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March 2015 Adar/Nisan 5775

Never Forget Remembering Liberation 70 Years Later Dirty Dancing Leaps into Our Hearts The Stage Version Comes to the O.C

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THE POWER OF WOMEN & PHILANTHROPY Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Voices in Orange County

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WE HAVE ELIMINATED DUES CBT has adopted a new philosophy for its community, Brit Kehillah (Community Covenant). Visit our website or call us. Join us in action at CBT’s annual MITZVAH DAY, March 22. Projects for all ages.

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An elegant evening of dinner and dancing with many memories commemorating 50 years of service, community, and Jewish life. For tickets and more information contact: (714) 871-3535 info@tbtoc.org www.tbtoc.org Jlife

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Upcoming Events at Beth Jacob MARCH 13TH: Shabbat across America and Canada Community Dinner. RSVP Required. MARCH 18TH: Deadline for $100,000 raffle MARCH 20TH: 21st Scholar in Residence and Teen take Over

MARCH 4TH: Purim – Megillah reading, costume parade, music, light dinner and limo ride for the youth. RSVP required. MARCH 5TH: Purim Seudah for the Community

APRIL 19TH: Beth Jacob Women Spa day APRIL 23RD: Yom Haatzma’ut – Mediterranean Kosher Café – join us for Falafels and Shwarmas as we celebrate Israel’s Birthday. RSVP Required. APRIL 24TH & 25TH: NCSY Shabbaton

MARCH 22ND: Beth Jacob Women Annual Pesach Prep Event – Demonstration and Recipes APRIL 5TH & 6TH: Community Seders led by Rabbi Ciner APRIL 16TH: Hafrashat Challah with Natalie Ciner and Yom Hashoah Memorial

(949) 786-5230 bethjacobirvine.org

Jlife

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inside 68

VIEWPOINT

The Peel Purim Predicament

Israel Scene Roaming Through the Desert

Crossword

On The Lighter Side

Pesach Prep

To Vaccinate or Not?

LIFESTYLE

Israeli Guy

Fresh Orange Jews

The Passover Seder

O.C.’s Fresh Faces

FEATURES

Rachel Goes Rogue

Is there a connection between Passover and Purim?

Celebrating Two Redemptions

Make Money & Build Community via Video

Not Your Average Seder

Emergence of Women in Judaism From Subservience to Leadership

Voices in the Wilderness

Rolling through Pesach with the Stuckmans.

In Israeli Elections, Everyone is Family

Different takes on Halacha

Fifty Golden Years Temple Beth Tikvah celebrates its 50th Anniversary.

Tradition Unites Us

What’s and Where’s of Passover

Never Forget

Helping Young Adults Find the Fun

Remembering Liberation 70 Years later

Shocking campaign ads.

Documenting the Struggle of Women Clergy in Israel

History/Blogs Orange County’s Jewish History & the Blogosphere

Temple Judea’s 50th Anniversary A golden opportunity to celebrate.

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

IN EVERY ISSUE

With Judy Bart Kancigor

First & Foremost

Letters/Who Knew Words from our Readers

Out & About A Guide to OC Fun

News & Jews

O.C. Jewish Scene

Dirty Dancing Leaps into Our Hearts

The stage version comes to the O.C

Fitness, Education & More

Seniors Calendar

Advertising Index Jlife

Invisible Women

Cooking Jewish

8 MARCH 2015 |

JLIFE | Adar/Nisan 5775 | MARCH 2015

Look inside for Kiddish, our insert publication, right after page 42

28 On the Cover

The Power of Women and Philanthropy Women’s Voices in Orange County Cover concept by Tara Berger, photo by Rachel Bellinsky.

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PUBLISHER | MODY GORSKY, LLM, MBA PUBLISHER | MARK EDELSTEIN PUBLISHER | MOTAN, LLC PUBLISHER EMERITUS | DR. MARK MOSS MANAGING EDITOR | TRACEY ARMSTRONG GORSKY EXECUTIVE EDITOR | LISA GRAJEWSKI, PSY.D. EXECUTIVE EDITOR | FLORENCE L DANN GEN Y EDITOR | RACHEL SCHIFF CONTRIBUTING EDITOR | TANYA SCHWIED FOOD EDITOR | JUDY BART KANCIGOR EDITORIAL INTERN | HANNAH SCHOENBAUM ART DIRECTOR | RACHEL BELLINSKY CONTRIBUTING WRITERS MARTIN BROWER, MERAV CEREN, ADAM CHESTER, FLORENCE L DANN, RABBI DAVID ELIEZRIE, ROBIN DAVIS, PH. D. HARRIETTE ELLIS, JUDY FLORMAN, STEFANEE FREEDMAN, EVE GUMPEL, CHARLES KRAUTHAMMER, DVORAH LEWIS, CARINE NADEL, PAMELA PRICE, NAOMI RAGEN, MAYRAV SAAR, RACHEL SCHIFF, ANDREA SIMANTOV, DALIA TAFT, TEDDY WEINBERGER COPYEDITOR JOSH NAMM CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS/ARTISTS RACHEL BELLINSKY, ALLEN BEREZOVSKY, PEPE FAINBERG, JANET LAWRENCE, CHARLES WEINBERG ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVES DIANE BENAROYA (SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE) MARTIN STEIN (SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE) JULIANNA PEREZ (ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE) EDITORIAL (949) 633-5456 (DR. LISA GRAJEWSKI) OR (949) 734-5074 EDITORJLIFE@GMAIL.COM ADVERTISING (949) 812-1891, MODY.GORSKY@GMAIL.COM CIRCULATION & SUBSCRIPTIONS MODY.GORSKY@GMAIL.COM, (949) 734-5074 ART ART@OCJEWISHLIFE.COM JLIFE IS PUBLISHED MONTHLY BY ORANGE COUNTY JEWISH LIFE, LLC 1 FEDERATION WAY, IRVINE, CA 92603

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Jlife is published monthly by Orange County Jewish Life, LLC. Subscription rate is $24 for one year (12 issues). Send subscription requests to Jlife, 1 Federation Way, Irvine,CA 92603. Jlife is a free and open forum for the expression of opinions. The opinions expressed herein are solely the opinion of the author and in no way reflect the opinions of the publishers, staff or advertisers. Orange County Jewish Life, LLC is not responsible for the accuracy of any and all information within advertisements. Orange County Jewish Life, LLC reserves the right to edit all submitted materials, including press releases, letters, articles and calendar listings for brevity and clarity. Orange County Jewish Life, LLC is not legally responsible for the accuracy of calendar or directory listings, nor is it responsible for possible postponements, cancellations or changes in venue. Manuscripts, letters, documents and photographs sent to Orange County Jewish Life, LLC become the physical property of the publication, which is not responsible for the return of such material. Orange County Jewish Life, LLC is a member of the American Jewish Press Association and the Jewish Telegraphic Agency. All contents © 2014 Orange County Jewish Life.

10 MARCH 2015 |

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FIRST & FOREMOST

INVISIBLE WOMEN Something is missing. BY FLORENCE L. DANN

WHEN A PICTURE of the rally in Paris against extremism appeared in the newspaper HaMevaser, something was missing. The women! They had been Photoshopped out of the picture. “It is rather embarrassing when the Western world is rallying against manifestations of religious extremism, our own extremists take the stage,” wrote Allison Kaplan Sommer in Haaretz. But keeping women out of the public eye is nothing new in the Haredi Jewish world. Haredi Judaism emerged in response to the Jewish Enlightenment (Haskalah) which had given birth to the Reform movement.Haredi newspapers are known to have editorial policies that prohibit the publishing of phoHaredi women tos that show women since it considers the female body are ranked eighth to be immodest. In 2011, in Israel for life In November, the New York-based newspaper expectancy. Knesset Committee for the Di Tzeitung altered a picture Advancement of the Status to remove then-Secretary of of Women held a hearing to State Hillary Clinton out of a discuss disturbing findings about women’s famous shot of White House leaders watchhealth in the Haredi sect: a thirty percent ing the raid that killed Osama bin Laden. higher rate of breast cancer mortality and one In the Israeli political parties that repof the lowest levels of life expectancy in the resent the Haredi sect, women are expliccountry. “Haredi women are ranked eighth in itly banned from running for Knesset. Ruth Israel for life expectancy, while Haredi men Kolian is trying to change that. One of the three founders of the new Haredi women’s are ranked second,” said Kolian. “Not one of Knesset party B’Zechutan, she is working for the Haredi MKs (Members of the Knesset) showed up to the hearing.” representation. And it’s not just in Israel. A recent article “There are a number of different populations who have representation in the Knesset. in the New York Times Magazine of January But Haredi women have no representation 22, 2015 featured an “orthodox Jewish sex at all and the male representatives do not counselor.” Bat Sheva Marcus works with address the needs and concerns of Haredi Haredi women whose minds have been kept free of information and infused with fear. women,” Kolian noted. 12 MARCH 2015 |

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Model synagogue Tzedakah boxes. The Sarajevo haggadah

“They have zero connection to pleasure,” said Marcus “have been given little if any instruction and are often repelled by the idea of intimacy.” Yet, they embrace the idea that after marriage sex is a blessing as well as a religous responsibility. This therapy has been approved by some rabbis so that these women can “multiply and be fruitful,” not for their pleasure. In many ways, the lives of the Haredi women seem to be in the dark ages. But while it’s not our job to fight for what we see as inequity in a sector of society we don’t belong to, we can support the women from within that community who are fighting. A Florence L. Dann, a fourth year rabbinical student at the Academy for Jewish Religion in LA has been a contributing writer to JLife since 2004

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14 MARCH 2015 |

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COMMUNITY SEDER FOR EVERYONE WITH AN APPETITE AN APPETITE FOR FOOD, FOR WINE, FOR A NIGHT OF BEING JEWISH – NO MATTER WHAT YOUR BACKGROUND

An exciting and incredibly memorable seder experience for yourself and your family. Passover Across America Sedarim are co-sponsored by NJOP

Conducted with clever wit, tasteful elegance, and Jewish substance with deep personal relevance to your life by one of America’s most charismatic and dynamic Modern-Orthodox rabbis, Rabbi Dov Fischer of Irvine’s Young Israel of Orange County.

www.rabbidov.com Come for one or both Seder Nights: Friday · April 3 · 8:00 pm Saturday · April 4 · 8:00 pm

Enjoy Kosher-catered gourmet meals in the beautiful setting of Irvine’s Back Bay Conference Center. This Passover we will laugh and learn, and eat and drink, a great deal more than we ever have before at our Community Seders, experiencing two nights we warmly will remember for years to come! Maybe that is why so many keep coming back to join with us year after year. Rabbi Dov Fischer of Irvine is a nationally prominent leader in the Modern Orthodox Rabbinate and has been conducting Public Community Sedarim (“Seders”) at 5-Star Hotels for 20 Years. Now, in Irvine at a fraction of the cost of a 5-Star Hotel Seder experience, you can enjoy Rabbi Dov Fischer’s unique wit & wisdom at a Seder Experience you never will forget.

PRICE: $54 for Individuals $75 for Couples or other Pairings of Friends $36 for Teens or College Students $25 for Kids ages 5-13

of Orange County www.yioc.org

For More Information call 949.300.8899 or e-mail Rabbi Fischer at: seder@yioc.org Jlife

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LETTERS

Kvetch & Kvell

PHOTO BY ZACH DALIN

Who Knew?

MAZEL TOV! Thank you for bringing our attention to the Jewish themed wedding of Cameron Diaz and Benji Madden. Most of us take the Jewish wedding model for granted. We don’t appreciate that it is a brilliant structure for demonstrating and reinforcing the wedding couple’s love, values, commitment and spirituality, as well as that of the community that surrounds them. The Jewish wedding has ample room for customization to the beliefs and individuality of each couple. I have officiated for totally non Jewish couples who chose the structure of the Jewish wedding, with a rabbi as an officiant, to express their spirituality and to create the perfect service to begin their life together. The Prophet Isaiah says that we should be “ohr lagoyim,” “a light unto the nations.” Perhaps more people following the Jewish wedding tradition will help to reduce the high divorce rate that plagues California and the nation. Rabbi Larry Seidman Rabbi@RationalRabbi.com

We welcome your letters! Email editorjlife@gmail.com with your feedback. 16 MARCH 2015 |

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Eugene Levy and Catherine O’Hara are back together again! This outrageously funny duo has been coupled up to deliver side-splitting laughs for decades now. From their beginnings on SCTV to their over-the-top Christopher Guest films like “Best in Show” these two never fail to deliver. They are now starring in Schitt’s Creek, which is a character-driven, half-hour, single-camera scripted comedy series co-created by Eugene Levy and his son Dan Levy. It begins when Johnny Rose (Levy), an outrageously wealthy video store magnate, and his soap-star wife Moira (O’Hara), their hipster gallerist son David (Dan Levy), and career socialite daughter Alexis (Annie Murphy) — suddenly find themselves broke and with no choice but to move to a small backwoods town Johnny once bought as a joke. Hilarity ensues and now this show is really making waves. The New York Post, which is notoriously picky has actually deemed it, “The best new comedy of the year.” It is featured on Pop TV, the rebranded TV Guide Channel on Wednesdays at 10 PM/ 9 Central.

TBE Presents: An OďŹ&#x20AC;-Bima Production

Cantor Natalie Young Susan Miller Kotses Rebecca Alcone Somberg Cantor Zev Brooks And a special performance by Zechter Music Center Scholar Alex Triestman For information call Temple Beth Emet at (714) 772-4720

Sunday, March 15 at 2:30pm General Admission seats are $25 ($36 at the door).

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www.tbe-oc.org Jlife

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Israel Scene | BY ANDREA SIMANTOV

Roaming Through the Desert

DRAWING BY PEPE FAINBERG

Not all who wander are lost.

I CAN BUY FOUR PAIRS OF JEANS FOR WHAT ONE PAIR COSTS IN TEL AVIV. 20 MARCH 2015 |

AT THE BEHEST of friends he’d met during the past year in Israel, my son traveled to the United States to speak in synagogues, Jewish day schools, public schools and a steel factory and a Catholic college, about what it means to be a soldier in the Israeli army. Minnesota, Florida, Texas and California were some of the states he traveled to. Everyone had a daughter/sister/cous-

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in for him to meet and he experienced yachts, motorcycles, jet skis and the New York City subway. Between speeches he visited relatives in New York, Florida, New Jersey and Maryland. Before shabbos he called for advice: “It was fun in the beginning but now I’m confused. It’s like a fantasy land and part of me just wants to stay and ‘get lost’ in America. I mean, no pressure, no

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Judith Gottesman, MSW Soul Mates Unlimited® reserve duty, no one is pushing or cutting each other off on the highway. But on the other hand, I don’t really ‘belong.’ I was born here and have a social security number but I’m Israeli. Should I come home? Should I stay a while longer? I’m running out of money. Should I get a job???” His angst evoked images of the Children of Israel at the dawn of their liberation from slavery. The ‘fleshpots’ of Egypt were so enticing that neither bondage nor Moses could compel 80 percent of the Hebrews to leave Egypt. They were so steeped in Egyptian culture that they were unwilling to join the Exodus. Would it have made good-parenting sense to share this with my wanderlusting-son who had initially traveled to America in order to share the wonder of the Zionist state? A product of the best yeshivas and military institutions this country has to offer, he awakens in the middle of the night, despairing, ‘A laptop in New York costs a third of what it costs in Jerusalem. I can buy four pairs of jeans for what one pair costs in Tel Aviv. I’ve been to Gaza and don’t feel like going again this year.’ To what end would my recap of the arduous forty-year journey of Bnei Yisroel be? Would a light-bulb suddenly burst aglow in his confused state, convincing him that the intoxicating allure of the American melting-pot is the work of the Devil himself? That ‘Israel’ equals ‘truth’ and everything else is an optical illusion? We are commanded to recall the Exodus from Egypt every single day of our lives and in keeping with both my ideological and religious sensibilities I’ve tried to observe this tenet. However, although I love our ancestral homeland, nowhere is it stated that the aforementioned ‘recollection’ is only credible with an Israeli zip code. In just a few weeks time we will break the matza and dip our herbs but I’ll wait until the last moment to set the table. Perhaps my boy will return home in time to sing the Ma Nishtana, even if he changes the tune to “America the Beautiful.” A

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New York-born Andrea Simantov is a mother of six who moved to Jerusalem in 1995. She frequently lectures on the complexity and magic of life in Jerusalem and can be contacted at andreasimantov@gmail.com.

