JTNews | January 28, 2011

the voice of jewish washington
the best of 2010 bang for your book international honors the heroes’ trip

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january 28, 2011 • 23 shevat 5771 • volume 87, no. 2 • $2

A Tribute to Debbie

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Winter Family Calendar
For complete details about these and other upcoming JFS events and workshops, please visit our website: www.jfsseattle.org
For Jewish woMen
Programs of Project DVORA (Domestic Violence Outreach, Response & Advocacy) are free of charge.
Please save the Date

For Parents

PEPS
New Group Starts in March PEPS is now offering a peer support group experience for parents of newborns within a culturally relevant context. Jewish and interfaith parents are invited to join us! Contact Marjorie Schnyder, (206) 861-3146, [email protected] or go to http://www.pepsgroup.org/register-for-peps/jfs.

Confidential Support Group
Peer support, education and healing for Jewish women with controlling partners. m ongoing Confidential location, dates and time. Contact Project DVORA, (206) 461-3240 or [email protected] Monday, May 9, 2011
Westin Seattle Hotel

Chair: Donna Benaroya
To register, become a Table Captain or for information, please contact Gail Pollack: (206) 861-3151 or [email protected] All guests must pre-register

For couPles

The Ever-Changing Reality of the New Teen Economy
Learn how to balance the desires and wants of your teens with the ever-changing reality of your family’s economy. m tuesday, February 8 6:30 – 8:00 p.m. Contact Marjorie Schnyder, (206) 861-3146 or [email protected].

“Can We Talk?” — Staying Close & Connected as a Couple
This workshop focuses on patterns of communication that facilitate being supportive and accepting of each other. m thursdays, February 3 – 24 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. Contact Emily Harris-Shears, (206) 861-8784 or [email protected]

For aDults age 60+

Endless Opportunities
A community-wide program offered in partnership with Temple B’nai Torah & Temple De Hirsch Sinai. EO events are open to the public.

The Middah of Silence
Part of the Parenting Mindfully: Drawing on Jewish Values through Musar Series m sunday, February 13 10:45 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. Contact Marjorie Schnyder, (206) 861-3146 or [email protected].

The Eternal Dream of Flight: Aviation in Seattle and the NW
With Mike Lavelle, Museum of Flight Development Director m tuesday, February 8 10:00 – 11:30 a.m.

For the lgbtq coMMunity

Learning About Adoption
Part of the Exploring Paths to Parenthood Series Learn where to find resources and what steps to take during the process of adopting a child. m Monday, February 7 7:00 – 9:00 p.m. Contact Emily Harris-Shears, (206) 861-8784 or [email protected]

Emotion Coaching
An Essential Part of Your Parenting Toolbox! m Monday, February 28 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. Contact Marjorie Schnyder, (206) 861-3146 or [email protected].

Outing to Hillel

Pictures of Resistance: The Wartime Photographs of Jewish Partisan Faye Schulman
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sunday, February 13 1:30 – 3:00 p.m.

A New Journey: The Parenthood Transition
Part of the Exploring Paths to Parenthood Series m wednesday, March 9 7:00 – 9:00 p.m Contact Emily Harris-Shears, (206) 861-8784 or [email protected]

The Voice of Jewish Washington: The Jewish Transcript
With Joel Magalnick, Editor of JTNews m thursday, February 17 10:00 – 11:30 a.m.

For the coMMunity

AA Meetings at JFS
tuesdays at 7:00 p.m. Contact Eve M. Ruff, (206) 861-8782 or [email protected]
m

I Can Hear You, I Just Can’t Understand What You Are Saying!
With Candace Kukino, Au.D. m thursday, February 24 10:00 – 11:30 a.m. RSVP Ellen Hendin, (206) 861-3183 or [email protected] regarding all Endless Opportunities programs.

Death & Dying
A Series on Jewish Traditions and Practical Preparations m wednesdays, February 2 – March 2 7:00 – 9:00 p.m. Contact Emily Harris-Shears, (206) 861-8784 or [email protected]
JFS services and programs are made possible through generous community support of

1601 - 16th Avenue, Seattle (206) 461-3240 • www.jfsseattle.org to donate, please visit www.jfsseattle.org

friday, JaNuary 28, 2011 . www.JTNews.NeT . JTNews

OpiniOn

the rabbi’s turn

letters to the editor
in defense of our defenders

The whole and the broken rest together
Rabbi Jill boRodin Congregation Beth Shalom
“Luchot v’shivre luchot menuchim ba’aron” — “The whole tablets and the broken tablets rested inside the Ark of the Covenant” (Babah Batra 14b). The whole and the broken rest together in our sacred covenant. This past week we read in our Torah portion Yitro about the receiving of the Ten Commandments. And in a few weeks, we will read in the Torah portion Ki Tisa about Moses coming down the mountain, bringing from God the tablets. Before the tablets can be given to the people of Israel, they become broken, as Moses hurls them in his anger as part of his response to the building of the golden calf. This is one of our national low points — having quickly lost confidence in our leader and having demanded an idol be built, and Moses acting upon his anger to destroy that which had been written by God. And yet, our tradition teaches us to redeem this low point, these broken shards, and to place them in our sacred ark with the new, whole, unbroken second set of tablets. I frequently reflect on this teaching of the broken and whole tablet pieces being housed together in the ark. I wonder about how the broken tablets made it into the ark. Did Moses pick them up himself, or was he too angry or disappointed that he could not help collect them? Was there one person or a team of people working on it together? Did they get cut picking up the shards or were they able to collect them without getting hurt? Were they aware of the sanctity amongst these shards? One of our greatest challenges today is allowing the broken and the whole to live peacefully together. I see this problem on two different levels — in the internal and the external. How do we enable the broken and the whole within our souls to coexist? How are we kind to the broken bits of our souls? How do we give them attention, attend to them and see them as a source of growth and vision into our souls, rather than run away from them or bury them deep. And how do we create sacred communities to allow the broken souls and the whole souls rest side by side? It is so easy to label people who appear different as broken, overlooking their humanity and their wisdom, forgetting they too are created in God’s image, and how our communities are richer when they welcome and treasure the diversity of our population, welcoming all and the gifts they bring. The rabbis of the Talmud understood how easy it was to dismiss what appeared as shards and brokenness. R. Yehoshua ben Levi cautions his children:

Be careful regarding how you treat an elderly individual who has forgotten his learning due to an extenuating circumstance (i.e., old age, sickness, accident, struggle, to make a livelihood, as opposed to where his learning may have deserted him due to lack of interest, belief, or regular review). As we say, “The Tablets as well as the broken pieces of the Tablets were placed in the Ark.” (Talmud Berachot 8b and Menachot 99b) The ark’s contents are not complete without both, and yet we so often fool ourselves into believing we are complete when we cut off or deny the brokenness within ourselves, and when we close our communities to those who seem more broken, more in need, than we are. Experiencing brokenness does not make us less holy, less worthy, less the object of God’s love. Our brokenness may enable us to reach higher than we ever did before. The Talmud’s discussion of Moses’ broken tablets continues: “The broken tablets were set at the bottom of the ark, and the complete set was arranged right on top, the broken set forming a steady base, a foundation for the new set.” Not only are the broken and the whole together in the ark, but the broken form the foundation for the new set. These broken tablets may even be allowing the new tablets to reach higher than they would have on their own, and bring with them their own richness and importance. This teaching of the important roles both broken and whole vessels play is shared by many cultures. Yosef Jacobson tells the story of an elderly Chinese woman who owned two large pots: Each hung on the end of a pole, which she carried every day on her shoulders to fill with water from the stream located at the end of the village. One of the pots was complete and always delivered a full portion of water; the other pot was cracked and arrived home each day only half full. Of course, the complete pot was proud of its accomplishments. The poor cracked pot, on the other hand, was ashamed of its own imperfections and that it could only do half of what it

David Shayne’s otherwise excellent column defending the IDF against the truly scurrilous charge of war crimes has a statement that I strongly object to (“Dishonest message could have promoted hate crimes,” Jan. 14). He writes, “If the IDF deserves to be singled out, it is for having a remarkable absence of the kind of incidents that plague other militaries engaged in warfare, including our own U.S. military, which has its own shameful record of war crimes against civilians (My Lai, Haditha).” I am a combat veteran of the U.S. military. Our record is not shameful, it is exemplary and every American should be proud. The attack on Poland in 1939, the bombing of English cities and the Holocaust were war crimes, as were the Rape of Nanking and the treatment of captured combatants and civilians by the Japanese. These atrocities were carried out on a national scale as a matter of policy and cannot be compared to an infinitesimally small number of isolated cases of individual soldiers whose character was not up to the stress of war. Shayne’s comment adds to the clatter on the left, especially in our educational system, to damn the U.S. as an evil empire and an aggressor nation. That is an intolerable revision of history and a complete loss of perspective. America is a nation with a moral purpose that fights against war criminals to preserve freedom and peace in the world, and I will not sit quietly while anyone slanders our military. robert Wilkes, bellevue
Clarifying the defense

Re: Mr. Wilkes’ letter (whom, for sake of full disclosure, I consider a dear friend) in which he took understandable umbrage at my remarks about My Lai and Haditha, I am truly sorry my words were understood the way he did. He states, “I am a combat veteran of the U.S. military. Our record is not shameful, it is exemplary and every American should be proud,” and I could not agree more. The men and women who risked (and still do) their lives or actually gave their lives are, in my mind, forever enshrined in the roles of the ultimate American heroes, as people who did the hardest thing any person can ever be called on to do — fight and risk death and injury for our country. I certainly never meant to cast dispersions of any kind on the U.S. military as whole. Having said that, it is a sad but undeniable fact that My Lai and Haditha happened — unforgivable mass murders carried out by U.S. soldiers — aberrations, very uncharacteristic of the glorious and proud history of our armed forces when viewed in totality. Indeed, I’m sure many of the thousands of U.S. soldiers who have died in Iraq and Afghanistan died as the result of policies of restraint intended to minimize civilian deaths. The IDF in its past history also has some events for which it should be ashamed, in 1948 and later years. But, to the best of my knowledge, it has been many decades since any IDF unit carried out mass murders, and certainly no such thing happened in “Cast Lead.” As such, the IDF has, in my opinion, perhaps the “cleanest” record of any modern army facing actual combat conditions, at least in the last two or three decades, completely opposite of the impression Ed Mast’s group tried to convey (“Provocative bus ads go to highest levels of county government,” Dec. 24). So, again, I apologize to my fried Robert and any one else who thought I meant to belittle the U.S. Armed Forces. I am very proud of both the U.S. Armed Forces, and of the Israel Defense Forces, and Americans and Israelis are all fortunate to be so well served by their fighting men and women. And to my friend Robert, thank you a thousand times over for your sacrifices and your service. david shayne, seattle

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Write a letter to the editor: We would love to hear from you! our guide to writing a letter to the editor can be found at www.jtnews.net/index.php?/letters_guidelines.html, but please limit your letters to approximately 350 words. the deadline for the next issue is february 1. future deadlines may be found online.

had been made to do. After six years of what it perceived to be bitter failure, the humbled broken pot finally opened its heart to the woman at the stream. “I hate myself,” the cracked pot cried, “I am so useless and valueless. What purpose does my existence have when each day I leak out half of my water? I am such a loser!” The old woman smiled and said, “Did you notice that there are flowers on your side of the path, but not on the

other pot’s side? Every day while we walk back from the stream, you have the opportunity to water them. “For six years I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate our home. Without you being just the way you are, we would have never created this beauty together.” May we too see and be able to integrate the holiness of both our fragmented and whole pieces.

“Everything is very real — it’s a mystery, but there are vampires, ghosts and werewolves, etc., who play in.” — Librarian extraordinaire Nancy Pearl, who is speaking at the Jewish Federation’s Connections event on Sunday, about what she’s reading these days.

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Jewish delusions and the threat to the Jewish people
RobeRt Wilkes Special to JTNews
Robert Wilkes is a political columnist who writes from a conservative viewpoint. Robert’s column this week concerns matters of Jewish survival and is not about American politics.

If you think American politics is discordant, Israel’s is a cacophony. Since the beginning of the Zionist movement and continuing after independence, the loci of political philosophies regarding the meaning, mission and destiny of Israel have been farther apart than our parties ever have in America. Herzl and his political heirs fought a fierce battle over the idea of a Jewish state against factions that, among other visions, wished for nothing more than an intellectual and cultural center for the Jewish people. The debate was eventually won by David BenGurion on May 14, 1948, when Jews became sovereign over their land once again. Founding arguments resurfaced in the late 1980s as Israel attempted a rapprochement with Palestinians in their midst after the Six-Day War. The doves came to power under Yitzhak Rabin and Shimon Perez with high hopes for peace. Instead, they gave the world Arafat, the debacle of Oslo, and all that followed — including the withdrawal from Gaza and subsequent Hamas totalitarianism. The Israelis have since learned their

bitter lesson and awakened to reality. They are quietly supportive of Benjamin Netanyahu’s wary but realistic policy toward peace negotiations. The American administration, we may hope, is coming to recognize its own limitations after a bad beginning. When events such as Oslo leave us bewildered, we ask, “What were they thinking?” This is precisely the question answered in Kenneth Levin’s brilliant book, The Oslo Syndrome: Delusions of a People Under Siege. I discovered the book during a talk by George Gilder, author of The Israel Test. In his speech, Gilder made three interesting observations: Palestinian negotiating strategy can be explained in terms of game theory; Israel’s obsessive pursuit of peace to the point of jeopardizing its own security at Oslo and after can be understood in terms of a psychological delusion; and finally, animosity toward Israel can be understood as envy and resentment of Israel’s success. I leave it to the reader to learn more about game theory and the Israel test from Gilder himself. Levin, a polymath, scholar, and psychiatrist, elucidates the Oslo delusion this way: Chronically besieged populations subject to bigotry, denigration or assault suffer delusions in which they believe their accusers are right, and believe they must accommodate and change themselves to win

acceptance from the society at large. He illustrates his thesis by charting efforts at assimilation (and, in many cases, abandonment of Jewish identity) among German Jews in the century before the Holocaust. Fast forward to the early 1990s. “Occupation fatigue” and an overwhelming hunger for peace and security created a national delusion during Oslo. Israel brought Arafat and his 7,000 armed gunmen from Tunisia, hoping to make them peace partners. The Peace Now movement promoted its leaders into the government, and Yossi Beilin, a leading dove and deputy foreign minister under Rabin, held secret talks with Palestinian counterparts. Beilin offered everything and anything to the Palestinians, the Golan Heights, East Jerusalem — even the Western Wall. Arafat responded with suicide bomber attacks and continued incitement following his “Plan of Phases,” a deception with the goal of destroying the Jewish State. The ruse was evident to a small number of Israelis monitoring Palestinian media, yet Israeli media, the American Jewish press, and the Israeli government publicly ignored it. Israel continued to educate its schoolchildren to believe in the possibility of a final and enduring peace. Israelis have awakened with heavy hearts from their delusion. They understand the self-evident reality that they

can do nothing by themselves to reach a formal peace with the Palestinians. The Palestinians will not abide it short of annihilation of Israel as a Jewish state. Those who think differently remain afflicted with the Oslo Syndrome. Many Americans do, and many of them are Jewish. They support pro-Palestinian groups and the BDS movement (boycott, divest and sanction), and seek to delegitimize Israel. They employ tropes such as “apartheid” and “Israeli-Nazi war machine” to create a smokescreen of twisted facts and history giving currency to Lenin’s adage, “A lie told often enough becomes the truth.” Among them are Seattle blogger Richard Silverstein, Rabbi Michael Lerner of Tikkun, Naim Ateek of Sabeel Institute, Noam Chomsky, Norman Finkelstein, the International Solidarity Movement — the list goes on. They hyperbolically depict Israel as a Nazi state inflicting a Shoah on the Palestinians. Well meaning? I cannot assume otherwise. Deluded? Without doubt. Now that we know what they are thinking, the question remains, “Why are they doing that?” Dr. Levin’s keen psychoanalytical paradigm has them pegged. They adhere to far-left ideologies that despise
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Fill Your Spiritual Toolbox... Rabbi Shawn Fields-Meyer Edwin L. Bierman Scholar in Residence
February 4-6, 2011
Holy Arrogance…! The Spiritual Art of Brutal Honesty
Friday, February 4 from 8-9:00pm –A Program for Adults Kabbalat Shabbat Service at 5:00pm, Dinner at 6:15pm Dinner reservations & prepayment required by January 31st $12.50/member. $25/non-member. Children 3 years and under free Childcare available by pre-registration Register at www.bethshalomseattle.org or call (206) 524-0075

D’var Torah

Saturday, February 5 at Shabbat morning services Services begin at 9:30am. Kosher kiddush lunch at 12:15pm Children’s programming during services

Your Spiritual Toolbox— Bringing Jewish Prayer to Life
Saturday, February 5 from 1:15-2:15pm, Childcare available.

Texting, Technology and Torah: Spirituality and the Digital Age

Saturday, February 5 from 7:30-9:30pm, Havdallah and Dessert Supervised movie available for children in grades K-5 by pre-registration

Six Ways to the Seventh Day: Bridging the Ideal and the Real—Making Shabbat Happen
Sunday, February 6 from 10:30am-noon

All events take place at Congregation Beth Shalom 6800 35th Ave NE, Seattle, WA 98115 (206) 524-0075 www.bethshalomseattle.org Lectures are open to the public and free of charge.

