Nov 2009 Newsletter Final Corrected Copy

8/9/2019 Nov 2009 Newsletter Final Corrected Copy

1/8

Home from Israel with Three Silver Medals Reprinted with permission from the Lehigh University Athletics publication.

www.etzchaimme.org

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York County Jewish Community News

Katherine Pierce will not soon forget the summer of 2009. A

risingsophomore on Lehigh Universitys cross country and track &field teams, and graduate of Congregation Etz Chaims HebrewSchool and Confirmation Class, Katherine traveled to Israel duringthe month of July to take part in the 18th Maccabiah Games. Over9,000 Jewish athletes from over 60 countries across the worldparticipated. As a member of the track and field team, Katherinewas able to explore the culture and beauty of Israel, learn about herheritage, and compete in the sports she loves.

Katherine had long known about the Maccabiah Games as herdad, Rob, competed three times in 1985, 1989 and 1993 as a trackathlete.After applying for a spot on the team, she found out duringthe winter months that she was headed for Israel. It was veryexciting to hear that I made it, Katherine explains. I had to raise$3,300, so I did some fundraising, sold raffle tickets, received helpfrom my synagogue and my family helped me out, too.

The whole experience was just amazing, she says. I washoping to run a little faster than I did, but given the toughconditions and the heat, overall I think I performed pretty well.Everything was so much more than what I had expected.

Katherine arrived in Israel inearly July as the track teamconducted a one-week trainingcamp to ready themselves for thegames. In addition to training,Pierce and her teammates wereafforded an opportunity to tour thecountry.

We went to a lot of great places.My favorite day was definitelywhen we went to the Dead Sea andMasada and then had a Bedouindinner. She continued, Westayed in Tel-Aviv during the pre-camp segment and then moved to

Jerusalem once the competitionstarted. Pierce was scheduled to competein two events while in Israel, butwound up racing in three includingthe 1,500 and 5,000-meters andthe half-marathon. The arts andsciences major raced her way to asecond place finish in the 5,000-meters as she crossed in 18:33.52to earn a silver medal. She backedthat up with a fifth place finish inthe 1,500-meters with a time of4:59.57.

After thinking her time on thetrack was over, Pierce wassurprised when the half-marathonteam approached her about avacancy.

The half-marathon was set upsimilar to cross country, but ratherthan seven runners, they have justfive who count towards the score.Unfortunately the United Statesteam had only three runners, so agirl from the track team and Idecided wed give it a shot.

It turned out to be a greatmove. Katherine completed thegrueling run in just under an hour-and-a-half, which earned her asecond silver medal individually.Coupled with the United Statesteam finish of second place, shebrought three medals back home.

The experience helped me interms of athletics because I knowthere will be incentive to continuecompeting once I have graduatedfrom Lehigh.

Outside of athletics, it helpedto confirm my Jewish identity. Iam proud to be a Jewish athlete.

It showed me how muchboth religion and athleticstruly mean to me.

Maccabi USA supports Jewish athleticendeavors, enhanced by cultural &educational activities in the United States, Israel and throughout the Diaspora. Theorganization is the official sponsor of theUnited States Team to the World Maccabiah Games, the Pan American

Maccab i Games& the Maccab i competitions in Europe and Australia, anda co-founder of the JCC Maccabi Gamesfor teens in North America.
http://www.etzchaimme.org/http://www.etzchaimme.org/http://www.etzchaimme.org/


2/8

Maine Jewish History Conference by Jennie Aranovitch

On Sunday, October 25, I, along with Beth Strassler, attended the Maine Jewish History Conferenceat Bates College in Lewiston. Organized by the Maine Jewish History Initiative and co-sponsored bythe Harward Center for Community Partnerships at Bates, the conference was held to educatehistory-minded members of Jewish communities throughout the state about recent or on-going MaineJewish history projects.

Susan Cummings-Lawrence spoke about the Maine Jewish History Initiative, of which she is thecoordinator. She is in the process of going Jewish community by Jewish community throughoutMaine, working diligently to record the whats and whereabouts of every historically significant object,so that a comprehensive listing of all of the states Jewish historical treasures and their locations canbe compiled. She is also conducting extensive research and interviews in order to create permanentrecords of each communitys history

The second speaker of the day, Harris Gleckman, spoke about the Documenting Old Maine Jewryproject, which he created and heads. A collaborative genealogy and history of Maines Jewishcommunities, the DOMJ project is an on-line reservoir of historical data pertaining to Maines Jewishpopulations.

