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vol. 85, no. 26

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JT the voice of jewish washington

Joel Magalnick

This may be the last time you see this sign. The region’s lone independent Judaica store, Tree of Life Judaica & Books in Seattle’s Ravenna neighborhood, will close for good on Monday. It was a victim of the economy and bad weather — last year’s December snowstorm decimated its biggest sales season — and after falling too far behind on rent, time and money have run out.

Iran sanctions likely to pass — thanks to Iran Capital will get its Ron Kampeas JTA World News Service WASHINGTON (JTA) — For years the pro-Israel lobby has been pushing more punitive steps to deter Iran’s nuclear ambitions. But with enhanced U.S. sanctions increasingly likely by early next year, opponents and supporters agree that the case was finally made — by Iran itself. The key to the accelerated path to a sanctions bill that insiders now believe will land on President Obama’s desk within a month was Iran’s belligerent rejection of a Western offer to substantively enhance its peaceful nuclear program in exchange for greater transparency. “There’s no lack of appetite for passing the sanctions,” said an official of one of the centrist pro-Israel groups that has pushed for legislation targeting third parties, including countries that deal with Iran’s energy sector. “It’s evident,” the official said, that the Iranians “do not want talks. They’re not going full speed ahead, they’re going full nuclear ahead.” Even a leading opponent of sanctions, Trita Parsi, who heads the National Iranian American Council, conceded that such a measure now seems inevitable — and that the Iranian government’s behavior in recent weeks was behind the accelerated pace. “There’s a very justified disappointment with how the negotiations have gone and with how the Iranians have conducted the negotiations,” he said. In October, Iran initially accepted the offer to hand over much of its low-enriched uranium to Russia and France for further enrichment to medical research levels. It also agreed to allow inspectors to examine a second, secret nuclear enrichment plant at Qom, just days after President Obama revealed its existence based on Western intelligence reports. Within weeks, however, Iran reneged on the deal — despite claiming that it had suggested the deal in the first place — and obstructed inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency, the U.N. nuclear

watchdog, from thoroughly investigating the second enrichment site. Parsi asserted that the resistance arose not from a regime implacably opposed to engagement with the West, but instead from elements that oppose Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s government and seek to undermine it by painting the government as undermining Iran’s national interests. The paradox, Parsi said, is that these elements are otherwise perceived in the West as friendlier to rapprochement. Nonetheless, Iran’s recidivism led two of the most critical opponents of enhanced sanctions — China and Russia — to join in an IAEA resolution blasting Iran for not cooperating. Iran countered that it would build an additional 10 enrichment sites. Iran’s actions whittled away the reluctance of a number of key players who had worried that new sanctions would pre-empt Obama’s efforts to resolve the crisis through direct talks with Tehran — chief among them the president himself, who is now considered likely to sign a sanctions bill. It was Obama who dispatched his most prominent Iran hawk, Dennis Ross, and Jeffrey Bader, both senior staffers on the National Security Council, to China in late October to make the case for signing on to the IAEA resolution. Ross’ argument reportedly was simple but effective: Help contain Iran, or we won’t be able to contain Israel. Another domino to drop was U.S. Rep. Howard Berman (D-Calif.), the chairman of the House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee. He not only lifted his hold on the proposed House legislation, but now is fast tracking it for a vote by next week. There are similar plans in the Senate, although they may be delayed past the Christmas break because of the vexed health care debate. In the Jewish community, tougher sanctions have been pushed for at least a decade by the American Israel Public Affairs Committee and, more recently, by other centrist, established pro-Israel organizations. The Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, a

menorah, but not at the Capitol Morris Malakoff JTNews Correspondent

It was on the verge of becoming a holiday tradition in Olympia: The annual battle over religious symbols in the state legislative building, more commonly referred to as the Capitol. The battle became more of a circus last year when a placard touting an atheistic point of view was placed between a Christmas tree and a nativity scene. That opened the door to all comers, reaching a Seinfeldinspired crescendo when a group requested permission to place a “Festivus pole” in among the competing symbols of the winter holidays. In the end, attention from the national media threw a bright spotlight on Olympia and many felt the messages got lost in the melee of calls, e-mails, letters and protests over the competing theological approaches to the season. This year, the rules have been changed. Religious symbols are allowed on state land outside the capitol. Only a “holiday tree,” paid for by the state, will be indoors. The new rule bans any “non-governmental” displays in state buildings, but by being taxpayer funded, the tree is a governmental display. According to Rabbi Cheski Edelman of the Chabad of Olympia, this is a puzzling solution. “There has been a menorah in the Capitol in the past,” he said. “In fact, Governor Gregoire has helped light it twice that I am aware of. Now these displays are required to be outdoors, where it seems more people will actually see them.” Last year and this year, the Chabad has erected a nine-foot-tall menorah in Sylvester Park, a one-squareblock historical park in downtown Olympia, about a mile from the Capitol. It is owned by the state, just like

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A View from the U Lifecycles Focus on Bellevue Emily’s Corner Community Calendar M.O.T.: Member of the Tribe The Shouk Classifieds

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letters Letters Enlightenment

Bad education

Did I raise you wrong?

Professor Ed Alexander’s review of The Third Reich in the Ivory Tower was extremely enlightening. Thank you very much. Susan (Liebman) Benyowitz Los Angeles

The new movie An Education is about a predator, a man who brings in black people to a neighborhood in order to scare old ladies into moving out so he can acquire the property cheaply. He also preys upon a 16-year-old young woman. This would not be of note except that much is made in the movie about the man’s being Jewish. Why is that? Why has no one noticed and commented? Carole Glickfeld Seattle

I read the article, or rather parts of the article “Holiday Stuffing” (Nov. 27), treats and eats for gifts, but being Jewish, I read it backwards as I do with many magazines. I was reading about fish and the naming of some local stores’ lox, and then I saw an editorial comment on herring being disgusting. I thought, who was the pisher who made that comment? When I backed into the beginning of the article and saw your name on the byline, I was appalled. Herring is delicious, if it is fresh and not too strongly pickled. Raw herring before it is pickled is so sweet and delicious. If the Japanese had discovered it,

An inspiration I want to thank Yehuda Reinhartz for his lovely article (“The need to fill the holes,” Nov. 27). I found it inspiring and hopeful. Thank you for publishing it. Rachelle Baruch Cincinnati, Ohio

it would be the hottest item in the sushi bar. Disgusting? Did I raise you wrong? Not only is herring a great taste — in some cases, like you, an acquired taste, but a great taste nonetheless. Furthering its importance, you may be aware that I donate blood every month at Bonfils Blood Bank here in Denver, giving platelets. I am well past my 21-gallon pin and one of the secrets of raising my platelet count is herring. When I come to visit, I will bring you some lox and smoked whitefish and a token jar of herring for your re-evaluation. Elliott Magalnick Denver, Colo.

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A little light pushes a lot of darkness away Small steps can help lead you closer to God

Rabbi Avrohom David Seattle Kollel One of the misconceptions many Jews have is that you are either religious or not religious — that Judaism is either all or nothing. When I suggest to someone to study a little each day or take on a small observance of mitzvot, the reply often is, “Oh! But I am not religious or Orthodox.” Many people seem to think you either always keep kosher or you don’t. You observe all of Shabbat or none. Our sages teach us that each small act of k indness, Torah study, or an observance of any mitzvah, no matter how small, has infinite reward. Imagine if you were in a diamond mine with piles of diamonds but you were only allowed to leave the mine with one. Would you not take any? Would you not at least take one? Each act of kindness or bit of Torah study is like a diamond! If you could only study two minutes a day, or make one phone call to make some-

one happier, then grab it. If you want to keep kosher but it is too daunting, start by keeping kosher a few hours a week or wean yourself from one non-kosher food. I remember a friend telling me how proud he was that he keeps kosher on Friday nights. On Hanukkah, we light on the first night one small light and then we add one more each night. A possible message for us is the importance of each deed we do and that even one minute of lea r n i ng G od’s i n f i n ite w isdom has great value. We say in the special prayers for Hanukkah “the many in the hand of the few.” The Maccabees were just a small group of Jews fighting for the right to keep kosher, study Torah and observe Shabbat. But through the purity of their deeds, God miraculously helped them succeed. We celebrate their victory on Hanukkah and are inspired to overcome all the obstacles in our way and begin spending more time helping others, studying Torah and observing mitzvot. But we begin celebrating with just one small light, one small act of kindness. I was very inspired by an essay I read from Rabbi Brevda, who suggested committing oneself to learning just one line of Torah each day (or exercising one

minute a day), and if you have time, to add a little more. If you miss a day, don’t worry about it. Through this commitment of learning just one line a day, I have been blessed to complete a few books of Torah. Let us be inspired this Hanukkah to add a little bit more Torah to our lives.

Learning lessons from “Kick a Jew Day” How to stand up against anti-Semitism The JTNews is the Voice of Jewish Washington. Our mission is to meet the interests of our Jewish community through fair and accurate coverage of local, national and international news, opinion and information. We seek to expose our readers to diverse viewpoints and vibrant debate on many fronts, including the news and events in Israel. We strive to contribute to the continued growth of our local Jewish community as we carry out our mission. 2041 Third Avenue, Seattle, WA 98121 phone 206-441-4553 fax 206-441-2736 E-mail: [email protected] www.jtnews.net JTNews (ISSN0021-678X) is published biweekly by The Seattle Jewish Transcript, a nonprofit corporation owned by the Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle, 2041 3rd Ave., Seattle, WA 98121. Subscriptions are $39.50 for one year, $57.50 for two years. Periodicals postage paid at Seattle, WA. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to JTNews, 2041 Third Ave., Seattle, WA 98121.

