Evolving evolution

During the inception and conclusion of the book of Beresheet, discussion of Darwinian evolution often surfaces. Darwin was aware of the principle of abrupt evolutionary change, in his discussion of the natural selection of the species, but it was only a half century ago that language scientists recognized its importance. Noam Chomsky in his book “Language and Mind” comments:

“There seems to be no substance to the view that human language is simply a more complex instance of something to be found elsewhere in the animal world.

This poses a problem for the biologist, since, if true, it is an example of true ‘emergence’ — the appearance of a qualitatively different phenomenon ...”

Language, as viewed by Chomsky, is not the result of gradual evolutionary refinement, but rather an abrupt change, referred to in mathematics as a step function. Human language is a drastic leap from the primitive communication gestures and noises of the higher primates. With millions of dollars of government funds, psychologists and linguists using standard language training procedures in human family habitats were unable to teach chimpanzees to talk or to understand relatively simple sentences. In a subsequent set of investigations Philip Lieberman in his book “The Evolution of Uniquely Speech, Thought, and Human Selfless Behavior” concluded that the chest position of the human laryngeal vocal tract, the dimensions of the oral cavity in which the tongue is housed, and the shape of the human tongue enable only humans to produce the precise articulatory movements of the thousands of different speech sounds in the languages of the world. Were the language centers of the human brain a part of the brains of the higher primates, they would still be unable to produce human speech. That language and speech are singular human properties indicate that Darwinian principles of evolution fall substantially short when employed to support the position that humans are merely a final evolutionary byproduct within the animal kingdom. The possession of human language and human speech indicates an abrupt, special and unique creation. These thoughts were with me as I left services, singing to myself Chazak, Chazak, Vinitchazaik. (Be strong, be strong and may we be strengthened.)

Harris Winitz, Ph.D.
Professor Emeritus, UMKC
Kansas City, Mo.

“Promiscuous: ‘Portnoy’s Complaint’ and Our Doomed Pursuit of Happiness,” by Bernard Avishai. (Yale University Press, 2012)

The late 1950s and early 1960s represented a unique chapter in the history of American fiction — the rise of the Jewish writer. Beginning with “Marjorie Morningstar” (1955), which landed its author, Herman Wouk, on the cover of Time, the American Jewish experience dominated American literature. All of this culminated in 1969 with the publication of Philip Roth’s controversial “Portnoy’s Complaint.” Then, suddenly, the bubble burst. Except for Neil Simon, Jewish writers seemed to cater more to a niche market. While many of these writers showed a deeper and more sympathetic understanding of Jewish culture than did their predecessors, they no longer commanded center stage.

When “Portnoy’s Complaint” first appeared it was surrounded by controversy. Some critics saw it simply as obscene. In the words of Gershom Scholem, “This is the book for which all anti-Semites have been praying.” Now, more than 40 years since its publication, we should be able to achieve a more balanced approach. Such is the purpose of Bernard Avishai’s “Promiscuous.”

From the outset, Avishai focuses on something that should have been obvious from the beginning — the ironic distance between Portnoy and Roth: “The caution — that Portnoy was not Roth — was ignored even by more seasoned critics who read novels for a living.” Many readers who assumed that Roth was writing about his own family, for example, have been surprised to learn that Roth, unlike Portnoy, did not have a sister.

For Avishai, who is personally acquainted with Roth and has been able to obtain some first-hand insights, the novel is essentially a satire, and Portnoy himself is the principal object of the satire. Another target of Roth’s satire, Avishai asserts, is psychoanalysis itself: “If you read between the lines — and how can you not? — the uber-objects of Roth’s satire are those very orthodox psychoanalytic expectations, which Portnoy implicitly pays homage to.” Avishai defends Roth against the charge of misogyny, saying “Portnoy does not objectify women until he has objectified himself.”

I wish Avishai had paid more attention to this novel as literary satire, with its implicit critique of the novels of Malamud and Bellow, who placed too much symbolic weight on their Jewish characters. In “The Assistant,” Malamud had treated the Jew as a representative of the prophet Isaiah’s “suffering servant.” For Roth, speaking through Alex Portnoy, such concepts cannot be applied to contemporary Jews.

