Shevat / Adar I 5779February 2019

2 0 1 9 C A M P A I G N K I C K O F F

M E E T T H E A U T H O R P . 5

Saturday, February 23, 20198:00 am–3:00 pmHolland Hall Primary School Gym (5666 East 81st Street, Tulsa, OK 74137)

Open to the Public • Tickets $1, 18 and Under Free • No RSVP Required

For the past 59 years, Holland Hall has hosted the state’s largest used book sale. This traditional annual community event is open to the public, providing access to discount-priced, gently-used, quality adult and children’s books, toys, games, movies, music, educational resources, and more. Learn more at www.hollandhall.org/bookfair.

(918) 481-1111 • hollandhall.org

Join us for the 59th Annual Holland Hall Book Fair!

Tulsa’s PreK through Grade 12 Independent Episcopal School

CONTENTS february 2019shevat / adar i 5779

volume 90 • number 2

4 Letter from the Editor 5 2019 Campaign Kickoff: Meet Our Guest Speaker 6 The Adventures of Flat Mensch 7 Faces of Jewish Tulsa 8 Butterflies 8 The History of the Tulsa Jewish Retirement and Health Care Center by Phil Goldfarb

10 Why Holocaust Analogies Are Dangerous 11 As Numerous as the Stars by Cantor Laurie Weinstein

12 February Community Events 16 Tu B’Shvat 101  by Lillian Hellman

17 Kol Ha Kavod 18 Zarrow Pointe News & Views by Randy Cogburn

14 17

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JEWISHTULSA.ORG 3

Founded in 1930 by Tulsa Section,

National Council of Jewish Women

(ISSN# 2154-0209)

Tulsa Jewish Review

(USPS 016-928) is published monthly by

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2021 E. 71st St., Tulsa, OK 74136.

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PRESIDENT, JEWISH FEDERATION OF TULSA

Larry Feldman

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Tulsa Jewish Review, 2021 E. 71st St., Tulsa, OK 74136

Letter from the Editor

“The only thing that is going to save mankind is if enough people live their lives for something or someone other than themselves.”

-Leon Uris

This powerful quote is reflected in a wonderful column in this month’s issue by Randy Cogburn. Many of us may have made, and by now forgotten, the traditional new year’s resolutions. Find out a way to keep them by choosing a goal focused on something other than ourselves.

Our special campaign opening guest speaker, this month’s cover story, has made such a focus the center of his life. We hope you will read on to learn more about philanthropist Greg Forbes Siegman, and then be sure to join us on Feb.16! There is no cost to attend the talk or reception catered by Chef Tuck Curren of Biga. Help us launch, as a community, this year’s Tulsa Jewish United Fund Campaign—It All Starts With You.

To find a model of the true spirit of volunteerism, we can also turn to our own Jewish community. This month we offer a profile of a fellow Tulsan, setting the standard for community involvement, rolling up one’s sleeves and pitching in.

The impact of these polarizing political times can make finding inspiration for this positive spirit a challenge. How can we reflect on today’s headlines from a Jewish perspective? And, a word of caution on drawing parallels to the darkest time in our own history.

We hope you enjoy and feel inspired by this issue. Remember, on days that feel so gray, with the celebration of Tu B’Shvat, the magic and renewal of spring is right around the corner…

–Heather

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JEWISHTULSA.ORG 5

2019 Campaign Kickoff:

Meet Our Guest Speaker

On february 16, the Jewish Federation of Tulsa will proudly host the opening event for the 2019 Tulsa Jewish United Fund,

our Annual Campaign. Greg Forbes Siegman will be the guest speaker. A former educator, Greg has lectured and/or served as Scholar-in-Residence for different schools and programs. For his civic and philanthropic efforts, he has received honors such as the Jefferson Award for Public Service. He has been featured in national media, including The Washington Post. His efforts to make a difference and the grandparent who mentored him along the way serve as the basis for the book, The Silhouette Man (and its condensed edition for students, The First Thirty). In advance of our event, Greg answered some questions compiled by Zane Braslawsce, a recent college graduate who read The First Thirty while he was part of a program for young Jewish leaders. We hope you enjoy getting to know our guest speaker through this Q&A, and we hope you’ll join us in February.

Q&A Greg Forbes Siegman

Your grandmother was your best friend and mentor. How did you two typically spend your time together? We’d mostly sit and talk, usually in her apartment. She’d share her thoughts and advice with me. She’d also let me ask questions about whatever was on my mind. We’d joke around, too. I’d try to convince her to admit I was her favorite grandkid. She never would. And there was always food. Usually a cheese sandwich or matzo ball soup. When I visited, I had to eat something. That was the rule.

You spend a lot of time volunteering at a shelter. What do you enjoy about it? I love spending time with the dogs. The other volunteers are really nice and have become good friends. We volunteer in groups, and it involves lots of collaboration. I like having the chance to be part of a team. I appreciate the humbling nature of it. The dogs don’t care what’s on your resume. And nobody is exempt from cleaning up after them. I admire the people in charge. They are great at what they do. I learn a lot from watching how they lead us. And did I mention, I love the dogs?

The invitations you’ve received to speak at different events have given you a chance to visit many places—from the Deep South to South Africa. What have you learned from all that travel? I’ve learned I love the process of traveling. After all these years, I still get the same ‘I’m-about-to-go-on-an adventure’ feeling when I step into airports or train stations. I’ve learned there is no substitute for showing up, experiencing a place and forming our own opinions. I’ve learned that most people—no matter when they were born, where they live or what they do for a living—have at least a few things in common. Above all else, I'd say I've learned I still have a lot to learn; about farms and business and music and a hundred other things. Every place I’ve gone, I’ve met people who know things I don’t know.

