Chabad Times newspaper, December 2000

Chabad Times Dec. 2000/Kislev 5761 Published by Chabad of Southern Nevada Vol. IX No. 2 On the Lighter Side Until recently, things were sim-pler: No candles, no Chanukah! Of course, some preferred to light their Menorah with oil to recall the original oil miracle. But natural flames always reigned supreme on this Holiday of Lights. Kids will d e b a t w h e t h e r to use all the same color can-dles, or to alternate the red, white, yel-low and blue can-dle choices in the box. Yet whatever the color scheme, it is the flames that enliv-en the Menorah. But ever since electric gizmos and plastic n o v e 1 t i e s' joined produc-tion, we've seen a proliferation of electric menorahs; they should all live and be well. Nice and easy as they look, those electrics are missing the spark. They just can't hold a candle to the real thing! Why am I getting so fired up about this? I may be a hothead, but this is a burning issue! Rather than complain about the competition, let us do what we do best. It's Chanukah, so let's count our blessings. First, we thank G-d who has sanctified and commanded us to light the Chanukah candle. Second, we recall how He performed miracles What's Inside? Minority Rights 2 Chanukah Postcard 3 Chabad News 4 Chabad Dinner 5 Protestant-B. Not 6 Thank You, Son 7 The Amazing Olive 8 Catch Me a Catch 9 How to Celebrate Chanukah .10 Light in the Darkness 12 Kinder, Gentler Latkes . . . . .14 Frisco Illuminations .15 to our ancestors in those days, at this time. Thirdly, we thank G-d Who has kept us alive and sustained us to this day. Amen! Happy Chanukah! Now please hear me out before you run off to play draydel or eat latkes. Forgive me if I wax emotional, but that's me! Resplendent with feeling, a candle's glow can melt your heart. Elegantly set on the Shabbat and holi-day table, candlelight enchants the ambiance, emanating calm and tranquility, a relaxing mood of ritual and spirituality. A candle ?jn?- shines forth with precious ? ??'?-?iv " memories and cherished tra-ditions we wish to hand down to our children, who will, hopefully, relay the torch to future generations. Surely, oil lamps and candles are obsolete in the 21st Century; they're certainly not high tech. Except for fancy scented specialties, people only know of utility candles stored away in case of a blackout or emergency. Even the revered Yartzeit candles are turning into bulbs. What are we com-ing to? Historically, switching on electric-ity hardly brings us to a pre-Edison past, while lighting a candle links us to our ancestors, connecting us with the original flames in the Holy Temple in Jerusalem. I may seem old fashioned, but I am proud to represent the ancient Chanukah story that inspires us to this day. Unlike the electrics, we have that special touch that kindles an interest and excites others, as only a candle can. Those passive sedentary electrics lack expression. They sit without movement, while we gesticulate every which way and jump for joy. Sure we have our ups and downs, but that's life. We sway fervently to and fro, as man in prayer, for "A per-son's soul is a divine candle" (Proverbs 20), soulfully yearning and This issue takes you to... reaching upward to a higher tran-scendent dimension. We need something real and authentic to illuminate our synthetic and artificial world. Isn't that what the Macabbees stood for? They searched for the little Cruse of Purity, insisting on finding the genuine thing. They wouldn't settle for superficial ersatz without inner warmth and fire. But Safety First! Candles and flames are a privi-lege and a responsi-bility. Do not leave Chanukah (or any) candles unattended, certainly not near children. The best way is to sit down, reflect and listen to the candles tell their story. Now don't get me wrong, the electrics also serve a purpose. They're great at public rela-tions, promoting Chanukah at all hours of the night and day. The electrics are not that alive, but don't pull the plug! Seeing an electric Menorah in the win-dow is surely a delight, a welcome relief from the ubiquitous blinking bulbs this time of the year. But only a real flame meets Halachic specifications to fulfill the Chanukah Mitzvah, bringing us clos-er to Moshiach and the Redemption, when Israel will be a 'Light to the World." Have a bright and happy Chanukah! ?2000 Rabbi Israel Rubin ...As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the L-rd surrounds his people, from this time and forever." ?Psalm 125 Graphic ?2000 by Irv