Observer7-15-2011

bserver

VOL.76 NO. 13July 15, 201113 Tammuz 5771

theJewish

www.jewishnashville.org

inside:No quick reconciliation for Turkey-Israel ties 2

“Israel: Why Should I Care?” 3

New shlicha to help Israel bloom in Middle Tennessee 5

Engaging more men inJewish communal life 7

SectionsLetter 4Lifecycles 9Around the town 10Community calendar 10

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example, have cited religious reasonsfor killing doctors who perform legalabortions and an Israeli Jew assassi-nated Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin,he noted.

“It seems to me the best responseis to regroup and focus on what wecan do together,” Pelavin said.“There’s real power in the combinedefforts of religious communities andthere is so much more that unites usthan divides us.”

The event also included a panelwith Imam Ossama Bahloul of theIslamic Community Center inMurfreesboro; Rev. Sonnye Dixon Jr.of Hobson United Methodist Churchin Nashville; and Father Joseph Breenof St. Edward Catholic Church inNashville. They spoke and answeredquestions after Pelavin spoke.

A host committee of 51 Jewish,

Christian and Muslim men andwomen organized the event, held atUniversity School of Nashville. Theyincluded priests, ministers, imams andrabbis, business leaders, professors,politicians, retirees, and social serviceproviders and other professionals.Many organizers and attendees hadparticipated in this year’s SocialJustice Seder at the Gordon JewishCommunity Center and organized bythe Jewish Federation of Nashville’sCommunity Relations Committee.

Nashville Mayor Karl Deanspoke at the start of the event, sayingthe faith community deserves muchof the credit for the city’s reputationas friendly and welcoming. “We mayget to where we’re going in differentways,” he said. “…For the most partwe’re headed in the same direction.”

Continued on page 3

By Kathy Carlson

The best response tothose who try to divideNashville along reli-gious lines is for faithcommunities to worktogether on shared

goals, Reform Jewish leader MarkPelavin told about 400 people at aJuly 13 interfaith event.

“We live in a time when peopleare taking our sacred texts and usingthem as weapons,” said Pelavin, asso-ciate director of the Religious ActionCenter of Reform Judaism and guestspeaker at the event, titled “Family ofAbraham: Towards a CommonVision.” “Far too many … distortsacred teachings to advance their ownagenda,” he said. “That’s true in everyfaith community.” Christians, for

Interfaith event brings people togetherto find common ground, joint projects

A number of liberal Israeli non-governmental organizations and civilrights groups are mounting legal chal-lenges to the law.

In America, negative feelingtoward the measure seems to span theideological spectrum, from J Street onthe left to the Zionist Organziation ofAmerica on the right.

Morton Klein, the ZOA’s presi-dent, said he was still examining thelaw, but that in principle the ZOAopposed anti-boycott laws. “Nobodywas more appalled by the boycott ofAriel theater than me, but to make itillegal? I don’t think so,” Klein toldJTA, referring to calls by some Israeli

artists to boycott a performing artscenter in the West Bank settlementof Ariel.

Supporters of the law in Israel sayit is a necessary counter measure toboycott efforts. “It’s a principle ofdemocracy that you don’t shun a pub-lic you disagree with by harming theirlivelihood,” Finance Minister YuvalSteinitz said during the debate on thebill, according to Ynet. “A boycott ona certain sector is not the proper man-ifestation of freedom of expression.”

The Anti-Defamation League,however, suggested in a public state-ment that the legislation is not the

Continued on page 4

By Ron Kampeas

WASHINGTON (JTA) —Backers of a new Israeli law penaliz-ing anyone who targets Israel or WestBank settlements for boycotts tout itas a tool to fight back against anti-Israel campaigns, but AmericanJewish organizations seem remarkablyunited in deeming the measure anaffront to freedom of expression.

“We’re disappointed that theypassed the law,” said Rabbi SteveGutow, the director of the JewishCouncil for Public Affairs, theumbrella body for the Jewish publicpolicy groups. “We don’t support boy-cotts,” he said, adding that “The lawdoes challenge democracy in a way,and hopefully the Supreme Courtwill respond.”

“Not since ‘Who is a Jew?’ ” hasthere been a controversy that couldseriously strain relations between Israeland American Jews, said one pro-Israelheavyweight, referring to the early1980s battle. “Oy! Who needs it?”

The Knesset enacted the law lateon July 11 by a vote of 47 to 38 afterhours of fierce debate. The legisla-tion, initiated by Likud Knessetmember Ze’ev Elkin, allows advo-cates of boycotts against Israel orareas under its control to be sued formonetary damages by those who arehurt by the boycotts. It also prohibitsthe Israeli government from doingbusiness with companies that complywith such boycotts.

From left to right, American Jewsare criticizing Israeli anti-boycott law

Two among dozens of demonstrators in Rabin Square in Tel Aviv protesting the newanti-boycott law enacted by Israel's Knesset, July 11, 2011.

2 July 15, 2011 The Observer

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We are looking forabout a dozenmembers of ourcommunity totake part in apilot program of

dialogues about Israel advocacy-relatedtopics,” said Irwin Venick, FederationCommunity Relations Committee(CRC) chair. “These dialogues are partof the CRC’s Israel Education andAdvocacy Grant from the JewishFederation’s New Initiatives Fund.”The grant has allowed the CRC tobring in speakers about Israel includingJonathan Schanzer in June and NathanKlein from the Israel Project comingAug. 30 [See related article in thisissue.] and others in the future.

The dialogue participants wouldattend the Aug. 30 event, “Israel: WhyShould I Care?,” and then gather sever-al days later for a professionally facilitat-ed discussion about the speaker’s pres-entation. “It will be a time for open andhonest conversation with all viewpointsheard,” said Judy Saks, CRC director.“The emphasis will be on listening toeach other and being able to appreciateeach other’s opinions.”

Based on the results of this first,pilot program, additional dialogues willbe held following each of the IsraelEducation and Advocacy speaker pre-sentations throughout the year.

Anyone interested in participatingshould contact Judy Saks by Aug. 15 [email protected] or 354-1637. c

Needed: A dozen participantsfor Israel dialogue program

By Leslie Susser

JERUSALEM (JTA) — TheTurkey-Israel relationship is not out ofthe woods just yet.

After some positive signs in recentweeks that the once close allies weremoving to repair the rift that ripped wideopen last year after nine Turks werekilled by Israeli forces in a confrontationon a Gaza-bound flotilla of ships,Turkey’s prime minister renewed his hardline on Israel.