The stories you tell frequently focus on how your life has been touched by people who tend to get overlooked in the rush of our daily lives. Why do you find so much meaning in those encounters?With all the tragedies and conflicts in the news—every day, it seems like there’s another one—the natural instinct can be to stick with the comfort and certainty of who and what we already know. Phones make that even easier. We can scroll through social media posts from friends and never look up and acknowledge, let alone get to know, the person standing next to us in the elevator or the cashier ringing up our groceries. On the other hand, because that is so common now, it can have a real impact on someone when we don’t treat them as invisible in those brief moments. And over and over again, I’ve found that if we make that small effort, we can meet some really good people.

To get copies of The Silhouette Man or The First Thirty, use the link www.gregforbes.com/store before February 10th—and—10% of your purchase will benefit our organization. The books can be signed to the person of your choice. You’ll get an email after you order asking you to confirm the names and your affiliation with Jewish Federation of Tulsa. To RSVP for Feb.16, contact the Federation by Feb. 13 at 918.495.1100 or rsvp@jewishtulsa.org. Greg’s talk is followed by a reception catered by Chef Tuck Curren of Biga. Join us! ■

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The Adventures of Flat Mensch

In the december issue, we introduced a new friend on the back cover, Flat Mensch! Reminiscent of grade-school favorite Flat Stanley, we invited readers to cut him out and hit the town, chronicling his adventures along the way. Here are a few of our favorite submissions, with thanks to contributors Sabrina Darby and Havi Lewin.

Here is Flat Mensch meeting actor Brandon Routh at Tulsa Pop Culture Expo 2018 at the Renaissance Hotel. Brandon is best known

for playing Superman in the 2006 film Superman Returns as well as Eay Palmer, a

reoccurring character on Arrow and Legends of Tomorrow on the CW.

We even saw Flat Mensch catching a flight!

Here’s a photo of Flat Mensch at Tulsa Pop Culture Expo 2018. He’s posing in front of a wood plaque from the company

Deep Dungeon Games, one of the vendors at the expo. They are located in Texas and sell a variety of dungeon and gaming

related items. deepdungeongames.com

JEWISHTULSA.ORG 7

Faces of Jewish Tulsaby Larry Feldman, JFT President

After having the oppor-tunity to view L’Dor V’Dor, Generation to Generation, a film made here in Tulsa about

the city’s Jewish roots, Mark Lobo came to mind. He is a man with solid lifetime roots in Tulsa, but was raised by first gen-eration immigrants. His father is from Mexico and his Jewish mother is Eastern European.

Looking at the long list of Mark’s accomplishments doesn’t really do him justice. At his core, he values kindness and validates that by saying, “I prefer to give people the benefit of the doubt.” Anyone that meets and gets to know Mark always leaves with the knowledge that he is not only brilliant, but a caring individual. In addition to Mark’s ability to connect on an interpersonal level, he is a cham-pionship sailor that races a Catalina 22 sailboat throughout the USA. He is also an inventor, and a mechanical engineer that currently is engaged professionally

in a start-up called VSI, which is bringing his own oil and gas invention of a novel type of severe service valve to market. He has already had sales to Baker Hughes and Schlumberger and is looking forward to substantial growth in 2019.

In and around Tulsa and our Jewish community, Mark has volunteered in everything that comes his way and needs doing. Outside of our local Jewish community, he is Treasurer of the Okla-homa Israel Exchange, Co-Chair of OCCJ’s Jewish-Christian-Muslim Tria-logue Study Group, and is on the Tulsa Global Alliance Tiberias Committee.

In addition, he has been a Facilities Committee chairperson at the Jewish Federation for many years, a docent at The Sherwin Miller Museum of Jewish Art, and is a Trustee and Treasurer at Temple Israel. These are just a few places where Mark is involved. The list seems to be truly endless. Sometimes you can even see Mark running a service at Temple Israel.

Mark says about his childhood, “I grew up less than four blocks away from Temple Israel and was in the First Grade Class at

Temple Israel’s current location.” He made it through to Confirmation following the example of his brother Robert, who had blazed an angst-ridden trail through the social structure of Tulsa’s Jewish youth 3-years earlier. Mark and classmate John Sieler became lifelong friends through Temple Israel by some quirk of fate. That friendship from Sunday School provided Mark the great blessing of being selected as godfather to John’s daughter Hannah.

Mark has been married to Nancy Lobo for 36 years. Nancy is an active and vital part of our community as well, embracing the Jewish community and the need for volunteerism,  and is a strong partner, supporter and friend to Mark.

When asked what challenges and problems he sees for the Tulsa Jewish community he talks about, “diminishing volunteerism and the need to make things attractive for the future.”

Mark clearly satisfies his need for a community through volunteerism. In his view, he has built a family through volun-teerism and believes, “Heaven is what you leave behind on earth when you die.” Mark is a man with an enormous heart and the conviction to make our community strong. He is genuinely a model for future generations and clearly fits into the L’Dor V’Dor experience in Tulsa. ■

Mark and Nancy Lobo on the water.

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The History of the Tulsa

Jewish Retirement

and Health Care

Centerby Phil Goldfarb

In the late 1970’s, two of Tulsa’s long time, prominent, Jewish physicians, Dr. E.N. (Manny) Lubin (1918-1996) and his good friend, Dr. Earl I.