Davis, www.psalmart.com Now More than Ever! Chanukah is always an enjoyable holiday, a great time to celebrate with family and friends: to light the Menorah, play draydel and enjoy doughnuts and latkes. This year, however, Chanukah assumes capital importance, as the Jerusalem issue preoc-cupies the media and millions around the world. Arafat and Co. are denying our connection to the Holy Temple and Jerusalem. They are revising thousands of years of history to convince the world that Jerusalem is not Jewish. More than any other Jewish holiday, the City of Jerusalem provided the original background and setting of Chanukah. The Great Miracle happened there! Chanukah commemorates the Maccabee's courage to resist foreign intrusion and domination of our holy city. We recall their supreme sacrifices to dedicate the Temple and rekindle its divine lights. We are now at a crucial point where current events and ancient history converge, literally "in those days, in our time." Each Chanukah candle we light in our homes reaffirms our historic rela-tionship and connection to the original Menorah kindled by the Maccabees, strengthening the bonds of our people, our Torah, and the land of Israel. With best wishes for a very happy and inspiring Chanukah, Rabbi Shea Harlig, Rabbi Yisroel Schanowitz, Rabbi Mendy Harlig Distribution: Direct mailed 5 times a year to over 3,000 homes in Las Vegas, NV Chabad of Southern Nevada 1261 South Arville St. Las Vegas, NV 89102 (702) 259-0770 wurw.chabadlv.org NON-PROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE PAID PERMIT NO. 447 LAS VEGAS, NV ?2000 Jewish Holiday Consumer. Contents may not be copied without written permission of publisher. A Minority Must Exercise Its Rights Excerpts from a letter by the Lubavitcher Rebbe on Public Menorahs By the Grace of G-d 3rd of Teves, 5742 Brooklyn. N.Y. Blessing and Greeting: The subject of our correspondence, the placing of a Chanukah Lamp on public property, touches upon a funda-mental principle which has its ramifi-cations beyond the immediate. 1. It should be noted that when it comes to a relationship between two different eth-nic or religious groups, which aims at delineating their respective concerns, etc., it is not enough when one of the parties resolves to follow a certain policy in the hope of avoiding an undesirable reaction on the part of the other party, for, obviously, it has no con-trol over the other party, which may react in one of three ways: favorably, unfavorably, or indifferently. Thus, there is no assur-ance that the policy which may be well intended to call forth a favorable reaction, may actually turn out to be counterproduc-tive. 2. Since the time of the dispersion of our Jewish people, following our exile from our land, Jews have lived as a minority among the nations, often a very small minority. The problem of coexistence has thus always been present in the Diaspora and most of the time in an acute form. Although circumstances varied from time to time, and from place to place, requiring policy adjustment on the part of the Jewish minority as to how to relate to the non-Jewish majority, there has also been a common denominator which has been a decisive considera-tion at all times and in all places of Jewish dispersion. This has been the regrettable, but unavoidable, fact that the gentile majority, especially one that did not fully live up to the prescrip-tions of the Divine moral precepts (the so-called "Seven Noahide Laws", with all their ramifications, which G-d ordained for the descendants of Noah, i.e. all humanity, after the Flood, as stated in the Torah, Gen. 9:1,17) ? has generally considered itself entitled to everything, while anything it granted to the minority was considered as an act of grace. 3. Under such circumstances, if the minority voluntarily gives up certain privileges which it once enjoyed, not to mention if it voluntarily forgoes a cer-tain right which the same minority Ei//e l T ou>er enjoys elsewhere ? it is bound to be regarded as a sign of weakness and an admission that it is not really entitled to it at all. Many illustrations could be cited, but there is no need to expand on this in a letter, especially in a situation which is assumed to be of a local char-acter, requiring a local approach. 4. There is, of course, the directive in Torah not to "taunt" an adversary, but the emphasis is on "taunting"; it does not mean at all that we have to surrender positions we have won over the years. 