xt7brv0czp2n https://exploreuk.uky.edu/dips/xt7brv0czp2n/data/mets.xml Jewish Federation of the Bluegrass Kentucky Jewish Federation of the Bluegrass 2008-10 Newspaper of the Jewish Federation of the Bluegrass, previously named the Central Kentucky Jewish Association and Central Kentucky Jewish Federation. Published ten times annually. The Federation seeks to bring Jewish community members together through holiday parties, lectures, Yiddish courses, meals, and other celebrations of Jewish heritage and culture. They also host fundraisers and provide financial assistance for Jews in need, both locally and around the world. This collection is part of the Jewish Federation of the Bluegrass records, 2016ms010. newsletters 2016ms010 English Central Kentucky Jewish Federation Inc Contact the Special Collections Research Center for information regarding rights and use of this collection. Jewish Federation of the Bluegrass records Jews -- Kentucky -- Lexington Jews -- History Shalom, October 2008 text image Shalom, October 2008 2008 2008-10 2025 true xt7brv0czp2n section xt7brv0czp2n . «3‘8 1‘ .
091 Chusno 'er ormm : I P ”u; '
‘ __:‘_.-:‘2?§-?9

—- CAMPAIGN NEWS —

Two weeks after being airlifted from Georgia,
the Mamisashvili’s are making Israel their
home with the support of the Jewish Agency

On August 12th, 2008 Vazha and Irina Mamisashvili
and their two young sons Nikoloz, 8, and David, 5,

were airlifted to Israel during the height of the war in
Georgia. They arrived at Ben Gurion airport emotionally
and physically drained, but with incredible hope for the
future. They were home.

Two weeks later, the Mamisashvili family is living on
Kibbutz Masada, in the Jordan Valley. They are part of

TISHRI-HESHVAN 5768-5769

Jewish community

As a tribute to past, present, and future supporters, CKJF
will host a night of comedy featuring comedian Joel
Chasnoff on October 25 at Temple Adath Israel Social
Hall. The doors will open at 7:45 p.m. with wine and hors
d’oeuvres; the show starts at 8:30 p.m.

Joel has appeared on stage in seven countries and at com-
edy venues such as the Montreal Comedy Festival, a USO
comedy tour of Korea and Japan, and Jewish corporate

Comedy event open to the

nition in the Jewish press. Joel will
charm his audience with his unique
and innovative look at Jewish life
based on his own real and varied
experiences, which reflect a deep
connection with Judaism and pride
in being Jewish.

You won’t want to miss this opportu-

ng « ’W M’vm : wan ﬁnds‘p;w'w

events across North America and Europe, as well as at
performances on a variety of college campuses and night-

clubs. He has opened for such famous acts as Jon Stewart
and Lewis Black.

nity. This event is sponsored by the
Elizabeth Rosenberg Speakers' Series,
a program established in memory of
Elizabeth Rosenberg. It is free and
open to the Jewish community, but
lm‘l l'~ top notch In the world 0t lewvu'h comedy and has please RSVP to CKJF. 3??
acquired a Jewish following while receiving much recog-

ﬁ

jShofar sbunded
round the world

Lexington minyan heard in Ireland
+ § 9

“"‘m‘w bus—av—

By Rabbi H. D. Uriel Smith

~>~V‘-‘..\¢. .....,\..

the Jewish Agency’s First Home in
the Homeland program, in which
new immigrant families are directly
absorbed by Kibbutzim around the
country.

On Sunday, September 7 this year, we recited the
Shehehiyanu blessing (”who has kept us alive till this day")
for a historical occasion. For the first time in Kentucky
history our minyan prayers crossed the Atlantic Ocean
instantaneously, allowing a friend, Rafi Finkel, to say the
kaddish in Cork, Ireland, in the presence of a minyan

Israel 15 our first home, says Vazha here in Lexington, Kentucky.

with pride. “Georgia is our second

home.” We had prepared for this day over several weeks. For

see Campaign, page 17

511 2 llllJJad
AX ’uolwaa]

Cl lVd
abpisod'g'n
biowmd uoN

the past few years we have been meeting together each
Friday morning to pray Shaharit (the morning prayer),
followed by a snack (coffee, bagels, cream cheese, and
salt herring), and then studying together a blat g’moreh

(a page of Talmud). Rafi was the study leader. This year
he left Lexington for a sabbatical leave in Cork, Ireland.
However, we arranged that through the miracle of Skype,
with cameras at both ends, Rafi could lead the Talmud
study from Cork, while we sat together in the synagogue
library here in Lexington. (No, we could not send him the
coffee and bagels over the Internet.)

paisanbay aJ/Aiag aﬁunq)

209017 AM ’u016ulxa] ' ZOE allnS ' P908 BOUND OSOL

uoneiapa; qsgmarbpmuax Imus) see Shofar page 5 .

