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Wood River Jewish Community
The Shofar . Summer 2018
WEDNESDAY
AUGUST 1, 2018
Annual Summer Picnic
Page 1
President’s Message
Marshall Meyer
meyer@wharton.upenn.edu
610-203-9201
T his is my last Shofar article as WRJC president. I write too much and am always late. My successor will al-
most certainly make Claudie’s editorial chores easier.
I’ll begin, briefly, with an outsider perspective on WRJC. Imagine I’ve never been to Idaho, parachute into
Giaocobbi Square in downtown Ketchum, and walk up the steps and enter 471 Leadville Avenue to chat with Clau-
die and Rabbi Robbi and one or two WRJC members who happen to be present. Here’s what I think I’d find:
• WRJC is growing, not rapidly but healthily.
• WRJC is financially sound.
• WRJC has a new rabbi with extraordinary energy and the capacity to connect with people of all ages
and faiths.
• WRJC has put in place a legacy program to insure the future of the community.
Now, let’s switch this scenario so that I’m Jewish, have hung around Ketchum for 40 years, have been affiliated
with WRJC for nearly 20 of these years, and happen into a conversation with anither WRJC member all of us know
and respect who strikes a note I find discordant. “I believe,” he said, “WRJC should be a nonprofit organization.” At
first I didn’t understand the difference between a nonprofit and a religious organization and asked what he meant.
Even the answer took a while to process. And when I understood it, it gave me pause.
Here’s why: A nonprofit, per my interlocutor, has full-time staff, the staff is the public face of the organization, and
fundraising is largely through campaigns and high-profile events. The public face of a religious organization is its
clergy and fundraising is largely, in the Jewish tradition, through membership dues and religious school fees.
Please at this point pause, take a deep breath, and bear with me. This is not about people you and I know—it’s
about WRJC’s future.
WRJC has leaned toward the nonprofit model. Look at the revenue stream: WRJC’s budget is about $270,000 of
which 40 percent or $110,000, comes from dues. It takes a lot of effort to raise the remaining 60 percent or
$160,000—a tip of the hat to Claudie and the Development Committee.
Another way to look at the same numbers: WRJC dues are $800 for families, $500 for singles. We can’t readily
raise dues because WRJC is a second synagogue for most part-timers in the Wood River Valley. Though our dues
are $500/$800, our cost per membership unit is $1,700. According to the New York Times, reform congregations
typically spend $1,500-$3,000 per membership unit—and have a difficult time making ends meet.
I’m agnostic as between the nonprofit and religious models. However, I believe the ecology of the Wood River Val-
ley will push us a little more toward the religious model. What’s critical are population and competition—yes, there
are nearby Jewish communities seeking members.
Let’s start with population. Hailey’s demography mirrors Idaho. The median age is 36. Ketchum and Sun Valley
are much older, 51 and 60 respectively. A little differently: 26 percent of Hailey residents are kids below college
age, while 10 percent of Ketchum and 11 percent of Sun Valley residents are pre-college. Hailey has parents and
children; Ketchum-Sun Valley, grandparents.
Some argue that the age gap isn’t a problem; retirees will replenish Ketchum-Sun Valley as rapidly as families
Continued next page
Page 2
replenish Hailey. I wouldn’t bet on it. Hailey’s growth rate since 1980 has been double Ketchum’s, and Ketch- um’s population today remains below its peak in 2000. The same is true of Sun Valley. The population numbers posted on roadside welcome-to-Ketchum signs are, as Tom Sawyer would say, “stretchers.” Granted, these numbers are about the population of the Wood River Valley, not the Jewish community. So here’s a number about the Jewish community that may be pertinent. Last month, during slack season, 45 people showed up for a Friday night WRJC potluck in Hailey. The galaxy of competing Jewish communities is a little harder to pinpoint but not impossible. At top of mind is the Boise-based Chabad Lubavitch of Idaho led by Rabbi Mendel Lifshitz. Some of you were present last De- cember 18th when three Chabad rabbis ignited a six-foot menorah in Ketchum Town Square. Plenty of WRJC members came and it turned into a joint Chabad-WRJC event, a win-win. Still, I noticed that Rabbi Lifshitz and his colleagues were welcomed by two Ketchum City Council members and one Blaine County Commissioner, all three Jewish and none members of WRJC. There are rumors of a chavurah in Hailey-Bellevue. And judging by their Facebook page, there is an active cha- vurah in Twin Falls. It is called Beth Chaverim of Southern Idaho. Here is a quote from Beth Chaverim’s Rabbi Tony Prater: “We are an outreach for Jewish people in Boise and the Wood River Valley and people elsewhere who can connect with the Jewish community here if they want to.” All of these communities are south of Ketchum. We have an interesting problem without a simple solution. We’re Ketchum-centric and very good at what we do and want to perpetuate it. Yet a key constituency and the key to WRJC’s future families with children, is drifting southward on Highway 75 and may prefer a community somewhat more along the lines of a religious organiza- tion. I could borrow business school language and say we need ambidexterity—we need to operate in two modes, not just one. But I’d also put it in more immediate and emotional terms. Part of the legacy of my generation will be money invested for WRJC’s future. But that’s only one part. Another part will be the wisdom to adapt and change with our constituencies. Were we to lose any of our constituencies, we would also lose our legacy. I owe incredible debts of gratitude to all the people who have put shoulder to the wheel during the last two years. First and foremost, my thanks to the WRJC Board of Directors for their advice and forbearance as we worked through a myriad of decisions, some difficult. Vice President Joanne Mercer, Treasurer Judy Teller-Kaye and Secretary Eileen Prager were always available and always brought good sense and deep insight to the table. I’d also like to recognize Juli Roos and the rabbi search committee she masterfully assembled—the process, if laborious, was terrific as was the result - unanimous votes of both the search committee and the Board. Claudie Goldstein is practically an institution in the Wood River Valley. Claudie has been the glue holding WRJC together for more years than I can count—is it eleven years? Thanks to Claudie’s efforts, we’ve always had the money needed to keep the ship afloat and then some. And the Shofar has evolved into a genuinely interesting publication. Rabbi Cantor Robbi Sherwin, though new to WRJC, has already had enormous impact in the Jewish community and in the Wood River Valley. Robbi is also one of the few people who can look me straight in the eye and say, with a smile, exactly where I have gone awry. I’m usually grateful for Robbi’s advice but, even when I’m not, everyone else should be. Special thanks go to Lenny Cohen, Carlyn Ring, and Naomi Fine Sloan who are wrapping up their terms on the Board of Directors. Lenny was WRJC Co-President in 2014-15 and President in 2015-16 and has graciously agreed to continue chairing the adult education committee. Carlyn and Naomi, as all know, were founders of WRJC and have remained friends and WRJC stalwarts throughout. We will recognize Carlyn’s and Naomi’s con- tributions more formally in the coming weeks—details will follow. It has been an honor and a privilege to serve as your President. May WRJC grow from strength to strength. Marshall Page 3
Rabbi ‘s Message
Robbi Sherwin
S ummer is here and I can’t wait to experience for the first time all the beauty, culture and fun that the Val-
ley has to offer! We have some great learning opportunities coming up, including: a wonderful interfaith
project with our partners, St. Thomas and Fr. Ken Brannon; “the B’nai Mitzvah of two fine young men, Mi-
cah Albers and DJ Delgado”; some “outside the bimah” Shabbat celebrations; our annual picnic and more! I
am looking forward to getting to know you as we build fun and meaningful Jewish memories in this special
place.
