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Jewish Family Service builds a better future for the community Barry first contacted Jewish Family Service in 2007, after a series of family tragedies and a physical illness left him unemployed and in financial trouble. While he waited for his government disability benefits to be approved, the $200 he received in food stamps every month wasn’t enough. Thankfully, Jewish Family Service was there to provide a safety net. Through Jewish Family Service Food Pantry and the Chaver emergency assistance fund, they have helped Barry with food, rent assistance and money for car repairs and gas and also provided case management and counseling services. While Barry discovered the organization through his own research, many other clients are referred by rabbis who are aware of the quality of care offered by Jewish Family Service. Barry chose the agency over other similar services in the community because he feels safer working with a Jewish organization and appreciates the kosher food the food pantry offers. He has approached local churches for help in the past, but he never felt comfortable there. He prefers Jewish Family Service because, in his words, “it’s more like family.” Like many of Jewish Family Service’s clients, Barry never thought he would need the organization’s help. An autoimmune disorder left him unable to work, and the death of his father, for whom he was the sole caretaker, left him with no family support. He remembers the relief he felt when he found the organization and Fran Gafvert, director of vital services. Over the years, Fran and her colleagues have provided Barry with more than just food and financial support. They’ve helped him navigate the confusing bureaucracy of government services, they’ve been advocates for him and they’ve counseled him through the hurdles caused by his illness and the loss of family members. But most importantly, they’ve provided a human connection. Fran talks to Barry on the phone regularly, just to check in and make sure he’s doing okay. She’s become his support system, as Barry tells it. Without her and Jewish Family Service, he would be “depressed, definitely physically worse off, probably living on the street and possibly even dead.” Instead, Barry remains hopeful that his situation will continue to improve. “I’m trying to get my health back so hopefully I can be giving money instead of taking money from the organization.” Jewish Family Service offers free kosher food and personal and household care items, emergency financial assistance, case management,
Barry buying some oranges.
aging and caregiver services, family life education and adoption services to individuals in the
greater Cincinnati Jewish community. In 2010, they served close to 4,000 individuals.
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Camp Livingston hosts community-wide Shabbat Experience a slice of the greatest summer of your life at Camp Livingston’s Inaugural Camp Shabbat. Celebrate with the Livingston family and Cincinnati Jewish community, on Friday, Jan. 13, at Rockwern Academy, from 6 – 8:30 p.m. It’s time for the “entire” Livingston family to get together, said Karen Klugo, a Camp Livingston alumna. The evening’s festivities include eating, singing camp songs, Israeli dancing and celebrating the joy of Shabbat. Bring
your future camper or campers to see a slideshow of campers at Camp Livingston from today and yesterday. Also, enjoy services led by Judaic Director, Josh Herman, at the conclusion of Camp Shabbat. “I still know the words to every song we sang and still sing them to my children sometimes before they go to bed,” said Klugo. Make it a night to remember by seeing old friends and feeling the camp experience with staff, alumni and campers. “I love that it brings some of that ‘camp’ culture out in to the
world because normally camp in general is a perfect insular bubble of summer,” said Micah Max, a member of the Board of Directors of Camp Livingston. There is no other experience like a camp Shabbat, so join the community wide celebration contributing to and ensuring the future of the Cincinnati Jewish community through ventures such as Camp Livingston. “Camp Shabbat gives us the opportunity to share something with the entire community that is extremely important to us,” said Max.
Laugh with Laurel and Hardy at Northern Hills HaZaK The comedy of Laurel and Hardy will be featured when Northern Hills SynagogueCongregation B’nai Avraham holds its monthly HaZaK program for seniors on Wednesday, Jan. 18. The free program will take place at the synagogue, beginning at noon. Lunch will be served. Laurel and Hardy were one of the most critically acclaimed and popular comedy teams of the early Hollywood movies. Composed of thin Englishman Stan Laurel and heavy American Oliver Hardy, they became well known during the late 1920s and into the 1940s for their slapstick humor. Laurel played the childlike and clumsy
friend of the pompous Harvey. Harvey’s exclamation, “Well, here is another nice mess you’ve gotten us into,” is one of the most famous movie catchphrases. Gene Sorkin, Grand Sheik of “The Chimp Tent” will lead the presentation on the famous duo. The Chimp Tent is the name of the Cincinnati chapter of the International Laurel and Hardy Appreciation Association, which is also known as “The Sons of the Desert,” after the pair’s 1933 film. Each local chapter, called a “tent,” is named for a different Laurel and Hardy movie. The Cincinnati chapter is named for the 1932 movie “The Chimp,” which is one
of Sorkin’s favorites. At the HaZaK program, Sorkin will present some background on Laurel and Hardy and screen one of their particularly funny films. “HaZaK” is an acronym, with the letters standing for the Hebrew words “Hakhma” (wisdom), “Ziknah” (maturity) and “Kadima” (forward). The HaZaK programs are for adults 55 and older, and are open to the entire community. In addition to members of Northern Hills, many attendees have come from the Jewish Community Center, Cedar Village, Brookwood Retirement Community and throughout Greater Cincinnati.
Jewish Foundation, Jewish Cemeteries of Greater Cincinnati announce purchase of land for new cemetery Jewish Cemeteries of Greater Cincinnati (JCGC) announce the purchase of a 23 acre property on Loveland-Miamiville Road in Loveland. It plans to develop the property as JCGC’s first community cemetery. The Jewish Foundation of Cincinnati is pleased to join JCGC in announcing this purchase, which was made possible through a special grant by an affiliate of the Foundation to assist JCGC in the financing of the purchase. Commenting on the new site, Jan Armstrong Cobb, outgoing Board President, stated, “Since JCGC was formed in 2008, securing a new cemetery site has been an important priority. We are fortunate to have found a property that should provide us burial spaces for at least the next 100
years. We are also fortunate to have a sufficient number of lots in our newest cemetery in Montgomery, as well as in our other more historic cemeteries, so that we will be able to defer development of the new site, and the related costs, for three to five years.” Continuing, Cobb said, “On behalf of our Board of Trustees, we would like to express our sincere appreciation to The Jewish Foundation for their generosity in helping to finance this purchase. They have been our partner since JCGC was formed and we thank them for their very meaningful investment in our community.” Elinor Ziv, incoming Board president, stated, “All existing JCGC cemeteries have continued to follow the applicable religious
traditions that applied to them prior to the formation of JCGC. The new community cemetery will be appropriately and respectfully divided into sections that follow these same traditions under the guidance of the Ritual Coordination Committee, which is composed primarily of rabbis in the community.” JCGC is comprised of 22 Jewish cemeteries, almost all of the Jewish cemeteries in Cincinnati and Hamilton, Ohio. JCGC represents the culmination of over 10 years of community efforts to address the financial, succession, upkeep and other challenges facing many Jewish communities. Cincinnati is a leader nationally in creating this organizational model to take care of its cemeteries in perpetuity.
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Rachel Plowden
ties and packaging yartzeit candles for 1,500 people in commemoration of Yom Ha’Shoah, ACTout offers opportunities to
these social action events make a difference in our community, they make an even bigger difference in the lives of the ACTout
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VOL. 158 • NO. 25 THURSDAY, JANUARY 12, 2012 17 TEVET 5772 SHABBAT BEGINS FRIDAY 5:19 PM SHABBAT ENDS SATURDAY 6:20 PM THE AMERICAN ISRAELITE CO., PUBLISHERS 18 WEST NINTH STREET, SUITE 2 CINCINNATI, OHIO 45202-2037 Phone: (513) 621-3145 Fax: (513) 621-3744 publisher@americanisraelite.com editor@americanisraelite.com production@americanisraelite.com RABBI ISSAC M. WISE Founder, Editor, Publisher, 1854-1900 LEO WISE Editor & Publisher, 1900-1928 RABBI JONAH B. WISE Editor & Publisher, 1928-1930 HENRY C. SEGAL Editor & Publisher, 1930-1985 PHYLLIS R. SINGER Editor & General Manager, 1985-1999 MILLARD H. MACK Publisher Emeritus NETANEL (TED) DEUTSCH Editor & Publisher BARBARA L. MORGENSTERN Senior Writer YEHOSHUA MIZRACHI RITA TONGPITUK Assistant Editors ALEXIA KADISH Copy Editor JANET STEINBERG Travel Editor SONDRA KATKIN Dining Editor MARIANNA BETTMAN NATE BLOOM IRIS PASTOR RABBI A. JAMES RUDIN ZELL SCHULMAN RABBI AVI SHAFRAN PHYLLIS R. SINGER Contributing Columnists LEV LOKSHIN JANE KARLSBERG Staff Photographers JOSEPH D. STANGE Production Manager MICHAEL MAZER Sales ERIN WYENANDT Office Manager e Oldest Eng Th
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“Providing food is just part of the mitzvah. We think these extra touches will give our guests a greater sense of dignity while allowing more opportunities for interaction with our volunteers, helping to elevate the experience for everyone involved!”
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give back in a Jewish context. “We are glad we can help make programs like this possible,” said Rebecca Hoffheimer, of the Jewish Federation. “Not only do
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From building butterfly gardens at the Peaslee Neighborhood Center and doing odd jobs for homebound seniors, to working with young adults with disabili-
participants themselves!” This event is free with advance reservations and open to Jewish young professionals 21-35. NonJewish significant others are always welcome. Step #2: Be happy and get healthy. Wake up on the right side of the bed! According to Dr. Ryan Neimec, education director of VIA Institute on Character, “Waking up on the right side of the bed truly does have a lot to do with how you go about your day, but that’s just the start. Learning and knowing how to use your character strengths is one of the best ways to increase your overall happiness,” he explained. “If you can find ways to tie your strengths with your ambition in life you are much more likely to achieve your goals.” On Tuesday, Jan. 17 at 7:30 p.m., Dr. Neimec will talk about the mind/body connection in a special presentation called, “Happy, Healthy New You,” a YPs at the JCC program packed with tips on how to increase happiness, achieve greater balance and make better choices, all leading to a healthier lifestyle. Participants will have the chance to take a brief Happiness Survey and learn simple goal setting techniques and ways to start rethinking how they take on daily challenges so they can achieve their “best selves” in the coming year. “Happy, Healthy New You” is the perfect program for anyone who wants to start 2012 off on the right foot,” said Josh Rothstein, Outreach and Engagement coordinator. “Even though the J offers an incredible state-of-the-art fitness facility, having the right state of ‘mind’ is just as critical when trying to achieve a healthy lifestyle. That’s why we’re especially excited that Dr. Neimec, a highly sought after speaker the world over, has agreed to facilitate this workshop which covers concepts such as happiness, mindfulness and character strengths and gives ideas for how to combine them with many of the amenities that are available at the JCC to bring out what’s best in each of us!” Participants are invited to take part in a Spinning, Yoga or Pilates class or workout on their own beforehand, or, just show up for the 7:30 p.m. program. The program is free for J members between the ages of 21-35 and includes an assortment of healthy food and drink. Non-members can participate by calling Josh Rothstein at the JCC for a free guest pass.
ewish N h-J ew lis
For young professionals (YPs) who have resolved to make 2012 a more meaningful, happy and healthy year, Access, the Mayerson JCC and the Jewish Federation of Cincinnati have designed some great programs sure to get them on the road to reaching their goals in just two easy steps: Step #1: Cookin’ up a Mitzvah by volunteering to prepare and serve breakfast to some of Cincinnati’s less fortunate, most of whom live below the poverty level or who are homeless, at Nast Trinity Church in Over-the-Rhine on Sunday, Jan. 15 at 10 a.m. Participants will flip pancakes, scramble eggs and help welcome and wait on guests in need of a hot meal and warm heart. It’s all part of ACTout, a volunteer partnership between Access, an initiative of The Mayerson Foundation, and the Jewish Federation of Cincinnati, which offers a wide variety of social action projects throughout the year, giving Jewish young professionals the opportunity to give back to their community in meaningful ways. “This marks the fourth year in a row that ACTout has partnered with Nast Trinity Church to host a breakfast event of this kind,” explained Rachel Plowden, Access Event coordinator. “We have developed a very special relationship with the church and with some of the Over-the-Rhine residents who attend every year,” she added. “In addition to serving a hot breakfast with all the trimmings, we will be supplying tablecloths, vases with fresh flowers and table service with menus and wait staff. After all, few if any of our guests ever get the chance to go out to a restaurant, one of life’s simple pleasures that most of us take for granted,” she continued. “Providing food is just part of the mitzvah. We think these extra touches will give our guests a greater sense of dignity while allowing more opportunities for interaction with our volunteers, helping to elevate the experience for everyone involved!” “My New Year’s resolution is to be happy in whatever I do, and have no regrets,” said Alex Dal, frequent Access participant. “I love helping people, and getting to do something like this with other young adults, some of whom are my closest friends, makes it even better! We have so much to offer and ACTout gives us some great opportunities throughout the year to make a real difference by helping those who really need it.”
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ACTout volunteers make a difference in Over-the-Rhine
THE AMERICAN ISRAELITE (USPS 019-320) is published weekly for $44 per year and $2.00 per single copy in Cincinnati and $49 per year and $3.00 per single copy elsewhere in U.S. by The American Israelite Co. 18 West Ninth Street, Suite 2, Cincinnati, Ohio 45202-2037. Periodicals postage paid at Cincinnati, OH. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to THE AMERICAN ISRAELITE, 18 West Ninth Street, Suite 2, Cincinnati, Ohio 45202-2037. The views and opinions expressed by the columnists of The American Israelite do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the newspaper.
