“Buying this product is...” By Rabbi Yossie Shemtov
The Jewish outreach and education network of Southern Arizona EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Rabbi Yossie Shemtov REBBETZIN
Chanie Shemtov OUTREACH DIRECTOR
Rabbi Yehuda Ceitlin PROGRAM DIRECTOR
Feigie Ceitlin Affiliates:
Congregation Young Israel Chabad at the University of Arizona, Chabad on River, Chabad of Oro Valley, Chabad of Sierra Vista, and Lamplighter Chabad Day School of Tucson
During a stop at a gas station, I noticed a sign near the display of tobacco products that read, “Buying this product for minors is illegal and it’s wrong.” It made me think about why, if buying the harmful product for the minor is illegal, is there a need to point out that it is also morally wrong? Why isn’t the word “illegal” enough? I think the answer is that we are inclined to question secular law, especially if it seems irrational. Unless we expect consequences for ignoring it, we think of it as an arguable guideline rather than
an unquestionable boundary. The speed limit comes to mind. Not that I advocate speeding, but most of us have at one point or another exceeded the posted limit when it seems too constraining or inconvenient. What the Torah teaches us in the portion Chukas -which is read during this month- is that there are commandments from G-d (“Mitzvot”) that we are told to observe even though no logical reason is provided. When it comes to G-d’s commandments, there is no question as to what
the right thing to do is, no matter how inconvenient or unexplained. We know that the more commandments we follow, the greater our success in living a moral life - one that is beneficial to G-d and the world we live in.
Letters to the editor EDITOR
Rabbi Yehuda Ceitlin
From Despair to Joy Through Generosity
COPY EDITORS
By Marcia Zaccaria
Suzanne Cummins Tzirel Lite CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Anjelina Belakovskaia, Rabbi David Eliezrie, Alma Hernandez, Menachem Posner, Thomas Price, Nicole Raz, Howard J. Schwartz, John Winchester PHOTOS Katie Evensen, Michael Zaccaria EDITORIAL INQUIRIES OR ADVERTISING
Phone: 520-955-9680 Email: info@ChabadTucson Keeping Jewish is published in print periodically by Chabad Tucson and is distributed free in Tucson and around Southern Arizona. Chabad Tucson does not endorse any products or services reported about or advertised in Keeping Jewish unless specifically noted. The acceptance of advertising in Keeping Jewish does not constitute a recommendation, approval or other representation of quality of products or services, or the credibility of any claims made by advertisers including, but not limited to, the kashrus of advertised food products. The use of any products or services advertised in Keeping Jewish is solely at the user’s risk and Chabad Tucson accepts no responsibility or liability in connection therewith. Note: “G-d” and “L-rd” are written with a hyphen instead of an “o”. This is one way we accord reverence to the sacred divine name. This also reminds us that, even as we seek G-d, He transcends any human effort to describe His reality.
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On the day before Shavuot, I was on a Zoom call with six women. The conversation centered on how to maintain equanimity and compassion in the face of all the intolerance, hatred and violence. The tenor of the conversation was heavy and carried a sense of hopelessness. In the middle of this intense call, the doorbell rang. I was caught by surprise, as we weren’t expecting deliveries or visitors. I excused myself and looked out the window. A black car was parked in front of the house. I heard my husband Michael heading for the door while I returned to the Zoom call as we tried to figure out how to transition to a more up-beat focus. Then my husband knocked on the studio door and handed me a small gift bag with a decorative hand written label. It read, “From Chabad Tucson.” Questions began to fly. Who were these people? What’s in the bag?
First, I lifted out a newspaper, the May edition of “Keeping Jewish” published by Chabad T ucson. Then I held up a semi transparent container filled with an array of enticing looking goodies. Two cheese blintzes, a small container of sour cream or maybe yogurt, a container of berries and a square dessert that looked like cheesecake. It took my breath away! Because three of the women on the call were not Jewish, I briefly explained that as observant Jews we were on the cusp of celebrating Shavuot, when we received our Torah or code of laws. I explained the custom of eating dairy, and the telling of the story of Ruth. I also explained the mission of Chabad and its presence worldwide. Without realizing it, the heaviness of our heretofore interaction on the world situation receded into the background
and our conversation turned to the Jewish practices of chesed/loving kindness, nedivut/generosity, and mitzvot/ serving G-d through good deeds. But the gift didn’t end there. When the Zoom call ended, I read “Keeping Jewish” from cover to cover. There I found another gift, one with clear guidance: A timetable for lighting holiday candles for the two days of Shavuot, the Torah and haftorah readings for the holiday, and when to read the Book of Ruth. These pages guided me throughout the holiday while the treats brought sweetness and a sense of warm belonging. This unexpected gift of generosity modeled how mitzvot/good deeds practiced mindfully uplift both the giver and the receiver creating a sense of connection and joy in a challenged world. Thank you Chabad Tucson and the volunteer deliverer of this gift of love.
ESSAY
When Antisemitism Rises, Double Down With Jewish Pride By Rabbi Yehuda Ceitlin Antisemitism triggers a wide range of emotions for Jews. We each feel something different when it resurfaces, as it has recently. Some of us feel fearful, and retractive. Some of us, in contrast, feel more empowered to speak out and push back. Some feel betrayed and shocked, and others are apathetic.
tred and terror could have happened, he encouraged the rebuilding of the Jewish people with strength, pride, security and dignity in their identity. He created the international Chabad network of 5,000 religious, educational and social centers. That is how the Rebbe taught that we should respond to antisemitism: not by hiding what we are, but by amplifying it. There is plenty that needs to be done to combat antisemitism in the public arena by our elected officials and justice system. As individuals, the Rebbe taught us not to focus on fighting. Rather, we should spend our time loving and living - as good and as proud Jews.
