Radio Chavura
NATIONAL EDITION: Featuring Historian Dr. Jeanne Abrams and JNF Leader Gene Kay

On this week’s edition of Radio Chavura, we feature exclusive interviews with two Denverites who will be active participants in the upcoming JNF National Conference, scheduled to be held here in Colorado from October 25th through October 28th. 

Our first guest is noted historian Jeanne Abrams.  Dr. Abrams – author of the newly published book, Revolutionary Medicine: The Founding Fathers in Sickness and health – will lead an afternoon session on Sunday the 27th, during which she’ll share the amazing and at times harrowing tales of Colorado’s early Jewish Settlers. 

After Jeanne, we talk about the Jewish National Fund with Gene Kay, board chair of the JNF’s Rocky Mountain Region.  Gene, along with Stanley Kamlet, are well-known throughout the United States for their tireless work on behalf of the Jewish National Fund.

Both Gene and Stan will be honored at the national conference on Monday morning, October 28th.

If you haven’t yet registered to attend the JNF national conference, we at Radio Chavura encourage you to do so today.  Simply visit JNF.org and click on the national conference logo.

The JNF Conference, like the JNF itself, is a chance to give of yourself and discover how much personal satisfaction you will reap in return.

The national edition of Radio Chavura is intended to build support for the Jewish National Fund conference to be held in Denver from October 25th through October 28th. The conference will bring together hundreds of committed Jewish leaders from across the United States to learn about JNF's ongoing work on behalf of the land and people of Israel. Those attending will also have the opportunity to meet and interact with committed volunteers of all ages, as well as to contribute their own ideas for enriching the work of JNF.

CREDITS:

Hosts:  Maxwell and Dean Rotbart

Musical Director:  Julie Geller

Audio Production:  Blane Nichols

Additional Audio Elements:  Jason Hickman

Director of Research:  Talya Rotbart

Staff Photographer:  Avital Rotbart

Opening Music (Hinei Mah Tov) and Closing Credits (Elokai):  Julie Geller

Songs:

  • Eli Ata Ve'Odecha - Oded Melchner
  • Jews Don't Camp - Rocky Mountain Jewgrass
  • Lo Yisa Goy - Miami Boys Choir [Support Jewish Day Schools]
  • Open the Gates (Pitchu Li) - Rabbi Joe Black - Leave a Little Bit Undone
  • Niggun Nevo - Shlomo Katz [Denver Community Kollel]
  • Sim Shalom - Talya Rotbart, Vocalist and Gabriela Gottlieb, Pianist - Lu Yehi

JNF Liaisons:  Neta Yoffe and Boaz Meir

Photo:  Dr. Jeanne Abrams

Direct download: 093013_RadioChavura_JNF_02_National.mp3
Category:National Edition -- posted at: 2:16pm MDT

NATIONAL EDITION: Exclusive Interview with JNF's Russell F. Robinson

Russell F. Robinson, JNF's CEO and a member of its global board of directors, is the featured guest on this inaugural national edition of Radio Chavura.

Robinson divulges that at this year's national conference, JNF will formally announce an unprecedented 10-year, $1 billion fundraising campaign, that he says will be "the most innovative, most bold campaign" even untaken by a Jewish organization.  

The national edition of Radio Chavura is intended to build support for the Jewish National Fund conference to be held in Denver from October 25th through October 28th. The conference will bring together hundreds of committed Jewish leaders from across the United States to learn about JNF's ongoing work on behalf of the land and people of Israel. Those attending will also have the opportunity to meet and interact with committed volunteers of all ages, as well as to contribute their own ideas for enriching the work of JNF.

"Colorado has a flourishing and vibrant Jewish community which couldn't be more excited to welcome the JNF national conference," says Maxwell Rotbart, co-host of Radio Chavura.

Rotbart notes that the Colorado Jewish community, which predates statehood in 1876, gave rise to the United Way and helped inspire Golda Meir's Zionism during her sojourn in Denver as a high schooler.  Well-known global brands that have Jewish roots in Colorado, include Samsonite Luggage, Hot Pockets, and perhaps most famous of all, the Barbie doll.  (Inventor Ruth Mosko Handler was born and raised in Denver.)

Today, Colorado is an incubator of many cutting edge companies in the technology and health sectors, serving as the global headquarters of the Society of Physician Entrepreneurs, which educates and connects biomedical and health innovators who seek to commercialize their ideas, inventions and discoveries.

Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper, who recently returned from an inspiring visit to Israel, will be the JNF conference's opening speaker on Friday, October 25th.  Other Coloradans scheduled to participate in the program include Rabbi Joe R. Black, spiritual leader of Temple Emanuel; Jerome "Jerry" Tinianow, chief sustainability officer for the City of Denver; and Dr. Jeanne Abrams, an historian and professor at the University of Denver.  

At the breakfast and closing plenary on Monday, October 28th, Ken Salazar, former Secretary of the U.S. Department of the Interior and a former U.S. Senator from Colorado, will be the speaker.  During the breakfast, longtime JNF lay leaders, Eugene "Gene" Kay and Stanley Kamlet will be honored for their years of service. 

CREDITS:

Hosts: Maxwell and Dean Rotbart

Musical Director:  Julie Geller

Audio Production:  Blane Nichols

Additional Audio Elements:  Jason Hickman

Director of Research:  Talya Rotbart

Staff Photographer:  Avital Rotbart

Opening Announcement: Eugene Kay

Opening Music (Hinei Mah Tov) and Closing Credits (Elokai):  Julie Geller

Songs:

  • Zum Gali Gali - Fred Fastow, Jewish Songs for Classical Guitar
  • Maym Mayin - Israeli Folk Group, Authentic Israeli Folk Songs & Dances
  • Lo Yisa Goy - Miami Boys Choir
  • Yism'Chu - Rabbi Joe Black, Sabbatical

JNF Liaisons:  Neta Yoffe (New York) and Boaz Meir (Colorado)

Direct download: 092313_RadioChavura_JNF_01.mp3
Category:National Edition -- posted at: 7:21pm MDT

Strong Jewish Marriages and Perfect Games

Rabbi Gadi and Mrs. Eve Levy discuss their workshop, "7 Habits of Highly Effective Jewish Marriage."   The Levys, both of whom work at The Jewish Experience in Denver, developed the course to offer married couples Torah-principled marriage guidelines.  

One of the 7 habits, Mrs. Levy explains, is to celebrate diversity.  

There comes a point in each marriage, she notes, when every husband and wife looks at one another and wonders, “How did I ever marry you? We’re so different!”

Mrs. Levy reminds us that gender differences a reality we need to laud. “It’s good to understand that we’re different, the Torah tells us so.”

Also on this week's program, lifelong bowler, David Suson, discusses the newly repositioned Denver Jewish Bowling League, which continues the tradition of weekly competitive Jewish league bowling begun by B'nai B'rith in the 1940s.  The new league, which began on August 28th, is still accepting new teams and individiual bowlers. 

Suson, by the way, has bowled three league-sanctioned perfect "300" games.

Photo: Host Maxwell Rotbart with Rabbi Gadi Levy

Direct download: 090813_RadioChavura_KRKS_26min_GadiLevy_DavidSuson.mp3
Category:Community Groups -- posted at: 7:00pm MDT

The Palestinian Authority continues to hide its true intentions toward Israel from the non-Arab world, while consistently pushing a three-part anti-Israeli message to the Palestinian people, says Itamar Marcus, director of Palestinian Media Watch, and the special guest on this week's final installment of our three-part High Holidays series.

"When people understand the true Palestinian ideology, they realize that the victimhood [storyline] is a mask," Marcus explains during a pre-recorded telephone interview from Israel.  That internal Palestinian message has three consistent components, he says:  First, to deny Israel's right to exist; second, to demonize Israel and Jews, and third, to promote violence.

Since 1996, PMW has monitored the Palestinian media, speeches and schoolbooks to showcase what the Palestinians are saying - in their very own words, and how their Arab-language messaging differs from the mask the Palestinians present to the English-language world. 

While numerous global news organizations do report on PMW's findings, Marcus tells Radio Chavura that too often the news media miss a critical aspect of the Palestinians' messages to their own people - what the journalists call "incitement."

"We say there is no incitement," says Marcus, who grew up in the U.S. and now lives in Israel. "They're expressing their honest beliefs and opinions. They're saying it and we should listen to them and believe them."

The PMW has a staff of nine translators who read the Palestinian newspapers and watch the newscasts of two Palestinian TV stations.

Read more about Itamar Marcus and Palestinian Media Watch on our website.

Recent Palestinian Media Watch Articles - "In Their Own Words":

Click here to Support Palestinian Media Watch and its vital mission 

Direct download: 090113_RadioChavura_KRKS_26min_Itamar_Marcus.mp3
Category:High Holiday Specials -- posted at: 8:19am MDT

1