the speaker - winter 2015 edition
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Winter 2015
*Federation touches more Jewish lives on the planet than any other organization. With programs in
over 70 countries around the world, our work includes: aiding over 70,000 poverty-stricken Jews in
war-torn Ukraine; helping needy Holocaust survivors worldwide; providing Jewish education for
children and teens; helping connect young Jewish adults to their religion, culture and to Israel. And so
much more.
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Dear Friends,
My first year as the Executive Director of the Jewish Federation of Somerset, Hunterdon & Warren Counties has just
come to a close. It has been a very exciting year. We have developed new programs, partnered with new organiza-
tions and reached out to new friends, all while strengthening and renewing our traditional friendships and commit-
ments.
Our world is changing quickly and it’s important that your Federation change with it. We have been listening to
young leaders in our community about how they see the Jewish world and particularly our community, and working
with them to keep the goals of our Federation current while remaining faithful to our values and mission. I’m hap-
py to say we are off to a great start and look forward to the new things coming down the pike.
As always, we are open to constructive input from all members of the tri-county area. So please feel free to reach
out to me, the Board or staff any time. We would be very happy to hear your thoughts. It’s how we grow and im-
prove.
I must say, I am looking forward to my second year with great excitement. Our up-and-coming leaders are heading
off to Israel in February, our second annual men’s event will be taking place in the early spring, the Business Net-
working Group already has sponsors for all of their wonderful events for the year, many of whom are new to the
group. Women’s Philanthropy is working hard to help disabled veterans in Israel and here at home, and the Com-
munity Relations Council is planning a very exciting event for the 8th to 12th grade students from all of our local
Hebrew high schools.
Please read through this issue of the Speaker to find out the details of these exciting opportunities for you to be-
come engaged with our wonderful community.
Thank you to everyone who helped make my first year a successful one, and I look forward to many more years of
working together with all of you.
Sincerely,
Robin Wishnie
Executive Director
A Letter from the Executive Director
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The future and growth of a Jewish community is dependent on its
organizations, synagogues and Jewish “presence” in the community. One
way to insure its continuity and growth is determined by the vitality and
life of these institutions.
What better way to keep them going and growing than by assuring the
future leadership exists and moves forward with these organizations?
That is the basis for the Blank Leadership Fellow Program.
With the help and guidance of existing leaders and Rabbis, we feel
fortunate to have chosen 17
young leaders who we expect will
have this impact on the communities of Somerset, Hunterdon and
Warren Counties. They are going through a monthly orientation
program including areas such as Jewish history (it’s hard to know
where you’re going if you don’t know from where you came…
Jewishly.), Jewish leadership, the importance of fundraising, tzedakah
and social justice, and an overview of Israel are all parts of the
growth opportunities this program will provide. These will be
followed by a week in Israel that we believe will provide an overall
frame of reference for the importance that Israel, its yesterday, today
and tomorrow play in our Jewish world and the
world at large.
When we return we fully expect that the Fellows
will be ready to take on new leadership
challenges in the community. We hope you will
be inspired by their growth and development.
Harriet & George Blank
B L A N K
L E A D E R S H I P
F E L L O W S
George Blank , co-founder of the Blank Leadership
Development Program
Alan Finkelstein, President Emeritus of Jewish Community Centers of North
America, leading a discussion on leadership in the November session.
Robert Lichtman, Executive Director, The
Partnership for Jewish Learning and Life
discussing the “History of our People” in the
October session
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Under the banner of “Spread Hummus Not Hate,” Jewish and Muslim groups are joining in a campaign to combat Islamophobia, anti-Semitism, and other forms of bigotry.
The program, organized by the New York-based Foundation for Ethnic Understanding, includes widespread participation by Jewish organizations and in-dividuals in New Jersey.
Following a Nov. 1 interfaith rally in Trenton, the events
will include a gathering of several hundred Muslim and Jewish women in Princeton on Sunday, Dec. 6.
Members of 16 chapters of the Sisterhood of Salaam/
Shalom from across the United States will come together for an all-day conference at Princeton University on the role of women in reconciliation between the Jewish and Muslim communities.
Their gathering will follow several interfaith actions spon-sored by FFEU. One was a Nov. 5 bus tour of 15 Muslim and Jewish activists of institutions in the Washington, DC, area, including a synagogue, a mosque, and a Muslim community center.
