book of B’resheet
(Genesis), we find these words of comfort:
“And God saw everything that
he had made, and behold, it was very
good.” That includes laptops, iPads,
smartphones and apps – the “ganza
megillah” – just waiting for seniors to
explore, appreciate and embrace.
For 10 years Rabbi Barbara Aiello
served the Aviva Campus for Senior
Life as resident rabbi. Her most popular
columns are now published in her
new book, Aging Jewishly, available
on Amazon. Rabbi Barbara now lives
and works in Italy where she is rabbi
of Italy’s first Reconstructionist synagogue.
Contact her at Rabbi@Rabbi
Barbara.com.
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Many of Tidewell’s services are funded by donors.
Visit tidewellfoundation.org to donate or learn more.
MAR200947A

36 October 2020
France introduces its own “Nuremberg Laws”
By Paul R. Bartrop, PhD
An old joke is told about two
Jews, Shlomo and Yakov,
in Warsaw sitting on a park
bench in 1900. Shlomo said to Yakov,
“You look awful. Are you alright?” Yakov
answered that he’d had a horrible
nightmare. “I dreamed that in 40 years
the city will be destroyed.
There will
be war, and all the
Jews will be murdered.”
“Don’t worry,”
said Shlomo. “It
will never happen.
The French aren’t
that bad.”
For many pundits at the turn of the
Dr. Paul Bartrop
century, it was more likely that a major
explosion of antisemitic persecution
would have come from France rather
than its eventual focus, Germany. This
month it will be 80 years since some of
the currents leading to Yakov’s nightmare
came to the fore, when France introduced
legislation that was at least on
par with the Nazis’ Nuremberg Laws
of 1935.
Following the defeat of France by
Germany on June 22, 1940, the country
was divided into two zones: a northern
zone occupied by the German army,
and an unoccupied “free zone” in the
south. The unoccupied zone retained
its nominal independence (although
in many respects it was a puppet of
Germany), with its capital in the resort
town of Vichy, southeast of Paris.
Its president was the World War I
hero, Marshal Philippe Pétain, who
was granted extraordinary powers by
the National Assembly to enact a new
constitution giving him full authority
in the new French government. Pétain,
then aged 84, turned the Vichy regime
into a non-democratic collaborationist
government, operating enthusiastically
with Nazi Germany while remaining
officially neutral.
On October 3, 1940, the government
passed its first widespread anti-Jewish
legislation, the Statut des
Juifs (Jewish Law). This included a
definition of who was a Jew that was
even stricter than what the Nazis had
instituted in Germany. Under Vichy,
someone was Jewish if he or she had
three Jewish grandparents, or two Jewish
grandparents if his or her spouse
was also Jewish. The Statut des Juifs
also entrenched a drastic cutback of
Jewish involvement in French society.
Jews were from this point onwards excluded
from the army officer corps and
noncommissioned officer posts, top
government administration positions,
and any other job that influenced public
opinion. They were only allowed
to hold low-level public service jobs
if they had fought in World War I or
distinguished themselves in battle in
1939-1940.
Further, Jews were denied French
citizenship and were ultimately banned
from professions such as show business,
teaching, the civil service and
journalism. In occupied France (though
not in Vichy), Jews were forced to
wear yellow badges. Police confiscated
their telephones and radios, and a curfew
was enforced beginning in January
1942. Jews were also required to travel
in the last car of the Parisian metro and
were limited to certain public areas.
The Statut des Juifs was followed
Make someone
feel special
by making a donation in
their name.
by a second Statut, issued on June 2,
1941. It made the definition of a Jew
even more rigid, and called for the
complete removal of Jews from industry,
business and the liberal professions.
Only a few Jews were exempted
from these cutbacks.
The impact of the anti-Jewish
laws was profound. They enabled the
French police in the northern zone to
conduct raids, round-ups and deportation
of Jews. In doing so, they went
further than the orders demanded by
the German occupiers. The laws were
created purely on the initiative of the
French government and not by the Germans
themselves. They were not mandated
by Germany, and were to apply
throughout metropolitan France and its
overseas territories.
The speed with which the new
measures took hold was head-spinning.
Denaturalization of Jews in France
took one month; in Germany, it took
six. Whereas in Germany it took over
three years for Jews to be excluded
from the military, in France the process
took only three months. And so on.
As a result, the Vichy regime managed
to maintain public order for the
first two years after the armistice, with
Germany providing little in the way of
interference – other than demanding
that the French police round up immigrant
Jews, communists, political
refugees and any individual labeled as
“undesirable.” The Vichy government
was ahead of the curve, however. It
voluntarily enacted its own measures
JEWISH INTEREST
against these “undesirable” individuals.
A special commission was set up
in July 1940 to review naturalizations
granted since the 1927 reform of the
nationality law. As a result, Vichy denaturalized
approximately 15,000 individuals,
mostly Jews, between June
1940 and August 1944.
Vichy tightened its antisemitic
legislation, applicable in both zones,
during 1941. The first mass arrests of
Jews took place in May 1941, with
most of them held in the winter sports
stadium known as the Vel’d’Hiv. They
were held, in horrifying conditions, for
days prior to being sent to the transit
camp at Drancy before being moved on
to the gas chambers at Auschwitz.
Overall, by the time deportations
ended, the Vichy government had aided
directly in the deportation of approximately
76,000 Jews to German
extermination camps.
The course of anti-Jewish legislation
in France provided fertile ground
for the collaborationist Vichy government
to exercise its racist agenda
during the war. It is worth bearing this
in mind when we contemplate the horrible
darkness that was the Holocaust,
and to reflect on the fact that one did
not have to be a German Nazi in order
to adopt murderous antisemitic policies.
Dr. Paul Bartrop is Professor of History
and the Director of the Center for
Holocaust and Genocide Research at
Florida Gulf Coast University. He can
be reached at pbartrop@fgcu.edu.
Voices of the
HOLOCAUST
Holocaust, Genocide
and Tolerance Education
1,912 Sarasota-Manatee students
learned about the Holocaust from
survivors last year
Listening to your heart-wrenching story, I started
to tear up. Your story of survival moved me and
I will remember you for the rest of my life.
– North Port High School Student
History is not just about events,
it is about human lives.
Inspiring Speakers:
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Invite a Holocaust survivor to your school, synagogue or library.
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Or visit jfedsrq.org/tribute
to donate
jfedsrq.org
941.371.4546

