Communtiy Review -9 5 14

September 5, 2014 | 10 Elul, 5774 | Vol. 88; No. 18 Published by The Jewish Federation of Greater Harrisburg | Greater Harrisburg’s Jewish Newspaper

www.jewishharrisburg.org • 717-236-9555community review

JCCCenterPieceinside!

Annual Meeting Notice and Nominating Committee Report Prepared for The Campus of

the Jewish Home of Greater HarrisburgThe Nominating Committee of The Campus of the Jewish Home of

Greater Harrisburg has submitted a proposed slate of at-large members for consideration and approval at their annual meeting to be held Sunday, September 21, 2014 at 10:30 a.m. in The Jewish Home’s Spector / Schwab Auditorium.

The Nominating Committee chaired by William Adler, Esq., Immediate Past-President of the Board, and including Elliot Strokoff, Esq.; Carolyn Anner-Sakol, Esq.; and Allen Geckle, submit the following slate of nominees:

Three Year Term (serving through September 2017):Dr. Kenneth OkenGerald Morrison

Donna NurickHarvey Danowitz

The Jewish Federation of Greater Harrisburg is pleased to welcome Ivy Schneider to the team. Ivy is the new Director of Development, Marketing & Communications. This is a brand new position that will oversee the annual campaign, marketing, grants, and

young leadership initiatives.Ivy has worked in the nonprofit field for the last

thirteen years with organizations that helped children and adults dealing with various types of trauma, such as domestic violence, addiction, and child abuse. She has always enjoyed the problem-solving aspect of development and working for organizations focused on helping others.

FEDERATION WELCOMES NEW DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT, MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS

Ivy has a Master’s degree in Administration of Justice, with a concentration on Leadership, from Shippensburg University. She is currently working towards her PhD in Administration and Leadership in the Nonprofit and Public Sectors from Indiana University of Pennsylvania, with a research focus on multi-disciplinary team collaboration.

Being active in the community is also important part of Ivy’s life. She is the Vice President for the West Shore Young Professionals, on the board of the Cumberland County Commission for Women, a member of the Measuring Success Consortium, among other small projects in the Harrisburg area. When she does have free time, Ivy likes to work on her art projects and go outside to hike or canoe.

Ivy only joined the Federation a few weeks, but she has been busy meeting members of the Federation family including staff, board members, Rabbis, and community volunteers. “Everyone has been so welcoming. I’ve enjoyed listening to all the stories people shared about the Federation and this community. This place is so rich with history. I will try my best to honor that in my new position, and as the Federation grows and thrives.” Ivy welcomes the opportunity to meet with others who would like to share their experiences with the Federation and the Jewish Community. “I’m happy to be here, and I look forward to meeting all of you soon!”

2 | community review | greater harrisburg’s jewish newspaper

CommunityReview

Vol. 88 No. 18September 5, 2014

(ISSN 1047-9996)(USPS 126-860)

Published bi-weeklyby the Jewish Federation of

Greater Harrisburg,3301 N. Front Street,

Harrisburg, Pa., 17110717-236-9555.

Subscription rate: $50 per year. Periodicals postage paid at

Harrisburg, Pa., and additional entry office.

Editorial Board MembersMargie Adelmann

Esther BoldesRabbi Carl Choper

Aaron DymRita Gordon

Jeanette Krebs

STAFFEditor

Patti [email protected]

Sales DirectorMarty Lamonoff

717 232-6279717-877-5973

[email protected]

Design and LayoutBenchmark Group Media

Graphic DesignerShawn Skvarna

Postmaster:Send address changes to Community Review, 3301 N. Front Street,

Harrisburg, Pa., 17110.

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.

Jewish Community Center, JCC,

the J! No matter what you call it,

there are many things that I think

of when I think of the building

where I work. We are a place where

all Jews are welcome. We are a

place where the whole community

is welcome and at the core, we are

a Center.

In this issue of the Community

Review, we have included our

Center Pieces. It’s appropriately

named because there are so many

“pieces” that make up our Center.

You will see a new logo on the

cover representing our 100th year

anniversary. This is a sneak preview

of what’s in store as we launch more

than a year of events, celebrations,

mitzvah projects and so much

more, commemorating 100 years

of being the central hub for the

Jewish Community with our Open

House on September 21st.

A Message from Margie Adelmann, CEO Jewish Federation of Greater Harrisburg MINKOFF TO RECEIVE JCC VOLUNTEER OF THE

YEAR AWARDLong-time JCC member,

Herman “Herm” Minkoff, has been chosen to receive the 2014 JCC Volunteer of the Year Award. Herm will be presented with this award at the Jewish Federation’s Annual Meeting on Tuesday, September 16th. Learn more about this amazing man and why he has earned the rights to this title in the next issue of the Community Review.

