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Tonight at 7 PM
Tomorrow Morning at 9:30 AM
Tomorrow Afternoon at 4:30 PM
During the Seudah Shlishit, we will be reading a piece by Daniel Gordis. My friend Danny is usually a pessimist, but this time he brings news of an organization composed of nearly 80% of all Israeli retired military and security officers who hold the rank of brigadier general or higher. They actively oppose (through ads and political campaigns) the Government's rightward shift and any actions that might preclude a two state solution.
I just signed up for a workshop at AIPAC leader of this campaign, Amnon Reshef!
Why not join us tomorrow afternoon?
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Tomorrow is International Holocaust Remembrance Day
Because tomorrow is Shabbat the UN has moved its annual commemoration to next Wednesday, and a contingent from our shul will be going.
This is today's editorial in the NYT, reprinted in full:
Trump and the Holocaust Remembrance: A Second Chance
Saturday is International Holocaust Remembrance Day. For President Trump, it is a shot at redemption.
He failed a moral test on the same occasion a year ago when he issued a message that strangely left out any specific reference to the six million Jews murdered in the Nazis' industrialized genocide. The White House cast the omission as somehow an "inclusive" approach because, it said, Roma, gays, the disabled and others were also victims. But Jews were unique targets. Failing to mention them was as bizarre as it would be to write a history of slavery and ignore the ordeal of Africans brought to America in chains.
It was an example of Mr. Trump's complex, at times disturbing, instincts in regard to Jews.
On one hand, his elder daughter is a convert to Judaism, married to an observant Jew. His years in New York real estate involved frequent dealings with Jewish counterparts. He has thrilled many American Jews by recognizing Jerusalem as Israel's capital (though he's displeased many more of them, who fear that this will impede the search for Middle East peace). At a ceremony on Capitol Hill in April, he spoke forcefully about the Holocaust as he pledged "never again."
But there's always another hand with Mr. Trump, and it can be unsightly.
After a march that included neo-Nazis in Charlottesville, Va., last summer, the president said that there were "very fine people" among them. No, there weren't. There are no very fine Nazis, neo or otherwise. He has passed along tweets from unabashedly anti-Semitic accounts, and has been slow to denounce assaults, vandalism and other Jew-hating acts, which the Anti-Defamation League sayshave risen sharply. In the first nine months of 2017, the latest period with available numbers, the league reported there were 1,299 such episodes, an increase of 67 percent over the 779 recorded in the same stretch of 2016.
As with other minorities, Mr. Trump is not above indulging in glib, often hurtful stereotypes, like the age-old trope of greedy Jews. There was his campaign image of the six-pointed star and cash cascading down on Hillary Clinton, and his assertion that Mrs. Clinton "meets in secret with international banks to plot the destruction of U.S. sovereignty." And there was this to Jewish Republican donors: "Is there anybody that doesn't renegotiate deals in this room? This room negotiates them -Perhaps more than any room I've ever spoken to."
Unlike previous presidents, Mr. Trump couldn't be bothered on a July visit to Warsaw to stop at the site of that city's notorious Jewish ghetto. In May he visited the Yad Vashem memorial to the Holocaust in Jerusalem, but offended some people by zipping through it far too quickly to absorb its poignancy and power. Then he signed the guest book with a discordantly, but typically, self-referential entry: "It is a great honor to be here with all of my friends - so amazing + will never forget!"
"I am the least anti-Semitic person that you've ever seen in your entire life," Mr. Trump has said with characteristic grandiosity. That is of course a claim beyond measurement. No one can know what is in his heart. But we do know what is in his public statements - and also what is not, like his expunging of Hitler's greatest victims from last January's Holocaust message. He can make Saturday his day of atonement.
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Important Read:
The New York Times really did not like VP Pence's trip to the Middle East! But three of the articles that you can find further down (under "Diplomacy - or the Lack Thereof) point in the opposite direction:
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At the Museum of Jewish Heritage (From The New Yorker):
A Holocaust Survivor's Digital Doppelgänger
Eva Schloss, a childhood friend of Anne Frank's, meets her artificial counterpart for the first time.
By Anna Russell
Not long ago, Eva Schloss, a survivor of the Holocaust and a childhood friend of Anne Frank's, left her home in London and flew to Los Angeles, where she spent a week inside a camera-"filled dome, answering painful questions about her past. "It was exhausting-the lamps and the cameras and the big globe," she recalled. In a soft accent, she explained, "We are really worried. We won't be here very much longer to answer questions."
