xt7f7m04238d https://exploreuk.uky.edu/dips/xt7f7m04238d/data/mets.xml Jewish Federation of the Bluegrass Kentucky Jewish Federation of the Bluegrass 2006-02 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, February 2006 text image Shalom, February 2006 2006 2006-02 2025 true xt7f7m04238d section xt7f7m04238d SHAL

NEWSPAPER OF THE CENTRAL KENTUCKY JEWISH FEDERATION

    

FEBRUARY 2006

The General Assembly of the United Jewish
Communities brings new insights

Broad issues of concern addressed

#9.

By Barbara Barr

For three days in November, Marty and I attended the
General Assembly of the UJC, which was held in Toronto,
Canada. It is difficult to describe the feeling one gets
when attending meetings with more than 3,000 Jews from
the United States and Canada. There were young and old,
men and women, students and professionals: in other
words, people from every walk of life united only by their
concern for the future of Judaism around the world.

The z‘min theme of the .‘\\>L‘IIII"I\ was ‘ Ii\e 'eneioush,’
. 3‘) .

Wandmhasized‘flve confining needs of Jewish groups

around the world. The drive continues to bring the
remaining 15,000-20,000 Jews out of Ethiopia and to
continue their integration into Israeli society. In the
Former Soviet Union, there is still a large group of elderly
people dependent upon the services provided by the
contributions we make. Finally, there continues to be the
services required in Israel itself plus the ongoing needs
that the Federations are meeting in their own communities.

Each day consisted of a series of one- to two—hour
meetings on topics of concern to all federations. There
were few that directly targeted the problems of small
federations such as Lexington. Topics included The Next
Generation: How to Involve Them, Pushing Jew ish

see General Assembly, page 16

 

— CAMPAIGN NEWS —

Campaign 2006 offers
exciting opportunities

By Linda Rat‘z'in, 2006 CKJF/UIC
Community Campaign Chair

Over the course of the year, you will
be hearing about many of the CKJF
programs and accomplishments and
the people we help at home and
around the world with the

last issue of Shalom, our president,
Marty Barr, outlined the exciting
opportunity we have to designate
part of our overseas allocation for a
specific project in Israel. This will
allow us to connect more closely
with our Israeli friends.

The One World Film Festival will
show Pearl Gluck's documentary, The
Divan, on Thursday, March 2 at the
Kentucky Theater as part of the
festival's 2006 series.

The Divan, in Hungarian, Yiddish,
and English, with English subtitles, is

Series is free,

#96

CKJF/UJC Community Campaign.
In this article, however, we want to
share one of the changes we are

introducing, and the many ways in
which you can join the effort. In the

Starting March 1, our website

(http:/ /www.jewishlexington.org )
will also offer you the opportunity to
make your contribution online, and

see Campaign, page 18

 

Central Kentucky Jewish Federation
l050 (hinoe Road 0 Suite 203 0 lexington, KY 40502

(hangs Service Requested

 

Non-Profit Org.
0.5. Postage

PAID

Lexington, KY

 

 

Permit it 719

 

 

77 minutes long. It documents Pearl
Gluck's travels from her Hasidic
community in Brooklyn to her roots
in Hungary seeking an ancestral
couch upon which esteemed rabbis
slept. The viewer will meet some
interesting characters along the way,
including the couch exporter, Ms.
Gluck's ex-communist cousin in
Budapest, even a pair of matchmakers.

The Divan was screened at the 2001
Sundance Film Festival as a work in
progress, and is supported in part by
the National Foundation for Jewish
Culture's Fund for Documentary
Film as well as by the Fulbright
Scholar Program.

 

SHEVAT 5766

 

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Film Festival to feature
Hasidic woman’s journey

open to public

As Shalom goes to press, the One
World Film committee is in the
process of arranging to bring Ms.
Gluck to Lexington on the night of
her film to further discuss her
”complex relationship with [her]
Hasidic legacy." There will be two
showings of the film, at 5:30 pm.
and 7:30 pm. A reception hosted by
I-Iadassah will follow the 7:30 pm.
showing. Both showings are free and
open to the public.