“Normalization of relations betweenthe two countries is unthinkable,” RecepTayyip Erdogan said July 8 in a speech tothe Turkish Parliament, “unless Israelapologizes for this illegal act, which isagainst international law and values, payscompensation to the relatives of thosewho lost their lives in this atrociousevent and lifts the embargo on Gaza.”

Israel says it will not apologize forthe incident, which took place aboardthe Turkish-flagged ship Mavi Marmaraon May 31, 2010, but says it is willing toexpress regret for the loss of life. It is alsowilling to compensate the families, buton the condition that the payments pre-clude future civil claims against the indi-vidual soldiers involved.

For most of the past decade, Israeland Turkey, two major non-Arab region-al players, enjoyed a very close relation-ship that was often described as “strate-gic.” Israeli fighter planes trained overTurkish airspace, the two countries heldjoint naval rescue exercises and Israelprovided Turkey with anti-terroristequipment and know-how. In 2007 and2008, Erdogan even mediated indirectIsraeli-Syrian peace overtures.

But the Islamist prime minister, whocame to power in 2003, has been consis-tently critical of Israeli policies towardthe Palestinians, often using harsh lan-guage to vent his feelings.

Things came to a head with the2009 Gaza War, and relations betweenthe two countries since then havecooled. The Mavi Marmara affair exacer-bated the already existing rift, withErdogan demanding an apology fromIsrael and Israel accusing the Turkishgovernment of encouraging the Turkishradicals behind the maritime challengeto its naval blockade of the Gaza Strip.

At the time, Israeli analysts saw inTurkey’s abandonment of Israel part of awider regional foreign policy shift.Devised by Turkish Foreign MinisterAhmet Davutoglu and dubbed “zeroproblems,” it entailed a move towardcloser ties with the Iran-Syria axis atIsrael’s expense.

Ironically, the U.N. commissioninvestigating the Mavi Marmara affairprovided the platform for a possibleIsrael-Turkey reconciliation. Headed byformer New Zealand Prime MinisterGeoffrey Palmer and co-chaired by for-mer Colombian President Alvar Uribe,it included representatives from Israeland Turkey.

According to unofficial reports, thePalmer Commission found that Israel’sblockade of Gaza and its interception ofthe Turkish vessel on the high seas bothwere legal, but that the commandos usedexcessive force in taking over the MaviMarmara. The report also allegedly cen-sured Turkey for encouraging the activists.

Unhappy with the text, the Turksallegedly asked that the official publica-

tion of the findings be deferred to enablethe Israeli and Turkish representatives onthe commission — former senior ForeignMinistry officials Yosef Ciechanover forIsrael and Ozdem Sanberk for Turkey —to hammer out a compromise.

But Ciechanover and Sanberk havebeen working for the past several monthson something much wider: a compromisethat will allow the full normalization ofIsrael-Turkey relations. With the defer-ment, they now have until July 27 to getthe job done. Apparently they are look-ing for a formulation that in Turkish willsound like an Israeli apology and inHebrew like an Israeli expression ofregret for loss of life.

Insiders say this is why the U.N.report on the incident has been delayed.

Short of an apology, official Israelhas made every effort to effect a recon-ciliation. After Erdogan’s re-election onJune 12, Prime Minister BenjaminNetanyahu sent a conciliatory message.

“My government will be happy towork with the new Turkish governmenton finding a solution to all outstandingissues between our countries in the hopeof re-establishing our cooperation and

renewing the spirit of friendship whichhas characterized the relations betweenour peoples for many generations,”Netanyahu wrote.

There were even rumors that Israelhad entrusted Erdogan with a mediationmission for the release of Gilad Shalit,the Israeli soldier believed to be heldcaptive in Gaza since June 2006.

The Turks also made conciliatorygestures. A few weeks before this year’splanned flotilla to challenge the Gazablockade, they canceled the participationof the Mavi Marmara. Their readiness towork for a compromise within the contextof the Palmer Commission was another ofsign of willingness to cut a deal.

But both sides had their hard-liners— Erdogan on the Turkish side andForeign Minister Avigdor Lieberman onthe Israeli.

“Turkey wants to give the impressionthat it can dictate terms and that we’llaccept them as if it were a superpower,”Lieberman grumbled at an early July meet-ing of the Knesset’s Foreign Affairs andDefense Committee. “As far as we are con-cerned, there is no reason to apologize.”

Continued on page 12

No quick reconciliation for Turkey-Israel ties, but Turkey rethinking rift

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Nathan Klein, director ofresearch and messagingfor The Israel Project(TIP), will be the sec-ond speaker in theJewish Federation’s

Community Relations Committee’sseries, Increase Your Israel IQ: FromArgument to Advocacy. On Tues., Aug.30, Klein will speak on “Israel: WhyShould I Care?” at 7:15 p.m. at theGordon Jewish Community Center.

Klein is responsible for overseeingand managing TIP’s public opinionresearch worldwide. He works with TIP’slongtime and renowned pollsters NeilNewhouse, Stanley Greenberg andFrank Luntz.

He gathers data on opinions

toward Israel and the Middle East anddevelops data-driven messages toinform TIP’s ongoing mis-sion of educating journalistsand leaders around theworld. The Israel Project isa nonprofit educationalorganization that providesfactual information aboutIsrael and the Middle Eastto the press, policy makersand the public.

Before joining TheIsrael Project, Klein workedas a project director for aleading political and publicaffairs research firm, PublicOpinion Strategies. He also spent fouryears living in Israel and served with the

Israel Defense Force’s Golani InfantryBrigade.

The speaker series isfunded by a grant from theJewish Federation’s NewInitiatives Fund.

The event is free andopen to the Jewish commu-nity. The previous speaker,Jonathan Schanzer, drew 175people for an informativetalk on “Palestinian Politics,Arab Protests and IsraeliSecurity.”

For additional infor-mation, contact Judy Saks,community relations

director, at [email protected] 354-1637. c

Nathan Klein to address“Israel: Why Should I Care?”

Nathan Klein

Interfaith eventContinued from page 1

Nashville attorney Irwin Venickchaired the Family of Abraham event.The past year had been challenging forNashville and Tennessee, he said. Statelawmakers considered an anti-Sharia law;proposals to build or expand mosques inRutherford and Williamson countiesfaced opposition and in some cases vio-lence; a video surfaced criticizingNashville rabbis for interfaith efforts withMuslims. The Family of Abraham eventaimed to bring people together to learnabout their faith and those of others.