In light of the recent antisemtic vandalism at Chabad on River, I would like to suggest another path forward. I will call it the “Light Over Darkness Doctrine.” Its rationale is direct and simple: All it takes is a single flame of fire to break the hold which darkness has over a room. When faced with hatred and its darkness, we need to respond with positive action and light. Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, of righteous memory, the spiritual leader of the Chabad-Lubavitch movement of which I am a follower, produced many essays on this subject. He is known as “the Rebbe” (which means a master or teacher in Hebrew), and is described as the most influential rabbi in modern history. His humble beginnings could not have foretold his achievements. He was born in the port city of Nikolaev near the Black Sea while it was part of Russia. The oldest of three, he contended with Czarist-permitted pogroms assailing Jewish people and businesses as well as Communist persecution against synagogues and religious establishments. He was told to focus on his studies but once he grew older, he helped move Jewish schools underground so that Judaism in the Soviet Union would never die out. During the Holocaust, the Rebbe and his wife, known as the Rebbetzin Chaya Mushka, fled from Paris just ahead
During times like these, some may think that others who are not the same cannot empathize. The Rebbe, having lived through antisemitism at its peak, created an open environment where understanding and acceptance has been possible between Jews and Gentiles, and people of every nationality.
Rabbi Rami Bigelman (left) and Rabbi Yehuda Ceitlin at Chabad on River in Tucson which has been vandalized in June 2021
of the occupying Germans. They lived a life fraught with danger under the Naziallied Vichy government before they escaped to the United States via neutral Portugal. The Rebbe’s younger brother DovBer and sister-in-law Sheina were murdered by the Nazis. And yet, in response to the Nazi terror, the Rebbe focused on positive actions that should be taken going forward. In a 1965 letter to a Holocaust survivor, he expressed a message shared with countless individuals: “Your first duty is to live: to assume an ordered life, a married life, to establish a Jewish home
and a Jewish family.” He said this would most definitely underscore Hitler’s defeat. He told them living such a life would mean that not only did Hitler fail to eliminate your existence, but his evil efforts were made meaningless by your raising children and grandchildren as proud Jews. After safely arriving at the shores of New York, the Rebbe called on fellow Jews not to be beaten into submission by senseless antisemitism, but to continue living a moral life and to raise a new generation of righteous Jews. Instead of theorizing why or how such ha-
Jewish people around the world will mark the Rebbe’s yahrtzeit—anniversary of passing—on the third of the Hebrew month of Tammuz—this year on June 12-13. It is a great time to remember what the Rebbe did when faced with antisemitism: He extolled us to double down on our Jewish pride. As a childhood song of mine went, “I’m a Jew and I’m proud, and I’ll sing it out loud.” --Rabbi Yehuda Ceitlin is the outreach director at Chabad Tucson. He will be presenting a new adult education course titled “Outsmarting Antisemitism” beginning October 27. For more info, visit www.ChabadTucson.com/JLI
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VOICES
Reflections on the rise of attacks aga John Winchester
Alma Hernandez
In the fall of 2012, I stood in an outdoor green space at Columbia University. I was traveling for work and a friend informed me that there would be an antiIsrael protest on campus. I went there to observe the demonstration. Then, a young man approached me, stuck his finger in my face and told me that the only reason I supported Israel was because I was Jewish. I said nothing and he walked away. To this day, I have no idea why he approached me. As a proud American of English, Scottish, and Irish heritage, I have been told I possess many fine qualities, but being Jewish is not one of them.
In the Jewish community, there is a tendency to underreport when it comes to antisemitic crimes. When Congregation Chaverim, of which I am a member, was vandalized last month, some urged us to stay silent. The thought stemmed from a fear of potential repercussions.
It is the nature of hate to produce this kind of ignorance and irrational anger. Hate is wild, unruly, dangerously contagious, and if left unchecked it becomes boundless. To this effect, the late Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks said: “The hate that begins with Jews never ends with Jews.” Consider the brilliant poem written by reformed anti-Semite and Nazi supporter Pastor Martin Niemöller “First They Came.” The poem tells us first “they” came for the Communists, then the Jews, the Trade Unionists, the Catholics, finally “they” came for me “but there was no one left to speak for me.” Hate does not operate within boundaries. If allowed to express itself, it will lay waste to whatever it can reach. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said “Hate destroys the very structure of the personality of the hater.... when you start hating anybody, it destroys the very center of your creative response to life and the universe; so love everybody.”
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That hatred can destroy any of us and potentially those we love is a very pragmatic caution against its use, but there is a higher burden for treating others as I would myself. Mankind, all of mankind, is made in the image of the Divine. We cannot act in prejudice against one
We did not, however, remain silent. That attack made us feel unsafe in our house of worship and no one should ever have to feel that way. Someone deliberately threw a large stone at our front door. This isn’t the first time and I don’t believe this was an accident.
Staying silent is not an option. It is our duty to speak out.
without violating this very Image. Hate against another is a violation of creation. Recall the words “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights…” Words eloquently published, yet hypocritically employed when fellow humans were bought, sold, and slaughtered like cattle. Consequences of this suffering continues to this day. We, then, have an obligation to rebuke prejudicial and discriminatory actions when we see them and remain steadfast in binding the wounds of the oppressed and afflicted. Our responsibility is not merely to treat all equally, but also to actively address injustice when it happens on behalf of those who suffer its evil. John Winchester is the Executive Director of the YMCA of Southern Arizona and the Congressional Liaison of Christians United For Israel (CUFI)
Antisemitism has been on the rise for years. The recent battle between Gaza and Israel has made it worse. According to statistics, antisemitic incidents in the U.S. have increased by 75% this past month. Jews have been attacked and Jewish institutions vandalized in California, New York, Florida, Illinois, Utah, New Mexico, Louisiana, and by us in Arizona. As an elected official, I have been working diligently on legislation to mandate Holocaust education in Arizona schools. Sadly, the younger generation is being informed by social media memes and not facts. We must teach the atrocities of the past so that it truly never happens again. To prevent history from repeating itself we must be teaching it and speaking out. Historically, the Jewish community has been speaking out and standing up for other communities and minority groups. We have fought for social justice because that is who we are as Jews. We are taught to love and care about others and to never hate. Now is the time to be speaking out for ourselves and work to ensure that members of our community
do not fear for their safety. I encourage all members of the Jewish community to show up and support your rabbis and your synagogues. I have been hearing from far too many people who are scared to be visibly Jewish and my response to you all is do not ever hide who you are because of fear. That is giving them what they want. Be loud and proud of who you are. Wear your kippahs, wear your Magan David or whatever symbols and clothing that makes you - you. We need to make it clear to the world: We are not going to be scared, we’re not going to back down and we’re not going to stop showing up at synagogue. --Alma Hernandez is a member of the Arizona House of Representatives for the 3rd district
ainst Jews across the United States Anjelina Belakovskaia
Howard Schwartz Growing up in New York City gave me the opportunity to live among Jews. Still, that did not spare me from facing antisemitic experiences.
