Jewish News - Hanukkah Supplement 11.8.21

Happy Hanukkah!

Supplement to Jewish News November 8, 2021 jewishnewsva.org | November 8, 2021 | Hanukkah | JEWISH NEWS | 15

A Perfect Holiday Gift Idea!

Hanukkah Dear Readers,

I

t’s been eight years since we celebrated Thanksgivukah…when the holidays of Thanksgiving and Hanukkah converged. Here we are again…almost.

This year the first night of Hanukkah begins on the Sunday of Thanksgiving weekend, which creates the opportunity for special celebrations for families who normally don’t have the chance to be together to light the festival’s candles.

Latkes do taste good with cranberry sauce, by the way, and I predict there’ll be plenty of tables combining the two holiday favorites.

Last Hanukkah, before COVID vaccinations were available, most celebrations took place over Zoom. Fortunately, with so many people now vaccinated

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(and even boosted), this year will be different. With that in mind, we asked Terri and Lonny Sarfan, Carol and Allan Brum, and Rosanne and Bill Simon what they are looking forward to this holiday. They all had their plans in place and their responses are on page 17.

Also trying to return to a bit of ‘normalcy,’ several synagogues have Hanukkah events on the calendar that are open to the community. The listing begins on page 18.

In addition to some delicious sounding recipes, this section offers articles that range from one about a man in New York who has collected 4,000 tiny

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dreidels to a story about retail Hanukkah goofs. Plus, the Simon Family JCC’s Black Friday Deals are highlighted on page 20.

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However you plan to celebrate—in-person or on Zoom, all of us at Jewish News wish you a Happy Hanukkah…and a Happy Thanksgiving, too!

CURBSIDE TO GO: Family Style Menu Options Available Also serving beer and wine to go.

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Terri Denison Editor

Hanukkah CELEBRATING WITH FAMILY…AND WITH CONGREGANTS ON FACEBOOK LIVE

SEIZING THE MOMENT

Carol and Allan Brum

e’re going to break the norms this year,” says Terri Sarfan.

Playing with the calendar a bit, Terri and Lonny plan to begin their family’s Hanukkah celebration just after Thanksgiving dinner.

Terri says they want to take advantage of having all of the aunts, uncles, and cousins together—something that doesn’t always happen around Hanukkah time.

“We’re melding the holidays,” she says.

Latkes will be served as appetizers and the kids will play dreidel.

“My three-year-old grandson has already asked for a dreidel,” Terri says. They’ve been reading Hanukkah-themed books, she says.

After lighting the menorah, the younger children will all get gifts and the older kids Lonny and Terri Sarfan with their grandchildren. will participate in a fun gift exchange.

And, during the week of the holiday (as printed on the calendar), the Sarfans will have another family Hanukkah dinner in Richmond.

“With everyone traveling from near and far, we’re monopolizing on being together to celebrate as much as possible…even if it is a few days early.”

For the Sarfans, that oil gets to burn three extra days.

W

ith children and grandchildren nearby, Carol and Allan Brum are fortunate to be able to usually celebrate Hanukkah three to five nights with their family.

“We light the candles together most nights,” says Robbie and Emerson, Carol and Allan Brum’s grandchildren.

Carol. “We do presents for a few nights and we then devote one night to tzedakah.”

This year, the couple is adding a public component to their holiday festivities.

Ohef Sholom Temple will broadcast one of the congregation’s annual Chanukah Live! candle lighting events from the Brums’ home. “We’re really looking forward to that, and of course the kids will be here for that, too.”

With her granddaughter, Emerson, age 6, by her side during this conversation, Carol asks her, “Are you looking forward to Hanukkah?” The phone wasn’t necessary to hear her positive response!

Terri and Lonny Sarfan

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BRINGING HANUKKAH LIGHTS TO A FESTIVE CORNER OF VIRGINIA BEACH Sharon and Mark Lipton and Rosanne and Bill Simon

T

he North End of Virginia Beach, specifically 43rd Street, has long been a destination for those wanting to marvel at the elaborate array of Christmas lights displayed on this short block of homes.