One of new things I have enjoyed as we begin this journey together is the “Ask the Rabbi” feature in our week-
ly newsletter. In person, via email or in the blue teapot in the office, questions have ranged from queries about
Shabbat and holiday practices, to varying Jewish traditions, to Hebrew phrases and gender roles in Judaism. A
question I have received more than once in my short tenure with WRJC came up again recently regarding pat-
rilineal descent – or Jewish identity through the father.
Several people have asked me if their son married a woman who is not Jewish, will their grandchildren be con-
sidered Jewish? They were taught that Jewish law states that only children of Jewish mothers are considered
Jewish. As we have seen through research and anecdotal evidence, the rate of intermarriage is high.
Throughout history, matrilineal descent has been the rule of determining who is a Jew. Some of the many inter-
pretations include: the explanation that the spiritual connection to a person’s roots goes through the person
who is closest to that connection: the mother; a passage in Deuteronomy (7:3-4) warning against intermar-
riage, later encoded in the Mishnah (a compendium of oral interpretations of the Torah); and, the expulsion of
the foreign wives (read: non-Jewish women) in the book of Ezra upon the Jews return to Israel at the end of
Babylonian captivity. Another interpretation is that in times of war and constant uprooting of tribes and nomadic
communities, the mother can be identified, but the father (before DNA testing, of course) cannot always be de-
termined.
In 1983, The Union for Reform Judaism determined that a child born of a Jewish father and a mother who was
not Jewish would be considered Jewish if the child is raised as a Jew. Reconstructing Judaism (formerly
known as “Reconstructionist”), Renewal and Jewish Universalism also recognize patrilineal descent. Con-
servative and Orthodox Jews do not recognize patrilineal descent as a valid means of passing on Judaism, alt-
hough the topic has been brought up in the Conservative movement. WRJC recognizes patrilineal Jews – for
that matter, we recognize and welcome all who identify with and seek a Jewish community here – with joyful
and grateful heart! We offer so much to help you find ways to fully embrace being a “member of the tribe.”
And, I am available to work with families or individuals on further study for conversion, if desired (but not re-
quired) by our loving community.
Keep up the great questions - I’ll see you on the trails!
Rabbi Robbi
rabbirobbi@wrjc.org
Page 4
WEDNESDAY
AUGUST 1, 2018
SAWTOOTH BOTANICAL GARDEN
6:00pm
The Wood River Jewish Community Honors
Our Dues paying members for their loyalty and their devotion.
To show our appreciation for your continuing support,
We invite you and your family to our Annual Picnic.
For guests and non members the charge will be $35 for adults
and $15 for children under 15. Free under 5.
Please bring your BBQ favorite side dish.
(salads, appetizers, cookies.) No pork or shellfish please.
Reservations required and cancellations 24 hours in advance will be
appreciated. Please no walk-ins. 208-726-1183 wrjc@wrjc.org
Picnic chairman: Claudie Goldstein
_____________________________________
Name: _______________________
Members attending: ___________
Children attending: ___________
Non Members attending: _______ $__________
Children attending: _______ $ __________
Mail to WRJC POB 837. Ketchum, ID 83340
Call 208-726-1183 or Email: wrjc@wrjc.org
Page 5
The Community School Theater
6:00PM
Admission Free
OPENING NIGHT
Wednesday, July 11th
“The Samuel Project”
Special appearance by Actor Hal Linden
following film
Eli, a teenager gets to know his
grandfather Samuel (Hal Linden)
for the first time when he makes
him the subject of a high school art
Monday, July 9th project. Eli discovers that his
grandpa was heroically saved from
Sammy Davis,Jr., Nazi capture in Germany by a
“I’ve Gotta Be Me” young woman when he was a
boy. After hesitating, Samuel fi-
Filmmaker Sam Pollard explores all the complexities of Davis.
nally agrees to tell the story he has-
Star of stage and screen, member of the legendary Rat Pack,
n’t told in over 75 years.
Sammy Davis, Jr. broke racial barriers, and paid a heavy price
for it.
A captivating film selected as the "Audience Favorite
Defying societal norms concerning interracial romance, reli-
Award" by many film festivals
gion and political affiliation, Davis courted controversy many
times, but always with grace and honesty.
93 minutes
Do not miss this film! Admission Free
Monday, July 16th “The Last Suit”
At 88, Abraham Bursztein is seeing his place in the world rapidly disap-
pear. His kids have sold his Buenos Aires residence, set him up in a re-
tirement home and are even trying to convince him to amputate his disa-
bled limb. But Abraham survived the Holocaust, made a successful life
in Argentina, and isn’t about to quietly fade away. Instead, the day be-
fore his children are to place him in the retirement home, he mysterious-
ly disappears.
A stunning, unforgettable film, "The Last Suit" exudes a poignant message of the importance of honor
and that life holds sur prises and fulfillment at any age.
Page 6 Selected as "Audience Favorite Award” by many film festivals. 93 minutes
A Message from Linda Cooper
Producer Sun Valley Jewish Festival
Hi Everyone,
T he Sun Valley Jewish Film Festival is just a few weeks away, and our commit-
tee has finally narrowed our selections to three incredible films. All three are
2018 Award-Winning Audience Favorites being shown across the world.
As you know each year we have had to turn down many good films, as we only select three films…so we are pre-
senting to you “la crème de la crème” of this year’s films.