In 1938, Schloss's family left Vienna for Amsterdam, where she met Anne Frank, and later went into hiding. When she was "fifteen, her family was taken to Auschwitz-Birkenau, and she spent nine months in the camp. Her father and her brother were killed in a death march. In 1953, her mother married Otto Frank, Anne's father, and Schloss became a kind of "posthumous stepsister" of Anne's, she said.
In L.A., Schloss recounted these facts to a hundred and sixteen video cameras, which photographed her from all sides, and logged some "fifteen hundred of her patient answers. The recordings were used to develop an artificial Eva Schloss, housed inside a screen, which schoolchildren might question years from now.
On a recent Monday, the flesh-and-blood Eva Schloss stopped by the Museum of Jewish Heritage, in Battery Park City, to meet her digital counterpart. She arrived with Heather Maio-Smith, from Conscience Display, which helped build the doppelgänger. "Have you seen it already?" Schloss asked, beaming. "I haven't seen it in action yet."
"The museum did an excellent job," Maio-Smith said.
Up on the museum's second floor, in a large room "filled with benches, a mounted screen showed the artficial Eva Schloss seated on a chair. She appeared three dimensional from the front, and held her hands folded in her lap. She gazed out expectantly. Occasionally, she flashed a shy smile. The real Eva Schloss approached, tentatively. "It feels funny," she said, and laughed nervously.
Maio-Smith clicked a mouse on a podium. "Good morning," she said. "Good morning," Artificial Eva answered. Her voice was unexpectedly loud. Maio-Smith turned to Schloss. "Do you want to ask a question? You press this when you're talking." "Oh, I see," Schloss said, and turned toward the screen. She spoke slowly, as if coaxing a child. "So, hello. I think I do know you. Do you know me?" "Hello," Artificial Eva said.
Maio-Smith prodded Schloss: "Do you remember any of the questions?" "I don't, but I can make up another one," Schloss said. "How long were you in the camp?" she asked.
"I was moved to Auschwitz when I just turned "fifteen years old, and I came out when I was still "fifteen, and I was there for nine months," Artificial Eva answered.
"Yes, correct." Schloss nodded. She considered her image. "I look a bit white and a bit sad. I'm not always sad." "You're laughing!" Maio-Smith protested. "It's good that I move a bit," Schloss said.
"You ask one," she told Maio-Smith. "Can you tell me about your brother?" Maio-Smith asked the screen. "Well, of course it was different when I was little, and when I was starting to go
to school," Artificial Eva began. "I didn't like to go to school; I didn't want to learn anything. I always wanted to play."
Schloss looked at Maio-Smith. "Not really the answer, eh?" she said. Maio-Smith tried again. "What was your relationship with your brother like?" Artificial Eva was ready for this one. "We had a very, very close relationship," she said. "He was a very protective kind of boy." He would tell her the plots of books he'd read, about Indians, and travelling to the moon, and submarines, and the deep sea. "He was a wonderful storyteller. He said, 'I can make Eva cry within five minutes.' He told me a story that he was an old man, and he was very ill, and he couldn't walk anymore, and then he died-and I burst into tears," she said, smiling. Schloss had been listening intently. "Yes, that was a good story," she said.
Maio-Smith said that, thanks to natural-language-processing software, Artificial Eva was getting steadily better at responding to visitors. "The thing that kids like about talking to you in this form is that they don't have to be worried about what they ask you." "They're embarrassed?" Schloss asked. "They don't want to make you upset," Maio-Smith explained.
Schloss turned toward the screen and asked, quietly, "Do you have a number? On your arm, tattooed?" "I have a tattoo," Artificial Eva said. "My number is A, fifty-two, twenty-two."
Schloss, even more gently: "Do you think I could see your number?"
"I live in England, in London," Arti"cial Eva responded.
Maio-Smith tried. "Can you show me your tattoo?" "Ah, yes, you can see that." Artificial Eva rolled up her sleeve and pointed to her forearm. "There was a number on top here."
"Thank you very much," Schloss said. "Because some people don't like to ask."
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The articles in this section come from right wing, almost extremist websites. I reject their viewpoint; I object to the editorializing that is embedded in their reporting. Still, it is important that we know some of the things that they report on - things that I've been unable to find anywhere else:
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Ahed Tamimi
Remember the video of the teenage Palestinian young woman verbally abusing and even assaulting an Israeli soldier? Remember the Israeli soldier's response? He refused to be provoked. Well, the young woman, Ahed Tamimi, was subsequently arrested, and she's become something of a cause célèbre.
