SJL New Orleans, August 2013

NOLA Jazz in Rosh Ha’Ayin

Historic Maccabiah win for U.S. soccer

Our food issue: New Metairie kosher bakery

Southern Jewish Life Synagogue Softball League 2013 Champions

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August 2013

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Volume 23 Is

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Last month, the town of Apalachicola along Florida’s “forgotten coast” on the panhandle became embroiled in a Jewish controversy. While there is some Jewish history there, the town has never had a synagogue or a particularly sizeable Jewish community.

On July 2, during a county commission meeting, Chairman Cheryl Sanders grew exasperated at the back-and-forth over salaries and raises while discussing a new road department head. “We’re... not to be up here jewing over somebody’s pay,” she said.

The comment was about two-thirds of the way down a lengthy piece on the meeting in the Apalachicola/Carabelle Times, and was simply reported as any other quote.

Editor David Adlerstein said the only decision he had to make was whether to capitalize the word. He “opted to keep it lower case, out of self-respect.”

Naturally, once the story hit the Internet it went national. It’s not the first time the phrase has been trouble for a politician.

In 1987, Alabama governor Guy Hunt, who was from a very small town far removed from any Jewish families, used the term when speaking to a group of peach farmers. Al Benn, a member of Selma’s Jewish community, was reporting on the event, heard the comment and after much deliberation ran a story about it.

Hunt was surprised at the swift, negative reaction — to him, it was just a harmless expression that was not uncommon. For many, that is the case, and any connection to actual Jews is about as remote as one’s thoughts of the Netherlands when using the term “Dutch treat” or the Roma when using the term “gyp.”

While that expression seems to be just an innocent phrase to many, its roots are in anti-Semitic stereotypes of Jews as being innately cheap, or at least “good with money.” While the commissioner probably harbored no ill sentiment in her mind, the phrase has as its origin an ugly slur, one that those who have an agenda against Jews strive to perpetuate.

Is everyone who uses that phrase an anti-Semite? Hardly.

In the (very) rare instance that I have been in a conversation where that is used and they don’t know I am Jewish, I usually feign surprise — “how did you know I was Jewish?” and the person who said it has a sudden, profoundly embarrassing realization. They never really thought of it that way. Best of all, they likely will never utter it again.

At the July 17 meeting, Sanders apologized, saying it was “in the heat of argument and it was a poor choice of words and I’m sorry.”

Adlerstein, whose father once ran the Columbus, Ohio, Anti-Defamation League office, stated that the commissioner wasn’t using the term “as an anti-Semitic crack.”

He and the paper have been

Continued on page 35 NOLA

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Publisher/Editor: Lawrence M. Brook, editor@sjlmag.com Associate Publisher/Advertising: Lee J. Green, lee@sjlmag.com Creative Director: Ginger Brook, ginger@sjlmag.com

taken to task by many, including Ron Sachs of Tallahassee, for simply putting the quote deep in a story and not saying anything about its offensive nature.

More disturbing was Adlerstein’s rationalization to a national journalism outlet.

He told Jim Romenesko, who writes about media, that the phrase “doesn’t offend me, unless it’s used to describe someone who cheats you. But haggling and dickering? To me, it’s a proud trait of my tribe, and it’s a solid cut above cold-hearted stiffing someone with a pious grin. But that’s me.”

While haggling is a hallmark of Middle Eastern culture, which cuts across religious lines, the phrase’s origin hurdles head-long into a vicious stereotype that has been used exclusively against Jews, so much that there are many in the Jewish community who go out of their way to not seem like that.

Furthermore, Jewish law states that we are to be fair and equitable in all our business dealings, as part of our overall divine charge to be an example to others. Our actions should be worthy of emulation, not denigration.

Adlerstein’s “proud trait” comment caused its own uproar and hit the Washington Post.

He responded that if his comment “sounds like I’m an apologist, that is not me. I am not a self-hating Jew and I am not an ignorant Jew who is unaware of the pain of my people.”

The term “Jewing” should be relegated to the dustbin of history. Contrition over its use is appropriate, seeking someone’s head on a platter is not, unless there are other examples and a history of anti-Jewish bias.

Larry Brook Editor/Publisher

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August 2013

In May, a group of 42 students from Tulane landed in Israel as part of a Birthright trip. The group was joined for a week by eight soldiers from Rosh Ha’ayin. Two days later, the group arrived for a visit in Rosh Ha’ayin as a “Birthright2GETHER” program of “Partnership2Gether Rosh Ha’ayin-New Orleans” by the Jewish Agency for Israel.

The group visited Begin High School for activities with the school’s juniors. They played and competed in groups for two hours. After the meeting the Americans were hosted by the soldiers’ families from Rosh Ha’ayin for an Israeli dinner.

Many American participants and the Israeli soldiers mentioned the visit to Rosh Ha’ayin was one of the most significant experiences of their trip. Many students mentioned this as the most prominent and meaningful part of their experience in Israel.

On the cover: The victorious BIASCHA team. Full story, page 21. Kneeling, from left to right: Justin Napoli (3rd base), Dylan Laventhal (LF), Rabbi Uri Topolosky (right-center field), his son Itai Topolosky, Alvis Wilson (utility), his sons Rafi and Riya Wilson. Standing, middle row, left to right: Austin Kirzner (1st base), Shane Schreiber (utility), Lee Kirzner (pitcher), Hilton Title (right field and Team Captain). Standing, back row, left to right: Randy Opotowsky (2nd base), Henry Opotowsky (left-center field), Cameron Kirzner (shortstop), Rabbi David Polsky (utility), Rabbi David Posternock (catcher). Not pictured: David Higgins, Neil Schneider

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Front Porch Centennial Annual Meeting: The Jewish Federation of Greater New Orleans will celebrate its centennial with numerous tributes at the annual meeting, which will be held at the Uptown Jewish Community Center on Sept. 11 at 7 p.m. There will be a reception starting at 6:15 p.m.

“100 Years of Collaborative Jewish Philanthropy in New Orleans” will include a short documentary film about the Federation’s history, with interviews from about 15 individuals who were involved with the Federation at pivotal and historic times.

Brenda Brasher, on the Tulane Judaic Studies faculty, has been combing through archives to write a history of the Federation. That history will also be published in a centennial book, which will be made available for the first time at the Sept. 11 event.

There will also be the screening of a decades-old annual meeting musical video.

The meeting will also include the installation of Morton Katz as president, succeeding Alan Franco. The Jewish Endowment Foundation of Louisiana will also hold its installation at the meeting.

Road work will be continuing along Jefferson Avenue, so evening parking will be made available next door to the Uptown JCC at De La Salle High School.

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Honoring Deena Gerber: For 19 years, Deena Gerber led Jewish Family Service of Greater New Orleans. The community will honor her years of service with a Rhythm and Soul jazz brunch to benefit the agency, on Sept. 29 at the Audubon Tea Room.

A champagne patron’s party will be at 10 a.m., followed by the jazz brunch at 11 a.m.

She co-authored “Caring for the Elderly — A Workbook for Caregivers” and has been an adjunct professor at Tulane University School of Social Work and at Loyola University of New Orleans Department of Governmental Studies.

In December 2011. Gerber was honored at the White House with the Champion of Change award through President Obama’s Winning the Future initiative, for the work that the agency did in the community after Hurricane Katrina under her leadership.

Tickets are $100, $75 for age 35 and under. Patron levels start at $250.

Visit www.jfsrhythmandsoul.org to purchase tickets. Community members are also invited to submit through the website a “digital photo memory” for a book that will be presented to her.

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Front Porch

Build-A-Bra with Hadassah: New Orleans Hadassah will have a program centered on recycling this month, but not with the typical recyclables.

On Aug. 25, the women’s organization will meet at the Goldring-Woldenberg Jewish Community Center in Metairie for the Build-A-Bra workshop. The 12:30 to 4:30 p.m. program will center on creating works of art from recycled bras.

This is a prelude for the chapter’s major fundraiser of the year, Bra-Veaux: An Uplifting Event. The fundraiser will be held in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month and all funds from the event will be donated to breast cancer research. Bra-Veaux will be Oct. 12 at 7:30 p.m., at Crescent City Auction Gallery.

Art bras, some of which will be created at the Aug. 25 workshop, and other breast-themed art pieces donated by professional and amateur artists will be displayed and auctioned at Bra-Veaux. Some of the creations will be modeled at the event.

Those in attendance will judge the amateur bras and vote on their favorites. Some of them will also be featured in a 2014 calendar.

At the August workshop, craft supplies and bras will be provided, though supplemental bras and materials are welcome. A donation of $10 is requested to cover the cost of refreshments and supplies.

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New Orleans native Peter Wolf, author of the memoir “My New Orleans, Gone Away,” spoke to a packed house at Octavia Books on July 10. He will return in November for a Hadassah program and a few other events.

Last month, we ran a piece on the first graduates of the New Orleans Jewish Day School, now Community Day School. We have received this additional information on one member of the Class of 2005.

Ruth Brown has also paved her own Jewish path, attending Yeshiva University in New York. She is majoring in Psychology and returning to Yeshiva University for her last semester this coming fall and just returned from a summer in Israel. “Yeshiva University’s Center for the Jewish Future runs a program called Counterpoint Israel, where we ran summer camps for underprivileged Israeli youth and taught English in five cities in the south of Israel,” she said.

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New Orleanian makes aliyah: On July 22, the first Nefesh B’Nefesh “Children’s Aliyah Flight” took off from New York with 231 new immigrants to Israel from North American, and there were two New Orleanians on the plane.

Samantha Hyman, 24, is moving to Givat Shmuel, which is half-way between Tel Aviv and Rosh Ha’Ayin. “I feel blessed to be living in a time when the Jewish people have their own state,” said Hyman. “And I feel blessed and excited to have the opportunity spend the rest of my life walking in the steps of my forefathers and to G-d willing raise a family of my own there.”

Accompanying the soon-to-be Israeli citizens was Gilad Shalit, who had been taken captive by Hamas and held in Gaza for five years. During his captivity, he was made an honorary citizen of New Orleans.

The flight, which was coordinated with Israel’s Ministry of Immigrant Absorption, The Jewish Agency for Israel and Keren Kayemeth L’Israel and JNF, had 41 families with a record 106 children. Tony Gelbart, co-founder and chairman of Nefesh B’Nefesh, noted the group has brought 35,000 immigrants on charter flights since its founding in 2002. It was created to revitalize aliyah from North America by removing obstacles to immigration.

JCC Concert Series: The New Orleans Jewish Community Center summer concert series continues this month. The free concerts will be at the Uptown JCC. On Aug. 11, the African-American group OperaCreole will perform at 7 p.m. The group includes singers from the New Orleans Opera Chorus, and the concert will feature works by Creole composers from 19th-century New Orleans. The connections among music from Africa, Haiti and Spain that contributed to the birth of jazz will also be highlighted.

The series ends on Aug. 27 at 1 p.m. with the Faubourg String Quartet. The New Orleans quartet was formed in 2008 by classical musician with the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra and the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts. They will perform their arrangement of a Wynton Marsalis string quartet piece.

“From the life imitates art department: This morning I helped conduct a mock wedding at Jacobs Camp for the youngest unit. Two weeks ago I participated in a wedding where bride and groom met in the youngest unit at Jacobs Camp.”