There are some places where Avishai’s arguments are a bit hard to follow, and there is one incident of nasty lashon hara directed at one of Roth’s detractors which has no place in a book of this type (page 136 if you have the book — otherwise, I don’t want to spread the rumor here). But if you agree that “Portnoy’s Complaint” is a landmark of Jewish-American fiction, then this book is a must read.

Support AMIT Women

There is a wonderful organization you should know about. It is AMIT Women, which nurtures and educates Israeli children to become productive, contributing members of society.

It rescues children whose families face economic or other social challenges in Israel. Many of these families were driven from their homes in Arab lands and elsewhere.

These families know poverty. Their children need an education and hope for a better life. AMIT provides this help to 25,000 children. But AMIT needs your help. The children of AMIT reflect all of Israel. Some are from families that are secular, religious, Sephardic or Ashkenazi. As the saying goes, “Save one child at a time.”

Please send any money you can to:

AMIT
817 Broadway
New York, NY 10003

The office phone is 212-477-4720

Harold Koch
Leawood, Kan.

I was 15 years old in 1991. My dad had just come out of the closet, left my mom and moved into his own apartment. Our family was stunned at his revelation and we fell apart. Books were my best friends then, and still are. So I did the only thing I knew how to do: I went to the bookstore to get some help.

I asked the Waldenbooks saleswoman for a book about having a gay dad. She looked dumbfounded, then suppressed a giggle as she led me to the children’s section where all of the babies’ board books were. She handed me a copy of Leslea Newman’s “Heather Has Two Mommies,” and anger swelled up inside of me. I mumbled a thank you and left, tears dripping down my flushed cheeks.

Years passed and I never met anyone else with a gay parent and that profoundly shaped me. I was lonely and had no one who really understood. Confiding in friends is OK, but unless you’ve “been there, done that,” it’s not the same. And although I have two younger brothers, we are years and worlds apart so our experiences are diametrically opposed. We may be siblings, but we process things differently. Consequently we’ve never talked much to each other about it.

In 2011 I finally “met” two other kids of gay dads virtually via the Internet. Coincidentally, our fathers were all born in 1949 within three months of one another. We began talking, emailing, and Skyping. Amie Shea suggested we start The Gay Dad Project. Jared Karol and I jumped in and we began a blog, a Facebook page, and even hopped on Twitter to spread our message: IF YOU HAVE A GAY PARENT YOU ARE NOT ALONE. WE ARE HERE FOR YOU. WE WANT TO SHARE OUR STORIES, AND WE WANT TO HEAR YOURS.

I flew to Oakland with my gay dad in August 2012, to meet Amie, her gay dad and Jared for the first time in person (Jared’s father died of AIDS in 2000). We were instantly comfortable with each other, which isn’t always the way when you meet someone from the Internet. We hugged each other — hard. It was life-changing for me; I didn’t feel alone anymore. We spent Labor Day weekend talking, filming a trailer for a documentary we’re hoping to make, and celebrating at the Oakland Gay Pride festival.

This is my calling, my life. I was born to do this, to spread the message. Coming out of the closet in 1991 was hard enough on us, but gay people are still getting married because they feel the need to hide. We can help put a stop to this! We need to help LGBTQ (Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transexual Queer) people feel free to be themselves and not conform to society’s standards.

Most of all, we need to help the families who are struggling through these circumstances right now. We are here to listen, offer support and advice, and to recommend resources. We welcome your stories on our site. If this is a cause you feel passionately about, we’d love your help spreading the word.

Children of gay parents are not freaks; many are simply hiding, as I did. When a gay parent comes out of the closet, the straight family and children often go INTO the closet. There are plenty of resources for the LGBTQ community, but what about us? What about the kids? We need each other. We need affirmation that we’re not alone.

If you’re reading this, remember that you are not alone. You have me. And you have Amie Shea and Jared Karol, my partners in The Gay Dad Project. And many others who are too scared to share. Together we are a force to be reckoned with. Join us.

