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online! News Temple Reyim Helps Community Grow Physically and Spiritually New Birth Class Comes to Newton By Matthew S. Robinson Advocate Staff NEWTON - Starting on September 5, Temple Reyim in Newton will be offering a new four-week class on the medical and spiritual implications of childbirth. The classes will be led by Rabbi Scott Rosenberg and Registered Nurse Lori Capozzi, who was the founder and first president of the local chapter of ASPO/Lamaze of New England. "Birth is a critical and miraculous time in people's life," Rabbi Rosenberg attests. "Very often, we don't focus on the spiritual dimension of the process. This class will give people an opportunity to learn the Lamaze program while adding a spiritual component which will allow them to focus on larger questions which need to be answered." Each class will consist of two hours of Capozzi's instruction regarding the mechanical and medical issues involved with birthing followed by a half-hour discussion with Rabbi Rosenberg about the spiritual and religious traditions surrounding bringing a child into the world. From choosing a hospital to choosing a name, this class will cover it all. According to Carol Stollar, chair of Temple Reyim's adult education committee, the class was originally Rabbi Rosenberg's idea. "He saw a need for it," says Stollar. "People were calling him and they didn't have a clue about birthing." As only a few young couples live in close proximity to their families, many of them see a need to look elsewhere for support during major lifecycle events like the birth of a child. "This class is our way of providing outreach to the community," Stollar suggests. "And it is open to everybody and anybody." Pediatrician Dr. Lauren-Anne Cheng is a member of Temple Reyim's adult education committee. As she is also the mother of a new baby herself, Cheng figures that her own birthing experience is recent enough that she will be able to provide both a professional and personal viewpoint on the process. "I had a baby 14 months ago," she explains, "so maybe the Rabbi thought that it was still fresh in my mind." The main reason the Rabbi got her involved, Cheng figures, is that, as a pediatrician, she will be an important and valued resource for the parents-to-be who participate in the class. "Lori [Capozzi] has taught this class many times and has years of experience," Stollar assures, "but Lauren will also be on hand so we have an M.D. overseeing the program." Capozzi has been a labor and delivery nurse since 1987. However, this course represents a new step for her as well. "This will be a first for me because I have never taught in a temple or with someone else," Capozzi admits. "I am interested in what the rabbi has to say." Rabbi Rosenberg admits that the class is new to him as well. "I don't know of any other program like this," he says. "I was just thinking of ways to reach out to people who are either affiliated with synagogues or not and to people who are part of the community or just looking for a way to add a Jewish component to the birth experience." If the class goes well, Rosenberg says that he would like to share the idea with colleagues so that other communities might organize their own programs. "I want to see how it goes, but if it is successful, I think it would be wonderful to share," he says. "It is a wonderful way both for couples of Jewish faith and intermarried couples to gain understanding of how we celebrate the arrival of a new child." Capozzi first read about the idea for the course a year ago in an ASPO/Lamaze newsletter. Soon after she expressed interest in the program, Capozzi was contacted by Cheng and asked to participate. "I always want to give people information so they can make an informed decision, Capozzi explains. "This course is interesting because participants can get the Jewish perspective also. It's an innovative and interesting way to attract parents and reach them from the very beginning of the process." "When you take a Lamaze class, you focus on the physical," Cheng concurs. "This class introduces the spiritual and religious aspects to the process of having a child." As Rabbi Rosenberg intended the class to serve the community, Cheng is excited about involving a new demographic in Temple programming. "It will serve a different audience with a different perspective," she says. "And it should be fun." "I plan to hang around myself for the lectures because I am sure it will do me good as well," Capozzi says. Those interested in joining the class are urged to call the Temple at (617) 527-2410 by August 31.
Area Day Schools Expand By Matthew S. Robinson, Advocate Staff BOSTON - As "back to school" sales go up all over town, parents and children are thinking about academics again. The schools, however, have never stopped thinking about how to make themselves better prepared for the return of the students. All over the state, Jewish day schools are making major improvement to enhance their programs and to attract more students. An expanded teaching staff is slated for Jewish Community Day School (JCDS) in Newton, and Director of Admissions and Community Outreach Helen Quint says that "the energy is really wonderful." An enrollment increase of 40 percent has led the school to begin looking for a building of its own. "We also have a significant increase in staff, both from America and Israel," Quint notes. Two of these new teachers have come from the Keshet School in Jerusalem, a religiously-mixed institution which is run according to a philosophy very similar to that at JCDS. "It offers a religious and secular combination without demanding compromise in belief or practice," Quint says. JCDS will also offer a new programs, in music, cooperative middle school curriculum, and on poverty, to involve group study and community outreach. Another school which has expanded its enrollment and which is also developing a music program is the Rashi School, which recently moved to a new campus in Newton. "We're in a much larger space which is able to accommodate very different programming," says President Jennifer Miller. One of the new spaces is the auditorium which will allow Rashi to offer both music lessons and theatrical productions. Rashi's enrollment is already up 20 percent to 300 students. "Everything hinges on the move because we are connecting to new areas while keeping contact with our previous neighbors," Miller says. Though no new buildings are currently going up at Maimonides Day School, older ones are being renovated. "For the first time since the original construction in 1962, significant renovations and upgrades are taking place on the high school and upper elementary wing," says Executive Director Michael Rosenberg. Maimonides is also preparing to double the size of the campus synagogue, allowing it to accommodate the entire upper school. "Overall," Rosenberg explains, "it's a $3 million project which finishes the work which began with the construction of the new lower elementary building three years ago." Another major change will be coming to Maimonides in January, when Chicago Rabbi Marc Gottlieb arrives to take over as principal of the school. "Maimonides has a very rich history," Gottlieb says. "It has been synonymous with excellence in education for over 60 years. I certainly don't see any sweeping changes upon my arrival, but it's an exciting time." Cohen Hillel Academy of Marblehead is undergoing a structural renovation of another kind. It is rearranging and reorganizing class structures. "We are going from a junior high model to an upper school model for 5th-8th grades," says Director of Admission Amy Farber. Students will now have a full-time team of teachers that will work with their grade exclusively, enabling them to get to know the students better while offering a more efficient and integrated educational system. "The reason for the shift," Farber explains, "is because we are acknowledging that children at these ages are not little high school kids. They have unique needs and learning styles and they need to be treated differently." Farber also attributes an increase in enrollment from 255 to over 270 to "lower attrition numbers" and community recognition of "the uniqueness and quality of this education." While Rashi moves and Maimonides and Cohen Hillel renovate, New Jewish High School (NJHS) of Waltham has hired a number of new teachers, including the former Orthodox rabbi of Berkeley, Calif., and Principal Rabbi Daniel Lehman's cousin Alan Lehman, who also officiates at Brandeis Hillel. "It's very hard to find observant teachers who are committed to our pluralistic philosophy," Principal Lehman emphasizes. In addition to offering a new course which will be taught in parallel with a course at North Cambridge Catholic High School on Jewish and Catholic liturgical cycles, NJHS is also working with architect Graham Gund on what will be their new home in Waltham (Jan. 14-21 Advocate). Chabad Day School in Sharon has put together an emergency campaign to erect a new building to accommodate its rapid growth. "We started seven years ago as a preschool with three kids," Director Rabbi Chaim Wolosow says. "This year, we will have 150 students." South Area Solomon Schechter School is also experiencing rapid growth. Started in 1989 with 23 students, the Stoughton day school currently has an enrollment of 215. "People tell me they like our smaller school with its individual attention," claims Principal Jane Cohen. This year, a student stage production of the popular film "The Prince of Egypt" at the Striar JCC will take its drama program to a new level. Academic developments include a new science lab and a new middle school science curriculum. At Merrimack Valley Hebrew Academy in Lowell, Principal Manes Leber expects a 10 percent increase in enrollment. In addition to a planned expansion of the computer facilities, there is also talk of expanding the Academy's transportation program to a larger area in order to attract more students. Nearby in "the boonies of Haverhill," the Solomon Schechter Day School of the Merrimack Valley has recently been awarded a grant from Lucent Technologies, which will wire both the school and its neighboring synagogue, Temple Emanu-El, for Internet connections. "We hope to involve not only students but also their families in the overall themes and achievements of the school," Director Gail Korinow explains. With the highest enrollment in 10 years, the school also will be introducing Haftorah study classes and a Judaica art program. Arnold Zar-Kessler is the new head of school at Solomon Schechter in Newton. "In 1993, when I started as director of the upper school," Zar-Kessler recalls, "the school was in the mid 400's with 30-40 percent growth." Today, Schechter enjoys the title of the region's largest Jewish day school with 585 students. Schechter is currently in the process of a $10 million campaign to renovate its Grossman campus on Stein Circle. "The new facility will allow us to provide science labs, music and art rooms and additional classroom space," Zar-Kessler states. He also hopes to further develop the theme of chesed (loving kindness) at his school. "Increasingly," he admits, "it's something that we can't assume we'll always find. I want to help that to become a thematic focus," he emphasizes. Zar-Kessler also looks forward to experimenting with and reinventing the Schechter curriculum and programming. "Good schools are constantly in a state of trying things they haven't before," he says.