Jlife

| MARCH 2015 21

On the Lighter Side | BY MAYRAV SAAR

VIEWPOINT

To Vaccinate or Not? A Jewish view of a hot topic of debate.

IF YOU WON’T LISTEN TO SCIENCE, WILL YOU AT LEAST LISTEN TO YOUR RABBI? 22 MARCH 2015 |

I WANT YOU to vaccinate your children. The folks who work at Disneyland really, really want you to vaccinate your children. And, as it turns out, G-d wants you to vaccinate your children, too. If you disagree about the overwhelming importance of childhood vaccinations, chances are you’ve already stopped reading. Studies show people tend to dig in their heels when presented with information that runs counter to deeply held beliefs. But what if two deeply held beliefs contradict each other? The Rabbinical Assembly of the Conservative movement ruled in 2005 that Jewish day schools can make immunizations compulsory on the grounds of halakha. In a 31-page document that references everything from the Supreme Court to the Talmud, the rabbis ruled that we each have a social contract – a covenant, if you will – to protect the children in our community and, in fact, all children. Rabbi Elliot Dorff, one of the assembly members, was quoted directly in the ruling: “It would be a violation of Jewish law... for a Jew to refuse to be inoculated against a disease, at least where the inoculation has a proven track record of effectiveness. Jews, to the contrary, have a positive duty to have themselves and their children inoculated against all diseases where the preventive measure is effective and available.” State law sees things differently and allows parents and physicians to sign personal exemptions for vaccines. As a result, kids in Jewish day schools and Jewish kids in public or secular private school are no more likely to be vaccinated than their non-Jewish peers. But maybe that’s because too few of us know what Judaism says about vaccines. Forget the stats. Never mind that measles once infected 3 million a year in the U.S. – killing 500 of them – before the advent of life-saving vaccines. Forget that the made-up link between autism and vaccines has been dissected, disproved and discredited by everyone (save for a Playboy Playmate and a reality show star). Instead, consider how Jewish law is unequivocal

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about vaccines. Since the 1700s, vaccinations (and their precursor, variolations) were deemed so important that rabbis ruled you can break Shabbat to get an inoculation. This is partially because vaccines don’t just protect the vaccinated. If at least 95% of a population is vaccinated, what epidemiologists refer to as “herd immunity” kicks in, preventing a disease from gaining a foothold. If enough of us are vaccinated, even those who are not eligible for vaccines – such as infants and the immunocompromised – get some protection because the spread of the disease is contained. Personally, I don’t like the term “herd immunity.” I don’t belong to a herd, I belong to a community, one with a halackich obligation to create a “community immunity” and protect us – all of us – from disease. Jewish law appears to back this up. So, if you won’t listen to science, will you at least listen to your rabbi? A Mayrav Saar is a writer based in Los Angeles.

THE ANNUAL ORANGE COUNTY INTERNATIONAL JEWISH FILM FESTIVAL CUPCAKES, CARDINALS & QUEENS — OH, MY! Don’t Miss March Madness, Film Fest-style: • The Jewish Cardinal, Wednesday, March 11th at Regal Westpark • Cupcakes, Sunday, March 15th at Regal Westpark Documentary Screenings: • The Sturgeon Queens, Wednesday, March 25th at Temple Beth Emet (Anaheim) • Tough Guise 2, Wednesday, March 25th at University Synagogue, followed by Q&A with filmmaker Jackson Katz NEW Summer Mini-fest runs May through June; check online for listings and info! Founded by University Synagogue & Co-sponsored by: Temple Bat Yahm Temple Beth Emet Temple Beth Tikvah Congregation Shir Ha-Ma’alot

For complete film listing, schedule, location and pricing info visit ocjff.org or call 949-553-3535

A reform Jewish congregation with a warm approach to tradition, community and education Interfaith families always welcome!

Second Night Passover Community Seder Saturday, April 4, 6:00 p.m. Call (714) 871-3535 for details and to RSVP. Reservations must be made by March 25. 1600 N. Acacia Avenue • Fullerton, CA 92831 www.tbtoc.org

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Jlife

| MARCH 2015 23

Temple Beth David Announces “The Interfaith Connection” AN EDUCATIONAL SERIES OF WORKSHOPS EXPLORING JUDAISM

re you in an interfaith relationship? Is it time for you and your significant other to discuss your religious backgrounds and explore the role of it in your life? Temple Beth David, a Reform congregation in Westminster, CA, has launched “The Interfaith Connection,” and invites interfaith couples, cultural Jews, and all others interested to attend at no cost. Facilitating will be Rabbi Nancy Myers of Temple Beth David who says she is honored to offer this opportunity to discuss religion, Judaism, their relationship, family, and more in a comfortable setting. She adds, “We are lucky to live in a time of options and choices. Every person and couple has a unique past, personal beliefs, and values that guide their lives.” The sessions will include teaching, sharing, and exploring that is responsive to the audience’s needs. The program, which is intended as a resource for the community with no obligation in any way, will be on Sunday mornings, 10 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. Attendees may attend any or all of the five sessions. The first was on February 8, having a general topic entitled, “Introduction to Judaism.” Rabbi Myers provided the basics of Judaism, answered all questions people had, and provided participants an opportunity to dialogue with one another. Unique during the second session, on March 8, with a focus on marriage and children, will be a mock traditional wedding ceremony officiated by the Rabbi and Cantor. A handful of Temple Beth David congregants will join together to renew their vows - a first of its kind celebration at the temple. Also watching the ceremony and learning will be the Temple’s religious school youth, as well as loved ones of those renewing their vows. The third session on April 26 will spotlight many Jewish holidays. The fourth session on May 3 addresses other life cycles such as birth, naming, bar/ bat mitzvah and rituals surrounding the loss of loved ones. The final session on June 7 will explore the topics of “What is a Jew and role of the synagogue?” With the generosity of the Temple Beth David Foundation, all of the sessions are free to the public. The program will be held at Temple Beth David at 6100 Hefley Street, Westminster. RSVP is requested by the previous Thursday at 714-892-6623 or tbdavid@templebethdavid.org. More information can be found on the Temple website www.templebethdavid.org.

24 MARCH 2015 |

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Jlife

| MARCH 2015 25

Israeli Guy | BY TEDDY WEINBERGER

VIEWPOINT

The Passover Seder The big answer to many of your questions.

TONIGHT, EVEN IF WE WILL NOT BE WORTHY OF REDEMPTION WE WILL BE REDEEMED. 26 MARCH 2015 |

AS I SOMETIMES do for a holiday message, I turn here to the words (freely translated) of my friend and teacher Rabbi Lior Engelman for this year’s Passover column. An ultimate answer to one of the Seder’s questions is deeply embedded in the Passover Haggadah: It’s not us, it’s Him! The redemption of Passover did not occur because of us. We did not rebel against the Egyptians, we did not fight against them. The Holy One Blessed Be He fought for us and we were silent. We were not deserving of this redemption. At the beginning, our forefathers were idol worshippers. God took Abraham and chose him. G-d’s choosing the people of Israel in Egypt did not derive from any external justification, since we too worshipped idols, and yet with His divine choice (that is beyond our explanation) G-d chose precisely us. On this night of the Seder we get in touch with the realization that something great is happening in the world and it does not depend upon a choice that we make in our lives. A nation came into existence that was chosen by G-d for a great mission. Whether we want it or not, that’s the way it is. We were willed by G-d to go into Egypt and against our will (if need be) we will go out from there. Those among us who indeed want to go out will sing; those who do not, will cry — but in any case we will leave Egypt. It’s an event that takes place without any connection to the question of whether we wish to take part in it or not. Tonight, even if we will not be worthy of redemption we will be redeemed. Even if we are idol worshippers like the Egyptians themselves, the King of Kings will pass over us and not slay us. It’s not us, it’s Him. The Master of the Universe chose to create a people for Himself. A creation that we cannot deny. He gave us the ability to choose within certain parameters, but we cannot change our mission. The covenant that was created between us and Him is bigger that all of the choices and all of the passing events. All that remains for us to do is to praise, glo-

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rify, exalt, and adore G-d. And to know: in the final redemption the rules change. No longer miracles. No longer haste. No longer G-d who does everything for us. We will need to take part in the redemption of ourselves, we will need to want it, because our faces are turned to a precious land (“eretz chefetz”). And yet, we will always speak of the first redemption, because only someone who has from the beginning experienced in a complete way this eternal covenant of the creation of Israel, will find the strength to make the right choice and to work toward the future redemption. A Teddy Weinberger, Ph.D., is Director of Development for a consulting company called Meaningful. He made aliyah with his family in 1997 from Miami, where he was an assistant professor of religious studies. Teddy and his wife, Sarah Jane Ross, have five children.

CONCEPT BY TARA BERGER 路 PHOTO BY RACHEL BELLINSKY

COVER STORY

28 MARCH 2015 |

Jlife

COVER STORY

THE POWER OF WOMEN & PHILANTHROPY Women’s Voices in Orange County BY LISA GRAJEWSKI, PSY.D. & TANYA SCHWIED

omen’s Voices is the largest annual gathering of Jewish women in Orange County and the signature campaign event of Women’s Philanthropy, supporting the Generations Fund of Jewish Federation & Family Services (JFFS). Women’s Voices was named the #1 Luncheon in Orange County for 2013 by the OC Business Journal Charity Event Guide in the Top 5 Luncheons category. Last year in Orange County, Women’s Philanthropy raised over $1,000,000 of the total JFFS campaign. This year Voices will honor Debbie Margolis with the Anne Entin 2014 Woman of the Year award, which recognizes a woman who has gone above and beyond in contributing to the community, a community where the face and voice of philanthropy is changing. In a sense, the well-orchestrated philanthropy of Orange County has gained a soprano and alto section. It is not just suits and ties at board meetings anymore; women are contributing in record numbers both financially and by showing up. Debbie Margolis also believes the look of philanthropy in the Orange County Jewish Community is changing. “Women’s Philanthropy has made that happen by allowing women to not only have a voice in the community, but also make her own gift. When I was asked for my gift it had a lot of relevance because it was from me,” says Margolis. Women’s Philanthropy is like the idea of the Red Tent – a place where women can connect, feel empowered, and have a place where they can “be.” Margolis goes on to say, “Having the right bag and hairstyle is not what defines Women’s Philanthropy. It is the hard work the group does.” Margolis grew up in Boulder, Colorado and moved to

Orange County in 1994 for “just a year,” and has been here ever since. She and her husband, Jeff Margolis, whom she met in high school, moved here with their two daughters, Alexandria and Allegra. The Margolises have been together 30 years and have both been very involved in philanthropy. A teacher by training, Margolis changed careers to be a stay at home mother to their two daughters. Now both daughters are adults and she has found a place in the Orange County Jewish Community. “President of Women’s Philanthropy was the best job I have ever had,” says Margolis. A Jew by choice, Margolis has been a long time and committed volunteer in the Jewish Community. She served on the board of Temple Bat Yahm before getting involved at JFFS nine years ago. Serving on the Women’s Philanthropy board allowed her to find her own path. “My involvement is so important to me because I really believe in what we are doing.” Margolis also believes that Women’s Philanthropy offers a place for all Jewish women in Orange County. “There are not that many Jews in Orange County; we have to make an effort to raise Jewish children, create Jewish homes and educate people about Israel.” Margolis is engaging, articulate, and genuine – a natural leader. So it is not surprising that she adapted to leadership so effortlessly. She was approached by Sharon Wiedberg, who at the time was Women’s Philanthropy’s President, to join the board, came on as Social Action Chair and soon thereafter took on the role as president. “As president of Women’s Philanthropy I was automatically on the Board [of what was then JFOC – Jewish Federation of Orange County]. I just decided to stay on the board.” It was during a trip to Israel that Margolis said, “I had an epiphany… that it was my turn to serve as Chair [of JFFS].” Margolis’ well-honed leadership skills have served her well and she has worked hard to be the leader that she is. “Leadership is a gift. Understanding what people need and knowing how to respond to it is natural to me,” she says. Margolis was also in the first cohort of Skill

Early Women’s Division.

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COVER STORY

Left: Delia Epron Right: Debbie Margolis

Set, JFFS’s Jewish leadership program. She wright Delia Ephron will be the keynote stated it was an “extraordinary commitment” speaker for the luncheon. She is a frequent to be a part of the program. “The things I op-ed contributor to The New York Times. Her learned still impact me today.” There is no most recent book, Sister Mother Husband Dog doubt that what she learned supports her in (etc.), a memoir, was published last fall. her role of serving on the National Women’s Her career began when she wrote a bestPhilanthropy Board, where she is involved in selling book of humor called How to Eat Jewish philanthropy at a national level. She Like a Child and Other Lessons in Not Being relates that all of the models of a Grownup, which became a the national organization are television special and theater IT IS NOT a great place for women to be. piece, performed all over the US JUST SUITS and Canada. She then became It is an opportunity to understand what is going on locally, a contributor to New York AND TIES internationally and in Israel. Magazine and continued writAT BOARD This is likely the reason Orange ing books of humor and essays County’s Women’s Philanthropy about modern life. Eventually MEETINGS has become so successful. she became a screenwriter (as ANYMORE But, there is hard work, says well as a producer), usually Margolis. “Eileen Garbutt [JFFS collaborating with sister Nora ’ Director, Women’s Philanthropy] works tire- Ephron on many movies including You’ve lessly to keep people engaged. The women are Got Mail, Michael and Hanging Up (based on willing to try just about anything!” her novel). She also wrote The Sisterhood of Margolis is honored to be Voices 2015 the Traveling Pants. Her original screenplay, Woman of the Year, “It is such an honor to Sammy, will begin production this spring. be included in that group of women.” Yet Ephron has written and spoken about the the idea of empowering women goes beyond importance of collaboration in work and life a Woman of the Year. The name of the event based on her experience of making movies. speaks for itself: Voices. With over 700 women Throughout her movie career she continin the room last year, the power is palpable. ued to write books: novels for adults (her “Every woman in the room on March 16 will most recent is The Lion Is In), teens, and have made a gift of her own to make a differ- children. Her journalistic work has appeared ence,” says Margolis. in Vogue, Oprah and More magazines, as well The event also draws talent. Bestselling as the Wall Street Journal and, most regularly, author, screenwriter, journalist, and play- The New York Times. 30 MARCH 2015 |

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She collaborated with her sister Nora Ephron on the play, Love, Loss and What I Wore, which played for two years off-Broadway and has been performed in cities around the world, including Paris, Rio and Sydney. During this 50th anniversary year for JFFS, Women’s Philanthropy is also taking a moment to reflect upon the extraordinary contributions of women in our community over the past five decades. Women’s Division of the United Jewish Appeal (now Jewish Federations of North America) was founded in 1946 in response to the needs of the more than one and a half survivors of the Holocaust. As the Orange County Jewish community grew in the 1970s, JFFS [then “Jewish Federation of Orange County”] established its own women’s group (now “Women’s Philanthropy”) in 1975. The involvement of women in the community has greatly contributed to its strength and vitality, helping to develop a network of services in the community and around the globe. “Jewish women coming together to celebrate and to raise funds for philanthropy is my favorite part of the event,” said past Women’s Philanthropy president Amy Rousso. Join hundreds of women on March 16, 2015 at the Hilton Orange County for Women’s Voices Luncheon 2015. For more information go to: jewishorangecounty.org/getinvolved/women/voices or contact (949) 4353484 for more information. A Dr. Lisa Grajewski is a therapist with Jewish Federation & Family Services in Orange County and an Adjunct Professor at Argosy University and The Chicago School of Professional Psychology. Dr. Grajewski has been with Jlife Magazine since 2004. Tanya Schwied graduated from New York University, studied abroad in Israel, and works for the CEO and President of Jewish Federation & Family Services.

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NEWPORT’S “PERFECT PEDI”:

Concierge Podiatry Introduces The Medical Pedicure Local podiatrist Dr. Ivar Roth elevates the standard of foot care to a new level.