— Gates of Prayer Rabbi Robert Loewy NOLA

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Front Porch This year’s Introduction to Basic Judaism class at Temple Sinai in New Orleans is set to begin on Aug. 25 at 9 a.m. Taught

by Rabbi Edward Paul Cohn, the class is an informal seminar open to anyone interested in exploring Judaism – interfaith couples, those considering conversion, and Jews who are looking for a refresher into the faith of their birth. The series consists of 20 classes, with no charge. It is taught from a Reform perspective.

To reserve a spot, call (504) 861-3693.

members. A cookout will follow.

Community Day School in Metairie begins its new school year on Aug. 12 with a new group of Kindergarteners joining the returning students. Also new will be the Head of School, Sharon Pollin, who took over the school in mid-July. On Aug. 11 there is a backto-school pool party at the school, from 3 to 5 p.m., for all students and their families.

opening old wounds. “The Intouchables,” based on the bestselling book “You Changed My Life,” will be on Aug. 14, and “Age of Champions” is Aug. 21. The latter film is an award-winning PBS documentary about five competitors at the National Senior Olympics.

All films are $5.

In previous years, the Jewish Endowment Foundation of Louisiana has held two major events — an annual event and the Young Family Lecture and Award Presentation.

This year, the events will be combined and held on Oct. 6. The agency announced that the Cahn family will receive the Tzedakah Award. Larry Lehmann will receive the Young Family award for Professional Excellence, and Alan Franco will receive the Endowment The Basic J program starts up at Gates Achivement Award. The Helen Mervis Jewish of Prayer in Metairie on Aug. 7 at 7:30 p.m. Community Professional Award recipient The course combines Rabbi Robert Loewy’s will be announced later, as will the featured college syllabus with Introduction to Judaism, speaker. and is aimed at those who simply want to learn Temple Sinai in New Orleans is hosting about Judaism, as well as those interested a series of Summer Movie Nights on in conversion. There will be four segments Wednesdays at 7 p.m. in August. On Aug. taught throughout the year. To register for the 7, the series starts with the Dustin Hoffmanclass, contact office@gatesofprayer.org or directed “Quartet.” It’s about a star who (504) 885-2600. moves in to a home for retired musicians,

At this month’s joint Reform New Orleans services, Temple Sinai has lined up several programs. On Aug. 2, Reverend Henry Hudson, Rector of Trinity Church of New Orleans, delivered the sermon. On Aug. 9, Janice Rothschild Blumberg is scheduled to speak about her new book, “Prophet in a Time of Priests: Rabbi ‘Alphabet’ Browne 18451929.”

On Aug. 16 at 6:15 p.m., members of JNOLA, J.Grad, Jewish newcomers, Avodah and the incoming class of Teach for America will attend the service. On Aug. 23 at 6:15 p.m., there will be a Shabbat and Schmooz with the Fox 8 Defenders on “The Difference Caring Makes.” The Defenders is a project staffed by National Council of Jewish Women

Touro Synagogue in New Orleans will hold a shofar blowing workshop, Aug. 27 and Sept. 3 at 6 p.m. Cantor Jamie Marx and Touro shofar blower David Bernstein will teach how to blow a shofar and some of the history behind the ritual. No previous experience is needed, but participants need to be age 13 or above. Bringing one’s own shofar or purchasing one in advance is recommended.

The New Orleans Jewish Community Center Uptown’s Morris Bart Lecture Series continues on Aug. 12. Pat Metzger, professor of law at Tulane University, will speak on the state of criminal justice in Louisiana on the 50th anniversary of the right to counsel and the Gideon decision. Lunch will be served at the 11:45 a.m. event, and reservations are requested by Aug. 5.

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Front Porch We Remember: Cory Garfinkle and Victoria Hirsch of Mobile signed copies of “We Remember: A Documentary” following a screening at the National World War II Museum in New Orleans on July 14.

The film, which debuted last fall, consists of their interviews with six people who made their homes in and around the Mobile area after World War II, from a Holocaust survivor to a member of the Hitler Youth to a non-Jewish soldier who grew up in rural Tennessee and

went on to liberate concentration camps.

That veteran, James Philpot, also attended the screening.

The narrative focused on daily life before, during and after the war, from the different perspectives.

They hope to get the film into more venues, and it will be the school screening at the Mobile Jewish Film Festival in January, reaching over 2000 students.

Back to Campus: Tulane Hillel is welcoming a new freshman class with Jewish Friends and Mentors, which was started by last year’s freshmen. This new initiative will pair incoming freshmen with upperclassmen to help get acquainted with New Orleans campus life, get advice about classes, and have a buddy for Shabbat dinners.

There will also be a welcome brunch and open house for freshmen and their families at Hillel on Aug. 25 at 11 a.m. New students and their parents will have the opportunity to learn about Hillel events and activities, birthright trips, and the Tulane Jewish Leader Program. There will be a catered brunch by Hillel’s Kitchen.

Auburn Hillel and the Auburn Jewish community will have a welcome back bagel brunch on Aug. 25.

The University of Alabama Hillel is holding a freshman pizza party on Aug. 21 from 7 to 9 p.m. On Aug. 23, there will be a Welcome Back Shabbat at 5:30 p.m., reservations can be made on the Hillel Facebook page. On Aug. 25 at 1 p.m. there will be a welcome back barbecue for students, faculty, staff and alumni. Later that day, the “God Quad” of religious organizations in the area with Hillel will put on a block party with the Campus Ministries Association, starting at 5 p.m.

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Front Porch Tony Kushner honored at White House: On July 10, Lake Charles native Tony Kushner was among the honorees presented the 2012 National Medal of Arts by President Barack Obama at the White House.

Obama said Kushner was honored “for his contributions to American theater and film. Whether for the stage or the silver screen, his scripts have moved audiences worldwide, marrying humor to fury, history to fantasy, and the philosophical to the personal.”

In 1993, he won the Pulitzer Prize for his play “Angels in America: A Gay Fantasia on National Themes.” He also co-wrote the screenplay for the film “Munich” and wrote the screenplay for last year’s “Lincoln.”

Two others with Louisiana ties were also among the 12 honorees.

Author Ernest Gaines of Oscar and Allen Toussaint of New Orleans were recognized. Obama said Toussaint “has devoted his musical talent to lifting up and building up a city” after Katrina, and is taking that message world-wide.

Latin America group endorses N.C. school: American Hebrew Academy, the only international co-ed Jewish collegeprep boarding school in North America, has earned the coveted endorsement of the Union of Jewish Congregations of Latin America and the Caribbean.

Founded in 2001 and located in Greensboro, N.C., AHA embraces all levels of Jewish learning, practice and affiliation, from traditional to secular. It offers a rigorous academic curriculum that includes a stellar program in art, music, dance, theater, film and sports.

Glenn Drew, AHA executive director, stated, “The Academy is proud to have welcomed international students from 26 countries, including many from member communities of the UJCL. The UJCL’s endorsement is recognition of the Academy’s leadership as an international school for Jewish teenagers.

It is a desired destination for families who seek a unique educational opportunity for their children that is unrivaled by any other Jewish high school.”

One-fourth of the student body comes from outside the U.S. JCRS meets challenge grant: New Orleans-based Jewish Children’s Regional Service had six months to meet a $14,000 challenge grant from an anonymous donor by raising a similar amount from new and lapsed donors. It took two months — the agency was successful in securing more than $28,000 to provide camp scholarships for Jewish youth from outside major cities.

With an average camp scholarship of over $500, JCRS is now able to provide over 50 additional opportunities for Jewish youth from small and rural communities to attend Jewish sleep-away camps.

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Rabbi Rick Jacobs speaks to campers and counselors at the Henry S. Jacobs Camp in Utica

Reform movement president sees Deep South communities in action Along a stretch of road from Memphis to Utica, Rabbi Rick Jacobs saw a wide range of congregations and communities as he toured the Deep South for three days.

Jacobs, president of the Union for Reform Judaism, undertook the three-day tour to become more familiar with the Deep South and its unique issues. He visited Reform congregations in Memphis, Greenville and Jackson, and made the first visit by a URJ president to the Henry S. Jacobs Camp since 1989.

“It really helped me to understand both the challenges and the resilience of Southern Jewish communities,” he said. The tour showed him “the beauty, the power and the challenge of Southern Jewry.”

In Memphis, he saw “one of our largest and certainly most active congregations,” Temple Israel, for Shabbat services on July 19. The next morning he traveled to Hebrew Union Congregation in Greenville for morning services and a lunch discussion that included members of the interfaith clergy association.

“There you have one of our smaller congregations in a beautiful jewel of a building with a wonderful history,” he said. Making the morning even more special, he said, was that they had a baby naming during the service, which is rare for the small community.

A lot of the congregations in the Deep South are charter members of the URJ, dating back to 1873.

They were “forces for Jewish engagement and leadership,” he said.

During his trip, he saw “the incredible devotion of Reform Jews in the South, some of whom have been in the congregations for generations.”

But “their struggle is, where are the new members going to come from,” he noted.

“You don’t want to be only about the past, you want to be about the present and the future,” but these congregations have to deal with the reality of a dwindling pool of possible members. He said such communities have to be “very creative in how they engage every person who is remotely interested.”

Leaders from Anshe Chesed in Vicksburg drove to Greenville for his presentation and told him that they have 100 percent attendance at their Shabbat services — but that still is a very small number. “Everyone in the very small (congregations) knows that their participation is critical” and that has made them stronger and more creative leaders.

After Greenville, he went to Beth Israel in Jackson, a“wonderful mid-sized congregation” for an afternoon discussion. There, he encountered members that routinely travel as much as an hour to attend services.

From there he headed to Utica for Havdalah at Jacobs Camp, and then observed the camp in action that night and the next day.

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He noted that Jacobs Camp has a unique role among the Reform camps. It “serves the Southern Jewish community in ways that are quite inspiring,” because the campers often are from tiny communities where they have no idea what it means to be in a large group of Jewish kids. “When they come to Jacobs Camp they’re in this large, proud Jewish community.”

At other camps, the students come from larger communities where it isn’t unusual to be able to sit in a circle with 30 other Jewish kids. For many Jacobs campers, such a notion is impossible in their home towns.

He told the counselors that they were “keeping Judaism alive in a most beautiful and compelling way.”

“Rabbi Jacobs had no problem endearing himself to the Jacobs Camp Family,” noted Camp Director Jonathan “J.C.” Cohen. “As soon as folks in camp met him, they knew Rabbi Jacobs had something special to share.”

Discussions touched on the evolution of the Reform movement, youth engagement, interfaith families, small congregation concerns, outreach to young adults and Jewish life outside the synagogue.

Memphis is very creative and savvy on what they need to do to attract young members.

“They don’t assume the next generation is just going to knock on the door of the synagogue and say ‘can we come be a part of what you do’,” but they also have a larger pool to draw from.

You can do your best practices in Greenville, but there aren’t that many people you can potentially contact and engage, he noted. “But I can be sure that nobody would walk into the congregation in Greenville that wouldn’t feel a warm welcome and embrace.”

On July 21 he met with lay leaders from across the region, including Baton Rouge, New Orleans, Little Rock and Alabama. He noted that the rabbis from those areas serve as faculty at the camp, and many of the lay leaders in attendance are also on the camp committee.

