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Iyar / Sivan 5776June 2016
OCCJ’s Camp Anytown Changes LivesFather’s Day AdvicePlum Perfect and Wisely Done
CONTENTS june 2016 • iyar / sivan 5776volume 87 • number 6
4 From the Editor
5 What’s Nu? News Briefs by Brian E. Brouse
5 Farewell to Tulsa by Co-Rabbis Karen and Micah Citrin
6 OCCJ’s Camp Anytown Changes Lives 8 June Community Events
10 Father’s Day Advice by Rabbi Charles P. Sherman
11 Learn, Travel, Taste: Women’s Mission to Israel by Shiri Achiasaf West
12 A Window into Muskogee’s Jewish History by Mickel Yantz
13 Butterflies 14 Tulsa Jewish Retirement and Health Center Holds Annual Meeting by Brian Edward Brouse
15 Mazels 16 Putting on the Ritz Highlights
18 Plum Perfect and Wisely Done by Louis Davidson
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JEWISHTULSA.ORG 3
The world is theirs to explore.T h e a d v e n T u r e b e g i n s aT h o l l a n d h a l l.
HollandHall.orgFollow the journey on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram @HollandHall
JEWISHTULSA.ORG 5 4 JEWISHTULSA.ORG
What’s Nu? News BriefsFrom JNS.org, written by Jacob Kamaras: “Just 11 months after a massive Memorial Day flood damaged about 500 Jewish homes (among more than 2,500 homes overall) and three synagogues in my current home city of Houston, what seems to me to be a flood of equal or greater magnitude on wreaked renewed havoc on the Houston Jewish neigh-borhoods of Meyerland and Willow Meadows. For scores of Jewish and other families in America’s fourth-largest city who are still rebuilding their homes after last year’s flood, the deluge means the devastating scenario of restarting that process from square one. The Jewish Feder-ation of Greater Houston had already projected an 18-month recovery time-table, with a price tag of $3.5 million, for the local Jewish community’s individual flood victims and institutions following the May 2015 flood. Initial indications are that the congregation I belong to, United Orthodox Syna-gogues of Houston, was hit even harder than it was last year—when damages to the synagogue facility exceeded $1 million.”
—Rabbi Harold L. Robinson, Director of the JWB Jewish Chaplains Council reported to the JCC Association of North America that in March, the JWB Jewish Chaplains Council launched a successful campaign, A Siddur in all Pockets (ASAP) to raise $7,500 to help print and distribute the second printing of 10,000 copies of the JWB siddur and to provide funds to create educational materials to
support greater engagement through the siddur for Jewish men and women serving in the U.S. military, as well as other support. This prayer book is the only siddur approved and fully-endorsed by the three major Jewish denominations.
—Menachem Rephun, a writer for Jewish Political News & Updates reported that the Uman City Plaza hotel in Uman, Ukraine, is refusing to rent rooms to Jews, according to a leader of the Ukrainian Jewish community cited by Jpost.com. The burial place of 18th-century Chassidic Master Rabbi Nachman of Breslov, Uman is a major pilgrimage site for around 25,000 Jewish pilgrims from Israel, the U.S., and Europe every Rosh Hashanah. The tradition stems from the fact that during his lifetime, Rabbi Nachman called on his followers to be with him on Rosh Hashanah.
—The Jewish Telegraph Agency (JTA) reports that as part of its crackdown on anti-Semitism, Britain’s Labour Party suspended the party membership of John McAuliffe, a columnist from Ireland who apparently said Israel was using the Holo-caust to receive money. He allegedly posted on Face-book a message in which he described the genocide as
“the most useful political tool of the Zionist government in Israel to establish a financial racket in the West, whereby Israel receives an unlimited sum for the duration of its existence.”
—Compiled by Brian E. Brouse
Farewell to Tulsa by Temple Israel Co-Rabbis
Karen and Micah Citrin
As we are getting ready to pack boxes, there is so much more that we will be taking with us. We want to take this moment to thank the Tulsa Jewish community for warmly welcoming our family over these past three years. We take memories of new relationships, friendships, meaningful professional experiences and growth. We are especially grateful for the collaboration and partnership with the Jewish Federation of Tulsa. Thank you to Drew Diamond, Mindy Prescott, Debbie O’Hearn, Melissa Schnur, and to everyone at the Zarrow Campus. Our boys will have fond memories of their summers at Camp Shalom!
This month, as we celebrate the holiday of Shavuot, we will read about the dedication and commitment of Ruth. Ruth cleaved to her mother-in-law and ultimately to the Jewish People. We celebrate the dedication and commitment of the Tulsa Jewish community and wish you continued success and vibrancy. It has been our honor to serve as Co-Rabbis of Temple Israel during this important chapter in the life of the congregation. We espe-cially thank the Temple Israel Family for enabling us to be your Rabbis and for all the holy moments we created together. We look forward to our next chapter in the Boston area and invite you to visit us at our new congregation.
