ShalomCT! This week in Jewish life

THIS WEEK IN JEWISH LIFE Feb. 3, 2023

Shabbat Shalom CT!

I was a lucky driver last week because I was asked to drive a survivor and a 2G to the International Holocaust Remembrance Day event in West Hartford.

Although the event was profoundly powerful, the drive was the real experience. It's funny what happens when you're riding in a car together for 2 hours -- people talk.

Both women told me their stories, interrupting each other and intersplicing very different narratives of Holocaust survival.

Both of their stories were full of pain; both stories were hopeful. It was a beautiful moment when each of them received a yellow rose at the event.

Last week, I also attended the sold-out performance of 'Here We Are: Songs of the Holocaust, a Commemorative Concert,' at Carnegie Hall.

While there were a lot of kippot in evidence, the audience was clearly filled with others who just wanted to share the 3-hour experience.

Harvey Fierstein brought me to tears as he arranged and sang tsu di eygelekh (Close Your Little Eyes) from 1947. Cantor Danny Mendelson brought us to our feet as he arranged and sang S'iz geven a zumerog (It Was a Summer's Day) from 1949.

Music hath charm, and throughout the evening, we were soothed by these incredibly beautiful melodies written during the harshest of times.

The finale song was performed by 100 students from the La Guardia High School chorus,

followed by 3,000 people reciting the Mourner's Kaddish.

We have our history, our poems, our music. What we don't have is time.

If you want to help, please contact your CT legislator and ask them to support H6203: An Act Concerning the Holocaust and Genocide Education and Awareness Curriculum.

I wish you a warm and peaceful Shabbos.

Carin Savel, CEO

carin@shalomct.org

SAM ROST

Where do I begin?

It is wonderful to read about each of our individual experiences and feelings stemming from our trip. We made new friends, experienced unforgettable moments together, and gained a new and detailed insight into our past history as a nation.

For me, it was a visual and auditory revelation of what we read about, heard on the radio, and watched on our TVs during our teenage years, but in actuality, at least for me, I never really realized what people were actually experiencing in the south, and what impacts those experiences were having on their lives. I want to tell you about an experience. I had yesterday with a client which in all truth I would not have had with that client had I not participated in our trip. It involved speaking to this client, and realizing that I was reaching out to her to learn more about her personal life so as to get to know her better.

Read more here...

MORE MISSION MOMENTS

Ellen Lautenberg and Melissa Kane

Mindy Siegel and Alan Feldman

Bonnie Slyn and David Ball

Carin Savel and Ofek Moscovich

Rabbi Evan Schultz and Rabbi Sarah Marion

Nancy Diamond and Jeffrey Mayer

Jan Magid and Sam Rost

Shalom,

This week I had the opportunity to eat great kugel, talk with great people and be hosted in great synagogue.

Temple Shir Shalom in Ridgefield invited me to lead a lunch and learn about the Israeli political system, the situation today and the future we are expecting.

The people who joined had a lot of knowledge about Israel and we continued to discuss current events and I answered questions from the crowd.

Everyone brought their own lunch and I tried one of the best Kugel I ever ate and amazing Baba ganoush that reminded me of my home in Israel.

Thank you for inviting me. I’ll be happy to join any other group for lunch and learn so reach out and let’s set a date Ofek@shalomct.org.

Ofek Moscovich

Federation Israel Emissary

AMBUCYCLE UPDATE

Your Ambucycle #1252 saved this life in Afula

Thank you, Jewish Federation of Greater Fairfield County!

Your ambucycle, dedicated to Sally and Michael Kliegman, and Deborah and Wallace Zuckerman, the 2022 Gala Honorees of the Jewish Federation of Greater Fairfield County, is saving lives on the streets of Afula, bringing dedicated EMT Yosef Ben Gigi to emergencies in the shortest possible times.

First, a word about Yosef. He has been saving lives for nearly a decade and is highly valued by United Hatzalah. He is the head of one of our branches, coordinates trainees during their practicums after they have successfully passed their theory courses, and he also teaches the EMT courses.

The more active among our volunteers are more likely to need specific additional equipment, and so United Hatzalah has equipped him with a portable defibrillator. All of those considerations went in to choosing the right driver for your generous and lifesaving vehicle.

In between restoring breathing, sterilizing wounds, stopping bleeding, and bringing back heartbeats, your ambucycle medic earns a living as an elementary school teacher. He writes Torah scrolls and mezuzahs part time on the side.

A few days ago, at the school where he teaches, a younger class was eating lunch.

Some food went down the wrong pipe when a first-grader swallowed. It became stuck, blocking his airway. That student’s teacher rushed to call the best and closest medical help the teacher knows, which is Yosef. “I’m on my way, but also call an ambulance,” Yosef said.

Yosef lives fairly close by, and anyway is often en route, riding your ambucycle to, or from, that school. He was there in an instant.

The young boy could not breathe, could not talk, and was already turning slightly blue in the face. Not wasting seconds, your EMT positioned the boy for an abdomen thrust to expel the blockage.

The first quick pressure just above the boy’s navel did not dislodge the blockage.

Neither did the second.

Surprisingly, police arrived. In the first-grade teacher’s panic, instead of calling an ambulance he had dialed the police!

A third quick abdomen thrust… did not do the trick. The boy had become largely unresponsive.

Yosef recounts his deeply held conviction at that moment: “There is no possible way this little boy’s life is going to end here in my arms in this school right now.”