IN THIS ISSUE
Jewish life in 20th century Lexington: ................... 3
President's Message ................................. 4

University of Michigan students to pilot

$1 million investment fund .......................... 5
From the Executive Director ........................... 6
Third Opinion ...................................... 7
Ask a Rabbi ....................................... 8
JFS: At Your Service ................................. 9
Tikkun Lexington visits Stewart Home for seventh year ..... 1O
Memoir: That Year in Jerusalem—1968 .................. 11
History of the Israeli—Palestinian Conflict — Part XXXI ...... 12
Book Review ..................................... 13

lsrael 21c: Gearing up for energy efficiency with IQWind. . . . 14

B’tayavon ........................................ 16
Jewish music producers advanced racial awareness — Part 1 . . 18
Lexington Chapter of Hadassah ....................... 19
Lexington Havurah ................................. 19
TAl ............................................. 20
Around the Community ............................. 21
025 ............................................ 22
Community Calendar ............................... 33

SHALOM

Published ten times per year by the
Central Kentucky Jewish Federation, Inc.
1050 Chinoe Rd., Suite 302, Lexington, KY 40502
Phone (859) 268—0672 0 Fax (859) 268-0775
email: shalomOjewishlexington.org

OCTOBER 2008, VOLUME XV, ISSUE 7

Linda Ravvin, President
Daniel Chejfec, Executive Director
Jana LaZur, Activities Director
Paula Clancy, JFS Director
Tamara Ohayon, Staff Associate

SHALOM COMMITTEES

Editorial Board
Ruth Paley, Editor-in-Chief
Mary Helene Rosenbaum, Editor/Administrator
Marcia Blacker
Jane Chaput
Judy Levine

Advisory Board
Elissa Brown, Gail Cohen, Angie Ornstein,
and Rose Rita Wurmser

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Vivien Bitensky, Karen Kloosterman, Harold Sherman,
Hanna B. Smith, and Uriel H.D. Smith

Production Services by Direct Response, Inc.

The editorial staff has the right to edit all articles submitted for publication
in Shalom. The appearance of any advertising in this publication does not
represent a kashruth endorsement on the part of CKJF or any other agency
or organization. Shalom is partially supported by the advertisements
appearing in the paper.

0 2008 by Central Kentucky Jewish Federation

2 I October 2008 Shalom

§@@§§©@é§§é@é§§©@é§@“

(QC/«s
©© @@
a) a?“ <3@
% smite-75“"
Sf?» gala/aim}, MM 2/, .2009 @@
gaff; TAI Sisterhood Fund Raiser ((59%
@253 . . K c”)
$3633 If you liked The Bats, you’ll love this! gag
@359 Watch for details in future issues. (52%;
(i) ©(9
§w . c117) » -. :33.) '2) - .. \ (TIN v ”t c155.) gig

STEWART HOME SCHOOL
VISITATION SCHEDULE:
November 11th
Hanukkah party on December 16th

The Stewart Home, located in Frankfort,
Kentucky, is a residential school for
individuals with disabilities. it is renowned
throughout the country for the high quality
of care given to the students, and attracts
people from all across the country. Tikkun
Lexington brings celebration to the Stewart
Home’s Jewish students by honoring
Shabbat and Jewish holidays. It is‘a very
special evening for all who participate,
volunteers and students alike.

settlxwio, Please call Jana at (859) 268-0672
0%, be oremailjana@jewishlexington.org

% Central Kentucky Jewish Federation

(‘

\ for more information /

if you are not receiving Jewish weekly email and would like to, please
send your name and email address to ckif@iewishlexington.org

HADAS SAH
WANTS YOU

Volunteer as much or as little as you can.

Pick an area that fits your interests or talents.
Hadassah will welcome you, whether you are
young or older, a new or a long time member.

Please contact Evalyn Block, President,

at eblock3375@windstream.net, (859)
271-0127 or Lynn Furness, Vice President,
Membership, at mamanewbs@yahoo.com,
(859) 873-0328 to learn more about the
opportunities in Hadassah. We'd love to hear
from you as we start our new Hadassah year.

