May 2015 Iyar/Sivan 5775
Jewish Summer Camps A Don’t-Miss Milestone The Festival of Shavuot Bring on the Cheesecake!
An Interview with Kirk Douglas
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From Broadway to Poetry
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2 MAY 2015 |
Jlife
4 MAY 2015 |
Jlife
OUR HEARTS WERE BROKEN
Part of fire damage from Temple Beth Sholom blaze, February 15, 2014.
When fire ravaged the campus of the historic Temple Beth Sholom last year, it was so much more than just a kitchen fire. THE FIRE DAMAGED OR DESTROYED • Sacred Torah scrolls and mantles • Our daily and High Holy Days prayer books THE FIRE DESTROYED OUR BUILDINGS • The Temple Sanctuary • The Social Hall • Administrative Offices • The Gift Shop • The Boardroom • Our kitchen, where we prepare Mitzvah Meals for over 350 people every Sunday
WE NEED YOUR HELP. If you are willing and able to help with a donation of any amount, please visit www.rebuild.tbsoc.com or call us at 714-628-4600. Thank you.
2625 N. Tustin Avenue • Santa Ana, CA 92705
An Open Letter to Our Community From Rabbi Heidi Cohen, Temple Beth Sholom, Santa Ana Orange County’s First Synagogue, Founded 1943
O
n Saturday, February 15, 2014, a fire broke out in the kitchen of our beloved Temple Beth Sholom, in Santa Ana. The fire completely demolished the kitchen and did devastating damage to the Temple’s Sanctuary and Social Hall building as well as to most of its contents, including our sacred texts. All regular Temple activities, with the exception of education, have been moved either off-site or to temporary trailers, or they have been suspended until we are able to move back into our facilities. The Temple’s Mitzvah Meals program, which feeds hundreds of hungry Orange County homeless and displaced people, has been temporarily relocated to one of our generous congregant’s catering kitchen (Parties by Panache) in Brea. Unfortunately, insurance will only cover a portion of the funds needed to rebuild, refurbish and replace what we have lost. The balance must come from donations. So many members of our TBS family, as well as the Jewish and non-Jewish communities have been extremely generous with their financial support. And many have Help rebuild our beloved volunteered hundreds of hours of their time Temple Beth Sholom with and expertise to help us rebuild. Now, we are asking you to find it in your heart to help Orange County’s oldest synagogue with your financial support. Your generosity can truly make a difference in perpetuating our community’s Jewish future as we rebuild TBS for today—and for generations to come To make a donation, please visit www.rebuild.tbsoc.com or call me at 714-628-4600. On behalf of our entire Temple Beth Sholom Family, Thank You! Sincerely,
your generous donation. ❒ $18 ❒ $36 ❒ $118 ❒ $360 ❒ $540 ❒ $1018 ❒ $1800
❒ Other _________________________ Name___________________________ Phone __________________________ Address _________________________ ________________________________ City ____________________________ State & Zip_______________________ ❒ Check Enclosed ❒ Discover ❒ Visa ❒ Mastercard Card # __________________________ Signature _______________________
Rabbi Heidi Cohen
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inside
JLIFE | Iyar/Sivan 5775 | MAY 2015
51
VIEWPOINT
20
Israeli Youth Votes
Ticket to Love
Israeli polling companies struggle to gauge young voters.
22
52
Don’t Follow Your Dreams
Orange County’s Jewish History & The Blogosphere
Israel Scene
On The Lighter Side
23
History/Blogs
54
Israeli Guy Shavuot on Memorial Day
Fresh Orange Jews
FEATURES
55
32
Harvesting Judaism by Campfire
50
O.C.’s Fresh Faces
Rachel Goes Rogue
Summer Camps at the JCC An important milestone to pass on to your children.
IN EVERY ISSUE
36
12
The Pilgrimage Festival of Shavuot
Why Jewish Camp?
Of Torah and Cheesecake
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
First & Foremost 40
16
Letters/Who Knew Words From our Readers
38
Crossword
48
Character Actors
News & Jews O.C. Jewish Scene
40
Cooking Jewish With Judy Bart Kancigor
44
56
Seniors Calendar Fitness, Education & More
Out & About A Guide to OC Fun
58
Advertising Index
LIFESTYLE
50
44
Ties that Bind How does attending a Jewish camp during childhood affect us as adults?
Look inside for Kiddish, our insert publication, right after page 30.
26 On the Cover Page 38
From Broadway to Poetry An interview with Kirk Douglas Photo by Henry Grossman
8 MAY 2015 |
Jlife
Jlife
| MAY 2015 9
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10 MAY 2015 |
Jlife
Jlife
| MAY 2015 11
FIRST & FOREMOST
WHY JEWISH CAMP? A Fun Way to Be Jewish BY FLORENCE L. DANN
WHEN I WAS five years old my parents sent me to “sleep away” camp for the summer. That’s right–eight weeks. When people hear that today, they gasp. But at that time it was pretty common for children to spend the entire summer at camp. The idea of spending a summer set in a pine forest in the Pocono Mountains was a fantasy of my father’s that I got to live out. Not that it wasn’t special—it definitely was, but I was a New York kid among kids from Philly who thought I spoke funny. The camp was set on lands that had once been inhabited by the Lenape Indians. I mention this because one of my favorite memories was Sunday night Indian camp, led by a Lenape Chief. We sat around the campfire as my cousin (the reigning Medicine Man) danced, and we were awarded difThe highlight ferent colored feathers for our accomplishments and was Jewish sang Indian chants that praised the natural world. Model synagogue services on Tzedakah boxes. But the highlight was Jewish services on Friday night Friday night and Saturday morning. If it wasn’t too cold we got to The Sarajevo haggadah and Saturday wear our white shorts. What a scene that was as the morning. entire camp, all dressed in white entering the “shul” to the strains of Chopin’s Prelude in C minor— which to me was majestic! Camp was where I connected with my Jewishness—where when we sat, chanted the prayers and sang the songs, I felt—no I knew—I was part of something grand, important and magical. Never one to believe in myths, I loved the stories the rabbi told and his simple yet thought provoking messages—even for a young person. I went to camp from the ages of 5 to 14. It is known that Jews who attended Jewish camp as kids are more likely to marry other Jews as adults, to belong to a synagogue, to donate money to Jewish causes and to identify with Israel. The theater. Jewish summer camp gives kids from all sorts of homes— Foundation of Jewish Camps conducted a survey that compared the from the most secular to the most religious—the chance to forge attitudes and behaviors of adults who had attended Jewish camp as their own Jewish identities in a fun and exciting way. So look into children with those who did not. In conclusion, the survey found Jewish camp for your child; you might be surprised by the range of “children with pivotal Jewish camp experiences are more likely to activities they provide. A become adults who value their Jewish heritage, support Jewish causes and take on leadership roles in their communities.” Florence L. Dann, a fourth year rabbinical student at the Academy My camp experience included an extensive variety of sports, for Jewish Religion in LA has been a contributing writer to Jlife including horseback riding, and nature study, arts and crafts and since 2004 12 MAY 2015 |
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Jlife
| MAY 2015 13
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Jlife
| MAY 2015 15
LETTERS
discussion about Jerusalem. An article in The Sun entitled “Clinton, in a Sharp Turnaround, Warns Against Even Symbolically Recognizing Jerusalem as Capital of Israel,” states, “Secretary of State Clinton, in a sharp departure from her stance when she was a senator, is warning that any America action, even symbolically toward recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel must be avoided for the reason that it would jeopardize the peace process.” As educated OC residents, we need to continue to follow candidates. Israel is not the only concern we American Jews have, but Israel is our homeland. Does the dream of the first female president come with a cost to Israel?
ALL EYES ON HILLARY
Larry Polsky
“Large numbers of American Jews are Democrats. If Hillary runs for office, it is important to know where she stands regarding Israel. Clinton expressed on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, that Palestinians are trapped by their own leadership. Unfortunately, it’s a two-pronged trapping that is committed to resistance and violence and therefore their actions are mostly about how to get better missiles to launch at Israel. She later continued in their interview to separate the violence, condemning Hamas, but not the Palestinian authority. I find these comments equal to standing on the fence. I wish she’d provide a more solid line as to who has control over the Palestinian territory.
If you would like to share your feelings about Clinton’s views on Israel, we at Jlife would like your response. —Ed.
However, in 2006 she did show support at a pro-Israel rally, using words like solidarity and support. This was foiled by her 2011 commentary a more recent
FIRING BACK Jlife has always promoted peace—I have not read a derogatory word in Jlife to the worst oppressors. Only a prayer for peace. However, to have a councilman use Jlife as a political platform to spew name calling and hatred towards our US President (April Issue) does not fit with the image Jlife has always had. We’re better than that. We can make up our own minds without being threatened into agreeing. As Jews, we know better than that. We’ve been down that road and we know where it takes us. Anne Richards
We welcome your letters! Email editorjlife@gmail.com with your feedback. 16 MAY 2015 |
Jlife
PHOTO BY ZACH DALIN
Kvetch & Kvell
Barry Manilow Weds It turns out 2014 saw a secret wedding come and go without anyone blowing the lid on it—until now. People magazine reports that Barry Manilow pulled off a secret wedding last year, marrying his manager, Garry Kief, in a private ceremony. According to People’s source, Barry and Garry invited “20 to 30 guests” to Manilow’s Palm Springs house under the guise of a luncheon, which turned out to be a wedding ceremony. Suzanne Somers even served as Barry’s “Best Man.” Manilow and Kief did not sign any paperwork, but they are wearing wedding bands. Mazel Tov Barry and Garry!
