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My First Chanukkah in Communist Russia

by Gita Steinberg

No one saw my pitiful menorah. Little did I know how that small flame would grow into a huge light.

I was born in Communist Russia to parents who were Holocaust survivors. We knew that we were Jewish – it was written in our identity cards – and we had Jewish names. But apart from that I had no idea what Judaism was all about.

I was the third generation to be disconnected from Judaism. I grew up amongst non-Jews but I always felt out of place, like a black sheep. As far back as I can remember, I had a strange feeling that I couldn’t identify; I felt like a plucked leaf flying in the wind, without a home.

I was restless and didn’t feel at home anywhere. I thought that maybe it was because of my family’s wanderings – they were penniless refugees. But the lack that I felt was not material; it was deeper, in my soul. I felt abandoned.

One bright day I heard for the first time that there is a country called Israel,

10

whose residents are all Jews. Somehow, my soul heard that there is a place in the world where I belong. At that moment it was absolutely clear to me that my place is there because I am a Jewess. I had no doubt that my home was in Israel, even though I had no idea how, or what to expect on the way, or what was waiting for me there.

This discovery changed my life, granting it a purpose and meaning. It was clear to me that whatever price I would have to pay to get there would be worthwhile, for what is truly precious requires effort. I was possessed by this goal – to be a Jew and to live as a Jew – and pursued it relentlessly for the 12 years that it took until I received permission to leave the prison of Soviet Russia.

During those years I suffered greatly.

The Soviet authorities branded me a traitor for wanting to leave Russia and put every possible obstacle in my way.

I was threatened, interrogated, and my

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house was searched. I lost my citizenship and my rights as a citizen. Ironically, I was no longer a Russian citizen but I was unable to leave Russia. But worse than that, my family also rejected me. “How could you leave your parents?” they told me.

None of this lessened my fervor to pursue my goal. On the contrary – as the pressure and persecutions increased, I became stronger and surer of myself. My soul awoke and began to demand its food – a connection with its Creator.

I tried very hard to find every opportunity to learn about Judaism, paying dearly for every drop of information. I travelled to the larger cities searching for underground Jews.

And I found them. I was given a suitcase with illegal booklets describing Judaism.

These were papers secretly typed with five copies using carbon paper. I read them thirstily and gathered a few likeminded Jews in my city to share the

MAGAZINE

information with.

When I learned about the story of Hanukkah, about the Maccabees and Hasmoneans with a small picture of a menorah, I felt that this belonged directly to Russian Jews, to the struggle for the right to be a Jew and to remain a Jew in every place in every generation. I decided that I must get a menorah and light it and share it with the members of my group.

I made a simple sketch based on the picture in the story and what I imagined.

One of the members of our group was a machine engineer and I asked him if he could make such a thing out of metal. He agreed even though he had to work at great risk at night when no one would see or ask questions – true Jewish heroism. When it was finished I was very excited.

He made it in one piece; it was very heavy, but to me it was beautiful.

I lived in an eight-story building for young people.

I had to wait years for government housing, and I had received a small room on the eighth floor in an apartment for eight families with one kitchen for all of us and a joint bathroom. It was opposite a building materials factory. The building was at the edge of the city and all my friends lived at the other end of town. When Hanukkah arrived it was the end of December, freezing cold, minus 30 degrees and snowing heavily.

On the appointed day I invited my friends and prepared to share the story of Hanukkah and serve some light refreshments. Night came. I waited and waited but no one arrived. The storm was raging outside. When I realized that there’s no point in waiting any longer I put the menorah on the windowsill and lit a candle. My first Hanukkah candle. I sat in front of the small flame watching the reflection in the black window. I began

to ask myself: What’s this candle doing?

Who sees it? The factory opposite? To whom am I publicizing the miracle? There isn’t a living soul outside. And if someone does go by down there, he won’t pick up his head. Even if he does lift his head, he won’t see this little candle.

So what am I doing here? I’ve been

began to drip down my face. I didn’t know how to pray but I knew how to cry and I continued crying throughout the night.

That was my first Hanukkah candle.

A Bright Light

That small candle was not lit in vain.

Someone did see it, the One who created me a Jew and Who guides my life. He wanted me to light a candle, to exert myself, and He freed me in the end from that huge prison – Communist Russia.

Hashem brought me to Israel. I kissed the Land and I merited going to Jerusalem and to the Kotel, the Western Wall. Slowly I learned about Judaism and became a fully observant Jew. Hanukkah party at my school, with me in the middle.

Over the course of ten years, drastic changes took place in Russia with the fall of the Soviet Union. I was sent back to Moscow to be the principal and teacher of Jewish studies in a Jewish school that had opened there, very close to the Kremlin.

At the mall, handing out Shabbat candles.

The school was called Migdal-Or which means a lighthouse. My small Hanukkah candle ended up lighting many more candles, eventually turning into a huge light, a veritable lighthouse. Additional lights come from the thousands of Shabbat candles that I give out every Friday in the mall near my house. More light shines from the Torah classes that I am privileged to teach and my learning partners throughout Israel, and from my poems and stories of my personal miracles that accompanied me throughout my life.

To think that all this began from one forlorn Chanukkah candle that no one but the Almighty saw.

Reprinted from Aish.com

To think that all this began from one forlorn Chanukkah candle that no one but the Almighty saw.

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sitting in this prison for over ten years without family and without children.

Will I ever leave this prison and live a normal life? I was disappointed that after all my efforts to prepare for this night, none of my friends had turned up.

Feeling very sorry for myself, tears

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A White Lie

by Emuna Braverman

Is it okay to lie in order to not hurt someone’s feelings?

Dear Emuna, My sister-in-law had an interesting experience. Some friends of hers invited her to join them for a meal in a restaurant and they specifically told her that another woman, let’s call her Alice, is not invited.