Dr Ivar Roth: The Podiacurists are trained to use binocular microscope glasses when performing their procedures. They use four unique instruments used in a Podiatrists office. These instruments are the scalpel to efficiently and effectively shave off the callouses and corns, a medical grade Tissue nipper to clip and remove deep corns, a large and powerful nail cutter for thick toenails, and a special diamond surfaced power sander with a HEPA vacuum system to remove the dust and debris to smooth the skin and nails. What advantage is there to using these special instruments? Dr Ivar Roth: Because Podiacurists are using the binocular microscope they are able to see every detail of the toes in high magnification. This enables them to provide a superior outcome because they can see everything magnified as they are working. Using the scalpel means that the callouses and corns are really removed not just the superficial layer that is removed with a file in a salon. This deep debridement of the callous means superior instant relief and a longer lasting pedicure. Does anything like this exist anywhere else? Dr Ivar Roth: The answer is NO. I have taken the skills of a licensed pedicurist, had them take the two advanced certification courses and then have taught them the podiatry skill set that I developed for them to be true professionals. What other services can the Podiacurists offer to their clients? Dr Ivar Roth: Besides the actual treatments they are in constant contact with me as I am available for any questions that they have concerning their clients care. The Podiacurists have been trained to recognize abnormal skin and nail problems, so I can be consulted chair side or they can recommend that the client be seen by me later for their concerns. This situation makes it a one stop shop for any foot issues.

From left to right: Monica, Office Manager; Dr. Ivar Roth; Gina, Podiacurist

Life reporters recently sat down with Dr. Ivar Roth to discuss Concierge’s Podiatry’s new EXCLUSIVE medical pedicure and what it means to have a dedicated professional offering this service.

We understand that Concierge Podiatry is offering this new service, how is it different from a standard pedicure? Dr Ivar Roth: Medical pedicures are now being offered in my office because there is a huge need for this medical based service, especially for those people who are at risk for infection. The Podiacurists in my office have specialized training in how to care for people with at risk feet. This group of patients includes those with diabetics, have poor circulation, cancer, wound care, and patients who have had transplants. Of course we also offer these services to anyone wanting that extra level of care and

sterility or are afraid of standard pedicure shops What additional training do your podiacurists have? Dr Ivar Roth: They are employees of my medical practice who have had extensive experience with the common foot conditions that I treat every day in my office. They are state registered pedicurists who have taken and passed two extra certification programs, the advanced nail and medical nail technician programs and completed 400 hours of training in my office to become Podiacurists TM. What this all means is they are like dental hygienists for the feet. The Podiacurist is additionally trained in the techniques, using the tools and instruments that a podiatrist uses. What podiatry skills and instruments do the Podiacurists use? ADVERTISEMENT

Will these premium services come at a premium price? Dr. Ivar Roth: The basic medical pedicure is $75.00, which includes cutting of the nails, and removing the corns and callouses. The feet are first soaked and cleaned and after the service a foot massage is provided, nail polish will also be applied. If a client wants a manicure, will you provide those services also? Dr. Ivar Roth: Yes, for a nominal extra charge, just let us know and we will put aside the extra time. Thank you for the interview Dr. Roth, what are your final thoughts? Dr. Ivar Roth: I appreciate the opportunity to explain and bring this new service to Newport Beach.

Concierge Podiatry is located at 351 Hospital Road Suite 407 in Newport Beach. Our Telephone number is (949) 650-1147.

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F E AT U R E S

CELEBRATING TWO REDEMPTIONS Is there a connection between Passover and Purim? BY FLORENCE L. DANN

Although different, both holidays of Purim and Passover give us an excuse to eat great food.

YES! AND WOMEN are featured in both! It was Miriam who watched over her brother who led his people out of slavery and who enjoined the women to sing and celebrate the crossing of the sea; if it hadn’t been for Vashti, maybe the first feminist, who refused to parade naked before King Achasverous and was exiled, there wouldn’t have been the opportunity for the beauty queen Esther (nee Hadassah) to step in as queen. (Alas, not many little girls wish to dress up as Vashti.) Nevertheless, Esther finds courage to save her people and becomes a heroine! So what are the other connections? On 34 MARCH 2015 |

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Passover we become the players in the biblical drama of our rescue and redemption from Egypt. Purim too is grand theater; we wear costumes, spin groggers to obliterate the name of Haman and act out the Megillah. When we compare the two holidays we can see that there are several points that stand out. Both have miracles in them, but there are differences between the two miracles. The miracles of Passover culminate with splitting the Sea of Reeds and drowning the Egyptians clearly revealing G-d’s total control of life and active participation and intervention in the world. These miracles, obvious to

all, shattered the laws of nature. In contrast, the miracle of Purim was not obvious and not brought about by Supernatural intervention. Nature was not changed; rather change was brought about through the actions of people. Yet, although the miracle of Passover was greater, and there is certainly a mitzvah to be happy on Passover, it does not compare to the ecstatic joy and happiness that is felt on Purim. Like the Exodus from Egypt, we knew that we were in a state of danger, but unlike the Exodus, it was the Jews who took the initiative and participated in our own redemption. All of the Jews in Persia fasted to change the evil decree and it worked! During Passover on the other hand, we were not in charge of our fate. We were characters in God’s drama. So while we eat the traditional food (especially charoses) and spell out the story of our redemption on Passover, during Purim we make plays, spend the day in never-ending singing and dancing, give our friends and relatives baskets of goodies and sweets, dress in costumes, crack jokes, get tipsy and give charity. The day’s obligatory services of Purim include giving charity to at least two poor people and giving at least one friend two food items that are ready to be eaten. This is called Shalach Manos (though to be grammatically correct it should be called Mishlo’ach Manos). And of course – eating lots of Hamantashen! Isn’t it always about food? A Florence L. Dann, a fourth year rabbinical student at the Academy for Jewish Religion in LA has been a contributing writer to JLife since 2004

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F E AT U R E S

The Emergence of Women in Judaism From Subservience to Leadership BY FLORENCE L. DANN

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F E AT U R E S

PRIOR TO THE development of the American Jewish community, Jewish women were at all times viewed as inferior and subservient to men. Although the Bible and rabbinic literature mentions various female role models, religious law treats women differently in various circumstances. Marriage and family law in biblical times favored men over women. For example, a husband could divorce a wife if he chose to, but a wife could not divorce a husband without his consent. Laws concerning the loss of female virginity have no male equivalent. These and other gender differences found in the Torah suggest that women were subordinate to men during biblical times. Relatively few women are mentioned in the Bible by name and role, suggesting that they were rarely in the forefront of public life. However, there were many learned women of note. The Talmud and later rabinical writings speak of the wisdom of Berurya, the wife of Rabbi Meir. In several instances, her opinions on halakhah (Jewish Law) were accepted over those of her male contemporaries. However, the Talmud also has negative comments at various times describing them as lazy, jealous, vain and gluttonous, prone to gossip and particularly prone to the occult and witchcraft. Women were taught to read, write, and run a household. They were also given some education in religious law that was essential to their daily lives, such as keeping kosher. Yet, many Jewish women gained enough education to help their husbands out in business and were engaged in their own occupations as well as helping thier husbands. In fact, the rights of women in traditional Judaism were much greater than they were in the rest of Western civilization until the 20th century. Women had the right to buy, sell, and own property, and make their own contracts, rights which women in Western countries (including America) did not have until about

The Talmud and later rabinical writings speak of the wisdom of Berurya, the wife of Rabbi Meir.

100 years ago. Toward the end of the nineteenth century, Jewish middle-class women played an increasingly active role in philanthropic life. They embodied the role of pure and pious homemakers, who stressed the ethical, rather than the ritual and ceremonial. In the twentieth century, the new American Jewish woman sought higher education, and other ways to express her Judaism, and solutions to the challenges of the Progressive Era. Many daughters, whose mothers Continued on page 40

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F E AT U R E S Continued from page 39

Betty Freidan.

worked as seamstresses in sweat shops, took advantage of public schools and higher education and became teachers and later physicians, dentists, or lawyers. Other first-generation Jewish women became union leaders and political radicals. With the publication of Betty Friedan’s The Feminine Mystique, in 1963, Jewish women embraced the women’s liberation movement. They entered the Reform and Conservative rabbinate and sought parity with men in religious life, while Orthodox women began to learn traditional texts generally reserved for men. Today Jewish women are academic scholars, politicians, Nobel Prizewinners, astronauts and Supreme Court Justices. Here in Orange County, women occupy very visible roles of leadership within the

community as well as on the bima. While Orthodox Judaism maintains that there are different roles for men and women, there are different opinions among Orthodox Jews concerning these differences. Some claim that men and women have complementary, yet different roles in religious life, resulting in different religious obligations. Orthodox women have been working towards change within religious life, promoting advanced women’s learning and scholarship, ritual inclusion in synagogue, communal and religious leadership, and more. Women have been advancing change despite often vocal opposition by rabbinic leaders. Within the Chabad movement, Rabbi Schneerson recognized the important role women play in religious life. While still restricted to the “roles deemed appropriate,” women in Chabad lead study groups and often run the religious schools and the rebbitzen is as visible to the community as her rabbi husband. I recently had the pleasure of meeting a young orthodox woman who was studying at Yeshivat Maharat in New York. The school offers a rigorous program which provides women an official path for gaining the skills, training, and certification they need to become spiritual leaders within the Modern Orthodox community. “Once a woman graduates from Yeshivat Maharat she has the credentials to lead Orthodox congregations alongside her male peers and to lend her voice and talents to help build rich, dynamic Jewish communities.” While this is an example of how some parts of Orthodoxy are moving towards equality in this country, it will be up to the community in which she lives, whether or not she will be able to assume a leadership role, and that is still a hard course. Florence L. Dann, a fourth year rabbinical student at the Academy for Jewish Religion in LA has been a contributing writer to Jlife since 2004.

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F E AT U R E S

JEWISH WOMEN: FIRST AMONG EQUALS & NEVER SUBSERVIENT Do NOT Mess with Jewish Women BY JOSH NAMM

JUDAISM, AND BY extension, Jewish culture, has always held women in the highest regard. Not the “we’re putting you on a pedestal like a pretty doll” kind of regard, but the “women are central to our culture and traditions and every inch the equals of men” kind of regard. Virtually alone among ancient traditions, Judaism has, literally from the beginning, placed men and women on an equal footing, while still recognizing the inherent differences between the two sexes (and to claim that there are no differences is as silly as saying that water is not wet). Our traditions are infused with images of strong Jewish women. Far from the narrative of patriarchy that comes from some quarters, Judaism has, from the onset, set the tone: women are not to be regarded as secondary. While men and women have separate roles, women are inherently superior in many ways (as any honest man will tell you).

The concept started, as I said, literally, in the beginning: In Genesis, G-d tells Abraham (the patriarch of the Jewish nation) “Whatever Sarah says to you, do.” Why? In Jewish tradition, women are generally seen to be wiser and more spiritual than men (more on that later). The Sages of the Talmud state that “Sarah had a higher degree of prophecy than Abraham” (Shemot Rabbah 1:1). Sarah was closer to G-d than Abraham. The matriarch was closer to what we call “Ribono Shel Olam” (Master of the Universe) than was the patriarch. Our Kabbalistic traditions also go into depth about the feminine and masculine aspects of G-d himself (“him” here is just a weakness in our language, G-d, is neither a him nor a her, but exists in a realm beyond the physical). The list of strong Jewish female role models is long: Sara, Rebecca, Rachel, Leah, Deborah, Miriam, Tzipporah, Hana (from whom we derive the central traditions of the Jewish prayer service), Esther, etc. In more modern times, we see Jewish women active and involved in every aspect of Jewish society. From Golda Meir to my own mother (herself a pioneer in her industry, she was an executive in her twenties during the early 60s) Jewish women, of EVERY generation have proven to be the equals of men. Clearly, Jewish women have never been meant to remain “behind the scenes” nor were they ever comfortable in the “victim” role. Modern American society focuses on the outward manifestations of gender, rather than deeper aspects of what makes each gender special. The Jewish concept of equality is the recognition that men and women are inherently different and each gender must respect, and appreciate, those differences. It is a tragic degradation of the specialness of both genders to suggest that they are identical. Women are, in many ways, superior, so why would anyone want to take that Continued on page 42

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F E AT U R E S Continued from page 41

Golda Meir.

away by insisting on equality as sameness? Does chauvinism exist in the traditional Jewish world? Of course it does. Nobody claims, ever, that all Jewish people are perfect. Nobody is, and that is true for the entire Jewish community. The point though is that, if a guy with a yarmulke eats pork, he is not “Orthodox.” A man who views a woman as not being his equal is also not truly “Orthodox” or traditional. So what is the role of women in Judaism? In traditional Jewish life, women are the central figures in the home. Dancing around that fact would be silly. However, the synagogue, was not, and is not, where the most important parts of Jewish life take place – the home is. In fact, the Torah alludes to the spirituality integral to the Jewish home when it instructs the Jews in the building of the Mishkan (the “Tabernacle.”) Women aren’t required to pray three times a day. That’s not because they are “inferior” (G-d forbid), but because, as was pointed out earlier, they are seen to be on a higher spiritual plane (remember Sarah). None of this means (and this is a mistake that many people make) that women are supposed to be relegated to the home. Our 42 MARCH 2015 |

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equals of their rabbi husbands. In fact, many Orthodox women attend secular universities while the men are ensconced in yeshivas. It is actually more common, in many communities today for women to go to college than men. Those are just two of many examples past and present. Lastly, women in secular society are increasingly objectified. Judaism insists that women dress modestly not because there is anything wrong with the female form. It is because there is something right about the female form. Judaism demands that women are treated with respect and not seen as a sexualized objects (which doesn’t mean that Torah-observant women are not physically beautiful, they are). Women, and men, are traditions put women in charge of the most taught to respect themselves and their bodimportant area of Jewish life. But do Ortho- ies by dressing modestly. The Torah has, as dox women have careers? Of course they do. usual, a lesson about this. While Abraham That many observant women choose to be and Sarah are in Egypt, Sarah’s name is teachers, which is often never mentioned. It is the case, is a testament only when they are in to the centrality and the land of Israel, outimportance of eduside of Egypt, that we cation in Jewish life, hear her name. Why? not an indication that From Golda Meir The Egyptians saw women are secondSarah only as a physical to my own mother, class citizens. Don’t object of beauty, and Jewish women, of we all wish that more not as a full person. EVERY generation young women (and The Torah fully rejects men) in secular society have proven to be Egyptian society and wanted to be teachers? the equals of men. its idol worship. We That said, it is not unhave an entire holiday, common for women in and numerous blessthe traditional world to ings, to remind us of that fact. Before they be doctors, artists, business people etc. are in Egypt and when Abraham and Sarah What about the fact that women aren’t go back to Israel, to the world of Jewish valrabbis? That doesn’t mean that they aren’t ues, she is again called by her name. She is a scholars. From the earliest days of Jewish full person only when she is seen as an equal. nationhood, women were scholars and lead- THAT is the Jewish way. It always has been ers, including Deborah who was a “Judge,” and always will be. A the leader of our people. Today, the wives of Chabad emmisaries are scholars and teach- Josh Namm is a contributing writer to Jlife ers in their own right and are the absolute Magazine.

