xt7nvx061n89 https://exploreuk.uky.edu/dips/xt7nvx061n89/data/mets.xml Jewish Federation of the Bluegrass Kentucky Jewish Federation of the Bluegrass 2011-02 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 Jewish Federation of the Bluegrass 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 2011 text image Shalom, February 2011 2011 2011-02 2025 true xt7nvx061n89 section xt7nvx061n89 Shale

Newspaper of

The jewish Federation

 

February 2011

l<6ttttl§55'h

OF THE BLUEGRASS

 

SHEVATIADAR 1 5771

 

Yiddishkeit in Appalachia

By Gary Yams

How can you
be Jewish
and live in
Pikeville,
Kentucky?

A follow-up
question was
usually, how
did you get
there in the

 

first place?

I was asked these questions shortly
after I arrived in Lexington as I started
to meet members of the Jewish com-

mufill‘fl

version of the story.

My father was from Cleveland, Ohio
and during the 1929 Depression, my
father had to quit college and go to
work. The problem was, he had few
skills and many odd jobs. On the sug-
gestion of relatives he went to New
York City, living there with other rela-
tives, and got a job with the Pep Boys,
a prominent auto parts supplier, and
began learning the auto parts business.

Upon his return to Cleveland, my
father would load up his car with auto
parts and drive south on US. highway
23 selling parts to the service stations
along the route. When empty he would
return to Cleveland, fill up the car
again, and continue further down US
23. Business was good and soon with

a larger vehicle he was able to go still
further south where he eventually

crossed the Ohio River at Portsmouth
into Kentucky. This trend continued
until he found himself in the coalfields
of Eastern Kentucky. The coal business
was booming and demand for auto
parts was high, so my father decided
to settle with my mother in Hazard,
Kentucky where he and a partner, in
1936, opened an auto parts store on
Main Street. He chose to name the
business ”The Whizz Boys,” (like the
Pep Boys) after a popular candy bar of
that time plus he wanted the name to
be easy to remember. To the locals he
became known as "Bernie Whizz.”

A year later he moved to Pikeville and
spent the next forty years operating
Whizz Auto Parts. My father claimed
Whizz Auto Parts was the largest auto
parts store in Eastern Kentucky. The
building was five stories high. My
father would sometimes boast that

his inventory was so extensive that

he had, in stock, hubcaps for a Model
T Ford. To earn my fifty—cent a week
allowance, I delivered auto parts all
over town, riding a heavy bicycle with
a large basket on the front.

Our family was one of three Jewish
families in Pikeville. After World War
11 my father’s brother, my uncle Dan
and his wife, Alice, joined him in busi-
ness, so eventually among the three
Jewish households now in Pikeville, 8
kids were schlepped each week, over
three mountains on very narrow and
winding two lane roads, to the nearest
synagogue, 32 miles away in Wil-
liamson, West Virginia. This process

see Yiddishkeit, page 4

 

nuuuuad

- m‘wxfiulm
_ GIVd

abused in

.moww Whoa corms mm

2050? AN '“Olfiulxa'l ° ZOE allnS ' P908 aoum 0501

ssufianm all; in uogmapa; qsmaf

 

 

Free Jewish children’s books
available soon in Central Kentucky

Jewish children in Lexing-

ton and central Kentucky

will soon be eligible to re-
ceive free, age-appropriate i
Jewish content books each
month. Any Jewish child

from six moths to 8 years

of age can be enrolled to receive the
books in the mail.

”There is no catch, no hidden agenda,
the books are free,” says Linda Rav-
vin, President of the Jewish Federation
of the Bluegrass. ”These are beautiful
books that will enhance the Jewish life
of any young family.”

It’ s all a part of the PJ Library, a
national program run by the Harold
Grinspoon Foundation in Massa-
chusetts. More than 60,000 books are
mailed each month to children in more
than 125 communities in the USA and
Canada. “PJ” stands for pajamas. PJ li-

mfinmg

brary turns snuggly bedtime moments
into Jewish moments.

