Jewish American Heritage Month

Posted By admin on May 28, 2020

My father was a poster boy for Zionism. He was never in the limelight but after he found his Judaism, then participated on a Jewish Federation mission to Israel, he dedicated his entire life to Israel.

Starting with the Yom Kippur War in 1973, every day he wore an Israel Must Live button everywhere. (Some even believed he wore it to bed.) During the 1970s oil embargo, when some cars displayed Burn Jews Not Oil stickers, my dads bumper sticker read, Israels Fate Is the Fate of the U.S. That was on his car until a few months ago, when he stopped driving to work.

My dad, Edward Saltzberg, was born in Los Angeles in 1932, the grandson of a Yiddish stage actress from Winnipeg, Canada. When he was a little boy, his father got cancer and basically moved to City of Hope. (While critically sick, he used to sneak out to work to support the family.) After my grandfather died, my grandmother placed my dad in a Jewish orphanage, Vista Del Mar, during the week so she could work several jobs.

While in his teens, my dad worked on barbecues that his adopted father had patented and manufactured. His responsibility was cutting, sanding and placing insulation into the barbecues. That insulation was made of asbestos, and likely because of that, my dad died this month from mesothelioma.

While we were growing up, our presents were always small because, as my dad explained, Israel needed our money more than we did. Needless to say, I resented Israel from an early age.

After my dad returned from his first mission to Israel, he voluntarily began fundraising several hours a week for the Jewish Federation. He told me a story about going to a mansion in Beverly Hills to solicit funds. He spoke to a man about Israels urgent need for support and, after several hours, the man said to my dad: Youve made great points. Last year, I gave $100, and Im glad to let you know that this year, Im upping it to $150. Crushed, my father never again fundraised, although he continued to volunteer his time in many areas.

Years later, a man excitedlyapproached my dad, calling him by his first name but my dad had no idea who he was. The man said that years earlier, my dad had spent hours at his home in Beverly Hills speaking passionately about Israel, and it excited him so much that hes now the chairman of this committee and on that finance committee and so on.Obviously, the lesson is that we never know which seeds that we plant will take hold and grow.

Early on, my dad searched for his religious identity, even exploring Catholicism and Hinduism. One day, during his 20s, while my sister Diane was on the porch coloring with her friend, my dad heard the little girl say to my sister, You color Jesus and Ill color the Jews killing him. My sister later asked my dad, If shes Catholic, what are we? Shaken, and understanding that his kids needed to know their Jewish heritage, he quickly joined a small Reform congregation that was renting space from a church in Westwood.

My fathers dream was to live in Israel, but it never happened.

To this day, I recall standing on Mulholland Drive as Rabbi Isaiah Zeldin stuck his shovel into the dirt for the groundbreaking of Stephen S. Wise Temple, often said to be the largest Reform congregation in the world. My first Hebrew school teacher was Metuka Benjamin, who became an internationally recognized educator.

My fathers dream was to live in Israel, but it never happened. However, from his home in Los Angeles, his dedication to Israel led to a son, granddaughter and grandson all servingin the Israel Defense Forces even though all were born in the U.S. And his Zionist seeds ultimately led to the founding of The Israel Group, an organization dedicated to fighting for Israel in the Diaspora.

Starting as a journeyman plumber and paying his way through college, my dad became one of the nations most respected and honored plumbing and mechanical engineers. He wrote many of Los Angeles plumbing codes that are still used today. My father received countless industry awards and a Wikipedia entry but his Zionism and decades of work for the benefit of Israel have never been publicly acknowledged. Im trying to rectify that here.

Right now, I know my dad is still wearing his Israel Must Live button. And thanks to Zionists like him in the Diaspora, Israel will!

Jack Saltzberg is the president and founder of The Israel Group, a nonprofit dedicated to protecting Israel and fighting against the boycott, divestment and sanctions movement.

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The Unsung Plumber Who Laid the Foundations for the Zionist Organization 'The Israel Group' - Jewish Journal

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Posted By admin on May 28, 2020

Ive watched Uncut Gems a number of times, and each has been a different experience. Sometimes Ive been with one friend or two. A couple of times Ive been stoned. Once I was with my parents, the two of them gripping the edges of their seats, my mom turning to look at me and whispering, pained and more than once, That man really needs to take a vacation. The mileage varies per person, and friends Ive expected to like it hated it while others who dont watch movies very often have been utterly enraptured. Ive also gone to see it by myself, and on one occasion I had a panic attack. But the movie is always the same each time, and thats why I keep coming back to the dismay, horror, and bewilderment of those closest to me.

We enter through the Welo mines of Ethiopia. The sparkling swell of the The Ballad of Howie Bling leads us on a journey through a precious black opal that transforms into, of all things, a colonoscopy. Then, a brief glimpse at Howard Ratners disordered day-to-day life commences. We see him interact with the employees at his shop, KMH Jewelers. We witness his fraught but passionate relationship with his employee/mistress-turned girlfriend Julia. We watch him place two ill-advised bets, pawn an expensive ring that doesnt belong to him, and get roughed up by the men he owes a debt to. We bear witness to his crumbling marriage and his mostly lukewarm relationship with his two sons. Its an Odyssean voyage through one mans twenty-four hours of life, a meticulously choreographed dance meant to pull you into Howards chaos like everyone else is in the film. The first time, its disorienting. The second time, its beautiful. Each time after that, its like watching a ballet.

A friend recently texted me to say, I know you like Uncut Gems a lot, but that movie is so stressful. How can you keep watching it? Its true, that since the films release only five months ago, I have seen the movie seven times. With family, friends, by myself, or in my living room, I have forced myself and others to sit through Howard Ratners Wild Ride. Last month, during lockdown, I sat down for watch number six as my roommate hung out, uninvolved, in the armchair adjacent to me, focused on his laptop but looking up every now and then to check on the progress of the film Id already put him through once before. Earlier in the evening, when I told him that I was going to be watching Uncut Gems again, he was flabbergasted. He didnt even know about the four other occasions.