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Reach us directly at 206-441-4553 + ext. Publisher *Karen Chachkes 267 Editor *Joel Magalnick 233 Assistant Editor Leyna Krow 240 Account Executive Lynn Feldhammer 264 Account Executive David Stahl 235 Account Executive Stacy Schill 292 Classifieds Manager Rebecca Minsky 238 Art Director Susan Beardsley 239 Accountant Louise Kornreich 234 Production Artist Elisa Haradon Proofreader Mordecai Goldstein

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Scott Michelson, Chair*; Jeffrey Berkman; Robin Boehler; Don Edmond; Lisa Eggers; Nancy Geiger; Cynthia Flash Hemphill*; Allen Israel*; Stan Mark; Daniel Mayer; Cantor David SerkinPoole*; Sandy Sidell Richard Fruchter, CEO and President, Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle Ron Leibsohn, Federation Board Chair *Member, JTNews Editorial Board

Dr. Rafael Medoff Special to JTNews “Just kids being kids.” That’s what one grandparent said after learning that students at a middle school in Naples, Fla. last month staged “Kick a Jew Day.” “Not anti-Semitic behavior at all.” That’s what the principal of a middle school in a St. Louis suburb said last year about students who took part in “Hit a Jew Day.” Making excuses for anti-Semitism is bad enough. Slap-on-the-wrist punishments are even worse. The 10 Florida students who reveled in kicking Jews were given what the school described as “one day in-school suspensions” and conferences with their parents. The St. Louis students likewise received only brief suspensions; and other students  who verbally taunted Jewish children and encouraged the “hitters,” were not punished at all. Perhaps the school officials who chose to mete out such ultra-lenient penalties need a history lesson. A little-known episode that took place in New York City in early 1944 might provide some useful guidance. In February 1944, five students from Andrew Jackson High School, in Queens, were caught painting anti-Semitic slogans in the nearby town of Queens Village. Principal Ralph Haller, who happened to be German-American, faced a dilemma. Technically, he had no jurisdiction over what students did outside school grounds. But he understood the

moral importance of going beyond the letter of the law to find a way to punish the attackers and send a message to potential anti-Semitic vandals everywhere. Where there was a will, there was a way. Searching the rule books, Haller found he was permitted to prevent a student from graduating if he or she demonstrated “poor American citizenship.” At a meeting of parents on February 12, 1944, the principal declared: “I consider such [anti-Semitic] activities totally in contradiction to everything that the America of today or the America which we hope to have tomorrow stands for.” Therefore, he announced, his new policy would be to consider anti-Semitism by definition as un-American, and he would block the graduation of any student involved in anti-Semitic acts. Haller noted that he had “counseled with many non-Jewish principals” as well as assistant superintendent of schools William Hamm, and found them all in agreement with his choice of punishment. Haller emphasized that as a Protestant and a German-American, “I feel that I have the right and duty to speak out on this issue.” Haller’s action is all the more impressive when one recalls the extent of antiSemitism and pro-Nazi sentiment among his fellow German-Americans.  Just five years earlier, more than 20,000 Bund supporters had filled Madison Square Garden for a pro-Hitler rally. And in nearby Suffolk County in the late 1930s, tens of thousands of German-Americans each weekend flocked to Camp Siegfried, a pro-Hitler summer

retreat, for Nazi-style parades, propaganda sessions and rounds of the “Horst Wessel Song” (“When Jewish blood drips from the knife/Then will the German people prosper”). But Ralph Haller was cut from a different cloth. He stood apart from the crowd — and stood up for justice. Anti-Semitism can never be completely eliminated. But if school principals impose meaningful penalties on offenders, they will help create an environment in which hatred is regarded as unacceptable and haters are confined to the furthest margins of society. The same is true in the international arena. All too often, anti-Semitic outbursts by political leaders are greeted with excuses: “He was just saying it for internal consumption” or “He wasn’t referring to all Jews” or “He was angry at Israeli policies.” Such apologetics serve only to mask the offender’s true nature — and encourage him to do it again. Ralph Haller, in 1944, showed us the way to respond anti-Semitism: Swiftly, forcefully, and creatively. Let’s learn from his example. Dr. Rafael Medoff is director of The David S. Wyman Institute for Holocaust Studies, www.wymaninstitute.org.

Correction The article about the Stroum Jewish Community Center’s arts lecture series, “A broader reach for The Jewish Touch” (Nov. 27), referred to Adam Stern as conductor of the Seattle Symphony. Stern guest conducted for the symphony earlier this year.

The opinions of our columnists and advertisers do not necessarily reflect the views of JTNews.

We would love to hear from you! Our guide to writing a letter to the editor can be found on our Web site: www.jtnews.net/index.php?/letters_guidelines.html The deadline for the next issue is december 15 n future deadlines may be found online

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community news

A century of education Seattle Hebrew Academy celebrates 100th anniversary of its building

Seattle was too wicked, so the nuns chose a spot at the top of the Olmsted brothers-designed Interlaken Park, on the outskirts of the city, to build their convent. The Forest Ridge Convent operated in the large brick building — now smack dab in the middle of Seattle — until 1971, when it moved to Bellevue, according to the Washington State History site historylink.org. Seattle Country Day School took up residence for a couple years, then, in 1973, Seattle Hebrew Academy moved in. They’ve been there ever since. On Wednesday, SHA celebrated the 100th anniversary of the old convent building with a focus on the old and the new. Much of the new comes thanks to the three-year renovation following extensive damage from the 2001 Nisqually earthquake. SHA received Federal Emergency Management Act funds for part of the renovation and seismic retrofit. Old photos courtesy of Seattle Hebrew Academy. Current photos by Leyna Krow.

QFC Helps You Be Prepared for Winter Storms By Kristin Maas, QFC Public Affairs Director Last winter, storm after storm rolled through the Pacific Northwest leaving huge amounts of snow and ice. We remember clearly that attempting to get from point A to point B was incredibly difficult and dangerous. As the temperatures plummet into the teens and the winds get higher, now is a good time to make sure that we are prepared to protect and provide for ourselves and our families should we become stranded at home or somewhere in between. Here is a checklist of items you should have in an emergency preparedness kit: r

Water — store at least 1 gallon of water per person per day

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Food for each family member and pet for at least 3 days

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Radio — NOAA Weather Radio is preferred

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Tool — utility knife, pliers, crescent wrench, pry bar

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Warm clothing, sturdy shoes and rain gear

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Emergency out-of-area contact phone numbers

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First Aid Kit n Gauze bandages n Medical tape n Antibiotic ointment n Alcohol wipes n Hand sanitizer n Plastic strip bandages n Vinyl or latex gloves

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Special needs items n Medications n Eye glasses n Infant supplies, etc. n Walking cane

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Copies of important documents n ID n Insurance policies n Birth Certificate

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Flashlight and batteries

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Entertainment items n Deck of cards n Book, etc.

It’s also important to remember to keep your car’s fuel tank at least half full, so if the roads are covered with ice and snow, you don’t run out of gas during a long drive home. Also keep a blanket and warm clothes in the car, along with a personal emergency kit, should you become stranded for any length of time. We owe it to our families and ourselves to be prepared for whatever winter throws our way this year. For more information on emergency preparedness, please visit www.3days3ways.org.

Kristin Maas is the Director of Public Affairs for QFC. She can be reached at [email protected] or 425-990-6182.

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The grand columns that once served as an entrance are now secondary to a less conspicuous but more functional front door a short distance back from the balustrades and porticos. That entrance, opened in 1956, also houses what is now known as the Ari Grashin Gym, where teams from SHA and the Northwest Yeshiva High School play various league sports. The hymns and prayers, which still take place on a daily basis, happen in Hebrew rather than Latin. But the building, which received landmark status in 1979, has a much more modern feel once you walk inside. “It’s important to know that you can take a historical building and make it work for you while still preserving the integrity of the place,” said Larry Kreisman, program director for Historic Seattle, who spoke at a ceremony on Wednesday in honor of the building’s anniversary. “That’s what Seattle Hebrew Academy has done here.” Rivy Poupko Kletenik, SHA’s head of school, noted the history and learning that has taken place over the past century. “A birthday is a day to notice and to appreciate,” she said. “Look around, this is truly a grand and inspiring structure.” — Joel Magalnick and Leyna Krow

Save the Date! for the Annual Seattle Hebrew Academy Gala Dinner and Auction

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community news

Lamplighter dinner T he Menachem Mendel Seattle Cheder will host its annual Lamplighter fundraising dinner. This year’s event will honor Rabbi and Mrs. Yechezkel and Devorah Kornfeld. Cost is $125 per person. For more information, or to RSV P, contact Tammy Nguyen at 206-523-9766. Wed., Dec. 16 at 5:30 p.m. at Herban Feast, 3200 1st Ave. S, Ste 100, Seattle.

“Iran-Israel-U.S.: Resolving the Nuclear Impasse” T h i s c om mu n it y c on ferenc e. sponsored by local Jewish community groups and peace organizations, will explore ways of resolving t he Ira n ia n nuclea r cr isis t h roug h

negotiation rather than force. Speakers will include Keith Weissman, former director of AIPAC’s Iran desk, Ian Lustick, political science professor at the University of Pennsylvania, and Prof. Mu ha m mad Sa him i, a professor of chemical engineering and the NIOC Chair in petroleum engineering at the University of Southern California. Tickets cost $10 and are available through w w w.brow npapert ickets.com. Wed., Dec. 17 at 7 p.m. at Town Hall, 1119 8th Ave., Seattle.

“Hot Hanukkah Night” Ne x t G en , Her z l-Ner Ta m id’s you ng adu lt g roup, w i l l celebrate Hanuk kah w ith a menorah lighting, hot drinks and a dessert

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potluck. There will also be a lesson on how to ma ke (a nd eat) sufganiy o t . C o s t i s $10 . R S V P a t w w w. h-nt.org/nextgen. Thurs., Dec. 17 at 8 p.m. Location provided upon RSVP.

the nearby Capitol campus. This year the menorah was to be in place starting on December 10. “We had it out there last year and we had no problems or protests,” he said. He said that the new process this year was simple and fair and he had no problems getting a permit for the menorah. An organization, Seattle Atheists, has applied to erect a small sign on state land. As of December 7, no decision on that request had been made. Otherwise, the requests for displays this year have slowed to a trickle. The person who erected the nativity scene that made the atheists’ group feel a need to respond is not participating this year. He says his nativity set is for indoor use. The atheist group from last year, the Freedom from Religion Foundation, has said that without a nativity scene it has no plans to re-join the religious wars of Olympia. Its message, however, can be found on the side of several buses throughout the Puget Sound region. Rabbi Edelman says that the arguing between atheists and those offended by them is not a concern of his. “I truly don’t worry about that stuff,” he said. “I want to spread the light and Sylvester Park is a great place to do that. It is a great place to spread the message of the holidays to the community.”

