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Jewish Journal

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December 20, 2012

Obituaries: October 26-November 2

Leave a Comment / Obituaries /

Herman Bank died Nov. 2 at 96. Survived by wife Irene; sons Ron (Patricia), Michael (Kathy), Sid (Rosie); 7 grandchildren. Mount Sinai

Beverly Berkowitz died Oct. 27 at 90. Survived by daughter Leslie Glick; 1 niece. Hillside 

Sylvan Bram died Oct. 28 at 84. Survived by wife Joan; daughter Lolly (Shlomo) Seidenfeld; sons Steve (Julie), Barry (Mary); 9 grandchildren; 1 great-grandchild. Hillside 

Sally Brody died Oct. 27 at 87. Survived by daughter Beth Spivak; son David (Kimberly); 2 grandchildren; 5 great-grandchildren. Hillside

Edwin Canter died Oct. 31 at 86. Survived by wife Marian; daughter Denise; sons Keith, Stephan; 1 granddaughter. Mount Sinai

Myra Caplan died Oct. 28 at 64.  Survived by husband Brian; sisters Phyllis (David) Snyder, Ann (Marv) Stone; brother Alan (Karen) Pyenson; 1 niece. Hillside 

Marshall Ehrenberg died Oct. 31 at 88. Survived by son Paul Stone; 2 grandchildren. Malinow and Silverman

Arthur Feinfield died Oct. 30 at 93. Survived by wife Florence; daughter Carol (Paul) Berman; sons Robert (Christy), Kenneth (Sandy). Mount Sinai

Aldolfo Finkelstein died Oct. 31 at 86. Survived by daughters Betty, Margarita Bambaur, Raquel; 3 grandchildren. Hillside

Ilene Fox died Oct. 15 at 53. Survived by mother Shirley; aunt Ruth (Bob) Brodsky. Mount Sinai

Frada Garetz died Oct. 31 at 83. Survived by husband Marvin; daughter Marjorie; son Mark (Ellen Rosenbluth); 2 grandchildren. Malinow and Silverman

Edward Goldsmith died Oct. 28 at 80. Survived by wife Miriam; daughter Hadora Ishak; sons Erez, Yaron; 6 grandchildren; 2 great-grandchildren. Mount Sinai

Gloria Jacobs died Oct. 26 at 96. Survived by daughter Judith (Saul) Goldfarb; son Ivan; 8 grandchildren; 2 great-grandchildren. Hillside

Harry Judis died Oct. 26 at 98. Survived by son Gary (Annie); 5 grandchildren; 7 great-grandchildren. Mount Sinai

Barbara Klein died Oct. 31 at 76.  Survived by husband Stanley; daughters Sherrill (Glen) Fortinberry, Leslie (Daniel) Murphy. Hillside

Jean Landres died Oct. 27 at 94. Survived by daughter Lisa; sons Bruce (Marcy), Jeffrey (Esther), Richard (Linda); 6 grandchildren; 5 great-grandchildren. Hillside

Jack Lasky died Oct. 31 at 89. Survived by wife Celia; daughters Elyse Cohen, Donna Kovach; 4 grandchildren; 1 great-grandchild; sister Sarah Sipenock. Mount Sinai

Florence Levine died Nov. 1 at 91. Survived by son Louis (Karen Roswell); 2 grandchildren. Mount Sinai

Zelda Litman died Oct. 30 at 92.  Survived by daughters Linda (Neal) Kaufman, Lisa Woltz; 5 grandchildren; 5 great-grandchildren. Hillside

Laura Manning died Oct. 31 at 90. Survived by husband Henry; daughters Susan, Sheri; 2 grandchildren; 1 great-grandchild. Mount Sinai

Alice Irene Mathias died Nov. 2 at 63. Survived by aunt Leatrice Young; 5 cousins. Mount Sinai

Elaine Myden died Oct. 26 at 83. Survived by sons Mark (Heather), Joel (Bari); 4 grandchildren. Mount Sinai

David Roberts died Nov. 1 at 81. Survived by wife Natalie; daughters Barrie, Michele (Debra Fisher), Suzanne (Richard Curtis); sons Kenneth (Laura), Matthew (Lisa); 5 grandchildren; 2 great-grandchildren. Mount Sinai

Jennette Roffman died Oct. 29 at 95. Survived by daughter Tobi Ann (Edward) Roffman Pollock; son Burton (Cinda); 4 grandchildren; 2 great-grandchildren. Malinow and Silverman