We have worked to develop

programming and activities to

engage the very youngest to the

very oldest in our community. The

community calendar this fall is

jam packed. Our newly designed

website is a central place to learn

about all of the opportunities

to participate in our Jewish

community. You really could do

something every day of the week!

And I hope you will (maybe not

every day of the week!) The heart of

our Center, of course, is the people

who walk through our doors. Our

Annual Membership Meeting is

the perfect time to honor some

very special people who have

made our community a better

place through their volunteerism

and their leadership. I hope you

are planning to attend to help us

recognize Herm Minkoff, Gerry

Gorelick and Abby Smith. We

will also recognize our dedicated

staff for their years of service, a

“tradition” we started last year. We

will elect new trustees and vote on

our proposed new by-laws.

When I write my article, I try

to be aware not to repeat the same

words over and over. This article is

different. Jewish, community and

center are the key ingredients and

must be repeated. It’s no accident

that Community is in the middle!

I hope to see you in the Center

this fall. I encourage you to try

something new, and to introduce

someone new to our community.

L’Shalom,

www.jewishharrisburg.org | september 5, 2014 | 3

JEWISH HOME CAMPUS SCHEDULES TAILGATE PICNIC

The Campus of the Jewish Home has scheduled a TAILGATE PICNICfor 1 – 3 p.m. on Sunday, September 14.

Highlights will include great tailgate food, cotton candy and face-painting and much more for the kids, a popular band and much more for grownups.

Parking is available at the Oakhurst Shopping Center with shuttle service to the Campus.

You are invited to tour the Jewish Home - the skilled nursing and rehabilitation facility, and The Residence, the Personal Care apartment building on the Campus.

Ann Hess Myers, Director of Development at the Jewish Home Campus, is available at 717.441.8547 to answer questions.

Be sure to mark your calendar now for this special event, which marks the end of summer and the beginning of the fall season.

MINKOFF TO RECEIVE JCC VOLUNTEER OF THE

YEAR AWARDLong-time JCC member,

Herman “Herm” Minkoff, has been chosen to receive the 2014 JCC Volunteer of the Year Award. Herm will be presented with this award at the Jewish Federation’s Annual Meeting on Tuesday, September 16th. Learn more about this amazing man and why he has earned the rights to this title in the next issue of the Community Review.


Neighbors Helping NeighborsBy Carol Hillman

Are you the kind of person who stops to help a neighbor in need? The children in the Harrisburg Public Schools are your neighbors and they need your help.

The Harrisburg Public Schools Foundation (HPSF), an independent non-profit organization, works to improve educational opportunities for students in the Harrisburg Public Schools. We do this by creating and facilitating a partnership between the School District and the community.

In 2013 HPSF initiated the Adopt a Classroom Program and solicited donors to give $500 to adopt one classroom in the District, Kindergarten through 4th grade. We were happy to find that our community rose to the challenge. Many individuals, businesses and faith communities came forward to adopt a classroom.

Local churches and synagogues were willing to invest in the education of the children of Harrisburg, helping to supply these urban students with valuable equipment, materials and experiences that children in neighboring school districts can take for granted. Given the long-term debt of the district, there are still too many unmet needs in the classrooms.

How can you, as a member of the Greater Harrisburg Jewish community help? Perhaps you can afford the $500 to adopt a classroom. Or, you might get together with generous family members and/or friends to do this mitzvah. Maybe you know of a young person who is looking for a Bat or Bar Mitzvah project. Ask your synagogue board president if they would be willing to consider helping. I would be glad to come speak to your board about this initiative.

If you agree to adopt one or more Harrisburg Public School classrooms for the 2014-15 school year, you can expect to have your name posted outside of the classroom door and to hear from the teacher, letting you know how your gift was used and inviting you to visit the classroom.

To participate in this very important program, contact the Executive Director of HPSF, Karen Snider at :717-230-8566 or [email protected]. Karen will be pleased to send you an Adopt A Classroom form.

Sports Hall of Fame Nominations Being AcceptedThe Sports, Fitness and Recreation Department is now accepting nominations for new

members for to the Sports Hall of Fame. The Sports Hall of Fame of the Harrisburg JCC recognizes individuals who have contributed to the field of recreation and athletics through participation or program aid.

Qualifications for those selected into the Hall of Fame include being of the Jewish faith, outstanding athletic achievement and being a respected member of the community. Resumes will be accepted from individuals who would like to nominate themselves or another person. The SFR Department will also allow resumes to be submitted on behalf of deceased members of the community who met eligibility requirements. All resumes must be received by October 3, 2014. If resumes were submitted in past years, you must once again submit your information for the 2014 voting process.

