New Year

Everyone has their top ten lists at the end of the year.

What are your top 10 movies?

What were your top ten tv shows?

What were your top ten songs?

Who were your top ten heroes?

We usually don't list our top 10 Jewish moments...but wouldn't it be fun to do so?

Lets consider our local community....what would you list? An event at your congregation, the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar lecture, the creation of jewishcentral.org, PJ Library reaching 200 members, the Israel Bond reception for Lois Green...

What about our personal Jewish moments...a family wedding, birth of a child or grandchild, a birthday, anniversary, a family trip to Israel, a family seder...

And all other international Jewish events...

Create your own lists and post them on Jewishcentral.org

Lets see your top ten Jewish moments of 2010.

And Happy New Year!

The Flame and the Fire

Chanukah began peacefully enough with the first candle being lit...

A small flame to mark the beginning of the Festival of Lights.

That small flame turned into a raging inferno as devastating forest fires raged through the Carmel Mountain forests close to Israel's third largest city, Haifa, as the holiday began to be celebrated.

The Holiday of Lights became a Holiday of Horror, and for several days the fires burned out of control.

Thankfully the fires are now under control.

Chanukah marks a victory of freedom over oppression, and the miracle of the oil in the Holy Temple lasting for 8 days instead of the expected one.

Today we are thankful for the outpouring of aid in taming the fires that came from countries around the world.

A holiday for all

Thanksgiving: A holiday for everyone.

What a great American tradition that helps unite all.

Food, family, friends, community gatherings, all combine to make this holiday a lot of fun. Yes, we have all heard the stories and seen the movies about the dysfunctional families that come together on Thanksgiving-the wayward son, the divorced mother, the insensitive parent, the wacky uncle and the sourpuss aunt. I remember the scene in the movie, Avalon, when the entire Thangiving dinner is basically ruined by latecomers to the table..." I can't cut the turkey, until everyone is here" (said in a thick yiddish accent).

Yet in spite of all the stereotypical depictions of the holiday, Thanksgiving is a wonderful time for all of us to give thanks and to celebrate together. Enjoy the holiday!

General Assembly

Having just returned from the GA, the annual conference of the Jewish Federations of North America, I was struck by the issues we are now facing as a global Jewish community:

- the worldwide effort to de-legitimize the State of Israel
- the growing distance between the Jews of the Diaspora and the Jews of Israel
- the changing affiliation and identity patterns of today's Jewish community.

Yet I was encouraged by the efforts to face the new realities and our communal efforts to deal with these issues.

- A new initiative called the Israel Action Network-a community driven effort by the North American Jewish community to proactively lead the conversation about the legitimacy of the State of Israel and counter those who challenge her legitimacy

- A new focus on Jewish peoplehood and an expansion of exchanges of Israeli and North Americans. Over 250,000 young people have experienced Birthright Israel. Our own young emissary program is creating a new understanding of our connection to Israel.

- Re-imagining the Jewish community to meet the diverse needs of an ever changing Jewish population not tied to the traditional modes of identification. Check out our own community Young Jewish professional group. We will be hearing from Dr Steven Cohen this weekend who is the preeminent scholar researching these new trends and offering innovative alternatives.

Lots of important issues that we all need to be aware of.

Learning Together

Our community has been organizing community wide learning programs for over 15 years. Yes, we were one of the first to initiate the concept of bringing everyone together to learn from one another within a community setting. Today we here about "innovative" approaches to community learning like Limmud and others.

We should all know that while others were thinking about this, we we were doing it!

Lets learn together this weekend at Torathon!

Partnership 2000

This past week we were visited by Judith Antonelli and Eshel Fram from our community's Partnership 2000 community of Afula/Gilboa in Northern Israel.

We allocate $20,000 to fund programs in the region which help to create living bridges between our 2 communities. We are part of a 12 community consortium which includes all the 9 Federations in Connecticut, along with Springfield and New Bedford MA that partner with Afula/Gilboa.

Together our collective contribution to the region is over $200,000. What is so meaningful about this contribution is our ability to vet each program that we fund for its value and effectiveness.

One of the programs that you might be aware of is the young emissary program. This program now operates in 7 of the communities which make up our 12 community consortium. Two post high school students, who defer their army service for one year, spend a year in our communities working with many groups within our community to bring Israel alive, and to help build a better understanding between our 2 communities.

Another program which was established over 5 years ago is the Rape Crisis Intervention and Womens Empowerment Center in Afula. This program was established by funds we contributed to Afula/Gilboa, and would not exist without the contributions we provided. Since its inception, it has grown to be valuable and much needed service to the women of the Gilboa region. Hundreds of women have been saved and have been able to find dignity and value.