Bahloul, who came to the UnitedStates from Egypt, said he’s optimisticabout America’s future and the future ofMuslim Americans, despite current anti-Islamic sentiments. “We have to alloweach other to know one another,” hesaid. Most people are good, he said,adding there are crazy or bad people inany group. And Sharia law, he noted, is“for Muslims only, not for non-Muslims.”… The Koran teaches, “you have yourway, they have their way,” he continued.

The only conflict he could seebetween Sharia law and U.S. law wasthat Sharia law sometimes permitspolygamy, which isn’t legal here. Ifsomeone asked Bahloul about practicingpolygamy here, he’d say it wasn’t allowedhere and advise the person to “respectthe law of the land.” Even in a Muslimcountry, Islam as he understands it doesnot require someone of another religionto follow Islam, he said.

Dixon urged his audience to do thehard work of reconciliation by examin-ing how they themselves divide peopleand committing the time it takes to trulybuild relationships and get to know oth-ers. Many young people, he said, “haveno faith at all (and) simply do not give adamn. Their loss of faith comes fromwatching those in the faith communi-ty… not getting along.”

Dixon also urged the group to take awider view of the family of Abraham,looking beyond Abraham and includinghis two wives, Sara and Hagar. “Wehave to embrace the God who was Godto both Sara and Hagar and gave promis-es to both of them.”

Breen recalled the lessons his par-ents taught him as a child. “I had amother and father who somehow neversaw differences in people,” he said.They and his teachers at Nashville’sChrist the King School and FatherRyan High School taught him that Godmade everyone in his image and like-ness, and that Jesus Christ redeemed usall. And with people the world over, “Ifyou treated them nicely, they respondednicely. … Treat people well and theytreat you well.”

In response to a question askingwhere are the moderate Muslim voicesand why don’t they speak out againstradical Islam, Bahloul responded that hehad done so. Islam isn’t structured likethe Catholic Church, with a pope as arecognized leader who speaks for thewhole group, so it’s harder to find a uni-fied Muslim response to issues, he andothers said.

Dixon suggested that when aMuslim cleric opposes extremism, othersneed to say, “Yes, they’re speaking (out)and we are standing with them.”

Interfaith work is not only powerful,it’s deeply personal, Pelavin said. “I’vecome to understand my own Judaism somuch better when I view it in the con-text of other religions.” c


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letterTo the Editor/Board/Community:

At its recent special meeting, theBoard of Directors of the Federationadopted a statement reflecting a commu-nal desire for civility toward individualsin the face of heated and often tenden-tious debate.

The idea is that despite our individ-ual disagreements, we are a communityof Jews, and in a city like Nashville weare an especially close one. We are there-fore are expected to act as such, with theweight of our history and our traditionnever far from our minds.

Additionally, I believe that in keep-ing with the Federation’s role as the cen-tral Jewish communal agency, theFederation board took seriously itsresponsibility to act in a leadership role.By staking out this position, many in theroom felt that this measure clearly statedthat we will both elevate the tenor of ourdiscussions and prepare to focus on issuesof substance.

The vote, while strongly in favor,was not unanimous. My own thoughtwas that the statement, while necessaryand even-handed, appeared to stop withthe singular value of civility. It properlyenumerated one thing that we are for,but did not acknowledge that even asbroad-based an organization as we are,there are boundaries to what is accept-able to the community.

According to our mission state-ment, “the Federation works to pro-mote the general welfare, viability andcohesiveness of the Jewish communityof Nashville and Middle Tennesseeand to ensure the continuity of theJewish people locally, in Israel andaround the world.”

That sentence encapsulates our coreinstitutional values, and over the years

we have proudly funded projects aimedat rescue, relief and revitalization of Jewsall over the globe.

I would also note that the word“cohesiveness” appears prominently inthat sentence, and the need for thatprinciple derives not so much from con-temporary debate as it does from some ofthe saddest and most destructive periodsin Jewish history.

However, in addition to expressingour positive values, that sentence direct-ly implies that there are positions we donot tolerate. We can discuss exactlywhere the lines should be drawn, butsome things are beyond the pale.

We will judge people by theirintents and their actions, not by theirorigin. If someone’s position is worthyof attack, we might attack that positionbut not the person. We will heatedlydebate inside our community, but wewill not lose sight of the fact that wehave real enemies in this world. And wewill vigorously respond to the ongoingdelegitimization of Israel (and theJewish people), whether it comes underthe guise of overt anti-Semitism orcovert universalism.

Over the years the JewishFederation of Nashville — and ournational and international agencies —has taken concrete action in all of theareas I mentioned above. By our publicstatements and funding decisions wehave established that we do have groundrules and red lines. Our mission state-ment is a general guide; our Jewish mem-ory, both ancient and recent, is a specif-ic one.

May we always remember that kolYisrael arevim ze l’zeh, all Israel is respon-sible, one for another, and conduct our-selves accordingly.

Fred Zimmerman

Fred Zimmerman is a past president ofthe Jewish Federation of Nashville, a pastboard member of the Jewish Federations ofNorth America/United Jewish Communities,and a member of the Board of Governors ofthe Jewish Agency for Israel.

Continued from page 1appropriate way to combat boycotts. “Tolegally stifle calls to action — howeverabhorrent and detrimental they might be— is a disservice to Israeli society,” saidAbraham Foxman, the ADL’s nationaldirector. “We hope Israel’s SupremeCourt will quickly take up a review of thislaw and resolve the concerns it raises. “

In an interview, Foxman expressedconcern that in any case, a degree ofdamage was done to Israel by the law,even if the courts eventually quash it.“The people who wanted it will say, `Weintroduced it, we argued for it, we got itpassed,’ and the people who think it’scontrary to democracy will have theirvictory in the court,” he said. “People areplaying politics with an issue that doesIsrael damage.”

Centrist American Jewish groups inthe past year have pressed Israeli PrimeMinister Benjamin Netanyahu’s govern-ment twice to contain what they per-ceived as damaging hearings in theKnesset, one targeting human rightsgroups and the other J Street.

Joining the ADL in issuing state-ments condemning the law were an arrayof dovish Jewish groups that included theNew Israel Fund, J Street and Americansfor Peace Now.

“When you start to persecuteunpopular opinions, there really is noend point,” said Naomi Paiss, a spokes-woman for the New Israel Fund.