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VOICES IN THE WILDERNESS Documenting the Struggle of Women Clergy in Israel. BY FLORENCE L. DANN

“MEEKA SIMERLY REALIZED how dif“Public society, whether Jewish or not, is ferent and confusing her path was for many much more a wilderness for women than for people…” men, even in the 21st century,” commented In the United States women increasingly Tamar Frankiel, President of the Academy for participate in rabbinical and cantorial roles Jewish Religion, California. “It is one of the in many synagogues and temples especially cutting edges of our evoluof the Reform, Conservative tion: women engaging with and Jewish Renewal affiliaand confronting structures VOICES IN THE tion. The experience in Israel that restrict women’s and WILDERNESS: has been different, and this men’s full potential.” Emerging Roles of book documents the cases of The idea to express and Israeli Clergywomen women who have entered the document the role of IsraeliEdited by Cantors clergy, as rabbis or cantors, in born clergywomen began Jonathan L. Friedmann when Simerly, a native Israeli, that country in recent years. In “Voices in the Wilderness” and Meeka Simerly visited her home country in women rabbis and cantors the summer of 2010. “I was Goan Publishers from Israel tell their stories invited to a class reunion and 44 MARCH 2015 |

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reconnected with some childhood peers I had not seen in twenty-five years,” she said. “After being asked repeatedly ‘You do what in America?’ it became clear to me that the population in Israel lacks an appreciation of the role of female clergy in Israel and the Diaspora. Being a female Reform cantor is especially difficult for Israelis to comprehend. With the contradictions of growing up in an ultra-secular in a Zionist Israeli environment to now serving as a Reform cantor in the United States, Simerly realized how different and confusing her path was for many people, including my own family members in Israel. “ “This uniqueness has made me feel somewhat isolated,” said Simerly, “but has also made me curious about the dichotomy of women’s experience.” On the one hand, there is a growing religious fanaticism that has spilled over into women throwing stones at other women in the Western Wall. On the other hand, there is a visibly growing trend of provocative (and sometimes-promiscuous) young women dressed in mini-skirts and espousing the “YouTube-star-for-a-day” ethos.” I wanted to find out how other Israeli clergywomen, who represent a growing group of influential people in our world, found themselves in their unique positions.” “The stories of women rabbis and cantors are the voices that have been missing for centuries,” wrote Rabbi Naamah Kelmand of the Hebrew Union College - Jewish Institute of Religion. “This book brings a collection of extraordinary women from the wilderness closer to the Promised Land; to the place where their Torah, their music, their creativity is a blessing to the entire Jewish people.” A Florence L. Dann, a fourth year rabbinical student at the Academy for Jewish Religion in LA has been a contributing writer to Jlife since 2004.

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F E AT U R E S

FIFTY GOLDEN YEARS Temple Beth Tikvah celebrates its 50th Anniversary. BY LISA GRAJEWSKI, PSY.D.

Rabbi Haim and Elaine Asa with Aviva and Ariel in 1966

LIKE MANY ORANGE County synagogues, Temple Beth Tikvah started out in a kitchen over 50 years ago. Throughout the next few months TBT will celebrate and remember the synagogueâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s history, culminating with a gala on May 2. From the first services for High Holy Days at the Fullerton Ebell Club to its current permanent home that provides regular religious services, religious school, a full service pre46 MARCH 2015 |

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school, and the new Asa Center for Lifelong Jewish Learning, TBT has provided North Orange County Jews with a place to call home. It has not always been this permanent. At one point, the community found refuge in a fraternity house in Brea and the local YMCA. The wandering became part of the synagogueâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s culture. The humble beginnings also included a church, so religious school programs had

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BEFORE & AFTER: Joseph & Alyssa Bloomfield with Sebastian & Natassia Feldman in 2005, then again in 2015 at the Asa Center.

to be held on Saturdays. But, according to Miriam Van Raalte, Director of Education and Temple Administrator, “the synagogue made the best of its circumstances and saw the opportunity to provide students with an authentic Jewish experience by attending services on Shabbat.” Religious School is still held on Shabbat. A lack of permanence did not seem to impede congregants or Religious School students the synagogue has developed rabbis, cantors, educators, and professionals in the Orange County Jewish community, and communities around the world. Says Van Raalte, “Temple Beth Tikvah has sent hundreds of students to Jewish camps and Israel programs. A good number of these students have made aliyah to Israel.” Two of TBT’s Religious School students went on to serve in the IDF, one of whom is still living in Israel. An Intimate History Van Raalte is a product of Temple Beth Tikvah. After moving here in the seventh grade, Van Raalte and her parents became members of the synagogue. In high school she served as the Religious School secretary, going on to become a Religious School and Hebrew teacher. She was there for the synagogue’s 25th anniversary, becoming the Religious School Director. Finally, in 2000, Van Raalte assumed the role of Temple Administrator a position she currently holds today. The history of rabbis has been less consistent. During the early years of the synagogue

two student rabbis served the congregation before Rabbi Haim Asa z”l assumed the role for 30 years (he retired in 1996). A few other rabbis have followed, Rabbi Ned Soltz took the bima for five years, followed by Rabbi Kenneth Milhander who served as rabbi for 12 years. Currently, Temple Beth Tikvah awaits their new leadership, “We look forward to a new chapter of rabbinic leadership beginning this July,” says Van Raalte. Cantor Michael Avdee has been with the synagogue for 27 years. During his tenure he has led two generations of students through junior, teen and adult choirs; bar and bat mitzvah training; and led the congregation through High Holiday and Shabbat services. Avdee who is excited about the upcoming Jubilee and offered the following, “Mazel Tov to everybody involved, especially to the longtime congregants who have kept TBT’s spirit alive all these years. It’s been both an honor and a privilege for me to be associated with Temple Beth Tikvah!” The synagogue provides a full-service preschool popular not only with members of the synagogue, but many families living in North Orange County as well. The preschool, led by Natalie Wirtzer, provides half and full day school and Jewish programing Monday through Friday. In addition, Temple Beth Tikvah provides once a month “Tot Shabbat” for young families that include a service, programming and dinner appropriate for the youngest congregants. Like Moses leading the Israelites through

the desert, Temple Beth Tikvah has had its own time wandering through Orange County. But it has now settled in North Orange County — ready to celebrate 50 years. Van Raalte said it was done with a lot of “luck and sweat,” but it is more than that. Tikvah means hope and hope seems a more appropriate word to explain the 50 years leading up to this event. Hard work, luck, and sweat built the dream, but hope has kept the dream alive. A Message from Temple Beth Tikvah We look forward to continued growth, with a nostalgic look back, and an eye on the future. At the Jubilee we will be honoring the decades of those who have been part of the temple. We are looking for alumni to join us and hope anyone who has been part of our family will join us on May 2 for “Temple Beth Tikvah’s Golden Jubilee… Writing The Next Chapter.” The evening will include the gala, a tribute book and silent auction. For details on the gala or to contribute the tribute book, contact Temple Beth Tikvah at (714) 871-3535. A Dr. Lisa Grajewski is a therapist with Jewish Federation & Family Services in Orange County and an Adjunct Professor at Argosy University and The Chicago School of Professional Psychology. Dr. Grajewski has been with Jlife Magazine since 2004.

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NEVER FORGET

Remembering Liberation 70 Years Later BY LISA GRAJEWSKI, PSY.D.

Walter Lachman & Ralph Carabaugh

“Remember this day, on which you went free from Egypt, the house of bondage, how Adonai freed you from it with a mighty hand ....” -Exodus 13:3 The liberation of Europe at the end of World War II was complete on May 8, 1945, with Germany’s surrender. However prior to the surrender American, Russian, and British troops rolled across Europe and came upon sights and scenes that remain embedded in the minds of those still living 70 years later. The unspeakable and unbelievable inhumanity of 50 MARCH 2015 |

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mankind was revealed again and again, in the early months of 1945, as soldiers found their way upon the result of the Nazi’s deranged and tyrannical 12-year rule. While survivors emerged from forests, barns, attics, and concentration camps, Allied soldiers discovered horrors that even war could not match. Jack Pariser is busy – and he is difficult to get hold of. At 85 he teaches a course on genocide at Chapman University, but he has not always been comfortable talking about his experience. Born in Jablowa, Poland, Pariser went into hiding shortly before his 13th birthday. In September 1942, he and his family hid in the woods and was eventually hidden by a Polish family. But like many during the war, the family was betrayed and sent to jail. “We escaped by cutting through the wall...,” says Pariser. They returned to a Polish family and hid under floorboards of a barn until liberation by the Russians in January 1945. “People continued to kill Jews [in Poland],” says Pariser, so the family fled, making their way through Russia, Czechoslovakia, the American Zone, and eventually to the United States in 1949. Pariser would not speak about the Holocaust, “Until the deniers came along.” When Holocaust denial groups, like Orange County’s Mark Weber, erupted, Pariser got involved. In addition to teaching classes on preventing genocide, Pariser supports a man in Poland who finds mass burial graves left over from the Holocaust and buys the land to design and place monuments on the area. Walter Lachman was born to a middle class family in Berlin, Germany in 1928. When the Nazis came to power in 1933 Lachman

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was just getting started in school. “I didn’t notice much of what was happening around me,” he said. Life continued to grow more difficult. At the age of nine, his mother died of Leukemia and two years later his father died of Tuberculosis. Taken in by his grandmother, the Nazi restrictions continued to grow more severe until they eventually ended up in the Riga Ghetto in Latvia. One day after arriving home from work sorting clothes, Lachman discovered his grandmother was gone. “I had been a sheltered and needy child… And all of a sudden my grandmother was gone.” Lachman found out that the Nazis had taken her along with other elderly Jews, and murdered them in the forest. “It was the most difficult days of my life. There was no one to tell me what to do. At 14, I was suddenly responsible for myself.” At 16 Lachman was sent to Bergen Belsen to die. With little food and even less water, prisoners were full of lice and most had typhus. “The hardest days of my life were the day I discovered my grandmother was gone and the last few weeks in Bergen-Belsen.” After liberation Lachman eventually made it to America, married an American, and had two daughters that live in Orange County. His wife died four years ago. Lachman was another survivor who never talked about the horrors of the Holocaust. “… But as I’ve gotten older I’ve realized it’s time to speak up.” Ralph Carbaugh may have seen Walter Lachman at Bergen-Belsen, but he cannot be sure. An Army Engineer, Carbaugh was part of the 9th American Army that followed the British into Belsen. “The Brits had liberated the camp and needed our equipment for disease control.” Carbaugh had just had his 20th birthday and 70 years later he still remembers the sights, sounds and smells. The concentration camp was not expected – the 9th Army had been building bridges across Europe to help the push into Germany. Three days after the British liberation of Bergen-Belsen many of the survivors were still wandering around in tattered clothes, some were naked. “We didn’t know what to make of it,” says Carbaugh. “We were just kids.” What Carbaugh did know is “It took a tough person to come out of that and work his way back into humanity.” Like the survivors, Carbaugh was not prepared to talk about his experience at Bergen

Jack Pariser

Belsen and spent many years trying to forget it. But he has since opened up to his family and told his story. Decades after those awful days in 1945, Carbaugh met Lachman at a gathering in Orange County. However, neither recognized the other. “Even if I had seen [Lachman] I don’t know that I would have recognized him.” The stories shared here are limited by space and so much more can be said for the lives featured in this article. But the message is clear: Never again… And even now, 70 years after the Holocaust, we should be mindful of why every Pesach we dip, eat and sing in memory, and celebration of, our liberation. According to Cally Clein, Coordinator, Holocaust Survivor Services at Jewish Federation & Family Services, approximately 300 survivors reside in Orange County. Many may not realize they may qualify for some sort of assistance. JFFS is reaching out to all Holocaust survivors (those born or who lived under Nazi occupation – country specific, January 1933 to February 8, 1946). A Dr. Lisa Grajewski is a therapist with Jewish Federation & Family Services in Orange County and an Adjunct Professor at Argosy University and The Chicago School of Professional Psychology. Dr. Grajewski has been with Jlife Magazine since 2004.

The unspeakable and unbelievable inhumanity of mankind was revealed again and again. Jlife

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F E AT U R E S

TEMPLE JUDEA’S TH 50 ANNIVERSARY

PHOTO COURTESY OF ANDREW STRAUSS STUDIO

A golden opportunity to celebrate.

2015 Officers at our 50th Anniversary: Treasurer Brian Probolsky, VP’s Laura Feigenbaum, Dolores Cohen, Rita Frazer, Michele Dorris, President Lorie Clayton, Secretary Lisse Wukelich with Rabbi Dennis Linson.

A ‘Golden’ time was had by all who attended Temple Judea’s Fiftieth Anniversary Gala Dinner and celebration which was held on January 11, 2015. The room was full with close to 200 smiling, beautiful people. The food was delicious. The entertainment was truly a ‘show stopper,’ and the music, which played all night, which resulted in a full dance floor. And, of course, the highlight of the evening was the Honorees Ceremony during which the Temple’s past presidents Julius Schwartz, Ed Fleishman, Paul Feigenbaum, Seymour Wellikson, Richard Weitzman, and Morty Braver were honored. These well-deserved gentlemen received the recognition due to them by a grateful congregation. Tributes and 54 MARCH 2015 |

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legacy gifts may still be donated in support of ‘The Next Fifty Years” campaign. Temple Judea has been able to thrive for the past five decades because of its strong lay leadership and a tradition of volunteering. Fifty years ago, starting in 1965, when Temple Judea first began, it was considered to be well ahead of its time. Like many of today’s independent minyans in several major metro areas which are headed not by a rabbi or professional clergy, Temple Judea was led by volunteer members who took turns leading the services and supporting each other in their pursuit of Judaism. Temple Judea continued to be volunteer-led for 40 years without full-time clergy, either

Rabbis or Cantors. After 40 years of volunteer leadership, it was felt that full-time professional spiritual leadership was needed to guide the congregation into the twenty-first century. During 2005, the Temple’s leadership worked judiciously to create a full-time spiritual leader position. In 2006, that goal was realized with the engagement of the congregation’s first fulltime spiritual leader. The congregation has been evolving and now includes a Hebrew school and bnai mitzvah training, according to Rabbi Dennis Linson. “Temple Judea’s building sits on a major thoroughfare with easy freeway access; is not situated behind any gates; and serves people who live all over Orange County,” he said. In the same location for 50 years – Temple Judea includes a 300 permanent-seat sanctuary that expands to hold up to 900 seats, a social hall that can seat 225 for sit-down dining, separate meat and dairy kitchens, classrooms, offices, a chapel where minyans are held Monday and Thursdays and an outdoor playground. While located on Moulton Parkway in Laguna Woods, Temple Judea’s members come from Anaheim, Irvine, Mission Viejo, Lake Forest, Aliso Viejo, Laguna Beach, Laguna Niguel, Laguna Hills, San Clemente, Coto de Caza and Trabuco Canyon. Family memberships are offered at $800 per year. Individual adult membership is $350 per year. Temple Judea is located at 24512 Moulton Pkwy, one block south of El Toro Road. All memberships include Hebrew school classes and High Holy Day tickets. Single–parent family memberships are offered at $450 per year. The phone number is: (949) 830-0470. For more information, log onto: www.templejudealw.org or send an e-mail to the temple at tjoffice@templejudealw.org. A

PHOTO BY QUENTIN BACON

A&E

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What is it about a chopped salad that makes it seem so “fancy?”

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A&E

PHOTO BY NICK ULIVIERI

Our heroine Queen Esther was a vegetarian!

Seconds please!

BEYOND HAMANTASCHEN Add a new twist to your Purim celebration. BY JUDY BART KANCIGOR

Let’s play association. I say the holiday; you name the food. Rosh Hashanah? Honey cake. Pesach? Matzo. Shavuos? Cheesecake. Purim? Hamantaschen. Sure, we adore those three-cornered cookies that recall the three-cornered hat supposedly worn by the evil Haman, and no Purim celebration would be complete without them, but add some lesser-known symbols of the holiday and shake up the celebration. Vegetarians rejoice! When Queen Esther married King Ahasuerus and moved into the palace, according to tradition, she followed a vegetarian – dare we say vegan – diet consisting mainly of beans, grains and fruits so that she would not break the laws of kashrut. For this reason, it is customary in some communities to eat beans on Purim. A simple way to honor this tradition, and the heroic woman who inspired, it is to include on your Purim table the salad whimsically titled “You’ve Been Chopped” from “Balaboosta: Bold Mediterranean Flavors to Feed the People You Love,” (Artisan, $29.95) by Einat Admony. “This salad is basically a collection of random ingredients, inspired by memories of my days working at the Spanish restaurant Bolo in New York,” recalls Admony, “where they had what is probably the best chopped salad on the planet.”