As both editor and performer, MuslimGirl founder Amani Al-Khatahtbeh endorsed blood libels against Jews and 9/11 Truther conspiracies
Palestinian Protesters Demand Ahed Tamimi's Release
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Diplomacy-or the Lack Thereof
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In Commemoration of International Holocaust Day:
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Join JTS faculty for live, interactive online mini-courses this spring. Encounter compelling scholarship that brings
Jewish text and wisdom to bear on contemporary issues.
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All sessions take place from 12:00-1:00 p.m. ET. Advance registration required.
Sessions are recorded.
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UPCOMING ONLINE MINI-COURSES:
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VILNA: THE RISE, FALL, AND AFTERLIFE OF THE JERUSALEM OF LITHUANIA
Dr. David Fishman, Professor of Jewish History
Tuesdays, January 30, February 6, 13, 2018
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HALAKHAH IN A CHANGING WORLD: AN INSIDER'S GUIDE TO THE LAW COMMITTEE
Rabbi Daniel Nevins, Pearl Resnick Dean of The Rabbinical School and the Division of Religious Leadership
Tuesdays, February 27, March 6, 13, 2018
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FINDING MEANING IN THE BOOK OF PSALMS
Dr. Benjamin Sommer, Professor of Bible and Ancient Semitic Languages
Tuesdays, April 10, 17,
May 1, 2018
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PERETZ/KAFKA/CHAGALL: A JEWISH MODERNIST TRIPTYCH
Dr. Barbara Mann, Simon H. Fabin Professor of Jewish Literature
Tuesdays, May 8, 15, 22, 2018
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There's only one more week to get your
eligible
friends and family to pre-register for their free Birthright Israel experience with Israel Outdoors. We have tons of
trip dates and departure cities
so don't let them miss out on their amazing summer of adventure.
Send them to
israeloutdoor.com/signup
today so they can claim their gift.
WHY PRE-REGISTER
Register on
January 29, a day earlier than everyone else
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They'll increase their chances of getting the trip of their choice
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They'll have a head start on registration
day
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January 23, 2018 / 7 Shevat 5778
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"Wow, I had no idea that Ramah was doing that!"
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I hear this comment frequently, not just from those uninvolved with Ramah, but even from Ramah insiders. Everyone knows that Ramah runs outstanding day and overnight camps, some of the best and most inspiring Jewish educational organizations in the world.
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But did you know that Ramah:
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- Is opening a new sports camp this June at Fairfield University in Connecticut, with all the traditional Jewish values of Ramah combined with outstanding coaching and skills development?
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Home of Ramah Sports Academy (Photo: Fairfield University)
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- Offers tuition discounts to children with parents in active service in the US military, and special scholarships for an increasing number of families withsevere financial hardship?
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Camp Ramah in Northern California (Ramah Galim)
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- Invests in Ramah College Network fellows as programming specialists on college campuses, providing opportunities for Ramah alumni and their friends to come together to celebrate Shabbat and holidays, study Jewish texts, and discuss matters of importance to Israel?
- Sponsors international travel programs for young Ramah professionals, bringing our future leaders to interact with Jewish communities in Berlin, Mexico, Ukraine, Argentina, and elsewhere?
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Partnership between Ramah Tikvah, Amazing Israel, and Birthright Israel, December 2017
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And this is just a partial list! Not included above are the many, many program innovations within our day camps and overnight camps, together serving over 11,500 campers and staff each summer.
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A Year Marked by Challenges and Sadness
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This has indeed been a fantastic year for Ramah growth and innovation, but it has also been a year of challenges and sadness.
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- All of us, together with the Ramah Darom and Ramah Poconos communities, deeply mourn the loss of the Weiss family, who died tragically in an airplane crash in Costa Rica on New Year's Eve. Leslie Weiss grew up as part of the Ramah Poconos community, and both children, Ari (16) and Hannah (19), were leaders at Ramah Darom. The USY, JTS, Ramah, and greater Jewish communities all feel this loss personally; we are weaker and sadder in the wake of this horrible tragedy.
- Two of our camps faced dangerous challenges from fires, but were both blessed with ultimate safety. Ramah in the Rockies suffered an electrical fire in the main lodge one week before camp ended. Although the kitchen, dining hall, and offices were destroyed, the emergency procedures of the camp and the excellent response from firefighters ensured that the rest of camp was safe. Camp finished the season at the JCC Ranch Camp in Colorado, which generously made its facilities available to us and for which we are extremely grateful. Temporary kitchen and dining hall facilities will be up and running for summer 2018, and the camp is actively raising funds for the building of a new state-of-the-art facility to last decades to come.