And, as a special feature, Hal Linden, the celebrated and beloved actor and star of our second film, “The Samuel Pro-
ject” will be speaking at the conclusion of the film.
We are happy to give you this wonderful festival and hope that you will be a big part of it by supporting us.
See you at Opening Night.
Linda Cooper
Committee members: Penny Coe, Buzz Coe, Jay Cooper, Harriet Joseph, Stan Joseph, Lois Rosen, Karen Saks, Bob
Safron, Joe Fastow, Ellen Fastow, Ken Molkner, Vonny Molkner, Fran Michael
Become a Film Festival Sponsor
Executive Producer: $2,000
Producer: $1,000
Director: $500
Actor: $250
Screenwriter: $100
Supporter: $50
Donations can be made to the Wood River Jewish Community/Jewish Film Festival
by mail WRJC, POBox 837. Ketchum, ID 83340 or by phone 208-726-1183 or wrjc@wrjc.org
Name: _______________________
Email: _______________________ Cell Phone number:___________________
Credit Card# __________________________
Expiration Date _______________ Pin______
Amount To Charge__________________
Page 7
WRJC Adult Education
Winston Churchill and the Jews
Zionism, Holocaust and the Lessons of the 20th Century
A Talk by Lee Pollock
Trustee & Advisor to the Board, The International Churchill Society
On Friday, July 20, 2018 after Shabbat Service at St. Thomas Episcopal Church.
W inston Churchill is an icon of the 20th century. From his first election to Par-
liament in 1900 to his retirement as Prime Minister in 1955, he towered over the
world stage, influencing almost every significant issue of his time.
The arc of Churchill’s career intersects with the most significant events in the histo-
ry of the Jewish people: Zionism and the Balfour Declaration, the rise of Hitler and
the catastrophe of the Holocaust, followed by the creation of the State of Israel and
the lasting divisions that affect the Middle East today.
Join Lee Pollock as he explores how Churchill’s relationship with the Jewish peo-
ple helped to define his remarkable life and career and how his decisions impacted
their fate.
Lee Pollock is a Trustee and Advisor to the Board of The International Churchill
Society (www.winstonchurchill.org) and previously served as its Executive Director. The Society is the leading inter-
national organization dedicated to preserving the historic legacy of Sir Winston Churchill and publishes the award-
winning Journal of Winston Churchill, Finest Hour. Mr. Pollock holds a B.A. from McGill University and a Master’s
degree from the University of Chicago.
Summer Shabbat Services Schedule
Friday, July 6: WRJC office at 6:00pm - Joseph Schultz will lead the service.
Friday, July 13: Shabbat will be at Dan and Stacey Levitan’s home at 6:00pm. Judy Meyer will lead the service.
Friday, July 20: St. Thomas Episcopal Church at 6:00pm. Lecture by Lee Pollock to follow.
Friday, July 27: Tu B'Av – the “Day of Love” in Israel. St. Thomas Episcopal Church at 6:00pm. Rabbi
Robbi will lead the service with Cantor Stephanie Streja .
Friday, August 3: Location to be announced. Rabbi Robbi will lead the service with Cantor Stephanie Streja .
Friday, August 10: St. Thomas Episcopal Church at 6:00pm. Rabbi Robbi will lead the service with Cantor
Emily Meyer.
Friday, August 17: Shabbat service at Mila and Marty Lyon’s home at 6:00pm.
Friday, August 24: St. Thomas Episcopal Church at 6:00pm.
Friday, August 31: St. Thomas Episcopal Church at 6:00pm.
Page 8
Micah Albers is the grandson of Margaret and Paul Rosenthal and will be cele-
brating his bar mitzvah this August in Idaho. He lives with his parents, two brothers,
and dog in San Rafael, California.
Over the years, he has enjoyed attending Shabbat services, Jewish holiday func-
tions and the annual picnic with the WRJC.
Becoming a bar mitzvah is important to him as it signifies his becoming a Jewish
adult and carrying on the Jewish tradition.
For his mitzvah project, Micah made and distributed toys for unsheltered animals at
the Marin Humane Society. He loves to golf, play basketball and ski in his free time.
Hi, my name is DJ Delgado and I’m on the verge of finishing 7th grade
at Wood River Middle School.
I have been studying hard for my upcoming Bar Mitzvah on August 11th. I am looking for-
ward to sharing this event with all my family and friends.
When I’m not studying, I like playing lacrosse, skiing, working out, hanging out with friends
and building things.
I am proud to be a member of the Wood River Jewish Community.
RABBI ROBBI WILL BE IN TOWN FROM JULY 26 TO AUGUST 19, 2018.
ACTIVITIES WITH RABBI TO BE ANNOUNCED.
On TUESDAY, JULY 10 at 10:00am
at the office.
The Board convenes its Annual Meeting & Election. This is an opportunity to update the community on the status of the
organization and to reflect on the past year of events and accomplishments.
Present the 2018-2019 Operation Budget .
Elect
Page 9 Board Members . Report of Committee Chairs.
About Our Members
Our fishermen sea fishing. But he never took to it like he did fly fishing.
Interviewed by Karen Bossick
"There's not a lot of ocean around here," he said. "And
As a fisherman, Mark Levin has often found himself up standing on a boat shoulder to shoulder with a bunch of
against some stiff competition. people is not that pleasant."
He's drifted down an Alaskan River, rounding a bend when Levin built his first fly rod, cutting the fiberglass himself.
he's come face to face with a grizzly after the same fish he "It becomes an obsession. I like to go into fly shops to see
was. what I don't need that I have to have," he quipped.
He's walked across tundra in search of the perfect fishing Come spring he loves to go with Woody Friedlander, a fel-
spot only to encounter a sow with three cubs. low member of the Wood River Jewish Community, to
"I didn't see her until she stood up, said Levin, who has Owyhee River. There, just below the Owyhee Reservoir in
spent five Alaskan fishing trips fishing the Copper, Alagnak Eastern Oregon, the two men can catch brown trout be-
and other rivers in Alaska. "We slowly backed away, my tween 17 and 25 inches long all day.
heart racing all the time. But, that's what Alaska's like.