Often times,. people think, that when giving to the Federation, the funds just go into this big black hole....not true...and we will be more than happy to continue to highlight where our money goes.

Find out more...Attend services on Oct 22 at Bnai Shalom Westboro) at 7:30 PM,on Oct 23 at Beth Israel (Worcester) at 10 AM or join Temple Emanuel (Worcester) for breakfast at 10 AM on Sunday Oct. 24

Welcome Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

Welcome to Worcester!

The NBA Hall of Famer and all time points leader will be our guest at the Hanover Theatre this Sunday Oct 17 at 4 PM. Thanks to the Harold N Cotton Memorial Fund, this program is free and open to the public. His book "Brothers in Arms" will serve as the focal point of his lecture.

Abdul-Jabbar has become an appealing speaker in the Jewish world.

Richard Lapchick, who chairs the DeVros Sports Busines Management Graduate Program in the College of Business Administration at the University of Central Florida and directs the school's Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sports said "Many people no doubt come to see a basketball legend. But no one could leave thinking only about Abdul-Jabbar's athletic fame."

A Q&A and book signing will also take place.

First Visit to Israel

It dawned on me about a week ago that my first visit to Israel was in 1970. Yikes....40 years ago....

It was a time when Israel felt invincible. I travelled the length and breadth of Israel without any fear or apprehension. Ramallah, Nablus, Hebron, Jericho, Sinai were within bounds to visit.

The Arab market in the Old City of Jerusalem teemed with people every day.

We had access to the Temple Mount where the Al Aksa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock stand. We went into the mosques and felt safe.

So many of the places mentioned above are now off limits,or have been given back or are now ruled by the Palestinian Authority. Those young soldiers who patrolled and fought for their country who were the same age as I was then, are now the parents and in some cases the grandparents or grandparents to be of the current soldiers.

The period between the Six Day War in 1967 and the Yom Kippur War in 1973 were considered to be the Golden Age of Israel...people felt safe, as they were lulled into a false sense of security and comfort.

Although many of the creature comforts that we were used to in North America were not available in Israel at the time, it really did not seem to matter. We felt connected and part of the nation building process. Naive? Idealistic? Perhaps.

Forty years later, so much has changed. Israel is a technological powerhouse. The 'Russian" immigration helped to propel the explosion of high tech innovations and discoveries. Every creature comfort you could possibly ask for is there....

But in spite of all the changes one thing remains elusive...for every step forward there always seem to be two steps back...in the pursuit of a lasting and true peace.

No matter how one feels about the current status of the peace efforts being undertaken...there is one thing that remains unshakeable to me: the importance that Israel plays in the lives of the Jewish people and the critical role that Israel plays in the identity of Jews worldwide.

Yes, the political forces that create roadblocks and seemingly senseless objections to peace from both sides frustrate and anger us. Our underlying support for Israel at times becomes shaky and suspect in light of what some see as unrealistic postions taken by politicians. But we must also remember that only 62 short years ago we could not have even had these disagreements...one segment of our people chose to join those who had lived in Israel for generations to rebuild a Jewish homeland where any Jew could reside in dignity and "peace".

Well we do now live with dignity in Israel....the peaceful part however is still elusive.

Yet we all have to believe that peace is attainable....as difficult as it always seems....one step forward 2 steps back. And I guess that is where the naive and idealistic parts of me return.

Over the years, we have heard that if peace does not happen now, it will never happen...For 25 years Israel was at war with Egypt...yet peace was achieved.....Jordan entered into peace with Israel years later....so even though we thought it could never happen, it did.

Prospects of peace with the Palestinians are so close but yet so far...and even if a peace treaty were signed tomorrow with the Palestinian Authority, what happens with Gaza and the ruling Hamas?

Yet, Israel is too important and vital to us to forget why it was finally reestablished as a sovereign country in 1948. As outdated and parochial as it sound today..It is a homeland for all Jews. And we are all better off because of it.

Yom Kippur

The holiest day of the Jewish year is upon us...Yom Kippur on the Sabbath is truly the holiest of all....

Take the time to cleanse your soul and your body over that 24 hour period.

Keep in mind the changes you want to make and the new paths you want to follow.

May we all be sealed in the Book of Life.

Happy New Year

Happy New Year 5771!

Labor Day and Rosh Hashanah all in the same week!

It is a time for us to reflect, make amends, and set a course for the year.

A time for friends and family

A time to rest and feast.

A time to take time off from our normal hectic everyday life.