Navigating New York streets on her hot pink Vespa, Admony, a winner on Food Network’s “Chopped,” and chef-owner of Balaboosta, Bar Bolonat, and the Taïm restaurants in New York City, is hardly what you might expect of a traditional balaboosta (Yiddish for consummate homemaker). “A balaboosta is, traditionally, a perfect housewife who runs a happy home, but today it’s trickier,’ she says. “Most women work outside their homes, managing careers and kids. I chose the name because it’s warm and reflects who I am, a modern balaboosta who figures out how to build a successful career without neglecting my husband and my family.” The 143 easy-to-follow recipes reflect Admony’s Yemenite and Persian roots. Her chatty, engaging patter draws you into her kitchen as a welcome guest. Chapter headings mirror her exuberant personality: “Hurry, hurry, hurry: Quick and easy meals,” “Just the two of us: Romantic dishes,” “Fat like me: Healthier options,” Fancyschmancy: Restaurant worthy dishes.” “In “Food, Family and Tradition: Hungarian Kosher Family Recipes and Remembrances,” (The Cherry Press, $35) Lynn Kirsche Shapiro chronicles the story of her parents, Sandor and Margit Kirsche, holocaust survivors and founders of Hungarian Kosher Foods, the largest

kosher supermarket in the Midwest, and by extension she celebrates the resilience and courage of all Holocaust survivors through food and stories. “After I started putting this book together,” explains Shapiro, “I understood that my family’s recipes and history were part of a larger world: the traditional Jewish life in Czechoslovakia and Hungary before the Holocaust. Many books have been written to educate others and to bear witness to the events and atrocities of the Holocaust. My book also attempts to give a picture of the richness of Jewish life in Eastern Europe prior to the Holocaust. Strong family traditions were the bedrock on which our parents, and so many of the Holocaust survivors, were raised.” In addition to hamantaschen, for Purim Shapiro’s mother’s family traditionally baked a filled yeast cake called “kindle,” which calls for egg yolks, as well as meringue kisses, (which used up the leftover egg whites). “My mother and her mother baked for hours on end. This custom continues in our family today,” she says. In her mother’s hometown of Vásárosnamény, Hungary, she recalls, it was customary, after the reading of the megillah on Purim, to have a Purim Schpiel, a satirical spoof. “My mother recalls the entire kehilla (community) was invited to the schpiel. To enhance the sense of peoplehood and community for Purim, families baked cakes and other goodies, such as hamantaschen, as well as aranygaluska (yeast dumplings,) kindle and meringue kisses to send as shalach manos (Purim baskets) to neighborhood friends. Traditionally, the children in my parents’ towns looked forward to delivering the food baskets and receiving a few pennies from each recipient. The yeshiva bochurim (students) would go from house to house dancing, singing, entertaining the families with small performances, and then, in the afternoon, each family enjoyed a Purim seudah, a festive meal with delicacies. We always waited eagerly for the roasted duck that my mother served each year.”

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Strong family traditions were the bedrock on which our parents, and so many of the Holocaust survivors, were raised.

You’ve Been Chopped

“When there’s a little more time, fresh corn and freshly cooked black beans are better, but sometimes my grumbling stomach tells me otherwise,” says Admony. Serves 4-6 LIME VINAIGRETTE

Kindle Cake

“Unlike other yeast-based pastries, the characteristic texture of kindle depends on the dough not rising,” says Shapiro. “This cake freezes well, and can be made in advance. “ Makes 2 (15-inch) rolls

3 tablespoons olive oil 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

FOR THE FILLING:

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1⁄2 cup preserves (raspberry, apricot, or lekvar)

Pinch freshly ground black pepper

1 cup finely chopped toasted walnuts

Pinch sugar

3/4 cup sugar 1 teaspoon cinnamon

SALAD 5-6 fistfuls baby spinach, sliced into thin strips (julienned, if you’re fancy) 1 cup drained canned corn kernels 1 cup drained and rinsed canned black beans 1 small red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and cut into small cubes (about 1 cup) 1/3 cup store-bought crispy shallots or fried onions 1 small avocado, cut into small cubes

2⁄3 cup raisins 2 tablespoons honey FOR THE DOUGH: 3 cups flour ½ cup sugar 1 teaspoon baking powder 1⁄8 teaspoon baking soda Pinch salt Zest of 1/2 lemon

1 jalapeño chile, cored, seeded, and cut into small cubes

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro or basil

Scant 1/2 cup oil

3 egg yolks 1/2 cup seltzer water

1 Slowly whisk olive oil into lime juice. Whisk in salt, pepper, and sugar.

1 teaspoon active dry yeast

Source: Balaboosta by Einat Admony

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ingredients. In medium bowl, mix together lemon juice, zest, eggs and oil. Pour seltzer into small bowl. Dissolve yeast in seltzer.

4 Immediately (yeast is not allowed to rise) make indentation in middle of flour. Add egg and yeast mixtures and mix. Knead dough until smooth and comes off your hands. (Or mix in stand mixer fitted with dough hook. Mix until dough is smooth and comes off sides, making a ball.) Do not let dough rise.

5 Roll out dough on floured surface into

12 by 24-inch or 14 by 26-inch rectangle. Spread preserves in thin layer on dough up to one inch of edge. Sprinkle walnut mixture over preserves; scatter raisins over all. Drizzle honey evenly over filling.

6 Starting with long side, roll tightly.

Moisten edge and pinch to seal. Place on parchment paper-lined cookie sheet. Cut cake in half and with your hands, spread gently to lengthen it to around 15-16 inches. Pierce top of each roll with fork every 2 inches along top. In small bowl, mix egg and water for egg wash. With pastry brush, brush top and sides of cake with egg wash.

7 Bake in center of oven until golden

brown, 25-30 minutes. Cool to room temperature and cut into thin slices to serve.

Adapted from “Food, Family and Tradition” by Lynn Kirsche Shapiro

1 egg beaten with 1 teaspoon water

2 Toss all salad ingredients together with

lime vinaigrette. It doesn’t get any easier than this!

3 In large bowl, mix together dry

1 Assemble filling ingredients. Mix together walnuts, sugar and cinnamon.

2 Preheat oven to 350°F. Line cookie sheet with parchment paper.

Jlife food Editor Judy Bart Kancigor is the author of “Cooking Jewish” (Workman) and “The Perfect Passover Cookbook” (an e-book short from Workman), a columnist and feature writer for the Orange County Register and other publications and can be found on the web at www.cookingjewish.com.

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Call (562) 981-8300 www.blueberryhillcatering.net Jlife

| MARCH 2015 59

out&about Weezer

BURGERAMA TWO-DAY FESTIVAL Burger Records host its annual two-day music festival at the Observatory in Santa Ana on Sat and Sun, March 28 and 29. This year’s event features a grand lineup with Weezer, Ty Segall, Fidlar, Black Lips, and Ariel Pink as headliners.

GEORGE BENSON

THE CHIEFTAINS

SLEEPING BEAUTY

George Benson will be in the Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall on March 27 performing his chart-topping hits, which include “On Broadway,” “This Masquerade” and “Give Me the Night.” Benson will pay tribute to one of his great musical inspirations in his show entitled, “Inspiration: a Tribute to Nat King Cole.”

Get a little luck of the Irish as the Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall welcome back the Chieftains on March 19 through 21. For over the course of 53 years and 58 albums, the Chieftains have popularized their country’s rich musical heritage, bringing attention and affection to traditional Irish music.

The American Ballet Theatre returns to the Segerstrom Center with the world premiere of its new production. The Sleeping Beauty March 3 through 8 with choreography by Marius Petipa and ABT Artist in Residence, Alexei Ratmansky. It’s ballet on the grandest scale that all unfolds to Tchaikovsky’s ravishing score, performed live by the Pacific Symphony.

LONDON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA On March 28, The Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall will be taken over by the London Symphony Orchestra. Enjoy London’s oldest symphony orchestra as it makes its triumphant return to Orange County. Conductor Michael Tilson Thomas leads the London Symphony and worldrenowned pianist Yuja Wang.

ENTERTAINMENT GUIDE | March 2015

Benjamin Beilman Virtuoso violinist, Benjamin Beilman joins conductor Carl St. Clair and the Pacific Symphony for a night of Baroque orchestral performances on the SOKA campus March 29 at 3 p.m. as part of the SOKA Performing Arts Center series. Beilman will showcase his talents playing the challenging Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto. The symphony will also be playing Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto No. 3, followed by the seldom-performed Serenade in E-flat Major by Strauss. In 2010, Beilman won the First Prize in the Young Concert Artists International Auditions and YCA’s Helen Armstrong Violin Fellowship. His unique style of playing has been broadcasted on NPR’s Performance Today and From the Top, Classical radio New York’s McGrawHill Financial Young Artists Showcase and Chicago’s Classical radio station’s show Impromptu. Beilman studied with Almita and Roland Vamos at the Music Institute of Chicago, Ida Kavafian and Pamela Frank at the Curtis Institute of Music and Christian Tetzlaff at the Kronberg Academy. He plays an “ex-Mary Portman” Guarneri del Gesù, Cremona, from 1735

on loan from Clement and Karen Arrison through the generous efforts of the Stradivari Society of Chicago. Beilman, 21, has performed in Carnegie Hall’s Stern Auditorium with the New York Youth Symphony as well as with the San Francisco Symphony, Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, the Fort Worth Symphony, the Buffalo Philharmonic, the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, the Chicago Philharmonic, and the Detroit Symphony Orchestra. He made his Carnegie Hall debut at Weill Recital Hall last season in a program that included the premiere

of a new work by David Ludwig, commissioned for him by Carnegie Hall. His many achievements include being the recipient of a prestigious 2014 Borletti-Buitoni Trust Fellowship, a 2012 Avery Fisher Career Grant and a 2012 London Music Masters Award. This season, he makes his Alice Tully Hall solo debut, performing the Sibelius Concerto with the Orchestra of St. Luke’s and Gerard Schwarz. Considering himself an avid chamber musician, Beilman performs regularly with the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center both in New York and

on tour. He is also a frequent guest artist at chamber music festivals. Beilman collaborates abroad at the Kronberg Academy in Frankfurt, Spectrum Concerts Berlin, the Verbier Festival in Switzerland, and at the Young Concert Artists Festivals in Tokyo and Beijing. Beilman recorded Prokofiev’s complete sonatas for violin on the Analekta label in 2011. He won the Bronze Medal at the 2010 International Violin Competition of Indianapolis as well as prizes for the best Bach performance and Mozart sonata performance.

Benjamin Beilman

A&E

“Nobody puts ‘Baby’ in the corner.”

What are some of the similarities and differences between your character Neil and the movie character Neil? In the movie he was very snobby and a little creepy. But in my version Neil is likeable, he tries hard, he wants to honor his family.

I’m always interested in the audition process — what was it like for you? Was there anything in particular that you did in the room that won you the role? I did feel that I had a unique

DIRTY DANCING LEAPS INTO OUR HEARTS The stage version comes to the O.C. BY TANYA SCHWIED

THE CLASSIC STORY of a sheltered 17-year-old girl appropriately nicknamed “Baby” who finds unlikely love with a smooth dance instructor at a Catskill Mountain resort called Kellerman’s in the summer of 1963. The 2014-2015 tour of Dirty Dancing: The Classic Story Onstage comes to the Segerstrom Hall here in Orange County and Jesse Liebman plays the character of Neil Kellerman. Jesse is thrilled to be on his first US National Tour. After graduating from Princeton University with a degree in Classics, Jesse attended The New Actors Workshop conservatory in NYC, where he studied with Mike Nichols and George Morrison. On film, Jesse got his break in the Marc Lawrence comedy “Did You 62 MARCH 2015 |

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Hear About The Morgans?,” in which he costarred with Hugh Grant, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Elisabeth Moss. Jesse is also a lead on the HBO/Cinemax series “The Girl’s Guide To Depravity.” I recently had the chance to speak with him, during his very busy tour schedule.

Were you a fan of the movie before going out for the role? I remember my older brother telling me he saw it and I wasn’t allowed to see it — that impacted me and I wanted to know what everyone was talking about. But recently when I was offered the role of Neil I made the conscious decision not to watch the movie again — I was able to find my own connection to the material.

sense of the role — in one scene I extended my arm and almost sheltered Baby — that instinct was trying to infantilize her and protect her because that’s what a man does — I think that gesture made a difference.

What’s the one thing you want the audience to walk away with after seeing your show? I think everyone is nostalgic for the era this music ushered in. It was a simpler time — we were filled with high-minded ideals, girls were coming of age through music and dancing became sexually liberating. Baby is confronted with a world that bursts her protective bubble wide open and that’s exciting to watch. The dancers are phenomenal and the music and live singing transports you.

What’s next for you? Well, pilot season is starting in NY — auditions and more auditions. I will head right back to look for work. Ah, the life of an actor. Jesse lives in Brooklyn with his beautiful wife, Kimiye Corwin, and they just welcomed a beautiful baby girl. For more information on Jesse please visit www.jesseliebmanactor.com. For information on upcoming shows please call (714) 556-2787 or visit www.scfta.org for tickets. A Tanya Schwied graduated from New York University, studied abroad in Israel, and currently works for the CEO and President of Jewish Federation & Family Services.

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News&Jews OC JEWISH SCENE | MARCH 2015

Lost Art Lecture Mystery writer Lynne Kennedy is on the hunt for a painting by Vincent van Gogh, which vanished during the Nazi occupation of France in World War II. While researching her latest novel, Kennedy learned that the oil on canvas, called Still Life: Vase with Oleanders, disappeared in 1944. Inspired by this extraordinary story, Kennedy penned Deadly Provenance, and created a fictional solution to the missing artwork. In reality, the painting remains lost and its whereabouts have caused mass speculation. Come to Bower’s Museum on March 28 at 1:30 p.m. to hear author Lynne Kennedy lecture on this fascinating subject. Bowers is located at 2002 North Main Street, Santa Ana, Ca. For more info please visit www.bowers.org.

Hershey Felder Entertains Laguna Playhouse Patrons Musical artist Hershey Felder, currently starring in “Hershey Felder As Irving Berlin,” surprised and delighted 150 Laguna Playhouse donors and board members with a special exclusive Russian-themed evening of music and merriment in a beautiful Laguna Beach ocean-view home. “It was a magical evening, and a true “Hershey” experience. Every morsel and musical note was designed by Hershey, who is as adept in the kitchen cooking as he is on stage performing. For information on Laguna Playhouse performances and Artist Salons, visit www.lagunaplayhouse.com.

Jack Miles at Congregation B’ Nai Israel Elie Spitz, rabbi at Congregation B’nai Israel, will interview Jack Miles about his own religious journey and his evaluation of world religions today. Jack Miles is the author of the Pulitzer Prize winning book, God: A Biography and the editor of the new three-volume Norton Anthology of World Religions. He is Distinguished Professor of English at UC, Irvine. The interview will take place on Sunday, March 15, 2015 at 7:00 p.m. at Congregation B’nai Israel, 2111 Bryan Avenue, Tustin. 66 MARCH 2015 |

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News&Jews

PHOTO BY GREGG FELSEN

Just in Time for Passover! Temple Bat Yahm welcomes Peter Walsh, world renown clutter organizer, March 4, 2015, in preparation for Passover. Walsh is a frequent contributor on Oprah Winfrey Network and Discovery Channel. It is Spring Cleaning time. If your stuff has taken over your life, Walsh can help you begin to make the permanent changes needed to live a clutter free life. Lunchtime event. For details contact Temple Bat Yahm at (949) 644-1999. (left to right) Event Co-chair Patrick Mundt, Event Co-chair Dr. Jeralyn Brossfield, Honorary Chair Barbara Keller, Honorary Chair Jerry Keller, Honorary Chair Harold Matzner, and keynote speaker Andy Faas.

Coachella Valley Welcomes Israel Cancer Research Fund On January 15, 2015, over 100 guests were in attendance at the inaugural Israel Cancer Research Fund luncheon graciously hosted by Honorary Co-chairs Barbara & Jerry Keller at their elegant LuLuâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s California Bistro. Honorary Co-chair Harold Matzner, along with Event Co-chairs Patrick Mundt and Dr. Jeralyn Brossfield were also on hand to greet guests. Israel Cancer Research Fund has been around for 40 years, and is one of the largest nationwide charitable organization in North America solely devoted to supporting cancer research in Israel. The event featured keynote speaker Andrew Faas a leukemia survivor. Many medications used by current cancer patients are a direct result of the amazing scientific breakthroughs of the Israel Cancer Research Fund scientists who have dedicated their lives to curing cancer.