Sure enough, Alice called her and wanted to go out with her at that time. To spare her feelings, my sister-in-law said she was staying home. Was telling that “white lie” the right response? Afterwards Alice mentioned to an acquaintance that my sister-in-law was staying home at that time. “What are you talking about?” she said. “She’s going to a restaurant with some friends.” So the lie didn’t even work! But what is the correct response?

Trying to be Sensitive Dear Trying to be Sensitive, I applaud your efforts and your sisterin-law’s efforts to be sensitive to the feelings of all of her friends and acquaintances.

Although you should always consult a Rabbi to confirm Jewish law, my understanding is that it is permissible to tell a “white lie” to keep the peace, to spare the feelings of the friend who called.

24

Better than a lie however, would be a vague form of the truth. “I’m sorry, I already have plans. Perhaps we can put something on our calendars for another time” would be preferable to pretending to stay home.

Your sister-in-law’s little deception didn’t work because all her friends aren’t as sensitive as she is. If they were, the acquaintance wouldn’t have blurted out the information that your sister-in-law was actually going out. It was really not her place to do so and she needs to learn to be careful about her speech.

It’s very difficult to constantly take other people’s feelings and sensitivities into account. It is easy to be careless or, even with the best intentions, to miss something. But we still need to try. We shouldn’t try to carpool to an event unless we know that other party is definitely invited. The same applies for sharing a gift or even discussing your plans. Or posting a picture of you and your friends at dinner on your Facebook page.

Yes, like the prohibition against gossip, this puts a crimp in our conversations but it’s better to be less chatty and witty and not hurt someone’s feelings than to have a sparkling dialogue where people walk away in pain. In every situation, we can only be responsible for what comes out of

our mouths. We can only try our best to be sensitive to others and to behave the way we would like to be treated. If we are on the receiving end of some insensitive behavior, then we need to try to judge favorably and have realistic expectations about life’s social arrangements and the state of my friendships (see the next letter).

I can’t always be invited and I can’t always invite them. If a good friend is insensitive or hurts our feelings, we can discuss it with them. If an acquaintance does, we should adjust our expectations and move on. You can’t legislate or mandate friendships but the Torah does dictate sensitivity and kindness and commands that we make every effort to avoid causing pain with our words.

Not Invited to Wedding and Hurt Dear Emuna, Two of my acquaintances married off their children recently. They are not close friends but we’re definitely good acquaintances and we were always invited to their previous weddings. The practice where we live is to invite everyone unless it’s a very small affair, which was not the case here. So you can imagine my surprise one afternoon when I saw the bride and groom delivering three invitations to

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25

our building and they were all for our neighbors! I assumed ours would come later. It didn’t.

I went through all the emotions, maybe they had to cut down (that definitely wasn’t the case), maybe they lost our invite in the car, maybe they forgot etc... My disappointment turned to sadness and then hurt that we got left out. Seems like everyone was invited to this wedding, even people that hardly know them! I wanted to see the bride getting married! I was on good terms with both mothers and the groom has a brother who often comes to our home for Shabbos.

When I saw the bride’s mother I dropped a hint about the wedding. I saw the groom’s mother at an event and she said she was waiting for us to go to her Simcha! I wanted to say that I wasn’t invited but didn’t have the courage! I prayed that it should go well with health and blessing and to remove any negative feelings in my heart. I saw the groom’s mother after the event and mentioned that I heard from my boys that it was beautiful. I was waiting her to ask why I didn’t go but she didn’t.

It’s over now but I’m not at peace and don’t know how to resolve this in my heart.

I’m finding it hard to let it go.

close. While it may seem on the surface that “everyone” was invited and that money is no object, neither is probably true.

They probably had a financial limit. They

No one wants to feel left out and I totally empathize but I also understand how complicated it is to make a wedding – how many issues there are with numbers and money and in-laws and on and on. I would assume that they did their best and that since you are not close friends, you didn’t make the (very complicated) cut.

I would keep working on wishing them well; you will see, please God, when your own children get married that it was not a simple thing and I think your both your understanding and your ability to let go will be strengthened. Sometimes when we are hurt, it is worthwhile to confront the host. If you had told me that you considered yourself a close friend and you were excluded, then I would recommend telling the bride’s or groom’s mother (whichever one you were close with) how you feel. You don’t want to lose a friendship and it’s possible in a case like that that something happened to the invitation.

I would do that in a situation where I was confident of our friendship and knew that I was being invited. Since that is not the case here, I think that there is nothing for you to say to them. You had expectations based on past experiences that were not grounded in the current reality and you need to move on. It’s just not worth any additional frustration and pain.

It’s never bad to know who your friends are and aren’t and to be realistic about when to expect an invitation and when not to. Your challenge is to move on and be gracious. Really, what other choice to do you have?

No one wants to feel left out and I totally empathize but I also understand how complicated it is to make a wedding

Feeling left out Dear Feeling Left Out, This is hard. It sounds like you are from a small town and it seems hurtful and unnecessary to have left you out. And yet, you yourself acknowledge that you are not

probably had a space limit. Each side had its list of people they were close to and each side probably had to do some cutting. Even though you were invited to their previous weddings, it’s possible that, having made two earlier weddings, they don’t have the same financial resources and that they have had to cut back. It’s possible that your relationship with them has changed ever so slightly over time or that there are new people with whom they have developed deeper and closer relationships.

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by Rabbi Menachem Lehrfield

I

can’t recall a single instance in all of my school years where I actually studied. My second grade teacher used to call me “Minimum Menachem” because I coasted through school without putting in any effort at all.

My teachers got especially frustrated when I would scan a test and if I didn’t know the answer to every single question I would hand it back blank.

At the time, I couldn’t tell you why I was doing it, but as an adult I now understand what I was doing. I went through life with my teachers telling me that I was smart.

This well-meaning praise was actually creating and reinforcing a fixed mindset.