However you celebrate the New Year, I hope it will be meaningful and invigorating for the body and the soul.

Shanah Tovah 5771

Excitement is in the Air

Wow! Summer is almost over. Where did it go? At least we will be having great weather over the next few days.

As we ease into the Labor Day next weekend (and no, I don't mean to rush into it), we are beginning to feel the pulse of the community quicken...kids going back to school, synagogues gearing up for the High Holidays, our Federation campaign about to kick-off....

So many great things to look forward....the life of a community reawakening after the summer months. Welcome back and I look forward to a great fall.

There are a Million Reasons

There are a million reasons.

And we want you to be aware of as many as we can.

Many of us do not know what the Jewish Federation Annual campaign is all about. It seems as if it is too big, too anonymous. Many of us would like to follow our money to see where it is going and what it is doing. Often,when one gives to an "umbrella" campaign, we can lose sight of how the money is being spent. This year we want everyone to better understand how our gifts to the 2011 Federation campaign actually make a difference in people's lives.

We will give everyone an opportunity to experience first hand what it means to be a donor to the Federation campaign and how each and every one of us can benefit from the tzedakah we give.

There are a million reasons to give to the campaign and over the next few months we will be telling the stories of what makes up that million.

Europe

I certainly hope you are enjoying the summer. I just returned from a visit to Berlin, Prague and Budapest where I had the opportunity to learn more about the history of the Jewish communities.

It is one thing to learn about those communities in textbooks; another to experience it where the events of that history actually took place and to hear it from those who are the descendents of those who lived or died through that history.

Although there were many unforgettable experiences two stand out:

We took a day trip to Therezenstadt, the “show” concentration camp 40 minutes outside of Prague. As many of you know, this camp was used to showcase how “humanely” the Nazis were treating their Jews, allowing them to express their creativity through art, music, literature, theater etc.

Our guide, Pavel, was an 87 year old Therezenstadt survivor. It was a very sunny day, with the temperature hovering around 95 degrees. Yet here was this old man describing his personal experiences while showing us where his barracks were, where he worked, and how he survived. Every single Jew from Prague was transported to Therezenstadt and from there most were sent to Auschwitz for extermination. Pavel survived.

We asked this man how he can continue to do these visits. He responded matter of factly: “When I wake up in the morning I have aches and pains, but as soon as I begin telling the story, these aches and pains disappear. It is my duty and obligation to tell the story.”

And the cemeteries in Berlin, Prague and Budapest….almost no headstones in the old Jewish cemetery in Berlin, wiped clean by the Nazis….headstone on top of headstone, 5layers deep because the Jews of Prague were only allowed to have that small piece of land for burial…and in Budapest where Jews were buried outside the Great Budapest synagogue, because there was no place else to bury them….a garden turned into a graveyard.

Yet, Jewish life in those places is being reborn. Our 25 year old Jewish guide in Budapest could have been one of our children or grandchildren….the outdoor Budapest Klezmer Band concert was well attended and obviously well received as evidenced by the laughter and banter of the audience after the remarks made between the band’s numbers (in Hungarian of course)…and the return of Jews to Germany especially from the Former Soviet Union.

We need to remember how fortunate we have been in this country. And we need to be thankful that we can continue to mature and grow as a proud and engaged Jewish community.

Berlin, Germany!

Berlin was the first stop on our trip to Europe this summer.

It is a young vibrant diverse city which has changed incredibly since the fall of Communism and the reunification of East and West Berlin. Most of the interesting sites, museums and historic locations are in what was formally East Berlin.

Our first outing once settled into Berlin was a visit to the official Berlin Holocaust Memorial, a stone's throw away from th Brandenburg Gate. This is one of the stops on the Hop On Hop Off bus tour of the city.

The memorial is a massive site of concrete blocks spread out over a very large area with no names, dates, or explanations. It does convey the vastness of the destruction. For a more detailed understanding however, an "information" center underground makes the memorial more personal by focusing in on specific individuals and families. Although called an information center it is really a mini museum dedicated to those killed in the Holocaust.

The next day we took a walking tour of Jewish Berlin, or what was Jewish Berlin before the war. This is where the synagogue was, this is where most Jews llived, this is where they were rounded up to and confined to.

The grave of Moses Mendelson was one of the very few left, at what was once the Jewish cemetery. No other gravestones remained...they were totally destroyed and rolled over by the Nazis.

Yet, as part of our tour, in the midst of what was once the heart of Jewish Berlin, we heard music from a building next to the old cemetery. It was a Jewish Day School completeing its last day of school for the year!

