The Voice of the Denver Jewish Community
As Pesach came to a close, a large group of B’nai B’rith young professionals joined together to celebrate the end of the holiday with bowling, and plenty of Passover-prohibited eats.
REBECCA SALTZMAN OF DENVER WINS 2012 B’NAI B’RITH
OUTSTANDING YOUNG LEADER AWARD
(Washington, D.C., Sept. 9, 2012)—Rebecca Saltzman of Denver has earned the 2012 Label A. Katz Young Leadership Award, named for the youngest person to achieve the office of international president of B’nai B’rith. Saltzman received her award at B’nai B’rith’s 2012 policy conference on Sept. 9 in Washington, D.C.
The award goes to individuals under 45 who have demonstrated outstanding service to the totality of B’nai B’rith and have worked to achieve the goals of the B’nai B’rith Young Leadership program.
The honor has proven a good measure of future achievement in B’nai B’rith, as many presidents and top organizational leaders have won the Label A. Katz award.
Saltzman is a second generation Label A. Katz winner; her father, Gary P. Saltzman, received the award in 1989. Rebecca and Gary are the only legacy pair to win the award. Growing up in a B’nai B’rith family set Rebecca Saltzman on a path to become a Jewish leader in her community. Throughout her time serving the organization she has increasingly taken on programs, initiatives and leadership roles locally, nationally and internationally.
As a member of the Denver Lodge, Saltzman has worked with the city’s homeless, organizing a gift box program for people to sponsor homeless families at Colorado Coalition for the Homeless, and starting an annual underwear drive for those less fortunate. She serves on the lodge’s board of directors as chair of the Young Professional & Outreach Committee and as vice president of programming. Saltzman also has played a significant role increasing membership, and boosting fundraising and programming.
Saltzman was appointed to the B’nai B’rith Board of Governors in 2009 and has been actively involved in the National Young Professional Network, Marketing Committee and Leadership Committee. She has also been a B’nai B’rith delegate to the World Zionist Organization in Jerusalem.
Saltzman resides in Colorado where she is a psychotherapist working with children, adolescents and adults struggling with trauma, adoption issues and life transitions.
Other winners of the 2012 Label A. Katz Award are: Ralph Attie of, Panama; Edwige Ouaknine of Lev, France; Jorge Silberberg of Montevideo, Uruguay; Stephen Stern of Annapolis, Md.; and Eduardo Weinstein of Santiago, Chile.
B’nai B’rith International, the Global Voice of the Jewish Community, is the oldest and most widely known Jewish humanitarian, human rights and advocacy organization. For 168 years, B’nai B’rith International has worked for Jewish unity, security, continuity and tolerance. Visit www.bnaibrith.org
GARY P. SALTZMAN OF CENTENNIAL, COLO., RE-APPOINTED CHAIRMAN OF THE
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF B’NAI B’RITH INTERNATIONAL
(Washington, D.C., Sept. 10, 2012)—Gary P. Saltzman, of Centennial, Colo., was re-appointed chairman of the Executive Committee of B’nai B’rith International, the world’s oldest and most widely known Jewish humanitarian, human rights and advocacy organization, by President Allan J. Jacobs at the annual Board of Governors meeting in Washington, D.C.
The chairman of the Executive Committee (COE) is the No. 2 volunteer leadership position in the organization. It is the COE’s responsibility to serve as direct liaison between staff and volunteers and carry out other internal and external responsibilities of the organization.
During his first term, Saltzman represented B’nai B’rith at a variety of domestic and international venues.
“It’s been a true privilege to serve in this position for an organization that has been such a big part of my life for so long,” Saltzman said. “B’nai B’rith has evolved over the years and yet still stays true to its founding principles.”
Saltzman has been an active member of B’nai B’rith for more than 35 years. Prior to his current role as chairman of the Executive Committee, Saltzman held numerous leadership positions, including active involvement in the leadership of BBYO on behalf of B’nai B’rith International. He remains a member of the Denver Lodge board.
Professionally, Saltzman is a Certified Public Accountant with the Wenner Group, LLC and a registered investment advisor with Transitions Wealth Management, LLC.
Saltzman’s leadership skills were spotted early. In 1989 he was named a Label A. Katz Young Leadership Award winner, which is given annually to individuals under 45 who have demonstrated outstanding service to the totality of B’nai B’rith and have worked to achieve the goals of the B’nai B’rith Young Leadership program.