The participants sang peace songs and shared pita and
hummus with people they met, as they asked them to sign pledges to confront bigotry in their own communi-ties.
“The point of ‘Spread Hummus Not Hate’ is to show that grassroots Muslims and Jews can come together as close friends and collaborators and take a united stand against Islamophobia, anti-Semitism, and other manifestations of bigotry,” said Walter Ruby, FFEU’s Muslim-Jewish pro-gram director. “We are here to demonstrate that we are our brothers’ and sisters’ keepers and will stand up for
each other if either community is under attack.”
In an earlier action on Nov. 1, 36 organizations, including 11 from the Jewish community, gathered at the New Jer-sey State Museum in Trenton for a rally titled “Stand Up
for the Other.”
It was organized by the FFEU, the New Jersey Muslim-Jewish Solidarity Committee, the Islamic Society of Bask-ing Ridge, the NJ State Association of Jewish Federations,
and the Jewish Catholic Muslim Dialogue of Southern New Jersey.
“At a time of increased violence, fear, and mistrust among members of diverse faiths and ethnicities, the ‘Stand Up for the Other Rally’ offers a critically important
opportunity for Jews, Muslims, Christians, and people of all faith traditions from across New Jersey to issue a call of conscience: reject violence, bigotry, and incitement
against members of any faith or ethnic community and stand up for each other,” said Jacob Toporek, executive director of the NJ State Association of Jewish Federations.
The rally kicked off what FFEU called its fourth “Season of Twinning,” a series of annual meetings among people of many faiths. Faith communities join together in feeding the hungry and homeless and standing together against Islamophobia and anti-Semitism.
Speakers at the rally included state Senators Ray Lesniak (D-Dist. 20) and Linda Greenstein (D-Dist. 14); Jonathan Golden, director of Drew University’s Center on Religion, Culture & Conflict; and Dr. Ali Chaudry, president of the Islamic Society of Basking Ridge.
Chaudry urged participants to promise that “while inter-
acting with members of my own faith or ethnic communi-ty, or with others, if I hear hateful comments from any-one about members of any other community, I pledge to stand up for the other and challenge bigotry in any form.”
Lesniak told NJ Jewish News, “This movement can save
civilization from destroying itself. This is a global initiative that can bring all faiths together to stand up for each other. It has never been done before, and it is needed now more than ever.”
Among the Jewish organizations that participated in the Trenton rally were Adath Israel Congregation of Law-renceville, the American Jewish Committee, the Anti-Defamation League, the Community Relations Committee
of the Jewish Federation of Greater MetroWest NJ, Congregation Or Ha Lev in Mount Arlington, the Jewish Labor Committee, and White Meadow Tem-ple in Rockaway.
Muslims and Jews join in twinning’ events After rally in Trenton, faith groups spread ‘hummus, not hate’
Robert Wiener of NJ Jewish News
November 11, 2015
Jews and Muslims share lunch and the FFEU’s “We Refuse
To Be Enemies” message in Washington.
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WOMEN’S PHILANTHROPY DIVISION
MISSION STATEMENT
The Women's Philanthropy Division of
The Jewish Federation of
Somerset, Hunterdon & Warren Counties
will endeavor to educate, engage and
energize the women of our community so
that they may have a positive impact on the
lives of Jewish women and children in need
locally, in Israel and throughout the world.
We salute the women in our community
who through their passion and
commitment, donate at the Pomegranate or
Lion of Judah level. These women embody
the leadership needed to accomplish our
mission.
Visit
www.jfedshaw.org/women
to learn more and to get involved!
Alissa Fox Laura Boretz
Women’s Philanthropy
Co-Chair
Women’s Philanthropy
Co-Chair
On October 27th, the Women’s Philanthropy Division
of The Jewish Federation of Somerset, Hunterdon & Warren
Counties held their annual “Imagine “ event, at the Raritan
Valley Country Club in Bridgewater, New Jersey. This year’s
focus is on helping disabled Veterans both in our own com-
munity and in Israel. After much research and deliberation,
the Philanthropy Division, co– chaired by Alissa Fox and
Laura Boretz, decided to focus their efforts on 52 Reasons to
Love a Vet and The Zahal Disabled Veterans Fund .
