Volume 8, Number 10 Chanukah 2018
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Serving the Local New Orleans, Northshore, and Baton Rouge Jewish Communities
9 Things You Didn’t Know About Hanukkah: LesserKnown Facts About the Festival of Lights.
Hanukkah , which in 2018 begins at sundown on Sunday, Dec. 2, is one of the most widely celebrated Jewish holidays in the United States. But that doesn’t mean there is nothing new to learn about this eight-day festival. From the mysterious origins of gelt to an Apocryphal beheading to Marilyn Monroe, we’ve compiled an item for each candle (don’t forget the shammash!) on the Hanukkah menorah . 1. Gelt as we know it is a relatively new tradition — and no one knows who invented it.
Kislev rather than Tishrei.” Since the Jews were still in caves fighting as guerrillas on Tishrei, 164 BCE, they had been unable to honor the eight-day holiday of Sukkot , which required visiting the Jerusalem Temple; hence it was postponed until after the recapture of Jerusalem and the rededication of the Temple. Many scholars believe it is this connection to Sukkot – and not the Talmudic account of the cruse of oil that lasted eight days – that explains why Hanukkah is eight days long.
vah, Israel’s national anthem. It’s featured in the Jewish Museum in New York City’s exhibit “Becoming Jewish: Warhol’s Liz and Marilyn,” but sadly you can’t wind it up. 5. The game of dreidel was inspired by a German game played at Christmastime, which is itself an imitation of an English and Irish one. 3. The books of Maccabees, which tell the story of Hanukkah, weren’t included in the Hebrew Bible – but they are in the Catholic Bible. There are different theories explaining why the first-century rabbis who canonized the scriptures omitted the Maccabees, ranging from the text’s relative newness at the time to fears of alienating the Roman leadership in control of Jerusalem at the time.
While coins – “gelt” is Yiddish for coins, or money – have been part of Hanukkah observance for centuries, chocolate gelt is considerably younger. In her book On the Chocolate Trail, Rabbi Deborah Prinz writes that “opinions differ” concerning the origins of chocolate gelt: Some credit America’s Loft candy company with creating it in the 1920s, while others suggest there were European versions earlier that inspired Israel’s Elite candy company. Prinz notes, as well, that chocolate gelt resembles a European Christmas tradition of exchanging gold-covered chocolate coins “commemorating the miracles of St. Nicholas.” 2. The first Hanukkah celebration was actually a delayed Sukkot observance. The second book of Maccabees quotes from a letter sent circa 125 BCE from the Hasmoneans (the Macabees’ descendants) to the leaders of Egyptian Jewry, describing the holiday as “the festival of Sukkot celebrated in the month of
4. Marilyn Monroe owned a music-playing Hanukkah menorah (the Marilyn Monrorah?). When the Hollywood star converted to Judaism before marrying Jewish playwright Arthur Miller, her future mother-in-law gave her a menorah as a conversion gift. The Hanukkah lamp, which the menorah’s current owner says Mrs. Miller brought back from Jerusalem, has a wind-up music box in its base that plays Hatik-
Our Eastern European game of dreidel (including the letters nun, gimmel, hey, shin) is directly based on the German equivalent of the British totum game: N = Nichts = nothing; G = Ganz = all; H = Halb = half; and S = Stell ein = put in. In German, the spinning top was called a “torrel” or “trundl.” 6. Oily food (think latkes and sufganiyot) isn’t Hanukkah’s only culinary tradition.
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JCC New Orleans Puppies & Pilates
Join Brittany and Zeus' Rescues for Puppies & Pilates Flow class with ADOPTABLE dogs. Puppies & Pilates will take place under the Bart Family Pavilion next to the fitness entrance on Leontine Street. The class will be followed by doggie meet-and-greets and light refreshments. This event is free to attend but donations are accepted and will be given to our friends at Zeus' Rescues. At our past events, all the dogs were adopted within a week! Let’s keep the tradition alive! Registration is required and will be available soon. Date: December 2, 2018 Time: 11:30 am - 1:00 pm Location: New Orleans JCC Uptown 5342 St. Charles Avenue New Orleans, LA 70115 Contact: Winnie Herring Phone: 504-897-0143 Email: winnie@nojcc.org
Community Chanukah Celebration
Come and celebrate the last night of Chanukah at the JCC on Sunday, December 6 from 4:00 to 6:00 PM. We'll light the Menorah, nosh on latkes, and enjoy the wonderful bluegrass music of Nefesh Mountain. As part of the Cathy and Morris Bart Jewish Cultural Arts Series, this event is free and open to the community. About Nefesh Mountain The multi award-winning singer, songwriter and author Doni Zasloff is a beloved presence on stage throughout the country and is regarded as one of the most influential Jewish Performers in the twenty-first century. Her unique backgrounds in singing, musical theatre and Judaism make her one of the most in demand and unique artists today, and she brings these multifaceted talents directly to Nefesh 2
Chanukah 2018
Mountain. With Nefesh Mountain Doni continues to enchant audiences all over the world with her voice and unlimited spirit and her words, melodies, and music. Multi-Instrumentalist Eric Lindberg brings his Jazz and Classical background to the acoustic forms of Bluegrass and Old-Time music. After graduating with honors from Mason Gross School Of The Arts with a degree in Jazz performance he has toured extensively throughout the United States, Europe, and the Middle East. His influential work as a composer, singer, guitarist, and banjoist with his wife Doni Zasloff in Nefesh Mountain are known widely in the Jewish and Bluegrass worlds today. Date: December 9, 2018 Time: 4:00 pm - 6:00 pm Location: New Orleans JCC Uptown 5342 St. Charles Avenue New Orleans, LA 70115 Contact: Judy Yaillen Phone: 504-897-0143 Email: judy@nojcc.org
Book Club - the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society by Mary Ann Shaffer, Annie Barrows
A remarkable tale of the island of Guernsey during the German Occupation, and of a society as extraordinary as its name. Reviewed by Rabbi Deborah Silver, Shir Chadash Conservative Congregation Date: December 11, 2018 Time: 1:30 pm - 3:00 pm Location: New Orleans JCC Uptown 5342 St. Charles Avenue New Orleans, LA 70115 Contact: Judy Yaillen Phone: 504-897-0143 Email: judy@nojcc.org
Family Fitness Challenge
Join in on the fun! Families will have a blast participating in friendly competitions including an obstacle course, relay races, fitness drills and more. Get moving as you work together to earn points. The top scorers will win awesome Nike prizes and
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each family will receive Nike swag. End the competition with the perfect celebratory snack: a pancake bar! Ages: 3 to 99 No charge members only Goldring-Woldenberg JCC Metairie Date: December 16, 2018 Time: 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm Location: Goldring-Woldenberg JCC - Metairie 3747 W. Esplanade Avenue Metairie, LA 70002 Contact: Terrance Perkins Phone: 504-887-5158 Email: terrance@nojcc.org
Movies in Metairie: Will You Be My Neighbor?
Join us on the last Monday of every month for Movies in Metairie. Bring your lunch and see new releases, the classics, and all your favorite comedies! Movie snacks and drinks will be provided. Free and open to the community Date: December 17, 2018 Time: 12:30 pm - 2:30 pm Location: Goldring-Woldenberg JCC - Metairie 3747 W. Esplanade Avenue Metairie, LA 70002 Contact: Stephanie Krell Phone: 504-887-5158 Email: stephanie@nojcc.org
Movie Day: The Glass Castle
Adapted from the novel of the same name, this family drama follows future writer Jeannette Walls, who spends her hardscrabble childhood on the run with her negligent artist mother and storytelling alcoholic father (Woody Harrelson). Movie snacks will be served. RSVP by Monday, December 17 to Rachel Ruth at 8970143 x161 or rachel@nojcc.org. No charge members and nonmembers New Orleans JCC - Uptown Date: December 20, 2018 Time: 12:00 pm - 2:00 pm Location: New Orleans JCC Uptown 5342 St. Charles Avenue New Orleans, LA 70115 Contact: Rachel Ruth Phone: 504-897-0143 Email: rachel@nojcc.org
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Touro Synagogue Israel Reading Series With Rabbi Berk The Fragile Dialogue: New Voices of Liberal Zionism This book wrestles with and attempts to frame the very fragile dialogue surrounding Zionism and Israel in the 21st century Progressive Jewish community. Written from a multiplicity of views, the collection explores the many lenses through which this varied community approaches Zionism, not only
set apart by political differences but also by geographical diversity, religious divisiveness, socio-economic policies, gender issues, the use and abuse of power, and more. The Fragile Dialogue is a conversation starter, meant to provide the challenging yet vital basis for narrowing the rifts in our dialogue around Zionism today. Three Conversation Sessions Come to One or All: Wednesdays, January 9, 16, 23 6:00-8:00pm Mautner Learning Center RSVP to info@tourosynagogue. com Please Bring Brown Bag Dinner
If your group has an event that you would like for us to include on the Community Calendar please e-mail the information to jewishnews@bellsouth.net. All submissions are subject to acceptance by the Editor. ì
The NJC's Great Latke Cook-Off and Hanukah Bazaar
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Sunday, December 2, 2018 9:30 - 11:00 a.m. Jewish Family Services Prizes for Best Latkes Catch-A-Cab Program local taxi companies. Rabbi Gene and Bobbye Levy For More Information Please The Catch-a-Cab program is a will join us the weekend of Novemdiscount transportation program for Call Jewish Family Services at ber 30 and will serve as "the Judgindependent Jewish seniors, age 65 (504) 831-8475 This service is made possible es". With their expert palates, they and older. Seniors can purchase up to $140 through the generosity of the Adele will sample each entry of Latkes to worth of coupons each quarter Cahn Catch-a-Cab Designated declare the prize winners...and there which can be used with several Fund at the Jewish Endowment will be prizes. Get moving on your holiday shopFoundation. ping at NJC's Hanukah Bazaar. Contact Carol Hernandez to volunteer and for more information.
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Touro Synagogue Chanukah Family Dinner
DECEMBER 7, 6:30 PM Join Us for a Fried Food Fest of Deliciousness Fried Chicken, Latkes, Sufganyiot Bar, Chanukak Games, Songs, & more! Following the 6PM Shabbat Service $15/Adults $10/Kids RSVP at tourosynagogue.com/ chanukah-family-dinner *The 6PM Service Is Family Friendly - No Babysitting Will Be Offered This Evening
Best wishes to our many friends!
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Hanukkah Gift Program Caps a Year of JCRS Service; 1700 Jewish Youth Served Across 7 Midsouth States Hanukkah has come early in 2018, but staff and Board at the Jewish Children’s Regional Service (JCRS) have been planning since late spring to be sure that the those Jewish youth, from financially challenged families in the mid-South , and those who are socially isolated, are not forgotten by the Greater Jewish community this year. Recipients in the Oscar J. Tolmas Hanukkah Gift Program of JCRS each receive at least 8 gender and age-specific wrapped gifts, one for each night of Hanukkah. Gifts were wrapped in October at a huge community event in Greater New Orleans and a second, smaller event in Dallas, co-sponsored with the Jewish Federation of Dallas, in
mid-November. At press time, at least 250 Jewish youth and state hospital residents were scheduled to receive gift packages. As a result of the early appearance of 2018 Hanukkah, beginning just 10 days after Thanksgiving, packages were shipped or delivered in mid to late November to Jewish youth in all seven states served by JCRS: Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Texas. The Hanukkah Gift Program , which obtains and wraps thousands of small gifts each year, is a program that typically helps 250350 individuals each holiday season , and is also just one of 7 major programs of JCRS that annu-
ally assists 1700 unduplicated Jewish youth . Youth who are provided overnight camp scholarships, college financial aid, and targeted subsidies to address special needs or dependency, must have families or guardians who can document their financial need, as well as the underlying need for the service. Approximately 500 unduplicated Jewish youth are funded each year just for these scholarships/subsidies. JCRS assists close to 1100 Jewish youth annually in five states, through the nationally-heralded PJ Library Program, a free service that provides monthly Jewish books to all children up through age 8. JCRS also operates a Special Friends Club that communicates with approximately 50 isolated Jewish youth and recognizes birthdays, life cycle events and special achievements, by way of cards and gifts. The agency conducts special Jewish holiday outreach mailings to approximately 125 of the most socially isolated and vulnerable Jewish families in the region . In addition to the gifts that families receive at Hanukkah time, families
receive apples and honey for Rosh Hashanah, masks and hamentaschen for Purim and in 2019 will begin receiving a very small box of matzah from JCRS staff and volunteers for the holiday of Passover. All JCRS programs receive their primary funding from individual, family and foundation support. If you would like to support any of the programs of this 163 year-old Jewish children’s agency, the first of its kind in the United States, please contact the New Orleans headquarters at 1-800-729-5277. The Development Director, Mark Rubin can be reached at mark@ jcrs.org and the executive director, Ned Goldberg, can be reached at ned@jcrs.org. The office address is P O Box 7368, Metairie, LA 70010-7368 and the agency website www.jcrs. org , details programs , success stories , letters of gratitude from aid recipients and general information on this most effective and unique Jewish children’s agency . JCRS maintains Facebook pages for both its general services and a separate page for its PJ Library Program.
