JN Life Mag

LIFE Jewish News

Winter 2018/19

DRESS FOR THE CITY

Hollywood Tales Life of a super agent

Mrs Maisel Returns

America’s most hilarious Jewish housewife is back

+50

things every parent needs to know

Your essential guide to...

BIG Event The

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36 this is your Life 7 Who, What & When

29 City Slickers

What’s the fuss? Tell me what’s a-happening?

All the film, books, theatre and cultural events you won’t want to miss in the coming months.

Seasonal high street dressing for those with places to go and people to see.

11 Hollywood Tales

Mrs Maisel, the sassy Jewish stand-up from the Upper West Side, is back and looking great in her second series.

Super agent Michael Ovitz shares his LA movie stories and contract secrets.

15 A Safe Place Of Their Own

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One studio is using creative therapy to heal assylum seekers and refugees.

18 Home Is Where The Start-up Is

36 Simply Marvellous

40 Orthodox Bloggers Fashionable and frum, Orthodox Jewish bloggers are getting more followers than Bieber and dress better.

43 Life Is Beautiful

Jewish News editor Richard Ferrer discovers innovation on the slopes of Mount Carmel.

Well, it certainly improves when you have fewer lines and wrinkles, as well as a good mascara, lipstick and the right gym membership.

21 On The Chinn

47 The Young Ones

Francine Wolfisz talks to Oscar-winning documentary maker Simon Chinn.

Looking good for those endless selfies is a priority for tweens who are just getting into make-up and skincare.

22 Defending Israel

49 Winter Recipes

Controversial columnist Rodd Liddle explains why he stands up for the Jewish people.

Three courses of delicious dishes to put warmth and flavour into the colder months.

25 The Burning Question

54 Three Chefs

Canadian documentary maker John Curtin dares to ask Why The Jews? as his film debuts this month at the UK Jewish Film Festival.

Alex Galbinski meets the culinary millenials who are shaking up restaurant kitchens with their global menus.

26 Fifty Things Fatherhood’s Taught Me

Louisa Walters spotlights the new eateries worth experiencing in north west London and beyond.

You will be hungry.

Richard Ferrer offers half-a-century of hard-earned daddy widsom.

58 Let’s Eat

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Editor’s Letter

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111 79 61 The Great Female Bake Off

95 Success On A Plate

From the golden days of Grodzinski to the current clamour for cupcakes, women have the flour power.

Food glorious food by caterer Itzik Feder.

65 Doggone Display

Amazing venues for every sort of occasion.

96 Let’s Have it Here

ccording to Albert Einstein there are two ways to live. “You can live as if nothing is a miracle or you can live as if everything is a miracle.”

We talk and sing a lot about life – L’Chayim – as a people and aim to fill it with achievements, celebrations and holidays. Life the magazine is full of interesting upcoming events, salient interviews and travel stories. There’s fashion for the season, fashion for brides and to herald the return of Amazon Prime’s series The Marvellous Mrs Maisel, there’s Midge-style fashion and music.

A visit to Technion in Israel reveals the revolutionary, inspiring young chefs share their recipes and an important new film asks: Why The Jews?

We also feature many of the exhibitors at Jewish News’ Big Event – all of them brilliant – and ready to make a difference to your own big event.

Life as Albert said is a miracle, so make it one to remember.

Pawtraits by artists on both sides of the pond as well as diners that will welcome your doggie.

101 Let Them Entertain You

69 The Big Event

Netanel Kohen and The Sensation Band will keep the party going.

Brigit

A change of pace and the start of our wedding, bar and bat mitzvah section featuring our most exciting exhibitors.

103 Israel Hotels

Brigit Grant

75 Choosing the Chosen

101 Where to Love Living in Israel

Three converts to Judaism talk to Debbie Colton about changing their faith for love.

Thinking of buying a home in the Holy Land?

Here’s where to head.

79 A Dress: The Situation

111 An Eye on the Design

It is the most important dress you will ever choose and we have assembled a line of the most talented designers.

Israeli interiors always impress. The talented designers pulling them together are available to hire.

84 Fessing Up To Dressing

113 The Big Apple Surprise

By all accounts Elsa’s Dresses and Dress Wise are the shops to hit when there is a batty on the horizon. Just take a ticket at the door.

Brigit Grant took her daughter Madison to the city that’s so good they named it twice.

91 The Greatest Showman

Casinos everywhere, but Louisa Walters also found people of the faith living the dream in Nevada.

The man who can turn your simcha into a Big Top spectacle is Ilia Speiezak. Remember that name.

92 A Roof Over One’s Simcha A marquee at home can maketh the party.

The best places to stay on your next trip to Israel.

117 Viva Oy Vegas

120 Exhibitors At The Big Event A roll call of the great and the good showing at Jewish News’ annual show.

Editor Brigit Grant

Art Director Diane Spender Designers John Nicholls Stuart Rock Contributors Alex Galbinski Louisa Walters

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Who,What & When There’s a lot coming your way…

JEWS IN SPACE Three Israeli scientists met in a pub might sound like the start of a joke – but there will be more than laughter when a spaceship from the Holy Land reaches the moon on 13 February 2019. That is the date when a non-profit group from Israel have scheduled the soft landing of an unmanned spacecraft on the lunar surface.

“The Israeli flag will be on the moon,” said Ido Anteby, CEO of Space IL, which will launch the Israeli-built SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral in December. Funded by Maurice Kahn, a South African-born billionaire and philanthropist, it is the work of scientists Yariv Bash, Kfir Damari and Yonatan Winetraub, who worked it all out over a beer. Success could mean that we have somewhere else to go if Jeremy Corbyn gets to No 10.

HELLO BETTE Tickets have yet to go on sale at The Palladium, but it’s only a matter of time before they officially announce Hello, Dolly! is coming to London next spring with Bette Midler as the fabulous Jewish matchmaker.

Directed by multi award-winner Jerry Zaks, Bette got Best Actress for her star turn. Let’s hope they tell us soon when ‘the parade is passing by’.

MAZELTOV MARY Who didn’t grow up singing Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious? It was the music the Sherman brothers – Richard and Robert – wrote for Mary Poppins in 1964 that made it so memorable, and they won two Grammys and two Oscars for their score. So it’s good to hear that another Jewish Marc Shaiman composer is doing the tunes for Mary Poppins Returns, which opens on 19 December. Emmy and Tony award-winner Marc Shaiman,who wrote Hairspray with frequent collaborator Scott Wittman has created such songs as Trip A Little Light Fantastic, Under The Lovely London Sky and The Place Where Lost Things Go. Emily Blunt and Lin Manuel Miranda sing them in the film and then it’s over to us.

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Naomi Alderman

RUE DE RYKIEL Coco Chanel doesn’t Sonia Rykiel have one. And neither does Christian Dior, but French Jewish fashion designer Sonia Rykiel now has her own street in Paris. Allée Sonia Rykiel, in the heart of the 6th arrondissement, is the first street in the French capital to be named after any fashion designer and the road was dedicated to her posthumously, as Rykiel died in 2016. A ceremony for the naming was followed by a fashion show of Rykiel’s work – graphic stripes were her thing – and Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo described her as “the most Parisian of Parisians”.

LOT OF LIP Not content with ruffling feathers as Evelyn Plummer in Coronation Street, Maureen Lipman is going solo at the Southbank Centre in December.

Tyrone Dobbs’ bubbe is bringing her sell-out Edinburgh Festival Show to the Purcell Room, where she will sing, tell jokes and perform sketches accompanied by Cleo Laine and Johnny Dankworth’s daughter, Jacqui. Tyrone will not be there. 020 3879 9555 southbankcentre.co.uk

DR ALDERMAN With the film adaptation of her novel, Disobedience, starring Rachel Weisz out any day, author Naomi Alderman must be excited. But was this overshadowed by an invitation to write a story for the new Doctor Who? With a female ( Jodie Whittaker) in the tardis, the chance for Doc devotee Naomi to pen an adventure was a gift, and it will feature in a new version of the anthology Doctor Who: Thirteen Doctors 13 Stories (Penguin) published next March.

ALEICHEM GOES BACK TO HIS ROOTS The man behind such classic characters as Tevye the Milkman and Menachem Mendel the Matchmaker is explored in all his glory in Saul Saul Reichlin Reichlin’s new comedy journey, Sholom Aleichem in the Old Country. The smile-raising show, complete with tales of abject poverty as well as the perennial good cheer of the villagers, comes to The Lion & Unicorn Theatre in Kentish Town at the end of this month with a limited four-week season.

Aleichem is, of course, the writer behind the stories that inspired Fiddler on the Roof, and award-winning stage and screen actor Reichlin, whom you might have recently seen as Shylock in The Merchant Of Venice at Shakespeare’s Rose Theatre, follows the beloved genius as he returns to Kasrilevkeh. In the small town of his birth, he discovers his roots while meeting many extraordinary characters.

• Sholom Aleichem In The Old Country runs at The Lion & Unicorn Theatre from 30 October until 25 November

DIARY RETOLD It has been more than 30 years since American cartoonist Art Spiegelman created the graphic novel Maus, about his father’s experience in the Holocaust, depicting Jews as mice, Germans as cats and Poles as pigs. Now Anne Frank’s Diary has been given the graphic treatment

by Ari Folman (words) and David Polonsky (illustration) who wanted to “bring the diary into the 21st century”. It is not meant to replace the original diary, but will certainly bring a new audience to the tragic story of the girl in the attic.

DYNAMIC ‘JUO’ It’s hard to escape the A-listers on Netflix – and why would you want to when, from 16 November, an incomparable pairing of Michael Douglas and Alan Arkin will take place. The Kominsky Method is about an ageing actor who now makes his living in Hollywood as a coach and it is written by the Jewish ‘King of Sitcoms’, Chuck Lorre (real name Charles Levine) who created among other shows Two and A Half Men and The Big Bang Theory, which is hopeful.

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DAN THE PLAYMOBIL MAN How do you better playing a wizard with an invisibility cloak? By stepping into a very different sort of imaginative universe, namely Playmobil, which is the latest children’s toy to be given the cinematic treatment. In this, Daniel Radcliffe is voicing a dashing and charismatic secret agent called Rex Dasher, which is a moniker JK Rowling herself could have devised.

HERE COMES THE JUDGE She was a trailblazer in the struggle for equal rights for women and men as the film, On The Basis of Sex will reveal about Jewish US Supreme Court judge Ruth Bader Ginsburg when it is released in January. Natalie Portman was due to play the esteemed judge but, after a fouryear delay, British actress Felicity Jones got the role. A documentary, RBG, has also been released, so check listings for verdict.

Gal Gadot

Hedy Lamarr

WHAT A GAL Set to return as one of Marvel’s mightiest females in the oddly titled Wonder Woman 1984, Israeli actress Gal Gadot is also playing the Austrian Jewish actress Hedy Lamarr in a TV series. Lamarr, who played Delilah to Victor Mature’s Samson, was widely regarded as one of the most beautiful women in the world – which won’t be a stretch for Gadot.

THE POWER OF BABS Print may be out of fashion, but you can’t beat a collectible magazine cover. Barbra Streisand on the cover of New York magazine is a case in point, and the women empowerment issue has her standing beside Naomi Wadler, an 11-year-old Ethiopian Jewish activist who spoke at the March for Our Lives in Washington after the Parkland school shootings. Bab’s new album, Walls is out this month.

RACE TO REMEMBER Narrated by Jason Isaacs, Back to Berlin is a Holocaust Jason Isaacs documentary with a difference. In 2015, 11 motorcyclists across nine countries undertook a mission to take the Maccabiah torch from Israel to Olympiastadion, site of the infamous 1936 Berlin Olympics, for the first Jewish Olympic Games on German soil since the Second World War. In the film by Catherine Lurie (released on 23 November), they retrace the heroic journeys of the original 1930s Maccabiah riders and discover how they or their families survived or perished in the Holocaust.

REEL DOG A German Shepherd called Kaleb is about to become the star of a Holocaust film based on The Jewish Dog, an award-winning bestselling Israeli novel by Asher Kravitz.

In the film, released next May, Kaleb is separated from his Jewish family when the Nuremberg Laws are enacted in Second World War Berlin, and is adopted by an SS officer. Tissues, not popcorn, are advised.

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Hollywood Brigit Grant revels in the highs and lows of a super agent

tales

Michael Ovitz

M

ichael Ovitz was nine when he discovered cinema. The back lot for RKO Pictures was a few streets from his family home in Encino, Los Angeles, and he sneaked through a hole in the fence and discovered another world of fake-fronted buildings, cowboys in old western towns and spacemen.

It was a world he eventually came to rule as the biggest agent in Hollywood. There are scarcely enough superlatives to describe the influence of a man who represented Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, Tom Cruise, Dustin Hoffman, Robert Redford, Paul Newman, Robin Williams, Sylvester Stallone, Martin Scorsese and Steven Spielberg – and put them together to create such classics as Jurassic Park, Rain Man, Schindler’s List, Good Morning, Vietnam, Tootsie, Goodfellas and Out of Africa.

“My parents desperately wanted me to be a doctor (don’t all Jewish parents?),” says Michael, but their dream died when, as a high school student, he took out a subscription for Variety.

Medicine’s loss was every leading movie star’s gain and, as the co-founder in 1975 of Creative Artists Agency, he reinvented the role of the agent; describing his conduct during contract

A friend to the stars: (top) with Barbra Streisand and (above) karting with Paul Newman

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An Extract fromWho is Michael Ovitz? about Martin Scorsese almost directing Schindler’s List

‘

negotiations as being a “Machiavellian master of the dark arts” – so imagine how his opponents described him.

It is tempting to reveal too much of his new memoir, Who is Michael Ovitz?, as his candid recollections contain such surprises as “talking Michael Jackson out of playing James Bond” and being the first to hear the writer Michael Crichton say: “I’ve had this idea about three scientists who get trapped in an amusement park where they are cloning dinosaurs.” This is enthralling stuff for any film fan who can’t resist revelling in the unbridled ambition of an agent during the golden age of commercial cinema when people bought tickets every weekend and ‘streaming’ was what your nose did during a cold. With Michael himself an investor in Silicon Valley, a film of his life would make interesting viewing. Who would play Michael is anyone’s guess, but it certainly won’t be made by Disney with whom he had a disastrous relationship after he was hired then fired by CEO Michael Eisner. It will be a movie about Oscar wins and holidays with starry clients in Venice and Aspen – and driving round a race-track with that nice Jewish boy Paul Newman.

Who wouldn’t want to watch that?

‘

(Top) With Dustin Hoffman at Broad Beach, Malibu and (above) with Jerry Seinfeld and Shoshanna Lonstein after he renegotiated Jerry’s Seinfeld deal

For months in 1989 I pushed Marty to commit to Cape Fear, a remake of a noirish film from 1962 about a psychopathic ex-con named Max Cady (played by Robert Mitchum) out for revenge. It was commercial, it would fulfil Marty’s deal with Universal, and I knew he’d nail it. “It’s a remake,” he kept saying. “I don’t do remakes.”

That’s what he’d said about sequels. It was an edict I knew I could work around. But there was a further problem with Cape Fear: Steven Spielberg, not Marty, controlled the rights. At the time Steven had no agent, though I was working hard to rope him in. He’d caught wind of a script that Scorsese controlled, Schindler’s List, and he couldn’t stop thinking about it. Based on Schindler’s Ark, a novel by Thomas Keneally, it told the story of a German industrialist who saved a thousandJews from the Nazi gas chambers. Steven saw Schindler’s story as the ideal vehicle for an accessible movie about a monstrously difficult subject.

It seemed to me that the wrong people were matched to the wrong projects. Steven needed a more culturally relevant film to broaden his profile: to get bigger he had to go smaller. So I did what I always did – I represented the client before I actually, technically, represented him.

“You know,” I said to Marty, “I understand why you want to do Schindler’s List. But you don’t need to do it. Steven doesn’t need another picture like Cape Fear. Why don’t the two of you swap?”

Marty was unconvinced. I tried again: “Look, you can cast Bobby in the Mitchum part and have a field day.” Working with De Niro always appealed to Marty. But it was never easy to talk him into or out of anything — he had to work his way through it. He was as deeply Catholic as Steven was deeply Jewish. Religion permeated his movies and he was eager to explore another faith. It would be wrenching for him to part with Schindler’s List.

Five or six bruising conversations later, Marty was finally ready. I called Steven and said, “Marty has a terrific take on Cape Fear. You guys should talk.” I set a call between Steven and Marty. They’d never had a business conversation, but given their shared intrepid spirit, I wasn’t surprised to hear that they had hit it off. Hesitantly, Marty joined Steven in asking me to put the switch together. Within a week they had an understanding.

Steven agreed to produce Cape Fear, with Marty directing on a generous back-end deal, and Marty passed Schindler’s List to Steven.

In the midst of this statecraft I took a call from another client.

Stanley Kubrick said, “I hear that Marty’s doing a Holocaust project.”

“That’s not quite true,” I said. “It looks like he might be trading with Spielberg.”

“Because, you know, I’ve got one, too.” Stanley had grown up during World War II in a Jewish family in New York. He’d been thinking about making a Nazi Germany picture called The Aryan Papers for years. He made so few films because he treated each one like a doctoral thesis, nailing down every detail. It had stalled on his development list, until the rumors about Schindler’s List rekindled his interest. Now he wanted me to read his first-draft screenplay and help me decide his next move.

From Who is Michael Ovitz?

by Michael Ovitz (WH Allen, £20)

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A safe place of their own A London art studio gives traumatised asylum seekers a creative outlet for their pain, its co-founder tells Alex Galbinski

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s an art psychotherapist, Tania Kaczynski has heard many truly horrifying stories from the refugees and asylum seekers she meets in her studio. One tale that has stayed with her is of a severely traumatised Afghan asylum seeker, whom she met when he was 16. He had fled the Taliban and, incredibly, had made the journey to the UK on foot – but his parents had perished along the way.

He could barely speak or make eye contact with people, and moved in with his uncle, working in his kebab shop. But, since attending the New Art Studio Tania runs with art therapist Jon Martyn, he has discovered his calling in painting.

And he isn’t the only one. “The studio provides a place of creativity and learning. Members can explore materials and express themselves through art making in a safe environment, without anyone passing judgement,” explains Tania, whose own history of displacement has informed her desire to help others.

Her father, William Kaczynski, fled Berlin in 1939 with his parents and brother. After arriving in the UK, they were interned on the Isle of Man as ‘enemy aliens’ for a year. Tania’s maternal grandparents left Poland and Portugal at the turn of the century.

“I’ve also got a story of exile and new beginnings. I live within the shadows of these movements of people due to persecution, so I can relate to the asylum seekers.”

Before the New Art Studio was established in

Top: Tania Kaczynski and Jon Martyn with some of the artwork created by members

2014, Tania had run a similar studio at Freedom From Torture, a charity helping asylum seekers and refugees, until the studio’s closure.

She joined forces with volunteer Jon, and a few of their clients followed.

After funding from The Sutasoma Trust, they moved into their current home at the Islington Arts Factory.

Some of their members – who have fled persecution in places such as Afghanistan, Iran, Russia, Ukraine, the DRC, India and China – had been artists in their home country, while others had never before picked up any art materials but had an interest in it. They might be victims of human

rights violations and political violence, sex trafficked women or those involved in feminist groups, or gay men in places it is not safe to be different.

“Nobody chooses to be an asylum seeker,” she says. “Most have been imprisoned and tortured for activities we take for granted. All live with loss of family, culture, language identity and are haunted by flashbacks, day and nightmares. They have witnessed atrocities we can barely imagine.”

Arriving at the studio is a “homecoming”, says Tania, a place of solace, creativity and solidarity.

“Art is more than a technical ability,” she says.

“It is the physical manifestation of experience and is the unifying language that surpasses, religion, language, country, gender and age. The desire to say ‘I am here’ is ever pressing for people whose lives have been in extreme danger.”

• Studio members will be artists in residence as part of Room to Breathe at the Migration Museum from mid-January 2019. They are also exhibiting at Islington Arts Factory from 26 April-3 May 2019. newartstudio.org.uk

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ADVERTISING FEATURE

GINDI TLV In their latest project in the heart of Tel Aviv, property developers and real estate agents the Gindi Group really do seem to have thought of everything! From the aesthetic, modern architectural design, to the luxury facilities offered to residents, it’s no wonder everybody is talking about Gindi TLV.

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EL AVIV, THE CITY THAT NEVER SLEEPS, has something to offer people of all ages, backgrounds and walks of life.

Thousands of eateries, from roadside stalls to restaurants, serving food inspired by different ethnicities, cater to every possible taste.

For those who love the outdoors, 14 kilometres of beaches run along the entire western side of the city, and a bustling broadwalk stretches from Jaffa Port in the south to Tel Baruch Beach in the north.

Museums, galleries, theatres and concert halls provide a wealth of cultural experiences to visitors and local residents all year round, and the city’s nightlife regularly attracts top international DJs. Today, nestled in among all this activity, lies Gindi TLV – a unique inner-city residential and lifestyle complex by the Gindi Group, one of Israel’s leading real estate brands. With a reputation for delivering innovation, stability and professional service, the Group’s projects include shopping malls, commercial centres, luxury towers and residential neighbourhoods, much of which it no doubt applied to the development of this luxury project.

The pretty much self-contained neighbourhood is built on 55000 square metres of land around Hashmonaim Street and Carlebach Street, on the site of what once was a fruit and veg market. The development is walking distance from several of the city’s hotspots, including Habima – the national theatre of Israel, the old cinematheque and Sarona market (another Gindi Group project) and other local attractions, not to mention the

Rothschild Boulevard commercial centre and the new offices opening in anticipation of the Tel Aviv light rail due to in the next few years.

Gindi TLV appeals to a diverse range of potential residents, from young professionals looking for a centrally-located rental, to families who want to be in the city without compromising on having a great apartment, to empty nesters looking to downsize.