Jacobs said “there is a very compelling need for a movement, so we can grow and strengthen in effectiveness.” He added that “catalyzing congregational change requires that we all tell the truth about our successes and our problems.”

He said it was not an accident that he was visiting Mississippi. He found that “it’s not the same as the Chicago community, it is its own very distinctive community” with its own level of passion and commitment.

Driving through the region, “You see cotton fields and civil war battlefields, small and large congregations and a lot of very devoted leaders in our Jewish communities.”

And of course, he saw one other important thing. “Southern hospitality was genuine and noticeable.”

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August 2013

Southern Jewish Life

Steiner headed down the road to lead NOLA Jewish Family Service In April, Michael Steiner had no idea that within a few weeks, he would be leaving Jackson and heading down Interstate 55 to move to New Orleans.

Then he saw a piece in this magazine about how Jewish Family Service of Greater New Orleans was looking for an executive director to succeed Deena Gerber, who retired after 19 years. He applied, and now he is heading the social service agency.

He said he was attracted to the position because the board is working on numerous strategic initiatives. The board is “highly committed to the work we do” and it is “attractive to work with those kinds of individuals.”

Steiner added, “the staff is equally committed. That’s what really struck me.”

“We are fortunate to have found such a strong leader with proven success in developing and implementing programs to meet community needs,” said JFS President Benay Bernstein. Steiner’s “experience in development, administration, financial management and strategic planning will help JFS fulfill its mission of Tikkun Olam, repairing the world. We are confident that he will expertly guide the organization in addressing new opportunities and challenges.”

His hiring signals a major change for the agency in that he is not a social worker. Rachel Lazarus, who has been a clinical social worker with JFS since 2008, was named Director of Clinical Services. “It’s a new structure for this JFS,” she said, “but pretty standard” across the country.

Lazarus “has a strong sense of the clinical needs addressed by this organization and has a close, personal connection to the community,” Steiner said. “As we move forward, she will be instrumental in keeping us focused on our mission and mindful of our dedication to the clients we serve.”

Steiner said the agency “is really the safety net for the Jewish community” with many relying on the agency for support. That support is often financial, but not exclusively. There is a range of counseling services and support programs for the elderly, including transportation, homemaking services and 24-hour monitoring.

One thing the strategic plan is looking at is whether the agency has an adequate range of services to meet the needs of a growing elderly population.

The agency also has outreach programs to youth on suicide prevention and life skills.

A Philadelphia native, Steiner is a seasoned health care executive with 30 years of academic medicine and teaching hospital management experience.

He credits his time in Jackson with helping him prepare for his new position. “In Jackson I began to get integrated into the Jewish community” for the first time after living in New York and Houston. “The Jewish community in Jackson is tremendously strong for such a small community,” he said. “They do incredible things.”

Sports BSC’s Goldfarb leads U.S. Maccbiah soccer to first-ever gold It took a long time, but the United States finally won the gold medal in men’s open soccer in the Maccabiah Games.

That could be taken two ways — the lengthy championship game against Argentina on July 29, or the fact that this year’s 19th Maccabiah was the first time that the U.S. finished victorious, after settling for silver in 1981 and 2005.

Preston Goldfarb, who is the soccer coach at Birmingham-Southern College and was the coach for the 2013 Maccabiah team, said he told the team before the game “what a privilege and honor it was to coach them,” and that they would make history that night.

He said afterward that “it was a fitting end to my Maccabi USA career.”

Goldfarb was head coach for the open men’s soccer team at the Maccabi Australia International Games in 2010 and for the junior boys’ soccer team at the 2009 Maccabiah.

The 2009 team lost the bronze medal game to Brazil, 1-0, but was the only U.S. soccer team to play for a medal.

This year, both the U.S. men and women’s open teams won gold, the women defeating Israel 6-1 for the title, and the junior girls won gold.

The junior boys (1997-98) lost to Brazil 3-0 in the bronze game, while the older junior boys took silver, losing to Israel in the final. The U.S. 45-plus team took bronze.

The Maccabiah, held every four years in Israel, brings Jewish athletes from around the world in what is the third-largest Olympics-style international sports competition.

Goldfarb isn’t the only Birmingham connection on the team. David Rosenthal of Minnesota is son of Birmingham native Gary Rosenthal, grandson of Rachel Rosenthal.

The gold medal game at Givat Ram Stadium went into overtime after the teams finished regulation knotted at 2. After two scoreless 15-minute overtimes, the U.S. team won it 4-3 on penalty kicks.

The U.S. team played a man down for the last 60 minutes, as Kovi Konowiecki received a red card for retaliation in the 60th minute after an uncalled Argentina foul. The team was also shorthanded after cocaptain Daniel Kohen broke his foot in the quarterfinals.

The U.S. took a quick lead 5 minutes in as Alec Arsht scored on a throw-in, but Argentina converted a penalty kick four minutes later. In a trend Goldfarb saw several times during the tournament, he said the officiating was “extremely poor” with numerous calls against the U.S. team and blatant fouls by opposing teams ignored. As an example, an Argentina player “came off the field and shoved me” in the coaching box, in front of an official, but nothing was called.

In the second half, the U.S. went up again in the 50th minute on an Eric Weberman goal. Argentina tied it in the 68th minute, minutes after the U.S. red card.

Goldfarb said that being a man down, they “battled like I have never seen” to get to the penalty kick phase.

Both teams missed the first kick but made the second. The U.S. scored in the third round, then both teams scored in the fourth. The final Argentine kicker tied it at 3 at the beginning of the fifth round, but U.S. captain Scott Rowling answered, securing the gold medal.

The U.S. team had to battle back and overcome many obstacles on

Kenner teen competes in Maccabiah golf The New Orleans Jewish community was represented at the 19th Maccabiah Games in Israel last month.

Madeline Gordon placed ninth in a 12-person field in the Junior Girls category, which is for golfers ages 15 to 18. She was one of the younger golfers, having recently finished her freshman year at Metairie Park Country Day School.

Julie Steinbauer of Miami won gold. She recently graduated from high school and is an incoming freshman on the Rollins College golf team.

The three-round individual competition was held at the Caesarea Golf Club.

In Gordon’s first round on July 18 she shot a 90, 18 strokes behind Steinbauer, to place 10th. She was ninth with an 82 on July 19 and tied for fifth with an 85 on July 21.

Her raw score was 257 for the three rounds, 43 behind Steinbauer, who was 18 shots ahead of the second-place finisher, fellow U.S. player Samantha Haubenstock of Weston, Fla. When factoring in the players’ handicaps, three Israelis with double-digit handicaps rocketed to the top three slots, while Gordon, with a 7, fell to 12th.

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August 2013

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Sports its journey. The team arrived in Israel on July 7 and had some practice sessions and two “friendlies” against Australia before touring the country for several days.

On July 17 Goldfarb found out the team had to request practice time and then pay its own transportation. “I have never seen anything like this,” he noted. The trend continued with the Opening Ceremony on July 18, which he described as “beyond unorganized.” The team arrived at 5 p.m. and the March of Countries was supposed to begin at 8 p.m., but started an hour late.

At 12:15 a.m. it was over, but the team’s buses were nowhere to be found. After well over an hour of wandering, they were finally told they had to walk over a mile to reach the buses.

That day, the team was to play its first game of group play, against Uruguay at 4 p.m. Though the tournament was being played with FIFA international rules, the field was much smaller than a regulation field.

“We are a possession type team and playing on a field that size certainly takes that away,” he explained.

Though Uruguay was far outmatched, the U.S. could not get things going and lost 1-0. “Their only hope was to take us out of our game,” so Uruguay baited, taunted and dove, and the referee did nothing. He said a Uruguay player even head-butted the U.S. goalie in front of the referee and got a warning for what usually results in an ejection. Two “obvious” hand-balls in the box were also not called.

“In all my many years of coaching” college and internationally, Goldfarb said, “I have never seen the kind of poor sportsmanship in a game.”

As happens in soccer, the better team does not always win, he noted.

The U.S. did not play well enough to win, “but we certainly didn’t deserve to lose.”

In the next match, against Denmark, the field was somewhat larger.

David Rosenthal scored the team’s first goal of the tournament in the 12th minute and added a second in the 72nd minute to put the U.S. up 3-0. After notching the 5-0 win the team prepared for Mexico, which Goldfarb said before the tournament would be “war” — but it would also be on the “postage stamp” small field.

Mexico needed only a tie to advance, but “to their credit they played to win,” Goldfarb said. The U.S. needed a win to advance, and came through with a tie-breaking goal in the 70th minute, holding on for the 3-2 win to make the Round of 8.

In the quarterfinals, the U.S. shelled Germany, 7-0, using the lessons the team learned from the Uruguay game.

On July 28 the team was once again on the short field for the semifinal, but defeated Canada 5-0. Canada was coached by Goldfarb’s friend Alan Koch of Simon Fraser University in Vancouver. Koch played against BSC in the 1996 NAIA national tournament, Goldfarb noted.

After making tactical adjustments toward the end of the Uruguay match, the U.S. team scored 20 goals and gave up 2 until the final.

Goldfarb said “this has been an incredible experience, being with all of these guys and seeing how well they took to each other and our way of playing the game we all love.”

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Martin Fischman, Bradley Handwerger and Scott Kushner discuss sports with Rabbi Robert Loewy

Discussing local sports through a Jewish perspective A sports panel at Metairie’s Gates of Prayer on July 10 dealt with a wide range of topics in the New Orleans sports scene, but also touched on how Jewish values influence day-to-day conduct.

Three members of the Jewish community who are involved in local sports were on the panel, which was a joint program with Beth Israel and kicked off a three-week summer session of joint programs. Gates of Prayer Rabbi Robert Loewy moderated.

Martin Fischman, an NFL sports agent, said despite the image people have of sports agents, his job is about tikkun olam. “More than providing legal and business advice, I’m more of a counselor, advising them on issues in their lives.

“To have an advisor they trust that will give them the right advice so they can touch more lives is making the world a better place,” he said, and he encourages his clients to make a difference in the world. “I’m fortunate that the clients I’m working with are all great people.”

He has lost clients to other agents because he won’t participate in “cutthroat” recruiting, but feels others were drawn to him because of his “pride in doing what’s right.”

He has to watch out for his clients’ best interests, because there is no such thing as a guarantee in the NFL, and the average career is 3.1 seasons.

Bradley Handwerger said when he covers a story, he asks himself how his parents would react to it. “Am I writing in a way that reflects well on them, which reflects on (Judaism) in general?” A Mobile native, Handwerger covers the Saints and Pelicans for WWL-TV. For Scott Kushner, who covers Tulane for the Advocate, the most Jewish part of his job “is trying to tell a story straight,” to be true to himself and his readers.

For all of them, their positions are a way to exercise their passion for sports. Handwerger said he loves writing and sports, and this way he gets to do both and get into games free.

The two journalists noted that while they have to get the basics covered — as Handwerger put it, “How is Drew Brees looking” — they also have to keep their ears open for what may seem insignificant at the time, and develop relationships with players.

Kushner said “If someone asks you to lunch, you go even if you think the issue is silly at the time. It might blow up later.”