When Mark Lipton moved to the street, he wanted to ensure that Hanukkah, the Festival of Lights, was represented and would become a part of this tradition. He asked his good friend, Bill Simon, a podiatrist and talented woodworker, to build a menorah to be displayed in his front yard.

Three years ago, Bill put his woodworking talents to the test and built a 12-foot-tall menorah out of PVC pipes, helping Mark assemble it on his front yard.

On the first Sunday after Thanksgiving, all of the neighbors on this stretch of 43rd Street traditionally prepare their holiday decorations and walk together from house to house, illuminating each home’s lighted holiday decorations along the way.

As Rosanne and Bill Simon join Mark, his wife Sharon, and his friends and neighbors in celebrating this year’s Grand Illumination, they plan to proudly light the menorah’s candles that the COVID-19 pandemic briefly interrupted, but did not end.

The Margolin family, Mark Lipton, and Rosanne and Bill Simon.

jewishnewsva.org | November 8, 2021 | Hanukkah | JEWISH NEWS | 17

Hanukkah

Hanukkah Happnings

Congregation Beth El

SIX13, a cappella singing group, in concert at Beth El Sunday, December 5, 4–5:30 pm, in-person and online

Congregation Beth El is celebrating its 171st Anniversary and Hanukkah with a concert by the world-renowned male a cappella singing group, SIX13.

Admission is free and open to the entire community.

Sponsorship opportunities are available by contacting Deb Segaloff at deb@segaloff. net or 757-285-9009.

For additional information or to RSVP, email www.bethelnorfolk.com or call 757-625-7821.

Social distancing will be maintained; masks and vaccinations, for all adults and children 12 and over, are required.

Kehillat Bet Hamidrash/ Kempsville Conservative Synagogue Celebration Saturday, December 4, 5:30–7:30 pm Kehillat Bet Hamidrash/Kempsville Conservative Synagogue will celebrate with Havdalah, lots of delicious holiday foods, music and singing, as well as fun child (and adult) friendly activities for all to enjoy. The evening concludes with everyone gathering in front of the synagogue to “light” the congregation’s outdoor chanukiyah.

Hanukkah Homecoming weekend KBH will also take part in the program, Hanukkah Homecoming Weekend, an initiative of the Kripke Institute, Center for Relational Judaism. The synagogue will join hundreds of other Jewish organizations in a worldwide “open house” to celebrate Hanukkah together and rededicate Jewish communities post-pandemic. Although everyone’s celebration will be different, the message is the same: “Come back together in reunion, song, ritual, and relationship.”

For more information, email the synagogue at kbhsynagogue@gmail.com or call the office at 757-495-8510.

18 | JEWISH NEWS | Hanukkah | November 8, 2021 | jewishnewsva.org

Hanukkah Ohef Sholom Temple

Kinda Kosher: Chanukah Cooking with Charles Greenhood of Brutti’s Catering

Chanukah Live

November 28—December 5 Each evening at 6:30 pm via Facebook Live

Sunday, November 21 3–5 pm via Zoom RSVP at reservations@ohefsholom.org.

Each night of Hanukkah, Ohef Sholom will stream the lighting of the chanukiah live on its Facebook page from a different location.

Wiggles & Giggles

Lighting and activities

December 5 T’was the Night Before Chanukah For more information, contact Allena Hurwitz Anglen at allena@ohefsholom.org. This program is FREE and open to the Tidewater Jewish Community!