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Tony and Emmy Award winner Mandy Patinkin at the JCC, March 3 Broadway’s master song man, Mandy Patinkin, accompanied by Paul Ford on piano, will bring his critically acclaimed theatre concert to the Mayerson JCC for one performance on Saturday, March 3 at 8 p.m. Only 400 tickets will be available beginning Monday, Jan. 16. Tony and Emmy Award winner Mandy Patinkin has an extensive list of theatre credits that include Broadway, Off-Broadway and regional theater. He won a Tony Award for his 1980 Broadway debut as Che in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s “Evita” and was again nominated in 1984 for his starring role in the Pulitzer Prize winning musical “Sunday in the Park With George.” He returned to Broadway in the Tony Award winning musical “The Secret Garden” (1991), appeared as Marvin in “Falsettos” (1992) and in 1997 played a soldout engagement of his one-man concert, “Mandy Patinkin in Concert,” with all profits benefiting five charitable organizations. Patinkin’s other solo concerts, “Celebrating Sondheim” and “Mamaloshen” have been presented on Broadway, Off-Broadway and have toured the United States. His other stage credits include “The Wild Party” (Tony and Drama Desk nominations), “The Winter’s Tale,” “The Knife” (Drama Desk nomination), “Leave it to Beaver is Dead,” “Rebel
Women,” “Hamlet,” “Trelawney of the Wells,” “The Shadow Box” and “Henry IV, Part I.” Patinkin won a 1995 Emmy Award for his critically acclaimed performance in the CBS series “Chicago Hope,” and currently plays Saul Berenson, a CIA veteran, in Showtime’s new series “Homeland.” He recently starred in
the CBS series “Criminal Minds” as FBI profiler Jason Gideon, and in the Showtime Original Series “Dead Like Me” as the reaper Rube Sofer. His other television appearances include: Kenneth Duberstein in the Showtime film “Strange Justice,” Quasimodo opposite Richard Harris in the TNT film presentation of “The Hunchback” and a film version of Arthur Miller’s “Broken Glass” for
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Hammerstein, Irving Berlin, Randy Newman, Adam Guettel and Harry Chapin, among others. In 1990 he released his second solo album entitled “Mandy Patinkin In Concert: Dress Casual.” His 1994 recording, “Experiment,” features songs from nine decades of popular music from Irving Berlin to Alan Menken. In 1998 he debuted his most personal
Patinkin won a 1995 Emmy Award for his critically acclaimed performance in the CBS series “Chicago Hope,” and currently plays Saul Berenson, a CIA veteran, in Showtime’s new series “Homeland.” He recently starred in the CBS series “Criminal Minds” as FBI profiler Jason Gideon, and in the Showtime Original Series “Dead Like Me” as the reaper Rube Sofer.
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BBC/WGBH-Boston. Feature film credits include: Everyone’s Hero, Choking Man, Pinero, Elmo In Grouchland, Men with Guns, Lulu on the Bridge, The Princess Bride, Yentl, The Music of Chance, Daniel, Ragtime, Impromptu, The Doctor, Alien Nation, Dick Tracy, The House on Carroll Street, True Colors, Maxie, and Squanto:
Indian Warrior. In 1989, Patinkin began his concert career at Joseph Papp’s Public Theater. This coincided with the release of his first solo album entitled “Mandy Patinkin.” Since then he has toured extensively, appearing to sold-out audiences across the United States, Canada, London and Australia, performing songs from writers including Stephen Sondheim, Rodgers and
project, “Mamaloshen,” a collection of traditional, classic and contemporary songs sung entirely in Yiddish. The recording of “Mamaloshen” won the Deutschen Schallplattenpreis (Germany’s equivalent of the Grammy Award). In 2001, Nonesuch Records released “Kidults,” a collection of beloved songs, designed—as the title suggests—for the kid in every adult. And, in 2002, Nonesuch
Records released “Mandy Patinkin Sings Sondheim,” a figurative journey through Sondheim’s music and lyrics. Paul Ford was the original pianist for the Broadway productions of Stephen Sondheim’s “Passion, Into the Woods,” “Sunday in the Park with George,” the Off-Broadway production of “Assassins” and most recently the revival of “Pacific Overtures” and the Tony Award winning revival of “Assassins.” His other Broadway credits include “Curtains,” “110 in the Shade” (revival), “Tom Sawyer,” High Society, “A Day in Hollywood/A Night in the Ukraine,” “The Secret Garden” and “Falsettos.” Mr. Ford was the pianist for a number of concerts under the baton of Paul Gemignani, including: the acclaimed Follies concert at Lincoln Center; the Carnegie Hall concert performances of A Sondheim Tribute, “A Little Night Music” with the Philadelphia Symphony; “Gypsy” with Patti LuPone and the Chicago Symphony; and episodes of PBS’ “My Favorite Broadway.” He accompanied Patinkin in “Mandy Patinkin: Dress Casual” at the Public Theater and for both the Broadway and Off-Broadway engagements of “Mamaloshen,” and continues to work with him on all of his recordings and national/international tours.
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With Jack Lew’s appointment, community once again has a White House address By Ron Kampeas Jewish Telegraphic Agency WASHINGTON (JTA) — President Obama on Monday announced that Jack Lew, currently his director of the Office of Budget and Management — a Cabinetlevel position — would replace William Daley as White House chief of staff. Lew, 56, was chosen for his long years in government and his reputation as a skilled multi-tasker — he was top-budget cruncher for Bill Clinton before reprising the job for Obama — but Jewish officials were sighing relief for a subsidiary reason: Their who-wegonna-call pleas just got an answer. Ever since Dennis Ross, Obama’s top Iran adviser,
announced his departure late last year, community officials wondered who was left to call in a White House that has hemorrhaged top Jews over the last year or so. Lew, an Orthodox Jew, is close to the community and is a go-to person for Jewish events in the capital. “The reports that there’s no one to talk to have always been exaggerated,” said Malcolm Hoenlein, the executive vice president of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations. Hoenlein pointed to Peter Rouse, a counselor to Obama who has served as acting chief of staff, as someone who has always been accessible. Still, Hoenlein added: “Jack being there will be beneficial, it will foster communication.”
Courtesy of Baruch Ezagui, courtesy of American Friends of Lubavitch.
Jack Lew, center, helps light the “national menorah” organized by American Friends of Lubavitch, with the group’s director, Rabbi Levi Shemtov, left, and his father, Rabbi Abraham Shemtov, the director of Agudas Chasidei Chabad, Dec. 20, 2011.
Obama launched his administration with a strong contingent of Jewish advisers: In addition to Ross, David Axelrod was his top political adviser, Rahm Emanuel was his chief of staff and Daniel Shapiro handled the Levant desk at the National Security Council. Emanuel quit in late 2010 to run for Chicago mayor, Axelrod left soon after to help run Obama’s
reelection campaign, and Shapiro is now in Tel Aviv as ambassador. That left a perceived gap in the White House — one that Lew would fill, although Jewish officials stressed that they did not expect the attention from a chief of staff that they got from mid-level staffers. LEW on page 21
Israelis and Palestinians go to Amman in nod to others By Ron Kampeas Jewish Telegraphic Agency WASHINGTON (JTA) — Israeli and Palestinian negotiators met this week in Amman for faceto-face talks about how to restart talks. But observers say the two sides showed up Tuesday after more than a year of torpor not so much to talk to one another as to send messages and dispense favors to other players. Yitzhak Molcho, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s envoy to the talks, met with his Palestinian counterpart, Saeb Erekat, at the Jordanian Foreign Ministry. One regional player whom both the Israelis and Palestinians hope to please is King Abdullah II of Jordan, who convened the talks together with the Quartet — the grouping of the United States, the European Union, the United Nations and Russia that guides the Middle East peace process. The Israelis are seeking to bolster an ally who thus far has managed to ward off the Islamist tide of the Arab Spring. The Palestinian Authority’s Fatah leadership is nodding to a fellow moderate Arab regime. “Both sides owe favors to
Courtesy of Nader Adoud/World Economic Forum/ via CreativeCommons
Jordan’s King Abdullah II, shown speaking Oct. 22, 2011 at the Dead Sea to World Economic Forum, joined with the Quartet this week in reconvening IsraeliPalestinian negotiations.
King Abdullah,” said Avraham Sela, a professor of international relations at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. “It’s not nice to turn him down, especially when both sides are interested in maintaining warm relations with the king.” AMMAN on page 22
National Briefs Giffords attends vigil marking attack anniversary (JTA) — U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords led the Pledge of Allegiance at a vigil marking the one-year anniversary of an attack on the congresswoman and her constituents at a political event. Giffords and her husband, astronaut Mark Kelly, attended the candlelight vigil Sunday night at the University of Arizona. Bells at churches and private homes rang out throughout Tucson at 10:11 a.m. Sunday — the time of the attack in 2011. The commemoration also included an interfaith prayer service at a local church, during which a shofar was blown by a rabbi. During the day, Giffords and Kelly also walked a short way on a trail in nearby Davidson Canyon named for one of the victims, Gabe Zimmerman, a former aide to Giffords. Six people were killed and a dozen injured in the attack in Tucson by alleged gunman Jared Lee Loughner. Giffords, the first Jewish woman elected to the Congress from Arizona, was shot in the head and continues to undergo intensive therapy. The three-term Democrat is planning to run again if her health permits it, according to reports. Loughner has pleaded not guilty to 49 charges connected with the shooting. He was diagnosed with bipolar disorder, but was found fit to stand trial. D.C. mayor to settle rabbi’s lawsuit over special elections (JTA) — Washington Mayor Vincent Gray has settled a lawsuit brought against the District of Columbia by a local rabbi over the date of special elections. Gray, a Democrat, agreed last week to introduce legislation to the City Council that would allow discretion by the district’s Board of Elections and Ethics to schedule a special election to avoid conflicts with religious holidays. Rabbi Shmuel Herzfeld in his class-action suit against the board had called on the city to adopt a procedure that ensures that elections are not scheduled on any religious holidays. The complaint, filed May 27, had claimed that the board placed an unconstitutional burden on observant Jews by scheduling a special election on the last day of Passover in 2011. Orthodox Jews may not write or use electronic devices on holidays.
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THURSDAY, JANUARY 12, 2012
Coutesy of Skidmore via Creative Commons
Rick Santorum, shown speaking to Iowa high-school students in West Des Moines on Jan. 3, 2012, is reaching out to pro-Israel donors to boost his campaign following his strong showing in the state’s caucuses.
Santorum’s social conservatism could be a tough sell for Jews By Ron Kampeas Jewish Telegraphic Agency WASHINGTON (JTA) — Rick Santorum’s near-win in Iowa has made him the GOP’s latest “not Romney” to pick up steam, but he may have his work cut out for him in attracting Jewish support. Pro-Israel insiders say the Santorum campaign is now aggressively reaching out to Jewish givers who helped him when he was a U.S. senator from Pennsylvania. Santorum’s stumbling block, they say, is his hard-line take on social issues like abortion, gay rights and church-state separation — not a huge deal when he was one senator among a hundred but a bigger factor for donors considering presidential contenders. “The same groups are not going to support you for president as for senator,” a major pro-Israel donor, who contributed to Santorum’s Senate runs, said he told the candidate last summer. Santorum, long lagging at the bottom of the polls, finished only eight votes behind Mitt Romney, the former Massachusetts governor, in the Iowa caucuses. Santorum, 53, is the latest Republican hopeful to be vaulted toward the head of the field by a conservative base that has never been comfortable with Romney. While others have fallen back to earth, some argue that Santorum could be buoyed by his potential appeal to working-class voters and religious conservatives. Lonny Kaplan, a New Jersey businessman and a past president of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, has donated the maximum to Santorum’s campaign — $2,500 — and says he’s
readying a pitch to fellow proIsrael givers. “He can appeal to a lot of independents, he’s got the right economic message,” Kaplan said in an interview. Santorum has proposed eliminating corporate taxes on domestic manufacturers to lure factories stateside. He has emphasized his roots as the grandson of an Italian immigrant coal miner who left fascist Italy and worked until he was 72. In his near-victory speech after the Iowa caucuses, Santorum chided his fellow Republicans, urging them to look beyond budget numbers and focus more on jobs. “I believe in cutting taxes. I believe in balancing budgets. But I also believe we as Republicans have to look at those who are not doing well in our society by just cutting taxes and balancing budgets,” he said. Santorum also calls for tripling the personal tax deduction per child; freezing spending on Medicaid, food stamps and other social welfare programs; turning Medicare into a voucher program for beneficiaries to buy their own private insurance; and adjusting Social Security eligibility and benefits. He also has been a longtime supporter of shifting Social Security to personal retirement accounts, though in this campaign cycle he said that this would be too expensive under current economic circumstances. Kaplan said that Santorum would now need to emphasize his economic and foreign policy messages if he wanted to win Jewish support. CONSERVATISM on page 22
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Three winners in Iowa and three takeaways for Jews By Ron Kampeas Jewish Telegraphic Agency WASHINGTON (JTA) —There were three winners in the Iowa Republican caucuses: Mitt Romney, Rick Santorum and, not far behind them, Ron Paul. There were also (at least) three takeaways for Jewish observers: foreign policy matters, evangelicals matter — and Ron Paul matters. The importance of foreign policy in the 2012 presidential race, even in a farm state once known better for the pledges for ethanol subsidies it extracts from candidates, was evident in the speeches following the voting. Romney, the former Massachusetts governor and nominative winner — he bested Santorum, the former U.S. senator from Pennsylvania, by a mere eight votes — launched his speech with a broadside against President Obama’s Iran policy. “Iran is about to have nuclear weaponry just down the road,” Romney told his followers. “He said he’d have a policy of engagement. How’s that worked out?” Santorum’s strong showing — he and Romney split 50 percent of the vote evenly — was credited mostly to his months-long dedication to the state, working every county and making more than 300 appearances. But Santorum’s strong foreign
Courtesy of IowaPolitics via CreativeCommons
Mitt Romney, shown campaigning with Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) in Clive, Iowa, on Jan. 2, 2012, had strong Jewish backing even before eking out an eight-vote victory in the state’s caucuses.
