xt7sbc3sz829 https://exploreuk.uky.edu/dips/xt7sbc3sz829/data/mets.xml Jewish Federation of the Bluegrass Kentucky Jewish Federation of the Bluegrass 2007-12 2008-01 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, December 2007/January 2008 text image Shalom, December 2007/January 2008 2007 2007-12 2008-01 2025 true xt7sbc3sz829 section xt7sbc3sz829  

DECEMBER 2007/JANUARY 2008

KISLEV-TEVET—SHEVAT 5768

 

December 24 and 25 give

opportunities to help others

CKJFITikkun Lexington’s 2007 Day of Giving
helps people and animals
9 Q Q

Fran Morris-Mandel writes: ”I participate in the day of giving because I enjoy com-
ing together with the Jewish community to help the wider community. Clark and I
have delivered meals on wheels together for the past couple of years and it’s a nice

way for us to spend time together. The participants in the program are so appreciative
of our help, and it feels good to do this. I hope more Iewish community members will
help out on the day of giving, because it is such a worthwhile experience. Thank you,
CKIF, for providing this opportunity for us to give back to the Lexington community. ”

Top 10 Reasons why YOU should give:

10. If you wish to experience peace, provide peace for another. - Unknown
9. It is every man’s (person’s) obligation to put back into the world at
least the equivalent of what he (she) takes out of it. - Albert Einstein

see Day of Giving, page 20

 

The Equine Division of the CKIF/UIC Community Campaign helped the children of Ben Yakii, posmg here
with Ai'bel, theii new horse,

 

  

— CAMPAIGN NEWS —

Equine program helps at-risk Israeli teens

In 2006, building upon our community’s relation-

ship with the Net@ program at the Youth Village of
Hadassah Neurim, the Equine Division of the CKIF/UJC
Community Campaign established a relationship with
the Therapeutic Riding Program at the Youth Village of
Ben Yakir.

The Therapeutic Riding program at Ben Yakir utilizes the
powerful pleasures of horseback riding and caring for
horses to help the village’s at—risk teens cultivate their
self-esteem while helping them develop reasoning skills and
coordination. The program was initiated seven years ago.

We are pleased to announce that
thanks to our Equine Division sup-
port, the village was able to buy a
horse suited for therapeutic training
and 166 hours of therapeutic instruc-
tion. The horse’s name is Arbel.

The Youth village serves 148 boys
between the ages of 12 and 17 from

severely disadvantaged homes. They

see Campaign, page 7

  

 

Central Kentucky Jewish Federation
1050 Chinoe Road - Suite 302 - Lexington, KY 40502

(hange Service Requested

Non-Profit Org.
U.S. Postage

PAID

Lexington, KY

 

 

Permitt7l9

 

 

Good food, good
company in store
at Winter Dinner

Entertaining event to include adults
and kids alike

§§§

There will be some changes this year to the annual 7
Winter Dinner soiree. The hotel has changed ownership
from the Sheraton Suites to the Doubletree Suites, but will
be the same warm environment we have always enjoyed.
Their new chef is actually an old name in the business
who makes incredibly good latkes.

The evening will begin at 6:00 pm. with piano and violin
music by Lew and Aviva Bowling in the atrium of the
hotel. Hors d’oeuvres will accompany the entertainment,
and you may purchase drinks at the bar.

Don’t forget to bring your menorah, seven candles, and
two items of non-perishable food per person to donate
to God’s Pantry. We will have space on each table for as
many chanukiot as you would like to bring. Feel free to
share any stories attached to them with people at your

see Winter Dinner, page 3

 

  

IN THIS ISSUE

My First Chanukiah ................................... 3
Nancy Cox to speak at TAI Sisterhood luncheon ............. 3
President's Message ................................... 4
World War II Vet remembers comrades .................... S
From the Executive Director ............................. 6
Third Opinion ........................................ 7
Ask a Rabbi ......................................... 8
Jew-by-Choice cements bond to land ..................... 9
JFS: At Your Service .................................. 10
First OZS/TAI Pajama Havdalah .......................... 11
Camp Shalom prepares to celebrate 40th Anniversary ........ 12
A poem ........................................... 12
B'tayavon .......................................... 14
Jewish United Fund .................................. 15
History of the Israeli—Palestinian Conflict — Part XXIV ......... 16
Book Review ....................................... 19
Lexington Havurah to celebrate 30th anniversary ............ 19
Around the Community ............................... 20
TAI ............................................... 21
Lexington Chapter of Hadassah ......................... 22
Lexington Havurah ................................... 22
OZS .............................................. 23
Community Calendar ................................. 24