Uncut Gems follows an impulsive man named Howard Ratner a rich, Jewish jeweler played by Adam Sandler at, arguably, his best who works in New York Citys Diamond District and only cares about two things: money and the NBA. He dresses in comical dusters and Gucci shirts and rimless glasses like a money-grubbing cartoon character, a more fashionable Scrooge McDuck archetype. When hes not getting harassed by his brother-in-laws goons for the cash he still owes or getting into squabbles with the equally erratic Julia (Julia Fox) or with his soon-to-be-ex-wife, Dinah (Idina Menzel), hes placing bets on basketball games or just generally being careless with his money.

The plot revolves around Howard getting into one bad situation to the next mostly centered around his acquisition of a rare, Ethiopian black opal. He barely crawls his way out each time and never truly learns from his mistakes, until things escalate to the breaking point of the be-all and end-all gamble. Howard Ratner (affectionately called Howie Bling by many) wants to make as much money as possible, but he wants to do it in the riskiest way possible. He doesnt want to accumulate wealth without the thrill. He lives for the masochistic pleasure.

The film is notoriously relentless in its levels of anxiety and insanity, hardly letting up once during its daunting two-hour-plus runtime for the audience to breathe. And when it does, the pause only serves as an ominous prelude for whats to come: the next wrong decision; the next bad bet, the next word out-of-place that hurls Howie Bling into another choose-your-own-adventure of the worst possible scenario. There are no true moments of peace in Uncut Gems because there is no such thing for Howard Ratner. Even when we watch the light leave Howards eyes at the very tragic end of the film, disarray and bedlam still ensue in his wake within the scene, out of the scene, and in scenes that will never come to pass. Even in death, the consequences of Howie Blings gluttonous actions are a force to be reckoned with.

Of course, this is not entirely dissimilar from writer-directors Josh and Benny Safdies other projects. From 2009s handheld-filmed Daddy Longlegs to 2017s Robert Pattinson-led Good Time, its clear that the Safdie brothers are interested in exhausting you with morally questionable leading characters seemingly only capable of making the wrong decisions, paving the way for solvable situations which instead escalate ad infinitum. But in real life, people make the wrong decisions. They make them again and again, and there is no movie magic to rectify them with a heartwarming denouement. This doesnt always lead to very serene movie-watching, but there is a sense of joy and excitement in being strung along, helplessly, by deplorable protagonists who only aim to discomfort you. Especially a character with as much enviable charisma as Howie Bling. Is discomfort any less of a thrill than being scared? Howards world is a kind of horror movie all on its own.

Discomfort is not the only reason to find masochistic pleasure in revisiting Uncut Gems, however. While the first watch of Uncut Gems might feel like a sensory overload, repeated viewings not only alleviate anxiety over what might happen next, but they give way for appreciation for the meticulous details possibly missed while you were monitoring your rising blood pressure.

Every frame of the film bears new fruit, new recognition for an as yet underappreciated line read (my current one: You gotta shut that door; its KG, eh?) or offhanded comment peppered into the script to bring life to KMH Jewelers. Customers and employees chatter among themselves, talking over one another so you cant discern whats even being said. Howards attention is caught between his employees and his brother-in-laws goons, Arno and Nico, waiting to lay into him just off-screen. Every moment in KMH is like youre in there yourself. Fellow fan Robert Franco, who has seen the movie five times, reflects that only after multiple viewings would you pick up on Arnos goon saying to Howie, Youre dead, fucker, in the very beginning. Or the fact that theres a Mohegan Sun commercial on the TV when Howies watching the first Celtics game. There are so many pieces and parts to making the film work, and you have to see it multiple times to pick up on them.

But the world of Howie Bling is much more than that of a thriller or even a horror movie. Its greatest strength lies in the fact that its a little bit of everything. Its a clusterfuck of genres, reflects Film School Rejects own Luke Hicks, who has also seen the movie seven times, refusing tight categorization or easy interpretation, much like the characters, who dont fall into typical boxes. Howard isnt a hero. Julia isnt a damsel. And when it does draw more conventional characters, its with someone like Phil, who ends up being such an original take on the concept of a villain that he becomes one of the most terrifying examples of one in film history.

Thus, led by a staggering showing from Sandler, the film showcases memorable performances not just from seasoned actors like Eric Bogosian, who plays Arno, but from first-timers like New York City socialite Julia Fox and local, non-actors that the Safdie brothers met by chance. One of Arnos heavies, Phil, played by Keith Williams Richards, was simply discovered on the streets of New York by Uncut Gemscasting scout Michele Mansoorand turns in an unbelievably chilling interpretation of the typical hired henchman. And then, of course, is the all-timer performance from basketball legend Kevin Garnett, whose screen debut comes off just as naturally as Lakeith Stanfield in his role as Demany, an exhaustingly unreliable cohort of both Howard and KG. Its the guidance and trust that the Safdies put, not just into a long-time comic actor like Sandler to carry a film as a scatter-brained, reprehensible antihero, but into their hodgepodge of acting talents to get across-the-board great performances from everyone. From comedy actors to party girls, basketball players, rappers, and people they find on the street, the Safdies world feels undeniably lived in.

The film itself ends up bearing resemblance to the much-coveted black opal that Howard receives at the start of the film, after eighteen long months of waiting. The titular gems influence glistens throughout the colorful story, from the multifaceted cast to the glimmering cinematography by Darius Khondji, which makes the entire film look and feel like the inside of a precious stone. Its also a film rich in Jewish culture depicting the community of Jews in the Diamond District and the deeply traditioned Passover celebration while disavowing the widely-utilized portrayal of Jewish nebbishness in favor of a cutthroat gangster. Then theres the synth-drenched score courtesy of composer Daniel Lopatin, which hums and pulsates, and sparkles just as much as Howards gem, transporting much of the film into the realm of the fantastical despite being very much grounded in reality or, is it? Sometimes the film is a crime drama. Other times, its a romance. And other times, its even a comedy, with laugh-out-loud moments, like when Howard is clumsily sexting Julia secretly from inside their apartment before jumping out to surprise her.