ISRAEL & THE JEWISH WORLD
Call David
941.404.5898
October 2020
“Museum Airlines” takes flight at Tel Aviv’s
Museum of the Jewish People
Children and families can “fly” around the globe through the museum’s
newly launched immersive experience, both in-person and virtually
The Museum of the Jewish People
has temporarily transformed
itself into an “airport terminal”
so children and families can “travel”
the world both in-person and virtually
despite ongoing air travel limited due
to COVID-19 safety concerns. There’s
even a “Museum Airlines” to help visitors’
imaginations take flight.
The museum’s fun new immersive
and interactive experience, which is
geared toward children ages 8-14 and
their families, includes a simulated
airport terminal, complete with all the
sights and sounds. The pretend terminal
features a flight desk, flight board,
baggage claim with luggage, passport
center and much more. There’s even a
money exchange desk and a duty-free
shop as well as signage directing travelers
to their gates, concourses, checkin,
customs and ground transportation
including car rentals, among other
things.
Upon arrival at the museum’s front
desk, visitors are issued a “passport”
and a “boarding pass,” the former
stamped with destinations to visit, and
questions and riddles for the entire
family to solve. Visitors will take a
“flight” in an elevator up to the second
floor, where they’ll embark on their
global travels via two exhibits, “Hallelujah!
Assemble, Pray, Study – Synagogues
Past and Present” and “Let
There Be Laughter – Jewish Humor
Around the World.”
While touring the exhibits and engaging
with installations, interactive
displays, videos, etc., visitors answer
the related passport questions and riddles,
and are transported to cities such
as New York City, Venice, Paris, Amsterdam,
Fes (Morocco), Kochi (India)
and Willemstad (Curaçao), among
others. For example, while in the “Let
There Be Laughter” exhibit, visitors
are asked to answer questions, including:
“In this city, a plot about nothing
takes place with a group of four friends
in a TV series about nothing. What is
the city?”
Upon completion of the “trip,” visitors
can return to the flight desk and,
as a reward for being a frequent flyer,
receive complimentary tickets (one per
person) to the museum’s new Core Exhibition,
which is scheduled to open in
late 2020.
Complementing the in-person
“travel” experience is a free English
language online version and interactive
digital quiz so kids, families and groups
globally can embark on the activity virtually.
The museum, which reopened in
July with enhanced health and safety
measures in place, has mapped out the
entire experience with its 360-degree
video technology so people can navigate
on their own and activate embedded
media. The virtual experience will
be available indefinitely.
For more information about the
“Museum Airlines” experience and the
museum’s full offering of online tours
and activities, visit www.bh.org.il.
About Museum of the Jewish People
The Museum of the Jewish People is
the world’s largest Jewish museum
and the only institution that tells the
unique, ongoing story of the Jewish
people in its entirety, through the lens
of identity, culture and history, as well
as the foundations of Jewish life and
thought across generations. Founded
in 1978 and located in Tel Aviv, the
museum serves as a central destination
for Jewish discourse, engagement and
learning for individuals, families, communities
and organizations from Israel
and around the world.
Now access private sessions
from home via
Now access private sessions
from home via
37
The new three-floor Core Exhibition,
scheduled to open in late 2020,
will expand the museum’s exploration
of Jewish culture and spirituality,
with an increased footprint of 66,000
square feet (~ 6,000 square meters) of
additional gallery space, featuring over
800 images and 450 works from the
museum’s collection, 40 film and multimedia
displays, and 22 interactive
stations.
The museum’s curatorial team is
headed by Dr. Orit Shaham Gover, in
collaboration with the Washington,
D.C.-based exhibition design firm
Gallagher & Associates. For more information
about the Museum of the
Jewish People, visit www.bh.org.il.
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I
50
By Randon Carvel, President; Kim Mullins, Chief Operating Officer;
and Howard Tevlowitz, Chief Executive Officer
n 2020, The Larry & Mary Greenspon
Family Campus for Jewish
Life will begin a tremendous transformation.
Our recent Jewish community
study, showing that our Jewish
population has doubled in the last 18
years, presents The Jewish Federation
of Sarasota-Manatee with huge
opportunities for growth in outreach,
cultural arts partnerships, programs
for families and so much more. Our
community members expressed their
desire for greater connections to other
Jews, more options for engaging with
like-minded individuals, and thoughtprovoking,
innovative educational programs.
Our centrally located 32-acre
campus on McIntosh Road will serve
as the hub for many of these offerings.
Years
Learning and building community
Offering formal K-8 Jewish education
and engagement for our area’s
youth, with our partner, Hershorin
Schiff Community Day School
Educating our community about
diversity, the Holocaust and advocacy
against anti-Semitism, in
the Robert and Esther Heller Israel
Center
Continuing to act as a community
convener, building relationships
with the Jewish and non-Jewish
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Cultural arts, food and programming
Producing innovative, quality programming
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Providing affordable communal
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Bringing the best Jewish thought
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around the world to the Sarasota-
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continued on page 2A
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38 October 2020
How about a modest deal with Israel?
The UAE official smiled at us…and said no
By Jason Isaacson, August 16, 2020
From David Harris, AJC CEO:
American Jewish Committee (AJC) has
been visiting the United Arab Emirates
(UAE and other Gulf Arab countries
for more than 25 years. We have seen
up close the positive evolution of interest
in developing ties with Israel and
some notable examples of them in action.
The UAE-Israel announcement to
establish full relations is both exciting
and transformative.
Jason Isaacson, AJC’s Chief Policy
and Political Affairs Officer, has been
our chief point-person for outreach to
a number of Arab countries, and led
countless AJC delegations to meet with
top officials in their capitals, or in New
York and Washington.
Recognizing AJC’s unique advocacy
role, The Times of Israel asked
Jason to write about the UAE-Israel relationship.
I encourage you to read and
share widely his insightful and beautifully
written op-ed, which the paper’s
opinion editor called “fantastic.”
* * *
After the roar of his approaching
helicopter quieted and he
walked into the stately Abu
Dhabi meeting room where I and a
small group of American Jewish Committee
colleagues awaited him late last
year, the senior Emirati official settled
in for a long and frank discussion about
regional threats and opportunities.
It was by no means our first meeting.
AJC has been traveling regularly
to the Gulf for more than 25 years, and
had first come to know this particular
official when he held a different portfolio
20 years earlier. We had always
discussed the possibility of communicating
more directly and openly with
Israel, and of exploring areas of potential
cooperation.
But our conversation this time,
more than a year after two Israeli ministers
had paid visits to the UAE for
international events – a judo competition
and a telecommunications conference
– and six months after the Trump
administration’s “Peace to Prosperity”
workshop in neighboring Bahrain, was
different. The official was ready for
more.
I asked the official if his government
was willing to pursue the
possibility of concluding a “non-belligerency”
agreement with Israel, a
proposal that had been suggested by
the White House to several moderate
Arab states and promoted by then-
Israeli foreign minister Israel Katz.
He looked at me and my colleagues,
smiled broadly, and said no.
Why, the official asked us, were
we aiming so low? Why, he wanted to
know, should his country not dispense
with baby steps and set as its goal
the establishment of full diplomatic
A memory
ISRAEL & THE JEWISH WORLD
relations?
The “why” of our request was
simple: After years of laying out the
case – in Abu Dhabi and 10 other Arab
capitals – for normalized relations with
Israel, yielding not only a range of
benefits for their own populations, but
also the prospect of leverage to help
the Palestinians in negotiations for an
independent state, my colleagues and I
had tired of asking the impossible. We
had set our sights lower, and even the
modest proposals we had put forward
were rarely seized.
But times had changed. A year
earlier, in October 2018, Sultan Qaboos
of Oman invited Israeli Prime
Minister Netanyahu to visit – the first
such head-of-government visit to a
Gulf state in more than 22 years. A
few months before that, Saudi Crown
Prince Mohammed bin Salman had
spoken openly of Israelis’ “right to
have their own land.” The then-Bahraini
foreign minister, Shaikh Khalid
bin Ahmed Al Khalifa, in the course of
hosting last summer’s workshop, had
given interviews on Israeli television.
Closer to home, the Iranian threat
was growing. In June of last year, a
U.S. surveillance drone flying over
Gulf waters was shot down by Iran,
and two oil tankers were attacked south
of Hormuz. Three months later, Iranian
drones and missiles attacked Saudi
Aramco facilities in Abqaiq and Khurais.
None of these attacks elicited an
immediate military response. Two
months after that, however, when Iranian
Quds Force units in Syria fired
missiles toward Israel, the IDF responded
with a furious counterattack,
destroying Iranian missile and Syrian
anti-aircraft batteries.
The one Middle East state that had
proven, once again, its will and capacity
to confront its own gravest strategic
threat – and that of the UAE – was
Israel. The lesson could not have been
clearer. The official we met in Abu
Dhabi in December left my colleagues
and me with the impression that it was
only a matter of time before his government
would enter into an open partnership
with Israel.
It would be wrong, however, to
cast the historic announcement on
August 13 by President Trump, UAE
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed
and Prime Minister Netanyahu that the
UAE and Israel would normalize relations
as one that was based solely on
security considerations.
Quietly but steadily, commercial
activity between the countries had
been growing for more than a decade.
Israeli technological prowess in critical
sectors was known and admired – and
was a prominent subject of discussion
in AJC visits over the years, in which
we would meet and have detailed talks
with not only government officials and
policy analysts, but business leaders,
as well. Israelis with other passports
were not infrequently sighted in Dubai
hotel lobbies.
Also uniting the Emirates and Israel
was and remains a shared commitment
to combating extremism – as well
as a shared celebration of diversity. No
government initiative more perfectly
represents that defining Emirati characteristic
than the plan announced last
year to undertake construction of a majestic
“Abrahamic Family House” in
Abu Dhabi, with a mosque, a church,
and the first synagogue built in the
continued on page 39
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39 Commentary
43 Focus on Youth
47 Life Cycle
Where your do lars go:
American Friends of
Leket Israel
by, the staff or leadership of The Jewish
Federation of Sarasota-Manat e.
46
16
12
4
Staff Report
and clear,” says Tevlowitz.
NON-PROFIT ORG.
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
MANASOTA FL
PERMIT 167
te l.
57.2
%
gramming, including helping a number
of synagogues make much-needed upgrades
to their technology and audiovisual
systems in order
to provide virtual services
and programs for
our community members,
many of whom are
isolated and alone due to
4.0
9.5
%
26.1
for this phase. The commi t e recommended
and received Board approval
for $157, 60 in grants for the following
programs:
57
3
4
9
26
event. A l answers clearly showed
reluctance on the part of the community.
and films you’ve provided.
continued on page 2
SURVEY RESULTS
.2 Percent Wi l avoid a tending ind
or events for the fores eable future
.2 Percent Have no concern about
a tending ind or events
.0 Percent Would be nervous,
but may sti l a tend ind or events
.5 Percent Wi l a tend so long as CDC/
federal/state guidelines are strictly fo lowed
.1 Percent Think that it is t o
s on to te l
continued on page 2
ISRAEL & THE JEWISH WORLD
October 2020
39
BRIEFS
ISRAEL LAUNCHES
MEDICAL LABORATORY
INTO SPACE
Israel and Italy launched a nano-satellite,
Dido 3, into space recently that
was manufactured by Israel’s Space-
Pharma.
The satellite carries a tiny laboratory
with four medical scientific experiments
to test drug resistance under
conditions of micro-gravity.
The director of the Israeli Space
Agency, Avi Blasberger, said, “Space-
Pharma is currently the only commercial
company, except for NASA, with
a space research laboratory.” (Sarah
Chemla, Jerusalem Post)
ISRAEL TO ESTABLISH
NATIONAL LABORATORY
TO STUDY COVID-19 AND
FUTURE VIRUSES
Due to the urgent need for research on
COVID-19, the Israeli government has
decided to set up a new national laboratory
for the study of viruses at the
Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
The new lab will be built according
to the strict BSL-3 standard, equipped
with a special air-conditioning system
that operates at lower air pressure than
the surrounding environment so that
nothing can spread outwards.
It will also be equipped with advanced
testing and experimentation
tools, and scientists using it will be
provided with high-level protective
gear.
Professor Re’em Sari, Vice President
of Research and Development at
Hebrew University, said, “Until now,
experiments could be conducted on
dead virus samples, but the new lab
will allow researchers to study the behavior
of a living virus, how to identify
it and how to kill it. The lab will
also allow us to develop a vaccine for
the virus, by examining new ideas in
parallel to the work of the commercial
vaccine developers.” (Udi Etzion, Calcalist)
ISRAELI AND ARAB
INTERESTS “HAVE BEGUN
TO COALESCE”
September 3, 2020: In 2015, Dr. Dore
Gold, a former director-general of Israel’s
Foreign Ministry, opened a small
Israeli economic office in the UAE and
is better placed than most to judge the
pace of Israel’s outreach to the Arab
world. He told the Jewish Chronicle
this week that other Arab countries
are quietly falling into line behind the
UAE, driven not only by fear of Iran,
but also by concern at the machinations
of Turkey, where President Erdogan is
trying to revive the status of the Ottoman
Empire.
As far back as 1996, when he first
came into government as foreign policy
adviser to Prime Minister Netanyahu,
“I visited a number of countries,
including Qatar and Oman,” Gold said.
He also went to Paris that year for a
meeting with a senior Saudi diplomat.
When he served as Israel’s ambassador
to the UN between 1997 and
1999, “there was an African country
with a Muslim majority, whose ambassador
was head of the committee for
the inalienable rights of the Palestinians.”
After a fire-and-brimstone
speech to the General Assembly, “he
came up to me and asked, ‘Dore, maybe
you could take me for lunch at one
of your kosher restaurants?’” Today,
Israel and the country have full diplomatic
relations.
“The point here is that countries
are driven by a keen understanding of
their interests. If their interests lead
them to closer ties with Israel, they will
pursue them. First perhaps in a hidden
way, but later in an overt way.... Our
vital interests and those of the Arab
world have begun to really coalesce.
And that makes great opportunity for
dramatic breakthroughs. I am optimistic
with respect to what can be done.”
(Dore Gold interviewed by Jenni Frazer,
Jewish Chronicle - UK)
THE ISRAEL-UAE
AGREEMENT’S GREATEST
ACHIEVEMENT: LITTLE
ARAB PROTEST
As an El Al plane flew over Saudi
Arabia carrying a bevy of Israeli officials
to the Emirates, there were no
demonstrations of consequence in the
Arab world. Amman, Beirut, Tunis, Algiers
and Rabat, where demonstrations
against Israel and the “desecration”
of the al-Aqsa mosque are generally
well-attended, were silent.
There was a din of voices castigating
the UAE for normalizing ties with
Israel, but they emanated mostly from
dinosaur institutions linked with the
Arab League, professional unions and
political movements whose common
characteristic is a fossilized leadership
that has been in place for more than 25
How about a modest deal with Israel?...continued from page 38
Gulf in more than half a century, along
with exhibit and conference space promoting
interreligious understanding.
We look forward to visiting that synagogue,
along with our many friends in
the small but growing Jewish community
of the Emirates.
this October – and then rescheduled
for October 2021, due to COVID-19:
the opening of the grand Dubai Expo,
which bravely would include an Israeli
pavilion, alongside those of 191 other
countries.
Following UAE-Israel normalization,
Before the breakthrough announcement
such “bravery” is a historical arti-
of August 13, the next
sign of warming relations between
the UAE and Israel was scheduled for
fact. Last year, AJC began planning to
attend the Expo, to celebrate a budding
relationship. With that bud now flowering,
we and our Emirati and Israeli
friends will be celebrating all the more
fervently.
Jason Isaacson is Chief Policy and Political
Affairs Officer of the American
Jewish Committee.
The AJC West Coast Florida
office, located in Sarasota, can
be reached at 941.365.4955.
years. In photos taken in both the PA
and Hamas-dominated Gaza, only a
dozen or so demonstrators are shown,
mostly members of the older generation.
The lack of demonstrations was
most assuredly noticed by state leaders
in the Middle East. It is one more sign
of long-term processes of political maturation
in the Arabic-speaking public.
The Arabs taking to the streets today do
not believe the Palestinian nationalist
vision is more deserving of their efforts
and attention than their own struggle
for a better future at home. (Prof. Hillel
Frisch, Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic
Studies-Bar-Ilan University)
THE ARAB WORLD BEGINS
TO REALIZE THAT ISRAEL
IS NOT THE ENEMY
For more than 50 years, diplomatic geniuses
kept telling the world that “the
key to peace in the Middle East is to resolve
the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.”
The convenient corollary was that the
solution was in Israel’s hands, which
kept the Jewish state constantly on the
receiving end of global condemnation.
This camouflaged the plain truth that
the deepest ills of the region have absolutely
nothing to do with Israel or the
Palestinian conflict.
The decision of the UAE to go
public with its open relationship with
Israel represents a paradigm shift as
the dreaded Zionist enemy was publicly
legitimized and validated by a powerful
Arab nation. The Zionist state
is suddenly turning into a source for
solutions and hope rather than hatred.
How can anti-Zionist groups like the
Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS)
movement continue to undermine Israel
if Arab countries announce that it’s
good for the health of their societies
to do business with the Zionist state?
(David Suissa, Los Angeles Jewish
Journal)
Crossword Puzzle
Solution to puzzle on page 31
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A publication of The Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manat e
The La ry & Mary Greenspon Family Campus for Jewish Life
Klingenstein Jewish Center, 580 McIntosh Rd., Sarasota, FL 34232
Celebrating Jewish Life in Sarasot and Manatee Counties, Israel and the World
FEDERATION NEWS
September 2020 - Elul 5780 / Tishrei 5781 www.jfedsrq.org Volume 50, Number 8
INSIDE THIS ISSUE:
13 Community Focus
20 Jewish Interest
25 Jewish Ha penings
38 Israel & the Jewish World
Lechlecha lah – Cha lah baking
taken to a new level
Temple Beth Sholom Catering:
K eping co nected and
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P U B L I S H E D B Y
The Jewish
Federation
OF SARASOTA-MANATEE
THE LARRY & MARY GR ENSPON
FAMILY CAMPUS FOR JEWISH LIFE
Federation to offer all virtual
programming for the 2020-21 season
T
he Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manat
e has made the difficult
decision that a l programs
for the 2020-21 season wi l be virtual.
Chief Executive Officer Howard Tevlowitz
says, “In an effor to keep the
community safe, we feel we have no
choice but to make this decision. The
health of our Federation family is t o
important!”
In addition to the Coronavirus
cases that continue to climb in Florida,
Tevlowitz points to the results of
our recent event survey, which clearly
showed the community is not ready to
attend in-person events for the fores e-
able future. “We have heard you loud
The event survey sent out
via email and social media, was
answered by more than 50 respondents.
They were asked for
f edback about our cu rent virtual
programming and questioned about
how comfortable one would f el attending
in-person events this coming
season. We are so grateful that
so many in our community t ok the
time to let us know their thoughts.
The pie chart at right shows the
answer to the main question: What is
your level of comfort a tending an ind
or event for the coming Fa l-Winter
2020-21 season?
As you can see, an overwhelming
majority would not feel comfortable
a tending or thought it was t o s on to
Other questions included at
what capacity one would a tend an
in-person event, what conditions
would have to be in effect to f el
comfortable to attend an in-person
event (i.e., masks, sanitizers, etc.)
and when would you s e yourself
ready to come ou to an in-person
Federation awards 2 nd phase of COVID-19
assistance to area Jewish organizations
By Kim Adler, Chief Operating Officer, and Stacey Gi lman, Stronger Together Granting Chair
n April of this year, The Jewish
Federation of Sarasota-Manat e
began raising funds to provide
COVID-19 relief to Jewish organizations
in our two-county area. As of
this printing, our generous community
has contributed more than $ 30,000 to
our Stronger Together effort, including
a $1 0, 0 matchin grant from our
board-restricted fund.
Readers may reca l that we distributed
close to $70,000 of those dollars
to eight Jewish organizations and synagogues
in early June to support Food
Security and Health/We lness pro-
L ’Shana Tova!
the pandemic.
In July, the Stronger
Together Granting
Many of the comments wer enlightening.
Here are a few:
I wi l not be a tending in the foreseeable
future. Very glad you are
asking, but no, no and NO !
With an older population to consider,
no ind or events should be
planned until there is a vaccine.
A preciate the varied programs
LEVEL OF COMFORT TO ATTEND INDOOR EVENTS
Commi tee met to review
a plications for the second phase
of the granting process. The response
was overwhelming. The commi t e
received requests totaling more than
was available to distribute, which was
FROM THE BOARD AND STAFF OF
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3 .2% % %
concerning as the plan was to make a
third phase of grants available in early
fa l. After much deliberation, the commi
t e focused its efforts on fulfi ling
those grants that a dre s Food Security
and Health/We lne s programming

