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DECEMBER 13, 2019 | 15 KISLEV 5780 | VOL. 100 | NO. 10 | 4 SECTIONS | CAnDlElIGHTInG | DECEMBER 13, 4:37 P.M.
A2 | The Jewish Press | December 13, 2019
welcome thejewishpress (Founded in 1920) Abby Kutler President Annette van de Kamp-Wright Editor Richard Busse Creative Director Susan Bernard Advertising Executive Lori Kooper-Schwarz Assistant Editor Gabby Blair Staff Writer
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Celebrating the miraculous t’s hard to believe Hanukkah is almost here. Wasn’t it just summer? I always have a little trouble switching gears this time of year. Socks, heavy winter coats, scarves, yuck. I’ve even had to scrape my car windows more than once. This is the time of year when I’m tempted to complain non-stop, especially about the cold. I despise cold weather. I really, really wish Omaha had palm trees. Why doesn’t it? Then I remember the glow of the candlelight, and how nice it is to celebrate with my family. This year will be a little different: I’m celebrating most of the holiday with my mother. We live thousands of miles apart, so lighting those candles together for a change will be a special kind of miracle. This has not been an easy year. With the cemetery vandalism still fresh in our minds, with anti-Semitism on the rise practically everywhere, we need to mark the miraculous more than ever. We need to pay attention to what’s good; we need to notice the everyday positive and not take things for granted. It’s tempting to only look at the bad stuff- just check your social media. We get worked up, we own our righteous indignation, but have a tendency to forget the beautiful things. Stopping to smell the flowers has become a cliché, a meme easy to ignore. Alan Morinis wrote: “When the rabbis established the Hanukkah festival just one year after the rededication of the Temple in 165 B.C.E., they acknowledged that the weak overcoming the strong was a very important historical event (Babylonian Talmud, Shabbat 21b). But the Maccabees’ victorious military strategy and prowess in battle alone did not merit a religious holiday, because their success was entirely due to human action, without any aid from the Divine. Only if God’s intervention had turned the tide of battle in favor of the outnumbered Jewish fighters would there have been a miracle worthy of celebrating with a Jewish holiday. “Moreover, the rabbis did not view this battle as a war of ultimate necessity. In contrast to Purim, which celebrates a victory over tyranny when the existence of all the Jews in the kingdom was threatened by royal decree, the Maccabean revolt was not in response to a dire physical threat. True, the Syrian Greek occupiers prohibited Jews from offering sacrifices at the Temple or studying Torah, but the people were not imperiled by annihilation. What, then, was the miracle that warranted the creation of a new Jewish festival? A miracle of the spirit.” (reformjudaism.org) When we celebrate Hanukkah, we celebrate spiritual renewal. It is not about the military victory as much as it is about rededicating the Temple by burning the oil for eight days, Morinis suggests. But spiritual renewal isn’t something we can accomplish alone; it is, as always in Judaism, something we achieve together with others. The Jewish spirit is the spirit of many, rather than the spirit of the individual. And when it comes to community, we have much to celebrate, especially here.
Yes, there is trouble and there is hatred out there. But there is also the Community Beit Midrash, where our clergy, different as they may be, unite. There are endless opportunities to come together with others, to connect, even when the outdoor pool is unfortunately closed for the season. We have a wonderful new community engagement room (although I predict we’ll keep accidentally calling it the Auditorium for a little while longer) in which we will have endless program-
ming. Most importantly, we have the people. To be Jewish in Omaha is to not be alone. Just like that oil, our social interaction, our love for one another, will not run out. This very community is a miracle. Take it from someone who initially came here knowing not a single soul. And if that sounds overly sentimental, so be it. Happy Hanukkah! ANNETTE VAN DE KAmP-WRIGHT Editor, Jewish Press
The Jewish Press | December 13, 2019 | A3
We Buy Gold
What makes us Jewish? hat makes us Jewish? This has long been of interest to me. In our community study, A Portrait of Jewish Omaha, we explored the ways people connect Jewishly. Is it regularly attending services, Hebrew school, keeping Kosher? Is it honoring Shabbat, lighting the menorah, AlAn PoTASH hosting a Passover seder? Is Chief Executive Officer, it Jewish summer camp or a JFO great Challah recipe? Maybe it’s not so tangible – maybe it’s more about tradition and ritual. We know it is all this and so much more, a veritable smorgasbord of experiences! Many of us were born into the tribe of the Jewish people and many others have chosen to join. Choosing to be Jewish means you are entering into one of the most meaningful and unique relationships currently around. We all come from different places, with different experiences yet we can define our similarities by the rituals we choose to practice. I recently came across an article in the New York Times with comedian Adam Sandler exuding his belonging to the Jewish people. Early in his career, he brought his Jewish identity front and center. I’m sure you’ve all heard one version or another of his Hanukkah song. I want to share a few paragraphs from the article, illustrating the ease some have gliding into their Jewish identity. Sandler is a very Jewish guy, and I don’t mean to suggest that he’s religious. When you get him going on the subject, it becomes clear that Judaism is to him less a faith than a culture — a word to describe a certain way that things are done. Sandler’s Jewish lineage begins somewhat vaguely in some Russo-Polish shtetl, followed by a half-forgotten schlep across the sea. His grandparents were born and raised in Brooklyn and made their livings in standard Jewish ways: One grandpa worked in the “schmatta industry,” selling clothes at Alexander’s department store. The other drove a cab until the last day of his life, pulled into the hospital, had a heart attack and died. Sandler’s parents, Judy and Stan, met on a double date and eloped, tracing a well-trod path of Jewish class ascension, first from Bensonhurst, Brooklyn, to
Long Island, and then to hardly Jewish Manchester, N.H. Sandler was one of two Jews in his class, but otherwise he lived the closest thing there is to a standard JewishAmerican upbringing: Hebrew school, J.C.C. basketball, a bar mitzvah. Today, as a father, he strives to pass this on, though he admits the scale is different. His bar mitzvah party took place in the basement of his childhood home. His older daughter’s bat mitzvah was held at Hillcrest. Entertainment was provided by Adam Levine of Maroon 5. “It’s more about tradition,” Sandler says. “Remembering history, making sure that you have pride.” Looking back to our community study, 95% of respondents were proud to be Jewish. This holds true in national studies as well – most Jews are proud to be Jewish without stepping foot in a synagogue. Hanukkah has become, in my opinion, a safe place to align one’s connection to being Jewish. Whether you agree or not, it is almost accepted as the most important Jewish holiday. It can be observed and celebrated anywhere. One meaningful tradition to me is placing the Menorah in a window that faces outside. Anyone passing by can see the household is proud to be celebrating Hanukkah. Hanukkah also brings to mind the idea of Jewish resilience and community. I had a conversation with a (semi) non-Jewish friend a while back. His recently completed ancestry test results showed he was 4% Jewish. He was very excited to know he was part of the tribe. It is an interesting juxtaposition for me – how comfortable he was to immediately identify as part Jewish and how uncomfortable some lifelong Jews are with being Jewish. I am heartened to know that even at a time when anti-semitism is in the news (almost daily), people who weren’t Jewish yesterday are proud today to be Jewish. Today people identify very differently about what it means to be Jewish. There is no right or wrong way. We all get to choose what is best for us. People nurture their identity by connecting to something or someone. I meet people all the time who identify as Jewish but are not connected to or engaged in our community. And I encourage them to come check out our campus and our synagogues, to be a part of Jewish Omaha. We have a unique and vibrant community here with room for everyone. We connect, we learn, we share with one another and grow stronger together. Happy Hanukkah
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A4 | The Jewish Press | December 13, 2019
Tifereth Israel latke party
Happy Hanukkah May the Miracle of Hanukkah bring light and warmth to you, your family and friends this holiday season
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NANCY CoREN Tifereth Israel For as long as most Tifereth Israel members can remember, we’ve held an annual latke party on Hanukkah, featuring the best latkes found anywhere in Lincoln (or maybe even Nebraska). This year’s celebration will take place on the first night of Hanukkah, Dec. 22, in the Tifereth Israel social hall. The gathering will begin at 4:30 p.m., and we will light our first candle ushering in Hanukkah shortly after 5 p.m. The latke crew, headed
up by “the Food Doc,” Bob Hutkins, will delight us with traditional as well as gourmet latkes. The second part of our TI Hanukkah celebration will take place at the home of Kirk and Lucy Bowers. We will have our third annual Ugly Sweater Havdallah service at 5:45 p.m. on Saturday evening, Dec. 28. Participants are invited to bring their hanukiyah and candles to light after Havdallah and of course to wear the ugliest sweater they own (sweaters with Hanukkah themes of course are encouraged).
The Jewish Press | December 13, 2019 | A5
RBJH residents’ art show
community Temple Israel Hanukkah Service and Dinner
UnO student volunteer Stephen Fogle, left, with Yu Sun, his Blumkin Home resident partner, and RBJH Activity Coordinator Emily Clement, right, show examples of OMA artwork.
A
OzzIE nOGG group of ten Rose Blumkin Jewish Home residents and their UNO student volunteer partners will exhibit their art work on Sunday, Dec. 15, from 1:45 p.m. to 2:45 p.m. in the Silverman Auditorium at the Home. The event will include a short program with music provided by Julie Ashton on the dulcimer. Hors d’oeuvres and drinks will be served. The art pieces were created during an eight-week program in Opening Minds through Art (OMA). RBJH Activity Coordinators Cheryl Poulin and Emily Clement — both certified OMA Facilitators — were in charge of training the students and pairing them with the residents. “OMA is an award-winning intergenerational program that provides people with dementia an opportunity to express their creativity,” Poulin said. “The program also gives volunteers a way to develop a better understanding of dementia and aging through the weekly interaction with their OMA partners. I enjoyed watching the student and resident relationships grow and seeing beautiful abstract art being created. OMA is a winwin project for the residents and the students. Emily and I had a difficult time choosing only 30 out of almost 80 art pieces for the gallery exhibit. There were so many we loved, and we
One of the abstract paintings on display at the Blumkin Home’s OMA art exhibit. hope you’ll agree when you attend the show.” According to Emily Clement, “Our goal when planning activities at the Rose Blumkin Home is to make sure that each resident, no matter what his or her current abilities are, has the opportunity to participate in life-enriching activities. The Opening Minds through Art program gives us a unique opportunity to do just that. The method relies less on memory and more on imagination,” Clement continued, “and focuses less on lost skills and more on remaining strengths. Studies prove that elders with dementia in OMA show increased pleasure and social engagement and fewer signs of confusion and agitation. The weekly arrival of student volunteers brings them joy.” The Opening Minds through Art program was made available to the Rose Blumkin Jewish Home through a grant from The Association of Jewish Aging Services, and epitomizes the mission of AJAS in honoring our fathers and mothers. “The residents’ artwork reminds us of the special people who are ‘still inside’,” said Maggie Conti, RBJH Director of Activities and Volunteer Services. “The exhibit will bring together people across age and cognitive barriers, and increase their sense of appreciation for elders with dementia. We encourage family and friends to join us on Dec. 15 to show support and love for our Blumkin Home artists.”
CASSAnDRA WEISEnBURGER Director of Communications, Temple Israel Join us on Friday, Dec. 27, for a special, familyfriendly, interactive Hanukkah service followed by dinner and games for all ages. Bring your dreidels and your favorite family menorah to decorate your holiday table! We will begin with candle lighting and Kiddush in the Simon Community Court at 5:30 p.m., services start at 6 p.m., and dinner will immediately follow. The menu contains: brisket, vegetables, latkes with applesauce and sour cream, and dessert. Please RSVP to Temple Israel (templeisraelomaha.com). Early bird reservations are due Friday, Dec. 20. The cost of the meal is $12 for adults; $6 for children in 2nd-6th grade; and no charge for children under 2nd grade. After Dec. 20, the cost will be $18 for adults and $10 for children in 2nd-6th grade.
A6 | The Jewish Press | December 13, 2019
2019 RBJH Employee of the Year
community Hanukkah happenings
GABBY BLAIR Staff Writer, Jewish Press here is no shortage of fun Hanukkah celebrations and activities taking place across our community this year. With something for everyone, be sure to get out and share the light and story of Hanukkah (and some delicious fried foods!) with your friends and family! ■ BETH EL On Sunday, Dec. 15, from 2-5 p.m., Beth El is once again hosting its Hanukkah Pop-Up at the Westroads Mall near the interior entrance of Dicks Sporting Goods, near the Subway and Raising Canes restaurants. Eight interactive STEM-inspired Hanukkah activities are guaranteed fun for all ages. Kids will get goodies to bring home. Free and fun for the whole family! Contact Robby with questions at: rerlich@bethel-omaha.org. Beth El’s Pre Hanukkah dinner Wednesday, Dec. 18, will feature Dan Reynolds, a Neil Diamond impressionist. Minyan begins at 5:30 p.m., songs and menorah lighting at 5:45 p.m., followed by dinner and entertainment at 6 p.m. Dreidels and gelt, sufganiyot, reading of Noah and the 8 Trucks of Hanukkah and a Hanukkah movie will be available for the kiddos. $13 adults; $6 kids ages 6-12 (free for kids 5 and under), $38 maximum family pricing. Please RSVP at www.bethel-omaha.org. Special thanks to Abby & Adam Kutler and Mary Drake & Mark Hoffman for graciously chairing this event. Thursday, Dec. 19, 7-8:30 p.m. - Miriam Initiative Latkes and Libations. Diane and Howard Shandell are chairing this fun evening for men and women 21+; there is no cost to attend. This event, held in the Beth El kitchen, will feature five teams, five different recipes and five wines. Space is limited to the first 30, so RSVP to Robby today at: rerlich@bethelomaha.org or 402.492.8550. ■ BETH ISRAEL Sunday, Dec. 22, at 5-7 p.m., Beth Israel Annual Hanukkah Carnival, free and open to the community. Menorah lighting, snacks, fun and games — Bring the family and celebrate with
T
friends! Saturday, Dec 28, Beth Israel Hanukkah brisket lunch following Shabbat morning services (approx. 11:30 a.m.). Advance registration is required for lunch and must be received by Monday, Dec. 23. Cost is $18 for adults $9 for kids (ages 3-12). Please RSVP to executiveasst@ orthodoxomaha.org. ■ CHABAD Monday, Dec. 23, at 3:30 p.m., Chabad’s Annual Hanukkah Celebration at Boys Town. New this year, an indoor celebration will be held at The Boys Town Great Hall, (13747 Flanagan Blvd) in order to allow people to be out of the cold! As always, Chabad will be leading their famous Hanukkah Car Parade and menorah lighting. Delicious homemade Hanukkah treats and warm beverages provided with help from Boys Town residents. Special guests will lead songs, teach dances and provide instrumental musical entertainment. Be sure not to miss this special family friendly Omaha Hanukkah tradition! Please contact Julie@ochabad.org or call 402.330.1800 with questions or for more information. ■ TEmPLE ISRAEL On Sunday, Dec. 15, 11:30 a.m., Temple will be hosting a Hanukkah Assembly for Youth Learning Programs. Casandra Hicks, Temple Israel Communications Director shares, “We will gather to sing songs and celebrate together as we head into winter break.” Hanukkah Service & Dinner on Friday, Dec. 27. Candle lighting and Kiddush will take place in the Simon Community Court at 5:30 p.m. followed by a special family-friendly, interactive Hanukkah service at 6 p.m. A delicious dinner of brisket, vegetables, latkes with applesauce and sour cream and dessert will follow services. Attendees are encouraged to bring dreidels and a favorite family menorah. Please RSVP to Temple Israel, rsvp@temple israelomaha.com or 402.556.6536. Early bird reservations are due Friday, Dec. 20. The cost of the meal is $12 for adults; $6 for children in 2nd-6th grade; and no charge for children under 2nd grade. After Dec. 20, the cost will be $18 for adults and $10 for children in 2nd-6th grade.
1007 Leavenworth Street Omaha, NE 68102 (402) 342-0282 nature.org/Nebraska
mAGGIE ConTI Director of Activities and Volunteer Services, RBJH on Tuesday, nov. 26 three Rose Blumkin Jewish Home employees were awarded the Jack and Sonia Schrager 2019 Employee of the Year award. In addition to announcing the three winners Chris Ulven, Executive Director, acknowledged all 44 nominees. Pictured from left: Shelly Fox, Director of Admissions & Community outreach (16 years of service), Chrystal Gonzalez, Lead RBJH Receptionist (4 years of service), Angela Jones, CnA (22 years of service) and Chris Ulven, Executive Director.
True light at Hanukkah A friend of mine who grew up in Israel moved to United States when he was 11 years old. His favorite holiday was Hanukkah. On the first night of Hanukkah, after spending hours setting up his little menorah, he lit his menorah and then burst out in tears. He looked down his street and saw all the beautiful holiday lights that lit up the night. All the beautiful Christmas trees RABBI ARI and decorations made his Hanukkah DEmBITzER menorah seem insignificant. And then... Beth Israel Synagogue a blackout! All the electric lights went out and the only light on the street was his little menorah. Hanukkah teaches us what our true light is. It is our spiritual light that is eternal and illuminates our lives and the world around us. This Hanukkah, let us delve into this true light, timeless and limitless, and deepen our identity which cannot be extinguished, Wishing all an enlightening Hanukkah.
Happy Hanukkah David Lercher and Minnie Abromowitch
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The Jewish Press | December 13, 2019 | A7
MID-CITY What you need to know about JFO scholarship opportunities DIAnE WAlkER Scholarship Administrator It is time to start planning for next year’s adventures! Are your kids ready to get back to camp? Do you have little ones at the CDC or Friedel? College students? Thanks to the generosity of our community, a variety of funding sources are available to Omaha’s Jewish families to help with the financial burden of residential Jewish summer camp, JCC summer camp, Israel programs, the Child Development Center, Friedel Jewish Academy and youth group activities. Assistance is also available for undergraduate, graduate, vocational, technical, professional or yeshiva studies. Grant programs, funded by the Jewish Federation of Omaha, are available to any Omaha Jewish family meeting the program requirements, regardless of the family’s financial situation. Jewish Experience Grants provide up to $2,000 for Jewish children in the metro area to attend a residential Jewish summer camp. Grants are paid over two years with no more than $1,000 per summer. Israel Experience Grants provide up to $1,500 to students in grades 9–12 or young adults aged 18–26 for an Israel peer program. An additional stipend of $1,000 is provided for the bi-annual community teen trip to Israel. Scholarships, awarded by the Financial Aid Committee of the JFO, are funded by a number of endowments established through the JFO Foundation, outside entities, and through the JFO’s Annual Campaign. Scholarships are available for JCC summer camp, residential Jewish summer camp, Israel peer programs, Friedel Jewish Academy, the Child Development Center and youth group programs. Jewish students, who are residents of the Omaha metropolitan area, can apply for scholarships for undergraduate, graduate, vocational, technical, professional or yeshiva studies programs. While the majority of scholarships are based on financial need, some college awards are merit-based. The revised ‘Scholarship and Grants’ booklet and applications are available on the Jewish Federation of Omaha website. The deadline for applications is Monday, March 2, 2020. The ‘Scholarship and Grants’ booklet will be available as an insert in the Dec. 27 issue of the Jewish Press. I would like to highlight a few funds: The Ahava Dan Omaha Jewish Community Engagement Fund was established to have an immediate impact on the engagement of the Omaha Jewish community by expanding access to meaningful Jewish experiences, including residential Jewish summer camp, the Pennie Z. Davis Child Development Center, and Friedel Jewish Academy. These are three separate opportunities with specific criteria. You will want to be sure to read the detail carefully on the appropriate application.
There is no financial need consideration for either award. Families of recipients will be required to participate in the Gateway program, a unique opportunity to become involved in Jewish Omaha with a discounted
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joint membership to the JCC and the synagogue of their choice. Residential Jewish Summer Camp: for summer 2020, a total of six scholarships, each for up to $5,400, will be awarded for enrollment in overnight residential Jewish summer camp for children grades five through 11 who have never attended overnight Jewish summer camp. These applications are due Feb. 17, 2020! CDC and Friedel Jewish Academy: for 20202021 academic year, a total of 10 scholarships, each for up to $5,400, will be awarded for the CDC and/or Friedel for children who have not previously participated in Jewish Omaha. These applications are due March 2, 2020. Anonymous College Scholarship Fund was established specifically for children of single parent families who worked during high school to contribute economically and emotionally to their families. This application is due Feb. 1, 2020. Gary & Barbara Goldstein Jewish Youth Camp Fund was established to enable metro Omaha youth under age 18 who are in need of financial assistance to attend residential Jewish summer camp and day camps sponsored by the Omaha JCC, Omaha-area synagogues, or other summer camping programs sponsored by a Jewish organization and approved by the JFO. lazier l. & Harriet B. Singer Memorial Fund for Youth was created to provide scholarships for Jewish overnight summer camp to children with demonstrated financial need. There are also several scholarship programs outlined in the ‘Scholarship and Grants’ booklet which are outside the realm of the Financial Aid Committee. These include the Sokolof Honor Roll scholarships, the Fellman/Kooper scholarships, the A.A. and Ethel Yossem scholarships for Creighton University and the Bennet G. Hornstein Endowment Fund. Sources for additional information on these scholarships is included in the booklet. Omaha’s Jewish families are encouraged to take advantage of these funding opportunities. All application information including financials is kept completely confidential. For any questions, please call Diane Walker at 402.334.6407 or via email at dwalker@jewish omaha.org.
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The two very different miracles of Hanukkah
H
anukkah celebrates the miraculous victory of the Hasmoneans over the Greeks in 167 BCE, as well as the miraculous staying power of a flask of olive oil. For the Rabbis, these were competing miracles. The central discussion of Hanukkah in the Talmud (in Tractate Shabbat) passes very quickly over the military TEDDY victory in order to speak of how a sin- WEInBERGER gle flask of oil with the seal of the High Priest, which had enough oil just to light for a single day, miraculously lasted eight days. According to a prevalent view, the Rabbis were reluctant to speak of the military miracle because they were extremely troubled by what became of the Hasmonean dynasty, with its expansionary wars, its practice of forced conversion (of the Idumeans in 135 BCE), and the linkage and bartering of the office of the High Priest in the service of political power. When the Rabbis do mention the military victory of the Hasmoneans, it is to the exclusion of the oil miracle. Evidence of this is first found in a siddur from the 9th century (i.e., several centuries after the completion of the Jerusalem and Babylonian Talmuds). A prayer known as “al hanism� (which thanks God “for the miracles�) is inserted into the main amidah prayer during the course of each of the regular prayers during the eight days of Hanukkah. This prayer details the wondrous military victory--�of the weak over the strong, of the many in the hands of the few�--and it has nary a word to say about the miracle of the oil. By and large, the Jewish people have sided with the Talmudic Rabbis concerning the celebration of Hanukkah. For a majority of Jews the holiday is about the lighting of the Hanukkah menorah with its accompanying pleasantries: giving gifts, spinning dreidels, and eating potato latkes and jelly donuts. The miracle of the Maccabee’s military victory receives hardly any notice.