Every month a child will receive a
book or a music CD in the mail. The
books are beautifully illustrated and
are about Jewish holidays, values and
folktales. The books come with reading
guides to help parents discuss and do
activities with their children around
the themes expressed in the books.

”The Grinspoon Foundation pays for
about 60% of this amazing program,”
says Judy Wortman, Federation’s
Executive Director. ”A number of

see Free, page 3

CAMPAIGN NEWS
Jewish Federation Community

Cam ai n to be

gin on March 6

Two Marc even 5 - Super Sunday and Women’s Happy Hour

The 2011 Jewish Federation Commu-
nity Campaign will officially begin
with the Super Sunday phonathon on
Sunday, March 6. Super Sunday 2011
will be chaired by Carole Wilson and
co-chaired by Jennifer Miller

Super Sunday will again be held at the
Federation office. There will be three
shifts for phone calling: 9:30 to 11:30
am, 11:00 am to 1:00 pm, and 12:30 to
2:30 pm. We will serve breakfast, lunch
and snacks to all our volunteers. We
will need many phone solicitors and
several volunteers for administrative
duties. Please call Judy Wortman at

268-0672 or email her at jtb@jewishlex-
ington.org to volunteer.

This year we will be sponsoring a
brand new special event for women
only that will be chaired by Janice
Newman. It will be a happy hour pro—
gram on Thursday, March Blst at 5 PM
that is open to all women who contrib-
ute at least $18 to the Jewish Federa-
tion Community Campaign in their
own names. The event will be held at
Petra Mediterranean Grill. A light but.
fet dinner and wine will be served. A

see Jewish, page 4

 

 

  

IN THIS ISSUE

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

President's Message 3
Editorial 3
JFNA mourns Debbie Friedman, 2'1 4
Third Opinion 5
Dr. Franklin Moosnick dies at age 93 6
Our Rosie 6
2010 Tzeason oszedakah Made Many Great Memories 7
Ask A Rabbi 8
Tamara’s big 30 9
JFS: At Your Service 9
Hadassah donor campaign update 10
Cairo Genizah - Jewish treasure 12
invest in Israel’s Future: Buy lsrael Bonds 12
Overweight? Call the fat—busters ...... 13
New agreement on conversion in Israel reached 14
A Federation Resource Yerusha: A Website for Older Childless Jews ................................................ 14
Sim Shalom News l5
Jewish Young Professionals Might Meet Their Match 15
Jewish Federations laud congressional support for Holocaust survivors ...................................... 16
Beta Israel -The Jews of Ethiopia 17
Israeli Cabinet Announcement 17
B’tayavon (Hearty Appetite) 18
The Lexington Chapter of Hadassah 18
The Lexington Havurah i9
Temple Adath Israel 20
Ohavay Zion Synagogue 71
Around the Community 72
Calendar ' 23

 

 

Published ten times per year by the
Jewish Federation of the Bluegrass, Inc.
1050 Chinoe Rd., Suite 302, Lexington, KY 40502
Phone (859) 268-0672 - Fax (859) 268-0775
email: shalom@jewishlexington.org

FEBRUARY 2011, VOLUME XVIII, ISSUE 1
Linda Rawin, President
Judy Wortman, Executive Director
Paula Clancy, JFS Director
Tamara Ohayon, Communications Director

SHALOM EDITORIAL BOARD
David A. Wortman, Editor-in-Chief
Hanna Smith
Jane Chaput
Paul Tillier

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Lowell Nigoff, Tamara Ohayon, Hanna B. Smith, Bonnie Sobel, Jesse WeiI, Gary Yarus

LOCAL DISTRIBUTION SERVICES
Lowell and Betty Nigoff

Production Services by Georgetown News-Graphic

The editorial staff has the right to edit all articles submitted for publication in Shalom.
Articles should not exceed 500 words.The appearance of any advertising in this pub:

lication does not repreient either a kashruth or any other endorsement on the part of
the Federation or any other agency or organizations.

Opinions expressed in Shalom are not necessarily those of the Shalom editorial staff or
the JFB or its constituent organizations.

Shalom is partially supported by the advertisements appearing in the paper.

