Jewish American Heritage Month

Posted By admin on May 25, 2020

ADL Criticizes Berks County GOP Facebook Posts

Anti-Defamation League Philadelphia Regional Director Shira Goodman issued a statement on May 15 condemning two recent posts on the Berks County Republican Party Facebook page.

The first post, made on May 14, calls Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf a Nazi and links to a news segment from WHP CBS 21.

This analogy is offensive and wrong, and trivializes the suffering of six million Jews and millions of others who died at the hands of the Nazis, the ADL statement reads. We are dismayed to see this shameful analogy deployed by a significant political organization in Pennsylvania just 10 days after Jewish organizations across the commonwealth condemned a state legislator for comparing the Wolf administration to the Nazi Party. Holocaust analogies should only be used when referring to actual genocides, full stop.

The other post the ADL responded to, posted on May 13, shows a cartoon of a man in the style of Rosie the Riveter posters from the 1940s wearing a MAGA hat and displaying the OK hand gesture.

While in most cases this gesture is innocuous, it has been adopted by white supremacists as a trolling tactic and as a symbol of white power, the statement said.

The ADL demanded that Berks County Republican Party issue an apology, make a commitment to learning more about extremism and the Holocaust and take down both posts.

Exponent Wins Journalism Award

Former Jewish Exponent web editor and reporter Selah Maya Zighelboim placed first in the SPJ Keystone Pro Chapter journalism contests environmental reporting category for Shore Homeowners Contend with Rising Seas. The article appeared in the Exponents July 18, 2019, issue.

Zighelboim now edits the Baltimore Jewish Times.

DJOP, Black Clergy Join to Maximize Voter Turnout

Democratic Jewish Outreach PA and the Black Clergy of Philadelphia and Vicinity announced a joint effort to maximize turnout in the June 2 Pennsylvania primary election.

Rev. Robert Collier, president of the Black Clergy, and DJOP Chair Jill Zipin said in a statement that they are committed to working together to protect access to the ballot and to encourage our constituents to vote by mail.

They said their organizations would work with elected officials to encourage their constituencies to register to vote by mail at http://www.pavoterservices.pa.gov prior to the May 26 deadline.

KleinLife Adds Telephone Talk Therapy

KleinLife in Northeast Philadelphia announced the addition of a telephone talk therapy program to stay closely connected to its senior members.

Because of the coronavirus pandemic, KleinLife shut down its daily senior center operations, which included congregant meals.

Our goal is to keep in touch with our members during the pandemic health emergency to help them cope and manage the issues related to anxiety and depression which is often problematic within this active elderly population, said Andre Krug, president and CEO of KleinLife.

Mariya Keselman-Mekler, KleinLifes counseling and program manager and certified art therapist, is overseeing and implementing the program. Nearly 60 members receive talk therapy.

For details, contact KleinLife at 215-698-7300 or visit its website at kleinlife.org.

Rutgers Honors Jewish Studies Students

Three Rutgers University students were honored by the Department of Jewish Studies for their achievements.

Graduate student Steven Weinberg of Elkins Park, a 2022 doctoral candidate, received the Harold and Betty Perl Award to fund a dissertation project planned for Berlin.

Junior Anuska of Voorhees, New Jersey, who is majoring in political science, received the Dr. Benjamin F. Glasser and Lillian Glasser Award to fund a study abroad program in Berlin.

And sophomore Brianna Newman of Burlington, New Jersey, a political science and Jewish studies double major, received the Baruch S. and Pearl W. Seidman Award.

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Community Briefs: KleinLife Adds Telephone Talk Therapy and More - Jewish Exponent

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Posted By admin on May 25, 2020

With the ReOpenNC group planning protests in five North Carolina cities on Memorial Day including Greensboro, the husband of one of the groups founders published a Facebook video that says violence shouldnt be ruled out.

Are we willing to kill people? Are we willing to lay our lives down? We have to say yes, Adam Smith said in a Facebook Live video posted on Friday.

Later in the 17-minute video, he said, If you bring force, were gonna bring force. If you bring guns, were gonna bring guns. If youre armed with this, were gonna be armed with this.

Smith, husband of ReOpenNC founder Ashley Smith of Morganton, took the video down after it was first reported by the Raw Story website. But Ashley Smith reposted the video Sunday afternoon on the ReOpenNC Facebook page.

Maybe you agree with him and maybe you dont, but we have nothing to hide, Ashley Smith wrote on Facebook. This group is built on the Constitution and that includes free speech and the second amendment. He is simply stating to protect his family and our freedom he is willing to take up arms like our forefathers did.

Reached late Sunday night by the News & Record, Ashley Smith said that her husbands comments have nothing to do with the rallies occurring today.

"In no way was it in any context with any rallies," she said.

Weve done five events in Raleigh ... and theres not been firearms at any of them, she said. Its going to be very patriotic, very family friendly.

The Greensboro rally will be at 11 a.m. at the Phill G. McDonald Plaza, 110 S. Greene St.

Ashley Smith said her husband is an ex-Marine who remains willing to die for all of you too, as he was when he was enlisted.

Adam Smith was also present along with other armed Blue Igloo demonstrators in downtown Raleigh on May 16. Blue Igloo is likely a play on the word Boogaloo, which the Anti-Defamation League describes as a slang term for a coming civil war.

The ReOpenNC group formed on Facebook on April 7, quickly growing to its current 78,900 members. The group has held numerous protests in downtown Raleigh, near the Legislative Building and the Governors Mansion, in opposition to Gov. Roy Coopers executive orders aimed at slowing the coronavirus spread.

State Capitol Police arrested Ashley Smith at one of the ReOpenNC rallies in Raleigh for disobeying an executive order. In a video of the incident, Adam Smith calls police little thugs for arresting her. Look at these thugs, people, arresting her for walking on the sidewalk, Adam Smith says.