40 October 2020 COMMENTARY
What is an apology worth?
From
the
Bimah
Rabbi Michael P. Sternfield
Temple Beth El of Bradenton
& Lakewood Ranch
I
regard the High Holy Days as
“apology season.” On Yom Kippur,
in particular, we express remorse
to God for having fallen short. But we
read as well, “For transgressions that
are between one person and another,
Yom Kippur does not atone until that
person has made peace with the other.”
The first step in making peace
usually begins with an apology. This
first step is the most difficult. It means
swallowing one’s pride, admitting that
we were wrong. There are some who
find it difficult to apologize. In fact,
there are some who, lacking common
decency, never apologize for anything.
The question must be asked: What
is an apology worth?
On the occasion of the 80 th anniversary
of German’s invasion of
Poland, (September 1, 1939) world
leaders gathered there. Germany’s
president Frank-Walter Steinmeier expressed
deep remorse for the suffering
his nation inflicted on Poland and all of
Europe during World War II. He said,
“I bow in mourning to the suffering
of the victims… I ask for forgiveness
for Germany’s historical debt. I affirm
our lasting responsibility.” He spoke of
World War II as a “German crime” that
his nation will never forget.
While I do not doubt his sincerity,
I question whether that apology,
as heartfelt as it seemed to be, was of
much value. Nevertheless, the straightforward
confession of Germany’s
crimes against humanity remains essential
for Germany’s relationship with
the entire world. Much evidence points
to the authenticity of this expression of
remorse. Germany has changed greatly
since those dark days. Although no
words or gestures can possibly atone
for all the misery that Germany and its
allies inflicted on the world, still President
Steinmeier’s words were a necessary
apology.
On an infinitely lesser scale was
the apology of actress Felicity Huffman,
who pled guilty in the corrupt
college admissions scandal. Her words
to the court: “I am in full acceptance of
my guilt, with deep regret and shame
over what I have done. I accept full
responsibility for my actions and will
accept the consequences that stem
from those actions… I especially want
to apologize to the students who work
hard every day to get into college, and
to their parents who make tremendous
sacrifices to support their children.”
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Thank you, Hashem!
From
the
Bimah
Rabbi Zev Steinmetz
Chabad of West Bradenton
Sukkot is the holiday in which
we remember G-d shielding
and protecting the Jewish people
during their travels in the desert.
He formed clouds surrounding them to
smooth out the path in front of them,
and to protect them from the elements
and enemy fire. To remind us that G-d
has and always will protect us, once a
year we go out of the comfort and security
of our home and spend some time
in the sukkah.
Interestingly, the miracle of the
clouds protecting the Jewish people
occurred right after they left Egypt in
the spring. Why are we celebrating this
holiday commemorating G-d’s protection
only now in the fall almost six
months later?
What they have in common is that
both expressed remorse without couching
their apology with equivocation or
in a manner that seemed artificial.
“I’m sorry” is the most difficult
thing to say authentically. That must
be why so many people attempt to soften
their words with excuses, wherein
the value of the apology is weakened
or lost. Of late, various individuals,
having been caught on a microphone
or camera, speaking hate-filled words
or committing acts of violence, have
pleaded, “This is not who I am,” even
though it is exactly who they are. There
are also the perennial classics such
as: “I’m sorry if I hurt your feelings,
but…” “Those closest to me know
that…” and “Let’s move forward.”
These are not apologies. They are
excuses. Minimally, these show that
the person doesn’t understand what
he/she is apologizing for. At worst, it
shows that the person is lying. Either
you did or said it or you didn’t. Saying
“this is not who I am” means one is not
actually taking responsibility, thereby
missing the single most important element
of an authentic apology. By calling
oneself better than their own words
or actions, that person is not taking
ownership. We are all exactly as good
as our best selves and exactly as bad
as our worst selves. That’s just the way
it is.
Instead of “I am not the kind of person
who did or said this terrible thing,”
better they should express, “This is not
who I want to be” or “I’m going to do
better.”
If one is sincere in the desire to
make amends and make things right
with the other, then the apology needs
to be without excuses. If we do not
actually recognize that what we did
was wrong, or if we rationalize (for instance,
“I had one drink too many!” or
“I had just stepped off a long flight and
was exhausted!”), then we’re not doing
what we need to actually do to be the
kind of person we claim we are.
Each of these lame excuses is defective
and therefore worse than useless.
Certainly, Judaism like almost all
other religions, favors reconciliation.
The Pirke Avot is filled with pithy
sayings of the rabbis, e.g. “If your
neighbor has done you a large wrong,
let it be in your eyes a small offense. If
you have done your neighbor a small
wrong, let it be in your eyes a large offense.”
The real question is whether an
apology is worth anything or not. Every
one of us has had reason to apologize
to another person. Jewish tradition
advises us to be generous in our apologies
for the sake of Shalom Bayit.
When we speak of reconciliation, what
most comes to the Jewish mind is the
process that we are urged to undertake
during the High Holy Days. We call
this teshuvah, meaning repentance, of
which the most important component
is to refrain from committing the same
offense again.
Clearly, an insincere apology is
worthless, and actually worse than
none at all. Most apologies come after
some degree of pressure, whether from
others or from within. The mere fact
that one has apologized because they
were compelled to do so should not, in
itself, invalidate the apology. An apology’s
efficacy must be judged on the
result more than on the motivation. If
not, then it was no more than hot air.
So, let me conclude with a few
words of caution. As Oliver Wendell
Holmes once observed: A stiff apology
is merely a second insult. Never ruin an
apology with an excuse.
Perhaps this is the reason: Sukkot
is celebrated in the fall at the time when
the farmers harvest their crops from
the field. This is the time when a farmer
could finally enjoy his year’s worth
of hard work but could possibly forget
to be thankful for the blessing G-d has
bestowed upon him. This is why it is
specifically during this time that we go
out of the comforts of our home and
celebrate in the sukkah (commemorating
the clouds of protection), thanking
G-d for his consistent presence and
protection.
It is very easy to be thankful after
a wondrous miracle such as the Jewish
people leaving Egypt on Passover
or being saved from the evil decree of
Haman on Purim. Sukkot comes along
to remind us that being thankful must
happen every day all the time. Even
when we are blessed with plenty, we
must never forget to say, “Thank you
Hashem!”
This is why the first thing a Jew
does when he wakes up in the morning
is say “Modeh Ani” – a prayer thanking
G-d for returning his soul. We need
to be thankful for even the simple and
seemingly repetitive occurrences that
happen to us every day.
Thank you, Hashem!

A PUBLICATION OF
COMMENTARY
Change of mind
By Rabbi Jonathan R. Katz, Community Chaplain
In my younger rabbinic days, I’d recoil
reading Torah verses regarding
God visiting the iniquity of the fathers
on children and grandchildren to
the third and fourth generations (Exodus
34:6-7). I thought the unfairness of
innocent future generations paying for
Rabbi Jonathan R. Katz
sins committed
by their forebearers
didn’t make
moral sense and
wasn’t reflective
of an equitable
Jewish perspective.
We are responsible
for our
own transgressions, not those of others.
Just as there shouldn’t be vicarious
atonement for sins, neither should
there be vicarious punishment for them
as well.
While it is true that elsewhere in
the Bible we find texts indicating that
children would not, indeed, suffer the
penalty for their antecedents’ trespasses,
the notion is, nonetheless, retained
in the second of the Ten Commandments
(look it up). Why give such a
high profile to a belief that does not
hold up logically or ethically?
Well, I’ve now changed my views
on the matter. We are, ultimately, not
spared from the consequences brought
about by the pernicious actions of
those who came before us. Take, for
example, pollution. Many today suffer
from the consequences of the despoliation
of our water and air that began
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with the dawn of the industrial age
when violations against nature were
commonplace. In a real sense, their
health situation is being requited for
the malfeasance of previous generations.
As prominent writer and social
critic Elbert Hubbard once put it, “We
are punished by our sins, not for them.”
There is a long list of examples of
how contemporary life is affected by
regrettable decisions made many years
ago. Look at slavery. Blacks continue
to endure discrimination and a host
of disparities while society at large is
plagued by reactionary nativism due
to America’s original sin which many
Founding Fathers and nine presidents
sustained in turning a blind eye to trafficking
in human chattel.
We do not live in a vacuum. While
many positive aspects of contemporary
existence are informed by consequential
achievements over the centuries,
so too a great deal of previous human
misconduct has precipitated prejudices
that continue to mar societal virtue.
Those who claim to be divorced
from the deleterious conduct of those
in previous eras and, therefore, unaccountable
for their repercussions are
misguided since the issue is not a question
of guilt, but responsibility. All of
us have the obligation to try to right
wrongs even if we had nothing to do
with their commission. In fact, that is
how we prevent the impact of prior
injustice from continuing to beleaguer
future generations.
Even individuals who’ve come
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October 2020
from other lands to join us as fellow
citizens should assume this duty despite
seeming to be even farther removed
from offenses not of their own
making. Why? Because citizenship not
only includes a nation’s gifts, but also
its burdens.
I am struck by how quickly Jews
stepped off boats from Eastern Europe
and elsewhere and immersed themselves
in American life, though knowing
little English, if any at all. So much
so, that while fighting antisemitism,
they also stood at the vanguard of those
41
seeking equal rights for their African
American countrymen.
Perhaps, from reading the Second
Commandment over and over and appreciating
their own historical experience,
these Jews were keenly aware
of the way evils of one generation can
be visited on other ones long after they
were first perpetrated.
Rabbi Jonathan R. Katz serves as a
Community Chaplain and Director of
JFCS’s Jewish Healing Program. His
position is underwritten by The Jewish
Federation of Sarasota-Manatee.
The tweaking of our
religion has fascinated me
By Joel Kreiss
I
like
being Jewish! It’s not the
god thing that gets to me, it’s the
uniqueness of the religion. Firstly,
as I’ve stated in my last piece, it was
the “invention” of a religion that introduced
the concept of universal fairness.
It laid down guidelines that would help
to make society a better place. It emphasized
fidelity to a universal God
that stressed codes of behavior hitherto
unheard of.
A new nation was in the process of
developing and the laws were designed
to recognize fairness and equitability.
Caring for the widow and child, paying
wages fairly and promptly, and adjudication
of disputes was codified so as to
reduce the possibility of chaos within
the society. And since its inception,
Judaism has taken this original model,
forced study and introspection, resulting
in a constant refinement of itself.
The obvious instructions of study
and discussion have led to our people
being among the most learned throughout
history. Having the foresight to redefine
itself as a Torah-based religion,
as opposed to its original form, a temple
based/sacrificial religion, prevented
it from the waste pile of the countless
religions that came before and since.
One didn’t need a temple anymore to
worship. Anywhere there was a Torah,
was God’s house and a house of study
and prayer.
I visualize the Romans, with the
destruction of the Second Temple creating
the Diaspora, as holding up the
Jews, who represent a dandelion puff
ball, and blowing that puff ball into the
winds. Anyone who has had the joy
of trying to rid their lawn of dandelions
knows that once those puff balls
are let loose, there is no getting rid of
them. We Jews have taken root all over
the world and are still going strong.
The Romans, not so much. So how
come?
It seems to me that Judaism is
a religion that tries to stay relevant
with changing times and societies in
which it finds itself. In a real sense it
is a “reform” religion. It’s this tweaking
of our religion that has fascinated
me. Because we encourage study and
debate, we have established tacit approval
to question the “why,” leading
to potential changes in ritual and social
behavior while still being Jews. The
understanding of our core beliefs, our
social contract, our constant search for
“what is good,” as Micah so eloquently
stated in 6:6-6:9, or Amos in 5:21-5:24,
is the real message in all our studies.
And when we study and debate,
we are creating, in our daily or weekly
gathering, a Living Talmud. All those
rabbis of old added a tile to the mosaic
of our Jewish understanding. We are
encouraging others to give their interpretations,
their tile, to the Torah passage
under study. We are unknowingly
being helped by someone else’s viewpoint
to see, to feel, the world as never
before. How exciting! What potential
beauty awaits us if we only stop to see
and listen. It reminds me of a poem I
wrote a while back, inspired by a little
flower:
In the style of Marcel Proust
JACARANDA TREE
It was early spring,
I was passing by as usual, Not
noticing you.
You were just part of “what is.”
Nothing special.
For many months, you bared your
innermost self to me, And I walked on.
I’m sorry. Then you dropped a purple
leaf, I stopped and admired that leaf…
(Or was it a tear?) And looked up.
You were beginning to don your
purple summery dress.
I smiled, you nodded slightly in the
Gentle spring breeze.
Now each time I pass, I notice You.
Your dress getting fuller, And I thank
you.
Your color more vibrant,
And I thank you.
Your scent perfuming the air,
And I thank you.
And I thank you for calling to me That
spring afternoon,
When a drop of purple rain
Caused my foot to falter,
And my eyes to see.
Joel Kreiss is a past president of the
Jewish Congregation of Venice.
Opinions printed in The Jewish News of Sarasota-Manatee
do not necessarily reflect those of The Jewish Federation
of Sarasota-Manatee, its Board of Directors or staff.