May it be a blessed and happy Festival of Lights for all in the Jewish Community!
Happy Chanukah!
I humbly ask for your votes on Dec. 8, and sincerely wish you a
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Life CYCLE
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Gates of Prayer CONDOLENCES To Shirley Goldman, on the death of her sister, Leona Bersadsky. IN MEMORIAM Igor Vizelberg
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IN MEMORIAM Joyce Feinberg Richard Gottfried Rose Mallinger Jerry Rabinowitz Cecil Rosenthal David Rosenthal Bernice Simon Sylvan Simon Daniel Stein Melvin Wax Irving Younger Estelle Forman Ross, mother of Nancy Ross-Asuitto Sol Schwartz, father of Julie Schwartz Blake Michael Cordes, nephew of Randy Roig Shelley Glazer Middleberg, sister of Carole Jacobson and Jay Glazer, aunt of Phyllis and Laura Glazer Kuni Yavneh, mother of Naomi Yavneh Klos Kerry Kalen Steward, husband of Judith Steward, father of Cynthia Steward, grandfather of Sophie Rabalais Shirley Ettinger Orlansky, mother
of Larry Orlansky Rena Bernard, friend of Nancy Ross Ascuitto Dina Forman, aunt of Nancy Ross Ascuitto Kenneth Michael "Ken" Edel, nephew of Peggy Good, cousin of Hannah Udell and Zoe Skelton Timothy Edward Purvis, cousin of Allison Clark Morris Bernard Phillips, husband of Anne Ellender Phillips May their memory be for a blessing.
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Gates of Prayer Mazel Tov..
To Leslie & Nathan Fischman, Fagey Fischman and Peggy Cohn on the birth of their granddaughter and great granddaughter, Mila Rose Fischman. Parents are Daniella ChaiLights features announcements of births, B'nai Mitzvahs, engagements, Miller and Martin Fischman. To Michelle Horton and Renee weddings, and honors. To request your special event be published in The Jewish Light send your material to United Media Corp., P.O. Box 3270, Covington, LA Horton on the engagement of their 70435 or e-mail jewishnews@bellsouth.net. Events are published on a first come, son and grandson, Adam D’Angelo, first served basis, as space permits. Photographs are welcom; professional ones to Leigh Isaacson. To Ann & Rick Streiffer on the preferred. The must be clear and in focus. ì birth of their grandson, Talia Dov Streiffer. Parents are Adam Streiffer and Taiya Bach. Happy Chanukah....
....to all My Friends in the Jewish Community! Louis Fitzmorris Assessor St. Tammany Parish
Thank you to my many friends & supporters in the Jewish Community. Wishing you a Happy Chanukah!
Shelta Richardson
St. Tammany School Board Member-Elect, District 7
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Temple Sinai Mazel Tov..
To Madelyn Fireman and Marian Moore for speaking at the WRJ Southwest Biennal Conference. Madelyn will speak on a panel about reproductive justice and the threats to Roe v. Wade, and Marian Moore will speak on inclusion in Jewish life from the perspective of Jews of color. To Benjamin Karp on organizing “Refugees Endure: WWII Displaced Persons versus Today and the Lessons Learned,” an international conference at Tulane Law School. To Sandy Levy for receiving the 2018 Outstanding Professional Fundraiser award from the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP). She received the award at AFP’s National
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Philanthropy Day Luncheon on Thursday, November 8 at the Audubon Tea Room. Sandy states, “It has been a privilege for me to work for the Jewish Endowment Foundation and for the betterment of the community.” Sandy is honored to be receiving this coveted award from her friend and colleague, Roselle Ungar. To Rob & Pamela Steeg on co-chairing the Department of Psychiatry Advisory Board and the Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center Foundation’s “Sunday at Emeril’s: XXII Anniversary Celebration.”
Touro Synagogue Mazel Tov..
To Allan Bissinger on being awarded the 2018 Judah Touro Society Award from Touro Infirmary Foundation To Lorna Knowles Blake on being awarded the Able Muse Book Award for Poetry for her book of poems titled Green Hill To Ana & Juan Gershanik on the unveiling of the commemorative gift monument honoring the Latin American Workers who helped rebuild New Orleans in the aftermath of Katrina To Naomi Yavneh Klos on being selected by the Jewish National Fund for their Faculty Fellowship in Israel To Lauren & Russell Libby on the birth of their son Nathan Libby and to big brother Shaun Libby
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What is Hanukah? By Michael Balinsky "What is Hanukah?” The Talmud asks and typically each year at this time we are reminded by a variety of writers what the “true” meaning of Hanukah is. From the pages of the Wall Street Journal to numerous websites, scholars, rabbis, educators, and the “man (sic) on the street” offer their take on the nature of Hanukah. To be clear, many of these pieces are quite engaging and informative and this year I have certainly profited from their insights. It is in this vein, I want to share an approach of Rabbi Isaac Hutner obm. In one of his teachings R. Hutner suggests that the lasting impact of Greece on Israel was the development of machloket-differences of opinion as to the practice of Torah. The Greeks, through their decrees, caused Torah to be forgotten and it was this forgetting that created differences of opinions as to what the correct practice was and should be. It was the war with the Greeks and their defeat at the time of Hanukah that created the “war over Torah”, the sometimes acrimonious debates in which rabbis and sages engage in order to recover what was lost during the persecutions by the Greeks . The legacy of Greece is the legacy of the darkness caused by the accurate tradition of Torah being lost. However, this legacy of darkness and forgetting is compensated by the recovery project of the sages, the “war over Torah” which increased the knowledge of Torah itself. Debate led to new understandings and insights. Even the rejected positions had to be justified and explained. The legacy of Hanukah is the increased light of knowledge of Torah overcoming the darkness of the forgotten Torah. It was the forgetting caused by the Greeks that allowed Torah to expand exponentially in its scope and knowledge. This rather inadequate summary of my reading of R. Hutner’s teaching I hope will lead the reader to explore it in depth in the original. To be sure not all agree with R Hutner’s understanding of the origin of machloket– differences of opinion. In the context of his teaching I do want to reflect on “war over Torah”. While the tradition itself hopes and expects that the “enemies” in this battle, who are after all sages, will become “lovers” in the end, there is THE
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a danger in intellectual/religious battle that one go overboard and flex one’s muscles in a way that ventures far beyond a search for truth to a destruction of civility. There are examples of this in the Talmud. We certainly see this problem pervading our own political and religious discourse. Perhaps even in this pursuit of truth we may have to stop sometimes and not use it as a license for slamming those with whom we may have even profound disagreement. However R. Hutner asserts something that may appear at first as counterintuitive. True love he says only can emerge from those with whom you have disagreement. Becoming “lovers” is only possible because you had profound differences and were able to engage them in a way that brought you closer in the end. Becoming closer does not mean reaching full agreement, but it does mean having a deep attachment to your ideological opponent. What might our discourse look like if we retained this as a goal even while maintaining our deep convictions and commitment to pursuing the truth as we conceive it? Is this true of our most intimate relationships as well? Might it be that learning how to truly argue without achieving full agreement is what can bring lovers the closest? The answer to that I leave to you, in the meantime Happy Hanukah.
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Hanukkah offers many opportunities for fun and joyous celebration. By Sarah Gershman
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Chanukah 2018
Hanukkah’s proximity to Christmas can complicate the holiday. For those who try to make Hanukkah more like Christmas, it inevitably seems to fall short. Yet while Hanukkah was traditionally not one of the most central holidays of the Jewish calendar, it can, nonetheless offer many opportunities for fun and joyous celebration. Here are some suggestions for how you can make this Hanukkah memorable, while still staying true to the essential meaning of the holiday. Bringing Light out of Darkness There are many ways to make this year’s Hanukkah a real “Festival of Light.” As Rabbi Arthur Waskow writes in his book, Seasons of Joy, “Hanukkah is the moment when light is born from darkness, hope from despair.” Historically, this was reflected in the unlikely victory of the Maccabees over the Greeks, in the oil that brought light for eight days instead of one, and in the very act of lighting candles during the darkest time of the year. Before lighting candles, try taking your family on a night walk. Go outside together and feel how dark it is. Even in the city, the month of December has a special darkness to it. Then come in from the cold and light the Hanukkah (menorah). Feel the contrast between the darkness outside and the light inside. The oil in the Temple menorah– which was only enough for one day but miraculously lasted for eight– can be understood as an early example of energy conservation! In keeping with that theme, try using environmentally sustainable candles in your menorah this year. According to Hazon, a Jewish environmental organization, “beeswax, soy, and palm oil provide more natural alternatives to the traditional paraffin Hanukah candles.” Several vendors sell beeswax Hanukkah candles, and GoodLight Natural Candles’ Hanukkah candles not only claim to be “clean burning and non-toxic,” but the company “con-
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tributes to sustainable palm farming.” Hanukkah is also a wonderful time to bring light into the lives of those around us. The winter months can be especially difficult for those who need help. Why not take come time this holiday to volunteer as a family at a local soup kitchen, shelter, or any place that is meaningful to you? Often, Jewish homes for the aged have Hanukkah parties or communal menorah lightings. These are opportunities to connect your children with the older generation and help make the celebration more festive for the residents. Get Creative For Hanukkah Hanukkah can be a great time for simple and fun family art projects. There is a custom for each member of the family to have his/her own menorah. This year, why not make your own? You can buy lots of small votive candles (yahrtzeit candles are an inexpensive way to do this) and decorate the glass with a collage of colorful pieces of tissue paper. When the votives are lit, light shines through the tissue paper like stained glass. This is a great hanukkiah for the Friday night of the holiday, when the candles are supposed to burn for at least two hours— as long as Shabbat candles burn. No matter what kind of hanukkiah you use, try to place it in as visible a spot as possible to fulfill the mitzvah of pirsumei nisa (publicizing the miracle). And don’t forget the decorations. Judaica stores sell lots of colorful Hanukkah decorations that make the house feel more festive. You may want to choose your own Hanukkah decorating theme. I know one family that decorates their house with homemade pictures of Jewish holiday objects, which symbolize to them the uniqueness of Judaism — definitely a theme of the holiday. Make Each Night Special One of the wonderful things about Hanukkah is that it lasts eight days! Giving each night a special theme can increase the excitement and take some of the attention away from presents. Themes might include “Tzedakah (charity) night,” See MEANINGFUL on Page THE
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Jewish Schools Grapple With a Question: How Do You Turn a Kid Into a Mensch?
