Polis - Goldberg - Bennet

Senator Michael Bennet (D-CO) and Congressman Jared Polis (D-CO) sat down with Jeffrey Goldberg of The Atlantic and Rabbi Josh Rose of Congregation Har HaShem to discuss Iran, Israel and the US on Sunday at Har HaShem.  Goldberg was Har HaShem’s Scholar-in-Residence this weekend, and this talk in front of a hundred or so community members capped his three-day visit to Boulder.

One of the key statements that all agreed upon was that there is “no daylight” between the US and Israel on Iran obtaining nuclear weapons capabilities. Senator Bennet went on to state that either party trying to use this particular issue in a partisan way during this election year only muddies what should be a clear and consistent message to the Iranian regime that whoever wins in November, US policy on this issue will be firm and unchanging.

Below the photos, a Storify-version of the tweets and video excerpts from the discussion.

Photos:

l-r: Jonathan Lev, Shari Edelstein and Larry Cohn

Boulder’s community Yom Ha’atzmaut celebration of Israel’s Independence Day was a big success Thursday night, drawing over a hundred adults and children to Congregation Har HaShem’s south building.

l-r: Rabbi Marc Soloway, Rabbi Deborah Bronstein, Rabbis Nadya and Victor Gross

The event, a collaboration organized by Jewish Together -Boulder and including 18 Pomegranates, featured Israeli food, games and crafts for kids of all ages, a GaGa pit, all before a candle-lighting ceremony, singing and prayers, and finally a performance by Robbie Gringras.  The crowd featured many Israeli families, a lot of conversational Hebrew, and perhaps a record number of Boulder rabbis in one place at one time.

Leah Boonin leading Boulder JCC Preschool kids.

The ceremony featured Boulder JCC Preschool kids singing a song, followed by the traditional menorah lighting symbolizing the various faces of Israel and the Jewish community.  The candle lighters represented Kehilath Aish Kodesh, Congregation Beth Ami, Congregation Bonai Shalom, past and present IDF soldiers, Congregation Har HaShem, Congregation Nevei Kodesh and Congregation Pardes Levavot.  Hanan Nayberg, Director of CU Hillel, read a prayer for the State of Israel, and Holli Berman, Cantorial Soloist of Har HaShem, wrapped up the ceremony by leading the assembled crowd in Hatikva.

Menorah Lighting Ceremony

Here are more pictures of the event:

A British-born Oxford University graduate, Gringras is a writer, actor, singer and storyteller who lives on Kibbutz Tuval with his family. He tours the world with his shows, expressing his passion for the land of Israel through theater and music.

On Thursday, Robbie Gringras comes to Har HaShem for a unique Yom Ha’atzmaut celebration that includes a performance of “Why I’m (Still) Here,” underwritten by 18 Pomegranates and sponsored by Jewish-Together Boulder (JT Boulder), a new organization made up of area congregations and the Boulder JCC. The Yom Ha’atzmaut celebration, which begins with Israeli dancing and family activities, is the first collaborative program produced by JT Boulder.

Shari Edelstein, director of 18 Pomegranates, has recruited a group of young Israeli families to help plan a celebration for all ages preceding the performance. During the show, which is suitable for teenagers and adults, there will be supervised activities for children 12 and under. There will be an outdoor gaga pit and falafel will be for sale.

“Why I’m (Still) Here” is a series of stories chronicling Gringras’ adjustment to Israel and the significance of his decision to live in the Jewish homeland. His performance provides personal insights into Israel and what it means to live there. “In the end aliyah isn’t about arriving,” he says. “It’s about staying.”

Gringras is also the chief editor and artist in residence of the online network, Makom (translated as “place” and another name for G-d). Its goal is to support the effort to restore and preserve Israel’s important role in Jewish life. The site includes a popular and active book club, which Gringras created with musician Kobi Oz.

When asked about the message of his shows, Gringras says he doesn’t believe in messages.

It is my belief that good art (and good education) is about setting fire to important questions, and not giving self-important answers. I also believe that good art allows for an audience to assume and to interpret many different messages. The fun of art is that many people can draw from it so many different things.”

One of the main goals is to provoke the audiences into thinking deeply about their connection to Judaism and Israel. Gringras describes himself as, “an educator trying to build intimate and emotional connections to modern Israel. American Jews are having a difficult time coming to grips with the gritty reality. We have to get up close and personal with contemporary Israel.”