One World Films opens its 2006
series on Sunday, February 12, in the
theater in the Lexington Public
Library with two showings of the
Iranian film Children ofHeavcn.
Showings will be at 2:00 and 4:30
pm. The film is in Farsi with English
subtitles, and is being shown as part
of the Lexington Arts & Cultural
Council's LexArts Weekend Cultural
Celebration.

sea Film Festival, page 10

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

IN THIS ISSUE
Shalom Spotlight: Jerry & Rose Rita Wurmser ...... 3 _ _
Holidays at a glance ......................... 3 Every week we send a SpeCIal emall
Have a heart: quash those myths ............... 4 listing opportunities for JBWiSh
President’s Message ........................ 4 . - . .
Thank you to our 2005 contributors ............. 5 'nvolvement and Jew'Sh programs In
From the Executive Director ................... 6 central KentUCky.
Third Opinion .......... ‘ ................... 7 The email iS called "JeWiSh Weekly."
Leisure Club becomes Noontimers .............. 7
Ask a Rabbi ............................... 8
’2“ B ' ‘ ' ' ‘ ' ‘ ' ;, """"" ;, """""" 9 If you are not receiving this email
ommunity offered a Taste of Israel .......... 1O . ,
Community Hanukkah Celebrations ............ 11 alld WOIIId [I‘l‘B to, please ‘6“ Fecleraf.
2005 Day of Giving ........................ 12 contact Daniel Chejfec at \9 /O
JewLS Hanukkah party provides fun for all ....... 14 ijf@jewishlexingt0n,org,
Midwest Camp Young Judea alumni sought ...... 14 or call 859-268-0672.
Sponsors help to make Day of Giving better ...... 15
History of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict — Part V . . .16
Just for Kids ............................. 17
Book Review ............................. 18
Play Review .............................. 18 ' ' , - -
B’tayavon ............................... 19
Israeli Society ............................. 19 SELL IT NOW
It's that time again . .’ ....................... 20 Shalom accepting classified advertising
Aréund the commun'ty """"""""""" 20 Want to get rid of that clutter in your attic? Garage? Have a second
Lexington Hadassah """""""""""""" Zl home you’d like to rent out for part of the season? How about that
fitmgton Havurah ------------------------- 3; untrod-upon treadmill? Just sell it in Shalom.
OZS ----------------------------------- 23 Are you a qualified academic tutor? What about tennis coach? Can you
Community Calendar ----------------------- 24 teach someone how to knit or do needlepoint? Or speak Hebrew? Find
your next student through Shalom.
We’ll run your classified ad of up to 60 words for $18. Each additional
SH ALOM word is just ten cents. Email us at shalom @jewishlexington.org

 

 

 

Published ten times per year by the Central Kentucky Jewish Federation, Inc.
1050 Chinoe Rd., Suite 203, Lexington, KY 40502
Phone (859) 268-0672 0 Fax (859) 268-0775

 

\“FEdEI-a .
email: sha|om@jewish|exington.org 5" Q "0 ' '
lag; Central Kentucky Jewnsh Federation
FEBRUARY 2006, VOLUME XIII, ISSUE 1 ”“8“"
Marty Barr, President
Daniel Chejfec, Executive Director CKJF President CKJF Board
Jana LaZur, Activities Director
Stacey Heisler, JFS Director Marty Barr Ray Archer Steve Kesten
Tamara Ohayon, Office Administrator Judy Baumann Lowell Nigoff
Executive Committee RaCh?' Bil”; Aim-3'9 QrzfteF'T‘h
SHALOM COMMIWEES . . . MarCIa 8 8C er Ziggy RIV In- is
Ed't . I B d MIChaEl Grossman, VICE PFESIdent Robert Grossman Ricki Rosenberg
I Orla oar .
Ruth Foley, Editor»in»Chief Pat Shraberg, Secretary. . Stanley Isenstein Walter Solomon
Mary Helene Rosenbaum, Editor/Administrator DaVld Felnberg, Immediate Past PreSident Odette KapIan Lisa Satin
Marcia Blacker, Editorial Board RUth Poley, Member At—Large Doug Katz Carole Wilson
Judy Levine, Editorial Board Mimi Kaufman

Advisory Board
Elissa Brown, Gail Cohen, Angie Ornstein,

Janet Scheeline, and Rose Rita Wurmser Shalom DON’T MISS OUT!