Copyright © 2010, Jewish Federation of the Bluegrass. All rights reserved. For reprint
permission contact Ruth G. Poley, Editor—in-Chief, Shalom, at shalom@jewishlexington.
org

2 | February 2011 Shalom

Still Searching fer your
Speeiai Veie ’

ei ’?
Extreme? a. “gag?
one two

three
Make the rounds Mix with some of

. , . 7 Maybe even
the region 1-, most eligible mee‘ your match!
Jewish Singles

   
 

   
 

   

Fast track all your first dates with

REGIONAL semen
SEEED DATING

   

 

. '2’l’Eaii'Fi ”St
(right across from Fountain Square)

I Please conta: Rec

' VIIJIII I1".l.l‘,"”it' Iiliilil \"Jr

1 i1“ iiiii.ili IIulvl «sin I“ lIIt' I“.K‘III .‘wlII lu- It(‘IlI I‘I¢-,i-.r* .l'.I' I-‘.ii Il"l I'liwiilrii II-i iIc-I.ii|-.'

VIv‘vI \ ,I -U.r .- r"".“ r i

If you are not receiving Jewish Weekly email and would like to, please
send your name and email address to lexadmini’r‘isjewishlexingtonprg

 

    

'r '2 yr

Federation President w FederationBoard

Linda Rawin Evalyn Block Jeremy Popkin l
Jane Chaput Ricki Rosenberg 5

Executive Committee Susan Cobin Kathye Schattner !

Robert Grossman, Vice President Gail Cohen Kae Schennberg

Angie Ornstein, Secretary Larry Kant David Shraberg

Bill Lucas, Treasurer Amy Faust Mayer Hanna Smith

Bruce Broudy, Member-At-Large Jennifer Miller David Wekstein

Evelyn Dantzic Geller, Member-At-Large Angie Ornstein Gary Yarus

 

Shalom Deadline

Deadline for articles for the March Shalom is February 10.
Email articles to shaIom@jewishlexington.orL

    

 

 

decisio:
nizatiOi
very ur
once ag
Federal
course,
ficult ei
whole <
Our bu
based c
and pai
our bU(
total rel
I canno
the Fed
final ap
Board 1‘
howevr
We hav
decisiOi
that of '
tor. It i:
t ere o:
of Jana
employ
has bee
ted to J
9 years,
the con
of man:
ShalOm
ner, Tze
Home ‘
wish Ia
and tha

of all of

JFB has
each as:
tions w
ing all I
commu
highligl
10m, we
new pri
fantasti
able wi
Founda
outreac
families
ages of
cd or d‘
month.

 w»,

 

President’s Message

Linda Ravvin , JFB President

 

Sometimes,
being Presi-
dent means
that you are
responsible,
along with
the Board; .
. . _ for making-
decisions that not only affect the orgal

 

 

 

nization but also individual lives. It is I

very unfortunate that I must announce,
once again, decreased donations to the
Federation over the past year. This, of
course, is mostly a reflection of the dif-
ficult economic times with which our
whole country continues to struggle.
Our budget for any given year is
based on the total donations received
and paid the previous year; so that
our budget for 2011 is based on our
total received during 2010. Although

I cannot give you the full budget for
the Federation at this time, it will have
final approval at our January 26th
Board Meeting, I can share with you,
however, that it has significant impact.
We have had to make the very difficult
decision to eliminate a staff position:
that of Community Activities Direc-

tor. lt is g§'~d1ifiht§ay¥,h¢art.tl\at I must
t ere ore announce the termination

of Jana LaZur from her long standing
employment with the Federation. Jana
has been working with and commit—
ted to JFB and the community for over
9 years; she has been instrumental in
the continuing success and growth

of, many programs including Camp
Shalom) Yom Ha‘atzmaut, Winter Din:
ner, TzeaSOn oszedekah, and Stewart
Home Visits,.among 'others. We all

wish Jana well in herfuture endeavors .
and thank her for hef effortsfln behalf ..

of all of us.