Bears will go for fish at the end of the line—it’s easy pick- Levin and a handful of fly fishing buddies have also made
ings. And all you can do is cut a yearly trek to the Bighorn River in south-
your line and get out." ern Montana for the past 25 years where
they drink a lot of martinis and fish for five
Levin got hooked on fishing days.
while living in California where
he was a lawyer to doctors. Other favorites include the Ruby, Beaver-
head and Madison rivers in Montana. And
"I loved mountains and rivers closer to home: The Big Lost River.
and I'd go backpacking in the
Sierras when I was in my late "So many choices and not that far away,”
20s. I got started on salmon he said. Levin revels in the challenge of
eggs and worms. I killed a lot of landing a fish using just the right tension.
fish then but I ate them all. Now,
I haven't kept a fish in 25 "It's harder than you'd think. If the fish are
years," he said. rising consistently, it's like labor contrac-
tions where they come every 25 seconds.
Levin took a fly fishing class in My challenge is to cast a dry fly on top of
California from six-time national water in front of them but not too far in
casting champion Neil Taylor front."
and was hooked on the sport.
As much as Levin loves his fish, you won't
Once he got into it, he wanted find him ordering trout in a restaurant.
to move somewhere where he
could indulge in his passion. He found that place in Sun "There's nothing like cooking and eating a fish you just
Valley while spending two nights here ahead of a rafting caught. Once you know what that tastes like, you know it
trip on the Middle Fork of the Salmon. can't be duplicated in a restaurant,” he said.
After seven years of "nagging," he convinced his wife Dora After 28 years of fishing in Idaho and surrounding states,
--also a lawyer--to move to Ketchum sight unseen in 1990. Levin says he's still got more to learn.
"I wasn't a very good fly fisherman then. I would carry a "I learn something every time I go out. I see someone do
spinning rod and fly so that, when I wasn't having good something and it clicks--I think: I should try that. There's
success, I could switch. Finally, I got good enough to leave always something new to learn,” he said.
it behind. It sat in my garage for 25 years--I donated it to
the Gold Mine last year," he recounted. “And, really, I can't think of anything more therapeutic than
fishing--you're looking around at these beautiful places like
Levin has been to Patagonia where it's so windy the outfit- the Owyhee Canyonlands, the mountains of Idaho--there's
ter had to turn the truck around so the doors wouldn't blow just something so magical about all that."
off when they opened them. He's also done some deep
Page 10About Our Members
When a bad ski injury forced him to sit out the ski season
T he lure for Glen Shapiro is just too great.
the first year he was here, he entered the inaugural Wood
River Land Trust Heart of the Valley photo contest. And he
won a thousand-dollar fly fishing package.
That's why in January you might have seen the orthopedic
“It opened a new world for me. It was like going from a
surgeon abruptly pull his car off the side of the Highway 75
skateboard to a Lamborghini!” he said.
and posthole through the snow in his ski boots toward the
Big Wood River, fly fishing rod in hand.
During fishing season you’ll find Shapiro in the river three
The sudden urge that hit on the way to the office after ski-
or four days a week, often casting flies an hour before he
ing all morning with his wife Vicki paid off, as he reeled in a
heads to the office.
34-inch brown trout.
As much as he loves casting flies, he also enjoys offering
"I just had to get in the river and I ended up with a 12-
his services as a guide for such charities as Camp Rain-
pound trout, as a result," he said. "As they say, the tug is
bow Gold and Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing for disa-
the drug that keeps me going."
bled military veterans.
If fishing is an addiction, it's one that has afflicted many in
“I’m just as happy introducing fishing to the new knee sur-
his family, including his grandfather, who immigrated from
geon in town as I am fishing myself. I guided a couple who
the Ukraine to Brooklyn in 1909. Shapiro's grandfather
had never fished before over in the Pahsimeroi River near
made a living for his family by selling Yiddish dishes from a
Mackay. And watching how
food cart, eventually opening a
much fun they were having
corner luncheonette where he
made for a memorable day,”
offered breakfast, lunch, ice
he said.
cream and candy.
But every free moment he would
When he turned 50 a few
head to the Chesapeake Bay to
years ago, Shapiro decided
spin fish, reeling in porgies, floun-
to treat himself to one big
der and small snappers to put on
fishing trip a year.
the dinner table.
That promise has taken him
Young Shapiro often accompa-
to such places as Argentina,
nied his grandfather to the mile-
Cuba and Costa Rica.
wide pier in Robert Moses State
Park that extends a half-mile out
“Arctic char is the most fun
into the ocean.
fish you can possibly catch,”
he said. “They’re like steel-
“Every inch would be filled. And,
head but 10 times stronger.
always, someone would come up
An 18 to 40-pound fish will take all your line and break it
to my grandfather and say, 'Joe, you're always catching
off. They really put up a fight.”
fish. How do you do it?' And my grandpa would say, 'Every
day is a fishing day. Some days are catching days.' "
He hasn’t decided where he’s going this year, although Ice-
land is a possibility.
Shapiro started fly-fishing with a $99 fly rod special he
bought from L.L. Bean when he moved to New Hampshire
He is, however, definitely heading to Bend Ore., where he’s
after med school.
taking his daughter, her boyfriend and his wife—all of
whom have never fished—to the nearby Deschutes River
He used it for eight years before moving to the Wood River
on a salmon fishing expedition.
Valley in 2004.
“I will be so excited if my daughter and wife take it up, if
Shapiro fell in love with the valley after visiting a former
they find the same kind of passion that I have for the sport,”
employee who had moved here
he said. “It’s an addiction. And, in my mind, it’s one of the
better vices to have. Whether you’re catching or not, you’re
outside in the weather, the river. It’s so wonderful.”
Better fishing, better mountains and better lifestyle," he
said."And every river has its own fishing personality."
CUTLINE: Glen Shapiro says he’s not in many of his fish
It didn’t hurt that he upgraded his fly rod soon after arriving.
photos. “It’s about the fish.”
Page 11Marlene’ s Column
- caust, as well as
What We Don’t Consider every genocide
Marlene B. Samuels, Ph.D. - June 2018 throughout history,
S
did not occur in a
everal weeks ago I was invited to lecture at St An- short time frame
drews Episcopal Academy in Potomac, Maryland near but instead,
Washington, D.C. St. Andrews happens to be the school evolved and tran-
of choice for many children of our nation’s lawmakers, spired over dec-
including our President’s son. My lecture topic: Major ades in the form of
Factors Leading to the Holocaust. The timing of my lec- gradual and con-
ture invitation coincided with Holocaust Remembrance sistent desensiti-
Week, plus a visit by the A.P. History classes to the Unit- zation of societal
ed States Memorial Holocaust Museum in Washington, values and mor-
and was preceded by the students reading extensively als.
about the Holocaust, as well as about the rise of Zionism.