Getting a ‘B’ or ‘C’ tarnishes that title - I am not really that bright after all. A blank test on the other hand just means I have an attitude problem. It doesn’t challenge my status as smartest kid in the room.

When I went to study in Yeshiva I entered a strange environment. There were no grades, no class rank and no one to motivate me. I began sinking.

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Each day I studied the Talmud. It is made up mostly of incorrect assumptions to teach us how to learn. It forced me to expend effort and have the intellectual honesty to abandon an idea that I have been working on for days or weeks when it no longer seems like the truth.

I was encouraged to try new strategies and approaches, to recognize what went wrong and how to avoid it in the future, to learn from and embrace mistakes instead of covering them up.

While studying in Yeshiva, I learned that the Torah never hides or covers up the mistakes of our great people. It highlights them so that we can learn from their mistakes, just as our heroes learned from their own.

It doesn’t paint the picture of the overnight success story, but rather focuses on the challenges that these great men and women overcame to become better versions of themselves. It is not despite the falling but as a result of falling and then learning from each mistake that makes the

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righteous person a success.

Gradually, I began to understand the importance of effort and broadening my outlook. Through Jewish teachings I began to realize that the process and journey of learning was more important than the destination or result.

Carol Dweck’s groundbreaking Mindset Research reaffirms everything Judaism has been teaching for 3,000 years.

She explains that what people believe about their abilities, qualities and characteristics can determine a person’s behavior.

Professor Dweck’s research shows that when we praise a person for something they are (you are so smart, pretty, athletic, etc.) instead of something they did, we are creating and reinforcing a mindset that is fixed and unmalleable.

Instead of building up our child’s selfesteem, we are teaching them that their abilities are fixed so there is no point of working hard because they won’t change anyway. You are either smart or you’re not.

You are either pretty or you’re not. You are either athletic or you’re not.

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It’s not our gifts that make us who we are; it’s how we use them that truly matters.

We tend to feel most special when people compliment how we look or tell us how effortless things seem. “Wow, you’re such a natural!”

The truth is, we have very little to do with how we look or any other God given attribute or ability. If we learned to appreciate ourselves and others for what we have actually accomplished we would begin to see “effortless” as an insult, not a compliment.

Judaism maintains that life is an effort-based system, not a resultsbased system. As the Mishna says, “According to the effort is the reward.” This runs contrary to the way we interact regularly. If I hire you to paint my house and you don’t paint it, you don’t get paid. I don’t care how hard you tried, if you didn’t complete the job so you don’t get compensated.

A person’s value is not based on the God-given gifts with which he or she has been endowed. Those are tools on loan, and when the lease is up those tools return to their Owner. Only that which was built with those tools remains.

People often overlook the fact that Yom Kippur is a festival. It is a day that celebrates our mistakes. It is a day to reflect on the power of change. There is no room for Yom Kippur in a fixed mindset.

Yom Kippur is all about embracing a growth mindset. It is a day that reminds us that we can always change. That everyone can grow through effort, experience and practice. It’s not the gifts that make us who we are; it’s how we use those gifts to make ourselves and world better that truly matters.

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Shabbat Can Do That!

by Simon Apfel

The Shabbat Project brought together a million Jews from all walks of life.

Following one of the most bitter, divisive and exhausting presidential races in the history of the United States, the Jewish world took a well-deserved collective deep breath this past Shabbat.

The 2016 Shabbat Project – now in its third year – eclipsed its predecessors on all fronts, reaching 1,150 cities across the world, and attracting record numbers of participants in many of those cities.

An estimated one million people took part in celebrations on and around the Shabbat of 11/12 November – not just in unique Shabbat programmes, but in city-wide pre-Shabbat “Challah Bakes” and post-Shabbat “Havdallah Concerts”.

“The response to this year’s Shabbat Project has been stronger than ever,” says South African Chief Rabbi Dr. Warren Goldstein, the founder and director of The Shabbat Project. “It has been so inspiring to see how the Shabbat Project connects with millions of Jews from every kind of background, and how people around the world have worked in partnership to make this a sublime moment of Jewish unity, all centered around Shabbat.”

An untold number observed Shabbat in full for the first time in their lives. Just as importantly, people of diverse backgrounds and persuasions were brought together in ways not yet seen before.

“We’ve witnessed an outpouring of

emotion across the Jewish world, as Jews from all walks of life have embraced the Shabbat Project, putting aside their differences and gathering together in a spirit of love and unity,” says Goldstein.

“There is a real thirst worldwide for true Jewish unity and for a genuine connection to Judaism. And people really resonate with the way Shabbat carves out a sacred space of tranquility and togetherness amidst the frenzy of modern life.”

8000 attend concert and challah bake in Buenos Aires

Among the more than 200 new partner cities in 2016 were St Louis (US); Wilhelmshaven (Germany); Gaudelope (a group of islands located in the southern The Shabbos Project Caribbean Sea); Medellin (Colombia); Lodz (Poland); Alphaville (Brazil); Mbale (Uganda); and Tuscany (Italy).

In the US – from Cleveland to Coconut Creek, Houston to Hoboken, New York to North Druid Hills – there were a total of 543 Selected Highlights participating cities.

Worldwide San Diego was once again among the leaders with tens of thousands of participants. 3,000 people attended three separate Challah Bakes – 2,000 at the headline event held at the San Diego Jewish Academy, where participants stood at rows of tables that lined an entire football “The full Shabbat experience” field and part of a basketball court. The Stories big and small are already following evening, an estimated 12,000 beginning to emerge from across the globe people participated in more than 1,000 – 8,000 at a Challah Bake in Buenos Aires… Shabbat dinners hosted around San Diego 15 families in the tiny Jewish enclave in County, ranging from big communal Cancun, Mexico, keeping Shabbat for the sprees to small intimate gatherings in first-time… 850 Sydneysiders “seaing” private homes. in Shabbat at a musical Kabbalat Shabbat service on Bondi Beach… a Shabbaton on Challah bake at University of board a cruise ship in the Atlantic… a lone Central Florida Jew in Karachi, Pakistan, keeping Shabbat with the rest of the Jewish world.