Erin Margolin is co-founder of The Gay Dad’s Project, a place for families with one straight parent and one gay parent to share their stories. In December she was interviewed on KCUR. You can hear the interview at http://kcur.org/post/gay-dad-project. Learn more about The Gay Dad Project by visiting www.gaydadproject.org.

Valuable program benefits teens

I’d like to commend Hillel Goldstein for bringing the JSU Scholars Program to Kansas City. My son, Ethan, was among the students participating in its inaugural year. Once a week for 10 weeks, Ethan met with other teenagers and a speaker, rabbi or facilitator to discuss a variety of topics with a Jewish twist, from charitable giving to business ethics. He came home after every session with an enthusiastic “Did you know …?” or “Now I understand why …!”

The program helped fill a gap that exists in this community when it comes to meaningful and engaging Jewish education for teens. I sincerely hope that it will be offered again and again.

Sharon Loftspring
Leawood, Kan.

Laws do not prevent tragedies

The country will be forever changed by the horrific events in Newtown. So many questions will continue to be asked even though now, a week later, so many answers have emerged. And those answers have shed a different light on this tragedy than was initially believed.

Now quickly without fail our current political elders have called for legislation that they believe will prevent another tragedy. This is completely ridiculous and preposterous. We have the infrastructure and resources in place to address these regrettable events. We simply do not execute those policies and laws effectively. But that is not worthy of a political advantage, so our leaders call for more laws and less rights for citizens.

If gun laws are changed, the result will be no different. If Michael Bloomberg thinks I cannot order two 16-ounce drinks when I want 32 ounces, which he does, he is the one needing mental intervention. And if our political leaders think that a 10-clip round will not find a shooter simply bringing in an extra weapon, they again lack the common sense to truly be called leaders.

Can we please for once try to not legislate solutions and use common sense to address those things that cause so much pain in our country?

Robert Cutler
Leawood, Kan.

Courageously different

A week ago a young man from Kansas City and living in Kansas City passed away. This young man was always known as being “different” wherever he went and wherever he lived.

I admired this person a great deal for having the courage to live his life as he knew it and as it would make him the happiest and most content. All through life he encountered many people — be it a school, in public places, at meetings, a programs, etc.

He learned to accept himself and life enjoying whatever he accomplished. If people wanted to talk about him, all he needed to do was to hold his head up high and think about all he did and was going to do.

He had a job where he faced the public every day and kept this job for many years.

He was an idealistic person, always saying that one day things would be different and change.

I told him many times that he grew up in an age of “protest.” I told him — he knew this — that he should be proud of himself for accomplishing so much in so short a time.

He left his name in many places and hopefully other people will read of his life and continue to grow as he did.

You will be remembered by many — you touched the lives of many. People will say, “Look at what he accomplished with a smile on his face.”

His one phrase that he wanted all to know — “I did it. So can you!”

Linda Gurin
Leawood, Kan.

Killing versus killing

A single gunman in Connecticut kills 26 people, of which 20 were children. The nation’s response: talk, talk, talk. In previous killings of this kind, the response, too, was: talk, talk, talk.

Some 70 years ago, it was not a single gunman, it was the entire German nation that stood behind the murder of millions of people in Nazi concentration camps. The world’s response? None.

At the present, Iran has repeatedly announced its aim to annihilate the State of Israel. Iran is in the process of building nuclear bombs. Our nation’s response: let’s give diplomacy a chance. The diplomatic activity by the Obama administration over the last four years has achieved nothing. Iran has remained on track toward its nuclear goal whose purpose it is to kill millions of people.

For the United States not to destroy Iran’s nuclear project is a crime of infinite proportions.

Zeev Dickmann, Ph.D.
Overland Park, Kan.

Troubling news coverage

The tragedy in Newtown, Conn., is beyond consolation. The death of young school children and their incredibly brave teachers shows that there is a culture of violence in our country that needs careful examination and elimination. This tragedy transcends all boundaries of race, religion and ethnicity. The murdering of any child and teacher is an affront to God and to every value that the Jewish people stand for.

I have been troubled by the Jewish Telegraphic Agency’s approach to these events. Their first posting on this subject was an announcement that the youngest child killed was a Jewish child. Pain and suffering of that family and their congregation is incomprehensible.

