Community Review 5 15 15
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May 15, 2015 | 26 Iyar, 5775 | Vol. 89; No. 10 Published by The Jewish Federation of Greater Harrisburg | Greater Harrisburg’s Jewish Newspaper www.jewishharrisburg.org comm unity review By Mary Klaus Most of Harrisburg slept on a recent cloudy overnight as Ira Beckerman walked into quiet Kesher Israel. After heading to the sanctuary, he made his way to the bimah. Flanked by the American and Israeli flags, Beckerman began to read the names and ages of dozens of Jewish men, women and children killed in the Holocaust. “Unto Every Person There Is a Name” goes on whether the world sleeps or not. The local version of the annual 24-hour long program sponsored by B’nai B’rith and Yad Vashem* involves about 350 people reading aloud the names of Holocaust victims. *Yad Vashem is Israel's official memorial to the victims of the Holocaust. The name "Yad Vashem" is taken from a verse in the Book of Isaiah: Even unto them will I give in my house and within my walls a place and a name better than of sons and of daughters: I will give them an everlasting name, that shall not be cut off" (Isaiah 56:5). Naming the Holocaust memorial "yad vashem" conveys the idea of establishing a national depository for the names of Jewish victims who have no one to carry their name after death. The goals of Yad Vashem are education, research and documentation and commemoration. Yad Vashem seeks to preserve the memory and names of the six million Jews murdered during the Holocaust and the numerous Jewish communities destroyed during that time. The Reading of Names program continues day and night just as memories of the Holocaust do. Rabbi Carl Choper, formerly the pulpit rabbi of Temple Beth Shalom, brought the program to Harrisburg more than 20 years ago. It soon became an annual Jewish community event. This year’s observance, hosted by Kesher Israel congregation, began with welcoming remarks by Rabbi Akiva Males and Eva Siegel, who chaired the event committee with Rita Gordon. Students from Beth El Temple, Chisuk Emuna, The Silver Academy and Temple Ohev Sholom opened the commemoration with readings. Holocaust survivors and Second Generation survivors lit six red candles to symbolize the six million Jews who died in the Holocaust. The Reading of Names then began and continued for 24 hours near a banner that said “Unto Every Person, There Is a Name.” The readings made that clear. People sat in the wooden pews of the historic synagogue listening to the names and reflecting on the lives lost. They also looked at the decorative ark and various artifacts from the original Kesher Israel, which was founded in 1902 and began on Third and Briggs Streets. As the night wore on, only those reading and those listening to the readers were in attendance. By While Harrisburg Slept on a Cloudy Night, Community Remembered Holocaust Victims 1:20 a.m., only Beckerman and Etta and Myer Yospa, all Temple Beth Shalom members, remained. Beckerman, president of Temple Beth Shalom congregation, read the names and ages in a clear, solemn voice as he stood under the eternal light and the Lions of Judah. “I’ve been reading the names for more than 20 years,” he said. “I do the best I can with the pronunciations. The names are from Poland, Ukraine, Hungary, Germany, Czechoslovakia, Romania, France, Russia and other countries.” When asked if he lost family members in the Holocaust, Beckerman’s eyes darkened in pain. “Yes,” he said quietly. “At least half of my family died in the Holocaust. Any Jew of European ancestry lost family members in the Holocaust.” Etta Yospa, captain of the ten Temple Beth Shalom readers, said that many of the name readers lost multiple family members in the Holocaust. Yospa said that her paternal great-grandfather from Poland wasn’t able to get a pass to leave Poland. “He had a friend in the Army who had died,” she said. “So my great-grandfather used his friend’s card and name and was able to come to the United States.” She said that she’s participated in the program since its inception. “It’s important for all of us to remember what was and what is still happening in parts of the world,” she said. “By participating, we are standing up and being counted. This is one thing nobody can take away from us, our remembering.” As her husband finished his turn reading names, Etta Yospa walked up to the bimah and began reading. At 2 a.m., Robert Axelrod and several Beth El Temple readers arrived, followed by members of Temple Ohev Sholom. The sun rose as Chisuk Emuna members read names, followed by Kesher Israel members and various other people, including school groups from the Silver Academy, Linglestown Middle School, and Camp Hill High School. An Interfaith Women’s Group, led by Marilynn Kanenson, also participated. Names were read until 8 p.m. inside the peaceful sanctuary. Most of the readers left Kesher Israel deeply touched by the experience. They headed back to their lives reflecting on the millions of lives lost in the Holocaust and thinking of what could have been but never was.
description
The 5/15/2015 issue of the Community Review
Transcript of Community Review 5 15 15
May 15, 2015 | 26 Iyar, 5775 | Vol. 89; No. 10Published by The Jewish Federation of Greater Harrisburg | Greater Harrisburg’s Jewish Newspaper
www.jewishharrisburg.orgcommunity review
By Mary KlausMost of Harrisburg slept on
a recent cloudy overnight as Ira Beckerman walked into quiet Kesher Israel. After heading to the sanctuary, he made his way to the bimah. Flanked by the American and Israeli flags, Beckerman began to read the names and ages of dozens of Jewish men, women and children killed in the Holocaust.
“Unto Every Person There Is a Name” goes on whether the world sleeps or not. The local version of the annual 24-hour long program sponsored by B’nai B’rith and Yad Vashem* involves about 350 people reading aloud the names of Holocaust victims.
*Yad Vashem is Israel's official memorial to the victims of the Holocaust. The name "Yad Vashem" is taken from a verse in the Book of Isaiah: Even unto them will I give in my house and within my walls a place and a name better than of sons and of daughters: I will give them an everlasting name, that shall not be cut off " (Isaiah 56:5). Naming the Holocaust memorial "yad vashem" conveys the idea of establishing a national depository for the names of Jewish victims who have no one to carry their name after death. The goals of Yad Vashem are education, research and documentation and commemoration. Yad Vashem seeks to preserve the memory and names of the six million Jews murdered during the Holocaust and
the numerous Jewish communities destroyed during that time.
The Reading of Names program continues day and night just as memories of the Holocaust do. Rabbi Carl Choper, formerly the pulpit rabbi of Temple Beth Shalom, brought the program to Harrisburg more than 20 years ago. It soon became an annual Jewish community event. This year’s observance, hosted by Kesher Israel congregation, began with welcoming remarks by Rabbi Akiva Males and Eva Siegel, who chaired the event committee with Rita Gordon. Students from Beth El Temple, Chisuk Emuna, The Silver Academy and Temple Ohev Sholom opened the commemoration with readings.
Holocaust survivors and Second Generation survivors lit six red candles to symbolize the six million Jews who died in the Holocaust. The Reading of Names then began and continued for 24 hours near a banner that said “Unto Every Person, There Is a Name.” The readings made that clear.
People sat in the wooden pews of the historic synagogue listening to the names and reflecting on the lives lost. They also looked at the decorative ark and various artifacts from the original Kesher Israel, which was founded in 1902 and began on Third and Briggs Streets. As the night wore on, only those reading and those listening to the readers were in attendance. By
While Harrisburg Slept on a Cloudy Night, Community Remembered Holocaust Victims
1:20 a.m., only Beckerman and Etta and Myer Yospa, all Temple Beth Shalom members, remained. Beckerman, president of Temple Beth Shalom congregation, read the names and ages in a clear, solemn voice as he stood under the eternal light and the Lions of Judah. “I’ve been reading the names for more than 20 years,” he said. “I do the best I can with the pronunciations. The names are from Poland, Ukraine, Hungary, Germany, Czechoslovakia, Romania, France, Russia and other countries.” When asked if he lost family members in the Holocaust, Beckerman’s eyes darkened in pain. “Yes,” he said quietly. “At least half of my family died in the Holocaust. Any Jew of European ancestry lost family members in the Holocaust.”
