Volume 7, Number 1 Winter 2017
THE
Serving the Local New Orleans, Northshore, and Baton Rouge Jewish Communities
Meet the Jews in Donald Trump's administration By Josefin Dolsten
(JTA) — American Jews are watching the beginning of Donald Trump's presidency with both fear and hope. Many have expressed worries about some of his supporters' ties to the so-called "alt-right" movement, whose followers traffic variously in white nationalism, anti-immigration sentiment, anti-Semitism and a disdain for “political correctness." Those fears intensified when Trump named as his chief strategist Stephen Bannon, the former chairman of Breitbart News, a site Bannon once referred to as a "platform" of the alt-right. Trump's strongly conservative Cabinet picks also back policies on health care, the environment, abortion and civil rights often diametrically opposed to the views of most Jewish voters. Yet others have praised Trump's stance on Israel and his nomination of David Friedman, a bankruptcy lawyer who supports West Bank settlement construction and has expressed doubts about the twostate solution, as U.S. ambassador to Israel. Trump won 24 percent of the Jewish vote, with especially strong support in the Orthodox community. Here is a look at the president's Jewish advisers who will be helping to shape U.S. policy for the next four years. Jared Kushner Trump's Orthodox son-in law is serving as a senior adviser to the president. Kushner, the 36-year-old scion of a prominent real estate family from New Jersey, will not receive a salary and will focus on the Middle East and Israel as well as partnerships with the private sector and free trade, according to The New York Times. A day before his appointment was announced, Kushner said he would step down from his role as CEO of his family firm, Kushner Properties. Kushner, who married Trump's
daughter Ivanka in 2009, played a crucial role in the president’s campaign, especially on Israel. He worked on Trump’s speech to the AIPAC annual policy conference that earned the real estate mogul a standing ovation, and helped plan a trip to Israel for his father-in-law last year. (Trump canceled the trip after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu slammed his call to ban Muslim immigration to the United States.)
Jared Kushner exiting Trump Tower in New York City, Dec. 7, 2016. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)
Trump appears to be smitten with Kushner, often referring to his “fantastic” son-in-law when boasting of his pro-Israel credentials. Kushner may have become a household name during the campaign, but he’s no stranger to the limelight. In 2006, at 25, he bought the New York Observer newspaper. Two years later he became CEO of Kushner Properties, four years after his father was sent to jail for tax evasion, illegal campaign donations and witness tampering. In 2015, Fortune named Kushner to its 40 Under 40 list, an “annual ranking of the most influential young people in business.” David Friedman Friedman, a bankruptcy expert and longtime Trump attorney, was tapped as the U.S. ambassador to Israel. A statement by Trump's transition team in December said Friedman, who speaks Hebrew, would serve from Jerusalem, but White House press secretary Sean Spicer said last week that Trump had yet to
versity graduate, Greenblatt studied at a West Bank yeshiva in the mid1980s and did armed guard duty there.
David Friedman, left, and Donald Trump exiting the Federal Building following their appearance in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Camden, N.J., Feb. 25, 2010. (Bradley C Bower/Bloomberg News via Getty Images)
decide on moving the embassy from Tel Aviv. Friedman, who is in his late 50s, is the son of a Conservative rabbi with a family history of ties to Republican presidential candidates — his family hosted Ronald Reagan for a Shabbat lunch in 1984, the year he won re-election. He lives in Woodmere, New York, in the largely Jewish area known as the Five Towns, and owns a home in Jerusalem's Talbiya neighborhood, according to Haaretz. Friedman has expressed support for and funded construction in Israeli settlements, and has expressed doubt about the future of the two-state solution, traditionally a pillar of bipartisan U.S. policy in the region. Some of his controversial statements — including slamming backers of the liberal Israel advocacy group J Street as “far worse than kapos" and charging President Barack Obama with "blatant antiSemitism" — have sparked outrage from liberal groups.
Jason Greenblatt will work as a special representative for international negotiations in the Trump White House. (Uriel Heilman)
A father of six from Teaneck, New Jersey, Greenblatt said he speaks with people involved in the Israeli government but has not spoken to any Palestinians since his yeshiva studies. He has cited the American Israel Public Affairs Committee as one of his main sources for staying informed about the Jewish state, and helped draft Trump's speech at the lobbying group's annual conference in March. Greenblatt, who has said he supports the two-state solution, has implied that Trump will take a laissez-faire approach to peace building. "He is not going to impose any solution on Israel," Greenblatt told Israel's Army Radio in November. He also said that Trump "does not view Jewish settlements as an obstacle to peace."
Steven Mnuchin Trump picked Mnuchin, a former Goldman Sachs executive who worked as Trump's national finance Jason Greenblatt chairman during the campaign, to Greenblatt, the longtime chief serve as Treasury secretary. legal officer for the Trump OrganiTrump and Mnuchin have been zation, is working as special repre- friends for 15 years, and prior to sentative for international negotia- being in charge of Trump's camtions focusing on the paign finances, Mnuchin, 54, served Israeli-Palestinian conflict, U.S.- as an adviser. Part of what The New Cuba relations and American trade agreements with other countries. See MEET THE JEWS 25 An Orthodox Jew and Yeshiva Union Page
Community News
THE
JEWISH LIGHT
New Year, New Airport (Flights and Amenities) Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport continues to expand air service and passenger amenities. Over the course of 2016, the Airport experienced a 21% growth in non-stop destinations, increasing from 48 to 58 cities. With better access to New Orleans through increased non-stop service, the Airport’s passenger numbers have grown and are on-track to exceed last year’s record-breaking 10.6 million passengers. Passenger amenities also continue to advance with new retail options, bars, and facilities throughout the terminal.
Multiple new flights were launched and announced in 2016. The following list highlights the additional air service that was obtained: February 2016 • Allegiant Air added new nonstop service twice weekly to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. April 2016 • Frontier Airlines provided additional service to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, with three weekly departures and to Orlando, Florida, with four weekly
departures. • Spirit Airlines added daily service to Los Angeles and Atlanta. June 2016 • American Airlines began daily service to Los Angeles. • Allegiant Air began service to St. Petersburg-Clearwater, Florida, a new destination. • GLO added daily service to a new destination Destin/Ft. Walton Beach, Florida. September 2016 • GLO started new non-stop
Leadership. There is so much to be said of leadership. Mercedes-Benz continues to lead the world in innovation, and Mercedes-Benz of New Orleans offers such leadership not only in sales and service, but reputation. We offer a long tradition of excellence in luxury and performance vehicles for Louisiana. Visit Mercedes-Benz of New Orleans Today.
Christopher Stuben
General Sales Manager
of New Orleans
2
Winter 2017
Jim Henderson
Jamie Moll
Sportscaster
President/General Manager
mbofno.com 3727 Veterans Boulevard Metairie, LA • 504-456-3727 Service open on Saturdays www.thejewishlight.org
Mark Reis, Interim Director of Aviation
service to Huntsville, Alabama. • JetBlue began service to Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. November 2016 • Allegiant Air began non-stop flights to Concord, North Carolina. December 2016 • Choice Aire began non-stop service to a new international destination San Pedro Sula, Honduras. February 2017 • Allegiant Air will begin service to two new destinations-Cleveland, Ohio, and Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina. March 2017 • British Airways will begin nonstop service to London-Heathrow. May 2017 • Condor will begin non-stop service to Frankfurt, Germany. The new international service announcements were undoubtedly the highlights of last year’s air service news, bringing non-stop flights between New Orleans and Europe for the first time in more than three decades. European service will debut in March 2017 with British Airways’ four weekly flights to London Heathrow Airport. Then in May 2017, Condor will launch nonstop service to Frankfurt, Germany, with three weekly flights. In addition to these new European flights, Choice Aire began twice-weekly service in December 2016 to San Pedro Sula, Honduras For the period ending October 31, 2016, a total of 9.2 million passengers traveled through Armstrong International. This number represents a 4.2% increase in passengers over the same period last year. October 2016 was also a great See AIRPORT REPORT on Page THE
27
JEWISH LIGHT
THE
Community News
JEWISH LIGHT
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 JCC
Beth Israel and Jewish Family Services proudly presents…
February 8, 2017 7:00PM - 9:30PM
Scholar-in-Residence with Emily & David Kieval - Jewish Disability & Inclusion Shabbat Friday, February 17th
• Candle Lighting: 5:33PM • Kabbalat Shabbat / Maariv: 6:00PM • Dinner with our Scholars-InResidence • “Shalom Aleichem: Obstacles Towards and Opportunities for Inclusion in the Jewish Community”: 7:00PM ~RSVP Required Members: $18 pp Adults / $9 pp Children (ages 5-12) Non-Members: $25 pp Adults / $18 pp Children (ages 5-12) (All Children Under 4 free) ì Saturday, February 18th
• Shacharit: 8:45AM • Inclusive Shabbat Service Beginning with Torah Service: 10:00AM • Kiddush Lunch sponsored by Dr. Martin Schnier in memory of his father, Seymour Schnier, 11:30AM
• Mincha: 12:30PM • Maariv / Havdalah / Shabbat Ends: 6:28PM Emily and David Kieval have three decades of work between them supporting people with disabilities and special needs in Jewish institutions and Jewish life as well as in the community at large. David is a clinical psychologist in the Developmental Medicine Center at Boston Children’s Hospital and an instructor at Harvard Medical School. Emily is the inclusion coordinator at Temple Shalom in Newton, MA and is an educational consultant and learning specialist at Gateways: Access to Jewish Education. She leads and consults for Israel trips for groups of young adults with disabilities. ì
Table of Contents Community News
2
Chai Lights
5
Community Highlights
7
Education
8
Bookshelf
9
Afts & Culture
10
Entertainment
11
The Nosher
12
Community Referrals
14
THE
JEWISH LIGHT
FILM: MOOS- THE CATHY AND MORRIS BART JEWISH CULTURAL ARTS SERIES MOOS, a charming Dutch film about a young Jewish woman who always dreamed about going to acting school but has been held back by her grieving father. Her best friend comes back from Israel and she struggles to prove that she can achieve her goals. Time: 7:00 pm - 9:30 pm New Orleans JCC - Uptown 5342 St. Charles Avenue New Orleans, LA 70115 ìF February 16, 2017 12:00PM
HOW TO AVOID ELDER ABUSE Have you been a victim of identity theft? Are you afraid a family member or friend may be mishandling your finances? Have you been a victim of a telemarketing scam? Maybe you know someone older who is being left alone but is unable to care for themselves. These are just a few of the ways that the elderly can be taken advantage of in today's society. Join us at noon as a representative from Colonial Oaks discusses how you can avoid these and other dangers the elderly face each day. Bring your own lunch. Desserts and coffee will be served. RSVP by Monday, February 13 to Rachel Ruth at 897-0143 x161 or rachel@nojcc.org. 12:00 - 1:30 PM No charge members and nonmembers New Orleans JCC - Uptown
massacre at Munich, and the 1976 hijacking of an Air France flight from Tel Aviv. Through the of lens of sports, ON THE MAP presents a much broader story of how one team captured the heart of a nation amidst domestic turmoil and the global machinations of the Cold War. Tuesday, February 16 6:00 - 10:00 PM Free and open to the community New Orleans JCC - Uptown ì February 21, 2017 1:30PM - 3:00PM
HARPO SPEAKS - This is the autobiography of the much-loved comedian, Harpo Marx. He offers insight into his life and career. First published in 1961, it is still seen as a must read for any Marx Brothers fan. Tuesday, February 21 1:30 - 3:00 PM No charge members and nonmembers New Orleans JCC – Uptown ì Date: February 23, 2017 12:00PM - 1:45PM
MOVIE DAY: THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL Between the world wars, Gustave H, the concierge at a prestigious European hotel, takes a bellboy named Zero as a trusted protégé. Meanwhile, the upscale guests are involved in an art theft and a dispute over a vast family fortune. Movie snacks will be served. RSVP by Monday, February 20 to Rachel Ruth at 897-0143 x161 or rachel@ nojcc.org. Thursday, February 23 12:00 - 1:45 PM No charge members and nonmembers New Orleans JCC - Uptown ì Call Our Trained Experts & Experience the Difference
February 16, 2017 6:00PM - 10:00PM
“ON THE MAP" MOVIE EVENT Join us at the JCC on Thursday, February 16, 2017 for a special presentation of the film, ON THE MAP. ON THE MAP tells the against-all-odds story of Maccabi Tel Aviv’s 1977 European Championship, which took place at a time when the Middle East was still reeling from the 1973 Yom Kippur War, the 1972 Olympic
www.thejewishlight.org
•Monthly Payment Plans • Drywood Termite Fumigation
Winter 2017
3
Community News
THE
JEWISH LIGHT
Congregation Temple Sinai’s 9th Senior Rabbi RABBI MATTHEW A. REIMER
Jewish Roots: Past, Present and Future April 1, 2017
Please join us on April 1, 2017 for our Jewish Roots: Past, Present & Future Gala at... The Hyatt Regency New Orleans located at 601 Loyola Avenue Patron tickets and reserved seating are now available. The gala will feature a cocktail reception and seated dinner, and will honor the many JCRS former Presidents and Scholarship Committee Chairpersons for their superb leadership of the organization. The evening will also feature moving testimonials from JCRS “Success Stories”, entertainment from the NOCCA Jazz Ensemble and a silent auc-
tion featuring once-in-a-lifetime vacations and more. This will be the 6th Jewish Roots event and we are proud that it has become the largest community-wide Jewish gathering in New Orleans with nearly 500 people from New Orleans and the surrounding 7 states we serve. Reserved tables and high profile sponsorships are available. Patron tickets start at $250 per person. To learn more about the event or to purchase tickets by phone, call the office at (504)828-6334. ì
Serving JefferSon PariSh for over 50 YearS Courteous Drivers...DepenDable Metairie Cab 50 yrs exCellent serivCe
835-4242
24 Hour Pick-uP & Delivery commercial cHarge accounts Welcome metairie’s First & Finest
raDio DispatCheD units
3625 Airline Drive • MetAirie - All CAbs Air ConDitioneD
4
Winter 2017
www.thejewishlight.org
THE
JEWISH LIGHT
THE
JEWISH LIGHT
Congregation Gates of Prayer Brotherhood and Sisterhood In a If your knees and or hips are Joint Health Program Presents: giving you fits, you may find Dr. Misty Suri, MD and Dr. this informative. ì Loche Ochsner, MD Sunday, February 5, 2017 Breakfast - 9:30 am • Guest Speakers - 10:00 am Dr. Misty Suri, MD, Sports Medicine and Orthopedic Surgeon will Speak on Sports Injuries to the Upper Body On Staff at the Ochsner Orthopedic Health Center If your kids play sports, you should not miss this opportunity.
