NOVEMBER 2017
Standing Standing PROUD
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contents
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November 2017 • www.lchaimmagazine.com
in this issue... COVER STORY
Standing Up, Standing Proud for Israel Stand With Us celebrates "Love of Israel" at 6th annual brunch.................................
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1000 WORDS From Cruise Ships To Resorts, Jewish Destination Weddings Mix Intrigue And Tradition............................................................................................. SIMCHAS
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MITZVAH OVER BAR
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Choosing Mitzvah Over Bar: Event planners help families celebrate....................... Going Forth With Lech Lecha: A local Bat Mitzvah celebration.................................. Elaborate Ketubah Designs Mean the Jewish Marriage Contract Not Merely Transactional........................................................................... FOOD
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Curried Apple and Carrot Cake with Basil Buttercream Frosting................................
FEATURES
CARROT CAKE
28 33
IDF Outreach: Reservists tell of Outreach to Arabs, Jews.............................................. Israeli film stars visit, teach at SDSU............................................................................................
COLUMNS My Comic Relief......................................................................................................................................... Torah: Of the Book...................................................................................................................................
06 08 37 35
Humor: Mazel & Mishagoss.................................................................................................................
NEWS TO KNOW.....................................................................................................................................
PUBLISHERS Diane Benaroya & Laurie Miller EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Alanna Maya CREATIVE DIRECTOR Laurie Miller CONTRIBUTORS Daniel Bortz, Donald H. Harrison, Stephanie Lewis, Salomon Maya, Mimi Pollack, Sharon Rapoport, Eva Trieger, Deborah Vietor, Chana Jenny Weisberg
ADVERTISING & SALES Diane Benaroya (dianeb@lchaimmagazine.com), Sharon Buchsbaum (sharonbux@gmail.com) 4
L’CHAIM SAN DIEGO MAGAZINE • NOVEMBER 2017
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SUBSCRIBE ONLINE: www.lchaimmagazine.com/shop ON THE COVER: Photo by Bekah Peace Photography From left to right: Jaime Feder, Sara Miller and Natalie Josephson Copyright ©2017 L’Chaim San Diego LLC. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. For permission requests, write to the publisher, addressed “Attention: Permissions Coordinator” to: publisher@lchaimmagazine.com Published in San Diego, CA • www.lchaimmagazine.com lchaimmagazine
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BY SALOMON MAYA l RANDOM RANTS
my
comic relief Transformation
I
looked in the mirror one day and said out loud, Salomon, you are fat. That’s how it started. Now it hasn’t been the first or last time I had done that. But normally after that statement a period of guilt is followed by going back to my normal routine: bad eating habits coupled with little to no exercise. This equation has led to my current status of fatness. Now I hope no one gets offended by my wording here, I know saying fat or obese isn’t very PC of me but I want this article to be about one simple thing … the blunt and honest truth. And in my eyes, I … was … fat. So finally I decided to make a change. Not think of a change or wish for one, but got off my butt and did it. I logged into Facebook one day and found a local small gym doing one of those 6-week weight loss challenges. The premise of this challenge is simple: Give the gym $500. They give you a goal, which is losing either 20 pounds or 5% body fat, and a plan on how to achieve that goal (three weekly workouts with trainer in a class setting plus a meal plan). If you meet that goal at the end of 6-weeks, you get your $500 back. I signed up and quickly began. I will include my stats at the beginning of my challenge and my results. The following is my journey: Start of challenge stats: Date: 9/10/17 Weight: 215 lbs. %Body Fat: 26.2 Cholesterol (taken in March 2016): 250 mg/dl LDL Cholesterol (the bad cholesterol; also taken in March 2016): 218 mg/dl My first complete workout was 9/11/2017. The class consisted of around six other people 6
L’CHAIM SAN DIEGO MAGAZINE • NOVEMBER 2017
who were in the same challenge as I was. At the end of the 50 minutes I knew one thing for sure: I was out of shape. I panted and breathed hard. I remember arriving home almost fainting and at the point of vomiting. My wife quickly prepared me my dinner which provided me the necessary protein my body desired. The “meal plan” was simple. I place the words “meal plan” in quotations due to the fact that I truly don’t believe it’s a typical meal plan, it’s just food. There aren't special powders or medicines to make you burn fat. It’s just four simple things: protein, carbohydrates, greens and one serving of fat. The plan stated that I was to have a lean protein three times a day (6 oz. per meal), all the greens I can have (which is where my love for spinach, kale and broccoli evolved) and two meals included a cup of carbs (yes even white rice) and one meal had a fat (which more likely for me was 2 tablespoons of peanut butter). I was amazed how much food I was able to eat. I never really felt like I was on a diet. For breakfast for example I was told to have 6 egg whites. The first time I cooked 6 egg whites I finished about ¾’s of it and gave the rest to my dog (it helps with his coat). And for my protein I started meal prepping all week with some chicken but by the end of the six weeks I had jumped to ground turkey. I just felt turkey had a little more taste to it. The important thing for me though wasn’t so much the diet but how Adrian (my trainer) taught me how to eat. And eat well, and even eat well when dining out of the house. I found El Pollo Loco and Flamebroiler indispensable. EPL has a skinless breast
meal with side salad and broccoli for $7 and Flamebroiler will happily sub all your rice in a chicken bowl with just veggies, $7. What truly changed in me though were the workouts. Adrian and his team had me doing things I never thought I could do. Before I knew it, six weeks in, I was doing burpees, mountain climbers and ropes. I had a stronger core and was able to carry my 27 pound toddler in and out of his crib with ease. I tried on my wedding tuxedo and it fit perfectly. I had lost so much weight that most of my old clothes embarrassingly hung off me like bad plastic surgery. End of challenge stats: Date: 10/22/17 Weight: 195 lbs. %Body Fat: 21 Cholesterol (Taken October 2017): 152 mg/dl LDL Cholesterol (the bad cholesterol; also taken in March 2016): 139 mg/dl At the end of the six-weeks I decided to not take my $500, but put it down as payment for another 6 months at the gym. In the end, I won.
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TORAH l BY RABBI DANIEL BORTZ
of
the book Each Moment has a Purpose "THE CHALLENGE IS TO GIVE VALUE TO EVERY MOMENT WE HAVE."
O
ne summer day in Jerusalem, I sat down at the Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf on Yafo St. 34, laptop in hand, ready to put in some serious work on my book. But there was one little problem: I had forgotten to bring my charger, and there was only 26 percent battery left! Instead of returning home, however, I decided I was going to focus and maximize every little bit of that computer’s energy. By the time it reached 1%, I had gotten more done than 100% computer battery had ever afforded me. Like every blessing we have, whether health, family or eyesight, time is only truly appreciated when we realize it’s not a guarantee that we’ll always have it. Every moment in time we have on this earth is immeasurably precious. The more we realize its value and its limited bounty, the more focused and productive our lives become. Look at the great efficiency of NFL Quarterbacks during the last 2 minutes of a half or game, known as the “two-minute drill.” Where was that success in the past 28 minutes? Or watch a college student during finals week, full of focus and determination,
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L’CHAIM SAN DIEGO MAGAZINE • NOVEMBER 2017
maximizing every moment to study. The challenge is to live this way at all times, not stressfully cramming, but giving value to every moment we have with our loved ones, working on a project, or simply walking, breathing and observing G-d’s world. How much money would those on their deathbed be willing to give up for more time? In the Book of Bereishit-Genesis, we read about our forefather Abraham, someone who truly lived his life to maximum potential. Just before his death, the Torah says: “And Abraham was old, coming with days.” The Mystics explains that “Abraham came with his days,” means that every day he lived was maximized. Every moment Abraham had on this earth was spent elevating his surroundings. His days were spent in meaningful pursuits, none wasted or taken for granted. Judaism is obsessed with two things: feeling gratitude for all that we have, and infusing spiritual meaning into our daily physical activities. Everything we have of real value has been gifted to us. Our days begin with the prayer of “Modeh ani” – an acknowledgment of gratitude to G-d for
returning our souls for another chance at life. But what’s so great about another day on this earth? It’s special because we’ve been entrusted with the greatest opportunity imaginable: to carry out a mission for G-d to transform this earth into a home for Him. This means that the moments of our day – even those that seem the most meaningless – have purpose and potential. Even the annoying trials and tests to our character are opportunities to overcome our first urges, thereby elevating that moment, greeting angry faces with a smile. May we continue Abraham’s legacy of maximizing our days for the good, taking advantage of the breaths and seconds we have been blessed with each day to grow and make an impact, collecting countless moments of positivity. And even on the days where we binge on Netflix or watch football the whole day, let’s remember to take a moment to feel a sense of gratitude for all that we have. RABBI DANIEL BORTZ IS THE DIRECTOR OF JTEEN SAN DIEGO, JTEENSD.COM. TO WATCH HIS UNIQUE VIDEOS, VISIT RABBIBORTZ.COM.