 

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: shalom@jewish|exington.org

DECEMBER 2007/JANUARY 2008, VOLUME XIV, ISSUE 10
Linda Ravvin, President
Daniel Chejfec, Executive Director
Jana LaZur, Activities Director
Tamara Ohayon, Staff Associate
Abby Miller, JFS Director

SHALOM COMMITTEES

Editorial Board
Ruth Poley, Editor-in—Chief
Mary Heléne Rosenbaum, Editor/Administrator
Marcia Blacker
Judy Levine

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

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Rachel Belin , Rachel Kaplan, Hanna 8. Smith,
Amanda VeldoraIe-Brogran, and Jerry Wurmser

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 supported by the
advertisements appearing in the paper.

© 2007 8: © 2008 by Central Kentucky Jewish Federation

2 0 December 2007/January 2008 Shalom

  

Mr. Haber,

  
 
 

 
 

On behalf of the entire cast, crew and staff of ”Hana’s Suitcase" and
Lexington Children’s Theatre, I would like to extend the most heart-
felt gratitude for your emotional and passionate contribution to our
discussion after the show. Your knowledge and experiences about
the holocaust had a very deep impact on the audience, and will be
sure to stay etched in the minds of all who attended. Thank you.

    
   
   
   
 

From Lexington Children’s Theatre

  
  

 

 

 

Attention proud
grandparents,
parents, and
students

We want to publish any original writ-
ing produced by our community's
elementary and high-schooI-age

children. If you’re proud of something

written by one of our kids, either fic-

 

Ned Rosenbaum speks on Jewrsh pnncrples

 

 

 

 

 

“on OF non'flCtloni please ema” It to ofpeace and justice at the Nov. 11 Fifth Annual
Nelson County interfaith Servrce In Bardstown.

DI-I FR@Bardstown.com. sponsored jomtly by Lounsvrlle's Interfaith Paths

to Peace and the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth.
\\ [r Photo by Lisa Tolliver, The Kentucky Standard

 

 

 

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

      

7.3.: Central Kentucky Jewish Federation

”’r‘ralkm

CKJF President CKJF Board

Linda Ravvin Judy Baumann David Levine
Elissa Brown Jennifer Miller

Executive Committee Ronit Eres Lowell Nigoff

Michael Grossman, Vice President Davrd Feinberg Lmd? Noffsrnger

Pat Shraberg, Secretary Rose Garden Angie Ornstein

Robert Grossman, Treasurer Odette Kaplan RiCki Rosenberg

Ruth Poley, Member—At-Large Doug Katz David Wekstein

Marty Barr, Immediate Past President Mimi Kaufman Carole Wilson

San/0m Deadline

' ‘ Deadline for articles forthe February Shalom is January 10.
Emaii articles to di-ifrabardstovmxam.

 

 

‘ Artistesnstibmitted in hard copy should be double-spaced.

   

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 My First Chanukiah

By Hanna B. Smith

I cannot show you a picture'nofmy"
first chanukiah because it was a log
of wood. Once Hanukkah was over
we used the log to heat the kitchen.
After all, it was the winter of 1945 _
and we had to stay warm somehow.
The miracle of Hanukkah thatyear I
was that all five of us had survived I
World War II. There'we were, a
couple with two grown children

and one small girl, in a village in
northern Germany where we did not
know anyone. But we were alive.

I remember sitting at the kitchen
table that December evening and
eating ”bams.” Barns, a name coined
by my mother, was a dish consisting
of elbow macaroni and something
we hoped were bouillon cubes. The
electricity was off again and the
kitchen was lit by a candle. My father
entertained me with a shadow game,
using his hands, reflected in the
candle light on the kitchen wall, for a
puppet show.