So, what should buyers, renters or even

investors expect from Gindi TLV? Let’s begin with the living spaces themselves. Four residential towers make up the project, all in a modern urban architectural style that suggests prestige and luxury. Each building has 384 apartments (3-12 per floor), ranging in size from 50 square metres to 250 square metres. All have been well planned to maximise space, fitted out to an extremely high spec and typically offer views of the sea or city.

Outside, the complex has 15 square metres of parks; lush green lawns and shaded seating.

Residents can get a taste of the high life on the 48th floor, at Tel Aviv’s first residential rooftop experience where there is a 25-metre swimming pool, surrounded by plush seating and a bar offering all-day refreshments.

For the ultimate in wellness for body and mind, residents also have access to a four-storey, stateof-the-art sports club, which offers after-school clubs, a basketball court, three swimming pools, a fully-equipped fitness centre and a Gymboree for younger children. There’s also a deluxe spa with a whirlpool tub, hydrotherapy pool and sauna.

Lest you think it’s all about the fun, Gindi TLV also provides for the more every-day needs of its residents. For young families, ten kindergartens and an elementary school for grades 1-6, all within the complex itself, offer both a high standard of care and the ultimate in convenience – parents need simply take the lift down from their apartment and drop their kids on their way out. For those with older children, the famous Ironi Alef High School is just a short walk away.

Finally, there is the TLV Mall at the bottom of the buildings, which is already open, with a wide range of big brand name shops, restaurants, and cafes.

It’s not too late to grab yourself a slice of this ultimate city living experience. Having almost completely sold out the first two towers, Gindi is now marketing the third.

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Home is where the start-up is

The Technion Institute of Technology is Israel in a nutshell, bursting with energy, ambition and bright ideas. Richard Ferrer enrols for an afternoon

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ah da da, dah da da, dah da, da-da, dah da da da, da, da! Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to visit the Technion Israel Institute of Technology in Haifa without humming the theme tune from Mission: Impossible.

On the leafy slopes of Mount Carmel lies the Middle East’s most celebrated campus, a place that’s buzzed with brilliant ideas for more than a century. It’s where Dov Moran invented the USB memory stick, Rafi Mehoudar devised drip irrigation and Rafi Yoeli is making a flying car. It’s where Dr Gavriel Iddan launched the Pillcam, making internal exams as simple as swallowing, and Professor Hossam Haick dreamed up the SniffPhone, which detects cancer on the user’s breath. Had Technion been around during the Bronze Age, one of its boffins would have invented the wheel.

An astounding 70 percent of Israel’s high-tech industry managers are Technion graduates, responsible for creating more than 100,000 jobs and contributing countless millions to the economy.

Step into the New York City High School for the Performing Arts in the 1980s and you’d expect to see the kids from Fame dancing on canteen tables during lunch breaks. It’s much the same at Technion, with undergraduates joyfully flexing their grey matter in their downtime.

For instance, on the lawn outside the library during my visit, students were taking part in a challenge to drop a raw egg 40 metres without it breaking. Teams were judged according to number of eggs landing intact, speed, design and proximity to target.

The device that poached top prize was a UFO-like saucer made of sponges, empty water bottles and the sort of tiny parachute that comes with an Action Man. Three of its four eggs survived the fall. You can’t make an omelette without breaking eggs but you can win

a Technion challenge.

This place is Israel in a nutshell – oozing energy, ambition and aspiration. Or as Gil Lainer, the amiable of head communications, proudly calls it: “The birthplace of the start-up nation.”

Surrounded by Star Wars memorabilia in his airy, first-floor office, Gil smiles. “From the moment I saw Han Solo [being] put into carbon freeze in Empire Strikes Back, I was hooked on science and technology. From that day I knew what I wanted to do.”

Gil speaks proudly and personally about

Above: Real humans making robot dogs. Right: Images from the Art of Science exhibition on campus, celebrating the university’s innovations

his university, recalling a request from the late Shimon Peres to put the entire Bible on a nanochip as a gift for Pope Benedict. “We’ve come a long way from tablets of stone,” he says.

“Benjamin Netanyahu liked this idea so much he asked for the American constitution to be put on a nanochip as a gift for Barack Obama. It looks like a tiny grain of rice on your finger.”

Technion’s innovations are getting smaller as its campus gets larger, thanks to a recent £50million donation from The Helen Diller Family Foundation.

It’s also inspiring the Chinese, where

many of the world’s tech giants are based.

The Guangdong-Technion Israel Institute of Technology opened last year (“Guangdong is one of those small Chinese villages of six million people no one’s ever heard wof,” smiles Gil).

A Chinese businessman donated the small matter of £100million to ensure the entire campus was built in two years flat.

Alongside its 18 academic departments, Technion’s next generation of innovators are hard at work in the Drive Accelerator incubator.

The university invests up to £100,000 in promising start-ups and gives them nine months to fly or flop. Out of last year’s intake of 15, nine have succeeded in getting off the ground.

Among this year’s group is a shopping website called Pikwise, launched by Nathan Weinberger, who grew up in Stamford Hill. “I’m that annoying friend with a crazy idea he won’t shut up about,” the 29-year-old smiles. His big idea gives consumers the freedom to find products in their own words. Using his unique “natural language processor”, Nathan’s website finds product that fits a shopper’s exact needs and price range.

He elaborates: “If you want to buy anything from toothpaste to a new iPhone, there is Amazon one side and Google on the other and the results of every search are pretty standard.

We’re trying to get in the middle, delivering results that are perfect for specific needs.”

He adds: “Start-ups cannot compete with the big guys when it comes to PR and marketing, so Technion’s brand and brains are a big help. It validates what we do and helps us get a foot in the door. Last week we met with Walmart.”

My departure from the Drive Accelerator is delayed by a dodgy sensor, causing the electric doors to open and shut randomly like wonky windscreen wipers. I time my escape to avoid being wiped, as a student shuffles past me tutting under his breath: “Infrared triangulation would fix that.”

Like I said. Dah da da, dah da da…

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ON THE CHINN

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RUTH CAN INDEED BE STRANGER THAN FICTION – and provide the basis for the most sensational documentaries – as Simon Chinn well knows.

The award-winning producer has thrilled the box office with a string of hit documentaries in recent years, including Man on Wire and Searching for Sugar Man, which earned him two Oscars, plenty of kudos and no doubt nachas for his family.

There were perhaps few better qualified to help decide this year’s special jury prize winner at Sundance, with Chinn happily voting for Three Identical Strangers.

Chosen for the UK Jewish Film Festival’s Centrepiece Gala the documentary explores the inconceivable story of Jewish triplets separated at birth and adopted into three socially diverse families, as part of an undisclosed scientific study on ‘nature versus nurture’.

Chinn, the son of philanthropist Sir Trevor and Susan Chinn, tells me he recognised something “extraordinary” about director Tim Wardle’s debut feature film.

The 48-year-old, who lives in north London with his wife Lara and their three children, enthuses: “It’s just one of those crazy stories you couldn’t make up. You couldn’t write in fiction, because no one would believe it.

“The best documentaries are the ones that keep surprising you and this one surprises more than most – perhaps even the most twists in any documentary ever.”

Yet to be released in the UK, Three Identical Strangers has already grossed $12million. Chinn’s 2008 award-winning debut feature film, Man On Wire, achieved the same figure, but globally. It’s all part of what Chinn describes as a continuing “feature doc boom”.

“We had a doc out this year about Whitney Houston, which did $3m in the US,” says Chinn. “That’s a respectable figure, but somehow this year it’s nothing to write home about! It’s been slowly gathering pace over the past decade and platforms like Netflix now provide an amazing showcase for documentaries.”

The formula for a successful documentary is, in Chinn’s own words, “very unscientific”, but generally boils down to “a combination of the market, what resonates with people – and following your gut”. Of all the films he has produced, which

Francine Wolfisz speaks to the Oscar-winning producer about the ‘feature doc boom’, what makes a box office hit and Harvey Weinstein

includes The Green Prince (2014), the enthralling story of a Hamas leader’s son who worked undercover for Mossad, Chinn found My Scientology Movie one of his most challenging. Featuring broadcaster Louis Theroux, who has known Chinn since their school days, the quirky documentary proved harder to sell distributors than first anticipated. He jokes that he had to “twist the distributor’s arm” before the film was finally released.

Chinn explains: “It did £1.1m at the box office at the UK based on a very limited spend, so that was incredibly gratifying after such a tough journey. Sometimes it’s nice to be proved right.”

Then there are titles that just seem to sell themselves. His film about Harvey Weinstein has only just reached the cutting room, but has already been “presold to 20 theatrical buyers”.

Chinn – who once met the disgraced Hollywood mogul – can’t go too much into detail, but says he feels “very confident” about the end product.

“It’s very much under wraps. All I can say is we’ve interviewed a lot of people and have extensive testimony. We are telling the story of Weinstein in the pre-Me Too era and hope to ask really huge questions about where we are now and what’s changed.”

UKJF screening of Three Identical Strangers is at the Regent Street Cinema, London , Saturday, 17 November, 8.30pm and on general release from 30 November.

FROM TOP: Three Identical Strangers; Searching For Sugar Man; The Green Prince; and left, Chinn receiving his first Oscar for Man On Wire

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MY ‘JOURNEY’ Journalist and author Rod Liddle has spent a chunk of this year and last defending Israel to a rabid crowd on social media. He also delivered a blistering attack against Labour on the BBC’s Question Time. This is why…….

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all it a ‘personal journey’, if you like. That’s what the dimbo TV documentary producers like to call it. Rod has been on a personal journey, and now he is woke, praise the Lord. Oh, I’m woke all right. Woke to the new antisemitism – which isn’t, when you poke and pry at it a little – terribly different from the old antisemitism.

I remember 15 years back a report coming out which showed that there had been a steep rise in antisemitic attacks and graffiti in London.

The weird thing was, I thought at the time, the producers of the report (it was somehow attached to the Greater London Council) played this headline down. Usually anti-racist organisations scream blue murder at any rise in racism. Not this time.

One bloke, involved in the report, was insistent that the antisemitic thing was not really important.

That was a man called Lee Jasper. I knew of him as being part of the truly mentalist Labour far left.

But still, why would he want to play down the shocking findings from his own organisation? More importantly, why do others on the far left play it down now?

Yes, I was slow to realise – you guys were on to this long before me. This new rise in antisemitism, which I had thought long dead, was not shavenheaded white imbeciles from the far right. It was Muslims, a large chunk of it. The giveaway was the graffiti the report didn’t show: “Allah U Akbar!” The National Front rarely paint that on walls. Suddenly I grasped that the British far left didn’t want people to know about antisemitism because it pointed

the finger at people they really, really liked. From that moment on, it all fell into place.

Fast forward 13 years and I was kicked out of the Labour Party, of which I’d been a member for 40 years, for having attempted to explain the party’s strange affection for antisemitism. It was the consequence, I reckoned, of the growing number of Muslim activists and councillors within Labour (four had just been suspended for making antisemitic statements) and the infantile supposedly liberal far left whose unconditional support for “Palestine” (to the exclusion of every other supposedly persecuted minority in the world) was an even more potent symbol of their status than shopping at Waitrose and eating quinoa. These latter group loathe Israel as much as they loathe the capitalism which has given them their comfortable existences.

I was at first inclined to believe that this was a different kind of antisemitism from that of Hitler and the Nazis. These left liberals had kind of acquired antisemitism, I thought, as they mixed with the fervid, screeching rabble on demos and in their interminable bloody meetings. It is vile, obviously, but not as deranged as the Nazis, surely, I thought. But my journey was not over.

Time and again the same tropes emerged, the same sort of stuff that Streicher and Goebbels would have commended – and uttered. You can’t tell the truth about Palestine because Jews control the media. They run the government.

And Jews, don’t forget, were the architects of

capitalism. And from that a whole bunch of other stuff emerged: the old blood libel business (a favourite of the repulsive Jenny Tonge), the Facebook posts from Labour lefties asking: what have Jews ever done for the world?; or demanding that Israel be demolished and maybe set up in the USA; Ken Livingstone suggesting that Hitler was a Zionist, the only point of such a ludicrous statement being to equate Zionism with Nazism. Nice, avuncular, Jeremy Corbyn, with his peace badges, happily laying a wreath at the graves of Palestinian terrorists who murdered innocent Jewish athletes, oh, and much much more. The bigotry spewed out every day, on the hour. It is the same antisemitism, exactly the same: the obsession with Israel to the exclusion of everything else, the conspiracy theory paranoias, the derangement. It took me a few years to realise it and I guess you lot knew it all along. So, forgive me. It’s just that it was something that seemed hard to believe – in my caring, Socialist, party.

But don’t forgive them. Here’s the test – if you cannot see the flagrant racism in the BDS movement, and if you are obsessed with the perfidy of the Middle East’s only democracy to the exclusion of all else, you are an antisemite.

That means a good proportion of the Labour Party, including the leader, and almost all of Momentum: no brown shirts, no marching bands, but the same old filth, dressed in the clothes of a polytechnic geography lecturer.

The Labour conference: ‘Time and again, the tropes emerged’

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30/10/2018 18:12

Our four Rehabilitation Centres in Israel care for the complex physical and emotional needs of the 51,000 wounded IDF veterans for the rest of their lives.

A blend of exceptional rehabilitative treatments are offered alongside specialised sport options, educational programmes and creative therapies.

As Israel continues to defend itself and the number of wounded veterans continues to grow, the funding needs of the centres increase.

To donate, go to: www.bhuk.org/donate

Beit Halochem UK

CEO: Spencer Gelding UK registered charity no: 1146950 T: +44 (0) 20 8458 2455 E: info@bhuk.org W: www.bhuk.org

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an

unsolvable riddle After a decade of trying to explain Jewish achievement, John Curtin says education and risk-taking are only parts of the answer, writes Brigit Grant

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on’t be fooled by the title. Why The Jews? may sound like a film fuelled by kvetching and shoulder-shrugging, when it is an unrepentant documentary about our achievements. Disproportionate achievements some would say, considering that Jews represent 0.2 percent of the world’s population yet make up 22 percent of Nobel prizewinners, 33 percent of Oscar-winning directors and 40 percent of chess champions.

John Curtin, who has also directed four documentaries about the royal family, peppers his absorbing and beautifully shot film with other statistics – “53 percent of the recipients of the Pulitzer Prize for General Nonfiction”- but it’s casual, like the visual roll call of Jewish achievers – cue Proust, Freud, Einstein – that draws you in at the start.

Daring to ask the question in the first place and spend a decade seeking answers is Curtin’s achievement and he welcomes talking about the film.

“The question – why the Jews? when it comes to achievement remains a giant elephant in the room that everyone kind of notices, but no one really wants to talk about it,” says Curtin, who feels Jewish but was raised a Catholic. “My father was a Holocaust survivor and possibly one of the

From top: John Curtin with the late Shimon Peres, the US lawyer Alan Dershowitz with the psychologist Dr Ruth Westheimer

last Jews to leave Vienna in 1939. Though I don’t technically qualify there was Jewish ancestry on my mother’s side as well, and both Toronto where I went to school and university, and Montreal, where I’ve lived for the past 30 years, have large Jewish communities.”

Education and risktaking are credited as factors in Jewish achievement by none other than the psychologist Dr Ruth Westheimer in the film, who says: “Out of necessity we have had to think differently to survive. My family died in the concentration camps and I grew up feeling I had an obligation to make something out of myself.”

Many others offering interesting and authoritative insight including the late Shimon Peres, a Nobel Peace Prize recipient in 1994, and American lawyer Alan Dershowitz, who believes that “Jewish accomplishment is the other side of the coin, of why so many people have historically hated the Jews”.

Curtin tells me in conclusion that he knew from the beginning that there would be no definitive answer to the question.

“It’s an enormously complex, not to say baffling, phenomenon. But that’s what makes it so interesting! Elevated intelligence is definitely a key component to Jewish success.

But perhaps more importantly it’s their talent for thinking differently, questioning everything and showing little deference for the status quo.”

• John Curtin will be joining journalist Julie Burchill and comedian David Schneider for a discussion following the UK Jewish Film Festival screening of Why The Jews? at JW3 on 14 November. See ukjewishfilm.org JN Life jewishnews.co.uk

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01/11/2018 11:44

50 things fatherhood h Being a parent is like running a hotel for rock stars intent on wrecking the place. Here’s 50 things Richard Ferrer has learned in the past five years since he and his wife Jenny booked their own little Courtney Love and Keith Richards in for 18 years of full bed and board

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

Kids aren’t the worst bosses, they’re just a bit erratic. You never really know where you stand.

Even in a world of make believe, the shop runs out of carrots. (That’s Brexit for you).

The basis for every magic trick is: “Close your eyes.”

One minute you’re asleep, the next you’re in a mariachi band.

If you lie down, someone will bounce on you.

Five words to strike fear when you’ve just cleaned the kitchen: “And now we mix it!”

There’s clear correlation between playing nicely, eating cupcakes and it all kicking off.

One should serve minicereal boxes like fine wine. “Would sir like to sample the bear one?”

Toddlers prefer holding cheese to eating it.

10

You can never think enough about wet floors.

11 12 13 14 15

Every now and then you’ll learn something. Did you know monkeys eat bananas with the skin on?

Don’t give a three-year-old jelly on the day they learn to clap.

Everyone’s liberal until it comes to their daughter’s hair.

Precisely explain the difference between a lie in and a lion.

Play time involves getting things out, showing them to an adult, then chucking them on the floor like a clueless removal man.

16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27

Playing I Spy with a three-year-old the answer tends to be ‘Car’, even something beginning with B. Peppa Pig’s Miss Gazelle is clearly on the take.

That school roof always needs fixing.

You’ll spend all weekend looking for the other shoe.

If you’re hiding and nobody is looking for you, you’re squatting.

Twentysomethings have a weed guy.

Parents have a balloon guy.

Three-year-olds only break off from tantrums to give instructions.

They say please and thank you to Siri and Alexa, not mum and dad.

The grammatically correct spelling of bum is “bumbum”.

Other parents: don’t write your child’s name so prominently on Wellington boots. It’s embarrassing when my child rewears them.

Monday morning is the new Friday night.

Real cars/trains/planes can talk.

TV is the third and most popular parent.

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A dental appointment is a chance for a nice lie down.

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Dolls and cuddly toys are like recast Neighbours characters. Lose baby Anna at London Zoo and she’ll turn up the next day as a zebra.

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Mini Milk is a gateway to full-on Haagen Dazs.

Three-year-olds rewrite history like David Irving. I didn’t want that cutlass. I wanted a different cutlass!

The meanest thing you can say to a two-year-old: “You don’t like ice cream.”

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44 Three-year-old boys are world class mansplainers.

If you cook food that looks like an animal, cut it humanely.

Three-year-olds don’t realise it’s more tiring to wave your elbows around when running.

45 46

A two-year-old’s first encounter with mortality is a melting snowman.

Save the dates in the parents’ What’sApp group get rapidly out of hand. I’ve sent one for daughter’s 21st birthday party in 2035.

Kids magazines with free toys and Playboy have one thing in common – nobody reads the articles.

Row, Row, Row Your Boat should come with a health and safety warning.

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X is for Excellent.

48 49

Want kids to brush their teeth? Show them a picture of Shane McGowan.

Thank heaven for the healing power of stickers.

50

You spend all day wishing they were asleep and all night gazing at pictures of them.

They call it a “cup of chino”. Which makes perfect sense.

Do not, under any circumstances, invite Demetrius to your three-yearold’s birthday party. He’ll eat all the cake and be sick on the cat.

Nothing’s lovelier than being in the middle of three people holding hands.

Hearing “I don’t love daddy any more” during a mandatory hair wash hurts, but there’s consolation in the words “any” and “more”. He loved me once.

However high-end your holiday, you’re never more than a second away from a stinky nappy.

Laminating a list makes it God’s law.

The first rule of soft play – always go on and on and on about wanting to go to soft play.

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+972-77-9965806 30/10/2018 20:30

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SLICKERS Get the London look!

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Right Black military jacket, £68 Belted red trousers, £40 All River Island

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Right Coat with fur collar, £95 Checked Trousers, £42 All River Island Far right Plaid skirt, £35 Jumper with fur, £50 White boots, £55 All River Island

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Right Large check coat, £349 Checked trousers, £110 Checked jacket, £189 White ankle boots, £189 All Hobbs Far right Black trouser suit, £65 River Island

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FASHION EXTRAS

Luxe pom beanie, £19 Accessorize

Green roll neck, £17.50 Marks and Spencer

Jumper, £39.50 Marks and Spencer Jacket, £85 River Island

Khaki military coat, £95 Wallis Embellished top, £50 Wallis

Autograph shoe, £65 Marks and Spencer

Leopard bucket bag, £30 Accessorize

Sequin skirt, £65 River Island

Handbag, £38 River Island

Boot, £299 Hobbs

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31/10/2018 10:31

Suits £85 each or two for £150 Sports Jackets and Blazers all HALF price Warm winter knitwear £25 each or two for £40 (normally £75 each) Overcoat bargains from £69.50 Huge selection of warm winter casual jackets from £29.50 Raincoats from £49.50 Big size men no probem, up to 60 inch chest and 21 inch collar shirts

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30/10/2018 20:35

Simply

MARVELLOUS Brigit Grant welcomes back Mrs Maisel, the Jewish housewife and stand-up we all want to be – and gets dressed to party like it’s 1959

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Show creator Amy ShermanPalladino

race yourself. Miriam ‘Midge’ Maisel, the wise-cracking Jewish divorcée from New York’s Upper West side is coming back.

That’s right, the Fifties housewife turned standup who wowed us with her wit, resilience and brisket in season one will be lighting up small screens from 5 December, with season two of the multi-award winning The Marvellous Mrs Maisel Maisel.

Think of it as a Chanukah miracle.

Maisel Amazon Prime gave us Before Mrs Maisel, gems such as Jill Soloway’s Transparent and Frank Spotnitz’s The Man in The High Castle while shipping out next-day deliveries of hamster wheels and glue guns. To be used separately. But this heady mix of urgent shopping and original drama hit new highs when the Prime bosses brainstormed with the writer Amy ShermanPalladino, of Gilmour Girls fame, and out popped Mrs Maisel like a freshly-baked golden challah.