Etta Yospa, captain of the ten Temple Beth Shalom readers, said that many of the name readers lost multiple family members in the Holocaust. Yospa said that her paternal great-grandfather from Poland wasn’t able to get a pass to leave Poland. “He had a friend in the Army who had died,” she said. “So my great-grandfather used his friend’s card and name and was able to come to the United States.” She said that she’s participated in the program since its inception.
“It’s important for all of us to remember what was and what is still happening in parts of the world,” she said. “By participating, we are standing up and being counted. This is one thing nobody can take away from us, our remembering.”
As her husband finished his
turn reading names, Etta Yospa walked up to the bimah and began reading. At 2 a.m., Robert Axelrod and several Beth El Temple readers arrived, followed by members of Temple Ohev Sholom. The sun rose as Chisuk Emuna members read names, followed by Kesher Israel members and various other people, including school groups from the Silver Academy, Linglestown Middle School, and Camp Hill High School. An Interfaith Women’s Group, led by Marilynn Kanenson, also participated.
Names were read until 8 p.m. inside the peaceful sanctuary. Most of the readers left Kesher Israel deeply touched by the experience. They headed back to their lives reflecting on the millions of lives lost in the Holocaust and thinking of what could have been but never was.
2 | community review | greater harrisburg’s jewish newspaper
CommunityReview
Vol. 89 No. 10May 15, 2015
(ISSN 1047-9996)(USPS 126-860)
Published bi-weeklyby the Jewish Federation of
Greater Harrisburg,3301 N. Front Street,
Harrisburg, Pa., 17110. Subscription rate: $50 per year.
Periodicals postage paid atHarrisburg, Pa., and
additional entry office.
Editorial Board MembersMargie Adelmann
Esther BoldesRabbi Carl Choper
Aaron DymRita Gordon
Jeanette Krebs
StaffEditor
Patti [email protected]
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Mission Statement of The Community Review:
Inform readers about local, national and international events of interest to Jews.
Promote Jewish values, Jewish identity and a
sense of Jewish community in central Pennsylvania.
The opinions expressed in the Community Review do not necessarily reflect the position of the Jewish Federation of Greater Harrisburg. The Federation does not endorse any candidate or political party for any elected office.
A copy of the official registration and financial information of the Jewish Federation of Greater Harrisburg may be obtained from the Pennsylvania Department of State by calling, toll free within Pennsylvania, 1-800-732-0999. Registration does not imply endorsement.
A Message from Margie Adelmann, CEOJewish Federation of Greater Harrisburg
This week (and weekend) is another busy one for all of us at
the Jewish Federation of Greater Harrisburg. The Jewish Film
Festival is underway. It’s packed with films that are certain to
educate, inform and entertain. And it’s for everyone! I hope
that you will pick a film (or two or three) and invite a friend
(or two or three) to join you! I know you will be glad that you
did.
On Sunday, the parking lot at the JCC will be full of trucks
for our second Annual Touch a Truck event. Children (and
children at heart) can get behind the wheel of their favorite
vehicle! This program is in conjunction with PJ Library, the
Silver Academy and our Brenner Family Early Learning
Center and is free and open to the entire community. Inside
the JCC that afternoon, our Leadership Development cohort
will meet for their second half-day retreat. This group (who
you can learn more about in this issue) will spend the day
talking and learning about board governance, lay leadership
and partnerships with staff and volunteers. I feel fortunate to
be able attend these sessions and participate with the group,
as I learn so much from them and leave feeling very energized!
And as we look to the week ahead, the final preparations to
open Green Hills for the summer season will be completed.
All JCC memberships include the benefits of Green Hills.
It’s just a short trip “up the road.” Be sure to check out the
new pavilion when you visit. This pavilion will provide a safe
and protected place for our campers to have lunch during the
day and to take shelter if needed during a summer storm. It
can also be a great place to hold a summer picnic, graduation
party or other gathering. All members can rent our Green
Hills pavilions for a small fee.
And this doesn’t take into account all of the programs and
activities that place on a daily basis at the JCC. As always I
look forward to seeing you, maybe at the movies, in a truck
or at Green Hills!
L’Shalom,
SunDay, May 17Touch a Truck and Open House, 11 a.m.-1 p.m., JCC
Jewish Film Festival, 10 a.m. - 9 p.m., Midtown Cinema
MonDay, May 18Jewish Film Festival, 3-9 p.m., Midtown Cinema
tuESDay, May 19Seniors Lunch Program, 11:30 a.m., JCCProgram: “The Jewish Perspective” with
Bob Axelrod, 12:30Jewish Film Festival, 3-9 p.m., Midtown Cinema
WEDnESDay, May 20 Jewish Film Festival, 3-9 p.m., Midtown Cinema
thurSDay, May 21Seniors Lunch Program, 11:30 a.m.
Program: Jewish Film Festival movieJewish Film Festival, 3-9 p.m., Midtown Cinema
SaturDay, May 23 – ErEV ShaVuot
SunDay, May 24 - ShaVuotBuiLDinG opEn
BuSinESS officES cLoSED
MonDay, May 25 – ShaVuot/MEMoriaL DayinDoor pooL opEn 7 a.M. – noon
fitnESS cEntEr opEn 7 a.M. – 2 p.M.GrEEn hiLLS SWiM cLuB opEn 11 a.M. – 7 p.M.
tuESDay, May 26Seniors Lunch Program, 11:30 a.m., JCC
Program: “Millionaire” game
thurSDay, May 28 Seniors Lunch Program, 11:30 a.m., JCCProgram: Movie – “Return of the Violin”
PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT
community calendar
www.jewishharrisburg.org | may 15, 2015 | 3
federation | annual campaign
4 | community review | greater harrisburg’s jewish newspaper
foundation page
www.jewishharrisburg.org | may 15, 2015 | 5
6 | community review | greater harrisburg’s jewish newspaper
Unparalleled tax benefits of PA’s innovative Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) program entice businesses to benefit The Silver Academy and The Brenner Family Early Learning Center.
Choosing an independent school education is a major financial decision for families. Thanks to the 30,000 Pennsylvania businesses who have stepped up to support students through EITC, low- and middle-income families are getting a need-based tuition assistance boost as they seek to ensure the best education for their children.
And here’s the best part. It can cost nothing for a business to have a profound impact.
EITC gives businesses much more than the standard charitable deduction – though this is also a benefit to the program. In exchange for funding scholarships for students, businesses receive a 75% tax credit for a one-year commitment and a 90% tax credit for a two-year commitment! This means that your business can donate a dollar to The Silver Academy or The Jewish Federation’s Brenner Family ELC for as little as ten cents. And if you deduct the donation as a charitable gift on your federal tax return, it’s even fewer cents on the dollar. Beyond this, your business wins visible recognition and appreciation from our community.
For businesses making a contribution to a Pre-Kindergarten program like the Brenner ELC, the deal is even sweeter! For the first $10,000 a business donates, they receive a tax credit equal to 100% of their contribution! This makes it possible to donate to the Federation’s Pre-K program for free!