Technion Researcher Eddy Karnieli Brings Knowledge Home By Matthew S. Robinson, Advocate Staff BOSTON - In his lab at Rambam Hospital in Haifa, Professor Eddy Karnieli is revolutionizing the study of diabetes. By focusing on both the genetic causes for the condition and potential gene therapies to treat it, Karnieli is helping to form a more complete understanding of the debilitating and often deadly disease. Karnieli is a world-renowned researcher and publisher of a revolutionary 1981 paper whose tenets are still being used and developed today (a rare feat in the exponentially-growing and advancing world of medicine). He is also a loyal and devoted Israeli citizen who has sacrificed much personal fame and glory in the name of his homeland. As the son and son-in-law of Holocaust survivors, Karnieli grew up with a deep-seated desire to serve and develop the land which saved his family. Joining the army as an adolescent, Karnieli returned to service after graduating the Medical School at the University of Bologna and at the Faculty of Medicine at the Technion. Though he had always been devoted to Israel, it was his service during the Yom Kippur War of 1973 which truly steeled his principles. "That war showed us that we had to do for our country more than we did for ourselves," he maintains. "Year after year, I saw it as a mission to defend my country." Over the next 18 years, Karnieli balanced his desire to learn more about science with his unsatiated longing for a secure home. He retired from the army as a colonel and commander of the medical corps in Northern Israel. As Israel's medical establishment is relatively small (the total budget for the Chief Scientist of the Ministry of Health is only $2-3 million, compared with a research budget in the U.S. of hundreds of millions), Karnieli went to the National Institute of Health in Washington to study the mechanism of insulin which stimulates glucose uptake into cells. When he went back to Israel in 1981, Karnieli established his own research lab in Haifa. "I invested time, energy and brains so that I could serve my country in more ways than just as the isolated researcher," he says, describing his dual life of soldier and doctor. Though he found diabetes to be "a very interesting and stimulating area," Karnieli admits that, once again, it was personal values that led him to dedicate another large part of his life to his research. "I had people in my family with diabetes," he explains, noting that eight percent of people face this destructive disease in some form. "It touches many parts of our lives and has complications which are devastating," he says. In addition to research, Karnieli also chairs a new program at The Technion which is developing continued education courses. "We want to bring our researchers up-to-date with new knowledge of different fields of medicine," Karnieli explains, "in addition to medical technologies, ethics, law and statistics." Though they may have some of the best training in the world, however, many Israeli labs lack the technology and funding necessary to make the advances they need to make. "The knowledge grows so fast," Karnieli says, "it's hard to keep up. Also, there are a lot of new technologies that are very expensive and we just don't have them yet." Though Karnieli returns to Washington often in order to take advantage of the well-stocked American medical complex, he usually does so in order to gain new insights and information to bring back to Israel. Karnieli has been offered positions in the U.S. many times, but he has always returned to his lab in Haifa. "Once I can start an idea I have and the money is no problem, I can make collaborative agreements to transfer them to Israel," he explains. Karnieli hopes, however, that he will soon be able to do all his research without so much travel and time away from his family. "Since I have already gray hair and grandchildren, I will say we have the brains to do what we need to do but we need more resources in order to do it."
A Moment in History: Lieberman is VP Pick Presidential Candidate Al Gore and his running mate Joseph Lieberman in Nashville on Tuesday. By Steven Rosenberg and Matthew S. Robinson, Advocate Staff BOSTON - On Monday, a day that will stand as a seminal moment in American Jewish history, Democratic presidential candidate Al Gore selected Sen. Joseph Isador Lieberman to be his vice presidential running mate. Lieberman, 58, of Connecticut, is the first Jew named by a major party to be nominated for vice president. The Democratic candidate, considered a moderate by both parties, is also an Orthodox Jew, and earned significant bi-partisan praise when he chastised President Clinton for his behavior with Monica Lewinsky leading to the impeachment hearings. Known for his centrist politics and deeply respected in the Congress, Lieberman has adapted his observant lifestyle to fit the strenuous schedule of the senate. As an Orthodox Jew, he observes the laws of Shabbat, which means he does not drive, write, speak on the phone, or conduct business from sundown on Friday to sunset on Saturday evening. However, when necessary, he has slept near the Capitol on Shabbat, and has walked to the Senate chambers to participate in important votes. The Lieberman selection seemed to have deflected the large lead Republican presidential candidate George W. Bush had built up after last week's Republican convention. According to a USA TODAY/CNN/Gallop Poll released on Tuesday, Bush's lead had almost disappeared among registered voters. The lead was down to 45% to 43% after Lieberman was placed on the ticket. A similar poll conducted on Aug. 5 gave Bush a 17 point lead over Gore. At Tuesday's official announcement, Lieberman stood before a cheering crowd with his wife Hadassah, and thanked God. "Dear Lord, maker of all miracles, I thank you for bringing me to this extraordinary moment in my life. And Al Gore, I thank you for making this miracle possible for me and braking this barrier for the rest of America, forever," he declared. Gore, in his introduction of Lieberman, hearkened back to the 1960 presidential election in which John F. Kennedy's fought back against anti-Catholic stereotypes to win the presidency. Gore drew a parallel with that election and indicated that his choice of a Jewish running mate would be an important theme in his campaign. "Next week, when our party meets in Los Angeles, we will recall the last time we met there, at the convention we nominated John F. Kennedy. That year, we voted with our hearts to make history by tearing down an old wall of division. And when we nominate Joe Lieberman for vice president, we will make history again. We will tear down the old walls of division once again," he shouted. "It is Al Gore who broke this barrier in American history," responded Lieberman. "You know, there are some people who might actually call Al Gore's selection of me an act of chutzpah." Hadassah Lieberman, 52, also spoke, and poignantly referred to the presence of a World War II memorial near the rally. The daughter of Holocaust survivors, she was born in post-war Czechoslovakia, and moved with her parents to Gardner, Mass. in the early 1950s. Her father served as the spiritual leader of Congregation Ohave Sholom in Gardner until his retirement in 1978. "Here I