Citing Mel Brooks and Carl Reiner’s 2,000-year-old man as a primary influence, Amy Sherman-Palladino knows comedy – and having a stand-up comic for a father didn’t hurt either.

As she told Vanity Fair: “I grew up with a bunch of Jews sitting around trying to make each other laugh” and hanging with them provided the fizz for her star – the privileged, perfectionist Midge Maisel (played by Rachel Brosnahan)

– who, after being unceremoniously dumped by husband Joel (Michael Zegen) on erev Yom Kippur, accidentally becomes the comedian he longs to be.

While the family in Channel 4’s Friday Night Dinner struggle to say “kneidel”, Mrs M is unashamedly doused in yiddishkeit with “shiksa” and “schpilkes” used liberally in a script that may have confused non-Jewish cast members.

Brosnahan wasn’t among the confused. Playing the very Jewish Midge was a piece of plava cake for the actress, who grew up on the north shore of Chicago and had many Jewish friends. “I’ve been to about 150 bar and batmitzvahs and so this felt familiar to me in a lovely way,” she told Variety. “I have so much love and admiration for the community, the culture and love that the show is unabashedly Jewish.” And so do we!

Although events in the upcoming season have been kept under wraps, Midge and her family were spotted in Paris (for the opening episode), as well as in the Catskills, which was a rite of passage for any Jewish comic in the 1950s and will be for Midge. She was also spotted in a bathing suit, which signals a beauty pageant and, although she has yet to divorce, a handsome doctor (Zachary Levi, pictured right) is circling – which will please her parents. She has also swapped the make-up counter for the switchboard at the B Altman & Co department store, though we don’t know why. But we will soon.

Whatever her fate – be it phone or microphone – Midge will meet it well-dressed. The costume >>

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T-Bar shoes, £39.95, Joe Brown

Susie’s bakerboy hat, £18, Accessorize

Bag, £26.99, Dancing Days

Cloche Hat, £21.95, Joe Brown

Shoe with bow, £29.99, Dancing Days

Yellow bird dress, £44.95 Joe Brown

Pink vintage coat, £107, Joe Brown

Blouse, £30, Miss Selfridge

Peacock Cardigan, £44.95, Joe Brown

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>> designer

Donna Zakowska, who honed her skills on Woody Allen films, prepped her for turning Mrs Maisel into a style icon drawn from the pages of European Vogue and the images of Jewish photographer Saul Leiter.

Zakowska’s vibrant drawings for the show (pictured right) illustrate how the mistress of modest dressing and colour-blocking was destined to shine and Midge’s 1958’s wardrobe – notably the signature pink coat – is as wearable now as it was then and available from brands Joe Browns and Hearts & Roses. Season one ended with Midge wowing the Gaslight crowd in a little black dress.

Expect more LBDs, coats and brisket in Pyrex in Season 2.

Welcome back Mrs Maisel.

Brooch, £14.95 Joe Brown Little black dress, £85 Lipsy

Coat, £59.99, Hearts and Roses

Velvet gloves, £14.95, Joe Browns

Notebook, £11.24, redbubble.com

Mrs Maisel vintage soul bead, £11.89

“Me, personally, I was never great at gift-giving.

Maybe it’s because I never got to celebrate Christmas. I got Chanukah. It doesn’t prepare you the same way. For Christmas, a gentile would get a bike as a reminder that their parents love them. For Chanukah, we would get socks as a reminder that we were persecuted.”

Music Playlist

Teach Me Tonight

by Paul Anka It’s A Good Day

by Peggy Lee Who’s Sorry Now

by Connie Francis Sixteen Tons

by Tennessee Ernie Ford

You Belong To Me

by Jo Stafford

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31/10/2018 12:18

Naomi Frankel reveals her favourite frum trendsetters “Are you really Jewish?” she asks me quizzically, voice slightly muffled through the mask tight over her mouth.

I’m sitting in a nail salon in Stamford Hill getting a pre-Shabbat manicure. As the Jewish population here is mostly Charedi/Chasidic, her question isn’t a surprise as I’ve had it before. “I only see Jewish ladies wear black colour,” says the manicurist. “How you so fashionable?”

Determined to stamp out these stereotypes, I show her some of the achingly trendy Orthodox fashion bloggers I follow on Instagram and the nail technician is fascinated.

Muslim bloggers have grown in popularity, with many amassing huge fanbases on social media such as Huda Kattan (24.9 million Instagram followers) and Halima Aden, a Somali Muslim, who was the first pageant queen to wear a burkini and hijab. proving modesty and beauty can go hand-in-hand.

On a smaller, but equally powerful global scale are a handful of Orthodox Jewish women who’ve broken into the secular world of fashion and beauty blogging.

MEET THE

MODESTY BLAZERS ADI HEYMAN 3,645 posts, 48.3k followers, 637 following Instagram: @adiheyman This 33-year-old blonde bombshell (above) was voted Most Stylish New Yorker 2015 on StyleCaster, a premier online style destination for today’s millennial woman. Heyman is the founder of Fabologie, a Jewish lifestyle website that combines chic Jewish living with high fashion.

An eclectic and effortless style inspiration to her thousands of followers, modesty is everything to Adi, seen in her popular Instagram account that carries the slogan #CheersToModestFashion. It celebrates her vow to stick to her modest agenda, which, in her own words has become a “fun challenge to synthesise individual aesthetic with prevailing trends”. Her posts display a love for layering unique pieces, working with a vintage or multicultural, even masculine, vibe. Adi proclaims: “If it’s not interesting, I’m not interested.”

Adi Heyman JN LIFE jewishnews.co.uk

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Mimumaxi TheFrockNYC MIMU MAXI 3,148 posts, 44.2k followers, 1,665 following.

Instagram/Facebook: @mimumaxi Website: www.mimumaxi.com These savvy sisters-in-law from Brooklyn, Mimi and Mushky are definitely the most colourful M&Ms I’ve seen. From grunge to glam, their style is versatile and unique. These ladies think nothing of wearing ripped jeans under skirts and dresses, and damn do they pull it off. On a recent Instagram post, Mushky poses in a simple yet stylish grey dress, paired with an oversized men’s check shirt and light trousers. It’s captioned: “Earlier today. Kurt Cobain meets Mushky meets I DONT CARE ABOUT YOUR FASHION RULES” #mimudriftdress A trawl through the minimalist, sleek website showcases the ‘beautiful fabrics and inventive shapes” they are so proud of, which “offer the best combination of ease, comfort, and impact” and are moderately priced.

Fashionnestaa_ aka Esther ( Juanita) Hyams, 488 posts, 8,421 followers, 1,084 following Instagram: @fashionnestaa_ The more religious that Iranian-born Esther ( Juanita) Hyams became, the more she “understood the beauty of modesty” and “wanted to encourage people going on the same journey” as her through her fashion. Esther, 26, has a following in its thousands and a flick through her Insta highlights her fun and unique personality, showcased through the quirky, hip outfits she wears and the inspirational content accompanying her posts. Esther’s best ‘inspar (or insta) ational’ life tip? “Don’t let go of your dreams because of the fear to come out of your comfort zone.

Get out of your comfort zone and see what you’re capable of!”

TheFrockNYC 3,337 posts, 39.2k followers, 1,751 following Instagram/Facebook: @thefrocknyc Website: thefrocknyc.com It seems the best fashion is indeed in the family.

Sisters Chaya and Simi are the design duo behind The Frock NYC, a brand that has been featured in magazines such as Vogue many times, along with Elle and Vanity Fair.

Born and raised in Australia, the pair share a unique fashion sense influenced by the easygoing surf culture of the beaches of Sydney, and their upbringing in an Orthodox Jewish home.

The Frock NYC

Fashionnestaa_

RedFlamingoUK 1,523 posts, 8,015 followers, 1,722 following Instagram: @redflamingouk Website: www.redflamingouk.com It seems Jewish talent is definitely a double act, as yet another pair of up-and-coming “fashionsistas” prove. RedFlamingoUK, dreamt up by Mushky Brook, 25 and Malki Herzog, 23, is quickly developing a cult following in London. A passion to dress women modestly while still being fashionable turned a hobby into a business.

Sticking to their English roots and inspired by the likes of Victoria Beckham and the Royals, RedFlamingoUK’s determination to deliver “dresses taking you from day to night” is most definitely demonstrated in their dress collection, which dazzles in an array of jewel colours.

“Recently we attended London Fashion Week and the amount of modest clothing was overwhelming,” notes Mushky. “Being Orthodox in this industry is not a hindrance but a positive element. When we work with secular bloggers, they often love to discuss how different cultures are brought together by fashion.”

Although inspired by royalty, RedFlamingoUK’s prices are fairly reasonable and their top picks for wedding wear this season are in their recent collection of dresses in bold oranges, pinks and blues.

Charlene Aminoff (@charleneaminoff ), a self-proclaimed “wife, mommy, CEO & founder of Gali’s Couture Wigs (@galiscouturewigs)”. With a following of 32.9k, and JLO as one of her wig-loving clients, Charlene takes her fashion inspiration from the

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Fashionnestaa_

RedFlamingoUK

famous: Melania Trump and Kate, Duchess of Cambridge. This sophisticated, frum fashionista is definitely one to keep your eye on.

SHIREL AVRAHAMI (@shirelavrahami) A striking Israeli, Shirel is a fashion blogger extraordinaire, boasting a following of 26.4k. She is also owner of an online fashion shop for modest dresses, with an exclusive pregnancy line, www.shirelavrahami.com, and is often pictured alongside Muslim women wearing her designs.

HOUSE OF LANCRY (@houseoflancry) A “celebration of clothing and lifestyle” has the Vogue stamp of approval as well as that of Net-APorter. Each piece in the Lancry collection is cut “to look beautiful from all angles, flatter and feel comfortable”, according to founder and designer Chana Lancry Sufrin. Various pop-up shops in London, Brooklyn and Antwerp prove extremely popular with her 13.7k followers. www.houseoflancry.com

Gali’s Couture Wigs

House Of Lancry

Shirel Avrahami

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Dr. Perricone never stops striving to improve his skin creams. His commitment to healthy ageing and beautiful skin has raised the bar for what we’ve come to expect from traditional skincare and his Cold Plasma Sub D (£55) deals with double chins and sagging jawlines, while the Neuropeptide Nécolletage (£128) sorts out the horrid criss cross lines along the neck and chest. I also love his No Mascara Mascara (£25) but I’m his target audience – a baby boomer – and ahead of a rebrand in January he has put out a range containing the antioxidant Acyl-Glutathione and a Vitamin F blend which smooths, firms and tones all skin, particularly the dry kind.

Within the range there is an Eyelid Lift Serum (£89) which is a savior for lined lids which are so ageing. www.perriconemd.co.uk

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Eyes and teeth are all that matter on the simcha snaps, but you can always keep your mouth closed and show-off your peepers. Products that will help include Valmont Stress Relieving Eye Mask which smooths, decongests, fades dark circles and plumps up the area. There are five in a pack (£112). lookfantastic, Harrods and www. valmontcostmetics.co.uk

LIFE IS

BEAUTIFUL And you can be too with the right creams and treatments, says Brigit Grant

In a magazine called Life, we can’t leave out beauty. After all, looking good – or attempting to – is what we aim for as we trundle through it. Eventually it becomes about maintenance and enhancement as we all want to appear our best – never more so than at a family party. It’s those big events that get even the most natural beauties reaching for astringent and men who never worry about a thinning crown craving cover. Here are the products that will get you through big days and every day with

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I only started using Embryolisse Smoothing Eye Contour Care Cream (£24.99 at Boots) this summer and then couldn’t stop.

It did things to my crinkly eyelids which must be down to the hyaluronic acid that made it indispensable.

regular use and a bit of exercise at the Laboratory.

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A special addition to the enhancement list is Advanced Revitalash which no grown woman should be without if she wants her real lashes to grow. You must be religious about using it and you will see the difference. Megan Markle is a fan and her voluminous hair suggests she may be using Revitalash Thickening Shampoo(£34) and Conditioner(£38) which make it fuller and thicker with the extraordinary Hair Volume Enhancing Foam (£160) using the same science BioPeptin Complexâ as the RevitaLash Advanced Eyelash Conditioner. www.revitalash.co.uk

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Want lashes and lip colour to last longer than the reception? Then try something more permanent with expert and an artist Kim Balaskas who offers the au naturel effect, reviving fading brows without going over the top. www.kimbalaskas.com/ 07894 828084

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Ahead of Rosh Hashanah we went searching for honey and apple potions and they just kept coming, which is no bad thing as some are perfect for brides who need results in a hurry. Like Ella Jane’s Renew the world’s first face wipe to include bee venom, which reduces fine lines,smooths skin and the apple pectin removes dead cells. The wipes also contains organic Neroli oils which plumps and Orange Blossom which hydrates. They are brilliantly effective on their own but with warm water they go deeper cleanse and shift waterproof mascara which is useful the morning after a ‘do’. (£10.90 www.heavenskincare.com)

THE BEST IN BEAUTY Much like your favourite shop on the high street, when you discover www.healthandbeauty. com you will keep popping back.

A key reason for visiting the site is because is that it has the largest range of luxury dead sea cosmetics including the body scrubs you buy in bulk when you go to Israel. There are face wipes enriched with minerals and aloe vera, restorative oils and masks for hair and well assembled gift packs of the kind you can’t pull together yourself. The company will be at The Big Event on November 11 so be sure to come with a shopping list. healthandbeautyuk.com or call 020-39129856

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Keeping to the bee theme, Heaven Skincare also do the Bee Peel which is the talk of the beauty web. This is the ‘must-do’ before a big event because the combination of ABEETOXIN®, organic coconut and raw cane sugar evens out skin tone, minimises scars , dark spots and enlarged pores, so it’s particularly good after sun exposure and too much tan lotion. Some call it ‘the facelift in a jar’ as it helps boost collagen production. BeePeel is a keeper. (£109.00 www.heavenskincare.com)

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A tan always helps, but a gentle build-up is the most realistic and the Friends episode when Ross gets a spray tan is a warning.

There are always new more efficient brands and my current favourite is Norvell Vivid Boost Tan Extender (£29.99 ) as its scent is lovely and it brightens an existing tan, gradually building colour if you use it with their colour spray. Norvell even do a Strictly Come Dancing range. www.norvelltanning.com

I also recommend Vitage’s Illuminating Tanning Drops (£39) because they can be used with moisturiser and I put one or two drops across my nose and cheeks to create a ‘just back from hols’ glow. They’ll be asking “where have you been?” weeks after the honeymoon. www.vitage.co.uk

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To create the illusion of thicker hair and fill in the gaps, men’s celebrity hairdresser of the Year Jamie Stevens has come up with products that contain SYSTEM-PPX hair thickening complex to strengthen both the hair and the scalp matrix, meaning the scalp can hold onto hair for longer. He also has Mr Hair Fibre and Applicator which sprinkles said fibres in a matching on balding areas. Women can use it too, but for a male endorsement just ask his clients Leonardo di Caprio, Hugh Grant and Olly Murs. (£18 at Boots or www.mrjamesstevens.com)

Can’t do it alone?

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Roja Dove, a Master Perfumer, says wearing your signature scent on the day you wed is a no no. “The perfume a bride chooses needs to be a completely new discovery – with no relation to any memory or feeling that has gone before.’ His own Roja Parfums are sold at The Wedding Gallery, the world’s first permanent wedding retail destination at One Marylebone, but there are others to suit the purpose. Ghost Dream (£27) is a mix of natural rose, Moroccan Orange Flower andJasmine for edgy brides, Bouquet Ideale by Casamorati is part of the luxury Italian Perfume House Xerjoff and uses essence from Grasse and Italy with prices starting at £135 and reaching £30,000.

The powdery cashmere vanilla and cinnamon with a touch of labdanum amber will intoxicate your new spouse. Seksy Elegance sums up the floral bouquet of bergamot, mandarin and champacca leaves with a heart of jasmine, sweet pea, violet and sugared orchid will scent you down the aisle (£35 from Next Stores).

WITH THE BIG DAY (or night) growing ever closer take the fast track to

AHEAD OF A FUNCTION (and honeymoon) there are also non-

Southgate or Harley St for a Ceteum SCR Gold Collagen Rejuvenation

surgical treatments that can sort out your body of which

Facial (£95) which purifies and hydrates the skin and the collagen

Accent Prime is one of the best. Using radiofrequency (RF)

plumps out fine lines and lessens deeper ones. It is also good for acne or breakouts as the company are British biochemists and the skincare range gets remarkable results.

Call 020 8368 0008 or email cetuem@cetuem.com for a 20% discount.

delivered via rapid “in motion’’ technology directly to the tissue, the rotation generates friction which produces powerful heat that causes contraction, stimulating the formation of new collagen to tighten and firm the skin on the chosen area. It also delivers ultrasonic waves that destroy fat cells and helps improve cellulite. A course of six treatments are recommended for best results www.courthouseclinics.com

ONCE YOU ARE MARRIED join a gym. Membership at The Laboratory in Mill Hill will ensure you and your partner stay in shape, but possibly at different times. Swish, calm and quiet The Lab is somewhere to get away from function guest lists and keep fit under personal instruction or in energetic classes.

Winter is coming and The Lab is the best place to hibernate until your is 13-year-old is eligible to join. www.millhilllab/spa.co.uk

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Waiting to see your NHS GP? We offer flexible GP appointments at short notice, 6 days a week.

Consultations from £80.00 To book, call us on 020 8108 7388 or visit www.highgatehospital.co.uk/gp-service 17–19 View Road, Highgate, London, N6 4DJ. Email: enquiries@highgatehospital.co.uk

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The young ones “My parents don’t like me wearing makeup – especially my dad,” writes Madison GG. “But I am 11 going on 12 and it is only natural I would want to be able to experiment a bit, even if I don’t wear it outside my bedroom. I have just gone to secondary school and hopefully I’ll get lots of bar and batmitzvah invites, so I have to know about lipgloss. My mum says I look nice without make-up and it is more important I take care of my skin. So in this article I’m going to recommend products that will help with spots, keep skin healthy and then tell you about some make-up that might interest you or your daughter.

SKINCARE

OY!

★ Skin Care is really important when you are my

age and OY! products are the perfect gift for young girls (and boys) starting puberty. The brand name sounds a bit Jewish, but Green People’s Oy! Collections is a three-step skin routine that sorts out spots by deep cleansing with ingredients like black willow bark, green tea, prebiotics and tea tree. The set includes foam face wash (£12.50), cleansing moisturiser (£11) and purifying serum (£14).

All products are vegan and can be used on any type of skin.

SO TO MAKE-UP

★ CLAROL is a

★PROFUSION is the perfect brand for a make-up beginner and if you have a kind mum she will share it with you. We’ve got Profusion Mixed Metals Eyes & Lips Set in peach, which are the colours a bride would wear and there are nine shades in the palette, a blending eyeshadow and a lip colour. (£12.50) Boots and House of Fraser

★Unicorn Cosmetics is an amazing brand.

The brushes are so full you just want to rub them across your face all day. Take a look at the Delphie mermaid brush Pro range brush (£9.99) Unicorn gloss (£6.99) www.unicorncosmetics.co.uk

perfect brand for tween/teen skin.

The Skin Flora Re-balancing serum (£12.95) is also an award-winner in the beauty shortlist awards. There are two parts as in the morning you have to use the wash, and then apply Sebopure; and in the evening you use the wash and apply Skin Flora Re-balancing Serum. They also make a concealer stick that isn’t obvious when its on. clarol.co.uk

★ T-ZONE is another ★ FLAWLESS BY LORETTA

★ TANGLE ANGEL

is an incredible brush that is designed by the Duchess of Cambridge’s hairdresser Richard Ward and it makes your hair soft and silky and it is antibacterial. It is also really nice to have out on show and they sell one every minute.

(From £12.95)

does a really accurate eyeliner that is easy to apply ( £14.95)and the rapper Cardi B wears it.

The brown makes your eyes stand out less obviously than the black. I also love Essence, particularly their “shine shine shine” gloss, which comes in a range of colours and is super-pretty (£2.95).

They also do a strobing and contour palette (£4.99) and Correct to Perfect concealer (£2.99)

skin care brand that also includes face masks. I’ve been using the T-Zone charcoal and bamboo black cleansing wipes (£2), which are really good for removing make-up .

o g o o M

★ MOOGOO is a natural purifying

brand inspired by cows and the great outdoors. The blemish cleansing moisturiser (£12.50) is something I’ve been using for a while now. It is a cleansing cream that also works as a moisturiser and it is packed full of antioxidants rather than chemicals. moogooskincare.co.uk

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WINTER COURSES Alex Galbinski selects colourful and fragrant recipes from some of her favourite cookbooks

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Sticky Pomegranate Salmon Serves 4

This salmon recipe is so easy and is equally good served hot with plain boiled rice and green beans, or at room temperature with my buckwheat and barberry salad. It takes very little time to prepare, and dotted with some little pomegranate gems, it looks delightful on the plate. You can also serve this to kids; the sweetness of the pomegranate is an instant winner.

Roasted peppers with chickpeas, quinoa & feta Serves 4 These roasted peppers are so good they count as dinner on their own, or can be part of a larger spread, served at room temperature. The yellow peppers are there to add colour, so feel free to use only red, but green ones are bitter and not suited to this dish. If you haven’t remembered to soak the quinoa overnight, you can add two tablespoons of hot vegetable stock to each filled pepper half before adding the olive oil.

Ingredients 4 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for greasing 2 large red and 2 large yellow peppers, halved and deseeded 150g quinoa, rinsed, drained and soaked in cold water overnight 1 red chilli, finely chopped (deseed if you prefer less heat) 2 garlic cloves, crushed grated zest of 1 lemon

Ingredients 2 teaspoons soft dark brown sugar 1 teaspoon ground sumac 1 teaspoon cornflour ½ teaspoon sea salt 4 skin-on salmon fillets freshly ground black pepper 1 tablespoon vegetable or groundnut oil 1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses Seeds from ½ pomegranate, to garnish

1 x 400g tin of chickpeas, rinsed and drained salt and freshly ground black pepper 8 cherry tomatoes, quartered 8 pitted black olives, quartered a small handful of capers, rinsed and drained 200g feta, drained and crumbled a small handful of mint leaves, finely chopped

Method 1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/Gas 4. Grease a large baking dish.