David Rosenthal died Oct. 28 at 94. Survived by sons Jay, Michael. Hillside 

Berdeane Rubin died Oct. 31 at 79. Survived by husband Jack; son Harold; 1 niece; 5 grandchildren; 5 great-grandchildren. Hillside

Lois Levy Schwartz died Oct. 26 at 95. Survived by daughters Nancy Vangelder, Laura (Arthur) Jussel, Barbara (Tom) Moore; son James (Noreen Pera-Schwartz); 5 grandchildren. Mount Sinai

Jacob Schainblatt died Nov. 2 at 102. Survived by daughter Anita Smukler; 1 grandson. Mount Sinai

Jeanette G. Shatkin died Oct. 29 at 92.  Survived by son Russell (Susan Bonefant) Stein. Mount Sinai

Philip J. Skoller died Oct. 29 at 90. Survived by sister Ilene (Jerry) Brick; 1 cousin. Mount Sinai

Sidney Smilove died Oct. 31 at 97.  Survived by wife Adda; daughter Shelly Padgett; sons Jonathan, Michael; 2 grandchildren. Hillside

Trudy Solish died Oct. 30 at 88. Survived by son Jonathan (Sondra); daughter Wende (Jack) Fitzpatrick; 3 grandchildren. Mount Sinai

Betty Stein died Oct. 16 at 93. Survived by niece Miriam Gidron. Chevra Kadisha

Liela Stern died Nov. 2 at 82. Survived by husband Kurt; daughter Laura (David) Moss; sons David (Denise), Robert (Letitia); 6 grandchildren; 1 great-grandchild; sisters Roslyn (Herb) Rube, Judy (Doug) Markland; brother Norman (Nancy) Schlosser. Hillside

Carol Tepperman died Oct. 30 at 73. Survived by daughters Mona (Mark) Steinberg, Terri (Bill) Lundy; 2 granddaughters; brother Paul (Helen) Witt. Mount Sinai

Shirley Trester died Oct. 31 at 89. Survived by daughter Jan (Rick) Petok; son Jeffrey (Myrna Golden); 4 grandchildren; 1 great-grandchild. Hillside

Molly Young died Oct. 30 at 94. Survived by sons Jeff, William (Patrice); 4 grandchildren; sister Belle Maimon. Mount Sinai

Obituaries: October 26-November 2 Read More »

A shooting: Just like yesterday

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When I heard about the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School, I shut my office door and wept.  And I couldn’t help but remember another day 13 years ago. 

I was in a meeting.  My assistant interrupted and said that Sharon, my ex-wife, needed me urgently.  Sharon was screaming: “There’s a shooting at the JCC!!!”  I grabbed my keys and sped 20 miles to the North Valley Jewish Community Center.

My thoughts are still a blur.  As if in slow motion, I drove frantically.  I made all sorts of promises to G-d.  I don’t remember what they were.

The freeways were uncharacteristically empty as I hit 100 mph.  The Highway Patrol passed me as they headed to the same location.  

I recalled my days in an elite Israeli anti-terrorist unit.  Heading toward a rescue operation we were always in control: adrenaline pumping, but calm.  We had practiced thousands of hours.  But now, my thoughts bounced between my seven and eight year olds and the wounded Israeli children I saw in a terrorist attack a decade earlier.

Following the LAPD, I circumvented roadblocks for miles.  I met up with my ex-wife and other parents behind a police barricade.  We looked toward the summer camp and school that was our children’s safe haven; now, everyone’s worst nightmare.

As police and news helicopters flew overhead, we screamed, pleaded: “Where are our children?!!!”  There were no answers. 

Finally, a police officer came to our group with a list.  She said that all the children accounted for are on her list; she began loudly reading the names.  Sharon and I waited impatiently to hear our children’s names.  They never came.

I grabbed the list from the officer’s hands and scrolled down the names.  My children were not listed.

Then, as if my world had ended, sheer impulse overcame me.  I broke through the barricade and ran toward the building to get to my children.  Nothing would stop me … except the police, as they wrestled me to the ground.   I was handcuffed and put into a police car.

I kept asking, “Where are my children?  Where are my children?” I repeated their names.  The police wouldn’t, or couldn’t answer.  Five … ten … twenty minutes.  I sat in the police car, praying that my children were unharmed, but hope was fading.  Still handcuffed, a policeman lectured me as to why I shouldn’t have done what I did.  I told him I’ll remember that the next time my children are in a shooting. 

After what seemed like hours, but was probably 30 minutes, the police brought me inside building.  I was met by the Chief of Police and they removed my handcuffs.  He apologized, then told me that my two children were okay.  They were at a nearby park. 