Walking in this fascinating city, one could not help but wonder that only a few decades ago, this was hell for all Jews. Yet, today Germany is a staunch ally and good friend of Israel. Many Russian Jews have made their home here. The German government since the fall of Communism has taken responsibilty for the atrocities perpetrated during the Holocaust with reminders throughout the city in many different ways.

Many still feel ambivalent about Germany or still feel anger and hatred. A vist to Berlin today might not change one's feelings, but it does help to realize the positive changes that have taken place and the steps that the country has taken to accept full responsibility for its inhumanity during the second World War.

Campaign 2010 Closes

Our 2010 annual Federation campaign officially closed on June 30. I am sorry to report that we did not reach the $880,000 mark that we needed to reach in order to meet the allocation commitments we made to our community partners. We will therefore need to cut all of their allocations by about 2%

It is indeed painful to report that there are so many in our community who have the capacity to give, but for whatever reason do not.

The amount we are short is only $15,000. All in the community will bear equally in this cut

We are now preparing for our 2011 annual campaign which will officially kick off on Sept 15, 2010.

We can all play a part in increasing our campaign...we might have many diverse opinions and beliefs but we are the only Jewish community we have.

We want and need your involvement, input, suggestions etc. We want everyone to have an understanding of what Federation is.

There are tons of misconceptions out there. Over the next few months in my blog, on our website and on our social networking site, I hope to be able to dispel some of those misconceptions.

Do You Remember Me

Are you kidding? Do you think I can recognize you after all these years.

That was my refrain as I returned to my hometown of Montreal for my Grade 7 (that' s the way they say it in Canada) Jewish Peoples School reunion.

We were 45 students who graduated.6 are no longer with us. One died of cervical cancer;one from breast cancer;one from MS;one from Legionnaires Disease;one committeed siucide at 19;and one was killed in an accident while attending med school in Mexico.

Of the 39, 26 attended the reunion. It was amazing how easily we reconnected after ahem, 45 years.

We reminisced about the teachers who seemed ancient, the empty cardboard milk cartons we used as pucks in the school yard, those ropes we could not climb in the gym.

We looked at the class pictures taken every year around Chanukah or Purim, all decked out in costumes that were refective of the holiday. I also discovered that I was the valedictorian of my Grade 7 class...thanks to the graduation program that someone had saved. And we laughed at the report cards...G for good, VG for very good and comments on our behavior.

Needless to say it was a wonderful weekend.Who knew that after so many years, our bonds of friendship would be reconnected.

Community needs your support

Ok…I understand.

We all expect everything to be there when we need it…JCC, synagogues, Birthright Israel, cemeteries, schools, emergency assistance, community advocacy, senior adult services, preschool support.

Yes, I know.

Thanks to those who came before us, we have a community infrastructure that is able to meet those needs.

But, I also know.

Those services do not exist in a vacuum or independently. All community services count on the support of its members.

So, I am confused.

Why are there so many in the community unwilling to help support the community. Services have already been reduced and will continue to be reduced if continuing support is withheld.

You are angry.

Why? Reach out to the right party…express your concerns…will you always be satisfied…maybe not, but don't let your anger fester..after all who are you hurting?

You don't agree.

No one agrees with everything…does that mean we should stop supporting community…we can always find a reason why not to do something. The trick is to look at the positive…and figure out a way how to do something.

Yes, here we go again.

The Federation has allocated funds to community agencies, programs and projects for FY2011. In order to meet all those commitments we are currently $33,000 short of the mark. Your pledge to the 2010 annual campaign will help us meet our objective…if not we will need to reduce the funds that the Worcester JCC, JFS, Federation, Temple Emanuel, Temple Sinai, Beth Israel, B'nai Shalom, Beth Tikvah, the Yeshiva, the Boroughs JCC, the young emissary program, immigrant resettlement programs in Israel, support of elderly Holocaust survivors in Eastern Europe, the PJ Library project, and outreach efforts receive.

We should all understand.

We are a community that deserves the best! With everyone's help and support we will have the best!

Please make your pledge to the 2010 Annual Federation campaign by clicking here.

Click here to find out about the campaign.

And please respond now. The campaign officially closes on June 30, 2010. Make sure you are among those of us who value and support the totality of our community.

So, What Else is New

Imagine a flotilla of "activists" sailing towards Miami with illegal immigrants aboard with the intention of allowing them to disembark in Florida.