This year, Rebecca Saltzman, Gary’s daughter, earned the Label A. Katz Young Leadership Award, marking the first time a legacy pair has won the award.
B’nai B’rith International, the Global Voice of the Jewish Community, is the oldest and most widely known Jewish humanitarian, human rights and advocacy organization. For 168 years, B’nai B’rith International has worked for Jewish unity, security, continuity and tolerance. Visit www.bnaibrith.org
The people of Aurora and the greater Denver metro area once again have experienced a horrific event with the movie theater shooting on July 20. We offer our condolences, prayers and support as family, friends and neighbors mourn their losses. We also wish a full recovery to the injured and all who have experienced the trauma of this senseless act of violence.
As citizens of our greater community we can offer support by volunteering to give blood, if you are able. The blood banks supply has greatly reduced by the need of the victims. Please call Bonfils Blood Bank or any other Hospital Blood Bank to give if you can.
-Gary Saltzman, Denver B’nai B’rith Board Member and Chariman of the Executive Committee of B’nai B’rith International
The Denver Lodge of B’nai B’rith has a rich history dating back well over 100 years. We are proud to have partnered with the Rocky Mountain Jewish Historical Society at the University of Denver to memorialize one aspect of that history, our minutes.
The RMJHS has digitized our records from 1872-1876 as part of a special university collection. You can view or download this important piece of Denver Jewish history at the Digital DU service page at no cost thanks to a gift from our B’nai B’rith Lodge.
Sanford Mark (“Sandy”) from the Denver Bnai Brith bowling league bowled last weekend at the 71st B’nai Brith bowling tournament in the Motown Detroit Michigan area. He was the only sole bowler from the Thursday night Monaco league and was placed with 2 bowlers from the New Orleans, La. area and a bowler from the Indiana league. There were a total of 44 teams from around the United States (total of 176 bowlers) whoparticipated in this year’s tournament. They bowled at 2 bowling houses in the Farmington Hills suburb of Detroit (country lanes and DrakeshireLanes).. The hospitality center was setup in the Hilton Garden Inn Novi. They provided excellent Kosher food to eat throughout the tournament and had a Saturday night banquet after Shabbat and a Sunday morning breakfast. The bowling format consisted of 22 teams bowling at each of the 2 houses starting at 9pm on Saturday, March 16th and then rotating to the other house at 9:00am Sunday, March 17th.. Sanford had placed twice in 2 eliminator brackets and placed first in 2 other brackets.. He is awaiting the results of the 4man team and individual results to be coming out.. Sanford said that it was different bowling at extreme humid and low altitude but overall performed average his average and had over 2 “200″ games. Sanford spend some extra time going down to Greektown and the casinos in Detroit along with spend a whole night in Windsor, Ontario across the bridge. The tournament will be held next year in Kansas City, MO and brought it up to the Board of Directors to house the tournament in Denver maybe in 2-3 years. Denver has the skiing, mountains, casinos, and excellent bowling centers to accommodate the large group that will be attending.
Join B’nai B’rith Denver for a meaningful and fun weekend in Leadville this summer. B’nai B’rith sponsors the annual clean up of the historic Leadville Hebrew Cemetery each June. Yearly goals include cutting weeds, pruning tree branches, cemetery picket fence painting, and sprucing up soiled grave markers.
Weekend events begin at 5:00 pm Saturday with a Kosher Pot Luck Dinner for the Less Fortunate in the Leadville area, with volunteers also being served. The pot luck will be held at St. George Episcopal Church at 4th & Pine (one block west of Harrison), across the street from the beautifully restored historic Temple Israel. Donations to B’nai B’rith to help provide the food would be greatly appreciated. The pot luck will be followed by a Havdalah Service led by Rabbi Debra Rappaport from B’nai Vail Congregation.
The annual cemetery clean up starts at 9:00 am Sunday. Early volunteers will be served free coffee and bagels. A grave side memorial service at noon will by conducted by Rabbi Rappaport. Following the memorial service, a kosher barbeque lunch is planned for hungry volunteers.
The Leadville Hebrew Cemetery was established in January of 1880, during Leadville’s pioneer boom times. When the Temple Israel Foundation acquired the cemetery, it had experienced decades of neglect. Only 59 orginal markers from 130 burials remained, and the locations of 12 burials had been lost. Working with the Temple Israel Foundation, B’nai B’rith Denver took control of the cemetery grounds 16 years ago and since then the site has been cleared of heavy overgrowth, a new encircling fence constructed, and an entry arch and monument constructed. It was reconsecrated in 1999, and the replacement of missing markers completed in 2004. Plots are now available for interments.