From the Editor
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“Ring the bells that still can ring.Forget your perfect offering. There is a crack, a crack in everything. That’s how the light gets in.”
—Anthem, Leonard Cohen
It’s been a busy couple of months for me. I have been busier than ever at work, both my day job and my work editing the Tulsa Jewish Review. There have been too many nights that I go to bed far later than is good for me. Sometimes it seems as if there is no way to get everything done. The days run together one after the other in constant repetition…rise early, go to the office, run errands after work, come home to cook dinner and work some more, go to bed, and repeat.
But in the midst of all of the drudgery, little rays of light sneak in to remind me of the joy and beauty of life and to savor even mundane moments. Sometimes the rays are work-related, such as the request from Judy Glatzer to run the birth announcement of her granddaughter. Living out of state, Judy shared how much pleasure she receives by being able to stay connected to the Tulsa Jewish community through the magazine…a pleasure that was shared by her late mother. L’dor, v’dor. Other times the rays of light are personal. On a recent Saturday evening, I attended a Tulsa Drillers baseball game with two of my best friends and their young children. It was 3-year-old Luke’s first time at the stadium. I watched with wonder as he took in the sights and sounds of the game. After the game when the fireworks started, his sweet little face lit up, making all of us adults smile. I turned to my friends and remarked, “You know it’s a pretty good life.” One of them replied with a smile on her face,
“It really is. We are pretty lucky.”As days turn into weeks, and we turn the calendar to June, two
holidays (one religious and one secular) will give us more rays of light. Shavuot comes first, and Jews everywhere will celebrate the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai. The secular holiday of Father’s Day is usually a difficult time for me. This summer will mark 12 years since I lost my beloved father. Since his death, the holiday has always been a reminder of his loss. However, this year, I am determined to let in the light and focus not on the loss of my father, but on the light that he brought into my life (and the lives of others) with his kindness, humor, wisdom, and most importantly, his love.
Happy June,Melissa
6 JEWISHTULSA.ORG JEWISHTULSA.ORG 7
OCCJ’s Camp Anytown Changes Lives
The oklahoma center for Community and Justice’s 22nd annual Camp Anytown Leader-ship Institute takes place July 31
through August 6 at St. Crispin’s Camp in Wewoka, Oklahoma. Registration is now open.
For over 20 years, Camp Anytown Leadership Institute has inspired the
dreams of young Oklahomans. Anytown is an award-winning human relations camp for teens from throughout the state. It has been recognized as one of the most effective leadership and diversity training programs for youth in Oklahoma. Anytown builds self-esteem, fosters lead-ership, promotes good citizenship, and equips youth to stand up against bullying.
“Anytown helped me see what kind of change can be made in my community and opened me up to other perspectives I
knew nothing about” said Shayla Kinsey, a student from Daniel Webster High School.
“It taught me the kind of person I am and who I want to be in the future.”
Anytown delegates are the leaders of tomorrow. Anytown prepares them to make decisions based on an awareness, appreciation, and understanding of the diversity that exists in all aspects of life.
Camp Anytown prepares youth to be world citizens who can provide value to society by using knowledge acquired across cultural contexts.
“I choose to sponsor students to partici-pate in Camp Anytown because I have witnessed first hand the impact the camp program has had in helping students shape their attitudes, form new values and become activists in their schools in relationship to social justice,” said Nancy McDonald. McDonald is an OCCJ Board
Member who has sponsored students to attend Camp Anytown for several years.
“If we are really serious about helping the next generation engage in positive leadership then it behooves each of us to make an investment in a young person’s experiences.”
Anytowners represent a wide variety of racial, religious, ethnic, and socio-economic backgrounds. Sharing ideas, feelings and individuality—that’s how Anytowners learn to better understand themselves and others. Incoming sopho-mores, juniors and seniors from high schools in Oklahoma come together for one week in a peaceful camp setting, bringing to each other the experiences of their diverse cultural, ethnic, religious, racial, and economic backgrounds.
All application materials must be received by July 8. Applications can be completed online at www.occjok.org. Anytown 2016 can accept up to 60 students. The cost of the week-long experience, $350, includes round-trip bus transportation from Tulsa to camp, meals, and housing, an Anytown T-Shirt, and all workshop materials. Insurance is provided for the camp. Scholarships are available.
Anytown helped me see what kind of change can be made in my community and opened me up to other perspectives I knew nothing about.
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JUNE COMMUNITY EVENTS
Jewish Federation of TulsaMy Yiddishe Mamas—The Early Years • Sun., June 5 • 2 p.m. • Tulsa Performing Arts Center—Norman Theater • This special show is a tribute and a love letter to the historic women entertainers who blazed the trail upon which creator, Rebecca Ungerman, now forges her career. My Yiddishe Mamas is a show about American music, the early days of jazz and popular song, spanning the decades from the early 1900s to the 1960s. Featuring Ungerman, Jennifer Paxton, and Machele Miller Dill, the music and stories of these song-slinging, Jewish women will delight audiences of all backgrounds and ages. The CSJCC has purchased a block of tickets at a reduced price of $15. Please contact Mindy Prescott at 918.935.3662 to reserve a spot.