Every now and then, though, the military victory is emphasized in Israeli society. Recently, I saw a poster outside my synagogue in Herzliya: “Together we light the Hanukiyah of heroism.� Intrigued, I read more. It turns out that there is a country-wide effort (30 municipalities are participating) sponsored by the Ministry of Education’s Department of Jewish Culture. The program is aimed at people living in apartment buildings and encourages them to celebrate Hanukkah together. The woman in charge of our building’s “house committee� was happy to let me take the lead, and so I registered online for the program. I was asked how many apartments are in our building (seven) and was required to commit to picking up the program’s kit at the place of distribution in the city (specific details to be sent two weeks before Hanukkah). The kit will include: an experiential floor board-game, chocolate Hanukkah gelt, a Hanukiyah and candles, and a booklet with the lighting ceremony and songs about “the Hanukiyah of the heroes.� As a bonus, one lucky building’s residents will receive 5,000 shekels toward the maintenance of their property’s public spaces. The mention of “heroes� and “heroism� is an attempt to recall the Maccabees’ military victory for the wider Israeli public. With recent Ministers of Education identified with the “right wing,� some might see this as a nationalistic attempt to link “heroes� with “heroes,� to associate our IDF soldiers with the Maccabees and the last time that Jews were in control of their fate in the Holy Land. I believe, however, that reminding people in Israel of the military victory of the Maccabees is necessary; it says that we are not newcomers in this land, that our history is here. In the diaspora, thinking about the military miracle of Hanukkah is something that Jews have the luxury of forgetting in favor of the more pleasant miracle of the oil. In Israel we don’t have that luxury. Happy Hanukkah! Teddy Weinberger, Ph.D., made aliyah in 1997 with his wife, former Omahan Sarah Jane Ross, and their five children, Nathan, Rebecca, Ruthie, Ezra, and Elie, all of whom are veterans of the Israel Defense Forces; Weinberger can be reached at weinross@netvision.net.il.
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The Jewish Press | December 13, 2019 | A9
Hanukkah memories
CASSAnDRA WEISEnBURGER Director of Communications, Temple Israel The holidays are a wonderful time for family, traditions, and, of course, food. As Hanukkah nears, we are excited to share with you this selection of special memories from some of our Temple Israel congregants. “When Joe and I first moved to Omaha, we didn’t have a menorah so we stuck candles in a bagel,” remembers Ariella Rohr. “Also, if you invite me over for latkes, I will bring along my favorite readaloud book: The Latke Who Couldn’t Stop Screaming.” “When I think about Hanukkah,” said Temple Israel President Andie Gordman, “I always think about my Mom’s strawberry cream cheese jello. She made this recipe every Hanukkah and put it in a Jewish star jello mold. Thanks to my brother, we have continued this tradition with our kids and I look forward to it every year.” Laura Kirshenbaum’s favorite memory comes from a special evening with family that included both laughing and crying. “Every Hanukkah, my family gets together and does a white elephant for our Hanukkah gift exchange. There have been many great stories to come from this, but my favorite comes from when my sister, Kathleen, was a toddler. That year, my dad happened to get a ton of candy in one of the rounds. My sister was so excited as it felt like a second Halloween. At the end of that round, my great uncle Bill stole the candy. My sister burst into tears while the entire rest of the room teased Bill for literally stealing candy from a child. He left at the end of the night with the candy, and even now that my sister is twenty, we bring the story up every year.” Scott Littky shared three Hanukkah memories that he holds dear in his heart, each involving his children when they were younger. “First, I loved lighting the Hanukkah menorah each night and watching the candles burn. Second, each year we would pick one night of Hanukkah and instead of receiving gifts we would use that evening
for Tikkun Olam to help to make our world a better place and to help our children understand how fortunate they were to be able to receive gifts. Finally, one night each year during Hanukkah we would have a field trip to Krispy Kreme after we lit candles.” Claudia Sherman’s favorite Hanukkah memory was when her son was born on Dec. 6, 1974, during Hanukkah. “What a beautiful gift for me to give to my husband and to my son’s grandparents. About four years later, my daughter was born during Purim. Sometimes, I refer to my son as my Hanukkah baby and my daughter as my Purim baby.” “For me, Hanukkah is always on Dec. 25!” Jane Rips recounts that when she was growing up, both her grandfather and her uncle had jewelry stores. “As you can imagine, the month of December was crazy busy for them. Although we always lit the chanukiah on the appropriate nights, we never celebrated as a family until Christmas day, because that’s when the stores were closed. It was also my grandmother’s birthday. So our Hanukkah family celebration and dinner was always on Christmas day.” “My mom’s family is Hanukkah, my dad’s family is Christmas,” explained Wendy Hamilton. “I was raised somewhere in the middle. In 2011, I went to Berkeley, California, to visit my grandparents for Hanukkah. Though I was in my 30s, it was actually the first Hanukkah I’d ever spent with them. They hosted a very Berkeley Hanukkah dinner for friends and family, discussing matters of social justice, politics, and of course ‘we’re only serving organic, free range, no-conflict local food.’ My little nephew and his cousin lit the candles as my grandparents sweetly argued over the words to the blessing. The feast was perfectly non-traditional, the conversation was spirited, and I’ve never felt more grateful. The next night, we drove around San Francisco to see the holiday lights. I snapped these photos of Macy’s balanced tribute - one for Hanukkah and one for Christmas. It felt like it was a tribute just for me and my Jew’ish’ family.”
H A P P Y
Activist group apologizes for using Holocaust victims’ ashes in protest installation
mARCY oSTER JTA A German activist group has apologized for using what it says is the ashes of victims of the Nazis for a protest against the far right. The art-activist collective Zentrum für Politische Schönheit, or Center for Political Beauty, earlier this week placed a large container of soil samples from areas where Nazis were active in the mass murder of Jews near the Germany parliament. “We would like to apologize to all those affected, relatives and survivors, whose feelings we have hurt,” the group said in a statement on its website. “We have “made mistakes,” the statement said. “We would like to apologize, especially to Jewish institutions, societies or individuals who believe that our work disturbed the peace required for the dead under Jewish law,” the statement added. The group said it spent two years digging up soil from 23 sites in Germany, Poland and Ukraine, including at the Auschwitz, Sobibor and Treblinka camps. Lab results found traces of human remains in over 70 percent of the 240 samples, the group said in a statement. The protest was intended to show that “the legacy of the Holocaust is rendered void by political apathy, the rejection of refugees and cowardice,” the group said. The group has not said what it plans to do with the soil samples, but said it was open to suggestions. The president of the Central Council of Jews in Germany, Josef Schuster, told the German news service Deutsche Welle that a rabbi should be consulted on how to dispose of the remains.
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A10 | The Jewish Press | December 13, 2019
Marking the miraculous
community Happy Hanukkah!
What does it mean to create communities of sanity, ones which don’t tear people apart but help bring them together? What does this mean as we recall the miracles of Hanukkah while traveling in Israel? In November, Margret Wheatley came for a Brooks Institute, Tri-Faith Initiative, Center for Faith studies multi-faceted event weekend. To our CAnToR JoAnnA Brooks Institute interdenominational AlEXAnDER clergy meeting, she introduced the Temple Israel concepts from her book Who do we Choose to be? Facing Reality, Claiming Leadership, Restoring Sanity of creating islands and communities of sanity within a world which seems to be bent on destroying the human soul. And now I head to Israel with our Omaha Jewish teens, where we will explore the land, celebrate Shabbat with our partner region in Acco, and celebrate Hanukkah in the land of the great miracle. The story of Hanukkah is one of a small band of rebels valiantly fighting for right and good and religious freedom against an oppressive force much greater than themselves. Is this a story of a community of sanity? Or a story which unites the Jews but divides humanity? Israel is the story of the salvation of our people, making the desert bloom and draining the swamp; the culmination of 2000 years of mourning and yearning. Yet today it is just as divided as any other place in the world: Settler against Peacenik, dati vs. chiluni, Jew against Arab, democracy vs. theocracy; all the power struggles of the insane, destructive and divided humanity we see around the world.
Will celebrating the story of our miraculous triumph over the greater forces of evil remind us of Jewish power and the responsibility that comes with it? Will it teach us of our invincible God-given right, over and above others? Or will it teach us to be a light in the time of darkness, of the capacity to do good and be good when working together and seeing each human with the dignity and divinity they are created with? There are many lessons that can be taught about Hanukkah: which lesson creates an Island of Sanity and which one will be used as a destructive force dividing humans of our shared fate? These questions are even more poignant to me in the land of Israel. On the one hand, the stakes of politics and the acts of humans seem to take on greater significance in this land holy to so many. And on the other hand, we will be exploring it in a group nearly as miraculous as it is unique. In Omaha we may take for granted that Jews from different communities work together, study together, and unite through our JCC and JFO. But to form a teen tour from our Reform, Conservative and Orthodox synagogues; to have all our teens learn from Rabbi’s and Cantor’s of each; this is in fact a community of sanity. For this event (and many others throughout the year), we put aside our theological and aesthetic differences and unite over klal yisrael, to unite the Jews of Omaha into a community stronger together than apart. I hope our travels, I hope the bridges built between our teenagers and our chaperone leaders will be a light to our community that strengthens our relationships, and helps create communities of sanity in a difficult and divided world. Let us light up the darkness as we celebrate the many miracles of this Hanukkah. Happy Hanukkah!
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RABBI AnD SHAnI KATzmAn Chabad of Nebraska Dear Friends, anukkah, the Festival of Lights, marks the miraculous, unanticipated victory of the Maccabees over their mighty Greek oppressors during the second Temple in Jerusalem. It also celebrates the less dramatic subsequent miracle of the one unadulterated flask of oil which burned for eight days instead of one. The extraordinary Maccabean military victory had much greater impact on the Jewish community than its twin oil miracle. So why do the Hanukkah observances revolve around the oil? We kindle oil lamps each night and tank up on a smorgasbord of foods prepared with oil for eight days straight!! The Rebbe explains this phenomenon by examining four distinctive qualities of oil and applies them to the psychological universe of man: 1. An olive must be crushed in order to give forth its oil. Humility, the crushing of ego, permits us to discover who we are and sustain healthy emotional maturity and growth. 2. After extraction by “pressing,” oil permeates and infuses all materials on contact. Only after we tame our egos can we truly bond with another and share our hearts. 3. Oil never mixes with other liquids. Our relationship must not define us. We retain our individuality and uniqueness. 4. Oil rises to the top. This threefold process of crushing oneself, bonding with others and at the same time retaining one’s distinctivness - should cause one to rise - just like oil to the top, and “float” head and shoulders above all. The knowledge that our abilities and prowess come from our connection to the infinite G-d, empowers us to stand with integrity above the forces that try to deter us. Judaism, particularly its Festival of Hanukkah, teaches human beings how to become oil-like. If we wish to light up our lives, we ought to take a lesson from the olive oil in our menorahs. Consider this your personal invitation to participate in our multiple Hanukkah events. Together we can fan the flames inspired by our inner oil, to spread light, goodness and kindness around us. Happy Hanukkah from all of us at Chabad! Warmest, personal regards, Rabbi and Shani Katzman
H
The Jewish Press | December 13, 2019 | A11
Hanukkah in the Jewish Press, 1949
HAPPY HANUKKAH
From the Jewish Press, December 9, 1949 Chanukah, or the Festival of Lights, begins at sundown, Thursday, Dec. 15, and concludes at sundown Friday, Dec. 23. It commemorates the first successful struggle for religious freedom in human history. The authority for this festival is found in the Book of Maccabees in the Apocrypha. Jews celebrate Chanukah with praise and thanksgiving to God, the author of all liberty.
During this season, the Jew rededicates himself to his religious faith and by precept and example indoctrinates his children with the principles of religious freedom. Every evening songs are sung in the home, candles are lighted, increasing in number until the eighth night when the Menorah, or candelabrum, is ablaze with light. In the year 165 B.C.E., the Syrian conqueror Antiochus decreed the death of the Jewish See Hanukkah in the Jewish Press page A12
Happy Hanukkah
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A12 | The Jewish Press | December 13, 2019
Happy Hanukkah!
Jewish War Veterans meeting The Nebraska Jewish War Veterans (Epstein-Morgan Post 260) will meet Sunday, Dec. 15, from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m., at Temple Israel. Jewish Veterans and spouses are welcome to attend. JWV holds monthly meetings for veterans to connect, support each other and do volunteer work. Nationally, JWV is the longest-running veterans’ organization.
It was founded in 1896 by a group of 63 Jewish veterans from the Civil War after a series of anti-Semitic comments about the lack of Jewish service in the Civil War. Since then, JWV has been working hard to be the voice of American Jewry in the veteran community. For more information, please contact Jay Benton at jay.benton@ gmail.com.
Hanukkah in the Jewish Press, 1949 TheAlanCohens & Anne Marty & Kathy Jack, Sam & Will
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Happy Hanukkah
Continued from page A11 religion. Immediately, the Jews raised the banner of revolution; inspired bands of guerillas, under the leadership of Mattathias and his five sons, harassed and defeated the great armies of Syria. Jerusalem was recaptured, the Temple was cleansed and rededicated to the worship of the Invisible God. This Festival of Light and rededication calls on all men regardless of race and color or creed, to unite in creating a world of freedom, understanding and peace. The above text was placed on page three, near the top, lest readers forget the upcoming holiday. It sounds a bit strict, in 1949 language, more formal than we are used to nowadays. Did people give presents for Hanukkah in 1949, or did that come later? There is a half-page ad from Sol Lewis Co. on Farnam (Omaha’s Oldest Exclusive Appliance Store! )on page 5, convincing the reader to buy a new television: “Here is the kind of Big screen television you have been waiting for... on a 15inch Du Month picture tube.” Surely, that’s not a coincidence? Other than that (and that was a stretch), there is not a lot of evidence in the 1949 paper there was a holiday at all. Of course, these were very different times. It’s hard to fathom what the world felt like in 1949, but we can imagine not many people were in a celebratory mood. Still, holidays then and now mean community—getting together, whether in synagogue or someone’s home and sharing a meal: Pupils of the Beth El Talmud Torah and their parents will celebrate Chanukah at the annual dinner on Thursday, December 22, 6:30 p.m. in the social hall of the synagogue. A
program, in which the pupils will participate, is being prepared under the direction of Mr. Aaron Soviv. Mrs. William Alberts and Mrs. Robert Silver, with a committee of Sisterhood women, will prepare the dinner. Reservations may be made through the synagogue office. Then there’s this tiny announcement, squeezed in between wedding notices and calendar items: The first groups of Jews to leave Poland since emigration restrictions were relaxed arrived in Israel last week. And this: Epstein-Morgan Post No. 260 of the Jewish War Veterans officiated at the funeral services November 20 for Private Sam Klein, who was killed in action in Italy in 1944. Hal Snyder of the Central High ROTC blew taps at the burial services at Golden Hill Cemetery. Members of the firing squad were Yale Halprin, Dr. Milton Margolin, Edward Dolgoff, Abe Miller, Herbert White, Myron Milder, Eddie Beldner and Paul Crounse. Chaplain Mossman and Commander Kanner officiated with Dr. William Milder and Edward Morris. Flag bearers were Abe Miller and Herbert White. Surviving Private Klein is his father, Morris Klein of Omaha. He served in the infantry. He was killed at the age of 19. These were different times indeed. How do you celebrate anything after the Holocaust? And yet, hope glimmers in those tiny announcements. There was a Hanukkah program at the Beth El Sisterhood meeting (Dorothy Kripke was in charge), and the Jewish War Veteran’s Ladies Auxiliary served “Hanukkah refreshments.” JYC planned a “Chanukah Hop” whatever that was—some kind of dance, perhaps?
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Above and below: Dec. 2, the new employee lounge, the “Noshery,” officially opened.
Above: Last week, BI-JYE visited the Omaha Police Department to thank the officers for all their hard work. They even got a tour of the station! Left: Four generations of making challah: Rebecca Murow Klein and daughter Ella; Janie Murow and Ruth Potash. Below: It’s Thanksgiving every morning at Beth Israel’s Minyan.
SP O TLIGHT PHOTOS FROM RECENT JEWISH COMMUNITY EVENTS SUBMIT A PHOTO: Have a photo of a recent Jewish Community event you would like to submit? Email the image and a suggested caption to: avandekamp@jewishomaha.org.
Above and below: Teachers dressed up for “Idiom Day” at Friedel Jewish Academy.
Right and below: Omaha Shlicha Ron Lugasy recently had another cooking class, but she says this one was special for many reasons: 1. The many newcomers that we had who spiced up the class and brought with them a new spirit- thank you for joining us! 2. Our permanent members who keep coming to each of the classes and already feel like family. 3. Our special guest chef Hadar Nachman who taught us how to make her great Hummus. 4. The coolest aprons that have been sponsored by the generosity of our Jewish Foundation Grant Committee. 5. And of course- the great food that we cooked from the Israeli-Arab kitchen, and especially the grape leaves from my dad’s recipe.
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A14 | The Jewish Press | December 13, 2019
synagogues B’nAI ISRAEL SYnAGOGUE
618 Mynster Street Council Bluffs, IA 51503-0766 712.322.4705
BETH EL SYnAGOGUE
Member of United Synagogues of Conservative Judaism 14506 California Street Omaha, NE 68154-1980 402.492.8550 bethel-omaha.org
BETH ISRAEL SYnAGOGUE
Member of Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America 12604 Pacific Street Omaha, NE. 68154 402.556.6288 BethIsrael@OrthodoxOmaha.org
CHABAD HOUSE
An Affiliate of Chabad-Lubavitch 1866 South 120 Street Omaha, NE 68144-1646 402.330.1800 OChabad.com email: chabad@aol.com
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Union for Reform Judaism (URJ) 13111 Sterling Ridge Drive Omaha, NE 68144-1206 402.556.6536 templeisraelomaha.com
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B’nAI ISRAEL SYnAGOGUE
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TEmPLE ISRAEL
Join us for our monthly Shabbat Speakers Series on Friday, Jan. 10, 7:30 p.m. with guest speaker Ron Lugasy, Omaha Community Shlicha. Our service leader is Larry Blass, and as always, an Oneg wil follow service. Everyone is always welcome at B’nai Israel! For information on our historic synagogue, contact any of our board members: Scott Friedman, Rick Katelman, Howard Kutler, Carole Lainof, Wayne Lainof, Sissy Silber, Nancy Wolf, or email nancywolf16620@gmail.com. Handicap Accessible.
Office hours: Monday-Thursday, 8 a.m.-4 p.m. and Friday, 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Services conducted by Rabbi Mendel Katzman. FRIDAY: Shacharit, 8 a.m. followed by coffee, treats, study and shmoozing. SATURDAY: Shabbat Morning Service, 9:30 a.m. WEEkDAYS: Shacharit, 7 a.m. followed by coffee, treats, study and shmoozing. SUnDAY: Service, 8:30 a.m.; Sunday Secrets, 9:15 p.m. following Minyan. mOnDAY: Personal Parsha class, 9:30 a.m. with Shani; Biblical Hebrew Grammar, 10:30 a.m. WEDnESDAY: Mystical Thinking, 9:30 a.m. with Rabbi Katzman; Introduction to Reading Hebrew, 10:30 a.m. THURSDAY: Intermediate Hebrew Reading and Prayer, 11 a.m.; Talmud Class, noon with Rabbi Katzman. All programs are open to the entire community. For more information call 402.330.1800 or visit www.Ochabad.com.
FRIDAY: Shabbat Comes to You at The Heritage Sterling Ridge, 4 p.m.; Shabbat Evening Service, 6 p.m. SATURDAY: Torah Study, 9:15 a.m.; Shabbat Morning Service, 10:30 a.m.; OTYG Mind, Body and Soul Program, 4 p.m. SUnDAY: Temple Israel Blood Drive, 8:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.; Beginning Hebrew Level 1, 9 a.m.; Adult Hebrew Level 2, 10 a.m.; Youth Learning Progams for Grades PreK-6, 10 a.m.; Parent Breakfast and Conversations, 10:30 a.m.; Temple Tots Sunday, 10:30 a.m.; Hanukkah Assembly, 11:30 a.m. WEDnESDAY: Grades 3-6, 4-6 p.m.; Community Dinner, 6 p.m. Menu: chicken and veggie fajitas, black beans, chips and salsa, enhanced salad bar, dessert. RSVP to Temple Israel, 402-556-6536; Grades 7-12, 6-8 p.m.; The Power of Spoken and Non-Spoken Language in Jewish Literature and Film, 6:30-7:30 p.m. with Dalia Bolotnikov Mazur; Beit Midrash: The December Dilemma: Navigating Family & Social Dynamics at the Holiday Season with Rabbi Steven Abraham and Rabbi Brian Stoller, 7:30-8:30 p.m. at Temple Israel. Tot Shabbat, Friday, Dec. 20, 5:45 p.m. Hanukkah Service & Dinner, Friday, Dec. 27: Candle lighting and Kiddush in the Simon Community Court, 5:30 p.m. Services, 6 p.m., Dinner immediately following. Please RSVP to Temple Israel, rsvp@templeisraelomaha.com or 402.556.6536. Early bird reservations are due Friday, Dec. 20. The cost of the meal is $12 for adults; $6 for children in 2nd-6th grade; and no charge for children under 2nd grade. After Dec. 20, the cost will be $18 for adults and $10 for children in 2nd-6th grade.
