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Jewish Living In This Issue

Aneinu Tehillim Groups Bringing Women Together In Prayer An Interview With

Debbie Sassoon of The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf速

Winter | December 2009 | Kislev 5770

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CitySpirit

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Editor Tova Klein Contributing Writers Tama Beck Rabbi Gershon Bess Rebbetzin Tziporah Heller Rabbi Zev Leff Hershel Lieber Rahnana Sachs, M.D. Manny Saltiel, Pharm.D. Publisher Mati Jacobovits ART advisor Mazal Husni PROofReader Rochelle Cohen Food Todd Aarons Faigy Grossman kids Spirit Fraydee Mozes

CITY spirit december 2009

CitySpirit is published six times a year and distributed free to area locations. The publisher reserves the right to accept or reject any editorial or advertisement material.

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CitySpirit accepts no responsibility for typographical errors or reliability of Kashrus of any advertisements.

All submissions become the property of CitySpirit and may be shortened and/or edited for length and clarity. Articles and letters published in CitySpirit express the views of the individual writers and may not necessarily represent the views of CitySpirit. No artwork or any part of this magazine may be reprinted or otherwise duplicated without the written permission of the publisher.

Get into the spirit!

Dear Readers, Chanukah is almost here! I can’t believe howtime flies. One year ago, which seems like yesterday, I was planning and organizing my family’s Chanukah reunion, which included my children, grandson, parents (who live in Dallas, Texas), as well as my brother, and his family (who also live in Dallas). It was such a special Chanukah to have all of my immediate family, four generations, under one roof. I was so grateful! Often throughout the year, when we spoke over the phone, we would reminisce about the wonderful time we had together, wishing it could be an annual event.

Unfortunately, that was not meant to be for this upcoming Chanukah.

The one thing we can all count on is that life is constantly changing, and we must be flexible to meet whatever challenges (good and not so seemingly good) are presented to us. A very special person once told me that we are like plumbers because once we fix one leak in our life, somehow another one seems to appear.

I recently went to a shiur give by Rebbetzin Tzipora Heller who spoke about the fact that we are not in control! But more importantly, we must realize it is all from Hashem. Our reaction to life as it happens is in our control. Understanding that Hashem gives us that which is best for us is the key to strengthening our bitachon (trust). Creating a positive attitude as a response is displaying our emunah (faith).

In this issue, there a is an insightful article by Rebbetzin Tziporah Heller, en-

titled “The Piercing Shaft of Light”, (page 26) which will enhance your Chanukah thoughts.

We know that in the past fifteen years, women’s Tehillim (Psalms) groups have become more and more popular. Saying Tehillim is a response to our daily challenges requesting Hashem’s help, whether it be in the arena of health, children, shalom bayis (harmony in the home), parnasah (livelihood), etc. In this issue, our feature article (page 21) is an interview with Shaindy Kappel, the founder of Aneinu Tehillim Groups.

I recently had the opportunity to speak with Debbie Sassoon of The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf® (page 10) and found out firsthand what led to the making of this unique kosher establishment.

Also in this issue; Chef Todd Aarons (In The Spirit of A Chef, page 40) shares his expertise in preparing an unforgettable dish.

See our exclusive sneak preview; an autobiography of an amazing woman’s journey from Muncasz to Chassidic Boro Park in Brooklyn (page 38).

Skim through our pages and you will find your favorite columnists offering a variety of entertaining, informative and thought-provoking topics.

Take advantage of special Chanukah savings brought to you by our advertisers.

Remind them, you saw it in CitySpirit!

Have a happy and enlightening Chanukah.

Tova

contents december 2009

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L-R: Senator Jon Kyl (R-AR); Rabbi Pesach Lerner, Exec. VP, National Council of Young Israel

features 10 Debbie Sassoon of The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf® An Exclusive Interview 21

Aneinu: Bringing Women Together In Prayer

38

A World After This A Memoir of Loss & Redemption

CommunitySpirit 8 Women’s Production of “Annie Get Your Gun” 14 Kids of Courage:

A Truly Courageous Endeavor

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Delice Bistro: A Taste of Paris

in every issue 26 Inspiration Rebbetzin Tziporah Heller

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Dvar Halachah

Rabbi Gershon Bess

30 Thoughts Rabbi Zev Leff 32 The Wandering Jew Hershel Lieber 34 Health Rahnana Sachs, M.D. 36 Advice from Over-the-Counter Manny Saltiel, Pharm.D.

39 Tama Tells All Tama Beck

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40 In The Spirit of A Chef Todd Aarons

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42 Dining In Faigy Grossman

Marc Lumer Illustrates Artscroll Children’s Book Jerusalem Conference On Capitol Hill Major Success

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Send $21 for 6 issues/1 year to: CitySpirit: 445 N. Mansfield Avenue Los Angeles, CA 90036

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KidSpirit

Fraydee Mozes

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Benny P.I.

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Directory

Ari Guidry

letters

Dear CitySpirit, I just want to say a big THANK YOU to all those who contribute to this wonderful magazine. I am new to the LA area and I find your publication so helpful. It is informative, humorous, and, most importantly a fun read.

Tziporah Goodfriend Los Angeles, CA Dear CitySpirit, I enjoyed your last issue of CitySpirit Magazine and appreciate the diversity of articles. Thank you for a professional magazine that exposes us to a variety of topics. While traveling is not a reality for me, I enjoy the trip with Mr. Lieber through reading his articles.

Thank you, F. Fishman Brooklyn, NY Dear Editor, I saw your magazine at a kosher store in Toronto and was so impressed with the professional layout and well rounded content. There is something for everyone!

Keep up the great work!

Devorah Feder Dear Editor, I was inspired by the article “Emunah and Our Children” in the September issue. It hit home for me as I came to understand that my high school son was having unanswered questions about faith. It is good to know there are helpful tools and Rabbis such as Rabbi Sapirman, creating an awareness to the Torah educators of today.

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Women-Only Jewish Theater Company Celebrates Year Five with a “Bang!”

Production of “Annie Get Your Gun” Planned for December 2009

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he Jewish Women’s Repertor y Company (JWRC) will celebrate five years of producing professional live theater in Los Angeles this year with a musical production of Irving Berlin’s Annie Get Your Gun. Founded in February of 2005 by Margy Horowitz and Linda Freedman, the JWRC offers Jewish women from across denominational lines an opportunity to sing, dance and act for all-female audiences. This one-of-a-kind theater company provides women from the entire spectrum of Jewish practice an opportunity to come together, bridge gaps and create great

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new friendships while presenting professional theatrical productions for women throughout the greater Los Angeles area.

“As we embark on our 5th year as a theater company, I can’t think of a better way to commemorate than by doing a show that pays tribute to Annie Oakley,” stated Horowitz, JWRC cofounder. “With the rich array of characters in Annie Get Your Gun, all played by female actors in our production, audiences will be both amused and inspired by such a strong female icon of American history.”

The story of Annie Get Your Gun is loosely based on the life of Annie Oakley, an exhibition sharpshooter whose amazing talent led to a starring role in Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show.

Considered one of America’s earliest feminist icons and first female superstar, Oakley engaged in extensive, albeit quiet, philanthropy for women’s rights and other causes.

“When we founded the JWRC, we wanted to create an environment where women felt comfortable and empowered to express their full creative selves,” stated Horowitz. Past productions have covered the gamut of musical theater, from Gilbert and Sullivan operettas to Broadway hits, such as Guys and Dolls. Horowitz adds, “We also wanted to give back to the community which is why we dedicate proceeds from each show to a designated charity.” Since 2005, the JWRC has donated $20,000 to Aleinu Family Resource Center’s shelter program for battered Jewish women and their children and plans to donate proceeds from this year’s production as well.

“Annie Get Your Gun” will run the first weekend of December at Beverly Hills High School and tickets are available at www.jewishwomenstheater.com.

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The Perfect Coffee Shop An Interview With

Debbie Sassoon of The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf®

CITY spirit december 2009

By Tova Klein

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I recently had the pleasure of speaking with Debbie Sassoon. She and her husband Sunny are co-owners of the The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf®.

The idea for this interview came to me one morning, when I was waiting in line at The Coffee Bean® on Beverly Blvd and Alta Vista. I had just come back from one of my frequent trips to New York. I was really looking forward to my mocha latte. It has been almost two weeks since I had my last latte at the Coffee Bean, and I realized how much I actually missed it. Yes, I did go for coffee in New York, but it just wasn’t the same. And that’s when it dawned on me; we are really lucky to have The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf®, a kosher establishment with locations all around town. Every item in the shop is kosher including bread, pastries and chocolate. (FYI: The Coffee Bean® on Beverly Blvd and Alta Vista even offers Cholov Yisroel products).

Working on CitySpirit takes me to all parts of L.A. and I have come to appreciate the fact that I can always find a spot to grab a bite, and yes, enjoy a cup of my favorite latte.

Tova: When did you and your husband Sunny become interested in The Coffee Bean?

Debbie: We stumbled upon the company in 1995. We loved their coffee and we thought it would be a great opportunity to franchise the company. In 1996, the Coffee Bean founders agreed to make us their first franchise partners. After that, my husband’s brother Victor and his wife opened stores in Singapore. My husband and his brother are partners.

In 1998, along with a partner, we purchased The Coffee Bean. That’s when we started to grow the business in Los Angeles and the Western U.S. Tova: Are you originally from L.A.?

Debbie: No, we are originally from Singapore. My husband lived in L.A. for several years, and I joined him after we got married.

Tova: How did the kosher component come into play? Developing a kosher product in a broad market sounds very difficult.

Debbie: Yes it is. Our options are very limited. It’s a difficult undertaking to provide all kosher products in this

“We are very proud of the fact that we are kosher.” type of establishment. But we decided, even before we took over the business, to make being kosher a priority. I don’t know if kosher consumers realize what an undertaking this is. But keeping kosher was a goal we set, and it’s very important to us.

Tova: I could tell you that I really do

appreciate the effort. Whenever my friends or relatives come in from N.Y., our first stop is The Coffee Bean. They are so impressed.

Debbie: Thank you. We are very proud of the fact that we are kosher.

Tova: Did you start out with Rabbi Benzaquen as your mashgiach?

Debbie: He was our first choice as he is the Rabbi of our community here in Beverly Hills. He really helped us out with all the technicalities of setting up properly along with guidance from a Rabbi in Israel. He addressed all the details including Shabbos and holidays.

Tova: When I travel to N.Y., I see Starbucks all over. Do you have any goals of bringing The Coffee Bean to the east coast?

Debbie: There’s a lot of competition.

How It All Began... fee Bean & Tea Leaf® receives the best coffee and tea harvests available. Product is shipped from origin countries directly to the roasting facility in Camarillo, Calif., thus guaranteeing the freshness of the product. The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf® coffee is custom roasted daily at the Camarillo facility and the tea is hand-blended.

Considered a leader in beverage innovation, The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf® started the craze of blended coffee beverages with the creation of The Original Ice Blended® drink, which uses proprietary gourmet powders in flavors including Special Dutch™ Chocolate and French Deluxe™ Vanilla. The company is also credited with popularizing Chai Latte and Tea Latte.

The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf® has company-owned stores in California, Arizona, Singapore and Malaysia and franchised locations across the globe, including stores in Nevada, Hawaii, Singapore, Israel, United Arab Emirates, Brunei, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Malaysia, East Malaysia (Sabah), Indonesia, Australia, Kuwait, Egypt, Qatar, China, Philippines, Vietnam and Mexico. Each year, The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf® serves over 100 million coffee and tea beverages worldwide. Providing the highest quality coffees and teas for more than 45 years, the company currently has 740 company-owned and franchised locations and continues to expand both domestically and internationally.

For more information, please visit www.CoffeeBean.com.

CITY spirit december 2009

The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf ® is a Los Angeles-based coffee company owned and operated by International Coffee & Tea, LLC. The company was founded by Herbert and Mona Hyman in 1963, with the mission to find and serve the best coffee and tea in the world.

By offering the highest quality ingredients in his store, Hyman became the founding father of gourmet coffee in California. Today, The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf®, owned by the Sassoon family, has grown into one of the largest privately owned, family-run coffee and tea companies in the world.

The company travels the globe searching for only the finest and rarest loose-leaf teas and premium coffees, offering consumers over 28 varieties of coffee and 25 kinds of tea.

Over the years The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf® has established long-lasting relationships with the individual farms and estates in origin countries, which has guaranteed that The Cof-

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 community spirit

Tova: Are there any others in Israel?

Debbie: Yes, we have thirteen locations there.

Tova: How can someone become a franchisee?

Debbie: We are an Area Developer franchisor, and we look for multi-unit operators to develop stores in new territories. Experienced franchisees who are interested in franchising with The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf® should contact us to explore the possibilities.

CITY spirit december 2009

There’s a Starbucks on every street corner in Manhattan. In order to do so, we would need to find a good partner there, someone very well versed in the retail food and beverage industry. That person would need good connections

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and be savvy in real estate. It’s something we would consider with the right partner.

Tova: I’ve been to The Coffee Bean in Jerusalem, do you own that store?

Debbie: No, it’s a franchise.

Tova: Is there anything you would like to tell our readers?

Debbie: I would like to thank the Jewish community for their patronage and support.

Tova: Thank you for your time. One last thing, can I get a latte to go on the house?

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“Kids of Courage” A Truly Courageous Endeavor

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our years ago, Ari Adlerstein, a law student from Los Angeles, arranged for a small group of children with cancer to enjoy a weekend on the West Coast far away from a hospital environment. His intention was to allow these children a reprieve from the treatments and procedures that are their daily routine and give them an adventure. They were treated to five star accommodations, fun-filled days and even a helicopter tour of Los Angeles! On the heels of this successful trip and recognizing the need for such outlets, Ari approached pediatrician Dr. Stuart Ditchek and paramedic Howie Kafka, who each have long and distinguished records dealing with some of the sickest children in the world, with his idea for an organization for these children. With their immediate agreement to join, Kids of Courage was born.