42 October 2020 COMMENTARY
Israel’s challenges and hopes
By Harold M. Halpern
Last month, I speculated why
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
did not begin the proceedings
to annex the settlements and/
or the Jordan Valley in the West Bank
on July 1 as he promised during his last
campaign.
Now we know why. President
Donald Trump was negotiating an
agreement with the United Arab Emirates
(UAE) and
Israel for normalization
of relations.
Netanyahu
was required by
the agreement to
forgo annexation
in return for the
Harold M. Halpern
first-ever agreement
with an
Arab country based upon the concept
of “Peace for Peace.”
The announcement of the normalization
agreement unleashed optimistic
hopes for normalization of relations
with all the other Sunni Gulf States:
Sudan, Morocco and ultimately with
Standing Up to Hate
Saudi Arabia.
The euphoric reaction that peace
was on the horizon for Israel and the
Middle East has been tempered. The
Palestinians expressed angrily that the
UAE broke the agreement among the
Arab nations of no normalization with
Israel until Israel made peace with
them. Iran threatened action against
the UAE.
To date, as I write this column at
the end of August, many of the Arab nations,
including Saudi Arabia, have announced
that they are not ready to enter
into normalization with Israel. This is a
mild response. These countries continue
to work and trade with Israel behind
the scenes. They realize that they have
common interests with Israel including
the need to suppress Iran against its destabilizing
and threatening actions.
The hope of Trump and Netanyahu
is that the Palestinians, with pressure
from the Arab nations, will realize
that the time has come to return to the
negotiating table. They have said “no”
for 20 years, relying on the support,
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Tuesday, October 13, 2020 at 7:30 pm
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including financial, from other Arab
nations.
I have discussed this with Israelis
on the street, members of my family
and friends living in Israel, and with
Israeli political writers, and read many
of the opinion columns. Some are optimistic
that the Palestinians will come
to the table to take part in the benefits
and not be left behind.
I am not of the mind that we will
see negotiations in the near future.
I will welcome events to prove me
wrong. In the interim, Israel and the
UAE will derive the benefits of their
new open relationship.
The agreement gave a sigh of relief
to those who opposed annexation.
But it provided no relief from the
public dissatisfaction with Netanyahu’s
erratic efforts to control the pandemic
and its devastating effect on the
economy.
If dealing with COVID-19 wasn’t
enough, the government was confronted
with another crisis.
Netanyahu demanded that the coalition
agreement be amended to provide
for a one-year budget instead of a
two-year one. If a budget was not adopted
by August 25, the Knesset would
be automatically dissolved and new
elections held. Netanyahu also wanted
more power over the appointment of
the Attorney General, State Prosecutor
and Police Chief. They are the gatekeepers
against crimes and corruption.
Benny Gantz, leader of the Blue
White in coalition with Netanyahu, has
veto authority. He insisted that the coalition
agreement with Netanyahu be
observed.
Neither Netanyahu nor Gantz
would move from their positions. Just
hours before the deadline, both agreed
to kick the issue down the road for 120
days.
This leaves many important government
services underfunded. Both
Netanyahu and Gantz have been criticized
for putting their political futures
ahead of needed government unity.
Uncertainty continues until December.
If no agreement is reached at
that time, the government is again teetering
with new elections required.
While the instability of the government
was being played out, Hamas, in
Gaza, was sending incendiary balloons
into the south, wreaking havoc with the
Israeli farms. In the north, Hezbollah,
in de facto control of Lebanon, tested
Israel security on the Lebanese and
Syrian border. As I write this, Israel
is retaliating by bombing in both the
south and north to deter further Hamas
and Hezbollah attacks.
The government is caught between
a rock and a hard place. The coalition
has two leaders who don’t get along.
Each has veto power over government
action. Without an election, the government
will continue to be ineffectual.
But if they go to election, which
would be the fourth in two years, the
campaign and election will take place
during the pandemic. Elections are a
drain on the budget.
Israel society is almost equally divided
by those who support Netanyahu
and those who oppose him. An election
would likely result in another standoff.
Netanyahu has been Prime Minister
for 12 years. This is longer than
anyone else. He has led Israel to diplomatic
and economic success. Despite
being surrounded by danger, he has
kept Israel safe and secure. But now he
may have lost the trust of many on a
personal level.
His trial on fraud, bribery and
breach of trust resumes in January. Will
this be the time when Netanyahu’s time
runs out? Even the most revered Prime
Ministers, David Ben-Gurion, Golda
Meir and Menachem Begin, realized
their time had come to resign in favor
of new leadership.
I am constitutionally incapable of
being a doomsayer. I am confident that
Israel, despite the current difficulties,
will overcome as it has done throughout
its history and remain a strong Jewish
and democratic nation.
Harold Halpern is a retired attorney
living in Lakewood Ranch Florida. He
is a member of the Board of Directors
of the American Association of Jewish
Lawyers and Jurists, and of the board
of the West Coast Florida Chapter of
the American Jewish Committee.
What do you think?
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Letters to the editor should not exceed 300 words, must be typed, and include the
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or email (jewishnews18@gmail.com). Not all letters will be published. Letters may be
edited for length and content.
MOVING?
Be sure THE JEWISH NEWS follows you to your new home.
Send your new address to Bonnie at bsouther@jfedsrq.org or 941.371.4546 x0

COMMENTARY
October 2020
Israel, UAE establish diplomatic relations
By Rabbi Howard A. Simon
Nes gadol haya sham – a great
miracle happened there. Israel
and the United Arab Emirates
(UAE) have agreed to establish a peace
treaty between the two countries that
will include direct flights, reciprocal
embassies and other bilateral
agreements that bring
the two closer together.
Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu stated the
following regarding the
new agreement: “Today
we usher in a new era of
peace between Israel and
the Arab world. There is a
good chance we will soon
see more Arab countries
joining this expanding circle of peace.”
The question is, how did this important
event come to take place? The
answer is the concerns that both Israel
and the UAE have regarding the desire
of Iran to spread its influence in the
Middle East. Both countries see Iran as
a threat to their way of life and a major
concern as Iran continues to develop
its nuclear capacity. Crown Prince Mohammed
bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the dayto-day
ruler of the UAE, also shares
Israel’s mistrust of Islamist groups
such as the Muslim Brotherhood and
the Gaza Strip’s ruling Hamas militant
group. Israel, the strongest military
power in the region, represents a symbol
of strength that the United Arab
Emirates respects and counts on in this
confrontation with Iran.
Rabbi Howard A. Simon
The deal caught Iran by surprise,
but that did not stop Iran’s President,
Hassan Rouhani, from expressing
Iran’s dissatisfaction regarding the arrangement.
Rouhani said, “We warn
the Emirates – don’t open the region
for the Zionist regime
to step in. Things will
change and will be dealt
with in a different way.”
Anger has been expressed,
but no military
action is expected to follow
on the threatening
words of Iran’s leader.
Iran is not prepared to
engage in a confrontation
with Israel, preferring to
stand back and watch what, if any, further
developments take place.
The deal was finalized when Israel
agreed to put a hold on its plan to
annex West Bank land sought by the
Palestinians. That concession, however,
had little or no meaning for the
Palestinians. A spokesman for Palestinian
President Mahmoud Abbas
said, “The deal amounts to treason
and should be reversed.” This agreement
also weakens the tenuous position
of President Abbas, who is already
dealing with the worst economic situation
the country has experienced in
years.
Prime Minister Netanyahu has
been involved in advancing the relations
between Israel and the Arab
world for years. He believes that the
PaiSanO’s
BEST
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BAKERY
build. advocate.
remember.
STAY CONNECTED
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43
shared concern regarding Iran and the
threat of other militant groups in the
Middle East pave the way for positive
relations with like-minded countries.
The UAE-Israel deal proves the validity
of his thinking. Israel wants peace
in the region and acceptance by the
Arab world working together to gain
that peace. This is a gigantic first step.
We wait to see what happens. May
this be the beginning of talks throughout
the world bringing former contesting
nations together in this quest for
peace.
Rabbi Howard A. Simon is the founding
chair of the Robert and Esther
Heller Community Relations Committee,
formerly known as the Heller IAI.
941.926.8422
2732 Stickney Point Road
ITALIAN BAKERY
•Rugalach • Strudel
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support.
Government Affairs
Meetings with elected officials are increasingly important as we see support for Israel
eroding around the world. Advocating for Jewish interests starts locally and often goes
to Washington D.C. You can count on the Heller CRC when it matters most, from
advocating in our local school systems to championing national bills.
2019
WINNER
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Robert and Esther Heller
CRC
COMMUNITY RELATIONS COMMITTEE
^ Builds Bridges
^ Advocates through Government Affairs
^ Remembers the Holocaust
Holocaust
Heller CRC assists school teachers, synagogues, churches and libraries to “Never
Forget.” The Holocaust Speakers Bureau brings survivors’ personal stories to school
children and adults alike. Classrooms Without Borders takes elite teachers
each year to Poland with a survivor. These experiences change how they
teach the Holocaust, helping them create upstanders in their schools.
HELLER CRC’S MISSION
To build relationships within the
Jewish and non-Jewish communities
and to advance common interests
through education and advocacy.
jfedsrq.org/HellerCRC

