DECEMBER 2017 | KISLEV/TEVET 5778
CELEBRATE HANUKKAH WITH
Joan Nathan & Whole Foods Market This December, “the queen of American Jewish Cooking” is partnering with us to bring you some favorites from her latest cookbook, King Solomon’s Table. Our chef’s cases and hot bars will feature holiday ready-to-serve dishes for you to buy in store or order online:
Macedonian Leek & Meat Patties | Fried Artichokes Cod with Tomatoes, Plums, Apples & Pine Nuts Sweet & Sour Cabbage | Seven Sacred Species Salad Sweet & Crunchy Kugel | Tahina Cookies
Receive a free copy of King Solomon’s Table when you place a Hanukkah order of $100 or more at shop.wfm.com.*
*Good on individual online orders placed December 1-18; one book per customer.
$35 VALUE!
Here are eight new children's books for Chanukah By Penny Schwartz Jewish Telegraphic Agency Move over, potato latkes. Make room for dosas. The savory fried Indian lentil and rice pancakes take center stage in “Queen of the Hanukkah Dosas,” a gem of a new Chanukah book by the award-winning children's writer Pamela Ehrenberg. It's among eight new Chanukah books for kids – one for each night of the holiday – sure to kindle the flames of imagination in young readers. The bounty of this season's books travel the globe, from city life to wooded forests, with engaging – and many humorous – stories and dazzling illustrations that reflect the diversity in how Jewish families celebrate the popular holiday. Old World traditions mix it up with new rituals taking root in today's modern American Jewish families. These new reads showcase the many ways Jewish families from all walks of life celebrate the Festival of Lights, which this year begins on the evening of Dec. 12.
WAY TOO MANY LATKES: A HANUKKAH IN CHELM Linda Glaser; illustrated by Aleksandar Zolotic Kar-Ben; ages 3-8
Oy vey! It's the first night of Chanukah and Faigel, the best latke maker in the village of Chelm, forgot the recipe for her mouth-watering, sizzling potato pancakes, the traditional fried food eaten during the holiday's celebrations. Her husband, Shmuel, races over to the village rabbi for advice. But what does the rabbi know about making latkes? This ticklishly fun adventure, set in the fictional Old World town of Chelm – the source of enduring Jewish storytelling – will have kids laughing as they wonder how Faigel and Shmuel solve their problem. Aleksandar Zolotic's large format, animation-style illustrations are perfectly paired for the lively story, which echoes the classic "Strega Nona" stories by Tomie dePaola about magical pots of pasta.
LITTLE RED RUTHIE: A CHANUKAH TALE
Gloria Koster; illustrated by Sue Eastland Albert Whitman; ages 4-8 This uplifting spin on "Little Red Riding Hood" features a spirited young girl named Ruthie setting off on the eve of Chanukah to visit her bubbe, Yiddish for grandmother, so they can cook up potato latkes for the holiday. In the snow-packed forest, Ruthie, bundled up in a bright red hooded
parka, meets a not overly menacing-looking wolf. Ruthie summons her courage and smarts as she recalls the brave Maccabee heroes of Chanukah who fought for religious freedom for the Jews in ancient Israel. But will Ruthie's clever schemes outsmart the hungry but foolish wolf, who has fun dressing up in bubbe's colorful clothing? This is a perfect read-aloud for those wintry Chanukah nights, and Sue Eastland's bright and humorous illustrations bring the warmhearted story to life.
QUEEN OF THE HANUKKAH DOSAS
Pamela Ehrenberg; illustrated by Anjar Sarkar Farrar Straus Giroux; ages 4-7 In this humor-filled tale, an endearing school-age boy in a multicultural Indian-Jewish family can hardly contain his enthusiasm for his family's special Chanukah celebration of making dosas, Indian fried pancakes made with lentils, called dal, and rice. But his younger sister, Sadie, who can't resist her urge to climb on everything, may spoil the fun. Anjar Sarkar's colorful, cartoon-like illustrations add giggles and put readers in on the action. The end pages are embellished with illustrations of Indian groceries, chutneys and spices that will tempt the family foodies. Recipes for dosas and sambar, a vegetable-based filling or dip for the dosas, are included.
