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Jewish Journal

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May 28, 2014

Timberlake tweets of unforgettable visit to Western Wall

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Justin Timberlake visited the Western Wall in the wee hours a day before his concert in Tel Aviv.

Timberlake avoided most of the paparazzi, landing in Israel at 3 a.m. Tuesday and heading straight to the wall with his wife, actress Jessica Biel, and his parents. The singer posted a photo of himself at the site on Instagram.

“The Holy Land… What an experience. I will never forget this day. #Israel,” he tweeted.

Timberlake is scheduled to perform Wednesday night at Yarkon Park as part of his “20/20 Experience” world tour.

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California Chrome’s Jewish trainer hopes to run away with history

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It’s a great time to be Art Sherman.

At 77, he’s the oldest horse trainer to have won the Kentucky Derby. When 3-year-old California Chrome raced to victory two weeks later in the Preakness Stakes on May 17, it meant he had trained the winner of the first two legs of this year’s Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing.

On June 7, Sherman will attempt to become the 11th trainer — and second Jew, after Max Hirsch in 1946 — to complete the trifecta by winning the Belmont Stakes. California Chrome would be the 12th horse overall, and first since Affirmed in 1978, to win all three races.

Not bad for a Jewish kid born in Brooklyn who grew up in Los Angeles.

“I’m a certain generation Jewish guy,” he told the Journal by phone. “My parents were born in this country. We’re die-hard Jewish-Americans.”

That said, Sherman — who was a jockey before he became a trainer — isn’t particularly observant. He didn’t become a bar mitzvah because the teacher at his Echo Park-area shul once hit him over the head, mistaking little Art for someone else who was making trouble. (“I told my parents, ‘I am not going back to learn from this idiot,’ ” Sherman told the Daily Racing Form).

Yet Sherman peppers his comments with Hebrew and Yiddish terms and was part owner of Haimish Hy, winner of the 2010 Hollywood Derby. He regularly attends a niece’s Passover seder and loves scrambled eggs, lox and onions at D.Z. Akin’s deli in San Diego. (He and his wife, Faye, live in Rancho Bernardo).

“Every other ethnic group has its soul food,” Sherman said. “I laugh and say it’s my soul food.” 

The horse trainer also recently took a trip to Israel that he said filled him with pride for his heritage.

“[We] went everywhere: Jerusalem, Haifa, Golan Heights, a kibbutz,” he said. “I was amazed at the kibbutz, having its own food. Everything was so fresh. I just enjoyed that. It’s amazing to see what they can do in the desert. Made me proud.

“The places were beautiful to see. Different religions getting along — very moving. I kind of liked going back to my roots.”

When Sherman visits New York, home to the Belmont, he’ll be returning to his roots in a different way. He wishes he could find his old neighborhood but doesn't remember where it was — he left when he was still young — and there’s no one still alive who could tell him. But he’s looking forward to eating the Italian food, which he loves.

“Why go to New York for Jewish food when I can try other stuff?”

California Chrome isn’t Sherman’s first experience with a top-notch horse. As a child, he was an exercise rider aboard Swaps, who won the 1955 Kentucky Derby, either set or tied six world records on his way to winning 1956 Horse of the Year honors and was inducted to the National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame in 1966. Blood-Horse magazine named him one of the greatest horses of the last century.

Sherman’s son Alan is his assistant trainer, who rode with the horse from the Preakness in Maryland to New York for the next race. Art Sherman also has a son Steve who is a trainer in Northern California.

As for winning at the Belmont, there’s a reason why no horse has won the Triple Crown in 35 years. To do so, a horse must win three races at different distances in five weeks.

“I think it’s way too much for a young horse,” Sherman said. “If he won all three, he’s going down in history. Even if he doesn’t win, how many get a chance to win the Triple Crown?”

The answer? Nineteen horses, including 11 after Affirmed, have won the Kentucky Derby and Preakness, but faltered in the Belmont. At 1 1/2 miles, the Belmont is the longest distance of the three, and it’s usually the only time a horse will run that distance.

“If it happens, it happens,” Sherman said. “We’ve been on a solid run. I’ve got to pinch myself. You’ve got to be really lucky.”