Latkepalooza Jconnect and the Jewish Federation’s Young Leadership Division are partnering to throw a Jewish party on Christmas Eve. Cost is $15 in advance, $20 at the door. All proceeds will help fund after-school programs for in-need youth in Seattle’s sister city, Kiryat Malachi, Israel. Visit www. h i l leluw.org for more i n for mat ion. Thurs., Dec. 24 at 9:30 p.m. at the Triple Door, 216 Union St., Seattle.

Summer science institute The Bessie F. Lawrence Summer Science Inst it ute is c u r rent ly accepting applications from high school students interested in spending part of next summer at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Rehovot, Israel. The program runs from July 5-29 and includes both an intensive science curriculum as well as tours of Israel. Each participant receives a full scholarship. 20 students selected per summer. For more information, contact Debbie Ca l ise at 212-895-7906 or debbie@ acwis.org.

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If the connection between the inner ear and our sense of balance is a “modern” medical discovery, why does ancient Hebrew have the same etymology for both words? (The words are “ear” ozen and “balance” izun).

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A professor of linguistics claims that the single most important achievement of the State of Israel may be the revival of the Hebrew language. Others think that proto-Semitic was the original human language, the mother tongue — a window to our shared semantic heritage and the undisputed ancestor of all of the world’s languages.


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Understanding Hebrew’s unique root structure and applying the rules of linguistics, it is possible to see how the pre-Babel language devolved into the multitude of languages we use today. Being a kind of linguistic “land bridge,” Hebrew is unique among the world’s languages.

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For Hebrew instruction:

©2009 linguistic land bridge

Mordecai (425) 280-1724

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“O, yidl town of Bethlehem” Christmas cheer from Bob Dylan

Martin Jaffee JTNews Columnist Time was that when an American Jewish entertainer started closing in on retirement, he’d pay a little overdue homage to his kin fun di alte heim. After all, a lifetime of shrimp cocktails, surf & turf, ham ’n’ eggs, Friday night concerts, and the odd shiksa trophy wife or two ought to be crowned, at least for appearance’s sake, with an album of “Jewish classics” proving our star’s pride in his “Jewish roots.” Never mind that you don’t have to be Jewish to make a “Jewish” album. Heck, even Connie Francis (Italian) issued an album of Yiddish songs and Johnny Mathis took a turn at “Kol Nidre”! If only Sam Cook had taken the bait! Major Jewish operatic soloists like Jan Peerce and Richard Tucker dutifully took their turns at reviving the riffs laid down by the likes of Yossele Rosenblatt and Moishe Oisher, the premier “Cantorial soloists” of the early 20th century. But, for my money, perhaps the greatest collection of Jewish songs by an American Jewish pop-icon is still Al Jolson’s album from the late 1940s. I can’t remember the

title, but I do recall the cover — Jolie looking solemn in his tallis and cantorial yarmulke. How I loved that album! My kid brother and I would lie on the rug next to our folks’ “hi-fi” replaying Jolson’s version of “Kol Nidre” endlessly. Until, out of fatigue, we took refuge in his other LPs for his renditions of “Mammy” and “Sewanee.” Well, I hate to report, it seems that the days of this sort of Jewish “heritage of song” album are about over. Bob Dylan, perhaps the most influential Jew in 20th centur y American pop culture, now at the twilight of an illustrious career, has graced his fans with, of all things… an album of Christmas favorites titled Christmas in the Heart. And I wonder: What is this? Déjà vu all over again? Didn’t Bobby work through his Christian phase in the early ’80s, astonishing his fans with such stellar tunes as “Ya Gotta Serve Somebody” and other forgettable old-timey gospel offerings? And didn’t we watch him do his “baal teshuvah” thing under Chabad auspices, no less, complete with tefillin at the Kotel? And didn’t he offer a kapparah for his “Jew for Jesus” period by penning that classic of Zionist-Rock theory, “The Neighborhood Bully?” After all this — and his kid’s well-documented Bar Mitzvah — after all this…a career-capping collection of Christmas songs? Now, at first I thought it might be the

old Dylan satire at work. And my hopes were aroused when the CD arrived in the mail. The cover painting is an old-fashioned image of red-cheeked folks riding in a horse-drawn sleigh in a “Winter Wonderland.” But the flip side, revealed only if you pull out the cover from its frame, depicts a raven-haired babe right out of Vargas’s Playboy paintings of the ’60s (I noticed one once while looking for an article on a theological topic I was researching in college — honest!) Before pushing my fingers into my eye sockets, I noticed that she’s dressed in a skimpy, low-cut Santa suit complete with black garters and mid-thigh stockings. “Aha!” I thought. “He’s gonna pull our legs with a send-up of Christmas schmaltz!” But not so fast! Might we expect, maybe, that Dylan’s Christmas in the Heart would be an astute selection of mid20th century Tin Pan Alley jingles written to alleviate the angst of Jewish assimilation? What better way than by transforming the Christian savior’s birthday back to its origins — a pagan celebration of the Anglo-Saxon winter solstice! Wouldn’t it be the height of edginess for Dylan to have issued an album of Jewishly penned tunes that helped to turn America’s Christmas into a celebration of eggnog, skiing, and consumerism? Something American Jews could really relate to. God knows there’s plenty to choose from! But only one such tune, co-written by Mel Torme, appears here (“Christmas Song,” a.k.a. “Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire).” I, for one, would pay to hear that Dylan voice — these days sounding like a cross-

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cut hand saw attacking a sheet of plywood — warble out a perennial Jewish contribution like Irving Berlin’s “White Christmas.” But that classic is mysteriously omitted as well, its place apparently filled by an obscure ukulele-pedal guitar Hawaiian number titled “Christmas Island.” Ever hear of that one? Not I! Alas, Dylan ignores all of the ways he might have spurred reflection on the Jewish element of the American Christmas. Offered instead are 15 selections that alternate between banal “secular Christmas” jingles (two of which are about Santa) and the real deal Christmas carols that extol Baby Jesus in his manger and other themes that move deeply into the Christian sentiments at the heart of Christmas. Not only does Dylan do these more than justice, he even sings some verses of “Come All Ye Faithful” in, get this — Latin! Look, Bob Dylan can do what he wants. But, as a consumer, I have two complaints. First, his selection of tunes virtually ignores the contributions of Jewish writers and composers to the making of the contemporary American Christmas. And second, even his selection of spiritually moving standards raises questions. Why include the saccharine “Do You Hear What I Hear?” while omitting “Silent Night?” This is simply not a wellplanned offering. While listening, I kept asking myself: “Is he kidding? Is he broke? Did he have all his investments with Madoff?” I have no answer and remain puzzled. But one well-worn Dylan message comes through loud and clear in this CD. Get ready Jewish rock fans, ’cause l’chaims, they are a-changin’!

A bequest is a smart way to make a gift given the economic times – ensuring strength and stability for future generations.

By designating a specific sum or a percentage of your estate for the Jewish community through the Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle, you can make a major difference, even if you can’t commit any assets today. Our planned giving team would be happy to work with you to best match your interests and passions with Jewish community needs, enabling you to have a long-term impact. For more information and sample bequest language, please contact Janet Rose at 206 774-2225 or www.JewishInSeattle.org/PlannedGiving.

Where there’s a Will, there’s a way. A bequest is a smart way to make a gift given the economic times– ensuring strength and stability for future generations.

CONNEC TOR 2 0 3 1 T h i r d Av e n u e | S e a t t l e , WA | 9 8 1 2 1 - 2 4 1 2 | p : 2 0 6 4 4 3 - 5 4 0 0 | I n f o @ J e w i s h I n S e a t t l e . o r g | w w w. J e w i s h I n S e a t t l e . o r g

On November 22, over 100 volunteers turned out to help the Jewish community at Super Sunday. Community-Wide

SUPER SUNDAY

At Super Sunday, the sound of the grogger was a good thing—another gift had been made. At the end of an 8-hour day, $230,000 from more than 400 generous donors was pledged to the Jewish Federation’s annual Community Campaign, which helps dozens of Jewish organizations locally, in Israel and worldwide.

“Service is what separates us from the rest [of the fraternities],” explains Brandon Nudleman, philanthropy chair of the Alpha Epsilon Pi Fraternity at the University of Washington, which sent 20 college students to participate at Super Sunday. “This was a great way for us to keep connected to the broader Jewish community even while we are in college.”

Phone-A-Thon

Thank you to all those who volunteered, pledged, gave blood and supported the Jewish Federation’s Community Campaign.

“I’m good on the phone and not afraid to ask people to donate to a good cause, so I am happy to help out at Super Sunday. It is my part in helping the community,” explained Stuart Kaufman, a local business coach, on his decision to participate in Super Sunday.

In a separate room, 30 people shared the direct gift of life, by donating a total of 23 pints of blood and being tested as bone marrow matches through the Puget Sound Blood Center.

The Jewish Federation’s Community Campaign is one of the best ways to address critical needs of Jews wherever and whenever they are vulnerable.

More than 100 volunteers–organizational leaders and professionals, fraternity members, Seattle newcomers and seasoned volunteers–crowded the Stroum Jewish Community Center’s auditorium where the phones were busy all day.

You can still add to the community success at www.JewishInSeattle.org/DonateNow.