EITC: A Win-Win for Business and Education
Jewish Day Schools and Early Learning Centers are integral to the health of our institutions locally and worldwide, drawing families who will live, work and raise their children, carrying synagogues and JCCs, and bolstering Federations and Community Funds.
The EITC program has proven to be a tremendously successful partnership. The business community has responded overwhelmingly to the challenge. With your business’s support, The Silver Academy and The Brenner Family Early Leaning Center, both bright stars in our community, can look forward to continuing to cultivate a generation of young leaders.
Please join the ranks of our current generous EITC donors listed below by visiting www.newpa.org and searching “EITC”. Here you can find out if you are eligible to participate.
Please note that applications must be submitted to the Dept. of Community and Economic Development (DCED) online on or after July 1st. If you are renewing your application, May 15th is the day the DCED begins accepting online submissions. Designate the Jewish Federation of Greater Harrisburg – SO (Scholarship Organization) as the recipient of your contribution.
Questions about EITC? Contact Ben Chadwell | 717.238-8775 | [email protected]
Or contact the DCED directly | 717.787.7120 | [email protected]
Thanks to the following EITC business donors for their profound impact on the lives of our children:
Aaron Rubin & Sons Co.
Abel Personnel
Artay, Inc.
Capital Advantage Insurance Company
D&H Distributing
Daisy Data
First National Bank
Fulton Bank
Hershey Entertainment & Resorts Co.
Metro Bank
M&T Bank
Norman Gras Kosher Food Consultant
Philadelphia Insurance Companies
PNC Alliance, LLC
PNC Bank, N.A.
PNC Financial Services Group, Inc.
Rubin Industrial Co., Inc.
Soccer Pals (Soccer Shots)
UHS of Pennsylvania, Inc.
UPMC Health Plan
W&L Sales Company, Inc.
Weis Markets
York Haven Fabricators
www.jewishharrisburg.org | may 15, 2015 | 7
EITC: A Win-Win for Business and Education
Jewish Day Schools and Early Learning Centers are integral to the health of our institutions locally and worldwide, drawing families who will live, work and raise their children, carrying synagogues and JCCs, and bolstering Federations and Community Funds.
The EITC program has proven to be a tremendously successful partnership. The business community has responded overwhelmingly to the challenge. With your business’s support, The Silver Academy and The Brenner Family Early Leaning Center, both bright stars in our community, can look forward to continuing to cultivate a generation of young leaders.
Please join the ranks of our current generous EITC donors listed below by visiting www.newpa.org and searching “EITC”. Here you can find out if you are eligible to participate.
Please note that applications must be submitted to the Dept. of Community and Economic Development (DCED) online on or after July 1st. If you are renewing your application, May 15th is the day the DCED begins accepting online submissions. Designate the Jewish Federation of Greater Harrisburg – SO (Scholarship Organization) as the recipient of your contribution.
Questions about EITC? Contact Ben Chadwell | 717.238-8775 | [email protected]
Or contact the DCED directly | 717.787.7120 | [email protected]
Jewish Film Festival continues through Thursday
The Harrisburg Jewish Film Festival continues at the Midtown Cinema this week, through
Thursday, May 21st. We’ve got something for everyone, but if you’re still unsure how to plan
your Festival Week, here’s one way to choose among the dozen films on offer this season
(unless, of course, you come to them all).
coMEDiES:
If romantic comedy is your style, don’t miss our “date night,” 7:00 Saturday night feature
(encored on Tuesday at 5:15), a French farce entitled It Happened in St. Tropez.
For something more wry, try the Israeli-made Zero Motivation (Sunday, 2:45; Tuesday 3:15),
a film with a Millennial slant that takes aim at the bureaucracy – and what organization doesn’t
have a bureaucracy? – on an Israeli Defense Force base in the middle of the desert.
And for a feel-good, cross-generational coming-of-age Israeli film (with the unexpected
presence of Sir Patrick Stewart, who chews up the scenery every time he’s onscreen), Hunting
Elephants (Monday, 3:00; Tuesday, 7:30) is a slam-dunk.
DocuMEntariES:
Brave Miss World, our opening event (encored on Wednesday at 5:30) is an important film:
a consideration - perhaps even a celebration - of the resilience of the human spirit in the wake
of violent sexual assault.
The Green Prince (5:30 Friday; 7:15 Tuesday) has the hallmarks of an edge-of-your-seat thriller
– a young man betrays his nation and his family by spying for another, for what he has decided
is the greater good.
And Beneath the Helmet (Sunday, 1:00), an encore of our Yom Ha’atzmaot screening, gives
us access to the lives of five young Israeli soldiers as they negotiate their journey from high
school students to defenders of their country and its values.
DraMaS:
Run, Boy, Run (Tuesday, 3:00; Thursday - closing event - 7:30) is a beautiful and inspiring true
story of a boy alone, and his struggle to survive in the Second World War.
The Last Mentsch (Tuesday, 5:30; Wednesday, 7:30) tells the tale of a Holocaust survivor who
has so successfully outrun his past that when, in his dotage, he desperately wants to reclaim
it, it is far from certain that he can.
The unforgettable, Academy Award-winning Ida (Monday, 5:15) uncovers a secret that forces
a novitiate to leave her convent and confront the world – both as it was and as it is – on the eve
of taking her vows.
24 Days (Monday, 7:00 – Guest Speaker event; Thursday, 3:00) finds a family turned upside
down when a most beloved son is kidnapped off a Paris street. A real nail-biter.
The courtroom drama Gett: the Trial of Viviane Amsalem (Sunday, 7:00; Wednesday, 3:00)
sizzles with barely contained emotion as a woman attempts to free herself from a loveless
marriage.
And the coming-of-age tale Apples from the Desert (Sunday, 10:00 – come for a 9:30 nosh
- Book Club event; Thursday, 5:30) reminds us how painful it can be – and how satisfying it
becomes -- when we start to spread our wings.
Please consult your Festival program for more information about all of these films and the
special events associated with 24 Days and Apples from the Desert. Check out the website too
(www.hbgjff.com), for all of that and more, including movie trailers and recommendations from
the Film Festival committee. Tickets to all films (midweek matinees $7, all other screenings $8)
are available at the door, or online from the Midtown’s website, www.midtowncinema.com.
See you at the movies!
Learn to SCUBALearn to SCUBA dive and experience
the fun and adventure of the underwater world. Diver’s Descent Scuba in Hershey is offering classes for anyone wishing to take the PADI Open Water Diver certification. Virtually anyone
who is in good health, reasonably fit, and comfortable in the water can earn a PADI Open Water Diver certification. You earn this by completing five pool dives, knowledge development sessions, and by making four open-water dives. You’ll learn the principles of diving in a safe and fun environment.
Classes will be held on Wednesdays, May 20, 27 June 3, 10 and 17 from 6-9 p.m. at the JCC, 3301 N Front Street, Harrisburg. Fee: $160 (payable to Diver’s Decent Scuba). To register, call 534-7783 by Tuesday, May 15.
NOTE: Course books, personal gear (Mask, Snorkel and Fins, we give a 15% discount on these items) and open-water dives are not included in the course fee. Book fee is approximately $65 and open-water certification dives are $246.
Call DDS at 520-8268 Monday thru Friday, 6 to 9 p.m. and Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. for more information, or online at www.DiversDescent.com.