44 October 2020 FOCUS ON YOUTH
Temple Sinai’s week of Maccabiah Games
starts with exciting Ultimate Scavenger Hunt
By Gail Glickman and Bethany Leinweber
Temple Sinai youth and families
had a delightful time during
the week of Maccabiah games
(MACARONA 2020) August 2-7. On
Sunday, August 2, families met in the
temple parking lot and took off for an
around-the-town Scavenger Hunt to
start the adventure. They had to read
clues, go to the spot, take a picture and
send it to Geveret Bethany. It was an
hour of family fun!
When the Scavenger Hunt ended,
MACARONA 2020 broke and families
received a bag of goodies and
activities to do for a week of Virtual
Maccabiah. They were split into two
teams: Blue Buffs and Green Masks.
During the week, they had challenges
to do at home. Competitions included
candy sushi, songwriting and composing
a Jewish melody, jump rope, creative
masks, and Zoom kahoots. Blue
Team took the win, but in the end, they
became Turquoise to be one Kehillah
Kedosha (holy community).
The games were led by Bethany
Leinweber, Director of Youth Education,
Outreach & Engagement. Temple
Sinai’s SAFETY board with Deb Bryan,
Youth Group Advisor, helped lead
programming as well as judge the entries.
Ethan Freeman, age 9, co-captain
of the Blue team, said, “The MACA-
RONA really made me feel that winning
doesn’t matter but having fun
does, and multiple brains are better
than one. The MACARONA was really
fun.”
Alix Leinweber, age 12, exclaimed,
“Even though we did not win, it was so
much fun!”
Sheena Lambright shared the enthusiasm
of Liana, age 8, co-captain
of the Green team, and Preston, age 5.
“What a great experience! Even though
it was virtual, it was such a great interactive
way to get the kids, families,
teams and the temple to come together.
We can’t wait to participate next
year!”
Bethany declared, “This was the
first of many such games, as everyone
enjoyed it so much!”
For information on Temple Sinai’s
Religious School, email bleinweber@
sinaiSRQ.org.
Steven, Liana, Preston and Sheena Lambright enjoy the games Alix Leinweber Ethan Freeman creates a movie poster
CORE VALUES
RESPECT
INTEGRITY
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RESPONSIBILITY
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Inspiring
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Character education and our core values define the ODA experience.
LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR PROGRAMS
941-203-3640 | www.ODA.edu/discover
Historic Siesta Key Campus: Pre-K - Grade 5 | Uihlein Campus in Lakewood Ranch: Grades 6 - 12 | Sarasota, FL

FOCUS ON YOUTH
October 2020
Community Day School purchases property
for new school campus
Hershorin Schiff Community
Day School has announced it
is in the final stages of purchasing
the nearly nine-acre former
school property at the corner of McIntosh
and Wilkinson Roads. The next
step – the $5 million “Owning Our
Future” campaign – has recently been
launched to fund the construction of
two new buildings and grow its endowment.
The school plans to move for the
2021-2022 school year.
“Even in the midst of a pandemic,
we have been thrilled at the response
from supporters who believe in our educational
philosophy and understand
how crucial it is for our school to design
and own its future,” said Board of
Trustees Co-chair Mitch Blumenthal.
Significant gifts have already been
made by Mitch and Colleen Blumenthal,
the Hershorin family, Rosenthal
Roots Family Foundation, Gary and
Barbara Rodkin, Daniel E. Offutt III
Charitable Trust, Darren and Rachel
Saltzberg, Jeffrey Bain and Rabbi Anat
Moskowitz, and the Kaplan family.
“I believe the school can have a
positive impact on the community with
the values that are instilled in the students
there: respect, inclusion and intellectual
curiosity,” said Gary Rodkin.
“The kids who go through Community
Day School will figure out how to
make the world a better place.”
At its new location, the school will
be able to accommodate families who
45
are currently on waitlists, will achieve
greater financial independence and – as
the owners and managers of the campus
– will have the freedom to adapt
and adjust its facilities to meet any new
programming or arising need.
To get involved with the “Owning
Our Future” campaign, please call
941.552.2770.
Head of School Dan Ceaser with “Owning Our Future” capital campaign co-chairs
Rachel and Darren Saltzberg on Community Day School’s new campus
stay connected @ jfedsrq.org
Serving Preschool - Grade 8
Socially distanced classes with low student:teacher ratios
Instruction tailored to each student's individual needs
Extensive outdoor learning and play in every grade
Hebrew and Spanish offered for all students
Daily fine arts
Athletics opportunities for all K-8 students
Medical professional on-site
Convenient hours for working parents
Accredited by FCIS, FKC, and Prizmah
Flexible online learning option available for grades Pre K-8
| communityday.org
941-552-2770
1050 S. Tuttle Avenue | Sarasota, FL 34237
READ— SING— DANCE— GATHER— GROW
PJ Library ® has partnered with The Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee
to provide families raising Jewish children with the gift of free, high-quality
children’s books, music, and resources that foster deeper engagement with
Jewish life in our community.
Join one of our PJ programs below
to start enhancing your family’s Jewish journey.
Children Ages 6 mo. thru 8 years
Sign-up at JFEDSRQ.org/PJ
Children Ages 8 thru 12 years
Sign-up at pjourway.org
For more information, contact
Andrea Eiffert
aeiffert@jfedsrq.org
941.552.6308
PJ Library Sarasota-Manatee is generously
funded in part by Edie and David Chaifetz.
F A M I L Y
E V E N T
PJ SUKKAH CHALLENGE!
Make and decorate your own PJ-sized sukkah,
and then join us for the big reveal!
Collect a large cardboard box and decorate it with all the symbols
and traditions of Sukkot. Then, show off your efforts during our
ZOOM sukkah challenge on Simchat Torah!
WHEN
Sunday,
October 11
3:30pm
WHERE
ZOOM
(please register
to receive the meeting link.)
COST
This Event
is FREE
For more information please contact Andrea Eiffert at
941.552.6308 or aeiffert@jfedsrq.org.
SPONSORED BY
Presents
Register at JFEDSRQ.org/PJ

46 October 2020 FOCUS ON YOUTH
“Why are you Jewish?”
As a member of Temple Emanu-El’s
2018 Confirmation
class, Leo Glickman delivered
a speech entitled “Why Are You Jewish?”
that was adapted for the congregation’s
“Our Jewish Stories” project,
created and curated by Bruce Black.
Now 18 and a freshman at University
of Central Florida, Leo was invited
to share these words
during Temple Emanu-El’s
inaugural Yom
Kippur symposium this
year:
“Why are you Jewish?”
It’s the question we
have all heard countless
times. Even though the
question was so frequent,
I was still searching
for an answer.
Why am I Jewish?
Since my birth, Judaism
has been a pillar of my life. I am
the son of two rabbis, and that’s about
as Jewish as it gets. I attended a Jewish
preschool and elementary school, and
Temple Emanu-El has always been a
second home. My friends were Jewish,
my family was Jewish, and I had a dog
named Mazel. Judaism was so deeply
integrated in my life that I never really
thought about it.
I don’t think it was until I began
to attend public school that I realized I
was a minority. Trying to fit in, I found
myself laughing off the occasional antisemitic
joke, or simply avoiding the
topic of religion. It was a bittersweet
moment when I realized that Judaism
made me different.
Maybe it wasn’t easy at first, but
today I wear my Judaism
proudly. Living in
a country where my religion
is a minority, I realize
now that Judaism
is truly beautiful. Being
outnumbered, we fellow
Jews stick together. We
are one big family. I feel
personally connected
to any Jewish person in
the world. We all feel
the joy when a fellow
Jew succeeds, and we
Leo Glickman
all feel the pain when
a fellow Jew, even one we will never
meet, fails. I know that if I am ever going
through a hard time, I can look to
my Jewish family for support.
Being a Jew has provided so much
for me, but I guess it still doesn’t answer
the question. “Why am I Jewish?”
I think the answer is, “I simply
wouldn’t be Leo Glickman without
it.”
For a continuously updated community
calendar, visit jfedsrq.org/events
An intergenerational partnership between
STEP and Aviva—A Campus for Senior Life
Jewish high school students from Sarasota and Manatee are invited to
participate in this virtual volunteer opportunity fostering relationships
with senior living residents. Teens will develop skills in leadership,
responsibility, empathy, communication and more.
Approximately two-hours a week from mid-October through mid-February.
EARN VOLUNTEER
HOURS
For more information and to apply go to
JFEDSRQ.org/STEP
For more information, contact
Andrea Eiffert at: 941.552.6308 or aeiffert@jfedsrq.org
RECEIVE A
CERTIFICATE OF
COMPLETION
1
TEEN TRAVEL
ADVENTURES
Where will YOUR adventure take you?
The Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee and its generous
donors are committed to providing teen travel scholarships
for educational, experiential and exploratory programs.
ALERT!
Applications are now being accepted for March
of the Living, Send-a-Kid-to-Israel-Program
and Alexander Muss High School in Israel.
Deadline is 4:00 PM on Friday, November 20, 2020.
NO LATE OR INCOMPLETE APPLICATIONS WILL BE ACCEPTED.
Scholarship interviews will be held on
Tuesday, December 15, 2020, via ZOOM.
INTERVIEWS
To learn more about our teen travel programs and
scholarships, visit the website below.
Experience an
unforgettable,
life-changing trip
with other
11th & 12th grade
students from
around the world!
• Spend a week in Poland
• March from Auschwitz to
Birkenau on Yom HaShoah
with thousands of fellow Jews
• Spend a week in Israel during
Yom Hazikaron and Yom
Ha’atzmaut
• See and hear the incredible sites and
sounds of our homeland!
APRIL 5-18
2021
TENTATIVE
All scholarships are contingent
upon confirmation that program
will commence.
For more information, go online to:
JFEDSRQ.org/MOL
APPLY BY NOV. 20, 2020
Got Questions? Contact Andrea Eiffert at
941.552.6308 or aeiffert@jfedsrq.org
JFEDSRQ.org/TEEN-TRAVEL
or contact Andrea Eiffert at
941.552.6308 or aeiffert@jfedsrq.org
The Larry & Mary Greenspon Family Campus for Jewish Life
Klingenstein Jewish Center
580 McIntosh Rd, Sarasota, FL 34232
941.371.4546 • JFEDSRQ.org/MOL

LIFE CYCLE
October 2020
47
ANNIVERSARIES
65 th Stan & Louise Levinson
Temple Emanu-El
60 th Leslie & Regene Aberson
Temple Emanu-El
40 th Gerald & Suzette Seigel
Temple Emanu-El
35 th Alida & Lambertus Blom
Temple Beth Sholom
30 th Susan & David Cahn
Temple Beth Sholom
25 th Julie & Joshua Green
Temple Beth Sholom
25 th Jeanne & Andrew Marlowe
Temple Sinai
10 th Joel & Sherrie Eisenberg
Temple Emanu-El
10 th Jason & Shera Friedman
Temple Emanu-El
10 th Missy & Dr. Ryan Jawitz
Temple Emanu-El
10 th Rabbi Samantha & Matt Kahn
Temple Sinai
10 th Robert & Sharon Miles
Temple Emanu-El
10 th Carrie & Eric Wolff
Temple Emanu-El
5 th Lisa & Keith Grabisch
Temple Emanu-El
B’NAI MITZVAH
Mia Amdur, daughter of Justine & Adam Amdur, October 24, Temple Emanu-El
IN MEMORIAM
Harriet Bernbaum, 93, of Longboat Key and Highland Park, IL, August 7
Frank Castre, 74, of Sarasota, August 7
Marcia Freedman, 86, of Sarasota, formerly of Albany, NY, August 21
William Gnerre, 81, of Sarasota, formerly of Hackenesack, NJ, July 27
Herman Greenberg, 83, of Venice, August 5
Allen Gribben, 77 of Sarasota, formerly of New Tripoli, PA, August 28
Ronald Kurlander, 83, of Sarasota, formerly of the Bronx, NY, July 23
Judith Lebowich, 74, of Sarasota, August 4
Elaine Loring, 94, of Sarasota, August 14
Rabbi Larry Mahrer, of Sarasota and Egg Harbor Township, NJ, May 8
Morton Mandle, 97, of Sarasota, formerly of Chicago, IL, August 11
Arlene Miller, 70, of Sarasota, February 1
Frederick Rilling, 92, of Sarasota, August 15
Dr. Arthur Sandler, 91, of Sarasota, August 31
John Sossi, 96, of Sarasota, formerly of Forest Hills, NY, August 19
Suzanne Stone, 59, of Port Charlotte, July 23
Martin Tucker, 92, of Redding, CT, formerly of Venice, August 3
Submit your life cycle events (births, B’nai Mitzvah,
anniversaries) to jewishnews@jfedsrq.org.
Photos welcome; please email as JPGs at 300dpi.
Sarasota-Manatee Chevra Kadisha
For more information about the non-profit,
community, Jewish Burial Society, contact:
For men: 941-484-2790
For women: 941-346-6446
1050 S. Tuttle Avenue, Sarasota, FL 34237
ROBERT TOALE AND SONS
FUNERAL HOME
PALMS MEMORIAL PARK
MANASOTA MEMORIAL PARK
WIEGAND CHAPEL
Announcing the development of a NEW FACILITY IN LAKEWOOD RANCH
located near the corner of Lakewood Ranch Blvd. and 44th Ave.
Gerald “Gerry” Ronkin
Jewish Community Liaison
170 Honore Avenue
Sarasota, Florida 34232
Office 941-371-4962
Cell 941-809-5195
Gerry.Ronkin@DignityMemorial.com
DignityMemorial.com
RTSFunerals.com
Not affiliated with Toale Brothers Funeral Home or Toale Brothers Inc.
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Our firms will serve your family with all precautions,
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FUNERAL SERVICES
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David Gross
Funeral Director
2426 Bee Ridge Rd.
Sarasota, FL 941-955-1075
Susie, Jason, Jeff, Hannah, Robert and Debbie
If you or a family you know would like to discuss options for services, cremation, Life
Story Celebrations, or returning to their home state up north, we have answers available.
FAMILY
Family Owned. Family Focused.
Announcing the development of a NEW FACILITY IN LAKEWOOD RANCH
located near the corner of Lakewood Ranch Blvd. and 44th Ave.
PALMS MEMORIAL PARK
170 Honore Avenue, Sarasota, FL 34232
941.371.4962 • Fax 941.295.7009
WIEGAND CHAPEL
7454 South Tamiami Trail, Sarasota, FL 34231
941.921.5755 • Fax 941.923.0113
Proud to be a part of Sarasota’s history.
Honored to be a part of your family’s celebration of life.
941.955.4171 • www.ToaleBrothers.com
MANASOTA MEMORIAL PARK
1221 53rd Avenue East, Bradenton, FL 34203
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Not affiliated with Toale Brothers Funeral Home
or Toale Brothers Inc.