52 Reasons to Love A Vet was started by a local mom
of Lebanon Township , Ella Rue . Her son is a sergeant in the
Army National Guard. Last year he was sent out of a VA hos-
pital with open MRSA sores, after being told he'd had all the
medical care he was entitled to. While he will be okay, says
his mother, Ella wants to help other soldiers and vets who
find themselves needing sevices and financial assistance be-
yond that provided by the military. In collaboration with Bob
Wise, CEO of Hunterdon Healthcare, set up this new non-
profit.
Artists from all over were invited to create pictures on
the theme of veterans and what their nation owes them.
These pictures are then used on a deck of playing cards,
where the “52 Reasons” organization takes its names from.
The nonprofit's mission is to offer financial assistance to vet-
erans for educational, health, dental or mental-health needs.
The Zahal Disabled Veterans Fund has many locations
throughout Israel. They are the first to admit that the State
of Israel, with its many challenge and its limited resources,
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cannot cope with the many needs of the disabled
veterans in their long rehabilitation process. To
be able to raise the necessary funds to answer
these needs, the Zahal Disabled Veterans Fund
(ZDVF) was established by the Zahal Disabled Vet-
erans Organization (ZDVO).
The Fund’s goals are to raise funds in Israel
and abroad for building Beit Halochem Centres,
purchasing equipment and operating the vast re-
habilitation network of the Zahal Disabled Veter-
ans Organization. This includes the wide array of
physiotherapy, sports and cultural activities.
Funds are also used to support Special Pro-
jects such as a Scholarship Program offering High-
er Education Scholarships and Sports Scholarships
(for achievement oriented sports), enabling those
disabled veterans with potential to integrate into
the framework of the international competitions
circuit.
The “Imagine” event was a way for our
community to come together and give back to
these two wonderful organizations. Women came
in the early morning to shop local vendors who
later donated 20% of their sales to the cause.
Shopping was followed by a quick talk from both
organizations and then a lovely brunch. It was a
wonderfully inspirational morning and everyone
who attended made a difference that day.
We would like to thank all of our event
sponsors; PNC Wealth Management, Drs. Alissa
and James Fox, Dr. Arthur and Mrs. Elizabeth Ro-
swell, Mr. George and Mrs. Harriet Blank,
ShopRite of Hunterdon County, Helen Goldson,
Mr. & Mrs. David A. Neibart, Susan Friedman,
Debby Feldman, Susan Darien, Nancy Gorrel, Ni-
colas & Emily Soonthornchai, Beverly Landstrom,
Ronit Zilberboim and Gray’s Florist & Garden
Center. We would also like to thank all of the
vendors who attended and also donated items to
the silent auction and Pandora’s Box.
A special thank you goes out to all those
who attended and made it a wonderful way to
start the day. Donations are still open. Please visit
www.jfedshaw.org/imagine2015 to donate to-
day and to view all the photos from the day of
the event!
Ella Rue selling books and decks of playing cards at Imagine 2015.
A live Klezmer band played throughout the event, while
people shopped and ate.
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TRENTON - Legislation sponsored by Senator Bob Gordon and Senate Majority Leader Loretta Weinberg to protect monetary reparations received by Holocaust
survivors from being seized is now law. "The dreadful atrocities suffered by people young and old during this time period will forever be a stain on history," said Gordon (D-Bergen / Passaic). "The
monetary reparations received by Holocaust survivors and the family members of those who endured these horrible crimes must be permanently protected from seizure. These are long-overdue payments that we have an obligation to ensure remain with the individu-als to whom they were owed and their loved ones."
The law (S2676) stipulates that, except for child support payment orders, monetary reparations desig-nated for or received by a Holocaust survivor of Nazi persecution from any governmental source or victim
assistance source shall be exempt from all claims of creditors and from levy, execution, attachment or other legal processes. "It is our obligation to ensure that the reparations
received by survivors and their families, which were provided years after these horrid crimes were commit-ted, are protected," said Senator Weinberg. "By making sure the payments are exempt from seizure by credi-tors and others, we will provide safeguards for those living in our state so that the money owed to them is
not further diminished." Under federal law, Holocaust reparations payments are exempt as assets / resources for the purposes of determining eligibility for Medicaid as long as the pay-
ments are "separately identifiable," that is, maintained in a separate account. Any interest or dividends earned on the reparation payments, however, are not exempt from Medicaid's calculation of income and assets / re-sources. The new law will continue the exempt status of
the reparations payments upon the death of the Medi-caid recipient by providing that they are not part of the Medicaid recipient's estate and, therefore, not subject to recovery in an estate proceeding of a Medicaid recip-ient.