Having been involved early on with the DOMJ project only peripherally (in contributing data fromBiddeford-Saco), I was astonished to discover the current scale of the project and its incrediblecomprehensiveness. Documenting the people, organizations, important places, oral histories, photosand documents, significant eras or events, and cemetery records of Maine Jewish communities,DOMJs website, www.MaineJews.org

, allows its users to navigate through a sea of information using

sophisticated software that can be utilized to discover the links between all aspects of Maine Jewryfrom where immigrants came from, who they were, what they did for a living, where they settled, whatorganizations they created, where they worshipped and where they are buried.

Gary Berenson, the Executive Director of the Tree of Life Foundation, talked about the creation ofthe Maine Museum of Jewish Art and History by Portlands Etz Chaim Synagogue. The goal of themuseum, housed in the synagogue itself, is to showcase the contributions and accomplishments of thefirst Jewish immigrants to Maine as well as to display current works by Maines Jewish artists.Everyone in attendance was given the opportunity to share information about his or her own MaineJewish history project. For example, one gentleman spoke about his Maines Jewish Heroes projecta quest to document all of Maines Jewish military members who were killed in the service of theUnited States. A woman, who is a member of the Levine family of Waterville, spoke about theextensive genealogical and historical research of her family that she and her sisters have conducted.

The conference also served as a platform for discussion about some of the moral dilemmas involved inendeavors to preserve Maines Jewish history. Mr. Minsky of Bangor brought one such issue to lightwhen he strongly decried any efforts to preserve local Jewish histories that entail housing those historiesanywhere outside of the community to which it belongs. Many attendees agreed with this point ofview, but the question arose:At what cost should we keep our historical artifacts local?What if we risklosing them over time because they are not stored properly?Would it not be better to have the artifactsproperly preserved, even if it means relocating them to a non-local facility?And what about efforts to collect the materials in the first place? Mr. Minsky asserted that locals aremuch less willing to loan or donate their artifacts to people from away. A Jewish man withgenerational roots in Rockland may not want to give away a prized possession to a Jewish historymuseum in Portland, for example; but if the same man in Rockland were approached by the daughterof his grandfathers childhood friend and asked to contribute materials to create a collection of Jewishmemorabilia from Rockland, the chances are much greater that he would be willing to help.

Having, myself, interviewed many of Biddeford-Saco-OOB Jews for Congregation Etz Chaims 100th

anniversary museum exhibit in 2006, I can attest that Mr. Minskys points are valid. Had I not been amember of one of Biddefords oldest Jewish families, I dont believe that I would have been entrusted (continued on next page...)
http://www.mainejews.org/http://www.mainejews.org/


3/8

The keynote speaker wasM i c h a e l H o b e r m a n , Associate Professor ofEnglish and Folklore atFitchburg State College,who read excerpts from hisbook, How Strange it Seems:The Cultural Life of Jews inSmall-Town New England(due to be released in2011). Attempting todiscern what is uniqueornot uniqueabout Jewishlife in areas of the NorthEast outside of what hedefines as urban centers,Hoberman interviewed

over 50 people from 6 NewEngland states and usedthose interviews as theb a s i s f o r t h e b o o k .I h a v e n t r e a d M r .Hobermans book aboutwhat makes small-townNew England Jews unique,but being a small-townNew England Jew, myself, I

think it has to do withfeeling an intense bond too n e s l o c a t i o n .Throughout history, thewandering Jew, mainlybecause of persecution,never stayed in one placefor very long. (As Tevyesays in Fiddler on the Roof,Maybe thats why we

always wear our hats.),and consequently, strongties to location (other thanbiblical ones) have neverbeen a big part of Jewishidentity. But in Maine,while we could and shouldwork together with ourfellow Jewish Mainersw h e n e v e r s u c h

collaboration is dictated bylogic, when it comes rightdown to emotions and oursentimental attachments toour familys heirlooms, aPortland Jew is a Portland Jew, a Waterville Jew is a Waterville Jew, a LewistonJew is a Lewiston Jew, anda Biddeford Jew is aBiddeford Jew. And in my view, thats the way itshould stay.

with nearly the number of precious heirlooms that people--mainlyeldershanded over to me. To them, I was Harrys great-granddaughter, Dr. Aarons grand-niece, Ivans granddaughter, Jennies namesake, or Leahs daughter. To those who had neverbefore met me, I was not a stranger asking to take their possessionsto a strange place. I was a Biddeford lantzman who, in most cases,

was bringing their belongings home.

I left the conference feeling very torn about the keeplocal history local vs.preserve history at allcos t s debate . Myexperience with collectingartifacts for the exhibit hadalso opened my eyes to thefact that there are treasure

troves of any local Jewishstory that are sitting inboxes in peoples storagerooms, basements, attics,e tc . where they aredisintegrating, growingbrittle, mildewing, fading,or simply waiting to bediscarded by mourningsurvivors when their owner

passes on.