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iNside

yiddish lesson
by Ruth PeizeR

inside this issue
the ads that won’t go away 6
The ads critical of Israel were cancelled from running on the sides of Seattle Metro buses, but that doesn’t mean the saga is over. Last week, the ACLU filed suit against King County to have the ad campaign reinstated.

Az men hot gelt, iz men i klug, i sheyn, i men ken gut zingen.
If you’ve got money, then you’re smart, and handsome, and you can sing well, too.

teaching to the tech-savvy

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women, leave the control-tops at home
How about a weekend on a quiet lake, with good food (that you don’t have to cook), spiritual renewal, and a time to connect with other Jewish women? The men have had their Schechter weekend of poker and boating for years. Now it’s the women’s turn. For the first time, Camp Solomon Schechter is offering its Refresh, Renew and Reconnect women’s retreat from March 25–27. Activities will include a mitzvah project, ropes course and zipline, a chance to unwind with friends, a l’chaim or two, and, following Shabbat, a chick flick without snickers from your spouse and kids. Dish washing strictly prohibited. For more information, contact the camp office at 206-447-1967 or visit www.campschechter.org.

Education directors from Reform temples will be in town next week for their annual convention. This year’s theme: Teaching the iPhone generation.

the best of Everything 2010
You voted. We listened. And now the tallies are in. The best of everything Jewish, from corned beef to comedian, can be found here.

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the gaza doctor

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Dr. Izzelden Abuelaish, who visited the area earlier this month, lost three daughters and a niece when his house was shelled during the Gaza War two years ago. The book he completed after that tragedy, however, preaches not revenge, but peace.

a lifelong love of books

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Librarian Nancy Pearl has long held celebrity status in Seattle, and she was just named Library Journal’s 2011 Librarian of the Year. Plus, she’ll be speaking at this Sunday’s Connections event. JTNews caught up with Pearl in anticipation of the event.

Remember when
Remember When From the Jewish Transcript, Jan. 22, 1993, Page 1 The joy of bagels: A baker loads up the oven at the Bagel Oasis in Seattle’s Ravenna neighborhood in a story about the bagel craze sweeping the nation. Eighteen years later, Bagel Oasis is still making the area’s favorite, as voters made clear in the annual JTNews Best of Everything 2010 survey, which can be found on page 10.
thE voiCE oF J E w i S h waShiNgtoN 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 206-441-4553 • [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 $56.50 for one year, $96.50 for two years. Periodicals postage paid at Seattle, WA. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to JTNews, 2041 Third Ave., Seattle, WA 98121.

regular life in israel
Assaf Nisenboym is spending six months in Seattle as a fellow for StandWithUs Northwest, talking to students and synagogues about life in Israel — and how there’s more to it than conflict.

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a tribute to debbie

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Debbie Friedman and her music are among the most influential contributions to the current generation of Jewish liturgy. Her death this month inspired mourning and — in true Debbie fashion — poetry. We invite you to add to the tribute that begins on page 20.

washington leaders head to israel

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Hope for Heroism, a local organization that helps injured Israeli soldiers deal with their physical and psychological wounds, took leaders from around the state to visit these soldiers in Israel and possibly create a similar program at home.

washington’s first Jewish baby
Asher arrived last week, and his parents say he’s a keeper!

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STAff
Reach us directly at 206-441-4553 + ext. Publisher *Karen Chachkes 267 233 Editor *§Joel Magalnick Assistant Editor Eric Nusbaum 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

morE m.o.t.: a doctor hangs up her stethoscope what’s your JQ?: the Jewish tiger mother Crossword Community Calendar the arts Lifecycles the Shouk Classifieds

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

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aCLu sues county over bus ads
eRic nusbaum Assistant Editor, JTNews
The controversy over ads critical of Israel banned from King County Metro buses last month became a legal matter on Jan. 19. In conjunction with the Seattle Mideast Awareness Campaign, the ACLU of Washington filed suit in U.S. District Court requesting an injunction that would place the ads on buses as soon as possible. The 12 ads, which read “Israel War Crimes: Your Tax Dollars At Work,” were slated to run for four weeks beginning on Dec. 27, 2010. On Dec. 23, King County Metro announced the ads would not be run, and that an interim policy for noncommercial advertising would be implemented. At a press conference announcing the suit, SMEC spokesman Ed Mast cited other controversial bus ads run by King County Metro, including one related to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in Gaza. “We rejected stronger language,” said Mast. “We abided by King County guidelines for what was appropriate speech in a public forum. What we want is not some kind of punitive action. We want our ads back up as they were approved and accepted.” Attorney Jeffrey Grant, who represents SMEC in the suit, said that legally the case boils down to free speech. “This case is about more speech, not less,” said Bender. “People have competing views on this, strongly held. But that’s the whole idea about the First Amendment; that people should get their ideas in the marketplace and let people talk about them.” Rob Jacobs, director of Israel advocacy organization StandWithUs Northwest, said he is concerned that the bus ads would not necessarily amount to a serious dialogue. “We had hoped that this would go away and that there would be an opportunity for dialogue and serious communication that’s more than slogans on the sides of buses,” Jacobs said. A statement released by the Jewish Federation reinforced the organization’s support for the Metro decision not run the ads, calling them “inflammatory” and “destructive.” “This kind of demonization of Israel is contrary to reconciliation and does not contribute to furthering the peace process. Our core values direct us to seek ways to build bridges, not to destroy them,” the statement said. The case may rest on King County’s claim that the running the ads and corresponding response ads submitted by groups such as David Horowitz’s Freedom Center would be disruptive to Metro service. The county is currently in the process of creating a new policy for dealing with non-commercial metro ads. “The county sells advertising to raise revenue for the provision of bus service,” said Frank Abe, director of communications for King County Executive Dow Constantine. “The escalation of this issue from one of 12 local bus placards to one of widespread and often vitriolic international response introduced a new and legitimate risk of harm to or disruption of our bus system.” If the injunction sought by ACLU and the Seattle Mideast Awareness Campaign is granted, then Jacobs said his group would run ads encouraging a focus on the peace process. He also suspects that negative ads would be run by parties on both sides of the Israel-Palestine issue. Mast acknowledged the controversy surrounding the ads but explained that he would remain unsatisfied until they were accepted by King County Metro as appropriate and finally run. “Certainly the controversy spread the slogan wider than we had anticipated,” Mast said. “But at the same time we need to stand by it as appropriate speech.”

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nationalism, especially within powerful, advanced nations such as the U.S. and Israel, whom they judge troublemakers and oppressors. They adopt utopian universalist prescriptions illuminated in Lennon’s dreamy “Imagine there’s no countries” to assuage their particularist Jewishness. The Oslo Syndrome is a threat to Jewish survival. Clarity on this point can be found in the question, “What does it mean to be a Jew?” For me, there are three pillars of Jewish life: God, Torah and Israel. I am proud of our history and our people, and I find it difficult to imagine Judaism surviving if Israel is defeated. A blow so devastating to Jewish identity must hasten the day Judaism slowly fades away, sharing the fate of cultures and religions over the centuries that have been overcome by raw power. Will a child be called to the Torah (I pray it’s not a Kindle) in 200 years? We don’t know, but as Jews we must do everything we can to preserve the religion and the people that gave the world the one God and the law. Of 257 countries from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe, many newer than Israel, many egregious by any standard, scores of them theocracies, only one finds that it must defend its legitimacy. Only one is a permanent item of concern on the UN Human Rights Council agenda. Only one. Stand with decency. Lose your delusions. Fight for Israel.

Make 2011 Your Year of Giving
Get involved. Donate. Volunteer. It’s what being Your one gift can: Jewish feels like. • Help support Jewish education • Provide meals for the hungry • Help send a child to a Jewish camp • Support the future of your Jewish community

Thank you to the more than 600 women joining us at Connections 2011 and supporting our Jewish Community through our 2011 campaign. Live Generously. Make your gift today at www.JewishInSeattle.org/DonateNow
www.JewishInSeattle.org/DonateNow

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the new Jewish education: helping students navigate a tech-filled world
Janis siegel JTNews Correspondent
These days it is an act of sheer determination — engaging students who arrive at afterschool Hebrew and Judaic Studies classes each week absorbed in tweets, text messages, and the latest iPhone apps. In the hopes of helping teachers shrink the “tech” divide in the classroom, the National Association of Temple Educators, an organization associated with the Reform movement, will meet for its annual conference at the W Hotel in downtown Seattle starting on Jan. 30. The conference is titled “Imagineering Jewish Education in the 21st Century.” “The world of education is changing so dramatically, from moment to moment, that the experience of youth growing up today is fundamentally shifted,” Beth Young, one of several certified Reform Jewish education directors attending and a conference co-chair, told JTNews from her home in Coral Gables, Fla., where she is the director of education at Temple Judea. Young has been associated with NATE for the last nine years. “We no longer live in an age where the teacher is the person who has knowledge and imparts that knowledge to students,” said Young. “The role of the educator becomes one of helping students navigate information. It’s much more of a coaching-modeling role.” A pre-conference, one-day “boot camp” will give education directors, day school teachers, and regional education representatives who don’t feel completely comfortable with technology a chance to have some hands-on experience with the basics. Darim Online, a national company that provides technical solutions for Jewish organizations, will facilitate. Still, NATE executive director Rabbi Stanley Schickler cautions that Jewish educators shouldn’t throw the baby out with the bath water. “I believe that the use of technology definitely has the potential to attract Jewish youth to Jewish learning,” Schickler told JTNews via e-mail, “but technology is only ‘the hook.’ If there is no substance behind the technology, then I don’t believe that the youth will stay.” Rabbi Melissa Buyer, a NATE board member, conference co-chair, and the director of religious school, youth and camp programs at Stephen S. Wise Temple in Los Angeles, Calif., told JTNews that more technology in the Jewish classroom really can forge increased bonds with today’s students and their parents. Buyer implemented a digital report card system at her temple with weekly parent updates, and a 4th-grade distance learning program called iLearn, where students spend one day a week at the school, and one day in a session via a Webinar chat room. “Many of our students have not known life without technology and it is relevant and ever-present in the lives of the next generation of Jewish learners,” Buyer said. “While I don’t believe technology is the ‘magic bullet,’ I do believe technology can help us rethink and reshape Jewish education and perhaps community.” “I think people are being pushed by what’s going on with the kids because it is their world and we’re responding to their reality,” said Elizabeth Fagin, a longtime supplementary school teacher who served as director of education at Temple B’nai Torah in Bellevue for nearly 10 years. She said she had to switch her own communication strategies to students when she realized that kids just don’t read e-mail anymore. “I started texting them,” Fagin said. “If I was a director today, I would be using Facebook or tweeting them.” Locally, more than 20 education directors will be attending the conference, thanks to a $2,000 grant from the planning and community services department of the Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle.

So how can congregations afford to upgrade their classrooms, make laptop computers and the Internet available to students, and compete with some of the best Jewish Web sites out there, like JewishRockRadio.com, where music becomes a teaching tool? “The fact of the matter is that most of our students carry smart phones, and have small computers on their person,” Buyer said. “It’s time to move away from labs [and ask], ‘What more could we be doing with mobile technology?’ That really doesn’t cost us anything except for the training of our faculty.” Fagin agreed. “It doesn’t require that classrooms have technology,” she said. “You can provide homework experiences with their families, in the library, or in their schools, and send kids on Web searches.” Largely, NATE conference organizers want the conference educators that attend to leave Seattle with something — any part of a program they interact with here that they can bring back to their schools and teach their teachers. “It’s a way of stretching the day and asking, ‘How can we expand the day by utilizing technology that students and families are already using 24/7,’” Young said. “We need to start to think of students’ cell phones as tools instead of distractions.”

Frances & Howard Keller, the Keller Family Lecture Series and Temple De Hirsch Sinai proudly present

America’s Preeminent Moral Philosopher
Cordially invites you to

Michael Financial Crisis Sandel Ethics After the
Values, Leadership, and Moral Argument

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Temple De Hirsch Sinai
Honoring Laurie Minsk & Jerry Dunietz
For their extraordinary commitment to the JDS Community

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Sunday, March 13, 2011 7 Adar II 5771
Meydenbauer Center 11100 NE 6TH Street, Bellevue, 98004 Co-Chairs Tamar Boden & Robin Castrogiovanni Doors open at 4:00 PM Dietary Laws Observed, No host bar
Contact Elizabeth Goertzel at 425.460.0230 or [email protected] to request an invitation or to make a tribute honoring Laurie and Jerry or JDS. Visit www.jds.org for more information.

America’s pre-eminent moral philosopher, Harvad Professor and best-selling author of Justice, Michael Sandel brings his “open-mike” style of ethical problem solving to engage the Seattle community with a discussion of moral values, ethics and leadership after the recent financial crisis. Michael Sandel challenges us to examine the moral and ethical assumptions underlying America’s debated political and social issues. The Washington Post called him “perhaps the most prominent college professor in America,” and Kirkus Reviews described him as “the professor we all wish we had.”

rit Justi Me Vi gr t Integr ty ty IntegrityT Duty IntegrityTrust Fairness Values rust i Values s lues ue

Michael Sandel lecturing engaging students at his immensely popular undergraduate course at Harvard University.

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m.o.T.: member of The Tribe

JTNews . www.JTNews.NeT . friday, JaNuary 28, 2011

invites You To a Seven Week Course on Judaism

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honoring esteemed community members

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featuring live entertainment Saturday, February 5, 2011 at 8 p.m.
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Register online at www.CSTLSeattle.org Rabbi Sholom B. Levitin | Dr. Josef Greenberg, President | Shprintze Kavka, Dinner Chair

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www.jtnews.net

“The American public is It’s become harder and paying more and getting harder to be a physician worse outcomes than other in private practice these industrialized countries,” she days, especially in primary adds. care, as Dr. Mindy Blaski Mindy’s unwillingness to can attest. We chatted on the give up the time she needed phone last month about her to spend with patients to recent retirement. It wasn’t provide the best care, “often just about the challenges of caused long waiting times the current health-care envifor patients and late nights ronment — she admits she’s for me.” reached retirement age. Although the doctor is “out,” Mindy didn’t always plan to be a Mindy is not completely retired. doctor. Born into an Orthodox family in It takes time to close a practice and paperBudapest just after World War II — her work is still being processed. She serves on parents survived Auschwitz (separately) the board of the Western Washington chap— she struggled against their expectation ter of Physicians for a National Health Proto marry young to become the first in her gram (www.pnhpwesternwashington.org) family to go to college. She was majoring and continues to advocate for a single-payer in Poli-Sci at Brooklyn College with “only system. She’ll do fill-in work for other docone basic science class” on her transcript tors, too. when she decided to go to medical school, From the perspective of retirement, adding two years of pre-med courses to Mindy marvels at the trajectory of her life. her education. “From the ashes of Auschwitz,” she “Sexism in medical school was still says, “that’s how I’m thinking of it.” strong” in the 1970s, she remembers, Although she left the ultra-Orthobut she forged ahead, fueled by idealdox lifestyle in which she ism and “the feminist idea grew up, she says it was a that women needed to be “grounding” Jewish expetreated better in the health rience. Despite her father’s care system.” Twelve years authoritarian nature, she was of yeshiva education at Beth inspired by his determinaJacob schools in New York tion to achieve a better life for also shaped her sense of jushis family, and by the work tice. ethic of both her parents. After medical school at In addition to spending SUNY Buffalo, and a threeCouRTESy MiNDy BLASKi year family medicine resi- Dr. Mindy Blaski, after decades winter hiking and drying dency at the University of as a physician, has hung up her out in Tucson, and the knitCalifornia at Irvine, her hus- stethoscope from private ting she’s always enjoyed, Mindy is an active member band’s love for the Pacific practice. of Temple B’nai Torah, where Northwest brought them to she has found great support from the clergy Seattle. Like many, “we came for a visit, saw and community, and learned to leyn (chant) Mt. Rainier on a beautiful sunny day,” and Torah. Her husband Paul is the Northwest bought a house. regional rep for the International Union of It was hard, she says, getting her career Roofers and Waterproofers. They have two on track in a new town, and after a few grown daughters living in the Bay Area. years working for other practices, she decided to open her own in 1985. Mindy loved seeing patients and helpSeattle attorney James Rogers was ing people, but her practice became overrecently selected as “Outstanding whelmed dealing with multiple health Plaintiff’s Trial Lawyer” by the insurance companies and competing with Washington Defense Trial Lawyers at the larger organizations for staff recruitment. organization’s judicial reception in Oct. “I tried to find alternatives to retiring, 2010. The WDTL’s members are 800 lawbut I really couldn’t,” she says. yers statewide engaged in civil defense litiHospitals and larger practices can hire gation. Jim was nominated by his peers full-time administrators to handle insur— other members of the organization — ance paperwork “but most small groups and final selection was made by the WDTL can’t.” She calls this insurance companyboard. imposed burden “way out of line… It’s all Jim is not only a JT reader (or “Tranabout their huge executive salaries,” and script” as he wrote, and we fondly rememstock-holder profits, she says. ber), but a member of a multi-generational She points out that health insurers Seattle Jewish family. His great-grandfamade their largest profits ever last quarter ther Solomon Rogers was a founder of while primary care doctors are working Temple De Hirsch in 1899. harder to treat patients in less time.

diana bRement JTNews Columnist

tribe

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friday, JaNuary 28, 2011 . www.JTNews.NeT . JTNews

whaT’s your Jq?