Emma wmam

Shalom depends on the community
for its material. If you are interested
in writing an account of a meeting
or interviewing a person of interest
to the Jewish community, or have
anything else to share with our
readers, please email Mary at DI-
QFRQBardstown.com J

CKJF President CKJF Board
Linda Ravvin Bruce Broudy Lowell Nigoff
Ronit Eres Linda Noffsinger

Executive Committee

Michael Grossman, Vice President
Pat Shraberg, Secretary

Robert Grossman, Treasurer

Ruth Poley, Member-At—Large

David Feinberg
Rose Garden

Angie Ornstein
Jeremy Popkin

Evelyn Dantzic Geller Ricki Rosenberg
Larry Kant
Odette Kaplan
David Levine
Jennifer Miller

Kae Schennberg
Elissa Weinstein
David Wekstein

Jewish life in 20th century Lexington:

An interview with

Janice Crane
+ 4 +

By Hanna B. Smith

In the August edition of Shalom, I
reported about an oral history proj-
ect initiated by Dr. Rosie Moosnick
(”Grant helps preserve Jewish his-
tory in Central Kentucky," page 5).
The project’s purpose is to capture
the history of the Jewish merchant
families in Lexington and Central
Kentucky who came to this area and
started businesses during the 19th
and the early 20th centuries.

On August 5, I had the privilege

[anil‘e Crane’s parents, a brother, and an aunt and male in the Steinbergs" new store on its

Janice Crane was a logical choice for
the first interview. Janice and her
family were among the first people
whom my husband, Uri, and I met
when we moved to Lexington. As

a Hadassah member in Cincinnati,
Ohio, I had already met Janice’s sister
Cookie. A beautiful seder with deli-
cious food, hosted by Janice’s mother,
the late Martha Steinberg, at her
home on Fontaine Road has become
part of my husband’s and my history
in Lexington.

Janice Crane’s maternal grandpar-
ents, Jonah and Dena Jacobs, arrived
in Lexington early in the 20th cen-
tury. The couple hailed from a shtetl
in Lithuania that produced several

opening7 day in 1945. From left to right: Martha Steinberg, her brother Sam Jacobs, Sidney
Steinberg, Sam’s wife Hilda lambs, and [ﬁring Steinberg.

of attending a meeting with Dr.
Moosnick and with descendants

of the merchant families who are
working on the history project. This
group of volunteers was lively and
full of fun. Their reminiscences, sup-
ported by old photos, brought to life
a Lexington whose history indeed
merits preserving.

Living in Lexington since 1985, I

had heard stories about people and
events that had whetted my curiosity
about what life was like for Jews in
an earlier Lexington. The members of
the oral history group kindly offered
to tell their families’ stories for the
Shalom readership.

more of the founding families of

the Central Kentucky Jewish com-
munity. Jonah Jacobs, who arrived in
Lexington some time before his wife,
was one of the founding members of
Ohavay Zion Synagogue.

Janice’s mother, Martha Jacobs, was
a girl of 12 when she arrived in
Lexington. She made the trip from
New York to Lexington without her
mother. Her brother Abe had fallen
ill in New York, and the authorities
put him in quarantine. Dena Jacobs,
the children’s mother, decided to stay
with Abe. Jonah Jacobs was already
in Lexington and he had a home
ready for his family.

Irving Steinberg, Janice Crane’s
father, was born in Poland, in a town

near Warsaw. The Steinberg family
immigrated to Cincinnati, Ohio, were
Irving grew up. He eventually moved

to Lexington, where he met and mar-
ried Martha Jacobs.

Jonah Jacobs, Janice’s maternal
grandfather, opened a store named

The picture of a close-knit

Jewish community and of a

vibrant downtown emerges

The picture of a close—knit Jewish
community and of a vibrant down-
town emerges from Janice’s reminis-
cences. As a child, Janice was never
afraid to walk downtown. Walking
on downtown streets meant walking
past the stores of other family mem-
bers and friends.

Also, many of the customers lived
downtown and became familiar.
There was Pauline, a lovely,
motherly woman, who hugged
Janice and made her feel impor—
tant whenever she came into
the store. And there was Bertie
”from next door," who stopped
by every day.

from Janice’s reminiscences.