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L’CHAIM SAN DIEGO MAGAZINE • NOVEMBER 2017
L’CHAIM
A THOUSAND
WORDS PHOTO BY MALOMAN STUDIOS
JEWISH DESTINATION WEDDINGS MIX INTRIGUE AND TRADITION
T
he groom was 60-years-old and the wedding was seven years ago, yet the magic and romance of the moment continues to inspire not only the couple themselves, but the 800 witnesses to that momentous occasion — many of them complete strangers. Yaakov and Marsha Motzen were joined in holy matrimony in a ceremony that adhered strictly to the Jewish wedding traditions and kosher laws that they both hold dear. Unlike most religiously observant couples, however, they chose to get married on the open seas. “Our ketubah (marriage contract) may be the only one in the world to list under location of the wedding, ‘Between Fort Lauderdale and St. Thomas,’” Marsha says of
her cruise ship wedding. Since the groom is one of the most famous current cantors and performers of Jewish music, the wedding was destined to melodically fill the ship. In fact, more than a dozen big-name cantors and other musical luminaries were on board to add their voices to this event, including Avraham Fried, Naftali and Natenel Herstik, Binyamin Helfgot and Dudu Fisher, plus Amiran Dvir and his band. Jewish destination weddings constitute a growing trend, according to those involved in such celebrations. More Jewish couples are opting to exchange vows in gorgeous places around the world—without sacrificing Jewish tradition in the process.
Taking this trend to the next level, a leading kosher cruise and travel company, Kosherica, is now partnering with the Atlantis Paradise Island resort in the Bahamas to create a program for picturesque Jewish destination weddings and other celebrations (such as bar/ bat mitzvahs). Atlantis, a 20-year-old resort, is now providing everything from a decorated chuppah (wedding canopy) overlooking the vivid blue Bahamian waters, to a local rabbi, to cuisine prepared under the direction of world-class chefs, to a mashgiach (kosher supervisor). Some packages also include photography and dolphin swimming for the guests. “Atlantis has the advantage of having a facility where you can make it into an entire wedding weekend, which is what most families want to do,” says Kosherica spokeswoman Aliza Seidman. “Some families prefer to keep the weekend casual with buffet meals and maybe a Saturday night barbecue, and then the wedding on Sunday is more formal,” she adds. In the fall of 2015, Avi and Nicole Yurman of Toronto were the first couple to be married under this partnership. “Having our chuppah overlooking the ocean was so beautiful,” says Nicole. “We were able to have a smaller wedding, just 115 family and close friends, in an unforgettable location. It was perfect for us.” Kosherica, which was founded more than two decades ago, offers cruise travelers kosher food prepared by five-star chefs. “We’ve had winter weddings in tropical Caribbean, WWW.LCHAIMMAGAZINE.COM
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bar mitzvahs with Alaska glaciers in the backdrop and renewal vows in the gorgeous Mediterranean,” says Kosherica Chief Financial Officer Helit Edelstein. How much will such a kosher destination wedding cost? Ceremony site fees for events for Kosherica start at $3,500, and costs are calculated based on how many guests and meals are included. The wedding packages with Atlantis run about $400 per person for the festive weekend. Atlantis representatives anticipate that the partnership will be a fruitful one for everyone involved. “In our efforts to continue to expand our offerings and market reach, we knew there was a need for kosher catering in the destination segment,” says Jessi Hill, Atlantis’s executive director of weddings and special events. “Groups wishing to hold true to their traditions don’t want to be limited in their geographic location.” At least one rabbi is happy to welcome Jewish groups to the region. 12
L’CHAIM SAN DIEGO MAGAZINE • NOVEMBER 2017
“I applaud Atlantis for going out of their way to accommodate kosher weddings and bar and bat mitzvahs,” says Rabbi Sholom Bluming of Chabad of the Bahamas. “This program is a very exciting development for the island.” But it’s probably even more exciting for the Jewish couples who embark on their lives together in these exotic locales. “I like to say that aboard ship, we had an intimate honeymoon with 800 people, our kids and grandkids,” says Marsha Motzen, who recalls a memorable moment under the chuppah during which she wondered if the ship’s movements were strong enough to knock her off her three-inch heels. Seven years have passed, but the memories live on for the Motzens and their incidental guests. “I can’t tell you how many people come up to me after a concert, wherever I am in the world,” says Yaakov Motzen, “and they say, ‘You may not know this, but I was at your wedding!’”
More Jewish couples are opting to exchange vows in gorgeous places around the world — without sacrificing Jewish tradition in the process.
WWW.LCHAIMMAGAZINE.COM
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COVER STORY l BY SARA MILLER
SDSU's Emerson Fellow, Ariana Arakelian, writes her challenge during the Emerson August training conference. Inspired by the saying, "When life gives you lemons, make lemonade," SWU is working to bring lemonade stands, Israel and empowerment to students across the US and Canada.
Standing UP,
Standing PROUD 14
L’CHAIM SAN DIEGO MAGAZINE • NOVEMBER 2017
STANDING ISRAEL
UP,
STANDING
PROUD
FOR
StandWithUs' I Heart Israel Gala returns Dec. 2 StandWithUs San Diego invites the community to the lively sixth annual Festival of lights "I Heart Israel" gala. StandWithUs (SWU) is a 16-year-old international Israel education organization with chapters throughout the U.S., in Israel, Canada and the United Kingdom. Tickets are selling fast for the December 2nd event, being held at the elegant Marriott Marquis Hotel. The reception begins at 6:30 p.m. Foreign policy expert Dore Gold, Israel's former ambassador to the U.N. is the keynote speaker. He will provide an insider's view of the Iran deal and how it affects
PHOTO BY BEKAH PEACE PHOTOGRAPHY
COVER STORY
U.S-Israel relations. Yahya Mahamid, 19, an Israeli-Arab-Zionist will share his courageous journey from being raised to hate Israel to becoming a StandWithUs educator and defender of the Jewish state. Jetting in from Israel is KIPPALIVE, the most popular finalists in Israel's "X Factor" will also perform at the event. Dinner co-chairs are Natalie Josephson and Jaime Feder. Josephson and Feder, both long-time San Diegan residents, felt inspired to join the local StandWithUs Board of Advisors, when they witnessed the antiIsrael mock apartheid walls at two San
Diego college campuses - UCSD and SDSU. The events prompted them to take action - by educating others about Israel and furthering the cause of StandWithUs in San Diego. Having co-planned many San Diego charitable events in the past, Jaime and Natalie's vision and creativity for the evening program will surely leave guests delighted. "As I see my kids grow, I realize nothing is more important to me than their education, safety, and knowledge of truth and facts about Israel," co-chair Feder said. "SWU does an amazing job connecting young people to their place in
Israel's story. They make education fun, edgy and popular. Co-chair Josephson added: "[The organization] is the global leader in Israel education. I stand one hundred percent behind this outstanding organization and the work they accomplish with students and outreach." The Gala event will be a time to celebrate SWU SD and all that the organization has accomplished over the years. SWU's San Diego Board currently has 17 members. Board president, Mitch Danzig, esq. of the Mintz Levin law firm WWW.LCHAIMMAGAZINE.COM
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COVER STORY
From left to right: SWU Board member Vicki Libman; SWU SD supporter Dan Danzig; Micha Danzig, president of the SWU SD Board and board member Michelle Lyons raise their glasses at the new "Guardians of Israel Club" event.