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Jewish tiger mothers
Rivy PouPko kletenik JTNews Columnist
Dear Rivy, Are Chinese mothers elbowing out Jewish mothers in the “super-crazed, ambitious, drive-your-child” department? How did we let this happen? I thought that Jewish mothers were firmly planted in the top slot of wild parental determination. Are we sliding? Do you think Jewish mothering has changed? Is this a good thing? Is there an accepted model for Jewish mothering? to the needs of the future, the challenges of the present while having lived in the past? A composite sketch is in order, as we peruse the pages and pictures from the past to pinpoint Magnificent Moments in Matriarchal Mothering; Four Foremothers, with four big Jewish ideas in Jewish mothering. First, Your Voice. As God exhorts Abraham to follow the advice of his wife Sarah regarding a precarious domestic situation — details of which we will not enter into here — God Almighty adjures Abraham, to shema bekolah, listen to her voice. The first tenet of mothering: Find your voice and do not hesitate to use it. This new mothering upon which you are embarking must be an authentic expression of your own deep beliefs; as such, they must be voiced and not passive aggressively communicated through folded arms over the chest and side-swiping comments. Second, Your Search. From whence has come that voice, one might ask? As Rebecca experiences her challenging pregnancy, she goes lidrosh et Hashem — to seek answers from God. This short narrative teaches an important idea: Answers are not simply found. The action required of us is lidrosh, a determined search that involves doggedly seeking answers, sometimes from a Higher and Deeper place than we may conventionally turn to. To raise Jewish children, a spiritual quest is in order. What are your deep beliefs and how will you pass them on to your children? When did you last set aside time for study and contemplation? Third, Your Tears. The prophet Jeremiah depicts mother Rachel crying for her lost children. This is not an easy undertaking. We may be tempted to make light of all the mothering shenanigans, but this is serious stuff. Raising up the next generation of Jews cannot help but be fraught with drama. Pictures of self-sacrificing Jewish mothers be they, Hannah and her seven sons of Hanukkah or mothers whose children were grabbed from them during painful moments in Jewish history, mothers who poignantly adjured, “Gedenk du bist a Yid” — “remember, you are a Jew” to their young sons as they were conscripted into the Tzar’s army, or mothers who sent their children on the Kindertransport rescue mission to Great Britain from 1938–1940, these loom large in our Jewish minds. Though we live in blessed 21st-century times we cannot help but harbor uncertainties about our children’s continued engagement in Judaism. It may take a leap of faith, but fear not, God assures Rachel, be comforted, your children will return. Fourth, Your Appreciation. Upon the birth of Judah, matriarch Leah declares joyfully, “This time I will thank God.” The name reflects a very special gratitude. Rabbi Yochanan, quoting Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, says, “From the day that God created the world there was no human who thanked Him, as it says ‘this time I will thank God.’” Leah is the first person to walk this earth to turn to her Maker and say a simple thank you. She teaches us gratitude. Her motherly “thank you” becomes the name Judah, the name of the Jewish people. It took a Jewish mother to teach the world appreciation — let its lesson not be lost on us. Through all the rush of carpools, bedtime bedlam and morning meshugas, don’t forget to slow down and say a quick thank you for all the blessings tumbling around you. In days of ours where the life of rush and the tides of cell phone rings, texting and Facebook postings bring a feverish pitch to life, we need to say a Leah’s thank you for all we have as messy and as complicated as it may be — it’s ours.
Rivy Poupko Kletenik is an internationally renowned educator and Head of School at the Seattle Hebrew Academy. If you have a question that’s been tickling your brain, send Rivy an e-mail at [email protected].

JQ

Amy Chua is grabbing headlines with her shocking revelations of hours of compulsory, epic-long piano practices, harsh treatment for B+ grades, not to mention ongoing merciless sleepover deprivation meted out cruelly to her children. Everyone’s got something to contribute in the way of Amy Chua’s instant notoriety. You’ve got the pro-Chua team, as in, “She knows what she’s doing! Why didn’t I do that?” versus the con-Chua team — “she is cruel and inhumane,” with varying degrees ranging from “she is damaging her children” at one end to “she has denied her children real life experiences” at the other. What’s a mom to think? And what then is the Jewish angle in all of this? We are used to being the ones grabbing the headlines in the area of psychotic mothering. Do I hear Sophie Portnoy rolling over in her grave? Is that Marjorie Morningstar’s mom chuckling up there in heaven, giddy with delicious schädenfreude as the attention deflects from tomes dedicated to the demonization of Jewish mothers en masse, shifted over to a whole other ethnic group? Say it isn’t so! I wish I could — but as with many other matters in this world, the Chinese are pulling ahead. Woe are we. On second thought, let’s be glad. The glory days of Jewish mother mocking are over — let the word go forth — no more Jewish mother jokes! On to the next exploitation of an immigrant stereotype! Thank you, Ms. Chua, for dethroning us! Jewish mothers of the world, it is safe to come out, we have been relegated to the realm of the normal — it was only a matter of time. Now would be a good time to pause and regroup. Most of us were not thrilled with the archetypal Jewish mother of popular culture. Its fading away gives us an opportunity to recast ourselves. What is Jewish mothering? Is there such a thing? Where would we go to find it? Let it not be left to the Ayelet Waldmans of the world to set the new Jew tone to mommy redux. It is time to hit the collective refresh button and locate a workable image of Jewish mothering that will resonate for the 21st century. Who knows four? Four Jewish mothers who can speak across times and continents — four mothers whose lives speak

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10

The besT of everyThiNg 2010

JTNews . www.JTNews.NeT . friday, JaNuary 28, 2011

The Best of Jewish Washington 2010:
You ate, you prayed, you picked the best
a wedding ring) said he’d head over to a BMW dealer: “I’d get a motorcycle instead.”
Best florist

eRic nusbaum Assistant Editor, JTNews
The people have spoken. The results are in. Before we get too wrapped up in 2011, let’s pause for one last look back at the things we loved in 2010. The results of our annual Best of Everything Survey might look familiar in some places — Island Crust pizza, anyone? — but they are also even more reflective of our Jewish community than ever before. How is that, you ask? It’s simple: More people filled out the survey than ever before, shattering the record set just last year. But enough introduction and onto the best of Jewish Washington...

If you saw this action flick The Town this year, you know how florists can pack a surprising punch. Anna Brandt, however, reserves her talents for the task at hand, starting with a free consultation and working all the way through the event.
Best hotel for a siMcha

gets the competitive juices (and competitive appetites) flowing. Speaking of which, I think I’m going to go grab some lunch...
Best Wedding caKe BaKer

Nosh Away takes this one, too —with a nod to pastry chef Rumi, who received special mention from a multitude of voters.

Why if it isn’t the old Seattle Sheraton again...

Best Place for a Wedding

Planning a Celebration
h by J l ketuba oan Lit e Mille r.

Mazel Tov!

Best corned Beef sandWich

DelI-CIous

We’ll kick things off with a wedding celebration. This year the people said, “I do” to the Seattle Sheraton, located right in the heart of downtown. Outdoor suggestions like the Arboretum and Ballard Locks were popular, but this correspondent suggests that anybody considering those venues wait a few months for the weather to clear up.
Best Place for a Bar Mitzvah

Some of our voters in this category reached beyond Seattle with their choices, but if you want that New York flavor, you can find it at I Love New York Deli, with locations in the Pike Place Market and the U-District. Pass the brown mustard!
Best Knish

A beau

tifu

Best KetuBah artist

Step right up, Congregation Beth Shalom. We’ll be hearing more about you soon.
Best local Party Band or dJ

The voters expressed their own creativity with this vote, once again, for Joan Lite Miller, who designs classic and contemporary ketubot, incorporating calligraphy, collage, and exotic papers.
Best PhotograPher

Jon Jacobs of I Love NY Deli, with a fresh brisket
Best extreMe Party sPace

You done with that corned beef? Make room, but don’t get up. I Love New York Deli takes it — though some readers expressed their longing for the former storefront (and kosher) offerings of Leah’s.
Best sMoKed fish

Mazel Tov to DJ Nicky B — aka Nick Barrat, a first-time winner.
Best Place to Buy a Wedding/ engageMent ring

In an upset pick....just kidding. Perennial winner Dani Weiss Photography is the people’s choice. Go Dani!
Best videograPher

Seattle’s most famous Jewish jewelers are at it again. This category goes to Ben Bridge. Although one reader (obviously looking for something more dangerous than

Our winner for videography is Edit 1 Media based in Tacoma, but operating throughout the region. Also a special mention that bears passing along — one person voted for Josh Isaac, not an event videographer, but a filmmaker and mensch who passed away this past year.

Our first tie is as extreme as this category: A three-way draw between the Space Needle, Camp Kalsman, and the Georgetown Ballroom. If it were me, I’d do all three: a sunny afternoon at camp followed by dinner at the Needle and dancing until dawn.
Best caterer

One reader suggested one location for whitefish and another for lox. But no matter how you smoke it, the winner is Dressel Collins of South Seattle.

Best rugelach

TraDITIon!

The winner is Nosh Away, in a category that always

Unfortunately, my grandmother’s rugelach was not a nominee in this category. But it still may not have beaten Nosh Away, whose pastries left the rest of the field in a proverbial twist.

Here’s to lusting after that which is black and white and read all over.
Join the Tribe now and we’ll send you a copy of one of the great books we’ll be reviewing February 11 in JTNews.
Hurry! This offer is only good through February 11, 2011.
Find out more on the back page. Call Becky at 206-774-2238 to join, or log on to www.jtnews.net and click on the MOT button. Important! When you sign up online, be sure to include the word “Connections” in the “company” field so we know to send you a free book!

MOT membership is only $15 for six months.

friday, JaNuary 28, 2011 . www.JTNews.NeT . JTNews

The besT of everyThiNg 2010

11

Best challah

Once again, Nosh Away wins the day. It turns out that the caterers are beloved for more than sweets. Although I give bonus points for confidence to the person who wrote “my own.”
Best Bagel

Delicious food. Delicious wine. A stunning view. Ladies and gentlemen, Canlis.
Best Kid-friendly restaurant

strong preference for Pabla. The Golden Samosa goes to the two locations, in Issaquah and in Renton.

In a battle that came down to two kosher titans, Bagel Oasis of Ravenna repeated as champion in a very close match-up over Noah’s at University Village. But a contender has entered the ring. Up-and-comer Eltana, serving their Montreal-style bagels up on Capitol Hill, will be a force in next year’s vote.

Of course the best kid-friendly restaurant winner is a pizza place. It could also very easily be called the best “dude in his early- to mid-20s” restaurant. The winner here — no tie this time — is Island Crust Pizza in Mercer Island. To the reader who picked Camp Kalsman: Remember that meals are only supposed to be a small part of the camp experience — and not even the best part at that!
Best sushi

Best Wine list or Wine Bar

l’ChaIM!

sports, you could heed the advice of one voter and head to Camp Kalsman where there will surely be room for spectators at the gaga and capture the flag matches.

The downtown location of Purple is an all-glass cube that looks like a giant fish tank. Except instead of water, JTNews readers apparently prefer to swim in wine. The café and wine bar, which opened in Woodinville a decade ago and also has locations in Kirkland and Bellevue, was a huge hit in this category. Pour me a glass of Cab, please.
Best local Bartender

Best BaKery

sWeeT TooTh

The region’s best pastries are in West Seattle, says you. Head to Bakery Nouveau for delicious treats both sweet and savory, then take a walk along Alki Beach to burn off the calories.
Best chocolatier

Best Burgers

DInIng ouT

Red Mill burgers are decidedly not kosher — but they are decidedly delicious, as voters chose them by a wide margin. Especially popular was the Veggie Verde burger. I dig their onion rings and taste for playing nothing but the Rolling Stones. Remember to bring cash.
Best Pizza

As a Wallingford resident, my heart is with the sushi (and the prices) at Musashi on 45th St. But the people think otherwise; perhaps I ought to get in my car and roll (ahem) over to Lake City to try Toyoda Sushi — a runaway winner.
Best MoBile food trucK

We have a tie! Defending champion Island Crust Pizza and Seattle icon Pagliacci’s were all-even in this category where the competition is stiff but the crust never is. Keep in mind, however, that Island Crust is the kosher option. Tutta Bella came in a close third.
Best sunday Brunch

This category is hard to keep up with. One, the trucks always move around. Two, it seems like a new delicious food truck appears every week. The winner is Marination Mobile, the Korean/Hawaiian truck you might have seen in Belltown, or in Fremont, or in West Seattle, or on Beacon Hill....
Best BBQ

What makes a good bartender? Familiarity? Stiff drinks? Theatrics? JTNews readers seemed to find the right combination in Murray Stenson at Zig Zag and Andrew Friedman at Liberty.
Best cocKtail
JoEL MAgALNiCK

Our readership, whatever its political beliefs, has at least one thing in common with President Obama: a love for Fran’s Chocolates. But of course, Fran’s makes high-end, delectable treats that anybody can enjoy.
Best ice creaM, gelato, or frozen yogurt

And yet another tie! This one between Portage Bay Café and Salty’s on Alki. In my book, Salty’s wins in the ambiance and view departments, but Portage Bay gets a nod for its organic and locally sourced ingredients.
Best foodie-style restaurant that KnocKed your socKs off

The Pacific Northwest has a wonderful culinary tradition, but other than the propensity for Seattleites to put on shorts and start grilling when it’s 50 degrees in March because the sun’s out, we have no great barbecue tradition. However, if you do want it, look south to Columbia City’s Jones BBQ and SODO’s Pecos Pit.
Best Middle eastern

When the Beatles came to Seattle Fran’s salted caramels are not only This wasn’t even close. If you’ve in 1964 they stayed at the seen the lines that form outside your vice — they’re the president’s. Edgewater Hotel on Pier 67. If I of the Molly Moon locations in had to guess, I would say at least Wallingford and Capitol Hill, you one of them probably wet his gullet at the hotel bar while know the winner. I’ve heard rumors of people who will staring at the waters of Elliott Bay. avoid walking past altogether because the smell of fresh ice cream and waffle cones is too overpowering.
Best haPPy hour

Mona’s in Greenlake is a Mediterranean-style bistro. What better way to celebrate the Mediterranean lifestyle than by spending an afternoon eating and drinking? With drinks starting at $3 and food items for $5, count me in.
Best Place to Meet friends or Watch a gaMe

Best cuPcaKes

Trophy, with a location just two blocks from Molly Moon (and at U Village and The Bravern in Bellevue) is the winner.

In a category that does service to the old “two Jews, three opinions” joke, the foodie-style restaurant that knocked the most socks off was Jerry Traunfeld’s Poppy on Capitol Hill. Readers love their veggie options and their Thali (small dishes served on a large tray) concept.
Best neW asian/fusion

Cedars in the U District offers a delicious Indian menu in addition to gyros, hummus and baba ghanoush. Make a reservation — it gets crowded.
Best indian

Best local JeWish organization

CoMMunITY MaTTers

Voters went the kosher route in this category, declaring a

The winner here is Montlake Ale House. With 15 rotating beers on tap, maybe this category could have been “Best Place to Have a Beer.” If you’re into those less traditional

Jewish Family Service, with its deep programming options, counseling, food bank, and so many other services resonates across all parts of the community, and once again takes the prize.

The runaway winner is Bellevue’s red-hot Spiced: Truly Chinese Cuisine. They focus on the Asian, serving up authentic Szechuan recipes — loaded, as you might guess, with spicy red peppers.
Best roMantic dinner

I used to always wonder why there were always limousines parked on the edge of the Aurora Bridge in Queen Anne. Then I realized, “Oh, that’s a restaurant.” Then I realized that it must be popular — and fancy.

The Jewish Federation Congratulates All the Winners JTNews “2010 Best” Awards
You are what helps make our community a great place to live, work and play.
To find Jewish events and activities visit, calendar.jtnews.net

lations to NANCY PEARL, Congratu

nuar y 30 eaker at the Ja h Books Our Featured Sp munity Throug covering Com 11: Dis Connections 20 on being named nthropy Brunch en’s Phila Wom Journal. by the Librar y n of the Year” “Libraria ay. Nancy this Sund /Connections Join us to hear hInSeattle.org www.Jewis Reservations at

www.JewishInSeattle.org

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The besT of everyThiNg 2010

JTNews . www.JTNews.NeT . friday, JaNuary 28, 2011

Best youth organization

The options for Jewish youth in this town are plentiful. The close race between USY, NFTY, NCSY, and BBYO this year exemplified that all four organizations remain stalwarts. But this year, USY came out on top.
Best JeWish caMP

Best source for local cheaP stuff to do

The best source for cheap stuff is, of course, The Cheap Bastard’s Guide to Seattle by local Jewish writer and humorist David Volk. It’s only $15, or if you’re really cheap, find the Cheap Bastard’s cheap deal of the day on Facebook. For free.

Rabbi Simon Benzaquen is an artist with a paintbrush — and more importantly for young Jewish boys in Seattle, he’s not bad with a knife, either. The Sephardic Bikur Holim rabbi is also no stranger to this honor; this is yet another notch in his toolbelt.
Best local JeWish hero

And here it is. Garnering more votes than every other category, the meanest, toughest, scrappiest competition of ’em all. In one corner: Camp Solomon Schechter. In the other: Camp Kalsman. The winner, after going eight rounds is...Camp Solomon Schechter.
Best JeWish WeB site

Best congregation

relIgIous refleCTIons

It makes sense that the Best Jewish organization would also have the Best Jewish Web site, and that JFSSeattle.org would be our winner. Check it out for anything you need to know about the goings on at Jewish Family Service.
Best Place to volunteer
JoEL MAgALNiCK

In this category voter turnout matters more than any other. That’s because most people — rightfully — think highly of their own synagogue communities. This year, Congregation Beth Shalom takes home the prize. Mazel Tov!