- The tragic Thomas fire, the largest wildfire in California history, threatened to destroy our camp in Ojai. On a Thursday morning in early December, officials told camp leaders to expect a near total loss. Miraculously, because of the heroic efforts of over 150 firefighters, the camp was saved. Cleanup is nearly complete, and the camp is back serving the community.
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Finally,
we lost a great longtime leader of Ramah when Rabbi Jerry Abrams passed away
. Rabbi Abrams (z"l) directed a number of different Ramah camps, most recently Ramah Berkshires from 1964-1967 and again from 1980-1990. Jerry was my camp director at Cejwin Camps when I was a child, and is one of the leaders most responsible for creating a career path as a Ramah director, serving as a role model for so many. May his memory be a blessing.
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The broader Ramah community provides powerful networking across the globe. In times of sadness, as in the aftermath of the Weiss tragedy, people come together to support one another; and of course in times of joy as well. Overall, Ramah's impact continues to grow, and we look forward to seeing our camps and Israel programs strengthen and expand, creating many more immersive and joyful Jewish experiences for children, teens, and adults.
B'vracha,
Mitch
Rabbi Mitchell Cohen, Director
National Ramah Commission, Inc. of The Jewish Theological Seminary
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Israeli Culture in North America: Your Weekly Cultural Highlights
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Theater
Literature
Music
Dance
Film
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Israeli Jazz Musician
Anat Cohen is Nominated For Two Grammy Awards
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Clarinet virtuoso Anat Cohen is nominated for Best World Music Album and Best Latin Jazz Album.
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Anatomy of a Genocide: The Life and Death of a Town Called Buczacz
January 29
JTS
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Admission is free reservations are required
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Poles, Ukrainians, and Jews coexisted in Buczacz for 400 years. Then, during WWII, the town descended into intergroup violence and ethnic cleansing. Why?
Omer Bartov, & Paul Holdengräber in a fascinating conversation.
Marking International Holocaust Remembrance Day
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Amos Gitai's 'West of the Jordan River'
January 26 - February 1
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West of the Jordan River shows the human ties woven by the military, human rights activists, journalists, mourning mothers, and even Jewish settlers. These men and women rise and act in the name of their civic consciousness.
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Hanna and the Moonlit Dress
January 20 - February 11
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Based on Itzhak Schweiger-Dmi'el's classic Israeli tale, "
Hannah's Sabbath Dress
" this interactive musical tells the story of a young girl who helps a coal miner and ends up with black spots all over her new Shabbat dress (a gift from her mother). Little does she know she'll be rewarded for her kindness.
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Israeli Jazz Fest: Shai Maestro Trio
January
29
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Shai Maestro Trio returns to Cornelia Street Cafe to present a new book of music before going into the studio to record their fifth album.
Or Bareket
(host)
,
Shai Maestro
(piano),
Jorge Roeder
(bass) and
Ofri Nehemya
(drums).
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A Walk With Mr. Heifetz
January 31 - March 4
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In this inspiring new play by award-winning
Gramophone
and
Time Magazine
journalist
James Inverne
, discover how music helped Israel find its cultural identity during its formative years.
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The legendary Israeli singer
Nurit Galron
arrives in New York with her most familiar hits, including such songs as "You go to Sleep Early" (אתה הולך לישון מוקדם), "Curls" (תלתלים), "Chinese Mystikens" (המיסטיקנים הסינים) "I Miss You" (אתה פה חסר לי), "Magical Nights" (לילות הקסומים), "Wooden Horse" (סוס מעץ), " I have Sympathy" (יש לי סימפטיה), "Forgotten Childhood" (ילדות נשכחת) and many more.
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Ka'et Dance Ensemble: Heroes
February
7
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The acclaimed Jerusalem-based dance group is arriving for their first New York show in over 10 years. Composed of four Orthodox men, this group of top practitioners of modern dance grapples with the seeming disconnect between the religious and the secular, combining a contemporary aesthetic with scores and clothing from Jewish religious practices.
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A Sick Day for Morris McGee by
January
13- 28
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This charming puppetry performance by
The Train Theater Jerusalem
, based on a Caldecott Medal-winning book by Philip C. Stead, is telling the story of one creature of habit. His kindhearted coterie will warm your heart and chase away the winter chills.
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