48 October 2020
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Presented by
PEOPLE OF THE BOOK
2020-21 Author Lecture Series
All events take place
virtually via Zoom
October 14, 2020 – June 17, 2021
25 Events • 26 Authors
Featuring
Alexandra Silber
Stephen Tobolowsky
Alana Newhouse
Sign up now at jfedsrq.org/books or call 941.552.6305
Support the People of the Book series
by becoming a Sponsor!
Or purchase a Page Turner Pass
to all 25 events for only $108 (a $250 value)
Early-bird offer: $97 thru October 6

Support the People of the Book series
by becoming a Sponsor!
People of the Book Sponsor Levels and Benefits
Sponsor Benefits:
Tax deductible amount
Silver Bronze Copper Pewter
$5,000 $2,500 $1,000 $540
$3,050 $1,170 $210 $270
Admission to all 25 additional events 1
yes yes yes yes
Invite additional participants to all events 2
6 4 2
Free books of your choice 3
10 4 2 1
Post-event virtual meet & greets with authors 4
yes yes
Recognition in People of the Book marketing 5
B W J S B W S W S S
1
Sponsors receive admission to all 25 scheduled events (October 14, 2020 - June 17, 2021) plus any added to the series.
2
Sponsors may invite additional households to all events. The number depends on the sponsor level.
3
Number of books based on sponsor level. Authors will sign bookplates when possible.
4
Opportunity to attend post-events with authors with the additional invited households. Events TBA at a later date.
5
B: Digital event brochure; W: People of the Book website; J: Jewish News ads; S: On screen prior to events
Books to be Presented at People of the Book
Books are listed in the order they will be presented:
Stephen Tobolowsky: My Adventures With God
Alana Newhouse: The 100 Most Jewish Foods
Alexandra Silber: White Hot Grief Parade
Bess Kalb: Nobody Will Tell You This But Me
Jason Rosenthal: My Wife Said You May Want to Marry Me
Parnaz Foroutan: Home is a Stranger
Danielle Renov: Peas Love & Carrots
Butnick & Leibovitz: The Newish Jewish Encyclopedia
Rabbi Corinne Copnick: A Rabbi at Sea
Alan Zweibel: Laugh Lines
Ben Sheehan: OMG WTF Does the Constitution Actually Say?
Myla Goldberg: Feast Your Eyes
Susan Jane Gilman: Donna Has Left the Building
Rachel Barenbaum: A Bend in the Stars
Meg Waite Clayton: The Last Train to London
Lynda Cohen Loigman: The Wartime Sisters
Raffi Berg: Red Sea Spies
Steven Zipperstein: Law and the Arab-Israeli Conflict
Maurice Samuels: The Betrayal of the Duchess
Pamela Nadell: America’s Jewish Women
Janice Kaplan: The Genius of Women
Bill Haltom: Why Can’t Mother Vote?
Debbie Cenziper: Citizen 865
Michael Dobbs: The Unwanted
Neal Bascomb: Faster
Use this form to record your book choices. Sponsors should contact Jeremy Lisitza
at 941.343.2113 or jlisitza@jfedsrq.org to order their free books.
FEATURED EVENTS:
Wednesday, October 14 • 7:00 pm
An Evening with Stephen Tobolowsky
Actor / Writer / Director
If you are not familiar with the name Stephen Tobolowsky, you
will certainly recognize his face! The quintessential character
actor, Stephen has appeared in more than 100 movies and 200
television shows, including unforgettable roles in Mississippi
Burning, Groundhog Day and Glee. He is also the consummate
storyteller – warm, funny and profound.
My Adventures With God, Stephen’s second book, is a collection
of humorous, introspective stories that tells of a boy
growing up in the wilds of Texas finding and losing love,
losing and finding himself – all told through the prism of
the Torah and Talmud, mixed with insights from science,
and refined through a child’s sense of wonder. My Adventures
With God not only shines a light into the life of one of
America’s most beloved actors, but also provides a structure to
evaluate our own lives and relationship with God.
This masterful storyteller will be sharing a story from the book,
followed by what is sure to be a lively discussion.
Tickets: $10 per household
“These are true stories from my life. Most are funny. Some are not.
They’re often unbelievable, occasionally creepy. Together they tell a
bigger story of how we are shaped by the invisible. Something I call
divine. Something I hope becomes wisdom.” – Stephen Tobolowsky
Wednesday, October 28 • 7:00 pm
Alana Newhouse • The 100 Most Jewish Foods
Tickets: $10 per household;
$25 with a copy of the hardcover book
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, 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.
“Your gift giv ing prob lems are
now over. Just stock up on
The 100 Most Jew ish Foods.
The appro pri ate gift for any
occa sion.” – Jewish Book Council

NOVEMBER SERIES: MEMOIR
Monday, November 2 • 7:00 pm
Alexandra Silber • White Hot Grief Parade
Alexandra “Al” Silber seems to have everything: brilliance, beauty and talent in spades.
But when her beloved father dies after a decade-long battle with cancer when she is just
a teenager, it feels like the end of everything. Lost in grief, Al and her mother hardly
know where to begin with the rest of their lives. Into this grieving house burst Al’s three
friends from theater camp, determined to help out as only drama students know how.
Over the course of that winter, the household will do battle with everything Death can
throw at them – meddling relatives, merciless bureaucracy, soul-sapping sadness, the
endless Tupperware. They will learn (almost) everything about love and will eventually
return to the world, each altered by their time in a home by a river. Told with raw
passion, candor and wit, White Hot Grief Parade is an ode to the restorative power of
family and friendship – and the unbreakable bond, even in death, between father and
daughter.
Alexandra Silber is an actress and Grammy-nominated singer who starred as Tzeitel in the Broadway revival of
Fiddler on the Roof, and Hodel in the same show in London’s West End. Her other credits include Master Class,
Arlington, Carousel, Kiss Me Kate and Cabaret. She lives in New York City.
Tuesday, November 3 • 2:00 pm
Bess Kalb • Nobody Will Tell You This But Me
Bess Kalb, Emmy-nominated TV writer and The New Yorker contributor, saved every
voicemail her grandmother, Bobby Bell, ever left her. Bobby was a force – irrepressible,
glamorous, unapologetically opinionated. Bobby doted on Bess; Bess adored Bobby.
Then at 90, Bobby died. But in this debut memoir, Bobby is speaking to Bess once more
in a voice as passionate as it ever was in life. Recounting both family lore and family
secrets, Bobby brings us four generations of indomitable women and the men who loved
them. There’s Bobby’s mother, who traveled solo from Belarus to America in the 1880s
to escape the pogroms, and Bess’s mother, a 1970s rebel who always fought against
convention. Then, there’s Bess, who grew up in New York and entered the rough-andtumble
world of LA television. Her grandma Bobby was with her all the way. She was
the light of Bess’s childhood and her fiercest supporter, giving Bess unequivocal love.
Bess Kalb is an Emmy-nominated writer for Jimmy Kimmel Live. Her writing for the
show earned her a Writer’s Guild Award in 2016. She has also written for the Oscars and the Emmys. A regular
contributor to The New Yorker’s “Daily Shouts,” her work has been published in The New Republic, Grantland,
Salon.com, Wired, The Nation and elsewhere.
The Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee
thanks these media sponsors for their support
of the 2020-21 People of the Book series
Authors appearing in the
monthly series of the People of
the Book are members of the
Jewish Book Council Network.
NOVEMBER SERIES: MEMOIR
Wednesday, November 4 • 7:00 pm
Jason B. Rosenthal • My Wife Said You May Want to Marry Me
$18 per
household
for all 4 events!
On March 3, 2017, beloved children’s book author Amy Krouse Rosenthal published an
extraordinary essay in The New York Times’ Modern Love column entitled “You May Want
to Marry My Husband.” Coming out a mere 10 days before Amy’s death from ovarian
cancer, the piece – a creative and heartbreaking play on a personal ad – encouraged her
husband Jason to find happiness after she died. The column went viral, reaching over five
million people worldwide and sparking an emotional conversation about love and loss. In
his memoir, Jason details their remarkable love story, it’s painful end, and what happened
after. In tracing the tapestry of his life with Amy, Jason recalls a storybook marriage that
ended far too soon. He offers sage advice for others suffering from loss, and shares how
Amy’s Modern Love column became her final gift to him, granting him the freedom to
imagine what the rest of his life could look like. The end result is a tender rumination on
finding yourself in the wake of tremendous loss, and discovering ways to look toward a
brighter future. What Amy wanted for Jason, and for his life after her, was more – more
bravery, more happiness, more experiences to cherish with their children.
Jason B. Rosenthal is the number one New York Times bestselling author of Dear Boy, cowritten with his
daughter Paris. He is the board chair of the Amy Krouse Rosenthal Foundation, which supports both childhood
literacy and research in early detection of ovarian cancer. A lawyer, public speaker and devoted father of three, he
is passionate about helping others find ways to fill their blank spaces as he continues to fill his own.
Thursday, November 5 • 2:00 pm
Parnaz Foroutan • Home is a Stranger
Unmoored by the death of her father and disenchanted by the American dream, Parnaz
Foroutan leaves Los Angeles for Iran 19 years after her family fled the religious police
state brought in by the Islamic theocracy. From the moment Parnaz steps off the plane
in Tehran, she contends with a world she only partially understands. Struggling with her
own identity in a culture that feels both foreign and familiar, she tries to find a place for
herself between the American girl she is and the woman she hopes to become. Written with
the same literary grace and passion as her fiction, Home is a Stranger is a memoir about
the meaning of desire, the transcendence of boundaries, and the journey to find home.
Parnaz Foroutan is the author of The Girl from the Garden, which received the PEN
Emerging Voices Award and was named one of Booklist’s “Top 10 First Novels”
of 2015.
2020-2021 Torch Sponsors
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The Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee offers its very
deep appreciation to the 2020-21 Season Torch Sponsors!
They support our Federation’s efforts to bring quality events and
programs to our local community and help fund crucial services for
people in need in Sarasota-Manatee, in Israel and around the world.