“Going forward, our hope is that San Diego’s spiritual and community leaders

THE SHABBAT PROJECT 2015

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will build upon the seeds of knowledge and experience planted within people throughout this weekend,” says Shabbat San Diego co-founder, Selwyn Isakow.

“That through educational programs, they will encourage people to deepen their understanding of Judaism, respect one another whatever their affiliations, and contribute towards building a stronger, more vibrant, growing, unified and sustainable Jewish community.”

In New York City, a collection of extraordinary “Challah Bakes” included: a Marine Park melting pot of Russian, Haredi and unaffiliated Jews presenting their ethnic or cultural traditions to each other; a group of diverse Jewish students (Syrians, Bucharians, Persians and Americans) at the Fashion Institute of Technology baking challahs and preparing other foods for solitary Jewish seniors (and then enjoying a Shabbat evening dinner together); and an event in Kensington that saw Kavkazi Jews (hailing from the Caucasus Mountains of southern Russia and Azerbaijan) lead teenage girls from Reform, Conservative, Orthodox communities in baking churek (Azerbaijani flatbread).

“That really touched my heart” In Israel, Netanya, Eilat, Modiin, Jerusalem, Haifa joined more than 150 other towns and cities across Israel taking part in the Shabbat Project. In many of these locations, it seemed almost every second building was hosting a “Kiddush Binyani”, with residents gathering together for a Shabbat meal in the lobby.

In Tel Aviv, more than a thousand Israelis ate a Friday night dinner together in a shipping container at Namal port.

The event – one of over 30 taking place across the city – brought together new immigrants, veteran Israelis, young professionals, senior citizens, celebrities and even members of Knesset. The evening began with a spirited Kabbalat Shabbat and Maariv, and was followed by a three-course meal washed down with whiskey, vodka and some 500 bottles of wine, courtesy of the famed Golan Heights Winery.

In Jersey Shore

Rabbi Goldstein, who recently debuted at 21 on the Jerusalem Post’s list of the “50 Most Influential Jews” and was dubbed the “Good Shabbat Rabbi”, is driven by a conviction that the two major challenges besetting the Jewish world

through the night – several thousand rolls.

In Lodz, Poland “In the morning an army of volunteers created over 800 packages of challahs, candles, muffins, and other treats that were delivered to the needy and to soldiers in Chevron, Kiryat Arba, and many army outposts in the Gush.

One of the bakers, Lisa Goldenhersh, became emotional when she presented a package – and a warm hug – to a female Ethiopian soldier standing guard in front of the Maarat Hamachpela.

“At another guard post I saw soldiers eyeing the packages and grinning,” she recalls. “That really touched my heart, as I thought of my son, a paratrooper, who had stood guard in a similar alleyway in Chevron, just a month ago.

“On my way home to Yerushalayim, I handed challot to the soldiers at the Tunnel checkpoint. Then, I turned toward Bet Lechem and gave all the police officers and Magavnikim, who were directing the hundreds of people streaming to Kever Rachel on the Yarzheit of Rachel Emainu…”

This is what Shabbat can do To co-ordinate the global initiative on such a large scale, the head office in Johannesburg worked with around 6,000 partners worldwide – up from 5,000 partners in 2015.

In Cali, Columbia

Nof “Unity Bake”.

The event, led by local icon Tzpporah Heller, brought together more than 700 young, old, religious, traditional, unaffiliated, apathetic, British, Russian, North-, South- and Central-American women from all over the globe – and even some actual Israelis. The program was conducted in both Hebrew and English, and many women in the room were preparing challah for the very first time in their lives.

But it didn’t end there.

Mor Goshen, from the northern Israeli city of Afula, initially had reservations about spending a Shabbat dinner with so many people.

“For me Shabbat dinners are usually more intimate, spent among family

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members or close friends,” she explained.

“But then I got to the venue and was just so moved by what I saw. This passion to help young olim [immigrants] feel at home in our eternal homeland is contagious and it is also exactly what makes even a thousand-person Shabbat dinner in a huge hangar feel like family.”

But perhaps nothing typified the spirit of the Shabbat Project quite like the Har

“Every participant was offered the opportunity to either take their challah dough home, or leave it with us,” explains Rochelle Lev. “We were left with a mountain of challah dough. And as we cleaned up, we baked and baked and baked

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Rabbi Goldstein, who recently debuted at 21 on the Jerusalem Post’s list of the “50 Most Influential Jews” and was dubbed the “Good Shabbat Rabbi”, is driven by a conviction that the two major challenges besetting the Jewish world – assimilation and apathy on the one hand and divisiveness and discord on the other – can be reversed through innovative thinking and “big ideas”.

“Big ideas can change the world and the Jewish world today needs them more than ever. The Shabbat Project is one such big idea: a call to Jews all around the globe to think boldly about our future, to connect across the walls we’ve put up. The Shabbat Project is the story of Jews returning to their roots, reconnecting with Torah, with kedushat Shabbat, returning to their bonds of natural closeness and friendship—all through the Shabbat experience.”

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Oh! Chanukah! Oh Chanukah! Sweet Celebration!

Gitta Bixenspanner n.d.

I hear the kids singing the song Oh Chanukah Oh Chanukah What a Sweet Celebration!

All 8 nights we feel great elation, Fun and games with family and friends, Many nights in the glow of the menorah to spend.

The original Chanukah menu features mostly potato latkes and donuts. Since we have eight days to celebrate here is a bit of a varied menu for one of the festive Chanukah nights. Do not forget our all time favorite the potato latke.

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Traditional Crispy Potato Latkes Latkes are a real staple of Chanukah menu. If you plan to serve latkes, make lots of them, as they are sure to disappear quickly. White or red potatoes work well and a mixture of both yields even better results.