Education
ness and gratitude will refer to those traits by their Hebrew names and include the study of relevant Jewish sources and texts. “With character education in The Hebrew Academy in Miami Beach uses a character development general, the biggest indicator of curriculum and has school psychologists make regular visits to classsuccess is modeling,” said Reena rooms to teach about positive character traits like gratitude, self-control Rabovsky, the elementary school and honesty. (Hebrew Academy) psychologist at the Hebrew AcadeBy Ben Harris my. “Educators showing how to be makes it more real for them.” a mensch. That’s really the most A growing number of Jewish day powerful way.” schools are seeking ways to build At the Solomon Schechter School programs and school cultures that of Manhattan, educators are teachencourage menschlichkeit — the ing menschlichkeit through a proYiddish term for exhibiting the gram called Second Step, which qualities of a mensch, or a decent teaches students how to manage person. Using a variety of materi- difficult emotions like anger or 204 Metairie Rd. 833-3717 als, including off-the-shelf curricu- impatience though a set of lesson When Rabbi David Jaffe decided la, the effort draws not only from plans, videos and role-playing exerto launch a program of character Jewish ethical sources but from development at the pluralist Jewish contemporary psychology. See JEWISH SCHOOLS 26 high school where he worked as the That includes social-emotional on Page spiritual adviser, he grappled with a learning, a 20-year-old field that challenge faced not just by teachers deals with the development of basic but by Jewish parents. emotional skills that individuals How do you turn a kid into a need to get along in life, said Mau...to all My Jewish Friends mensch? rice Elias, who teaches psychology In psychological terms, being a and Jewish studies at Rutgers Unimensch equates to having well- versity and is considered one of the Steve Stefancik developed social and emotional leading researchers in the field. St. Tammany Parish Council, District 11 skills, like empathy and self-regula“Those skills include things like tion. In a Jewish context, it’s about the ability to recognize feelings in fostering emotional intelligence yourself and in other people, the that can be expressed through ability to regulate your emotions actions that embody Jewish values, and your actions, having empathy, especially as they relate to how to being able to be an ethical problem treat one’s fellow. solver and decision maker, and So Jaffe encouraged students at being able to know how to relate to his school, GANN Academy out- others in groups,” Elias said. side of Boston, to identify a specific “When we say somebody is a skill each month and come up with mensch, it is a shorthand term for specific ways to work on it. Some- saying that this is somebody that ORDER YOUR one who spoke up a lot in class, for has these social and emotional example, might practice letting skills. You can almost think of a three others speak before them. mensch as like a social genius. A Groups of students would meet mensch is a person who has such TABLE TODAY FROM regularly to discuss the traits they empathy and understanding of other were working on. Every student people that they will help you withhad a partner with whom they out you even asking for it.” would check in regularly about Social geniuses aren’t necessariLeg of Lamb Standing Rib Roasts Smoked, Baked & Fried Turkeys Imported Cheese their progress, and students were ly born, according to Elias, but can USDA Choice & Prime Meat Party Dips encouraged to maintain a journal of be made through the acquisition of Ducks, Geese, Pheasant & Quail Finger Sandwiches Stuffed Bell Peppers Fresh Seafood their experience. a specific set of teachable skills. Homemade Soups & Gumbos Custom Gourmet Baskets Faculty members participated in At the Hebrew Academy in Stuffed Eggplant And much more to take care of your table the program, too, to convey the Miami Beach, an Orthodox school sense that there was institutional with nearly 500 students from early integrity behind the effort. childhood through 12th grade, two “The last piece is for students to school psychologists make regular Uptown River Ridge Old Metairie see that this isn’t just another thing visits to classrooms to teach about Langensteins.com that adults are telling them that they positive character traits like gratishould do,” said Jaffe, GANN's for- tude, self-control and honesty. The mer mashgiach ruchani, or spiritual school uses commercial programs adviser. “They’re seeing adults like Cloud 9, a character developdoing this also. That does some- ment curriculum, while also seekthing to the young person’s mind ing to refract those lessons through and how seriously they take it. That a Jewish lens. Sessions about kind-
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Bookshelf Happy Chanukah to my many friends in the Jewish Community. Thank you for your continued support!
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What’s New for Kids to Read at Hanukkah? Try a Fresh Take on the Trailblazing ‘All-of-a-Kind Family.’ By Penny Schwartz
Constable Tasso “Tiger” Taylor III St. Tammany Parish, Ward 3
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(JTA) -- Ella, Henny, Sarah, Charlotte and Gertie. The names of the five fictional sisters bring a smile to generations of Jewish Americans who grew up reading "All-of-a-Kind Family," the classic mid-century chapter book series by Sydney Taylor that followed the day-to-day doings and adventures of a JewishAmerican immigrant family on New York's Lower East Side. The trailblazing series marked the first time that a children's book about a Jewish-American family found an audience in both Jewish and non-Jewish American homes. Now the beloved family comes to life in "All-of-a-Kind Family Hanukkah," the first fully illustrated picture book based on the series, by Emily Jenkins and Paul O. Zelinsky. The dynamic writer-illustrator team will charm young readers with this delightful story that reflects the warmth and spirited character of the original and creates a new chapter for this generation. It's among eight new outstanding and engaging children’s books for Hanukkah, the eight-day Festival of Light that begins this year on Sunday evening, Dec. 2.
All-of-a-Kind Family Hanukkah
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children, who were just as smitten. For this illustrated book, set on the eve of Hanukkah in 1912, Jenkins focused on Gertie, the spunky 4-yearold, as the family gets ready to celebrate the holiday. Adults familiar with the chapter books will spot various references to the original -- such as the ginger snaps hidden in the bed, Ella's favorite hymn and a special library book, Jenkins revealed. Zelinsky said illustrating the Taylor classic was a chance to reconnect with the books his daughters adored. In a phone conversation, the Brooklynite, whose recognition for excellence includes the prestigious Caldecott Award for "Rapunzel," said he immersed himself in the “All-of-a-Kind” world, down to the details of what the storybook family's New York apartment looked like. Zelinsky stepped away from his well-known finer, more detailed style and embraced bolder, less polished illustrations that he said matched Gertie's passion and reflect the soul of the stories. In one spectacular double-page spread, kids get a cutaway view of the family apartment: In the bedroom, Gertie is hiding under the bed after a tantrum while Mama and her sisters are in the adjacent kitchen joyfully preparing potato latkes. The back pages include notes from Jenkins and Zelinsky that fill in details about Taylor and the creation of this new book.
Dreidel Day
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Emily Jenkins & Paul O. Zelinsky Schwartz & Wade Books; ages 3 to 8
Jenkins, an award-winning author, grew up reading the “All-ofa-Kind” classics -- over and over, she told JTA. "As an only child, I adored books "Dreidel Day" (Courtesy of Kar-Ben) about big families and their esca- Amalia Hoffman, Kar-Ben; ages 1-4 pades," she wrote in an email. Young kids will spin, bounce and Jenkins read the books to her
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tumble their way through Hanukkah along with a lively kitty in this delightful board book that glows like the colors of a box of holiday candles. Little ones can count out loud with each double-page spread that features one word and one number and discover the corresponding number of colorful dreidels.
freedom, courage and miracles. Swarner's illustrations and border designs add warmth and glow. Songs, rules for playing dreidel and instructions for simple crafts such as a homemade coupon gift book make this book a welcome resource.
Hannah's Hanukkah Hiccups
My Family Celebrates Hanukkah
Family members of all ages will gather round this engaging book, which shines a light on all things menorah. The 32 pages of Ofanansky's text, brought to life by Alpern's vibrant photographs, explain the holiday and explore the many types of menorahs -- from antiques to creative whimsical versions. Kids go behind the scenes with menorah-making artists. A fun fact reveals that one Israeli bakery fries and bakes 2,000 doughnuts for each day of Hanukkah. Gifts, songs and blessings in Hebrew, English and transliterated from Hebrew are also included along with instructions for making candles, olive oil and latkes.
book, the award-winning David Adler retells the story of Hanukkah in simple, straightforward prose for young readers, paired with richly colored bold illustrations by Weber, the team that wrote the original (2011) version for older kids. The end depicts a modern family celebrating Hanukkah.
Light the Menorah: A Playful Action Rhyme
The Story of Hanukkah Lisa Bullard; illustrated by Constanza Basaluzzo Lerner Publications; ages 4-8
This easy-to-follow illustrated story is perfect for families and classrooms. Kids learn about the Hanukkah tale and the miracle of how a small amount of oil lasted eight days. Families celebrate, light candles, play dreidel, and receive chocolate and coins as gifts. The book's end pages explain the holiday and pose reading-based questions helpful for educators.
Light the Menorah! A Hanukkah Handbook
"Light the Menorah! A Hanukkah Handbook" (Courtesy of Kar-Ben) Jacqueline Jules; illustrated by Kristina Swarner Kar-Ben; ages 4-10
In this contemporary guide to Hanukkah, families discover unique ways to celebrate Hanukkah that give deeper meaning to the ritual of lighting the menorah, as well as easy to understand explanations of the holiday. Jules, an award-winning author, offers a short verse for each of the eight nights that can be read after lighting the menorah. They reflect the holiday's themes of religious THE
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"Hannah's Hanukkah Hiccups" (Courtesy of Apples & Honey Press) Shanna Silva; illustrated by Bob McMahon- Apples & Honey Press; ages 4-8
Uh, oh. Or make that Uh-hic-oh! Hannah Hope Hartman, a spunky young girl who lives in a brownstone on Hester Street, is practicing for her religious school's Hanukkah program when she suddenly gets a case of the hiccups – and they just won't go away! Her brother Henry tries to cure her by making funny faces. The building's diverse neighbors offer their own customs: drinking pickle juice backwards; a Mexican red string cure and cardamom cookies. Kids will relate to Hannah, who doesn't want to be in the school program with the hiccups and finds a creative solution. Silva's heartwarming story -- and the play on words that begin with the letter 'h" -- is perfectly paired with McMahon's cartoon-like illustrations in this lively, laugh-outloud yarn that shines with the light of a family's Hanukkah celebration.
How It's Made: Hanukkah Menorah
"Light the Menorah! A Hanukkah Handbook" (Courtesy of Kar-Ben) Tova Gitty Broide; illustrated by Patti Argoff. Hachai Publishing; ages 1-4
David A. Adler, illustrated by Jill Weber Holiday House; Board book, ages 2-4
In this vibrantly illustrated board
This lively rhyming book features two young brothers and a sister from a haredi Orthodox family joyfully celebrating Hanukkah, with latkes hopping in the frying pan and the sister spinning like a dreidel.