Rick Santorum, shown campaigning in Iowa on Jan. 2, 2011, was reaching out to pro-Israel fundraisers in the wake of his strong showing in the state’s caucuses, insiders said. He was a proIsrael leader as a U.S. senator from Pennsylvania.
policy performance in the debates, in which he showed a command of detail stemming from his 12 years in the Senate, also was likely a factor. In a New York Times profile published Wednesday, Santorum advisers said the candidate started to stress his own hard line on Iran after seeing how it elicited positive responses during his Iowa campaign. Newt Gingrich, the former U.S. House of Representatives speaker who placed fourth with 13 percent,
dates faring less well in Iowa included Texas Gov. Rick Perry, who received 10 percent of the vote, and Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.), with 5 percent. Perry, after initially saying he would “reassess” his campaign, announced he was staying in the race. Bachmann, however, ended her drive for the nomination. “I have decided to stand aside,” she said at a news conference Wednesday. All three had at various times
Courtesy of Stephanie Greenland/ WEBN-TV via CreativeCommons
said in his speech that he would make his foreign policy differences with Paul, who finished third in Iowa with 21 percent of the vote, a campaign issue in New Hampshire, which has its vote on Jan. 10. “I have no doubt about the survival of Israel as a moral cause which we have to recognize as central to our future,” Gingrich said in his speech, targeting Paul who has downplayed Iran’s potential nuclear threat and pledged to end aid to Israel if elected. Aside from Gingrich, candi-
during 2011 experienced surges in the polls, a signal of the difficulties faced by Romney, who has struggled to break away from the pack and establish himself as the clear front-runner. Romney’s albatross has been his reputation as a moderate in a party that has moved sharply to the right since the 2010 congressional elections, when the conservative Tea Party helped Republicans regain the House. IOWA on page 21
The actually Jewish-controlled media tries to make its mark By Dan Klein Jewish Telegraphic Agency NEW YORK (JTA) — It is a strange irony: Jews have been successful in the television business — but Jewish TV, not so much. It’s not for lack of trying. Right now, no fewer than three Jewishfocused national cable channels are trying to carve out a viable niche within the already small niche for Jewish TV. It’s a road others have taken in the past, only to reach a dead end. Jay Sanderson, who served for 21 years as CEO of the Jewish Television Network, knows better than most. “There’s been dozens of attempts and dozens of failures,” said Sanderson, now the president of the Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles. “It’s a cycle that’s been happening for 30-plus years. People want it to happen.” The current Jewish television channels — The Jewish Channel, Shalom TV and Jewish Life Television — have scored some successes. They all launched in the past five years. The Jewish Channel garnered national attention twice in the last two months with news broadcasts that ended up metastasizing into
Courtesy of The Jewish Channel
Steven I. Weiss interview with Republican primary candidate Newt Gingrich on The Jewish Channel stirred a media buzz and some criticism from GOP rivals over Gingrich’s remarks, Dec. 9, 2011.
international stories. Launched in 2007 as a subscription video on-demand channel, TJC has been touted as “a Jewish film festival in your living room.” But it has been the channel’s news coverage, which makes up a small fraction of TJC’s overall programming and mostly is not original content — that has thrust the channel into the public eye. A November news report on an Israeli government-sponsored ad campaign urging Israeli expatriates in the United States to return home sparked an uproar in the
United States, with many suggesting that the ads were dismissive of American Judaism. The Israeli government ultimately apologized and ended the campaign. And in December, TJC landed a sit-down interview with Newt Gingrich in which the Republican presidential candidate suggested that the Palestinians are an “invented” people. Gingrich’s remarks drew headlines and criticism from GOP rivals, including Mitt Romney. Steven I. Weiss, the director of original programming and new
media at TJC as well as its news anchor, credited the channel’s success to “hard work and good luck, and doing the hard work until you get lucky.” While TJC officials describe their channel as a Jewish HBO, Shalom TV — a free on-demand channel launched in 2006 — describes itself as a Jewish version of C-SPAN and PBS. Shalom TV features educational programming, including Hebrew lessons, as well as videos of Jewish events, lectures, debates and speeches. This month, the network will begin operating as a linear cable channel, with programming throughout the day, according to Mark Golub, Shalom TV’s founder and CEO. Golub said that five small cable systems across the country will carry the linear channel initially, while three larger cable systems have committed to picking it up once it is up and running. The programming also will be streamed online. Jewish Life Television, which launched in 2007, already is operating as a 24/7 linear channel. It airs a variety of programming, from music videos and cooking shows to religious services and entertainment news. JLTV appears on cable systems across the coun-
try, and recently joined DIRECTV to be broadcast in all 50 states. In December, JLTV broadcast and streamed online President Obama’s speech at the Union for Reform Judaism’s biennial conference. Officials at all three channels say there are distinct challenges in creating a television network aimed at a broader American Jewish audience. “If you’re reaching Russian, Chinese audiences, you can rely on language barrier to make people have to watch your material,” TJC’s Weiss said. “With the Jewish audience, everyone speaks English.” Golub said it was an uphill fight to sell cable companies on Shalom TV and the concept of a Jewish channel. “No one had ever been able to convince a major cable system to launch a Jewish network. There was every kind of ethnic, Haitian, Russian, Spanish television. There was Christian, but no Jewish,” Golub said. “No cable system would say that we’re going to devote server space to feature a Jewish channel in its own lineup of channels alongside MSNBC, the Cooking Channel. We convinced them.” MEDIA on page 19
INTERNATIONAL • 9
THURSDAY, JANUARY 12, 2012
International Briefs Australian Jewish leaders ‘appalled’ by neo-Nazi festival SYDNEY, Australia (JTA) — Jewish community leaders in Australia are appalled that a neoNazi music festival has been allowed to go ahead in Queensland. Jason Steinberg, president of the Queensland Jewish Board of Deputies, said the Hammered Music Festival, scheduled for April in Brisbane, was “not acceptable to any decent organization or to any religious groups.” The annual festival has been linked to white supremacist groups and neo-Nazis. The police and city council say nothing can be done to stop the festival unless the law is broken. The location has not been publicized. Dr. Danny Lamm, president of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, said: “What a sad reflection on contemporary Australia that the State government of Queensland and the Queensland police say they are powerless to prevent an open-air festival celebrating racism and bigotry.” “Those who say Australia’s laws against racial vilification are an unwarranted intrusion into free speech should hang their heads in shame. Those laws clearly are not tough enough,” Lamm said. He said he has written to the relevant authorities about this “appalling festival of hate.” Italian police probing Holocaust-denying teacher over threats ROME (JTA) — Police in Turin are investigating a high school teacher who threatened in a Facebook post to massacre Jews and go “target shooting” against African immigrants. Police searched the home of Renato Pallavidini Jan. 6 and seized computers, a flash drive and CDs. He could be charged with racial hatred. Five years ago Pallavidini was penalized for Holocaust denial. The Italian media last week reported that on Dec. 29, Pallavidini posted a picture of Adolf Hitler and Italian fascist dictator Benito Mussolini shaking hands, with a post reading, “Warning to dirty bastard Jews who control us from the land of s—and fags called California. If you remove this picture, I will go to the synagogue very near to my house, with my pistol, and gun down some parasite Jews.”
In Burmese Chanukah celebration, signs of Myanmar’s openness to the West
Courtesy of Sammy Samuels
U Tin Oo, a former commander-in-chief of Myanmar’s army, lights a candle at the Chanukah celebration in Yangon, Myanmar, Dec. 27, 2011.
By Ben G. Frank Jewish Telegraphic Agency (JTA) — In almost any other community from Moscow to Washington, it would have been just another public Chanukah menorahlighting ceremony providing an opportunity for the local government and Jewish community to showcase their strong ties. But in Myanmar, where the government has been run by a military junta and the Jewish community numbers just a handful of families, the occasion recently of a public Chanukah lighting ceremony involving government officials was remarkable. On Dec. 27, the last night of Chanukah, Myanmar’s eight Jewish families were joined by government officials, diplomats and former ambassadors at a Chanukah celebration in Yangon, also known as Rangoon. In all, about 100 people were on hand for the party at the Park Royal Hotel. Earlier, Jewish community leader Moses Samuels visited the home of Aung San Suu Kyi, the Nobel Peace Prize winner and prodemocracy advocate who until a year ago had been under house arrest for most of the last two decades. At the meeting, Suu Kyi reportedly said that she once had visited the country’s century-old synagogue, Musmeah Yeshua (Hebrew for Instills Hope), which is still open. Suu Kyi had been invited to the Chanukah event but said she could not attend because it conflicted with a prayer ceremony she was holding at her home for her late mother. The visits to Suu Kyi and the Yangon Chanukah party were signs of the changes taking place in Myanmar, also known as Burma, where the last year has seen significant economic and political reforms and new openness to the West. Last
month, in an affirmation of those changes, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton visited the country, the first such visit by a U.S. secretary of state in more than half a century. “The United States is prepared to walk the path of reform with you if you keep moving in the right direction,” Clinton told Myanmar’s president, Thein Sein, during her visit. Samuels, whose Burmese name is Than Lwin, has been instrumental in keeping alive the Jewish presence in Yangon. Every morning he opens the well-kept blue-and-white synagogue, even though most of the time there is no official prayer service — unless there is a yahrzeit anniversary for the deceased or a visiting Jewish tourist group. Samuels and his son Sammy, who lives in New York, run a tour company in the country called Myanmar Shalom Travel and Tours. Until this year the community’s Chanukah ceremonies were quiet affairs in the synagogue, according to Samuels. But with Myanmar opening up to the West, the community decided to make the event bigger this year, holding the rite at a hotel and including a photo exhibit of Israel-Burmese relations. Among the Burmese officials present were Daw Yin Yin Myint, the director general of the Foreign Ministry; U Tin Oo, a former commander in chief of the armed forces who is the vice chairman of the opposition National League for Democracy party; Maung Maung Swe, chair of the Myanmar Travel Association; and U Hein Latt, vice chairman of the newspaper Popular Journal. Diplomats from the United States, France, Russia, India, Singapore, Britain, Italy and Israel came, and the celebration involved not just Jews but also Christians, Muslims, Buddhists and Baha’i. Several thousand Jews once
lived in Burma. The first known Jew to live in the country was Solomon Gabirol, who served as a commissar to the army of King Alaungpaya, who ruled from 1752 to 1760. Growing numbers of Jewish merchants came to Burma over the years, and in the mid-19th century a group of Baghdadi Jews led by David Sassoon settled in Burma, India and other lands in the Far East. Burma’s synagogue was built in 1854 and rebuilt in 1896. The community supports a cemetery; its oldest grave is dated 1876. After the Japanese invasion in 1941, many Burmese Jews fled to India. Both Burma and Israel achieved independence in 1948, and the two countries enjoyed cordial relations
for the first two decades of their existence. That included a warm friendship between prime ministers David Ben-Gurion and U Nu, who was the first head of state to visit Israel. A daughter of U Nu, Than Than Nu, attended last week’s Chanukah party. When a military junta took over Burma in 1962, installing a repressive regime and nationalizing businesses, most Jews left. In a recent interview, Israel’s ambassador to Myanmar, Yaron Mayer, told JTA that relations between the two countries had “remained good over the years.” He noted that in 2011 a Myanmar delegation attended an energy conference in Israel. CELEBRATION on page 19
10 • ISRAEL
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New Olmert indictment keeps focus on political corruption By Linda Gradstein Jewish Telegraphic Agency JERUSALEM (JTA) — The indictment of former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and 17 other Israelis on charges related to one of the largest real estate scandals in Israeli history is the latest shoe to drop in a country where political corruption has come to be seen as an epidemic. The indictment issued Jan. 4 alleges that Olmert and several other Israeli officials accepted millions of dollars in bribes to promote a series of real estate projects, most prominently Jerusalem’s controversial Holyland development. “There are so many ironies in the case,” said Stuart Schoffman, a fellow at Jerusalem’s Shalom Hartman Institute. “Israel is supposed to be the holy land. This project is called the Holyland, and yet it’s the most unholy business you can imagine.
“It’s like we’ve turned into ‘Boardwalk Empire.’” Stuart Schoffman
“It’s like we’ve turned into ‘Boardwalk Empire,’” he added, referring to the popular American television show about corruption in Prohibition-era Atlantic City, N.J. Olmert, who has denied any wrongdoing, already is standing trial regarding separate allegations that he illegally accepted funds from U.S. businessman Morris Talansky and double billed Jewish groups for speaking trips abroad. The corruption charges stem from alleged activities before Olmert became prime minister, an office he assumed in 2006 after a stroke left Ariel Sharon in a permanent vegetative state. Olmert resigned as prime minister in 2008 amid mounting allegations of corruption. The scope of the latest charges is even greater than the previous ones both in terms of the amount of money involved and the large number of people who have been indicted, including a brother of Olmert’s, a longtime aide and his successor as mayor of Jerusalem. In this case, Olmert is accused of taking bribes worth about $470,000.
Courtesy of Uri Lenz/Flash 90/JTA
Former Israeli prime minister Ehud Olmert , pictured here in a Jerusalem court on Jan. 2, where he was on trial over alleged double-billing for travel expenses, now faces new charges regarding a real estate scandal.
The indictment alleges that his brother, Yossi Olmert, received $150,000 and that the former prime minister’s bureau chief, Shula Zaken, got about $100,000. “This will only hit home when Israelis see him entering prison,” said Gil Hoffman, political correspondent for The Jerusalem Post. “When you have this many investigations, the best lawyer in the world couldn’t get him out of this.” At the center of the indictment is the Holyland project, a hilltop complex of interlocking apartments that dominates the skyline of southwestern Jerusalem. Jerusalemites have nicknamed the project of three large buildings and an even larger tower “The Monster.” There’s even a cynical joke making the rounds: Q: Where’s the best place to live in Jerusalem? A: The Holyland because it’s the only place in the city you don’t have to look at the Holyland project. The indictment says the alleged crimes took place while Olmert was mayor of Jerusalem, a post he held from 1993 to 2003. According to the indictment, Olmert pushed through changes in zoning laws and stonewalled hundreds of objections. He also reportedly used some of the money he received to cover his campaign debts. The indictment also alleges that Uri Lupolianski, then a Jerusalem city councilman and later mayor, solicited donations for a charity he founded that lends out medical equipment. The state’s case is based on a middleman who turned state’s witness. His name is being withheld under a gag order; he’s being referred to only as “S.” He reportedly is in ill health, and the prosecution has asked for a speedier trial. However, Israel Television Channel 2 showed video of the
state’s witness, with his face blurred, shopping recently for a new suit in an expensive Tel Aviv boutique. Israeli media outlets have reported that he not only is receiving immunity from prosecution but also an “allowance” from the government. Olmert insists that the state’s witness is lying. “The state witness in the Holyland case is an abominable liar, but instead of putting him in jail, you’re paying him and bribing him,” Olmert yelled at police interrogators during an interrogation session, according to Haaretz. “The only one paying bribes in this project is the State of Israel.” The new indictment against Olmert comes weeks after former President Moshe Katzav began serving a seven-year jail sentence for rape, sexual harassment and obstruction of justice. Olmert’s trial on the latest charges could last for several years, as did the prosecution of Katzav. The former president and prime minister aren’t the only prominent politicians with legal troubles. Avraham Hirschson, a former finance minister from the Kadima party, is in jail, as is Shlomo Benizri, a former social welfare minister from the Shas party. Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman has been under investigation for corruption for more than a decade. Police say they expect to issue an indictment in the coming months. The Jerusalem Post’s Hoffman said he believes that Olmert’s indictment will serve as a warning to other Israeli politicians. “In the past, Israeli politicians might have felt they could get away with such things,” he said. “But now they’re running scared. They’re afraid of doing anything even borderline because they’re afraid they’ll get caught.”