8 | community review | greater harrisburg’s jewish newspaper
By Carol HillmanOn Sunday, April 12, Temple
Beth Shalom sponsored Harrisburg Together to raise funds to repair and preserve the Monument, and foster diversity and inclusion in our region and beyond. This year’s event offered everyone the option of completing a 5K run or 1 mile walk from City Island to the Monument on Front and Sayford Streets.
Participants from Greater Harrisburg and as far away as New Jersey and Virgina came together to support a good cause. About 150 people contributed, helping to generate more than was raised last year.
It is one kind of activity to create a monument and a very different kind of activity to preserve it. The scope of repairs needed includes replacing crumbling Jerusalem stone at the base of the monument, installing a more substantial base, and re-caulking the granite slabs that surround the central spire and tell the story of the Shoah. Repairs are estimated to be $25,000. With the funds raised last year and this year, we are closing in on $19,000.
One more year and we should reach our financial goal!How did we do with fostering diversity and inclusion? Again, we did
better than last year. The active members of the Steering Committee came from a number of different communities in Harrisburg: Father Paul Fisher, John Caddell, Honi Kibler, Harry Young, Etta Yospa, Cindy Melamed, Nancy Mendes, Linda Reis, and Sally Flaherty. Thanks also to Shelley Adler for volunteering to help with registration.
Medal winners for the 5K were as follows:First, second and third place for men: Alex Failing, Kostas Mateer,
Eric FailingFirst, second and third place for women: Erika Bissonnette, Alison
Feeney, Michelle MaaleThe oldest runner: Gregfory Martini age 65
Harrisburg Together 2015 Raises Money towards repair and preservation of PA Holocaust Monument
The youngest boy runner: Andrew Weber age 12The youngest girl runner: Lucy Burg, age 9The runner who traveled the furthest to participate: David Adams from Virginia
Thanks to Rabbi Ron Muroff for using the blessing he offered to set the tone for our program. We were fortunate to have PA State Representative Patty Kim as our speaker and the many voices of the Harrisburg Jewish Community Chorus, Kol NaNashama. Finally, we released 12 doves as a sign to G-d that we are willing to do our part, here on Earth, to promote respect for all.
We want to thank all of the donors and particularly our major donors: Ted and Shelley Adler Foundation for Enhancing Communities, Richard and Marilynn Abrams, Esther Beck, Ira Beckerman and Linda Reis, Harry and Roslyn Borger, John Caddell, Marcia and Sandy Cohen Foundation for Enhancing Communities, Mary and Al Collini, David and Robin Golberg, Eric Gutshall and Harry Young, Carol and Arnold Hillman, Marc and Jacy Hillman and family, Kesher Israel Congregation, Honi Kibler, Beatrice Leisher, H.F. Lenfest, The Levy-Sharp Family, Market Square Presbyterian Church, Christine McKelvey, Nancy Mendes, Michelle Moses and family, Romberger Memorials, Linda Schwab, Dr. Alfred and Marjorie M. Sherman Philanthropic Fund of the Jewish
Community Foundation, Alyce and Mort Spector, Elaine and Elliot Strokoff, Karen Weber.A special thanks to Fry Communications for donating the skills and talents of their staff in designing our
materials and for donating all our printing. More thanks to Nancy Mendes, a local artist, for designing our t-shirts.
And to everyone who cares about the PA Holocaust Monument because of what it represents, thanks for helping us preserve this Harrisburg treasure.
www.jewishharrisburg.org | may 15, 2015 | 9
Harrisburg Together 2015 Raises Money towards repair and preservation of PA Holocaust Monument
NEMOURS MANSION & GARDENS TOUR Plus HIGH TEA AT THE HOTEL DUPONT
June 24, 2015There are 5 seats available
for this trip sponsored by the
JCC Senior Adult Club. One
normally has to be a member of
the Senior Adult Club to go on
these trips, but we try to open
one trip to the community each
year, so that people can see
what a diverse group we are.
We will be taking a docent-
guided walking tour of
Nemours Mansion, home of A.
I. Dupont, built in the style of a
French Chateau, in 1910. After the house tour, we have a bus tour of 222 landscaped acres with
the largest formal French Garden in North America. After the tours, we will depart for the Hotel
Dupont in Wilmington, DE to enjoy a formal High Tea. There is a dress code at the hotel: men
must wear collared shirts and trousers, women must wear a dress, top with skirt or slacks (no
T-shirts, shorts, jeans or flip flops). Cost is $60 per person and payment deadline is May 26,
2015. Bus leaves the JCC at 9:30 a.m. You may bring snacks as we will not be stopping for lunch.
Our tour starts at 12:00 Noon and the Tea at 3:00 p.m. If you are interested in joining us for this
Day Trip, please call Cheryl at 236-9555, EXT.3115 to see if there is still availability.
10 | community review | greater harrisburg’s jewish newspaper
By Mary Klaus(AUTHOR’S NOTE: This latest installment in our year-long
history series marking the Jewish Community Center’s 100th anniversary looks at three Harrisburg-born women who were here for just about the entire century as they approach their 100th birthdays. At the risk of undoubtedly missing some prominent women – and we have been fortunate in that regard - we also list some of the many noteworthy Jewish women who have graced our community. The next part of this series will look at some marvelous menschen.)
One grew up helping in her family’s grocery store in Uptown Harrisburg and later spent years working with her husband in their ubiquitous Market Square store. Another recalls how the Jewish Community Center “was our second home, although we called it the Y because it was the Young Men’s Hebrew Association.” The third lived upstairs of her family’s grocery store, attended the old Machsikey Hadas synagogue, grew up in an Orthodox home and became a regional household name by serving 23 years on the Harrisburg School Board.
Although Betty Caplan, Bernyce (Silberman) Lichterman and Fannie Krevsky are approaching their centennial birthdays, all still contribute to the rich fabric of life in the Harrisburg Jewish community. These valiant women recently shared with the Community Review their experiences and wisdom of a lifetime. Here are their stories.
BETTY CAPLAN knows the meaning of hard work. She grew up helping at Nurick’s Grocery, her family’s store founded by Anna and Charles Nurick, her parents, at Fulton and Boyd streets. “We lived on Harris Street,” she said, adding she was the youngest of five children. “My Dad went to Kesher Israel. After he died, Mom joined Beth El Temple. My brother, Gilbert ‘Ott” was 13 years older than I was. He was like a surrogate father to me.”
Caplan graduated from William Penn High School in 1937. She eventually met and fell in love with Joe Caplan whose family owned “Caplan’s on the Square,” a three-story variety store in Harrisburg. They got married in 1944 and later had two sons and a daughter. Caplan, a widow, now has six grandchildren.
“That store had the best location in town,” she said. “I helped out in the jewelry department. People liked our store. We had the best soda fountain, too.” The family business did well in the competitive business atmosphere after World War II, even opening a tremendously popular record store.
Eventually, Harrisburg Redevelopment Authority bought Caplan’s. Today, the Harrisburg Hilton & Towers is on that site.
Caplan said that her fond memories include visiting Israel with her husband and watching a boy receive his bar mitzvah at the Western Wall. When the child’s father needed a camera, her husband generously gave the man his camera.
Caplan has lived through changes and growth in the Jewish community. She said her friend, Rabbi David Silver, was so devoted to education that in 1944 he founded the Yeshiva Academy, which, of course, now bears his name. She recalled how the Harrisburg Jewish Community supported the founding of Israel on May 14, 1948. “It’s remarkable what Israel has accomplished since then,” she said. “In 1967 (during the Six- Day War), Harrisburg raised over $1 million for Israel for the war effort.”