JFB has made every effort to tighten
each aspect of its budget and opera-
tions while at the same time continu-
ing all programs and services to the
community. As a matter of fact, as
highlighted on the front page of Sha-
lom, we are launching a very exciting
new program: PJ Library. This is a
fantastic program being made avail-
able with the support of the Grinspoon
Foundation and local sponsors. It is an
outreach program designed to provide
families with children between the
ages of 6 months and 8 years a book,
cd or dvd withJewish content every
month. These arevery attractively 4

presented, high quality resources,

not easily available through other
sources, mailed directly to the children
from the Grinspoon Foundation. We
are very thankful to the local people
who stepped up to support and make
this program possible [for our young
families; they have allr‘made commit-
ments over and above'their regular
contributions to JFBQSpecial thanks go
to Art and Simone Salomon who have
spearheaded the efforts to organize this
wonderful addition to the Federation
community. You will be hearing more
about the PJ Library Program in the

.next'few months, including a special

mailing from the Grinspoon Founda-
tion officially introducing the program
to everyone in our community. Please
look at the materials and encourage all
your friends and family, with young
children, who are part of our com-
munity, whether identified or not, and
affiliated or not, to take advantage of
this special opportunity. This single
program has made the largest positive
connection for families everywhere
across North America where it has
been launched and maintained.

Along with the excitement ofthe PJ
Library Program introduction, we are
also looking forward to our continu-
ing Federation programs. Our last
Film festival showing of this series
will take place at 028 on Saturday,
Feb. 12th, when we will be seeing “A
Matter of Size.” Super Sunday will be
taking place on March 6th and the JFB '
Women’s event will be taking place on
Thursday, March Blst. Each of these
upcoming events provides an op-

portunity to participate in and show

your support of our community and
beyond. Please join us in making these
events successful ones! I especially
want to encourage all of you to con-
sider offering your time as volunteers
on behalf
of JFB and
all of us.

It is more
crucial now
then ever
before to
become in-
volved and
active! X3

 

  
 

 

SPARE PARTS & EQUIPMENT
‘ 60 Years of Service

346 Richmond Avenue
Lexington, KY 40502—1458
(859) 266-2188 or Fax (859) 268-1877

Mitchell Barnes — Owner

Editorial

The Rabbis tell us that, ”Kol hatchalot
kashot,” ”All beginnings are difficult.”
And so it has been, with this first issue
under my tenure as editor. Fortunately,
the transition was made somewhat
easier by both the precedent set by
Ruth Foley and Mary Rosenbaum, as
well as the generous volunteering of
their time in training me in this posi-
tion.

As I embark on this daunting trek
through the obstacle ridden editorial
byways, I have committed to sev-
eral goals. First and foremost, I have
pledged to maintain the high stan-
dards of Shalom that have been built
over time. The breadth and depth of
this quality is well established. It is a
firm foundation on which to build.

Twenty-four hour news services on TV
and the Internet have had a profound
impact on the efficacy of national

and international news coverage in a
monthly newspaper like Shalom. We
will not ignore them, but our emphasis
will be on items of interest that may
not have been heard from or read in
traditional sources. To that end, I am
looking forward to more Jewish book
and movie reviews. I would also like to
see more guest columns and, perhaps,
brief literary pieces. For example, in
this issue you will read of Gary Yarus’
experience growing up in Eastern Ken-
tucky. If you have an interesting story
to tell, we would like to see it.

If you have anything to say in a let-
ter to the editor or to contribute for
publication, please forward it to me at
shalom@jewishlexington.org

The quality of the relationship between
the reader and the paper determines
the success of the effort. It!

 

Free (from page 1)

generous donors will pay the rest. We
are seeking additional donors because
we think it is important to get young
Jewish families off to a great start. Ad-
ditional funds will assist us in develop-
ing family programs for the participat-
ing children and their parents. You
don’t have to be a member of a congre-
gation or any Jewish organization to
get PJ Library books. This

tell a friend or neighbor who would
benefit from this gift of history and
heritage.

For more information, contact Simone
Salomon,‘PJ Library Chairperson or
Judy Wortman at 859-268-0672 or email
Judy at jfb@jewishlexington.org. t

 

is for everyone — mem—
bers, non-members, two
Jewish parents or inter-
faith couples."