Once resumes are received, the information will be verified before being compiled and sent to all current members of the Hall of Fame. Current members will then vote and return ballots to the Sports and Fitness Director. The Sports and Fitness Director, along with the Sports Hall of Fame Chairperson will open the votes at a meeting to determine who the new members will be. winners, will be honored in early March at an awards dinner.

Anybody who is interested in sending in a resume should send it to the Harrisburg JCC at 3301 N. Front Street, Harrisburg PA 17110 and marked to the attention of Terri Travers, Sports and Fitness Director. For more information about the Hall of Fame, please contact Terri at 236-9555 ext. 3110 or [email protected].

A SENIOR FOOTNOTEBy Esther Boldes

The month of August brought us some very varied programs. In case you missed some of them, let me recap them for you.

On August 7th, Anna Dolzhenko and her grandson presented a program about a Polynesian wonder tree named Noni. She indicated that the use of this health remedy helped her greatly from a very debilitating illness. She swore by it and is now promoting its sale.

On August 14th, we had the yearly visit of our local wunderkinds, Gabe Freedman. Gabe is on the way to becoming a very accomplished pianist. We have seen him grow up in our midst in Harrisburg. The program was well balanced, and he added his personal remarks, which made it so much more enjoyable. We hope he comes back to us even after he becomes famous.

On August 19th, Bob Axelrod, Educational Director of Beth El temple, presented his monthly lecture on the Jewish Perspective. An excerpt from one of Rabbi Volpe's articles stated that well-to-do and even modestly well-to-do people seem to be insulated from the poor and needy. There was a discussion and some disagreement. Jewish communities and Jewish people, in general, are taught to be "All responsible for one another.” The Tenach tells us that when G-d asked Cain, "Where is your brother Abel?" and his answer was, "Am I my brother's keeper?" His lesson was "Yes" and he was punished for his crime. Nowadays you cannot close your eyes to plight, hunger and need because it is all over the news, in organizations and visible on every corner.

Lastly, I would like to remind you about our member, A1 Goodman. He tries very hard to make his musical programs interesting. This Thursday (August 21st) he had all the jingles from popular commercials from way back in our youth. It was very enjoyable and a treat. He obviously put considerable time and effort into giving us such an entertaining program.

Try to come to our meetings more often. You will be surprised by the programs being not exactly the run of the mill or what you might have thought they would be – they are very diverse and appeal to a wide range of interests.

Shalom!


On August 1, 2014, Campers at the JCC Day Camp participated in a first ever swim-a-thon raising money for care packages to be sent to IDF (Israel Defense Forces) soldiers of the The Duvdevan Unit.

A week before the swim-a-thon, Leslie Wiener, Director of Outreach and Engagement at JFGH, read a PJ Library book to the campers titled Noah’s Swim-a-Thon. The book served as a way to explain the concepts of tzedakah, performing mitzvot, and even what a swim-a-thon is. The campers were very excited about having their own swim-a-thon.

Most of the children were in some way familiar with the conflict in Israel and were eager to do their part to help the soldiers. Former, IDF soldier, Idan Tzameret, helped coordinate the relationship between the JCC campers and soldiers. He explained, “The soldiers are doing G-d’s work in the Gaza territories. They don’t sleep, eat bad food, can’t shower, can’t be with their families, and can’t go to work. So the Duvdevan Veterans Association is collecting money to buy them stuff, (not warfare items) - we want to make them smile and feel better. We want to improve their conditions and make sure they know that we think about their safety, their lives and wellbeing every minute. We want to buy them goodies: deodorants, clean underpants, clean socks, shirts, we want to do whatever we can to make them smile!”

On the day of the Swim-a-Thon, campers brought in their pledge sheets and swam their best! They also made cards for the soldiers to go in the care packages. The JCC campers raised over $1000 from their hard work and dedication!

VOLUNTEERS WANTEDTo drive shuttle buses and vans (Jewish Home Campus vehicles) on the day of the Jewish Home Tailgate Picnic

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 1 - 3 P.M.

Requirements: Clean PA driver's licenseGreat sense of humor!

We provide training and insurance.

If interested, call Jessica or Dwight at 675-0700

SAVE THE DATE!!!WELL-KNOWN THEATER HISTORIAN AND ACTOR DIANE STEINBRINK

WILL BRING HER ONE-WOMAN PRESENTATION: NEIL SIMON: FROM BRIGHTON BEACH TO BROADWAY

TO THE SENIOR CLUB LUNCHEON ON OCTOBER 30, 2014

Diane Steinbrink grew up in Brooklyn, NY and started taking drama classes at age 9. “I loved it!” she said. Woody Allen and the late Erich Segal were her classmates at Midwood High School.