Israel Briefs Shalit says Knesset run won’t involve Gilad J E R U S A L E M ( J TA ) — Noam Shalit said he would not involve his son, freed soldier Gilad Shalit, or the rest of his family in his run for the Knesset. Shalit held a news conference Tuesday, a day after announcing that he would run for a spot on the Labor Party’s list for the next election. Labor Party leader Shelly Yacimovich appeared with Shalit at the news conference at the party’s headquarters in Kfar Saba. Yacimovich told reporters that she had asked Shalit to run after they had discussed the possibility for the last month. Some politicians and organizations who worked with Shalit during his son’s five-year captivity in Gaza have criticized him for capitalizing on his son’s situation to build a political career. “The voters can decide whether or not what I’m doing is right,” Shalit said. “I understand the criticism, which was expected and is legitimate. The timing of my decision is a result of the current political situation, which created a window of opportunity to run that may not have existed in a year or two.” Shalit laid out his political views, including two states for two peoples. Shalit said that Gilad is “recovering” from his ordeal and is “looking forward to his future.” Israeli lawmaker suspended for throwing water at colleague JERUSALEM (JTA) — An Israeli lawmaker has been suspended from the Knesset for a month for throwing water at a colleague during an argument. The punishment was handed down to Yisrael Beiteinu Party lawmaker Anastassia Michaeli Tuesday, following the incident during a debate in the Knesset Education, Culture and Sports Committee meeting on Monday. Michaeli on Tuesday apologized to Raleb Majadele of the Labor Party, saying her actions “happened in the heat of the moment. I was upset. I had no intention of disrespecting the Knesset or Knesset member Majadele,” The punishment is considered to be harsh; suspensions usually last one to two days. Arab lawmaker Hanin Zuabi was recently punished for participating in the 2010 Gaza flotilla with a twoweek suspension.The lawmakers were arguing over the proposed dismissal of the principal of a school in the Negev, who took his
students on a human rights march in Tel Aviv. Majadele told Michaeli to “shut up” during the argument and then went on to say: “She won’t shut me up. This is not Yisrael Beiteinu. Fascism will not be allowed to take over the house.” Michaeli calmly poured a cup of water and threw it at Majadele before storming out of the committee room. It is not the first time that Michaeli has been punished for attacking a colleague. Majadele said Tuesday he was considering filing an official assault complaint against Michaeli with the police. Knesset committee approves bill prohibiting use of Holocaust terms JERUSALEM (JTA) — A Knesset committee has approved a measure that would prohibit the use of Holocaust and Nazi terms and symbols. The Ministerial Legislation Committee on Monday approved the bill, which would level a fine of up to $26,000 and six months in jail for using the yellow Star of David or the term “Nazi,” for example. The bill comes on the heels of a haredi Orthodox demonstration in Jerusalem in which the demonstrators, including many young children, wore yellow stars as Jews were forced to do in Europe during World War II, and after the distribution of a poster depicting Jerusalem’s police chief dressed as Hitler, as well extremist rightwing settlers calling police and soldiers “Nazi.” Uri Ariel of the National Union Party proposed the bill along with Ruhama Avraham-Balila, Otniel Schneller and Marina Solodkin of the Kadima Party; Eitan Cabel of the Labor Party; and Aryeh Eldad of the National Union Party. “Sadly, in recent years we have witnessed a growing trend where Nazi symbols are used with flippancy and complete disregard for the feelings of the Holocaust survivors and their descendants,” Ariel told reporters. “This use is completely illegitimate and it makes no difference if those behind the use are Bilin rioters, haredim or price tag criminals.” Some lawmakers who rejected the measure said it hurts the principle of freedom of expression. Hacker takes over Israeli deputy FM’s website JERUSALEM (JTA) — A hacker temporarily took over the website of Israel’s deputy foreign minister, Danny Ayalon. The hacking attempt came Monday. Ayalon had spoken out over the weekend against cyber terrorism after suspected Saudi hackers released the details of thousands of Israeli credit card holders in three files over several days. ISRAEL on page 22
SOCIAL LIFE • 11
THURSDAY, JANUARY 12, 2012
ANNOUNCEMENTS BIRTHS amantha, Todd and Lily Mitman of Roswell, Ga. are thrilled to announce the birth of their daughter and Lily’s sister, Alexandra Kate Mitman on December 27, 2011. Alexandra’s grandparents are Helen and Max Benkel of Atlanta, Ga., and Felice and Michael Young, and Susan and Dennis Mitman of Cincinnati.
S
ENGAGEMENTS mmy and Bob Friedenberg, are pleased to announce the engagement of their son, David, to Jennifer Kushner. Jennifer is
E
David Friedenberg and Jennifer Kushner
the daughter of Marcy and Terry Kushner of Georgetown, Penn. David is a graduate of Miami University and Carnegie Mellon University, where he earned a Ph.D. in statistics. He is currently employed as a statistician at Battelle Memorial Institute in Columbus. Jennifer is a graduate of St. Francis University, where she earned a Masters degree in Physician Assistant Sciences. She is currently employed as a physician assistant at Nationwide Children’s Hospital’s Endocrinology/Diabetes Department in Columbus. A June 2012 wedding is planned in Pittsburgh.
ANNOUNCEMENTS ARE FREE! BIRTHS • BAT/BAR MITZVAHS • ENGAGEMENTS WEDDINGS • BIRTHDAYS • ANNIVERSARIES Place your FREE announcement in The American Israelite newspaper
Fusion Family, Shalom Family, YPs at the JCC & Access From Fusion Family’s Beary Merry Monkey Mitzvah and Shalom Family’s Potato Pancake Arty Party, to the YPs at the JCC Scuba Diving event and Access’ Saturday Night Fever Disco Party and CelebRUSSIAN Shabbat, not to mention the Street Eev*reet Hebrew Classes and HeBREW Happy Hours (for young professionals and for young couples), November and December have been very busy for young professionals in Jewish Cincinnati! Fusion Family, Shalom Family and Access are all initiatives of The Mayerson Foundation. The YPs at the JCC program is a partnership between The Mayerson Foundation and the Mayerson JCC. To learn more information about these programs, please check the Community Directory in the back of this issue for contact information.
FUSION’S BEARY MERRY MONKEY MITZVAH On Sunday, December 4, Fusion Family, a program for interfaith families, took over Build-A-Bear at Kenwood Mall where 150 participants learned what a “mitzvah” is with Miss Meliss who sang songs and put on a fun and entertaining presentation, and then each child got the chance to make a bear for another child in need, and a monkey Pillow Pet for themselves. The event was FREE. All bears were donated to the Peaslee Neighborhood Center in Over-the-Rhine. Children also got to decorate their own wooden dreidel and were treated to iced monkey cookies after they put their bear in the donation bin.
and website by sending an e-mail to articles@americanisraelite.com
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12 • CINCINNATI SOCIAL LIFE
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SHALOM FAMILY’S POTAT O PANCAKE ARTY PARTY On Sunday, December 11, Shalom Family took over the School for the Creative and Performing Arts (SCPA) to host the Potato Pancake Arty Party, a FREE event where more than 500 people spent the afternoon participating in a wide variety of arts-related activities. Children got the chance to make musical instruments, create mini-masterpieces inspired by the works of some of the greatest artists of all time, watch a professional potter at the wheel, see a performance by Grammy nominated children’s entertainer, Zak Morgan, plus dance, sing, paint, draw, mold, sculpt, color and, of course, eat their fill of potato pancakes!
SCUBA LESSONS AT THE JCC On Wednesday, November 30, the indoor pool at the Mayerson JCC became an underwater classroom where 40 young professionals got to see what it’s like to scuba dive... for FREE! Classes were taught in small groups by certified instructors in half hour increments while others enjoyed deep sea inspired food and hung out in the water park, tried out the giant slide or chilled out in the hot tub!
ACCESS’ SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER 250 young professionals from Cincinnati and around the region boogied the night away at this FREE ‘70s Disco-inspired event at the Hyatt Hotel. In addition to great music from back in the day, professional dancers, disco lights and a photo booth, there was a giant 3D inflatable Twister and a dessert bar, featuring frozen hot chocolate shooters. Many guests got into the spirit of the night and dressed in disco attire.
THURSDAY, JANUARY 12, 2012
CINCINNATI JEWISH LIFE • 13
ACCESS’ SCHMOOZE FOR TWOS On Saturday, December 3, young couples enjoyed a sophisticated evening at the Mayerson Art Gallery which included jazz music, a latka and specialty martini bar, a dreidel spin-off with prizes and a chance for young couples in the Jewish community, who are either in a committed relationship, engaged or married, to get to know one another.
ACCESS’ CELEBRUSSIAN SHABBAT On Friday, December 16, 170 Jewish young professionals came together to celebrate the rich tradition and culture of Russia at Access’ CelebRUSSIAN Shabbat at the JCC. This event offered an opportunity to honor the many Access participants who came to the U.S. from what is now the former Soviet Union when they were young children, as well as the many guests whose great, or even great-great-grandparents came over in the previous wave of Russian immigration during the turn of the last century! The event featured authentic Russian food, live music and drinks.
ACCESS’ STREET EEV*REET HEBREW CLASSES 30 Young Professionals signed on for this FREE five-week series that taught conversational Hebrew in a fun and engaging way with young adult instructors Ayala Sherman and Yair Cohen. Each class included dinner and ended with a lesson on the contemporary culture of Israel. The series culminated with a Hebrew Hanukkah party where participants had a chance to practice what they learned.
14 • DINING OUT
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Turkish triumph of tasty dining at Cafe Mediterranean By Sondra Katkin Dining Editor A simple storefront in a strip mall disguises a Turkish treat for lucky Blue Ash diners, the Cafe Mediterranean, a glowingly reviewed restaurant recently relocated from Anderson Township. My husband Steve and I frequented it before it moved and now that it’s closer, they know us by our first names. Diners will appreciate the wide windows and double tablecloths, blue over white, adding an extra touch of elegance that matches the extra care that owner Fahri Ozdil lavishes on preparing his delicious cuisine. Explaining his high standards he said, “I’m very picky; either you make it right or you don’t make it. When it’s Mediterranean, you make everything from scratch. That’s my mantra.” Perhaps that’s why “Enquirer” critic, Polly Campbell, highly praised the Cafe’s swordfish, and one of the most famous chefs in Cincinnati has been spotted dining there with his family. Also, many doctors in the area frequent this dining establishment. Ozdil remarked that doctors know healthy food. A well known rheumatologist told me how much his family enjoys eating there, and he also appreciates their fresh chai tea made from the loose leaves (tradition!). The red lentil soup is one of my favorite ways to begin a meal there. Smooth, creamy and full of light/bright flavor, it won’t overpower the courses that follow but will soothe a cold, hungry diner. A good choice to follow the soup is the sampler appetizer with baba ghanoush — pureed smoked eggplant—hummus and tabbouleh— cracked wheat, tomato, parsley salad and eggplant with tomato sauce and esme, a labor intensive combination of tomatoes and herbs. Looking like part of the design of the plate, the stuffed grape leaves separate the relishes and leave you feeling that nothing was left undone. Their creation is an arduous process that takes two days. The tender, tubular, dark green gems are filled with pine nuts, raisins, rice, onions, fresh herbs and spices. Biting into one, the outer leaf dissolves almost instantly, inviting your tongue to experience the delicious exotic taste and texture. It’s rumored that it’s hard to find them homemade elsewhere. If you are a yogurt fan, the lebne is not to be missed. In another laborious process, they strain the yogurt for 24 hours. It produces a very thick, pudding-like result that is combined with chunks of walnut, mint, olive oil and dill. When I tasted it, I was surprised that the dill flavor was clear, and the herb was so fresh it still had a crunch. Also, the walnuts weren’t crushed beyond recognition, adding their distinctive earthy taste. No matter
(Clockwise) Welcoming owner Fahri Ozdil displays his winning dessert tray; Sumptuous stuffed eggplant, creamy lentil soup and minced magic shepherd salad; Turkish touch with elegant tablecloths and lovely rug; Colorful presentation of delicious appetizer sampler plate.
what else I order, I will always have a side of lebne. The salad selections include Greek salad, seasonal salad and the Cafe Mediterranean salad with mixed greens, tomatoes, cucumbers, corn, cheese and char-grilled chicken. A Turkish specialty, the shepherd salad is minced magic with tomato, parsley, cucumber, onions, scallions and a light lemony dressing. You can add feta cheese to complete the perfect chemistry created by the shepherds. Many Turkish foods have stories connected to their creation. Ozdil’s grandfather, a shepherd, told him that when they ran out of food on their trip up the mountain with the sheep, they planted gardens with the salad ingredients to sustain them. Is that why royalty used to pretend they were shepherds, because they were such salad lovers? Stuffed eggplant, another predinner pleaser will particularly appeal to vegans and eggplant lovers like me. Somehow, when this relative of the night shade family is cooked with harmonious ingredients like olive oil, onions, herbs, pine nuts, raisins and sweet
peppers the result is pure pleasure. No wonder, according to Turkish legend, an Imam (priest) “fell down,” overcome with delight when he tasted this dish his town had created in his honor. Although it’s not on the menu, Ozdil said it is usually available when requested. The hot appetizers include borek—a flaky fried cheese pastry—their highly praised fried calamari, falafel and spinach pie. This is not your usual rendition of the rich spinach filled phyllo dough. It’s been redesigned to be even more savory with pastrami, red peppers and melted cheese. Turkish pizzaz! Steve and I have enjoyed the luscious chicken and lamb kabobs that are marinated, moist and full of flavor. Steve commented that the lamb was so good he thought it was very tender beef. Their beef kabobs are made of very high quality filet mignon, marinated in red wine, olive oil, oregano and rosemary. They will make a hearty meal for discerning meat eaters. Many diners have noted that the salmon in grape leaves is not to be missed. The chargrilled, marinated chunks of salmon marry well with the ten-
der leaves, leaving diners well satisfied. These are dinners that beg for wine but alas, the liquor license is still pending; so be sure to bring a bottle of wine that will hold up to the excellent flavors you will encounter there. There are five different sandwich specials (gyros) for lunch and some reviews have stated that the Cafe has the best tzadziki (yogurt/herb) sauce in town. Their pita is also excellent, chewy and thicker than most. They bring it in every day from the Jerusalem market. Another good lunch choice is okra stew, a very juicy, delicious vegetable melange served with a rice, pasta and chick pea side that will help absorb the wonderful, saucy okra. There are also falafel, couscous and other vegetable combinations. Vegetarians will be very happy and the rest of us will benefit from the proven healthy Mediterranean diet. Ozdil offers several enticing desserts including chocolate mousse made with 60 percent Belgian chocolate and crushed walnuts — the endorphins produced will conquer any ennui. A new
experience for me was his caramelized pumpkin. The pumpkin is coated with sugar then refrigerated overnight to bring out its juices. The next morning, it is baked for five hours until caramelized. It’s dense and creamy and so good, we order it every time. This creative man with high standards makes a baklava that made me question my former prejudice for a honey sauce. He told me that each layer of phyllo is lightly buttered which makes it hold more moisture. The flaky, fantastic confiture perfectly completed my dinner and because it’s lighter without honey, you can eat more. Uh oh! In conclusion, tickle your taste buds with this talented Turkish take on Mediterranean food. Cafe Mediterranean provides catering and delivery. It’s open seven days a week. On Monday through Thursday, from 11 a.m. – 9 p.m. On Friday and Saturday, from 11 a.m. – 10 p.m. On Sunday, from 4 – 9 p.m. Cafe Mediterranean 9525 Kenwood Road Blue Ash, Ohio 45242 513-745-9386
DINING OUT • 15
THURSDAY, JANUARY 12, 2012
RESTAURANT DIRECTORY 20 Brix
Incahoots
Pomodori’s
101 Main St
4110 Hunt Rd
121West McMillan • 861-0080
Historic Milford
Blue Ash
7880 Remington Rd
831-Brix (2749)
793-2600
Montgomery • 794-0080
CAFE MEDITERRANEAN Cincinnati's first and only true wine, restaurant and wine retail store. Come in and enjoy an appetizer or entrée paired with one of the 100 wines we pour daily.