Kids of Courage was established to allow children and young adults with chronic, serious, and life threatening illnesses to live life beyond the physical limitations and medical complexi-

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Dr. Stuart Ditchek (Dr. D) An Informal Discussion with Tova Klein

ties of their diseases. Kids of Courage simply wanted to allow these children to experience the simple joys that many of their peers take for granted. However, each adventure is anything but simple and involves months of planning, numerous resources and a huge staff of wonderful volunteers.

The Kids of Courage inaugural trip was a five day journey in March 2009 to Los Angeles for 24 children and 50 volunteer staff members. Joined by Sara Miriam Kaplan R.N., program director Ari Dobkin, and girls’ head counselors Jeanne Franco and Elisheva Heyman, Kids of Courage embarked on a monumental adventure. This trip would be the first time that many participants had ever traveled. With the numerous

Stuart Ditchek is an American author, board-certified Pediatrician, and Professor of Medicine, best known as one of the authors of the book on integrative pediatrics, Healthy Child, Whole Child: Integrating the Best of Conventional and Alternative Medicine to Keep Your Kids Healthy (HarperCollins 2001). Ditchek's second book came out in 2009. Dr. Ditchek has a website where he provides information on integrative pediatrics. Ditchek founded and served as the medical director of Camp Simcha Special from 2001-2009, a camp for children with chronic illnesses, a program of Chai Lifeline and currently acts as the medical director of Kids of Courage, a non-for-profit for children with chronic lifelong illnesses.

He is also the founder and director of the Committee for the Release of Zachary Baumel campaign, seeking the release of the three Israeli soldiers who went missing in the Battle of Sultan Yacoub , Lebanon in 1982.

Tova: How did you become a Pediatric Specialist for children with high risk diseases?

Dr. D: I was always interested in pediatrics and I recognized a deficiency in special needs services.

Tova: What is your #1 specialty?

Dr. D: Familial Dysautonomia (FD) a disorder of the autonomic nervous system.

Tova: How long have you been working with children with special needs?

Dr. D: Over twenty years.

Tova: How did your summers, dedicated to Camp Simcha, affect your private practice?

Dr. D: I would come in and out of Brooklyn and I have a wonderful nurse practitioner to handle the office while I'm away.

CITY spirit december 2009

Tova: How is Kids of Courage different from other similar type organizations?

Dr. D: Besides giving respite to parents which many organizations do, we have trips and events which can include family members as well. One such example is our upcoming trip to Israel which encourages the families to come along.

We also create a social network for the kids that they can maintain between events throughout the year.

Kids of Courage is truly a model for all ethnic groups to follow.

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 community spirit wheelchairs, medical equipment and eleven campers needing in-flight oxygen, even the flight took extensive planning and special arrangements which were made with Continental Airlines, the only commercial airliner willing to become a “hospital in the sky”. Campers who previously were confined to their hospital beds were now enjoying trips to Sea World, Disneyland, Universal Studios, and a Toys-R-Us shopping spree.

It was on this trip to California, that the Kids of Courage staff realized how welcoming and amazing the LA community was. From the backyard barbeque and concert graciously hosted by Mr. and Mrs. Steve Spira, to the ambulance and crew arranged by Shmuli Hauptman of Hatzolah, to coordinating medical contacts at the local hospital by Rabbi Heshy Ten of LA’s Bikur Cholim, Kids of Courage was moved by how the LA community adopted their cause and really worked hand-in-

CITY spirit december 2009

hand with the organization to create the most amazing trip for these children.

Inspired by the outpouring of support from the LA community, Kids of Courage began focusing on community-based retreats, allowing the kids the opportunity to integrate and socialize with members of the community. In doing so, Kids of Courage also hoped to give members of the community a rare insight into the challenges these sick children face on a daily basis. In addition, these weekends and trips serve another crucial purpose. Through taking these children independently on these trips, it gives their very special caregivers

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a chance to rejuvenate themselves and a much needed respite from the multitude of details involved in caring for seriously ill children.

However, it is how much the campers benefit from these trips that continue to push the Kids of Courage staff. Children who have felt isolated by their disease are now able to spend time with others who share similar experiences. They are free to reveal their innermost feelings knowing that there is someone else who understands them. The campers begin counting the days down to the next event practically the minute it is announced. They know that it is during the trips and weekends that they are in an environment of unconditional love and acceptance.

Since that inaugural trip, Kids of Courage has arranged numerous events, all at no cost to the families involved.

In June 2009, Kids of Courage brought another group to LA and together with local children; they spent an amazing Shabbos in Hancock Park graciously hosted by Aaron and Feigie Gohary. In August 2009, Kids of Courage organized a spectacular one week adventure to Orlando Florida for 90 children, where they chartered their own 737 airplane and treated the kids to all sorts of entertainment including trips to a major league baseball game, theme parks, shows and concerts.

The Kids of Courage calendar is filled with many more incredible events, including Shabbatonim in various communities around the country, a Vermont ski trip for kids in wheelchairs (January 2010) and in collaboration with the Dysautonomia Foundation, (www.familialdysautonomia.org) the first ever trip to Israel for many of these kids in the upcoming year.

The mission of Kids of Courage is to “Conquer Illness through Adventure”, showing these kids that they can do anything they set their minds to. However, it is really through these childrem that we learn the tremendous lessons of strength, acceptance, kindness, and a tenacious will to live.

Through these children we learn that the word “no” should not be a part of our vocabulary and how we must have an incredible appreciation for Hashem’s “smallest” of gifts, such as a breath of fresh air.

For more information about Kids of Courage, please visit their website at www.kidsoc.org Kids of Courage is a 100% volunteer not for profit 501(c)(3) charity. There are no salaries or compensation for anyone at Kids of Courage.

Delice Bistro: A Taste of Paris

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it was parve (non-dairy), I could have been easily fooled. As if that wasn’t enough, the waiter came serving the famous crème bruleè, which was sensational. At this point, I was ready for a forklift to take me away! Throughout the evening, I was not only aware of the excellent service we were receiving, but noticing the attention each of the other customers was receiving as well.

Delice Bistro is a hidden gem of a restaurant with prices approximately one third less than its competitors, a surprise to us and many visitors. So, if you want a unique, relaxing experience with delicious cuisine, they offer something for everyone. If the samplings above are not what you are looking for, you may also try the roasted chicken breast, or the Delice Bistro burger, or the amazing rib eye steak. You won’t be disappointed. Bon Apetit!

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CITY spirit december 2009

recently visited, together with a colleague, Delice Bistro Restaurant off of Pico Boulevard in Los Angeles (8581 W. Pico Blvd., (310) 289-1702), just west of La Cienega, with free valet parking). As soon as we entered, we were transported a continent away to Paris, complete with a stunning 15 foot model of the Eiffel Tower on a platform in the center and a circular painting above of a blue sky. Dim lighting and comfortable seating in booths and at tables arranged around the Eiffel Tower model gives it a cozy feeling. Everything from the layout and furnishings to the art, music and lighting was crafted to create a total sensory experience, crowned by its French gourmet dishes prepared by chefs hand-selected by connoisseur Julien Bohbot.

As we start our journey, various breads baked by Delice Bakery, next door, are placed on the table (foccasio, baguette, whole wheat and seven grain) together with a chumus salad, bean salad and spicy harisa dip. We began with a variety of appealing and delicious appetizers, all with an excellent presentation. The first sampling was the delicious imitation crab cake served with tartar sauce. We also tried an amazing beet salad with rugola, spinach, red cherry, cranberry, mandarin oranges, roasted walnuts and raspberry vinaigrette dressing.

One of the specialties of the house is the Eiffel Tower Salmon Tartar which is a wonton topped with raw salmon, avocado, red onion with a sauce of chopped lemon and olive oil and a piece of ginger with a beautiful presentation.

As we began with the entreès, a delectable blackened Chilean sea bass lightly spiced and served over haricots vert, caramelized Belgian endives and lemon peppercorn sauce simply melted in our mouths. Of course, with all this delicious food, we needed a bottle of Perrier to wash it down before our next exciting dish, the seared veal sausage served over caramelized onions and braised white cabbage with mashed potatoes and three peppercorn sauce. This creation is for those people who love the epicurean taste of spices and rich flavors combined.

After a few more sips of Perrier and a little break to take in the relaxing ambience, we were ready for the finale, the artistic version of desserts in taste and presentation, starting with the crispy homemade warm apple tart with homemade vanilla ice cream. If I didn't know that

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 community spirit

Local Award Winning Artist Marc Lumer Illustrates Artscroll Children’s Book

The Search for the Stones

By Shmuel Blitz and Miriam Zakon Illustrated by Marc Lumer Published by: The Shaar Press Youth Series Distributed by: Artscroll Mesorah Publications

A

CITY spirit december 2009

quiet Goldreich family vacation in Jerusalem turns into high adventure as eight-year-old Ilana and tenyear-old Ari embark on an unforgettable journey through time. Recruited by a mysterious man in white to find and return four stolen stones, the children know only that the fate of the world is tied in with the success of their mission.

Attempting to thwart their efforts at every turn is an equally mysterious — but far more menacing -- man in purple.

As they hurtle through the centuries, the intrepid young-

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sters find themselves in periods and places they recognize only from their history books. Along the way, they help a young boy transport a boulder that will be used in the building of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem, face the dreaded Spanish Inquisition, pan for gold during the California Gold Rush and search

for Nazis in Brazil. But wherever and whenever they turn up, and whatever obstacles are thrown in their way by the evil man in purple, the siblings never lose sight of their quest.

With a fast-paced plot by bestselling Jewish children’s book authors Shmuel Blitz and Mimi Zakon and extraordinary illustrations by award winning animator Marc Lumer (a resident of Los Angeles since 1994, Mr. Lumer has worked for entertainment companies such as Disney, Dreamworks and Warner Bros.). The Search for the Stones takes Jewish children's literature to a completely new level.

Sure to be an immediate hit with young readers, The Search for the Stones imparts lessons of friendship, courage and loyalty, even as it whisks children off on an exciting and unforgettable journey of the imagination.

Jerusalem Conference On Capitol Hill Major Success The Washington Conference was produced by The American Friends of Jerusalem Conference

If Iran is able to produce nuclear weapons, many at the conference said they believe Israel would be its first target.

“There are people who want to take Israel off the map, and the U.S. is next,” said Sen. James Inhofe ( R-OK) a member of the Senate’s Armed Services and Foreign Relations Committees.

“We have no greater ally in the region than Israel, and Sen. Robert Casey (D-PA) Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee it is in the interest of our own of Middle Eastern and South & Central national security to stand with Asian Affairs Israel,” Inhofe said. “This partnership is not a one-sided relationship. Israel has provided the United States military with invaluable technology such as the Hunter UAV, Bradley Reactive Armor Tiles, and the Lightning Pod. Our nation must maintain a close relationship with our friends in Israel,” Senator Inhofe (R-OK) declared. Rep. Dan Burton (R-IN) and Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL). In each case, their far right positions on Israel comport with their general stance toward the world.

But also in attendance were Senator Joe Lieberman (IDCT)-- no surprise there, Sen. Robert Casey (D-PA), Rep. Loretta Sanchez (D-CA), Rep. Brad Sherman (D-CA), Rep. Eliot Engel (D-NY) and Rep. Shelley Berkley (D-NV).

The third panel of the day, “Strengthening the US-Israel Strategic Relationship” co-sponsored by JINSA, included US Lt. General Earl B. Hailston USMC (ret.) and US Rear Admiral John Sigler, USN (ret.) opposite Israel’s Peled and Deputy Director-General of Israel’s Ministry of Strategic Affairs Brig.General Yossi Kupperwasser, and joined by Senators Jon Kyl (R-AR) and Inhofe (R-OK), and Rep. Shelley Berkley (D-NV).

The final session of the day, ‘’Regional Threats to Global Security,’’ was headlined by Sen. Joe Lieberman (ID-CT), Rep. Dan Burton (R-IN), Rep. Eliot Engel (D-NY), Rep. Loretta Sanchez (D-CA), Rep. Brad Sherman (D-CA) and Israeli Lt. Col. (res.) Jonathan D. Halevi of the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs, and Nitsana Darshan-Leitner, Esq., director of Israel’s Shurat HaDin Israel Law Center.

Both participants and the Conference’s capacity audience were in agreement that the success of the first Jerusalem Conference on Capitol Hill has laid down the groundwork to join the main three-day conference in Jerusalem as an annual event.

CITY spirit december 2009

Washington, DC - The Jerusalem Conference, which will hold its seventh annual conference on Mt. Scopus in Jerusalem this coming February 15-17, 2010 (during “Presidents Week”), held its first U.S. conference on Capitol Hill on November 3rd.

Providing a forum to promote dialogue between Israeli and U.S. officials, some fifteen members of the House and Senate joining Israeli counterparts, participated in the Jerusalem Conference’s Capitol Hill conclave in support of strengthening U.S.-Israeli ties.

Concerns about Iran resonated throughout the Conference, with many speakers saying crippling sanctions need to be taken against Teheran. Co-sponsors of the Iran Refined Petroleum Sanctions Act (IRPSA), House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Rep. Howard Berman (D-CA), and the Committee’s Ranking Republican, Rep. Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), as well as the co-sponsors of the Senate version of the bill, Sen. Bob Casey (D-PA) and Sen. Sam Brownback (R-KS), featured the first half of the program which focused on “Jerusalem-Protecting Its Remarkable Past and Future” and “Realities of the Middle East Process.”

The US legislators in the first half of the program who bolstered their already impressive numbers with a “surprise” appearance by Sen. Daniel Innouye (D-HI) who spoke of his efforts to increase American aid to Israel, were balanced out

by Israeli Cabinet Minister General (ret.) Yossi Peled, MK Tzipi Hotovely (Likud), and Lt. Colonel (res.) Jonathan D. Halevi. Israeli Ambassador to the US Michael Oren, who was scheduled to speak but at the last moment had to be in Israel during the visit of US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, sent Israeli Minister for Congressional Affairs Dan Meron from the embassy, in his place.

IDF (res.) Lt. Col. Jonathan D. Halevi presented an indepth analysis of the Goldstone Report, including the background of the witnesses interviewed and the questions asked.