I applaud the MaineJewish History Initiative for

taking a first step in the right direction of bridging the two sides ofthe preservation debate by documenting what is out there inpeoples homes and synagogues and making the location of thoseobjects accessible to people. A Portland Jew who is studying Baths Jewish history, for example, will be able to look up what materialsexist in Bath and whom to contact to view them.

The next step is to educate the local historians of all of Maines Jewish communities regarding proper preservation methods and togrant financial assistance to the communities to help ensure thatthese methods can be implemented locally. Is it the most cost-effective method? No. One centrally located facility to house theentire states collection would make more sense financially. But howrich would the collection really be? I know that I would never thinkof putting a single piece of my familys historic collection in an Augusta museum. I couldnt even sleep at night if it were housedtwenty minutes away in Portland.

A Jewish Immigrant Family in Biddeford

Hebrew University Summer

Ulpan Bet 4 Class includedstudents from: Korea, EastJerusalem, France,England, Germany, Russia,Colombia & Argentina, aswell as the USA. Two of

the students had recentlymade aliyah to Israel. Theclass met the Mt. Scopuscampus in Jerusalem.Recognize anyone?


4/8

Look at what I mde!

Sunday School is always ablast, and we have a newmember, Samuel Hammond(and is he adorable!).

We celebrated Shabbat inO c t o b e r b y d e c o r a t i n g Kippahs, making and braidingchallah, listening to Barbararead us a book, singing songsand playing games. The kidsbraided the challahs bythemselves, then we bakedthem so they were able to beeaten in time for snack.

We had seven kids this week.

They all get along nicely andare a great group to play withand learn together. We askedthem questions about Shabbat,and they knew the answers! We are meeting againon December 6th to learnabout Chanukah! Hope to seeyou there at 10:00 a.m.!

Sunday School Update

by Tara Levy

Its all about Family

and Jewish Holidays

at our monthly Sunday

School. Pictures from

September: Above,

top: Dave & Josiah

decorate the sukkah;

A b o v e , b e l o w :

Barbara, Denise &

Noah; Left: Sandra

with grandchildren;

Adrianne helps with

cutting;; Right: Jeff

Levy gives instructions

while Dave glues.


5/8

8 Weeks of Grammar

& a few other things

Beth St ras s l e r s tud iedHebrew in Jerusalem thissummer, living in studentdorms and eating hummusevery day. Her learningexperience was sponsored bya synagogue grant from the William and Mary OsherFoundation in Houston.

This is another milestone inBeths training to become acantor. What better place tolearn Hebrew than inJerusalem?

I heard incredible cantorialmusic, most notably at the

Great Synagogue, with bothsoloists & a thirty voicechoir, says Beth.

Picture right: Beth visits the Kotel.

Seeds Of Peace Continue --by Sarah RubinI have been blessed to be a part of the Seeds of

Peace organization for the past six years. Seeds of

Peace is a non-governmental, non-religious, non-

profit organization dedicated to helping to create a

lasting peace in the Middle East and South Asia.

The organization works within these regions to find

teenagers who have the potential to emerge as

future leaders and works to increase that potential.

Because of Seeds of Peace, my outlook on the

conflict in Israel and Palestine has been molded by

young people from that region. I have had the

unique opportunity to hear the most passionate of

arguments from teenagers and my peers who come

from every segment of the population of peopleattempting to survive through this war.

As we enter into what some see as a new era in

Middle East Peace talks (and what many others see

as a new era in the breakdown of Palestinian/Israeli

negotiations), it is vitally important to keep certain

things in mind:

First: This conflict was not created in a day and

will not be over any more quickly. It's easy to losetouch with the reality that both sides have been

perpetuating this conflict for the past 60 years and

until both sides stop antagonizing the other, peace

will be near to impossible.

Secondly As American Jews, it's important that

we keep in mind that there are two sides to this

conflict. I am not preaching that anyone should

take sides with someone they do not agree with,

but, as we are influencers of American national

policy toward Israel, we must be open to listeningto the stories of the victims on both sides of the

conflict or peace will be impossible.

Lastly: I have learned from the kids from this

region that there are no easy answers to this war

and that both sides have very good reasons for

perpetuating the conflict. Most importantly, I

have learned that at the end of the day, people on

both sides of this conflict want the same thing.

