Jewish Life Now®

NO W

WANDER NO MORE BROOKE BURKE

From divorce, cancer, and DWTS to fitness guru RUDY

ROCHMAN Redefining Jewish activism

LIZ KENNEDY Leveling up the beauty industry

ELON GOLD

“I never shy away from my Jewishness in my comedy”

DAVID DRAIMAN:

“Frontman of Disturbed... older, wiser, no more caps, no bullshit.”

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JEWISH LIFE NOW ®

Publisher@Jewishlifenow.com Editor@Jewishlifenow.com Advertise@Jewishlifenow.com

JUNE/JULY 2023

PUBLISHER

Cindy Saltzman

ADVERTISING AND EDITORIAL DIRECTOR

Cindy Saltzman

CONTRIBUTING EDITOR

Debra Rich Gettleman

ART DIRECTOR

Tamara Kopper

COPY EDITOR

Allison Mintz

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Micheal Fox

Ellen Braunstein

Sergio Carmona

Tara Dublin

Michelle Talsma Everson

Debra Rich Gettleman

Beth Krom

Allison Kugel

Shannon Levitt

Allison Mintz

McGwire Pinkus

Ilene Schneider

The content and opinions in JewishLife Now ® do not necessarily reflect those of the publishers, staff or contractors. Articles and columns are for informational purposes only and not intended as a substitute for professional advice. Although every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of our published materials, Jewish Life Now ®, and its agents, publishers, employees and contractors will not be held responsible for the misuse of any information contained herein. The publishers reserve the right to refuse any advertisement. Publication of advertisements does not constitute endorsement of products or services.

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CINDY SALTZMAN PUBLISHER

“ INSPIRING THE WORLD ONE JEW AT A TIME ”

LETTER FROM THE PUBLISHER

Welcome to the inaugural issue of Jewish Life Now; a new and different type of contemporary Jewish lifestyle magazine. Elegant, modern and engaging, Jewish Life Now reflects the best of who we are.

It is our hope that as you explore these pages, you will find the content to be unique, compelling, sometimes surprising, but always dynamic and interesting.

Why Jewish Life Now ® ?

We feel the time is long overdue to remind the world, and perhaps more importantly, ourselves, of the amazing and inspiring Jewish people that influence our lives. At a time when antisemitism is at an all-time high, many have been put in a defensive position of defining their Judaism by what we are not. But knowing who we are is even more important. As Jews, as Americans, as citizens of the world, we have much to be proud of and to celebrate.

In these pages and on our website, you can explore exclusive interviews with celebrities and influencers, as well as articles on home, food, entertaining ideas, justice warriors, and people in your community making an impact.

So whether you are a "professional Jew" or a "barely there Jew", an Orthodox Jew or "bagels are my Judaism Jew", are Ashkenazi, Sephardic, or Mizrachi, a Jew of color or a newly minted Jew, or are simply looking for "your tribe with a new vibe" Jew, we are here for you and all about you. We have more in common than not.

The bottom line is that you are not alone, and we are all in this together.

CINDY SALTZMAN

“People tell me, ‘I'm no antisemite. I'm just anti-Israel.’

I say, ‘Who do you think lives in Israel, Martians?’ ”

Actress Lauren London, Currently starring in the Netflix hit, “You People,” has come a long way since she described herself as the “Little half-black, halfJewish girl who was odd and awkward.”

She recently said on the podcast “People Every Day” that filming “You People” in Los Angeles “felt personal” because "some of those areas that we shot in, I liked because they were Jewish. There was also some stuff I learned by being in the movie that I didn’t know.”

“I said that!”

"What are you going to do with your one precious life? I'm gonna use it.... If you can help, you should. If you can reach behind you and help somebody, put your hand back. And also be humble enough to receive. Put your hand forward sometimes too and receive the help."

RONALD LAUDER BUSINESS LEADER, PHILANTHROPIST

LAUREN LONDON ACTOR

~PINK (Pink on the Zane Lowe Show on Apple Music)

TIFFANY

HADDISH COMEDIAN ACTOR

“I didn't know anything about Judaism for a long time. I started learning more and more about the Torah. I could really relate to it. And when I met my father, it really resonated with me. I was like: ‘This is what I am.’ I did my 23andMe, and it said the same thing. I can't deny this. I want to claim this.”

JOSH GAD ACTOR

“I made a vow to never forget. And with every ounce of my being and every fiber of my existence, I confront those that romanticize the bigotry and the hate that led to the unthinkable.”

"We've all heard a lot of nonsense recently about Jews running Hollywood. And I would like to say, as a Jewish woman, so what if they do? Who cares? The French run bakeries, Italians run the mafia, and Swedish people run Ikea."

STEVEN SPIELBERG FILM DIRECTOR, WRITER AND PRODUCER.

“Antisemitism has always been there, it’s either been just around the corner and slightly out of sight but always lurking, or it has been much more overt like in Germany in the ’30s. But not since Germany in the ’30s have I witnessed antisemitism no longer lurking, but standing proud with hands on hips like Hitler and Mussolini, kind of daring us to defy it. I’ve never experienced this in my entire life, especially in this country.”

“Going to Auschwitz and standing in the place that my grandmother last saw her mother get beaten and taken to the gas chambers. {I was} holding my mom's hand and crying. I think {holocaust education} is more important than ever....I have a younger generation that follows me. Maybe I can be that education for them.”

MONTANA TUCKER SINGER, SONGWRITER, DANCER

CHELSEA HANDLER COMEDIAN, ACTOR, WRITER, TELEVISION HOST, PRODUCER R ODUCER.

Adam Kulbersh: Third Jew From the Left

By Debra Rich Gettleman

WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT ACTORS , who comes to mind? Brad Pitt? Jennifer Lopez? Laverne Cox? Right away your mind goes to an A list of superstars who earn millions every time they step onto the red carpet. But what you might not know, is that there are a lot of actors who work consistently, make a nice living, and are essential to the business of show. Adam Kulbersh is one of those actors. “There’s a big world in the middle,” Adam shares. “I’m a middle-class actor.”

You might not know his name, but you will definitely recognize his face. After hundreds of commercials and recurring tv roles on shows like SVU, Agents of Shield, and Better Things, Adam Kulbersh is a face you shouldn’t forget. A Jewish kid from Atlanta, Adam earned his BA in Russian Literature and his BFA in Theatre at the University of Texas before deciding to apply to be one of the first American college students to study at the famed Moscow Art Theatre in Russia. He was one of only four Americans accepted to the program. He lets me know it was tough. “In American theatre programs, you always get the feedback sandwich, you know, praise, criticism, praise. They don’t do that in Moscow.” In fact, to this day when faced with a daunting task, Adam reminds himself, “I made it through the Moscow Art Theatre. I can do anything.” That and he successfully ran the New York marathon in under four hours. Those two accomplishments help him confront all of life’s challenges. And Adam Kulbersh is not a man who shies away from challenges.

As a single gay man wanting to adopt a child, Adam went through a lot to get his beloved son, Jack. “The adoption process is onerous,” he recalls, “Especially when you’re going it solo.” From intensive parenting classes to home visits, the ups and downs are like a roller coaster.

“Growing up in the 80s,” Adam confides, “The idea of gay marriage and gay adoption was absurd. But that all changed over a very short period.” He grew up with a big family and big Jewish holiday celebrations. “Family and family traditions have always been very important to me,” he recalls. “Watching how a big family interacts, I always knew I wanted kids. “But when I was ready to start a family, there wasn’t a spouse or an almost spouse in my life.” So, after a lot of self-searching, Adam realized “Just because this one dream isn’t working out, it doesn’t mean you should delay this other thing. Because the window can pass on both of these things.”

Parenting his son Jack, now in kindergarten, is unquestionably his favorite role. “Adopting a child is a very conscious process.” He states. “And It makes you really think and question what parenting should be about. My job is to give wings, not weights.” While he admits that parenting solo can be tough. He insists that the worst part is not having anyone else to make decisions with. “But the best part,” he laughs, “Is not having anyone else to make decisions with.”

Adam admits he’s faced plenty of roadblocks in his life. He lost his older sister as a young boy in a

Just because this one dream isn’t working out, it doesn’t mean you should delay this other thing. Because the window can pass on both of these things.

~Adam Kulbersh

Adam on the set of Major Crimes.

tragic playground accident. He faced deep struggles as a teen desperately trying to find himself. But he’s never lost his cheery upbeat disposition. “Finding the joy in the struggle is an inherently Jewish value,” he explains, “Nothing ever comes easy for us. We’re everyone’s scapegoat. But as Jews, we’ve learned how to be happy warriors, how to find the ‘ha ha’ in every situation.”

Finding the perfect school for Jack, who is Black, was very important for Kulbersh. The public schools in his area were racially diverse, but that diversity included few Black students. When he discovered Campbell Hall, where nearly half of the students are non-white, and where there is a thriving Black student population, he knew he had found a fabulous community of diversity. Creating a society for their blended family is key for Adam. “I want Jack to see himself in the other students, the teachers, the principals. An essential goal was to make sure he is surrounded by positive role models who look like him.”

Adam counts himself incredibly lucky on both personal and professional fronts. As an actor, he

1. Adam on the Red Carpet.

2. Adam and the cast of Murder in the First.

3. Adam with media genius, Gary Marshall.

4. Adam with reality princess, Paris Hilton.

5. Adam's current role on Lopez vs Lopez.

ADAM KULBERSH

smiles, “I’ve been fortunate to play 3rd Jew from the left on dozens of tv shows. I’m the guy they call when they’re looking for an average Joe.” He lovingly recounts a story about how an agent, early in his career, told him, “They’re looking for an average Joe, and Adam, there’s no one more average than you.”

When he’s not acting, Adam keeps himself creatively active as an acting coach and writer in LA. He’s sold several tv shows and feature films and is now under contract to write movies for The Hallmark Channel. “I absolutely love it,” he shares, “I get to create happy worlds where things go right. It’s a nice escape for people. I’m incredibly lucky to have so many opportunities to stay creative.”

He’s currently loving his behind-the-scenes role as dialogue coach on the popular NBC show Lopez vs Lopez, starring George and Mayan Lopez. Adam’s job is to creatively support the talent in any way they need. The popular sitcom deals with the complicated father/daughter relationship. “It’s incredibly real,” he tells me, “The show deals with real issues that affect real families,” If you follow the Lopez family on social media, you know that George and Mayan have been very public about

Finding the joy in the struggle is an inherently Jewish value,” he explains, “Nothing ever comes easy for us. We’re everyone’s scapegoat. But as Jews, we’ve learned how to be happy warriors, how to find the ‘ha ha’ in every situation.

~Adam Kulbersh

the challenges in their relationship. Adam says he’s impressed with the Lopez family’s fearless portrayal of the truth. “The show is so great because it’s honest, and funny as hell. They find the humor in awkward situations and uncomfortable relationships. But they never deny the truth.” In a Hollywood filled with perfect posturing and ever-sunny family façades, that’s a rarity. After a successful first 13 episodes, the show was picked up for an additional 9, currently filming. And there are high

hopes for more seasons to come.

What’s next for Adam Kulbersh? Well, he’s not looking to “make it.” “What does that even mean,” he questions, “There is no destination called ‘made it.” I get to define success for myself.” Continuing to work and be creative is what Kulbersh wants. “If I never move up to 2nd Jew from the left, that’s okay. As long as I get to tell stories and entertain people –I’ve succeeded. That’s my small way of contributing to the world.” ♦

Adam and Jack

JANET YELLEN

And you think you’ve had a tough spring?

Amidst major economic pressures, several bank closures and a major debt ceiling deadline, Janet Yellen continues to lead our economy as the first woman (and the first Jewish woman) to serve as Secretary of the US Department of the Treasury. Long known as “a small lady with a large IQ,” Yellen continues to fight to get the US economy back on track.

DR. MERVA GALILI

Another woman shattering glass ceilings (tiqrat zkhukhit), Dr. Merav Galili is CEO at Menomadin Foundation, where she specializes in creating and implementing innovative practices, designated to promote impact economy in Israel and Africa. Dr. Galili tells the Times of Israel, “We live in a world in which new opportunities for education — made possible by impactful investments in infrastructure, digital learning, and online employment opportunities — can change the horizons of an entire generation.

HASIDIC GIRL MAKES GOOD

The Honorable Judge Ruchie Freier is the first Hasidic woman to be elected to public office in the US and the first Hasidic female judge. She was recently appointed to the NY State Supreme Court. To those who challenge her traditional role with her professional status, she asserts in a CBS News interview, “If God created me as a woman in a Hasidic community with these ambitions and these dreams that means I could make it happen.”

JANET YELLEN

DR. MERVA GALILI

JUDGE RUCHIE FREIER

MEAN JEWISH GIRLS?

Multiple New York Times best-selling author Rosalind Wiseman who wrote Queen Bees and Wannabes: Helping Your Daughter Survive Cliques, Gossip, Boyfriends, and the New Realities of Girl World, is hopping mad at mean girl producer Tina Fey. Wiseman is suing Fey and Paramount for what she calls a “fair share” of the royalties from the film and the Broadway musical. In a recent NY Post interview, Wiseman describes her disappointment with Fey, “Over the years Tina’s spoken so eloquently about women supporting other women, but it’s gotten increasingly clear to me that, in my own personal experience, that’s not going to be the experience. You don’t just talk about supporting women, you actually do it.”

I'M READY FOR MY CLOSE-UP

Drew Binsky has traveled the world showing his 3.6 million YouTube subscribers unique communities around the globe. A Reform Jew, Binsky, whose real last name is Goldberg, put out his latest video highlighting Hasidic Jewish Communities of Brooklyn, which he describes in NY Jewish Week as “The most religious and closed-off community in America.” The video has garnered nearly 800,000 views since posted on April 24th.

PLANT-BASED MEDIUM RARE?

Israeli start-up Meat the End (MTE) just introduced the first ever plant-based hamburger made from the texturized proteins in chickpeas. MTE found a way to multi-purpose one of Israel’s favorite food staples. “The future of the protein supply chain is - diversity,” says CEO Yishai Mishor in an interview with Jewish Business News. “That’s why we are incredibly proud of our development, a result of unique scientific and technological work, at the end of which we present a burger with the taste and smell of meat, and a texture that resembles meat, without competition.”

ROSALIND WISEMAN

DREW BINSKY (LEFT)

YISHAI MISHOR

Creating Connection and Continuity

The Jewish Future Pledge ensures funding for the Jewish Future

By Ilene Schneider

BUSINESS EXECUTIVE AND philanthropist Mike Leven grew up in a Jewish household, went to a Jewish camp, and worked at a Jewish camp. He went to college, became an attorney, got married, had children, and joined a synagogue in a variety of different places where he lived during the time between ages 24 and 48.

At 48 Mike became president of a company in Atlanta, Georgia. He received a call from the head of the annual giving campaign for the Jewish Federation.

“He said you’re going to give a $5,000 donation to the Federation, which put me in a young leadership program.”

Leven got involved and has been involved ever since, discovering and returning to his roots and participating in many legacy Jewish organizations. As time went on and he had more resources, he became more involved, from a giving standpoint. His children saw what he was doing and began to do likewise. Leven currently serves on the boards of The Marcus Foundation; AEPi Fraternity Foundation; Birthright Israel Foundation; Board of Advisors of Prager University; HERSHA Hospitality Trust; Independent Women’s Voice; Turning Point USA Board of Advisors and SESTRA Group.

However, he sensed a problem. As he explained, “One of the big issues facing the Jewish community is engagement with the organized Jewish community – the legacy organizations. How do you get people involved if they don’t have any kind of background? About 30 percent of the Jewish population is involved in the Jewish community. What will happen to future generations?”

We are working to ignite a surge in Jewish pride, secure funds to ensure the Jewish future, and spark critical intergenerational conversations about why the Jewish people matter.

~Mike Leven

MIKE LEVEN I saw David Horowitz from the Times of Israel give a lecture a number of years ago. He said he’s worried about the wealth transfer and whether that portion of wealth will be delivered in the same way it’s being delivered today. So that’s the reason I started the Jewish Future Pledge, and then I came up with the Jewish Youth Pledge, because I think we have to start earlier than that. I’m not resting only on the people who are the parents and grandparents and great-grandparents. I want to see kids making sure that they pledge to commit themselves to the Jewish future and Israel’s future.”

He added, “The Jewish community is at a crossroads. A rising percentage of young people are disconnecting from their Jewish identity and Israel. Jewish institutions are struggling to attract the next generation of donors. We are working to ignite a surge in Jewish pride, secure funds to ensure the Jewish future, and spark critical intergenerational conversations about why the Jewish people matter.”

Inspired by Warren Buffet’s and Bill Gates’ Giving Pledge, Mike co-founded the Jewish Future Pledge to carry on his family’s commitment to Judaism. Leven explained, “I got into the Jewish future pledge, because I want to make sure that 30 percent continue their involvement to the next generation and to the generation after the next generation. The problem is that so many Jewish organizations need support from the existing donors that they spend most of their time on the existing customers and forget the fact that they have to find new customers, so I set up the organization differently.”

The Jewish Future Pledge is a worldwide movement inspiring Jews to make a commitment that from the funds they leave to charity at their passing, at least half will be earmarked to support the Jewish people and/or the State of Israel. Taking the Pledge sends a signal to family, friends, and the community that the Jewish Future matters. The Pledge is not a fundraiser for a specific Jewish organization or a commitment for a specific amount of money. It is a moral commitment to the Jewish people, whether people plan to leave $10 or $10 million to charity.

Leven, who has served as the chairman and chief executive officer of the Georgia Aquarium, president and chief operating officer of the Las Vegas Sands Corporation, chairman and chief executive officer of US Franchise Systems, president and chief operating officer of Holiday Inn Worldwide, and president of Days Inn of America, said that $68 trillion will transfer to the next generation in the next 25 years. About 20 percent of these charitable dollars will be given by Jewish donors. The Jewish Future Pledge aims to ensure that half of the amount allocated to charity by these Jewish donors, more than $600 billion, is set aside for Jewish causes.

Leven explained, “The reason I did it was because

He concluded, “One of the things I’m proud of is we have 12,500 signatures already. If you even take $25,000 a signature that’s going to be left Jewishly, which is a low average considering that we have some big donors and major foundations involved, we’re talking about a serious amount of money. We’re running at about 1000 signatures a month on each pledge at the moment. We even have a number of pledges from people who don’t appear to be Jews. We have signatures from all over the world, but the majority of the money that’s given is from the United States and Canada to Jewish causes and Israel.”

THE JEWISH YOUTH PLEDGE

Asking Jewish teens and young adults around the globe to commit to being active, contributing members of the Jewish community throughout their lives, the Jewish Youth Pledge attempts to spark Jewish pride to give Jewish youth, ages 13 to 24, the motivation and confidence to contribute to a strong Jewish future. A first-of-its-kind initiative, the Jewish Youth Pledge asks Jewish teens and young adults to commit to being active, contributing members of the Jewish community throughout their lives.

There are three steps. Using a turnkey program, young people work with a pre-planned lesson, including videos and discussion prompts, to engage with their Jewish heritage and role in the Jewish community. After completing the Jewish Youth Pledge program, participants are asked to write a letter to their future selves answering questions such as, “If you could meet yourself in the future, what would you hope to hear that you had accomplished or contributed?” The letter is stored in a secure

Digital Time Capsule and shared with participants at key junctures throughout the next two decades of their lives.

BROOKE BURKE

Life after Dancing with the Stars, divorce and cancer, to a life of meaning, wellness and joy

By Allison Kugel

FROM COVETED LINGERIE MODEL TO popular television host to fitness guru, Brooke Burke has lived many lives in her fifty-one years on this planet and her more than two decades in the entertainment industry. She is living proof that you can grow wiser and more selfassured while remaining healthy, vibrant, and youthful through total body wellness, both inside and out.

During my conversation with Brooke, she muses about the hard-earned lessons she’s gained from two divorces, one of which she laments was from “the love of my life,” her journey in healing from thyroid cancer, her sharp rise in television and then sudden dismissal from ABC/Disney primetime juggernaut Dancing with the Stars, and some humbling moments that ultimately led to reflection and re-invention.

Now at midlife and definitely not looking worse for wear, Brooke has once again found what she calls “a healthy love” with longtime partner Scott Rigsby. She’s applying her mind, body, and spirit-based wisdom toward helping other women through her mobile and streaming fitness platform Brooke Burke Body and her superfood blends, Brooke Burke Longevity. When pressed about women and body image, Brooke insists that her platform is about engaging women on a holistic level to help them feel healthy, strong, and confident no matter their body type or previous level of fitness.

Allison Kugel: What are three pivotal events that have made you the person you are today?

Brooke Burke: Motherhood is the obvious one, but it really did instantly change my whole life. It’s my greatest learning opportunity. They’re my best teachers and it’s the greatest and hardest part of my life. I’m just keeping it real. Another one that is funny but true is winning Dancing with the Stars, which was a huge accomplishment and the hardest thing I’ve ever done. It was the most terrifying thing I’ve ever done, and I’ve never worked harder at anything else in my life. It was thrilling, and even though it’s a silly mirror ball trophy, like big deal; it was three months, seven days a week of blood, sweat, pain and tears, and everything in between.

Allison Kugel: Did you think you had any shot of winning at the time?