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| MAY 2015 17
18 MAY 2015 |
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Jlife
| MAY 2015 19
Israel Scene | BY ANDREA SIMANTOV
VIEWPOINT
Ticket to Love
TO BE BLESSED WITH A GIFT THIS SATISFYING CANNOT BE DEMANDED. 20 MAY 2015 |
Jlife
WITH GREAT DISAPPOINTMENT, it was concluded that the annual sojourn to see my daughters in Johannesburg was not financially possible this year. With respect to all aspects of successfully working toward erasing our debts, the hardest part of the process was learning to say “no.” Still, I’m a trooper and rarely wallow in self-pity. Unless however, the belttightening exercise results in missing out on seeing my overseas children and grandchildren. I then pull out all of the “poor-me” stops and make my husband’s life a living hell. (I have a BFA in Dramatic Arts that I rarely use but when “sorrow” is called for, I’m on it.) I tried to justify my sadness with an honest concern over the recent deliberate crashing of a German airline. For a few weeks it succeeded in having a calming effect on my wanderlust. Thus, one can imagine my amazement when daughter number three said, “I need some mommy-time. This isn’t a discussion. The ticket’s bought; see you next week.” And before I could say “I left my heart in Addis Ababa,” the plane took off and I found myself soaring the skies of Africa toward Johannesburg. Is it possible to be at the top of the world when you’re, in fact, near the bottom? Indeed, yes, when a bunch of be-speckled grandchildren come running at you as you exit Baggage Claim at Oliver Thambo International Airport. Infants wrapped in Baby Bjorns, toddlers who don’t really remember who I am and the older kids in their school uniforms all disobeying the rule of standing behind the gate and, instead, smothering me with hugs, kisses, leaping upon the luggage carrier and hanging off of my waist, shoulders and neck. A taste of Heaven at the terminal. Traveling alone this time without my husband, my only jampacked obligations included cooking family favorites, rocking babies to sleep, sitting in the car (frequently) while mommies ran errands, bedtime stories, diaper changing, reminiscing, peeling, folding, group swims, pushing swings and making room in a too-big-bed for talcum-sweetened post-bath tadpoles who wanted more and a little more than that grandma time. Some days I bemoan being too busy, but on others
DRAWING BY PEPE FAINBERG
When the “wants” in life become “needs.”
I am grateful because I am not consumed by thoughts of the evaporation of extended families, divorce, stayat-home-mothering versus career pursuit, struggling to make ends meet on one, two or three incomes and, just to mix it up, the meaning of life. Being Israeli adds indescribable layers to the aforementioned concerns because threats of local and global terrorism are ever present as we negotiate our daily schedule. Every song ever sung about the skies of Africa is true. To be blessed with a gift this satisfying cannot be demanded. It is a reward—deserved or not—from God. It comes from an understanding that the big-picture is not the only picture and that on most days, there is nothing more important that having a cup of coffee with a daughter and teaching a toddler his ABC’s. Even if you have to go to the bottom of the world to get it done. A 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.
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Jlife
| MAY 2015 21
On the Lighter Side | BY MAYRAV SAAR
VIEWPOINT
Don’t Follow Your Dreams
The harsh reality of our ever-changing landscape. TO THE GRADUATING CLASS OF 2015, Good luck, suckers. You had the misfortune of being born into the bloated carcass of a dying world, and now you’re this rotting planet’s only hope for salvation. I do not envy you. But, since you bothered to look up from your phones to listen to what I have to say, I’ll offer some advice: Don’t follow your dreams. Seriously. Your dreams are stupid. You are using a 2015 model to plan for the future, but by 2035 everything you know will be obsolete. Inviolate institutions will go the way of the polar ice caps and Bill Cosby’s reputation. I once thought I would make a living as a newspaper reporter—travel the globe speaking truth to power and comfort the afflicted. People did that. Then a Terminator-like force of technology reduced the Fourth Estate to rubble; and I woke up to find myself marshaling my journalistic training to blog about a celebrity’s psychological meltdown. I was a “content creator” creating snark for malcontents. And I was in my underwear.
YOU ARE USING A 2015 MODEL TO PLAN FOR THE FUTURE, BUT BY 2035 EVERYTHING YOU KNOW WILL BE OBSOLETE. 22 MAY 2015 |
Jlife
Remember that everyone hates you. Casual Anti-Semitism is, like, a thing. The way the gluten-free diet is a thing, except palatable to way more people. From the BDS movement to the lame tweets of an ascending cable talk show host, anti-Semitism is showing itself to be so pervasive it no longer sounds wrong to non-Jewish ears. It’s like a dreadful pop song that loses its offensive edge the longer people are exposed to it. How else do you explain the world’s reaction when we hear, say, a leader of a nation sing his oft-repeated refrain that his country’s right to wipe Israel of the face of the Earth is “non-negotiable.” Instead of reacting with horror, the most powerful nations on the planet tap their feet to that sick beat and hand over a cushy nuclear arms deal.
tions based on your uterus’s ability to produce life (and, thus, theoretically hurt a company’s productivity). Oh, wait, that was Thursday. True, we are no longer living in the “Mad Men” era, but with college campuses and the military covering up rape, and victim-blaming still the knee-jerk reaction of a male-dominated society, we’ve still got a long way to go, baby.
Carry mace. This one is just for the ladies. The Women’s Liberation movement was something from your grandmother’s day, so let me break it down for you: There once was a time when men could get away with staring at your breasts in meetings, pushing their junk up against you in public and passing you over for promo-
So, welcome to adulthood, Class of 2015! Enjoy it while you can. A
Wear Sunscreen. That famous line from Tribune columnist Mary Schmich back in 1997 is still true today. More so, in fact, as death rates from melanoma have increased significantly in the last decade. And medicine’s best defense against this killer is a dollar-store face cream. We are all going to die.
After a ten-year career as a newspaper reporter for the Los Angeles Times and Orange County Register, Mayrav Sarr left to try her hand at child rearing and freelance writing.
Israeli Guy | BY TEDDY WEINBERGER
VIEWPOINT
Shavuot on Memorial Day
Turning Jewish Holidays Into Family Memories
LIVING IN GALUT [EXILE] AS AN OBSERVANT JEW MEANS MISSING A GREAT DEAL OF WORK IN THE COURSE OF THE YEAR.
THERE IS A huge difference between taking off for Jewish holidays and living in a country where Jewish holidays are state holidays. Shavuot is an excellent example of this. Outside of Israel, you have to be a very committed Jew to take off from work for this holiday. And inevitably you have to face a co-worker who publicly tells you: “I’m Jewish and I never heard of this holiday” (why do these co-workers never stop to think that the chance of their being ignorant is much greater than the chance of your saying “surprise, I made the whole thing up”?). Everyone in Israel knows when it is Shavuot because the day is a national holiday. It is thus much easier to opt in to this Jewish festival—even if it’s just for a taste of cheesecake. This year there is a rare overlap of Shavuot with Memorial Day Weekend, as the holiday starts on Saturday night May 23 and extends through Monday evening of Memorial Day. It is thus possible to observe Shavuot completely within an American holiday period. But is this good or bad for the Jews? To get an answer to this question I consulted with my sister Marissa Fuller, who has become something of a Shavuot expert. For the past 9 years Marissa has organized a Shavuot retreat for between 25-30 DC-area families at the Cacapon Resort State Park in West Virginia. Marissa says: “We all look forward to Shavuot in a way that we never would have before. It is now the kids’ favorite holiday!” Marissa put me in touch with several of the families in her group. Mark Katkov wrote to me: “My thoughts about Shavuot coinciding with Memorial Day apply as well to when Jewish holidays fall on the American weekend. Living in galut [exile] as an observant Jew means missing a great deal of work in the course of the year. So when holidays fall on Saturday/Sunday it’s convenient. On the other hand, when holidays fall during the work week yom tov feels particularly special—we’re calling a halt to our normal lives and making a real separation from the secular world. So both circumstances have pluses and minuses, and both let us know in a big way that we remain a people apart.” Debbi Wilgoren wrote: “I am used to the Jewish
holidays precluding some part of my American life—be it a sports event my kids would otherwise be involved in, a work get-together, a play I’d like to see, or a big game my son wishes he could watch on TV. So, missing Memorial Day is just one other version of that.” Bonnie Roskes added: “For my family it [the overlap] makes no difference at all—we’d be at Cacapon anyway, and since it’s Memorial Day that just means the lake is guaranteed to be open.” Happy Shavuot, and have a pleasant Memorial Day weekend—however you choose to combine the two. 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.
Jlife
| MAY 2015 23
COVER STORY
From Broadway to Poetry An Interview with Kirk Douglas By Lisa Grajewski, Psy.D.
J
life Magazine had the opportunity to interview veteran actor and longtime philanthropist, Kirk Douglas. Born to Jewish immigrant parents, Douglas got his start on Broadway, kept us on the edge of our seats in countless movies, and now, in his latest book plucks at our heartstrings with his poetry and candor. In his latest book, Life Could Be Verse, Douglas gives us a
26 MAY 2015 |
Jlife
taste of his humble roots, his real life “flubs,” his 60 year marriage to Anne, and the nachus and sometimes sorrow he has experienced with his children and grandchildren. A compilation of Douglas’s poetry, history, and family photos, the book also makes it clear that, despite a severe stroke, Douglas is just as dynamic off the screen as he is on the screen—even at 98!
COVER STORY
Where do you find your energy? You published your 11th book on your 98th birthday, and I’ve read pieces by you in the Huffington Post on such topics as Stroke Awareness Month, smoking, and, most recently, on your challenge to young people to start writing letters again. I am very lucky. Both my wife and I find energy from our involvement in the world around us. We are constantly learning new things. For example, we donated a surgical robot to Children’s Hospital Los Angeles that looks like something from outer space. It is being used on children with urological problems. Dr. Paul Kokorowski, who directs the robotics program, helped us understand how such a large machine can perform miracles in the operating room. He has named it Spartacus, and I am very flattered. Our Douglas Foundation was 50 years old in 2014, so we’ve been giving money away for a long time. But it’s very selfish. Nothing is more satisfying than knowing you are helping others, especially when it involves children’s welfare. I don’t get out as much as I used to, but I always rally when it comes to our causes. This past October, the CTG/Kirk Douglas Theatre had a birthday party for its 10th anniversary. Anne and I cut the cake. In January,
I was the first AFI Lifetime Achievement honoree to create an endowed Fellowship to the AFI Conservatory. In March, Anne and I welcomed President Fox of my Alma Mater, St. Lawrence University, and his wife to our home where he showed me the rendering of the new Kirk Douglas Hall. As long as I can write, whether its books or checks, I will have energy. You have always been known for your fearlessness both on screen and in your personal life. What are you afraid of now? I start my book, “Life Could Be Verse” with these words: “Most of my life was spent as an actor who never took the time to know who he really was. For years, I lived in a land of make-believe, slipping in and out of characters for ninety films. I have flubbed just as many scenes in my “real life” as I have in the “reel life” of my films. In 1996, I suffered a debilitating stroke that rendered me speechless… This caused me to take inventory of my life and ask questions like, ‘Who am I?’ At the age of 98, I am still looking.” I think I have found my true identity now, but—like everyone else—I’m complex and my whole is made up of all the parts of my past.