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Get this paper delivered

0
Holly Barnhill, Barbara Barr, Elissa Brown, Stephen G. Edelstein, Deadllne

 

Ruth Moser, Linda Ravvin, Janet Scheeline, and Susan Wilkof

Deadline for art'des for to your home ten times per year.

Production Services by Direct Response, Inc. the March Shalom is February 10 Mail your name and address to
The editorial staff has the right to edit all articles submitted for publication 1 _ j
in Shalom. The appearance of any advertising in this publication does not emal artlc es to
represent a kashruth endorsement on the part of CKJF or any other agency di-ifr@bardstown.com Shalom / CKJF
or organization. Shalom is supported by the advertisements appearing in 1050 Chinoe Rd Suite 203
the paper. _ . . . 9 u
_ Articles submitted In hard copy Lexmgtom KY 40502
© 2006 by Central Kentucky Jewish Federation should be double-spaced or email at

 

ckjf@jewishlexington.org

 

2 - February 2006 Shalom

 

  

Jerry and Rose Rita Wurmser

keep busy in the community
o + §

Surviving a plane crash, dealing with the ups and downs
of owning a business, parenting four children, cooking
hundreds of briskets, and nurturing friends and
acquaintances that should make for a very full life.
Indeed it has for Jerry and Rose Rita Wurmser. Married
for 58 years, Jerry and ”Rosie” are perennial volunteer
fixtures in the Jewish community. If you’ve eaten at a
Temple seder, resettled from the former Soviet Union, or
attended a bar or bat mitzvah, chances are Jerry and Rose
Rita have had a hand in making it happen.

 

It all began in 1945. As Jerry recounts, ”I had a date and
went to a dance at Iroquois Gardens in Louisville. I was
on a 30—day leave prior to being discharged from the Air
Corps, and still in uniform. This is where I first laid eyes
on my future wife. I can still picture her in a white
strapless formal gown, a beautiful blonde 17-year-old,
dancing every dance with a different fellow. Someone
asked my date for a dance, and this gave me the
opportunity to dance with Rose Rita, so I tapped her
partner on the shoulder, introduced myself, and cut in. (I
don’t know if this ’cutting in’ is still in vogue, but it was
back then.) For me, it was love at first sight!”

A few weeks later they met again, on a streetcar. Rosie
didn’t even recogni/e Jerry L'nbeknownsl lo a de\ astaled
Jerry, this was solely due to the fact
that Rosie didn’t wear her glasses

Shalom Spotlight

By Holly Barnhill

 

with tradition and have Rosie’s older
sister married first. Rosie thinks
maybe Jerry's having been a man oi
the world (several years older and
more experienced than she) and lust
getting out of college may have been
the actual traditional reason. They
eloped, and were married by a rabbi
the very next day. Lillian welcomed
them back with open arms, and the
couple thrived.

When asked what qualities they
value in each other, Jerry says, “Rose
Rita has great empathy for others,
people, dogs, cats, bugs, whatever.
She has the rare talent of being a
great cook, great homemaker, and an
excellent business manager.” Rosie
loves that Jerry is ”honest and
honorable, both in business and in
his personal life." And she adores
that ”Peck’s Bad Boy” part of him.

Outside of family life, Jerry describes
their biggest accomplishment as
moving to Lexington with four
children, a beat-up worn out car, and
flat broke, ”[Yet] we somehow
recovered. It appeared as if the
harder \\ e \\ orked, the luckier \ve

 

when she went out on dates. She
didn’t recognize him, because she
never really saw him clearly the first
time. I‘u‘nlually, Ierry bought a car
(194] blue Chevy) and made
arrangements to pick Lip Rosie each
morning for their ride to college.