Brooke Burke: No. I actually wanted to stick around for a couple weeks (laughs). And then halfway through, you kind of want to get out of it because it’s so difficult. So that was amazing, and that segued me into hosting the show, which was also fantastic. Another pivotal event in my life was divorce, because that really changes you, and changed my expectations and the way I approached life. It taught me how to surrender and taught me about self-love, acceptance, and the power of change. It started me on my journey of transformation. I think after 19 years of marriage, having those moments by myself was really telling and eye-opening. It’s an amazing opportunity to be by myself as a woman, which you really don’t get if you’re married and you’re with children.

Allison Kugel: Did divorce make you feel like that whole starry-eyed expectation of finding “the one” and living happily ever after got shattered?

Brooke Burke: I don’t still want that or need that. I had that in one marriage when I was intoxicated by love, and I didn’t [have that] in the other, when I was trying to be responsible. One was the love of my life and my soulmate, and one wasn’t. I really am passionate about a healthy love right now with boundaries; a love that has purpose and

that’s fulfilling. I’m so blessed to be in my new relationship with Scott (Brooke’s current partner). He’s an incredible human being, but it is the healthiest time of my life and maybe it’s because I’ve defined my own boundaries as a woman now in my 50s. Maybe it’s because I brought everything that I didn’t quite get right with me to the table. I bring a better version of myself to this relationship, but it’s different now.

Allison Kugel: You started as a Fredericks of

Hollywood model way back in the day and you successfully made the leap to television with your first show, E!’s Wild On!? I’m sure a lot of models would love an opportunity like that. How did it happen?

Brooke Burke: I think it’s a painful story for some people to hear, because it wasn’t like I pounded the pavement and went on every audition. I actually was doing commercial advertising and studying business advertising in

school. I was doing some modeling and I went on an audition a friend of mine sent me on for the Wild On! gig. It was just taking advantage of the right opportunity. I accepted the gig and learned on the road and got all of my entertainment experience within my first contract on E!. It was an amazing show to do. We covered 40 countries in a short period of time, and more than 100 countries around the world. I actually brought my daughter Neriah on the road with me as a baby for the first few years of her life. Then that segued into other things. I love being in the wellness space right now. I never thought I would be in this business and start my own company (Brooke Burke Body). I knew I would start my own business, and I’m really passionate about it. I love this space it’s so fulfilling and it’s the greatest way that I know how to connect with women around the world. I’m doing something that feels good and that really matters to me.

Allison Kugel: Was fitness always a huge part of your life, or did your 2012 diagnosis with thyroid cancer jumpstart your fitness journey?

Brooke Burke: Fitness was always a big part of my life. I think I have a much better and much clearer understanding of my body today than I did back then. Being diagnosed with thyroid cancer segued me into being an advocate for women’s health, and it was really because of the process of being diagnosed during a yearly physical. It gave me an understanding of the value of medical knowledge and kind of fighting for that and telling my story

Being diagnosed with thyroid cancer segued me into being an advocate for women’s health, and it was really because of the process of being diagnosed during a yearly physical.

~Brooke Burke

to inspire and to help many other people. It was about understanding the value of being a great patient and understanding the medical possibilities that we have today. I really do believe that it’s the mind body and spirit. It’s the union of all these things. I can show people how to get in shape all day long. It’s not just how we care for ourselves, it’s also how we speak to ourselves, how we meet ourselves, how we fuel our bodies. How we get our inner strength is really important to me. The messaging of Brooke Burke Body is really about mindful fitness, mindful movement, and incorporating mantras. It’s knowing how to slow down and listen, valuing yourself and changing our inner dialogue.

Allison Kugel: What do you believe created the cancer?

Brooke Burke: I think that our body weeps the tears that we don’t cry. I love that saying. I think there are toxic energies and feelings that we compartmentalize that affect our body, with cancer in particular. I’m not sure I could blame it on the environment, but who the hell knows. Are emotional traumas toxic? Sure, they are. How it rocked me was that it showed me there’s something a little bit larger than wellness philosophies that could really change my body, and that was really scary. People often ask me did it make me take better care of myself? No, because I was doing that already. What it taught me was how diligent we need to be in our self-care and having those markers, gaining that knowledge and paying attention to the science. There’s usually an event that happens that shifts us or makes us change. We don’t just decide, “I’m going to find this healthy lifestyle.”

Allison Kugel: With your brand, Brooke Burke Body, people can download the app on just about every platform to learn and apply your fitness tools and routines, and your Longevity brand is comprised of superfood blends for smoothies, and you adhere to these practices daily. What do you think keeps people from being consistent, and what is it that keeps you consistent?

Brooke Burke: I think time is a big issue. There are a million reasons not to work out. There are a million excuses. I always tell people to lean into the other side of it. Be afraid of not working out and not caring for yourself, more than you’re afraid of trying something new. I think there is fear, insecurities, and people get stuck in a rut and don’t know where to begin. My app is really designed for everyone. It is a digital gym. It’s about creating a space in a room; your hotel room, and your living room. I have workouts we can do in the kitchen and in the office, in bed, on the sofa, inside and outside. It’s something for everyone of all ages, and it’s really about creating energy. Make a personal commitment, hold yourself accountable, know that you’re worthy, and change your narrative. I think we need that at all stages of our life. Get an accountability partner to do it with you. We’re doing a fiveweek program this December where you can digitally come over to my kitchen, and we’re doing the kitchen bar burn. It’s super fun live content.

[Antisemitism] is sad to me, but it’s also reckless, and I think social media allows people a platform while not always holding them accountable for what they say.

~Brooke Burke

I also teach Zoom classes on Fridays for everyone that wants to sign up.

Allison Kugel: What are your thoughts on the body positivity movement?

Brooke Burke: I love body confidence and it’s super important when raising children. With my daughters, I’m so careful with my words. I’m a size two, so take that off the table and who cares what size we are and how much we weigh. I think it’s about finding your feel-good and feeling beautiful at different stages of your life, and with every size. I don’t like to use numbers and sizes, and what you weigh on a scale anymore. We’re talking about strength, body confidence, and I want women to tap into their self-love space and their own inner dialogue, and to find their own self-confidence. If you don’t feel good about your body, then you need to make some changes. If you do feel good about your body, I am celebrating it all the way. You either change something in your life or you change the way you feel about it, and we’re celebrating healthy women. I think we’re celebrating voluptuous women right now. I personally love that, and I think it’s beautiful. Do I think it’s healthy? It depends on what your ratio is, what your index of body fat is, and where you’re storing that. There may be a size 14 plus size woman who has more energy and mobility than a size 6 woman. One of the things that I have women say out loud in class is, “I am worthy, I am strong. I am capable. I am beautiful.” There are a lot of women struggling with that, and if you can’t say “I’m beautiful,” you need to keep saying it until you start to believe it, because we all deserve that. We are all looking outward right now on social media. We look to everyone else to make us feel good, and I think that’s a really dangerous place to be. We have to bring it back to center, go inward and celebrate ourselves.

Allison Kugel: What’s the hardest lesson you’ve ever had to learn, and how does it now serve you?

Brooke Burke: What comes to the top of mind would be when I had to surrender in my fantasy of forever. I felt love lasted forever. I would have sworn that I would have been married forever. That was the intention, that goal that was sort of the fairytale. That was a big turning point and a

big surrender for me, to not equate divorce with failure, and to realize that there was a need for change. I had to redesign my idea of what family was supposed to look like. That really changed me, and it was a very hard lesson to share with my children. I really thought I was making love last forever, and it doesn’t mean that I don’t believe in it today. I just surrendered to what was, and I didn’t give up. I really fought the fight until it was time to change, and I think that’s an important concept. But sometimes change is necessary, so that was a deep learning lesson for me.

Allison Kugel: How has that now made you a better partner?

Brooke Burke: I think I bring all that experience to the table as a woman. Scott and I both do. We bring all of those lessons to our relationship. This relationship is more precious to me because I know how fragile it could be. I don’t take love for granted. I think a lot of people do, and I think that’s dangerous.

Allison Kugel: How do you know when you’re in love?

Brooke Burke: It has changed so much through the years. I know I’m in love when I have a feeling of fulfillment, and when it feels good. Love has a beautiful flow to it. There’s not a resistance. It’s not a struggle. Love is complicated, especially with a blended family, but there’s an ease and contentment and a sense of fulfillment that I have all the time now with Scott. It’s such a relief, it’s so joyful, and it feels safe. I think love should feel safe.

Allison Kugel: What do you think you came into this world as Brooke Burke to learn, and what do you think you came here to teach?

Brooke Burke: I think I came here to teach women how to connect with themselves, and it’s also been one of the greatest lessons in my life, for me and my children. I think I’m learning now in my late 40s and 50s the value of stillness of space; personal space as a mother, a businesswoman and entrepreneur, and raising four children. There’s very little time for self, and I take that very seriously now and I create those moments. I’m working on a body of work right now called a “Soul Contract.” It’s about the commitment to self and defining those boundaries, and the promises that we make, and how we value those and keep them.

I’ve defined my own boundaries as a woman now in my 50s. Maybe it’s because I brought everything that I didn’t quite get right with me to the table. I bring a better version of myself to this relationship, but it’s different now.

~Brooke Burke

Allison Kugel: You’re a Jewish woman. I’m a Jewish woman. What are your thoughts on all of the recent anti-Semitism that has been in the news? Do you get angry and pissed off or do you try to lead with love?

Brooke Burke: I don’t really meet racism with love on any level to anyone. I take that very seriously. I don’t take things personally in the media, whether it’s a headline that was incorrect about me or something I said that was misinterpreted. I don’t really internalize a lot of that, even on social media when it comes to criticism and the world we’re living in right now. There are so many moments to feel bad about. Unapologetically, I’m who I am and I’m really proud of my culture. I’m proud of my religion. My children are proud of who they are. It’s all very confusing and it opens up the need for deeper dialogue. It’s interesting that there’s so much talk about Judaism right now and there’s so much negativity in the world on all levels, with so many misunderstandings. Yes, we have that dialogue with my children at home, about knowing who they are and being proud of it. It’s such a fragile time right now on so many levels. It’s hard to speak openly and to speak up or to have an opinion. We can hardly say anything these days. [Antisemitism] is sad to me, but it’s also reckless, and I think social media allows people a platform while not always holding them accountable for what they say. And now it’s become very impersonal. I struggle with how you try to rise above? Do you correct ignorance? Do you speak out, and if so, how do you speak out? Will your words be twisted? And then you think about the history of it. And I mean working for a network you really can’t say much of anything. We all know how that goes. But I don’t feel the need to correct anyone. I parent my children. I correct them when I need to. Then there is a kind of surrender with everybody else, because it’s not my role. It’s just not my place nor would it serve me. I just think it’s sad. There’s a lot of ignorance, and it’s a lack of education.

Allison Kugel: Your 2014 dismissal from

Dancing with the Stars was somewhat disrespectful. You were blindsided when you were suddenly let go. How do you handle rejection?

Brooke Burke: It’s hard. It’s an amazing conversation to have, because how do we process rejection and what did that moment really mean for me? I was hired on what I thought was the greatest show during that time, and I was then let go of that show. If I didn’t have other meaningful things in my life, if I wasn’t grounded, and if I didn’t have a foundation that was built on purpose and a loving family, I would imagine that I would have been quite lost. The entertainment business is so unpredictable and so out of our hands and can be so inconsiderate at times. I always tell people to make sure you have meaning in your life, and you do things that really matter that go far beyond that. I have been so blessed. I love working in the entertainment business, but I have a lot of other things that really feed my soul. That moment, being let go from Dancing with the Stars, it was a really shitty departure and unexpected and shocking, and not handled in a gentlemanly way, but that’s showbiz. So, that wasn’t the surprise. The surprise was those moments where you expect to be treated the way that you treat other people. People don’t really let us down; they break our expectations. That moment allowed me to dig a little deeper and say, “Okay. What’s next?” It inspired me to get more creative and find the next opportunity to start Brooke Burke Body.

Allison Kugel: How can people find your Brooke Burke Body and Longevity brands?

Brooke Burke: Brook Burke Body is everywhere. It’s on every Smart TV. It’s in the App Store. I guess the easiest way to find me is at BrookeBurke.com. It’s a portal for all things longevity: recipes, blogs, community inspiration and all of the fitness work that I do. ♦

Follow Brooke Burke on Instagram @brookeburke and at www.brookeburke.com

Listen to the extended interview with Brooke Burke on the Allison Interviews podcast at Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Watch on YouTube and follow Allison Kugel on Instagram @ theallisonkugel and at www.allisoninterviews.com .

ELON Show

ELON GOLD

biz and shul biz

By Tara Dublin

TALKING TO ELON GOLD was like having a conversation with a cousin I hadn’t seen since his Bar Mitzvah in the early 80s. We’re both Gen X Jews (in fact, we spoke the day after he turned 52) from the TriState area (he grew up in the Pelham Parkway area of the Bronx, while I was a 15-minute drive from the Jersey shore), and we both agreed we came up in the “prime time” for Jewish comedy.

Before we got going, I warned Elon-who is very observant, down to the daily tefillin--that I am a self-described “Bad Jew,” but this didn’t faze him at all, because Elon Gold embraces literally all humans at any stage in their belief systems. We actually didn’t linger on the topic of religion, sticking more to how our similar backgrounds informed our cultural Jewishness, specifically our humor. It’s our defense mechanism and our great strength. There’s no one funnier than Jews, we agreed (comedy is just tragedy plus time, with additional suffering for us), and Elon Gold is one of the funniest. One of three creative and talented sons who tried the typical straight-andnarrow paths taken by a lot of smart Jewish kids (medicine, Wall Street) only to eschew it for show business (his brother Steven Gold is a composer and music producer, working primarily in the areas of television and film; his youngest brother, the prolific artist/ rapper Ari Gold, who was also openly gay, passed away in February 2021 after a long battle with leukemia), Elon was obsessed with comedy from a young age and never once shied away from his Jewishness when performing. In fact, he learned not only to embrace it, but he made it a central part of his stand-up after he inadvertently learned an important lesson in embracing his Jewishness from his father.

Elon’s father worked as an assistant principal, but he and his wife loved Broadway. So with the little bit of extra money he had, he would go to “backer’s auditions” where he could invest in plays and musicals before they got to Broadway. “So I invested in many shows that opened and closed,” Elon says, relishing the eventual punchline that only he knows is coming. And then there was one show he saw before it ever went to Broadway and he said, “This is an amazing show. It’s probably the best show I’ve ever seen, but it’s too Jewish. I’m not going to invest in it.” Then, after the perfect dramatic pause for effect: “Of course, that was ‘Fiddler On the Roof,’” Elon delivers. “And thanks to that decision, we

I

told my children that there are just some really bad people out there who don’t have what our family has, which is love in their hearts for all people. They (antisemites) just have hatred. And they’re mean people who are just mean to anyone, like bullies.

~Elon Gold

grew up in an apartment in the Bronx instead of in a nice house up in Westchester. That taught me a lesson. Never be afraid to be too Jewish or to invest in anything that’s too Jewish.”

Elon’s first special, which was released in 2014 on Netflix and is now streaming on Amazon Prime Video, is called “Elon Gold: Chosen & Taken.” He equates his comedy to how Jennifer Lopez has albums in both English and Spanish for “her people.” Elon has one act where he has bits about

being Jewish but then he has another act that’s so Jewish that non-Jews would not understand many of the references. “Sometimes I put on a warning label, ‘Some material may not be suitable for gentiles,’” says Elon. “We did that on a poster of my first one-man show that premiered at the Montreal Comedy Festival, which was called ‘Elon Gold Half Jewish, Half Very Jewish.’”

“I never shy away from my Jewishness in my comedy, in anything I’m doing in show business,” Elon said. “Over the last decade or so, I’ve had two careers and certainly two acts. I call it showbiz and shul biz.” *rimshot*

Aside from his acting work on the 11th season of “Curb Your Enthusiasm” as “The Hulu Executive,” Elon also starred in the sitcom “Stacked” with Pamela Anderson, guest-starred in “The Mentalist,” “Crashing,” and “Frasier,” and has appeared on “The Tonight Show” an impressive 10 times. But for me, the first thing that pops into my Gen X brain is Elon’s spoton impression of Jeff Goldblum, which is absolute genius. He also does killer impressions of Howard Stern, Robert De Niro, Morgan Freeman, Alec Baldwin, and more.

And leave it to a smart, creative, and clever son of an educator to figure out a great way to maximize his time during a time of historic stagnancy: the COVID-19 pandemic. Not only did Elon use everyone’s forced captivity to his advantage, he somehow managed to become somewhat ubiquitous while never leaving his LA home by turning his back office into a makeshift studio with cameras and lights and started “My Funny Quarantine” on Instagram Live. Every night, Monday through Thursday at 7 pm, Elon hosted A-list guests for muchneeded comic relief. He also created another

Cast members of Curb Your Enthusiasm ; Larry David, Jeff Garlin and Elon Gold.

show on Instagram Live called “The Bachor” – a Jewish dating show that started as a suggestion by his friend, screenwriter Jeremy Garelick (“The Hangover”). One favorite guest: the 60-yearold woman who only dates 35-year-old men. “It’s almost too easy to mock the situation,” says Elon. “My favorite line was when she took out a cigarette, and I go, ‘Oh, you shouldn’t smoke. You have your boyfriend’s whole life ahead of him.’”

At this, I casually mentioned that at 53, I’m the most single woman alive. “Oh, I’ll have you on next time we do it!” he promised, and I’m now lamenting I didn’t make a Yente-Fiddler joke there at his father’s expense. It certainly sounds like a fun way for those of us who actually enjoy being shut-ins to pass an evening, I told him. “It’s a very weird thing. It’s this fascinating train wreck – like what is going on here? These people are just such characters,” Elon laughed. “I’m having a drink. I’m smoking a cigar, and I’m just cracking jokes and having fun. So it’s fun for me, and the audience loves it.”

And if that wasn’t enough to do, Elon also lends his talents to Merry Erev Xmas, a cross-cultural holiday show aimed at making everyone laugh-mostly at themselves--during an otherwise stressful season.

Despite the levity in his work and the obvious joy he takes in bringing joy and laughter to others, Elon has also unfortunately experienced Antisemitism, both personally and professionally. While Jews have always been a target (not for nothing is our non-official slogan, “They tried to kill us, we survived, let’s eat!”) and we’ve always had to have a thick skin, nothing can prepare you for the kind of hate incident Elon and his family experienced as they simply walked home from a Shabbat dinner at a friend’s house in Los Angeles in late August of 2014. They were waiting to cross a street when an SUV with four Middle-Eastern men in it pulled up alongside them. The man in the back rolled down the window and yelled, “Free Palestine!” Then another man opened the car door, stepped onto the street and yelled at the family, “I hope your children die! Just like you are killing children in Gaza!”

Elon wrote about the impact on his very young children for the Jewish Journal. “We all know too well that “Free Palestine” means free Palestine from every Jew,” he wrote. “As they chant ‘Free Palestine, from the river to the sea,’ that doesn’t mean they want a two-state solution — they want Hitler’s Final Solution and a Jew-free Middle East.”

We talked about how hard it is to watch our children learn that not everyone in the world is going to love them, and that some people are going to simply just hate them. But my two half-goyishe sons aren’t going to be targeted in the same way the children in an observant family are. And they aren’t targeted online like their Jewish mother is. “Your kids were so young at the time,” I said to Elon. “What did you tell them, how did you explain that there is so much hate in the world?”

“I told my children that there are just some really bad people out there who don’t have what our family has,” Elon replied, “which is love in their hearts for all people. They just have hatred. And they’re mean people who are just mean to anyone, like bullies.”

Elon and I both have had to explain to our kids, like all Jewish parents, that some bullies are mean

to people within their circle, and then others “express their hatred by attacking someone because they are gay, or black, or just different in some other way,” he said. “The bullies that yelled at us, their tool of bullying is antisemitism.”

“And all bullying is rooted in jealousy,” I added, and he agreed vigorously.” So they see what they don’t have and attack us for having it.”

Aside from never hiding his Jewishness, Elon is incredibly proud of his family’s deep connection to Israel--even though it took him 30 years to return after having his Bar Mitzvah there. Once they made a trip as a family, he admits they became “addicted” and go every year or every other year. His son had his bar mitzvah there, and two of his kids have already spent extended time there – one for a gap year and one for the summer--with another one heading there soon, giving him another reason for another visit. Elon has done tours in Israel and has even become quite the celebrity. His videos have gone viral in Israel and he often gets recognized on the street whenever he’s there, and remaining connected to the Israeli culture is one of the most important parts of his life.

“I went from just being a tourist to selling out theaters there,” says Elon. “And now when I go there, I’m always performing and enjoying and touring. So now Israel’s a regular stop, and we just love it. We’re all about Israel in our family. We are a big Israel-loving family.”

As we wound up the conversation, I asked Elon what he wished for his children's future.

“I wish the same thing for your family, for my family, for everyone’s family. “Love and peace. Joy and happiness. All of that good stuff. All of it.”

...Never be afraid to be too Jewish or to invest in anything that’s too Jewish.

~Elon Gold

BRIMSTONE

Host of The Grindhouse Radio and serial entrepreneur, "Brim" now wants to show his fellow Jews how to kick some ass.