Among the questions I posed: Why do we still devote so
My group of students were extremely well -informed, well- much effort and scholarly work to studying and analyzing
read, very bright, and asked excellent questions. But, the Holocaust? What have we learned, and continue to
even so, they were totally surprised by some of the less- learn, from it? What factors continue to perplex and
examined aspects of Holocaust studies I raised. Interest- plague us and why? In addition, we examined the similari-
ingly, though, is that regularly I encounter similar una- ties of all genocides, as well as the specific characteris-
wareness among so many well -educated adults. tics of recent ethnic cleansings.
A number of the events and strategies I presented to In closing, I drew their attention to a field of study that on-
these students about Nazism’s rise have reoccurred ly recently has been gaining validation and serious signifi-
throughout history in varying degrees. In fact, we’ve even cance as it related to my lecture topic; trans-generational
witnessed many similar strategies being implemented to- effects of trauma -particularly, second generation trauma
day — not only in our country but world-wide. For in- that in odd ways have been proving to be both “inherited”
stance, these include uses of propaganda to foment politi- and genetically transmitted. One of the most studied
cal or social unrest, public hate campaigns, increases in groups currently has, in fact, been second generation
hate-crimes, stereotyping, and a method that’s been used Holocaust survivors — otherwise known as Children of
for centuries now referred to as “false news.” According to Survivors.
data collected recently by multiple agencies, “hate
crimes” were up by 21% from 2016. These data were Without exception, every one of these students claimed
consistent among reporting agencies, including: The Anti- that the long-term emotional impact survivors asserted
Defamation League, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Na- upon their children is a consequence that they never even
tional Institute for Justice, Chronicle of Higher Education,realized occurred. And, as a result, that provided an addi-
Human Rights Watch Group and, sad to say, far too tional unplanned opportunity in which to raise students’
many to list here. awareness about the significant and irreversible impact
global wars assert upon young people living in war torn
While I tried to focus my lectures toward the students’ age regions, many of whom have witnessed their entire fami-
-groups, my greatest hope was to help them recognize lies annihilated.
how important of a responsibility younger people have to
engage in morally ethical conduct, as well as to think in- I concluded by sharing with the St. Andrews group a brief
dependently. Doing so is critical to being able to assess essay I wrote, illustrative of the trans-generational impact
the accuracy of all information we receive. Questioning of my father’s Holocaust trauma. Unfortunately, this story
both the origins and validity of information and news is a represents a small snippet of daily events that were
habit they, and every one of us, must develop. couched within the context of a much greater truth. Those
daily events — whether they involved waiting with my par-
Next, I encouraged them to think globally about what the ents in movie theatre lines, riding on crowded commuter
longer term impact of war is and, of course, what the con- trains, or (as in my story) the simple fall ritual of burning
sequences of wide spread traumas, and societal break- leaves, never would become mundane to my parents, nor
downs might be. As a sociologist and researcher, I des- to second generation adults such as me.
perately wanted to convey one key point— that the Holo- …/...
Page 12Marlene’ s Column
The Story: A Burning Season
T he first fall we lived in our new country, my father's
hyper sensitivity to smoke — its odors, colors, and even a
taste he perceived, dominated almost every one of our
weekends. Before we moved to the Chicago area, we had
lived in Montreal's inner city. There, fall’s leaves accumu-
lated across grass-barren yards and along curbs where head titled upward
they were left to disintegrate. But in America, as we discov- like a hound dog
ered once we had moved here, fall's arrival was heralded searching for
by frantic leaf raking and backyard fires pervasive on all prey. He stared
but the rainiest of autumn weekends. into an aqua sky
that, but for the
I loved the wonderful earthy scent, a damp smokiness that scattered smoke
carried with it an unfamiliar roasting aroma. It wafted harm- pillars, was cloud-
lessly above surrounding village parks and houses. The less. My father
weekend I first experienced those fires, I was at a class- continued to look
mate’s house. The two of us were working on a school pro- up, his head twist-
ject inside while her father and brother spent the entire af- ed awkwardly while he observed multiple smoke pillars that
ternoon monitoring a bonfire outside in their backyard. The swirled into the air from adjacent streets like synchronized
fire’s aroma was so intense it penetrated through the exte- dancers. Then, without a word, he spun in a circle around
rior brick walls, mortar, and closed windows of her bed- and around as though hopelessly lost and trying to make
room allowing me to enjoy it even from indoors. sense of his surroundings. On his third rotation, my father
spotted even more smoky columns in the distance ascend-
“I had no idea burning leaves smelled so sweet!” I mar- ing to heaven.
veled to my friend.
Suddenly, he turned back toward my mother and me. He
“They don’t really,” she explained. “What you’re smelling was a man transformed, his face darkened with terror. Per-
are acorns toasting. They get raked up with the leaves and spiration bubbles erupted across his forehead and upper
when the acorns heat up they explode just like popcorn lip where they glistened like miniature glass shards. For
does. That’s what they smell like.” the next few seconds, he neither moved nor uttered a
sound. He was frozen in space, rendered breathless and
The next weekend, an incredibly sunny and clear one, entirely inanimate.
proved perfect for leaf burning. From the front window of
our apartment above the Winnetka Post Office, I watched Without warning, his voice exploded in a growl of anger. In
smoke rise from old metal oil drums in the gardens of near- Yiddish, my father hissed to my mother, "They should all
by houses. All the drums were packed to the brim burn in hell along with all their God-damned burning
with raked leaves, but because most of the rakings were leaves! If they saw what I saw from so much smoke mit
damp, flames rarely shot up. Instead, the tall smoke spires fires, they never again would think to burn anything for the
swirling toward heaven always reminded me of Jack In the whole rest of their lives as long as they would live!”
Beanstalk. The smoke and fires, raking contests, and the
laughter of so much outdoor activity in our neighborhood He left my mother and me standing in front of Lenny’s Deli.
seemed incredibly exotic to me, all enhanced by such a We watched him take off at a run, watched as he cut
pleasant aroma. across lush Village Green lawns, and watched his gait
transition into a lope like a wild gazelle — pushing him ever
One October Sunday afternoon, I'd gone with my parents faster across the remaining distance to our apartment.
to the nearby deli for lunch. A four block walk from our
apartment, it had become a ritual for the three of us while Shortly after he’d taken off on his own, my mother and I
my brother worked at his part time job. But that particular walked home, our steps slow and measured. We found
Sunday revealed one of my father’s secret scars to me. It that my father had locked himself inside his bedroom but
was different from any I’d yet seen in my fourteen years. he had also closed and locked every window in the apart-
ment. I envisioned him like a panicked animal, bounding
The moment the three of us walked out of the restaurant room to room, frantically closing and locking every conceiv-
after lunch, my father sniffed the air deeply. His able opening in a rush before hiding himself away.