Ingredients 6 potatoes 1 small onion 4 eggs ½ tsp salt 1/8 tsp black pepper (optional) Oil for frying Instructions

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Grate potatoes in food processor on your favorite blade. I favor the shredder as pieces are a bit bigger and latkes come out crispier. Squeeze out the liquid through a colander. Add the rest of ingredients. Mix well.

In a deep pot or deep frying pan, heat oil very thoroughly.

Drop batter by spoonful and fry until golden on both sides. Pat with paper towel to absorb the oil.

Serve warm with applesauce or sour cream, if desired.

Just plain is great too.

Preparation time: 12 minutes Cooking time: 18 to 24 minutes Serves 8

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Sweet Potato-White Bean Latkes In as much as potato latkes are the all time favorite and preferred latkes here are some assorted latkes to add some variety to our Chanukah menu.

Ingredients: For the latkes: 2 medium sweet potatoes (about 1 pound total) 1 can (15 ounces)navy beans, drained and rinsed 2/3 cup toasted wheat germ 1/2 cup chopped red onion 1/2 cup chopped walnuts 1 Tbs Dijon mustard 1 tsp ground cumin 1/4 tsp salt 1/4 tsp ground black pepper 2 Tbs extra-virgin olive oil To serve a complete feast make this sauce and serve with the latke in a pita bread, add a spoonful of salad for a full meal.

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For the Tahini Sauce: 2 Tbs tahini 4 Tbs water 2 tsp fresh lemon juice 2 cloves garlic minced 1 shallow tsp cumin 4 large whole wheat pitas (6 to 8 inches) Directions: For the patties : Prick the sweet potatoes with a fork, then set on a paper towel and microwave on high for 6 minutes, or until tender.

When cool enough to handle, halve the sweet potatoes and scoop the flesh into a bowl. Add the beans and mash together with a fork. Mix in the wheat germ, onion, walnuts, mustard, cumin, salt, and pepper until well combined.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon of the oil. Use a tablespoon to shape the sweet potato mixture into 16 patties (each about 2 inches long and 1 inch wide) and set the falafel patties on a plate. Add half of the falafel to the hot skillet and cook for 2 to 3 minutes per side, or until they form a crispy, golden crust. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels. Repeat with remaining 1 tablespoon oil and falafel patties.

Make the tahini sauce: In a small bowl, stir together the tahini, water, and lemon juice, 1 tablespoon cumin salt and pepper to taste.

With the tip of a knife, cut an opening in one side of each pita. Divide the falafel among the pitas and drizzle with the tahini sauce.

Along with the patties and tahini sauce, stuff the pitas with your favorite toppings, including cucumber slices, lettuce, tomato, and red onion.

Note: These patties freeze well so feel free to double the recipe and use for other nights supper or next day nutritious lunch box .

Preparation 20 minutes Serves 4

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Stuffed Spaghetti Squash 1 medium spaghetti squash 2 cups of your favorite pasta sauce (or see the simple sauce recipe below) 2 diced tomatoes 1 small can tomato and garlic sauce (optional) 1 chopped red pepper 2 Tbs fresh basil 3/4 cup ricotta cheese ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese (plus extra for topping) Olive oil Salt & pepper to taste Directions Roasting the squash Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. Wash spaghetti squash, cut off stem and slice squash lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds and threads. (save the seeds and roast them with a light dusting of sea salt or tamari sauce!) Brush with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and place, cut side down, in baking dish (9×13 works well) with a little water in the bottom of the dish — as the squash cooks, you can add more water if it dries up. Roast for 30-45 minutes, depending on squash size, or until inside is soft and easily “fluffs” MAGAZINE

with a fork. It will look like very tiny spaghetti noodles… hence the name. Try not to over bake or strands will turn to mush.

While squash is roasting, sauté toamotes and peppers in large skillet over medium heat. Remove from the pan and set aside, but SAVE the drippings in the pan for the next step.

If you are using a jar sauce, add that to the pan now and simmer.

If you chose to make the super simple sauce recipe below, use the sautéed tomatoes and peppers in the pan with some olive oil to start your sauce.

In a bowl, combine the ricotta, mozzarella, and fresh basil, set aside.

When squash is tender, remove from oven and using a fork, scoop, fluff, flake, scrape, to get the inside of the squash to look like spaghetti noodles. You don’t have to get at ALL of the squash, you can scoop more later when you get to the bottom after it’s been filled and you’re enjoying it for dinner.

Now we FILL THEM! Start with a scoop of the red sauce, followed by a layer of the cheese mixture, (you can add extra mozzarella on each layer too!) and repeat the layers until you’ve over filled your squash, ending with a layer of red sauce and then topping them with mozzarella. Trust me. Over fill ’em.

Turn the oven to broil and put them back in to until top cheese layer is melted.

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Green Bean Casserole with Homemade Mushroom Gravy Ingredients 1 1/2 pounds green beans, trimmed Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste 2 Tbs oil 1 pound mixed gourmet mushrooms, such as shiitakes, creminis and oyster, cleaned and quartered 2 cloves garlic, minced 1/4 teaspoon cayenne powder 2 Tbs all-purpose flour 1 cup water 1 cup sour cream 1/4 cup grated Parmesan 4 medium shallots, sliced and separated into thin rounds 1 cup all-purpose flour Vegetable oil, for shallow frying Directions Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the green beans and cook until they just turn bright green, 2 to 3 minutes. (You don’t want to cook the green beans through as they will cook in the oven also.) Strain and plunge the green beans immediately in a large bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process. When cool, drain and set out to dry on paper towels.

Set a 12-inch cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the

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vegetable oil. Once the pan is hot, add the mushrooms. Cook undisturbed so the mushrooms sear nicely, about 1 minute. Add the garlic and continue cooking the mushrooms to achieve some nice color. Season with the salt, pepper, cayenne.