am in this place that commemorates World War II veterans," she said, "and here I am the daughter of survivors from the Holocaust, the most horrendous thing that happened." She is a graduate of Boston University, and has spent most of her career as a public relations consultant on health-related issues. Both of the Liebermans have been previously divorced, and have a 12-year-old-daughter, Hana, from their marriage. Sen. Lieberman has two children from his previous marriage to Elizabeth Hass, which ended in divorce in 1981. They are Matt, 32, and Rebecca, 31. He also has two grandchildren. Hadassah Lieberman's first husband, Rabbi Gordon Tucker, is a former rabbinical school dean at the Conservative movement's Jewish Theological Seminary (JTS) and is now a congregational rabbi in suburban New York. Her son from that marriage, Ethan, 24, is a third-year rabbinical student and doctoral candidate at JTS. The son of a Stamford liquor store owner, Senator Lieberman attended Yale University in New Haven, where he graduated with a bachelor of arts degree in 1964. In 1967, he received his law degree at Yale. After a stint as a lawyer, Lieberman began his political career at the age of 28 as a state senator. In 1983 he became Connecticut's attorney general, and in 1988 he was elected to the U.S. Senate. As the national media scrambled to explain the laws of Halachah to the America public to clarify Lieberman's Orthodox background, Jews throughout the U.S. greeted his selection with nearly unanimous praise. With deep emotion and joy, many openly heralded the coming of a new era, when religion or race would not be a factor in the political decision-making process. Inside Lieberman's synagogue, the Kesher Israel Congregation in Washington, the mood was celebratory. "I think this is a breakthrough moment. I grew up asking if there would ever be a Jew in this position and now there is one," said one of Lieberman's spiritual leaders, Rabbi Barry Freundel. "I think it's a huge Kiddush Hashem." Across town, Massachusetts Democratic Congressman Barney Frank praised Gore's choice and called Lieberman's record "unassailable." Frank, who is Jewish, affirmed that Lieberman was chosen because of his record and not his religion. He did not dismiss the historical significance of the pick, and added "any Jewish-American has to be excited at this really effective shot at anti-Semitism." On the streets of Boston, Jews welcomed the news, and called it a breakthrough decision in American politics. "I am excited, and as a Jew I think it's a huge step for America," stated Erica Rogow, a residential concierge in Jamaica Plain. Tzvi Diamon, a Boston banker was equally upbeat. "My initial impressions are that he's a strong candidate. He's a moderate." Added Boston attorney Shepard Remis, "He's an excellent choice. He's smart, honest, has high integrity and experience." Rabbi Abraham Halbfinger of Congregation Kadimah-Toras Moshe and head of the Boston Va'ad has often prayed with Lieberman and knows him to be a man of integrity and conviction. "We're delighted about it," said Halbfinger. "The fact that he is a member of the Orthodox Jewish community only tells us that his love for people is great and his commitment to his religion will only help him in his service to the country as it has in the past." Though he is hesitant to endorse either party as the president of the Jewish Community Relations Council, Geoffrey Lewis is pleased that religion did not bar Lieberman from the selection process. "Regardless of their political affiliations, all Jews are happy when minorities are allowed the freedom to serve to their full capacity," Lewis suggested. "It's also good for the American political system." Alan Solomont, one of Gore's leading fundraisers in the country, and former finance chairman of the Democratic National Committee, is already planning a fundraiser for the Gore/Lieberman ticket on Sept. 13 in Boston. "I think it's wonderful and I think it's a great choice," stated the long-time Democratic leader. Solomont was one of several insiders who spoke with Gore on a conference call on Monday after Lieberman was chosen. "The Jewish community ought to take two things away from this," he offered. "First and foremost, a clear sense about the difference between the Democratic Party and the Republican Party, and how the former wants to reach out to all communities. "The second thing is great pride having somebody from our community. This is terrific. Who would have imagined that an observant Jew might be the next vice president of the United States?" Brandeis Prof. Jonathan Sarna found it remarkable that it has taken over 200 years for a Jewish candidate to be nominated for the position. "In a day when there are 11 Jewish senators, over 20 members of the house and two Supreme Court justices, it should not be so astounding," he noted. As images of Lieberman flickered on TV screens throughout the country on Tuesday, and people began to get used to the idea of a Jewish vice presidential nominee, talk radio shows and Internet chat rooms were consumed with the Lieberman pick. Prof. Howard Ziff, former head of the journalism department at UMass-Amherst cautioned that the media will have to do its homework when it comes to presenting the story accurately. He said that talk-radio and the Internet could be springboards of anti-Semitism for racists, but also added that "it's a terrific opportunity to educate ... I think it's going to become largely a warm, human issue story. He's an interesting guy with the world's oldest monotheistic religion. It's a terrific story." Rabbi David Dalin, a Hartford resident and visiting scholar of Judaic Studies at George Washington University, said that Lieberman's nomination is "really the coming of age of American Jewry." Dalin, the author, "The Presidents of the United States and the Jews," which will be released in the fall, noted that the 2000 campaign had already become historically significant because two other Jews, Sen. Diane Feinstein (D-CA.) and former Treasury Secretary Robert Rubin were on the original list of potential nominees. "American Jews should applaud Sen. Lieberman's selection as an important milestone in history." Although many expected Sen. John Kerry to be the nominee, the selection of Lieberman did not surprise some Washington insiders. Gore and Lieberman have been friends for many years, and their families have grown close. In 1988, Gore was one of the first to understand the importance that Lieberman places on Shabbat. One of Lieberman's first Fridays in the Senate posed a problem for him - not politically, but religiously. The session was running late into the night. Lieberman, was obliged to remain, despite the Sabbath. Instead of walking all the way to his new home in the Georgetown neighborhood - or violating the laws of Shabbat by taking a taxi - he made alternate plans: He would sleep on a cot in his office. When his senate colleague Al Gore got wind of Lieberman's ad hoc accommodations, he implored the freshman lawmaker to stay at the nearby apartment of Gore's parents. Lieberman consented. He was then surprised to find that Gore had arranged for the bathroom lights to be turned on and the bedroom lights turned off. (Advocate staff writer Marni Greenberg and the JTA contributed to this story.)