2. Place the pepper halves in the dish cut-side up and place in the oven for 10 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, drain the quinoa well and mix together with the chilli, garlic, lemon zest and chickpeas. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

4. Distribute the mixture evenly between the pepper halves. Scatter each half with 4 cherry tomato quarters, 4 black olive quarters and a few capers. Drizzle with the olive oil and then return to the oven to roast for a further 30 minutes.

5. Remove from the oven. Either scatter with feta and mint leaves and serve immediately, or cool (you can cover them and keep them in the fridge for two or three days if you wish at this point) and then scatter with feta and mint before serving at room temperature.

Serve two halves per person for a main course or one as a starter or part of a buffet.

Recipe from Cherish by Anne Shooter (Headline Home, £28). Photo: Emma Lee

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Method 1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/Gas Mark 6.

2. Mix the sugar, sumac, cornflour and salt together, then rub over the flesh side of the salmon fillets and add a twist of black pepper over the top.

3. Heat an ovenproof frying pan over a high heat and add the oil.

When it is very hot, add the salmon fillets, flesh-side down, and reduce the heat to medium. Sear for 2 minutes, then turn the fillets over and cook on the skin side for a further minute. Using a pastry brush, spread the pomegranate molasses evenly over each fillet.

4. Transfer the pan to the oven and cook for a further 8–10 minutes.

5. If you don’t have an ovenproof frying pan, transfer the salmon to a baking tray lined with foil before placing in the oven.

Serve the salmon at room temperature on a bed of buckwheat and barberry salad and garnished with pomegranate seeds.

Recipe from Fress: Bold, Fresh Flavours from a Jewish Kitchen by Emma Spitzer (Mitchell Beazley, £25). Photo: Clare Winfield

Coconut Rose Malabi Serves 6

I went nuts for this do-ahead, dairy-free dessert by Ronit Robbaz.

It takes me back to family holidays in Israel, where we used to devour it for breakfast. Add the rosewater slowly, tasting as you go, as some brands have a stronger flavour than others. ~Merelyn, MMCC

Ingredients 1 litre (4 cups) coconut cream (or milk) ½-1 tablespoon rosewater, or to taste 150 g (1 cup) coconut sugar 65g (½ cup) cornflour

Syrup and topping 250ml (1 cup) water 150g (1 cup) coconut sugar ½ pomegranate, seeds only 1 tablespoon coconut oil 40g (¾ cup) shaved coconut

Method 1. Start this recipe at least four hours before serving.

2. To make the malabi, in a large heavy-based saucepan over medium heat, add the coconut cream or milk, rosewater and sugar and stir until the mixture just starts to boil. Remove from the heat. Place the cornflour in a heatproof bowl. Ladle 1 cup of the coconut cream mixture into the cornflour and whisk until smooth. Return this mixture to the pan, whisking continuously to avoid lumps, then stir over low heat for about 5 minutes or until thickened; the mixture should coat the back of a spoon. Pour into 6 glasses or ramekins or a larger serving bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving.

3. To make the syrup, in a small saucepan over medium–high heat, add the water and sugar and simmer for about 10 minutes or until it becomes syrupy. Set aside to cool. Stir in half of the pomegranate seeds.

4. In a hot frying pan over medium heat, place the shaved coconut and add the coconut oil. Quickly sauté or until the coconut is golden brown. Set aside.

Just before serving, spoon the pomegranate syrup on top of the malabi and top with the toasted coconut. Sprinkle with the remaining pomegranate seeds.

Recipe from It’s Always About The Food by Monday Morning Cook Club

(mondaymorningcookingclub.com.au). Photo: Alan Benson

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North West London’s ‘hidden gem’ care home JewishChoice provides short and long term residential, respite and dementia care within a wonderful, kosher, ‘home from home’ environment. With a range of highly-rated services and facilities on-site, all provided at a competitive price, is there really any other choice? Contact our welcome team to book your visit.

020 8908 4151

• www.jewishchoice.org

Registered charity no: 1162974

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Tefillin & Mezuzahs

We Write, Supply, Check & Restore Looking to purchase your son / grandson’s Tefillin for his Bar Mitzvah?

Call for an appointment 020 8455 7700 accepting Tefillin & Mezuzahs for CHECKING until 24th ELUL (Tuesday 4/9/18)

Elegant Weddings OFFERING WEDDING PACKAGES AT GREATLY REDUCED PRICES Weddings are wonderful but paying for a wedding can be a challenge. Elegant Weddings has a solution to enable you to enjoy a stylish day but at a fixed cost.

We have two packages with a wide range of venues, caterers and other providers. Our gold package is £17,000 and our platinum package is £30,000.

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3 Russell Parade, Golders Green Road, NW11 9NN

We are a non profit company serving the mainstream orthodox community. www.elegantweddingslondon.co.uk

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Josh Katz

HOT AND SMOKY If you’re a foodie, you’ll have heard of Josh Katz. Now the owner of Berber & Q in east London with business partner Mattia Bianchi, Josh earned his stripes in a variety of restaurants, including as a sous chef at Ottolenghi, which he credits with helping to “shape and define how and what I like to cook”. After two years there, he and Mattia launched Made in Camden, which was awarded a Bib Gourmand in the Michelin Guide.

But we possibly know Josh best as the former executive head chef (along with Eran Tibi) and co-creator of JW3’s Zest restaurant, bar, café and brand. The centre’s Raymond Simonson describes him as “a hugely created, talented chef” who “deserves to be recognised as one of the UK’s best young chefs”.

Growing up in Hampstead Garden Suburb, Josh developed his love of food from his South African Jewish parents, but says in his recently released Berber & Q cookbook that they probably hoped for him to become a banker, or possibly a doctor – or maybe even both. The banking world’s loss is surely our gain.

Smoked Chicken Thighs With Saffron and Orange Blossom Caramel and Basil INGREDIENTS Saffron Orange Caramel 180ml freshly squeezed orange juice, strained 200g caster sugar 100ml saffron water (a generous pinch of saffron soaked in 100ml boiling water and left to infuse for 15 minutes) 1 tbsp orange blossom flower water

Chicken Thighs 8 chicken thighs, on the bone 75g Everyday Chicken Rub (see below)

FOR THE SAFFRON ORANGE CARAMEL Combine the orange juice, sugar and saffron water in a heavy-based saucepan and cook over medium-high heat until a caramel has formed with the consistency of a loose honey. Remove from the heat and stir in the orange blossom flower water.

Garnish Picked basil leaves, ripped Generous pinch Aleppo chilli flakes, or use 1 tsp dried chilli flakes

FOR THE CHICKEN THIGHS Toss the thighs in the rub, making sure each is well coated.

Set a barbecue up for smoking using two-zone indirect grilling, with an internal temperature of between 130°C and 150°C. Arrange the thighs in a single layer on the grill rack with no burning coals underneath, set up for reverse-searing. Add some woodchips to the burning coals, put the lid on the barbecue and smoke for 40-45 minutes, or until the internal temperature EVERYDAY CHICKEN RUB reaches 70°C and 75°C (or above). In the absence of a probe, cut into the 2 tbsp ground sumac meat to the bone and check the juices run clear.

1 tbsp dried Aleppo or chilli flakes 1 tbsp garlic granules or powder Remove the lid from the barbecue and use tongs to transfer the 1 tsp ground turmeric thighs for reverse-searing so that they are directly grilling over the hot 1 tsp coarse ground black pepper coals. Start to baste the chicken thighs in the caramel, turning regularly 2 tbsp soft dark brown sugar 2 tsp ground coriander and continuing to baste on each side. Pour the last quarter of the 2 tsp salt caramel into a heavy-based cast-iron pan and place on the grill next to the thighs, allowing the caramel to bubble and thicken. Nicely char the outside of the thighs to ensure they are well coloured and the skins have crisped up, then transfer to the cast-iron pan. Cook for a final 1–2 minutes in the reducing caramel, spooning the sauce over the thighs as you go.

TO GARNISH Take the pan off the grill, throw some ripped basil over to wilt in the residual heat, and garnish with chilli flakes. Serve immediately.

Extracted from Berber & Q by Josh Katz (Ebury Press, £25). Photography by James Murphy. www.berberandq.com, www.shawarmabar.co.uk

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Jess Moses

SO SWEET Being without her mum’s cooking while studying sociology at Nottingham University led Jess Moses to develop an interest in nutrition and to start her Instagram account, @FreshlySnapped, through which she shared her recipes and health journey with others.

After graduating, Jess, now 26, interned at companies within the nutrition industry, before landing a job with Deliciously Ella for two years. “Not only did I learn so much from Ella about food, nutrition and health, but also about business, marketing and branding,” explains Jess, who grew up in Stanmore and attended Immanuel College. It was the perfect foundation from which to launch her own award-winning business, NanaBowls, with her friend, Phil Anthony, 33.

They made it their mission to create bowls that not only tasted great but also ticked all the nutritional boxes and were free of dairy, gluten and refined sugar.

“Each bowl ranges from 15g to 25g plant-based protein and is served as a thick consistency just like a creamy ice-cream,” says Jess.

NanaBowls was launched on the island of Phuket, Thailand, and, one year on, they have plans to expand: Phil will launch NanaBowls in Dubai in the new year.

Berry Bliss NanaBowl To get that thick ice cream-like consistency, keep things extra frozen; freeze your peeled bananas for at least three days and you can also try pouring coconut milk into an ice cube tray and freezing overnight.

INGREDIENTS 2 frozen bananas 1 cup frozen mixed berries 1 scoop plant-based protein powder (brown rice, pea or hemp protein) 1 teaspoon rosewater 4 frozen coconut milk cubes Splash of cold water METHOD

Add all ingredients into a high powered blender. Pour the water in slowly as you blend depending on the thickness you prefer. Blend until a thick, smooth and creamy consistency forms. Pour into a bowl and top with your favourite toppings - I love using crushed almonds, runny peanut butter, bee pollen, crunchy cacao nibs and maybe even a few rose buds if you’re feeling fancy! www.nanabowls.com instagram.com/nanabowls/ instagram. com/freshlysnapped 56 JN LIFE jewishnews.co.uk

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Sam Stern

FAST AND TASTY Sam Stern was just knee-high to a grasshopper when he cooked his first meal, so it’s not surprising that aged just 28, he’s already published seven cookbooks. His first, Cooking Up A Storm, which he produced with his mum when he was 14, has been translated into 14 languages and is an international bestseller.

The Yorkshireman – who now lives in south London – says he loves to create delicious tasting food with a simple approach. “Using simple methods and just a handful of ingredients, you can create beautiful food that makes you smile,” he tells me.

Sam’s paternal grandfather is Jewish and he has inherited a love of Jewish food. “I recently made 12 loaves of challah for a charity event I was cooking for,” reveals the politics, sociology and business graduate. “The smell and taste of that bread is something else.”

But he is a fan of all types of food and likes to sample many flavours. Indeed, his books cater to varied audiences, including students, vegetarians and cooks with little time.

As you’d expect, Sam – who has been featured frequently in the media – has ideas for another cookbook, and would love to do “something fun and inspiring on TV”.

Chicken ramen Ingredients 850ml/1½ pints chicken stock 6 cloves garlic, sliced 10cm/4in ginger, sliced 2 chicken fillets 350g/12oz egg noodles 110g/4oz bean sprouts 4-6 spring onions, finely chopped Bit of pak choi/Chinese leaf, shredded 1-2 red chillies, deseeded and

Feeds 4

finely sliced ½ red onion, thinly sliced Fresh coriander Chunks of lime Sauce 1 tsp caster sugar 1 tbsp Chinese cooking wine/ malt or white wine vinegar 1½ tbsps sweet chilli sauce 2½ tbsps soy sauce

Method

Heat stock in a pan with garlic and ginger for 20-30 minutes over a low heat to get it well-flavoured.

Meanwhile, flatten chicken. Thump with a rolling pin or flat of your hand.

Slap it on a lightly oiled griddle or pan to cook 4 to 5 minutes per side or till white all through. Set aside.

Mix ingredients for sauce in a small bowl. Set aside.

Cook noodles in boiling water for 4 minutes. Drain. Set aside.

Finish soup. Add beansprouts and green leaf to flavoured stock.

Simmer 1 minute. Sit noodles in bowls. Pour soup in. Tip with onions, chilli, coriander, lime, sliced chicken. Drizzle your sauce in. Paradise.

YOU CAN: Make veggie ramen: use veggie stock, top with pan fried tofu Adapted from Sam Stern’s Student Cookbook, published by Walker Books, £12.99. www.samstern.co.uk

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LET’S EAT! Tish restaurant

Elan Cafe

Flower power Instagram-savvy foodies will know all about Élan Café (Brompton Road and Park Lane), with its window full of dreamy cakes and its pink bloom selfie wall. From the pink colour scheme, to the flowers and the menu, this is girlie paradise and not only has a branch just opened on Market Place (near Oxford Circus), it’s coming to Selfridges, too. There’s also great coffee, good brunch/lunch dishes (avo on toast, shakshuka, salads et al) and lots of beautiful people to watch.

Designer food Coal Office is a winning partnership between designer Tom Dixon and Israeli restaurateur Assaf Granit (The Palomar and The Barbary). The menu is divided into snacks, small and larger plates and every one offers exciting flavour combinations.

There’s a Lions Gate pretzel on a stick with za’atar for dipping, that now-famous truffled asparagus polenta dish, shawarma with baked bone marrow and freekeh risotto with skordalia cream and black aubergine. For dessert, check out fig Basbossa with tahini ice-cream.

And then there were three Last month Hudsons opened its third unit, this time in Borehamwoode. It’s large, it’s swanky and it’s already the most talked-about place in town.

There’s a 15-seater bar where you can enjoy cocktails, nibbles and sharing plates, while the table menu has had an overhaul with interesting dishes such as fish tacos and superfood salad

added. All the old favourites remain, but there is also a separate veggie/vegan menu.

Kosher kingdom Tish (kosher, meaty) is a ‘grand café’ style restaurant in Belsize Park offering an all-day menu of European cuisine, featuring modern classics as well as Jewish heritage family favourites. With 160 covers, it’s a large, elegant space and it has a stunning alfresco terrace.

For breakfast check out challah French toast, pomegranate and citrus fruit salad, pancakes, eggs and delicacies from the bakery. Lunch and dinner offerings include Hungarian bean soup; ox tongue with roasted heritage beets, dry-aged rib eye steak, crispy duck leg with red cabbage and cranberry jus and various fish and vegetarian

Did you know…

The Petersham in Covent Garden has just launched a pretty afternoon tea. £45 pp St James in Bushey has launched an afternoon tea in Betsy’s Tea Room. £16.95 pp (Mon – Fri, and not available in December).

Monty’s Deli in Hoxton does a four-course Friday night dinner (24 hours’ notice required) Covent Garden’s much-loved Sticks n Sushi has opened a new restaurant on the King’s Road.

Soho’s famed lamb-chop-lover’s paradise Blacklock has opened in Shoreditch.

Michael Nadra in Primrose Hill and Chiswick now offers a la carte with great new autumn dishes.

options, plus salads, sandwiches and desserts.

Tish is open during Shabbat for pre-pay prix-fixe Friday night dinners and Saturday lunches.

Café society Sophie’s (kosher, dairy) has brought a muchneeded touch of Hampstead to Edgware in the form of Mandy and Jerome Reback’s pretty shabby chic café/restaurant. The all-day menu features classic brunch dishes such as eggs royale, shakshuka, pancakes, salads and sandwiches, while in the evening things get a little more refined, with oven-roasted cod, gourmet fish and chips and seared tuna with warm niçoise vegetables. Vegans are well catered for and Sunday afternoon tea has just been launched.

The Italian job Morso is a new Italian tapas restaurant on Boundary Road, St John’s Wood. It specialises in grappa cocktails, fresh pasta and small bites (such as arancini, polenta chips and beef tagliata), followed by panna cotta or tiramisu. This might just be the best thing to happen in NW8 for years.

The out-of-towner If you’re in Cambridge, Parker’s Tavern at the new University Arms Hotel is a treat for all-day dining, Sunday roasts and afternoon tea and is a beautiful destination restaurant in the heart of the city. Look out for buttermilk, cucumber, coriander and dahl sashimi; water trout with horseradish wasabi and a classic Duke of Cambridge Tart.

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Please join us for your special occasions: • Bar-Bat Mitzvah’s • Social events Use our beautiful space for your social event • Conference needs (Bar/Bat Mitzvah, Birthday celebrations etc.)

• Or Simply a glass of wine on a Friday – Saturday evening

Self-catered with a private full service kitchen or catered by us.

We look forward to exceeding your expectations!

0208 787 9988 ext. 1007 or email: events@bwepping.com

£7.50

EXTENDED UP TO 120 SEATS

[N]

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THE GREAT

FEMALE BAKE OFF Louisa Walters meets ladies who are really mixing things up From the Prime Minister to Doctor Who, women are taking the top spots in the UK. No doubt inspired by Mary Berry on the Great British Bake Off, women are making a strong impact in the world of baking too.

GRODZINSKI Grodzinski and Daughters – the name says it all, really. The owner of the business is male (Jonathan Grodzinski owns the Edgware shop and two branches in Stamford Hill) and has five daughters – hence the name. But there have always been women at the helm.

The company was founded in 1888, when Judith and Harris Grodzinski, bakers by trade, left Lithuania and set up shop in the East End of London. They hired kosher ovens and lived above the shop. The business passed to their son Abie, then to Abie’s widow Bertha and then to their children Harry and Ruby.

By the 1960s Grodzinski was the largest kosher bakery in Europe and supplied Marks & Spencer, Selfridges and Harrods.

By the end of the 20th century, fourth and fifth generation family members were running the business, with Tova Grodzinski, great-greatgranddaughter of the founders, running the

Edgware branch. The (female) head baker, Romanian-born Mioara, has been there for more than 10 years, while manageress Gemma has been there more than 20.

Mioara, head baker “There’s lots of heavy at Grodzinski lifting involved, but we have lots of female bakers,” says Gemma. “When I advertise for pastry chefs it’s mainly women who apply, Men are very good at the role but it is thought of as a women’s job.”

Grodzinksi will be baking 10,000 doughnuts over Chanukah.

BLONDIES KITCHEN It might not be true that blondes have more fun, but Kristelle Levy (27) and Chelsie Collins (29) at Blondies Kitchen are having the time of their lives with their cookie creations. They jacked in their full-time roles (Kristelle was a head chef at a deli, Chlesie a food writer) to focus on their weekend >>

Kristelle Levy and Chelsie Collins of Blondies Kitchen

Gemma and Tova Grodzinski

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>> hobby – catering events and baking cookies in Kristelle’s mum’s kitchen in Mill Hill. The cookies were so good that they became known as The Cookie Girls.

As food trends evolved, they saw that the key to success was to do one thing and do it really well, so they decided to focus on their cookies.

In October 2016 Blondies Kitchen ran a Milk and Cookies pop up stand at Old Street Station – the first of its kind – selling their trademark American-style thin and chewy cookies and bottles of cereal milk (think of the milk that’s left in the bowl then you’ve finished your cornflakes or Coco Pops – that’s cereal milk). The girls were selling 800 cookies a day, working 7am until 7pm on the stand and then baking all night for the next day. The concept was featured in Time Out and Metro and they were approached by Taste of London, London Fashion Week and then Selfridges. “This was a dream come true,” says Chelsie. Selfridges invited them to run a four-week pop-up in the food hall.

They baked 800 cookies for the first day and were sold out by 2pm; Blondies Kitchen was the most successful pop-up that Selfridges has ever run.

A year ago, with the help of a bank loan and some family investment, Blondies Kitchen took up permanent residence in Selfridges food hall, shifting between 3,000 and 5,000 cookies a week. This month will see the return of last year’s innovative mince pie cookie, but the bestsellers

Blondies Cookies

are the Oreo-stuffed Nutella cookie and the white chocolate cookie with caramelised cookie butter.

DAISYRAE CAKES Linzee Basch (36), lives in Bushey Heath with husband Richard and their two kids - Charlie (8) and Daisy (7). In February this year she turned her baking hobby into a business and launched DaisyRae Cakes. Working alone from home (with a little help from her daughter sometimes!), Linzee is totally self-taught. “I was always an experimental baker and preferred biscuits to cakes, she says. “I was regularly making kichels for my family and friends and I felt there was a gap in the market that I could fill.”

DaisyRae is the purveyor of exquisite biscuitcakes(the latest trend to hit the cake market), cakes, meringues, macarons, marshmallows, doughnuts and tempered chocolates. The letter and number biscuitcakes and pavlovas are extremely popular.

Linzee applies a unique approach to all her designs and produces pieces that not only look beautiful, but taste delicious. All commissions are tailed to the clients’ requirements, such as specific colours or flavours – eg tiramisu or Reece’s Pieces. Tiffany & Co recently commissioned her to make a series of biscuitcakes.

Although not licensed, Linzee uses vegetarian ingredients and can also make parev biscuit cakes and pavlovas.

Linzee Basch of DaisyRae Cakes

Natalie Allen of Sweet Things

SWEET THINGS Natalie Allen, 44, was born in Belfast, raised in Cheshire and now lives in London with her husband and their two kids, aged six and 10.

She comes from a long line of female bakers – her grandma was a keen baker and her mum bakes every day.

Thirteen years ago, Natalie set up a baking business at home, supplying cake lovers and delis. When it outgrew her kitchen, she took 62 JN LIFE jewishnews.co.uk

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order. Natalie serves up a scrumptious afternoon tea, and there is a gluten free version too.

KARMA BREAD Tami Isaacs Pearce, 47, lives in Bushey with her daughters, Brady, 18, and Lily,13. Five years ago, she took a bread-making course at a time in her life when she was coping with some personal struggles and this chance activity resulted in an award-winning, thriving business.