By Shannon Levitt

BUILDING A PERSONAL BRAND IS SOMETHING OF AN ART form, one which Brimstone – who calls himself “a serial entertainment entrepreneur” – has been perfecting most of his life. Condensing his career to those three words, he says, is simply “easier than trying to explain the five million different things that I’ve done.”

Ask him what he does for a living and you’ll understand right away. Brimstone, or Brim as his friends and family call him, doesn’t do just one thing. Look at his website therealbrimstone.com and you’ll find that over the course of four decades, he’s been an actor, musician, marketer and salesman, professional wrestler, voice actor, author, comic book and video game hero, celebrity spokesman, corporate CEO, blogger, food critic, hot sauce slinger, podcaster, and more.

But whatever piece of the career puzzle this “Swiss Army knife of entertainment” is currently putting into place, he said he always stays laser-focused on two things: building his brand and taking care of his family. And as a proud Jew, he would love to show the wider Jewish world how to kick a little ass.

Brimstone and Kim Adragna accept their SCORE Business Award in Washington DC.

Brim proudly announces that his son @ will be competing in the @tcncountry series@bbqcountry_show airing later this year!

Brimstone has been listed at #2 in Podcast magazine’s 2022 40 over Forty most influential podcasters

Cover of Brimstone and the Borderhounds issue #9

Brimstone grew up William Kucmierowski on Long Island, New York, where he still lives with his wife and children. His long and circuitous path in show business began as his mother’s idea. When he was about 5 or 6 years old she got him a spot as a child actor on “Romper Room” and “Sesame Street,” where his most vivid memory is looking up during a break on set to see two men pulling the top half of Big Bird off and thinking, “Oh my God! They just killed Big Bird!”

His mother was also the parent who taught him to value his Jewishness. “She always kept it right there, smack dab in my face,” he laughed, acknowledging that these many years later he appreciates her tenacity.

He booked a few commercials, too, but as a little kid with divorced parents vying for his time, acting had to be set aside – at least for a while. Brim would later return to it with a vengeance, starring in multiple films, television shows, documentaries, music videos, and as a voice actor in several video games.

Music and being a drummer in a band - “Man, oh, man, drumming - that was my thing” - was what propelled him back into performing. It allowed him to be completely ensconced in life

as a working artist and to play the storied music venues of New York City, places like CBGB, and The Continental. He incorporated the musical influences of his youth, which were many given all the back and forth between his mother’s more diverse Uniondale and his father’s more affluent Dix Hills. He learned hip-hop and metal and much in between, including how to accept and appreciate people from all backgrounds.

But being on tour all the time and “living in a van eating scraps” wasn’t working so well when he got married and was expecting his first child. He fell back on a steadier, more 9-to-5 job in the music press, doing marketing work for various publications. In this way he was still a music insider but was “making as much money as possible to take care of my family,” he said.

Ironically, it was in the course of this more sedate work that he stumbled into his next big show business venture: professional wrestling. He went to an event to take photos for the publication, The Long Island Voice (sister publication of The Village Voice). The Iron Sheik, a well-known Iranian wrestler, was there. He took one look at Brim and said, “You look like you could be a wrestler.” Brim was surprised by the famous man’s offer to introduce him to this world as the Sheik was “iconic, legendary,” Brim said. He took some time to consider, but soon enough

BRIMSTONE

he accepted and thus entered a new phase of his life, one in which he started to build his brand in earnest and where the name Brimstone was born. He was encouraged not to think about any of those things until his training was finished, but he said, “I came from music and understood that in order to make it anywhere you have to have a viable brand. I’m very big on name value and branding and building a business no matter what you’re doing.”

Choosing the name Brimstone was always kind of a joke given its association with a fiery afterlife, he said, “because as a Jew, we don’t believe in hell.” He sometimes has to explain that to people who accuse him of playing fast and loose with the dark side.

While he was wrestling, he was one of only a few known Jewish wrestlers and he was often approached by rabbis to come and talk to Jewish kids. “I would always go simply to make sure that these kids, these young Jewish boys and girls knew that they could grow up and they could be a strong person, an athlete or whatever they wanted to do,” he said. He told them they could overcome stereotypes and stigma even if they did go on to be doctors or accountants. “I wanted them to know they can kick some ass, too!”

The Brimstone brand opened the door to everything he’s done since he stopped wrestling. He became the co-founder, president, and CEO of Hound Entertainment Group, and from there

he’s not only created comic books, something he adored as a kid and dreamed of writing, but has expanded his base of Brimstone-branded products, including children’s books, video games, and toys – some of which have been featured on “The Big Bang Theory.”

He started a web-based celebrity food show called “Food Hound: Tidbits,” and for the last seven years, he became the host of The Grindhouse Radio, a pop culture podcast with a weekly audience of close to four million people worldwide. He said he likes to keep the conversation light in general, but he will sometimes rant about things, especially racial and sexual injustice and gun violence on his personal companion podcast “Within Brim’s Skin.”

These are just a few highlights on a very long list, all of which he’s very careful to weave into his brand.

“Everything I do,” he said, “is intertwined. People who pay attention, get it, people that don’t pay attention, don’t get it. And that’s OK too. But it’s subliminal. For example, little Brimstone memorabilia was all around the guys’ apartments in “Big Bang Theory” for a few seasons.”

The brand of Brimstone is at the top of his priority list, but right now it’s Grindhouse Radio that takes most of his attention, as it’s what allows him to stay home more with his family.

He’s also hoping to do more in the Jewish community. “This is my community,” he said. “I have always been somebody that’s holding the torch saying, ‘Hey, you know, I’m Jewish,’ and I would love for my own community to embrace me and to show me some love back.”

Just like in his wrestling days, he wants to be the one telling Jewish kids to stand up for themselves, a message he stands by and shares when he can. He said he’s not expecting anyone to “go gaga over me,” but he wants Jews to know who he is and how supportive he is. “I would do more,” he said. “I would do a lot more if I was asked.” ♦

Brimstone has been listed at #2 in Podcast magazine’s 2022 40 over 40 most influential podcasters.

https://podcastmagazine.com/?s=40+over+40

His mother was also the parent who taught him to value his Jewishness. “She always kept it right there, smack dab in my face,” he laughed, acknowledging that these many years later he appreciates her tenacity.

RACHEL STUBINGTON: No shrinking violet

By Debra Rich Gettleman

BE HONEST. If you were tasked with writing a story about a 22-year-old rising Hollywood star with perfect teeth and a crown of magnificent crimson curls, who comes from a nice Jewish home with a functional observant family she adores, and is currently starring in a successful television show opposite Jason Segal and Harrison Ford, wouldn’t you be sort of hoping not to like her? Enter Rachel Stubington and all your contrived negativity instantly vanishes.

This down-to-earth beauty is charming, open, and funny as hell. You simply can’t help relating to a young woman who went to Hess Kramer Jewish overnight camp, participates in her congregation’s Cantorial training program, and cannot wait to sing at her younger brother’s upcoming Bar Mitzvah. She notes that her brother will keep her in check on his special day. “I’m pretty sure he’ll limit me to L’dor V’dor,” she smiles.

When I ask Rachel what started it all? She laughs, “I think as a kid, I just really wanted attention.” From singing at High Holidays to school talent shows, camp skits, and a theatre degree from UCLA, Rachel knew from a young age that she loved comedy. She credits her comedy focus to the Jewish summer camp experience. “You’re at camp, and there are skits, and talent shows…it’s the place where I realized you can be funny and get attention.”

Asked about her burgeoning success, she says she doesn’t see herself as an overnight sensation. “I’ve been auditioning for 10 or 11 years,” she comments. And being in the spotlight doesn’t keep her from feeling star-struck when she steps on a film set or appears at a movie premiere. “You try to play it cool,” she notes. “But you’re standing next to Harrison Ford!”

Her comic influencers include Kristen Wiig, Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, and Mindy Kaling. In fact, she’s sure she didn’t get into Dartmouth because when asked at her interview why she wanted to attend, she said, “Because Mindy Kaling went here.” It was the truth. But, looking back, she thinks that may not have been the best answer.

My favorite thing about Shrinking, aside from it being so funny, is that it brings a lot of light to something that people are really ashamed to talk about, which is mental health.

~Rachel Stubington

Her current show on Apple TV is called Shrinking, and she plays Summer, a fun-loving best friend to the main character’s daughter, played by Lukita Maxwell. The show follows Jason Laird, played by Jason Segel, a grieving therapist who tells his patients exactly what he thinks. His brutal honesty, however, has a turbulent effect on both his clients and him.

Rachel can’t say enough good things about everyone who works on the show. “The crew and cast are some of my favorite people,” She tells me, “I have so much respect and love for everyone. And I think everyone is so talented. She adds, “My favorite thing about Shrinking, aside from it being so funny, is that it brings a lot of light to something that people are really ashamed to talk about, which is mental health.”

“My mom watches every episode,” Rachel beams, “Twice!” With good reviews and a strong buzz, she expects the show to be picked up for a second season. “It’s an incredibly topical show these days.”

I ask her if she’s ever been in therapy herself, and she openly shares “Sure, I used to see a shrink.” She wants to help shatter the stigma around mental health and isn’t shy about sharing her own struggles, “Humor comes from insecurity,” she explains, “Especially in this business. You’re constantly fighting to prove to other people that you're worth their time. You know, you’re on a tv show and the pressure is like ‘What’s next?’ And that doesn’t end. You need to keep working to keep proving your worth it.”

And what about her personal life? She’s in a great relationship with a guy she went to Jewish High School with. “We all came home because of the pandemic and a bunch of kids my age ended up dating people from High School.” It’s not surprising that Rachel is currently partnered with a Jewish man whose father happens to be a

You’re at camp, and there are skits, and talent shows…it’s the place where I realized you can be funny and get attention.

~Rachel Stubington

Rabbi. “Judaism has always been a big part of my life,” she asserts “My nan is really big on doing all of the Jewish holidays at her house. And my mom was adamant that we go to Hebrew School. While Rachel loves comedy, her recently released Lifetime movie, A Rose for her Grave, where she stars opposite Chrishell Stause and Colin Egglesfield is not exactly a laugh riot. “It’s actually very serious,” she says, “It’s based on a true story where this man named Randy Roth would marry women and then kill them. It’s totally true and no one caught on to him for the longest time. It’s a very cool story. This man preys on insecure women. And at the end of the film, it’s these women that are the ones to put him in jail.”

How does Rachel feel about being in the public eye. “I’m suddenly that person who can really make a statement and it’ll ripple through the world. That’s weird to think about.” She goes on to confess,” I get kind of nervous at these interviews because I worry that I’m going to say something I shouldn’t. Like I used to always tell people that my favorite movie is The Muppet Movie and that I’ve seen it at least 300 times. My publicist suggested I not mention that in every interview.”

I must admit, I feel kind of bad putting it in here given the above statement. But it’s just so cute that I can’t leave it out. Because Rachel Stubington has the energy and joy of all your favorite Muppets combined. She’s charming and glamorous (think Miss Piggy), funny and warm (like Elmo), she has a heart of gold and, like Fozzie Bear, will stop at nothing to get a laugh, and most importantly, she’s comfortable in her own skin, which reminds me a lot of Kermy’s signature “It’s not easy being green” song.

Keep your eye on Rachel Stubington, she’s something to see. ♦

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Rudy Rochman

Redefining Jewish activism

By Cindy Saltzman

“When Jews are united, when Jews are able to empower themselves and fill their purpose, we succeed. We are the variable that changes the outcome of our situation.”

RUDY ROCHMAN WANTS TO BRING JEWS all over the world together. To simply call him a pro-Israel activist undermines the heroic work he undertakes. His bold mission to combat global antisemitism, to empower students on college campuses, and his unwavering commitment to tell the true story of the Jewish people, make him a force to be reckoned with. In a time of Israeli separatism, internal political divide, and rampant antisemitism, Rudy Rochman wants to empower every single Jew to own, understand, and affirm their Jewish identity.

RUDY ROCHMAN

Cindy: You are often referred to as an IsraeliJewish rights activist, is that how you would define yourself?

Rudy: Yes. I see a difference between an activist and an advocate.

A lot of people talk about Israeli advocacy.

And when I look at advocates and what they do, which are important things, they’re usually more focused on supporting a cause.

Like a fan of a sports team rather than a player on the field.

An activist is someone who understands the current problems and how they fit into the context of the Jewish people:

What are the problems that we face?

What is the next chapter of Jewish history?

How are we trying to move forward?

How are we trying to create coalitions?

How are we trying to raise the younger generation?

And, how are we trying to find a mission statement that allows us to move forward?

That's more of the mindset of an activist, I think.

Cindy: What problems do you see facing the Jewish people today?

Rudy: I see five major problems facing the Jewish people.

The first is antisemitism, the constant movement against the Jewish people that has existed within the extremes of every society, throughout history.

The second thing is a lack of identity for a lot of the younger generation of Jews. There is a lack of empowerment, not knowing how to stand up and be ourselves, and learning to practice Judaism rather than to put Judaism into practice.

Praying behind closed doors rather than putting into practice the things that we're praying about.

The third is a lack of a mission statement.

There's no conversation or direction for the next generation.

Previous generations had a mission to come to Israel, to liberate Jerusalem, and everyone was united behind that goal.

What's the next chapter of that conversation-? We need to figure out where we're going. If we

don't know where we're going, we're not going anywhere.

The fourth is the Israeli-Palestinian conflict of Jews and Palestinians being completely divided and seeing this reality as a zero-sum game.

There's no reality where Israelis or Palestinians will disappear. If our mission as a Jewish people is to do tikkun olam-to heal the world, and to empower and enlighten other nations, that definitely starts with fixing our own home with our own cousins first.

A lot of people look at the issue of the Palestinian conflict as it's either us or them.

But the reality is that today we do have the power and thus the responsibility to change this. If this is our land and our home, we have a responsibility to fix this land and home.

In the Palestinian society, they don't have the power. They don't have freedom of speech. They don't have the ability to speak up and, to add to the issue, they're going through a lot of brainwashing growing up.

And lastly, the fifth issue concerns the Tribes of Israel being displaced to the four corners of the earth. There are so many members of our “family” that are disconnected from us and still suffering in North Africa, Europe, and the Middle East.

Everyone has heard of the Lost Tribe’s concept from a historical level. We know they exist. On a spiritual level, we talk about them three times a day in the Amidah, that they need to come home. If the situation was reversed, that we were the ones suffering and dispersed, wouldn’t we expect them to come for us? In order to do that, we have to shift the consciousness of the next generation and to understand who we are. It is difficult to do a puzzle with so many pieces missing.

Bringing home the Lost Tribes gives us the missing pieces which helps the greater collective that we're meant to be. And in so doing, we become stronger through that collective identity.

Cindy: Talk to me about your documentary, We Were Never Lost

Rudy: We Were Never Lost is a tool to bring awareness of the Lost Tribes. Season one takes place in Africa. This past year we were in Nigeria, Uganda, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, South Africa, and Madagascar.

On our way to visit the local Jewish community

in Nigeria, the Igbos, we were arrested and imprisoned. The government is very much against the local Jewish community.

So by association, they saw us as enemies.

Cindy: I like how you just like skipped over the part when you were in prison. Were you aware of how many thousands of people were behind you, how much activism was going on to try to get all of you out?

Rudy: We had no idea of anything.

We didn't have our phones.

We didn't know if people knew.

We had no connection, understanding, or awareness for three weeks. We were completely

months, or years.

But we definitely knew we would get out of there.

We went through a very harsh experience, especially in the last two weeks when we were jailed with Boko Haram terrorists. But what we went through is a small drop compared to what the Igbos have experienced. It was definitely not easy, but at no point did we lose hope. And there were constant miracles happening in front of our eyes that kind of kept us going.

Cindy: Can you give me an example?

Rudy: When we were taken to prison, they took everything away from us except my tefillin.

They didn't even open my tefillin case. It could have been a gun or a knife for all they knew.

One day, we (Noam, Eduard, and Rudy) heard that a protest was being planned and Noam suggested that we should participate wearing our tefillin. On the back of the Shema Yisrael packet we had received from Chabad, it said that it is written in the Talmud, that when you wear tefillin in times of war, it strikes fear in the hearts of your enemy. So, we did just that and we saw how frightened they became.

disconnected. It was really beautiful to come out and to see how much effort was made on our behalf.

On the other hand, our mission was to tell their story, not to become the story.

Cindy: What kept you and your colleagues going? Did you ever lose hope that you wouldn’t be freed?

Rudy: We were kidnapped on our third day in Nigeria.

We didn't know when it would end.

We had no idea if it would be days, weeks,

Another miracle occurred when we were taken into interrogation. There was this long hallway of hundreds of rooms where all of these different people were being interrogated. They would always bring us to the same room, room number 18. And for the Jewish people,18 is a very powerful number: Chai-Life.

The room right across from us was room number 26, which is also a very powerful number for the Jewish people, which represents Hashem-G-d.

But I still wasn’t understanding yet that out of hundreds of rooms, the two room numbers connected to us were the two most important numbers for the Jewish people.

I kept wondering what was trying to be

A Jew outside of Israel is like a fish outside of water. There is only so much time one can spend before diaspora catches up.

~Rudy Rochman

RUDY ROCHMAN

communicated here?

26 is Hashem-G-d, and 18 is life.

Then one day as I’m walking down the hall and looking at the doorknobs, I saw Hebrew writing on each door. Ironically, an Israeli company, named Magen (which means shield or protect) had sold them the doors.

And then it dawned on me: HaShem (26), is protecting (Magen) your Life (18) HaShem is protecting your life. There was a reason why we were there; we had to stay strong and we would be able to overcome. There were constant little miracles like that. That's also a mindset that I've always had my whole life for whatever situation.

Cindy: What do you feel is the largest threat to Jewish life in the United States and in Europe today?

Rudy: If we look at Jewish history, every single genocide, massacre, pogrom, inquisition, Holocaust, has happened when we were divided. Even before the destruction of the 1st and 2nd Temple, the Jewish people were divided. And to the contrary, when we look at the opposite, when Jews are united, and empowered, when they know who they are, and are fulfilling their purpose, we overcome.

Every single challenge we have faced, when powerful nations came to destroy us, miracles happen, and we survive. Many say that the creation of the State of Israel was a miracle.

But the miracle only happens when this equation happens; when Jews are united. When Jews are able to empower themselves and fill their purpose, we succeed. We are the variable that changes the outcome of our situation.

Clearly, Jews are not the only minority that have faced hatred.

It's usually one group against another group, not all groups.

What is unique to the Jewish people though, is that the extreme of every hate group believes that we are the problem.

But It's not something we're doing. We're not making these problems.

So I started thinking maybe it's something that we're not doing.

And what are we supposed to do in this world that we're not doing?

What is our mission statement? Tikkun OlamRepairing the world, and being a Light unto other Nations has been our mission statement, our purpose for thousands of years.

We can use the analogy of the immune system in the human body. The immune system’s responsibility is to heal the body and to empower the other organs to function.

If the immune system does not work right, the body becomes sick and all the other organs blame the immune system for the diseases. It’s not because the immune system created the disease. But rather, because subconsciously, the organs recognize that it was the immune system’s responsibility to prevent it. In my opinion, that is why these different groups throughout history conclude that we are the problem. Because deep down inside of them they recognized that we had a responsibility to prevent these problems from happening and we did not.

So now we're being blamed for them.

And that's something that many Jews are not yet ready to hear because we're too comfortable, we're too traumatized, and we're too victimized.

And we think that the way to succeed is by getting the rest of the world to save us.

It’s also a process of decolonization. We've been through mental, psychological, spiritual, and physical colonization for 2000 years and we need to undo those things and figure out who we really are and figure out as a generation where and how we move forward.

The problem is that we're not even conscious of what our responsibility and abilities are. These things are happening, not caused by us, but could potentially be prevented by us.

For thousands of years, our ancestors have been saying our responsibility is to heal this world and to enlighten and free the other nations from whatever slavery, mentally or physically, that they're living in. So that's our goal and our responsibility.

Cindy: How do you make this relevant today, especially for students facing antisemitism on college campuses?

Rudy: It's still relevant to fight on campuses and to debate and to shift the pop culture narrative.

Rudy Rochman at Columbia University.

Following Rochman's discharge from the IDF (where he served as a paratrooper) he enrolled at UCLA. However, after reading that Columbia University was considered the most antisemitic university in North America, he transferred there and founded a chapter of Students

Supporting Israel.

RUDY ROCHMAN

Part of the reason we're doing this documentary is to reconnect today’s activists back to the greater whole. But for us to be most effective in the short term, we have to understand the long term. It's just like playing chess. You have to know where you're moving your pieces in order to get to your end goal.

Cindy: What are effective steps that college students facing antisemitism and antizionism can take?

Rudy: I think we can learn from examples throughout history like the Civil Rights movement. The black community was able to get their rights by fighting for them, earning them, and shifting pop culture. And as that younger generation grew to a strong enough demographic, politicians had to take them seriously and eventually those individuals also grew up and became the next politicians.

And I tell the Jews living in Europe, where antisemitism is systematically much more developed, they either need to stand up for themselves and fight back or leave. They don’t have the option to stand down or ignore what is happening. And as the Jewish younger generation grows to a strong enough demographic and politicians start to take them seriously, and they grow up to become the next politicians, we will hopefully see that same pop culture shift.