BETH EL SYnAGOGUE Services conducted by Rabbi Steven Abraham and Hazzan Michael Krausman. FRIDAY: Pre-Neg, 5:30 p.m.; Tot Shabbat, 6 p.m.; Kabbalat Shabbat, 6 p.m. SATURDAY: Shabbat Morning Service, 9:30 a.m.; Shabbat’s Cool (Grades K-7), 10 a.m.; Kiddush speaker from Planned Parenthood following services, noon. WEEkDAY SERVICES: Sundays, 9:30 a.m. & 5:30 p.m.; weekdays, 7 a.m. & 5:30 p.m. SUnDAY: BESTT Classes (Grades K-7) — Maccabeah VII, 9:30 a.m.; Torah Study, 10 a.m.; From My Mother’s Kitchen, 10:30 a.m.; Torah Tots (ages 4-5), 10:30 a.m.; Yiddish Class, 11 a.m. with Hazzan Krausman; Pop Up Hanukkah Workshop, 2 p.m. at Westroads Mall. mOnDAY: Miriam Initiative Grateful Goodies Baking Day, 9 a.m. TUESDAY: The Book of Jewish Values, 11:30 a.m. with Rabbi Steven Abraham; Mahjong, 1 p.m.; Chesed Committee visits The Heritage at Sterling Ridge, 2:30 p.m.; Board of Trustees Meeting, 7:30 p.m. WEDnESDAY: Miriam Initiative Grateful Goodies Baking Day, 9 a.m.; BESTT Classes (Grades 3-7), 4:15 p.m. — Early Dismissal; Hanukkah Dinner, 5:30 p.m.; Beit Midrash: The December Dilemma, 7:30 p.m. at Temple Israel. THURSDAY: Brachot and Breakfast, 7 a.m.; Bar Mitzvah of Jacob kirk; Miriam Initiative Latkes & Libations, 7 p.m. Six String Shabbat, Friday, Dec. 20, 6 p.m. BESTT Winter Break, Saturday, Dec. 21-Tuesday, Dec. 7. There will be no BESTT or Hebrew High classes or Jr. Congregation during Winter Break. Grateful Goodies Sorting Day, Tuesday, Dec. 24, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. at Temple Israel. Grateful Goodies Delivery Day, Wednesday, Dec. 25, 10 a.m.-1 p.m.
BETH ISRAEL SYnAGOGUE Services conducted by Rabbi Ari Dembitzer FRIDAY: Laws of Shabbos, 6:45 a.m. with Rabbi Ari; Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Nach Yomi — Daily Prophets, 7:40 a.m. with Rabbi Ari; Lights of Teshuva, 8 a.m. with Rabbi Moshe; Mincha/Candle Lighting, 4:38 p.m. SATURDAY: Open Beit Midrash — All welcome to learn the Torah and Dance, 8:30 a.m.; Shacharit, 9 a.m.; Gan Beth Israel, 10:45 a.m.; Insights into the Weekly Torah Portion, 3:35 p.m.; Mincha/Seudah Shlishit, 4:20 p.m.; Havdalah, 5:42 p.m.; Dor L’dor: Inter-generational Learning, 6 p.m. SUnDAY: Shacharit, 9 am.; Works of Maimondies, 9:45 am.; JYE BI, 10 am.; Mincha/ Ma’ariv, 4:40 p.m. at RBJH. mOnDAY: Laws of Shabbos, 6:45 a.m. with Rabbi Ari; Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Nach Yomi — Daily Prophets, 7:40 a.m. with Rabbi Ari; Lights of Teshuva, 8 a.m. with Rabbi Moshe; Cooking the Torah: Learning Torah through the Palate, noon with Rabbi Yoni; Mincha/ Ma’ariv, 4:40 p.m. at RBJH. TUESDAY: Laws of Shabbos, 6:45 a.m. with Rabbi Ari; Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Nach Yomi — Daily Prophets, 7:40 a.m. with Rabbi Ari; Lights of Teshuva, 8 a.m. with Rabbi Moshe; Torah Tuesday, 1 p.m.; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 4:40 p.m. at RBJH. WEDnESDAY: Laws of Shabbos, 6:45 a.m. with Rabbi Ari; Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Nach Yomi — Daily Prophets, 7:40 a.m. with Rabbi Ari; Lights of Teshuva, 8 a.m. with Rabbi Moshe; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 4:40 p.m. at RBJH. THURSDAY: Laws of Shabbos, 6:45 a.m. with Rabbi Ari; Shacharit, 7 a.m.; Nach Yomi — Daily Prophets, 7:40 a.m. with Rabbi Ari; Lights of Teshuva, 8 a.m. with Rabbi Moshe; Character Development, 9:30 a.m. with Rabbi Ari; Mincha/Ma’ariv, 4:40 p.m. at RBJH.
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COnGREGATIOn B’nAI JESHURUn Services conducted by Rabbi Teri Appleby. FRIDAY: Pop-Up Shabbat Dinners — No Service at Temple; Candlelighting, 4:41 p.m. SATURDAY: No Shabbat Morning Service this week; Torah Study, 10:30 a.m. on Parashat Vayishlach led by Bryan Gordon; Havdalah (72 minutes), 6:11 p.m. SUnDAY: LJCS Gan through Grade 7, 9:30 a.m.; LJCS Gesher, 10 a.m.; LJCS Annual Hanukkah Wrap — Please send your child with a new and unwrapped gift. This year, we will partner with Ceders to provide children and families a joy filled holiday season. Parents please join with your children at 11:45 a.m. for Hanukkah treats!; Feeding the Kids at F Street Rec Center, 2:30 p.m. For more information, contact Aimee Hyten at aimee. hyten@gmail.com. TUESDAY: Ladies’ Lunch, noon at Hiro 88, 5730 Hidcote Drive. Let Deborah Swearingen (402.475.7528) know if you plan to attend and if you need a ride. WEDnESDAY: LJCS Hebrew School, 4 p.m. at TI. Potluck Dinner and Game Night, Saturday, Dec. 21, 6 p.m. All are welcome! There will be no LJCS Classes, Sunday, Dec. 22-Sunday, Jan. 5. Classes resume on Wednesday, Jan. 8. Hanukkah Dinner, Friday, Dec. 27, immediately following the 6:30 p.m. service. Reservation deadline is Dec. 21. Seating is Limited to the first 80 who RSVP. Call the Temple Office (402.435.8004) or e-mail office@southstreettemple. org to sign up. Cost is $12 for adults (age 19 and up), $8 for youth (age 13-18) and $5 for children (age 5-12). Pre-payment with your RSVP would be appreciated. No charge for active military, college students, and children 5 and under.
OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE FRIDAY: Services, 7:30 p.m. every first and third of the month.
ROSE BLUmkIn JEWISH HOmE SATURDAY: Services, 9:15 a.m. led by Alan Shulewitz. Services will be held in the Chapel. Members of the community are invited to attend.
TIFERETH ISRAEL
Services conducted by lay leader Nancy Coren. Office hours: monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. FRIDAY: No Shabbat Service; Candlelighting, 4:41 p.m. SATURDAY: Shabbat Service, 10 a.m. followed by a special kiddush lunch in honor of Ben Novicoff's 99th birthday; Junior Congregation, 11 a.m. followed by a snack; Havdalah (72 minutes), 5:41 p.m. SUnDAY: LJCS Gan through Grade 7, 9:30 a.m.; LJCS Gesher, 10 a.m.; LJCS Annual Hanukkah Wrap — Please send your child with a new and unwrapped gift. This year, we will partner with Ceders to provide children and families a joy filled holiday season. Parents please join with your children at 11:45 a.m. for Hanukkah treats!; Come learn and play Pickleball, 7-9 p.m. WEDnESDAY: LJCS Hebrew School, 4 p.m. at TI. There will be no LJCS Classes, Sunday, Dec. 22-Sunday, Dec. 5. Classes resume on Wednesday, Jan. 8. Join Our Tifereth Israel Hanukkah Celebration on the First Night of Hanukkah, Sunday, Dec. 22, 4:30 p.m. at Tifereth Israel. We’ll have a hot dog and latke dinner, and light the menorah and sing hanukkah songs. Join us for the Ugly Sweater Havdalah gathering, Saturday evening, Dec. 28, 5:45 p.m. at the home of Lucy and Kirk Bowers. Wear an ugly sweater (if you have one). Bring your own menorah (if you have one) and hanukkah candles to light for the 7th night of Hanukkah. Bring a dairy or pareve appetizer to share with the group. Sweet treats will be provided. Let us know if you can join us.
Boris Johnson serves up kosher doughnuts JTA vassed the district last week with actor Hugh Grant. Johnson was later criticized for choosing to make the Prime Minister Boris Johnson frosted and served up doughnuts at a kosher bakery in London less than a week ahead of Britain’s national elections. Johnson wore an apron that read “Get Brexit Done” behind the counter at the Grodzinski bakery in the Golders Green neighborhood, which is home to a substantial Jewish population. Prior to his stint Friday behind the bakery counter, Johnson visited Jewish Care, a health and social care organization serving the London Jewish community. Photos of the event showed black-hatted haredi Orthodox Jewish youths crowding at the counter Boris Johnson greets haredi Orthodox patrons of Grodzinlistening to Johnson. ski bakery in London’s Golders Green neighborhood on Local conservative Tory Party candidate Mike Freer joined Johnson at both stops. Freer is facing Dec. 6, 2019 less than a week ahead of national elections. Credit: Boris Johnson Twiiter off Dec. 12 against Jewish Liberal-Democratic appearance at the bakery rather than sit for an intercandidate Luciana Berger, who left the Labour Party view with the BBC. over its years-long anti-Semitism problem. She can-
The Jewish Press | December 13, 2019 | A15
lifecycles BAR mITzVAH jACoB kIRk Jacob Kirk, son of Kelly and Thomas Kirk, will become a Bar Mitzvah on Thursday, Dec. 19, at Beth El. Jacob is a ninth grade student at Millard North High School. His interests include baseball and motorcross. He has two sisters, Lauren and Emily. Grandparents are Marty Tichauer and Fred Tichauer, and Mike Kirk and the late Virginia Kirk. Great-grandparents are the late Walter and Helena Tichauer, and the late Ben and Minia Maurer.
BRANDoN RAFFEL Brandon Raffel, son of Andy Raffel, Amy Tipp and Ron Hackbart will celebrate his Bar Mitzvah on Saturday, Dec. 21 at Beth El Synagogue. Brandon is a seventh-grade Superior Honor Roll student at Elkhorn Middle School and is a participant in the Duke University Talent Identification Program. He plays trumpet in the Select Jazz Band and French horn in the Concert band. Brandon has also acted in many school, community, and Herzl Camp plays. Pets, especially reptiles, are Brandon’s love. He is the owner and caretaker of a panther chameleon, several geckos, a turtle, hermit crabs, freshwater fish and a mixed reef of marine fish and coral. For his mitzvah project, Brandon chose to support Mazon. He has dedicated his time volunteering at food pantries, cooking, and helping to organize ongoing donations. He has a sister, Julia, a brother, Michael and three step-brothers, Taylor, Riley, and Connar Hackbart. Grandparents are Dr. Steve and Marilyn Tipp, Fran Raffel, and the late Jerrold Raffel.
Tiffany Haddish sings Hava Nagila on Jimmy Fallon’s Tonight Show JTA In case you missed it: Black and Jewish comedian Tiffany Haddish is having a bat mitzvah ceremony soon. She has released a Netflix stand-up special inspired by the ocRabbi Susan Silverman, left, with Tiffany casion as well. So, naturally, on Haddish at Haddish’s bat mitzvah at the SLS Hotel in Beverly Hills, CA, Dec. 3, 2019. a special Sunday Credit: Emma McIntyre/Getty Images night edition of for Netflix Jimmy Fallon’s The Tonight Show, Haddish broke into singing Hava Nagila, backed up by The Roots, Fallon’s famous house band. She discussed discovering her Jewish heritage with Fallon before the charismatic performance.
Speaking to Israeli-American group, Trump slams Jews who ‘don’t love Israel enough’ HOLLYWOOD, FLA. | JTA President Donald Trump slammed American Jews who he said did not sufficiently “love Israel.” “So many of you voted for the people in the last administration. Some day you will have to explain that to me because I don’t think they like Israel too much,” the president said Saturday evening at the Israeli-American Council’s annual conference. In his address, the president surveyed his record of Israelrelated policies, including moving the U.S. Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem, recognizing Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights, ending U.S. policy labeling settlements as illegal as legal and pulling out of the Iran nuclear deal. He twice called out Jews who he said did not adequately support Israel. “You have people that are Jewish people that are great people, they don’t love Israel enough, you know that, but David Friedman is not one of them,” he said, referring to his former lawyer who now serves as the U.S Ambassador to Israel. When he spoke about finding a location for the U.S. Embassy in Israel he told the audience that “a lot of you are in the real estate business.” “I know you very well, you’re brutal killers, not nice people at all. But you have to vote for me. You have no choice, you’re not gonna vote for Pocahontas,” he said, using a pejorative nickname for Democratic presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren, who claims to have Native American ancestry. Trump also denounced anti-Semitism. “My administration is committed to aggressively challenging and confronting anti-Semitic bigotry in every resource and using every single weapon at our disposal,” he said, adding that he chose to withdraw the U.S. from the U.N. Human Rights Council due to its singling out Israel in its condemnations. He called out anti-Semitism on the far left, including antiIsrael activism on campuses and a tweet by Rep. Ilhan Omar, a freshman Democratic congresswoman from Minnesota. Omar has apologized for the tweet, which critics said had invoked a trope of Jews paying for influence. Trump did not mention anti-Semitism on the extreme right, including the massacre of 11 Jewish worshippers in Pittsburgh last year. The Democratic Majority for Israel on Twitter slammed Trump for peddling anti-Semitic tropes and ignoring the threat from the far right. Watching Trump “traffic in antisemitic stereotypes is disgusting,” the tweet said. “Trump’s failure to condemn white supremacy when discussing antisemitism is equally distressing.” The crowd at the conference cheered loudly as Trump finished his speech and walked off the stage. The organization’s co-founder and CEO, Shoham Nicolet, called Trump’s address “an incredible honor and milestone.”
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A16 | The Jewish Press | December 13, 2019
Happy Hanukkah! “Giving has the effect of a stone being cast into a pond, creating ripples that reach outward. “We need hundreds of handfuls of stones being constantly thrown into that pond and constantly creating lots of ripples bouncing off each other. Interacting with each other. Creating energy. Creating turbulence. Creating Converging Ripples. “And that energy – this ripple effect – has to come from each and every one of us and from each and every member of our community.”
–Michael Staenberg
The Jewish Press | December 13, 2019 | B1
section2
COMMUNITY +HANUKKAH
My journey to Tsfat, Israel, to study Kabbalah SAnDRA MARTIn hat would prompt a mature, fairly rational, mostly level-headed woman in her 70s, who doesn’t speak a word of Hebrew, to suddenly decide to pack her bags and travel, by herself, to Tsfat, Israel, to study Kabbalah? It’s a question I have been asked repeatedly, and I can only say it was my soul that prompted (or more precisely, commanded) me to go. I grew up in a Reform Jewish household, but always considered myself more spiritual than religious. So I was delighted when our local Chabad House began offering classes in Kabbalah. There, I first learned about Tsfat, a small city in Northern Israel known as the “heart of Kabbalah” because of the Rabbis who settled there and introduced it in the second century. Specifically, Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai is credited with being the first rabbi to put Kabbalah into writing in the ancient text known as the Zohar. A few years later, when I went on a tour of Israel that included Tsfat, I was able to get a brief overview of the city I had read so much about. Shortly after I returned home, I was sharing my travel experiences with a friend, and found, to my surprise, that talking about Tsfat moved me to tears. I felt like I was grieving for something I desperately wanted and could not have. My friend said, without hesitation, “Why don’t you go back? If it’s something you want to do so badly, what’s stopping you?” What WAS stopping me, I asked myself. Other than requiring a fair amount of time (which I had plenty of) and money (which I did not have plenty
A guide on a private tour I took around Tsfat and Merton. of), I couldn’t come up with a single reason not to go. Once I had given myself “permission,” so to speak, I started making plans, confident in my belief that if the universe supported my decision, I would find the money to go, and the logistics of such a trip would work themselves out. Amazingly, the money proved not to be a problem, because I soon learned about an available
grant for local residents to go to Israel from the Albert and Eleanor Feldman Family Israel Foundation, which I applied for and received. I was very grateful. However, I was soon up against another challenge, which was to put together a study program to make the most of my time and funding. See My jouney to Tsfat page B2
Chanukah brings light into our lives at a dark time of the year. When you make a donation to the Jewish Federation and the Jewish Federation Foundation, you share the light with those who need it most right now. Help a child attend our CDC or JCC Summer Camp or provide them a Jewish book, deliver hot meals to the homebound, support our seniors staying active and engaged. Your Campaign gift does that and so much more. Or consider a permanent endowment at the Foundation to serve as a lasting gift for this and future generations.
Be the light. Please contact us! Steve Levinger, JFO Chief Development Officer 402-334-6433 • slevinger@jewishomaha.org Howard Epstein, Foundation Executive Director 402-334-6466 • hepstein@jewishomaha.org
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HOWARD EPSTEIN, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
B2 | The Jewish Press | December 13, 2019
Dutch Christians donate Europe’s largest menorah to rocket-battered Sderot
hanukkah My journey to Tsfat Continued from B1 Since my previous trips to other countries had all been tours, where everything was arranged and all I had to do was show up at the airport, bags in hand, this was something totally new to me. I spent countless hours online, searching for classes, teachers and a guest house/hotel that would fit with my time frame and budget. Though many classes (in both Kabbalah and Torah) were offered, I soon discovered that there was no set curriculum that I could simply register for, and would have to put this trip together on my own. It was also hard to estimate how much time and money I would need because of the big variation in class times and fees. Some met daily, others weekly; some were “free, but donations appreciated,” other fees varied. Eventually, I found a Kabbalah teacher and a guest house, and worked out a “sort of ” schedule. Then, feeling mostly excitement mixed with just a little apprehension, I booked my ticket and packed my bags! Upon my arrival in Tsfat, (after a flight to Tel Aviv, train to Akko, and hired taxi up the mountainside into Tsfat), one of my first thoughts was, “Something tells me I’m not in Kansas anymore!” Every time I ventured out of my guest house, I found myself surrounded by a sea of black... bearded men in traditional long black coats and large black hats worn by the majority of the ultra-orthodox males, with fringes (tzitzit) hanging below their jackets and long curls or side locks (peyot) announcing their pride in being Jewish. The women also followed tradition by modestly dressing in long skirts, long sleeved shirts and (if they were married) scarves to cover their hair. The conversations around me, mostly in Hebrew, were also a reminder that living in this
My Kabbalah teacher, Yedidah Cohen, and myself.
Laurie Rappaport, owner of “Myrtle the Turtle” guest house where I stayed, with one of her turtles. city was going to be much more challenging than I had realized from a quick glance through a bus window or a walk through the artist’s quarter. One of those challenges involved sim-
WISH
ply getting around the city. Though my guest house was centrally located and I could walk most everywhere, I invariably had to call Laurie (my “Myrtle the Turtle” guest house owner) to guide me back from the maze of winding cobbled streets which all looked exactly alike. On top of that, there was the issue of getting to my classes, held in the home of my teacher, Yedidah Cohen, who lived several miles away. At first, I took taxis, which either Laurie or Yedidah had to order for me in Hebrew. Eventually, however, I became brave enough to take the bus, giving a note to the driver with my teacher’s address written in Hebrew and feeling like the school kid whose mother pins a note on his jacket so he’ll be dropped off at the right location. But it was an easy (and cheap) way to get around, and I began to feel confident enough to enjoy the ride. My classes, too, were proving to be everything I had hoped, and more. I immediately felt a bond with Yedidah and loved her way of breaking down very complex material with modern-day examples and even illustrations sketched out in my notebook. As we studied the Kabbalah, which is the oral law handed down to Moses from God on Mount Sinai, I began to see a pattern of how the ancient teachings are meant to guide and give meaning to our lives today. In fact, as the Torah comprises Jewish laws, the Kabbalah is known as the meanings behind the laws, often referred to as the “soul” of the Torah. It is a way to perceive the inherent order of the universe, the unseen spiritual laws that govern our lives. Of the many Kabbalah concepts I learned, one of my favorites explains why we so often struggle between good and evil. “The ego shouts,” Yedidah teaches, “while the See My journey to Tsfat page B4
The Christians for Israel menorah being mounted in Nijkerk, near Amsterdam, Nov. 25, 2013. Credit: Sara van Oordt, Christians for Israel
CNAAN LIPSHIz AMSTERDAM | JTA Dutch Christian Zionists donated Europe’s largest Hanukkah menorah to the Israeli city of Sderot in solidarity with its residents’ plight over rocket attacks from Gaza. The 36-foot menorah was erected Sunday in Sderot, said Arjen Lont, the Christian Zionist philanthropist from the Netherlands who in 2013 donated about $40,000 to build the object. Boasting a six-ton base and a frame shaped like a Star of David, the Dutch menorah has featured in Hanukkah candle-lighting ceremonies organized across the kingdom over the past six years by the Christians for Israel group. “After unspeakable suffering, the horrors of the Holocaust and most recently the attacks on Israel, Jews may feel they are alone,” Lont told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency shortly after the menorah was built. “This is our way of saying you are not alone, we are behind you.” On Sunday, Lont wrote on Twitter: “Today, we set up the Hanukkah menorah in Sderot in Israel’s south. It is here to stay for good.” In Sderot, the menorah was placed at the center of a traffic circle in a residential neighborhood. Its original oil lamps have been replaced with electric bulbs and it is anchored by four two-ton concrete cubes. The official inauguration of the menorah will be on Dec. 17, five days before the first night of Hanukkah, in the presence of Dutch Chief Rabbi Binyomin Jacobs, Christians for Israel director Roger van Oordt wrote in a statement. Amid “constant threat from rockets, we want to bring the light of the Menorah,” he added.
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The Jewish Press | December 13, 2019 | B3
Making Hanukkah with children meaningful SARAH GERSHmAn My Jewish Learning via JTA anukkah ‘s proximity to Christmas can complicate the holiday. For those who try to make Hanukkah more like Christmas, it inevitably seems to fall short. Yet while Hanukkah was traditionally not one of the most central holidays of the Jewish calendar, it can offer many opportunities for fun and joyous celebration. Here are some suggestions for how you can make this Hanukkah memorable while staying true to the essential meaning of the holiday.