Beth Huppin is a hero on behalf of the people who say we should value teachers, doctors, and firefighters instead of actors, athletes, and rock stars. She teaches at Seattle Jewish Community School, Congregation Beth Shalom, and based on her votes in this category, she certainly makes an impact. A special shout-out to nominee Lea Hanan, who graciously donated a kidney to her father.

JFS is the pick for volunteering, not just because of all the organization’s good work, but because it offers a volunteer so many different ways to help. Be a mentor, tutor an English learner, help prepare holiday baskets, or lend a hand in the food bank.

Cheap bastard David Volk was so cheap he got a likeness of his new book, The Cheap Bastard’s Guide to Seattle, printed onto the cake at his launch party instead of putting on a real-live version of the book. Then again, isn’t printing images onto a cake kind of expensive?
Best vocational/training services

Best local food BanK

The realITY of The sITuaTIon

And speaking of the JFS food bank, it pops up again! Thankfully, Seattle has a great deal of organizations helping feed the hungry, like JFS, Helpline, Hopelink, and Northwest Harvest.
Best counseling services

JFS takes it again, but not all the way. Seattle Community Colleges rounds out the tie for first place. Each has its advantages, depending, of course, on the specific nature of the training.
Best free activity for Kids

And the winner here, once again, is JFS. Their counseling services were the clear favorite among voters.

Our favorite answer in this category was “being together as a family.” Assuming that, the winning suggestion was a walk around the Seward Park loop. Perfect for a sunny day — and free all days except SeaFair.

SHRAgA ELiAv

A demonstration of what the best synagogue does: At a Pajama Havdallah party at Congregation Beth Shalom on Jan. 22, two of the 350 participants learn “Oseh Shalom” — in sign language.
Best JeWish suPPleMental school

Pike Place Market 93 Pike St. #4 206-381-DELI

As Maimonides once said, where there is a strong congregation, there is also a strong Jewish religious school. And this, perhaps, is why Congregation Beth Shalom is our winner despite heavy competition from so many others.
Best adult education

Best fitness cluB

shoP ’TIl You DroP - anD The relaxaTIon afTer

B

ting us ! u for vo nd Best Knish o Thank y ndwich a Beef Sa Corned est

University District 5200 Roosevelt Wy NE 206-523-0606

Once again, Congregation Beth Shalom is number one. With a full slate of classes with titles you’d never expect from your father’s shul, and a teacher who has been recognized nationally for her work, of course readers chose Beth Shalom.
Best Mohel

The voters kept things within the tribe, selecting the Stroum Jewish Community Center as a great place to exercise (and gossip). The lavish Pro Club came in a very close second, though I can relate to the voter who wrote: “Fitness? Are you kidding me?”
Best sPa exPerience

After a long day at the gym — or for some of us, a very short day — what could be better than a relaxing spa

friday, JaNuary 28, 2011 . www.JTNews.NeT . JTNews

The besT of everyThiNg 2010

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session? The top spot for spa experiences in this year’s poll goes to Olympus Spa in Lynnwood. But not if you’re a guy. Regardless, it’s a far cry from the shvitz my grandfather used to visit in Jersey.
Best destination When i’M shoPPing for clothes for Myself

Best JeWish-theMed or israeli filM of 2010

anything wrong with that). Yes, JConnect takes the prize here as well.
Best online dating site

Ajami tells the story of a Jaffa neighborhood of mixed Jewish, Muslim and Christian population. A collaboration between Christian and Jewish filmmakers, the film was critically acclaimed in Israel.
Best JeWish actor of 2010

issues toward something more universal (though if you ask some people, not universal enough): Healthcare reform. Also checking in with high vote totals were, of course, the economy. And WikiLeaks? Not even a WikiSqueak.
Best local sPorts teaM of 2010

The voters went with a classic in this category, naming Macy’s. But is it Macy’s they love or do they miss the old Bon Marché?
Best KidsWear

The competition for Jewish dating sites is slim, so no surprise that JDate racked up nearly all the votes. And who could deny the greatness of a dating site that asks right away if you keep kosher?
Best JeWish PicKuP line

There is no shortage of talented, dramatic Jewish actors. But this year, the people have chosen to go for funny. Grownups star Adam Sandler wins here, although an awkward shrug goes out to the person who nominated Larry David.

Voters this year chose The Gap for their kids’ clothes. Or as I call it, the number one destination for kids who dress better than most adults.
Best indePendent shoes and accessories

Best Place to hang out and Meet other fun JeWs

MakIn’ frIenDs...anD MaYBe a BIT More

My favorites range from the simple (“Nice kippah!”) to the hilariously Jewish (“Is that a bagel in your pocket?”) to the almost uncomfortably direct — though sure to appeal to mothers — (“Hi, I’m a doctor”).

This award goes out to the only Seattle sports team to win a title this year, the Seattle Storm, starring Jewish point guard Sue Bird! The award for best Jewish team name heads over to Rock, and the 613s of Northwest Yeshiva High School.
What’s so JeWish aBout tea Parties or flash MoBs? naMe the Most stunning, aMusing, thrilling, or otherWise suPerlative local neWs of 2010. and tell us hoW it relates JeWishly, if you can.

The Shoe Zoo has been in business for more than two decades, outfitting the feet of Seattle’s youth. Located behind University Village, this is the place for everything from miniature wingtips to popular Crocs. But remember, kids only.
Best indePendent toy shoP

JConnect wins here, which makes sense: One of the slogans considered by the UW Hillel young adult organization was “A Great Place to Hang Out and Meet Other Fun Jews.”
Best Place to Meet a nice JeWish Boy or girl

Best (or Worst) Political antic of 2010

graB Bag

The winner squeaked in before 2010 ended. Readers praised the effort to prevent bus ads critical of Israel from running on King County Metro lines. In other news, Sarah Palin elicits strong emotions from our readers.
Most iMPortant Political issue of 2010

Top Ten Toys is not your average toy store: for one, the JTNews readers have chosen it (again) as their favorite of the past year. But they also put some thought into the products they offer — no toy guns, and for the sake of parents, no toys that make annoying lights and sounds.
Best outdoor shoPPing

And by “meet other fun Jews” they really meant “meet other fun Jews of the opposite sex” (or for those with a different orientation, of the same sex — not that there’s

Here our readership turned away from specifically Jewish

There are two winners in this category. The first relates to the aforementioned 613s of Northwest Yeshiva High School, whose girls’ basketball team, as one reader noted “graciously forfeits a tournament that fell on the Fast of Esther.” The second goes to Beth Huppin, our local Jewish hero, who was honored with the 2010 Covenant Award for Jewish Education.

Yes, University Village is the winner for best outdoor shopping — and why wouldn’t it be? It has everything, from Fran’s Chocolates to Noah’s Bagels to Trophy cucakes to the kosher QFC. So why not?
Best local, little, indePendent shoP

Thanks for voting us Best Brunch in Seattle!
Open daily 7:30am–2:30pm in Ballard, South Lake Union and the U-District

A Dynamic Home for Judaism

Seattle is blessed with many of these gems, and the nominees ranged from clothing boutiques to tiny bookstores. The winner is Cakespy, a new Capitol Hill storefront with a little bit of everything from art and gifts to the newest dessert trends.
Best Judaica

Rumor has it that the folks at Temple B’nai Torah’s Judaica shop can get you anything you need, even if it’s not in stock. Psst. Hey you. Yeah, you! You wanna buy a mezuzzah?
Best gift shoP

Keeping Healthy Play Alive ou Thank y us g for votin Best Independent Toy Shop
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Beth Shalom
s Reader TNews you, J Thank ng for voti lom eth Sha ation B g Congre tion ngrega Best Co wish Best Je ol tal Scho plemen Sup m Progra ucation ult Ed Best Ad and a ace for Best Pl h t Mitzva Bar/Ba

Congregation

Light your sparklers! Fireworks — with five locations around the Puget Sound region —offers everything from creative Judaica to handcrafted products by local artists and designers.

Best indePendent BooKshoP

PeoPle of The Book (anD sCreen)

Obviously the move to Capitol Hill hasn’t slowed the folks at Elliott Bay Book Co. down at all. If anything, it’s been a boon as they edged out Third Place Books for the title of Seattle’s favorite.
Best JeWish BooK of 2010

Readers voted — and critics would likely agree — that the best Jewish book of 2010 was David Grossman’s To the End of the Land. The Israeli novelist’s story of a family, meted out on an aimless hike through the Galilee, is his most personal yet. Another popular choice was from local rabbi Mark Glickman and his new book Sacred Treasure — The Cairo Genizah.
Best JeWish author of 2010

Congregation Beth Shalom
An egalitarian, participatory community!

For this category, the voters went local, selecting Noah Friedland, a computer scientist whose first novel, A House Divided, tells the story of an ambitious Israeli academic living in the United States who gets drawn back into the politics of his home country when his brother dies.

Seattle, WA 98115 [email protected] 206-524-0075

6800 35th Ave NE

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JTNews . www.JTNews.NeT . friday, JaNuary 28, 2011

The Gaza doctor
tim klass Special to JTNews
To many in the Middle East and beyond, Dr. Izzeldin Abuelaish represents a triumph of faith, hope and determination over squalor, suffering and frighteningly long odds. The oldest of nine children, all born in the Jabalia refugee camp, he became known as “the Gaza doctor,” the first Palestinian physician on staff at an Israeli hospital, a globally respected obstetrician and gynecologist specializing in human fertility with a master’s degree in public health from Harvard. Then his wife Nadia, the mother of their eight children, died of leukemia at age 45. Four months later, on January 16, 2009, three of his daughters, Bessan, 21, Mayar 15, and Aya, 14, and a niece, Noor, 17, were killed when someone in an Israeli tank shelled the family home during the Gaza war. No Israeli authority has asserted there was hostile fire or any other sign of resistance from the house. Abuelaish, an observant Muslim, subsequently completed a book he had been contemplating for three years, I Shall Not Hate, an autobiographical plea for peace and human dignity that he brought to a pair of recent Seattle-area book signings. “It is important to feel anger in the wake of events like this; anger that signals that you do not accept what has happened, that spurs you to make a difference,” he wrote. “But you have to choose not to spiral into hate. All the desire for revenge and hatred does is drive away wisdom, increase sorrow, and prolong strife.” In an appearance before about 275 people at Temple B’nai Torah in Bellevue on January 17 and a presentation that drew 310 at Town Hall in Seattle two nights later, Abuelaish never wavered from that theme. In Seattle, where the audience appeared to be more sympathetic to the Palestinian cause, he was berated by a middle-aged man who said he grew up in a refugee camp on the West Bank and served time in an Israeli prison. “How can you say don’t hate them?” the man said. “For many Palestinians, we hate the Israeli army. They are our killers … they murdered your daughters,” he continued, raising his voice. “You’re asking us to love them?” “Killing can’t be solved by killing. What’s important to me is my daughters,” Abuelaish replied. “They will never come back.” The Palestinian cause is “holy and noble. We must use TiM KLASS the holy and noble Because of Temple B’nai Torah’s work in the interfaith community, Dr. Izzeldin means … away from Abuelaish’s appearance was a mix of Jews, Muslims and Christians, including any hate,” he said. some in headscarves that greeted Abuelaish as he signed books. “Keep confident in acquaintances in the Israeli government your cause with rationality, with wisdom.” why his house was shelled, “people who At the synagogue, a center of interfaith know what happened,” and the response, efforts, the audience was predominantly he said, has been “nothing. They turn a Jewish but included Christians and Musdeaf ear.” lims, including women in headscarves. Before his appearance in Bellevue, Asked what he would tell Hamas about Abuelaish was asked how trying to projustice and violence, Abuelaish said he mote understanding and ease tension would not single out Hamas, that his between the Israeli and Palestinian peomessage was the same to the Palestinian ples could be translated into government Authority and the Israeli government: and political action. “Violence will never win… words are stronger than bullets.” He has repeatedly asked personal X Page 18

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A novel approach: A conversation with the First Lady of literature
First the bad news: Book Lust is finished. Now the good news: Nancy Pearl, the creator of the series of books that helps hungry readers find the right book at the right time and Library Journal’s 2011 librarian of the year, isn’t giving up her personal quest to promote literacy — and the pure joy of reading. It’s just that she has so many new channels to spread the word — her blog at www.nancypearl.com and a Twitter feed (@Nancy_Pearl) with recommendations that she updates on a regular basis. “It’s so much fun to Twitter. I Twitter every day about a book,” Pearl told JTNews from her home in Seattle. “I think that’s an easier, maybe even more efficient way to do it.” This woman who has spent so much time with other people’s words has also embarked upon something new: Her first novel. But Pearl is somewhat daunted by the thought of putting her own characters on the page. “It’s much scarier,” she says. “Even though the novel that I’m working on is not autobiographical at all, it feels much more personal than the Book Lust books did…. It’s your characters and your ideas and your way of putting the words together.” Pearl, who retired as director of the Seattle Public Library’s Center for the

If you go:
nancy Pearl will headline the Jewish federation’s Women’s division’s Connections event on sun., Jan. 30 from 10:30 a.m.–2 p.m. at the hyatt regency, 900 bellevue Way ne, bellevue. tickets cost $60 minimum. to rsVP, contact info@ jewishinseattle.org or visit http:// jew.sh/o8d2.

Joel magalnick Editor, JTNews

Book in 2004, is certainly not lacking for what to do. Aside from writing, she reads. A lot. On the morning JTNews spoke with Pearl, she had completed reading a 19th-century fantasy novel by Ben Aaronovich called Midnight Riot. “Everything is very real — it’s a mystery, but there are vampires, ghosts and werewolves, etc., who play in,” Pearl says. Nancy Pearl Pearl also talks books on NPR, travels to various cities to train librarians and readers to help them advocate for literacy and works with students in the University of Washington’s Library and Information Sciences program. But she’ll take a break from all of that on Sun., Jan. 30, when she’ll be the speaker at the Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle’s annual “Connections” women’s event. Pearl offers up two books for readers looking for something Jewish: The Hare with Amber Eyes: A Family’s Century of Art and Loss by Edmund de Waal is a family history, “a wealthy Jewish banking family in the late 19th century to World War II, living in Paris,” Pearl explains. “They were as rich as the Rothschilds.”

The Nazis destroyed the family’s wealth, but its legacy, tiny Japanese carvings called netsuke, was retained by a maid and recovered after the war. De Waal is now the keeper of these treasures. “I thought that book was wonderful,” Pearl says. She also recommends The Lost: A Search for Six of Six Million, in which author Daniel Mendelsohn recounts his journey in his search for the truth about what happened to his grandfather’s brother’s family, all of whom died in the Holocaust. Incidentally, a look at either of these two books on Amazon.com will find suggestions for other books purchased by people who purchased these — several of which can be found on Pearl’s blog. That as much as anything is a testament to Pearl’s influence in the book world — and on the people who read them. One item Pearl will be bringing to the event is a list of 20 books, personally chosen by her, that she hopes attendees will seek out and enjoy. The list, she notes, is not limited to Jewish content or by Jewish authors.

Pearl disdains categorizations such as Jewish or African-American subject matter, for example, or specific genres, because doing so often keeps people from finding great books they might truly enjoy. “I think that ghettoizes books,” Pearl says. “If you have your science fiction and fantasy separate from your mainstream fiction, you’re going to miss some great writers, some great books, because you’re not going to go over to the science fiction section.” Speaking of books, Connections organizers are collecting them. Lots of them. Attendees can bring unneeded books to the event, but there are also drop-off spots around the region where anyone can donate. The Federation will donate books to Friends of the Seattle Public Library, and books with Jewish content will be given to local day schools in the Seattle area. Visit www.jewishinseattle. org/Connections for drop-off spots.