I wonder what the reaction would be if the US Coast Guard asked the "activists" to turn back which they refused to do and kept sailing to the Port of Miami

And what would happen if the Coast Guard had no choice but to board the ship and were attacked by some of the "activists".....Would the world be focusing their attention on this incident. Would the United Nations Security Council be convening with the intention of censuring the US. Would our allies like Turkey be threatening to sever diplomatic relations. Would the responsibility of the US to safeguard its borders and protect its citizens be subject to world condemnation and scorn.

Israel made it clear to the flotilla "activists" that they were free to arrive at the Port Of Ashdod, where their cargo would be inspected and all humanitarian aid would then be transferred to Gaza through the normal channels that Israel uses regularly to transport humanitarian aid. It would obviously confiscate materials that it has banned.

The "activists" answer was given loudly and clearly.

Yes, I am sure there were many well intentioned and peace loving "crew" aboard the ships bound for Gaza, but there were also those whose sole intention was to create chaos and violence to bring attention to their cause.

Let us not forget-Given the opportunity, Hamas who rules Gaza illegally, would destroy Israel in a heartbeat...

Summer is just around the corner

Memorial day weekend marks the unofficial start of summer.
Ours began earlier this week when temperatures reached record highs.
Over the next few weeks many organizations will celebrate annual meetings. And the very busy months of May and June will come to a close, leading to a slower more relaxed July and August.
I am starting my weekend by attending my 7th Grade Jewish Day School reunion. We were 45 graduates who spent our elementary school years at the Jewish Peoples School in Montreal. The school's ideology was a Labor Zionist one, where Yiddish was the spoken language. Being in Montreal, we also learned French and of course Hebrew.
What a hoot it will be to see how we have all fared and how our lives have taken shape over these many years. It will also be interesting to see how our class has involved itself in the Jewish community.
Take care this weekend and stay safe!

Another full weekend in Worcester County

It must be May...lots of celebrations..graduations, annual meetings, receptions.

This weekend the community fetes Judy Shriber for 42 years of service as Temple Emanuel education director. Cantor Marina Shemesh of Congregation Beth Israel and cantors from around the country celebrate Jewish music on Sunday evening.
Community activist Lois Green, a member of our community who has devoted her life to improving the lives of so many, will be honored at the State of Israel Bonds reception. Lois had a book signing of her memoirs The Last Chapter at the Willows of Worcester yesterday. Scholar in Residence Rabbi Scott Saulson will speak to the community on Sunday May 23 on seniors issue. Sababa Musical Group visits B'nai Shalom on May 22 for a lively concert.

And of course we celebrate the holiday of Shavuot this Wednesday and Thursday, when many synagogues honor their confirmation students.

What's YOUR #ish? It has begun!

The Jewish Federation of Central MA today launched whatsyour#ish, an integrated online campaign that encourages young Jews of all stripes to share what being Jewish means to them – their #ish – while raising awareness of the work of Jewish Federations. The innovative project launch in partnership with the Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA) went online today with a series of humorous rich media ads, promotional videos on YouTube and pages on social networking sites (facebook and twitter) all intended to generate conversation on and traffic to the campaign dedicated website whatsyourish.com. For every #ish response JFNA will donate 25 cents to a $50,000 ish fund for charity.

GO TO whatsyourish.com >>

The fund will cover the core thematic needs supported by the Jewish Federation annual campaign including poverty, elderly care, Jewish identity, Israel solidarity and more. While highlighting the fact that being Jewish means different things to different people, the website also helps participants learn what being Jewish means to the work of Jewish Federations. To that end, participants are being invited to vote on how they would allocate the ish fund. “The ish fund campaign is a fun, innovative way for younger Jews to learn about the life saving work of the Jewish Federation.” said Howard Fixler, JFCM President. Along with the Jewish Federation of Central Massachusetts dozens of other Jewish Federations and partner organizations are actively participating in this initiative.

The Jewish Federation movement collectively represents one of the top ten charities on the continent. “What’s your ish really allows younger Jews to express themselves in a creative way while learning about their local Jewish Federations.” said Adam Smoyler, Senior Vice President for Strategic Marketing and Communications at JFNA. It’s a campaign that presents an authentic conversation by using online tools this group already uses.

Sunny Weekend

It must be New England...30's on Wednesday...80's this weekend.
We deserve the great weather..and lets enjoy it while it's here. Lots going on this weekend in the community-especially Sunday when several Lag B'Omer programs are planned.

Keep your eye on www.JewishCentral.org to keep abreast of all that's going on. And if you have not signed up yet on our new community social web site, now is the time to do it.