”Tonight is Hanukkah," my mother
said suddenly. She spoke in a won-
dering tone of voice, a tone that I
was to discern frequently in the com-
ing years whenever we heard that a
friend or former neighbor had sur-

vived or that a much needed piece of

clothing‘or household equipment was . ~

somehow still available. This tone of
voice held memories and hope.

Hanukkah, a word I had not heard

‘ before! I watched the adults look *
at each‘other as my mother asked:- ’ ' , '
.“What are we going to do?” We had .

no candlesticks, no chanukiah, no
kiddush cup, just a dinner plate and '
a cup and a knifevand fork and spoon
fOr each member of the family.

The log of wood appeared suddenly
on the kitchen table, chosen as the

)best looking one among ~a pile of logs , .

in a bucket next to the kitchen stove.
The“ adults were laughing and joking.
Candles were stuck on the log and
the dark and dreary room suddenly
appeared larger and cozy. The adults
sang and smiled at me. I grinned
back at them. The electricity came
back on just then.

The following year my brother
designed a chanukiah in the shape of
the letter khet, the first letter of the
word Hanukkah. A wood worker in
the village carved the chanukiah and
lined the candleholders with metal.
This new chanukiah served our
family for many years. My brother’s
daughter now has it in her home. 73’

 

 

 

Wild women
and Song!

 

iexlngton’s very own rock n mil cabaret act
' will perform at
Temple Adath lsrael
on Saturday evening, March 1. at 8:00 pm.
Their material ranges from the comic to the sublime.

The Bats will move you. make you

laugh, and S

et you up dancing.

 

Tickets are $25 for general admission. 350 for preferred
seating. and $75 for preferred seating and the
opportunity to get on stage with the group. Your ticket
will include a rollicking good time along with wine.
coffee, and desserts at intemiission.

Proceeds to benefit the Temple Adath Israel Sisterhood.

 

 

 

 

 

 

You can visit The Bats at wwwthehatsnet
___l

 

 

g

 

 

J“Nancy Cox {6 speak
at TAI Sisterhood

luncheon

The TAI Sisterhood will hold its December meet-
ing on Wednesday, December 19, at noon in
the TAI social hall. Nancy Cox, WLEX 18 news

anchor, will be the featured speaker.

year, as well.)

Winter Dinner (from page 1)

There will be a separate children’s
room, complete with babysitters who
will supervise crafts, games, mov-
ies, and all kinds of fun. And, if you
promise not to tell the hotel staff; we
might even mount another covert
mission to the big people’s buffet

6 to 12, while children under 6 can come free—for a whole
night of food, fun, and entertainment!

table. (Maybe you’d like to share

them With our Shalom readership next Our meal this year is going to be excellent. There will be

a separate salad bar in the atrium and bread on the tables.
After lighting our menorahs and saying a blessing we will
go in groups to enjoy the buffet, which will include potato
latkes with fixings, salmon, pasta, ratatouille, zucchini
casserole, and two types of desserts.

A community Hanukkah dinner is a beautiful experience,
from the candlelight of the menorahs to the beautiful

Cox is a Kentucky native, having grown up in Taylor
County. One of ten children, she is a summa cum
laude graduate of Western Kentucky University. She
was Taylor County’s Junior Miss in 1985 and repre—
sented Kentucky in the Miss America Pageant in 1990.
Her broadcasting career brought her to WLEX in 1992,
where she has remained, ultimately filling the posi—
tion of anchor for all the evening news broadcasts.

During her career, Cox has received several
Associated Press awards for news coverage, and
she won an Emmy for anchoring in 1991. She
has also topped several local polls over the years
as the best news anchor on local television.