Watch your mailbox in
the coming months for a
sample PJ Library book
and information on how
to sign up. If you don't
have children 6 months
to 8 years old, be sure to

Selma’s Catering

A fresh approach to fresh food

wwwselmascatefingcom

Selma Owens - Caterer
email selmacooks@aol.com

&

859-971‘2763
cell 396-4357

 

 

      
    
    

 

.
W

 
 
  
  
 

Relocation Specialists

KI. A Richard Schennborg
Principal Broker — Broker

l

(859) 806-4288 Rlchard
(859) 624-0528 Fax

Web Sites: Schennbergcom
Schennbergrealty.com

1%
Schennberg

PC Sm ME ~ Richmond K‘l (ONE

 

 

 

February 2011 Shalom 1 3

\,.'e

-\-“-v.\i r

was

he“... .

 

 JFNA mourns Debbie Friedman, z”l

The Jewish
Federations of
North Amer-
ica mourns
together with
the entire Jew-
ish communi—
ty the passing
of American
Jewish song-
writer and
artist, Debbie
Friedman. A light of Israel has died;
but, as many have already acknowl-
edged, her spirit and message will live
on through her music for generations
to come.

 

Much will be said of her 36-year career
as a composer, singer and recording
artist, and of the 20-plus albums she
produced and countless concerts she
staged worldwide. But, for all these
achievements, her greatest accomplish—
ments were to be found in the way she
built meaningful, vibrant community,
bringing Jews of all ages and all back-
grounds closer to Judaism—and to each
other—through her talent and neshamah.

Many are unaware that some of the
tunes and settings for sacred songs
they regularly sing are Debbie Fried—
man creations. Her Mi Shebeirach,
Aleph—Bet Song, and many others are
part of the canon of Jewish communal
life today.

"Today we join together to mourn the
loss of Debbie, whose life was dedicat-
ed to sharing her precious gifts with all

of us. She helped us soar in times of joy
and taught us that in community and
in music there is healing. For many

of us her music was present at every
life cycle event,” said Susie Stern, past
chair of NYL, NWP and UJA-Federa—
tion of New York. ”We also remember
the International Lion of Judah Confer-
ence some years back when Debbie
composed a song to all of us, music
that was to celebrate the good deeds of
the Lions of Judah. As Debbie sang to
us so many times, L’cl' ' Lach: from the
bottom of our hearts we respond to our
beloved Debbie, you have been a bless-
ing and we shall iiss you forever.”

Debbie’s music is now performed in
more synagogues around the world
than any other living composer. Her
music crosses all barriers—young and
old, traditional and secular, Jewish
and non-Jewish—as people relate to her
music personally.

Especially at times like this, when we
struggle with the forces around us
that would have it otherwise, we turn
to Debbie’s music for solace, and for
direction. In Debbie's memory, let us
pledge to live lives filled with the mu-
sic of kindness and decency. In Deb—
bie’s words from Mi Shebeirach:

May the source of strength, Wit a
blessed the ones before us, Help us
find the courage to make our lives a
blessing.

And let us say, Amen. a

 

Yiddishkeit (from page 1)

continued until all the kids were ”con-
firmed”.

During this time, many traveling
salesmen, many of whom we later
learned were Jewish, would come to
Pikeville selling their wares. Somehow,
they seemed to know of my father

and would seek him out and wind up

at our house for a ”Jewish meal.” On
their first visit to Pikeville, they would
often enter my father’s store and were
easily'identified as someone who was
not local. Being suspicious, my father
would asked them the coded question
”Are you a member of the tribe?” and
if they could answer properly, an invite
to our home for dinner and a little
Yiddishkeit, Appalachian style was
offered. 1a

 

Jewish (from page 1)

number of women thespians from our
community will be entertaining with
a skit entitled ”Am I Turning into My
Mother?”