In 2000, a global settlement agreement and plan of distribution was ratified which included the establish-ment of an $800 million settlement fund designed to provide restitution to Holocaust victims and their survi-vors for money illegally obtained from Swiss banks by
the Nazi regime. The Claims Resolution Tribunal has received over 32,000 claims from Nazi victims or their heirs to assets deposited in Swiss banks in the period
before and after World War II. At about the same time, the International Commission on Holocaust Era Insur-ance Claims established a program to settle insurance claims never paid to Holocaust victims or their heirs. Recently, Holocaust survivors or their heirs have begun
to receive reparations payments from the funds estab-lished for this purpose. It is estimated that approxi-mately 4,500 Holocaust survivors live in New Jersey.
Because these funds represent reparations for mon-ey improperly seized or withheld, the sponsors hope to ensure that they are not further diminished by remain-ing subject to creditor or other claims. The new law al-so exempts these funds from estate recoveries under
the Medicaid program. Under State and federal Medi-caid law, a state must seek recovery from the estate of the deceased Medicaid recipient for all services received when the recipient was 55 years of age or older, such as nursing home services, home and community-based
services and related hospital and prescription drug ser-vices. The bill was approved 75-0-1 in the Assembly and 31-0 in the Senate. The governor's office announced
Monday that it was signed into law. The law takes ef-fect immediately.
Gordon-Weinberg Bill to Protect Holocaust Reparations Now Law
News From The Senate Democrats
November 11, 2015
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Local leaders enjoyed the chance to enjoy kosher hot dogs and hamburgers this past September
during the Annual BNG Poolside BBQ, while getting the chance to learn, network, and chat about their own
business ventures. We are thrilled that everyone found this event so valuable and look forward to future
Business Networking Groups with the community!
A special thank you to Rich Cohen, J.D., CFP(r) and PNC Wealth Management for sponsoring the
BBQ and our chairs Kenneth M. Kaplan, owner of Quantum Floats , and Michael B. Lehner, CPA/ABV, CFE,
ASA, Principal, Litigation and Valuation Services, zbt Certified Public Accounting & Consulting, LLC.
We are so glad that many businesses choose Federation to be a place where they can network with
other leaders in the community.
Business Networking Group
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The Jewish Federation of Somerset, Hunterdon & Warren’s Emerging Leadership Division is comprised of Jewish leaders from across all of the synagogues and Jewish communal agencies in our area, and represent our community’s’ unified commitment to coming together to do great work in our area.
The Emerging Leadership Division’s winter volunteer meeting is on December 22nd at 7PM. We will be
discussing volunteer opportunities with the “Good Deeds Corp” and “Family Mentoring Program”, part of Jewish Family Service of Somerset, Hunterdon & Warren Counties.
Good Deeds Corp - Many seniors are isolated, alone and vulnerable; often weakened by physical ill ness, emotionally upset due to multiple losses and stressed daily by limited finances. Managing day to day alone becomes difficult. By volunteering as little as one time a month you can make a difference.
Family Mentoring- Many families struggle without the emotional support and benefit of an older person’s wisdom and advice about parenting and when confronting the challenges of raising a family. The Family Mentor Program provides a volunteer to make weekly home visits of one hour each to pro vide this kind of support and guidance.
The only requirement to join the Jewish Federation of Somerset, Hunterdon & Warren’s Emerging Leadership Division is to have a clear mind and full heart.
For any questions or concerns, please contact Dan Fahrer @ 908- 725-6994 x253 or [email protected]
Get to know our JFed SHAW Board Members! As the Federation’s Vice President and Campaign Chair, it seemed only natural that we highlight Michael Saul next!
Michael is a Wealth Management Advisor and has been serving his
clients at Merrill Lynch for the past 20 years! Michael lives in Basking
Ridge with his wife Christine and their dog Reo. Their triplets, Ryan,
Emily and Kyle are now attending their first years of college.
When Michael’s not working, he enjoys running, going down to the
Jersey Shore, walking their dog, and attending/watching Penn State
Football games.
As a member of the Board for the past 12 years, Michael hopes to see
the Federation’s relevance and importance to the community increase
over time. He is also happy about the recent cohesiveness of the local
Jewish community.
