Other items in today’s column include:
*More Yom Ha’atzma’ut
*Recommended reading
*In memoriam
SAN DIEGO — Sol and Lauren Lizerbram of Rancho Santa Fe had cameo roles in the hour-long, worldwide webcast for Israeli Independence Day (Yom Ha’atzma’ut) that was co-hosted Wednesday by Israeli actress Shira Haas (who stars in the mini-series Unorthodox) and Eric Fingerhut, chairman of the Jewish Federations of North America.
Sol Lizerbram is the U.S. President of the Jewish National Fund, which arranged to video the near-private ceremony this year at Mount Herzl in honor of Yom Ha’atzma’ut — near private because of the ban in Israel on gatherings of large groups. He and his wife Lauren introduced the short segment of the program from the living room of their home, while noting in passing that since 1901– 47 years before the establishment of the State of Israel — Jewish National Fund has helped to raise money and finance programs for the development of the Jewish homeland.
Each segment in the program was short to permit as many well-known personages as possible to speak to the unity of the Jewish people, even though this year we all have to stay home. The singer Matisyahu led the singing in Reggae style of “One Day.” Actor Josh Malina, known for his roles in such TV shows as The West Wing and Scandal introduced a segment on Israel’s technical accomplishments, especially in its search for devices and possible cures in fighting the coronavirus pandemic. Israeli singer Rita sang a Hebrew song expressing the belief that one day, without a lot of fanfare, something will happen resulting in people not being afraid anymore. Broadway Actors/ Singers Ben Platt, Henry Platt and Jonah Platt — whose mother Julie Platt is a former board chair of the Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles — harmonized to a version of the prayer Ahavat Olam. Rita later joined with singer Caissie Levy in the singing of “Hatkikvah,” the Israeli National Anthem, with accompaniment by self-quarantined musicians around the world.
Other celebrity appearances included sex therapist Dr. Ruth Westheimer, Minnesota Vikings Co-Owner Mark Wilf, and chef Adeena Sussman, author of the Sababa cookbook, who showed how she likes to make falafel my mixing up chickpeas in her blender with such ingredients as onions, cilantro, garlic, and pepper, then deep frying them.
Isaac Herzog, chairman of the Jewish Agency for Israel, showed some slides of his favorite places in Israel, including Latrun, where his father Chaim Herzog (who later became a president of Israel) fought in a battle in the 1948 Independence War; Tel Aviv, where Isaac Herzog was born; Rosh Pinah, a Jewish town on the Lebanese border that predated Theodor Herzl’s Zionist Congress; Eilat, on the Red Sea wedged between Jordan and Egypt; and Jerusalem, where Isaac Herzog now occupies the Jewish Agency office where David Ben-Gurion, Israel’s first prime minister, once worked.
Wrapping up the show was Israel’s President Reuven Rivlin, who commented that “no virus can keep us from celebrating” Israel’s 72nd anniversary of independence, and suggested that the coronavirus crisis perhaps “made us feel more than ever we are one family.”
*
More Yom Ha’atzma’ut
Families at San Diego Jewish Academy combined “social distancing” during the coronavirus pandemic and celebrating Israel Independence Day by staging a “Yom Ha’atzma’ut parade” at the school. Cars were decorated with symbols invoking Israel and Judaism for families and friends to view from their own cars.
*Our thanks to Ira Sharkansky, a regular contributor to San Diego Jewish World from Jerusalem, for forwarding to us the video above about the “secret” of the Israel Defense Forces.
*Two other videos that were called to our attention include: Ten cantors, including Hazzan Alisa Pomerantz-Boro (formerly of Tifereth Israel Synagogue in San Diego, now of Beth El Voorhees in New Jersey) singing Avinu Shebashamyim on Facebook. And, with thanks to Jerry Klinger, president of the Jewish American Society for Historic Preservation, this video of the men and women of the IDF singing “Hatikvah.”
*Ed and Sue Cherlin of San Diego cherish, especially on Yom Ha’atzma’ut, a photo taken of them with Israeli General and Defense Minister Moshe Dayan during a 1976 Young Leadership trip to Israel sponsored by the Israel Bonds organization, at that time led locally by Barney Feldman.
*
Recommended reading
*New York Jewish Week reports that Mayor Bill DeBlasio of New York City criticized the “Jewish community” for the large attendance at a funeral for a Haredi rabbi. Jewish Insider reports the mayor received a lot of criticism for singling out one religious group. The Lawfare Project was among the groups blasting DeBlasio.
*Former HIAS chair Dianne Lob will become the chair of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations after an interim period, notwithstanding the objections of the Zionist Organization of America, reports Jewish Insider.
*Moshe Dann in The Jerusalem Post ponders the meaning of a “Jewish state.” It’s not one based on halacha, he says.
*
In Memoriam
*Holly Beth (Moskowitz) Goldstone, 60, died April 19, Am Israel Mortuary reported. In an announcement her family stated: “Holly Beth (Moskowitz) Goldstone, a dedicated Encinitas-based animal rights activist who brightened our days with her adventurous spirit and giving nature, died April 19 at Scripps Memorial after a brief illness. She was 60 years old. Born on Jan. 5, 1960, in Madison, Wis., she grew up in Long Beach. She graduated from Woodrow Wilson High in 1978 and earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology at UCSB and an MBA at Arizona State University. She worked several years in the health care industry and raised two children. She is survived by her mother, Rochelle Gollin; her sisters, Lisa (Wayne) Heiden and Anna (David) Stern; her son, Brian, and daughter, Lea; nieces and nephews, Alison Murdock, Ethan and Shayna Stein and Sage Stern; great nieces and nephews, Abigail, Elliot and Isaac Murdock; her partner, Patrick Fulke; and loved extended family members. Her service and burial were held April 22 at El Camino Memorial Park, San Diego. Donations in her memory may be sent to Rancho Coastal Humane Society (www.sdpets.org) or call Kelly at (760) 519-8721.”
*
*Donald H. Harrison is editor of San Diego Jewish World. He may be contacted via donald.harrison@sdjewishword.com. Free obituaries in memory of members of the San Diego County Jewish community are sponsored on San Diego Jewish World by Inland Industries Group LP in memory of long-time San Diego Jewish community leader Marie (Mrs. Gabriel) Berg.
Long live Israel. May the G-d of Israel continue to bless his people.
Shalom!