Sunday, November 28 (1 candle) The home of Sara and Judd Mendelson Monday, November 29 (2 candles) Congregational Zoom Tuesday, November 30 (3 candles) Young Adult D’Bar Torah & UJFT’s YAD at The Veil Brewing Co. Wednesday, December 1 (4 candles) Sisterhood and Men’s Club Saturday, December 4 (7 candles) The home of Carol and Allan Brum with OST’s 2020-2021 New Members

Thursday, December 2 (5 candles) Beth Sholom Village Friday, December 3 (6 candles) Chanukah Shabbat Services with OST’s Board of Directors

Sunday, December 5 (8 candles) Religious School Chanukiah Contest

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jewishnewsva.org | November 8, 2021 | Hanukkah | JEWISH NEWS | 19

Hanukkah Black Friday Deals at the JCC

R

ather than driving to “big box” stores or scouring Amazon for the latest holiday deals, we’re encouraging the community to look at opportunities closer to home. The Simon Family JCC in Virginia Beach has a few fantastic Black Friday deals— each a great chance to increase your (or a loved one’s) health regimen, while supporting “local.” Here’s what’s on the table:

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20 | JEWISH NEWS | Hanukkah | November 8, 2021 | jewishnewsva.org

1. THE GIFT OF SWIM: Although summer is a relatively near memory, the kids in your life can still improve their swimming and aquatic skills at the JCC. One of the most skilled swim instructors (and coaches) in Hampton Roads teaches at the JCC. Jacon Gynan is a wonder with kids of all ages, making them feel comfortable in the water while improving their skillset. FOR ONE MONTH, the JCC is offering a 50% discount on NEW group swim lessons; $35 (non-member; normally $70/month) or $26 for members (normally $52). After the discounted month, prices return to normal.

2. THE GIFT OF GOOD HEALTH: Members who join over the Black Friday period will have the joining fee waived with an activated membership. Call 757-321-2339.

3. THE GIFT OF STRENGTH: The JCC’s tremendously popular “Buddy Up” program is extended for Black Friday. If you reserve a personal training session through Buddy Up, you can bring a friend at no additional cost. Split the rate between two people and save. Contact Tom Purcell at TPurcell@UJFT.org or call 321-2310 to reserve your Buddy Up package.

Look for more Black Friday Specials coming soon.

Call 321-2338 for more information.

’Tis the season of Hanukkah misfires— and chastened retailers Shira Hanau

(JTA)—“Deck the halls with matzo balls”?

Hanukkah menorahs with 12 candles?

Products with misfired Hanukkah messages have drawn gripes for years, but this year major retailers are responding quickly to customer complaints about Hanukkah products they say are culturally inappropriate or misinformed.

It took just one day from when the Instagram account Hanukkah Fails posted about Target’s Hanukkah “Countdown Calendar” before the major retailer changed the product description to “Happy Hanukkah Wall Hanging Menorah.”

The Instagram account, which is dedicated to pointing out culturally inappropriate Hanukkah-related products or product descriptions, posted about the product Sunday, October 31. The original

product description—which suggested a connection between Hanukkah and Advent calendars that count down the days until Christmas—was altered by Monday, November 1 to remove any reference to counting down.

Bed, Bath and Beyond removed a Hanukkah product altogether after customers pointed out that its message mixed up two different Jewish holidays. The product, a pillow printed with the words “Why is this night different from all other nights?

Happy Hanukkah,” used perhaps the most iconic phrase from the Passover seder.

After images of the pillow went viral— and after Alma, JTA’s sister site, wrote about the “worst Hanukkah pillow of all time”—Bed, Bath and Beyond removed the product from its website.

Hanukkah American Girl releases Hanukkah outfit and gift set for dolls, complete with Star of David necklace Shira Hanau

(JTA)—For Jewish fans of American Girl dolls, Hanukkah came early this year.

Last month, the popular doll company released a new set of holiday doll outfits and accessories to diversify its holiday outfits. Kids can now dress up their dolls in special outfits for Diwali, the Lunar New Year, Kwanzaa, and Hanukkah.

The Hanukkah outfit includes a sparkly blue dress, silver shoes, a head band, and a Star of David necklace. In addition to the clothing, priced at $36, fans of the dolls can also purchase a Hanukkah gift set that includes a menorah, Star of David

bracelet, dreidel and Hanukkah gelt.

American Girl is known for its lifelike dolls with backstories—and a series of short novels and movies about them— spanning the globe and set throughout history. The company released its first Jewish doll named Rebecca Rubin, whose story was set on the Lower East Side in early 20th century, in 2009.

The new holiday outfits come with a booklet explaining the significance of each of the holidays.