5. Even if a "low profile" or conces-sionary tactic has been followed by a community and it seemed to have worked for a time, with the other side refraining from asserting itself, there is no assur-ance that this pol-icy will always be effective. In a democratically free country like the U.S.A., with periodic elections, one can never know who the next pub-lic officials or commu-nity leaders will be, and what their policy will Paris b e ^ o t t r t f menor^ - ^ the above prefatory remarks in mind, let us now consider the practical implications of the issue under discussion. The Jewish community in the U.S.A. is as old as the U.S.A. itself. We know the problems it faced, and the actual discrimi-nations it suf-fered, until it has won its place in this country. Yet, even in this day and age preju-dice and anti- Semitism exist, not only latently, but also overtly. Under these cir-cumstances we must not relax our alertness to any sign of ero-sion of our hard-won positions. One of these positions is the annual lighting of a Chanukah Menorah in public places. As men-tioned in my previous letter, such Chanukah Menorahs have been kin-dled in the Nation's capital (in Lafayette Park, facing the White House), in Manhattan, Albany, Philadelphia, Chicago, and in many other cities of the Union. There has been no opposition to their being placed on public property from non- Jewish quarters. Regrettably, there have been some Jews who did raise objections in several places out of fear that kindling a Menorah on public property would call attention to the fact that there are Jews living in that city; Jews who would apparently be willing to forgo the claim that the public place belongs also to them, as part of the public.... T h e C h a n u k a h Menorah ? with its univer-sal message, which is espe-cially akin to the spirit of lib-erty and inde-pendence of this nation ? has won a place not only in Jewish life, but also in the life of the American people. Now, to come to the essential point; The "National Menorah" Lafayette Park in Washington D.C. Why is it so impor-tant for Jews to have a Chanukah M e n o r a h d i s p l a y e d p u b l i c l y ? T h e answer is that experience has shown that the Chanukah Menorah displayed publicly during the eight days of Chanukah, has been an inspiration to many, many Jews and evoked in them a spirit of identity with their Jewish people and the Jewish way of life. To many others, it has brought a sense of pride in their Yiddishkeit and the realization that there is no reason really in this free country to hide one's Jewishness, as if it were contrary or inimical to American life and culture. On the contrary, it is fully in keeping with the American nation-al slogan "e pluribus unum" and the fact that American culture has been enriched by the thriving eth-nic cultures which contributed very much, each in its own way, to American life both materially and spiritually. Certainly, Jews are not in the prose-lytizing business. The Chanukah Menorah is not intended to, and can in no way, bring us converts to Judaism. But it can, and does, bring many Jews back to their Jewish roots. I personally know of scores ( of such Jewish returnees, and I have good reason to believe that in recent years, hundreds, even thousands, of Jews experience a kindling of their inner Jewish spark by the public kindling of the Chanukah Menorah in their particular city and in the Nation's capital, etc., as publicized by the media. In summary, Jews, either individu-ally or communally, should not create the impression that they are ashamed to show their Jewishness, or that they wish to gain their neighbors' respect by covering up their Jewishness. Nor will this attitude insure their rights to which they are entitled, including the privilege of publicly lighting a Chanukah Menorah, a practice which has been sanctioned by precedent and custom, as to become a tradition.... With esteem and blessing, (signature) World's tallest menorah, designed by Agam, in New York City By the Editors PRAY FOR THE PEACE OF JERUSALEM Even as we celebrate Chanukah, the Jerusalem and Israel crisis weighs heavily on us. Our 'peace partners' have turned against us with violence and terrorism, rocks and fire, murder, barbaric lynching and mutilation. The Lubavitcher Rebbe was right. The Rebbe emphatically warned against ceding parts of Israel, that each concession whets the enemy's appetite and emboldens them to demand more and more. The Rebbe predicted thirty years ago that an Israeli government would be ready to part with Jerusalem, but we didn't believe that day would come. The skeptics snickered that the Rebbe was out of touch with reality. 