—-—_.—_

J. Jacobs and Sons at 328 West Short
Street around 1915. A fire damaged
the store in the 1920s, so the Jacobs
family relocated their store to Main
Street and named it the Globe. The
Jacobs family also owned a store on
the northwest corner of Third and
Race streets.

After her marriage to Irving
Steinberg, Jonah and Dena’s daughter
Martha and her husband took over
the family store. Over the years the
Steinbergs ventured into other busi-
nesses, including a jewelry store.
This store, fopened in 1945, was dalled
Tiny’s Jewelry because of the size of
the facility (see photo).

Lexington has changed over the
years, of course, and many of the
buildings that once housed business-
es owned by the Jacobs and Steinberg
families are no longer there. The

new courthouse fountain, popularly
known as the Shower, is located
where once Tiny's Jewelry stood.

What was it like growing up in
Lexington, in the mid-20th century?

3w 1

The Steinbergs were generous
people, helping where they saw
a need. Janice remembers how
her mother supplied school clothes
and money to buy books for a child
who lived near the Race Street store.
Judging by information from other
members of the history project, all
the Jewish business owners took the
mitzvah of tzedakah seriously, help-
ing the needy around them.

l’Coupons, shmoopons, the children
need shoes," was not exactly what
Jonah Jacobs said when he sold
children's shoes during World War II
to parents who did not always have
the necessary clothing coupons. But
fre‘ijdéhtlji childréh’s feet grew faster
than authorized by the government
in those days. Mr. Jacobs had a big
heart and could not stand seeing chil-
dren g0 barefoot. As a result, he ran
afoul of the law a few times. Martha
Steinberg had to go to the police sta—
tion and pay a fine to prevent her
father from being jailed.

Later, Janice mused, “Downtown was
exciting, colorful, and full of energy
in mid-century." There were parades,

see Crane, page 13

ma 51‘me

janéi‘ Rob and Eileen

. . ... I 3

. .N...» ..~...~\..__.w...... ‘4,

,I'

« <- ‘v‘-¢.\v»‘s* ,‘

- "a... 4...... n... “1,.” . . .

.(, .,.. -’. wx .->.. ~ is" ... <.

President's Message

Linda Ravvin

Change: One of the definitions of
change is the act or process of substi—
tution, alteration, or varia—
tion. Another is to cause to
become different; to alter
or transform. [Webster’s
New World College
Dictionary, Fourth Edition]
It seems the word is in
vogue now. Both Obama
and McCain refer to it
constantly in their campaigns—both
in terms of the changes they will

bring and the changes that are neces-

sary with any shift in government.

CKJF and our community are also
faced with change. By the time you
read this message, Daniel Chejfec
will already have left his position
as executive director of CKJF. The

of United Jewish Communities, our
national organization. We have an

How do you think CKJF is fulfilling its role
in the community? Do you know about
everything we do? Do you participate? If
so, in what activities and/or services do

you involve yourself and your family?

ideal opportunity to evaluate where
we are and how we should move for—

ward. Let us take full advantage of it.

Our mission statement, referred to as

Purposes in our bylaws, is as follows:

The purposes of the Federation
are to promote and foster unity
and cohesion in the Jewish com-

support to the State of Israel, Jewish people
in all countries and selected charities.

How do you think CKJF is fulfill-

ing its role in the community? Do you
know about everything we do? Do
you participate? If so, in what activi-
ties and /or services do you involve yourself and your family? If
not, what could and should we be doing better? What would you
like to see available for the whole community, both affiliated and
unaffiliated, and all age ranges? What types of programs do you
and would you attend? Would you volunteer to help to plan and pub-
licize them if they were offered? As we move forward with the search,
what are the qualities you think are essential in an executive director?

Our UJC consultant has spoken with a broad spectrum of the commu-
nity to put together both an understanding of our needs and a criteria
list for our new director. Help the process and the community by giving
your input. Please mail your thoughts to the CKJF office at 1050 Chinoe
Road, Suite 302, Lexington KY 40502, addressed to me, Linda Ravvin.