Perhaps that was a form of heartfelt, wordless prayer, a silent scream of desperate need. If it was indeed such an entreaty, it worked. The fourth thrust was the charm.

Out came the amorphous blob of potential death. The boy immediately could breathe and became more fully conscious.

Soon an intensive care ambulance arrived and rushed the child to a hospital triage room for observation and potential further care. Within half an hour the boy was fine, normal, and able to return to school.

Thank you for partnering with us and enabling Yosef to save lives with the help of your nimble vehicle.

Thank you, thank you!

Aryeh Haffner | Communications

United Hatzalah

Urge your Congress-Member to support Holocaust Education & Antisemitism Lessons Act

In honor of International Holocaust Remembrance Day on Jan. 27, JFACT (Jewish Federation Association of Connecticut) urges you to reach out to your Congress-member. Ask them to support the Holocaust Education and Antisemitism Lessons (HEAL) Act of 2023.

Led by Representatives Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ), Michael McCaul (R-TX), Kathy Manning (D-NC), and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), this bill would require the Department of Education to conduct a study on Holocaust education efforts across the country.

This bill is an important next step in understanding the state of this education across the country.

Read an alert from the Jewish Federations of North America.

A letter from The Jewish Agency for Israel

by Major General (Res.) Doron Almog, Chairman of the Executive &

Mark Wilf, Chairman of the Board of Governors.

"This past Shabbat was horrific for the State of Israel and the Jewish people. News of seven civilians murdered near a synagogue in the Neve Ya'akov neighborhood in Jerusalem on Friday night, followed by an additional attack outside Jerusalem's Old City on Saturday morning, shook all of us in Israel and around the world. Three of those killed were buried yesterday, and more are to be buried today and in coming days.

The murdered individuals included: a married couple, Eli Mizrahi and Natali Mizrahi who heard the gunshots, and rushed outside to help, but were murdered while trying to save others. Raphael Ben Eliyahu, age 56, who was survived by his wife and four children, one of whom was injured and is now hospitalized; Asher Natan, a 14-year-old boy survived by his parents and seven brothers; Shaul Hai, 68 years old, who left behind three sons and a daughter; Ilya Sosansky, 26 years old, who was survived by his parents; and Irina Korolova, a 59-year-old, who worked as a caregiver.

Three wounded individuals were taken to Jerusalem hospitals with serious injuries and will receive emergency assistance from the Fund. We are also in contact with hospitals regarding the father and son who were injured in the attack that took place outside the Old City of Jerusalem.

The Jewish Agency is committed to building a society of resilience, respect, and hope in Israel. In the face of tragedy and pain, we remain dedicated to providing light and assistance to those in need, on behalf of world Jewry, and building a shared society in Israel, in which people of all backgrounds trust each other and live with peace and security."

In the name of our Partnership, I want to join the Chairmen and wish for more peaceful days.

BEHIND THE PAGES

COOKING ALLA GIUDIA:

A CELEBRATION OF THE JEWISH FOOD OF ITALY

with author Benedetta Jasmine Guetta

Sunday, Feb. 5 | 3 PM

Zoom

Take an expansive and inspiring tour of one of the world's oldest Jewish communities and learn how Italian techniques and flavors have long been a part of the Jewish diet and vice versa.

JEWISH FOOD OF ITALY - REGISTER

SHIRAH SKLAR INSTALLATION - FULL SCHEDULE

RAMAH FAMILY CAMP INFO

Operations and Office Manager

Jewish Federation of Greater Fairfield County

The Job

The Jewish Federation is seeking a highly organized, detail-oriented professional with exceptional communications skills and strong initiative to serve as our Operations and Office Manager. The Manager will be responsible for the organization’s day-to-day operations. The Manager will be an essential member of the Federation professional team and will play an active role in team meetings and organizational planning and decision-making. This fulltime position is an in-person role with some flexibility for remote work during certain times of the year.

What You’ll Do

Serve as first administrative point of contact for the organization
Manage all office peripherals, computers, copier, printer, office management
Manage IT, company computers and programs, Microsoft 365 and all office systems
Manage and administrate all aspects of CRM and Salsa Labs
Coordinate and communicate with vendors
Manage and maintain database – email, research, update, cleaning, notes,
Manage calendars and various tasks related programming & events such as reserving space, ordering supplies, and collecting RSVP’s
Work with the Finance Manager to process all donations and create monthly reconciliations
Work with Marketing Manager to facilitate online solicitations and ticket sales
Provide support as needed such as campaign mailings, preparation of thank-you letters and running reports
HR and payroll knowledge helpful
Assist with review of existing policies and development of new policies (e.g. operations manual, facility reservations, and security)
Anything else that falls from the sky

What You’ve Done

Bachelor’s degree required.
3+ years of relevant experience in an administrative, operations or office manager role.

What You’ll Bring to the Job

Outstanding organizational skills; should enjoy developing systems, organizing documents, creating and implementing systematic workflows.
Exemplary time management skills, including the capacity to juggle competing priorities and deadlines, and to remain flexible within an ambiguous, fast-paced environment.
Excellent verbal and written communications skills.
Ability to follow complex instructions and quickly learn new procedures and systems.
Knowledge of essential computer software programs, including Microsoft Word and Excel, and the agility and resourcefulness to learn new technologies. Familiarity with QuickBooks and Salsa Labs is a plus.
Impeccable discretion and appreciation of confidentiality.
Inclination to take the initiative and enjoy being a member of the team.
A great sense of humor!