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Herzl-Ner Tamid youth group wins international recognition

CHAD CoLEMAN/THE MERCER iSLAND REPoRTER

At front, Carrie Wernick-Newman, left, and Tana Senn, and behind them Jon Friedman, left, Aaron Kornblum, center, and Aric Weiker were the five Jewish candidates of 17 vying to fill a seat on the Mercer Island City Council vacated by Steve Litzow, the district’s new state senator. After five rounds of voting by the current council, longtime island resident Jane Meyer Brahm won the seat.
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accomplishment for this chapter,” said Briana Goldstein Roberts, the group’s advisor. Focusing on programming that combines Jewish learning and fun activities, such as a 35-part murder mystery Shabbat dinner that cast the teens as different historical and biblical characters, quirks and all, Roberts said the current group of high schoolers has allowed her and their parents to step back so they can put their own ideas into practice. “My teenagers are incredibly creative,” she said. “The kids really step up to the plate and take a leadership role.” In addition to their social learning activities, USYers meet each month with Rabbi Jay Rosenbaum or other speakers to talk about subjects pressing on their minds. The group won regional chapter of the year last year for the Pacific Northwest’s Pinwheel Region, where Roberts said the teens could see how their chapter’s model was successful. But they didn’t realize they had been noticed at the top echelons of the organization. “On an international level, our kids had no idea how much more we were infusing into our programs,” Roberts said. When the current board began rebuilding the chapter three years ago, they had a goal of 20 participants in each event. These days that number tops 40, with new members coming in all the time. But as the current board members begin to graduate, Roberts said there could be some challenges ahead. “Moving the chapter forward, we have to make sure we don’t get complacent,” she said. “We have to make sure we are building more of our leaders and targeting who want to be involved. “It’s a great thing to have this accomplishment and be on a high, but we want to keep going.”
— Joel Magalnick

friday, JaNuary 28, 2011 . www.JTNews.NeT . JTNews

commuNiTy News

17

Traveling the Northwest to teach about Israel
One thing has followed Assaf Nisenboym his entire life: The sound of sirens. These sirens come not from fire engines or police cars, but from air raids. According to Nisenboym, when you hear those sirens, “you know that missiles are heading your way.” Nisenboym, 26, spoke to a large crowd at Congregation Kol Shalom on Bainbridge Island on Jan. 23, where he spent the afternoon sharing his perspective on growing up in Israel. Nisenboym is an Israeli fellow from StandWithUs Northwest, where as a volunteer he is traveling around the Northwest for six months to present a picture of Israel and its people not always represented in the international media. “My intention isn’t political at all,” said Nisenboym, “It’s only to give people a taste of Israel as I know it. This is how I grew up.”

dani hemmat Special to JTNews

Nisenboym graduated in September 2010 from Ben Gurion University of the Negev with a degree in economics. Upon fulfilling his military service, doing the requisite traveling, feeling ready to embark on his “real life,” he decided first to commit some time to helping the Northwest’s residents — mostly youth — to an insider’s view of DANi HEMMAT StandWithUs fellow Assaf Nisenboym addresses his audience at daily living and the struggles that IsraeCongregation Kol Shalom on Bainbridge Island.

lis face as a fact of life. Armed with little more than a slide show and a smile, Nisenboym said when he speaks at high schools, he always starts off with a perspective shot of Israel. “I ask them, ‘How big is Israel? Is it as big as Washington State?’ and they all say, ‘No, it’s much bigger!’” he told the audience. “When I show them Israel and how it fits into the tiny space in Washington, they can’t believe it.” Nisenboym said most teenagers don’t know anything about Israel. He paints them a portrait of the Israeli population, showing images of a broad ethnic mix. “When I ask kids what they think Israelis look like, it gets uncomfortable; it’s not such a politically correct question here in
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W GAzA DoCToR Page 14

“I hate politics. I hate politics,” he exclaimed. Someone like Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, he said, “cares only about staying in power, not about the humanity, not about the people.” Abuelaish ran unsuccessfully for the Palestinian parliament as an independent in 2006, when Hamas routed the Palestinian Authority throughout the West Bank and Gaza. He wrote in his book that he had never contemplated losing but “dis-

covered that when it comes to politics, you can’t always count on the people to do what you say they are going to do.” His book also denounces suicide bombings as a “disastrous weapon of terror.” He describes repeatedly unfair, unreasonable, arbitrary, dilatory, seemingly malicious treatment he experienced at Gaza-Israel and Gaza-Egypt border crossings but praises the “alert security guard” who caught a woman wearing 10 pounds of explosives she planned to detonate at a hospital where he worked in Beersheba in 2005. His letter of outrage over the attempt, missiles and the sirens, is pray they hit somewhere else,” he said. During his mandated military service, he found himself in another missile raid, this time near Haifa. As he shut himself in a bomb shelter with other soldiers and civilians, he noticed a familiar face. It was his sister, also serving in the military. “Here I was, older, more mature, but with the sirens, the missiles, and my sister with me in this bomb shelter, it was like 15 years earlier in the safe room,” Nisenboym said. “Being older didn’t make it any easier. I kept thinking of my mother, and how two of her three children were there, on the front lines fighting for their country, with missiles falling all around them. It never gets easier.” Though some might think it natural for a person with Nisenboym’s experiences to

the organizers and the woman, Wafa Samir Ibrahim al-Biss, 21, a former patient at the hospital, was published in the Jerusalem Post. “Is this a reward for kindness? Is this an advertisement for Islam, a religion which respects and sanctifies human life? This is aggression and a violation of humanity,” he wrote. Abuelaish’s appearances in Seattle, sandwiched around a presentation in Portland, Ore., were part of a 16-city tour that began Jan. 12 in Los Angeles and ends April 1 in Portland, Maine. harbor ill will for the Palestinian people, he said he doesn’t feel that way. “I am from Israel, and I am pro-Israeli and pro-Palestinian. I want both sides to have peace and a good life.” Robert Jacobs, regional director of StandWithUs Northwest, told the audience that the easy, casual way Nisenboym presents the portrait of his life in Israel furthers the organization’s mission. It was created primarily as a response to pro-Palestinian speakers presenting murky viewpoints of Israel to high school assemblies. StandWithUs seeks to catch young people before they form opinions about Israel that might be fueled by the emotional language that often accompanies discussions on college campuses. “Legitimate criticism of Israel is valid… it’s when it becomes an over-the-top effort

He and his five surviving children now live in Toronto, where he is an associate professor at the Dalla Lana School of Public Health at the University of Toronto, a position he had decided to accept before the outbreak of the Gaza war. Proceeds from sales of his book, initially published in Canada and revised slightly for the U.S. edition issued in January by Random House, go to Daughters for Life, a foundation he established to provide scholarships for women in Jordan, Egypt, Israel, Syria and other Middle Eastern countries (www.daughtersforlife.com). to get people to dislike Israel, rather than get people to talk about the real problems…that’s why we do this,” Jacobs said. “Presentations like Assaf’s are almost an inoculation, in a sense, to open up a real conversation, one that’s not filled with emotionally laden language about Israel. Our hope is that people educate themselves and are open to listening.” Nisenboym said his work with StandWithUs reflects his hopes and dreams. “I do pray for the Palestinians to have their own state, their own country, to live side by side with us. I want them to be safe with their families, and I want Israelis to be safe with theirs. That is my hope. And my dream…my dream is to surf with a Palestinian kid from the Gaza Strip. That’s what I want.”

W ASSAF NISeNBoYM PAGe 17

the Northwest,” he said. “No one usually wants to answer, so I show them [images of several different ethnicities] and say that it is a great mixture of people from all over the world, from many different cultures.” A passionate surfer who loves the water, Nisenboym recounted how, as a 10-year-old boy, the sirens would blare where they lived near Beer Sheva. He and his siblings would be shut into their safe room, a small room in their house with plastic sheeting taped over the openings to prevent poisonous gases from getting inside. He would huddle with his sister and worry about his father, who was serving in the reserves. “All you can do, when you hear the

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CONNECTOR
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 ew i s h I n S e a t t l e . o r g | w w w. J ew i s h I n S e a t t l e . o r g

Discovering Community T hroughBooks
National Public Radio (NPR) Commentator and Author

CONNECTIONS 2011 Featuring NANCY PEARL

Kiryat Malachi
Kiryat Malachi, one of the Federation’s partnership communities in Israel, was recently awarded the Israel Education Prize for the significant improvements made in their school system. With the support of the Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle and the TIPS Partnership, the city has increased the number of students passing their qualifying exams, from 33% to over 70%, in just four years—a marked improvement that means more young people are succeeding in their studies and that our work and support of these communities is having a significant impact. Today, 97% of the graduating seniors enter the army or national service. Your support means that we can continue our work in Kiryat Malachi and the Hof Ashkelon region, improving the quality of life for the thousands of people who call this area home. For more information on the TIPS Partnership and its important, Federationfunded work in Israel, visit www.JewishInSeattle.org/TIPS.

Get Connected! At Connections 2011 Women’s Philanthropy Brunch Sunday, January 30
If you haven’t made your reservation yet, NOW is the time to act. We are very excited about this coming weekend’s Connections 2011: Discovering Community Through Books Women’s Philanthropy event. With a speaker called “…one Lusty Librarian” by the Los Angeles Times, it is sure to be a lively program. Our guest speaker, Nancy Pearl, is a local treasure. She is an acclaimed NPR commentator on books, a noted author and was recently named “Librarian of the Year” by the Library Journal. This is our major Women’s Philanthropy event for the year and it is always amazing to see the power of women in our community to effect change and support our mission. Register now at www.JewishInSeattle.org/Connections. And if you are coming, be sure to bring your donations of new or gently used books for the book drive. Your contributions will be shared with local Jewish schools and Friends of the Seattle Public Library.

Share Your Events with the Jewish Community
The new Calendar to Jewish Washington is up and running and it’s the perfect place to list your coming events. A joint program of the Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle and JTNews, the new online calendar is one central place to list events by and for the Jewish community. With lots of new, easy search capabilities, and a simple listing mechanism, it’s easier than ever to reach the Jewish community. For details, and to search for or list an event, visit calendar.jtnews.net

Good News from Olympia
Zach Carstensen, our Government Relations and Public Affairs Director, is hard at work in Olympia, during what is sure to be a challenging legislative session. He strives to identify critical legislative actions and articulate how they might affect the Jewish community, then provide us with opportunities to make our voices heard to ensure our interests are considered. He recently issued an Action Alert regarding a series of potential early action budget cuts to help the state balance the budget for the rest of the fiscal year. One of the programs proposed for elimination was the Limited English Proficiency Pathway(LEP) Program. If this cut had gone through it would have meant the end of LEP Pathway for the current fiscal year. It would also likely mean Jewish Family Service would have lost its most effective program for helping refugees begin new lives. Jewish Family Service is one of the state’s most successful LEP Pathway contractors. Because of your e-mails, the House Ways & Means Committee amended their supplemental budget for the rest of the fiscal year and restored $1.5 million for the LEP Pathway. Please take a moment to thank the House Ways & Means Committee for making this important change. This is just one example of how Zach’s work in Olympia directly affects our Jewish community, and how your actions make a difference. Thank you.

Coming Events
January 30 • Connections 2011: Discovering Community Through Books Hyatt Regency, Bellevue • 10:30AM. Reserve your seat at www.JewishInSeattle.org/Connections January 31 & February 7 • Student-Centered Teaching Workshops for Hebrew Teachers • 6-9PM Details at www.JewishinSeattle.org/DaySchool February 10 • Cardozo Society Immigration Pro Bono Project 12PM • Details at www.JewishInSeattle.org/Cardozo February 25 • CLE: Briefing on Refugees and the Law: Washington State 12PM • Details at www.JewishInSeattle.org/Cardozo February 26 • Israel Philharmonic Orchestra with Zubin Mehta 8PM • Benaroya Hall • Details and tickets www.BenaroyaHall.org March 24 • Turn the Page: A fun-filled evening of learning for women 6PM-8:45PM • Details at www.JewishInSeattle.org/TurnThePage

TAGLIT-BIRTHRIGHT ISRAEL TRIP NEWS: Registration opens on February 15 at 9AM EST for Summer Taglit-Birthright Israel Trips. This year, Jconnect is offering a 21+ trip! For details on this free trip to Israel for Jewish young adults who are 18-26 and have never gone on a peer group, educational trip to Israel, visit: www.JewishInSeattle.org/Birthright When you register, be sure to select “Hillel” as your trip provider.

20

A TribuTe To debbie

JTNews . www.JTNews.NeT . friday, JaNuary 28, 2011

The Jerusalem Post Crossword Puzzle
By David Benkof

A Tribute to Debbie Friedman

Immortal Songs
By Jeffrey L. Weinthal Today the voice is silenced Tomorrow the silence will be sung all over the world The voice spoke for our generation And every generation to come What was said was not only said to us It was said for us From the quietest whisper to the roar of a mighty stream The voice touched us SHE touched us Through her we were led to the gates of prayer She opened a window letting us see the power of belief The power of love God’s love With each single note of music played Each single word sung She touched the lives of millions The voice of all generations both now and yet to come Her songs brought love many Love served up like a majestic banquet A banquet of souls Souls that we have willingly brought before God She was a visionary Her voice an ocean of heavenly love Even though she has left this earth she will never be gone Her voice Just one voice Brought hope to the hopeless Brought comfort to the sick and dying Brought tears of joy to celebrations Touched the hearts of the world She is not truly dead She will live on in songs Immortal songs
Would you like to send in a tribute to Debbie? Send it to [email protected] and we’ll post it online with the tributes you see here. If you would like to make a donation in her name, you may do so online at www.debbiefriedman.com or send it to: Renewal of Spirit Foundation, c/o Selwyn Gerber, CPA, Gerber & Co., 1880 Century Park East, Suite 200, Los Angeles, CA 90067-1600

Across 1. Carl’s partner in “Watergate” journalism 4. 1938, notably 10. Partisan and poet Kovner 14. Mittleman JCC’s st. 15. Pretentious 16. Garden tools 17. Enjoy latkes 18. President of Israel’s Supreme Court, 1995-2006 20. “Friend” David 22. Politicos Rendell and Koch 23. Fashion designer Calvin 24. Noodge 26. “Over ___ Rainbow” (Harold Arlen song) 29. Shriek 30. High Priest in 2nd century BCE 33. Cholent ingredient 34. Play ___ (skip school) 36. Aligned 38. The Balfour ___ 40. Minuses 42. State where Moses Alexander was governor 43. Part of a nuclear arsenal, for short 44. Kind of exam 46. Apple alternative 50. ___ Zalman 51. Modeh ___ (early morning prayer) 52. Jewish ___ A Capella (Brandeis singing group) 53. At Hadassah Hospital, perhaps 55. “Camelot” composer Loewe 59. “Radical” dancer-choreographer 62. Almost-Veep Lieberman 63. Marshes 64. Neglect 65. Agudath Israel spokesman Shafran 66. ___ Jerusalem (contested area) 67. Monologuist Eve 68. Egg maker

Answers on page 22

Down 1. Insider trading convict Ivan 2. Soothsayer 3. Common synagogue name (literally, “House of God”) 4. Kind of bagel 5. Noted Chicagoan 6. Cheese choice 7. It might be part of an eruv 8. Philosopher Theodor 9. Attempted to join the Knesset 10. ___ Ha’am (literally, “One of the People”) 11. Voice actress Alex (“Family Guy”) 12. Actress Arthur (“Golden Girls”) 13. Recite the Four Questions 19. Command to a dog 21. Anti-Semite Marr 25. Pollitzer and Diamant 27. Chinese dynasty name 28. Opposite WSW 30. “World’s Greatest Entertainer” Al 31. Rabbi Israel Meir Kagan ___ the Chofetz Chaim 32. Former holder of the Golan Heights 33. TV miscue 35. Sukkot mo. 37. U.S. wellness agency 38. Voice-overs into Hebrew 39. Hate-fighting grp. 40. Kind of tree 41. Air hero 45. Serial killer Joel 47. “___ Rock, Shout Shout!” 48. Nook 49. Earn 51. Capp and Franken 52. Not as many 54. “The ___ of the Just” (Holocaust Novel) 56. 20-Across’s character 57. Month of self-reflection 58. Two tablets, maybe 59. Actor Vigoda (“The Godfather”) 60. Yitchak Rabin’s granddaughter 61. Words of praise

If you go:
On Saturday, January 29, from 6:45–8:15 p.m., a Seattle community kumzitz (gathering) in honor of Debbie Friedman where you can sing, dance, pray, laugh, cry and remember will be held at Herzl-Ner Tamid Conservative Congregation, 3700 E Mercer Way on Mercer Island. For more information, contact Ruz Gulko at [email protected] or 425-747-9338.

friday, JaNuary 28, 2011 . www.JTNews.NeT . JTNews

a TribuTe To debbie

21

Her own journey of spirit
By ann coppel Debbie believed that singing was life giving. She loved people singing with her, participating. Singing is how I first met Debbie in the early 1970s — she was at a NoFTY summer conclave in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin as our songleader. We learned the three-part harmonies for all the songs from her first album, Sing Unto God (which hadn’t yet been released), Being someone who loves to sing, I was transfixed by the music and transformed by the experience of singing the music with Debbie. This music — her music — reached down into my soul and grabbed me. Or maybe now, upon reflection, her music and her soul opened my heart. I’ve always said, “that was my first real spiritual experience.” I’ll never forget my first of many conversations with Debbie. She came up to me after one of our song sessions at that conclave and said, “I love watching you sing.” “Why?” I asked. “Because you have such opened up to me. Debbie was always connecting with people, always listening, always interested in creating a safe space for people to be comfortable with themselves individually and in the context of community. Whether it was a joyful or serene melody, the poetry or wordplay of her lyrics, or her sense of humor (often irreverent), Debbie had the gift of connecting with each soul. Many people have written eloquently over the past weeks about Debbie’s contributions. You only have to look back at all the hundreds of musical compositions, 22 albums, scores of concerts and services and lifecycle events to know the tip of the iceberg. I believe the reverberations of her contributions will be felt forever. I am just so grateful that I persevered in producing A Journey of Spirit, a documentary film about Debbie. And although there were many challenging moments during the seven years it took me to make the movie, in the end Debbie was so pleased with t h e

pushed yourself to g You ive.
You wanted us to feel throu gh you r mu sic a nd
the li turgic al words story I peace, assurance, faith, hope, told. I’ll never enthu siasm nce. forget when she said to , optimi accepta me, “Can’t you make this film and sm, fun, self worth, involvement, and
have it not be about me?” I know many thousands are mourning her loss, but I’ve lost one of my best friends. She would be so humbled and honored by the outpouring of heartfelt expression happening around the world in reaction to her untimely death. And I also know she’d be telling all of us to use the gifts we’ve been given to partake in tikkun olam, in repairing the brokenness in the world. Debbie lived her life knowing that she was an instrument of God. We are the beneficiaries of her gift. Thank you Debbie. I promise to keep singing….

a beautiful smile on your face,” she replied. That was the beginning of my nearly 40-year friendship with Debbie Friedman. Like many of my NoFTY compatriots, I knew Debbie before she became famous in the Jewish world. Not only was Debbie my songleader, she was a good friend. In 1976, I had the pleasure of working creatively with Debbie on her third album, Ani Ma-amin, playing my flute and providing the cover photography. I took a lot of trips between Madison and Chicago in those early years, and had an incredible amount of fun and laughter. Debbie may not have realized the impact she had on my life. I remember showing her some of my photography from that period — mostly nature and scenics — which she liked, but her question to me was, “where are the people?” As was the standard with Debbie, she would always get me to think, to be more introspective. I took her question seriously and started to shift my focus. I began to connect with people and their stories and a whole world of documentary storytelling

Dearest Debbie
Your incredible and amazing musical gift to the world fills us all with awe — music overflowing with inspiration, purpose, depth, spirit, spirituality, passion, and life. We just love love love to sing your songs! You pushed yourself to give. You wanted us to feel through your music and the liturgical words peace, assurance, faith, hope, enthusiasm, optimism, fun, self worth, involvement, and acceptance. You composed your wonders tirelessly with vision and with strength. You did so until you couldn’t any more and the illness that had affected you for so many years overcame you. Your sweet guitar draping your

coffin caused us to cry. In our grief we want to listen to you singing Mi Shebeirach — bringing healing and renewal. But you’re not here to sing it to us any more. Debbie, you were so much a blessing. You are painfully missed; your precious gift is eternal. “Arise, Arise Devorah, Arise, Arise and Sing a Song.” Oh Debbie! You so did! Ted Bernstein is a retired educator and music teacher who led songs at Jewish summer camps around the country and created an anthology of religious school music, a large part of which is the music of Debbie Friedman. He lives in North Bend.