There are moments of the surreal as well, like Howards eyes, which eagle-eyed fans noticed inexplicably shrink after he says hes gonna cum to his employee, Yussi, out of euphoria over receiving his opal (attributed, perhaps only facetiously, by the Safdies to Howard being momentarily possessed). Or, in Kevin Garnetts mysterious, spiritual connection to the gem, which guides him to basketball victory while its in his possession and causes him to crack without it. Thats the beauty of Uncut Gems: it cant be defined by genre; it doesnt belong in a box. It transcends expectations of characters and narrative, fueling an addiction to being caught up in this singular world, like Howards addiction to placing bets. Thats definitely the overarching word I would use to describe Uncut Gems: singular, says Luke Hicks. Everything about it is risky and original, albeit with an incredible sense of control from the Safdies throughout.

Bejeweled Furbies, broken bones, beating up The Weeknd and a Billy Joel needle drop there are countless moving parts that make Uncut Gems an incredibly unique experience. Thats what it all comes down to, and why I and others keep coming back. Characters like Cosmo Vittelli of John Cassavetes The Killing of a Chinese Bookieand Sandlers own Barry Egan ofPunk-Drunk Love paved the way for Howard Ratner to come to fruition, but Howard Ratner stands alone, and so does the chaos of his universe. How many films start off by looking through the inside of the main characters colon? Watching Uncut Gems is like chasing a high; each viewing is a reminder of what the medium of film can do for us, mentally, emotionally, physically. Disorienting us when the camera swerves to and fro as bedlam ensues in KMH over the faulty door magnet, or the suffocation of being trapped in the same car as Howard by Arno and his fuming men. Or patiently following Julias every step as she reels from a public feud with Howard, a chorus of operatic voices caroling over her walk of shame. Or captivating us, as an impassioned Howard explains to Kevin Garnett what it means for him to place a bet, which bears historical context to Howards Jewish heritage. Hes not an athlete, this is how he wins.

Only part of the fun comes from the films exhaustion and discomfort, in its ability to knock the wind out of you and leave you yearning for more. Most of the fun of Uncut Gems comes from the fact that this world doesnt exist anywhere else. This is a world wholly defined by Howie Bling, and there is no one else quite like Howie Bling.

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I Watched Uncut Gems Seven Times, and Other Stories - Film School Rejects

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Posted By admin on May 28, 2020

One of the most sensitive, practically taboo, topics in the Israeli intelligence community is assassinations. Leaders of the Mossad, Shin Bet security service and Military Intelligence are not keen to discuss it publicly. However, this month we received a rare glimpse into the thinking of three former Mossad chiefs on this controversial subject. The three Nahum Admoni, Danny Yatom and Tamir Pardo all granted interviews to the Journal of the Intelligence Heritage and Commemoration Center to mark the 70th anniversary of the Mossads founding.

Assassinations can be divided into three groups: assassinations that occur as part of military operations in the West Bank, Gaza Strip, Syria and Lebanon; assassinations that are the responsibility of the Shin Bet, such as those that were carried out wholesale, mainly from aircraft, during the second intifada in the West Bank and Gaza; and assassinations attributed to the Mossad, to Unit 504 (the militarys Human Intelligence Division) and to special units operating outside Israels borders. The latter group includes not a very long list of assassinations attributed to Israel in the Middle East (Lebanon, Jordan, Iran, Dubai, Syria), Asia (Malaysia), Africa (Tunisia) or on European soil (Italy, Malta, Norway, France, Cyprus, Greece and more). It is estimated that Mossad is responsible for the killing of 50 to 60 terrorists in this category, and scientists who worked for enemy countries, abroad. None of them were Israeli citizens.

Generally, when an assassination occurs outside of Israel, the Israeli media use phrases like according to foreign reports or attributed to Israel when discussing it. Even when it is clear to the whole world that Israel is responsible for a certain action, it does not acknowledge it. Neither confirms nor denies. Such was the case, for example, following the assassination of top Hamas official Mahmoud al-Mabhouh in Dubai in early 2010.

Only in rare instances usually when something goes wrong have Israeli governments been forced to admit to assassinations, or volunteered the information. This happened when Mossad and Sayeret Matkal (the general staffs elite special ops force) assassinated Yasser Arafats deputy, Abu Jihad, in Tunis in 1988. In 1996, Israel expressed regret (without admitting culpability) and paid $400,000 to the Norwegian family of Moroccan waiter Ahmed Bushiki, who was killed by Mossad operatives in Lillehammer in 1973 due to mistaken identity. In 1997, the Mossad admitted that it tried to poison Hamas then-political bureau chief Khaled Meshal in Amman, and had to send an antidote made in Israel in order to save his life.

Cost versus benefit

Nahum Admoni, who led the Mossad from 1982-1989, has consistently declined to be interviewed publicly about the organization.

Over the years, he turned down several interview requests from me and that happened again this week too. Admoni said his decision was a matter of principle and at age 91 he was not about to change his mind. Thus, the comments he made to the Intelligence Heritage and Commemoration Centers journal have special, perhaps historic, significance.

Regarding the hostile activity from Tunisia, we saw that Abu Jihad was running the first intifada from there and we decided to take him out of the picture, Admoni said. We planned an operation to assassinate him. We brought Sayeret Matkal, led by Bogie [Moshe Yaalon], into this operation. I dont know why we did that. Its too bad that Shabtai [Shavit Admonis deputy and then successor] said to me, Why cant our team carry out the killing? We brought the Sayeret Matkal people to the target. The head of Caesarea Department [Mossads operations department] then told me he preferred for Sayeret Matkal to do this job. In retrospect, I dont think the killing of Abu Jihad changed anything in the course of the intifada. There were worthy assassination operations. Several of them were unworthy. Others didnt bring any benefit.

The question of cost versus benefit i.e., do assassinations contribute to national security is one that intelligence chiefs wrestle with. They have no definitive answer. From conversations Ive had with a good number of top intelligence officials, Id say they believe that this is a tool whose contribution is quite limited at best. Most also admit that very few assassinations have made a decisive strategic contribution to national security.