Three generations of Douglas Men: Michael; Dylan; and Kirk.
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| MAY 2015 27
COVER STORY
Kirk and his wife Anne still happy as ever.
Can you tell our readers about your early life and influences, and what being a Jew means to you? When my family came to this country my father had a brother here using the name Demsky so we became Demskys. I was born Issur but that became Isadore, which became Izzy. Something had to be done. Luckily, my friends Karl and Mona Malden gave me the name Kirk Douglas while we were doing summer stock at the Tamarack Playhouse in upstate New York. However, the more I indulge in selfreflection, the more I seem to be coming back to the sensibility of Issur—helped no doubt by surviving a helicopter crash and a severe stroke. called “Young Heroes of the Bible” which was I have always been spiritual and believed in published around the time of my second Bar “Do unto others,” but those two catastrophic Mitzvah. And while I do not adhere strictly events—and the waning of my acting career— to all the holiday rituals, I have always taken allowed me the time and desire to explore my pleasure in lighting my mother’s candlesticks on knowledge of Judaism. I wrote about that jour- Fridays at sundown. In 2004, Anne took over ney in my book, “Climbing the Mountain.” the task when she converted to Judaism just The man in that book is very different than the before our 50th anniversary. I would never man who wrote my first autobiography, “The have asked it of her, but she said, “It’s time you Ragman’s Son,” while I was still at the height married a nice Jewish girl.” Unlike our first of my career. But I think I was totally honest marriage, presided over by a Justice of the Peace in Las Vegas, our second ceremony—complete in both volumes. with ketubah—was under the I identify strongly as a Jew, chupah with all of our friends but I never asked either of my I IDENTIFY and family celebrating with us. wives to convert, nor did we STRONGLY AS foist our religions on our chilWhat did you enjoy most A JEW, BUT I dren, although I’m delighted that Michael considers himself NEVER ASKED about being a film star and a film producer? I Jewish and several of my grandEITHER OF loved doing my own stunts, children—including Michael’s MY WIVES TO but that was a mistake. I’ve son Dylan—have studied hard had knee replacements and my for Bar and Bat Mitzvahs. I CONVERT. back is a map of my daring. myself have had two of them Because I was able to form my in my lifetime, when I was 13 and then at own production company (named after my 83. Most religions share the same core prinmother Bryna) in the 1950s, I was able to make ciples, but too often, they have been perverted. Despite all of our 21st century advances, our films that reflect my own beliefs even if I knew world is more dangerous than ever because of they might not be commercial successes—Paths the way fanatical terrorists pervert the tenets of of Glory, Seven Days in May, and my own favorite Lonely Are the Brave. But I am proudest their faith. I have been studying the Bible with Rabbi of the role I played in breaking the notorious David Wolpe of Sinai Temple in Westwood, McCarthy era blacklist by crediting Dalton for many years. I even wrote a children’s book Trumbo as the screenwriter of Spartacus when 28 MAY 2015 |
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he was still being hired secretly under assumed names. And, yes, I finally wrote a book about those times in 2012: I Am Spartacus: Making a Film, Breaking the Blacklist. How are you feeling, and what are you looking forward to doing? I am in pretty good shape for someone born in 1916. I’m looking forward to being 100, and I don’t have long to wait. Meanwhile, I recently discovered that my wife has saved much of my correspondence over the decades. It is fascinating to read about the events of the times written to me by many of the people who were instrumental in shaping them. I am compiling these letters into my 12th and, most likely, final book. Which prompts me to muse whether letter-writing will be the lost art of the 21st century. Emails are quick and practical, but nothing has the impact and permanence of a letter, especially those in the writer’s own handwriting. Grab a copy of Douglas’s latest book and enjoy the voice we did not get to see on the silver screen. Published by Health Communications, Inc. it is available online. Lisa Grajewski, Psy.D. Is a licensed psychologist with JFFS and an adjunct instructor at The Chicago School of Professional Psychology. She has been a contributing writer for Jlife Magazine since 2004. Continued on page 30
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| MAY 2015 29
COVER STORY
PHOTO BY KEVIN WINTER
Continued from page 28
Actor Kirk Douglas (L) and son producer/actor Michael Douglas arrive at the premiere of “It Runs In The Family” at the Bruin Theater April 7, 2003 in Los Angeles.
DID YOU KNOW? •
Kirk Douglas received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Jimmy Carter on January 17, 1981. This is the highest US honor a civilian can receive.
•
He speaks German (fluently, but not accent-free) and also French.
•
Kirk has celebrated his Bar Mitzvah twice. Firstly, at the
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Guys (1986), Seven Days in May (1964), The List of Adrian Messenger (1963), I Walk Alone (1948), Gunfight at the O.K. Corral (1957) and The Devil’s Disciple (1959).
typical 13 years of age, and secondly when he was 83 years old. •
•
Was President of the Class Of 1939, St. Lawrence University, Canton, New York. He graduated with a degree in English. He and Burt Lancaster acted together in 7 movies: Victory at Entebbe (1976), Tough
•
Was famously quoted, “I’ve finally gotten away from Burt Lancaster. My luck has changed for the better. I’ve got nice-looking girls in my films now.” A
F E AT U R E S
Remember to always wear your helmet!
BICYCLE SAFETY TIPS Summer Riding Made Safer BY RABBI MICHAEL RUBINSTEIN
LONGER DAYS AND warmer weather are upon us! With the advent of summer in the OC, now is the time to head outdoors and enjoy the warm SoCal breeze on your bicycle. It’s also a great time to review some key bicycle safety tips. Prevention is always the best medicine, and following these tips can help both the experienced and novice rider stay out of harm’s way this summer. Helmet Laws California requires everyone under the age of eighteen to wear a helmet while riding a bicycle and scooter. Statistics show that the head is the most likely area of the body to sustain an impact in a bicycle accident. The Legislature is currently debating a helmet requirement for adult riders too, but for the meantime, helmet wearing is optional for adults. Make sure your
helmet fits properly and is certified by the Snell Foundation, the ASTM (American Society for Testing and Materials), or CPSC (United States Consumer Product Safety Commission). Maximize Visibility Many collisions between bikes and cars occur because of visibility issues. Bicycle riders should make every effort to increase their visibility. One way to do this is to wear bright or neon-colored clothing, as well as reflector vests for nighttime riding. Make yourself stand out and catch an otherwise distracted driver’s attention. Riders must also use their bicycle lights whenever riding at night, even if it’s for a short ride. Sidewalk Riding The legality of sidewalk riding changes from
city to city and you can visit ocbike.org for the rules in your particular city. Nevertheless, even where it’s legal, many accidents occur because drivers do not anticipate bicyclists riding on the sidewalk. This is especially the case near driveway or parking lot entrances. Riders should also resist the urge to speed on the sidewalk and remember that a pedestrian may walk out of a storefront business unexpectedly. Riding Against Traffic Bike riders cannot ride against traffic, and this is another frequent cause of accidents. Drivers turning right out of parking lot driveways are usually looking to their left to prepare to merge into traffic, not their right. If a bicyclist is riding against traffic, the turning driver will not see him. Ride in the same direction as traffic to avoid this hazardous scenario. Stop Signs Surprise! Bicycle riders are required to stop at stop signs, red lights, and obey all traffic laws. Accidents can occur when drivers see a clear intersection and begin to proceed through it, only to collide with a bicyclist who failed to stop at the stop sign. Bicyclists who fail to obey traffic laws can be cited by police just like a driver. Lastly, drivers should remember the new threefoot rule—it’s illegal to pass a bicyclist unless there is a minimum of three feet of clearance. Enjoy the warm weather and health benefits of bicycle riding this summer! For a free bicycle safety handout, send an email to Michael@mrubinsteinlaw.com, or visit www. bikelawyeroc.com. A Rabbi Michael Rubinstein, an OC native, is a Southern California personal injury attorney at the Law Office of Michael E. Rubinstein. His unique background enables him to successfully represent accident victims across Southern California.
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F E AT U R E S
SUMMER CAMPS AT THE JCC It’s simple: Jewish day camps create Jewish friends. At a time when fewer Jews maintain strong ties to the Jewish community, Jewish camp builds a strong foundation of experiences and friendships sustaining Jewish commitment. – Dan Bernstein, Merage JCC President and CEO
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An important milestone to pass on to your children. BY AUDRA MARTIN
F E AT U R E S
“OUR GOAL SHOULD be to live life in radical amazement… look at the world in a way that takes nothing for granted. Everything is phenomenal; everything is incredible” – Abraham Joshua Heschel
When Jewish Camp Matters Our contemporary lives are busy. Our kids are surrounded by American culture. A Jewish camp experience immerses our kids in Jewish experiences and friends. While our kids are running, playing, swimming, traveling, busy with arts and science and all the camp fun, they are doing it surrounded by Jewish values and traditions.
What Jewish Camp Looks Like Art is Jewish? Sports are Jewish? Screaming, yelling and raucous fun are Jewish? Indeed, Judaism is infused in everything we do at camp. For children, the realization that our day-to-day activities can be—and are—Jewish, forever changes their relationship with being Jewish, making it a relevant part of their lives and their interests. Jewish values are reflected throughout the camp in innumerable, tangible ways:
These guys are just having way too much fun.
Kehillah: Community
As our campers are dropped off, a bevy of counselors—often in festive costumes—dance and sing, welcoming each camper individually.
Camp connects kids to a global community of Jews, to our local OC Jewish community and to a smaller community of friends within their tight-knit camp groups.
