Rocky Mountain Jew

Links to…Israel’s 62nd

Here’s an interesting factoid: Obama’s official statement on Israel’s 62nd is seemingly unavailable via www.whitehouse.gov. The letter is published in this week’s IJN, and quoted in varied news outlets, but according to his own website, doesn’t exist. Hmm….Can someone point us in the right direction?

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid keeps mum, too, but over at the House, Speaker Nany Pelosi, expresses her congratulations to Israel.

And Secretary of State Hillary Clinton posted this video message: [More...]

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Holocaust survivors bring the past into the present

Here in Denver we have the privilege of hearing from Holocaust survivors first hand. Some members of our synagogues and community centers, such as BMH’s former cantor Zachary Kutner or local artist Paula Burger speak openly about their past experiences, impressing the reality of the Holocaust on people who previously gained their knowledge from books or films. Other communities can’t say the same.

This past week saw events with Rosalyn Kirkel, Miriam Hoffman and a week-long series of events in Greeley, with talks, film screenings and an art exhibition. This Sunday Aish Denver screens The Bielski Brothers, a documentary of the partisan community of which Paula Burger was a member.

But the hard truth is pointed out in a recent IJN editorial and Rabbi Hillel Goldberg’s View from Denver this week: as time marches on, every year there are fewer and fewer survivors left. What then?

While Goldberg questions the impact of museums and memorials, we choose to disagree. After all, we need to rely on these museums carrying on the message, since access to survivors is dwindling. Of course Goldberg is right in saying that nothing can convey the “uncontainably immense emotion of the survivor” like the survivor him/herself. But we shouldn’t discount the Shoah Project and the focus in Holocaust museums and memorials on first-person accounts and individualized experiences.

The IJN’s Passover edition included a feature of Michael Berenbaum, one of the spiritual architects of the US Holocaust Memorial Museum. Berenbaum recounts the difficulties in simply getting the agreement to create such an institution. Currently he is consulting on a Holcaust musuem in Hollywood, Florida - not the most obvious target for a whole building dedicated to the Holocaust. Memorials exists in major cities throughout the US and Europe. Holocaust remembrance is now etched in the fabric of Western culture.

In its editorial, “‘In every generation’…as the survivors leave us“, the IJN urges us to treat the Holocaust as we do the Passover story: constantly re-telling and re-experiencing. For now, while we still have the opportunity, try and attend as many of the events taking place in our community, and maybe even consider approaching a survivor privately, in a one-on-one setting. Sadly, you won’t have the chance much longer. In the future, we will only have the museums to rely on.

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Links to…Purim spoofs

It’s that time of year again - spoofs, gags, jokes, all kinds of mischief. At the IJN we’ve published this week our annual Purim spoof, written by our very own “Over the Hill-El” - available for purchase along with our annual spring L’Chaim magazine by contacting Carol at (303) 861-2234 or carol@ijn.com.

Here on Rocky Mountain Jew we’ve collected links to Purim spoofs from across the globe.

• Backward An annual favorite. The venerable Daily Forward pokes fun at -among others - the Goldstone Report, Twitter and the Wandering Jew.
• Wolfman DDS Brought to you from the Shushan Channel, the same group behind last year’s Meshugene (Mad) Men spoof, this year’s video tells the story of a Jewish werewolf/dentist.
• Haman Rap A somewhat silly yet fun musical and video rendition of the Purim story.
• For those looking last-minute for a Hamantaschen recipe, check this one out from Gourmet magazine via epicurious. We found the proportions just right, and the use of Crisco versus butter results in a flakier dough.

Remember to visit our Community Calendar for Purim events across the Metro area. All holiday events are color-coded “purple” or search using the term “Purim”.

A happy and joyous Purim to one and all!

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