Credit: pxhere ■ BRInG lIGHT oUT oF DARknESS There are many ways to make this year’s Hanukkah a real “Festival of Lights.” As Rabbi Arthur Waskow writes in his book Seasons of Joy, “Hanukkah is the moment when light is born from darkness, hope from despair.” Historically, this was reflected in the unlikely victory of the Maccabees over the Greeks, in the oil that brought light for eight days instead of one, and in the very act of lighting candles during the darkest time of the year. Before lighting candles, try taking your family on a night walk. Go outside together and feel how dark it is. Even in the city, the month of December has a special darkness to it. Then come in from the cold and light the menorah. Feel the contrast between the darkness outside and the light inside. The oil in the Temple menorah can be understood as an early example of energy conservation. In keeping with that theme, try using environmentally sustainable candles in your menorah this year. According to Hazon, a Jewish environmental organization, “beeswax, soy, and palm oil provide more natural alternatives to the traditional paraffin Hanukkah candles.” Several vendors sell beeswax Hanukkah candles, and GoodLight Natural Candles’ Hanukkah candles not only claim to be “clean burning and non-toxic,” but the company “contributes to sustainable palm farming.” Hanukkah is also a wonderful time to bring light into the lives of those around us. The winter months can be especially difficult for those who need help. Why not volunteer as a family at a local soup kitchen, shelter or any place that is meaningful to you? Jewish homes for the aged often have Hanukkah parties or communal menorah lightings. These are opportunities to connect your children with the older generation and help make the celebration more festive for the residents. ■ GET CREATIVE Hanukkah can be a great time for simple and fun family art projects. There is a custom for each member of the family to have his/her own menorah. This year, why not make your own? You can buy lots of small votive candles (yahrtzeit candles are an inexpensive way to do this) and decorate the glass with a collage of colorful pieces of tissue paper. When the votives are lit, light shines through the tissue paper like stained glass. This is a great hanukkiyah for the Friday night of the holiday, when the candles are supposed to burn for at least two hours — as long as Shabbat candles burn. No matter what kind of hanukkiyah you use, try to place it in as visible a spot as possible to fulfill the mitzvah of “pirsumei nisa” (publicizing the miracle). And don’t forget the decorations. Judaica stores sell lots of colorful Hanukkah decorations that make the house feel more festive. You may want to choose your own theme. I know one family that decorates their house with homemade pictures of Jewish holiday objects, which symbolize to them the uniqueness of Judaism — definitely a theme of the holiday. ■ mAkE EACH nIGHT SPECIAl One of the wonderful things about Hanukkah is that it lasts eight days. Giving each night a special theme can increase the excitement and take some of the attention away from presents. Themes might include “Tzedakah (charity) night,” “SingOff Night,” “Party Night” and, of course, “Presents Night.” I
know a family that eats a different kind of potato latke (pancake) for dinner each night. Apples, cauliflower or even meat can be delicious additions to the traditional potato latke. Cheese is also a great Hanukkah food, as it recollects the heroism of Judith, who cleverly fed Holofernes, a general fighting the Maccabees, salty cheese and wine. When the general promptly fell asleep, Judith cut off his head and thereby saved her town from his tyranny. Hanukkah is also an ideal time to do fun activities like playing music, taking pictures or making home movies documenting the year’s celebration. One family I know drips
Hanukkah candle wax each night on their family album. Then, the following year, they take out the album, look at the wax and try to remember where they were and what they did on each night. ■ CElEBRATE oUR UnIQUEnESS AS JEWS One of the miracles of Hanukkah is that the Jewish people were able to reconsecrate the Temple — our spiritual center and a powerful symbol of our uniqueness. Hanukkah today presents us with the opportunity to reconsecrate our own uniqueness as a religion, a people and a culture. See making Hanukkah meaningful page B5
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B4 | The Jewish Press | December 13, 2019
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My journey to Tsfat
Continued from page B2 soul whispers. We need to listen to the whisper of our souls.” We began a systematic approach of my reading ahead in the textbook and writing down my questions (which were always innumerable) to discuss at the next class. At my request, we went through the material slowly, as I knew I would get overwhelmed if I tried to learn too much too quickly. There came a point, in fact, when I told Yedidah that I was already worrying about people back home expecting me to explain Kabbalah when I returned, At my class because I knew I wouldn’t be able to. She laughed and said, “I’ve been teaching this for thirty years, and even I don’t know all there is to know!” After that, I took the pressure off myself to try to totally understand it in the few short weeks I was there. I found myself looking forward to the days I had class, not only to the material, but also to the easy conversations Yedidah and I had about our lives and life in general. It was amazing to me that this deeply religious woman who lived high up in the mountains of Israel was so down-to-earth and that we shared so many life experiences. As I settled into daily life within this highly religious community, my feelings of being “different from,” of being there but not really belonging, grew and grew. Although I was raised Jewish, as were my children, the Ultra-Orthodox residents of Tsfat that I was now living among seemed a world away from my own. I was not accustomed to the extensive rituals of hand-washing, prayers and blessings that were the focus of daily life. It was very common to see residents walking along the streets or riding on a bus with a prayerbook in their hands, and one could find a class on Torah or Hebrew almost any time and day of the week. Studying Torah was a priority, as well as striving to do as many of the 613 Mitzvahs (good deeds) commanded by God as possible. The truth is, my feelings of separation from those around
me did not stem from any unfriendliness or aloofness by the Israeli people. On the contrary, the majority of those I met went out of their way to be kind and helpful, and to offer me all types of hospitality, ranging from invitations to Shabbat
View of the sunset from my guest house balcony
meals on Friday evenings to classes and other activities. However, their friendliness did not seem to dispel my feelings, and that confused me. What was troubling me? What was leading me to make the distinction between “them” and “me?” Eventually, I discussed this with Yedidah, who had become my friend as well as my teacher. As we talked, the heart of my uneasiness finally became clear, and it boiled down to a single key question I asked her: “Do you have to be religious to be spiritual?” I appreciated that she didn’t answer right away, as she considered my question. Finally, she said, “No, I don’t think you do.” Though some may use the terms interchangeably, there IS a difference, at least to me. While I have not been nearly as observant of Jewish traditions and rituals as the people in Tsfat, I had always thought of myself as spiritual, which to me meant feeling a deep connection to God and to every living thing. And because of that connection, I had always tried to live a good life. But now, suddenly, I couldn’t help wondering whether the residents of this community would agree. I believed that in their eyes, I was certainly not religious and perhaps not even spiritual. And then I realized that just as I didn’t want to be compared to them and judged by them, I didn’t want to judge See My journey to Tsfat page B6
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The Jewish Press | December 13, 2019 | B5
hanukkah Hanukkah history retold SYBIl KAPlAn he true story of Hanukkah is political and military. When the story was written after the Hasmonean victory, it was written as a clash between a regional power and the guerrillas who defeated it. When the Talmud was written, the sages ignored the sentence, “The Hasmonean dynasty defeated the Greeks,” they diminished the real story, got involved in laws about how to light Hanukkah candles and, in fact, made up a story, not even mentioned, about the miraculous appearance of a jug of oil. Thus by suppressing the military side, they didn’t want to show their nationalistic feelings. Some have even said the sages did not read history and misunderstood the story of the Maccabees. All of the story about elephants and battalions and daggers and arrows and swords was replaced with a tale about a jug of oil. 1. Maccabees says after defeating Lysias, the regent, Judah Maccabee entered Jerusalem and purified the Temple—making new holy vessels including a candelabrum, incense altar, table and curtains—and set the date for the rededication of the Temple. The celebrations were to last eight days. 2. Maccabees adds that the eight days were celebrated like the Feast of Tabernacles, which they had not celebrated because they had been wandering in the mountains. Josephus says they were to celebrate a festival called “Lights.” No one mentions the kindling of lights. It is in the Talmud where the so-called miracle of the oil burning for eight days is written which was inserted to deemphasize the miracle of military triumph and replace it with a more palatable idea, that of the intervention of G-d, which somehow would seem more a miracle of man against man, according to the sages of the time. One very obvious missing thing in the four books of Maccabees are the names of the Maccabean women. Mattathias had five sons. Where is the Mrs.? Were there wives to mourn the brothers who all died horrible deaths? Was Judah married? What about the other brothers who met such
became a high priest and was put to death by the reigning monarch. Where were the women? One reference says because the candelabrum was defiled, the Hasmoneans took seven iron spits, covered them with zinc and used them as a candelabrum. All of these stories are legends and, by the Middle Ages, there was questioning about the cruse of oil story. In December 2018, Shmuley Boteach wrote an informative article in the Jerusalem Post called “An ignorant ‘New York Times’ trashes the Maccabees.” He also cites a columnist for The Forward and the Washington Post for misinformation about the Maccabees. See Hanukkah history retold page B8
Making Hanukkah meaningful
The Story of Hannukah by Ori Sherman (USA, 1985) Credit: Magnes Collection of Jewish Art, UC Berkeley terrible fates? Judah was sandwiched between two enemy divisions and killed. After Judah died, Yohanan was sent with baggage to the Nabateans. The killed him and plundered the goods. Simeon, Judah’s right hand man, was murdered by his son-in-law so he must have had a daughter and a wife. Elazar broke through the Syrian ranks to reach the enemy. He thought the king was riding an elephant, he killed the elephant and it fell on him, killing him. Jonathan fortified Jerusalem,
Continued from page B3 Hanukkah is a time to discuss as a family some of the blessings and challenges of being Jewish in a predominantly Christian country. One way to spark discussion on this subject is to watch a movie that in some way tackles the subject of assimilation. Some suggestions include My Big Fat Greek Wedding, Avalon, Keeping the Faith, The Jazz Singer, Monsoon Wedding and American Desi. Snowflakes could be a wonderful seasonal Hanukkah symbol, as no two are alike. You can even make “Hanukkah snowflakes” out of colorful paper and use them to decorate the house. And if Hanukkah happens to fall on a snowy day, take a walk outside and really look at the snowflakes that fall on your hand and try to see the differences between them. Have a joyous and meaningful Hanukkah!
B6 | The Jewish Press | December 13, 2019
My journey to Tsfat
hanukkah Applesauce and sour cream with latkes
R
SYBIl KAPlAn ecently, someone asked me, why the applesauce and sour cream for latkes? I wrote to my American Jewish food expert friend, Joan Nathan, but she didn’t know, so I googled latkes and applesauce, found a blogger who voiced an idea, and I thought that made sense. He suggested that maybe one year before Hanukkah, a shopkeeper, somewhere in Eastern Europe, placed his annual order for potatoes to his dry goods provider. He wrote potatoes in Hebrew as tapuah adama. Somehow the word adama was inadvertently erased and ended up being tapuach, the Hebrew word for apple. The supplier read the order and scratched his head, wondering why the shopkeeper didn’t want potatoes for Hanukkah. But, due to the limits of communication back in those days, he couldn’t check with him in time, so he went ahead and filled the order, sending a bushel of apples. When the shopkeeper saw the apples instead of potatoes, he wondered what to do with them but then figured, surely they would be a treat for Hanukkah. Somehow he was able to sell the idea to the townspeople to buy apples, and some clever women decided to cook the apples—hence, applesauce. By the end of the holiday, everyone was raving about the apples and apple dishes.
In the Encyclopedia of Jewish Food, Gil Marks (z”l) wrote that Greek Jews had a tradition that the Maccabees ate duck with apples to celebrate their victory. This was extended to serving apple rings, apple fritters and apple sauce. John Cooper in Eat and Be Satisfied reasons that the only fat for frying latkes was schmaltz, so the only topping could be apple sauce. Another source says the word tapuach in the Bible was translated as apple and was used on Rosh Chodesh (start of the new month). The Hungarian Jews made apple cake and strudel or tart for Rosh Hashanah; Indian Jews dip apple in honey and rose water; Sephardi Jews make apple compote. Ashkenazi Jews serve apple strudel on Sukkot, and children place apples at the end of the flag stick for Simchat Torah. As for sour cream, well, made in its fermented form, it was popular in the Slavic region. The idea of boiled potatoes eaten with sour cream was associated with Eastern European Jews, so if they found a substitute for the shmaltz when frying their latkes, they could well have used sour cream as an accompaniment. Sybil Kaplan is a journalist, author, compiler/editor of 9 kosher cookbooks and food writer for North American Jewish publications, who lives in Jerusalem where she leads weekly walks of the Jewish food market, Machaneh Yehudah, in English.
Continued from page B4 them either. There was no “them” and “me.” There was only “us.” Regardless of how we went about it, weren’t we all striving to reach the same place... to be connected to God and to live a good life? As soon as I came to this realization, I felt my uneasiness dissipate, and found a whole new depth to the purpose of The gravesite of Rabbi Ashlag, known as my trip. I had the Ari. taken this journey to study Kabbalah, but I saw now that the more important journey was an inner one, to push me out of my comfort zone and to strengthen my connection to others, especially when the others seem “different” than me. I also realized that my study of Kabbalah involved more than reading a textbook and taking classes. Kabbalah was all around me in Tsfat... I could see it in the way the people there lived. It surrounded me at the gravesites of the revered Rabbis who introduced it, as throngs of people wept and recited prayers at their graves. It was in the joyous parade of residents who carried a new Torah on their shoulders through the streets one night, singing and dancing as they made their way to the synagogue which was to be its new home. And it was in the holy Friday night services I attended with Laurie, held on the outdoor porch of her synagogue, the men and women separated but all singing and dancing as they faced the sunset to welcome the Sabbath. Although I am back home now and my trip is over, I have brought the essence of Kabbalah back with me. Kabbalah teaches that when we are born, each of us is given a tiny bit of the same soul. Now, I feel an even deeper connection to others than I did before, especially to those who appear “different.” And I plan to continue my classes with Yedidah online. I may not ever return to Tsfat, but I can hold onto all that it taught me, and continue my own personal journey within.
The Jewish Press | December 13, 2019 | B7
Hanukkah, 1959 AnnETTE VAn DE kAmP-WRIGHT “Howard Kaslow, a political science and economics major at Yale Editor, Jewish Press University, was awarded the Rhodes Scholarship. Twelve scholars from In 1959, Hanukkah arrived on Omaha’s doorstep on the evening of six states competed for the awards, which provide two years of study Dec. 25. The Jewish Press that week was nothing like it is today: four at Oxford University in England. Mr. Kaslow during his high school pages, black and white, minisyears was an active participant cule print (12 stories on the and leader in Youth Council affront page!) and no idea who fairs. He is the son of Ben E. wrote anything- there are no Kaslow.” bylines. The editor at the time In other news: according to was Mrs. Frances Klein. The a short piece from the Jewish news was a mix of random Telegraphic Agency (yes, the facts; the front-page photo of same as today), “The number Israeli children creating of American Jewish children in Hanukkiahs reminds the reader the five-to-14-year range has what holiday it is. Oh, and jumped 40 % in the last there is an ad from Diamond’s, decade, from 746,000 to “Omaha’s leading Kosher Meat 1,040,000.” Market and Delicatessen,” that Paul Shyken is attending wishes the reader a Happy the seventh annual synagogue Hanukkah. Youth Organization convention A Golden Age Hanukkah in Kansas City, together with Party is announced for Dec. 28: several other youth group dele“Members of the Golden Age gates from Beth Israel. And Ms. Club will hold a Hanukkah canBette Ann Poska, who is a dle lighting service at their teacher in Hollywood, Califor‘tea.’ The party will feature nia, is visiting her parents, Mr. cards, games and a twenty-five and Mrs. Sam Poska. Edward cents Hanukkah gift exchange. Altman, Marlene Freedman, A talk on Hanukkah will be Stephen Lubman and Max given in Yiddish by Abraham Richtman had their B’nai MitzEisenstein, Beth Israel Talmud vah that weekend. Torah staff member. RefreshFinally, then as now, Omaha ments will be baked at the cenJews were interested in Israel, ter for this party by the Mmes. and even though the paper was Louis Cutler, Soll Nogg and only four pages thick, there are Bessie Behn.” 11 stories about what’s hapA column on page 3 is titled pening on the other side of the Omaha Collegians To Spend world. Syrians are warned to Holidays With Families. In it is a stop attacking Israeli fisherlist of students who are home men, Israel needs a from college for the Holiday $60,000,000 loan, Americans A Young Judea event sometime during the 1950s, unknown photogra- will be drilling gas wells in Isbreak. Marlene Friedman, for pher. American Jewish Historical Society. example, is visiting from the rael. And: Israel announces new University of Missouri at Columbia. Phyllis Abrahams is visiting from currency for January 1, 1960. the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor. Steve Riekes is coming from “The new legal tender is based on a division of the Israeli pound into Brandeis and Howard Kaslow is home from Yale. 100 agorot instead of 1,000 prutot. The pruta has been the smallest Speaking of, there’s a short announcement on that same page: unit of Israeli currency since the establishment of Israel.”
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by Dr. D, Co-Founder & President Dear Friends of the Environment, Warm wishes for a HAPPY HANUKKAH. The flickering flames of the Menorah scattering darkness symbol our need to thank God for the miracle of deliverance in our time of need. The miracle of Hanukkah shows that God will always provide. But for miracles to happen, we must expect that they are possible. Belief alters reality. How BPR Came to Be People sometimes ask my Israeli wife or me where the two of us ever came up with the idea for the Benson Plant Rescue (BPR). They’re always shocked when we tell them we never really planned it. The whole thing just sort of happened. It was a “miracle” of fate. My wife was born during the hardscrabble time of Israel’s foundation. Her love of plants was limited to container gardening. She and I married late in life, in the spring of 1999. Back then Charlotte Hauser was seeking gardens for her Benson Garden Walk benefitting the Omaha Public Library. I asked Charlotte if she would like a beginner’s garden from someone who previously in her life had never had the opportunity to dig in anything but sand or rock. She said that’d be great. So I was consigned to tearing up the front lawn while Charlotte and Yehudit planned the garden. Then, while driving past the old Osco Drug at 90th and Maple, I noticed several stressed plants outside their parking lot greenhouse. I asked about them and found they were dumpster bound, so rescuing them would save the manager having to pay someone on his staff to throw them out. Thus was born the Benson Plant Rescue. Charlotte and Yehudit saved the plants to give away at the Benson Garden Walk. For the first dozen years we operated out of three adjoining back yards and were known mainly in North Omaha for our low cost plants, free advice, and close fellowship within what was a “majority minority” clientele. What started so humbly back then has evolved to a thriving all-volunteer 501(c)3 nonprofit that now numbers over 2,000 Members and another 2,700 Friends. Our storefront at 7224 Maple has become a magnet of sorts for gardeners of every age, gender, race, religion, nationality, politics, education, whatever. We are welcoming to any and all. Come visit us some weekend (open in Winter, Sat/Sun, 10-4) and see for yourself what people are talking about. Not to harp about money, but donations made from now through January 6 receive a match. Details at BensonPlantRescue.org. Thank you for listening to us today. We look forward to visiting again next week. Until then, believe in a Miracle and it might just come true. Happy Hanukkah! Growing Community, Not Just Plants Read more in the Rosh Hashanah edition of The Jewish Press, Sept. 7, 2019, Section 2.
B8 | The Jewish Press | December 13, 2019
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Hanukkah history retold Continued from page B5 He writes: “The Hasmonean revolt... was a popular campaign to safeguard the freedom of a people to freely practice their faith and traditions regardless of the whims of an emperor... the Maccabees fought to end the Greek intolerance of theirs... Their mission was to stymie the very deadly plans of a megalomaniacal, absolutist dictator who drew no limits to the level of oppression and exploitation he would thrust upon the powerless citizens of a tiny client state... the Jews did not revolt against Hellenistic culture, which, by the time of the revolt in 167BCE had been around for at least six decades, but against a king who sought to enforce that culture both to the exclusion of all others and at the pain of death... the Maccabees revolted against a tyrant who sought to destroy Judaism... the Jews
fought not against a system of Hellenistic belief but a system of Hellenistic oppression. Sybil Kaplan is a journalist, lecturer, book reviewer, food writer and author (Witness to History: Ten Years as a Woman Journalist in Israel), nine cookbooks (including What’s Cooking at Hadassah College.) She lived in Israel from 1970-1980; she and her husband, Barry, came to live in Jerusalem in 2008, where she works as a foreign correspondent for North American Jewish publications, lectures to senior citizen residences, leads walks in English in Machaneh Yehudah, the Jewish produce market and writes stories about kosher restaurants in Janglo.net for which Barry photographs. She has been book reviewing for 40 years.
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The Jewish Press | December 13, 2019 | B9
France will create hate crimes office after desecration of Jewish cemetery
hanukkah
French police stand guard at the Westhoffen Jewish cemetery's entrance near Strasbourg, eastern France, Dec. 3, 2019, after 107 graves were found vandalized with swastikas and anti-Semitic inscriptions. Credit: Patrick Hertzog/AFP via Getty Images mARCY oSTER JTA The French government said it will establish a hate crimes office in the wake of the vandalization of more than 100 gravestones at a Jewish cemetery. The vandalism, which included anti-Semitic imagery and text, was discovered Tuesday at the Jewish cemetery of Westhoffen near Strasbourg in eastern France, the AFP news agency reported. French Interior Minister Christophe Castaner announced a plan to open the new national office to fight hate crimes the following day. Castaner condemned the graffiti as a sign that “hate is on our national territory,” adding: “We must respect the right to believe.” The office, which would be part of the gendarmerie, France’s military police, will be charged with investigating all anti-Semitic, anti-Muslim and anti-Christian acts, Castaner said. “Jews are and make France,” French President Emmanuel Macron tweeted after the attack. “Those who attack them, even their graves, are not worthy of the idea we have of France.” “Anti-Semitism is a crime and we will fight it in Westhoffen as everywhere until our dead can sleep in peace,” Macron wrote.