However, the JTA’s posting focusing on the Jewish angle to this story troubles me. It is a Jewish story of Jewish significance because innocent people of all backgrounds were murdered in a horrific crime. Unintentionally, the JTA sent a message that it only becomes an issue of Jewish concern when a Jew is involved. This kind of message is an affront to all the families who have lost love ones, and to the Jewish people who believe that every human life is of infinite value and significance.

Let us pray for all the victims and their families. People of all faiths need to turn their attention to the kind of tangible changes in our culture and society that will make these kind of acts of evil less likely to occur in the future.

Rabbi Alan Londy, D.Min.
New Reform Temple

Todah rabah

Our family and friends recently celebrated our son’s Bar Mitzvah. The Shabbat services and dinner, Bar Mitzvah service, Kiddush lunch and Saturday night party were all held at the Jewish Community Campus. We want to give A BIG THANKS to the Jewish agencies and organizations that came together to coordinate a complicated weekend, including the Jewish Community Campus, the JCC, the Va’ad HaKashruth, Congregation Beth Shalom and Hyman Brand Hebrew Academy. As we’re sure occurs with many local events, we had some unusual requests of all of these organizations in order to make the weekend a success. These organizations worked together in a way that made us grateful and proud to be a part of the Kansas City Jewish community.

Our best wishes to our wonderful community for a happy and healthy New Year.

Carol, Dave, Sophia and Joe Porter
Leawood, Kan.

One of the real winners in the recent Gaza War was Israel’s Iron Dome Rocket Defense System which successfully knocked down 421 rockets launched from Gaza and bound for Israeli cities, an 84 percent success rate. The system limited Israeli casualties to six during the seven days of bombardment and as a result significantly decreased the pressure on Israeli decision makers to invade Gaza.

We just returned from a seven-day AIPAC mission along with 150 other AIPAC supporters from across the United States. One of the unique opportunities we had was a special briefing specific to our AIPAC group from Ari (last name purposely withheld), systems development engineer of Rafael Industries, which is the developer of the Iron Dome System. Ari’s presentation was fact-filled, showing footage of how the system worked and its tremendous capabilities and success. This briefing occurred seven days before the war began on Nov. 8.

It is important to know that the system was developed by the Israelis with financial aid from the United States. This process was not without its significant travails.

The Iron Dome system, although manned, is completely computerized. The system is able to identify the trajectory of the missile and within seconds identify which missiles are headed for population centers and which will fall in uninhabited areas. Within seconds the hostile missiles are destroyed and the non-hostile missiles are allowed to fall harmlessly.

One can only speculate what would have happened without the Iron Dome system in terms of Israeli casualties and the response that would have engendered.

The following is an email from Ari to our AIPAC group, sent Thursday, Nov. 29, at 8:47 a.m. with the subject line: A message of gratitude.

Now that the bullets have stopped flying, I wanted to pass this message to as many people as I know, but especially to those who dedicate their lives to the State of Israel. The message is from me, and me only. Please feel free to pass it to anyone pertinent.

Without a doubt, Operation Pillar of Defense would have looked very different had Iron Dome not been operational. The system intercepted hundreds of rockets that were headed straight into the heart of residential areas. Iron Dome saved lives, protected property, and gave people a sense of security, something that they had been missing for more than a decade. Iron Dome was the product of the hard work of unbelievably dedicated and talented people. On Thursday I came to work only to see some friends of mine run out of the building, telling me they were “off to set up a battery in Tel Aviv.” Turns out that they worked for 48 hours straight, into Shabbat, not pausing to change their clothing, shower, or even to eat, but they set up that battery. And three hours later, that battery shot down a Fajr-5 headed straight for Tel Aviv.

Since 2010, the people of the United States of America have given the State of Israel nearly $300 million for the procurement of Iron Dome. Another $600 million has been allocated. You people should know that Iron Dome batteries that were funded with American money played a critical part in the conflict. Your money, your help, saved lives. There are people walking around today who are eating falafel, learning Torah, or just playing with their children, who would not be here today if it were not for the United States of America. To this end, no words will ever suffice.