Shaarei Tefillah Gears Up for Social Action Bike Ride Raises $10,000 for Multiple Sclerosis Society By Marni Greenberg, Advocate Staff NEWTON - This past April, Rabbi Benjamin Samuels and five other members of Congregation Shaarei Tefillah in Newton (the youngest of which was two weeks shy of his Bar Mitzvah), set out on the road to begin training for the Great Mass. Getaway, a bike ride from Boston to Provincetown in which participants travel 150 miles in two days to benefit the Massachusetts Multiple Sclerosis Society. As participants in the event this summer, the Shaarei Tefillah group consisted of mostly experienced cyclers. "We each pursued individual training," says Samuels, "but we did ride together or in a small group often. Sometimes we rode hard, and spoke little, sometimes we schmoozed and discussed everything from d'var Torah to news events to the stuff of life." Making their way through New England in honor of those who have lost such use of their legs, they found a way to make the experience a unique and memorable one - especially Samuels, whose mother lives with Multiple Sclerosis. Due to the event's scheduling during Shabbos, Rabbi Samuels contacted Deirdre Moynihan, Director of Development for the New England chapter of the National M.S. Society, whom he says was "incredibly helpful" in helping to arrange the group's own Shomer Shabbos ride. The six congregation members biked a loop around Newton, Brookline, West Roxbury, Dedham, Canton, Sharon, Eaton, Walpole, Dover, Medfield, Westwood and Needham, returning to Newton before Shabbos. Then they awoke early Sunday morning, and after davening and a recitation of Tefillat haDerekh, they set out on the road to join the other bikers at Buzzard's Bay to complete the ride through Provincetown. "We also stopped to share a d'var Torah," Samuels says. The ride raised $10,000 for Multiple Sclerosis. Samuels' congregation is certainly no stranger to activism. The Orthodox synagogue's social action committee, named Binyan Tzedek (building righteousness), has raised nearly $12,000 for the Jimmy Fund Walk. They have also participated in such benefits as Project Bread, Walk for Hunger, Family Table and a walk to raise money for Canavan's disease, which affects some young members of the Shaarei Tefillah congregation. Samuels says that the ride was "part of the shul's religious mission to participate in social justice and social action to benefit the Jewish community and the greater community." Many congregants have expressed interest in taking part in the Great Mass. Getaway next year. "Our goals," says Samuels, "are to build a caring community of tzedek and chesed to help these Jewish and general causes." Samuels speaks about his congregation's role in social activism with excitement and a genuine regard for all communities, also adding, "It helped that we had such a good time doing our mitzvahs." By way of continuing to actively make a difference in the Boston community, the next step for Rabbi Samuels and the members of Congregation Shaarei Tefillah will be The Jimmy Fund Walk and the Canavan's Walk coming up in September. Bar Mitzvah celebrations draw many American Jewish families to Israel. Israeli Tourism Rises, but Where Are the Jews? Marni Greenberg, Advocate Staff BOSTON - As Israel prepares for a record-breaking tourism year, it will welcome a tourist who may be more interested in visiting Christian Holy Sites than the Wailing Wall. According to Yehuda Shen, deputy commissioner for North America and the director for the Northeast region of the Israel Government Tourist office, less Jews are traveling to Israel. Among the 600,000-700,000 North Americans going to Israel each year, only roughly 45 percent are Jewish, he says. Shen points to a different world from the pre-1967 Israel, when as much as 75 percent of the tourists were Jewish. He also adds that the low number of Jews who have been to Israel, now only 17-20 percent, may stem from the increasing disengagement between American Jews and Israeli affairs. "People want to go to Israel," says Shen, "but if an American has no roots there, they'll go somewhere else." What has remained constant, however, is the religious, historical and spiritual appeal that draws non-Jews to Israel. These tourists comprise the "evangelical movements coming to follow in the footsteps of history," says Shen, who is currently touring the Northeast to recruit media, travel agents, decision makers, Christian leaders, organizers and consumers for his Israeli tourism advertisement campaign. Tourism is Israel's leading industry, drawing in $5 billion each year for the economy. Nearly 3 million tourists flock to Israel each year, which is a marked increase from about 2.6 million tourists in 1999 and nearly a half million in 1998. And there is certainly no lack of airplane seats from the Northeastern U.S. to teh Middle East. Most Jews prefer to fly El Al Airlines, which offers 33 flights per week between the U.S. and Israel despite flying only six days in observance of Shabbat, but TWA and Continental Airlines, as well as most European airlines, also fly to Israel. Where do tourists go? According to Shen, they go to the "tunnels, hills and mountains," with the two most popularly visited spots being Jerusalem, where people generally spend about six to eight nights, and the Galilee, where travelers usually stay for only a couple of days. It comes as no surprise that Jerusalem also boasts the highest count of hotel beds in Israel, which totals about100,000. "We don't have any intention of eliminating the spiritual travelers, but there are other things to do there...other reasons to go," says Shen, who is very confident in his conviction that the number of North American Jews traveling to Israel will increase by combining its emotional appeal with great tours. Overall the U.S. sends the most tourists to Israel each year - residents of Great Britain, France and Germany fluctuate among the next most frequent travelers there. The average American will spend over $2,200 on a trip to Israel. Shen asserts, however, that Israel is still cheaper to visit than some other places in the Middle East. The Israel Government Tourist office has a budget of $4 million for advertising in the four main North American markets: New York, Chicago, Los Angeles and Miami. And even though Boston houses the fifth largest Jewish community in the U.S., Massachusetts sends only about 15,000 tourists to Israel each year, straggling far behind the rough figures from New York (135,000), California (65,000), New Jersey (35,000) and Florida (25,000). "They need better incentives to come because Israel is not in the American perception of vacation," Shen explains, admitting that offering more value for the tourist's dollar is just one of these incentives that he is working on now with El Al and other airlines. "The guilt is not enough." For more information on Israeli tourism, call 1-888-77-ISRAEL or visit www.goisrael.com.
Fred Golder Eyes Congressional Seat Lynnfield Attorney Looks to 'Clean Up Government' By Matthew S. Robinson, Advocate Staff LYNNFIELD - "I need to be cloned so I can run the campaign and run my law office." So says Fred Golder, an attorney from Lynnfield who is running for Congress in Massachusetts's 6th District against two-term incumbent John Tierney. And with a successful private practice in Lynnfield, professorships at Northeastern University and Suffolk Law School, a number of books in the works and a wife and three children to whom he is undeniably devoted, Golder certainly is busy. It is difficult to see how any man in his situation would even consider making a run for Washington. Golder is no ordinary man, however. He is a man who is tirelessly dedicated to his beliefs. "I am running because I am upset that the people we elect don't care about us," Golder explains. "They are tied to special interests. People want honest government and they want respect and the special interests are polluting our government. I am just so angry that the government is not working for us and it should." Though Golder takes many political cues from Senator John McCain, his true inspiration goes a bit further back. "I am an Abe Lincoln Republican," Golder says. "I am proud to be a Republican and to wear the mantle of Abe Lincoln - honesty, integrity and respect for the individual." Golder grew up in Chelsea with his parents and grandparents. A short while after his bar mitzvah at Temple Emanuel, Golder's family moved to Revere, where he attended Revere High School before going to UMass-Amherst. During his college years, Golder became active in the civil rights movement. "I did voter registration programs, marches on Washington- all those good things." These experiences motivated Golder to go to law school. "I wanted to help people," he says. "I wanted to try to level the playing field and promote fairness and justice." After graduating from Suffolk Law School, Golder received a master's degree in labor law at New York University. Though Golder studied with great legal minds, he credits his family with teaching him his most important lessons. "My greatest teachers were my parents because they taught me how to love and they taught me to be a mensch," Golder says. In 1971, Golder joined the Republican City Committee in Peabody and soon found himself a candidate for the state legislature. "I went around campaigning spending a lot of time knocking on doors," Golder recalls of the summer of 1974. "I lost to Jack Murphy, but I felt good having done public service." Though Golder never expected to campaign again, when he called Republican State Committee Director Brian Cresta to find out why the party was catching so much flak of late, Cresta convinced Golder that he was the man to stem the tide. "He convinced me that this is something I can do and this is something I should do," Golder explains. "He said that we need good, honest, competent people with no strings attached who will be true representatives of the people in their districts, not puppets of special interests. We need real people to go in there and solve problems. I'm a real person. I do real things. I practice law. I teach law. I write books. I advocate for people. And that's the main thing I want to do. I want to clean up the government so both it and I can truly represent the people." Though Golder realizes that his claims may still sound like political jargon, he truly believes what he says and hopes that his constituents will come to agree. "I'm the only true representative and the best qualified to serve," he says, touting his Website (www.golder2000.com). "If people get to know who I really am, I will win."