We hope you’ll join us for this program, which is sure
to be interesting and engaging. The cost for lunch is
$8 and reservations are required. Please call Sandee at
the Temple, (859) 269-2979, to reserve your place. $

 

to smuggle hot latkes into the kids'
room. It is also fun for the kids to
have their own menu of cheese pizza
and ice cream sundaes. As always,
there is no cost for babysitting; the
kids’ dinner is only $5 per child ages

music and shared blessings to the feeling of community.
We hope to hear from you soon to say that you will be a
part. To register, log on to our website at www.jewishlex—
ington.org and pay by credit card or send a check to the
office with the form on page 13 of this issue of Shalom.
Call Jana with any additional questions at (859) 268-0672.
Come and celebrate being part of a community! Q

 

 

 

 

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

What's going on with you?
Send announcements

and pictures of special
birthdays, weddings.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

December 2007/January 2008 Shalom 0 3

 

  

President's Message

Linda Ravvin

 

Imagine this scenario: you are in a room full of
people—crowded, noisy, and pumped up—at the
start of the General Assembly of the United Jewish
Communities, probably the largest and most impor-
tant annual meeting to take place in the Jewish world.
It is the meeting place for all the components of the
UJC—the United Jewish Communities—of which CKJF
and all of us are members. It is a most amazing feel-
ing to find yourself one of 3,500 people (more than the
total number of Jews in Central Kentucky) in a single
room, all there for the same cause. As representative
of CKJF with Daniel Chefjec, I was part of this incred-
ible event in Nashville, from November 11 to 13.

Every day, United Jewish Communities, the Jewish fed-
erations of North America, and our partner organiza-
tions (the Jewish Agency for Israel, the Joint Distribution
Committee, and others) work hard
to fund, organize, and run an
extraordinary network of essen-
tial programs that make Jewish

life in North America, Israel, and
around the world vibrant, meaning-
ful, and secure. From New Orleans
to Kiev to Jerusalem, UJC works

to ensure a fundamental Jewish

 

comforted; emergency systems are
put in place to respond to every chal-
lenge, from war in Israel to a hur-
ricane in the United States. And tens
of thousands of young people are
sent on educational trips to Israel.

As an active participant in UJC,
CKJF—and thereby all of us—are
part of the network that makes
this possible. What an awesome
effect we have! Talk about tik-
klm 01am, repair of the world!
That is what this is all about!

The theme of the GA was “One
People, One Destiny" and the ses-

 

4—

Countless deserving individuals,
groups, and programs through-

out the Jewish world require help
from our system—and they get it.

 

 

priority: the existence of a car-
ing and supportive community.

Countless deserving individuals, groups, and programs
throughout the Jewish world require help from our sys-
tem—and they get it. This support comes in the way
that is consistent with our values: giving to clients who
don't know the donor, in a manner that assures dignity
and pride. The hungry are fed and cared for; the next
generation is educated and empowered; the single par-
ent is given a helping hand; young singles and families
are embraced by new communities far from their family
and friends; the vulnerable in the former Soviet Union,
Ethiopia, and elsewhere in the world are embraced and

CINDY M. DERER, D.M.1>.
Q99 Perimeter Drive, Suite 102
Lextwgtow, Kewtuoteg 40517»

Wetcom’mg New Pattewts!
2658-9090

 

 

859.253.9300

 

   

"st Main Street . Lexington, KY 40507

 

 

4 ° December 2007/.Ianuary 2008 Shalom

sions were focused on all the ways
we can enable this concept for our
local communities. There were con-
cerns about the falling growth in
fundraising levels nationally and
the effect of the falling US. dol-

lar and, therefore, the additional
funds necessary to meet interna-
tional needs, both within the Jewish
world and in the world generally.

There were exciting presentations
and discussions about new ways to
get involved one-on—one with Israelis.
Daniel Chejfec and I met with rep-
resentatives from Hadassah Neurim
and Ben Yakir, the two projects that
we have been funding, providing
computer skills and horse therapy
programs to disadvantaged youth

in Youth Aliyah villages. We are
exploring the possibility of setting
up computer interaction between our
teens and the teens involved in these
programs. What a wonderful experi—
ence it would be for all involved to
be able to connect with their peers
and discover the similarities between
them, both as Jews and as teens.

We met with the person working to
bring shlichim (representatives from
Israel trained to educate and promote
Israel in communities) to federations
throughout the United States and dis—
cussed the idea of bringing a shaliach
to Central Kentucky. We had such a

positive response from having

a slzaliach at Camp Shalom this
past summer that we would like
to explore the idea of having
one for a longer period of time.