The Israeli Embassy in Washington,fielding what it said was “not a smallamount” of calls seeking clarification onthe matter, reflected what appeared to beambivalence on the law by PrimeMinister Benjamin Netanyahu, who wasabsent for the Knesset vote. The embassywas telling those with queries, “This is amatter of controversy in Israel, and itwould appear that it will have to beheard by the High Court of Justice, as inany democracy.”

The Obama administration wasmeasured as well in responding to thelaw. An administration official told JTAthat the law was an internal matter, butalso pointed to democratic values sharedby Israel and the United States, includ-ing free speech.

The bill defines “boycott” as “delib-erately avoiding economic, cultural oracademic ties with another person oranother factor only because of his tieswith the State of Israel, one of its insti-tutions or an area under its control, insuch a way that may cause economic,cultural or academic damage,” accord-ing to a translation of the legislationprovided by the Association for CivilRights in Israel.

The legislation applies not only toboycotts targeting all of Israel, but alsothose aimed at “an area under its con-trol” — meaning that Israelis who sup-port boycotting West Bank settlementswould be vulnerable under the law. c

From left to right, American Jewsare criticizing Israeli anti-boycott law

See what’s happening in the community. Go to www.jewishnashville.org


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By Kathy Carlson

At age 23, Inbar Shakedhas served in the Israelimilitary, traveledaround the world andstudied journalism.She’s set to arrive in

Nashville next month to serve as shlichato the Jewish community, buildingbridges between Music City and Israel.

Inbar’s presence in Nashville growsfrom the Local Global Initiative of theJewish Federation of Nashville’s BestJewish Nashville project, which helpedthe community determine its prioritiesand make them a reality. The projectidentified a need to foster connectionsbetween Nashville and Israel, and bring-ing a shlicha to Nashville was a tangibleway to do just that.

Nashville turned to the JewishAgency for Israel for candidates for thenew position, and the Local GlobalCommittee, headed by Ellen Levitt,reviewed resumes and interviewedprospects before extending a job offerto Inbar.

“She is dynamic young lady,” Levittsaid. “She’s from a family of five – itsounded like a very dynamic family – andshe’s used to having to navigate a lot ofdifferent things.”

“We’re really excited about herbeing here,” committee member JamesFishel said.

Three committee members – Levitt,Rachel Koch and Carol Hyatt – inter-viewed Inbar over Internet video-phoneservice Skype, and found her “very open

and easy to talk to,” Levitt said. “Weexpect her to interact with all agegroups. She seemed very comfortablewith that.”

Inbar was the youngest applicant,but her application stood out to Kochbecause of her work and volunteer expe-rience. While in high school, Inbarjoined student delegations to Poland andGermany. Later, she worked as a guidefor an Israeli teen group participating ina program in England, in Kansas City asa shlicha with its Jewish CommunityCenter summer camp and in Israel tohelp train other shlichim to work at

American JCC summer progams. “Thisis a connection she makes quite natural-ly with youth,” Koch said. “… She isvery comfortable interacting and teach-ing about Judaism (and) Israel – thecountry, culture, history.”

Inbar also said she was “specificallyinterested in Nashville because it’s ourfirst year (with a shlicha program). Shefelt very excited about creating the pro-gram with us,” said Koch. “We couldreally tell that she grasped our medium-sized Jewish community, how we func-tion,” Levitt said.

The Best Jewish Nashville project

identified a strong need for programmingand services for the older teen-youngadult age group, those from ages 18-25,Levitt said.

“I think she’s going to be incrediblewith our youth here – the stronger theconnection to Israel the better,” Kochadded. Inbar will work with the GetConnected program next year to helpeducate teens on what to expect whenthey visit Israel, Koch said.

Broader goals for the shlicha posi-tion include deepening the community’srelationship with Israel, exposing asmany people as possible – both Jewishand non-Jewish - to Israeli culture, edu-cating young Jewish adults about Israeland helping develop long-term leader-ship and engagement with the Jewishcommunity and Israel. The shlicha willwork with all age groups and with manycommunity initiatives and programs.

As of mid-July, Inbar was attendinga JAFI orientation in Jerusalem forshlichim. In Nashville, people were lin-ing up an apartment for her, scouting forfurniture and household goods, andsearching for someone willing to donatea car so she could easily get around inNashville. Community members whowould like to donate items for Inbar cancontact Federation Planning DirectorHarriet Schiftan, [email protected].

There’s a lot of potential for bothNashville and the shlicha to benefit inthe months ahead, Levitt said, addingthat “a lot of it is what this shaliachmakes of it. … We’ll be guiding heralong.” c

New shlicha to help Israel bloom in Middle Tennessee

Inbar Shaked will become Nashville’s first shlicha.


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By Ron Kampeas

WASHINGTON (JTA) — HannahRosenthal, the State Department’senvoy for combating anti-Semitism, washeartened if skeptical when some Arabofficials pledged to her that they wouldremove anti-Semitic tropes from theirschool curricula.

She was frustrated when theyhemmed and hawed. And she was out-raged when they outright refused to do so.

Rosenthal visited Lebanon, Jordanand Saudi Arabia last month on a mis-sion to persuade officials in those nationsto remove from their textbooks intoler-ance aimed at non-Muslims and to intro-duce positive references to Judaism.

The most common response, shesaid, was avoidance and of a hoary vari-ety: Talk about Jews almost inevitablyled to grievances about Israel’s treatmentof the Palestinians.

“As soon as a conversation about

religious tolerance becomes tense, theyshut it down or they go to Israel-Palestine,” she told JTA in an exclusiveinterview after the trip.

Rosenthal, who is Jewish, met withEducation Ministry and other govern-ment officials in Jordan and SaudiArabia. In Lebanon, she met only withcivil society groups promoting interfaithdialogue, in part because she was limitedto a few hours in the country for securityreasons. Meeting with Lebanese govern-ment officials has become sensitive forU.S. officials now that Lebanon’sCabinet includes members of Hezbollah,a U.S.-designated terrorist organization.

Rosenthal’s signature achievementon the trip was extracting from Saudiofficials a pledge to remove anti-Semitic references from curricula,including some apparently rooted in thenotorious forgery positing Jewish worlddomination, the “Protocols of theElders of Zion.”

“I got commitments from the min-istries of education and culture that theywere ready to work with us,” she said. “Iam taking all of this at face value.”

A Saudi Embassy spokesman inWashington did not return a request forcomment.

Rosenthal said a typical initialresponse in Saudi Arabia was for officialsto challenge her to produce evidence ofintolerance. When she did – forinstance, a passage describing Jews as thespawn of “monkeys and pigs” — she wastold the book was outdated and nolonger in use.