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Chocolate gelt meets chocolate guilt
I
ozzIE noGG love chocolate. Fine Belgium truffles or M&Ms, makes no never mind. Long as it’s dark, I’m happy. Therefore, each Hanukkah brings my personal December Dilemma: tasteless milk chocolate Hanukkah gelt. An article in Bon Appetit likened the bland discs to halfmelted candles with flavor akin to a chew toy. Ditto and amen. There’s gotta be something better than this. And there is. My on-line search for dark chocolate Hanukkah gelt uncovered what I craved -- 64% cacao gelt with sea salt, to boot. This up-scale Kosher product is molded to resemble Judean coins minted circa 40 B.C.E., and instead of almost impossible to remove foil wrapping, each little darling is dusted with gold or silver. A box of eighteen sets you back sixteen bucks. Pricey, for sure. Come to find out, the cost is more dear than I realized. In her book, On the Chocolate Trail: A Delicious Adventure Connecting Jews, Religions, History, Travel, Rituals and Recipes to the Magic of Cacao, Rabbi Deborah Prinz describes the role Jewish traders played from the time of Columbus in the spread of cocoa to Spain and, after the Inquisition, to the rest
of Europe and eventually to England and America. Prinz spotlights the Jewish chocolate-making center of Bayonne, France, where (so they say) Jewish settlers convinced church authorities that chocolate was ‘kosher’ for Lent. She cites examples of chocolate use in Jewish ritual (since wine was scarce in ‘New Spain,’ Mexican Crypto-Jews used chocolate to welcome the Sabbath), and describes the impromptu creation in 1832 of Vienna’s famous Sachertorte by a sixteen-year-old Jewish apprentice baker named Franz Sacher. On the Chocolate Trail acknowledges Barton’s Almond Kisses (of blessed memory) along with the Israeli café offering Chocolate Chunks Pizza and Warm Chocolate Soup. (FYI. In 2013, Belgium issued a limited edition of chocolate flavored stamps.) After the fun facts, Rabbi Prinz switches gears to raise serious moral questions re: modern chocolate production, the treatment of cacao growers and the policies of major candy manufacturers. “Given the themes of Hanukkah around freedom of religion,” she writes, “and given the experiences Jews have had over centuries asserting ourselves as a minority culture, it seems appropriate that at this time of year we should think See Chocolate guilt page B10
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hanukkah Chocolate guilt
Continued from page B9 about finding ethically produced chocolate. There are religious choices that we make about our chocolate. Is it fair trade, is it organic, who made this, is it a 'green' chocolate, a 'happy' chocolate as some people would say?" Uh-oh. Here’s a new December Dilemma. Do I care if the fancy-shmancy Hanukkah gelt I’m drooling to buy is made from cocoa harvested by child slaves? You bet I do. So I sat me down to watch the award-winning 2010 documentary, The Dark Side of Chocolate on YouTube. The film, produced by Danish journalist Miki Mistrati, is an undercover investigation of child labor and trafficked children in chocolate production, particularly in the Ivory Coast. These boys and girls, ranging in age from 9 to 15, are sold into slavery, work 12-hour days, are regularly beaten, starved and never paid. Most of these kids stay with the plantation until they die, never learn to read and write, never see their families again. Corporate representatives, when confronted, denied all use of child labor and trafficking, even though evidence was captured on film. When word of the abuse surfaced, the Harkin-Engel Protocol -- aka the Cocoa Protocol -- was created in 2001 to eliminate child trafficking and slave labor in the cocoa industry. The heads of eight major chocolate companies signed and witnessed the Protocol, pledging its implementation by 2005. Today, trafficking and slavery continue in Western Africa, nearly ten years after the cocoa industry pledged to end it. So how can we consumers ensure that those who produce Hanukkah gelt are paid properly for their work? Start by finding out where fair trade chocolate is sold and then use the power of your purse. (Helpful websites are below.) Under fair trade principles, workers enjoy safe working conditions, earn a living wage, and forced child labor is strictly prohibited. Fair trade supports a key tenet of Judaism: Tzedek
Tzedek Tirdof. Justice, justice shall you pursue. Deuteronomy teaches, “You shall not exploit a hired worker who is poor and needy, whether one of your brothers or a stranger living in your land.” Rabbi Prinz says, “Our tradition has sensitivity about humane treatment of workers and human beings. We Jews are committed to fairness to the laborer. It’s about economic justice.” To which Rabbi David Baum of Boca Raton, FL adds, “There are ethics and laws regarding our food and our consumption of food. Fair trade brings us closer to our food because we know who is growing it, that they are treated fairly. Fair treatment of workers conforms to values and laws of Torah.” Legend has it that Hanukkah gelt is linked to the Maccabees’ miraculous victory over the ancient Greeks. To celebrate their freedom, King Matityahu (the last Hasmonean king of Judea) minted national coins. This Hanukkah, after you’ve lit the candles and handed out some (hopefully) guiltfree gelt, recite this prayer by outspoken social activist Rabbi Menachem Creditor. “I hold more than chocolate in my hand. This product I have purchased is a mixture of bitter and sweet flavors; the sweetness represents the dignity and respect of cocoa farmers who own their own company. As Hanukkah is an eight-day reminder that light can penetrate darkness, may this experience of tasting sweet freedom, the bounty of free people’s work, inspire me to add more light to the world.” Ditto and amen. To watch The Dark Side of Chocolate go to: http://www. youtube.com/watch?v=7Vfbv6hNeng. For information on fair trade practices and Jewish values, visit: T’ruah: the Rabbinic Call for Human Rights at http://www.truah.org/ and Fair Trade Judaica at http://www.fairtradejudaica.org. Lists of fair trade cocoa products are found at http://fairtradeusa. org/products-partners/cocoa and http://www. foodispower. org/chocolate-list/.
DoRIT SASSon This story originally appeared on Kveller. ’m sitting in a sold-out first weekend movie premiere of A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, delighted by the fact that this movie was filmed in my Pittsburgh neighborhood, Squirrel Hill. It’s an upscale, multicultural neighborhood that is also the center of the city’s Jewish community. Sadly, it is most famous now for the deadly attack on the Tree of Life synagogue. Squirrel Hill is also, quite literally, Mister Rogers’ neighborhood. Fred Rogers lived in Squirrel Hill, and for 33
I
Tom Hanks, left, and Mister Rogers, whom he portrays in a film about the famed TV show host. Credit: Vittorio Zunino Celotto/Getty Images; Bettmann/Getty Images years he filmed Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood at the nearby WQED studios. While surely anyone who grew up watching the show feels a personal connection to Rogers, here in Pittsburgh, he isn’t just a global icon. He’s a local hero. We’re at Squirrel Hill’s Manor Theater, where the ticket-taker greeted us wearing a red cardigan while singing “It’s a beautiful day in Manorland.” I’m filled with anticipation, imagining how Tom Hanks might bring Mister Rogers to life. As the movie begins, Hanks comes down the stairs clad in Rogers’ iconic red cardigan. He sings the well-known opening music to Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, “It’s a beautiful day in the neighborhood” — and the entire theater joins in a singalong. Hanks, as Rogers, is tying his sneakers, singing and looking directly at me — just like See In the Jewish heart of Pittsburgh page B11
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In the Jewish heart of Pittsburgh Continued from page B10 Rogers used to do, many years ago, when I was a preschooler watching his show in my family’s New York City living room. I’m trying not to get distracted by the obvious physical differences — Hanks’ glasses, his rounder face. I’m trying to measure up his smile and intonation against the memory of Rogers. Yet I’m comforted and reassured that Hanks is able to give voice to a very public person who, through the magic of television, as well as his pure and honest delivery, had a special way of making me feel special and cared for, just as he did for millions of other children. Seeing Hanks “do” Rogers is like meeting my long-lost friend all over again. And not just for the two hours that I’m sitting in the theater. Like so many children who grew up watching his show, Rogers is someone I’ve long felt deeply compassionate toward — and that feeling only strengthened after the Tree of Life attack. In those early and very dark moments, when a gunman murdered 11 Jewish souls, my social media feed became flooded with Mister Rogers memes. “Look for the helpers,” they said, “You will always find people who are helping.” When Rogers first uttered those lines, he was referring to his own memories of feeling scared by terrible news as a boy, and how his mother would encourage him to look for those helpers. In Rogers’ words, “To this day, especially in times of disaster, I remember my mother’s words and I am always comforted by realizing that there are still so many helpers — so many caring people in this world.” But during those very dark and traumatic days
after the attack, I kept listening, looking for those helpers. Where were they? Turns out they were there; I just had to be patient. The following week, during a rally for peace and unity held in honor of the victims in the Tree of Life synagogue shooting, Tom Hanks would appear in the pouring rain, next to Joanne Rogers, Rogers’ widow. Hanks was just one of many helpers who would stand in solidarity with us, as if he was an insider to our community, to our pain. At that moment, he wasn’t just an adored celebrity, he was someone who cared about my city — our city, our community. Our city and community came together in a most unprecedented way: There were crocheted hearts strung to tree branches; there were deliveries of notes, cards, flowers from across the globe; there were donations of money and meals; and Jews from other cities flocked to Pittsburgh to mourn with us, the prayers from so many lifting us up. In our community’s most vulnerable state, I stayed focused on those helpers. For months following the attack, buses flickered the slogan “Pittsburgh Strong” instead of their usual route numbers. Seeing how the entire city of Pittsburgh, the world at large, and Tom Hanks stood in solidarity with those beloved murdered souls unlocked Judaism’s highest value for me, personally: caring for the other. Perhaps this is the greatest legacy of Mister Rogers — for the Pittsburgh community, and for the increasingly scary world at large: That in our darkest hour, with compassion and kindness as our guide, we can still find our way toward the light. We don’t need to just look for the helpers, we can be the helpers and light the way for others.
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ozzIE noGG We writers never know what oddball info we’ll uncover while trolling the internet for Hanukkah inspiration. Case in point: In December 2008, Peter Czerwinski (sir-WIN’-skee) won the Zan’s Deli National Potato Latke Eating Championship in Lake Grove, NY, after he snarfed down 46 latkes in eight minutes. Czerwinski (aka, Furious Pete) demolished the previous record of 31 latkes, set by Massachusetts eater Tom “Goose” Gilbert in 2006. Czerwinski, who said he’d never eaten a latke before, consumed about seven pounds of them during the competition. Pete credits his success to a lack of communication between his brain and his stomach. “I’m just a power eater,” the 6-foot-2, Toronto bodybuilder explained. “My brain never signals that I’m full.” For the statisticians among us, Pete averaged one latke every 10.4 seconds, and eyewitness reports claim Czerwinski was “still licking applesauce from his stubble when the contest ended.” For putting his money where his mouth is, Pete took home $300, or about $363 Canadian. “I guess the top prize I’ve won was five grand,” Czerwinski said. “Its like working, technically, for five to ten minutes, so you’re getting paid pretty well per hour. It’s too bad I can’t do it all the time.” Word of Czerwinski’s feat was picked up by UPI, USA Today, NBC News, AP and Haaretz. The Jerusalem Post gave Furious Pete kudos for dispatching (metric lovers, rejoice) three kilos of spuds. The New Indian Express (with English readers in Mumbai, Bangalore, Hyderabad and throughout the Punjab, West Bengal and Andhra Pradesh) also ran the story, perhaps due to an ethnic affinity for Paratha, the traditional Indian pan fried flat bread usually served
with yogurt. (Not latkes with sour cream, but close.) The buzz over Czerwinski’s achieve-
ment clogged social media message boards, too. And not every post was positive. “Maybe I’m wrong,” wrote Anonymous, “but how many munchkins that most likely went to bed hungry that night could have been fed with those potatoes? Or maybe it’s just me being a grouchy old (expletive).” Now 34, Czerwinski -- who battled anorexia as a teen -- holds fourteen Guinness World Records in competitive eating, including those for gobbling a whole raw onion in 43.53 seconds, devouring seventeen bananas in two minutes and finishing fifteen hamburgers in ten minutes. Pete auditioned for the first season of Canada’s Got Talent (he inhaled five hard boiled eggs, three pieces of Canadian bacon, two bananas and a jug of milk in fifty-one seconds) but was eliminated by the eventual winners, three teen hoofers from Manitoba’s Sagkeeng First Nation reserve who wowed viewers with their traditional Aborigi-
nal clogging. Even so, Czerwinski rightfully claims celebrity status ever since the eponymous ‘Furious Pete’ (consisting of twenty pieces of bacon, twenty pieces of cheese and a five-pound platter of fries), was named after him when he became the first person (1,500 others tried) to finish the monster meal. For kosher competitive eaters, this was clearly no contest. But back to this hunky he-man and Hanukkah. Along with his potato pancake eating crown, Czerwinski grabbed the Guinness record for Almost-LikeA-Jelly-Donut consumption after downing seventeen Jaffa Cakes in 60 seconds. So, fine. Jaffa Cakes are actually circles of airy sponge smeared with sugary orange jelly and frosted with bitter dark chocolate. (Not sufganiyot, but close.) However, since the confections are named for Israel’s Jaffa oranges, that makes them first cousins to Hanukkah jelly donuts in my book. After he polished off the 17 ersatz sufganiyot, Czerwinski conceded, “Wow. That was a lot harder than I thought.” Finally. For reasons that defy explanation, Czerwinski once chugged a 750milliliter bottle of olive oil in one minute. Think about it. In one minute, the man ingested enough olive oil to fill a standard bottle of wine. That’s like five, maybe six glasses of the grape. Now, had Pete tossed back a half dozen glasses of Shiraz, Pinot Grigio, Liebfraumilch, Roditis rosé, sparkling Proseco or even a full-bodied sweet yet crisp Manishewitz Cream Blush Concord, I’d totally get it. But five or six glasses of olive oil? Knock-my-socks-off-stupefying. The stats on how many nights said oil would burn are unavailable. The fact that Czerwinski survived this bizarre binge is a true miracle, Hanukkah or otherwise.
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I didn’t need to marry Jewish, but I wound up with a rabbi STEPHAnIE BElSkY This story originally appeared on Alma. I am a product of a Jewish day school education, eight years of Jewish summer camp, and a Conservative Jewish upbringing. Finding a Jewish partner to marry and have Jewish babies with was in my DNA, as was tikkun olam. So it came as a huge shock to me that throughout my 20s and early 30s, not once was I attracted to a Nice Jewish Boy. I had been on dating apps for eight years seeking my bashert. I dated a series of awful Jewish and non-Jewish men. One guy, definitely not Jewish, told me he was “legally” still married — after we had been dating a year. Oy. As I dated more non-Jewish men, I created this narThe author and her rabbi fiancé rative in my head: “Well, at least I’ll raise my children Jewish.” But here’s the thing: You can’t guarantee this unless you find a partner who’s spiritually on the same page as you are, and even then there’s no guarantee. I remember sitting at dinner with my Jewish parents when we inevitably ended up talking about my love life. Ugh. But instead of shutting down the conversation and drowning my singledom in dirty martinis, I finally spoke out loud to the universe and my parents exactly what I was looking for in my partner. “No,” I said, “my partner did not need to be Jewish. They needed to keep up with me, be kind, have confidence and hold their own in a room, and be generous with their money and their time.” The list went on but I was clear: No, being Jewish was not a prerequisite; he just needed to be open to the idea of raising our children Jewish. That last part seemed to satisfy my parents’ heartfelt desire for a future grandchild’s bar/bat mitzvah. See I didn’t need to marry page B14
hanukkah Judith and cheese for Hanukkah SYBIl kAPlAn ention food for Hanukkah and everyone immediately responds—latkes and sufganiyot. But someone may say cheese pancakes. Cheese? Why? The Shulchan Aruch, or Code of Jewish Law, written in the 1500s by Rabbi Joseph Ben Ephraim Caro, a Jew from the Iberian Peninsula, is a digested version of commentaries on laws in the Talmud [commentaries on the first five books of the Bible]. This Shulchan Aruch is meant to be an authoritative volume on commandments. In this volume, supposedly there is a legend that dairy dishes and cheese pancakes were to be eaten for Hanukkah to commemorate the bravery of a woman named Judith, who was a Hasmonean, the same clan as the Maccabee family. So who is Judith and why do some Jews honor her at Hanukkah? The Book of Judith is actually part of the Apocrypha (books not included in the Bible as read by Jews and Protestants). Originally written in Hebrew, the 16 chapters of the standard version of the Book of Judith are in Greek. It is surmised that the author of this book was a Jew who lived and wrote in Palestine and probably lived near Shechem. In the Book of Judith, interestingly enough, Judith is not mentioned in the first half of the story. In the second half, first her lineage is described then we are
told that this young woman was a widow for three years and four months, widow of Manasseh, who belonged to her tribe and who suffered some kind of heat stroke while overseeing the barley harvest and subsequently died in the town of Bethulia in northern Samaria where they lived. We read: “She was beautiful in appearance and was very lovely to behold.” Judith was also wealthy, having been left gold and silver and menservants and maidservants and cattle and lands. In the story, it is related that Bethulia was under siege by the army of Holofernes, Commanderin-Chief of the 6th century BCE Assyrian King, Nebuchadnezzar. Holofernes was a soldier who wanted to destroy any people who did not support his king. In the story, he cut off the water supply of Bethulia. After 34 days, when the town leaders were ready to surrender to Holofernes, the town magistrate, Uzziah, suggested five more days as a compromise to see if G-d would intervene. Of course the people were thirsty, and Uzziah told Judith to pray for rain. She was not happy with that suggestion, so she convinced the magistrates to let her try to do something independently—”Stand at the town gate tonight so that I may go out with my maid... Only, do not try to find out what I am doing; for I will not tell you until I have finished what I am about to do.” First, she put ashes on her head and uncovered the sack See Judith and cheese page B14
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hanukkah Judith and cheese for Hanukkah Continued from page B13 cloth, then she prayed to G-d to hear her, and she prayed for strength to G-d to strike down the enemy. “Give to me, a widow, the strong hand to do what I plan.” She then went to her house with her maid, removes her widow’s clothes, which she had worn for the past three years, washed her body, anointed herself, braided her hair and dressed beautifully as when she was married. She adorned herself with bracelets and chains and rings and earrings and ornaments—”to entice the eyes of all the men who might see her.” She and her maid then went outside the city gates with wine and oil, roasted grain, fig cakes and bread, and dishes on which to eat. Together they went down to the gate of Bethuliah where Uzziah and the elders stood. They opened the gate and she and her maid walked down the mountain, past the valley until they were out of sight. She was greeted by the Assyrian soldiers who took her into custody. They inquired who was she and where was she going. She told them she was a woman of the Hebrews fleeing from them. She told the soldiers she had information on the Israelites for Holofernes and she would show him how to capture the hill country. The soldiers then chose 100 men to take her to his tent. The men who were with Holofernes left his tent, and Judith went inside where Holofernes was laying on a bed under a canopy woven with purple and gold and emeralds and pre-
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cious stones. She bowed before him, and his servants helped her up. They talked, and she told him she would give him information so he could attack Bethulia. Holofernes and his servants were impressed. Holofernes offered Judith food and drink, but she refused. She then left and went to sleep in her tent. She remained in his camp for three days and each night, she bathed in a nearby spring and then returned to her tent. On the fourth day, Holofernes asked his eunuch to persuade Judith to come to a banquet in his tent. It appeared she had gained his trust. This time, she accepted. She adorned herself, and her maid entered his tent and placed skins on the ground near where Holofernes was sitting. When Judith entered, we read: “Holofernes’ heart was ravished with her and his passion was aroused, for he had been waiting for an opportunity to seduce her from the day he first saw her.” Judith drank and ate what her maid prepared. “Holofernes was greatly pleased with her, and drank a great quantity of wine, much more than he had ever drunk in any one day since he was born.” His servants left them alone, and he fell asleep dead drunk. Only Judith and Holofernes were in his tent. Her maid was outside. Judith prayed for help from G-d. “Now indeed is the time to help your heritage and to carry out my design to destroy the enemies who have risen up against us.” See Judith and cheese page B15
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Continued from page B13 Then, a month later, I started talking to somebody on the dating app Hinge. Jeff messaged me four times before I gave him the time of day. As I walked into the bar to meet him, I remember seeing Jeff and having this strangely comfortable feeling of, “Oh, there he is,”as if I recognized him from somewhere else. And not just a recognition of, “Phew! He looks like his photos!” but a deep, soul level recognition. We hit it off and laughed our asses off the entire night. Drinks, dinner, and then I invited him to ice cream. On our second date, breakfast on the morning before Rosh Hashanah, Jeff invited me to the High Holiday services he was leading. Immediately I started to freak out and thought, “I’ve NEVER been attracted to a Jewish man … am I really about to date a rabbi?!” I liked this guy. Really liked him. But I was definitely not ready to see him “be a rabbi” before our third date. I thanked him for the invite and told him I already had plans. So, instead, I stood miserably at services held at the Writers Guild Theater in Beverly Hills with my only Jewish girlfriend who I could convince to go with me. So when Jeff invited me to Yom Kippur, I accepted his invitation. The night before, I bailed on Kol Nidre services and opted for a completely dramatic and totally unnecessary existential crisis: Where should I sit/stand? What should I wear? Should I look sexy? No, it’s Yom Kippur, idiot. OK, maybe just a little sexy. Am I really dating a rabbi? Am I ready to see him be a rabbi?! Am I Jewish enough for a Reform rabbi? Am I too Jewish for a Reform rabbi? Maybe I shouldn’t go. I think I’m coming down with something. I’ll text Jeff. I told him I wasn’t feeling well and didn’t think I’d make it to his service. He seemed disappointed but understood, and then he sent me one of my favorite texts ever: a photo of a ring on a middle finger that said “רובעי הז םג,” which in English means, “This too shall pass.” I realized how dumb I was being and how badly I needed to get out of my head. I liked this man, and I would have liked him regardless of the fact that he was a rabbi, or even Jewish for that matter. I went to the service and was very glad I did. He must have really liked me, too. And two years later, he proposed … in Israel. SO cliché. Both Jeff and I being Jewish makes our lives easier, though it completely and unequivocally does not matter. It wasn’t Judaism that brought us together. It’s the connection we have, the values we share, the families we come from, the love we have for each other and the people we have become that will make our marriage work. To quote his Rosh Hashanah sermon this year, “Love isn’t Jewish, love is love.” I know now that I am absolutely “Jewish enough” to marry a rabbi. I’m not great at baking challah, but I’m learning. I sit with our community, where they’ll occasionally witness me sticking my tongue out at my rabbi fiance when we make eye contact during services. I wear whatever I want and at Rosh Hashanah services this year, my friend said I looked “rebbetzin chic.” Looks like I’m on my way to becoming a solid rabbi’s wife, which, as it turns out, means I just get to be me.