Get in Shape and Lift Your Sprit in 2015 Positive Energy Dance Center, in Lake Forest CA, has launched a dance fitness program to help women keep their 2015 New Yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Resolution and have fun while doing it. They offer three dance fitness classes during the week to lift the spirit and the heart rate at the same time. If you are looking for a new way to get in shape, dance your way to better health at Positive Energy Dance Center. For more information, go to positiveenergydancecenter.com. Jlife

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LAUGHING IT OFF IN ORANGE COUNTY

Purim Predicament What to do when Lady Gaga reigns “cool.” Dear N., My gorgeous 12-year-old daughter Madison has to prepare an outfit for her youth group’s Purim party. I volunteered to put together a lovely Esther costume, but she’ll have none of it. She insists on dressing as Lady Gaga! Have you ever heard anything so crazy? — Exasperated Ima Dear Exasperated, No, I have not (except maybe for that time a Jewish couple named their kid “Madison.” But then again, which famous female really sets a better example for your municipally named little girl? Let’s review: As the Book of Esther opens, the Persian king Ahasuerus, whom the Greeks called Xerxes, is in a good mood. And why not? The

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Persian legions had recently defeated Leonidas and his cadre of 300 at Thermopylae. Forget the riches to be gained by looting Sparta and Athens — the movie rights alone are worth millions! And so the Persians celebrate. After a few days of partying like it’s 1999 BCE, the king summons his wife, Vashti. The queen, whose name translates roughly as “Gloria Steinem,” sends back word that she doesn’t appreciate being summoned, and “His Highness” can expect to sleep on the royal couch until further notice. Yada yada, next thing you know, Vashti is out and Esther is in. Meantime, the evil Haman doesn’t like Jews and gets the king’s permission to have them all executed. Ester’s uncle Mordechai hatches a plan that is very risky for Esther (but for him, not so

much). In the end, the Jews win by slaughtering their enemies in a series of bloody and close fought battles. In commemoration, we celebrate by drinking heavily, because as those victorious Jews would eventually discover, in those days there were few really effective pharmaceutical options for treating PTSD.

have somebody flogged.

Exasperated, do you really want your Wisconsonymous offspring to show up at her Zionist youth group dressed as a symbol of unengaged diaspora Jewry? I think not. Put down your sewing needle, run to the kosher butcher and transform your daughter into her meat-attired Esther’s Uncle TRANSFORM idol. Esther may Mortie ends up YOUR have feasted in a big macher in the throne room DAUGHTER Shushan, while of one of the INTO HER the queen herself greatest empires is simply never MEAT-ATTIRED in history, but mentioned again, IDOL. Gaga (named for as is appropriate the favorite sport given her gender. of Jewish camps You may be sureverywhere) has prised to learn, though, that, unlike Miss Gaga, had take-out falafel from a kiosk there’s no record that either of on Ben Yehuda Street. Decide for them ever took so much as a yourself who is the greater role long holiday weekend in the Holy model. Land. What’s their excuse? A — N. weeks-long ride on a smelly, cantankerous camel still beats coach on El Al. And if you find yourself N. Troyer believes that every day waiting an hour to be served a should be Purim. The other library cup of coffee, you can at least patrons do not seem to agree.

CROSSWORD

Pesach Prep

BY: Yoni Glatt } EDITOR: DavidBenkof@gmail.com } DIFFICULTY LEVEL: Easy

HINT: 23 ACROSS

DOWN 1 Balaam’s animal 2 Lashon Hara opening

41 The oldest man on Earth, four thousand years ago

4 Like some Chagall fans

42 Seder starting step

5 Word found in many Israeli institution names

45 “___-haw!” (interjection from Kinky Friedman and the Texas Jewboys)

7 A minor prophet

49 Org Israel is an ally - but not a member - of

8 Where some Jews once fought for sport (or their lives)

50 Where some treif animals oink from 52 Rabbi Isaac Luria

ACROSS

30 Way to cook 40-Across

54 Prepare for Passover

1 Father of Moses

31 Maj. Gen. Jack Weinstein might stump for it

57 Ahava ingredient

9 CBS show produced by Jerry Bruckheimer

59 “___ Jewish?” (Avi Hoffman one-man show)

10 Josephus, e.g.

9 Many shuls have one for Elijah 14 Israeli-born Jew 15 Marc Roberge and Benj Gershman’s rock band with a nautical name

33 Clock setting in Crown Heights or Williamsburg, abbr 35 Musical instrument in the title of Roman Polanski’s 2002 Holocaust film

60 Sat. delivery 61 Prepare for Passover 67 Genre for folk musician Regina Spektor

38 Like a ball used by Jay Fiedler

3 Stat. for Hank Greenberg

6 Part of the Jerusalem Post’s web address

6 The “Cohen gene” is made up of it

37 With “the,” a chuppah number to dress to

54 Bubbie might make Jewish penicillin (chicken soup) for them

11 They might be felt the day after running the Jerusalem marathon

55 Prime Numbers setting?

12 Swedish superstore with locations in Netanya and Rishon LeTzion

57 Alicia Silverstone’s “Clueless” catchphrase

56 Suze of CNBC

13 A Friend

58 “Girls” girl Dunham

68 It covered Noah’s Ark

18 Word after Hillel or Chabad

62 “Amen!”

40 Seder bone

69 First name in commentaries

17 Prepare for Passover

63 Sound at a bris

43 Tel follower

20 TV network that adapted an Israeli series into “Homeland”

44 Like the Ten Commandments

70 The Jewish calendar has six main ones

19 Make like a bubbie to a grandchild

16 “Son of Sam” David Berkowitz, e.g.

21 Julio knows one? 22 They might be served after Shabbat lunch 23 Prepare for Passover 28 “___ gezunt!” (Yiddish for “As long as you have your health!” 29 Grp. that may (or may not) work with Mossad at times

39 Setting for David O. Selznick’s “Gone with the Wind”

46 Traif wrap?

71 Like Hodel (at first) in “Fiddler on The Roof”

47 Foch who played Pharaoh’s daughter in “The Ten Commandments”

72 Jerusalem zoomed in on a map, e.g.

48 Where some might watch “The Goldbergs” 51 Letters that might stop a gonif 53 Casspi hopes to hit nothing but this

23 Krusty’s number one fan (et. al.) 24 German W.W. II menace 25 Father-in-law of Moses 26 You could get one hiking around the Catskills

64 Middle of Jerusalem? 65 Start of 189 “Seinfeld” episode titles 66 One won’t be on Adam Levine’s face in his Proactiv ads

27 Shoot Han Solo’s gun 32 Like a shabbat table 34 Part of a Dr Brown’s can 36 ___ Malkeinu

Watch this spot next month for the answers! Jlife

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NEXTGEN OC KICKS THINGS OFF! OC’s young professionals sparked their philanthropy on Saturday, January 31 at NextGen OC’s Ignite campaign kickoff event. Couples and singles enjoyed each other’s company while showing their support and strengthening Jewish Orange County through their philanthropic support of JFFS. NextGen participants enjoyed a gourmet dinner, live music, an open bar, photo booth, and incredible silent auction items, including a catered champagne brunch for 12, and courtside tickets to a Lakers game!

TOP LEFT: Andrea and Matthew Pincus TOP RIGHT: Jason Toronto, Laurelle Widgerow and Jillian Yuden MIDDLE LEFT: Todd Koren and Sarah Fox MIDDLE RIGHT: Tami and Gregg Applefield BOTTOM RIGHT: Shayna & Yaron Shaham and Doreen & Oz Tennenbaum

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PHOTOS COURTESY OF JACKIE MENTER OF JEWISH FEDERATION & FAMILY SERVICES

Orange Jews

LIFESTYLE

b li

hif

The

e o s G l R o e g h

so By fa J e w is h M ille n nial.

Make Money & Build Community via Video OC ingenuity! Is it not amazing when OC Jews come out with a global resource for consumption and personal advancement? A new product, StreamShops is a live streaming content provider created by Mitch Potsdam and co-founded by Parker Weinthal as a way to get paid for our own intellectual property (IP). Most video content sites, like Youtube, make earning money on your own videos complicated or impossible. Creators of videos have to reach 100,000 views on a specific video to even get a share of the ad revenue, which YouTube will still take 45%. StreamShops’ goal is to let content creators have the ability to monetize their IP from day one, and are providing something other sites are not: the ability to share your thoughts, dreams and challah recipes in real time. It also allows the audience to support the artist/organization through donations directly, using live stream. Content

c Ra

events, and the virtual route with a built-in payment/donation integration is a great one.” He continues, “Being able to upload and archive talks, sermons, and culturally relevant info makes it accessible, to Joe Jew, and when the ability to donate is a click away, perhaps Joe might be more willing to open up their wallet too.” StreamShops is a paradigm shift of old technologies and modern practices. You don’t need to be a large Jewish organization to attract donors online (however, StreamShops welcomes anyone and everyone). To make a name for yourself in OC, thanks to Potsdam and Weinthal, all that is necessary is to have a webcam, a vision and some followers. For these two men, OC has been the breeding ground for their ingenuity. Hopefully sites like their will add to organizations’ outreach and fulfill a need for today’s local and global Jewish community. The more people who engage in Jewish life and create social networks, the more we learn and grow. For more information: www.streamshops. com.

It is difficult to keep all of our Meshuggah (craziness) straight.

creators can still give their videos, streams, or audio files away for free and only ask for monetary support; in addition, they can create a paywall. The application of this platform extends beyond artists, musicians, or other creative endeavors – it serves as a great tool to reach Jews in OC that are not aware or participating in OC Jewish community events. We are all busy people. It is difficult to keep all of our Meshuggah (craziness) straight. In addition to watching event advertisements or recaps, StreamShops is a great way to bring “virtual attendance” to religious services and events. It enables people who might not normally be able to physically attend. This may also work for Jewish education. For the millennials, StreamShops is a tool that enables residents to experience more of a community feel within their social media experience. In a discussion, Weinthal clearly discusses that “they [OC organizations] need ways to get donors to their

RACHEL SCHIFF

is an English teacher who graduated from Cal State Fullerton. She was president of Hillel, a representative of World Union of Jewish Students and a YLD intern. Currently, she is a master’s degree student in American Studies with emphasis on Jews in America.

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(Right to left): Max Greenfield, Adam Lamberg, and Shiri Appleby, courtesy of Pictures From the Fringe.

NOT YOUR AVERAGE SEDER

Rolling through Pesach with the Stuckmans. BY DVORAH LEWIS

“THIS WILL BE the fastest seder ever!” “Can we eat yet?” Most of us have heard or even uttered these words during Pesach. It is no surprise that both expressions are repeated throughout the film (which is cleverly titled) When Do We Eat? starring many familiar faces like Adam Lamberg, Shiri Appleby, Ben Feldman and (my favorite) Max Greenfield. The film will reach its tenth birthday next month, and yet it is still applicable to younger generations and will continue to remain relevant years from now. When a hot-tempered father, a daughter 72 MARCH 2015 |

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who’s a sex therapist, a teenage son who does drugs, another daughter who’s a lesbian, her non-Jewish girlfriend, and an Israeli, all gather in the same tent, the different personalities are sure to clash resulting in revealing each other’s secrets. Even though When Do We Eat? takes place during a Jewish holiday, the film is relatable for people of all faiths and resembles any typical family gathering. There are plenty of funny moments many of which occur because one of the sons slips his father some ecstasy.

Amongst the humor, there are also meaningful messages as well as serious scenes. I found Max Greenfield’s character the most refreshing. This isn’t just because I love him and will watch anything he stars in, but also because his character, as a recently turned Hasidic Jew, ties the seder back to tradition and kabbalistic teachings of Judaism, reminding us of the spiritual connection that can be achieved through our own traditions. Pesach should be treated so much more than as a “chore,” but rather as an opportunity to reconnect and deepen that connection to our heritage. Three different generations of Jews are portrayed in the film and offer different perspectives on Pesach. The grandfather is a Holocaust survivor and holds a much deeper connection to the significance of the holiday. The father just wants to skip through the long parts and get to the meal. While the younger generations have varied views: as stated before one is reconnecting with his heritage, one is physically disconnected as she answers her cellphone numerous times and the others are similar to the father and can’t wait for the seder to end. Surprisingly, it’s the non-Jewish character who stops the bickering and helps the family remember the purpose of the seder and refocuses the energy to one of forgiveness. As the father continues to trip on ecstasy, the family is liberated from their secrets. The seder allows them not only to reconnect with their heritage, but to also reconnect with each other. It’s not about “When do we eat?” It’s about “Who eats with us?” A Dvorah Lewis is pursuing her Master’s in Library & Information Science with a specialization in Archival Studies at the University of California, Los Angeles.

LIFESTYLE

Political mudslinging seems to be the norm both here and in our homeland.

IN ISRAELI ELECTIONS, EVERYONE IS FAMILY Israel’s informal and close society leads to shocking campaign ads. BY MERAV CEREN

WHEN I ATTEMPT to explain Israeli society to people, I tell them there are two cardinal rules: 1. Everybody knows everybody. Without exception. There may be one degree of separation. 2. Regardless of the event, whether it is your kindergarten graduation or the inauguration of a new president or your wedding, the ceremonies are the same. The music you play, the speeches given, the dress code (preferably t-shirt and jeans, you can get away with a

button-down and jeans, but never, never wear a tie) are all carbon copies. The casual yet intimate way Israelis interact contributes to just about every aspect of life in Israel. It explains why you don’t have to be creeped out by the 60-year-old man who wants to buy you a falafel when you’re dressed in uniform. He just wants to reminisce about his days in the army. It also helps to explain why Israelis squabble like cousins: we pretty much all are. This also feeds, unfortunately, into the

political system. In a few short weeks, Israelis will hit their polling booths and elect the 20th Knesset. In the run-up to the elections, political parties have turned to social media and videos in unprecedented ways. Two early contributions, one released by Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party and one by Isaac Herzog and Tzipi Livni’s joint Labor-Hatnua list, campaigning under the name “Zionist Camp,” illustrated just how personal and vicious these parties can get. Where American campaigns usually blame PACs or supporters for the more vitriolic campaign attacks, Israeli parties’ attacks come from the party themselves. In a video which was banned by Israel’s Central Elections Committee, Likud head Bibi Netanyahu attempts to calm a preschool of misbehaving children meant to portray other party leaders – Bayit Yehudi’s Naftali Bennett, Yesh Atid’s Yair Lapid, Yisrael Beitenu’s Avigdor Liberman, and Hatnua’s Tzipi Livni – with the implication that they would be incapable of running a country. The child-free version of the ad depicts Bibi as a babysitter. A few days later, Labor-Hatnua responded with a video depicting Netanyahu browsing the popular dating site Tinder. He matches with rightwing Bayit Yehudi’s Bennett. The chat that ensues attempts to show similarities between the two candidates and highlights both men’s rightwing ideologies – support for settlements in the West Bank, Bennett’s vocal opposition to same-sex marriage, and closes with a dig that Bibi benefitted politically from the assassination of Yitzhak Rabin. However, in a few short weeks, when a coalition must be built, these parties are likely to set their differences aside for political gains. Besides, they’ll probably have to sit around a Seder table together soon. A Merav Ceren was born in Israel, grew up in Southern California, and has now returned home. She holds a BA in International Relations from UCI, where she led the re-establishment of Anteaters for Israel, and is pursuing her Masters in International Relations from Syracuse University.

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“Why not change Halacha, Jewish law?” is a refrain commonly heard.

TRADITION UNITES US Different takes on Halacha. BY RABBI DAVID ELIEZRIE

This article is in response to Rachel Schiff ’s February column, “Fighting Halacha, Arguing there is No Jewish Hierarchy.” To read the original article, visit jlifeoc.com/fighting-halacha. “Why not change Halacha, Jewish law?” is a refrain commonly heard. “If Judaism was more inclusive there would be more Jews.” As Americans we have learned that democracy empowers us to make out own choices, times change, even the Constitution can be modified - so why not the Torah? The pivotal question is how we view Torah and its system of law, known as Halacha. Was Torah created by great scholars? If so, it can and should be changed when new innovative ideas emerge. 74 MARCH 2015 |

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Classical Jewish belief is that Torah is not a human creation. It is a guidebook to life, divinely transmitted to the Jewish people at Mount Sinai. Kuzari, the great philosophical work of Torah written a millennium ago teaches that millions witnessed and participated in the event, then taught this to the next generation, and this continued through the ages. Torah is not the subject of belief it is a historical event. On Sinai the written and Oral Torah was given. The written is what we know as the Bible, the oral became embodied in the Talmud, and legal codes. Commonly known as Halacha, which literally means, “to walk” – it is the pathway of life for a Jew. Torah is the embodiment of Divine wisdom in the world.