California Chrome’s Jewish trainer hopes to run away with history Read More »

Book Review: Turan’s pick of pics

Leave a Comment / Books, Culture, Entertainment, Is Featured?, Mobile, Mobile-Homepage, News /

Film critic Kenneth Turan grew up in Brooklyn in the 1950s in an observant home, which means that he did not often enjoy a Saturday matinee at the Lowe’s Pitkin or the Brandt’s Sutter. “That said, I do have a vivid memory of sneaking out to see a vibrant, cleft-chinned Kirk Douglas so bringing to life the title role of Ulysses … that I still have trouble visualizing the Homeric epic without him in it,” Turan writes in his wholly compelling new book, “Not to Be Missed: Fifty-Four Favorites From a Lifetime of Film” ( Book Review: Turan’s pick of pics Read More »

Fight Nicely

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“Fight nicely” is an admonition my sister and I received frequently as we were growing up. It always struck me as an odd thing for an adult to say to a child. Shouldn’t they have been telling us to stop fighting? Now that I’m older, it makes a lot of sense. As human beings, we’re going to disagree, and maybe even fight, about certain things. But it’s how we go about disagreeing that matters.

I was reminded of this recently by a discussion on a listserve regarding Jewish funeral practices. Every once in a while, the question arises about whether or not we should agree to perform taharah, the ritual purification and preparation of a body for burial, when we know the body will be cremated.

Jewish tradition calls for burial, and the tragedy of the Jewish bodies burned during the Shoah (Holocaust) further cemented this tradition in Jewish practice. However, cremations are often less expensive than burials, and for that reason, as well as others, the practice of cremation is increasing, even among Jewish people.

So, the question comes up, should we perform taharah, a traditional Jewish ritual, on someone who will not be buried in the traditional Jewish manner?

There are worthy arguments on both sides. Some believe performing taharah before a cremation is wrong. Reasons cited include that taharah is just one step in the series of steps involved in a Jewish funeral, and should not be done if other steps are left out. In other words, a Jewish funeral should be all or nothing. Some feel doing it would be condoning the cremation in some way, and they don’t want to have anything to do with that.

Others feel we should do whatever we can for the dead person, even if they (or their family) make some choices with which we disagree, including the choice of cremation. Some feel like we’re only responsible for the part we do, namely taharah and shmirah, and that whatever happens after the body leaves our care isn’t our business.

So there are reasonable arguments on both sides. Unfortunately, an all-too-common thing happened, when one of the participants decided to inject into the conversation a bit of defamation of those with an opposing view. She accused others of just “doing what one feels like,” while saying those in her group “hold to traditional values,” as if those of the opposing view do not.

This is a great illustration of where we so often go wrong in a disagreement. Contrast this with a discussion we had at a synagogue board meeting recently. One board member stated an opinion. When another board member prepared to state an opposing viewpoint, she started with, “You know I love you.”

The way to “fight nicely” is to listen to the other’s opinion and reasoning, then state your own opinion and reasoning. It is neither nice, nor productive, to accuse the people with different views of this, that or the other thing. I may be an expert on me, but I am certainly not an expert on you. I am qualified to say what I believe and why I believe it, but nobody is qualified to speak about the motives or beliefs of others, especially on a listserve when they are speaking about others they have never met.

In reading the comments on the taharah question from both sides, in no case do I see any evidence that anyone who commented on it is just doing what they feel like without honest thought and consideration, nor do I see evidence that any of them do not hold traditional values. Indeed, everyone seems, appropriately, concerned with the traditional value of “kavod ha’meit,” the honor of the dead person.

Fighting nicely means speaking for oneself without putting down others. It means using logic and reasoning, without calling the other person names. It means holding respect for the position of the other side and the people who espouse that position, even when you disagree with their conclusions.

It may take more time and effort to fight nicely, but the results are well worth it. When done right, it can, indeed, be better than not fighting at all.

—————-
“Like” the “> follow me on Twitter.

Fight Nicely Read More »

The Beilis Exchange, Part 2: ‘All the Jews of the World Were On Trial’

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Edmund Levin is a Writers Guild and Emmy award–winning writer/producer for Good Morning America. His writing has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, The New Republic, The Atlantic, and Slate, among other publications, and was included in The Best of Slate: A 10th Anniversary Anthology.