Mulmed (1915-1996) had a vision. Their vision was for the Jewish residents of the Tulsa area to live out their lives and be cared for in a Jewish environment.

In August, 1979, Drs. Lubin and Mulmed asked the Jewish Federation of Tulsa under the leadership of Executive Director Nathan Loshak and President Jenny Brouse, to form a Senior Adult Study Committee and to send out a survey to the senior (over age 65) target group asking questions on the feasibility of such an endeavor. There was an over-whelming positive response from the 350 individuals who were sent the attitudinal

questionnaire. In April,1981, the Tulsa Jewish Federation Board approved the recommendation that the commu-nity undertake the construction of fifty apartment units for its senior citizens. In October, 1981, a Residential Facility Committee was appointed and met. At the initial meeting, Henry and Anne Zarrow and Jack and Maxine Zarrow informed the committee that they were prepared to make a significant monetary gift for the purpose of constructing a senior adult residential facility and nursing home, contingent upon their gift being matched by the community at large. The extraor-dinary generosity of the Zarrow family enabled the project to commence. A Fund-Raising Committee was formed headed by Bob Zeligson and Mike Robinowitz.

Federation Presi-dent Curtis Green a p p o i n t e d t h e building committee headed by Dr. Lubin and Milton Wolff as Co-Chairmen. The HTB Architectural firm and the Thomas Construction Company were chosen to design and construct the facility and the ground-breaking took place on November 11, 1984 with dignitaries such as former Governor and Senator Henry Bellman and Tulsa Mayor Terry Young in attendance.

The Tulsa Jewish Community Retire-ment and Health Care Center became incorporated in 1984. A Board of Direc-tors was established with Dr. Manny Lubin as its first president from 1984–1986. Others on the initial board included Dan Schusterman, Milton Wolff, David Bernstein, Bob Zeligson, Irvin Frank, Ed Cohen and Curtis Green.

While the Kaiser Health Care Center (nursing home) and Zarrow Manor (apartments) were being built, the Board of Directors hired Seth Levy in 1985 to become the first TJRHCC Administrator. At the time, Levy was the administrator of the Rose Blumkin Jewish Nursing Home in Omaha, Nebraska. The second TJRHCC Board President during the crit-ical early years when both entities opened was Dan Schusterman (1986–1988).

On April 9, 1986, the Tulsa Jewish Community Retirement and Health Care Center, Inc. welcomed its first three resi-dents to the Kaiser Health Care Center. They were Patsy Mark, Bess Fell Green and Esther Prussack. Elyse Kester, RN became the first Director of Nursing. At the time, the nursing home was small with only a 40-bed capacity. This was the minimum number of beds required for the Okla-homa Health Planning Commission. In addition, 71st and Lewis was considered

“too far away” to be convenient and at first, 20 of the rooms were used for storage.

Luckily, TJRHCC was one of the few nursing homes at the time in Tulsa to offer a locked facility, as well as spacious indoor areas where residents could roam freely, yet still be safe under watchful eyes. They were able to admit patients waiting to get into other facilities, many of whom had a diag-nosis of dementia or Alzheimer’s. Over the years, its reputation grew, and the Kaiser

Health Care Center became synony-mous with “great nursing care in a safe environment” and 18 more beds had to be added. In the fall of 2011, the Kaiser Health Center became a licensed skilled nursing center able to care for both Medi-care and Medicaid residents. The current capacity of 58 rooms now has a waiting list.

In May, 1986, one month after Kaiser Health Center opened, Zarrow Manor opened its doors offering 62 apartments. The first resident was Temple member and community volunteer Natalie Gennis. At the time, seniors in the Jewish Commu-nity wanted to stay in their homes as long as possible, so move-ins to Zarrow Manor were very slow. When amenities such as concierge services, transportation to physician offices, on-campus beauty/barber shop, along with many activity programs were added, word spread, and the apartment population grew. Some of the early residents included Pearl Gordon, Dora Roberts, Sarah Schusterman, Minnie Green, Eunice Frank and Betty Newman. The official dedication was on November 2, 1986, a milestone in the history of the

Some of the early residents included Pearl Gordon, Dora

Roberts, Sarah Schusterman, Minnie Green,

Eunice Frank and Betty Newman.

Butterflies Honoring Donors to the Zarrow Pointe

FROMRae AnnisLisa BravermanCarmen FeinsteinJulie FrankJoan GreenFrieda GrossbardCarol MillerLinda SacolIsabel, Janie,

& Mike SanditenJoseph SecanIrene SilbergMarilyn SmithBarbara & Dave SylvanGloria & Mark TomerSophie, Phoebe and

Steve Unterman & Ellen Murphy

JEWISHTULSA.ORG 9

Jewish community of Tulsa. Zarrow Manor now offers 65 one-and two-bedroom apartments and always has a waiting list.

On April 1, 1991, Dr. Mulmed retired from his practice in Internal Medicine and became the first Medical Director of the TJRHCC. He held that position until mid-1995 when he was followed by Dr.

Jan Finer. In 1994, Earnest Gershone came from Minnesota to become the Executive Director followed in September 1999 with Jim Jakubovitz who moved from Bradenton, Florida to pick up the helm as Chief Executive Officer.

The need to build larger residences was realized in 2006 when The Villas opened with 38 homes in a beautifully landscaped, gated community. Residents have the advantage of the same services and amenities as those from Kaiser Health Center and Zarrow Manor.