Chai Lights ChaiLights features announcements of births, B'nai Mitzvahs, engagements, 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 70435 or e-mail jewishnews@bellsouth.net. Events are published on a first come, first served basis, as space permits. Photographs are welcom; professional ones preferred. The must be clear and in focus. ì
Gates of Prayer
Dr. Loche Ochsner, MD, Orthopedic Surgeon, Specializing in Knee and Hip Replacement
Mazel Tov to...
NOTICE The Publisher shall be under no liability for its failure for any cause to insert an advertisement. The Publisher will not be responsible for errors after the first insertion. Material errors not the fault of the advertiser will be adjusted by not more than one gratis insertion. Advertiser agrees to obtain clippings and tear sheets when the local rates are in effect. Advertiser agrees to protect and indemnify United Media Corporation, its agents and employees, against any and all liability loss and expenses arising from the publication of the Advertiser’s advertising because of claims for (1) alleged misrepresentation or misstatement; (2) alleged infringement of trademark, trade names, patents or copyrights; (3) alleged violations of fair trade laws; (4) libel and invasion of rights of privacy, (5) other violation of the rights of 3rd party’s or of government rules. The Publisher reserves the right to censor, reclassify, revise, edit or reject any advertisement not meeting the standards of acceptance. All ads accepted are subject to credit approval.
Step out of the BOred room and into one of our conference facilities! Botanical Garden • City Putt • Carousel Gardens Amusement Park
Leslie & Nathan Fischman and Fagey Fischman on the engagement of their daughter and granddaughter, Annie Fischman to Dr. Jon Mizrahi. Sandra Cameron on the birth of her grandson, Cole Cameron Pfeffer. Parents are Jennifer & Brad Pfeffer. Phyllis & Irl Silverstein and Janice Caplan on the marriage of their son and grandson, David Silverstein to Ken Schmitt. Andrea & Jay Joseph and Paula Joseph on the birth of their grandson and great grandson, Sawyer Ford Joseph. Parents are Rachael & Michael Joseph. ì
Touro Synagogue Mazel Tov to...
Austin & Carrie Marks on the birth of their daughter Maya Abigail Marks and to grandparents Cathy & Buddy Bart, and great grandmother Hertha Bart. Joyce Pulitzer for receiving the Outstanding Philanthropist Award. Jeffrey Fingerman & Katie Coburn on the birth of their son Asher Liam Fingerman. Alexander Brown for publishing a new book "Photos of New Orleans And Other Places With Words" Ginny Wise for being Selected as Senior Vice President of Advancement at Tulane University.
Aaron Ahlquist for receiving the Barney Mintz Leadership Award from ADL New Orleans. Peter Sperling for receiving the Barney Mintz Leadership Award from ADL New Orleans. Freddy & Read Kullman on the birth of their daughter Sidonie Scott Kullman and to grandparents Ruth & Larry Kullman. Allison & Mario PadillaGoodman on the birth of their son Ori Federico Padilla-Goodman and to grandparents Sherrie & Alan Goodman. Barbara & Sandy Maslansky on the birth of their great grandson Owen David Williams. ì
Temple Sinai Mazel Tov to...
Rabbi Edward P. Cohen, on being chosen as a recipient of the 2016 New Orleans Legend Award. Patty Barnett, on the engagement of her grandson, Yaakov Teles of Baltimore, Maryland, to Arielle Wernick of Hollywood, Florida. Mazel Tov also to Yaakov’s parents, Beth Shore Teles and Marc Teles, and Arielle’s parents, Aviva & Yitzie Wernick, and to Yaakov’s great grandmother, Suzanne Latter Rose. Cantor Joel Colman, for his performance in George Handel’s Oratorio, Judas Maccabaeus Sarah & Sandy Cohen, on the birth of their baby, Leo Benjamin Cohen. ì
Call 488-2896 NewOrleansCityPark.com
THE
JEWISH LIGHT
www.thejewishlight.org
Winter 2017
5
Chai Lights
Life CYCLE THE
JEWISH LIGHT
(CONDOLENCES)
If you have a condolence that you would like for us to include in Life Cycle please e-mail the information to jewishnews@bellsouth.net. All submissions are subject to acceptance of the Editor. ì
Deli — gourmet items to geaux Bakery — turtles, variety of King Cakes and our original Mud Slide Cake
Liquor — largest selection at the lowest price Meat — USDA choice beef Produce — always fresh Floral — floral arrangements & bouquets Seafood — fresh & frozen delicacies
Breaux Mart is Locally Owned With Clean Stores, Fast Checkouts and Friendly Employees. We Look Forward to Serving You. 2904 Severn Ave., Metairie • 885-5565 9647 Jefferson Hwy., River Ridge • 737-8146 315 E. Judge Perez Dr., Chalmette • 262-0750 605 Lapalco Blvd., Gretna • 433-0333 3233 Magazine St., New Orleans • 262-6019
Gates of Prayer CONDOLENCES To Diana Mann on the death of her mother, Juanita Henry. To Roslyn Grossman on the death of her sister, Elaine Van der Linden. To Randal Blitz and Melanie & Richard Blitz on the death of their son and nephew, Michael Blitz. To Jackie Silverman on the death of her mother, Eileen Leder Curtis. To Leonard Washofsky on the death of his brother, Harris Warren. ì
Touro Synagogue
Elaine Lubel Van der Linden, wife of Bernard Van der Linden, mother of Lisa Amann, grandmother of Deborah & Blake Amann, cousin of Ralph Katz. Lana Carol Weeks, mother of Charles Cannon, grandmother of Russell & Belle Adelman-Cannon. Bennet Scott Koren husband of Lisa Germain, father of Alex & Rachel Koren. Louise Feitel Weiss, mother of Jack Weiss, aunt of Keith Adler and Jason Adler. Rabbi Reuben M. Katz, grandfather of Cantor David Mintz, great grandfather of Nadav Mintz. Theone Millman Halpern. ì
IN MEMORIAM May their memory be for a Temple Sinai blessing. Touro Synagogue extends IN MEMORIAM its deepest sympathies to the May their memory be for a families and friends of… blessing. Ralph I. Shepard husband of Helen Margaret (Pat) Polson Lois Shepard, father of Robert Fine, wife of Martin Fine. Shepard, Louis Shepard, Hal Matthew R. Hutchison. Shepard, grandfather of Adam, Frances Schwartz mother-inBrian, David, Rachel, Alice, and law of Roseanne Suffrin. ì Margaret Shepard.
THE
JEWISH LIGHT
Send editorial to us via e-mail at jewishnews@bellsouth.net or reach us by phone at (504) 455-8822. Our mailing address is United Media Corp. P.O. Box 3270, Covington, LA 70434 • To place advertising in THE JEWISH LIGHT, call United Media Corp. at: New Orleans (504) 455-8822 Northshore (985) 871-0221 Baton Rouge (225) 925-8774 THE JEWISH LIGHT carries Jewish Community related news about the Louisiana Jewish community and for the Louisiana Jewish community. Its commitment is to be a “True Community” newspaper, reaching out EQUALLY TO ALL Jewish Agencies, Jewish Organizations and Synagogues. THE JEWISH LIGHT is published monthly by United Media Corporation. We are Louisiana owned, Louisiana published, and Louisiana distributed. United Media Corporation has been proudly serving the Louisiana Jewish Community since 1995. Together, we can help rebuild Louisiana. We thank you for the last 22 years and we look forward to an even brighter tomorrow.
• The appearance of advertising in THE JEWISH LIGHT does not constitute a kashruth endorsement nor does it reflect the opinion of THE JEWISH LIGHT. • THE JEWISH LIGHT is not responsible for the content of advertising inserts. The publishing company reserves the right to refuse any advertisement or article. • Member of the Jewish Telegraphic Association.
6
Winter 2017
www.thejewishlight.org
THE
JEWISH LIGHT
THE
JEWISH LIGHT
Gates of Prayer
Community Highlights
RABBI NATHANIEL SHARE RELIGIOUS SCHOOL
PJ Library, Pancakes and PJ’s!
Your Wedding Specialist Since 1969
Our Metairie and Covington Showrooms are ready to serve your wedding with the same love and care we used for your parents' wedding. www.villeresflorist.com
750 Martin Behrman Metairie, LA (504) 833-3716
1415 N. Hwy. 190 Covington, LA (985) 809-9101
sales@villeresflorist.com
“Your Helpful Hardware Man”
Rockery Ace Hardware Lakeview - Lakefront Propane Gas • Ace Paints • Keys Made Plumbing • Electrical • Garden Supplies Complete Hardware Supplies Visa • MasterCard • American Express Open Mon - Fri 8 AM - 5:30 PM Sat 8 AM - 4 PM
7043 Canal Blvd.
288-3522
Temple Sinai
Our students enjoyed the Chanukah learning stations, delicious latkes and so much more!
BUILT 1883 Reserved Tables Are Now Available! February 26th Bacchus Sunday Brunch February 28th Mardi Gras Breakfast & Lunch! Call to make your reservations or to find out about our daily passes!