Rosie highlights the resettlement
of families from the former Soviet
Union (through the Central
Kentucky Jewish Federation) as

one of the most meaningful

Even then, there were other obstacles
for this determined suitor. ”Rose Rita
was very popular back then,”

experiences of her life.

 

 

KAE ST RICHARD SCHENNBERG
RFAI T()R®. Sales Associate

 

(8‘39) 806-3845 KAE ( HI
(8597 806—4288 RICHARD
(53W ole-l SI 2 HU‘VII.

 

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remembers Jerry, “and to get a date
with her required a call a week or so
in advance. She wasn’t ‘stricken’ with me right off the bat,
but I guess I just grew on her. Maybe it was that old blue
Chevy, I don't know. The competition was keen. There
were thousands of sailors at U of L and hundreds and
hundreds of returning GIs. One of our early dates turned
out to be a disaster. It was on a boat ride sponsored by
the university as a ’get acquainted’ dance on the old river
boat Avalon (the current name of this old boat is the Belle
of Louisville). I took her to the boat, and I took her off the
boat. In between I hardly got to spend any time with her,
due to the hundreds of naval students on board. Every
time we started to dance, a sailor would cut in, and then
another and another. When we docked, I was so mad that
I walked her the two or three blocks to the streetcar line,
put her on the streetcar, handed her the fare, and said
goodbye. I soon cooled down, called her again, and asked
her if I could pick her up for the ride to school. By
springtime, she had accepted my Sammy fraternity

pin, and we were going steady."

A year later, Jerry proposed. By now Rosie was on board,
but her Mom (Lillian) was not. Lillian wanted to stick

 

got! When we moved to Lexington in
I961, we started the J W Wurmser
Co., wholesale distributors of toys.
Rosie and I had a deal: she’d run the
office and warehouse, if you could
call it that, and would see to it that
everything I sold would get shipped
out in a timely manner. The only
help we had to start with was one
warehouse man and my dad (we
moved my parents here from
Louisville a few months after we
came). When the sales began to
overwhelm Rosie and Dad, she hired
more help for the warehouse. Then I
hired a salesman to take over some
of my accounts, and then she had to
hire more inside help to keep up. We
were doing something right, as we
rapidly outgrew the garage. At our

sec Spotlight, page 10

Holidays at a glance

15th of Shevat: Tu b’Shevat
(short for the “15th of Shevat”)

090

By Mary Rosenbaum

Minor

Significance—New year of the trees, a legal
standardization for commercial practices. You could
combine it with Arbor Day or with Martin Luther King
Day, which it often falls near (though not this year).

References—Talmudic.

Religious activities—None out of the ordinary in the
synagogue, except that penitential prayers are omitted.

FoodiCarob, almonds, or anything that grows on trees
native to Israel. Some people celebrate a mini—seder,
featuring courses with such symbolic foods as coconuts or
walnuts (which with their hard shells and soft insides
symbolize Earth) and winter—white wine, soft pitted fruit
like cherries (symbolizing Water) and spring-blush wine,
fruits soft throughout such as grapes or strawberries
(symbolizing .\ir) and summer~light red wine, and full
red fall \\ ine (symbolizing Fire) with no truit#the wine is

the essence.

Customs—Planting trees (start one in a pot, if you In e in
snowy climes) or sending money to Israel for tree—
planting; exploring mystical symbolism regarding trees.
Talk to the kids about conservation.

Requirements—None.

From Celebrating Our Differences: Living Two Faiths in
One Marriage, by Mary Helene Roscnlmmn and Stanley Nod
Rosenlmmn (Ragged Edge Press, 1994); reprinted by
permission. xfix

 

 

   

Main Street - Lexington, KY 40507
859.253.9300

 

 

 

February 2006 Shalom 0 3

 

 

  

Have a heart:
quash those myths

Misunderstandings can increase
danger of heart disease

0 O 0
By Stephen G. Edclstein, M.D., F.A.C.C.

“Funny how it can take years for solid research
information to improve patient care while questionable
medical advice often travels with lightning speed over
back fences, at parties and via email.” This quote from the
Cleveland Clinic Heart Advisor begins an article about
heart myths, some of which are summarized here.