In 2008, going back to the roots and vision of Dr. Lubin and Dr. Mulmed, a small space was given to the University of Oklahoma Clinic at the Kaiser Health Center. After a while it was quite evident that having a physician on campus was in the best interest of the residents. Currently, the clinic is shared by two entities that alternate service days. The O.U. Clinic is headed by Dr. John Carment and the Geriatric Center of Tulsa by Dr. Chandini Sharma. Both physicians serve patients living on campus as well as those from the Tulsa area at large.

Hospice care is designed to give supportive care to people in the final phase of a terminal illness and focus on comfort and quality of life. One of our most observant Jews from the Tulsa community was receiving hospice care from a local provider. At the time, one of the very young, kind and well-intentioned caregivers in the company proceeded to

attempt to “save” the elderly Jewish woman before she died. This was the catalyst that caused the TJRHCC in 2008 to start the Miller Hospice which initially had their office within the Kaiser Health Center. It has now expanded and has moved off campus to a close location at 6950 S. Utica Avenue.

In October of 2016, after giving a face lift to the entire facility, a new name was selected-Zarrow Pointe, to honor one of the campus’s biggest benefactors, the Zarrow Families. A new mission statement was also introduced: “Provide vibrant and inclusive living, learning and care throughout the progression of life.”

The legacy of Dr. Manny Lubin and Dr. Earl Mulmed will live on with the outstanding, continuing care provided on the campus to the Tulsa Jewish Community.

Special thanks to Pam Waddell, Shirley & Norman Levin, David Bernstein and Debbie O’Hearn for their assistance with this story.

Phil Goldfarb is the President of the Jewish Genealogical Society of Tulsa and can be e-mailed at: phil.goldfarb@cox.net. ■

The need to build larger residences was realized in 2006 when The Villas opened with 38 homes in a beautifully landscaped, gated community. Residents have the advantage of

the same services and amenities as those from Kaiser Health Center and Zarrow Manor.

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Why Holocaust Analogies Are Dangerous

by Jesse Ulrich, Director of Jewish Learning and Engagement

Reprinted from US Holocaust Museum’s Medium Blog

Many fascinating arti-cles, stories and blog posts get sent my way every week. Sometimes, some of them

are so important, I feel I should share them.

**********************Nazis seem to be everywhere these days.

I don’t mean self-proclaimed neo-Nazis. I’m talking about folks being labeled as Nazis, Hitler, Gestapo, Goering — take your pick — by their political opponents. American politicians from across the ideo-logical spectrum, influential media figures, and ordinary people on social media casu-ally use Holocaust terminology to bash anyone or any policy with which they disagree. The takedown is so common that it’s even earned its own term, reductio ad Hitlerum.

This trend is far from new, but it is escalating at a disturbing rate in increas-ingly polarized times. The Holocaust has become shorthand for good vs. evil; it is the epithet to end all epithets. And the current environment of rapid-fire online communication and viral memes lends

itself particularly well to this sort of sloppy analogizing. Worse, it allows it to spread more widely and quickly.

This oversimplified approach to complex history is dangerous. When conducted with integrity and rigor, the study of history raises more questions than answers. And as the most extensively documented crime the world has ever seen, the Holocaust offers an unmatched case study in how societies fall apart, in the immutability of human nature, in the dangers of unchecked state power. It is more than European or Jewish history. It is human history. Almost 40 years ago, the United States Congress chartered a Holo-caust memorial on the National Mall for precisely this reason: The questions raised by the Holocaust transcend all divides.

Neither the political right nor left has a monopoly on exploiting the six million Jews murdered in a state-spon-sored, systematic campaign of genocide to demonize or intimidate their political opponents. Recently, some conservative media figures explicitly likened Park-land, Florida, students advocating for tightened gun control to Hitler Youth, operating in the service of a shadowy authoritarian conspiracy. This allega-tion included splicing images of these students onto historical film footage of Nazi rallies, reflecting the ease with which many Americans associate the sound of German shouting with a threat to personal

liberties. A state representative in Minne-sota joined the online bandwagon in these accusations.

Perhaps most popular this year have been accusations of “Nazism” and

“fascism” against federal authorities for their treatment of children separated from their parents at the US border with Mexico. “Remember, other governments put kids in camps,” is a typical rallying cry from some immigration advocates. Even a person as well versed in the tenuous balance between national security and compassion as the former head of the CIA took to Twitter to criticize federal policies toward illegal migrants using a black and white photo of the iconic train tracks leading to the Auschwitz-Birkenau killing center. Nazi comparisons have also been leveled against the federal govern-ment in connection with a travel ban on individuals from predominantly Muslim countries. Animal rights proponents have consistently decried what they call “the Holocaust on your plate” in critiquing today’s meat industry. The list goes on.

It is all too easy to forget that there are many people still alive for whom the Holocaust is not “history,” but their life story and that of their families. These are not abstract tragedies on call to win an argument or an election. They carry the painful memories of the brutal murder of a cherished baby boy, the rape of a beloved sister, the parents arrested and never seen again.

As the Holocaust recedes in time, some Americans (and Europeans) are becoming increasingly casual and disrespectful to the mass murder of millions. More dangerous, today the internet disseminates insensitive or hateful remarks with unprecedented

Saluting Germans greet Adolf Hitler during his visit to Danzig, September 1939. (Photo courtesy

of National Archives and Records Administration)

JEWISHTULSA.ORG 11

ease and influence. Online discussions tend to encourage extreme opinions; they allow people to live in echo cham-bers of their own ideologies and peers. Weimar Germany — the period between the First World War and the Nazi rise to power — is an exemplar of the threats that emerge when the political center fails to hold, when social trust is allowed to erode and the fissures exploited.

