Kehila Magazine Issue 3

January 2011

ISSN 2158-0189

‫קהילה‬

Enjoying G-D‘s Creation & Taking Good Care of It!

‫ קהילה‬Kehila Issue No. 3 January 2011/5771 Editor & Publisher: Talisha A. Harrison Published By: Talisha A. Harrison P.O. Box 520392 Longwood, FL 32752 (407) 388-8216 Printed by: Talisha Harrison Editor: Talisha Harrison Design: Talisha Harrison Cover Photo: Photograph courtesy of https://mymotels.com/reserve/hotel/?HotelID=173896 Carmel Forest Spa Resort KEHILA is a monthly magazine that gives a voice to Jews of Color while educating and informing the Jewish and non-Jewish community as a whole. © Talisha Harrison 2011 Printed in the USA, all rights reserved.

KEHILA welcomes comments from our readers. Please send comments to: Email: Kehila23@yahoo.com

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Table of Contents 4 From the Editor’s Desk

35 The Lemonheads: The first ever Black and Jewish kosher Children's book

Chai-Life 6 Community Pictures: A look at how you celebrated Hanukkah

36 America‘s Healthiest Grocery Stores 41 Kaifeng: The Jews of China

8 How to Have a Tu B‘Shevat Seder

Spirituality

10 Living Green: Some tips for having a Green Home

45 Discussion Series: Maimonides 13 Principles

What’s Going On?

46 Why You Should Attend Minyan

13 Hot Topic: Enough is Enough

Community Happenings

15 In the News

48 Announcements

28 Special Feature: We Will Get There Reflecting on Martin Luther King Jr.‘s Legacy

50 Misheberakhs 52 Yahrzeits

Culture

53 Resources

33 Putting Together Eco-Friendly Outfits

54 Kehila News 56 Upcoming Events

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From the Editor’s Desk Happy New Year! It‘s 2011 and winter has arrived. I hoped all of you had a wonderful Hanukkah and I wish nothing but good things for you and your family this year. Well not only is it the New Year on the secular calendar, it‘s also Jewish Arbor day- the New Year for Trees or Tu B‘Shevat on the Jewish calendar.

Tu B‘Shevat is the New Year for Trees. We are celebrating the gifts of nature that are provided to us by Hashem. In Israel, Tu B‘Shevat marks the beginning of spring. It‘s during this time that Israeli school children plant trees that have often been provided by the contributions of Jews abroad through the organization the Jewish National Fund.

These funds are needed now more than ever due to the worst forest fire in Israel‘s history that killed 42 people destroyed 250 homes and destroyed more than 12,000 acres which included 5 million trees last month.

It was also last month during the Hanukkah festivities that we heard about the racism that Ethiopian Jews in Israel are facing. For me it was disappointing to hear this bad news. Like a lot of you, I was feeling angry and frustrated. I wrote a blog about it and it‘s the hot topic. Israel is a young country-she has existed for 62 years with many more to come. I believe that as Israel continues to plant trees, she will also plant seeds of love and those seeds will grow and produce strong trees of love and acceptance instead of hate and ignorance.

In honor of Tu B‘Shevat, the theme of this issue is ―Enjoying G-D‘s creation and taking good care of it!‖ Throughout this issue you‘ll find ways to do just that. We help you prepare for a Tu B‘Shevat Seder give you some tips on how to have a green home, and we let you know what the healthiest grocery stores in America are. We also have some green fashions for you!

In the Spirituality section, we continue our discussion series with Maimonides‘ 13 Principles of Judaism. We also have an article on why you should attend minyan and be counted.

We also have four new sections to the magazine. They are Community Pictures, Books, Misheberakhs, & Yahrzeits. From now on, if you have any pictures from Hanukkah, Purim, Passover, Sukkoth, and Simcha Torah that you would like to share, send them to us at kehila23@yahoo.com and they will be featured in the next issue following the holiday. Also if you have a misheberakh or a yahrzeit, send the names to us via our email and the names will be on the lists so the community can say a 4

From the Editor’s Desk prayer for whoever is sick and also honor and remember the person(s) who had passed away.

January is also the month where America honors Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. In this month‘s special feature, we reflect on his legacy. The Kaifeng Jews of China are featured in the Jews Around the World section.

I would like to thank Erica Davis and Eliyahu Chen for contributing to the December issue! If you would like to write about whatever is on your mind, just email us and it will be in a future issue. On a final note, as I have stated before in past issues, Kehila is taking baby steps as we grow.

Recently, Kehila was featured in an article on Jewcy.com! I hope that as we continue to grow, that you the readers will let us know what you would like to see in upcoming issues. As I am the only member of the Kehila staff, I‘m trying the best that I can to put what you want in each issue (I am also recovering from sickness so please keep me in your prayers). I will try my best to give you an excellent magazine-in quality and quantity.

Thank you for your feedback and support! It‘s greatly appreciated. Have a wonderful new year and enjoy Tu B‘Shevat!

Photo Courtesy Talisha Harrison Drawing by Amanda Rae Hackert copyright 2000; and Microsoft Office Word 2007 Clip Art

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Community

Community Pictures You sent them in! Here‘s what the Hanukkah celebrations look like around the community!

Below: Adi Feliciano Quick and her children.

Below: I made baked sweet potato latkes (I am scared of frying, maybe next year) for the first time ever! Here‘s my menorah in my room. People came almost every night to watch our menorahs. Some walked and some drove by (the same way they do when they go see Christmas lights) and some sat down on the pavement to enjoy the lights.

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Community Below: Sonia A. Rosen‘s family

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Family

How to have a Tu B‘Shevat Seder The Tu B‘Shevat Seder was created by Kabbalists in Safed during the 17th century.

They were greatly influenced by the verse Deuteronomy 20:19 ―For man is like the tree of the field.‖ The Seder is modeled after the Passover Seder.

Here is what you‘ll need for the Seder: First you‘ll need 3 types of fruits. They are: Fruits or nuts that have an inedible outer shell and an edible inner core such as: Fruits

Nuts

Pineapple

Walnuts

Coconut

Pecans

Oranges

Pine nuts

Bananas

Brazil Nuts

Grapefruit

Almonds

Starfruit

Pistachios

Pomegranate Papaya Fruits that have an outer flesh and pithy, inedible cores such as: Olives, dates, cherries, loquats, peaches, apricots, jujub, persimmon, avocado, plums, and hackberry Fruits that are edible throughout such as: strawberries, grapes, raisins, figs, raspberries, blueberries, cranberries, carob, apples, pears, kiwi, or quince.

The second thing that you‘ll need is wine- red and white. The Seder includes drinking four cups of wine; the two wines represent the changing of the four seasons.

Finally, you‘ll need a Tu B‘Shevat Seder book. There are many types of books and here are a few that you can download for free: The Hillel Tu B'Shevat Seder (PDF file 580Kb) 8

Family

The Hillel Tu B'Shevat Leaders Guide (PDF file 600Kb) [Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader version 4.0 or higher.] http://www.suite101.com/content/how-to-make-a-tu-bshevat-seder-a194801

Photo Courtesy Google Images

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Home

Living Green Some Tips on Having a Green Home Having a green home gives you a lot of benefits. You‘ll save money, you‘ll have a healthy place for you and your family to live, and it‘s good for the environment. So here are a few things that you can do to fight high energy bills and climate change.

Check your insulation: Insulation is important in that it keeps your home from losing heat. If you live in a house, make sure that there are no areas in your attic floor that have inadequate insulation.

Follow the Department of Energy‘s recommendations.

Use Low-VOC products: Always check that the paint you‘re using is a low-VOC or a no-VOC paint. When purchasing paints, you should look for the green seal. Also when you clean your home use non-toxic natural products or make your own green cleaning products!

Make Your Own Green Cleaning Products: Here are a few recipes courtesy of PathNet.org!

All Purpose Cleaner: Add 1/2 cup ammonia and 1/3 cup washing soda to a gallon of warm water. Use to clean floors, tiles, and painted walls.

Window and Mirror Cleaner: Put 1/4 cup white vinegar in a spray bottle, and fill to the top with water. Spray on desired surface, and rub with a newspaper or a rag. Squeegee dry.

Toilet, Tub and Tile Cleaner: Mix 1/2 cup borax and add enough lemon juice to make into a paste. Wet the sides of the surface and add the paste. Let stand for a few minutes, then scrub off and rinse.

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Home Rug Stains: Dampen stained area with water, and rub in borax. Vacuum when dry.

Oven cleaner: Mix 1 cup of baking soda with enough water to make a paste. Apply to surface and let stand for a few minutes. Scrub the surface with a scouring pad. Do not use this recipe in self-cleaning ovens.

Drain cleaner: Three words - Use a plunger.

A hand plunger used every time the drain slows down will take care of almost any problem.

In you need a cleanser pour 1/2 cup baking soda down the drain, and then 1/2 cup vinegar. Let it fizz for a few minutes. Then pour down a teakettle full of boiling water.

Repeat if necessary.

Mildew: Make a paste from salt and vinegar and rub into affected area.

Furniture polish: Add 1/2 cup lemon juice to 1 cup vegetable or olive oil. Apply with a soft rag.

General air freshener: Simmer a pot of water with cloves, an orange peel and cinnamon.

Natural Pesticide: To naturally keep ants and other insects away, add a few teaspoons of orange oil to your green cleaning products. To kill ants that are already around, just spray them with diluted orange oil.

Plant a Tree: No you don‘t have to wait for Tu B‘Shevat or Arbor day to plant one! Planting a tree can lower your cooling costs by up to 25%

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Home while reducing heating costs by 20%! They also make your home even more comfortable and provide a habitat for birds. Trees and shrubs that are placed properly can act as windbreaks shielding your home from the cold winds.

Optimize Your Water Heater: If you don‘t have one, purchase an insulative jacket around your water heater. The jackets cost between $10-20. You can also insulate the pipes around the water heater. You can purchase pipe insulation for less than a $1for six feet. Lastly, turn the water heater down to 120 degrees. This will save you money and prevent scalding.

Program Your Thermostats: When you set your thermostat back when you‘re not home or while you‘re sleeping, you can save 10% on heating and cooling costs. Program your thermostat to 78 degrees F or higher during the summer and 62 degrees F or lower during the winter.

Change Your Bulbs: Replace those incandescent light bulbs with CFLs bulbs. The CFLs might cost a little more than the incandescent bulbs, but you‘ll save $100 per year with them while using less electricity!

On the left an incandescent bulb and on the right a CFLs bulb.

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Hot Topic

Enough is Enough I am sick of it. I am so sick and tired of the crap that has been going on in America and all over the world. It‘s the racism, discrimination, the stereotyping, the derogatory slurs aimed at Jews of Color. Enough is enough.