Many thanks go to our outstanding
Campaign Committee for helping to
organize these events. The commit-
tee is co-chaired by Angie Ornstein
and Pat Shraberg. Its members are

4 | February 2011 Shalom

Susan Caller, Bob Grossman, Nancy
Hoffman, Odette Kaplan, Bill Lucas,
Jennifer Miller, Linda Ravvin, Ricki
Rosenberg, David Shakib and Carole
Wilson.

Funds raised at both these events will
help provide needed programs and
services for our sisters and brothers
here, in Israel, and around the world.
When you are called, please give with
a generous heart. $

 

 

Thank. vow to CW 2010
Tzeaéon of Tzedakah Volunteer/Q

Ades Family
Amson-Svarlien Family
Lori Bernard
Vivian Bitensky
Diana Clewett
Allison Courant
Gail Cohen
Rabbi Sharon Cohen
Harriet 8 Leon Cooper
Michael, Lily, Laurel, &

Dusty Columbia Embury
Becky Epstein
Ronit Eres
Janice Fernheimer
Chaz, Jessica 8 Nathan Foster
Judy Goldsmith 8 Andy Klapper
Brian Gold and family
Charles, Emily 8

Nathaniel Goldstein
Susan Goldstein
Harry Gordon
Barbara Grossman
Leslie Guttman
Chas Hite
Odette Kaplan
Erin Kaufman

Kaufman Family
Rachel Kline
Kraman-Aminoff Family
Mark Klar
Janice Kuperstein 8

Julie Smoak
Amia Kurs
Ellen Lacey
Jana, Ryan 8 Kevin LaZur
Connie 8 John Loventhal
Fran, Clark, 8 Anna Mandel
Craig, Sherry Miller, 8 family
Deborah Nelson 8 family
Angie 8 Rich Ornstein
Darshak Patin 8 guest
Ruth 8 Neil Paley
Adele 8 Norman Potter
Mackey family
Rosie Moosnick 8 family
Tamara Ohayon
Ricki Rosenberg
Anat Rubinstein
Judy 8 Nat Sandler
.lct’3‘.' DQXC
Janet Scheeline
Rabbi Moshe Smolkin

Special thanks to:

The Clancy Family for donating turkey and cookies for the
Catholic Action Center’s lunch, Shriner's Hospital, and M.A.S.H.

Unit residents.

Krispy Kreme for supplying donuts for the Stewart Home,
M.A.S.H. Unit residents, Shriner's Hospital, and Catholic Action

Center

Kroger for their many donations of food and reduced prices

The Lexington Chapter of Hadassah for donating entire meal
for Ronald McDonald House which fed over 30 residents on

Christmas Eve

The Wortman family for their donation to the Tzeason of

Tzedakah

Martine‘s for donating Christmas cupcakes and goodies to

the Ronald McDonald House

OF THE BLUEGRASS

[I i “ ’l‘hc‘lm‘isl‘i l‘l‘tlvrsitim

 

 

 

 

Welr
By Net

No, it
NatiO]
since 1
least e
owner
the Prr
Forbic
honor
the of]
den w
C, M,

nouns
stands

To "j—,‘
bargai
tice" i:
dictior
Oxforr
unabri
an Eng
remov

I’ve ne
decisir
evant .
that I t

- -+-Tg

 

 

 iily
ie
iily
lor

Jrs
D
Jr
al
lel

ily
iin
est

 

 

Welcome to the NLFL!

By Ned Rosenbaum

No, it has nothing to do with the
National Football League, however,
since you asked, I can report that at
least eight of the league's 32 teams are
owned or managed by J’s. J’s? Yes, J is
the President of the National Legion of
Forbidden Letters (NLFL). It owes this
honor to the fact that while almost all
the other letters that stand for forbid-
den words, N and its ethnic friends,

C, M, D, G, S, P, W, and K stand for
nouns, J was first in the field and also
stands for a verb.

To “j-,” defined as to ”drive a hard
bargain” or engage in ”sharp prac-
tice” is absent from smaller ”college”
dictionaries but can be found in the
Oxford English Dictionary or an
unabridged Webster’s. Not long ago
an English] sued to get the verb ”j’
removed from the OED. He lost.