“The process of making and working with dough settled my restless soul in a way that nothing else could,” says Tami, who won at the World Bread Awards for the second year running.

Initially baking from home, the demand for various breads, particularly her challah, became huge. Her micro-bakery soon outgrew its humble beginnings and, with the help of her father, she opened Karma Bread in Hampstead in 2013.

“Bread baking was historically a man’s job but that has changed and there is an incredible community of strong female bread bakers,” she says. “Social media has bought us women together from all over the world.”

Opening a bakery with virtually no experience was a huge leap of faith.

“All I remember about our opening day was that we opened the doors and they came.”

And they continue to do so – there are regular queues outside the door, especially on Fridays, which is no wonder as Tami is known as the Challah Queen.

Just before opening, a baker friend took her on a tour of Tel Aviv bakeries.

“I spent a night shift on challah production in one of the most inspirational bakeries and the bakers referred to me as the Challah Queen.

I guess the name stuck,” she says.

She is wonderfully inventive with her baking, producing doughnuts with hitherto untried fillings, different types of babka and all manner of sourdough loaves. When Tami is recipe testing, her produce goes from cooling rack to being tasted by the customers, who give their feedback.

premises in Primrose Hill was soon supplying Selfridges and Fortnum & Mason. In 2011 she took a restaurant unit around the corner, moved the bakery into the downstairs and opened the door to Sweet Things café. The demand is such that she now manages a team of three lady bakers, although she does all the recipe development and testing herself.

The range of cakes in this little café is impressive – all manner of sweet treats including Biscoff cheesecake, salted caramel brownies and red velvet cheesecake brownies (all the brownies are gluten free), apple and cinnamon cake, orange cake, chocolate meringue cake plus lots more, including celebration cakes to

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our absolute priority.

To thisgetting end the ride will be accompanied Thinking about a pet?

Throughout the ride, the safety and security of participants is throughout by a team member with full EMT (medic) qualification Mayhew rescues hundreds of cats and dogs every or higher. year who urgently need loving homes.

All food provided will be kosher with a kashrut certificate available for participants to inspect, with the exception of the Neot Smadar vegetarian café which only uses kosher and vegetarian organic produce but does not have a certificate.

Accommodation over Shabbat will be Shabbat friendly in a kosher hotel. Unless otherwise indicated breakfast and lunch are dairy and dinner is a meat meal.

You could change a life today.

Visit us in Kensal Green or go to www.themayhew.org/adopt to meet our cats and dogs looking for a home.

020 8962 8000 @ info@mayhewanimalhome.org Mayhew, Trenmar Gardens, Kensal Green, London, NW10 6BJ

12-19 MAY 2019

12-19 MAY 2019

NORTH to SOUTH CYCLE

NORTH to SOUTH CYCLE for dogs, cats and communities

Registered Charity no. 1077588

Our mission is to improve the quality of life for visually impaired Israelis, including IDF veterans and victims of terror. We do this by providing them with independence, safe mobility and self-confidence through the assistance of trained guide dog partnerships.

blind and Mayhew ad 124x90.5mm.indd 1

020 8213 3119 www.moreforkidsuk.com

15/10/2018 10:53

HELP raise money to improve the quality of life for 24,000 blind and visually impaired Israelis

For many blind and visually-impaired people the Five consecutive days of cycling from Metulla to Eilat - 500km world can be a dark and isolating place. TheIsrael Guide Dog Centre for the Blind (IGDC) offers a your own road bike for this amazing experience  Enjoy beacon of light and hope for blind Israelis. The See all of Israel’s 4 borders; Lebanon, Syria, Jordan and Egypt Centre serves as a positive model ofsocial integration, and has dramatically impacted on all accommodation and meals on cycling days  Includes the lives of thousands of Israelis over the past 25  Concludes with a celebratory dinner in Eilat years.

 Meet and ride with some of our blind clients who we support

The Centre was founded in 1991 by Noach and Orna Braun, who you will meet on day one of our adventure. You will hear personally fromCall themnow to register on 020 8090 3455 how they have facilitated hundreds of ‘guide partnerships’ . Before the IGDC existed the only way for blind Israelis to receive a ordog email info@bfigdcb.org guide dog was to travel overseas, to be fluent in English and to receive government approval. Today we offer all blind and visuallyimpaired Israelis the ability to have a trained guide dog provided free of charge in Israel.

NORTH to SOUTH CYCLE

NORTH SOUTH CYCLE 12-19 MAYto 2019

12-19 MAY 2019

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Doggone Display

Brigit Grant takes in some pawtraits, inspired by our four-legged friends

F

inding an audience for their canines on canvas has – fittingly – been a walk in the park for two Jewish artists. New York-based Carol Saxe and Londoner Cindy Lass may be on opposite sides of the pond and

Carol Saxe

markedly different in their painting styles, but their fans across the globe are doggedly appreciative of their work. Obviously both women love dogs and their own schluf on cushions while they paint in their respective studios in East Hampton and St John’s Wood.

But it is the personality of dogs that makes them more interesting to paint than a bowl of fruit, and Carol Saxe explores this to the max.

Her subjects enjoy a five-star lifestyle in her paintings, which now also feature in the book The Dog Lovers’ Guide to the Good Life. Cowritten with Dr Hanita Blumfield, the guide fronted by terrier Aspen and his waggy-tail muckers Vail, Zoe and Mazel the yorkie is a dog’s perspective of stylish places on the East Coast that welcome their custom. From the café Fetch at 1649 3rd Ave to the W Hotel on Union Square, the furry foursome offer their ratings on everything from bowls to bathrobes. Think of them as Giles Coren, but with more bite.

Cindy Lass’s dogs also know about luxury living, as many of their owners are famous.

Started out of a desire to raise money for Battersea Dogs’ Home, Cindy’s ‘pawtraits’ were such a success that she was invited to New York for a dog fundraiser and then asked to paint the

Cindy Lass

Queens corgis. Sir Elton John’s husband David Furnish also commissioned a pawtrait that “Elton absolutely loved”, according to Cindy, and a cheque was dutifully sent to Battersea.

“Sting and Trudi loved their pawtrait and a >> JN Life jewishnews.co.uk

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Cindy’s pawtraits

Elton John’s dogs Joseph and Dennis

>> private

plane took it to their house in Tuscany,” says Cindy, who went on to immortalise dogs belonging to the late George Michael, Uri Geller and two former presidents.

Bill Clinton’s Buddy and Barak Obama’s Sunny and Bo were well received and with bespoke pawtraits starting at £5,000, they are well within President Trump’s budget; not that he has a dog, and all plans for him to welcome a goldendoodle or any other dog to the White House have not materialised.

Should he change his mind – and call it Paton after his favourite general – Carol Saxe has just the pawfect book for it. www.saxestudio.com email: saxestudio@optonline.net www.cindylass.com email:cindy@cindylass.com

Bill Clinton’s dog Buddy

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Doggy Bag Shayna Madel Mutt Want to teach your dog Yiddish? Well, you’ll have to travel to do so as the class is in New York’s Central Park. There, on Sunday mornings, you will see people pointing at the ground while yelling “zits” and “shtai” and urging their dogs to “shpring” over hurdles. The course for dogs is sponsored by the Workmen’s Circle, a cultural society founded in 1900 by Yiddishspeaking immigrants. Pairing Yiddish and dogs is strange, as Eastern European Jews were wary of dogs 100 years ago, associating them with angry landowners and aristocrats. If you can’t make the class, do try the book Yiddish for Dogs by Janet Perr, available at www.abebooks.com for £11 plus postage or at amazon.co.uk Voof Voof!

Bible Rover

It’s easy to spot a Jewish dog. Wearing a neon thermal onesie, it is likely to be a Cavapoo, Cavachon or Cavoodle called Toffee. The oldest breed of dog in the world - the Canaan - dates back 3,000 years with carvings found in Egyptian tombs and a sarcophagus dug up by Israeli archaeologists in Ashkelon. These are the dogs to whom Moses shouted “walkies” and off they went for 40 years.

Now that’s what you call exercise!

Do it for the dogs

Raising money for The Israel Guide Dog Centre for the Blind (IGDC) is the motivation for getting on a bike and cycling from the North to the South of Israel from 12 to 19 May next year.

It’s a route that covers all of the tiny, but unbelievably diverse, country and Martin Segal, UK Executive Director of the charity, says it will be modestly challenging and “whether on tandem or regular bikes, it will be led by the best specialist local guides Israel has to offer”. The Israel Guide Dog Centre, founded in 1991

by Noach and Orna Braun, serves as a positive model of social integration impacting on the lives of thousands of Israelis who are blind or visually impaired.

For more info: www.israelguidedog.g.uk or call 020 8090 3455

Winter Dining With Woof The King Stag on Bournehall Rd in Bushey does a Woofler of the Week feature on their facebook page, offers a saucer of dog biscuits and a bowl of water to all canine visitors and now has its own doggie menu. Superkeen canines can join them for a monthly dog walk.

Afternoon tea at The Egerton House Hotel in Knightsbridge is for poochies who like three courses in a gilded setting. Meatloaf, biscuits and ice-cream to finish.

J Sheekey Atlantic Bar winter terrace is an al-fresco haven in the heart of the West End theatre district, where dogs who sing show tunes are always welcome. Humans get great fish dishes, snug blankets, outdoor heaters and a crackling log fire.

M Victoria Street does a brunch for dogs if you give a £5 donation to Battersea Dogs’ and Cats’ Home.

They might even get to meet the resident hound Hudson, the labradoodle.

Bluebird café on Kings Road, Chelsea, is for the dog who knows how to work it. A fresh bowl of water at the table is topped up throughout the stay and there is a goody bag full of treats.

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Gali Karten BRIDAL COUTURE

Angelica Bridal, 18 Camden Passage, London N1 8ED t:020 7226 7823 galikarten.com

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Welcome to

BIG Event The

A section of the magazine that introduces you to the Jewish News’ annual simcha show (on Sunday 11 November) and all the irresistible exhibitors who are essential to your big event. Whether you are making a bar or batmitzvah, or sending your daughter or son down the aisle, nothing can prepare you for the length of the ‘to-do’ list or the alarming kerching of the expanding budget. Whether the intention is to keep it small and original within a marquee in the garden or invite everyone you know to a grand hall, choosing the venue is only the first stage of a process that will ultimately bring you great joy.

Just remember that 12 and 13-year-old children and brides-to-be want everything their way before assisting in their choice of caterer, event producer, entertainment, dress and suits.

Eventually, other details like table plans, flowers, make-up, hair and honeymoons will fill up all the space in your home and your head – but it’s worth it!

Here’s to finding inspiration at The Big Event!

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STEP INTO THE BOOTH Dame Joan Collins has been in one.

And Jonathan Ross. As for Katie Price, well she couldn’t say no when David and Sarena Chevin invited her to go wacky in one of their booths. Now a fixture and a favourite on the bar and batty scene, a Wacky Booths photo sheet is the going home gift kids won’t leave without. The couple have also witnessed more than a few ‘wacky’ moments in their booths. “Like the time a guest at a wedding tripped and fell into one of our booths and landed on the lap of a girl he had never met before,” says David. “A row ensued and they went their separate ways, but some months later we were exhibiting at a wedding show and in walked that battling couple who were now planning their wedding. They booked us and we got a mention in the speech for bringing them together!” Sworn to secrecy at a Royal engagement party, the Chevins will go to any lengths to please clients, be it carrying a booth down a shaky ladder for a party at a derelict house or including an absent family member in photos with their green screen technology inside the booth. “We have even raced from one party to another when a desperate barmitvah mum was let down by another company,” adds David, who will forever more be ‘desperate’ on your speed dial. www.wackybooth.co.uk

HEY MICKY Micky B Events is a company you feel comfortable telling a) your daughter wants her batmitzvah zone-themed, b) her own five hour playlist or c) a personal karaoke session with backing dancers. “Not a problem” they say, as every package they do is bespoke – from music choice and colour to bells and whistles. From sound and lighting to inflatables and weddings to children’s discos – you just have to ask. www.mickybevents.co.uk

Writing on the wall Considering its importance in a wedding ceremony, the ketubah does not get the star billing it deserves. It has also been known to disappear in a drawer, but that won’t happen to a contract designed by artist Rachelle Tchiprout, who has put a modern spin on this ancient tradition. Making aliyah in 2015, Rachelle from Ealing went on to quit her job in PR and embrace her love of art and now her ketubahs - a blend of modern and secular design – are sought after by diaspora Jews who want everyone to see their contract. www.thedelicatebrush.com

Table Tops

“Once upon a time, in a magical land called Brighton, there lived a boy called Charlie,” says Charlie Granville who started heydrawme.com after drawing cartoons of all the guests on the tablecloths at his wedding to Katy in April last year. Charlie’s very unique table plan caught the imagination of other hosts, who put in their requests for his personalised cartoons in all manner of forms; wedding portraits, office parties and quite a few pet requests. Now instead of vying for the flower arrangements, it’s the tablecloth everyone wants thanks to Charlie. www.heydrawmywedding.com

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HENS THIS WAY

Showtime events

Long gone is the simple night out with the girls prior to tying the knot. Now only a weekend in Mykonos or a month at Chewton Glen will suffice, but it doesn’t have to be. You could learn something on a five-day cookery or writing course in Portugal’s Algarve.

As guests at Casa De Mondo, you can surprise your new man with a new novel or dish and still enjoy those last days of being single with your hens in the sun next spring. www.casademondo.com

In 2012, Arif Rampuri was loving travelling alongside his girlfriend. Headed across the world, they decided to ‘go local’ and pick up a tuk tuk in India, showing a true sense of adventure. Boarding any vehicle on the roads of India (if you can call large expanses of tarmac with no markings and few lights a road) involves taking your life into your hands. Deciding that you’ll risk it in an open-sided piece of metal is a whole different challenge.

Through his company, Showtime, Arif had been hiring photobooth for events with growing success.

But the tuk tuk journey inspired his latest offer, and they brought it back to the UK. Having undertaken some engine and paperwork, they have launched the first road legal photobooth tuk tuk.

Souped-up with the cutting edge photo technology, you can now have it at your event. A talking point and the ever-popular comedy photos all in one offer. www.showtimephotobooth.co.uk

Meet the family There are many ways to say thank you, but personalised is nicest.

So if you’re a barmitzvah who needs to say ta to grandparents or a bride to a generous dad, Adina Collins’ family trees will do the trick. Adina started out crafting letter door signs, but when she made a full family tree for her own grandparents, including distant relatives and pets, she found her niche. This is the gift that keeps on giving – and by including herself as a figure, a bride will never really have left home. Crafty Gifts by Adina formerly LetterD on Facebook

POP TOPS

Five years ago, children’s entertainer Natalie Davis saw a gap in the simcha market and set up Pop Fusion, offering cosmetic entertainment at events, or body art to you and me. Natalie knew it wasn’t enough to have great glitter, tattoos and spray paint, but needed to offer customer service at its best. As with all the best ideas, the concept has now been copied by many others, but Pop Fusion continues to prove popular, with word of mouth recommendations its main new business route. Natalie trains all her ‘artists’ herself through her Pop Fusion Academy and now has a team of 12, often working across three or four events every weekend. The team also offers branded stencil hair graffiti, which the boys are loving. Who doesn’t want their own personal logo sprayed across their undercut? With the body art business flourishing, Natalie is now bringing the ‘pop’ in Pop Fusion to life by adapting popular hits for your big day, whatever the event.

So if you always wanted to be the star of your own show, she will write and coach you to perform a totally personalised song. Prepare for a ‘glittering’ performance.

Follow Pop Fusion on all social media platforms or call 07815 110880.

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Perfect Blend

Whether it’s a view of the guests from above, or the barmitzvah being thrown in the air from below, the husband and wife team who run Blend Video can capture it for you. Experience has taught us that the lasting memories of any function are the ones caught on film, and with their team of professionals, Adrian and Shelley won’t miss a moment of your wedding, barmitzvah or party – without being obtrusive. Blend Photography packages range from ‘proofs only’ option (they don’t mark the proofs either, so you can use them) to top of the range Italian coffee table books or traditional photo albums. They also use some of the top album manufacturers in the world, including Jorgensen and Graphistudio, which are designed to last a lifetime as all heirlooms should. With video footage shot with the latest digital film technology to produce stunning cinematic coverage, it’s easy to see why they’ll blend in nicely at your event. www.blendvideo.co.uk

Pre or Post Big Event Break

BROKEN GLASS Eva Edery’s chuppah glass is the only gift you’ll ever give that must be broken. But the symbolic significance of smashing of the glass is extended for all time when Eva works her artistic magic and turns a simple champagne glass broken under the chuppah into a heart in a frame. Or a Tree of Life. Or a mezuzah.

Blending the broken shards with coloured pigments is the method and the result is art that glistens. Eva’s studio is a festival of light because of the glass in multiple colours and abstract combinations that form part of various collections marking her own life journey. Think of your gift as a long-lasting l’chaim and catch Eva Edery’s exhibition Journeys at the Espacio Gallery in Whitechapel from 4–9 December, and the Radlett Centre in February 2019. www.crescendo-art.co.uk

You know you deserve a break if you are a) parents of a bride or groom, b) parents of a demanding bar or batty child c) long-suffering friends of either.

For full recuperation, head to Whittlebury Hall in Northamptonshire, just an hour away from London, with a hotel and spa awaiting your arrival. For hungry function-makers, there’s Whittlebury’s ‘Gourmet Getaway’ package (from £89.50pp), which includes dinner at Murrays, its two AA Rosette award-winning restaurant, and full access to The Leisure Club and pool, a Club double or twin room for the night followed by a full English breakfast before departure. Only a day to spare? Then what about a Winter Spa Day with a 40-minute ‘Heavenly Peace’ neck, shoulder and scalp massage? The aromatherapy pick-me-up is £79 per person and includes full use of the Heat and Ice Experiences, Leisure Club and a two-course buffet lunch. www.whittlebury.com

Games and dancing There are photo booths and photo booths.

Eventful Media hires the ones you’d expect, but others that create GIFs that will be great for adding to a young person’s social feed. And if that’s not enough, it also has virtual reality booths with thousands of apps and full motion simulators for games. www.eventfulmedia.co.uk Meanwhile, the benefits of a silent disco ensures all those children enjoy themselves – while the grown-ups are free to talk. www.djdanny.co.uk

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07985 647982 info@blendvideo.co.uk Drone showreel: https://vimeo.com/236672995

Exceptional Parties.

02O8 123 4851

sensationband.co.uk

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Itzik Caterers 020 8438 9891 www.itzikcaterers.com

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CHOOSING

THE CHOSEN Intermarriage is a reality, but so is conversion. Debbie Colton speaks to three people faced with that decision When Gwyneth Paltrow married Glee creator Brad Falchuk last month, my aunt was delighted. She couldn’t have been happier had it been her own daughter, for as she sagely pointed out, the actress had married ‘in’ this time. That’s ‘in’ as in ‘settled down with someone of the faith’; as opposed to ‘out’ – a word known to put fear in the hearts of even the most liberal and embracing Jews. But marrying out happens with increasing regularlity as our community is small, split by levels of orthodoxy, while university, work and socialising leads to encounters with non-Jewish partners.

But ‘out’ can be a temporary state, as some partners are open to the idea of conversion and others actively want to become Jewish. To crave a connection to a people who are constantly under threat, attack and general contempt from large sections can seem strange to us, but it happens all the time – and frequently in the celeb world, as only a few weeks ago Joshua Kushner married the newlyconverted supermodel Karlie Kloss, following in the steps of his brother, Jared, who married Ivanka Trump.

But everything is accessible in the world of celebrity and often temporary. In real life, conversion is a challenging and lengthy process that demands passion and commitment from those who undertake it. It is also ultimately an act of love. I spoke to three people about their experience of choosing to join the tribe.

Meeting Paul at university, the question of religion wasn’t even raised until she met his mother. “What began as an expectation from Paul’s mum who would introduce me as, ‘This is Gaynor and she’ll convert’, became a realisation that through learning I felt like I’d been a Jew all my life but not known it.”

Her passion and love of Judaism shines through everything, as she explains: “It filled in the part of my soul that was missing.” She is therefore understandably frustrated with some of the barriers she’s come up against from Jewish organisations that do not recognise her Reform conversion as good enough. When you ask how she’d feel should her children marry non-Jews, this rejection seems laughable. “My kids know I’d be very disappointed. They were born to a Jew and therefore they are Jewish.”

FOR GAYNOR FIELDS, BECOMING JEWISH FELT LIKE COMING HOME. Blonde and blue-eyed, she grew up in the north of England as a practising Catholic. With a family steeped in the church in a ‘mafia’ type set-up, she grew up attending and eventually teaching Sunday school. Yet throughout her youth, Gaynor always felt something was missing – without knowing what that something was.

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WITH THE CONVERSION IN A MIXED MARRIAGE TYPICALLY FALLING TO THE WOMAN, PAUL O’BRIEN IS ONE OF THE EXCEPTIONS. Chicken soup and chumash seem a long way from

OUTSPOKEN AND SOCIABLE, SARAH KING LIVES IN MAIDENHEAD AND IS AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE KENT COMMUNITY LED BY RABBI JONATHAN ROMAIN. This comes as a something of a surprise after Sarah explains: “I don’t believe in God so conversion would make no sense for me.” Yet she goes to shul and has attended conversion classes; her children went through cheder and her daughter recently celebrated her batmitzvah. Her husband, Jack, is Jewish and has a love of the culture and of Israel, but has put no pressure on Sarah to take an interest. It is her own drive and love of learning that has led them to bring up their children with an understanding of their father’s heritage. So why does she do it? “I love being part of a community with an inspirational leader and teacher. Religion is more than about God, it’s about life.” If her children choose to marry nonJews, it will be their choice and something with which she is comfortable.

Conversion to Judaism: A Guidebook by Lawrence J Epstein is a good place to start finding out more.

In the UK, contact: info@bethdin.org.uk masorti.org.uk reformjudaism.org.uk liberaljudaism.org

Newport, Northern Ireland, where Paul grew up as a practising Catholic.