Cook 2 to 3 more minutes longer, dusting the mushrooms with some of the flour as they release moisture. Stir with a whisk to incorporate the flour (just like making a roux) and gradually add in the water. Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat and add mayonaise. Stir gently and cook over low heat until gravy thickens, 5 to 6 minutes. Add the blanched green beans to the pan and fold together so everything is mixed well. Spread out evenly in the pan.

Sprinkle the green beans with the grated Parmesan and transfer to a roasting tray (to catch any spill-over). Bake until the casserole is bubbly and the top is melted and golden, 15 minutes.

Pour the vegetable oil into a deep skillet and heat to 350 degrees F. Pour the flour into a large mixing bowl and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Toss the shallot rounds in the seasoned flour, then place in a strainer and shake off any excess flour. Fry the shallots in the hot oil in small batches until golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Drain on paper towels and season with salt while still hot.

Top the green bean casserole with the fried shallots and serve.

Prep:10 min Serves 6 to 8

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Easy Pea and Cabbage Latkes These easy pea and cabbage latkes taste delicious and are very filling. It adds a twist to our menu. They taste mellow, have a crispy texture and they are super cheap and filling. One of my favorite ways to eat these patties, is to put them on a rye bread along with some mild mustard and pickles.

Ingredients: 10 ½ oz (about 1 ½ cups) dried split peas 1 bag Bodek cabbage 1 cup water 2 tsp salt 1/2 tsp garlic powder 1 tsp cumin powder Salt and pepper to taste 1 cup whole wheat flour or favorite flour 1 onion, finely chopped

Beat the eggs together, then whisk in the flour Add the mashed sweet potatoes to the egg mixture and stir to combine. Stir in the cilantro and garlic, then season to taste.

Add the shredded vegetables to the bowl, mixing until they are evenly distributed.

Form the mixture into four rounded patties.

Heat a pan over medium low heat with plenty of oil to coat. The oil is hot enough when little bubbles form around the handle of a wooden spoon placed in the pan.

Place the patties in the pan and space them out evenly. Use a spatula /slice to flatten them down to about a half inch thick but no bigger than the size of your spatula / slice as that will make them too big to flip!

Fry until browned, about 3 - 5 minutes, then carefully flip and brown the other side. Done!

Prep time: 15 minutes Serves: 4 servings

Preparation: Soak the peas in plenty of water for 10-12 hours. Drain and rinse the peas carefully. Add the drained peas to the food processor along with chopped cabbage, water, salt and curry powder.

Process for a couple of minutes, until fairly smooth. Add whole wheat flour and finely chopped onion. Stir carefully. Preheat a pan and pour some oil in it. Form mixture into patties of desired size Fry the patties in hot oil until crispy on both sides. Make sure the patties are cooked completely on one side, before you try to flip them over. They are delicious served hot or cold.

Preparation time: 25-30 minutes + soaking the peas Yields 25 latkes.

Tasty Cabbage Latkes Combining leftover sweet potato and cabbage, these cabbage latkes are a play on the traditional “bubble and squeak” and are a great way to use up leftovers!

Ingredients ¾ cup cooked mashed sweet potato 2 cups shredded cabbage / carrot / broccoli - bagged slaw mixes would also be perfect 1 cup flour 2 eggs 1 Tbs onion chopped 1 tsp minced garlic 1 tsp cilantro (optional) Oil to fry Instructions

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Very Berry Delicious Trifle Trifles are fun way to serve dessert Very easy to assemble and sure to impress company.

Ingredients 3 package frozen strawberries 1⅓ c. confectioners’ sugar 1½ tsp. cornstarch ¾ c. heavy cream 3 container nonfat vanilla Greek yogurt Or 16 ounce whipped cream whipped (for pareve version) 40 ladyfingers 2 Tsp orange liqueur (optional) 1 package frozen blueberries Directions In a medium saucepan over medium heat, whisk together blueberries and strawberry juices with 2/3 cup sugar and cornstarch.

Boil until thickened, 4 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl and refrigerate until cool, about 20 minutes.

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Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whip heavy cream to stiff peaks; set aside. In a large bowl, combine yogurt and remaining 2/3 cup sugar. Fold in whipped whip cream.

Break ladyfingers in half. Place half of them in a 2-quart glass bowl or trifle dish. Drizzle cookies with 1 tablespoon liqueur, if using, and dollop with one-third of yogurt mixture. Spoon half of berries over yogurt mixture, and then drizzle 3 to 4 tablespoons thickened juices. Layer another one-third of yogurt mixture over berries, followed by a layer of remaining ladyfingers. Drizzle with remaining 1 tablespoon liqueur and dollop with remaining yogurt mixture. Top with remaining berries and 3 to 4 more tablespoons thickened juice. Refrigerate until chilled, about 2 hours, before serving.

Preparation 20 minutes Serves 12+ Happy Chanukah to all

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THE PERFECT CHANUKAH GIFT!

Health

Vitamin D Deficiency An EpidEmic An interview with Professor Benjamin Glaser, MD, Director of the Endocrinology and Metabolism Service at Hadassah University Hospital Debbie Shapiro

At fifty, Shira felt like a decrepit old lady. “My whole body ached; my muscles, my bones, everything. Just walking or getting out of a chair was difficult.” But when Shira discovered that she was too weak to pick up a bottle of soda, she realized that something serious was going on. “I went to dozens of doctors, who sent me to dozens of tests, but they couldn’t find anything the matter with me. I was told that my symptoms were psychosomatic and prescribed antidepressants. But I continued digging deeper.”

One doctor diagnosed fibromyalgia — and recommended antidepressants. Another thought it was polymyositis, an inflammatory muscle disease, and suggested a series of invasive tests. Finally, one doctor — “a gutte shaliach” — told Shira to test her vitamin D level. Anything under twenty is considered a severe deficiency. Shira had five. “When the doctor saw the result and said, ‘You must be in agony,’ I started crying. Finally someone believed me!”