Page 13 …/…Marlene’ s Column
My father refused to leave our apartment until Monday proved to be the one and only time ever for his explana-
morning, by which time the weekend’s fires would have tion because we never spoke of it again. I never asked
burned themselves out. On Monday mornings, the air again.
would once again be suburban clear. During every fall
weekend but for the rainy ones when no one ventured out "So, I will ask you now such an easy question,” my father
to rake leaves nor make fires, my father's reactions re- said, “but it’s the only question that will help you to under-
mained consistent and predictable. stand what it is this smoke business with me.” I nodded to
convey my understanding — the well proven method for
"Dad, why don't you like this smell?" I asked him one Sun- urging him on. “So, nu? Do you think you would still like
day evening at the dinner table. Earlier that day, he had such smoke, this smell you say is so nice, if you were
refused to join my mother and me at lunch, regardless of where it is I was?" he asked, rhetorically.
how much we had pleaded. For him to have agreed would
have required my father to step outside the safety of his I stood still and quiet. I waited to hear what I was positive
bedroom. What I was incapable of comprehending then would follow. And my father did continue, his voice be-
was that my father knew that he risked coming a monotonal whisper, devoid of all emotion. "If you
confronting the debilitating assaults on his memory always saw such smoke like what I did," he said, "smoke what
inflicted by pervasive smoke. "I think it smells really nice!" filled the whole sky from so many crematoriums, and if
I said, hopeful that my enthusiasm held a power that might you smelled such a thing what you knew for one-hundred
sway his reactions, possibly even convince him to join us percent sure was other Jews burning in Auschwitz —
on our future lunch outings. I was thoroughly unprepared Jews who were your family, friends, children, neighbors,
for my father’s response. maybe only then will you be able to answer me. Nu, so
could you still again in your whole life think such a smoke
It was during that first American fall when my father ex- is smelling so nice?"
plained the deeper meanings of smoke and fire to me. It
Samuel Rosenthal graduated in May from Spanish River High School in
Boca Raton, Florida on May 20th. He will attend Duke University in the autumn.
Samuel is the son of Dr. Andrew Rosenthal and Dr. Jill Rosenthal and the
grandson of Margaret & Paul Rosenthal .
Jolie Blair - Double Major - Human Health and Theater Arts and
Phi Beta Kappa & # 1 in her class & Honors Thesis
What a Girl !!!!!! Idaho born and bred.....and going on to Columbia
University School of Public Health and maybe Broadway.
Mazel Tov Jolie!
Jolie is the daughter of Nancy Mann and BJ Blair, sister of Gavin
and granddaughter of Arnold and Susan Blair.
Page 14Arielle Rawlings received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Po-
litical Economy and Psychology from Williams College in Massa-
chusetts.
She was granted a Fulbright Scholar Program and will travel one
year in India as a scholar. When she returns from India, she will
start a Policy Associate position at the Povery Action Lab (JPAL)
at MIT in Boston.
Arielle is the daughter of Enid and Greg Rawlings and sister of
Garrett.
Jake Adicoff graduated from Bowdoin College in Maine with a double major in
math and computer science.
He has accepted a software engineering job at a technology company in downtown
San Francisco.
Jake is the son of Susan and Sam Adicoff.
Congratulations Jake !
Hallie Goldstein graduated from Scripps College Liberal Arts in Claremont,
California
This summer she is going to Tel Aviv and interning at a therapeutic day care for
special needs. She will then apply to graduate school for clinical psychology.
Hallie is the daughter of Cathy and Phil Goldstein and the sister of Ari and Noah.
Ari Goldstein graduated Georgetown University with a major
in Government and a minor in Jewish Civilization.
Ari is the son of Cathy and Phil Goldstein and the brother of Hallie
and Noah.
Page 15About our Members: Volunteers For Israel
Interviewed by Karen Bossick There, they were given a uniform and a job in a warehouse
the size of Atkinsons’ Market. Her father was assigned
D ana Henry Berntson would have loved to
have taken part in Birthright, a free 10-day trip to Israel de-
work cleaning guns. Others
were assigned working pack-
ing supply bags and mending
uniforms.
signed to help Jewish youth aged 18 through 32 connect
to Jewish history and culture.
Dana was given the task of
filling designated boxes with
But it wasn’t on her radar as she grew up in a Connecticut
specified numbers of Imodium,
community that was largely devoid of Jewish influence.
syringes and other medical
supplies and of sorting through
She was a busy young woman--an honor student who cap-
medical supplies that had ex-
tained the varsity lacrosse and soccer teams, and a saxo-
pired.
phone and trombone player in a marching band that even
played in Europe.
“The good news was that a lot
of boxes with expired goods
“I was so busy that I quickly got behind if I missed a day
meant that the country wasn’t in the middle
for High Holy Days. I told them:
of a war,” she said.
Why should I be penalized be-
cause of my religion? So, I end-
The Henrys and their fellow volunteers from
ed up getting the Jewish holi-
cities like Toronto, Newark and Phoenix ate
days off for the entire town,” she
with the soldiers, whose divisions were iden-
recounted.
tifiable by the color of their berets and uni-
Henry moved to Sun Valley 18
form lapels.
years ago following friends from
college in New York who found-
“The 20-year-old soldiers in charge of us
ed The Cellar Pub in Ketchum.
were from France, Russia, Uzbekistan,
She commutes to Twin Falls
Spain, Germany—from all over,” she said.
from her home in Hailey a cou-
“And I loved the food. It was kosher, mean-
ple times a week to practice ac-
ing there was no milk for coffee. We had
upuncture and herbal medicine
eggs and bread and a lot of vegetables.”
on Magic Valley farmers. And
she has busied herself in the
At 40 Henry was the youngest. There were
Wood River Valley, teaching yo-
some 50-year-olds but most of the volun-
ga and tutoring youth of the
teers were in their 70s.