Rosenthal told Saudi officials theState Department’s Bureau ofDemocracy, Human Rights and Laborwas planning a study of Saudi texts andwould assess which countries haveschools using the textbooks, as well aswhether the texts promote intolerance.Saudi textbooks with offensive passagesrelating to Jews, Christians and women

have been found in use as far afield asArgentina and Pakistan.

Rosenthal said the grantees thatwould carry out the study had yet to beselected.

“It was positive in the sense thatthey all said the right thing,” she said ofthe Saudis. “They’re claiming all the badstuff has been taken out. We’re going todo an honest academic review and seewhat’s there.”

More disappointing, Rosenthal said,were her encounters in Jordan, particu-larly with a high-level EducationMinistry official who resisted any sugges-tion that Holocaust studies be intro-duced into the curriculum.

“This is how it ended: We’re havingthis semi-tense conversation about thisdismissal of the Holocaust, and he says,‘We are not teaching that this didn’thappen,’ “ she said.

A Jordanian Embassy spokesman inWashington declined comment. Jordanhas a peace treaty with Israel.

Rosenthal also confronted officialsof the United Nations Relief and WorksAgency, the body that cares for millionsof Palestinian refugees and their descen-dants, about their failure to teach U.N.-created Holocaust materials.

A high-ranking official withUNRWA told JTA that the agency isbound by agreements with host countriesto use local textbooks. Additionally, insome areas — notably the Gaza Strip —UNRWA officials have faced threatsfrom Islamist groups for reports of plansto introduce Holocaust and toleranceteaching into the curriculum.

In Lebanon, Rosenthal sought outorganizations that seek to promote toler-ance among the “Abrahamic faiths” onlyto find that Judaism was not included. “Itturned out ‘Abrahamic’ meant Islam andChristianity,” she said.

Rosenthal offered to assist thegroups in bringing lecturers who couldteach about Judaism.

She subsequently learned that oneof the groups she addressed — AdyanVillage, which is partnered with NotreDame University — brought in anEastern Orthodox nun who had someknowledge of Judaism.

Rosenthal told JTA that her mostmoving visit in Lebanon was to the siteof a synagogue in Beirut that the coun-try’s tiny Jewish community is endeavor-ing to restore.

“They were nervous about showingit to me, and they feel extremely vul-nerable — my guide told me that hisbusiness clients don’t even know he isJewish,” she said. “Their hope is that itwill be ready by Rosh Hashanah, butbuilders and contractors find outthey’re working on a synagogue anddon’t come back.” c

State Dept. envoy on anti-Semitism facing resistance on Arab textbooks

See what’s happeningin the community.

Go to www.jewishnashville.org


Your Ad/Greeting will reach the entireJewish Community!Be sure to be a part of this special annual issue.

Publication date is August 26, 2011

Deadline for ads is August 23, 2011

Contact:Carrie Mills, Advertising Manager615-354-1699e-mail: [email protected] 615-352-0056

Rosh Hashanah is Coming!

A NewYear!

By Sue Fishkoff

SAN FRANCISCO (JTA) —When Mitchell Ross was a boy, heremembers his grandfather hanging outwith the men’s club at his Conservativesynagogue. “I always felt it was some-thing older Jewish men were involved in,the over-60s club,” said Ross, a 39-year-old cardiologist in Phoenix, Ariz.

Today, Ross is active in his ownmen’s club at Har Zion Congregation, aConservative shul in Scottsdale, and heis working hard to attract men his ageand younger to a Jewish world that manyof them have dismissed.

“I’m into fitness, into biking, and themen’s club has a wellness initiative, so wedo a lot of hikes as well as communityservice activities,” Ross told JTA. “It offersa way for younger men to get involved.”

Good luck with that.For more than a decade, Jewish lead-

ers and academics have been lamenting

the disappearance of boys and men fromnon-Orthodox Jewish life. Men’s clubs,operating at more than 250 NorthAmerican Conservative synagogues, arejust one of many groups trying to stopthe hemorrhaging.

“The challenge facing the AmericanJewish community is not that women aremore active — surely a positive develop-ment — but that men and boys haveretreated from much of American Jewishlife,” wrote Sylvia Barack Fishman andDaniel Parmer in the Fall 2008 issue ofJewish Political Studies Review in a piecetitled “The Policy Implications of theGender Imbalance Among America’s Jews.”

Some, including Fishman, call it the“feminization” of liberal Judaism, a termthat raises hackles among those whodon’t wish to see women’s ritual gainsreversed or blamed for the retreat ofmen. But the phenomenon is readilyapparent and has elicited scores of pro-gramming initiatives.

Many parallel women’s initiatives.The Man Seder, an all-male Passoverseder held at American Jewish Universityin Los Angeles since 2006, is patternedafter the women’s seders that emerged inthe 1980s. The teenage boys’ programsdeveloped this year by the organizationMoving Traditions were an outgrowth ofits popular program for teenage girls, RoshHodesh: It’s a Girl Thing.

A number of Reform andConservative synagogues run a programusually called 100 Jewish Men — a seriesof dinners with speakers who talk abouttheir relationship to Judaism, their fami-lies and their careers.

“At so many synagogues, especiallyin the non-Orthodox world, the men arenot there and the men’s clubs skewolder,” said Rabbi David Woznicka of theStephen S. Wise Temple, a large Reformcongregation in Los Angeles thatlaunched such a series four years ago forits members between 30 and 55. Nearly

100 men signed up in the first year, andthe project is still steaming along.

The most aggressive pursuer of thegreat disappearing American Jewishmale is probably the Federation of JewishMen’s Clubs, the umbrella group formen’s clubs in the U.S.

These clubs are trying to cast off thebackroom, cigar-chomping image of yes-teryear and pull in younger men, gettingthem to talk to each other and theirsons. Ultimately the goal is to get theminto the synagogue — maybe not to pray,but at least to find Jewish communityand pass it on to their children.

“We’re trying to make men realizethe tremendous impact they have ontheir children,” said Rabbi CharlesSimon, the executive director of theFederation of Jewish Men’s Clubs, whowrites and speaks extensively on theimportance of men volunteering andtaking charge of their personal lives.