'It doesn't hurt to give up a little here and there! Give peace a chance!' They attacked the Rebbe for med-dling in Israeli affairs, insisting that such matters be entrusted to diplo-mats and politicians. They threatened that his hawkish position jeopardizes Chabad's many programs and servic-es. Unfortunately, we didn't listen. The Nobel Peace Prizes, the media euphoria over Oslo and the pomp and circumstance of White House cer-emonials lulled and deluded us into wishful thinking and naivete. Painful as it is, we now appreciate the Rebbe's vision. This is not to gloat I-told-you-so, but to draw attention to the Rebbe's call on a related issue. With the same foresight, convic-tion and intensity that he denounced the 'peace process,' the Rebbe emphatically stated that we are in the advanced stages of the "Redemption process," the eternal Jewish belief in Moshiach, the light at the end of the long tunnel of Exile. But the skeptics snicker that Moshiach is unrealistic in this day and age. They complain that 'redemption doesn't sound Jewish/ and smacks of escapism. They threaten that such outlandish ideas jeopardize Chabad's many programs and services. Let us follow the Rebbe's direction to yearn and pray for the ultimate redemption, to learn about it and spiritually prepare for the promised era of true universal peace. May this vision inspire and guide us in the times ahead. It was just a postcard with a simple message, but to me it was a pre-cious Chanukah present. My thoughts drifted back to the beginning of the fall term last September. I had been looking forward to this course in Spanish Literature and Culture because it sounded so interest-ing. Besides, it was my final course that would fulfill the license requirements for my job as an "English as a Second Language" teacher. But things went wrong the very first night. Professor Mendez appeared competent and interesting as he began his introductory lecture. But I was sur-prised that he addressed us in English, since this was an advanced course. I raised my hand and questioned the professor on this point. The room grew uncomfortably still, and then Professor Mendez sarcastically answered that he was sure we weren't advanced enough to discuss history and literature in Spanish. This developed into a heated debate with everyone taking sides, and I was seen as the instigator. The feel-ings of antipathy that developed that night intensified during the term. The professor had his opportunity to pay me back at the midterm exam. I prepared thoroughly, but he gave me a "B" and wrote a note explaining that I had misinterpreted a question; I had analyzed the material rather than sum-marized it. I was furious, but my family felt he probably was an anti-Semite. Anyway, my class discussion had certainly placed me in an unfavorable spotlight. Just about that time a magazine published a story of mine with cher-ished Holiday memories from my youth. I brought the magazine to class to show my classmates. I even planned to show it to the professor. That night, we had another disagreement, which settled the issue. At the end of class I angrily rushed out of the room. Halfway down the hall, and I'll never know why, I turned around and went back. The professor was gather-ing his belongings. He looked at me in surprise and I showed him my article. He glanced at it, and quite unexpected-ly asked if he could take it home. The following week, the professor asked me to meet him in his office after class. After we were comfortably seat-ed, he began to tell me how much he enjoyed my article. "He probably found it unique," I thought. "This might be his first expo-sure to Jewish life." My thoughts were suddenly inter-rupted. "It reminded me of my own youth," I heard him say. "It was during World War II, and we celebrated the Holidays in secrecy, each year not knowing if there would be another, each year in a different place." His next question stunned me. "How did you figure out I was Jewish?" he asked. Professor Mendez a Jew? I couldn't believe it. "My father changed our name dur-ing the War so we could escape to South America. We trained ourselves to appear non-Jewish, and assumed the Spanish style." We sat in the office A Chanukah Postcard by Chana Sharfstein and discussed Jewish life for a while. The following Tuesday, as I was preparing to leave, my daughter told me she had received several Menorahs at her school to share with anyone who wouldn't