But Steinbrink knew an acting career was not the path to security, so she studied speech therapy at Adelphi University. Yet, she still kept her interest in theater. She met her husband, Philadelphia Rabbi Richard Steinbrink, while he was attending Hebrew Union Rabbinical College in New York. The couple lived in Somerville, Somerset County, Red Bank, Monmouth County and then to St. Louis, Missouri, before making their home in Philadelphia, PA.

When they moved to Philadelphia, Ms. Steinbrink returned to the theater, first as an actor, then as a coordinator of Plays for Living, a series of docudramas with social messages. She then went on to produce and facilitate Jewish Family and Children’s Services’ Anne Frank Theater project.

Several years ago, she created her current project, a biographical look back at theatrical icons, accompanied by dramatic readings in her one-woman show. For this program, Ms. Steinbrink will explore the life and career of Neil Simon, and explain how his background influenced his plays. “This particular show is an audience favorite,” said Steinbrink. “Simon has so much to tell us about life - and Jewish life. He does it with incredible wit and style.” The Neil Simon program features monologues from some of Simon’s funniest, most beloved and poignant character from the plays Broadway Bound, Lost in Yonkers, Forty-five Seconds from Broadway and The Dinner Party.

“I feel both exhausted and exhilarated each time I do this program,” said Steinbrink. “And I love the idea that I can share with an audience the special pride and joy of Jewish creativity.”

Don’t miss this wonderful opportunity to hear Ms. Steinbrink’s lecture. Make your reservations early by calling Cheryl at 236-9555 Ext. 3115 by October 23, 2014. Cost for those not belonging to the JCC Senior Adult club is $15/ Senior Adult Club members cost is your regular lunch donation.

This program is being underwritten by the Maurice & Leona Rapoport Senior Citizens Fund

JCC Day Camp Raises Money for Care Packages for IDF Soldiers


On Monday, July 21st, the Greater Harrisburg Community held a Rally for Israel at the JCC. There were 250 Jews there, myself included, and as representative of Temple Beth Shalom I was asked to participate. I offered the following prayer, the Reconstructionist Prayer for the State of Israel, with little comment:

Rock and Champion of Israel, please bless the State of Israel, first fruit of the flourishing of our redemption. Guard it in the abundance of Your love. Spread over it the shelter of Your peace. Send forth Your light and truth to those who lead and judge it and to those who hold elective office. Establish in them, through Your presence, wise counsel that they might walk in the way of justice, freedom, and integrity. Strengthen the hands of those who guard our Holy Land. Let them inherit salvation and life. And give peace to the Land and perpetual joy to its inhabitants. Appoint for a blessing all our kindred of the House of Israel in all the lands of their dispersion. Plant in their hearts a love of Zion. And for all our people everywhere, may God be with them, and may they have the opportunity to go up to the Land. Cause Your spirit’s influence to emanate upon all dwellers of our Holy Land. Remove from their midst hatred and enmity, jealousy and wickedness. Plant in their hearts love and kinship, peace and friendship. And soon fulfill the vision of Your prophet: “Nation shall not lift up sword against nation. Let them no longer learn ways of war.” And let us say, Amen.

I would like to make two things crystal clear at this juncture. First, the views represented below are my own and do not represent the official views of Temple Beth Shalom. We pride ourselves at TBS in not requiring a certain political stance toward Israel. At the same time, I believe they may represent the views of some individuals in each of the congregations and in the greater Harrisburg Community. Secondly, my participation in the Rally should not be construed as an endorsement of other views expressed during the program. I offered a prayer for peace, which I believed was sorely needed. As far as the rest of the program, my agreement begins with the support of the State of Israel, but does not extend to its current government. My agreement begins with the necessity of national self-defense, but does not extend to the current fighting in Gaza. My agreement begins with the condemnation of Hamas, but does not extend to a belief that Hamas will be defeated militarily. My agreement begins with a call for action, but does not extend to closing ranks with other Jews in Harrisburg, opening our pocketbooks, and getting behind the current military operations.

A number of years ago, I came to a realization that for Israel to continue to exist, peace had to be established in the land, and without that peace, the State of Israel would ultimately be destroyed. I do not think I am alone in this thinking. The second realization was frankly simplistic, but I have been unable to shake it in the years since. That which promotes a lasting peace is to be supported; that which threatens lasting peace is to be opposed. We all have choices in this world, and at that moment, I chose to follow those dictums. Individuals can differ on what leads to that lasting peace, and there may be many paths that could be followed, but this needs to be the goal.