Caplan reminisced about the building of the present Jewish Community Center, which opened in 1958, and about all the events she attended there. “I can’t imagine growing up Jewish anywhere but Harrisburg,” she said. “It was good for several generations of my family.”
Caplan smiled when asked if she has any advice for young Jews: “Get your education. If you don’t like what you started out doing, it’s okay to reset the record.”
BERNYCE (SILBERMAN) LICHTERMAN, like Caplan, loved growing up in uptown Harrisburg. “We lived on Green Street and went to Beth El Temple,” she said,
adding that their home was strictly kosher. “The Jewish Community Center, which we called the Y, because it was the Young Men’s Hebrew Association back then, was our second home.” She attended the Harrisburg Hebrew School at the Y four days a week starting at age 7 and continuing for several years. She also went to Cameron Elementary School, Camp Curtin Junior High School and William Penn High School, graduating in 1942. She later married a Harrisburg boy, Sidney, and had a son and three daughters and now has six grandchildren.
“The Y was the center of everything,” she said, recalling basketball games and dances at the N. Third Street facility. “It wasn’t pretty, but it had a huge lobby with overstuffed
leather chairs. It didn’t matter what synagogue we went to, we all gathered there.” Lichterman raised her family within two blocks of the Front Street JCC, and her children were regulars at most youth events. Bernyce ran a bath and kitchen shop for more than 14 years in Lemoyne before selling the business.
A lifelong member of Beth El Temple, Lichterman remembers when women were not counted as part of the minyan, the quorum of 10 required for traditional Jewish public worship [minyan]. “Now, Beth El is more egalitarian,” she said. She was active in the Beth El Sisterhood and was the congregation’s first woman to serve on the Temple executive board.
Lichterman holds some traditional views saying that “I believe that a woman’s place is in the home even though that’s not the way it is today. I raised my children the best way I knew how. I pray to G-d that it rubbed off.” Her advice to young Jews is simple: “Treat people as you want to be treated. Be respectful of Judaism.”
FANNIE KREVSKY always looks at the big picture. She was born on Wallace Street, but later her family (parents, five brothers and five sisters) moved to Cumberland Street.
They owned Grant’s Grocery Store on the first floor and lived upstairs.
Krevsky was the only Orthodox Jewish child at a Methodist Bible school when her mother needed some day care, so she learned about other faiths at an early age. “Our neighborhood had a kaleidoscope of nationalities – Italians, Polish, Romanians, Germans and more,” she said, adding that diversity is a way of life for her. “It was a mix of Christians and Jews. One neighbor made gravestones and my dad would sit in our kitchen and carve the Hebrew letters on them if they were for a Jew.”
Krevsky has a wealth of memories. She recalls paying a penny to walk across the “old shaky” bridge, sledding near Sixth and Cumberland streets and living through the cross-town rivalry between John Harris High School and William Penn High School. She remembers paying a dime for a Coke at Pott’s Drug Store. She recalls attending Hebrew School at the “Y” where they got a “rap of a ruler” if their alphabets were not correct. She remembers the Purim Ball, Hadassah donor
Three Feisty Jewish Women Contribute to Rich Fabric of Community Life
www.jewishharrisburg.org | may 15, 2015 | 11
Three Feisty Jewish Women Contribute to Rich Fabric of Community Life
luncheons and Harrisburg Community Theater productions.Krevsky grew up in a strict Orthodox family, first attending
the former Machsikey Hadas, then later, Kesher Israel. She grew up in a tradition where men dominated the services. “Women had to sit upstairs,” she said. “We had prayer books and could observe but weren’t allowed to sing. The Orthodox practice is very traditional and hasn’t changed that much. I grew up in a kosher home and I’ve kept one too.” Krevsky described her mother as “a wonderful, good woman” who made great gefilte fish. “Mother would fill a tub with water and let the fish swim in the tub,” she said. She also has fond memories of chicken soup, gribinitz, cholent and chopped liver.
In 1938, she married Herman Krevsky, and they had 70 wonderful years together, four sons, one daughter and 10 grandchildren. Along the way, she worked in the state Department of Community Affairs, was a volunteer in the Dauphin County Area Agency on Aging and served on the Harrisburg School Board for 23 years, including several years as president. She was instrumental in helping the Spanish Speaking Center get the old Webster School for a headquarters. “I’ve always believed in helping those less fortunate than I am,” she said. “When I was growing up, there were haves and have nots. We were have nots and struggled.” She never forgot that. She said that she and her husband used to get day-old bread from bakeries and take it
to the less fortunate. Over the years, she has been a strong advocate for senior citizens.
Yet, she said, her richest blessing is her family. “I’ve been enriched because of my family,” she said. “I’m proud of all my children. They give back to the community with interest.”
Krevsky’s advice to young Jews: “Don’t be self-centered. Many people can’t speak for themselves, so you must give them a voice. Help others.”
The following women have left us, but their good deeds live on:
-- Mary Sachs, founded women’s clothing store and noted community philanthropist. -- Edna Silberman, humanitarian known for her volunteer work in the community at large, wrote a biweekly column for the Community Review for years and initiated the area’s first Holocaust oral history project with local survivors and witnesses.
-- Rosalyn Benjamin, first woman president of the Jewish Community Center, serving from 1966-68. -- Miriam Menaker, first woman and first Jew elected to Harrisburg City Council. -- Eleanor “Elkie” Koplovitz, renowned Yeshiva Academy teacher for more than 50 years.
-- Sara Katz, JCC kindergarten teacher for generations of Jewish children. -- Esther Levin, Jewish role model for generations, Chevra Kadisha at Kesher Israel.
These women grace us to this day as role models and philanthropists:
-- Linda Schwab, Holocaust survivor and philanthropist. -- Alyce Spector, philanthropist who founded the Kidney Foundation of Central Pennsylvania and is known for her work in diversity education. -- Frances Goldberg, active member of the local Hadassah for many years and also served on the National Board of Hadassah. -- Lois Lehrman Grass, philanthropist, Jewish Family Service benefactor, and patron of the arts. -- Marilynn Kanenson, first woman Federation president, and supporter of the Jewish Group Home. -- Dorothea Aronson, numerous presidencies including Beth El Temple, Jewish Family Service and Jewish Community Foundation. -- Susan Leviton, artist, singer at Chisuk Emuna. -- Dr. Andrea B. Lieber, head of Judaic studies at Dickinson College and leader in the Jewish community. -- Pninah Lipsky, with her husband, Ben, ran Harrisburg Hebrew School for decades. -- Marian Frankston, frequent Federation campaign chair, and first female City Solicitor. -- Lillian Rappaport, Jewish Education Director for the Jewish Federation of Greater Harrisburg. -- Shelley Adler, first female president of Ohev Sholom, and past president and influential volunteer for Jewish Family Service. We would also like to note the following religious and communal leaders: Rabbi Hava Pell, Barbara Bazelon, Barbara Rosen (z’l), Marsha Davis and Cory Schneider.
12 | community review | greater harrisburg’s jewish newspaper
The Harrisburg delegation participated in the Mid-Atlantic Jr Maccabi Games at the Kaiserman JCC on Sunday, May 3. The Jr Maccabi Games are Olympic-style games for Jewish kids, ages 10-12 years. Over 700 athletes gathered in Philadelphia for this amazing day. Harrisburg athletes participated on the swim team and boys’ basketball team. It was a fun and successful day for Harrisburg. Special thanks to our coaches, Teri Berman and Solomon Krevsky.