On the first night of Chanukah, Chanukah Harvie oils up his steampunk-like machinery to produce all the gifts he needs and climbs aboard his flying Hanukkopter to deliver eight nights of presents to children. Placing one family's presents next to their Chanukah menorah, Harvie bumps into a red-suited jolly Santa Claus piling gifts under their Christmas tree. Harvey and Santa go on to discover some other homes with both menorahs and Christmas trees and get into a rollicking present-giving competition, out to prove that their holiday is the best. A young girl who spies them in action puts the quarreling pair to shame, and let's them in on the joy of celebrating the two holidays happening at about the same time each year – thus the Christmukkah mashup. Michelle Simpson's colorful and playful animation-like illustrations match the story's spirited humor.
Books for toddlers: THE ITSY BITSY DREIDEL
Jeffrey Burton and Chani Tornow; illustrated by Sanja Rescek Simon and Schuster; ages 2-4 A delightful read-aloud board book for the youngest kids who will enjoy the playful rhymes as the lively little dreidel celebrates Chanukah. This is the latest in the upbeat Itsy Bitsy board book series that includes the “Itsy Bitsy Pilgrim,” the “Itsy Bitsy Snowman,” and others.
GROVER'S EIGHT NIGHTS OF LIGHT
Jodie Shepherd; illustrated by Joe Mathieu Random House for Young Readers; ages 2-5 Young fans of Sesame Street enjoy a Chanukah party at Grover's house along with their favorite Sesame Street characters. The book features lighting the menorah, eating latkes and playing dreidel. Stickers, Chanukah cards and a poster with a Chanukah party game are included.
And a book for teens: SPIES & SCHOLARS
Yehudis Litvak Jewish Children's Book Club; grades 7-8 “Spies and Scholars” is the latest entry in the Chanukah-themed series – the first was “Swords and Scrolls.” The historical fiction adventure is set during the reign of the Greek King Antiochus in ancient Israel where the Maccabees are fighting the Greeks. The 200-page teen read is geared to Orthodox Jewish teen readers and published by Jewish Children's Book Club in conjunction with Torah Umesorah-National Society for Hebrew Day Schools.
THE MISSING LETTERS: A DREIDEL STORY Renee Londner; illustrated by Iryna Bodnaruk Kar-Ben; ages 4-9 Wooden dreidels come to life in this heartwarming page turner. On the eve of Chanukah, in a dreidel maker's shop, there are some bad feelings among the Hebrew letters painted on the foursided spinning toy. The nun, hey and shin are jealous of the gimel, considered the favorite letter in the game of chance, and decide to hide all of them. But later they overhear the dreidel maker explain that all the letters play a special role in celebrating Chanukah, a holiday of religious freedom. Among Iryna Bodnaruk's animated illustrations is a double-page spread that is like a puzzle; kids can follow clues to find where the gimels have been hidden.
HANUKKAH HARVIE VS. SANTA CLAUS: THE CHRISTMUKKAH KERFUFFLE
David Michael Slater; illustrated by Michelle Simpson Library Tales Publishing; ages 5-8 HAPPY CHANUKAH | HAKOL LEHIGH VALLEY | DECEMBER 2017 3
Local family lights up the holiday with a multitude of menorahs and memories
A small sample of the Wilson family’s menorahs.
A glass menorah in the Wilsons’ collection.
A Winnie-the-Pooh menorah sculpted and painted by the Wilsons’ friend Shari Sterman.
A ceramic menorah in the Wilsons’ collection.
Another menorah from Shari Sterman, designed to look like the Kotel.
By Michelle Cohen HAKOL Editor
A menorah made by Ben Wilson at age 3.
A menorah from Israel made of glass and stone.
YOUNG ADULT DIVISION & PJ LIBRARY OUTING SATURDAY, DECEMBER 16
Menorah lighting 6:30 p.m., game 7:05 p.m., PPL Center Join the Jewish Federation’s Young Adult Division and PJ Library to celebrate Chanukah with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. Kosher snacks available. Photo opportunity on the ice after the game. Group tickets $20 (lower level), under 2 free. To purchase tickets, call 610-821-5500 or visit www.jewishlehighvalley.org.