The following exchange focuses on his critically acclaimed book, ‘A Child of Christian Blood: Murder and Conspiracy in Tsarist Russia – The Beilis Blood Libel’ (Schoken, 2014). Part one of the exchange can be found right here.

***

Dear Mr. Levin,

In your first response you mentioned that by the time of the Beilis trial the ‘Jewish lobby’ was already more organized than it had been in earlier blood libel cases. I’d like to ask you a bit more about the case as a Jewish cause.

In your book you mention that Beilis’ defense team, which faced a generally ignorant jury, made a conscious decision early on to focus on Beilis himself and not on the Jewish people, on facts and on the sloppy case made by the prosecution rather than on Jewish stereotypes. But when it comes to the battle against Jewish stereotypes, though, how effective was the Beilis trial in Russia at the time? Did the verdict have educational value in showing how ridiculously irrational anti-Semitism could make people, or was the general anti-Semitic public still suspicious about the whole affair after it ended? Did the involvement of the Jewish world not raise some eyebrows? Overall, what kind of place does the case have in the history of Russian anti-Semitism in the 20th century?

Yours,

Shmuel.

***

Dear Shmuel,

You’re correct that the defense team focused on refuting the case against Beilis. But three days of testimony were wholly devoted to the nature of the Jewish religion. This part of the trial amounted to a sort of parody “disputation,” one of those formal debates between learned Christians and Jews of centuries past. The defense had on its side eminent Christian scholars of Judaism, as well as the chief rabbi of Moscow, Jacob Mazeh, who spoke eloquently and at length. The prosecution’s sole, purported expert on Judaism was a ludicrous pseudoscholar and sometime con man.

It was clear to all that not just Mendel Beilis, not just the Hasidim, not just all Russian Jews, but all the Jews of the world were on trial. The prosecution insisted that only a sect of Jewish “fanatics,” not ordinary Jews, committed ritual murder. But that was a transparent dodge. The supposed villains were the Hasidim – who did not (and do not) constitute a sect but, rather, a strain of Judaism that encompassed millions of people. The clear implication: how in the world could the rest of the Jews not know what their fanatical brethren were up to? They must be covering up the terrible secret.

In his summation, lead attorney Oscar Gruzenberg, who was Russia’s foremost Jewish criminal lawyer, felt compelled to defend his faith. “You can destroy Beilis,” he told the jury, “this is within your authority. But you do not have the power to disgrace the Jewish religion … The Jewish religion is an ancient anvil, and its enemies have broken many sturdy hammers on it.  But it has emerged pure, honest, and stoic from these trials….”

Did the learned testimony and eloquent words have any educational value for the society at large? I doubt they had much impact. Russian anti-Semitism was a largely immovable object. The Beilis case spurred sophisticated anti-Semites to distance themselves from the blood libel, but one could easily be an anti-Semite on other, less occult, grounds – that Jews were exploiters and parasites and so forth. Even among the liberal intelligentsia, the Beilis case was not commonly used to make the argument that all anti-Semitism was inherently, ridiculously irrational but only that the regime was irrationally prejudiced.

As for the efforts of the Jewish lobby, Jewish leaders in Europe and the U.S. were extremely aware of the danger of appearing to manipulate public opinion and tried, as much as possible, to work behind the scenes. They made sure, for example, that pro-Beilis petitions were all-Gentile affairs in their sponsorship. I would say that such visible Jewish activism as there was in support of Beilis added only marginally to anti-Jewish paranoia.

What is the place of the Beilis affair in the history of Russian anti-Semitism? The Beilis Affair represented the apogee of official anti-Semitism in late imperial Russia. The notorious pogroms were never officially approved by the state. In fact, in these years the state successfully repressed anti-Jewish violence. But the prosecution of Beilis had the wholehearted support of the regime. The man in the dock was forced to play a powerful role: he was the villainous Jew incarnate.

Over the next century, the Beilis case surely helped the blood libel maintain its place in the Russian mind and popular culture, most notably in the persistent myth – which enjoyed a resurgence after the fall of the Soviet Union – that Tsar Nicholas and his family were the victims of Jewish ritual murder.