Because if we don’t stand up and fight back, it’s only going to lead to what we've seen happen many times in the past. This applies to America too.

Cindy: How effective do you think the BDS (Boycott, Divest, Sanctions) movement against Israel has been?

Rudy: BDS is a big distraction strategy.

It's trying to get us to focus on attacking a resolution rather than attacking the shift to pop culture. The moment that it's brought up every single year in this BDS campaign, whether it passes or not, is irrelevant to the fact that it's even spoken about. It shifts the mindset of the future political and intellectual class of the next generation so that when they get into positions of power, they look at Israel wrong.

And then I realized that the greater problems were not how strong the movement was, but how weak our own movement was or how nonexistent it was.

So it's a shift in mentality that I'm trying to help spark, especially amongst the younger generation. Dealing with the symptoms is not usually curing the actual problem that you have. We need to understand that the most important thing is to deal with the actual cause of this.

I don't think that I'm the first person to come out as an empowered individual.

I think that the Jews fundamentally are empowered.

But in my opinion, when you hide your identity you're partaking and investing in a reality that you should be afraid of, which only gets exponentially worse and is far more dangerous than the potential danger you could have faced as an individual or on the collective level.

And so we need to understand that regardless of us seeing ourselves in a very hyper-individualized society, we are a part of a collective and based on how we function, that collective will be targeted in different ways and then it impacts the individuals.

So again it's another shift of mentality about understanding how we need to see ourselves.

Again, that is the reason I went to Columbia. To prove that I could go to the number one most antiSemitic school, revolutionize the campus, and bring up a movement that was strong enough to inspire another 50 different campuses to do the same.

I'm trying my best to give tools to the younger generation in ways that I wish I would have had or

understood or known when I was younger before finding them myself. I try to reach as many people through my videos. A lot of people that see these videos are able to see how they can stand up for themselves, they can be smart, reasonable, calm, and articulate.

Cindy: Today, if a young person didn’t grow up in a particularly religious home, or a culturally Jewish home, or a Zionist home, what do they hold onto?

Rudy: Someone can have the sense of identity if you understand that you're a part of a collective, you're a continuation of this history.

On top of that, if you add the layer of understanding our collective purpose, then you're able to be strong regardless of your spiritual level.

Although I do think the spiritual element is a huge part of our culture, a very important part of our culture.

Cindy: Is there anything you would like to add while we are on this subject?

Rudy: If we don't respect ourselves, we can't expect the world to respect us. If we want to change things, it's up to us.

It is also true that Jews tend to go and help every other minority group, because it's in our culture, it's in our nature to do so. But we can't do that at the cost of forgetting to stand up for ourselves.

I've been faced with thousands of antisemites from every single corner of the world, and I

Far left: We Were Never Lost filmmakers, Edouard David Benaym, Noam Leibman, and Rudy Rochman were arrested in Nigeria after only two days meeting with the Jewish Igbo community before they were captured. (2021)

Left: Jewish rapper Nissim Black and Israeli activist, Yirmiyahu Eliya aka "that_semite" with Rudy Rochman. can tell you that when you are strong and empowered, but also respectful, and not coming from a place of attacking but enlightening, it shuts down the antisemites every time.

Cindy: When did you know you would become an activist?

Rudy: My undergrad degree was in political science technically, but in practice, it was really fighting antisemitism and helping the Jewish people move forward.

That's really what I was learning there.

But even at 7 years old it became clear to me that I would live my life to help the Jewish people move forward.

Cindy: What triggered that epiphany?

Rudy: When I was seven, I took a trip to London with my mom and brother. We were on a bus when the driver asked my mom if she was Jewish, because of the Hebrew writing on her shirt. He literally threw her off the bus. That moment changed my life. That experience made me realize that the next time I go through something like this, I have to be prepared. Even at seven, I realized that the attack against my mother was also an attack against my people. I knew that I would always be a protector of our people.

Cindy: Where do you see yourself in 10 years or what are your goals for the future?

Rudy: Personally, I hope to be married with at least five kids and living in Israel.

My professional goal is to activate the Jewish people and to use my potential and the abilities that I have to fix the problems that I see.

I'm doing my best to achieve that. ♦

SHATTERED DREAMS: A Mother's Journey

By Beth Krom

IT’S BEEN FOURTEEN YEARS since we lost our son Noah. A journey that has been both painful and enlightening. I’ve often thought that grief needs its own vocabulary. It’s like we’ve eaten the fruit of the tree of knowledge and know a world we were never meant to know. Nothing prepares you for the words “your son Noah died last night.” That those words came just a week before his college graduation made everything that much more impossible to process. Instead of celebrating his graduation, we’d be planning Noah’s funeral. Ironically, the news of Noah’s death was delivered just moments after I had helped to open the annual American Cancer Society Relay for Life. I was a local elected official. This was my last official obligation before our planned trip to Santa Barbara. Somewhere there is an archive of photos from that day with me happy and smiling. A day that had started uneventfully, with no hint that the date would be forever seared in my consciousness, June 6th would cease to be just another date on the calendar. It’s now an emotional speed bump, endured annually, along with Noah’s birthday and Mother’s Day in May and graduation season and Father’s Day in June. For years I referred to May and June as my “rainy season,” the sequence of days that would hit wave upon wave as we attempted to navigate our way through the disorienting world of grief.

Isla Vista Cliffs

As I was driven to my parents house to tell them that their eldest grandson had died from an accidental fall from the Isla Vista cliffs, I remember looking out the window and seeing people going about their daily routines. I wondered how their lives could go on seemingly undisturbed by the shattered reality I had been cast into. It seemed so wrong. I feared the news of Noah’s death would kill my parents, that they would both drop dead on the doorstep and I’d be burying three people. Instead, despite the immense grief they felt, their parental instincts were to care for, worry about and support us. We were all angry and confused. My mind would not allow more to seep in than I could absorb. In those early hours, days, and weeks, it felt like my spirit had died and things I might once have taken interest in, reacted to, or resisted, I no longer had the strength for. Friends stepped in to help. “Can you call the hotel and cancel our reservations?” I asked a friend who had called, unaware of what had occurred. My campaign manager, who was a longtime friend in my political world, posted people on our doorstep to receive flowers and cards, knowing we needed rest and space to just be numb. Another friend advised us that since Noah had completed all his work to earn his degree, he should be entitled to receive it posthumously. He was. The day after he died, Noah’s older sister and younger brother told us they wanted to walk for him at graduation. The night before they left, the fog lifted just enough for me to realize we had made no arrangements to get Noah;s belongings from his apartment. My sister and brother-in-law offered to travel to Santa Barbara with Abby and Hershel to handle that. In a week’s time, we had endured not just Noah’s death, but all that goes with a sudden loss, including dealing with those investigating his death. He had died Saturday night, but we were advised the autopsy could not be done until Tuesday. Even in death, there are people ahead of you in line. We encountered the necessary but unpleasant business of death. In many ways finding a plot at the cemetery is more like a real estate transaction. Noah’s body was not returned until Wednesday so we could not bury him until Thursday. As Jews, we handled everything

as traditionally and ritually as possible. I would learn weeks after the funeral and burial that after everyone had placed a shovel of dirt on the casket and left the cemetery, Noah’s childhood friends — none of them Jewish — asked the workers to let them fill Noah’s grave, which they did. When I learned what they had done, I told one of his friends that in the Jewish faith there is no greater honor. “Did you know it was a mitzvah?” I asked. “No,” he said. “We just knew we had to do that for Noah.” I still get choked up imagining what attending Noah’s funeral must have felt like for his friends. They were all around 22. Far too young to bury a friend.

Noah’s life was filled with chapters yet to be written. My mother said he was like a shooting star that burned bright but faded way too soon. My brother said he had a “great short life,” which he did. He had a joyful spirit, loved his friends and sports, and was so bright. When Noah was around five years old I was quizzing him on states and which states were adjacent to other states. I had to rely on a map to confirm his answers, but he had memorized them and got all the answers right. He said, “Now give me the name of a country and ask me what country is next to it.” “I can’t, Noah,” I said, “I don’t have an atlas. I wouldn’t know if you were giving me the right answer.” To that he responded, “I will be.” Although smart, I didn’t always feel Noah was working up to his potential. After he died I remember thinking what a tragedy it would have been if he had spent his life with his nose in a book and never really got a chance to live. Noah always made time for friends and fun. He thoroughly enjoyed his semester abroad in Cordoba, Spain. The memories shared were the greatest gift we could have received. Each story confirmed that Noah was the person we knew him to be. Noah died at the very point in the arc of his life between college and what might come next. It was a clean break from this world. No girlfriend or wife. No employer or possessions of any consequence. What he left behind was a legacy of smiles and happy memories. Pieces of Noah are carried in so many hearts. One of his close college friends told me, “If this had happened to someone else, it’s Noah we would have gone to for advice and wisdom.” People who attended his memorial but had never met him said they felt like they knew

If this had happened to someone else, it’s Noah we would have gone to for advice and wisdom.

~Fellow classmate

Noah Krom

him through what was shared. What I know to my core is that Noah’s life will never be defined by the circumstances of his death.

When we learned Noah had fallen from a cliff, my first thought was, “Noah doesn’t hike.” What we learned from authorities is that he fell from a cliff near his apartment in Isla Vista. For those unfamiliar, Isla Vista is a densely populated student enclave adjacent to UC Santa Barbara. Think open-air student dorm with overcrowded apartments, most in marginal condition, but all of which rent for prices that rival the fanciest communities in California. At the time, Noah and his five roommates paid $4600 a month for a three bedroom apartment at a property on Del Playa, the street that featured properties with ocean views overlooking 60’ cliffs. Noah was not the first to lose his life to those cliffs, and he wouldn’t be the last. At least six young people have died from cliff falls since we lost Noah. My repeated trips from Irvine to Santa Barbara to meet with public officials, university administrators, the Sheriff, and others, advocating for better fencing and a comprehensive effort to improve safety in Isla Vista, never produced the results I had hoped for. I knew that for any effort to succeed, there would need to be buy-in from all stakeholders, including the students whose desire to fit in, sense of invincibility and as yet undeveloped capacity to think beyond the moment most certainly compounded the risks already inherent in college life. That UCSB consistently ranks in the upper echelon of party schools doesn’t help. I advocated for a holistic approach to protecting the health and safety of students. I wanted to see culture change in Isla Vista. Some improvement to the fencing eventually occurred, but only after a May 2014 massacre by a deranged student who killed six people before taking his own life put Isla Vista in the national — and even international — headlines. Sadly, just weeks before, there had been yet another cliff fall. A young woman, and only child, fell to her death. We had been in Isla Vista the two days previous for meetings on safety in Isla Vista. One of Noah’s friends who was working at UCSB alerted me to the death. News of the massacre distracted anyone who might have cared about Sierra’s death, just as Michael Jackson’s death at the Neverland Ranch in Santa Barbara county

Every accidental death seems senseless. You rewrite the story in your head and focus on the whys and what ifs. You wonder how it might have ended differently, what actions by others may have contributed to or prevented the tragedy and what you might possibly do to ensure no other parent has to suffer such a loss.

~Beth Krom

just weeks after Noah died was the excuse used to explain the unreasonably long time it took the Sheriff to produce the report on Noah’s death. As is the case in many California counties, the Sheriff is also the Coroner. That never gave me any comfort.

Every accidental death seems senseless. You rewrite the story in your head and focus on the whys and what-ifs. You wonder how it might have ended differently, what actions by others may have contributed to or prevented the tragedy and what you might possibly do to ensure no other parent has to suffer such a loss. Noah had finished his last final on what would be his last day on earth. We would learn that he and his friends had been celebrating at an “open bar” party hosted by a local bar owner as the “reward” for participating in a spring semester promotion known as “50 Club.” The bar owner had apparently been doing this for years, and despite it being a complete violation of his liquor license, nothing had been done to shut it down. The bar owner has two bars — one in Isla Vista called Study Hall and the other, O’Malley’s, in downtown Santa Barbara. 50 Club participants who purchased fifty drinks were promised a commemorative shot glass and admission to a private party with unlimited free alcohol. Noah’s

friends said they would split a pitcher of beer at Study Hall and everyone would get a punch in their card. Authorities must have known this was going on. It was promoted through social media and word of mouth. There was a party bus called Bill’s Bus that transported the lucky winners to the night of excessive drinking that awaited them. One has to assume that alcohol distributors helped provide the alcohol dispensed at the party. Just imagine the economic clout those who distribute and dispense alcohol hold in a city known for the beauty of its coastline, that hosts a Top 10 party school, and whose primary industry is hospitality. Noah may have been the only fatality that night, but it’s not a leap to imagine others suffered alcohol poisoning, sexual assault, or a at the very least a night with their head in the toilet. College students may look like adults, they may be defined as adults, and at times they may even act like adults, but neuroscience shows that the prefrontal cortex, which controls executive brain functions like impulse control and thinking beyond the moment, only fully develops around the age of 25. That’s what makes college students such a perfect market to exploit economically. It’s so much easier to sustain a system that ignores risks, turns a blind eye when economically or politically expedient and

Hershel, Abby, Noah, Solly and Beth in 2008.

SHATTERED DREAMS

can so conveniently blame the victims if you ignore the risks and realities that claim lives every year. When you’re just a student, a transient with no perceived roots or familial connections in the place you’re attending college, it’s so much easier for people in the local community to not care about you. By dropping the line “drugs or alcohol may have been a contributing factor” in a press release or news report, you help absolve everyone else of responsibility — or even concern. The cyclical nature of college life guarantees that these tragedies will too soon be forgotten, erased from people’s memory as new classes of students, vulnerable to the same risks, are welcomed.

I was a former mayor, current council member, and congressional candidate when Noah died. I knew something about navigating bureaucracy. Irvine is a city recognized for it's record on public safety. When people were injured because of faulty infrastructure, we didn’t blame the victim, we addressed the underlying problem. What became abundantly clear was that buck-passing and fingerpointing were the default approach in matters involving the health and safety of students in Isla Vista. Property owners were protected by outdated building codes and routinely allowed overcrowding in their units. The Isla Vista Foot Patrol, a division of the Sheriff’s Department had an unhealthy relationship with the student population, preferring enforcement to engagement. “Our biggest problem is residential burglaries,” a Sergeant overseeing the Foot Patrol told me. When I pointed out that landlords would give only three keys for a three bedroom apartment that routinely had six or more students, requiring tenants to leave doors unlocked so their roommates could access the apartment, he claimed to be unaware. I learned a lot of things no parent ever wants to know about the environment their now deceased child was living in. Noah’s death has been a gateway to an education I wish I never had. Grief has been both painful and enlightening. I’m grateful for the growth, but the price of this wisdom and perspective is far too great.

The question of why Noah hopped a property fence between two properties near his apartment remains a mystery. The report on Noah’s death is

short on facts and long on opinion, conjecture, and innuendo. Authorities released a story to the press the day after Noah died suggesting he may have jumped out of a cab without paying the fare and was running from the cab driver at the time he hopped the fence. What became clear was that there was no evidence to support that claim. No incident report. No cab driver came forward. Just a story handed to the press by the Sheriff’s department. Needless to say, that allegation, along with the high blood alcohol level that an open bar party will produce, became fodder for certain press outlets. How do you protect a child’s reputation when they cannot speak for themselves and authorities are asserting facts not in evidence. Even before the official report was released it was clear there was no substance to that allegation. I called the Sheriff to ask how, given the lack of evidence, they were going to address the cab jumping story in the report. “We have to put it in,” he said. I pushed back, saying “I could understand if you said you have a theory you can’t prove, but if you put it in the report it will be viewed as fact.” I also pointed out it was a public document. His response enraged me. “Anyone who would use it against you politically, it would backfire,” he said. That he imagined my concern was political spoke volumes about where his priorities were. It would be a long time before I engaged the Sheriff again.

The Sheriff did refer the bar owner who ran the 50 Club promotion to ABC (Alcohol and Beverage Control), the state agency that regulates and licenses establishments that sell alcohol, for investigation. I was certain the bar owner would lose his license. In California, you can’t offer a free ham sandwich to induce people to buy alcohol, let alone an unlimited supply of free alcohol. A few days before the hearing, I was advised by one of the lawyers for ABC that they were working on a settlement. The bar owner got what his lawyers demanded. A mere fifteen day suspension in each bar — but it’s worse. He got to take the suspension in Isla Vista during the last two weeks of December when all the students were away on break and the suspension at the bar downtown the last two weeks in February, undoubtedly the lowest volume of sales between the popular winter and spring holidays. It’s hard to imagine anything making the pain of losing Noah worse, but that did. What if those who

turned a blind eye had acted to shut the promotion down years earlier? What if ABC had held the bar owner accountable? What if the county had taken actions to protect those living in aging properties protected under outdated codes and built fencing that delineated the point at which eroding cliffs posed a deadly risk? The hardest question to answer is, who was really being served and protected by their actions?

In hopes of moving efforts to address health and safety risks in Isla Vista, I set aside my resistance and met with the Sheriff to ask if he would convene all the relevant stakeholders. I knew that he had the platform to do so, but he declined. He made it clear that, in his mind, the problem was the students, not environmental risk factors. They just needed to consider the consequences of their actions before engaging in risky behavior. What he said next, in an effort to assure me that he was indeed concerned, was that he routinely warned his officers not to chase kids toward the cliffs. What he didn’t know was that I had feared that was what happened the night Noah died. Had Noah been chased by an officer rounding up kids who were drunk in public, which they surely would have been doing that night? He certainly was drunk after a night of celebration at an open bar party. My thought was that his officers had ignored the directive not to chase kids toward the cliffs. That he didn’t know — hadn’t put the pieces together that his officers were at the fence Noah jumped, acknowledged shining a flashlight over the fence and seeing a shoe in the foliage but choosing not to go down to the beach to see if someone had fallen. Instead, Noah was found by his friend’s girlfriend and two of her friends as they walked the beach at sunrise. The pieces had never added up. There was the story I was told by the lead investigator about Noah’s wallet falling out of the bag that held his personal effects after I discovered it was missing. After first claiming they may never have had his wallet, I reminded the investigator that they told me they had identified him from his driver’s license. Miraculously it was found the next day. When I asked how it could have fallen out of the bag, the investigator told me it’s like when you have a bag of groceries on the seat of your car and it tips over and the lettuce rolls onto the floor. Given the unsubstantiated story about Noah jumping out of

a cab, I wondered whether they might have held on to his wallet and planned to plant it somewhere to lend credibility to that story. I’m not given to conspiratorial thinking, and I would like nothing better than to know exactly what led to Noah’s death, but it’s hard not to wonder what the truth is, and what facts might have been suppressed, to ensure that all accountability was buried with Noah.

We will never really know what happened that night. If there were witnesses, they never came forward. Your mind keeps rewriting the story in search of better conclusions that never come. I’m grateful to Noah for the lessons he continues to teach me. I’m grateful to my daughter, now a Marriage and Family Therapist, for her insistence that I get therapy. I had never gotten therapy, despite dealing with some traumas in my life. I thought it was a superpower to find another space to tuck the pain away in. I feared therapy, thinking I would be like a champagne bottle uncorked with everything I’d been holding inside unleashed. The truth is, therapy was my salvation. I was blessed with a great therapist who specializes in grief. At a very basic level, therapy was a safe place to cry — or to wail, as grief compelled me to do. I never understood what wailing was, but grief taught me. Therapy helped me accept and let go, but that was a long and complicated journey. I tell people the greatest lesson I have learned is just how little I control. I have no power to control what others think, do or say. The second greatest lesson is that all the stress I’ve endured throughout my life is because I didn’t understand lesson number one. I know Noah’s death was beyond my control to prevent, but of course the guilt remains. What is a parent for if not to protect their children? Therapy provided perspective I would not have gained on my own. Mostly it provided a platform to understand myself better, to be kinder to myself, to see patterns that served me and those that did not. How I wish I could do life differently with the benefit of wisdom I acquired on this journey. All I can do is start where I am, apply the lessons I’ve learned and do the best I can to extend Noah’s legacy and impact. ♦

bethkrom.com

email: bethkrom@gmail.com

MANDYLICIOUS

Mandy Silverman — Challah guru

By Ellen Braunstein

THERE ARE MANY WAYS to bake challah and Mandy Silverman offers no less than 370 varieties. Her sweet and savory braided loaves are topped and stuffed with ingredients you never imagined, like caramelized onions and brisket, molten peppermint chocolate, and rainbow cupcake batter.

Known as the “Challah Guru” this Massachusetts baker offers recipes, guidance, and endless inspiration for challahs. She shares her creations with 40,000 followers on Instagram.

“I started off as a local business in 2013, Mandylicious, cooking from my home,” said Silverman, a wife and mother in her early 40s. With only a year of practice, she began turning out challahs with “crazy, fun things. I had so much experience with all this weirdness.”

From her home, she sold 30 a week. Then she took her baking business online and became an Instagram influencer. Her posts went viral. She showcases her

At some point, you get exhausted from failure because it’s not like making a pancake. You know right away, but a challah takes hours to see if something is wrong with the taste or the texture.

~ Mandy Silverman

challahs and answers questions about making them. “Word of mouth has been really helpful. I realized that my platform was better served there, as a way to teach people how to make challah and give out recipes.”