Paul converted for love but, as he eloquently explained to me: “It felt like I’d found the thing I’d been missing in faith but most of all it’s a moral way of life that I can embrace fully.”

A boy who considered going into the priesthood, Paul emerged from a mikvah 35 years later as a Jew. He had met his first Jew aged 18, having moved to the UK to study. He met Jo, who is now his wife, at a party in 1999 and, coming from an involved north-west London Jewish background, she was clear that their relationship had no future.

Yet here he sits talking to me, a married father of two and a committed member of the Alyth Reform community. He was cautiously welcomed into Jo’s world and felt that their shared family values at the centre of life was key to this.

“It was important to Jo and her family, and having a strong faith and spirituality, it felt comfortable embracing a new path.”

He says having always had a strong faith makes it easier to consider moving to another.

In addition to the study, Hebrew learning and general involvement, men also have the added

complication and anxiety of having to undergo circumcision (this is true for all denominations of Judaism). While Paul admits to being scared, he met his Jewish surgeon a number of times who waived the fee owing to undertaking such a mitzvah. His family may have winced at the procedure, but were generally pleased he had chosen something over nothing when it came to religion. When he’s in shul, Paul says he feels “a true sense of peace”. As for his kids carrying forward their faith, he says: “It would be their choice, but by bringing them up Jewish, I feel I’ve given them an opportunity to embrace a faith.”

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Take a new look inside

The Annie & Samuel Levy Hall with its signature "Noah's Ark" ceiling and the iconic octagonal shape gives the room a unique feel making your day as special as you are.

Call Gerry on 020 8959 1137 #3 or email gerry@millhillsynagogue.co.uk

www.nerorre.co.uk

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www.mirazwillinger.com |

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A dress The SITUATION Brie Bailey seeks bridal gown wisdom

IT ONLY TAKES A MOMENT. There you are huffing and puffing your way through the buttons and hooks in changing-room hell and then suddenly you’re wearing the dress of your dreams. Every brideto-be goes through this - regardless of size or stature – and eventually sees what she wants to see in the mirror.

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Photo by Roberta Facchini, concept Mari Chase

Couture collection which ranges from classic boned bodices to soft unstructured boho styling.

The enthusiasm for Israeli bridal wear continues at Morgan Davies with both their award-winning boutiques in Hertfordshire and Islington showcasing the work of Alon Livne and Inbal Dror.

Acquiring his own sewing machine at 14, set Livne on a fashion path that took him to Roberto Cavalli and Alexander Mcqueen before winning Israel’s Project Runway and dressing Lady Gaga.. Now in New York Livne’s bespoke bridal gowns are a work of hand-sewn art. Brides worthy of a red carpet are Inbal Dror’s speciality as she merges fantasy with sophistication in timeless dresses and the team at Morgan Davies recognise individuality as they guide clients to their perfect dress as well as bespoke accessories, tiaras, veils and jewellery.

But before fixing on accessories

Nurit Hen

Photo by Benjamin Wheeler

MIRROR MIRROR is the name of one of the finest bridal dress shops in London and within are gowns by some of the most creative minds in the bridal world. After 28 years in business, owners Maria Yiannikaris and Jane Nicolls know where to find those minds and they travel extensively each year and every season to find unique and flattering designs to delight their clients. The owners are also designers offering a custom couture collection as well as the fine tuning of gowns from other designers during the fitting process at their onsite studio and workroom within their Islington-based shop.

Like so many bridal specialists Maria and Jane had their heads turned by the talent of Israeli designers, among them Tel Aviv’s Nurit Hen who pioneered the sexy bold alternative bridal look with emphasis on cut, quality and a flattering fit and Mirror Mirror have launched the Nurit Hen Haute

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Gali Karten

prospective brides should also see the romantic gowns by Gali Karten who trained at Christian Dior before opening her business in 2010.

As she puts it her gowns are for women looking for “a fashionable wedding dress rather than disguised enlightenment.” Gali wore vintage on her big day and it is that feel merged with modern lines that can be seen at Angelica Bridal in Camden Passage where there is a

trunkshow from Nov 8-11.

For Mira Zwillinger who sells at Browns Bride, the bridal gown is about her team of ten skilled seamstresses – ensuring a perfect fit.

This, along with the creative vision of her daughter Lihi and the finest embroidery and luxurious fabrics are what makes the gowns so special and weightless. Thanks to lots of structure inside of the garments creating support and beautiful lines,>>

Inbal Dror

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Inbal Dror

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Mira Zwillinger

>> the heavily embellished dresses feel as though they weigh nothing which is a result. A mother and daughter fashion collaboration will also enchant brides and as Miri wisely notes: “A bride should know when it’s her wedding gown. When you put on a dress you should feel perfect in it and that it brings out your personal character. Then you’ve found your dress.”

www.mirrormirror.uk.com /020 7713 9022 www.morgandaviesbridal.co.uk 0207 2533007/ 01462 432889 www.angelikabridal.com

Designers featured

Gali Karten

Inbal Dror

Alon Livne

Mira and Lihi Zwillinger

Nurit Hen

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Fessing up to

DRESSING

Louisa Walters on fashion that will keep you and your girl happy

O

ne of the hardest things about being a parent of pre-teen and teenage girls is finding clothes that they like – and you do too.

The days of putting them in something cute The with pom poms and a hair band to match may be over, but you also know what suits them. They just have to believe you.

Belief is in the eye of the beholder and an Aladdin’s cave of sparkly dresses for little girls, big girls and grown-up girls is a good place to negotiate with your daughter. So head for Elsa in Muswell Hill which is the answer to your (and her) dress-up dreams and the ideal place to kit out yourself and your kids for functions.

This charming boutique is owned by the equally charming Tulay, formerly of Tula in Temple Fortune. Having earned her stripes in NW11, four years ago she bought the shop in Muswell Hill. She opened the doors on the day her daughter, Elsa, turned 10: “It really felt as though everything fell into place,” she says.

Initially Elsa was purely a partywear destination for pre-teens and teenagers but Tulay now caters for one year olds and for adults, as well as a great range of boyswear (ages nine to 14).

Elsa is home to 30 different labels from Turkey, Italy, the USA and Japan. The pieces are exclusive to the shop and cannot be found anywhere else in the UK. There’s also a small collection of accessories for women (handbags, belts, shoes, boots), plus belts and ties for boys.

Elsa carries sizes up to 22 and is has a small collection of larger size girl’s dresses for those who are well-developed at an early age.

As well as eveningwear there is a select

range of smart daywear pieces, equally suitable for shul and business occasions. There is an on-site tailor for alterations and Tulay herself is extremely proficient in suggesting tweaks and additions to make each piece even more special.

Elsa has been discovered by a host of celebrities including Kate Galloway, Stephenie Pratt from Made In Chelsea, contestants on The Voice and the trio of young girls cast in the role of Annie in the West End, who came in to be fitted out for the show’s premiere.

Dresswise has also attracted a band of followers, many of whom visit after school, mentally note a dress they like and then return with their mum to buy it.

That was what Vicky Lane and Lisa Wise hoped would happen when they set up their shop in January 2017 with no fashion experience, but plenty of dealing with daughters. “Young girls want to wear clothes from Topshop and River Island, but they are really not designed for their developing bodies,” says Vicky.

Finding that this group is better catered for in other countries their smart, modern boutique carries affordable casualwear, promwear and eveningwear from the USA, Europe and the UK. DressWise even scooped the Young UK Fashion Independent of the Year award at the Drapers Independent Awards.

ELSA 230 Fortis Green Road N10 3DU Tel: 0208 883 9794 | www.elsa-london.com DRESSWISE 10 Shenley Road, London WD6 1DL Tel: 020 8207 4888 | www.dresswise.com

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Top row, first and second outfits, Anoushka G. Third, Monsoon. Right:Elsa Bottom row, first outfit, Lipsy. Second, Zara.

Third, Gina Bacconi.

Fourth, Lipsy.

Fifth, Roman Originals.

OUT, OUT

OUTFITS

Whether you’re in the frontline at a function (mother of the bar/bat) or just a guest, your clothes should suit the occasion. Here are some that might...

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CONTACT US FOR ARCHITECTURE, INTERIOR DESIGN, & PROJECT MANAGEMENT SERVICES IL: 054-979-7155 INFO@JERUDESIGN.COM WWW.JERUDESIGN.COM US: 516-204-4544

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ADVERTISING FEATURE

The VIP Lounge in Edgware has been the venue of choice for some of London’s most spectacular and unique weddings and events, delighting thousands of discerning clients since its opening.

BE A VIP! T

HE SIGNATURE VIP LOUNGE SUITE IS A MAJESTIC AND HIGHLY VERSATILE, PILLAR-LESS ROOM, which can be configured and decorated for an impressive variety of functions, ensuring a unique ambience for each and every event. The event theming service ensures every client’s vision for their event is brought to reality, with an extensive stock of table décor, linen, crockery, cutlery, lighting devices, modern star cloth draping, wedding stages and other theme décor.

The adjoining Regal Lounge can be used for a romantic, intimate Civil marriage ceremony or a glittering and glamorous champagne cocktail reception with floating canapés. It can also be transformed into a luxurious dining area, with beautifully arranged food displays and live cooking stations.

The Regal Lounge leads through to a fully fitted bridal suite, photography room, washrooms and baby changing facilities.

The VIP Lounge and The Regal are available on an exclusive and dedicated hire basis, offering a full Kosher catering kitchen service for Jewish clients and Caterers. And let’s not forget the large complimentary car park which is the icing on the cake!

For more information, please call 020 8951 4441 or email info@theviplounge.com

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Savoir Faire are the leading marquee specialists covering London and the Home Counties.

Our marquees range from 3m to 15m spans with unlimited lengths and the flexibility to cover any site or garden no matter what the obstacles.

Contemporary and classic interior linings Lighting systems to create any mood Bar and lounge seating

Huge range of furniture and dancefloors Selection of over 50 carpet colours Heating and air-conditioning

For a quote or site visit, call us on 01491 413621 or visit our website www.savoirfaire.co.uk

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The Greatest

Showman

Debbie Colton meets the man who will bring the best of the circus and more to your event

A

N ENCOUNTER WITH ILAI SZPIEZAK, founder of Upstage Creative, will always raise a smile.

Be it in person or on the phone, his passion and energy is tangible and it is quite possible that in Ilai we have found the ‘Greatest Showman’ alive and well and available to rock your simcha.

Hailing from Argentina and Israel, Ilai is a trained dancer and over the past 10 years has strived to marry his shared love of theatre production and entertainment event management. Just over a year ago he rebranded to Upstage Creative and in addition to creating and hosting over 80 events, is this month launching its first circus show – Winterville in Clapham to rival the pricey Winter Wonderland. This is a world exclusive and it is bound to succeed as Ilai is bringing all his skills to the party.

Despite having created events for all manner of companies and people, he

says he can’t put his finger on what makes Jewish events different – but it’s in his blood.

He is keen to make clear that each event is curated from scratch, so while you may think you are living in groundhog day come ‘simcha season’, Ilai is adamant that you won’t just be getting another lychee martini and a familiar band. Ilai thinks big, so prepare for circus performers, flash mobs, personally choreographed routines for Aunty Enid, top-class musicians and DJs, entertainment acts and classical dancers. Upstage Creative can do it all and all of it is held together and illuminated by a technical crew who have produced shows all over the world Alongside his colleagues Ilai is often found to be MCing simchas. You only have to check out his testimonials to get a feel for his energy and his drive is to treat every event like a new being and bring happiness to the people he works for. Tough to upstage that! www.upstagecreative.co.uk

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It’s time to raise the roof You’ve chosen the dress (or suit), you’ve hired the band and selected the venue – a marquee in the perfect location

T

o make sure your simcha is the best it can be, you need a company that knows what it’s doing.

Savoir Faire has built its reputation on providing luxury marquee hire and event management services – and it has experience of looking after its Jewish clientele.

“We have supplied many Jewish functions and they now form a large part of our business,” explains owner Richard Hall, who set up the company in 1989, initially as an events organising company and entertainment agency.

“Many events last the whole weekend and we are often in on the Sunday morning to change the marquee around from a more formal setting to a party with dancefloor, starlight ceiling and lounge furniture.”

Now, 95 percent of Savoir Faire’s business is supplying luxury marquees, about which it knows an awful lot. Whether large marquees (fitting 500 people) to small (50) and everything in between, the company also offers a full range of linings, lights and furnishings, or simply the option of having a roof cover for shelter from the rain.

For Richard, the company’s reputation is a source of pride. Savoir Faire is known for the quality of its products and its customer service.

“We are not the cheapest marquee company and there is a lot of competition these days,” he acknowledges, but adds: “We hear so many stories of people disappointed by the quality of other marquees and even being let down at the last minute.

“With Savoir Faire, if you confirm a booking with us, you can guarantee you will get an excellent and reliable service as evidenced by the fact that more than 90 percent of our bookings come from personal recommendations and previous customers.”

The company also supplies furniture, as well as dancefloors, bars, toilets, generators and heaters or air-conditioning for clients – and even table linen, crockery and cutlery and bar staff.

“We strive to make each marquee be the best it can be and always go the extra mile to make sure the customer is delighted.” www.savoirfairemarquees.co.uk

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NOW OPEN

VADI

RESTAURANT South Woodford 84-86 High Road, E18 2NA

020 8220 3963

Restaurants also in Green Lanes, Palmers Green, 020 8882 2228 and High Street, Enfield, 020 8805 9838

ICE RINK

Some of our favourite things are best served on ice.

And your next party is no different.

From Birthdays to Chanukah Extravaganzas, end-of-term gatherings to office get-togethers, we’ve got you covered. Our one-of-a-kind ice rink in the heart of North West London is available to book now, and it’s guaranteed to make sure your next event is the one no-one can stop talking about.

Book at the Box Office today

020 7433 8955 Finchley Road | 341-351 Finchley Road, London NW3 6ET

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Offering a unique setting for your next event, within the beautiful setting of Regent’s Park, ZSL London Zoo has a range of versatile spaces for all occasions.

Why opt for the norm when you can host your drinks reception with our Humboldt penguins at Penguin Beach or nibble on our delicious canapes on the sophisticated Mappin Terrace, overlooking the wallabies? With two suites licensed for wedding ceremonies, a range of iconic animal houses and event spaces for groups of 20-700 guests, let us create a bespoke package just for you.

With outstanding catering provided by CH&CO, we offer a range of seasonal and responsibly resourced menus.

Please contact us on VenueHire@zsl.org

Your Flower Story London specialise in luxury florist design and provide a personal, professional, and creative service that is as individual as the couples they work with.

87 Russell Lane, N20 0BA T: 020 8368 2743 M: 07594 210 504 Email: info@yourflowerstory.com www.yourflowerstory.com Whiteribbons Photography

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Success

On A Plate

Alex Galbinski discovers a company where customers – and staff – are central to its success

F

rom simchas with Moroccan and circus themes, to Egyptian evenings or events based on particular colours, Itzik Caterers are able to pull together a menu that will leave guests more than satisfied.

Headed up by Itzik Feder, together with his brother-in-law Yossi Brecher, the team of 14 (not including waiting staff) make it their business to fulfil their clients’ every wish – all at a very good price.

Itzik Caterers was set up in 2008 and is, unusually, licenced by not one but two kosher certification agencies – the Kedassia of Union of Orthodox Hebrew Congregations of the UK, and by the London Beth Din of the United Synagogue.

Itzik explains: “We are something different in the Charedi market. We offer superb food at great value prices – and we are very generous with our quantities.

We are known for our incredible buffets, but we are happy to provide our clients with absolutely everything they want.”

The pair, who worked together previously, have more than 20 years’ experience in the catering industry and are as willing to supply food for smaller functions, as for simchas attended by hundreds of people, and they are equally at home serving sitdown meals as informal canapé-style food.

Able to go into most top-class venues in London, the team, who are based in Staples Corner, have also worked outside of the capital and recently catered Pesach in a hotel in Italy.

Indeed, when asked what he is most proud of, Itzik says it is his staff, many of whom have been with the company since the early days. “We couldn’t do anything without our staff. Most people have been with us for a long time, including our chef, who has worked with us for eight years.”

It says a lot about a company when it not only has happy customers, but happy staff. www.itzikcaterers.com JN Life jewishnews.co.uk

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LET’S HAVE IT HERE

No one would dispute functions held in foreign places are fabulous, but there’s something to be said for making a simcha close to home. For one thing, ageing grandparents can attend and guests can dig deeper for a gift as they aren’t paying for flights. There are some splendid venues virtually on your doorstep offering fabulously priced packages Beales Hotel

De Vere Theobalds Estate

A

WEDDING, BAR OR BATMITZVAH at Beales Hotel in Hatfield will suit a family who likes a contemporary setting with an artistic flavour as the long established Hertfordshire hotel company collaborates with the fine art department at the University of Hertfordshire and their work on the walls is impressive. Established in 1769, the hotel is now run by Andrew Beale, who is 8th generation and over the past 46 years there have been Jewish functions of all sizes held in the Buckland Suite which is one of the largest single spaces in Hertfordshire. With exclusive use of the ground floor on Sundays and the hotel kitchen facilities released to kosher caterers, the wedding packages have one price

that includes r room hire and no hidden costs. bealeshotels.co.uk/ 01707 288500 A WEDDING DAY set amid rolling countryside in Buckinghamshire is what to expect at De Vere Latimer Estate which has the air of Downton Abbey. Within the elegantly refurbished Cavendish Suite is a perfect place to say “I do” and the room - licensed for civil ceremonies has its own bar and doors leading out to the grounds. With the stylish guest bedrooms, delicious wedding menus curated by the executive chef, and a dedicated wedding team, De Vere Latimer is a worthy venue contender, which is also true of the elegant redbrick Georgian mansion. De Vere Theobalds Estate De Vere Latimer Estate

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ZSL London Zoo

in Cheshunt which is part of the same country estate group. Here, aside from the main building with its original Georgian features there is The Ridings Barn, a modern and light barn conversion that holds up to 180 guests and a Mediterranean courtyard which is ideal for a summer drinks reception. phcompany. com/ 01494 842949/ 0871 222 4820 You don’t have to be a golfer to appreciate Dyrham Park Country Club, but a bar mitzvah might. The beautiful Palladian mansion is one of the oldest and handsome of Hertfordshire venues set in 200 secluded acres.

The house was the home of John Durham in the 14th century and remained so for nearly six hundred years until it became Dyrham Park in 1880. Few brides or batmitzvahs for that matter would fail to picture themselves standing in the magnificent Grand Hall with its elegant sweeping staircase and Minstrel’s Gallery, so the additional clubhouse, excellent food, superb grounds and extensive car parking makes it a hole in one.

For an unusual space close to home The Great Barn at Headstone Manor and Museum is a rare find. With its stunning vaulted ceiling, exposed wooden oak beams and limestone flooring, this is a star venue for wedding ceremonies, civil partnerships and receptions for up to 300 guests. There is a dedicated events team who can help organise all the suppliers and entertainment who are familiar with the site and wonderful historic buildings.

But the real joy here is that the space allows the hosts a chance to create the function

ZSL London Zoo

they always wanted. Greatbarnavenue. uk/ 020 8863 6720 or email greatbarn@ headstonemanor.org Set in London’s oldest district beside Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre the Hilton London Bankside could only be a capital event. Be it grand with a large guest list or cosy with a select crowd, the team at the hotel will take care of detail from planning tasting menus to sample with the head chef, Paul Bates to selecting flower arrangements, table decorations and cutlery. The Hilton London Bankside Event space is licensed for civil ceremonies and religious blessings and if you love London it’s the right spot. To book a site visit email events@hiltonbankside.co.uk As we’re extolling the virtues of London, why not try the Zoo? Within this iconic setting are two banqueting suites with room for 45 to 260 guests and both are licensed for civil ceremonies and available day and night year round. But what about the animals? Well hopefully guests will behave themselves, giving the couple a chance to share a glass of prosecco on Penguin Beach.

And by holding your wedding at ZSL London Zoo you will be directly contributing to their international conservation charity.

Prices start from £89pp for a three course meal or two course BBQ menu with half a bottle of wine, Prosecco for toasting and one hour access to the Zoo, a DJ and disco, security and full event management. Visit zsl.org or call 0207 449 6562 or email venuehire@zsl.org

Dyrham Park Country Club

Hilton London Bankside

Hilton London Bankside

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South Farm

There is something thrilling about inviting people to a place they have not only never seen, but probably never heard of. Ta da! Time to try the Postal Museum and after 75 years hidden from view the Mail Rail which are now open for hire – and with an outdoor courtyard. Opened in 2017, this building in Clerkenwell stores the archive of our rich mail history which dates back to Henry VIII and there is an immersive subterranean rail ride, but the important thing is that you can use this unique space for a bar or batmitzvah. postalmuseum. org or call 020 8183 0060 Familiar and professional the Mercure Hotel is the sort of venue that takes all the hassle out of planning. The spacious and stylish interiors are a blank canvass for any event and they can accommodate up to 200 guests in the largest suite. A full and accomplished food and drink menu selection and parking for 350 cars – the Mercure takes the chore out of function planning. mercurewatford.co.uk/0844 815 9056 The Sculpture Gallery sits at the heart of Woburn Abbey Estate in Bedfordshire and is a glorious setting for a wedding. The private rose garden and terrace overlook the lake and the gallery itself can host up to 250 guests.

They are also veterans at hosting multi faith receptions and the in-house team have a range of specialist partners who can offer Jewish catering. sculpturegallerywoburn.co.uk / 01525 292172

If you really want to do something different and explore new territory, South Farm in Royston, Cambridgeshire is the place to go. The gallery on their website shows the very many weddings they have had at the idyllic family-run farm and they all look like Vogue photo shoots in style and originality.