Yours,

Edmund.

The Beilis Exchange, Part 2: ‘All the Jews of the World Were On Trial’ Read More »

The Undefeated Maya Angelou

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There are women in this world who become our collective mothers and heroes through unyielding kindness, female loving energy, sharp intellect, precise pen, and vulnerable hearts.

No word can describe my love for Maya Angelou and what she meant to our world, only the fluttering in my chest and the joy of a life that will be celebrated for generations to come. Well done lady!  We will all miss you deeply.

Here are some of our favorite quotes from this most remarkable lady.

“I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” 

“There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.”

“If you don't like something, change it. If you can't change it, change your attitude. Don't complain.” 

“The first time someone shows you who they are, believe them.” 

“I can be changed by what happens to me. But I refuse to be reduced by it.” 

“We delight in the beauty of the butterfly, but rarely admit the changes it has gone through to achieve that beauty.” 

“I love to see a young girl go out and grab the world by the lapels. Life's a bitch. You've got to go out and kick ass.”

“You may not control all the events that happen to you, but you can decide not to be reduced by them.” 

“Music was my refuge. I could crawl into the space between the notes and curl my back to loneliness.” 

“Courage is the most important of all the virtues because without courage, you can't practice any other virtue consistently.” 

“I do not trust people who don't love themselves and yet tell me, 'I love you.' There is an African saying which is: Be careful when a naked person offers you a shirt.” 

“Success is liking yourself, liking what you do, and liking how you do it.” 

And finally, to a life well lived.  “My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor, and some style.” 

We will surely miss you and celebrate your life.  You have been a blessing to all.

The Undefeated Maya Angelou Read More »

Author, poet Maya Angelou dies at 86

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American author and poet Maya Angelou, who is best known for her groundbreaking autobiography “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings,” has died at age 86 in North Carolina, her publisher confirmed on Wednesday.

The prolific African-American writer penned more than 30 books, won numerous awards, and was honored last year by the National Book Awards for her service to the literary community.

“Dr. Angelou has passed in Winston-Salem,” said Sally Marvin, of Random House.

No other details were immediately available.

[Related: The undefeated Maya Angelou]

Angelou provided eloquent commentary on race, gender and living life to its fullest in poems and memoirs. Her latest work “Mom & Me & Mom,” about her mother and grandmother and what they taught her, was released last year.

“She was beyond simply being a writer of autobiography and poetry. I think she transcended the idea of writing and using writing as a transcendence medium to further the individual,” Harold Augenbraum, the executive director of the National Book Foundation, told Reuters.

“She was an extraordinary symbol in the United States of what can accomplished using the arts,” he added.

Wake Forest University also mourned the loss of Angelou.

“Dr. Angelou was a national treasure whose life and teachings inspired millions around the world, including countless students, faculty, and staff at Wake Forest, where she served as Reynolds Professor of American Studies since 1982,” the university said in a statement.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with Dr. Angelou's family and friends during this difficult time.”

It added that details about a campus memorial service will be announced at a later date.

“I Know Why the Cage Bird Sings,” a coming-of-age story in a hostile society in the American South in the 1930s and '40s that deals with racism and rape, is considered an American classic.

In addition to her many books, she was a Grammy winner for three spoken-word albums. She had a home in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, where she was a professor of American studies at Wake Forest University.

Reporting by Colleen Jenkins; Addtional reporting by Patricia Reaney in New York and Bill Trott in Washington, DC; Editing by Scott Malone and James Dalgleish

Author, poet Maya Angelou dies at 86 Read More »

Obituaries

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Edward E. Ash died May 4 at 91. Survived by wife Sonya; daughters Gabrielle (Robert) Mullinax, Jordana (Oliver) Lignell, Allison, Nicole (Jesse) Weiner; 7 grandchildren; 2 great-grandchildren. Groman Eden

Margaret Baumsten died May 6 at 96. Survived by daughters Vicki (Jacob) Karno, Zoe (Richard) Greenberg; 4 grandchildren; 4 great-grandchildren; 1 nephew; 1 niece. Hillside