The free Yom Ha’atzmaut celebration begins at 5:30 pm in Har HaShem’s south building, 3950 Baseline Road, concluding with a ceremony at 6:30. Falafel will be available for purchase. Tickets to the 7:00 pm performance of  ”Why I’m (Still) Here” are $8 online or $10 at the door. To register: https://boulderjcc.wufoo.com/forms/menorah-why-iam-still-here/

The film Gevald! will be shown at CU's Atlas 100 Wednesday, April 25 at 7PM

Join CU’s Program in Jewish Studies and Hillel in CU Boulder’s ATLAS Center 100 for the last film in our Seeing Israel Film series, “Gevald!” on Wednesday, April 25 at 7:00 pm.  This is the first film in the trilogy by directors Ron Ofer and Yohai Hakak, which includes “The Rabbi’s Wife & The Midwife” and “Religion(dot)com“.  The series examines the distinct challenges of the Ultra-Orthodox Jewish community living in the modern State of Israel.

As a child, Shmuel-Haim Pappenhym would cover his eyes during Independence Day fireworks so as not to participate in Zionist celebrations. Today, he organizes mass demonstrations against the State and is the editor of an influential magazine of the Jewish extreme sect known for not recognizing the State of Israel. In contrast, Ultra-Orthodox parliament member, Rabbi Avraham Ravitz, served in the Israeli Army, and has been involved in mainstream politics for many years. Ravitz danced in the streets on Israel`s first Independence Day yet secular modern-day Israel makes him want to cry.

As national Election Day approaches, Ravitz anxiously tallies his party`s projected parliament seats. Conversely, Pappenhym rallies in the number of voter abstentions. For Pappenhym, participation in Zionist elections is a grave sin. Pappenhym organizes demonstrations, where the announcer boldly declares, “Zionists are not Jews,” to the audience`s overpowering response; “Gevald!” (Disaster!).

Caryn Aviv, Senior Instructor in Secular Jewish Society & Civilization, will lead a post-film discussion that will explore some of the challenges addressed in the film including the role of religion in Israeli politics, women’s rights, and freedom of speech.

This event is free and open to the public but RSVPs to Nicholas.Underwood@colorado.edu are appreciated.  Additional information can be found on our website jewishstudies.colorado.edu or by calling 303.492.7143.

The has been made possible by generous donors to CU’s Hillel, the Program in Jewish Studies and the Legacy Heritage Jewish Studies Project, directed by the Association for Jewish Studies (AJS).  Support for the Legacy Heritage Jewish Studies Project is generously provided by Legacy Heritage Fund Limited.

Several students also were injured inside the building. The dead are reported to be a 30-year-old rabbi, Jonathan Sandler, and his 3- and 6-year-old sons, as well as the 10-year-old daughter of the school’s principal. Some 200 students attend the school, according to Israel Radio.

Read the whole story here at JTA.

We are pleased and proud to be a part of such an amazing effort to educate the Denver community about the extraordinary relationships between the Bedouins in the Negev and the State of Israel,” said Doug Seserman, President and CEO of Federation. “A joint effort with The Enlighten Foundation allows both organizations to be leaders in support of the Jewish and Christian efforts to help Israel.”

In partnership with the Federation and the Segev Shalom community, The Enlighten Foundation opened a Project Sparkle Site in Israel in 2012 to provide educational support for the Bedouin children and equip women with the skills they need to become successful members of Israeli society, thereby helping to strengthen Israel from within. As part of this partnership, The Enlighten Foundation is forgoing the missionary work that is a normal component of its other Project Sparkle locations.

By partnering with The Enlighten Foundation, Federation is able to help disparate populations while not diluting the focus on the worldwide Jewish community. In addition, this program enables Federation to practice Tikkun Olam (repairing the world) on a larger scale. By assisting the populations beyond the Jewish people, the world as a whole is strengthened.

Project Sparkle Israel is such a crucial component in helping the Bedouins in the Negev get out of their homes and into the Israeli society, which helps to strengthen Israel,” says Dr. Anne Griffith, Founder and Executive Director of The Enlighten Foundation. “To have Kher Albaz coming from the Negev to speak with us about this extraordinary combination of cultures, languages and religions coming together in this effort is an amazing and rare opportunity.”

To attend this event, visit jewi.sh/ProjectSparkleIsrael to register. For more information, contact Boaz Meir at 303.316.6484 or BMeir@AJFColorado.org. For more information about Project Sparkle Israel, click here.

Allied Jewish Federation of Colorado

Founded in 1946, the Allied Jewish Federation of Colorado’s mission is to build and sustain Jewish life in Colorado, Israel and around the world.  As a proud member of the Jewish Federations of North America, which is among the top ten charities in North America, Federation raises and allocates funds to a wide variety of partner agencies and organizations in Colorado, Israel and in more than 60 countries worldwide.  Last year, Federation’s annual campaign raised $10.1 million.  Federation’s endowment arm, the Jewish Community Foundation, houses more than $40 million in long term assets for individuals, agencies and synagogues in the community.  For more information, visit us at www.ajfcolorado.org.