Corporate Sponsors Stroum Jewish Community Center • Noah’s Bagels on Mercer Island • Island Crust Pizza • Puget Sound Blood Center Participating Agencies Alpha Epsilon Pi Fraternity • Cardozo Advisory Group • Congregation Beth Shalom • Congregation Beth Hatikvah • Herzl-Ner Tamid Conservative Congregation Hillel at University of Washington • Jewish Family Service • Menachem Mendel Seattle Cheder • Northwest Yeshiva High School • Seattle Jewish Community School Seattle Hebrew Academy • Washington State Jewish Historical Society • SPECIAL THANKS to Young Leadership! • Women’s Philanthropy Volunteers Todd Alberstone • Alisa Balk • Eric Bauer • Erez Ben-Ari • Shelley Bensussen • William Berkovitz • Sara Bernson • Jacob Bloom • Robin Boehler • Stephen Boehler Aric Bomsztyk • Tricia Breen • Celie Brown • Zane Brown • Melissa Cahn • Robert Center • Philip Chanen • Andrew Cohen • Rebecca Cohen • Michael Curtiss • Peggy Elefant Sara Engesser • Galit Ezekiel • Russell Federman • Tamara Federman • Lisa Fein • Aimee Finn • Joe Finn • Joshua Flam • Anna Frankfort • David Fredman • Michael Fulwiler Lauren Gersch • Rochelle Goffe • Lisa Golden • David Goldfarb • Carol Goldman • Carol Gown • Kimberly Greenhall • Kari Haas • Steven Hemmat • Julie Hetterle • Raymond Hill Daniel Hirsty • Henry Honig • Alexa Huggins • Brian Huggins • Kelly Joseph • Connie Kanter • Simon Kaplan • Evan Kaufman • Stuart Kaufman • Aaron Kiviat • Rivy Kletenik Mendy Kornfeld • Keith Krivitzky • Ronald Leibsohn • Cameron Levin • Suzi LeVine • Sharon Levy • Tzachi Litov • Dianne Loeb • Katy Lukas • Jake Lustig • Julie Lyss Jonathan Newman • Naomi Newman • Kevin Nider • Brandon Nudleman • Estelle Oren • Aaron Pollack • Lucy Pruzan • Cheryl Puterman • Melissa Rivkin-Cohanim Chaim Rosenbaum • Ivan Rothman • Joanna Sandorffy • Tana Senn • Howard Shalinsky • Iantha Sidell • Arthur Siegal • Alice Siegal • Elle Simon • Stefanie Somers • Ari Somers Phillip Stein • David Stiefel • Doris Stiefel • Mark Stiefel • Marcie Stone • Renee Titelbaum • Matthew Titelbaum • Barbara Van Derlaske • Amy Wasser-Simpson • Amy Weisband Luba White • Tink Williams • Nichole Worthman • Jordan Yaeger

Join us at Connections Women’s Brunch • Dare to Dream • January 31, 2010 Register at www.JewishInSeattle.org/Connections

dare to Connections 2010

“I’m looking at the big picture of this event, at the community building aspects,” explains Lois Fuhr when asked about cochairing the 2010 Connections brunch for women.

Lisa Katsman, her co-chair, sees it differently. “I am driven by the end results–the fundraising–and therefore the good work we can do,” explains Lisa. They are a perfect match to head up Connections, the largest annual women’s outreach and fundraising event in the greater Seattle area.

United States when her family was facing persecution in the former Soviet Union. This generosity had a huge impact on Alina, someone who dared to dream, and whose dream we helped come true. She is now not only an active member of her Jewish community and a donor to Jewish causes, but also a Jewish community professional. “Giving back is like a lifecycle,” observed Lisa. “It does not stop at the nonprofit’s doors, nor with the recipient. Giving takes on multiple levels from meeting immediate needs and raising hope, to inspiring community involvement and giving back in the future.” “Her compelling and moving story epitomizes the impact the Jewish Federation has and the way it can truly change a person’s life,” continues Lois. “Once the women hear her they will be able to see for themselves the real-life impact their support and donations make.”

Meeting these goals helped drive this year’s speaker selection. “We knew we did not want to have a celebrity as our speaker, we wanted to take a different path this year. As soon as we heard Alina’s story and the glowing admiration and respect for her as a speaker from others around the country, I knew she was the perfect choice for Connections 2010,” stated Lois. Connections Co-Chairs Lisa Katsman & Lois Fuhr

Alina, mentioned above, is Alina Gerlovin Spaulding. Ms. Spaulding is a dynamic, young Soviet émigré whom the Jewish Federation helped as a child relocate to the

IRA Distribution to Charity to Expire Year End: Act Now Are you aware that if you are 70½ years or older, you may make a gift of up to $100,000 per year to the Jewish Federation from your IRA with no federal income tax impact, and your gift will be counted toward your required minimum distribution? Learn more by calling Planned Giving Director Janet Rose at 206 774-2225.

now?” k u o y id D “ s more museum Israel has than per-capita ountry. any other c

We invite you to join with other women…and Dare to Dream!

Israel Unplugged

A Seattle Jewish community journey to Israel

MAY 23 - JUNE 1, 2010 

Space is limited. Register today at www.JewishInSeattle.org/IsraelUnplugged

Charitable Giving 2009 Special pullout section

Alzheimer ’s A s sociation, A mer ic an Jewis h Commit tee, Dow ntow n Emergency Service Center, Fifth Avenue Theater, Food Lifeline, Jewish Day School, Jewish Family Service, Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle, Northwest Yeshiva High School, Washington State Holocaust Education Resource Center

And the winner is… Three local agencies win new award for top Jewish organization Joel Magalnick Editor, JTNews There’s no awards ceremony, no gold statue, no cash prize. But there is something far less tangible that can, in many ways, go even further: Feedback. That’s why three local organizations have expressed excitement about being named winners of Jewish Choice Awards, a new award granted by the two-year-old Great Nonprofits organization. “The way it works is organizations gather reviews from their community members, volunteers, board members and donors, even clients that have been served,” said Shari Ilsen, director of marketing and outreach for Great Nonprofits. “A nonprofit isn’t formally nominated — people just review them.” Ilsen said that Great Nonprofits, which is modeled after Yelp.com, a community-based Web site that enables users of any type of product or service to write a review, fills a hole where people interested in supporting a cause might not know how other donors or clients feel about that organization. So without further ado, the three award winners, out of eight total nominees, are: For small organization, Bet Alef Meditative Synagogue; for medium organization, Hillel at the University of Washington’s Jconnect program; and for large organization, the Seattle Jewish Community School. “We’re really excited,” said Shellie Oakley, executive director of Bet Alef. “Largely because of the feedback that was given to us through the process, and the really wonderful reviews were a joy.” Bet Alef isn’t alone. “It’s obviously exciting to win and be loved,” said Deborah Frockt, director of

said, they can see that “‘there is another admissions at SJCS. “But what’s really family that might be a little like mine.’” very gratifying for everyone internally Fine agreed. has been to look at all those comments “To have those testimonials is someand reviews, how they tell the story of the thing we can on occasion draw from, school so comprehensively.” [and] send people to,” he said. Frockt said one of SJCS’ commuOakley said Bet Alef actually found nity members alerted the school to the out about the award process from SJCS — awards, and the school trumpeted the their rabbi, Olivier message from there. Ben-Haim, sends his “I think people children there. were ready to have “They had heard a venue where they about it when [SJCS c ou ld ju s t spea k was] let t ing t heir their minds, which parents k now and this obviously gave a sk i ng people to them,” Frockt said. write reviews, and Jconnect’s direcI was like hey, this tor, Rabbi Jacob Fine, looks like a g reat said he was moved thing,” Oakley said. by t he number of So Ben-Ha i m’s people who comwife Amy took the mented about his ball and ran with it. organization. Seeing the show of “It actually was really powerful to Courtesy SJCS support while t he congregation transee a l l t he fol k s Students from Jewish Choice Award [who] took the time winner Seattle Jewish Community School sitions between its founding rabbi, Ted to w r ite persona l learn about capstones and arch building Fa lcon, a nd Benstatements and to during a visit from the Pacific Science Haim was especially share their ref lec- Center van. gratif ying, accordtions on Jconnect,” ing to Oakley. Fine said. “There’s not so many occasions “It was particularly wonderful to get where we receive feedback in that particall those responses and know that the ular way.” support for Bet Alef is strong,” she said. The immediate benefit, said all the Great Nonprofits hopes to act as a local winners, is in the ability to do outresource for these nonprofits in more reach to potential new participants. than just the reviews section. It is conDuring the admissions period, SJCS nected to GuideStar, which maintains a commonly gets several comments every list of all of the 501(c)3 charitable organiweek from prospective parents about zations in the U.S. Having access to the their lifestyle, Frockt said: “‘We don’t philanthropic tools GuideStar offers is know where we fit. We’re probably not invaluable, Frockt said. like other families in your school,’” goes The benefit runs two ways, of course: the refrain. Organizations get feedback about themBy directing prospective parents to selves while Great Nonprofits extends its their listing on greatnonprofits.org, she

user base, enabling it to become a bigger player in the charitable giving field. The Jewish Choice awards were one of several award campaigns that focus on different areas of philanthropy. Ilsen ack nowledged that because Great Nonprofits is a small organization like many of the agencies it features, it also faced limitations in getting the word out about the award process. So they turned to social media sites Facebook and Twitter, and leveraged their partnerships with such organizations as jgooders.com, a site that connect Jews around the world to Jewish causes, and the JTA news service. But that’s also the point. For small organizations without the budget to market themselves to their community, using online tools, including Great Nonprofits, is a valuable way to get their message out, Ilsen said. “Our challenge for each of these campaigns is to spread the word...to let them know this marketing opportunity is out there,” Ilsen said. The organizations that found out about the award and spread the word got a big response from their supporters: Users posted more t ha n 4,000 reviews of 180 Jewish organizations nationwide between October and midNovember. “They were just so quick to jump on this and they understood immediately what it meant [and] were quickly able to rally their community members,” Ilsen said. Any Jewish organization with 10 or more reviews was considered for an award, which was then broken down by budget size and geographical region. “If Seattle nonprof its were going up against New York nonprofits, that wouldn’t very much be fair,” Ilsen said. “We wanted to even the playing field.”