Halacha empowers Rabbinical courts to create legislation that bolsters Jewish tradition. For instance, during the time of the Prophets, the courts legislated that poultry would be considered as meat since people were saying, “If I can eat chicken with milk why not meat?” However, Jewish tradition does not empower rabbis to change the principles of Jewish law. These laws are divinely given and not subject to human modification. Today, the Jewish community is split. The modern liberal movements have rejected the central concept of Divine gift of Torah. There is a variety of liberal opinions, some argue it was inspired, some say it was just the written Torah. This perspective creates many questions: What are the limits of change? What makes that change still Jewish? How can anyone demand that all Jews agree with unilateral changes when the majority of the Jewish communities in the world do not support those changes (the majority of synagogues in the world are orthodox)? The argument is not new. The Dead Sea Scrolls, written four hundred years before the Mishnah (the core of the Talmud) was compiled, have numerous references to Jewish practice according to Halacha. The Essenes, the group who wrote the scrolls, believed Jewish law should be changed. Sounding like Jews today who kvetch about those who are “too religious” the Essenes complained in the Scrolls, “those people in Jerusalem practice like this, and they do this,” referring to their observances of Halacha. It’s clear from the scrolls that Halacha was observed long before the Oral Tradition was memorialized in the Mishnah and Talmud. History teaches us that many groups like the Essenes rose in Jewish history, and eventually faded. It was Halacha that unified the people through the ages and gave meaning to their lives, teaching them the Divine truths given at Mount Sinai to the Jewish people. A Rabbi David Eliezrie is at Congregation Beth Meir HaCohen/Chabad, his email is rabbi@ ocjewish.com.

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Passover Seder can be a chance to make new friends.

WHAT’S AND WHERE’S OF PASSOVER Helping Young Adults Find the Fun BY ADAM CHESTER

WITH PASSOVER RIGHT around the corner, some of you might be asking, “which holiday is this again, the eating one, or the not eating one?” Here’s a refresher: Jews commemorate the liberation of our ancestors some 3,300 years ago from the hands of Pharaoh and the ancient Egyptians. God helped the children of Israel escape slavery by inflicting ten crazy plagues not to be confused with Adam Sandler’s “Eight Crazy Nights” that made life for the Egyptians unlivable, forcing Pharaoh to release the Israelite slaves. Go see the movie Exodus if 76 MARCH 2015 |

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you’re more of a visual learner (spoiler alert: it’s pretty inaccurate if you’re a fan of the Torah, but Christian Bale is really hot). Also, Passover’s the eating one. Just no carbs. Now for questions related to the modern day application of the holiday: What should I do for Passover? Where do I go? Should I eat Chametz and hope I don’t get caught? I’m not here to judge your inability to avoid muffins and all food that is good for 8 days, but I can help with the “what’s and where’s of Passover.” If you’re looking for entertaining, interactive activities with other Jewish young adults, check

out NextGen. Last year, NextGen hosted “Epic Afikomen,” a huge scavenger hunt competition throughout Orange County that helped familiarize participants with different Jewish organizations in the area, introduced participants to one another, and concluded with a Pesach-friendly BBQ at Mandel House, the first Jewish residential home in OC for adults with special needs. This year, NextGen will host another scavenger hunt, but the name may change to “Jews Clues,” so keep an eye out for more information. Email NextGen@jffs. org for inquiries on how to be more involved. Want a Passover Seder hosted by an incredible family? Enter Rabbi Drew and Rachel Kaplan, the Long Beach campus Rabbi and Executive Director of Hillel, respectively. For the past several years, the Kaplans have opened their home to students and young adults alike to enjoy a fun, family style seder, only walking distance from Long Beach State. This is an incredible opportunity to enjoy a delicious meal with other young adults, and feel comfortable asking questions about Passover, Judaism, or anything else on your mind! Collectively, the Kaplans possess an abundance of knowledge, and know how to connect with young adults as educators, role models, and friends! Contact the Kaplans at rabbidrew@ socaljss.org. For a fun event in Costa Mesa, check out Moishe House! From seders to get-togethers, MoHo is certain to bring something fun to the mix this Passover! Contact the residents at MoisheHouseOC@gmail.com to get involved with the 20-something age group. Lastly, if you’re searching for a synagogue near you, but not sure where to start, feel free to message me at Adam@jffs.org. Happy Fasting! A Adam Chester graduated from UCSD with a degree in Clinical Psychology and is the NextGen Outreach & Engagement Coordinator at JFFS.

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10:30 AM Various Lecture Topics Ezra AAFC

SENIORS

CALENDAR MARCH 2015

MONDAYS 9:00 AM Gentle Yogalates & Meditation Merage JCC 10:00 AM News & Views Merage JCC 10:00 – 11:00 AM What’s Up Bob & Ruth Wilkoff Ezra AAFC 10:00 AM Tai Chi/ Jack Finkelstein Ezra AAFC 10:15 AM Stretching/Al Talberg Ezra AAFC 11:00 AM Various Lecture Topics Ezra AAFC

78 MARCH 2015 |

Jlife

11:30 AM Drop-in Bridge Merage JCC 7:00 PM Drop-in Mah Jongg Merage JCC TUESDAYS 10:30 AM The View for Women of All Ages Merage JCC WEDNESDAYS & FRIDAYS 8:45 AM Gentle Yoga Merage JCC THURSDAYS 9:30 AM Keeping Fit/ Mel Grossman Ezra AAFC 10:30 AM Drop-in Mah Jongg Merage JCC

FRIDAYS 10:00 AM Men’s Club at the JCC Merage JCC TUESDAY MAR. 3- 24 9:30 AM – 11:30 AM Bridge: Intermediate Supervised Play of the Hand Merage JCC MONDAYS, MAR. 4 – 25 10:30 AM – 12:30 PM Learn to Play Mah Jongg Merage JCC FRIDAYS, MAR. 6 – 27 10:30 AM – 12:30 PM Refresher Mah Jongg Merage JCC MONDAYS, MAR. 9 – 30 7:00 – 9:00 PM Learn to Play Mah Jongg Merage JCC TUESDAYS, MAR. 10- 31 10:00 AM – NOON Learn to Play Bridge 3 Merage JCC WEDNESDAY, MAR. 11 10:30 AM - 11:30 AM Communication with Adult Children Merage JCC WEDNESDAY, MAR. 11 & 25 11:00 AM “Writing for Reminiscences” Temple Beth Tikvah SUNDAY, MAR. 15 1:00 PM (lunch) 2:00 PM (show) Senior Comedy Afternoon “O’ Lucky You” 2313 Nelson Ave. Redondo Beach seniorcomedyafternoons.com

TUESDAY, MAR. 17 7:00 PM Men’s Wine Tasting Merage JCC SUNDAY, MAR. 22 1:30 PM – 3:30 PM How to Write a Family History Temple Bat Yahm SUNDAY, MAR. 22 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM Poker League Merage JCC WEDNESDAY, MAR. 25 6:00 – 7:30 PM Your Retirement & Social Security Merage JCC TUESDAY, MAR. 31 10:00 AM Books & Bagels Love & Treasure by Ayelet Waldman Merage JCC The Merage Jewish Community Center is located at 1 Federation Way Suite 200, Irvine, (949) 435-3400 x 303. For reservations please contact Geri Dorman, Prime Time Adult Director at: gerid@jccoc.org. The Ezra Center is located at Temple Beth Emet on Monday & Thursday. 1770 W. Cerritos, Anaheim, (714) 776-1103 and Temple Beth Tikvah on Wednesday. 1600 N. Acacia, (714) 871-3535. Temple Bat Yahm is located at 1011 Camelback St., Newport Beach. For reservations please contact Michelle Sandler at: (714) 891-0788.

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Harbor Lawn - Mt. Olive Memorial Park & Mortuary

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Jlife

| MARCH 2015 79

LIFESTYLE

ORANGE COUNTY’S JEWISH HISTORY The Goldschmidt House of San Clemente BY DALIA TAFT

BLOGOSPHERE ABOVE: Goldschmidt House, San Clemente, c. 1928

Jlife wants to acknowledge some of the interesting blogs related to the Jewish community. Enjoy!

LEFT: Goldschmidt House National Register Plaque

In the 1920s, the land that is now the town of San Clemente was owned by German Jewish immigrants (and brothers) Herman and Max Goldschmidt. Their LA liquor business, Goldschmidt Bros., was highly successful, and they had purchased the land in 1906 in order to plant vineyards. The venture failed, and Herman’s son Adlai negotiated the sale of the family land to Ole Hanson, founder of the “city by the sea.” Adlai saved 2/3 of an acre for himself and in 1928 he hired a rapidly rising young African-American architect, Paul Williams, to build his Spanish Colonial Revival-style home. Now known as the Goldschmidt House or Casa Tres Vistas (because of its magnificent views of the ocean), the home is a San Clemente landmark and has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 2004.

Dalia Taft, archivist of the Orange County Jewish Historical Society, a Connect 2 People Initiative of Jewish Federation & Family Services, highlights images from the archives every month. For more information, please visit www.jewishorangecounty.org/historical. You can also contact Dalia at historical@jffs.org or at (949) 435-3484, ext. 167. 80 MARCH 2015 |

Jlife

JEWLICIOUSREELS: ISRAELI ELECTIONS ADS The March 17, 2015 Israeli Knesset elections are almost here! Here are some of the interesting approaches on “campaigning” here. www.jewlicious.com WHAT IS PASSOVER? Check out this entertaining and succinct take on the holiday of Passover. www.joyofkosher.com PASSOVER SONGS Check out this great site for some fun Passover songs you can sing-a-long- with the family. www.chabad.org/holidays

How Miracles Happen with Coastal Fertility Medical Center How miracles happen... 2014 brought many new babies for Coastal Fertility Medical Center (Coastal). Dr. Lawrence Werlin is one of the nation’s most noted Reproductive Endocrinology & Infertility (REI) specialists. Dr. Werlin believes educating patients on Infertility and their options is paramount. Due to his passion for teaching, he holds free monthly seminars to introduce the public to the world of Fertility treatment and gives them a better understanding and the hope that this field of medicine can achieve. Dr. Werlin is a nationally noted expert in the emerging field of Pre-Implantation Genetic Screening (PGS) and Pre-Implantation Genetic Diagnosis (PGD). He pioneered two studies to assess the effects of PGS/PGD. This is the screening of chromosomes and genes of an embryo. Dr. Werlin says, “This allows couples to test for abnormalities of an embryo and potentially eliminate hereditary disease in a family.”

Advances in fertility preservation continues to grow. Dr. Werlin is an expert in fertility preservation for people who may need to postpone having children, such as women working on their education and careers, or who may not have a partner. These women are still young, but not ready to have a family. Fertility Preservation is also available for those who have diseases like cancer or lymphoma, whose potential for having children might be lost due to their therapies. “We try to harvest their eggs so they’ll have a chance for the future. The most critical factor in becoming pregnant is the age of the egg,” Dr. Werlin points out. So even if a woman isn’t ready to have a baby now, fertility preservation allows her to store younger eggs for future use. Coastal has been one of Orange County’s leading providers of reproductive care to infertility patients since 1982. The center’s primary goal is patient personal care. Coastal and

Dr. Lawrence Werlin

its dedicated staff are widely recognized for their compassion, as well as their special attention to the individual needs of their patients. «Our lives are connected to our patients, and it becomes a life time relationship. Our patients keeps us in their lives and update us on all their mile stones, such as receiving college graduation cards from our grown up children,” Dr. Werlin states. Coastal welcomes 2015 with open arms and looks forward to helping more families.

15500 Sand Canyon Ave, S-100 Irvine, CA 92618 Facebook: Coastal Fertility Medical Center

949.726.0600 • coastalfertility.com

Jlife

| MARCH 2015 81

Advertising Index

55 A & B Gefilte Fish 43 Academy of Jewish Religion 19 Albertson’s

13 Congregation B’nai Israel

2 Holocaust Memorial Museum

41 Mortensen & Reinheimer PC

19 Congregation B’nai Israel

77 Jason Novak Realtor

3 949 Fitness

36 Jewish Community Center

11 Ralph’s

3 Congregation B’nai Tzedek

79 Allan Silverman

25 Congregation B’nai Tzedek

45 American Bankers 25 Andrei’s Restaurant

10 Congregation Shir Ha-Ma’alot

77 Artist Touch

75 Dr. Blake

25 Benjie’s

77 Dr. Hilary Buff

59 Blueberry Hill

32 Dr. Ivar Roth

79 Bubbe and Zayde’s Place

84 Gelson’s

40 Burch, Coulston & Shepard, LLP

43 Golden Dreidle

45 Callahan & Blaine

45 Gourmet Detective

4 Chapman University

79 Harbor Lawn

5 Chapman University

9 Heritage Pointe

81 Coastal Fertility

13 Heritage Pointe Planned Giving

7 Congregation Beth Jacob

82 MARCH 2015 |

17 His & Hers Hair Co.

Jlife

37 Jewish Community Center 64 Jewish Federation and Family Services 65 Jewish Federation and Family Services 52 Kaufman, Steinberg LLP 35 Klein Financial 6 L’Dor V’Dor 63 Laguna Playhouse 53 OC Mixer 21 Outcome Genii 35 Mah Jongg 39 Mortensen & Reinheimer PC

35 Sherri Primes 45 Solomon’s Bakery 21 Soul Mates Unlimited 52 South Coast Repatory Theater 23 Spicer Financial Group 21 State Farm Jason Strakman 75 Steven’s Pharmacy 49 24 Carrots 5 Temple Bat Yahm 14 Temple Beth David 33 Temple Beth David 17 Temple Beth Emet 17 Temple Beth El

24 Temple Isaiah 3 Temple Beth Tikvah 23 Temple Beth Tikvah 21 Torah with Liora 83 Tustin Ranch 18 USC 23 University Synagogue 27 University Synagogue 77 Visiting Angels 75 X S Medical 75 Vein Doctor Clinic 77 VITAS 15 Young Isreal 31 Young Isreal 79 Zounds Audio

Jlife

| MARCH 2015 83

ORANGE COUNTY’S JEWISH YOUTH & PARENTS

Here Comes Purim

JCC Global Teen Fellows Jewish Ancestry Across the Globe Kosher Dog Check out this month’s winner!

Eat, Drink and Be Merry! MARCH 2015

G IN LL W LL RO O FA EN NOR F PRESCHOOL FOR CHILDREN AGES 26 Olam Programs • Ages 2-6 years old • Choice of two, three or five day classes • Half-day program: 8:30 to 12:00 • Full-day program: 8:30 to 2:30 • Full-day Plus: 8:30 to 5:30 • Early Care: 7:30-8:30 am

Extra-Curricular Activities These activities are available in addition to our Montessori curriculum. The instructors come to Olam once a week for families who are interested in additional programming. • Gymnastics with Mr. Dean • Webby Dance • Play Ball • Summer Camp

“The child is both a hope and a promise for mankind.” — Maria Montessori www.olamjewishmontessori.com info@olamjewishmontessori.com 3900 Michelson Drive · Irvine, CA 92612

Call for a tour! (949) 786-5230 Our bakery products become your gifts.

Family owned and operated since 1993.

19 flavors of gourmet cookies made from the freshest, all-natural ingredients. Now featuring our new gluten free cookies and cakes. • Bar/Bat Mitzvah Cakes • Photo Cakes • Gourmet Cupcakes • Dipped Strawberries • Dessert Bars • Logo Cookies • Corporate Gift Baskets Customized orders based on your needs. We can do anything here at Donna B’s!

(949) 367-0100

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We ship and deliver across the US. Gift cards available. cookiegal@aol.com 26022 Cape Dr., Ste. B Laguna Niguel 92677

a peek inside march 2015

HERE COMES PURIM!

MOSES, QUEEN ESTHER & YOU

EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING

Don’t forget to have some fun.

Leave the world better than you found it.

Process versus poduct.

also inside! Editor’s Note 06 Super Shabbos 15 For March Calendar Events please visit: www.ocjewishlife.com

JCC GLOBAL TEEN FELLOWS

KOSHER DOG

Exploring Jewish ancestry across the globe.