Happy Chanukah to My Friends and Constituents in the Jewish Community Stephanie Hilferty State Representative, District 94 Middle eastern Cuisine • authentiC & affordable
Fried Kibby Plate • Vegetarian Dishes • Yogurt Salad • Chicken Shawarma Shish Kabobs • Chicken Kabobs • Hummus • Falafels & Much More
Allison Ofanansky; Photographs by Eliyahu Alpern Apples & Honey Press; ages 7-12
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Sports
The 'Best Football Player Who Grew Up in Israel' Seeks a Spot at US College By Hillel Kuttler
Yuval Fenta plays running back for the Tel Aviv Pioneers. (Hillel Kuttler)
TEL AVIV (JTA) – In the summer of 2011, Yuval Fenta saw two guys tossing a football on the beach in Herzliya. He asked to participate. “You’re too small,” they responded. A dejected Fenta retreated, but
not before hearing them mention an American football league that played in Israel. Seven years later, Fenta has showed them. Now a 21-year-old running back for the Tel Aviv Pioneers, the son of Ethiopian immigrants for the past three seasons has earned the Israel Football League’s Offensive Player of the Year award. In 2017-18 he ran for 1,561 yards, averaged 6.9 yards per carry and scored 14 touchdowns Before that, with the Kfar Saba Hawks, he twice won the Israel High School Football League’s Most Valuable Player award and led the team to a championship each of his three seasons. Right after graduating to the adult league, Fenta led Israel’s national team to a 2015 European championship. This season, which begins Nov. 15, will be Fenta’s last in Israel. Beginning in 2019, he intends to play college football in America --
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in Division II, or maybe even Division I, the highest level. (The 201819 season will be the eight-team IFL’s first playing 11 on 11, having previously fielded nine a side due to a shortage of players.) Before applying to U.S. colleges this winter, Fenta is studying to improve his English to succeed on the Scholastic Aptitude Test, a key entrance exam. Only in high school, he said, did he understand that good grades could open the door to college. Now, “no one can set limits for me. I’ll decide what I’m capable of doing,” Fenta said on an earlySeptember evening in Yarkon Park’s Sportek complex prior to the Pioneers’ first preseason practice. As to playing Division I football, where the best American college players compete, the 6-foot, 180pound Fenta said: “They’re bones and muscle, just like I am.” For 2 1/2 years, prior to his discharge this week, Fenta served in the Israeli army with “active athlete” status -- the only football player so classified. He would have preferred serving in a combat unit, as did three of his brothers. But his status enabled him to work in a part-time desk job – he handled paperwork covering wounded soldiers’ medical care – while developing his athletic ability. Fenta is one of nine children born to Ethiopian Jewish parents who moved to Israel in 1991 from their village near Gondar. The next year, Fenta’s father, Adeba, traveled to Ethiopia to bring his parents to Israel. Yuval’s paternal grandparents are both centenarians and live near Haifa. When their son first took up football, Fenta’s parents feared for his safety – especially after he broke a leg late in his first season with Tel Aviv. “But they quickly realized that this is me,” he said. They cover his gym membership, prepare protein-laden meals and buy him whole wheat bread. “Relative to their means” – Adeba works as a gardener and his wife, Ungudai, cleans homes – “they pay more for me than rich parents do for their kids,” said Fenta, who works as a waiter. Coaches and teammates said that though he is quiet, Fenta is a leader. Fenta paraphrased former NFL wide receiver Cris Carter in saying that football developed his personality and character. The Israeli standout met 18 NFL Hall of Famers, including Carter, who visited Israel in June 2017. Told of Fenta’s remark, Carter seemed gratified. “That’s what we hope for in our life,” Carter, who played for the
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Philadelphia Eagles, the Minnesota Vikings and the Miami Dolphins, told JTA. “We as Hall of Famers know the platform we have We’re very careful with the things we say, realizing that everything we say is like a [stone] thrown in a pond. It’s going to have a ripple effect.” IFL Commissioner Betzalel Friedman called Fenta “the best running back in the league since he entered – it’s not even close” and offered this scouting report: “He knows how to be patient as a runner. He can turn on the jets. He can run behind his blockers and find a hole. He’s also not afraid to lower his head and have contact.” Tel Aviv’s head coach, Assaf Gvili, called Fenta “the best football player who grew up in Israel." "He’s phenomenal, eager to learn and very coachable," Gvili said. "Most talented players have big egos; he doesn’t.” Itay Ashkenazi, Kfar Saba’s former head coach, remembers being stunned when Fenta, gained 15 yards on a sweep, vaulted several feet over a would-be Haifa tackler and ran for another 15. On defense, at outside linebacker, Fenta displayed speed, strength, tackling ability and, overall, was “a shutdown player,” Ashkenazi said. His Kfar Saba teammate and fellow captain, Damian Faur, cited a critical play that Fenta made on defense, also against Haifa. Kfar Saba was leading 32-30 late in the 2014 championship game, but Haifa was driving deep in Kfar Saba territory. After a completion, Fenta and a teammate crashed into the receiver, who fumbled. Fenta recovered the ball and the championship was secured. “I’m not surprised that Yuval was the one who won the game,” Faur said. Gvili plans to employ Fenta as a linebacker-safety hybrid this season. Playing offense and defense, Gvili believes, will help Fenta showcase his skills for the American colleges he approaches. “A talent like him should keep working on his craft,” Ashkenazi said. Fenta, he said, “can play college football, for sure.” At Sportek, Fenta joined his teammates for practice on an unmarked grassy patch squeezed between basketball courts and a busy street. The nearest light tower beaming in their direction was at least 100 yards off. They danced into and out of stringy boxes in an agility drill, sprinted station to staSee FOOTBALL on Page THE
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‘Manchester by the Sea’ Director’s Latest Broadway Play Follows a Jewish Family Dealing With Tragedy
Elaine May stars in Kenneth Lonergan's "The Waverly Gallery," her first Broadway appearance in over 50 years. (Brigitte Lacombe) By Curt Schleier
(JTA) — On the phone last week, just before the revival of his play “The Waverly Gallery” opened on Broadway, Kenneth Lonergan sounded harried. There had been some set malfunctions earlier in the week, just as critics were getting ready to start their reviews. He acknowledged the play is hard to take — as much for him as for the viewer. “‘Cathartic’ seems to imply that writing it made me feel better,” Lonergan said. “It didn’t.” Perhaps the critics’ takes could lift his spirits. “The Waverly Gallery,” which runs through Jan. 27 at the John Golden Theatre, has been quickly and widely hailed as a triumph. Elaine May, who stars as aging Jewish family matriarch Gladys Green, has made many headlines, for good reason — her tear-jerking performance, her first on a Broadway stage in over 50 years, could earn her a Tony Award. Lonergan, 56, is best known for his 2016 film “Manchester by the Sea,” a slow-burning drama that earned him an Academy Award for best original screenplay and a nomination for best director. But he had a long and successful career both in film and on the stage well before that. He has been involved in everything from sensitive indie films (he wrote and directed “You Can Count on Me,” which earned an Oscar nomination for best screenplay) to period pieces (he co-wrote Martin
Scorsese’s “Gangs of New York”) to comedies (he co-wrote “Analyze This,” which starred Robert De Niro and Billy Crystal). Despite his varied and acclaimed output, nothing can really prepare the viewer for the power of his latest Broadway production. It is in fact a revival of a 2000 play that was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize — but likely flew under the radar for many since it was off-Broadway. In the play, Gladys lives alone in New York City’s Greenwich Village neighborhood, where she runs a small art gallery and is starting to show signs of Alzheimer’s disease. Her grandson, Daniel (played by Lucas Hedges, who broke out in “Manchester by the Sea”) lives next door, and Daniel’s mother and stepfather host her for a weekly dinner. As the Gladys they know slowly slips away, the Jewish family deals with a range of feelings, from frustration to compassion. Most of the play is autobiographical, lending the story extra emotional punch. In real life, Lonergan is Daniel. Ellen Fine (Joan Allen) is in fact Kenneth’s mom and her husband, Howard (David Cromer), is Lonergan’s stepfather. Lonergan, a Bronx native who was born to a Jewish mom and Irish dad, both physicians, had a “secular Jewish” upbringing. His parents divorced, and his mother remarried and moved to the Upper West Side. “More religious people might call us ersatz Jews,” he said. “I was raised in an environment where most people I knew were Jewish. Some were bar mitzvahed, some were not. Some of my [step] siblings were bar mizvahed. I don’t think it’s unusual” May, now 86, also is Jewish: She was born Elaine Berlin and per-
formed with her father’s traveling Yiddish theater company as a child. She rose to fame in the late 1950s with her then-comedy partner, the late Mike Nichols — who was also Jewish, and would go on to direct films such as “The Graduate” and “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” May was last seen on the Broadway stage in 1961 as part of “An Evening with Mike Nichols and Elaine May.” Lonergan was close to his grandmother, “pretty much as in the play,” he said, noting that they had dinner weekly and lived in the same build-
Posh
ing. That made the play difficult to write. During the writing process, his parents weren’t aware of what Lonergan was putting together. “When I did show it, it was with some trepidation," he said. "They said it was very difficult to go through it again, but they always came to the readings and saw it performed.” After the gallery where his grandmother spent her days had to be closed — her condition deteriorated See MANCHESTER on Page
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Entertainment
'You Don't Mess With the Zohan' was Adam Sandler's Liberal Zionist Manifesto By Gabe Friedman
(Photo illustration by Charles Dunst/Sources: Getty Images, Wikimedia Commons)
NEW YORK (JTA) -- Whatever else you can say about the somewhat mixed legacy of his work, you certainly can’t question Adam Sandler’s credentials as an avatar of Jewish cultural pride. Chalk that up to his famous Hanukkah song, which name-checked an array of famous Jews, his Hanukkah-themed animated comedy “Eight Crazy Nights” and the 2008 film “You Don’t Mess With the Zohan.” In “Zohan,” Sandler played an elite and legendary Israeli soldier
who longs for a peaceful life. The film, which was released 10 years ago this week, was full of in-jokes about Jews and Israel — hummus practically serves as a supporting character — but it also actually expressed a liberal Zionist viewpoint that continues to disappear from modern Mideast discourse. Sandler stars as Zohan Dvir, whose superhuman acts of fighting skill are rendered with cartoonish, over-the-top special effects. Zohan, though, is sick of fighting; he'd rather be partying with bikini-clad ladies on the Tel Aviv beach. His real dream in life is to be a hairdresser, and early on in the film he becomes emotional while flipping through an old Paul Mitchell hairstyle guide. During a fight with his Palestinian counterpart, The Phantom (played by John Turturro, of course), Zohan fakes his own death in order
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to sneak into the U.S. and make his hairdressing dreams come true. “I couldn’t take all the fighting anymore — what’s it all for?” he says in a thick, overstated Israeli accent. Once in New York, an incognito Zohan finds work in a salon owned by an attractive Palestinian woman (Emmanuelle Chriqui) and is caught up in a miniature version of the Middle Eastern conflict in a Lower Manhattan neighborhood, where feuding Israeli and Palestinian immigrants operate businesses on either side of the street. By the end of the film, however, the two sides unexpectedly bond and reach something resembling an Oslo Accords on the Hudson. The story was loosely based on Nezi Arbib, an Israeli army veteran who moved to the United States and started a hair salon. Sandler spent two weeks training with Arbib — in hairstyling, not military tactics. “Zohan” has a lot of the scatological, lowbrow humor that’s long been associated with Sandler’s work, as demonstrated in a bizarre subplot that has Zohan making his name as a hairdresser by having sex in the back of the salon with female clients who are decades older than he is. It was directed by Dennis Dugan, who has helmed seven other Sandler films. But the writers — Sandler, Robert Smigel and Judd Apatow — gave the film an ambitious satirical edge (the script also lifted some Israeli electronics store humor from a series of 1990s “Saturday Night Live” sketches written by Smigel). It offers a crowd-pleasing if unrealistic solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict that goes beyond two states: Outside the pressure cooker of the Middle East, Israelis and Palestinians can
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flourish together side by side by realizing how much they have in common and toiling toward the same goals. In the film's New York, that means keeping one’s business afloat. "Zohan" has all the forces joining against villains who turn out to be more dangerous than themselves -- a Trump-like real estate developer and his redneck henchmen (led by singer Dave Matthews). Even in 2008, the film was criticized for being both too Zionist and not Zionist enough. The left-wing magazine Counterpunch denounced it as racist and of expressing “a comedic approach to understanding the inner workings of the substandard Arab people.” Meanwhile, Gil Troy wrote that the film’s “happy ending comes when our hero abandons his country and his identity, joining the all-American intermarried mélange.” Some aspects of the film don’t hold up well in 2018, starting with the casting of Palestinian characters with white actors such as Turturro, Chiriqui (who was raised in an Orthodox Jewish household) and Rob Schneider (who was born to a Jewish father). The absurd sex-inthe-workplace plot, along with other explicit comments, which weren't especially funny in 2008, play even worse in the #MeToo era. But in the end, “Zohan” coherently expresses a liberal Zionist worldview. Today, Israel is increasingly becoming a wedge issue — conservatives are expected to support Israel and all of its actions unconditionally, while liberals are expected to condemn all that Zionism stands for. This leaves liberal Zionists, or those wishing for a peaceful two-state solution and a more left-wing Israeli government, without much of a political home. So much discourse about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict these days is either framed in terms of Israel heroically defending itself from invading hordes or heartlessly carrying out massacres -- views that are simplistically whittled down to terms like “pro-Israel” and “antiIsrael.” “You Don’t Mess With the Zohan” shows us something we rarely see anymore in media or culture: an Israeli hero who is proud of his country and heritage and wants the best for both, but is also sick of fighting and desires peaceful coexistence. THE
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Can Jerusalem Be Turned Into a High-Tech Hub?
