L'Chaim March 2015 by L'Chaim San Diego Magazine

MARCH 2015

SPRING HOLIDAYS:

PASSOVER

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L’CHAIM SAN DIEGO MAGAZINE • MARCH 2015

March 2015 www.lchaimmagazine.com

Features 12 A Thousand Words Eric Leitstein, Restaurateur BACKYARD KITCHEN & TAP

16 PURIM:

Like Queen Esther

20 BDS With a Twist: Divestment measures target more than Israel

22 Books:

When Torah teaches life and life teaches Torah

24 Latinos for Israel: A Zionist fire blazes on

26 FOOD: A Jewish Valentine Grilled Chicken Livers l Cilantro Lime Sauce

28 COVER STORY: PASSOVER A Tale of two Spring holidays

32 Passover: Strangers in a strange land

Headlines 36 News to Know Now Columns

6 My Comic Relief 8 What Jew Mean 10 Of the Book 30 Mazel & Mishagoss

PUBLISHERS Diane Benaroya & Laurie Miller

L’CHAIM SAN DIEGO, LLC (858) 776-0550 San Diego, CA 92127

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Alanna Maya

EDITORIAL editor@lchaimmagazine.com

CREATIVE DIRECTOR Laurie Miller

ADVERTISING dianeb@lchaimmagazine.com

CONTRIBUTORS Yigal Adato, Daniel Bortz, Sofie Kinnefors, Stephanie Lewis, Rita Mailheau, Salomon Maya, Sharon Rapoport

ADVERTISING & SALES Diane Benaroya (dianeb@ lchaimmagazine.com), Ally Ginzberg (chub1@sbcglobal.net), Sharon Rapoport (sharonbux@gmail.com)

ART DEPARTMENT lauriem@lchaimmagazine.com LISTINGS & CALENDAR: calendar@lchaimmagazine.com CIRCULATION & SUBSCRIPTIONS info@lchaimmagazine.com

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RANDOM RANTS l BY SALOMON MAYA

comic relief In Therapy

am in therapy. Even looking at that sentence used to give me the perennial willies. People who need to talk to professionals about their “problems” were just little mommy’s boys or girls who have daddy issues. That’s truly how I thought and boy I couldn’t have been more wrong. But I grew up in a traditional Latino household where your “issues” were either handled through sport, discussion or just plain ol’ keeping it inside. Dad and mom were too busy working to sit down and just talk about my problems. And my brothers were nine and six years older than me; too busy to hear me out. Growing up, I always felt either too Mexican, and not enough like a Jew or sometimes the exact opposite (especially on the High Holy Days where I think we’re all too Jewish). A little background into my history: my father was a successful salesperson, selling small

L’CHAIM SAN DIEGO MAGAZINE • MARCH 2015

appliances to heavy Mexican merchants like Dorian’s and Sanborns (the Mexican version of WalMart and CVS…sorta). Yet in 1994, the Mexican President, Carlos Salinas de Gortari decided to leave his six years in office with a little more than just stationary and pens. He went on a shopping spree with the Mexican treasury. Now I’m not a Mexican history expert so some of my facts might be askew but this is what I recall from being a 14 year old kid. The Devaluation, as it’s called in Mexico hit the border region hard. The Mexican peso dropped from approximately 3:1 (pesos to US dollars) to 7:1 and has reached as far as 12:1. Hitting puberty at this time was challenging. Seeing my father lose everything he had worked so hard to get was even harder. We went from owning a house with a Jacuzzi and lawn in Chula Vista to briefly living with my aunt and

uncle then renting a small town house in the newer part of Eastlake. I shared a room with my oldest brother, and never had privacy (again I was 14 he in his early 20’s). It was hell. When my brothers used to come into the bathroom while I was showering I would hide in the shower behind a towel. We laugh about it now, but back then, I was just terrified. Terrified of them seeing me; of anyone really seeing me to be honest. We lived in that little rented townhome for over 10 years and I truly never left it. The feeling of not wanting to be seen, of wanting to hide when someone entered a room. Of people truly seeing the real me. I’m in my mid-thirties now, married and hoping soon to start a family. I never want my child to feel like I felt. So I’m doing something that I thought I’d never do. I’m going to therapy. Now I know it’s not the smartest thing to openly write about this, but I want to do this. I want to bare my soul to the people who read my article. For if you’re one of those lucky few, you’ll take this trip with me. I want to reach that one person, that one guy who’s having issues in life or that one girl who wakes up with questions. I’m one of you. You’re not alone. And I’m taking the first step in becoming a better husband, a better future father, a better man. I’ll let you know how my first couple sessions go. Here goes nothing. SALOMON MAYA IS A LOCAL ACTOR AND PLAYWRIGHT. FOLLOW HIM ON TWITTER @SALOMAYA

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SPIRITUAL l BY YIGAL ADATO

what

jew mean Why Being Grateful Improves Your Life for have a greater sense of happiness than those who don’t. So when people ask the question: “What’s the secret to happiness?” The answer could just be as simple as being grateful for what you have.

n Hebrew school we are taught the Modeh Ani, thanking G-d for the fact he has allowed us to wake up to a new day. I remember being in school and singing this song as part of the morning prayers. But today I have lost that discipline of waking up and being thankful I’m alive. I usually wake up to my alarm clock and walk into the shower still half asleep. I get something to eat, check my email, and head out for another day. I forget to be thankful for being alive, for the hot water that seamlessly comes out of my shower, for the breakfast I eat, and many other instances in my day. But expressing gratitude for what we have can greatly improve our lives, and as soon as we stop to give thanks for what we have, we will begin to see the difference it makes. Here are 3 reasons why. 1. Improve Relationships Last Shabbat, we were at my in-law’s house and my father-in-law asked for a moment to speak. He told us how grateful he was for us being there as well as how thankful he was 8

L’CHAIM SAN DIEGO MAGAZINE • MARCH 2015

to my mother-in-law for preparing such a beautiful meal. All in attendance felt a sense of being cared for and for being important in his life. At that moment, my father-in-law was not only grateful but truly expressed it. Expressing gratitude for those whom you love and even those who help in any way makes the day a little better, allows for them to feel significant and know that you truly appreciate the action or even the time spent together. Doing this creates a sense of positive reinforcement, reminding them that you truly were present to their actions. 2. Improve Happiness There are many studies that show that being consciously grateful each day can improve symptoms of depression and create an overall sense of increased happiness. Positive psychology teaches that gratitude helps develop a stronger sense of self as well as internal strength for when times get tough. A study in the “Journal of Happiness” even suggested that those who journal about what they are thankful

3. Improve Health As mentioned before, just the reduction of some of the stress in our lives can help improve your overall health tremendously, but there are more health benefits to gratitude. WebMD reported that gratitude breeds optimism and there are many studies that link optimism to a better immune system. The same article states that people who are more optimistic have better outcomes when going into surgery. Better sleep is another positive effect of being thankful. Instead of worrying when you go to bed about the things you don’t have or are going through, remember to count the blessings you do have that many people in the world struggle for. We spend tons of money on vitamins and diets and even on the latest workout fad, but improving our health can be as simple as being grateful for the things we have. Judaism is filled with prayers for gratitude, from the Modeh Ani to one for seeing a rainbow. Whether you recite them on a daily basis, or use a journal to write down what you are thankful for remember that gratitude can you improve your relationships, your health, and ultimately your overall happiness. With that, let me express my gratitude to you for taking the time to read this article. Thank you and I look forward to hearing from you on twitter, @yigaladato.

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TORAH l BY RABBI DANIEL BORTZ

of the

book Increase in Joy “When the (Hebrew) month of Adar begins, we should increase in joy” —Taanit 29a With the joyous holiday of Purim happening this month, there is great reason to rejoice. But what is so unique about the holiday of Purim that we celebrate to such an extent, 2,400 years later? Our sages teach that Purim and its message is so great that the holy day of Yom Kippur or Yom Hakippurim really means “A day like Purim.” We learn about the events of Purim from Megillat Esther, the scroll of Queen Esther. Incredibly, this is the only one of the 24 books of the Tanakh where G-d’s name is absent. The events in Persia seem to unfold quite naturally. Sure, everything works out in the end, amazingly, for the Jewish people. At every turn the plans of their arch-nemesis Haman are thwarted. But it makes practical sense, since the Jewish people had Esther in the palace to pull some political strings; not to mention the influential Mordechai at the gates of the palace. Maybe it was just a case of being at the right place, at the right time? This is the exact theme and message of Purim. Our lives today also seem to flow naturally without any outside influence. There is no consistent, open divine display 10

L’CHAIM SAN DIEGO MAGAZINE • MARCH 2015

of influence; His name isn’t mentioned in our lives. Throughout the good and bad times, it is up to us to recognize the puppeteer pulling the strings, the conductor behind the orchestra. Megillah is etymologically connected to the word Megaleh—“to reveal,” while the Talmud states that Esther’s name is connected to Hester—“hiddenness.” The theme of Purim is that of working to reveal what is hidden. Now we can begin to understand the deeper significance behind the custom of dressing up on Purim, hiding the face, and why we eat hamantaschen, a cookie that hides its sweet filling inside. When one wears a mask, that person’s identity is hidden. But if someone recognizes him and calls out his name, he has no need to wear the mask anymore, the game’s up! G-d’s face—His presence—is hidden behind the mask that is our world. If we recognize the world as merely a well-fitted costume with each aspect of nature as a purposeful disguise of inner expression, then he who hides begins to reveal his identity. Even in bad times, with events that we can’t understand in our limited worldview, this too has a sweet reason hidden behind it, just like the hamantaschen whose inner sweetness isn’t always apparent from the

outside. Haman professed that life was ruled by luck and chance. The name of the holiday Purim comes from the pur or “raffle” that Haman made to decide the date of the Jewish people’s destruction. He believed that life was a roll of the dice. In the end, Haman was hung on the very gallows he created for Mordechai. And this is why we are so joyful on Purim. When an improbable outcome occurs, especially in an extremely improbable way, laughter is generated. The more extreme the reversal, the greater the joy. Purim teaches us that nature is anything but natural. It doesn’t have to take a sea splitting for us to notice the constant miracles woven together that make up the history of the world, and our own life stories. Your life is a Megillah, every event has been purposefully designed just for you, to help lead you to your successful destination. Wishing you a happy Purim! RABBI DANIEL BORTZ IS THE DIRECTOR OF JTEEN SAN DIEGO, JTEENSD.COM. FOR INFORMATION ON CLASSES, CONTACT HIM AT DANIELBORTZ@GMAIL.COM.

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L’CHAIM l BY ALANNA MAYA

L’CHAIM SAN DIEGO MAGAZINE • MARCH 2015

L’CHAIM

A THOUSAND

WORDS

Eric Leitstein, Restrauteur BACKYARD KITCHEN & TAP

an Diego is home to a number of great restaurants and bars, but if you’ve spent any time in Pacific Beach, you’ve likely heard of one of Eric Leitstein’s. The restaurateur runs OMG Restaurant Group (named after his three kids, Olivia, Mason and Gavin) with his wife. Under the OMG umbrella, the Lei steins oversee five restaurants: Pacific Beach Ale House, Vail Ale House, Sandbar Sports Grill and two Union Kitchen & Tap locations; one in the Gaslamp and one in Encinitas. Eric is also a partner in Pacific Beach Fish Shop, as well as two other locations of the fast casual dining spot. This month, he will unveil Backyard Kitchen & Tap in Pacific Beach, bringing

OMG’s number up to six restaurants in San Diego. We talked to Eric a few days before the eatery opened, as he tasted the menu and made final arrangements for a soft opening of the latest addition to his cadre of restaurants. L’CHAIM MAGAZINE: WOW! YOU ARE INVOLVED WITH A LOT OF RESTAURANTS. HOW ARE EACH DIFFERENT, AND HOW ARE THEY THE SAME? ERIC LEITSTEIN: Well, they all have a certain

quality I guess, or a certain style that fits the Southern California lifestyle, but each restaurant has its own identity I would say. The Fish Shop is what I would call a “fast casual” location, where you order from a counter and your food is brought over to

your table, very casual and easy. The other restaurants are a little more formal, but not stuffy. For instance, Union Kitchen & Tap’s downtown location is a little different from the Encinitas location, particularly because of the areas in which they are located. Pacific Beach is a little different from both of [those areas], so there is a “beach” quality to locations there, and the new space is probably the biggest evolution for me as a restaurateur. It’s something that Pacific Beach has never seen. L’CHAIM: YOU’RE REFERRING TO BACKYARD KITCHEN & TAP, RIGHT? EL: Yes. It’s not your typical bar or restaurant WWW.LCHAIMMAGAZINE.COM

L’CHAIM

Check it out

backyardpb.com

House made beignets at Union Kitchen & Tap in Encinitas

for Pacific Beach, but it fits in there, because there are a lot of places in the area that are starting to notice what people want. We elevated the menu and the décor for the area, because I think San Diego in general has evolved. I think people’s palates have evolved so much here and they are ready for something new. I think the craft beer movement in San Diego and the craft cocktail industry has changed things so much for the city. Fortunately, I am in this business and we get to embrace this culture, if you will, and we are going to cater to it the best we can in this restaurant/bar formula that we have. LCHAIM: WHAT ARE SOME THINGS THAT PEOPLE WILL NOTICE ABOUT BACKYARD KITCHEN & TAP RIGHT AWAY? EL: The atmosphere. A lot of our success has

to do with our staff. We just have a great company culture, and attract the type of person that understands that we are very customer oriented, and that I am extremely passionate about this business and what we do. It’s really in my wheelhouse to do this

L’CHAIM SAN DIEGO MAGAZINE • MARCH 2015

style of restaurant, where you don’t have to worry about simply meeting people’s needs, but can really focus on exceeding people’s expectations in a casual restaurant, versus a fine dining restaurant where people walk in with a certain level of expectation, we try to give our guests the best we have no matter what. That’s our goal; to create a culinary and beverage experience that is exceptional. L’CHAIM: WHAT ARE SOME SIGNATURE DISHES THAT GUESTS SHOULD DEFINITELY TRY OUT? EL: That’s a good question, and there are

EL: Well, yes. I am originally from New

York, and have been in the hospitality business, in hotels, bars and restaurants since I was in college. I moved to San Diego in 1989, and decided to get into management because I knew that was where I wanted to be someday. I really cut my teeth in this business and I think that is why I am so passionate about creating exceptional experiences in dining. I have great managers and leaders that I work with, too, and they understand that.

L’CHAIM: WHAT’S MORE FUN TO WORK IN, FRONT OF THE HOUSE OR BACK? EL: Well, I have experience with both. In

so many things that are good, but we will have a signature shrimp boil that people are excited about here. We are a coastal menu, so we have a lot of fresh seafood on the menu and really everything tastes really, really good. We have burgers, steaks and seafood; kind of all fitting into this “coastal new American” style of food that we are serving. Of course, we have a lot of beers and cocktails, too.

college I worked as a line cook, and I have bartended here and there, but I am more of a front of the house guy. It’s a little more fun in the front of the house versus the back, and I like the glory of the front of the house; being able to talk to people.

LCHAIM: HAVE YOU ALWAYS WANTED TO BE IN THE RESTAURANT BUSINESS?

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PURIM l BY ALINA DAIN SHARON l jns.org

LIKE QUEEN ESTHER:

Modern-day Jewish women making a difference

ost Jewish women have at least one childhood memory of wearing a Queen Esther costume for Purim. Esther’s image is ubiquitous in the collective Jewish consciousness, not only as the character in the Purim story who outwitted the villain Haman in order to save the Jewish people from annihilation, but as a symbol of a strong and intelligent woman. No wonder so many little girls want to dress up as Esther. Like Esther before them, there are plenty of modern-day Jewish women leaving a strong mark on our society. Admittedly, 16

L’CHAIM SAN DIEGO MAGAZINE • MARCH 2015

the following list only scratches the surface of Jewish women making a difference, but here is a sampling of those who have made headlines for channeling their inner Queen Esther. JENNIE ROSENFELD: TRAILBLAZING SPIRITUAL ADVISOR Jennie Rosenfeld, a native of Riverdale, N.Y., on Feb. 2 began a new role as manhiga ruchanit (spiritual advisor) in the Israeli community of Efrat. Rosenfeld officially began her position on Feb. 2 and she is the

first woman in the history of Israel to fill such a role. Efrat’s decision to name a female spiritual leader has been met with controversy in Israel, whose government does not recognize women rabbis. But Rabbi Shlomo Riskin, the chief rabbi of Efrat, said he made the decision because Jews “are living in very special times in which religious education extends to women on a very high level.” Scarlett Johansson

PURIM “I am standing on the brink of something very exciting, and there is a sense of hopefulness that this will lead to good for the Jewish community and help bring people closer,” Rosenfeld, 34, recently said.

for the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) and was named ADL’s Woman of the Year in 1965.

SCARLETT JOHANSSON: PRINCIPLED ACTRESS

After Hamas’s kidnapping and murder of Israeli teens Eyal Yifrach, Gilad Shaar, and Naftali Frenkel last summer, their mothers, despite their overwhelming grief, decided to campaign for Jewish unity. Since then, Iris Yifrach, Bat-Galim Shaar, and Rachel Frenkel, in partnership with Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat, have launched the Jerusalem Unity Prize in memory of their sons. The prize of up to 100,000 shekels (approximately $25,600) will recognize “the efforts of organizations and individuals in Israel and the Diaspora who actively work to advance unity throughout Jewish communities and Israeli society.” “For many years, Eyal talked about unity and connecting to others,” Iris Yifrach said. “The most appropriate way to pay tribute to his life is to commit ourselves to these ideals.”

Jewish-American actress Scarlett Johansson took a principled stand last year when she stepped down as a global ambassador for the non-governmental organization Oxfam International, which had criticized her for serving as a pitch woman for SodaStream, the beverage-carbonation company that has a factory in Judea and Samaria. Johansson said in an interview with the British Observer newspaper that she was “aware of that particular factory before I signed [with SodaStream]. And it still doesn’t seem like a problem—at least not until someone comes up with a solution to the closing of that factory and leaving all those people [working there] destitute.” She added that the SodaStream factory, which employs many Palestinians and has an on-site mosque, is “a model for some sort of movement forward in a seemingly impossible situation.” DORON MATALON AND YITYISH AYNAW: MISS ISRAEL IS MAKING A STATEMENT

This year’s Miss Israel, Doron Matalon, was accused of photo-bombing Miss Lebanon Saly Greige, who distanced herself from her competitor due to criticism of the photo in Lebanon. But Matalon denied wrongdoing and struck a more peaceful tone on the relations between enemy nations, lamenting, “Too bad you cannot put the hostility out of the game. “I hope for change and I hope for peace between us, and even just for three weeks, just between me and her,” Matalon told NBC News. “We need to remember that we represent the country and the people, not the government and not the political issues.” In 2013, Yityish Aynaw became the first Ethiopian-Israeli contestant to win the Miss Israel beauty pageant. A former Israeli army officer, Aynaw made aliyah with her family as a child. During the competition, she told the judges that civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. is her hero, saying that King “fought for justice and equality, and that’s one of the reasons I’m here.” THE LATE BESS MYERSON: ONLY JEWISH MISS AMERICA

The only Jewish Miss America, Bess Myerson, died last December at the age of 90. Myerson is known not just for winning the 1945 Miss America crown, but for defending her Jewish identity during the competition. Organizers asked Myerson to change her name to Betty Merrick, but she refused. Later on in life, Myerson campaigned against anti-Semitism

IRIS YIFRACH, BAT-GALIM SHAAR, RACHEL FRENKEL: MOTHERS TURNING TRAGEDY TO UNITY

HESSY TAFT: ‘ARYAN’ BABY

Eighty years ago, 6-month-old Hessy Taft’s picture was selected by the Nazis, reportedly chosen by Nazi propaganda minister Joseph Goebbels himself, as the image of the ideal Aryan baby. The picture was distributed on postcards far and wide, and nobody—the Nazis included—ever discovered that this puffycheeked baby was actually Jewish. Perhaps the sweetest revenge of all is that Taft is still alive and still working, as a professor of chemistry in New York. Taft, 80, never intended to be a symbol for the survival of the Jewish people, but she has become just that. ROSE MARCHICK: PROLIFIC FOSTER MOTHER

Rose Marchick is the biological mother of three and adoptive mother of two, but her maternal instinct extends far beyond that. As of last year, she had been a foster mother to more than 150 children over the course of nine years in Olathe, Kan. Marchick’s foster home is one of the only homes in the area that will take in severely troubled children, and it’s the only Jewish-run foster home. The foster children themselves are usually not Jewish, but they are always invited to Shabbat dinner, lunch, and even synagogue. She keeps accessible a bookshelf of Judaic wisdom—and books of other religions—to offer spiritual guidance to the youths. “The kids need a home, and we have one,” Marchick said last year. “It’s no more complicated than that.” OR COHEN: FIRST FEMALE COMMANDER OF AN ISRAELI NAVY VESSEL

is currently a navigation officer on a missile boat, will become deputy chief of a patrol boat pending final confirmation by the Israeli Navy’s commander Maj.-Gen. Ram Rothberg, who gave the initial approval in November 2014. This is the first time a woman has been appointed as a vessel commander in the Israeli Navy. “My life’s dream is coming true,” Cohen said. “I’m very excited and I’m grateful for the opportunity and the trust the senior command has in me. As an IDF officer, I believe in the integration of women into meaningful combat roles and I’m glad that I’ve been given the chance to have influence.” GILLIAN ROSENBERG: MEMBER OF ANTIISLAMIC STATE FIGHTERS

Canadian-Israeli Gillian Rosenberg, 31, stunned the world last November with the announcement that she had joined Kurdish forces in their fight against the Islamic State terror, becoming the first non-Iraqi woman to do so. Rosenberg later put fears to rest by denying reports that Islamic State had captured her. “[The Kurds] are our brothers. They are good people. They love life, a lot like us [Israelis], really,” Rosenberg, a former Israel Defense Forces soldier, told Israel Radio. LEORA MACCABEE ITMAN: COMMUNITYBUILDING SOCIAL ENTREPRENEUR

In August 2014, NEXT: A Division of Birthright Israel Foundation and the Natan Fund announced three recipients for the 2014 Natan/ NEXT Grants for Social Entrepreneurs. Among the winners was Leora Maccabee Itman, founder of TC Jewfolk, a start-up that uses social media and community-based journalism to connect, engage, and inspire young Jews in Minneapolis and Saint Paul, Minn. TC Jewfolk promotes what it calls “a thousand ways to be Jewish,” bringing myriad Jewish voices together to reflect and forge diverse connections to local and global Jewish life. Itman is also an attorney at Maslon, Edelman, Borman & Brand, LLP. VIOLET SPEVACK: AUTHOR OF NEWSPAPER COLUMN SPANNING FIVE DECADES

On Jan. 30, writer Violet Spevack announced her retirement after more than 2,500 columns over the course of 50 years for the Cleveland Jewish News. The 98-year-old Spevack’s “Cavalcade” column is believed to be one of the longest continuously published weekly columns in America. “I’ve had the time of my life covering our Jewish community through the lens of my society column,” Spevack wrote in her final column. “I can’t thank you all enough for reading my columns and most of all, for letting me into your homes every week.” •

Israel Defense Forces Capt. Or Cohen, who WWW.LCHAIMMAGAZINE.COM

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FEATURE STORY l BY ALINA DAIN SHARON l jns.org

BDS WITH A TWIST:

CAMPUS DIVESTMENT MEASURES TARGET MORE THAN ISRAEL

wo recently passed student resolutions initiated by Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement advocates in California share a common twist: lumping additional nations and political entities with Israel as divestment targets. On February 17, a resolution initiated by a BDS-affiliated group at Stanford University to “divest from companies violating human rights in occupied Palestine” was passed in a second vote, 10-4 with one abstention, by the school’s undergraduate student senate. A week earlier, in the first vote, the resolution from “Stanford Out of Occupied Palestine” had narrowly failed to garner the two-thirds support it needed to pass. Also this month, the University of California Student Association (UCSA) passed a similar resolution to divest from Israel, in a 9-1 vote with six abstentions. The UCSA passed a second resolution calling for divestment from companies involved with the governments of Brazil, Egypt, Indonesia, Israel, Mexico, Russia, Turkey, Sri Lanka, and the United States, accusing those countries of violating human rights. Meanwhile, the Stanford resolution targeted “companies that violate international humanitarian law by… facilitating Israel and Egypt’s collective punishment of Palestinian civilians,” and by “facilitating state repression against Palestinians by Israeli, Egyptian or Palestinian Authority security forces.” Ben Limonchik, a leader of the student group Stanford Coalition for Peace, says that “to criticize Israel, Egypt, and the

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Palestinian Authority in one breath shows that these BDS proponents have no interest in promoting peace in the region.” “If they did, they would instead look to encourage constructive engagement between the parties and promote a negotiated, mutually agreeable two-state solution,” Limonchik says. “Over 1,600 members of the Stanford community did just that when they clearly stated that they stand for peace. We hope that moving forward, we as a community can echo this sentiment embracing peace and put these troublesome tactics behind us.” The Stanford and UCSA resolutions are not the first BDS measures to include nations other than Israel. In 2012, the Arizona State University student senate passed a bill encouraging the school to “divest from and blacklist companies that continue to provide the Israel Defense Forces with weapons and militarized equipment, or are complicit with the genocidal regime in Darfur.” As many as 300,000 people have been killed in the Darfur conflict and genocide since 2004, according to United Nations estimates. The tactic of a BDS resolution grouping a massive atrocity like that of Darfur with Israel echoes a common antiIsrael strategy—analogizing Israeli actions to those of the Nazis during the Holocaust. The Anti-Defamation League explains on its website, “In contrast to Holocaust and more recent examples of genocide and ethnic cleansing in Darfur, Rwanda, and Kosovo, there is no Israeli ideology, policy or plan to persecute, exterminate or expel the Palestinian population—nor has

there ever been. Israeli policies toward the Palestinians are based on its need to defend its population and combat threats to Israel’s security, while promoting a negotiated resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.” Andy Borans, the executive director of the Alpha Epsilon Pi (AEPi) Jewish fraternity, says that grouping other countries with Israel in divestment resolutions “is a tactic to confuse others about the real anti-Israeli— and, often, anti-Semitic—motivations.” Roz Rothstein, CEO of the Israel education organization StandWithUs, expressed hope that academic institutions will start realizing that BDS advocates’ targeting of countries other than Israel “is the result of allowing themselves to be hijacked by antiIsrael extremists.” “While StandWithUs supports government accountability across the board, the UCSA’s resolution has made it clear that symbolic calls for divestment from America and other governments are a misguided overreach, and will not advance human rights or justice in any meaningful way,” Rothstein says. Jacob Baime, executive director of the Israel on Campus Coalition (ICC), says that “the lumping together of Israel with the U.S. and other nations in divestment resolutions indicates a shift in the BDS movement towards even more radical positions and an attempt to create an even more radical coalition.” Yet despite the BDS movement’s shifting tactics, a newly released ICC report reveals that pro-Israel activity on U.S. campuses has

PHOTO BY: MOHAMED OUDA VIA WIKIMEDIA COMMONS.

FEATURE STORY

increased in the wake of the war between Israel and Hamas last summer and a rise in terrorism against Jews in Israel last fall. The number of both anti-Israel and proIsrael rallies on college campuses was significantly higher in the fall of 2014 than it was in the fall of 2013, according to the report. The study, which details activity trends over the last three years, also shows that the number of campus events in support of the Jewish state continue to widely outnumber anti-Israel events. There were more than 1,500 Israel-supporting activities held last fall on campuses, an increase of more than 400 from the same period in 2013. By comparison, anti-Israel events, though they also rose, remained under 800 last fall. The primary focus of BDS groups is still Israel, and “we continue to see BDS as a fundamentally anti-Semitic movement,” says Baime. “In our view, no group or cause should get involved with the BDS movement, which has a proven record of creating conditions for campus hate speech, bullying, and divisiveness,” he says. “Our goal is to

educate every member of the campus community on what BDS represents—a movement dedicated to the destruction of the Jewish homeland.” Israel advocacy groups working on campus have pointed to what they see as the absurdity of the second UCSA-passed resolution’s targeting of the U.S. The resolution argued that America “engaged in drone strikes that have killed over 2,400 people in Pakistan and Yemen, many of them civilians.” “The [U.S.] government oversees, by far, the highest rate of imprisonment in the world, and racial and ethnic minorities are disproportionately targeted by law enforcement agencies, particularly for drugrelated offenses,” the resolution stated. “Four-hundred thousand undocumented immigrants are held in detention centers every year, and millions have been deported since the current Administration took office, and the government is directly supporting and propping up numerous dictatorships around the world with weapons sales and foreign aid.” Samantha Mandeles, editor-in-chief of

CAMERAonCampus.org for the Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting media watchdog group, took issue with the UCSA grouping the U.S. and Israel “with some of the worst human rights abusers in the world,” calling the move “merely a smokescreen, meant to hide the true antiIsrael bigotries and aims of its proponents.” “This amendment is an attempt to hide from legitimate critique of BDS as unfairly focused on the one Jewish state in the world—which, in large part, it is. The inclusion of several abusive governments as part of a system of worldwide human rights abuses does not excuse the counter-factual castigation of Israel,” Mandeles says. StandWithUs’s Rothstein says, “If the principle behind BDS is truly to remove any investments that can be tied to human rights violations, then the illogic of an American university divesting from America is the only possible conclusion this movement can reach.” •

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BOOKS l BY RABBI JACK RIEMER l jns.org

BOOK REVIEW: WHEN TORAH TEACHES LIFE AND LIFE TEACHES TORAH

abbi Gordon Tucker spent the first 20 years of his career teaching at the Conservative movement’s Jewish Theological Seminary (JTS) and the next 20 years as the rabbi of Temple Israel Center in White Plains, N.Y. I confess that when I heard about the order of those events, I thought that Tucker’s move from academia to the pulpit was strange. People usually switch fields when they are bitter or jaded, and I knew that Tucker was a bright star of the JTS faculty, brimming with fresh ideas, and by no means bored or cynical about the institution. Now, after reading Tucker’s recently published book, “Torah for Its Intended Purpose,” I think I understand why he left the

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academic world and entered synagogue life. Tucker is a Jew who treasures the Torah— but not simply as a collection of books to be studied grammatically or historically. He believes that the Torah is Torat Hayim, a living Torah that needs to speak to the spiritual questions and listen to the pain of the people of our time. Tucker’s book is a collection of the essays and sermons that he has written over the last 25 years. There is plenty of scholarship and erudition in these pages. But more importantly, there is the hand of a gentle teacher, leading his people to appreciate Torah, and at the same time challenging Torah to relate to the search for truth and meaning in the lives that his people are engaged in. This is a book in which Torah teaches life, but in which life also teaches Torah. Tucker served for many years on the Conservative movement-affiliated Rabbinical Assembly’s Committee of Jewish Law and Standards. He was often classified as a leftist or dismissed as someone who was only looking to make the law easier and more comfortable. But this book makes clear that Tucker’s position is more complex than that. He makes the case that when the law is difficult to obey, and hard to justify, it is not enough to say, “What can I do? The law is what it is and who am I to change it?” According to Tucker, one must see the law in terms of its goals and its premises. One must see the law in terms of the Agada—the world of ideas and values that coexists with the law. And one must sometimes give priority to the will of God, as closely as we can discover it,

which transcends even the law. To affirm that the will of God outweighs the authority of the law is dangerous, for how do you know when you have gone too far? At the same time, however, to claim that the will of God is found only within the law is just as dangerous. One way runs the risk of chaos. The other runs the risk of atrophy. Tucker’s essays insist that Conservative Judaism, if it is to be taken seriously, needs to deal with more than trivial things—more than whether or not men and women can sit together at prayer services, or whether or not we can eat swordfish. Conservative Judaism needs to be a moral force that deals with the issues of our time, and even challenge tradition, in the name of a higher cause. The closing pages of Tucker’s teshuvah (Jewish legal analysis) on the normalization of gays and lesbians in the Jewish community comes to a crescendo with the stirring declaration that the issue is not about the rights of the LGBT community, but about the moral power of the Agada, which declares that human dignity and compassion are values that the law must reckon with if it seeks to be compatible with the will of God. There is so much more in this book than the topics I have touched on. In all, there is a wealth of guidance in this book for Jews who are seeking it. “TORAH FOR ITS INTENDED PURPOSE,” BY GORDON TUCKER, KTAV PUBLISHING CO., BROOKLYN, N.Y., 2014, 311 PAGES.

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a zionist fire blazes on

atinos for Israel started with a dream, a dream to unite Latinos and other likeminded pro-Israel individuals who are willing to stand with Israel and support its people in Israel and around the globe. Jonathan Valverde, Latinos for Israel founder and director, comes from a proud line of Israel supporters. His late grandfather, Efraim Valverde Sr. was Christian pastor in the Monterrey Bay area of Northern California. In 1967, moved by the news of Israel recapturing Jerusalem, Efraim had what Jonathan calls a “Zionist Awakening.” From his pulpit, through teachings and music, he started spreading a message of love and support for Israel. Jonathan’s father, Efrain Valverde II, replaced him as a pastor of the church and continued his father’s mission. Soon, their message was spreading through many

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Hispanic churches across the United States, Mexico and Latin America. Along with a strong pro-Israel narrative these churches incorporated Israeli songs and dance to their worship. “A slow but steady underground river of non-Jewish Zionist fire was flowing,” Jonathan says. In 2007, Jonathan found himself in San Diego. With a degree in music, he had been singing and traveling for several years after college. “Although I was finding fulfillment in my music and travels, there was still something in my heart that would not let me forget Israel; not let me forget Jerusalem. By that point I had visited Jerusalem three times and my contact with the city had left an irreversible mark on my soul,” Jonathan says. Longing to connect with others who

supported Israel, he looked for pro-Israel, non-Jewish Latino groups to join or work with, but couldn’t find any. So, he told his mom about his predicament. “She basically said if I couldn’t find one, maybe it was a sign for me to start one,” he says about reaching out to the extensive network built by his family for over 40 years. “We had taught and spread a message to so many churches and other organizations over time, and now it was the moment to begin organizing and gathering these people and coming out in the open, letting people know we were here and we were standing with Israel: Latinos for Israel.” Latinos for Israel seeks to inspire and inform Latino communities of the spiritual and cultural similarities shared with the Jewish community. These include family and spiritual traditions, a love for the arts,

BY SHARON RAPOPORT l FEATURE STORY

strong work ethic, religious freedom and respect, generosity in helping those in need, a resilient spirit and the ability to laugh and throw a great party in both times of need and in times of abundance. The organization also seeks to share a narrative of Israel other than the one commonly told. “[Ours is] an inspiring narrative of a people who, despite the terrible odds they faced throughout history, have contributed greatly and have made the world a better place through great strides in science, technology, agriculture and art. A narrative that Latinos as well as other ethnic groups could connect with and in it catch a glimpse of their own families and communities and be inspired to do the same,” adds Jonathan. In December of 2012, while bombs were being hurled at Israel, Jonathan sang at a Hispanic church from his family’s network. The Israeli flags on the church platform suggested a strong pro-Israel sentiment. “After I sang,” Jonathan recalls, “I looked at everyone and said, ‘I know you love Israel and sing their songs and dance the Hora, but what are you doing in our community? What are we doing to go out and take this message to people who know nothing about Israel? What are we doing to let the Jewish

community here in San Diego and we support them?’” A large event to support Israel was scheduled to take place that very day at the UTC Nobel Field. “I remember I challenged the congregation and said, ‘If we really say we love Israel let’s prove it, let’s go out there and take these flags and put them to use. Let’s go out there with signs and say ‘Here we are! We love you!’ and let them know we’re standing with them.’ “About ten people took the challenge and took the flags and signs and just walked in the middle of the event. I couldn’t believe how people responded to us,” recalls Jonathan. “They were taking pictures and coming up to us and saying thank you and hugging us. It was really overwhelming.” After the event, one of the attendees introduced Jonathan to Audrey Jacobs, who was at that time the San Diego director of StandWithUs, and an immediate collaboration between StandWithUs and Latinos for Israel ensued. Two weeks later at Ministerios Restauración, Jonathan’s father’s church in Chula Vista, 12 local Latino pastors came and brought their members to support Israel. Eventually, Jonathan started connecting

with more Jewish organizations from San Diego and Los Angeles, such as Ken Jewish Community, Friends of the Israeli Defense Forces, Friends of Magen David, Los Angeles Israeli Consulate, Jewish Family Services, T.E.A.M, Pray for the Peace of Israel, the Jewish Federation, and other pro-Israel groups and synagogues, “and now L’Chaim magazine,” adds the always polite Jonathan. “If we haven’t had the opportunity to collaborate with others, it’s simply because the opportunity hasn’t presented itself,” he says. Jonathan Valverde will be a guest singer at the 5th Annual Beth Am Choir Concert, “Israel in Song,” with the Shirati Choir from Congregation Beth El, Mexico City, on Sunday, March 15, 2015. For more information, visit BethAm.com. Mr. Valverde Sr. hosts a radio program every Tuesday and Thursday on Radio Zion, 540 AM. SHARON RAPOPORT IS A FREELANCE WRITER LIVING IN SAN DIEGO. CONTACT HER AT SHARONBUX@GMAIL.COM.

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BADASS KOSHER l BY MICHAEL GARDINER

The K abbalah of Cuisine GRILLED CHICKEN LIVERS | CILANTRO-LIME SAUCE

he meat we eat was not born in plastic wrap. That may be a spectacularly obvious declaration once a moment’s thought is devoted to the issue. The problem is that most people don’t devote a moment’s thought to the issue. In fact, when they are not actively avoiding thinking about the topic they are inactively doing so. It is not tough to see why: it’s easier that way. It is disturbing to think that your fillet was once furry and cute and very much alive. To do so is to be complicit in the demise of what you’ve suddenly come to see as an “animal” rather than as “meat.” That’s a lot to deal with on an empty stomach. If, however, you actually did look your

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upcoming dinner’s guest of honor in the eye before the meal—and still chose to eat it—how would you actually deal with that? In my case, it did not turn me vegetarian. Rather, I was struck by the notion that since that creature had given its life to feed me I owed it to him to make as little waste of his body as possible; to make use of every last bit of edible meat that I possibly could. Not just the fancy cuts, the celebrated filets, ribs and the other parts with which we are all readily familiar, but the entire beast from nose to tail. It is a notion that fits rather comfortably in the context of Kabbalah, the Jewish mystical tradition. At the heart of the

Kabbalah is the notion that we must reestablish our connection to ein sof, which translates literally as “that which is without limit” and means “The Creator” (or “Nature”). According to Kabbalah, losing our sense of Unity (both with ein sof and with our fellow man) in favor of Egoism—a focus on the self—has been the key source of unhappiness, misery and strife in the world. The Kabbalistic approach to food is best exemplified by 13th Century Spanish Kabbalist and biblical exegist Bahya ben Asher’s Shulhan Shel Arba (“The Table of Four”). Kabbalists had traditionally seen the soul as being nourished by cognitive

BADASS KOSHER

focus on The Creator and particular rituals designed to heighten this process. In Shulhan Shel Arba, Bahya taught that just as glimpsing the Creator nourishes the soul, so is the body nourished by food. But Bahya went another step, prescribing rituals and discussions of Torah passages highlighting this parallel, leading to a fusion of the soul’s “eating” (through glimpses of ein sof) and the body’s physical eating. For Bahya, the nourishment the soul receives from the Creator was inseparable from the physical nourishment we receive from food. Essentially, Bahya’s Kabbalistic eating rituals were designed to work a metaphysical transformation. In many ways, Bahya’s teachings in Shulhan Shel Arba are extensions of the images of Cosmic recycling that in some senses pervade Kabbalah. Indeed, just as spiritual energy is recycled through the entire system (as demonstrated by the Tree of Life and the Sephirot), so is energy recycled through the physical act of consuming food. The energy, the life force, of the creature (or plant) we eat adds to our own energy, our own life force. It follows then that if a part of a creature we slaughter is wasted—not eaten—the remaining portion of that creatures’ life force is lost because it is not recycled. As Jonathan Brumberg-Krauss has noted in various of his writings on the Shulhan Shel Arba, Bahya is notably vague about precisely what food was on the tables for which he prescribed those Kabbalistic rituals. It is not a stretch, however, to suggest that it might have included more than just the glory cuts. Use of every kosher part of a beast would, indeed, further the contemplative, purposeful eating that was Bahya’s focus. Bahya might, in that light, have very much approved of this dish of grilled chicken livers, one of the unfancied parts of poultry (which he preferred over red meat). From a purely hedonistic point of view, grilling chicken livers has the distinct benefit of yielding a marvelously caramelized exterior and a luxuriously creamy interior. The acidity (and spice) of the cilantro-lime sauce cuts through the buttery richness of the livers. The “Ash de Mar” garnish is optional, though it adds a certain resonance to the recycling metaphor. Frankly, the

presentation recommended below is also optional: the dish works very well with a sauce that is rustic and chopped rather than pureed. Either way the resulting dish is one worth contemplating. The flavors merit that. The simple magic of the grill and good ingredients merit that. The life sacrificed by the animal merits that. It was, after all, not born in plastic wrap.

Grilled Chicken Livers | Cilantro-Lime Sauce INGREDIENTS For the “Ash de Mar” Garnish: 2 cups mixed vegetable matter (such as the peel and trim from the red onion and the cilantro stems from the Cilantro-Lime Sauce, below) 2 tablespoons sea salt 1 tablespoon dulse (optional) FOR THE CHICKEN LIVER SKEWERS: 1 pound chicken livers, trimmed Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper For the Cilantro-Lime Sauce: ¼ cup cilantro leaves ½ large red onion, finely chopped 1 tablespoon minced Serrano chile pepper 1/3 cup freshly squeezed lime juice 4 tablespoons light soy sauce 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce 2 tablespoons dry sherry 1 anchovy DIRECTIONS 1. Make the “Ash de Mar” garnish. Preheat the oven to 500° Fahrenheit. Place the vegetable matter in a hotel pan on the highest rack in the oven and cook for an hour or until all the vegetable matter has blackened completely. Transfer the blackened vegetable matter and the sea salt to the bowl of a food processor and process to a homogeneous ash. Strain the ash and allow it to cool. 2. Prepare the chicken livers. Soak wooden skewers in hot water for at least an hour prior to use. Prepare and start the grill as necessary and appropriate to your set-

up. Thread the livers onto skewers using two skewers for each set of livers. This gives you more control of them during the cooking process. Leave a little bit of space on the skewers between the livers. Season the skewered livers with Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. 3. Make the Cilantro-Lime sauce. Combine all of the sauce ingredients to the bowl of a Vitamix or other high speed blender (or, failing that, a food processor or other blender) and process until a smooth texture is achieved. If necessary, strain the sauce. Refrigerate the resulting sauce for at least half an hour before using to allow the flavors to fully combine. 4. Grill the chicken livers. Grill the livers over moderate heat (indirect heat is best) turning once, until just charred outside and still slightly pink within, about five minutes. 5. Plate the dish. Remove the chicken livers from the skewers carefully. Using your hand (there is no better tool) sprinkle of the Ash de Mar garnish at the bottom of the plate. Pour a circular pool of sauce above the line and arrange the chicken livers in a diagonal stripe from the bottom left of the plate to the top right (the number of livers per serving depends on whether the dish is being used as an appetizer or a main course). MICHAEL AARON GARDINER IS A FREELANCE WRITER AND LICENSED CALIFORNIA ATTORNEY LIVING IN SAN DIEGO. A GRADUATE OF AMHERST COLLEGE AND THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN SCHOOL OF LAW, GARDINER PRACTICES BUSINESS LAW AND LITIGATION DURING THE DAY AND COOKS AND WRITES BY NIGHT. HE IS ALSO THE AUTHOR OF “KOSHER FUSION: THE REBIRTH OF A TRADITION FOR THE MODERN KITCHEN,” A BOOK APPLYING THE LESSONS OF CONTEMPORARY, HIGHEND FUSION CUISINE TO TRADITIONAL JEWISH DIETARY LAWS IN ORDER TO FORGE A NEW KOSHER TRADITION IN THE MODERN JEWISH HOME KITCHEN. GARDINER IS CURRENTLY LOOKING FOR A PUBLISHER FOR THE BOOK.

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PASSOVER l BY SEAN SAVAGE l jns.org

two spring holidays For interfaith families, convergence of Passover and Easter a delicate balancing act

or a growing number of Jewish families, Passover has become not only a holiday that retells the age-old story of the Exodus from Egypt, but also a time of current conflict and compromise. According to the Pew Research Center’s “A Portrait of Jewish Americans” survey that was released in October 2013, 58% of Jews marry outside the faith, up from 46% in 1990 and 17% before 1970. Against that statistical backdrop, more and more Jewish families must work to accommodate nonJews at the seder table, or witness relatives attending Easter celebrations at the same time of year. “There’s a popular consciousness around the so-called ‘December Dilemma’ [of interfaith families balancing Christmas and Hanukkah], but for many families, Passover time is much more complicated,” says Lindsey Silken, editorial director at

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InterfaithFamily, a Boston-based national non-profit organization that provides such families with information and assistance. In a survey of people in interfaith relationships conducted by Silken’s organization, 99% of respondents said they plan to celebrate Passover. “We find that our resources for Passover are the most sought-after pieces of holiday content that we create,” Silken says. “This is partly because Passover is an at-home holiday, so unlike the other major Jewish holidays—Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur—it’s up to you to lead the rituals and observances yourself, and this can feel overwhelming.” While observing Passover at home may be one of the reasons why it has one of the highest participation rates among Jews, it can also lead to greater dilemmas for interfaith families, such as the debate on

whether or not to invite non-Jewish relatives and friends to the seder. For Eric and Jessica Boatright, an interfaith couple from Boston with two young daughters (ages 2 and 6), Passover is a delicate balancing act. “We try to have a more traditional seder with Jessie’s [Jewish] family on the first night, and a more non-traditional seder on the second night, where we invite both Jewish and non-Jewish friends and family to participate,” the Boatrights say. The Boatrights strive to make the seder as comfortable as possible for non-Jewish guests. This may include explaining the holiday to them ahead of time, choosing a Haggadah with English translations and expanded commentary, and connecting the Exodus story to contemporary events. While the Boatrights maintain a Jewish home, Eric’s Christian family celebrates

PASSOVER

Easter. “We like to do something to mark Easter Sunday, since it is a special day in Eric’s family’s tradition, but it is not a religious observance for us,” they say. “When we can, we celebrate with some close friends who throw a really beautiful Easter brunch, or we just have a nice brunch at home for our family.” The Boatrights say another one of their Easter traditions is decorating eggs. “We also always decorate eggs, a tradition that we both grew up doing with our families,” they say. “The common egg decorating tradition a celebration of our mothers’ shared love of crafting, and when we decorate we share stories about the tradition from our childhoods.” While Passover remembers the Jewish redemption from slavery in Egypt as recounted in the Book of Exodus, and Easter marks the death and resurrection of Jesus as told in the Christian Gospels, the holidays share a foundation rooted in the JudeoChristian tradition—with a focus on family and eating together. That can help interfaith families find common ground.

Additionally, for Christians—many of whom are familiar with the Exodus story from Hollywood movies like “The Ten Commandments,” or from Sunday school— Passover is a chance to explore the Jewish roots of their faith. For interfaith families, communication can be crucial. “One of the most important pieces of advice that our experts at InterfaithFamily give couples is to communicate ahead of time,” says InterfaithFamily’s Silken. “Whether [it is] regarding holidays, marriage, kids, etc., before it happens, talk to your loved ones.” She adds, “Figure out what your family’s non-negotiables and desires are for Passover and Easter several weeks before the holidays, and then come up with a plan for how to make that happen within the framework of your extended family’s observances.” In years during which Passover and Easter overlap—as is the case in 2015—some interfaith families will need figure out how to celebrate Easter while simultaneously keeping their homes kosher for Passover.

“Know that you might not get your way on everything, which is why it’s important to consider what’s most important and what you could compromise on,” Silken says. Indeed, for Sam and Anne Goodman, an interfaith couple from central New Jersey, the most difficult years are when Passover and Easter overlap. “A few years ago, the first night’s seder fell during Good Friday, which meant Anne couldn’t fully partake in the meal,” the Goodmans say, referencing the Christian tradition to refrain from eating meat on Good Friday. In line with Jewish tradition, brisket was served at that seder. For Sam, who was raised in a Jewish household by a Presbyterian mother and a Jewish father, and Anne, who grew up in a Catholic family, a similar conflict arose during the same year on Easter. “Two days later, Easter fell during Chol Hamoed (the intermediate days of the eight-day Passover holiday), and Sam was unable to drink beer or eat any of the dishes containing chametz,” the Goodmans say. While non-Jewish or non-Christian family members may react negatively when a guest cannot fully participate in a holiday due to his or her religion, the Goodmans say that both of their families “have been very cooperative” on that issue. As interfaith families become the new norm, the Jewish and Christian communities will continue to grapple with questions such as how to keep kosher for Passover at an Easter celebration, which Easter rituals to observe and which ones to skip, and how to include non-Jewish guests in the seder. Silken says, “The conversation continues every year, and every year we at InterfaithFamily try make this special time of year easier for couples and families with additional resources, how-to guides, recipes, local events, and spaces for the rich and diverse discussions to play out.” • WWW.LCHAIMMAGAZINE.COM

HUMOR l BY STEPHANIE LEWIS

mazel &

mishagoss We get a kick out of Shtick!

ave you heard? Some classic books have been renamed. Here are some “Newish Jewish” titles that make the bestseller list for both adults and children. As expected, food is a popular subject for starving authors. 1. KVETCHER AND THE RYE (Catcher in the Rye) The tale of a grumpy man sending back his corned beef sandwich in a deli. 2. WITHERING BITES (Wuthering Heights) The portions in the above deli are shrinking!

8. ALL OF HER LISTS! (Oliver Twist) Will Irving ever finish his wife’s lengthy Honey-Do’s? 9. CALM LAWYER (Tom Sawyer) A wellmannered attorney sues a famous bicycle manufacturer for faulty handlebars. 10. SCHMUCK SCHWINN (Huck Finn) The defendant for the 10-speed bikes triumphs in court. 11. GREEN EGGS & BRISKET (Green Eggs & Ham) Dr. Seuss finally goes kosher.

3. LES MASHUGUNABLES (Les Miserables) Everybody drives the hostess crazy over where to sit in the deli.

12. THE POKY LITTLE BUBBE (The Poky Little Puppy) Grandma lingers in the bathroom.

4. THE LEGEND OF SLEEPY SWALLOW (Legend of Sleepy Hollow) A rumored fable about a Jew who was once too tired to eat.

13. GOODNIGHT PRUNE… DANISH (Goodnight Moon!) Zayde starts his diet, but after breakfast.

5. THE NUDGES OF MADISON COUNTY (The Bridges of Madison County) A small town where children never stop begging parents for smartphones. 6. BREAD BADGE OF ENCOURAGE (Red Badge of Courage) Awards for wives who finally bake their own challah. 7. FIFTY SHADES OF OY VEY (50 Shades of Grey) Forget about giving consent for whips, screams, and cuffs. This sequel is giving Yenta whipped-cream puffs. 30

L’CHAIM SAN DIEGO MAGAZINE • MARCH 2015

14. THE RUNAWAY MONEY (The Runaway Bunny) After his Bar Mitzvah, Brandon never sees one nickel of his gift money. 15. ARE YOU MY SMOTHER? (Are You My Mother?) Children search for a parental figure that’s not a helicopter mom. 16. IF A MENSCH GIVES YOU A HAMANTASCHEN (If You Give a Mouse a Cookie) Is he going to want a tax deduction?

17. ARE YOU THERE GOD? IT’S ME, MORDECAI (Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret) Both Margaret and Mordecai pray to The Almighty that their grandchildren should visit them. 18. TALLIS IN CLUTTERLAND (Alice In Wonderland) No wonder this family is constantly late for Synagogue. 19. RAMONA THE KLUTZ (Ramona the Pest) Henry Huggins is not going to marry a ballerina. 20. WILLY CHANUKAH & THE CHOCOLATE GELT FACTORY (Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory) Must all the Oompa Loompas really get circumcised? If you’re not much for reading, you can catch these new films playing in a theatre (or synagogue) near you: The Hand that Rocks the Dreidel, Mensches in Black, Jurrasic Parve, Lilo & Shtick, There’s Something About Moses, The Zion King, Cohen The Barbarian, Shpilkes in Seattle, Schmutzie (Tootzie), Beauty & the Brisket and Honey I Shrunk The Knishes! STEPHANIE D. LEWIS IS A REGULAR CONTRIBUTOR FOR THE HUFFINGTON POST AND HER HUMOR BLOG CAN BE FOUND ONLINE AT THEQUOTEGAL. WORDPRESS.COM. HER BOOK, “LULLABIES & ALIBIS” IS AVAILABLE ON AMAZON.

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PASSOVER l BY MAAYAN JAFFE l jns.org

strangers in a strange land

PHOTO BY: THE PALMACH ARCHIVE VIA PIKIWIKI ISRAEL.

On Passover, considering the immigrant

he Passover seder begins by welcoming anyone who is hungry, an idea that comes straight from the Book of Exodus (23:9), which states, “You shall not oppress a stranger, since you yourselves know the feelings of a stranger, for you also were strangers in the land of Egypt.” Later in the Torah, Leviticus 19:33 says, “When a stranger resides with you in your land, you shall not do him wrong.” Leviticus 19:34 repeats this refrain, “The stranger who resides with you shall be to you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt; I am the Lord your God.” Over the generations, the Jewish people have been “aliens” more than once. Wellknown examples of Jews leaving their perceived homeland include the Jewish exile to Babylonia after the destruction for

L’CHAIM SAN DIEGO MAGAZINE • MARCH 2015

the first Temple, those who were fortunate enough to escape Nazi persecution for Israel or the U.S., expelled Middle Eastern Jews who were moved to Israel after its founding, or residents of the former Soviet Union who left a life of religious oppression. The immigrant experience is different for everyone, says Aaron Gershowitz, senior director for U.S. programs at the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society (HIAS). He says that the challenges of an individual’s journey often depend on the environment they are leaving and the community to which they are relocating. Take Inge “Irene” Brenner. She escaped from Nazi Germany on Dec. 28, 1938, for Havana, Cuba. From there, she traveled to the U.S., arriving to join her husband in April 1939 at age 19. She immediately took up work at a small factory where she steamed hat plumes. Her employer provided her

with the required documentation to book passage for her mother, father, and sister to the U.S. Due to lack of funds, the family all lived together in a tiny apartment in New York. “When I left Berlin I was 19 and completely single-minded, [telling myself] ‘I must get out and save myself and my parents,’” Brenner says. “We just couldn’t have existed anymore. That is what happened to the rest of my family that didn’t get out—all of them were murdered in the gas chambers. There was nothing else I could do but make it. You just had to make it.” Gershowitz says that “the economics of surviving” often mark the first several years (or longer) of the immigrant experience. It is only after that period that immigrants become more like others—focused on family life, a career, and a future for their children.

PASSOVER

PHOTO BY: DIANA P. LANG.

Lev Golinkin

Over time, this was the case for Brenner. Once she and her husband could afford to leave the rest of the family and live on their own, they had two daughters whom they raised to be American Jews, as opposed to Jewish Americans. Brenner says she wanted to leave her horrible past behind for a new life, which she feels she received “by the grace of God.” “She was always proud to be Jewish, but it was always extremely hard for her to talk about how she got here,” says Benjamin Kopelman, Brenner’s grandson. Lev Golinkin, author of a memoir on the immigrant experience titled “A Backpack, a Bear, and Eight Crates of Vodka,” noted the irony that Soviet Jews came to the U.S. in search of religious freedom, yet many of them choose not to practice Jewish traditions, his family included. “As soon as we could, we got away from the synagogue and Jewish organizations and melded into the secular American world,” he says. Golinkin, who arrived in the U.S. from eastern Ukraine in 1989 at the age of 9, surmised that people turned away from religious observance because it was precisely the Jewish faith that made them targets for persecution in the former Soviet

Union. Before escaping, Golinkin was being homeschooled because he had been regularly teased and beaten for his Judaism. Religion, therefore, was nothing to celebrate for him. “I wanted nothing to do with that. I saw being a Jew as a stigma, a disability,” says Golinkin. But as he grew up, Golinkin’s opinion changed. “I think it is interesting that the Israelites stayed in the desert and didn’t start over until that generation had passed away. They needed a clean slate, they needed people whose memories are formed in the new land with the new traditions,” he says. Joe Berry of Stoneham, Maine, was born in Berlin in 1948 and immigrated to the U.S. in 1954. He says that when he arrived in the U.S. his native language was German, but at that time it was “not very popular to be a foreigner and I was very embarrassed speaking German in public.” Berry started speaking to his parents only in English, losing his German after a short time. He also recalled that people made fun of his German last name, “Be’er,” pronounced like the alcoholic beverage. When the family became citizens, they changed their name to Berry, pronounced

like the fruit. Today, he says he wishes he could have learned more about his parents’ past. Barbara Kopelman—Irene Brenner’s daughter, who lives in Northbrook, Ill.— says that she has indeed thought about her family history. Once her four children got older and she had time to better understand that history, she realized every day of her life is a blessing. “Now, I give regularly to the Simon Wiesenthal Center, and I try to help fight against anti-Semitism, keep peace and understanding alive,” she says. Each immigrant says that they have a great appreciation for the U.S., and that just as the Torah requires Jews to welcome the stranger and treat him well, Jews need to be grateful for the freedom and welcoming atmosphere they experience in America. “It’s extremely important to love America and the benefits we have,” says Benjamin Kopelman. In the Book of Jeremiah (7:6-7), we read about the consequences of loving the stranger, “If you do not oppress the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, and do not shed innocent blood in this place, or walk after other gods to your hurt, then I will cause you to dwell in this place, in the land that I gave to your fathers forever and ever.” Golinkin says that one can only truly understand the story of the immigrant by going to “live in a strange land, to a place where people do not speak your tongue. It could be very powerful and humbling.” Understanding the immigrant, he says, is understanding the plight of the stranger and the meaning of the Exodus from Egypt. MAAYAN JAFFE IS AN OVERLAND PARK (KAN.)-BASED FREELANCE WRITER. REACH HER AT JAFFEMAAYAN@GMAIL. COM OR FOLLOW HER ON TWITTER, @ MAAYANJAFFE.

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Passover...a time for sharing. The closeness of family and friends gathered together in thankful celebration. A special feeling. A special warmth. A time for sharing, when age-old traditions proudly grace the seder table. Wondrously alive and vital.

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Support Remember An Evening to Honor Law Enforcement

“Support and Remember” is the annual charity gala, hosted by the San Diego Deputy Sheriff’s Foundation. This gala attracts San Diego’s political and business leaders, gathered to honor San Diego County’s finest. The Deputy Sheriffs Foundation provides the much needed support for critically injured deputies and the families of those few that have made the ultimate sacrifice. Please join Foundation President Matt Clay, Sheriff Bill Gore, Emcee Susan Taylor and musical guests Mario Olivares and Charlie Bisharat, as tribute is paid to the six decades of public PRESENTED BY THE safety service of retired Sheriff Bill Kolender. San Diego County Deputy Sheriff’s Foundation

Friday, March 20, 2015 The US Grant

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DON’T “Pass-Over” JOINING JCoSD THIS PASSOVER! Second Night Seder Saturday April 4th 5pm-8pm

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HEADLINES

NEWS

TO KNOW

NOW WHAT WE’RE TALKING ABOUT

SHABBAT SHIRENU AT BETH EL WITH CHERI WEISS

Congregation Beth El of La Jolla invites members of the community to its monthly Fourth Friday Shabbat Shirenu musical services, featuring Cantorial Intern Cheri Weiss and the Shirenu Chorus & Band. Upcoming Shabbat Shirenu dates are March 27, April 24 and May 22, with the March and May services followed by a dairy/parve potluck dinner. Services begin at 6:15 p.m., at Beth El, located at 8660 Gilman Drive in La Jolla. For more information, call (858) 452-1734.

FEDERATION NAMES DIRECTOR OF WOMEN’S PHILANTHROPY

The Jewish Federation of San Diego County is pleased to announce that Lisa Kalal has joined the Federation staff as Director of Women’s Philanthropy. Kalal will lead the Women’s Philanthropy of Federation and Shalom San Diego, an initiative aimed at connecting new residents and those who are unengaged to the San Diego Jewish community. She will work closely with the CEO, Board of Directors, partners, and Federation staff to implement mission-driven initiatives in two strategic areas: enriching Jewish identity for women and girls locally, nationally, and internationally, and building a strong, vibrant, diverse, and all-inclusive San Diego Jewish community. “We are thrilled to welcome Lisa to Federation,” said Michael Sonduck, President and CEO of the Jewish Federation of San Diego County. “After an extensive search to fill this position, we are excited to have found someone with Lisa’s background, experience, reputation, and energy. We look forward to working with her to further grow and engage the San Diego Jewish community.” Kalal Lisa comes to Federation from the San Diego Opera, where she served for almost 20 years as Director of Development of Major Sponsorships and as Director of Institutional Giving. In addition to her passion for the arts and community enrichment, Lisa is dedicated to Judaism and Jewish community.

KIDS CLUB AND PASSOVER AT JCOSD

The Jewish Collaborative of San Diego (JCoSD), headquartered in Carlsbad, has launched its multi-faceted Jewish education for children in Kindergarten to fifth grades. In addition to family Hebrew class held once a week, the JCo Kids Club is proving to be a new and innovative way to get families committed to Jewish community. There is no cost for members. Guests are warmly welcomed with a modest donation of just $18 per family (no matter how many adults and children). “The JCo Kids Club is designed to be a fun experience,” said Rabbi Josh Burrows. “Our goal is to create positive associations with Judaism… the same type of positive associations that get fueled by the ‘ruach’ (or, spirit) of Jewish summer camps.” On Saturday, April 4, JCoSD will present “Second Night Seder Under the Stars!” from 5-8 p.m. Join Rabbi Josh Burrows and Rabbi/ Cantor Gabi Arad, as JCo commemorates a significant time in our history. There will be no charge for participation and everyone will be welcomed. Find out more at JCoSD.com 36

L’CHAIM SAN DIEGO MAGAZINE • MARCH 2015

HEADLINES

HILLEL PRESENTS CAMPUS SUPERSTAR

Benefitting Hillel of San Diego, Campus SuperStar is a highly entertaining, American Idol-type production showcasing the dynamism and diversity of San Diego’s next generation. On Sunday, March 15, 10 highly talented vocalists selected from hundreds of college students who auditioned will take the stage at The Auditorium at The Scripps Research Institute to compete for a $5,000 grand prize. The finale follows two auditions and a semifinal round held in January that saw more than 80 college students attempt to qualify for the main event. A live band and professional staging will make this a first-class production. Celebrity judges will be on hand to weigh in, but it’s the audience who will crown the first Campus SuperStar. The finalists attend Point Loma Nazarene University (Johnathan Lacayo, Chris MaGill, Dave Stewart, Kiana Bell) and three are enrolled at USD (Daniel Myers, Alexa O’Hara, Lauren Fisher). The other three finalists are from at SDSU (Yvonne Brown, Charlie Gange) and UCSD (Tesiana Elie). Proceeds from the event will fund initiatives that increase the number of students Hillel engages on campus. “We witnessed outstanding talent at the auditions and the judges did an outstanding job promises to be an electrifying evening.” “We take a lot of pride in being an integral part of the vibrancy of San Diego’s college campuses,” said Michael Rabkin, Executive Director of Hillel of San Diego. “The finale will showcase the dynamism and diversity of San Diego’s next generation and celebrate this incredible atmosphere.” For tickets of waitlist accomodations, visit CampusSuperstarSD.org.

FRIENDSHIP WALK 2015

Hundreds of San Diegans will be walking in support of Friendship Circle SD at Friendship Walk SD 2015 on Sunday, April 26. The event is co-sponsored by the Friendship Circle of San Diego, (a non-profit organization providing social opportunities for those with special needs), and the Jewish Federation of San Diego. The wheelchair-accessible 5K fun walk for people of all abilities will be held at the Nobel Athletic Fields, 8810 Judicial Drive, and will feature clowns, animal characters, and fun for all. Registration/ Check-in opens at 9 a.m. with the walk beginning at 10 a.m. Everyone is invited to stay for Israel Fest starting at 11:30 a.m., offering a variety of family activities and entertainment. Visit FriendshipWalkSD.org to pre-register for the walk for $20, which includes a commemorative t-shirt, water bottle and healthy snacks. On-site registration will be available for $25, but t-shirt quantities are limited. To learn more about the Friendship Circle, visit FriendshipCircleSD.org.

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L’CHAIM SAN DIEGO MAGAZINE • MARCH 2015

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