I have a theory on why Hamas kept on sending rockets into Israel with little real chance of any kind of military advantage. First, there was not much else for them to do, as they are isolated in Gaza from Israel, Egypt and much of the world. They do not have a standing army, an air force, or other means to wage a conventional war. More importantly, there was a chance they could draw Israel into a military invasion. War is Hamas' friend. Peace is Hamas' enemy. War helps Hamas. Peace will destroy Hamas. With peace, there is hope and aspiration and expectations of stability, economic growth, government services, a future. Hamas is proven to be a poor governing body. Conflict and war masks those deficiencies and build support of an organization that could get support in no other way. Lo and behold, Israel takes the bait (for the third time in five years), and here we are. It is as if we are watching the same Foghorn Leghorn cartoon over and over again, with him grabbing a stick and whupping on the dog to get him to react. And predictably the dog goes racing after Leghorn, who conveniently is standing just beyond the length of chain that holds the dog. Boinggg goes the chain.

Only this is war, not a cartoon. And with war comes dead soldiers, dead civilians (including lots of innocent non-combatants and children), and destroyed buildings, towns, and hospitals. War creates misery and human suffering, as sure as the earth revolves around the sun. And of course, with this comes condemnation of both sides by outside parties, but Israel is more harshly criticized because it has a more "effective" army. Whether we are proud or horrified, no one should be surprised by this. Each time, the outcome is the same. And the outcome for this will also be the same. A truce, poorly enforced. Hamas with renewed self-righteousness and anger. Israel with renewed self-righteousness and anger. And in a year or two, they can do it again. Hamas gets its continued conflict and manages to push the parties seeking peace further apart. Israel gets nothing other than a year or two of truce, although the settler movement gets its enemy and justification to continue West Bank expansion at the expense of an untrustworthy Palestinian partner. Unless the people of Gaza are given something to aspire to in the way of a civilized existence, Hamas will remain in firm control, and even if the Hamas leadership is destroyed, what will replace it will be the same in its embrace of war and jihad.

By Tony Lucido, Lewisberry, PAPublished in PennLive August 6, 2014

I have watched with dismay -- indeed, growing anger -- as this newspaper over the past week has published a series of increasingly unhinged, anti-Israel op-Eds on the conflict in Gaza.

At the outset, to be precise and avoid soggy, Orwellian bromides about "cycles of violence," allow me to define the conflict for what it is: Hamas's unrelenting war to eradicate the Jewish people from the face of the earth; Israel's defensive efforts to prevent its citizens from being murdered by Islamic terrorists.

There is nothing "complex" or morally ambiguous -- let alone equivalent -- about this war. The side of good, and that of evil, could not be more clear.

We have Hamas, by charter dedicated to genocide; specialists in war crimes and mass murder; avid and accomplished butchers of women and children; enemies of modernity and all free, civilized people.

Since 2005, when Israel withdrew from Gaza -- there is no "occupation" -- Hamas has fired approximately 11,000 rockets into Israel, targeted at schools, churches, hospitals, nuclear reactors.

Hamas was also busy digging -- using hundreds of Palestinian children now dead from their forced labors, but don't expect any impassioned hand wringing from The New York Times over those graves -- a warren of hardened, concrete tunnels beneath Gaza and into Israel, to be used in stealth by suicide bombers and death squads to slaughter as many innocents as possible.

Hamas agrees to farcical "cease fires" -- one might as well negotiate a non-aggression pact with a cobra -- and then serially violates them. The most recent one lasted all of ninety minutes, until a Hamas suicide bomber -- perhaps he didn't get the internal memo -- killed himself and two Israeli Defense Force soldiers.

It is Hamas that eagerly uses its own people as human shields, intentionally placing missile batteries in schools, mosques, hospitals and UN buildings.

Hamas's depravity-with-a-purpose seeks to maximize the deaths of Palestinians to garner sympathy from the credulous American and European media, which by virtue of its near-monolithic leftism, has an ingrained and reflexive bias -- in some cases outright animus -- against Israel.

And on the other side we have Israel, a lone democracy besieged. It has shown remarkable -- one could argue misguided -- restraint in the face of endless provocations.

By virtue of its military superiority, Israel could reduce all of Gaza to smoldering rubble in a matter of hours; because it values life, it does not.

There is nothing "complex" or morally ambiguous -- let alone equivalent -- about this war.Israel places its own troops at increased risk in an effort to avoid civilian casualties.It goes so far as to drop leaflets over populated areas in Gaza, warning residents of impending

military strikes. Hamas orders those same people to stay put, hoping for telegenic "martyrs" for its vile but distressingly successful propaganda campaign.

These facts are not in dispute. Yet, somehow, despite this reality we have, to borrow Lenin's apt sobriquet, a nearly endless parade of useful idiots lining up to castigate Israel while simultaneously ignoring -- and in some instances justifying -- Hamas's barbarism.

Thus, we hear lamentations about the cruel blockade, without any recognition that in its absence there would be an immediate flow of weapons and materiel to Hamas, to abet the murder of more Jews.

And we are lectured about the disproportionate death toll (using reliable figures provided by Hamas), as if that tells us anything about the moral status of the respective parties.