 

The PJ Library, a project of the Harold Grinspoon
Foundation, is an amazing program that works through
Jewish federations to bring Jewish bedtime stories and
songs for families as an outreach program to young fami-
lies in the Jewish community. This brings a free gift of a
high quality, age-appropriate Jewish book or CD to any
subscribed child from age 6 months to 7 years. It is an
extraordinary opportunity for CKJF to provide a connec-
tion to Judaism free of charge to our young families, and
through this means building a connection to our Jewish
community locally and throughout the world. The cost
to CKJF would be $5 per month per child. I am actively
looking for a sponsor to make this program possible.

Serious discussion took place, in many different forums,
regarding the new generation and how to engage and
involve them now and for the future. There were pre-
sentations from young entrepreneurs about the adap—
tations we need to make to bring about change in the
Jewish establishment approach to “business as usual”;
we need to be more open to new approaches and more
global in our perspective: to show initiative not only in
Jewish arenas but in global arenas of concern (Darfur
and conservation issues being two obvious examples).

There were the visible major speakers: Howard Dean,
Jonathan Woocher, Israeli Ambassador to theeUniteie... ,. ,
States ballai Meridor, Israeli Minister of \\ellare, Simial )w—w—F’W
Services and Diaspora Services Isaac Her/og, Bruce

Pearl (the Jewish basketball coach of Lilth‘rsity of

Tennessee), and Ari Sandel, the maker of the Academy

Award winning film, West Bank Story. The last key—

note speaker was Secretary of State Condoleeyla Rice,

who spoke about the need for a two-state solution to

the Middle East conflict and about the upcoming talks

in Annapolis, as well as the situation with Iran.

It would be almost impossible to describe the energy
and the passion in the air—3,500 people of all ages
representing the Jewish world, from the United States,
Canada, Israel, and everywhere else that there are Jews.
But I will sum it up by relating an interesting conversa-
tion I had with my cab driver on the way to the airport.
He was an Ethiopian, not Jewish, working in Nashville
to help other new immigrants adapt as Americans and
still maintain their ethnic roots. He asked if I had been
at the ”Jewish meeting.” Upon my positive reply, he
told me that he was incredibly impressed by the Jews;
he has enormous problems trying to convince people
that it is possible to become American without losing
their identities, and we as a people have been adapting
to various cultures while maintaining and flourishing
as a people for centuries. It is up to each and every one
of us to make sure that—through our connections with
each other, our federations, and Israel—we not only
maintain our Jewish identities but strengthen them. Q

  

 

World War II Vet remembers comrades

Modern Internet sheds
light on old story
+ + +

By Ierry Wurmser

This is about three of my comrades,
Edmund Wright, Harry Wilson, and
Jasper Yowell. We were assigned

to the same squadron, joining the

 

L. to R., [Id Wright, Iasper Yun'ell,
L119t‘RI.l. Tht’“flt'IISIft’Ht'f-H[USN17HHlt’
fuzm'r‘Hon'H'sfs111017.;l'zwlxmzswin[z'rll/

way, was the other Jewish pilot in
our squadron. A few years ago, with
Lowell Nigoff’s help, I was brought
in contact with Wright’s daughter
Barbara, who lives in New York. She
informed me that her dad had passed
away in 1990.

Now, here’s the story of a really gung
ho guy. It’s February14, 1945, and
we’ve now moved up to Lunieville,
France, following the rapidly advanc-
ing 7th Army. It's early morning, and
Lt. I-I.E. ”Harry” Wilson taxies out

in preparation for takeoff on the first
mission of the day, a dive—bombing
mission. One of the engine checks
made before every
takeoff is to run
that big Pratt and
Whitney 18-cy1in-
der engine up to
2000 rpm’s, lock
the brakes, and do
a magneto check.
If, in the course

of this check, you
have an rpm drop
of 200 or more, it’s
no go. You taxi
back to your hard-
stand and the crew
chief goes to work.
"WWW/H This happened to
Harry not once,
not twice, but