FINANCIAL
Mobileye, the automotive vision company founded in Jerusalem and bought by Intel for $15.3 billion,says Jerusalem's diversity is an asset for entrepreneurial companies. (Courtesy of Mobileye) By Andrew Tobin
JERUSALEM (JTA) – Jerusalem is a city of endless titles and designations: City of Gold. Zion. The Holy Sanctuary. City of Peace. It’s rarely thought of as a hightech hub, and that’s not just because of the ancient buildings. Well over half of Jerusalem's residents are Arab or haredi Orthodox, two of Israel’s least tech-immersed populations. But high-tech’s growing foothold here is changing things. Last year, a Jerusalem company, Mobileye, became Israel’s biggest high-tech success story when it was sold to Intel for $15.3 billion. And in the past few years, local entrepreneurs have brought international attention to Jerusalem. In 2017, Startup Genome, an organization that ranks tech hubs, included Jerusalem for the first time in its influential Global Startup Ecosystem Report, describing the city as “a rising star on the global startup scene.” In 2015 MassChallenge, a leading international, nonprofit startup accelerator, opened the newest of its seven worldwide locations in Jerusalem. WeWork, the co-working office space behemoth started by kibbutz-born Adam Newman, opened its first Jerusalem building earlier this year to service the city’s growing tech entrepreneurial class. A long-awaited high-speed train promises to further integrate Jerusalem’s high-tech scene with that of the bustling tech metropolis of Tel Aviv, where roughly half of Israel’s startups and most of its venture capital reside. The changes are heartening to those who believe that Jerusalem’s diversity of populations is an opportunity to build a dynamic high-tech culture -- and maybe even a shared Israeli future. “Diversity enlarges the talent pool, and it enlarges diversity of thought,” said Gabi Hayon, the executive vice president of research and development at Mobileye, the automotive vision company whose THE
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technology is in use in standard and self-driving vehicles. “I know different ways of thinking are going to be essential for us to cope with the huge challenges ahead.” The growth of a local tech scene is a potential godsend. Jerusalem long has been in desperate need of an economic turnaround. The city, Israel’s largest, is sinking deeper into poverty even as the country generally thrives. It is by far Israel’s poorest city. Forty-six percent of Jerusalemites live below the poverty line, including 58 percent of children, according to the Jerusalem Institute for Policy Studies. By comparison, Israel’s second-poorest city, Ashdod, has a poverty rate of 18 percent, according to the Central Bureau of Statistics. Poverty is most widespread among Jerusalem’s Arab and haredi populations, which respectively account for 38 percent and 21 percent of its nearly 900,000 residents, according to the Jerusalem Institute. Three-quarters of Arabs, most of whom live as non-citizens in eastern Jerusalem, are impoverished, along with about half of haredim. Tech is a rare bright spot in the city’s economy. Aside from Mobileye, other recent Jerusalem success stories include Lightricks, a wildly popular maker of photo and video apps that has attracted some $10 million in venture capital funding; Hometalk, the biggest online platform for home and garden DIY; and Orcam Technologies, a $1 billion company started by Mobileye’s founders that makes devices to assist the visually impaired. Jerusalem is now home to some 470 active technology companies and 23 venture capital firms, according to the Start-Up Nation Finder, a public database of Israel’s technology ecosystem. In 2012, the city had just 200 companies and seven investors, according to StartUp Nation Central, the nonprofit promoter of Israeli high-tech that runs the database. Continued growth is expected: The Jerusalem Development Authority predicts that Jerusalem will add 5,000 high-tech jobs by 2025. Meanwhile, Jerusalem’s insti-
tutes of higher education are trying to lay the groundwork for the next generation of innovation. In early November, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, the Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design and the Azrieli College of Engineering were jointly awarded a $5.4 million grant from Israel’s Council of Higher Education to establish an entrepreneurship and innovation center. The project will triple the size of Hebrew University’s current high-tech campus at Givat Ram, in central Jerusalem, and greatly expand programming there. The Hebrew University’s techSee HIGH-TECH on Page
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Kenner City Councilman
Happy Chanukah to my friends in the Jewish Community. Thank you for your support!
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that requires lots of oil — a tip of the frying pan to Maccabean times — try my sister Cheryl Schildkraut’s simple recipe for potato latke straight from my family’s treasure trove of Eastern European foods.
Ingredients:
• 3 pounds russet potatoes • 1 medium yellow onion • 3 extra large eggs • 1/2 cup matzah meal • 2 teaspoons kosher salt • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper • Vegetable oil for frying
Directions: 1. Peel and quarter potatoes and onion. 2. Divide into 3 batches and place in a food processor fitted with a stainless steel mixing blade. 3. Process each batch until there are no visible chunks and the mixture is smooth. Do not overprocess. 4. Drain mixture using a sieve placed over a large bowl. Press down gently to release liquid. 5. Pour drained potato mixture into a clean bowl. Add eggs, matzah meal, salt and pepper. Mix well. 6. Pour 1/2 inch of vegetable oil into 12- or 13-inch frying pan and heat on medium until the oil shimmers. 7. Using a slotted spoon, carefully place mounds of potato mixture into the hot oil. 8. Fry until brown on one side — about 3-4 minutes — and turn over and fry the second side until brown and crisp. 9. Place the browned latke on a plate lined with paper towels to absorb the excess oil and repeat steps 8 and 9 until the mixture is all used. 10. Serve with applesauce and sour cream if desired. (Rachel Ringler is a museum docent, challah instructor and cook who has strong feelings about the important role food plays in life, in family and in community. Her twitter handle is @rachelringler.) THE
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Chocolate Babka Doughnuts (Chaya Rappoport) By Chaya Rappoport
(The Nosher via JTA) -- Babka is nearly a weekly occurrence in my house, and I can think of few things better. But it’s not just me: Babka has really been getting the recognition it deserves all over the country, making appearances everywhere from artisanal bakeries to Jewish delis and even high-end restaurants. My babka recipe is rich, buttery and loaded with eggs, more closely related to brioche than to the old, which is what I wanted for these babka-doughnut hybrids. I increased the flour content and the eggs, making for a sturdier dough, and I reduced the amount of butter — just by a smidge so the dough would stand up better to frying. For a little crunch and to offset the sweetness of the filling and dough I added cacao nibs, which impart a slightly bitter flavor and some nice crunch, too. Cacao (or cocoa) nibs are dried, fermented pieces of coffee beans – a very pure, intense chocolaty flavor. You can find them at Whole Foods, specialty food stores (like a health food store) or on Amazon. With these doughnuts you get all the pillowy softness of babka, plus the moisture that deep-frying locks into the dough. The dark chocolate pastry cream would be lovely in a tart, cream puffs or on cake, but here, along with the cacao nib sugar, it serves to further complement the dough and turns the whole treat into something much more than just chocolate babka. Both doughnuts and babka are time-intensive kitchen projects — usually, it’d be either-or — and that choice would be pretty hard to make. But with these doughnuts both are possible at once. And if that isn’t a Hanukkah miracle, then I don’t know what is. Please note: You want to make the dough the night before you will fry, so plan accordingly.
Ingredients:
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For the doughnut dough: • 3⁄4 cup whole milk • 4 large eggs, lightly beaten • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract • 1 stick unsalted butter at room temperature, cubed • 3 1⁄2 cups all-purpose flour • 1⁄2 cup sugar • 1 tablespoon active dry yeast • 1 teaspoon kosher salt • For the chocolate pastry cream: • 4 large egg yolks • 1/4 cup sugar • 2 tablespoons cornstarch • 4 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder • 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt • 1 1/2 cups milk • 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, broken into pieces • 1/2 stick unsalted butter, cubed • For the cacao nib sugar plus frying: • 6 cups vegetable oil, for frying • 2 cups sugar • 4 tablespoons cacao nibs
Directions:
1. To make the cacao nib sugar: In a food processor, grind the cacao nibs until fine. Combine the pulverized cacao nibs and sugar. Transfer to an airtight container until ready to use. 2. The next step is to make the pastry cream, since it needs to set before you fill the doughnuts. Whisk together yolks, vanilla, sugar, cornstarch, cocoa powder and salt. 3. In a heavy saucepan, bring milk just to a boil over moderate heat and in a stream add 1/4 cup to egg mixture, whisking until smooth. 4. Transfer the milk-and-egg mixture to the pan with the rest of the milk and bring to a boil, whisking (the mixture will look curdled but will become smooth as whisked). 5. Boil the mixture, whisking vigorously, 1 minute and remove from heat. Stir in chocolate and butter, stirring until melted and combined well. Transfer to a heatproof bowl and chill, surface covered with plastic wrap, overnight, or until ready to fill doughnuts. 6. To make the doughnut dough: Heat the milk until warm to the touch, around 110 F. Add the eggs to the warm milk mixture and whisk
gently to combine. 7. Butter a medium bowl and set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the flour, sugar, yeast and salt. Add the milk mixture and mix just until combined. Switch to the dough hook and knead the dough on low speed, about 3 minutes. The dough will be sticky — this is perfectly fine. 8. Increase the speed to medium and add the butter, a piece or two at a time. In the mixer, let the dough mix until completely smooth and elastic. To test the dough’s readiness, try stretching a piece of it. It should stretch easily to a point where it becomes translucent but doesn’t rip. 9. Put the dough in a buttered bowl, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for minimum of 12 hours, or overnight. 10. The next day, when ready to make the doughnuts, line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Dust the paper well with flour. Tip the cold dough onto a lightly floured work surface and roll it into a 9 1/2by 12 1 ⁄2-inch rectangle. It should be about 1/2-inch thick. 11. Using a 3-inch round cookie cutter, cut out 12 dough rounds and set them on the prepared sheets. Lightly cover them with plastic wrap and set in a warm place to proof for about 1 1/2 hours. After proofing, the dough should look puffy and spring back slowly when pressed gently. 12. When you’re ready to fry, line a rimmed baking sheet with paper towels. Prepare the cacao nib sugar in a bowl nearby. Spoon the pastry cream into a pastry bag fitted with a small round tip. 13. Add the oil to a medium, heavy-bottomed pot or to a deep fryer. Heat the oil to between 350 and 365 F. 14. Carefully add 2 to 3 dough-
nuts to the oil and fry them until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Using a slotted spoon, put the doughnuts on the paper towels. After about 1 minute, when the doughnuts are cool enough to handle, toss them in the cacao nib sugar. Repeat with the remaining dough. 15. To fill the doughnuts, put the pastry cream in a pastry bag. Using a knife or a chopstick, poke a hole into one side of each doughnut. Be careful not to poke through the other side. Insert the tip of the pastry bag into the hole and gently squeeze to fill. Makes 12 doughnuts. (Chaya Rappoport is the blogger, baker and picture taker behind retrolillies.wordpress.com. Currently a pastry sous chef at a Brooklyn bakery, she's been blogging since 2012 and her work has been featured on The Feed Feed, Delish. com, Food and Wine, and Conde Nast Traveler.) For assistance, please email help@jta.org.