Former Military Intelligence chief Maj. Gen. (ret.) Uri Sagi, who promoted the plot to kill Hezbollah leader Abbas Musawi in 1992, admitted that in retrospect it was a poor decision. He said it provoked a harsh retaliation and vengeance from the Shiite organization (aided by Iranian intelligence), which culminated with the 1992 bombing of the Israeli Embassy in Argentina and the 1994 bombing of the AMIA Jewish community center in Buenos Aires. One hundred and fourteen people were killed and about 500 wounded in these two attacks. Moreover, the person elected to replace the drab and gray Musawi as Hezbollah leader was the talented and charismatic Hassan Nasrallah, who continues to make Israelis lives difficult to this day.

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On the other hand, most intelligence chiefs would agree that at least two assassinations were clearly necessary and had a great impact: The first was of Fathi Shaqaqi, founder and leader of Palestinian Islamic Jihad, in Malta 25 years ago; the second was of Imad Mughniyeh, the Hezbollah defense minister, in Damascus in 2008, in an operation that has been attributed to the Mossad and the CIA.

Who recommends and who approves?

In his interview with the journal, Tamir Pardo, who led the Mossad from 2011-2016, provided another interesting insight regarding assassinations. Ephraim Halevy [Mossad chief from 1998-2002] opposed targeted assassinations on the grounds that they had limited value and he was right about that, Pardo said.

The understanding is that in a targeted assassination, you are acting on several levels at once: Youre the investigator, youre the accuser and youre also the one who effects the action, he continued. Its important to note that the point of the targeted assassination is not to punish someone for his crimes, but to prevent future actions. Its not punishment! At the same time, there are exceptional cases in which the real strategic value of the operation can be directly measured. Another crucial factor thats taken into account is [the chance] to disrupt in real time a known hostile operation that is to be committed.

Pardo went on to say that in assessing the question over the years, the strategic value of the method appears limited. Lets be clear about how it works: In most cases, the Mossad proposes operations by laying out the justifications and presenting them to the prime minister. He either approves it or not. The prime minister does not task the Mossad with an assassination mission; he is not the initiator. This is the correct and healthy way to consider the issue.

Pardos remarks raise a question about what happened to Danny Yatom, who commanded the Mossad for just two years (1996-1998), with the botched Meshal assassination attempt.

The Mossad did not recommend [the attack] on Meshal, Yatom told the intelligence publication. When Netanyahu gave the instruction and I dont absolve myself of any responsibility, since I could have told Bibi, How can it be that you, the prime minister, decide that I must bring back the combatants whom I already sent to another country [referring to Yatoms original instruction to assassinate a different Hamas figure in a different country] the opposite direction of Jordan, thousands of kilometers from Israel, and tell me, Bring them home, were going after one of the four Hamas leaders at the Hamas global headquarters in Amman. It took me two days to check the possibility [of assassinating Meshal in Jordan], and I concluded that it was possible.

Yatom, who had previously spoken about the matter a number of times, also revealed that in addition to the prime ministers approval for an assassination mission, there is another body involved in such decisions: The Committee of the Heads of Intelligence Services (known by the Hebrew acronym Varash) whose job is to coordinate actions among the various intelligence agencies. The Mossad chief heads the committee.

Varash was established in April 1949 as the Supreme Inter-Service Coordination Committee following the execution in a kangaroo court of Maj. Meir Tobiansky, who was suspected of spying for the British. Committee members came from the Shin Bet, the political division of the Foreign Ministry, the Military Intelligence division and the Israel Police.

Modeled after the coordination committee, Varash included heads of the Mossad, Military Intelligence, the Shin Bet and the national police commissioner. During Admonis tenure, it was decided to end the police commissioners participation in the discussions, and since then it has had four members: the three intelligence service heads and the prime ministers military secretary. Admoni says that, in his time, Varash didnt contribute anything. The Shin Bet always kept its activity hidden. Military Intelligence especially when Ehud Barak led it was only interested in what there was to eat at the meetings (the food served at the Mossad is considered the best among the intelligence agencies).

According to Admoni, Varash meetings mainly revolved around disagreements on the division of authority, especially between the Mossad and Military Intelligence regarding SIGINT (wiretapping). Military Intelligence wanted to obtain responsibility for our wiretapping and bugging operations, and we were adamantly opposed, he said.

Since then, several different committees were established to address the issue of the division of authority and responsibility among the intelligence agencies. The agreements that were reached were dubbed Magna Carta 1 and Magna Carta 2. But disagreements still remain.

Yatom agrees with Admoni that the inter-agency cooperation still leaves something to be desired. In my time, Varash also hardly contributed a thing apart from confirmation that certain people whose names were brought up by the Shin Bet and Mossad could be assassinated.

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What ex-Mossad chiefs really think about targeted killings - Haaretz

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Posted By admin on May 27, 2020

Shavuot is traditionally a time of year when Jews celebrate the giving of the Torah to the Jewish people by studying Torah all night long and eating lots of dairy foods, especially cheesecake. This year, community events will be held as usual, albeit online but youll have to provide your own cheesecake. Here is a sampling of the virtual public Shavuot events presented by Bay Area organizations, ranging from two-hour sessions to all-nighters. All events are free unless noted. Shavuot this year starts at sunset May 28 and ends at nightfall May 30.

