Baltimore Jewish Council Annual Meeting 

Keynote Speaker

Michael Singh  

Director of the Washington Institute

and

 former Director of  Middle East Affairs at the National Security Council  

Thursday,

June 14, 2012

4:00-6:00pm 

Chizuk Amuno Congregation

 8100 Stevenson Rd. Pikesville, MD

Please RSVP to

 Jasmine Estes 

  Councilwoman Vicki Almond

Vicki Almond represents the second district of Baltimore County. She also serves as Chair of the County Council, and is committed to meeting the needs of her community. Vicki, a lifelong Maryland resident, lives in Reisterstown, and has two children and six grandchildren. To read the Spotlight interview with Vicki Almond, please click here.

ECYP is honoring the Cordish family at our fundraiser this June, with special guest RAY LEWIS! To view the save-the-date in full size, please click here.
 

Last week, the ECYP Fellows broadened their horizons by spending a day in the life of midshipmen at the United States Naval Academy.  Throughout the two-day visit, our young leaders participated in workshops on engineering and biometric

technologies, tested their reflexes in flight simulators,

and even set sail on a yard patrol vessel.  We are fortunate to have a committed partner in

USNA--the Academy even organized an overnight experience on the campus for our teens. Several of the ECYP Fellows are now considering a future with the Navy and we could not be more proud to support their desire to explore the opportunity.

More than 600 people gathered on Sunday, April 22nd at Beth El Congregation for the 2012 Yom HaShoah community-wide commemoration. L'Dor Va'Dor: From Generation to Generation was this year's theme. Special features included an essay contest for middle and high school students.There were 85 entries from schools not only in the immediate area, but as far away as Elkton. Another new feature was a survivor photo essay contest of the Survivors Among Us, with available pictures from the earliest years possible (Bluma Shapiro had a pre-war photo of her family saved by an aunt living in the United States at the time) up until the present. The most powerful photos were the current ones of the survivors and their families--the ultimate statement against the Nazis. To view the slideshow, please click here.

SUMMER TEACHERS INSTITUTE 

It is likely that a special session of the Maryland legislature will convene in mid-May. The consequences of no session are severe, especially to those most in need of the state's help. The letter cited below, which appeared in the Sunday, April 29th edition of the Baltimore Sun, describes the need for a "fix" to the "Doomsday" budget scenario.

We write as members and leaders of Maryland's faith community. We are glad that a special session of the Maryland General Assembly to resolve the state's budget impasse now seems likely. We cannot stress strongly enough how vital it is to fashion a full fix to the doomsday budgetary scenario.

We each witness in our own congregations and communities the harm the Great Recession has wrought. Now is decidedly not the time to slash more from a state budget that already has left families and communities reeling.

If the doomsday budget were implemented, Maryland's educational system at both the K-12 and college levels would be especially hard hit. The $128 million taken from our public schools plus a 10 percent reduction to highereducation equal a terrible disinvestment in our youth and their futures. We know first-hand how tenuous a path so many youth have. As noted by University System of Maryland Chancellor William E. Kirwin in a recent op-ed ("Doomsday for Md. higher education," April 24), giving them even less is unconscionable.

Public libraries, public safety, funds for foster care and disabled persons - all suffer reductions in the doomsday budget. We cannot afford to allow such cutbacks.

When the legislature reconvenes, we urge that the full measure of cuts made in the doomsday budget be reversed. We also urge restoring the higher tax on little cigars and smokeless tobacco approved during the legislative session but lost during its final hours. Doing so would save thousands of lives and combat youth addiction to tobacco before it starts.

If Maryland is to be both great and good, it must steer away from the doomsday path without delay, and in full measure."

Arthur C. Abramson, Bishop Douglas Miles, Rev. Fred Weimert, BaltimoreThe writers are, respectively, executive director of the Baltimore Jewish Council, co-chair of Baltimoreans United in Leadership Development (BUILD), and president of the Central Maryland Ecumenical Council.

Arthur C. Abramson, Ph.D

On Saturday April 28, 2012, The Baltimore Hebrew Congregation held their 2nd annual "Night of the Stars" in honor of BJC president Martha Weiman and her husband Stan. The Weimans' were recognized for the extraordinary work they do throughout the community. The BJC would like to congragulate them on their outstanding committment to the community.  For more information about the Baltimore Hebrew Congregation, please click here.