Where does all this evil-let‘s call it what it is-come from? It has no place in Judaism and yet it manages to sneak its way in. I don‘t understand how some Jews who believe and practice tikkun olam can at the same time be so spiteful, hateful and mean?

How can they come to minyan or shul and pray while at the same time they see a person of color and they give them a dirty look?

How they send their children to Hebrew school while a member of their own shul has had her own son taken away from her and mistreated because she‘s Haitian, and they haven‘t protested or spoken up for her?

How can they step up onto the bimah-to say the Torah blessings or chant the Torahwhen they won‘t say Shabbat shalom or even shake the hand of someone who looks like me?

How can a few Israelis slap and refuse a young Ethiopian Jewish boy entry to the mikveh, run over a young Ethiopian woman, or attack an African-American family who recently made aliyah when their own ancestors were discriminated against, attacked and murdered in death camps?

Sometimes, I wonder why do some people hate people who look like me? What is it about my skin color that they treat me and people like me in such horrible ways?

What are they afraid of? I just don‘t understand it.

In the Hanukkah story, we learn how the Maccabees stood up, protested, fought and died for what was right. In 2010 and as we go forward, this story is still relevant.

We now more than ever need to stand up for what is right. Our voices must be heard and we must speak out and stand with those who are being persecuted.

When we see racism occurring we must call it out whether it‘s here in our backyard or around the world-especially in Israel.

When I went on my Taglit trip, I fell in love with the country. When her enemies attack her, I will always defend her but I must also speak out when wrong doing is happening within her borders. I know that Israel is a young country and she is still growing, but this is the country where Jews from all four corners of the earth will gather; therefore, racism should not have a foothold there. Until that day comes, we must continue to speak out against the wrong doing that is going on.

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Hot Topic Just like the Maccabees, we must have a call to arms to stand up, protest, and fight for what‘s right. We must remind the world that we aren‘t going to take it anymore.

Please read these articles: Racist birth control? Claims Israel culling Ethiopian Jewshttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oljrngl5Iwc Former B’nai Jehudah members subjected to abuse in Israel http://www.kcjc.com/201010299545/news/former-bnai-jehudah-members-subjected-toabuse-in-israel.html Israel accused of discrimination after ending Ethiopian immigration http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/israel/2505436/Israel-accused-ofdiscrimination-after-ending-Ethiopian-immigration.html 186 posts categorized "Ethiopian Jews" http://failedmessiah.typepad.com/failed_messiahcom/ethiopian_jews/ Ethiopian Soldier: Major Called Me An "Annoying Nigger, Was Not Disciplined By IDF http://failedmessiah.typepad.com/failed_messiahcom/2010/09/ethiopian-soldier-majorcalled-me-an-annoying-nigger-was-not-disciplined-by-idf-567.html Israel Supreme Court To Rule On Case Of Haredi Yeshiva Student Who Ran Over Ethiopian Woman http://failedmessiah.typepad.com/failed_messiahcom/2009/07/israel-supremecourt-to-rule-on-case-of-haredi-yeshiva-student-who-ran-over-ethiopian-woman-345.html Dark-Skinned Soldiers Denied Entry To Israeli Nightclub http://failedmessiah.typepad.com/failed_messiahcom/2010/10/dark-skinned-soldiersdenied-entry-to-israeli-nightclub-123.html Petition to Reunite Miryom Kohen with her son Moshe http://www.gopetition.com/petition/38347.html

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In the News

Black Jews no longer in the background of US life

By Michael E. Ross 8:53 AM on 12/23/2010

By way of a joke, Robin Washington, Minnesota newspaper editor, African American and observant Jew, explained how mainstream Christian society marginalizes Judaism in American life, filters its holidays through the lens of Christian tradition: One kid: What ya getting for Christmas?

Another kid: I'm Jewish.

First kid: Oh. What ya getting for Jewish Christmas, then?

Washington's joke cuts to the heart of the relative isolation that Hanukkah endures on the national holiday calendar, and by extension the experience of black Jews, a minority inside a minority. As American Jews in general establish their identity in the face of the nation's predominately Christian identity, Jewish African-Americans -who sometimes self-identify as "JOC's" (for Jews of color) -- face another challenge in the United States.

The idea of black Jews in America is more widely accepted than in years past, dovetailing with the nation's overall increasingly diverse demographic mosaic. But challenges exist in the integration of the black Judaic experience into a skeptical or disbelieving public, and into some aspects of Jewish tradition itself.

For Washington, editor in chief of the Duluth News Tribune, co-founder of the National Alliance of Black Jews, and an oft-quoted writer and essayist on the black Jewish experience, the sense of being "different" is one he felt most acutely through his children.

"Hanukkah isn't a major Jewish holiday, and only takes on that significance in the U.S. because of Christmas. By no means is it insignificant, but it's not Christmas," he told theGrio recently. "The problem, of course, is for families, and keeping your children from crying when their friends are visiting Santa and getting presents."

The persistence of the Christmas holidays in American culture and commerce can have an emotional impact on those outside the Christian faith. For Washington, it was in trying to explain to his daughter about being an outsider -- a distinction reinforced by a double bind of race and faith.

"You can't really be black and Jewish and not know it," Washington said. "My family was unusual -- we'd celebrate Passover with another black Jewish family. Not everybody did things like that; it took years to understand that this was to make us feel normal. I'd tell my daughter, 'you're the norm.' But there's no way you don't know. As a child there's no way you can avoid it. How could you not know that race and religion matter, how could you not be aware of your otherness?"

For April Baskin, the primacy of Christmas in mainstream culture excludes as many as it embraces.

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In the News "I think that in general the holiday cheer is great, but it's unfortunate that so much is tied in with American business," she said. "And it's interesting to me in that it's similar to the ubiquity of whiteness. There are many things defined as the norm, but for many other people, that's not their narrative or their experience."

Baskin, who grew up in California and now lives in Washington, D.C., and selfidentifies as "a multicultural Jewish woman -- black, white and native American," is the president of the Jewish Multiracial Network, a national support group of and for Jews of color and multiracial families.

As a child, Baskin experienced the sense of "otherness" Robin Washington alluded to, but pushed beyond it at an early age. "By the time I reached fourth grade and had been in religious school, I found that the sense of exclusion wasn't there any more," she said."There were so many meaningful aspects of Jewish life that sustained me," she said. "That sense of a strong community, and the prayers I learned -- it gave me meaning, connection."

The number of black Jews in the United States varies, estimates swing from as low as 50,000 to more 500,000; although a precise accounting is difficult, there's a generally accepted number of 200,000 people. The style of that expression of the black Jewish experience takes different forms. Many choose to identify as black Hebrews and Hebrew Israelites; this subset of the black Jewish population is observant and obeys many of mainstream Judaism's customs, its adherence to the Torah and various dietary laws.

But a fierce sense of identity exists within the group; many black Hebrews have insisted that they, and not the Ashkenazi, Sephardic, Mizrahi and other Jews whose numbers dwarf their own, are the only real descendants of the Israelites -- a view that, perhaps obviously, puts them at odds with their counterparts in the wider Jewish population.

Generally among Jews of color, there's a drive for connection that manifests itself in widely accepted ways. Web sites like JocFlock.com and manishtana.net are focused on their needs and concerns. JocFlock, catering to singles, promises "a pain-free and always respectful dating experience"; Manishtana is an outlet for videos and general chat for JOCs. A third, the Florida-based Kehila Magazine, was launched in September to be a forum forJOCs, white Jews and non-Jews airing viewpoints over various social issues.

Educators and historians have noted the changes in Jewish identity. "Once, there was a sense that 'so-and-so looked Jewish,' said historian Jonathan D. Sarna of Brandeis University to The New York Times. "Today, because of conversion and intermarriage and patrilineal descent, that's less and less true. The average synagogue looks more like America."

At the same time, old patterns of stereotype still exist. Donna Halper, an author, historian and academic,observed how "the general belief persists in most parts of the USA that a Jew is usually Caucasian...black Jewish parents sometimes find 16

In the News themselves having to prepare their kids for being questioned about whether they are 'really Jewish'."

"I think the 'are you really Jewish' preparation is true, but it's important not to think of it as a negative or unusual," said Washington. "All responsible parents prepare their children for adversity. Preparing children to deal with ignorance "isn't particular to black Jews," he said."Any number of Christian denominations may have practices that are entirely foreign, if not blasphemous, to another, and of course reform, conservative, reconstructionist and orthodox Jews regardless of color may find each other's practices discomforting."

For Washington, society has changed vis-Ă -vis recognition of the black Jewish experience since he co-founded the National Alliance in 1995.

"I just find the whole concept of Jews of color far more accepted, understood and simply comprehended than 15 years ago," he said. "Everyone knows a black Jew, or should, and the people who don't or still think it's an impossibility or a joke are both in the minority and viewed as ignorant by the rest of society. We're so multicultural that, while race still matters, no one seriously bats an eyelash that Lionel Ritchie's daughter is white or Angelina Jolie's children are black."

For Washington, issues that are pertinent to African-American Jews often coincide with those affecting the country as a whole."Nationally, they're the same as for everyone else, and particularly black people: Where is the country headed? When will we get out of this economic mess and perpetual state of war? Who'll be president in 2013?

"For black people, Obama's re-election is more than a matter of pride," he said. "It's part of the old 'you have to be better than good' mentality drilled into us for survival in this country. Obama has to be re-elected to make it clear he was as good as any other president, since one term is viewed, rightly or wrongly, as a failure."

But other matters are more of a specific concern. "For black Jews, as well as black people and even Jews in general, there's also the worry of a backlash if the Republicans take over, or the Tea Party or something else," Washington said.

"Likewise, Jews in particular are concerned about anti-Arab attacks in this country because there's always the feeling they could be next."

"If something happens to a mosque, Jews are very, very concerned."

To Washington, society's truly tectonic shifts will have less to do with political action and everything to do with social interaction. "Personally, I'm less worried about the political shifts -- the Supreme Court aside -- than I was 15 years ago because of America's growing multiculturalism," he said. "There are so many interracial relationships these days that if you're going to discriminate against people based on race, chances are you're going to diss someone in your own family."

Washington lamented the under-enlightened in society, those "who think black Muslims all wear a bow tie and that black Jews are all like Sammy Davis Jr. ... they're 17

In the News really becoming a minority."The conversion of Sammy Davis Jr. to Judaism (in the late 1950's) may be the most publicized example of a black American adopting Judaism. Other black Jewish Americans by birth and by choice include the author and educator Julius Lester; the film and television actor Yaphet Kotto; Walter Mosley, acclaimed writer of the Easy Rawlins mysteries and other books; actress Lisa Bonet; the actor, singer and songwriter Lenny Kravitz; and Dr. Ada Fisher, the North Carolina Republican National Committee member who prominently called for RNCChairman Michael Steele's resignation.Jamaica Kincaid, the celebrated author who converted to Judaism from Methodism in 1993, became the president of Congregation Beth El, a Vermont synagogue, according to People magazine.