Quality Holocaust education may have the potential to bridge some of the divides our nation is experiencing. It enables people to pause. To step away from the problems and debates of the present. To be challenged by this catastrophic event of the past. That is what good history education does. It doesn’t preach. It teaches. It engages at a personal level. It promotes self-reflection and critical thinking about the world and one’s own roles and responsibilities. That engagement is lost when we resort to grossly simplified Holocaust analogies. And it demeans the memory of the dead.

Writing in 1953, the British novelist L. P. Hartley said “The past is a foreign country; they do things differently there.” Comparing and categorizing are natural human impulses. We all use categories and analogies to navi-gate through life. But the nature of Nazi crimes demands that we study the evidence, alert ourselves to warning signs, wrestle with the world’s moral failure. When we reduce it to a flattened morality tale, we forfeit the chance to learn from its horrific specificity. We lose sight of the ordinary human choices that made genocide possible.

Careless Holocaust analogies may demonize, demean, and intimidate their targets. But there is a cost for all of us because they distract from the real issues challenging our society, because they shut down productive, thoughtful discourse. At a time when our country needs dialogue more than ever, it is especially dangerous to exploit the memory of the Holocaust as a rhetor-ical cudgel. We owe the survivors more than that. And we owe ourselves more than that.

Edna Friedberg, PhD, is a histo-rian in the Museum’s William Levine Family Institute for Holocaust Education. Original text at https://medium.com/@HolocaustMuseum/why-holocaust-anal-ogies-are-dangerous-4cc55ac575d8

As Numerous as the Starsby Cantor Laurie Weinstein

“The strangers who sojourn with you shall be to you as the natives among you, and you shall love them as yourself; for you were strangers in the land of Egypt”

Exodus 19:33-34

While immigration is once again a “hot button” issue in the 21st Century, immigration has been

part of the U.S.’s historical landscape since the English arrived in 1607 and first es-tablished a settlement at Jamestown in the Virginia Colony. Since the 1600s, the U.S. has seen a fair number of immigrants-

-free, indentured, and enslaved--arrive in this burgeoning country. Yet by the 19th Century, immigrants, fleeing from North-ern and Western Europe to the Eastern Coast of the U.S. and Asian immigrants to the West Coast arrived en masse. This continued until federal legislation began to restrict the influx of immigrants with the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 and the Johnson Act of 1925. While federal legislation and federal ports of entry took an important role in limiting the sheer numbers of people arriving, some US citizens also took to generating fear and anti-immigrant sentiment. The Immigra-tion and Nationality Act of 1965 shaped our immigration landscape and fostered sponsorship of new immigrants. Even with this legislative change, today we are still facing difficult issues surrounding the immigrant and our U.S. borders.

History intrigues me. More specifically, how historical events evolve and shape who we are today. While retrospection often makes clear the murky and tenuous situations of the past, retrospection also empowers us to learn, grow, and affect change, personally and communally. One caveat, we must allow ourselves to be open, to see the murky past, and be willing to change ourselves. So, how does this transi-tion happen?

Ron Wolfson’s book, Relational Judaism, speaks about a process that compels the reader to engage with others. His process is simple. We share our stories, our life’s narratives. Through listening, sharing,

doing, and trusting, we humanize the others in our world; their journey becomes our shared journey. The process reminds us that we are human, created divinely; more so, we see the divine in the other, the stranger. The progression encourages us to feel valued and safe. If sharing our stories with each other affords great opportunity for compassion and growth, then sharing also helps to forge relationships to build community. When we begin to reveal ourselves to one another, we realize that our life’s narratives contain similar themes of struggle, loss, and fear, but also courage, revelation, hope, and trust.

The scope of the American Jewish Experience, while varied and vast, lends itself to these themes. As Numerous as the Stars: Our Stories Across Generations provides one such narrative. On Sunday, February 17, 2019, the Jewish and greater Tulsa community is invited to share the American Jewish Experience through a concert at Temple Israel beginning at 7:00pm. This concert tells the story of a Jewish family through five generations and includes storytelling, pictures, and popular music. The music recalls Yiddish Theater and Broadway; features Singer Songwriters of the ‘70s and even Blue-grass infused modern song of the 21st Century. The story and music synthesize this family’s narrative of courage, revela-tion, hope, and trust.

As Numerous as the Stars is made possible by the Marcia Jankowsky Memo-rial Concert Fund. Temple Israel is grateful to Mr. Jan Jankowsky, who has honored his wife with this perpetual memorial to Marcia. The concert will feature Temple Israel’s Cantor Laurie Weinstein and Cantorial Soloist Jenny Labow, joined by the remarkable Rebecca Ungerman. Other local musicians, including Temple Israel’s Eliot Glaser, and local actors round out this multi-media event. This concert will be open to the greater public and is free, so invite your family and friends to attend. As we share our stories with one another, we can create stronger communities and welcome the stranger within our midst, while taking a journey through music written by Jews for everyone. Please save the date and join us for a magical evening of story and song. ■

FEBRUARY COMMUNITY EVENTS

Jewish Federation of TulsaMen’s Club • Wed., Feb. 13 • Noon • A delicious lunch will be followed by our speaker, Rabbi Michael Weinstein, Temple Israel. Cost of the luncheon is $8.00. Please RSVP to Mindy at 918.935.3662 or mprescott@jewishtulsa.org by noon on Feb. 11.