Even as Cooper relaxed social restrictions on Friday, moving the state into Phase Two of his reopening plan by allowing more businesses to open and restaurants to resume indoor dining at reduced capacity, the group planned Memorial Day Freedom Rallies today. In addition to Greensboro, rallies are planned in Charlotte, Asheville, Raleigh and Wilmington at 11 a.m., according to the groups Facebook page.

The group seeks an end to all social restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic, which has infected 23,222 people and led to 744 deaths in the state since March.

In the Facebook Live video, Adam Smith calls suggestions to wear masks and practice social distancing as part of an indoctrination test.

It is a test run to see how much liberty were willing to give up without a fight, Adam Smith said. Boy, you know what I say? Not an inch. Not an inch, Mr. Cooper.

While calling anyone who took issue with her husbands comments disgraceful, Ashley Smith said Sunday that he maybe could have chosen his words better.

Could he have said it better? Ashley Smith said on Facebook. Maybe, but thats not for anyone to decide how a free person should speak their mind. Our founding fathers would not be pleased that we gave up so much for so little. Look how hard we are having to fight to get our freedom back!

The News & Observer reached out Sunday to police departments in the five cities where ReOpenNC plans protests today.

Ron Glenn, public information officer for the Greensboro Police Department said: Im not sure if anyone is aware of that video, but the group has a permit to use the space (for the rally).

We have officers assigned to work that event and enough resources in place to handle that event," he said. "Were not expecting any issues from that group. The organizers have followed the protocol required to be in that area.

Police from the other four cities have not responded to the News & Observer.

Walt and Stephanie Emery of Winston-Salem were on hand for the protests in Raleigh on Tuesday, where demonstrators demanded restrictions be lifted on businesses in North Carolina.

Protesters gather at the corner of Jones and Wilmington streets across from the legislative building in Raleigh on Tuesday. Most called for North Carolina to reopen businesses shuttered due to the COVIID-19 pandemic.

Staff writer Jonas Pope IV and News & Record reporter Kenwyn Caranna contributed to this report.

This article is published through the N.C. News Collaborative, a partnership of Lee Newspapers, Gannett and McClatchy newspapers in North Carolina that aims to better inform readers throughout the state.

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Husband of ReOpenNC leader says hes willing to kill people to fight government control - Winston-Salem Journal

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Posted By admin on May 25, 2020

Police in Peoria, Ill., are investigating nine broken windows at a synagogue in the city.

Authorities believe the vandalism at Congregation Anshai Emeth, which houses the Hebrew Day School, occurred between Tuesday and Wednesday afternoon, when it was reported to law enforcement.

It is under investigation by a detective, and at this point, there is no suspect information, said Officer Amy Dotson, public-information officer for the Peoria Police Department. No entry was made, and nothing in the chapel appeared to be disturbed.

She said the windows were broken by either rocks or bricks, and among the rooms impacted were classrooms and a kitchen.

Dotson added that we do have issues with kids and vandalism. I wouldnt say its prevalent to houses of worship, but it isnt completely uncommon. It is typically a juvenile delinquent situation.

Synagogue president Steven Marx told a local television station, WMBD, that the vandal or vandals used bricks or rocks to break a lot of windows and tried to break one door. It just seems to be simple vandalism, but the target, of course, makes you wonder. He confirmed this on Friday with JNS, noting that estimates for the damage have not yet been made.

As of press time, no motive had been associated with the incident. Officials have said as of now there is no indication of anti-Semitism.

Indeed, following a post on Facebook about the incident in which some expressed concern that this was a hate act, someone using the synagogues Facebook account responded, Maybe they didnt target us as Jews.

On Thursday evening, the Anti-Defamation League Midwest indicated its awareness of the incident and planned to speak with both law enforcement and members of the congregation.

On his personal Twitter account, David Goldenberg, ADLs Midwest regional director, said: The investigation is underway and motives for this vandalism are unknown at the moment, but we know it occurs at a time when anti-Semitic incidents are up 340 percent in Illinois since 2016.

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Dozens of Windows Shattered at Illinois Synagogue - Jewish Journal

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Posted By admin on May 25, 2020

Bill de Blasio, the mayor of New York City, has been accused of blaming the Jewish community for flouting social distancing regulations during the current coronavirus pandemic.

This is a patently unfair accusation.

Last month, de Blasio personally supervised the dispersal of a large, tightly packed ultra-Orthodox funeral procession in Brooklyns Williamsburg neighborhood. Two thousand five hundred mourners, only some of whom wore masks, poured into a street to honor a rabbi who had died of COVID-19. They were clearly in violation of social distancing rules, which are intended to curb the spread of this deadly contagion.

Police commissioner Dermot Shea said that, while no arrests were made, dozens of summonses were issued.

After the crowd was dispersed, de Blasio tweeted, My message to the Jewish community, and all communities, is this simple: the time for warnings has passed.

In a subsequent tweet, he wrote, Something absolutely unacceptable happened in Williamsburg tonite: a large funeral gathering in the middle of this pandemic. What I saw WILL NOT be tolerated so long as we are fighting the coronavirus.

Shortly afterward, de Blasio was accused of singling out the ultra-Orthodox community for disparagement.

I agree with the mayor that social distancing is vitally important, and last nights gathering was not appropriate, said the president of the World Jewish Congress, Ronald Lauder, in a statement. But to blame the entire Jewish community is the type of stereotyping that is dangerous and unacceptable at any time, and particularly pernicious while the world is gripped in fear and the worst among us are looking for scapegoats.

In the same vein, the chief executive officer of the Anti-Defamation League, Jonathan Greenblatt, tweeted that generalizing about New York Citys Jewish population is outrageous, especially when so many are scapegoating Jews.

To say that Lauder and Greenblatt overreacted would be an understatement. As de Blasio correctly said, he was not singling out the Jewish community per se, but warning all communities that massive gatherings of any kind place everyone at risk of being infected by the coronavirus, which has already claimed the lives of 95,000 Americans. I spoke out of real distress, de Blasio added.