The rapper Shyne, a former Sean Combs associate who went to prison for his role in a Manhattan nightclub shooting in 1999, is now an Orthodox Jew living in Israel as Moses Levi, The New York Times reported last month.

And Rabbi Capers Shmuel Funnye -- a co-founder of the National Alliance -- leads the Beth Shalom B'nai Zaken Ethiopian Hebrew congregation in Chicago. His first cousin is first lady Michelle Obama."A few years ago, people would still say, 'funny, you don't look Jewish,'" Washington said. "Now, I don't get that at all. Every synagogue has got one [black Jew], at least one. I don't even have to qualify that.

America has not reached the postracial society that some folks thought was going to happen with Obama. But by the power vested in me, I hereby declare Judaism is a post-racial religion."

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In the News

After Israel‘s deadly fire, mourning, vows to rebuild and finger pointing

by Marcy Oster of the Heritage Florida Jewish News JERUSALEM (JTA)—In the aftermath of the deadliest fire in Israel‘s history, Israelis this week set to the task of burying the dead, cleaning up and figuring out what exactly went wrong — and who is to blame.

Even before the blaze in the Carmel Mountains near Haifa came under control Sunday afternoon, Israelis were asking why the country wasn‘t better prepared for a wildfire of this magnitude. In all, 42 people were killed, about 250 homes were destroyed or severely damaged, 17,000 people were forced to evacuate, more than 12,000 acres were burned and an estimated 5 million trees were lost. ―The Carmel disaster highlights the outrageous gaps in Israel‘s strategic and day-today readiness,‖ the editorialists at Haaretz wrote Sunday while echoing a call for a state commission of inquiry to examine who bears responsibility for the failures of the Israeli fire service. ―What‘s better to spend the State of Israel‘s money on, firefighting aircraft or an F-15 fighter jet?‖ wrote Eitan Haber, a former Rabin administration official and now a columnist for Ynet.

The damage to the area of the Carmel Forest in northern Israel was estimated at about $75 million, including damage to towns and kibbutzim, destroyed forests and damaged roads. Yemin Orde, an aliyah youth village founded in 1953 that has served as a home and school to thousands of immigrant youths, most recently Ethiopians and Russians, was severely burned. In the artists‘ village of Ein Hod, 10 houses and an art gallery were destroyed.

On Sunday, the Israeli Cabinet approved a $16.5 million aid package to assist damaged communities, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered that each person whose home suffered severe fire damage be given an immediate aid disbursement of about $700.

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In the News Calls came from many quarters for the resignation of Interior Minister Eli Yishai, whose ministry is responsible for the state‘s firefighting forces. Yishai also is accused of refusing fire truck donations from the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews.

Yishai said his ministry was not funded well enough to purchase needed equipment—in 2001, he noted, Ariel Sharon‘s government voted to eliminate air support for firefighting—and told Israel Radio that he was a target because of his Sephardic heritage.

Israel has 16 firefighters per 100,000 residents. By contrast, the United States, Japan and Greece have five to seven times that number per capita, The Associated Press reported. In total, Israel has 1,400 firefighters.

A 14-year-old resident of the Druze village of Ussfiya was arrested Monday after admitting to starting the fire. The teen reportedly said he was smoking a nargila water pipe and threw a live coal into an open area before returning to school.

The arrest was announced hours after two teenage brothers from the same village arrested over the weekend on suspicion of negligence in starting the fire were released from detention by a Haifa court. The teens had been accused of lighting a bonfire near their home that sparked the blaze.

High winds and dry conditions prompted by Israel‘s parched winter thus far provided fuel for the blaze, which began tearing through northern Israel on Dec. 2. Northern Israel is covered by fields and trees, some natural forests and others planted over the last several decades—many of them by pioneers during the British Mandate period. Others were planted with donations from Diaspora Jews through the Jewish National Fund.

With its green hills, the country‘s north has a Mediterranean flavor distinct from its more Middle Eastern south, which is covered by desert. After the fire, the Israeli government said it would invest the resources to make the north green again.

The fire‘s rapid spread revealed a strategic weakness that could be exploited by its enemies, Israeli commentators wrote.

Meanwhile, numerous figures in the Arab world cited the fire as punishment from God for Israel‘s treatment of the Palestinians and its occupation of Arab lands. The Palestinian prime minister in the Gaza Strip, Ismail Haniyeh, said the fire was a ―strike from Allah.‖ The spiritual leader of the Israeli Orthodox Shas Party, Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, also said the fire was divine punishment, attributing the blaze to the sin of lack of observance of the Sabbath.

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In the News During the height of the blaze, Israeli‘s chief Sephardic rabbi, Shlomo Amar, led thousands in prayer at the Western Wall. Chief Ashkenazi Rabbi Yona Metzger called on Israelis to give charity and read Psalms to bring about the fire‘s end.

For its part, the Israeli government issued a rare call for international assistance.

Among the countries that responded were Egypt, Jordan, Turkey, Cyprus, Greece, Germany, Russia, France, Switzerland, Britain, Spain, Australia and the United States.

The Palestinian Authority also sent 21 firefighters and four fire trucks to help battle the blaze; Israeli media reported that the trucks were a gift to the Palestinians from the European Union.

Thirty-five firefighting airplanes came to Israel. New York sent a 747 loaded with Fire Troll 931, a fire retardant chemical, in a shipment organized by the Fire Department of New York City and the office of the city‘s mayor, Michael Bloomberg.

Israel also rented the American Evergreen Boeing 747 Super Tanker, one of the most advanced firefighting planes in the world, loaded with 80,000 liters of water and fire retardant. It arrived early Sunday morning and had an immediate effect on helping douse the flames.

The deadliest incident came in the fire‘s early hours when a bus carrying about three dozen cadets from the Israeli prisons service on their way to evacuate a prison threatened by the blaze became trapped between burning trees. Nearly all those aboard perished, and the bus was left a scorched shell.

Two firefighters who rushed to rescue the guards and a 16-year-old volunteer, Elad Riven, also were killed. All of the bodies were identified, some using DNA technology, by Saturday night, and funerals began being held while the blaze was still raging. ―No one sent you, no one called for you, no one but your wonderful and brave conscience,‖ Israeli President Shimon Peres said during a eulogy at the funeral for Riven on Sunday. The ―disaster taught us that all of us—Jews, Arabs, Druze and other peoples—share the same fate.‖ A day after the blaze was brought under control, the fire‘s death toll rose by one with the death of Haifa Police Chief Ahuva Tomer, who was burned over most of her body while trying to assist the prison guard cadets.

Jewish communities in Denver and Winnipeg, Canada, also mourned the death of one of the bus passengers, Rabbi Uriel Malka, 32, who was working as a chaplain in the Israeli Prisons Service.

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In the News Malka, a father of five, worked as a Jewish Agency emissary for two years in Denver and then served as principal of the Ohr Hatorah Day School in Winnipeg. Malka had narrowly escaped death during combat in the Second Lebanon War.

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In the News

Kerala Jews come to relive past, as present fades Sify news.com 2010-12-02 11:40:00

Kochi, Dec 2 (IANS) From thousands, the number of Jews in Kerala has dwindled to a mere 10 and they too live only in Kochi. The exodus of the community started over 60 years ago, though many visit this city to discover their roots and relive the past.

Sarah Cohen, 89, the oldest Jewish woman here who became a widow a decade back, talks wistfully about the fast dwindling numbers of the community - just five Jew families reside here now.

'Our community members started leaving here right from the time Israel was formed in 1948. All my sisters and brothers left long back. I don't have children but decided that I won't leave this place because I have been born and brought up here,' Cohen told IANS. 'Of course, most of those who left do come back and visit us frequently to relive their past, because for them it is a discovery of their roots,' she said.

But things are pretty difficult for the community.

'Today, the situation is such that the weekly Sabbath (prayers in the synagogue) takes place only if Jews from outside are visiting,' Cohen said.

'According to rule, 10 (Assara) men have to be present in the synagogue. But only six women and four men are left in the Jew Town in Kochi,' said Cohen, who lives in a 300-year-old home built by her ancestors.

The Jews are classified into two categories which have been there since their arrival here - 'white Jews', who are descendants of traders, and 'black Jews', who the fairer complexioned say are the descendants of slaves.

The ancestors of 'white Jews' came from Europe and Baghdad, it is said. And even today, white Jews do not allow their daughters to marry into the darker families.

Joy, a 47-year-old caretaker of the Paradeshi Synagogue for the past two decades, said the 'black Jews' live away from Jew Town and till recently they were not welcomed by the 'white Jews' into their Paradeshi Synagogue.

'To have the Sabbath, the 'black Jews' now at times come over to this synagogue to make up the number of 10 men. They are also a mere eight in total,' he said.

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In the News Recently, the happiness of many Jews knew no bounds when they got a new rabbi (religious teacher of Judaism).

'Those who know Jewish traditions know how orthodox we are when it comes to prayers. We are lucky because some Jews living in America were kind enough to send us a new rabbi who now lives permanently in Kochi,' Cohen said.

'But with 10 Jewish men living permanently here not being always available, our Sabbath takes place only if we have visiting Jews. Last week on two days we had our Sabbath because 20 Jews came on a visit tracing their roots,' she added.

According to Jewish customs, they don't eat meat and fish from other homes.

The availability of 'Kosher meat', according to Jewish guidelines, is now impossible because there is none who knows how to slaughter animals that chew cud and have cloven hooves.

'We are so orthodox that even our new rabbi does not eat from my home, so you can gauge how orthodox we are,' said Cohen.

With the Jewish population dwindling, all eyes are on what would happen to the Paradeshi Synagogue - the oldest synagogue in the Commonwealth nations - that was built in 1568 by the Malabar Yehudan people or Cochin Jewish community in the Kingdom of Cochin.

'Barring every Friday and Saturday, it is open for visitors who come in large numbers to see the building. On Fridays and Saturdays, it is out of bounds for all and only Jews are allowed inside to conduct their prayers if they have the required numbers,' Joy said.

Asked what would happen to the synagogue a few years from now, Cohen's answer was quick: 'Your guess is as good as mine!'

(Sanu George can be contacted at sanu.g@ians.in)

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In the News

Jewish parents choose various paths to raise adopted children in the faith With new family comes new religion

By Bob Smietana • THE TENNESSEAN • December 21, 2010

When 7-year-old Hannah Brandt needs help with her Hebrew homework, she knows better than to ask her dad.