Mattel is set to release an Eid Al-Fitr outfit next year in celebration of the Muslim holiday, according to the Religion News Service.

Jewish News Digital Edition See the paper 3 days before the cover date:

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To have the paper emailed, send your email address to news@ujft.org.

Hanukkah Gift Set.

Rebecca’s Hanukkah outfit for 18-inch dolls

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Hanukkah

A prolific Jewish writer has collected 4,000 tiny dreidels found by Eastern European treasure hunters Shira Hanau

(JTA)—Even when Arthur Kurzweil sits by himself in his study, he doesn’t feel that

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he’s alone. After all, he has the dreidels— all 4,000 of them.

Kurzweil, 70, is a prolific author and editor who has written books about

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Judaism and magic and his car rides with Talmud scholar Adin Steinsaltz, as well as the Kabbalah and Torah installments in the …for Dummies series.

His most significant contribution to Jewish publishing, however, may be his books and teaching about Jewish genealogy: He has exhaustively chronicled his efforts to trace his own family’s lineage, including along the many branches that were broken when family members were murdered in the Holocaust.

The dreidels, pulled from the earth across Eastern Europe, represent an extension of that work, Kurzweil told the JTA from amid the collection in his Long Island home.

“I look at them…and I think, what’s the history of this? And when’s the last time somebody played that game?” he says, adding, “I wonder what this person’s fate ultimately was.”

It’s not just dreidels that surround Kurzweil. Quietly and in collaboration with Eastern Europe’s sizable community of treasure hunters, he has amassed a sweeping collection of Jewish objects unearthed from throughout Eastern Europe. While Holocaust museums and concentration camps bring visitors face to face with the piles of shoes and eyeglasses worn by Jews who were about to be killed, Kurzweil lives with reminders of the lives they lived.

In addition to the tiny dreidels, made of pewter and lead and clearly intended for children, Kurzweil has also collected boxes of metal kosher seals, which would have been affixed to packages of food to attest to their kosher status; dozens of pins that would have been worn by members of Jewish youth and Zionist organizations; and coin-sized metal disks that synagogues would have handed out to people being called to the Torah.

The collection also includes amulets that, while not a typical Jewish practice today, were historically used by Jews seeking to ward off various ailments. Several of the amulets in the collection include a

prayer to protect the wearer from diphtheria. Others were worn to protect the wearer from the dangers of childbirth.

The size and breadth of Kurzweil’s collections paint a unique portrait of everyday Eastern European Jewish life during the late 19th and early 20th century, until the beginning of the Holocaust.

That makes them unique in the context of Jewish history and art collections, which more typically focus on ritual objects, such as Hanukkah menorahs, Shabbat candlesticks or intricately decorated spice boxes used in the Havdalah ritual to end Shabbat.

“It shows everyday shtetl life at its most basic and ordinary and, if you will, when things were going relatively well,” says Beth Weingast, an art and Judaica appraiser who examined the collection for Kurzweil several years ago.

William L. Gross, a collector of Judaica and Jewish art in Tel Aviv for nearly half a century, owns a large collection of amulets himself. He says he had never heard of a collection of workaday items as large as Kurzweil’s, noted that objects such as the ones Kurzweil collected that speak to the daily lives of Jews in pre-war Eastern Europe remain woefully understudied.

“It’s fabulous material because it’s objects of the normal, regular Jew, not the aristocracy, not the merchant class but the people. And that is of extreme importance,” Gross says.

John Ward, who heads the silver department at Sotheby’s, likewise says Kurzweil’s collection of Judaica made from inexpensive metals such as pewter and lead is significant. “To have this focus on the folk art and the utilitarian side, that would be the only one I’ve heard of,” he said.

While Ward spends most of his time working with objects made of expensive materials, he notes that a collection like Kurzweil’s would tell an important story about Jewish communities that were destroyed during the Holocaust.

“There’s something very poignant about the idea that these were things that were

Hanukkah used and loved and brought out at holidays and then essentially became trash,” he says.