Continued on page 12

As men fade from Jewish communal life, men’s clubs push for revival


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Sherith Israelelects Lutzpresident

At its June 28 annualmeeting, CongregationSherith Israel electednew officers and boardmembers includingSheldon Lutz, presi-

dent; Greg Goldberg, vice presidentadministration; Evelyn Koch, vice presi-dent membership; Bobbie Limor, vicepresident programs;Marty Satinsky, treasur-er; Ben Walter, finan-cial secretary; MartyKooperman, recordingsecretary; and CobyHanai, past president.

New Directorsinclude Maria Garber,Mosh Koch, MiriamLeibowitz, Phil Shmerling, JordanaWhite and Roberta Goodman. MarilynFoyer, Jay Geller, Pam Kelner, LennGoodman, Ramin Hanai and CarolRubin are continuing directors.Gabboim are Richard Chalal, LouisLipschutz and David Naft.

A framed photo on canvas titled“Hands-on Religion” was presented byMosh and Evelyn Koch to the synagoguein honor of retiring president CobyHanai’s “hands-on presidency” of theShul from 2007-2011. c

Sheldon Lutz

Urban Green Labco-founder to speakat The Temple

Dan Heller, the president andco-founder of Urban GreenLab, will be the guest speak-er at The Temple’s GreenTeam meeting on Tues.,Aug. 9, at 7 p.m. The event

is free and open to the public. Heller will discuss his team’s vision to

catalyze a culture of sustainability by build-ing Urban Green Lab, Nashville’s first-evercommunity center dedicated to sustainableliving. Projected to open in 2012 in theInglewood neighborhood of East Nashville,Urban Green Lab will be building a state-of-the-art green building at the intersectionofMaxey Lane and McGavock Pike, a $1.5million project that is still in its fundraisingstage. It is envisioned to be a meeting placefor students and adults to learn about every-thing from energy efficiency to urban agri-culture. The lab is an official 501 (c ) (3)project of Trust for the Future.

Heller has over 25 years of business,marketing and real estate experience toapply to the launch of Urban Green Lab.He is known as a strong advocate forsmall business and neighborhood beauti-fication in Nashville, and is credited formaking visible improvements to thedingy commercial buildings at Riversideand McGavock in 2005 which blos-somed into Riverside Village. ThroughHeller’s efforts in garnering communitysupport, the area has become a populardestination of 100 percent locally-ownedrestaurants and shops. Heller was award-ed East Nashvillian of the Year by theHistoric East Nashville Merchants’Association in 2009 for his work.

The Temple’s Green Team commit-tee promotes environmental awarenessand earth-friendly initiatives within thebuilding and the community.

For reservations, call (615) 352-7620. c

The Gordon JewishCommunity Center wel-comes new Chief FinancialOfficer Jared L. Book, andFacilities Director DanielShuemaker.

Book earned his Master’s degree inbusiness management specializing infinance from the University of Redlandsand has spent over 25 years in seniormanagement including administration,financial operations, accounting andtreasury operations. Book’s most recentposition was chief financial officer ofLawFinance Group Holdings, the parentcompany of multiple finance companysubsidiaries headquartered in Californiaand Nevada. He joined LawFinanceGroup in 2004.

Book has played an active role inmany charitable and other not-for-profitorganizations at the national level. Hecurrently serves as chair of the Board ofTrustees of the United States DivingFoundation. He and his wife, Judy, reside

GJCC welcomes new CFOand facilities director to staff

in Bellevue and are active members of theJewish community.

Shuemaker hails from Knoxville.He and his wife, Kristi, have been inNashville for more than fiveyears. Together, they have two daugh-ters, Asher, 6, and Karis, 2; and a son,Gabe, 8.

For the last five years, Shuemakerhas been with the CMT/MTV NetworksCORE Services department working infacilities management and planning anddesign as well a persuing studies in inte-rior architecture and design at TheAcademy of Art University. c

Jared L. Book Daniel Shuemaker



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Bat MitzvahMorgan Ausbrooks will be called to

the Torah as a BatMitzvah at The Templeon Sat., Aug. 13, at11 a.m. She was bornon Dec. 2, 1997, inNashville. Her parentsare Ryan and JonathanKroser. Her grandfatheris Albert Kroser ofPhiladelphia.

As her mitzvah project, Morgan hasbeen collecting and crushing aluminumcans for the past year. She will donate themto OPAH, a foundation that uses thesedonations to rescue mistreated animals.

An eighth grader at White HouseHeritage, Morgan’s special interestsinclude reading, soccer, swimming, help-ing animals, Girl Scouts and being envi-ronmentally conscious.

Professional notesDr. Michael H. Gold, founder of

Gold Skincare Center, announces thelaunch of The Dermatologic &

Aesthetic Surgery International League(DASIL). Founded in conjunction withDr. Marc B. Roscher of South Africa, theorganization’s mission is to create a glob-al community for the open exchange ofknowledge and innovation by physiciansspecializing in dermatologic and aesthet-ic surgery.

James Mackler has joined the lawfirm of Bone McAllesterNorton PLLC as a liti-gation attorney with aspecialty in legal assis-tance for military veter-ans. Along with litiga-tion, Mackler will pro-vide legal assistanceto members of the mili-tary transitioning into the civilian sec-tor, including entrepreneur start-ups, fun-damental business issues and the day today legal issues that veterans encounterwith a new business. He is on the boardof Jewish Family Service and is married toRabbi Shana Mackler.

Sympathy. . . to the family of Elizabeth

Sternberger Weinstein, 92, who diedJuly 2 at National Health Care, Bristol,Tenn. Condolences and memories maybe shared with the family and viewed byvisiting www.oakley-cook.com.

MorganAusbrooks James MacklerI-40 ramp named in honor

of late Councilman Cohen

From left: Lee Cohen, Lisa Cohen, State Sen. Doug Henry, Mark Cohen, State Rep. Gary Odom,Jay Cohen.

Aflyover ramp connect-ing Interstate 40 toBriley Parkway in WestNashville has beennamed in honor of thelate Metro Councilman

Ralph M. Cohen. His four children, other family

members along with State Sen. DouglasHenry and State Rep. Gary Odom wereon hand on July 14 to celebrate the nam-ing with a reception at the Cohen lawoffices at 4908 Charlotte Pike. Thestorefront offices had been the site forRalph Cohen’s longtime business,Cohen Do-It-Yourself Plumbing &Electric. Mr. Cohen died at age 76 inJanuary of 2005.

Mr. Cohen’s oldest son, Mark,

had asked Odom at the end of lastyear whether it would be possible toname one of the flyover ramps for hisfather, who had worked to improveroads serving West Nashville. Odomand Henry sponsored the legislationto name the ramp for Cohen, and allfour Cohen children pitched in to payfor the bright green and white-let-tered signage.