Beatrice Sylvia Berkovitz died April 25 at 92. Survived by sons Alan, Richard; sister Ardyce Lebewitz; 2 grandchildren. Groman Eden

Frances Alexander Brown died April 21 at 91. Survived by daughters Robin Byrne, Libby Fleming (Bruce); son Joel Gilman (Paula); 7 grandchildren; 5 great-grandchildren; love of her life Ken Holder. Groman Eden

Albert Ellenbogen died April 26 at 94. Survived by wife Lorraine; sons Eric, Mark (Molly Sutphen). Mount Sinai

Florence G. Friedenthal died April 26 at 85. Survived by husband Kenneth; daughters Judy (Ron Rosen) Lawenda, Cheryl (Dean) Gehr; son Sanford (Linda); 5 grandchildren. Mount Sinai

Florence Gantz died April 26 at 92. Survived by daughters Leila (David) Yodkovik, Paula (Robert Salpeter); son Ira; 6 grandchildren; 5 great-grandchildren. Mount Sinai

Florence Garelick died April 26 87. Survived by sons Michael, Rickard; 3 granddaughters. Mount Sinai

Linda Gilbert died April 29 at 56. Survived by husband Paul; daughter Megan Stricklin; stepson D.J.; father Robert (Sharon) Kale; sister Lisa (Don) Landry; brother David Kale. Mount Sinai

Lottie Gilbert died May 4 at 93. Survived by daughters Judith (Joseph) Walsh, Basha Levy, Donna (Robert) Schacher; son Roger (Cathy);  6 grandchildren;  3 great-grandchildren. Groman Eden

Isaac Gilinsky died April 26 at 80. Survived by wife Sylvia; daughters Cheryl, Roslyn; sons Alan, Barry; brother Alex; 1 nephew; 1 niece; 6 grandchildren; 1 great-granddaughter. Chevra Kadisha 

Ruth Hirson died May 2 at 97. Survived by daughter Suzanne (Bob) Baker; sister Roslyn Kramer; 1 grandchild; 2 great-grandchildren. Hillside

Bernard Hoberman died May 3 at 91. Survived by daughter Joan; sons Tom, David; 5 grandchildren. Hillside

Earl Hochman died May 2 at 88. Survived by brother Paul; sister Ruth Silba; 3 nephews. Mount Sinai

Sylvia T. Horowitz died May 2 at 91. Survived by sons David, Jonathan, Daniel (Ann); 1 grandson; brother Eugene (Suzanne) Teich. Mount Sinai

Phil Karpel died April 29 at 64. Survived by wife Ruthie; daughter Krystal (Brad) Combs; 1 granddaughter. Mount Sinai

David Kaye died May 1 at 77. Survived by daughters Lauren (Aaron) Holocker, Kathleen, Suzanne; sons Michael (Jennifer), Steven, Christopher Russell (Sandi), Nicholas (Claire); 4 grandchildren; brother Edward. Mount Sinai

Irene Kline died May 6 at 91. Survived by daughter Barbara Corbin; son Larry (Carol); 5 grandchildren; 5 great-grandchildren; sister Lorraine Arzt. Mount Sinai

Carl Leibman died April 30 at 65. Survived by daughter Kelli (Craig) Burritt; son Matthew; sister Terri (Larry) Devore; 2 grandchildren. Hillside

Martin Levinson died April 28 at 91. Survived by wife Marilyn; daughter Linda; stepdaughters Marci (Ron) Glousman, Cindy Page; 5 grandchildren; 3 great grandchildren. Mount Sinai

Beatrice Lillian May died April 28 at 87. Survived by daughter Marilyn (Julian) Lombardi; 1 grandson; 1 niece; 1 nephew. Mount Sinai

Bernard Newman died May 3 at 93. Survived by wife Edith; daughter Deena (Charles) Neman-Stewart; sons Gary (Jeanne), Jason (Karyn); 7 grandchildren. Hillside

Yevdokia Nisman died May 4 at 85. Survived by husband Gregory; daughters Victoria (Charles) Bacquet, Greta (Michael) Royzman; 4 grandchildren; 3 great-grandchildren; sister-in-law Kira; nieces and nephews. Groman Eden