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Judith and cheese for Hanukkah Continued from page B14 She then took his sword, took hold of his hair and struck his neck twice and cut off his head. She pulled his body off the bed and covered it with the canopy. She gave the head to her maid to put in their food bag. They left the camp and returned to Bethulia. When the men of the city heard her voice, they called the elders to gather at the city gate and open it for her. Judith took the head of Holofernes out of the bag and showed it to them. They were astonished, and they thanked G-d. She told them to hang the head on the wall. At day break, then they should take up their weapons and look as if they were going to attack the Assyrian outpost. Holofernes’ men will run to Holofernes, they will panic and flee and the men of Bethulia will pursue them and cut them down. At dawn, the men of Bethulia hung the head of Holofernes on the highest part of the wall and waited at the mountain passes with their weapons. The Assyrian soldiers could not believe their eyes, so they went to Holofernes’ tent and found his body on the floor. The eunuch ranted and raved about what this woman had done. One of Holoferns’ men is so shocked, he wants to be circumcised himself and asks to become one of them. The high priest came from Jerusalem to salute Judith and bless her. He gave the tent of Holofernes and his possessions to Judith. Then all the women of Israel ran together to see Judith and they blessed her and performed a dance in her honor. They adorned her with olive branches, and she went before all the people in the dance, leading all the women, and the men followed the women. The procession continued to Jerusalem where Judith took the possessions of Holofernes and offered them as a gift to the Lord. The celebrations in Jerusalem lasted three months. Then Judith and the townspeople returned to Bethulia. Judith continued to live there and rejected all the proposals from men who wanted to marry her. At the age of 105, she freed her maid and distributed her property since she had no children. She died and was buried in a cave in Bethulia with her husband. “No one ever again spread terror among the Israelites during the lifetime of Judith, or for a long time after her death.” One might ask, is there any historical truth to this story? Although the original Hebrew versions did not remain and the story was translated into Greek, it appears that the king was Antiochus Epiphanes, so the period of the story was Hellenistic when the Maccabees were battling their enemies. The legend in the Mishnah says Judith fed Holofernes cheese to make him thirsty. Since
Judith lived about the same time as those of the clan from which the Maccabee brothers came, and they are the heroes of Hanukkah, around the 14th century, some Jews instituted the eating of cheese pancakes and cheese blintzes at Hanukkah in honor of her heroism. Indeed, cheese is mentioned in some ancient versions of Judith 10:5, which list the foods that Judith took with her when she left the besieged city to visit Holifernes. Nevertheless, [the book of] Judith 12:17-20, which describes the way in which Judith got Holofernes to go to sleep, says explicitly that Judith gave him wine to drink and not a cheese dish! Meanwhile, many Jews retain the custom of honoring Judith by eating cheese for Hanukkah, and the custom of eating dishes like cheese, cheesecake and blintzes emerged from the story of Judith. Some believe the salty cheese that Judith served Holofernes may have been in the form of fried cakes. Recipes for ricotta pancakes in Italy and feta cheese pancakes in Greece may be modern versions of these ancient fried cakes. Today many people serve sour-cream pancakes at Hanukkah in memory of Judith. Others serve rugelach, a half-moon creamcheese cookie, which may be a far cry from the original cheesecake, but is nevertheless a melt-in-the-mouth delicacy perfect for the fanciest party. Sephardim typically prepare various rudimentary doughnuts (bimuelos and loukoumades) and fried pastries, such as shamlias (fried dough strips) and zalabiya (batter poured into hot oil in a thin spiral, similar to Amish funnel cakes, and coated with syrup or honey). North African Jews enjoy debla, dough rolled to resemble a rose, deep-fried and dipped in sugar or honey. Italians honeydip deep-fried diamond-shaped pieces of yeast dough called frittelle. The Bene Israel in India prepare milk-based fried pastry called gulab jamun. If you want to add a new custom to your Hanukkah celebrations, serve some cheese dishes. Sybil Kaplan is a journalist, lecturer, book reviewer, food writer and author (Witness to History: Ten Years as a Woman Journalist in Israel), nine cookbooks (including What’s Cooking at Hadassah College.) She lived in Israel from 1970-1980; she and her husband, Barry, came to live in Jerusalem in 2008, where she works as a foreign correspondent for North American Jewish publications, lectures to senior citizen residences, leads walks in English in Machaneh Yehudah, the Jewish produce market and writes stories about kosher restaurants in Janglo.net for which Barry photographs. She has been book reviewing for 40 years.
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The Jewish Press | December 13, 2019 | C1
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HANUKKAH ARCHIVES
Jane Austen’s Love and Latkes: Revelations from lost latke literature December 27, 2005 ach year at the University of Chicago, a wellattended debate draws a speaker panel packed with academic firepower that has included university presidents and Nobel Prize winners. The subject of this learned discourse? The comparative merits of two lofty Jewish contributions to the culinary arts: latkes and hamantashen. An enthusiastic audience then weighs the arguments, which range from punning poetry to pseudo-history to elaborate theorems. At this year’s November debate, according to a JTA news report, the potato pancake outpolled the Purim pastry by nearly a two-to-one margin. In honor of Hanukkah, we now offer our readers a sampling of landmark moments from the pro-latke side of the debate, in edited excerpts from the new book The Great Latke-Hamantash Debate. I have, in the abstract, no disrespect for the hamantash, and I have over the years eaten one on the proper occasions, combining duty with pleasure, but even as I say this it reveals the moral as well as the aesthetic problem. It leaves me uneasy. The eating of the hamantash is, in every sense, too sweet. You’ve eaten one, you’ve eaten them all. The very shape of the thing is antihumanistic, mathematical, limited, bounded. There have got to be higher and more complex joys in God’s world. Now a latke is different, more liberating to
a scholar of the humanities. It has a free form, not definable by any geometrical preconception or even description. Like the flakes from heaven, or the leaves of the trees, no two latkes are exactly alike. They are in that sense, without end. Who would ever eat one latke and think he had performed an intelligent or fulfilling act? You eat them to the extent of your capacity. Whatever space God has given you, you occupy. It is a holy thought. It is a complicated synthesis of divine contraries — latkes are real, even greasy, and they are infinite. One stops eating them not because the spirit is ever satisfied, but because one might burst and pass over into a higher form of existence, latkes forever. The remarkable thing about all this union of opposites, and its validation, is that there is no guilt in stuffing yourself with latkes — think of that! No guilt! — a unique experience in a specific culture. Now that last point, of cultural specificity is, I think, not a small one. The form, and the correspondent function, of the latke are distinctly different from the hamantash, and this difference has a widely resonant significance. Matthew Arnold recognized that, when he said that the hamantash was Hellenic, while the latke, Hebraic. He did not, however, understand fully the consequences of this insight, and in his preference for See Love and latkes page C2
C2 | The Jewish Press | December 13, 2019
hanukkah ARCHIVES
Love and Latkes
Continued from page C1 Hellenism he absurdly missed the point by rejecting the latkes because they were not sweet and light. I really think my grandmother was quite right when she would say, whenever the subject came up, “Matthew Arnold — what does he know from latkes?” That imaginative freedom of form in the latke was better understood, as one would expect, by someone like Shakespeare, when he said, “The lover, the lunatic, and the latke are of imagination all compact.” I don’t want to press this too far, but one should not dismiss lightly the importance of these alliterative linkages, since they have always been one sign of the ways in which the latke lends itself readily to poetic expression. Could you put “hamantash” in a poem? Only in grotesque parody, whereas we know how magnificently Swinburne succeeded in his Lyric of the Latke, in which, characteristically, he drives both the alliteration and the love to an extreme of shocking sensuality, as in that memorable line, “Lavish me with latkes, lingering lasciviously, labial, lingual, laryngeal; leave me not languishing for the lumpy lamellate latke I lust...” And so on, for a total of twenty-six lines. He even finds, brilliantly, a rhyme for “latke,” which I forget at the moment. But I want to conclude by citing an example of more classic sobriety, from a great author, an example that ties together several of the points I have been making on the interconnections of the alliteration and the love, the specific and the universal, and the guiltless indulgence. There is an unpublished and little known piece by Jane Austen, which I finally tracked down a few years ago at her home, in the back of a secret cabinet. Actually, it was in the kitchen. It is a sequel to Sense and
jEWISH PRESS NoTICES
Sensibility and Pride and Prejudice entitled, Love and Latkes, in which the sprightly young heroine comes to discover that love lies heavy at her heart, and the rather less witty hero finds out that latkes don’t sit so light in the stomach either. The turning point of the action, so to speak, comes as the heroine is mixing a batch. While preparing the potatoes, she skins her knuckles on the grater. Leah — for that is her name — nearly falls lifeless to the floor, but Louis — for that is his — fearful that she will not finish with the cooking, catches her up and bears her to the sofa. This advance to happiness is delayed, in the succeeding chapter, when he begins to eat the latkes, eagerly and rapidly, in such immoderate quantities that, in Jane Austen’s proper words, he allows imperfectly articulated and indigested sounds of satisfaction to rise from his waistcoat and escape his lips. “Had you behaved more like a gentleman, Sir,” she cries, “you would have apologized for this shocking indelicacy. Are not you sorry?” But Louis replies, as well as he can with his mouth full, “Latkes is never having to say you’re sorry.” And she knows she loves him. There was perfect happiness in their union, because he loved her too, for the intelligence, the beauty, and the tested virtue he had found in her. As he delighted to explain in after years, “Could she make latkes!” Stuart Tave is a professor emeritus in the English department at the University of Chicago. The above essay is a JTA-edited excerpt from the book The Great Latke-Hamantash Debate, edited by Ruth Fredman Cernea (University of Chicago Press, 2006). Excerpt copyright 2005 by the University of Chicago. All rights reserved. The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
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100,000 Jews attend Hanukkah Festivals in key American cities
December 24, 1957 JTA More than 100,000 persons attended Hanukkah Festivals for Israel Bonds to celebrate Israel’s tenth anniversary in major cities of the United States and Canada. Admission to these events was by purchase of Israel bonds. Hanukkah festivals for Israel took place in New York, Chicago, Philadelphia, Omaha, St. Louis, Cleveland, Boston, Los Angeles, Toronto and other key communities. These festivals featured musical and dramatic salutes to Israel, starring outstanding American and Israeli actors, musicians, singers and dancers of opera, stage, screen and television. In New York City, the annual Hanukkah Festival in Madison Square Garden attracted nearly 40,000 Israel bond purchasers at two sell-out performances. Simcha Pratt, Israel Consul General in New York, addressing the second Hanukkah festival here tonight at Madison Square Garden– attended by more than 18,000 persons expressed the thanks of the Israel Government for the support of the Israel bond drive in the United States and stressed the importance of aiding Israel to attain economic independence. Israel is composed of a heroic synthesis, made up of builders in the field and the economic support of world Jewry as expressed in the purchase of Israel bonds,” he said. “This solidarity has enabled Israel to compress 100 years of major capital development in ten years. Without this it would have been difficult, if not impossible, to keep the gates of the country open to the homeless who find in Israel their only hope for liberty and the fulfillment of a free life.” Dr. Israel Goldstein, chairman of the Hanukkah festival committee, announced that the 1957 New York total for Israel bond investments had passed the $10,000,000 mark.
The Jewish Press | December 13, 2019 | C3
B’nai Israel Synagogue Wishes the Community a Happy Hanukkah!
Hanukkah celebrations started; U.S. Jewish leaders explain significance of holiday December 16, 1949 JTA anukkah, the Festival of Lights, which commemorates the first successful struggle for religious freedom in human history and marks the victory of the Maccabees, was ushered in tonight by Jews throughout the country and will be observed for eight days. A Hanukkah message issued today by the Union of American Hebrew Congregations says: “In our day we have seen the forces of reaction and bigotry try to stamp out the flame of freedom. Again men of goodwill have successfully sprung to arms in defense of their God-given rights and liberties. This Festival of Lights and rededication calls upon all men, regardless of race or color or creed, to unite in creating a world of freedom, understanding and peace.” Jacob Blaustein, president of the American Jewish Committee, said in a statement: “The Festival of Lights is more than a sectarian Jewish holiday. It is a part of the heritage of all free
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men serving to recall that, in every age, men of all faiths stand ready to battle and to give their lives to preserve freedom of worship and basic human rights.” HIAS president Samuel A. Telsoy declared: “The candles which are lit tonight and throughout this holiday, in our age-old tradition, symbolize the light of hope which will continue to shine upon those of our brothers who still bear in Europe the burden of oppression and homelessness. HIAS will continue to explore still further avenues of rescue for Jews in Europe, particularly in the Eastern portion of that continent, who long to be reunited with their scattered kin in other parts of this world.” An exhibition of ancient Hanukkah ceremonial menorahs, including many lamps from Morocco, Turkey, Russia, Israel and other countries, as well as the personal lamp of the late Baron Maurice de Hirsch (1831-1896), famous English philanthropist and founder of the Jewish Colonization Association, went on display today at the Yeshiva University here.
Collection of gifts for children for Hanukkah and Christmas to be made for sixth year September 11, 1950 JTA Plans for the sixth annual collection of gifts for the Hanukkah and Christmas seasons to be carried out by children up to the age of 18 in the United States and some 18 countries abroad were announced here today by the Committee on World Friendship among Children.
The Committee, assisted by the mayors of the capital and major cities of the countries involved, which includes Israel, will celebrate the sixth festival this year on December 15, between the Hanukkah and Christmas periods. In the last five years some 200,000 children have exchanged over 2,000,000 gifts and handpainted greeting cards.
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C4 | The Jewish Press | December 13, 2019
Is it ok to be happy on Hanukkah? It depends how you define being happy November 24, 1999 Does Hanukkah make us happy? “Watching the candles burn makes me happy,” says my son Gabe, 12. “Especially on the last night.” “I like the story of the Maccabees,” says Danny, eight. “Getting eight presents makes me happy,” says Jeremy, 10, unabashedly. But according to the National Opinion Research Center, even without the anticipation of a holiday, six out of 10 Americans already consider ourselves “pretty happy.” Three out of 10 are “very happy,” and only one in 10 is “not too happy.” But what do we mean by happy? The Random House Dictionary defines happiness as good fortune, pleasure, contentment or joy. The Jewish thinker Dennis Prager says that happiness is a serious problem. Proverbial wisdom claims that ignorance is bliss. And the Apocrypha warns, “Count no man happy till he dies.” We can’t agree on what constitutes happiness. On whether it’s episodic or cumulative. On whether it’s attainable in this life, the next life or in no life. But we can agree that happiness is universally desired and seasonally solicited. But definitions aside, what makes us happy? The ancient rabbis claim that the study of Torah is the greatest source of happiness — and the purpose for our existence. Psalm 128 says, “Happy is every one that feareth the Lord, that walketh in His ways.” Starbucks Coffee insists that eating the pastry du jour induces happiness.
Psychologists, who customarily focus on anxiety, alienation and aberrant behavior, can, unsurprisingly, specify what doesn’t make us happy. For starters, money. Yes, money can’t buy us love. And it can’t buy us happiness either. A chunk of Hanukkah gelt — Yiddish for money — will certainly elicit a gush of glee, but, alas, a temporary one. Studies show that as long as our basic
needs are met, money doesn’t increase happiness, even though we think it does. How about climate? Are those of us lighting menorahs in Southern California more sanguine than those of you in South Dakota? Nope. It’s a false perception that we Californians are happier. And here are five other factors that psychologists claim absolutely do not affect happiness levels: age, race, gender, educational achievement and children — or the lack of them. So why are we standing in long lines, stressed and crazed, tensely tracking down elusive Furby Babies, Millennium Barbies or Pokemon cards, watching our tolerance levels go down and our credit charges go up? To give our children, relatives, friends, coworkers and mail carrier a temporary boost of bliss? And to receive, if we’re lucky, a perfunctory thank you? Gift-giving, in Judaism, has little historical basis. The Bible, in Nehemiah 8: 10, tells us that gift-giving was part of our early Rosh Hashanah celebration: “Send portions unto him for whom nothing is prepared.” We also give gifts on Purim — mishloach manot, the sending of portions, usually fruit and sweets, to at least one friend and, as a form of tzedakah, or charity, donations of food or money to at least two poor people. The custom of giving Hanukkah gelt to children can be traced to 18th-century Eastern Europe, and maybe earlier. For many, gelt was traditionally distributed on the fifth night of Hanukkah, and many sources claim it rewarded children for studying Torah. Our modern custom of exchanging Hanukkah gifts is primarily an American Jewish phenomenon, stemming from the Christian tradition of giving holiday gifts, which itself comes from the Romans’ celebration of the Saturnalia and from other winter solstice holidays in Northern Europe. Only since World War II, with the rise of our materialistic culture, has gift-giving become so lavish, so harried and, ultimately, so impersonal. “Hanukkah is only a minor holiday,” says Zack, 15. “I don’t understand the fuss.” Gifts clearly do not bring lasting happiness. While psychologists can’t tell us what does, they can enumerate the characteristics that happy people share. According to psychologist David Myers, these include confidence, optimism and extroversion, close friendships or a satisfying marriage, absorbing work and leisure activities, and a meaningful religious faith. Of course, no one knows whether these characteristics create happiness or merely result from a happy disposition. Either way, this insight gives us two cues for creating Hanukkah happiness. One is to spend Hanukkah with family, friends and relatives. To eat latkes, play dreidel and perform mitzvahs. To sing and celebrate. And, yes, even to exchange gifts that are proper, personal and thoughtful. “Most of us can just go out and buy whatever we want,” says my husband, Larry. “But a gift from the heart, especially something individually created or selected, something that shows some caring, is a totally different story.” The second cue is to focus on the true meaning of the holiday. To ponder, discuss and debate the miracle of the oil or the astounding victory of a small band of Jews over the Syrian-Greek army. To rededicate ourselves to a Jewish life within our assimilated world. But if family togetherness and significant religious themes don’t ultimately enhance our happiness, here’s something else to consider. Happiness researchers, including Richard Davidson, a professor of psychology at the University of Wisconsin at Madison, now hypothesize that happiness may be no more than a physiological phenomenon: namely, an active left prefrontal brain cortex. Studies show, in fact, that people with more synapses firing in this area of the brain are smiling more often. As Americans, we are politically free to relentlessly seek happiness, no matter how elusive, subjective and indefinable. The Declaration of Independence announces that we are endowed with certain inalienable rights, including life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. As Jews, the First Book of Maccabees commands us to celebrate the eight days of Hanukkah, which it calls the dedication of the altar, “with mirth and gladness.” And, as Judah and his brothers would undoubtedly advocate today, “an active left prefrontal cortex.” Happy Hanukkah! Jane Ulman lives in Encino, Calif., with her husband and four sons.
The Jewish Press | December 13, 2019 | C5
Jews in U.S. Armed Services in Vietnam to receive Hanukkah gifts December 16, 1965 JTA Jewish personnel in the United States armed forces stationed throughout the world will receive more than 50,000 gift-wrapped packages for Hanukkah sent by local groups in this country affiliated with the Women’s Organizations’ Services of the National Jewish Welfare Board, it was announced here today. Many of the recipients of the gifts and supplies for Hanukkah parties will be Jewish servicemen now on duty in Vietnam. Hundreds of gifts, including Jewish books, records, silver mezuzot and Stars of David on chains, as well as refreshments, are on their way to Chaplains Richard E. Dryer, Robert Louis Reiner and Harry Z. Schreiner, the three Jewish chaplains in Vietnam, for distribution during Hanukkah to the growing number of Jewish military personnel in that area. At Chaplain Dryer’s request, 500 battery operated fans have been shipped as Hanukkah gifts for Jewish men stationed in Vietnam to help bring them relief from the heat, humidity and insects. Jewish chaplains in Korea, Italy, France, Germany, Turkey, North Africa, the Aleutian Islands, Guantanamo Bay in Cuba, the Dominican Republic, many Pacific outposts and in all other overseas and stateside areas where Jewish servicemen are stationed will conduct Hanukkah candle-lighting services at military installations. In Veterans Administration hospitals, too, there will be comparable observances. Local JWB Armed Forces and Veterans Services Committees and Jewish Community Centers will cooperate in organizing Hanukkah observances for Jewish GIs and their families on and off military bases.
hanukkah ARCHIVES
Carter dedicates menorah in historic Hanukkah ceremony December 19, 1979 JTA n a historic ceremony with two menorahs on the fourth night of the “Festival of Lights,” President Carter last night dedicated the National Hanukkah Menorah in Lafayette Square, opposite the White House, and acclaimed the holiday’s significance for human freedom everywhere. Both he and Lubavitcher Jimmy Carter Rabbi Abraham Shemtov, alluded to the 50 Americans held hostage in the U.S. Embassy in Teheran in their remarks during the 15-minute lighting ceremony — wax candles in a 36-inch sterling silver menorah presented to the President and electric “flames” in the 36-foot gold-painted stainless steel menorah. It was the first time that Hanukkah candelabras were lighted in the area that has seen many of America’s most historic occasions. “This religious season commemorates the perpetuation of age old dreams and the hunger of men and women down through the ages to maintain a spirit committed to life under the most difficult circumstances, the most difficult persecutions and the most difficult dangers and under the most difficult suffering,” Carter declared, speaking extemporaneously. “It also commemorates humankind’s commitment to be free,” the President said. “So tonight we pray that our close-
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ness to God, our memory of this fine commitment of human beings down through the ages, will strengthen our desire to share our life and our love — not only with the 50 American hostages for whom we pray constantly — but for men and women throughout the world who don’t always have freedom and whose lives might be in danger.” Thanking the American Friends of Lubavitch for presenting the National Menorah, Shemtov, who headed the project, said, “In this way we share the meaning of Hanukkah with the world at large.” He said that, “Hanukkah reminds us that quality will be triumphant over quantity, commitment and dedication will prevail over numbers.” Participants in the ceremonies, in the presence of about 200 spectators in sub-freezing weather, included President Carter’s domestic policy chief Stuart Eizenstat, his wife, Fran, and their sons Jay, 10, and Brian, six, Secretary of Commerce-designate Philip Klutznick; Leonard Goldfine, chairman of the Philadelphia Lubavitch Center; and opera tenor Jan Peerce who chanted “Mooz Tzur, Yeshuati” (Rock of Our Salvation). After the President lit a wax eandle, Jay Eizenstat lit the shamus candle from it and the first of the four candles while offering the traditional blessings in Hebrew. Brian, his father, and Goldfine lit the other candles. In addition to the silver menorah, Shemtov gave the President two booklets, one containing a copy of the Congressional resolution and the President’s proclamation honoring the Lubavitcher movement’s leader, Rabbi Menachem Schneerson on his 76th birthday which was proclaimed “Education Day. U.S.A.,” the other contained the texts of resolutions adopted by 25 states and the proclamations of their governors and the mayors of 30 cities.
C6 | The Jewish Press | December 13, 2019
hanukkah ARCHIVES
Reagan’s Hanukkah message to Begin December 21, 1981 JTA President and Mrs. Reagan sent Hanukkah greetings to Premier and Mrs. Begin today. The eight-day holiday begins tonight. The message, which Cabinet secretary Arye Naor released to the press, said: “Nancy and I wish you and Mrs. Begin a Hanukkah full of joy and happiness. The light of the Hanukkah candles symbolizes the continuity of the Jewish people and its culture, its decision to be free and its constant quest for peace. The United States will always be Israel’s partner in its efforts to bring the blessing of peace to all the nations of the Middle East. “We hope full recovery from your injury.” The latter referred Ronald Reagan to Begin’s broken hip for which he was hospitalized earlier this month. Naor told reporters that Reagan’s message arrived during today’s Cabinet session.