As Lauder and Greenblatt certainly must know, ultra-Orthodox Jews, ironically, have been disproportionately impacted by the outbreak, both in New York, Europe and Israel. In contravention of common sense, they have broken social distancing regulations by attending weddings and funerals and continuing to send their children to school.

In recognition of this reality, the leaders of several American ultra-Orthodox organizations issued a statement last month urging their members to obey social distancing rules.

Unfortunately, irresponsible and reckless elements in the ultra-Orthodox community have not heeded that call.

A few days ago, in response to a complaint from a neighbor, police raided a Hassidic school in the Bedford-Stuyvesant district of Brooklyn, sending home about 60 pupils. Only a few were wearing masks when the raid took place.

Reacting to it, de Blasio said the school would remain shut until the states stay-at-home order is lifted.

Avrohom Weinstock, an official with the Agudath Israel of American, an ultra-Orthodox umbrella group, basically agreed with the mayor, saying that yeshivas have no excuse to contravene the boundaries of social distancing.

Ultra-Orthodox community leaders who refuse to comply with the law of the land put themselves, and everyone else, in danger by congregating in large numbers during this unprecedented health crisis. This is an intolerable situation that law enforcement must fix before it spins completely out of control.

Contrary to what U.S. Senator Ted Cruz (Texas) claims, Hassidic violations of social distancing is not an issue about religious freedom.

In the meantime, New York City should be thankful to de Blasio, a public official who sincerely cares about the health and wellbeing of all New Yorkers.

Sheldon Kirshner is a journalist in Toronto. He writes at his online journal, SheldonKirshner.com

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New York City's mayor has been unfairly criticized - The Times of Israel

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Posted By admin on May 24, 2020

Seventy-five years ago, Nazi Germany surrendered to Dwight D. Eisenhower. Later in 1945, Hirohitos Japan surrendered to Douglas MacArthur.

The Ohio History Connection reports approximately 839,000 Ohioans, roughly 12 percent of the states population served in the armed forces during the conflict. Of [them], 23,000 died or were missing in action by the wars conclusion. Blessed be their names.

Washington rationed food and such goods as gasoline and tires, and limited rail travel. Detroit did not build cars for civilians. Steep taxes helped pay for the war and dampen inflation.

Then came victories, with Harry S. Truman (who became president without being a millionaire) in the White House. In Europe, the men and women of the allied powers saved (democratic) Britain and helped save (tyrannical) Russia. In the Pacific, America avenged Pearl Harbor.

Sacrifices, victories: That was the formula Americans and their allies followed during the World War II, a war that started for the people of Europe even before Dec. 7, 1941, and long before that for the people of Asia. The bottom line, 75 years ago, in Ohio, and nationwide: The United States achieved a common goal: Victory over murderous enemies.

In Ohios outstanding public libraries, there are more books about the World War II than a reader can shake a stick at. Nevertheless, it seems impossible for a reader to find an instance when Americans, let alone Ohioans, demanded their right during that war to get a haircut or perm, or buy the daily cholesterol special in a sit-down restaurant.

In all those thousands of books, and videos, too, it is impossible to find an example of Ohioans demonstrating at the Statehouse in wartime to insist they had more know-how about beating enemies than did Eisenhower, MacArthur or the U.S. Navys fleet admirals.

Today, though, after barely two months of statewide warfare against the murderous coronavirus, thats what some Ohioans seem to say. Moreover, they are saying it in an Ohio whose Republican governor, Mike DeWine, of Cedarville, has been nationally applauded for his leadership in fighting a disease that can kill quickly and for which there currently is no cure. And DeWine is doing that with the help of Ohios health director, Dr. Amy Acton, herself the focus of gripes. (Hmm A woman. An educated woman. An educated woman with power. An educated woman with power who is of Jewish heritage: Bigots bingo!)

Its as if on Feb. 7, 1942, two months after Japan attacked Pearl Harbor, a few Ohioans said, Thats it. We have done enough. Time to move on. In the roughly 44 months from Pearl Harbor to V-J Day, an average of 523 Ohioans a month serving our country in uniform died or became listed as MIA. In the last two months, COVID-19 has killed at least 1,610 Ohioans. We are done? We should move on?

Moreover, some of the Ohioans asserting a constitutional right to such-and-thus merchandise or service dont seem to have the same energetic concern for the constitutional rights of other Ohioans, such as women seeking an abortion; or same-sex couples seeking to marry; or Ohioans at risk of death because some prisons are lousy with coronavirus.

(Ohioans who oppose abortion are not alone, they are sincere, and they reflect many faith traditions. But when has Congress, when GOP-run, submitted an anti-Roe v. Wade constitutional amendment to the states? Or when has the Ohio General Assembly, GOP-run for 24 of the last 26 years, proposed a federal constitutional convention to overturn Roe v. Wade?)

Some Ohioans say they are irked when the state releases prisoners from coronavirus-plagued prisons. It will be interesting to hear what those same Ohioans say about Paul Manaforts release. If freeing a convicted presidential flunky doesnt frost suburbia, heres a four-syllable word for this weeks kaffeeklatsch: hy-poc-ris-y.

The coronavirus has holed Ohios economy worse than the iceberg holed the Titanic. The pandemic will force the General Assembly to make budget cuts that will likely spark Statehouse protests and frantic lobbying. That is the political process. That is Ohio.

But protesting restrictions the coronavirus forced on Ohio? That suggests fighting a disease to save Ohioans lives just isnt worth it. Thats not the state most Ohioans grew up in.

Thomas Suddes, a member of the editorial board, writes from Athens.

To reach Thomas Suddes: tsuddes@cleveland.com, 216-408-9474

Have something to say about this topic?

* Send a letter to the editor, which will be considered for print publication.

* Email comments or corrections on this opinion column to Elizabeth Sullivan, director of opinion, at esullivan@cleveland.com.