He grew up in a Reform Jewish congregation in Atlanta, where the rabbi didn't believe in learning the language.

Hannah, by contrast, goes to the Akiva Day School in Nashville, where Hebrew is on the curriculum, along with math, reading and the other core subjects.

"She already speaks it better than I do," Steve Brandt said proudly.

The Brandts adopted Hannah from China in 2005, and her education as a Jew is important to them. When Jewish families adopt from overseas or across racial lines, their children not only become part of a new family and a new culture, they're typically expected to embrace a new faith. About 5 percent of American Jewish families have adopted children, according to the National Jewish Population Survey, collected by the United Jewish Communities and the Jewish Federation system. That's higher than the national average of 3.7 percent for all Americans.

How the adopted children become Jewish varies from family to family.

Teri Sogol, an adoption social worker with Jewish Family Services in Nashville, said adoptive parents have to think through all the issues involved in adoption. The organization works with about 30 families a year, and talks with them about instilling a sense of pride in the child's heritage while also raising them in the faith.

"The process of identity formation is very complex," she said.

Boys enjoy Hanukkah That's true whether a child was adopted overseas or in the United States.

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In the News Jennifer Bleyer and her husband adopted two boys through Jewish Family Service as infants. The boys are 2 and 4, one African-American, the other part KoreanAmerican. The Bleyers talk about what being Jewish means. Unlike their friends, they don't have a Christmas tree. That's all right with the boys, Bleyer said.

"They love Hanukkah," she said. "They hated to see it end."

For Hannah Brandt, being Jewish is as much a part of life as using the tree swing in her front yard or chasing her dog, Ellie.

Her mom teaches math and science at Akiva. Most of her friends are Jewish.

"She's just now beginning to realize that being Jewish is something different," said her mother, Becky Brandt.

Hannah became Jewish not long after the Brandts returned home from China.

They'd planned to have her named at a ceremony in Atlanta, at Steve Brandt's parents' synagogue. But the rabbi there insisted that she be converted first, a ceremony that included being immersed in a ritual bath called a mikveh.

The Brandts balked.

"She wasn't practicing other faith," said Steve Brandt, a hematologist who teaches at Vanderbilt. "She didn't need to be converted."

Instead, Hannah, who received a Chinese name as an infant, received her new Hebrew name in a ceremony at Congregation Micah in Brentwood.

Ceremony is a rebirth Other families choose a more traditional approach.

Amy and Michael Ritchart, also from Congregation Micah, adopted their daughter Elana Mei in July. They recently had a conversion ceremony for her so she could practice any form of the faith she chose later in life, including those that require the ceremony. Since Micah doesn't have a mikveh, the ceremony was held at Congregation Sherith Israel, an Orthodox synagogue in Nashville.

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In the News Amy Ritchart put on her bathing suit and took Mei into the mikveh while the rabbi recited a series of prayers.

"She went under three times and then we celebrated," said Ritchart, a former reporter for the Leaf Chronicle in Clarksville.

The ceremony is a kind of spiritual rebirth, said Rabbi Philip "Flip" Rice of Congregation Micah.

"We basically convert them to Judaism," he said. "It's a child, so it is not of their own will, but they are brought up in the Jewish faith."

Rice said his congregation often holds a naming ceremony for adopted children during a service, so the whole community can take part. Bringing children from other countries into the Jewish community is a good thing, he said.

"Saying 'Funny, you don't look Jewish' has taken on a whole new meaning," he said.

Becky Brandt swings her adopted daughter Hannah, 7, in front of their home in Nashville. The Brandts are raising Hannah in the Jewish faith. (Photo Courtesy SANFORD MYERS / THE TENNESSEAN)

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Special Feature

We Will Get There Reflecting on Martin Luther King Jr.‘s Legacy I am a descendant of slaves. My people were once slaves owned by Egyptians and my people were also slaves owned by Whites. Hundreds of years have passed since then, and now we have just started the year 2011. As we begin to celebrate and honor Dr. Martin Luther King‘s legacy, I begin to reflect.

What is his legacy? I believe that it is the pursuit of the American dream; it‘s entering the promise land.

For a lot of people, the American dream is the house with a white picket fence and apple pie. That‘s not what I envision. I see a house with a purple fence and I don‘t like apple pie or any type of pie for that matter. I‘m more of a cookie and brownie person.

The American dream is where everyone is treated equally-it doesn‘t matter if they‘re rich or poor. It doesn‘t matter if they‘re yellow, black, white, or brown; Atheist, Christian, Buddhist, Hindu, or Jewish; young, old, or straight or gay. You are treated equally and people judge you by your character and nothing else. That‘s the promise land baby, and we haven‘t arrived yet.

Granted, there are people who believe and say that racism is over, that it doesn‘t exist! There are some who even believe that if you‘re person a color and you complain about racism, then you are unpatriotic. The say ―Look America elected a black president!‖ to prove their point.

To them I say Bzzzz! Wrong! Racism does exist. It‘s not a myth like the tooth fairy. It might not be blatantly out in public, but it is everywhere. From our prisons, our schools, neighborhoods, etc., it‘s been institutionalized.

Now to the point of electing the first Black President, yes people voted for him based on his character, and that was a step in the right direction. But to say that racism doesn‘t exist because of that is wrong. It was there when the senator shouted out ―You Lie!‖ during the state of the union address. It‘s there when people say Barack Hussein Obama in an effort to spread lies about his religion and to spread fear about Muslims. It‘s there when there are people called birthers who continue not to acknowledge that the president is an American-born and raised. It‘s there when there are some people who believe that the president is the anti-Christ or that he‘s ―anti-Christ like‖. It‘s there in the textbooks approved by a Board of 28

Special Feature Education in Texas that change the name of the slave trade to the Atlantic triangular trade, in order to downplay this significance and impact of this historic event. It‘s there whenever people talk about immigration reform. Yes Sarah, racism does exist!

How do we stop racism? As long as there is hate in the world, racism will always exist.

However, as long as there good in the world to fight the evil that exist, we can try to eradicate racism and push it to the fringes of society.

In this country, we haven‘t yet had an honest conversation about race that included everyone at the table-white, black, brown, yellow, and biracial. White people get frustrated about this because when they say anything about race, a lot of times they are usually called a racist.

Sometimes when a person says something about race, it may come out in a way that it wasn‘t intended to-i.e. Senator Harry Reid. That doesn‘t mean that they are a racist. Looking at his record and his actions, I know that this man isn‘t a racist, but what he said did offend people-it offended me. When that occurred, a lot of folks were trying to defend republicans with Senator Trent Lott‘s statement about segregation. I know that there are republicans who are not racist, but seriously you couldn‘t use Lott‘s statement as a defense! He was basically saying that he agreed Thurmond with about his view of segregation.

So what should we as Americans do concerning racism? Well first off, I think that a real acknowledgement of slavery should occur. What slavery left America with was the prejudiced, hateful, racist beliefs that have poured down over the years. It nearly destroyed black families; it killed millions of black people. It was genocide.

The slave trade is also called Maafa by African and African-American scholars, and it means "holocaust" or "great disaster" in Swahili. Also some scholars use the terms African Holocaust or Holocaust of Enslavement.

Though the majority of slave owners were white, other slave owners were Jews, Native American, and Blacks. If we‘re going to have an honest conversation about racism then we need to talk about everything.

I know that you as an individual didn‘t own slaves. Don‘t tell me just because you have ―black friends‖ or you like people of all colors but you don‘t approve of interracial marriages doesn‘t mean you‘re not racist. I want you to understand that it‘s your attitude- how you treat and view me and others who look like me-that‘s what the issue is here. Slavery left a legacy of racism and that‘s what we need to deal with.

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Special Feature I also want people to understand that even though I am a black person, I am also an individual. There are specific things that forever bond me to all black people, but we are not all the same. We don‘t all look alike- sorry to disappoint you. We all have our own unique personalities, we don‘t dress the same and we don‘t all listen to the same music genre-sorry to disappoint you again! We all talk differently, and we come from different regions of the world. We‘re Jewish, Christian, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, and atheist. We are independents, democrats, and republicans. Yes we do belong to a specific group but just like you, each of us are our own person.

Martin Luther King Jr‘s dream wasn‘t just about equality for all races; it was also about freedom or religion. We are blessed to live in a country where we are free to worship as we choose. And you‘re also free not to worship if you choose. It bothers me when someone says ―We‘re a Christian nation,‖ because I feel left out as though I don‘t belong, and then there are people who say that the founders were Christian, and then there are those who say they weren‘t. Which one is it? Maybe it was both?

Regardless what you believe, all people should be free to practice or not practice their faith here without bigotry of any kind. Extremism of any type whether it‘s Christian, Muslim, etc. doesn‘t have any regard for freedom and is detrimental.

Anti-Semitism is still running high in this country and around the globe. There are still Holocaust deniers in high abode. It‘s hardly talked about in the news and when an anti-Semitic, racist, shooter attacked the Holocaust Museum in Washington, D.C. and killed a guard (who was African-American), not a lot of people said anything about it! This past summer the term Islamophobia was brought into the public discussion and incidents of hate crimes against mosques around the country. We also have this continuous anger against atheists by religious people and vice-versa.

Why are people angry because someone doesn‘t believe in G-D or they are angry about someone who does believe in G-D? I‘m not sure if Dr. King didn‘t talked about these two issues in his speeches, but I believe that they apply-women‘s rights and gay rights.

It‘s 2011and though we have come far in women‘s rights; there are still walls that need to be knocked down. Women still don‘t get equal pay for equal work. We still face discrimination in society-from how we dress to how we are supposed to act in the business and political world. In the long history of the Supreme Court, there have been only a total of four women on the bench. Things are slowly changing.

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Special Feature Last month marked the overturn of Don‘t Ask Don‘t Tell policy and President Obama signed it into law. This is a great victory for the GLBT community. But even with this accomplishment, the GLBT community faces discrimination. From bullying to marriage there are many issues that need to be addressed.

Lastly, let‘s look at Black-Jewish relations. Martin Luther King marched alongside Rabbis and Jews participated greatly in the civil rights movement-they participated more than non-Jewish whites did-so why the breakdown in relations?

Well the long and short of it is that a lot of blacks became aware that even though the Jews were a minority group, they were treated better than the blacks due to them having white privilege, so the relations broke down and became tense to this day.

As a Jew of Color-an African-Caribbean-American-Jewish woman to be exact-I can help build bridges between these communities. Both have a lot in common which each other and they must take steps to come together.

It‘s 2011 and a lot of things have changed since Dr. King‘s day, but we‘re not at the promise land yet. We still have a ways to go. It will take hard work and blood, sweat and tears but we‘ll arrive there. Until everyone no matter their status, ethnicity, religion or lack thereof, sex, and sexual orientation is treated based on their character we must not stop.