When I turned 16, I went to get my passport. Born in the port city of Odessa on the Black Sea, I had lived under the rule of the Communist Party, and my passport was going to be a Soviet one that had a “fifth line” indicating the holder’s nationality. In my case, it was “Jewish.”
As a child, I was warned not to wear my tzitzit in the open to avoid being attacked by students of the nearby Catholic school in the Bronx. And I remember neighbors telling me I was doomed to eternal hellfire for being a Jew and not converting, whether I was a “good” person or not.
As I stood there, the officer issuing the passports looked at me, looked at my documents, and then looked at me again. “Would you like me to write you in as a Russian or Ukrainian?” she asked. Unclear about the reasoning of her question, I inquired “Why not Jewish?” Her reply was sobering. “You look like a nice girl,” she said in a compassionate tone. “I feel sorry for you. You won’t be able to go to many colleges and will have unnecessary difficulties in life...” As a child, I grew up in a post-war environment within a dominantly atheist society. From an early age, I knew that my family was Jewish but it didn’t have any particular meaning for me. It was more of an abstract term. My family was fully integrated into Russian society. My grandfathers fought in World War II, my father was an economics professor, and my mother an art teacher. Then, I started to get some glimpses into what being Jewish meant. A classmate of mine, who was known to others as Jewish, was called a nickname and got very upset about it. I asked my parents and they explained that it was a derogatory name for a Jewish girl and I should never let anyone be called that. As a member of the Soviet youth organization “Young Pioneers,” I was forbidden to visit a synagogue. When I went there on behalf of my grandmother Ruchlya to purchase Matzah for Passover, a policeman stood at the entrance and took down my full name. I remember
frighteningly envisioning the possible retributions I might face. By the time I was 16 and applying for a passport, I had already developed a strong sense of Jewish identity. My answer to that government official on what to write on the fifth line was resolute. “I am perfectly fine with being a Jew,” I stated, and added, “I am proud of it!” Now, with antisemitism going rampant around the World and on American soil, and the suggestion by some to keep our Jewish identity hidden for safety reasons, I refuse to give in. I am proud of being a Jew, getting my children through B’nai Mitzvah, studying Judaism, celebrating Jewish Holidays, and passing the connection to Torah from generation to generation. --Anjelina Belakovskaia, a 3-time US Women’s Chess Champion, is a Senior Finance Lecturer and Faculty Advisor at the Eller College of Management, University of Arizona
After earning a medical degree and beginning my residency, there have been professional colleagues -supposedly friends- who would intentionally call me on holidays such as Yom Kippur just to harass me. I was also warned not to expect much professional advancement in my academic career because I was “too Jewish.” I must admit that these experiences have shaped me - in the wrong way. I began to live a less overtly Jewish life. Although I continued keeping kosher, I didn’t state that openly. Instead, I blamed my dietary preferences on idiosyncrasies and vegetarianism. Despite these individual experiences of mine, by and large, I and the Jewish community in the USA have done well over the years. We have been active socially, politically, and economically. Some would say we have integrated into the general American world quite well. While that is true, we are now facing a difficult challenge due to the striking rise in antisemitism, both here and worldwide. This phenomenon has taken on something of a new face, as anti-Israelism and anti-Zionism have become the new vehicle for transmitting age-old antisemitic themes. It seems to me high time for us, American Jews, to become less passive and to protest, with letters, emails to our offi-
cials, and overt political demands including how we cast our votes. On apersonal note, it has become clear to me over time that hiding our faith isn’t the solution to the ills that are wished upon us. Since retiring to Tucson, I have proudly taken a more active role in Jewish life, being ordained as a rabbi and teaching Torah classes. As one who is involved with several Jewish organizations, I can state that Jews need each other. We must remember that we are all one family. In the words of the Talmud, Kol yisrael arevim zeh bazeh - all of Israel are responsible for each other. With the help of G-d, we can and should unite to deal with these issues, so that we can look forward to a peaceful world and better times. --Rabbi Dr. Howard Schwartz, a r etired physician, leads services and classes at Handmaker Jewish Services for the Aging
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JUDAISM 101
The Three Weeks For eight hundred and thirty years there stood an edifice upon a Jerusalem hilltop which served as the point of contact between heaven and earth. So central was this edifice to the relationship between humans and G-d that nearly twothirds of the mitzvot are contingent upon its existence. Its destruction is regarded as the greatest tragedy of our history, and its rebuilding will mark the ultimate redemption-the restoration of harmony within G-d’s creation and between G-d and His creation. A full three weeks of our year —the three weeks “between the strictures” of Tammuz 17 and Av 9— are designated as a time of mourning over the destruction of the Holy Temple and the resultant galut—physical exile and spiritual displacement—in which we still find ourselves. This year, the time of lamentation begins on Sunday, June 27, and concludes on Sunday, July 18, 2021. In this period, many calamities befell the Jewish people throughout the generations.