Hamas, the aggressor, both targets children and uses them as bomb deflectors; Israel defends civilians and does its best -- more than any other nation in history could or would be asked to do -- to minimize deaths among those attacking it.

But according to certain deep thinkers from various faculty lounges and Hollywood cocktail parties, because Hamas hasn't managed to kill nearly as many Jews as it would like -- despite getting an Akbar for effort -- it is Israel that deserves censure.

Absurd. And disgraceful.There is a moral sickness, a rot, that has infected a growing segment of our culture, particularly the

so-called intelligentsia.We are increasingly surrounded by educated people who are incapable of making the most elementary

moral distinctions, of knowing right from wrong -- indeed, they often reject the existence of such absolutes -- and whose sanctimony is exceeded only by their limitless vacuity.

Israel is not perfect, and is not above legitimate criticism. But any informed person who can look upon what is now happening in Gaza, and conclude that Israel is the persecutor, and guilty of war crimes, and the party to be denounced -- is morally blind. Or worse.

In Gaza, there should be no confusion about who's right and

who's wrong

An Open Letter to the Harrisburg Jewish Community. July 25, 2014:

Why I participated in the Harrisburg Community Rally for Israel

and What I Plan to do About It

COMMUNITY RALLY continued next page

Editorial Note: The views and opinions expressed in this and all articles appearing in the Community Review do not necessarily reflect the sentiments of the staffand Board of the Jewish Federation of Greater Harrisburg.


An Open Letter to the Harrisburg Jewish Community. July 25, 2014:

Why I participated in the Harrisburg Community Rally for Israel

and What I Plan to do About It

What would a win look like anyway? The official goal of Operation Protective Edge is to destroy tunnels, and capture rockets. And after that, a truce, and end to the Operation? Tunnels can be rebuilt and whoever supplies rockets to Hamas will continue to do so. So other than a temporary cessation of rocket attacks, what has the State of Israel achieved? What will the government do in the year or maybe two it has until the attacks begin again? Would they use the time to actively pursue an agreement with the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank? Would the government aggressively stop illegal settlements in the West Bank? Would it pursue justice for attacked Palestinians in the same manner it pursues justice for attacked Israelis? Can Netanyahu escape his rightist and nationalist coalition in the same way that Begin did 40 years ago to find peace? Forty years ago, Abba Eban perceptively tagged Arafat as a man who never missed an opportunity to miss an opportunity. I look at Netanyahu today, and think about that quote.

How can I be expected to send money to the current government in Israel, when I believe that government has blundered into a situation it cannot win militarily? How can I be expected to support a current government that I believe continually finds reasons not to negotiate with the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank to seek a lasting and peaceful solution. How can I be expected to support a government that has no partner in peace because I believe it has systematically undercut that potential partner, failing to offer meaningful concessions that would simultaneously strengthen the PA and weaken Hamas?

All of these thoughts are racing through my mind that Monday night, as I sit and listen to speaker after speaker praise the Israeli military, solicit sympathy for the harmed Israeli population, and ask for full support of the community for Operation Protective Edge. The organizers of the rally did not want the event politicized, so they said. Since it could not have been more politicized, I can only conclude that they meant the only view allowed in the room was the one that supported Operation Protective Edge. Two Jews, three opinions, one heart, but mine is breaking.

That which supports lasting peace should be supported. That which threatens lasting peace should be opposed. I don't know what will bring lasting peace. I wish I knew what would bring that peace, but I am pretty damn sure that after three Gaza operations in five years, Operation Protective Edge isn't it. And silence and "unity" won't bring that peace, but it will give support to the government in its current actions. And I won't be making a $100 donation to the Stop the Sirens Campaign, or buying Israel bonds. Instead, I will be making a $100 donation to groups that are actively working to promote peace in the Middle East, such as Hand-in-Hand, Seeds of Peace, or other worthy groups.

That Monday night, there was a continual reference to a call for action. This is my call for action. I call on everyone in the Harrisburg Community to read the prayer for the State of Israel, to reflect on it, and to find that which will promote lasting peace in the land, and to actively support that peace, wherever it may take you.

Sincerely,Ira Beckerman

COMMUNITY RALLY continued next page

COMMUNITY RALLY continued from prvious pageEditorial Note: The views and opinions expressed in this and all articles appearing in the Community Review do not necessarily reflect the sentiments of the staffand Board of the Jewish Federation of Greater Harrisburg.


Calling All Bookworms…

Chisuk Emuna Congregation is having our first-ever BOOK SALE sched-

uled for Sunday, November 16, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

We are looking for Jewish and non-Jewish gently used books, DVDs, and

CDs (no textbooks or computer manuals).