Burton Rosen died May 3 at 76. Survived by daughter Joanna; son Bret (Marissa); brother Paul; sister Marcia; 1 grandchild. Hillside

Beatrice Salsberg died April 27 at 95. Survived by daughter Vicki; son Marvin (Anita); brother Morton (Phyllis) Levine; brother-in-law Girard (Randy) Saunders; 3 grandchildren, 3 great-grandchildren; 1 niece; 1 nephew. Groman Eden

Lawrence Schiff died April 29 at 71. Survived by wife Sibyl; sons Jason, Benji (Janine); 1 granddaughter; sister Barbara Milburger; brother Richard (Loretta). Mount Sinai

Jean Jenny Steinhardt died May 2 at 84. Survived by daughter Sheryl (Michael) Lustig; son Jeffrey Silverman; 8 grandchildren; 1 great-grandchild. Groman Eden

Mark William Trop died April 25 at 67. Survived by wife Helen “Candi”; son Jeffrey; daughter Diana Friese; 2 grandchildren. Groman Eden

Luba Trinapolski Turner died April 29 at 93. Survived by husband Michael; daughters Nan Zaitlen (Richard), Nora Turner (Andy Kalve); 4 grandchildren; 1 great-grandchild. Groman Eden

Leo C. Ward died May 1 at 99. Survived by daughter Joanne (Si Paciorek); son Jerold (Shelley Eisinger Stark); 3 grandsons; sister Florence “Peedy” (Elvet) Jones; brother Irv (Harriet); companion Joyce Titchnell. Mount Sinai

Elliot Wax died May 4 at 84. Survived by wife Barbara; sons Larry, Marc (Lauri); 7 grandchildren. Mount Sinai

Bernice Yellin died April 30 at 90. Survived by son Alan (Carol); daughter Karen (Robert) Cypers. Mount Sinai

Rae Ziskin died April 29 at 95. Survived by daughter Linda; sons Ron (Diane Wedner), Fred (Cathy); 4 grandchildren; 3 great-grandchildren. Mount Sinai

Obituaries Read More »

Letters to the editor: J Street students, sharia and inclusion

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A Word From J Street Student

As a student leader of J Street U at the Claremont Colleges, I feel obliged to respond to David Suissa’s recent column, “J Street’s Real Failure.” 

I have relatives living in Beersheba and have heard from them firsthand the terror of living under rocket attack from Gaza. Of course, I would never tell them how to vote or what policies to support. But it is no way arrogant to conclude, as most Israeli politicians concluded more than 20 years ago, that the only way to end the conflict is by making peace with the Palestinians based on a two-state solution.

The problem, as Secretary of State John Kerry discovered, is finding leaders on both sides who are willing to look beyond their own short-term political interests and courageous enough to make the compromises necessary for peace.

The status quo feels comfortable enough for now for Israelis, but eventually if the occupation continues, Israel will face a choice of remaining a Jewish homeland or remaining a democracy. Without a two-state solution, it cannot do both. There is also the cost of occupation on the lives of Palestinians, which I care about, in large part, because of the Jewish values on which I was raised.

This may seem “boring” to Suissa, but some ideas are so big and so fundamental that they need to be repeated until they finally sink in. J Street’s mission is to keep that flame alive, even through the periods when the parties seem deadlocked.

J Street and J Street U provide a voice for so many of us who feel let down by the established leaders of our community who offer nothing more than blind support of everything the Israeli government does. There’s nothing boring about this. It’s essential. It offers my generation a way to remain engaged with Israel — and it offers Israel a path to a better future.

Sage Lachman, Pitzer College, J Street U Claremont Colleges president and Southwest regional co-chair

Does Star Power Have Staying Power?

The article is right on (“Denounce Sharia Everywhere,” May 16.). I’m really pleasantly surprised that the Jewish Journal used it, since I’ve found the Jewish Journal to be politically correct and left-leaning. I’ll continue to enjoy some of Hollywood’s product, even though I recognize that the people who produce it are ordinary people with a talent to entertain. The sole ability of many of them is merely to read lines well, with proper direction. When they start believing their own hype about their wisdom, they have gone around the bend. Let us see how long this current protest lasts and if it grows to include all the related issues listed above, or if the Hollywood crowd tires of it and moves on to some new issue.