Wood River Jewish Community
During break from 4 to 6 p.m. Henry taught
in Hebrew.
yoga class for the volunteers. And her father bragged
about his daughter’s skills teaching others Hebrew.
She ran the New York Marathon and she became married
and had children. But she couldn’t stop lamenting that she
The latter made her blush.
had not had the opportunity to take part in Birthright.
“It was like someone coming to Sun Valley from Florida
and bragging about being a good skier,” she said.
That changed In April when she seized the opportunity to
During weekends off father and daughter toured the Red
take part in another program that helped her discover new
Sea, Masada and the Western Wall.
meaning in her Jewish identity: that of Sar-El, also referred
to as Volunteers for Israel.
“Jerusalem is just a beautiful city with all its old ruins And
the people are so nice—and so healthy, athletic and vi-
Dana traveled to Israel with her father Bob Henry, a retired
brant. The city sits on a giant hill so I ran up and down
mechanical engineer for a pharmaceutical company that
stairs for exercise.”
manufactured laxatives and Oxycontin in the days before
the pain pills became a four-letter word.
She can’t wait to return.
They reported to a train station in Tel Aviv where they
“I definitely would like to go back, for sure. Tel Aviv and the
were taken to an undisclosed noncombat army base,
beaches were beautiful. And I liked going into Jerusalem—
which specialized in medical supplies.
it was majestic, magical. Maybe I could take a youth group
Page 16 this time…”About our Members: Volunteers For Israel
B ob Goldstein likes nothing better than indulging
in a spirited dialogue about the state of Israel.
the world, including Australia, New Zealand, Scotland and
Finland. Half were Christian.
And, so, it was as if he’d found his nirvana sitting in a
warehouse on a noncombat military base in Israel across
from a tall, blond 18-year-old soldier whose parents had
moved to Israel from Lithuania.
“It’s interesting to see what the young people have to say
about Israel. Not all is happiness,” said Bob. “This young
man said, ‘The whole world hates us. Why am I living in a
place that the whole world hates?’ He may not have
wanted to be there. But there was no other place for him
and his family to go.”
Bob was there with Sherwin Drobner, a retired attorney
and fellow member of the Wood River Jewish Community.
They were taking part in Sar-El—the National Project for They were taken to a large warehouse where they were
Volunteers for Israel, which was founded as a non-profit, invited to outfit themselves in uniform from slacks, boots
non-political organization in 1983. and shirts piled on the floor. Then Sherwin and Bob were
taken to a small communications base between Ben Guri-
The program had its genesis in the 1982 Galilee War on Airport and Tel Aviv.
when the majority of Israel’s able-bodied settlers were
called up for army reserve duties, leaving crops in the Go- Accommodations were basic, with bathrooms outside.
lan Heights unattended. Bob was assigned to refurbish radio batteries for tanks--
$400 batteries that he says the U.S. military probably
The former head of the Israel Defense Forces paratroop- would have thrown away but had to be kept by the Israel
ers and infantry corps recruited 650 volunteers from the Defense Forces, thanks to its limited budget.
United States to harvest the crops before they could go
bad. And they enjoyed their odyssey so much that they Sherwin worked on tank antennas while others rebuilt ra-
advocated that the one-time volunteer project be made a dio equipment.
permanent one.
They started their day with a morning flag raising. They
Sherwin and Bob were in their late 70’s at that time when ended it listening to talks by high-level speakers, such an
they took part in the program five years ago. army general.
It was the seventh trip to Israel for Bob since 1963. He Breakfast, lunch and dinner were comprised of cucum-
had gone on a high-level mission as a young man, return- bers, tomatoes, eggs and, perhaps, a little chicken.
ing to Los Angeles to tell others about his experience. He
had returned for a daughter’s marriage and his son’s bar “The most interesting part was intermingling with the kids,
mitzvah atop Masada. just out of high school. We’d sit down at lunch with 16 of
us at a square table and we’d be talking with first-
He found the volunteer program fascinating. generation Russian and Ukrainian youngsters and second
-generation young people whose families had moved from
“All Israeli males are required to spend three years in ser- Morocco, the French colonies in North Africa,” Bob says.
vice and females, two years. No one is exempted because
of physical disability—they find jobs for everyone. This Israel has absorbed people from 70 different countries,
program enables civilian volunteers to take the place of speaking 40 different languages, Bob said. Not all live in
Israeli soldier in non-combat positions, freeing the soldiers Israel because they want to be there—most had to leave
to spend two to four weeks at home with the families.” their country. Some were among the 1.4 million who left
Russia after President Reagan passed Fair Trade Act with
Bob and Sherwin’s two-week work project started at Ben the condition that Russian let its Jews leave. Many others
Gurion Airport where 150 incoming volunteers between were among a million North Africans who were told they
the ages of 18 and 80 were divided into groups of 10 to had less than 24 hours to pack a suitcase and get out.
15, according
Page 17 to their capabilities. They came from aroundAbout our Members: Volunteers For Israel
“Over half the kids were not born in Israel. Most of them supply base where they put together kits of medical equip-
speak English. And the kids are absolutely magnificent,” he ment that could be used by Israeli teams responding to
added. such catastrophes as Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico.
Volunteers, who are carefully screened, must pay their own “Claudie bonded with the lady from Madrid,” said Bob.
airfare to and from Israel. But the program covers boarding “They told the soldiers to sit down, and they took over the
and ground transportation costs. management of the warehouse for the duration of the time
they were there.”
On weekends Bob and Sherwin were given a military trans-
portation pass that allowed them a free pass to go to such
places as Jerusalem or the Dead Sea on their own.
“Israel is 263 miles long--71 miles at its widest and nine
miles at its narrowest point. So traveling around is very
easy,” he said. “We could go to Jerusalem in an hour and a
half. And everywhere we went there were soldiers in uni-
form going home on leave—you’d see 4-foot-11 girls carry-
ing AK-47s on their back, ready to mobilize in 15 minutes if
they need to from wherever they are.”
Bob enjoyed his adventure so much that his wife Claudie
Goldstein went last year. She and a woman who had been
a tech firm executive in Madrid were assigned to a medical
About our New Members
Michael Hobbs and Karen Bossick have long
had an interest in all things Jewish, in part because of their
realization of the deep connection between Judaism and
the Christian faith.
In fact, Michael did a research paper on the Jews who built
the Wood River Valley while a business student at Boise
State University.
The couple spent six weeks in Israel a number of years
ago where they attended what was then called the Ameri-
can Institute of Holy Land Studies atop Mount Zion (now
the Jerusalem University College).