DECEMBER SERIES: JEWISH IDENTITY
Thursday, December 10 • 10:30 am
Danielle Renov • Peas, Love & Carrots – The Cookbook
This is a cookbook for everyone. Filled with over 360 recipes of all varieties:
easy, involved, Ashkenazi, Sephardic, Middle Eastern, weekday, Shabbos...truly
something for everyone on any given day!
Danielle Renov is the blogger/influencer behind the popular brand, website
www.peaslovencarrots.com and Instagram account @peaslovencarrots. From
her kitchen in Israel, she creates delicious and approachable recipes, lifestyle
tips and hacks, and shares all things motherhood and family related. But mostly,
it’s food. Half Moroccan and half Ashkenazi, Danielle was born and raised in
Long Island, New York. After her marriage, she and her husband Eli moved to
Israel, where they’ve lived with their children ever since. Danielle is a living
melting pot of the cultures she was born into and those she now lives among. The
Machane Yehuda Shuk in Jerusalem is where she spends her days, wandering its
alleyways, chatting up vendors and making new friends. Food is the medium she uses to express her love to
those around her, and she is looking forward to bringing more peas and love into the world by helping others
gather people around tables everywhere, filled with yummy food and happy tummies!
Tuesday, December 15 • 7:00 pm
Stephanie Butnick & Liel Leibovitz
The Newish Jewish Encyclopedia
This highly entertaining encyclopedia of all things Jewish and Jew-ish
covers culture, religion, history, habits, language and more. Readers will
refresh their knowledge of the Patriarchs and Matriarchs, the artistry of
Barbra Streisand, the significance of the Oslo Accords, the meaning of
words like balaboosta, balagan, bashert and bageling. Understand all the
major and minor holidays. Learn how the Jews invented Hollywood.
Remind themselves why they need to read Hannah Arendt, watch Seinfeld,
listen to Leonard Cohen. Includes hundreds of photos, charts, infographics
and illustrations. It’s a lot.
Stephanie Butnick is the deputy editor of Tablet and has written for The
New York Times and The Wall Street Journal. She has a bachelor’s degree
in religion from Duke and a master’s in religious studies from NYU.
Liel Leibovitz is a senior writer for Tablet and author of several books,
including A Broken Hallelujah, a spiritual biography of Leonard Cohen.
$18 per
household
for all 3 events!
Wednesday, December 16 • 7:00 pm
Rabbi Corrine Copnick • A Rabbi at Sea
While most people were enjoying well-deserved retirement, at age 73, author
Rabbi Corinne Copnick began her six-year course of study and was ordained
a rabbi at the age of 79. The ordination was the beginning of a new adventure;
she’s had an unconventional “pulpit.” In A Rabbi at Sea, Rabbi Copnick narrates
40 interconnected stories of her travel experiences as a guest rabbi on cruise
ships. On every journey and in every country visited, she discovered and explored
Jewish life – from Hawaii to Australia, the Mediterranean, North Africa,
Southeast Asia, Central and South America, and everywhere in between. Offering
a global perspective, she presents a host of insights about the culture and the
people she encountered throughout her travels.
Rabbi Corinne Copnick has a professional background in the arts – a radio actress
in her youth, an art gallery owner in mid-life, and an award-winning writer
throughout. She is the founder of Beit Kulam, an adult education group in L.A.,
and serves as a dayan in a rabbinic court. During the last several years, she has
sailed as a guest rabbi on multiple cruises.
JANUARY SERIES: ARTS & CULTURE
Tuesday, January 5 • 7:00 pm
Alan Zweibel • Laugh Lines – My Life Helping Funny People Be Funnier
Alan Zweibel started his comedy career selling jokes for seven dollars apiece to
the last of the Borscht Belt standups. Then one night, despite bombing on stage,
he caught the attention of Lorne Michaels and became one of the first writers at
Saturday Night Live, where he penned classic material for Gilda Radner, John
Belushi and all of the original “Not Ready For Prime Time Players.” From
SNL, he went on to have a hand in a series of landmark shows – from It’s Garry
Shandling’s Show to Curb Your Enthusiasm. Throughout the pages of Laugh
Lines, Zweibel weaves together his own stories and interviews with his friends
and contemporaries including Richard Lewis, Eric Idle, Bob Saget, Sarah Silverman,
Dave Barry and Carl Reiner. The book also features a charming foreword
from his friend of 45 years, Billy Crystal.
Alan Zweibel has won multiple Emmy and Writers Guild of America awards
for his work in television. He also collaborated with Billy Crystal on the Tony
Award-winning Broadway play 700 Sundays, and won the Thurber Prize for
American Humor for his novel, The Other Shulman.
Wednesday, January 6 • 7:00 pm
Ben Sheehan • OMG WTF Does the Constitution Actually Say?
Thursday, January 7 • 10:30 am
Myla Goldberg • Feast Your Eyes
Do you know what the Constitution ACTUALLY says? This witty and highly
relevant annotation of our founding document is the go-to guide to how
our government really works (or is supposed to work). Written by political
savant and entertainment veteran Ben Sheehan, and vetted for accuracy by
experts in the field of constitutional law, OMG WTF Does the Constitution
Actually Say? is an entertaining and accessible guide that explains what the
Constitution actually lays out. With clear notes and graphics on everything
from presidential powers to Supreme Court nominations to hidden loopholes,
Sheehan walks us through the entire Constitution, from its preamble to its
final amendment (with a bonus section on the Declaration of Independence).
Ben Sheehan is a former award-winning executive producer at Funny Or
Die. He founded OMG WTF (Ohio, Michigan, Georgia, Wisconsin, Texas,
Florida) to teach voters about state-level races during the 2018 midterms. The
Hollywood Reporter named him one of entertainment’s 35 Rising Executives
Under 35.
Feast Your Eyes, framed as the catalogue notes from a photography show at the
Museum of Modern Art, tells the life story of Lillian Preston: “America’s Worst
Mother, America’s Bravest Mother, America’s Worst Photographer or America’s
Greatest Photographer, depending on who was talking.” After discovering photography
and moving to New York City, Lillian is arrested and thrust into the
national spotlight when a small gallery exhibits partially nude photographs of
Lillian and her daughter Samantha, changing the course of both of their lives.
Narrated by Samantha, the book reads as a collection of her memories, interviews
with Lillian’s friends and lovers, and excerpts from Lillian’s journals and
letters – a collage of stories and impressions, together amounting to an astounding
portrait of a mother and an artist dedicated, above all, to a vision of beauty,
truth and authenticity.
Myla Goldberg is the bestselling author of The False Friend, Wickett’s Remedy
and Bee Season, which was a New York Times Notable Book, a winner of
the Borders New Voices Prize, a finalist for the Hemingway Foundation/PEN
Award, and was adapted to film and widely translated.
$18 per
household
for all 3 events!

FEBRUARY SERIES: FICTION
Monday, February 8 • 10:30 am
Susan Jane Gilman • Donna Has Left the Building
Forty-five-year-old Donna Koczynski is a former “bad Jewish girl” – a failed punk
rocker and recovering alcoholic. Now, she’s a wise-aleck wife and mother moldering
in the Detroit suburbs. That is until she returns home one day to the surprise of a lifetime.
As her world implodes, she sets off on an epic road trip to reclaim everything she
believes she’s sacrificed since her wild youth: great friendship, passionate love and
her art. Yet as she careens across America, nothing turns out as planned. Ultimately,
she finds herself on a remote Greek island instead, embroiled in the Syrian refugee
crisis. There she comes face-to-face with the legacy and responsibilities of her Jewish
heritage. She becomes humbled – and part of a much greater team committed to tikkun
olam. Donna Has Left the Building is an unforgettable tale about spiritual awakening
and what it really means to love in today’s big, broken, beautiful world.
Susan Jane Gilman is the bestselling author of Hypocrite in a Pouffy White Dress,
Kiss My Tiara, Undress Me in the Temple of Heaven and The Ice Cream Queen of
Orchard Street. She has provided commentary for NPR and written for The New York
Times, Los Angeles Times and Ms. magazine, among others.
$18 per
household
for all 4 events!
Tuesday, February 9 • 2:00 pm
Rachel Barenbaum • A Bend in the Stars
This novel is an epic love story and heart-pounding journey across WWI-era Russia
about a brilliant young scientist racing against Einstein to solve one of the greatest
mysteries of the universe. In 1914, as war with Germany looms and the Czar’s army
tightens its grip on the local Jewish community, Miri Abramov and her physicist
brother, Vanya, face an impossible decision. Miri and Vanya were raised by a famous
matchmaker who taught them to protect themselves at all costs. With headstrong Miri
on the verge of becoming one of Russia’s only female surgeons, and Vanya hoping
to solve the final puzzles of Einstein’s theory of relativity, how can they bear to
leave their homeland? But when war is declared and Vanya disappears, Miri braves
the firing squad to find him, as not only her own family’s safety but the future of
science itself hangs in the balance. Grounded in history, A Bend in the Stars offers
a heart-stopping account of science’s greatest race amidst the chaos of World War I.
Rachel Barenbaum’s debut novel, A Bend in the Stars, was named a New York Times
Summer Reading Selection. Her second novel, The History of Time Travel, is forthcoming.
She has degrees from Harvard in Business, and Literature and Philosophy.
Presented by
PEOPLE OF THE BOOK
2020-21 Author Lecture Series
All events take place
virtually via Zoom
FEBRUARY SERIES: FICTION
Wednesday, February 10 • 7:00 pm
Meg Waite Clayton • The Last Train to London
A Kindertransport survivor
will join the author during
her presentation.
Based on true events, The Last Train to London tells the story of a Dutchwoman who,
working with British and Austrian Jews, faces down Adolf Eichmann to rescue thousands
of children from Nazi-occupied Vienna. In 1936, the Nazis are little more than
brutish bores to 15-year-old Stephan, the son of a wealthy and influential Jewish family
and budding playwright. Stephan’s best friend, Žofie-Helene, is a Christian whose
mother edits a progressive anti-Nazi newspaper. But the two adolescents’ carefree
innocence is shattered when the Nazis take control. Dutchwoman Truus Wijsmuller
risks her life smuggling Jewish children out of Nazi Germany. After Britain passes a
measure to take in child refugees, “Tante Truus” dares to approach Adolf Eichmann in
a race against time to bring children like Stephan, his brother Walter and Žofie-Helene
on a perilous journey to an uncertain future.
Meg Waite Clayton’s screenplay for The Last Train to London was chosen for Meryl
Streep and Nicole Kidman, sponsored by The Writers Lab. Meg’s novels include The
Race for Paris and The Wednesday Sisters, an Entertainment Weekly 25 Essential Best
Friend Novels of all time. She has published some 100 short pieces in the Los Angeles
Times, The New York Times, The Washington Post, Forbes and Runners World.
Thursday, February 11 • 2:00 pm
Lynda Cohen Loigman • The Wartime Sisters
Two estranged sisters, raised in Brooklyn, and each burdened with her own shocking
secret, are reunited at the Springfield Armory in the early days of WWII. While one
sister lives in relative ease on the bucolic Armory campus as an officer’s wife, the
other arrives as a war widow and takes a position in the Armory factories as a “soldier
of production.” Resentment festers between the two, and secrets are shattered when
a mysterious figure from the past reemerges in their lives.
Lynda Cohen Loigman grew up in Longmeadow, Massachusetts. She received a
BA in English and American Literature from Harvard College and a law degree from
Columbia Law School. Lynda practiced trusts and estates law in New York City for
eight years before moving out of the city to raise her two children with her husband.
She wrote The Two-Family House while she was a student of the Writing Institute
at Sarah Lawrence College. The Two-Family House was chosen by Goodreads as a
best book of the month for March 2016 and was a nominee for the Goodreads 2016
Choice Awards in Historical Fiction. The Wartime Sisters is her second novel.
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APRIL SERIES: HISTORY
Tuesday, April 13 • 2:00 pm
Raffi Berg • Red Sea Spies – The True Story of Mossad’s Fake Diving Resort
In the early 1980s, on a remote part of the Sudanese coast, a new luxury resort opened
for business. Catering to divers, it attracted guests from around the world. Little did
the guests know that the staff members were undercover spies, working for the Mossad
– the Israeli secret service. This page-turner tells the true story that inspired the
recent Netflix drama The Red Sea Diving Resort. What began with one cryptic message
pleading for help, turned into the secret evacuation of thousands of Ethiopian Jews and
the spiriting of them to Israel.
Raffi Berg is the Middle East editor of the BBC News website, and has extensive experience
reporting on Israel and the wider region. His article, scratching the surface of
this story, was the most-read original feature in the history of the site, with more than
5.5 million readers to date.
$18 per
household
for all 3 events!
Wednesday, April 14 • 2:00 pm
Steven E. Zipperstein • Law and the Arab-Israeli Conflict
During the early years of the Arab-Jewish conflict in Palestine, the parties repeatedly used
the law to gain leverage against each other and influence international opinion. By the late
1920s and 1930s, the conflict had become as much a battle fought in the courtroom as in
the streets, playing out in three separate trials, focusing primarily on two issues: the legality
of the Balfour Declaration and the Mandate for Palestine; and the parties’ rights and claims
to the Wailing Wall. In two instances – the Shaw Commission in 1929 and the Lofgren
Commission in 1930 – Arabs and Jews faced off against each other in full-blown trials
before British and international judges. In a third instance, the 1936-37 Peel Commission,
the parties used witness testimony and extensive written submissions to continue their legal
advocacy. The arguments the parties made in those three trials continue resonating in the
conflict today, nearly 100 years later.
Steven E. Zipperstein, a former U.S. federal prosecutor, is a Senior Fellow at the Center
for Middle East Development at UCLA. He also teaches in UCLA’s Global Studies program
and School of Public Affairs, and as a Visiting Professor at Tel Aviv University Law School.
Thursday, April 15 • 10:30 am
Maurice Samuels • The Betrayal of the Duchess
The year was 1832 and the French royal family was in exile, driven out by yet another
revolution. From a drafty Scottish castle, the duchesse de Berry – the mother of the 11-yearold
heir to the throne – hatched a plot to restore the Bourbon dynasty. For months, she
commanded a guerilla army and evaded capture by disguising herself as a man. But soon
she was betrayed by her trusted advisor, Simon Deutz, the son of France’s Chief Rabbi.
The betrayal became a cause célèbre for Bourbon loyalists and ignited a firestorm of hate
against France’s Jews. By blaming an entire people for the actions of a single man, the
duchess’s supporters set the terms for the century of antisemitism that followed. Brimming
with intrigue and lush detail, The Betrayal of the Duchess is the riveting story of a
high-spirited woman, the charming but volatile young man who double-crossed her, and
the birth of one of the modern world’s most deadly forms of hatred.
Maurice Samuels is the Betty Jane Anlyan Professor of French at Yale University, chair
of the program in Judaic studies, and founder and director of the Yale Program for the
Study of Antisemitism. He is the author of three books, including The Spectacular Past
and Inventing the Israelite. Prior to teaching at Yale, he was a professor at the University
of Pennsylvania after completing his Ph.D. at Harvard.
MAY SERIES: WOMEN
Monday, May 10 • 2:00 pm
Pamela Nadell • America’s Jewish Women
In America’s Jewish Women: A History from Colonial Times to Today, Pamela Nadell
asks what does it mean to be a Jewish woman in America? Weaving together stories
from the colonial era’s matriarch Grace Nathan and her great-granddaughter poet Emma
Lazarus to union organizer Bessie Hillman and the great justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg,
Nadell shows two threads binding the nation’s Jewish women: a strong sense of self and
a resolute commitment to making the world a better place. Informed by the shared values
of America’s founding and Jewish identity, America’s Jewish women – the well-known
and the scores of activists, workers, wives and mothers whose names linger on among
their communities – left deep footprints in the history of the nation they call home.
Professor Pamela Nadell holds the Patrick Clendenen Chair in Women’s and Gender
History at American University where she directs the Jewish Studies Program and received
the university’s highest award, Scholar/Teacher of the Year. Her books include
Women Who Would Be Rabbis: A History of Women’s Ordination, 1889-1985. She is
the recipient of the American Jewish Historical Society’s Lee Max Friedman Award for
distinguished service.
Tuesday, May 11 • 2:00 pm
Janice Kaplan • The Genius of Women
We tell girls that they can be anything, so why do 90% of Americans believe that geniuses
are almost always men? Janice Kaplan explores the powerful forces that have rigged
the system – and celebrates the women geniuses past and present who have triumphed
anyway. Using her unique mix of memoir, narrative and inspiration, Kaplan makes
surprising discoveries about women geniuses now and throughout history in fields from
music to robotics. Through interviews with neuroscientists, psychologists and dozens of
women geniuses at work in the world today, she proves that genius isn’t just about talent.
In The Genius of Women, you’ll learn how these women ignored obstacles and broke
down seemingly unshakable barriers. The geniuses in this moving, powerful and very
entertaining book provide more than inspiration – they offer a clear blueprint to everyone
who wants to find her own path and move forward with passion.
Janice Kaplan has enjoyed wide success as a magazine editor, television producer,
writer and journalist. The former editor-in-chief of Parade magazine, she is the author
or coauthor of 14 books, including New York Times bestsellers The Gratitude Diaries
and I’ll See You Again.
Wednesday, May 12 • 7:00 pm
Bill Haltom • Why Can’t Mother Vote?
This is the story of Joseph Hanover, an unsung hero of the fight for women’s suffrage,
100 years ago. Hanover, an Orthodox Jew, had fled Poland in 1895 to escape the Czar
of Russia and the pogroms. This immigrant and his family found a new life in Memphis,
Tennessee. As a young new citizen of the United States, he read the Constitution and
became deeply patriotic about his new homeland. But he could not understand why the
rights set forth in the Constitution were not extended to all Americans. He asked his
parents, “Why can’t mother vote?” He went to night law school, became a lawyer and
was elected to the Tennessee Legislature. There, in August 1920, he led the successful
fight for the ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment to the Constitution, giving women
the right to vote. It passed the Tennessee Legislature by one vote, making Tennessee the
36 th and deciding state to ratify the Amendment, making it the law of the land.
Bill Haltom is an award-winning newspaper and magazine columnist, a past editor of
the American Bar Association’s ABA Journal and author of eight books.
$18 per
household
for all 3 events!