otherwise have one. "Give me one Menorah," I told her. "And find some nice wrapping paper." I remained after class to present Professor Mendez with my gift. "Is it something special you baked or cooked?" he asked. I shook my head. "Please don't open it until you get home," I said. "And please read the material inside. Keep it and think about it carefully." As I left, I turned and called, "Happy Chanukah." "Did you light the Menorah?" I asked him at the next session. "No," he said, "I told you I am not observant. My life has changed drastically since my early years." He had placed the Menorah on his desk at home, but was not interested in lighting it. "Why?" I asked. "Why not light the candle to identify with your beautiful heritage? You need not remain in hid-ing any longer. Come forward and dis-cover your real self." "Perhaps some other time," he said. "Not now. But thank you anyway." Now, a year later, he sent me a postcard. The short message contained only four words."The candles are burning!" He signed his name, "Professor Mendez," and under it in small letters, "Yehuda Mendelovsky." There are different battles and vic-tories. The Maccabees had their battle and victories, and we have ours. Sometimes we must struggle to over-come an enemy, and sometimes we must struggle to overcome ourselves. Courtesy of "The Jexvish Home" V n"3 CHAM FOGELMAN Internationally Famous Entertainer, Comedian, and Jewish Folk Singer SUMMERLIN LIBRARY AND PERFORMING ARTS CENTER THURSDAY, DECEMBER 28 - 6:00 PM DOORS OPEN AT 5:45 Tickets: Adults tS.OO Children 15.00 Refreshments will be sold Tickets available fir advance purchase at The Cbabad Center 1261 S. Arville Raffle Drawingfir a trip to Israelfir two L PROJECT OF CHABAD OF SUMMERLIN, FOR MORE INFORMATION CALL 243-3623 Chabad of Green Valley Invites you to a r r a SQWsItall ( Q M u i ^ M I k Chanukah Celebration DATE: Tuesday, December 26th TIME> 6:00 PM PLACE: Double Tree Hotel (1-215 & Warm Springs) Admission $12.00 for Adults $6.00 for children (10 & under) For More Information Call 617-0770 During the Shabbos Kiddush Rabbi Vogel asked me what was wrong and I told him I felt humiliated because I couldn't keep up. Others were finished with Alenu long before I was half done. I was forty three years old but felt like an eight year old surrounded by knowledgeable adults. I was ready to walk out and never return. He said, "Shlomo Yakov, do you think the men around you picked it up overnight? Some of them have been d o v e n i n g for fifty y e a r s . You've been dovening now for what, three weeks?" He put his around me and s a i d "Give yourself some time. You just have to practice. Now let's go have some Shabbos Kugel. It'll make you feel better!" Like my friend Fred, years before, Rabbi Vogel was absolutely right. It took discipline, dedication, desire and time to reach a comfort level in Shul, but it was worth the effort. Today I love going to Shul. I still can't finish before most of the others but it doesn't matter. It doesn't matter if you finish first or last, the important thing is ?being there. In this age of instant gratification people don't want to invest the time to learn?they'd rather quit than admit their ignorance. And that is what makes Chabad so wonderful. They welcome you with open arms and don't burden you with expectations or demands. If you want to learn to say a bracha over bread, fine, they'll show you. If you want to participate in the Shabbos meal, they'll invite you. And if you want to learn to put on Teffilin, doven or learn Torah, they're more than willing to accommo-date. Their patience, love and support makes them stand out like a bea-con in a troubled world. All y o u h a v e t o b r i n g to the table is a desire to open up and a willingness to learn. And unlike the weight lifting program,the les-sons and experi-ences you learn at Chabad won't disappear if you go on vacation. These lessons gladden your heart, your soul and your spirit forever. Every Chabad Shul I visit is filled with energy, joy and love. And just between you and me, the Shabbos Kugel is unbelievable! Steve Hyatt heads the West Coast Human Resources Dept. of Gannett Co., and lives in Salem, Oregon Patience, Love, Support... and a Little Kugel by Steve Hyatt Several years ago I met an interest-ing guy in Palm Springs, California named Fred Divine. Fred is the Jewish version of Sylvester Stallone, it would be hard to tell them apart. I happened to mention to Fred that I was going to join a gym to firm up my flabby muscles. He