Jerome Liner via jewishjournal.com

The Need to Increase Inclusion 

Kudos to Michelle Wolf for exposing this little-known secret that Jews with mental illness, and their family members, overwhelmingly experience shame and isolation within our Jewish community (“Let It go: Removing the Stigma,” May 9). Such stigma is well-documented in the general community, but is more prevalent in our community, despite evidence that mental illness is a brain or chemical disorder and not the individual’s fault. This is a double burden for our Jewish family members who may not easily blend into the mental health rehabilitation services offered in the general population. This is often due to cultural differences, as many with serious psychiatric illness come from much different backgrounds than our Jewish family members and the focus of rehabilitation services is on social integration. Medication has contributed greatly to the reduction in symptoms, but is inadequate without the proper social support. We need to be able to be more inclusive as a community as the key to rehabilitation is medication, family and social support. 

Adrienne Sheff Eisenberg, Tarzana, CA

It’s All Greek to Me

I enjoyed the interview with Matthew Weiner (“Weiner Talks the Societal Reality Mirrored in His ‘Mad Men,’ ” May 16), but writer Jonathan Maseng may want to re-view some “Seinfeld” episodes.

He observes that the “Seinfeld” character George Costanza, “though clearly Jewish in so many ways, was made out to be Greek.” Who knew? The name’s Italian, and George’s father was shown visiting relatives in Italy.

Gene Sculatti, Northridge, CA

correction

A story about the online invitation service Mitzvites (“A New Way to Send Out Invitations,” Mazel Tov Supplement, Spring 2014) provided an incorrect amount that the site charges. It is $249. The story also mischaracterized the relationship Will Bernstein and Jess Wall have with the company ZeroLag. Bernstein has worked there for two years; Wall does not work there but handles the day-to-day operations of Mitzvites.

Letters to the editor: J Street students, sharia and inclusion Read More »

Divided eastern Ukraine city calm after battle, rebels seek Russian help

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An uneasy calm returned to the streets of Donetsk on Wednesday after the biggest battle of the pro-Russian separatist uprising in eastern Ukraine, a conflict transformed by the landslide election of a pro-European leader who vowed to crush the revolt.

Government forces killed dozens of rebel fighters on Monday and Tuesday in an assault to retake Donetsk International Airport, which the rebels had seized the morning after Ukrainians overwhelmingly elected Petro Poroshenko as president.

Pro-Moscow gunmen have declared the city of a million people capital of an independent Donetsk People's Republic. On Wednesday their leader appealed anew for Russia's help.

In Moscow, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov accused the West of pushing Ukraine into “the abyss of fratricidal war”, and reiterated his call for an end to Kiev's military offensive. Russia's Foreign Ministry urged Kiev to let it send humanitarian aid to civilians trapped by the fighting in eastern Ukraine.

“The residents of the Donetsk People's Republic are on the verge of a humanitarian catastrophe,” said separatist leader Denis Pushilin in his appeal. “We are Russians and this is precisely why they are killing us. We want to become part of Russia.”

The rebels' plight puts pressure on President Vladimir Putin to act, even though he has reduced the number of forces he has massed on Ukraine's eastern border and has said he would recognise the outcome of Sunday's election in Ukraine.

Rebel fighters were strengthening their barricades with sandbags on the road to the airport near the hulk of a truck where many of them were killed by government fire on Monday.

The government assault in Donetsk on Monday and Tuesday was the first time Kiev has unleashed its full military force against the fighters after weeks of restraint. Morgues were filled on Tuesday with bodies of rebel gunmen. Some were missing limbs in a sign of the massive firepower used against them.

The separatist authorities say as many as 50 died, including a truckload of wounded fighters blasted apart as they were driven away from the battlefield. The government said it suffered no losses in the operation, which saw its aircraft strafe the airport and paratroops land to reclaim it.

Poroshenko, 48, a billionaire confectionary magnate who became the first Ukrainian since 1991 to win the presidency outright in a single round of voting, repeated his promise to restore government control rapidly over secessionist-held areas.

“We are in a state of war in the east. Crimea is occupied by Russia and there is great instability. We must react,” he told Germany's Bild newspaper.