The Tikkun Leil Shavuot presented by the JCC of the East Bay is the largest such undertaking in the Bay Area, where upwards of 1,000 people show up for an array of classes, services and celebrations. This years sessions will be online from the afternoon well into the night, with 30 sponsoring organizations and dozens of teachers. As Sarah Wolfman-Robichaud, director of public programs at the JCC East Bay put it, Sheltering in place cannot stop our community from gathering to learn, support and be together in celebration of Shavuot like we have for 32 years! 3 to 10 p.m. Sunday, May 31. Registration required. jcceastbay.org/shavuot

Reboot and the Jewish Emergent Network present Dawn, an all-night Shavuot cultural arts festival featuring comedy, music, food, learning, yoga, meditation, sound baths, cooking classes, dancing and conversation, with speakers including TV writer Jill Soloway Steve Berlin of Los Lobos and Bay Area cookbook author Gabi Moskowitz. Reboot CEO David Katznelson says there are advantages to hosting Shavuot online, with having a non-physical-based platform, we are able to gather an unparalleled diversity of artists and thought leaders creating truly inspirational Jewish content. 7 p.m. Thursday, May 28 to 6 a.m. Friday, May 29. No registration needed. rebooters.net/dawn

Becoming, presented by the Oshman Family JCC in Palo Alto and Bina, the Jewish Movement for Social Change, includes online workshops in English and Hebrew, speakers and musical performances. The event will feature a keynote by Ruby Namdar, author of the Sapir Award-winning novel The Ruined House. $18. 8:30-11:30 p.m. Saturday, May 30 and 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Sunday, May 31. $18. Registration required. paloaltojcc.org

JIMENA and JDC Entwine co-host a gathering to celebrate a Mizrachi Shavuot and Shabbat, led by Rabbi Tsipi Gabai, with percussionist Katja Cooper. Learn Sephardic songs and Moroccan Jewish traditions. 5 to 6:30 p.m. Friday, May 29. Registration required. dinners.onetable.org

Stay up all night and trade ideas with Moishe House in a 25-hour Zoom session featuring speakers from all over the world on topics ranging from Chinese Judaism to podcasts to beer. 7 p.m. Friday, May 29 to 8 p.m. Saturday, May 30. Registration required. facebook.com/events

The Southside Jewish Collaborative holds a Tikkun Leyl Shavuot with themes of isolation and reintegration, featuring Rabbis Danny Gottlieb, Katie Mizrahi, Pam Frydman and Shana Leon. 7:30 to 9 p.m. Thursday, May 28. Registration required. orshalom.org/event/tikkun-leil-shavuot.html

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Posted By admin on May 27, 2020

Rebecca Sassouni, who is running to retain her seat on the Great Neck Board of Education, said voting for someone with experience serving the public is paramount.

Sassouni, a lawyer and Great Neck resident, spoke on the challenges Great Neck and Nassau County residents have faced in the past three years during her first term and said voting for someone who has district residents best interest at heart is of high importance.

She is running against John Jahng.

There is a lot at stake in this election, and it goes beyond people not being able to get in their cars to go stand in line and vote, Sassouni said in an interview with Blank Slate Media. Im deeply concerned that there is a great deal of anxiety going around Great Neck and all throughout Nassau County with people not knowing how or when they will pay their taxes or support their families.

Sassouni touted her experience serving the community before and after being elected to the school board in 2017.

She has served as parent co-chair for the Shared Decision Making Committee at Great Neck North High School and John F. Kennedy School, a past officer for the United Parent Teacher Council and chair of its legislative committee, and is the current president of the Sephardic Heritage Alliance Inc.

I have been involved with the community in some very gratifying, meaningful and important ways, Sassouni said. I have a very procedural mindset when it comes to the Board of Education, and Im a strong believer that procedures have helped us more efficiently as a board the past three years.

Sassouni said that many of the issues and concerns she has heard from the public were centered around the coronavirus pandemic causing Nassau County to close schools for the remainder of the 2019-20 school year.

More specifically, she said, distance learning and planning future alternatives for the coming school year have been of high importance in the school district.

Nobody knows what schools will look like come September, and with the unknown comes frustration, Sassouni said. Though there have been a few glitches with the technological side of distance learning, people must keep in mind that this was all very new to us, and schools had to be closed at the drop of a hats notice.

As in years past, the districts adopted budget, $241 million for the 2020-21 school year, has also been a prominent topic of discussion among taxpayers and constituent groups, Sassouni said.

There is an extensive amount of planning that goes into developing and ultimately adopting a budget each year, Sassouni said. We always try to take everything into account including feedback from parents, stakeholders, educators and assistant superintendents from the affected schools.

This year, due to the coronavirus pandemic and the uncertainty surrounding what the school system will look like in September, people have taken an even higher interest in knowing where their money is going, according to Sassouni.

I hope that people do not vote for or against me regarding their feelings toward this years budget, Sassouni said. I am a trustee seeking re-election. I am not a budget.

At a virtual budget adoption meeting on May 13, Board of Education President Barbara Berkowitz said that though no decisions about a potential reduction of state aid have been made, the districts diligence with its appropriated reserves and fund balance will mitigate any potential adverse effects.

Ive referred to the [appropriated reserves and fund balance] as a rainy-day fund sometimes, Berkowitz said. It allows us comfort with any unanticipated events like a tree falling through the roof of a school, or major leaks within a school. Things that we cannot anticipate to happen.

Sassouni said all four of her children passed through the school district, with her youngest on the verge of remote graduation this June, due to the pandemic. Despite running for the first time without a child in the school district, Sassouni said, she will continue to hold feedback from parents and tax-paying residents in high regard.

Being a parent and having my children move through our public schools system, I share the same concerns as many parents in the district, Sassouni said. I can assure people that I work hard to uphold my fiduciary duty to all affected stakeholders within the district.

Jahng, a graduate of Brooklyn Technical High School, said his son is a Juilliard pre-college student. Sassouni said while she has no issue with anyone obtaining a private school education, trying to adopt a private school model into a public school district is very concerning.

The notion that Great Neck, as a public school district, should adopt the model of Brooklyn Tech, or any other school like that is very problematic, Sassouni said. I attended Hunter College High School for seventh and eighth grade before my family moved to the suburbs. It is not a personal attack, but I am curious how, if at all, his experience at Brooklyn Tech translates to being a trustee for this board.

I dont think we can make a blanket response for public or private school curriculums, there are positives and negatives for both, Jahng said in response. There is plenty to draw from both aspects. One of the goals of the board is to put together the best curriculum for our students. To do that, its important to explore all resources.

Sassouni noted that nowhere on Jahngs website, https://www.jahngforboardofed.com/, has the budget been listed. Sassouni said she has not heard any stance Jahng has on the budget and views it as a glaring omission in his school board campaign.

Jahng said he is in the process of analyzing the budget more closely and lauded the boards efforts for having the constituents best interest at heart.