Silverman has made every baking mistake, “so I was really able to help people.” She also teaches classes on Zoom in the past few years and more recently returned to inperson classes.

Her mother inspired her to start with the basics – a slightly sweet loaf with a shiny, golden crust and pillowy-soft interior. Mom longed for a neighbor’s honeylayered challah, but was told it was a secret recipe. “I said, Mommy don’t worry. I will figure out how to make it. After several attempts, she got it right. “At some point, you get exhausted from failure because it’s not like making a pancake. You know right away, but a challah takes hours to see if something is wrong with the taste or the texture.”

Then came buffalo chicken (her husband’s favorite), Indian food (a friend’s pick), salami, and cookie dough, to name a few. She would make

special flavors for friends for their birthday and a Thanksgiving variety braided to resemble a turkey beak and feathers.

The biggest challenge in making a challah is getting the dough texture right. “When you make the dough you want it to end up being tacky, but not sticky. You don’t want it to be too dry because the dough doesn’t have enough leeway to rise. If it doesn’t have enough give, it will taste doughy and dense.

“With a challah, you have to use your own judgment because the dough will change consistency depending on humidity levels

Left to right: Fun favorites; these ceral-flavored Challah breads (Coco Puffs, Frosted Flakes and Fruit Loops flavors).

Mandylicious Challah

Recipe with Vegan Option

Equipment needed (many available from the Mandylicious Amazon store): bowls, measuring cups and spoons, scale (optional), towel, rolling pin (or round object for rolling like a glass or can), basting brush (or paper towel), baking sheet or loaf pan, parchment paper (optional), bread machine (optional)

Traditional with Vegan Option Dough

1 1⁄ cup water

4 ¼ cup high quality bread flour

1⁄ cup canola oil

Generous ½ cup sugar

4 large egg yolks

1 tablespoon *instant* yeast

2 teaspoons table salt

Extra water and flour as needed for consistency

To make vegan: in place of egg yolks, increase water

amount to 1 ½ cups and oil

amount to ½ cup

Directions:

Add dry and wet ingredients to a bread machine in the

outside if it’s raining.”

order specified by the manufacturer. Set machine for “dough” cycle. Or

If not using a bread machine, combine all the ingredients in a large bowl and knead for 5-7 minutes by hand or by using the dough hook in a stand mixer. To reach desired consistency: if sticky, add additional flour, 1 tablespoon at a time; if dry, add additional water, 1 tablespoon at a time.

Allow to rise in a large bowl, covered with a towel for 1 ½ hours.

When the dough cycle is complete, remove dough

from the bread machine or bowl, and divide into 6 equal portions. On a floured surface, roll three portions into long ropes, then carefully braid together, then place on a greased loaf pan or greased cookie sheet. Repeat with remaining dough. Cover with a towel and let rise for an additional 20-30 minutes. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

To Finish:

Brush with an egg wash

(Vegan: use oil or melted margarine)

Bake for approximately 30-40 minutes or until golden brown.

Silverman uses King Arthur bread flour. “If you use all-purpose flour you are going to have to use a lot more flour. Or sometimes you have to add water to get it just right.”

Silverman is modern Orthodox and says she connects to her Judaism through challah baking. She grew up in St. Louis and went to University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. She was in the public relations field before she turned to challah baking. She has no immediate plans for a cookbook. She feels like there are too many out there and recipes are widely available on the Internet.

She looks forward to teaching more classes in the fall. “I’m doing a Rosh Hashana meal, the whole meal which I’m very excited about.”

Silverman said that teaching first-timers is personally rewarding. “It’s the most amazing thing to be able to teach people like that. They think they can’t do it, like they’re very scared. When they’re successful and happy that’s like the best gift you can give someone.”

To reach Silverman about challah-baking opportunities, follow her on Instagram at mandyliciouschallah or email her at mandylicious@mchallah.com. ♦

For some Dough Pointers or if you have any problems or questions, Direct Message @mandyliciouschallah on Instagram!

SIZZLING APPLE CHICKEN SKILLET

By Hannah Klinger

INGREDIENTS

2 ½ tablespoons olive oil, divided 4 (4-oz.) skinless, boneless chicken thighs

¾ teaspoon kosher salt, divided

¾ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided

½ cup unsalted chicken stock (such as Swanson)

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage

1 ½ teaspoons chopped fresh

rosemary

2 medium apples, thinly sliced

1 small red onion, thinly vertically sliced

When you're craving Fall comforts, cook up this quick and easy weeknight dinner. This simple chicken dish is perfect for easing into fall and comes together in one pan. The thighs will finish cooking in the apple mixture, ensuring maximum flavor.

DIRECTIONS

Step 1

Heat a large skillet over mediumhigh heat. Add 1 ½ teaspoons oil to pan; swirl to coat. Sprinkle chicken evenly with 3⁄ teaspoon salt and 3⁄ teaspoon pepper. Add chicken to pan; cook 4 minutes on each side or until chicken is done. Remove from pan.

Step 2

Combine stock and mustard, stirring with a whisk. Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to pan; swirl. Add remaining 3/8 teaspoon salt, remaining 3/8 teaspoon pepper, sage, rosemary, apple, and onion to pan; cook 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in stock mixture. Return chicken to pan; cook 3 minutes or until liquid is reduced by half.

ccokinglight.com

I’m pretty transparent with my followers about trauma or things that I have been through. And I have learned that there are many women that follow me because they realize that I am more than just this chick who is into beauty and skincare.

~ Liz Kennedy

Beauty influencer

LIZ KENNEDY

elevates women's lives from self-care to self-respect

By Cindy Saltzman

UNDOUBTEDLY LIZ KENNEDY IS A BEAUTIFUL WOMAN. She is tall, slender, and fit, with perfect skin and hair. But the minute you speak with her, you realize that her outer beauty is the least interesting thing about her. Within two minutes of the start of our conversation, it became evident that Liz instinctively knows how to connect with people. Not only is she gracious, and intelligent, but she is also hysterically funny, and empathetic, topped off with an inner strength and resilience that Wonder Woman herself would admire.

Is it any wonder then, that Liz Kennedy is a widely popular beauty influencer and business entrepreneur with over 160,000 followers on TikTok alone, not to mention over 100,000 followers on Instagram?

However, Liz’s influence on women (and probably some men too) goes much deeper than that. She is acutely aware of the struggles that many women go through, as she has experienced some very difficult struggles herself, and come out the other side. As a result, she is genuinely working to help heal and elevate women's lives from the outside in.

Her company Beauty Magnet is an extension of that mission. Liz explains, "My company beautymagnet.com was developed and intended to not only create solutions and simplicity in the beauty space but with the power and mentality of BEING magnetic. It’s important that when we speak about skin, we speak about it as a healing practice rather than just vanity."

Liz Kennedy is the real deal. Did I mention that she is a great cook too?

LIZ KENNEDY BEAUTY MAGNET

Beauty Magnet is a collection of professional magnetic facial tools that deliver skincare deeper into the skin to lessen the appearance of fine lines, reduce dark spots, and eliminate stray hairs and acne.

“Skincare tools greatly enhance product penetration and are the best at-home resource a beauty enthusiast can have,” says Beauty Magnet Founder Liz Kennedy. “But they don’t work if you can’t find them. The Beauty Magnet simplifies your routine and makes your day easier. If you get back even a fraction of the time you would have spent looking for your beauty tools, then I’ve done it right.”

Cindy Saltzman: It is such a pleasure to meet you.  I have enjoyed your videos and reels for several years. You are so knowledgeable, and entertaining at the same time.

I understand that you were originally from New York but now live in Los Angeles. What sparked that move?

Liz Kennedy : We moved to L.A. when I started shooting the Steve Harvey Show. Everyone thought I was Latino, so then they wanted me to do beauty makeovers with big lashes and big hair, which I loved. It was so fun.

Steve is such a great guy.  He’s so smart and such a pleasure to be around.  And then I fell in love with California, and we (my husband and I) decided to take the leap and stay.

Cindy: Where is your husband from?

Liz: His parents are Russian, French, and Argentinian but he was born and raised in Muttontown Long Island  with all Jews. His best friend is Jewish. His love of Judaism is infectious.

Cindy: So you weren’t much of a stretch for him then.

Liz: No, not at all. I was born in Queens, and then I was in Israel until I was about 6 or 7. And then upstate New York until I was 18.

My father is Moroccan/Sephardic, Israeli, street kid. He grew up with 6 brothers. And my mom is Ashkenazi, NYU super-educated. They met in a Jewish nightclub in New York. They fell in love and had me. But unfortunately, they were two completely opposite human beings.

My parents had a very chaotic- abusive  relationship-two people who were completely incompatible. When I was six or seven, my mom took my sister and I to the states, and changed our name to Kennedy, like the airport. A very American name. And to be honest, my very Israeli, hard to pronounce name would have been difficult as we tried to fit into American life.

In a sense, Liz Kennedy became my stage name.

~ Liz Kennedy

Liz Kennedy and Beauty Magnet investors, Tariq Khan and Danny Saleem.

Cindy: Do you remember moving from Israel to the states?

Liz: Not really. I remember being in kindergarten and everyone making fun of my Israeli name. And I didn’t speak English. I was really tormented in school and then tormented again when my name was changed in middle school.

Cindy: Did you grow up in a Jewish household ?

Liz: Hanukkah ,  always, Passover,  always. My mom spoke Hebrew. But I didn’t really reconnect to Judaism until I returned to Israel to reconnect with my father when I was 21 or 22.

I was young and broke and was only supposed to stay for a week and a half, but I ended up staying for two and a half months. And then I would go back  two to three times a year.

Cindy: What was the impetus for your career in beauty?

Liz:  I’ve been obsessed with skin since I was a kid, I’ve always been fascinated by the skin’s ability to heal.  I grew up so skinny, with big frizzy typical Jewish hair. I didn’t know how to do makeup, and grew up with a tomboy of a mom, so I taught myself everything. And then I came into myself

One of my investors told me that he invested in my company because I was so passionate about it. And he was the first guy who believed in me besides my husband.

~ Liz Kennedy

and my body around the time I started college.  There still are many days when I relate to that 13-year-old Liz though. When I was about 22-23, I said to my now husband that I wanted to get my license as an aesthetician, which I did. And then I went to nursing school because I thought I wanted to work with a plastic surgeon. But eventually, I realized that I was more obsessed with the educational component of skincare.

At that point, I started to do a lot of TV.  And while I was doing TV, I would listen to what people complained about. A lot of the complaints were about products and tools being scattered everywhere. So, I thought, what if I created something that was like a Swiss Army knife, something that could carry tools that is all in one. And then my husband’s best friend, connected me to an engineer to help me develop the product.

Cindy: How many years ago was that?

Liz: Five years ago. It takes a long time to create a product- between the patents, the molds, the raising of money, and the mistakes you make along the way. It’s exhausting.  If it hadn’t been something proprietary, I would have just quit.

Cindy: So even though you were already in a very glamorous field, you still had this passion to create this product?

Liz:  Yes, because for me it was more than just magnetized skin care tools, and eventually skin care, I wanted to create a legacy brand about being magnetic, and how to manipulate your brain to be more magnetic. We are planning a podcast that will tie into this.

Everyone is busy, so a long beauty routine just isn›t practical, but 10 minutes is. Some of the tools are made to change and improve your skin, but the other tools, like the eye roller are to help you to slow down and enjoy your life for 5 or 10 minutes.  It may not be life-altering, but what is life-altering is showing yourself a little respect by taking time for yourself.

Cindy: You have a very holistic approach to your beauty segments.

On social media, you delve into healthy meals, skincare, makeup....

Liz: I think I am really good at getting a message across in 30 seconds, digestible segments.

Cindy: Why do you think your message resonates with so many women?

Liz: I’m pretty transparent with my followers about trauma or things that I have been through. And I have learned that there are many women that follow me because they realize that I am more than just this chick who is into beauty and skincare. A lot of the women that follow me are really struggling whether with debt, postpartum depression or sexual assault, all this crazy stuff that happens to women.

It occurred to me that there are two ways that you can go. You can either totally not take care of yourself and fall into this deep dark hole, or you can do what I did and use it as a weapon and create selfcare and mentally alter the way you perceive yourself while respecting yourself. I feel it is important to be transparent and share our struggles.  I don’t want someone to look at me and think this is not attainable, because it is.

Cindy: Did you ever want to give up during the process of developing the Beauty Magnet?

Liz: There were so many times when I felt like giving up.  It was very difficult raising money during covid. My TV work dried up, and I had just had my son. But what kept me going was the knowledge that I was creating a legacy brand and that it was more than tools and skincare. And that the reason that women will use this and continue to do so is that we are changing their skin and manipulating their brains to be more magnetic.

Cindy: What has been the biggest challenge for you as an entrepreneur?

Liz: There is definitely sexism and inappropriate behavior, but once someone gets to know me, they realize that they don’t want to mess with me.

Cindy: Have you had to deal with antisemitism

Liz Kennedy with her son.

in business?

Liz: I deal with a lot of it online-horrible stuff. But when I was a naive kid, in upstate New York, I thought that everyone liked us and wanted to be like us. I never knew the rest of the world didn’t like us. Jokes on us.

Cindy: I read somewhere that you said, “Even the people who believe in you and even invest with you, can doubt you. You must keep the vision alive.’’

Liz: Yes, it’s true. One of my investors told me that he invested in my company because I was

so passionate about it. And he was the first guy who believed in me besides my husband.

Cindy: It is interesting that your investors are two Muslim men.

Liz: They are great business partners. To be honest, they cared enough to invest in me. I get a lot of added value through their consultations and knowledge as well.

Cindy: What has been the most rewarding thing about creating a successful product and brand?

Liz: The messages I receive from women. I want to help simplify women’s counter tops and brains and to help maximize their time and self-esteem. Everyone is magnetic, but they have to feel it. We want to bring this message to the consumer in a simple, digestible, and relatable way. ♦

When non Jews and Muslims stand up against antisemitism and Islamophobia THAT is when we will win regardless of your religious or political backgrounds.

~Liz Kennedy

SEEING RED

As the summer months approach and the days can be a bit dismal, give gloom a shock to the senses. GO RED!

EBOSSY FULL LENGTH NCH COAT

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VINTAGE NAVAJO CORAL RING

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FLEUR

DU MAL LILY DEMI BRA

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BOND NO. 9

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Bow-embellished suede ankle boot

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SUSIE SALTZMAN

Designing your story in diamonds

By Ellen Braunstein

SUSIE SALTZMAN , owner and chief designer at Susie Saltzman Fine Jewelry, creates one-of-a-kind engagement rings that are modern yet timeless.

The Manhattan jeweler helps couples source their center diamonds and custom design their ring. She also creates wedding bands, earrings, and necklaces

Engagement rings are a significant financial and emotional purchase, which can be stressful without the right guidance, she says.

Saltzman, 39, strives to turn the designing of an engagement ring into “a stress-free process filled with thought, intention, love, and joy.

“The majority of the clients that I work with, this is usually one of their most significant investments to date,” she says. “They can be overwhelmed and not know where to start.”

About half of her clients work together as a couple. “I like to think that we are removing the stress from the situation and functioning as a trusted knowledgeable friend who’s really guiding them through the process.”

The designer sees clients in person and virtually from around the world. “I like to think that the experience is so personalized that you hardly feel the distance.”

Covid had little impact on her business because she was already working virtually. “When Covid initially hit, there was a bit of trepidation. I think people were

hesitant about making a big investment like this, but 2020 turned out to be my best year yet,” she said.

A single Jewish mother, Saltzman lives in Brooklyn with her three-year-old daughter, Isla.

Her job in product development at Tiffany’s was a springboard to her solo career that began 10 years ago.

Originally from northwest of Chicago, Saltzman went to the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City and studied fashion merchandising. As graduation approached, she became more interested in 3-D product design than apparel. Her first job out of school was at a cosmetic and fragrance company. She helped them with product development and packaging design.

At night, she would bead jewelry while watching TV as a way to relax. “I liked working with my hands and the more I did it, I thought I wanted to learn how to make real jewelry.” So she went to school at night and developed the manual skills for working with different types of fine jewelry. Then she applied for the job at Tiffany’s on a whim, never thinking she would get it. “That set my path for hopefully what will be the better part of my life.”

The fine jewelry industry offered her the connections and opportunity to explore custom design and fabrication. “When family and friends (and eventually strangers) asked for help navigating their search for the perfect engagement ring, I was able to help them.”

She doesn’t deliver just a piece of physical jewelry. “I think the intangible and arguably more important part of what we’re delivering or creating with our clients is a memory and experience, an heirloom and a keepsake.”

She says she finds inspiration for her work in nature, architecture, watching her daughter grow up and in the small moments of each day. “I also find a lot of inspiration in the clients I take on, weaving their personal stories into the design.”

Many of her clients come to her through word of mouth. Others see her creations on Instagram (@susiesaltzman) where she balances educational content with showcasing designs. “Many are underwhelmed by what they are seeing in retail stores. I think that we’re inspiring them and showing them beautiful designs, helping them understand what the experience looks like. It’s like a peek behind the curtain.”

The price point starts at $425, but the majority of custom rings she designs are in the $15,000 to $40,000 range. All the materials used are sourced through environmentally responsible producers. The design process usually takes two to three months.

“Many couples want secret, intentional details infused in the ring, for example, a small set of diamonds underneath the center stone. The secret design details make it feel special,” Saltzman says.

A big trend disrupting the market is lab grown diamonds. “I’ve launched a separate company that specializes in luxury lab grown diamonds,” she says. “It’s a real diamond with the same composition as a natural diamond, but they are offered at a fraction of the price of a natural stone.

“My goal first and foremost is to really understand the couple that I’m working with, what their values are, what is important to them in a ring. Then I like to advise them on how to maximize their budget.”

“For me, it’s really about the connection that makes it so special for me. It’s not just designing jewelry. I’m really helping people mark a moment in their lives. The bonuses they get are hopefully a gorgeous piece of jewelry that they’ll forever love and cherish. It feels like I’m helping them tell their story. It’s a real honor to me.” ♦

To learn more about Susie Saltzman Fine Jewelry, go to susiesaltzman.com. Her lab grown diamond specialty store is reverencejewelry.com

For me, it’s really about the connection that makes it so special for me. It’s not just designing jewelry. I’m really helping people mark a moment in their lives.

~Susie Saltzman

celebrating the 20th Anniversary of Poppy BearThe

Garden That Overslept.

Enjoy the relaunch of this award winning and beloved children's book.

Infused with the real-life magic and wonder of gardening, Poppy Bear will enchant readers of all ages. A positive reminder of how to cherish and respect the environment, Poppy Bear’s love of gardening will awaken the nature lover in all of us. New hard and soft cover versions and the Kindle version are sold exclusively through Poppy Bear & Company LLC.

BUY HERE

MYRON SUGERMAN

The last Jewish gangster

By McGwire (Mac) Pinkus

WOULD YOU BELIEVE that a loving devoted 85-year-old grandfather, once considered the Jewish Mafia’s father of an illicit gambling syndicate, partnered with Simon Wiesenthal to track down Josef Mengele in Paraguay?

We sat down with Myron Sugarman and learned about his past mob ties, his efforts to defeat antisemitism, and his historical Nazi hunting experience.  And we learned a lot more than how to say “Stick ‘em up” in 30 different languages.

Myron Sugerman today at 83, in his present Newark home.

That for the human existence, there is no such thing as pure white and pure black, It’s all shades of gray.

~Myron Sugerman

MYRON SUGERMAN

Mac:  What inspired you to write a book about your life?

Myron:  I thought about it when I was in jail. I realized that I had all these tremendous life adventures. So when I got out of jail, I started to write my memoir. And then several years ago, I decided to turn it into a book.

After the book came out, I received invitations to speak all over the United States and the U.K. from synagogues, and Jewish institutions and then from YouTubers. They wanted me to explain the history of the Jewish mob.

In the last several years, I must have done hundreds of speeches.

Mac:  What year did you get out of jail?

Myron:  November the 13th, 1996. I went in April 18, 1995, I did 19 months. 555 days of pure rest and relaxation on vacation.

Mac:  You enjoyed it?

Myron:  You make the best out of everything as far as life is concerned.

If you have the right attitude and are healthy that is a big help. In prison, we played a lot of sports, got into physical and mental condition, read, and met a lot of different types of people. At the end of the day, you learn how to say “stick’em up” in 30 different languages.

Mac:  What was the most difficult part of being in jail?

Myron:  The most difficult part is being separated from your family. You want to take care of them, and you’re deprived of that opportunity.

Mac:  I heard that Raman noodles are like currency in prison.

Myron:  Well in my time, it was tuna fish.

Mac:  What was your childhood like growing up in an old Jewish neighborhood back in the day?

Myron:  It was fantastic. We used to go to the playground behind the grammar school with kids from all the neighborhoods in the district.

The Italian neighborhood was behind the school. The Jewish neighborhood was in front of the school.

We played stickball, football, softball.  And everyone had a basketball net off their garage.

Mac:  Did you grow up in an observant home?

Myron:  No, there were no orthodox Jews where I grew up. When we moved from Hillside, New Jersey to Maplewood, New Jersey 1944, there wasn’t a temple or synagogue. So, the local rabbi of the conservative synagogue would pick up a bunch of us kids from the neighborhood and take us up to his synagogue to give Hebrew lessons.