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Humor is in the greeting cards to boost lagging Hanukkah sales December 8, 2006 This black-hatted rapper, complete with peyes, beard and microphone — can hold his own in the brave new world of Hanukkah greeting cards: “Have some fun And spin the dreidel. Grab yourself A zoftek maidel. Don’t you worry About getting chubby. Eat some brisket And kiss your bubbee. Take a latke Two or three. Cause you can’t eat A Christmas tree. Happy Hanukkah.” In a market where sales of greeting cards, once a staple of American culture, have dropped precipitously over the last 15 years — insiders fix the plunge at 30 percent to 50 percent — manufacturers are fighting back by making you laugh. And though the Maccabees might find it puzzling, Hanukkah provides plenty of fodder. Check out the 53 Jewish celebrities — from Bob Dylan to Madeleine Albright to Albert Einstein — whose names adorn the nine blazing candles. The punch line: “Not bad for a menorah-ity. Happy Hanukkah.” Or the “Beatles Top 10 Hanukkah Songs,” including the No. 1 “Eight Days to Eat”; No. 3, “Happiness is a Warm Latke”; and No. 8, “Magical Miracle of the Oil Ant-Acid Tour.” (So maybe Ringo was Jewish after all.) Though many are still in the market for traditional greetings, says Avraham Levine at the Israel Book Shop in Brookline, Mass., his shoppers prefer such offerings as paper cuts for special friends and relatives. He says the Hanukkah rapper denotes a trend to the irreverent, something not as mar-
ketable for more serious religious holidays. In a country where 2.65 billion Christmas cards are sold each year, Hanukkah cards represent a mere 11 million. Boosted to prominence in the West as, like it or not, the Jewish Christmas, Hanukkah has emerged as a card-worthy holiday, even competing with the more traditional Jewish New Year’s greetings. It helps that the prices, $2 to $3, aren’t prohibitive enough to disallow buying these on a whim. So tell me, how I could possibly resist “Greetings from the Dogs of Hanukkah” for my veterinarian sister, what with its sadsack “Goldman Retriever” and his jaunty Photoshopped yarmulke? We Jews have always had a knack of laughing at ourselves. And here in the Diaspora, the underlying joke just may be the ridiculous sight of ourselves as strangers after all these years struggling to find a comfortable niche in the mainstream of American culture. “You know it’s Hanukkah,” reads one card, “when the Fiddler on the Roof comes down your chimney!” “On Isaac! On Izzy! On Eli! On Abe! On Levi! On Morty! On Shlomo! On Gabe! If Santa converted,” reads another. “Merry Hanukkah.” And my favorite of the culture-clash ilk: A “for Santa” card propped alongside a jar of pickled herring, a bagel and a bottle of schnapps. The punch line: “Hey, just because a guy comes to the wrong house doesn’t mean he has to starve. Happy Hanukkah.” “It’s Jews and savvy gentiles who buy Hanukkah cards,” says Bob Furlong, who cheerfully acknowledges he’s a member See Hanukkah greeting cards page C8
The Jewish Press | December 13, 2019 | C7
Sacred lights inspire Jewish actions
November 12, 1996 JTA ach night for eight nights, at the darkest time of year, we light a candle. We recite blessings, uniquely Jewish. We speak of the victory of the small band of Maccabees over the giant Greek army. We recount the stories of the rededication of the Temple, and of the cruse of oil that lasted for eight days. We kindle one, then two, then three, and finally eight lights. The story of the military defeat of the large army by the small one fascinates the young. But as we grow older, we learn the complexity of the story — the Maccabees fought not only the Greeks, but Hellenized Jews as well, and they were not very nice to those assimilated Jews. The nature of our fascination changes. Even as we thank the Maccabees for keeping Judaism alive, we recognize that if they were with us now in America we might find their politics hard to take. Our relationship to the story of the cruse of oil also changes as we mature. For the young, the story is like a fairy tale, but as we experience miracles in our own lives — the constant rebirth of the
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natural world, the grandeur of our planet, quiet moments of personal connection — the story becomes for many a metaphor, rather than the recounting of a real miracle. Instead, the miracle of Hanukkah — intensified in a postHolocaust world — becomes our very survival, as a people and as a nation. As the years go by, our love affair with the candles endures. Their meaning evolves, weaving its way through the fabric of our maturing years, connecting our historical and personal pasts, and our personal and communal present. The candles are a constant in our Jewish lives. How do all these aspects of the holiday come together? What does a military victory have to do with lights in the darkness? And what is it about those lights that is so powerful? Why do they hold our individual and collective interest? Like Hanukkah, the holiday of Nicanor Day, celebrated on the 13th of Adar, also originated in the time of the Hasmoneans. It was a celebration of a military victory — the defeat of General Nicanor by the army of Judah. But Nicanor Day was a celebration only of military victory, and the holiday died out. See Sacred lights page C9
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Deputy Mayor of Jerusalem addresses “Save Jerusalem” Hanukkah Rally in New York December 23, 1949 JTA Declaring that Jerusalem is “the capital of our people and the state of Israel,” Reuven Schreihman, Deputy Mayor of Jerusalem, tonight pledged, in the name of the citizens of Jerusalem: “We will not yield to a decision, which lacks all moral basis and will not accept any government except that of Israel.”
Happy Hanukkah May you and your family have a healthy and joyous holiday at home — this season and beyond.
Mr. Schreihman, who is in this country on a mission for the Histadrut, spoke before an overflow audience of 2,000 persons who attended a “Save Jerusalem” Hanukkah festival held here under the auspices of the American Jewish Congress. Others scheduled to speak were Aubrey Eban, chief of the Israel U.N. delegation, and Dr. David W. Petegorsky, executive director of the A.J.C.
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C8 | The Jewish Press | December 13, 2019
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Continued from page C6 of the latter, and whose three Copley Flair stores do a brisk business in Boston this time of year. When it comes to Hanukkah card sales, the closer the holiday falls to Christmas, the healthier. “If someone’s shopping for cards, they pick them up for their Jewish friends, too,” Furlong says. “Otherwise they probably wouldn’t make a separate trip.” Another area of recent growth is cards targeting interfaith couples. Most of the “Chrismakkah” specimens I found stress the holidays’ common legacies, such as peace or love, featuring an intermingling of trees and menorahs, Santas and rabbis. One features a weary-looking reindeer with one antler displaying Christmas lights, the other a menorah. The punch line: “Happy whatever.” Whatever the message and whatever the target market, now that e-mails and e-cards have forced greeting cards from “I’ve got to” to “I want to,” Furlong says, designers to survive must create cards that leap off the rack and into your hand. “More and more, they grab you with
humor,” he says. Which greatly cheers the folks at Recycled Paper Greetings, who specialize in cards that elicit a laugh or groan. “Our Hanukkah cards sell all over the country,” says their marketing manager, Rick Baldwin, although he concedes, “maybe not quite as well in Nebraska as in New York.” As far as humor goes, the nation’s No. 3 card company is getting a run for its money from the major players. In fact, American Greetings’ L’Chaim line brings us one of the year’s goofiest images: President Bush, appearing oddly constipated, popping out of the shamash, surrounded by no less than eight Condoleezza Rices lighting the other branches of the menorah. Inside it reads: “Ocho Condoleezzas — Happy Hanukkah!” And Hallmark’s Jewish line, Tree of Life, brought out wickedly funny instructions for a whole new twist on a traditional holiday pastime: “Here’s how to have a lot of fun this Hanukkah! Play the dreidel game with some people who aren’t Jewish and make up the rules as you go along.” The punch line inside: “Gimel! That means you have to dance around on one foot and quack like a duck.”
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The Jewish Press | December 13, 2019 | C9
Sacred lights
Continued from page C7 Hanukkah has survived. But if, like Nicanor Day, it had remained solely military and nationalistic in significance, could it have lived on? Perhaps yes. Then, too, perhaps no. The rabbinic commentary on Hanukkah includes a discussion of the rituals of lighting the chanukiah, but nothing about the military victory. Many historians believe this tradition is rooted in pagan celebrations of the winter solstice. However, with the codification of the candle-lighting rituals, the rabbis transformed that tradition, they infused both the ritual and the holiday with Jewish spiritual meaning and, in so doing, they ensured that Hanukkah would not fall victim to the same fate as Nicanor Day. Life. Warmth. Smiling eyes of children. Freedom. Dispelling of darkness and evil. Family. Dancing. The spiritual aspect of Hanukkah embodied in the kindling of the lights endows the holiday with a transcendent potency that personalizes it and guarantees its endurance. The story of the Maccabees — a story of military and political action against the oppressive forces attempting to destroy Judaism and against the Jews who went along with it — is not unconnected to the tradition of kindling lights in the darkness of winter. Stories abound, some true, some legendary, of the power of Hanukkah lights. They come out of the days of the pogroms, out of the Holocaust, even out of the American Revolutionary War. They are all stories about strength gained through the sacred lights. Like the story of the Maccabees, they tell of survival, of the will to live, of finding the courage to fight for freedom.
Here, then, is a connection between these two aspects of the holiday. Any real change within oneself inevitably expresses itself externally and so, as our spiritual strength leads us to change ourselves, it also leads us to action. In Isaac Bashevis Singer’s story, The Power of Light, the Hanukkah lights gave young David and Rachel the strength to leave the Warsaw Ghetto and escape to Palestine. In the tale — whether fact or fiction — of George Washington watching the blazing chanukiah of a Jewish soldier, the lights helped the general find the strength to cross the icy river and defeat the British at Valley Forge. Is it any different for us today? Do not the lights of Hanukkah give us the strength to connect with some new aspect of who we are, personally or as a people? Do they not give us the push we may need to reconnect with family or friends? Do they not give us an ever-evolving insight into what it means to be a Jew? Spiritual strength of being. It is neither hidden nor unseen. It is visible and viable every day of our lives, as we manage not only to live but to triumph in this world fraught with dangers both physical and spiritual. A boy gives his own money to a food pantry. A mother and daughter ascend to a new level of understanding and intimacy. A young man faces inevitable death from AIDS with serenity and courage. An elderly woman discovers previously untapped poetic creativity within herself. In the time of the Maccabees, first there came a military victory and then the kindling of the lights in the Temple. Today, we kindle the lights first, and from them renew our strength to go out and fight our battles, to touch new depths of compassion and understanding, to set free our innermost selves.
hanukkah ARCHIVES
Jews urged by Silver, at Hanukkah Fete, to emulate Maccabees in fight on oppression December 13, 1939 JTA abbi Abba Hillel Silver of Cleveland last night urged Jews to launch an offensive against injustice and oppression, in emulation of the Maccabees of old. He addressed some 250 persons attending the 13th annual Hanukkah dinner of the Metropolitan Conference of Temple Brotherhoods at the Hotel Commodore. “The struggle of the Maccabees anticipated with amazing fidelity of detail the elemental struggle now raging in the world,” Dr. Silver said.”..”Israel was the only dissident, non-conforming people in the whole of antiquity. They refused to accept ‘Gleichshaltung.’ The Maccabees carried on what we would call today an underground movement. Israel has always had as its adversaries the greatest empires of the period, and Israel has survived. Israel has again been singled out for especial fury by pagan imperialism. We again accept the challenge. The victory in the most recent struggle between the sovereignty of the mind and spirit and the tyranny of political culture reinforced by dictatorship belong today, as in the days of old, to those who are not afraid to belong to a minority, to those who are ready to suffer for those things which alone make life worthy of suffering.”
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C10 | The Jewish Press | December 13, 2019
hanukkah ARCHIVES
J.D.C. arranges Hanukkah festivities for 70,000 Jewish Children in Europe, No. Africa December 14, 1949 JTA The Joint Distribution Committee today announced that approximately 70,000 Jewish children in Europe and North Africa will celebrate the eight-day Hanukkah festival–which begins Thursday at sundown–thanks to aid sent through the J.D.C. A special allocation of holiday toys, plus extra rations of milk and other foods, has been completed in 22 countries, the announcement said. The National Jewish Welfare Board reported that thousands of Jewish servicemen as well as hospitalized veterans will mark Hanukkah in some 500 military installations and V.A. hospitals. Numerous holiday gifts have been prepared by women’s groups affiliated with the J.W.B. for shipment to Jewish members of the armed forces. The Synagogue Council of America, in a Hanukkah message issued today, said: “As we kindle the Hanukkah lights, we must bear in mind the continuing obligation to champion freedom of conscience for ourselves and for all mankind. With the right to freedom of worship must go likewise the sense of the duty of worship.”
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Menorah madness takes off November 1998 JTA ow many ways can Mickey Mouse celebrate Hanukkah? Five different Mickey menorahs, licensed from Disney, are now available to answer that question. If you’re more into Winnie-the-Pooh, there are two colorful menorahs displaying the whole gang from the Hundred Acre Wood to choose between. And the latest this year in kids’ character menorahs is the irascible Curious George. It’s menorah madness time — and the last couple of years have witnessed an explosion of styles made of almost every conceivable material. Two decades ago, there wasn’t much available beyond a traditional eight- branched candelabra made in brass, say those who sell Judaica. Today menorahs are designed for children and adults, as well as afficionados of a wide variety of hobbies. Prices range from around $30 to $1,500 — and more. Bloomingdales, which will be carrying Hanukkah menorahs in its 22 stores coast to coast, is orienting its merchandise this year to kids, said Gabrielle Schein, the buyer in charge of holiday merchandise. Everything from ballerinas to baseballs, dancing dreidels to bicycles, can be found on child oriented menorahs. And the new menorahs are not just for kids. Mah-jongg your bag? There’s a menorah crafted of the game’s tiles. If animals are your attraction, choose between several different renditions of Noah’s Ark menorahs. Just friendly with
felines, you say? Cats shown cavorting in front of candles are available on one menorah, as is a rustic moosehead cut out of metal whose antlers each hold up one of the holiday’s ritual candles. If you’re into gazing at tiny replicas of the synagogues of Jerusalem, Eastern Europe or the Lower East Side, each is available on its own menorah this year – – as is one with tiny Statues of Liberty, each lady holding aloft a Hanukkah candle in place of her famous flame. Klezmer musicians crowd together on another menorah, and this, along with others, is available with a music-box component which plays the Hanukkah classic Maoz Tsur, or Rock of Ages. Top brands in tableware are also extending their lines into Hanukkah. Credit: Quest Collection Waterford offers an elegant crystal candleholder to mark Hanukkah’s eight nights. Limoges porcelain has produced delicately hand-painted dreidels. The artistic approach to menorahs is also booming. Craftspeople — not all of them Jewish — who have been successful in many media have branched out into the menorah market. Whether your taste runs to fused art glass, anodized aluminum or hand-painted ceramic, there’s a funky menorah available to collect. “Not a day goes by that I don’t get a call from an artist who wants to show me something new,” said Claire Schneider, manager of the Treasures of Judaica store at the University of Judaism in Los Angeles. See Menorah madness page C11
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The Jewish Press | December 13, 2019 | C11
Tifereth Israel Synagogue “The little shul on the prairie” that strives to bring more light than darkness into our world wishes everyone a Happy Hanukkah
Menorah madness
Continued from page C10 Adam Berkowitz is a young designer who describes himself as an “industrial sculptor.” He creates cabinets, chairs and wall coverings out of environmentally sound materials. This year, for the first time, he designed a menorah. Crafted from brushed aluminum, with rounded curves, it fits together like a sophisticated puzzle. “An appreciation for new materials in Jewish objects is trickling down from the secular design world,” said Berkowitz while standing in his drawing- and prototypefilled Brooklyn studio as African music played in the background. “I’m trying to interest my generation and younger people in Judaica,” said Berkowitz, 29. “Just seeing what’s happening to my friends and the rest of the Jewish community with intermarriage, I feel that in some way by having Judaica with a certain edge and freshness it might spark the interest of someone who otherwise might not” light a menorah. The number of outlets selling menorahs has also expanded in recent years. Once purchased most often in mom-and-pop Judaica stores, menorahs are now also sold in chic galleries and the largest national chains, from Lord & Taylor to Bed, Bath & Beyond. Even the Home Shopping Network has gotten on board. Catalogs — those selling only Jewish ritual objects and crafts, along with those who fit in a menorah or other Hanukkah object next to their Christmas selections — have proliferated as well, both on paper and on the World Wide Web. Not all of the newfangled menorahs are kosher, warned some retailers. The moose menorah, which has antlers at different levels, does not meet the requirement for menorahs: that all of its eight candles stand at the same height so that the shamash, which is used for lighting the other candles, is the only elevated flame. But not all characters are acceptable for the trendy menorah merchandising. Philip Lax, owner of Aviv Judaica Imports, one of the country’s largest distributors of Hanukkah goods,
licensed the right to put Mickey, Winnie-the- Pooh and Curious George on menorahs. He has been approached by the creators of some characters, including Power Rangers and Superman, to render their characters on menorahs but turned them down, Lax said in an interview in his bustling warehouse in Brooklyn. Lax, who is Orthodox and permits his own children to use only the oil-and-wick menorahs preferred by the fervently Orthodox community, said that he wouldn’t produce a menorah with violent or unpleasant characters. “It has to be ‘geshmakt,’” said Lax, using the Yiddish term for enjoyable, of his kids’ designs. “It has to have a `ta’am,’” or appropriate flavor, he said. As workers packed orders full Credit: Pottery Barn of menorahs, musical Hanukkah snow globes and Winnie-the-Pooh Hanukkah painted dreidels and glitter cups, Lax said two types of people buy the “kitschy” menorahs — collectors and those “who want a flavor of something Jewish or are trying to get their Jewish child to participate.” But in the experience of one major retailer, most people “choose Noah’s arks, or choo-choo trains for kids, which can be charming. When they bring in the real secular stuff, it’s almost like they forget the meaning of the holiday,” said Daniel Levine, whose Manhattan store, J. Levine Judaica, carries about 300 different menorah styles. As far as some people are concerned, the Disneyfication of Hanukkah is taking things a few steps too far. “Since when are Mickey and Winnie Jewish?” asked Shari Boraz, proprietor of Galerie Robin Fine Judaica in Hanover, N.H., which focuses on more artistic menorahs in both its traditional and on-line catalogues. For many menorah mavens, the tried-and-true works well. “With all the hoopla, the traditional still sells,” said Terry Heller, manager of a large Judaica store at Temple Emanuel in Denver, and proprietor of an online catalogue, Artistic Judaic Promotions. Even with all of the alternatives available today, “some people want it to look like a menorah should,” she said.
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Jewish Funeral Home, Inc. 12604 Pacific Street | Omaha NE 68154 | (402) 556-6288 | Fax (402) 556-5759 Nate Shapiro, Executive Director | nshapiro@orthodoxomaha.org
The Jewish Funeral Home (JFH) is hiring Shomrim (guards). Shomrim participate in the mitzvah of “watching” or “guarding” the body of a deceased person from the time of death until burial. Requirements of Shomrim: 1. Be Jewish 2. Ability to lift 50lbs 3. Have reliable transportation Benefits for being a Shomer for JFH: 1. Payment ($10 an hour for day shift, $9 an hour for overnight 1. shift) 2. Participating in Chesed Shel Emet (a good deed of truth). Shift availability is dependent on deaths in the community and is inconsistent. If you, or someone you know, might be willing and able to serve as a Shomer/Shomeret, please be in contact with Nate Shapiro, nshapiro@orthodoxomaha.org, (402) 556-6288. YOUR SINGLE SOURCE FOR HEALTH AND INDEPENDENCE.
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C12 | The Jewish Press | December 13, 2019
Absolutely Fresh Seafood Market What’s new and fresh at Absolutely Fresh Seafood Market? The better question might be “What isn’t?” 2018 was a banner year for our business which is entering its 40th year of operation, and we are looking to continue our growth into 2019. For starters, we completed the installation of a brand new, state-of-the-art smokehouse for the production of our smoked fish, along with other items used for our expanding catering services, including smoked prime rib, turkeys and more. In addition, we are producing items such as briskets, pastrami and roast beef for the other restaurants in the Absolutely Fresh Family. As prepared food items have been our largest growing sector, we have decided to continue our focus on this area. Not to worry though: there is still plenty of new fresh and frozen seafood coming to our door daily! We are now featuring some second-to-none wildcaught gulf shrimp from Louisiana that has been very popular amongst our customers. Also, Omaha’s “addiction” to our Faroe Islands Salmon continues to set new benchmarks for sales, and we couldn’t be happier that so many people are enjoying it on a regular basis. We hope that anyone who has not yet visited our store takes a moment to stop in and see what we have to offer. And, anyone who has not been in for a while might be surprised at all of the new tasty offerings we have. Thanks again for all of your support over the years.
Shucks Fish House & Oyster Bar All three of our Shucks locations had a very prosperous 2018 and continue to develop their own distinct identities. From a business standpoint, it fascinates us what a difference 6 miles can make in what customers are looking for in their dining choices. Nevertheless, it’s a fun challenge for us to “Keep it Fresh” for Downtown, Midtown and West Omaha. New menu items like the Angry Crab Pasta and the return of Shrimp & Grits have been very popular amongst our new and long-time customers.
In the upcoming year, we plan on continuing to provide a consistent and top-notch variety of the best seafood in Omaha. We are also placing renewed emphasis on our daily and weekend specials thanks to the exceptionally talented culinary team working in the kitchens of all of our locations. We encourange everyone wanting to know “What’s Fresh Today?” to sign up for our weekly email newsletter at shucksfish house.com where we also post our specials daily. Not to mention, we have very active
social media profiles on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Finally, we also look forward to being able to utilize the smokehouse purchased by our fish market to expand our smoked offerings, both surf and turf. We also have been getting a little more creative behind the bar with our drink specials and continue to find new varieties of oysters to appease the masses. Thanks to everyone who helped get us to this point, and we enjoy being your neighborhood fish shack.
rant, we have brought on a new head chef, Josh MacDonald, to provide some new ideas and some superb culinary skills to our kitchen. His house-smoked pastrami that goes on our Big Easy sandwich is like nothing you’ve ever had, and he also has been instrumental in incorporating more Absolutely Fresh Seafood into the specials and core menu. How do you find out what Chef Josh has planned for lunch today? Visit our
newly updated website at dundeedell.com. Plus, he does a fantastic job catering in one of our two party rooms. Our Skye Room is great for groups of up to 12, the ultimate back room experience, and our Pine Room can accommodate up to 60 guests for sit-down dinners, or casual gatherings with appetizers and drinks. Stop in and see what’s new with your old neighborhood friend, The Dundee Dell, at 50th and Underwood.