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Here's What It Costs to Put Your Synagogue Under Armed Guard By Ben Sales
The Chai Center in Dix Hills, N.Y., has installed a range of security protections, from reinforced windows to an armed guard. (Dovid Weinbaum)
NEW YORK (JTA) -- After a mass shooting in a heavily Jewish area shocked the nation, Rabbi Yakov Saacks felt like his Long Island congregation was at risk. So the rabbi installed 17 cameras on the synagogue’s exterior that can zoom in to read numbers on license plates, as well as indoor cameras at each entrance. He began covering the windows with Kevlar, at around $800 each, making them shatterproof in case vandals hit them with rocks. And he hired armed security guards to protect the Hebrew school and Shabbat services. When the sanctuary is especially crowded -- on the High Holidays, for example -- as many as three guards will patrol the building carrying guns and communicating by radio. That was after the school shooting in Parkland, Florida, nearly nine months ago. Following the attack last month on a synagogue in Pittsburgh, Saacks said he feels vindicated in beefing up security. And he’s not done. In addition to pro-
tecting the rest of his windows, he is planning to install a metal detector at the building entrance as well as a double-door vestibule called a “mantrap.” “What can we do? What can we do?” said Saacks, whose Chabad synagogue, the Chai Center, occupies an acre and a half in the upscale suburb of Dix Hills. “This doesn’t make me happy. It doesn’t warm your heart. We still try and maintain its openness, but what happened in Pittsburgh can happen anywhere.” The added measures have changed Saacks’ budget, of course. He estimates that all of the physical protections will cost $150,000 in total. That does not include some of the window and camera costs, which he paid for partly out of a $50,000 grant from New York state. And the armed guards, contracted from a private security company at $40 an hour each, cost about $360 per week. It’s a cost more synagogues are considering after a gunman entered the Tree of Life Congregation in Pittsburgh two weeks ago and killed 11 worshippers. Since that shooting, the risk of a violent attack has felt all too real for synagogues. Thomas Ruskin, who runs the CMP Group, a private security company, already provides security for a handful of Jewish institutions in the New York City area. Since the Pittsburgh shooting, he says, dozens more have inquired about his services.
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“Part of this has to do with the religious organizations’ budgets,” said Ruskin, a former New York police officer who is Jewish. “They’ve never put money aside or had a fund for just this purpose. ... We never really had to worry about this. We always knew there was anti-Semitism, but we never knew someone would come into a shul in an upscale suburban community and shoot people in their backs.” Ruskin charges $500-$1,000 for a written threat assessment and security recommendations; the price is deducted off the final cost if Ruskin's team is hired to provide security. For more than a decade, the federal government has provided funding to help synagogues bolster their security. The Nonprofit Security Grant Program and a related program run by the Department of Homeland Security have provided a total of more than $269 million to secure houses of worship and other institutions. The money has gone largely to Jewish institutions, according to the Orthodox Union Advocacy Center, which lobbies for the grants. In addition, in October 2017, New York state announced $25 million in grants to help secure private schools and other nonprofits. Rounds of funding awarded this year in Brooklyn and Long Island went largely to Jewish organizations. Since 2004, Jewish institutions have received resources and guidance from the Secure Community Network, an organization co-founded by the Jewish Federations of North America that oversees the community’s security needs and liaises with law enforcement. Paul Goldenberg, the network’s former chief, said that a close relationship with local law enforcement can help synagogues be prepared when
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attacks happen. He cautioned against turning houses of worship into fortresses, noting that many synagogues in Europe have an intense security presence along with tight restrictions on who can enter and exit. “Security has come with a tremendous cost to the Jewish community, not only here but abroad,” said Goldenberg, now a senior fellow for the Rutgers University Miller Center for Community Protection and Resilience. “Our institutions should not be surrounded by copper tin wire and bars.” Still, some synagogues are opting for private security on-site. A consortium of 30 Chabad congregations on Long Island hopes to raise $1 million to provide armed guards once a week for a period of three years at an estimated cost of $50 an hour. Union Temple, a Reform synagogue in Brooklyn, decided to increase its security after it was vandalized with anti-Semitic graffiti this month. It has hired a second security guard and is requiring visitors to sign in and show ID. It is also making its windows shatterproof. “We want to be warm and welcoming, we don’t want to live in a police state, but that’s the line you have to find,” said Union Temple President Beatrice Hanks. “The parents have been most concerned about this. … They’d rather be slowed down at the drop-off than not have security.” Other synagogues have opted for volunteer security guards recruited from their own pews. The Community Security Service, a Jewish nonprofit founded in 2007, has trained 4,000 volunteer security guards for synagogues, teaching them how to See ARMED GUARD on Page
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Best Wishes for a Happy Chanukah to All of My Friends and Supporters in the Jewish Community
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National
'Our Hearts Are Broken': The Jewish World Reacts to the Pittsburgh Synagogue Attack By Marcy Oster
Police respond to a mass shooting at the Tree of Life Synagogue in the Squirrel Hill neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Oct. 27, 2018. (Jeff Swensen/Getty Images)
(JTA) -- The shooting in a Pittsburgh synagogue that has left 11 people dead has been described as “horrific,” “heinous” and “devastating” by Jewish leaders, politicians and Israeli leaders. “Our hearts are broken,” the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh posted on Facebook, saying it was making an exception and using social media on Shabbat. The federation's president, Jeff Finkelstein, in an interview on CNN praised the quick reaction of the police and local government and said of the shooting, "This is now real. This is my worst nightmare.” Jerry Silverman, president and CEO of the Jewish Federations of North America, said in a statement: “Our thoughts, prayers and actions are with the entire Pittsburgh Jewish community at the events of today. The peace of Shabbat was shattered and lives tragically lost. All of us stand with our brothers and sisters there.” Silverman said the Secure Community Network is already working with the synagogue alongside the Department of Homeland Security and the FBI. The security arm for national Jewish groups is affiliated with JFNA and the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations. The Jewish refugee aid agency HIAS, which was named by the sus-
pected shooter in a series of posts on social media, said in a statement: “There are no words to express how devastated we are by the events in Pittsburgh this morning. This loss is our loss, and our thoughts are with Tree of Life Congregation, our local partner Jewish Family and Community Services (JFCS) of Pittsburgh, the city of Pittsburgh and all those affected by this senseless act of violence. As we try to process this horrifying tragedy, we pray that the American Jewish community and the country can find healing.” David Harris, executive director of the American Jewish Committee, tweeted: “The news from #Pittsburgh is horrible, just horrible. An attack on a synagogue kills at least 8 people and wounds others. No words are adequate. A demented, bigoted mind that would destroy lives in a house of worship should leave us all speechless, united and angry as hell.” ADL National Director Jonathan Greenblatt said in a statement that “It is simply unconscionable for Jews to be targeted during worship on a Sabbath morning, and unthinkable that it would happen in the United States of America in this day and age. Unfortunately, this violent attack – the deadliest antiSemitic attack in the United States since 2014 – occurs at time when ADL has reported a historic increase in both anti-Semitic incidents and anti-Semitic online harassment." Greenblatt said in a tweet that the ADL was “actively engaged with law enforcement to understand the extent of this anti-Semitic attack." The Hillel Jewish University Center of Pittsburgh in a post on Facebook said it is in contact with staff, university officials and law enforcement to ensure the safety of students. The center said it was planning to
Wishing my many friends & supporters in the Jewish Community a Happy Chanukah.
Leslie Ellison
Orleans Parish School Board Member, District 4 20 Chanukah 2018
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open on Shabbat in order to support students and community members “when it is safe to do so.” Parents responded with comments thanking the center for being available to help their children. One wrote: “So glad that you are there to support our children when we, as parents, are far away and cannot hug them and be with them.” World Jewish Congress President Ronald Lauder said the attack was not just on the Jewish community but on America as a whole. "We must condemn this attack at the highest levels and do everything in our power to stop such atrocities from happening again,” Lauder said in a statement. B'nai B'rith International called it "a devastating day for Jews in this country and around the world." "But more than that, it’s another devastating day for tolerance and acceptance,” Charles Kaufman and Daniel Mariaschin, its president and CEO, respectively, said in a statement. “We are living in an unparalleled toxic atmosphere of hate that seems endless. While we welcome politicians’ thoughts and prayers when murderous rages of hate occur, that must be followed by action on many levels. Tolerance and mutual respect, plus sensible gun control – especially for automatic weapons – are needed now.” Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Fla.,who was the target of a mail bombing campaign in recent days, said in a tweet: “Our houses of worship will never truly be safe until those in power challenge anti-Semitism and the rampant proliferation of guns. My heart goes out to Pittsburgh, its Jewish community, law enforcers and all those impacted by this tragedy on a holy day of worship.” J Street, the liberal Jewish Middle East policy group, called the shooting a “savage hate crime and an act of terror.” “This moment calls for responsible leadership. We must all join together in condemning the rising tide of white nationalism, racism and hatred directed at Jewish people and other vulnerable minorities in our country," it said in a statement. "And we must call for an end to the extreme rhetoric, laced with bigotry and racism, that is dominating our national discourse and breeding violence.” The Republican Jewish Coalition's national chairman, Norm Coleman, said in a statement: “The level of hate in this country is out of control. Today we mourn the dead and
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stand in awe of the men and women who ran toward the gun fire to help the victims and stop the perpetrator. In the days ahead, we all must come together to combat this epidemic of hate. From the left, the right, and all other corners of our political spectrum, we must come together to find a better path forward.” Halie Soifer, the executive director of the Jewish Democratic Council of America, said it was clear that congregants at the Tree of Life synagogue were targeted because they were Jews. She said her organization "condemns, in the strongest possible terms, the elevated antiSemitic, hateful, and divisive rhetoric in our country that has emboldened anti-Semites, neo-Nazis, white supremacists and those who sympathize with these movements." Richard Cohen, president of the Southern Poverty Law Center, said the attack “reminds us of the slaughter of nine African American worshipers at Charleston’s Mother Emmanuel Church in 2015, the killings of six Sikh worshipers at a temple in Oak Creek, Wisconsin, in 2014, and, of course, the bombing of Birmingham’s 16th Street Baptist Church in 1963 that left four young African American girls dead. The violence in Pittsburgh follows on the heels of a string of attempted pipe bombings by a white supremacist who targeted frequent critics of President Trump. Our hearts go out to the families of the shootings.” In Israel, emergency and resilience teams left for Pittsburgh to provide psychological assistance and community rehabilitation, according to the statement. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a videotaped statement said that he was “heartbroken and appalled by the murderous attack” on the Tree of Life synagogue. “The entire people of Israel grieve with the families of the dead. We stand together with the Jewish community of Pittsburgh," he said. "We stand together with the American people in the face of this horrendous anti-Semitic brutality. And we all pray for the speedy recovery of the wounded. President Reuven Rivlin said in a statement that “We are thinking of our brothers and sisters, the whole house of Israel, in this time of trouble, as we say in the morning prayers. We are thinking of the families of those who were murdered and praying for the quick recovery of those See PITTSBURGH on Page THE
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4 Steps for Talking to Kids About the Pittsburgh Synagogue Shooting
As a mother of three children in elementary school, I want to make my home into a fortress of safety. I dream of barricading the doors, shuttering the windows, and cuddling beneath the blankets, my arms tightly wrapped around my kids. I’d like to shield them from all harm — including the pain of being an American Jew at the time of the deadliest attack on Jews in the history of this country. But as a scholar who studies how American Jewish children understand and process the world around them, I know that’s not the right approach. In fact, when tragedy strikes is exactly the time when children most need loving adults to help them make sense of the senseless. After years of studying other people’s children, and practicing with my own children, here are four tips for speaking with your kids about the shooting at Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh. 1. Acknowledge the tragic reality Many parents worry that talking to their kids about the rising tide of anti-Semitism or the specter of gun violence will shatter the beautiful innocence of childhood. Yet educational scholars have shown that learning about difficult current events only enhances children’s ability to cope with the world. Especially as our kids are growing up in an age of easily accessible information, they are adept at stumbling upon or searching for the latest news. If your children are in elementary school, at any grade level, chances are very high they already have a sense that a terrible tragedy has befallen our community and our country, or that they’ll soon hear about it from other children or by overhearing adults. My own kids’ experience provides an example of why parents need to be prepared to speak with their children. My eldest, age 11, came home from spending SaturTHE