Seattle filmmaker Ann Coppel is the creator of A Journey of Spirit (www.ajourneyofspirit. com), which followed Debbie Friedman over the course of three years.

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22

commuNiTy News

JTNews . www.JTNews.NeT . friday, JaNuary 28, 2011

State leaders visit Israel to meet its wounded
eRic nusbaum Assistant Editor, JTNews
Israel’s export economy is known for high-tech products, artisan foods, and advanced military equipment. If a notable group of Washingtonians who recently returned from Israel has its way, that list will also soon include something less tangible: A new model for helping disabled combat veterans recover from their wounds. State Attorney General Rob McKenna, Washington State Department of Veteran Affairs director John Lee, and First Husband Mike Gregoire joined soldiers from Joint Base Lewis-McChord to tour Israel and get a first hand look at the work of Hope for Heroism, a nonprofit aimed at giving disabled Israeli combat veterans the means to help one another cope with their injuries. Known in Israel as Brothers for Life and administered by the soldiers it once assisted, the weeklong trip was led by Hope for Heroism founder Rabbi Chaim Levine and funded by local real estate developer Martin Selig. The delegation blended tourism, visiting sites like Jerusalem’s old city, Yad Vashem, and the Valley of Tears, with Hope for Heroism activities such as meetings with wounded Israeli veterans and a tour of an Israeli special-forces base. “It was just story after story after story of these men who were wounded in combat,” said McKenna in an interview with JTNews. “But then equally important were the stories about how they reached out to each other.” The Hope for Heroism model of soldiers helping soldiers has been successful in Israel because of the empathy bred by common experiences. Lee, who heads the state’s VA, said he could see the same connections being made between the Israeli and American soldiers on the trip. “To my great joy, watching those young warriors from the U.S. interact with and create a forever-loving, lasting relationship with those wounded warriors, it was just marvelous,” Lee said. “The youth, camaraderie, and compatibility — there were no cultural barriers, there were no ethnic barriers. It was soldier to soldier and it was remarkable what we saw take place.” Levine echoed Lee’s sentiments. He explained that the bond between wounded combat veterans crosses all cultures. An unofficial motto of Hope for Heroism is “same bullets, same blood, same tears,” he said. “What that means is strip away everything else,” Levine said. “No one can understand what they’ve been through like they can. What they discovered was this underlying brotherhood.” To help bring what he has learned from his soldiers since founding Hope for Heroism, Levine has sought to create links between Israel and Washington lawmakers and leaders. He first connected with McKenna two years ago at a Shabbat dinner at the Sephardic Bikur Holim synagogue. He met Lee after his efforts to pitch a Hope for Heroism-style program to the Department of Defense and national VA stalled. The trip to Israel materialized after Seattle supporters of Hope for Heroism spent a day with the warrior transition battalion at Joint Base Lewis-McChord. Selig was there that day and immediately suggested a trip to Israel. According to Levine, the trip took on two purposes: Teaching the delegation about Hope for Heroism, and deepening the connection between Washington and Israel. By all accounts it appears to have been a success. Members of the delegation, both soldiers and political leaders, are enthusiastic about the prospects for a similar program to catch on in Washington State. “What I took away from the trip in terms of policy is that to help veterans, as
X Page 23

gEoRgE CAvALLo

The Washington State contingent that visited Israel on behalf of Hope for Heroism and the soldiers in its Israeli counterpart, Brothers for Life.

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leTTers

23

W letters Page 3
dear grandMa Weisberg your tax dollars Working against you

Did it occur to you that boycotting Israel means that you are wishing for your family to starve (“Standing with her grandchild,” Letters, Jan. 14)? If you read the “not-so-fine print” of the platform of Evergreen radicals you will see that the “twostate solution” they are talking about are Jordan and Palestine, once all the Palestinian refugees come back to Israel! When was the last time there was a demonstration against Hamas or Hezbollah allowed on campus? And who are you protecting? Have you seen the hateful content in the Palestinian media? Did they ever actively take real courageous steps by their leaders to resolve the conflict? Step against their own extremists? Should Israel open the gates to those who want to destroy and kill? If your bright granddaughter would study in Ashkelon, Sderot or Beer Sheva, and a Kassam missile would hit her classroom, that Kassam missile would not care that little Emily is a Hamas supporter, liberal, conscientious Jew. Your young bright granddaughter will be torn to tiny little pieces on the concrete floor just like any other Jew in her class. ron Cohen netanya, israel

Are any of you, and by that I mean Jews and other members of the pro-Israel community, bothered by the fact your tax dollars are being extracted from you to help fund Evergreen State College’s virulently anti-Israel and personally threatening academic environment (“Evergreen: The hard conversation not taking place,” Dec. 10)? Aren’t any of you upset by the fact that money you can’t afford to part with in the first place is going to fund a college your own children would be afraid to go and might actually feel physically threatened at? Don’t you think this demands some kind of response and investigation? Why aren’t you writing and calling your state representatives and senators, asking them to hold hearings on what is happening at Evergreen, where Jews who wear yarmulkes feel unsafe and people who simply support Israel’s right to exist risk being jeered at and intimidated in public? If Jews faced this kind of treatment at Moscow University, we’d be all over it. So how about we start doing something now, and that something is contacting your state legislators and telling them we need to look at what is going on at Evergreen and doing something about it? Good grief, it’s your money and it is being used to fund a school your own kids would be scared to go to. eric leibman Portland, ore

W HoPe FoR HeRoISM Page 22

we try to do through the state VA program and the federal VA program, we need to find more ways to empower veterans to help each other,” McKenna said. “They relate to each other so well, and that peerto-peer contact is so valuable.” Such an organization would be, like Hope for Heroism, run by the combat veterans themselves. But McKenna expressed an interest in serving on an advisory board and recruiting other community leaders to get involved. Lee is also eager to further develop a partnership between Washington’s and Israel’s veterans. “The rabbi and I have both committed that we need to work together to make

happen in Washington — and perhaps throughout the country — what they have going in the state of Israel,” Lee said. “It’s quite special.” In May, a group of Hope for Heroism soldiers will land in Seattle, as they have done each year since Levine founded the organization in 2007. Aside from speaking to community members about their program and taking in the local sites, they will meet with soldiers based in this state to help get a local program off the ground. After that, anything is possible, according to Levine. “I think it can go beyond Washington State to other parts of the country, and even potentially London,” he said.

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commuNiTy caleNdar

JTNews . www.JTNews.NeT . friday, JaNuary 28, 2011

ongoing events
Event names, locations, and times are provided here for ongoing weekly events. Please visit calendar.jtnews.net for descriptions and contact information.

FRidays
12:30–3:30 p.m. – Bridge group Stroum Jewish Community Center 12:30–3:30 p.m. – Drop-in Mah Jongg Stroum JCC 9:30–10:30 a.m. – SJCC Tot Shabbat Stroum JCC 11 a.m.–12 p.m. – Tots Welcoming Shabbat Temple B’nai Torah

5 p.m. – The Ramchal’s Derech Hashem, Portal from the Ari to Modernity Congregation Beth Ha’Ari Beit Midrash 6:30 p.m. – Avot ubanim Seattle Kollel 9:45 a.m. – BCMH youth Services Bikur Cholim-Machzikay Hadath

11 a.m.–12 p.m. – Women only Torah Study Class Chabad of the Central Cascades

tuesdays
11 a.m.–12 p.m. – Mommy and Me Program Chabad of the Central Cascades. Call for location. 12 p.m. – Torah for Women Eastside Torah Center (at Starbucks Bellevue Galleria) 7 p.m. – Alcoholics Anonymous Meetings Jewish Family Service 7 p.m. – Teen Center Stroum JCC 7–8 p.m. – Hebrew i (Alef Bet) Congregation Beth Shalom. 7:30 p.m. – Weekly Round Table Kabbalah Class Eastside Torah Center (call for location) 8:15–9:30 p.m. – Living Judaism-The Basics with Mary Potter Congregation Beth Shalom

sundays
10:15 a.m. – Sunday Torah Study Congregation Beth Shalom 7:30–10:30 p.m. – He’Ari israeli Dancing Danceland Ballroom 8:30 p.m. – Talmud, yeshiva-Style Eastside Torah Center

7 p.m. – Beginning israeli Dancing for Adults with Rhona Feldman Congregation Beth Shalom 7–8 p.m. – Beginning Modern Hebrew Congregation Beth Shalom 7–8:30 p.m. – Modern Hebrew Literature Congregation Beth Shalom (1st Wednesday) 7–9 p.m. – Teen Lounge for Middle Schoolers NCSY (at Congregation Bikur Cholim-Machzikay Hadath) 7:30 p.m. – Parshas Hashavuah Eastside Torah Center 8:15 –9:15 p.m. – Resurrection, the Afterlife & Reincarnation Congregation Beth Shalom

satuRdays
9–10.am. – Meditation Through Breath and Movement Congregation Beth Shalom (2nd Saturday of month) 9–10:15.am. – Learner’s Minyan with Ron Schneeweiss Congregation Beth Shalom (2nd Saturday of month) 10 a.m. – Morning youth Program Congregation Ezra Bessaroth 9 a.m.–10:30 a.m. – Temple B’nai Torah Adult Torah Study Temple B’nai Torah

mondays
10 a.m.–2 p.m. – JCC Seniors group Stroum JCC 12:30 p.m. – Caffeine for the Soul Chabad of the Central Cascades 7 p.m – CSA Monday Night Classes Congregation Shevet Achim (at Northwest Yeshiva High School) 10 a.m – Jewish Mommy and Me West Seattle Torah Learning Center (at Hiawatha Community Center) 8:30 p.m. – Talmud in Hebrew Eastside Torah Center

thuRsdays
10–2 p.m. – JCC Seniors group Stroum JCC 6:50 p.m. – introduction to Hebrew Herzl-Ner Tamid Conservative Congregation 7 p.m. – Junior Teen Center NCSY (at the Stroum JCC) 8–10 p.m. – Teen Lounge for High Schoolers Congregation Bikur Cholim-Machzikay Hadath 8–9:30 p.m. – Beth Shalom Beit Midrash Congregation Beth Shalom (2nd Thursday of month)

Wednesdays
11:45 a.m.–12:30 p.m. – Talmud Berachot Tullys Westlake Center 1:30 p.m. – Book Club at the Stroum JCC Stroum JCC

Have you visited the new online Jewish community calendar? Find it at calendar.jtnews.net!
Candle Lighting Times January 28 ..................... 4:46 p.m. February 5 ...................... 4:56 p.m. February 12 .................... 5:08 p.m. February 19 .....................5:18 p.m. FRiday
scientific methods to explore the authenticity of Judaism and its relevance today. Cost includes room/meals/conference costs. Childcare available upon request. $300/$200/$150/kids $60. At Sheraton Bellevue through the weekend, 100 112th Ave. SE, The Seattle Kollel, Bellevue. Sing, dance, pray, laugh, cry and remember — honor the beloved Debbie by continuing her work. No speeches. A little Torah, a lot of singing. Free. At Herzl-Ner Tamid Conservative Congregation, 3700 E Mercer Way, Mercer Island. www.jewishinseattle.org/Connections The annual signature outreach and fundraising event for Jewish women in the greater Seattle area. Nancy Pearl, NPR regular and noted author on books for all ages, genres and stages, is this year’s event speaker. Register online. $60 brunch/$180 friend/$360 patron. At the Hyatt Regency Bellevue, 900 Bellevue Way NE, Bellevue. 1:30–3:30 p.m. – Theo’s Chocolate Factory Tour (and lots of tasting!)
Jodi at [email protected] or www.h-nt.org/usjinfo.htm. Tour the Theo chocolate factory with Herzl-Ner Tamid’s Kadima group. Seattle’s local fair-trade chocolate company is certified kosher, and what could be better than an afternoon sampling delectable treats with your friends? RSVP required. Grades 6–8. $10. At Theo’s Chocolates, 3400 Phinney Ave. N, Seattle.

3 p.m. – Discovery Seminar Weekend
Marilyn Leibert at [email protected] or 206-722-8289 or seattlekollel.org With its crisp, entertaining style, Discovery uses

28 JanuaRy

satuRday

6:45–8:15 p.m. – Seattle Community Kumzitz in Honor of Debbie Friedman
Ruz Gulko at [email protected] or 425-747-9338

29 JanuaRy

sunday

Architects, Consultants & Contractors
Construction Contact Information Now Online!
Check www.kcls.org/buildings for information about KCLS construction projects. You’ll find the latest available details on current and pending projects:
• Requests for Proposals • Requests for Qualifications • Current Project Bid Listings • Calls for Art Proposals • Site Selection Policy • Announcements of Finalists • Community Meetings • Contacts • News Releases

The King County Library System recognizes strength and value within our communities, and we encourage all interested and qualified service providers to review our public bid construction project opportunities. For additional information, contact Kelly L. Iverson, Facilities Management Services Department, King County Library System: [email protected] 425-369-3308

5–9 p.m. – ‘We Have a Dream’ Dinner & Auction
Kathy Gallagher at [email protected] or 206-547-3914 or www.kadima.org Kadima’s annual fundraiser at the Little Red Bistro. Adults $38/12 and under $12/4 and under free. At The Little Red Bistro, 400 Dexter Ave. N, Seattle. 2–4 p.m. – Auditions for SJCC Center Stage The Diary of Anne Frank
Deborah Jacoby at [email protected] or 206-388-0824 or http://jew.sh/W83o Audition for parts in the upcoming production at the Stroum Jewish Community Center’s Center Stage Production. At the Stroum JCC, 3801 E Mercer Way, Mercer Island. 9–10 a.m. – Change your Thinking
Rabbi David Fredman at [email protected] or 206-251-4063 or seattlekollel.org Delve into some of the most fundamental original Mussar texts from the founder of the Mussar movement, Rabbi Yisroel Salanter. The Mussar approach to kindness, faith in God, character development. Learn in person or via the Web at www.projectsinai.org and type in “Fredman.” At the Seattle Kollel, 5305 52nd Ave. S, Seattle. 10:30 a.m.–2 p.m. – Connections 2011
Anna Vander Munnik at [email protected] or 206-443-5400 or

30 JanuaRy

monday

7–9 p.m. – i Don’t Know What to Say: Comforting the Dying and Bereaved
Emily Harris-Shears at [email protected] or 206-861-8784 or www.jfsseattle.org/uploads/pdf/DeathDying_ Jan11_1Page.pdf Discuss hard questions about illness and death with Rabbi James L. Mirel of Temple B’nai Torah and Emily Harris-Shears, MSW, family life educator at Jewish Family Service. Participants are welcome to attend one, several, or all of the workshops in the series. Scholarships available. Advance registration required. $10 session/$45 all five sessions. At Temple B’nai Torah, 15727 NE 4th St., Bellevue.

31 JanuaRy

friday, JaNuary 28, 2011 . www.JTNews.NeT . JTNews

commuNiTy caleNdar

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7–9 p.m. – is There one israeli Society?
Roni Antebi at [email protected] or 206-388-0832 or www.sjcc.org Unexpected tours among communities, cultures and laws. $10 JCC members/$15 non-members. At the Stroum JCC, 3801 E Mercer Way, Mercer Island.

in residence, speaks following kabbalat Shabbat service at 5 p.m., and dinner at 6:15 p.m. Lecture is free. Pre-registration and pre-payment required for dinner. At Congregation Beth Shalom, 6800 35th Ave. NE, Seattle.

thuRsday

7:15–9 p.m. – Tzafona Hadassah Meeting
Pam Center at [email protected] or 206-525-8977 Join the Tzafona Group and Wendy Marcus as she leads songs from around the world. At The Summit at First Hill, 1200 University St., Seattle.