Halevi, a senior researcher on the Middle East and radical Islam at the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs, documented that the report took Palestinian Hamas testimony at face value without consulting anyone from Israel. Subsequently, the night of the Conference, the U.S. House of Representatives voted to denounce the report, claiming it is biased.

Senator Brownback also got a standing ovation for announcing his intention to introduce his Jerusalem Embassy Relocation Act of 2009 on Wednesday, only this time, he promised, the waiver provision that both Presidents Clinton and George W. Bush used to prevent the Act from actually being implemented to move the U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, would be removed.

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 community spirit

Hatzolah Update New Phone Number 800-613-1911

News Brief

CHP approves plan to attain three additional emergency vehicles

Fund-raising Campaign

Hatzolah ambulance replica tzedaka boxes being distributed throughout the greater Los Angeles area: Dedicated by the Kest Family

Ever-growing Challenges In addition to the daily responses to medical emergencies within the community, Hatzolah provides “stand by” medical resources for events that attract high number of people. These include events such as Haleli, Scandia, Yom Hashoa memorial ceremony Yom Hzikaron memorial ceremony and Israel’s Independence Festival which were attended by Hatzolah volunteers who rendered medical care on site.

The recent tragic and most unfortunate event at Lake Piru placed Hatzolah in the spotlight. Yes, in the past they have experienced a variety of missing person incidents, but none of them came even close to the Lake Piru incident in terms of magnitude, as well as remoteness. Nevertheless, they have demonstrated their ability to adjust to each and every one of the incidents driven challenges. Issues such as multi-agency coordination, logistics, staging, communication and control were addressed and carried out in the most efficient, professional and uncompromising manner.

No community should be tested, but they were and they can proudly attest that the organization performed well.

Hatzolah gained respect, recognition and admiration on an enormous scale.

Furthermore, the outpouring of gratitude in the community was rather strange to Hatzolah volunteers, the silent heroes, which on daily bases give of themselves and carry out their mission undetected and away from the spot light.

Attention Women & Girls

UNITE TO RECITE TEHILLIM! THE POWER OF PRAYER! Blessings for good health, success, children, shiduchim and more

Kinus Rochel Leah Citywide Tehillim Gathering Celebrating Our 12th Anniversary

The Kinus Rochel Leah Citywide Tehillim Gathering is named in honor of Rachel Emainu, as the requests for health, parnassa, children, shidduchim, etc. are sent to be read at Kever Rochel. The gathering which attracts over 200 participants from diverse backgrounds, unites Jewish women in prayer on behalf of those in need through the recitation of Tehillim.

You are cordially invited to join us: Each Sunday before Rosh Chodesh at Torah Ohr Bring a d 7200 Beverly Blvd Tehillim an Los Angeles, CA a friend 10:30 a.m. - 12:00 noon The program begins with an address by a guest Rabbi, followed by the recitation of Tehillim and an inspiring story of prayer and faith.

~ Free Admission ~ ~ Delicious Complimentary Lunch ~ ~ Childcare Available ~ For more information or to receive a monthly reminder (by phone or e-mail) call 323-935-5302 and leave message May G-d answer all our prayers with the coming of Moshiach Now!

Tehillim

:-  - Hallelujah.

Praise G-d in His sanctuary;

  

praise Him in the firmament of His power.

, 

Praise Him for His mighty acts;

  

praise Him according to His abundant greatness.

Aneinu: Bringing Women Together In Prayer By: Mati Jacobovits

Women, together with all of Klal Yisroel, have been reaching for Sefer Tehillim since Dovid HaMelech bequeathed this treasure to us close to three thousand years ago.

The beauty of Tehillim is that it offers us a suitable prayer for every occasion in our daily lives. Within the 150 Psalms one finds a kaleidoscope of human emotions – joy, fear, sorrow, pain, anguish, despair, hope, confidence, exhilaration, frustration, yearning, awe, serenity and anxiety. The same book that is the source of the Hallel prayer recited on the joyous festivals also contains moving prayers for times of sorrow and grief.

Tehillim thus demonstrates our all-encompassing relationship with Hashem and how involved He is in every aspect of our lives.

On the following pages you will read how Tehillim has created a unity amongst Jewish women worldwide.

 , 

Praise Him with the blast of the horn;

  

praise Him with the psaltery and harp.

Chicago, IL The Morse Street Shabbos Tehillim group was formed because there was a very sick baby born on the block.

Over a period of time, the doctors repeatedly predicted a dire outcome for the child, but through what we believe was our tefillos, he survived and thrived with minimal problems. It was miraculous and brought the group closer together.

SPRING VALLEY, NY At the Yeshiva of Spring Valley one of the teachers from the secular studies department became ill.

The entire staff, including the unaffiliated teachers who could not read Hebrew, came together to recite Tehillim. The teachers poured out their hearts to Hashem in the universal language of compassion.

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HOUSTON, TX A Tehillim group that was started for a 16 year old who was comatose following a car accident stopped convening after the girl recuperated. The young girl herself helped to revitalize the group and spoke at the initial meeting of the newly rejuvenated group, thanking Hashem for continually showering His miracles upon us daily.

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Louisville, KY Our new Aneinu Tehillim group inaugurated itself on an auspicious day, the yahrtzeit of Rochel Imainu 5770. We are now the one and only group of participants in the beautiful and

A

neinu was started in 1994 by Mrs. Shaindy Kappel. It is under the rabbinical supervision of Rav Dovid Weinberger, Rav of Shaarei Tefilah in Lawrence, Long Island who thought of the concept of dividing Sefer Tehillim into booklets, forming groups of women to say

Tehillim together in 1 room under 1 roof and then saying a Mi Shabeirach for Cholim (a special prayer for the sick) and /or a Mi Shabeirach for Shidduchim (a special prayer for finding ones mate).

The uniqueness and power of this group lies in the collective strengths of all the women gathered. Some of the women are veteran Tehillim sayers, others painstakingly recite the ancient words, while still others will use an English translation. The Sefer Tehillim is pre-divided into 24 pamphlets. Each woman takes a different pamphlet and says it silently, but in the presence of all the other women. There is no pressure to keep to a regulated pace because each woman recites her own Tehillim chapters in her own manner within her own time frame. Together, in an abbreviated amount of time, they complete the entire Sefer Tehillim simultaneously. Since each woman will select a booklet randomly, the element of “hashgocho” is, at times, quite apparent.

I recently had the pleasure of interviewing Shaindy Kappel whose passion for this cause is awe-inspiring. She is truly a role model worth emulating.

 l, 

Praise Him with the timbrel and dance;

  

praise Him with stringed instruments and the pipe.

CitySpirit: I’m sure you have been asked this question over and over, but can you share with our readers what inspired you to form Aneinu?

Los angeles, ca Dear CitySpirit, Ever since I became part of the Aneinu team, I was always awed by Shaindy Kappel's passion for tefilah and personal growth. Her energy and devotion are incredible and she must bring so much nachas to the Ribono shel Olam.

I serve as an LA coordinator for a local LA cholim list. For those group leaders who are aware, I send out a constantly updated list of cholim that are or were from Los Angeles.

There are probably groups that meet to say Tehilim with Aneinu's legendary booklets who don't know about this list. Please men-

CITY spirit december 2009

Jews. He tells of how we have to be happy in their simchos and we have to feel for them and help them in their tzaros (difficulties). This is a constant theme in his speeches.

Mind you, I do not daven in his shul, I Shaindy: The Jewish scene saw so much had never spoken to him before that day. suffering, so much illness, and tragically He told me that he has an idea and that I so many cases of children dying. The stoshould visit him in his office the next day ries were so bewildering and bizarre. Were to discuss it. And that’s exactly what I did. there really more tzaros (tragedies) than I went to his office and he ever before, or were we just hearing about them more, “Aneinu has brought introduced me to the idea of tehillim michulak (a diin a shrinking world where forth the best in peovision of tehillim). I had news is transmitted instantly via the internet and advanc- ple feeling for each never really heard of the concept of a tzibur (group) ing telecommunication? This others tzar.” of women, yet Rabbi Weinthought was constantly on Rav Dovid Weinberger berger explained that there my mind as I tried to discern is no reason that women cannot be a tziwhat I could do to help. I felt that all too bur. Two or more women definitely have often one hears of a tragedy and sighs the chashivus (importance) of a group. By “oy nebach, those poor people” but in esdividing up the Sefer Tehillim (Book of Tesence nothing is being done for the ones hillim) into 24 booklets and having them in need. said by a group of women together in one So I thought, tehillim. In trying times, room at the same time, the entire tzibbur what does a Jew do? He davens (prays). gets the zechus (merit) of everything said What I first had in mind was to gather toin that room. It is with this fundamental gether some women to say a few perakim concept that Aneinu became what it is to(chapters) of tehillim out loud. day.

The hashgacha pratis (divine providence) that turned that thought into CS: Why Tehillim as opposed to any Aneinu was clear. One day I happened other prayers said in a group setting? to meet Rav Dovid Weinberger, the Rav of Congregation Shaarei Tefilla in Long Shaindy: Sefer Tehillim is unique in this Island and the grandson of Rav Pinchus way. The idea of getting the zechus colSheinberg. Rav Weinberger is a leading lectively does not apply to Perek Shira community rabbi as well as a wonderful or Shir Hashirim; only tehillim has this person. The conversation was casual and makeup. Rav Weinberger went on to exI mentioned that I was thinking of doing plain to me that when a minimum of two something with tehillim to help out other women sitting together finish saying their yidden (Jews). Rav Weinberger, I learned, tehillim, they should also say a Mi Shafeels very strongly about the concept of beirach L’Cholim, a special prayer for the being noseh b’olim chaveiro (feeling a sick. He formulated the basic guidelines. friends plight). He is constantly speakEvery community was to have a commuing of how we as Jews must feel for other

friendly Commonwealth of Kentucky and we are hosted by the Yad Moshe Council of Benevolence, a new local Jewish social service organization.

Our first meeting met with good success. Five ladies gathered together to say Tehillim for 30 minutes. We completed 12 booklets. We were happy to have a range of types of attendees, some who used English, some who used Hebrew slowly and others who were speedy in Hebrew. There was also a commitment to shomeres haloshon at the beginning and end of our davening time period which added to the refinement and tiferes of the evening.

Thank you very much for your interest in our community.

The Kentucky Ladies of Aneinu

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- 

Praise Him with the loud-sounding cymbals;

,  

praise Him with the clanging cymbals.

CITY spirit december 2009

tion in your article that all Tehilim groups should contact me so that we can service everyone's needs.

B'eH, in your zechus and the zechus of all the women who daven with such devotion, may we have NO MORE cholim to include.

Devora Friedman 323-936-7592

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Brooklyn, NY It's been close to ten years since we've started our Tehillim groups in our neighborhood in Flatbush. These groups meet four nights a week and on Sunday mornings. There are close to seventy-five women who join into the group of their choice on an unbelievably steady basis. We are all busy and active women who nevertheless feel very strongly that we must make time to participate in these gatherings. Neither "snow nor sleet" can keep us away from our Tehillim groups. Saying Tehillim has become such a vital part of our lives!

So what has started as just "something nice to do" has become very meaningful to us all. The reasons become clearer with each kapital Tehillim said.

In this modern day and age in which text messaging and e-mail have taken over our lives, Tehillim is in modern technological terms - "instant messaging" to HaShem. Even if you don't understand every word, one cannot help but appreciate the melodious flow of its holiness. As we reach out to HaShem asking Him to please heal those

have a standard procedure to verify that nity based cholim list, so that every group the names should still be said. We ask the in a community will say the same core list group leaders to employ a system where by of names. For example, if there are fifty the names are updated on a regular basis. groups in Monsey, all the groups will be saying the same list, comprised of cholim CS: So it’s very organized. from Monsey. The same goes for Lakewood and many others. In Brooklyn, howShaindy: It is and it has to be, because no ever, it’s very difficult to have one list so one likes it when there are instead when I get the name of a choleh, I send an e-mail with "Aneinu has unified very long lists that aren’t that name to my Brooklyn klal Yisroel in tefillah taken care of. We try to groups. They each have their particularly for cholim be very on top of it. When you say the Mi Shabeirach, own list with the addition of and helping people it says L’kol Cholei Yisroel the names I send. This whole (for all the sick), so in esconcept is very interesting be- find shiduchim" Rav Dovid Weinberger sence you are never really cause people will always say removing anyone in need to me, okay, what’s with my from your list. friends and relatives? So I tell them, of People have a limited amount of time. course you daven for your friends and relaThe goal is to make those twenty or thirty tives, what Rav Weinberg explains is that minutes so powerful and so electrifying – beyond your friends and relatives, one to make every second count. should ideally daven for all of klal yisroel.

Obviously that is unrealistic. We can’t feaCS: So together we can really make a sibly recite a list that’s hours long. Instead, difference. there are guidelines of which names go on the list and which names do not. The Shaindy: Hashem loves when people do point is, we have to daven for k’lal yisroel. things together. The achdus (unity) of the Nobody needs a reminder to daven for group is beloved to Hashem. Rabbi Leff of their friends and relatives and davening Moshav Matisyahu says, in teffilah it says for everyone in klal yisroel is impossible, that bikur cholim is true chesed because so at least, we should daven for our neighyou’re thinking about other people. As the bors. That is the function of a communal children of Hashem, we are supposed to list. You may not know who they are, but emulate His ways. “Mah Hu rachum, af at least you know that it’s a generated list atoh rachum”. Like He is merciful, so too from your neighborhood. You know they’re must we be merciful. By participating in a part of your community. I think this idea Aneinu, that is what we’re doing. We get is so beautiful. It unites the community. together, though it’s hard. It is far simpler to take out a Sefer Tehillim in the comfort CS: How do you arrange to have names of home. By making the effort to come out taken off the list? to daven together simply because you care about the sick people, is true chesed.

Shaindy: Every group runs differently, reThis is the point of Aneinu: coming sulting from the personality of the group together. As a disclaimer to those who leader. I do, however, suggest that they

: ,  

Let every thing that hath breath praise the Lord.

- Hallelujah.

doubt if there is still a need to say tehillim privately at home, know that it does not take away one iota from personal tefillos.