Harrisburg JCC Attends Jr Maccabi Games
www.jewishharrisburg.org | may 15, 2015 | 13
Join us on June 1st at 5:30 pm for a fabulous reception and dinner program. Envision the future through the eyes of your
friends - our honorees – and answer these and many more questions.
Our theme is “Build to the Future.” Carl Shuman along with Ben Chadwell developed and will present an original program – with a few twists on a popular movie series, “Back to the Future.”
Through humorous and reverent stories about our honorees we will celebrate our past, applaud our present and envision a secure future. Imagine the possibilities in the year 2035 when our congregations and Jewish agencies have significant endowments!
In the past this event was known as the Susquehanna Tzedakah Society (STS) Dinner. STS inductees help to sustain the community now and will secure its future through philanthropic funds at our Jewish Community Foundation. This year our event committee added a few surprises.
Join us for our 2015 Premier celebration! Be there to honor - for the first time - individuals selected by their congregations for exemplary efforts to build congregational endowments. We applaud these visionaries and their congregations for building endowments that will secure our future.
Those who came before us built our Jewish community. This is their legacy and we are the beneficiaries of their largesse. What we do to secure its future will be our legacy. Join us as we celebrate our past, applaud our present and secure our future.
See this issue of the Community Review for a list of Honorees and other details.
Sponsor this event and support your friends who are being honored.
Call our Jewish Community Foundation at 1-717-236-9555 Option #1 or check the website for details.
www.pajewishendowment.org
Harrisburg JCC Attends Jr Maccabi Games
14 | community review | greater harrisburg’s jewish newspaper
The Federation embarked on a new project last fall called the Leadership Development Program and its purpose is to develop and nurture the next generation of Jewish leaders. The participants commit to two years of attending workshops that will help them bond with the other cohort members and helps illuminate the powerful ways they can impact the Jewish Community. The participants include Avi Beck, Aviv Bliwas, Emily Freeburn, Alex Halper, Neely Meals, Jackie Rubin, Abby Smith, and Rachel Zilbering. The most recent workshop gave the cohort access to a panel of established Jewish leaders in the Harrisburg Community, including Richard Abrams, Ted Bernstein, Michael Brenner, Sandy Cohen, Steven Etter, Harvey Freedenberg, Maggie Grotzinger, Julie Halbert, Mark Maisel, Bert Rubin, and Senator Rob Teplitz. The questions by the cohort were filled with hope and excitement, and the answers by the panel were filled with wisdom and inspiration. Listed below are some of the responses from the participants.
“One of my great concerns over the last few years has been the lack of young leaders in the Jewish Community. I can’t tell you how gratifying it is to see a group of intelligent, creative, and energetic members of the community who are really concerned about our future and are ready to get involved to shape that future.”
- Mark Maisel, Panel Member
“It was inspiring to me to hear from leaders from the generation before me about who they admired when they were young leaders in the community. It was interesting to hear that many of the things that motivated them to be involved are the same things that drive me. They worked, and continue to work, hard to ensure the strength of our community for future generations just like those before them, and just as I feel it is important for me to help for my future children and grandchildren’s generations.”
-Emily Freeburn, Cohort Member
“It was a pleasure to see the enthusiasm and thoughtfulness exhibited by this group of young leaders in our community. It is reassuring to know that the future of our Harrisburg Jewish community will be in the hands of individuals like these. What a great opportunity to share our experiences with them!”
-Maggie Grotzinger, Panel Member
“The Leadership Cohort seminar gave me a wonderful opportunity to engage in meaningful
exchanges with some of the impressive young leaders of the Harrisburg Jewish community. Their thoughtful questions revealed how deeply they care about the future of this community and their commitment to its continued vitality. I also enjoyed hearing my contemporaries share the leadership lessons they’ve learned from a lifetime of volunteer work. I look forward to sharing more conversations like this one, both as a group and individually, because I think they have tremendous potential to contribute to the health and growth of the Jewish community we all love.
-Harvey Freedenberg, Panel Member
“I really enjoyed the program. It was wonderful to hear the prospective of the community leaders and what I found most valuable were the different techniques/strategies that these leaders used to motivate their customers as well as the community. I appreciated the idea of giving the credit and sharing the blame and the importance of building self-esteem amongst those you work with. People need to feel motivated and this idea of building positivity will really get the momentum started.”
-Jackie Rubin, Cohort Member
“As a past participant in Federation leadership development programs, I was honored to be asked to participate this year on the other side of the table, as a community leader. The interest and enthusiasm of this year’s cohort gives us all reason to be encouraged about the future of our community. I commend everyone involved for dedicating the time and resources necessary to make this program a success.”
-Senator Rob Teplitz, Panel Member
After the Panel Discussion, each young leader was matched up with a panel member to encourage continued conversations and learning. The next workshop is May 17th. If you see a cohort member, ask them how it went!
The Leadership Development Program serves as a platform to share ideas, grow the Harrisburg Jewish community, and empower the next generation of Jewish leaders. The next cohort will start this fall and we are looking for participants. For more details about how you can get involved, please contact Margie Adelmann at 717-236-9555 x3104 or [email protected].
Empowering the Next Generation of Leaders
www.jewishharrisburg.org | may 15, 2015 | 15
KI Enjoys Sixth Annual Cohen Family Shabbaton
By Rabbi Akiva Males
Kesher Israel Congregation recently enjoyed the sixth annual Frances & Dave Cohen Memorial Shabbaton -- over the course of Shabbos, April 24-25, 2015. This wonderful weekend was generously sponsored by Dr. Sid and Phyllis Cohen (Cleveland, OH), in memory of their beloved parents. In addition to perpetuating the memory of Frances & Dave Cohen, this Shabbaton was also created to enhance KI’s appreciation of its members who -- like the Cohens -- have been outstanding volunteers on behalf of our Shul.
At this year’s Cohen Memorial Shabbaton, KI was proud to recognize Stu Brenner for the many years he has volunteered his time, energies, and resources on behalf of our congregation -- and Harrisburg’s Jewish community.
Kesher Israel Congregation was also proud to welcome -- and enjoy four thoughtful presentations from -- our Scholar in Residence, Rabbi Dr. Tzvi Hersh Weinreb.
Rabbi Dr. Weinreb is Executive Vice President, Emeritus of the Orthodox Union (OU). In that role, he has combined the skills of pulpit rabbi, scholar, and clinical psychologist to provide extraordinary leadership to the OU -- as well as Jewish communities around the world.
Over the course of Shabbos, KI warmly recognized Stu Brenner for his inspiring volunteerism. Our congregation was filled with many of Stu & Rene’s wonderful friends, family members, and members of Harrisburg's Jewish community who joined with KI in expressing a collective ‘Thank You’ to Stu for his many years of continuous service to our congregation -- and the broader Jewish community of greater Harrisburg.
Following Shabbos morning’s services, we all enjoyed a special Kiddush / luncheon honoring Stu and the Cohens. This luncheon was generously sponsored by Kesher Israel Congregation, and a group of sponsors in appreciation of Stu.
KI thanks: Dr. Sid & Phyllis Cohen for sponsoring this wonderful Shabbaton, and Cheryl & Norman Gras, Judy & Dan Schulder, and Layala Males for opening their homes to the Cohens and Rabbi Dr. Weinreb over the course of the weekend.