2019 Tulsa Jewish United Fund Campaign Opening Event •  Sat., Feb. 16 • 7 p.m. • Come join us as we kick off this year’s annual campaign with special guest speaker Greg Forbes Siegman, catered by Chef Tuck Curren of Biga! RSVP no later than Feb. 13, at 918.495.1100 or rsvp@jewishtulsa.org.

Ladies Who Lunch • Mon., Feb. 18 • Noon •  Come enjoy pleasant conversation and great food at Kiss me Quick Café in the Market at Walnut Creek (8281 S. Harvard). Each person pays her own check. Please RSVP to Mindy @ 918.935.3662 or mprescott@jewishtulsa.org no later than Fri., Feb. 15.

Men's Club • Wed., Feb. 27 • Noon • A delicious lunch will be followed by Danielle Mendlesberg, Executive Director of Tulsa Tomorrow. Cost of the luncheon is $8.00. RSVP to Mindy at 918.935.3662 or mprescott@jewishtulsa.org by noon on Feb. 25.

Institute of Adult Jewish Studies Winter 2019 • Mondays, continues thru Mar. 4 •  All classes will be held at Congregation B’nai Emunah, 17 St. and So. Peoria. Registration begins at 6:15 p.m. on Jan.28, with first-hour classes starting at 7 p.m. and second-hour classes starting at 8 p.m. Questions? Email Mindy @ mprescott@jewishtulsa.org.

Sherwin Miller Museum of Jewish Art

Exhibit: Leonard Bernstein at 100 • Now–April 29, 2019 • This exhibit celebrates the life and work of Leonard Bernstein (1918–1990), the great American composer and conductor who dedicated his life to making classical music a vibrant part of American culture. Organized by the GRAMMY Museum® and curated by its Founding Executive Director and renowned music historian, Robert Santelli, Leonard Bernstein at 100 is the official exhibition of the Bernstein centennial celebration. The exhibition is the most comprehensive retrospective of Bernstein’s life and career ever staged in a museum setting. To accommodate the scale and scope of Leonard Bernstein at 100, the exhibition will be divided among two of Tulsa’s leading cultural institutions—The Sherwin Miller Museum of Jewish Art and the Woody Guthrie Center. This first-of-its-kind collaboration between the two centers presents a unique opportunity to explore the personal and professional life of one of America’s greatest 20th century artists.

Exhibit: Prairie Landsmen: The Jews of Oklahoma • Now–December 2019 • This exhibition consists of photographs taken in 1996 of Jewish people and places in Oklahoma, photographs that tell the story of the State’s Jewish community. The artist, acclaimed American photographer David Halpern, concentrated on capturing the Jewish presence, in some cases the remains of a Jewish presence, in small-town Oklahoma.

Exhibit: Jews Rock • Now–December 2019 •  Featuring photographs of music’s Jewish icons through the lens of photojournalist Janet Macoska. Musicians include Gene Simmons, Neil Diamond, Bob Dylan, Simon and Garfunkel, Bette Midler and many more. We are also debuting a select group of Oklahoma artists with original pieces of artwork featuring Jewish rock artists painted on guitars.

Temple IsraelTot Shabbat • Fri., Feb. 1 • 6 p.m. • A fun musical service designed for our young families. Filled with silly songs, Shabbat celebration and a story. Bring a friend. We end the evening with a pizza dinner, $5 per person 5 years old and above. Be sure to RSVP by phone, email or on our website. For more information please contact Stephanie Marshall. RSVP by Wed., Jan. 30.

Shabbat Morning Service • Sat., Feb. 2 • 10:30 a.m. • Participatory prayer and Torah study followed by a potluck lunch. Be part of our warm minyan. If you are able, please bring a dish to share.

Shabbat Evening Service with Rabbi Rex Perlmeter, Temple Israel Scholar in Residence • Fri., Feb. 8 • 7:30 p.m. • Join us for an engaging Shabbat Evening Service with our Scholar in Residence, Rabbi Rex Perlmeter, who will be addressing the topic: “Can I be Jewish, Religious, AND Spiritual (And Do I Have To Be?)” During this Erev Shabbat service, Rabbi Perlmeter will join with our clergy to offer activities and insights to help us deepen our spiritual connections in the experience of worship. All are invited to attend this not-to-be-missed uplifting and informative Shabbat service.

Shabbat Morning Service with Rabbi Rex Perlmeter, Temple Israel Scholar in Residence • Sat., Feb. 9 • 10:30 a.m. • Come to Shabbat morning service to participate in songs, commentary, and other forms of worship which connect our Shabbat practices, our bodies, and our spirit in Oneness. Meditation and Chant-based service in partnership with the Temple Israel clergy. All are invited to stay following the Shabbat service for a free catered lunch.

Brotherhood Breakfast with Rabbi Rex Perlmeter, Temple Israel Scholar in Residence • Sun., Feb. 10 • 9:30 a.m. • Start your morning with a delicious breakfast made by Temple Israel’s own Brotherhood at 9:30 a.m. At 10:00 a.m., Rabbi Perlmeter will address the topic “Staying Connected When Living and Loving Hurt: Teachings and Reflections on the Spiritual Significance of Suffering and Loss.” Rabbi Perlmeter will share the personal story of how teachings and practices of Jewish mourning can help us move through the darkness of grief back toward light. RSVP is requested for the breakfast by calling 918-747-1309 or email rsvp@templetulsa.com.