Fischman said per capita, Louisiana is the capital of NFL talent, and because of the nature of Louisiana “we all share the trait of being from the same region.” He said one could be eating red beans and rice on Monday at Commander’s Palace or at Angola prison, or catfish and gumbo on Friday in either place. The shared experiences regardless of

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background are a great icebreaker when he is Kushner was asked about Tulane’s dedicatrying to sign a client. tion to the football program, which historiKushner said the New Orleans area is a hot- cally has been in question. The new on-cambed of sports, even more so than just 10 years pus stadium should put that to rest. “You’re ago. “There’s always something to cover,” and not going to make a $60 million investment in there are four television stations, two newspa- something and then can it.”

All three described how there is no such pers and countless websites trying to cover it. thing as a typical day in their professions. FisHandwerger said the fans are “so intense. chman said he had just been in contact with I know someone is going to be reading what clients to help with the basics. “I told a player I write. That also means people don’t like me today, if you need help with toiletries before all the time, and that’s difficult to deal with training camp… I remember packing for Jasometimes.” cobs Camp.”

Table tennis makes net gains in the U.S.

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Table tennis not only continues to make net gains in involvement and popularity, but the game is being used to improve the skills and hand-eye coordination of players for championship teams in other sports, including Alabama Crimson Tide football and Birmingham Barons baseball.

The training and opportunities for regular play of the sport that dates back to 1800s England come courtesy of Bumper Nets. Owned by Homer Brown with the help of his fellow table tennis champions — son Adam and Duke Stogner — Bumper Nets, now celebrating its 14th year has three stores in the Riverchase Galleria.

In early July, Homer Brown competed in his 45th consecutive table tennis U.S. Open Championship in Las Vegas. He has won several divisions and age brackets over the years. His son Adam, who first started playing the sport with his dad’s tutelage at 3 years old and won the “under 10s” U.S. Open at age 8, also played in this year’s big event.

In June the Browns won a national charity tournament in Nashville hosted by the country music group Lady Antebellum. In late July, Stogner and Homer Brown competed in Cleveland, Ohio, at the National Senior Games Summer Olympics.

“It is such a wonderful sport to be a part of.

You can work hard and be a great player whether you are young or old, big or small or in a wheelchair,” said Stogner, who met Homer Brown at a U.S. Open in 1974 and helped him open Bumper Nets, first at Birmingham’s Brookwood Village in 1999. He referenced a recently released documentary movie about table tennis players competing in their 80s called “Not Too Old For Gold.”

The Browns and Stogner said that even though table tennis has been in the U.S. for years, a major resurgence in popularity came when it was added as an Olympic sport in 1988.

Adam Brown said “in the past 10 years especially, you are seeing more people getting involved in table tennis recreationally and competitively. It is something I picked up and loved

Southern Jewish Life

from a young age. I still enjoy playing as much as I can as well as coaching others.”

The rise of the “table tennis social club” has also come in the past few years. Recently actress Susan Sarandon started Spin New York City, which is a bar that offers regular table tennis play and the theme is carried out to accompany food, drinks as well as musical entertainment. Several other major U.S. cities have table tennis social clubs and a few are planned for some larger cities in the Southeast.

The team at Bumper Nets has done much to fuel youth involvement and help on the high school and collegiate levels for table tennis.

Two of the nation’s top-ranked collegiate teams are Mississippi College (co-ed) and Alabama (women).

But they are not just training and coaching table tennis players. Bumper Nets works with the Crimson Tide football team players, Birmingham Barons players and athletes in other sports at area high schools.

“According to a recent study in California, table tennis was named the ‘Best Sport for your Brain.’ It improves your reflexes, reactions, handeye coordination and footwork. Those carry over to many sports and athletic achievements,” said Homer Brown. Table tennis has also proven to help kids with autism and adults suffering from dementia.

Every Friday night, Bumper Nets hosts open tournaments at its main location. When the store is open, customers can rent tables for play and purchase equipment and tables. They can also rent or buy a “robot training table” that allows one to improve his or her game without a partner.

Bumper Nets also has more pinball machines than any place in the nation except one site, Homer Brown said. They host weekly darts, billiards and pinball tournaments as well as open play, but table tennis was the inspiration for starting Bumper Nets and will always be number one for him, he said.

“We welcome people of all skill levels to learn the game, improve their play and just have fun.

Plus it’s a great way to meet other people who share a similar interest,” said Homer Brown.

Metairie Chabad hosting Jewish Super Bowl champion There are plenty of Jews with Super Bowl rings — coaches, executives, even owners. But one that was won by a player? Not quite as common.

Alan Veingrad will talk about his experiences as a Super Bowl champion at the Chabad Jewish Center in Metairie on Aug. 28 at 7:30 p.m. A skinny Jewish kid from Brooklyn, Veingrad was part of the Dallas Cowboys team that won Super Bowl XXVII in January 1993.

He grew up in Miami, then was Lone Star All-Conference playing on the offensive line at East Texas State, which later became Texas A&M-Commerce.

Unselected in the 1985 draft, he signed with Tampa Bay but was cut, and also had a tryout with Houston but was released.

In 1986 he signed with Green Bay as a free agent and was the opening day starter at offensive tackle. He played four seasons with Green Bay, and then signed with Dallas.

While in Green Bay, he was invited to Rosh Hashanah services, which awakened his Judaism. He retired after the Super Bowl win, became observant and now goes by the name Shlomo. Aside from his financial services career, he travels the country talking about his experiences transforming from a secular Jew to observance.

In 2010, he was inducted into the National Jewish Sports Hall of Fame, and is also in the Texas A&M-Commerce Athletic Hall of Fame. He was also invited to the White House for the first-ever reception honoring Jewish American heritage month.

Tickets to the event are $15 before Aug. 25 or $25 at the door. The “Revealing the Diamond Campaign” raffle will also take place at the program.

For event sponsors, there will be a luncheon with Veingrad, which will include time with Veingrad, an autograph session and photo opportunity, and a chance to try on his Super Bowl ring.

For Richard Russell, life is good as his art subjects keep winning

By Lee J. Green One could call it a brush (stroke) with greatness. New Orleans native artist Richard Russell, who now lives in Birmingham and owns All Things Gallery, has gained great interest as well as sales with his art involving the 2012 national champion Alabama Crimson Tide football team and Louisville Cardinals basketball.

Russell is licensed to do artwork for 30 universities, including every school in the Southeastern Conference except Vanderbilt. “Those recent national championships (three for Alabama and one for Auburn in football the past four years) really are fueling the interest. People want to have a special memory of a special season,” he said.

Diversification of materials and subjects has also helped increase revenues. Russell said some of his latest works are three-dimensional, glossy, embossed plaques. All Things Gallery sells New Orleans jazz art and art about Birmingham’s “iron man,” Vulcan.

“You always want to challenge yourself creatively; to use unique tools to come up with some different styles and media,” said Russell. He already

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has had some artwork of his placed in the National College Football Hall of Fame and the Bryant Museum in Tuscaloosa. Recently, his artwork was selected for the National Football League Hall of Fame.

The NFL piece features four Miami Dolphins defensive players, including former Alabama great Bob Baumhauer, in a playoff game against the New York Jets in 1983. The rain was relentless and the players are covered in mud. “That scene really spoke to me. It’s gritty and really speaks volumes about the game of football,” he said.

Mountain High climbs in outdoor market

By Lee J. Green Mountain High Outfitters not only sells mountain climbing and hiking equipment and apparel, but the company continues to climb in market share of the sports and outdoors products industry. Now, there are four locations in Birmingham as well as one each in Huntsville, Atlanta and Nashville.

One could say in many aspects, Mountain High Outfitters — like the Crimson Tide football team of founder and owner Christopher Groom’s alma mater — has scaled the hill and planted a flag on top.

“Our goal is to inspire people to be active, enjoy the great outdoors and to get involved in causes that benefit the environment,” said Groom. A 1993 Alabama graduate, he lived the great outdoors in Jackson Hole, Wyoming for three years after graduating before moving to Birmingham to open the first Mountain High Outfitters store.

“I wanted to give the average consumer an option to feel good about being a part of a community and purchasing new, innovative products that might be hard to find,” he said. Mountain High sells apparel and equipment from brands including The North Face, Patagonia, Columbia sportswear, Under Armor, Osprey and Nalgene.

Groom said popular apparel includes items that resist moisture, keep body temperatures cool or warm, block harmful UV rays and repel mosquitos.

Two of the fastest growing sports and activities Mountain High sells apparel and equipment for are paddleboarding and ultra trail running, which involves longer-distance runs and races on nature trails. The stores sell paddleboards, oars and ideal trail running shoes by Solomon. Mountain High also sponsors several ultra trail races and paddleboarding demos.

The rise in popularity of outdoor sports and activities such as Ultimate Frisbee, Frisbee Golf and bouldering (climbing 15-20 foot rocks) has also helped increase sales of those related products at Mountain High Outfitters. Sales of yoga mats and clothes also continue to increase.

In 2012, the Alabama Retail Association presented Mountain High Outfitters with the Bronze Retailer of the Year award. But what Groom takes most pride in is partnering with organizations such as the Black Warrior Riverkeeper, Chattahoochee Riverkeeper, Fresh Air Family, Wild South, Alabama Rivers Alliance, the Norma Livingston Ovarian Cancer Foundation and various causes to help victims of the 2011 tornadoes in Alabama.

“Life is about getting involved and lending a hand where you can. We’re glad to do that,” he said.

Groom added that he is considering new sites for locations in Alabama, Georgia and Tennessee for possible 2014 store openings.

Sports Charging from behind: BIASCHA takes Synagogue Softball League crown Starting slow but finishing strong was a 3rd base and went 3-for-5, with a double and trend for BIASCHA, but it worked as the 5 RBIs. fourth-seeded team won the New Orleans In the semifinal on June 30, BIASCHA took Synagogue Softball League championship. out top seed Shir Chadash, which had the The combined efforts of Beth Israel, Anshe best regular season record at 8-1-1. Again, Sfard and Chabad took the title in a come- BIASCHA had to come from behind, spotting from-behind 11-7 win over Beth Israel neigh- Shir Chadash a 3-0 lead. In that game, Austin bor Gates of Prayer in front of a record crowd Kirzner had an over-the-fence home run. on July 14 at Girard Playground in Metairie.

For Shir Chadash, it was a bitter end to their Beth Israel and Gates of Prayer had hosted season with a mission, having been on the losa forum on local Jewish sports personalities ing end of a controversial finish to the 2012 the previous Wednesday, at which time there championship game. was some back-and-forth in anticipation of The 2012 champion, Touro Synagogue, was the championship game. pounded by Gates of Prayer in their semiBIASCHA took an final, 21-6. During early lead with a run the regular season, in the top of the 1st Final Regular Season Standings Touro had won both inning, courtesy of a Team games against Gates, Record GB fielder’s choice RBI 5-0 and 9-5. In the Shir Chadash 8-1-1 -by Austin Kirzner. semifinal, Designated Touro Synagogue 5-3-2 2 1/2 In the bottom of Hitter Seth Shear set Gates of Prayer 6-4 2 1/2 the 3rd, Gates scored an SSL record with BIASCHA 5-4-1 3 two unearned runs to three over-the-fence Temple Sinai 5-5 3 1/2 take the lead. Gates home runs, driving in B’nai Israel/Beth Shalom 3-7 5 1/2 added to its lead in five runs.