ICE MENORAH SPONSORED BY CHABAD OF THE LEHIGH VALLEY 4 DECEMBER 2017 | HAKOL LEHIGH VALLEY | HAPPY CHANUKAH
If you drive past the Wilson family’s house during Chanukah, the windows are filled with not one or two, but a plethora of menorahs shining their light through the neighborhood. These would be but a few examples of the family’s collection of approximately 35 menorahs. “I’m very sentimental, and I have a hard time getting rid of things,” said Carol, who enjoys using her menorahs from other family members, including one that her Aunt Molly brought from Poland when she emigrated to the United States. Her husband, Bob, also has several menorahs from when he was growing up, and others that are heirlooms passed down through his family. The couple have purchased several more together in their travels, like one resembling the Kotel in Israel and a Murano glass menorah from Venice. The majority of the collection comes from the couple’s two children, Rebecca and Ben. During their younger years, both children made menorahs at the JCC, Jewish Day School and Temple Beth El. Rebecca continued the craft in sixth grade at Barrack, when she chose to make a Rosenthal menorah as part of a craft project. “They have no monetary value, they have sentimental value,” Carol said. She enjoys keeping a large number of menorahs in the house because “they remind me of different travels, different points in our family’s lives, and to get them out and unwrap them is like discovering treasure, year after year, and I love that,” Carol said. Some of their menorahs come from the kids’ interests when they were growing up. These include an IDF-themed menorah, a sports menorah, as well as a large fireman menorah where the firemen hold the candles with their hands aloft. Other menorahs come from family friends. When Rebecca and Ben were born, family friend Shari Sterman, a ceramicist, made a menorah for each child, as well as an etched glass menorah that looks like the Kotel. Each year, the kids light their own menorahs, in addition to the others that they choose. Every year, the menorahs are taken out of storage and placed in the living room and dining room. Each night, each member of the family chooses a menorah to light, and picks candles from a variety of sizes, shapes, colors and materials. For Carol, the holiday is about family and traditions, which she hopes to keep going for a long time. “I hope when they grow up and have families of their own, we can divide the collection if they’re interested and they can have the same traditions as us,” she said.
It’s always Chanukah in this pictureperfect Italian town By Ruth Ellen Gruber Jewish Telegraphic Agency It’s always Chanukah in this picturesque town in northern Italy’s Piedmont region. Jews have lived in Casale Monferrato for more than 500 years, with the community reaching its peak of 850 members at about the time Jews here were granted civil rights in 1848. The town still boasts one of Italy’s most ornate synagogues, a rococo gem that dates to the 16th century. These days, only two Jewish families live in Casale. The synagogue, which is part of a larger museum complex, is now a major tourist attraction – and not only because of its opulent sanctuary with huge chandeliers, colorfully painted walls and lots of gilding. The former women’s section has been transformed into a Judaica and Jewish history museum. And the synagogue’s basement, formerly a matzah bakery, is now home to the Museum of Lights. Chanukah here is commemorated with a year-round exhibit featuring dozens of menorahs created by international contemporary artists. The collection has some 185 menorahs, according to Adriana Ottolenghi, whose husband, Giorgio, has been president of Casale’s Jewish community since the 1950s. There is no other museum in the world quite like it. “We receive more every year, and each year at Chanukah there is a public ceremony, where we
light menorahs and welcome the new pieces,” she said. Only 30 to 40 can be displayed at a time in the vaulted underground chambers. The only time the collection was shown in its entirety was at Casale’s centuries-old castle, part of an event connected to the 2015 Milan Expo. The Museum of Lights’ chanukiyot come in an amazing variety of shapes, sizes, colors and media. Many resemble traditional menorahs: a straight line of candles or a candelabra with eight branches, with a ninth branch for the “shamash” candle used to kindle them. Some of the menorahs can be lighted and used on the holiday. But other menorahs on display are more fanciful sculptural works created from the likes of metal, ceramic, plexiglass and wood. “Artists were given a completely free rein to create a functional object or a purely evocative one,” curator Maria Luisa Caffarelli wrote in the collection’s catalog. Each menorah is what designer Elio Carmi, who co-founded the collection in the mid-1990s with the non-Jewish artist Antonio Recalcati and other artist friends, describes as an “homage to the story of Chanukah” and its message of the triumph of light over darkness. They conceived the project as a way to highlight Jewish culture
as a source of artistic inspiration, promote creativity based in Jewish tradition and underscore the vitality of Jews in contemporary society. “The idea was born to show that Jews, though small in number, are determined,” said Carmi, who is the vice president of the Casale Jewish community, “and to use interpretations of the Chanukah menorah to demonstrate, symbolically, the continuity of the community.” Carmi and his friends provided the first chanukiyot for the project — Carmi’s was a silver-plated metal bar with small cups for the eight candles and the shamash — and then reached out to others for contributions. Other artists — Jews and nonJews, mainly from Italy but also from other countries — soon began making their own menorahs and presenting them to the growing collection. All of the works are donated, most of them by the artists themselves. “It was like a chain of artists,” Carmi said. “And well-known artists began to be attracted.” Ultimately, Carmi said, the Museum of Lights is about “Judaism, art and identity.”