Myth: For example, there’s the one about how if you
suffer cardiac arrest, coughing can save your life. A news
story several years ago allegedly said that a Swedish
doctor had taught people prone to fainting to cough
forcefully when they felt woozy. Many of them reported
that coughing kept them conscious.

Truth: There’s a grain of it in this urban legend. During
heart catheterization procedures abnormal heart rhythms
can develop, some of which can be stopped by a hard
cough. But in daily life, cardiac arrest patients usually
pass out within seconds after their heart rhythms become
chaotic. If you feel faint and can talk, the best advice is to
call for help or dial 911.

Here are four other examples of fallacious folklore.

Myth: High-dose antioxidant Vitamins can protect your heart.
Truth: Large, randomized clinical trials conducted with
beta-carotene and vitamin E show that the risk of total
mortality, cardiovascular death, or stroke are not
improved by these two antioxidant vitamins. Indeed,
while vitamin E merely failed to show a benefit, the
incidence of total mortality on: cardiovascular death was
actually increased with beta—carotene.

Myth: Women have a lower risk of heart disease than men.
Truth: That was true in the late 19705, but each year since
1984, more US. women than men have died of cardiovascular
disease (CVD) and the sex gap in mortality continues to
widen. Almost every minute, a US. woman dies of
cardiovascular disease. Despite these figures some physicians
still seem reluctant to diagnose coronary disease in women
with vague chest symptoms, whereas they would be more
likely to consider it in a man of the same age. We also
notice that many women with symptoms delay calling for
help because they think, “This can’t be happening to me.”

Myth: Any diet that helps me lose weight is a good thing.
Truth: It’s true that obesity is a known risk factor for
heart disease and diabetes. But the ”miracle” crash diets
can be dangerous to your heart. There’s no such magic in
recently released dietary recommendations from the US.
Department of Health and Human Services (Dietary
Guidelines for Americans 2005). Rein in calories, the
guidelines urge. Increase activity. To prevent gradual
weight gain over time, slightly decrease food and
beverage calories while increasing physical activity.

Myth: Sex will trigger a second heart attack.

Truth: For the vast majority of patients, it’s safe to resume
sexual intimacy after recovery. As a general rule, if a
patient can climb up two flights of stairs without
shortness of breath, then having sex (with one’s own
spouse), which requires about the same level of exertion,
won’t put an excessive strain on the heart.

Now, you can pass all this information along to a friend
or keep it to yourself to keep these urban myths alive.
February is Anwriam Heart Month. e

4 0 February 2006 Shalom

President's Message

Marty Barr

An active community could get

still more involved
+ + +

One of the nicest things about my second term as president of the
Federation is seeing the growth and vitality that exists in the
organization. The Board is full of bright young people who represent the
future leadership of our community. Additionally, we have a great mix
of both men and women. Of course, there is still a core of seasoned
veterans to provide advice and counsel.

Our programs have also changed. Mitzvah Day and the Winter Dinner have become major events
where we find ourselves searching for additional mitzvah venues for the volunteers and extra
seating for all those who want to attend the dinner. Every other year, we sponsor a concert
featuring Iewish composers which

 

 

 

fills the small auditorium at the
University arts center. Last
summer featured the introduction
of a summer picnic at Veterans
Park that was enjoyed by all who
attended.

These are not things that take up much
time compared to the immense vaiue
they. deliver to the recipient, and the
feetings of reward they bring to the

We still have many unfilled needs,
however, within our community.
The Stewart Home School
visitations need more volunteers,

volunteers are beyond count.

 

as does our program for visiting
and providing emotional support
to the elderly. These are not things that take up much time compared to the immense value they
deliver to the recipient, and the feelings of reward they bring to the volunteers are beyond count.