Mac:  Would you mind explaining a little about the origins of the Jewish Mafia?

Myron:  They evolved from gangs. At the turn of

the 20th century, many of the Jewish immigrants lived in ghettos. Some of the gangs were like clubs but many evolved into gangs that were really brutal. And they were involved in the dirtiest of all crimes; drugs, violence, prostitution, extortion, and hit crimes.

And then with prohibition, the gangs become gangsters and they eventually became businessmen, but not in legitimate businesses.

The Jewish mob went out of business in the

Nazi soldiers roundup Jews for arrest during Warsaw Ghetto Uprising.

Mr and Mrs Barney Sugerman with son Myron, at his bar mitzva party in Newark, NJ.

The Annual Dinner of the Jewish mob in Newark, NJ. Inset of Barney “Sugie” Sugerman at Annual Jewish Mobster Dinner.

1940’s.

I was born January 12, 1938. I’m 85. So, there were hardly any of the old timers around when I got started.

The Jewish mob was absorbed by the Italians after the end of the of the Jewish era.

Mac:  So how did you get your start?

Myron:  When I came out of university, where I studied political science and languages, I went to work for my father, who had a large distribution

MYRON SUGERMAN

business. He distributed and operated jukebox machines, vending machines, pinball machines, and eventually gambling machines. Though he wanted me to start a legitimate export business, which I did. I took a tremendous liking to it. I was not supposed to be a gangster. But my father passed away in 1964. I was 26 years of age. I’d only had five years in business with my father. My mother eventually sold out of the family business. And I went out on my own.

In the process, I evolved into an outlaw. I was involved in contraband, meaning slot machines and illegal gambling devices that were prohibited for shipment in interstate commerce. I started to traffic in the illegal machines, including overseas. “ From 1959 going forward, I traveled for business in 70 nations. And I lived all over the world from Africa to South America. So I had a tremendous international experience. ”

Over the period of years, we evolved from slot machines into video poker machines. And then I really got the reputation for being the founding father of the illegal gambling machine business in New York. I knew every gangster and every gangster knew me. It became a very profitable

business. We put machines into laundromats, bars, and bodegas.

Mac:  Was it dangerous for you in terms of the authorities? Didn’t they try to stop you?

Myron:  Yes, I had three state cases and three federal cases against me. Then finally, I went to jail after many years of battling with the government.

You see, what people need to understand is that you can create a monster. Everybody wants to create something which is gigantic and successful as a businessman. But in reality, when you create the monster, you don’t own the monster. It’s reversed. The monster owns you. I can’t even begin to tell you how many people depended upon my existence. Because you’re the engine to an industry and you have all the ideas and all the connections. You’re key to that business. But these people helped you to create the empire and you have a moral obligation to continue the business. You cannot just step away.

People would say to me “why didn’t you walk away?” How are you going to walk away when you got hundreds of people who feed their families as a result of your very existence?

The fact of the matter is when you go to jail, they have to make it on their own. And most of them couldn’t.

Basically, the government put us out of business when I went to jail.

Mac:  Would you have made a better life for yourself being legitimate?

Myron: Probably. But by circumstances of life, you become a vortex. You’re pulled into it. All of a sudden, you’re operating in a different world with a different set of rules. It’s a different government.

In fact, it’s two governments. You have what’s called the underworld, and you’ve got the overworld, so you are operating in two worlds. You have two forces pulling at you from both ends.

Mac:  During your time traveling overseas, did you take your family?

Myron: I only took my family with me to Nigeria.

Mac:  What was Meyer Lansky like? Did he teach you anything?

Myron: I believe it was in 1970 that I spent the entire Shabbat with him in Tel Aviv. He had just escaped the United States at that point because of an impending indictment (on tax evasion). He ran to Israel.

Lansky told me that he knew my father and said very nice things about him. My father was one of the original investors in the Riviera Hotel in Havana, Cuba, together with his partner Abe

Meyer Lansky 1958. Joe “Doc” Stacher, original partner Barney Sugerman and Abe Green in Runyon Sales Company and partner with Meyer Lansky. Eventually they accepted exile from the United States and lived in Israel.

Abner “Longy” Zwillm, who was also known as “The Boss of New Jerser”, leaves Federal court in Newark after his case was dismissed.

The Newark Minutemen “Tough Jews” at Krueger Auditorium in 1935..

He had endless advice. I remember that he told me,  “ If you start to see your name and photo in the newspaper every day, get yourself up and run. They made me bigger than Al Capone.” He feared that the charges against him would result in an excessive punishment because the Nixon and Mitchell government wanted to come down hard on organized crime as a way of distracting the masses from the Watergate affair.

Mac:  What is the best advice you have received?

Myron:  There wasn’t one piece of advice that was exceptional, but rather, several things, like  “ timing is everything. ”

It’s important to understand when your time is up. And I knew at a certain point it was my time to put the key in the door and take off for Israel or

Green.

go to South America. But as I said earlier, it is not so easy to run away.

There was an old-time, legendary Jewish bookmaker from Newark who told me, “I made one mistake. I stayed on the block one year too long.” If I would have gotten out the year before, I’d never have gone to jail. But I stayed that one year too long and the world changed, and I wasn’t changing with it.

Mac:  Were you cognizant of timing?

Myron:  Yes. Nobody ever beats the system. Sooner or later the system beats you.

Mac:  Were there any rules or guidelines specific to the Jewish mafia?

Myron:  There wasn’t a rule specific to the Jewish mafia. But there was a golden rule that applied to anyone in organized crime, and that was, “Don’t snitch. Snitches get stitches.”

Mac:  Was there anything that distinguished the Jewish mafia from other mafia organizations?

Myron:  The main difference is that the Jewish mafia was a one-generation world. We did not pass it down to our children. My father had dreams of me going into the legitimate world, corporate, making all kinds of money, and so forth, being very successful.

Mac:  It sounds like you lived in a world that was not black or white, but somewhere in between.

Myron:  Life is gray. There is a Talmudic truth that says,  “ That for the human existence, there is no such thing as pure white and pure black, It’s all shades of gray. ’ ” If you want perfect truth, you’re not gonna have perfect justice. If you want perfect justice, you’re not gonna have perfect truth. There’s fluidity. ”

Mac:   Who had the strongest leadership skills: Carlo Gambino, Meyer Lansky, or Jerry Catena?

Myron:  All 3 of them. They all had natural leadership. They were gifted with natural intelligence. It’s one thing to be smart, but what we all want to be is wise. Smart leads to wisdom. So, you take your experience, and you are able to see things that other people can’t see. That’s leadership.

Someone like Ze’ev Jabotinsky (journalist and

founder of the Zionist Revisionist movement) didn’t lead by fear, but with principles. He acted with the same principles that he spoke.

At that time especially, the mentality of a patriot and a gangster was very similar.

Myron: As an example, the Jewish mob in the 1930s, throughout the United States, fought the American Nazi Party, and the head of the German American Bund Party, Fritz Kuhn. They fought the Ku Klux Klan. They fought antisemites in Chicago, in Minneapolis, in North New Jersey, in New York, in Los Angeles. Wherever there was antisemitism, there was a feeling of Jewish patriotism that manifested itself by actually beating up the Jew haters. In the 30s, it was strictly American Jews (outlaws, prize fighters, factory workers) who beat up the American Nazis.

Charlie Lucky Luciano, the boss of the Italian mafia, even told Meyer Lansky that he would send him all of the Italian kids that he needed to help in the fight.

Meyer Lansky’s response to Mr. Luciano was that though he deeply appreciated the offer, it was a Jewish problem and was going to be resolved by Jews, and only Jews. So when people ask me what kind of a Jew Meyer Lansky was, I say, he was a very patriotic Jew. He was a patriotic American. ”

Mac:  What caused the downfall of the mafia?

Myron:  The government. They’ve got all the money, all the time, all the personnel, all the structure, all the informers.

Mac:  You seem very knowledgeable about Jewish history and Judaism in general. How did you gain your knowledge?

Myron:  Jewish pride was transmitted. It was the inheritance from my family. The home that I grew up in was typical of its time. My father was a combination of American-born, roaring 20s, and the child of religious parents. His parents were extremely religious. My mother did not grow

up in a religious home, but in a home filled with Yiddish culture. I heard my mother speak Yiddish frequently. Being proud of being a Jew first manifested itself in college because I took an interest in Zionism. I graduated in 1959. My final paper in political science was on the anatomy of the Jewish state, which at that time was just a little over 10 years old. As I traveled all over the world from 1959 on, I realized that I didn’t know anything about the Jewish religion. And that bothered me. I began to realize that they’ll never be Jews without Judaism. If there’s no religion, you’re not going to have Jewish people. They’re just going to be a one-generation people. They’re going to integrate, they’ll assimilate, they’ll disappear.

So, I made a concerted effort to learn about Judaism, and to expose my family to the religion. I have three sons, and  when our son Benny was born in 1974, I made a decision to send him to Jewish day school.

Today he’s an Orthodox Rabbi and Talmudic scholar in Boca Raton, Florida and has eight kids in Yeshivas.

Mac:  With antisemitism/antizionism being at

an all-time high, do you have any advice for how young people can deal with it?

Myron:  The problem really boils down to a question of ignorance. If you’re ignorant, you’re going to be bamboozled by others, especially when faced with antisemitism or lies about Israel.

You’re in a situation where you don’t know what the hell is going on. If you don’t know your own religion, you’re going to be susceptible to becoming anything except being a Jew. My father’s generation was a terrific generation in terms of its Jewish identity and pride, but most of them failed to raise their kids to continue to be Jews.

That’s why today, 70% of the nonorthodox world intermarries.

If you ask a Jewish person in the secular world, what’s the name of the mother and father of Jesus Christ, everyone knows the answer. But if you ask those same people if they know who is the father and mother of Moses, very few will know. If we are ignorant of our own world and religion, like I said before, you can be easily bamboozled.

People always ask me how I managed in a business that was dominated by Italians.

Well, one thing that they knew and were very clear from day one, I was a proud Jew. I made that point without sticking my finger in their eye. They just knew that I took pride in being a Jew. And I was confident.

Confidence comes from knowledge. Knowledge is power. And the power of knowledge mixed with experience, results in the ultimate achievement of all mankind, which is wisdom. That’s what King Solomon said, didn’t he?

It’s all about wisdom. ♦

Myron Sugerman, right, speaks with Nazi hunter Simon Wiesenthal in Wiesenthal’s New York City office.

Mron Sugerman at his Newark home in 2021, filming for “The Last Man Standing: The Chronicals of Myron Sugerman

GOTESMAN-SCHNEIER:

Tragedy Happens In Color

BY Allison Mintz

PROVOCATIVE, UNEXPECTED, AND HAUNTING

are just three words to describe the captivating work of artist Toby Gotesman-Schneier. Gotesman-Schneier is a world-renowned artist and has her work displayed in private homes and museums around the world. Her entrance into art came unexpectedly.

“I wasn’t an artist; I didn’t go to art school. I didn’t even know how to draw, but one day I just found myself doing these monumental things” says Gotesman-Schneier. Her work and passion are a true gift from G-d.

Much of Gotesman Gotesman-Schneier ‘s work depicts the human suffering that most people don’t want to talk about or think about. Her collections on the homeless, HIV/AIDS, and her Holocaust project have all earned her critical acclaim throughout the art world. While depicting these images may not be in the mainstream, for Gotesman-Schneier, she said, “no one wants to paint human suffering, but it’s a mission.”

The “Colors of HIV” collection was a remarkable series of work that really highlighted the impact and adversity of the HIV/AIDS crisis. “The HIV/AIDS collection serves as a visual representation of the emotional moments experienced by the families whose lives have been affected by the virus,” said GotesmanSchneier. These images are real and they truly showed the suffering, anger, and controversy of this epidemic. You could sense the pride Gotesman-Schneier has for this collection as she spoke so fondly about the importance for her to get this collection to the public.

Gotesman-Schneier’s most impactful work to date has been her Holocaust collection. This collection had 110 pieces and currently, only a few pieces are still available. The brilliance of the colors used create such a stark contrast to the depravity and hate of this time. Each painting is even more captivating than the next. While these paintings are beautiful and vibrant, the underlying message of sadness, despair, and helplessness still are prevalent. As I looked through these paintings, I felt a profound sadness and felt that the bright colors enhanced the emotion. Gotesman-Schneier work is not for the faint of heart. Her work draws you in immediately and you can’t help but be left with a strong emotional connection to both the artwork itself and the underlying untold story.

Gotesman-Schneier is humble and authentic when she speaks about her passion for her work. “It’s all about our art and our people. Both my parents were Auschwitz survivors. We have to have a cause that is greater than us, and this is

mine. It’s not that anyone wants to paint this stuff, but I felt like I had to, I wanted to, I needed to.” In looking at Gotesman-Schneier’s paintings, the images of cages and enclosures are a consistent theme Gotesman-Schneier said, “Jail cells, geometric shapes, and the umbrellas signify being trapped, an enclosure of sorts. There are still times when I don’t even understand what I paint. I will stand back and be like, whoa, I just did that? It comes from above”

Knowing the political and emotional connection of her work, Gotesman-Schneier said she is not afraid to tell the story of suffering through her artwork. “My dream is to have a Holocaust exhibition in Berlin, Called, In Your Face, Berlin. I know how dangerous this would be, but I’m going to do it” said Gotesman-Schneier. As she explained, it is important to put these images in front of people so that they don’t forget. “I think art has to be dangerous. I can paint the pretty flowers, but there is human suffering and that story is important and needs to be shared” said Gotesman-Schneier.

Gotesman-Schneier was born in Oregon and currently resides in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. She has two adult children, whom she loves. She has been active in the Jewish community since she was born. As the daughter of a Rabbi, Gotesman-Schneier took her religion seriously and attended Hebrew school growing up. Throughout her life, she stayed connected to her Jewish roots. Gotesman-Schneier was the co-founder of the Hampton Synagogue in Westhampton Beach, New York. She has also been active in philanthropy, politics, bringing awareness to humanitarian issues and spreading her message of awareness throughout the world.

Gotesman-Schneier has many exciting projects currently in the pipeline. Her messages of awareness, suffering, and peace will continue to mesmerize audiences throughout the world. While her paintings are provocative and shocking, they portray a haunting beauty that

Painting "Chasid."

one cannot miss. “I don’t do anything small in life. I tend to patch everything together, because different moments are different and need to be highlighted.” She knows that her work is controversial, but that doesn’t stop her creativity and her story from being shown.

Anyone who has an opportunity to view GotesmanSchneier’s work will be better for it, as her paintings have a way of being very introspective. As she said, “I see the beauty in these awful, heinous situations and it juxtaposes against how my heart feels, it’s terrible, and I feel terrible for them.” One theme that has remained consistent through all of her work is the use of color. She said that her mantra is, “tragedy happens in color. Well, life actually happens in color.” Even in the darkest moments depicted in her art, the sky is still shining blue. The colors used, while some may say are controversial, provide an extraordinary realism to the actual pain, devastation, and suffering we see in the images depicted. “I’m an expressionist, I take that thing and make it into a feeling, and not just an image,” said Gotesman-Schneier.

Gotesman-Schneier has stayed extremely busy over the past few years. Even during Covid shutdowns, she was able to pivot her business to have a strong online presence. With a huge social media following, Gotesman-Scheiner has been able to connect on a deeper level with her base. She makes a point to show the paintings every step of the way to her followers. As she said, “the process is an equal or in some way has more importance than the end result.” Her social media followers almost become part of the process as they get to see the paintings transform into great works. Gotesman-Schneier shared that her paintings are never truly finished, and they can always be changed depending on how she feels that day.

She is excited about her upcoming solo exhibitions. The first Exhibition, “Deep in the Palms” mixed media paintings will be held August 18-November 1st at the Sandhill Crane Golf Clubhouse, 9500 Sandhill Crane Drive, Palm Beach Gardens. The second solo exhibition, “Still Deep in the Palms” mixed media paintings, will be held September 12-November 18th at the Burns Road Community Center, 4404 Burns Rd., Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. If you are in the Palm Beach area make time to see these wonderful exhibitions. You can also learn more about Gotesman-Schneier on her website

https://www.tobygotesmanschneier.com/ . ♦

Painting "Colors of the Holocaust."

DRAIMAN, Nice Shot

By Tara Dublin

JEWS ROCK!

And if you don’t believe it, you clearly haven’t been paying attention for the last few decades. From Drake to Doja Cat to the Dessner Brothers of the band The National (who also have worked with Taylor Swift), Jews are all over the musical spectrum. But one unique voice continues to stand out from the vast field of talent in the Tribe, and it belongs to the lead singer of the band Disturbed.

That’s right: not only do Jews rock, we rock HARD. One listen to Disturbed’s brilliant cover of Simon and Garfunkel’s “The Sounds of Silence” (which also adds to the Cool Musical Jews factor) and you know you’re in the company of greatness from the moment you hear lead singer David Draiman’s interpretation. Originally trained to be a cantor, Draiman’s full control and command make for a compelling listen. But it’s even more intense when you watch the band perform it live.

https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=Bk7RVw3I8eg

A former cantor might seem like the least likely guy to front a metal band, but David Draiman has never fit into your typical Nice Jewish Boy mold. Born in New York in 1973, Draiman was raised by non-observant Jewish parents who still chose to send him to Orthodox schools. His father, YJ, worked as a real estate developer and small-business owner before he was arrested for embezzlement and sent to prison when Draiman was 12 years old. He later ran for mayor of Los Angeles and moved the family around the country; David attended different Jewish schools in Chicago and Milwaukee as well as L.A, and took cantorial training lessons despite feeling “resentful” about his Jewish education.

The same man who once chanted the Torah and is fluent in Hebrew is the same man who wrote some of Disturbed’s most successful singles, such as “Stupify , ” “Down with the Sickness , ” “Indestructible, ” and “Inside the Fire.”

Draiman had a difficult few years in his teens, dabbling in heroin and attempting suicide not long after his girlfriend had taken her own life. After surviving his near-death experience, Draiman quit heroin and spent a year in Israel studying at a Yeshiva before returning to the United States in 1992.

Draiman considered a career in law after graduating from Loyola University, but has said he decided that “lying for a living and protecting criminals” wasn’t the life he wanted for himself. Never one to be pinned down, he then got an administrator’s license and spent five years running his own healthcare facility before joining Disturbed as their frontman, which then propelled the band to its greatest successes. The same man who once chanted the Torah and is fluent in Hebrew is the same man who wrote some of Disturbed’s most successful singles, such as “Stupify”, “Down with the Sickness”, “Indestructible”, and “Inside the Fire”.

https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=09LTT0xwdfw

Draiman has also really leaned into his cultural Jewishness this year by moving his family from Hawaii to Florida, as he recently revealed to a fan on Twitter. Unapologetically political--he has called himself “liberal about everything issuebased” and “a very, very strong supporter of Israel forever and for our people”-Draiman isn’t at all shy about holding both parties accountable and says he prefers small government. He also has no problem calling out other musicians for their politics; in 2019, for example, he slammed ex-Pink Floyd legend Roger Waters “and his Nazi comrades” for their demands to boycott Israel. That same year, Disturbed made their live debut in Israel and performed its national anthem, the Hatikvah.

There is also that practical side to Draiman that all Jewish parents seem to have. Asked by a fan why he sought “the humidity” and Florida’s ultraconservative governor Ron DeSantis, the ever-pragmatic singer (who had spoken out about the state’s controversial “Don’t Say Gay” bill) replied: “The schools, the sun, and no state income tax”. In July, Draiman, who supported Bernie Sanders in 2016, commended President Joe Biden for signing an executive order designed to bolster access to abortion in states that are banning it following the court’s ruling in June to overturn the constitutional right to terminate a pregnancy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h1yOMGy1GPU

Don’t try to pin down David Dramain: he’s a family man, he’s a metal frontman, and he’s a passionate advocate for both American and Israeli Jews. Best of all, Disturbed is still making new music and will play several festival dates this fall. ♦

Opposite page: The Sickness 2000

Indstructable 2008 Asylum 2010 Evolution 2018

This page: David

Draiman poses with Chabad of the Kotel representatives.

All of the respect on her name: meet TOVA THE POET

By Tara Dublin

WITH A NAME THAT literally means “good,”

Tova Ricardo--aka Tova the Poet--is using her vibrant voice to speak to her unique experience as a young Black Jewish woman at a time when our country has never been more divided.

While we struggle with drawing the line between hate speech and freedom of speech, Tova the Poet simply refuses to be silenced.

Tova found her voice while growing up in Oakland, California, where she was named the city’s 2015 Youth Poet Laureate during her senior year of high school. The self-proclaimed religiously observant unapologetic Zionist has embraced social media as a way to share her message of intercultural acceptance to as many people as possible.

The destigmatization of Black and Jewish cultures and their intersectionality is at the forefront of her incredibly important work. “I have the right to be upset with the state of the world and

with the way people conflate Jewish womanhood and Black womanhood with unwarranted anger and irrationality,” Tova wrote in February 2022.

“I don't want people to simply label me as unreasonably upset and pretend that is all I am…I refuse to choose between being a ‘good woman’ or a woman who will not be intimidated, belittled, or silenced,” she continues. I am woman enough because I say I am. I am woman enough because being nurturing also means sticking up for those I care about.”