Men’s Club • Wed., June 8 • Noon • A delicious lunch will be followed by our guest speakers Dor Inbar and Michal Saba, our Summer Shlichim. Cost of the luncheon is $8. Please RSVP to Falisha at 918.495.1100 or [email protected] by noon, June 7.
Ladies Who Lunch • Mon., June 20 • Noon • Come enjoy pleasant conversation and great food at Helen of Troy, 6670 S. Lewis. Each person pays her own check. Please RSVP to Mindy at 918.935.3662 or [email protected] no later than Fri., June 17.
Men’s Club • Wed., June 22 • Noon • Come join us for a farewell lunch for Shiri Achiasaf West, Tulsa’s Shlicha, who will be returning to Israel this summer. Cost of the luncheon is $8. Please RSVP to Falisha at 918.495.1100 by noon on June 21.
The Sherwin Miller Museum of Jewish Art
Exhibit: Jews Rock! • Now-June 24 • This exhibit features photographs of music’s Jewish icons through the lens of photojournalist Janet Macoska, including Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley, Paul Simon, and more. Local memorabilia and programs showcases these famous careers and share their cultural background and musical influence on the music industry.
Exhibit: 12 Tribes • Now-Summer • This exhibit showcases paintings by Ft. Gibson artist Carla Weston who painted them after living on two different kibbutzim in Israel where she studied Hebrew, taught high school English during the Yom Kippur War, and survived a terrorist attack shortly after the war. Each painting uses Hebrew and symbolism juxtaposed for a unique modern effect.
Exhibit: Yaacov Agam • Now-Nov. 16 • We are happy to showcase the SMMJA permanent collection of Israeli sculptor and experimental artist Yaacov Agam. Best known for his contributions to optical and kinetic art, the museum has a variety of samples from various donors of Agam’s work that splash color and visual stimuli throughout the Sanditen Gallery.
Exhibit: Besa-Muslims Who Saved Jews in World War II • June 2–Sept. 25 • Besa is a code of honor deeply rooted in Albanian culture and incorporated in the faith of Albanian Muslims. It dictates a moral behavior so absolute that nonadherence brings shame and dishonor to one’s self and one’s family. This exhibition showcases photographs in Albania and Kosovo where Muslims sheltered, at grave risk to themselves and their families, not only the Jews of their cities and villages, but thousands of Jews fleeing the Nazis from other European countries.
Exhibit—Fluid Expression: The Prints of Helen Frankenthaler • July 7–Sept. 18 • Opening Reception: Thurs., July 7 • 5 p.m. • An influential figure in American art of the late 1950s and early 1960s, Helen Frankenthaler is a leading abstract expressionist painter, sculptor and printmaker. One of the early abstract expressionists, she was also a pioneer in the development of color-field painting.
Congregation B’nai EmunahBiBi-DiBi: Babies+Blessings+Dinner+Bedtime • Fri., June 3 • 6 p.m. • Very young children and their parents are invited to join us for another soft and cuddly Shabbat experience. Parachutes, rattles, and toys sit at the center of our circle while parents and kids share in the blessings of a peaceful Shabbat. A delicious, kid-friendly Shabbat dinner accompanies this program. Please call our reservations hotline at 918.935.3373 or visit our website by Thurs., June 2, to reserve your spot on the floor.
Seventeenth Street Delicatessen • Sun., June 5 • 6 p.m. • A pop-up Jewish delicatessen in Tulsa, Oklahoma! House-cured pastrami, fresh baked rye bread, half sour pickles, the only thing missing is the formica countertop. You’re hungry for this, and we’re ready to feed you. For $18 a person, fulfill the nostalgic longing of the Jewish people over a deli dinner. Visit tulsadeli.org today to reserve your spot. Come hungry, leave happy.
Shabbat for Everyone • Fri., June 10 • 6:15 p.m. Dinner /7 p.m. Service • It’s not just for you. It’s not just for me. It’s Shabbat for Everyone at CBE! Our monthly, kid-friendly Shabbat experience begins with a delicious dinner prepared by us, so you can just relax and enjoy. We then move into the sounds and movements of a joyous Friday night celebration. Your feet will be stomping as the music carries us forward into the night. Top it all off with a delightful story, and you’ve got yourself one can’t-miss evening. No reservation is needed for the service, but please call our reservations hotline at 918.935.3373 or visit our website by Wed., June 8, to guarantee your place at the dinner table.
Shavuot Yom Tov Services + Yizkor • Sun.-Mon., June 12-13 • 9 a.m. • A major festival holiday on the Jewish calendar, Shavuot asks us to consider how we express and exhibit our Judaism in the modern world. Reading the Book of Ruth, we reflect on the process of transformation and what it means to accept responsibility. Services each morning will begin at 9 a.m., and Yizkor will be chanted at 10:30 a.m. on June 13.