Watch out for the national What's your #ish initiative....sneak preview is on jewishcentral.org

Celebrating US-Israeli ties: As I see it

As Israel celebrates its 62nd anniversary this week, it is worth remembering that only 11 minutes after Israel declared its independence in 1948, President Harry Truman recognized the new Jewish state. The state itself was established by a vote of the United Nations on Nov. 29, 1947, countering any argument that is now being promoted by anti-Israel proponents that seek to delegitimize Israel as a sovereign state.

As a democracy, both Israel and the United States are committed to freedom, equality and tolerance for all people regardless of religion, race or gender. While Israel was established as a homeland for the Jewish people, Israeli society is a mosaic of many peoples, including Jews, Muslims, Druze and Christians. All Israeli citizens enjoy equal rights. There are even 13 elected Arab representatives in the Israeli Parliament.

Israel, about the size of New Jersey, has worked collaboratively with the U.S. in the areas of science, technology, education, space, industry and medicine, not only to benefit the citizens of both countries, but citizens of the world as a whole.

It is worth noting the following accomplishments that have helped cement the friendship of the two countries, and how each and every Worcesterite has benefited from this relationship.

•Jerusalem, the capital of Israel, is open to all religions, and all have free, open and unhindered access to all holy sites. Before 1967, when Jordan governed East Jerusalem, such an arrangement did not exist.

•The cell phone was developed in Israel by Israelis working in the Israeli branch of Motorola. Both the Pentium 4 microprocessor and the Centrino processor were entirely designed, developed and produced in Israel. Voicemail technology was developed in Israel. The technology for the AOL Instant Messenger ICQ was developed in 1996 by four young Israelis.

•According to industry experts, Israel has designed the airline industry’s most impenetrable flight security protocol. Many U.S. airports, including Boston’s Logan Airport, have engaged Israeli security experts to enhance their security efforts.

•Israeli scientists developed the first fully computerized, no radiation diagnostic instrumentation for breast cancer. An Israeli company developed a computerized system for ensuring proper administration of medications, thus removing human error from medical treatment. Israel’s Given Imaging developed the first ingestible video camera, so small it fits in a pill. It is used to view the small intestine from the inside to detect abnormalities such as cancer and digestive disorders. An Israeli company was the first to develop and install a large-scale, solar-powered and fully functional electricity plant in southern California’s Mojave desert.

•Israel has always been one of the first nations to respond to natural disasters around the world. One of the most admired teams to assist earthquake victims in Haiti was the Israeli contingent, which was one of the first to establish a fully equipped and functioning field hospital. Not to mention Israeli efforts in Bosnia, Turkey and Ethiopia.

With so much criticism of Israel in the media, and so much negative attention heaped on it, it is worth remembering some of the accomplishments that Israel has realized to help us here in the U.S. and around the world. For its size, Israel has contributed far more than its share to innovations in health, wellness, technology and computing.

How many detractors of Israel have been helped by Israel’s innovations? How many lives of Israel’s enemies have been saved by its discoveries? As we continue to hear of Iran’s threats to annihilate Israel with its planned nuclear arms, let us remember how poorer this world would be today without Israel.

We should all be proud as Americans that we have such a strong friendship with Israel as we salute it on its 62nd anniversary.

Spring in Worcester County!

You will need an iphone, ipad, blackberry or jewishcentral to keep up with all the activities happening over the next few weeks...starting tomorrow evening when Temple Emanuel will be hosting the Afro-Semitic Experience at their Friday night services at 7:30 PM...Yom Hadash at Temple Sinai on Saturday night...several Israel Independence day celebrations at the JCC next Sunday and Tuesday April 18 and 20, the launching of our new young Jewish professionals group on April 18....and much more.

And join the community at its Yom HaShoah commemoration at Beth Tikvah synagogue in Westboro on Sunday April 11 at 4 PM

Stay up to date by joining www.jewishcentral.org

Passover-Easter-Jerusalem

There are 2 times a year when major Jewish and Christian holidays coincide. We are about to enter one of those periods. Jesus's Last Supper was the Passover seder so it is no coincidence that Passover and Easter fall within a few days of one another.

And where did the Last Supper occur? In Jerusalem.

Jerusalem is the holiest city for the Jewish people and is pretty high up there for the Christian community. At the time of the Last Supper and at the time over 3,000 years ago when Kind David proclaimed Jerusalem as the capital city of the Jews there was no East Jerusalem or West Jerusalem.

The common bond that Jews and Christians have for Jerusalem was manifested last week at the AIPAC policy conference where over 7500 delegates, Christians and Jews alike expressed their support and love for Israel.