101 Main St • Historic Milford
831-Brix • www.20brix.com Ambar India Restaurant
Izzy’s
Slatt’s Pub
350 Ludlow Ave
800 Elm St • 721-4241
4858 Cooper Rd
Cincinnati
612 Main St • 241-6246
Blue Ash
281-7000
5098B Glencrossing Way
791-2223 • 791-1381 (fax)
FRESH, HEALTHY,
Authentic Cuisine LOCATED IN THE CROSSINGS OF BLUE ASH
9525 KENWOOD ROAD (513) 745-9386
cafe-mediterranean.com
347-9699 Andy’s Mediterranean Grille
1198 Smiley Ave • 825-3888
Stone Creek Dining Co.
At Gilbert & Nassau
300 Madison Ave
9386 Montgomery Rd
2 blocks North of Eden Park
Covington • 859-292-0065
Montgomery • 489-1444
281-9791
6200 Muhlhauser Rd Johnny Chan 2
West Chester • 942-2100
Azad India Restaurant
11296 Montgomery Rd
4762 Cornell Rd
The Shops at Harper’s Point
Sukhothai Thai Cuisine
Blue Ash
489-2388 • 489-3616 (fx)
8102 Market Place Ln
530-9999
9386 Montgomery Rd Cincinnati, OH 45242 (513) 489-1444
Cincinnati K.T.’s Barbecue & Deli
794-0057
Baba India Restaurant
8501 Reading Rd
3120 Madison Rd
Reading
Sultan’s Med. Cuisine
Cincinnati
761-0200
7305 Tyler’s Corner Dr
321-1600
West Chester Kanak India Restaurant
847-1535
Bangkok Terrace
10040B Montgomery Rd
4858 Hunt Rd
Montgomery
Tandoor
Blue Ash
793-6800
8702 Market Place Ln
891-8900 • 834-8012 (fx)
Sushi • Steaks • Raw Bar Live Music Every Tues thru Sat! (513) 936-8600 9769 MONTGOMERY RD. www.jeffruby.com
Montgomery Marx Hot Bagels
793-7484
Bella Luna Café
9701 Kenwood Rd
4632 Eastern Ave
Blue Ash
Tony’s
Cincinnati
891-5542
12110 Montgomery Rd
871-5862
AMBAR
BABA
KANAK
350 LUDLOW AVE. CINCINNATI, OH 45220 (513) 281-7000
3120 MADISON RD. CINCINNATI, OH 45209 (513) 321-1600
10040B MONTGOMERY RD. CINCINNATI, OH 45242 (513) 793-6800
Montgomery Mecklenburg Gardens
677-1993
Cafe Mediterranean
302 E. University Ave
9525 Kenwood Rd
Clifton
VIEW Cucina
Cincinnati
221-5353
2200 Victory Pkwy
745-9386
Cincinnati Padrino
CINCINNATI’S BEST INDIAN RESTAURANTS
751-8439
Carlo & Johnny
111 Main St
9769 Montgomery Rd
Milford
Wertheim’s Restaurant
Cincinnati
965-0100
514 W 6th St
NOW SERVING
Covington, KY
New York-Style Pastrami
936-8600 Parkers Blue Ash Grill
(859) 261-1233
At ONLY $14.49/lb, it’s the BEST PRICE in Town!
Gabby’s Cafe
4200 Cooper Rd
515 Wyoming Ave
Blue Ash
...and don’t forget about these comfort food favorites!
Wyoming
891-8300
ROAST BRISKET & CHICKEN DINNERS SERVED WITH CARROTS, POTATOES & GRAVY
821-6040
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KT’S BARBECUE & DELI 8501 READING ROAD • 513-761-0200 View our menu @ ktsbbqanddeli.com CATERING AVAILABLE FOR ANY AND ALL OCCASIONS
16 • OPINION
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Rabbi Shafran is an editor at large and columnist for Ami Magazine.
C O R R E C T I O N: In the Jan. 5 article on Jon Entine, it incorrectly stated the Blue Ash Recreation Center is hosting Entine, when he is actually just speaking there.
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T EST Y OUR T ORAH KNOWLEDGE THIS WEEK’S PORTION: SHMOT (SHMOT 1:1-6:1) 1. Why did Moshe kill the Egyptian? a) He did not pay taxes b) He struck a Hebrew slave c) He worshiped idols 2. Did anybody witness the event? a) Yes b) No 3. Who did Moshe save by the well? a) His sister b) Daughter of Pharaoh 4. A. 2:20. Yitro was paying back the kindness that Moshe had performed for his daughters. Yitro was rewarded with a son in law and descendants who were great Torah scholars. Midrash 5. B. 2:23-25. However Hashem heard their prayers and had mercy on them, even though they did not deserve to be redeemed. Ramban
A recent essay by an awardwinning scientist presents a remarkable, and remarkably revealing, picture of current scientific thought about the nature of the universe. The delightfully named Alan P. Lightman, an MIT professor and major contributor to the understanding of astrophysical processes, titled his piece in last month’s Harper’s Magazine “The Accidental Universe: Science’s crisis of faith.” Reviewing the history of theoretical physics, he notes how, “until the past few years, physicists agreed that the entire universe… is generated from a few mathematical truths and principles of symmetry… [W]e were closing in on a vision of our universe in which everything could be calculated, predicted and understood.” In the words of Professor Lightman’s MIT colleague Alan Guth: “Back in the 1970s and 1980s, the feeling was that we were so smart, we almost had everything figured out,” referring to the fundamental forces of nature. Professor Guth punctuated that recollection, Professor Lightman recounts, with “a bitter laugh.” The laugh is bitter because of something that “has unsettled some scientists for years”— careful calculations showing that if the values of some of the fundamental parameters of our universe diverged even a smidgen from what they are, life could not exist. If the nuclear force (which binds protons and neutrons in atomic nuclei) were a few percentage points stronger, all hydrogen atoms would have fused with other hydrogen atoms to make helium. No hydrogen, no water; no water, presumably, no life. Similarly, if the amount of something called “dark energy” (believed to fuel the observed expansion of the universe) in our universe were only a little bit different than what it actually is, “matter… could never pull itself together” to form complex atoms. “The strengths of the basic forces and certain other fundamental parameters in our universe appear to be ‘fine-tuned’,” Professor Lightman explains, “to allow the existence of life.” To avoid the conclusion, Science forbid, that our universe was somehow intentionally created for life, some scientists have come to rely on the “multiverse” model, the theory that there are any number of other “universes” parallel to ours, and that ours just happens to
have the configurations necessary for the known elements to form, for life to exist, and for humans to ruminate about it all. Professor Lightman notes that the multiverse approach undermines the very venture of physics as a description of reality, and summarizes the theory: “From the cosmic lottery hat containing zillions of universes, we happened to draw a universe that allowed life.” Of course, he admits, “we have no conceivable way of observing these other universes and cannot prove their existence.” Nor, of course, disprove it. Thus the multiverse theory absolves its adherents of the need to ponder the fact of the cosmos’ incredibly peculiar hospitability to life. The contention that the complexity and utility of nature point to a Creator — the “argument from design” — has traditionally focused on the earth and its creatures. And has been dismissed by many as refuted by modern theories of biological development. Now, though, faced with evidence from the cosmos itself that the very fundamentals of physics seem shockingly geared toward life, scientists committed to keeping science pure from metaphysical matters have had to bend over so far backwards that they are virtually snapping in half. Samson-like, they shout, in effect, “Let my physics perish with the Philistines!” “If, in order to keep a Creator out of our thoughts,” they declare, “it’s necessary to undermine the entire enterprise of physics, well, then, by Whoever, it must be done! Long live the Multiverse!” For many centuries no distinction was made between “natural science” and “moral science”—the latter concerning itself with teleology (design in nature), human purpose and a Creator. Both together comprised “science,” from the Latin word for “knowledge.” Eventually, however, knowledge was compartmentalized. “Science” came to mean the physical sciences alone, with concerns about other parts of truth consigned to artificially crafted realms like “philosophy” or “theology.” Now, it seems, the physical sciences’ very discoveries have pointed their discoverers precisely in the direction of a theological truth. Unfortunately, as George Orwell once observed, it can be a formidable struggle sometimes to see what is in front of one’s nose.
c) Daughters of the priest of Midian 4. Who offered Moshe bread? a) Yitro b) Aaron c) Pharaoh 5. Which specific event was the catalyst to the redemption from Egypt? a) Moshe killing the Egyptian b) Death of Pharaoh c) Staff miraculously changing into a snake
informed to Pharaoh. Moshe feared that The Children of Israel might not be deserving of redemption because of the sin of tale bearing. Rashi 3. C. 2:15-17. Yitro was ostracized from the community because he removed all the idols from his home. Therefore the shepherds chased his daughters from the well. Rashi
Rabbi Avi Shafran Contributing Columnist
Written by Rabbi Dov Aaron Wise
ANSWERS 1. B 2:12 Moshe grew up in Pharaoh's house thinking he was an Egyptian. When he “grew up” he was told he was a Hebrew. At that time he went out to see his brothers and could not tolerate their suffering. Ramban 2. A 2:13,14. Not only did they witness they
Blind faith and physics
JEWISH LIFE • 17
THURSDAY, JANUARY 12, 2012
Sedra of the Week
by Rabbi Shlomo Riskin Efrat, Israel — “And a new king rose up over Egypt who did not know Joseph” (Exodus 1:8). The Book of Exodus takes us from the foundations of a family in Genesis to the development of a nation. Ironically, the first time the children of Israel are referred to as a nation is after the family of Jacob arrives in Egypt and becomes “numerous and powerful” there (Exodus 1:9). The segue between the books is the towering persona of Joseph, to whom Genesis devotes 13 chapters (Jacob only merits 10-and-a-half). Is it not odd that Joseph, who is called ha’tzaddik (the righteous one) by our sages, is not deemed worthy of being the fourth patriarch? Furthermore, what is there about Moses that causes him to be singled out by G-d as the savior of Israel? Let us begin with Joseph. I believe he merits the appellation “tzaddik” because, as a stranger in a strange land, he nevertheless resists the seduction of Potiphiar’s wife and refrains from committing adultery (Genesis 39:7-12). However, he still cannot be counted as one of the patriarchs. G-d promises Abraham, the first patriarch, the legacy of a nation, guaranteeing him eternal “seed” who will eventually live within the borders of Israel. Joseph, from his teenage years, when he dreamt of sheaves of grain, hankered after the lush agricultural prosperity of Egypt rather than the more arid grazing lands of Judea. Indeed, throughout his lifetime, he dedicated himself to the economic advancement of Egypt – far removed from the Abrahamic family and the Land of Israel. But there is an even more powerful reason for Joseph’s exclusion. The Abrahamic covenant is predicated upon the principle that every human being is created in the image of G-d (Genesis 1:26,27). It is this axiom that makes every person inviolable and free — ideas that are developed in the Exodus from Egypt and the commandments given at Sinai. This is why G-d chose and loved Abraham, “since he will
SHABBAT SHALOM: PARSHAT SHEMOT EXODUS 1:1 -6:1
The Abrahamic covenant is predicated upon the principle that every human being is created in the image of G-d (Genesis 1:26,27). It is this axiom that makes every person inviolable and free — ideas that are developed in the Exodus from Egypt and the commandments given at Sinai.