Shavuot Dairy Feast • Mon., June 13 • Following Yom Tov Services (11 a.m.) • Shavuot is a time to celebrate Sinai, Torah, and Moses, but most importantly, it is that time of the year when it’s okay to indulge in cheesecake! Join us for a dairy feast in celebration of the holiday of Shavuot. Immediately following the conclusion of Yom Tov services, we’ll gather to sing, eat, and celebrate this wonderful holiday. To make your reservations, contact us at 918.935.3373 or visit our website by Fri., June 10, to guarantee your place at the table.
Temple IsraelBrotherhood Shabbat • Fri., June 3 • 7:30 p.m. • Temple Israel will celebrate its annual Brotherhood Shabbat in recognition of the vital role our brotherhood plays in the life of the Temple. The service will feature brotherhood members and the brotherhood choir. Our guest speaker will be Drew Diamond. Brotherhood will honor Dr. Michael Pollak with the prestigious Isaiah Award. All are welcome!
Shabbat in the Garden • Fri., June 10 • 6 p.m. • Welcome in Shabbat in our beautiful outdoor sanctuary (weather permitting) under the Ten Commandments. Sing, pray, and celebrate together. Enjoy a savory pre-Oneg at 5:30 p.m.
Erev Shavuot • Sat., June 12 • 6 p.m. • On Shavuot, we celebrate the receiving of Torah and our people’s journey to the Land of milk and honey. Bring your own dairy picnic dinner, study interesting aspects of the Book of Ruth with Rabbi Karen and Rabbi Micah, kids will enjoy fun Jewish games, and we will all conclude with Havdalah and ice cream. Come celebrate together!
Shabbat Summer Series: Be Happy, It’s Shabbat! • Fri., June 24 • 6:30 p.m. • Temple Israel’s Adult Education Summer Series will take place on three Friday evenings throughout the summer. First up is Be Happy, It’s Shabbat! Following the service, a special chocolate tasting oneg will be catered by Glacier Confection. Experience the meaning of oneg! We’ll learn the science behind why chocolate makes us happy, create and sample your own flavor combinations, and sample Glacier Confection truffles. All are welcome.
Shabbat Morning at TI • Sat., June 25 • 10:30 a.m. • Participatory Shabbat morning worship for all and Torah study followed by potluck lunch. Come as you are or bring a dish to share.
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Please note that the telephone number listed in the 2014 Tulsa Jewish Community Directory is incorrect. We apologize for any inconvenience.
The correct number for Fitzgerald Funeral Service is 918-585-1151.
918.585.1151
10 JEWISHTULSA.ORG JEWISHTULSA.ORG 11
Father’s Day Advice
by Rabbi Charles P. Sherman
In anticipation of Father’s Day and now into my 47th year of fatherhood, I would like to give my fellow fathers and would-be fathers a present. This is my very simple formula for marital success—know the right thing to say
at the right time.Proof: Jack wakes up with a huge hangover after attending
his company party. Jack is not normally a drinker, but the drinks did not taste like alcohol at all. He did not even remember how he got home from the party. As bad as he was feeling, Jack worried he might have done something wrong.
Forcing himself to open his eyes, the first thing Jack sees is a couple of aspirins next to a glass of water on the side table.
And next to them, a single red rose! Jack sits up and sees his clothing in front of him, all clean and pressed. He looks around the room and sees it in perfect order, spotlessly clean. So is the rest of the house.
Jack takes the aspirins and cringes when he sees a huge black eye staring back at him in the bathroom mirror. Then he notices a note hanging on the corner of the mirror written in red with little hearts on it and a kiss mark from his wife in lipstick: “Honey, breakfast is on the stove. I left early to get groceries to make you your favorite dinner tonight. I love you, darling! Love, Jillian.”
Jack stumbles to the kitchen, and sure enough, there is breakfast, steaming hot coffee, and the morning newspaper. His son is also at the table, eating. Jack asks, “Son . . . what happened last night?”
“Well, you came home after 3 a.m., drunk out of your mind. You fell over the coffee table and broke it, and then you puked in the hallway. You got that black eye when you ran into the door.”
Totally confused, Jack asked his son, “So, why is everything in such perfect order and so clean? I have a rose, and breakfast is on the table waiting for me.”
His son replies, “Oh THAT! Mom dragged you to the bedroom and, when she tried to take your pants off, you screamed, ‘Leave me alone, lady, I’m married!’”
Saying the right thing at the right time. Happy Father’s Day!
Jack takes the aspirins and cringes when he sees a huge black
eye staring back at him in the bathroom mirror. Then he notices
a note hanging on the corner of the mirror written in red . . .
Learn, Travel, Taste:
Women’s Mission to
Israel by Shiri Achiasaf West
There is something about a group of women doing things together as a group. I never thought my role was to lead mis-
sions to Israel, but somehow I suppose that after you teach and talk about Israel so passionately, it does create a desire to go and see the land firsthand.