This is one step above. This is utilizing the koach (strength) of a tzibbur. A tzibbur has a power. We utilize the zechusim (merits) of each individual.

CS: Strengh in numbers.

Shaindy: Yes, we’re utilizing the power of the Rabbim (multitudes). The Chiddah writes in his Sefer Birchas Yosef, that when we will be in the ikvisa d’mishicha, at the end of time, and you want to hurry the arrival of mashiach, say tehillim in a group setting. There is a lot to be said for saying it in this manner.

uploaded to www.kolhashiurim.com and people all over the world can listen.

We also have a tele-tehillim group that we started during the Gaza War and continue to do every erev Rosh Chodesh, which is Yom Kippur Katan. We recite six perakim of tehillim over the phone followed by a fifteen minute chizuk speech by guest speakers such as Rabbi Zecharia Wallerstein and Rabbi Pesach Kroen.

CS: On a personal level, how has all this affected you?

Shaindy: I am grateful to have been an instrument in what I consider a monumental cause.

CS: How can one get involved?

CS: How many groups do you have now?

Shaindy: There are thousands of groups from every corner of the globe. We are literally a small world. It’s unbelievable.

Groups are done right before carpool, after a dance class. There is something about being in the room - in the atmosphere. I never dreamed it would turn into this.

CS: Is there a charge for the Tehillim booklets?

Shaindy: We send out the booklets free of charge made possible by a few very generous benefectors.

Shaindy: Every Wednesday night, there is a tele-speech and currently about thirty women phone in. This is followed by a question and answer period. It is then

CS: What would you like to leave our readers with?

Shaindy: Jewish women are amazing.

Women wear so many hats today: wives, mothers, professionals and yet they find the time to help their fellow Jews, they find the time to attend a Tehillim group every week. They feel the pain of Klal Yisroel and want to help so badly. 'b'zchus noshim tzidkonious nigalu avonsanu m'mitzraim " in the merit ofJewish women were we redeemed from Egypt and so too it shall be for the final redemption 'b'zchus noshim tzkidkoniuos" Jewish women are awesome!!!

St. Paulo, Brazil It is with great pleasure that I report to you my activities. The community has grown by leaps and bounds since my ten year’s absence.

I was very excited by the idea of spreading the great opportunity of the Aneinu Tehillim groups. I had the occasion to speak to five groups of women and many are interested in joining.

CITY spirit december 2009

CS: Do you have any other venues where women can get involved?

Shaindy: All the information is on our website www.aneinu.com, that would be a good first step. We are always available to assist in forming new groups with booklets, organizational ideas and more. We're with you every step of the way.

who need a refuah shilaima (full recovery) our prayers are silent, interrupted only by an occasional sigh, as one thinks of a choleh she personally knows.

When a person falls ill, such a helpless feeling comes over friends and relatives. What can we do to help? Often there is not much that can be done - and that is when saying Tehillim comes into play.

By getting together in a group for the sole purpose of reaching out to HaShem for a full recovery for all those who desperately need it, we feel we are doing the utmost to help the cholim on our list. Unfortunately, the list is very long, but we are all so excited when a name gets removed because Baruch HaShem the person was zoche of a refuah.

We hope that soon there will be a day when there will be no more cholim and no need for Tehillim groups.

But until such a time - we treasure the small part we do for cholei B'nei Yisroel.

Idii Lieber

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ď Ž inspiration

The Piercing Shaft of Light | rebbetzin Tziporah Heller

T

he village of Charnovska mirrored the Bible's description of the world's beginning. Light and darkness were entwined so completely that no period could be called "day" in comparison to another called "night."

Until this point, the externals of life were highly predictable: cycles of births, deaths, marriages, grinding poverty and tragedies were seemingly engraved in cement. And yet the inner life of the villagers was varied and multifaceted; there were scholars and saints and ordinary people who hid their noble spirit under the blanket of a humble tailor and shoemaker - a destiny bequeathed from their fathers and rarely questioned by the sons. There were also the living dead, for whom life had no purpose other than to move the body dayby-ponderous-day to the grave.

Then there was Shmulik. From his earliest childhood, the darkness that we all try to conceal, or at least rein in, was in full control of his personality. He was the eternal taker, the perpetual villain in the village's prosaic dramas. Nothing is darker than the secret place in the human heart that wants to experience absolute control. The little tyrant is insatiable.

Sometimes the shadow is so profoundly impenetrable that even if a shaft of light would pierce its way through, it might be doomed to invisibility and obscurity.

Then, in 1917, everything changed.

Hope and desperation fueled the Russian revolution. The Jews of even the most obscure towns found themselves newly aware of Socialist fires that burned within their hearts. They swept up entire villages that followed blindly, unaware that these flames would cause a conflagration that had never yet been paralleled. In Charnovska, the young men and women walked a path that led to Stalin's hell. At the time, they thought that they were moving toward the workers' paradise.

CITY spirit december 2009

Nesha

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Their elders (and a minority of youth) saw where the path led and grasped onto the mountain of faith by their fingernails.

Shmulik was different from both segments of the village population. He fought with the Whites, the near-fascist opposition. His motivations were practical rather than idealistic.

The Whites paid him well for betraying his neighbors. Shmulik informed. Fellow Jews were killed on his word.

The wrong side won, at least from Shmulik's perspective.

At a time when millions of lives were destroyed on suspicion of being "anti-revolutionary," Shmulik survived. He was tough and ruthless, and his survival was bought at the price of his own conscience.

When Shmulik's father died, something occurred that was unprecedented in his history. There was a ray of light, a certain spiritual longing that he had never let himself feel. More clearly than anything else he had known, he knew he must say the mourner's Kaddish.

There were three functioning synagogues in the village.

They were soon to be doomed by the Reds as a sort of museum of natural history. But for now, they were still part of the living body of the Jewish community, like limbs awaiting amputation.

The unexpected happened. No matter what Shmulik did, he could not convince the villagers to allow him to say Kaddish. The elderly men who came daily were close enough to the Valley of the Shadow of Death. They had already lost all that any human could take.

There was one other minyan in the village. It did not meet in a synagogue. What members of this minyan feared the most was being left for dead. Shmulik approached the rabbi, who like everyone else in Charnovska knew there was blood on Shmulik's hands. This rabbi said "Yes." The next morning, Shmulik found himself walking the stairs that led to the decrepit shack of the makeshift synagogue. After several days, the rabbi asked Shmulik why he didn't put on tefillin, since he was attending synagogue in any case.

"I don't have tefillin," Shmulik replied.

"But I do," said the rabbi. And, the strange sight of the rabbi handing his tefillin to the village traitor became the whispered gossip engaging the village for days.

Next, Shmulik learned to read Hebrew. (Yes, the dialogue was: "Why not pray?" "I don't know how to read." "I'll show you.") And so it went.

CITY spirit december 2009

since the oil they found was sufficient for one day even withIn the course of time, Shmulik became unrecognizable as out miraculous intervention? the person he had once been. He married, had children, saw One answer is that it is a miracle the Maccabees even beto their education at the risk of his life by sending them to the gan to look for pure oil. They had underground Jewish school. Shmunot despaired. When they searched lik had a meaningful present and “Shmulik had never allowed himself the Temple for oil, they had to face future. the idols that were placed there Yet one problem that remained to look inward at the unspeakable not only by Greeks, but also by on file. Shmulik had never allowed their fellow Jews. They had to himself to look inward at the unblackness of his past.” clear the Temple courtyard from speakable blackness of his past. The the remains of the debris left by door had remained closed, keeping the young priests who ran Olympic-style marathons naked in all the monsters at bay. The day came when he finally opened vain tribute to their own self-worship. They had to bring life the door and was horrified and sickened at what he saw. That where there was death. day was the most significant one in his life.

God responded. The days of Chanukah are called "yemei The rabbi sat and told Shmulik all he knew, just as everyratzon," days of divine willingness for us to draw down some one in the village knew it all. Shmulik listened silently. When of His light into our own souls. When we do, we can once more the litany ended, the rabbi said, "You caused death. Now you merit the kind of miracles that God did for the Maccabees. must bring forth life."

After all, it is He who said, "Let there be light."

They spoke late into the night. When their talk was silenced by weariness, a conclusion had already been reached: Excerpted with permission from Here You Are: Exploring the Shmulik would build a mikveh, a spiritual bath that is the core Meaning of Life's Moments by Tzipora Heller, published by Targum of Jewish family purity.

Press. This article originally appeared on Aish.com, Judaism's preIn the midst of the spiritual cemetery that was being erectmier website. ed in the Ukraine, Shmulik undertook to demonstrate his belief in the future of the Jewish people. Every night he went out to the barn behind his house and dug. When he struck water, he knew that the hope he had nurtured was being answered.

Tiles were acquired on the black market, and a heating system was devised. The man who had betrayed so many was not betrayed.

The final touch was the construction of a wooden platform upon which he shoveled horse manure. The platform covered the top of the mikveh, hiding it from view. None of the "big brothers" who had become a ubiquitous part of the scene ever felt inclined to investigate the muck.

Charnovska exchanged hands and Shmulik found himself in a concentration camp. His family was gone. But Shmulik's face shone like a righteous tzaddik.

For a most pleasant shopping experience Each of us, too, has a dark spot concealed from ourselves due to overwhelming pain and shame. How do we turn on the La Brea Kosher Market lights?

• Fruit • Meat Let us look for a moment at the miracle of Chanukah. Of • Vegetables • Chicken course there was divine intervention. The odds of one family, • Groceries • Fish the Maccabees, successfully taking on the Syrian-Greek army, • Bakery • Fresh Dairy are infinitesimally small. Their victory was a great miracle.

Yet the mitzvah that we perform on Chanukah, lighting the menorah, celebrates not the military triumph but the spiritual 410 North La Brea Avenue Los Angeles, California illumination that made it possible.

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27

 dvar halachah

Early Chanukah | Rabbi Gershon Bess

T

he first day of Chanukah falls on Shabbos this year, so Menorah lighting at home is performed prior to coming to Shul on Friday evening. As a result, Chanukah will so to speak be ‘brought in’ through the lighting of the Menorah, prior to our davening weekday Mincha. According to Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach zt”l (but contrary to the common Minhag), one is required to include Al Hanisim in Friday’s Shmoneh Esrei of Minchah. Although Reb Shlomo Zalman is saying that Chanukah had begun early, it is important to note that he is not saying that lighting the Menorah actually established that nighttime had begun, because if so, Shabbos would have also begun. Rather, he is saying that lighting the Menorah ushers in the period when we thank Hashem for the Chanukah miracles, and it becomes appropriate to begin reciting Al Hanisim.

A Gemara in Maseches Shabbos seems to contradict Reb Shlomo Zalman’s position. The Gemara inquires as to whether Al Hanisim should be included in the Musaf Shmoneh Es-

rei of Chanukah, when Musaf is recited on Shabbos and Rosh Chodesh. The Gemara concludes that Al Hanisim does indeed belong in Musaf because the Rabbis intended that Al Hanisim be recited in all the Tefilos (Maariv, Shacharis, Musaf, Minchah) that are necessitated by each day of Chanukah.

Therefore, even though the Musaf does not come because of Chanukah [but rather because of Shabbos or Rosh Chodesh], nevertheless, it is a Tefiloh that the day of Chanukah necessitates. This Gemara seems to preclude the reciting of Al Hanisim at Minchah before Chanukah, since that Minchah is certainly not necessitated by Chanukah since it is tefiloh which is said before Chanukah begins.

In fact, in his writings, Reb Shlomo Zalman asks a similar question based on the Gemara just cited, but discussing another matter. The answer he offers to that question seems to answer our question as well. The question he does ask relates to the case of someone who forgot to daven Minchah on the afternoon before a Rosh Chodesh, and needs to therefore say

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Shmoneh Esrei twice at Maariv, when Rosh Chodesh has already begun. Other than according to the L’vush and those who support his opinion, the Halachah states that Ya’aleh Residential, Commercial and Industrial Construction V’yavo should be recited at both Shmoneh Esreis. Once again we have a contradiction from the same Gemara in Shabbos.

Since this is a Tefiloh that is not necessitated by the present • Tenant Improvement day [it should have been said yesterday], why should we recite • Remodeling • Additions Ya’aleh V’yavo in the Mincha-Make-up tefiloh which is said af• New Construction ter Maaariv?

Reb Shlomo Zalman answers, that the Gemara in Shabbos should not be understood to mean that we only recite Al HaGregory, General Contractor nisim during a tefiloh which was necessitated by Chanukah.

Phone/Fax 323-850-5097 Rather, the Gemara should be understood as saying that the Cell 323-833-2372 Rabbis instituted these additions for every Shmoneh Esrei E-mail mgfconstruction@gmail.com License #767597 that is recited that day. When the Gemara inquired about Al Hanisim in Musaf, the concern was  that since the Musaf Shemoneh Esreh was commemorating a different “The Only Goal of Trial Is to Get Money for Your Client.” festival [Shabbos or Rosh Chodesh], - David A. Ball, Ph.D. it would not be appropriate to recite Al Hanisim which is for the Chanukah tefilos. The conclusion of the Gemara was that nevertheless we do recite it during any six tefiloh that is recited during the yom Tov of Chanukah. Therefore, there was never any thought that Ya’aleh V’yavo and Al Hanisim would not be recited during a tefiloh of Mincha or Maariv since it is not commemorating another festival. The Gemara only questioned whether it should be said during Musaf which commemorates another Yom Tov. Although this question has been answered, other questions exist, and the accepted custom remains not to recite Al Hanisim under all conditions until Maariv of the first night of Chanukah.

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 thoughts

To Defile and To Desecrate | Rabbi ZEv Leff

I

t is a sad fact, says the Chafetz Chaim, that sometimes one does not appreciate what one has until it is taken from him or he is threatened that it will be taken from him. The decrees the Greeks made against us are mentioned in the Al HaNissim prayer that we say on Chanukah. First, “l’hashkicham Torasecha — to make them forget Hashem’s Torah.” Their main purpose was to make them forget Your Torah.