Northshore Jewish Cong. 1-9 7 1/2 the bottom of the 4th Missing the playoffs on a Chris Williams this year were Temple double, a Jeremy Jacobson RBI single, and a Sinai, the combined Baton Rouge team of Jared Davidson sacrifice fly, resulting in two B’nai Israel and Beth Shalom, and Northshore runs and a 4-1 Gates lead.

Jewish Congregation.

BIASCHA started its rally in the top of the Sinai had a 5-5 record, losing some very 5th, with a Justin Napoli 2-RBI double. After close games this season, but the season was retiring Gates in order, BIASCHA rallied for highlighted by two upset wins over Touro, 12five runs in the top of the 6th, on a Cameron 7 and 11-6.

Kirzner RBI double that tied the game at 4, The Baton Rouge team, playing in its third Napoli’s 2-RBI single, and a Henry Opotowsky SSL season, had a 3-7 record, highlighted by 2-RBI single. a 10-8 upset win over eventual champion BIGates cut the lead to 8-5 in the bottom of ASCHA in the last week of the regular season. the inning with a Chris Williams RBI. In the Northshore had a 1-9 record, primarily the top of the 7th, BIASCHA continued the on- result of having to play a significant number slaught with three insurance runs, on a Dylan of games short-handed. Theseason highlight Laventhal 2-RBI double and a Napoli RBI came on opening day with its sole victory, 7-6 single. Despite the 11-5 challenge, Gates tried over Sinai. to come back, with Michael Finkelstein Max The seven teams represent 10 Jewish conMichaels each driving in a run, but the rally gregations in New Orleans, Metairie, the fell short.

Northshore, and Baton Rouge, with a total of BIASCHA scored 11 runs on 17 hits and 140 participants, including one female. The had two errors, while Gates scored seven runs season runs from March through July with all on seven hits and four errors. games being played in Metairie at Girard and The winning pitcher for BIASCHA was Lee Miley Playgrounds on Sunday mornings.

Kirzner. Co-MVPs of the championship game The 2014 season will commence in early were BIASCHA left fielder Dylan Laventhal, March. There is a discussion that Shir Chawho went 4-for-5 with a double and 2 RBIs, dash might field two teams next year, one to and made a spectacular sliding catch in foul go for the title and one to develop younger talterritory in deep left field, and 3rd baseman ent. Gates of Prayer used this model following Justin Napoli, who made numerous assists at its 1994 championship.

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21

Sports SEC football goes for eighth title University of South Carolina, came to visit.

Bloom said he is happy in Columbia where SEC Commissioner Mike Slive is “chai” on he and his wife went to school, but misses the life. The commissioner has his conference on Birmingham Jewish community.

“We were very happy here and involved. We top of the college football landscape with seven straight national championships in football have so many friends here and I am glad I get and the landmark SEC Network launching to come back to visit,” he said. “The Columbia Jewish community is smaller than it is here in about this time next year.

“I continue to be amazed by the extraordi- Birmingham, but the folks there are very nice too.” nary accomplishments of So will the Crimson our student-athletes year SEC West Prediction Tide make it four nationafter year, and this past 1 – Alabama Crimson Tide al championships in five year was no exception. 2 – Texas A&M Aggies years, setting an all-time I feel like a proud papa 3 – LSU Tigers college football record? whose children have done 4 – Ole Miss Rebels Many prognosticators so much to make me kvell 5 – Auburn Tigers think so. But don’t tell with pride on the field and 6 – Mississippi State Bulldogs that to Head Coach Nick off it,” said Slive, who was 7 – Arkansas Razorbacks Saban. He has his team sometimes joined at SEC SEC East Prediction focused on the goal of Media Days at the Hyatt- 1 – Georgia Bulldogs winning, but not looking Wynfrey Hotel in Bir- 2 – South Carolina Gamecocks back or reveling in acmingham last month by 3 – Florida Gators complishments of previhis pride-and-joy daugh- 4 – Vanderbilt Commodores ous teams. ter, who is on the board 5 – Tennessee Volunteers “We’re obviously of Birmingham’s Temple 6 – Missouri Tigers proud of what our team Emanu-El, and one-year- 7 – Kentucky Wildcats was able to accomplish old granddaughter. last year and the year beThe Alabama Crimson All-SEC First Team Offense fore, but we also learned Tide won its second na- QB Johnny Manziel – Texas A&M that there’s five or six tional championship in RB T.J. Yeldon – Alabama plays that can define your a row and third in four RB Todd Gurley – Georgia season and make a differyears after dismantling WR Amari Cooper – Alabama Notre Dame last Janu- WR Jordan Matthews – Vanderbilt ence. It is all in the details and preparing as much as ary. The Auburn Tigers TE Arthur Lynch – Georgia you can,” said Saban. claimed the title in 2010- OL Cyrus Kouandjio – Alabama “It’s a challenge each 11, giving the state of OL Jake Matthews – Texas A&M year to reinvent your Alabama four in a row as OL Anthony Steen – Alabama OL Gabe Jackson – Miss. St. team. You always lose part of the SEC streak. good players. You always Last season the SEC C Travis Swanson – Arkansas lose about 25 percent of became the only conferAll-SEC First Team Defense your team in college. So ence in college football DL Jadeveon Clowney – S.C. it creates new opportuhistory to finish the reguDL Dominique Easley – Florida nities for other players lar season with six teams DL Anthony Johnson – LSU to step it up and become ranked in the top 10. AdDL Chris Smith – Arkansas leaders as well as others ditionally, Texas A&M LB C.J. Mosley – Alabama to assume different roles quarterback Johnny ManLB A.J. Johnson – Tennessee to make it all work,” he ziel, whose last-season LB Denzel Nkemdiche – Ole Miss said. and off-season exploits DB Ha Ha Clinton-Dix – Alabama The SEC media picked set Media Days abuzz, DB Craig Loston – LSU Alabama to win its diviwon the Heisman Trophy DB Loucheiz Purifoy – Florida sion and the SEC Chamlast season, giving the DB Deion Belue – Alabama pionship, though Saban SEC four of the past six pointed out the media’s Heisman winners.

All-SEC First Team Specialists prognostication record At Media Days, former P Kyle Christy – Florida is 4-17. Here are the preSEC Associate Commis- K Carey Spear – Vanderbilt dicted standings and the sioner Charles Bloom, RS Odell Beckham, Jr. – LSU SEC Media All-SEC first who now is the associate AP Bruce Ellington – S.C. team. athletic director at the

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“Far Out” film about Nazi-era illustrator to screen in region

By Lee J. Green Films about a great illustrator who escaped Nazi-occupied France, a breakdancing Bar Mitzvah boy and five Ukrainian Jewish families who lives in a cave for 511 days to escape World War II are among several of Jewish interest featured in the annual Sidewalk Film Festival, which will be held August 23 to 25 in downtown Birmingham.

“Far Out Isn’t Far Enough,” a feature-length film by Brad Bernstein, centers upon the compelling story of illustrator/artist Tomi Ungerer — considered one of the greatest children’s book authors and illusFilm will be at trators until he went off in a differSidewalk in ent direction.

Ungerer grew up in Strasburg, Birmingham after a France, which was occupied by the week at Zeitgeist in Nazis when Ungerer was just a few New Orleans years old. He is not Jewish, but the Nazis noticed his artistic talent and forced him to draw Nazi propaganda that was horrifying for anyone of any age, let alone a young boy who was friendly with everyone.

He came to the United States in 1956 and became a well-known children’s book author, especially in the 1960s. “He said he felt like he was robbed of his childhood innocence and was forced to do art that was upsetting to him as well as others. So he wanted to draw and write about the good in the world; to make people happy with his creativity,” said Bernstein, who met with Ungerer in his native Strasburg to get more than 40 hours of interviews and footage for the film.

“Tomi loves to talk and he has some compelling stories to tell.

And he is the only living French artist with a whole museum dedicated to him, so we were able to obtain for the film and use thousands of his original works, even the ones he did when he was very young,” said Bernstein.

In the early 1960s, Ungerer toured around the segregated South and was compelled to write and draw about the wrongs of the Jim Crow era. “Growing up under forced Nazi rule, I think he had much sympathy for the plight of the Jews as well as for minorities who were not granted equal rights. He really illustrated that in what he drew and what he said,” added Bernstein.

Later in the 1960s, Ungerer’s work became more adult and political with his Vietnam War protests and him even dabbling into erotica.

“This was back when you could have separate lifestyles and careers pre-Internet. But he was confronted with this duality in the 1970s and exiled to Canada. His life and career took some different paths,” he said.

Now 82 and living back in Strasburg, Ungerer continues to draw, write and do art. He is also campaigning to keep the Yiddish language

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All Fans Can Agree on All Things: Sports Art by Richard Russell, former New Orleanian now in Birmingham

Beth-El a venue for “4 Little Girls” simultaneous screening

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As part of Birmingham’s commemoration of the 50th anniversary of pivotal moments in the civil rights struggle, Sidewalk is coordinating a community-wide simultaneous screening of Spike Lee’s “4 Little Girls,” about the four girls who were killed in the Sept. 15, 1963, bombing of Sixteenth Street Baptist Church.

Temples Beth-El and Emanu-El are joining for a screening at Beth-El, Aug. 21 at 7 p.m. Beth-El was the site of an attempted Klan bombing in 1958.

Michele Forman, who grew up in Birmingham’s Jewish community, was associate producer for the 1997 film. She is now co-director of the media studies program at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

Refreshments will be served during the film, and a roundtable discussion will follow.

Admission is free, and reservations are requested. Donations are welcome, which will benefit the Four Spirits Project, a non-profit organization erecting a monument in memory of the four girls who were killed in the church bombing. As of press time, there were 25 houses of worship that were confirmed for holding screenings. alive in Strasburg and surrounding areas.

Bernstein was born in Riverdale and grew up in Scarsdale, N.Y. He said his family is from Poland and the Ukraine. He was Bar Mitzvahed in South Florida, where he now lives and where his grandparents were living at the time.

“As part of my Bar Mitzvah experience, we all went to Israel. It was the first time for all of us and it certainly had a tremendous impact on all of our lives,” he said.

Bernstein majored in journalism with a focus on athletic at the University of Michigan and was the play-by-play broadcaster when the hockey team won the national championship.

A few years after graduation, he was asked by ESPN to coordinate a 10-hour multi-part college football documentary, narrated by Burt Reynolds. That helped to launch his career in big-time documentary production.

These days Bernstein owns his own company, which primarily coordinates music and entertainment-related documentaries such as some of VH1’s “Behind the Music” shows.

He said “Far Out Isn’t Far Enough” is a project he is very passionate about. It has already won awards and been screened at film festivals in places ranging from New York to Haifa, Israel, to Poland and Germany.

The film screens Aug. 2 to 8 at the Zeitgeist Multidisciplinary Art Center in New Orleans before coming to Birmingham for Sidewalk later in the month. It will screen at Sidewalk at the Alabama Theatre on Aug. 25 at 1:30 p.m. The DVD will be out October 22.