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A big job ahead

really enhancing the federations from a point of image, communication, and portals of entry for people to be invited in from across the community.

Jewish Federations CEO visits communities across the country Leyna Krow Assistant Editor, JTNews Jerry Silverman knows he has his work cut out for him. But having worked for 25 years in both the private sector and the Jewish non-profit world, the opportunity to head one of the largest philanthropic bodies in the United States was too great to pass up. In September, Silverman accepted the position as the new CEO of The Jewish Federations of North America, the umbrella group for Jewish federations across the country formerly known as United Jewish Communities. Since taking on his new job, Silverman has spent the past two and half months traveling around the country to meet with federation staffs in different communities. While in Seattle last month, he talked with JTNews about his hopes for the federation movement, the challenges facing fundraising organizations during a recession, and his vision for attracting the next generation of Jewish philanthropists. JTNews: What brings you to Seattle? Jerry Silverman: I believe that you learn more out with your constituency and with your colleagues than you do sitting at your desk. So I have made it a point of my tenure early on, and will continue to do so, to spend time out in the communities. This is, I think, my 15th community in 10 weeks. JT: How does the state of the Jewish Fed-

eration here in Seattle compare to those in other communities you have visited? Silverman: I’m not a big person to compare because I find that most communities are really very unique. And having lived in nine different communities myself, I know that each one has its own personality. What I can say is the resiliency of this community and of this Federation, especially considering the tragedy that took place a few years ago, is extraordinary. And the leadership here is really thinking about the future and understanding what got them here and they’re really doing some serious thinking here. I’m listening to some of this discussion and they’re asking the right questions. JT: You were selected as one of the Forward 50 this year. In their write-up on you, they describe your new position as “a job…that was once expected to become the most influential in American Jewish organizational life but wound up being merely the most thankless.” Do you feel like that’s true? Silverman: I don’t believe this is a thankless job. I believe this job has an inordinate amount of responsibility, and I really feel privileged and fortunate to have this position. After 10 weeks and two days, I can tell you that I love this job. I am coming in contact with the most amazing people. It’s a fantastic opportunity.

Western & Central Washington State Chapter

Courtesy the Jewish Federations of North America

Jewish Federations CEO Jerry Silverman visited Seattle in November. JT: In addition to the challenges facing federations due to the current economic situation, what are some of the other major challenges that you see these organizations dealing with right now? Silverman: In terms of the challenges that we face, you could list 26 pages. But I think there’s both real challenges the communities are facing and some real opportunities that they’re taking hold of. So from a sense of challenge, I think we really need to look at how we’re mining the talent pool, both professionally and volunteer-wise, and how we are training them and valuing them and retaining them. A critical piece of the puzzle at the end of the day is about people and thinking in terms of positioning the federations for the future and

JT: Do you feel like the fundraising techniques that have been used and have been successful for federations in previous decades are going to continue to work in the future? Or are we reaching a place where some re-thinking is necessary? Silverman: I’m a believer that you always have to reinvent. You can’t stay the same. You can’t stay stagnant. I think that there are certain principles in fundraising that will never go away. Number one being building a trust model in your investors and building relationships that are really valued. And extending those relationships beyond generations. But you always have to stay current. You always have to think of innovative ways to reach the community and to engage the community and to make them feel a part of something that’s important and significant. We have to do this constantly. JT: You mentioned making connections across generations. Could you talk a little about strategies for getting younger donors connected to the Federation. Silverstein: I was taught once that the greatest connection any organization, mission, or brand can ever make with anyone is one that has an emotional tie. It’s one of the few things that marketing people agree on. So what we need to think

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Thank you

to The Samis Foundation, The Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle and our parent and community donors for giving the gift that lasts a lifetime — a Jewish education. Generous 2 for 1 match still available from The Samis Foundation.

Concerned about memory loss or worried about a loved one? We’re here to help. 800.848.7097 Until there is a cure, the alzheimer’s association is here to provide hope, information, support and care:

• 24/7 Helpline: 800.848.7097 • Connections Care Consultation • Support Groups • Early Stage Memory Loss programs • Education and Training • Advocacy • Research We help individuals and families in the 23 counties of Western and Central Washington State affected by Alzheimer’s and all the related dementias.

JDS: where innovation and tradition inspire tomorrow’s leaders. Individual tours available. Contact Amy Adler at 425-460-0260 or email [email protected].

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Where are the women? Jewish community ignores female leaders at its peril Rebecca W. Sirbu JTA World News Service NEW YORK (JTA) — A recent survey by The Forward of 75 major American Jewish communal organizations found that fewer than one in six are run by women, and that those women are paid 61 cents to every dollar earned by a man. I was not surprised to read this, only saddened again by the realities of the Jewish community. It is past time that the Jewish community welcomed women into leadership roles and valued our contributions. If we don’t do this, we will lose the next generation of Jewish leaders. I know this because I almost left myself. I did not encounter overt sexism until I entered rabbinical school in 1994. That year, I was told in a job interview for a position at a bureau of Jewish education, “What are you in rabbinical school for? You should just get a degree in Jewish education and teach Hebrew school or day school. This is what you will wind up doing once you have children anyway.”

One professor told me, “More important than anything you learn in school will be to get married and have babies.” Another, asked how long an assignment should be, replied, “Like a woman’s skirt: Long enough to cover the subject, but short enough to be interesting.” I was shocked and appalled by these comments. This was 1994, not 1954! I seriously considered leaving school. Studying Jewish texts, which in and of themselves are patriarchal documents, combined with a sense that today’s community did not want to hear my voice because I was a woman, was almost too much to bear. My faith that God does not see me as less than my male counterparts propelled me through my years in rabbinical school. I chose to focus my rabbinate in the Jewish communal nonprofit world. After ordination, I worked for eight years in a Jewish Community Center. I loved my position. I was able to experiment with new and cutting-edge programs. I learned management skills. I grew stronger in my identity as a rabbi. However, from day one, the power structure was clear.

The top three positions — executive director and two assistant executive directors — were men. Ninety percent of the rest of the JCC staff were women. The same was true in the local Jewish Family Service and the federation. In addition, the salary gap between the top positions and those below was as much as $100,000. When I was ready for a new challenge and began looking for a new job two years ago, I again seriously considered leaving the Jewish communal professional world. Where was my growth potential? I entered the rabbinate because I wanted to be a leader in the Jewish world, but it seemed that my opportunities were slim. As a rabbi, I was directed to look — again — at Jewish education positions, not management positions. But this was not my career goal. After eight years of managing a halfmillion-dollar budget, raising the bulk of the money needed for that budget, creating programs and supervising several staffers, I had strong management credentials. I was in a position to lead, and I

wanted to use my talents as a female rabbi with management skills in our community. Luckily I found a position at CLALThe National Jewish Center for Learning and Leadership, where I hope I can grow into my true potential. However, had this job not materialized, there is a very real chance that I would have left the Jewish communal field. The world is in flux; borders everywhere are coming down. If the Jewish community wants to continue to be vital, exciting and attractive to postmodern American Jews, then we have to make way for different voices to be heard in our leadership structure. We need Jewish leaders who are female, gay, black and Asian. This is our community now. The face of the Jewish community is literally changing more and more each year, and the leadership needs to reflect these changes. Frankly, the Jewish communal world needs to be shaken up. Now is the time to do it. The current economic crisis is an opportunity to turn old assumptions

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A helping hand for Birthright Fundraising effort aims to send more Seattle young adults on trips to Israel Leyna Krow Assistant Editor, JTNews Free trips to Israel don’t come cheap. Since 2000, Taglit-Birthright Israel has sent more than 220,000 Jews between the ages of 18-26 on 10-day trips to Israel, at no cost to participants. But now, with application rates at an all time high, Birthright, having lost money both from the effects of the recession and through investments with Bernard Madoff, is struggling to meet the demand. This past summer, Birthright was only able to accommodate 30 percent of the 38,000 people who applied to go on trips. In Seattle, there were 391 applicants for just 99 spots. Now, in an effort to increase the number of trips for Seattle young adults, the Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle is partnering with the Birthright Israel Foundation for a local fundraising campaign. On Dec. 1, at a meeting at a private home on Mercer Island, Federation staff and Birthright trip alumni educated potential donors about the impact Birthright trips can have on the lives of participants. According to a 2009 study conducted by Brandeis University in conjunction with Birthright Israel, Jewish young adults who go on Birthright trips are 60 percent more likely to marry a Jewish partner than their peers who have not been on trips.

They are also 25 percent more likely to report feeling “very much” connected to Israel, and 73 percent considered their trip a life-changing experience. Numbers don’t mean a whole lot without personal stories to back them up, however. Hannah Zommick, planning and community affairs coordinator for the Jewish Federation, went on a Birthright trip when she was 18. She, along with two other Birthright alumni, shared her impression of traveling to Israel for the first time and what the experience meant to her and her fellow trip-mates. “There were a lot of people on my trip who, for them, this was the first Jewish thing they had done,” Zommick recalled. “I have a friend in that situation who said she started feeling Jewish in Israel and that was great for her.” Zommick said she counts her Birthright trip as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and said that the experience opened other doors for her, including the chance to return to Israel the following winter for a volunteer program. “It’s almost like I got two trips out of it, when I don’t think I would have had an opportunity to go to Israel at all if I didn’t go with Birthright,” she said. According to Tana Senn, director of communications at the Jewish Federation, from the 30 people in attendance at the Dec. 1 meeting, the Federation

and Birthright Israel collected $30,000 in donations. At the time JTNews went to press, the joint initiative had received an additional $10,000. The impetus for the special fundraising campaign in Seattle is a nationwide challenge grant that has been offered to Birthright Israel by the Adelson Family Foundation in Las Vegas. The grant will match however much money Birthright Israel can raise. Senn noted that the funds raised in Seattle will be dedicated specifically for sending Seattle young adults to Israel. This fundraising campaign is something of a unique project for the Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle, but one that Jewish Federation past president Robin Boehler said will likely be replicated in the future. Traditionally, the Federation runs one large community campaign a year, and the money collected from that annual campaign is then distributed among the Federation’s partner agencies without donors having a say in how much of their contribution goes to each recipient. However, with the Birthright campaign, donors know exactly where their money is going. “We saw this as a way to engage people who might not be interested in giving to the annual campaign,” Boehler said. “This is for them, as well as for our regular donors, to give additionally for a specific project.”