Enjoy Our Bistro Menu Daily 3-10pm and Friday & Saturday starting at 11am
Smart security at your fingertips. Get a FREE Consultation Today
504.780.8775
An unforgettable weekly Sunday brunch 11am-3pm A Variety of Live New Orleans Style Music ZAGAT RATED
EXCELLENT TO SUPERB IN 12 CATEGORIES
3811 St. Charles Ave. New Orleans www.thecolumns.com 899.9308
THE
JEWISH LIGHT
www.thejewishlight.org
VIDEO, ACCESS CONTROL AND SECURITY SYSTEMS (504) 780-8775 www.laalarmwatch.com
Winter 2017
7
Education
THE
JEWISH LIGHT
New advocacy push delivering hundreds of millions in gov't money to Jewish schools By Abigail Pickus
Being an Orthodox Jew can cost a pretty penny. There are the premium prices for kosher meat, the two sets of dishes, the mikvah fees. There are expensive lifecycle celebrations like brises and bar mitzvahs, and requisite accessories like tefillin ($1,000). The Jewish holidays have expenses all their own: sukkahs, shmura matzah, big holiday meals with lots of guests -- to say nothing of the cost of using up vacation days for the
Keep Your Mardi Gras Colors Clean!
purple, gold & green
LibertoCleanersNOLA.com
Jewish holy days. Then there are the big-ticket items, like real estate. Orthodox communities tend to be clustered in the nation’s most expensive areas, such as New York, New Jersey, California and Maryland – states where average home prices are in the Top 10 nationwide. But the single-biggest Orthodox cost of all is Jewish day school tuition. Some 81 percent of Orthodox parents have a child in day school or yeshiva, according to the Pew Research Center. At many Jewish day schools, annual fees start at around $15,000 per child and surpass $30,000 in high school. That means an average Orthodox family (4.1 children, according to Pew) will pay $1 million in education costs before their kids even reach college. “This is the single-most important economic issue facing our community,” said Allen Fagin, the chief professional officer at the Orthodox Union. “We are seeing too many cases of parents who would prefer to send their kids to yeshivot or day schools who are opting for public education because they simply can’t afford the cost of day school.” Even parents who are able to scrape together the money neces-
Dear Friends and Supporters of the Jewish Community: With almost 25 years of legal experience, Judge Brown is now seeking a seat on the 4th Circuit Court of Appeal. But she can’t do it without YOU! Please join us in electing Judge Paula Brown on March 25, 2017. Early voting is March 11-18, 2017. Please read about her legal experience and civic engagement on one of these links:
www.judgepaulabrown.com @JudgePaulaBrown @JudgePaulaBrown @JudgePaulaBrown Paid for by The Committee to Elect Judge Paula Brown
8
Winter 2017
sary to send their kids to Jewish schools often find they can’t afford much else, noted Cheryl Rosenberg, president of the Ben Porat Yosef day school in Bergen County, New Jersey, and a parent of four children at the school. “Many families are forced to decide between sending their kids to day school or sending them to drama or art classes or going on a family vacation,” she said. “They have to make a choice between Jewish education over everything else.” The Orthodox Jewish community long has relied on private philanthropy to defray tuition costs, applying philanthropic largesse to everything from capital campaigns to financing individual student scholarships. But in recent years Orthodox communities, schools and institutions have expanded their arsenal to fight the tuition crisis, and today they are tapping a host of unorthodox strategies to keep Jewish day school education affordable. One of the main focal points has been the effort to secure more public funding for non-public schools – a growing campaign that benefits not just Jewish students but any family with a child in a non-public school. In New York state, which has the largest Jewish day school population in the country, roughly 13 percent of all children attend nonpublic schools, but only 1 percent of government education funds goes to those students. In 2011, the O.U.’s nonpartisan public policy arm launched an advocacy network focused on delivering more public funding to non-public schools. In New York alone, that effort combined with others -- including private lobbying, public demonstrations and coordinated campaigns -- has helped increase the amount spent by the State Legislature on nonpublic schools from $111 million in 2012 to $345 million in 2016. The money has gone to a variety of programs eligible for government funding even though they are provided in parochial or other non-
www.thejewishlight.org
Students from the Yeshivah of Flatbush and Nazareth Regional High School in Brooklyn, N.Y. (Teach NYS)
public settings: reimbursement for administering state exams, mandatory attendance-taking, textbooks, nursing services, computer software, security, teacher training. Government funding for private schools isn’t new, but the O.U. says its approach to the issue is novel. The organization has built a network of schools and parent advocates, hired lobbyists and is pursuing a state-by-state strategy to get the job done. The O.U.’s Teach Advocacy Network now operates in six states, all with large concentrations of Jewish day schools. “We are building a robust network of schools and parent bodies to work on affordability without sacrificing quality, and hiring top lobbyists to go to bat for our students,” said Neil Cohen, a co-chair of the O.U.’s Teach New York effort and chairman of the venture capital firm Emerald Development Managers. “That’s something that no one else has done. We are totally shifting the paradigm of how this work is done.” While some critics say public funding should not go to non-public schools, O.U. officials argue that their constituents are asking only for what they rightly deserve, not funding for Jewish education, and that the sums they obtain represent only a fraction of what these families are contributing as taxpayers. “This is about fairness and equity for all children,” said Maury Litwack, director of state political affairs for the O.U. Advocacy Center. “I can’t tell you how many times people assume we are attempting some money grab from the public schools or some violaSee PAGE on Page THE
23
JEWISH LIGHT
THE
JEWISH LIGHT
Philosopher Bernard HenriLevy revisits Jewish roots in new book
By Cnaan Liphshiz PARIS (JTA) -- It’s a vague childhood memory, but the French celebrity philosopher Bernard-Henri Levy still remembers the first time he was bullied for being Jewish. “Three idiots in a Paris play yard tell me: ‘You don’t get to have Christmas presents because you’re a dirty Jew and Jews killed Jesus.’ Maybe I cry a bit on the street later, but first I start hitting,” the 68-yearold Levy, who was born in what is today is Algeria but grew up in France, recalled in an interview earlier this month with JTA. More than half a century later, Levy — a slender man with wavy, gray hair who is one of France’s most recognizable individuals — is still embracing his Jewish identity and confronting anti-Semites. But since that childhood incident, Muslim extremists have taken anti-Semitism in France from schoolyard taunts to terrorism, with multiple deadly attacks on Jewish targets. This “return of anti-Semitism,” Levy said, "perhaps" prompted him to pen one of his most Jewish books ever, “The Genius of Judaism.” The English-language translation was released in January in the United States, and Levy did a Q&A (with Charlie Rose) at the 92nd Street Y in New York on Jan. 11. In the book Levy, a non-observant Jew, traces the Jews’ “misunderstanding with the nations” to their definition as a “chosen people.” Far from suggesting superiority, Levy writes, this status means that THE
JEWISH LIGHT
Jews are the guardians of a “treasure of knowledge" found in sources that Levy has studied for decades: the Talmud and the sages like Rashi, Rambam and the Malbim. Much of the book is devoted to his musings about their writings, as well as reflections on his own past. “The Genius of Judaism” is one of most personal books ever penned by Levy — an influential, pokerfaced intellectual who neither smiles much during interviews nor engages in small talk. The book “in a certain manner sums up my life, holds the key to my endeavors and traces the roots of my worldview,” he told JTA at a video editing studio in Paris, where he is preparing a documentary about Iraq. In the book, Levy advocates a definition of Judaism that emphasizes “work, not belief. Study, not worship,” he said. Unlike his role as a moral authority on current affairs – Levy has made several high-profile trips to conflict zones, arguing for humanitarian intervention -- "The Jewish element in me, it does not live in this time or the other," he said. An outspoken advocate of Israel and prominent supporter of the fight against anti-Semitism, Levy is among several well-known French Jewish intellectuals -- along with philosopher Alain Finkielkraut and historian Georges Bensoussan – who have come under attack recently from the far left, particularly in a secularist society where many resent ethnic and religious affiliations. Not that Levy minds. “I was always proud to be Jewish,” he said. “I always believed it was a source of glory, never anything to question or be ashamed of. Let them call me what they want.” In France, Levy is revered by some and hated by others in part for his influential activism in conflict zones, including his perceived key role in bringing about France's intervention in the former Yugoslavia and Libya, according to a 2014 documentary about him by the France 2 television channel. His support for Israel has not earned him many fans. Vilified by nationalists and con-
Bookshelf
servatives who resent his humanist agenda, he is also assailed by radical leftists, who accuse him of serving neo-colonialist governments that they say are seeking pretexts to invade foreign countries. So intense is the hatred of Levy in certain quarters that in 2010, Le Figaro published an article analyzing the sentiment. Titled “BHL, France’s most hated darling,” the story referenced countless death threats online, accusations of corruption and conspiracy theories. Levy insists that the considerable antagonism he provokes, particularly among left-wingers, is “primarily over support of Israel,” he said. Despite his vocal criticism of its settlement policy, Levy has consistently defended Israel. In a 2010 speech in Tel Aviv, he said of the Jewish state and its military: "I have never seen such a democratic army, which asks itself so many moral questions. There is something unusually vital about Israeli democracy." Levy said he also holds Israel to a high moral standard for this reason. Israel's "indifference when it comes to refugees from Syria didn’t measure up to the stature of a Jewish state," he said, adding that President Barack Obama has a "crushing responsibility" for the humanitarian disaster there. Levy, who with his two siblings sold their late father’s wood-import empire for an estimated $155 million in 1997, has used his wealth to become one of France’s most talked-about personalities, producing films, books and publications, including the La Règle du Jeu cultural review magazine that he launched in 1990. BHL — as he is known locally — has also made countless appearances on French talk shows and used his fortune and celebrity to leave a remarkable impact on international politics. In 2011, he toured Libya with private security guards to chronicle the bloody ouster of its longtime tyrant Moammar Ghadafi. With a single phone call, Levy arranged for rebel leaders to meet thenFrench President Nicolas Sarkozy. Levy flew them to Paris at his own expense -- about $160,000 -according to France’s Channel 2. Weeks later, France intervened
www.thejewishlight.org
militarily in Libya, effectively ending Ghadafi’s 42 years in power. Levy was with Sarkozy on stage when the president delivered a speech in Benghazi after Ghadafi’s fall. Famously, Levy — a former Maoist whose father was a decorated fighter in the Allied invasion of Italy — was filmed giving an interview in 1992 to a journalist in Sarajevo under mortar fire. During that visit to the former Yugoslavia, he arranged for then-French President Francois Mitterrand to visit the besieged capital, paving the way See BERNARD on Page
13
Diamonds • Menorahs Platinum, Gold and Silver Jewelry Sterling Silver Judaica
d sa % i 5 th
2 with FF
O
633 Royal St. French Quarter • (504) 586-8373 www.naghis.com Winter 2017
9
Arts & Culture Best wishes to our many friends!
GeorGe’s Auto Body shop
“THE MOST WELL TRAVELED VEHICLES ON EARTH”
Specializing in Auto Painting and Repairs
486-7626 • 486-7644 www.paretti.com
4615 Earhart Blvd. (Carrollton Area)
LAND ROVER NEW ORLEANS
Call Our Trained Experts & Experience the Difference
4032 VETERANS BLVD. 887-2969
Best Wishes
•Monthly Payment Plans • Drywood Termite Fumigation
(504) 836-7595 Fax (504) 836-7039
650 Poydras Street, Suite 1400 New Orleans, LA 70130
www.shuart.com
Face to Face Photography donna matherne donnamatherne ForForbabies, bar/bat mitzvahs, sweet sixteens, babies, bar/bat mitzvahs, sweet sixteens, weddings, andmore, more, Face to Face weddings,seniors seniors and Face to Face Photography is isyour photography studio Photography your local local photography studio life’sphoto forfor all all ofoflife’s photo memories. memories.
Our services include: - school services include: Our photography - event photography - school photography -weddings - event photography - weddingsmitzvahs -bar/bar - bar/bat mitzvahs -sweet sixteen - sweet sixteens - debutante balls -debutante balls - etcetera! -etcetera! - senior photography portraiture -senior-- professional photography modeling portfolios - and more! - professional portraiture -modeling portfolios -and more! Call today for pricing and more information! Call today for pricing and more information!