“We’ve been very pleased with the response we have gotten so far and we’re happy to be able to share this story,” said Bernstein. “Tomi is quite an individual. He is like an onion with so many layers to peel.”

The breakdancing Bar Mitzvah boy

“B-Boy,” a short film by Seattle-based Jewish filmmaker Lisa Cohen, busts a move with 13-year-old Eli — aka “E-Break.”

In suburban Connecticut, 13-year-old Eli navigates two diverse cultures while coming of age as a Bar Mitzvah and competitive breakdancer in this short documentary about passion, dedication, community and cross-cultural understanding.

Cohen, who is from Worcester, Mass, met Eli’s mom Beth when the two were at a now-defunct Jewish camp in New Hampshire. Both 24

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were dancers growing up and in high school. They also were roommates and studied dance at Tufts University in the Boston area.

“Eli got interested in break-dancing, which is unique considering he was a young, small suburban kid in Connecticut. His parents encouraged it and supporting his passion to get better,” said Cohen.

They would accompany Eli into the inner-cities, such as “Hell’s Kitchen” in New York City, sometimes even late at night to breakdance with his crew and in “battles” (competitions) with other crews.

In many cases, Eli was the only white kid, smallest kid and could be 10 years younger than many of the folks he competed with and against.

“It was amazing that Eli got so good even at such a young age that he was better than kids almost twice his age who had been breakdancing for much longer,” said Cohen. “His parents thought it was a great experience for him and it’s a good story of people bridging the cultural gap.”

When Cohen started shooting the movie, Eli was 12 years old. He is now 18 and still breakdances. “The film illustrates the parallel of Bar Mitzvah and breakdancing for Eli. He was becoming an adult (before he turned 13) but not quite there, while he was becoming a great dancer but not quite there yet either,” she said.

Cohen grew up in a heavily populated Jewish community and had her Bat Mitzvah at a Reform temple in Worcester. She was involved in Hebrew school and her father is Israeli.

After graduating from Tufts, she worked for 15 years as a digital film supervisor and in post-production. This is the first film she has made and she already is working on her next film. “It’s a film about bullying but from the perspective of the bully. It’s a unique way to present the issue. The victims can become the victimizers.”

“No Place On Earth”

In 1942, 38 men women and children slid down a cold, muddy hole in the ground seeking refuge from the war above. They go to a pitchblack underground world where no human had gone before.

These five Ukrainian Jewish families created their own society where young men bravely ventured into the harrowing night to collect food, supplies and chop firewood. The girls and women never left: surviving underground longer than anyone in recorded history. Held together by one iron-willed matriarch, after 511 days the cave dwellers, ages 2 to 76, emerged from the cave in a remarkable story of courage and survival.

In this feature documentary by director/producer Janet Tobias, who started her career as an associate producer on “60 Minutes,” American caver Chris Nicola leads four of the survivors back to the cave in Ukraine to give their thanks 67 years later.

It is scheduled for 4:20 p.m. on Aug. 25 at First United Methodist Church on 19th Street.

“The Garden of Eden” is the story of Gan HaShlosha, better known as the ‘Sakhne,’ one of the largest, most famous and most visited parks in Israel.

Director Ran Tal expresses with exceptional cinematic measures the abundance of conflicted elements of the Israeli soul. With vast humor, beauty and pain, the film provides its viewers an original and piercing look at Israeli society, in a least expected location.

For the film, Tal won Best Director at the Jerusalem International film festival in 2012. The Festival schedule at press time also had it scheduled for 4:20 p.m. on Aug. 25 at First United Methodist Church.

“Spies of Mississippi” tells the story of the Mississippi Sovereignty Commission, which was set up to maintain segregation in the 1960s.

Among the gatherings the commission spied on and documented was a B’nai B’rith Youth Organization regional conference. The film will be at First United Methodist Church on Aug. 24 at 8:35 p.m.

For more information about the 2013 Sidewalk Film Festival and a complete schedule go to www.sidewalkfest.com.

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Food and Dining Winn-Dixie launches self-branded kosher bakery line this month

By Lee J. Green There is some sweet news for those seeking kosher products at Winn-Dixie — this month they will launch an extensive corporate brand bakery line including challah loaves and rolls, Black and White cookies, brownies and other favorites available on a regular basis.

Winn-Dixie Marketing Manager and kosher foods expert Deborah Shapiro said the big kosher bakery product launch comes as a result of many customer requests as well as discussions with individual stores that see a larger number of Jewish customers and kosher product purchasers, especially the Birmingham locations on Montevallo Road and Crosshaven, Spring Hill in Mobile and Uptown and Metairie in the New Orleans area.

“We listen to our customers and our policy has always been if there is a product they want but it’s not in the store closest to them, we’ll order it,” said Shapiro. “We’re really excited about the Winn-Dixie brand kosher baked goods launch. We’ve had customers, synagogues and community centers request that we have fresh challah on a regular basis. And we know these new kosher bakery products are very tasty since we got to taste test them.”

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She said the Jacksonville, Fla.-based Winn-Dixie offers more than 1,000 self-branded kosher products in its stores. In addition to doing stringent tests to ensure the quality of new Winn-Dixie products, those products are usually less expensive than comparable brands from other companies in the stores.

“The kosher cakes from our bakeries, especially red velvet, chocolate and caramel drizzle already have been among our most popular products,” said Shapiro. More corporate brand kosher product launches are coming soon, especially in the area of kosher meats.

For new product development, availability at stores, the list of all Winn-Dixie brand kosher products and to request a store carry a product, customers can go to the kosher products page on the website www.winn-dixie.com.

Other popular Winn-Dixie brand kosher products include cookies and snack chips, she said. In addition to putting a focus on kosher, Winn-Dixie puts emphasis on supporting local. Whenever possible, the stores in each market sell locally-grown produce. They even feature local farmers in some of their promotional materials.

As of press time, Shapiro said they did not have a date for the kosher bakery products launch, but anticipates it will be at least by mid-August.

Dorignac’s “got dat!”

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Dorignac’s supermarket has been a New Orleans local favorite since 1947 and their slogan — “Yeah we got ‘dat’!” — certainly applies to a wide variety of kosher products.

Joe Dorignac opened the first store 65 years ago and the Crescent City market has attracted locals and tourists alike for many years. The location in Metairie offers a broad spectrum of fresh meats, produce, bakery items, canned goods, beer, wine and liquor and many other products — always with a local and regional focus in mind.

Dorignac’s professional chefs also provide specialty lunches, prepared food and offer catering. They carry many products from nearby Jewish deli and grocery Kosher Cajun. New products added in 2013 include Gold’s Ketchup and Manischewitz Roasted Almond Butter.

Some of Dorniac’s most popular kosher items include Nathan’s Herring in Cream Sauce and Golden Blintzes, located in the frozen foods department. They are also happy to provide customers with some special kosher Cajun/Creole recipes.

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Local tradition continues at Langenstein’s

Langenstein’s has “fiercely loyal” customers who helped the store celebrate its 90th birthday last year.

Langenstein’s began in 1922 with the goal of carrying the best meat and seafood in New Orleans. The original location was 1300 Arabella Street. In 1954, they moved up the block to 1330 Arabella, into a space that was 10 times larger. They anticipated growing into it over a few years, it took only three months.

In 1994, Langenstein’s opened a second location in Metairie.

After customer feedback and suggestions, in the 1970s the store began offering a wide range of prepared gourmet foods using family recipes. The 100-product line includes crawfish etouffe and bisque, seafood gumbo, grillades, red beans and rice, and many others.

They are known for their double-stuffed potatoes, signature dips, chicken salad and Creole potato salad.

After 90 years, Langenstein’s still cuts all meat with in-house butchers and grinds their own meat.

  

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27

Food and Dining PeaceBaker adds kosher to vegan, gluten-free repertoire

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The New Orleans area and beyond has a new kosher option, with the first bakery certified by the Louisiana Kashrut Commission in a decade.

Anshe Sfard Rabbi David Polsky and Chabad Rabbi Yossi Nemes formalized the certification of the PeaceBaker on July 17 in a brief ceremony with bakery owner Kelly Boffone.

“I’m really excited about this new venture, and to have a new community to share everything with,” Boffone said. She added that the process “wasn’t as scary as I imagined it.”

The bakery, which opened in June 2012 at 6601 Veterans in Metairie, was already vegan and gluten-free, which made the certification process relatively easy. “It was much easier than a non-gluten-free bakery would be,” Nemes said.

He added, “the number one thing you need in certification is good will and interest.” He said this certification is in the community’s interest and the bakery’s interest.

Polsky’s wife, Mindy, saw the bakery and approached Boffone with the idea of becoming kosher, something she had not previously considered.

Because the bakery’s ingredients were vegan, there was nothing dairy to be concerned with. Polsky explained that the only difference with kashrut is that to be pareve — neither meat nor dairy — the ingredients could not be manufactured on equipment that also processed dairy ingredients. A handful of substitutions had to be made, and that was most of the process.

In the cases where Boffone had to switch ingredients, Polsky researched options. Boffone noted that she had to change the non-dairy cream cheese she had been using, and it turned out that the kosher one “is better than the one we had before.”

The bakery has a wide range of baked goods, including cupcakes, cookies and brownies. There are vegan cheddar biscuits and minidoughnuts, and of particular interest is the year-round availability of kosher king cakes.

For those outside the New Orleans area, PeaceBaker ships its goods

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Rabbi Yossi Nemes, Kelly Boffone and Rabbi David Polsky discuss the final paperwork for kosher certification

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nationally.

PeaceBaker also has several types of hand pies, but there is one that is not under certification — the spinach mushroom hand pie. Polsky explained that spinach and other leafy vegetables are difficult to certify in general, because of the remote possibility of a non-kosher insect between leaves. The chances of it are very remote and are so small that making the spinach products on the same equipment as the certified items isn’t an issue.

After completing the process but before the ceremony, Boffone and several others went to Casablanca, a local kosher restaurant, to celebrate. There, Boffone gazed upon the Casablanca certification, anticipating having her own shortly.

She said having the pareve certification is an added attraction for those who pay attention to gluten-free and vegan standards, whether or not they are Jewish.

At the end of the ceremony, it was mentioned that the local Muslim community would also need to be notified about the certification, as Islam has a similar dietary system. Boffone noted that her Muslim friends were waiting to hear when the certification became official.

The ceremony ended with several purchases by those in attendance.

Publix surveys customers, rabbis for kosher selection

By Lee J. Green Publix Supermarkets in Alabama and the Florida panhandle ask Jewish community members and rabbis what products they recommend carrying in the stores, and if it isn’t in the stores, customers can order anything.

“At Publix we know our customers,” said Publix Public Relations Director Brenda Reid. “Every year we survey customers and local rabbis to make sure that we offer the variety of kosher products they want, during the Jewish holidays especially. Our store managers and buyers stay in contact with their local synagogues so that our product offerings are tailored to the communities around each store. It is not uncommon for our stores to add four to 12 feet of additional product space during the Jewish holiday seasons.”

Reid said that every day there are thousands of kosher products to choose from at the Publix stores — dry goods to dairy to fresh or frozen products. For example, Heinz Ketchup and many Welch’s Juices are kosher. Lays launched a Kosher-for-Passover brand of potato chips last year. Publix Greenwise Market private label items are often kosher as well, she added.