B’nai B’rith Denver has sponsored Passover Seders and Rosh Hashanah services for over 60 years and volunteers are needed to help with this program. If you are unable to actually go to the correctional facility, Ed can use help getting kosher food donated and asking for donations to offset expenses. The following story describes the 2010 Passover Seder. If you are interested, please email Ed Koplin.
On Tuesday March 30, 2010, four B’nai B’rith members made the 220 mile round trip to the medium security Fremont Correctional Facility to conduct the annual Passover Seder.
This year’s Seder was attended by 8 inmates. According to tradition, some non-Jewish inmates were invited to attend. A few inmates have converted to Judaism while incarcerated; with the help of the Jewish inmates, they have learned to read Hebrew and very often know the Seder service better than we do. An abbreviated Seder is conducted due to the time allotted by the Prison management. No candles or matches are allowed so we use electric candle sticks. While the Seder is shortened, it is still a traditional one except for the absence of the..” opening the door for Elijah” portion in consideration of the inmate’s incarceration.
The inmates were very appreciative of our annual trek to conduct the Seder. They participated in the service and enjoyed the Kosher Pesach food supplied by B’nai B’rith. The menu included matzah, charoset (made by the inmates from the apples, nuts, honey & raisins),horseradish, pre-sliced meats , herring, hard boiled eggs donated by East Side Kosher Deli (Eggs must be peeled and vacuum-sealed to be brought into the Facility) gefilte fish, chopped liver, grape juice, Coke products, pickles, and assorted candies & sweets.
Lay Rabbi Allan Markman and Ed Koplin shop for Kosher food weeks prior to the Passover visit since all food on the menu must be pre-approved by the CDOC, in addition to being factory sealed and unopened. No longer can we have charoset made by the Temple Sisterhood, as used to be the case when Uncle Max Frankel, (of blessed memory), brought with him individually packaged servings in plastic-wrapped paper cups. All food items are closely inspected by a guard.
Over the past couple of years, volunteering has become more difficult due to the Colorado Department of Corrections new security requirements that all Faith-Based Volunteers take a basic 8-hour CDOC Prison Training Class, plus a 4-hour follow up class each year. Following approval of their application process, volunteers must take a Facility Orientation at each prison the volunteer visits so they are fully aware of the Facility/Prison layout. In addition, each volunteer is subjected to an intensive security check prior to each visit, as well as a personal screening at entry to the facility.
“As a result many of our Volunteers have just not been able to cope with the new time-consuming security requirements, and have dropped out of our Program and we are deeply appreciative of our B’nai B’rith volunteers who helped make the 2010 Seder a great success due to their personal effort and commitment to this mitzvah”… said Ed Koplin, co chair of the Max Frankel Jewish Prisoner Program. Allan Markman, Jonnie Pizer, and Gerald Rosenblatt contributed to making this Seder a great success by giving up most of their second day of Pesach to visit the Jewish Inmates.
B’nai B’rith Denver participates with the Jewish Coalition for Literacy to provide tutors for students at Holm Elementary School in southeast Denver. Volunteers can spend as little as one hour per week helping at-risk children learn to read. Training and ongoing support is provided to new tutors. As President Bill Berger said, “Your involvement will be personally rewarding – and goes to the heart of the foundation of Bnai B’rith: Service to our Community”.
This is an ongoing program sponsored by our lodge. Please contact us for more information on getting involved.
Managers from each B’nai B’rith senior housing building attended the 2010 Senior Housing Conference in Tucson, Ariz. October 15-18. Sessions included: health topics of concern for older adults, infectious diseases, grants and resources, service coordination, how to be an effective advocate, elder abuse, Housing and Urban Development updates, and successful aging in place ideas. Guest speakers included: Sen. Paula Abound (D-Ariz.), Jim Murphy from the Pima County Office on Aging, Jody Agins from CareMore Touch, Peter Santini from the Pima County Public Fiduciary, Robert Fleming from Fleming and Curti, and Candi and Amanda Atkins from Atkins Consulting. Also, Marshall Herron and Abbie Stone of B’nai B’rith Covenant House held special presentations on grant administration.