So there in late March, a group of women from Tulsa traveled to explore an old country with ancient, gorgeous sites. They went to Israel to see the land not only through the Biblical eyes of the Promised Land and the homeland of the Chosen People, but also as a contemporary and interfaith land. The idea was to take a closer look at Israel’s society.
We started our trip on the Gaza border at the kibbutz of Tulsa’s former Shaliach Itai Lavi. It was a very unique beginning. We woke up to an Israel that not many
tourists get to experience—we saw and heard many things from local citizens that often one doesn’t hear about in the news.
The next stops on our journey were Jerusalem, where it pretty much all began and then to Tel Aviv where it all continued. We heard the announcement of the state of Israel in the middle of the city. We constantly met with fascinating women: Druz, Bedouin, Ethiopian, Women of the Wall, and the chief archeologist of the City of David, Dr. Eilat Mazar. It was as simple as it sounds: women to women, culture to culture, face to face. “It was a very special time in my life, and I’m so thankful to have had the experience,” said Karla Campbell, one of the participants.
Tulsa and Tiberias are joined as Sister Cities, and our Partnership with the Jewish Agency’s Sovev Kinneret region, contributed to an amazing weekend in that area. After a superb Shabbat with hosting families from our partnership,
we met with the mayor of Tiberias, had an exciting visit to a local kindergarten with a unique, passionate teacher, and met with the new aliyah of the B’nai Nenashe tribe from India. Later on we visited a few projects of Kinneret College on the Sea of Galillee, went on a jeep ride through the Jordan Valley and southern Golan Heights, and our “dessert” for the day was a real treat at a home at the Moshava Ilaniya, where we were served locally-produced beer, cheese, bread, olives, and tea. Judy Tobjy, participant said, “One of my high-lights of the trip was that I got to spend that time with the Israeli family. It was so nice to be a part of that family with their laughter, their stories—it was really super!”
The group of women from Tulsa expe-rienced so much of what Israel has to offer. As participant Pam Johnson said, “Fun, fun, fun—extraordinary cultural experi-ence. Not just places, but people sharing their passion in those places.”
On the way to the Dead Sea. Learning about the Druz culture
The Sea of
Galillee
Essential oils and creaan workshop at the village of Nahalal
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A Window into Muskogee’s Jewish History
by Mickel Yantz, SMMJA Director of Collections and Exhibitions
Muskogee’s jewish com-munity dates back before the founding of the City of Muskogee in 1872. Among
the first white settlers was the Joseph Sondheimer family. Sondheimer emigrat-ed from Bavaria when he was 12. During the Civil War, he was a supplier for the Union Army, opening trading posts in Tennessee and Arkansas for furs, hides and pecans. J. Sondheimer and Sons, was founded in 1867 in the Muskogee area as exporters and dealers in furs and hides. By 1883, they were exporting as much as 10,000 pounds of deer pelts per shipment to Europe.
As the town grew with the coming of the railroad, the Sondheimer family moved to Muskogee and joined the small Jewish community. In 1905, the Sond-heimer family joined 11 Jewish families to organize Congregation Beth Ahaba. Services were conducted in private homes, and Mrs. Henry Fist held what may have been the first Jewish Sunday School in Oklahoma in her home. During the next several years, a drive was launched to fund a Temple building. The cornerstone was placed on July 23, 1916, and the congrega-tion occupied its new home shortly after.
The congregation flourished until the 1930s when a good portion of the Jewish community left Muskogee to find work due to the Depression. The years of World War II saw an unprecedented but temporary growth of Muskogee’s Jewish population. The US Army operated a military based near Muskogee known as Camp Gruber. Large numbers of Jewish troops were stationed there during the war years and participated in the Congrega-tion’s activities.
After the war, there was a need to renovate and expand the original 1916 structure. Construction was started in 1948, and a community room was added along with a classroom and better kitchen facilities. It was at this time the congrega-tion installed a new stained glass window.
In 1983, Beth Ahaba’s neighbor, the First Baptist Church of Muskogee, offered to build a new Temple, in exchange for the Beth Ahaba property. The new Temple was constructed just two blocks away. To achieve a feeling a continuity from the original Temple home to the new one, several elements from the original building were incorporated, including the stained glass window amongst other items.
The Temple thrived in Muskogee for 94 years. As happens in many smaller communities, children born in Musk-ogee grew up, went to college, married and raised families, but never returned to Muskogee. The congregation slowly dwindled until, in 2010, the last remaining
members realized the Temple would have to close. They began to investigate the possibility of selling the property.
The Temple congregation called upon The Sherwin Miller Museum of Jewish Art to help preserve the history of Temple Beth Ahaba. A plan was worked out over the course of a year to house the remaining archives and objects from the Temple at the Museum. In Fall 2011, archives and furnishings were moved from the Temple to the Museum, with pews, a lectern, bimah chairs, menorahs, and the ark cabinet all moving into the second floor model synagogue.