I broke down and sobbed uncontrollably.

We drove to the park.  My kids saw us and began screaming “Abba!  Abba!” (“Daddy”).  They were in shock… not from the shooting, but because my sister told them I was arrested.

Our attention immediately turned toward the wounded.  Our friend, Isabelle, was shot.  A counselor.  And three children.  I heard that one child was barely clinging to life.

Over the next few weeks, the puzzle of what really happened came together.  A white supremacist traveled from Washington with the aim of killing Jews.  He attended an AA meeting in a church.  When he left the meeting, he looked next door and saw the Jewish Center.  He returned the next day, entered, and began shooting–more than 70 rounds.  He walked to his left, where there weren’t many children.  Had he gone to his right, he would have found rooms full of little kids playing.

A lone bus driver heard the shots, and, without hesitation, whisked children onto the bus and sped away.  My children were on his bus.

The shooter abruptly fled.   Later that day he murdered a U.S. postal carrier because he looked like a foreigner.

People from across the country reached out to help.  Goldberg (the Jewish Wrestler) visited, giving each child a Goldberg doll. 

I didn’t tell my kids what really happened that day.  At the time, they didn’t know that anyone was hurt.  They just knew that a “monster” came and left, and he’s locked up.  They seemed to adjust.  But kids pick up on things.  They began sleeping in each other’s room with the lights on.  And my son slept with his Goldberg doll on top of his bed for many years; always there for protection.

On August 10, 1999, my family was extremely lucky.  It could have been worse.  Much worse.  But, as time passes, I seem to only think about that day whenever there’s another shooting—and there always seems to be another shooting.

Jack Saltzberg is executive director of Friends of Sheba Medical Center.  He can be reached at jack@saltzberg.org.

A shooting: Just like yesterday Read More »

The Assault on Rabbi Rosenberg: Ignoring Sex Abuse

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Rabbi Nuchem Rosenberg is a refreshingly bold advocate against child sexual abuse which occurs in the ultra-Orthodox world. He works within his own Satmar Hasidic and other communities across the ultra-Orthodox spectrum, publicizing claims of sexual abuse and providing victims with the strength and support to speak out about what was done to them. This brave and courageous man was recently a victim himself – of an attack in which “>unlicensed therapist who was ““>On July 11, 2011, in a separate Hasidic community in Brooklyn, 8-year-old Leiby Kletzky was abducted, drugged, and suffocated to death by Levi Aron, another member of the same community; pieces of Kletzky’s dismembered body were found by the police in Aron’s freezer and a nearby trash bin. In spite of their having been “all sorts of rumors about” Aron, the community was in shock that “one of their own” had committed the murder. Poor Leiby paid the price for his community members’ failure to act on their suspicions.


Whereas rumors about Aron had floated about for years, the New York Police Department acted with considerably greater speed: Within 36 hours of Kletzky’s disappearance, Aron was identified as the kidnapper, tracked down, and arrested; he confessed on the spot to Kletzky’s murder. There have been times in Jewish history when Jews had good reason to distrust, or even fear, secular legal, judicial, and police authorities. But this is America in the year 2012; there are no Cossacks coming to attack us, or KGB agents coming to arrest us. We can trust in, and should cooperate with, the police and local authorities. Indeed, when there is greater cooperation between police forces and various communities, the more trust they build between each other, and the effectiveness of policing increases as well.


The recent allegations of past sexual abuse against Yeshiva University (“>The statement by Yeshiva’s current president, and the spirit behind it, is impressive and important, but it is only the beginning of the sea change we must see in our communities.


May we, as American Jews, do all we can to eradicate abuse in our communities, and may we make clear to all that Judaism is against all abuse, is in favor of attacking this ill with all fervor; and sees those who commit or cover up such as crimes as going against the laws and spirit of the Torah. May Rabbi Rosenberg be speedily and completely healed and continue his fight for justice with success and in peace; and may he find many to join him in his holy quest.