3 FebRuaRy

satuRday

FRiday

8–9 p.m. – Holy Arrogance..! The Spiritual Art of Brutal Honesty
Marjie Cogan at [email protected] or 206-524-0075 or www.bethshalomseattle.org Shawn Fields-Meyer, Edwin L. Bierman scholar

4 FebRuaRy

7:30–10 p.m. – Alexander Muss High School in israel Diploma Ceremony and Alumni Reunion Dessert Reception
Kathy Yeyni at [email protected] or 206-948-2030 or www.amhsi.org All alumni, their families and friends of AMHSI are invited. Special guest speakers Jonah Geller, CEO and AMHSI teacher Reuven Spero. RSVP requested. Free. At Montlake Community Center, 1618 E Calhoun St., Seattle. 8 p.m. – Shaarei Tefilah 10th Annual Fundraising Dinner
Shprintze Kavka at [email protected] or 206-730-2764 or cstlseattle.org Join Congregation Shaarei Tefilah Lubavitch for its

5 FebRuaRy

10th annual fundraising dinner, honoring community members Michael and Lesley Weichbrodt. Live entertainment. $65 per person. At Congregation Shaarei Tefilah–Lubavitch, 6250 43rd Ave. NE, Seattle. 7:30–9:30 p.m. – Texting, Technology and Torah: Spirituality and the Digital Age
Carol Benedick at carolbenedick@ bethshalomseattle.org or 206-524-0075 or www.bethshalomseattle.org Lecture by Edwin L. Bierman Scholar in Residence Rabbi Shawn Fields-Meyer. Havdalah and dessert. Supervised movie available for children in grades K-5 with pre-registration. At Congregation Beth Shalom, 6800 35th Ave. NE, Seattle.

Shabbat has been called a “palace in time.” But in our busy, chaotic lives, how do we find energy, opportunity or time to build that palace? Find out more about Edwin L. Bierman scholar in residence Rabbi Shawn Fields-Meyer online. At Congregation Beth Shalom, 6800 35th Ave. NE, Seattle.

monday

sunday

10:30 a.m.–12 p.m. – Six Ways to the Seventh Day: Bridging the ideal and the Real
Carol Benedick at carolbenedick@ bethshalomseattle.org or 206-524-0075 or www.bethshalomseattle.org

6 FebRuaRy

7:30–9 p.m. – Iranium: A Documentary on the iranian Nuclear Threat
Randy Kessler at [email protected] or 206-569-8743 or www.iraniumthemovie.com Iranium is a documentary on the Iranian revolution, ideology, and current nuclear threat. Post-film discussion with the film’s director and an IranianAmerican activist. Also playing Tuesday at Cedar Park Church, Bothell. $10 adult/$5 student/senior. At Pacific Place Theater, 600 Pine St., Seattle. 7–9 p.m. – Learning About Adoption: A Workshop Series for LgBTQ Couples and X Page 26

7 FebRuaRy

Camps & Summer Plans
Camp Miriam
Camp Miriam, on beautiful Gabriola Island, offers a diverse Jewish camping program for children completeing grades 2–11. Through creative experiences and in a supportive community, campers receive a vale-based education and, at the same time, gain knowledge of Israel, Jewish history, Hebrew, social justice and the environment. The program is enhanced with swimming, sports, arts and crafts, drama, camping trips, conoeing, kayaking, Israeli dancing, and music. A Jewish experience not to be missed! Four options include sessions for those finishing grades 3–9, two weeks for grades 3–4, first-time camping for grades 2 and 3, and Leadership Training for grade 11. 604-266-2825 • www.campmiriam.org

Camp Solomon Schechter
“Where Judaism and Joy are One” Sessions for campers entering grades 2-11. Our age specific sessions ensure a unique experience catered to their age group. Campers will enjoy boating, swimming, archery, zip line, challenge course, hiking and more! Friendship, Fun and Adventure! Financial aid is available. 206-447-1967 • www.campschechter.org

Foundation for Jewish Camp
The JWest Program provides up to $2,500 over two or three years for firsttime campers entering 6-8th grades to attend camp at one of 24 Jewish overnight camps throughout Western North America. JWest is an initiative through the Foundation for Jewish Camp. Visit www.onehappycamper.org to learn more!

URJ Camp Kalsman
Situated on 300 acres, our state-of-the-art facility is just over an hour north of downtown Seattle in the foothills of the Cascades. Sessions range in length from one to three weeks and are staffed by mature college students under the guidance of experienced senior staff members and faculty from across the country. Camp Kalsman is proud of its commitment to providing campers with strong and encouraging Jewish role models. Your child will never forget the joy of living in a close-knit community and developing new skills under the guidance of a dynamic staff—and the Jewish values and identity developed in camp will last a lifetime! 425-284-4484 • www.kalsman.urjcamps.org

It’s not too late to join us for
THE SUMMER OF A LIFETIME
Save the Date Camp Kalsman’s 5th Anniversary July 10, 2011 To All!

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individuals
Emily Harris-Shears at eharris@jfsseattle. org or 206.861.8784 or http://jew.sh/9sET What are the unique considerations for LGBTQ couples and individuals during the process of adopting a child? Hear from adoption social worker Jill Dziko, LICSW and family law attorney Barbara J. Wechsler. $10/person. Scholarships available. At Jewish Family Service, 1601 16th Ave., Seattle.

tuesday

10–11:30 a.m. – The Eternal Dream of Flight Aviation in Seattle and the Northwest
Ellen Hendin at [email protected] or 206-861-3183 or www.tdhs-nw.org?about_ su/facilities.php3 The world changed with the introduction of flight. Mike Lavelle, director of development at the Museum of Flight, will recount the history of aviation in Seattle and the Northwest, including the Boeing story. Free. At Temple De Hirsch Sinai, 3850 SE 156th Ave. SE, Bellevue.

8 FebRuaRy

Wednesday

7:30 p.m. – Heroines of the Bible – Her Story, My Story
Devorah Kornfeld at [email protected] Presented by the Jewish Learning Institute’s Rosh Chodesh Society, discuss six celebrated personalities in Jewish history in this monthly series. Connect with these women and enter their stories. For February:

9 FebRuaRy

“Chanah: Eat Pray Live,” a search for unity of personal and collective fulfillment. For women only. Cost includes materials. $75 for series. At the Community Center at Mercer View, 8236 SE 24th St., Mercer Island. 7–9 p.m. – Preparing for the End of Life: Documents, Laws and Finances
Emily Harris-Shears at [email protected] or 206-861-8784 or www.jfsseattle.org/uploads/pdf/DeathDying_ Jan11_1Page.pdf Learn about end-of-life preparations from elder law attorney Karen Treiger and Jane Relin, LICSW, clinical director at Jewish Family Service. Participants are welcome to attend one, several, or all of the workshops in the series. Scholarships available. Advance registration required. $10 session/$45 all five sessions. At Temple B’nai Torah, 15727 NE 4th St., Bellevue. 9:45–10:30 a.m. – Stay and Play in Hebrew
Kim Lawson at [email protected] or 206-232-7115 or www.sjcc.org Parents and children learn Hebrew together by playing games, dancing and singing. Wear comfortable shoes and be ready to roll up your sleeves. No Hebrew knowledge necessary. Ages: 18–36 months . At the Stroum JCC, 3801 E Mercer Way, Mercer Island.

206-388-0824 or http://jew.sh/2vIU Join the SJCC and JConnect to grab drinks and dinner at Blue C Sushi, then see Rock of Ages, an arena-rock love story told through the mind-blowing, face-melting hits of your ’80s music heroes. $32. At the Stroum JCC, 3801 E Mercer Way, Mercer Island. 7–9:30 p.m. –Race to Nowhere
Dana Weiner at [email protected] or 206-388-1992 or http://jew.sh/unGi Join the Stroum JCC for this movie appearing one night only in hundreds of schools and theaters across the country. $10-$15. At the Stroum JCC, 3801 E Mercer Way, Mercer Island.

satuRday

thuRsday

7:30 p.m. – Rock of Ages for young Jewish Professionals 21-32
Deborah Jacoby at [email protected] or

10 FebRuaRy

Camps & Summer Plans

7–11 p.m. – Hooray for Herzlwood
Nadine Strauss at [email protected] or 206-232-8555, ext. 203 Fundraiser for Herzl-Ner Tamid Conservative congregation featuring red carpet entrances, dinner, awards, and more. At Herzl-Ner Tamid, 3700 E Mercer Way, Mercer Island. 6–9 p.m. – Rabbi James Mirel Tribute Event
Temple B’nai Torah at [email protected] or 425-603-9677 or www.templebnaitorah.org Celebrate with Temple B’nai Torah as they pay tribute to Rabbi James Mirel for his commitment to 36 years in the rabbinate and 25 years as senior rabbi of Temple B’nai Torah. Festive attire requested. RSVP by Jan. 28. $100. At Temple B’nai Torah, 15727 NE 4th Ave., Bellevue. 5–7 p.m. –Family Fun Night Performance
Deborah Jacoby at [email protected] or 206-388-0824 or http://jew.sh/2vIU The Stroum JCC and The 5th Ave. Theatre’s

12 FebRuaRy

Adventure Musical Theatre Touring Company present Rosie the Riveter. Savor the last few moments of Shabbat, enjoy dinner, and watch this original and lively musical. $45. At the Stroum JCC, 3801 E Mercer Way, Mercer Island. 5:45 p.m. – SJCS gala 2011
Karen Friedman at development@ seattlejcs.org or 206-522-5212 or www.sjcs.net/gala.php Seattle Jewish Community School celebrates its 20th year by honoring Julie Lyss and David Loren. David Korch will be presented with the Kaplan award. Light cocktail reception begins at 5:45 p.m. $90 per person. At Seattle Jewish Community School, 12351 8th Ave. NE, Seattle.

sunday

2 p.m. – The SJCC Jewish Touch Lecture Series: “The Three Cantors plus one”
Roni Antebi at [email protected] or 206-3880832 or http://jew.sh/ga9G Enjoy heartwarming performances by Cantors David Serkin-Poole and Brad Kurland, Hazzan Isaac Azose, Rabbi Simon Benzequen and emcee Rabbi Bob Maslan. $5-$10. At the Stroum JCC, 3801 E Mercer Way, Mercer Island. 9 a.m.–4 p.m. – young Jewish Snowshoeing trip to Snoqualmie Pass
Aaron Mass at [email protected] or 206-719-5204 or http://jew.sh/EuTe Seattle Jewish Singles Outdoors Group leads a snowshoeing trip to Commonwealth Basin Moderate difficulty, 4-5 miles, 1,000’ gain, 4,000’ high point. Meet at Nordic Rental Equipment Center, 1001 State Route 906, Snoqualmie Pass.

13 FebRuaRy

Camps & Summer Plans
Habonim Dror

Camp Miriam 2011
Gabriola Island, BC

Community  Ruach (spirit)  Lifelong Friends

Session One July 5–26 Session Two

Check our website or call 206-447-1967 www.campschechter.org [email protected]
Become a FAN on Facebook www.facebook.com/campschecter

July 31–Aug 21
1 and 2 week sessions available

Arts & Crafts Creative Programming Interest Groups Singing Kayaking & Canoeing Hebrew Israeli Dancing Shabbat at the Point Overnight Hiking Trips Connection to Israel Theme Days and so much more…

campmiriam.org
[email protected]
EVENTS BLOGS NEWS

604 266-2825
REVIEWS FORUMS MORE

where judaism and joy are one

JEW-ISH.COM

friday, JaNuary 28, 2011 . www.JTNews.NeT . JTNews

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arts
January 30, 7:30 p.m. itzhak Perlman Violin Concerto Itzhak Perlman is one of the world’s premier violinists and has performed everywhere from the “Ed Sullivan Show” to the inauguration of Barack Obama. He will perform a concerto by the German-Jewish composer Moses Mendelssohn. At Benaroya Hall, 200 University St., Seattle. January 31 at 7 p.m. Michael sandel author discussion Michael Sandel is an author and Harvard professor who can be best described as America’s foremost moral philosopher. He will discuss the ethical challenges brought on by the financial crisis in this lecture. At Temple De Hirsch Sinai, 1441 16th Ave., Seattle. Free.

february 5 at 8 p.m. and february 6 at 2 p.m. “the Melody lingers on: the songs of irving berlin” show tunes Seattle Theater Group and Broadway Across America bring the songs of Jewish American songwriter Irving Berlin to the stage. His standards include “Cheek to Cheek,” “Blue Skies,” and, of course, the timeless “White Christmas.” At the Moore Theater, 1932 2nd Ave., Seattle. Tickets cost $25. Call 877-784-4849 or visit www.stgpresents.org for tickets.

february 9, 7:30 p.m. ethan bortnick entertainer Nine-year-old sensation Ethan Bortnick performs tunes from a repertoire that ranges from classical to classic rock. The young pianist, who has appeared on “The Tonight Show,” Martha Stewart, and Oprah will also perform some of his own songs. He performs the day prior in a fundraiser for Friendship Circle at a private home in Mercer Island. For information on that performance, contact [email protected] or 206525-5011. At Benaroya Hall, Recital Hall, 200 University St., Seattle.

Camps & Summer Plans

$

at summer camp r.org onehappycampe
Choose from 24 Jewish overnight camps!
If your rising 6th-8th grader has never been to Jewish overnight summer camp, you may be eligible for a grant, starting with $1500 for your first summer. Learn more and apply for your grant today at onehappycamper.org.

2500

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Restrictions may apply. Go to onehappycamper.org for details.

professional directory
Care Givers
HomeCare Associates A program of Jewish Family Service 206-861-3193 www.homecareassoc.org  Provides personal care, assistance with daily activities, medication reminders, light housekeeping, meal preparation and companionship to older adults living at home or in assisted-living facilities.

to jewish washington
Graphic Design
Spear Studios, Graphic Design Sandra Spear 206-898-4685 ✉☎ [email protected] • Newsletters • Brochures • Logos • Letterheads • Custom invitations • Photo Editing for Genealogy Projects

1/28 2011
Mohelim
Rabbi Simon Benzaquen 206-721-2275 • 206-723-3028 Fastest Mohel in the West Certified Mohel

College Placement
College Placement Consultants 425-453-1730 ✉☎ [email protected] www.collegeplacementconsultants.com  Pauline B. Reiter, Ph.D. Expert help with undergraduate and graduate school college selection, applications and essays. 40 Lake Bellevue, #100, Bellevue 98005

Dentists (continued)
Wendy Shultz Spektor, D.D.S. 425-454-1322 ✉☎ [email protected] www.spektordental.com  Emphasis: Cosmetic and Preventive Dentistry • Convenient location in Bellevue

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Photographers
Dani Weiss Photography 206-760-3336 www.daniweissphotography.com  Photographer Specializing in People. Children, B’nai Mitzvahs, Families, Parties, Promotions & Weddings.

Financial Services
Hamrick Investment Counsel, LLC Roy A. Hamrick, CFA 206-441-9911 ✉☎ [email protected] www.hamrickinvestment.com  Professional portfolio management services for individuals, foundations and nonprofit organizations.

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Hyatt Home Care Services Live-in and Hourly Care 206-851-5277 www.hyatthomecare.com  Providing adults with personal care, medication reminders, meal preparation, errands, household chores, pet care and companionship.

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Linda Jacobs & Associates College Placement Services 206-323-8902 ✉☎ [email protected] Successfully matching student and school. Seattle.

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ThouSAnDS oF reADerS in PrinT AnD online = Thousands of prospective clients

Physician
Vision Improvement Center of Seattle, PS Joseph N. Trachtman, O.D., Ph.D. 206-412-5985 ✉☎ [email protected] 108 5th Avevue S, Suite C-1 Seattle, WA 98104 Serving the Central District. Vision improvement and rehabilitation.

Counselors/Therapists
Jewish Family Service Individual, couple, child and family therapy 206-861-3195 www.jfsseattle.org  Expertise with life transitions, relationships and personal challenges. Jewish knowledge and sensitivity. Offices in Seattle and Bellevue. Day and evening hours. Subsidized fee scale available.

ConneCTinG ProFeSSionAlS wiTh our jewiSh CoMMuniTy Catering
Leah’s Catering, Inc. Seattle’s Premier Kosher Caterer 206-985-2647 ✉☎ [email protected] Full Service • Glatt Kosher Delivery or Pickup • All your catering needs. • Va’ad supervised.

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Frances M. Pomerantz, MS Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist 425-451-1655 ✉☎ [email protected] Specializing in couples and individuals. Facilitating better communication, more satisfying relationships, increased selfawareness and personal growth. Day & early eve hours available. 1621 114th Ave. SE, #224, Bellevue 98004

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Mass Mutual Financial Group Albert Israel, CFP 206-346-3327 ✉☎ [email protected] Jamison Russ 206-346-3266 ✉☎ [email protected] Retirement planning for those nearing retirement • Estate planning for those subject to estate taxes • General investment management • Life, disability, long-term care & health insurance • Complimentary one hour sessions available

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Senior Services insurance
Abolofia Insurance Agency Bob Abolofia, Agent 425-641-7682 F 425-988-0280 ✉☎ [email protected] Independent agent representing Pemco since 1979 Jewish Family Service 206-461-3240 www.jfsseattle.org  Comprehensive geriatric care management and support services for seniors and their families. Expertise with in-home assessments, residential placement, family dynamics and on-going case management. Jewish knowledge and sensitivity.

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Solomon M. Karmel, Ph.D First Allied Securities 425-454-2285 x 1080 www.hedgingstrategist.com  Retirement, stocks, bonds, college, annuities, business 401Ks.