You’re welcome to drop off items at Chisuk Emuna, 3219 Green Street, at

the following times:

Monday-Friday 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

During weekday minyan: around 7 a.m. and around 7:15 p.m.

Hebrew School days: Sunday, 9 a.m. to noon;

Wednesday 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m.

S4L is Back!By Bryna Sherr, LCSW

JFS is very excited to announce that due to the great success of the last 3 consecutive sessions of S4L (Skills for Life), the group will be continuing with its 4th session in September 2014! The focus of S4L is to practice social skills in a clinical group setting. This amazing group is for adolescents 13-18 and is presented in a fun, relaxed environment. This group is ideal for boys and girls who have challenges in social settings, school, with peers, etc. The teens who have participated in the program have benefitted from it and their parents have given positive feedback. Some of the topics addressed include:

Understanding body language

Understanding humor and social nuance

Noticing and responding appropriately to others’ viewpoints

and emotions

Handling conflict and cooperation

Identifying and expressing emotions

Understanding how others feel

Controlling impulses in a social setting

Understanding social networking boundaries

Making and keeping friends

Teamwork**

Speaking in front of a group**

**NEWIf you know a teen who may benefit from S4L, please contact Bryna

Sherr, LCSW, for further details at 717-233-1681.

Donate to Food Bank, Check Out Library Books at Sen. Teplitz’s Office

HARRISBURG, Aug. 14, 2014 — The Office of state Sen. Rob Teplitz has teamed up with the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank and the Dauphin County Library System to serve as a location to drop off food donations and borrow books, respectively.

Constituents may drop off non-perishable food items, such as canned goods, packaged rice and pasta, and baby food, at Teplitz’s Harrisburg district office, located at 46 Kline Village.

“All of the food collected in our office will be distributed to individuals and families in need here in the community,” said Teplitz (D-Dauphin/York). “I encourage constituents to stop by our office to see how we can assist you with your issues and concerns, and bring a small food donation to help our own neighbors.”

A list of most needed food items is available on the food bank’s website, www.centralpafoodbank.org/

Additionally, the senator’s office also has a small lending library that constituents can utilize, in partnership with the Dauphin County Library System.

“We have a small collection of various fiction and non-fiction books for individuals of all ages. All our welcome to borrow and enjoy the books that the library system has generously provided,” Teplitz said.

Sen. Teplitz’s Harrisburg office is open Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Call 717-232-2937 for more information on both programs.

More information on state Sen. Rob Teplitz is available on his website, Facebook, and Twitter. An updated list of all upcoming events is available at www.senatorteplitz.com/calendar


synagogue life life cycleBETH EL TEMPLE232-0556 | www.betheltemplehbg.orgMinyan 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 candlelighting time

PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT

CHISUK EMUNA CONGREGATION 232-4851 | [email protected] 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.

CONGREGATION BETH ISRAEL Lebanon | 273-2669Visit the Congregation Beth Israel Web Site at www.congregation-beth-israel.orgAll 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.


CONGREGATION BETH TIKVAH Carlisle | 245-2811 | www.bethtikvah.org


HISTORIC B’NAI JACOB Middletown | 319-3014 | www.bnai-jacob.orgHistoric B’nai Jacob Synagogue, Water and Nissley Streets in Middletown, will conduct Shabbat services on Friday, September 5th at 7:30 pm. We are a Community Shul, all are welcome. Tel 717-319-3014 Visit website for more information.


KESHER ISRAEL CONGREGATION 238-0763 | www.kesherisrael.orgParticipate 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


TEMPLE BETH SHALOM 697-2662 | www.tbshalom.orgTemple Beth Shalom’s Friday evening Shabbat Services are at 7:15 p.m. followed by an oneg in the social hall. The Sisterhood Book Group will meet on Tuesday, September 23 at 7:00 p.m. at the home of Jennie Kornfeld, to discuss the book, “Blink” by Malcolm Gladwell. Explores the process by which people make decisions, explaining how the difference between good and bad decision-making is directly related to the details on which people focus, and offers advice on how to improve decision-making skills. All women are welcome! Please contact Jennie Kornfeld at [email protected] if you plan to attend. For information on High Holiday services or tickets, please check out http://tbshalom.org or call the office at 697-2662.