Ruach: Spirit
Shlichim Build Bridges to Israel
Hachnassat Orchim: Welcoming our Guests
The JCC shakes each morning with a rowdy “flag pole” morning session full of ruach and exuberance. The entire camp cheers, sings, plays and engages in fun competitions.
Kavod: Honor and Respect Honor and respect are taught to our campers frequently in the dealings with each other, as well as in cleaning their areas after each art/ science/lunch session. Rewards, or “JCamps Big Bucks” are liberally shared with campers as they show kavod to other campers and staff.
Tikkun Olam: Repairing the World Each camper is engaged in a service project, some onsite and off, learning about others not as fortunate as us.
Connecting kids to Israel is a critical piece of building Jewish identity, and an important part of the content in any Jewish camp. In an effort to surround our JCampers with Israeli experiences, shlichim join us every year to share their perspectives on Israeli life and to bring Israel lessons to life. Shaliach means “messenger” or “emissary” in Hebrew; the plural of the word is shlichim. Our Israeli shlichim are Israeli citizens and usually, have just completed their military service. They are eager to learn about American life and share Israeli culture with our children, tailoring camp curricula to forge connections, as well as increasing our campers Israel awareness, knowledge and pride. Continued on page 35
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| MAY 2015 33
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F E AT U R E S Continued from page 33
differences. Encountering different options, beliefs and practices, heightens the camp experience and promotes critical thinking and reflection. In addition to strengthening Jewish identity, camp strengthens futures. Our children need 21st century skills including creativity, communication, and collaboration skills–all of these skills are nurtured at camp. Peg Smith, chief executive officer of the American Camp Association (ACA), recently expressed, “We all know where kids go to receive ‘academic’ equipment for life, but there is a special place each summer where they can go to receive critical social and emotional readiness equipment.” According to an ACA study, campers • Become more confident and increase their self-esteem • Develop more social skills that help them make friends • Become more independent and show more leadership qualities Happy Campers!
• Become more adventurous and willing to try new things
Shlichim join our camp staff as trained camp specialists, adding Israeli culture to every day’s programming, including Hebrew, Israeli arts, music, food and dance. They genuinely deepen the Jewish atmosphere throughout camp.
Diversity Adds Depth to the Jewish Camp Experience Whether our campers are all Jewish, barely Jewish, half-Jewish, or not at all, Jewish camp is uniquely welcoming to a diverse pluralistic community. Our JCamps are open to the entire community, creating advocates and allies through the involvement of our nonJewish participants. Through this diversity and various camp experiences, we demonstrate there is no “right” way to be Jewish. Furthermore, we teach all kids to value and respect differences, to celebrate–not fear–
• Realize spiritual growth (we call this building “Jewish identity” in Jewish speak) The Merage JCC is proud to be an ACA accredited camp, complying with nearly 300 health, safety, and program quality standards. As we see the demise of play, and more time spent with electronics, the camp experience may be one of the last oases left for young people to experience the rite of passage—childhood. A Audra Martin has worked with children in the JCC field for over 17 years, she is the Director of Children’s Programs and Camp at the Merage JCC. Audra led the camp track at the 2015 JCC national professional development conference representing the largest network of Jewish day camps in the U.S., reaching more children than any other single vehicle of Jewish youth engagement. Contact Audra at audram@jccoc.org.
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| MAY 2015 35
F E AT U R E S
OF TORAH & CHEESECAKE The Pilgrimage Festival of Shavuot BY FLORENCE L. DANN
Did someone say Cheesecake?!?!
MENTION SHAVUOT AND what comes to mind? Well, if you are parent of a child in religious school, you think confirmation and the Ten Commandments; others may think of the story of Ruth, and many think cheesecake. Very few may recognize it as one of the three major pilgrimages of our ancestors. Along with Passover and Sukkot, Shavuot was highly significant in the yearly cycle—a time when people brought (bikkurim) or their offerings of first fruits to 36 MAY 2015 |
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the Holy Temple. Like many other Jewish holidays, Shavuot began as an ancient agricultural festival that marked the end of the spring barley harvest and the beginning of the summer wheat harvest. Today, it is a “celebration of Torah, education, and actively choosing to participate in Jewish life.” Shavuot is the Hebrew word for “weeks” and refers to the Jewish festival marking the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai, which
F E AT U R E S
occurs seven weeks after Passover. An entire Talmudic tractate deals with this practice, detailing all the pomp and circumstance associated with it. People would first assemble in the large town of the district and would go up together with their first ripe fruits to the Holy Temple where they would be welcomed with song by the Levites. “An ox walked before them, its horns covered with gold, and with an olive crown on its head. The halil (flute) was played before them till they reached the vicinity of Jerusalem. Upon coming close to Jerusalem, they sent word ahead and decorated their bikkurim. The important officials went out to meet them… and all the tradesmen in Jerusalem stood before them and greeted them, ‘Our brothers, the men of such and such a place, you have come in peace.’” The destruction of the second Temple by the Romans in the year 70 CE, abolished sacrificial rites and the bikkurim ritual involving bringing first fruits to the Temple. Unlike the other two pilgrimage festivals, Sukkot and Passover, both of which had distinctive rituals, the festival of Shavuot had none. And so in rabbinic times, a remarkable transformation of the festival took place. Based on the verse “In the third month after the children of Israel were gone forth out of the land of Egypt, the same day they came into the wilderness of Sinai,” [Exodus 19:1] the festival of Shavuot became the anniversary of the giving of the Torah at Sinai. Much of the observance of the holiday centers on the synagogue and its rituals including all-night study sessions. The special readings for the holiday may include medieval poems (piyyutim) and the Book of Ruth and is when special prayers are recited and Yizkor, the memorial service, is observed. An all-night study session is associated with Shavuot which is based on the kabbalists’ [mystics’] practice. There are many explanations given for the reading of Ruth on Shavuot. One is that the book takes place at the time of the barley harvest and that Ruth’s acceptance of Naomi’s religion reflects the Israelites’ acceptance of the Torah at Sinai. And since
the Book of Ruth ends with the genealogy of David, whose forbearer was Ruth, it has been suggested that it is read on Shavuot because of the tradition that David died on Shavuot. When, in the early 19th century, the German Reform movement eliminated Bar Mitzvah as the “coming of age” ceremony for its 13-year-old boys, it instituted a new initiation into Jewish life for its boys and girls: confirmation. The new ritual became associated with Shavuot linking it with giving of Torah and commemorating the voluntary acceptance of Judaism. After being introduced in America in 1846, and adopted by the Conservative movement and even some Orthodox congregations, confirmation grew in popularity, becoming a widespread feature on the first night or first morning of Shavuot. Today, however, Orthodox and the vast majority of Conservative congregations do not hold confirmation ceremonies. The actual ceremony may vary. Confirmation students may lead all or part of the service, including the Torah reading. In some congregations, the Confirmation group focuses on a theme—such as G-d, learning, social justice, or Israel—and will incorporate this into the service and sermon. Some congregations also require the students to participate in community service projects in addition to study. As for the eating of dairy, there are differences of opinion as to why it is a custom. Some derive the practice directly from scripture, saying we eat dairy to symbolize the “land flowing with milk and honey” (Exodus 3:8) promised to the Israelites. Those of kabbalistic [mystical] bent equate the numerical value of the word halav (milk), 40 with the number of days Moses spent on Mount Sinai receiving the Ten Commandments and other teachings (Exodus 24:18). There are several more explanations. However, regardless of the reason, Happy Shavuot! Enjoy your blintzes and cheesecake and maybe learn a little! 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
Much of the observance of the holiday centers on the synagogue and its rituals including all-night study sessions. Jlife
| MAY 2015 37
CROSSWORD Character Actors
BY: MICHAEL WIESENBERG } EDITOR: DAVIDBENKOF@GMAIL.COM } DIFFICULTY LEVEL: CHALLENGING
HINT: 59 ACROSS
DOWN
32 Makhtesh Ramon, essentially
1 Klezmer instrument
33 Haaretz supplies this, informally
2 Where Israel technically is found
36 More emesdik
3 Country singer who starred on Broadway in 2001 as Irving Berlin’s Annie Oakley
37 Richard Simmons specialty
4 Original or most effective force in an undertaking or work 5 Capital SSW of Jerusalem 6 Aleph-bet equivalent 7 ___ Speedwagon song writer Adrian Gurvitz 8 Original models
ACROSS
23 Temple Emanu-El, Washington’s first synagogue, is in this city
1 Sukkah protection for when it’s raining
24 Like a Jewish name ending in -wich or -witz
5 “The Defiant Ones” Oscar nominee Williams
27 Emulates Emma Lazarus 28 Rabbis or Hebrew school teachers, often
9 Leave a poker game 12 Intel Israel customer 13 Newsman David dubbed “The Brain” by his CNBC co-workers
31 Spoon-bending Geller 34 States like 15A
14 Rachel’s is found in a Muslim cemetery on the outskirts of Bethlehem
35 Lod fig.
15 Familiar PM 16 Rebound of sorts
38 How long it takes to say “Amen,” for short
17 Uzi fodder
39 Cry that may accompany a shot
18 They might request help getting started
41 They let people watch SNL on a Tuesday
20 Someone who likes to “cane” you? 22 Approximation phrase, for which Israelis might say “B’erech”
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36 Gimme for Amy Alcott or Bruce Fleisher
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48 Makes claims, as 15A is wont to
9 Punctuation mark missing from the Torah
49 Playground equipment that hangs on a pole
10 Capital E of Jerusalem
53 “Climb ___ Mountain”: from Rodgers and Hammerstein’s “The Sound of Music”
13 “The Creation of Adam,” for one
54 Many an Israeli start-up 56 Jacob to Rachel and Leah: “___ that your father’s attitude toward me is not what it was before” (Genesis 31:5) 57 Aleph-___
11 “___ connected to the...” 14 “Eshet Chayil” verse: “She sets about her work vigorously; her arms are strong for her ___”
40 “Psst, you!” 41 Hed Arzi’s music used to be on this 42 Common Jerusalem street sight 44 Either side of a 50-50 proposition 45 Northern Canadian territory 46 He was born Jerome Lester Horwitz 47 Phi Delta ___ (fraternity that barred Jews until 1954) 49 Neon fish 50 Bim’heyra be’yameinu 51 Night show host who spoke to Toronto’s UJA Campaign Launch 2015
19 Emulates Elijah’s cup
52 “___ We Forget” (Holocaust slogan)
21 Va-ed
55 A Gershwin
23 Sound of a dropped scoop of Cherry Garcia
58 Speak, as 15A did before Congress on March 3, 2015
24 Ladino ladies: Abbr.
59 Israeli pickles usually come in them 60 America Ferrera’s “Ugly ___”
26 Whom Carrie referred to when she said “Help me Obi Wan Kenobi. You’re my only hope”
43 “___ page 237 in your siddurim”
61 “I ___ Teenage Werewolf” (early Michael Landon vehicle)
29 What a shmegege might be said to be
44 Speak clearly
62 It could be mistaken for a vowel
30 Initials at Lod
47 Herzl, for short
39 Chagall exhibition, e.g.
25 Subject of King David’s poetry
31 “Modeh Ani” (prayer ___ wakening)
April Answers
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PHOTO BY MICHAEL BENNETT KRESS
A&E
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Double Lemon Bars
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A&E
Grilled Cornbread Salad with Arugula and Fresh Herbs
PHOTO BY BOB HODSON
Honoring my mom, we’re making her lemon bars.