“We will no longer permit these terrorists to kidnap and shoot people, occupy buildings or suspend the law. We will put an end to these horrors – a real war is being waged against our country,” said Poroshenko, who is expected to be inaugurated within two weeks.

His swift offensive has thrown down a challenge to Putin, who made defending Russians in other parts of the former Soviet Union a pillar of his rule since declaring his right to use military force in Ukraine in March.

While calling for an end to Kiev's military campaign, Putin has also announced the withdrawal of tens of thousands of Russian troops he had massed on the frontier. A NATO officer said on Wednesday thousands of Russian troops had indeed been pulled out, although tens of thousands were still in place.

Moscow says it is willing to work with Poroshenko but has no plans for him to visit for talks. It denies accusations by Kiev and Western countries that it is behind the rebellion.

“I have no doubt that Putin could end the fighting using his direct influence,” Poroshenko said. “I definitely want to speak with Putin and hold talks to stabilise the situation.” 

FEAR AND DEFIANCE

In Donetsk, the main shopping mall remained closed for a third day and streets were mostly empty. The mayor, Oleksander Lukianchenko, renewed an appeal for people to stay at home and also reported some gunfire coming from the area of the airport.

Lukianchenko's municipal government has remained in place even as separatists have proclaimed themselves in power in the province, a sign of the confused loyalties in the area.

A young man in a helmet at the airport road barricade who gave his name as Yuri said: “I am doing what I can to help our fighters resist the advancing Ukrainian troops. They haven't slept for a third day now and are really nervous, expecting a renewed attack from Ukrainians at any moment.”

Around 1,000 miners bussed in from around the eastern Donbass coalfield staged a demonstration in support of the separatists in Donetsk.

“Kiev does not rule us any more, we will no longer accept that,” separatist leader Pushilin told the crowd. A Ukrainian fighter jet roared overhead and some gunfire could be heard in the distance, apparently from rebels in the vicinity of the security building shooting at the plane.

A miner from the state-owned Abakumova mine attending the demonstration who gave his name as Valery said: “I want peace and to be able to work and make money. I want the occupying soldiers to leave and return to their Kiev junta.”

Russia and its state media which broadcast into eastern Ukraine have consistently described the government in Kiev, which took power after a pro-Russian president fled in February, as illegitimate and led by “fascists”.

But Moscow's position was undermined by the scale of Poroshenko's election victory, and Kiev now appears emboldened to act with less threat of Russian retaliation.

Poroshenko, a former cabinet minister under both pro- and anti-Russian presidents, won 55 percent of the vote, preliminary results show, in a field of 21 candidates. He commanded support across the east-west divide that has defined Ukrainian politics since independence. His nearest challenger won just 13 percent.

The separatists blocked voting in Donetsk and neighbouring Luhansk provinces, but the 10 percent of voters kept away from the polls would not have made a difference to the final outcome.

Although many in eastern Ukraine are sceptical of the government in Kiev, opinion polls have shown most favour some sort of unity with Ukraine, despite referendums in Donetsk and Luhansk staged by the rebels on May 11 that recorded a vote for independence. The majority in the east describe themselves as ethnic Ukrainians who speak Russian as their primary language.

“We live in Ukraine,” said Mikhail, 31, a theatre manager. “I work at the Ukrainian Theatre in Donetsk. Would I work at the Donetsk People's Republic Theatre? That doesn't sound so good. I think all this mess is only temporary.

“I didn't vote because we could not vote here, but Poroshenko seems decent,” he said. “We will see. Many were elected as decent and then turned into bribetakers as a general rule. I hope he will not let Ukraine down.”

There was no word about the fate of a four-man team of OSCE monitors missing after approaching a roadblock near Donetsk on Monday. Ukraine's Foreign Ministry said separatists had abducted them. Western security sources believe the monitors, from Denmark, Estonia, Switzerland and Turkey, are being held near Antratsit, a small town south of the city of Luhansk.

Additional reporting by Lina Kushch and Yannis Behrakis in Donetsk, Gareth Jones and Richard Balmforth in Kiev and Stephen Brown in Berlin; Writing by Gareth Jones and Peter Graff; Editing by Peter Graff

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