Of course, the objects didn’t become trash so much as were turned into it by the Nazis and their collaborators.

“My assumption based on where they are found is that most of the people who were entangled with these objects were murdered in the Holocaust. So, in a sense the collection becomes a Holocaust memorial,” Kurzweil says.

Kurzweil first purchased an unearthed amulet in the 1970s while on a trip to Przemyśl, Poland, a town where several members of his family had lived before World War II. “When I saw my first amulet, my first pendant, I was just drawn to it. I was shocked that they still exist under the ground. I didn’t want them to disappear or to be thrown away,” Kurzweil says.

But it wasn’t until 2015, when Kurzweil traveled to Warsaw on his way to his father’s hometown of Dobromyl, that he learned about the tiny dreidels. The friend who showed him the objects introduced

him to a metal detector hobbyist, part of a network of treasure seekers who comb regions of Eastern Europe that were devastated during the war.

The hobbyists that Kurzweil has encountered largely look for gold and silver coins to sell, though others hunt more specifically for Nazi paraphernalia, as detailed in Plunder, the recent book by Menachem Kaiser. Few are interested in holding onto detritus whose value is largely sentimental, and mostly limited to Jews.

“Suddenly I had myself a network of people who are not really looking for Judaica, but they know that there’s a guy in New York who’s interested in this stuff and they contact me,” Kurzweil says.

For some of the hobbyists, Kurzweil says, the act of sending him the Judaica objects they found, often just for the cost of the postage, and thus interacting with a living Jew was clearly meaningful. “They like the fact that they’re doing something that’s saving the remnants of the Jewish community,” he says .

And for Kurzweil, too, the relationships with people in Eastern Europe

are important. Kurzweil has traveled to Dobromyl 10 times and has gotten to know some of the people who live there over the years. In 2017, he even donated a playground to the town and raised over $22,000 to purchase supplies for the local school.

“Thank you to everyone who made this happen,” he wrote on the GoFundMe page for the school fundraiser. “Standing in front of the house where my father was born, I read each of your names to myself in a whisper. What a privilege it is to help children—anywhere in the world—to learn.”

If the objects Kurzweil collects act as a bridge between him and history, Kurzweil’s donations to the children of Dobromyl are firmly rooted in his desire to correct the relationships between those who hated each other in the past.

“The reason I wanted to build a playground was because these were innocent children,” Kurzweil says. “If it was the other way around, these would have been my neighbors. I don’t want to inherit hatred and bitterness.”

The mayor and the English teacher in

town, who serves as Kurzweil’s interpreter when he visits, send him cards every Rosh Hashanah. He hopes to visit again one day.

“The Lubavitcher Rebbe once said if you encounter something, and you think you can fix it, then fix it,” Kurzweil says.

“So, when I got there, I thought I could fix it a little bit.”

Exactly what the future holds for Kurzweil’s collections is unclear. For now, he’s content to let their presence wash over him as he works on a memoir about his family’s story, including about his father’s prewar life in Dobromyl. But he’s starting to think about whether a museum should one day take them on—and he wonders whether any would.

Weingast, for one, says the collection is of value precisely because the objects within it have no value on their own.

“He’s accumulated a fantastic collection of everyday objects,” Weingast says about Kurzweil. “The objects are free, they’re of no value. But the expense is paying the people to find them and ship them and, you know, enticing people to not throw them away, to not just discard them.”

jewishnewsva.org | November 8, 2021 | Hanukkah | JEWISH NEWS | 23

Hanukkah

Gluten-free churros for Hanukkah

Gluten-free Churros INGREDIENTS For the churros • 1 cup water • 8 tbsp unsalted butter (1 stick)

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• 1½ Tbsp granulated sugar •1 cup gluten-free flour (I used Bob’s Red Mill 1 for 1 Gluten-Free Flour, but any gluten-free flour with xanthan gum should work) • 3 large eggs, room temperature • 1 tsp ground cinnamon • Canola, vegetable, or rapeseed oil, for frying For the dipping sauces • ½ cup raspberry jam • ½ cup sour cream • ½ tsp vanilla extract • 1½ tsp granulated sugars

DIRECTIONS

1. Combine water, butter, salt, and sugar in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil. Cook until butter is melted, whisking to combine all ingredients.