CUTTHROAT KITCHEN’S CHEF JAMIE GWEN Delicious dishes from our hometown girl. BY JUDY BART KANCIGOR
How did a nice Jewish girl like Orange County’s Chef Jamie Gwen wind up on Food Network’s Cutthroat Kitchen, the wickedly competitive reality show, hosted by Alton Brown, on which four chefs sabotage each other for the win? “I credit my mom and her marketing talent with creating every good image of who and what I am,” said Gwen. “It was a new show, and I thought, how bad could it be, and it might bring some attention.” (Spoiler alert if you’re watching reruns: Gwen won with nice girl image untarnished.) A graduate of the Culinary Institute of America and a certified sommelier, Gwen is the host of “Food and Wine with Chef Jamie Gwen,” a syndicated radio show, heard here on Sundays at noon on Talk Radio KABC. Her third cookbook “Good Food for Good Times 2” (Tastebud
Entertainment, $24.95), written in collaboration with her adored mom, Lana Sills, features over 100 recipes themed for 21 parties and celebrations. ”Jamie and I have shared many wonderful times in the kitchen together,” Sills recalled. “I am her sous chef. For years she sat on the counter watching me cook, and now I have the pleasure of learning from her.” Sills, who once owned a café and bakery in Brentwood, is a cookbook author and food writer whose company, Scrumptious Cooking, does culinary research and recipe development. For 14 years she was executive producer of Gwen’s radio show. “Spending time cooking has always been a time of bonding for us,” Gwen noted. “That’s what this book is all about, memorable occasions and an opportunity
to gather together. I don’t remember everywhere we went as a child, but I remember everything we ate!” Sills spoke fondly of her own mother, who was an incredible cook. “She was this sweet little Jewish lady who cooked fabulous French food,” she recalled. “She discovered it in cookbooks, and then Julia Child came along somewhere in her life.” “When I say I come from a long line of great cooks, I mean it,” added Gwen. For Mother’s Day this mother and daughter, who both live in Newport Beach, will celebrate by hosting a brunch for friends, other mothers and daughters. “We’ve planned fabulous food from the book,” Gwen said. “We took great pride in these recipes—they’re innovative, unique in flavor, but reasonably simple to make and use ingredients that are easily accessible.” Their menu begins with Champagne Punch and Sills’ Limóncello. “All good brunches need to start with a cocktail,” Gwen suggested. “A toast to wonderful mothers and daughters,” echoed Sills. Next up, Chilled Avocado and Pineapple Soup with Chipotle Cream. (Find the recipe at ocjewishlife.com.) “It has an extraordinary mouth feel,” described Gwen. “The fabulous sweetness of pineapple is offset by the velvet, creamy texture of the avocado and cold, spicy crema.” “We serve it in a bowl filled with ice,” added Sills. “You can finish it in so many different ways—with roasted diced pineapple….” “Or you can make pineappple crisps,” offered Gwen. “Slice an African baby pineapple into thin rings. Lay them out on a Silpat and dry them in a slow oven. And you can make the soup in advance. Because of the acid it doesn’t turn and holds up beautifully.” Rounding out the meal is their Grilled Cornbread Salad with Arugula and Fresh Herbs. “The addition of fresh herbs in their whole leaf form adds a wonderful Jlife
| MAY 2015 41
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You may not think romaine, for example, has a lot of flavor, but when you grill half a head of romaine for Caesar salad, the flavor profile explodes.
bright flavor and aromatic element to the dish,” said Gwen. “And when you grill any lettuce, you add this beautiful smokiness. The natural inherent flavor blooms. You may not think romaine, for example, has a lot of flavor, but when you grill half a head of romaine for Caesar salad, the flavor profile explodes. And who doesn’t love a little smoky barbecue flavor on everything? The same with the cornbread. Whether you use homemade or store-bought, when you grill it, the sugar in the cornbread caramelizes, the texture changes, and you add that smoky barbecue flavor. Toss it with the greens and all the goodies, and the flavors come alive.” “And in this busy world,” added Sills, “there’s nothing wrong with buying a roast chicken to add to the salad you make yourself.” “Honoring my mom, we’re making her lemon bars. She submitted this original recipe to Bon Appétit magazine, and it appeared in the “Too Busy to Cook” column in July 1991. Many reviewers claim it is the best lemon bar they’ve ever had.“ “One great cook said that she actually ate the whole pan by herself!” added Sills.
Grilled Cornbread Salad with Arugula and Fresh Herbs Yield: 4 servings “Grilling radicchio lessens the bitterness,” says Gwen. FOR THE VINAIGRETTE: 1/4 cup red wine vinegar 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
FOR THE SALAD:
CRUST:
1 (6-inch round) or 4 (3-inch squares) homemade or store-bought cornbread
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
Extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon zest, freshly grated
1 head radicchio. cut into quarters
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, cut into pieces and kept cold
1 medium red onion, sliced 1/2-inch-thick 4 cups baby arugula leaves 1 cup cherry tomatoes, cut in half 1/2 seedless cucumber, thinly sliced 1/2 cup black or Nicoise olives 12 fresh basil leaves, torn into pieces 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves, left whole 1/4 cup fresh parsley leaves, left whole 1 Vinaigrette: Combine vinegar and mustard in blender; pulse to combine. With blender running, slowly add oil, in a thin stream, to form an emulsion. Season with salt and pepper to taste. 2 Salad: Heat barbecue or stove-top grill to high. Cut cornbread into 1-inch wide strips and brush lightly on all sides with olive oil. Brush onion slices and radicchio quarters with olive oil; season with salt and pepper. Grill cornbread, just until grill marks appear, about 1 minute per side. Grill onion slices until tender and golden, about 5 minutes per side. Grill radicchio until just beginning to wilt, about 1 minute total. 3 Cut grilled cornbread into 1-inch cubes and roughly chop grilled onions. Combine cornbread cubes and grilled onions with remaining ingredients; add vinaigrette to taste, toss gently and serve.
2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Double Lemon Bars
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Yield: 24 “We always send home a few wrapped in a ribbon,” says Sills.
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1/4 cup powdered sugar
FILLING: 4 large eggs 1 1/4 cups sugar 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon all-purpose flour 1 tablespoon lemon zest, freshly grated GARNISH: Powdered sugar 1 Preheat oven to 350°F 2 Combine flour, powdered sugar and zest in bowl of food processor. Add butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal. Press mixture into bottom of 9x13x2-inch baking dish. Bake until golden brown, about 25-30 minutes. Remove from oven; maintain over temperature. 3 Combine eggs, sugar, lemon juice, flour and zest in mixing bowl. Whisk to combine; pour into baked crust. Bake until mixture is set, about 20-30 minutes. Cool completely; cut into 24 bars. Sift powdered sugar over top of bars before serving. Source: from “Good Food for Good Times” by Jamie Gwen with Lana Sills 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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out&about BRYAN ADAMS Rock legend, Bryan Adams is coming to Verizon Wireless Amphitheater Irvine on Fri, May 22. His current tour celebrates the 30th Anniversary of his award-winning 1984 album, “Reckless.” Adams will be taking you back to the summer of 69, with songs like “Run to You,” “Heaven” and “One Night Love Affair.”
FIREBIRD Laguna Art Museum partners with Laguna Beach Live!, for a special night of music from the heart of Ukraine and Russia performed by a unique ensemble called Firebird on Thurs, May 14. Live! at the Museum is an ongoing series of early-evening concerts in the museum’s galleries. The concerts take place the second Thursday of each month from 7 to 8 p.m.
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FRANK SINATRA JR. Frank Sinatra, Jr. debuts his new show, Sinatra Sings Sinatra, As I Remember It: at Segerstrom Hall on May 2. This 100th Birthday Celebration is presented through a multimedia experience. Using stories, photos, videos and songs, Frank Sinatra Jr. delivers first-hand recollections of life on and off stage with his iconic father.
ANNIE The world’s best-loved little orphan and her music return to Segerstrom Hall May 13 - 24. This production of ANNIE will be a brand new incarnation of the iconic original. Featuring book and score by Tony Award®winners Thomas Meehan, Charles Strouse and Martin Charnin, and includes such unforgettable songs like, “It’s the Hard Knock Life,” “Easy Street,” “I Don’t Need Anything But You” and “Tomorrow.”
BEETHOVEN, BRAHMS, AND SCHUBERT The later works of three great composers are highlighted in the Samueli Theater on May 10 at 3 p.m. Beethoven’s Sonata, Brahms’ piano works, Schubert’s Nocturne, and Brahms’ Trio, praised by a friend of the composer who said “It is as though the instruments were in love with each other!”
