Ohio Jewish Chronicle, 1992-11-26

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The Ohio Jewish Chronicle
Serving Columbus and the Central Ohio
Jewish Community since 1922
VOLUME 70 NOVEMBER 26, 1992
NUMBER 49 1 KISLEV 5753.
DEVOTED TO AMERICAN. AND JEWISH IDEALS
JDC evacuates
350 from Sarajevo
 .   ■ *   . page 2
'92 Bonds sales
exceed $1 billion
page 4
Israeli arts and crafts
to be part of
pre-Chanukah festivities
page 10
Have A
Happy
Thanksgiving
Holiday
Chronicle office closed
Thanksgiving Day,
Thursday, Nov. 26,
and Friday, Nov. 27.
h*h
' i    . ■• ■, *   il
In The Chronicle.
At The jcc .'. .....::..... 17
Bowling  17
Calendar........ < «•••• 3
(*otnmunity •♦..»»♦..♦*♦*••»».•*».»...»».••**•......♦..*....* *w***
federation ........................*.^..<>.".*........*... iv-i—■
' Front Page ...,..v„...f ,'....,.;. 2,
In 1 ne Wew$ .^«.................«..«.«....*.f......*..*...••. 10
Lifecycle ........,.;.,......,..,..,... 14, 15
Marketplace .,.„...,  13*
New Generation  18, 18
synagogues..*...*... *«...*.....»...««....«»..... *..«*........* *o
Viewpoint ...I.................................................. <3
Among the unfolding tales
jf New Americans, that of
Mark Shapiro is one of those
stories certainly worthy of recognition. Having left Russia to
escape persecution, like many,
he brought with him a talent
that is just now gaining momentum in his new land.
Shapiro, 60, wife Liana and
Shapiro's mother came to Columbus from Leningrad (now
petitors many years younger
than he and has remained undefeated in every major tournament he's entered. He has
won a number of gold medals
the Jewish Center, and for his
wife, a registered nurse in Russia, who must take exams before she can work here, it is a
$700 "mountain." .-
Shapiro said not speaking
English fluently and not being
computer knowledgeable have
prevented him from finding a
full time job.
"Mark is a loyal, responsible individual and wonderful
friend — very hard working
arid one ofthe top U.S. players
in his age group," said Bren-
don, vice president and treasurer of the Columbus Table
Tennis Club. "I think if he
could make it to the March
meet, he would have a very
good chance of qualifying to
go to Israel. I'd hate to see him
chance to show his unique
physical ability. He has endured a great deal in his life —
not only the anti-Semitism
that still predominates in Russia, but by age nine, along with
his mother and other siblings
(his father was in the Russian
army), he survived the German blockade of Leningrad
for 900 days.
While Shapiro would never
trade his freedom in this country for his career and status as
a top table tennis player in
Russia, he would like the dignity and recognition that goes
0^
COMMUNITY FEATURE
T
dims far Maccabiah games
By Ina Horwitz
St. Petersburg) about one-and-
a-half years ago. They came
because his mother had a
brother her. who has since
died. In Leningrad, Shapiro
was a mechanical engineer, responsible for the management
of a large number of buildings
and the head engineer for five
factories.
And in his age division, he
was also the table tennis
champion of Leningrad and
its surrounding provinces. In
Russia, he: coached students
who went on to play in European competitions, some even
reaching the Olympics.
Since coming here, he has
been ranked #1 senior in the
40 and older division of the .
Ohio Table Tennis Association, according to its President
Greg W. Brendon. Brendon
calls Shapiro "one of the top
Jewish players in the country."
Shapiro has defeated com-
at competitions at the Leo
Yassenoff Jewish Community
Center.
Now, Shapiro would like to
go to New Jersey in March to
play in a qualifying meet that
will determine the U.S. team
for the 1993 Maccabiah Games
to be held in Israel. He was
contacted by the former president of the U.S. Maccabiah
Games Committee, Mel Eisner,
to participate.
But to attend the qualifier,
Shapiro will need $700, which
includes $36 for the application, $1Q for the entry fee,
$250 for ihc games committee
and about $400 for airfare and
Jiotel.
To many, the amount needed may not appear to be a
great deal. Yet for Shapiro,
who has found only parttime
employment as a sports assistant at Columbus Torah Academy and as a table tennis
coach on Sunday afternoons at
not get the acknowledgement
he deserves for his exceptional
talent."
The sport draws about
10,000 members to the U.S.
Table Tcfonis Association, according to Brendon. It was an
Olympic sport at the 1992
games, with Europeans, such
as the Swedish, dominating
the medal scene. Since 1948,
the U.S. Maccabiah Committee has 14 times sent Jewish
. athletes to participate in the
Israeli games. Among the more
famous ones have been swimmer Mark Spitz, gymnast
Mitch Gaylord, pro-basketball
player Danny Schayes and
pro-tennis player Brad Gilbert.   '
The purpose ofthe games,
since Israel became an independent nation in 1948, according to Brendon, is to commemorate Jewish development
in fitness and athletic prowess.
Shapiro would like to have a
along with competing with the
world's best.
Anyone who would like to
assist Shapiro in getting to the
qualifying meet can send donations to Greg Brendon, 70
Dana Ave., Columbus, Ohio
43222. Checks should either
be made out directly to Mark
Shapiro or to the Ohio Table
Tennis Association and designated for Mark Shapiro:
Ina Horwitz is a local freelance writer and a frequent
(KfC contributor.
'Wj