The final piece of the Beth Ahaba collection was installed earlier this year, when 100 years after the original Temple dedication, the original stained glass window found its third and final home welcoming the guests to our Museum and keeping the history of Muskogee’s Jewish community alive.
General FundFROMSandy CardinFrieda GrossbardNorman LevickMyrna LubinPhyllis LustgartenPaula & Malcolm MilstenDebbie O’HearnJolene Sanditen-StephensJoseph SecanMark ShawFred StraussSusan Surchev
IN MEMORYMarsha GropperAlena HorskaDonna JelleyHerbert KramerMarjorie LubinSylvia ObersteinAlicia Urban
BIRTHDAY WISHESDavid BernsteinEtel Weg
HONORINGLynn Schusterman and Stacy
Schusterman at Passover
Wellness Program FundFROMLeonard Di LibertoBob & Gloria EstlinCarol KruegerKathleen PhippsJulie RoweSarah & Richard Tilden
IN MEMORYIrene Tillman
Butterflies Honoring Donors to the Tulsa Jewish Retirement & Health Center
Dermatology Bernard Robinowitz, M.D.
We’ve moved !!
9245 S. Mingo Road Tulsa, OK 74133 Phone 918.492.8980 Fax 918.495.0607
www.UticaParkClinic.com
14 JEWISHTULSA.ORG JEWISHTULSA.ORG 15
Tulsa Jewish Retirement and Health Center Holds Annual
Meeting by Brian Edward Brouse
The annual board of direc-tors meeting of The Tulsa Jewish Retirement and Health Center was held on Sunday, April 17, 2016, in the Burnstein Audito-rium of the facility. Outgoing President Rob Coretz presided over the meeting and had many kind words for the staff, board, and executive director Jim Jakubovitz. Jim thanked everyone for attending and gave kudos to Susan Surchev and her staff for a wonderful dinner. Jim introduced two special guests, State Senator Gary Stenislawski
and Lobbyist Vicki White Rankin, who both spoke about challenges facing the health care industry, seniors, and the Oklahoma economy. Rob introduced incoming president Russell Newman who thanked Rob for his leadership during his presidency.
Jim Jakubovitz announced long-time employee Pam Waddell was recently honored at the Oklahoma Leading Age Conference in Oklahoma City. Pam received an award for Outstanding Employee of the Year for the State of Oklahoma. Pam has been with the center for 30 years.
Birth: Clara Lynn Glatzer
Clara Lynn Glatzer was born in Falls Church, Virginia on
April 13, 2016 to Dania and Michael Glatzer. Paternal grandparents are Judy and Larry Glatzer of Bethlehem, Georgia. Maternal grandparents are Dr. Matthias and Astrid Liebergesell of Pennsylvania. Maternal great-grandparents are Mahmoud & Ellen Mohtadi of Germany. Clara’s paternal great-grandparents were the late Morris and Hannah Goldstein Bernhardt of Georgia. Hannah was a long-time resident of Tulsa where she and Morris were married at Congregation B’nai Emunah in 1948.
Graduation: Britney Wambold
Britney Wambold recently graduated from The University of
Oklahoma where she majored in International Security with minors in African Studies and Social Justice. Britney is the daughter of Erin and David Wambold and the sister of Brooke Wambold. During college, she studied abroad in Peru and Brazil. On Wednesdays, she enjoyed getting to see her “little sis” as a mentor for the Big Brothers Big Sisters program. She was also an active member in her sorority, where she served as vice president of public relations and marketing and as assistant to the vice president of recruitment. Britney was the president of Sooners for Israel where she worked closely with AIPAC as a campus liaison. Her senior year, she had the honor of being a Water4 Fellow. This experience allowed her to spread awareness, plan events, and raise funds to build affordable and practical water wells throughout Africa. Also during her senior year, she was a government affairs intern at the State Chamber of Oklahoma.
Bar Mitzvah: Jesse Henning Schumann
Jesse Henning Schumann, the son of Sarah-Anne and John Schumann and
brother of Noa, will celebrate his Bar Mitzvah on June 4, 2016 at Congregation B’nai Emunah. Jesse is in seventh grade at University School. He plays violin and tennis and enjoys math competitions, reading, and movies. Jesse is the grandson of Michael Schumann and the late Norita Wyse Berman of Cleveland and Grace Weiner Wolf and Joel Henning of Chicago.