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Ohioans protesting the coronavirus fail to appreciate the war we are in - together - cleveland.com

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Posted By admin on May 24, 2020

May 22, 2020

Other items in todays column include:*Yiddish theatre faces obstacles*San Diego County Jewish community pandemic news*Jewish American Heritage Month*San Diego County Jewish clergy*Recommended reading*In memoriam

By Donald H. Harrison

SAN DIEGO StandWithUs celebrated the 19th anniversary of its founding on Thursday with an international webcast that showcased its growth and successes helping students on college campuses, high schools and middle schools learn about Israel and defend against anti-Semitic attacks. The program was emceed by comedian Elon Gold and also featured the singing of Hatikvah, Israels National Anthem, by Rabbi/ Cantor Alison Wissot of Temple Judea of Tarzana, California, and a popular, optimistic Hebrew song by Israeli singer David Broza on the theme of things will get better.

Roz Rothstein, the CEO and co-founder of the pro-Israel organization, recalled that during the Second Intifada in 2000 and 2001, she was very frustrated that American Jewish organizations didnt rise to the level of Israels defense that she thought necessary to counter Palestinians anti-Zionist propaganda. On May 8, 2001, Koby Mandell, 13, and Yosef Ishran, 14, were murdered while hiking near the Israeli settlement of Tekoa. Koby has both U.S. and Israeli citizenship, his family having immigrated to Israel five years earlier.

Those murders precipitated the founding of StandWithUs by Rothstein, her husband Jerry Rothstein, and Esther Renzer. The budding organization along with Mandells grieving parents Seth and Sherri Mandell successfully called on the U.S. Congress to take action against Palestinian terrorists who harm American citizens. The Mandells also founded the Koby Mandell Foundation, which support families bereaved by terrorism.

During the webcast, Seth Mandell said they started the Foundation to give meaning to Kobys and Yosefs lives. Sherri Mandell related that after someone is killed by terror, the family feels alone. Had her son lived, she said, he might have become a lawyer or a judge because he loved to argue.

From that introduction, the program pivoted to a presentation about the work StandWithUs has been doing since then. Maddy Gunn told of a time while a student at Michigan State University a mezuzah was snatched from the door of her apartment. At first police were unresponsive, but when she obtained video footage of the vandal, the police identified the perpetrator. As the daughter of a Holocaust survivor, she said, she had learned that one should act in the face of anti-Semitism, not stand by. She said through the entire process, she was aided by StandWithUs.

Yael Lerman, representing StandWithUss Saidoff Legal Department, said with the help of 100 pro bono attorneys, StandWith Us has participated in 1,000 cases in behalf of students and professors, with 100 cases in process this year so far.

StandWithUS created a Center for Combating Antisemitism, which was represented on the webcast by Carly Gammill, a Gentile. She said the Center helps identify anti-Semitism wherever it occurs; has sought to bring about a consistent definition of Anti-Semitism to aid law enforcement; has produced educational videos, and, drawing on the resources of the Saidoff Legal Department, has helped to assure legal rights are protected of pro-Israel professors and students who find themselves in hostile university environments. The Center also posts rewards for people providing information leading to the successful prosecution of hate crimes.

Rena Nasar First, who heads StandWithUss program for college and university students, said that during the coronavirus pandemic after many colleges switched from in-person classroom learning to distance learning, StandWithUs thus far has hosted 125 webinars on such subjects as combating anti-Semitism, the history of Israel, and Israels humanitarian aid efforts around the world. The program also enrolled 151 students to serve as Emerson Fellows organizing pro-Israel activities on campuses throughout North America.

Miri Kornfeld said approximately 250 webcasts reached 4,000 high school students across North America, providing them with crash courses about Israel, and a taste of the controversies they might encounter once they enroll at college campuses. He said 125 high school interns will lead pro-Israel gatherings at schools across the continent.

Mina Rush said she is currently working with nearly 200 middle schools across the continent, providing home learning programs about Israel. After viewing the content, middle school students write essays about Israel that are judged by well-known journalists. Winners receive Amazon gift cards.

Besides its programs in the U.S., StandWithUs has operations in Canada, United Kingdom, Brazil, South Africa, and Israel, the latter headed by Michael Dickson. He reported that after people in Israel were required by the pandemic to quarantine at home, his office launched a web conference in which 150 Israel fellows participated. He estimated that through social media platforms StandWithUs has reached 28 million people with its messages.

In a project still to be completed, StandWithUs is making Minority of One, a documentary about Hussein Aboubakr, an Arab Muslim who grew up in Cairo, Egypt, where he was taught to hate Israelis and Jews, but after educating himself did a complete turnaround.

San Diego is one of the North American cities in which StandWithUs maintains a permanent staff headed by Yosef Condiotti, the regional director, and Yael Steinberg, the associate director. Among those who gave brief greetings on the video wasJenny Josephson, an active member of StandWithUs regional board.

*Yiddish Theatre faces obstaclesPlaywright and author Nahma Sandrowwas the special guest Friday on a webinar sponsored by the San Diego-based Yiddish Academic and Arts Association of North America (YAAANA) moderated by the organizations founder Jana Masurkiewicz Meisarosh.

The author of the bookVagabond Stars: A World History of Yiddish Theatre said that although there are serious, elevated works in Yiddish theatre, the medium is beset with expectations from audiences and producers that Yiddish theatre is meant to be comedic and to have music.

Whereas in the 19th Century, Yiddish theatre in crowded Jewish neighborhood offered opportunities for informal familial outings, in which people felt free to unwrap their candies and talk back to the actors, in the 20th century more serious forms emerged, intended not just as a show but for a glorification of Yiddish culture. Audiences would remain quiet and respectful during the performances, but many would write letters to the editor afterwards commenting on the subject matter.

She said, however, that there is a tendency of some theatre companies to add vaudeville style shtick to serious works. She watched one serious play, in which the local theatre company kept inserting spitting tu, tu, tu into the dialogue, even though it didnt belong.