My stance on the budget is that I generally approve of the budget allocations and the boards work, he said. Thats not to say it is perfect or could not be improved, but I have full trust that the board developed the budget while looking out for everyones best interest.

Elections will take place on June 9 due to the coronavirus pandemic. As a result, everyone who resides in the district and is registered to vote will receive an absentee ballot, according to Berkowitz.

Berkowitz said the ballots are not applications to have an absentee ballot sent to voters, but rather the absentee ballot with a postage-paid envelope included.

Berkowitz said the district is sending out more than 30,000 ballots, which must be received no later than 5 p.m. on Tuesday, June 9.

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Sassouni implores public to vote for experienced candidate ahead of Board of Education election - Great Neck News - The Island Now

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Posted By admin on May 27, 2020

WASHINGTON Sen. Jacky Rosen of Nevada said the US should never condition assistance for Israel even if Israel would move forward with a plan to annex parts of the West Bank. The senator spoke during a Tuesday webinar organized by the Jewish Democratic Council of America in honor of the Jewish American Heritage Month.The webinar addressed a wide range of topics, including antisemitism and the Never Again Education Act she sponsored.Ensuring that Israel remains safe and secure [and] its democracy is safe and secure, it is paramount importance to all of us, she said when asked about the possible outcome of annexation. To that end, we have to be sure that anything we do doesnt demote that or collapse that.And so if we annex the West Bank, how is this going to really move us forward? she wondered. The senator went on to say that the US should never, never ever, condition security assistance or unbreakable bond with Israel on annexation or on other political policies.Doing so even suggesting so is not in Israels best interest. Its not in the best interest of a negotiated two state solution, she added. So we need to continue to work on those things thats going to facilitate that, this bring them to the table to work out issues that they have.

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US should never, ever condition aid to Israel, senator says - The Jerusalem Post

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Posted By admin on May 27, 2020

Reintroducing Albert Einstein of ArtNEW YORK-May 26, 2020- (Newswire.com)

The month of May has been officially designated by presidents of both parties as Jewish Heritage Month, a tribute to the contributions that Jewish immigrants and their descendants have made to this nation. In honor of this occasion, the Wall Street-based Orthodox Jewish Chamber of Commerce has reintroduced the legendary Presidential Collection portraits of US presidents to the general public. The full private collection is now available online for the first time in history, so that it can be viewed and appreciated by Americans far and wide under Coronavirus lockdownat (www.MorrisKatz.org).

The Presidential Collection was the apple of the eye of the legendary artist Morris Katz, a Holocaust survivor who painted it to perfection as a show of appreciation to the nation that provided him refuge and protected his religious freedoms.

Earlier this month, Congress passed with overwhelming bipartisan support the Never Again Education Act, which provides funding for Holocaust education in US schools. In his official proclamation of Jewish Heritage Month for this year, President Trump stated, Throughout history, the Jewish people have demonstrated an unbreakable spirit, overcoming suffering, cruel oppression, violence, and bigotry.

Morris Katz was a larger than life personality and representative of these values. Morriss art career in the US would earn him global acclaim, with nicknames such asthe worlds fastest artist. Morris was recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records as both the fastest and most prolific artist in the world, wresting the latter world record from Picasso in his presence! Morris was prominently featured by Ripleys Believe it or Not and a cross-section of major US media shows.Fame and all, Morris Katz maintained an approachable, good-natured persona.He prized his ability to useart to transmit his patriotism to the next generation. Similarly, Morrisgratitude towards the US for providing him sanctuary and his reverence for the American value of religious liberty knew no bounds.

Within minutes of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, Morris began his longest and dearest project ever: The Presidential Collection. Morris spent six years painting meticulous masterful portraits of each president, from George Washington through, eventually, George H. W. Bush. The artist famous for completing beautiful portraits within minutes spent an average of 200 hours(!) on each Presidential Collection portrait in Old Master style. These were the first presidential portraits in history in which the flags featured a precise number of stars, equal to the number of states/colonies in the union at the time. These portraits became world-famous. Millions of postcards featuring them were sold, each one featuring a tribute from the artist to the presidents and the great nation they led. He took enormous pride in being a Jew and an American patriot. Morris is an incredible larger-than-life inspiration toevery American, says Duvi Honig, Founderof the Orthodox Jewish Chamber of Commerce.

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Historic Presidential Collection by NYC Artist Morris Katz Reintroduced in Honor of Jewish Heritage Month - EconomyWatch.com

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Posted By admin on May 27, 2020

Judge to hand down fateful ruling on whether Malka Leifer fit to face justice

The Jerusalem District Court is slated to hand down a fateful decision in the six-year trial of Malka Leifer, who is wanted in Australia on 74 counts of child sex abuse.

Judge Miriam Lomp will determine whether Leifer is mentally fit for extradition to face justice in Australia.

The hearing is scheduled to start at 2 p.m.

Sitting here together with my sisters, [we are] a bundle of a nervous energy, [but] cant imagine a ruling where Leifers manipulation of the court system does not come to an end, Dassi Erlich tells The Times of Israel in a text message sent from her home in Melbourne where she is waiting along with her sisters Nicole Meyer and Elie Sapper to receive an update regarding Lomps decision. The three women have led a public campaign demanding that their alleged abuser be returned to Australia.

During the previous hearing, Leifer had been ordered to be present at todays session after years of not attending the proceedings. However, due to the coronavirus, the court agreed to allow her to once again refrain from attending.

If found fit for extradition, the defense is likely to appeal the matter to the Supreme Court. If that appeal is rejected, the district court will then move forward with the extradition hearing itself a largely procedural matter that is expected to be approved quickly (though the trial has been plagued by delays). The defense will then be allowed to appeal before Justice Minister Avi Nissenkorn will be asked to sign off on Leifers extradition. This signature too can be appealed by Leifers attorneys before the alleged serial pedophile can be placed on a plane to Australia.