But let me try: Thank you.

And may G-d Almighty bless America

Cheers,

Ari”

AIPAC, whose sole mission is to keep the U.S.-Israel relationship strong and secure, is extremely proud to have been recognized by Ari for the role AIPAC has played in keeping Israel safe and secure. AIPAC Kansas, once again, thanks our congressmen and senators for their significant support for the Iron Dome System through its many design changes.

You should know, those of you who have so generously worked with and donated to AIPAC, that your trust is most appreciated and valued. Your work and effort has not only solidified the U.S.-Israel relationship but more important, it has saved lives.

Matt Siegel and Larry Nussbaum are members of the AIPAC Kansas Club.

AIPAC to host post-election event

The KC AIPAC Chapter will host Ed Miller, AIPAC’s deputy national political director, for a Club-level post-election event on Tuesday evening, Jan. 8. To learn more contact Brad Fahlgren, area director for Kansas and Missouri, at the AIPAC Chicago office, 312-253-8997 or email him at: .

According to its mission statement, “AIPAC empowers pro-Israel activists across all ages, religions and races to be politically engaged and build relationships with members of Congress from both sides of the aisle to promote the U.S.-Israel relationship.”

Although the event on Jan. 8 is not an AIPAC Shabbat, it’s that kind of information that members of the community will learn about during an AIPAC Shabbat, explained KC Council Chair Bonnie Siegel. “AIPAC Shabbat was started here five years ago,” she said. “And because  Kansas City is a model for other AIPAC regions, it has been replicated across the country.”

To host an AIPAC Shabbat — or receive an invitation to one — call AIPAC Special Projects Chair Brenda Rosenthal at 913-568-8105, or Siegel at 816-835-1251.

Registration is also open for the annual AIPAC Policy Conference in Washington, D.C., March 3-5. The KC Chapter sent more than 90 members in 2012 and is looking to exceed 100 in 2013. To learn more, visit www.aipac.org.

Governor’s actions unacceptable

Kansas Gov. Brownback proclaimed Dec. 8, 2012, as a Day of Restoration in Kansas with the tagline: Ignite the Fire of Repentance and Unite the Body of Christ. There are many problems surrounding this egregious proclamation including the governor’s total disregard for the separation of church and state, and the resulting affront to anyone not deemed a “Christian,” e.g. Muslims, Jews, atheists and more.

Additionally, ReignDown, the organization promoting this event, is an extreme right-wing organization associating itself with people who are not even close to the mainstream when it comes to political issues. Among their articulated stands are the endorsement of prayer in school and opposition to abortion for any reason. Two of their “partners” are a congressman from Arizona, who said in 2010 that blacks were better off under slavery; and a “Christian prophet” named Cindy Jacobs.

Not only do I find the governor’s actions unacceptable, I fear his no-tax policy to encourage individuals and businesses to move to Kansas will surely be inhibited by his extremism, thus inflicting even more harm and cuts in social services sorely needed by many Kansas residents. Why was this proclamation not covered by the Kansas City Star?

Judy Sherry
Kansas City, Mo.

Fond farewell

Dan Henkin, whose obituary appeared in the Nov. 15 edition of The Chronicle, was a person who made a considerable mark in this life and who comes along rarely. I’d like to tell you a little more about him.

Dan was a musician. A member of the large and respected Chernikoff family, he received his first clarinet as a gift from an uncle. At the ripe age of 15, in 1945, as a member of the Kansas City Philharmonic, he became the youngest clarinet player in a major U.S. symphony.

As a freshman at the University of Missouri in 1947, Dan joined Alpha Epsilon Pi, a little known Jewish fraternity. He, along with other K.C. high school friends including Stan Bodker, helped build that fraternity become one of the largest and most successful fraternity chapters in the nation. He was honored by the MU chapter as “alumnus of the year” in 1974 for all of his efforts.

He joined The Eddie Sigaloff swing band in college and, at the same time, managed the bookings for other bands as well. There were spring weekends in which Dan had as many as four dance band engagements going at one time.