Fast of 17 Tammuz The fast of the 17th of the Hebrew month of Tammuz, known as Shivah Asar B’Tammuz, is the start of the threeweek mourning period. The fast commemorates five tragic events that occurred on this date: 1313 BCE: Moses broke the tablets when he saw the Jewish people worshipping the Golden Calf. 423 BCE: The daily sacrificial offerings (Korban Tamid) in the Holy Temple were discontinued, during the Babylonian siege of Jerusalem
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69 CE: The walls of the besieged city of Jerusalem were breached by the Romans, the Roman general Apostomus burned the Torah and placed an idol in
The 21 days
the Holy Temple. Practically speaking: Healthy adults — bar- or bat-mitzvah age and older— abstain from eating or drinking between 3:48 AM and at 8:05 PM on Sunday, June 27. Pregnant and nursing women may not have to fast. Someone who is ill should consult with a rabbi. Even those exempt from fasting, such as ill people or children, shouldn’t indulge in delicacies or sweets. It is permitted to wake up early before the fast begins and eat, provided that before going to sleep one had in mind to do so. During the morning prayers, we recite selichot (penitential prayers), printed in the back of the prayer book. The “long Avinu Malkeinu” is recited during the morning and afternoon prayers. The Torah is read during the morning and afternoon prayers. The reading—the same for both morning and afternoon— is Exodus 32:11–14 and 34:1–10, which discusses the aftermath of the Golden Calf incident, how Moses successfully interceded on the Israelites’ behalf, and attained forgiveness for their sin. After the afternoon Torah reading, the special fast-day haftarah, Isaiah 55:6–56:8, is read. During the Amidah prayer of the Mincha afternoon service, those who are fasting add the paragraph Aneinu in the Shema Koleinu blessing. (It is also added in the cantor’s repetition of the Amidah in both the morning and afternoon services, as its own blessing between the blessings of Re’eh and Refa’einu.) Additionally, the priestly blessing is also added in the repetition of the Amidah in the afternoon service.
Tower of David in Jerusalem / Photo: Katie Evensen / Pexels
Abstaining from food and drink is the external element of a fast day. On a deeper level, a fast day is an auspicious day, a day when G-d is accessible, waiting for us to repent.
Conduct During the 3 Weeks During this period, we lessen the extent of our rejoicing. We don’t:
● Conduct weddings. (Engagement parties – without music – are allowed until Rosh Chodesh Av.) ● Play live upbeat music ● Recite the Shehecheyanu blessing and wear new clothing or eat fruit that we have not yet eaten this season. ● Cut our hair. Many Sephardic communities permit haircuts and shaving until the week of Tisha b’Av (in other words, until the Saturday night before the fast).
s of mourning the destruction of Jerusalem Shabbat? Though these days and weeks heralded an exile rife with persecution and spiritual estrangement, we believe that ultimately this is for the good. Very soon, with the coming of Moshiach, we will understand that all the suffering was necessary to reach the ultimate good. At that time, the prophets foretell, these sorrowful days will be transformed into days of joy. Every Shabbat constitutes a foretaste of the Messianic Era. As such, on Shabbat, we only focus on the positive elements of this period.
Determination to Rebuild Aside from the aforementioned “technical” rules and restrictions, during this period we spend extra time contemplating the less-than-perfect state the world is in now and what we can do to improve it by increasing in deeds of goodness and kindness.
(Speak to your rabbi if there are extenuating circumstances that prevent you from observing any of the above customs.)
Conduct on Shabbat All the laws of mourning are suspended on Shabbat. The Rebbe stated on numerous occasions that on these Shabbats we must increase our joy, and add an extra tasty dish to our meals, to
emphasize that we are not in a state of mourning. On the first Shabbat of the Three Weeks (this year, July 3) we almost always read the Torah portion of Pinchas. The end of the reading discusses the three biblical festivals of Passover, Shavuot, and Sukkot. It has been said amongst Chassidim that this alludes to the idea that the three Shabbats of the Three Weeks are to be celebrated on par with the three festivals... Why is all mourning suspended on
The Rebbe urged that the Three Weeks should be a time of increased Torah study and giving of charity– in keeping with the verse, “Zion shall be redeemed by law, and her returnees by charity.” Particularly, the Rebbe requested time and again the study of those portions of Torah that deal with the building of the Holy Temple. Why these laws? The Rebbe based his request on a dialogue, cited in the Midrash, that transpired after G-d told the Prophet Ezekiel to instruct the then exiled Jewish People about the measurements and design of the third Holy Temple: “Master of the world,” Ezekiel replied, “Why are You telling me to go and tell Israel the form of the House; they are now
in exile in the land of our enemies—is there anything they can do about it? Let them be until they return from the exile. Then, I will go and inform them.” G-d answered: “Should the construction of My House be ignored because My children are in exile? The study of the design of the Holy Temple as detailed in the Torah can be equated to its actual construction. Go tell them to study the form of the Holy Temple. As a reward for their study and their occupation with it, I will consider it as if they actually built the Holy Temple.” It is our generation in particular, that stands on the threshold of Redemption, that must study these laws with the awareness that these laws will be quite practical in the imminent future!
From Destruction to Renewal But there is more to the Three Weeks than fasting and lamentation. The prophet describes the fasts as “days of goodwill before G-d”-days of opportunity to exploit the failings of the past as the impetus for a renewed and even deeper bond with G-d. A sense of purification accompanies the fasting, a promise of redemption pervades the mourning, and a current of joy underlies the sadness. The Ninth of Av, say our sages, is not only the day of the Temple’s destruction—it is also the birthday of Moshiach. May we soon merit the fulfillment of the prophecy: “I will turn their mourning into joy and will comfort them and make them rejoice from their sorrow” (Jeremiah 31:12). For more, visit Chabad.org/ThreeWeeks
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KOSHER
Al Basha is a destination for kosher food and important dialogue By Nicole Raz
Tucked between a plain building that houses a dance school and a 60’s retro lounge on Grant Road in Tucson sits a small Middle Eastern and African foods store. But Al Basha Grocery isn’t just a place to get kosher meats and hard-to-find ingredients. “It provides an opportunity for people to see each other as real people, and have a normal interaction with people who ordinarily might not interact in their day-to-day lives,” said Jesse Davis, a regular Al Basha shopper.