2. Lower heat to medium, add flour, and stir constantly until mixture comes together into a loose dough, about 2 minutes.

Remove from heat.

3. Place dough in the bowl of a freestanding mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add eggs one at a time, mixing on high speed to fully incorporate each one. You can do this by hand or with an electric hand mixer, but a freestanding mixer gives the smoothest results. Continue to mix for 2-3 minutes, until the mixture comes together into a smooth batter.

4. Heat 1 inch of oil in a large pan or shallow pot over medium heat.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or paper towels to hold cooked churros.

5. Fit a pastry bag with a 1M or equivalent tip. Place the bag in a tall glass or jar and fold the top of the bag over the edge of the jar.

Fill the pastry bag with dough. You may need to do this in batches, depending on the size of your bag.

6. Check oil temperature by placing a small piece of dough into the oil. If many small bubbles form around the dough, it’s ready. Pipe dough into the hot oil in about 4-inch lengths, using a sharp knife or scissors to cut off the end. Use tongs to turn churros as they fry, until they are golden brown all around, about 2-3 minutes on each side. Remove cooked churros to the prepared baking sheet.

7. To make sour cream dipping sauce, mix all ingredients (minus raspberry jam) until combined.

8. To make raspberry dipping sauce, heat jam in a microwave-safe bowl until it is slightly runny, about 30 seconds on full power.

9. Serve churros with dipping sauces while they are still warm and fresh.

I

t started with a question for Jonathan Gold. Hanukkah 2011 was nearing, and a friend sent a query to Ask Mr. Gold, the advice column of the late Pulitzer Prizewinning food critic renowned for putting Los Angeles on the map as a destination for culinary diversity.

She told Gold that she wanted to participate in the Hanukkah tradition of eating foods fried in oil, but didn’t want to smell up her apartment frying latkes.

Instead, she sought the city’s best churros. A tradition was born.

One night that week, a small, merry group got together and headed, per Gold’s recommendation, to the Salinas Churro Truck. At the truck, we ran into friends who’d also read the Mr. Gold column and biked over to heed the call for sweet fried dough. Our groups joined forces. Someone’s tinny boom box provided the soundtrack as new friendships were forged on a temperate LA winter night over bag after grease-stained bag of fresh, warm, crisp churros.

A couple of years later, we met again. This time at Mr. Churro on historic Olvera Street, a main square in Los Angeles from back when California was still part of Mexico. In this little shop, you could get churros with fillings like guava paste and cajeta, Mexican goat milk dulce de leche. We played digital dreidel on someone’s phone, tried to remember the words to our favorite Hanukkah songs, and danced in the plaza as Olvera Street lit up with crowds of people for Las Posadas. Our Hanukkah tradition was not just delicious; it embodied the spirit of our city’s pluralism.

Churros have become a special part of my family’s Hanukkah celebrations, too. Since my nephew was diagnosed with celiac disease, sufganiyot can no longer be part of our festivities. Luckily, my neighborhood taco stand has gluten-free churros.

For those who don’t happen to have a gluten-free taco stand within walking distance, this treat is easy to recreate at home. Instead of the classic cinnamon-sugar topping, you can pair them with dipping sauces that nod to traditional Hanukkah flavors: sweetened sour cream and raspberry jam.

Note: You’ll need a pastry bag fitted with a Wilton 1M or other large open star tip.

This recipe is adapted from Boulder Locavore.

24 | JEWISH NEWS | Hanukkah | November 8, 2021 | jewishnewsva.org

Hanukkah

Andrew Zimmern’s perfect potato latkes recipe Andrew Zimmern

T

hese potato latkes are so good that posting the recipe alone is a mitzvah of the highest order. The Festival of Lights refers to a lamp in the temple that was supposed to have only enough oil to last the Maccabees one night, but instead lasted for eight. The holiday celebrates the miracle of the oil, so fried foods are often featured at Hanukkah feasts. Problem is, most potato pancakes, or latkes, are awful. Luckily for you, these are amazing.