They want to live their lives. They want to raise

their families in a safe place without the threat of

war and violence. They want to go to a local

coffee shop and hang out with their friends

without being scared of bombers or tanks. They

want to live normal lives and they hope their

future will be filled with the same prosperity that

people in peaceful countries are promised.

Unfortunately, after listening to ten seconds of

Anderson Cooper or any other 24 hour news cycle,

it's easy to forget that the majority of the over 11

million people living in Palestine and Israel want

peace and are more than willing to give things up to

make peace possible. Muslim and Christian

Palestinians (those living inside of Israel and out),

Jewish Israelis, Druze Israelis, and all of the other

sides in this conflict have a very real economic,

social, and a basic human interest in creating a

lasting peace in the region. We must keep in mind

that extremists on both sides are often the ones

responsible for perpetuating this conflict, not the

average citizen.

The Middle East conflict is not simple and it is not

easily solved. The kids that I have worked with

have taught me that you can listen to every

argument either side has to offer, over and over

again, and still be left without any answers as to

who should win or who gets what. The facts that

this conflict is ingrained in several generations and

that people abroad have influence over but not

always the facts about the conflict is problematic

for the peace process. However, after spending

countless hours with teenagers, from Jenin,

Ashkalon, Gaza City, Haifa, and everywhere in

between, I believe that the desire of people to live

normal lives will help keep the hope of a peaceful

end to the conflict alive throughout the world.


6/8

Beths Postcards from Jerusalem

York County Jewish

Community Newsis published three or four timesa year. It announces & reports Jewish community events inYork County, especially atCongregation Etz Chaim inBiddeford. It offers localperspectives on historical &modern aspects of Jewish life.

Beth Strassler, Editor

[email protected]

Board of Directors

at Congregation Etz Chaim

Jennie AranovitchStanley Karlin

Marc FeldmanAlan Fink

Maureen KingCynthia Kurtz

Jon NathansonSue & Michael Rubin

Arnold & Barbara ShapiroJack Schraeter

Beth & David Strassler

1. Get green bag(s) with our bar codea. from the synagogue when you come to an event

b. from the synagogue Thurs 4 to 6 pmc. OR Call David 967-5833

2. Fill with redeemable cans/bottles.

3. Drop green bag(s) ata. any Hannaford CLYNK areab. OR at synagogue when open.

No Counting---No Waiting---No Hassle

for our Teen Trip

Congregation Etz Chaim ispartnering with the Harold

Grinspoon Foundation tobring the PJ Library to theJewish families in YorkCounty.

Each family will receive abook a month by mail toshare with their child(ren)for a nominal fee.

If you have a child bet weenthe ages of 6 months and 8years, you may sign up by

callingDavidStrassler at967-5833.

Spread theword !
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]


7/8

Why did you decide to write Saving Sammy?I didnt want any other family or child to go through this. When we were waiting for the strep diagnosis,I made a promise to G-d that I would not stop with just making sure that Sammy got better. At the time Ididnt know what I would do to keep the promise. Obviously the book is part of fulfilling my promise.

What message are you trying to convey?

Anytime OCD is present, you must consider the possibility of strep; not every OCD patient will havestrep but it must be checked. At every reading, I make sure I tell people there are as many children withOCD as with diabetes. And I tell parents to trust their gut and go for it.

Who is your audience? Why would the synagogue newsletter readers be interested in

reading your book?

Many readers have said its a journey any parent can identify with whether or not they have a child withthese issues. Its a story about determination and persistencewe had to try four different antibioticsbefore we found the one that worked. Its about believing in yourself and your child.

What are some of the challenges youve run into now that the book is published?

Its been hard finding enough time to publicize book and earn a living!Some people are not receptive to a possible connection between mental illness and infections. Thediffering attitudes about possible treatments create more tension when life is already tense.

What is one of the most surprising things you learned during the process of writing and

publishing the book?

People can get mad at you for writing a book; some parents and doctors dont agree on PANDAStreatments and can be quite vocal in their disagreements.

What are some of the outcomes of writing the book? Any new insights or projects?

A few parents have formed the PANDAS Foundation, devoted to support, advocacy, research andeducation about PANDAS. The first program is the Got Strep? campaign (know the signs). Im thenational spokesperson for the PANDAS Foundation. Im visiting bookstores and libraries for readings.Saving Sammy is a finalist in Books for a Better Life competition; see the sitehttp://www.nationalmssociety.org/chapters/NYN/fundraising/books-for-a-better-life/index.aspx .

Ive accepted an invitation to speak at Autism Ones international conference in Chicago in May.

Where do you see yourself and the PANDAS organization in 5 years?

There will not be a single child diagnosed with OCD who has not been tested for strep. (Continued on the next page...)