Seventy—five peoplee eoul of around 3,000 in our lewish L'UllllllLlllli'Vi"ltltlh part m the Day ol
Giving. The Vision of what we could accomplish with this much potential stretches on beyond
sight. If you can spare several hours a month, please call; we promise that you will enjo\

the result. a

 

 

 

Improve Someone's Life

To date, Jewish renewal programs in the Former Soviet Union
have helped to create hundreds of Jewish community centers,
libraries, kindergartens, and day schools affecting the
more than one million Jews still living there.

 

    

 

 

 

Take Pride t

I“

YOU Make a Difference rm?

Support the 2006 CKJF/UJC Community Campaign

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Thank You to Our 2005 Contributors

Thank you for your support of the
2005 CKJF/UJC Community
Campaign. The 2005 Community
Campaign raised $360,000 from 400
contributors, a significant increase
fromfive years ago.

The money raised supports a number
of critical endeavors in Israel, around
the globe, and here in the Bluegrass.
Whether the help if/‘or Aliyah and
Resettlement, disa vantaged Israelis,
elderly in the former Soviet Union, or
the Falas Mura in Ethiopia, we are
there, makin a difference for the
Global Jewis community.

We participate here in our own
communitt through the Day 0 ‘Giving
and with t e Emergency F00 and
Shelter Program in partnership with
FEMA. We distributed almost
$130,000 to Social Service Agencies in
two counties to help care for the needy
and support those at risk.

Within our own Jewish community, we
continue to of er support through
Jewish Famz y Services. Our own
Tikkun Lexington coordinates
community—wide efforts where needed
and we provide su port for the Jewish
Student Union/Hi lel on college
campuses in Central Kentucky.

Take ride-whether it is in Addis
Abba a. Jerusalem, Delhi, Buenos
Aires, or Lexington. YOU make a
difference.

$1-$99

Ana/9071015: 09

Linda Ain

Nancy Amster

Eric and Lynley Andernran
Michael Biel

Larry Bitensky and Kathy Nelsen
Sylvia and David Boggs
Cindy Brenner

David and Marcia Brown
Leo Chaput

ianice Crane

Trevor and Laura Creamer
Mary Crone

Lisa Marie and Matt DeYoung
Sidney and Gladys Edelstein
Evalynne and David Elias
Louis Elvove

Ed Engel

lennifer Epperly

Starr and Bruce Gantz

lann and lames Geddes
Barry and Linda Gerall

lzzy and Nina Goldis
Sylvia Green

Karen and Malcolm Griffin
Stuart and Lydia Grist

Flora Guter

Lee and Anne Hoffman
Edward and Suzanne Kaplan
David and Cynthia Keown
lana LaEur

llyse Lonsbury

lohn and Claudia Michler
Fran Morris and Clark Mandel

 

Jack Nigoff

Robert and Sheila ()rbach
Ziggy and Michelle Rivkin-Fish
Elizabeth Rosenberg

Harold and Robin Roth
Jerry and Karen Sander

Mark Scarr

Deb Shoss

Harwell F. Smith

lonathan and Angie Smith
Brenda Starr

Dewey Stivers

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George and Laura Szekely
Andrea Tapia

Dan and Lisa Taulbee
Valentine and Nina Tiplinskiy
Ada Wikler

lennie Wilson

Rick and Leanne Eimmerman

$100 - $249

Anonymous: 0]

Ray Archer and Colby Cohen-Archer
Sandy Berger

William and Francis Bloom
Eugene and Andrea Doren
Steven and lan Fischer

Daniel and Vivian Frank
Harold and Kaye Frankel

lanct and Gilbert Fricdell
Theodor c and l'ran Friedman
Tom and Marilyn (Fetched
Richard and Barbara_Grossrnan

Robert Grossman and Barbara Blevins

Fryda Haber (Z"L)

H. Brian and Tammy Hershinow
Sheldon and Renee Hymson
Micah and Mimi Kaufman

Max and Mindy Kovinow
Charlie and Debra Kratzer
Edythe Lach

Pat Lawrence and Adrianne Nelson
David Liebschutz

Elise Mandel and loseph Anthony
Wayne and Susan Masterinan
William Meegan

Alice Mickler

Anette Milch

lames Miller

Dawn and Steve Moore
Chauncey Morris

Allen Parit:

Karen Petrone and Kenneth Slepyan
ieremy and Beata Popkin
Michael and Gloria Rie

loel Roitman

lohn and Jean Rosenberg

lerzy Rozenberg

Stephen Scher

Louis and Roberta Shain

Harold and Mariann Sherman
Lawrence Sherman

Gregory Smith and Diane Sobel
Hanna Smith

Peter and Bonnie Sobel

Charles and Leona Stern

Irvin and Sybil Stern

Jerry Suhl and Sylvia Cerel

Sue Wides

ianet Zusman

$250 - $499

Anonymous.- 27

Craig and Holly Bandoroff
Barbara Barr

Stephen and Peggy Bobys
Austin Cantor

Kathy Feinberg

Diane Friedman

Martin Friedman

Steve and Robin Gall
Sanford Goldberg and Judy Levey
Arthur and lane Graham
lohn and Paula Harrison
Jeff and Carol Kaplan
Ginger Knight

Michael and Margaret Levy
Dan and Elizabeth Liebman
Leonard Lipton

Ruth Moser

Marilyn Robie-Shechet
lonathan and Lisa Satin
Charles and Jane Spiegel
David and Elizabeth Wachtel
Jonathan Waltman and Wendy Ewing

$500 ' $999

 

David and Kathy Feinberg
Edith Frankel

Evelyn Hyinson (Z"L)
Martin Kaplan

Avram Levine

Lynn and Karyn Martin
ionathan and Lisa Miller
Neil and Ruth Poley
Harriet Rose

Irma Rosentein

lrving Rosenstein
Arthur Salomon

ludith Saxe

Stanley Saxe

Alan and Kathy Stein
William Wenneker

$1,800 - $4,999

 

 

 

xi noxri/moz 15: 13

Michael Aries

Martin Barr

ludith Baunrann

lani-‘e Brock

Gail Cohen , ‘

Robert Cohen

Barry zrine

Kenneth Graulich

Michael and Kathy Grossman
Estelle Hamburg

Sheldon Hymson

Odette Kaplan

lames, ir, and Rosemary Levenson
James and Ann Levenson

ludith Levine

Paul and Carol Mandelstam
Kenneth and Annette Mayer

lo Mink

Franklin and Marilyn Moosnick
Dan Rosenberg

David and Marie Rudder

Art Shechet and Marilyn Robie-Shechet
Eric and Mary Kathryn Waldman
Terry and Carole Wilson

$1,000 - $1,799

A horn/mails: l5

Sandy and Sandra Archer
Bruce and Rachel Belin
Robert and lo Belin

Philip and Sandy Berger
Marcia Blacker

Bruce and Elizabeth Broudy
Daniel C heiiec

lrwin Cohen

lra Cooper and Tina Trent
Cindy Derer and lohn Gohmann
Vinnie Dubilier

Anonymous 3

Robert Baumann

Joseph and Sandy Berger

Harriet Cooper

Louis Dubilier

Gerald Dubilier

Stacy Dunahue

Evelyn Dantzic Geller

Hans and lrmgard Gesund

lack and Frances Goldenberg
Barry Hunter and Dr. Debra Kat:
Ira and Anita Mersack

Carl Meyers

Morris and Rosalyn Rozen(7,”li
Simone Salomon

Terri Solomon

Vivian Well ‘“

$5,000 ' $9,999

Anonymous.- 5

Susan Caller

Leon Cooper

Stephen Edelstein

John W. and Paula Frank
Alvin and Elisabeth Goldman
Steven and Susan Goldstein
Penny Miller

$1o,ooo+

 

 

Mitchell Barnes

Bret Caller

Steve Caller

Nancy Hoffman

Phillip Hoffman

Warren and Betty Rosenthal
Walter Solomon

the Estate of Stanley Victor
Eantker Charitable Foundation

February 2006 Shalom - 5

n..-~ a... .. ..