 

Rabbi Shmuly Yanklowitz is the Founder and President of “>Jewish Ethics & Social Justice: A Guide for the 21st Century.” Newsweek named Rav Shmuly The Assault on Rabbi Rosenberg: Ignoring Sex Abuse Read More »

This week in power: Newtown shootings, Hagel, Mirvis, Yeshiva abuse

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A roundup of the most talked about political and global stories in the Jewish world this week:

Newtown aftermath
It's hard for anyone to process and make sense of the tragic deaths of 20 children plus six others last Friday. As the smalltown of Newtown tries to begin to move on, ” target=”_blank”>read a letter to the editor of JTA. Others have focused on cutting back on the the traditional gun culture of the United States. “If the United States, itself awash with weapons, wishes to benefit from Israel’s experience, it must make sure it learns the right lessons. The first and most universal one is that ever more stringent gun control is bad policy: As is the case with drugs, as was the case with liquor during Prohibition, the strict banning of anything does little but push the market underground into the hands of criminals and thugs,” ” target=”_blank”>conpiracists…

Hagel opposition
President Obama may pick former senator Chuck Hagel to replace Defense Secretary Leon Panetta when he steps down, but the main knock coming out about Hagel this week is that he won't act in srael's interest. “Defeating a Hagel nomination, however, will be more difficult than mounting a vocal opposition, in large part due to the Senate’s tradition of collegiality. Tradition indicates the Senate would extend a former senator — one whose Senate colleagues would be directly involved in his confirmation — considerable latitude,”” target=”_blank”>said Jennifer Rubin in The Washington Post. It's time to speak up, ” target=”_blank”>according to reports. He's served at the Finchley United Synagogue, one of London’s modern Orthodox shuls, since 1996, and was previously chief rabbi of Ireland. Lord Sacks wil retire next fall. “Highly respected among his rabbinic colleagues, Mirvis is a good speaker and has a reputation for warmth, though he is not considered a bold thinker,” said the Times of Israel. How important this role is in modern times is unclear, ” target=”_blank”>sexually abused students during the late 1970s and early ’80s but they weren't dealt with appropriately. Norman Lamm, who was president of Y.U. from 1976 to 2003, said that he rememebered dealing with the allegations privately to minimize the embarrassment and attention. “Joe Paterno turned a blind eye and was rightfully fired from his position – is Rabbi Lamm’s turning a blind eye to these issues any different? YU needs to begin the healing process by firing Lamm and launching a proper investigation,” ” target=”_blank”>wrote another blogger.

What would we do to Jesus?
Outrage over the official Facebook page of Israel’s embassy to Ireland sparked up this week after a ” target=”_blank”>told BuzzFeed that the post was a “total misunderstanding.” “It is a good thing that someone in Israel’s Irish embassy caught the folly of whoever’s running their Facebook page (though they might want to take a look at the Twitter account, too), and I suppose that the apology, while rather anemic, is nice,” ” target=”_blank”>added Haroon Moghul at Religion Dispatches.

This week in power: Newtown shootings, Hagel, Mirvis, Yeshiva abuse Read More »

Arrest made following Wilshire Boulevard Temple bomb scare, vandalism

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A naturalized citizen from South Korea was arraigned today on charges related to the numerous bomb threats made Dec. 18 against Wilshire Boulevard Temple (WBT) in Koreatown and a police squad car parked adjacent to its campus, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.

Wan Ryung Song, also known as Patrick Song, 46, was charged with four counts of making a bomb threat in addition to one count of vandalism at a house of worship and one count of a hate crime. Investigators believe that he was responsible for vandalizing the synagogue with a swastika and anti-Semitic rant on Dec. 6, a police statement says.

No evidence was found of any explosives despite phone calls reporting multiple bomb threats. Detectives determined that the calls were made from a pay phone at a nearby health spa where Song was a registered member.

[RELATED:  Arrest made following Wilshire Boulevard Temple bomb scare, vandalism Read More »

A prayer of healing from the tragedy in Newtown

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Our hearts are breaking, God,
As our nation buries innocent children and brave teachers.
The loss is overwhelming.
Send comfort and strength, God, to grieving parents,
To siblings, family and friends in this time of shock and mourning.
Shield them from despair.
Send healing to the schoolchildren who are lost and frightened
Whose eyes witnessed unfathomable horrors.
Ease their pain, God,
Let their fears give way to hope.
Let their cries give way once more to laughter.

Bless us, God,
Work through us.
Turn our helplessness into action.
Teach us to believe that we can rise up from this tragedy
With a renewed faith in the goodness of our society.
Shield us from indifference
And from our tendency to forget.
Open our hearts, open our hands.
Innocent blood is calling out to us to act.
Remind us that we must commit ourselves to prevent further bloodshed
With all our hearts and souls.
Teach us perseverance and dedication.
Let us rise up as one in a time of soul-searching and repair
So that all children can go to school in peace, God,
Let them be safe.

God of the brokenhearted,
God of the living, God of the dead,
Gather the souls of the victims
Into Your eternal shelter.
Let them find peace in Your presence, God.
Their lives have ended
But their lights can never be extinguished.
May they shine on us always
And illuminate our way.
Amen.