This refers specifically to Torah Sheba’al Peh, the Oral Torah, which could be forgotten if the chain of transmission was interrupted. The Greeks did not mind if we retained the Written Torah as a body of Jewish folklore, as long as our lifestyle reflected the values and morals of Greek culture. The Written Torah without the Oral Torah is like a body without a soul. Hence the letters of Mishnah, the Oral Torah, also spell neshamah, “soul.” Without G-d’s explanation of the Written Torah, it can be distorted, misrepresented, and reduced to a lifeless compendium of history and folklore. Then it is no longer “Your Torah,” but something very different. It is a shell without content.

The second decree against us was “l’ha’aviram mechukei retzonecha — to transfer them from the laws of Your will.”

Here, too, the Greeks were perfectly willing to let the Jews observe mitzvos as folk culture, as long as the essence of their lifestyle was in line with the basics of Greek philosophy.

The Greeks did not seek to destroy the Jewish people or even our Mikdash. They sought to defile and to desecrate — to “metamei” and “mechallel.” Mechallel means literally “hollow out,” to remove inner spiritual meaning, leaving but an outer shell. Tumah is the vacuum left when holiness and spirituality leave an entity as when a soul leaves a body.

They also targeted specific mitzvos: Shabbos, which represents the inner soul of the physical world; Rosh Chodesh, which represents the inner holiness of time; and bris milah, which represents the inner holiness of the body. In addition, the Rambam tells us (Hilchos Chanukah 3:1) that they made specific decrees against Jewish women and the holiness of matrimony and family purity, because the woman is the symbol of the inner holiness of the Jewish people. They also made decrees against Jewish money and property, because to the Jew physical property is merely a utensil to be infused with meaning by its function; in Greek eyes money and property

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The word Chashmonai hints at these decrees. the ches stands for chodesh (Rosh Chodesh), the shin for Shabbos, the mem for milah and mammon (money), the nun for niddah (family purity), and the alef for eishes ish (adultery). The yud either signifies that one is of Chashmonai descent, or it hints at G-d’s Name, because they sought to remove G-d from Jewish observance. Hence, “l’ha’aviram mechukei retzonecha” does not mean that they prevented them from keeping mitzvos, but rather they wanted to transfer the Jews from the chukim, literally, “laws of nature” — the spiritual laws that form the limits and boundaries of the physical world. They wanted to change these laws from laws that reflect G-d’s will, the inner core of all Torah commands, to mere dos and don’ts, mere folk customs.

The desecration of the Mikdash and the total suppression of a Torah way of life stimulated the Kohanim to action and awakened the Jewish people to join them in reestablishing a true Jewish way of life, a total rejection and negation of Hellenism. Their victory gave them once again the designation banim, “children”: “V’achar kein ba’u banecha lidvir beisecha — Afterward your children came to Your holy House.”

Excerpted from Festivals of Life: The Depth and Meaning of the Moadim, by Rabbi Zev Leff, with permission from Targum Press. Festivals of Life is available at an online discount at www. targum.com.

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ď Ž Travel

The Wandering Jew | Hershel lieber

Ethnography Museum

Off the Beaten Path:

Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia & Serbia Part Two

CITY spirit december 2009

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32

he Wednesday noon train ride from Slovenia to Croatia was a mere two and a half pleasant hours.

Nevertheless that final half hour, from the train station to the hotel was the most diffiStatue of cult. We had lots of King Tomaslav in the Main Square luggage, including food for the next two weeks and there were no porters on the platform. Shlepping the luggage in shifts up two flights of stairs and across a parking lot in the heat of the day to find a passing taxi, gave us our daily dose of exercise. We were a bit apprehensive about spending

the next four days in Zagreb until we arrived at Hotel Dubrovnik in the city center. The ultra modern hotel had all the amenities and conveniences of most upper class Western hotels and the cost was quite reasonable. The location was excellent, within walking distance to most sights, the synagogue, and the major shops. The street where the hotel was situated was in a pedestrian mall, lined with shops and cafes in the center of the block.

The turn of the century main square was on the corner and was bustling with life, with people and activity.

It was late in the afternoon and workers were rushing home from their jobs, dozens of trams were pulling into the station on the Square and shoppers were jamming the stores and outdoor fruit & flower markets before they would close for the evening. We shopped for some fruit & drinks, and then sat down for a The National Theatre

Funicular to Gornji Grad ( The Upper Town)

Coke in the outdoor café watching the lively street scene in front of us.

There are no must see sights in Zagreb, and at times this is a blessing in disguise. Not having to tour specific tourist attractions, we were free to roam the city at our hearts delight and relax.

The city has classical old world charm with buildings of grandeur and majesty.

The parks are pristine and the public squares are clean. We went to the city botanical gardens and to the small, well maintained zoo. Taking along our salad & tuna lunch turned our outings into a picnic as well. We took the funicular up to the city’s old quarter for a spectacular view of the entire city. We went to one museum and checked out the local sou-

venirs being sold on the main square.

On the whole, these two days were a great time of calm and tranquility.

For Shabbos we were the guests of Rabbi Pinny Zaklas, where we ate all our seudos. As by most Chabad shlichim, the Shabbos table was surrounded by an eclectic group of guests. Adi & Asaf, a religious couple from Israel, Benny a local baal tshuva, as well as some other Jewish teenagers. The seudos were inspirational as we talked divrei Torah and sang zmiros late into Friday night. The teens walked us back to the hotel which gave us an opportunity to connect and reach out to them Because it was mid summer, there was no minyan on Friday night or Shab- Maksimirski Park bos day. Nevertheless, we davened together in the small synagogue. Shabbos morning, we made Kiddush on local kosher slivovitz & Israeli cookies as I delivered a small drasha on the weekly parsha. After our ritual Shabbos nap we took to the streets again catching our last glimpses of this lovely city.

On Sunday, we took a bus to Plitvica National Park which is about two hours

away from Zagreb. The park features sixteen lakes and striking streaming waterfalls. There are stunning hiking trails and great walking paths. The forest greenery was lush and the fresh air was exhilarating. We regretted that we had to leave early to make our plane to our next destination, Bosnia. More about that, in my next article.

Bon Voyage - vcuy vghxb,

Hershel

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CITY spirit december 2009

I have always been intrigued about visiting Dubrovnik which is situated on the Dalmatian Coast. Unfortunately, from Zagreb it meant an eleven hour bus ride or an additional plane fare.

With three more countries on my itinerary, we had to put off my dream for this trip. Dubrovnik is known as the ‘jewel of the Adriatic” and rightfully so. A magnificent wall surrounds the city. The city streets are paved with marble and the buildings range from the Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque periods. There are palaces and fountains at every turn. The sun shining on the red tiled roofs make this city a photographer’s heaven. The port and the aqua blue sea beckon the visitor to stay for a few days of relaxation and pleasure. I hope that we will have an opportunity to visit Dubrovnik soon.

33

 health

Big News in the World of Supplements Part One: Vitamin D | Rahnana Sachs, M.D. Answers To The Most Commonly Asked Questions About Adult Health Challenges Today

S

o, you want to optimize your health with supplements?

Have I got a vitamin for you! Believe it or not, it’s the vitamin you get from the sun! That’s right—Vitamin D. The sun converts a molecule in human skin to vitamin D. Unfortunately, it appears that most adults are not getting enough of this essential vitamin from it’s “natural” source and most of us would benefit from a daily supplement. What does it do and why is it important to get an adequate supply of this nutrient?

It is a well known fact that ample levels of vitamin D in the blood are necessary for the absorption of calcium into our bones. That’s why in the past, vitamin D was added to milk and baby formula in order to prevent rickets in children. Women with osteoporosis (bone loss) are familiar with vitamin D since they are often told to take this vitamin in order to maximize calcium absorption into bone. Newer evidence in the last 5-10 years has revealed multiple additional benefits of vitamin D. We now know that this vitamin, (which acts like a hormone in the human body), is essential in improving immune function, maintaining the health of the heart and blood vessels and in regulating many other hormones in the body. There is also evidence that vitamin D can help prevent a wide range of diseases such as macular degeneration, gum disease and metabolic syndrome. It may also decrease a person’s chances of developing autoimmune diseases such as type 1 diabetes, multiple sclerosis, and rheumatoid arthritis. In addition, vitamin D deficiency has been linked to bone, joint, and muscle pain; fibromyalgia; and osteoarthritis.

The most important news in my opinion is that Vitamin D has anti-cancer benefits. Everyday there are new reports

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showing that a high (but not too high) level of vitamin D in the blood can help prevent a variety of cancers (breast, colorectal, ovarian, and others) and can even help fight cancer once it is diagnosed (G-d forbid).

How do you know if the level of vitamin D in the bloodstream is in the healthy range? There is now an easily available blood test which can tell you where you stand on the vitamin D spectrum. Ask your doctor to check your vitamin D, 25 hydroxy level. It is surprising to note that a large percentage of the adult population in the United States (At least 53% according to the National Institutes of Health) is vitamin D deficient.

And this is true even here in sunny southern California.

How can you obtain a healthful level of vitamin D? Assuming you are vitamin D deficient (or just somewhat low) there are many supplements available both over the counter and by prescription. The form of vitamin D that is most helpful is vitamin D3. Based on my experience as well much of the literature, the average adult generally benefits from a dose of approximately 1,000-2,000 mg a day. If, however, you find you are severely deficient, you should probably be on a high dose (which is available by prescription only) for a limited period (two to three months) and then retest your blood level. At that point, an over the counter supplement will likely be adequate to maintain your newly elevated level. Though vitamin D is found in a few foods (i.e. fish and milk) the concentration of vitamin D is not high enough to make a significant contribution if someone is deficient. As mentioned earlier, sun exposure alone is generally not an adequate source of this vitamin for most adults (especially those who dress in a modest fashion).

In my practice, many patients have started to see the benefits of increased vitamin D levels, reporting a decrease in joint pain, improved sleep and an increase in energy level. While there is no such thing as a cure-all for the many health challenges we face on a regular basis, this little vitamin can potentially have a very positive influence on our general health.

As always, please consult with your personal physician. With Gd’s help, next issue we will discuss Omega 3 fatty acids so stay tuned...

Dr. Sachs practices Internal Medicine at 2080 Century Park East, Suite 1409, Los Angeles California, 90067. This article discusses illness in general terms only and is not a substitute for medical care. When in doubt, contact your physician.

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 advice from over-the-counter

Chanukah, Oil and Statins | Manny Saltiel, Pharm.D., FASHP, FCCP

W

ith Chanukah approaching, we can all look forward to our favorite oily foods. We know that some oils are better for us than others, but should some people try to avoid oil more than others? Do we know what to do if our bodies cannot tolerate the amount of oil we consume?

Although controversy about whether a low-carbohydrate,

low-fat, or Mediterranean diet results in more weight loss, or best improves cardiovascular health, one epidemiological fact remains is: some people develop high LDL-cholesterol (“bad” cholesterol) when they consume excessive oil-rich or fatty foods. For these persons (and that’s probably most of us), a reduction in fatty foods in our diet can result in a reduction in LDL-cholesterol and an associated improvement in cardiovascular health.

The main goal for treating elevated LDL-cholesterol is to reduce the risk of coronary artery disease, which can lead to angina and heart attacks. Coronary artery disease is the leading cause of death in the United States (500,000 deaths annually). Other risk factors for coronary artery disease include hypertension, smoking, diabetes, and peripheral vascular disease. An additional risk factor, the so-called “metabolic syndrome” is characterized by increased abdominal fat, hypertension, high triglyceride values in the blood, and low HDL-cholesterol (“good cholesterol”).

CITY spirit december 2009

Good cholesterol versus Bad cholesterol

36

Since cholesterol itself cannot dissolve in blood, it is carried from place to place by large fat-protein mixtures called lipoproteins. Two of the main types of lipoproteins are HDL and LDL. Whereas LDL sticks to artery walls and can lead to plaque build-up (atherosclerosis), HDL carries cholesterol away of the artery walls towards the liver for reprocessing.

Every 10% increase in LDL is associated with a 20% increase in the risk of coronary artery disease. It is estimated that 28 million Americans have elevated LDL values, but only 4½ million are being treated for it.

Goal for LDL-Cholesterol According to experts, an individual’s goal-LDL depends on his or her other heart risk factors. If the person has had a heart attack or angina or bypass surgery, or he has diabetes, peripheral artery disease, or is at very high risk of coronary artery disease (estimated 10-year risk of 20% or more), his goal-LDL is below 100. If he does not have one of these illnesses above but has more than one risk factor, his goal is below 130. All others have a goal of below 160.

Therapeutic lifestyle changes are recommended for all persons who are not at goal. These changes include improved, low-fat diet, aerobic exercises (like walking, running, biking, or swimming), and general weight management. The relatively new butter substitutes containing stanol esters (Benecol) can also reduce LDL by between 15% and 20%.

Statins Of the medications that have been studied for heart disease, the “statins” have by far the greatest amount of research and the best cost-benefit ratio. These medications are referred to as “statins” because all of their generic names end in statin. For example, the generic name of Lipitor® is atorvastatin, and the generic name of the first statin, Mevacor® is lovastatin. All of the statins have been shown to decrease the risk of either a first heart attack (called primary prevention) and subsequent heart attacks after a first such episode (called secondary prevention) as well as deaths and hospitalizations due to coronary artery disease. They may also decrease the risk of stroke.

Statin Side Effects

CITY spirit december 2009

Like all medications, statins may be associated with side effects. Most are self-limiting and not dangerous, most commonly headaches, stomachaches, and rashes. However, statins can cause liver damage or muscle damage. Both need to be monitored for, using regularly scheduled simple blood tests.

Muscle aches are not uncommon, but generally do not portend dangerous side effects on muscles.

Additionally, some statins can interact with other prescription medications, and these interactions may lead to muscle damage, which again can be discerned using simple blood tests.

It is important, however, to state clearly that the benefit of the statins far outweigh their relatively low potential for adverse effects. As with all medications, a close relationship with your physician and pharmacist is important. Always ask questions and expect clear and helpful answers.