Until recently, vitamin D deficiency was almost unheard of; today, it’s so widespread that the Israeli Ministry of Health has considered recommending that everyone — across the board — take vitamin D supplements. Professor Benjamin Glaser, MD, Director of Endocrinology and Metabolism Service at Hadassah University Hospital, was kind enough to speak with us about the problem.

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JL: First of all, what is vitamin D? BG: Basically, it’s a hormone that we get primarily from the sun. Vitamin D enhances the absorption of calcium and phosphorus from the intestine and promotes their deposition onto the bone, which is why it’s so important for bone health, and, as we are discovering more and more, for health in general.

JL: Is vitamin D deficiency a new problem?

BG: The problem itself is not new. We just didn’t know about it. In the past, the blood test to check vitamin D levels in the blood was very expensive and most laboratories didn’t have right equipment. Today, however, the test is automated and easily available.

For years we knew that those populations not exposed to the sun, such as the elderly or the housebound, do not receive sufficient vitamin D. But it wasn’t until we started measuring the general population, the people who live normal lives and do go outside, that we discover the extent of the problem.

To some extent the problem is getting worse. The dermatologists are constantly warning us against excessive sun exposure — and rightly so — and more people are following their recommendations. But as with anything, it doesn’t pay to go to extremes.

JL: So how much exposure to the sun does a person need?

BG: About five to thirty minutes of exposure to the skin on your face, arms, back or legs (without sunscreen) twice a week. But since that’s not always possible, I recommend taking vitamin D supplements. Vitamin D supplements are inexpensive, readily available, and can be purchased without a prescription. Vitamin D deficiency is so widespread that everyone across the board should probably take the supplements, unless there is a medical contraindication.

JL: Your specialty is endocrinology. Why does an endocrinologist deal with vitamin D deficiency?

BG: As an endocrinologist, I treat, among other things, metabolism problems and problems of the parathyroid gland.

We discovered that a lot of these problems are related to vitamin D deficiency. So I started looking into it more deeply.

JL: Why is vitamin D deficiency problematic?

BG: Severe vitamin D deficiency in small children causes rickets. The bones become soft and bend easily. Although today such a severe form of vitamin D deficiency is rare, I did see one case when I was a medical student on rotation in Beer Sheva. It was a Jewish child of Indian origin. Although the family lived in the desert, both the mother and the child stayed completely covered at all times. The baby wasn’t getting any vitamin D from his mother’s milk, nor was he getting it from the sun, and his mother did not give him the prescribed vitamin D supplements. A classical textbook case of rickets in the middle of one of the sunniest places on earth!

We need vitamin D to absorb calcium and calcium is nec-

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essary for many different mechanisms in the body. The most obvious is for healthy bone. If we are unable to absorb calcium due to insufficient vitamin D, the body breaks down the bones to get the calcium it needs which leads to osteoporosis, fragile, porous bones. Poorly mineralized bone can cause bone pain, which disappears once the vitamin D levels return to normal.

We need calcium for muscle function, so a vitamin D deficiency often results in decreased muscle strength and muscle pain. One of my patients had such a severe vitamin D deficiency that she was incapable of sitting up in bed without assistance. After massive doses of vitamin D, she eventually returned to normal.

For reasons that are not entirely clear, vitamin D is necessary for balance, so replacing vitamin D decreases the probability of falling. That, in turn, decreases the likelihood of fractures. As with the bones and muscles, the damage is reversible and once the vitamin D is restored to normal, balance is restored.

There have been a lot of professional articles showing how adequate vitamin D levels decrease the risk of both cancer and autoimmune diseases.

JL: Why? BG: I don’t think that anyone knows the exact mechanism, but we do know that our cells, our muscles and our hormones all need calcium to function properly, and as we explained earlier, vitamin D has a direct impact on calcium absorption.

We always knew that there were vitamin D receptors in the gastrointestinal tract, but we’re now discovering that they also exist elsewhere. So it’s very possible that the decreased cancer risk associated with proper vitamin D levels is immunological. We just don’t know for sure.

But what we do know, at least partially, is the vitamin’s impact on us. Adequate vitamin D levels in the blood decrease the risk of cancer and autoimmune diseases, such as multiple sclerosis and juvenile diabetes. The benefits are broad spectrum.

JL: I’ve heard that vitamin D deficiency can cause depression and that correcting the deficiency can cure the depression. Is that true?

BG: Clinically, I’ve seen a relationship between vitamin D deficiency and depression, but I am not aware of studies that prove that connection. But it makes sense. After all, feeling better and having more energy would have a positive impact on one’s mental state.

JL: The symptoms of vitamin D deficiency are vague and cover a broad spectrum. Is it often misdiagnosed?

BG: A lot of people diagnosed with parathyroid problems are actually vitamin D deficient. Some people diagnosed with muscle pain syndromes, fibromyalagia, polymyositis and/or chronic fatigue syndrome are really lacking sufficient vitamin D, and correcting the vitamin D will improve their conMAGAZINE

dition drastically. Heart palpitations, muscle weakness, bone pain, these are all very nonspecific symptoms and are often viewed as psychosomatic, when in fact they can be caused by lack of vitamin D. Of course I’m not claiming that everyone who feels tired or achy will take vitamin D and feel fantastic afterwards. It’s not a miracle drug, a quick cure-all, but for some people the change is dramatic.

JL: Vitamin D helps the body absorb calcium, so I assume that if a person is vitamin D deficient, he would also be missing calcium.

BG: I wouldn’t put it that strongly, since one can force calcium in if you take enough, but yes, this is basically true. Calcium supplements won’t do anything unless there is vitamin D to help absorption.