has provided his expertise pro bono to the StandWithUs Saidoff Legal Department. Rabbi Adam Wright recently joined the Board and on behalf of SWU SD, addressed Templo La Hermosa about the strong Judeo-Christian alliance at a "Night To Honor Israel." Congressman Ed Royce (R-CA) was the guest speaker at the Hertzl dinner. He compelled members to fight anti-Semitism and bigotry by encouraging dissemination of more balanced information to the masses and media. (The Hertzl membership level is $5,000 or more and entitles members to attend exclusive dinners during the year with inspiring speakers as well as special events.) This September, SWU SD celebrated the launch of the "Guardians of Israel Club." Guests absorbed fascinating tidbits from Sommelier Jonathan Adkisson and heard a powerful presentation by Jordanian-Muslim Abe Haak. Raised to resent Israel, Haak now considers himself a Zionist. (Membership at this level comes at a cost of $2,500 annually). The SWU SD "Campus Crash Course" had its inaugural event in September and is certain to be a perennial. Teaming parents and teachers with San Diego students and SWU staff, it kicks off the academic year with attendees prepared and energized to 16
L’CHAIM SAN DIEGO MAGAZINE • NOVEMBER 2017
educate about Israel. Guests at the "I Heart Israel" gala will meet the local 2017-18 SWU High School Interns and college Emerson Fellows. Since 2001, the Emerson Fellowship has selected and trained student leaders to educate their peers about Israel and combat anti-Israel rhetoric. This year's Emerson Fellows are Ariana Arakelian from SDSU and Orr Toledano from UCSD. Created in 2012, one goal of the SWU High School Internship is to prepare students for the anti-Israel related challenges they may face as college students. Trevor Lyons attends San Diego Jewish Academy and Karen Ptashek is at Canyon Crest Academy. The students attended their respective August training conferences in Los Angeles and are already making a difference in their schools. Additionally, SWU just launched a middle school curriculum, "LINK -- Discovering Your Israel Connection" The 6-lesson unit allows students to explore the historic Jewish roots to Israel while discovering their own personal, modern connection. San Diego Jewish Academy was one of the test schools in LINK's pilot testing this year. Jeremy Toren, Director of Jewish Life and Judaic Studies, Maimonides Upper School states, "We at San Diego Jewish Academy were thrilled at the opportunity to participate in the LINK pilot program and are excited to continue using the rich curricula in a variety of classes this year to gear up for our annual Israel Education Week. We place high value on our partnership with StandWithUs, as they do a wonderful job of enhancing the quality of our Israel education programs." Yahya Mahamid grew up in Umm el-Fahm, an Arab city in Israel that is run by the Islamic movement and rife with hatred of Israel. By connecting with Israelis, Mahamid used his own experiences to change his mindset. The StandWithUs Israel office contacted him and he joined the group as an educator. Recently, Mahamid traveled to South African college campuses to confront the "Israel Apartheid Week" with the SWU delegation. Despite constant heckling, he explained why he supports the Jewish state. He posted a video in Arabic upon learning that the terrorists who killed the Israeli soldiers at the Temple Mount were from his hometown. Arab citizens of Israel are not required to serve in the Israel Defense Forces, yet in an extraordinary move, Mahamid enlisted as a volunteer. He is on a North American speaking tour prior to starting his service. "Together, we will continue to empower the community and students, and support Israel wherever possible," he said. SARA MILLER IS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF STANDWITHUS SAN DIEGO. FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE I HEART ISRAEL GALA AND TO PURCHASE TICKETS, VISIT: WWW.STANDWITHUS.COM/IHEARTISRAEL17, EMAIL SARAM@STANDWITHUS.COM OR CALL THE OFFICE AT (858) 598-8220.
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SIMCHA
Choosing Mitzvah Over Bar:
Event Planners Help Families Prioritize, Alleviate Stress BY DEBORAH FINEBLUM | jns.org
W
hen the time came to plan her older son’s bar mitzvah nine years ago, Stacie Bartfeld freely admits she knew it was coming up. “But I work and didn’t have the time to start from scratch,” she says. “And when it comes to putting together a bar mitzvah, I didn’t have a clue.” So when she heard about bar/bat mitzvah planning pros who can take the sting out of what can be a stressful experience, the San Diego mom was sold. But alas, her husband, Neil, was resistant to the idea — so much so that, the first time she spoke with event planner Sherrill Kinsler Gilford, it was from the privacy of her walk-in closet, where she was certain not to be overheard. Bartfeld says the benefits of consulting with Gilford were impressive, including helping with such basics as the food, décor, prizes and music, for their roughly 200 guests. “And I knew that, no matter what came up in advance or even on the day of, she would intercept it,” she says. As bar/bat mitzvah festivities around the country trend towards more elaborate and complicated undertakings, the event planner recalls her own brother’s relatively straightforward rite of passage celebration. “After the service, there was some food and a little dancing and then everyone went home,” says Gilford, who runs RSVP Events of San Diego with Rachel Wood. “Now there are so many moving parts that having us onboard means they can actually enjoy their own simcha (joyous occasion).” That was a common theme with the event planners. From bigpicture decisions, like helping clients choose from what can be an 18
L’CHAIM SAN DIEGO MAGAZINE • NOVEMBER 2017
overabundance of competing venues, caterers and music options, to minutia like running around at the last minute in hot pursuit of batteries for table centerpieces, planners can take some of the weight off parents’ shoulders. They can also acquaint parents with the latest trends. Among them, according to Terri Bergman of Washington, D.C.-based Terri Bergman Events, is one toward unassigned seating and shorter parties, as well as “environments” rather than the more traditional concept of themes. “We’ve even recreated [New York’s] Central Park,” says Bergman, who cheerfully admits to “being known for stepping out of the box a little.” With many of her clients spending anywhere from $20,000 to $150,000 on their children’s bar/bat mitzvahs, Bergman has learned to be flexible. One memorable event coincided with the great Northeastern U.S. blizzard of 2001. Her clients were insistent on holding their bar/bat mitzvah parties regardless of the snow piling up all around them. The upshot was that many young guests from a different canceled bar mitzvah came to her clients’ party. Bergman approached the local Hummer dealership to rent their tank-like vehicle to pick up stranded vendors and band members, the planner recalls. “Against all odds, the show went on,” Bergman says. The show itself is often an extravaganza when it’s in Beverly Hills. So says Mindy Weiss, whose business, Mindy Weiss Party Consultants, serves an elite clientele in southern California. “When they’re hiring me, they’re getting heavy décor and often name acts,” such as music producer and radio personality DJ Khaled, Weiss reports.
PHOTO BY SERGE ATTAL/FLASH90
French Jews celebrate a bar mitzvah in a synagogue in Paris June 6, 2012.