Josh Furman

Recent Seattle Birthright participants volunteer at the Jaffa Institute. Boehler added she isn’t aware of any other federations around the country that have made use of single-recipient campaigns, but she thinks that for Seattle, they could be very successful programs. She anticipates the Federation running similar campaigns in the coming year.

Now, more than ever, we need to help our neighbors in need. Food Lifeline saw a 13% increase in the amount of people it served last year. This is the equivalent of an entire football stadium full of people.

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Spread a little light this holiday. Give the gift of hope.

Wishing you a warm and bright Hanukkah. www.JewishInSeattle.org/DonateNow

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Charitable Giving 2009

Venturing back into the game Jewish innovation incubator Joshua Venture Group revamps and reboots Joel Magalnick Editor, JTNews When Lisa Lepson breezed through Seattle last month, she wanted to talk to local Jewish organizations that have been spurring innovation in Jewish life and culture. Lepson’s goal, simply put, is to give away a million bucks over the next five years to organizations that further Jewish engagement. The reality, of course, is much more complicated. Lepson is the new executive director of Joshua Venture Group, an organization that began a decade ago as an incubator for such well-known organizations as Heeb magazine and JDub Records — as well as some less-publicized organizations such as Storahtelling and Sharsheret, which helps young women cope with breast cancer — before taking itself offline when its own funding ran out. The organizat ion reg rouped and relaunched this year with Lepson, herself a social entrepreneur many times over, at the helm, four funders who want to see greater involvement in Jewish life, and a mission that will bring together what it calls visionary leaders from innovative organizations and provide them with “a social entrepreneurs toolkit.” That consists of “concrete tools and resources to help them to achieve their goals and to manage to build healthy and

stable organizations,” Lepson said. Within this toolkit will come two retreats per year that will bring in experts to help these visionaries with such nutsand-bolts issues like the all-important elevator pitch, creating business strategies, and working through growing pains. But what any emerging business needs to get off the ground is money. So in addition to the toolkit comes what Joshua Venture calls “early stage capital”: $40,000 each year over the twoyear incubation period plus stipends for health insurance. For some venture capitalists in the forprofit world, this kind of payout might cover lunch, with drinks. Yet for a nonprofit with what it sees as an important mission but without the initial money to hire the staff to pull it off, that kind of money is no small potatoes. And like startup companies that find further investors after leaping over that initial hurdle of finding their first, being recognized and funded by Joshua Venture Group can easily be a stepping stone to reaching a higher level in funding and fulfilling its mission. “I think that we do have a really important role to play in terms of helping support really great ideas from [an] early stage to getting to a point that more established funders are interested and feel comfortable in investing with them,” Lepson said.

AJC Seattle Community Breakfast Briefing

Global Challenges for Jewish Diplomacy WITH

David Harris Executive Director, AJC

Thursday, January 14, 2010 7:30 AM Check-in 8:00 AM Speaker The Grand Hyatt Seattle 721 Pine Street, Seattle $36 Per Person

While in Seattle, Lepson met with Tana Senn, director of marketing at the Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle, as well as with members and staff of the Kavana Cooperative. Though Senn said the Federation didn’t have any specific projects that might be appropriate for Joshua Venture Group’s program, “I think it’s pretty cool what they’re doing,” she said. “We directed a couple people her way we thought might be particularly interested.” Rabbi Rachel Nussbaum, executive director of Kavana, said her organization would be applying. Though Kavana and Nussbaum herself, both of whom have won several high-profile awards, are no strangers to grant-writing, Nussbaum said she was intrigued by how Joshua Venture is trying to advance thought within the Jewish world. “They’re prov iding a peer group, essentially, of Jewish entrepreneurs,” she said. “It’s trying to take business skills [and] business thinking and applying those to solving problems creatively within the Jewish world.” Lepson’s Seattle presentation drew 15–20 people, many with ideas of their own they would be interested in advancing. “Seattle’s a culture of innovation and not afraid of startups,” she said, “so we wanted to include [the city] in our plan to generate awareness and generate applications.”

Even as they are still putting their own name out there, Joshua Venture has opened discussions with other small incubators in New York and Los Angeles, among others for building partnerships, as well as with 21/64. That organization works with family foundations to help them direct their money to Jewish causes, and prints the annual Slingshot guide of what it sees as the top 50 innovative Jewish organizations, some of whom have been Joshua Venture alumni. “Out of the 50 that are in that book, they gave out ten $10,000 grants. Two out of that 10 were to Joshua Venture alumni,” Lepson said. Despite Lepson’s excitement about generating awareness, getting a spot in the 2010-2012 Joshua Venture cohort won’t be easy. With only eight slots available, competition will likely be fierce. In addition, where most grants are limited to nonprofits, Joshua Venture has opened the field to not just early-stage nonprofits, but to projects within existing organizations, and for-profit companies. They will be looking for organizations that have what Lepson called “the multiplier effect,” or in essence, how the direct beneficiaries from any given program might go out and educate many more on what they have just learned. What’s most critical is that the leader is committed to the project. “Our goal is to cast the net as wide as possible,” she said. “We’ve removed the age constraints, we’ve removed organizational

u Page 7C

“AJC is the most effective, most influential, and most respected of the American Jewish organizations.” — Nicolas Sarkozy President of France

Start out the new year with the gift of thanks. Purchase AJC Unlimited Tribute Cards for $360. We will mail or email a card to your loved ones to signify any occasion. Contact the AJC Seattle Office: [email protected] (206) 622-6315

Suggested minimum donation $150

AJC seeks a secure Jewish future in a more just world. We maintain offices across the United States and around the world, and parnerships with Jewish communities abroad. Seattle Office 1402 Third Avenue Suite 405 Seattle, WA 98101 206.622.6315

To register, go to http://seattle.ajc.org/DavidHarrisBreakfast

AJC: • Builds Bridges • Advances Security • Promotes Human Rights • Supports Israel • Strengthens Jewish Life

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Charitable Giving 2009 Venturing Back t Page 6C constraints, it can be a for-profit, it can be a project within an established organization. So our goal is we’re really seeking a person, a project, a really dynamic leader, and someone who can take a really exciting and unique idea to sustainability or to significant impact.” Not everyone is convinced that the recent spate of innovation is actually innovation, however. “It’s easy to appoint yourself a social entrepreneur, but you need to earn it,” said Gali Cooks, director of the Stanley Kaplan Family Foundation at a Dec. 1 panel discussion on philanthropy and young Jews, according to a report by the JTA World News Service. “It’s not like Wendy Kopp [the founder of Teach for America] finished her dissertation and said, ‘OK, I am a social entrepreneur.’ You need 10 years of dirt under your fingers. I don’t like it when people just use language.” JTA reported that “Cooks gets the feelA Big Job Ahead t Page 2C about is, as we move from generation to generation, and as we think of the 18-30 year-olds, how do we create an emotional connection in their language that really enables them to see and to understand and to feel the work that’s being done in the community. JT: Can you give specific examples of ways that emotional connection can be made?

ing that self-described social entrepreneurs often believe that they are inventing the wheel while in truth most of the projects have been tried in one way or another. The independent minyan movement, for instance, is not all that far off from the Havurah movement of the 1970s.” Cooks referenced Joshua Venture specifically, noting that a similar organization existed in the environmental movement. But Kavana’s Nussbaum said the reemergence of this incubator is positive for the growth of Jewish communal life, whether her organization is selected for the upcoming cohort or not. “Joshua Venture Group’s reconstituting itself and coming back promotes the whole field, which is good for Kavana,” she said.

Want to ensure Jewish conƟnuity?

For more information on the Joshua Venture Group and applying to become a part of the 2010 cohort, visit www.joshuaventuregroup.org. Silverman: There are many examples out there of organizations, certain missions, that have really connected with young people. We can’t create it without sitting down at the table together with young people, because it needs to be their creation. It needs to be something they are feeling empowered by and something they own. And it may be something completely different, something that may be uncomfortable for us. But that’s okay. Because that’s what we have to think about as we reinvent.

Invest in the Jewish future by supporƟng Jewish educaƟon and Northwest Yeshiva High School (NYHS). Please donate now and impact Jewish teens today

Donate online: www.nyhs.net/Secure/Donate.php or contact Melissa Rivkin, Director of Advancement at 206-232-5272, extension 515.