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day at a friend’s house already knowing many disturbing details about the Pittsburgh synagogue shooting, including the death toll. My 8-year-old, by contrast, had been home all day and hadn’t seen or heard the news. But he did have exposure to the shaken adults in our family, and by the afternoon, he turned to me and asked, “When are you going to tell me what’s going on?” Kids are savvy, and they are perceptive. Even when they don’t rely on adults to tell them what has happened, they do count on us to help them understand the troubling world in which we all live. 2. Respond to your child’s needs Kids of different ages need different framing. Children as young as kindergarten know when the adults in their lives are upset or worried about current events; they rely on those adults to model how to talk about sad and difficult things. By second grade, most children begin to piece together discrete bits of information from a variety of sources in their lives. Each overheard conversation or online excursion becomes a chance for them to find another piece of the puzzle they are trying to construct. Second and third graders desperately want to understand what’s happening in the world, and they need adults to help them see the bigger picture. By fourth grade, many children are able to see current events, even tragic ones, as part of a larger political and historical framework. They, too, need adult guidance to understand the world around them, though they’re often more focused on the why than on understanding the who, what, and how of events like younger children. Kindergarteners and first graders may be like the Passover child who doesn’t know to ask. To them, offer a basic frame, keeping in mind that if you don’t provide a narrative it is likely another child will. You may say something like, “it is a sad time for the Jewish people and the United States of America because many people were killed while attending synagogue.” Second and third graders are likely to want to know specific information about what happened
Kveller in Pittsburgh. Answer their questions as straightforwardly as possible, being conscious to offer only the details they request. Children fourth grade and up will likely be searching for an answer to the question, why? An age-appropriate response is to remind children that there are no good reasons to commit murder, even you explain the Pittsburgh synagogue shooter’s anti-Semitic and anti-immigrant motivation. 3. Assure kids of their immediate safety, without making promises you can’t keep As a mother, I want to be able to promise my children that I will be able to keep them safe, always and everywhere. But I know that’s a pledge beyond any parent’s control, and in the age of school lockdown drills, young children know it, too. Even so, children need to feel safe, and they often need reminders of the safety precautions that are already in place (or soon to be implemented) in order to protect
them. With my own children, I revisited the safety protocol at our synagogue, explaining why there are armed guards and regular emergency drills. I reminded them of a beloved and well-qualified community leader who chairs the safety committee, and the children themselves generated a list of other people whom they trust who are working to make the synagogues, schools, and other places they frequent as safe and secure as possible. 4. Keep talking An initial conversation is necessary, but that’s just the beginning. In order for kids to process terrifying events, they need to know that they can talk with their trusted adults on an ongoing basis. Circle back to your children, asking them, “How are you feeling?” The goal is to leave them the choice of whether to pivot to another topic or revisit See SHOOTING on Page
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Yes, Anti-Semitism Is a Problem Again. No, It Is Not 1939. By Andrew Silow-Carroll
A mourner wearing a Star of David around his neck at the Squirrel Hill memorial service for the victims of the shooting at the neighborhood's Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh, Penn., Oct. 29, 2018. (Matthew Hatcher/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)
(JTA) -- My father, whose own father changed his unpronounceable last name to Carroll when he came to America, would often tell a story about job hunting in the late 1940s and 50s. It was only after the interview that the men across the desk would ask, "And all we need now is a recommendation from your clergyman." "I knew what your are asking," Dad would tell them. "And yes I'm
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Jewish" He suspects he lost out on a lot of jobs, although somehow he became what he thinks was the first Jewish high school principal on Long Island. My mother enlisted in the Navy during World War II under the name "Naomi Green." Why not Greenberg, her maiden name? "You can't be too careful," she'd say. Ambiguous last names and tales of casual slights may be the most benign legacies of the institutionalized American anti-Semitism of the last century, but they show how pervasive bigotry was and how insecure Jews felt in this country. Also familiar are stories of college quotas, "restricted" clubs and neighborhoods, beatings at the hands of neighborhood thugs and the broadcasts of demagogues like Father Coughlin, railing against an international Jewish banker conspiracy. Prior to World War II, Jews were blocked from entire industries, and anti-Semitism "manifested itself at every level of society and across
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the country," the Princeton historian Julian Zelizer wrote last week. It's important to recall that history in the wake of the horror in Pittsburgh, where 11 Jews were gunned down in synagogue by a loner drunk on anti-immigrant and anti-Semitic propaganda. The shooting has inspired a spate of "It can -- and did -- happen here" essays and reporting, suggesting that Jews are learning that their safety is an illusion, and that the anti-Semitism that had seemed to lie dormant has erupted again, like a chronic disease. There is a lot of truth to that perception. You don't need a study to remind you about the toxic sludge that regularly pours forth from the Internet and social media. The "altright" puts Jews at the center of their master narrative of white nationalism under threat. The idea of a "Great Replacement" -- that people of color are displacing the white race, aided and abetted by Jewish liberals like George Soros -- has made the leap from the Charlottesville march to the political mainstream. Despite having Jewish grandchildren, the president often appears loath to separate himself from some of the ghouls who believe this stuff. And whether that's because he believes it himself or is constitutionally unable to reject the support of a single voter, it doesn't really matter. College campuses have seen anti-Israelism shade too often into anti-Judaism. We saw it last week when some pro-Palestinian activists asked Jews in mourning to account for Palestinian suffering. But it is important to note that despite all these ominous signs, the lived experience of American Jews is not one of fear and vulnerability, certainly when you compare it to 50 and 100 years ago, and even if you don't. That's what made the Pittsburgh attack doubly shocking -- it is simply not the daily experience of American Jews to feel under physical threat. That is not because they are deluded or complacent. It is because Jews are at home in America, and the vast majority do not experience anti-Semitism as a functional or impeding factor in their lives. Perhaps the leading indicator of this is the rate at which Jews marry non-Jews -- over 70 percent according to recent numbers. That is not only a sign of wide acceptance, but it also means that Jews are woven into the family trees of more and more people of different faiths. You might be inclined to argue that Trump proves how slender a reed
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that argument is, but even in his case reports suggest that, after Pittsburgh, Jared and Ivanka guided him to do and say the right things. At the very least, Trump finds it important to clarify that he is "the least antiSemitic person that you've ever seen in your entire life." In the reporting around Pittsburgh, many have noted the AntiDefamation League's report of a 57 percent rise in acts of anti-Semitism in 2017. That comes to 1,986 acts in 2017, compared to 942 in 2015 and 1,267 in 2016. The trend is alarming, and every threat or act of violence is one too many. But that statistic also includes more than 160 bomb threats sent to Jewish community centers and other institutions by a disturbed young Jewish man living in Israel. Those threats were deeply unsettling and sure felt like anti-Semitism, but his acts shouldn't be included when talking about a trend. I don't mean to trivialize the hatred expressed when someone scrawls a swastika, or retweets a vicious anti-Jewish meme, or spews bile at a Jewish journalist. Recent attacks on Orthodox Jewish men in Brooklyn were despicable. The demonization of George Soros is ominous.The Pittsburgh massacre has shattered the illusion that our synagogues are havens from an ugly, dangerous world. But we shouldn't grant more power to the hate-mongers than they deserve. The coast-to-coast gestures of solidarity and acts of kindness that followed the Pittsburgh massacre are far more typical of America than the acts of a deranged subculture. The Pittsburgh massacre is not a sign that Jews have lost their bargain with America, but that hatred by a disgruntled and alienated minority has been encouraged and allowed to fester -- by cynical politicians, by feckless social media companies, by apologists who are willing to condone bigotry so long as it is directed at groups they don't like. Often when I raise this issue, someone will ask, "But what about Europe?" Jews in many European countries feel under siege, both from a resurgent right and from Islamists. Jews in Belgium and Paris were targets of vicious anti-Semitic terrorism in recent years. European Jews will tell you that if they don't yet plan to emigrate to Israel, they are keeping a bag packed. Or they'll say that they don't dare wear their yarmulkes on the street. See ANTI-SEMITISM on Page THE
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PITTSBURGH Continued from Page 20 who were injured. I am sure that the law enforcement agencies and the legal authorities in the U.S. will investigate this horrific event thoroughly and that justice will be served on the despicable murderer.” Education Minister Naftali Bennett, who also serves as the country’s Diaspora minister, left for Pittsburgh on Saturday night in Israel shortly after news of the
shooting. He will visit the synagogue, meet with the local Jewish community and participate in the funerals of those killed in the attack, a statement from his office said. “When Jews are murdered in Pittsburgh, the people of Israel feel pain," Bennett said "All Israel are responsible for one another.” He also said that “Jewish blood is not free. I am going to offer strength to the community and its leaders, and to examine how we can offer assistance”
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Traditionally, Hanukkah has included foods with cheese in recognition of Judith, whose liberal use of the salty treat facilitated a victory for the Maccabees. To combine the two unhealthy but delicious traditions, try this recipe for cheese latkes. the first night of Hanukkah will fall 7. On Hanukkah, we celebrate in time for Thanksgiving dinner a grisly murder. (assuming you have the meal at dinnertime rather than in the afternoon) on Nov. 27, 2070. So, hang on to this recipe for sweet potato latkes with toasted marshmallows! 9. The largest menorah in the world, according to the Guinness Book of World Records is 32 feet high and weighs 4,000 pounds. The aforementioned Judith had an ulterior motive for plying Assyrian general Holofernes with salty cheese: making him thirsty so he would drink lots of wine and pass out, enabling her to chop off his head and bring it home with her. The beheading – particularly the fact that a woman carried it out – was said to have frightened Holofernes’ troops into fleeing the The Shulchan Aruch stipulates Maccabees. that a menorah should be no taller 8. The next “Thanksgivukkah” than about 31 feet. Incidentally, (sort of), is only 53 years away. Guinness lists at least three other In 2013, the convergence of Hanukkah-related records: most Thanksgiving and Hanukkah on dreidels spinning simultaneously Nov. 28 inspired everything from for at least 10 seconds (820), most turkey-shaped menorahs to a giant valuable dreidel ($14,000) most dreidel float in the Macy’s Thanks- people simultaneously lighting giving Parade. While experts say a menorahs (834) and largest display full day of Hanukkah won’t coin- of lit menorahs (1,000). We’d like cide with the fourth Thursday in to know the most latkes ever eaten November for thousands of years, in one sitting.
“Sing-Off Night,” “Party Night,” and of course, “Presents Night!” I know a family that eats a different kind of potato latke (pancake) for dinner each night. Apples, cauliflower, or even meat can be delicious additions to the traditional potato latke. For a creative collection of latkes recipes see here. Cheese is also a great Hanukkah food, as it recollects the heroism of Judith, who cleverly fed Holofernes, a general fighting the Maccabees, salty cheese and wine. When the general promptly fell asleep, Judith cut off his head and thereby saved her town from his tyranny. Hanukkah is also an ideal time to do fun activities like playing music, taking pictures, or making home movies documenting the year’s celebration. One family I know drips Hanukkah candle wax each night on their family album. Then, the following year, they take out the album, look at the wax, and try to remember where they were and what they did on each night. Celebrate our Uniqueness as Jews One of the miracles of Hanukkah is that the Jewish people were able to re-consecrate the Temple — our spiritual center and a powerful symbol of our uniqueness. Hanukkah today presents us with the opportunity to re-consecrate our own uniqueness as a religion, a people, and a culture. Hanukkah is a time to discuss as a family some of the blessings and challenges of being Jewish in a predominantly Christian country. One way to spark discussion on this subject is to watch a movie that in some way tackles the subject of assimilation. Some suggestions include: My Big Fat Greek Wedding, Avalon, Keeping the Faith, The Jazz Singer, Monsoon Wedding, and American Desi. Snowflakes could be a wonderful seasonal Hanukkah symbol, as no two are alike. You can even make “Hanukkah Snowflakes” out of colorful paper and use them to decorate the house. And if Hanukkah happens to fall on a snowy day, take a walk outside and really look at the snowflakes that fall on your hand and try to see the differences between them. Have a joyous and meaningful Hanukkah!
But that's the point: The United States is not Europe. American Jews don't live their lives that way. America has not broken its promise, and saying so is a misdirection. If you throw up your hands and say "it's 1939 all over again," if you tell your own story as one of siege and constant threat, you might reach for the very worst remedies. You'll overlook the advantages, political and cultural, that actually give you the power to fight not just anti-Semitism, but bigotry in all its forms. For example, perhaps what we can offer Jews in Europe is the American example of embracing diversity -and suggest that America has flourished because it encourages the integration of people of different faiths and colors and national origins. If anti-Semitism is a chronic disease, it is one that we can fight whenever it erupts. But that means looking for the right treatment. Fatalism is not the cure. The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of JTA or its parent company, 70 Faces Media.