We, along with the Jewish community worldwide, are in the midst of our most
important Observances of the Jewish calendar year. It is a time for introspec-
tion—have we done enough for ourselves and others; have we treated others
with respect and compassion, have we behaved in a morally respectable and
responsible fashion, have we participated in Tikkun Olam (the repairing of the
world)? It is the start of a new Jewish year and we all have the opportunity for
renewal and change in our lives and in our community. Let us work together
to make this happen in the most positive and beneficial ways for everyone. 2‘33

munity of Central Kentucky,

to improve the quality of
Jewish life in the community
by developing and maintain—
ing recreational, social, cultural,
community service and lei—
sure activities; and to provide
financial assistance and moral

search committee, chaired by David
Feinberg and consisting of Ray
Archer, Ronit Eres, Mike Grossman,
Janice Newman, and Carole Wilson,
is actively working to fill the posi—
tion with the best person who can
be found. A nationwide search has
been underway with the assistance

’W«

Experienced, Fair, Impartial:
Joyce Merritt for District Judge

Joyce Merritt has represented Fayette County citizens in private legal practice in all divisions of District, Circuit and
Federal Courts. For more than a decade, the Fayette Courts have entrusted Merritt as the guardian for abused and
neglected children and for mentally disabled adults. She also serves as a Hearing Officer for the Kentucky Retirement
Systems and for various local school boards. She has experience presiding over hearings, ruling on motions, writing
orders, and issuing opinions. Merrltt ls unlquely quall ed to serve all of us as a Fayette Dlstrlct Judge.

Merritt has been a member of the Kentucky Justice Association and the American
Justice Association. She has served on the board of the Lawyer Referral Service of
the Fayette County Bar Association.

Merritt is an active volunteer in Fayette County civic organizations, including past
service on the Advisory Board of the Boys and Girls Club of Lexington. She spends
her free time rock climbing, hiking, mountain biking, skiing, and rafting. In 2006,
Merritt climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro, the highest peak in Africa, to raise funds and
awareness for the Lexington Chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.

“The liberties of none are safe unless

the liberties of all are protected. ”
—— U.S. Supreme Court Justice William 0. Douglas

Joyce __Merritt

for '
District Judge

Paid for by Joyce Merritt for District Court Judge, D. Eric Lycan, Treasurer.

wwaoycemerritt.com

4 | October 2008 Shalom

’ we! , "

University of Michigan students to
pilot $1 million investment fund

New program connects next
generation of business leaders with

State of Israel
0 Q t

Ann Arbor, MI — Fifteen students from the University of
Michigan have founded a non-profit investment group
which will connect top American business students

with the State of Israel and its economic future. The
TAMID Investment Group is currently being piloted at
the University of Michigan and will afford students the
opportunity to raise and manage a $1 million portfolio of
Israeli companies, interact with top Israeli executives, and
engage with Israel on a daily basis.

While college students across American have multiple
outlets for interacting with Israel, the founders of TAMID
realized that there is no current program that provides

a substantive and sustained connection to Israel that
engages students based on their professional and personal
aspirations. Moreover, nothing currently exists to con-
nect American business students with the State of Israel.
TAMID is the first organization to bridge the gap between
American business students’ professional ambitions and
the collective interest of Israel and the Jewish people.

”Political Science students can connect with Israel by
attending advocacy seminars and political lectures.
English and Journalism students can connect with Israel
by writing for an endless number of publications. What
about business students?” asked Hadar Taylor, the educa-
tion coordinator for Hagshama, “Now they can connect

with Israel by participating in TAMID.”

The executive board members of TAMID are actively rais-
ing the funds needed to finance their goal of a $1 million
initial investment planned for January 2009. The invest-
ment fund will be non-profit and perpetual, meaning
that the investment will never be taken out of the Israeli
economy. TAMID will invest half the funds and use

Shofar (from page 1)

Cork has a very small Jewish community, and can-

not gather together a minyan except on festivals, when
families come in from neighboring towns. So, before the
yahrzeit of his father came around, Rafi asked us here

in Lexington whether we could form a minyan, which
he could join. Halacha (Jewish law) states that you can-
not combine people over long distance into a minyan.
However, if there is a minyan in one place, a person else-
where can join in the prayers of that minyan if he can
hear those prayers even at a distance. In this case we not
only heard each other, but also saw each other. Jonathan
Glixon placed the camera strategically, and Leon Cooper
led the service. So Rafi could honor his father with a kad-
dish in Cork, joining us long—distance here in Lexington.

To top it off, since this is the month of Elul, when it is the
custom to blow the shofar each day for Slichot (petition-
ary prayers preparing us for the New Year), we decided
to blow the shofar both for us and for Rafi and his wife,
Beth. So I blew the shofar, and its sound was heard
around the world. $

the other half to finance a TAMID
Business Scholarship Fund that will
place American students into pres-
tigious internships with top Israeli
companies.