Asked what impactFiddler on the Roof, which was adapted from the stories of Yiddish writer Sholem Alechem had on Yiddish theatre, Sandrow said to the effect that it popularized the shtetl experience with Gentile audiences, probably helped to promote Yiddish theatre.

However comedian Goldie Hoffmanwho also participated in the Zoom call, suggested that as a result ofFiddlerssuccess both as a long-running Broadway play and a movie, now people expect that and if a Yiddish production isnt like that, it doesnt sell it.

Yiddish is so tied to nostalgia, Hoffman said.

Agreeing Sandrow said after she wroteVagabond Stars, she received a letter from a young man who said the book had helped him rediscover his Jewish roots not a religious book, but one on theatre.*

Jewish American Heritage Month

* Over the last two days, the Endowment for Middle East Truth (EMET) has honored pop artist Roy Lichtenstein and journalist Charles Krauthammer.

*San Diego County Jewish clergy

*Rabbi David Castiglione of Temple Adat Shalom of Poway was among 500 rabbis and Jewish communal letters who signed a letter urging the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations to lead the way by adopting a policy of barring from its activities any Jewish organizational representative who has committed sexual harassment or assault. Such a policy would set an example of leadership on this critical issue and for zero tolerance of sexual harassment or abuse in Jewish communal life. It would also ensure that the Jewish community can have full confidence in the integrity of those who represent our interests.

*Cantor Cheri Weiss, founder of the San Diego Outreach Synagogue, will be ordained as a rabbi on Monday, May 25, at the Academy for Jewish Religion California, a seminary based in Los Angeles.

*Cantor Alisa Pomerantz-Boro, formerly of Tifereth Israel Synagogue in San Diego and now of Congregation Beth El in Vorhees, New Jersey, was among 35 female cantors who together sang a stirring rendition of Yerushalayim Shel Sahav (Jerusalem of Gold)in honor of the 53rd anniversary of the reunification of Jerusalem during Israels 1967 Six Day War. The video of the assembled cantors may be seen above. Thanks to Frieda Barkin of San Diego for forwarding it to us.

*Rabbi Joshua Dorsch of Tifereth Israel Synagogue reports that his congregation will hold its first Zoom bat mitzvah on Sunday, May 24, whenYael Broudy and her family will webcast the rite. Yael will lead us in our service, chant Torah, and share words of Torah, Dorsch said.

*

San Diego County Jewish community pandemic news

*Jeanne Shenkman, our correspondent at Seacrest Village Retirement Community, reports that seniors in the Jewish community-run facility, were able on Friday to go on their first outing since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic. Wearing their masks, they went by van for a sightseeing tour along the Pacific Coast Highway.

*Mimi Pollack, who along with friends in the Small Movement has been arranging for headbands and masks to be sewn and delivered to health care workers at Sharp Grossmont Hospital, sent along a photo of the appreciative staff. At right is Dr. Frank Kalmar, who coordinated the effort for the hospital.

*Recommended reading*Barbara Henry of The San Diego Union-Tribunereports that the Encinitas City Council unanimously approved a one-year extension of the Jewish Family Service program providing parking and assistance for homeless people living in their cars at Leichtag Commons. The story said that a majority of people emailing comments to the City Council were supportive of the project in contrast to meetings months ago when opponents were the majority in the audience.

*Jerry Klingerreports in The Times of Israel about a sculpted tribute to Anne Frank that is being placed in Israel and other countries around the world at his expense.

*In memoriamBrian Irving Pearl, 86, died Thursday, May 21, Am israel Mortuary reported. Rabbi David Kornberg of Congregation Beth Am will conduct graveside funeral services at 3 p.m., Sunday, May 24, at El Camino Memorial Park, 5600 Carroll Canyon Road, San Diego.

*Donald H. Harrison is editor ofSan Diego Jewish World.He may be contacted via donald.harrison@sdjewishworld.com Free obituaries in memory of members of the San Diego County Jewish community are sponsored onSan Diego Jewish Worldby Inland Industries Group LP in memory of long-time San Diego Jewish community leader Marie (Mrs. Gabriel) Berg.

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StandWithUs celebrates 19th anniversary of its founding - San Diego Jewish World

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Posted By admin on May 24, 2020

by Natalie Arneson

As May nears its end, the outpouring of social media posts celebrating Asian and Pacific Islander American Heritage Month, and the members of these communities, covers Instagram and Facebook feeds. Amid the spike in racism and racially motivated violence due to COVID-19, seeing the flood of love and appreciation for the Asian and Pacific Islander (API) communities is certainly heartwarming. This is a month that allows an open space for the celebration of the unique cultures belonging to the Asian and Pacific Islander communities as well as a space for community members to show what makes their cultures special to them. This month is also a great opportunity both to learn about figures in the API community, who are working towards positive changes in the world, and how you can contribute.

A well known public figure and entertainer in the API community is Eugene Lee Yang, a Korean American producer, actor, writer and director. Yang is best known for his work with the Buzzfeed group The Try Guys. Some of his other notable works are his 2014 short film titled Comfort Girls which is a musical piece that explores the abuse of Korean women, specifically the comfort women of World War II, and his 2019 video titled Im Gay Eugene Lee Yang. Yangs 2019 video was, as he described it, his official coming out to the world. In a Twitter post, Yang wrote I created this music video as my personal way of coming out as a proud gay man who has many unheard, specific stories to tell. I withheld because of fear and shame shaped by my background but I promise to give my full truth in the rest of my lifes work. His video raised about $120,217 for The Trevor Project, an organization with which Yang volunteers. The Trevor Project is a national organization founded in 1998 that provides crisis intervention and suicide prevention services to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer & questioning (LGBTQ) young people under 25. In October of 2019, Yang was awarded the Human Rights Campaigns Visibility Award and in May of 2020 Yang was also awarded the Phenom Award for LGBTQ+ Activism, from the Shorty Awards, for his work with The Trevor Project.