Mary’s, have been gaining popularity with an increasingly younger crowd that enjoys the ability to have breakfast into the afternoon. We also have had great success in our Dinner After Dark and Dinner With The Market events in partnership with Absolutely Fresh Seafood Market and Shucks Fish House. These reservation-only, fivecourse meals are unlike anything else in Omaha, and have gained quite the regular
following. Plus, we encourage everyone to check out our catering menu for delicious breakfast and lunch options. Not to mention our restaurant is available to rent every evening after 4 p.m. for dinner events and parties. Take a moment and visit our website at baileysbreakfast.com to see what we offer, and what we might be able to do for you for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. It’s always a great day with Bailey’s!
The Dundee Dell Finding a balance between the old and the new has been our quest since The Dundee Dell joined the Absolutely Fresh Family a few years ago. We have found that subtle changes are the best - a little brighter lighting, a few new colors and a handful of new friendly faces on our staff. But some things at The Dell will never change like our famous fish & chips and our Wall of Scotch. In our effort to add a little “freshness” to Omaha’s second oldest operating restau-
Bailey’s Breakfast & Lunch It’s getting competitive in the Breakfast scene in Omaha, so we are constantly working to stay on the top of the list of best places to enjoy a nice homestyle breakfast with a little flair. In the past year, we added a few “South of the Border” items to our menu including Breakfast Enchiladas and Barbacoa Tostadas which have been extremely popular amongst our guests. And, our featured flavored coffees and signature drinks, including Mimosas and Bloody
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The Hanukkah Edition
A Supplement to The Jewish Press | December 13, 2019
D2 | The Jewish Press | December 13, 2019
Chinese food on Christmas: A custom of American Jews
food
THE HANUKKAH EDITION
Fry up some schnitzel for Hanukkah GABBY BlAIR Staff Writer, Jewish Press What better way to recall the miracle of the oil other than with some fried foods? If you are looking for a tasty protein to go with those latkes and donuts, try out this chicken schnitzel recipe that my little brother shared
with me. He spent a few years cooking for the army and professionally, and this recipe is guaranteed to be a crowd pleaser. While we enjoy it all year round, it has become a Hanukkah tradition. Enjoy it plain, with lemon or with your favorite condiments.
UnClE ElIE’S FAmoUS CHICkEn SCHnITzEl (as named by my children)
Ingredients: 4 large eggs 5-6 Tbsp. yellow mustard 4-5 Tbsp. soy sauce 3 cups panko crumbs, or as needed 4 Tbsp. sesame seeds (optional/ can add more to suit taste) 2 tsp. salt 2 tsp. ground black pepper vegetable oil for frying 12 boneless chicken breast halves, thinly sliced or pounded very thin 1 lemon, cut into wedges Directions: Whisk eggs, mustard and soy sauce together in a bowl. Mix panko, salt, pepper and sesame seeds together in a shallow bowl. Heat about 1 inch of oil in a large saucepan. Dredge chicken slices in the egg/mustard mixture until coated.
Press chicken in the seasoned panko until evenly coated. Fry chicken in hot oil and cook until no longer pink in the center and golden brown on the outside, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Serve with lemon wedges. A few tips: Chicken breast is much easier to slice very thinly while still partially frozen. Chicken tenders work well for a time saving option. This recipe is easy to adjust to taste and quantities. A deep fryer can be used instead of a frying pan. You will not be able to taste the mustard or soy sauce once cooked. Use a medium heat and allow oil to get hot before frying first batch. If heat is too high, the outside will burn before inside is fully cooked. Shake off extra crumbs before cooking to reduce debris in oil.
GABBY BlAIR Staff Writer, Jewish Press took a Geography class called ‘American Foodways’ in order to fulfill a requirement in graduate school. It was fascinating and ended up being one of my all-time favorite courses. One of the many topics we covered was how the tradition of American Jews eating Chinese food on Christmas began. While this was a common practice growing up in New York, I never considered the history behind it. On Manhattan’s lower East Side during the turn of the century, Jewish and Chinese immigrants living in close proximity to each other, comprised the two largest non-Christian migrant populations. Their shared ‘otherness’ was particularly obvious during Christmastime with neither group celebrating the holiday while the rest of city was full of holiday cheer. Chinese stores and restaurants were notably open on Sundays and holidays, including Christmas, which was unusual for businesses during that time. As for our very unique Jewish-AmericanChinese-Food-on-Christmas tradition, it can be attributed to three main factors, the first of which is assimilation. As Jews began assimilating more into American life and new generations were born, they added to and were exposed to New York’s melting pot of cultures. This exposure and transfer of ideas helped some evolve from the ways of living ‘in the old country’ into a new way of living in their new country. One major example of a change attributed to assimilation was that many relaxed strict adherence to keeping kosher, especially outside the home. The second factor looks at availability.
I
Chinese restaurants were open for business and provided a place for Jews to get together and enjoy a hot meal when the rest of the city was shut down. This symbiotic relationship between the Chinese restaurant business and their Jewish Christmas patrons has become an accepted standard versus an odd curiosity and is truly an American phenomenon. The third factor is the actual preparation of Chinese dishes. While Chinese food typically excludes dairy, which kept it from running up against the Halachic prohibition between mixing meat and milk, it does traditionally use a lot of pork and shellfish in addition to beef and poultry. Most dishes feature meat that is shredded, diced, pureed and hidden beneath savory sauces, dumpling wrappers and noodles- providing a convenient illusion of mostly following halacha that was sufficient enough that this interesting culinary relationship was born. Today, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day are some of the busiest for Chinese restaurants as this American-Jewish custom has grown in popularity to non-Jewish populations. In Omaha, it is not uncommon to run into friends at local Chinese restaurants during what has been dubbed by some as “Jewish Christmas.” In New York, there are no shortages of truly Kosher Chinese options allowing those who follow dietary laws the opportunity to dine out in this custom. Another option is making your own Chinese styled food. A family favorite is rangoons and fried rice or sesame noodles both of which use the same ingredients except for the rice and noodles. For recipes see Chinese food on Christmas pages D3 ad D4.
The Jewish Press | December 13, 2019 | D3
Wishes our community a Happy Hanukkah!
Happy Hanukkah
Chinese food on Christmas
CREAM CHEESE RANGooNS
These do contain dairy and pair well with veggie fried rice or veggie noodles. These tasty fried bites are a perfect crowd pleaser. They are very simple to make and they don’t last long!
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Happy Hanukkah from Congregation B’nai Jeshurun The South Street Temple Teri Appleby, Rabbi 2061 South 20th Street Lincoln, NE 68502 402-435-8004 www.southstreettemple.org
1 Ingredients: 1 package of wonton wrappers 1 block cream cheese, softened. 1 bunch green onions, thinly sliced Small bowl of water oil for frying Directions: Line a cookie sheet with moist paper towels. Prepare a second set of moist paper towels to cover prepared rangoons before frying. It is very important the wonton wrappers do not dry out or they will crack when folded. Mix soft cheese with thinly sliced green
onions. Spoon about a teaspoon and a half of cheese mixture onto center of wrapper, gently. Dip fingers into small bowl of water and spread moisture around all edges of square wonton wrapper with fingers. Lining up edges, fold square into a triangle. Press moist edges together to seal cheese inside. Take left and right edges and fold in towards center. Place assembled rangoons in between the 2 layers of moist towels. Repeat assembly process for as many rangoons as you want to make.
Heat oil over medium-low heat. Temperature is important. Rangoons don’t take long to fry and too-hot a heat will burn them or make them puff up or pop open, exposing the cheese which will splatter. Carefully place assembled rangoons into hot oil. I usually do about 10 at a time, all with folds facing up to start. Fry about a minute or so each side, or until golden brown. Wonton wrapper may bubble a little. Remove with tongs and allow to cool and drain on a wire rack. Serve warm with sweet chili sauce.
Chag Urim Sameach!
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D4 | The Jewish Press | December 13, 2019
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Chinese food on Christmas FRIED RICE/SESAmE NooDlES This simple self created recipe has become a staple in our home. Versatile and quick, it can be easily modified to suit your taste, the number of people being served or the ingredients you
have on hand. Measurements in this recipe are estimates for a family of five. I rarely measure and tend to eyeball sauces based on my family’s taste, so don’t be afraid to
experiment a little. The key is making sure to use enough oil to prevent sticking and frying each set of ingredients separately and quickly in a wok or large deep skillet.
JANET THOMAS
Health+ Wellness
1
2
Ingredients: *Soy Sauce *Soy Vey Veri Veri Teriyaki sauce (available at most supermarkets) *Sesame oil *Ginger (I prefer fresh root grated directly over the wok, but powder works too!) TIP: Frozen ginger root keeps for a long time and is much easier to grate. Keep a piece handy in your freezer! oil for frying 2 cups white rice, prepared oR 1 box spaghetti or linguine noodles, prepared. 1 diced onion 1 bag frozen mixed veggies (carrot, corn, peas, green beans). You can use fresh, but frozen is a big time saver. other vegetables can be substituted. 3 beaten eggs, reserved in bowl. (oPTIoNAl)
1 pound ground beef or steak/diced chicken/tofu- (oPTIoNAl) only the items with a * are required. Directions: Heat 2 Tbsp. cooking oil and 2 Tbsp. sesame oil in wok or large skillet. If using meat, fry first, adding soy sauce to taste (1-2 tsp.). When fully cooked, add 2-4 Tbsp. of Soy Vey Teriyaki (or more/less to suit taste) grate ginger over meat and cook 1 minute longer. Remove meat and any sauce to large pan/bowl. Add 4 Tbsp. cooking oil and 2 Tbsp. sesame oil to hot pan. Fry onions 2-3 minutes in oil mixture until tender. Add frozen vegetables and fry until hot. You will know if you need more oils because things will start sticking. Add 1-2 tsp. soy sauce and 2-4 Tbsp. of Soy Vey Teriyaki (or more/less to suit taste). Grate ginger over top of veggies. Vegetable mixture should be saucy. Remove veg-
3
gies and any sauce to large pan/bowl. Add 2 Tbsp. cooking oil and 2 Tbsp. sesame oil to hot pan. Pour beaten eggs into oil and splash with soy sauce. Scramble quickly to prevent sticking/ burning. Remove eggs and any sauce to large pan/bowl. Add 4 Tbsp. cooking oil and 2 Tbsp. sesame oil to hot pan. (* Rice tends to require a little more oil than noodles.) Add prepared rice or prepared noodles to hot oil, flipping so that all gets oiled or it will stick. Dump veggies, egg and meat (if used) and any sauce generated from cooked ingredients into the large skillet/wok. Toss to mix with rice or noodles and allow to fry a few minutes to get a little char, but not enough to burn. Remove a small amount, cool a few minutes and try it! Add additional soy sauce, Soy Vey Teriyaki or ginger to suit taste.
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The Jewish Press | December 13, 2019 | D5
food
THE HANUKKAH EDITION
beginning of the 20th century, since sufganiya is a new Hebrew word coined by pioneers. Some say sufganiyot, which means sponge like, are reminiscent of the sweet, spongy cookie popular along the Mediterranean since the time of the Maccabees. Hebrew dictionaries say the word actually comes from the Greek word, sufgan, meaning puffed and fried. Try these for Hanukkah this year. Sybil Kaplan is a journalist, author, com-
piler/editor of 9 kosher cookbooks (working on a 10th) and food writer for North American Jewish publications, who lives in Jerusalem where she leads weekly walks of the Jewish food market, Machaneh Yehudah, in English, and writes the restaurant features for Janglo.net, the oldest, largest website for English speakers. For more recipes see let’s make sufganiyot pages D6 and D7.
OVEn FRIED SUFGAnIYOT
Let’s make sufganiyot
F
SYBIl KAPlAn rom Israel have come two popular foods for Hanukkah--sufganiyot or jelly doughnuts and ponchikot, which are ball-shaped or resemble a doughnut hole. Gil Marks, in The World of Jewish Desserts, writes that doughnuts fried in oil, ponchikot, were adopted by Polish Jews for Hanukkah. The name is taken from the Polish word, paczki [poochkey] which led to the nickname, ponchiks, the Polish name for jelly doughnuts. Poonchkey are similar to jelly doughnuts only larger and more rich tasting and are traditionally served on Shrove Tuesday, the day before Lent. They were made to use up shortening and eggs which were pro-
hibited during Lent. Sufganiyot have a more interesting history. In The Jewish Holiday Kitchen, Joan Nathan, an acquaintance of mine from our Jerusalem days and noted cookbook author and maven of American Jewish cooking, said she learned the origins of sufganiyot from Dov Noy, dean of Israel folklorists. Noy relates a Bukhharian fable, which says the first sufganiya was a sweet given to Adam and Eve as compensation after their expulsion from the Garden of Eden. He says the word sufganiya comes from the Hebrew word, sof (meaning end), gan (meaning garden) and Ya (meaning G-d). Thus the word means, the end of G-d’s garden. According to Noy, this fable was created at the
Source unknown Ingredients: 1 cup skim milk 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter 1/4 cup sugar 1 tsp. salt 1 egg 3 1/2 cups flour 2 Tbsp. instant yeast Syrup: 2 cups sugar 3/4 cup water Sugar coating and filling: 1/4 cup sugar jam Directions: Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease mini muffin cups. Heat milk and butter in a saucepan. Stir in sugar and salt. Let cool. In one mixing bowl, combine egg and milk mixture. In a second bowl, combine 3 cups of flour with yeast then add to egg-milk mixture and beat for 2 minutes with mixer or hand mixer.
Stir in 1/2 cup flour to make soft batter. Cover and let rise until double in volume. Turn dough onto a floured work space. Roll dough into a log. Cut off pieces and form into balls. Place each ball in a muffin cup. Cover pans and let rise for 30 minutes. Place in oven and bake 12-15- minutes until lightly browned. Meantime, combine sugar and water in a saucepan. Heat, then boil until thick. Reduce heat and keep warm. Remove doughnuts to a cooling rack then toss in sugar syrup and remove with a slotted spoon. Roll in sugar. To inject, poke a hole in the side of each doughnut, inject jelly. If not serving immediately, wait to dip in sugar syrup and rolling in sugar. These can be made 3 months ahead and frozen after cooled. To use, defrost, cover with foil, reheat in 350 degree oven 15 minutes, dip in sugar syrup and either roll in sugar or inject with jelly. Makes 24.
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D6 | The Jewish Press | December 13, 2019
Grandma’s Cream Puffs
food
GABBY BlAIR Staff Writer, Jewish Press My husband is a fabulous baker. One of his specialties is a recipe for cream puffs passed down from his grand-
THE HANUKKAH EDITION
Let’s make sufganiyot
ClASSIC SUFGAnIYoT
Ingredients: 3 1/2 cups flour 2 eggs 4 3/8 tsp. baking powder 3/8 tsp. salt 2 cups vanilla yogurt 2 tsp. sugar 1/2 tsp. vanilla oil confectioner’s sugar or cinnamon sugar Directions: Mix flour, eggs, baking powder, salt, yogurt, sugar and vanilla in a mixing bowl until well blended. Heat oil in a soup pot. Drop tablespoon of batter around the pot, fry until brown on both sides, drain on paper towels. Roll in cinnamon sugar or confectioner’s sugar. Makes 32-36.
mother. Light and airy, the puffs of dough have just the right amount of firmness on the outside and smooth creamy egg interior. Filled with homemade whipped cream or rich pudding
and dusted with powdered sugar, these desserts are sure to please. While not fried, these cream puffs have become a Hanukkah family favorite and are a nice alternative to fried sufganiyot.
GRAnDmA’S CREAm PUFFS Pastry Ingredients:
1/2 cup water 1/2 cup whole milk
8 Tbsp. unsalted butter 1 tsp. granulated sugar 1/4 tsp. salt 1 cup all-purpose flour measured correctly 4 eggs (large), room temperature Whipped cream ingredients: 2 cups heavy whipping cream chilled 4 Tbsp. granulated sugar 1 tsp. vanilla, lemon or almond extract 1 Tbsp. powdered sugar to garnish Pudding ingredients: 2 packages (3 oz.) instant pudding (any flavor) 2 cups heavy cream 1 cup milk Dough directions: Preheat oven to 425˚F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. In a medium saucepan, combine water, milk, butter, sugar and salt. Bring just to a boil over medium heat then remove and stir in flour all at once. Once flour is mixed in, return to medium heat stirring constantly for 1 to 2 minutes to release moisture and partially cook flour. A thin film will form on the bottom of the pan and dough will come together into a smooth ball. Transfer dough to a large mixing bowl and beat using an electric mixer on medium speed for 1 minute to cool mixture slightly. Add 4
eggs, 1 at a time, allowing to fully incorporate between additions. Beat another minute until dough is smooth and forms a thick ribbon when pulled up. Transfer the dough to a piping bag or make your own piping bag by putting dough in a ziplock bag, seal and cut tip off 1 corner. Pipe 24 small puffs, each 1 1/2” diameter and 1 1/2” tall and round. Keep them 1” apart. Smooth any peaks with wet fingers. Bake at 425˚F for 10 minutes in the center of the oven. Without opening oven, reduce temp to 325˚F and, bake 20-22 minutes longer or until golden brown on top. Transfer to wire rack to cool completely.
Once cream puffs are completely cooled, fill them with cream or pudding. Gently push a hole into the side of the puff and squeeze filling into them using piping bag or modified ziplock. Alternatively, cut puffs in half and fill center, sandwich style. Dust with powdered sugar and serve. Whipped cream directions: In a large mixing bowl, combine the heavy cream, sugar and extract. Beat on mediumhigh speed until fluffy with stiff peaks. Transfer to piping bag and fill puffs as directed. Pudding directions: Beat pudding mix with heavy cream and milk. Fill as directed above.
W I S H I N G T H E E N T I R E J E W I S H C O M M U N I T Y A
Happy Hanukkah
The Jewish Press | December 13, 2019 | D7
Happy Hanukkah
Sfenj
MoRoCCAn SFEnj
(adapted from https://www.food.com/recipe/sfenj-deepfried-moroccan-doughnuts-509899)
I
A faith in the future. A belief in action.
NCJ
National Council of Jewish Women Nebraska
Become a member today. Call Jen Koom 402.699.4602 or Becki Brenner 402.451.3916 Ingredients: 4 Tbsp. warm water 2 Tbsp. sugar 1/2 tsp. salt 1 Tbsp. dry active yeast 3 cups flour 2 Tbsp. flour 1 cup warm water oil (for frying) coarse sugar (optional) powdered sugar (optional) honey (optional) Directions: Proof yeast with 2 Tbsp. sugar and 1/2 tsp. salt in 4 TBS. warm water in a small bowl. Sift the flour into a mixing bowl. Make a well in the middle. Pour proofed yeast mixture into the well, mix with your hands. Add a little warm water from time to time as mix, until it is the consistency of a stiff dough. Knead dough for 10-15 minutes by machine OR by hand pulling the dough away from the bowl, until the dough is smooth and elastic. Add remainder of water as needed, sprinkling 2 Tbsp. at a time into the bowl. Knead the dough in the bowl until water is dissolved, continuing until the dough is spongy, very elastic and very sticky. Lightly oil a mixing bowl and your hands. Transfer to the oiled bowl. Allow dough to rise 1 -1 1/2 hours. Punch risen dough down. Heat frying oil in a pan or deep fryer. When oil is hot, oil the fingers of both hands. Take an egg sized piece of dough and make a hole in the center using fingers. Twirl dough to enlarge hole to size of a golf ball. Plunge ring of dough into hot oil. The dough will puff up. Turn the rings once or twice until golden on both sides. Remove with a slotted spoon and allow to drain dry on kitchen paper. Serve hot. May dip in sugar or honey or jam if desired. easily sweetened with a dusting of powdered sugar- or rolled in sugar- and are also sometimes served drenched in honey.
Let’s make sufganiyot
PAREVE HAnUkkAH PonCHIkoT
Ingredients: 2 cups flour 1/4 cup sugar 1 Tbsp. baking powder 1 tsp. salt 1 tsp. nutmeg 1/4 cup vegetable oil 3/4 cup non-dairy creamer 1 egg oil confectioner’s sugar or cinnamon sugar Directions: In a mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and nutmeg. Mix. Add oil, non-dairy creamer and egg and mix. Heat oil in a soup pot. Drop by teaspoon into oil and fry on all sides until brown. drain on paper towels.
SM
W
GABBY BlAIR Staff Writer, Jewish Press remember visiting the Mellah in Fez, Morocco, with my father when I was around eight years old. While most of this adventure is a blur, the souk remains vivid in part because of the foods and smells. I find comfort in the way certain foods, tastes and smells are able to trigger memories so powerful they can transport one back to moments in time that exist solely within our own minds. The narrow streets and winding passageways were full of sunlight and shadows. The hawkers of wares were shouting and haggling over each other. The smells and sounds of sharing the walkways with animals bearing loads of commodities or chickens being slaughtered on the spot after a purchase was shocking to a girl from New York where food came packaged and ready to use from grocery stores. The smell of fresh nana (mint) still transports me to that time when we walked with bunches pressed against our noses to lessen the stench of the tanneries and freshly stripped hides. A strange thing, the memory. Moments we never planned to remember seared into it after all these years. Moments we swore never to forget, lost without even noticing. It was wild and exotic. Scary and amazing. We were here to visit the place where my father was born and it was his first time back since leaving as a young teen. We stopped and bought a loaf of bread, hot from an oven that was literally carved into the ancient stonewall of the souk and ate it with a small paper cone full of greasy olives and a can of tuna in oil while standing in a stone doorway. This simple meal was followed by a Moroccan donut called Sfenj. Every culture seems to have their own take on fried bread, a simple staple that requires few ingredients and fills a belly. The Sfenj maker sat crosslegged on a carved out ledge in the wall with a large bowl of dough from which he deftly fashioned donuts before throwing them into a pot of hot oil. After a few moments, he expertly fished them out all at once using a long rod and in one fluid motion, slid them onto a strip of palm frond which he quickly knotted and handed over. As they were still too hot to touch, we carried them like a necklace as they cooled. These most simple of foods are still a favorite of Moroccans, especially during simchas, and are a quintessential Hanukkah food consisting of flour, yeast, water and oil. Airy, soft and chewy on the inside, and crisp on the outside, these unsweetened donuts are delicious plain when fresh. These treats are also
Roll in confectioner’s sugar or cinnamon sugar. Makes 36.
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D8 | The Jewish Press | December 13, 2019
Wishing you a season of light and happiness.
מאחלים לכם עונה של אור ושמחה