New England NCSY deals with controversy Local office dedicated to continuing strong relations By Matthew S. Robinson, Advocate Staff BROOKLINE - With the revelation of alleged abuses by one of its most revered regional directors, the National Conference of Synagogue Youth (NCSY) has come under severe scrutiny all over the world. Rabbi Baruch Lanner of Paramus, N.J. was recently accused of sexually, mentally and physically harassing and abusing teenagers beginning as far back as the 1970's. In addition to being a former teacher and principal at yeshiva high schools in New Jersey, Rabbi Lanner has also served for many years as a regional director of the youth arm of the Orthodox Union (OU). These allegations, therefore, could have a profound effect on NCSY's New Jersey office and on the organization in general. Here in New England, NCSY Regional Director Ari M. Solomont is responding by emphasizing the fortitude of his agency's policies. "I've had better weeks," Solomont admits. Still, he feels very confident that his staff of hand-picked and constantly-trained advisors will be able to see the situation through with minimal loss and damage. Dr. Mark Moskowitz, chairman of NCSY's New England Youth Commission, agrees. "This is a good opportunity to review and reevaluate the monitoring program that we operationalize (sic)," Moskowitz says. "It's important not to lose sight of all the good NCSY has done and continues to do and the strong infrastructure at the regional level which continues to do good on a day to day basis." Though he realizes that the current situation could be potentially harmful and detrimental to NCSY and its reputation, Moskowitz is confident that the procedures being enlisted to handle it are appropriate and should prove effective. "The specific issue is being responsibly handled by an independent committee and I think we need to wait and see what they recommend and what their impressions are," Moskowitz advises. In the meantime, Solomont has addressed the issue himself by communicating both with NCSY administrators and participants. In a letter to parents, Solomont detailed the main items of protocol which are strictly adhered to by his staff. Among these were stringent screening, comprehensive training and constant monitoring and reinforcement of appropriate behaviors. The letter also lists the NCSY Website (www.nerncsy.org) and a toll-free hotline phone number (877-905-9576) concerned community members can contact to discuss the situation. The national media director of NCSY has confirmed that an investigation is in process. He noted that much of the information is classified, at least for the time being. Solomont points out, however, that there are no local cases pending and plans to connect with participants and parents to reassure them that the chances of such situations arising in New England are very small. "I feel that it is important that parents are aware of what we do and what our protocol is," Solomont says. He also points out that not one child has withdrawn from NCSY programs this summer and that none of the New England chapters are pulling away in any way from NCSY. "Every child who signed-up is still planning to go," Moskowitz concurs. "That is the strongest proof of how NCSY is perceived." Going forward, Solomont hopes that the new NCSY commission which was convened to deal with these alleged abuses is able to devise new guidelines and procedures to help prevent future occurrences nationally. As for his office, however, Solomont is confident that such changes will be greatly unnecessary. "We already have advisor training and screening," Solomont explains. "I interview every potential employee. In our day you can't be too careful with the kids. You have to be so diligent in developing programs that are not only religiously inspiring but also safe and I take no chances when it comes to these things."
Persistence of memory Holocaust survivor holds on to hope of retribution By Matthew S. Robinson, Advocate Staff SALEM - When his native Lithuania was overrun first by the Germans and then by the Russians, Boris Abel lost his property, his family and his home. Six decades later, he still remembers all that he lost and works diligently to get it back. Before WWII, Abel ran a rope factory in Lithuania. In the late 1930's, he received a damaged shipment of hemp from England. Before his request for a refund of 90 British pounds reached the distributor, however, war was declared and all business between Great Britain and the continent was shut down. "England didn't take this away from me like Lithuania did, with no reason," Abel explains. "They were in a war and would not give money to their enemies." For four years, Abel remembered the name of the company, and when the war was over, he sent them letters asking for his money back. Abel was recently sent a series of documents from Britain with which to apply for special dispensation for Holocaust survivors. "It cost me $8 to send the papers," he says. "I was told they would investigate the situation and that all should be settled by September." Due to his advanced age, the case was fast-tracked and the 85-year-old Abel was recently sent a check. Though the original amount had been 90 pounds, the British government took into account over 60 years of inflation and sent Abel a check for 27.5 times the original amount (roughly $3,000). "I didn't expect to get it," he admits. "I especially didn't expect more than 90 pounds. England was very nice to me." Over the past 60 years, however, Abel lost a lot more than a bale of hemp. In fact, his entire factory was taken from him, as were his home and many of his loved ones. After being liberated from Dachau in 1945 and sent to live with family in Salem, Abel began to research his lost homeland to try to figure out how he could get part of it back. "The German government sold all my property to Christian Germans," Abel explains. "I later found that the commissar from Hitler had sold my property and held the money in the German federal reserve." When Lithuania was occupied by the Russians, it became a communist country and personal property became a moot point. Even so, Abel has written letters for over 60 years, trying to make his claim. While many others were giving up, Abel persevered. When he got to America, however, Abel found that his new comrades were not all that different from the forgetful ones he left behind. "When I came here, I was told that they would have a job for me a day later. It's now 60 years and I'm still waiting," he laughs. Though his new home may have been forgetful, it was nothing like the situation he has faced regarding Lithuania. Though only 2,000 of the 240,000 Jews who lived in Lithuania before the War survived, the country refuses to redistribute their lost and stolen property. "They have the property to give, but they give nothing," Abel scolds. "They don't want to give." The only way for Abel to reclaim his property is to apply for Lithuanian citizenship. "My old land is now a school so they say they will give me another plot of land if I go there, but I do not want to go there because the people are not good there," Abel says. "The president of Lithuania apologized in a speech at the Knesset, but they are not nice people. They started to kill the Jews before the Germans came in." Abel has therefore decided to stay in America. He has not, however, decided to give up. With the help of research programs being run by Salem State College and film director Steven Spielberg, Abel is sharing his story as he continues to work towards getting back at least some of what he lost.
Newspaper docks Jeff Jacoby for four months for alleged 'unoriginality' Conservative writer suspended from Globe By Matthew S. Robinson, Advocate Staff BOSTON - Conservative columnist Jeff Jacoby was suspended last week from The Boston Globe for four months without pay for what is allegedly another case of journalistic plagiarism. In the past few years, Globe editors have dealt with several such cases, most notably those involving columnists Mike Barnicle and Patricia Smith. Barnicle was asked to leave after it was found that he had lifted lines for his columns from a book by a comedian George Carlin and from a column by Chicago-based columnist Mike Royko without proper attribution. Smith met a similar fate for fabricating characters and situations in her columns. In his July 3 column, Jacoby dealt with some historic misconceptions regarding the signers of the Declaration of Independence. Some of Jacoby's views and contentions were seen as "unoriginal" by his superiors at The Globe, falling too close to positions put forth by such pundits as Rush Limbaugh, Jr., the father of conservative commentator Rush Limbaugh, III. Limbaugh has since stated that the speech which his father often delivered is by now the property of public domain and therefore not requiring attribution. In their official statement, The Globe said that their decision was "appropriate" and "proportionate" to the alleged infraction. Many of Jacoby's supporters, and Jacoby himself, disagree. "It's the equivalent of a 20-years-to-life for jaywalking," Jacoby quipped. "It seems like a crazy overreaction to take away a guy's livelihood for one-third of a year." In a Letter to the Editor that ran in Tuesday's Globe, talk-radio host David Brudnoy agreed. "[This] is hardly a hanging offense," Brudnoy said. On the record, Jacoby - an observant Jew - is unsure if there is any ideological pretext to his suspension, and is therefore all the more confused as to why it happened and even more as to why it is so severe. Alex Safian of the Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting in America (CAMERA) points out that many pro-Arab groups such as Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) have raised concerns regarding Jacoby's pro-Israeli stance. In fact, he says, Hamas supporter Ibrahim Hooper recently met with Globe administrators to discuss Jacoby. Binyamin Jolkovsky, editor-in-chief of JewishWorldReview.com has received 3,000 e-mails from around the world regarding Jacoby's suspension. "He has a lot of enemies and he's always under pressure from Arab groups," he observed. "It may be that the Globe is tired of defending him." Harvard Law Professor Alan Dershowitz proposed that "There is certain possibility that this provided [The Globe] the excuse they were looking for to put pressure to resign on a journalist who in their view lacked a constituency." Though Jacoby admits to being aware that his politics have at times been at odds with The Globe's general bent, he is stunned by the suspension and expressed hope that the situation can be resolved. "The point that I've tried to make to people and that I hope others are taking to heart is I've produced over 600 columns in over six-and-a-half years and I have never given them reason to question my ethics or question my integrity or to wonder whether the work I was producing was really my own. I hold myself to an extremely careful standard and I hope I get a chance to resume doing so." Regardless of whether it is deserved, many contend that Jacoby's suspension was not in keeping with past performances at The Globe. "There certainly is a fall-out from Barnicle and Smith," Brudnoy said, "and an effort to be really tough now, but the cases are so dissimilar that the punishment doesn't fit the crime." "There's absolutely no comparison between the two," Jolkovsky said, referring both to the alleged similarities between alleged source texts and Jacoby's and also to the differences between Jacoby's case and those of Barnicle and Smith. "I don't see why he's not being given the same courtesy as they were." CAMERA'S Safian suggested that the Globe should take a more serious look at reporters who don't get their facts straight. "Many reporters fabricate news about Israel and the reporter faces no consequences," Safian says. "Apparently correcting things that are not true get you fired quickly, but fabricating things doesn't result in such fast action."