Leifer faces counts of sexual assault related to accusations brought forward by the three sisters, who say they were abused while she was a teacher and principal at the ultra-Orthodox religious school they attended in Melbourne. In 2008, as the allegations surfaced, the Israeli-born Leifer left the school in Australia and returned to Israel.

In this photo from February 27, 2018, Malka Leifer, right, is brought to a courtroom in Jerusalem. (AP Photo/Mahmoud Illean, File)

After Australia filed an extradition request, Leifer was put under house arrest in 2014 and underwent the beginnings of an extradition process. But that ended in 2016 when a mental health evaluation determined she wasnt fit to stand trial.

Leifer was again arrested in early 2018 after police found evidence that she had faked her mental incompetence. The court asked for another psychological review, whose findings were handed down in January by a medical panel that unanimously determined Leifer has been feigning mental illness in order to avoid extradition to Australia, and assessed her as fit to stand trial.

The proceedings have been plagued with repeated delays, which allegedly had to do with former health minister Yaakov Litzman pressuring state psychiatrists to change their submitted medical opinions to find Leifer unfit for extradition. One of the psychiatrists alleged to have been influenced by Litzman, Chief Jerusalem District Psychiatrist Jacob Charnes, changed his medical conclusion regarding Leifers mental health three times since the case began, causing significant delays in the process. Police last year recommended that Litzman, who is a member of the Gur Hassidic sect to which Leifer has ties, be indicted for fraud and breach of trust over his conduct in the case.

The delays have caused tensions between Jerusalem and Canberra, with the latter for years demanding that the proceedings be moved along at a quicker pace.

Jacob Magid

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As EU's Borrell speaks with FM Ashkenazi, no mention of annexation - The Times of Israel

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Posted By admin on May 27, 2020

With no official government policy on the potential extension sovereignty over parts of the West Bank, diplomats have been left without the tools to stand up for Israel amid growing international criticism.Alternate Prime Minister and Defense Minister Benny Gantz inadvertently highlighted the challenging situation in his remarks at a Blue and White faction meeting on Wednesday.These days, there are significant diplomatic opportunities on the agenda that can improve and even change the face of the entire region, including, of course the peace plan proposed by the US government, Gantz said.Gantz added that, in the coming weeks, he and Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi will review professional assessments on the matter, to bring the best results that will protect Israeli security and our national and international interests.We will act wisely and responsibly. That is the only way we can bring historic achievements that will strengthen Israels security for generations, he stated.But while Gantz and Ashkenazi take their time, international pushback against annexation from across the world from Beijing to Brussels has not waited for them to make a decision, and the matter is on the international political agenda.In some cases, like in the Czech Republic, its even on the domestic political agenda. Foreign Minister Tomas Petricek wrote an article sharply criticizing annexation, and his countrys prime minister, Andrej Babis, and president, Milos Zeman, immediately sniped back, telling him he cannot have his own separate foreign policy.Since there has not been an Israeli cabinet decision, or even instructions from the new foreign minister to diplomats, a Foreign Ministry source said that diplomats main response to criticism of the planned annexation has been that there is no decision yet to react to. Another common answer diplomats been using is to point out that annexation is in the framework of US President Donald Trumps peace plan, which calls for a return to negotiations and includes sovereignty for Palestinians, as well.An Israeli diplomat posted in a European hotbed of criticism lamented the very complex situation.I said to the [Foreign] Ministry, its enough, we need a policy, we need talking points, he said. What we know is there is an intention, the prime minister repeated it and wants to implement sovereignty starting on July 1... I dont have concrete tools to respond to the people I talk to.Opponents of annexation have it easier, the diplomat said, because they can simply say it is a good idea. There are anti-annexation initiatives across Europe, he added.For example, Joint List MK Yousef Jabareen reached out on Wednesday to Luxembourg Foreign Minister Jean Asselborn, a leading proponent of having the European Union institute sanctions on Israel if it proceeds with annexation. Jabareen said Asselborn told him annexation of the occupied Palestinian territories violates international law and threatens regional peace, and the MK suggested organizing an international conference to advance the two-state solution.But diplomats represent the governments position, and they need details of what that position is in order to explain it to people.The source said that, contrary to a recent Israel Hayom report, he and others have not even been told what words to use to describe the possible actions: I dont even have the right words to use to say its not annexation, its something else.Application of sovereignty is the terminology of the Trump plan and what the prime minister uses, he pointed out, but he expressed concern there are nuanced differences in international law between annexation, applying law or applying sovereignty that may be important.The diplomats do not have talking points about the details of the Trump plan that still need to be filled in.No one knows what the plan is, if its 20% or 30% of Judea and Samaria, that Israel will actually apply its laws to, he said. The Trump plan allows for annexation of about 30% of the West Bank, including all settlements and the Jordan Valley.We dont know the future of the Palestinians in the land that will be annexed, the diplomatic source added. Thats not a hostile question. Thats a normal question people ask me. And I dont have an answer to that question.The diplomat expressed hope that Ashkenazi will formulate a policy in the coming days.Ashkenazi gave a hint of his views in his inaugural speech as foreign minister last week.We stand before significant regional opportunities, foremost of which is President Trumps peace initiative, Ashkenazi said.Trumps plan is a significant milestone that grants Israel a historic opportunity to shape Israels future and its borders for the coming decades, he added, saying it will be promoted responsibly and in coordination with the US, while maintaining the peace treaties and strategic interests of the State of Israel.Ashkenazi also said peace is a strategic asset and called Egypt and Jordan the most important allies in dealing with regional challenges.

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Mixed messages on West Bank sovereignty leaves diplomats flailing - The Jerusalem Post

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Posted By admin on May 27, 2020

You came up racing against some guys who became well known racers. Who were your biggest rivals as a junior?It has to be Goey (Anthony Gobert), but in saying that there were many other guys I dont want to disrespect who didnt necessarily go onto seniors. Guys like Josh Donald, Jason Andrews, Cameron Taylor, Paul Grant and Craig Andrews. Craig and I battled a fair bit on 125s. I actually landed on him at a supercross; he cased a triple in front of me and I landed on him and broke his leg, which sucked. As for the longest and fiercest rivalry, it was definitely Goey. We hated each other but always had enough respect for each other to shake hands if we had a good race. Shit, as juniors nowdays from what Im seeing, theyd disqualify you for half the crap we used to do to each other. Knocking each other down and taking each other out deliberately, but we would always shake after a race.