TAMID’s business model is based on

1DAJVHE3

tSRAEL INVESTMENT GROUP

”This organization could eventually connect hundreds of
the brightest Jewish minds with Israel’s industry leaders,
develop future generations of Jewish philanthropists, and
invest great amounts of human capital into the future of
the State of Israel," writes Dr. Shlomo Kalish, the chair-
man of Jerusalem Global Ventures, one of Israel’s leading
venture capital funds.

a five-year growth strategy which

will culminate in a national organiza-
tion with sites at every top American
university. TAMID’s founders envi-
sion the group developing into a
network of the brightest American
Jewish minds, all having a deeply
rooted passion and a vested interest
in Israel’s future.

The TAMID Investment Group was founded at the
University of Michigan in 2008. The executive board is
comprised of fifteen students enrolled in the Stephen M.
Ross School of Business, Gerald Ford School of Public
Policy, Economics Program, and Organizational Studies
Program. TAMID is currently in the process of raising
capital for the portfolio and scholarship fund through tax-
exempt donations. (1

Shabbaton Highlights

Invited speakers:

Keynotes and presentations:

Mark Your Calendars
Central States Region Fall Conference
November 14—16, 2008
Hyatt Regency Hotel
Lexington, Kentucky

Conference Advisor Marcie Natan, Hadassah National Treasurer
Scholar-in-residence Carol Goodman Kaufman, PhD, author of

Sins of Omission: The Jewish Community ’s Reaction to Domestic

Violence.

Renee Resnik, National Chair, On-Line Training/Breeze

Susan Wilkof, National Chair, 100th Anniversary Celebration for
Young Judaea

A. Sara Rosenthal, PhD, Director, Program of Bioethics, Univer-
sity of Kentucky

Noah Gallagher, Director, Young Judaea Midwest

Special guest to help in celebrating the 60th anniversary of

Israel.

Rabbi-in—residence Audrey Korotkin

Is There Shalom in the House? Domestic Violence and the
Jewish Community

0 Relevance of Hadassah Work Today as a Zionist Organization

0 Bioethics and the Jewish Perspective

- HMO: The Future is Now

0 Youth Aliyah: Hadassah’s Response to the Needs of Israeli

Youth. ..

o Celebrating the 60th Anniversary of Israel is} 1322; ﬁt Qg: k”; i:

me FUTURE

0 Kabbalat and Shabbat services

0 Women of Innovation Awards Workshops:

0 Israeli music performed by the Bowling-Sherman Quintet O Workshop for Treasurers

0 Gift Basket and Silent Auction with Renee Resnik ' How to Run aSuccessful

. Torah Study with Rabbi Audrey Korotkin D9n0r_ Campaign .

0 Young Women/Young Leaders session ' 1(3):: wGlﬁrszgldow ‘0 Begin the

0 Gate Rece tion

.nmansm P -mmmmmW
Marketing your Organization

Separate Track Programming for Associates:

0 Camping Experience with
Associates programming will include a seminar on the Young Judaea

Middle East with Lawrence Ziring, PhD, and a ﬁeld trip 0 Promoting your Chapter thru
to the Kentucky Horse Park Bulletins, Websites and Pub-
licity

October 2008 Shalom I 5

From the Executive Director

Daniel Chejfec

L'hitraoth, CKJF
+ + +

When you read this column, I will
no longer be the executive direc-
tor of the Central Kentucky Jewish
Federation, but while writing it I
still am, and I am wondering, what
would I like to present to the com-
munity as my parting thoughts?

Last month I shared with you my
thinking on the accomplishments
of the organization over the past
nine years, so I don’t need to repeat
that here. I do feel the need to share
with you what has guided me over
the years of my tenure as executive
director.

I believe in community. From early
on in my life I always considered
community to be the centerpiece of
who we are. Community implies,
on one hand, commonality—shared
ideas and shared hopes; it also
implies renunciation—the ability

to renounce personal expectations
when they conflict with those of the
community you serve.