“When [event planners] run the party, the family and the bar or bat mitzvah child can focus on the service. That’s the basic idea of hiring [one].” “In Hollywood, anything is possible,” she says. Weiss highly recommends that first-time bar/bat mitzvah moms and dads hire an event planner. “Yes, it’s a luxury, but it also takes off the stress. The rabbis say there is too much bar and not enough mitzvah today. We can help by freeing the parents to spend time with
their child,” she says. San Diego-based Gilford strongly agrees, saying, “When we run the party, the family and the bar or bat mitzvah child can focus on the service. That’s the basic idea of hiring us.” For Weiss, the bar/bat mitzvah experience is all about transitions and transformations. “They practice and work on this for months, and they go from being a child to a young adult who can get up in front of everyone and read from the Torah and speak from the heart,” she says. “They’re communicating and participating and that demands a new a maturity,” Weiss adds. Perhaps the highest praise for having a planner came from Neil Bartfeld, who went from skeptic to believer in a few short months. He cornered the planner, Gilford, at his first son’s bar mitzvah to secure a promise to direct their younger son’s celebration three years later. “What changed my mind? I could see how easy things were made for us, with her taking care of vendors and all the other details,” he says nine years later. “All we had to do was concentrate on enjoying ourselves. So it was a no-brainer to book her for the second one, too.” Even if their connections with vendors don’t serve to recoup the entire cost of a planner’s services, the father notes that “what you do recoup is some of your sanity and that is also very valuable.
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Going Forth with "Lech Lecha": The Celebration of Amber Marcus-Blank's Bat Mitzvah BY DEBORAH VIETOR
A
mber Marcus-Blank had her Bat Mitzvah at Congregation Beth El with Rabbi Avi Libman in La Jolla on October 28. "Bat" is a Jewish Babylonian Aramaic word meaning daughter and "Mitzvah" is commandment or law. Performing a "Mitzvah" is also known in the Jewish tradition as performing good deeds for others. "Mitzvah" comes from the root word "Tzavta" meaning connection. There are 613 mitzvot, and therefore, 613 ways to connect to G-d. It's almost as if each Mitzvah is a phone number with a direct dial to G-d. During her Bat Mitzvah, Amber found a way to connect in her Torah portion the message about trusting G-d. There are examples in the bible where G-d tells Abram, (later called Abraham) to just go. G-d does not tell Abram where or how to go but just to go. As Abram obeys this directive, he is given many blessings later from G-d such as having a son later in life. He was given the name Abraham later in life as he trusted in G-d and went forth, letting everything go and therefore moving forward. As Abraham travels to the land of Canaan, he builds an altar and continues to spread the message of one G-d. Amber has learned about trusting in G-d as people will stumble in life and G-d helps them up. Similarly, Amber is "Going forth and letting go" as with her mother's job transfer to Brown University on the east coast, there have been many changes for Amber and her family. Amber's Torah portion is "Lech Lecha," with a major theme of going forward and trusting. She believes that although there might not be a specific person or idea to trust, one must have faith in G-d and you will 20
L’CHAIM SAN DIEGO MAGAZINE • NOVEMBER 2017
be okay. The other half of "Lech Lecha" is to be a blessing. Amber is finding different ways to be a blessing to her family, friends and community. Through studying Torah, connecting with her friends at Muirlands Middle School, playing soccer and having a life in San Diego, it would be easy for Amber to have negative feelings and resentment towards moving across the country. Instead, like Abraham, Amber has embraced the move and joined a synagogue, made new friends, joined two soccer teams, will join lacrosse and basketball teams. Amber hopes to be an example to teens about learning and growing from change. She would like to help others overcome obstacles regarding life changes. For her Bat Mitzvah project, Amber has chosen something unique. She is trying to reduce the barrier of access to books as they are a central part of education. Amber, with the help of a wonderful man in San Diego who constructs little libraries, has built one library and plans to build more. On the tables at the luncheon will be books Amber has collected and she asks people to donate books for the little libraries she will be building. Although the theme of her Bat Mitzvah is soccer, a deeper meaning involves the continuation of education and learning, a treasured Jewish tradition.
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SIMCHA
ELABORATE KETUBAH DESIGNS The Jewish Marriage contract is not merely transactional BY JACOB KAMARAS | JNS.ORG
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J
udging from its ritual text, the ketubah (marriage contract) that is read aloud during a Jewish wedding ceremony isn’t the most exciting, romantic or joyous document. It spells out a husband’s fundamental Jewish legal obligations to his wife — food, clothing, conjugal rights — and guarantees the sum that the husband will pay his wife in the event of a divorce. Yet increasingly, today’s ketubah designs are anything but dry and transactional. Going beyond placing a plain document in a basic picture frame, or using common designs such as a view of Jerusalem or the Kabbalistic Tree of Life, ketubah artists and consumers alike are developing more elaborate and personalized tastes. Morgan Friedman, chairman and “lead muse” of thisisnotaketubah.com, calls his initiative “the first company to do outlandish ketubot (plural for ketubah),” starting in 2011. Friedman said he “wanted a ketubah with supercrazy modern art” leading up to his wedding in 2010, but couldn’t find one. He approached his wife-to-be’s friend, Argentine artist Yael Magenheim, and she designed a ketubah to match his wedding, whose theme was the color orange. Today, Magenheim is the artistic director for thisisnotaketubah.com, which has created 3,000 ketubot to date. Most customers order designs that the website already offers, but Friedman has a separate site, www.bespokeketubah. com, featuring commissioned artworks. “My official reaction and what I tell [customers] is, ‘Whatever makes you happy.’ What makes the world a wonderful place is that different people have different preferences,” Buenos Airesbased Friedman said, reflecting on some unique ketubot he has designed, such as one commissioned for a dragon-loving couple who are “Game of Thrones” fans.
Adriana Saipe was also inspired to enter the ketubah art business through the process of designing her own ketubah, in 2013. For customized ketubot—which make up 20 percent of her business on inkwithintent.com, the rest coming from existing designs— the Vermont-based artist said she often starts “with a place that has significance” for the couple. As such, she asks them questions like where they met, where they’re living and where they’ve traveled together. For instance, one ketubah the artist is currently working on features landscapes from Miami, Pittsburgh and Providence, Rhode Island, three cities where the couple has lived. Saipe also hides “little secrets” in her designs. In a ketubah for a couple that enjoys rowing, she added boathouses along a river amid a nighttime Philadelphia cityscape; the average observer might not notice the small boathouses, but they are there for the couple to appreciate, Saipe explains, describing this design choice as the difference between the “outer layer that’s art on the wall” and the “inner story for the couple.” WHEN DID THE TREND START? Although Friedman cites 2011 as the advent of the “outlandish” ketubah, other artists estimate that elaborate, unique or customized ketubot were popularized at least two decades ago. “The current trend to have modern art ketubahs began around the end of the 1990s,” said San Antonio-based artist Nishima Kaplan, who runs the artketubah.com website. “I was one of the first few artists to be involved in this trend, which was customer-driven. In the 1990s, the technology didn’t allow for just-in-time ketubah prints, so people who wanted an artistic piece with a unique text had to commission a handmade piece. I made a lot of these in the early 2000s. Now, there is such a wide selection of artistic designs on the internet that can be ordered with
any text, so there is less demand for handmade pieces that are artistic but not personal. The unique designs that reflect a couple’s life continue to be desired.” Jerusalem-based artist Danny Azoulay took up ketubah design nearly 20 years ago, when Israel’s tourism minister asked him to design award certificates for companies that were slated to be named as the top 50 businesses for tourism in the Jewish state. At least 10 people who saw examples of the certificates in Azoulay’s store commented that they would make for compelling ketubot, prompting the artist to pursue that niche. Azoulay, who runs ketubahazoulayart. com, recalls that when he first began designing ketubot, most Judaica production took place in China and India, where manufacturing costs are lower than they are in Israel. He understood that he couldn’t compete with sellers of standard mass-produced Judaica items, and needed a niche such as the ketubah. Simultaneously, more customers were asking him to produce commissioned ketubot. Saipe, who has produced about 1,000 ketubot, said that based on her conversations with consumers of various ages, the trend of elaborate designs began “somewhere between the 1980s and 2000.” “There’s a really interesting dichotomy among ketubah artists themselves,” she said, noting that on the one hand there are “well-established” artists who produce ketubot with a classic old-world feel, and on the other hand there has been the emergence during the last five years of “contemporary” artists who employ “modern symbolism and modern times” in their designs. WHAT’S THE REASON BEHIND THE TREND? The artists agree that customized ketubot are simply indicative of the popularity of personalized art in general, in addition to reflecting the personalization of various aspects of weddings. WWW.LCHAIMMAGAZINE.COM
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the New York Botanical Garden, their wedding venue, with the New York City skyline in the background. Kaplan notes “Sacred World,” a ketubah she designed for an Indian-Israeli man and an American woman. “They wanted the international imagery, and my imagination created the picture of the globe, which connects these places yet shows how far apart they are too,” said Kaplan. “My father comes from India, so I have direct experience with such a multicultural marriage.” THE PRICE TAG Azoulay said he tries to price his ketubot “in the average range” so that most consumers can afford them — starting at $200, with most falling in the $300$400 range and some multilayered designs costing $600-$700. Saipe has charged $1,000 for her most expensive commissioned ketubah, with Friedman’s priciest coming in at $1,500 and Kaplan’s at $1800, according to the artists.
“Everyone loves personalized art. This is not a new thing,” said Kaplan, who has created more than 3,000 ketubot since 1998. That said, some couples’ desire to alter and personalize the ketubah’s age-old Aramaic ritual text may also play a role in the trend of commissioned designs, she explains. “Once a couple begins thinking about a text they want that is different from the traditional one on their parents’ ketubah, it may be a natural next step to wanting an art ketubah,” Kaplan said. MEMORABLE DESIGNS Other than the dragon-themed ketubah,
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a commissioned design that sticks out in Friedman’s mind is a bookshelf ketubah that contained the couple’s favorite titles, which are recognizable to anyone who makes the effort to squint to see them. While some may consider such a choice to be trivial, it’s important for artists “to keep our own egos in check,” said Friedman, because the ketubah design is all about what makes the couple happy. Friedman also cites a ketubah he designed as a concert poster for Jamie and Jason, a couple that enjoys going to concerts together. Saipe points to a commissioned ketubah she designed for Angela and Adam that was modeled after
APPRECIATING HISTORY Amid the focus on new-age designs, historical appreciation still plays a role in today’s ketubah industry. Kaplan said she enjoys “the scholarly aspect of learning about the history of ketubah texts,” and that her website “has been deemed a primary resource center for rabbis educating their clients about the range of possible ketubah texts.” When Azoulay’s mother passed away 20 years ago, he found her ketubah and asked a Sephardic rabbi to analyze it. The rabbi revealed that the penmanship mirrored the writing of 16th-century Spain. Aside from the ritual text, the ketubah contained information on Azoulay’s family history. “It brought me to be more familiar with the culture of the time and my family,” Azoulay said, adding, “This is what I try to tell people, that most things from the wedding, even the pictures, are on the computer, and this is one of the things that really stays for many years.”
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FOOD
KOSHEROLOGY CURRIED APPLE + CARROT CAKE WITH BASIL BUTTERCREAM FROSTING STORY & PHOTOS BY ALEX THE KOSHEROLOGIST KOSHEROLOGY.COM
"The yiddish word for carrot, “Mehren,” can also mean to “increase." So we eat carrots as a prayerful gesture that our merits should increase."
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FOOD
S
ugar and spice and everything nicethat’s what this awesome holiday cake is made of. This Rosh Hashanahinspired Apple and Carrot cake creatively combines a surprising mix of spices and herbs to create a delectably unique take on a traditional favorite that is perfect for Thanksgiving too. The flavor combination works like a charm. Seriously awesome. Carrots are traditionally eaten as one of the symbolic foods of Rosh Hashanah, as the yiddish word for carrot, “Mehren,” can also mean to “increase.” So we eat carrots as a prayerful gesture that our merits should increase. There are numerous reasons given for why we eat apples on the New Year. According to the Ben Ish Chai, a holy 19th century Torah scholar and kabbalist, we eat apples to pacify the heavenly judgement of the day of Rosh Hashanah. This is based on a Zohar that states that after one drinks wine, one should eat an apple in order that the wine should not harm him/her. Wine represents severity, and the apple calms the severity. Hence, we eat apples to calm the severity of the day of judgment. Whatever the reason, spice it up this year!
1 1/2 cups shredded apples (I recommend Gala or Fuji) 1 1/2 cups shredded carrots 3/4 cup canola oil 1/2 cup cinnamon apple sauce
INGREDIENTS: CAKE 2 cups all-purpose flour 1 cup granulated white sugar 1 cup packed light brown sugar 2 tsp. baking powder 1 tsp. baking soda 2 tsp. mild curry powder 1/4 tsp. salt 4 large eggs
INGREDIENTS: BASIL BUTTERCREAM FROSTING 1/4 cup vegetable shortening 1/4 cup non-dairy margarine 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract 1/8 tsp. (pinch) salt 2 cups confectioners’ sugar 2 tbs. chopped fresh basil curry powder
1. Preheat oven to 350°f. Grease and flour(or line with parchment paper) a 9x13 baking pan. Set aside. 2. In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients ( flour, white sugar, brown sugar, baking soda, baking powder, curry powder, and salt). Set aside. 3. In a mixer, using the paddle attachment, combine the eggs, oil, applesauce, and shredded apples and carrots. Mix on medium speed, until the mixture is well combined. 4. Reduce setting to low speed and gradually add the flour mixture, while continuing to mix. 5. Once the flour mixture has been well incorporated, pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and bake for 40-45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool completely in the pan before icing.
1. Using a mixer with the paddle attachment, combine the shortening, margarine, vanilla extract, salt, sugar, and basil. 2. Beat on medium speed until all the ingredients are well combined and incorporated and the mixture is smooth and creamy. 3. Spread the frosting over the top of the cake and lightly dust with curry powder before serving.
BORN AND BRED IN THE AMERICAN SOUTH, ALEX ‘THE KOSHEROLOGIST’ IDOV, WAS RAISED ON COLLARD GREENS STEWED WITH SMOKED TURKEY LEG (IN PLACE OF HAM HOCKS), BLACKEYED-PEAS, AND BRUNSWICK STEW. HE BOASTS BEING A 4TH GENERATION JEWISH SOUTHERNER, WITH ONE OF HIS GREAT-GRANDMOTHER’S BORN IN ATLANTA, GEORGIA IN 1888. HIS OTHER GREAT-GRANDPARENTS HAILED FROM RUSSIA, POLAND, AND FRANCEINSPIRING MUCH OF HIS COOKING WITH THE CUISINES OF HIS HERITAGE. ALEX’S CULINARY REPERTOIRE GOES BEYOND TRADITIONAL JEWISH AND SOUTHERN FARE, AS HE REVISITS AND REINVENTS THE CUISINES OF HIS ANCESTORS. ALEX HOLDS A BACHELOR OF SCIENCE DEGREE IN CULINARY SUSTAINABILITY AND HOSPITALITY FROM THE KENNESAW STATE UNIVERSITY MICHAEL A. LEVEN SCHOOL OF CULINARY SUSTAINABILITY AND HOSPITALITY AND WORKS AS A FREELANCE FOOD WRITER. FIND MORE RECIPES AT KOSHEROLOGY.COM
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FEATURE STORY
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FEATURE STORY
IDF
OUTREACH
Reservists tell of their outreach to Arabs, Jews BY DONALD H. HARRISON
O
f course, Israeli Reserve soldiers Ilan and Iyyar can talk about war. Israelis grow up with the threat of it. After high school, young men and women alike are conscripted into the Army, where they learn how to defend their country against external threats. Iyyar, in fact, has earned herself a special place in the history of the Israel Defense Forces; she was the first female officer to be put in charge of how infantry soldiers in the IDF learn when, where, and how to use mortars. She wrote five books on the subject. However, if you want to see the faces of these two reservists shine, and their eyes sparkle, don’t talk to them about war; talk to them about peace. Talk to them about the humanitarian work that has filled their lives, both with Israeli Jews and Palestinian Arabs. The two reservists are touring the Southwestern states under auspices of StandWithUs, delivering talks and answering questions at synagogues, universities, and churches. Within the last week, they’ve spoken at the University of California campuses in Riverside, San Diego, and Santa Barbara; at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo; and at Santa Monica College. From California, they go next to Colorado. Under the security protocols followed by StandWithUs, the last name of Iyyar can’t be divulged, so this article will have to use her first name in an exception to our normal style of identifying people on second reference by their last name. On the other hand, Ilan is a publicly recognized staff member of StandWithUs—director of the organization’s outreach programs in Latin America and Spain—so we are able to report that his last
name is Lopez. StandWithUs sends reserve soldiers around portions of the United States every year with the triple objective to educate audiences, empower friends of Israel to speak knowledgeably in its behalf, and to combat anti-Semitism. Students on U.S. college campuses daily are confronted with questions that would sound unbelievably ridiculous if asked in Israel, such as “Why is Israel committing genocide against the Palestinian people?” (A: It isn’t.) and “Why are Arabs subjected to apartheid in Israel?” (A: They aren’t). Alas, says Iyyar, the anti-Israel propaganda, however untrue, has adverse effects on Jewish students trying to stand up for the Jewish State. “One student broke my heart,” Iyyar reported. The student felt overwhelmed by the anti-Israel forces’ confidence, pictures, and loud voices. “Our goal is to empower them, to give them more information” so that the students confidently can serve as volunteer ambassadors. Whereas in Israel, Arabs and Jews will argue, debate, and sometimes achieve consensus when they meet in academic forums, Lopez said that in the United States, groups like Students for Justice in Palestine refuse to enter into dialogue; their goal being not to achieve peace and understanding, but simply to try to tear down and demonize Israel. The StandWithUs outreach program to Jewish students in high schools and universities is more necessary than it was in past decades, Lopez said. “We part from the assumption that Jewish kids (in North America) know Israel; that is not the
reality anymore. So, we have to make Israel interesting for them; we have to make it part of their lives, and that is what we are doing.” Students are urged to ask the touring reserve soldiers any question they want, none is considered stupid or out of bounds. “We want to show the real face of the IDF and Israeli society,” said Lopez. “We could talk about history and stuff like that, but you can find that on the Internet; the real point is for them to meet Israeli soldiers.” When they meet Iyyar, they meet a 28-year-old newlywed, who recently enjoyed a honeymoon in India, visiting places with her husband recommended to them by friends who are Israeli Arabs. Iyyar is completing a bachelor of arts degree at Tel Aviv University in a combined major of history, anthropology, and sociology; she hopes to become a social historian, who understands how societies influence the actions and choices of people living within them. The granddaughter of Holocaust survivors, who now have passed on, Iyyar works as a coordinator of a program involving university students throughout Israel who spend four hours a week visiting Holocaust survivors in their homes. “These are survivors who are lonely and they want social engagement with the students,” she said during a lunchtime interview at a local Mexican restaurant. “Most of the people we volunteer with are over 85. My sister volunteered with one, who is still alive at 97 years old.” Initially, Iyyar applied to be one of the students who makes similar visits but, she admitted, “I was too scared to have that type of very personal relationship, and then have to face their deaths.” Seventy-two years after WWW.LCHAIMMAGAZINE.COM
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FEATURE STORY
Israeli Reserve soldiers Ilan and Iyyar.
the end of World War II, Holocaust survivors are dying at an alarming rate each day. Students who make the visitations sometimes sit and talk in the survivors’ homes, other times go for walks, or to the beach, or out for ice cream. Iyyar said that more often than not, the survivors would rather hear about the students’ lives than talk about their own. Lopez grew up in Venezuela, the child of a Christian father and a Jewish mother whose mother was a refugee from the Holocaust. Following his mother’s religion, he began to notice a change in Venezuelan sentiment toward Israel when he was 14 years old and he heard someone questioning whether the Holocaust had even happened. “Years later we had an attack on one of the two main synagogues in Caracas. They got in during the middle of the night and destroyed the Torahs, wrote on the walls ‘Kill the Jews’ and ‘Jews go home’ and later the president of Venezuela, Hugo Chavez, went on television cursing Israel and giving its ambassador 48 hours to get out of the country. We stopped having diplomatic relations, and at that moment it was hard for me to be both Venezuelan and Jewish. That was when I decided to move to Israel, and in 2010 I moved by myself, without my family, and I have been there since. I studied political science t the University of Haifa.” When he joined the army, Lopez was 30
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assigned to the IDF unit in charge of government activities within the territories. “I started to meet Palestinians for the first time,” he said, differentiating between Palestinians who live in the territories, and Israeli Arabs, with whom he studied and worked with in Haifa. “The people I was meeting were people who were coming into Israel to work, to have a normal life, to have medical treatment, or to pray at their sacred places. It was a huge shock for me to come from a tropical country where people are supposed to be happy and friendly, but aren’t when it comes to the Middle East, and then be in the Middle East and living side by side with Palestinians in friendship and cooperation.” One of the most moving events for him, he said, was an occasion when a 4-year-old child in a Palestinian city “was playing in his house when something that the family was cooking fell on him, and he suffered burns on 100 percent of his body. He was really in bad shape. He was taken to a Palestinian hospital, where doctors told his father there was nothing they could do; he had to dig the grave of his son. When we in the Israeli Army heard about this, we decided to do whatever we could to save this kid’s life. We evacuated him from the Palestinian hospital to Hadassah hospital in Jerusalem and the Israeli doctors saved his life. A couple of days later his father asked us to film how Israel
saved the life of his kid. “So, on one hand we had a Palestinian father saying ‘thank you’ to Israel for saving the life of his little kid, and, sadly, the same day a Palestinian terrorist who stabbed and murdered a pregnant Israeli woman was also receiving medical treatment at that hospital. On one hand there are beautiful people who just want a normal life for themselves and their children, and on the other hand we have terrorists who don’t care about human life, and will do anything they can do to continue their terrorist agenda.” While StandWithUs has been operating for years on U.S. college campuses, there has not been a similar effort in Latin America. In Chile, which has perhaps the largest Palestinian population outside of the Middle East, the university in Santiago is boycotting Israeli professors and endorsing BDS. Lopez now directs a program to counteract that trend, and to build friendships for Israel throughout Latin America. Upcoming in Los Angeles, he said, will be a StandWithUs convention at which numerous students from Mexico will be trained to carry pro-Israel messages not only back to their own country but throughout Latin America. Until Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu traveled this year to Latin America, no previous prime minister of Israel had done so, Lopez said. Back in 1947, Brazil had led the voting in the United Nations General Assembly to partition British Mandatory Palestine and clear the way for the establishment of Israel. Just recently Brazil cast a vote in the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in effect denying the Jewish heritage of Jerusalem. “Brazil is a Christian country!” Lopez exclaimed, pointing out that Christianity is built upon the Judaism of the Bible. “It is super-important that organizations like ours be present there.” DONALD H. HARRISON IS EDITOR OF SAN DIEGO JEWISH WORLD. HE MAY BE CONTACTED AT DONALD. H A R R I S O N @ S DJ E W I S H WO R L D.C O M This article reprinted with permission, from San Diego Jewish World, sdjewishworld.com.
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OUR TRIBE
one Step at a Time
T
he Blue Card is an instrumental force in providing resources to Holocaust survivors. Though generations apart, the lives of Justine Goldberg and S.T., a Holocaust survivor, intersect at a time of true altruism and solidarity. Justine was born in Johannesburg, South Africa, and at the age of seven, immigrated to San Diego, Calif., with her family. She was raised in a traditional Jewish household where her parents instilled in her core values of family unity and a strong sense of identity with the state of Israel and the Jewish people. Over the years, Justine has traveled numerous times to Israel, her most notable trip taking place in 2005 when she embarked on the March of the Living. The story of S.T., an 82-year-old Jewish Holocaust survivor, is not unlike many others, a story of struggle, resilience and fighting to defeat the odds. S.T. lost most of her family to the gas chambers of Auschwitz but managed to escape a similar fate. She now lives alone in her mobile home after the recent passing of her husband of 50 years. A two-time breast cancer survivor, S.T. is now having to endure living with very limited assistance from homecare, as she struggles to recover from her second surgery due to cancer of the eye. With little to no family
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to rely on, her only child, a son, is himself battling a fight against stage 4 cancer while trying to be present for his five children. S.T. finds herself yet again in a harrowing time of uncertainty, the very uncertainty Justine is trying to minimize for many Holocaust survivors. Upon returning from her incredibly profound trip, Justine felt a deep sense of responsibility to make a difference in the lives of Holocaust survivors. Fortunately, Justine managed to couple her love of marathon running with her mission to provide assistance to Holocaust survivors. A few years ago, at the New York City Marathon, Justine had the privilege of meeting a number of Holocaust survivors and learn of The Blue Card’s affiliation as one of the official charities of the event. The Blue Card has been an instrumental force in providing resources to Holocaust survivors and therefore a natural choice for Justine in her efforts to give back to the community. As a privileged and observant Jewish woman, Justine is adamant about finding time in her busy schedule as a resident physician to train for marathons, running proudly with The Blue Card and continuing to raise funds for Holocaust survivors like S.T. The growing needs of S.T. have propelled Jewish Family Service to advocate for her receipt of maximum hours of assistance from the Conference of Material Claims Against Germany (the Claims Conference) and from In Home Supportive Services (IHSS) of San Diego County, a county program available to the lowest income residents. If S.T. has any chance of remaining in her home, she will need the advocacy of Jewish women like Justine to secure ongoing care. S.T., and the countless other Holocaust Survivors, deserve to live out their lives in peace and find comfort in knowing that we, as a community, are
TRIBE
OUR
Changing the Lives of Holocaust Survivors
THE COMMUNITY PLACE
uniting to bridge the gap and leave a lasting impression of what it means to be part the Jewish community. Please support the cause by making a taxdeductible donation to the ongoing efforts of The Blue Card at www.crowdrise.com/thebluecard-nyc2017/fundraiser/justinegoldberg (Memo for Contributions: “Justine Goldberg/NYMarathon”). 100% of the donations will go toward meeting the needs of elderly survivors who depend on The Blue Card for their most fundamental necessities of food, shelter and adequate healthcare.
Want to know what's happening in your community? Have something you want to share? We at L'CHAIM want to help you strengthen your ties to your community by publishing your lifecycle events in our magazine AT NO CHARGE. As a community, we share in each other's joys and sorrows and are always here to support one another. This service is brought to you by Chai Five Projects. Please submit your lifecycle events to info@lchaimmagazine.com Visit lchaimmagazine.com/ chai5projects for more info.
BY RYAN GREISS | FEATURE STORY
Israeli film stars Nir bergman and david ofek teach at SDSU this fall
PHOTO CREDIT-YARDEN TAVORI
Nir Bergman
A
ward-winning Israeli filmmakers Nir Bergman and David Ofek are serving as visiting lecturers at San Diego State University School this fall. Bergman and Ofek are team-teaching at San Diego State, with Bergman teaching Aug. 25 through the end of October and Ofek teaching from November through December. The two are visiting thanks to the Schusterman Visiting Israeli Artists Program, which is bringing 13 prominent Israeli artists for residencies at top universities across the United States during the 2017-2018 academic year. Bergman is the director, writer, and cocreator of the hit HBO TV series In Treatment starring Gabriel Byrne. Bergman’s college thesis film, Sea Horses, and feature film debut, Broken Wings, received numerous awards in Israel and Europe. “When Marge Goldwater, director of the Schusterman Visiting Artist Program, offered me the opportunity to teach in San Diego, I immediately said yes,” said Bergman. “This is a chance to expand my children’s and my horizons. When I was a kid, I spent a year in San Diego. This year was well engraved in
my mind. I wanted to allow my children the same experience and at the same time, to do one of my favorite things: teach. “This is my first time teaching in the U.S. and it is thrilling, and challenging, and exciting. I’m thankful to the Israel Institute, the Leichtag Foundation, and, of course, to SDSU for this wonderful opportunity. I hope to expose students in San Diego to my Israel, the one they won’t see in the news.” Ofek’s works incorporate elements of documentary and feature films. His documentary No. 17 Is Anonymous, featured in MoMA’s New Directors/New Films series, was screened in 80 international festivals. Other documentaries have tackled subjects from home hospice care to the Israeli songwriter Eli Mohar. His TV Series Bat Yam-New York and drama Home also won various awards in Israel and Europe. “This is also my first time teaching in the U.S. and I couldn’t be more excited to meet the students, hear their stories, and guide them with my knowledge and experience. I’ve heard so many good things about San Diego, and I’m looking forward to discovering the city for myself,” says Ofek. “I’m grateful
to the Israel Institute for this wonderful opportunity to expose students in San Diego to Israel’s history and rich culture, and to be part of the Jewish life there.” The Visiting Israeli Artists program is an initiative of the Israel Institute, a Washington, D.C.-based academic institute that aims to enhance the study of modern Israel. The institute brings Israeli filmmakers, choreographers, musicians, writers and visual artists for residencies at top universities and other cultural organizations in North America. The Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation founded the program in 2008 to foster interactions between the artists and their communities, exposing a broader audience to contemporary Israeli culture. “What makes the Schusterman Visiting Israeli Artist Program unique and so effective is that it allows members of the host community and the visiting artists to connect in a variety of settings, from formal to informal, over a significant period of time, rather than the more traditional oneoff experience,” says Marge Goldwater, the program’s director. Since the program launched, 68 residencies have featured 78 artists at colleges and universities across North America. The artists have included a recipient of The Israel Prize, Israel’s most prestigious award; an Emmy nominee; recipients of Israel’s highest literary awards, and many winners of Israeli Oscars. “The Schusterman Visiting Israeli Artists program is the bridge between the Israel Institute’s academic and cultural programming. These visiting artists provide more than just classes that teach skills; these artists provide a window into the heart of Israel,” said Ariel Roth, the institute’s executive director. “Cultural education provides insights into the fabric of a society in a way that other courses cannot and the understanding of students in these classes is deeper and more enriched as a result.” WWW.LCHAIMMAGAZINE.COM
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MEN'S EVENT
NEWS
NOW WHAT WE’RE TALKING ABOUT
HILLEL
GLICKMAN HILLEL CENTER SITE DEDICATION CELEBRATION
The Jewish Federation of San Diego County annual Men’s Event was a great success.
PHOTO BY ALON DAVID PHOTOGRAPHY
TO KNOW
JEWISH FEDERATION
Speakers, including Scott Stein and Francis Parker high school student Julie Bernicker shared their passion for volunteerism, Israel and how we need to continue the tradition amongst about 100,000 Jews in San Diego County. Keynote Speaker, David Horovitz entertained and educated with his discussion regarding the importance of supporting one another during these difficult times and in particular, Israel. Horovitz lectures widely in Israel, the United States and Europe regarding Israeli current affairs. He regularly delivers introductory briefings on Israel to Congressional delegations. It was an event for the books.
BETH AM EXPANDS
MORE SPACE MEANS MORE PROGRAMS
An extraordinary meaningful morning as several community members gathered on Sunday, October 22nd on Cliffridge Avenue in La Jolla to celebrate the site dedication for what will one day become the Beverly and Joseph Glickman Hillel Center. Michael Berlin received Hillel’s Luminary Award on behalf of the Melvin Garb Foundation for their amazing generosity and support through the years. Joseph Glickman, along with his daughter, Elaine Galinson and Granddaughter, Laura Galinson symbolically planted a pomegranate tree which will grow for years to come at the heart of the new center. “When we build, this center will be transformative for Hillel, for our students and for our community. No longer will Jewish students wander, homeless on campus; no longer will this site sit empty, a blight on our beautiful neighborhood. The Beverly and Joseph Glickman Hillel Center will be a beacon of light right here, for La Jolla, for the university, for our Jewish future, for all who pass it daily,” Rabbi David Singer. WWW.LCHAIMMAGAZINE.COM
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SAN DIEGO COMMUNITY EXPERIENCE TOUR HOPES TO CHANGE PERCEPTION OF JEWISH NATIONAL FUND
W
ith a birthday comes the opportunity to change one’s perception for the future. That is the goal of Jewish National Fund’s “San Diego Community Experience,” a first of its kind trip to Israel whose goal is not only to help celebrate Israel’s 70th birthday, but to change the perception of the 100,000plus member San Diego Jewish Community of what Jewish National Fund (JNF) is all about. In May 1948, Israel was officially declared an independent state. In 2018, Israel will commemorate its 70th Birthday and Jewish National Fund is celebrating the history and accomplishments of the land and people of Israel. According to James Kimmey, Jewish National Fund’s San Diego Director, some have a perception of JNF is merely Blue Boxes and trees. “We feel that it is important to rally the San Diego Jewish community to showcase what JNF is really about on the ground in Israel. That’s why I am so happy to announce a special trip to Israel for those in San Diego.” The “San Diego Community Experience” is just one of several special JNF Israel@70 tours that will help celebrate Israel’s 70th Birthday. Other tours will hail from New England, New York, and Los Angeles. There is also a Young Leadership trip planned for 2240 year olds. All of these trips are part of the Jewish National Fund Israel@70 campaign introduced this month in Hollywood, FL at JNF’s National Conference. Elaborating, Kimmey said, “We want our friends and neighbors to see it for themselves. We want the community to see our work with the disabled, of bringing water to Israel, agricultural research, heritage site preservation, education and advocacy, forestry and green innovations and so much more.” Kimmey’s hope is that the local Jewish community learns firsthand and sees Israel through a JNF lens and experiences it as they have never seen Israel. Those who choose to go to Israel during the anniversary year will get an inside look into Israel’s deep-rooted history, from the fight for Independence through the present. But most of all, participants will receive a once-in-a-lifetime experience of being with 36
L’CHAIM SAN DIEGO MAGAZINE • NOVEMBER 2017
Jewish National Fund’s new President and fellow San Diegan, Dr. Sol Lizerbram, who is leading this tour. In addition to the tours, JNF’s Israel@70 campaign includes a fourminute video showing highlights of Israel using an historical timeline. It will also show how Israel has grown with the help of Jewish National Fund; the tagline: “Our History, Our Heritage, Our Homeland. Pass it on;” Partnerships with Israel-based partners and/or government entities to recognize this milestone for Israel and its people; and a special 70th anniversary kit that will be sent to all K-12 schools. The kits will include miniature versions of Israel’s Declaration of Independence and age-appropriate activities that will connect school children to Israel through its Declaration of Independence and more. The San Diego Community Experience tour will be held April 12-19, 2018 (with an optional extension in Eilat: April 19-22.) To register for the tour go to jnf.org/70sandiego/. For more information, contact James Kimmey, Director, San Diego, jkimmey@jnf.org, 858.824.9178, ext. 988.
BY STEPHANIE LEWIS l HUMOR
mazel
& mishagoss Which of these 16 Potluck Party Personalities are You?
T
he holidays have officially descended upon us and that means the arrival of “The Potluck Party!” Whether it’s held at the office, school, or synagogue, you’ll likely encounter some variation of the following personas:
1. Potluck Prepper: Annoys busy hostess
by opening her crowded refrigerator to find the mayo and moans, “Oy Vey, how do you function in here?” Thinks nothing of using the oven, blender, waffle iron, toaster, and complains there’s no electric can-opener -- all while barricading an entire counter with different toppings she needs to assemble her mieskeit lettuce wraps.
2. Potluck Planters Peanut-er: We
get it – you work, have kids, didn’t sleep, were sick all week, and couldn’t schlep to the market so the can of Planter’s Peanuts is your fallback. But people with nut allergies aren’t digging it. Switch to beef jerky.
3. Potluck Patenter: Owns the original
copyright, trademark, and patent for chopped liver. And thusly, (in the name of all kosher chickens) will wage a strategic war of subterfuge if you dare bring this same dish. Will either: a) rearrange platters so yours is in the back row. b) start a rumor you left out the onions. c) hijack your rye bread.
4. Potluck
Pity-Partier: Mopes around the entire night kvetching, “Nobody even touched my kugel.”
5. Potluck
Preliminary Packager: Worried there won’t be leftovers, she prematurely wraps up half her brisket boasting, “It’s Hershel’s favorite, but he couldn’t come because they’re making him a partner. My great big macher.” The jig is up- – the doggy-bag is for her!
6. Potluck Plastic-er: Can’t be bothered to transfer the contents from the tacky carton it originally came in.
7. Potluck Price Preserver: Eager to show
off what she spent on gourmet rugelach, the expensive tag is highlighted in yellow pen and featured front and center. Or the opposite! Mortified over the stubborn red clearance sticker, she douses it with soy sauce.
8. Potluck PickerOuter: Brings knishes
from local deli, but realizes there’s mushrooms in the sauce. For twenty minutes, she’s sifting out every last ghastly fungus, never thinking other guests might actually enjoy those disgusting, rubbery toadstools.**
9. Potluck Prader: A whole megillah is
made setting down her entrée, often simulating a drum-roll while kvelling, “The mac n’ cheese has arrived!”
11. Potluck Plotzer: The concept of
collaborative food panics them so much (What should they bring? OMG!) they’ll cancel with a mother-in-law emergency. The mother-in-law has bunions.
12. Potluck Paprika-er: A philosophical belief that everything from matzo balls to chocolate babka looks better with orangish/rust colored sprinkles on top.
13. Potluck Putrid Prankster: Stays up
nights thinking of a dish they can bring that will emit the foulest odor. It WILL contain limburger cheese.
14. Potluck Punctuality Person (NOT!):
Signs up bringing an appetizer, swears they’ll be prompt, but arrives on Jewish Standard Time when desserts are served.
15. Potluck Papergooder: First to sign-up,
but always chooses plates, cups, or utensils, then expects as much credit as the person who brought and carved the Turkey!
16. Potluck Peter Piper Pickled Pepper:
“Tongue-Twister” is their name and “burn your mouth off with HOT n’ SPICY” is their game. (Best friends with #13, Potluck Prankster!)
** If you couldn’t tell, the author is #8.
10. Potluck Puny Portioner: Raised by a gentile mother who food rationed and brings a dinky cheesecake even though 42 guests RSVP’d. Throughout the evening, emphasizes how RICH their dessert is, thus justifying those paper-thin slices.
STEPHANIE LEWIS REGULARLY WRITES FOR THE HUFFINGTON POST AND ONCEUPONYOURPRIME.COM WWW.LCHAIMMAGAZINE.COM
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