Bat Mitzvah: Hannah Woods
Hannah Jacklyn Woods, daughter of Tracey Herst-Woods and
Paul Woods, will become a Bat Mitzvah in Las Vegas, Nevada, at Congregation Ner Tamid alongside her cousin Noah Huckabee on June 18, 2016. Hannah and Noah decided to become B’nai Mitzvah together because they have an incredible bond and sharing this day is a perfect way to bring their family and friends together. Hannah is a student at the Owasso Sixth Grade Center. She enjoys hanging out with her family, singing in the school choir, and playing video games. For her Mitzvah project, Hannah and her cousin Noah are sending correspondence to the Lone Soldiers in Israel and providing them necessary items. Friends and family attending the B’nai Mitzvah are invited to bring letters and small items to send to these brave men and women. Hannah will participate in the service at Congregation B’nai Emunah in a year when her Torah portion is read again. Hannah and her family would like to thank Helen Winoker for preparation help, even after she moved to Maryland, as well as Rabbi Fitzerman and Rabbi Kaiman for their guidance making the day possible despite the distance.
MazelsL-R: Rob Coretz, Jim Jakubovitz,
Russ Newman
Pam Waddell
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5936 S. Lewis Ave I Tulsa, OK 74105 I 918-779-4480 I kitchenconceptstulsa.com
Before
After
After
16 JEWISHTULSA.ORG JEWISHTULSA.ORG 17
Putting on the Ritz HighlightsThe Flo and Morris Mizel Jewish Community Day School
held their annual Board of Trustees’ fundraiser on April 9, 2016. The evening was complete with Model T’s, cock-tails, costumes, food, music, and dancing. Guests enjoyed dinner prepared by Chef Tuck Curren of Biga, jazz music from Donald Ryan and Company, and casino style gaming from Casino Nights of Tulsa. The Barbara and Dave Sylvan Auditorium served as a 1920s backdrop while Jennifer Paxton used her musical talents to emcee this magical evening.
Many thanks to the Event Chairs Angela Taubman and Cynthia Thetge, as well as the committee for all their hard work. A special thank you to all event patrons for your generous contributions. Your gifts support the Jewish educa-tion of children of our community who otherwise would not be able to attend Mizel JCDS.The Marx Brothers: Larry Mizel; Steve Mizel; and The Guterman Family FoundationCharlie Chaplin: Monica and EJ GoldzweigMae West: Julie Frank—In Loving Memory of Sharna and Irvin Frank; Lori Frank and LaVonna Reed; The Sharna and Irvin Frank Foundation; Joan and Curtis Green; DeeDee and Jonathan Levine; Karen and Avi Mintz; Ruth Kaiser Nelson; Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation; Stacy Schusterman and Steven Dow; Angela and Kevin Taubman; and Cynthia and Jeff ThetgeJack Benny: Sharon and Jamie Cash; Kim and Rob Coretz; Estelle Finer; Nena and Michael Mudd; George Singer; and Barbara and Dave SylvanAl Jolson: Alice Blue and Rabbi Marc Boone Fitzerman; Molly and Sheldon Berger; Klara and John Bode; April and Richard Borg; Shirley and Willie Burger; Nancy and Harvey
Cohen; Marilyn and Louis Diamond; Harriet and Scott Dunitz; Jan and David Finer; W.C. Goad and Mark Goldman; Frieda Grossbard; Laura and Martin Levine; Nancy and Mark Lobo; Sandi and Mike May; Sharla and Mike Pinn; Jolene Sanditen-Stephens and Jim Stephens; Jean and Will Sand-iten; Joseph Secan; Erin and Geoff Stackenwalt; Angie and Jon Stolper; Kristi and Jack Tarrabolous; and Cynthia and Yohanan ZomerSophie Tucker: Rosalyn Borg and Family – In Memory of Ruth and Joe Borg; Brian Brouse; Jenny Brouse; Randee and David Charney; Rabbi Karen and Rabbi Micah Citrin; Sherri and Stuart Goodall; Marcy Hammerschlag and Michael Cyter; Lillian and Howard Hellman; Vicki and David Hure-witz; Rachel Gold and Rabbi Dan Kaiman; Ellen and Nathan Lifsics; and Tracey and Paul WoodsGeorge and Gracie Burns: Sharon and Fred Benjamin; Becky and Robert Billings; Marcel Binstock; Janet Brickman; T.J. and Alexander Briskin; Jocelyn Brody; Mitzi and Jim Carrington; Dana and John Clawson; Sabrina Darby; Janet Dundee and Jeff Darby; Gloria and Bob Estlin; Jennifer and Jacob Howland; Jeanne Jacobs; Jennifer and Michael Jacobs; Evelyn and Roy Jones; Jane and Mickey Katz; Rachel Lishansky; Marty Newman; Nanette and Larry Peck; Brina Reinstein; Lori Lieb-Rosas and Larry Poellinger; Mary and Ira Rothman; Karen and Larry Saunders; Nancy and Rabbi Charles Sherman; Janet Simmons; Judy and Allen Smith; Fred Strauss; Wendy Weisberg; and Debbie and Garrett ZelkindCorporate Sponsors: Chimi’s; CrossFirst Bank; Holly Helps; David and Lorna Jones; King Law; Mobile Locksmith; Monat Dream Team; Troutman & Troutman; and The Vine-yards on Memorial
18 JEWISHTULSA.ORG JEWISHTULSA.ORG 19
Plum Perfect and Wisely Done
by Louis Davidson
Ob t a i n i n g p e r m i s s i o n to photograph Cincinnati, Ohio’s Plum Street Temple took almost as long as build-
ing it. The saga began in February of 2010 when I emailed the congregation’s executive director requesting permis-sion to photograph their historic temple. Of course, I explained the reason for the request and included my credentials. Re-ceiving no response after two weeks, I re-sent my inquiry with care not to offend the sensitivities of their spam filter. When no response was forthcoming, I sent a short note asking if my previous emails had been received. That elicited an answer
that was remarkable for its brevity: “I will respond later today.” She didn’t. During the spring of that year, I made several telephonic attempts to reach the elusive executive director to set up a photo-shoot appointment for that summer. When she wouldn’t answer my phone calls, I began to get the hint. She didn’t want me to take pictures of the building. Why, I wondered. Did she think I would put them in the centerfold of Playboy?