From left – right: Rabbi Akiva Males, Phyllis Cohen, Dr. Sid Cohen, and Rabbi Dr. Tzvi Hersh Weinreb
KI’s Rabbi Akiva Males can be reached at [email protected].
Kesher Israel Participates in the OU's 2015 Community Fair
KI was proud to participate in the Orthodox Union's 2015 Jewish Community Fair -- held on Sunday, April 26th in New York City. Harrisburg was one of the many Jewish communities from across the US -- and Israel -- which were represented. The turn-out was great -- over 1,500 Jews from across the religious spectrum attended. The atmosphere was full of friendly competition as each community attempted to lure people to their booths with items unique to their locales. Many people made sure to stop at KI's table and sample our complimentary chocolates -- the freshest Hershey Kisses they may have ever tasted!
The OU Community Fair has been a popular event since it was first launched. (KI has attended 4 of the 5 times the fair has been held.) With the fair behind us, the real work involves following up with the dozens of contacts KI made that day.
Kesher Israel thanks the KI Recruiting Team of Susan Stein and Lori Reese, as well as Arielle Salkin for assisting me in representing KI -- and our Jewish community of Harrisburg -- at the OU Community Fair.
Kesher Israel’s Rabbi Akiva Males can be reached [email protected].
exchanges with some of the impressive young leaders of the Harrisburg Jewish community. Their thoughtful questions revealed how deeply they care about the future of this community and their commitment to its continued vitality. I also enjoyed hearing my contemporaries share the leadership lessons they’ve learned from a lifetime of volunteer work. I look forward to sharing more conversations like this one, both as a group and individually, because I think they have tremendous potential to contribute to the health and growth of the Jewish community we all love.
-Harvey Freedenberg, Panel Member
“I really enjoyed the program. It was wonderful to hear the prospective of the community leaders and what I found most valuable were the different techniques/strategies that these leaders used to motivate their customers as well as the community. I appreciated the idea of giving the credit and sharing the blame and the importance of building self-esteem amongst those you work with. People need to feel motivated and this idea of building positivity will really get the momentum started.”
-Jackie Rubin, Cohort Member
“As a past participant in Federation leadership development programs, I was honored to be asked to participate this year on the other side of the table, as a community leader. The interest and enthusiasm of this year’s cohort gives us all reason to be encouraged about the future of our community. I commend everyone involved for dedicating the time and resources necessary to make this program a success.”
-Senator Rob Teplitz, Panel Member
After the Panel Discussion, each young leader was matched up with a panel member to encourage continued conversations and learning. The next workshop is May 17th. If you see a cohort member, ask them how it went!
The Leadership Development Program serves as a platform to share ideas, grow the Harrisburg Jewish community, and empower the next generation of Jewish leaders. The next cohort will start this fall and we are looking for participants. For more details about how you can get involved, please contact Margie Adelmann at 717-236-9555 x3104 or [email protected].
Empowering the Next Generation of Leaders
16 | community review | greater harrisburg’s jewish newspaper
By Mary Klaus
Lillian Rappaport quoted her mother saying that “there were no words to describe how it felt when death was the norm and life a miracle” during the Holocaust. Dr. Mark Glick told of his mother working from dawn to dusk in labor camps in Lithuania, being transported in a cattle car to a concentration camp in Poland, going on a death march in snow and somehow surviving typhoid. Anthony McVey discussed genocide from Biblical times to the present, concluding that the world hasn’t learned from history.
The annual Yom Hashoah observance at the Holocaust monument in Riverfront Park seemed especially powerful this year as more than 100 people remembered six million Jews killed in Nazi concentration camps during World War II. Held on a sunny but windy Sunday morning, the hour-long ceremony began with Beth El Temple students leading the singing of the American and Israeli national anthems. Rappaport, Jewish Federation of Greater Harrisburg Jewish education director, welcomed the crowd. “The Holocaust is the story of human beings with lives, with souls who shared the same hopes and aspirations as all of us here today,” she said. “Seventy years ago, my mother and father, of blessed memory, were liberated from Dachau and Buchenwald respectively. They were part of what became known as sherit haplata, the remnants of a lost civilization. Life as it had been before the Holocaust was forever altered.”
Rappaport looked at the children in the crowd, calling them the last generation to learn about the Holocaust first-hand from survivors. Now, she said, people must embrace the history of the holocaust, “study it, wrestle with it and transform it into a weapon for the human spirit, one that will enlarge our sense of responsibility, alleviate human suffering and strengthen our moral resolve.”
Rappaport then introduced McVey, a Silver Academy eighth grade student, who read his powerful essay which won first prize in the 16th annual Schwab Holocaust Essay contest.
Powerful Yom Hashoah Ceremony Focuses on “Human Beings With Lives, With Souls”
McVey noted that the word “holocaust” means burnt hole and complete destruction. He discussed the genocide to Jews and others in World War II, in China in 1966, in Cambodia in the 1970 and in Rwanda and Bosnia in the 1990s. “There always were, always are and always will be people who amass power,” he said, calling them “murderous fanatics. Today’s dilemma is terrorism.” McVey spoke of extremist Muslim groups who “want to rule the world” and kill Jews, Christians and even other Muslims. He said Israel and the United States are frequent targets. He called for vigilance, expressing concern that terrorists “may be powerful enough to ignite another world war.”
Glick, a son of Holocaust survivors, discussed how his mother, Sonia Glick, grew up in a small Polish farming community. He said that her life began changing in 1935 with the spread of anti-Semitic propaganda. “On June 22, 1941, the Germans invaded the town at 5 a.m.,” he said. “Men were ordered to bring shovels to the town square. They were made to dig their own graves and were shot to death. The rest of the people were forced into a ghetto where four to five families were in each room with no heat, no running water and very little food. People died rapidly of starvation.” His mother and hundreds of others were sent to a labor camp in Lithuania the next year, where they were forced to build roads. In 1944, they were sent to a concentration camp where they were stripped, shaved, starved and beaten, Glick said. His mother was forced to dig ditches, fall trees and go on a death march. She later got typhoid fever. She weighed 75 pounds when she was liberated in 1945. His father and two siblings managed to escape their family home and hide from the Nazis in caves and forests, Glick said, adding that his dad’s parents and other siblings were killed. “After the war, he saw a beautiful girl on a porch, winked at her and several weeks later they were married,” he said. His parents came to the United States in 1949 and opened a grocery store.
The crowd sat transfixed as Glick concluded his talk by speaking about a woman he met decades after the war. The woman told him that his mother saw her after she was presumed dead during the Holocaust and thrown onto a pile of bodies. Sonia Glick saw the woman’s eyes blink and later snuck back, carried the woman to her barracks and nursed her to health. “I thanked her for sharing this story,” Glick said. “Then we both cried.”
Mark Glick
www.jewishharrisburg.org | may 15, 2015 | 17
18 | community review | greater harrisburg’s jewish newspaper
synagogue lifeBeth el temple232-0556www.betheltemplehbg.org
Minyan 7 a.m. daily and 5:30 p.m. Sunday morning at 9:00 a.m. Friday night Kabbalat Shabbat 6:00 p.m.Shabbat morning service 9:15 a.m. Saturday night mincha/maariv/havdalah at same time as Friday evening candle-lighting timePUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT
Chisuk emuna Congregation 232-4851 | [email protected]
Weekly Minyan times: Sunday mornings at 8:30 a.m. Monday, Thursday mornings, 6:50 a.m.Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday mornings, 7 a.m. Sunday through Thursday evenings, 7:15 p.m.