JUNE SERIES: HOLOCAUST
Tuesday, June 15 • 7:00 pm
Debbie Cenziper • Citizen 865
In 1990, in a basement archive in Prague, two American historians made a startling discovery:
a Nazi roster from 1945 that no Western investigator had ever seen. The long-forgotten
document helped unravel the details behind the most lethal killing operation in World War II.
In the Polish village of Trawniki, the SS set up a school for mass murder and then recruited
an army of 5,000 soldiers to help annihilate the Jewish population of occupied Poland. After
the war, some of these men vanished, making their way to the United States and blending into
communities across America, their terrible secrets intact. In a story spanning seven decades,
Citizen 865 chronicles the harrowing wartime journeys of two Jewish orphans who outran
the men of Trawniki and settled in the U.S., only to learn that some of their onetime captors
had followed. A tenacious team of Nazi hunters pursued these men, and up against the forces
of time and political opposition, battled to the present day to remove them from U.S. soil.
Debbie Cenziper is an investigative journalist and author based in Washington, D.C. A
contributing reporter for the investigative team at The Washington Post, she has won many
major awards in American print journalism including the 2007 Pulitzer Prize and the Robert
F. Kennedy award for human rights reporting.
Wednesday, June 16 • 2:00 pm
Michael Dobbs • The Unwanted
Winner of the 2019 Jewish Book Club Award for Holocaust Studies, The Unwanted examines
U.S. immigration policy under President Franklin D. Roosevelt through the prism of
a small Jewish community on the edge of the Black Forest. It describes the quest for U.S.
visas at a time when, according to journalist Dorothy Thompson, “a piece of paper with
a stamp on it” was “the difference between life and death.” Battling formidable bureaucratic
obstacles, some Kippenheim Jews make it to the United States while others perish
in refugee camps in France and other countries. Many are murdered in Auschwitz, their
applications for American visas still “pending.” Dobbs links their fate to the heated debates
among U.S. officials over whether to admit refugees amid growing concerns about “fifth
columnists” at a time when the American public was deeply isolationist, xenophobic and
antisemitic. The Holocaust is a German story, first and foremost, but it has an American
foreign policy dimension, meticulously explored in this book.
Michael Dobbs is an author and former journalist for The Washington Post. He has written
six books, including The Unwanted. He won the 2019 National Jewish Book Award for
Holocaust Studies.
Thursday, June 17 • 7:00 pm
Neal Bascomb • Faster
They were the unlikeliest of heroes. Rene Dreyfus, a former top driver on the international
racecar circuit, had been banned from the best European teams – and fastest cars
– by the mid-1930s because of his Jewish heritage. Charles Weiffenbach, head of the
down-on-its-luck automaker Delahaye, was desperately trying to save his company as
the world teetered toward the brink. Lucy Schell, the adventurous daughter of an American
multi-millionaire, yearned to reclaim the glory of her rally-driving days. As Nazi
Germany launched its campaign of racial terror and pushed the world toward war, these
three misfits banded together to challenge Hitler’s dominance at the apex of motorsport:
the Grand Prix. Their quest for redemption culminated in a remarkable race that is still
talked about in racing circles to this day – but which, soon after it ended, Hitler attempted
to completely erase from history. Bringing to life this glamorous era and the sport that
defined it, Faster chronicles one of the most inspiring, death-defying upsets of all time:
a symbolic blow against the Nazis during history’s darkest hour.
Neal Bascomb is the award-winning and New York Times bestselling author of The Winter
Fortress, Hunting Eichmann and The Perfect Mile, among others.
$18 per
household
for all 3 events!
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Page Turner Pass: All 25 events @ $108
(early-bird offer: $97 thru October 6)
Add a copy of Alana Newhouse’s book for $15
A $250 value!
Option 3:
Personalize your experience and choose individual events:
Featured Events:
Wednesday, October 14 at 7:00 pm – Stephen Tobolowsky @ $10
Wednesday, October 28 at 7:00 pm – Alana Newhouse @ $10
ticket and a copy of The 100 Most Jewish Foods @ $25
November – Memoir:
Monday, November 2 at 7:00 pm – Alexandra Silber
Tuesday, November 3 at 2:00 pm – Bess Kalb
Wednesday, November 4 at 7:00 pm – Jason Rosenthal
Thursday, November 5 at 2:00 pm – Parnaz Foroutan
Monthly Themed Events:
Tickets are $10 per event or $18 for each monthly series
December – Jewish Identity:
Thursday, December 10 at 10:30 am – Danielle Renov
Tuesday, December 15 at 7:00 pm – Butnick & Leibovitz
Wednesday, December 16 at 7:00 pm – Rabbi Corinne Copnick
January – Arts & Culture:
Tuesday, January 5 at 7:00 pm – Alan Zweibel
Wednesday, January 6 at 7:00 pm – Ben Sheehan
Thursday, January 7 at 10:30 am – Myla Goldberg
April – History:
Tuesday, April 13 at 2:00 pm – Raffi Berg
Wednesday, April 14 at 2:00 pm – Steven Zipperstein
Wednesday, April 15 at 10:30 am – Maurice Samuels
May – Women:
Monday, May 10 at 2:00 pm – Pamela Nadell
Tuesday, May 11 at 2:00 pm – Janice Kaplan
Wednesday, May 12 at 7:00 pm – Bill Haltom
June – Holocaust:
Tuesday, June 15 at 7:00 pm – Debbie Cenziper
Wednesday, June 16 at 2:00 pm – Michael Dobbs
Thursday, June 17 at 7:00 pm – Neal Bascomb
PEOPLE OF THE BOOK
February – Fiction:
Monday, February 8 at 10:30 am – Susan Jane Gilman
Tuesday, February 9 at 2:00 pm – Rachel Barenbaum
Wednesday, February 10 at 7:00 pm – Meg Waite Clayton
Thursday, February 11 at 2:00 pm – Lynda Cohen Loigman
Presented by

The Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee thanks these corporate
sponsors for their support of the 2020-21 People of the Book
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XNLV19214
Women’ s
The
Event
An Evening With Jamie Bernstein and Alexandra Silber
NEWS
JAZZ
NPR
CLASSICAL
WUSF.ORG
Photo by Steve Sherman
MONDAY, DECEMBER 7 • 7:00 pm
Via Zoom • Tickets: $10
Co-Chairs: Janis Collier
and Wendy Mann Resnick
Photo by Michael Kushner
LEONARD BERNSTEIN’s eldest daughter, Jamie Bernstein,
shares a rare and intimate look at her father on the centennial of his
birth in her new memoir, Famous Father Girl: A Memoir of Growing
Up Bernstein. Jamie is joined by Broadway performer Alexandra
Silber (Fiddler on the Roof ) for an endearing and entertaining
conversation and a selection of the Maestro’s most famous songs.
TO REGISTER, VISIT JFEDSRQ.ORG/EVENTS
QUESTIONS?
Contact Gisele Pintchuck
at 941.706.0029 or
gpintchuck@jfedsrq.org
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