Did you know that a Jewish high school educaƟon is one of the best ways to predict future Jewish commitment and involvement? NYHS is the only full �me, dual curriculum, college preparatory, Jewish high school in the Pacic Northwest! NYHS students come from 27 zip codes and 13 different synagogues. They share a love of

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www.nyhs.net

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Charitable Giving

Charitable Giving 2009

The greatest gift Spreading awareness of organ donation Nancy Falchuk JTA World News Service NEW YORK (JTA) — Nothing should surprise the medical staff of a big hospital, but last July the Hadassah Medical Center had an extraordinary 48-hour period in which surgical teams performed two heart and three kidney transplants. The most dramatic case was that of a 42-yearold mother of six who had been living for a year with an artificial heart and who finally found a human donor. As a nurse, nothing is more remarkable to me than how far organ transplantation has come just during the course of my professional career. When I was in nursing school, kidney transplantation was in its infancy and the first drugs to treat acute rejection were being introduced. Dr. Christiaan Barnard’s first successful heart transplant was still in the future. But as far as organ transplantation has come, there is still work to be done. Even that extraordinary two-day period at the Hadassah Medical Center suggests challenge as much as achievement. The surge or dearth of healthy organs on any given day points to the uneven pace of donations. The statistics, likewise, tell two stories. In 2008, there were 28,000 organ transplants in the United States. Some

16,000 involved kidneys — an impressive number until you compare it to the 80,000 Americans on waiting lists for kidneys, many of whom will die waiting. Our medical expertise is running faster than our ability to sign up donors — both living donors for kidneys and bone marrow, and people who formally register to be postmortem donors. It’s not for lack of generosity. Every organ donor is a tribute to the most generous instincts of the human spirit. But to be a donor, one needs one more characteristic: Awareness. Millions of generous people are not aware. Some avoid thinking about the issue. Others resist becoming donors out of a traditional mind-set they believe is rooted in religion, even though religious authorities from virtually every denomination and every faith have endorsed the life-giving practice of organ donation. Hadassah, alone and in partnership with other health-oriented organizations, has made awareness a priority. For 10 years we have sponsored educational programs on the importance of organ donations. We do this not only in our chapters but also as outreach to the wider Jewish community and the general public. We also have done tissue typing for potential bone marrow donors at our annual conventions. Every culture reserves a special place

of honor for lifesavers, and that is exactly what donating an organ makes you. According to Jewish tradition, whoever saves a life, it is considered as if he saved an entire world. In fact, saving one life by donating an organ may indirectly save others. Increasing the voluntary donor pool would go a long way toward ending illegal trafficking in human organs. This criminal trafficking has not spared the Jewish community. Many of us have been shocked in recent months over news reports of individual Jews involved in the practice. Paid donors are typically people from poor countries who give up a kidney or part of their liver under substandard surgical conditions and with little or none of the post-operative attention they need. Those who trade in human organs exploit not only the poor but also the sick — those willing to pay anything to save the life of a loved one.

Even if we cannot solve the problem of human greed, we can strike a blow at one of its outlets by dramatically increasing the voluntary donor pool. So if you haven’t thought about becoming an organ donor, now is a good time to start. If you want more information, or if you have any hesitation, a world of information is waiting for you. Two especially good Web sites that answer virtually any question you can imagine are those of the Mayo Clinic and of the New York Organ Donor Network. The science to save lives is in place and improving every day, and the world has plenty of generous people. It’s up to all of us to make sure that awareness matches generosity.

Where are the Women? t Page 3C

part of our collective future.

on their heads. It is time to turn in a new direction, take some risks and open our community to new ideas. I am confident that we will benefit. I am also just as confident that we will lose very talented people to other communities and causes if we don’t do this. My story is not atypical. There are hundreds of women, if not thousands, like me. I am asking you to support me, teach me and mentor me, so that I/we can be

Note from the editor: How are we doing in terms of a gender gap among Jewish leaders in Washington State? Could we do better? Where? Let the community know — send your thoughts to [email protected].

Nancy Falchuk is national president of Hadassah: The Women’s Zionist Organization of America.

Rabbi Rebecca W. Sirbu is the director of Rabbis Without Borders at CLAL-The National Jewish Center for Learning and Leadership.

ADVENTURE MUSICAL THEATRE

HELP US

ENSURE THAT MUSIC ECHOES

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THEATRE WALLS

You may know that The 5th Avenue produces Broadway-caliber musical theatre in downtown Seattle but did you know that since since 1994, The 5th has brought its Adventure Musical Theatre (AMT) directly to school children, delighting and inspiring more than 450,000 students since its inception. This unique program is designed to travel and augment a school’s existing curriculum. During the past year AMT brought the joy of musical theater to more than 60,000 kindergarten and elementary-school students throughout the region. Many of the schools AMT visited had already suffered deep cuts in their art and music budgets; for most of the young students in attendance, this program was their first exposure to live theater. The holidays are inherently an occasion of tzedakah, and this season we hope you will consider a gift of $250 in support The 5th Avenue’s Education and Outreach Programs. Your generosity will guarantee another remarkable season of AMT musicals and provide cultural enrichment for children throughout the Pacific Northwest. To donate on-line please visit www.5thavenue.org or feel free to call our Development Office at 206.625.1418. Happy Holidays and We Hope You Will Join Us,

Marilynn M il Sheldon Sh ld

David Armstrong

Managing Director

Producing Artistic Director

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The Jerusalem Post Crossword Puzzle “However You Spell It” By David Benkof

Courtesy Larry Broder/TDHS

Everybody likes to make jokes about cops and doughnuts, but this cake, created by Holly Levin, a.k.a. “The Cake Lady,” was made in all seriousness. Larry Broder, executive director of Temple De Hirsch Sinai in Seattle’s Capitol Hill neighborhood, asked Levin to design the cake on TDHS’ behalf to present to the Seattle Police Department’s East Precinct following the Oct. 31 homicide of Officer Timothy Brenton. Broder, center, presented the cake to Precinct Commander Jim Dermody, left, and Officer Casey Sundin, right, during the week of Thanksgiving.

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Across 1 Kind of traffic 5 Gad or Dan 10 The “M” in Einstein’s famous equation 14 Down-to-earth 15 Actress Hunt (“Twister”) 16 Ice house (var.) 17 Armchair athlete’s channel 18 Observes the Sabbath 19 Largest Mariana Island 20 “A Rugrats ___” 22 It can be sat 23 Half of a ballroom dance 24 Superman’s symbol 25 Butcher’s offering 26 Get a glimpse of 28 One kind of chazer 30 JFK info 31 Dispense carefully 32 Dan Glickman’s st. 33 Glen Campbell’s “___ Little Kindness” 34 “The ___ Guest” by Eric A. Kimmel 37 Eyebrow shape 40 Job Joe Lieberman wanted 41 Myanmar, formerly 45 Prince in the comics, for short 46 Author Jonathan Safran ___ (Everything is Illuminated) 47 Creature’s home, in film 48 ___ d’etre 50 Former def. acronym 51 Retired speedster 52 Secret ___ (Anne Frank hideaway) 53 7,000-word Wikipedia entry 56 Anti-Semitism, e.g. 57 Hermit 58 One way from Moscow to Tel Aviv 60 “And giving ___, up the chimney...” 61 Lauder born Josephine Mentzer 62 Prima donna 63 Furnishes with workers 64 Pre-statehood gang 65 Actor Penn (“Milk”) Answers on page 14A

Down 1 Three for Sophia 2 Rabbinical thinker Abraham Joshua ___ 3 Rabbi Samson Hirsch’s middle name 4 Wrist bone 5 Fencing move 6 Makes a big stink 7 “Casablanca” heroine 8 It often comes before Shalom 9 Halves of ems 10 “Not by ___, and not by power” 11 Victorian Jewish author Grace 12 Hebrews’ condition in Egypt 13 Island near Singapore 21 Not o’er 22 Big ___, California 23 Apr. 15th advisor 25 It might hold some Kedem 27 Jewish mayor of New York, 19781989 28 Holocaust historian Yehuda 29 Working in a mess 32 Baby bouncer 33 Hood 35 Bard’s home 36 One way to be taken? 37 Religious Zionist rabbi Shapira (1914-2007) 38 Israeli city, literally “fresh” 39 He appointed Breyer to the Supreme Court 42 Canadian Supreme Court Justice Abella 43 Kind of Israeli settlement 44 Aardvark entree 46 Everett ___ (noted translator of the Hebrew Bible) 47 Actress Bacall 49 Literal meaning of “zeraim” (first section of the Mishnah) 50 Contemptuous smile 53 Monty Hall, e.g. 54 Initial stake 55 Sneakers brand 57 Historic Jewish neighborhood in NYC 59 PC linking system

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Thursday, December 10, 8 p.m.

Photography by Rabbi Harry Zeitlin: Images of Israel and other landscapes Photography exhibit opening night show harryzeitlin.com The Seattle Kollel presents an exhibit of images by Seattle photographer Rabbi Harry Zeitlin. Display will include photos from Israel, with a series of the Kotel. At the Seattle Kollel, 5305 52nd Ave. S, Seattle.

Saturday, December 12, 7 p.m. Yoel Sharabi Music www.yoelsharabi.com

Musician Yoel Sharabi will perform modern Israeli and Chassidic melodies at this holiday concert. Cost is $7 for adults, $4 for children. At the Eastside Torah Center, 1837 156th Ave. NE, top floor, Bellevue.

Sunday, December 13, 10 a.m.

“Fear, Film and Founding a Seattle Institution” with David Shulman Lecture In this Sunday Morning Forum, film enthusiast David Shulman will lead participants through a shot-by-shot analysis of a major scene in Hitchcock’s The Birds. He will also share a little about his work as founder and executive director of the Seattle Film Institute. For more information, or to RSVP, contact Alysa Rosen at 206-525-0915 or [email protected]. At Temple Beth Am, 2632 NE 80th St., Seattle.

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friday, december 11, 2009 Send submissions to: JTNews — Lifecycles, 2041 Third Ave., Seattle, WA 98121 [email protected] Phone: 206-441-4553 Submissions for the December 25, 2009 issue are due by December 15. Download forms or submit online at www.jtnews.net/index.php?/lifecycle

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Terence Aaron Goldberg

Bat Mitzvah

Bar Mitzvah Matthew Benjamin Lipsen

Aliya will celebrate her Bat Mitzvah on December 12, 2009 at Congregation Ezra Bessaroth in Seattle. Aliya is the daughter of Melanie and David Korch of Seattle and the sister of Matthew, Kathryn, and RaChelle. She is the granddaughter of Simon Korch of Seattle, the late Helga Korch and the late Mallian and Mary Ann Patoc. Aliya is in the 7th grade at the Jewish Day School of Metropolitan Seattle. Her hobbies include soccer, gymnastics, hanging out with friends, traveling with family, attending camp, and reading.