I’ve never had a problem with this
decision. Once a semester - when rel-
evant - I used the i—word in the classes
that I taught because I think it ulti—

Third Opinion

Stanley Ned Rosenbaum, PhD

mately derives from Abraham’s coura-
geous attempts to save the inhabitants
of Sodom and Gomorrah (the Q’s?) by
bargaining God down from an initial
demand for fifty righteous souls to a
more manageable ten.

(As Genesis 19 relates, it didn’t help;
the Deity must have had insider infor—
mation. All Abraham could find was
his nephew, Lot, Lot's wife and two
daughters and that story didn't have a
happy ending.)

In 1964 Dan Greenberg famously
wrote, “You don’t have to be Jewish or
a mother to be a Jewish mother.” That
was then; try it now.

What I object to is all this political cor-
rectness nonsense that says we can’t or
we mustn’t use such-and-such a word
or phrase in our public discourse.
Admittedly, a lot of them have only
insult or shock value (the F-bomb) and
should be used sparingly and never
with the intent of embarrassing an
individual.

For me, the F-bomb was effectively
defused by comics such as Dennis

Miller, for whom it constituted about
a third of his vocabulary. A little goes
a long way. That said, the use of ethnic
terms in humorous contexts may, I
think, be defended as a sideways look
at certain identifiable groups. Remem-
ber P-jokes? Would they be as funny

if the group were identified as ”your
favorite Central European national
group?" No, P-jokes worked because
it was the Poles who charged Hitler’s
tanks on cavalry horses. God rest their
brave souls.

George Orwell wrote that, ”of course,
foreigners are funny.” But we’re not
really laughing at them, just near them
often because their use of our language
gives us juxtapositions and insights we
don’t ordinarily get.

It’s just as true in countries where we
are the foreigners. I remember try-

ing to describe a girlfriend’s figure

to a French salesperson... and Mary
explaining in her best Hebrew who
the handsome young man was who
showed up at our Jerusalem house the
day after I went into Sha’arei Tzedek
hospital with appendicitis. (After 42

years we're still fast friends.)

Avoiding
certain words
cuts us off
from our
own history.
If I surmise
correctly,

Q got to be
the euphemism it is because Q’s (and
J’s) often lived in the twisted alleys
between European streets. In German
the ur-Q—word means ”diagonal.” The
same checkerboard segregation was
found in many Southern cities where Q
= N, to use the algebraic equation, and
maybe it still is.

 

I also find myself explaining the differ-
ence between ”profanity” and ”obscen-
ity” to anyone I can get to stand still
long enough to listen to me. (That’s not
funny; you may be next.) ’3

Stanley Ned Rosenbaum, PhD (Brandeis),
is a retired professor of Hebrew at UK and
professor emeritus of Judaic Studies at
Dickinson College in Carlisle, Penn. The
title ofthis recurring column is drawn

from the old chestnut, ”Two Jews, three

opinions. ”

 

 

 

A“ mea‘
is haw“

King Tut’s

Mediterranean Grill

341 South Limestone 0 Lexington, KY 40508

Between Chipotle and Two Keys Tavern

859.243.0768 0 859.533.8437 (catering line)

kingtutsgrill@gmail.com

Open 7 days a week

11 a.m.to 9 pm.

Daily lunch specials.
All of your mediterranean favorites.

One of the world’s healthiest cuisines.

Ashraf Yousef, owner
Ask us about catering your next

bar/bat mitzvah or other special event.

www.kingtutslex.com

Present this coupon
with any entree
purchase and receive
a free dessert.

Shalom 2/ 201 1

 

 

 

 

 Our Rosie

By Bonnie Sobel

The Lexington community lost a very
special person on Thanksgiving Day,
and Pete and I lost a wonderful friend.
We first met Rose Rita and her hus—

band Ierry in 1992, at
Friday night services,
and they were kind
enough to take us un-
der their wing. They
had a ”big wing”
that embraced many
friends and family,
but they still found
room to include us.
As newcomers, we
put the people who befriended us high
on our list of loved ones, so the Wurm-
sers went right up to the top of the list.
Shortly after we met them they invited
us to their home, and what a treat that
was as Jerry and Rosie were pros at
making guests feel welcome and pam-
pered. Jerry kept the fire stoked and
our glasses filled while Rosie made

it seem effortless to set a lovely table,
prepare a gourmet meal, and at the
same time, enjoy herself. And, when
we were invited to celebrate Passover
with them, we became part of their
extended family and Lexington began
to feel more like our home.