JDS to celebrate Chanukah Bollywood style By Amy Golding JDS Head of School Nachman of Bratslav said, "I come to show you a new way that is ancient." and that is exactly what the Jewish Day School of the Lehigh Valley strives to do as they continue to put a new twist on the beautiful traditions of our ancient past. Building off of the very successful Purim Hamentashen Baking & Sushi Making, the JDS is tackling Chanukah – Bollywood style. Indian cuisine comprises a wide variety of regional and traditional foods featuring potatoes and oil as a staple of the diet. There are three major Jewish communities in India, each with their own culinary traditions. There’s the Jewish community of Cochin, which dates back to before 1170, the Jewish community of Calcutta, which came from Baghdad, and the Jews of Mumbai, who may have been in India since 175 BCE. Join the JDS community as well as chefs Ron Sunshine and Feather Frazier as they blend Indian cuisine with Chanukah delicacies and taste a samosa latke plus other surprise dishes that promise to bring Chanukah food to a new light. DJ Dharak will be spinning music as part of
the celebration. DJ Dharak started off as a choreographer with his very own dance institute, Waves Academy, and trained more than a 1,000 people, as well as performed on more than 15 stages to wide acclaim in Gujarat, India. In India, DJ Dharak has made a name for himself, with hundreds of private gigs and is building a reputation for his killer remixes. He is also a member of the biggest DJ Academy in Gujarat, Science of Sound. DJ Dharak is a star on the rise and he dreams of the day he will create India’s largest school for DJs, where he can share his passion and visions with others. Come meet him in person to experience his music as he remixes Chanukah songs with Bollywood music. Completing out the event will be a henna artist, No Limit Texas Dreidel, Silent Auction, sufganiyot decoration station and more. This event is open to the entire community and people of all ages. The JDS Chanukah celebration will take place on Sunday, Dec. 17, from 5:30 to 7:30 at the school. Cost is $36 per family, $18 per adult. RSVP by Dec. 14 to 610-4370721.