CongregationBeth israel Lebanon | 273-2669
Visit the Congregation Beth Israel Web Site at www.
congregation-beth-israel.org. All are welcome to our egalitarian services: Sundays at 9 a.m., Thursdays at 7:30 a.m. Our Shabbat services, led by Rabbi Paula Reimers, are at 7:30 p.m. on Friday evenings and on Shabbat morning at 9:30 a.m. followed by Kiddush.PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT
CongregationBeth tikvah Carlisle | 245-2811www.bethtikvah.org
Friday Night Shabbat Services 7:15 pmLocation: Asbell Center, 262 West High Street, CarlisleShabbat Services: May 15, 29 (no services May 22)May 29 we will be discussing the book, Hare with the Amber Eyes, by Edmund deWaal.June 12, 26July 10, 24August 7, 21Everyone is welcome to
join us!PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT
historiC B’nai JaCoB Middletown | 319-3014www.bnai-jacob.org
Historic B’nai Jacob Synagogue, Water and Nissley Streets in Middletown, offers a schedule of Shabbat and holiday services. We are a Community Shul, all are welcome. Tel (717) 319-3014 Visit our website for more informationPUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT
kesher israel Congregation 238-0763 | www.kesherisrael.org
Participate in our daily Minyanim. Mornings: Sundays and Federal holidays at 8 a.m., Monday through Friday at 6:45 a.m. Rosh Chodesh and fast days at 6:30 a.m. Evening services begin at 20 minutes before sunset.Please join us for our 9 a.m. Shabbat morning
services - followed by Kiddush. Please contact our Office Manager, Cecelia Baker, at (717) 238-0763 for information about our congregation.PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT
temple Beth shalom 697-2662 | www.tbshalom.org
Temple Beth Shalom’s Friday evening Shabbat Services are at 7:15 p.m, followed by an oneg in the social hall. Services are led by Rabbi Daniel Grossman and Lay Leaders of Beth Shalom. Please check the website calendar for details. Saturday Shabbat services, led by Rabbi Grossman, will be held on May 16 and 23. Sam Burg will be called to the Torah as a Bar Mitzvah on Saturday, May 16 at 9:00 a.m. TBS’s Annual Spaghetti Dinner and Raffle will be held on Sunday, May 17 beginning at 5:30 p.m. Come and enjoy a pasta dinner prepared by
the men of the Temple as well as entertainment, door prizes and a grand prize raffle of $2000. Cost is a $50 ticket. Contact the office to purchase tickets. The Sisterhood Book Group will meet on Tuesday, June 2 at 7:00 p.m. at the home of Nanci Reinhart to discuss the book, “Orphan Train” by Christina Baker Kline. Please contact Nanci at [email protected] if you plan to attend. For details on upcoming Temple Beth Shalom services and events, check the website: http://tbshalom.org. PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT
temple ohev sholom 233-6459 | www.ohevsholom.org
www.jewishharrisburg.org | may 15, 2015 | 19
l ife cycle
May 15 .......7:56 p.m.
May 22 .......8:02 p.m.
May 29 .......8:08 p.m.
CAndLELiGHtinG
FRANCES (CORBETT) PLESCOFrances (Corbett) Plesco, age 73, of Glenshaw, PA, passed away on Friday, April 24, 2015. She was the beloved
wife of Ronald Plesco for 50 years; loving mother of Aimee (Dan) Pavlick, Ronald (Barbara) Plesco, Jr., Daniel (Kerry) Plesco and Amanda (Douglas) Hall; devoted grandmother of Aidan, Evan, Ryan, Matthew, Sydney, Callie, Colin, Georgia, Reagan, Paige, and Benjamin. She is also survived by her brother, Tom (Susan) Corbett; niece, Kate (Shannon) Jordan; and nephew, Tommy Corbett. Frances was a lifelong member of St. Mary of the Assumption Church. She was an amazing woman and touched all the lives she has met. A funeral Mass was held in St. Mary of the Assumption Church, Glenshaw on Monday, April 27th . Donations may be sent to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. - See more at: http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/postgazette/obituary.
JEROME “JERRY” B. POLLACKJerome “Jerry” B. Pollack, 97, of Harrisburg, passed away on Tuesday, May 5, 2015 at home surrounded by his
loving family. He was the loving husband of Dorothy (Harris) Pollack. Jerry was born in Chicago on November 13, 1917, a son to the late Harry and Ida (Freshman) Pollack. He attended 2 years of college before joining the U.S. Army as a Private, 106th Cavalry Unit. Upon finishing his service to his country, he moved to Harrisburg where he bought and operated Harrison Bakery for 28 years. At age 59, Jerry worked his way up through various government positions, until he retired after 22 years of service as the Deputy Director of the Area Agency on Aging. While he was there, he started transportation programs, the Dauphin County Meals on Wheels program, the Senior Expo, and he raised funds to build new senior centers. Jerry also enjoyed volunteering at Community General Hospital. Jerry was a very active and faithful member of Kesher Israel Congregation. He served as Past President of the Brotherhood at KI. He loved Judaism and instilled that belief system into his children. He had a wonderful sense of humor and a kind and generous spirit. Jerry always saw the best in everyone. Most of all, his family was his world. He cherished his children, grandchildren, and his great-grandchildren.
In addition to his beloved wife of 69 years, Dorothy, he is survived by his daughter, Ivy Levine and her husband, Dr. Michael, of Harrisburg; grandchildren Mika Singer (Seth Blanken), Ian Singer ( Jill), and Laurin Goodman (Bryan); great-grandchildren Samara, Zoey, Jordan, and Elijah; and nieces and nephew Amy Gilbert, Bruce Pollack, Ida Dreyfus, and Janice Malett.
He was preceded in death by his daughter, Arlene Lehner. Funeral services were held on Wednesday, May 6th Kesher Israel Cemetery Chapel,with Rabbi Akiva Males officiating. Burial took place in the Kehillat Israel Cemetery in Shenandoah, PA. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be offered to Scleroderma Foundation, 300 Rosewood Drive, Suite 105, Danvers, MA 01923 or to Kesher Israel Congregation, 2500 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg, PA 17110.
To offer the family condolences, please visit, www.HetrickBitner.com.
ALEXANDER S. RUSS Alexander S. Russ, 58, of Mechanicsburg, PA, passed away on May 2, 2015. He was born on May 14, 1956 in
Voronezh, Russia to the late Esther A. Entina and Solomon M. Russ. Alex was a loving and devoted husband and father, and is survived by his wife of 36 years, Natalie Russ, and his two sons, Boris Russ of Berkeley, CA and Paul Russ of San Francisco, CA. With his wife and two young children, Alex immigrated to the United States in 1991. Arriving with just a few suitcases, learning a new language and raising a young family are incredible undertakings; yet for Alex, they were inconsequential to ensure his wife and children could have a world of opportunities and a chance to attain the American dream. Alex instilled an appreciation for history, education, culture and the arts in his children. An avid traveler, Alex visited over 30 countries across four continents with family at his side. Alex was also a dedicated employee for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in the Office of Administration, where he worked for over 20 years, most recently as a Lead Systems Technology Expert. A funeral service took place on May 6th at the Neill Funeral Home in Camp Hill, PA followed by a burial ceremony in the Temple Beth Shalom Memorial Park in Mechanicsburg, PA. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Jewish Federation of Greater Harrisburg.
synagogue life
20 | community review | greater harrisburg’s jewish newspaper