As far as trends at Publix and in the grocery industry, Reid said that customers looking for variety in their kosher food selections tend to want products that fall under the same national trends as non-kosher items.

“For example, items trending nationally include gluten-free products, all-natural and organic fruits and vegetables as well as proteins that adhere to humane treatment of animals standards. Many of these items carry kosher symbols,” she said. “Customers looking for all-natural and organic items at Publix should look for the brown shelf tags to quickly identify the items they need.”

Reid added that customer service is the number one priority for Publix. “We have a customer satisfaction guarantee that includes the ability for each store to order products for customers who don’t find everything they need in their local store. Customers simply request the items be ordered at the register when they check out or at the customer service desk. We will call customers when their products arrive,” she said.

Yellow Bicycle creative with catering, kosher

By Lee J. Green Yellow Bicycle Catering, owner by The Fish Market founder George Sarris, recently provided a Sephardic-themed spread for a Temple Emanu-El annual meeting event, and the company prides itself on total customer customization along with presenting some creative new ideas.

Approximately 225 people attended the event, and the cuisine included a falafel bar as well as the Chicken Shashlik.

Yellow Bicycle General Manager Paul Berman said Yellow Bicycle is equipped to handle just about anything a client can imagine. “We

Chicken Shashlik Serves 4

Ingredients: 4 medium boneless chicken breasts 1 green bell pepper 1 medium yellow onion 1 medium ripe tomato 1 teaspoon fresh garlic, minced 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 1 tablespoon Greek seasoning fresh chopped parsley (garnish) Preparation: Cut chicken breasts into 3-inch strips.

Thread chicken onto 4-inch bamboo skewers.

Prepare a marinade using 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice, 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil, and 1-1/2 teaspoons of Greek seasoning. Marinate chicken skewers in marinade for 2 hours In a skillet, sauté the onion, garlic and pepper in the remaining 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil until translucent.

Add tomato and sauté until the tomato is tender. Add a balance of lemon juice and Greek seasoning, then add salt and pepper. Set aside.

Place chicken skewers on a grill and cook until done, flipping once. Remove from the grill when cooked. Arrange on a plate, garnish with onion, pepper, tomato sauté and fresh chopped parsley.

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Food and Dining can re-create family recipes, do kosher, vegetarian, gluten-free and with unique presentations,” he said.

One of their new popular ideas, for simchas from 25 people to a couple hundred, is “Paint the Plates.” They provide different sauces in mason jars with paintbrushes. People “paint” the sauces on the plate like a palette and then put the selection of meats and vegetables on top. Now that’s he-art healthy!

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August 2013

Southern Jewish Life

Golden Flake celebrates 90 years with new products

By Lee J. Green With this being the Sports and Food issue of the Southern Jewish Life magazine, it’s a winwin for Golden Flake.

The Birmingham company celebrates its 90th year, and along with Dr. Pepper is the longestrunning corporate partner of Southeastern Conference athletics, with almost 30 years of history.

Golden Flake also prides itself on quality and has a whole facility at its downtown plant devoted to kosher manufacturing.

“All of our potato chips and a few other products are certified kosher,” said Marketing Director Julie McLaughlin. “The rabbi comes here for scheduled and unscheduled inspections. We’ve always met or exceeded all requirements and everything is produced in a separate building from our (non-kosher products).”

McLaughlin said Golden Flake products can be found everywhere across the SJL coverage area as well as the entire geographic map of the SEC, except newcomer Missouri, which should join the Golden Flake distribution network soon. Golden Flake in recent years has entered both Texas and non-SEC-state Oklahoma.

“In some new markets we’ll test out the products at mom and pop shops. If that creates demand as we hope, we’ll go into the larger supermarkets and wider distribution,” she said.

Golden Flake’s special canisters commemorating Alabama and Auburn football national championships have become highly sought-after collectors’ items. “No other state in history can say they have had the last four college football national champions. We have a footballloving state and we want to appeal to our customers in the South,” said McLaughlin. The 2012 season Alabama Crimson Tide national championship canisters are already sold out.

McLaughlin said Golden Flake plans to remain a regional company to best focus its products on the tastes of its customers in the South.

“We have five different types of BBQ chips because we are in the South.

We also have hot, spicy things with cayenne, chili-flavored chips and other things our customers have told us that they like,” she said.

Some research and development, along with focus groups, resulted in the launch this past spring of a new product in three flavors. Golden Flake introduced a line of crinkle-cut French fry-shaped corn puffs in bacon cheddar (they use only flavorings for bacon, not any pork), hot (cayenne pepper) and chili cheese. Thus far the response has been very good.

“We did a lot of testing on the flavors and shapes. We get to be the first taste testers then we roll them out to customer focus groups before we launch. For these we even gave them to some SEC university statistics classes so they could do projects for themselves and get us some good information,” said McLaughlin.

Green To Go makes a healthy impression at the Uptown JCC The image of a summer pool snack bar brings up images of burgers and fries. At the Uptown Jewish Community Center, Gia DiLeo is out to change that image.

“We’re trying to get people away from the hot dog model,” she said.

“We understand it’s summer and everyone wants to relax,” but she encourages a more healthful alternative.

Since last September, DiLeo’s Green To Go has been housed at the JCC in a mutually-beneficial relationship.

The JCC space is the first location for the company, which started on January 6, 2012 on a single bicycle. The concept of providing a healthy alternative to fast food, delivered in the neighborhood, came to her three years ago.

The company is best known for its salads — there are now 20 to 30 types — but there is also a selection of quiches, pastries, salads, paninis and wraps. The all-natural soups are also a large draw. Their dressings are made from scratch every day.

She noted that in a recent radio appearance, Poppy Tooker referred to DiLeo as “the salad pusher.”

“One of my first and most regular clients was the JCC, because my children go to school here,” she said. “I would stop by at lunch time to make sure the teachers got fed,” then others at the facility became clients. Last fall, the JCC offered her the snack bar space as a year-round home for the business.

Now, she says, of the over 100 people who work in the building, 95 percent eat there on a regular basis. It has also transformed what had been a quiet corner by the pool into a community gathering area.

NOLA

Michele Tupler, Gia DiLeo and Conrad Emerson prepare the day’s deliveries and dine-in items at Green To Go Around the time the JCC space came open, Conrad Emerson, who had been a sous chef for Susan Spicer, started with Green To Go. He noted that having gone from one style of cuisine to the Green To Go offerings, he has lost 25 pounds.

A JCC teacher walked up to the counter and complained that be-

Southern Jewish Life

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cause she isn’t dining there during the summer, she has gained five pounds.

Delivery customers pre-order, everything is prepared at the JCC and before mid-day the bicycles take off along their five routes. While walk-up traffic inside the JCC is important, DiLeo is not completely dependent on it.

She noted that while there is a fiercely loyal customer base inside the building, there are still many people who don’t know Green To Go is there, since they enter the building and go right up to the fitness center without turning the corner where the counter is.

The company tries to be environmentally-conscious as much as possible, composting any waste and using compostable containers.

Even credit card transactions are paperless. “We try to live the model of the green business as best we can,” and they use local growers as much as possible.

One supplier is growing lettuce hydroponically and is developing a blend solely for Green To Go. Bicycles, of course, are a green mode of transportation.

While she is educated about kashrut, their location is not under kosher supervision. “It’s kosher-style,” she said. When possible she buys organic kosher items, but those are often difficult to come by.

They can do a kosher function under supervision. Earlier this summer they did the Avodah brunch at Shir Chadash in Metairie.

The delivery service is “a great service for those who have a job they can’t leave,” such as a pre-school teacher or the one person staffing a small store or gallery. “We bring a healthy option to their door.”

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Southern Jewish Life

Chabad promotes mitzvah of mezuzah Chabad Jewish Center of Metairie has been dedicating the summer months to the promotion of the mezuzah to the New Orleans Jewish community.

The mezuzah is the small scroll placed on the doorposts of Jewish homes — not the case that protects it. On it, the Shema is hand-written by a scribe on parchment. On the back of the rolled up parchment facing out is the divine name “Sha-dai,” which is an acronym for “Guardian of the doorways of Israel.”

“We’ll be giving people the opportunity to have their mezuzahs checked by a scribe,” said Rabbi Mendel Ceitlin, who is directing the mezuzah awareness campaign. To be kosher, or fit for use, the handwritten mezuzah must be written by a trained Jewish scribe in Safrus, a Hebrew-alphabet calligraphy so precise that even one defective letter renders the entire scroll invalid.

Each Mezuzah should be examined at least twice every seven years. Temperature and weather changes, as well as age, may cause the ink to fade and crack, thereby invalidating the Mezuzah “We want a kosher mezuzah on each Jewish door,” he added.

The campaign includes making mezuzahs available with free installations of new ones at Jewish-owned area residences and places of business.

To schedule a meeting, contact Rabbi Ceitlin at (347) 351-6476 or mendelc@jewishlouisiana.com.

NOLA

JCRS now serves almost one-fourth of NOLA Jewish youth Jewish Children’s Regional Service announced that it has reached a “landmark accomplishment” by serving 20 to 25 percent of all Jewish youth in New Orleans.

The social service agency covers a sevenstate area that historically was defined by B’nai B’rith District 7. Throughout that region, the agency served 1500 unduplicated Jewish youth last year, funding scholarships or providing PJ Library to 1400 of them.

In New Orleans, the agency estimates there is a maximum of 1400 to 1500 Jewish youth age 18 and under. They expect to serve between 320 and 350 of them this year.

JCRS offers needs-based scholarships to Jewish youth for undergraduate education, special needs and the overnight Jewish camp experience, Chanukah gifts for identified children and state hospital residents, a Special Friends Club for socially isolated youth.

The agency also is regional coordinator for PJ Library, which provides monthly books and tapes to all Jewish youth, ages six months to eight years.

While eligibility for PJ Library subscriptions is not needs-based, it helps the JCRS provide additional services where needed. As

children age out of PJ Library, many of the children who may annually use multiple JCRS parents of children from financially needy services, and we serve those families and those families approach JCRS and apply for scholar- children for a number of successive years.” ship assistance, so the child can attend Jewish Volunteers are needed to help with the overnight camp. Depending on the develop- Chanukah gifts program. There will be a giftmental needs of any child, and the financial wrapping event on Sept. 15 from 9 a.m. to 4 or social circumstances of the family, JCRS p.m. at the Goldring/Woldenberg JCC camassistance can end with either a PJ subscrip- pus in Metairie. Between 1000 and 2000 small tion or a camp scholarship, but many families gifts will need to be wrapped on this date. eventually are served in other JCRS programs.

“JCRS is a most unique Jewish agency, which is replicated nowhere else in the United States,” explained Executive Director Ned Goldberg.

“We combine case management, substantially funded scholarship assistance and Jewish outreach, all under one roof, to an exclusively Jewish client base.”

In some cases a family has a temporary financial hardship and the agency provides a one-time scholarship of Chanukah gifts. Goldberg said “in many other situations, we File photo have families that we serve who have The JCRS annual Chanukah gift wrapping event multiple children, with one or more

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Kosher-Style Recipe: Blue Frog Chocolates

By Lee J. Green

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August 2013

There’s a magical place in New Orleans where one can get kosher crawfish and eat a shofar.