CELEBRATE HANUKKAH
WITH GIFTS OF
ISRAEL BONDS
israelbonds.com
Development Corporation for Israel Harold F. Marcus, Executive Director Susan Schiffrin, Registered Representative 1500 Walnut St., Suite 1302 • Philadelphia, PA 19102 philadelphia@israelbonds.com • 215.545.8380 • 800.752.5671
Invest in Israel Bonds israelbonds.com This is not an offering, which can be made only by prospectus. Read the prospectus carefully before investing to fully evaluate the risks associated with investing in Israel bonds. Member FINRA
HAPPY CHANUKAH | HAKOL LEHIGH VALLEY | DECEMBER 2017 5
Those in need, need us every day By Shari Spark Temple Beth El
BY SANDI TEPLITZ INGREDIENTS: 2 c. Gold Medal unbleached flour mixed with 1/2 c. rice flour 1 1/2 T. salt 1 t. sugar 1/4 t. b. soda 1 1/2 c. vegan Dashi 1 small head of cabbage, sliced very thin 2 c. thinly sliced onion 4 grated potatoes, boiled for two minutes, then drained on paper towels 4 c. bean sprouts, tops removed Mazola corn oil
TECHNIQUE: Mix salt and sugar with flours. Add Dashi and mix lightly. Cover and refrigerate. Combine cabbage, onion, potatoes sprouts and refrigerated batter. Mix well; set aside. Add 4 T. oil to hot skillet. When heated, pout all of the batter into the pan and flatten. Cook until bottom is crisp, about 4 minutes. Turn pancake over; add more oil and cook until done. Serve with caviar and crème fraiche. To make crème fraiche: Mix 1/2 c. heavy cream with 1/8 c. buttermilk and 1 1/2 t. lemon juice. Put in covered jar. Keep at room temp. for 7 hours. Stir and chill. It will have thickened and developed a tart rich taste.
The problem of hunger is one that confronts many in our community. It is our Jewish responsibility to respond by giving to those in need. ChanuCan premiered as a project of Jewish Family Education at Temple Beth El in December 2011 with a resounding number of volunteers, fantastic donations of dollars and cans and hands-on educational opportunities for religious school students and congregants alike. It is with pride for what we did, and excitement for what we can still do, that Temple Beth El launches ChanuCan 2017. ChanuCan aims to raise food and awareness, to teach our children through experiential opportunities and to involve our entire congregation in a necessary and worthwhile mission. Generous monetary donations enable us to purchase canned and non-perishable food for artistic can-structures. Teams of students, under the guidance and assistance from our congregational volunteers, build structures over the course of a week, Dec. 10-15. This year’s theme is “Yom Huledet Sameach! Celebrating Israel’s 70th Birthday.” Imagine the kotel, Masada, and a giant birthday cake made of cans, and you have imagined ChanuCan 2017!
At the end of ChanuCan 2017, all cans and food items will be donated to our partners, Second Harvest of the Lehigh Valley and Jewish Family Service of the Lehigh Valley. Past ChanuCan events have brought in over two tons of food items! Volunteers and participants are welcome: Dec. 10 – 15 Building week – come help and watch, see and do! Dec. 15 Shabbat “Sneak Peek” Dinner – come for dinner, stay for an intimate guided tour! RSVP required. Dec. 17 Grand Finale – featuring student presentations, Chanukah party (complete with latkes and dreidels for all!), structure judging, and more! To make a donation, to volunteer, to RSVP or for more information, contact me at shari@bethelallentown. org.
Join the JCC for a varied Hanukkah celebration By Monica Friess Special to HAKOL
HAPPY CHANUKAH From the Board & Staff of the Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley EVA LEVITT President MARK L. GOLDSTEIN Executive Director
6 DECEMBER 2017 | HAKOL LEHIGH VALLEY | HAPPY CHANUKAH
The JCC of the Lehigh Valley invites you to “The Magic of Hanukkah: A Family Celebration at the J.” Bring your family and friends and celebrate the second night of Hanukkah with us. There will be something for all ages! PJ Library will host a craft activity and story time. You will enjoy a fantastic magic show featuring Dr. Marc Berson, a.k.a. The Amazing Marookie and a special musical activity led by Cantor Jeff of Congregation Keneseth Israel. The evening will conclude with the menorah lighting by JCC President Kathy Zimmerman and JFLV President Eva Levitt. And of course there will be latkes and sufganiyot! The Magic of Hanukkah will take place on Wednesday, Dec. 13 at the JCC. The PJ Library pre-event will begin at 6 p.m., followed by the main event at 6:30 p.m. The magic show will begin at 7 p.m. The event is free and open to the community. Reservations requested by Dec. 9 at the JCC Welcome Desk, 610435-3571 or www.lvjcc.org.