Tova also uses her voice to discredit the systemic racist, sexist, and misogynistic tropes of the “Angry Black Woman” as well as the “Neurotic Jewish Woman” portrayed in films and on TV shows as “too loud” or “too much.”

https://vimeo.com/580925958

Reading her poetry is a visceral reminder to check ourselves for the microaggressions we’re still not aware of as white Jews, a lesson to be better allies to those within our communities as well

as those in the communities we weren’t born into.

But it is in her performances where Tova the Poet’s innate truth to power can not only be heard, but truly seen and felt. The pride in her unique multicultural heritage emanates through her words as she fully embraces all of the cultures that have come together to make her a unique representation of what it means to be Black, to be Jewish, to be a Woman, without being called “too much.”

“I want to use my social media platform and my writing to educate people about Torah,” Tova says. “Historical trauma, assimilation, Black and Jewish traditions, and combating hatred, without draining myself.”

“I shouldn’t have to explain myself all the time,” Tova wrote in an Instagram video caption. “When I say that I am Jewish, believe me. The Jewish people have lived in nearly every continent on the planet. We all look different ways, but we are still one people. Yes, it is possible to be Black AND born Jewish.” ♦

Yes, it is possible to be Black AND born Jewish.

~Tova the Poet

CEO Craig Dershowitz

Art over hate

By Tara Dublin

CRAIG DERSHOWITZ, THE CEO OF ARTISTS 4 ISRAEL , is walking proof that Judaism and activism can co-exist in a meaningful way despite the current political climate. The heavily tattooed self-described “radical thinker” gave up his corporate lifestyle and has found a way to combine his humanitarian efforts with his passion for the arts, fusing them both together to advocate for peace both in the Middle East and in America. And despite its name, most of the artists involved aren’t even Jewish, a testament to Dershowitz’s ability to reach out to other communities and connect with them not just as artists or people of different faiths, but as fellow human beings.

Dershowitz has been carefully monitoring the rise of Antisemitism online as well as in daily life. Statistics show that Antisemitism hit an all-time high in 2020, having increased significantly during the Trump Administration. And there are too many troubling signs pointing to Christian Nationalism only getting worse. But Dershowitz says he remains hopeful that the work Artists4Israel does will help not just change peoples’ minds, but their actions as well.

Jewish Life spoke with Craig Dershowitz about his work and his advocacy.

JEWISH LIFE NOW: You’ve had such an interesting career arc, Craig! You founded Artists4Israel, tell us where the idea came from and why you’ve made it your focus now.

CRAIG DERSHOWITZ: I was surrounded by an incredible team of visionary, disruptive, professional, and passionate individuals. For many years, Artists 4 Israel was led by an entirely volunteer staff. But as it continued to grow, we were forced to make a decision [regarding leadership]. I am honored that I was asked to become the C.E.O. of an organization as powerful as this. I gave up my position at Morgan Stanley and became the first full-time Artists 4 Israel employee.

The arts bring joy & healing to people every day, a fact that’s often lost in this contentious political climate.

~ Craig Dershowitz

Serving as a CEO for a non-profit organization, which is made up of artists and humanitarian aid workers, I often need to sit down, be quiet and allow the creatives and the experts to speak. So much of Artists 4 Israel’s programming is created from the bottom-up, by the efforts of those who are out there painting the murals, healing the injured, and doing the daily work. This idea that those we serve determine the nature of Artists 4 Israel’s work creates our best opportunities for success.

JLN: It’s also interesting that so many of the artists you’re working with aren’t Jewish or religious. Maybe they saw the cool tattooed dude and realized Jews can be cool, too?

CD: You’re making me blush!

JLN: But too many people think Jews can’t be cool, so as a fellow tattooed Jew I just want to say that’s not true.

CD: Almost every artist we work with isn’t Jewish! Artists 4 Israel believes that allowing non-Jewish artists to support Israelis in need and to share their perceptions of the country creates more opportunities for growth, learning, ally building, and honesty. The question of how do we get them involved is difficult to answer because it has never truly been a question to us. By being arts-first and having worked with some of the most talented and influential artists in our field, we have created a name and reputation that allows us to meet artists where they are and have them reach out to us in equal measure.

JLN: That’s a perfect segway to my next question, which isn’t an easy one to answer, but it speaks to “meeting people where they are”: What do you think is the most important thing for Americans to understand about the conflict between Israel and Palestine? Do you believe there will ever be a time where Israel and Palestine can coexist peacefully?

CD: As the CEO of Artists 4 Israel, I am forced to think not in black and white but in color, shading, texture, and nuance which leads me to recognize many more factors in play than Israel or Palestine. I believe Americans would appreciate learning that it is not just about the Israelis and Palestinians. There are so many other forces at play with their own goals, purposes, and influences that affect every moment of the relationship, and that Israel and Palestine are proxies only for a number of global concerns.

But I hope so with all my heart. I believe so with less of my heart but still enough to find some comfort in the future. There are a number of intelligent and thoughtful plans out there to create an enduring peace and now that the simplistic two-state solution has been discredited, some of these other, more nuanced and culturally sensitive plans can be considered. More importantly, much of the planning

“ We have found that art serves two major imperatives in uplifting marginalized communities: helping the individual in direct and personal ways and supporting local communities in beautification and revitalization efforts ” .

~ Craig Dershowitz

Portuguese street artist Mr. Deo, puts finishing touches on wall mural of Aristides de Sousa Mendes, a Portuguese diplomat who helped thousands of Jews flee the Nazi regime.

The piece — created with support from the Combat Antisemitism Movement (CAM) — is part of Artists4Israel’s “Righteous Among the Nations” Global Mural Project.

Painted in Gaia, Portugal by @mrdho

for peace is focusing more and more on direct talks between the two parties involved and not outside negotiators which gives more credibility and stability to any peace process.

JLN: The topic of Israel is always a contentious one for American politicians. What do they get right & what do they get wrong?

CD: American politicians seem to believe that it is better to force themselves from the top down. Every American President, since I can remember, has run full-on into Israel with their plan for peace and, it seems, a Nobel Peace Prize on their mind. It just won’t work that way. America is not Israel, the Middle East is not North America and the issues in question are not in any way similar to that with which Americans wrestle.

As the American political system continues to polarize, so too does Israel. It seems as if American politicians have turned Israel into a bit of a political football, using it to virtue signal, and gain points and curry favor with certain demographics. This pandering denies the basic humanity of the people in Israel living with the decisions made by our decision makers.

JLN: Which leads us right into my next question: some people often assume that Jewish people, particularly American Jews, are militant supporters of Israel with no flexibility, which isn’t true. At the same time, Antisemitism is on the rise in America as well as globally. How do we fight the misconceptions about Jewish people that still persist?

CD: After having considered the situation for some time, Artists 4 Israel recently unveiled a series of programs aimed at disrupting antisemitism

Healing Ink. Artists 4 Israel and Bishop Tattoo tattooed over 20 survivors of war and terrorism in Israel.

Artists 4 Israel ventured to the city of Sderot on a mission to beautify buildings ravaged by war and cover community bomb shelters with love and hope. Left are two amazing transformations.

1: King David by Eric Skotnes (Instagram@zoueh_skoynes)

2: The Cat by TakerOne (Instagram@takeronegraffiti)

based on our successful strategies in combatting anti-Israel sentiment. The underlying principles for each program are: focusing on prevention over fighting, considering our allies and preexisting strengths and utilizing those as opposed to considering our enemies and disadvantages, moving away from “shame and blame” and historic fears, minimizing generational trauma, artsfocused activities and finding modern, public/social and large-scale ways to express ourselves. I am happy to go in depth but these strategies inform all Artists 4 Israel’s antisemitism prevention techniques.

JLN: The arts bring joy & healing to people every day, a fact that’s often lost in this contentious political climate. How do you use your art to help people, especially marginalized people, who are hurting in America right now because of politics?

CD: Artists 4 Israel determined a few years ago to spread our arts-based healing programs outside of Israel and into communities around the world that could benefit from our support. We have found that art serves two major imperatives in uplifting marginalized communities: helping the individual in direct and personal ways and supporting local communities in beautification and revitalization efforts. In short, we have found that change and progress begin with small, immediately beneficial programs that are built on a foundational belief in the transcendent power of art. We recognize that we do not feed the hungry or cure diseases but communities need beautification, hope, and personal and community empowerment while they wait for the larger solutions. ♦

To learn more about Craig Dershowitz and Artists4Israel, check out Artists4Israel.org

RABBI DR. SHMULY YANKLOWITZ

This Arizona rabbi chooses Judaism, again and again

By Shannon Levitt

AT 10 YEARS OLD, THE BOY WHO WOULD GROW up to be Rabbi Dr. Shmuly Yanklowitz – one of the 50 most influential American rabbis according to both the Forward and Newsweek -made a choice. He chose to be a Jew.

Yanklowitz was raised in an interfaith home, and his Christian mother and Jewish father left his religious destiny in his young hands. He chose Reform and an eventual bar mitzvah. He was very active in the Reform movement -- so active, in fact, he became head of the Reform minyan at his college, the University of Texas at Austin.

That’s not the end of the story, however.

At about 20 years old and still a student at UT, Yanklowitz

Yanklowitz has three rabbinic ordinations, two master’s degrees, one from Harvard and another from Yeshiva University, as well as a doctorate from Columbia University. He also served as the University of California Los Angeles Hillel’s senior Jewish educator and director of Jewish life and has written 22 books on Jewish ethics.

found himself wanting something different, “something very fervent, very intense,” he said. Thus, he chose Orthodox Judaism and a second conversion.

“I had a number of experiences in the ultra-Orthodox world that gave me that fulfillment that I was looking for,” he said. He became “ultra-Orthodox, like in the ‘blackhat world,’ and then I moved to a hilltop caravan in the West Bank

and was kind of like a religious settler for a while.”

While his religious practice would change and change again, Yanklowitz would keep choosing Judaism, because, he said, “saving lives and reducing suffering in the world is crucial to what Judaism is about,” in all its myriad forms. Eventually, he came to a more pluralist ideal of Judaism, a place where all Jews can learn from one another and work together for a more just world.

Yanklowitz draws strength from being in conversation with all Jews, no matter their affiliation, or lack thereof, he said. “I see the struggles and benefits, pros and cons to each kind of denomination, and I think we do best when we learn from Ben Zoma in Pirkei Avot, that the wise person is someone who can learn with everyone and from everyone.”

He said his own religious journey taught him “both the sweetness and the inclusivity of the Reform world and the fervency and the intensity of the ultra-Orthodox world.”

In 2013, he accepted a job offer in Phoenix, Arizona, a city neither he nor his wife, Shoshana, had any connection to. Taking charge of Valley Beit Midrash (VBM), a nonprofit for Jewish learning and progressive activism, allowed him to work with the entire Jewish community, one which was large but largely disengaged.

Here was a city with a lot of very sophisticated, professional Jews who simply found Judaism unappealing “because they still have a seventh-grade understanding of it,” Yanklowitz said. Under his leadership, VBM became a place “to add depth to the Jewish discourse and raise the intellectual bar of what American Jews are talking about.”

He brought with him all that he had learned from his early humanitarian work in the global South when he was volunteering and working in places like El

Salvador, Guatemala, Senegal, and Thailand with American Jewish World Service, an international development and human rights nonprofit organization.

“That experience really affected me a lot,” he said.

Social action, in the form of helping immigrants on the U.S.-Mexico border, resettling Afghan refugees, and pushing for climate change legislation, as well as advocating for a host of other social justice issues, is one of the three pillars VBM is built upon.

Learning is another. That’s unsurprising, given Yanklowitz’s own biography. He has three rabbinic ordinations, two master’s degrees, one from Harvard and another from Yeshiva University, as well as a doctorate from Columbia University. He also served as the University of California Los Angeles’ Hillel senior Jewish educator and director of Jewish life and has written 22 books on Jewish ethics. Leadership development, the third pillar, is harder to measure, he said, but “you never know the people you’re going to inspire and how they will use this learning in their life.”

Yanklowitz’s view is that if you teach people Jewish values they will act upon them, which means saving lives, a goal he takes very seriously.

In 2015, after months spent researching live kidney donation and discerning what a call to save lives really means, he became a kidney donor for a person he had never met. He and Shoshana, a nurse practitioner, discussed the idea, worried about bad possible outcomes, but ultimately, went forward with the donation, because, he said, he “couldn’t look away.”

Similarly, he founded YATOM: The Jewish Foster & Adoption Network, and he and Rabbi Shmuly Yankowitz, rallies in Phoenix.

I see the struggles and benefits, pros and cons to each kind of denomination, and I think we do best when we learn from Ben Zoma in Pirkei Avot, that the wise person is someone who can learn with everyone and from everyone.

~Rabbi Dr. Shmuly Yanklowitz

YANKLOWITZ

Shoshana have fostered children in addition to having their own four, ages 3 to 9. After years of writing books and articles for various national publications, public speaking appearances, building organizations, and social justice activism, Yanklowitz is a very visible presence in Phoenix and his progressive views are widely known. Though he sees VBM as a meeting place for Jews across the political spectrum, he admitted that he’s troubled when he sees “apathy or hate emerging from our own Jewish community, or I see Jewish alignment with white supremacists in our state,” he said. Those ideas can come from the belief that it’s “good for Israel even if it’s bad for all minorities,” he said, which is “very painful and misguided.”

He’s not interested in fighting with local

Jews who disagree with him, but, he said, “it is exhausting to feel oftentimes like a lone voice on many issues, and a little bit like a punching bag of the far right of our Jewish community.”

He’d much rather focus on his work of advancing Jewish knowledge and welcoming all Jews, especially those on the margins, meaning Jews of color, people with disabilities, and Jews from interfaith families. “We’re not just willing to accept them, but we really affirm who they are and welcome them in,” he said. Some of his attitude reflects his early experience of religious alienation.

But he can also see what’s happening in the Jewish world. Last year, Pew Research Center released a survey of Jews, which found that American Jews are increasingly either Orthodox or unaffiliated. Orthodox Judaism, he said, has a high entry barrier and “deep content,” while other Jewish spaces have “very watered down content but are very inclusive.” He wants to bridge that gap and provide meaningful content in a space where all Jews feel welcome.

Liberal Judaism, he said, needs “a renaissance” so that it’s rooted in both tradition and progress. As always, the key is “to demonstrate more clearly and powerfully how Judaism matters for the world, how it makes our lives better, and how it makes the world better.”

He worries that in a world full of competing ideas, people will simply identify as spiritual and go to yoga instead of seeing all that Judaism has to offer. “That would be the death of the Jewish future,” he said. But instead of focusing solely on continuity and survival, he said, the goal should be “to thrive and to make sure that Jewish wisdom is applied to improving the world. If we’re doing that well, the Jewish community will be sustained in the process.” ♦

Rabbi Dr. Shmuly Yanklowitz and his wife, Shoshana Yanklowitz.

The Jewish community in Idaho is handcrafted. It’s not assembly line Judaism.

~Rabbi Mendel Lifshitz

IDAHO

The next Jewish frontier?

By Ellen Braunstein

SINCE THE PANDEMIC, MORE REMOTE WORKERS are coming to Boise, Idaho, trading dense, urban cities for a down-to-earth, outdoorsy place seen as desirable to relocate. No one could be more excited than Rabbi Mendel Lifshitz, director of Chabad Lubavitch of Idaho and his wife Esther, who have 11 children. For 18 years, the religious couple has slowly eked out a Jewish community despite the relatively small number of Jews.

All that has changed in the past few years.

“During the pandemic, we’ve had a really huge spurt,” he said. “It has opened people’s eyes to the fact that they can choose where to live as opposed to being told where to live. I’d say more people moved here in the last two or three years than have moved here in the whole decade.”

Among the many newcomers are Jews who have found their new and sometimes first spiritual home in Chabad of Idaho. They are attracted to Chabad’s authenticity and welcoming attitude. Every Jew is encouraged to participate, regardless of affiliation and ability to pay.

Israeli-American Dan Berger, an entrepreneur, left the east coast for a road trip to pass time during the first wave of covid. “What I didn’t realize is that I was actually following my spirit.”

Boise became his new home and “Chabad has become a key part of my integration. It has given me the spirituality I was seeking, but more so an authentic community of people who share the same values.”

Chabad of Idaho is in the midst of expanding facilities including building a mikvah, after a successful fundraising campaign. Berger is chair of the building committee.

Back row L-R: Mushka, holding baby Menucha, Esther, holding Laya, Rabbi Mendel, Zali and Dovid. Standing in front: Rikki, Shaina, Chavi, Moshe and Ari. Not pictured: baby Levi, born November 2021.

The Lifshitzes started a Hebrew school many years ago with three students. Now there are 30. They are running a camp this summer with over 25 children. There’s a women’s circle, adult education, and teen programs. Then there are regular Shabbat services and a community dinner on the first Friday of every month.

Lifshitz remembers when “we couldn’t get a minyan together. Now we have one every week.”

Boise is atypical for a city of 230,000. “There’s no Jewish Federation, no JCC. There’s a Reform temple and there’s Chabad. That’s it,” Lifshitz said.

“When we moved here there was really zilch as far as traditional Jewish life,” and only 750 to 1,000 Jews. Now it has doubled. Until the Lifshitzes put down roots, roving Lubavitch rabbis visited Boise for four decades.

“There was never any attempt or undertaking to establish a permanent presence until we were asked to do so.

“We had Chabad in our house,” said Lifshitz, who, like his wife, is in his early 40s. “We opened our doors and reached out to anybody we could meet.”

With such a small community, the Lifshitzes took the approach of cultivating one Jew at a time. “The Jewish community in Idaho is handcrafted. It’s not assembly line Judaism. The Talmud teaches us that every person is an entire world and you really feel it out here. You know every person on a first-name basis. We’re connected and we have deep relationships with people.

“We offer basically everything that a very large Chabad center offers just on a microcosmic scale.” Still, the community has grown so much that “we literally cannot keep up. We need to hire more staff.”

The nearest big city is Salt Lake City, five hours away. “There are so many challenges here. There’s no kosher food so we make a community order to ship in.”

The Lifshitzes were assigned to Boise when they asked the Chabad Lubavitch organization for a posting in 2004. Esther was from South Africa

and Mendel, from Cincinnati. She had never heard of Idaho. Before settling in Boise, Lifshitz, then a rabbinical student, had been on assignment in over 30 countries. “Boise was a big change for us. Both of us decided after we got married that we were interested in pioneering somewhere. We got more than we bargained for.”

What the Lifshitzes like about Boise is the friendliness, down-to-earth mentality, and openness to Jewish tradition. “I love the fact that we came to a blank slate where we could really paint the tapestry. That was a big challenge, a big calling, and an even bigger privilege. That has been really something remarkable, rewarding, and enriching.” ♦

Holiday celebrations are observed. Sukkot is recognized (above), as is Rosh Hashanah (left). A boy is seen blowing the ceremonial sounding of the shofar.

Beautiful and dramatic clouds over Boise River in Boise, Idaho on a fine autumn evening.

Honoring Those Who Lost Their Lives at Auschwitz

A dedicated high school student starts an online petition to change how visitors pay respect at the Auschwitz Memorial

CHRISTIAN BARBOUR IS A YOUNG MAN on a mission. A senior in high school, while he’s not Jewish himself, he is passionate about making sure the memories of the more than 1 million men, women, and children who lost their lives at Auschwitz are honored properly and not disrespected by visitors to the AuschwitzBirkenau Memorial . He’s doing this through an online petition that, to date, has received over 13,000 signatures, raising awareness, and the hopeful creation of a nonprofit organization.

“What inspired me to start this petition was a TikTok comment that I received when I first started my TikTok journey saying that there should be some kind of change to the number of disrespectful visitors that come to Auschwitz and other camps like it,” Christian says. “The video that I had posted and the comment was talking about several instances where there had been disrespectful visitors in Auschwitz in 2019, which was the last primary year that they had their usual 2 million visitors.”

By Michelle Talsma Everson

The petition’s idea is to establish an honor guard at Auschwitz. According to the petition and Christian, this is the general idea: “The goal is not to remilitarize the camps. The term honor guard can be used loosely here instead as a blueprint for what I am trying to accomplish—the honor guard functions solely for ceremonial purposes… It would exist as a never-ending formal funeral with a specific number of people to represent a particular part of the history of the camp, such as the number of years or the number of victims or the number of survivors. This is not to draw in tourists but to preserve and protect the memory of those who have died and maintain the level of respect that the site commands.”

“The people that will do this will also not be holding any type of firearm, such as The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier,” he continues. “They will have candles as it’s customary to light candles on Holocaust Remembrance Day or, in general, when referring to the Holocaust,

CHRISTIAN BARBOUR

candles are associated. The goal is not to remove the tourist aspect from the site entirely but rather add more emphasis on the memorial as a historical site in human history. One of the goals is to stop the picture taking, specifically selfie-taking and other disrespectful acts toward the campsite.”

Christian adds that this idea is flexible and he’s still in the planning stages. He encourages those who support this effort to sign the petition but there will be more work to make his idea a reality.

“I have been in contact with members of the Polish government in order to get this done,” he adds. “I have not talked to them in a couple of months, mainly because Russia invaded Ukraine, which put everything on hold, so I need to contact them again, but that is a significant step in formulating this process.”

In addition to signing the petition, he is also in need of help to start a nonprofit organization.