Sunny pro bono Atty. Lisa Schneider feels good about doing good for underprivileged By Matthew S. Robinson, Advocate Staff BOSTON - Many fresh-faced lawyers claim to have a burning desire to use their skills to benefit society, but unfortunately only a few actually fulfill such dreams. Lisa Schneider is one of those fortunate few, and she's making the best of it. Schneider is the director of pro bono programs for the Women's Bar Foundation of Massachusetts (WBF), which is the charitable arm of the Women's Bar Association of Mass. "We raise funds which are then administered to pro bono projects," Schneider explains. As a child, Schneider looked up to her mother Barbara and her cousin, Supreme Judicial Court Justice Ruth Abrams. "My mother has been a volunteer in many organizations for years," Schneider says. "She ingrained the volunteer ethic in me." As for Abrams, Schneider always considered her a huge role model. "I always looked up to her as a strong, brilliant woman who made major decisions about important areas of social justice. She was proof to me that a woman could make a big difference in an entire state and she did it by being a lawyer." After graduating from Marblehead High School, Schneider went to the University of Michigan, where she became active in women's organizations such as the Sexual Assault Prevention and Awareness Center (SAPAC). It was also at Michigan where Schneider took her first official law course; a class called "women and the law." "I decided that a legal degree would be the best tool that I could get in order to really have an effect in the areas of women's rights and racial and social justice," Schneider recalls. Thanks in part to her dedicated social justice and public interest work at Michigan, Schneider was awarded a full scholarship to law school at the University of North Carolina in 1993. "I always knew that I would do something in women's rights when I graduated," Schneider says. "The scholarship meant that I could afford to do pro bono. Therefore, it was never a question that I would continue that work after graduation." At one point, Schneider admits to having been very close to entering social work, but eventually decided that law was a more effective path for her. "I didn't really go to law school to be a lawyer. I went to gain a tool and to learn the law. And that's why it's okay to me to not be in traditional practice." Schneider realizes, however, that many of her colleagues and classmates are not so fortunate. "A lot of new lawyers beat themselves up for not doing public interest when, to be fair, they can't afford to," Schneider says. "I do work that other attor neys hope to do in their future. It's a goal to do what I do and I am fortunate to be able to do it." After passing the bar in 1997, Schneider went to work for the WBF. Though she began as a part-timer, within three months she was named director of pro bono programs. "I mainly handle family law," Schneider says, noting that she will soon begin working with the Boston Area Rape Crisis Center. Far be it from Schneider, however, to shirk or be afraid of new responsibilities. In fact, she seems to welcome them. "This job is really amazing for many reasons," she says. "But the biggest one is being able to work and be mentored by these incredibly energetic, intelligent lawyers who are passionate about social causes." Schneider also helps coordinate pro bono law training for outside attorneys. "I also get to meet really great new attorneys who are really excited about taking on pro bono cases from us." Though she is obviously not in it for the money, Schneider is comfortable with her lot and looks forward to developing her career. "I really believe with an organization like this that the possibilities are really endless."
That Old Orchard of mine Changing demographics affect popular Jewish summer spot By Matthew S. Robinson, Advocate Staff OLD ORCHARD BEACH, ME - In American Jewish lore, stories of summers in the Catskills or at kosher beach resorts are legendary. Regardless of their social class or financial status, many Jews found a place to get away for the summers. These days, however, the demographics are more polarized and the destinations more decentralized. According to Jonathan Sarna, professor of American Jewish History at Brandeis University, technology may be to blame, at least in part, for these changes. "Historically, before air conditioning, people used to want to escape the cities," Sarna explains, citing concerns of "summer illnesses" such as polio. "And what you had were places that were within reasonable commuting distances of major cities." In addition to retreats like Old Orchard Beach and Atlantic City, many New Yorkers went to the Catskills and New Englanders went to venues like Onset, Mass., and Lebanon, N.H. Sarna also recalls how, especially in New York, it was common for the wives and children to go away during week, to be followed by their spouses via "husband trains" that left the city for these popular destinations before Shabbat. As air conditioning and air travel developed, the need to escape to places which were relatively close by lessened. People could either stay home in comfort or hop on a plane and really get away. Further, as summer camps and employment for women became more common, family vacations became either impractical or undesirable. Though Sarna claims that traditional travel plans have not disappeared altogether, he does note how greatly they have declined. "Most people who still go do so because of family tradition," he says, noting that many of the once-popular Jewish summer spots are now of more interest to cultural historians than to vacationers. One community which still retains some interest for its members is Old Orchard Beach, Maine. Once a major destination for area Jews, Old Orchard still holds on to its heritage and its Jewish community, but with an ever-smaller hand. In 1909, Joseph Goodkowsky built The Lafayette Hotel, the first kosher hotel in Old Orchard. The hotel proved so popular that it soon became too small for services. In 1912, Congregation Beth Israel synagogue was erected next door to the Lafayette. "We used to have standing room only services every Shabbat," recalls Eber Weinstein, president of the shul. "So many Jews came, we eventually built a shul." "The shul was built mostly by vacationers," says Joseph Goodkowsky's 92-year-old son Hal, who still lives in Old Orchard and attends services regularly at Beth Israel. The last of his family, Hal once served, as did his father, as the treasurer for Beth Israel. "I had to relinquish responsibilities," he says. "I'm at an advanced age, you know." Hal remembers the days when Old Orchard would become over 90 percent Jewish in the summers. Sadly, he says, those days are long gone. The hotel closed in 1965 and the land on which it once stood is now the site of a condominium building. "It used to be hotels, then motels and now it's condominiums," Hal laments. "Everything is changing. Nothing stands still and nothing is forever." When the hotel went away, so did many of its former patrons. "Jewish people don't come because there are no kosher hotels now," Hal insists. Another painful element of change has been the economic downturn. Hal says that Old Orchard used to attract many vacationing Canadians, but now our neighbors to the north can no longer afford to come to the states. "The whole town is hurting from that," Hal says, "but that's the way life goes." Looking back, Hal recalls the many famous people who came to Old Orchard, including the Bronfman family and Solomon Schechter. In fact, among his boxes of memorabilia, Hal has a hand-written letter from Schechter to his father thanking Joseph for caring for the educator's wife. Today, however, such items are only memories. "We can't make something from nothing," Hal says. "All we can do is hope for the best and keep going as best we can. We still have nice people from Boston and Newton and other places, but if we had more of them, it would be nice." Though Beth Israel used to host over 100 congregants every week, in the 1970's the community greatly died off. It was temporarily replaced by a Sephardic community, but as tourism died in the 1990's, so too did this seasonal society. "It became harder to earn a living," Weinstein explains. "Especially in three months." Still, there are signs of strength in the Jewish community. High holiday services call for the hiring of Cantor Danny Levy from Jerusalem and Beth Israel is still able to get a full Minyan most weeks. In the winter, the synagogue opens for Shabbat and holidays and in the summer, a respectable Jewish community is evident in the weekly turnouts of 30-50 service participants. "In all of Maine, there are only three or four Orthodox shuls," Weinstein explains, "so we get people from all over the world." In addition to visitors from New Zealand and South Africa, Beth Israel recently reunited two friends from Britain, each of whom did not know the other was to be there at the time. "We do our best to keep things going," admits Weinstein, who still runs a successful convenience store downtown, "but it's a tough business."