 

ugh unit around Sept. 18, 1944. (It was
1d on either Rosh Hashanah or Yom
fami_ Kippur, because I can remember
of a thinking, while being flown over the
my Mediterranean Sea from the replace-
n ment center in Naples to Southern
mec- France in a slow-flying, unarmed,
and and unescorted C47
11511 Transport plane,
3st ”Wow, what am I
ely doing here; I oughta
. be in a synagogue
somewhere")
ims,
d On December 22,
3- 1944, a flight from
)_ our squadron ran
e into some German
1",. ME109s. I wasn’t on
)re this particular mis-
in sion, but Edmund
1r Wright and Harry
s). Wilson were, both
flying as wingmen.
n, Quoting from the
L debriefing report: “As “mm,“ 5 ML
j MW
N J paring to make a strafing attack on
a train, 12 ME-109’s were observed
my below at approximately 500 ft.” The
flight leader then rolled over and
:e, dove to attack, the other eleven
) planes following. In the ensuing
lks dogfight, which ranged from near
ground level up to 15,000 feet, Lt.
Wright was shot down, as were six of
the German planes. Edmund bailed
y out of his spinning P—47, striking the
es, tail and breaking his arm in three
ews. places. He was captured when he
*rsa— landed, and became a POW. His arm
)ort. was taken care of in the POW camp
.ille by a British doctor, and Edmund was
1nd a POW until the end of the war. I
een still have the V-mail he sent me upon
. his release, telling me of his experi-
.VS; ences during the approximately four
le and-a-half months of his imprison-
1g ment. In this letter, Wright mentions
:ing that another one of the pilots on the
ing mission that day was himself shot
one down the following February, and
with how surprised they both were when
, this newest Victim of the Germans
' :31 joined him in the prison camp. This

flyer was credited with shooting
down one of the enemy planes in the
December 22 fray. Edmund, by the

three times that
fateful day. At mid afternoon, Harry
is assigned to go on the last mission
of the day. The fellows from the first
two missions are already back on
the ground, laughing and drinking
at the Officer’s Club, rehashing the
just—completed missions, and plan-
ning to get into their ”class A” dress
uniforms and go into Lunieville for
a little R 8: R. Harry, very upset, is
probably thinking, “I’m not going to
miss out on another mission, no mat-
ter what! I’ll never get my 100 mis~
sions in, and at this rate, I’ll be here
forever!” (lmmaturity, foolhardiness,
bravery, or what? After all, most of us
were just 20 or 21 years old. Our CO,
the ”Old Man," was only 24.)

On this third attempt of the day,
Harry rolls out on the strip, runs

it up to 2,000 rpms for the mag
check, and it’s the same story again.
Disregarding the warning that all is
not well in the engine department,
he locks the tail wheel, pushes the
throttle to the firewall and starts
his takeoff roll. As his plane gathers
speed, black smoke is pouring out
of the exhausts, and at the sound of
his engine backfiring, the fire trucks,

ambulances, and various jeeps and
trucks all start roaring down the field
after him, knowing he isn’t going to
make it. And he doesn’t! He becomes
airborne, but doesn’t have the power
to stay there, comes down hard,
blows a tire, and one or two of the
500 lb. bombs he was carrying under
his wings dislodges and explodes.
There is a massive fire, and he is
helped from the flaming cockpit.

Harry was badly burned about his
waist, on his legs, and on his lower
face. Luckily, his goggles protected
his eyes. Harry never flew again. He
was hospitalized for about two years,
had many operations, and finally
made a near complete recovery. He
re—enrolled in college, got his degree,
married, fathered six children,
became a widower but never remar-
ried. At our reunions, my buddy H.
E. Wilson, was thereafter known

as ”High Explosive” Wilson. Harry
drove down from Michigan and vis-
ited with Rose Rita and me several
times. Unfortunately, he passed away
about three years ago.

It’s now March 19, 1945. I’m up front
on TD (temporary duty) with the

 

45th Infantry Division, having joined
them the previous week to take my
turn for two weeks or so as forward
air control liaison officer. When I
returned from the front, I was told
that my friend Jack Yowell was MIA,
missing in action. It seems that on a
mission in the area near Pforzheim,
Germany, the flight he was flying
with was ”bounced” by a superior
number of ME 1095, and his plane
was hit. It was last seen spinning
down, but one or two of the pilots on
the mission were sure they saw him
bail out, thus the listing of MIA.