The ceremony and reception can be held in the Tudor Barn, beautiful garden Summerhouse, intimate Drawing Room or lovely Old Dairy with 146 seated and 200 for a party. Food choices are flexible with vegetarian menus an option and a kosher caterer can be accommodated. Too picturesque to describe this place with its gorgeous rare-breed animals, collection of Romany Caravans for guests and their very own authentic Thai Tuk-Tuk must be viewed. It’s a venue to remember. south-farm.co.uk/01223 207581 The Village Hotel is not just a great place for a simcha show – it’s a great place for a simcha. They love to host weddings and welcome 13-year-olds. There’s a dedicated Special Events Planner to sort out every detail from rehearsals to room layout and they have great relationships with local suppliers, taking the pain out of finding photographers, florists and chauffeurs. For larger gatherings there’s the Inspiration Suite and for smaller, more intimate ceremonies a selection of function suites or restaurants. And, best of all, you’re already here! village-hotels.co.uk / 0203 841 9890

South Farm

Postal Museum

The Sculpture Gallery

The Village hotel

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A D V E R TO R I A L

ADVERTORIAL

ALL EVENT COMPANIES ARE NOT THE SAME

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ased in north-west London, Genie Events prides itself on creating and producing a unique event that truly represents the Bar/Bat Mitzvah boy or girl.

Genie Events understands that there has to be balance between pleasing friends, family and kids at the same time on the same day.

The question is how do you achieve this without the headache?

With a reputation for seamless corporate events, the passionate, creative team can ensure that you can enjoy every moment of your teenagers ‘big day’ without any of the stress. We take care of every detail leaving nothing to chance.

From sourcing the right venue, recommending all types of entertainment complemented with delicious kosher food, we can help you to

host a truly memorable affair.

Genie Events bespoke service brings every Simcha life – from the creation of a brand identity for the Bar Mitzvah boy or Bat Mitzvah girl to carefully chosen DJ’s packages as well as the food tastings to ensure the perfect menu. We provide an event manager to oversee every aspect of your special event as well as a full in-house production service. The team’s eye for detail and years of experience in the corporate marketplace means that NO two events are the same.

If you would like to find out more either contact Genie Events via email on lauren@genieevents. co.uk or call 01923 853 966 or head to stand A32 to meet Sarah Cohen, Managing Director of Genie Events to discuss your plans.

Room hire fro m £3999

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Let them

ENTERTAIN you

Netanel Kohen

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he renowned Spanish cellist Pablo Casals said music is the divine way to tell beautiful, poetic things to the heart. Singer and cantor Netanel Kohen would no doubt agree, as his music is soulful and uplifting and a perfect addition to any simcha.

Having begun performing in public around the age of 13, Netanel is able to present a wide musical range and performs in Hebrew and English as well as Spanish.

Netanel lives in Israel, where most of his performances take place, but he is also happy to perform in the UK. Once a year, around September/October, he visits the US as a cantor for the holiday services in the Sephardic Jewish community in New York and he has

performed for intimate gatherings of 20 as well grander events attended by up to 700 guests.

“My musical style is varied, and I fit it to suit the audience,” he explains. “I can perform in different music styles, including Israeli, Mizrahi, Chasidic, Sephardic and Ashkenazi.”

Netanel is able to offer support on the production side of events, and arrange for many types of special entrances and attractions for events, including dancers, violinists and other accessories. And, most importantly, he reacts to the crowd on the night. “I, and my professional musicians, know how to read the audience and the dance floor and respond accordingly.”

Call Netanel on + 972-50-710-8242 or email netanelkohen@gmail.com

The Sensation Band

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f music be the food of love, play on.

So said a rather famous writer, and he must have had a simcha in mind as it’s often the heart of a great party.

When you tag your business with the ‘UK’s best party band’, you set high expectations, but Sensation – set up five years ago by marketer Richard Robins and renowned music producer Jason Silver – seems to be one band that really are up there. Silver played as part of Mark Ronson’s band and brings his connections from across the music industry. It’d seem you really are paying for a sprinkle of stardust with them.

Chatting with Richard, it’s clear they are proud of their heritage and professionalism and you only need Google them to see some of the amazing

vocalists they have on the rosta; lead and backing vocalists from names including Clean Bandit and Basement Jaxx join Sensation’s core musicians to match your tastes and create a bespoke ensemble for your party. As required, they bring in specialists for Israeli music, so you won’t mix up your klezmer with your Kylie.

They often get involved in the wider planning to make your event come to life and, with the options of anything from a five-piece band to a 28-piece orchestra, there seems to be something for everyone. Add that to a quite extraordinary catalogue of styles and hits and these guys do seem to hit the high notes when it comes to entertainment.

Check out their showreel at www.sensationband.co.uk JN Life jewishnews.co.uk

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Be Israel’s Guest With everything that’s happening in the Holy Land, you’ll be needing a room You don’t really need a reason to go to Israel, but there are many in 2019. For starters – cue big drum roll – there’s the Eurovision Song Contest from May 14-18 at Tel Aviv Exhibition Ground. This will be the first time Eurovision has been hosted in Israel for 20 years, so unless you are one of Queen Netta’s cousins, start thinking about where you will be staying. Add to that Gay Pride, The International Festival of Puppet Theatre in Jerusalem, events staged around food, film and art across the country and family to throw your arms around, well, it’s time you booked into a great hotel and for a range of budgets.

The Ibis Hotel

Ibis

DAVID CITADEL

New to Jerusalem’s city centre are Ibis City Centre and Ibis Styles by Accor Hotels. Both are on Jaffa Street, just a minute away from the Old City and kosher, which is a real plus as kashrut observers know there are surprisingly few. Stylish, comfortable with their signature ‘sweet beds’ and affordable, both are ideal bases for easy exploring. (ibis.accorhotels.com)

Sometimes the design of a hotel is reason enough to stay there and that is Jerusalem’s David Citadel, a modern landmark juxtaposed against the ancient world. Israeli architect, Moshe Safdie whose work includes Yad Vashem teamed with interior designers, Piero Lissoni to create the property which is theatrical in its use of furnishing, light and local stone. This runs through the rooms and suites which all have uncompromising views of the city and matched by those at the pool. There is a spa too and several restaurants, one being sushi and the other Seasons where Executive chef Avi Turgeman is renowned for his global menus. (thedavidcitadel.com)

David Citadel

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MAMILLA A stay at David Citadel could spoil you in much the same way as the Mamilla Hotel does. Rightfully claimed as one of The Leading Hotels of the World (LHW), The Mamilla is also the work of Piero Lissoni and takes its name from the 19th century neighbourhood in which it stands adjacent to the Jaffa Gate and where Theodore Herzl first stayed in 1898. Egyptian cotton linen, Bulgari ameneties, luxury rooms and a panoramic rooftop terrace are just part of the properties appeal along with fresh catches at the Happy Fish restaurant and the Mirror Bar which is for those who like their nightlife stylish. (mamillahotel.com)

Mamilla

DAN Stars refuse to stay anywhere but the super deluxe 280 room Dan Tel Aviv, which was the first luxury hotel to be built in Israel and it is more than nostalgia that keeps guests coming back. It also has the gourmet kosher restaurant Hayarkon 99. It is the reliability of Dan Hotels that their returning guests enjoy.

King David

KING DAVID

Dan

With Dan properties in key cities and by the sea, it is the King David in Jerusalem that remains the jewel in the crown, garnering excellent references from the likes of Prince William.

SETAI The Setai, Tel Aviv, belongs to the renowned Nakash brothers (Joe, Ralph and Avi) who have brought their good taste to this dynamite property in Old Jaffa by Clock Square. “Luxury Meets History” is how the brothers pitch The Setai, TelAviv which was a fortress during the Crusades and then a prison in the Ottoman period. Not that any of its previous residents would recognize it now with all the modern oak, leather furnishings and 120 rooms and Suites with rainfall showers and 49-inch IPTVs. Add to this a spa, hand-crafted cocktail bar and the Jaya Chef Restaurant blending the culinary heritage of Jaffa with the Setai’s Turkish roots and nothing will keep you away. (thesetaihotel.co.il)

Setai

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TAMARES Be sure to take a good look at the website for Tamares Hotels. Their beautifully decorated properties are in great locations like the Daniel in Herziliya and the Dead Sea, the West Boutiques in Ashdod and Tel Aviv. Then there is the showcase Shizen with spa in Herziliya Petuach which has offers 40 elegant Japanesestyled rooms and a roster of yoga and aerobic classes. (tamareshotels.com)

Tamares

CARLTON

David Tower

“We didn’t want to leave” wrote a guest on Trip Advisor summing up his stay at the Carlton Tel Aviv. “The staff are all professional and courteous, and the place is so very clean. The best way to begin each day is breakfast at the unique indoor/outdoor setting on the beach.

There was food from front to back, all fresh and just made.” And that is all anyone needs by way of a recommendation for this panoramic sea-view property with roof top pool, spacious rooms and chef Meir Adoni who makes innovative Jewish food in the Lumina restaurant. (carlton.co.il)

OKEANOS APARTHOTEL

DAVID TOWER In Netanya The David Tower by Sofitel is by the long promenade overlooking the sea. A good size with only 75 exclusive rooms and suites, there are fewer guests to compete with to enjoy the Spa with indoor heated pool, Turkish Hammam, Sauna, Fitness Centre and numerous beauty treatments. Be sure to be up for the excellent kosher breakfast. (sofitel.accorhotels.com)

Carlton

Okeanos

There’s something to be said for ‘ come as you go’ accommodation and the Okeanos Aparthotel which sits between Herzliya’s beaches and the hi-tech business district more than ticks the box.

Okeanos are the Wembley Arena of apartments delivering both in size (they’re enormous) and quality. Let’s just say there is more than enough space to work and socialise in and each comes with a fully-equipped kitchen. The marina, shopping mall, restaurants and bars are just outside, but you may prefer to make your own coffee, sit on the balcony and take in the view. (okeanos.co.il) JN Life jewishnews.co.uk

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MOLCHO NEVE TZEDEK And so to the Molcho Neve Tzedek which manages to combine the freedom of an apartment with the amenities and atmosphere of a luxury boutique hotel with suites furnished in the way you would hope to do your home. Painstaking renovation of the original 1910 building has turned this place into a designer dream from the objet d’art to the wooden shutters. It has all the charm of a vintage residence but with all the luxuries plus staying in the artistic area of Neve Tzedek which spins the experience. (nevetzedek.com)

Molcho Neve Tzedek

HYOKRA VILLAS

Elysee Villa

Have you got a big event coming up that you would like to celebrate in Israel? Would you like to take your family, a few cousins and a good friend or two with you on this vacation? What if you could all stay in the same villa but each in a luxurious room of their own? If this sounds tempting you need to look around The Elysee Villa in the centre of Sadot Micha as the seven bedrooms make it ideal for hosting a large group of people and the magnificent swimming pool, immaculate garden and exquisite furniture makes it a holiday. That this luxurious villa is built in the shape of a castle is a bonus, along with several well equipped kitchens, gorgeous bathrooms, a spacious dining area and a Presidential Suite with an eight metre high ceiling and round bed covered with crocodile leather. The latter is made for a wedding night and the owners are happy to take bookings for bachelorette and birthday parties.

Lev Hachoresh

On a bigger scale The Woodland (Lev Hachoresh) Estate in Shomera, west of the Galilee has three luxury villas – the Asperg, Gladiola and Orchid which can accommodate 16 people with each getting their own bathroom. Two of the villas have game rooms complete with Sony Playstation, air hockey and a Smart TV and all of them have fully equipped kitchens with a large refrigerator, oven, and dishwasher plus all the pots and utensils. The living rooms all have satellite and cable and snooker tables and each villa has its own pool - heated and covered in the winter, a spa Jacuzzi, ping pong table, BBQ area and sun beds.

Children’s beds and play-pens can be arranged and there is a synagogue nearby.

Now tell the family. (www.hayokra.co.il)

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Singer & Cantor

Netanel Kohen is a Singer & Cantor for Jewish Wedding ceremonies (Chuppahs), Bar/Bat Mitzvahs, birth ceremonies and any Jewish occasion.

Netanel could perform with a variety of tunes - Sephardic, Ashkenazic as well as English. Although he’s based in Israel, he could undertake events in the UK if needed. His delivery of music and the unique voice will really help transform your event into something special.

For inquiries, videos and further details contact NetanelKohen@gmail.com or call +972 50 710 8242

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Where to

LOVE LIVING in Israel

Whether you’re looking for a holiday home or making a permanent move, when it comes to choosing where to buy a property in Israel it pays to take time to consider your options. There are many, finds Judy Elkus

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or many a Brit, Netanya has traditionally been top of the list. With nearly nine miles of beach, most of it unspoilt, the sea is always a short walk, bus or taxi ride away. The huge square in the centre of town hosts yearround community events, from wine-tastings to concerts to big-screen showings of major sports matches. As for your potential neighbours, there’s a large contingent of English-speaking immigrants from the UK, USA, Canada, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand, alongside those from Russia, Ethiopia and France.

The influence on the local eateries of this diverse population is particularly welcome, with plenty of options for eating out, much of it kosher. Pretty centrally located, most places you would want to visit can be reached in 90 minutes or less. As a Brit who has lived in Netanya for over 30 years, estate agent Maxine Marks can give you an Anglo perspective on buying a property here.

While Netanya may be the obvious choice, Tel Aviv is also a popular destination for expats.

The coastal city has a diverse cultural scene that includes theatre, museums, sports facilities,

world class restaurants, and even a UN World Cultural Heritage Site.

In the south west of the city is Neve Tzedek, a 140-year-old neighbourhood that in recent years has become one of the most fashionable and upmarket addresses. Quiet and charming, Neve Tzedek blends old and new with streets of quaint low-rise buildings housing artist studios, trendy cafes and bars, boutique hotels and shops. The team at Neve Tzedek Real Estate can help you find your ideal home in this neighbourhood.

If you see yourself living among the upper classes, head north east across town to the neighbourhood of Tzahala.

Established in 1951 and named after the IDF, it was opened to house IDF officers and veterans of the 1948 War. Today, Tzahala is run as a co-operative housing society, with residents paying a two-year membership fee to an elected association. Agent Itzik Daller can advise on your options here.

Yet another angle on Tel Aviv can be found at Sarona – Israel’s largest, indoor culinary market that combines a wealth of influences, from local to global, rural to urban, classic to contemporary. Developer Gindi Holdings who constructed the site in the heart of the city made sure to include sought-after living spaces in three luxury, 31-storey towers, offering high quality living and an excellent high-tech spec.

Then, of course, there’s Jerusalem which has plenty of choice when it comes to neighbourhoods, whether you want to live predominantly with Anglos or immerse yourself

Top: Cafe culture in Tel Aviv. Below: The iconic old city of Tiberias in the north of the country

in authentic Israeli life, be it within a religious community or one that’s more traditional.

As well as the obvious spiritual and holy attractions, Jerusalem is very cosmopolitan, offering excellent shopping, fine dining and a varied cultural program.

Located on the shore of the Kinneret and surrounded by mountains, Tiberias draws visitors from around the country and overseas for its water sports, beaches and holy sites. The town has around 45,000 residents with a small Anglo community of just 5% so buying here will put you on a fast-track to integrating into Israeli society. In the past 10 years, Tiberias has seen significant growth with a number of new property developments.

One of these, AGAM by Y-Group offers a fairytale lifestyle with a range of apartment sizes, spacious sun terraces and panoramic lake views. Residents have the use of an infinity pool, gym, spa, cafés and restaurants overlooking the breath-taking views of the Kinneret, Mount Hermon and the walls of the iconic old city of Tiberias.

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Designing in Israel.

Bridging the cultural and language gap.

Paying attention to the ďŹ nest details.

Please visit us at www.nickiekantor.com, send us an e-mail at info@nickiekantor.com or give us a call on +972544222659

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An Eye On the design Buying a property is one of the most stressful rites of passage, but these interior designers will help turn your house into a home with ease Debby Schor Elyasy

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hen Debby made aliyah from her native Milan 14 years ago, she was delighted. What the qualified architect hadn’t banked on, however, was a difference in mentality and approach from some of her Israeli colleagues in everyday life and in the building and retail industry, which sometimes made her working life difficult.

Debby has turned her experiences of the gap between the European and the Israeli worlds to her advantage, offering her services as an architect and interior designer to clients abroad or in Israel.

These clients have perhaps bought a plot of land and are about to build a house in Israel, or want to renovate a property there, while working with honest and reliable tradespeople.

“My clients are mainly non-Israelis (speaking Italian, English and Spanish),” she writes on her website. “They appreciate my style and my Italian aesthetic with an emphasis on precise execution along with our shared language.”

From her initial consultation – conducted face-to-face or online – Debby will, figuratively speaking, hold the hands of a client and see their project through from the initial planning stages to completion, taking care of the big – and little – details along the way. This problem-solving and hands-on approach eases the pressure on her clients, whom she keeps updated at all times, and ensures the project is completed to their satisfaction.

“I deal with aesthetics, space, functionality and I design homes the best way I can to fulfil my client’s desires, like many other architects,” she tells me. “But my USP is that I also deeply understand my clients’ world.

“Their fears are same ones I experienced previously, and I understand that apart from wanting a nice home, they have concerns relat-

Debby Schor Elyasy

ed to the fact they are not israeli. they want to be sure that they are paying the right price and that they are in good hands.” debby also has ‘green’ credentials having studied green building at university and is certified by the standards institution of israel to accompany green building. this means she makes it her aim to make less use of sources of non-renewable energy, while taking maximum advantage of clean, renewable energy such as sun and wind, as well as of features of the local environment.

For more information, visit www.dsearc.co.il, call Debby on ++ 972-52-6452002 or email her via debby@dsearc.com

Nickie Kantor

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s a teenager, Nickie Kantor travelled with her family to Japan, falling in love with the Japanese culture and aesthetic. This sparked the desire to explore further and she went on to study Japanese at university, spending time in the country. She loves minimalism, which she says is intrinsic in Japanese culture, both emotionally and visually.

“I can really relate to the use of natural materials and functionality in design in Japan to create an outcome that is highly practical and aesthetically pleasing,” she says. >> JN Life jewishnews.co.uk

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>> It is this aesthetic Nickie’s clients appreciate, along with her ability to understand how to get ahead in Israel, having made aliyah from England 25 years ago. Israelis can be more direct and brash, she says, which sometimes causes problems if you’re not used to their way of thinking – but she is able to walk that tightrope, having experienced it herself.

“People here say what they think and this can be offensive if taken out of context. English people are used to polite service and the maxim that ‘the client is always right’. The fact that I connect with English and Israelis equally has been a major advantage.

“In this industry in Israel, working with workmen, however skilled, you need to be very assertive especially if you expect attention to the finest details and implementation of design features according to the plan,” continues Nickie, who is fluent in Hebrew and is therefore able to minimise misunderstandings. “I ensure the communication is productive and enjoyable for both sides.”

Nickie also has an MBA specialising in marketing and prides herself on her eye for design, which she also honed in the London fashion world. With an Israeli diploma in interior architecture under her belt, she is able to draw up comprehensive plans including electricity, air conditioning, building and carpentry.

She is involved throughout the design process from conception to completion, and this often includes accessorising a client’s home and helping to incorporate pieces they have brought with them. For intensive design sessions, she has even met clients in London.

However, she strives to maintain the balance between aesthetics and practicality.

“In designing a contemporary home in Israel, with practicality in mind, it’s important to use materials that are suitable to the climate and way of life,” she explains.

“I work with my clients to incorporate their own tastes and preferences at the same time as ensuring that the outcome is highly aesthetic.

I am a perfectionist and I work really hard to ensure that no two projects turn out the same.” www.nickiekantor.com

Nickie Kantor

Jerusalem Design

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ith a meticulous eye for a beautiful but functioning aesthetic, boutique agency Jerusalem Design offers full-service support to clients wanting interiors and exteriors that are bold and stylish. But while the execution of this type of brief might, in other companies, cause the spiralling of costs, the co-founders of Jerusalem Design take extra steps to ensure their clients are not left counting the shekels.

US-born operations director Yoav Ehrenhalt and creative director Chezi Spero combine many years of experience and talent to provide architectural, interior design and project management input from start to finish, all the while remembering the all-important budget sheet.

As Yoav explains: “Aside from having a strong emphasis on quality, our firm is very budget conscious. Our process is to plan, design, and price out the project to a 95% resolution before starting any work. This allows our clients to stick

to a budget and not overextend themselves.”

The pair tackle projects of all scales, from apartments of 50 sqm to full homes and buildings, mainly in Jerusalem but also in the surrounding area. The team are particularly proud of the renovation of the three-floor Shaarei Chesed penthouse, which was completed within just three and a half months and required input from various tradespeople in the same place at the same time – normally, a logistical headache.

“When a team moves as one – as this one did – it allows a normally stressful project to turn into an adventure with beautiful results and happy clients,” explains Yoav. www. jerudesign.com

Jerusalem Design

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From left: cocktails on the roof at Roger Smith Hotel; 9/11 Museum and, below, waterfall memorial; Manhattan as seen from Ellis Island

BIG APPLE SURPRISE

Familiar yet unexpected… that’s Brigit Grant’s Manhattan

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ILLY JOEL’S ‘NEW YORK STATE OF MIND’ has always been my anthem – and never more so than when I lived in Manhattan on 28th and Madison near Gramercy Park. My ‘Carrie Bradshaw’ years – as I think of them – are long gone, but a recent trip to the Big Apple renewed those core feelings, primarily joy, as I was showing my daughter the town that named her. For the record she isn’t called Lexington, but that’s the avenue the eccentrically-named Roger Smith Hotel is located and where we spent our first night. Family-owned and retaining its 1930s architecture, Roger Smith has a boho feel, huge high-ceilinged bedrooms and a lot of history echoing the infamous Chelsea Hotel, but with a warm welcome. Expect to bump into F Scott

Fitzgerald in the hallway or Zelda at Lily’s rooftop bar, as Roger Smith champions artists, so the guests are interesting and the wall space is a rotating gallery.