Interview with a Local Author by Maureen King

Saving Sammy: Curing the Boy who Caught OCD by Beth Alison Maloney 2009, Crown Publishers of Random HouseJust after Sammys twelfth birthday, he began exhibiting odd behaviors. Within a short time,

Sammy was diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and Tourettes syndrome. Bethintroduces the reader to Sammy with her letter to Dr. Geller describing sixteen months of compulsions,tics, avoidances, food and clothing preferences, and hygiene habits. And then she takes her readersthrough Sammys ordeal from the onset of his symptoms to his successful treatment. A number ofdoctors and several failed treatment regimens precede a diagnosis of Pediatric AutoimmuneNeuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal Infections (PANDAS). Yet even the diagnosisdoesnt yield immediate relief as all doctors agree that PANDAS exists! I can guarantee that you wontbe able to put this book down!

Full discluosure from Maureen:

Beth Alison Maloney is a member of Congregation EtzChaim. I have known Beth for more than a dozen years.Our sons were first graders together and I was theHebrew School carpool mom for her youngest son. I read

many iterations ofSaving Sammy as Beth was working on it;Im in the book on page 26. Beth and I talk daily. Iinterviewed Beth near the end of October, about a monthafter the book was published.Beth Alison Mahoney
http://www.nationalmssociety.org/chapters/NYN/fundraising/books-for-a-better-life/index.aspxhttp://www.nationalmssociety.org/chapters/NYN/fundraising/books-for-a-better-life/index.aspxhttp://www.nationalmssociety.org/chapters/NYN/fundraising/books-for-a-better-life/index.aspx


8/8

Are you doing any readings or talks in the area? When and where?Were working on a date for a reading at Congregation Etz Chaim. Ill be at Kennebooks inLower Village, Kennebunk on Nov. 21 at 1 PM, for a book reading and signing. On December 8at 7 PM, Ill be at the York Library in York, Maine.

Where can people learn more? What else can readers do to help?

The website www.savingsammy.net has updated information about my talks and I haveFacebook pages for Beth Alison Maloney and Saving Sammy. There are links on those threesites to several televised interviews about Saving Sammy and PANDAS. The PANDASFoundation also has a new website, www.pandasfoundation.org.

Read the bookjoin the PANDAS Foundationtell your friends!

From the book cover: Saving Sammy is the inspiring story of how Maloney discovered the real causeof her sons mental illnessthe common strep bacteriaand her battle to find the right treatment forhim. Its the empowering memoir of a gutsy mom who fought for her sons life and who wont rest

until she has helped save others.

November21: Shabbat Service: 9:30 am

December5 & 19: Shabbat Service: 9:30 am6: Sunday School: Chanukah: 10 am11: First Night of Chanukah18: Last Night of Chanukah20: York County Hanukah Party & Potluck: 5 - 8:30 pm with the Casco Bay Tummlers

January2 & 16: Shabbat Service: 9:30 am24: Sunday School: Tu bShevat: 10 am29: Tu bShevat Potluck/Seder: 6 pm

February6 & 20: Shabbat Service: 9:30 am26: Purim Potluck & Party: 6 pm

28: Sunday School: Purim: 10 am

March6 & 20: Shabbat Service: 9:30 amTBA: Kosher Wine Tasting18: HS Model Seder: 3:45 pm20-25: ME Jewish Film Festival at Nickelodean Theater, Portland21: Sunday School: Passover: 10 am

Monday, 29: First Seder for PassoverTuesday, 30: Second Seder Night

Bnai Mitzvot: Spring 2010

April 10: Hattie Simon

May 1: Marcus Goldberg

May 8: Matthew Sherman

June 12: Thea Holman

Contact Information

Hebrew School & Shabbat Services:David & Beth Strassler: 967-5833

Sunday School: Levy Family: 284-9002

Potlucks: Linda [email protected]

Library Donations: Beth: 967-5833

Membership: [email protected]

Synagogue Phone: 284-5771(outgoing informational message only)

We Need Your Help

Yes, we have been hit hard by thepresent day economics. The Board ofDirectors is working diligently to slash the

budget, & keep our doors open.However, there is little fat to cut.

If you are not a member but supportwhat we do, it is time for you to become amember. Please join today.

If you are a member--Thank you!Please be as generous as you are able withyour year end donation.

Congregation Etz Chaim

P.O. Box 905Kennebunk, ME 04043

York County JewishCommunity Calendar
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]://www.pandasfoundation.org/http://www.pandasfoundation.org/http://www.savingsammy.net/http://www.savingsammy.net/

Nov 2009 Newsletter Final Corrected Copy

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