command his children to guard the way of the Lord to do compassionate righteousness and moral justice” (Genesis 18:19). Enslaving a human being is the antithesis of compassionate righteousness and moral justice. Through Abraham “all the families of the earth are to be blessed” (Genesis 12:3), but Joseph’s economic policies by which he enslaved the entire Egyptian populace to Pharaoh — who owned them and their lands — and resettled them wherever he wanted in Egypt, was directly contrary to the Abrahamic obligation (Genesis 47:18-27). The Hebrews, who were shepherds rather than landowners, were exempt from the enslavement, as well as re-settlement (Exodus 47:27). I suggest that the subsequent enslavement of the Hebrews by a Pharaoh “who did not know Joseph” was a divine punishment of those whose ancestor enslaved all of Egypt. In his cavalier and degrading treatment of the Egyptians, Joseph had turned away from the Abrahamic covenant. Moses is the mirror-image of Joseph — if Joseph was the family member who yearned for the greener pastures of Egypt, Moses was the prince of the Court of Pharaoh who identified with and reached out to his enslaved brethren (Exodus 2:11). Much more than that, “he saw [va’yar] their burdened pains, and saw [va’yar] an Egyptian man smiting a Hebrew man from among his brothers” (ibid). The Hebrew word va’yar means to see suffering and to do
something for the victim. This is the meaning of the verse in the Scroll of Esther, “How so would I be able to see [the same verb as in va’yar, v’ra’iti] the evil which has befallen my nation [and not act to prevent it], how would I be able to see [the same verb] the evil which has befallen my nation [and not act to prevent it], how would I be able to see the destruction of my birthplace [without attempting to forestall its occurrence]” (Scroll of Esther 8:6). Likewise, this is the only way to understand the conclusion of the Grace After Meals, “I was young and I also grew old, and I never saw a righteous person forsaken, or his children scrounging for bread — [without attempting to help them].” Hence, the very next verse records, “And [Moses] slew the Egyptian and hid [his corpse] in the sand” (Exodus 2:12). When the oppressor is about to murder the oppressed, when the master is about to smite the slave, then the only correct expression of “compassionate righteousness and moral justice” is to slay the oppressor-master. Moses, in acting in the way of ethical monotheism, in identifying with the Hebrews and in attempting to spark the rebellion which would eventually free them and take them to the Promised Land, is the “repair” for the “Egyptianization” of Joseph. Moses our teacher is the proper covenantal continuation of Jacob. Shabbat Shalom Rabbi Shlomo Riskin Chancellor Ohr Torah Stone Chief Rabbi — Efrat Israel
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18 • JEWZ IN THE NEWZ
JEWZ
IN THE
By Nate Bloom Contributing Columnist BETTY’S A MENSCH Actress Betty White will celebrate her 90th birthday on Jan. 17. On Monday, Jan. 16, at 8PM, NBC will show a tape of a (bit premature) 90th birthday celebration that was held for White last month. Scores of famous people who worked with White attended the gala and the special’s publicity promises “special musical performances and surprise appearances.” White is not Jewish (at all), nor was her late husband, “Password” host Allen Ludden. But White certainly has had many Jewish connections in her sixdecade career. TV acting success came early for her and in 1951 (!) she got her first Emmy nomination. However, by about 1965, casting agents seemed to have forgotten she could act and she spent most of the ‘60s as a constant game show panelist. Then, in 1973, the creators of the “Mary Tyler Moore Show,” ALLAN BURNS, now 76, and JAMES L. BROOKS, now 71, gave her a guest spot as the often-nasty, man-hungry, Sue Ann Nivens, the host of a TV cooking show. White (as Nivens) was a hit and she became a series regular. The main object of Nivens’ lust was Lou Grant, the TV station’s news director. ED ASNER, now 82, who played Grant, was on hand to honor White’s birthday (also there were the other surviving cast members, including Mary Tyler Moore). In 1985, White had another huge career success as “Rose” in “The Golden Girls” (a series created by SUSAN HARRIS, now 71). Her co-stars included the late ESTELLE GETTY, BEA ARTHUR and HAROLD GOULD (as Rose’s boyfriend, Miles). From 2005-2008, White had a recurring role on “Boston Legal” and WILLIAM SHATNER, now 80, a star of that series, delivered a birthday salute during the special. White’s talent, pluck and cheerful irreverence have made her one of America’s most beloved figures. She is also known for her truly monumental charitable work on behalf of domestic and wild animals. MOVIE NEWS A few weeks ago, the first trailer for the upcoming (May, 2012) movie, “The Dictator,” was released. SACHA BARONCOHEN, 40, stars in the satirical comedy film as the dictator of a North African Arab country called the “Republic of Wadiya.”
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NEWZ
His character, General Admiral Aladeen, appears to be based largely on Saddam Hussein and Muammar Gaddafi. In the words of the studio publicity release: “It tells the heroic story of a dictator who risked his life to ensure that democracy would never come to the country he so lovingly oppressed.” Aladeen visits America and culture clashes ensue. If the rest of the film is as funny as the trailer, this will be one of the funniest satires of all time. Simply google “The Dictator trailer” and you’ll easily find it online. Describing the comedy in the trailer diminishes the gags — so view it and I think you’ll agree with me. It will be interesting to see if the released film prompts a lot of reactions in the Arab world. “The Dictator” is directed by LARRY CHARLES, 55, who also directed Baron-Cohen’s previous mock documentaries, “Borat” and “Bruno.” Co-stars include Sir Ben Kingsley, Megan Fox, Anna Faris, and B.J. NOVAK, 32 (“The Office”). Opening of Friday, Jan. 13, is the thriller “Contraband.” Mark Wahlberg stars as Chris Faraday, a former top smuggler who is drawn back into smuggling when his brother-in-law botches a drug deal for his ruthless boss. To save his life, Faraday assembles his former crew to smuggle counterfeit bills into the country for the boss. He is aided by his best friend, played by BEN FOSTER, 31. NICE TO NOTE As I write this, most of the Jewish press, and virtually no general press sources, have mentioned that SHERVIN LALEZARY, 30—the Los Angeles reserve deputy sheriff who arrested (on Jan. 1, 2012) the serial bomber of cars in Los Angeles—is a Persian Jew. Lalezary was born in Tehran and came to the States about 25 years ago. He is a Beverly Hills attorney. He volunteers (paid $1 a year) as a Los Angeles County reserve deputy sheriff and works about 20 hours a month in this position. A tip led to a description of the bombing suspect (German national Harry Burkhart) and his van. Lalezary spotted the van and arrested Burkhart, who is suspected in the firebombing of 50 vehicles in December. Lalezary’s brother, ARASH LALEZARY, 35, a physician, praised his brother to the press. I found online an interesting article that Dr. Lalezary co-authored in 2001, in which he expressed his wish that the Sephardi form of “inclusive Orthodoxy” be maintained in America.
FROM THE PAGES 100 Y EARS A GO Mr. and Mrs. Carl Weihl, of Cleinview Avenue, Walnut Hills, have announced the engagement of their daughter Henrietta Alice, to Leonard H. Freiberg, of Greenwood Avenue, Avondale. Mr. Freiberg is one of the assistants in the City Solicitor’s office. Miss Weihl, a very popular young lady with a large circle of friends and acquaintances, is a noted violinist of more than local reputation. Arnold Hirschler, the optician, living at 3423 Harvey Avenue, distinguished himself by a most heroic act last Saturday. A fire broke out in the home of Fred Wernke, a neighbor, and all the occupants of the house fled leaving the two year old daughter of the Wernkes’ lying very ill on the second floor. The parents had not realized the extent of the fire and were loath to expose the child to the freezing cold. They ran outdoors and were prevented from returning by the firemen who thought it was too late. Hirschler, however, darted past them and managed to get the child. Wrapping his coat around her he succeeded in reaching a window and escaped with his burden down a ladder which the firemen had raised. The building, together with all of its contents, was totally destroyed, and the child would have undoubtedly perished in the flames had it not been for Hirschler’s brave act. — January 14, 1912
75 Y EARS A GO Mrs. Oscar Starks, Mr. and Mrs. Gordon Weil and son, Gordon, Jr., have returned from a cruise to Nassau. Mr. and Mrs. Martin Meister (Hortense Davis), are in their apartment at Vernon Manor, having returned from a wedding trip to South America. Mr. and Mrs. Nathan Rosenberg and Mr. and Mrs. Sidney Rosenberg will leave this week for Miami, Fla. Mr. Irwin M. Krohn has been re-elected president of the Cincinnati Board of Park Commissioners. Cincinnati bridge players who have joined the ranks of permanent masters by winning recognized tournaments in every month during the past year are Mr. Richard Dana, Mr. I.E. Levine and Miss Mildred Sachs. Mr. and Mrs. William Frieder, of the Hotel Alms, are wintering in Florida.
Chico Learsi will vote at its stag Saturday, Jan. 23rd, on the following nominee: President: Myer Solko and Joe Meyer; vice president: Harry Rubin, Mat Grinker and Sid Salzwas; recording secretary: Ben Skurow; corresponding secretary: Herman Stoller; treasurer: Pete Stein and Aaron Rubin; executive committee: Harry Kahn, Joe Rheins, Sam and Harry Rubin. — January 14, 1937
50 Y EARS A GO Charles M. Messer has been re-nominated for his second oneyear term as president of Rockdale Avenue Temple. Re-nominated also are James A. Salinger and Philip T. Cohen, vice presidents; Lawrence E. Eichel, secetary; Herbert Hoffheimer, Jr., treasurer. Election of officers and trustees will be held at the 138th annual meeting and dinner Saturday, Jan. 20, at 7 p.m., at the Netherland Hilton. Norbert J. Covy has been named a co-chairman of the Cincinnati Chapter of the National Conference of Christians and Jews. He succeeds Robert P. Goldman, who had served since 1954. Reuben B. Hays and Judge John W. Keefe, are the Protestant and Catholic co-chairmen, respectively. He is a member of the Rockdale Temple, and a member of the board of the Jewish Hospital. He is a former chairman of the Jewish Welfare Fund campaign and president of the Jewish Welfare Fund Board. He served on the board of Sheltering Oaks. Re-elected to the NCCJ board for three-year terms are Walter E. Beckjord, Robert P. Curry, Alex Frieder, Thomas Grace, Chester Hodges, Edward Wertheimer, Jr. and David B. Wood. Theodore L. Warschauer, 7691 Hosbrook Road, passed away Saturday, Dec. 30. He is survived by a son, Donald; a daughter, Mrs. Sherman Stone; a brother, Morris; two sisters, Mrs. I. Provis and Mrs. Phillip Leanse; and six grandchildren. — January 11, 1962
25 Y EARS A GO Anne Sapadin has retired from the Jewish Community Center after a 29-year association with the agency. “Anne knew literally all
Center members and always took that extra step to ensure their use and enjoyment of the Center,” said Gary Schreiber, executive director. “I’ve worked with Anne more than 25 years. Everyone who had known her through the years will miss her friendship at the Center as well as her membership skills.” On Friday, Jan. 16 at 8 p.m., the Valley Temple will dedicate “Moses Striking the Rock,” a bronze fountain statue sculpted by Retha Walden Gambaro. The art piece was donated to the congregation by Bonnie and Steve Casper. The Israel Sinfonietta’s concert at Rockdale Temple Wednesday, Jan. 21, at 8 p.m. offers the opportunity to sample the talents of one of the most promising young violinists on the international music scene. At age 15, Gil Shaham has already played with some of the world’s greatest orchestras, and his career appears to be gaining momentum. — January 15, 1987
10 Y EARS A GO George “Gerry” Sturm, 66, passed away Dec. 22, 2001. Mr. Sturm was born in Cincinnati. He was a son of the late George Sturm. He is survived by his wife, Tinia Sturm, and his children, Cindy and Larry Chait and Debbie and Andy Schlissel. Also surviving Mr. Sturm are his grandchildren, Ryan Chait and Ashley and Emilie Schlissel. Other survivors include a sister, Sally Barron of Philadelphia, Penn., and many nieces and nephews. Psychologist and author Dr. Jacob Lindy will speak on “Terror and Trauma: The Psychological Effects of Sept. 11.” His talk, cosponsored by the American Jewish Committee (AJC) and the Cincinnati Psychoanalytic Institute, will be held at the Institute in Corryville Tuesday, Jan. 15, from 7:30-9 p.m. The event follows the recent AJC Program, “Terrorists Lurking in the Shadows.” Dr. Lindy’s background makes him well-qualified to help us understand the psychological effects of Sept. 11. He has studied the effects of the Buffalo Creek flood in W. Va. and has worked with survivors of many disasters, including the Beverly Hills Fire and the Vietnam War, AJC board member Helene Elkus explained. “He is currently consulting with mental health workers in New York and Washington following the events of Sept. 11.” — January 10, 2002
CLASSIFIEDS • 19
THURSDAY, JANUARY 12, 2012
COMMUNITY DIRECTORY COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS Access (513) 373-0300 • jypaccess.org Big Brothers/Big Sisters Assoc. (513) 761-3200 • bigbrobigsis.org Camp Ashreinu (513) 702-1513 Camp at the J (513) 722-7258 • mayersonjcc.org Camp Livingston (513) 793-5554 • camplivingston.com Cedar Village (513) 754-3100 • cedarvillage.org Chevra Kadisha (513) 396-6426 Cincinnati Community Mikveh 513-351-0609 • cincinnatimikveh.org Fusion Family (513) 703-3343 • fusionnati.org Halom House (513) 791-2912 • halomhouse.com Hillel Jewish Student Center (513) 221-6728 • hillelcincinnati.org Jewish Cemeteries of Greater Cincinnati 513-961-0178 • jcemcin.org Jewish Community Center (513) 761-7500 • mayersonjcc.org Jewish Community Relations Council (513) 985-1501 Jewish Family Service (513) 469-1188 • jfscinti.org Jewish Federation of Cincinnati (513) 985-1500 • shalomcincy.org Jewish Foundation (513) 514-1200 Jewish Information Network (513) 985-1514 Jewish Vocational Service (513) 985-0515 • jvscinti.org Kesher (513) 766-3348 Plum Street Temple Historic Preservation Fund (513) 793-2556 Shalom Family (513) 703-3343 • myshalomfamily.org The Center for Holocaust & Humanity Education (513) 487-3055 • holocaustandhumanity.org Vaad Hoier (513) 731-4671 Workum Fund (513) 899-1836 • workum.org YPs at the JCC (513) 761-7500 • mayersonjcc.org
CONGREGATIONS Adath Israel Congregation (513) 793-1800 • adath-israel.org Beit Chaverim (513) 984-3393 Beth Israel Congregation (513) 868-2049 • bethisraelcongregation.net Congregation Beth Adam (513) 985-0400 • bethadam.org Congregation B’nai Tikvah (513) 759-5356 • bnai-tikvah.org Congregation B’nai Tzedek (513) 984-3393 • bnaitzedek.us Congregation Ohav Shalom (513) 489-3399 • ohavshalom.org
Congregation Ohr Chadash (513) 252-7267 • ohrchadashcincinnati.com Congregation Sha’arei Torah shaareitorahcincy.org Congregation Zichron Eliezer 513-631-4900 • czecincinnati.org Golf Manor Synagogue (513) 531-6654 • golfmanorsynagogue.org Isaac M. Wise Temple (513) 793-2556 • wisetemple.org Kehilas B’nai Israel (513) 761-0769 Northern Hills Synagogue (513) 931-6038 • nhs-cba.org Rockdale Temple (513) 891-9900 • rockdaletemple.org Temple Beth Shalom (513) 422-8313 • tbsohio.org Temple Sholom (513) 791-1330 • templesholom.net The Valley Temple (513) 761-3555 • valleytemple.com
EDUCATION Chai Tots Early Childhood Center (513) 234.0600 • chaitots.com Chabad Blue Ash (513) 793-5200 • chabadba.com Cincinnati Hebrew Day School (513) 351-7777 • chds.shul.net HUC-JIR (513) 221-1875 • huc.edu JCC Early Childhood School (513) 793-2122 • mayersonjcc.org Kehilla - School for Creative Jewish Education (513) 489-3399 • kehilla-cincy.com Mercaz High School (513) 792-5082 x104 • mercazhs.org Kulanu (Reform Jewish High School) 513-262-8849 • kulanucincy.org Regional Institute Torah & Secular Studies (513) 631-0083 Rockwern Academy (513) 984-3770 • rockwernacademy.org
ORGANIZATIONS American Jewish Committee (513) 621-4020 • ajc.org American Friends of Magen David Adom (513) 521-1197 • afmda.org B’nai B’rith (513) 984-1999 Hadassah (513) 821-6157 • cincinnati.hadassah.org Jewish Discovery Center (513) 234.0777 • jdiscovery.com Jewish National Fund (513) 794-1300 • jnf.org Jewish War Veterans (513) 204-5594 • jwv.org NA’AMAT (513) 984-3805 • naamat.org National Council of Jewish Women (513) 891-9583 • ncjw.org State of Israel Bonds (513) 793-4440 • israelbonds.com Women’s American ORT (513) 985-1512 • ortamerica.org.org
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production@ americanisraelite.com MEDIA from page 8 In addition to Shalom TV, Golub is president of the Russian Media Group, which produces two of its own Russian-language channels and also distributes a package of satellite channels aimed at Russian speakers. Golub is a cocreator of the company’s flagship Russian Television Network of America, a 20-year-old cable and satellite channel that targets immigrants from the former Soviet Union, most of whom are Jewish. Representatives of all three English-language channels cast their projects not as luxuries but as necessities in the Jewish community. “If the Jewish culture was not a rich culture, you could say there’s no place for Jewish television,” Weiss said. “But in a community that produces as many cultural pieces as we produce, as much fascinating political news discussion and as much fascination with Israel — that culture needs a TV channel, it wants a TV channel and it deserves one.” Weiss told JTA that TJC has 50,000 subscribers who pay $5 to $7 a month. He said the channel expects to begin turning a profit sometime this year. Phil Blazer, the founder of JLTV, says his channel’s audience has grown on DIRECTV to nearly 2 million households monthly. Based on that figure, he estimates that an additional 1 million viewers are watching on other cable affiliates. Blazer attributed the relatively large viewership to the channel’s appeal to Christian audiences interested in Judaism and Jewish culture. Shalom TV says that its ondemand programming is accessed by 40,000 to 50,000 households CELEBRATION from page 9 Some of the few Jews left in Myanmar said they hope that with time and a continual opening of Myanmar’s political system, the Jewish community here will grow. “No matter what religion we practice or what beliefs we value,” Sammy Samuels said at the Chanukah party, “when we light the candles tonight it reminds all of us
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(513) 531-9600 monthly. Shalom TV says it tracks audience using the media organization RenTrak; JLTV uses Kantar Media. TJC declined to say how it tracks its numbers. None of the channels provided original tracking documents, and JTA was unable to independently verify their viewership claims. Blazer says that JLTV, which is a for-profit company, generated $2 million in gross advertising revenue in 2010. He also is the president of the Jewish Life Foundation, a nonprofit organization that supplies some of JLTV’s original content. According to IRS filings, Blazer draws no pay from the foundation. Blazer told JTA that he also does not receive a salary from the channel itself. Golub, Shalom TV’s CEO, also does not receive a salary, according to the channel’s IRS filings. The channel, Golub added, is a nonprofit that has been funded by him and his brother to the tune of “seven figures” over the past four years. Shalom TV raises additional funds through outside donations and by selling DVDs of its programming. Golub said he is starting to seek additional funding. “We wanted to prove that a Jewish television network was viable and could have an impact before we talked to the foundations about funding,” Golub said. Sanderson, however, was less optimistic. “I’m sure some of the programming has redeeming value,” he said. “The question is — is it worth the cost and will it succeed and will it make an impact and will it penetrate the Jewish American community in ways that are successful? I think history doesn’t lie in this particular world.” to rededicate ourselves to improving the lives of those around us, to spread the light of freedom and to believe that miracles are possible even in times of darkness.” Ben G. Frank is the author of the newly published “The Scattered Tribe: Traveling the Diaspora from Cuba to India to Tahiti & Beyond” from Globe Pequot Press.