MANCHESTER Continued from Page 13 to the point where she could no longer be left alone — Lonergan’s mother and stepfather took her in instead of sending her to a facility. “They took great care of her,” Lonergan said. “My mother was a very devoted daughter. It was tremendously difficult, but they could afford to get help. They weren’t garment workers; they could afford it. But not everyone who could afford it would do it. I’m not sure I could have done that.” If writing the play was hard, getting it produced in 2000 wasn’t, even though Lonergan had only one major previous play under his belt. “This Is Our Youth,” which starred a then-unknown Mark Ruffalo, was 24 Chanukah 2018
well received off-Broadway in 1996. “I’d been around off-Broadway for a while, but once that play had done well, everyone wanted to produce what I did next,” Lonergan said. Lonergan was mum on his future projects (there are many in the works), but the restaging of “Waverly” is clearly a very personal moment in the fast-paced career of one of Hollywood’s most soughtafter writers. “[My grandmother] was very important to me. I was watching her fall apart. I remember her [healthier] from when I was young,” he said. “I wrote it not long after she died. It was a tremendously painful experience for her and the rest of us as well. It wasn’t easy, but I thought it was something I needed to do.”
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FOOTBALL Continued from Page 12 tion toward cones, got into position to tackle and be tackled. Fenta and others absorbed a coach’s instruction to linebackers, then dropped quickly into zone coverage Being a dual threat appeals to Fenta. Heading off to another country, even just for a few years -- that will be challenging. “It will be hard for me,” he said of leaving. “I’m very patriotic, very Zionist.” Call Our Trained Experts & Experience the Difference
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ARMED GUARD Continued from Page 18 spot and respond to threats. Jason Friedman, its executive director, estimates that 75 of its trainees are actively guarding their synagogues on any given week. For a synagogue with 500 member units, CSS asks for a suggested donation of $1,800. Even if synagogues opt for a paid guard, he said, a community member should accompany them in order to help identify congregants and provide a reassuring face at the door for the people who are supposed to be there. “Everyone in the Jewish community is thinking about security now,” said Friedman, who has also received a flurry of inquiries since the Pittsburgh shooting. “That couldn’t be said a few weeks ago. If their options are a guard or nothing, definitely go with the guard, but you have to give that guard a chance to be successful. That means pairing them with someone from your institution.” Romemu, a Jewish Renewal congregation in Manhattan, has gone all in on security in the weeks since the Pittsburgh shooting. In addition to increasing the number and hours of its armed guards (the congregation's executive director, Jeff Cahn, did not want to specify those figures), it has tripled its security budget and plans to apply for the state and federal security grants. To maintain a friendly exterior, however, the congregation makes sure its security guards dress in business-casual attire, don't conspicuously show their weapons and greet regulars as an usher would. "They are not menacing. They are very friendly people," Cahn said. "They welcome everybody with a hearty 'Shabbat shalom' and know everybody's names. They are part of our family." Even without armed guards, Ruskin said, there are basic steps a synagogue should take to secure itself, from locking the doors to having an evacuation plan. If a shooter encounters a locked door -let alone an armed guard -- he may decide to go somewhere else, Ruskin said. And building staff
should know some basic pieces of information -- like the building’s address. “When you have to call the police, 911, you need to know your address,” he said. “You’d be surprised how many educators, staff, even clergy don’t know the address.” Synagogues may forgo an armed guard in order to maintain a welcoming atmosphere. Many were put off by President Donald Trump's initial comments on the shooting at the Pittsburgh synagogue, which did not have a guard. “If they had an armed guard inside, they might have been able to stop him immediately,” Trump told reporters. “Isn’t it a shame that we even have to think of that, inside of a temple or inside a church? But certainly the results might have been far better.” Critics charged that Trump was blaming the synagogue to deflect from the gun control debate, although it was the rare synagogue that didn't start thinking about its security in the days that followed. Still, some activists say that while having armed security makes some congregants feel safer, it may make others feel under threat. “Investing in increased police presence and security will militarize our community spaces,” reads a statement by Jews for Racial and Economic Justice, a progressive activist group. “It will make synagogues and Jewish communal spaces less safe for Jews of color, trans Jews, Jews with disabilities, and other beloved members of our communities.” But those who are hiring the guards see security as a threshold issue. Rabbi Tuvia Teldon, director of Chabad Lubavitch of Long Island, who is spearheading the $1 million campaign, said that after the Pittsburgh shooting, he wants to make sure one of his affiliate synagogues isn’t next. “They want to know there’s someone there who’s going to be watching out for them,” he said. “You need to have someone there who’s on the ground. We want to put up a sign in every Chabad house that this is not a soft target. There are armed guards here.”
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HIGH-TECH Continued from Page 15 nology transfer company, Yissum, is also seeking closer collaboration between academia and industry, including allowing companies to issue funded challenges to researchers. Bezalel, Israel’s century-old national school of art, is building its own new campus in downtown Jerusalem. Slated for completion in 2022, it will feature labs for virtual reality and other high-tech fields. Bezalel President Adi Stern touts the move as part of a broader effort by the august institution to “leave the ivory tower” and connect students to the city and its high-tech scene. “Jerusalem is a tough city. It’s a complex city,” Stern said. “But from my perspective, and I think from the general perspective of an art school, it is the place to be. We sort of like conflict. The Jerusalem municipality has made its own commitment to hightech. Mayor Nir Barkat, who once earned millions in the industry and is now moving from municipal to national politics, in 2015 rolled out “Jerusalem 2020,” a high-techheavy strategic plan for the city that included the recommendation to build the entrepreneurship and innovation center. “The city was pretty quick to identify that something was happening here,” said Oded BarelSabag, the executive director of Jnext, a joint project of the municipality and the national government to develop Jerusalem’s high-tech industry. “They shifted from mostly handing out grants and tax breaks to supporting more holistic grassroots efforts to create a high-tech community in the city.” With its five-year budget last year boosted to $100 million from $20 million, Jnext has promoted and funded projects like Alynnovation, a hub for developing children’s rehabilitation technologies and the AYLN Woldenberb Family Hospital, and QueenB, a coding
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mentorship program for middleschool girls. The city and state have particularly sought to capitalize on the world-class biomedical research being done at The Hebrew University and the affiliated Hadassah Medical Center. At BioHouse, a new co-working space for biomed startups launched in June, entrepreneurs have access to Hadassah hospital’s knowledge and facilities. They can also appeal for support to BioJerusalem, a Jerusalem Development Authority initiative to promote biomedical economic development. Ultimately, the key to Jerusalem’s success may lie in its biggest challenge: whether Arabs and haredim, who together comprise only about 2 percent of Israel’s high-tech employees, according to Start-Up Nation Central, can be integrated into the high-tech workforce It’s a challenge not only for Jerusalem but for the country as a whole, where haredim and Arabs are the two fastest-growing demographic sectors and where the hightech workforce is short an estimated 15,000 high-skilled workers. “Israel doesn’t have a choice but to integrate women, haredim and Arabs into the core of the high-tech industry,” Start-Up Nation Central CEO Eugene Kandel said in October, echoing warnings by the Israeli government and others. “Integration into tech will address their social mobility and it will provide the industry with a large pool of talent it needs so much to grow.” (This article was sponsored by and produced in partnership with Start-Up Nation Central, an Israelbased nonprofit that provides a gateway to the Israeli innovation ecosystem and strengthens Israel’s tech economy by convening government, industry, academia and NGOs to help shape policies that support Israel as a thriving innovation nation. This article was produced by JTA’s native content team.)
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SHOOTING Continued from Page 21 your earlier conversation. When I did this with my own children, each had a response that exemplified his own personality and developmental stage. My 5-year-old hugged me tightly and said simply, “I’m sad and I’m OK.” My 8-year-old — always the biggest worrier in our house — admitted that he was concerned, but he’d realized that he was no more worried than any other day in a country persistently threatened with gun violence. My preteen had no desire
to reopen the conversation at all, and he didn’t need to. No parent wants to engage children in conversations about violence, hatred, and profound grief. Yet sometimes doing just that is what children most need to feel safe in a broken world. Unfortunately, this shattering week is one of those times. So, hold your children close — and keep talking. © 2018 Kveller All Rights Reserved.
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JEWISH SCHOOLS Continued from Page 9 cises. Some Schechter teachers also have been trained in another socialemotional approach known as Responsive Classroom, which offers workshops on creating a school environment that is warm and welcoming. Benjamin Mann, Schechter’s head of school, calls menschlichkeit “one of the pillars of our school,” but cautions that discrete curricular elements are only a piece of the puzzle. “I think the thing that makes the difference is the daily interactions,” Mann said. “In everything that we say and do, we set a moral tone to our school life.” That approach comports with the findings of researchers who stress that skills development alone isn’t enough. The effort to promote decent and ethical behavior has to infuse every part of school life. “There is an increasing appreciation that the conversation around promoting menschlichkeit has to intersect with bigger questions about how education takes place in the school, how the school defines its values, how its personnel relate to one another,” said Jeffrey Kress, a psychologist and Bernard Heller Professor of Jewish Education at the Jewish Theological Seminary. “When I was first in the field, there was a more simplistic approach — all you need is a good curriculum or list of values,” Kress said. “That’s part of the picture, but it’s ultimately not sufficient. My sense is schools are moving toward an understanding of the need for a multicomponent approach to promoting menschlichkeit.” A 2014 study Kress conducted of GANN’s program found that it had been successful in this regard by combining text study with specific practices, journaling and group support. Kress also found that the program terminology — based on the teachings of the 19th-century Musar
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movement, which stressed the development of various virtues (middot, in Hebrew) as the key to a meaningful and ethical life — was employed broadly across the school, in classrooms, student interactions, assemblies, and even in faculty assessments and professional development. But measuring the success of such programs where it ultimately matters — in affecting behavior — isn’t always straightforward. The Kress study found broad satisfaction among program participants, but didn’t seek to objectively assess whether student behavior had actually improved. Elias has coauthored a book about integrating social and emotional development into school report cards, “The Other Side of the Report Card: Assessing Students' Social, Emotional, and Character Development.” Many educators say the effort to teach menschlichkeit is working, even if its success is hard to measure quantifiably. At Schechter, Mann says he can see the effects when he attends student exhibitions and views how presenters are given feedback and constructive questions by their peers. “I feel it’s a great moment when I go to those student exhibitions and I hear students asking those questions in such successful ways,” Mann said. “I feel very successful in our efforts to create a culture of menschlichkeit in the school because I can see the students integrating those ideals into their behavior.” (This article was sponsored by and produced in partnership with the Avi Chai Foundation, which is committed to the perpetuation of the Jewish people, Judaism and the centrality of the State of Israel to the Jewish people. In North America, the foundation works to advance the Jewish day school and overnight summer camp fields. This article was produced by JTA’s native content team.)
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Mahalia Jackson Theater December 26, 2018 800.380.8165 ShenYun.com/New-Orleans
Shen Yun’s unique artistic vision expands theatrical experience into
a multi-dimensional, deeply moving journey through one of humanity’s greatest treasures—the five millennia of traditional Chinese culture.
This epic production immerses you in stories reaching back to the most distant past. You’ll explore realms even beyond our visible world. Featuring one of the world’s oldest art forms— classical Chinese dance—along with innovative multimedia effects and all-original orchestral works, Shen Yun opens a portal to a glorious civilization of unrivaled beauty, artistry, and inspiration. THE
JEWISH LIGHT
We invite you to a world where philosophers and poets alike sought harmony with the Dao, or “Way,” of the universe. Where maidens danced with ethereal grace and generals fought with explosive athleticism. Where timeless tales of valor and virtue were born. Where heaven and earth intersected, and even magic was possible.
www.thejewishlight.org
Chanukah 2018
27
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