Future construction in a part of North Jerusalem that is not inhabited by any Palestinians seems to be a distraction that is taking on much more than it should. There will be no displacement of people, no demolition of homes no disruption to life....Gaza has been returned, Israel left Lebanon long ago, the Sinal was returned, Israel still is subject to rocket attacks from Gaza and Lebanon, many roadblocks and checkpoints have been removed in the West Bank, families are now being permitted from both sides of the Seam Line to visit. Concessions? What else should Israel be doing? No Jewish construction in Jerusalem in areas that are out of the conflict zone? Israel gave up Sinai, Gaza, when real nogitiations took place. What makes anyone believe that In a real final peace solution Israel would not continue to make sacrifices for peace and security.

Which brings me back to Passover and Easter and Jerusalem.

At this time when Jews celebrate their freedom from slavery and Christians celebrate the resurrection of Christ, one common thread is evident-the role that Jerusalem plays in the lives of both peoples.

Israel and the US

The past few days have seen a flurry of diplomatic missteps in the Israel-US relationship.But lets not get too caught up in this. The moral, political, historic and strategic bonds that unite these two countries will not be shattered by the unfortunate incident of last week.

Israel's interior minister was totally out of line to announce new construction in East Jerusalem while the US Vice President was visiting in what was in essence a trip to reassure Israel that the US remains an unshakable ally.

But we must also remember that in PM Netanyahu's pledge to halt new construction in the West Bank for a period of 10 months, he did not include East Jerusalem.

The American administration as was expected expressed its displeasure at the announcement.Benjamin Netanyahu apologized, and that should have been it. But subsequent statements emanating from both sides kept the controversy alive.

Unfortunately, the reaction of the American administration was seen as license for Palestinians to take to the streets in East Jerusalem and parts of the West Bank to violently protest Israel's decision. It seems that by now the US should understand that they way they react publicly will have a direct impact on how Palestinians react, and almost like clockwork, the US's criticism of Israel will spark violence on the part of some Palestinians.

Diplomacy is, I would hope, now taking place behind the scenes to de-escalate this issue, especially in light of the AIPAC conference next week, where both Israeli PM Netanyahu and Secretary of State Hilary Clinton will be speaking.

A dear friend passes away

I was awakened early this morning with the news that a dear friend of mine-Elly Dlin-had passed away suddenly, the victim of a heart attack. I met Elly in 1968 when we were both campers at Camp Biluim, Canadian Young Judaea's leadership training camp in Huntsville Ontario.Elly was a larger than life personality . A "westerner" from Edmonton Alberta,Elly was gregarious and was the type of person loved by all. Large in physical stature, Elly could not be missed. But his stature was overshadowed by his fun loving and warm personality-the kind of person that everyone loves.
Elly was my tentmate at camp, my roommate when we spent the year together in Israel, my travelling partner in Western Canada, my host when visiting him in Israel,my colleague in the Jewish professional world, but most importantly a dear and beloved friend.

I always wondered how someone so fun loving and disinterested in the formalities of life, could be such a brilliant scholar and teacher. While living in Israel for over 20 years, he worked at Yad Vashem, Israel's National Holocaust Center. Among his many responsibilities there, he directed the Valley of the Lost Communities a 2.5 acre exhibition at the museum where he lectured, provided tours and developed curricula. When Esther and I took
our boys to Israel in 1994, it was Elly who got us front row seats for Israel's National Commemoration of the Shoah at Yad Vashem.
When Elly returned to North America to complete his Phd at the University of British Columbia, a wonderful opportunity became available-the directorship of the new Holocaust Museum in Dallas Texas. He had worked there, and not surprisingly developed a wonderful educational center, recognized for its excellence throughout Texas and the nation.

I saw Elly for the last time at my son Matt's wedding almost 2 years ago. He looked great, had lost a ton of weight, and was looking forward to the future in Dallas.
I will miss Elly, as will all that knew him. He is survived by his 4 sons, his dear mother Helen and his siblings Bonnie and Arnie.
Life is way too short, and the end comes too soon, for far too many, at too young an age.
Live it well....and live it like Elly-warm,friendly, caring, compassionate,fun loving. May he rest in peace!

This past Saturday night, the Israel ballet performed Don Quixote at the Hanover Theater.

A group of students from Clark University representing a Palestinian student group, decided to picket the theater to protest the appearance of an Israeli group in Worcester.

How misguided!

But it also uderscores the need for all in the community who care about Israel to be aware of the efforts of the Arab world to delegitimize the state of Israel and to isolate it from the rest of the world....once upon a time it seemed that sports and culture could be somewhat immune from these efforts, but no longer.