“Currently, I’m in the process of creating a nonprofit organization in order to show that I have a way to fund my project,” he explains. “I am looking for people who have suggestions

or are interested in shaping my project further because I have a rough outline of what I want to do. I have created my presentation, I just need other opinions, especially ones from the Jewish community and those communities that were affected to approve of everything that I’m doing or add their take.”

At the helm of this effort for nearly two years, Christian is passionate about making it a reality.

“I believe this is important because at the end of the day, places like Auschwitz, BergenBelsen, Sachsenhausen, Sobibor, Treblinka, and many others that are lesser known graveyards or mass graveyards, are some of the worst tragedies to ever happen on the face of this earth and it’s not something that if you go visit should be a one-stop, check-the-box, get it out of the way visit,” he explains. “It should be a time to reflect, learn about the past, and learn from our mistakes. I believe in showing people how important this place is. Just because it happened a lifetime ago doesn’t mean that it doesn’t still have repercussions.” ♦

To sign the online petition, go here . To connect with Christian, e-mail christianmb11@outlook.com

I believe in showing people how important this place is. Just because it happened a lifetime ago doesn’t mean that it doesn’t still have repercussions.

~Christian Barbour

Auschwitz Concentration Camp

The Holocaust Preservation Society

“I would like to introduce you to the next phase of our project. The Holocaust Preservation Society is built on the backs of years of hard work and, in the next coming weeks, a lot of paperwork. The society will function to support the research of genocide and educate on genocide. It will fund restorations and so much more. I am excited to start this new journey, and I hope all of you will be right there to support me.”

≈Christian Barbour

StandWithUs: Fighting antisemitism and supporting Israel more than ever

by Sergio Carmona

FOUNDED IN 2001 , the non-partisan international education organization StandWithUs (SWU) finds that its core mission of supporting Israel and fighting antisemitism is needed now more than ever.

From its humble beginnings in the living room of co-founders Roz (CEO) and Jerry (COO) Rothstein together with Esther Renzer (international president), StandWithUs –headquartered in Los Angeles – now has chapters and runs programs throughout the United States, Canada, in Israel, the United Kingdom, South Africa, Brazil, South Africa, the Netherlands and Australia.

Antisemitism and anti-Israel sentiment continue to grow rampantly worldwide, and are especially prevalent on college campuses. Roz Rothstein recalls that SWU did not start out as a campus organization, but students began bombarding the fledgling organization with calls for help when StandWithUs opened its doors. Students were upset by what they saw, and lost as to how to respond. Muslim Student Unions and Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) student groups were hosting antisemitic speakers and bringing hateful displays to campuses to create ill will against Israel and anyone that supports it.

SWU responded immediately by creating educational materials, holding conferences, galvanizing students, and teaching them context and ways to respond. The Emerson Fellowship was created in 2007 to formalize a growing

network of StandWithUs Zionist students, and the Saidoff Legal Department was created a few years later to help students "Know Their Rights" on campus and engage pro bono attorneys to help students who were being bullied by anti-Israel student groups and professors because of their Zionism.

On August 4, 2022, SWU sent a letter to 3,000 university administrators and stakeholders, alerting them to five issues related to antisemitism that may arise on campuses this academic year, and offering remedies.

In 2012 StandWithUs opened the high school department because the executive staff recognized that students were unprepared for the challenges they were facing in college and that education, inspiration, and support for students who love Israel needed to start earlier than college. The StandWithUs Kenneth Leventhal High School Internship empowers young Jewish leaders before they arrive in college. Both the Emerson Fellowship and the Kenneth Leventhal High School Internship select and train hundreds of students annually to confront antisemitism and anti-Israel rhetoric at their schools and communities while also bringing proactive, educational programs to their peers. In the last year, the campus and high school student leaders engaged over 250,000 students with programs across the US and Canada. The 2022-23 Fellows and Leventhal Interns just completed their respective August training conferences and are

StandWithUs

preparing for the new academic year.

Recognizing that education needs to start even earlier, SWU now has a middle school curriculum, IsraelLINK, that is used across the U.S. in over 200 schools, to inspire and connect young teens to Israel through the lens of their own interests and core values.

Moreover, the organization's community directors host educational programs for different audiences and also deal with antisemitism on the local level.

SWU also challenges anti-Israel campaigns whether on social media, on campuses, in high schools, or in communities. For example, the organization was very involved in the Ben & Jerry's boycott of Israel campaign. Unilever, the parent company that owns Ben & Jerry's, recently sold the franchise to its long-time Israel distributor Avi Zinger, which put a quick end to the boycott. The move ensures that the thousands of Israeli and Palestinian employees keep their jobs, and be able to continue enjoying the ice cream.

This victory was nearly a year in the making with SWU and other organizations working from a variety of angles including letterwriting that gathered over 19,000, social media campaigns, and legal angles. The organization also deployed trucks to Unilever’s headquarters with signs protesting Ben and Jerry's stance. The StandWithUs Saidoff Legal Department worked to hold Ben & Jerry's and Unilever legally accountable for their discriminatory decision. Avi Zinger personally thanked SWU and other organizations who stood by him and challenged the destructive campaign by Ben and Jerry's.

The United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) is another example of a recent antisemitic campaign against Israel which has required a strong response by SWU and other organizations who are paying attention to the double standards constantly promoted by UN agencies. The UNHRC has recently continued its endless vilification of Israel through an unprecedented, open-ended "Commission

SWU launched a letterwriting campaign to the UNHRC and held a mock funeral at UN headquarters in New York. The funeral procession included grim reaper figures in black robes and hoods and skeleton masks, carrying coffins with imprinted signs signaling the death of human rights.

of Inquiry" (COI) led by a proponent of the Boycott campaign against Israel. As usual, its latest report blames Israel for the suffering of the Palestinians without taking into account the Palestinian Authority and Hamas' intransigence and terrorism.

In response, SWU launched a letter-writing campaign to the UNHRC and held a mock funeral at UN headquarters in New York. The funeral procession included grim reaper figures in black robes and hoods and skeleton masks, carrying coffins with imprinted signs signaling the death of human rights. The message points a finger at the UNHRC for ignoring human rights abuses throughout the world in favor of its obsession with Israel, harming endless numbers

of people who need help, like the Uyghurs in China who are reportedly being tortured in concentration camps.

People can join the StandWithUs campaign and add their names to the petition to end the "Commission of Inquiry" at https://www. standwithus.com/unhrc-campaign.

SWU believes it must do what it can to ensure Israel remains a secure, thriving Jewish and democratic state that can make peace with its neighbors from a position of strength, and that it must stop antisemitism from threatening Jewish communities and their students around the world.

Roz Rothstein states, "At StandWithUs, we empower people around the world to fight

Left: Michael Dickson, executive director StandWithUs Israel, Avi Zinger, founder Roz Rothstein, Jerry Rothstein

Stand With Us student leaders.

StandWithUs

antisemitism and support Israel."

"As a daughter of Holocaust survivors who lost 80 family members, I deeply understand the urgency to fight dangerous hatred, harassment, and violence," Rothstein continued.

"I also believe that now, more than ever, we must proactively tell our story, build new relationships, and inspire people around the world about Israel. At StandWithUs, we see this as a race against time." ♦

PROACTIVE, CUTTING-EDGE RESOURCES AND PROGRAMS WHICH ARE AVAILABLE TO YOU, YOUR FAMILY AND YOUR COMMUNITY INCLUDE:

1 4 5

THE S tand With U s SAIDOFF LEGAL DEPARTMENT , which is a relentless force that works around the clock helping students and community members use legal tools to fight anti-Jewish, and anti-Israel discrimination. It analyzes antisemitic and anti-Israel incidents and brings all StandWithUs resources to bear with a unique response to each situation. Using a variety of tools and approaches, the department, sponsored by Debbie and Naty Saidoff, has resolved over 1,800 incidents since its founding. If you have a question, contact Legal@standwithus.com.

3 2

THE CENTER FOR COMBATING ANTISEMITISM (CCA) educates about and fights antisemitism across the political spectrum. It has published over 20 new booklets about antisemitism. CCA’s new online portal allows individuals to report antisemitic incidents in real-time so we can take proper action in response. To learn more and download publications, visit www.StandUpToHatred.com.

THE S tand With U s INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE , funded by the Milstein Family Foundation, brings together over 500 high school and college student leaders from all over the world. Participants walk away from the conference feeling more empowered, supported and hopeful about what each of them can do to fight antisemitism and educate about Israel in their communities.

The brand-new HOLOCAUST EDUCATION CENTER has already made presentations to 1,150 high school students, many of whom are not Jewish. To learn more and to book a presentation, visit https://www.standwithus.com/holocaustedctr,

Over 500,000 college students have been reached through SWU’s EMERSON FELLOWSHIP AND OTHER CAMPUS PROGRAMS in the U.S. and worldwide. Thousands of elite college student leaders have already graduated from the StandWithUs Emerson Fellowship, sponsored by Rita and Steven Emerson, empowering and creating the next generation of Jewish and pro-Israel leaders. To learn more and encourage your children or grandchildren to apply, visit https://www.standwithus.com/emerson-fellowship

StandWithUs has opened the newly expanded Evelyn and Dr. Shmuel Katz Education Center (Katz Education Center) in the heart of Jerusalem, 25 King David Street, near the Old City, Mamilla Mall and the King David Hotel.

6

StandWithUs thanks the New York Legislature and Governor Kathy Hochul for unanimously passing and signing Bill A472C/S121A into law. Avi Posnick, Executive Director for StandWithUs Northeast, attending, among many dignitaries.

SWU has reached over 500,000 high school students with programs in North America and Israel through THE S tand With U s KENNETH LEVENTHAL HIGH SCHOOL INTERNSHIP AND TEEN LEADERSHIP COUNCIL (TLC). To learn more and to encourage your children and grandchildren to apply, visit https://www.standwithus.com/hs-internship.

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Over 3,000 middle school students in over 200 schools across the U.S. have already been inspired about Israel through the ISRAELLINK MIDDLE SCHOOL CURRICULUM, SPONSORED BY THE SANDRA AND LAWRENCE POST FOUNDATION. To learn more and encourage your child's school to adopt it, visit https://israellink.org/.

THE S tand With U s ISRAEL EDUCATION CENTER located in the heart of Jerusalem (across from the King David Hotel), has reached over 150,000 young visitors from all over the world during their trips to Israel. Its Jerusalem office is so busy, it recently doubled its space, including a state-of the art auditorium, TV recording studio and new Visitor’s Experience — poised to host tens of thousands of visitors annually.

https://www.standwithus.com/post/ribbon-cutting-ceremony-held-as-standwithus-opens-expanded-centerin-jerusalem-on-may-22-2022

As a global leader in social media, SWU has over one billion interactions on its many S tand With U s POLAK SOCIAL MEDIA DEPARTMENT PLATFORMS , in a variety of languages with millions of people viewing and sharing its content every day. People can join the organization and educate their peers and communities at:

https://www.standwithus.tv

https://www.facebook.com/ standwithus

https://www.twitter.com/ standwithus

https://www.instagram.com/standwithus/

StandWithUs produces educational materials about Israel in a variety of languages. Thanks to EVELYN AND DR. SHMUEL KATZ , millions of StandWithUs publications have been distributed and used in schools, synagogues, churches, and communities. Order yours at https://www.standwithus.com/booklets

For more information, visit www.standwithus.com and write to info@standwithus.com.

CHICAGO'S REBBETZIN EVE LEVY:

A woman who leads women around the world.

Ellen Braunstein

EVE LEVY IS THE GRANDDAUGHTER of four survivors, one of whom came from Warsaw and lost a hundred family members in the Holocaust.

The 41-year-old Orthodox Rebbetzin and mother of six draws inspiration every day from her two bubbes, who lived to be 98 and 100. She leads Jewish women on heritage trips to Israel and the Diaspora, all the while connecting them to Judaism in ways that are meaningful to them. She also co-directs an adult Jewish learning center on the Chicago north shore with her husband Rabbi Gadi Levy.

“My bubbes were a part of my life until I was 39 years old,” Levy said. “I grew up with such unconditional love from them. They were my best friends. They were my cheerleaders. They would always say, ‘Eveleh, you could do anything. You could change the world.’”

It was a trip to Poland and Auschwitz at age 18 that gave Levy her aha moment in life. “I happened to be in the gas chambers. There was this realization that they all survived for me to stand here today. So I have to do something extraordinary with my life. That’s when I really leaned into my faith and my Judaism and decided

...we can be Jewish in our own way and yet have so much in common. That’s really how I run all of my experiences, with that premise and there’s no judgment. Everyone’s coming from different places and that’s OK.

~Eve Levy

to make a difference in the Jewish world.”

Taking women to Israel to share her love of the land and of the Jewish people is Levy’s favorite part of her work. She has led 15 Momentum trips since 2010 and has more recently formed her own organization that leads adventure and immersive trips called Inspired Jewish Women.

The Poland-Israel Journey is especially meaningful to her. “Poland has over a thousand years of Jewish history. That trip is a very deep experience for me; it’s literally like a part of my soul.”

Hundreds of women have traveled with Levy to Israel “to rejuvenate their spark to Judaism. We provide inspiring and recharging trips for Jewish growth-oriented women who are looking to reconnect.”

Trips, like an upcoming one to Morocco, have sold out. “There’s definitely a big need and a thirst. After a couple of years of Covid-19, I think people are really ready to have community and experiences that are really transformational.”

Travelers range from children and grandchildren of survivors to Jews by choice. “They want to learn about the history that they have stepped into. We’ve even taken some non-Jewish women on that trip and it’s been so life-changing for them.”

After visiting Poland and Israel, women clamored for another trip. “They said, ‘where are you going to go next?’ And they literally said they don’t care where we go as long as we go together.”

Levy tried something adventurous and different by taking a group to Thailand. They had Shabbat with 300 Israelis at Chabad House in Bangkok. “I love showing and experiencing how we’re all so similar. Like we could go into a synagogue in Bangkok and they’re singing the same tunes you grew up with at your synagogue.”

“We’re one people, with one G-d, one Torah.

Eve and her mom in Majdanek Concentration Camp where her grandmother worked and was enslaved.

The Levy Family

There is much more that unites us than separates us. So that’s a very big underlying theme of all my experiences in life. It’s unity without uniformity. The same way we can be Jewish in our own way and yet have so much in common. That’s really how I run all of my experiences with that premise and there’s no judgment. Everyone’s coming from different places and that’s OK.”

Levy’s parents became gradually more religious during her upbringing in Canada. Her mother was a public-school teacher for over 40 years and her father was a CFO for RENA, a Jewish foundation for handicapped adults.

She met her South African husband, Gadi, 22 years ago on a blind date. It was love at first sight for Levy and this young rabbi. They got engaged after their third date. “It was just a matter of getting my parents comfortable with it. It was clear that we were meant to be together. It was a choice, a good decision. One of the best ones I’ve made.”

Eve Levy said that Gadi grew up with a very different Judaism. “He grew up with prayers, laws, and observance. My family came into it very slowly. He came from a long line of rabbis. He was very knowledgeable about Judaism and it was always his dream to become a rabbi. He’s also a mohel so he’s passionate about bringing Jewish baby boys into the covenant of Abraham.” He flies around the world for families having a ritual circumcision ceremony.

Since July of 2021, the couple’s L’Chaim Center in Deerfield, Illinois offers synagogue services and programming for Jewish adults. More than 1,000 people attend throughout the year. Before coming to the L’Chaim Center, the couple served in other communities that included Portland and Denver.

At L’Chaim, they offer adult education classes, Shabbat, and holiday services, including for the High Holy Days. They offer marriage, parenting classes, a course on “Women, Wisdom and Wine” for mothers as well as “Torah and Tequila” for young fathers.

“We attract multi-generational people from many different synagogues, sometimes three generations come to our programs. We’re not a place for a certain type of Jew. It happens to be that my husband’s rabbinical ordination was Orthodox and I gradually became Orthodox. We’re

here to show Jews the beauty of their heritage.

“We have the full heart of the Jewish people,” Levy said of the L’Chaim Center and Inspired Jewish Women. “This is not a job. This is our passion. We don’t sleep some nights because there is too much to do and we have all the energy for it because when you love what you do, you can do anything. You have a why.

“We believe in the Jewish people. We believe in the destiny of the Jewish people. It has to be good; it has to be strong. We don’t want to just survive; we want to thrive. My grandparents didn’t survive the hell that they survived in the Holocaust for us to assimilate. So I feel a lot of power and passion towards standing up for my brothers and sisters, making sure that they know what it means to be a Jew and how beautiful it is and how enriching their lives could be if they just take what is rightfully theirs.”

For more information, visit www.inspiredjewishwomen.com www.lchaimcenter.org

We provide inspiring and recharging trips for Jewish growth-oriented women who are looking to reconnect.

~Eve Levy

CHEERS TO THAT!

LOS ANGELES, CA

ISRAEL'S 75TH INDEPENDENCE DAY CELEBRATIONS

SUNDAY, APRIL 30, 2023 • THE IAC - ISRAELI AMERICAN COUNCIL, LOS

ANGELES

This week, the 75th Independence Day celebrations for the State of Israel took place with the support of the Consulate General of Israel in Los Angeles, the IAC - Israeli American Council and with the help of other organizations.

The program included, among other things, a recognition ceremony for leading and influential Israelis with extraordinary achievements: in the field of medicine and innovation - Dr. Arie Belldegrun, in the field of technology - Dovi Frances, in the field of social impact - Dr. Miriam Adelson and in the field of entertainment - Gal Gadot. The event concluded with a performance by Tamir Greenberg.

CHEERS TO THAT IS OUR NEW CELEBRATION COLUMN FEATURING THE MOST HAPPENING GALAS, GET-TOGETHERS, AND GATHERINGS AROUND THE GLOBE. IF YOU’RE THROWING A PARTY, WE WANT TO SHOWCASE IT FOR OUR READERS.

SO, WHETHER IT’S A COMMUNITY CELEBRATION, A BUSINESS BASH, OR A PHILANTHROPIC FEST, SEND THE DEETS TO DEBRA@JEWISHLIFENOW.COM

AND MAYBE YOU’LL FIND YOUR EVENT

FEATURED IN OUR NEXT ISSUE.

Left to right: Tamir Greenberg, Gal Gadot and Dovi Frances

Left to right: Israel Consul General in Los Angeles, Dr. Hillel Newman, IAC co-founder and CEO Shoham Nicolet, Naty Saidoff, IAC Chairman of the board and actor Gal Gadot.

THE JEWISH MUSEUM

37TH ANNUAL PURIM BALL

TUESDAY, MARCH 14, 2023 • THE PLAZA, NYC

The Jewish Museum held its 37th Annual Purim Ball at the Plaza on Tuesday, March 14, 2023. Over 1,200 distinguished guests were in attendance for the festive dinner and After Party hosted by the Jewish Museum's Young Patrons group. This year's Purim Ball raised a record $3.2 million for the Museum. The event honored Brad S. Karp, Chairman, Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP, and Bang on a Can, the multifaceted peforming arts organization.

Brad Karp and Eric Goldstein

Alexis Opal and Brittany Levy PURIM BALL

Claudia Gould and Helen Goldsmith Menschel Director

Innov Gnawa

Gal Gadot

Dr. Arie Belldegrun

Dovi Frances

Dr. Miriam Adelson

CHEERS TO THAT

BEVERLY HILLS, CA

THE UNITED STATES HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL MUSEUM “30TH ANNIVERSARY WESTERN REGION TRIBUTE EVENT”

THURSDAY, MARCH 16, 2023 • THE BEVERLY HILTON HOTEL , BEVERLY HILLS, CA

The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum presented the “30th Anniversary Western Region Tribute Event” with more than 300 guests in person and many more livestreaming. The successful event at The Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, California raised over $1.2 million. This unprecedented partnership between survivors and the American people fights antisemitism, debunks conspiracy theories about the Holocaust and insists that complacency is not an option. A nonpartisan federal institution, the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum is America’s national memorial to the victims of the Holocaust, dedicated to ensuring the permanence of Holocaust memory, understanding, and relevance.

National Leadership Award Honorees Kelly and Lou Gonda, Lorena Gonda and Amy and Morton Friedkin.

Moderator and host, Melvin Robert Marla Eglash Abraham and Herbie Hancock

Melvin Robert and Ambassador Ret. Stuart E. Eizenstat

BEVERLY HILLS, CA

IRANIAN AMERICAN JEWISH FEDERATION PERSIAN NEW YEAR 2023 CELEBRATION

SUNDAY, MARCH 19, 2023

NEMAN HALL, LOS ANGELES

The Iranian American Jewish community in LA, organized a Nowruz celebration event and also initiated a fundraising campaign among the Iranian Jewish community to support victims in Iran. IAJF successfully raised $50,000 which will be provided to the Norooz Foundation, a reputable and established organization that has a track record of providing effective aid and relief to those in need in Iran.

The IAJF president Mansoor Elie Alyeshmerni, Attorney and Community activist Zohreh Mizrahi, IAJF Executive vice president Elham Yaghoubian, Founder of Norooz foundation Bahman Maalizadeh, IAJF Chairman of the board, Manouchehr Nazarian.

A festive table display.

Sombal, hyacinth blossoms, for spring. One of the traditional 7 items that begin with “S” in Persian.