This is a month that allows an open space for the celebration of the unique cultures belonging to the Asian and Pacific Islander communities as well as a space for community members to show what makes their cultures special to them.

A not as widely known, but equally phenomenal, member of the API community who has been working towards positive change within their own community and the world is activist singer-songwriter Hwane Rios. Rios is a Native Hawaiian who is a community leader of the Protect Mauna Kea movement in Hawaii. Rios has been a part of this movement since 2011 along with her mother, Pua Case, and sister Kapulei Flores. As an Indigenous woman, she is on the frontlines of this movement to protect the sacred land of Mauna a Wakea. Rios has been nominated for Female Vocalist of the Year and her album titled K Kiai Mauna Together We Rise has been nominated for Contemporary Album of the Year by the N Hk Hanohano Awards for 2020. Two of Rios most powerful songs about the Mauna Kea protests and Native solidarity are Together We Rise and Warrior Rising ft. Lkea Trask.

Another powerful woman in the API community is actress and self-proclaimed feminist-in-progress Jameela Jamil. Jamil, nationally British and ethnically Pakistani and Indian, is the founder of the I Weigh community and podcast of the same name. A big point of her activism is radical inclusivity and creating a culture without shame. Jamil created I Weigh, originally starting as an Instagram account, to provide a safe, radically inclusive community on social media: Activism can seem daunting At I Weigh Community We believe in brick-by-brick activism, and making a difference in large numbers. Jamil states in the I Weigh website welcome letter, Were going to have to come together and do this as one to really shift the narrative of our society. Through her website and podcast, Jamil helps people from marginalized groups, as well as celebrities, share their unique stories about topics such as mental health and the challenge of being body positive in a scrutinizing society.

Phil Kaye, a spoken-word poet, is another member of the API community working to change the world for the better. Kaye, a Japanese/Jewish-American, is a National Poetry Slam Finalist as well as the two-time recipient of the CUPSI (College Union Poetry Slam Invitational) award for Pushing the Art Forward, which he received for outstanding innovation in the art of performance poetry. Kaye is also the co-director of Project Voice, along with close friend and fellow Japanese/Jewish-American poet Sarah Kay (no relation). Project Voice was created with the purpose of utilizing poetry to encourage self-expression among school-age children.

Kaye has also taught poetry workshops in maximum security prisons across the country through the SPACE program, which is a program dedicated to providing inmates with a space for critical engagement and creative thought through participation, collaboration, reflection, skill-building and creative expression. In a 2014 Ted Talk, Kaye talked about his time spent with the inmates, saying They were not writing for recognition. They were writing for the sake of writing. To figure things out, for the promise of self-discovery We share the dusty corners of ourselves, the parts no one asks about, the things that dont show up on a police record or an artist bio. This workshop program also helped Kaye create one of his most popular poems titled Repetition. In sharing his own personal narrative through poetry, Kaye also provides a space where those struggling with the juxtaposition of their mixed heritage can reflect and learn to love themselves for all they are.

One last API figure I would like to introduce is Filipina transgender model and activist, Geena Rocero. In 2014, Rocero officially came out in a Ted Talk titled Why I must come out in honor of International Transgender Day of Visibility. In her Ted Talk, Rocero mentions her move to the United States, a place where she could officially change her gender marker, something she was unable to do in her home country of the Philippines. Rocero recalled, in 2001, I moved to San Francisco, and I remember looking at my California drivers license with the name Geena and gender marker F. That was a powerful moment. For some people, their I.D. is their license to drive or even to get a drink, but for me, that was my license to live, to feel dignified. Rocero is the founder of Gender Proud Productions, a production company focused on using media to elevate justice and equality for the transgender community. Rocero has been a part of many works, including producing the Logo TV web series, also produced by Gender Proud Productions, Beautiful As I Want to Be, which highlights trans youth and received the 2016 GLAAD Media Award, and working with Fusion/Univision, an American TV channel, to create No League of Their Own, a TV documentary about transgender athletes which went on to win the 2017 Association of LGBTQ Journalists Best in Health and Fitness Coverage. Rocero is also a board member of NY LGBT Center as well as an ambassador for The Stonewall Inn.

take this time to celebrate yourself as a member of the API community in whatever way being API means to you and to also learn what you can do to help better this world we are all a part of.

While being involved in activism may seem like a daunting task, it is important to remember that activism done in even the smallest of ways makes a difference to someone, somewhere. These phenomenal API community members all started from small spaces, but through hard work, the help of their respective communities and a little luck, they have become influencers and advocates for the issues most dear to them that affect people on a global scale. As the month of May comes to a close in the next week, take this time to celebrate yourself as a member of the API community in whatever way being API means to you and to also learn what you can do to help better this world we are all a part of. Happy Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month; in the words of actress Sandra Oh, Its an honor just to be Asian and in honor of what wouldve been singer-songwriter Israel Kamakawiwooles 61st birthday on May 20, Be strong, know who you are, no be shame, stand up, e ala e.

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Asian and Pacific Islanders Making Waves in the World - The Cooper Point Journal

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Posted By admin on May 24, 2020

Hilary Duff found herself facing seemingly baseless allegations on Saturday, May 23, when several people on Twitter claimed she was involved in sex trafficking. What led to this extremely serious accusation? The 32-year-old star had recently shared a video on her Instagram story, which featured her eight-year-old son Luca Cruz laying down nude. Duff had covered up his body parts in her video.

"Someone pointed out on Instagram that I did a nude of him, which I did, so we covered that up with sticker," she said in her clip. That clip was shared by many on Twitter, along with the aforementioned allegations.

Duff, of course, did not take this lightly. She wrote on Twitter, Everyone bored af right now I know..but this is actually disgusting..... whoever dreamed this one up and put this garbage into the universe should take a break from their damn phone. Maybe get a hobby.