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Ghufran Almusawi and her husband Anas Elazrag opened Al Basha in July 2019 intending to create a “melting pot,” Almusawi said. Last month, they opened their second location on N 1st Ave. “Serving kosher food in our store
was one of the ways that we have been able to bring the communities together,” she said. “We want to offer services to everybody; we want to make everybody feel welcome.” She said she regularly observes conversations between the Muslim and Jewish customers who come in. “I see a lot of customers interacting with each other, especially if they have questions,” she said. “Sometimes the customers will jump in and answer their questions. It feels like members of each community are saying to the other ‘Hey, we accept you, I am glad you are here.’” Al Basha caught Davis’ eye before it even opened, with a big sign outside the facade advertising halal and kosher foods.
“A halal, kosher store -- a clear attempt to reach out to both markets and both communities -- that’s pretty striking,” he said. “They were definitely reaching their hands out.” Davis appreciated the gesture and has been shopping at Al Basha about three times a month since it opened. “They’re super friendly and helpful,” he said. He’ll often get recommendations on products and spices to use in recipes. Davis’ favorite thing to buy at Al Basha is pomegranate molasses, “it’s a sort of finisher that you can add to almost any kind of meat that brings this sweet, tangy flavor.” Evelyn Sigafus looks forward to Al
Basha’s tea selection when she goes a few times a year for kosher deli meats and holiday food ingredients. Sigafus appreciates the store’s efforts to meet the need for kosher foods and the opportunity it provides to foster dialogue and relationships between the Jewish, Muslim, and Arab communities. “One time I was in there and the woman there did not have other customers, so we had a wonderful conversation about kosher products, keeping kosher, halal, what I personally do, and how I cope and how she copes, and we had a wonderful little chit chat time,” Sigafus said. Sigafus said that kind of person-toperson conversation is beneficial, no matter how much exposure somebody
has already had to those different from themselves. Elazrag, a doctor, came to Tucson in 2008 from Sudan. He decided to open Al Basha after he had a poor shopping experience, Almusawi said. Almusawi, an Iraqi-American, grew up in Michigan and was familiar with the grocery business. “My dad was in the grocery world and he was always so happy to see his customers and was welcoming. He saw customers as people he could provide a service for - each one an important human being. He taught me that he didn’t look at race, color, religion, none of that. And I kind of grew up following that. And fortunately, my husband’s the same way.” Almusawi said she’s seen fewer Jewish customers since the recent violence between Hamas and Israel. “I just don’t think they feel comfor-
table coming in,” she said. “I’ve had people come in and say, ‘How could you do this? How could you sell this kosher food right now? And I reply, ‘Okay, this company (kosher food supplier) in California has nothing to do with fighting in Palestine. We are BUJ63304F809 just one business supporting another.’” The pushback comes from both worlds--some Muslims don’t want to support the store because it supports the Jewish community, and some Jews don’t want to support the store because it is owned by Muslims. She tries to focus on the positive responses and those showing support for unity. “What both religions teach is peace,” Almusawi said. “We’re welcoming of everybody. We don’t want to make anybody feel uncomfortable and anybody is welcome to shop. And if any
items are missing that they are looking for, we’re always willing to bring it in.” Al Basha is in Yisrael Bernstein’s regular shopping rotation. He usually makes an “east side loop” on Fridays gathering food for several Chabad rabbis. He stops at Al Basha, Trader Joe’s, and then Costco. It can take up to six hours, depending on who joins him. He discovered Al Basha a couple of years ago “on a lark,” figuring that if they sold halal food they might also have kosher items, “and sure enough, they did.” He got to be very friendly with Almusawi and she began making sure the store carried his favorites: corned beef, pastrami, and hot dogs. With his long beard, his black hat, and his long coat, he always feels welcome. “I really do. It makes my whole Shabbat weekend,” Bernstein, who is
also a medical doctor, said. Al Basha is “not going to save the world,” said Davis, but it’s those little bridge-building exchanges individuals that can. “We can’t just reduce each other to what we see on television. For all the differences that we might have, maybe we just have more in common. And you get a chance to see that in a human context -- you’re shopping for what you’re going to put on your family’s table.”
Al Basha Grocery, 4145 E Grant Rd, Tucson, AZ 85712 (520) 849-5900
Al Basha Grocery, 3421 N 1st Ave, Tucson, AZ 85719 (520) 372-7223
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FEATURE
Profund Shift
Pew research: 38% of American Jews engage with Chabad programs By Rabbi David Eliezrie American Jewry is changing and it’s heading in two different directions. That is what’s clear from the new Pew Report. The number of Jews who don’t identify with a religion is rising, with many on a trajectory away from Jewish life. But on the other side, there is a spiritual rebound. Orthodox Judaism is continuing to grow and successfully retain its youth. And, with large families being the norm, it will become a larger segment of the community over the decades. This is coupled with the rise of Chabad, now equal in size to either the Reform or Conservative movements. The Chabad emergence, documented in this Pew Report, is a gamechanger for American Jewish life. The numbers are startling: 38% of all US Jews have engaged in some way with Chabad programs. 40% of those are active on a regular or semi-regular basis. 75% of those who are involved with Chabad do not self-identify as Orthodox. The younger the segment, the more connected they are with Chabad. This is clearly a result of Chabad’s massive expansion in the three youth sectors: teens, college students, and young professionals. The shift of millennials has been documented in a series of local Federation studies that reveal that more Jews age 35 and younger are involved with Chabad than any other Jewish group. At the rate it’s going, Chabad’s role in the US Jewish community will only expand in the years to come.
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On the other side of the ideological spectrum, we see the opposite. There are 37% who identify with Reform and 17% with Conservative, but identifica-
Vehicles line upat Chabad’s Drive-In Chanukah Celebration at the Gaslight Music Hall of Oro Valley, December 2020
tion is not affiliation. It does not mean those who identify are truly active in those movements. In fact, according to the 2013 Pew Study with similar stats on identification, the numbers of actual membership in the liberal Jewish movements are dramatically lower. That study found that just 14% of US Jews are members of Reform congregations and 11% of Conservative.