Community implies belonging.
Belonging means to accept as our
own the commonality of the commu-
nity, to make the ideas and hopes of
that community our own. But we all
belong to more than one community
because we share hopes and ideas
with more than one group. We are
Jews, we are Americans; in my case,
I am an immigrant and a Jewish
professional and a sociologist and
an educator and a social worker. In
each one of those personae, I share
common ground with others, and
with them I help to define a commu-
nity of interests. Sometimes all these

communities we belong to work
together very nicely, and sometimes
they don’t —to go through life is

to constantly balance all these alle-
giances in order to function in our
social environment, because life is
relationships. When we balance the
demands of all these groups who are
part of our life, we make choices, we
prioritize. It doesn’t mean we deny
one group or the other, but just that
we prioritize one group or another in
our lives so we can handle conflicts
and contradictions. I chose to make
my Jewish identity a top priority

in my life: to carry the memories
and the traditions of all those upon
whose shoulders I stand. If I were in
Argentina, I would still be a Jew; if

I were a physician, I would still be a
Jew.

Belonging implies participating.
How can I see myself as belonging
to a group yet remain aloof and not
contribute to what that group is?
Belonging means to make that group
my own, and assume responsibility
for what that group is and for what
that group becomes.

My intention has always been to _
invest myself fully in the groups I
belong to. The converse also applies:
when you deny someone the right to
participate, you are saying that per-
son does not belong.

Participating means taking responsi-
bility. So many people take positions
without knowing the facts, especially
when it comes to the Middle East.
This will “balkanize” our society—-
as the Yiddish phrase has it, where
everyone makes their own shabbat.

Taking responsibility means respect-
ing others and listening. It means
understanding that our interpreta-
tion of reality is not the only possible
one, and that it is more important to
look into our own feelings and ideas
than trying to destroy those of oth-
ers. Community life should be more
about building connections in the
community than about taking credit,
more about finding common ground
than about creating dissent, more
about playing with others than con-
stantly changing the rules to gain or
retain power.

I believe that the Central Kentucky
Jewish community has the poten-
tial to be more than it is, and I also
believe that the CKJF can have a
central role in making that happen.
Over the years, working with volun—
teers, the CKJF was able to promote
change in the community and to
change itself to better serve that
community.

I remember an old song we used to
sing at the Youth Zionist movement
back in Argentina. It was old then,

3:00 pm.

3mg 3H1 3mg

Sunday. Novem er

The TAi Sisterhood in conjunction with the TAl Adult
Education Committee will welcome Alysa Stanton to
Lexington. Stanton is preparing to be ordained by HUC as the
first African-American female rabbi in May, 2009.

so it is probably ancient now, yet the
truth of that song still resonates for
me: Anu Banu Artza Liv’not Ul’ivanot
Bah — “We have come to the land to
build it and to be rebuilt by it." When
we become part of a group, of an
organization, we are changing not
only the group but ourselves. When
we enrich the group we belong to, we
enrich ourselves.

I came to see this community as my
home, and while now I am moving
on to new challenges and new hori-
zons, it will always have a place in
my heart. I wish the community and
CKJF a future of accomplishments
and inclusion, years of success and
growth. Thank you for letting me
serve the community and be a part
of your lives.

L’hitraot a

The entire community is invited to attend her inspiring pre-
sentation at Temple Adath lsrael on Sunday November 16, at

Watch for more details in the November issue.

Daniel Chejfec, departing CKJF director, chats with members of the community at farewell party in his honor.

October 2008 Shalom

6 l

Third Opinion

Stanley Ned Rosenbaum, PhD

Michael Phelps and

Mark Spitz
+ + a

Like all Americans, I cheered when
Michael Phelps became the first
non-Jewish person to win seven gold
medals at one Olympics, a ”mark”
he then quickly eclipsed. Spitz did

it 36 years ago at the tragic Munich
Olympics that many of us remember
with searing clarity. What a lot of
people don’t remember or perhaps
don’t know is that 1972 was less than
ten years after the ”good” colleges
and universities dropped their quo-
tas on admitting Jewish students.

The Ivies, as Jerome Karabel chron-
icles in his hefty (711pp) tome The
Chosen (Houghton, Mifflin, 2005)—
not to be confused with, but appar-
ently intended as an ironic homage
to, Chaim Potok’s moving 1967 novel,
The Chosen—initiated these quotas.
(Quotas remained in force until the
mid-‘60s. Brandeis University, found-
ed in 1953, was a belated Jewish
communal response to them.)

It seems that by the early ’205 the
sons of the Eastern European immi-
grants who came here with nothing
were outscoring their WASP contem-

poraries on college admissions tests, »

so enterprising Ivy admissions offi-
cers had to find other ways to win-

now the applicants. They were none
too subtle about it, either.

A. Lawrence Lowell of Harvard, who
introduced quotas in 1926, was frank

The December/January

issue of Shalom will

be published in early
December. If y