Check out March’s new winners, the “hippest” little furry pets we could find.

Psychotherapist for Children, Teens, Parents & Families

Inspiring your family to live a happy and healthy life!

Make your occasion unforgettable with the thrill of air combat action! MITZVAH AT THE SPEED OF SOUND! 714-937-1511 | www.flightdeck.com 1650 S. Sinclair St., Anaheim, CA

Hilary Buff, Psy.D 858.705.1450

drhilarybuff@me.com www.drhilarybuff.com

• Bar/Bat Mitzvahs, Weddings, Meetings & More • Eight different teambuilding activities available • See and hear all the action in the Officers Club • Rooms available for off-site meetings • Food & beverage included • Personalized dog tags and award certificates • The only facility like it in the world! • Groups up to 90 people

GET IN TOUcH wITH yOUr INNEr TOP GUN! 5

EDITOR’S NOTE

kiddish

PUBLISHER ORANGE COUNTY JEWISH LIFE EDITOR IN CHIEF TRACEY ARMSTRONG GORSKY, MBA CREATIVE DIRECTOR RACHEL BELLINSKY COPYEDITOR JOSH NAMM CONTRIBUTING WRITERS LISA MONETT SUE PENN, M. ED., HANNAH SCHOENBAUM ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVES DIANE BENAROYA (SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE) MARTIN STEIN (SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE) EDITORIAL (949) 230-0581

TARMSTRONG24@GMAIL.COM

pring is here! This is a wonderful time of year. We get to shake off that winter chill and stop and smell the beautiful Southern California wildflowers. Birds are chirping, the sun is shining just a little bit longer and

most families are still holding true to all of the “resolutions” they made in January. The scent of optimism lays thick in the air. And with this time of bright and shiny new things comes the holiday season of Purim and Passover. If you’re running a household you are probably already thinking of your Passover to-do list and all the special trips to the market you will need to make in order to make your seder complete. However, don’t

ADVERTISING (949) 812-1891

SALES@OCJEWISHLIFE.COM ART

ART@OCJEWISHLIFE.COM ORANGE COUNTY JEWISH LIFE AND KIDDISH IS PUBLISHED MONTHLY BY ORANGE COUNTY JEWISH LIFE, LLC 1 FEDERATION WAY, IRVINE, CA 92603

forget about Purim. This is one holiday that should not be missed. Purim commemorates a time when the Jewish people living in Persia were saved from extermination. As such, it is one of the most joyous and fun holidays on the Jewish calendar. We get to dress up, do nice things for our neighbors and celebrate! So let the feathered masks unfurl!

— Tracey Armstrong Gorsky, Editor in Chief

Editor Tracey Armstrong Gorsky is the managing editor for JLife and former editor and writer for Making Waves, Pet Product News, Veterinary Practice News and Surfing Magazine. She brings over ten years of writing and editing experience to Kiddish magazine and holds a Masters in Business Administration.

OCJL is published monthly by Orange County Jewish Life, LLC. Subscription rate is $24 for one year (12 issues). Send subscription requests to OCJL, 5665 Oberlin Dr., Ste. 204, San Diego, CA 92121. Orange County Jewish Life is a free and open forum for the expression of opinions. The opinions expressed herein are solely the opinion of the author and in no way reflect the opinions of the publishers, staff or advertisers. Orange County Jewish Life is not responsible for the accuracy of any and all information within advertisements. Orange County Jewish Life reserves the right to edit all submitted materials, including press releases, letters, articles and calendar listings for brevity and clarity. OCJL is not legally responsible for the accuracy of calendar or directory listings, nor is it responsible for possible postponements, cancellations or changes in venue. Manuscripts, letters, documents and photographs sent to OCJL become the physical property of the publication, which is not responsible for the return of such material. Orange County Jewish Life is a member of the American Jewish Press Association and the Jewish Telegraphic Agency. All contents © 2014 Orange County Jewish Life.

MARCH 2015

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Here Comes Purim! Don’t forget to have some fun.

caption caption caption caption caption caption

1. Listen to the Megillah To relive the miraculous events of Purim, listen to the reading of the

Megillah (the Scroll of Esther) twice: once on Purim eve, Wednesday night, March 4, and again on Purim day, March 5. 2. Give to the Needy (Matanot La’Evyonim) Concern for the needy is a yearround responsibility; but on Purim

it is a special mitzvah to remember

ring on the goodies, because

beautiful queen. Boys on the other

here comes Purim. This

hand, take their turn at dressing up

holiday, which is one

as her valiant cousin Mordecai, who

of the most raucous of

refused to bow down to the evil Haman.

the poor. 3. Send Food Portions to Friends (Mishloach Manot) On Purim we emphasize the

Jewish holidays, begins this year on

And there are feathered masks all

Wednesday evening, March 4, 2015,

around used for “disguise.” This is an

and continues through Thursday night,

allusion to the fact that the miracle

March 5. Historically, this holiday

of Purim was disguised in natural

celebrates Queen Esther’s brave and

garments. This is also the significance

successful efforts to save the Jews of

behind a traditional Purim food, the

and Be Merry!

Persia from extermination. It also calls

hamantash — a pastry whose filling is

Purim should be celebrated with a

on Jews to rejoice in costume and to

hidden within a three-cornered crust.

special festive meal on Purim day,

give goodies to neighbors and friends. You can see sweet little girls running around, dressed as the

Here is a handy Purim to-do list for

importance of Jewish unity and friendship by sending gifts of food to friends. 4. And most importantly, Eat, Drink

at which family and friends gather

you so you can cover all your holiday

together to rejoice in the Purim

bases.

spirit. ✿

MARCH 2015

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Moses, Queen Esther & You Leave the world better than you found it. BY SUE PENN

A PB & J is a dangerous sight for those with peanut allergies.

ecently a mother questioned our school’s peanut-free policy. “Would you send your child to school with a

loaded gun?” I asked her, as a way of pointing out the danger. “Of course not,” was her reply. We discussed how the inadvertent consequences of a loaded gun and a peanut butter sandwich were unfortunately similar for some people in society. The Torah tells us that “if you save one life, it’s as if you have saved the world.” We see this in Moses, who protected the Jewish slave and in Queen Esther who saved the Jewish nation. These rolemodels who preceded us reinforced the Jewish tradition of sanctifying every life. It is now incumbent upon us to maintain it. It is best to find an alternative to peanut butter that won’t cause a classmate to go into anaphalytic shock.

kiddish

MARCH 2015

Thou shall not bring dangerous peanuts to school!

In this crazy world where religious

struggle more than us, and to try to leave

wars still wage, where social media

the world a somewhat better place than

leaves nothing private, where our lives

we found it.

are invaded by technology and our food

Let’s do more than read the megillah

is genetically grown, we still have to

and the hagaddah, let’s discuss the

remember to care about one another. It is

meanings of the stories. Let’s take the

a basic tenet of humanity and the center

messages from the stories and make

of Judaism. “Do unto others as you would

them relevant to today’s world. Let’s put

have done unto you.” People with peanut

our inconveniences aside and take care

or any other life threatening allergies

of one another as we carry forward our

didn’t ask to be born that way. They were

Jewish traditions. ✿

handed a different set of circumstances through which to navigate life. In our village of humanity, it is up to us to make the path easier for everyone to follow, to stand beside and support those who

Sue Penn is a mother of three, Director of Congregational Learning at University Synagogue, president of Jewish Reconstructionist Educators of North America and a member of the Jewish Educators Assembly.

LET’S DO MORE THAN READ THE MEGILLAH AND THE HAGADDAH, LET’S DISCUSS THE MEANINGS OF THE STORIES.

MARCH 2015

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Experiential Learning Process Versus Product BY LISA MONETT

Create unique opportunities for your children to learn in new ways.

it works...” has the effect of dampening curiosity and initiative. A focus on the process suggests we leave worksheets behind and surround our kids with opportunities to explore, encouraging questions, hypotheses, and analyses. What does that mean in our day to day activities? It means that we should create time and space for children to reflect and build upon experiences. Keep tools available, like magnifying glasses, scales, sponges, all the time, not just during preschool. Teach your children what about

ean Piaget was the first psychologist to make a systematic

their environment. As a result of Piaget’s studies, and

study of cognitive development

those that have followed, we know that

in infants and children. Before

it is critical we, as teachers and parents,

his work, the common assumption in

focus on the process of learning, rather

psychology was that children are merely

than on the actual result.

less competent thinkers than adults.

The concept of process versus

Piaget’s work demonstrated that in fact

product complements our Jewish

children think in strikingly different ways

heritage as well. Jewish values emphasize

compared to adults.

that we inspire children to question

Children are constructivist

their world and appreciate multiple

learners, they gather experiences and

perspectives. We need to give up teaching

note discrepancies between what they

by rote. In fact, recent studies indicate

already know and what they discover in

that merely telling a child “this is how

hypotheses and test those hypotheses. In the bathtub does soap float? What tracks do ice cubes leave when rubbed across different surfaces? What eventually happens to ice sculptures? Where do shadows come from? How do they change? Encouraging curiosity and analytical thinking in everyday activities leverages innate learning abilities because every child is a natural learner. ✿ Lisa Monette has worked with children for over 15 years, she is the Director of the Sheila and Eric Samson Family Early Childhood Center at the Merage JCC. Contact Lisa at lisam@jccoc.org.

In an accident? You’ll get the whole Megila if you call Rabbi Michael Rubinstein, Esq. He’s a rabbi AND a lawyer!

Michael E. Rubinstein RABBI • ATTORNEY AT LAW

213-293-6075 • www.mrubinsteinlaw.com

MARCH 2015

kiddish

JCC Global Teen Fellows Exploring Jewish Ancestry Across the Globe BY HANNAH SCHOENBAUM

Teeneagers travel all over the world to explore regional Jewish culture.

THIS WILL BE THE PARTICIPANTS’ FIRST STEP IN DISCOVERING THEIR JEWISH IDENTITIES AND ANSWERING THE QUESTION “’WHO AM I?

MARCH 2015

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Program participants make a network of lifelong friends.

rom Adam and Eve to the modern man and woman, every

question “Who am I?” The Merage JCC is partnering with

their choosing while they are on the trip. The available activities include: basket-

human in history holds a place

the Jewish community centers in Mexico

ball, tennis, soccer, gymnastics, vocal

on the tree of life. All Jewish

City, Mexico and Kfar Yona, Israel to allow

music, Jewish music band, dance, and

people, no matter where they live, are

their participants the opportunity to

travel journalism.

connected through their family back-

develop intercultural connections with

grounds. The JCC Global Teen Fellows

other Jewish teenagers.

will dig deeper into the past to discover

From June 22-29, the teenagers will

Additionally, the travelers will compare their family trees with their global counterparts in hopes of connecting the

and trace their familial connections from

travel to Mexico City to learn how Jewish

families to similar ancestry or geographi-

around the globe.

culture has influenced Mexico over the

cal origins.

This is a program for 14–17-year-olds

years. They will tour the city to learn

The following year, the Merage JCC

to travel internationally, while exploring

about its vast history and participate in a

will host the travelers, and in 2017, the

similarities and differences in Jewish

group community service project.

group will travel to Kfar Yona, Israel to

culture around the world.

The travelers will also stay with

explore Judaism at its roots. This program will allow teenagers to

In preparation for the trip, the

teenagers from the Mexico City Jewish

teenagers, along with their parents and

community center and their families to

form international friendships, embrace

siblings, will conduct a genealogical study

give them the opportunity to experience

their Jewish identities, and develop a

and assemble their family tree. Most will

life as a member of a Jewish family in

deeper understanding of their past, so

find that they have family members from

Mexico City.

that they too can become an important

countries all over the world. This will be

To meet teenagers in the program

the participants’ first step in discovering

with interests similar to their own, the

their Jewish identities and answering the

travelers will participate in an activity of

part of Jewish history. ✿ Hannah Schoenbaum is a contributing writer to Kiddish Magazine.

DOWN 1. ‫( איש‬2:5) 3. ‫( שער‬4:2) 5. ‫( הגיד‬4:4) 7. ‫( שבע‬1:2)

ACROSS 2. ‫( מלך‬2:12) 4. ‫( אפר‬4:1) 6. ‫( זכר‬2:1) 8. ‫( שם‬2:22)

___The 2nd Temple was rebuilt ___ The Jews fasted

___Queen Vashti made a feast ___Esther was born

Put the following items in the order in which they occurred in relation to Purim.

historical timeline

Recall and share something good that someone did for you this week.

WEEK IN REVIEW

Complete the crossword by translating each Hebrew word into English. Use the reference in Megillat Esther for help.

CROSSWORD

• You were the only one in your class that dressed up for Purim. • Your Purim se’uda started 15 minutes late.

Can you judge these situations favorably?

you be the judge

Kindness: When you deliver mishloach manot do it with a smile!

GOOD TRAIT OF THE DAY

G I N S U

I D A E R

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WORD FIND

Find the bold italic words on this sheet. The unused letters spell a secret message!

The following mitzvot are performed on Purim: 1) Se’uda: to participate in a festive meal during the daytime on Purim; 2) Megillat Esther: one should listen to the reading of Megillat Esther both at night and during the day. It is necessary to hear every single word or one has not fulfilled his obligation; 3) Mishloach Manot: it is obligatory for all adult men and women to send a gift which consists of at least two different foods to another person on Purim day. The foods must be edible and may be a combination of food and drink; and 4) Matanot La’evyonim: each person should give charity to a minimum of two people in need on Purim day. The charity can be money, food, drink, or clothing. The value of the gift should at least equal the cost for the recipient to purchase a basic meal.

Amalek attacked the Jewish people in Rephidim. Moshe, Aharon and Hur went on top of a hill and when Moshe lifted his hands the Jewish people defeated Amalek. HaShem said to remember what Amalek did.

ILRVES

UCCESOH

OBELGT

RBEAML

MOSHE’S BIRTH

PURIM 3rd MONTH

‫פ‬ ÷ ‫י‬

‫צ‬ –‫נ‬

‫ל‬ x‫י‬

‫ב‬ +‫ד‬

Visit www.thefamousabba.com/chinuch-podcasts for this week’s Chinuch Podcast! Hear from a new speaker each week.

400 300 200 100 90

‫ו‬ ‫א ב ג ד ה ו ז ח ט י כ ל מ נ ס ע פ צ ק ר ש ת‬

‫טז‬ – ‫יא‬

The Jews had “_______‫”אורה‬

gematria

• The daughter of King Belshazzar and greatgranddaughter of King Nebuchadnezzar II of Babylon. • A son of Hammedatha the Agagite and descendant of Amalek and Eliphaz (firstborn son of Esau).

Can you name the following people?

GENEALOGY

SHUSHAN LEAP MONTH FAST

Which one is different? (Hint: Adar)

spot the difference

(Hint: King Achashverosh’s 180-day party)

PPRLEU

(scramble)

NENLI

WORD CMRLESAB

• How many blessings are recited before reading the Megillat Esther? • How many blessings need to be in your mishloach manot (despite a popular myth)?

blessings

SUPER PURIM SHEET 14 Adar 5775 Purim

MARCH

kiddish

kosher dog MEET FEBRUARY’S WINNER, OUR TOP DAWG! From left to right: Rocky, Beau and Lilah

Be April’s winner! Our

hese guys are definitely proud to be “Kosher Dogs.” Here they are representing their heritage with pride. Rocky (left) is a 10-year-old Boxer, Beau (center) is a 7-year-old Old English Mastiff and Lilah (right) was rescued from the shelter. — Jane Grossman, Anaheim Hills, CA

pets are definitely part of our families, and here at Kiddish magazine we want to know what your four-legged friends are up to. Please send a picture of your pooch to editorjlife@gmail.com and tell us what they love to do in our wonderful Orange County neighborhood (a picture at the location is even better). Pictures of kitties are welcome too! We’ll pick a winner each month and put their picture in the magazine.

World Class Care Just Around the Corner!

Pediatric Dentistry Child, Teen & Adult Orthodontics

Irvine Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics 949.559.0674 SHAUL YEHEZKEL, DMD, BOARD CERTIFIED 4902 Irvine Center Dr., Ste. 111 • Irvine, CA 92604 ipdodry@yahoo.com • www.irvinepdo.com