‘The MeshugaNutcracker,’ a musical comedy celebrating Chanukah, arrives in cinemas nationwide for one night this holiday season Featuring a Klezmer-ized orchestration of Tchaikovsky’s “Nutcracker Suite,” the popular production comes to the big screen on Dec. 19 only. An “enchanting festival of light-hearted glee and meaningful warmth” (Los Angeles Times) arrives in celebration at the end of Chanukah when the musical comedy, “The MeshugaNutcracker!,” debuts in movie theaters nationwide, putting a unique spin on the classic Nutcracker ballet. Presented by Fathom Events, in partnership with Guggenheim Entertainment, “The MeshugaNutcracker!” will be shown in U.S. cinemas for one night on Tuesday, Dec. 19 at 7 p.m. local time. During this screening, Emmy Award®-winning and Broadway star Bruce Vilanch will appear on screen as a special guest. Tickets for “The MeshugaNutcracker!” can be purchased online by visiting www.FathomEvents.com or at participating theater box offices. Fans throughout the U.S. will be able to enjoy the event in more than 350 select movie theaters through Fathom’s Digital Broadcast Network (DBN). For a complete list of theater locations visit the Fathom Events website (theaters and participants are subject to change). "It's a show that's really never been done before," says Susan Gundunas, one of the stars of the ensemble cast. "Not just because there's finally a big, beautiful show about Chanukah in the same way there are big, beautiful shows celebrating Christmas, but also because the cast is
singing an amazing challenging score that was originally intended for musical instruments! We get to sing the piccolo line and clarinet line of melodies you've had in your head forever but that have been wordless for hundreds of years. It's a real treat to sing such melodious, grand music." “The MeshugaNutcracker!” showcases eight stories that pay tribute to the first celebration of Chanukah in the new state of Israel, as well as Judah Maccabee’s triumphant saga and accounts of perseverance. Written and directed by Scott Evan Guggenheim, Shannon Guggenheim and Stephen Guggenheim, the full-length musical comedy features the wonderfully silly sensibilities of the folklore of Chelm (a fictional town of fools), underscored by an invigorating Klezmer-ized orchestration of Tchaikovsky’s “Nutcracker Suite.” Alongside original lyrics in honor of Chanukah, “The MeshugaNutcracker!” includes dancing dreidels, singing sufganiot and special guest stars bringing audiences delight as they celebrate this holiday season. “We are always thrilled to embrace the holiday spirit with audiences and celebrate such a special time of year, and this year there’s no better way than watching a fun twist on a beloved classic,” Fathom Events Vice President of Programming Kymberli Frueh said. “This performance is a fun way for audiences to learn more about the history and traditions of Chanukah in a kitchy spin, using the Nutcracker’s classic music in a way they’ve never experi-
enced it before.” "No matter what religion you are, no matter what you celebrate this time of year it's about finding the light in people, finding light in yourself, letting the holidays truly illuminate everything around you,” Shannon Guggenheim, lyricist and one of the co-producers, said. “And yes, it does sound schmaltzy but that's why we balance it with a lot of schmaltz in our show! That really is what we're trying to do: give families something bright and fun but also poignant and meaningful to celebrate this time of year." This absolutely joyful musical event is produced and
directed by Scott Evan Guggenheim, with music adapted, lyrics, and choreography by Shannon Guggenheim; musical direction and arrangements by Stephen Guggen-
heim and Thomas Tomasello; costume and set designs by Julie Engelbrecht; lighting by Derek Duarte; sound design by Steven Cahill; and film editing by Kyle Burke.
YOU CAN WATCH THE PERFORMANCE AT ONE OF THESE THEATERS: Cinemark Stroudsburg 160 Stroud Mall, Stroudsburg, PA 18360
Warrington Crossing 22 140 Easton Rd, Warrington, PA 18976
Neshaminy 24 (Bensalem) 660 Neshaminy Mall, Bensalem, PA 19020
King of Prussia Stadium 16 300 Goddard Blvd, King of Prussia, PA 19406
Oaks Stadium 24 180 Mill Rd, Oaks, PA 19456
HAPPY CHANUKAH | HAKOL LEHIGH VALLEY | DECEMBER 2017 7
HAPPY
CHANUKAH LATKE WAFFLES WITH SMOKED SALMON GiantFoodStores.com/savory
Stop by a
near you and let the celebration begin!