What made Anthony such a tough rival?His skill and pure natural ability. I was such an awkward young rider and he was stocky, strong and had oodles of natural ability. I was the opposite: skinny, weak and not much natural ability.

Did you have heroes as a young racer?Probably the first two riders were just a couple of fast juniors on 80s. Chris Hill who was one of the first factory juniors in Australia and he also made the fluoro pink Go The Rat gear cool. The other was Buddy Antunez from the USA. Then as far as the pro ranks go it would be Gally (Stephen Gall), my old man was his mechanic when he won the four Mr Motocross championships. I also looked up to David Thorpe from Europe and Rick Johnson from the USA.

When did you receive your first income from racing?It was the start of 1990 and John Warrien from Silkolene walked up to me at the Summercross in Grafton. Goey and I had been battling it out as usual and Id just won the first 125 moto and he come over and asked me what racing I was doing that year. I turned senior later that year and was going to race 125 and 250. He asked me a million and one questions and then asked: Do you have an oil sponsor? I said no. He said: Ill give you $1000 up front and $250 every time you race in Queensland because Silkolene was based there. Because of that I raced the Queensland Motocross Championship and all the John Fenton supercross races up there.

When did you first start to really believe you could make a career out of motocross? Thats a good question. As much as I used to look up to Gally, as a kid its not really thinking it of it as a job, just that its so cool and I want to be like that. So it probably wasnt until I was about 12 or 13 and I had won a couple of Australian championships. I was also racing the junior class at Mr Motocross and at those races I think we got $8.00 per point in prizemoney, which was good coin compared to milk and paper runs! I also got to see the pros and the race teams up close, and thats when I really started to think about trying to do it for a living.

What was the most professional team?It would have to be between Peter Jackson Yamaha and Primal Impulse Honda in the USA, and Id have to say Primal Impulse Honda. The USA was a lot further ahead at that point; the gap has closed these days, but back then they were ahead. The team did everything for you: your flights, accommodation, and all that kind of stuff. All I had to do on that team was ride.

Who was your toughest competitor at the professional level?Thats a hard one because I have raced through so many eras of the sport. Ill just list some of the names: Craig Dack, Eddie Warren, Glen Bell, Steven Andrews, and Peter Melton in the early days. The next period would be Lee Hogan, Craig Anderson, Andrew McFarlane and then Chad Reed and Michael Byrne. Its hard, Ive raced as a senior since 1990 so its kind of three generations Ive been there for.

Anyone who wasnt necessarily consistent, but someone you could never count out?Again a few crossovers through the years, but it would probably have to be Steven Andrews and Rodney Hamilton. After that it seemed the sport evolved and there werent really too many flashes in the pan so to speak. You had to be consistently there week-in week-out.

Did you ever have any dramas with Sick Mick Cook (a notoriously tough racer)?Ha ha! Nah, and you know what we have always had absolute respect for each other. The thing I always respected about Mick was that he respected me. He knew I would never take him out, but if he knocked me down I had no problem lining him up. We both knew that and never had a drama. One funny story was when we rode for Dacka, it was at the Adelaide indoor. It was the Friday night teams event and we were having the worst night ever. We were riding like C-graders. Dacka was just over us, pulling his hair out. In one of the heats I got out of shape in the stutters, he was right behind me and I had to park myself up in the berm to stop. Anyway Cooky had gotten loose too and he hit me in the corner and we both went down. We come in and Dacka just lost it! Cooky and I were just looking at each other shakin our heads with a smirk. Thats probably the closest we ever came to taking each other out.

Is there anyone along the way you didnt necessarily get along with but you think helped you with your career?Yeah. Dacka (Craig Dack), for sure. One hundred per cent. On every level, to be honest. I hated him as a rival when we were racing. I felt he never gave me the respect of knowing me since I was a little kid. It was like he hated the fact that I was as fast as him and was going to beat him. So that really aggravated me. Then to ride for him I took an $18,000 pay cut from 93 to 94 to get away from my father because of the bad blood and the bad relationship we had there with Suzuki. I would have ridden Suzuki my whole career if it wasnt for my father and thats no word of a lie. So I went to my next enemy, being Dacka, but in terms of teams I had nowhere else to go. Mark Luksich (Team Honda manager) and I tried for years to work something out, but because of Belly (Glen Bell) being on the team there was never any budget left to have two top-level riders. Its a shame because he is someone I always wanted to work with. Anyway, I did a last-minute deal with Dacka and that was it. When I rode for him I think he realised I was determined and I didnt need an eye kept on me all the time. I could do my own thing away from the races and it worked. There was always that bit of tension had it been four or five years later it probably wouldnt have been there. But it was only two years after we were racing each other as bitter rivals so we still had a bit of it, but it helped keep both of us motivated I think.

Could you possibly have a favourite race bike?My KX125 I won the 2000 Australian Motocross Championship on. The reason I loved that bike was because it was the first time in my career that I chose the people to do every specific thing on that bike that I wanted. I had no restrictions and it was exactly how I wanted it, and I think it showed with how I rode that year.

How did it feel to finish third in the 1996 AMA West Coast Supercross Championship, earning two podiums along the way?Deflating, honestly. Because after that I got offered $10,000 to stay for the next year. Most people would say why didnt you stay? Well I estimated my rent would be $12,000 for the year. I thought they are now going to expect me to finish top three and be a challenger to win. I would have been racing guys on minimums of 60-70K. How the hell would I get gym memberships; my van was just about clackered by then, so Id need a new van too; and just general day-to-day living, paying to ride, blah, blah, blah. I thought Im never going to be able to compete at that level with the expectation and pressure on $10,000. So thats why I felt deflated, as far as just purely on the result it was unbelievable, absolutely unbelievable.

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KIM ASHKENAZI -INTERVIEW FROM THE ARCHIVES - Dirt Action

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