June 8, 2010
This Week’s Program
Iran, Israel, & the Middle East – A Rabbi’s View Point
This Week’s Speaker
Rabbi Jacob Luski
Rabbi Jacob Luski was born in Havana, Cuba. His family immigrated to the United States when he was 11. Rabbi Luski completed high school in Charlotte, NC. During these years Rabbi Luski was active in and President of Temple Israel Youth.
Rabbi Jacob Luski graduated from the Georgia Institute of Technology in 1971 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial Management. From there, he enrolled in the Jewish Theological Seminary, New York, New York, where he received his Master of Arts in 1974, and then continued at JTS to graduate from Rabbinical School, receiving his Rabbinical Ordination in May 1977.
In 1977, Rabbi Jacob Luski became the spiritual leader of Congregation B’nai Israel of St. Petersburg, St. Petersburg, Florida and has continued in that capacity to the present. In 1989, he became the Jewish Chaplain at the VA Medical Center, Bay Pines, Florida, as well.
Rabbi Jacob Luski was presented with an honorary degree, the Doctorate of Divinity, Honoris Causa, from the Jewish Theological Seminary in February, 2003 in recognition of his many years of dedicated service to the Jewish Community and the Conservative Movement. In addition, Rabbi Luski was the 2002 recipient of a Silver Simha Tribute for 25 years of service as the spiritual leader of Congregation B'nai Israel in St. Petersburg, Florida. Rabbi Luski has long been known for his commitment to the Jewish community, and serves on the Board of Directors for various organizations, among them MERCAZ, the World Council of Conservative/MASORTI Synagogues, and the Jewish Federation of Pinellas County. He is a Rabbinic Cabinet member for the United Jewish Appeal and the State of Israel Bonds, and is a member and past chairman of the Joint Commission on Rabbinic Placement for the Jewish Theological Seminary of America, The Rabbinical Assembly and the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism. Rabbi Jacob Luski has also been the recipient of the Leadership Award, Heritage Award, Reunification Award and the Star of Peace and Hope Award of the State of Israel Bonds. Rabbi Jacob Luski has been happily married for 38 years to Joanne, and is the father of four beautiful, successful children, Yael, Jeremy, Rachel and Naomi.
What’s Happening
More Scholarship Letters
We received the following letter from Salina S., a Seventh grader at Meadowlawn Middle School.
Dear Mr. Byelick,
So far I have been doing well this year. I have set up some goals for school. One of my goals is to get better grades than last year because I have been trying really hard to do that. Another goal I set up was to study harder in some classes because last year in math I wasn't doing so well so I'm trying hard, and I'm getting better at math and geography. Right now I am doing a science fair project. It is very fun and interesting. I have really good ideas for it. Over the summer I had a little time to study something that I took from 6th grade to help remind myself what we were learning. Right now I am doing very well in school, and I'm getting very good grades and having good behavior. Anyway I just wanted to say thank you so much for the Doorways Scholarship. I'm so proud of it and so happy.
Sincerely,
Salina S.
Running With the Bulls
Join the membership effort with matador Ron Braun and bring a potential member to our annual membership drive on June 22. See head football coach Skip Holtz of the USF Bulls address members and guests on the 2010 season. Please email Tom Hallis at tom@tomhallis.com for an accurate head count.
Thank You from Scholarship Winner
J. C. Russell read the following note from the 2010 Al Muter Scholarship Award Winner, Rachel Bozich:
To the Kiwanis Club,
I cannot thank the Kiwanis Club and the Scholarship program enough for all that they have given to me. The scholarship is going to help me attend Tulane University, my dream school. I am very appreciative of the opportunity for students like myself to receive a scholarship like the Alfred J. Muter Scholarship. Thank you for allowing us to attend and be a part of your luncheon. I enjoyed being able to meet the other finalists as well as Kiwanis members.
Thank you again,
Rachel Bozich
Sign Here Please
Yes, we did as Bob Stichway secured the requisite fifty signatures to enter the hallowed grounds of Kiwanis membership. Good for you, Bob!
Three Minute Speech from New Member
After nearly a year of attending meetings, new member Tom Moseley (sponsored by Kevin Kelso), delivered his three minute speech in under ninety seconds. Members, take note as you take to the podium. We learned that Tom is President of Whitney Bank and is married with two daughters. Tom currently lives in Bradenton and is anxious to move to St. Petersburg. He has enjoyed his nearly fifteen years of Florida living. Congratulations, Tom!
DCM and Interclub Meeting
On Thursday, May 27, the Division Council Meeting and Interclub held in Pinellas Park was attended by the following members from our club:
- Markus Mittermayr
- Tom Nelson
- Bob Piplitz
- Hunter Booth
- Paul Renker
- Steve Cunningham
Last Week at Kiwanis
Nick Gizzarelli, Kiwanian of the Day, introduced our speaker Charlotte Braziel, Special Agent (SA) for the FBI working out of Clearwater. The crux of her speech focused on how television shows and movies have impacted the FBI, most notably in the Crime Scene Investigation (CSI) theater.
SA Braziel opined on the apparent ease the investigators enjoy on TV or the Big Screen on solving cases. In reality, the length of time for investigations is measured in months, if not years. Additionally, the mainstream exposure of CSI creates additional pressure to have more complete investigations. Finally, jurors feel they are better “educated” as a result of their exposure. But the criminals are smarter too as they watch the shows and adjust their criminal behavior to thwart the investigation.
Today’s defense attorneys and prosecutors demand more details and perfection to help their cases resulting in more specialization. A good thing for the FBI is the recent addition of more training facilities to educate the growing demand for CSI personnel.
Still, unlike the shows, actual CSI is limited by heavy workloads, low budgets, massive documentation, and unnecessary or impertinent work.
After the CSI presentation, Charlotte shared with us that we are safer after 9/11 because of more awareness by the general public. The FBI is fielding more calls, and she encouraged us if we see something suspicious, report it. “It’s better to report than to feel uneasy,” says Braziel.
In the twenty plus years Charlotte has worked for the FBI, she has seen the agency grow from twenty offices to over one hundred worldwide. During that period, the CIA and FBI have ushered in a new spirit of cooperation, with the emphasis on global terrorism prevention and enforcement. Unless it involves terrorism, drug enforcement is now handled by the DEA.
Thanks, Charlotte, for an inside look into the 21st century FBI, and placing Efrem Zimbalist, Jr. in our collective rearview mirror.
This Week’s Quiz
- What does the acronym NATO stand for?
- When was the hockey helmet mandatory to wear in hockey? What was the name of the first NHL goalie to regularly wear a face mask?
- Name the countries that border Germany.
- When was cocaine removed from Coca-Cola? How many milligrams did it contain?
- Name three Negro League Baseball teams.
Last Week’s Quiz
- The FBI was established on July 26, 1908.
- The FBI was created when Attorney General Charles J. Bonaparte appointed an unnamed force of Special Agents to be the investigative force of the Department of Justice. The FBI evolved from this small group.
- The mission of the FBI is: To protect and defend the United States against terrorist and foreign intelligence threats, to uphold and enforce the criminal laws of the United States, and to provide leadership and criminal justice services to federal, state, municipal, and international agencies and partners
- The FBI is headed by a director who is appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate for a term not to exceed ten years. The current Director of the FBI is Robert S. Mueller, III.
- The FBI's mandate, the broadest of all federal investigative agencies, authorizes it to investigate all federal criminal violations that have not been specifically assigned by Congress to another federal agency. The FBI's investigative functions fall into the categories of applicant matters; civil rights; counterterrorism; foreign counterintelligence; organized crime/drugs; violent crimes and major offenders; and financial crime.
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