 

  

From the Executive Director

____________————————

Living on the fence
o e +

Some days you go through
experiences that force upon you
some kind of revelation, and the
experiences make it clear to you that
something you were not focusing on
is indeed important. On January 10,
I went through one such day.

The day started in Lawrenceburg,
Kentucky, where I was asked to
address a group of middle school
students about what it means to be a
Jew—not from a religious
perspective but from a cultural point
of view. The experience by itself was
not surprising, nor was it different
from other such

Daniel Chejfec

pitchforks kidnapping Christian
children to make matzot for
Passover. On the other hand, it is a
long way from understanding us and
accepting us as who we are.

The second experience was my
participation at the FEMA
Emergency Food and Shelter
Committee of Anderson County in
Mount Sterling, Kentucky, early that
same afternoon. I participate in this
committee and its Fayette County
equivalent as representative of the
Federation System, one of the
financial partners in this national
program. When I put this experience
together with the one in the morning,
I started asking myself questions.

 

 

occasions. And
yet it was. My
accumulated
experience made
me very aware
during the
encounter that,
as Jews, we are
simply not on the
radar screen of
many Kentuckians. Scratch that—we
are on their radar screen, not as who
we really are, but as who they, as

Christians, believe that we should be.

Their idea is that we are pretty much
”like Christians, but who do not
believe Jesus was the Messiah.” On
the one hand, this is a great step up
from the belief that we have horns
and forked tails and go around with

Why is it that even after 350 years of
Jewish sojourning in America,
American society still has difficulty
understanding who we really are?

 

 

It is clear to me that as Jews we are
compelled to be active in the general
community in which we live, so our
participation as a Jewish community
in the FEMA program is a no-brainer
from our point of View. Yet some
people at the meeting were surprised
at our willingness to participate.
Why is this so?

 

Noontimers

Purim Party

 

  

3‘4

madam

 

March l4, 2006

12 pm.
at Temple Adath Israel

Lunch will be provided.

Call or email Stacey Heisler for more
information or to RSVP.

859.269.8244
jf5@jewishlexington.org

 

\.é°“ize’%¢
[rail

0 at“
é”Ital K2“

 

 

6 0 February 2006 Shalom

And then there were the kids in
Lawrenceburg, who were surprised
to find out that being Jewish is not
only about religion; that you can be
Jewish and not be observant. They
have difficulty grasping the fact that
as Jews we are part of a proud people
and that religion is but one aspect,
important as it is, of who we are.

Why is it that even after 350 years

of Jewish sojourning in America,
American society still has difficulty
understanding who we really are? I
believe it is to a large extent our own
fault. Like Jews in ages past living in
societies where acceptance was but a
dream, we still live straddling the
fence between the outsider and the
insider.

In spite of the far wider acceptance
Jews receive in America when
compared with any other Diaspora
community, we still feel like
outsiders. We are of America and
devoted to it; we care for America’s
social problems and strive to solve
them in partnership with other
Americans; we are proud members
and citizens of American society and
active participants in the political
system. So why do I say that we still
feel like outsiders?

We still play the ”don’t rock the
boat” game. If Christians are happy
with their perception of Jews, and
that perception is not only better
than before, but is actually benign—
why upset the game? Why make any
effort to get them to understand that
Judaism is not just a ”Jesus—less
Christianity," but a rich and unique
tradition in its own right, different
from yet akin to Christianity? If we
do so, would they still like us?

Yes, even as American Jews, we

are still preoccupied with whether
people will like us if we are different
from them. We want to preserve who
we are but we want to be like
everybody else. We don’t want to be
perceived as different but we want
people to respect our differences; we
are comfortable with Christians
looking at us as "Americans of the
Jewish faith," even when deep down
we know that being Jewish is more
than that. We are indeed, like Moses,
”strangers in a strange land,” but we
call that strange land ”home.” If
anything defines the Jewish condition,
it is this contradiction and ambivalence
and the way we address it.

Living ”on the fence" has defined
Jewish identity since the beginning

 

of modernity and th