37

 book release ABOUT TH

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LIEBER

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OR Lola Leser was a privil 1939 when Germany invad eged sixteen-year-old in ed Poland. The the Holocaust overtook her horrors of almost imme she moved to Krakow, diately when Poland, after with her mate living for years rnal grandparen time in Czec ts in Munkach hoslo – at that ents’ “enchanted vakia. It was there, in her grandpargarde n,” that she disco tic talents. vered her artisBefore she had a chanc e to fully matu Lieber swep t her up into a marriage that re, Mechel into a loving partnership. from city to That union saw was to turn years of hidin city – often them through g, of fleeing escaping captu years, which from shelte re by a hairs included week breadth. Durin r to shelter and s of starvation most all of g those horri their loved and periods d war ones and witne of imprisonm depravities of ssed firsthand ent, they lost the Nazis. the unbelievab alThrough six le bestiality and faith in the One harrowing years, Lola clung Above, Who both to her traditional upbri grant husband and to her staun nging that prope ed them both many mirac ch under the most les. lled Lola to adverse cond uphold her Jewis It is this faith and her eternal chain itions. Lola h values and was ever consc of Jewis traditions ious that she On Januray 19, h survival and continuity was a link in again 1946, now libera the the following ted, Lola gave st all odds. year she immi birth to her first cancer in 1966 grated to the child in Muni United State , leaving her ch, and s. Her belov with three child Today in her ed Mechel died ren. eighties, Lola of exhibited in still paints and many art galle is a successful ries throughou lection of the artist. Her work t the United San Francisco has State been archives in Jerus Museum of Art. Her paint s and is in the permanent alem and are colings are part gallery in the in a number of the Yad Vash heart of Chas of private colle em sidic Boro Park and is often ctions. She still commission in Brooklyn, ed to paint New York. Lola maintains a styles including is well-know traditional, impre portraits. Her works n encompass a Though Lola ssionistic, as wide range maintains a of ways comes busy social and well as modern. first. charitable activ of twelve, and Lola often proudly states ity schedule, that the great-gran her family altriumph and dmother of thirty she is the mother of three her final victo , grandmother -six and ry over Hitle still counting. r and the Reich This truly is . her

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Under The Spiritual Guidance of

Rabbi Nachi Klein Join Us for a Shabbos & Experience the Warmth

CITY spirit december 2009

• Daily Minyanim • Insightful Shiurim • Great Learning Opportunities

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Phone 818-275-1112 17511 Devonshire Street.

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TION

A MEMOIR OF LOSS AND RED EMPTION

$19.95 US

Young Israel of Northridge

OF LOSS AND RE DEMP

A Memoir of Loss and Redemption

By Lola Lieber Published by: Devora Publishing To be Released This December

Inspired Living

A MEMO IR

L O L A L IE BER

his is the story of Lola Lieber, a Hungarian-Polish Jew who survived and has chosen during her lifetime to tell the story of the ordeals of her survival and the strength of her faith and courage against all odds. It is also the memoir of a marriage that was a true working partnership as well as a marital bond of extraordinary depth. With her husband, Mechel, beside her, Lola defied the Nazis, confronted the devil Eichmann in person, never giving up her faith in God and her belief that she and Mechel would be together at the end. The title of this book comes from a comment Mechel made at a bittersweet time in their lives. His words: “There will be a world after this,” thankfully, would turn out to be true.

Lola’s journey is an adventure of harrowing events and many close calls. It is, in the end, the story of the survival of a woman who will go on in her life to help repair the lost tapestry of Jewish life and to become a mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and a fine painter. Lola Lieber has lived to tell her tale to all of us. It is important for readers to understand that the telling itself is an act of a different kind of bravery.

Through six harrowing years, Lola clung both to her husband and to her staunch faith in the One Above, Who granted them both many miracles. It is this faith and her traditional upbringing that propelled Lola to uphold her Jewish values and traditions under the most adverse conditions. Lola was ever conscious that she was a link in the eternal chain of Jewish survival and continuity against all odds.

Today in her eighties, Lola still paints and is a successful artist. Her work has been exhibited in many art galleries throughout the United States and is in the permanent collection of the San Francisco Museum of Art. Her paintings are part of the Yad Vashem archives in Jerusalem and are in a number of private collections. She still maintains a gallery in the heart of Chassidic Boro Park in Brooklyn, New York.

Lola often proudly states that she is the mother of three, grandmother of twelve, and the great-grandmother of thirtysix and still counting. This truly is her triumph and her final victory over Hitler and the Reich.

To pre-order go to www.urimpublications.com.

 tama tells all

The Blue Man of Africa | Tama beck

M

y father, who had a shul, always brought home guests for Shabbos and even during the week.

They usually had complicated lives and many problems, especially with parnassah (livelihood). One of the most unusual guests we ever had was a man with a strange look.

He had a blueish-purplish tone and Caucasian features. We children all stared at him. My father said to us, “What’s the matter, didn’t you ever see a Jew before?”

My mother motioned to my father to come into the kitchen and said to him, “this is too much, don’t you realize we have little children and this man doesn’t look right, he looks ill and who even knows if he is Jewish! It is not responsible to invite him in.”

My father’s response was, “Don’t talk like that, he was in shul davening (praying) with a Talis and Tefillin with kavana, so I invited him home. Please let’s go in and enjoy his company and make him feel welcome”. And that is what we all did.

He told us he was from a country in Africa and described his

life there. It was very interesting, but when he left, my mother was still uncomfortable and got rid of the mattress he slept on because of the unusual color in his skin; she was afraid he might be sick. With six young children to worry about she couldn’t take any chances.

Years later, I read an article about the Blue People of Africa!

It felt so good to know we had one of them at our table and realized there are Jews in so many different countries of all colors and we are all connected!

Mrs. Beck is a beloved educator and lecturer and has been for over fifty years. She taught in Central and Shulamis high schools for girls and gave weekly shiurim in the Syrian community often to three generations in the same class!

Mrs. Beck has always sought the advice of Gedolim while working with many families (helping save marriages and keeping children on the derech). Mrs. Beck has also been giving lectures in the Los Angeles Jewish community which is, as she says, her second home!

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CITY spirit december 2009

starting from

PRIVATE HOMES & OFFICES | WEDDINGS | SHEVA BROCHOS | & MORE

39

 FOOD

In The Spirit of A Chef | todd aarons

CITY spirit december 2009

I

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believe the seasons dictate what the body craves to eat. Leaner, high water content foods when its hot and heavier, fat or high carbohydrate foods when it is frigid and cold outside. It is miraculous that the earth, not considering the use of man made hot houses, provides these foods that correlate with what our bodies need in different climates. This is much more noticeable if you are a green market go’er on the East Coast. The autumnwinter offerings of beets, potatoes, apples and winter squash which are all high in carbohydrates can sustain a body with the extra calories to warm and reenergize ourselves for that jaunt through snow clad streets. Humans have inevitably picked up on the need to consume these extra calories and luscious fat filled dishes like duck confit and cassoulet which appear in the colder end of the year months. It has become subconsciously ingrained in our food histories and eating patterns that we do not take much notice of it. Taking a moment to reminisce about my Romanian and Russian ancestors and where they lived and how hard they worked, I can better understand the consumption of what I consider Jewish soul food such as schmaltz, gribenas and kishke. Nowadays the jet and combustion engines have made available a plethora of fruits and vegetables that otherwise our bodies would simply not have access to at that particular time in the calendar.

We also have to consider that for most

of us, we are not manually working the field or farm where those extra calories fade away by the end of a hard days work. You do not exert much energy at the desk unless it is pushing the chair away from it to go to lunch.

Autumn and winter is the time of the year we also break out our provisions that have been preserved in those extra calorie foods such as fat, salt and sugar. The engines of progress have fueled people to forget our connection and once reliant diets on preserved foods.

Springs, bounty is often prepared for consumption in these colder less plentiful times. Fruits like bing cherries have been brandied and strawberries have been made into jam. Fat ducklings have been harvested for their succulent meat and their legs have been salted and preserved in their own fat only to be consumed later on a dreary winter’s night with an excellent Pinot Noir. I can think of no finer food than crackling like crisp duck skin sheltering tender, rich and moist duck leg underneath. People may shudder at the thought of braising meat in rendered fat but necessity being the mother of all inventions has given us this culinary gift. The efficient usage of

all the animal has to offer, as well as the technology of food storage, makes this classic dish my all time winter favorite and conjures up a time of when we would harvest what the land has to offer not what we can buy via internet and provide for our meals throughout the seasons.

Do not get disheartened about all this talk of fat. In the culinary world it is referred to as the messenger of flavor and in Duck confit the end product has been rendered of its fat. The dish if done properly will not have any more fat content than say a prime cut steak. The renderings of the duck or goose have played a vital role in Jewish history and unless you schmear it on a good piece of toasted bread and eat it, the fat will not be an overload to your senses. This special preparation is not for eating everyday, so enjoy it in front of your fireplace on a cold winter’s night and if you live in Southern California on a night that dips below 68 degrees. Hearken back to the days when this fare was a necessity to last through a hard winter and indulge yourself with some duck confit free of a guilty conscience.

Duck Confit with Rose Petal and Shallot Jam and Bitter Greens Salad Duck confit is one of those timeless gastronomic inventions born of necessity. Duck legs first cured and then preserved in duck fat, stored in jars and cellared to last the long cold winters of Gascony. I’ve always enjoyed duck confit served with accoutrements that play off its innate salty richness and complete the balanced equation by marrying it with sweet and sour flavors. Incorpo-

rating North African ingredients such as rose petals and cinnamon into caramelized shallots make for a wonderfully complex partner with this rich crispy duck. The salad will add the slightly bitter earthiness to complete this plate along with a red wine vinaigrette that has been conjured up at the Herzog Winery to spotlight the wine flavors and not so much the acidic, word so seldom heard at a winery, vinegar.

Confit 4 Duck legs from five pound ducks Spice mixture: 1 tablespoon. dried green peppercorns 1 tablespoon. coriander 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1 teaspoon ginger 1/2 teaspoon clove 1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg 1 bay leaf (fresh or dried) Kosher salt (1 pinch per leg) 4 garlic cloves 3-4 sprigs of fresh thyme 6 cups of duck fat 4 servings as lunch or lite dinner or 8 servings as an appetizer.

Bitter Greens Salad FrisĂŠe, radicchio, or endive leaves or some mixture of these greens Roasted red and yellow baby beets

The Duck

in a container, strain the top portion of the fat over the legs to cover. Do not use the bottom portion of fat it will have the extracted juice and gelatin of the duck.

Let it cool completely then cover and store in your refrigerator. Properly submerged in the fat with no head space in the container it will keep for months.

When ready to use you, must first submerge the container in warm water to liquefy the fat that holds the legs in their perfect preserved state. Drain legs from the fat and place in a hot sautĂŠ pan. I use a cast iron skillet as it holds a nice steady heat. Place the ducks skin side down only, and over a steady heat, crisp the skin of the duck. All residual fat at this point will render out of the skin and become crispy golden brown.

Remove from pan and place skin side up onto a plate.

To complete: Toss your bitter greens with the red wine vinaigrette and place on the center of the plate while tucking in some roasted baby beets or other seasonal vegetables such as blanched green beans or asparagus. Make sure the bone of the duck leg is clean and free of the fat, skin and cartilage for a proper presentation and lean it leg up against the greens toward the middle of the plate. Place one or two of the shallots, rose petal jam toasts adjacent to the leg. A final drizzle of vinaigrette over the salad and surrounding plate will bring its presence to attention.

For the jam and vinaigrette part of the recipe and more winter recipes visit my blog at Toddaarons.blogspot.com Todd Aarons is a professionally trained chef with over 22 years experience and has worked and trained in San Francisco, New York City, Tuscany, Italy and Israel. He has been a restaurantuer/owner of his own establishment and is the originator and Executive Chef of Tierra Sur at Herzog Wine Cellars. He is always seeking out new culinary inspirations.

CITY spirit december 2009

Spicing & Curing: Use a coffee grinder to grind your spices and sprinkle mixture over the duck legs inside a Shallow baking dish. Add the bay leaf, garlic cloves and fresh thyme. Add salt and rub onto duck legs. Make sure legs are skin side down and single layered inside your glass baking dish. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Cure for 24 hours.

Duck Fat: You will need 6 cups of fat to successfully cover the legs. If you cannot purchase rendered duck fat then you can make it yourself. You will need the fat scraps of at least four ducks to yield six cups of fat. You can ask your butcher

for duck fat scraps and you can save the fat from previous duck preparations in your freezer in anticipation of rendering it for this recipe.

Cut fat into small pieces approximately 1/4� thick or send through a grinder. Place fat into a heavy bottomed pot and cover with cold water. Set on a medium burner so that the temperature comes up slowly. When water comes to a boil turn down the flame and let simmer. The water will evaporate and you will be left with golden colored fat and the shrunken pieces of solid fat and skin.

Do not let the pieces turn brown in the fat. Strain the fat, let cool and reserve.

After the legs have been cured for 24 hours take them out of the baking dish and pat dry. Place the legs inside a heavy bottomed pot that has a base that will snuggly fit only two of the legs at its bottom and stack the other two on top about a 4-5 quart saucepan Try to minimize too much space around the legs so you will need less fat to cover. Add the garlic cloves, bay and thyme that were also in the baking dish. Add fat making sure it is warm to the touch. You do not want to use just rendered hot fat or it will defeat the purpose of a slow cook duck confit keeping all its juices intact. Simmer duck on a medium low flame. When the oil begins to simmer, remove with a spoon the foam of coagulated proteins the same found on top of stock, that are floating at the top. Legs should be fully covered by fat. Keep legs on a very low simmer. You will not produce any color on the skin of the duck. If this happens your fat is to hot and you are frying, not gently cooking. After an hour, you can check the doneness by inserting a paring knife between the bone and the meat. If the leg clings to the knife as you lift it back up, then you need more time.

Check it after another half hour. The knife when inserted should easily with no resistance slide back out. The first time this occurs, remove from the heat and let cool at least twenty minutes or so in the fat. Remove the legs and place

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 FOOD

Dining In | with Faigy Grossman CHEESY TUNA CASSEROLE What’s more American than a good old tuna casserole? It’s practically dinner in a dish!