HAPPY HANUKKAH to

OUR NEIGHBORS

Potato Lat kes INGREDIENTS

•1 pound Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks • Sea salt • 2 pounds baking potatoes • 1 large onion, finely diced • 2 large eggs, lightly beaten • 1 cup matzah meal •½ tsp freshly ground white pepper • Vegetable oil, for frying •A pplesauce, crème fraîche, smoked salmon, salmon roe, and dill sprigs, to serve

DIRECTIONS 1. In a medium saucepan, cover the Yukon Gold potatoes with cool water, season generously with salt, and bring to a boil. Cook the potatoes until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain well and immediately pass the potatoes through a ricer into a large bowl.

2. Working quickly, peel and grate the baking potatoes on the large holes of a box grater into a medium bowl. Press with a clean kitchen towel to remove excess moisture. Add half of the grated potatoes to the riced potatoes.

3. Transfer the remaining grated potatoes to the bowl of a food processor. Add the onion and pulse until the potatoes and onions are very finely chopped.

Transfer to a fine-mesh sieve and press with the back of a spoon to extract as much liquid as possible. Add the potato-onion mixture to the large bowl. Stir in the eggs, matzah meal, white pepper, and 2 tsp of salt.

4. In a large, heavy skillet, heat 1/4 inch of oil until shimmering. Working in 3 batches, spoon ¼ cup of the potato mixture into the oil for each latke; press slightly to flatten. Fry over moderate heat, turning once, until the latkes are golden and crisp on both sides, about 7 minutes. Drain the latkes on a paper towel-lined baking sheet and sprinkle lightly with salt. Serve with applesauce, crème fraîche, smoked salmon, salmon roe, and dill.

Note: The fried latkes can be kept at room temperature for up to 4 hours. Reheat them on a baking sheet in a 375 degrees F oven for about 5 minutes, or until warmed through and crisp.

Wishing you and your family a joy-filled Hanukkah celebration.

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jewishnewsva.org | November 8, 2021 | Hanukkah | JEWISH NEWS | 25

Hanukkah

The easiest jelly donut recipe ever Shannon Sarna

L

atkes are far more popular during Hanukkah than donuts here in the U.S. While you can find latkes in the freezer section of almost every major supermarket, good quality sufganiyot are much harder to come by, and lots of people I know have a fear of using yeast to make doughs like donut dough.

But there is an easier way to make sufganiyot, and it comes in a can: biscuit dough. What can these doughy babies not do?

Using canned biscuits, you can either make full-sized sufganiyot, or smaller, donut hole-sized bites. Make sure to let them cool before filling, or your jam or pudding will run right out of the hot donuts. I prefer to dust with powdered sugar, but you could also top them with cinnamon sugar if you prefer.

Note: You will need a wooden skewer and a piping bag for this recipe.

Jelly Donuts INGREDIENTS

• 1 package refrigerated biscuit dough • Vegetable oil, for frying • Jam, prepared pudding, Nutella, or other filling • Powdered sugar

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat around 3 inches of oil in a large, deep pan over medium-high heat (oil should be 350 degrees F). To see if the oil is hot enough, use a thermometer or place wooden skewer into the oil. If small bubbles appear, it’s ready for frying.

2. Remove biscuits from the can. To make small donuts, cut into rounds using a soda cap or other small circular device. Or, you can fry the biscuits as is.

3. Drop the small donuts in 5–6 at a time; for full biscuits, 2–3 at a time. Fry for 1–2 minutes on each side, until just golden brown.

4. Using a spider or slotted spoon, remove from oil and place on a wire rack. Allow to cool completely.

5. Stick a wooden skewer into one side of each donut and create space inside by wiggling it around gently.

6. Fill a piping bag with your filling of choice and gently insert into the hole. Gently squeeze filling into each donut.

7. Dust with powdered sugar.

26 | JEWISH NEWS | November 8, 2021 | jewishnewsva.org