Chabad Centers has tripled.
And a second vital statistic shows that many of those members are older. As age drops, so does involvement in liberal movements. This is reflected by synagogue closures, since the 2002 Synagogue Survey, nonorthodox congregations are closing and merging. The Reform has downsized by 180, and the Conservative by over 350. In the same time frame, the number of
This historic realignment of the community has major implications for US Jewry and Israel.
Why Chabad is attractive
tradition, all rooted in Ahavat Yisroel, unconditional love and acceptance of every Jew—has resonated profoundly. While others are lowering Jewish standards in the hope of attracting the next generation with their openmindedness, their success is limited. Chabad is taking the opposite strategy, balancing retention of tradition and openness to all. Clearly, it’s working. Just look at the Birthright trips to Israel where Chabad is a top provider. US students, 95% of whom are not Orthodox, are choosing to experience Israel with Chabad, which focuses more on the historical and spiritual connection of the Jews to their homeland than other tour organizers.
The Message of Chabad – Jewish learning, spirituality, and observance of
Another reason Chabad is so attractive is because they are focused on
Chabad has created a new paradigm in modern Jewish life, reversing trends of over a century of Jewish disconnecting from orthodoxy as they became less observant. Today’s Jews, many of whom are not fully observant, choose Chabad as their point of affiliation. They are open to more tradition.
teaching Torah and staying out of politics. People are tired of hearing politics preached during services. The whole Jewish community can learn from Chabad that Jews respond positively to congregations that are focused on the core values of Torah study, mitzvah observance, community, and concern for others. And while Judaism does have a message to the broader society about justice, dignity, and compassion, replacing the deep spiritual lessons of the Torah with political activism does not necessarily engage more Jews. Chabad has also introduced a new business model. Jewish communities have historically had a “pay to pray” policy. Join a congregation, pay membership, and you can become part of the community. Chabad’s approach is “get involved.” If you like what you see, you can partner with and support your community. But as a Jew, you are automatically part of the brotherhood. Each Chabad center is financially autonomous and the rabbis and rebbetzins take stronger leadership roles and engage more personally with the community. They are invested in it because they are staying for life. They are not on a career track to larger congregations. Also, the rapid openings of new centers means they are each catering to more specific, niche demographics making it easier to find a community that resonates with you. Chabad’s growing leadership is good news for Israel. Chabad’s support has always been unequivocal. Its schools emphasize the centrality of the Jewish homeland and its rabbis are unafraid to speak up in support of Israel’s security. At the same time, Chabad stays clear of engaging in Israeli politics and instead strives to be the voice of historic tradition that connects all Jews to
Israel. This became clear during the hostilities in Gaza. While many in the Jewish community hunkered down, fearing antisemitism, or wondering about the righteousness of Israel’s cause. Some even criticized Israel. Chabad rabbis acted, speaking out strongly in support of Israel. The Pew Report shows that it’s time for the Jewish establishment to be more open to and welcome of Chabad and its agenda of Torah and tradition. This has begun to happen in some communities and on a national level, such as with Jewish Federations of North America. But there’s still a way to go.
appeal, and be open to supporting its agenda. No longer can the liberal Jewish movements claim to speak for the majority of American Jews. Yes, they represent an important segment. Their actual members make up only 25% of US Jews. They are overshadowed by the Orthodox and Chabad in one direction and, in the other direction, Jews claiming no religion. The classic cookie-cutter descriptions that divide US Jews into the three neat pie segments of Reform, Conser-
vative, and Orthodox are no longer relevant. Chabad is at least as equal in size to those movements and its growth is outpacing them. And in many ways, it is more inclusive, transcending the classical divisions and bringing together Jews of all backgrounds and affiliations in a common community. - Rabbi David Eliezrie directs the North County Chabad Center in Yorba Linda, CA, and is the author of the bestselling book The Secret of Chabad
Many Jewish community organizations are still resisting a greater inclusion of Chabad. Some local Federations do not allow for Chabad representation on their boards or support their programs, in particular those on campus. Others resist the agenda of unabashed Judaism and unflinching support for Israel’s security. This week I’m in Israel with a solidarity mission of Chabad rabbis. One suggested to his local community leaders that he conduct a zoom session from an army base. He was told that might upset some in his city who questioned last week’s military tactics. Some Chabad leaders hesitate to engage with the Jewish establishment. Sometimes this is due to a sense of parochialism, others due to discriminatory policies of the past and, at times, also during the present. Whatever the case, it is time for Jewish philanthropists, foundations, and organizations to recognize Chabad’s success and
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COMMUNITIES
The complicated history of Bulgaria The Jewish community in existence since the time of the Roman conquest in 46 BCE By Thomas Price Everything about Balkan history is nightmarishly complicated, and Bulgaria is more complicated than most countries in the region, especially because what is called Bulgaria has shifted in size, shape, and even location many times over the past fifteen centuries. A very streamlined (and vastly oversimplified) version of Bulgarian history is provided here, along with two examples of how this shape-shifting history has affected the region. Before Rome conquered what is now Bulgaria in the year 46 BCE, Bulgaria was ruled by the Thracians, the Persians, and ultimately the Greeks. The territory of modern Bulgaria was populated by an ethnic mix of Greeks, Thracians, Macedonians, and Celts at the time of the Roman conquest, and Roman remains can be seen throughout the country. And this mixture was eventually assimilated by Slavs who settled permanently in the region starting early in the sixth century. In this part of the world, the Roman Empire eventually became the Byzantine Empire, with which Bulgaria always had a very ambivalent relationship. In 632 CE, the people known as the Bulgars formed an independent state known as Great Bulgaria on the nor-