8 oz. medium noodles 3 T. margarine 1 medium onion, chopped 3 T. flour 1⁄2 tsp. salt 2 1⁄2 C. milk 1 C. shredded cheese 1 C. frozen peas 2 cans tuna fish, drained and flaked YIELD: 6 SERVINGS Cook noodles and drain. Melt the margarine in a large skillet. Sauté onion in margarine until tender. Blend in flour and salt. Gradually add milk, stirring constantly, until mixture is slightly thickened. Add 3⁄4 cup cheese, and heat until melted. Combine noodles with above mixture. Add peas and tuna.

Pour into 2-quart casserole dish. Top with remaining 1⁄4 cup cheese. Bake at 350° for 25 minutes or until bubbling.

CITY spirit december 2009

HOMEMADE PIZZA

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2 envelopes dry yeast 2 C. warm water 2 tsp. sugar 2 tsp. salt 2 T. oil 6 C. flour Garlic powder and oregano 16 oz. Marinara or pizza sauce 2-8 oz. pkgs. pizza cheese 1 large onion, diced, optional 8 oz. mushrooms, diced, optional 1⁄2 red pepper, diced, optional 1⁄2 green pepper, diced, optional 1 to 2 T. oil, optional 1⁄2 tsp. salt YIELD: 16 SLICES

Combine water and sugar in a mixer bowl. Dissolve yeast in water and sugar.

Let stand 5 minutes. Add salt and oil.

Add flour; blend in until it forms a soft dough. Divide dough in half. Preheat oven to 400°. Spray two 16-inch pizza pans with nonstick spray. Spread dough with fingers over pan, to just less than 1 inch from the edge. Pour pizza sauce over dough. Sprinkle cheese, then garlic powder and oregano. Repeat with second pan. If vegetables are desired, mix all of them in a large bowl. Toss with 1 to 2 tablespoons oil and 1⁄2 teaspoon salt. Divide mixture between pans.

Bake at 400º for about 25 minutes.

If you like serving homemade pizza, it might pay to invest in a pizza stone or two.

You preheat the stone in the oven and then place the pizza directly on the stone to bake.

The pizza will emerge with its dough wonderfully crispy and evenly baked.

HEAVENLY EGGPLANT PARMESAN 2 medium eggplants, thinly sliced lengthwise Salt 1 C. flour 3 eggs, beaten 1⁄2 C. bread crumbs Oil for frying

1 large onion 2-16 oz. cans tomato sauce 3 T. sugar 1⁄2 T. salt Oregano, garlic, and black pepper 1-8 oz. can mushrooms 2 pkgs. pizza cheese YIELD: 9-12 SERVINGS Salt eggplants; allow to sit 1⁄2 hour.

Rinse and pat dry. Dip slices in flour, eggs, and then bread crumbs. Fry in oil until brown. Set aside. Sauté onion until translucent; add tomato sauce, sugar, salt, and spices. Cook 15 minutes over low flame. Add mushrooms and mix in.

To assemble, spray or grease bottom of a 9x13-inch pan. Layer bottom with eggplant slices; cover with a layer of sauce, and sprinkle cheese over sauce. Repeat layers. Bake at 350° for 1 hour, covered; uncover and bake 10 minutes more.

Scrumptious!

Here’s a diet tip: After patting dry the eggplants, place 3 slices on a microwavable plate and microwave for one minute. Repeat until all the eggplant has been cooked this way. Do not fry the eggplant; just use it as is. Your dish will still taste great – and you’ll save some calories.

DELUXE STUFFED SHELLS This dinner takes more effort than spaghetti and cheese but the kids think it’s gourmet cuisine. It’s really an all-around favorite and avoids a lot of the fattening (albeit yummy) ingredients used in many other pasta dishes (cream, margarine, butter).

1 pkg. large shells 16 oz. mozzarella cheese 16 oz. ricotta or farmer cheese 2 eggs SAUCE: 28 oz. tomato sauce 28 oz. crushed tomatoes 3 tsp. brown sugar 1 frozen garlic cube 1⁄2 tsp. oregano YIELD: 4 SERVINGS Cook large shells and drain. Mix cheese with two eggs until thoroughly combined. Handling the cooked shells very

gently, fill with cheese mixture. Close the open edge of the shells and place, facedown, in aluminum pan.

SAUCE: Mix all sauce ingredients thoroughly. Pour over stuffed shells. Cover tightly and bake at 350° for 1 hour.

CHOC. CHIP CHEESE SQUARES LAYER #1: 2 1⁄2 C. flour 1⁄4 tsp. salt 1⁄2 tsp. baking soda 1 C. brown sugar 1⁄2 C. sugar 2 sticks butter 2 eggs 2 tsp. vanilla extract 1 1⁄2 pkgs. small choc. chips 2 T. flour LAYER #2: 3-8 oz. pkgs. cream cheese 3 eggs 1 C. sugar

LAYER #1: Mix first eight ingredients to form dough. Set aside 1 cup dough and add 2 tablespoons flour to it. Freeze that cup for 1⁄2 hour. Add chocolate chips to the rest of the batter. Spread on cookie sheet, and flatten with wet hands. Bake at 350° for 25 minutes.

LAYER #2: Mix all ingredients for second layer. Pour over baked first layer.

Remove cup frozen dough from freezer and grate it evenly over the top of the cream cheese mixture. Bake for an additional 35 minutes. Can be cut into squares or triangles. Can be sprinkled with melted chocolate.

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CITY spirit december 2009

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43

KidSpirit

by Fraydee Mozes

On Chanukah we celebrate the fact that the little bit of oil that was found ended up lasting for eight days and nights. It was a huge miracle which we commemorate once a year by lighting the menorah. But did you know that miracles happen every single day? They might not be as obvious and big as the nes (miracle) of Chanukah, but we are surrounded by such special nisim (miracles) from Hashem everyday. During the week of Chanukah, try to appreciate the little miracles such as waking up and taking in a breath in the morning. Say modeh ani (morning prayer) with extra kavanah (concentration) as you appreciate the miracle of life. The miracle of tasting food is something we can notice daily.

When you make a brocha (blessing) before you eat, be sure to keep in mind what a nes it is that you can taste the food. Throughout the day you can think of miracles while you do just about anything, and we have Hashem to thank for every thought and action we do. Even getting 100 on a test is a nes! For eight days try to recognize the nisim (miracles) and niflaos (wonders) in your daily lives in addition to the nes of Chanukah.

Happy Chanukah!

Easy

Who/What am I?

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Answers: 1.Latkeh, 2. Menorah, 3.Dreidle, 4.doughnut, 5.gelt, 6.oil, 7.Yehuda Macabee, 8. Shamash, 9.Yehudis, 10. Gimmel

CITY spirit december 2009

1. I am flat, round, greasy, but tasty!

2. I have eight arms and I am placed by the window.

3. I love to spin, spin, spin!

4. Sometimes I’m filled with yummy jelly, and sometimes I have a hole in my middle.

5. I make a great Chanukah gift, and sometimes I am used as a prize while playing dreidle.

6. Because I was found and lasted for so long, we celebrate the miracle of Chanukah.

7. I am a Macabee and led the Jews to victory.

8. I am the one who is in charge of lighting the other candles.

9. I gave Helifornes cheese and wine.

10. You’ll win Dreidle if you just land on me.

Tougher

What If? You have 10 jars filled with 50 pennies you plan to use to play Dreidle. You pour the pennies into small bags and attempt to get half a jar in each bag.

Now you have 20 bags of pennies. What is the percentage likelihood that there are an average of 25 pennies in a single bag?

Answer: 100%. You had 50 pennies in 10 jars, giving you a total of 500 pennies.

You divided 500 pennies into 20 bags, so of course the mathematical “average” of this will be 25 pennies per bag.

Toughest

Puzzling A menorah with eight burning candles sits near an open window.

A strong breeze blows in through the window and extinguishes two of them. Checking back in on the candles later, you see that one more candle has gone out. To make sure no more flames go out, you shut the window. If the wind did not blow anymore candles, how many candles do you have left in the end?

Answer: Three. The only candles that remain in the end are the three that are extinguished by the wind and therefore stay intact.

Dear KidSpirit, Hi my name is Aviva. I would like to tell you about what happened today. I was coming home from school and my friend Daniella invited me to come over. Then the phone rang and it was Chaya. She asked if I could come over. I asked my mother if I could go to Chaya’s house. My mother said no. I asked why. She said because you said yes to Daniella.. So I asked if I can do half and half. She said that was a great idea. And that’s what I did.

Aviva Wender

Age 7, Houston, TX

We are accepting art and poems from now until January 18th!

Please send your work with your name, city/state, age and school to: City Spirit Magazine New York Office: 1588 East 27th Street, Brooklyn, NY 11229 or email to info@cityspiritmag.com.

Check out the next issue to see if your work is published!

CITY spirit december 2009

Theme for next issue of KidSpirit is Purim.

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Continued from last issue...

Story by Ari Guidry

CITY spirit december 2009

28

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.

Benny P.I s ic m co Now in stores

30 Please send comments to: Bennypicomics@gmail.com

31 Continued next issue...

West Coast Directory Emergency

Passport Information...........................310-575-5700

Santa Monica Mikvas Chana (by appt. only)............... 310-829-1324 Tarzana Abraham Dayan Mikvah......................818-758-3836 18181 Burbank Blvd. (access from east side of bldg.)

Hospitals

Shatnez Testing Service

Cedars Sinai Medical Center................ 310-423-5000 8700 Beverly Blvd.

Children’s Hospital.............................. 323-660-2450 4650 Sunset Blvd.

UCLA Medical Center............................310-825-9111 10833 Le Conte Avenue

Kehillah (Mr. Stolz).............................. 323-936-8760 Kehilla Shatnez Lab on Holt (Rabbi & Mrs. Sohayeg )..................310-657-5789

Fire-Police-Ambulance........................................ 911 Hatzalah.............................................. 800-613-1911

Government & Utilities

Jewish Life Bikur Cholim

Bikur Cholim........................................323-852-1900 LA Ladies Bikur Cholim........................323-934-2890 ........................................................323-936-1685 Chai LifeLine........................................310-274-6331

Teen Development

Friendship Circle of LA..............310-277-FCLA (3252)

Mikvahs

Los Angeles Fairfax/Hancock Park Agudath Israel of LA-Bais Avigdor.... 323-930-0792 / 323-935-8383 461 N. La Brea Avenue Aish Tamid of Los Angeles................... 323-634-0505 . 5909 West 3rd St Congregation Bais Naftoli.............. 323-936-4827 . 221 S. La Brea Avenue Congregation Bais Yehuda...................323-936-7568 360 N. La Brea Avenue Congregation Eitz Chaim/Bais Moshe Yitzchok..........

323-634-0535 • 303 S. Highland Ave. Congregation Levi Yitzchok/ Chabad of Hancock Park................. 323-954-8381 356 N. La Brea Avenue Congregation Shaarei Tefilla................323-938-7147 7269 Beverly Blvd.

Kehillas Yaakov....................................323-935-8572 7211 Beverly Blvd.

Kehillath Yitzchok................................323-932-8694 7709 Beverly Blvd.

Kollel Los Angeles................................ 323-933-7193 7216 Beverly Blvd.

Kollel Yechiel Yehuda...........................323-939-2041 354 N. La Brea Avenue The Jewish Learning Exchange..................................

323-857-0923 • 512 N. La Brea Avenue Torah Ohr............................................. 323-933-3111 7200 Beverly Blvd.

Young Israel of Hancock Park...............323-931-4030 225 S. La Brea Avenue Young Israel of Los Angeles................ 323-655-0300 660 North Spaulding Avenue

If you want to be added to the shul listing send an e-mail to info@cityspiritmag.com

CITY spirit december 2009

Beverly Hills/Pico Robertson Mikvah Society of LA . .........................310-550-4511 9548 West Pico Long Beach Mikvah Chaya V’Sarah Leah................. 562-427-1360 3847 Atlantic Avenue Los Angeles – Fairfax Mikvah Sarah U’Baila...........................323-939-4297 360 N. La Brea Avenue (across from alley) Mikvah Taharat Chaya......................... 323-634-0703 303 S. Highland Ave. (by appt. only) North Hollywood Adat Yeshurun Mikvah.........................818-766-4610 12405 Sylvan Street The Teichman Mikvah..........................818-760-4567 12800 Chandler Blvd.

Palm Springs Mikvah Chaya Mushka.........................760-325-3212 425 Avenida Ortega (Palm Springs Chabad) San Diego Mikvah Israel....................................... 619-287-6411 5170 Ladorna

Shuls

Pico-Robertson/Beverly Hills Adas Torah 1135 S. Beverly Dr............. 310-552-0460 Aish HaTorah Center........................310-278-8672 9102 W. Pico Blvd.

Anshe Emes Synagogue.............................................

310-275-5640 / 877-ANSHE-EM 1490 S. Robertson Blvd.

Beth Jacob Congregation......................310-278-1911 9030 West Olympic Blvd., Beverly Hills Chabad of Bel-Air................................. 310-475-5311 10421 Summer Holly Crl Chabad of Beverly Hills........................310-271-9063 409 N. Foothill Rd., Beverly Hills Chabad of Brentwood......................... 310-826-4453 644 S. Bundy Dr. Chabad of Cheviot Hills........................310-558-8770 3185 Motor Avenue, Los Angeles Congregation Magen David................ 310-556-5609 9717 W. Pico Blvd., Beverly Hills Lubavitch of Beverly Hills.................... 310-282-0444 9017 W. Pico Blvd., Beverly Hills West Coast Torah Center.......................310-271-1180 322 N. Foothill Rd., Beverly Hills Young Israel of Beverly Hills..................310-742-3717 8701 W. Pico Blvd.

Young Israel of Century City.................310-273-6954 9315 W. Pico Blvd.

Conejo Valley Chabad of Conejo – Agoura Hills 818-991-0991 . 5998 Conife Street Corona del Mar Chabad of Newport Beach...................949-721-9800 4720 Cortland Dr. Huntington Beach Chabad of West Orange County.................................