Marcia Jankowsky Memorial Cantorial Concert • As Numerous as the Stars • Sun., Feb. 17 • 7 p.m. • Everyone is invited to Temple Israel’s 18th annual Marcia Jankowsky Memorial Cantorial concert. This year, the concert features local vocal favorites: Cantor Laurie Weinstein, Cantorial Soloist Jenny Labow, and the remarkable Rebecca Ungerman. This concert tells the story of a Jewish family through five generations and includes storytelling, pictures, and popular music. The music recalls Yiddish Theater and Broadway; features Singer Songwriters of the ‘70s and even Bluegrass infused modern song of the 21st Century. The story and music synthesize this family’s narrative of courage, revelation, hope, and trust. Don’t miss this entertaining evening of music, storytelling, and refreshments. The concert is made possible thanks to the generosity of Jan Jankowsky through Temple Israel’s Marcia Jankowsky Memorial Concert Fund.

Shabbat Evening Service • Fri., Feb. 22 • 6 p.m. • An early, family friendly Shabbat service with Rabbi Michael Weinstein.

Taste of Temple • Sat., Feb. 23. • 7 p.m. •  Temple Israel’s Brotherhood cooks up a delicious evening with a variety of dishes at this annual event. Lively entertainment will be provided by one of the stars of Tulsa’s jazz scene, saxophonist Grady Nichols with a guest appearance by Jenny Labow. This year’s proceeds will benefit the Oklahoma Center for Community and Justice (OCCJ). So come enjoy great food, drink, music and company while supporting a wonderful cause. RSVP by Fri., Feb. 15 by sending an email to rsvp@templetulsa.com or calling 918-747-1309.

Congregation B’nai EmunahSisterhood Book Club • Sun., Feb. 3 •  1 p.m. • February’s Book Club will be a discussion of Waking Lions by Ayelet Gundar-Goshen, a remarkable young Israeli author. The discussion will be facilitated by Jennifer Airey and be held in the Synagogue library on Sun., Feb. 3, at 1 p.m. Waking Lions is a gripping, suspenseful literary thriller, used as a vehicle to explore big moral issues. The book is available in paperback and is one which you cannot miss reading.

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Challah Baking • Wed., Feb. 6 • 6 p.m. • It’s the greatest bread ever. Each month we gather on a Wednesday to mix dough so that you’ll have enough for two challahs the following Friday afternoon. Novice baker? Not to worry, we’ll walk you through it step-by-step. Please call Valerie at the Synagogue at 918.583.7121 to reserve your space at the kneading table. Space is limited, so please call early. No cost to anyone.

Bibi-Dibi: Shabbat for Little Ones • Fri., Feb. 8 • 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 visit our website or call our offices by Thurs., Feb. 7, to reserve your spot on the floor.

Seventeenth Street Deli • Sun., Feb. 10 • 6 p.m. • Authentic Jewish delicatessen in Tulsa, Oklahoma. House-cured pastrami and corned beef, 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 just $18 a person, fulfill the nostalgic longing of the Jewish people over a deli dinner. Bring friends, bring neighbors, bring appetites! Visit tulsadeli.org to reserve your spot today.

Shabbat for Everyone • Fri., Feb.15 • 6:15 p.m. Dinner • 7 p.m. Celebration • With open doors and open arms, welcoming Shabbat with community is a wonderful way to start your weekend. An optional communal meal accompanies this service so that your Shabbat can be truly restful and restorative. No reservation is needed for the service at 7 p.m. But please call or visit our website to make your meal reservations.

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THE GRYPHON TRIOSUNDAY, MARCH 3, 2019

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16 JEWISHTULSA.ORG

Tu B’Shvat 101Adapted by Lillian Hellman, Head of School, Mizel Jewish

Community Day School, from “My Jewish Learning”

This “birthday of the trees,” or Jewish Arbor Day, is a time for seders, tree-planting and more. The name of this festival though

is actually its date: “Tu” is a pronunciation of the Hebrew letters for the number 15, in the Hebrew month of Shvat. Accord-ing to Jewish tradition the 15th of Shvat is the day when the sap within trees starts to move upward, indicating the winter is nearing an end and the onset of spring. Although considered a minor holiday in stature, the connection to earth, the land and humanity is celebrated on this day.

Traditionally,  Tu B’Shvat  was not a Jewish festival. Rather, it marked an important date on the calendar for Jewish farmers in ancient times. It helped them establish exactly when they should bring their fourth-year produce of fruit from recently planted trees to the Temple, as first-fruit offerings.

Fruit trees were awarded special status in the Torah because of their importance

in sustaining life and as a symbol of God’s divine favor. Even during times of war, God warns the Israelites, “When in your war against a city you have to besiege it a long time in order to capture it, you must not destroy its trees … Only trees that you know do not yield food may be destroyed” (Deuteronomy 20:19-20).

In the 16th century, the Kabbalists (mystics) of Tzfat (the city of Safed) in the Land of Israel gave Tu B’Shvat greater spiritual significance. They created a new ritual to celebrate the holiday, called the Feast of Fruits. Modeled on the Passover seder, participants would read selections from the Hebrew Bible and Rabbinic literature, and would eat fruits and nuts traditionally associated with the land of Israel.

The Kabbalists gave a prominent place to almonds in the Tu B’shvat Seder , since the almond trees were believed to be the first of all trees in Israel to blossom. Carob, also known as “bokser” or St. John’s bread,

became another popular fruit to eat on Tu B’Shvat, since it could survive the long trip from Israel to Jewish communities in Europe.

In modern times, Tu B’Shvat has become a symbol of both Zionist attach-ment to the land of Israel as well as an example of Jewish sensitivity to the envi-ronment. Early settlers to Israel began planting new trees not only to restore the ecology of ancient Israel, but as a symbol of renewed growth of the Jewish people returning to their ancestral homeland.