Corned Beef, Pastrami Knishes, Matzo Ball Soup Challah, Nova Salmon Dr. Brown’s Soda Monday - Thursday 10am-7pm Friday & Sunday 10am-3pm (Closed Saturday)
3519 Severn, Metairie 1 Block From West Esplanade
888-2010
a. P. O. BOX 230165 harahan la 70183
a. P.O. BOX 230165 harahan la 70183 p. 504.738.3008 | e. f2ffoto@bellsouth.net p. 504.738.3008 | e. f2ffoto@bellsouth.net w. face-to-face-photography.com w. face-to-face-photography.com
A
www.koshercajun.com
DJ
4U
Specializing in the Finest Digital Music Entertainment & Portable Lighting for your Wedding, Party, Karaoke or Corporate Event
EDWIN 504-450-1223
BLANCHARD 504-756-3154
blanchard@gotadj4u.com
CAMERON 504-234-9860
As seen at the Purim Festival & The Uptown JCC Family Fun Day 10 Winter 2017
THE
JEWISH LIGHT
‘La La Land’ ties record with 14 Oscar nominations, including for music by Jewish composer By Tom Tugend
LOS ANGELES (JTA) — “La La Land” received a record-tying 14 Academy Award nominations, including for its music written by a Jewish composer, and Jewish actors including Natalie Portman and Andrew Garfield also were nominated. The Oscar nominations were announced Tuesday morning. “La La Land,” which is up for best picture, director, actor and actress, ties the mark set by “Titanic” and “All About Eve,” thanks mainly to two former Harvard roommates, Justin Hurwitz, 31, and Damien Chazelle, 32. Jewish composer Justin Hurwitz wrote the songs for the musical film, including “City of Stars,” which was nominated for the Oscar for best original song. Benj Pasek, who is Jewish, and Justin Paul wrote the lyrics. Director Damien Chazelle, who was a roommate with Hurwitz at Harvard, told the Jewish Journal of Greater Los Angeles last year that his parents, although Catholic, were dissatisfied with their son’s education at a church Sunday school and enrolled him in the Hebrew school of a liberal synagogue. Over the next four years, Chazelle recalled, “I had that period of my life where I was very, very into Hebrew and the Old Testament, and then I went with my class to Israel when we were in the sixth grade. I don’t think they even knew I wasn’t Jewish; I was, like, ‘passing.’” “La La Land” won seven Golden Globes, including best original song for “City of Stars, earlier this month. Two noted thespians were nominated in the best actress race, Jerusalem native Natalie Portman for her portrayal of former first lady Jacqueline Kennedy in the film “Jackie,” and veteran French star Isabelle Huppert in the French film “Elle.” Huppert, who plays the role of a successful businesswoman who plots an elaborate revenge on the home intruder who raped her, is the daughter of a Jewish father and a Catholic mother. Her parents were married while France was under Nazi occupation, with her father hiding his Jewish roots. In the best actor category, a nom-
www.thejewishlight.org
ination went to American-British actor Andrew Garfield, whose paternal grandparents were Jewish emigrants from Eastern Europe to London. He stars in “Hacksaw Ridge,” the story of the only conscientious objector ever awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor. Left to right, “La La Land” songwriters Benj Pasek, Justin Hurwitz and Justin Paul with their Golden Globe awards for best original song, “City of Stars,” Jan. 8, 2017.(Venturelli/WireImage via Getty Images)
Somewhat ironically, the movie also won a best director nomination for Mel Gibson, still living down his anti-Semitic outbursts of past years. However, actor and director got along well, with Garfield declaring in a TV interview, “I am proud to be Jewish.” Also in the running for best director is Kenneth Lonergan for the critically acclaimed “Manchester By The Sea.” Lonergan’s mother and stepfather are Jewish. The Danish movie “Land of Mine” won a best foreign-language film nomination. Set at the end of World War II in Europe, “Land of Mine” focuses on a group of teenage German prisoners of war who are assigned by the Danish military to clear the country’s beaches of land mines, frequently at the loss of their lives. “Joe’s Violin” by Kahane Cooperman and Raphaela Neihausen made the cut in the short documentary category. It explores the friendship between a 91-year old Holocaust survivor and a 12-year old Bronx schoolgirl and how the power of music can brighten the darkest of times. The first spinoff from the Harry Potter film series, “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them,” which features two Jewish characters, received nominations in costume design and production design. The Israeli film “Sand Storm” failed to make the cut last month to the nine semifinalists out of 85 in the best foreign language film category. The Academy Awards ceremony will take place Feb. 26 at the Dolby Theater in Los Angeles. ì
THE
JEWISH LIGHT
THE
JEWISH LIGHT
Mary Tyler Moore turned the world on to fully imagined Jewish characters By Ron Kampeas
Entertainment St. Catherine
Long term acute care for the medically complex patient Medicare • Medicaid • Managed Care
MeMorial Hospital
14500 Hayne Blvd., #100, N.O.
The Care You Want, The Time You Need
504-210-3006 fax www.stcatherine-hospital.com
Posh
504-210-3000
835-4155 Birthday Parties for Kids and Adults, Art Lessons, Field Trips, and Art Camps
Ask about our Mardi Gras Camp! Wednesday through Friday
3218 Taft Park • Metairie, 70002 • poshpaintpub.com
Ask about our Israeli Flag beads & Custom Medalions for your group or event.
Mary Tyler Moore as Mary Richards on “The Mary Tyler Moore Show,” Jan. 1, 1971. (CBS via Getty Images)
(JTA) — There are plenty of paradigms in the history of humor for how Jews and non-Jews get along, or don’t: as persecutors and victims, as saviors and saved, as allies against a common oppressor. All these are fraught with the tensions between the powerful and the disempowered, which makes sense: Fear drives humor. But there is a uniquely American paradigm, one devoid of fear, instead celebrating the Jew as an inextricable part of the national fabric. Its best exemplar was Mary Tyler Moore, who died Wednesday at 80. Jews were coming into their own in the American popular imagination in the 1960s and 1970s: Jewish actors like Elliott Gould, Richard Benjamin and George Segal no longer changed their names. They were identifiably Jewish, but without shtick, and they could be villains and heroes, geniuses and brutes, lovers and rivals. That emergence was a function of the Jewish imagination, advanced by Jewish directors and writers like Elaine May, Harold Pinter, Philip Roth and Mike Nichols. Mary Tyler Moore was famous in that era for a similar transition from pigeon-holed object – her shtick as the winsome wife on “The Dick Van Dyke Show” – to a more deeply realized creation of her own imagination. Mary Richards, the character she played in the show she produced with her husband, Grant Tinker, THE
JEWISH LIGHT
was single. She supported herself. She had a job that required brains. She would never marry for the sake of marrying. And she peopled that universe with characters — including Jews, especially Jews — who were as independent, as fully realized, as devoid of shtick as she was. Rhoda Morgenstern, Mary Richards’ best friend, played by Valerie Harper, fell in love, adored her parents, lived upstairs, fretted about work and was unabashedly Jewish every second she was onscreen. Rhoda was considered slovenly, Mary was a priss. Rhoda was forward, Mary was shy. But the two thirtysomething unmarrieds genuinely loved one another. And it wasn’t just Rhoda: The Morgensterns, her parents, were Jewish, the man Rhoda married was Jewish, and Lou Grant, the irascible, difficult boss played by Ed Asner, was likely Jewish as well. (A couple of hints were dropped during the series. Asner, unlike Harper, is Jewish in real life.) The era saw a lot of onscreen Jews who confounded the old stereotypes. Segal in “The Quiller Memorandum,” scripted by Pinter, screwed over Nazis with zest and humor. Dustin Hoffman did the same in “Marathon Man,” with a script by William Goldman and directed by John Schlesinger. BarSee MARY on Page
13
WE CARRY AN EXTENSIVE SELECTION OF HARD TO FIND KOSHER PRODUCTS INCLUDING KEDEM, MANICHEWITZ, AND BRANDS FROM ACROSS THE USA, AND DIRECT FROM ISRAEL!
947-8787
Open 24/7 convenient and safe parking 2706 Royal St. • New Orleans mardigraszone.com
The besT Hamburger in Town
featuring: sandwicHes z. da 12 o rib Hamburger i P e astly y s a d p PriM n cheeseburger eci a u als on s Mushroom burger Filet sandwich seafood Po-Boys • Childrens Plates 12 oz. Filet Mignon • 8 oz. Grilled Tuna
Fresh Seafood Daily
Lakeview Harbor restaurant & bar To Go orders availaBle sun-THurs 11 am-11 pm • Fri & saT 11 am-1 am 911 Harrison avenue • 486-4887
www.thejewishlight.org
Winter 2017
11
the
THE
NOSHER
(food)
Chocolate Chip Mandel Bread Recipe By Dawn Lerman (The Nosher via JTA) — I was the only person in Miss Duckler’s kindergarten class without a sibling. I had wished so long for a sister. But I had also wished on a star for a Baby Alive doll, and that never came true. So when my Aunt Jeannie picked me up from school and shared the birth of my sister April, I couldn’t really believe it. I started cheering and skipping in circles. “I have a sister, I have a sister!” As we drove off in her silver Cadillac Eldorado, I was dying with anticipation. I wanted to see what April looked like, hold her, and be
one of the first voices she heard. Breaking the news that we would have to wait till morning before we could go to the hospital, Aunt Jeannie pulled out a bag of her just baked chocolate chip mandel bread. “They’re still warm,” she said, trying to comfort me. Biting into the heavenly biscuits, still warm, with puddles of melted chocolate, my mood lifted. When we arrived at her house, she led me to her secret freezer — “the just in case.” The just in case was hidden in the back of the basement and was only to be opened on very,
very special occasions. It was stocked with decorative cookies and cakes that we feasted on. When my belly was full, she taught me how to measure, whip, and separate eggs so we could restock for future festivities. She also taught me the magic of transforming recipes using swaps from her bag of tricks, even though I never saw an actual bag. “If you are missing a couple of ingredients and can’t get to the store, or if you wanted to lighten the sugar, butter or dairy content in a recipe to make it a little healthier and a little more waistline friendly, I have all the tricks!” my aunt boasted. When I left Aunt Jeannie’s house, I not only had a new baby sister, but several baking secrets — many of which were top secret and could be used for baking desserts on nights that meat was served.
Ingredients:
• 3 cups of flour (plus more for kneading) • 1 1/2 teaspoons aluminum-free baking powder • 1/4 teaspoon salt • 3 eggs, beaten • 1 cup sugar • 1 cup melted butter or oil • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract • 1 teaspoon almond extract or orange juice • 1/2 cup chocolate chips, semisweet • Butter, oil, or parchment paper for the baking sheet
Directions:
In a large bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, and salt and set aside. In another bowl combine the beaten eggs and sugar until smooth. Whisk in the butter or oil, the vanilla extract, and the almond extract or orange juice and then pour into the dry ingredients until it turns into dough. Then stir in the chocolate chips. Make into a large ball and chill in a glass bowl covered with plastic wrap in the refrigerator for 2 hours. Grease a baking sheet or cover with parchment paper and preheat oven to 350 F.
JEWISH LIGHT
Remove the dough from the refrigerator and wait 5 minutes so the dough is more pliable. Coat your hands with flour and remove the dough from the bowl. Knead the dough and divide into 2 pieces. Form each piece into a roll about 3 inches wide. Place the rolls side by side onto the prepared baking sheet. They should stretch the length of the sheet. Bake 20 minutes at 350, until the rolls have started to turn brown. Then reduce the heat to 250 and bake for another 15 minutes. Remove the rolls from the oven onto a rack. Let cool about 10 minutes, until cool enough to handle. Then slice them diagonally about every 1/2 inch. Return the cookies to the baking sheet and lay them flat. Return to the oven and bake until lightly golden, about 30 minutes at 250. Allow to cool completely on a wire rack before serving. The cookies will get crunchier as they cool. Yield: 28 biscuits. Recipe reprinted with permission from My Fat Dad, A Memoir, of Food Love and Family with Recipes by Dawn Lerman. (Dawn Lerman is a board-certified nutrition expert, founder of Magnificent Mommies Wellness and a contributor to The New York Times Well Blog. For more information about Dawn, go to www. DawnLerman.net.) The Nosher food blog offers a dazzling array of new and classic Jewish recipes and food news, from Europe to Yemen, from challah to shakshuka and beyond. Check it out at www.TheNosher.com. ì
Paid for by The Committee to Elect Judge Tiffany G. Chase
12 Winter 2017
www.thejewishlight.org
THE
JEWISH LIGHT
THE
The Nosher
JEWISH LIGHT
MARY Continued from Page 11 bra Streisand, directed by Peter Bogdanovich in “What’s Up, Doc?” seduced with authority and without shame. And Charles Grodin and Jeannie Berlin in “The Heartbreak Kid,” written and directed by May, married and imploded because he was corroded by ambition, and they did it as fully realized Jews. But the creators and performers in almost all these instances were Jews. Tyler Moore and Tinker, neither Jewish, created Jewish characters just as vital — and as necessary – to expanding the non-Jewish American imagination. That necessity was made explicit in the 1972 episode titled “Some of
My Best Friends are Rhoda.” Our sister site, Jewniverse, reviewed the episode last year. Mary Richards dumps a new friend because she doesn’t get along with Rhoda – in part because Rhoda is Jewish. (That “in part” is important – the show was not didactic; the women don’t get along for a broad range of reasons.) Joanne, the new friend, is a buyer for a department store, and early in the show she says she travels to New York’s garment district – she jokingly, or half-jokingly, calls it “the most exotic” place she’s traveled to. At the reveal, in the episode’s final moments, Mary rebukes Joanne when she says she just doesn’t have a lot of Jewish friends – she hasn’t
gotten to know them well. “Even in the garment center?” Mary asks. Jews are not exotic in this universe: They are at its center, as woven into the fabric as blacks, Latinos and white Christians as homespun as Mary Richards. How can you immerse yourself in the garment business and not befriend Jews? In Mary Richards’ world, it was nuts not to. As a non-Jew imagining Jews with love and understanding, Tyler Moore was not a pioneer – John Updike did something similar in his Bech novels. (And she loved and understood them in real life, too – her third husband, Robert Levine, was Jewish and had connections in the Jewish organizational world.)