Even the receptionist is a former Broadway hoofer, but lingering in the lobby wasn’t an option as “we must be at the American Girl doll store at 9am,” was the order. Over ‘breakfast in America’ we planned our schedule post-doll store as we had New York City PASS books which are a must if you want to skip queues and entry fees for every cultural landmark and museum and enjoy discounts. One has to choose carefully what to include in a four day trip with an 11-year-old , but I recommend seeing Liberty from the boat and getting off at Ellis Island, as our people did between 18921924. It’s a historical gem for all ages, so allow time.

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From left: The Ride; Breakfast in America ; SJP in her store; Madison on her Avenue; Bette at The Shubert; The Sofitel on 44th Street

Once at Battery Park, the 9/11 Memorial and Museum on Greenwich Street is close by and should be seen, even by one who lived through it. There is a silent solemnity around the 9/11 memorial – two waterfall pools with the names of those who died honoured in bronze – but there are always tourists who think it’s ok to pose for a selfie perched on the name of a victim. In the museum the audio is a mix of news reports and chilling cries alongside ‘Have You Seen My Daddy?’ posters and the retrieved torched girders from the Twin Towers lead visitors ever deeper into the ground. It’s an emotional journey.

On route to the subway I saw a poster for a production of Fiddler on the Roof in Yiddish directed by Cabaret’s Joel Grey. “If only we had time,” I said to my husband who nodded with relief that we didn’t. But Jewish stuff is everywhere in New York, from the mile-high corn beef on rye to the lit menorahs in Chinese supermarkets and it doesn’t get more Jewish than the mighty Bette Middler starring in Hello Dolly - directed by uber talent Jerry Zaks. I screamed when we got tickets in the front row of the mezzanine at The Shubert and needed cheesecake at Juniors to calm down before a lie down at our next hotel, the ultra swishy Sofitel on 44th street in Midtown.

Guests have had Sofitel mattresses delivered to their homes, such is the level of comfort, and the tasteful rooms have awesome views of steely skyscrappers at sunrise. It’s also French-owned, so there is an air of chic decorum which is great for business trips. I was lucky enough to live at this hotel when I first moved to the city, and can still vouch for the food, service and floral displays.

The joy of NYC as a former dweller is that it is both familiar, yet still full of surprises, none bigger than The Ride. This a tour like no other

as the bus has been converted into an auditorium with tiered seating facing sideways on to a huge window. Escorted by two hilarious Saturday Night Live-style guides, the slow ride through Midtown is interspersed with facts, songs and unexpected street performances. I’ll say no more but look out for a footloose Fed Ex guy, a ballet dancer on Columbus Circle and an unrivalled view of Times Square. Madison loved it all and was delighted that so much of Manhattan was named after her. She now has photos on Madison Avenue and Square Garden, as well as the American Girl on 52nd Street. Two doors up is the shoe store SJP by Sarah Jessica Parker and I had to go inside. Carrie may have moved on, but I’ll always have a New York state of mind.

• Roger Smith www.rogersmith.com

from £200 per room • Sofitel – www.sofitel-new-york.com

from £219 per room • for more information on New York City

and the CityPASS visit www.nycgo.com • The Ride is coming to London and Tokyo,

but for now visit: www.experiencetheride.com

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VIVA OY VEGAS

Louisa Walters found spieling and synagogues sit happily side-by-side in Nevada

I

T’S DISNEYWORLD FOR GROWN-UPS. It’s like Marmite – you love or hate it.

It’s the best fun you can have with your clothes on.

You’ve heard all this about Las Vegas. But I bet you haven’t heard this – it has a thriving Jewish community with 20 shuls (seven of them orthodox), Jewish schools and plenty of kosher restaurants. No, me neither.

The city of Las Vegas in the state of Nevada was founded in May 1905. For 40 years it was sparsely populated, located in a dusty desert.

The first generation of residents could never have imagined the tourist paradise their city would become.

Today Las Vegas has a population of 625,000.

It is home to approximately 80,000 Jews and has one of the fastest-growing Jewish communities in the USA.

Steve Wynn is founder of the Wynn and Mirage casino hotels

In the mid-20th century, Jewish mobsters were attracted to Las Vegas because the casinos were not regulated and were a great source of cash. It is well known that the Jewish ‘mob’ was responsible for transforming this spot in the middle of nowhere into the city of lights, entertainment and action we see today.

Meyer Lansky is perhaps the best known of the Jewish founding Founding fathers: Meyer Lansky (left) and Bugsy Siegel fathers. He was a major investor in the Flamingo Hotel and Casino that was built facts about mob activities at The Mob Museum by ‘Bugsy’ (Benjamin) Siegel, and he allegedly in downtown Las Vegas. arranged Bugsy’s murder in 1947 when he The most notable Jewish character of the became convinced that Siegel was doctoring modern era is Steve Wynn, founder of the the accounts. There is a memorial to Siegel in Mirage, Bellagio and eponymous Wynn largethe grounds of the hotel and lots of interesting scale luxury casino hotels.

Born Stephen Weinberg in 1942, his father ran bingo parlours. There is very little Yiddishkeit on the strip today, but chicken soup is served daily at the Wynn buffet.

Another influential Jew in Las Vegas is Sheldon Adelson, Chairman and CEO of Las Vegas Sands property development corporation. He and his wife, Dr Miriam Adelson, are huge benefactors of the Birthright campaign, donating $200 million to ensure that all American Jewish children get to go on a trip to Israel.

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The entrance to the city, and Cirque du Soleil’s Beatles tribute show Love at the Mirage Hotel

DID YOU KNOW… In 1959 Elizabeth Taylor married Eddie Fischer at Temple Beth Shalom in Las Vegas

Manchester to Las Vegas 15 years ago when their children were aged 13 and 12. “We came here when an opportunity arose for my husband to open a design centre in Las Vegas, as he was working in the gaming industry in the UK,” says Angela Goldman.

They live in Summerlin, a planned community in the suburbs north-west of the city, about 20 minutes from the strip. It is a large-scale residential neighbourhood with many amenities – parks, swimming pools, golf courses, schools, restaurants and shops.

It is beautifully maintained and within it there are gated communities.

“The Jewish population is scattered all over the valley,” says Angela. “The majority of Jews, including us, live on the west side, as there are more synagogues here. There are a few Jewish schools – the main one is around the corner from our house. There are quite a few kindergarten and elementary schools affiliated with the synagogues.”

Angela and her husband grew up in a close-knit Jewish community in Manchester. “We have not found the same community ‘feel’ in Las Vegas, yet it is a great place for Jews to live,” she says.

“From a personal standpoint I have not experienced any antisemitism. There is a Jewish magazine called David and a newspaper called the Israelite. Keeping kosher is easy – plenty of supermarkets have a kosher section. There is one near us called Kosher Supreme and you can buy just about anything, from latkes to brisket. There are also lots of kosher restaurants.”

Louisa rolls the dice...

STAY

EAT

Splurge: Wynn, Encore Save: The Mirage

Splurge: SW Steakhouse, Beauty & Essex, Spago Save: The Cheesecake Factory, Maggiano’s Little Italy, RA Sushi

SEE Splurge: Michael Jackson ONE, Beatles Love, Absinthe Save: Terry Fator, Carrot Top, Matt Franco (Check Groupon, Travel Zoo and MLife for discounts)

SHOP Splurge: Palazzo, Forum, Fashion Show Mall Save: North Premium Outlet

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List of exhibitors at

the Big Event ANOUSHKA G A27 Beautiful eveningwear bespoke and off-the-peg at the Temple Fortune or visit: www.anoushkag.com

BARMY BRANDS Room 4 At BarmyBrands we provide inspired and creative ideas to give your event that unique flavour. Your unique brand can be translated onto Invitations, tableplans and other stationery items. If you’d like more information please call Caroline on 07989 384018 Like our page on facebook - @BarmyBrands www.Barmybrands.com coming shortly

Choc a Lot S50 Celebrate your event an extra special way with CHOC-A-LOT fountains. They tailor each package to your needs. www.choc-a-lot.co.uk

Eventful Media A30 Eventful Media specialise in providing Virtual Reality equipment, experiences and VR Driving Simulators, including our brand new to the market full-motion VR Sim. www.eventfulmedia.co.uk

Corporate Entertainment Professionals - CEP C44a CEP are one of the leading names in the world of entertainment, specialising in bespoke and unique acts for Bar/Bat mitzvah’s across the UK. www.corporateentertainmentprofessionals.co.uk Beales Hotel Hatfield A11 Over the past 50 years, we have hosted many smaller and larger Bar Mitzvahs, Bat Mitzvahs, weddings, wedding anniversary celebrations, engagement and birthday parties. The Buckland Suite is one of the largest single spaces in Hertfordshire, with room for a great party for up to 200 , space for dancing on the sprung dance floor, and a dedicated bar and terrace. www.bealeshotels.co.uk/hatfield Booths of London A9 Booths of London - Luxury and stylish open air photo booths to capture all the fun and antics of your occasion, with instant quality photo prints. www.boothsoflondon.com CH & CO Catering Ltd, ZSL London Zoo A25 Hosting events beyond your wildest dreams, ZSL London Zoo in Regent’s Park is home to twelve unique events spaces to create memories to last a lifetime. www.zsl.org/zsl-london-zoo/venue-hire Chevin Video (ALSO WACKYBOOTH) ROOM 2 and Reception Specialising in high quality photobooths and magic mirrors for all occasions, along with a host of other services inc. giant Light Up Letters and Bobbly Heads. www.wackybooth.co.uk/

Encore Entertainment A12 Amaze your guests with sensational West End Soloists performing a fun and high impact surprise show at your Jewish Simcha!! Specifically tailor-made for Jewish Events - UK’s finest singing waiters & chefs. http://encoreentertainment.co.uk/

D&D Events C46 D&D London is a group of diverse restaurants, bars and hotels based principally in London. Their vast portfolio means that D&D is ideally placed to help plan your next event, whatever its size or style. Their team of events experts are on hand to make sure it’s memorable for all the right reasons. www.danddlondon.com/private-dining-events De Vere Latimer Estate B38 A beautiful wedding venue in Buckinghamshire, De Vere Latimer Estate has a wealth of stories to tell and creates a wonderful setting for a wedding day like no other. www.devere.com/DeVereLatimerEstate Dyrham Park Country Club A13 www.dyrhampark.com Eco Furniture Hire A26 Eco furniture hire is seen by many as the industry leader when it comes to offering innovative furniture that simply cannot be hired elsewhere. Their extensive range of both indoor and outdoor furniture is constantly evolving. Whatever you’re looking for, their team have a combined experience of more years than they’d like to admit! Suffice to say they’ve been doing this a long time and know their stuff. www.ecofurniturehire.co.uk

Freedman Photography A7 Jeremy from Freedman Photography provides beautiful photography for your Barmitzvah, Batmitzvah and will provide an album to cherish for you and your family. Let me capture your special memories. www.freedmanphotography.co.uk From Israel with Love Room A18 We bring to you custom made tefilin from Israel made to order under the strictist Rabbinical supervision.

You can buy items separately or as a set with tefilin, a tallit, siddur, kippah and bags for the tefilin and tallit which can be embroidered with your name. www.fromisraelwithlove.com Gary Schiffman A20 Gary Schiffman can perform stunning TV-style Close Up Magic and Mind Reading at your Simcha during the drinks reception and/or during the meal. Member of the World Famous Magic Circle www.garyschiffman.com

Genie Events A32 Planning an event? Visit Genie Events on Stand A32 to be in with a chance to win free entertainment for your event when you book the latest DJ package* T&Cs Apply www.genieevents.co.uk Hampstead Atelier A22 Savile Row tailoring in the heart of Hampstead. An exclusive suit cut from exquisite cloth. www.hampsteadatelier.co.uk

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Health and Beauty UK Room 4 Health And Beauty UK retail the largest range of luxury dead sea cosmetics in the UK and Ireland. Produced and imported in partnership with Israel’s best selling cosmetics manufacturer H&B. www.healthandbeautyuk.com Health Insurance Plus C49 www.thehealthinsuranceco.co.uk Hey Draw Me Room 4 We hand draw digital cartoons of your guests to create show-stopping table plans and place settings! You send us photos, we do the rest! Our product range includes table plans, place settings, order of events, invites and save the dates, but the possibilities are endless. Get in touch, we can’t wait to draw your face! www.heydrawme.com Hilton London Bankside A17 The stunning Ballroom at the Hilton London Bankside accommodates spectacular weddings that can cater for up to 500 guests. Come and visit them to hear how they can make your day a special one. www3.hilton.com/en/hotels/united-kingdom/ hilton-london-bankside-LONSBHI/index.

Kate Swerdlow Photography A14a Kate Swerdlow and her team are passionate about delivering gorgeous images, a unique experience, immediate, responsive and personal communication which will leave you feeling 100% content with your decision in choosing them for your event. www.kateswerdlowphotography.com Leor Cinematography A10 Come and watch some super high level event films that will blow you away! From Bar Mitzvahs in Thorpe park to the RAF museum. We’v captured it all! 10% off all Collections if you book on the 11th of November. www.leor.co.uk Media Sp C45 Micky B Events UK C43 Idea creation, Bespoke Themes, Full Production.

Coming 2019: B-Live - DJ Vibes & epic live performances on 1 stage. Est. over 25 years. https://mickybevents.co.uk/

Neil Samuels Catering A24 Neil Samuels catering take your ideas and make the reality even better. They provide a bespoke service with flawless organisation, spectacular design, elegant venues and delicious food and drink, delivered by a team of personable and professional staff. www.yourcelebration.co.uk Novelties Direct Limited C52 Novelties Direct supply a huge range of Flashing, Glow, Glasses, Hats etc. for Bar and Bat Mitzvah’s.

We also have in house printing facilities for printed T-shirts, Hoodies, Caps, etc. www.barmitzvahnovelties.co.uk www.novelties-direct.co.uk

Northfields S51 www.linenforhire.co.uk Nya Simone Events C47 Nya Simone Events is based in Hertfordshire but also caters for North and East London. They manage and create all types of life’s amazing milestones and celebrations including wedding planning, candy tables and event management. They offer a variety of service packages to meet your needs, from the ‘Whole Shabang’ to ‘Pick N Mix’ Services and a hire service of our props and tables. All offered with a Free Consultation. www.nyasimoneevents.com Patient Health ltd A14 If spending on a function, then get a huge chunk back by getting Patient Health to check your health insurance. You shouldn’t be overpaying, and we’re regulated to check.

Israeli Dance Institute Reception The Israeli Dance Institute offers four Israeli Dance Troupes for dancers aged between 8 and 60. All these Troupes are available to perform at your simcha alongside Dance leaders for community Israeli Dance.

The Israeli Dance Institute are recruiting NOW for Performers. Please contact info@idi.org.uk if you are interested. www.idi.org.uk

Itzik A3 www.itzikcaterers.com Jupiter Hotels A1 The Mercure Watford Hotel is the perfect location and venue for every type of event. Spacious and stylish interiors, parking for 350 cars and 12 event spaces accommodating up to 200 guests in their largest suite . www.mercurewatford.co.uk Just Smile C41 Just Smile are the Bushey based Event Production & DJ Company perfect for every celebration! Well known for outstanding production & lighting, and their Award Winning DJ’s. www.justsmile.co.uk

Mill Hill Synagogue A18 NEW THIS YEAR! On their stand, Mill Hill Synagogue will be showing the Annie and Samuel Levy Hall in 360 degrees with Virtual Reality experience. Come along and immerse yourself! www.nerorre.co.uk Moonrun UK Room 3 MoonRun UK has just launched in the UK recently and can be booked for Bar/Batmitzvah Parties & Events (age 11 years upwards). MoonRun is innovative technology that connects to Apps on the internet and a unique & fun party piece. www.facebook.com/MoonRunUK-302696497213842/ More For Kids Room 4 “more for kids” offer Flattering Sturdy Fit Suits, Shirts and Accessories for your Larger than average age 1014 Boys. https://moreforkidsuk.com/ Much Better Silent Disco A2 www.discquartet.co.uk Nathan Earl Magician S50 Nathan is a member of The Magic Circle and Equity.

He performs both stage and close-up magic at various events for audiences of all ages. www.nathanearlmagician.com

Pick A Mix Parties.

Room 4 “SenseSational Faces offer your event some dazzle, sparkle and beauty! Festival Glitter, Face Painting, Glitter Tattoos and amazing Ombre Lips with LipSense (a long lasting colour) from glitter to neon colours, they have it all for your event, party or wedding!! For Adults and children, they cater for all.

Book Today and Be SenseSational” www.pickamixparties.com Pop Fusion A10a Pop Fusion Events - The originals in premium cosmetic entertainment. Choose from their menu of the latest trendsetting images that will have your guests of all ages buzzing. They can brand our body art and hair graffiti with your logo. www.facebook.com/popfusionevents/

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POSH PICS S52 A BIG HELLO from Posh Pics. Our top of the range photo booths and Magic Mirrors are available from £395. Fun for any occasion and we tailor each package to your needs. www.poshpicsphotobooth.co.uk

Park is an extensive and flexible venue offering both classic and contemporary event spaces – all found within a Royal medical college (the RCOG).

The selection of the 20 modern and contemporary rooms are excellent for conferences, meetings or team-building sessions of all sizes; the classical rooms provide elegance and tranquillity and serve to give that extra touch of finesse to presentations, dinners, larger meetings and seasonal parties. www.rorp.co.uk

THE LONDON BALLOON BOUTIQUE A31a

SHOWTIME EVENTS Forecourt of the Hotel Transport has never been so fun. Jump into the back and have some photographic fun with the Tuk Tuk from India by Showtime Events. www.showtimeevents.london SMARTPICS (STEVE BURTON PHOTOGRAPHY) A28 In addition to their hand-made oak vintage photo boot, Smartpics will be proudly demonstrating the very latest technology in photographic entertainment; the brand new Selfie Wizard. https://smartpicsukeventphotography.com/ POSITIVE BRANDING C44 Looking to add an extra wow-factor for your bat or barmitzvah celebration? A special day calls for special custom printed t-shirts and hoodies! Ensure all your family, friends and guests remember your day with fun personalised barmitzvah giveaways from Positive Branding. www.positivebranding.co.uk

THE BRAID BAR Room 3

THE SCULPTURE GALLERY- WOBURN ABBEY A23 The Sculpture Gallery in the grounds of Woburn Abbey can host civil ceremonies and wedding receptions for seated parties up to 250 guests with exclusive use of the venue. With its own private gardens overlooking the Camellia Lake, The Sculpture Gallery offers an elegant setting for your wedding day celebrations. They were in the top 100 wedding venues of UK and Abroad 2018 (brides Conde Nast). www.sculpturegallerywoburn.co.uk THE MEMORY CREATORS C48 The Memory Creators - with you every step of the way, from venue selection to the personal touches creating events & lasting memories - Contact info@ thememorycreators.co.uk www.facebook.com/thememorycreators/ THE VIP LOUNGE B36 www.theviplounge.com

THE FLOWER STORY A33 This year we will host Your Flower Story London, one of the best florist designers who will surprise you with their unique design and flower decoration. www.theflowerstory.london

REELMASH Room 4 ReelMash take all the photos and videos taken by everyone at your event and turn them into an amazing and unique film. You can use their app which automatically uploads all the footage and photos to their server or just send everything via WhatsApp. They add music, titles, special effects and filters. Real Videos, Real Photos, Real Easy. www.reelmash.com ROOMS ON REGENT’S PARK Room 3 Situated in the heart of London with spectacular surroundings and breath-taking views of The Regent’s Park Boating Lake; Rooms on Regent’s

UPSTAGE CREATIVE LTD Marquee Production and Stand B39 B40 Upstage Creative is an entertainment and production company founded from years of experience on and off-stage. We bring interactive entertainment, live music & DJ setups, design & production transforming every event into a night to remember. www.upstagecreative.co.uk

THE GREAT BARN A6 With a beautiful vaulted ceiling, exposed wooden beams and a 14th Century Moat, The Great Barn provides an elegant venue for weddings, bar/bat mitzvahs, birthdays and other special occasions. www.greatbarnvenue.uk

VENI VICI AESTHETICS C43 A Doctor run aesthetic service.offering advanced anti-wrinkle treatments, fillers and intravenous nutrition therapy. Mobile and clinic based appointments. www.facebook.com/ EssexBotoxandFillers ZACK CREATIONS

51 Delight your guests with personalised favours and gifts. Chocolates, Keyrings, Magnets and more… www.zackcreations.co.uk

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Stunning retirement apartments in Borehamwood

Goldwyn House Studio Way, Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, WD6 5NN

Compute

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Open 7 days a week, 10.30am - 5pm One and two bedroom apartments for sale from £350,000**

Typical Club

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Your own privately owned apartment, in a stunning development which offers: • Exterior maintenance completely taken care of • An Estates Manager who takes care of the day-to-day running of the development • Club Lounge • Door Camera entry

• Beautiful gardens maintained all year round • Guest suite for family and friends^ • Great locations close to local amenities • 24 hour call system • Table-service restaurant^

Call 0800 882 1103 today or visit www.mccarthyandstone.co.uk/goldwynhouse

Visit us and receive a £20 M&S Giftcard *

MARKETING SUITE OPEN

DAILY 10.30AM - 5PM

T&Cs ^An additional charge applies. *Ts&Cs apply. See www.mccarthyandstone.co.uk/terms-and-conditions/marks-and-spencer-vouchers for full details. †See www.mccarthyandstone.co.uk/partexchange for full details. **Prices are correct at time going to print.

Copyright 2018 McCarthy & Stone (Retirement Lifestyles) Ltd. McCarthy & Stone, Prospect Place. 85 Great North Road, Hatfield, Hertfordshire, AL9 5DA

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T

he new 17Arlozorov, an impressive architectural wonder of luxury and design, created by Israel's most prominent architects, invites you to step into your very own penthouse and discover heaven on earth. Spacious living and dining areas accompanied by breathtaking panoramic views overlooking the Mediterranean and the urban landscape, located in the heart of Tel Aviv's prestigious and historic north, within walking distance of the marina.

All images are for illustration purposes only. Designed by: Luckybox Studio

In a Class of their Own

+972-3-5171717 | info@17arlozorov.com | 17Arlozorov.com

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