Three years later I realized my photo itinerary would be taking me near Cincin-nati once again. Feeling like a big game hunter who hadn’t bagged his trophy on a previous safari, I still hungered to photograph the Plum Street Temple. Yet the prospect of having my ego further bruised by another brush-off from the
director was about as appealing as being trampled by a stampeding herd of water buffalo. This time I would use different ammunition: David Bernstein of the Tulsa Jewish Federation and one of the directors of the Beit Hatfutsot Museum of the Jewish People in Tel Aviv both wrote personal letters to my evasive Plum Street Temple quarry. Their efforts bore fruit: Plum Street fruit. I photographically bagged my trophy in July of 2013.
The Plum Street Temple is rightly known as the fountainhead of Reform Judaism in the United States. It was the primary pulpit of Rabbi Isaac Mayer Wise who founded American Reform Judaism. Wise immigrated to the United States in 1846 from Moravia, now the Czech Republic. That same year, he was appointed rabbi of Congregation Beth-El of Albany, New York. He soon began agitating for reforms in the services, such as a mixed-gender choir and counting women in forming a minyan. An 1850 fistfight between Wise and Beth-El’s
president led to the formation of a new synagogue and four years later, Wise’s move to The Lodge Street Synagogue of Cincinnati. Under Wise’s wise leader-ship, the congregation built the grand Plum Street Temple which was dedicated in 1866.
During his time in Cincinnati, Wise created this extraordinary house of worship, as well as an entirely new style of Jewish worship. Superlatives are simply not super enough to describe the Plum Street Temple. In the words of the noted architecture writer G. E. Kidder Smith,
“The Plum Street Synagogue was designed by James K. Wilson, a Cincinnati architect, working closely with Isaac Mayer Wise …. the Saracenic exterior is complete with two prominent minarets …. the neo-Gothic interior is ablaze with glory. Kaleidoscopic motifs and colors are woven together like a gigantic Oriental rug. Scarce an inch is left unattended.” The 1,500-seat Temple is the third-oldest functioning synagogue building in the United States. Only the
Touro Synagogue of Newport, Rhode Island (1863) and Temple B’er Chayim of Cumberland, Maryland (1864) are its senior.
While Plum Street’s striking minarets and Byzantine ornamentation slathered on neo-Gothic forms connect the building with Judaism’s roots in Middle Eastern antiquity, it is a place where Judaism burst into modernity with a whole series of firsts. Burt Gross, house chairman and third generation member of Plum Street Temple, says, “Here was the first time that men and women sat together and prayed together. It was the first time that there was instrumental music to accompany the prayers and songs, anywhere. It was the first time that a choir combined men and women. It was the first time that an American flag appeared on the pulpit in a synagogue sanctuary.”
The corner of West 8th Street and Plum, where the Temple is located, is the center of an amazing ecclesiastical architectural mélange. Try saying that fast ten times.
Immediately to the west of the Temple across 8th Street, there was the magnifi-cent Romanesque-domed St. Paul’s Episcopal Cathedral, which was destroyed in 1937. Facing the Temple across Plum Street, there is the iconic Greek Revival style St. Peter in Chains which for many years was Cincinnati’s tallest building. The Gothic-style Covenant First Presby-terian Church backs up to the Temple. Moorish- Byzantine Plum Street Temple is surrounded by Greek Revival, Gothic and Romanesque neighbors, and nowa-days a parking garage that I won’t dignify as having any particular style.
If all of this eye candy leaves you longing for a visit to one of Cincinnati’s Jewish deli’s, consider that the famous Manishewitz Jewish foods company was founded there as a small matzo bakery in 1888. Their original product, the square matzo, revo-lutionized matzo making. Before this game-changing culinary breakthrough, the process had been to hand roll and trim the bread of affliction’s edges. Another first!
Rabbi Isaac Mayer Wise who founded American Reform Judaism
Cincinatti, Ohio’s Plum Street Synagogue
2021 East 71st Street/Tulsa, OK • 918.495.1111