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Sen. Menendez Statement on 20th Anniversary of
Assassination of Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin
(WASHINGTON, D.C.) – U.S. Senator Bob Menendez on November 5th, 2015 issued the following statement
marking the 20th anniversary of the assassination of Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin:
“We remember the tragic assassination of former Israeli Prime Minister
Yitzhak Rabin, twenty years ago today, in a place we now call Rabin Square.
Prime Minister Rabin was not only a hero in war—commanding the Israeli
Defense Forces to victory against all odds in the Six-Day War—but a leader
for the cause of peace and reconciliation with the Palestinian people.
Through the course of his career, Rabin served our great ally, Israel, as
Chief of Staff to the Israeli Defense Forces, Ambassador to the United
States, Minister of Labor, Minister of Defense, member of the Knesset, and
of course as a great Prime Minister. In remembering his loss, twenty years
ago today, we also remember his life—a life dedicated to defending his
country and making the world a more peaceful and secure place.”
The Jewish Federation of Somerset, Hunterdon & Warren Counties
appreciate the support of Senator Menedez.
"Jews of Sicily: A Forgotten History"
with Sergio Caldarella
The saga of Jewish history has no simple chapters, and the chapter on Sicilian Jews is certainly no ex-ception. While the histories of Galician, Indian, and Japanese Jews have been studied extensively, one of the oldest communities of the Diaspora has been generally neglected. The biggest island of the Med-iterranean Sea, Sicily, has been for millennia one of the most important crossroads of the early civiliza-tions.
Jews have left their mark in many Sicilian areas, from their language, to their culinary traditions, to the topography of cities, and in the names of the people. Most of these connections remain to be investi-gated, and much is yet to be done to better understand these Jewish communities, which have lived for more than fifteen centuries on the island, leaving us precious pearls still waiting to be discovered.
Join us for a free lecture with Sergio Caldarella, a passionate reader of poetry, physics and philosophy. Author of ten books, several papers and two theater pieces staged in Italy and Germany, lives in Prince-ton, NJ.
JANUARY 28TH, 2016
7:30PM—9:00PM
SHIMON AND SARA BIRNBAUM JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER
775 TALAMINI ROAD. BRIDGEWATER, NJ 08807
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Basic Latkes
Made Even Better Three things make latkes different:
You squeeze out as much liquid as possible from the potatoes before adding the
other ingredients to make them extra crisp
You add your favorite fresh or dried herb to boost the flavor
You fry them in delicious olive oil
* Each pound of potatoes makes about 15 3-inch latke
1 pound baking potatoes
1 small onion, peeled
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 large egg, lightly beat-en
2 tsp salt
freshly ground pepper
2 tbsp of your favorite fresh herb or 1 tsp of a dried herb Olive oil for frying
Coarsely shred the potato and onion in a food processor or on a grater. Transfer to a colander and press out liquid, or wrap in cheesecloth and squeeze dry.
In a large bowl, whisk the flour, egg, salt and pepper together. Stir in the potato/onion mixture. Add herbs. Try fresh parsley or dill, or dried rose-mary or sage.
Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a skillet. Drop heaping tablespoons of the potato mixture into the skillet and flatten them with a spatula. Cook until the edges are golden, about a minute and half, and then flip and cook about 1 minute on the other side. Drain on paper towels. Add more oil to the skillet as needed
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BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Steven B. Lieberman
Kalman Barson
George Blank
Mark Chazin
Elaine Dunst
Alissa Fox
Leonard Knauer
Sandra Krawitz
Eric Lavitsky
Pamela Nemeth
Evelyn Rauch
Arthur Roswell
Michael Saul
Edward Tolman
Gerald Weissman
STAFF
Robin Wishnie
Executive Director
Daniel Fahrer
Campaign Manager
Susan Giardina
Financial Services Manager
Kim Lazarus
Development Coordinator
Topaz Weinglass
Program Coordinator
Find us on...
The Jewish Federation of Somerset, Hunterdon & Warren Counties is the umbrella organi-
zation of the area’s Jewish community, bringing together agencies, organizations, and
communities to support and fulfill the needs of the Jewish people.
The Federation raises funds to coordinate services, and supports agencies that touch the
lives of Jews in Somerset, Hunterdon, and Warren Counties, in Israel, and throughout the
world.