ENTERTAINMENT GUIDE | May 2015
Gipsy Kings Grammy Award winning latin-based musical group, The Gipsy Kings return to City National Grove of Anaheim on May 27 featuring Nicolas Reyes and Tonino Baliardo. The group has been fronted for 25 years by the two songwriters and producers Reyes and Baliardo. The father of Nicolas, Jose Reyes, formed a celebrated flamenco duo with Manitas de Plata, which counted the likes of Miles Davis and Pablo Picasso among its fans. When the pair parted ways, Reyes
became even more popular after starting his own band, backed up by his sons. The band is called Los Reyes. The Gipsy Kings return with a new recording, Savor Flamenco, which is their ninth studio album and first new release in six years. The project marks the first time in their storied career that the Kings have produced themselves and written all of the material. It also starts a relationship between the most successful French group of all time and a new label, Knitting Factory Records. Melding deep-heated flamenco, rumba, salsa and pop to the tune of
20 million albums sold, the Grammy Awardwinning hit-makers behind ‘Bamboléo’ celebrate in their very own, blistering tradition– taking audiences back to the south of France with flamenco guitars and booming Spanish vocals. Uniting the family Reyes and the family Baliardo, the band continues a tradition that has drawn famous fans such as Picasso, Cocteau, Dali and Chaplin. From playing on the streets of Cannes and the hedonistic heights of St. Tropez, breaking world music barriers as one of the rare groups to climb the US and World music charts. Featured in the
likes of The Big Lebowski, Toy Story 3 and Glee, the band has embraced western classics by Bob Marley, the Doobie Brothers and The Eagles with globe-hopping grace, whilst also incorporating dramatic cues from Brazilian and Caribbean culture. Now bringing the party back to the United States this summer, The Gipsy Kings will raise the roof with danceready furore, returning to their groundbreaking eponymous album and the nomadic spirit that has led them to their latest, Savor Flamenco– giving audiences the “deep shout at the heart of our community.”
Gipsy Kings
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News&Jews OC JEWISH SCENE | MAY 2015
Shoah Victims’ Names Project
Remembering Rabbi Haim Asa The First Rabbi Haim Asa Memorial Lecture recently took place at Temple Beth Tikvah, in Fullerton. “Building Bridges: Moving Beyond Denominational Judaism” Guest Speaker: Rabbi Shlomo Riskin- Chief Rabbi of Efrat, Israel. This lecture spearheaded a unique relationship between Temple Beth Tikvah and the Zemer HaZayit congregation in Efrat, Israel which will have a synagogue building constructed and dedicated in memory of Rabbi Asa, Rabbi Emeritus of Temple Beth Tikvah. For information about the synagogue building project visit www.buildzemerhazayit.org. The unveiling for the headstone on Rabbi Haim Asa’s grave will take place on May 3rd at 1:00 pm at Pacific View Cemetery in Corona Del Mar. At 2:30 pm, a gathering with refreshments will take place at Temple Beth Tikvah, for people to share their memories and stories about Rabbi Asa. To RSVP for the gathering, please contact Elaine Asa at (714) 871-6172.
The Shoah Victims’ Names Recovery Project aims to memorialize each individual Jew murdered in the Holocaust by recording their names, biographical details and photographs on special forms created by Yad Vashem, called Pages of Testimony. Although over four million victims are documented in the Central Database of Shoah Victims’ Names nearly two million more will remain unknown unless we submit their names today! Please help recover the names of those who were murdered before there is no one left who can remember their time here on this earth. The public is invited to search records, submit new Pages of Testimony, and add photos and personal documents. For assistance please contact: names.proj@yadvashem.org.il.
Whole Life Spring Cleaning We hope you’re in the mood for some spring cleaning of the mind! Right Life Project Founder, LCSW, and Mental Health Expert Jim Hjort offers his “Whole Life Spring Cleaning” tips to help cleanse your mind and body to create your best life possible. Please visit their website at www.rightlifeproject. com. Jim is also available for interviews, commentary and segments on this topic. Jim Hjort, LCSW, is the director of the Right Life Project where he helps people overcome roadblocks to self-actualization as a psychotherapist and mindfulness meditation instructor.
“In Tents” A group of 30 CSP Dads & Kids recently enjoyed their 10th Annual “In Tents” camping adventure with a long weekend in Death Valley National Park. Highlights included 3 nights camping in Furnace Creek Campground, a spectacular hike in Golden Canyon, a visit to Badwater (the lowest point in the Western Hemisphere) and Artist’s Drive and a Jeep adventure in Titus Canyon. CSP’s 10th Annual Family Camping Trip takes place in Bryce Canyon from June 22-26th, 2015. For more information, call (949) 682-4040. 48 MAY 2015 |
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LIFESTYLE
We love our fellow because each human is an extension of loving G-d.
A RETURN TO BASICS The Most Important Relationship is with G-d BY RABBI DAVID ELIEZRIE
COMMUNITY LEADERS WERE invited to share their feelings about “What’s really important about being Jewish?” As we went around the boardroom at Jewish Federation & Family Services the answers were strikingly similar. One said, “It’s family” the next said, “Its community.” Time and again these two themes were echoed. Distressed, I sent a two-word text to my associate Rabbi Yitzchok Newman of the Hebrew Academy sitting across the table, “Oy Vey!” When our turns came to speak, the answers were different: “It’s G-d, Torah and Mitzvot-Commandments.” The Jewish community is talking about retooling Judaism. Inspired by my good friend, Ron Wolfson’s recent book, synagogues are
attempting to copy the Chabad model in what has become defined as Relational Judaism. Synagogues are setting up welcome committees, rabbis are developing ideas to make Judaism more personal, and some congregations are rethinking their business model to lower the barriers of engagement. However, there is a larger issue that stands at the theological divide between traditional Judaism and the modern liberal movements. Is Judaism a way of life that we follow because of a Divine imperative, or is it a variety of paths, cultural, historical and traditional, that we choose to define Judaism according to our limited human understanding? The meeting at the Federation brought the
issue into focus. To me it is clear, Judaism is a series of commands given by G-d at Mount Sinai. One of those commands is to love your fellow as yourself. Each person possesses a Divine soul, as the mystics call it, a piece of G-d from above. For that reason, we love our fellow because each human is an extension of loving G-d. The same goes for family. One of the central teachings of the Torah is the obligation to be fruitful and multiply, that humans are missing something until they find his or her Bashert—spiritually intended mate—and create a family. Modern society puts a great focus on career and success, Judaism says we need to make a living, the most important is how we live. By marrying and creating a family we fulfill G-d’s command. It is uplifting to see segments of the community suddenly adopt Chabad strategies. The welcoming environment found in Chabad is not an outgrowth of a focus group or task force, it is an instinctive reaction based on the teachings of the Torah. The fact that most of the centers do not ask for membership up front is because we feel as rabbis our responsibility is to serve the needs of all Jews because we share a common destiny. That destiny reaches back to Mt. Sinai when G-d gave the Torah to the Jewish people. It is the instruction book of Jewish life, filled with 613 commandments, each a pathway between man and creator to bring holiness into the world. Some time ago a leader of one non-orthodox movement asked me how to stem the attrition. I told him it is simple, all you need to do it to return to basics: learn Torah, fulfill the Commandments, and treat all with care and compassion. The rest, as Hillel said thousands of years ago, is commentary. A Rabbi David Eliezrie is at Congregation Beth Meir HaCohen/Chabad. His email is rabbi@ ocjewish.com.
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LIFESTYLE
Does attendance at Jewish summer camp affect our community involvement in later years?
THE TIES THAT BIND How does attending a Jewish camp during childhood affect us as adults? BY DVORAH LEWIS
SIMILAR TO MOST, the summers of my childhood were spent in some sort of a camp, but never a Jewish camp. I wonder if I would be any different than I am today. Would I be more religious? Would I seek to marry a Jewish partner? Based on the findings of a Pew Research Center Report, 38% of Jews surveyed have attended a Jewish camp in their childhood. This specific statistic is not separated by age like some of the others in the report; however, almost half of the respondents were between the ages of 18 and 49. There is only so much these numbers 50 MAY 2015 |
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can tell us so I went straight to the source and interviewed members of the OC Jewish community. All reflected positively on their memories of camp life. Shira Menter started attending a Jewish camp at the age of 11. The camp not only taught the importance of social justice and equality, but also gave her a stronger sense of her Jewish identity and strengthened her bonds within the community. Though she speaks highly of her experience, one disadvantage is that spending a summer away kept her from making connections at home. For others
who participated in camp life, this caused them to create two identities: one with their jewish friends and one with their nonJewish friends. Josh Friedman, who was involved in camp life for nearly fifteen years, expresses similar beliefs as Shira and states that Jews who attended camp as children will be more likely to seek out similar experiences in college and later on in life. It’s unclear if experiencing Jewish camp as children leads to seeking out Jewish partners. The numbers from the Pew report, however, show that six out of ten Jews who responded to the survey married a non-Jewish spouse between the years of 2000-2013. Intermarriage continues to become increasingly prevalent among Jews today. Based off of the experiences that were shared with me, it seems that the more you participate within the community, the more inclined you will be to find a Jewish partner, but that does not mean that non-Jewish partners are completely discounted. Many factors contribute to how we choose our partners and also how we shape our Jewish identities. Participation in Jewish summer programs aids in strengthening children’s identities and encourages them to pursue similar experiences as they get older, but it may prevent children from developing meaningful relationships back home. If I had spent my summers in Jewish camp, I think I would be more involved than I am now within the community. At the same time, I believe we choose how to shape our identities. How we were raised may influence those choices but does not determine them. A Dvorah Lewis is a contributing writer.
LIFESTYLE
Israel’s political parties have spent an unprecedented amount of time and resources on the young vote.
ISRAELI YOUTH VOTES Israeli polling companies struggle to gauge young voters. BY MERAV CEREN
ON MARCH 18, Israelis woke up to an unexpectedly strong Likud party. Polling at several seats fewer than their center-left rival the Zionist Camp in the final days before the election, Benjamin Netanyahu’s rightist Likud had won 30 seats to center-left Zionist Camp’s 24, led by Isaac Herzog and Tzipi Livni. The Israeli electorate is known to be fickle, making polling a challenging endeavor, and in the days leading up to election day, as much as 16% of the electorate admitted to being undecided.