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The Jewish elementary school in Plovdiv, 1932
The Sofia Synagogue, the largest synagogue in Southeastern Europe / Photo: facebook.com/JewishBulgaria
th shore of the Black Sea. Pressure from the Khazars and others caused the collapse of Great Bulgaria towards the end of the seventh century, and under the able leadership of Khan Asparukh, the Bulgars moved south and west towards the territory now known as Bulgaria. An important battle in 680
led to the signing of a peace treaty with Byzantium in 681; this was the beginning of the First Bulgarian Empire, which lasted until 1018 when it collapsed under combined pressure from the Kievan Rus and the Byzantine Empire. Bulgaria remained under Byzantine control until 1185 when the Second
Bulgarian Empire was formed. This Second Empire lasted until 1396 when the Ottoman conquest of the region was complete. After the Ottoman conquest, Bulgaria – like most of the region in which it is situated – was part of the Ottoman Empire until 1878, a period that is referred to throughout the
Notable Bulgarian individuals
Balkans as “500 years under the Turkish yoke,” often abbreviated to simply “500 years” and accompanied by an incredibly expressive movement of the speaker’s whole head. Here are the two promised examples of how Bulgaria’s ever-changing borders affected the region. In what is today the southwest corner of the Republic of North Macedonia, you will find a lake that also borders Albania: Lake Ohrid. On the Macedonian side of this lake, you will see a town called Ohrid, considered for many centuries to be an integral part of Bulgaria. Two Bulgarian clerics created in Ohrid the first university in the Slavic-speaking world and arguably one of the oldest universities in all of Europe. Shifting our gaze to the southeast corner of Bulgaria, we find a town named Edirne, located on the border of Greece, Turkey, and Bulgaria. This town was built by the great Roman Emperor Hadrian, who named it after himself and was called Adrianopolis when it was part of the Greek-speaking Byzantine Empire. Later this town was named Odrun when it was ruled by Bulgaria, and then Edirne when it was conquered by the Ottoman sultan Murat I. Murat made it the last Ottoman capital before the conquest of Constantinople in 1453. And by which gate did the Ottoman conquerors enter Constantinople? Through the Edirne gate with crack troops from their massive garrison in Edirne. There have been Jews living in what is today Bulgaria since at least the time of the Roman conquest in 46 BCE. The early Roman historian Josephus testifies to a significant population of Jews in Bulgaria in the first and second
centuries CE. Descendants of those Roman Jews, called the Romaniotes, dominated Jewish life in Bulgaria for more than 1,000 years until Ashkenazic Jews from Austro-Hungary began to arrive in 1376. In 1470, Jews expelled from Bavaria arrived in great numbers. Travelers reported that Yiddish would often be heard on the streets of Sofia. A major change in the nature of Bulgarian Jewry began in 1494 when the first exiles from Spain began to arrive via Thessaloniki, Skopje, Dubrovnik, and Sarajevo. By the middle of the 1500s, it became more common to hear Bulgarian Jews speaking Ladino than Yiddish. Prayer books were printed in both Ashkenazic and Sephardic versions. By the middle of the following century, Sofia had three separate Jewish communities: Romaniote, Ashkenazic, and Sephardic. In 1640, a single rabbi was appointed to bring the communities together and to try to “clarify” matters. When Bulgaria gained its independence in 1878, Jews were generally well accepted and expected to serve in the national army, which they did. Jews fought in the Serbo-Bulgarian War of 1885, the two Balkan Wars of 1912 and 1913, and World War I. The Treaty of Neuilly signed after World War I emphasized the equality of Jews with all other Bulgarian citizens. Bulgaria’s treatment of its Jewish population during World War II, when it was allied with Nazi Germany, remains a hotly debated issue among historians and academics. In the late 1930s and early 1940s, Bulgaria obtained territories – either through diplomatic negotiations or through the use of mi-
litary force – in neighboring countries such as Greece, Yugoslavia, and Romania. These moves added as many as 17,000 Jews to its population. At the risk of oversimplifying, a combination of people and principles caused King Boris III to save all of the 48,000 Jews in Bulgaria itself, but to deport the 17,000 Jews from occupied territories in neighboring countries to almost certain death. A monument thanking King Boris III for defying his German allies was erected in Israel in 1998. A public committee headed by Israeli Chief Justice Dr. Moshe Beiski decided to remove the memorial in 2003. Of Bulgaria’s 48,000 Jews, 44,000 moved to Israel after the war, making Bulgarians the fourth largest European population group in Israel, after the former USSR, Poland, and Romania. Bulgarian Jews in Israel continue to publish their own daily newspaper, and they occupy a surprisingly large number of positions in politics, in the senior ranks of the military, and in the arts and sciences.
Rabbi Yosef Caro (14881575), author of the Shulchan Aruch, the
Code of Jewish Law which is studied and followed until today. Born in Toledo, Spain during the Inquisition years, his family wandered until they settled in Nikopol and Edirne. After his marriage, Caro lived in Bulgaria for a short while before moving to Safed in the Holy Land.
Elias Canetti (1905-1994),
winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1981. Born in Ruse, Bulgaria, to Spanish Sephardic Jews. He was educated in Vienna, Austria, and then moved to England to escape Nazi persecution. He was known as a modernist novelist, playwright, memoirist, and non-fiction writer who wrote in German, Ladino and English.
Bulgaria is now home to between 2,000 and 6,000 Jews, according to Hebrew University demographer Sergio DellaPergola’s World Jewish Population, 2016. There are no overt manifestations of antisemitism in Bulgaria and Jews enjoy participation in all aspects of Bulgarian public life, the World Jewish Congress notes. The community has steadily grown in recent years. --Thomas Price is a former U.S. diplomat and host of the podcast “Around the Jewish World with Tom Price.”
Dr. Solomon Passy
(born 1956), former Foreign Minister of Bul-
garia and former Chairman of the United Nations Security Council. He was born in Plovdiv to Isaac Passy, one of the most prolific philosophers in Bulgarian history. A scientist and innovator, he promoted Bulgaria’s eventual membership in NATO and the European Union.