Blue Frog Chocolates, owned by Gates of Prayer members Ann and Rick Streiffer since 2000 and located in a 100-plus-yearold Victorian house on Magazine Street in Uptown, can make chocolates that look like crawfish, Judaica items and limitless customized options.

“We wanted to have a lot of items that were unique to New Orleans and to recognize our traditions here and in Judaism.

It’s fun wowing people with the confectionary creations we can come up with,” said Ann Streiffer. “It is certainly a place that can make kids and adults alike happy. We look forward to this every day.”

Rick is still a practicing physician and educator in New Orleans and Tuscaloosa, where the Streiffers also maintain a residence, and Ann is a retired nurse. They were looking for something to do as a fun, “second” career and a friend who owned a chocolate place got them hooked on the concept.

They moved back to New Orleans in 2000 and in August of that year opened up Blue Frog Chocolates (go to www.bluefrogchocolates.com for the story of the store name’s origin as well as all about the products and options).

“This has really blossomed into something special. We have the retail store, production, packaging and our business office all in this place. We import chocolates from across the globe and have sold those across the country and internationally,” she said. They ship everywhere, and most of the SJL coverage area is within natural one-day delivery.

In previous years, the Streiffers volunteered at the Henry S. Jacobs Camp as medical aides and the place is so special to them they had their honeymoon there. “We used to live in Baton Rouge too and we’re still members of synagogues there (as well as New Orleans and Tuscaloosa). We’re proud to be involved in several Jewish communities and we’ve certainly enjoyed supplying customized chocolates for all sorts of (simchas),” Ann Streiffer added.

The Streiffers keep a kosher home and most of the chocolates they sell are kosher manufactured, though the store is not officially kosher certified. “Bacon chocolate has become popular but we for sure don’t have that or 5707 Magazine Street • New Orleans 504.899.8221 • bluefrogchocolates.com

Southern Jewish Life

Double Chocolate Bourbon Balls Makes about 100 1-1/4 pounds cream-filled chocolate sandwich cookies (or unfilled chocolate wafers or cookie crumbs) 1 pound graham crackers 2 cups chopped pecans 1-1/4 to 1-1/2 pounds Extra Bitter Sweet chocolate with a cocoa content of at least 70 percent cocoa liquor 1/3 cup light corn syrup 1 cup Real Bourbon 1/4 cup Grand Marnier White sugar (about 1/2 cup) If desired, scrape away white centers from cookies. In a food processor, grind the cookies and graham crackers to fine crumbs; transfer mixture to a very large mixing bowl. Stir in pecans.

Melt the chocolate in the top of a double boiler over hot, not boiling, water. Add corn syrup, bourbon and Grand Marnier, stirring until the mixture is completely smooth. Remove from heat.

Add chocolate mixture to crumb mixture, blending thoroughly. Roll into one-inch bourbon balls and roll each in [white] sugar.

Store bourbon balls in airtight containers, letting them mellow at least 24 hours before serving. These bourbon balls get better with age and don’t require refrigeration.

If properly stored, they will keep about a year.

If they seem dry after a few months, or if they’re stored in a cold place, soften them by placing one to four at a time in the microwave for 5 to 15 seconds.

NOLA

Similarly, most people think that ascribing any theological significance to the book is irrational. However, both Trigonometry and Judaism are — each in their own ways —explorations in solving, or finding the meaning of, the intangible known as “i.”

This search is exemplified in the Book of Trigonometry’s best-known phrase, “secant ye shall find.”

Through the centuries, allegiance to the theological relevance of Trigonometry has come in waves. While today the book’s advocates are a fraction of what they once were, the volume of its supporters covers a wide area, to numerous places worldwide.

Mathematicians do not typically teach any religious aspects of Trigonometry, but some inquisitive students join the theological quest, becoming what the book calls “cosecants.”

One would think that the subject matter of Trigonometry would fall under the sphere of one of its Torahtic predecessors, the Book of Numbers. But while these books were nearly adjacent, the opposite is true. The story arcs of the two books are not complementary, and most expressions of their similarity are not merely exaggerations, but truly hyperbolic.

Unfortunately, through the centuries, most direct theological references have been removed from the book. The most glaring omission is a once-lengthy divergence about the vessel containing the tablets of the Ten Commandments — alluded to today only by the name of its omitted section: the arctangent.

Doug Brook is a writer in Silicon Valley who will one day reveal the other, equally controversial and forgotten “third law,” the Book of Trigematriya. For past columns, other writings, and more, visit http:// brookwrite.com/. //. For exclusive online content, like facebook.com/the. beholders.eye.

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>> Blue Frog anything like that at Blue Frog,” she said.

What they do have is a wide range of unique, Louisiana-style chocolate and sweet creations made to resemble Cajun/Creole cuisine staples such as crawfish, alligator, chocolate with Cajun spices, chocolate-covered Zapp’s Crawtator chips along with red beans and rice (milk chocolate lentils and chocolate-covered sunflower seeds made to looks like the dish).

They also sell a chocolate pizza, which has a chocolate “crust” topped with mini marshmallows, milk chocolate morsels, white chocolate bites and almond butter toffee pieces.

For Rosh Hashanah they sell boxes featuring several two-inch chocolates made into the shape of shofars. Gelt can be bought year-round as can chocolate doubloons.

“Some of our most popular items in general are chocolate-covered orange peels, semi-sweet chocolate chips, spicy Mexican truffles and the chocolate pizzas,” said Streiffer.

She said they also are doing a lot of candy buffets for simchas and corporate events. “We have so many molds to make chocolates designed to fit any occasion… along with a wide array of candy and chocolate options and colors.”

Though chocolates and other related sweets will likely not make their way into a diet regimen, the doctor and nurse say that there are certainly some health benefits to Blue Frog Chocolates.

“We have some products that are high in cocoa content, which is good for your heart. Chocolate produces endorphins and (in moderation) makes you feel good. I know we have many happy customers and that makes us happy,” said Ann Streiffer.

NOLA

Southern Jewish Life

August 2013

37

The Beholder’s Eye

by Doug Brook

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August 2013

Southern Jewish Life

It’s the time of year when almost several of you hear the Book of Deuteronomy at Shabbat services every week. If some of this fifth book of the Torah feels redundant and repetitive, its name reveals why.

Deuteron is Greek for “second,” alluding to the numerous greatest hits from the Exodus and wilderness that are revisited throughout the book. Hence, Deuteronomy means “the second law.”

Deuteronomy was commonly referred to as the Mishneh Torah (“repetition of the Torah”), until Maimonides appropriated the name for his code of Jewish law — which he got away with because on the Sixth Day (and for a long time thereafter) the Big G neglected to Another book of create the Copyright Office. the Torah? Does However, the recently discovered Mishnah tractate Bava Gump the story really makes clear that Deuteronomy was add up? not alone. There was another book, a “third law,” which was ultimately omitted from the Torah and considered to be more complex and incomprehensible than the rest of the Bible. This third book is, of course, the Book of Trigonometry.

It’s little wonder that this book once struck a theological chord. After all, it details more fundamentals about the creation and nature of the universe than the first chapter of Genesis.

But thousands of years ago, this addition to the Torah was deemed too tangential, which led to a long division among the Sages that continued to multiply until it was resolved by subtracting the book from the canon.

As with most questions for which there are two possible answers, the Book of Trigonometry has led to three prevailing rabbinic opinions: Those in favor of it, those opposed to it, and those who do not care to ask. Like most debates, this triangle is inscribed with people on each side whose beliefs come in varying degrees.

Naturally, everyone in this debate thinks they have the right angle, which is what makes the discussion so bleak. Some of them are truly obtuse, though one of the younger advocates is a cute one. And, while you might never have heard the Book of Trigonometry discussed, for that great debate I suss a lease on life has been renewed.

While its omission indicated that all books are not equal, the book persisted, and many debated how its pure teachings should be applied.

The Torah itself deals with topics that some ascribe to mythology, but everyone agrees that the Book of Trigonometry is about mathology.

Despite the lack of clarity about its theistic identity, respect for the function of the book was a constant. While some rabbis felt it was highly derivative, many secular scholars thought the inverse — that its teachings were integral to expanding the human mind.

Most people today decry any biblical origin for the Book of Trigonometry. But it could account for why so many Jews over the centuries have been accountants.

Continued on previous page NOLA

New Orleans jazz in Rosh Ha’Ayin

Rosh Ha’Ayin is positioning itself as Israel’s city of music. New Orleans is the birthplace of jazz. Sharing music between the Partnership2Gether communities is therefore a natural.

In late May, a delegation from the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts traveled to Rosh Ha’Ayin to share the universal language of music.

Last year, teachers from the Rosh Ha’Ayin music center visited New Orleans, meeting the NOCCA staff. This year NOCCA was invited to Rosh HaAyin, partly to consolidate a long term relationship between the music center and the jazz department at NOCCA, and to generate ties between the arts and dance departments at Begin High School and the corresponding departments at NOCCA. Michael Pellera, head of the jazz department at NOCCA, came to the music center for a week-long visit, with three colleagues — Khari Lee, Jasen Weaver and Miles Labat. The packed week included master classes, sessions with the students, teachers and heads of the education system.

A visit to the mayor’s office included an overview of the music education system and the music city’s vision. They then met with students from the Eshkol and Rambam schools who attend the “Menagen (Playing Music) school” program.

Later in the week the musicians met with other Menagen (Playing Music) schools, visited the musical Kindergartens, presented master classes and workshops with music stream students at the Begin Middle School and Begin High School, and watched a rehearsal of the Mandolin Orchestra and Meitav Vocal Ensemble, and a concert of the Batterista percussion ensemble in Tel Aviv. In 2009, Batterista performed in New Orleans and Birmingham, which has a sister city relationship with Rosh Ha’Ayin.

The municipal department of culture, the music center and Partnership2Gether volunteers organized a two-day jazz festival in Rosh Ha’Ayin. On the first day students of middle school music streams and Begin High School performed. The pinnacle was a concert by the Begin High School big band and the high school’s gospel band, together with guest vocalist Roy Young.

When doing a master class with the big band and gospel ensembles from Begin High School, Pellera concluded by telling the students “When you are in a performance, don’t be scared of making mistakes, play in a way that makes your audience wants to get up and dance.”

The evening closed with a jam session with alternating jazz groups, and with the guests from New Orleans, who already had gotten to know the youngsters at the master classes.

The second evening opened with a performance by Batterista, the music center’s percussion ensemble who, for the first time, appeared before an audience of thousands. They were followed by the New Orleans jazz quartet, performing contemporary selections.

Jess Koren, saxophone teacher at the Music Center and one of the premier jazz musicians in Israel, was a guest artist.

Danny Shani, chair of the Partnership steering committee, addressed the audience and noted the strong bond between the Jewish community of New Orleans and Rosh HaAyin, and the importance of the partnership in bringing Jews close through these kinds of projects and ventures.

Mayor Moshe Sinai presented a certificate of appreciation to Lis Kahn (below), a member of the New Orleans Jewish community, and chair of the Partnership2Gether steering committee.

In addition, the evening’s program included the transfer of a significant donation from the community for the purpose of purchasing instruments for the music programs in the city.

A larger jazz festival is in the works for next Spring in Rosh Ha’Ayin.