In the end, they seem to have overwhelmingly chosen the safe bet. Much like the United States, this process is done over landlines and this makes it difficult to capture the sentiment of younger voters, who usually live without such outmoded technology. The traditional pollster questions, such as “Who did you vote for last time,” “What is your ethnic origin?” and “Where do you live?” can’t predict a Gen Y Israeli’s party affiliation; values and demographics have changed. This
new phenomenon, coined as “shifting sands” by Israeli political observers, refers to an electorate that has no party loyalty and instead will switch its political home, even several times in one election campaign. This makes it incredibly difficult to gauge votes in the final days before an election. Menachem Lazar, a pollster who prepared surveys for the Knesset Channel and the daily newspaper Maariv, stated “[Centrist Yes Atid party leader Yair] Lapid’s rise in the 2013 elections took place in the last four days, when it is forbidden to publicize election polls. We saw this happen, with every passing day, Lapid’s party simply grew.” The same phenomenon seems to have taken hold this year. Though usually young Israelis “tend to go for confrontational parties,” according to Dr. Gayil Tashir, a political scientist at Hebrew University, there’s no real way to tell how this demographic voted. However, politicians are signaling that they recognize the importance of this bloc. Israel’s political parties have spent an unprecedented amount of time and resources on the young vote. Party leaders, including religious right-wing Bayit Yehudi’s Naftali Bennett, as well as Lapid, Livni, and Herzog, made personal appearances at a number of high schools for mock debates and other election programming. The Tel Aviv International Salon, a young professionals organization which describes itself as a “nonpartisan, honest broker that brings top leaders and decision makers to speak in English to Tel Aviv’s community,” hosted hundreds of young residents at six different events, presenting debates and speeches from members representing all of Israel’s major parties. The voter turnout on March 17th was 72%, the highest in the last fifteen years, shows that Israel’s younger generation is listening. It’s just not very loyal to any one party. A Merav Ceren holds a BA in International Relations from UCI, where she led the reestablishment of Anteaters for Israel, and is pursuing her Masters in International Relations from Syracuse University.
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LIFESTYLE
ORANGE COUNTY’S JEWISH HISTORY Rosenbloom and the Rams BY DALIA TAFT
BLOGOSPHERE Jlife wants to acknowledge some of the interesting blogs related to the Jewish community. Enjoy!
BAT ALIYAH Balancing daily life as a new immigrant to Israel with anticipating the geula. bataliyah.blogspot.com
Rosenbloom with a model of the multi-use Anaheim Stadium
Businessman Carroll Rosenbloom, owner of the Baltimore Colts and then the Los Angeles Rams, amassed the best ownership winning percentage in NFL history at the time. He was born in Baltimore in 1907 to Russian Jewish immigrants Anna and Solomon Rosenbloom, the eighth of nine children. His father started a successful work-clothing manufacturing company and Rosenbloom followed suit. In 1978, Rosenbloom announced plans to move the Rams to Anaheim Stadium. He wanted a more modern stadium and the Coliseum and Dodger Stadium refused to accommodate him, even though he was willing to foot the bill himself. Anaheim, on the other hand, actively courted the Rams and agreed to pay for the stadium expansion. Sadly, Rosenbloom died in 1979, shortly before the move was made, but the Rams called Anaheim Stadium home from 1980-1994.
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. 52 MAY 2015 |
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THE DINNERTIME DILEMMA While many bloggers seem to be stuck in the idea that a blog needs to just be one form of media (writing), Rivki Silver has started to mix her media, incorporating images and more in her posts. lifeinthemarriedlane.com
CAFÉ LIZ Café Liz features colorful, healthy, kosher vegetarian recipes made in a Tel Aviv kitchen. food.lizsteinberg.com
CONCIERGE PODIATRY NEWPORT BEACH: Proudly announces the acquisition of the newest laser technology for treating nail fungus.
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Fungus lives under the nail surface, which makes getting rid of it very difficult. Earlier medical lasers require manual operation to destroy fungus. These often miss areas of infection and can burn sensitive skin.
Mention this ad for a free tube of Foot Rejuvenation Gel with your first visit. A $50.00 value.
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For a personal consultation contact Concierge Podiatry
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The FDA-approved Noveon Nail Laser TM uses patented photobiology and computer controlled operation to quickly and completely destroy fungus. The Nail Laser is fully automatic, able to treat multiple toes simultaneously, bathing each toenail with a computer controlled mix of light wavelengths specifically selected to destroy fungus while controlling heat. Fungus nail care is now available for the low price of $399 for the first visit, $299 for follow-up visits and $150 for follow up visits without laser.
LIFESTYLE
NextGen OC, a program of Jewish Federation & Family Services, spent a wonderful evening at Andrei’s Conscious Cuisine networking with the Merage Fellows (a dynamic and accomplished group of Israeli entrepreneurs) and learning how New Media can impact businesses and careers. On March 21, JewGlue had quite the adventurous night filled with delicious food and drinks at McFadden’s at the Anaheim GardenWalk, ending the evening with a friendly game of broomball at Anaheim Ice. For more information about NextGen and JewGlue, please email nextgen@jffs.org. TOP LEFT: Marina Segal, Adam Chester, Nazanin Yacobi and Boaz Carmi TOP RIGHT: Igal Loevsky and Allen Berezovsky MIDDLE LEFT: Dayne Katz and Josh Grushkin MIDDLE RIGHT: Doreen & Oz Tannenbaum BOTTOM RIGHT: Marc Ponseggi, Seth Groder, Sarah Van Zanten and Alex Kaplan
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PHOTOS COURTESY OF JACKIE MENTER OF JEWISH FEDERATION & FAMILY SERVICES
Orange Jews
LIFESTYLE
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Harvesting Judaism by Campfire The first time we kids are able to show autonomy from our parents is camp. I remember my mom taking me to get my annual physical. Many times, the doctor would ask about how I ate my bagels. “Rachel, how much cream cheese are you putting on the bagel? Do you think having less cream cheese and more bagel is possible?” This was a pediatrician’s way of saying, “Hey chubby Jewish American Princess, you’re healthy. You can go to camp, but don’t overdo it in the mess hall.” So there I was, standing in the middle of the welcoming area. My dad’s huge orange sleeping bag from when he was a kid and my duffel, lost in the Jewish abyss we call camp. I stood around looking for people I knew. Oh wait, I was the only Jewish kid at my school. My mental list for survival: find my bunk, find another socially awkward kid
c Ra
Rachel Schiff at Jewish Summer Camp
to make friends with, stare at a dreamy Jewish “prince” all summer, play GaGa (don’t be a wimp), and of course sing the loudest and most off key during prayer time. Check, check, check, check, check! Why are these pre-pubescent times so incredibly important to me? Clearly, for me, camp was not like “Wet Hot American Summer,” but it is important to realize that for me, like many others, Jewish camp is a rite of passage. That standing among a bunch of curly haired, brace-faced kids whose moms all swore they were G-d’s gift to humanity, made me see that community is important. Jewish camp also allowed me to see Judaism differently. Shabbat wasn’t the same from house to house. Not all Jews looked alike. I got to explore my
Jewish camp is a rite of passage.
religion without too many adults influencing my feelings. These experiences drew me closer to the community. We read a lot about anti-Semitism. We also read about Israel and how it is condemned. Camp is a place where people come together to celebrate Judaism and Jewish identity. The celebration began as soon as we climbed into my mother’s Crown Victoria station wagon and sang, “Shalom Haverim” and even evolved into my college, and post-college days singing at college rallies for Israel. Nostalgia sets in when I sit with local OC community members benching after a meal as we all break into the same tune. It makes me feel more comfortable at a Nefesh Minyan shabbat. Camp also made me want to become a Jewish leader. It sparked a desire to make other Jews feel supported. It represents the idea of an inclusive Jewish community. Camp was a major stepping stone in my religious and communal growth. Wow, I must sound like I billboard for Jewish activities. However, it is really important to understand that we are a product of our experiences. I know what it means to grapple with Jewish concepts around a campfire and walk away feeling empowered; it didn’t hurt that the cute guy’s cabin was not far from mine.
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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LIFESTYLE
WEDNESDAYS & FRIDAYS 8:45 AM Gentle Yoga Merage JCC
SENIORS
CALENDAR M AY 2 0 1 5
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
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11:30 AM Drop-in Bridge Merage JCC 7:00 PM Drop-in Mah Jongg Merage JCC 7:00 PM Refresher Mah Jongg Merage JCC TUESDAYS 9:30 AM – 11:30 AM Bridge: Intermediate Supervised Play of the Hand Merage JCC 10:30 AM The View for Women of All Ages Merage JCC
THURSDAYS 9:30 AM Keeping Fit/ Mel Grossman Ezra AAFC
MONDAY MAY 18 7:00 – 8:15 PM Jewish Communities Around the World1st Master Lecture Series Merage JCC
10:30 AM Various Lecture Topics Ezra AAFC
TUESDAY, MAY 19 10:00 AM Books & Bagels “Diary of A Mad Diva” by Joan Rivers Merage JCC
FRIDAYS 10:00 AM Men’s Club at the JCC Merage JCC
TUESDAY, MAY 19 7:00 PM Men’s Wine Tasting Merage JCC
FRIDAYS, MAY 1 – MAY 8 10:30 AM – 12:30 PM Refresher Mah Jongg Merage JCC THURSDAY MAY 7 NOON – 2 PM “Oh, Mother!” Jewish Women’s Theater & Mother’s Day Luncheon Merage JCC FRIDAYS MAY 8 – JUNE 26 10:30 AM – 12:30 PM Learn to Play Mah Jongg Merage JCC WEDNESDAYS, MAY 13-JUNE 3 10:30 AM – 12:30 pm Refresher Mah Jongg Merage JCC FRIDAY, MAY 15 NOON TO 1:30 iPhone Tips & Secrets Premium Merage JCC SUNDAY, MAY 17 1:30-3:30 PM Exploring the Family Search Website Temple Bat Yahm
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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www.xsmedical.com Jlife
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Advertising Index
57 Allan Silverman
59 Geffen Playhouse
29 AFTAU
43 Gourmet Detective
4 Bubbe and Zayde’s Place
57 Harbor Lawn
35 Burch, Coulston & Shepard, LLP 19 Callahan & Blaine 13 Cong. Bnai Israel 15 Congregation B’nai Tzedek 11 Congregation Shir Ha-Ma’alot 15 Discount Quality Dentures 19 Dr. Blake 57 Dr. Hilary Buff 53 Dr. Ivar Roth
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9 Heritage Pointe 13 Heritage Pointe 43 His and Hers Hair 60 Holocaust Memorial Museum 34 JadTec 24 Jewish Community Foundation 25 Jewish Community Foundation 3 Jewish Community Foundation 46 Jewish Federation and Family Services
47 Jewish Federation and Family Services 14 Jewish Federation and Family Services 5 Jewish Federation and Family Services 15 Jewish Federation and Family Services 43 Klein Financial 17 Lakeview Patio 21 Outcome Genii 33 Mortensen & Reinheimer PC 21 949 Fitness 17 Sherri Primes 21 Soul Mates Unlimited 34 South Coast Repatory Theater
19 Spicer Financial Group 21 State Farm 21 Storybook Mini Gardens 18 24 Carrots 10 Temple Bat Yahm 6 Temple Beth Sholom 7 Temple Beth Sholom 21 Torah with Liora 2 Tustin Ranch 29 Vein Doctor Clinic 17 VITAS 39 Walnut Village 57 XS Medical 29 Zounds
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ORANGE COUNTY’S JEWISH YOUTH & PARENTS
Love & Violence Exposure in The Media Super Shabbos Put on Your Thinking Caps
It’s a Kid’s World! More for your crafty, savvy, clever brood.