Matthew will celebrate his Bar Mitzvah on December 19, 2009 at Herzl-Ner Tamid Conservative Congregation on Mercer Island. Matthew is the son of Jeffrey and Maureen Lipsen of Issaquah and the brother of Joseph and Daniel. His grandparents are Esther Lipsen of Seattle, Leon and Mary Cohen of Seattle and the late Irwin Lipsen and Isaac Piha. Matthew is in the 7th grade at Beaver Lake Middle School. His hobbies include playing basketball and spending time with his friends and family. For his mitzvah project, Matthew is collecting teddy bears for local police and fire department emergency personnel to give to children during traumatic situations. Matthew is sharing his Bar Mitzvah with his friend and cousin, Nathan Rosenstein.

Aliya Gabrielle Korch

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Bar Mitzvah Nathan Michael Rosenstein Nathan will celebrate his Bar Mitzvah on December 19, 2009 at Herzl-Ner Tamid Conservative Congregation on Mercer Island. Nathan is the son of Jane and Aaron Rosenstein of Mercer Island and the brother of Sam. His grandparents are Daisy and Mike Israel of Mercer Island and Beth and David Rosenstein of Albuquerque, N. M. and Mercer Island. Nathan is in the 7th grade at Islander Middle School. His hobbies include

The most wonderful person in the world passed away on November 8, 2009. At 43, Terence lived a much too short but wonderful life. He died surrounded by his large family, who will miss him terribly. Terence knew what was important in life and never wasted a moment to experience it. If there was a mountain to climb, he climbed; if there was a bridge to jump from, he jumped; if there was a ride to go on, he rode. Most of all, Terence was a precious son, brother, dad, uncle and friend. His gift to our world and the thing he had the most pride in were his two beautiful young children, Jensen and Jack. Terence loved the Kirkland Fire Department and embraced his career in a way that most of us only dream of. He always made time to be the coach, PTSA Treasurer, Big Brother, carpool driver and school event chaperone. Terence always said yes whenever anyone asked. Terence left behind his children Jensen and Jack and their mother Pam, parents Neil and Carol, brothers and sisters-inlaw Jack, Nancy, Bernel, Todd and Michelle, nieces and nephews Shoham, Brit, Tillie, Adam, Daniele, Benjamin, Simon and Sophie. Terence is buried at the Issaquah Hillside (upper) Cemetery. The memorial service was held at Temple B’nai Torah. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to a foundation that Terence helped found: Kirkland Firefighters Benevolent Association, c/o Kirkland City Hall, 123 Fifth Ave., Kirkland, WA 98033.

baseball, soccer, snowboarding, and reading books about sports history. For his mitzvah project, Nathan participated in the Summer Volunteer Program through Mercer Island Parks and Recreation, working at Northwest Harvest and Teen Feed. He is also participating in the Youth Mitzvah Fund through the Jewish Federation. Nathan will be sharing his Bar Mitzvah with his friend and cousin, Matthew Lipsen.

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n 12 jtnews national & international news

friday, december 11, 2009

Jazzing it up Conservatives’ conference eyes a more inspiring way to pray Jewish Exponent Staff CHERRY HILL, N.J. (Jewish Exponent) — Do Conservative Jews need a new, perhaps jazzier way to pray?

Rabbi Steven Wernick, executive vice president of the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism, apparently thinks so. During his much-anticipated installation speech at the United Synagogue’s

biennial gathering, which concluded earlier this week in Cherry Hill, N.J., he called for the immediate creation of a movement-wide task force to tackle the issue of prayer.

HANUKKAH GREETINGS!

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“Many of our congregations report that tefillot in many of our synagogues do not speak to them, do not inspire them, and do not reach their hearts or their souls,” said Wernick, who took the helm of an organization that represents North American Conservative congregations in July. Wernick said that many participants of Ramah camps and United Synagogue youth programs, for example, “come home to find the excitement and spiritual engagement they experience elsewhere missing in their own communities.” The four-day conference was held as United Synagogue undergoes a structural upheaval brought about in large part by the dissatisfaction of congregations claiming that they weren’t receiving enough programmatic and other kinds of guidance in exchange for their dues. Many of the more than 500 lay leaders and professionals who came to the biennial from across the United States and Canada did express hope, though tinged with skepticism, that United Synagogue can transform itself into an entity that helps congregations become more dynamic, welcoming and fiscally stable. At the conference, United Synagogue adopted a new set of bylaws with the aim of becoming more efficient. They included reducing the size of its board by about half and the number of offices from 15 to six. Talks were held about changing the formula for determining the dues that congregations pay, but no formal proposals were made. The biennial also served to jumpstart a nine-month process in which United Synagogue will adopt a new long-range strategic plan. “While we have considerable problems, I think we continue to have the best product,” said Rabbi Bradley Shavit Artson, dean of the Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies in Los Angeles. Artson sat on a panel about the future of the movement with Wernick; Rabbi Julie Schonfeld, the first woman to head the Rabbinical Assembly; and Cantor Stephen Stein, executive vice president of the Cantors Assembly. During the hour-long discussion, the audience raised pressing questions confronting the movement. Among them: What does it mean to be a Conservative Jew in an age when far fewer Jews identify with denominational labels? How can the movement attract more members in their 20s and 30s? Is the name itself outmoded? How can the arms of the movement work together better? On the issue of prayer, Stein took a slightly different tack than Wernick. “You can start by coming to shul. It’s like any other skill set — if you don’t practice it, you aren’t going to be able to do it,” he said, adding that cantors are far more open to experimentation than many realize. “Come to shul and I’ll do anything; I’ll stand on my head and sing ‘Yankee Doodle’ to ‘Adon Olam.’” Wernick said that too often, worshipers feel they are “prisoners” to the traditional prayerbook, and diversity needs to be encouraged. He also said clergy need to better explain the poetry and symbolism inherent in the liturgy. “Adon Olam,” for example, is all about offering worshipers a measure of comfort as they leave sanctified space and head back into a world that can be tense and

u Page 14A

December 11, 2009

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friday, december 11, 2009

Jazzing it Up t Page 12 even frightening. “We need to really open up the prayers in that kind of way,” he said. “Whether we sing them to ‘Yankee Doodle’ or the melodies of the great chazzanim,” Wernick said, “they become more than just sing songs and more than just rushing through the words.” Stein said that while synagogues must try to bring in as many new people as

possible — while still appealing to its core — the movement as a whole should only count as Conservative Jews those who follow Jewish law, as opposed to any individual that belongs to a United Synagogue affiliate. The Cantors Assembly leader pushed some buttons when he suggested that spouses of clergy members — even those with highly demanding careers — need to contribute more time and energy to their congregations.

the shouk

Schonfeld said that in an age when many are ask ing if movements and denominations have outlived their usefulness, Conservative Judaism can offer up a new working definition of what a denomination can look like. “That new denomination,” she said, “as opposed to being boxes in which we put people, is going to be more like an ecosystem — more like an interdependent and complex world in which there is room for all different kinds of Jews.”

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seeking writers Poems (3 max) and/or essays and fiction (under 5,000 words) on Northwest and Jewish themes from established and emerging writers for Spring 2010 issue of Drash. Include separate page with contact info and short bio. Deadline: December 15, 2009 submit by snailmail only to: Wendy Marcus, Music Director Temple Beth Am 2632 NE 80th St., Seattle 98115 206-525-0915 www.templebetham.org

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Iran Sanctions t Page 1A politically and denominationally diverse umbrella organization consisting of more than 50 groups, issued a statement over the weekend urging both chambers of Congress to pass sanctions legislation by the end of the year if possible. “The timing for this vote is especially significant,” said Presidents Conference chairman Alan Solow and executive vice chairman Malcolm Hoenlein in the statement. “Should the IRPSA legislation pass the House, it has the potential to seriously impact the Iranian economy. The prospect of the sanctions in this bill and the Iran Sanctions Enabling Act, which overwhelmingly passed the House in October, are essential to pressing Iran, the leading violator of human rights and state sponsor of terrorism globally, against pursuing a nuclear weapons capacity.” Signaling just how widespread Jewish organizational support is for the sanctions, they now have the support of J Street, a lobbying group that generally advocates for stepped-up U.S. diplomacy rather than confrontation. For months, J Street has said it backed the sanctions in principle but opposed pushing them forward while engagement was under way. But on Dec. 7 the group issued a statement expressing support for the congressional measures, citing “Iran’s continued defiance of the international community and its rejection of the most recent diplomatic offer on nuclear enrichment.” “We’re not jumping for joy for supporting this legislation,” said Hadar Susskind, J Street’s political director. “Iran has showed itself to be a bad actor.” The legislation, Susskind said, “is not perfect, it doesn’t resolve every problem, but it shows Iran that the United States and other nations are serious about this.” One pro-Israel group remains actively opposed: Americans For Peace Now says the sanctions would backfire by turning Iranians toward a regime now fending off accusations of illegitimacy. The group is lobbying Congress to loosen the legislation’s restrictions on the president’s ability to waive the sanctions. “Rather than ‘empowering’ the President with additional authority,” as the bill promises, APN said in a letter to House members, “HR 2194 would sharply limit his authority regarding both existing sanctions and potential new ones.” Parsi said rushing forward the unilateral U.S. sanctions would undercut efforts by Obama to sign on the international community to multilateral sanctions by early next year, adding that unilateral sanctions might have the effect of alienating Russia, China and key European nations by targeting major companies in those nations. “Are you going to have a bomb by Christmas Eve?” Parsi asked, referring to the accelerated congressional schedule. “You don’t want to give the impression that people are dying to go for sanctions because that casts the diplomacy in doubt.” Underscoring the sinking standing of the Iranian regime, Parsi’s organization blasted the Obama administration this week for not making human rights as much a priority as nuclear weapons. “Iran’s human rights abuses must be addressed now and not just when our focus turns to punitive measures,” he wrote in a column on the Huffington Post blog. “Otherwise, the administration will unintentionally signal that the rights of the Iranian people are used solely as a pressure tactic against Iran when it fails to compromise on other issues.”

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friday, december 11, 2009

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