smiled and said "You don't have to join a gym. Just come over to my house Tuesday and work out in my gym." Unbeknownst to me, Fred was a serious world-class body builder. I still remember how I felt after that first workout. Every muscle in my body cried out in pain and I definitely wasn't going back. Lifting weights and doing calisthenics was HARD work! Two days later Fred and I were sup-posed to meet at his house for our sec-ond workout. I sheepishly told Fred I just wasn't up to this and told him I was quitting. He looked at me with a knowing smile, "Stevie, do [you think this"? referring to his perfectly in-shape fig-ure?" happened overnight? It hap-pened over days, wteks, months and years of serious training. After my first workout I felt the same way you did. I was in pain and discouraged. But I knew that to be successful I had to stay with it." We discussed it late into the night and after a little push from him, okay a BIG push, we continued with the workouts. Literally, 120 days from my first workout I saw results. Hard work and commitment put me on my way to achieving a goal beyond my reach most of my life. The year I worked out with Fred taught me a lot about com-mitment, hard work and dedication. It's funny, but my first experience with dovening was similar to my weightlift-ing experience. I remember walking into shul in Wilmington, Delaware, feeling nervous and out of place. I for-got everything I learned for my Bar Mitzvah, thirty years earlier. I was frustrated and embarrassed because I couldn't keep up. I got hopelessly lost during the service and had no idea where we were in the Siddur. I had no clue when to stand up and when to sit down. I thought, "I'm never going to learn this Stuff." Everyone around me was zipping along, singing tunes, standing up, sitting down and turning pages at what seemed like the speed of light. 24, 2000, 5:30 - 8:30 pm on a night that some Jewish families feel left out. The evening will include open skating for children and adults to roller skate to contemporary Jewish music and classic Chanukah songs. A special Menorah lighting ceremony, Chanukah Arts & Crafts and a Chanukah Olive oil workshop where olives are turned into oil. The program will be held at The Crystal Palace Skating Rink, 9295 W. Flamingo Road (at Fort Apache). Admission $5.00. Kosher food will be available for purchase. For more information, call Chabad of Southern Nevada at 259-0770. MAYOR OSCAR GOODMAN TO BE HONORED WITH THE KINDLING OF THE GRAND MENORAH AT FREMONT STREET Chabad of Southern Nevada, in conjunction with the Jewish Federation and the Fremont Street Experience will once again host the public Menorah lighting ceremony in Las Vegas. This annual event, which attracted close to 1000 people last year, will be held on the first night of Chanukah, December 21st, 5:00 pm on the corner of Fremont Street and Casino Center. The 20-foot Menorah, which was donated and manufactured by Young Electric Sign Company, will be dis-played at this location throughout the holiday season. There will be a live performance by "Meshuggina Klezmorim" Band, David the Walking Dreidel and Magician, as well as Chanukah songs performed by the Children's Choir. We will also have Latkes (potato pan-cakes) and free dreidels for the kids. This program assures everyone, young and old alike a moving and joyful experience. The holiday of Chanukah is the fes-tival, which commemorates the victo-ry of the Jews over the mighty and powerful Greek armies more than 2300 years ago who attempted to s u p - ^ H I l V V \ l j l ^ A press Jewish Sj^k tices and o b s e r - ^ H p j H t a M ^ ^ ^V v a n c e . V nLgtBg^r Highlighted by the ?. kindling of the meno-rah each night of the holiday, it is a cel-ebration for all times. "It is a holiday replete with tradi-tion and overwhelming joy," explains Rabbi Shea Harlig, Director of Chabad. "We urge the entire Jewish community of Las Vegas to stand up and be count-ed at the ceremony. "The message of Chanukah also contains a universal message for peo-ple of all faiths, that ultimately, good will triumph oyer evil, freedom over opposition, and light over darkness." For more information, call Chabad at 259-0770. CHANUKAH CELEBRATIONS AT SUN CITY Chabad of Summerlin will be host-ing our sixth annual Sun City Chanukah party and Menorah lighting featuring traditional Chanukah foods such as hot latkes and doughnuts, a raffle, Jewish Jeopardy and a special performance by the Chabad Torah Tots. The program will be held on Tuesday, December 26, 2000 