MAY 2015
G IN LL W LL RO O FA EN NOR F PRESCHOOL FOR CHILDREN AGES 26 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
Educating the Whole Child
www.olamjewishmontessori.com info@olamjewishmontessori.com 3900 Michelson Drive · Irvine, CA 92612
714-871-9555 ✽ www.eclctbt.org
Call for a tour! (949) 786-5230
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Offering Preschool, Pre-K, Kindergarten & Daycare Ages 2-5 ✽ From 7am-6pm 1600 N. Acacia Ave. ✽ Fullerton 92831
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a peek inside may 2015
also inside! Editor’s Note 06 Super Shabbos 10 For May Calendar Events please visit: www.ocjewishlife.com
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CRAFTY KIDS
LOVE & VIOLENCE
Activity time made meaningful.
Why are some elements more accepted than others?
11 KOSHER DOG MEMORIUM Goodbye to Our Friend “Beau.”
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• 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
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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 AUDRA MARTIN, LISA MONETTE, 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
H
ello and welcome to the latest issue of Kiddish.
May is upon us and the days are getting longer. Soon your fabulous family will be welcoming summer and saying “goodbye” to their jam-packed
school schedule days. All you have before you are languid summer days filled with long leisurely naps right? As if! Summertime means “overtime” for many parents and without the rigors of a school schedule, we are forced to find ways to occupy those clever little minds. Summer camps are a great option. So are family fun activities that you can do right in
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ART@OCJEWISHLIFE.COM ORANGE COUNTY JEWISH LIFE AND KIDDISH IS PUBLISHED MONTHLY BY ORANGE COUNTY JEWISH LIFE, LLC 1 FEDERATION WAY, IRVINE, CA 92603
your own homes or backyards. Take a look at our cool crafting ideas that help celebrate your Jewish heritage and check out an interesting take on love and violence in the media. With more time at home, it’s important to keep your family away from endless hours of T.V. and instead, engaged and busy this summer. Enjoy!
— 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.
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MAY 2015
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Crafty Kids Activity time made meaningful. BY LISA MONETTE
Keep those creative little hands busy.
Star of David Wind Chime Using large popsicle sticks, glue together two triangles in the shape of a Jewish star, creatively painting or coloring the sticks. Bead six strings, adding bells and shells as you wish. Hang the strings from each point of the star. Lay the star flat (parallel to the ground) and hang outside as a beautiful wind chime.
Make-Your-Own Havdalah Candle Take two Chanukah candles of different colors and put them in a bowl of hot water (bearable to the touch) for 30-45 seconds, or until the candles soften.
F
Line up the bases of the candles and
or kids summer time is about
small bunches and tie rubber bands
twist one candle around the other,
fun and adventure. As parents
around the small twisted buns. Dip
smoothing the surfaces. When the
we wrack our brains for ways
the twists into cups of different
candles begin to harden, put them back
to engage our kids creatively
colored clothing dye. Allow the colors
in the heated water to soften. Continue
and meaningfully. Below are a few
to bleed into each other and let
to twist the candles around each other
activities to enjoy with your kids while
the cloth dry overnight. When dry,
until they meet wicks at the top. ✿
exploring Jewish traditions.
Tie-dye Challah Cover Twist a 12”x12” white handkerchief in
open up the rubber bands and write “Shabbat Shalom” or “Challah” on the handkerchief with a permanent marker for a challah cover with symbolism.
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.
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MAY 2015
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Love & Violence Why are some elements more accepted than others? BY SUE PENN, M. ED.
Do you know what your kids are watching?
but not speak about the cohabitation of two unmarried close friends, be honest about weapons in inappropriate settings but not about physical expressions of love, often hiding behind “they’re too young for that.” Perhaps it’s time for us to rethink this behavior? Common sense suggests that it doesn’t have the consequences
T
he Torah addresses both love and violence. We come to
we’re aiming for. In a bizarre way we joys that love brings. This caused me to stop and
are acknowledging that violence is acceptable and sex is not. Could this
understand that these forces
wonder—why then, do so many of us
be a contributing factor to the increase
are part of our lives at a very
allow our children to watch violence
in violent behavior amongst teens and
early age. However, every time we hear
on TV or in the movies, to play very
young adults? Maybe it’s time to rethink
about a violent act against people or
violent video games, but not to see any
our role-modeling behavior and its
property, we are saddened, shocked and
type of loving or sexual relationship
consequences on future generations. ✿
thankful that we were not victimized.
through the same media? I don’t believe
We rejoice in the union of two people
that we mean to encourage violence
in a loving relationship and do our best
over love yet our behavior might
to facilitate our children growing up
suggest otherwise. We’ll discuss the
surrounded by love, experiencing the
bad things going on all over the world
Sue Penn is the 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.
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UTRHCAI
OBNIRFE
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CANDLELIGHTING IN JERUSALEM: 6:39 P.M.
• Your school’s president was raising his voice very loudly. • A month after Passover you found very old loaf of bread behind your couch.
Can you judge these situations favorably?
YOU BE THE JUDGE
Silence: If your friend is sad and you don’t know what to say, it is better to not say anything and just keep him or her company.
GOOD TRAIT OF THE MONTH
ACROSS 1. Garment (19:19) 3. Animal (18:23) 5. Harvest (19:9) 6. Protect (18:30) DOWN 2. Say (19:2) 4. Nations (20:24) 5. Curse (19:14) 6. Year (19:23)
Complete the crossword by translating each English word into Hebrew. Use the parsha reference for help.
CROSSWORD
(Hint: Lag B'Omer)
ELPGUA
ORZHA
(scramble)
ETEHR
IRTTYH
WORD CMRLESAB
Aharon took two he-goats that look the same, but were used for very different purposes (16:7). Just because something appears a certain way, don’t judge a person or situation until you know ALL the facts.
PARSHA LESSON
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Find the bold italic words on this sheet. The unused letters spell a secret message!
WORD FIND
HaShem said that Aharon may only enter the Holy of Holies once a year on Yom Kippur. On Yom Kippur, the High Priest does many things, including bringing offerings, selecting one goat for HaShem and one for Azazel, and performing the blood and incense services. Yom Kippur is forever and the Jewish people must afflict themselves on it to be forgiven for the things they have done wrong. HaShem says that blood from animals is not to be eaten. HaShem told the Jewish people to be holy, because He is holy. All the Jewish people are to respect their parents, to keep the Shabbat, and not to have idols. HaShem says not to harvest the corner of the field or to pick the fallen fruits from the harvest as they are for the poor and strangers. The Torah says not to steal, lie, or swear falsely in HaShem’s name. We must pay our workers on time and judge all people fairly. It is forbidden to slander, gossip, take revenge or hold a grudge. A Jew is told to "love their fellow like yourself". The laws of forbbiden mixtures are given. When trees are planted in the land of Israel, the fruit can’t be eaten for 3 years and in the 4th year the fruit is holy. A Jew must be honest in business. HaShem lists the types of relationships which are permitted.
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Visit www.thefamousabba.com/chinuch-podcasts for this week’s Chinuch Podcast! Hear from a new speaker each week.
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א ב ג ד ה ו ז ח ט י כ ל מ נ ס ע פ צ ק ר ש ת
ש –ק
What day is a ( שבת שבתוןShabbat of Shabbats)?
gematria
• A daughter of Lavan, the older sister of Rachel, and niece of Rivka. • Oldest grandchild of Sarah, cousins with Leah and Rachel.
Can you name the following people?
STORE
HOUSE VERTICAL
GENEALOGY
PARCHMENT
SHEMA DIAGONAL
Which one is different? (Hint: Mezuzah)
spot the difference
• The laws being given about Yom Kippur (16:29) • A Jew following the laws of forbidden mixtures (19:19)
Act out these scenes with friends and family.
PARSHA SKIT ideas
I was born in Russia in 1902 and came to New York in 1941. I was the head of a major Jewish organization and helped start Jewish centers in cities all over the world. The address of my organization was “770”. I authored about 300 volumes of Torah commentaries.
who AM I?
SUPER SHABBAT SHEET 13 IYAR 5775 PARSHA ACHAREI MOS-KEDOSHIM
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Melissa Fisher Goldman, LCSW
You will be missed. Goodbye to Our Friend “Beau.”
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t is with a heavy heart that we say “Good-bye” to “Beau.” He was a 7-year-old Old English Mastiff who lived with his loving owner Jane Grossman in Anaheim Hills. Jane gave him a warm home to share with his furry pals “Rocky” and
“Lilah” and his family misses him very much. All three of these canine pals were February’s Kosher Dog winners. May you rest in peace “Beau.” ✿
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