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Dentists
Toni Calvo Waldbaum, DDS Richard Calvo, DDS 206-246-1424 Cosmetic & Restorative Dentistry Designing beautiful smiles 207 SW 156th St., #4, Seattle

Funeral/Burial Services
Hills of Eternity Cemetery Owned and operated by Temple De Hirsch Sinai 206-323-8486 Serving the greater Seattle Jewish community. Jewish cemetery open to all pre-need and at-need services. Affordable rates • Planning assistance. Queen Anne, Seattle

Madison Park Cafe Simmering in Seattle for over 30 years 206-324-2626 Full service catering for all your Jewish life passages: Bar/Bat Mitzvahs • Weddings • Brit Milah • Special Occasions. Karen Binder

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Matzoh Momma Catering Catering with a personal touch 206-324-MAMA Serving the community for over 25 years. Full service catering and event planning for all your Life Cycle events. Miriam and Pip Meyerson

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Warren J. Libman, D.D.S., M.S.D. 425-453-1308 www.libmandds.com  Certified Specialist in Prosthodontics: • Restorative • Reconstructive • Cosmetic Dentistry 14595 Bel Red Rd. #100, Bellevue

Eastside Insurance Services Chuck Rubin, agent 425-271-3101 F 425-277-3711 4508 NE 4th, #B, Renton Tom Brody, agent 425-646-3932 F 425-646-8750 2227 112th Ave. NE, Bellevue We represent Pemco, Safeco, Hartford & Progressive www.e-z-insurance.com 

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The Summit at First Hill 206-652-4444 www.klinegallandcenter.org  The only Jewish retirement community in the state of Washington offers transition assessment and planning for individuals looking to downsize or be part of an active community of peers. Multi-disciplinary professionals with depth of experience available for consultation.

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Certified Public Accountants
Dennis B. Goldstein & Assoc., CPAs, PS Tax Preparation & Consulting 425-455-0430 F 425-455-0459 ✉☎ [email protected]

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Martin A. Rabin, D.M.D., P.S. Kirkland: 425-821-9595 Seattle: 206-623-4031 www.rabinimplantperio.com  Specializing in Periodontics. Dental Implants • Cosmetic Gum Surgery Oral Conscious Sedation

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Welcome!

In print June 24

Space Deadline May 20

Newman Dierst Hales, PLLC Nolan A. Newman, CPA 206-284-1383 ✉☎ [email protected] www.ndhaccountants.com  Tax • Accounting • Healthcare Consulting

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Michael Spektor, D.D.S. 425-643-3746 ✉☎ [email protected] www.spektordental.com  Specializing in periodontics, dental implants, and cosmetic gum therapy. Bellevue

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Like a warm handshake, the Professional Directory introduces you to our local Jewish community. Online and distributed free in print all around the Sound.

one in our local Jewish community. Reach every
Find out more. Call 206-441-4553 today and talk with one of our representatives.

january 28, 2011

shouk @jtnews
admissions counseling cleaning services home services

the

help wanted

Director of congregational learning
Herzl-ner tamid seeks dynamic, charismatic, engaging educatoradministrator as Ft director of Congregational Learning to enhance our well-established religious school, creatively engage all ages in Jewish learning and practice, and expand current programs. Competitive salary; full benefits. Send résumé to [email protected] appliance sales

home services house cleaning
college placement consultants
Expert help with undergraduate and graduate school college selection, applications and essays.

General housekeeping services. Reliable, honest and affordable. Will clean your house, apartment or condo, weekly, monthly or one time only. Experiences, references available.

Repair & Home Maintenance Remodeling Services Reliable, affordable, with over 30 years in business
Small jobs welcome as well as remodels, additions, handicap accessibility and seismic retrofits Licensed • Bonded • Insured

Get ReAdy FOR SPRInG!

425-453-1730 Pauline B. Reiter, Ph.D.
[email protected]
www.collegeplacementconsultants.com

eastside/Seattle Call Cici • 425-213-9802
Gift Certificate Available!

LBA HAuGen HOMeS, InC.
LBAHAH1945pw

425-603-1492
funeral/burial services complete funeral/burial services
Serving the needs of the greater Seattle community Planning assistance • Affordable $2295.00

college placement

Wiseman’s
appliance
GE • AmAnA • ASKO • Sub-zErO • friGidAirE

a college eDUcatIon Is a maJor InVestment
Sensitive professional assistance to ensure a succesful match between student and school

mAytAG • dAcOr • ElEctrOlux • wOlf thErmAdOr • KitchEnAid • bOSch • viKinG

Since 1960, Wiseman’s Appliance still gives personal attention and friendly service
• • • • Prompt & Reliable Service Great Selection Competitive Pricing Professional Appliance Installation 2619 California Ave. SW, Seattle

a housecleaning service Seattle Eastside 206/325-8902 425/454-1512 www.renta-yenta.com
• Licensed • Bonded • insured

Howden-Kennedy funeral Home
Dennis 206-799-3334 • Jack Barokas 206-725-0364

linda Jacobs & associates college Placement services

cemetery gan shalom
A Jewish cemetery that meets the needs of the greater Seattle Jewish community. Zero interest payments available. For information, call temple Beth am at 206-525-0915.

206/323-8902

domeSTiC angelS
Reasonable rates • Licensed/Bonded Responsible • References • Free estimate Seattle/Eastside

[email protected]
entertainment

Clean your house and office

206-937-7400
insurance

Call Yolimar Perez or Maria Absalon
206-356-2245 or 206-391-9792
[email protected]

Traditional Jewish funeral services provided by the Seattle Jewish Chapel. For further information, please call 206-725-3067. Burial plots are available for purchase at Bikur Cholim and Machzikay Hadath cemeteries. For further information, please call 206-721-0970.

Auto Fire Life Boat Umbrella

Jim Hale
Serving the state of Washington 800-848-2120 2856 80th Ave. SE, Mercer Island, WA WaAutoInsurance.com [email protected]

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lifecycles

JTNews . www.JTNews.NeT . friday, JaNuary 28, 2011

obituary: Jamiyya Jeanne Laner
May 15, 1953-January 4, 2011 Jamiyya Jeanne Laner, recent president of Bet Alef Meditative Synagogue, will be remembered by her beloved Jewish and Sufi communities, former employees, family, and numerous friends for her generosity, compassion, integrity, boundless energy, and love. She was born on May 15, 1953 in Kansas City and was raised in Saratoga, Calif. from the age of nine. She died on January 4, 2011 after complications following heart surgery. She was 57. Jamiyya worked for Washington Mutual for 22 years between 1986 and 2008, rising from main frame computer programmer to vice president of technology. While working full time she earned a Master’s degree at the University of Redlands in 1988. In 2002, she received Washington Mutual’s Star Award in recognition of her outstanding contributions to the company. After she retired, she continued to meet socially with her Washington Mutual team once a month for dinner. “We’d worked together for so long it didn’t make sense to break ties,” said Alf Christensen, one of her employees, who called her a natural born leader. “By that time we were friends.” According to her sister, BJ Weil of Santa Fe, “She had great intellect but was also extremely good with people. She had a wonderful ability to work with and direct and manage people. She was a great one for finding people who were overlooked and making sure they were included.” Jamiyya reinvented herself many times throughout her life. In 1980, during her 24-year marriage to Don Laner, she converted to Judaism. Following Don’s death in 2000 she met her current husband, Madani Knowles, a practicing Sufi, at a bereavement group at Valley Beth Shalom Synagogue in Encino, Calif. She embraced Sufism and proceeded to become a Sufi initiate in 2003. She then received the Sufi name Jamiyya, which means “The Gatherer.” “She gathered people her entire life. She was constantly gathering hearts and souls,” Madani said. At the time of her death she was completing an Integral Life Coaching certificate and becoming a life coach. A lover of lifelong learning, she attended numerous classes, workshops, and retreats on meditation and spirituality. Local teachers included Jamal Rahman, minister of Seattle’s Interfaith Community Church, Rabbi Ted Falcon, founding Rabbi of Bet Alef Meditative Synagogue, Rabbi Olivier BenHaim, current Bet Alef rabbi, and many others. She also studied with leading thinkers such as Joan Borysenko, Ph.D., a world-renowned expert in mind–body connection. In 2009, she became secretary of the Seattle Sufi Order. One of her proudest moments was having the honor of hosting Pir Zia Inayat Kahn, head of the Sufi Order, in her and Madani’s home during a weekend course taught at North Seattle Community College. Concurrently she was an active member of Bet Alef Meditative Synagogue. She and Madani joined the synagogue in Bellevue in 2004. With Rabbi Ted Falcon’s retirement in 2009 and the transition to Bet Alef’s new rabbi, Jamiyya devoted her energy to ensuring the ongoing growth and success of the organization. She joined the Bet Alef board of directors as trea-

surer in 2009, and rose to president in 2010. Under her leadership, the synagogue launched the Bet Alef Learning Institute, bringing luminary scholars and thinkers to the Seattle area community. Its first event featured Reb Zalman Schachter-Shalomi, a founder of the Jewish Renewal movement and considered a rabbinic sage, and Jay Michaelson, renowned Jewish scholar and author. “She personally helped me bring balance between the many priorities that compete for a rabbi’s attention,” Rabbi BenHaim said. “Her highly contagious enthusiasm and dedication lifted all of our hearts. Jamiyya will be remembered as someone who could bring people from many different backgrounds to the same table. All of us will remember her smile, her passion, her unbeatable enthusiasm, her unshakable positive attitude and her ability to put everything in a more compassionate perspective.” In November 2010, Jamiyya and Madani traveled to Israel with Rabbi BenHaim and a group from Bet Alef, a trip Madani called “a lifelong dream.” Two weeks after returning to Seattle, the couple attended a weeklong Integral Spirituality conference in Monterey, Calif. At the conference they had a chance to work with

leading spiritual teachers such as Deepak Chopra and celebrated Rumi interpreter Coleman Barks. “Every day at the conference was a peak experience,” Madani said. “We sat in the front row every day. She didn’t want to miss a thing. When Coleman Barks read from Rumi, Jamiyya mouthed along, caught his eye, and he kept looking at us. It was like getting a private reading — she was so proud of that.” Jamiyya suffered a number of chronic health conditions throughout her life, stemming from childhood diabetes. On the way back to Seattle she became short of breath, and underwent emergency heart bypass surgery the next day. “She was at the top of her game,” Madani said. “She went out on top, radiantly happy.” A memorial service was held for Jamiyya at Bet Alef Meditative Synagogue on January 9. A tribute fund at Bet Alef has been set up in her name to support programs of special interest to her. Send donations to Bet Alef Meditative Synagogue, P.O. Box 50201, Bellevue, WA 98015, noting the Jamiyya Laner Memorial Fund, or online at www.betalef.org.
— Karen Franklin

B”H

Seattle Theatre Group (STG) and Broadway Across America (BAA) In Association With

Friends and supporters throughout the State of Washington offer their condolences to their beloved friend and mentor, Mrs. Chanie Levitin on the recent passing of her beloved mother, Mrs. Miriam Weiss, from Los Angeles, California (Miriam bas Alter Mordechai). May the Almighty console the whole family and from now on may there be only health and happiness for Klal Yisroel.

Condolences

ARTISTIC DIRECTOR - MARTIN CHARNIN

. EXECUTIVE PRODUCER - MAGGIE STENSON PEHRSON
PRESENT

garliC loverS – we Mean buSineSS!
The original from queen anne

THE SONGS OF

IRVING BERLIN
.
Dialogue taken from the book "Irving Berlin: A Daughter’s Memoir" by Mary Ellin Barrett

1009 Boren avenue, Seattle • 206-467-5046 Take-out • Catering Mon–Fri: 11 am–8:30 pm • Sat: 3–8 pm

Berlin was the first songwriter to pen distinctly modern American music for the Broadway theatre. His songs span almost the entire twentieth century, with literally hundreds of hits, including: "Cheek to Cheek," “Always,” "Blue Skies,” “Easter Parade” and "White Christmas," which may arguably be the single biggest selling song in history.

Sat, Feb. 5th at 8pm Sun, Feb. 6th at 2pm The Moore Theatre

.

Directed by Martin Charnin

friday, JaNuary 28, 2011 . www.JTNews.NeT . JTNews

lifecycles

31

The (almost) first Jewish baby of 2011 arrives
Joel magalnick Editor, JTNews
Twenty-one-month-old Aviva, despite a few months of kissing her mommy’s belly and, now that little brother Asher has arrived, kissing him on the head, is still probably a bit too young to be fully prepared for the responsibilities incumbent upon a big sister. But that doesn’t mean she isn’t going to try. “She’s good. She likes kissing him on his keppe. She likes holding him,” said Aviva and Asher’s dad, Aaron Averbuch of Seattle, the father of Washington State’s first Jewish baby of 2011. Things are going well for Aaron and new mom Joelle, who gave birth to Asher on the night of January 17. He weighed in at a very healthy 8 lbs. and measured 19-3/4 inches. To be fair, we should note that there was a Jewish baby born the week before, but sometimes the honor of being the first baby is a bit overwhelming to new parents and they choose to abdicate the title. That means the Averbuch family gets the honors — and honored they are, between nighttime feedings, diaper changes, and the cries of a baby recovering from his brit milah. The brit, incidentally, had gone without a hitch the day before JTNews spoke with the Averbuchs, and was co-officiated by town to help out for the next three weeks. Asher is named for Aaron’s grandmother, who died a month ago, and two uncles who had passed away a few years ago, “unfortunately too young,” Aaron said. It’s probably too early to hope that

life

Asher might be the next Jewish astronaut or, like his dad, a software engineer, but his proud parents will be fine, “as long as he’s happy and doing something good,” Aaron said.

Herbert Victor Thomas
1936–2010
The son of Sam and Bessie Thomas, Herb was born into a pioneer Jewish Seattle family. He was the grandson of Peter Thomas, a founder of Herzl congregation, and the great grandson of Jacob Cohen, who is also interred at Herzl Memorial Park. Herb, of Bellevue, is survived by his children: Heidi Nelson (Scott), Molly Alsept (Bill), Adam Thomas (Kari), and Tracy Thomas, and his seven grandchildren: Andrew Nelson; Aaron, Alexa, and Aidan Alsept; Peter, Gracie and Emily Thomas. Herb is also survived by his sisters: Natalie Malin and Teri Anne Cowan; brothers-in-law: Bob Malin and Bart Cowan; and his beloved large extended family, and many good friends. Herb, who majored in Business Administration, was active in ZBT fraternity at the University of Washington. Among other enterprises, Herb owned Trucking Companies, following in the footsteps of his grandfather Peter, whose company manufactured trucks, trailers, and vans for early Seattle businesses. When Herb lived in Spokane, he owned a ranch with racehorses. His daughter Heidi, also a horse racing enthusiast, was thrilled that “Zayda” — the horse she named in honor of Herb — recently won a race in California.

CouRTESy AARoN AvERBuCH

Aviva gives her brand new baby brother a kiss.

local mohel Aaron Witz and Rabbi Rachel Nussbaum. The Averbuchs are “very active participants” in the Kavana Cooperative; Nussbaum, Kavana’s executive director, also officiated at the Averbuchs’ wedding and Aviva’s simchat bat. Another attendee at all three ceremonies was the chuppah under which Aaron and Joelle were married. “We all stood under it for the naming portion, so it was nice to use that for the third time,” Aaron said. Neither Aaron nor Joelle have family in the area, but they have plenty of support from friends, and Joelle’s mother will be in

How do i submit a Lifecycle announcement?

FEB 3, 5 & 6

Plays Symphonie espagnole

Gerard Schwarz
CONDUCTOR

Send lifecycle notices to: JTNews/ Lifecycles, 2041 Third Ave., Seattle, WA 98121 E-mail to: [email protected] Phone 206-441-4553 for assistance. Submissions for the February 11, 2011 issue are due by February 1. Download forms or submit online at www.jtnews.net/index.php?/lifecycle Please submit images in jpg format, 400 KB or larger. Thank you!

2-for-1 “Get Well Soon” Cards
When you let JFS “Tribute Cards” do the talking, you send your best wishes and say you care about funding vital JFS programs here at home. Call Irene at (206) 861-3150 or, on the web, click on “Donations” at www.jfsseattle.org. Use Visa or MasterCard. It’s the most gratifying 2-for-1 in town.

Vadim Repin
VIOLIN

Seattle Symphony
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32

JTNews . www.JTNews.NeT . friday, JaNuary 28, 2011

Here’s to lusting after that which is black and white and read all over. Join the Tribe now and we’ll send you a copy of one of the great books we’ll be reviewing February 11 in JTNews.
Here’s a special invitation to everyone attending Connections, and anyone who has ever been inspired by Nancy Pearl to open a good book. Please join the JTNews Tribe today. We’re offering membership benefits to anyone who isn’t already a JTNews subscriber. Membership includes all the benefits of subscribing to JTNews. Plus you receive e-newsletters for JTNews and jew-ish.com, featuring exclusive special offers and coupons you can’t get anywhere else. We’ll send you a great book as a thank you gift! Mention “Connections” when you order and we’ll send you one of the great books we’ll be reviewing in the February 11 edition of JTNews as a thank you gift for joining The Tribe. Hurry! This offer is only good through February 11, 2011. Call Becky at 206-774-2238 to join, or log on to www.jtnews.net and click on the MOT button. Important! When you sign up online, be sure to include the word “Connections” in the “company” field so we know to send you a free book! MOT membership is only $15 for six months.