There are those who want to accept the status quo. They want to stay in a state of denial, but I won‘t. We must keep fighting until we arrive at the promise land.

“I will get there somehow Cross that river Nothing's stoppin' me now I will get through the night And make it through to the other side Get there Get there Get there” -Boyz II Men “Well, I don't know what will happen now. We've got some difficult days ahead. But it doesn't matter with me now. Because I've been to the mountaintop. And I don't mind. Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place. But I'm not concerned about that now. I just want to do God's will. And He's allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I've looked over. And I've seen the promised land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people will get to the promised land. And I'm happy, tonight. I'm not

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Special Feature worried about anything. I'm not fearing any man. Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord.�

-Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. From his I See the Promised Land / I‘ve Been to the Mountaintop Speech that he gave at Mason Temple in Memphis, Tennessee, on April 3, 1968. This was the last public appearance before his assassination the next day.

Photo Courtesy of http://www.mlkonline.net/speeches.html

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Fashion

Putting Together Eco-Friendly Outfits Organic, eco-friendly clothing is an excellent fashion trend. From skirts & dresses to jackets, accessories, tops, bottoms, and even intimates, green fashions are easy to shop for. These clothes will help make your closet healthier for you and your family while at the same time helping the planet. Here are a few tips for putting together a closet full of eco-friendly clothing.

Try these Fabrics: While shopping for green clothing, there are different types of eco-friendly fabrics to choose from. They are: Bamboo-which is great for both hot and cool climatesbamboo clothing offers built-in temperature control. It keeps you warm in the winter and cool in the summer. It‘s also a durable fabric and it doesn‘t hold odor like synthetic fabrics do during exercise or after it‘s been washed. It‘s also anti-static so the static won‘t stop you!

Soy-is easy to care for.

Hemp-is strong, durable and naturally wrinkle-resistant. Clothes made from hemp also offer the cool hand of linen and the softness of cotton.

Organic cotton is cotton that doesn‘t have chemicals and toxins used in its farming and manufacturing. The farming of organic cotton reduces the mass use of pesticides and chemicals.

Alpaca-You‘ve may of heard this name from the Disney movie ―The Emperor‘s New Groove,‖ which takes place in South America. This fabric is from Alpacas that are raised naturally. That means no hormones or chemical treatments. Since this fabric comes in over 52 naturally occurring colors, there‘s no need for dye! Alpaca also keeps you warmer than wool.

Merino wool is the softest of all wools. It comes from merino sheep who are bred not for their meat but for their wool. It‘s extremely soft and lacks the itchyness of other wools. So you can be warm and comfortable. Merino wool offers temperature regulation, moisture control and anti-microbial properties.

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Fashion Tencel is a new fabric that has wonderful qualities. It‘s made with wood pulp from sustainable tree farms and created with nanotechnology. There are a variety of clothing made from this fabric and it‘s very comfortable. It has 50% greater moisture absorption than cotton and it has a smooth and soft surface.

Silk-do I need to say anything else?

Green Fashion Lines: House of Organic & Lara Miller Jonano-the clothes are made of certified organic bamboo, hemp, and their popular ecoKashmere blend-at an affordable price. The clothes are made using Fair Labor practices, their fabrics use low-impact dyes, and their packaging and mailings are printed on recycled paper.

Loomstate isn‘t inexpensive; they‘re reasonably priced. You can find bargains on their clothing by going to websites like Greenloop and Bluefly.com Levi Strauss has been in the jean making business for a long time, so who better than them to lead the way in eco-friendly denim. They use organic cotton, recycled zippers, buttons, and natural indigo dye. They also donate to environmental causes on a regular basis.

Levi is also encouraging their customers to treat their clothes in an environmentally responsible manner. Last January, their clothes began to carry new tags that will encourage people to wash their clothes in cold water and dry them on a line. When the clothes are no longer needed, donate them to Goodwill.

Levi also works on worker rights, HIV/AIDS, Equality, and Community Engagement.

American Apparel has clothes for the whole family at affordable prices. thehotlovemovement.com is a really cool site that has eco-friendly clothing for men and women that is made sweatshop free. Sale proceeds go to areas in need of sustainability projects. Besides these brands, there are many more brands and stores-such as Target-that sell eco-friendly clothing at an affordable price.

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Books

The Lemonheads The first ever Black and Jewish kosher Children's book Lemonheads is a new book written and illustrated by author Gila Ran. The book is a children‘s series about a Black and Jewish family the Lemonheads. It follows the adventures of the family‘s two children Avi and Miriam as they learn about Torah, mitzvot and middot along the way. In this first book of the series, the Lemonheads‘ son Avi learns just how hard it can be to care about the world as he tries to save a fish. Gila is currently working on the second book in the series. She believes that Lemonheads is great for self-imagery for children. She believes that children need positive selfimagery in order ―to feel belonging that they can ‗do that to‘.‖ Recently, The Lemonheads got the haskamah-the thumbs up sign-by Rebbetzin Heller and Rabbi Avraham Sutton!

The drawings in the book are fully in color. The book is available online Lulu.com at http://www.lulu.com/product/paperback/the-lemonheads/14306910 The cost of the book is $15.00.

For more information, please visit Gila Ran‘s website http://gilaranlemonheads.weebly.com/.

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Food

America's 10 healthiest grocery stores

By PamelaPaul Health.com, on Fri Dec 3, 2010 8:52am PST Let‘s face it: Your weekly (or daily!) run to the grocery store is the foundation for your good health. So it‘s thrilling news that the supermarket industry is on a health kick— these days you‘ll likely find organic produce and ―natural‖ packaged foods at almost any store you go to.

But which chains are outdoing themselves to deliver the freshest and healthiest foods to you? And which ones provide the best tools to help you make smart choices?

We asked six prominent health experts to help us pick the top 10 healthiest grocery stores out of the nation‘s largest chains. Here are the true standouts. Happy, healthy shopping! #1: Whole Foods 279 stores in 38 states and Washington, D.C. We figured this natural-foods chain would make the list, but who knew it would hands-down top it? ―It‘s the Rolls Royce of healthy eating,‖ says Kate Geagan, a nutritionist in Park City, Utah, and one of our judges. Whole Foods has the whole package—from an extraordinary selection of fresh conventional and organic fruit and vegetables to delicious prepared foods with healthy ingredients and clear labeling. (Most other stores offer mystery meals that may very well be loaded with butter.) And Whole Foods puts a premium on products that are grown or produced locally (read: super fresh).

There‘s also hard-to-find grass-fed meats, ready-to-cook organic and free-range chicken, and a well-stocked selection of just-caught seafood. The desserts are pretty good for you: Every item in the bakery is free of artificial colors, flavors, sweeteners, preservatives, and Trans fats. Our judges also raved about Whole Foods‘s snacks, singling out the store‘s own dark chocolate, fresh-cut veggies, and nut and seed mixes. Alan Greene, MD, a Palo Alto, California–based pediatrician and one of our panelists sums it up best: ―The store celebrates great, healthy food from start to finish.‖

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Food #2: Safeway 1,700-plus stores nationwide Safeway is the traditional grocer you‘re familiar with, but look closer and you‘ll see a huge transformation going on. ―They now have their own organic brands and a section of locally grown produce,‖ says judge Lisa Pawloski, PhD, chair of the department of global and community health at George MasonUniversity in Fairfax, Virginia. Besides those organic brands—OOrganics for packaged goods (the biggest organic brand in the country) and Eating Right for prepared foods—many of the chain‘s redesigned stores have a greatly expanded produce section.

Safeway‘s specialty items like organic spices and packaged nuts make it a regular stop for judge Dr. Greene. Bonus: Its online FoodFlex program analyzes shoppers‘ purchases based on metrics like recommended sodium consumption, and then suggests healthier choices. ―They‘re a major pioneer in this area,‖ says panelist Christine Palumbo, a Chicago-based nutritionist. ―It‘s like having your own registered dietitian.‖ #3: Harris Teeter 176 stores in the Southeast This grocer boasts 600 varieties of fruit and veggies, with a good selection of organic and locally grown items, as well as hard-to-find nonfarm-raised seafood. But what catapulted it to third place is its breadth of healthy shopping tools.

Harris Teeter‘s Your Wellness For Life program, which was originally created to help employees choose the most nutritious foods, became available to customers in 2006. Part of that initiative is shelf tags that clearly show the nutrients in various foods (an ―excellent source of fiber‖ label means the item contains20% or more of the recommended daily intake; a ―good source officer‖ lets you know there‘s between 10% and 19% of the RDI). Plus, a Green Thumb Expert at every store gives hints on choosing and preparing produce. #4: Trader Joe's 300-plus stores in 23 states and Washington, D.C. Shopping at Trader Joe‘s is more like going to a specialty-foods store than a chain grocer—you‘ll find healthy foods from around the world, all at surprisingly reasonable prices. What you won‘t find: bad-for-you mainstream brands. The store‘s impressive and delicious store-brand foods contain no artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives, and no MSG, Trans fats or genetically modified ingredients. ―My 37

Food daughter loves their Omega Trek Mix With Omega-Fortified Cranberries, and now I do, too!‖Palumbo says.

Pawloski is just as excited about their organic prepared meals. There are fun healthy surprises, too: instead of sugary cereals, they have good-news alternatives, like fruitand nut-packed Triple Berry O‘s. Why didn‘t Trader Joe‘s rank higher? The limited selection in most of its stores. #5: Hannaford 165-plus stores in the Northeast This chain is relatively small, but Whole Foods should look out $mdash; Hannaford is the largest certified-organic supermarket in the region, and in the past two years it has boosted its produce selection to provide more than 50 local and organic products from 200 farms close by. ―It‘s an impressive amount of local produce, which is not that easy in temperate New England,‖Geagan notes.

But Hannaford‘s commitment to healthy foods doesn‘t stop there. Its Guiding Stars nutrition-label program makes it a snap to pick out the healthiest fresh and packaged fare: You‘ll find one, two, or three stars—with three stars indicating the highest nutritional value—on nearly every item in the store. That means you don‘t have to pore over the labels to decide which loaf of bread to buy. #6: Albertsons 529 stores in the West, owned by SuperValu Organic food can be expensive, but Albertsons‘s house brand, Wild Harvest, typically costs 15% less than name-brand organic products. All Wild Harvest items— including whole wheat pastas, soy milk, cereals, meats, and poultry—eschew artificial preservatives, colorings, sweeteners, and flavorings; hydrogenated and cottonseed oils; and phosphates and chlorine.