TEMPLE OHEV SHOLOM 233-6459 | www.ohevsholom.org

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 4Senior Lunch Program, 10 a.m., JCC, Program:

“The Millionaire Game”

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 9Senior Lunch Program, 10 a.m., JCC, Program: Business

meeting/Birthday party

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 11Senior Lunch Program, 10 a.m., JCC, Program: Movie

“No Country For Old Men”

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 16Senior Lunch Program, 10 a.m., JCC, Program: “The

Jewish Perspective” with Bob AxelrodJewish Federation Annual Mtg.,

7 p.m., JCC

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 18Senior Lunch Program, 10 a.m., JCC, Program: BINGO

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 21JCC 5K Run and Open House,

8:30 a.m. Jewish Home Annual Mtg., 0:30 a.m., The Residence


community calendar


synagogue life life cycleLILLIAN ROSE BENNETT

Lillian Rose Bennett, 3, passed away on Sunday, August 17, 2014. She was the precious baby girl to Ariel Rebecca Klein and the late, Alan Michael Werner Simmons. She was born in Harrisburg on August 16, 2011. Lily was an energetic little girl who was always so happy and cheerful. She had a wild imagination; she liked to pretend she was helping her daddy work by picking up sticks and riding her bike to “work”. She loved ice cream, the beach, her kitty, Pinsy, and she loved to eat. She was known as “Super Lily” because she liked to dress up. She was a precious girl who was full of love for her mommy and daddy and her stuffed toy Rubble. She will be dearly and sadly missed. She is survived by her mother, Ariel Rebecca Klein; her stepfather, Danny Oakes Tarell; her maternal grandmother, Donna Hoffman and her husband, Ronald Lee Hoffman; her maternal grandfather, Robert H. Klein and his wife, Janet; paternal grandfather, Paul Antal; her aunts and uncle, Joshua Klein, Jennifer McDonald, Christopher Buchmoyer, Jennie Tarell Shive, and Reid and Annie Hoffman; and her godparents, Matthew Birx and his wife Jackie and Amanda Ball. Funeral services were held on Wednesday, August 20th at Chisuk Emuna Cemetery, with Rabbi Akiva Males officiating. To offer the family condolences, please visit, www.HetrickBitner.com.

VLADIMIR GITMANVladimir Gitman, 97, of Camp Hill passed away on Sunday, August 10, 2014 at the Manor Care Nursing

Home, Camp Hill, PA. Born May 1, 1917 in Odessa, Russia, he was the son of the late Abraham and Bazya (Belotserkovskaya) Gitman. He was the husband of the late Manya (Guzinman) Gitman who died January 15, 2003. Vladimir was a WWII veteran from 1939 to 1945. After the war, he drove taxi cabs up until his retirement and prior to moving to the United States. He is survived by two daughters, Rita Fisher of Mechanicsburg, PA and Raisa Reznik of Silver Spring, MD and three grandchildren, Felix Fisher, Dennis Fisher and Igor Reznik. In addition to his wife and parents, Vladimir was preceded in death by one brother, Michael Gitman. Funeral services were held on Monday, August 11th at the Bookstaber Chapel of Mt. Moriah Cemetery, with Rabbi Eric Cytryn officiating. Burial was in Mt. Moriah Cemetery. The Hetrick-Bitner Funeral Home handled the arrangements. To view the full obituary and to share online condolences, please visit www.HetrickBitnerFuneralHome.com.

MAURICE (MORRIE) POSTMaurice (Morrie) Post passed away on Tuesday, August 19, 2014. Maurice Post was 88. Born in Philadelphia,

he was the son of the late Reuben and Thelma Pototsky. Surviving are wife Anita Post; three sons Mark (Robyn) Post; Gary (Lora) Post; Brian (Beth) Lock; two daughters Vicki (Wayne) Ortner; Jacki (Howard) Ashkin; ten grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren. Funeral services were held on Thursday, August 21st in the Beth El Cemetery Chapel with Rabbi Eric Cytryn officiating. Interment followed in the Beth El Cemetery. Memorial contributions can be made to the Penn State Hershey Cancer Institute or to Crossings Hospice of the VNA.

MARLIN ROCHMANMarlin Rochman, 90, passed away on Tuesday, August 19, 2014. Marlin Rochman was pre-deceased by his

wife, Shirley Rochman, and his sister, Idelle Schwartz. Surviving are his daughter, Sue Rochman of Philadelphia; sons Lee Rochman of Hawaii and Rich (Pam) Rochman of San Diego, CA; brother Herbert Rochman of Harrisburg; and two grandchildren Scott and Ethan Rochman. Funeral services were held on Thursday, August 21st at the Beth El Cemetery Chapel with Rabbi Eric Cytryn officiating. Interment followed in the Beth El Cemetery. Memorial contributions can be made to Beth El Temple, 2637 North Front St. Harrisburg, PA 17110, The Jewish Federation of Greater Harrisburg, 3301 North Front St., Harrisburg, PA 17110 or to The Jewish Home, 4000 Linglestown Rd, Harrisburg, PA 17112.

September 5............................... 7:16 p.m.

September 12............................. 7:05 p.m.

September 19 ............................. 6:53 p.m.

CANDLELIGHTING

Communtiy Review -9 5 14

Documents

Transcript of Communtiy Review -9 5 14