There they quickly were ushered into the daily routine of
eating tomatoes and cucumbers for breakfast, covering a
lot of bread with peanut butter (the institute was the largest
consumer of peanut butter in Israel), and sampling gefilte
fish (while it’s fascinating to make, it’s an acquired taste!)
They covered a lot of ground, hiking from Jerusalem to Jor-
dan, stopping at a monastery perched in the cliffs along the
way. They also took plenty of field trips into the Negev De- millennium from Boise, where Michael had worked as a
sert, to the valley where David took on Goliath, to Meggido. software engineer and Karen as a reporter with The Idaho
And they feted a fellow classmate who was craving a Statesman. Today they run a daily online newspaper/
McDonald’s hamburger to a camel burger at McDavid’s on magazine/video service called Eye on Sun Valley.
her birthday.
Karen Bossick—208-578-2111–
The
Pagetwo
18 moved to the Wood River Valley just before the karen@eyeonsunvalley.comJews on the Move
M embers of the WRJC Jewish Bike Brigade took their
love of biking to Portugal in May. Judy and Mar-
varietals. The
main staples of
every meal in Por-
shall Meyer and Susan and Ron Greenspan - tugal are cod and
WRJC members - traveled with Lorraine and Richard pork, in just about
Gilden - summer visitors to the WRJC - to Portugal. every preparation
you might imag-
Butterfield & Robinson planned an "over-the-moon" trip for ine. And, of
the six bikers. Thirty to forty miles a day of beautiful - and course, more
HILLY- biking through Monsaraz, Evora, and the Douro wine. We did not
Valley. We stopped at cork factories and wineries (lots of lose weight. We
wineries). Typically we biked, through vineyards and cork ended our trip with
groves, until 1:30 and then enjoyed a leisurely and incredi- two days of hiking
bly delicious lunch in a small village bistro or private from mountain top
home. Then we biked a bit more until we were exhausted, vineyards down to
and then were deposited into the lap of luxury in a Con- the Douro River,
vent-Now-Hotel, Castle-Now-Hotel, or just a plain gor- no less effort re-
geous hotel. quired than in biking. (My concession to not wanting to
bike all the long up-hills: I ordered an e-bike. I now want
The blend of effort and sweat, rewarded by sybaritic sur- to buy one.)
roundings later in the day made for the sweetest con-
trast. We drank fine wine at lunch, and after showering We all look forward to biking with the rest of you in July
after biking, drank fine wine at a wine-tasting event, and and August in Sun Valley."
then dined - about 8:30 p.m., with red and white wine local Judy Meyer
A tacular.
few weeks ago Jay and I and our buddies, Marilyn Treasure Cay in
and Jack Rubin, all WRJC members spent a week particular
boating in the Abaco Islands. The Abacos are a small has been named
northeastern group of islands in the Bahamas. by National Geo-
graphic as one of
Our boat, a 45- foot 3 cabin-with a pretty layout, was our the top 10 beach-
home. Jay, who’s had his captain’s license for years was es in the world.
our main man. Jack was first mate, and Marilyn and i When we lived in
were the galley slaves for breakfast and lunch. Florida, the Aba-
Dinners were all on different islands in unique little places, cos were one
and were the most delicious and original seafood of our many fami-
we’ve ever had. Almost all had breathtaking views of the ly boating explora-
Sea of Abaco. tions. These is-
lands are still our
We docked in at 4 islands: Great Abaco; Man O’ War; little secret. We can’t wait for our grandchildren to get a
Great Guana Cay and the little town of Hopetown. No little older to introduce them to this wonderful boating life.
high rises, no tourist shops….all natural, quiet beauty and
charm. The beaches on all of the islands are truly spec- Linda Cooper
Marlene and Larry Samuels and Esther Gilbert
having lunch in London at the French restaurant Boulestin , on St. James
Street on July 6, 2018. (Larry not pictured) .
Page 19Our Jewish family from Iran / Update
Letter from From Kavin Zand,
Archibald PA, June 4, 2018
After we left Idaho, we moved to Utah and stayed there for 14 months. I
started working in Walmart first as cashier and after 2 months moved to
maintenance.
We followed up with Fariba’s medical treatment and in November 2015
Fariba went for an operation and replaced her left hip. It was a very hard
for Fariba due to her health situation. After a very short time, she lost her
father. We had a very hard time and then the social workers and a very big
team of doctors at the University of Utah realized she has P.T.S.D.
Maybe more than a thousand times we wished to be in Idaho and close to
you guys. In the meantime, I lost my job at Walmart but immediately got
hired in Regis Company.
But still we had a good life, even thou living in an apartment complex in
south Salt Lake between too many of the Muslims (Somalian and Iraqi ).
Was very hard.
Abe was going to the school in very bad shape and he was the target of bullying and discrimination. We found an
awesome Jewish doctor and sent him for therapy in the doctor’s office every week.
Also, every night I was looking for a job (online).
We really missed you and Idaho.
Until I found a job (online) and passed the tests and interview (all online), we decided to move to Pennsylvania for
my job which was very hard for us.
The C.E.O of the company was a wonderful Jew (he just left company about 3 months ago). He gave us a $2,000
loan for moving. We didn’t know anything about north east of America. So I drove all the way in our old Jeep and one
day before Rosh Hashana (October 2016) we arrived in Scranton. We stayed 2 weeks in a hotel till our house was
ready to move into and we moved to the rental house in Scranton.
In the meantime, we found a good Synagogue and we got a membership to the JCC of Scranton and after that, I just
worked hard, I could pass some good training including ‘ Allen Bradly automation systems and ABB and CPS and...
also. I could get an evaluation of my degree. I worked weekly 80 hours (and still I’m doing).
My boss very soon raised my wage and position, (now I am maintenance manager).
Fariba started working at the JCC as a volunteer and Abe started going to a very good school.
In November 2017 we bought our own home in : 874 Hill Street, Archbald Pa 18403 and also I bought a good car
(Malibu) for Fariba and a great truck for myself. Abe was identified as a smartest student in his school which is one
of the best schools in the best school district of Pennsylvania. Fariba and I are supporting the JCC in Scranton, Shi-
loh in Israel and ... also still I am a member of the IDF and obviously I am supporting this organization too.
Fariba’s feeling much better, Abe has very good friends and we are living in very good neighborhood. Also we have
plan to find a way to see you again.
…/...
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