Authors of book on Cape Ann Jews win award By Matthew S. Robinson, Advocate Staff GLOUCESTER - On Sunday, June 25, Sarah V. Dunlap, Zelda Kaplan, Jean Baer O'Gorman and Janet Schlein received the 1999 Solomon Schecter Gold Medal Award for Publications from the United Synagogues of Conservative Judaism (USCJ) for their book "The Jewish Community of Cape Ann: An Oral History." Conceived in 1996 by Kaplan, a noted oral historian and North Shore coordinator for the Fortunoff Video Archive for Holocaust Testimonies at Yale University, the book details the history of the North Shore Jewish community from the Civil War through the 1950s, with an epilogue which brings readers greatly up to date with present society. It tells of a community which was isolated, yet which was still able to adhere to its traditional roots. "It was hard for them to set up a religious infrastructure, but they did it," Kaplan recalls, noting how impressed she was by the number of interviewees who credited their mothers with keeping the community together and Jewish. Kaplan began working with oral testimonies in 1987 at the Holocaust Center in Peabody. However, it was at Yale that she truly got her best training. "They trained people to be good interviewers and good listeners," she says. As North Shore project coordinator, Kaplan interviewed over 100 survivors for the Yale archives. "I'm really proud of that," she says. "It was my most gratifying work." That is, perhaps, until Kaplan was asked by the Cape Ann Historical Society to prepare an oral history of their Jewish community. "I always thought it was interesting that it was started by Cape Ann Historical," Kaplan notes. "They realized that so many groups had grown up there but nobody had ever documented them." The four researchers (who knew each other from a Torah study group) interviewed over 60 people and fully transcribed every discussion. "Most of the people we did find in the Jewish community were members of the second generation in their 90s and then members of the third and fourth generations," Kaplan explains. A special find was the deed for the "southerly side" of a private home which served as the community's first synagogue. When it came time to write the book, the team at first considered writing a grant and hiring an outside author. However, they had admittedly become so protective of the materials, that they decided to do it themselves. As Kaplan had been chosen to lead the project thanks to her experience in oral history research, writer Dunlap was chosen to pen the final account. "She did a great job," Kaplan says, lauding Dunlap's ability to express the nuances of speech patterns and story telling so vital to the community. In the fall of 1999, the group applied to USCJ to have the book considered for the Schecter Award. In February, they were presented with the gold medal at the annual USCJ convention in Florida. The event last month was held by the New England Chapter of USCJ, who wanted to host a separate celebration closer to home. Regional President Elizabeth Pressman, Vice President Bruce Creditor and Executive Director Aaron Kischel all attended the breakfast and, along with Rabbi Myron Geller and Temple President Richard Stoloff, offered congratulations on behalf of the Cape Ann community and the USCJ community. In his remarks, Kischel referenced Pirke Avot in pointing out the importance of keeping track of ancestry. "Listing names and taking a census gives a sense of history and a sense of who we are and passes on traditions to future generations," Kischel said. "I think that what they have done is absolutely tremendous and I think all communities should take the time to talk to their elders and go back to their Jewish roots. We shouldn't lose that sense of who we are." Kaplan herself echoed those sentiments. "We hope to be a model for other communities to create their own oral histories," she said, noting how the book has spawned other programs, including historic walking tours of the Jewish neighborhoods of Cape Ann. Though Kaplan was obviously thrilled with the award and with the two presentation events, she said that the biggest gratification came not from the accolades but from the subjects. "The best compliment is that all the participants said we wrote it just the way they told us to," she said.
Guilty verdicts threaten Iranian Jewry By Michael J. Jordan NEW YORK - American Jewish politicians and activists say the conviction of 10 of 13 Iranian Jews accused of spying for Israel places Iranian Jewry under greater threat than at any other time in its 2,700-year history. The following are the sentences handed down Saturday on the "Iran 13": Hamid Tefileen and Asher Zadmehr were sentenced to 13 years in prison. Nasser Levi Haim was sentenced to 11 years. Ramin Farzam, 10 years. Javeed Beit Yakov, nine years. Farzad Kashi, Shahrokh Paknahad and Farhad Saleh, eight years. Faramarz Kashi, five years in prison. Ramin Nemati was sentenced to four years. Navid Bala Zadeh, Nejat Broukhim and Omid Tefileen (brother of Hamid Tefileen) were acquitted. The worse-than-expected sentences also mean that Iran's hard-liners may succeed in rolling back the minor steps made by reformers in thawing relations with the West, experts say. Still, even President Clinton cited the convictions as proof of the recently-befriended nation's "flawed judicial process." In a statement, he called on Iran to "overturn these unjust sentences." American Jewish Congress (AJCongress) President Jack Rosen saw the convictions as remnants of the spirit of Ayatollah Khomeni's Islamic revolution. Though American Jewish Committee Executive Director David A. Harris was also not surprised by the "unconscionable verdicts," he urged the international community to use every means possible to voice their outrage and to pressure Iran to change the outcome for the ten convicted spies. Closer to home, Geoffrey Lewis, president of the Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Boston, decried the "grave injustice and gross violation of human rights" demonstrated by the Iranians and called upon "decent people everywhere" to condemn and speak out against the verdicts. As a charge of espionage often results in execution, AJCongress Executive Director Phil Baum was heartened by the influence that world pressure had on the sentencing. He is therefore hopeful that continued pressure will lead the Iranian judicial system to overturn its convictions. Activists compared the outcome with the anti-Semitic blood libels of the 19th century and the Stalinist show trials of the 20th century. The United States, Israel, Britain and France criticized Iran after the sentences were issued. Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak told his Cabinet on Sunday that he would call on the international community to press Iran to free the 10. For their part, Iranian officials attacked Western criticism of the verdicts, saying it was a violation of its national sovereignty. Some Iranian officials said the verdicts were too soft and might not deter others from spying against the Islamic Republic. Anguished and irate, Jewish leaders vowed Sunday to redouble their efforts to secure the Jews' freedom. At the same time, they said they will pressure Washington and its European allies to make Iran "pay a price" for the sentencing of 10 men whom they continue to assert are guilty only of being Jews. "In fact, it was Iran that was found guilty of gross violations of human rights and rejecting the rule of law," said Malcolm Hoenlein, executive vice chairman of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, at a small street demonstration in New York on Sunday. In his verdict, the judge reportedly noted that all 10 men were guilty of contact with Israel, devotion to the Jewish state and study of the Torah. Several of the 10 were religious leaders in the southern city of Shiraz. The others were their adherents. The religious leaders received the harshest sentences. The verdict could be appealed, said the chief lawyer for the 10, which could lead to reduced sentences or even clemency from Iran's religious leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. However, there were also reports the Jews may be punished with fines and lashes - a common penalty for guilt. "This is an absolute disgrace and a shame," said U.S. Rep. Eliot Engel (D-NY). "The U.S. Congress will not sit idly by. Iran must pay a price for this. Iran will pay a price for this." Engel said he and others would sponsor a resolution denouncing Iran and the verdict. There is also talk of tightening sanctions against Iran that were recently eased, and blocking Iranian officials from visiting the West. Jewish leaders are also organizing additional, perhaps larger street protests in the United States. How these verdicts and heightened international pressure will affect the approximately 25,000 Jews in Iran - already down from 100,000 at the time of the 1979 Islamic Revolution - remains to be seen. No Iranian official was quoted as offering any reassuring words to the rest of the Jewish community. That only adds to the "panic and fear" pervading the community, and any Iranian Jew who is even outwardly religious may be vulnerable to