A statement issued by her representatives read: Let me say this in the strongest terms, this is all a fabricated disgusting internet lie, created and perpetuated by trolls and idiots. Hilary's own post this morning is all that needs to be said on the matter. Everyone who knows Hilary is fully aware what an amazing mom she is and that requires no further comment. If only people with this much time on their hands used their energy to solve real problems in the world.

Duff may be right in pointing out the reason behind this allegation. People are bored, stuck inside their homes because of the COVID-19 lockdowns in place. Ever since the lockdowns began, we have seen a number of startlingly bizarre accusations and allegations come into play. Almost like clockwork, every week (sometimes every day) has seen an is over party trend play out on social media. Be it Timothe Chalamet, Cole Sprouse, Adam Driver, or just about anyone famous, social media users have been canceling stars for either no obvious reason or with manufactured reasons.

For example, on Friday, May 22, people on social media canceled Chris Captain America Evans for "playing a Zionist" in 'The Red Sea Diving Resort', the 2019 spy thriller.

Zionism, Israels national ideology, is the belief that Judaism is a nationality as well as a religion, and that Jewish folks deserve their own state in their ancestral homeland, Israel. Its a contentious geopolitical philosophy that has both proponents and opponents in vast numbers. Not debating the validity of the ideology, it is patently disingenuous to ascribe it to a celebrity solely based on a film they have acted in.

Its very much like how so-called patriots and fans of American Sniper were enraged after they saw Bradley Cooper attending the Democratic National Convention in 2016.

Just a couple of months ago, however, another absurd, dangerous but decidedly baseless rumor spread like wildfire on Twitter. Oprah Winfrey had to debunk false claims that she was arrested for sex trafficking charges. Per reports, a fake report went viral saying that she had been arrested at her home in Boca Raton, Florida.

Winfrey had then taken to Twitter to say, Just got a phone call that my name is trending. And being trolled for some awful FAKE thing. Its NOT TRUE. Havent been raided, or arrested. Just sanitizing and self-distancing with the rest of the world. Stay safe everybody.

Speaking about it more recently in her magazine, Winfrey wrote, Imagine sitting cozily in bed, propped up on your favorite pillows, 240 pages into a riveting family saga -- when you get a phone call telling you youre trending on Twitter. And you discover its a bogus and vile story that you were arrested and your home was raided for sex trafficking and child pornography. I cant and dont want to imagine an uglier accusation.

Im in my bed in my PJs and socks, and somehow #OprahArrested is a thing, she continued. My worst fear realized. Being slandered, accused of a crime I didnt commit.

However long the lockdowns take to end, this regular trend of false accusations born from boredom cannot end soon enough.

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Hilary Duff, Oprah accused of sex trafficking and Chris Evans of Zionism, false claims on rise amid lockdown - MEAWW

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Posted By admin on May 23, 2020

Mere hours after President Donald Trump called on governors to open places of worship, calling the institutions essential, one Los Angeles congregation pounced on the opportunity. In defiance of a California state ban on religious gatherings due to the potential spread of coronavirus, it opened for Friday night services.

Members of Congregation Etz Chaim, an Orthodox congregation of about 70 families that meets in a house in Hancock Park, received an email on Friday announcing with great pleasure and joy that Sabbath services would convene again beginning this evening.

Rabbi Chaim Baruch Rubin, who leads the synagogue, said that California permitting some businesses to reopen while prohibiting religious gatherings was a violation of his constitutional right to worship, and thus did not have to be obeyed.

Rabbi Chaim Baruch Rubin of Congregation Etz Chaim in Hancock Park.

Sometimes the state law becomes so ridiculous, so adverse to Gods law, without any rationale, Rubin said. When you have public safety as a primary concern, I agree with that. But when you allow sports activities, and massage parlors, and marijuana distributors and liquor stores, and every activity that is non-essential, or not as essential as prayer, then quite frankly, the law is useless.

In Rubins view, Trumps demand, issued during a press briefing Friday morning, gave him all the authority he needed to reopen.

Sometimes its better to ask for forgiveness than permission, the rabbi said, adding that the local police had assured him they wouldnt arrest anyone. Jokingly, I said, If you do, Ill have the president just pardon me.

An officer at the Wilshire precinct said he was unaware of such a conversation. The office of Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti did not return a request for comment.

The decision to reopen breaks ranks with other Orthodox institutions in Los Angeles, over a dozen of whom signed a letter committing to staying closed an additional two weeks after the state permits gatherings of ten or more. Ten men, age 13 and older, make a minyan, or quorum, for Orthodox communal prayer.

Rabbi Jason Weiner, who has been convening local Orthodox rabbis with medical experts and state officials during the pandemic, said that some Orthodox congregations who signed the letter had been clamoring to hold services again, but until today the line had held.

All the shuls had been kind of united and waiting for government guidance, said Weiner, director of spiritual care at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and head of Congregation Knesset Israel in West Los Angeles. He expected an update from the governors office as early as Monday.

But nothing had been unclear about the current instruction, he said. As far as I know, its still illegal.

Rubins contention with the state and local public health order stemmed from what he saw as an inconsistency between the standards applied to religious institutions and secular ones.

Some businesses and offices had been allowed to reopen in California as of May 8 under its Stage 2 guidelines, but social gatherings including religious ones were still proscribed.

Rabbi Rubin pointed out that he had been quick to close Etz Chaim ten weeks ago when the pandemic first hit, and had condemned secret minyanim since then. Hancock Park may have been the Jewish neighborhood hit hardest by the Covid-19 pandemic in Los Angeles, but Rabbi Rubin said none of his congregants had fallen ill, a claim The Forward was unable to verify before publication.

If everything were closed, Rabbi Rubin said he could abide by it, but restrictions have been eased.

The governor has approved so many other activities, he said. For him to equate my going to shul to his going to the movies, is just insulting to me. I find that repulsive.