Ralph Cohen served on MetroCouncil from 1980 to 1987, representingWest Nashville. The flyover was namedafter him “to honor Mr. Cohen’s memo-ry and his bountiful life of purpose andcommitment to the greater good,” thelegislation stated. “No Tennessean ismore deserving of this honor than thelate Ralph M. Cohen.” c


community calendar

MARSHALL DONNELLY & COMBSFUNERAL HOME

201 25th Ave., NorthNashville, Tennessee 37203

327-1111Capturing, Sharing and Preserving the Memories of Life.

around the town

Throughout the United Statesand in many parts of the world,there is a concerted effort to

delegitimze the State of Israel. One ofthe tactics being used is a boycott ofIsraeli products. This action has beenseen in several locations in our country.

In an effort to counter that boycottand support Israel, many Jewish com-munities and organizations have urgedAmericans to buy Israeli products. TheCommunity Relations Committee ofthe Jewish Federation of Nashville andThe Observer want to make it easier forNashvillians to find Israeli-made goodsby publishing a list of the products andwhere to find them, locally.

We need your help. If you know ofavailable products and the stores thatcarry them, email that information [email protected]. Food, cloth-ing, jewelry, wine, etc., whatever youhave found, please share it with ourcommunity.

See the updated list, below andsend your additions to [email protected] or call 354-1637.

Israeli silver jewelry - area TJMaxx stores

Geffen Pickles – Belle Meade Kroger

Sabra Hummus and dips – area grocery stores and Costco

Eden Feta Cheese – Trader Joe’sDorot frozen garlic and herbs –

Trader Joe’sTelma products – PublixMoroccan Hair Oil treatment –

Cosmetics MarketSweet Clementines (oranges) –

CostcoCedars Halva – Whole Foods

refrigerated sectionStreit’s Quinoa and Israeli

Couscous – Harris TeeterJaffa Oranges – PublixMuscato wine by Golan Wineries –

Bud’s Wine and Liquor, Green Hills

Carries musical instruments made in Israel – Gymboree Play & Music, Cool Springs

Yehuda Yahrzeit candles – Whole Foods

Yehuda matzos – KrogerYehuda and Aviv matzo products –

Whole Foods.Cosmetics found at Target:

Equate 3 Micro Remodeling Cream

Daily Regenerating SerumEye Lifting SerumMy Time Firming Cream

BuyIsrael!

Taste of JudaismRabbi Rami Shapiro will serve as

guest lecturer for The Temple’s Taste ofJudaism lecture series on WednesdaysJuly 20 and 27 from 7-9 p.m. The seriesis open to anyone who wants to learn orrelearn about the Jewish religion, itspractices, customs and beliefs. Shapiro isadjunct professor of religion and directorof The Writers’ Loft at Middle TennesseeState University and the director ofWisdom House, a center for interfaithstudy, dialogue and contemplative prac-tice at the Scarritt-Bennett Center. Forinformation on the series, call 352-7620.

Israeli danceworkshop

The Nashville Israeli Folk Dancersand the Vanderbilt University Hillel pres-ent a one-night Israeli dance workshopwith Dany Benshalom and Ruthy Slannon Mon., Aug. 29, from 7-11 p.m. Thereis a charge for the event. Refreshments are

included. This is a special opportunity tolearn great dances, meet people, exerciseaerobically and participate in an enjoy-able, stress-reducing activity. It will beheld at the Schulman Center for JewishLife, 2421 Vanderbilt Pl., at VanderbiltUniversity. For directions, parking, andother information, contact Carol Rubin [email protected] or 615/352-9447 or 615/767-1176. Have dinner atGrins Vegetarian Cafe in the SchulmanCenter before the dancing begins. Formore information, go to www.vander-bilt.edu/israelidance.

BBG to host brunchLast year BBG, the girls division of

BBYO, began a tradition of having abrunch for the whole community inhonor of BBG alums. This year’s brunchwill be on Sept. 25 from 1-3 p.m. at theGJCC. There will be single and familytickets as well at the opportunity to pur-chase a table for friends and family. Forinformation, contact Jessica Leving [email protected] or 356-7170.

Monday, July 18Jewish Federation Community Relations

Committee Meeting – 7-9 p.m.

Tuesday, July 19Temple Board Meeting – 7-9 p.m.West End Synagogue Board Meeting –

7:-8:30 p.m.

Wednesday, July 20GJCC Board Meeting – 7:30-9 p.m.

Thursday, July 21GJCC Car Lexus Drawing Party – 6-9 p.m.

Friday, July 22Jewish Federation Welcome Breakfast for

Hadera Teens – 8-9 a.m.

Tuesday, July 26Federation Board Meeting – 7:15-9 p.m.

Wednesday, July 27Congregation Micah Board Meeting –

7-9 p.m.

Thursday, July 28Jewish Family Service Board Meeting –

7:30-9 p.m.

Sunday, July 31Get Connected Reunion at West End

Synagogue – 6-8 p.m.

Thursday, Aug. 4Akiva Board Orientation – 6-8:30 p.m.

Tuesday, August 9GJCC Board Meeting – 7:30-9:30 p.m.

Thursday, August 11Federation Campaign Kickoff – 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

Friday, August 12Music City BBG Car Wash - GJCC -

3:30-4 p.m.

Sunday, August 14GJCC Preschool Get Acquainted Day –

9-11 a.m.Akiva Day School Family Picnic – 11:30 a.m.-

12:30 p.m. Shalom Akiva /Akiva Day School

Kindergarten Orientation – 1-2 p.m.West End Synagogue Outdoor Pool Party –

4-8 p.m.

Monday, August 15First Day of GJCC ECLE School Day –

7 a.m.-6 p.m. Akiva Day School First day of School, 1st-

6th grade – 7:55 a.m.-8:25 a.m. Jewish Federation Campaign Cabinet

Meeting – 7-9 p.m.Federation Community Relations

Committee Meeting – 7:15-9 p.m.

Tuesday, August 16West End Synagogue Board Meeting –

7-10 p.m.Temple Congregation Ohabai Sholom Board

Meeting – 7-8:30 p.m.

Thursday, August 18Vanderbilt Hillel Graduate Student

Orientation – 2-3 p.m.JMingle Bar Night – 7-10 p.m.


The GJCC Adult Programhas released the July-August schedule of pro-gramming for TGIT(Thank Goodness It’sThursday).