The Enlighten Foundation is a Christian nonprofit organization that serves to connect, equip and inspire women to live authentic lives characterized by purposeful action. Our mission is to empower women and children by bringing them the hope of Christ. The Enlighten Foundation programs, events and giving circles exist to provide op­portunities for women to relate with God, learn about themselves, fight social injustice around the world and galvanize together in shared commitment and achievements.

In celebration of Tu B’Shevat, the Jewish New Year for trees, Jewish National Fund (JNF) has partnered with EL AL Israel Airlines for an exciting raffle. Everyone who plants a tree with JNF between January 24 and February 8, 2012 at 11:59 pm EST will be entered to win two round-trip tickets to Israel on EL AL.

While in Israel, the winner will have the opportunity to plant a tree with his own hands with a complimentary trip to the JNF-Harvey Hertz Ceremonial Tree Planting Center at Neot Kedumim.

Some restrictions apply. Trees may be planted by visiting jnf.org or call 800-542-TREE for details and to enter.

Jewish National Fund (JNF) began in 1901 collecting coins in blue boxes to purchase land and return the Jewish people to their homeland. In over 110 years, JNF has evolved into a global environmental leader and become the central address for partnering with the land and people of Israel. JNF has planted 250 million trees; built over 1,000 parks and recreational areas; constructed security roads; educated students around the world about Israel; created new communities so that Jews from around the world would have a place to call home; discovered new means of growing plants under arid conditions, bringing green to the desert; and built nearly 220 reservoirs and water recycling centers, increasing Israel’s water supply by 12%. Today, JNF is supporting Israel’s newest generation of pioneers by bringing life to the Negev Desert, Israel’s last frontier.

A United Nations NGO, JNF sponsors international conferences on desertification, shares afforestation techniques, and funds research on arid land management. JNF is a registered 501(c)(3) organization and continuously earns top ratings from charity overseers. For more information on JNF, call 888-JNF-0099 or visit www.jnf.org.

Nadav Weinberg shared his experience in the IDF with 75 people who attended his presentation at the new CU Chabad House on the Hill on November 30. Sponsored by Stand By Israel, the talk centered on ethics and the IDF, focusing on the special training all Israeli soldiers undergo and the challenging environment in which they are forced to operate.

Sergeant Weinberg was trained in the Orev special forces, an elite special forces unit of the IDF tasked with counter-terrorism in the West Bank. He now goes around the country giving interactive talks on college campuses, for high school students, and Jewish and Christian organizations about the high ethical standards of the IDF.

His insights into the IDF’s emphasis on ethical codes of conduct framed the conversation. But the heart of the evening was his role-playing with the audience. Using videos of combat situations, he asked the audience, almost half CU students, to make split-second decisions just as a real Israeli soldier would have to make in the moment.

In one video clip, an armed Palestinian combatant is fleeing during a deadly confrontation. You are a sharp-shooter and your commander has given you the command to shoot. As the Palestinian runs toward a crowd, the man grabs a young boy by his backpack, using him as a human shield as he flees. Do you take the shot? Why? Why not?

In another video taken during combat, a group of armed Palestinians flee by getting into a waiting UN ambulance, in complete violation of international law. Do you shoot to stop the ambulance or let the men in your sights get away? One person says they would shoot. “Oh my God,” Nadav says. “You just shot a UN ambulance!” “I would shoot the tires,” says another. “Oh my God,” Nadav says again. “You just shot a UN ambulance!”

In these and other real-life scenarios, the point was not about determining what the right decision might be. Rather, Weinberg was demonstrating how difficult it is for the IDF soldier faced with ethical dilemmas to make these decisions. Weinberg asked the audience to raise their hand if they could identify an American soldier. All hands went up. An Israeli soldier? All hands go up again. A Palestinian soldier? No hands.

Since there is no Palestinian army, no uniform and no code of military conduct, Israel must abide by international law when engaging with their enemy. That means when a person takes up arms against you, he is a combatant. The minute he puts the weapon down, he’s a civilian.

How do you fight a war like that? It’s a rhetorical question Weinberg asked often. When a combatant uses children, women, clerics and even “peace activists” as human shields, how do you fight that enemy? When a mentally disabled Palestinian child attempts to cross a checkpoint with explosives strapped to his chest, what do you do to ensure you and your men’s own safety, as well as the safety of the Palestinian crowd within the potential radius of the blast, and save the child’s life?

There are no easy answers. Israel does its best. It trains its soldiers to prepare for all eventualities. Each debrief from every operation includes copious discussion of what went wrong, and of what might have gone wrong, so that the next operation is better.

Sergeant Weinberg is the first to admit that Israel is not perfect, and has made mistakes. But Israel faces an enemy sworn to its destruction that does not abide by the same code of ethics. By putting the audience in the shoes of the soldiers on the ground, Weinberg made his point. What would you do?