JL: Is it recommended to take calcium in addition to the vitamin D? BG: In general, I recommend that everyone over age fifty take supplementary calcium. We need between one to one and a half grams of calcium per day and older people usually don’t get that much from their diet. Therefore, they should take one or two tablets of calcium per day. I know that some people recommend taking calcium with magnesium or claim that one type of calcium is better than another, but I personally have not seen any difference.

JL: A lot of our readers are mothers of young children.

Any recommendations specific for that age group?

BG: Although everyone should get enough vitamin D, babies are especially vulnerable to a vitamin D deficiency.

Their bones are developing at a very rapid rate, so they need more calcium than older people, and, as I explained before, vitamin D is necessary to absorb the calcium. For healthy bones in the future, it is imperative that babies get enough vitamin D. Since most babies do not get sufficient vitamin D from natural sources, pediatricians and well-baby clinics routinely prescribe vitamin D drops. For their children’s future health, it’s extremely important that mothers remember to give their babies the supplementary vitamin D drops.

JL: In America, vitamin D is routinely added to the milk. What about in Israel?

BG: Vitamin D is added to the Israeli skim milk, but it’s what I’d call vitamin D corrected, bringing it up to the level of whole milk.

Some people are questioning the normal levels of the vitamin D test, known as the 25-hydroxy vitamin D test. Since almost eighty percent of the people tested are vitamin D deficient or insufficient, they suggest that perhaps the definition of normal is wrong — after all, we can’t all be abnormal! But the suggested normal range is not based on the average person being tested.

Studies have shown that to normalize the parathyroid hormone, calcium secretions and other tests, the vitamin D level must be in the range of 30 ng/ml. If the test results are below 20 ng/ml,

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other blo o d tests will also be abnormal, and all these abnormal blood tests are signs of abnormal body function.

JL: So maybe everyone should just take the vitamin without bothering taking a blood test.

BG: Many people agree with you! Since most people need supplementary vitamin D and 2,000 units per day will not harm anyone, even if they are not vitamin D deficient, it makes a lot of sense to just tell everyone to take the supplement. It’s certainly cost effective. The test costs several hundred shekels, whereas a month’s worth of vitamin D cost approximately twenty shekels! If I were advising the Israeli Ministry of Health, I would recommend giving the vitamin to everyone and saving the test as a diagnostic tool.

Personally, however, I prefer to test my patients. If the results are just a bit below normal, I prescribe between 1,000 to 1,500 units per day, whereas if they are extremely low I push it up quickly with a much higher dose than the recommended 2,000 units per day. But I really can’t give a strong cost-effective argument against treating everyone. What I would be against, however, is not treating anyone.

Dr. Tzur, an endocrinologist in Kupat Cholim Meuhedet, conducted a study in which she tested the vitamin D level of two different populations: chareidi yeshivah students and hesder yeshivah students. One hundred percent of the chareidi yeshivah students were severely deficient, which is what she expected. Surprisingly enough, however, despite their regularly partaking in outdoor sports, a large percentage of the hesder yeshivah students were also lacking sufficient vitamin D. One of the interesting things that we’ve learned from measuring vitamin D levels is that what was once considered the minimum daily requirement is really much too low. The recommended vitamin D intake was 600 units per day for children, 400 units per day for adults and 800 units per day for people over fifty. But we’ve learned that those recommendations were wrong and that everyone needs a minimum of 1,000 units per day. Multivitamins only provide, perhaps, 200 units, which is far from being sufficient. Bottom line, take supplementary vitamin D! In Israel, the easiest and cheapest way to get vitamin D is to use the vitamin D drops normally prescribed to infants. One of the pharmaceutical companies recently came out with a product made specifically for adults, but it’s really the same baby drops in a different package.

Vitamin D can be taken daily, weekly or even monthly; it

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makes no difference. In Israel, each drop contains 200 units, so you’ll need ten drops to get the recommended 2,000 units. It’s also possible to take seventy drops per week, or three hundred drops once a month. In the United States, tablets containing 50,000 units each are available, so if you take one tablet a month you’re getting close to the recommended 2000 units per day of vitamin D. There are two different types of vitamin D: vitamin D2 and vitamin D3. Although today both are produced synthetically, naturally vitamin D2 is produced from plant material, while vitamin D3 is produced from animal material. Vitamin D3 appears to be much more effective and corrects the blood level faster. It’s also readily available and most of the supplements contain vitamin D3. If yours doesn’t, ask for a different supplement!

JL: Is it possible to take too much vitamin D? BG: It’s not impossible, but you’d have to ingest huge amounts, something like 50,000 units a day over a period of time! That’s approximately one bottle of vitamin D drops per day! But the recommended amount — 2,000 units per day or a bottle of baby drops per month — is harmless.

JL: Should parents first consult with their pediatrician before giving their children supplementary vitamin D? BG: Although you don’t need a prescription for vitamin D supplements, as with any supplement I don’t think a parent should give it without first talking it over with the child’s pediatrician.

JL: My family doctor told me that vitamin D deficiency is an “epidemic.” With the problem so widespread, what’s being done to educate the public?

BG: Not much. Especially among the populations most at risk — such as the chareidi community — we need to do more to alert both the community leaders and the man on the street.

That’s why writing articles is so important.

Bottom line: either get sufficient exposure to the sun or take vitamin D supplements!

Shira was prescribed mega-dosages of vitamin D. “Shortly after I was diagnosed with the deficiency, my orthopedist sent me for a bone scan. It showed dozens of ‘hot spots,’ which the endocrinologist later explained were hairline fractures caused by the lack of vitamin D. No wonder I was in such pain!

“It took me about six months until I felt better. For years, my blood tests had been abnormal — there were enzymes showing muscle and bone destruction — but no one understood why.

Once my vitamin D levels were normal, these blood tests also became normal.”

Today, Shira is healthier than ever. “I have a new lease on life and am able to do things that I never dreamed possible.”

This article originally appeared in Shaah Tovah.

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