714-846-2285 • 5052 Warner Ave Irvine Beth Jacob of Irvine............................ 949-786-5230 3900 Michelson Dr. Chabad of Irvine.................................. 949-786-5000 5010 Barranca Pkwy La Jolla Congregation Adat Yeshurun.............. 858-535-0343 8625 La Jolla Scenic Dr. N. Laguna Beach Chabad of Laguna Beach.................... 949-499-0770 30804 S. Coast Hwy.

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Shuls Continued Laguna Niguel Chabad of Laguna Niguel.....................949-831-8475 27655 Niguel Village Dr. Lomita Chabad of Palos Verdes....................... 310-544-5544 28041 S. Hawthorne Blvd.

Chabad of South Bay............................310-326-8234 24412 Narbonne Ave. Long Beach Cong. Lubavitch of Long Beach..................................

562-426-5480 • 3981 Atlantic Ave. Young Israel of Long Beach.................. 562-427-3163 4134 Atlantic Ave. Mission Viejo Chabad of Mission Viejo.......................949-770-1270 24041 Marguerite Pkwy.

North Hollywood Adat Yeshurun . ........................818-766-4682 12405 . 12405 Sylvan Street Em Habanim Cong............................... 818-762-7779 . 5850 Laurel Canyon Blvd.

Shaarey Zedek Cong.............................818-763-0560 12800 Chandler Blvd.

Ohr Simcha.......................................... 818-760-2189 12430 Oxnard Palm Springs Chabad of Palm Springs.......................760-325-0774 425 Avenida Ortega

San Diego Beth Jacob of San Diego.......................619-287-9890 4855 College Ave. Chabad of Downtown.......................... 619-702-8518 472 Third Avenue Calabasas The Calabasas Shul . ............................ 818-725-3118 (at Bay Laurel Elem. School) Calabasas Pkwy. at Paseo Primero Santa Monica Chabad of Marina Del Rey....................310-301-9770 2929 Washington Blvd.

Venice Pacific Jewish Center............................ 310-392-8749 505 Ocean Front Walk Young Israel of Venice..........................310-450-7541 1014 Vernon Ave. Westwood Westwood Kehilla................................310-441-5288 10537 Santa Monica Blvd.

Yorba Linda North County Chabad Center.............. 714-693-0770 19045 Yorba Linda Blvd.

Places of Interest Cabrillo Marine Aquarium And Beach........................

310-548-7562 3720 Stephen M White Drive, San Pedro California Science Center.....................323-724-3623 700 State Drive, Exposition Park Interactive science museum.

Griffith Park Traveltown Museum & Railroad......323-662-5874 Los Angeles Zoo.............................323-644-4200 Observatory & Planetarium.............323-664-1191 Pony Rides...................................... 323-664-3266 Train Rides......................................323-664-6903 Merry-Go-Round............................ 323-665-3051 Huntington Library, Art Collections, And Botanical Gardens....................818-405-2125 1151 Oxford Rd. San Marino J. Paul Getty Museum......................... 310-440-7300 1200 Getty Center Drive Collections include European paintings, drawings, decorative arts, sculptures and illuminated manuscripts.

Long Beach Aquarium Of The Pacific...562-590-3100 200 Shoreline Drive, Long Beach Marina Del Ray Boat Rentals................310-574-2822 Sailboat, motorboat and kayak rentals.

Museum Of Tolerance..........................310-553-8403 9786 West Pico Blvd.

Hands-on experiential museum that focuses on the dynamics of racism and prejudice in America, and the history of the Holocaust.

Noah’s Ark - for children at Skirball Museum . 2701 N. Sepulveda Blvd..................310-440-4500

Community & G'mach Directory

CITY spirit december 2009

Babies & Children

48

Baby Equipment . LA Baby G’mach............................lababygear.com . Miriam Hendeles .............................323-243-7116 Port-a-cribs, pack & plays, car seats, infant bouncers, strollers, bassinettes, booster seats, exer-saucers for short term loan. . bris outfits Devora Wieder................................323-939-9276 Diapers Rivka Dinkels................................... 323-932-1123 Penina Frumit Apter .......................310-557-9726 Dina Kramer ...................................818-985-2493 Ezer Layoledes Yossie Greenfield.............................323-934-0178 Strollers, play pens, high chairs, cribs, car seats

for short or long term loan.

Nursing Pumps Andi Shochet...................................818-753-9562 Dassi Weiner....................................818-509-7791 Uniforms Exchange and/or purchase of previously owned school uniforms Emek: Leah Roth............................. 818-753-4242 Toras Emes and Bais Yaakov: Rochelle Frankel...............................323-937-7111

Clothing Global Kindness Yaelle Cohen................................... 310-286-0800 Kehila Shatnez Testing Joe Stoltz........................................ 323-936-8760

Counseling and Health Aleinu/Orthodox Counseling Program 24 hour hotline............................... 818-623-0300 Bikur Cholim VCR and Jewish Video..............................323-304-1359 (L’ilui Nishmas Israel, Amelia, and Ruth Aftergut, and Abba Avrutin).

VCR with Video Moniter, not a television. Jewish videos intended only for those confined to bed for medical reasons.

Chai Lifeline West Coast Regional Office.............310-274-6331 Non profit Jewish organization dedicated to providing support services to seriously ill children and their families.

Etta Israel.........................................818-985-3882 Serving the special needs children of the Jewish Community Friendship Circle.................(310) 277-FCLA (3252) 9581 W. Pico Blvd., #102 . Providing social, recreational and Judaic programs for Jewish children who have special needs and their families Hospital Gowns Sara Pinter...................................... 323-931-1598 Tznuis hospital clothing for women Jewish Healthcare Foundation Avraham Moshe Bikur Cholim If you need or would like to donate blood to someone.........................................323-852-1900 Safety Kid........................................... 323-761-8816 Raising child safety awareness in the community

Education Ha’azinu HaShamayim Children Tape (L’ilui Nishmas Shifra Miriam and Yisroel Menachem Shedrowitsky) Story tapes in Yiddish and in English; song tapes in Yiddish........................................323-931-0306

Financial Aid Services David Weiner Memorial Free Loan Society of the Valley Jack Adatto.....................................818-508-9114 Financial Jewish Free Loan Assistance Small interest free loans City..................................................323-761-8830 Valley – Linda Gordon.....................818-464-3331 Hachnosas Kallah...........................323-938-8074 Financial assistance and/ or guidance to needy kallahs in planning their wedding The Tzedakah Fund.......................... 323-939-0862

Food

Furniture, Home, Dishes 2nd Chance Rivky Farber....................................323-931-0224 Folding Beds Esti Tendler . ...................................310-203-0170

Keilim Mikvah Anshe Emes Keilim Mikva 1490 S. Robertson...........................310-276-6617 Shaaray Zedek Keilim Mikva 12800 Chandler...............................818-763-0560 Young Israel Keilim Mikva 225 S. LaBrea Ave............................323-931-4030

Mirrors Alona Horowitz ..............................310-551-1004 Shoshy Klein ...................................323-937-4954 Mrs. Niehaus...................................323-938-2406 Michal Porati - Yad Simcah..............310-525-7336 Wedding Shtick Bubby’s Shtick/Mona Riss............... 818-761-5077 Rivky Farber ...................................323-997-5968 Nechama Denbo..............................310-788-3981 Updated November 2008 - FOR CHANGES ADDITIONS CALL ELISHEVA 310-274-6657

Legal Services

Teen Development

Bet Tzedek Legal Services . ............................................ 323-939-0506 Free legal counsel to the eligible needy and Holocaust reparations assistance.

Criminal/Arrest Guidance LA County Sheriff Department.

Shirley Freidman (women)............. 323-568-4703 Howard Winkler (men)....................323-939-9236

Friendship Circle................... (310) 277FCLA(3252) . Enriches, inspires and motivates Jewish teens through sharing of themselves with children who have special needs. Teens volunteer their time through innovative and stimulating programs producing a sense of connection and responsibility for the greater Jewish community.

Simchas Benchers/Mrs. Kest ...........................323-937-7060 L’ilui Nishmas Ahron Ben Yissachar Chupah candle holders, poles, Kallah chair Mrs. Lebovics . ................................323-933-3377 Clothing for Relatives of Chosson & Kallah For women and children Mrs. Dena Wolmark . ......................323-934-4151 Esther Grama..................................424-558-9673 Mandy Adler....................................818-766-5104 Hachnasas Kallah Gift G’mach Volume Donations Libby Lehman.................................323-935-3791 Individual Gifts Leba Hertz ......................................323-246-9424 Hachnasas Kallah Gowns Marylin Barber................................323-937-7982 Esther Braun . ................................. 323-933-2817 Ahuva Goldstein............................. 323-938-8660 Mechitzah G’mach Rivka Berkowitz..............................818-331-3884 Simcha Gemach..................................323-931-0306 (L’ilui Nishmas Rebbetzin Bella Simcha) 48 mini challah covers, 2 large challah covers, 18 kiddush cups w/trays, 50 bentchers.

Special Occasion Flowers, Centerpieces &

Counseling & Health

Dr. Navideh Levy-Failer, PSY. D. Licensed Clinical Psychologist PSY 20781

323-653-5781

When In New York...

Naomi Scheier

Make-up Artist & Hair Stylist Specializing in semi-permanent make-up for Shabbos

(718)692-1588

makeupgal30@aol.com

(718)258-9013 or (718)951-8755 1424 Coney Island Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11230

CITY spirit december 2009

Masbia L’ilui Nishas Chaim Yosef ben Aron Aryeh Share your simcha – call for info or to arrange pickup of leftover food from your simcha Tomchei Shabbos..............................323-939-5525 Provides Shabbos food packages for families in need. Call to request application.

Mezuzah G’mach Irwin Lowi ...................................... 323-932-1025 Tables and Chairs Steven Oscherowitz......................... 323-937-1194

49

Fuzzy Navel

Having a Simch a?

Full Service Salon

Up-dos f hair and or Make-up wigs fo and brid r brides al partie s

7204 Melrose Avenue 323-939-4862 Salon Services: Wig Services: • Hair Care • Haircuts • Style • Hair Color • Highlights • Perms • Waxing • Eyelash Tint

All our wigs are kosher

Allegria, Eli, Freeda, Georgie, Shuli, Yaffa

Happ

Chan y • Wash & Set ukah • Cut • Color • Rejuventate Old Wigs

New 2nd location The Beauty Zone 12414 Burbank Blvd, Valley Village across from Cambridge Market

818-506-3194

Call for appointment

!

ATER C E W R! ELIVE D E W Kosher Japanese Sushi & Grill griLLED Fish

CALiFOrniACOMBO$13.95 LunCh sPECiAL $14.25griLLEDFishsPECiAL$9.95

Salmon.............................$9.95 • miso Soup White fish ......................$10.95 • Seared Albacore Salad trout .............................. $11.95 with ginger Dressing Red Snapper................... $11.95 • 4 Piece California Roll tuna ...............................$12.95 • Sunomono (Cucumber Salad)

CITY spirit december 2009

Large Platter

50

80 pieces of sushi only $ 00

60.

With coupon. offers can not be combined. one coupon per visit Exp. 1/1/10

500 off

$

Any Order of $35 or more Mon - Thurs only

With coupon. offers can not be combined. one coupon per visit Exp. 1/1/10

• • • • •

miso Soup 4 Piece Spicy tuna tempura 1 Piece Spicy Salmon hand Roll 1 Piece California hand Roll Sunomono (Cucumber Salad)

• Salmon on the grill • garden Salad • Choice Rice, french fries or grilled Potatoes

15% off

15% off

Min $35.00 order

Min $35.00 order

Entire Bill Mon - Thurs only

With coupon. offers can not be combined. one coupon per visit Exp. 1/1/10

Entire Bill Mon - Thurs only

With coupon. offers can not be combined. one coupon per visit Exp. 1/1/10

9340 W. PICO BLVD. (Corner of Pico & Rexford) LOS ANGELES

310-274-FISH(3474) • www.sushikosher.com

Seventh Annual

Jerusalem Conference “New Opportunities In The Middle East”

February 15-17, 2010 • Adar 1-3, 5770

Regency Hotel, Mount Scopus, Jerusalem The Jerusalem Conference provides a unique forum for the discussion of Israel’s national priorities, social values, and aspirations, as well as the challenges and external threats faced by Israel and the West. Every year the Jerusalem Conference hosts key figures, opinion-molders and policy-makers from Israel and around the world -- all leaders in the political, economic, academic, media, communal, security, military, and rabbinic spheres.

The Jerusalem Conference is dedicated to the promotion of Jewish heritage and values and to Israel’s future as a viable, modern, democratic and Jewish state.

The setting for the Jerusalem Conference – Mt. Scopus, Jerusalem – underscores the Conference’s devotion to Israel’s capital city. In the near future the Jerusalem Conference expects to hold additional conferences in other locations in Israel and in key cities in the United States.

Three customized tracks to participate in check our website at www.jerusalemconference.com

For More Information and Registration:

02-9978026 or +972-2-9978026 Under the auspices of the American Friends of the Jerusalem Conference a private not for profit 501 (c) (3)

es l e g n A e Los

eg l l o C o r Tou

e t a d p U r a d n

Cale

0 1 0 2 g n i r e p S Deadlin n o i t a c i l App th 5 1 . c e D gin e b s e s Clas th Jan. 18

0 1 0 2 l Fal y Application Priorit e Deadlin th 5 1 . r a M

d i A l a i Financ r a n i m Se

3pm 1 , h t 7 .1 n a J , y a d Sun ine L y b e n i L - FAFSA nts a r G l a C and s t n a r G - Pell ns a o L t n e - Stud s p i h s r a l o Sch c i m e d a - Ac s p i h s r a l o ch S e t a v i r -P n o i t p O l e ra - TCLA Is

To RSVP for the Financial Aid Seminar

Call 323-822-9700 x 102 or email rivka.weinberg@touro.edu

Touro College LOS ANGELES

1317 N. Crescent Heights Blvd., West Hollywood • 323 822 9700

touro College Los Angeles is accredited by WASC, the Accrediting Commission for Senior Colleges & universities of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges, 985 Atlantic Avenue, #100, Alameda, CA 94501, tel. 510-748-9001.

Touro college is an equalopportunity institution.