But as an avatar of how America changed in that era – and remembering that era now, when the national fabric appears to be unraveling – she stood out. Virginia Heffernan, in her obituary for Tyler Moore in The New York Times, notes that Danny Thomas rejected Tyler Moore for the role of his daughter in “Make Room for Daddy,” the 1950s sitcom. Thomas, born to Lebanese parents, thought Tyler Moore’s button nose wasn’t ethnic enough for the role. Twenty years later, imagining Mary Richards and her friends, that was precisely the point: She wasn’t “ethnic.” She and the family of friends she created were indelibly American. ì
BERNARD Continued from Page 9 for the return of U.N. peacekeepers there. In 1993, a suspension of air traffic left Levy stranded in Sarajevo on his wedding day. So Mitterrand sent a plane to extract him and bring him to his bride, actress Arielle Dombasle, according to France 2. He and Dombasle, his third life partner, are still married despite reports that he was seeing other women. In addition to Levy's influence on women, “He has such a powerful gravitational force that even the president likes, perhaps even wishes, to work side by side with Bernard-Henri Levy,” Bernard Kouchner, a former foreign minister of France, said in the Channel 2 documentary. “It’s a great talent he has had, to persuade those in power.” But some critics of Levy are irked primarily by what they regard as his vanity, which they perceive in his trademark white collar shirt — it is typically unbuttoned nearly to his navel during public appearances. “Sometimes his views are consumed by his personality,” Anne Sinclair, a well-known French television journalist, told France 2. “Seeing that black suit with the white shirt in the dunes of Libya … THE
JEWISH LIGHT
I, too, find it annoying.” But, Levy says, “A vain person puts him or herself ahead of others. Honestly, I think a substantial part of my life was spent doing the opposite. Putting myself behind others, sometimes while risking my life." In "The Genius of Judaism,” Levy recalls some of these adventures -- including his reluctance to leave the relative safety of his hotel room in war-torn Sarajevo. Years later he would return to that moment, relating the experience to the reluctance of the biblical prophet Jonah to preach. And he revisits his disillusionment following the rise in fundamentalism, which dashed his hope in 1979 that he was “at the apogee of the age in which God had died,” he writes. “It had been beautiful. It had been huge.” Suspicious of worship, Levy said he has nonetheless striven to imbue his daughter and son — novelist Justine, 42, and lawyer AntoninBalthazar, 36 — with Jewish values and culture. “I did not enroll them to Jewish schools," he said, "but I hope they will follow my travel itinerary from the secular world to the treasure of Jewish wisdom.” ì
Taking care of each other is what
community
is all about. We’re proud to serve our community with personal, compassionate care.
www.thejewishlight.org
A proud member of the Dignity Memorial network new orleans
504-486-6331 LakeLawnMetairie.com Winter 2017
13
THREE GENERATIONS OF SELLING! These three ladies love real estate and have kept it in their family tradition. Starting nearly 40 years ago, Carolyn Talbert began her journey in real estate and what started out as a hobby quickly became a successful career. Carolyn’s drive and passion thrives in this industry. She has been named a top 5 producer consistently since 1983, she has won #1 agent in NOLA more than any other agent, and Carolyn sold almost $800 million in real estate.
Peggy Talbert, Carolyn’s oldest daughter was instantly drawn to real
estate. When you have a mother as a role model in this career who wouldn’t be? Peggy has been in real estate for 29 years and has the same passion for it as her mother does. Peggy has a way with people and making personal relationships and lifelong friendships with all her clients. She truly is the definition of a people pleaser and strives to make all her clients happy.
Jennifer Lacoste, Peggy’s oldest daughter and Carolyn’s oldest
Peggy Talbert
Jennifer Lacoste
granddaughter, graduated college in 2012 from Southeastern University. (985) 869-0789 Carolyn Talbert (985) 373-4927 (504) 330-0901 She started in the business world immediately after graduation and as the family tradition holds true it did not take her long to find real estate as her driven goal for success. Only under two years into the real estate industry, she is quickly following her mother and grandmother’s footsteps. Already having several closings behind her and several listings on the market, she looks forward to what the future holds for her in this career. When you or anyone you know is looking to buy or sell you can certainly count on these three ladies to give it all they’ve got to make you a happy client. In addition to the three generations, Carolyn is assisted by one of the best licensed Realtors out there, Barbara Robinson Picou who has been in the business since 1983. Four licensed agents working for you to meet your needs and exceed your expectations!
Top Producer Since 1985 Sold over $795 Million Experience Makes a Difference
31 Waverly Place 1-888-351-5111, LLC
504-330-0901
• • • •
Pool By the Lake 5 bdrms 5 full & 2 half bath
$1,175,000
Free Home Warranty
1 - 8 8 8 - 3 5 1 - 5 1 11 , L L C
TOP RESIDENTIAL PRODUCER
CAROLYN TALBERT
Direct Line: . . . (504) 330-0901
1446 Huron • Near the Lake • 5 bdrms • 4 1/2 bath $1,100,000
5912 Cleveland • • • •
Pool Near the Lake 4 bdrms 3 1/2 ba
$579,000 Licensed by the Louisiana Real Estate Commission. Independently Owned & Operated
THE
Community Referrals
JEWISH LIGHT
AL'S PEST CONTROL has been serving the Greater New Orleans area for almost 60 years. We are a family owned and operated company specializing in full pest control services for residential, commercial and maritime properties (crew boats). We offer “Green” pest and termite control products and are Leed Certified. If your pest control needs are residential, commercial or maritime related, we have an integrated pest control plan that is right for you. In addition to our pest control services, we also provide termite inspection certificates for real estate transactions. We also offer microbial remediation service certificates. Because of our experience, we realize that pest problems can be worrisome. Our friendly and professional staff is here to help and answer any questions you may have. Our services are economical, and if you choose one of our maintenance plans you can be assured that our state certified technicians will utilize the appropriate tools and supplies to bring a speedy demise to your pest problem. Our goal is simple: to put your mind at ease knowing that you have taken the proper steps to protect your family, your home or your business by calling Al’s Pest Control. SERVICES We specialize in pest elimination services that utilize the most modern pest eradication technology and environmentally safe products available. We also offer many other important services that protect people and pets from a host of problems. Termite Baiting Service We specialize in both liquid and baiting termite management systems and provide monthly and annual contracts at very competitive prices. Tree Protection Services We protect and treat your trees from termite infestation and the Buck Moth caterpillar. Pre-Construction Termite Treatment Take an added step in battling termites and other pest that invade your home by using our pre-construction wood treatment with patented Borates in conjunction with our newest Green product...Termisto.p. Home Protection Our home pest control service protects your home from common pest such as roaches, mice, rats, ants and other insects found in our area.
A Full Service Pest Elimination Company Residential • Commercial Marine Vehicles Pest Control • Mosquitos Termites Termite Certificates
504-368-5927
www.AlsPestControlNewOrleans.com Protecting Your Property From The Ground Up!
Termite Certificates If you are in the process of buying or selling a home, we can help. We provide termite inspection service for real estate transactions. We are committed to providing excellent pest control management to all of our clients. We pride ourselves on delivering unsurpassed quality control and courteous staff; protecting your investment through excellence. Browse our web site (www.alspestcontrolneworleans.com) for more information. If you have any questions or would like to speak with a representative regarding our products and services please e-mail us at: NoBugs@alspestcontrol.com or call us (504) 368-5927. ì
THE
JEWISH LIGHT
www.thejewishlight.org
FREE ESTIMATES
Licensed • Bonded • Insured Winter 2017
15
Community Referrals
THE
JEWISH LIGHT
Are you searching for a compassionate nursing home in New Orleans? Ferncrest Manor Living Center is a nursing home community with a highly trained staff to provide professional care, comfort and security to seniors in the New Orleans area. They are also equipped with state-of-the-art medical facilities and experienced physicians that will custom-tailor a treatment plan for each individual based on their unique needs while monitoring their progress throughout their stay. Whether your loved one needs shortterm post-operative care or long-term rehabilitative care, Ferncrest Manor Living Center is the place to consider for exceptional senior care.
Ferncrest Manor Living Center Quality Nursing Care · Hospice Care Medicare Skilled Nursing Unit Intermediate and Respite Care Short and Long Term Rehabilitation Ventilator Dependent Unit On-Site Dialysis Positions available for RN · LPN · CNA 14500 Hayne Blvd. Between Paris Rd. and Bullard Ave.
504-246-1426 www.ferncrest.com
Owned by Wayne J. Landry and managed by Lexis Landry Nunez, NFA. 16 Winter 2017
But, the best part of living at Ferncrest Manor Living Center is the sense of community shared by all of the residents and caring staff members. From the exquisite grounds and luxurious surroundings to the diverse calendar of activities, the concept of community is the main component of everything they do. Striving for a taste of true New Orleans hospitality and having a sense of community truly adds to the quality of life enjoyed by all the residents of Ferncrest Manor. Complex Care Unit For residents who require long-term dependence on sophisticated health technology in settings other than the acute care hospital, Ferncrest Manor Living Center offers a skilled level of care, providing highly technical skilled nursing care to meet the intense level of respiratory needs for ventilator-dependent residents. These specialized tasks are performed by a staff of registered nurses, certified respiratory therapists, social workers, and other qualified professionals under the supervision of a qualified physician. They also provide specialized care for patients with ventilator dependency
www.thejewishlight.org
requiring dialysis; Medicaid rehabilitation for closed head injuries; and Tracheostomy. Medicare Skilled Nursing Unit Ferncrest Manor provides a skilled nursing unit for residents with Medicare insurance. They maintain a high level of healthcare standards and procedures to ensure all residents receive quality treatment. The medical director and staff of physicians make regular visits to residents and are on call for emergency treatment 24 hours a day. Some of these services include tube feeding, tracheotomy, renal failure requiring dialysis, short and long-term rehabilitation, wound care (including decubitus ulcers), and physical, speech, occupational and respiratory therapies. Respite Care Respite care is available for individuals requiring a short-term stay. For caregivers going on vacation, the Ferncrest staff can care for their loved ones. Activities for All Ferncrest Manor Living Center encourages residents to take an active part in their own lives through programs designed with their special needs in mind. Whether it’s strolling in the courtyards, visiting in the gazebo or attending a traditional religious service, they have the activities that will make your loved one feel at home and a part of a truly great community! Some of the regular activities include: arts & crafts, bingo, bowling games, card games, field trips, ice cream socials, monthly birthday parties, movies & popcorn, music hour, pizza parties, pokeno games, reading time, resident meetings, and wine & cheese socials.ì THE
JEWISH LIGHT
Locally owned with a big dose of southern hospitality is the hallmark for Zounds Hearing of Metairie, founded four years ago by Dede and Charlie Redfearn. “We always have coffee on hand as we greet our clients because we want people to feel welcome as we begin addressing whatever hearing needs may exist,” said Dede. She adds that we have built a team that focuses on quality client attention in a warm and comfortable environment. Margie Schwegmann-Brown, Outreach and Client Coordinator, brings her deep New Orleans roots and her wonderful sense of humor and stories to work for all to enjoy. We enjoy establishing relationships with people we work with. Margie laughs as she reflects on a few of our clients who have shared various fruit and even a fish with us! Tony Goyette, hearing specialist, has worn hearing aids for over twenty years so he has his personal experience to draw upon in addition to his professional training and knowledge. Tony now looks at his hearing loss as a blessing because it led him to this field which allows him to help others hear better. He often shares that he can’t imagine not wearing his hearing aids because he does not want to miss anything said by his six and eight year old daughters. Dede describes his work with clients as dedicated and committed to maximizing the hearing benefit available to each individual. It
is beautiful to watch as people have their connections with family members and treasured activities restored through better hearing. Zounds Hearing offers a range of hearing items from custom made hearing protection aiming to prevent hearing loss, to a full-line of hearing systems to assist when a hearing loss exists. Complimentary yet thorough hearing assessments, focusing on speech recognition, are available by appointment. Following the testing, Tony spends time educating people about hearing loss in general as well as their own loss. Options for treatment can be discussed and hearing aids can be programmed the same day. Often people leave our store hearing better within only two hours! The Zounds team wants the educational process and support to continue through regularly scheduled appointments. When it is time to select which hearing aid is best for your lifestyle, Zounds Hearing of Metairie has many options to select from, with comfort and flexibility being two of the top criteria. One feature that is significantly popular is the rechargeability of hearing systems. Several models of hearing aids are placed in a charging station overnight and hold a charge throughout the next day’s events. One no longer has to about the need to have or charge batteries. Come see us at Zounds Hearing of Metairie and experience our Southern Hospitality! Call (504) 252-4880 or email anytime at dede@zoundsmetairie.com.