 

Rosie was a multitalented person.
When she signed on to do a project,
she could be counted on to accomplish
whatever she set out to do and more
Beautiful details were important to her,
and she never saved them for the last
minute. She and I worked together on
several Temple projects. On one occa-
sion, we raised money for the Sister-

naturally to her; she and I spent many
a happy moment sipping a cup of

tea and bragging about our kids and
grandkids. She was a friend to many
people, and when she said, ”How are
you?” to someone, she stuck around
long enough to hear their response.
Even our golden retriever Lionel could
tell that she was a genuinely kind per-
son as he would roll over on his back
with his legs in the air and sob for joy
whenever she came to visit us.

I admired that Rosie was as capable at
being a savvy and successful business-
woman as she was comfortable at
being an old-fashioned wife; Jerry was
the most important person in her life.
He was her number one priority, and I
could tell it was her pleasure to make
him happy. I never saw her leave the
house without first kissing him good-
bye. And anyone who knows Jerry
could see that their love was mutual.

But what I especially liked about

Rosie was that I could call her on the
spur-of—the-moment and say, ”Want

to go out for lunch?” And she would
say, ”I’ll be ready in a few minutes."

But lunch was never the real destina-
tion. We loved to go antique shopping
together, and then afterward we would
grab a bite to eat. We went to every

 

little antique store within an hour’ 5
drive, and really got good at spotting
treasures. But, I knew then as I know
now, that the most wonderful treasure
that I ever came out of the antique
store with was the same one that I
went in with, my dear friend Rose Rita
Wurmser. ¢

 

hood by hosting a tea party
at my home. When Rosie
was done setting the tables,
we could have impressed
the Queen of England. We
also worked together with
Susan Goldstein in reno-
vating the sanctuary at the
Temple. This was a major
project that required hours
of work, inspiration, and
devotion, and Rosie was a
calming force. She helped
us make decisions that

  
  

111 Mechanic Street

(859) 233-1173

www.chooselowells.com

Lowell’s

Independent Toyota and Lexus Service
Rob and Suzanne Morris, Owners

Quality Service Since 1979

 

will have an impact on the

 

11111111111

1111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111

 

beauty and functionality of
our Temple for many years

 

 

to come. Susan and I can
not help but sense her pres-
ence whenever we go into
the sanctuary. But as task—
oriented as she was, she
was always more concerned
about the feelings of the
people she worked with.

Being a warm person and
a wonderful listener came

 

 

Jane Schoenfeld Shropshire

Shropshire Educational
Consulting, LLC
3O79V2 Royster Road

Lexington Kentucky 40516 Shro shire
15:29) 396 9508 ”i...—
www.3hroped.net

Dedieateti is finding the night, school. i

 

Eduraiional Consulting

 

 

 

6 j February2011 Shalom

 

 

Dr. Franklin Moosnick dies at age 93

Dr. Franklin
Moosnick of
Lexington
was a medi—
cal pioneer in
many ways.

He developed
a cardio-
pulmonary
resuscitation
program for
physicians
and paramedics in Lexington.

 

He was an advocate for better cardiac
care, emergency rooms and ambu-
lances in the days before defibrillators
and pacemakers. He promoted these
improvements because, he would say,
too many people were dying unneces-
sarily.

”He would say. ’Their hearts were too
good to die,”’ recalled retired cardiolo-
gist Dennis Kelly.

Dr. Moosnick held daylong sessions
to train people in CPR. In addition,
thousands of Lexington high school
students were trained in CPR because
he and the emergency service commit-
tee of the Lexington Rotary Club were
instrumental in getting the Fayette

County Board of Education to approve
training courses.

Dr. Moosnick was recognized for his
diagnosis and treat