Fast forward to May, 2006. I get an
email from one William Yowell, a
retired attorney living in Chicago.
Bill was a 10 year old when his older
brother was in France. He wanted

to know if I knew his brother, Jack
Yowell. He had Googled the 324th
Fighter Group and come up with our
web site. There was an email contact

see Comrades, page 14

 

 

 

Deadline for applications is March 1, 2008.
Applications may be requested from JFS or downloaded
from the JFS page at http://www.jewishlexington.org.

* Contact Abby Miller,]FS Director, ““9“ Vader-60,
for more information. ‘7’ l 09
. 859.268.0672 or LI-I-J

jfs@jewishlexington.org

Want to give your kids a great .

c
”’03! Ken“?

 

 

December 2007/January 2008 Shalom - 5

 

 

 From the Executive Director

Daniel Chejfec

 

Making choices and living with them
+ + +

When I was in high school, my
philosophy professor told us some-
thing that I found to be almost an
epiphany, and which affected my
life in many ways. I don’t know
whether this was her original think—
ing or a quote from somebody

else, but she said, “Living is mak-
ing choices, and we make choices
every minute of our lives. When
we don’t have any more choices to
make, it is because it doesn’t mat-
ter any more one way or another”

We do indeed make choices every
day of our lives; some of them are
small choices, such as whether

to wear a tie, while others can be
overwhelming, such as whether to
move to another country. But all
choices, small and big, bear wit—
ness to the fact that We are alive.

The only problem is that we must
live with the consequences of those
choices, for better or for worse. This

is a fact that Jewish tradition high-
lights in many ways, starting with
the very first human story in the
Bible: that of Adam and Eve and
their choice to eat from the tree.

Jewish tradition insists that we

are to take full responsibility for
our own actions (and choices), and
that such responsibility follows us
even to the Heavenly Court, where
we are judged for everything we
did—and for everything we did
not; for everything we were—and
for everything we were not.

There is a Hasidic tale of a rabbi in
conversation with his students. One
of the students asked him what was
the best thing to be—like Moses,
like Shammai, or like Hillel. The
rabbi answered, ”None of those.”
The students, surprised, asked him
what he meant. The rabbi, after a
pensive pause, answered, ”When I
will finally face the Creator in the

Heavenly Court, if they asked me
why I wasn’t like Moses, I’ll know
what to answer; if they ask me

why I wasn't like Shammai or like
Hillel, I’ll know what to answer, but
if they ask me ‘Why you weren’t
yourself,’ what will I answer?”

 

...a growing number—still

a minority, but growing—of
Jewish college students are sid-
ing with the anti-Israel message
on college campuses to gain
acceptance by their peers.

 

The story teaches, among other
points, that we all need to live our
own circumstances, and while
having role models is good, blind
imitation is bad. Choices represent
the core of who we are and who
we become through our lives and
even the lives of our descendants.
We are Jews because our ances-
tors chose to remain Jewish.

 

In the same way that our choices

determine who we become as indi-
viduals, the same is true for
groups of individuals, including
communities or even societies;
as with individuals, collective
choices also have a profound
impact on what the group
becomes down the road, and
what happens to it. History is
full of such momentous choices,
and Jewish history not the least.

Classical German Reform Judaism
chose to re—conceptualize Judaism
as a faith identity, coining the
phrase ”Germans of the Mosaic
Faith.” Years later, at the end of the
19th century, 100,000 German Jews
converted to Christianity without
feeling any loss, and a generation
later German Jews were unable to

see ChoiceS, page 12

 

 

 

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 Third Opinion

Stanley Ned Rosenbaum, PhD

 

Evangelicals and Jews
o + +

“Ah, take the Cash and let the Credit go,
.\lor heed the rumble of a distant Drum."
Omar Khayyam, [he Killian/Lit

There is usually a good deal of rumbling in the Jewish
community when Evangelical Christians express their
support for Israel. They are staunch defenders of Israel's
right to occupy even more territory than it presently
does, something that not all Jews agree with. But Jewish
skeptics are more concerned with their not-so-secret
agenda: