Jewish Journeys • Winter 2015/16 by New Jersey Jewish News

JEWISH JOURNEYS A SPECIAL ISSUE OF THE NEW YORK JEWISH WEEK AND THE NEW JERSEY JEWISH NEWS | WINTER 2015/16

A Down East Road Trip. PAGE 2

New Interest In Old Al-Andalus. PAGE 6

Going Remote In Israel. PAGES 8, 10

Along The Montreal Food Trail. PAGE 16

Wish you were her e!

A Down East Vacation From Maine to the Hudson Valley to D.C., an East Coast driving trip uncovers seasonal Jewish treasures.

By Hilary Danailova

New Interest In Old Al-Andalus Andalusia remains arguably the best place to contemplate the vanished glories of Sephardic culture. 6 By Hilary Danailova

Israel, Off The Beaten Path

The ‘Highlands’ Down South Rappelling, stargazing and wadi trekking in Ramat Hanegev.

By Michele Chabin

Israel, Off The Beaten Path

Going Remote Rural experiences in Israel, from north to south, with touches of home for American travelers.

By Nathan Jeffay

The Art Of Luxury The Elma arts center and hotel, set against the Carmel Mountains, marks its year anniversary.

By Nathan Jeffay

The Eccentric Roald Dahl The London-area museum triggers kids’ imaginations, while omitting part of the great children’s writer’s unsavory backstory. 14 By Nathan Jeffay

Along The Montreal Food Trail Jewish soul food in Mile End.

By Susan Bloom

Israeli Hotel Roundup

When The Kosher Chef Is King Hoteliers are responding to food trends and upgrading their sophisticated dining options. By Steve K. Walz

1 JEWISH JOURNEYS ■ www.thejewishweek.com ■ December 17/18, 2015

CONTENTS

JEWISH JOURNEYS ■ www.thejewishweek.com ■ December 17/18, 2015

A Down East Vacation From Maine to the Hudson Valley to D.C., an East Coast driving trip uncovers seasonal Jewish treasures. HILARY DANAILOVA Travel Writer

now season is upon us, with the unpredictability of weather threatening to scuttle best-laid travel plans. That’s where the tenday forecast comes in: Wait for a clear spell, jump in the car and go somewhere that’s easy to reach, yet far enough to offer a refreshing change of scene. This winter, consider a jaunt down I-95 to our nation’s capital, the top spot to celebrate Washington’s birthday and a hub of Jewish culture. Or venture up the river to the Hudson Valley to see why everyone you know is suddenly moving upstate: it’s not just the cheap real estate; it’s also a sophisticated gallery and nightlife scene with lively Jewish community. For a tranquil getaway, head a little farther to the Berkshires, a favorite Jewish summer resort that’s twice as bucolic in the off-season. Lovers of the cold can keep going until they hit Maine, where a very hip film festival and a plethora of outdoor adventure await the winter traveler. WASHINGTON, D.C. This public-sector town clears out over the holidays, then roars back with a vengeance in January,

Maine light: Adventure, culture and solitude await in winter. WI KI M EDIA COM MON S

making midwinter the ideal time to savor Jewish cultural life in the nation’s capital. The biggest Jewish cultural event of the year is the Washington Jewish Film Festival, featuring movies from around the world from Feb. 24-March 6. But the Festival screens films yearround, with performances and receptions that make each movie a Jewish social event. And fans of Israeli cinema will want to check out the Festival’s ReelIsraelDC series, held every fourth

Wednesday of the month at the Avalon Theater, which showcases contemporary Israeli cinema in collaboration with the Embassy of Israel. You might not normally think to drop into a Jewish Community Center away from home — but the Washington D.C. JCC, off Dupont Circle, has an arts and cultural lineup that would put many performing-arts centers to shame, as well as one of the city’s few kosher cafés, the Silver Crust.

Continued on page 4

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RESTAURANT - EVENTS - CATERING - TAKEOUT BREAKFAST - LUNCH - DINNER

Winter in Bangor, Me. WI KI M EDIA COM MON S

A Down East Vacation continued from page 2

In a town full of top-notch theaters, the JCC’s Theater J has won a national reputation for its progressive, ambitious programming at the Morris Cafritz Center for the Arts. During the last week of December, Theater J will present “Stars of David: Story to Song,” based on the book by Abigail Pogrebin. Winter musical events at the JCC include the Hadar Noiberg Trio, a group that fuses Israeli and jazz influences, and a “Klezmer Brunch” series. On a secular note, patriots enjoy visiting Washington for the birthday of its namesake. The nation’s capital celebrates the first president in grand style every February, with a wreathlaying ceremony at Washington’s tomb at Mount Vernon; a day-long symposium and party at the George Washington Masonic National Memorial in Alexandria, the president’s Virginia hometown; open houses at historic sites throughout Alexandria; a Revolutionary War Reenactment at Fort Worth Park; and a guided Washington walking tour through Alexandria every Sunday in February. Details are at washingtonbirthday.net/events. BERKSHIRES While summer in the Berkshires of Western Massachusetts can resemble a Jewish intellectual marathon — or a summer camp for incredibly cultured nerds — the off-season offers a peaceful New England respite. The winter landscape is defined by bare tree limbs, red barns and spectacular afternoon sunsets over the hills. The Jewish calendar goes sud-

denly quiet after Chanukah, as the weekenders decamp for Florida and the region is muffled by a layer of snowfall. Still, congregations like Ahavath Sholom and Hevreh of Southern Berkshire in Great Barrington, Beth Israel in North Adams, and Chabad of the Berkshires keep Jewish life active throughout the darkest months with musical Shabbats, lectures, and Purim parties. One tempting place to hole up — and make good on those New Year’s resolutions — is the Lenox outpost of Canyon Ranch Resort & Spa. Housed in a stately fin-desiècle mansion, the luxe resort offers significant savings for winter guests, including a 20 percent discount for first-time guests beginning Jan. 1 and a series of 25 percent-off specials through mid-March. Most of the region’s celebrated theaters go on hiatus, but there are concerts throughout the winter from the Berkshire Bach Society — including a birthday supper party for the composer, who would have turned 331 this March. The Wailers, a legendary reggae group, are a winter highlight at the Colonial Theatre in Pittsfield, hosted by the Berkshire Theatre Group, while the Israeli cellist Yehuda Hanani oversees monthly classical-music concerts for the arts series “Close Encounters With Music.” HUDSON VALLEY With the Hudson Valley an increasingly favored spot for ex-urbanites, the region has a burgeoning arts scene, markets full of artisan goods — and a tradition as the New Year’s Eve weekend destination for New Yorkers who want to get out of town. In trendy Hudson, winter nightlife revolves around Club Helsinki,

Continued on page 19

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5 JEWISH JOURNEYS ■ www.thejewishweek.com ■ December 17/18, 2015

2016

JEWISH JOURNEYS ■ www.thejewishweek.com ■ December 17/18, 2015

Córdoba at night. Here, one can sense the overlapping influences of Arabs, Christians and Hebrew. WI KI M EDIA COM MON S

New Interest In Old Al-Andalus Andalusia remains arguably the best place to contemplate the vanished glories of Sephardic culture. HILARY DANAILOVA Travel Writer

umptuous yet arid, culturally rich yet stubbornly poor, Andalusia is at once the most and least Spanish of all of Spain’s regions. Sprawling across Iberia’s southern tier, Andalusia was a stronghold of the Moors and the center of Jewish culture until Ferdinand and Isabella wrested the territory back from the Arabs to consolidate Spain in 1492. Nowhere is this pre-Spanish legacy more visible than amid the geometric tiled palaces and lavish courtyards of Córdoba, Granada and Seville. Nowadays, Andalusia remains arguably the best place to contemplate the vanished glories of Sephardic culture — a topic of renewed interest this year, given the government’s recent passage of a law granting Spanish citizenship to any Sephardic Jew. Coupled with the ongoing initiatives of the Spanish Red de Juderías, an effort to promote a Jewish tourism itinerary connecting Spanish-Jewish sites both renowned and recovered, this makes 2016 an ideal year to explore what in the days of Maimonides was known as Al-Andalus. Start on the banks of the Río Guadalquivir in Seville, an intoxicatingly romantic city of porticos, palaces and plazas. Spain’s fourth largest city fairly

drips with atmosphere, including three UNESCO World Heritage sites and a legacy that dates to Roman times. As you wander the narrow lanes of the Barrio de Santa Cruz, the medieval Jewish quarter, or stroll across arched bridges by lamplight while flamenco wafts from nearby tavernas, you may understand why Seville inspired so many great artists — from Cervantes, who lived here for a time, to Mozart, Rossini and Bizet, all of whom set operas in the city. It isn’t hard to see why Don José lost his heart in this town. Romance pervades Seville, from canoodling couples on park benches to brides and grooms, their attendants draped in traditional mantillas, posing for photographs everywhere the tourists go — along the façade of the Gothic cathedral, in the fragrant courtyards of the Alcázar, and in the shadows of the imposing, elegant Plaza de España. In the decades preceding the Spanish Reconquest, Seville was home to Spain’s second-largest Jewish population and nearly three dozen synagogues; Jews prospered in business, science, medicine, and scholarship. Today there is hardly an alley without some remnant of this brutally vanquished heritage – a past both ubiquitous and frustratingly intangible, existing largely in memory. Jewish life was snuffed out more than half a millennium ago, their Jewish dwellings long repurposed.

A small but well-curated Jewish museum, the Centro de Interpretación de la Judería, offers useful context for a stroll through Seville’s historic core. These chanukkiahs, brightly-colored ceramic platters and silver kiddush cups are all that remain of what was once a vibrant community along Calles Santa María la Blanca and San José; off the Plaza de Santa Cruz are the still-standing columns of an antique synagogue. Like so many Jewish institutions, that sanctuary was converted into a Catholic church (much as Seville’s remaining Jews were converted into Crypto-Jews as requisite for survival). The nearby church of Santa María la Blanca — a pretty edifice with wrought-iron balconies and Moorish arches — was built in the 13th century as a synagogue, and it remains one of the bestpreserved vestiges of Jewish presence. That presence is also evident in Córdoba, a onetime Muslim stronghold up the Guadalquivir from Seville, and today a medium-sized provincial city. Majestic Córdoba boasts one of the best-preserved historic centers in Europe, now a UNESCO World Heritage site; in its narrow, atmospheric lanes are evidence of a thousand-year cultural palimpsest. It was along these same stone alleys that the revered scholar Yehuda Halevi walked to synagogue in the 11th century, along with his slightly younger contemporary, Maimonides. Both men

were physicians, philosophers and scholars whose achievements epitomized the golden age of Jewish Córdoba, when a tolerant, independent Muslim caliphate and cross-cultural intellectual ferment allowed Jews to prosper. Córdoba’s synagogue dates to 1315 and is among the best-preserved in Iberia; its ivory-hued filigree, graceful Moorish arches and elegant courtyard exemplify architecture of the period. Having served in various capacities over the years, the temple is today a national monument, restored most recently in 1985 for Maimonides’s 850th birthday. Throughout Córdoba — indeed, throughout Andalusia — the visitor is seduced by the graceful splendor of courtyards, called patios in Spanish, where symmetrical gardens and shaded porticos create an aura of mysticism and romance. One way to absorb the spirit of Córdoba is to make an itinerary of its patios — crossing over the Roman bridge, detouring through palaces and chapels, and observing the overlapping influences of Arabs, Christians and Hebrews. The grandeur of Córdoba’s vestigial institutions contrasts with the intimate chambers that today house the Casa de Sefarad. A small private museum with a Star of David mosaic floor, the Centro is filled with paintings and artifacts that document the vanquished Jewish presence here. As with other small Jewish museums throughout Spain, items on display are less interesting in themselves than in their collective contribution to a potent sense of place, and commentary from the museum guides is engaging. From Córdoba, you might continue east to the Sierra Nevada mountains, where the magnificent spires of the fabled Alhambra rise like a mirage against jagged, snowy peaks. Perched on a promontory above Granada’s modern town, the Alhambra is a wonderland of medieval palaces, courtyards, reflective pools, burbling fountains, formal gardens, and filigreed façades of otherworldly beauty. The palaces of the Alhambra — for which you will want a reservation, even in winter — were built during the glory days of Granada, the 11th through 14th centuries; some sources credit early construction to the influence of a prominent Jewish

Continued on page 20

7 JEWISH JOURNEYS ■ www.thejewishweek.com ■ December 17/18, 2015

The Plaza de España in Seville. WI KI M EDIA COM MON S

JEWISH JOURNEYS ■ www.thejewishweek.com ■ December 17/18, 2015

Higher ground: Rappelling is a popular activity at the Ramon Crater in Mitzpeh Ramon. M ICH ELE CHAB I N/JW

The ‘Highlands’ Down South Rappelling, stargazing and wadi trekking in Ramat Hanegev. MICHELE CHABIN Contributing Editor

hen, on a scorching July day, a friend suggested I visit the Ramat Hanegev (the Negev Highlands) in southern Israel in August, my first reaction was “no.” Just the thought of traveling to the Negev, which runs several degrees warmer than Jerusalem, put me into a sweat. Then I researched the location and learned that the “highlands” are cooler than the rest of the Negev and that the summer nights can be downright cold thanks to its desert location. I discovered, too, that Ramat Hanegev is huge — its landmass comprises more than a fifth of the country — but has only 5,000 residents scattered in a variety of communities, including kibbutzim and moshavim. Sde Boker, where David Ben-Gurion, Israel’s first prime minister, spent his golden years, is located in Ramat Hanegev. Admiring photographs of this part of the country, with its wide-open vis-

tas and hidden desert oases, and after talking over the challenges of such a trip with our 13-year-old sons, we decided to accept an invitation from John Krivine and his wife, Marion, owners of the Krivine Guest House (krivine-guesthouse.com) and the Har Hanegev municipal council. Our three-day stay in Ramat Hanegev began in Mitzpe Ramon, a small town at the edge of the vast Machtesh Ramon (Ramon Crater), a 25-milelong, 1,600-foot-deep crater (it is six miles at its widest point) created millions of years ago by water erosion from an ancient sea. To avoid the hottest part of the day we arrived from Jerusalem in the late afternoon, a sensible plan that provided us with ample time to explore Mitzpe Ramon, the home of the renowned Beresheet Hotel as well as less-expensive accommodations, and spend time at the crater. Given a choice between a jeep tour in the crater and rappelling, we chose the latter at the

Israel, Off The Beaten Path

urging of our boys, who were both terrified and excited at the prospect of rappelling down a cliff (though we couldn’t see the bottom, the easiest route was just 45 feet down). Our guide, Adam Sela, was beyond patient. That evening we dined at Hadassar, a muchbeloved vegetarian restaurant and country store (soaps, organic vegetables, jewelry) on the outskirts of Mitzpe Ramon. At the restaurant we donned warmer clothing and headed out for a night of stargazing led by U.S.-born Ira Machevsky, who, during the warmer months, sets up telescopes and folding chairs in the desert for groups and individuals. Though our boys became impatient after the first hour, they were excited to see details of the moon not visible to the naked eye. The morning of the second day the boys went on a guided bicycle ride (bikes and helmets provided) on the edge (think cliff) of Nahal Zin with a guide from Geofun at Midreshet Ben-Gurion, and returned for a leisurely breakfast in the Krivine’s garden.

made up for the lack of air-conditioning. Our next stop was Kibbutz Revivim, which in 1948 was the southernmost Israeli kibbutz and the front line against the Egyptians. Visitors can visit the caves, furnished with period equipment, where Israeli fighters lived during Israel’s War of Independence. Our last stop was the Rota Winery, a boutique winery with a small but excellent collection of reds and whites. As it turns out, our visit to the Negev Highlands was far too short. Next time we will

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explore the Rimon Crater by jeep, do more rappelling and hiking and perhaps go on a ride in a hot-air balloon. We were surprised to learn that summer is a great time visit. The Krivine’s guesthouse offers four one-bedroom “zimmers” — tastefully decorated suites (which sleep up to 4) decorated with finds from the couple’s far-flung travels. The community, which has the feel of a kibbutz, offers magnificent views of Nahal Zin, home to a herd of Nubian ibex, desert goats. One of the highlights of our stay: waking up to a dozen ibex in the garden. ◆ Op

That morning I accompanied Marion on a tour of Ben-Gurion’s Hut on Kibbutz Sde Boker, a short drive from Midreshet Ben-Gurion. Given the materialist lifestyle of our current leaders, Ben-Gurion’s “hut” — actually a very small house that was left exactly as it was when he died in 1973, is a portal into a simpler, more modest way of life. At 3:30 p.m. Lior Schwimmer, a ranger with the Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel, drove us and some members of the Krivine family in his jeep to Ein Akev, a natural, shaded desert spring and pool situated in a gorgeous but rugged wadi. Along the way he showed us some of the ancient rock art discovered nearby. As the jeep forded dry riverbeds (if you have back pain this particular jeep trip may not be for you) we spotted several intrepid teens returning from the spring and making their way up the steep wadi, on foot despite the searing heat. Having driven most of the way, it took us about 15 minutes to hike to the deep pool of fresh water fed by a spring and shaded by a cliff. We spent nearly two hours exploring the desert plants and swimming. That night we again put on an extra layer for a jeep safari led by desert ecology and animal behavior specialist Dr. Haim Berger to explore animal life in the highlands (negevjeep.co.il). From the jeep, holding strong flashlights, we spotted foxes, gerbils, an ibex and a stork. On foot we searched for and found scorpions. Under Berger’s direction we touched them — a brave move for me. (negevjeep.co.il) On the third and final day Yuval Hadar, a tour guide and official at the nearby field school, provided us with a detailed explanation of the local snake population and extensive hands-on interaction with it. A fantastic, kidfriendly opportunity. After a dip in the community’s pool we headed to lunch at the Kornmehl Goat Cheese Farm and Restaurant (kornmehl.co.il), where the fabulous goat cheese pizza and other dishes

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9 JEWISH JOURNEYS ■ www.thejewishweek.com ■ December 17/18, 2015

Left to right: An observant man prays perched on outcropping overlooking the Ramon Crater. A herd of ibex near Midreshet Ben-Gurion. Ein Akev, a natural desert spring, can be reached by foot or jeep. P HOTOS BY M ICH ELE CHAB I N/JW

JEWISH JOURNEYS ■ www.thejewishweek.com ■ December 17/18, 2015

Going Remote Rural experiences in Israel, from north to south, with touches of home for American travelers. NATHAN JEFFAY Contributing Editor

eep in the Arava desert, 31 miles north of the resort of Eilat, stands a kibbutz where American tourists are guaranteed a familiar welcome. That’s because this desert oasis, Kibbutz Ketura, was founded by members and graduates of the American youth movement Young Judaea — and 42 years after its establishment they still leave a strong imprint. The kibbutz synagogue follows the traditions and tunes of many American congregations, its dining room gives a nod to the U.S. palate, and between desert-dweller conversations about irrigation, date-packing and the like, Americans will recognize a range of subjects being discussed around the place, from American football to “Game of Thrones.” The kibbutz guesthouse is unpretentious, but comfortable enough to get a bit of the kibbutz experience and a chance to explore the desert. The rooms are simple yet clean, with a kitchenette, bathroom and shower, satellite TV and a refrigerator.

Israel, Off The Beaten Path

The guesthouses at Kibbutz Ketura. WI KI M EDIA COM MON S

There is a charming café area where you can order good coffee, local beer, and buttery cakes. If

you’re prepared to leave the luxury-hotel circuit for something a bit different, it’s well worth the

The Kibbutz Lavi Hotel in the Galilee is still very much a kibbutz enterprise. COU RTESY KI B B UT Z L AVI HOTEL

of building what they deemed a model Modern Orthodox society just a few miles from where much of the Palestinian Talmud originated. Today, Lavi has crops, dairy cows, orchards and chicken coops, and runs various educational endeavors. Its furniture factory is one-of-a-kind: it makes furniture for synagogues and ships worldwide. And its hotel offers an unusual tourism experience. Instead of the popular model of kibbutz hotels, which are run by hired staff, the Lavi hotel is still very much a kibbutz enterprise, where the kibbutz members do the work. And as they are religious — Modern Orthodox — on Shabbat they observe Sabbath laws, wearing

Shabbat clothes and turning off phones and computers; a great sense of peace descends on the place on Friday at sundown. Tourists feel well taken care of by the kibbutzniks, but also feel a certain kinship with their hosts, who are celebrating Shabbat with them. One thing that makes tourism in remote locations such a pleasure in Israel is that remote never really means far away from the center of the country. Yes, the Galilee feels like a different world than Tel Aviv, but it’s only a oneand-a-half-hour drive, and Ketura, a long drive away from Tel Aviv in Israeli terms, is a quick four-hour road trip for a U.S. driver. ◆

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11 JEWISH JOURNEYS ■ www.thejewishweek.com ■ December 17/18, 2015

journey. And there’s a great sweetener awaiting if you go in the winter: with a similar climate to Eilat, it’s far warmer than the rest of Israel and could well provide you with some winter sun. You can eat meals in the kibbutz dining room, which — unlike on many kibbutzim that have become much more home-oriented — is still in heavy use, and you can take advantage of kibbutz facilities like the swimming pool. Venture out and explore the region, whether nature reserves or the attractions of Eilat, or spend time with your partner or family in the quiet of Ketura. The best part of the Ketura experience is undoubtedly the scenery, which is just remarkable, with the sandy ridges all around. At sunset, the light plays with the sand to create various colors. Take a walk and explore, and then find your way back to the kibbutz by following its lights. The kibbutz is a hub of ecological activity, and is home to the Arava Institute for Environmental Studies, as well as the first major solar field in Israel — an impressive sight. It is interesting to get a sense from a kibbutz member of the range of initiatives that the kibbutz runs, from date factories to an algae factory and a fish hatchery. While the communal structure of many kibbutzim is deteriorating, Ketura’s remains strong. Half of the kibbutz population is comprised of native English-speakers, so you’ll have no language barrier. What’s more, you’ll leave not only having enjoyed some desert relaxation, but also inspired by what idealistic Americans can achieve in Israel. Indeed, there are many remote areas in Israel that have huge appeal, and some of the major hotel chains have been getting in on the act. The Isrotel Exclusive Collection, for instance, boasts the Beresheet hotel that overlooks the remarkable 25-mile-long Ramon Crater. The Galilee is also full of tourism gems. You can go for a hotel with a rural feel, such as the Hacienda Forest View, a relaxed countryside getaway located on some 17 acres in the heights of the Western Galilee 12 miles east of Nahariya. Or you can go down the route of “zimmers,” meaning small-scale holiday rental operations, often run by single families. The right zimmer can give you a truly fantastic stay with a very different vibe than a big hotel, but some are highly disappointing. In June, I found myself in a complex of zimmers on a Galilee kibbutz. There was a malfunctioning refrigerator and mold in the bathroom, and nobody on-site who could help. Personal recommendation or trustworthy review is the best way to avoid situations like this — or you can use the website Airbnb and find places that have been rated by other visitors. For tried-and-tested hospitality in the Galilee, you may consider Kibbutz Lavi. Three decades before Young Judaeans set up Ketura, British youngsters who belonged to the Zionist Bnei Akiva youth movement set up their kibbutz, just west of Tiberias. They were driven by the dream of settling the Galilee, of making it bloom, and

JEWISH JOURNEYS ■ www.thejewishweek.com ■ December 17/18, 2015

The lobby of the Elma Arts Complex Luxury Hotel. COU RTESY OF TH E ELMA

The Art Of Luxury The Elma arts center and hotel, set against the Carmel Mountains, marks its year anniversary. NATHAN JEFFAY Contributing Editor

t’s hard to believe that just a few years ago the Elma was a derelict building, no use to anybody, and facing the specter of demolition. Today, it is one of the most chic, most innovative and most exciting arts centers in Israel. The design of the long hotel that blends beautifully with the surroundings near the sea and the Carmel Mountains was so impressive

that, in the early 1970s, it won architect Yacov Rechter the Israel Prize and was featured on a postage stamp. The Elma had its heyday as a convalescent home in the 1970s, but by 2000, the building, which is located in Zichron Yaakov, 40 miles north of Tel Aviv, lay empty. Then Lily Elstein, one of Israel’s most committed arts patrons, bought it in 2005, and it began a long transformation into the Elma Arts Complex Luxury Hotel. As the name suggests, it is now home to galleries, performances, con-

certs, and five-star accommodations — and about to mark the first anniversary of its new incarnation. Take a snapshot of the calendar of events at any time of year and you will get an eclectic mix. In the course of a few days in late November and early December, the stage at the Elma was graced by the Israeli Baroque Collective, the Israeli singer Noa (Achinoam Nini), and Polish jazz singer Anna Mariya. There was an organ recital and a “hard core

COU RTESY OF TH E ELMA

blues” performance. The biggest events take place in the stunning 450-seat concert and recital hall designed by the Arup/Artec Consultants of New York. The Elma holds special festivals as well as one-off events. Starting on Jan. 21 it is organizing a three-day international festival celebrating the 260th anniversary of the birth of Mozart. It also offers master classes by experts from across a range of artistic disciplines. There is much to see and do in the surrounding area, including a visit to the charming town center of Zichron Yaakov, and the Ramat Hanadiv nature park and garden — and the burial place of the Zionist philanthropist Edmond James de Rothschild. Due to the clever architecture of the Elma, the rooms in the main building all offer views of the Mediterranean. There are also freestanding cottages, which are particularly suitable for families. The rooms are larger than in most Israeli city hotels and have outdoor space to enjoy. Walk to the Elma’s restaurant Oratorio, take a look around, and you’ll have little doubt about one of the hotel’s priorities. Zichron Yaakov is an historic winery town, so it’s no surprise that a strong emphasis is placed on wine, and a long wall in the restaurant that is covered by enormous wine coolers with 1,000 bottles creates the feeling that you’re in a wine archive that doubles as a restaurant. Apart from this, the decor is understated, with eyes mainly drawn to the sea view during the daytime or to the fireplaces on winter evenings. In contrast to the sprawling wine menu, the food menu is small and focused on topquality meat, fresh fish, and homemade pasta. I enjoyed the leanest lamb chop I ever ate in Israel, where lamb is often disappointingly fatty. It was prepared simply, grilled with goose fat and salt and pepper, and tasted superb. From the beef section of the menu, the sirloin was juicy, the result of the chef grilling it until medium-rare and then placing it in a hot oven. The demi-glace with the sirloin had an intense flavor, and the dish was complemented by bone marrow. There are other nice surprises on the menu.

The fisherman’s soup had a gentler taste than expected — which I later found out is because chef Yoni Mizrachy takes a pass on paprika,

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13 JEWISH JOURNEYS ■ www.thejewishweek.com ■ December 17/18, 2015

The modernist exterior of the Elma.

which is commonly used liberally for this dish; instead he relies on vegetables to deliver the additional flavor. And the chicken picked up a great deal of flavor from being smoked over citrus charcoal. Elstein’s vision and love of art is everywhere in the hotel — in the works that hang on the walls and the sculptures that adorn outdoor areas, in the main performance area with its renowned acoustics and huge organ, and in the spa, where treatment rooms include an instrument that therapists are expected to use to aid relaxation. The place, says David Ur, sales and marketing director, is about making “museumquality art accessible.” He commented: “Elma is first and foremost an arts center, and the hotel derives its luxury from the art.” ◆

JEWISH JOURNEYS ■ www.thejewishweek.com ■ December 17/18, 2015

The Roald Dahl Museum in Great Missenden.

The Eccentric Roald Dahl The London-area museum triggers kids’ imaginations, while omitting part of the great children’s writer’s unsavory backstory. NATHAN JEFFAY Contributing Editor

n the quaint English village where the famed children’s author Roald Dahl lived, a charming museum housed in a beautifully converted

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old coaching inn pays tribute to his life and work. The place made me laugh, smile, wax nostalgic — and feel intensely uncomfortable. Dahl’s books were a big part of my and my children’s childhood. His witty and entertaining prose, in its original English and in Hebrew

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translation, has helped to get my 8-year-old through the expectation that we place on him to read daily in both languages. Few authors manage to provide the immersion in a weird and quirky world like Dahl did. And so, during a recent stint in the UK, my wife and I set out, with three children, to the Roald Dahl Museum and Story Centre in Great Missenden, a 40-minute train ride or hour-long car drive from London. The real three-dimensional Dahl didn’t really factor into our decision to head there. In our heads, really, it was the museum of Charlie of chocolate factory fame, The BFG, The Twits and other Dahl characters. There is a fair amount of this sort of thing, with displays devoted to the author’s books, and regular story times. And there was lots to inspire children in creative writing and developing their imagination. But the well-curated and visitor-friendly museum is very much focused on Dahl the man. In fact, the tiny hut in which he wrote his books has been moved from the family garden to the museum at great expense, and is one of its key attractions. Great care was taken to keep all its oddities as he left them — including the hip bone he liked to keep close by after a hip replacement, and a ball made from the silver wrappers of the chocolate bars that he ate. Visitors discover significant details about his writing routine, including how exactly he sat, the number of pencils that he would ritualistically sharpen when he started, and the type of yellow paper that he would use for writing (which you can buy in the museum shop). Near the hut, a staff member enthralls kids with tales of how he worked. And there are displays about his school days, his early life, his army career, and so on. He was, we’re being told, a great lovable eccentric from day one, and his charming quirks were the source of his creativity. I fell in love with the Roald Dahl of the museum — the chocolate-guzzling pencil-sharp-

Trying out Dahl’s writing chair, above. Top, visitors next to a photograph of Dahl with a spider.

ening dreamer who settled down in his peculiar hut, with his trusty decommissioned hip bone at hand, and wrote books that thrill kids. But I’d been given a very selective portrait, one that doesn’t just omit the fact that he was cantankerous, adulterizing and bullying, but also that he was an unrepentant anti-Semite. In his 1983 review of Tony Clifton’s “God Cried,” he wrote that 1982, when Israel invaded Lebanon, was when “we all started hating the Israelis.” He asked: “Must Israel, like Germany, be brought to her knees before she learns how to behave in this world?” Soon afterwards he said he detected “a trait in the Jewish character that does provoke a certain animosity ... even a stinker like Hitler didn’t just pick on them for no reason.” I read all of this on my phone as my children were listening to the friendly woman tell an altogether happier version of Dahl’s life. The museum that made me fall in love with one version of Dahl, but also prompted me to look deeply into just how objectionable he was, and feel awkward about my choice of day trip. But then I decided that the mythologized Dahl suits us fine. He’s basically become a character who is based on a true story, but recreated in a way that makes a good tale, a good backstory to his books. My kids enjoyed having their imaginations triggered by the museum, seeing storytellers bring the characters to life, and being shown what people can achieve when they get creative. They now have a backstory to their Dahl books, one about the eccentric author who wrote them. He is, to them, what the Larry David of “Curb Your Enthusiasm” is to “Seinfeld” fans. And if they find out that the real Dahl was an anti-Semite, will their worlds be shattered? No. I’ll just remind them that there’s one theme in almost every Dahl book. Adults are good for generating a laugh and a giggle, but can also be foolish and shouldn’t be taken seriously. ◆

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Along The Montreal Food Trail Jewish soul food in Mile End. SUSAN BLOOM Contributing Writer

hen the married couple Noah Bernamoff, who hails from Montreal, and Rae Cohen, a New York native, opened the Mile End deli in the Boerum Hill section of Brooklyn in 2010, the Jewish food scene here was abuzz with something called “smoked meat,” and something else called “Montreal-style” bagels, which the couple had flown in daily from north of the border. (Foodies were asking, Is “smoked meat” the same as corned beef and pastrami, and what’s with the honey in the bagels?) The Mile End, which managed to make the old deli experience into something retro and hip, got so popular that the couple opened a Manhattan branch a couple of years later just off the Bowery. For this edition of Jewish Journeys, we thought we’d visit the culinary home base of the Mile Enders. The Mile End and Outremont neighborhood are Montreal’s main downtown Jewish districts; about 90,000 Jews live in the city. We needed an expert to guide us through the intricacies, so we reached out to Zev Moses, executive director of the Museum of Jewish Montreal, a nonprofit founded in 2010 that

Clockwise from top left: Moishes Steakhouse, Schwartz’s Deli and St.-Viateur Bagels. MOI SH ES CR EDIT: COU RTESY OF AL AN K AU F MAN SCHWART Z’S CR EDIT: COU RTESY OF AL AN K AU F MAN ST.-VIATEU R CR EDIT: COU RTESY OF EI R AN HAR R I S

that really puts the punctuation on Finkelstein’s philosophies. It reminds you of the one you had as a child, yet he makes sure to use premium chocolate along with other fresh and modern ingredients and doesn’t spare the butter.” According to Waxman, “The Jewish food experience in Montreal is dotted with chefs and eateries everywhere, and what seemingly started in Mile End has moved throughout the city. Many of the city’s most historic brands have since reinvented themselves and continue to flourish, including Moishes Steakhouse on Saint Laurent, as do more contemporary outlets such as Notkin’s on Rue de Bleury. But, should you need some Jewish soul food, there’s still smoked meat and honeyed

bagels in Mile End. ◆

FOR MORE INFORMATION: The Museum of Jewish Montreal runs twohour walking tours of the city’s historic Jewish districts (one features insights into the life of Montreal’s immigrant Jewish factory workers at the turn of the century), as well as a four-hour “Beyond The Bagel” food tour. For more information on these tours or other activities offered, call (514) 317-6580 or visit imjm.ca. Montreal’s Jewish Public Library: (514) 345-2627, jewishpubliclibrary.org YM-YWHA Montreal Jewish Community Centres: (514) 737-6551, ymywha.com.

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shares the history and experiences of Montreal’s Jewish community through walking tours of historic Jewish neighborhoods, o n l i n e e x - A honeyed Montreal-style bagel. COU RTESY OF R UTH COLTON LEH MAN hibits, oral history collections, lectures, workshops and pop-up exhibitions. Moses provided a little context about smoked meat and Montreal-style bagels. Both of their origins are Jewish, he said, but added of the delicacies: “These have become Montreal foods, not just a Jewish thing.” They have joined poutine — a mixture of French fries, gravy and cheese — as the city’s three most favorite foods. “But you can now even get smoked meat with poutine,” Moses said proudly. A kosher-style deli meat prepared by salting and curing beef brisket with spices, smoked meat (typically served on rye bread with mustard) can be enjoyed at a variety of renowned locations in the city. One is Schwartz’s Deli on Saint Laurent (the oldest deli in Canada and now owned by a large group that includes singer Celine Dion and her husband, Rene Angelil). Other spots are the nearby Main Deli, Lester’s Deli in the Outremont section, and Snowdon Deli on Boulevard Décarie. Though New York and New Jersey may feel that their bagels are superior, Moses said that “Montreal residents are snobs about their bagels,” which are famously handmade in wood-burning stoves and boiled in honey water. Enjoyed at all times of day or night by residents of all backgrounds, “bagels here are made the same as they were a century ago and are a popular indulgence that are always eaten fresh,” Moses said. He encourages visitors to take their own “bagel challenge” to determine their favorite from among the city’s hottest sources — including the neighboring Fairmount Bagels and St.-Viateur Bagels, as well as Beauty’s on Avenue du Mont-Royal and Wilensky’s on Fairmount Ouest in the Mile End section. Among other not-to-miss stops on Montreal’s food trail is a visit to Hof Kelsten, a boulangerie on Saint-Laurent owned by chef Jeffrey Finkelstein, “a 30something Montrealer whose bakery pays homage to his Eastern European ancestry while treating modern-day foodies to numerous unexpected delights,” said Atie Waxman, director of marketing and communications for the YM-YWHA Montreal Jewish Community Centres and a fellow gourmand. “This includes a range of freshly baked breads as well as a babka

JEWISH JOURNEYS ■ www.thejewishweek.com ■ December 17/18, 2015

When The Kosher Chef Is King Hoteliers are responding to food trends and upgrading their sophisticated dining options. STEVE K. WALZ Special To The Jewish Week

hen the Aubergine restaurant opened 15 years ago in the David Intercontinental hotel in Tel Aviv, it marked a new day in Israel’s culinary scene. Here was what critics were calling a really fine IsraeliMediterranean-French eatery, with dishes crafted by executive chef Alon Hirtenstein, and it was kosher. And it wasn’t a free-standing storefront restaurant. It was tucked into the hotel’s atrium lobby. It was, arguably, the beginning of a trend, as upscale Israeli hotels began to reposition themselves by tweaking or upgrading their high-end kosher offerings. The trend is being swept along by the popularity of celebrity chef shows and the increasingly sophisticated culinary tastes of travelers and business executives. “If you are a luxury property, you must offer guests a range of dining possibilities, including a signature chef’s restaurant and not just a dining room,” said Rafi Baeri, vice president of marketing and sales for the Dan Hotel chain, which runs the prestigious King David Hotel in Jerusalem and Dan Tel Aviv. “Many guests usually stay more than one just one evening, so you have to vary what and where they are eating in the hotel, and based on our experience, most

Israeli Hotel Roundup

The year-old Herbert Samuel restaurant in the Ritz Carlton in Herzliya. COU RTESY OF TH E R IT Z C AR LTON

guests will want to indulge themselves in a high-quality meal.” Both the King David and the Dan Tel Aviv showcase first-class kosher restaurants — La Regence in the former and Hayarkon 99 in the latter. “For restaurants of this caliber to be successful, you have to invest in creative thinking because these restaurants are small in size but labor intensive, meaning you have to not only have a great chef but also an extremely attentive staff of waiters, sommeliers, etc., as the service is part of the show,” Baeri explained. Though La Regence existed in the King David Hotel since before the birth of the State of Israel (prior to becoming part of the Dan Hotel chain), the restaurant, which highlights classic French cuisine and service, started garnering headlines when executive chef David Bitton took over seven years ago. “Historically, it’s the oldest ko-

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sher restaurant within a five-star hotel in Israel,” said Elie Fischer, who heads the food and beverage department at the King David Hotel. “It became kosher after the Federmann family, owners of the Dan chain, purchased the King David in 1957.” Chef Bitton, Fischer said, has raised the profile of the restaurant, largely through his use of the “slow cooking” technique. Fischer said that Bitton’s reputation is such that top chefs from France, including those who have received an elite Michelin star ranking, annually visit the King David Hotel in order to learn about the challenges of kosher cuisine and cook new dishes with the chef. According to Chen Broner, assistant general manager of food and beverage at the Dan Tel Aviv, the Hayarkon 99 restaurant, which opened in 2009 and is helmed by chef Oved Alfia, has become a popular spot not just among the hotel guests, but also within the local business community as well. “During the past few years, chef Alfia has made a tremendous impact with the restaurant; guests from other hotels have flocked over to the restaurant, as well as local business executives and even members of Israel’s Foreign Ministry, who want to entertain their foreign guests in a high-end restaurant that is not overly expensive.” Alfia, Broner said, is something of a locavore, making use of the freshest

ingredients that he purchases from the local fruit and vegetable market, fishermen and cattle farms. Over in Herzliya Pituach, the Ritz Carlton Hotel last year became the first luxury facility in the global chain to feature a kosher chef’s restaurant. The restaurant, which is called Herbert Samuel and overlooks the Herzliya Marina, is the kosher culinary flipside of the iconic non-kosher Herbert Samuel restaurant in Tel Aviv, which is run by Adi’s Lifestyle Group. Relying on fresh ingredients straight from local markets, complemented by the best Israeli wines, the menu embraces meat and fish dishes combining French and Mediterranean culinary accents. The menu features Herbert Samuel’s signature dishes such as the tomato salad and chestnut gnocchi. “Today people are more healthconscious when it comes to dining out; even the more traditional kitchens favor lighter and healthier options, such as the growing trend of avoiding high-fat dairy products, like butter and cream,” said Herbert Samuel’s chef, Kobi Ohayon. “Our menu gives diners the opportunity to indulge in an elevated kosher experience without losing the flavors and richness of fine dining cuisine. … I offer them a ‘new kitchen’ experience Israeli-Mediterranean style where there’s a healthy dose of olive oil and fresh ingredients.” ◆

A Down East Vacation a beautifully restored 1863 industrial building that houses a restaurant and nightclub. Once the New Year’s glitter subsides, Helsinki Hudson will host Rosanne Cash, a limited local run of the Bindlestiff Family Cirkus, and numerous other acts. By day, there’s always something new to see at the Carrie Haddad Gallery, which was the first fine-art venue in Hudson when it opened in 1991. The lofty space spotlights contemporary talent from the region and beyond; rotating exhibits of painting, sculpture, and photography go far beyond the pastoral clichés found in many resort galleries. Weekenders will also want to stop by the Rhinebeck Farmers Market, the region’s premiere outlet for regionally grown produce, locally sourced fish, honey, and more. During colder months, the market is held inside the Rhinebeck Town Hall. The lower Hudson Valley is known for its Orthodox Jewish enclaves — but throughout the Valley, a growing year-round population is diversifying Jewish communal life. The Rhinebeck Jewish Center, which opened this year in a renovated century-old wooden barn, is the newest addition to the scene; when the self-described Modern Or-

MAINE Daytime temperatures may be in the single digits, but frozen Maine is actually pretty lively this time of year: Most locals savor the frosty chill and don’t let a few feet of snow cramp their style. Instead, they embrace it. And for those New Yorkers longing to tap into their Jack London side, Greener Travel LLC is hosting a four-day dog-sledding trip in the Deep Woods of Maine for “Jewish adventurers,” in collaboration with Mahoosuc Guide Service and Vermont-based Rabbi Howard Cohen of Burning Bush Adventures. Based out of Newry, the wilderness trip includes dog walking, cross-country skiing, and guided Jewish meditation.

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After the Chanukah lights go out, Maine culture vultures gear up for a winter favorite — the Maine Jewish Film Festival. Held from March 1219 at venues around the state, the festival attracts a diverse, sophisticated crowd that is justly proud of Portland’s status as the smallest U.S. city to host an independent Jewish film festival. Fans of historic synagogue architecture will want to check out Etz Chaim on Congress Street in downtown Portland, one of the oldest surviving European-style temples in Northern New England. Since 2010, the restored 1920s synagogue has been home to the Maine Jewish Museum, hosting exhibits like the current annual Menorah Invitational — with a display of more than a dozen contemporary iterations of the seasonal candelabra. Finally, you probably are aware that the L.L. Bean flagship store is nearby in Freeport — but did you know the headquarters of this iconic brand is much more than a place to shop? Visitors to the store can take part in daily workshops, from courses in snowshoeing and cross-country skiing to demonstrations of knife sharpening, fly fishing and compass navigation. In January, hit the postholiday sales to find everything you need for that dog-sledding adventure in the North Woods; if you’re lucky, you might even score a considerable markdown on a coveted pair of Bean Boots. u

19 JEWISH JOURNEYS ■ www.thejewishweek.com ■ December 17/18, 2015

continued from page 4

thodox congregation with “chasidic flair” broke ground two years ago, it marked a watershed moment in the growth of upstate Jewry. Other seasonal highlights: Take a “Winter Wonderland” helicopter tour over the frozen white landscape, daily during January and February; explore “Second Saturdays” in Beacon, citywide arts celebrations with gallery openings, culinary tastings and shops open late; or celebrate George Washington’s birthday at the Washington’s Headquarters State Historic Site in Newburgh, where the party involves three days of cake and military reenactments.

JEWISH JOURNEYS ■ www.thejewishweek.com ■ December 17/18, 2015

30 Years of providing the best way at the best price to experience Israel. If you want to have a fabulous journey and support Israel at the same time… If you want to know more about Israel, its people and history while having an experience of a lifetime

Come With Us To Israel Great 2-week tours throughout Israel all year long. Excellent For Families, Seniors, Yeshiva Break and Summers.

2016 DEPARTURE DATES JANUARY 17 • FEBRUARY 7 MARCH 13 • JUNE 26 • AUGUST 16 Been There-Done That Not This Time-Special Returnees Tour May 22 and August 16

Join us for Succot and Passover

TRIPS INCLUDE: Daily tours throughout the country 2 Kosher meals a day Touring by air-conditioned bus with licensed English speaking guides Per Person/Double Occupancy

ERETZ YISRAEL MOVEMENT

Call for Brochures and Prices

421 7th Ave., Suite 1210, New York, NY 10001

(212) 684-7370 www.israelmovement.com eretzisrael1@gmail.com

ISRAEL

UNIQUE PESACH EXPERIENCE ON 160 ACRES! BAR-BAT MITZVAH FAMILY TOURS Small Groups - Personal Attention Fine Hotels - Unique Itineraries

FARM & NATURE PROGRAMS • DAY TRIPS

SPACIOUS ROOMS & CABINS • SOLD OUT LAST YEAR! TOVA GILEAD, INC.

www.tovagilead.com

1-800-242-TOVA

APRIL 2016 • REISTERSTOWN, MD U GOURMET ON KOSHER MEALS UNIQUE PESACH EXPERIENCE 160 ACRES! O FARM & NATURE PROGRAMS • DAY TRIPS

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APRIL 2016 • REISTERSTOWN, MD U GOURMET KOSHER MEALS O

FARM & NATURE PROGRAMS410-500-5375 • DAY TRIPS PESACH�PEARLSTONECENTER.ORG

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The Alhambra by night. It is the tourist centerpiece of Granada. WI KI M EDIA COM MON S

Old Al-Andalus continued from page 7 official in the Moorish sultanate, Samuel Ha-Nagid, a refugee from post-caliphate Córdoba. To explore the Alhambra is to walk through centuries of turbulent history: the fortress walls that later Moorish rulers added to this complex, the convent added by Catholics, the mosque converted to a church, the careful restoration after damage in a Napoleonic military siege. The Alhambra is without question the centerpiece of touristic Granada, but a stroll through the labyrinthine core takes you to the hillside district Realejo, an erstwhile Jewish quarter. Here in the city of De Falla and García Lorca, the vanished history of Sephardic Granada is easily overshadowed – so a few years ago, a Spanish couple with Jewish ties opened the Sephardic Museum of Granada, housed in a typical dwelling in the heart of the Realejo. Books, artifacts and earnest museum staff aim to bring Granada’s lost Jewish past to life in a region where Jews today are rare. Many visitors find Granada the most pleasant of Andalusian cities, with its relaxed mix of history and its lively student population from the local university. Young Andalusians embrace tradition with modern takes on granadine flamenco, taking to the bars by night to strum guitars and dance. For many visitors, a highlight of Granada is a stay in one of the many restored paradors and hotels in historic villas, whose medieval ambiance can be as memorable as the official attractions. This is a region best traversed by car — the better to appreciate a vast, hilly terrain punctuated by sun-bleached villages and crumbling medieval ruins. After so much history, it’s tempting to complicate your cultural orientation with the drive across the southern border to Gibraltar, a rakish outpost of the British Empire that largely functions as a beach resort for Northern sun-seekers and a duty-free shopping zone for Spaniards. Built around the eponymous rock — a truly impressive formation that juts abruptly out of the turquoise sea — this island refuge offers a lovely beach, a glamorous yacht-filled harbor and boardwalk, a strange colony of monkeys indigenous to the territory, and plenty of glitzy shops where you can spend your euros. Another alternative, for those seeking cultural contrast, is to head west from Seville into Portugal. The southern coast of Spain’s Iberian neighbor is called the Algarve; while largely unfamiliar to Americans, its sandy coves are mobbed by Europeans in summer. Outside of high season, however, the Algarve can be a lovely, low-key escape from the cultural spectacle that is Andalusia. It’s only a few hours from Seville to Faro, the capital of this coastal region, where the blue-tiled façades and white stucco lanes are distinctively Portuguese. Faro has a lovely old town, plenty of cafés, and a waterfront promenade with glorious views across the blue Atlantic. You could also explore the pretty — if highly commercial and occasionally seedy — Andalusian port cities: Cádiz and Málaga. Or you could make a project of savoring the whitewashed hill towns that lie between the two cities, or the tiny fishing villages that fly under the tourism radar out of season. There are as many faces to southern Iberia as there are stones in the Alhambra — and there has never been a more propitious moment for immersion in the vanished glories of Jewish Al-Andalus. ◆

India My 2nd Home Escorted by Prof. Nathan Katz

Deluxe 2-Week Journey visiting Mumbai, Cochin, Jaipur, Delhi, & Agra

Feb 16 - Feb 29 www.jewisheyes.com

2016 Exotic Journeys through Jewish eyesâ&#x201E;˘

For reservations, information, contact: Lotus tours 2 Mott Street, Suite 400, New York, NY 10013 info@lotustours.us www.jewisheyes.com 1(800)267-5415

Journey Home

Escorted by Dr. Amiel Tokayer 15-day

Deluxe Tour visting Kyoto, tokyo, Beijing, Xian, & shanghai

Jun 26 - July 10