20 • TRAVEL
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2011: The year in retrospect Wandering Jew
by Janet Steinberg When someone tells you about a place, you hear it. When someone shows you a picture of a place, you see it. But when you discover that place yourself, you remember it. Be it volcanoes or earthquakes, sunshine or storms, glaciers or gastronomic journeys…the experiences we have are what we remember throughout our lifetime. Come along with me as I share with you my favorite experiences of 2011. South American Cruise: Silversea’s Silver Whisper dream cruise sailed me south—way south—on a 3,902-nautical-mile voyage from Buenos Aires, Argentina, through the Strait of Magellan, to Valparaiso, Chile. Port stops included: Punta del Este and Montevideo (Uruguay); Puerto Madryn (Argentina); Port Stanley (Falkland Islands); Punta Arenas, Laguna San Rafael Glacier, Puerto Chacabuco and Puerto Montt (all in Chile). Mediterranean Cruise: Crystal Serenity’s “Capitals of Art & Architecture” cruise sailed me some 1852 miles from Barcelona, Spain to Venice, Italy. Her ports of pure pleasure included over-nighting aboard the ship in Barcelona (Spain). Cannes (France); Sorrento and Venice (Italy). Day stops included visits to Rome and Florence (Italy) and Dubrovnik (Croatia). Caribbean Cruise: Seabourn’s Quest sailed me to paradisiacal islands such as St. Vincent/Grenadines and Virgin Gorda where Seabourn Quest (weather permitting) includes a unique “Caviar in the Surf” beach barbecue with complimentary water sports. Even if the Quest hadn’t stopped at any ports, sailing on this magnificent new (2011) luxury vessel would have been enough of a destination in and of itself. Aegean Cruise: Crystal Serenity’s “Aegean Dreams Cruise” from Istanbul, Turkey to Venice, Italy sailed me some 1920 statute miles to faraway places with strange sounding names like Kusadasi (Turkey); Mykonos, Santorini and Athens (Greece); Kotor (Montenegro); and Dubrovnik (Croatia). Perfect weather, perfect seas, perfect cruise! South American Hotel: Alvear Palace, the legendary Buenos Aires hotel is consistently voted one of
the world’s best hotels. A true palace and undisputed symbol of the Belle Époque era, the Alvear Palace formally opened its doors in 1932. Guests are pampered with the likes of personal butler service on every floor. Old World European elegance meets state-of-the-art technology at the Alvear Palace. European Hotel: Istanbul’s Ciragan Palace Kempinski, dramatically situated on the shores of the Bosphorus, is the only Ottoman Imperial Palace in Istanbul that is a five-star hotel. Once the home of Ottoman sultans, the Ciragan Palace Kempinski graciously combines Ottoman-era sophistication with 21st century technology. Çiragan Palace Kempinski blends luxury, grandeur, glamour and history in perfect harmony. Domestic Hotel: Embassy Suites Ft. Lauderdale is not a fivestar luxury hotel like the above hotels, but it ranks #1 as my best bargain hotel of the year. This allsuite, reasonably priced hotel offers daily complimentary cooked-toorder breakfasts and cocktail hours. Also complimentary are a business center, an Internet Kiosk and a Fitness Center. The hotel runs like clockwork because of its competent General Manager Don Friedman. Restauranteur: Harry (Arrigo) Cipriani is the quintessential proprietor of some of the world’s finest restaurants. For two decades, I have been privileged to know Harry and to dine at his restaurants around the world. In 2011, my tastes were gloriously indulged at his newest restaurant, The Cipriani Istanbul in Turkey, and at my longtime favorite, Harry’s Bar in Venice, Italy. Great host, great ambience, great food, and great fun!!! Beach Lunch: Hotel Martinez’s Zplage, a private beach club on La Croisette in Cannes, France is la dolce vita on the French Riviera. Whether you soak up the Mediterranean sun on one of their 400 sun-beds on the fine sand beach, or on one of the hedonistic pontoon lounges, you must top off your lunch with the incredible edible dessert named “L’Or, L’Or, L’Or, Lipstick. By L’Oreal Paris.” Unique! Celebratory Lunch: The Hotel Cipriani Restaurant in Venice, Italy served up a birthday lunch for my husband that was fit for the royalty that call Hotel Cipriani their home in Venice. From the Carpaccio, that looked like a still life painting by Vincent van Gogh, to the chocolate circle of heaven known as a birthday cake, the lunch was magical. The only thing missing was dreamy George Clooney who had checked out of the hotel the day before we arrived. Lunch with a View: Terrazza Bosquet, the open-air restaurant in Sorrento’s Grand Hotel Excelsior Vittoria, is precariously perched on a cliff overlooking the Bay of Naples. As I lunched on the savory
(Top-bottom) Ciragan Palace Kempinski, the jewel in Istanbul’s crown; Janet Steinberg, guest bartender, pours original Harry’s Bar Bellinis at Cipriani Istanbul; “L’Or, L’Or, L’Or, Lipstick. By L’Oreal Paris,” the unique dessert at Hotel Martinez’s Zplage Beach Club in Cannes, France.
Mediterranean specialties of the Campania region, I soaked up spectacular island sights. Over the terrace’s balustrade, I glimpsed the distant mauve shades of Mt. Vesuvius. Island Lunch: “Monk-ey Business” rules at La Tonnelle on the water’s edge of St. Honorat Island, the unique Lerin Island 15minutes off the coast of Cannes,
France. St. Honorat is home to the monks of the Abbaye de Lerins who occupy the island, grow grapes, and make wine that is known to oenophiles around the world. La Tonnelle is a convivial haven of peace offering great wines, great food, and great views of the crystal clear Mediterranean. Tango Show: Rojo Tango, at
the Phillipe Starck-designed Hotel Faena in Buenos Aires, is the most sophisticated tango show in Buenos Aires. This sensuous dinner show, presented in the hotel’s El Cabaret, will seduce you from the moment you take your gold seat in the velvety red room. It is the city’s most expensive tango show, but also the most passionate and the best. Turkish Delight: Tugra Restaurant, located in the original Çıragan Palace Kempinski Istanbul, presented an exquisite, romantic dining experience. The feast began with ambience—rich Ottoman décor, live Turkish music—and the ever-stirring backdrop of the Bosphorus. It ended with classic Ottoman cuisine and the traditional candy stick trolley “Macun” that is designed to take you to sweet dreams. Italian Feasts: Harry Cipriani’s Cipriani Restaurant Istanbul, (at the onset of my Crystal Serenity Aegean Dream Cruise from Istanbul to Venice) started my Italian culinary adventure off with their traditional Harry’s Bar Bellini (sparkling Italian Prosecca wine and peach nectar). It culminated when that same Crystal Serenity cruise ended in Venice and I headed straight to Harry Cipriani’s Harry’s bar Venice to begin my next Italian feast with another traditional Harry’s Bar Bellini. Swimming Pool: Ciragan Palace Kempinski, Istanbul’s heated infinity pool is a pool for all seasons. While minarets of steam rise around you, you can swim alongside the boats in the Bosphorus. The stunning pool defies the summer heat with a pre-cooled towel served by the pool butler, or you can lap up the winter sun in a heated cabana. Opera-Tunity: Cincinnati Opera’s 2011 Summer Festival delighted opera devotees with love in every language. Passion, romance, exhilaration and magic were enhanced by the impeccable acoustics of Music Hall. The season opener, Rigoletto, Verdi’s most tuneful opera was followed by A Flowering Tree, and Tchaikovsky’s wistful Eugene Onegin. The brilliant 2011 season concluded with Mozart’s majestic Magic Flute. Holocaust Memorial: Montevideo, Uruguay’s poignant Holocaust Memorial is the only one of its kind in South America. A somber rail track cuts across a grassy plain that leads to the rocky banks of the Rio de la Plata. The memorial also incorporates a broken wall, symbolic of the broken people; two Bridges of Doubt; a Wall of Bereavement; and tomb-like red granite slabs inscribed with quotes from Elie Wiesel and Maimonides. Janet Steinberg is an award-winning Travel Writer, International Travel Consultant, and winner of 38 national Travel Writing Awards.
FOOD • 21
THURSDAY, JANUARY 12, 2012
The stuffed cabbage resolution Zell’s Bites
by Zell Schulman A new year is upon us and it’s time to try something new. A new restaurant, a new food, a new place to shop for produce or groceries and of course, a new menu using new ingredients or a new menu using familiar ingredients, but in a new way. I began this new year doing all three. The thing I was most excited about was preparing a family favorite that I haven’t made in at least six or seven years. It had been so long, I found myself searching through several of my oldest cookbooks and recipe cards that had turned yellow already. It was memory time! Shopping and cooking habits LEW from page 6 “That’s not the role he’s going to play,” said Abraham Foxman, the national director of the AntiDefamation League, referring to the regular conference calls with the Jewish leadership Ross and Shapiro had with Jewish community leaders. “He will be an adviser to the president on all things and a gatekeeper — but to the extent the president will turn to him for his view, he has an understanding of the community and of its views.” The Obama administration clearly wanted to get the Jewish message across; Shapiro Tweeted the news in Hebrew to his followers. Israeli ambassadors don’t usually make a big deal of the appointment of a White House chief of staff. Obama stressed Lew’s management savvy in announcing the appointment on Monday. “Jack’s economic advice has been invaluable and he has my complete trust, both because of his mastery of the numbers, but because of the values behind those numbers,” he said. Lew has become something of a go-to Obama administration speaker and guest for the organized community, particularly among Orthodox Jews. Most recently, he lit the “National Menorah,” the giant Chanukiah that graces the National Mall and that is organized by American Friends of Lubavitch. “As an American Jew, I can’t
seem to be part of every week’s menus, while others fade away. It’s not because you don’t enjoy them anymore, but because life changes and your needs are different. Some family favorites, like that restaurant you always went to at least once or twice a month for their “to die for” pancakes or salad or entrée’s or the “Food Fix,” like your favorite ice cream parlor you just have to stop and get a double dip cone or sundae becomes a ritual. Believe me, cooking for one isn’t fun! I have gotten into the habit of taking one Sunday each month and using it to stock my freezer so I can prepare a large amount and then divide it into single servings. This was one of those Sundays. I guess I was thinking winter will be here sooner rather than later and what comfort food hadn’t I made in a long time. Stuffed Cabbage in a sweet and sour sauce was the answer. My grandmother Jacobs, of blessed memory, called them Prakas. The most important thing to making stuffed cabbage balls is doing the prepping. These really are tasty and this recipe gives you several ways to use a variety of ingredients.