similar accusations and punishment, said Americans in touch with them. Not surprisingly, Jewish emigration from Iran has leapt since the trial began in April, American Jewish and Israeli officials told JTA. It may rise further now that hopes for clemency for the 10 have been dashed. If there is any positive to be drawn from the verdict, observers say, it's that the rallying of international public opinion prior to the verdict likely spared the Iranian Jews the death sentence. Since 1979, 17 other Iranian Jews accused of spying have been executed, most recently in 1997 and 1998. The difference, say American Jewish advocates for the "Iran 13," is that the earlier arrests were virtually kept secret. The families reportedly heard about the executions only after the fact. There are crucial similarities, however. Then, as now, the charges were trumped up, say observers, with the Jews used as pawns in the political battles of the Iranian leadership. U.S. Jewish leaders said they became convinced of the Iran 13's innocence after conducting their own investigation and consulting with the CIA, FBI and the Mossad, Israel's foreign intelligence agency. In piecing together the genesis of the case, American Jewish officials say it originated innocently enough as a conflict within Iranian Jewry, between the community leadership in Tehran - which is said to go to great lengths not to offend the Islamic authorities - and an increasingly active, fervently Orthodox faction in Shiraz. It wasn't long before Iranian hard-liners seized on the dispute to undermine the Western outreach of their reformist rivals. The Jews were arrested in January and March 1999. Their imprisonment, and the subsequent threats of death, was a calculated move to provoke the West, say observers. Though Iran's Baha'i minority are far more persecuted, their plight generates nowhere near the emotional response, nor do their brethren outside Iran approach the global influence of the Jewish Diaspora. Indeed, fueled by criticism from the United States and Israel, international condemnation grew louder as each new "injustice" of the Iran 13 case unfolded. During the early stages of the trial in May, two of the accused Jews had their "confessions" broadcast on state-controlled television. It fanned the flames of Jew-hatred, and many Iranian Jews reported that they were afraid to go to work, or send their children to school, because some in the public now suspected all Jews of being spies. Several Jewish-owned shops were reportedly attacked, with one in Tehran set ablaze. In all, eight of the Jews "confessed" to the charges, while a ninth admitted to gathering, but not disseminating, information to the Mossad. But foreign observers insisted that the "confessions" had been coerced after 15 months of solitary confinement, with human contact limited mostly to the interrogators. The prisoners' families were later allowed to visit for only five minutes per week. During the trial itself, the courtroom was closed to the public and foreign observers, and the judge also assumed the role of prosecutor. According to Western law, that would be considered a clear conflict of interest. Hard evidence was not provided, say American observers, a violation of Iranian law. The verdicts were therefore based on the "confessions," say Iranian authorities, which raises more questions about their validity since four of the Jews recently recanted their statements in second appearances before the judge. On Sunday, Iran's judiciary described the Jews' espionage activity as part of a 20-year conspiracy against the Islamic regime - yet was unable to provide any evidence to support its claims. Moreover, if the Jews were indeed guilty, many questions remain unanswered: How would Jews who were mostly simple shopkeepers, clerks or teachers have had access to military sites and other sensitive information? Why would the Mossad, one of the most respected intelligence agencies in the world, hire Jews who live under a microscope? And why would the Mossad not have simply gotten such data from satellites? Nevertheless, the verdict may have been a compromise of sorts. To the Iranian public, judiciary officials can maintain that they did indeed root out a spy ring. To the outside world, they can point to the "leniency" and "fairness" they have demonstrated - by their standards - in that some Jews were acquitted and no one will be executed. But now the focus may turn to President Mohammed Khatami. As the leading reformer, Western governments have pinned their hopes on him. Yet, his silence during the trial suggests many possibilities. Analysts say it may indicate how deeply anti-Jewish and anti-Zionist sentiment runs through Iranian society, and therefore how politically unpopular it would be to speak out on behalf of those accused of collaborating with the "Zionist regime." Moreover, it suggests either how impotent Khatami may be to challenge the fundamentalists' hold on power, or perhaps Khatami's own complicity, and that he is not nearly as "moderate" as advertised. "Iran does not deserve to be treated as a moderate nation," U.S. Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-NY) said at the New York demonstration Sunday. "This leopard has not changed its spots." (Matthew Robinson contributed to this report.)
Walking the plank to shul Orthodox sea captain to participate in HarborFest 2000 By Matthew S. Robinson, Advocate Staff BOSTON - From June 28 through July 4, Boston will celebrate this nation's independence while showing the world how a party should be run. Harborfest 2000 will include parades, fireworks and, of course, the world-famous Independence Day performance of the Boston Pops. People will travel from all over, to grab a bit of ground on which to sit or stand, or to pull their boat up alongside the esplanade to catch at least the sounds of the orchestra and the boom of the howitzers during the "1812 Overture." One of these boats, however, will be different than all of the others. The decks will be scrubbed and the wood nicely varnished, but there will also be one final touch which will make this boat, called "Tranquility," a bit higher than the others. The kitchen will be kosher. Since 1997, David Solomont has been captaining this 49-capacity charter boat along with a dedicated crew of assistants whom he refers to respectfully as "Shabbat captains." As a child, Solomont spent many a summer with his family on Nantasket Beach, where he began to "thumb rides" with other captains who taught him how to run and care for a boat. After marriage and college, Solomont went to work with his family in the long-term care business, but whenever he had the chance, he was always back on the water. "I always wanted to do this," Solomont says. "I've always dreamt of having a charter boat and getting a captain's license." In 1996, Solomont went to Florida to do just that. A year later, he found Tranquility. Though Solomont claims to have "salt water in my veins," understand that there is no fishing on Tranquility. "It screws up the carpets," Solomont explains. Instead, Solomont takes out groups of lawyers, bankers and other corporate-types on voyages around Boston Harbor and the islands. "I like to go to The Constitution around sunset to watch them fire off the sunset salute," Solomont says. "It's a good way to know when Shabbat is starting. Though he does spend some Friday nights on the boat, most weeks, Solomont will dock and walk to the Boston Synagogue, where he also attends Minyan. Also, though he allows his clients to bring their own caterers, Solomont most appreciates when they insist on kosher provisions. "The kosher caterers clean the galley," he says. "That makes my wife happy." Though Solomont admits that being an observant sea captain can be difficult, especially when working with clients and crew who may not understand his religious guidelines, Solomont is most happy on the sea. His wife, however, is a bit of a different story. "She's not a sea-going person," Captain Solomont explains. "She likes to stay home and play with the grandkids. But she's a good kid. She figures I can't get into trouble out here." In addition to his corporate clients, Solomont often ferries various groups from the Greater Boston Jewish community around. Past guests have included fellow members of the Boston Synagogue, members of Congregation Young Israel in Brookline and Beth El in Malden, staff and students at Maimonides and Torah Academy (where his "grandkids" attend) and old Nantasket buddy Rabbi Naftali Hurwitz. In the off-season (roughly October to April, though Solomont claims boating to be "a full-time job"), Solomont works on the boat or goes to Florida to play golf. "That's another time-intensive hobby," he says. However, Solomont would rather spend his time casting-off than teeing-up. "As long as I can stay healthy and keep my head above water," he says with a knowing laugh, "I'll keep doing what I always dreamt of." So if you see a ship with a pair of candlesticks burning on the bow, wish the captain a 'Good Shabbos.' You'll be performing a maritime mitzvah.
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Updated 11/02/00
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