Democrat and Chronicle from Rochester, New York • Page 76

4 holidays 9 SCHOOLS Fine Furniture ESSSf Refugees taught to be 'proud to be a Jew' Quality Carpet Window Treatments More! NEWSPAPERS IN THE CLASSROOM- A GREAT TEACHING TOOL! Call Newspapers in Education, 258-2212. Our Towns Southeast. Rochester, NY, Hillel School helps Soviet newcomers adjust to America By Stacey Tiedge mm; -W c7Witzi's OF PITTSFORD PRE-HOLIDAY SALE 50 OFF ALL FALL WINTER MERCHANDISE 37 South Main Strut rmtford (uptture neit to Nothniglf Reaiton) Thut.til7 or by appt. Minr Credit Ord Soviet immigrant Philip Ostromogolsky, reads in fourth-grade class at Hillel School, Brighton. nan Bubak Our Towns "I learn my historical language, which I could not do in Russia." Silber said that having the Jewish students at Hillel has been a learning experience for the other students.

"It's made them more sensitive to the fact that not all countries have religious and academic freedom." The Soviet children are quickly catching on to the American way of life. Ostromogolsky said his favorite American holiday is Halloween and his favorite Jewish holiday is Kuznetsov's 13-year-old daughter, Masha, said all the holidays are her favorite. Some things they just haven't gotten used to yet. "When I first went to Tops, it was like a museum to me," said Ostromogolsky. There are some things they miss.

Axelrod said he musses his relatives. And there axe some things they don't miss. In America, Kuznetsov said everything is different "The world is open and they have so many THIS WEEK'S CHEF: COOKS ETC Exotic Fruit Colorful and tasty Serves: 15 Cooking: 25 min. 12 cup (118 ml) butter 12 cup (118 ml) brown sugar 2 Tb (30 flour 1 cup (237 ml) sherry wine 1 medium can sliced pineapple 1 jar apple rings 1 medium can apricot halves 1 medium can sliced peaches 1 can pear halves, sliced The, CJfa'mte Primp Introducing iTm. 3pm.

Non-Prlmo-TIm perm cn riff HIGHLIGHTING OU Oil JUST IN TIME FOR THE HOLIDAYS .11 Our I owns BRIGHTON The HiUel School prides itself on its ability to create an environment in which its students are comfortable with the traditions and ceremonies of Judaism. But when fourth-grader Philip Ostromogolsky arrived, it was obvious the Jewish day school for kin-dergartners through eighth-graders had its work cut out for it. Director of Community Relations Rosalie Lewis said when Ostromogolsky saw that yarmulkes were part of the boy's uniforms and Hebrew and Judaic studies were being taught, he was terrified and insisted his parents take him out of the school. Ostromogolsky and his family had just arrived from Moscow. All he knew about being Jewish was that "being Jewish was bad," said Rabbi Zev Silber, Hillel's principal.

The Hillel school took Ostromogolsky under its wing and soon had him speaking English and Hebrew fluently and without fear. And just in the nick of time. Since Jan. 10, more Soviet grants have showed up at the Hillel School's front door. The school shuffled its teachers around and relied on parent volunteers to teach the Soviet students English and help tutor them in other subjects.

But Silber knew it wasn't enough. He turned to the Jewish Community Federation for a more permanent solution. The federation responded with a grant, which the school has not yet received, to help Hillel pay for the two teachers they've hired to work with the Soviet students. The school didn't charge the Soviet students Hillel's $3,600 tuition and has so far absorbed $40,000 of the cost of educating the students. Silber said that's because the Soviets are allowed to leave the Soviet Union with only $90 per person, "We provide the children with free education until the parent can pay." Meir Rotem was hired to teach Hebrew and Judaic studies.

Rotem is an American citizen who had returned recently from Israel. He was an educational pyscho-logist in Israel, but he brought his family to Rochester so his deaf daughter could benefit from the Rochester Institute of Technology's National Technical Institute for the Deaf. Yakov Kuznetsov was hired to teach English as a Second Language. An engineer by trade, Kuznetsov had immigrated to the United States from the Soviet Union with his wife and two daughters in March and soon turned his penchant for learning languages into a job. It was Rotem 's job to help the Soviet students feel more comfortable in their practice of Judaism.

After generations of Communist rulers had squelched the practice of Judaism in the Soviet Union, there were many Soviet Jews who knew little about their religion or any religion. At Hillel, the Soviets had to start from the beginning. Lea Goldstein, who tutors the Drain all fruit; cut pineapple in halves. Arrange in alternate layers in a large, medium deep casserole. In top of double boiler, combine sugar, butter, flour, sherry and cook until smooth and thickened.

Pour over fruit in casserole, cover and let stand in refrigerator overnight. Cook for 25 minutes, covered, at 350 (177 C) or until heated through. For 20 people, add an additional small can of pears. JX A donna privitera 244-0543 Briahton Commons 12 CORNERS Soviet students, said that when she first started working with the immigrants, one of them told her he had been beaten up for being a Jew. Silber said the Hillel school starts every day with morning prayers.

He said during these prayers one day one of the Soviet students asked, "What's God?" "I can't imagine a 12-year-old not understanding the concept of God," Silber said, "These are things we just take for granted. "Our initial goal is to teach students to be proud to be a Jew." Rotem said he begins by teaching about Jewish traditions informally, using vocabulary geared to the students' level. Classes are kept small, with the students grouped according to their ability. The school year began with a cluster of Jewish holidays: Rosh Ha-shanah, Yom Kippur, Sukkot, She-mini Atzereth, and Simchas Torah. So that's where Rotem began.

He taught his students the music and rituals of the holidays. For Rosh Hashanah, he taught them how to blow, on the shofar, a ram's horn. "Several kids could get a sound out of it," he said. "I found a complete love of the ritual in the kids." Goldstein said many of the students take what they learn home to their families and come back to ask questions for them. Rotem said he taught Kuznet-sov's daughters the Sabbath blessing of the wine and candles.

Kuznetsov said while he is not a religious man himself, he left it up to hia daughters to decide whether they wanted to attend the Hillel school and learn about Judaism. About their decision he said, "I'm comforted," He said he goes to the store for them to get the grape juice, flour and candles they need for the Sabbath ritual. But he said that while he doesn't participate, he is interested in learning all he can about the language, traditions and history of his people. Fifth-grader Alex Axelrod said this was what he enjoyed most about America and the Hillel school. A jaij MX Christmas Gaggia EspressoCappuccino GRAN- Re.

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