Our judges loved the chain‘s Healthy Eaters program, which lets kids tour the store with a registered dietitian. And this month, Albertsons introduces the Nutrition iQ program, which uses simple color-coded labels to highlight nutritional benefits. #7: Food Lion 1,300 stores in the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic This mega chain is owned by the same company as Hannaford and has taken some healthy cues from its smaller sister: It stocks organic fruits and vegetables (though not 38

Food as many local items as the top chains), has its own natural-foods brand, Nature‘s Place, and also uses the Guiding Stars nutrition-labeling system.

But it‘s Food Lion‘s boutique offshoot, Bloom (61 stores in North Carolina, South Carolina, Maryland, and Virginia), that‘s leading the way for the entire chain. ―Their produce is fresh and smells wonderful,‖ Pawloski says. Bloom also boasts kiosks that provide nutrition info and healthy recipes that can be printed in-store. #8: Publix 952 stores in the Southeast Publix scores high for making healthy eating a family affair. Pregnant moms can sign up for the Publix Baby Club and receive coupons and a newsletter about infants‘ developing needs. The Preschool Pals program for 2- to 4-year-olds provides kids with fun free CD-ROMs and emails that teach nutrition and safety. And its free Family Style magazine has simple tips on cooking family dinners fast.

The store‘s own brand, GreenWise, features fresh and packaged natural and organic foods. And like Food Lion, Publix has launched an offshoot store that focuses on natural and organic foods—Publix GreenWise Market (currently only in Florida). Our judges also couldn‘t stop talking about Publix‘s At Season‘s Peak program, which points customers to the produce that‘s most in season. ―It helps shoppers choose food when it‘s freshest and most nutritious, ―says panelist Frances Largeman-Roth, Health‘s senior food and nutrition editor. #9: Pathmark 141 stores in the Mid-Atlantic Pathmark doesn‘t make a big deal out of its commitment to buying from area farms and producers, but it is in fact the largest retailer of locally grown produce in the Northeast, stocking area finds like Long Island corn on the cob.

It also provides a welcome incentive to eat right: The company‘s Live Better!

Wellness Club includes discounts of up to 15% on fresh-cut fruit and veggies. And if you never know what the heck to make for dinner, here is a perk you‘ll appreciate: You can go online and get creative and healthy menu ideas, courtesy of Pathmark‘s resident registered dietitian, Jacqueline Gomes.

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Food #10: Super Target 239 stores in 21 states, primarily Texas and Florida Tar-jay, a healthy grocer? Yep. These Targets with minimarkets offer good-news brands like Kashi, Quaker, Sahala Snacks, and Barbara‘s, plus a limited amount of organic dairy items and produce. And you‘ll also find inexpensive, high-quality house brands like Market Pantry (cooking staples, etc.) and the trans fat–free Archer Farms (which includes baked goods, appetizers, and snacks)—and this makes it easier for shoppers to stock up for less.

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Jews Around the World

Kaifeng: The Jews of China Judaism has had a long history in China-from the early 7th or 8th century CE when Jewish settlers first documented while some may have arrived during the mid Han Dynasty or even as early as 231 BCE. Chinese Jews have called themselves Youtai in Mandarin for hundreds of years. There are various Jewish communities in China and all are ethnically diverse. The most notable of all the communities are the Kaifeng Jews.

The Kaifeng Jews belong to a small Jewish community in the Kaifeng, located in the Henan province of China, where they have lived from at least the time of the Northern Song Dynasty (960-1127) until the late 19th century during which Kaifeng was the capital. During this time period, a synagogue was built. It was surrounded by a study hall, a mikveh, a communal kitchen, a kosher butchering facility, and a sukkah.

There have been relics found in Kaifeng. Three stelae(tablets) with inscriptions were found at Kaifeng. The oldest, dating from 1489, commemorates the construction of a synagogue in 1163. It bears the name Qīngzhēn Sì, which is a term often used for mosques in Chinese. There‘s an inscription that states that the Jews came to China from India during the Han Dynasty period which lasted from the 2nd century BCE to the 2nd century CE. On the slate it also cites the names A picture of the synagogue of 70 Jews with Chinese surnames, and it describes their audience with an unnamed Song Dynasty emperor. It also lists the transmission of their religion from Abraham down to the prophet Ezra. The second tablet which dates from 1512 was found in the synagogue Xuanzhang Daojing Si. It details their Jewish religious practices. Finally, the third tablet which dates from 1663 commemorates the rebuilding of the Qingzhen si synagogue and repeats information that appears in the other two steles.

Two of the stelae refer to a famous tattoo that was written on the back of Song Dynasty General Yue Fei. The tattoo, which reads "Boundless loyalty to the country‖ first appeared in a section of the 1489 stele talking about the Jews‘ ―Boundless loyalty to the country and

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Jews Around the World Prince‖. The second appeared in a section of the 1512 stele talking about how Jewish soldiers and officers in the Chinese armies were ―Boundlessly loyal to the country.‖ When the Ming Dynasty was in power from 1368-1644, one of the emperors appointed seven surnames for the Jews which still identify them today. The surnames are Ai, Shi, Gao, Jin, Li, Zhang, and Zhao. Jin and Shi are equivalent to the common western Jewish names of Gold and Stone. At the beginning of the 20th century, the majority of the Zhang clan had converted to Islam.

It wasn‘t until 1605 that the Europeans heard about the Youtai. A man by the name of Matteo Ricci, who was living in Beijing, was visited by a Jew from Kaifeng whose name was Ai Tian. Ricci wrote about this visit in De Christiana expedition apud Sinas.

During his visit, Ai Tian explained how he worshipped one G-D and when he saw an image of Mary with the child Jesus, he thought it was a picture of Rebecca with Esau or Jacob. Ai also told Ricci that many other Jews resided in Kaifeng, and about the synagogue that held many written materials and books.

Almost three years after Ai‘s visit, Ricci sent a Chinese Jesuit to visit Kaifeng where made copies of each of the holy books that were kept in the shul. These records allowed Ricci to verify that these were the same texts as the Torah known to Europeans. The only difference was that they didn‘t use Hebrew letters.

Later on, Ricci wrote to the head of the shul in an effort to convert him. Ricci told the leader that the Messiah that Jews were waiting for had already come. The rabbi rebuffed Ricci‘s attempt and wrote back that the Messiah wouldn‘t come for another ten thousand years. The rabbi then tried to convert Ricci! He even offered Ricci his position as the rabbi was very old. Sometime after, Ricci received three visitors from Kaifeng-Ai Tian‘s nephew was one of the three-while on a business trip and all three were baptized.

After these interactions with the Kaifeng, Ricci‘s overall impression of China‘s Jewish community was that ―they were well on the way to becoming Saracens (Muslims) or heathens.‖ A Roman Catholic researcher of the early twentieth century named Father Joseph Brucker; notes that Ricci's account of Chinese Jews indicates that there were only in the range of ten or twelve Jewish families in Kaifeng in the late sixteenth to early seventeenth centuries that had resided there for five to six hundred years.

During the 1850‘s the Kaifeng were dispersed during the Taiping Rebellion but the community later returned.

Even though the Kaifeng had been isolated from the rest 42

The Kaifeng

Jews Around the World of the Jewish Diaspora, they managed for many centuries to preserve the Jewish traditions and customs.

However, assimilation began to erase their traditions. From the seventeenth century onward the rate of intermarriage began to increase. The destruction of the synagogue in the 1860‘s led to the community‘s demise. However, there was a small glimmer of hope. J.L. Liebermann, the first Western Jew to visit Kaifeng in 1867, noted that "they still had a burial ground of their own". S.M. Perlmann, the Shanghai businessman and scholar, wrote in 1912 that "they bury their dead in coffins, but of a different shape than those of the Chinese are made, and do not attire the dead in secular clothes as the Chinese do, but in linen".

Soon, that small glimmer began to become larger. Most descendants of Kaifeng's Jewish community are only vaguely aware of their ancestry. Some, however, say their parents and grandparents told them that they were Jewish and would one day "return to their land." What differentiates them from their neighbors is that they don‘t eat pork, and they also have celebrated Jewish events such as Chanukah. Today, 600-1,000 residents of Kaifeng trace their lineage back to this community.

The Kaifeng have been able to reconnect to mainstream Jewry after coming into contact with Jewish tourists. Because Chinese Jews base their Jewishness on patrilineal descent and not matrilineal descent, they are required to undergo conversion in order to receive Israeli citizenship under the Law of Return. Recently a family of Kaifeng Jewish descendants formally converted to Judaism and received Israeli citizenship; and on October 20, 2009, a group of Kaifeng Jews arrived in Israel via an aliyah operation by Shavei Israel.

Kaifeng Jews Arriving in Israel

Although overseas Jewish communities have been indifferent toward the putative descendants of the Kaifeng Jews, a Sino-Judaic Institute has been established in California to further research the history of the Jewish communities in China, promote educational projects related to the history of the Jews in China and assist the extant Jews of Kaifeng.

Documentaries: There are a couple of documentaries that have been made and books written about the Kaifeng. Here is a list of some of them: Legacy is a 1992 documentary series by historian Michael Wood. There is also a companion book 43

Jews Around the World Quest of the Lot Tribes by Canadian filmmaker Simcha Jacobovici Minyan in Kaifeng documents & covers the present-day Kaifeng Jewish community in China during a trip taken by some Jewish tourists.

The upcoming documentary film, Kaifeng, Jerusalem, by Dr. Noam Urbach, describes the experiences of the family mentioned earlier.

Books: The Kaifeng Stone Inscriptions: The Legacy of the Jewish Community in Ancient China By Tiberiu Weisz

Photo Courtesy Google Images

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The family featured in the documentary Jerusalem

Spirituality

Discussion Series: Maimonides‘ Principles The Fundamentals of Jewish Faith This month we focus on the third principle which is chapter two in Rabbi‘s Aryeh Kaplan‘s book Maimonides‘ Principles: The Fundamentals of Jewish Faith. To obtain a copy simply sign up at www.FreeJewishBooks.com and order a free copy of the book from the site (shipping & handling are free). If you do not have a copy of the book, a copy of the hymn Yigdal is just as useful. The discussion questions will come from Rabbi Kaplan‘s book. Coming soon, we will be also having live streaming of the discussions on Ustream.tv.

The Third Principle I believe with perfect faith that G-D does not have a body. Physical concepts do not apply to Him. There is nothing whatsoever that resembles Him at all.

Yigdal He does not have bodily form, he is not a body.

He is beyond compare in His holiness.

Discussion Questions: 1. How are the second and third principles related 2. What does the Torah mean when it says that man was created in the ―image of G-D?‖ 3. Why does the Torah speak of G-D as if He were just like us?

4. Could Christianity accept this principle?

5. What nonphysical things affect our lives? Do these in any way resemble G-D? 6. Why is it impossible to comprehend G-D? 7. Why must the Torah speak in the language of man?