The Federation is about to begin its deliberations on how to allocate funds raised in the 2010 annual campaign. It is never an easy process: how do we allocate funds to programs that meet the needs of the Federation's strategic plan when there are so many needs out there.
The easiest solution to that prblem is to raise more money. After all the Federation exists to raise funds to then allocate them back to the community. If we had more money, we would have more to allocate.
You can help meet those needs and make the task of the allocations committee that much easier by making a donation to the Federation annual campaign. Just click onto www.jewishcentralmass.org.
And thank you.

The Winter Olympics begin tonight in Vancouver. Although it has been 24 years since we moved to the States, I will be watching with a great deal of pride as my native country welcomes the world.

Although I became a US citizen several years ago, I still have a great allegiance and fondness for Canada. Over the next few weeks there will be many articles and features about Canada in the media.
Many of them will deal with the nature of Canadians and how they differ in their approach to things.Canadians are polite,or some might say bland. Canadians are respectful, and passive, they might say. Canadians are knowledgeable about the world, especially when it comes to all things American. Canadians grow up in the shadow of the US...and this close relationship plays itself out in so many ways. "We are not Americans...we are Canadians" would be our indignant reply to those who mistook us for US citizens. Their reaction would immediately change from one of hostility to friendliness. If that was the only legacy of being Canadian, that worked fine for us.We must rememeber that Canada evolved into a parliamentary democracy through arduous negotiations that were resolved in 1867....why, Canada did not even adopt its official Maple Leaf flag until 100 years later. The U.S. became independent through revolution, making its official beginnings as a country in a manner vastly different from Canada's.

Canada is a nation with a national anthem in two languages that has different lyrics. Canada has had to deal with how it defines itself in light of the overwhelming economic, cultural and social impact that its southern neighbor plays in its daily life. So many things Canadian are inextricably tied to what happens in the US. Nonetheless, Canada is an amazing democracy-a multi cultural nation that has always celebrated its diversity-a land of unparalled beauty (as you will see over the next 2 weeks as the Olympics are telecast from beautiful British Columbia)and a land rich in natural resources.

I have grown to appreciate the assets of both Canada and the United States over the years, but tonight I will once again be the proud Canadian, as the Canadian Olympic team marches into the arena, carrying the red Maple Leaf.

How is it that Israel was able to set up a fully equipped field hospital in Haiti so quickly? And why does the world not realize that given the opportunity to secure a real peace that this accomplishment would only be the beginning.

Read Dan Senor's Start Up Nation to get a feel for Israel's ingenuity. Instead of wasting precious time and energy dealing with the misinformation, inaccuracies, and outright lies of the Goldstone Report, think of all the positive contributions that can be realized by spending the time on things that really matter.

On my visit to Israel last week, I had the opportunity to experience security checks in 4 different airports: Boston, Rome,Tel Aviv and Amsterdam. My trip took place at the beginning of this year, about 2 weeks after the foiled terrorist attack on the Northwest flight from Amsterdam to Detroit.

Let me give you the lowdown

Boston: No extra security at all. No extra time in line. No sniffing dogs.From start to finish 5 minutes from the check-in counter to the gate.

Rome: What a mess. All transit passengers from all airlines and all locations had to pass through the transit area: a room where pushing and shoving was the norm... lines if you could call them that, were regularly rearranged depending on the pushing in back of you. Cutting into the lines was met with shouts and police moving these intruders to the back of the very long circuitous line.
Then upon arrival at the security check,there semed to be no rhyme or reason to the procedure...keep shoes on, take computer out, keep in or keep out those famous plastic sandwich bags...anyway, I made it.

Tel Aviv: A police check at the entrance to Ben Gurion Airport.Then a long ride around the outer road to get to the entrance to the terminal. Once inside the terminal, the in your face interview takes place as you wait in line to put your luggage through the Xray machine...What were you doing in Israel? Where were you? How do you know Hebrew? Where do you live? What's your Hebrew name? For those of who pass the test (and most do) you proceed to the Xray machine and onto the ticket counter. For those who don't pass the test, a thorough search of suitcases is followed by more interrogation.

Amsterdam:They are trying to adopt a new method of security check. I arrived from Tel Aviv and proceeded to the Delta gate to await my flight back to Boston. At each airplane gate bound for the US, passengers must once again wait in line to be processed through. Once one gets to the front of the line, someone (and I am not sure who these someones are)asks you a few questions, then you go through the metal detector, and are patted down. Already in place but not functioning are those infamous body scanning machines which apparently leave nothing to the imagination. And finally another check of your hand luggage.

Travelling was always a tiring ordeal...and even more so now! Bon Voyage!