STUFFED CABBAGE WITH SWEET AND SOUR MEAT SAUCE (PRAKAS) Makes approximately 24
think of anyone who has a deeper commitment to the United States as well as his own Jewish identity at the same time,” said Rabbi Levi Shemtov, who heads the Chabad group and who noted that Lew occasionally stops by for Shabbat services. “His appointment obviously gives the White House an envoy to the Jewish community who is eloquent respected even beloved across the Jewish spectrum. That’s probably an added bonus rather than the core qualification.” Lew maintains a reliable shtick in his interaction with Jewish audiences: How he balances the 24/7 demands of being a top government official with the 24/6 Shabbat observant lifestyle. A favorite tale involves a call he got from President Clinton on Shabbat, and how he would not pick up despite Clinton’s claim on the answering machine that it was urgent and “G-d will understand.” After that, Lew got dispensation from a rabbi to answer such calls, under the principle of “pikuah nefesh,” saving a life. Another favorite line during his 1990s stint, when he lived in Washington — his family is now based in New York — was a onetwo exchange with clergy at Beth Sholom, a shul in Potomac, Md., recalled Nathan Diament, who directs the Orthodox Union’s Washington office. A rabbi would jokingly suggest that Lew might want to run for shul treasurer, and
Lew would rejoin that directing the OMB was complex enough, thank you very much. It’s a shtick that suggests a corny, old-fashioned sense of humor, but friends say it’s also one that is emblematic of his humility and cordiality. “Everyone would recognize that Jack’s management style and personality is noticeably different from that of the previous Jewish white house chief of staff,” Diament said, a reference to Emanuel’s abrasive style. An open question is how much harder it will be for him to balance family and Shabbat observance in his new role. He stays close to his daughter, Shoshana, who works at the Obama administration’s Council Environmental Quality, but his wife and son remain in Riverdale, N.Y., where they are active in the Hebrew Institute of Riverdale. His previous stints – in addition to the OMB post, he was also a deputy secretary of state under Obama — involved managing a 95, Monday-to-Friday bureaucracy. Running the White House means running crises that have a bad habit of happening on weekends. “It’s a reflection of this administration’s comfort with him and his being Jewish,” Foxman said. “This is a job that is 24/7 — but if there’s respect, it works.”
Sauce Ingredients Sweet thing options Light brown sugar1/3 cup Dark brown sugar1/4 cup Granulated sugar 1/2 cup Currant Jelly 3/4 cup One l0-ounce can whole cranberry sauce Sour things Lemon Juice 1/4 cup Sour Salt 1/4 teaspoon Liquids Water 1/2 cup Beef stock 1/2 cup Ketchup 1/2 cup Other 1 bay leaf or 1 teaspoon dried basil Method 1. Combine one 16-ounce can of tomato sauce, two sweet things, one of them being brown sugar, plus one other. 2. Add one sour thing, one liquid, a bay leaf or dried basil leaves and simmer these ingredients in a 3 quart saucepan over medium low heat for 15 minutes. Then set aside.
Ron Kampeas is JTA’s Washington bureau chief.
Prakas Ingredients 1 three pound cabbage Meat 2 pounds of ground beef, ground veal or ground turkey. You can also combine two types of ground meat if you desire. Eggs 2 large eggs beaten in 1/4 cup ice water. Filler-choose one 1 grated potato or 1/4 cup uncooked rice or 1/2 cup uncooked oatmeal Crumbs Choose one 1/2 cup Bread Crumbs 1/4 cup matzo meal 1/2 cup ground soup nuts. Other One small, peeled and finely chopped yellow onion. Method 1. The cabbage may be microwaved for 8 minutes or cooked in a large pot covered with cold water and steamed for 15 minutes. Allow the cabbage to cool for about 5 minutes, then gently remove the leaves one at a time. When the leaves become too small to fill, finely chop the remaining cabbage and place it in the bottom of the pan with the IOWA from page 8 That was another factor explaining Santorum’s lastminute surge; he performed especially well in rural Iowa counties where evangelicals predominate. Santorum is a Roman Catholic, but his take-no-prisoners stance on abortion and gay marriage, and his defense of religious expression in the public square has appealed to the evangelical base. “There is still an ‘anybody but Mitt’ camp, and it’s winnowed down by two today,” Fred Zeidman, a major fundraiser for Romney, said in an interview.
cooked sauce. 2. In a large bowl, mix your choice of meat, together with the eggs, your choice of filler, type of crumbs and one onion, finely chopped. Method for filling the cabbage leaves l. In a large bowl mix the filling ingredients together. 2. Place l tablespoon of filling onto the narrow bottom of each leaf. Fold in the sides of each leaf and roll to the end. Gently place seam-side down into the cooked sauce. You will have more filling than leaves. Roll the extra filling into 1-inch balls and place into the sauce. 3. Cook prakas in the sauce over low heat for 20 minutes. 4. Preheat oven to 350 °F. Transfer the cabbage rolls into a 9 x 13 inch oblong casserole. Cover with the sauce. Bake for 20 minutes. The sauce gets thick and the cabbage rolls get a good brown color. Turn the cabbage rolls over and bake 15 more minutes. Zells’s Tips: You may cool these, and freeze them for later. Reheat in a 300 degree F oven for l hour or until soft and heated through. Santorum already was reaching out to pro-Israel fundraisers in the wake of his strong showing, insiders said. Those givers had mostly ignored him until now because of his back-of-the-pack showings in the polls until very recently. Pro-Israel insiders said Santorum would likely get a more receptive hearing in the wake of Iowa, although whether it would be enough to assist him going into New Hampshire was another question. With voting in the first primary state just days away, Santorum has a minimal ground operation in the state.
Courtesy of Gage Skidmore via Creative Commons
Ron Paul, shown speaking to supporters at a whistle stop in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, on Jan. 2, finished a strong third in the state’s caucuses, which will worry Jewish campaign watchers who are concerned about his isolationism.
22 • OBITUARIES
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D EATH N OTICES
CONSERVATISM from page 7
FOREMAN, Lee, died on January 9, 2012; 14 Tevet, 5772. AMMAN from page 6 For his part, Abdullah is seeking to show his country’s Palestinian majority that he can still influence the two parties. He also is seeking to stake out a central role in the emerging new Middle East, particularly after the fall of his close ally, Hosni Mubarak, the deposed Egyptian dictator. “Jordan lacks any anchor in the Middle East right now, and it is searching for an anchor,” said Assaf David, a Jordan expert at the Hebrew University’s Truman Institute for the Advancement of Peace. “If Jordan is involved in it and can calm the situation between Israel and the Palestinians, it is very good for Jordan.” Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas also needs to counter the Israeli-U.S. attempt to depict him as recalcitrant for refusing since October 2010 to allow peace talks unless Israel freezes settlement building. The Quartet has set a Jan. 26 deadline for the resumption of direct negotiations. Abbas “has to satisfy the Quartet by dropping his preconditions,” said Yossi Alpher, an Israeli analyst and the co-editor of bitterlemons.net, an online forum for Palestinian and Israeli thinkers. Netanyahu, for his part, has insisted repeatedly that talks should be held without preconditions — none were set for the Amman meeting. The purported aim of Tuesday’s talks was to set the stage for more substantive negotiations, although experts question the likelihood of such an outcome. “Neither Abu Mazen nor Netanyahu is interested,” said ISRAEL from page 10 Ayalon’s website was down for about a half-hour. He reportedly has tens of thousands of followers on Facebook, Twitter and Google Plus. “They will not be able to stop my activities and work on behalf of Israel,” Ayalon said in a statement. “Certainly not in cyberspace, where we have had recent successes on YouTube and
Courtesy of State Department
Representatives of the Middle East Quartet — the United States, Russia, the European Union and Russia — met in New York, Sept. 23, 2011. The Quartet joined with Jordan in reconvening IsraeliPalestinian talks this week in Amman. Left to right, U.N. Quartet Envoy Tony Blair, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and the European Union’s Catherine Ashton.
Alpher, using Abbas’ nom de guerre. “Abu Mazen because he understands that if he turned down” former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud “Olmert’s far-reaching offer at the end of 2008, he will never hear anything close to that from Netanyahu, and Netanyahu because he presides over a coalition not interested in sustaining a peace process.” Since his election in 2009, Netanyahu has navigated between Obama administration demands that he make efforts to restart peace talks with the demands of a rightleaning coalition that is resistant to territorial concessions. The prime minister’s moves toward the peace table have been matched traditionally with nods to hard-liners, and Tuesday seemed no different. Just hours before the meeting, Netanyahu’s government announced tenders for the construction of 300 new units in eastern Jerusalem, including 247 units in Har Homa, a particularly contentious new neighborhood not far
from Bethlehem. Sela said that Israel’s appearance at the peace talks was for the benefit of the international community, particularly the United States, where Netanyahu has tried to cultivate an image of himself as willing to make sacrifices for peace. The Netanyahu government sees “the problem as not with the Palestinians” but rather “with all those who pressure Israel to make compromise,” he said. “They [the Israelis] see the problem as with the Europeans and the Americans.” Abbas also may see the Amman meeting as a means to show Palestinians that he can deliver an alternative as he negotiates a unity deal with Hamas that could lead to elections as soon as May. His need for street credibility has been sharpened by the Arab Spring turmoil. “Abu Mazen needs something in hand, something he can show,” Sela said. “He got very little from the bid to the U.N.” for statehood recognition in September.
Facebook. Cyberspace appears to be the new battlefield, and our opponents will not be able to defeat us on this plane either.” On Monday, Israeli hackers told Ynet that they are in possession of the details of thousands of credit cards used on Saudi shopping websites and will release them at “the right moment” in retaliation for the Saudi hackers’ attacks on Israeli citizens.
Israeli TV anchor Yair Lapid entering politics J E R U S A L E M ( J TA ) — Veteran Israeli journalist Yair Lapid has left his job as a television news anchor to enter politics. It is expected that Lapid, who made the announcement Sunday, will form his own independent party with a liberal bent. Lapid left his job at Israel’s Channel 2, with no election on the horizon, just days before the Knesset Law Committee is scheduled to vote on a bill that would institute a six-month to one-year cooling-off period for journalists before they can be elected. It has been nicknamed the Yair Lapid Bill. Lapid also has a weekly column in the Yediot Achronot daily newspaper. Lapid’s late father, Yosef (Tommy) Lapid, left journalism to head the liberal-secular Shinui Party. His mother is author Shulamit Lapid.
“In terms of social issues, he has strong views, but he needs to also get out what he does for people,” Kaplan said. During his two terms in the Senate, from 1995 to 2006, Santorum had a positive working relationship with Jewish communal groups in his state, earmarking federal funding for projects they supported, among them the naturally occurring retirement communities, or NORCs, pioneered by the Jewish federations system. “His office was great in terms of helping to find money for projects,” said Robin Schatz, director of government affairs at the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia. It’s a past that other candidates have now turned against him, with earmarks — derided as “pork” — decidedly unpopular among conservatives. Texas Gov. Rick Perry has run anti-Santorum ads that repeat, on a loop, Santorum’s defense of earmarks. Both The Washington Post and The New York Times last week ran front-page stories chronicling Santorum’s profitable post-Senate ties with groups that benefited from his earmarks while he was in Congress. Schatz, however, said that in her experience Santorum went by the book on appropriations. “You really had to jump through hoops” to get funding for a project, she said. “He did due diligence. You had to prove it was a project worthy of federal funding.” Santorum was attentive to the Jewish community — and not just in election years. He convened town hall meetings in Jewish community centers on issues such as health care. “He was very accessible,” Schatz said. “He had a great sense of humor.” She recalled that even when he encountered angry Jewish critics of his social policies, he responded with grace and did not lose his temper. Santorum’s rhetoric on such issues, however, also can be polarizing. In a 2003 interview, when asked whether gay people should refrain from having sex, he responded by defending the constitutionality of anti-sodomy laws, arguing that “if the Supreme Court says that you have the right to consensual sex within your home, then you have the right to bigamy, you have the right to polygamy, you have the right to incest, you have the right to adultery.” While Santorum’s penchant for hard-edged talk on social issues often has defined his public image, supporters point to a softer side. A devout Roman Catholic — albeit one who belonged to the historically Jewish fraternity Tau Epsilon Phi when he was an undergraduate at Penn State — Santorum and his wife, Karen, are the parents of seven children.
On the campaign trail he has moved audiences discussing the loss of an eighth child, Gabriel, who was born premature in 1996 and survived only two hours, and the family’s round-the-clock care for Isabella, his youngest at 3, who was born with Trisomy 18, a disorder that kills most of its victims in their first year of life. Kaplan said he would work to showcase Santorum’s compassion for the needy. He noted Santorum’s role in shaping President George W. Bush’s massive expansion of funding for AIDS victims in Africa. “People think Santorum isn’t someone who could be helping those people out, but he was,” he said. Santorum has stood out from the Republican field with his vigorous opposition to calls from his fellow candidates to slash foreign aid — calls that have been criticized by some supporters of Israel. Perry proposed that aid allocations for all countries should “start at zero” every year before any appropriations are considered, and U.S. Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas) has called for a complete end to foreign aid. Romney, for his part, suggested ending all foreign aid for humanitarian purposes — arguing instead that the U.S. should cede that role to China. During a November debate, Santorum assailed his rivals for “talking about zeroing out foreign aid and humanitarian aid in particular,” warning that such an approach would be self-defeating. “America is that shining city on the hill. It is the city that comes to the aid of those in trouble in the world,” Santorum said. “We have done more good for America in Africa and in the Third World by the things that we have done, and we have saved money and saved military deployments by wisely spending that money — not on our enemies but on folks who can and will be our friends.” Perhaps Santorum’s deepest appeal to Jewish backers is his steadfast pro-Israel posture. As a freshman senator in 1996, he helped shape an earlier installment of Iran sanctions legislation. He also has taken a tough line toward the Palestinians, explaining while campaigning in Iowa that the West Bank “is legitimately Israeli country” and that “all the people that live in the West Bank are Israelis, they’re not Palestinians.” More pronouncedly than any other candidate, he has been supportive of possibile military action against Iran, even delving into particulars. “I would say to every foreign scientist that’s going into Iran to help them with their nuclear program, ‘You will be treated as an enemy combatant,’ ” he said recently on NBC’s “Meet the Press.” Working with Israel, he added, “We will degrade those facilities through airstrikes and make it very public that we are doing that.”
AI
2012 CALENDAR SPECIAL ISSUES & SECTIONS
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J ANUARY
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2 Kids/Summer Camps *Section 9 16 23 Purim
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1 Event Planning 8 15 22 29 Gift Guide *Section
6 Gift Guide *Section 13 Chanukah *Issue 20 27
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