July 21: Chopped (and diced): atake-off on the Food Network Series,“Chopped.” Watch the contest betweentwo great chefs as they prepare dishesfrom a basket of odd ingredients.

July 28: Even more brain games:come exercise your brain. Learn secretsto help keep your brain young.

August 4: Musical performancewith Carrie and Garrett Mills, an encoreappearance.

August 11: Musical performancewith Frank Sinatra singer/impersonatorTony Santaguido

August 18: Israel…what’s new?August 25: Volunteer Appreciation

Day. We appreciate our volunteers, comesee why. They really are the best.

The GJCC Adult Program thanksthe Jewish Federation of Nashville andMiddle Tennessee for its generous sup-port of the popular TGIT Program.

TGIT brings thoughtful pro-gramming and lunch to Jewish com-munity seniors every Thursday in theSenior Lounge of the GJCC. Theday includes a blood pressure checkwith Lauren Cooper, RN; exerciseappropriate for all levels; lunchcatered by Sova Catering for a smallfee; and the program.

For questions or more information,contact Meryl Kraft at 356.7170 [email protected]. c

New schedule set for GJCC/TGITprograms and lunch for seniors


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The Community Relations Committee of the Jewish Federation of Nashville

Presents the Series –

Featuring

Nathan KleinDirector of Research and MessagingThe Israel Project

Speaking onIsrael: Why Should I Care?

7:15 p.m., Tuesday, August 30, 2011Gordon Jewish Community Center

RSVP to [email protected]

This program is made possible by a grant from the Jewish Federation’s New Initiatives Fund.

For information, contact Judy Saks at 354-1637 or [email protected].

Increase Your Israel IQ:From Argument to Advocacy

Continued from page 2Lieberman was backed up by Tel Aviv

University’s Ehud Toledano, an expert onTurkey, who argued that there was no needto sweet talk the Turks because Israel hadlittle to gain from a restoration of ties.Writing in Haaretz, Toledano claimed thatErdogan had eroded the Turkish army’sindependence and taken control of MIT,the Turkish intelligence service, and thusthe damage to Israel’s strategic ties withTurkey was irreversible.

In other words, reconciliation wouldnot change much.

During the estrangement fromTurkey, Israel has drawn closer toGreece, Turkey’s traditional rival.

The relationship paid off in earlyJuly when Greek authorities delayed this year’s planned Gaza flotilla. When U.S.and Canadian vessels slipped away fromGreek shores, Greek frogmen forcedthem back.

Israel’s newfound closeness withGreece also is a message to Turkey thatIsrael has other options in the easternMediterranean. Israeli tourists, too, havebeen boycotting Turkey and instead goingto the Greek islands in droves. This week,Greece’s president visited Israel.

Yet while the annual volume oftrade between Israel and Greece hasincreased dramatically to about $140million, it is nowhere that of Israel andTurkey, which at approximately $3.5 bil-lion remains largely unaffected, exceptfor the military aspect.

For Israel, there is no way Greececan fully replace Turkey.

Still, the Greek connection is one rea-son that Turkey is clearly rethinking its dam-aged relationship with Israel — Erdogan’slatest outburst notwithstanding. c

No quick reconciliation

As men fade from Jewish communal life, men’s clubs push for revivalContinued from page 7

Simon says his organization has beeninvolved with men’s issues since 1999 butis now making a concerted push to attractyounger men. At the group’s nationalconvention this week in Costa Mesa,Calif., a curriculum to engage men at dif-ferent ages was slated be unveiled, and itis to be piloted at several Conservativecongregations next year.

Eighteen months ago, theFederation of Jewish Men’s Clubslaunched HaDor Habah, Hebrew for“the next generation,” a project thatbrings men younger than 45 to trainingseminars so they can learn how to leadmen’s activities for their peers. Nearly 70men attended the second annual seminarin January.

Mark Kluger, 43, says the retreat

was eye opening. Back home atTemple Israel in Longwood, Fla., hestarted a program called HearingMen’s Voices, a men’s club tool. Hegathered the men in a circle, warnedthem they were going to think it wascorny and asked each to answer onequestion: Who am I?

“For 21⁄2 hours, people told their sto-ries,” Kluger said. “We had people cry-ing. It was such an unbelievable outpour-ing, a shedding of the veil. It really hitme that men, Jewish men, we don’t havea lot of outlets. We don’t talk like ourwives and girlfriends do.”

In addition to these talking circles,which don’t appeal to everyone,Conservative men’s clubs around thecountry have been organizing all kinds ofactivities to attract a younger demo-

graphic. Ski trips. Pizza and beerevenings. Trivia nights at local bars.

Community service is also a bigdraw. A men’s club in Chicago sponsoreda sub-club for guys in their 20s, which isholding a fundraiser July 15 for ALSresearch. Rather than a $1,000-a-plategala dinner, they’re holding it in a barand charging $16.

Justin Ross, 26, is helping to organ-ize the evening. He says the club is agreat idea but is hard to maintain.“We’re trying to drum up more interest,”he said, adding that this fundraiser maybe the final attempt.

With all the financial pressures onmen his age, as well as the fact that mostare single, the idea of showing up tochew the fat with a bunch of other guyson a regular basis is not that appealing.

What do they need? Women, hesays.

“The next logical step is to create acoed club,” he said.

That’s the central question for men’sclub leaders: In an egalitarian world, is asingle-sex organization still relevant?

Yes and no, says 42-year-old LouisPiels, a trustee of the men’s club atTemple Beth Shalom in Livingston, N.J.

Last year, Peils’ club sponsored asteak dinner at a kosher Japanese restau-rant for 15 young fathers of kids in theirreligious school as a first step to raisingtheir involvement.

A “guys’ night out” followed, butthen the members decided that theywanted wives and children along. Sincethen, the group has held apple-pickingdays, a bike ride, ice skating, a mountainhike and scavenger hunt, all of themfamily friendly.

“The whole concept of a men’s clubmay be dated,” Piels acknowledges.“Why would we want to be just amongmen all the time?”

Piels now sees his club’s purpose asspearheading events and community serv-ice initiatives that are open to the entirecommunity. At the same time, he doesn’twant to alienate older men, who are usedto a male-only club. “That old ‘clubhouse’view also has a place,” he said.

For some of the younger men, whowere drawn to their men’s club in searchof camaraderie or as a way to do commu-nity service, club involvement hasindeed led them back to shul. c

Observer7-15-2011

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