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Friday August 15, 2008

Letters

Pride in Hillel

I was taken aback after reading Michael Thaler’s letter “Fiesta at Hillel?” (Aug. 8) because Mr. Thaler paints an uncomfortably inaccurate picture of Hillel. Every year, Berkeley Hillel respectfully honors Yom HaZikaron (Israel’s Memorial Day) and celebrates Yom Ha’atzmaut (Israel’s Independence Day), and this year was no exception. Under Executive Director Gordon Gladstone’s leadership, Hillel students organize the biggest and unquestionably the best Yom Ha’atzmaut party in the Bay Area (Studio 60). Hillel also sponsors a Yom Ha’atzmaut celebration on Sproul Plaza with Israeli dancing and free falafel.

Even if Berkeley Hillel does not mention Israel every second of every program, it does not mean that there is not strong Jewish identity and pride at Cal.

Although Hillel did not have a Passover seder in its building this year, Hillel helped students find seders with community members and subsidized students who hosted their own seders. Hillel also provided students with kosher for Passover food during the whole week of the holiday.

As a recent Hillel and Cal grad, I am grateful for the services and opportunities Berkeley Hillel provides to all Jewish students at Cal.

Robby Kaufman | San Francisco

Not a sponsor

While Congregation Emanu-El has proudly co-publicized programs with the Cellar from time to time, the inference in David Green’s letter that we were co-sponsoring a Latin Salsa Night on Tisha B’Av is both inaccurate and unfair. The congregation was not involved in that program in any way. In fact, on that evening our congregants were encouraged to attend the Tisha B’Av observance at our synagogue where we considered our true lamentations.

Andrew Colvin | San Francisco

President, Board of Directors, Congregation Emanu-El

‘Aishing’ is real

Danielle Kubes’ article on being “Aish’d” (July 25) presents a long overdue perspective. Since our son innocently went to Israel for his freshman year at Hebrew University and returned “Aish’d,” I am well cognizant of the indoctrination and cult manifestations that began at the Wall and have continued. Do not think all kids grow away from being “Aish’d.”

Sources of education and help exist. While deprogramming was once used to disentangle from cult control, I would heartily recommend this web site: www.rickross.com. We worked with Rick Ross then a staff member at the Jewish Federation in Phoenix, Ariz. I recognize his personal commitment and techniques, and his support and information regarding cults. This Web site provides an incredible listing of cults, including Aish HaTorah. Personally I also would add Ohr Sameah. Jeff Seidel, whose sole mission is to encounter and provide the liaison to Aish and Ohr is mentioned. Our youth are vulnerable as they investigate Israel and he entices them, taking advantage of their quests.

Our personal struggle lead us on many paths. My purpose in writing is to acknowledge that “Aishing” happens and also to demonstrate that there is help. Recognize the cult disease but also seek treatment.

Rachel Krug | Pikesville, Md.

A community anchor

Thanks to j. for Dan Pine’s balanced article on the current challenges facing the JCC of the East Bay (“JCC in peril,” Aug. 8) and for j.’s editorial statement of support for this important part of our community.

Since our family moved to the East Bay a year ago, one of our children has had a terrific year at the JCCEB preschool, and our other child was extremely happy in the CenterStage after-school program. This is in no small part due to the terrific teachers and staff at the JCCEB. As a family we’ve been lucky enough to attend community Shabbat, holidays, and other events as well as playdates and family get-togethers with many of the families who have welcomed us.

While it seems that some changes were inevitable at the JCCEB, these changes really can be toward a brighter future. The East Bay Jewish community is well-equipped to meet the current challenges, and should be motivated to act quickly and decisively based on the tremendous potential and wonderful examples of what the JCCEB has to offer kids, seniors and the community at large.

Jonathan Meyers | Albany

Rebuilding the JCC

We want to thank j. for your feature article about the JCC of the East Bay. It has helped

us to raise awareness in the community and build support.

Michelle Schwartz, past president of the JCC and current board member, stepped in as acting executive director to handle day-to-day operations with Associate Director Chana Andler. Michelle is serving without pay and the board is extremely grateful that she was willing to step in.

We wanted to clarify a statement about our development and outreach capacities. For the past four years, we had a dedicated and effective development director, but were limited because we could only staff this vital position at half time. We continue to be seriously understaffed in this area.

The board is very sorry that we have had to lay off many of our wonderful staff who helped make our JCC a community treasure. This week, we were named by the readers of j. as the favorite JCC in the East Bay and favorite place for lectures. We know that the community relies on our programs and services. With the support of the community, we will rebuild on a sound foundation.

Benita Kline | Berkeley

President, JCC of the East Bay

Enticing arts

Thank you for your recent article and editorial supporting the JCC of the East Bay. I’d like to further emphasize the vibrant, positive changes occurring since 2006 when we became an independent nonprofit. Thanks to the Cultural Arts Programming staff, the JCCEB has successfully offered whole new categories of programs such as CineMingle (a film salon showcasing world premieres to restored classics, all exploring Jewish identity in its many forms), the Brew (the place to hear innovative, emerging local musicians playing top-quality music in an intimate venue), Prism Stage (an eclectic array of performances unique to the East Bay including plays, solo performances and works-in-progress), or Off-Page (conversations with writers, artists and activists sharing their perspectives on politics, culture and religion).

These are just some of the many new programs receiving rave reviews in the mainstream and Jewish media. These programs are selling out to audiences filled with members of our community who have never before set foot in the JCC. But it takes time to build a dedicated constituency that values and supports this community treasure. I hope j. readers will now be enticed to attend these dynamic programs and support the JCC of the East Bay.

Leah Greenblat | Berkeley

Board member, JCC of the East Bay

Transgender victories

Thank you for your enlightening article about Jewish Vocational Services’ work with the transgender community (“Pride and prejudice,” July 18). Because your article focused on the problems facing the transgender community, readers might not be aware of the many transgender people who have successfully negotiated workplace transitions, and who are gainfully employed as professors, physicians, psychologists, law enforcement officers, government officials, clergy, software engineers, etc. Lynn Conway, inventor of VLSI logic while at IBM, has posted examples of some of the transgender community’s most successful trans men at ai.eecs.umich.edu/people/conway/TSsuccesses/TransMen.html where there is also a link to successful trans women.

Business owners and human resources professionals who want to learn about transgender issues in the workplace, and meet some of the community’s most visible business leaders, can attend the Out & Equal Workplace Summit, Sept. 10-13 in Austin, Texas, where 3,000 representatives of corporations and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender activists come together to teach and learn about winning strategies to achieve workplace equality (see www.outandequal.org for more information about this year’s summit).

Transgender people have many challenges, but they also have a great deal of courage and drive, and we can learn much from their experiences.

Jamison Green | Oakland

Laurie Lippin | Rohnert Park

A Jewish gene?

It reads like a tabloid headline: “After years of yearning, S.F. man discovers he’s Jewish” (Aug. 1).

Jim Van Buskirk “always hated Christmas.” “Getting dragged to a Methodist church … stirred revulsion.” Somehow, he knew he was Jewish. How did he know? No one ever told him he was Jewish, he just felt he was. He never learned the truth until he was 55 years old.

It must have been in his genes. That’s it, he has a Jewish gene. We all do. Now that the human genome has been mapped, it won’t be long before the “Jewish” gene is identified. Amazing that this trailblazing discovery, the Jewish gene, is buried in a article about an obscure San Francisco Jew.

What will you guys come up with next?

Louis Nevell | Los Angeles

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