$250 off any rechargeable hearing aid kits. Offer valid on purchase of Clareza, Imprezo, or Trezio kits. Not valid with other offers. See store for details.
Stay Connected!
Our personal connections with loved ones, friends and the world around us are precious. Zounds is proud to offer technology that helps those with hearing loss make and keep those connections.
Rechargeability and Convenience
Hearing aids with true rechargeability providing up to 24 hours of use.
20 Programmable Channels • Mild to profound hearing loss • Most Advanced Digital Technology • Intuitive Noise Cancellation3™ – up to 90% noise reduction • Available with Telecoil • Improved speech and clarity in noisy environments
16 Programmable Channels • Mild to severe hearing loss • Superior Digital Technology • Intuitive Noise Cancellation2™ – up to 90% noise reduction • Better speech clarity in noisy environments
ZOUNDS HEARING OF METAIRIE (504) 252-4880 801 Veterans Memorial Blvd., Suite D | Metairie, LA 70005 www.MetairieZounds.com
THE
JEWISH LIGHT
www.thejewishlight.org
Winter 2017
17
Community Referrals Woody Keim
Estate Planning Attorney
CALL 225-278-6010 TO SCHEDULE YOUR FREE CONSULTATION
Wills-Trusts-Successions 11863 Market Place Ave. Baton Rouge LA New Orleans and Slidell Office by Appointment
THE
JEWISH LIGHT
True or False? - Only wealthy people need an estate plan. FALSE. Everyone will eventually have their assets distributed after they pass away. SOMEONE will get your stuff. Your estate plan should determine who that SOMEONE is. If you die without a will, Louisiana state law will determine who your heirs are. But, if you plan ahead and create an estate plan, YOU determine who are your heirs and what they will receive. And remember, contrary to popular belief, in most cases, your spouse WILL NOT inherit ownership of your estate if you do not have a will. So, EVERYONE who has an estate of any size should be concerned about how their estate is distributed after they are gone. And the best way to assure the right people get your stuff is with an estate plan. Will my succession cost more or less if I have an estate plan in place? It depends on what kind of estate
plan you choose. If you create an estate plan with a will, the cost of filing your succession documents will not be much different than if you didn’t have a will. But, as explained above, it would be unwise to not have an estate plan of some kind. A couple of the negatives for using a will, or not having any plan are; 1. The unpredictable costs of attorney fees for filing a succession and; 2. The delay in distribution of the estate assets while the heirs wait for the succession process to be completed. The succession process can take from many months to years to complete, dependent on the complexity. Another option would be to create an estate plan using a LIVING TRUST. If the trust is properly implemented, there will be NO NEED for a succession at all. Living trusts are becoming more popular as an estate planning tool for this very reason. YOU control all aspects of your estate planning,
including the costs to settle your estate. It is important to note that the living trust as an estate planning method is NOT FOR EVERYONE. The living trust does provide serious benefits such as; 1. Immediate access to estate assets by the beneficiaries and; 2. Reasonable, controlled costs for the creation of the estate plan and the distribution of assets. But, conversely, using a living trust for estate planning can create complications for the initiator of the trust by making banking, investment, and real estate transactions somewhat more cumbersome. Of course, the best way to assure that you are choosing the right estate plan for your situation is to seek the assistance of an attorney who is experienced in estate planning and who can discuss with you the variety of options available with wills and/or trusts. -Woody Keim, Estate Planning Attorney ì
2016 – 17 MONTAGE FINE & PERFORMING ARTS SERIES UPCOMING EVENTS BRIAN BLADE & THE FELLOWSHIP BAND WITH THE LOYOLA SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA February 10, Roussel Hall
LOYOLA WIND FACULTY CONCERT February 20, Roussel Hall
One-of-a-kind collaboration between the Loyola symphony Orchestra and Brian Blade & the Fellowship Band
A concert featuring the Loyola Faculty Woodwind Quintet and the Ignatius Sax Quartet Free of charge
A PIANO RECITAL FEATURING CATHARINE LYSINGER February 12, Roussel Hall
JOHN FEDCHOCK WITH THE LOYOLA JAZZ BAND March 11, Roussel Hall
Pianist Catharine Lysinger performs on Loyola’s campus Free of charge
Loyola Jazz Band performs with special guest John Fedchock, trombone
For more information & tickets, please visit loyno.edu/events 18 Winter 2017
www.thejewishlight.org
THE
JEWISH LIGHT
THE
Community Referrals
JEWISH LIGHT
Rediscovering Ashley Hall Interiors Ltd., One of Downtown’s Hidden Gems
A hidden gem at 832 Howard Avenue, Ashley Hall Interiors Ltd. is a Mecca for anyone even slightly interested in interior design. Whether you need a throw pillow or a whole new living room, Shauna Leftwich and Julie Skiles will welcome you with open arms (and a cup of coffee!) before enthusiastically sharing with you their inspired visions. Ashley Hall Interiors has been around for 47 years now and boasts the largest interior design resource library in the South. The Howard Avenue location in Downtown NOLA’s Lafayette Square Historic District has room after room of fabric samples and books. Leftwich and Skiles love working in Downtown NOLA. Skiles says that when there’s a Saints game in town, they can literally feel the energy from the Superdome pulsing down the street. Though they hope for more foot traffic along Howard Avenue in the near future, they say that the area has really evolved in the past decade. Ashley Hall Interiors is completely full service and does not charge an hourly fee. “We love what we do — we’re very client-centered,” Leftwich explains, adding that each client leads to a relationship that lasts forever. While Ashley Hall Interiors has taken on the stateliest of jobs, such as the Governor’s Mansion, no job is too small for Leftwich and Skiles. Understanding that the younger generations often lack the resources to allocate large funds toward the interior design of their homes, Leftwich and Skiles encourage all potential clients to come to them with desired budgets, within which they will happily work. As passionate about the beauty and comfort of one’s home as they are about customer satisfaction, Leftwich and Skiles simply live for interior design. “It’s definitely what I was meant to do. I don’t think I’d be as happy doing anything else,” Skiles said assuredly with a big smile. A full service Interior Design firm, Ashley Hall Interiors has been creating luxury interiors for homes and businesses nationally and internationally since 1967. We invite you to visit our showroom to experience the Ashley Hall Interiors signature style or call today for your personal consultation. For more inspirations about your own personal space, call 504-524-0196 or visit our galleries online at www.ashleyhallinteriors.com. ì
THE
JEWISH LIGHT
www.thejewishlight.org
Winter 2017
19
Community Referrals
THE
JEWISH LIGHT
Audubon Tea Room Richard Buchsbaum has been leading the Audubon Events team since 1999 and over time, Audubon Catering has become one of the most successful catering operations in our city. Turning attractions like Audubon Aquarium of the Americas and Audubon Zoo into first-class, private event venues, Audubon has all the resources you need to cater any event including full kosher dining in the Audubon Tea Room. Having just completed his two-year term of office as President of the New Orleans Jewish Community Center’s Board of Directors, Richard is thrilled to offer some insight into his Audubon world of catering. From weddings and rehearsal dinners to birthday parties, from milestone celebrations to corporate events, from luncheons and dinners to outdoor picnics, Audubon will make any event extraordinary. Weddings backdrops are unparalleled at Audubon. Wedding vows are exchanged under the stars at the Sea Lion Colonnade, in front of the Gulf Exhibit, the Tea Room Garden, the Cajun Ballroom’s outdoor deck, the newly-renovated and soonto-open Cooper Plaza’s Elephant Fountain and other magical spots. Each a perfect “photo op” – all surrounded by the beauty of nature. The Audubon Events team is proud to boast that it is the only caterer in Louisiana with Green Certification through the Green Restaurant Association. It’s a perfect pairing of environmental stewardship and culinary excellence. There are so many locations where our guests are able to entertain their closest and dearest friends and family, clients or
guests, Richard continues. The Audubon Tea Room is a magnificent ballroom replete with hardwood floors, custom draperies, elegant covered veranda and lush private gardens which can be accessed separately or through Audubon Zoo’s entrance. With a full service kitchen and full time culinary and catering staff, everything from kashrut to local cuisine to gourmet menu planning is created and served by our Audubon Event team. Located within Audubon Zoo, the Zoo Picnic Pavilion is perfect for a company picnic during the day or a casual nighttime party. Included is a covered pavilion with ceiling fans and stately oak trees shade the area where a sand volleyball court, horseshoe pit and tether ball are placed. Packages may include admissions into Audubon Zoo which creates a perfect “home base” for private use. The Audubon Aquarium is one of New Orleans’ premier attractions and is the perfect backdrop for hosting unforgettable parties – from elegant soirees with our tuxedoed penguins to exciting receptions with food and beverage stations woven throughout our undersea world. The Pisces Room, located on the second floor, is a private space which is perfect for breakfasts, lunches and dinners. Woldenberg Riverfront Park and Entergy Giant Screen Theater offers a wide range of choices for your corporate events, business meetings conference receptions, awards dinners, company picnics, weddings, and family reunions. Nestled between the two largest lagoons of the Louisiana Swamp Exhibit is the Cajun Ballroom It’s perfect for Cajun fais do-dos rehearsal dinners, weddings or
corporate and social parties. A large and rustic deck extends from the ballroom above the swamp waters where alligators bask in the moonlight and exotic swamp animals become your natural backdrop. Want a hand-held animal to liven up your party? We’ve got them for you! There are other fun places to have parties at Audubon. Host your child’s birthday party in the Gulf Room at the Aquarium or uptown in the Carousel party rooms and Cool Zoo cabanas. For the first time, the Cool Zoo is also available this season for private night-time use. Shelter 10, 11 and 12 in Audubon Park are great places to have picnics, family and company gatherings and fitness runs and walks. For a list of all Audubon private event space and lots of great information, please visit www.AudubonNatureInstitute.org/ PrivateEvents.ì
Unique & Beautiful Event Venues The Cajun Ballroom
Rehearsal Dinners Wedding Receptions Wedding Ceremonies Company Meetings Corporate & Social Occasions Kosher Events
Audubon Tea Room
(at the Tea Room)
Call today for an appointment 504.212.5301 Louisiana’s only Green Certified Caterer
20 Winter 2017
www.thejewishlight.org
www.AudubonNatureInstitute.org/PrivateEvents
THE
JEWISH LIGHT
THE
Community Referrals
JEWISH LIGHT
Since its inception in 2006, soon after Hurricane Katrina, Pulse Home Health has progressed steadily to emerge as a leading provider of high quality healthcare services in New Orleans. It wasn’t always an easy climb, mind you. In the beginning, Pulse was a small family business founded by Registered Pharmacist, Lou Capaci, along with his daughter and son-in-law, RN team Kim and Paul Pati. The value of family is a cornerstone for our company to this very day. In addition to the trail of human and property damage left by Katrina, the storm also laid waste to the medical community. Tens of thousands of fragile, homebound patients were displaced and scattered by the storm. Physicians, nurses, hospital staff and direct care workers were forced out of our community, some never to return. It was against this daunting backdrop and the service vacuum it created, that Pulse had its humble beginnings. A full decade later, Pulse looks back with both pride and gratitude for its continued success in the community. Today, Pulse is recognized as an industry leader in patient satisfaction and clinical outcomes. In fact, Pulse carries a perfect 5.0 star rating in terms of patient satisfaction scores. Further, Medicare recently recognized Pulse for earning 4.5 stars out of 5.0 possible stars for the quality of care delivered to its patients. The average rating for Louisiana agencies is 3.0 stars. Only 14% of home health agencies nationwide have a ranking between 4.5 and 5 stars in this category. That’s a source of great achievement for the Pulse team! The details for Pulse’s out-
THE
JEWISH LIGHT