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FATHER’S DAY
Kaddish was his first Jewish prayer By Rabbi Yossie Shemtov I first met Dr. Seneca Erman, a retired surgeon in Tucson AZ, when he was President of Congregation Young Israel and appointed me as the rabbi of the shul. Since then, we have maintained a close friendship. Whenever I visit him, we sing an old Yiddish song together. I recently visited Dr. Erman at Handmaker Jewish Services for the Aging, where he currently resides. We discussed his life growing up and raising his children and grandchildren to be proud Jews. Dr. Erman was born in December 1928 (11 Teves 5689) in the Bronx, NY. His father, a retired rabbi, passed away at 56 years of age when Seneca was only 22 months old. The mourner’s prayer of Kaddish was one of the first he learned, in addition to the Shema. Seneca’s older brother, who was 15 at the time, taught him to recite the words. “My brother was like a father to me,” Dr. Erman remembers. He grew up in a large family, including his grandfather and many uncles and aunts, who all lived in one house in the Bronx and helped take care of him. As a child, Dr. Erman attended public school in the Bronx. Every day from 3:00 to 6:00 PM, including Sundays, he learned Hebrew, davening, and Yiddish at the Cheder around the corner. “Yiddish was my first language. My grandparents spoke Yiddish. My uncles and aunts were all conversive in Hebrew, but they spoke Yiddish.”
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“I had two Bar Mitzvahs! I led the entire service,” he declared proudly. “On the first Thursday morning [after I turned 13] I went to shul and had an aliyah. My first tallis and pair of tefillin were my father’s.” By this time, his mother had remarried and his stepfather wanted to have a party in his shul so he repeated the entire bar mitzvah on Shabbos. Dr. Erman continued with Hebrew school in the afternoons at Chevra
Bikur Cholim, his stepfather’s shul. After graduating high school, he went to university and then on to Cornell Medical School where he was one of only four Jewish students. He met his wife, Dotty, when he was in his fourth year of medical school. They had a relative in common and many family members thought they would be “perfect for each other.” He took her on their first date to Coney Island but forgot to tell her they were going out to dinner so “she watched while I ate.” A month later, he asked her for a second date and their third date was a picnic to which Dotty brought the food and he brought the soda. By the fourth date, “Already I knew she was the girl I was going to marry.” As soon as he graduated medical school, Dr. Erman was offered a position on the Navajo Reservation in Tuba City. His mother would not let him bring Dotty unless they were married. So on their fourth date, “I asked [Dotty] ‘would you like to go to Arizona with me? My mother will only let me go if I am married.’ I said this as a joke but she said ‘OK!’”
child, Russ, was born. The family drove to Tucson on weekends so that the children could participate in Jewish events. When Janece was old enough to start school, the family moved to Tucson and Dr. Erman opened a practice. Dr. Erman and a few friends started a small shul named Bet Shalom. They brought in a rabbi every couple of weeks and Dr. Erman served as the chazzan. Janece remembers seeing her father lead davening and deciding that she wanted to be just like him. When the children were old enough to begin Hebrew school, they joined Congregation Anshei Israel. After all three children became Bar and Bat Mitzvah, the Ermans joined Congregation Young Israel. Spencer and Russ followed in their father’s footsteps and are both now
They were married in Brooklyn. “We had a real kosher wedding,” he proudly notes. After relocating to the Navajo Reservation, their daughter, Janece, was born. They imported meat from Denver and kept the only kosher house on the Navajo Reservation. “It was fun!” A few Jews moved to Flagstaff and came to the Reservation for the holidays. After two years in Tuba City, the family moved back to NY so that Dr. Erman could complete his surgical residency at Beth El (now Brookdale) Hospital. Here they had their second child, Spencer. The Ermans subsequently moved back to Arizona where Dr. Erman ran the Tohono O’odham hospital in Sells and their youngest
Dr. Seneca Erman and his family
Dr. Seneca Erman in his apartment at Handmaker
doctors. Janece (Cohen) realized her dream and is now a cantor. Dr. Erman has many grandchildren who all “read very well from the Siddur and Torah.” He is very proud that his “daughter teaches all the kids to read from the Torah for their Bar and Bat mitzvahs. She teaches them the Parsha and she is very strict.”
FUN PAGE
The Jewish Heroines Quiz
The exhibit at the House of Dona Gracia in Tiberias, Israel
2. Which prophetess led the women in song after the Splitting of the Sea? Miriam, sister of Aaron Elisheva, wife of Aaron Yenta, who “knew everyone’s name” 3. Who sheltered the spies Joshua sent to Jericho and converted to Judaism? Rahab the innkeeper Anat the baker Athirat the weaver 4. Who killed an enemy general with a tent peg? Rivky, who panicked after she mistook Hadadezer for a bear Yael, who slew Sisera after he took re fuge in her tent Deborah, whose sword had been stolen by jealous male soldiers 5. Who was the Moabite who chose to relocate to Judea and embrace Judaism? Orpah, whose name means “neck” Naomi, whose name means “pleasant” Ruth, which means “overflowing with abundance”
6. What was the alias of Esther, heroine of the Purim story? Hadassah, which means “myrtle” Adinah, which means “refined” Devorah, which means “bee” 7. Who famously convinced her husband to begin learning Torah at age 40? Michal, wife of King David Zipporah, wife of Moses Rachel, wife of Rabbi Akiva 8. Whom does the Talmud attest learned 300 laws from 300 rabbis in a single cloudy day? Tirtzah, one of the five sisters Rahab of Jericho Bruriah, wife of Rabbi Meir 9. Which Portuguese-born philanthropist helped resettle Jews fleeing from the Inquisition? Dona Gracia Mendes-Nasi Shprintza Goldman of Antwerp Tziporah Feigelman of London 10. What was the enduring accomplishment of Sarah Schenirer? Writing a commentary on Talmud in French Founding a network of Jewish schools for girls Sponsoring ships to carry displaced Jews after WWII Answers: 1. Rachel / 2. Miriam / 3. Rahab / 4. Yael / 5. Ruth / 6. Hadassah / 7. Rachel / 8. Bruriah / 9. Dona Gracia Mendes-Nasi / 10. Founding schools
1. Which of the four matriarchs “stole” her father’s idols to wean him from idolatry? Sarah Rebeccah Rachel Leah
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