8. What do we mean when we say that G-D is holy? Relate this to the verse in Yigdal.

9. Why do we refer to G-D as ―He,‖ using the masculine gender?

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Spirituality

Be Counted!

Why Attending Minyan is Important At least once a month on a Monday morning, I wake up early at 7 am. I get ready and I leave my home and arrive at my local JCC (Jewish Community Center). I go inside up the stairs to the chapel, get a prayer book off the shelf and take out my tallit; I say the blessing and wrap it around me; I‘m now ready for the minyan service to begin. Why do I get up early in the morning to attend minyan? I believe that attending minyan is an important part of my Jewish life.

What is a minyan? Traditionally, a minyan is a quorum of ten male Jewish adults that is required for certain religious obligations, the most common being public prayer. A minyan is also be a quorum of ten adult Jews-women and men.

Why do a lot of people not attend minyan during the week? Well, they might be too busy. Between work, family, and all the other activities that tend to overwhelm us, we can still take time out our busy schedules to set aside less than an hour to attend minyan at least once a month.

Another reason is getting to work or school on time. The minyan I attend starts at 7:45 am and ends at about 8:30. If someone has to go to work they might leave a few minutes early or stay for the whole thing. A lot kids who are middle school aged and up sometimes attend and they usually leave a little bit early from the service.

Hopefully, most employers should not have a problem if they know that one day out of each month you will be late and you‘re attending a religious service.

Also, following along in the prayer book during minyan might be intimidating to some due to lack of knowing Hebrew. In most prayer books; however, there is the transliteration and the English translation of what is being said. Throughout the service, the page numbers will be announced, so one shouldn‘t worry about being lost during the service.

Now that these problems now have solutions, here are reasons why you should attend minyan.

The first reason to attend minyan is to make a minyan! Being counted as part of the minyan is very important. Without ten people, parts of the service cannot be done!

A minyan is required in order to say certain prayers communally as a congregation; to read from the Torah with a blessing and to recite the Barchu, Kedushah or Kaddish.

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Spirituality Kaddish is by itself a vital reason to attend minyan. It is tradition to say the Kaddish for eleven months after the death of a parent, one month after the death of other close relatives such as a brother, or a husband; and also on the anniversary (Yarzeit) of a loved one‘s death. Without a minyan you, and other congregants and visitors, cannot honor their loved ones by saying the Kaddish.

Thirdly, we attend minyan to worship and pray to G-D. Whether we‘re going through good or bad times, we should give thanks to Him every day. When we open the prayer book and start the service, the first couple of prayers are about thanking G-D for the way our body functions, for creating us, giving us a soul, and for waking us up. This is a time of communicating with G-D and to offer up our prayers and praise. We can also argue with G-D and let Him know how we‘re feeling. Attending minyan allows you to feel closer to G-D and connect with Him. Finally, attending minyan helps you grow spiritually and gives you place where you can reflect on the good and bad in your life. Not only do you connect with G-D at minyan, you also connect with others in your congregation and community. There have been many times when I have arrived at service and I was the tenth one. You might think that it's not a big deal if you come or not, and nobody would miss you. It‘s important to know that your presence counts and you are truly needed. In order to make a minyan, it‘s essential that you participate.

Without your participation, the community wouldn‘t be complete.

I hope that you will consider attending minyan; I know that I‘m going to try to attend more often than I have been.

Photo Courtesy Google Images

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Community Happenings

Announcements In Our Community: Happy Birthday to my sister Dorothy Mazel Tov To Adi Feliciano Quick and family on their wedding nupitals! Here are some photos from the joyous occasion!

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Community Happenings

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Misheberakh May G-d who blessed our ancestors, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel, and Leadh, bring blessing and healing to all those who suffer illness within our community. May the Holy One mercifully restore them to health and vigor, granting them physical and spiritual well-being, together with all those who are ill, and strengthen those who tend to them. We hope and pray that healing is at hand.

And let us say: Amen.

-From Sidder Sim Shalom Talisha Harrison Alicia Cline Members of the U.S. military and the Israeli Defense Forces who are wounded or missing in action.

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Check out MaNistana‘s New Line of T-Shirts!

The T-shirts say ―Kiss me I‘m Jewish‖ with the Star of David in the color of many different countries‘ flags. There are many countries to choose from Nigeria to the Philippines and in between.

You can purchase them here: http://www.zazzle.com/manishtana

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Yahrzeits In love we remember those who no longer walk this earth. We are grateful to G-D for the gift of their lives, for the joys we shared, and for the cherished memories that never fade. May G-D grant those who mourn the strength to see beyond their sorrow, sustaining them despite their grief. May the faith that binds us to our loved ones be a countinuing source of comfort, as we invite those who mourn, and those observing Yahrzeit to praise G-D's name with the words of the Kaddish.

-From Sidder Sim Shalom Basse Sawitzky Members of the U.S. military and the Israeli Defense Forces whom have passed during the month of January

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Community Happenings

Kehila News Advertising: Advertising in throughout the magazine is also available. A whole page is just $5.00, ½ a page is $2.50, and anything smaller is a $1.50.

3 Options For Reading Kehila: For reading the magazine, there will always be three options available for you to choose from.

1. Read the magazine online each month. You can read the latest issue of Kehila monthly on this website for free.

2. Read back issues on the magazine at my profile on Issuu.com. In the "Read back issues" section of this site, you can click on the link to read back issues of Kehila for free.

3. Purchase a copy of Kehila. Every issue will be available to purchase for only $5.00.

There will be a link to click on to purchase an issue. The issue are digital downloads onto Adobe Digital Reader (a free program that you can download if you have Adobe Reader).

We need your help!

This magazine is currently being created with limited resources. If you would like to contribute to this magazine monetarily or by writing articles, taking pictures,etc. it would be appreciated.

Misheberakh and Yahrzeits: If you have person who is sick and you would like for them to be on the Misheberakh list please send their names to us or if you have a yahrzeit that you would like to be placed on our yahrzeit page, please email us at kehila23@yahoo.com and we will have it listed here on the website and in the magazine.

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Community Happenings

Resources Here is some helpful information to help you stay connected to the JOC Community. If you know of any more resources please contact me so I can add them to the resources section each month. This month‘s focus is on Facebook pages!

Jews of Color United The Jew of Color Activist Black and Jewish- Jews of Color The Centre for the Study of African-American Conversions Kulanu, Inc. MaNishtana Be‘ Chol Lashon Asian Jewish Life Deborah Jiang Stein: Fan Page Jews in ALL Hues Jewish Multiracial Network ‫קהילה‬-Kehila JVoices PunkTorah Torah

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Community Happenings

Upcoming Events January 1 The Wailing Wall 915 Wyckoff Ave, Ridgewood, NY 11385 8:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.

Hosted by The Silent Barn

January 2 Nathan D. Rosen Museum Gallery 2010-2011 Season Time: 10:00 am - 4:00 pm Location: Show map Phyllis & Harvey Sandler Center for Jewish Life Enhancement Nathan B. Rosen Museum Gallery 21050 95th Avenue S Boca Raton, FL 33428 Contact: Kathy Slutsky Phone: 561/558-2504 Email: kathys@levisjcc.org

January 3 Nathan D. Rosen Museum Gallery 2010-2011 Season Time: 10:00 am - 4:00 pm Location: Show map Phyllis & Harvey Sandler Center for Jewish Life Enhancement Nathan B. Rosen Museum Gallery 21050 95th Avenue S Boca Raton, FL 33428 Contact: Kathy Slutsky Phone: 561/558-2504 Email: kathys@levisjcc.org

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Community Happenings January 4 Contemporary Jewish Museum 736 Mission Street (btwn. 3rd and 4th Streets), San Francisco, CA 94103 Hours: Daily 11 AM–5 PM, Thursdays 1–8 PM, Closed Wednesdays 415.655.7800 |info@thecjm.org 11:30 AM Free Public Tours: Museum Highlights 1 PM Free Public Tours: Architecture of the CJM 2:30 PM Free Public Tours: Reclaimed

January 5 Nathan D. Rosen Museum Gallery 2010-2011 Season Date: November 14, 2010 - April 15, 2011 Time: 10:00 am - 4:00 pm Location: Show map Phyllis & Harvey Sandler Center for Jewish Life Enhancement Nathan B. Rosen Museum Gallery 21050 95th Avenue S Boca Raton, FL 33428 Contact: Kathy Slutsky Phone: 561/558-2504 Email: kathys@levisjcc.org

January 6 AIPAC Annual Delaire-Bocaire-Hamlet Event Date: January 6, 2011 Time: 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm Location: TBD Contact: Lee Spalter Phone: (954) 382-6110 Email: lspalter@aipac.org

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Community Happenings January 7 Lost In Yonkers by Neil Simon at 8:00pm Jewish Community Center of San Francisco 3200 California St., San Francisco, CA, 94115 (415) 292-1200 - Venue Website A touching and humorous coming-of-age story about two young brothers left in the care of their formidable immigrant grandmother in Yonkers, New York. Their sweet but simpleminded aunt and gangster uncle add to the mix in this portrait of a dysfunctional Jewish family in the 1940s.

Winner of the Pulitzer Prize and four Tony Awards including Best Play Presented by the Jewish Theatre San Francisco in association with Eugene & Elinor Friend Center for the Arts at the JCCSF.

January 8 Contemporary Jewish Museum 736 Mission Street (btwn. 3rd and 4th Streets), San Francisco, CA 94103 Hours: Daily 11 AM–5 PM, Thursdays 1–8 PM, Closed Wednesdays 415.655.7800 |info@thecjm.org 11:30 AM Free Public Tours: Museum Highlights 1 PM Free Public Tours: Architecture of the CJM 2:30 PM Free Public Tours: Reclaimed

January 9 Isle of Klezbos, Klezmer Brunch Every Sunday Morning, combining live music and food in a fresh, cultural environment, City Winery‘s Klezmer brunch series pairs some of the greatest musicians in the world with delicious lox, bagels and other tasty fare on Sunday mornings from 11am to 2pm. City Winery's brunch on Jan 9, 2011 features Isle of Klezbos. General Admission: $10 / Children Under 13 - Free City Winery 155 Varick Street 57

Community Happenings

New York, New York 10013 (212) 608-0555 For further info: www.citywinery.com FRIENDS OF IDF GALA DINNER Date: January 9, 2011 Time: 6:00 pm - 10:00 pm Location: Boca West Country Club Contact: Betsey Horowitz Phone: 561-483-2771

January 10 2011 ADL LECTURE SERIES AT BOCA WEST #1 Date: January 10, 2011 Time: 8:00 pm - 9:45 pm Location: Show map Private Gated Community Boca Raton, FL USA Contact: Emmy Barraco Phone: 561-988-2941 Email: ebarraco@adl.org

January 11 Undoing the Inquisition, featuring Rabbi Juan Mejia 92nd Street Y, Lexington Avenue at 92nd, New York City

January 12 Nathan D. Rosen Museum Gallery 2010-2011 Season Date: November 14, 2010 - April 15, 2011 Time: 10:00 am - 4:00 pm Location: Show map Phyllis & Harvey Sandler Center for Jewish Life Enhancement Nathan B. Rosen Museum Gallery 21050 95th Avenue S 58

Community Happenings Boca Raton, FL 33428 Contact: Kathy Slutsky Phone: 561/558-2504 Email: kathys@levisjcc.org

January 13 Contemporary Jewish Museum 736 Mission Street (btwn. 3rd and 4th Streets), San Francisco, CA 94103 Hours: Daily 11 AM–5 PM, Thursdays 1–8 PM, Closed Wednesdays 415.655.7800 |info@thecjm.org 2 PM Free Public Tours: Architecture of the CJM 5 PM Free Public Tours: Museum Highlights 5 PM Free Public Tours: Reclaimed 5:30 PM For Teachers: When, How, and What to Say? 7 PM Lectures + Gallery Talks: The Journey that Saved Curious George

January 14 The Budos Band 5515 Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90036 8:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.