standing performance can be found at www.medicare.gov. If exemplary star ratings were not enough proof of Pulse’s quality care, Ability Network and DecisionHealth also named Pulse to the 2016 “HomeCare Elite” as one of the nation’s top performing home health agencies. Pulse provides skilled nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, and home health aide visits all in the comfort of a patient’s home. The Pulse team can assist with extended recovery from hospital stays or with the management of chronic illnesses such as CHF, COPD, or Diabetes. Pulse clinicians work in cooperation with and under the guidance of their patients’ personal physicians. One major benefit for Pulse’s patients is the opportunity to recover from extended illnesses at home, as opposed to institutional settings such as rehabilitation hospitals or nursing homes. Pulse provides individualized care tailored by patients’ physicians and delivered in the comfort and safety of a patient’s home. Pulse is certified by Medicare to provide home health care to patients throughout the New Orleans metro area. We have offices in both Metairie and on the Northshore. Pulse accepts coverage from Medicare and most private insurers. If you or a loved one needs home health services, please give us a call. We’d be happy to help you through the process. You can call us in Metairie at 504-831-7778 or on the Northshore at 985-8457088. Let our family take care of you and yours. ì
www.thejewishlight.org
Winter 2017
21
Community Referrals
THE
JEWISH LIGHT
Classic Chandelier and Mirror Classic Chandelier and Mirror has provided outstanding service in the New Orleans area since 2003 providing a broad range of products and services. Classic Chandelier and Mirror offers everything from retail of new and antique chandeliers to the restoration of lighting fixtures. Owner, Peter Sather, started one of the longest running high-end moving companies in the greater New Orleans area, Kid Gloves Inc, which opened in 1983. Successively owning a moving company helped him gain knowledge of a variety of chandeliers and the process of moving and repairing them. This needed skill set for the chandeliers brought the idea of Classic Chandelier and Mirror into fruition. Classic Chandelier and Mirror has a large showroom at 601 South Galvez Street in the heart of New Orleans. Our inventory consists of over 350 new and antique chandeliers that encompass many different styles. In addition, the showroom showcases new and antique mirrors, lamps, and furniture pieces. The wide variety of pieces provide customers a large selection to fit their individual needs. In Classic Chandelier and Mirror’s workshop, we have the ability to completely restore and refinish many different types of items, including chandeliers, sconces, lamps, mirrors, and wood pieces. The restoration processes focuses on, but is not limited to, specialty cleaning, rewiring, crystal and parts replacement, and structural repairs. In addition, Classic Chandelier and Mirror can convert gas and candle fixtures to electric. Classic Chandelier and Mirror also specializes in the installation of a wide variety of fixtures, artwork, and mirrors. We also have the ability to install and package fine art of all shapes and sizes. With our enhancement techniques, you can extend the life of many household items and fixtures of glass and wood. Through our sister company, Kid Gloves Inc., Classic Chandelier and Mirror can transport a variety of pieces. Whether you need a chandelier or mirror boxed or crated and shipped worldwide, Classic Chandelier and Mirror and Kid Gloves Inc. can satisfy your shipping needs. Our knowledge of the delicate nature and special nuances of such pieces make us prime candidates for getting such items packed properly for transport across long or short distances where many non-delicate hands might handle them as they are conveyed to their final destination. We understand that they should arrive unchipped and unmarred so they can be displayed as a thing of beauty. Customers will often have ill-fated mishaps with delicate items, and are often left feeling that all hope is lost. When they discover, as have a host of customers through the years, that their items can be repaired and restored, they become hopeful again. Seeing their joyful reflection in a repaired mirror, or lifting a chandelier back to its lofty place where it will dangle, dazzle and catch light and sun's rays, is its own reward! Favorably reviewed on Angie’s List, recommended by satisfied customers and a source for those who initially think their item should be thrown in the trash, stored in an attic or sold for parts – Classic Chandelier not only restores items and household goods, they restore hope through the application of their skills and expertise. ì
22 Winter 2017
www.thejewishlight.org
THE
JEWISH LIGHT
THE
PAGE Continued from Page 8 tion of church-state separation only to learn time and again that we have advocated for and passed dozens of programs that take nothing away from public education and are constitutionally sound.” Meanwhile, the money is having a real impact. At Ben Porat Yosef, for example, government funding that will deliver $224 per student to every school in New Jersey this year to cover items like nursing, textbooks and security will result in more than $100,000 for Ben Porat Yosef. An expected $25-per-student increase in security funding is expected to bring in another $10,000 to the school. In Florida, non-public schools are benefiting from tax credit incentives that allow corporations to donate to a scholarship fund for low-income students and receive a dollar-for-dollar tax credit from the state. Florida awarded $559 million in tax credits for 2016-17, and 69 percent of the programs’ beneficiaries are in religious schools. That is translating into $13.8 million in scholarships to 2,405 students in 32 Jewish schools in the state this year. The scholarships are worth up to $5,886 per student. At Katz Hillel Day School of Boca Raton, the scholarship funds combined with a pay-down-themortgage campaign helped reduce tuition by $1,000 for K-8th grade in the 2017-18 school year, according to Daniel Adler, the school’s treasurer and founding member of Teach Florida. Adler, who helped lead a successful lobbying effort that raised the income levels for scholarship eligibility, would like to see parochial school students get the same amount of funding from the state as public school students. “A family of four making $60,000 to even $120,000 is still struggling to pay tuition, a mortgage, health care and the rest of their bills,” said Adler, who has three children in day school. “Our vision is that all Jewish families in Florida have the opportunity to send their children to Jewish schools and not be crushed by tuition bills. Educational Savings Accounts, where parents receive a significant portion of the money that the state is paying for public school children, would be a game changer for our community and all parents who want to choose the best education for their children.” THE
Community Referrals
JEWISH LIGHT
JEWISH LIGHT
Elsewhere in the country, schools are experimenting with flexible or capped tuition models aimed at giving relief to middle-income families. For example, in 2015 four Jewish day schools in New Jersey decided to use a $10 million gift to cap tuition at 18 percent of a family’s pre-tax income. Other schools, like Oakland Hebrew Day School in California, use flexible, slidingscale tuition models. “There is no silver bullet," said Daniel Perla, director of financial vitality at Prizmah: Center for Jewish Day Schools, a new umbrella organization serving nearly 400 Jewish day schools across the denominational spectrum in North America. "National funders have all come to realize that the only thing that will get us to more affordable schools is a whole series of small interventions.” In response to financial pressures on families, day school tuition growth slowed significantly after the 2008 recession. Whereas annual tuition increases of 3-5 percent were common from the mid-1990s through the late 2000s, tuition growth since 2009 has been closer to 1-3 percent per year, according to Perla. Yet even with capped tuitions, he said, day school is still unaffordable for a growing number of middle-class families, and incomes have not kept up with inflation. “From 1996 to 2006, tuition
increased at 3-6 percent and wages increased at 0-1 percent. That is your crisis right there,” Perla said. The Jewish Federation of Northern New Jersey has been working on a different approach to the tuition crisis. Several years ago, the federation helped create a cooperative that negotiates with vendors on behalf of area day schools, congregational schools and Jewish institutions. Using collective bargaining power, the Kehilla Cooperative has been able to negotiate reduced costs on everything from gas and electric bills to office supplies and credit card processing. “On utilities alone, we have saved day schools over $600,000 since inception,” said Jason Shames, CEO of the Jewish Federation of Northern New Jersey. “And by providing the services of a purchasing manager free of charge to the agencies, we have helped them save on staffing costs. This enables schools to reduce expenses and focus on what they do best, which is educating our children.” While philanthropy and innovative educational models have a role to play, many day school advocates say the game changer is bringing more public money into non-public schools – something President Donald Trump and his pick for education secretary, Betsy DeVos, support. “I’m very much in favor of school choice,” Trump wrote in his
book “Crippled America.” Fagin said he’d like to see more grassroots effort by day school parents petitioning their elected representatives. “This issue cannot be resolved effectively unless yeshivot and day schools receive their fair share of government funding,” said Fagin, formerly an attorney and chairman of the law firm Proskauer Rose. “Our families pay taxes. They’re getting back pennies on the dollar compared to what others are receiving in the form of public education,” he said. “From our perspective, this is an issue of civil rights. We are not going to be satisfied until there is actually a meaningful rollback on tuition.” (This article was sponsored by and produced with input from the Orthodox Union, the nation's largest Orthodox Jewish umbrella organization, dedicated to engaging and strengthening the Jewish community, and to serving as the voice of Orthodox Judaism in North America.)
Charge Accounts Avvailable!
www.thejewishlight.org
Winter 2017
23
Community Referrals
THE
JEWISH LIGHT
Backyard Printing Backyard Printing brings years of creative arts teaching in public schools and an active art career to our small but highly efficient cottage business. We can work with you to create the perfect design and have it beautifully conveyed onto t-shirts, caps, tote bags, towels and other cloth items of your choice. We specialize in screen printed organizations and events! t-shirts, working with you to arrive We also offer a heat transfer at a satisfactory design and layout process for t-shirt orders that are that conveys what you want on the less than 12 shirts. This process involves printing your selection onto professional transfer paper that is heated onto a t-shirt. We offer this process in full color with a very rapid turn-around time. For your convenience, the art work can be e-mailed to us. Most transfers work best on white t-shirts but can be effectively transferred onto various light colors or even black t-shirts! What New Orleans printing shop wouldn’t offer CUSTOMPRINTED HANDKERCHIEFS? No event is memorable without a shirt. We screen-print for second line! But, to take your commercial businesses, schools special event to the next level, we and many other small and large
24 Winter 2017
also offer custom decorated umbrellas! We offer white umbrellas and black umbrellas with a variety of screen printed images. Decorations can be team colors or colors to match your wedding, Bar
or Bat Mitzvah, or special event theme. Your New Orleans Wedding wouldn’t be believable if you don’t have a cake pull! This tradition can be traced back to Victorian times. The bride would put tiny charms in her cake for her single friends, and it was called "ribbon pulling". Bridesmaids and other single attendants would pull the silver charms from the cake before it was
www.thejewishlight.org
cut. The women would keep the charms and place them on a bracelet to display. The charms had special meanings. Honor those traditions by continuing to do cake pulls at your wedding. Have those special single ladies at your wedding pull a charm and help celebrate your special day! You can view a select offering of items on our websites at www. backyardprinting.com and also www.secondlinehandkerchiefs. com. Please do not hesitate to contact us through email at backyardprinting@gmail.com or by phone (504-251-5567) if you have any questions. ì
THE
JEWISH LIGHT
THE
Community News
JEWISH LIGHT
MEET THE JEWS Continued from Page 1 York Times describes as one of Manhattan's "most influential families," Mnuchin and his father -- the prominent art dealer Robert Mnuchin -- both became wealthy working at Goldman Sachs. The younger Mnuchin also co-founded the entertainment company RatPacDune Entertainment, which has worked on such Hollywood hits as "Avatar" and "Black Swan."
Steven Mnuchin speaking at City Harvest: An Event Of Practical Magic in New York City, April 24, 2014. (Andrew H. Walker/Getty Images for City Harvest)
Some saw Trump teaming up with Mnuchin as unusual, considering that the real-estate mogul had consistently bashed Goldman Sachs during his campaign — but it doesn't seem to have hindered a good working relationship.
sions' arguments are similar to the harsh and often controversial statements by Trump on the issue, such as calling for building a wall on the Mexican border and banning Muslim immigration to the U.S. Though Miller grew up in a liberal Jewish home in Southern California, he was drawn to conservative causes early. As a high school student he wrote a letter to the editor of a local paper in which he slammed his school for providing free condoms to students and for making announcements both in English and Spanish, among other things. Carl Icahn Icahn, a businessman and investor, is serving as a special adviser on regulatory reform issues. He is working as a private citizen rather than a federal employee or special government employee.