Today, Tu B’Shvat is viewed as an ancient and authentic Jewish “Earth Day,” an opportunity to raise awareness about and to care for the environment through the teaching of Jewish sources celebrating nature.

Tu B’Shvat comes alive for the students of Mizel JCDS, who creatively celebrate

“Sh’mirat Ha-teva: Protect Nature,” as part of the school’s year-long Jewish values curriculum. They plant, sing, hear stories, dance, create art, and conduct their own Tu B’Shvat seders; experiencing the special qualities of this holiday and its symbols.

For more information about Mizel JCDS, visit us at www.mizelschool.org or call 918.494.0953 for a tour. Enrollment for 3-year-olds to 5th grade is open year-round. ■

JEWISHTULSA.ORG 17

The BBYO Alephs recently rolled up their sleeves and raked leaves to raise money for charity. All together, they raised $1000. 

Kol Ha KavodBBYO Alephs, L to R: Jarred Simon, Josh Sharpnack, Dylan Wagman, Jaxson King, Brandon Sweet, Eli Anderson, Jacob Lieberman

WE HAVE FRAMES AND OTHER THINGS!

18 JEWISHTULSA.ORG

Zarrow Pointe News & Views

by Randy Cogburn

Every january, health club memberships soar, to-bacco and alcohol sales drop, and Jenny Craig will have a

good month. Why? Because millions of people put their foot down and re-solve to make changes in their life that will make them a better person. Either they want to exercise more to get in better shape, or stop smoking, drink less, and lose weight to improve their health. Those are the more common New Year's resolutions. I'm sure you can think of others that you have per-sonally adopted. The common thread in each, though, is the same. Our goal?

"I want to feel better about myself."With such good intentions, why

do so many people fail to meet their goal? Sometimes, we expect too much too fast. When the results don't come quickly enough, or we don't make as much progress as we hoped for, we get discouraged and just give up alto-gether. Then, instead of feeling better about ourselves, we feel awful.

So, let's rethink this 'New Year's resolution' thing. What if, all along, we had been thinking outward instead of inward in terms of the things we resolve to do? One guaranteed way to feel good about yourself is to find ways to help someone else. Thinking of others instead of thinking in terms of what will better your own world. I'm talking about random acts of kindness.

You may not realize it, but there are numerous scientific studies that show acts of kindness result in signifi-cant health benefits, both physical and mental. I don't want to bore you or lose you with all the medical and scientific terminology, so here is the basic trans-lation. Often referred to as a 'helper’s high', the body responds favorably, both physically and mentally, after a kind act is performed. One can actu-ally become less aware of the intensity

of their own pain, and having a posi-tive attitude helps contribute to the maintenance of good physical health as well as recovery from illness. As one's self-worth is increased, feelings of helplessness and depression decrease. Simply put, your overall health and well-being can be improved by just taking the time to make someone else feel better.

There are all kinds of ways that random acts of kindness can be performed. Some require very little effort, and cost nothing. Some make donations or give gifts, others give their time, and still others just simply say the rights words at the right time. There are even times when all someone needs is for you to listen. No act of kindness is any more or less valuable than the other; it’s the fact that you took the time to make a difference in someone else's life at that moment in time.

Taking this approach when making a New Year's resolution will likely mean greater success in meeting your own goals for self-improvement. For example, if your goal is to start a walking program to get in better shape or lose weight, offer to walk someone's dog that is not physically able to do so. If you would like to get more active around the house instead of sitting in front of the TV all day, offer to run an errand or pick up the mail for a friend who is ill or having difficulty getting out of their home. If able, become a volunteer. It keeps you active, and you'll be rewarded for making a difference in someone else's day. Or, just simply make a call to a friend that could use a kind word or just needs you to listen.

So, make it a great year! Start by doing what you can to help another, and then watch yourself grow from the inside out!

 “If you haven't any charity in your heart, you have the worst kind of heart trouble."

- Bob Hope ■

JANUARY ANSWERWith this type of riddle the idea is to simply add two words together to make another word. But you have to work out what the two words are first. Answers:

1. Skin blemish + large pig = warthog

2. Arm appendage + not sit = handstand

3. Public transport vehicle + young male = busboy

RIDDLE ME THIS:“I'm a word that's hardly there. Take away my start, and I'm an herbal flair. What am I?Answer will be in the March News & Views

The Challenges

of Vision Loss—

Living Life Without

LimitsThurs., February 7, 2:30 p.m.

Zarrow Pointe Burnstein Auditorium

Since 1949, NewView Oklahoma has empowered individuals facing vision loss by maximizing their op-portunities to live life without limits.

NewView provides comprehensive services through all ages and stages of a person's life as they navigate life without sight. NewView is the only private in-state provider of com-prehensive services for people with significant vision loss that cannot be corrected with glasses, surgery or medication. NewView has low-vision clinics in Oklahoma City and Tulsa and serves clients in every county in the state of Oklahoma. NewView is also the largest employer of blind and vision impaired indi-viduals in the state of Oklahoma.

Kim Guirl has a Master’s in Occupational Therapy and is currently serving NewView as the Director of Clinical Services of their Tulsa location. She joined the company two and half years ago as a low vision therapist. Her favorite part is seeing hope return to her patients’ faces.

Kim and her team will be speaking about the helpful services that NewView Oklahoma offers along with the free assistive technology classes they will be offering to residents at Zarrow Pointe.

Kim Guirl, Director of Clinical Services

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