Dr. Julie Higashi, an Orthodox Jewish public health physician, said that while she, too, was eager to get back to shul, the ban on social gatherings remained necessary so the effect of smaller openings could be evaluated. Its hard to know what the impact of an intervention is without waiting a few weeks to see what happens with the numbers, she said.

The effective transmission number, which indicates how many people an infected person spreads the disease to on average, is below 1 for the first time in Los Angeles County, an important threshold that could put contact tracing within reach. Higashi said skipping steps on the way to reopen could jeopardize that progress.

If community transmission accelerates, were going to run into more problems, Higashi said.

The notion of social distancing, outlined in Rabbi Rubins letter, will force some modifications to services at Etz Chaim. For example, the blessings over the Torah,or _aliyot___, will be given to seven people, each of whom will recite the blessing from their seat. Masks will be required at all times, and the chairs will be spaced out. There will be no kiddush after shul, and socializing before or after services is prohibited.

Other rituals will proceed as usual.

I dont think that hagbah is going to kill anybody, said Rubin, referring to the traditional raising of the Torah.

Higashi said that safely implementing social distancing into any type of gathering wasnt as simple as putting on a mask and standing six feet apart.

It takes a lot of time, it takes a lot of training, she said. You may think you know what youre doing, but it really is hard to do well.

Even if reopening goes smoothly and no one gets sick, Weiner expressed the concern that it would bring shame upon the Jewish community.

In an interview last week, Rabbi Dr. Aaron Blatt, an infectious diseases expert who is assistant rabbi at Young Israel of Woodmere in New York, said that caution to avoid chilul Hashem, or desecration of Gods name, was among the factors considered by poskim, or experts on Jewish law, in the drafting of the OUs guidelines for reopening.

Rubin said insisting on the right to pray was just the opposite. I think its a kiddush Hashem, he said, or a sanctification of Gods name, as well as a positive display of American citizenship. We are praying for the state government, for the health of our community, for the sick and the disabled, for our economic success. Were praying to God for you get the wisdom and the courage to enact right laws, so that our society can get back to where it was.

If thats a chilul Hashem, then I would do a chilul Hashem every day.

The Jewish legal concept of dina dmalchuta dina, that the law of the land is the law stipulated dozens of times in the same book of Jewish law that contains the rules of communal prayer did not apply in this case, Rubin said, because the law of the land was effectively moot.

If you enact laws that the people do not want to adhere to, its an invalid law, he said.

Opening in defiance of local and state orders is familiar territory for the synagogue.

When the congregation, once a small daily minyan that met in the house of Rabbi Rubins father, began holding Shabbat services, neighbors complained. The synagogue then requested a variance to build a new synagogue on a nearby property, which the city denied, ruling that Etz Chaim was in violation of local zoning ordinances.

After the state of California affirmed the ruling, a new federal law granting special privileges to religious institutions forced the city to back off its stance. Etz Chaim was allowed to build its current home, which looks like a two-story house, and the city of Los Angeles paid the synagogue nearly a million dollars in attorneys fees.

When asked if he was worried his decision would ostracize him in the Orthodox community, Rubin replied, Do you know anything about me?

Etz Chaims modified seating plan will accommodate about thirty men, about a quarter of the usual capacity, and when there are no more open seats, security has been instructed to turn people away. Because Rubin is older than 65, he plans to sit in the upstairs balcony, in what was the womens section before the pandemic.

Women, who do not have the same communal prayer obligation as men, will not be permitted to attend.

Louis Keene is a journalist in Los Angeles.

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Defying the governor but heeding the President, a Los Angeles synagogue opens its doors - Jewish Journal

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Posted By admin on May 23, 2020

KINGSTON, N.Y. Rabbi Yitzhak Hecht hopes to be able to hold in-person worship services at Congregation Agudas Achim on Lucas Avenue in time for the upcoming Jewish holiday of Shavuot, but he said a final decision won't be made until he's had the opportunity to consult with Ulster County leaders and medical professionals.

Hecht is pleased the state has cleared the way for his synagogue and other houses of worship across the state to begin holding services again as thecoronaviruspandemic eases.

"We're very excited about it," he said. "We're going to reopen, we just don't know when or how.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Thursday announced guidelines under which churches and synagogues can begin to reopen their doors. Among them is that now more than 10 people attend a service at one time. In Judaism, a quorum of 10 adults (in Orthodox synagogues, all 10 must be men), known as a minyan, is required for communal worship.

Hecht said because the limit significantly restricts the number of people who can attend services, his congregation, also known as Chabad of Ulster County, is looking at whether it will hold one service or multiple services and whether services will be held indoors or outdoors.

"A lot of congregants are plotzing to get back to service," he said, using the Yiddish expression for being overcome with emotion.

Shavuot, the Jewish celebration of God giving the laws to Moses and the Jews at Mount Sinai, is celebrated this year from sundown on May 28 until nightfall on May 30.

The Archdiocese of New York, meanwhile, has unveiled a five-point plan for a phased reopening of Catholic churches, but the immediate resumption of Mass is not included.

The plan for the archdiocese, which comprises New York City as well as surrounding counties including Ulster and Dutchess begins with the resumption of private prayer and confessions, followed by the celebration of baptisms and marriages with attendance limited to 10 people, according to a summary.

Later phases envision the distribution of weekday Communion outside of Mass, followed by limited daily and funeral Masses.

The plans for local churches in other denominations of Christianity was not immediately clear. Phone messages left Thursday and Friday with numerous church offices in Ulster County were not returned.

It is also unclear how, of if, President Donald Trump's declaration Friday that churches are "essential services" will impact the decisions of local religious leaders.

Today Im identifying houses of worship churches, synagogues and mosques as essential places that provide essential services, Trump said during a press conference at the White House, according to the Associated Press.

Trump said if governors dont abide by his request, he will override them, though its unclear what authority he has to do so.

For local stories about the coronavirus, go tobit.ly/DFCOVID19. For live updates, visitbit.ly/DFcovid19live.

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Houses of worship eager to reopen - The Daily Freeman

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