Hosted by El Rey Theatre Lost In Yonkers by Neil Simon at 8:00pm Jewish Community Center of San Francisco 3200 California St., San Francisco, CA, 94115 (415) 292-1200 - Venue Website A touching and humorous coming-of-age story about two young brothers left in the care of their formidable immigrant grandmother in Yonkers, New York. Their sweet but simpleminded aunt and gangster uncle add to the mix in this portrait of a dysfunctional Jewish family in the 1940s.

Winner of the Pulitzer Prize and four Tony Awards including Best Play Presented by

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Community Happenings the Jewish Theatre San Francisco in association with Eugene & Elinor Friend Center for the Arts at the JCCSF.

January 15 Martin Luther King Jr.’s Birthday Golem 3855 N Lincoln Ave, Chicago, IL 60613 8:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.

Hosted by Martyrs Rock band GOLEM transforms the music of its Jewish grandparents, making it modern, edgy, sexy and brash. Their explosive onstage attitude gets Klezmer to rock.

Martyrs Live 3855 N. Lincoln Ave, Chicago 9pm Saturday January 15th $12 advance, $15 door 21+ Third Annual Greatest Cantorial Concert in S,Florida History Cost $18 Date: January 15, 2011 Time: 8:00 pm - 10:00 pm Location: Show map Temple Israel of Greater Miami 137 NE 19th Street Miami, Fl Contact: Dr. Alan Mason Phone: (305) 772-6890 Email: dralanmason@hotmail.com

January 16 Eastern Watershed, Klezmer Brunch Every Sunday Morning, combining live music and food in a fresh, cultural environment, City Winery‘s Klezmer brunch series pairs some of the greatest musicians in the world with delicious lox, bagels and other tasty fare on Sunday

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Community Happenings mornings from 11am to 2pm. City Winery's brunch on Jan 16, 2011 features Eastern Watershed.

General Admission: $10 / Children Under 13 - Free City Winery 155 Varick Street New York, New York 10013 (212) 608-0555 For further info: www.citywinery.com

January 17 Martin Luther King Jr. Day Nathan D. Rosen Museum Gallery 2010-2011 Season Date: November 14, 2010 - April 15, 2011 Time: 10:00 am - 4:00 pm Location: Show map Phyllis & Harvey Sandler Center for Jewish Life Enhancement Nathan B. Rosen Museum Gallery 21050 95th Avenue S Boca Raton, FL 33428 Contact: Kathy Slutsky Phone: 561/558-2504 Email: kathys@levisjcc.org

January 18 Re-Examing the Photography of Roman Vishniac at 7pm Jewish Community Center of San Francisco 3200 California St., San Francisco, CA, 94115 (415) 292-1200 - Venue Website Vishniac‘s photos are the most widely recognized visual record of Eastern European Jewish culture before it was destroyed in the Holocaust. His images shape our memory of that vanished world. Working with the International Center of

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Community Happenings Photography, Maya Benton uncovered thousands of unpublished photos that offer new insight on pre-Holocaust life

January 19 Nathan D. Rosen Museum Gallery 2010-2011 Season Date: November 14, 2010 - April 15, 2011 Time: 10:00 am - 4:00 pm Location: Show map Phyllis & Harvey Sandler Center for Jewish Life Enhancement Nathan B. Rosen Museum Gallery 21050 95th Avenue S Boca Raton, FL 33428 Contact: Kathy Slutsky Phone: 561/558-2504 Email: kathys@levisjcc.org

January 20 Tu B’Shevat Socalled in NY 425 Lafayette Street, New York, NY 10003 9:30 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.

Hosted by Joe's Pub 20th Annual Jewish Film Festival at the Jewish Community Center, series of American and international films that entertain and foster understanding of Jewish culture and heritage, in Tucson, AZ 520-299-3000 or www.tucsonjewishfilmfestival.org

January 21 The Minyan- A Traditional Carlebach Style Service at AA followed by Potluck Ahavath Achim is offering an exciting new service that is completely lay-lead. This Friday evening service features the music of Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach. Come together with friends in song where the only instruments used are our voices.

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Community Happenings From 6:30 PM at the Ahavath Achim Synagogue- 600 Peachtree Battle Ave, Atlanta, GA 30327. RSVP Potluck dinner follows service. Contact Brooke Rosenthal at cambrya@hotmail.com for more information.

January 22 Guy Mendilow Band January 22nd, 10:30am Around the World in Song: A Children's Concert Lesley Ellis School 41 Foster St. Arlington, MA Info: (781) 641-5987

January 23 Yiddishe Cup Sun. Jan. 23, 2011, 3pm Boca Raton (Fla.) JCC concert. $. www.levisjcc.org Shver un Shviger Klezmer Dance Party, Waltham, MA, 23 January 2011 Klezmer Dance Party 2 - 4 pm Temple Beth Israel, 25 Harvard Street, Waltham Live music by Shver un Shviger. Dance instruction by Jacob Bloom.

Beginners welcome. For more information: http://tbiwaltham.org (781) 894-5146 Weimar Winter Edition 2011 workshops are designed to build on one another over the entire three-week period, but of course it's also possible to take individual workshops. For further info: winteredition.eu

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Community Happenings January 24 Weimar Winter Edition 2011 workshops are designed to build on one another over the entire three-week period, but of course it's also possible to take individual workshops. For further info: winteredition.eu

January 25 Weimar Winter Edition 2011 workshops are designed to build on one another over the entire three-week period, but of course it's also possible to take individual workshops. For further info: winteredition.eu

January 26 Weimar Winter Edition 2011 workshops are designed to build on one another over the entire three-week period, but of course it's also possible to take individual workshops. For further info: winteredition.eu

January 27 Weimar Winter Edition 2011 workshops are designed to build on one another over the entire three-week period, but of course it's also possible to take individual workshops. For further info: winteredition.eu

January 28 Weimar Winter Edition 2011 workshops are designed to build on one another over the entire three-week period, but of course it's also possible to take individual workshops. For further info: winteredition.eu

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Community Happenings Janurary 29 Columbia University's Klezmer Palooza January 2011 January 29-30, 2011 Sponsored by the Music Performance Program of Columbia University (MPP) Contact: http://columbia.klezmer.org/ Fishel Bresler & Shelley Katsh in Providence—at the Brooklyn Coffee Tea House, Lively Klezmer & Moving Hassidic tunes in a cozy coffee house setting. Six Sat night performances, continuing Jan 29th, 8PM. At 209 Douglas Ave, just across rt 95 from the Marriott, near downtown Providence. More info: www.projothebeat.com JF&CS VIA Havinagala: Jazz in the City From 8PM to midnight The Defoor Centre: 1710 Defoor Avenue, NW, Atlanta, GA Who's coming: http://www.facebook.com/#!/event.php?eid=138647492850718&index=1

JF&CS VIA Havinagala: Jazz in the City Presented by Jeckil Promotions, Inc. Havinagala is an annual party that benefits JF&CS' PAL program, Atlanta's Jewish Big Brother/Big Sister program. Join us at The Defoor Centre to support PAL! There will be a live jazz band and a great silent auction! (Big PALs are needed! Email PAL@jfcs-atlanta.org if you're interested in becoming a PAL or would like more information.)

Purchase Tickets Online at www.havinagala.com $45, $55 at the door (includes beer, wine & liquor and valet parking) NOVEMBER SALE: $35 65

Community Happenings $18 for non-drinking tickets (no cash bar available)

Raging Jews of Comedy Show to benefit American Friends of Magen David Adom Time: 8:00 pm - 10:00 pm Location: Show map Florida Atlantic University Carole and Barry Kaye Performing Arts Auditorium 777 Glades Road Boca Raton, FL USA Contact: Joel Marks Phone: 866-249-7814 Email: info@ragingjewsofcomedy.com

January 30 Columbia University's Klezmer Palooza January 2011 January 29-30, 2011 Sponsored by the Music Performance Program of Columbia University (MPP) Contact: http://columbia.klezmer.org/ The Jewish Music Commission of Los Angeles is proud to present SOULS ON FIRE Sunday January 30, 2011, 3:00 PM Valley Beth Shalom 15739 Ventura Boulevard Encino, CA 91436 Admission: $10 in advance; $15 at the door For reservations, call Valley Beth Shalom (818) 788-6000. www.jewishmusicla.org Etz Chaim Mah Jongg Tournament Benefitting Etz Chaim Preschool Sunday, January 30, 2011: Sign-in 12:45, Tournament play 1-4pm 1190 Indian Hills Parkway, East Cobb. http://www.etzchaim.net/ Mah Jongg Tournament Benefitting Etz Chaim Preschool

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Community Happenings January 30 2011, at Congregation Etz Chaim Sign-in 12:45, Tournament play 1-4pm Cash prizes for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place finishes. 50-50 cash raffleto benefit Etz Chaim Preschool. Bring your 2010 Mah Jongg League Card Register online at etzchaimpreschool.com contact: agoldb3@hotmail.com for more info

January 31 Soloists of the Clarion Music Society offer a concert of works by the Jewish-Italian composer Salamone Rossi (c. 1570-1630), including liturgical works in Hebrew and secular Italian madrigals for the court. Presented by Salon/Sanctuary Concerts http://www.salonsanctuary.org Tickets $25/$15 orders@gemsny.org (212) 866-0468

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Happy New Year!

May you have a blessed and wonderful New Year!

-From the Kehila Staff

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