Rabbi Naomi Levy is the founder and spiritual leader of Nashuva: The Jewish Spiritual Outreach Center. Her books include Talking to God: Personal Prayers for Times of Joy, Sadness, Struggle, and Celebration.

A prayer of healing from the tragedy in Newtown Read More »

Jewish Journal Holiday Party

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My girlfriend complains I don’t teach her about Judaism but it’s not for a lack of trying.  During Chanukah I explained that the candle burned for eight nights.

“It was the oil, not the candle.” She corrected me.

Like she was there!  She asks me to take her to synagogue, a big step for someone who wants to learn more about Jewish culture but refuses to watch even a moment of Billy Crystal hosting a special edition of SportCenter.

The point is I’m trying. I invited her to the Jewish Journal’s holiday party, which made for a teachable evening about Jewish culture.  When else would she attend a function at one of LA’s hottest nightclubs, “Morry’s Fireplace?”  Before the party I prepped her on a few basics such as talking with her hands and using the phrase “you’re kidding” when at a loss for words. I even gave her a short quiz.

“How many questions are there in Passover?” I asked.

“Three?” she guessed.

As I mentioned, it was a short quiz.

Before the party we stopped for dinner at Factors, a signature deli on Pico. We ate pickles, ordered matzah ball soup and drank root beer then walked to Morry’s Fireplace complaining about the cold.

I was excited to meet many of my contemporaries. The rumors swirled about which Jewish Journal stars would arrive. Would the enigmatic Morry make an appearance? Blog Coordinator Jared Baker, perhaps?  To my delight, the event was star studded with Jewish Journal celebs like Blogger Ilana Angel of “>Hollywood Jew; and even, Tamara Shayne Kagel of the controversial blog Jewish Journal Holiday Party Read More »

Adam Greenberg signs minor league contract with Orioles

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Former Chicago Cub Adam Greenberg has signed a minor league contract with the Baltimore Orioles, Steve Melewski of MASNsports.com reports.

Greenberg was infamously hit in the head by a pitch in his first major league at-bat and has been struggling to make it back to the Big Show  for the last seven years.

The Miami Marlins made headlines last season by signing Greenberg to a one-day contract, giving the once bright prospect a second chance to hit in the majors. Although he struck out, he donated his one-day salary to the Marlins Foundation which donated to the Sports Legacy Institute, an organization that advances the study, treatment and prevention of the effects of brain trauma in athletes and other at-risk groups.

Adam Greenberg signs minor league contract with Orioles Read More »

Palestinians outline Israel isolation strategy

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The Palestinian Authority is considering a multi-pronged strategy to isolate Israel, including seeking redress in international courts and ceasing security cooperation.

The Associated Press reported on the strategy in a story published Thursday. Palestinian officials told the AP that they will first press for renewed talks after Israel's Jan. 22 elections but will insist on a settlement freeze as a precondition.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who looks set for reelection, has rejected another freeze, saying the Palestinians did not come to the table until nine months into the last partial freeze, in 2010, and then left because he would not extend it beyond the 10 months he had pledged.

Should Israel not agree to those terms, the officials say, they will seek war crimes charges against Israelis in international courts, will lobby for sanctions on Israel, organize mass protests and suspend the security cooperation in the West Bank that has helped maintain the peace there while the Gaza Strip, under Hamas control, has exploded into violence multiple times in recent years.

“There will be no security cooperation as long as there is no political horizon,” Mohammed Ishtayeh told the AP.

Palestinians outline Israel isolation strategy Read More »

My Kid is Fine

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By M. Alexander

When I had a drug problem, my parents were begging me to check into rehab. They saw that I was dying and wanted to do whatever they could to save my life.  But I have noticed that there is another trend—the kid wants to check in, but it is the parent who is terrified. 

Kids want to free themselves of the parents who have always taken care of their every need—they are no longer content to stagnate.  But parents are afraid—they view rehabs as places that contain people from the bottom sect of society.  They worry what family and friends will think.  Parents think, or hope, that their child is just going through a phase and that they will grow out of it.  They believe that their child will go to rehab and come out with a tattoo of Kurt Cobain on their forearm.

These parents think that their child’s addiction is a reflection of their ability to be decent parents.  They see addiction as a disease from which their children are exempt.  But nobody is exempt from addiction—whether young or old, rich or poor, Jewish or Muslim, gay or straight, smart or dumb—it does not matter. 

So, instead of worrying about what other people think, start thinking about what is best for your child.

My Kid is Fine Read More »