LEGISLATIVE UPDATE

The Maryland Education Credit (formally the BOAST bill) was unfortunately not allowed a vote in the House Ways and Means Committee.   Government Relations Staff will begin meeting with the Maryland Education Coalition soon to discuss options moving forward and the future of the legislation.

During the final hours of the legislative session, the Maryland General Assembly passed the budget bill, but did not pass the Budget and Financing Reconciliation Act or revenue bills. Thus, the operating budget reverts to the "doomsday budget" cutting $500 million including over $100 million to public schools, eliminating provider rate increases for developmental disabilities, mental health and foster care providers, $150 million in cuts to state agencies and the termination of 500 state jobs. We are joining with many other non-profits and faith-based organizations in asking Annapolis leadership to call a Special Session to avoid these devastating cuts, which could affect operating budget funds we fought to secure.

This year in the Governor's Capital Budget, we helped secure $1 million for Sinai Hospital's Brain Injury Rehabilitation Unit and $150,000 for Northwest Hospital's Domestic Violence Prevention Program.   From the Operating budget we hopefully have secured $450,000 to support Naturally Occurring Retirement Communities and the Options Network (THE ASSOCIATED and Jewish Federation of Greater Washington will each receive $225,000 for their respective programs). $139,808 in operating support for the Maryland-Israel Development Center and $8,444 in operating support for the Jewish Museum of Maryland are also on the line. We are sincerely appreciative to our representatives for these funds.

At the Federal level, Senator Cardin will be introducing legislation to add Holocaust Survivors to the Older American's Act. If enacted, this legislation will add Holocaust Survivors to the list of groups receiving preferential treatment for benefits. We are thankful for Senator Cardin's efforts on behalf of the survivor community.

Trialogue

Please join us Tuesday, May 15, 2012 for our final Interfaith Trialogue before the summer, entitled, "Am I the Earth's Keeper: Three Perspectives." How do the Islamic, Jewish, and Christian faiths view and value the environment? We will discuss and hear insight from our co-chairs Imam Yahya Hendi, Rabbi Andy Busch, and Monsignor Rich Bozzelli. Lunch is $10.00 per person. Please RSVP to Phyllis Gwynn or contact Mandee Simmons for more information. We look forward to seeing you there!

Leadership Development Program

The Baltimore Jewish Council's Leadership Development Program participants met this month at City Police Headquarters. The topic was "Security, Strategy, and Assessments: The Threat to Our Community."

Commissioner Fred Bealefeld

Baltimore City Police Commissioner Fred Bealefeld began the evening with a group briefing. Deputy Commissioner John Skinner, Lieutenant Robert Morris with the Criminal Intelligence Section, and Sergeant Gregg Grueninger from CitiWatch, provided detailed discussions and tours of the inner workings of the City police department, including a presentation in the "Watch Center".

The Leadership Development Program will begin recruiting for the 2012-2013 program year in May. For more information, please contact Toba Rainess at the BJC.

Nearly one thousand people joined together at Towson University, West Village Commons, on Sunday, April 29th to celebrate Yom Ha'atzmaut, marking Israel's 64th birthday. This community-wide event, planned by the Baltimore Israel Coalition, chaired by Ellen Lightman, Brian Sacks, and Josh Weintraub, featured food, Israeli vendors, and activities for children and adults. Comedian Benji Lovitt gave a marvelous performance and was the highlight of the entertainment. We also heard wonderful pieces from local choirs such as Chizuk Amuno's Kol Rinah, Beth Tfiloh's Koleinu, and Beth Israel's Youth and Adult Choir. The celebration also included the showing of the documentary "Israel Inside". The film explained how such a small and young nation can make such a big difference.

Towson's President, Maravene Loeschke, Senator Ben Cardin, and Galit Baram, Counselor, Public and Academic Affairs for the Embassy of Israel, each offered brief remarks at the event. Congressman John Sarbanes and Delegate Stephen Lafferty also stopped by to celebrate and show their support.

The Baltimore Israel Coalition is extremely pleased with the success of the event and overwhelming support from the community. They hope to bring even more people together to celebrate Israel's 65th birthday next year! For more information about the coalition and future events, visit www.baltglobalimpact.org/independence.

*The Baltimore Israel Coalition is a consortium of local organizations working to support Israel through education, advocacy and community-building.

Israel Aerospace Industries Subsidiary Opens in Maryland

Governor Martin O'Malley and Howard County Executive Ken Ulman announced this month that a subsidiary of defense electronics giant Israel Aerospace Industries LTD has opened in Howard County. The ELTA North America deal will create 100 new jobs in the electronic manufacturing field.