at the Desert Vista Country Club, room 1 & 2. Admission is free. Everyone is wel-come regardless of affiliation and level of observance. For more information please call Chabad of Summerlin at 243-3623. CHABAD OF SUMMERLIN CHANUKAH CELEBRATION Join us for a special Family Chanukah concert, December 28, 2000 with internationally famous entertain-er, comedian and Jewish folk singer, Chaim Fogelman. There will also be a Menorah lighting ceremony, magician and dreidelrama. Kosher food will be a v a i l a b l e ^ for purchase. The concert wilL be held at the^ Summerlin Library and' Performing Arts Center, Thursday, December 28, 2000, 6:00 pm. Doors : > H open at 5:45. Tickets are $8.00 for adults and $5.00 for children. For more information, call Chabad of Summerlin, 243-3623. CHABAD OF GREEN VALLEY CHANUKAH CELEBRATION Chabad of Green Valley will be hosting its 2nd Chanukah celebration on Tuesday, December 26, 6:00 pm. The program will include a Menorah lighting and Kosher Chinese food with special entertainment by Master Magician, Joshua Seth, The Voice of Digimon (Tai). There will be a raffle taking place and the lucky winners will walk away with a Scooter, Pokemon cards, a Round of Golf for Four, a fine piece of ladies' jewelry and more. The Chanukah program will take place at the Double Tree Hotel, 1-215 and Warm Springs. Admission is $12.00 for adults and $6.00 for kids 10 and under. For more information, call 617- 0770. CHANUKAH ON WHEELS Chabad of Southern Nevada in conjunction with the Jewish Community Center will be hosting a special celebration of Chanukah on Wheels at The Crystal Palace Skating Rink. The non-stop action and activi-ties will provide a creative and educa-tional outlet for children of all ages and will be held on Sunday, December : ? - A" ? r- .. ? 'i ?i. f ' v' J. J - ? V v .'1 T, i ?? * ? ;v ? Chabad of Southern Nevada 10th Anniversary Banquet Rebbetzin Dina Harlig Dr. Leon Steinberg with Goldie Scheinman Dr. Neville Pokroy, co-Banquet Chairman Close to 500 people gather efi on Sunday December 10th at the Venetian Hotel to honor Chabad's ten years of service to the local communi - ty and to pay tribute to a special cou - pie, Dr. Miriam and Sheldon G. Adelson, for all their unparalleled support of Chabad that has enabled it to expand and grow beypnd its wildest dreams. Mr. & Mrs. Len Howard in front of Chabad Ice Sculpture Dennis Prager, Guest Speaker 8 w , A Mr. Sheldon G. Adelson, owner of the Venetian Resort 480 People Attended Honorees Dr. Miriam & Sheldon G. Adelson & Rabbi Shea Harlig Mr. David Friedman, co-Banquet Chairman Rabbi & Mrs. Yisrael Schanowitz Rabbi & Rebbetzin Harlig present award to the Adelsons Rabbi & Mrs Mendy Harlig & Ambassador Chic Hecht The experience of Mike Nenlamler, by Debrn B. Dnrvick Dog tags. When you get right down to it, the military's dog tag classification made me reclaim my Judaism. In the fall of 1990 things were heating up in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. I'd been an Army Captain and a helicopter main-tenance test pilot for a decade and received notice that I'd be transferred to the First Cavalry Division which was on alert for the Gulf War. Consequently, I also caught wind of the Department of Defense "dog tag dilemma" regarding Jewish personnel. Saudi law forbids Jews to enter the country. But our Department of Defense told the King Fahd: "We have Jews in our military. They trained with their units and they're going. Blink and look the other way." With Kuwait occupied and the Iraqis at his border, King Fahd did the practical thing and blinked. We shipped out, but there was still the issue of the dog tag classification. Normally, the dog tags of Jewish service-men are X i m p r i n t e d with the word "Jewish." But the Department of Defense, fearing that maintaining this customary marking for Jewish soldiers would put them at fur-ther risk should they be captured on Iraqi soil, substituted the classification "Protestant-B" on the tags, "B" being a secret code for Jew. I didn't like the idea of reclassifying Jews as Protestant anything and decided to leave my dog tag alone. I figured if I were captured, it was in G-d's hands. Changing my tags was tantamount to denying my religion, and I couldn't swal-low that. In September 1990 I went off to defend a country I was prohibited from entering. The "Jewish" classification on my dog tag remained, clear and unmis-takable as the American star painted on the hood of every Army truck. A few days after my arrival, the Baptist batta