Carl Icahn participating in a panel discussion at the 2015 DealBook Conference at the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York City, Nov. 3, 2015. (Neilson Barnard/Getty Images for New York Times)
Stephen Miller Trump named Miller, who has played a crucial role in his campaign by writing speeches and warming up crowds at rallies, as An early supporter of Trump’s senior adviser for policy. candidacy, Icahn, 80, is the founder of Icahn Enterprises, a diversified conglomerate based in New York City formerly known as American Real Estate Partners. He has also held substantial or controlling positions in numerous American companies over the years, including RJR Nabisco, Texaco, Philips Stephen Miller speaking at a Donald Petroleum, Western Union, Gulf & Trump campaign rally in Anaheim, Western, Viacom, Revlon, Time Calif. May 25, 2016. Warner, Motorola, Chesapeake (Robyn Beck/AFP/Getty Images) Energy, Dell, Netflix, Apple and Miller, who has described him- eBay. self as "a practicing Jew," joined Icahn is a major giver to Mount the Trump campaign in early 2016, Sinai hospital in New York City, quickly rising through the ranks to among other philanthropic endeavbecome "one of the most important ors. In 2012, he donated $200 milpeople in the campaign," as Trump's lion to the renamed Icahn School of campaign manager told The Wall Medicine there. Street Journal. In addition, Icahn established Previously the 31-year-old seven Icahn Charter Schools in the worked for seven years as an aide Bronx borough of New York. to Trump's choice for attorney genGary Cohn eral, Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala., Cohn, the outgoing president and helping the lawmaker draft materials to kill a bipartisan Senate immi- chief operating officer at Goldman gration reform bill. Some of Ses- Sachs, heads the White House THE
JEWISH LIGHT
National Economic Council. At native Moscow in 1993, as “very Goldman Sachs, where he had combative” and “abrasive.” worked since 1990, Cohn answered to CEO Lloyd Blankfein and was considered a strong candidate to lead the bank.
Gary Cohn speaking at Fortune’s Most Powerful Women Summit in Washington, D.C., Oct. 13, 2015. (Paul Morigi/Getty Images for Fortune/Time Inc)
The 56-year-old father of three has a reputation for abrasiveness, but also for getting things done, according to a Wall Street Journal profile last year. In a 2014 New York Times op-ed, Goldman Sachs executive Greg Smith wrote on the day he resigned that Blankfein and Cohn were responsible for a “decline in the firm’s moral fiber” that placed its interests above those of its clients. Cohn, a Cleveland native, in 2009 funded the Cohn Jewish Student Center at Kent State University named for his parents. Success wasn't always obvious for Cohn, whose struggle with dyslexia made school difficult for him. But the Goldman Sachs banker, who was featured in a book on underdogs by writer Malcolm Gladwell, told the author that his learning disability also taught him how to deal with failure and that "I wouldn’t be where I am today without my dyslexia." Boris Epshteyn Epshteyn, a Republican political strategist who appeared as a Trump surrogate on TV, is working as a special assistant to the president. Epshteyn, who is in his mid-30s, also is serving as assistant communications director for surrogate operations. A New York-based investment banker and finance attorney, Epshteyn was a communications aide for Sen. John McCain’s presidential campaign in 2008, focusing his efforts on the Arizona senator’s running mate, then-Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin. He defended Trump on major TV networks over 100 times, according to The New York Times. TV hosts have described Epshteyn, who moved to the United States from his
www.thejewishlight.org
Boris Epshteyn attending SiriusXM’s “White in America” special at SiriusXM Studios in New York City, June 30, 2015.(Ilya S. Savenok/Getty Images for SiriusXM)
In 2014, he was charged with misdemeanor assault after being involved in a bar tussle. The charge was dropped after Epshteyn agreed to undergo anger management training and perform community service. David Shulkin Dr. David Shulkin, the undersecretary for health at the Department of Veterans Affairs, will lead the department as secretary under Trump if confirmed by the Senate. He would be the first holdover appointment from the Obama administration, in which he served since 2015.
Dr. David Shulkin (Wikimedia Commons, public domain)
Shulkin, 57, is an internist who has had several chief executive roles, including as president of hospitals, notably Beth Israel Medical Center in New York City. He also has held numerous physician leadership roles, including as chief medical officer for the University of Pennsylvania Health System, and academic positions, including as chairman of medicine and vice dean at the Drexel University School of Medicine. As an entrepreneur, Shulkin founded and served as the chairman and CEO of DoctorQuality, one of the first consumer-oriented sources of information for quality and safety in health care. Reed Cordish Trump chose Cordish, who is friends with his son-in-law Jared See MEET THE JEWS on Page Winter 2017
27 25
Community Referrals
THE
JEWISH LIGHT
A Community Built Around YOUR Wants and Needs The cornerstone of the Schonberg community philosophy is that exceptional assisted living and memory care is personal. Personal care begins and ends with each unique individual, and the family, friends, and loved ones of each resident play an important role in shaping and strengthening each community. Schonberg & Associates has set a new standard in assisted living by going above and beyond to provide care that is tailored to fit each resident, creating customized activities and care plans based upon a thorough assessment of their own abilities, likes, dislikes, passions, and preferences. In order to make the transition into assisted living as easy and comfortable as possible, Schonberg & Associates has developed several convenient locations throughout the Greater New Orleans area that provide the best of the best in highquality amenities, programming, and care. Schonberg communities are committed to ensuring that quality time with your loved one is just a few minutes away, and you can feel the comfort of knowing you are always close by when needed. While the close proximity of Schonberg communities enables
residents to remain close to old friends, the exclusive Schonberg Neighborhood Design makes it easy to make new ones, as well. Each neighborhood is occupied by residents with shared abilities, which creates a comfortable environment ideal for socializing and maximizes team members’ ability to provide each individual with the specialized attention and care that they need. “Experience has shown that the Schonberg Neighborhood Design significantly enhances our residents’ sense of community, familiarity, safety and support,” notes David Schonberg, owner and managing member of Schonberg & Associates. The Schonberg Neighborhood Design is just one aspect of Schonberg’s unique and innovative approach to memory care, which is considered by many to be the finest specially staffed Alzheimer’s and dementia care program in the region. Beau Provence is the only memory care-exclusive assisted living community in the Greater New Orleans area, and both it and Ashton Manor have been honored with the prestigious Dementia Care Specialists’
Distinguished Provider Award, which recognizes assisted living communities that provide truly outstanding, resident-centered memory care. Schonberg communities pride themselves on setting an exceptional standard in memory care through extensive, rigorous training, the staffing of full-time memory care directors, and promoting continuous education through consultation and seminars with leading Alzheimer’s and dementia care researchers and experts. Schonberg’s individualized programs are custom-designed to enrich residents’ lives and enable them to function at their highest possible level. With the help of in-house activities directors that cook up exciting and engaging events, activities, and social outings, Schonberg communities are fully dedicated to ensuring that every day is filled with unique options to satisfy each and every resident, from those with green thumbs or artistic talents to those that prefer singing or shopping. When you’re part of the Schonberg family, you can rest assured that there is always something to do, somewhere to go, and someone spe-
cial to share a meal or a cup of coffee with. Schonberg’s community philosophy revolves around giving residents the freedom to be as independent as possible, while providing the peace of mind that assistance and exceptional resident-centered care is always there when it’s needed. Mr. Schonberg sums up their operating philosophy with a single question: “Several times each day, we ask ourselves, ‘Is this in the best interest of this particular resident?’ If the answer is yes, then we can’t go wrong. This simple operating philosophy is the secret to our continued success.”
Beau Provence Memory Care Assisted Living - Mandeville 985-778-0755 www.BeauProvence.com Park Provence Assisted Living and Memory Care - Slidell 985-781-0072 www.ParkProvence.com Vista Shores Assisted Living and Memory Care - New Orleans 504-288-3737 www.VistaShores.com ì
A CARING COMMUNITY CLOSE TO HOME.
The cornerstone of our Schonberg community philosophy is that exceptional assisted living and memory
care is personal. Personal care begins and ends with each unique person, and the family, friends, and loved ones of each resident play an important role in shaping and strengthening our communities. Our convenient locations offer the best of the best in amenities, programming, and care throughout the Greater New Orleans area. Schonberg communities ensure that quality time with your loved one is just a few minutes away, and you can feel the comfort of knowing you are always close by when needed. NEW ORLEANS
MANDEVILLE
SLIDELL
www.VistaShores.com • (504) 288-3737
www.BeauProvence.com • (985) 778-0755
www.ParkProvence.com • (985) 781-0072
26 Winter 2017
www.thejewishlight.org
THE
JEWISH LIGHT
THE
MEET THE JEWS Continued from Page 25 Kushner, to serve as assistant to the president for intragovernmental and technology initiatives. He will be responsible for initiatives requiring multi-agency collaboration and also focus on technological innovation and modernization.
Reed Cordish attending the Celebration of Xfinity Live! Philadelphia, March 30, 2012. (Bill McCay/WireImage via Getty Images)
Cordish is a partner at his family’s real estate and entertainment firm, the Baltimore-based Cordish Companies, . Cordish’s father, David, the chairman and CEO of The Cordish Companies and an AIPAC board member, is a friend of Trump. The two met during the mediation process of a lawsuit in which Trump sued The Cordish Companies. And Cordish, who is in his early 40s, has another connection to the
AIRPORT REPORT Continued from Page 2 month because it was the second time in the Airport’s history that more than one million passengers traveled through MSY in a one month period. This passenger growth puts the airport on track to exceed 11 million total passengers in 2016, surpassing last year’s record-breaking traffic. To serve the increased number of passengers, the Airport completed several enhancements to the terminal. Mother’s Rooms were introduced on each concourse in July providing a private space for mothers to pump or breastfeed. Dook’s Place opened early last year in the East Lobby providing delicious local cuisine by one of New Orleans’ 2017 “chefs to watch” Edgar “Dooky” Chase IV. New bars were added on both Concourse B and Concourse C, and renovations were made to the bar and PJ’s on Concourse D. More options to shop while you travel are also available with Bayou Spirits, a specialty retailer of adult beverages, now open in Baggage Claim, and THE
Community News
JEWISH LIGHT
JEWISH LIGHT
Trump family — he was introduced to his now-wife Margaret by none other than Ivanka Trump, who attended the couple's wedding in 2010 with husband Jared Kushner. Cordish and his wife were listed as co-hosts for a Manhattan fundraiser for Trump’s presidential campaign in October, Jewish Insider reported. Avrahm Berkowitz Berkowitz, 27, is serving as special assistant to Trump and assistant to Jared Kushner. Berkowitz and Kushner met on the basketball court of an Arizona hotel during a Passover program, Jewish Insider reported. The two stayed in touch and Berkowitz went on to work with Kushner in several capacities. After graduating from Queens College, Berkowitz worked for Kushner Companies and later went on to write for Kushner's paper, the New York Observer. In 2016 Berkowitz, who was then finishing up his last semester at Harvard Law School, directed a Facebook Live talk show for the Trump campaign. Later he worked on the presidential campaign as assistant director of data analytics. Berkowitz's first cousin is Howard Friedman, who served as AIPAC president in 2006-2010, according to Jewish Insider. ì
Who Dat’s, a New Orleans Saints retail store, and Tech-on-the-Go, a tech centric shop, opened on Concourse C. 2016 was a year of record-breaking growth. With the most airlines and non-stop destinations in airport history, more passengers are choosing to travel by air to get to and from New Orleans. We remain committed to our goals of creating a better airport for our community and will work to see this success continue in 2017. Mark Reis, Interim Director of Aviation for Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport may be reached at airport@flymsy.com. Check your local listings for the air time of the Armstrong International Airport 30 minute television program, “Airport Alive” or view it on the airport website, www.flymsy. com, by clicking on the “Airport Alive” link on the “News and Stats” page. You can now follow the airport on facebook.com/MSYAirport and Twitter @NO_Airport. To find out how to be a volunteer at the airport, click on “Ambassador” on the airport’s website homepage. ì
Wednesday, February 15, 2017 at 7 p.m. Dillard University Georges Auditorium
2601 Gentilly Boulevard New Orleans, LA 70122 www.dillard.edu/brainfood @DUbrainfood
www.thejewishlight.org
All lectures are free & open to the public No tickets or RSVPs required For more information, call 504.816.4800
DILLARD UNIVERSITY
Winter 2017
27
Now Open in Mandeville (one mile from the Northshore Jewish Congregation)
Specializing in wine, spirits, beer, and cheese
We have a huge selection of wines, cheeses and properly stored cigars. Select wines from around the world. Come sample beers from countries near and far, and taste the best cheese from the world’s premier cheese producing regions. We travel the world to bring you hand selected wines and cheeses! Adam, Steve, & Erik Acquistapace 985-951-2501 • 631 N. Causeway Blvd. Facing East Causeway Approach Next to Pat Gallagher’s 527 Restaurant
985-893-0593 • 125 E. 21st Ave In Historic Downtown Covington