Following graduation in 1951, Dan entered the U.S. Air Force as a 2nd Lieutenant. He organized a military dance band that played all over Japan and Korea. During his stay there, he met the person that he was destined to spend the rest of his life with, Mary Henkin. The couple was married in 1958.

After the military he served as advertising manager at C.G. Conn, a large band instrument producer in Elkhart, Ind. He next became a business owner, first purchasing K.G. Gemeinhardt, a producer of flutes in Elkhart, for $1.2 million. In the 1970s he sold that same company to CBS for $8.5 million. Eventually he owned another 13 instrument manufacturers, in Elkhart and other nearby cities.

Dan’s influence changed the music instrument business dramatically. His companies changed the way instruments were sold to young people, established programs to educate kids in music, and started band programs around the United States in support of this effort.

Henkin enjoyed friendships in the music industry all over the United States, even calling Doc Severinson, a jazz trumpeter known for leading the band of the “Johnny Carson” show, a personal friend. And, of course, he never forgot his friends in Kansas City. He will be missed.

M J Rosenbloom
Prairie Village, Kan.

Palestinian state a mistake

Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas succeeded in his appeal at the U.N. General Assembly Thursday, Nov. 29, to upgrade the status of the PLO as an “observer state” at the U.N. All presentations that Abbas made to his people in the Arabic language made it clear that his concept of an “observer state” will include all of Palestine, “from the river to the sea,” in accordance with the PLO Covenant, which was never cancelled.

The Palestine Broadcasting Corporation Radio Station, the official voice of the Palestinian Authority, had this to say in a broadcast the day of the vote:

“Today the whole world recognizes the criminality of the occupation, the existence of a Palestinian State … Today is a proud day to be a Palestinian, and we must be united. Today we take the first step towards ending the occupation, and reclaiming our homeland, from Gaza, to Nablus, Jerusalem, Haifa, Afula, all of Palestine.

“We will use our newfound recognition to hold the occupation accountable for its crimes against humanity in the past two weeks.

“We are all one Palestine, and now more than ever we must be united because this is the beginning of the end of the occupation. Our brothers in Haifa, Jaffa, Jerusalem, Gaza, we now all speak with one voice.”

In response to this development, I believe it is up to U.S. citizens to write to every member of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee and the U.S. House Foreign Relations Committee, (members of both committees are listed on the internet) to demand a suspension of U.S. aid to the Palestinian Authority.

You can reach your representative by calling the Capitol switchboard number, 202-224-3121. The comment line for the White House is: 202-456-1111; the White House switchboard is 202-456-1414.

Rabbi Dr. Bernhard Rosenberg
President
Israel Advocacy Task Force

Thanks for the coverage

I appreciate, am pleased with and grateful to The Chronicle for the comprehensive report and review of my memoir. My inspiration for the book was a need to record a history of an exciting community period of communal growth. By letting it be known that the book is now available, The Chronicle contributed in informing members of the Jewish community that an opportunity exists to learn about what the community has and is still accomplishing.

I am not accepting royalties for this book, as all such payments are being directed to the Jewish Federation of Greater Kansas City.

Sol Koenigsberg
Executive Director Emeritus
Jewish Federation of Greater Kansas City

Help impoverished Israelis

It’s terrible to learn that many of our people in Israel are going hungry because their government always has to spend so much on defense.

We can’t ignore this. So in this country we must start sending money regularly so that many Israelis will not have to sit down to an empty dinner table. Please start doing this now.

You can send money to:

Yad Eliezer: Breaking the Cycle of Poverty in Israel
American Friends of Yad Eliezer
1102 E. 26th St.,
Brooklyn, NY 11210
YadEliezer.org

The Jewish Federations of North America has also set up the Israel Terror Relief Fund (not just for food)

Jewish Federations of North America
Wall Street Station — PO Box 157
New York, NY 10268
www.jewishfederations.org

(Editor’s note: The Jewish Federation of Greater Kansas City is also raising money that goes directly into this fund where all money will go toward humanitarian efforts. To learn more visit the website at www.jewishkansascity.org.)

Gloria Schlossenberg
Overland Park, Kan.